Namoura Food

NAMOORA (BASBOOSA)

Steps:

• Line a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with aluminum foil and generously butter the foil. Spread the tahini evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan in a thin layer.
• Mix together farina cereal with 1 1/2 cup of sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Mix in the yogurt and 1 tablespoon of softened butter gently with your hands until the dough is smooth. Spread dough out into the prepared baking dish. Pat the surface smooth. Cover the dish with foil, and allow to stand at room temperature for 2 hours. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 squares; push an almond half gently into the top of each square.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until the dessert is set and the top is lightly golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• While the dessert is baking, make the syrup. Place 2 cups of sugar into a saucepan with the water, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Stir in the lemon juice, and boil the syrup for 5 minutes; stir in butter and orange flower water until combined. Pour the hot syrup over the dessert as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let cool for 1 to 2 hours to let the syrup absorb before serving.

NAMOURA (SYRUP-SOAKED SEMOLINA CAKE)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over high heat, boil sugar and 1 cup/240 milliliters of water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add lemon juice and extract, and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened into a syrup, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Place the semolina, melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir until well combined; set aside.
• Place the yogurt and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until the mixture has nearly doubled in size, about 10 minutes.
• Pour the yogurt mixture over the semolina mixture and mix well to combine. Transfer to the buttered baking dish and press into an even layer. Using a knife, score the surface of the namoura on the diagonal into 2-inch diamond-shaped pieces. Top each diamond in the center with an almond. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Place baking dish on a wire rack and drizzle the cooled syrup over the top of the hot namoura. Let cool to room temperature before recutting along the scored lines and serving.

NAMOURA (EGYPTIAN HONEY CAKE)

Steps:

• 1. Gather Ingredients.
• 2. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
• 3. Put the butter in the microwave-safe bowl, and heat 15 seconds at a time until mostly melted.
• 4. Mix farina, sugar and butter in a bowl.
• 5. Mix the baking soda and baking powder, then stir into the yogurt in another bowl. When mixed, add it to the farina mixture and blend together.
• 6. Grease the baking pan with a little shortening and pour the batter inches (As an option, you can drizzle the top with 2 tablespoons of yogurt.).
• 7. Using a knife, score the top of the batter into medium-sized rectangles -- or to be a bit fancier, try diamond shapes! (You'll probably make 12-16 pieces.) Place a blanched almond in the middle of each piece.
• 8. Using your oven mitts, put the pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until it's brown on top.
• 9. When the cake is done, it out of the oven. Let it cool for 10 minutes while you clean up the kitchen.
• 10. Drizzle honey over the top. Cut along the lines you scored.