Cookbook:Nigerian Doughnut

Nigerian doughnuts are a popular Nigerian snack. Like many other yeasted doughnuts, they are shaped into rings and fried. They may be served with jam or marmalade. The doughnuts are similar to puff puffs, another Nigerian fried dough, but the dairy included in the doughnuts adds richness and flavor.

Ingredients

 * Active dry yeast
 * Milk, warmed slightly
 * Butter, melted and cooled until warm
 * Plain flour
 * Sugar
 * Salt
 * Egg
 * Vegetable oil

Procedure

 * 1) Stir the yeast into the warm milk, and set aside.
 * 2) Sift half of the flour into a big dry bowl. This removes all the lumps in the flour.
 * 3) Stir the sugar and salt into the flour.
 * 4) Mix in the egg with a spatula. Mix in the melted and cooled butter until there is no loose flour.
 * 5) Mix in the milk and yeast mixture until smooth and free of lumps.
 * 6) Mix in the remaining flour until a smooth dough forms.
 * 7) Knead the dough on a dry tabletop until it becomes smooth and shifty—that is, the dough will move when placed on a flat surface.
 * 8) Put the dough back in the bowl, and cover with a layer of plastic wrap. This is more effective than a towel.
 * 9) Let the dough rest in a warm place for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
 * 10) Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of ½ inch.
 * 11) Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut out circles from the dough. Use a 1-inch cutter to cut out holes in the center of the circles.
 * 12) Transfer the dough rings to a flat tray. Re-roll the remaining dough, and continue cutting out doughnuts until all the dough is used up.
 * 13) Cover the donuts with a cloth, and let them rise for another hour in a warm place. They should become puffier.
 * 14) Add vegetable oil to a pot to a depth of at least 3 inches. Heat the oil to about 350–375°F.
 * 15) Fry the doughnuts in the hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Remove the doughnuts from the oil, and transfer to a rack to drain off excess oil.
 * 16) Serve the doughnuts with jam or marmalade.