Mahamri is a type of doughnut whose special ingredients include Coconut milk and cardamom. This authentic type of snack originated from the Swahili coastal regions of Kenya and Tanzania and is still very popular in both regions. Normally, it is accompanied by pigeon peas cooked in Coconut milk or a cup of typical Kenyan Chai..
Due to its special exotic taste, Mahamri is considered as one of Kenyan’s Delicacies…
For a perfect Sunday Brunch or that special occasion or just for your family and friends, try this simple Recipe!
Enjoy … 🙂
Ingredients
3 cups of flour
8 -10 tablespoons of brown sugar (depending on how sweet you wish your Mahamris to be)
1 teaspoon of instant yeast
1 teaspoon of cardamom
1 teaspoon of ghee, butter or margarine
1 medium Egg – (optional)
cup of coconut milk for kneading the dough
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
In a mixing bowl add flour, sugar, yeast and cardamom, ghee/butter/margarine and the egg. Mix the ingredients together with either clean hands or a mixture. Slowly add coconut milk little at a time, as you knead the dough
If you are using your hands to knead the dough, knead it for a minimum of 15-20 minutes until it’s soft, smooth and not sticky in either your hands or the walls of your bowl
Place the dough in a container and cover it with either a lid or a clean cloth. Let it rest and rise for at least 3-4 hours in room temperature. I normally leave mine overnight! The dough should double in size
Using a dough cutter or a knife, divide the dough into 4-5 equal balls. Coat each ball of dough with flour, cover them again with a clean cloth for 15 minutes and let them puff/rise
Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and using a rolling pin, roll each ball of dough into a circle of about 6 inches. Move with the dough and if needed use more flour to prevent the dough from sticking on the surface and on the rolling pin
Cut each rolled dough into 4pieces
Heat up the vegetable oil in a frying pan on a wok
Test your oil by gently dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If the dough stays at the bottom for a couple of seconds then rises to the surface then your oil is ready for frying but if it rises up immediately after dropping it into the oil, then your oil is too hot and you need to reduce the heat otherwise your mahamris will burn and end up not been cooked inside
Fry 4 mahamri at a time (depending on the size of your pan or wok). Use your strainer to splash oil over the top of the mahamris in order to help them puff up. As soon as you see the bottom side of the mahamris has turned light-gold brown turn them over
Keep turning the mahamris until they have a nice golden brown colour on both sides. Remove them from the hot oil and place them in a serving plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil
Repeat this process until all the dough pieces have been fried
Allow them to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!!
Serve for breakfast with pigeon peas cooked in coconut milk and or with a cup of typical Kenyan Chai ;-)…
Tips
For healthier Mahamris I recommend whole wheat flour or half white and half whole
If you do not like using coconut milk for whatever the reason might be, normal milk may be used. The taste will be slightly different but they are as equal as delicious!
This authentic Recipe is normally prepared in tropical climate. In other climates, you may need to add a little bit of instant yeast than the one mentioned on this Recipe.
All Kenyan Recipes 
How many does this make?
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Hey Millie,
This makes 16-18 Mahamris… Hope you enjoyed them.
Best Regards xx
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I’ve never made mahamris before because I though it’s hard and a lot of work. This recipe looked simple and I loved the ingredients so i decided to give it a try. Oh my! best mahamri’s i’ve ever tasted. Thank you for the recipe.
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Hello Shiru,
Awwww how nice to hear that.!
You are most welcome…
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My goodness cooking is my passion, ive always done cardamom in my mandazis, cinnamon, coconut too but never thought of cardamom and coconut together, so i did and all my visitors wanted the recipe!! thanks dear.
Infact should try it out on a cake too mmmmm:))
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Hi Angela,
I can imagine how your visitors felt! the mixture of cardamom and coconut milk is just too exotic to not want more!
I have a cake recipe too, will share it right here ones!
In the mean time, lets spoil our loved ones with our Authentic Kenyan Recipes… xx
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I love your recipe looks simple can I use powder milk and water or just water because I want to make for commercial purpose..will it work also can I request for a donut recipe.thanks
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Hello Agnes,
You can use COCONUT MILK POWDER yes with water. normal milk or just water wound work.
I will do a donut recipe but can’t promise when. enjoy cooking!
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I have always made mahamris but slightly different, with your recipe they were softer and yummier, thanks to you.
Please help me have a mandazi recipe,i love cooking and this is great and timely blog.
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I will certainly make a mandazi recipe and share with you!
Happy cooking!
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Do I need to warm the coconut milk?
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No you do not.
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Hi.thanx admin for ur recipe,can i use the ground cardamon found in supermkts?cz to prepare n grind cardamon is soo tiresome.i realy love cooking its in my blood.
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Hey Mary
Of course you can use the ground cardamom, it’ll work as well as the ground one.
Happy Cooking.
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Hey admin,i tried ur recipe yesterday using milk..the problem is mine tasted more of yeast but not the cardamon..i followed ur measurements accurately.i used the cardamon from sprmkt.thanx
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Why Milk? the Recipe Calls for Coconut Milk. one product can make a huge difference on the taste of the final product!
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Can i use baking powder instead of yeast?whats the difference?
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Hi Mary,
I never tried using baking powder on Mahamris.
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I came across kenya receipes as they are naturally gluten free ( as im celiac ) can i replace wheat flour with any other gluten free one in this recipe
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Hello Sara,
most definitely! this is the original mahamri recipe but changes can be done. The taste might me slightly different (If you know the real one) but the result will be more or less the same.
Happy Cooking.
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The recipe is very easy to understand and precise.I tried it for the first time and it came out great.Thank you.
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You are welcome Wambui and thank you too for your feedback.
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These were delicious! I was even able to make them gluten free for myself and they were so delicious. I love this recipe. Thank you.
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Am glad to hear that Carolina!
You are welcome. Happy New Year!
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Hi Tina, I use to love making Mahamuri back then. Off let I’ve been lazy. We’re having a Thanksgiving service in church on Sunday and I am gonna definitely try out your recipe for the Buffet. Keep you posted on the results!
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Hello Prudence, nice to read from you! Glad you found your way her 😉
looking forward to reading the results.
Happy Thanksgiving, Blessings x
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Hi, I just want to say that after years of failure your recipe for mahamris was perfect! You don’t know how excited I was to see it rise up in the oil. I only have one question. Sadly it was not sweet enough for me. If I use white sugar will it be sweeter? How much can I use so that it won’t change the consistency? I’m so excited to try it again. Thank you
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Hello Nasreen,
Thank you so much for your feedback. I would suggest adding just a little bit more sugar to your Mahamris. It does not matter if you use white or brown. just add a little more next time until you have attained the sweetness you prefer.
Happy Cooking.
Best Regards
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Thank you so much. Am so happy to finally get it right. Next I’m going to try your kaimati recipe. My favorite in Ramadan ?
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You are most welcome Nasreen.
Do let me know how the Kaimati come out.
Happy Cooking.
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Hello I was wondering you you use the canned coconut milk which is thick and creamy or the carton which is thin? Thank you so much!
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Hello Jess,
It depends on what the recipe calls for. In this case, ill use both. first the thin then the thick one.
But you can also buy the thick one and dilute the half ;-)!
Happy Cooking.
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Hi Tina!am trying the mahamri today!can’t wait!goodwork gal!will share end results
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Hey can I use baking powder instead of yeast ?
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Yeast gives you the best results!
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Hi Tina. I have just started on your recipe. I will revert tomorrow for results.
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Hello Esther,
How were the Mahamris?
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Hi.
Thanks for your easy to cook recipes.
Just made the mahamris and they’ve come out nice and soft. Lovely.
**can I freeze some**
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Hello Sharon,
Thank you for the feedback.
Yes you can freeze the mahamris.
and next time you could divide the dough and freeze it.
Happy cooking
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I tried this out and the outcome was perfect! But instead of Yeast i used 2 tsps. of baking powder
Thank you soo much for this recipe!
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Hello Mpishi Mwenyewe 🙂
What a name ;-)..
Glad your mahamris came out perfectly!
Thank you for the feedback..
Best regards..
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Hi Can you you make it possible to print the reciepie please
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