In our usual appointment in this blog with Moroccan gastronomy (bissara, harira, pastela…), it is now the turn of one of the most popular sweets in the countryThe main reason: not only for its taste, but also for the social implications with which it is conceived. If you want to take advantage of your trip to Morocco to taste this local pastry delicacy, read on to learn more about it.
What’s in it: the recipe
Chebakia is a very sweet tasting food. But paradoxically, no sugarThe sweetness is obtained from its bath in honey, as we will see below. Although the final list of ingredients may vary from one house to another, the most common is that it has:
- Flour
- Ground almonds
- Butter
- Honey
- Sesame seeds
- Yeast
- Spices and essences to season to taste: aniseed, orange blossom water, cinnamon, vinegar, saffron… For many, this is the real secret that differentiates one recipe from another.
All of these, except for the sesame seeds and honey, are used to make the dough. Once the ingredients have been well integrated, thin strips are made and compositions are made with them, which normally take the following forms flower shapes. These compositions are fry in oil, usually sunflowerand when they are golden brown, remove them from the oil and place them in a hot honey bath. hot honey bath. The final step is sprinkle the sesame seedswhich stick to the top of the chebakia.
What is its origin
As with many traditional sweets, the origin of chebakia is lost in time. But we can certainly draw parallels with sweets from other countries and, in that way, establish links. One of them is the pestiño, traditional Spanish sweetEspecially in Andalusia, a region in the south of the peninsula that experienced a long Muslim domination and an important presence of Sephardic Jews in medieval times. Therefore, there is a tendency to think that the origin of the chebakia may be Andalusian, since there is evidence of its success in that civilization, for example in the Nasrid court of Granada.
However, the practice of frying doughs and dipping them in honey is also documented in earlier civilizations in the Middle East. Middle Eastincluding the Arabian, from where it may have originated at the time of the first great expansion to the West in the 7th and 8th centuries.
When and where chebakia is eaten
This is probably one of the most interesting aspects of chebakia, especially for travelers who come to Morocco to taste this sweet. It is undoubtedly a food associated with Ramadanfor two reasons. The first is that families usually cook these sweets in abundance just before the month of fasting begins, and then offer them to relatives and friends. It is, therefore, a way of preparing for this sacred period. And secondly, because when the fasting day ends, it is common to take a chebakia (or several) as the first snack of the night, which also has a significant caloric intake to compensate for the previous hours of fasting.
However, this sweet can be eaten in Ramadan but not only during only… and not only. Let us explain: “not only” because it is not only cooked during Ramadan, but you are likely to find it in pastry stalls throughout the year and in practically any city, as its consumption is widespread throughout the country. And “not only” because it is common accompany it with a mint green tea.which is the most popular drink in Morocco. So if you like the plan of chebakia with tea, get ready to savor a 100% Moroccan moment during your next trip.
