Name: Fenugreek Olive-Oil Cake (Saniyit Hulba)
Yield: Serves 12–15
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: Qatir, using a 2-to-1 ratio of sugar to water); 3 cups (720 milliliters) water; 1½ cups (270 grams) fine semolina; 3 tablespoons fenugreek seeds, picked over and rinsed well; ½ cup (120 milliliters) extra virgin olive oil, warmed; ⅓ cup (75 grams) sugar; 1½ cup (200 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds; 1 tablespoon nigella seeds; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon active dry yeast; Butter or tahina, for greasing; Pine nuts or blanched whole almonds, for decoration

Preparation info

Serves
12–15

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Gaza Kitchen

By Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt

Published 2021

About

This uniquely Palestinian confection is often made for nursing mothers as fenugreek is said to increase milk production. The seeds have a strong bitter flavor; soaking or blanching them, then discarding the water, removes some of this bitterness. Don’t be surprised if your skin smells slightly of maple syrup after eating this irresistible sweet!