Khabees

Ingredients

Base

• 250 gplain flour
• 200 gghee

Syrup

• 250 gsugar
• 400 mlwater
• 1 tspsaffron threads
• 1 tspground cardamom
• 1 tbsprose water

To finish

• 50 gslivered pistachios
• 50 gflaked almonds
• extra ghee

Directions

1. Steep the saffron in a little warm water for 10 minutes so it releases its colour fully.
2. Bring the sugar, water, saffron, cardamom and rose water to the boil, simmer 5 minutes, and keep the syrup hot.
3. Melt the ghee in a heavy pan over a low heat and add the flour.
4. Now the roasting, which is the entire dish. Stir the flour in the ghee constantly over a low to medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Stir without stopping for the full time. Flour in fat catches the moment you look away, and a single scorched patch flavours the whole batch.
6. It goes from white to cream to pale gold to deep nutty brown, and it will start to smell like toasted biscuits.
7. Take it to a proper golden brown. Under-roasted flour tastes raw and pasty, and colour is the only reliable guide you have.
8. Take the pan off the heat and stand well back.
9. Pour the hot syrup in all at once.
10. It erupts in a cloud of steam and spits violently. This is normal, it is how people burn their hands, and standing back is not optional advice.
11. Return it to a low heat and beat hard with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a smooth, glossy paste.
12. Keep beating for 5 minutes until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and the ghee begins to glisten at the edges.
13. Spread it into a shallow dish and smooth the top with a wet spoon.
14. Pour a little extra melted ghee over the surface while it is still hot.
15. Scatter pistachios and almonds over.
16. Serve warm or at room temperature, scooped with a spoon or with bread.
17. It is Ramadan and Eid food across Kuwait and the Gulf, and it is very rich, so a small bowl goes a long way.

Technique

• It should be soft and spoonable rather than set firm, closer to a thick paste than a fudge.
• Saffron and cardamom are the Gulf signature and both go in generously.
• There is a related date version, khabees tamr, made with date paste instead of syrup.

Substitutions

• Semolina in place of some of the flour, for a slightly grainier texture.
• Butter instead of ghee, though ghee is what gives the flavour.

Variations

• Khabees tamr, made with dates.
• With more saffron, for a deeper colour and a bigger price.
• Set firmer and cut into squares.

History

Made for Eid and gatherings, spread in a dish and marked with nuts before serving.

Frequently asked questions

What is Khabees?

Khabees is a dessert from Kuwait: toasted flour beaten with ghee, sugar, saffron and cardamom into a soft paste. Made for Eid and gatherings, spread in a dish and marked with nuts before serving.

How long does Khabees take to make?

Khabees takes 10 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Khabees?

Yes, within limits. Semolina in place of some of the flour, for a slightly grainier texture. Butter instead of ghee, though ghee is what gives the flavour.

What is the most important thing to get right in Khabees?

Now the roasting, which is the entire dish. Stir the flour in the ghee constantly over a low to medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes.