[Sca-cooks] An Andalusian Lunch at Red Dragon

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Kiri wrote:
>Also...when you can, if you could drop me a line with the recipe for the
>Khabisa.  Somehow, the version I have doesn't produce a satisfactory result.


Here's what i did last year and it worked out fine.

The tiny little balls took quite a long time for me to make solo, so 
i recommend making them with a friend or two.

Rolling in powdered sugar did not make the balls "dry", but they 
remained firm, and separate although sticky. I would expect that 
local weather could make a difference, as it is usually dry around 
here.

Khabisa with Pomegranate

Original Recipe
13th C. anonymous Andalusian Cookbook
translated by Charles Perry

Take half a ratl of sugar and put it in a metal or earthenware pot 
and pour in three ratls of juice of sweet table pomegranates and half 
an uqiya of rosewater, with a penetrating smell. Boil it gently and 
after two boilings, add half a mudd of semolina and boil it until the 
semolina is cooked. Throw in the weight of a quarter dirham of ground 
and sifted saffron, and three uqiyas of almonds. Put it in a dish and 
sprinkle over it the like of pounded sugar, and make balls 
[literally, hazelnuts] of this.

My Version
I used the amounts stipulated in the original recipe as best i could estimate
The biggest changes i made was adding the rosewater after it was 
cooked and pre-soaking the saffron

1/2 lb. = 1-1/8 cups white sugar
1-1/2 quarts = 6 cups bottled pure unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/2 liter = 2 cups semolina - i used fine, about the texture of cream of wheat
1 gram = 1/4 tsp. crushed or powdered saffron (real saffron, no 
safflower, no turmeric)
[a tablespoon or so of hot water]
1/2 oz. = 1 Tb. rosewater
4 ounces = 3/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 lb = 1-3/4 cups plus 2 Tb. icing/powdered sugar (you may not need 
all of it)

1. Put sugar in a pot and pour in pomegranate juice, stir to distribute evenly.
2. Stirring from time to time, bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until it begins 
to thicken slightly.
4. Put crumbled saffron into a small bowl and just barely cover with 
hot water and let stand until needed.
5. Stirring all the time, pour in semolina into pomegranate syrup 
very very very slowly.
6. Simmer, stirring, until the semolina is cooked, which will depend 
on what kind you use - takes at least 15 minutes; i taste-tested to 
make sure it was tender.
7. Remove from fire and stir in saffron, rosewater, and almonds.
8. Pour it in a large flat pan, such as a baking sheet with low sides 
and allow to cool.
I left it out overnight, loosely covered.
9. Make into hazelnut-sized balls, rolling each in powdered sugar.

I arranged them in tight rows on rectangular trays.

I don't remember how many this made - A lot! WELL over 100 tiny balls 
- maybe 200 - maybe more - i did do a count at the time, but no 
longer have it.

With so many other sweets on the sweets table i made, these didn't 
all get eaten (about 2/3 or 3/4) I gave away many to people who 
requested them and took some home. Tasty!
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita