Zlabi are traditional Lebanese donuts.

Zlabi are traditional Lebanese doughnuts. They are made with flour, sugar, water, yeast, and salt. After the dough has been prepared, it is fried in hot oil until until golden and crispy with a chewy, fluffy interior. Then sprinkled with sugar on top.

Ingredients:

• 5 Cups all purpose flour

• 2 3/4 Cups Luke milk

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon active yeast

• 2 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 Cups sugar for coating donuts

Directions:

• In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, active yeast, baking powder and salt.

• Create a well in the Centre and gradually add the milk.

• Knead the dough gently for just a couple of minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for at least 20 minutes.

• Fill a medium sauté pan with enough canola oil to reach 1/3 of the way up. Heat over medium high heat until a tiny ball of dough placed in the oil bubbles up immediately.

• Dough should be sticky, Dip your fingers into cold cannoli oil to avoid dough sticking to ur hand,

• Stretch a piece of dough at a time into long eclair shape and poke couple of hole.

• Slowly put the dough into the oil holing the end until it hold shape.

• Fry three donuts at a time, turning over with tongs when deep golden brown.

• Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel, and coat with sugar while they’re still hot, and enjoy.

• These donuts are best eaten immediately after they are fried.

Note:

• Be careful not to over heat the oil, , or the donuts will brown too quickly and will not cook through the inside.

• If the dough is too sticky add more flour, if it’s too stiff you add more warm milk.