| basbousa |
[Apr. 26th, 2014|09:23 pm] |
Delcious basbousa dessert
I recall, the first time I heard of the word 'Basbousa' was a few years ago from a Palestinian colleague at an institute where we were doing some computer courses. Basbousa was the name of her much loved, pampered pet cat. When I asked her what that word meant, I was told that Basbousa was a very sweet Middle-Eastern dessert. I was also told that verbally in Arabic, a loved one can also be referred to as 'basbousa' just as in English one would say "sweety" or "my sweet."
It was not until last week when I was passing a Perisan bakery and I stepped in to buy some Middle Eastern dessert that I saw a tray with five or six yellow cake-syrup squares that looked appetizing. Apparently the item was selling fast and just a few were left. Upon enquiring I was told it was Basbousa. I decided to buy whatever was left and I don't regret it. It tasted delicious!
For those who have never eaten Basbousa .. it is a Middle-Eastern dessert like a cake, but not exactly a cake. The basic ingredients are semolina, shredded coconut and a whole lot of sugar. However, you can adjust the quantity of sugar and make it less if you're not much of a sweet-tooth. Though people also make rich Basbousa with cream, the recipe given below is the original and standard one and it is tasty and light.
Basbousa ingredients
1/2 cup oil (corn or canola). Most recipes say butter, but we prefer oil.
1 cup semolina flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. baking powder
A drop or two of vanilla extract
blanched almonds or pistachios for garnishing
Ingredients for syrup:
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
About 1/4 cup water
Preparation:
1) Make the syrup by dissolving the sugar and lemon juice in boiling water. Simmer until it thickens, then set aside and let it cool.
2) Mix all ingredients (except the syrup) in a large bowl. Stir thoroughly and spoon into a shallow, lightly greased baking tray. You can use a greased pie-pan if you like.
3) Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until it is golden, with the edges just beginning to brown.
4) While it's baking, blanch, peel and slice/cut the almonds or pictachios. Keep aside. Actually it would be a good idea to prepare this a day in advance and keep it in the fridge.
4) Remove the basbousa from the oven. Coat the top with the cooled syrup, making sure all of it is covered. Once the syrup has begun to absorb, put the pan back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Cut into squares or diamond shapes in the pan. Garnish with blanched sliced nuts. If you are using pictachios for garnishing, you can also use a little shredded coconut with it. The green and white garnishing adds color to your Basbousa.
Serve hot after cutting into squares or diamond shapes. Enjoy :)
Note: If you like, you can also add one beaten egg to your Basbousa recipe. |
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