Lebanese and Syrian Christmas Crullers (Zalabiya, Awwamaat)

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 dash salt
• 1-3/4 cup flour, approximately
• Sesame oil
• vegetable Shortening, for deep frying
• 1-1/2 cup honey
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 to 2 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Beat yogurt until smooth and thin.
2. Mix with baking soda and salt.
3. Sift flour in gradually until mixture can barely be dropped from a spoon.
4. Heat oil to 375 degrees F. Using two wet teaspoons, drop spoonfuls of dough, a few at a time, into hot fat.
5. Or wet hands and shape pieces of dough into 2 or 3 inch sticks and drop into fat.
6. Turn once so both sides become golden brown.
7. Allow about 5 minutes for frying each batch.
8. Drain on paper towel and serve with syrup of your choice.
9. Makes about 2 dozen crullers.
10. SUGAR SYRUP: To make sugar syrup, combine 2 cup suage and 1/2 cup water and boil until syrup begins to caramelize and is thin and golden.
11. Skim foam as it rises to surface.
12. Flavor with a few drops of orang-flower water, rose water or lemon juice and pour hot over crullers.
13. VARIATION: To make a slightly more solid cruller, sift in enough EXTRA flour to make a dough just smooth enough to knead.
14. Knead for 2 or 3 minutes.
15. Pinch off pieces slightly smaller than walnuts, roll between floured hands, and fry.
16. Vanilla sugar or Confectioners' dusted after being cooked, though not authentic, is a good substitute for syrup on these crullers, if you prefer them less sweet and sticky.
17. HONEY SUGAR GLAZE: Bring honey to a boil with all ingredients.
18. Simmer for a minute or two, remove stick of cinnamon if you have used it, and pour over pastry or use for dipping.
19. Makes about 1 1/2 cups syrup.

yogurt, baking soda, salt, flour, sesame oil, vegetable shortening, honey, cinnamon, cinnamon, lemon juice

Taken from www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/20297 (may not work)