Madlouqa

Madlouqa is a sweet tied to the Damascene kitchen. Its name describes how it is made. The hot semolina mixture is poured into the serving dish the moment it is ready — the Arabic verb dalaqa means to pour or to spill. It is then spread with a spoon, covered with ashta, the thick clotted cream, and finished with pistachio.

What goes into it

The base is coarse semolina or ground kunafa dough, worked with butter and sugar until it takes colour. Milk, ashta, rose or orange blossom water and sugar syrup make up the rest. The semolina is toasted in the fat, thickened with sugar and milk, and poured into the dish while hot. The layer of cream on top is thick, and the softness the sweet is known for comes from it.

Where it is common

It is tied to the Damascene kitchen and is said to have spread from there to Palestine, Lebanon and the rest of the region. It is made most in Ramadan and at family gatherings, and it is one of the sweets that comes out after the evening meal.

How to order it

It is eaten cold. Taking one that has been sitting on the counter is not a problem. The amount of syrup varies from place to place, and you can ask for less if you do not want it sweet. Whether the cream is fresh is half the plate: a dull, thickened layer of ashta says the tray has stood a day.