(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - This is an iftar recipe from Iran. It is a popular Persian dessert in Iran during Ramadan. The Zoolbia Bamieh is one of the favorite deserts in Iran. It is made of starch, yogurt, flour, saffron, oil, and rose water.
Bamieh are Persian doughnuts that is basically deep=fried dough which is then soaked in a syrup. The recipe was pretty interesting because it had you add eggs to the flour mixture (which is usually not heard of) and melting butter in water? Besides the odd technique, the dough came out super thick and sticky but then turned into light pillows of fried love. It almost remembers churros but without the extra dusting of sugar. The simple syrup is simple, just water, sugar and gorgeous floral, golden saffron.
This recipe makes a lot but trust me, they won’t last long in your house. Once you coat the doughnuts in the saffron simple simple, the outside glistenes and gets a little sticky. When you take a bite, you first notice the perfect outside which is crispy and sweet and then the inside is so soft and bursts with sweet syrup. The rose water is not overwhelming but noticeable as “Hmm, what is that floral flavor?” If you can’t find rose water, you can make it yourself! Here is a simple recipe. I highly suggest keeping a bottle of this addiction in your fridge.
"Bamieh Recipe"
Ingredients
1 Cup flour
3 Tbsp butter
2 Eggs
1/4 Tsp saffron
1 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp rose water
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
Method
1) Soak saffron in a bowl with 1/4c of boiling water for 20 minutes.
2) Make the simple syrup. In a small pot, add 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water and boil until thickened. Make sure it does not caramelize. When almost thickened, add 1 Tb rose water and 3 tsp saffron liquid to pot and continue boiling for 3 more minutes. When done, put aside.
3) In another pot, add 1 cup water, 2 Tb sugar and 3 Tb of butter. Put on low heat and stir until the butter is melted and everything blended.
4) On low heat, add 1 cup flour to the pot and use a spatula to mix the flour into the butter until it looks like a dough ball. When done, remove from heat and allow to get at room temperature (I stuck it in the fridge to help speed it up).
5) When dough is at room temperature, add it to a large bowl and mix in 2 eggs (1 at a time) until everything is incorporated. The dough is very sticky so it helps to use a hand mixer if you have one.
6) Heat a large skillet with 1 in of oil and bring to 3725 degrees.
7) Transfer dough to a piping bag with desired tip and squeeze out small doughnuts into the oil. Use a knife to help cut the dough as you’re frying them.
8) Fry the zoolbias (dough) on each side until golden brown (2-3 minutes on each side). When done, use a mesh spoon to shake of excess oil and transfer them to saffron syrup. Coat the syrup all over the doughnuts.
9) Repeat until all dough and syrup is used.
"Zoolbia Recipe"
Ingredients
9 oz (255 g) Corn Starch
9 oz (255 g) Kefir Cheese
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
3 Tbsp Rose Water
1/4 Cup Rose Water
3 Tbsp Honey
1/2 Tsp Citric Acid
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp Flour
1/4 Tsp Saffron
Vegetable Oil
preparations
1- Soak saffron in a 2 tbsp of boiling water for 30 minutes.
Method
1- Combine corn starch, kefir cheese, flour and 3 tbsp of rose water, stir well until completely mixed.
2- Cover the container with a lid.
3- Allow the mixture to rest overnight (3 hours or more) on a warm room temperature.
Syrup:
4- in a separate bowl, mix sugar, 1/3 cup of water, 1/4 cup of rose water, honey, the soaked saffron and citric acid, stir thoroughly.
5- Transfer the mixture into a pot.
6- Heat the pot over medium heat, continue stirring until sugar is dissolved thoroughly. Keep the mixture warm throughout the baking.
7- Back to the corn starch container, open the container, add baking soda, and water (1/4 cup approx.) to loosen the batter (resemble the batter in the video). and mix well.
8- Heat vegetable oil in a pot, do not overheat.
Note: to test oil's temperature, drop a small portion of the batter into the oil and it should come back up and float slowly, in 1 or 2 seconds.
9- Place an egg ring (4 inches wide) in the pot, vegetable oil should not exceed or overlap the ring.
10- Transfer the batter into a piping bag and use a thin tip.
11- Pour/Swirl the batter into the egg ring.
12- In few seconds the batter will float, remove the ring and allow the zoolbia to fry a turn gold. Flip if needed.
13- Remove the zoolbia and dip in the syrup, allow few minutes to soak in.
14- Remove the zoolbia and allow to cool down before serving.
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