Emirati khanfaroosh fried from rice flour with saffron and cardamom, golden discs crisp on the outside and soft within.
Khanfaroosh is among the oldest sweets of the Emirates and its coastal people; its small discs are fried until they puff up and turn golden, becoming crisp on the outside and soft within.
It is distinguished by the saffron, cardamom, and rose water that give it its fragrant aroma and golden color, and it appears on Ramadan and holiday tables with coffee and tea, a sweet that carries the memory of old homes.
Soak the saffron threads in warm rose water for about ten minutes until its color dissolves and it becomes fragrant, for this spreads its flavor throughout the whole batter.
Mix the rice flour and wheat flour with the baking powder and ground cardamom in a bowl until the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar until the color lightens and turns fluffy, then add the saffron infusion and rose water and stir.
Add the dry mixture gradually to the eggs until you have a sticky, cohesive batter, and let it rest for about half an hour so its texture firms up.
Heat the oil over medium heat, pour in a small ladle of the batter or shape it into discs, and fry until it turns golden on both sides and puffs up.
Lift the discs onto absorbent paper to rid them of excess oil, then dust them with the powdered sugar and serve them warm.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Emirati Khanfaroosh (Saffron and Cardamom Fritters), and how to fix them:
Raise the oil temperature a little and make sure it is hot before frying, for lukewarm oil lets the batter absorb it.
Lower the heat a little and fry for longer, and make the discs smaller so they cook through to the center.
Add a little flour and let the batter rest, for rice flour absorbs the liquid over time.
Their crispness lasts the same day; keep them in a loosely covered container so they do not turn damp.
Freeze the cooled fried discs in an airtight container for up to a month, and reheat them in the oven to restore their crispness.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| rice flour | fine corn flour | same weight, 120 g | A slightly different texture but it stays crisp |
| sugar | coconut sugar | same weight, 150 g | A deeper flavor and a darker color |
| saffron | a little turmeric | a pinch | Turmeric approximates the color, not the flavor |
| rose water | orange blossom water | same amount, 10 ml | Orange blossom water is lighter in fragrance, and both are traditional |
| Ingredient | Half amount | Base amount (base) | Double |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice flour | 60 g | 120 g | 240 g |
| Wheat flour | 60 g | 120 g | 240 g |
| Sugar | 75 g | 150 g | 300 g |
| Egg | 50 g | 100 g | 200 g |
| Baking powder | 2.5 g | 5 g | 10 g |
Keep the oil at medium heat, for oil that is too hot burns the surface and leaves the center raw, while lukewarm oil makes the discs soak up more oil.
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