Peruvian Squash and Sweet Potato Rings in Spiced Chancaca Syrup

What you need

• 250 g (9 oz) orange-fleshed sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 250 g (9 oz) squash, peeled, seeded and cubed; kabocha or butternut
• 8 g (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast, or 25 g fresh yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp anise seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 l (1 qt) vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 300 g (10 oz) chancaca, or panela or dark brown sugar
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 pieces orange zest, wide strips removed with a peeler

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Put the sweet potato and squash in a pot with 720 ml (3 cups) of water. Simmer until completely soft, about 20 min.

2. 2

   Drain, keeping the cooking water. Mash the vegetables through a sieve or with a masher until smooth, then cool to lukewarm, about 15 min.

3. 3

   Warm 250 ml (1 cup) of the cooking water to 35 °C (95 °F). Stir in the yeast and sugar and leave for 10 min, until foamy.

4. 4

   Mix the yeast liquid and salt into the mash. Add the flour in three additions and knead for 10-12 min into a soft, sticky, stretchy dough. Add a splash of cooking water if it feels stiff.

5. 5

   Beat in the anise with a wet hand for 2 min, until bubbles show in the dough.

6. 6

   Cover and leave in a warm spot until doubled and bubbly, about 2 h.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, put the chancaca, cloves, cinnamon, zest and 500 ml (2 cups) of water in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until it lightly coats the back of a spoon, 20-25 min. Strain and keep warm.

8. 8

   Pour the oil into a wide heavy pot to a depth of about 6 cm (2 1/2 in) and heat to 175 °C (350 °F).

9. 9

   Wet your hands in cold water and pinch off a piece of dough the size of a golf ball, about 50 g. Flatten it slightly and push your thumb through the middle to make a ring.

10. 10

    Slide the ring into the oil. Fry 3-4 rings at a time for about 2 min per side, turning with chopsticks or a skewer, until deep golden.

11. 11

    Lift out and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the dough, wetting your hands each time.

12. 12

    Serve warm, 2-3 rings per plate, with plenty of the hot spiced chancaca spooned over.

Imported from comida-peruana.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.