Basbousa, also known as Revani, Harissah and Namoura in various places, is a traditional Middle Eastern sweet moist cake, usually made with semolina and soaked in a sugary syrup. The word ‘basbousa’ is Arabic for ‘Just a Kiss’, and this lovely cake certainly lives up to its name.
Total time: 50 minutes
Serving 12 to 15 pieces
Ingredients
- 1,1/2 cups semolina
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup spinach puree
- 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil melted.
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 10-12 almonds, blanched and peeled
For syrup:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 slice of lemon
- 1 tsp orange blossom water or rose water
Directions:
For the sugar syrup:
- In a small saucepan over high heat dissolve sugar in water by stirring until water is clear
- Add lemon slices, and rose water or orange blossom water.
- Bring to a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool.
For the basbousa:
- In a bowl combine the semolina, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut, sugar, spinach puree and coconut oil
- Incorporate all the ingredients well
- Add the coconut milk and mix in with other dry ingredients to form a batter
- Transfer the batter to an oiled flat baking pan and spread it out evenly; let it sit for 10 minutes
- Using a knife, score the top of the cake creating square lines
- Place a piece of slivered almond into each piece of batter.
- Place in a preheated oven on the middle rack for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once out of the oven, cut the cake along the lines you scored. Slowly pour the cooled syrup onto the hot cake. Let the cake sit at room temperature to absorb the syrup before serving.
Indian Chef Chhaya Thakker, who has a huge following online on WhatsApp and YouTube will be sharing her favorite recipes and cooking tips with readers of The Times Kuwait. For feedback, you can write to editortimeskuwait@gmail.com