Namoura (Lebanese Semolina Squares)
Namoura! also, known as basbousa or Harissa throughout the Arab word is a semolina square that is baked and soaked in a rose water sugar syrup. made with many different variations and flavors yet still sticky, runchy and full of middle eastern flavors.
Ingredients
- Squares
- 1 ½ cups #2 Semolina
- 1 cup of #1 Semolina
- ½ cup of white sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp of sea salt
- ¾ cup of unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 ¼ cups of plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp of tahini paste or butter
- ¼ cup of blanched whole almonds
- 1 non-stick 9 X 13 X 2 baking tray
- Attar (Sugar Syrup)
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tbsp of rose water
- 1 tbsp of Orange blossom water
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
Instructions
- To make syrup: In a medium saucepan, add sugar, lemon juice and water. with a wooden spoon, mix and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low heat and let simmer 8-10 minutes. Add rose water and orange blossom and boil for 1 minutes. Turn heat off and let completely cool down. Note: the consistency of the Attar is key to the squares. Once cooled is should have a light golden color and drips off spoon. thickness is just a little light the consistency of maple syrup.
- Grease your baking tray with Tahini or unsalted butter
- To make Namoura squares: mix all dry ingredients first (#1 & #2 semolina, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Once all mixed add your melted butter and yogurt and mix until well blended. Pour the mixture into tray and spread evenly using an icing spatula. To get a smooth surface, lightly wet your hands or the back of a spoon in water and smooth the top.
- With a butter knife lightly mark the batter into squares then place an almond in each square.
- Bake in a per-heated oven at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until gold brown. Remove and cut re-cut where it was marked. Immediately ladle the cooled syrup over the squares and set aside for 2-4 hours to cool and absorb the syrup before serving.
