Kala — Liberian street beignets
Small balls of lightly sweetened dough flavored with nutmeg, fried until golden and fluffy inside, crispy outside. The comforting snack you nibble hot, in your hand.
Small balls of lightly sweetened dough flavored with nutmeg, fried until golden and fluffy inside, crispy outside. The comforting snack you nibble hot, in your hand.
Here is the treat of my people, the one you buy warm in the palm of your hand on the way back from the market. Almost nothing—flour, a little sugar, a grating of nutmeg—and yet what joy! Make sure the oil is hot enough, otherwise the beignet drinks the fat and becomes heavy. A leader who has forgotten the taste of the little things of the street has forgotten his people: I never did.
- •Flour — a measure (base)
- •Sugar — a little (sweetness)
- •Nutmeg — a grating (flavor)
- •Yeast or starter — a little (leavening)
- •Frying oil — as needed (cooking)
Kala — Liberian street beignets
Small balls of lightly sweetened dough flavored with nutmeg, fried until golden and fluffy inside, crispy outside. The comforting snack you nibble hot, in your hand.
Why this dish? Kala (small fried beignets) is the snack sold on every street corner in Liberia, bought for a few coins when leaving the market. A staple of everyday life in the country Sirleaf led.
Here is the treat of my people, the one you buy warm in the palm of your hand on the way back from the market. Almost nothing—flour, a little sugar, a grating of nutmeg—and yet what joy! Make sure the oil is hot enough, otherwise the beignet drinks the fat and becomes heavy. A leader who has forgotten the taste of the little things of the street has forgotten his people: I never did.
Ingredients (period version)
- Flour — a measure (base)
- Sugar — a little (sweetness)
- Nutmeg — a grating (flavor)
- Yeast or starter — a little (leavening)
- Frying oil — as needed (cooking)
Ingredients
- Flour — 300 g (base)
- Sugar — 3 tbsp (sweetness)
- Grated nutmeg — 1/2 tsp (flavor)
- Active dry yeast — 1 packet (7 g) (leavening)
- Warm water — about 180 ml (hydration)
- Pinch of salt — 1 (balance)
- Neutral oil — for frying (cooking)
Method
- Mix flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and yeast.
- Gradually add warm water to form a thick, sticky dough.
- Cover and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until doubled.
- Heat oil and drop small spoonfuls of dough into it.
- Fry until golden brown, turning, then drain.
- Sprinkle with a little sugar and enjoy warm.
How it was made : Sold on the streets from dawn or late afternoon, kala were fried in large basins of oil on charcoal stoves; the rested yeast dough gave them their airy interior.
The contemporary twist : Roll the warm beignets in a mixture of sugar, nutmeg, and ground ginger for a fragrant 'after-school treat' version.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf · Charactorium