Babakau Recipe: Fijian Fried Bread for Morning Tea
, by Domalco, 2 min reading time
Babakau (Fijian fried bread) is golden, fluffy and best eaten warm with butter, jam and a cup of ti (tea). Simple ingredients, big family favourite.
Photo: Shoeib Abolhassani / Unsplash
Babakau (Fijian fried bread) is what many Fijian families make on a Saturday morning or for a soqo (gathering). A simple dough is fried until puffed and golden, then eaten warm with butter, jam or lolo (coconut cream) and a big cup of ti (tea). They're sold at market stalls and roadside canteens all over Fiji.
Fijian words in this recipe
- babakau (fried bread)
- madrai (bread)
- suka (sugar)
- lolo (coconut cream)
- ti (tea)
- soqo (gathering, function)
Ingredients
Makes about 16 · Prep 15 min (+1 hour rising for the yeast version) · Cook 20 min
- 4 cups plain flour
- ½ cup suka (sugar)
- 4 tsp baking powder or 2 tsp instant dry yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- About 1½ cups warm water, milk or thin lolo (coconut milk)
- Oil for deep frying
Method
- Make the dough. In a large bowl or parat, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder (or yeast) and salt. Add the warm liquid a little at a time and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- Knead for 3–4 minutes until smooth.
- Rest. Baking-powder dough: cover and rest for 15 minutes. Yeast dough: cover and leave in a warm spot for about 1 hour until doubled.
- Shape. Pat the dough out to about 1.5 cm thick and cut into squares or triangles, or pull off pieces and roll into balls.
- Fry. Heat 5 cm of oil in a deep pan or kadhai (deep frying pan) to about 170°C; a small piece of dough should rise and sizzle steadily. Fry a few at a time for 2–3 minutes each side until puffed and golden.
- Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
Tips
- Oil too hot? The outside burns before the middle cooks. Lower the heat and fry a little longer.
- Sweet or plain: reduce the sugar to 2 tbsp for plain babakau to eat with curry or tinned fish.
- Roll hot babakau in sugar or grated coconut for a treat.
Frequently asked questions
What is babakau made of?
Flour, sugar, a raising agent (baking powder or yeast), salt and water or milk, deep-fried until golden.
How do I keep babakau soft?
Store cooled babakau in an airtight container and warm them briefly in the oven before serving.
Cook it with Domalco
Find mixing bowls, parats, deep pans and cookware at our Ba and Lautoka stores, or shop online with free delivery on orders over $100.