lokma — Greece

Lokma, known in Greece as loukoumades, is made of small balls of yeasted batter deep-fried until the outside turns crisp and deep gold while the inside stays airy and soft. The batter is loose enough to be dropped from a spoon rather than shaped by hand, which gives the fried balls their characteristic round, slightly irregular form. This version is reported from Greece, where it is sold at fairs, sweet shops and street stalls, often alongside other fried pastries. The same base of fried leavened dough, soaked in a syrup while still hot, is found under the name lokma in several other countries, each pairing it with its own syrup and toppings. To prepare it, a batter of flour, yeast, water and a little sugar is left to ferment until bubbly and loose. Spoonfuls of the batter are dropped into hot oil and turned as they puff and colour, then lifted out and drained. While still warm, the balls are dipped in a honey syrup thinned with a little water, so the syrup soaks partway into the crisp shell without turning it soggy. What sets this version apart is the honey syrup itself and the finishing touch of ground cinnamon and crushed walnuts scattered on top, a combination less common than the syrup-and-sesame or syrup-and-rosewater versions served elsewhere. The balls are eaten warm, ideally soon after frying, since the crisp shell softens the longer it sits in syrup.