Basbousa – Sweet and Sticky Easy Goodness
Well my friends another year of Diwali is upon us. For some this entails weeks of non stop cooking. For me it is mostly about sneaking in some treats. Ensuring it is respectable enough to pass off as the festival America has decided to call all-Indian. And so this year’s version of that delicious treat low maintenance treat is Basbousa. A middle eastern treat that most people will agree is a close cousin of our semolina or sooji halwa or what I call mohon bhog. Now, here is the fun thing, since basbousa is nicely dunked in syrup it is guaranteed to stay soft and moist longer. Thus making it a perfect appetizer for a diwali party.
A little more about Basbousa
Well any party for that matter. And if you are anything like my family, you do not need a party to savor this amazing sweet treat.
Well, in addition to the syrup. Basbousa also has yogurt and my version also has coconut. All of this gives the cake a lightness. I drizzle this with some saffron in the syrup. Even with all of this, we are still talking very few ingredients.
Most of which you will find right here in your pantry. My version goes easy with the sugar and I think the net result is pretty good. Moist, light, warm and inviting. Perfect with a good cup of tea or coffee. I could even be persuaded to consider this breakfast. Well, I do not really need much persuasion when it comes to anything sweet.
Well, as the year is beginging to draw towards the end. I am happy that we have survived another year through the pandemic. I think overall there is more optimism. The numbers are less ominous. And the bonus is that we have gotten so much better about working with zoom.
Basbousa and Some More Fun Treats
Happy Diwali or a wonderful fall week ahead. May the light in your life always triumph over darkness. And all those greens in your yard. Toss them into a pot for a bonafide kali puja tradition.
This is a very forgiving bake. Only thing to note is to have your syrup ready to drizzle while the basbousa is hot. Other fun treats to add into the mix, is this five ingredient coconut burfee and this sweet potato gulab jamun.
An easy sweet and delicious treat that is perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup ghee (at room temperature)
- 1 and 1/4 cup fine semolina
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup shreeded coconut
- 1 cup natural yogurt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 3/4 cup of white or brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron strands (optional)
- 2 tablespoons roswater
- Chopped almonds to garnish
Instructions
- Grease a quarter sheet pan or other baking dish.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl mix in ghee, semolina, baking powder, shredded coconut, natural yogurt and sugar until well mixed. You need a large bowl and a wooden spoon. Nothing overly complicated.
- Pour into the prepared pan allow it to bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. It should be fragrant and begining to turn golden.
- After about 15 minutes, begin making the syrup by adding the water and sugar and allowing it to simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the saffron strand if using and stir in the rosewater.
- Cut the cake into squares or diamonds. Place chipped almonds to decorate.
- Allow the syrup to soak for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.