Central Africa · Breakfast
Mikate (Congolese Fried Dough Beignets)
Crispy golden exterior giving way to an airy, sweet, elastic crumb infused with fragrant vanilla and grated coconut.
The story
Found at nearly every street junction and home breakfast table across the Democratic Republic of Congo, mikate are the nation's beloved golden beignets. Commonly purchased early in the morning wrapped in brown paper, they are eaten steaming hot with sweet black tea, condensed milk, or paired with roasted peanuts (mbalika). The distinctive chewy yet light texture is achieved by hand-beating a wet, highly hydrated yeast batter to develop strong gluten strands before extrusion into hot oil.
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