World’s First – Vegan Atayef

The month of Ramadan is a beautiful time where aside from the obligatory fasting and the awareness of oneself, it’s a time where families make that extra effort to gather around the dinner table and enjoy the delicious food while sharing stories about their days etc. It’s truly a special time and it’s bittersweet that in a short few days it will all be over.

But if there is one thing that’s synonymous with Ramadan, it would have to be the special desserts that are reserved mostly for this time of year..and in my case, I’m referring to Atayef.

Atayef (Kataif) is a family favourite for many especially during this blessed month.  They are essentially Arabic pancakes which you then stuff with cheese or nuts, and either bake or fry. There is a slightly different version in the way it’s presented, called Atayef Asafiri (recipe to come!) They’re slightly smaller and they’re stuffed with Ishta (cream) and dipped in pistachios. Unlike regular pancakes where you cook both sides, Atayef are cooked only on one side; this allows the other side to be soft and bubbly, which allows for the flavours to be absorbed from the stuffing.

Biting into one of these Atayef takes me back to my childhood days. The texture is delightful to your senses. First you experience the crispy exterior, followed by the smoothness of the filling. Add to that the hint of aromatic syrup and you’re on cloud 9!

When you’re on a restricted diet, these types of desserts are completely off limits. However, because I simply cannot let this happen, feast your eyes on this simple to prepare, and even simpler to make Vegan Atayef recipe. My twist on the classic was loved by all who tried them. In fact, they preferred my Atayef over the traditional ones!! It’s Ramadan so I wouldn’t be making this up…not that I would to begin with but anyway. :)

My Atayef are unique in that they’re smaller sized than that of the originals and they’re filled with coconut milk which I’ve thickened perfectly and then lightly fried to achieve that crunch factor. Finally, they’re drizzled with some rose water infused syrup. Absolutely delicious.

Give this recipe a go tonight. You will not be disappointed I promise.

Instructions

Have syrup prepared and ready to use (found in my Vegan Knafeh recipe).

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and sugar.

2. Next, add coconut milk and yogurt, and continue whisking until combined.

3. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp water until completely dissolved. Add to batter along with the 1/2 cup water and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated and silky smooth. The batter will be a perfect almost-runny-but-not-quite consistency (see pic).

Tip: If you notice that the batter is slightly on the thicker side, add 1 tbsp of water at a time until it thins it out for you.

4. Using a large non-stick skillet, pour 1 tbsp of veggie oil then wipe the pan using a kitchen napkin (this step is optional but I do it). Heat the skillet on high to begin with.

5. Once skillet is hot, reduce heat to medium and drop a few 1 tbsp batter rounds. Ensure you spread out the batter to achieve nice thin even rounds.

6. When bubbles appear and the shine on the bubbles is gone, remove the pancakes and place on a clean dish.

You want as thin of a pancake as you can get it.

And the back should look like this.

Tip: to prevent the pancakes from drying up, you may cover them with a dry kitchen towel to keep them warm. This also helps to prevent any chance of splitting/cracking that may occur…you’ll see what I mean in the next few pics. ;)

When you’ve finished making the batch, start making the filling.

7. In a large skillet, heat coconut milk on medium high heat. In the meantime, have cornstarch dissolved in the water and ready to use.

8. Once milk is bubbling, turn heat to medium and add cornstarch and orange blossom water and stir vigorously at the start to avoid any clumping. Continue to stir until filling has slightly thickened up but not firm, as shown. Let slightly cool before filling, just so you avoid burning your hands!

To assemble Atayef:

9. Hold the pancake round uncooked side facing up in one hand, and using about 2 teaspoons worth of filling, add to the centre.

10. Working delicately with the filled pancake, firmly pinch the edges to seal as shown, all the way around until the pancake is fully closed. Place on a clean dish. Continue this step with the remainder of the pancakes.

Note: You inevitably will experience one or two (or three) unruly pancakes…don’t despair it happens to the best of us. :) They’re still very edible as is with some syrup or honey!

11. Then, in either a deep skillet or using a pot, heat up oil.

Tip: You want enough oil to cover about 2 to 3 inches on the sides of the pot or pan. I also use grape seed oil because it has one of the highest smoking points, but you can use veggie oil as well. Please never leave the area unattended whenever oil and fire are involved!

12 (a). Place a few Atayef in the hot oil and cook until they turn a beautiful golden colour.

12 (b). Turn Atayef onto the other side and cook further until golden colour is achieved.

12 (c). Remove and place on a cooling rack if available (this helps with the removal of excess oil), or if unavailable, then a clean flat dish with parchment paper to help with the oil absorption.

Continue this step until all of the Atayef have been fried.

13. Drizzle with prepared syrup while Atayef are still hot. If you want to be a bit healthier, you can substitute syrup for honey – also very delicious.

Allow to slightly cool before serving. Atayef are best enjoyed when freshly done.

Bon appétit! xo