You can find these delight under different names around the African continent, they're called Mikate in Congo for example and they're very very addictive. And quite easy to make too.

They're also called puff-puff or just beignets. The list is long depending on the countries ! In Congo, they're often ate for breakfast.

Very simple ingredients for the dough, then you fry it all and you get these delicious golden fluffy balls to eat.  

They're delicious when they're still warm. My friends got me hooked on to these and I couldn't wait to try making them at home.

Mikate, addictive African beignets (25 beignets) :

• 250 g flour
• 100 g sugar
• 1 packet of dehydrated yeast (5g)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200 g lukewarm water
• Frying oil

Mix the lukewarm water (not more than 40°C) with the yeast in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes to let the yeast activate.

Mix the flour, vanilla, salt and sugar in a bowl.

Make a well in the middle and add the yeast/water mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon (or your hands) until you get a thick-ish but smooth dough. Like a thick pancake batter.

Let it rest at least 30 minutes, preferably a couple hours.

Heat the frying oil at 180°C/350°F in a fryer or a sauce pan with 1 liter of oil.

With a spoon, drop little dollops of dough into the hot oil.

Fry the mikate for about 5 minutes, they must be golden on the outside.

Get them out of the oil and let them sit on a plate with paper tower for a few minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature !