Balah al-sham

Turkish tulumba is a hot water dough fritter traditionally found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire, particularly throughout the Middle East and the Balkans. Even though tulumba (lit. pump) was named after a special tool used to make it—a kind of syringe with a star-shaped nozzle—in Iranian cuisine they call it bamiyeh; in Egypt and Syria balah el-sham, and datli in Iraq; while in the rest of the Arab world tulumba fritters are also known as asabe Zainab (lit. Zainab's fingers).

These deep-fried, crisp-shelled treats deliver a serious kick of sugar as they are soaked in thick, sometimes lemon-flavored syrup. In Lebanon and Syria, they often use orange blossom and rose water for flavoring, while Gulf countries add cardamom and saffron as well, and in Morocco they use heated honey instead of syrup.

Tulumba was typically prepared during Ramadan and enjoyed cold, but today, this classic Turkish dessert has become one of the most popular street foods, sold by numerous street vendors who fry it up fresh on the spot, and serve it warm, sprinkled with crushed pistachios.