Mkatra siniya

Ingredients

The batter

• 400 gfine semolina
• 600 mlthick coconut milk
• 200 gsugar
• 4eggs, beaten
• 100 gbutter, melted
• 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
• 1/2 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonground cardamom

Sometimes added

• 100 gdesiccated coconut
• a pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoonvanilla
• zest of 1 lemon

To bake

• a round metal tray
• the siniya
• butter, to grease
• a little more coconut milk, to brush

To serve

• cut into diamonds or squares
• with tea or coffee
• at a wedding

Directions

1. Adjust the sugar if you prefer it sweeter. Put the semolina in a large bowl. Add the sugar and the salt to it. Add the baking powder and cardamom. Stir them together thoroughly. Baking powder must be evenly distributed. Whisk the dry mixture well first. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
2. Add them into the dry mixture. Pour in all of the coconut milk. Add the melted butter as well. Stir it all together thoroughly. It should be a thick pourable batter. Cover the bowl and let it stand. Give it at least thirty minutes. Stir the rested batter through. It should be noticeably thicker.
3. Add a little coconut milk if too stiff. It should still be pourable after resting. Grease the tray well with butter. Grease the base and the sides. Pouring it is straightforward enough.
4. Pour the batter into the greased tray. It should be about three centimetres deep. Score the top into diamonds with a knife. Score it lightly rather than deeply.
5. Brush the top with a little coconut milk. Heat the oven to one hundred and eighty degrees. Bake it for about forty-five minutes. A hot oven browns it before the centre sets. Bake it longer if the skewer is wet. Semolina cakes go dry if overbaked.
6. Take it out as soon as the skewer is clean. Let it cool in the tray completely. Cutting it warm makes it crumble. Let it go entirely cold first. Cut along all the scored lines. Cut it into diamonds or squares. Use a sharp knife and cut cleanly.
7. Lift the pieces out of the tray. Arrange them on a serving plate. Serve tea or coffee alongside. It keeps four days in a sealed tin.

Technique

• The batter must rest at least thirty minutes and preferably an hour before baking: semolina grains are hard and take up liquid slowly, thickening the batter noticeably as they swell, and baking immediately gives a gritty cake. Loosen it with a little coconut milk if it has gone too thick, since different semolinas absorb differently.
• The atlas also carries mkate wa sinia from Kenya — the same name in Swahili, built on ground rice — and mkate wa kumimina from Zanzibar, which is steamed rather than baked. All three belong to one Indian Ocean family of tray breads and cakes; they are relatives rather than the same thing.
• Bake it in a moderate oven for the full forty-five minutes: a hot oven browns it before the dense centre sets. But take it out as soon as the skewer comes out clean, since semolina cakes have little fat and go dry if overbaked.

Substitutions

• Desiccated coconut, nutmeg, vanilla or lemon zest go into the batter in different households.
• Fine semolina is needed; coarse semolina stays gritty however long the batter rests.

Variations

• The grand mariage is a Comorian institution — a large and costly celebration conferring social standing, which families save for years to hold.
• The top is scored into diamonds before baking, which marks the cutting lines and helps it bake evenly.
• Let it cool completely in the tray before cutting, since it crumbles while warm.

History

Named for the siniya, the metal tray it bakes in; it is made for weddings and for the grand mariage celebrations.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mkatra siniya?

Mkatra siniya is a dessert from Comoros: baked semolina and coconut cake, dense and lightly sweet. Named for the siniya, the metal tray it bakes in; it is made for weddings and for the grand mariage celebrations.

How long does Mkatra siniya take to make?

Mkatra siniya takes 25 minutes plus resting of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 10. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Mkatra siniya?

Yes, within limits. Desiccated coconut, nutmeg, vanilla or lemon zest go into the batter in different households. Fine semolina is needed; coarse semolina stays gritty however long the batter rests.

What is the most important thing to get right in Mkatra siniya?

Adjust the sugar if you prefer it sweeter. Put the semolina in a large bowl. Add the sugar and the salt to it. Add the baking powder and cardamom. Stir them together thoroughly. Baking powder must be evenly distributed. Whisk the dry mixture well first. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl.