basbousa

The Oxford Companion to Food (3rd edition) suggests that basbousa might have developed from a dish called ma'mounia, which was created around the 10th century. Ma'mounia was made by cooking rice in fat and syrup. This recipe was later adapted to use semolina, with the batter being cooked first and then soaked in syrup.{{Cite book |last1=Davidson |first1=Alan |title=The Oxford companion to food |last2=Jaine |first2=Tom |last3=Vannithone |first3=Soun |date=2014 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-967733-7 |edition=3rd |location=New York, NY}}

Another take on its origin suggests that basbousa was first made during the 16th century in the Ottoman Empire, likely in what is modern-day Turkey, to celebrate the conquest of Armenia.{{Cite web |last=Umphlet |first=Caroline |date=2022-06-22 |title=If You Haven't Tried this Egyptian Sweet, You're Missing Out - Basbousa Recipe |url=https://www.arabamerica.com/if-you-havent-tried-this-egyptian-sweet-youre-missing-out-basbousa-recipe/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=Arab America |language=en}}

{{more citations needed section|date=November 2018}}

File:Basbousa2.JPG, the Balkans, North Africa, East Africa topped with almonds]]

It is found in the cuisines of the Middle East, the Balkans and the North Africa under a variety of names.{{Cite web|last=Abitbol|first=Vera|date=2019-09-25|title=Syria: Basbousa|url=https://www.196flavors.com/syria-basbousa/|access-date=2020-10-04|website=196 flavors|language=en-US}}

• {{Langx|sq|revani}}, {{lang-sq-definite|revanija}}
• Arabic: {{lang|ar|هريسة}} {{Transliteration|ar|harīsa}} {{gloss|mashed or crushed}}, {{lang|ar|نمورة}} {{Transliteration|ar|nammoura}},
• {{Langx|hy|Շամալի|translit=shamali}}
• {{Langx|bg|реване|translit=revane}}
• Cypriot Greek: {{lang|el|σάμαλι}} shamali
• {{Langx|el|ρεβανί|revaní}}
• {{Langx|he|בסבוסה|translit=basbūsah}}
• {{Langx|mk|раванија|translit=ravanija}}
• {{Langx|so|basbuusa}}
• {{Langx|fa|روغنی|rowġani|oily}}
• {{langx|tr|revani}}

Basbousa is the most common name for this dessert in the Middle East but it may be named differently depending on the region; it is often called "hareesa" in the Levant. Note that "harissa" in North Africa is a spicy red sauce. It is a popular dessert offered in many sweets bakeries in the Middle East and especially popular during Ramadan.

File:Vegan Basbousa by Uncle Lou's Kitchen.jpg

Pastūsha (sometimes stylized as pastūçha) is a variant of basbousa that originated in Kuwait in the 2010s.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-09 |title=Aunt Zaneb's Semolina Cake Recipe |url=https://www.recipegoulash.com/recipes/aunt-zanebs-semolina-cake-recipe/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |publisher=Easy Recipes |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228055225/https://www.recipegoulash.com/recipes/aunt-zanebs-semolina-cake-recipe/ |url-status=dead }} Like basbousa, it is made from semolina soaked in sweet syrup. It is characterized by the addition of finely ground pistachios and orange flower water.

Basbousa bil ashta: a Levantine and Egyptian variation of basbousa filled with milk cream in the middle.{{cite web |last1=Mansour |first1=Nermine |title=Basbousa Bel Ashta (Semolina Cake With Ashta Cream Filling) |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/basbousa-bel-ashta-recipe-7109622 |website=Serious Eats |access-date=5 June 2025 |language=en |date=25 Apr 2025}}

Vegan Basbousa: Basbusa is also available in vegan form using apple sauce to bind the base mix together instead of dairy and eggs.

Basbousa eem Tapuzim: Israeli variation from the coastal region, it is flavored with orange juice.

Basbousa bil Tamr: Libyan variant of basbousa where date spread is being added between two layers of the basbousa.

Tishpishti or Tichpichtil is a Sephardic Jewish variant.{{Cite news |title=Tishpishti (Citrus Semolina Cake) |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/tishpishti-citrus-semolina-cake/ |access-date=2024-03-21 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}רשליקה - Rashelika - ניחוח המטבח הירושלמי ספרדי המסורתי. 1999. pp. 82-87 The name derives from the Turkish phrase "Tez Pişti," meaning "cooked quickly."{{Cite web |title=Tishpishti - Recipe |url=https://www.foodish.org/en/recipe/tishpishti/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Foodish – by Anu – Museum of the Jewish People |language=en-US}}

Qizha: Palestinian variant of basbousa with nigella seeds paste called Qizha.{{cite news |last1=Berger |first1=Miriam |title=Is the world ready for this Palestinian dish? |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190327-is-the-world-ready-for-this-palestinian-dish |access-date=5 June 2025 |work=www.bbc.com |date=28 March 2019}}

Hilbeh: Palestinian variant of basbousa flavoured with fenugreek seeds.{{cite web |last1=el-Haddad |first1=Laila |author1-link=Laila el-Haddad |title=Fenugreek Olive Oil Cake (Saniyit Hulba) |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/fenugreek-olive-oil-cake-saniyit-hulba/ |website=The Washington Post |language=en}}

Aflatoon: South Asian variant, made with semolina, eggs, dry fruits, powder milk, and sugar syrup.

• Arab cuisine
• Hurma
• Melomakarono

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Works cited

• {{cite book|last1=Davidson|first1=Alan|title=Oxford companion to food.|date=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=[S.l.]|isbn=978-0199677337}}

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Category:Cakes

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Category:Semolina dishes