Visheti

VISHETI

 

Last weekend I had a bit of time and made Visheti.  Now you ask, what is Visheti??…aha! Visheti is a deep fried finger biscuit that is drenched in thick sugar syrup. It is an East African delicacy

Visheti is usually served with Kahawa (see earlier post).  The sweet crunchy slightly doughy sweetmeat  is the perfect accompaniment to the bitter kahawa.  Almost like an amaretto cookie to your espresso.  Visheti is made with flour, raising agent, fat and sugar. The process is simple and the appearance rather stylish.  In my previous post I wrote how my dad would buy the piping hot kahawa from the vendors. As I would hang around with him, he frequently treated me to Visheti and I would devour this quickly often wishing he would buy some more.  Visheti for me is a nostalgic food item, in many ways like cupcakes are to most people these days. My siblings and I grew up eating visheti, kashata, mandazi etc and so I often make these at home especially when I miss Africa.

 

 

2 cups white flour

3 table spoons fine semolina

1 tea spoon backing powder

4 table spoons butter

1/3 cup milk

oil for deep frying

1 cup sugar + 1/2 cup water (for syrup)

 

       

In a large bowl combine  flour, semolina , backing powder and butter .Mix with fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the  milk and make a soft dough. Divide in to approx  25 balls. flatten the ball between your palm ( can roll with rolling pin too) and make a small disk.  Press on the fork and gently roll away.  Deep fry on low heat until golden and crispy .Remove and keep on the kitchen paper ,set on the side.

 

 

      

To make sugar syrup

Combine sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring to boil until 3 strings consistency. Pour the sugar syrup on  top of vishti and toss lightly, the syrup will crystalize .Let them cool completely and store in an air tight container. Enjoy visheti with nice hot kahawa.