Harisseh or Basboussa. (Semolina Cake).

Hello everybody.

Many friends and family are asking me these days,aren’t you tired of cooking everyday? or even the most frequent question , Is that really you cooking or do you write down recipes from the internet???

Well,answers are, I’m not tired cause I don’t actually cook everyday ,most of the days to be exact,I sometimes make an extra salad or side dish when I have leftovers,or even make cookies or cake like today. As for the second question,I really want to emphasize that it’s me cooking,and I’ve never copied a picture or recipe from any website , and I do really hope that my readers are enjoying and benefiting from my recipes and articles.

Today I’m making a favorite sweet to many, specially my husband, Harisseh or Basboussa as some people name it cause yesterday we were visiting the lovely Odeh couple and the sweet auntie suggested i make it when I asked her what to do as sweets tomorrow,and of course hubby encouraged the idea!

I have many many different recipes for it,each time I try one, this time it’s Auntie Fozzieh’s Harisseh as written in my cookbook,she’s my husband’s beloved aunt,he says my auntie makes the best harisseh,hope mine will be as good as hers 😉

Ingredients and method:

* 2 cups coarse semolina.

* 1 cup sugar.

* 1 1/2 cups milk or half yogurt and one milk.

* 1/2 spoon sodium bicarbonate.

* 3 teaspoons baking powder.

* some butter for brushing the surface only.

* sugar syrup ( boil 3 cups of sugar with 1 1/2 cups water and a small spoon lemon juice,simmer till syrupy).

* Mix all ingredients very well preferably with your hands,then leave to rest and rise for 3-4 hours.

* brush deep oven pan with tahini or butter,add batter.

* brush butter on surface,you may decorate with nuts and coconut if you like.

* bake in a medium heated oven for 30 minutes or till edges are golden then toast the surface also.