Arabic sweets, i just simply love them. We have a lot of arabic sweets during ramadan. What i really like about these sweets is that they are not extremely sweet. The dessert by itself wouldn’t be sweet, its the simple syrup which imparts the sweetness to it.

Today i am going to share the recipe of kataif asafeeri. This is a middle eastern pancake filled with cream, dipped in ground pistachios and served with simple sugar syrup.

The original recipe calls for clotted cream or ashta, which is made by skimming milk. But that is a little cumbersome process. I am going to use our own easy friend, thick cream! 😊

My sister and mom used to make this dessert with store bought pancakes since my school time. But we never tried making these pancakes or kataif at home. And just the other day i found this easy recipe for kataif in a blog named chef in disguise. The recipe was explained so much in detail that i thought, why not give it a try. I tried it and it turned out amazing and i couldn’t help myself from posting. So here goes, hope you guys will give it a shot and like it a lot. ( hey, dat rhymes! ;))

Recipe courtesy: Sawsan of Chef in Disguise

For kataif: (makes around 15 of them)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4cup semolina
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1/2teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons orange blossom water (optional)
11/2cups of warm water (you may need 1/4 to 1/2 cup more)

For simple syrup:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water (optional)

Thick cream
Ground pistachios

1.In a bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients and the oil. Once its all incorporated well, start pouring in the orange blossom water and warm water and whisk well until you get a homogenous mixture. Let it rest for 10 mins.
2. Heat a non-stick fry pan and pour in 2-3 tbsp of the batter. The kataif should start to bubble from the edges and then spread to the entire surface. Once its not shiny on the surface and it is fully covered with bubbles, you know its done. It will take about a min or so. Do not flip it.

1. Take the kataif off the heat, place them on a clean kitchen towel and fold the towel over to cover them.
2. To assemble, once the kataif cools down, fold them into a half circle and seal it only half way.

1. Fill the pocket with the cream
2. Dip it in ground pistachios or sprinkle the pistachios over the cream.

To make the simple syrup:

1. Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes
3. Turn off the heat and add the rosewater.

Arrange the kataifs on a plate and serve with the simple syrup.

Kataif Asaferi

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Ingredients

  

INGREDIENTS

• For kataif: makes around 15 of them
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup semolina
• 1/4 teaspoon yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoons orange blossom water optional
• 11/2 cups of warm water you may need 1/4 to 1/2 cup more

For simple syrup

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water optional
• Thick cream
• Ground pistachios

Instructions

 

DIRECTIONS

• In a bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients and the oil. Once its all incorporated well, start pouring in the orange blossom water and warm water and whisk well until you get a homogenous mixture. Let it rest for 10 mins.
• Heat a non-stick fry pan and pour in 2-3 tbsp of the batter. The kataif should start to bubble from the edges and then spread to the entire surface. Once its not shiny on the surface and it is fully covered with bubbles, you know its done. It will take about a min or so. Do not flip it.
• Take the kataif off the heat, place them on a clean kitchen towel and fold the towel over to cover them.
• To assemble, once the kataif cools down, fold them into a half circle and seal it only half way.
• Fill the pocket with the cream
• Dip it in ground pistachios or sprinkle the pistachios over the cream.

To make the simple syrup

• Place the sugar, water and lemon juice in a pot and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes
• Turn off the heat and add the rosewater.
• Arrange the kataifs on a plate and serve with the simple syrup.

Notes

Notes:
✔If your kataifs are not covered with bubbles then that means your batter is too thick and you need to add more water. Do so in 1/4 cup additions, whisk and try again.
✔Placing the kataifs in kitchen towels right after taking it off from heat is very important as it will soften the kataifs making them easier to seal. It will also prevent them from drying. If your kataif become dry you will not be able to seal them.
✔Once the kataif cools down fill them immediately, otherwise it will dry out making it difficult to seal.
✔ For the thick cream i used kdd cream you can also use Nestle thick cream or any thick cream which you can get hold of. But do not use whipping cream or cooking cream.

Notes:

✔If your kataifs are not covered with bubbles then that means your batter is too thick and you need to add more water. Do so in 1/4 cup additions, whisk and try again.
✔Placing the kataifs in kitchen towels right after taking it off from heat is very important as it will soften the kataifs making them easier to seal. It will also prevent them from drying. If your kataif become dry you will not be able to seal them.
✔Once the kataif cools down fill them immediately, otherwise it will dry out making it difficult to seal.
✔ For the thick cream i used kdd cream you can also use Nestle thick cream or any thick cream which you can get hold of. But do not use whipping cream or cooking cream.