lokma — Egypt

In Egypt, this dish, known locally as loqmat el-qadi, is made from a batter thick enough to hold its shape when dropped into hot oil, producing small, slightly irregular balls with a crisp shell and a soft, faintly tangy crumb from a touch of yogurt or a resting period that lets the batter sour lightly. This version is reported from Egypt, where it is closely associated with the month of Ramadan, sold from carts and sweet shops after sunset alongside other fried desserts. The name, meaning roughly 'the judge's morsels', is used locally without a firmly settled account of how it came about, and is treated more as a familiar label than a documented history. To prepare it, flour, yeast, a little yogurt, sugar and salt are mixed with water into a thick, pourable batter and left to ferment until full of bubbles. Spoonfuls or small scoops of batter are dropped into hot oil and fried until the outside is deep gold and firm while the centre stays soft, then drained briefly on paper towels. What distinguishes this version is a syrup built on sugar and water flavoured with orange blossom water rather than plain sugar syrup, into which the warm balls are dipped, and a finishing scatter of toasted sesame seeds over the top. The result is a sweet with a more floral, slightly perfumed profile than the plainer sugar-syrup versions served elsewhere in the region.