Destination
Antalya
The story
Lokma is Turkey's most-loved fried dough sweet and one of the country's oldest continuously-made desserts. Small yeasted dough balls (about the size of a walnut) are fried in hot oil until they puff up and turn deep golden with a crackly outside and a soft, slightly chewy inside. They are then submerged briefly in a warm sugar syrup scented with lemon peel and cinnamon, lifted onto a serving plate to drain, and scattered with ground cinnamon and (in some regions) sesame seeds. Served warm as an afternoon snack with a small cup of Turkish coffee.
Method
In a large bowl, whisk flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add warm water and oil. Whisk vigorously for 2 minutes until you have a very wet, sticky, batter-like dough. Do not add more flour to firm it up. The wetness is the point.
Cover with a damp towel. Leave in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes until the surface is visibly bubbled and the dough has doubled.
In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water, lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes until the mixture coats a spoon in a thin syrup. Stir in lemon juice off the heat. Keep warm but not hot.
Warm the oil in a deep heavy pot to 170C. A small piece of dough should sizzle and float within 5 seconds.
Wet your left hand with water. Take a small handful of the wet dough and squeeze so a small ball pops up between your thumb and forefinger. Scoop it off with an oiled teaspoon and drop it into the hot oil. Alternative method: use two wet teaspoons and quenelle the dough into small balls.
Fry 8 to 10 balls at a time, turning with a slotted spoon, for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden all over and crackly on the outside. Do not crowd the pot; the oil temperature drops.
Lift the fried balls straight from the oil into the warm syrup. Let them soak for 15 to 20 seconds, turning once. Lift onto a serving plate to drain (they should still be juicy but not soaking wet).
Dust generously with ground cinnamon. Scatter with sesame or pistachios if using. Serve immediately with Turkish coffee. Best within an hour of frying. Reheat briefly in a dry pan if needed.
Tips
- Very wet dough. This is what makes lokma light and slightly chewy inside. Resist the urge to add more flour.
- The wet-hand squeeze technique. Watch a video before your first attempt. Once you get it, you can produce 40 lokma a minute.
- 170C oil is the target. A thermometer helps. Cooler oil gives you greasy pale lokma; hotter burns the outside before the inside sets.
- Warm syrup, not hot. If the syrup is boiling when the lokma go in, they collapse. Keep it warm and viscous.
- Serve warm. Lokma soften and lose their crackle after a few hours. Fry fresh to serve.
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