Awama Recipe (Arabic Sweet Balls)

Awama (عوامة) is an Arabic doughnuts which is a deep-fried dough balls soaked in sugar syrup. It is made from flour, yeast, water, and cornstarch which is fried till golden brown. Often served warm, it is a popular sweet dessert in the Middle Eastern cuisines that is commonly served during the Islamic month of Ramadan.

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• Recipe Ingredients
• When do you serve this doughnut recipe?
• Cooking Tips
• Recipes to make before serving Awama
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• 💬 Comments

During my Ramadan experience in Kuwait & Jordan, my Jordanian late mother-in-law (may she rest in peace) used to make an Arabic dessert called Awama or Awameh. These are usually served a few hours after breaking our fast or after the isha prayer. They are coated in sugar syrup and are best enjoyed with hot mint tea.

In some countries such as the Gulf Arab countries & Iraq, it has different names which they call "Luqaimat" or "Luqma". While in Levantine countries- such as Jordan, we are familiar with the term Awama / Awameh / Awamat.

In this post, I made my version of Awama which is an easy recipe to make. Although it is traditionally served during Ramadan, you can actually make it for any occasion. If you're a fan of doughnuts, then you're going to love this recipe.

Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients I use to make Awama recipe is simple since it is almost the same when making a dough bread:

I. For the Doughnuts

1. Flour: I use an all-purpose flour for my recipe.
2. Water: When adding on the flour, this will help make my dough soft and sticky.
3. Instant Yeast: This will help raise the dough.
4. Salt: It will add flavor to my doughnut and balance the sweetness from the sugar syrup.
5. Cornstarch: This will give a crispy texture of my Arabic sweet ball on the outside while at the same time maintaining softness on the inside when fried.

II. For Sugar Syrup

1. Granulated sugar: This will give sweetness to my syrup.
2. Water: This will serve as a liquid base by diluting the sugar.
3. Lemon juice: The lemon balances the sweetness of the syrup.

When do you serve this doughnut recipe?

Awama / Awameh is a dessert that is served after having a heavy meal. Traditionally, we serve this during the month of Ramadan, which is usually a few hours after breaking the fast or sometime after the Isha prayer.

Furthermore, you can also make this during other days special occasions like Eid Fitr, family gatherings, or any day you like. When making these Arabic sweet balls, I highly recommend you serve them right away after soaking them in sugar syrup, since they taste good when it's warm. I am sure you don't want it to be soggy and cold.

Cooking Tips

• Serve Awama immediately the moment you soak it in sugar syrup. This dumpling is best served when it's freshly warm to maintain its crispy texture. If you serve it late, it may become soggy and cold.
• The leftover sugar syrup can be kept in the fridge for up to several weeks as long you store it in an air-tight container.
• If you like your Arabic sweet balls darker brown, re-fry it till you're satisfied with the color.
• The batter must have a sticky consistency and not be too thick or watery.

Recipes to make before serving Awama

Here are my recommended recipes to cook for your family during Ramadan before serving Awama:

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