The Algerian Zlabiya is one of the traditional desserts, Algeria is famous for, and it is prepared in abundance in the holy month of Ramadan and dispersed among the people with the intention of giving charity or distributed in mosques.
Zlabiya stays One of the oldest dishes in Algeria. There are many types of Zlabiya famous in Algeria, especially the one of Boufarik, one of the famous Zlabiya in Algeria. It is served on occasions and holidays and in the holy month of Ramadan.
Zlabiya is available ready in the shops, and it can be prepared at home, but the way to prepare them, pour them, and fry them in oil requires skill, accuracy, and experience.
Its Origin
Whether long, round, or in sticks, this sweetness that lies between the candy and the cake, inevitably adorns Ramadan tables. But if its origin is unknown, the zlabia keeps its mysteries by surrounding itself with legends as original as they are eccentric.
Some refer its origin to Andalusia, others to the land of Chem, Syria. According to one of the legends we tell, an Andalusian pastry chef inadvertently poured the dough, prepared to make another cake, in boiling oil for frying and then cried out when he saw the silhouette of the future and unexpected labia: “Hadhi zalla biya” which can be translated as: It is a real disaster!
Other, more outlandish stories attribute the recipe for this cake to musician Abdourrahman Ibnou Nafaâ Ziriab or Ziriab for short. Forced to flee the court of Haroun Al Rachid, he then undertakes a long journey which will take him from Baghdad to Andalusia via North Africa. In passing, he made a prolonged stopover in Tunisia, where he studied music and invented a dough candy which bore his name: el ziriabia. This original name was subsequently falsified and distorted to give zlabia.
Description
the traditional Zlabiya is prepared by making the dough, then we cook in very hot oil, We run the liquid paste but which holds well through a funnel to form either circles or helicoids in length.
Immediately after frying, we immerse the hot Zlabiya in a homemade honey syrup, and we leave it so that the Zlabyia absorbs this honey, which will give it a lot of flavor and crispness.
Ingredients
the dough
the syrup
for frying
Instructions
the dough
- Mix the flour and the baking powder, then pour in the water and mix well again to obtain a smooth dough.
- wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Gently remove the plastic wrap, then mix the dough and add the saffron.
- Then put a plastic wrap back on and let it sit again for 1 hour.
the syrup
- Put the water and sugar to boil in a saucepan, then cook for 5 min.
- Then add the honey and orange blossom water, then let cool.
cooking
- Preheat a deep fryer to 180 ° C.
- Remove the plastic from the dough and place it in a piping bag.
- Then form the dough into spirals (starting from the inside going outside) directly in the hot oil and let them cook until they are lightly colored.
- Drain the Zlabiya on a baking sheet lined with paper towels,
- then immerse them in the lukewarm syrup and place them on a small rack.
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