In the Kitchen: Love Song of Basbousa

Instructions for cake:

• Whisk eggs and sugar to a light, fluffy mixture.
• Whisk “wet” ingredients (vanilla paste, ricotta cheese, canola oil, orange zest and orange juice) together.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture.
• Add the semolina, almond mill and ground coconut and mix together.
• Transfer batter into an oil-sprayed 9’’x 9’’ x 2’’ cake pan.
• Score the batter into squares.
• Place a blanched almond on each square.
• In a preheated oven, bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes.
• After baking, cut cake using previously scored lines.
• Add a couple of rose petals to each piece.
• Brush the asal syrup onto the cake slowly and evenly.

Instructions for asal syrup:

• Combine sugar, lemon juice and water and bring to a gentle boil.
• Dissolve sugar and cook until small bubbles surface.
• When syrup becomes slightly sticky, turn heat off.
• Add one drop of rose extract and one drop of zahar extract.

Instructions for kabobs:

• Cook lentils for 25-30 minutes until soft.
• Finely chop onion and cook in olive oil until clear and soft. Finely chop parsley and garlic.
• In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils, parsley, garlic, toasted pine nuts and pumpkin seeds.
• Blend ingredients lightly into a chunky mixture using a hand blender.
• Add harissa, challah crumbs, cumin, all spice, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper and salt and mix well.
• Add two eggs and create a unified mixture.
• Use the mixture to create kabobs and put them on the cinnamon sticks (one kabob on each stick).
• Place the kabobs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and olive oil spray.
• Drizzle kabobs evenly and generously with olive oil.
• Bake in a 385°F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and firm.

Instructions for tehina-yogurt tzatziki:

• Combine raw tehina with yogurt and fresh lemon juice.
• Add water one tablespoon at a time and stir into smooth consistency.
• Add chopped parsley and salt and mix well.
• Serve kabobs with tehina-yogurt tzatziki, chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Instructions for chili paste:

• Finely chop chili Fresno pepper (remove all seeds and connecting parts).
• Add minced garlic, freshly grated ginger root and fresh lemon zest.
• Add honey, salt and black pepper and mix well.
• Whisk in olive oil and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
• Peel sweet potato and cut into small cubes (a little less than 1 inch).
• Coat with chili paste and move to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake in a 385°F preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Instructions for salad dressing:

• Combine chili paste with fresh lemon juice.
• Add honey and whisk in olive oil until the dressing is well distributed.

Instructions for salad:

• In a large bowl combine arugula leaves, roasted sweet potatoes, cut up avocado pieces, pomegranate seeds and goat cheese pieces.
• Drizzle salad dressing and mix gently.
• Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and thinly chopped fresh basil.

• Prepare one brik at a time.
• In a deep-frying pan, warm oil on medium heat to 350°F.
• Carefully place the blanched asparagus, a couple of avocado slices and an egg on the top center part of the brik dough.
• Gently fold the top part of the dough forward, tuck the sides in and continue to fold the dough over the filling.
• The egg white will help the dough sheet stick together.
• Place the folded brik aside and set on parchment paper.
• Continue folding all briks using the same method.
• Once all briks are folded, carefully drop them seam-down into the hot oil.
• Make sure not to fry more than a couple at a time in order to keep the oil temperature steady.
• Fry for one minute on both sides until the brik is golden brown.
• For firm yolks you may add another minute of frying time.
• Remove briks, place on a paper towel and dust with cumin and salt.
• Serve along with harissa. (Find a recipe for harissa on afooda.com)