Keke ‘Isite – A Tongan Delight!

Enjoy a soft, slightly sweet deep-fried dough – Keke ‘Isite. Similar to a donut and often enjoyed as a treat or snack, you’ll love this making and eating this creation!

Come by Hunters Plaza, and pick up ingredients from Woolworths  for a quick and easy dessert to celebrate Tongan Language Week.

Ingredients

4 cups of plain flour (500 g)
2 teaspoons of active yeast (or 7g sachet)
2/3 cup of sugar
2 cups warm water
1500 g Shortening or vegetable oil for deep frying (8 cm deep)

Method

1. Combine yeast with 1 cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a large bowl and mix until the yeast has dissolved. Leave for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Add remaining water, sugar and flour and stir to mix. It should form a very wet dough and more like a very thick batter. Add a little more water (up to 1/4 cup of water) if it’s too dry or add a bit more flour if too runny.
3. Using your hands, mix the flour in well until a smooth batter is formed and coming away from the side of the bowl. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size (about 1-1&1/2 hr).
4. Release the gas by stirring the mixture and giving it a quick mix using your hand. Then allow the dough to rest for about 20-30 minutes.
5. Begin heating the oil in a large heavy pan (about 15-20mins). Test oil is ready with a small scoop of batter. It should drop to the bottom and rise with a couple of seconds and begin to turn light golden slowly. If it browns quickly (within 30 seconds) it’s too hot, turn heat down and retry. Keke should cook slowly (take around 2 minutes each side to brown golden), but should rise to the top within a couple of seconds otherwise it’s not hot enough and will absorb too much oil.
6. Using your hand, scoop up a handful of batter and sqeeze out a golf ball size doughnut into the oil (see pictures). Continue until there’s a single layer of keke in the oil. Turn with a long fork and allow to cook for around 2 minutes each side until golden brown.
7. Remove from the oil with a slottted spoon and allow to drain. Test the first keke to ensure it is cooked through and adjust cooking time or heat for the rest.

Original recipe by thecoconet.

Give it a try and be sure to tag #HuntersPlaza on social media if you do!