Arabic recipesSweets
Levantine Namoura (Syrian Harissa) Recipe: Coarse Semolina Cake with Ghee
Syrian harissa, known across Lebanon as namoura, is a deeply golden, richly textured semolina traybake made without eggs or coconut by rubbing coarse semolina with ghee, yoghurt and sugar. Rested for several hours in a tahini-coated pan, it is baked with almonds and soaked hot-on-hot with orange-blossom syrup.
Also known as:Lebanese namouraSyrian harissa nabkiyehLevantine semolina syrup cake
Servings10
Prep time20 min
Cook time40 min
Ingredients
Add ingredients to cart- 500 g coarse durum semolina (smeed khashin)
- 180 g caster sugar and 200 g full-fat plain yoghurt
- 100 g melted Arabic ghee (reserving 1 tbsp to brush over the top near the end of baking)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 2 tbsp thick sugar syrup in the batter for amber caramelisation
- 2 tbsp sesame tahini to grease the baking tin and 80 g blanched halved almonds soaked in water
- For the hot syrup (qater): 450 g sugar, 300 ml water, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp orange blossom water
Preparation Steps
- 1Combine the coarse semolina, sugar, baking powder and baking soda, pour in 80 g warm melted ghee and rub with your fingertips so every grain is coated.
- 2Fold in the yoghurt and 2 tbsp thick syrup gently with a spatula without overmixing; coat a 28 × 22 cm metal baking pan generously with tahini and press the mixture flat using wet hands.
- 3Cover and rest at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours so the coarse semolina grains swell, then score shallow squares across the top and press a soaked almond onto each piece.
- 4Bake at 190 C for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges turn deep golden brown, brush the top with the reserved 1 tbsp ghee and broil for 3 minutes until evenly amber.
- 5Simmer the syrup ingredients for 8 minutes, stir in the orange blossom water and ladle the piping hot syrup over the hot cake in two stages; cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing clean squares.
