MAIN INGREDIENTS
This internationally known, decadent, and sugar-packed dessert is usually made with a mixture of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, which is deep-fried and then bathed in syrup or honey. The origin of lokma fritters is ancient but often debated. It is presumed that they first appeared in Greece or Turkey, though some suggest Arabic origin.
The dish is considered to be one of the oldest recorded desserts in Greek history. It is said that the pastries were even given to winning Olympians as a treat and were called honey tokens. Loukoumades, or loukmades in Cyprus, can be found throughout the streets of Greece, in shops selling nothing else but this caloric dessert.
VARIATIONS OF Lokma
Ma'amoul is an ancient cookie filled with fruits and nuts such as dates, walnuts, and pistachios. The cookies are traditionally prepared for Easter, festivals, and celebrations, and they are typically shaped into balls or domes. In order to differentiate the cookies, the walnut version is usually shaped into a dome with a round top, the date ma'amoul is shaped into a dome with a flat top, while the pistachio ma'amoul has an elongated, oval shape.
It is not uncommon for the cookies to be topped with powdered sugar for extra sweetness, and they are often served with coffee or tea during the day in many Middle Eastern households.
Ageeli is a Qatari ring-shaped cake that can be made as one large cake or as several single-serving cakes. It is made with eggs, flour, sugar, cardamom, saffron, and rosewater and covered with tahini and sesame seeds. However, variations do exist, and some recipes will also include milk and/or yogurt.
It is a light, crunchy cake, usually paired with coffee and tea. It is also traditionally eaten for breakfast with hot milk on Bayram morning.
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Khanfaroosh is a deep-fried dessert similar to doughnuts popular in Gulf countries, namely Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the Emirates. It’s made with wheat flour, rice flour, eggs, sugar baking powder, saffron, cardamom, and rosewater. These soft and spongy cakes are typically paired with tea and coffee.
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Sago halawa is a Qatari sweet pudding made with sago pearls, sugar, water, and butter (or ghee). It is flavored with cardamom, saffron, and rosewater and often garnished with walnuts or other nuts. The sago pearls are soaked in water for a few hours, then strained and added to the pot with sugar that's been previously caramelized.
Next, the aromatics and the butter are added, and the mixture is stirred briefly over heat. The finished pudding is divided between bowls, garnished with walnuts or pistachios, and served chilled. Besides Qatar, sago halawa can also be found in other Gulf countries.
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