Imitation Mann il-Sima

Genuine mann il-sima is hard to come by. It is chewy in texture and rather tan in hue. Most of the stuff sold by confectioners is adulterated, much like what you will be getting in the following recipe, which I have adapted from a nougat preparation. The taste is quite similar to the cardamom-flavored original mann il-sima, but it lacks its characteristic chewiness.

Nougat was a favored candy in medieval Baghdad. The tenth-century Baghdadi cookbook dedicates a chapter