Makbouseh
August 11th, 2010
Makbouseh is one of the sweets prepared for Nisf Sha’aban.
Makbouseh is a specialty of Hama (you can’t find it in other cities), and available only during Nisf Sha’aban, it has another name which is “Mehshiyeh”. The dough is prepared from flour, sugar and ghee, and the filling is prepared from semolina, sugar, water, orange blossom water and food coloring, it is formed as two layers of dough and the filling between them, and cut into diamonds then baked in the oven.
Let’s make Makbouseh:
Ma’amoul Abiad
August 9th, 2010
Ma’amoul Abiad is one of the sweets prepared for Nisf Sha’aban.
“Ma’amoul Abiad” means “White Ma’amoul” because the color of the cookies should remain white in baking, a specialty of Hama . In other cities, “Ghraibeh” is similar to Ma’amoul Abiad but baked to golden brown in color. These cookies are very delicate, they melt immediately in your mouth.
Let’s make Ma’amoul Abiad:
Nisf Sha’aban – 2010
August 8th, 2010
Sha’aban is the eighth month of the Islamic calender, it is the month before Ramadan.
Nisf Sha’aban or Mid-Sha’aban is the 15th day of the eighth month (sha’aban) of the Islamic lunar calendar. Laylat Nisf Sha’aban is the night preceding the 15th day of Sha’aban. The most important event at the fifteenth of Sha’aban was the changing of the qiblah which was ordered by God from Masjid Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa Mosque) in Jerusalem, to Masjid Al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque) in Mecca.
In Syria it is a tradition to celebrate Nisf Sha’aban every year, each city has its own way of celebration.
In Hama, streets are lightened with extra lights and decorated with Syria’s flag. Sweet shops and mothers prepare special sweets, these kind of sweets are available only during Nisf Sha’aban, they can’t be found in other days of the year. Also, parents visit their married daughters and take with them these sweets as a gift.
Four kinds of sweets are prepared:
Bashmina
Mahia
Ma’amoul Abiad
Makbouseh
This year, Nisf Sha’aban (Mid-Sha’aban) was on 28/7/2010.
More pictures with details:
Afkhad Dajaj Meshwiyeh
August 5th, 2010
Afkhad Dajaj Meshwiyeh means grilled chicken thighs, I’ll share with you the marinade which I always use for grilled chicken, I served the chicken with homemade Arabic flat bread, fattoush khudar I/fattoush khudar II, French fries, and kraim ath-thoum.
Let’s make Afkhad Dajaj Meshwiyeh:
Berry Twist Bread
August 1st, 2010
Kathleen from Gonna Want Seconds said in this post that “Orange Blossom Water” is one of her favorite blogs. Kathleen, thank you so much for the kind words about the blog, you are such a sweetheart!
I love this bread, the dough is soft, tender and sweet, I filled the bread with strawberry jam (the original recipe used raspberry jam), I can’t wait to try different fillings, one of them will be date paste.
Let’s make Berry Twist Bread:
