Luqaimat Qatari

Medium·35 min active + 55 min resting

Qatari sweet dumplings — a saffron-and-cardamom yeasted batter dropped into hot oil to fry into crisp golden balls, then drenched in date syrup (dibs) and sesame. Crunchy outside, fluffy within; the Ramadan and celebration sweet of the Gulf.

Luqaimat are the golden fried dumplings of the Gulf — a saffron-cardamom batter fried crisp, then drenched in date syrup and sesame. Crunchy outside and fluffy within, they are a beloved Qatari and Gulf treat, especially at Ramadan.

Bite a luqaimat and it shatters crisp on the outside into a warm, fluffy, faintly yeasty interior, drenched in sticky date syrup and dotted with toasty sesame. Bite: crunchy-then-soft, intensely sweet from the dibs, fragrant with saffron and cardamom. The festive, finger-licking Ramadan sweet of the Gulf table.

Yeast aerates the batter so the dumplings puff hollow and fluffy inside while deep-frying crisps the outside; dropping irregular spoonfuls gives the craggy surface that soaks up date syrup. Saffron and cardamom are the Gulf aromatics, dibs (date syrup) the regional sweetener.

Variations

With sugar syrup. With honey. With cinnamon. Larger. With cardamom-heavy spicing. Plain (no soak).

On the Palate

Where Luqaimat Qatari sits in the Qatari flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 6

How it's made

8 steps · 35 min active + 55 min waiting

1
5 min
Whisk flour, yeast, sugar, saffron, cardamom, and a pinch of salt with warm water to a thick batter.
2
46 min
Cover and leave to rise until bubbly, about 45 min.
Watch out
Let the batter rise until it's puffy and covered in bubbles — that trapped air is what makes the dumplings hollow and light inside.
3
5 min
Heat oil for deep frying to medium-hot.
4
6 min
Drop small spoonfuls of batter into the oil (a wet spoon helps).
Watch out
Drop craggy, irregular spoonfuls rather than smoothing them into balls — the rough surface is what drinks up the date syrup.
5
8 min
Fry, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over.
Watch out
Fry until deep golden and crisp all over, turning so they brown evenly — pull them pale and the inside stays doughy.
6
2 min
Drain briefly on paper.
7
3 min
While warm, drench in date syrup (or sugar syrup).
Watch out
Drench them in syrup while still warm so it soaks in — wait until they cool and it just slides off the crust.
8
1 min
Scatter with sesame seeds and serve at once.