Central Africa · Street food
Mikate (Golden Fried Yeast Beignets)
Spherical, golden-fried yeasted dough fritters with a crisp exterior, pillowy crumb, and subtle hint of sweet vanilla.
The story
On the lively street corners of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, vendors fry large batches of Mikate in deep cast-iron cauldrons from dawn until dusk. Eaten warm out of newspaper cones for breakfast or paired with roasted peanuts and hot pili-pili sauce as an afternoon pick-me-up, these beignets are a cherished urban staple. The unique spherical shape is achieved by master street vendors who squeeze the sticky, wet yeast batter through a clenched fist directly into boiling oil with lightning speed.
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