The deep-fried South African dough ball traditionally soaked in syrup is a koeksister.
A koeksister is made from dough that is shaped, fried, and coated or soaked in sweet syrup. The syrup is often flavored with ginger, lemon, or cinnamon and is applied while the fried pastry is hot or after it has cooled, depending on the recipe.
The best-known Cape Dutch version is usually braided before frying, giving it a distinctive twisted form. A related Cape Malay version is often spiced and may be rolled in coconut. Both are popular sweet treats in South Africa.
Koeksisters are different from vetkoek, another South African fried-dough food. Vetkoek is generally a savory or lightly sweet filled bread, while koeksisters are defined by their syrupy sweetness. The name is commonly pronounced approximately as “cook-sister.”