Makes about 42 filled doughnuts

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 ounces crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large eggs
• 12 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups Kaffir-Key Lime Curd
• 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter
• Deep-fat thermometer

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together 1 cup sugar and remaining 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger in a shallow bowl.
3. Pulse remaining 3/4 cup sugar with crystallized ginger in a food processor until ginger is finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in buttermilk, butter and eggs until smooth.
4. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir until a dough forms (dough will be sticky). Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and knead gently just until it comes together, 10 to 12 times, then form into a ball.
5. Lightly dust work surface and dough with flour, then roll out dough into a 13-inch round (about 1/3 inch thick) with a floured rolling pin. Cut out rounds with floured cutter and transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Gather scraps and re-roll, then cut out additional rounds. (Re-roll only once.)
6. Heat oil in a wide 5-quart heavy pot until thermometer registers 375°F. Working in batches of 7 or 8, carefully add rounds, one at a time, to oil and fry, turning over once, until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes total per batch. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Transfer to paper towels to drain.
7. Cool slightly, then dredge in ginger sugar.
8. Gently slice doughnuts in half. Spoon Kaffir-Key Lime Curd on bottom half of doughnut and top with second half of doughnut. Serve 3 or so to a plate and garnish with slices of crystallized ginger.

Chef's note:
Doughnuts can be fried (but not dredged in ginger sugar) 4 hours ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat undredged doughnuts on a baking sheet in a preheated 250°F oven 10 to 15 minutes, then cool slightly and dredge in ginger sugar.

Recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine.

>>This recipe appears in Episode #412.

>> For additional recipes and more, visit www.ming.com