Monday, July 14, 2014

Eggless Semolina & Coconut Basbousa/Arabian Basbousa/Arabic Coconut Semolina Cake

We are having a long weekend here, obviously i dont want to sit in front of my lappy today. But i couldnt stop myself to write a post today as i want to share my happiness with you all.Yes my article about my hometown and about Pondicherrian foods was published in today's Hindu. Few days back, Annie the journalist of The Hindu send me a mail asking whether i can write an article about my hometown, i dunno how she noticed me and my Pondicherry roots, watelse i need i told immediately yes and she send me couple of questions. Without any delay i replied her and today morning, i was surprised to know when few of my Fb friends from Chennai left private messages appreciating about the article. Then only i checked my inbox, Annie was kind enough to send me the link of the article. I was overwhelmed to see the article and the way Annie has written about me. I have to say a special thanks to her, feel so blessed, obviously she made my day. To celebrate this beautiful mention in a leading Indian newspaper, am posting a sweet today which i prepared few days back. This Arabic eggless semolina and coconut cake aka Coconut basbousa was in my to do list since ages, finally i prepared them at home. 

With simple ingredients, these eggless Semolina and coconut basbousa can be prepared without any hassle, this cake came out excellent and dangerously addictive. Trust me if you are coconut lover like me, you wont just stop with a slice. Baked semolina and coconut mixture when soaked with a simple sugar syrup makes this fabulous cake.This cake will be very super moist coz of the sugar syrup and this makes the difference from other semolina cakes.This month's Home Baker's Challenge, a monthly baking event where we bake varieties of baked goodies, the host of this month is Nupur, she suggested Arabic desserts for this month's challenge.From the couple of sweets she gave,i picked this basbousa eventhough i have prepared and blogged about it. Since this basbousa goes for coconut, i was tempted to give a try and baked them this time with this coconut-semolina combination. 



2cups Semolina/roasted rava (medium quality works wonder)
30grms Melted butter
1/4cup Dessicated Coconut
3tbsp Sugar syrup (recipe follows)
1tsp Vanilla extract
1/2cup Sugar
1cup Milk
1tsp Baking powder
Tahini (sesame paste) or butter (for greasing the mould)
Few blanched Almond nuts

For Syrup:
2cups Sugar
1tsp Rose water
1tsp Lemon juice
1tsp Orange blossom water
1/2cup Water

Prepared the sugar syrup by combining sugar and water, bring it to boil, add the lemon juice and boil for few minutes.

Finally add the orange blossom water and rose water, put off the stove and keep aside.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Add the baking powder,dessicated coconut to the semolina and keep aside.

Beat together the melted butter,sugar,milk,sugar syrup in a another bowl, gradually add the semolina  and make a thick cake batter.

Pour this batter in a greased pan, arrange the almond nuts over the batter.

Arrange the batter in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top turns golden brown.

Take off the basboosa from the oven, immediately pour the syrup over the cake, let the cake absorbs completely the syrup.

Cut the semolina cake either as diamond or as square.

Enjoy warm, with icecream or with mint tea..

Notes:
If you are using large semolina, its better to keep the batter overnite in fridge, since i used medium sized semolina, i kept my batter for two hours in room temperature and baked them.

You may think the sugar syrup goes almost for two cups of syrup,but trust me once the syrup is well absorbed by the cake, they arent that much sweet.

24 comments:

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Congrats on your article. Basbousa is the perfect sweet for Ramadan and to celebrate this happy occasion. Priya, you deserve this.

Gloria Fernandes said... Reply To This Comment

Congrats Sis!! Well deserved ..the basbousa looks too delish..feel like grabbing one

Oriyarasoi said... Reply To This Comment

Its a great recipe Priya....have planned to do this for a long time but keep forgetting

Menaga Sathia said... Reply To This Comment

woww cakes looks soo shiny n tempting....

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Perfect akka and congrats dear for this one and sure you will gonna rock everywhere

Nammaruchi.blogspt.com said... Reply To This Comment

Cake looks so delicious..perfect for
festive season..

Mayuri Patel said... Reply To This Comment

looks good. Have not prepared it though I have come across the basbousa recipe loads of time as I think it would be sickly sweet. Perhaps looking at yours will tempt me enough to try it out.

Gita Jaishankar said... Reply To This Comment

Very different and interesting cake recipe Priya...looks very nice!

meena said... Reply To This Comment

Oh basbousa looks so yummy.I love the way u have got the neat look on the edges.

cookingwithsapana said... Reply To This Comment

Basbousa looks delicious ! Good one ..

Sushma Mallya said... Reply To This Comment

Congrats on ur article Priya really happy for you ....looks so delicious!

Vikis Kitchen said... Reply To This Comment

Congrats Priya. Basbousa looks very delicious. I will definitely try.

Akila said... Reply To This Comment

Congrats Priya Akka... Best dessert to celebrate the occasion

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Many congrats dear...... Looks super yumm!!

Zoe said... Reply To This Comment

Congratulation, Priya! This beautiful cake is perfect for your celebration.

great-secret-of-life said... Reply To This Comment

congrats Priya.. Nice way to celebrate.. love this

Lifewithspices said... Reply To This Comment

looks so perfect n yummy

Sharanya palanisshami said... Reply To This Comment

congrats on your article sis........... love this semolina cake......

Nisa Homey said... Reply To This Comment

Congrats on your article! Though I still have not prepared it yet your recipe is giving me the much needed encouragement.

Padmajha said... Reply To This Comment

Congrats on the article Priya! It was great reading about you :)
And this looks fabulous. I am wondering if we can make this with fresh coconut after roasting it a bit...

Rafeeda AR said... Reply To This Comment

congrats akka, u truly deserve that mention... and what a way to celebrate with this delicious looking basbousa... :)

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

congrats Priya for the article!! so happy and excited!!

Ruxana Gafoor said... Reply To This Comment

wow this looks superb loved that glaze and presentation...And congrats dear,you really deserve that

nandoos kitchen said... Reply To This Comment

bsbousa looks delicious and congrats dear..