Syrian Semolina Porridge (Mamouniyeh)

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Mamouniyeh is a traditional Syrian semolina porridge that is mostly served on special occasions like weddings and birthdays but is also a very popular breakfast porridge.

Made of roasted semolina, garnished with nuts, cheese, or fresh cream and served warm, mamouniyeh makes the perfect comfort breakfast or sweet dessert. I know you're thinking cheese and pudding don't sound too great, but trust me, it perfectly balances out the sweetness of the pudding and makes it an amazing start for the day.

Ingredient Notes

Semolina: Both coarse semolina and fine semolina can be used, as they are both prepared the same. Semolina flour is not the same and will result in a different texture.
Ghee or Butter: Traditionally made with fresh ghee (samneh baladi), you could alternatively use butter.
Nuts: The most common nuts to use for garnishing semolina pudding are freshly toasted pine nuts and almonds, but it's common to see people use pistachios, and sometimes even cashews.
Milk: I like to make my semolina pudding with equal parts of milk and water. Milk gives it a richer and creamier texture, but as long as you have the right amount of liquid, either one will do.
Orange Blossom Water: A tablespoon goes a long way, but this ingredient could probably be named the signature flavor for Syrian desserts. If it's not in the dessert itself, it's usually in the sugar syrup that's drizzled on top.
Cinnamon: This part is optional, but a sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top makes it a hundred times better!

How To Make Semolina Porridge

Melt one tablespoon of ghee/butter in a pan and toast the nuts until golden brown. Set aside for later use (for the topping).

In a medium-sized pot, add the sugar, water, and orange blossom water and dissolve the sugar on medium-high heat. Once the sugar dissolves and starts bubbling, immediately lower the heat. Let it sit while you toast the semolina.

In the same pan you used to toast the nuts, melt the remaining ¼ cup of ghee or butter. Once it's melted, add the semolina and stir continuously until golden brown. It should take on a caramel color.

toast the semolina in ghee for the semolina pudding

Once your semolina takes on a nice color, add it to the pot where your sugar-water mixture is sitting. Turn the heat back up to medium-high. You'll want to stir constantly so as not to get any lumps. This should take around 7-8 minutes.

Once you have a porridge-like consistency, pour the thick semolina porridge immediately into a big bowl or smaller individual bowls. Garnish with nuts, ground cinnamon, cream, or cheese.

How to Garnish

Mamouniyeh is usually served in a big bowl, but I've seen it getting popular being served in smaller personal bowls. Play around with how you sprinkle your toppings. You can create fun designs with nuts on this creamy semolina porridge. I like to put the pistachios in the middle, then sliced almonds and pine nuts on the edges.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure to dissolve the sugar in the water or milk. Be careful not to over-boil it before you add the semolina. As soon as the sugar completely dissolves, add the toasted semolina.
Toast the semolina in ghee while the sugar dissolves in order to save time.
Toast the semolina on medium heat. Use a spatula to constantly stir it to get an even golden color. This step should take around 10-15 minutes, depending on how high the heat is on, or until it's golden brown.
Once you add the semolina to the boiling water, it'll only take a couple of minutes to absorb the liquid. Continuously stir to avoid any lumps.

FAQs

What is semolina?

Made from a hard type of wheat called durum wheat, semolina is basically just a coarser flour. It's usually used in pasta, bread, as well as baked goods, but it's super well known for being used in semolina porridge. This is because it absorbs liquid really well.

What are some Syrian desserts that use semolina?

In Syria, Semolina is very commonly used in numerous desserts and baked goods like ma'amoul bars and harisse and gives them their signature crumbly texture. Additionally, it's commonly served in savory dishes as couscous in the place of rice.

What is the perfect texture for mamouniyeh?

Mamouniyeh has a smooth, heavy, and velvety texture. As it cools, it will usually take the shape of whatever you put it in. Some people prefer it more liquid, but I like it to be more thick and creamy.

Is farina and cream of wheat the same thing?

Cream of wheat is a type of pre-cooked farina. Both farina and cream of wheat have a similar texture.

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