Hanini

Ingredients

Base

• 300 gsoft dates, pitted
• 250 gstale flatbread, such as khubz or roti
• 100 gsamn, or clarified butter
• 1/2 tspground cardamom, if wanted

To finish

• 3 tbsphoney, to pour over
• 2 tbspsamn, melted, to pour over
• a handful of chopped almonds, if wanted

Note

• the bread must be dry, not fresh and soft

Directions

1. Use flatbread that is a day or two old and has dried out. Tear it into small pieces with your hands. Toast the pieces in a dry pan for three minutes if the bread is still soft. The pieces should be dry enough to crumble between the fingers.
2. Pound the dried bread in a mortar until it becomes coarse crumbs. Do not reduce it to flour, since some texture should remain. Check every date carefully for stones and stray stalks. Chop them roughly with a knife dipped in warm water. If the dates are dry, steam them for five minutes to soften them.
3. Melt the samn in a wide pan over a low heat. Add the chopped dates and stir them into the hot fat. Cook them for three minutes until they soften and start to break down.
4. Mash them against the pan with the back of a spoon. They should turn into a rough sticky paste. Add the crumbs a handful at a time, stirring after each addition.
5. Keep the heat low, since the dates catch and burn quickly. Work the mixture with the spoon until it comes together. Stir in the cardamom if you are using it. Now judging the texture, which is what the dish is about.
6. Add a spoonful of warm water if it has gone too dry and crumbly. Add more crumbs if it is too wet and sticky to handle. Cook it for a final two minutes so it warms right through. Now serving, which is done immediately and generously. Turn it into a shallow bowl and press it level with the spoon.
7. Make a well in the centre with the back of the spoon. Pour the melted samn into the well so it pools there. Scatter chopped almonds over it if you want the crunch.

Technique

• The bread must be stale and dry, since fresh bread turns to paste.
• Keep the heat low once the dates go in, as they burn quickly.
• Serve it warm, since it stiffens noticeably as it cools.

Substitutions

• Ghee in place of samn, which is the closest widely available fat.
• Any dry flatbread in place of Yemeni khubz.

Variations

• With ground almonds worked into the mixture.
• With black seed sprinkled over, which some households add.
• Made with a little sesame paste stirred in.

History

Highland sweet that uses up surplus flatbread and dates, served warm with more honey poured over.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hanini?

Hanini is a dessert from Yemen: dates mashed with crumbled bread and clarified butter. Highland sweet that uses up surplus flatbread and dates, served warm with more honey poured over.

How long does Hanini take to make?

Hanini takes 15 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Hanini?

Yes, within limits. Ghee in place of samn, which is the closest widely available fat. Any dry flatbread in place of Yemeni khubz.

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

Pound the dried bread in a mortar until it becomes coarse crumbs. Do not reduce it to flour, since some texture should remain. Check every date carefully for stones and stray stalks. Chop them roughly with a knife dipped in warm water. If the dates are dry, steam them for five minutes to soften them.