Kuih Keria (Malaysian Sweet Potato Doughnuts)

To me, sweet potato is synonymous with war time food. I vividly remember stories from my grandma about life during WW II.

Food was scarce and everything had to be rationalised, especially rice. Dinners were thin congee (a small handful of raw rice cooked with a big pot of water) and bulked up with yam (taro) or sweet potato dug up from the backyard. These are the easiest root vegetables to grow, require the least attention and multiply quickly. In addition, the sweet potato leaves were served as vegetable.

This kuih keria (sweet potato doughnut) is one of the popular Malay tea-time snacks. Whist most of the kuihs are steamed, these are fried. You can buy them from street vendors in Malaysia and they are also popular among home cooks.

Some kuih keria recipes use only plain flour. The addition of tapioca flour gives a slightly more chewy / toothsome 'kuih' like texture. The crispy and sugary crust is the perfect contrast to the soft and pillowy centre.

Pressing the mashed sweet potatoes through a fine sieve is a little tedious, but well worth the effort. It produces a silky smooth sweet potato puree for the dough.

These doughnuts are traditionally coated with a layer of crystallised sugar but I prefer to coat them with sugar syrup for better presentation. I have listed both methods in my recipe to give you the options.

To everyone who celebrates Chinese / Lunar New Year, Gong Xi Fatt Chai!

Kuih Keria (Malaysian Sweet Potato Doughnuts)
Makes 6

300 g sweet potato (kumara)
30 g plain flour
30 g tapioca flour
60 g sugar
Oil for deep-frying

Method

1. Steam sweet potato until it's cooked through and tender.
2. Mash it and push through a fine sieve.

   

3. Mix the sweet potato puree with both flour and knead gently until a soft dough is formed.

   

4. Roll the dough into a log shape (approx 5 cm diameter).

   

5. Cut into 6 equal portions.
6. Roll each dough into a ball, press it slightly to flatten it a little (approx 1 cm thickness) and make a thumb-size hole in the centre.

   

7. Heat oil in a deep fryer 180C and fry the doughnuts in batches, turn once until golden brown (3-4 minutes).
8. Drain on paper towels.
9. To make the glaze: Heat the sugar and 3 tbsp of water. Stir until sugar is dissolved and continue to cook until a thick syrup is form.
10. Roll the doughnuts in the sugar syrup until well coated. Sugar syrup will crystallised slightly when cooled. (Note: Another way is to put all doughnuts into the pan with boiling sugar syrup and continue to boil and keep stirring with low heat until the sugar is crystallised) * I personally prefer the first method as it gives a nice glossy finish to the doughnuts.