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Ingredient: semolina

Iraq: Kibbeh

Cooking Time: 90
Iraqi cuisine has a very rich history. In fact, stone tablets found in ancient ruins in Iraq show recipes prepared in the temples during religious festivals date back to 1900 BC – the first cookbooks in the world. Mesopotamia was a highly advanced society, including in the culinary arts. Kibbeh...

Syria: Ma’amoul

Ma’amoul are semolina shortbread cookies popular across the Middle East.  They are filled with either dates or nuts – commonly walnut or pistachio.  They can be decorated by hand, but are prettiest when made using special wooden molds  tabu.  Lucky for me, my colleague Bushra’s mom has a whole collection...

Algeria: Makroud Tmar

Cooking Time: 90 minutes
Makroud (sometimes makrout, maqroud, or maqrout) means diamond, describing the shape of this semolina pastry, common across North Africa and the Middle East.  You’ll find the most varieties in Algeria, and this one filled with dates (tmar) and dipped in a honey/orange blossom mixture is one of the most traditional.  Orange...