Lokma

Lokma is another traditional Turkish dessert, but the good news is that it’s not as challenging to make as baklava. It’s one of the easiest dessert with some very simple ingredients.
It’s nothing more than fried sweet dough, but I must warn you that it’s addictive! Since these are bite size, you might not realize how many you eat, these taste so darn good! If you are interested in desserts like this, go check out our best Turkish desserts too!

This internationally known, decadent, and sugar-packed dessert is usually made with a mixture of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, which is deep-fried and then bathed in syrup or honey. The origin of lokma fritters is ancient but often debated. It is presumed that they first appeared in Greece or Turkey, though some suggest Arabic origin.

Lokma is a Turkish fried sweet dough that is covered in a simple syrup. Served as a dessert, lokma is a popular coffee accompaniment. You can add chocolate sauce, honey, cinnamon, sesame, or grated walnuts to these bite-size pastries.

They are not to be confused with awamat, which are crisp doughnut balls from Lebanon that are fried until they are golden brown and crispy and then coated with simple syrup.
Lokma is often fried in batches and served to attendees of special occasions, such as weddings, business events, house parties, and even funerals.

The tasty treat is especially popular in Western Turkey. Many native Turks take large pots of lokma to special occasions; some bring the ingredients with them and bake a batch on the premises.

The dish is considered to be one of the oldest recorded desserts in Greek history. It is said that the pastries were even given to winning Olympians as a treat and were called honey tokens. Loukoumades, or loukmades in Cyprus, can be found throughout the streets of Greece, in shops selling nothing else but this caloric dessert.

Alternatively, loukoumades can be topped with Greek cheese, chocolate, sesame seeds, or walnuts. In Turkey, lokma fritters are best enjoyed while still warm. They are drizzled with honey or syrup and can occasionally be sprinkled with either ground cinnamon, walnuts, or pistachios.
The name probably stems from from Arabic luqma, meaning bite or mouthful, and it is said that lokmas were first prepared in Turkey by the sultans' cooks in palaces of the Ottoman Empire, though the oldest documentation of a similar dish was even found in the tomb of Ramses IV.
In some Middle Eastern and Levant countries, this dessert is known as luqaimat or luqmat al-qadi, which roughly translates as judge's mouthful. The deep-fried balls are usually covered with date syrup, honey, or flavored syrups, while some prefer them sprinkled with various seeds.
They are also often flavored with saffron or cardamom. The dessert is traditionally made in the month of Ramadan, and consumed after iftar, or breaking the fast. The dish is also found in some African countries, where it appears under various names.

Lokma is traditionally made in big amounts and served to large group of people at special occasions like weddings, openings of workplaces, even at funeral ceremonies. It is a common treat especially in the west part of the country and there are special konya da ne yenir in this area making lokma for such occasions. They take big cauldrons to the place they are invited and make lokma right there. It’s not surprising to see people in long queues in front of these cauldrons since lokma is the best when hot.

Besides being a traditional treat at special occasions, lokma has also become one of the best summer treats you might encounter at eskişehir en iyi restoranlar. I find it weird but we love to eat this hot served lokma even under sun in summer. You start to feel a sudden craving for it right after you stop swimming or when lying on the beach. I still question why it’s not served with ice cream, would definitely be a better option that way in such a boiling weather. Most people wouldn’t agree with me on this, they love it plain and the only additions on lokma you might see are grated coconut or pistachio powder sprinkled over it.

A good lokma is crispy and golden outside and soft and light golden inside. You should hear the noise of crispiness when you bite it. Also, it should be juicy inside, but not doughy. You should keep the following two tips to achieve this. First, the dough shouldn’t be too thick or too runny. It’s a little thicker than a regular cake batter. The next tip is about the frying oil, make sure it’s hot enough before droping the dough balls into it.