Karakuş: Diyarbakır-Style Fried Walnut Pastries Soaked in Syrup

Bring the sugar and water to a boil and simmer over low heat for 12 minutes. Add the lemon juice before removing it from the heat. Pour the syrup into a wide bowl and let it cool. Cold syrup is especially important for fried desserts: hot syrup will soften the fried dough immediately.

Mix the flour, salt, egg, milk, and vegetable oil. Knead for 8 minutes, until you have a smooth, nonsticky dough that is slightly firmer than earlobe-soft. Shape it into a ball, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest.

Coarsely crush the walnuts with a knife; do not grind them to a powder, or they will melt into the dough while frying and lose their filling texture. If you like, warm them in a dry pan for 2 minutes to bring out their aroma, then let them cool.