Chebakia is a traditional Moroccan pastry made during Ramadan and other special occasions. It is a sweet and crunchy pastry that is shaped like a flower and coated with honey and sesame seeds. Here is a recipe to make Chebakia:
Ingredients:
- 500g flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp aniseed powder
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp yeast
- 125ml vegetable oil
- 125ml melted butter
- 125ml orange blossom water
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds (for decoration)
- 1/2 cup honey
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon powder, aniseed powder, sesame seeds, ginger, turmeric, and yeast.
- In a separate bowl, mix the vegetable oil, melted butter, orange blossom water, and egg.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing well until the dough comes together.
- Knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a thin rectangle.
- Cut the dough into strips of about 5-6cm width, then cut diagonal lines along the strips to make diamond shapes.
- Take each diamond and fold it in half, then twist the folded dough to make a flower shape.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or a large pot.
- Fry the chebakia in batches until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Drain the fried chebakia on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- In a separate saucepan, heat the honey over low heat until it becomes liquid.
- Dip the chebakia in the warm honey, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Place the chebakia on a platter and allow to cool completely before serving.
Enjoy your delicious homemade chebakia!