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How to Make Gazan Arabic Kunafa
Total time50 min
Prep10 min
Cook40 min
Yield8 servings
DifficultyEasy
ReviewsNo ratings yet
Desserts

ChefFatima Zahoui Ghamlouch

How to Make Gazan Arabic Kunafa

Kunafa is one of the most luxurious Arabic desserts, and it can be prepared in many ways. Here is authentic Gazan Arabic kunafa, which uses nuts and cinnamon instead of cheese or cream. Enjoy a special piece of kunafa the way people of Gaza in Palestine make it. Bon appétit!

Ingredients

Start here, then move straight into the method.

  • 1 cup coarse bulgur
  • 1 cup fine semolina
  • 1 cup liquid milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup corn or sunflower oil, or 1/2 cup olive oil, or butter
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • Ground pistachios for garnish
  • Pine nuts for garnish
  • Raisins for garnish
  • Walnuts for garnish
  • Syrup or shira for serving
  • Note
  • You can spread the kunafa in a baking pan or use small molds to make mini kunafa!

Method

Follow the cooking sequence without leaving the page.

  1. Soak the coarse bulgur for 2 to 3 hours.
    Timers: 180 min
  2. Break the walnuts by hand or with a food processor, mix them with one tablespoon of cinnamon and a sprinkle of pistachios and a sprinkle of raisins if desired, and set aside.
  3. Mix the semolina, sugar, milk, vanilla, baking powder, and ground nutmeg well. Add one tablespoon of cinnamon with the oil, milk, and the bulgur after draining it well, and mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
  4. Pour half the mixture into a buttered baking pan, then sprinkle the walnut, cinnamon, pistachio, and raisin mixture, then pour the remaining mixture on top.
  5. Place the pan into a preheated oven at 200°C. Leave the pan in the oven for half an hour.
  6. When the Gazan kunafa is cooked, pour the syrup over it and garnish with pistachios, pine nuts, raisins, and walnuts as desired.
  7. Serve the Gazan Arabic kunafa hot or at room temperature.
  8. Mix 2 cups of sugar with 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
  9. Place the ingredients in a pot over heat until they boil. Leave the syrup on low heat for another 10 minutes. Use the syrup after it cools.
    Timers: 10 min

Recipe tags

DessertsInternationalVegetarianEgg freeEasyBalanced time

Notes and serving ideas

  • Authentic Cheese Kunafa Recipe
  • Cheese Kunafa Recipe
  • Fake Kunafa with Toast Bread Recipe

Chef

Fatima Zahoui Ghamlouch

If you see a recipe written as poetry, it’s surely Fatima Zahoui Ghamlouch—known as Umm Badr—who posted it. Between mawawil and rhymed prose, her rice dishes arrive effortlessly and win the admiration of everyone in our group.

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