Koesisters

As a kid growing up in Lansdowne, Cape Town, South Africa, Sunday mornings were great because my mom always bought koesisters from one of our many Muslim neighbours. They are, in effect, a sort of flavoured pastry, what in Argentina is called "facturas". The taste and the smell of these delights will always fondly be associated to Mrs Salie and Sunday mornings.
In honour of that memory, I've decided to make them and I was surprised how simple they are:
Mix 500g of flour into a mixing bowl to which you add a teaspoon of dry ginger, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, half a teaspoon of cardamom powder, two teaspoons of aniseed powder and one packet of instant yeast. Set aside.
In a separate measuring jug, melt one dessert spoon of butter in a cup of hot water with half a cup of sugar. Into this mixture, beat an egg. Now complete the mixture with milk until half a liter.
Slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry one until you have a soft dough. Set aside and allow to rise until double in size.
Once risen, divide the dough into about 30 equal-sized balls and leave on a greased surface until they puff up again. Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep bot and once suitably hot, take the balls (pulling them gently into an oblong form) and gently drop into the oil, frying for about two minutes until evenly cooked on both sides. Remove from oil and allow to drain on absorbent paper.
To make the syrup, take 500ml of water to which you add 250ml of sugar and boil. When ready, take the cooked koesisters, dip them in the syrup and once coated, sprinkle with coconut and enjoy!
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