Mkate wa Pembe
For the dough:
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 egg
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp gheeMethod:
Heat up the ghee to make it somewhat hot (above warm).
In a bowl, add the flour, egg and mix well.
Next add the ghee and mix well.
Now add the coconut milk and mix to form a dough.
The dough should not be soft nor hard.
Now divide the dough into four balls.
Take each ball and roll it out into a flat circle like a chapati.
Spread ghee on top of the flat circle.
Now fold one side (left) and bring it in the middle, then fold the opposite side (right) and bring it in the middle to overlap the first folded side.
Then fold the remaining side the upper side and the lower side to make a square.
Repeat this folding process with all the balls.
Now take each square and roll it out, spread some ghee on the rolled square, then bring the top end corners to the middle, thus making small triangles on top. Now bring the bottom end corners to the middle as well, thus making another two triangles in total four triangles..(kind of like making an envelope, or something like a cootie catcher, kids game).
Now flip the square so that the triangles are in the bottom, roll it just a bit, more like straightening it, then spread some ghee and fold the same way by bringing the upper end corners to the middle to form another set of triangles and same with the bottom, bring the bottom end corners to the middle to form another set of triangles.
Remember to repeat this process with all the squares.
Now deep fry the mikate on medium heat oil until golden brown. Deep fry them on both sides.
Keep them aside to cool completely.For the syrup:
You need:
1 cup sugar
1 and a half cups water
Ground cardamom
Mix all the ingredients and boil until you get a thick sticky syrup..You can make the syrup ahead of time or after making the mikate.
For the final step, once the mikate are completely cool and the syrup is ready, pour or sprinkle the syrup over the mikate. You can use a tablespoon to pour the syrup.
Once one side is coated with sugar syrup, turn the mkate to the other side and coat the other side with syrup as well.
If the syrup is cooked to the right consistency it will crystallize beautifully..
Let the mikate cool completely before storing.
Enjoy!!!