A rich, fudgy sweet made from toasted wheat flour cooked with ghee, sugar, saffron, and cardamom until it forms a dense, aromatic confection. This traditional Bahraini dessert is pure indulgence.
Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup ghee
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tbsp rose water
Crushed pistachios for garnish
Dates for serving
Instructions
1Toast wheat flour in a dry heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes until deep golden and nutty-smelling.
2Add ghee to the toasted flour and stir continuously until the mixture is evenly combined and fragrant.
3In a separate pot, dissolve sugar in water with saffron and cardamom. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
4Gradually pour the hot sugar syrup into the flour mixture, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps from forming.
5Continue cooking and stirring over low heat for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the pan.
6Spread onto a serving plate, garnish with crushed pistachios, and serve warm alongside dates and Arabic coffee.
Did You Know?
In old Bahrain, khabees was the first sweet a new bride would prepare for her husband's family to demonstrate her cooking skills.