Samali is a Mediterranean semolina cake that also goes by basbousa and harissa. A moist, rich cake soaked in rose water syrup. It is served in squares and diamonds at every Arab and Levantine celebration and event. Simple to make, it keeps for days and only gets better with every bite.
Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer 5 minutes, until the sugar melts and the syrup thickens slightly.
⚙ SimmeringStove
💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
2
Add the lemon juice and rose water.
💡The lemon keeps the sugar from crystallizing again.
3
Cool completely.
💡Cold syrup on a hot pastry soaks in evenly.
To assemble
4
Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and grease a pan (30 x20 cm).
⚙ Preheating the OvenOven
💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
5
Mix the semolina, sugar, yogurt, oil, eggs, baking powder and vanilla into a smooth batter.
6
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes so the semolina absorbs the liquids.
7
Pour into the pan and smooth the top.
Baking pan
8
Score diamonds and place an almond in the center of each.
Knife
9
Bake 30–35 minutes, until the cake is golden.
⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan
💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
10
Take out of the oven and immediately pour the syrup over the hot cake. Let soak at least 1 hour.
⚙ Syrup on a Hot Cake
💡The syrup soaks into the cake only while it's hot: pour it as soon as it comes out of the oven, slowly and over the whole surface.
365calories
5 gprotein
54 gcarbs
15 gfat
● protein 5%● carbs 58%● fat 37%
Per serving (113 g), of 16 servings
For the Sugar Syrup · To assemble ·
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⚖ About the ingredients
Sugar: measured in cup in this recipe: 1 cup = 200 g · 387 kcal per 100 g · More about Sugar →
Water: measured in cup in this recipe: 1 cup = 240 g · 0 kcal per 100 g · More about Water →
Lemon juice: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 5 g · 21 kcal per 100 g · More about Lemon juice →
Rose water: measured in tbsp in this recipe: 1 tbsp = 15 g · 1 kcal per 100 g · More about Rose water →
Semolina: measured in cup in this recipe: 1 cup = 170 g · 360 kcal per 100 g · More about Semolina →
Yogurt: measured in cup in this recipe: 1 cup = 240 g · 65 kcal per 100 g · More about Yogurt →
Canola oil: measured in cup in this recipe: 1 cup = 216 g · 884 kcal per 100 g · More about Canola oil →
Eggs: measured in pieces: one ≈ 50 g · 143 kcal per 100 g · More about Eggs →
Baking powder: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 4.6 g · 80 kcal per 100 g · More about Baking powder →
Vanilla extract: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 4.2 g · 288 kcal per 100 g · More about Vanilla extract →
Almonds: measured in pieces: one ≈ 1.2 g · 590 kcal per 100 g · More about Almonds →
🔧 Tools needed (4) · 🍳 One cooking vessel
Oven· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
Stove· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
Baking pan· Also works: Glass / ovenproof baking dish (None) · Disposable pan (None)
Knife· Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.
