Many Tastes of the Semolina Grains

I remember growing up with my mother fussing over our having doodh suji (milk boiled with semolina, sugar and cardamom topped with blanched almonds) in winters for breakfast. Desi ghee-laden suji halwa was also served occasionally. The  favourite suji golgappas at Bengali Market in Delhi is such a treat. Suji is a versatile cereal which can be used in numerous recipes.

Recently, I tasted a semolina cake which is popular all around the Mediterranean. This Algerian dessert is made by mixing semolina with milk, sugar and eggs. In India, semolina is called suji, and I love suji halwa or ever suji pani puri .

I came across this Mediterranean cake when I was visiting Greece and one of my Algerian friends made the cake for his birthday as he wanted to have a traditional birthday. He later told me that there are many varieties of this cake, and is also sometimes made like a halwa. It is soft from inside with a slightly chewy and crusty exterior.

On some coaxing, I was able to get this special recipe from him which, he said, was an old traditional recipe from his ancestral village.

Doodh Suji Ingredients Milk: 500ml Sugar: 3 tbsp Cardamom: 4, crushed Semolina: 2 tbsp, roasted on tawa till slightly brown Almond halves:  6, blanched Method In a pan heat milk. Add all the ingredients and stir till it boils couple of times and the milk thickens Serve hot

Khobz  Mbesses Ingredients Durum wheat semolina flour: 500 gm Egg: 1, whole Milk: 1 2/3 cup, lukewarm Dry active yeast: 1 ¼ tsp, Caster sugar: 2 cup Honey: 1 cup Butter: 2 ½ tbsp Water Pinch of salt Pistachios and almonds  for garnish Syrup Sugar: ½ cup Honey: ½ cup Water: 1 cup  Rose essence: 1 tsp Juice, zest of 1 orange Method Mix eggs, flour, sugar, milk, yeast and melted butter in a large bowl Add water slowly and blend into a wet consistency Grease the baking tray and pour the batter. With the help of a wooden spoon spread evenly in the dish Cover the dish with a plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rest till it nearly double its size Remove the plastic wrap and gently press the dough evenly and garnish with nuts Pre-heat the oven to 18 degree centigrade Bake for about 40 minutes till golden brown In a pan bring water, honey, rose essence and sugar along with orange juice and zest to a boil and simmer till its become a little thick Pour over the cake once its ready and serve after one hour