AWWAMAAT (sometimes Zalabiya,Lebanese donuts)

INGREDIENTS:
7 cups of Laban or yogur (greek kind)
All purpose wheat flour
1 pinch of salt
Half tablespoon of baking soda

1 cinnamon branch
1 lemon
Half a cup of honey
Virgin olive oil

METHOD:
First pour into a bowl the Laban with a pinch of salt and baking soda. Now we will be add flour to form the dough.
The method that I have to do awwamaat is to add gradually the flour (passed through a fine sieve) stirring non-stop the mixture with the whisk. Stop adding flour when the dough stops to stick from the sides of the bowl. If you want to do zalabiya moisten your hands and get a strip of the dough around 4 inches long and make the donut. If I want to do awwamaat simply knead a ball with the help of the spoon (a small ball a bit less of one inch diameter). Put plenty of oil in a large pan and heat to the point that just starts to smoke slightly. Then fry the zalabiya without touch in between. Zalabiya will sink into the oil immediately but will rise to the surface with an intense bubbling oil (which is a good sign showing everything runs smoothly). You have to fry until they acquire a golden color on both sides (flip once is enough).
They are usually served with a base of syrup. The simplest way to make syrup is to mix the juice of half a lemon, the branch of cinnamon and honey in a pan and bring to boil. Once this happens, switch off fire and remove the cinnamon branch and the liquid is poured on zalabiya or awwamaat. Serve warm or room temperature.