Syrian semolina
A friend of mine on Facebook says he will soon not have to worry about social distancing during the pandemic. The reason: he’s scoffing so much that he will soon enough have a two-metre circumference.
Good for him, I say. One of the many distasteful aspects of the current lockdown is the worst it brings out in some people — all pursed lips, tut-tutting and shaking their heads over the supposedly bad habits of others.
All pandemics burn out in time. In the meantime, I say, eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow is going to be difficult enough anyway.
Here’s something that will take many people back to childhood, albeit with a Middle Eastern twist. It’s a delicious Syrian-style semolina pudding, ma’muniyya, which, since it’s named for a one-time caliph, probably dates back to the ninth century. It’s dead easy to make. The diners, especially the young, never complain, either. Happy scoffing.
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup of sugar
2 cups of water
½ lemon, squeezed and strained
4 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of semolina
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (or to taste)
Whipped cream
Sprigs of mint
METHOD
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, uncovered and undisturbed. Remove the syrup and set aside.
In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over a moderate heat. Add the semolina, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Now gradually add in the syrup, stirring constantly until it is absorbed.
Now remove from the heat, place a kitchen towel over it and let it stand for 20 minutes.
Spoon into four serving dishes, add the cream, sprinkle with cinnamon and add a sprig of mint (or slice of ginger, if you’re game).