Yakgwa is a deep-fried Korean dessert that is prepared with wheat flour and sesame oil. Traditionally shaped into round or floral forms, the cookies are occasionally spiced, and after frying, they are doused in a sweet, honey-infused syrup. The name yakgwa roughly translates as medicinal confectionery, allegedly because honey was once considered a health remedy.
This ancient Korean dessert is believed to have originated during Later Silla era, and it was traditionally served on various festivities and special occasions.
Awameh is a sweet Syrian dish consisting of small balls of dough which are fried in hot oil and soaked in honey, cinnamon, or sugar syrup. Sometimes, awameh is sprinkled with sesame seeds. The name of the dish means floater in Arabic, referring to the way the balls float on the surface while being fried.
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Kluai thot, or deep-fried bananas, is a sweet street food item commonly found throughout Thailand. This Thai treat is traditionally prepared with peeled and sliced burro bananas, known locally as kluay nam wa, which are entirely immersed in a thin rice flour mixture, and then fried in hot oil until they form a crispy crust.
The batter mixture usually consists of rice flour, all-purpose flour, sesame seeds, baking powder or traditionally slaked lime, baking soda, sugar, salt, ripe coconut shreds, and water. Sweet and crunchy, fried bananas are typically sold in bags and enjoyed while they are still warm, usually as a snack, a dessert, or an appetizer.
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Hanım göbeği is a traditional sweet pastry originating from Turkey. It consists of choux pastry balls that are pressed in the middle to create a dimple, then deep-fried in hot oil and soaked in sugar syrup. The name of this sweet treat means lady's navel, hence the indentation in the middle of the pastry.
The dough is made with a combination of flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and salt, while the syrup is made with a mixture of sugar, water, and lemon juice. The dough should be fried in oil over medium heat, and the pastry is then placed into cold syrup.
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These flower-shaped cookies are prepared with a thin batter which consists of rice flour, eggs, and coconut milk. They are made with specialized achu molds which are heated, then dipped and coated in batter, before the cookies are deep-fried until golden and crispy.
Achappam cookies originate from Kerala, where they are usually associated with Christian communities, but similar sweets are found in other Asian countries. It is believed that all of them were modeled on traditional Dutch cookies known as rosette or struva.
The hole-less, jelly-filled sufganiyah is a descendant of the German krapfen, which was imported to Israel by German Jews who fled the Nazi regime, although some sources claim that sufganiyah appeared much earlier, in the 1920s. Traditionally, this sweet treat is consumed during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
However, most bakeries would start selling it at least a week before, if not earlier. Besides the typical strawberry jam filling, sufganiyah is nowadays available in multiple flavors such as Bavarian cream or cappuccino, for example, but there is also the alcohol-infused (typically vodka) variety, and many more.
One of the most popular sweet snacks in the Philipines is banana cue, made by deep-frying saba bananas which are generously coated in a thick layer of caramelized sugar. Because they are usually enjoyed as street food, the sweet bananas are often served on bamboo skewers.
The unusual name stems from the term barbecue since caramelized bananas resemble pieces of golden-brown grilled meat. This Filipino classic is usually sold at street stands and enjoyed as a satisfying dessert or a quick afternoon snack.
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Round, sweet, and chewy cascaron is a deep-fried Filipino delicacy usually served doused in sugary syrups. Often referred to as bitsu bitsu, this traditional treat is made with sweet glutinous rice flour, shredded coconut, and coconut milk.
The dough is shaped into small round balls and deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside. Although they can be served plain, these luscious balls are often smothered in various sweet syrups, such as the simple sticky caramel sauce or the traditional Filipino latik, the creamy glaze made with coconut milk and sugar.
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Sachima is a sweet Chinese pastry that is consumed as a snack, consisting of a deep-fried combination of batter and sugar syrup. There are numerous regional varieties of this popular treat, but sachima is most often sprinkled with sesame seeds, desiccated coconut, watermelon seeds, or dried fruits such as raisins.
This sweet treat is at its peak during the festive period of Chinese New Year, when it can be found at most Chinese street stalls and convenience stores. It is believed that sachima was a common snack during the 1960s and the 1970s, especially at the racetracks, where people would place bets on horses while consuming it.
Although it is believed to have its origins in Persia, zulbia or jalebi is an international dessert with variations that spread throughout the Middle East, India, and Asia. In its basic form, this sweet dessert is created by combining flour with yogurt or ghee, as well as baking soda or yeast to create a batter which is then poured in circular patterns directly into the sizzling oil.
The final result is a crispy treat that is then doused in a thick syrup, which can be flavored with rosewater, saffron, honey, orange blossom water, or cardamom. In both Iran and India, zulbia is served on special occasions, and it is usually sprinkled with chopped pistachios or saffron threads.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “19 Worst Rated Asian Deep-fried Desserts” list until January 30, 2025, 4,201 ratings were recorded, of which 1,345 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.