Carawya

When a Syrian expectant mother is writing her list of things to buy in preparation for the birth, caraway seeds features high on this list along with milk bottles, nappies and baby cloths.

After birth people visit the new mother to congratulate her on the baby arrival. Carawya is a special type of desert almost exclusively served for this occasion. The word Carawya is Arabic for caraway. No surprise the fragrant seeds are the main ingredient in the dish.

Last week end after I finished my course in France I headed with my wife to visit my brother and his wife in Germany. They have been recently blissed with a beautiful baby boy, hence the carawya post. The one in the picture is the handy work of my sister in law.

In Syria you buy a ready made Carawya mixture. If you want to make your own mixture all you need is one portion of ground caraway seeds to two portions of rice flour.

Here is the recipe for two portions:

Water 350 mls
Carawya mixture 2-3 tbsp
Sugar 2 tbsp
Coconut
Walnuts
Pine nuts
Pistachio

Add the cold water, carawya mixture and sugar to a deep pot. Bring to boil on a medium heat stirring continuously. The mixture should be custard-thick. Adjust the amount of the carawya powder if you prefer a thicker or thinner consistency.

Serve warm in tea cups or desert bowls. Top with a generous layer of coconut then the rest of the nuts.