Skip to main content

Basbousa bel Loz

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

3 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup blanched almonds
2/3 cup butter
1 cup semolina
To garnish: whole blanched almonds, eishta (the rich cream from water buffalo’s milk, page 407), or clotted or whipped heavy cream

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring water, sugar, and lemon juice to the boil in a pan. Simmer for 8 minutes.

    Step 2

    Chop the almonds finely and fry them in the hot butter together with the semolina until they are a beautiful golden color.

    Step 3

    Add the hot syrup slowly, stirring constantly, over low heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and cover the pan. Let it cool a little.

    Step 4

    Pour into individual greased molds and flatten out on top. Turn out immediately and serve warm. Decorate each portion with an almond or a dollop of cream.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
Read More
Like miso-peanut hibachi chicken and spring orzotto.
Using two entire lemons—pith, skin, and all—cranks up the citrus flavor in this classic dessert.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Grilling fish atop a bed of lemon slices is the key to not sticking.
A punchy, spicy peanut vinaigrette transforms a simply grilled steak into a showstopping main.
Like “phenomenal” whole lemon bars and grilled salmon with dill chimichurri.
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
The magic of this hibachi chicken recipe comes from a combination of miso and peanut butter and how it beautifully caramelizes when it hits the grill.