Mango Basbousa | Semolina Tahini Cake with Mango

Anyways, let me get to the recipe for this Mango flavoured Basbousa. After I blogged the Mango Semolina Cake recipe, the craving to have them again crawled in and I had some good mangoes stocked too. So went to the kitchen to make it - just then I got the idea why not try basbousa with mango. Honestly, I wanted to make Basbousa so that I can update the old pics and try getting Foodgwaker approved for that post... but well another day - there is always room for more semolina recipes. 😛

Look at that golden piece of soft, sugar soaked (not too much :-P) Basbousa! S-E-M-O-L-I-N-A can make me happy anytime!

As I am yet to get an oven, this recipe is baked on the stove-top in a pressure cooker using an 8-inch sandwich pan. I baked on a weekday and when F took a bite, there was a moment of silence and it was a treat to watch him eat eyes closed. 🙂 Once he opened his eyes, he said he would love to take a portion to work. 😀 I am glad I can share the calories. So one-half went to his office, a quarter we had and the remaining quarter I took to Z's place the next day. She too loved it stating it is better than store-bought! - exactly what I have mentioned in my first Basbousa post.

Mango flavoured Basbousa, is a traditional Middle Eastern sweet cake made using fine semolina in a simple syrup containing orange blossom water or rose water and garnished with almonds or pistachios. This recipe will work well even if you don't add mango pulp. All you have to do is replace it with more yoghurt. I have used store-bought Tahina this time and I am glad I landed with a good brand that tastes and smells good! 

You will first prepare the sugar syrup, then bake the basbousa and then pour the cooled syrup over the hot basbousa! Serve at room temperature!

1 cup fine semolina

4 tablespoon soft ghee

3 tablespoon mango puree

3 tablespoon plain yoghurt, strained off the whey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

⅓ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon Tahini

1 tablespoon of tahini to grease the baking dish

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water

1 cardamom

a squeeze of lemon juice

½ teaspoon rose water

¼ teaspoon orange blossom water

a dash of crushed saffron

Almonds blanched or roasted

Preheating:
I have used a deep pressure cooker and a sandwich pan to make this version. Place a flat tawa on low heat and keep the pressure cooker over the Tawa. Oven users may have to preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or gas mark 4.

Aromatic Syrup:
First, make the syrup. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and water. Bring it to boil over medium heat. DO NOT STIR. Once boiling, add lemon juice and lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened and switch off.You can test the readiness of the syrup by just taking a little in a spoon and leaving it to cool. If it gets thick and sticky, then the syrup is ready. Otherwise, let it boil for a few more minutes. Add the rose water or orange blossom water if using. Allow it to cool before use.

Prepare Pan: 
Next, grease the pan or any baking dish with tahini all over the bottom and sides. I have used an 8-inch sandwich pan.

Prepare Batter:
Now, make the Mango Basbousa batter. In a bowl, mix the semolina, ghee, yoghurt, mango pulp, lemon juice, sugar, baking powder, and tahini until homogeneous and pour the batter into the baking dish. The batter will not be in pouring consistency. Use a rubber spatula to clean the bowl and level the surface using a wet hand. Use a knife to draw lines and cut the basbousa to your desired shapes or size. Decorate with almonds.

Stove-top Bake: 
Carefully place the pan inside the pressure cooker which is very hot now. Close the lid (without the whistle). Bake on a medium flame for 20 minutes and reduce the flame and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until you see the sides are browning. It may take anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes depending on the flame. You can open and check post 35 minutes and check if the top of the basbousa is firmed up.

Oven Bakers may have to bake for 45 minutes and then if you want to brown the top like classic basbousa, brush the top with melted butter and return to the oven for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add syrup and serve: When done, take the pan out of the cooker using mittens and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Cut again along the already scored lines, and then drizzle the prepared cooled sugar syrup. Please remember that the basbousa needs to be hot and the syrup needs to be at room temperature. So add as much sugar syrup as you need before the cakes become cold. Serve and enjoy each bite!

Needless to say, all the pieces out of the pan went into my mouth right after the photo shoot! 😜