Rabat – If you are in love with donuts, there is a large chance that you will fall in love with Morocco’s doughnuts, or Sfenj, one of the most popular snacks in the North African country.

Several reports showed how travelers choose their travel destination based on what the host country can offer in terms of culinary treats and drinks.

Travel Weekly quoted research from Booking.com in 2018, showing that 64% of travelers “choose their next travel destination” based on food and drink options– fair enough!

Nobody can stand the sound of a growling or grumbling stomach amid a lack of options. Moving on! If you are one of the people who is looking for diverse cuisines, Morocco should already be on your list, particularly if you are into the use of different spices in dishes.

Snacks in the North African country can feel as heavy to the stomach as a 2,000-calorie meal.

 Be prepared to schedule some outdoor activities to digest your food, unless you are seeking to gain some extra weight. Very few people want that of course. Wait, do you? 

Morocco’s doughnuts are shaped like famous fluffy traditional donuts. The taste differs, however, as Morocco’s popular sfenj features a more crispy and crunchy texture compared to traditional American donuts.

The donuts are fried in extremely hot cooking oil which gives them a deep-fried flavor.

Explore sfenj

While traditional US-style donuts taste more buttery and mushy, which require a lot of ingredients, the Moroccan version requires fewer ingredients.

Four ingredients that can be already in your kitchen will do the job, including:

A few cups of warm water

A pinch of salt

2 cups of all-purpose flour

Cooking oil for frying 

2 teaspoons of dry yeast

Half a cup of granulated sugar (for those with a  sweet tooth).

 Prep time

For a perfect dough, professionals, and sfenj-making experts usually put the yeast and 1/4 cup of water to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can prepare the flour in another bowl, by adding salt and another cup of warm water, before adding the yeast liquid you prepared.

Mix and stir with a wooden spoon, until the dough turns smooth and sticky. If you have some errands to do, now is the time to do them, because you will have to cover this bowl with a clean towel to rest for four to five hours.

After this period of time, expect the dough in your bowl to have grown to triple or more of its original size compared to when you left it.

Once your dough has risen, prepare yourself for more fun. Check your kitchen for a deep fryer and add a good amount of oil, which will help cover all of your donuts for cooking.

After you start heating the cooking oil, go grab a small bowl and fill it with some water. You will need it to make sure the dough won’t stick on your hand while shaping your sfenj.

Take a piece of dough after dipping your hand in the bowl of water. Now use your fingers to make a hole in the ball of dough and stretch the dough into the shape of a ring.

Once the oil is sufficiently hot, place the dough into the frying pan. When your sfenj turns into a fat golden circle, take it out from the fryer and place it on a clean plate. Use an aid, like a fork, not your hand, (Obviously). Repeat until you finish all the dough you have.

Enjoy your sfenj. In Morocco, people like to munch on their Moroccan donuts with a cup of mint tea, or even coffee and milk-based drinks. Some Moroccans also use a pinch of granulated sugar for decoration and to add a sweet taste.

Bon Appétit!