Koeksisters and Koesiesters

Despite similar names, these traditional South African delicacies are quite different.

Koeksisters (pronounced cook-sisters) are deep-fried plaited pastries dredged in syrup; they should be crisp on first bite, filling the mouth with sticky sweetness thereafter. The syrup is lightly spiced, generally with cinnamon and ginger. They are associated with Afrikaner cuisine.

Koesiesters (pronounced coo-seesters) or koesisters are delicious, light, spicy doughnuts. The dough is spiced according to family recipes, generally with candied citrus peel, cinnamon, cardamom, aniseed and ginger. Koesiesters are finished with a coating of desiccated coconut. They are associated with Cape Malay cuisine.

In both cases, the "sister" part of the name has nothing to do with siblings. It is onomatopoeic, referring to the sizzle when the dough is deep-fried.

I'm reliably informed that koeksusters are something else entirely, and have no place in polite company.