Basbousa

Names

It is found in the cuisines of the Middle East, the Balkans and the North Africa under a variety of names.

• Egyptian Arabic: basbūsah
• Arabic: هريسة harīsa (meaning mashed or crushed), نمورة nammoura
• Armenian: Շամալի shamali
• Greek: σάμαλι (samali).
• Turkish: revani

Basbousa is the dessert's Egyptian name and it is called the same in North Africa. It's often called "hareesa" in the Levant, and also the Egyptian city of Alexandria, though in other parts of Egypt hareesa is a different type of dessert. Also note that "haressa" in North Africa is a spicy red sauce. Basbousa is a popular dessert among all Egyptians, it's a main Egyptian dish at Eids and Ramadan tables, also for Christians in their fasts, such as the Great Lent and Nativity, as it can be made vegan.

Variations

Pastūsha (sometimes stylized as pastūçha) is a variant of basbousa that originated in Kuwait in the 2010s. Like basbousa, it is made from semolina soaked in sweet syrup. It is characterized by the addition of finely ground pistachios and orange flower water.

Basbousa bil ashta - a Levantine variation of basbousa filled with ashta cream in the middle.