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Bunuelos
Bunuelos are fritters of a mainly Spanish origin. They are a popular snack in many Latin American countries, and in some of them they are traditionally eaten at Christmas. They typically consist of a simple, wheat-based yeast dough, often flavored with anise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, then fried and finished off with a sweet topping. There are different types of bunuelos. Some are made with cheese or with yam or other starchy vegetables, others have different fillings.
In Colombia they are not sweet and are made with a small curd white cheese and formed into doughy balls then fried golden brown. It is a traditional Christmas dish, served along with natilla.
In Cuba they are traditionally twisted in a figure 8 and covered in an anise caramel. The dough contains yuca and malanga.
To make Mexican bunuelos, a yeasted dough with a hint of anise is deep-fried, then drenched in a syrup of brown sugar, cinnamon, and guava. Bunelos are commonly served in Mexico and other Latin American countries with powdered sugar, a cinnamon and sugar topping, or hot sugar cane syrup (piloncillo) and are sold in fairs, carnivals, and Christmas events such as posadas or pastorelas.
In Nicaragua bunuelos are made of yucca. The bunuelos are rolled into balls and deep fried and served with miel. They are eaten year-round, and are a typical side-dish or snack served during holidays.
There are references to bunelos in Mallorca; there also bunuelos in Turkey, India, and Cuba; bunuelos in Russia. Jews in Turkey make bunuelos with matzo meal and eat them during Passover. They are also popular during Hanukkah.
In The Netherlands there is a similar dish called oliebollen , traditionally served during new years eve. The dough is sweetened with vanilla extract and can contain raisins or currants. The finished product is filled with cream to form Berliner Bollen.
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Bunuelos
