An Unknown Dish From Egypt.

[Vimto]

A few years ago I took a pleasure cruise on the river Nile through the capital Cairo. In this surprisingly beautiful city from the river we steamed though the heart of it past magnificent old buildings. We had a lovely buffet lunch in the saloon below deck and later we had musical entertainment including the ubiquitous belly-dancers. After a prodigious number of courses I went to see what was for pudding and was directed by a wiling server to a large bowl of similar appearance to thin porridge but of a light brown colour. I accepted the recommendation and took a small bowl to my table. It was one of those moments one never forgets, it was absolutely delicious. I had a second helping of a larger portion and was anxious to know what it was called. Unfortunately with all the noise and a language barrier I didn't catch what was said. All I can do is describe it as written above and say the taste was sweet but overly so with a consistency of semolina but nothing like the taste. Can anyone who knows the cuisine or indeed has had this dish on one of these boats help me with the name of it. I would be eternally grateful.

[Vimto]

Please read as "not overly so".

[retrocop]

Lol. That will be a poser for the one and only Peter Pedant. He claims to be our Egyptologist but you will have difficulty understanding. He will probably write in Arabic. For me I would guess a sweetened cous cous but I'll look up my Middle Eastern cook book written by an Egyptian woman called Claudia Roden.

[retrocop]

Roz bi Halib (Rice Pudding) is Egyptian and contains sugar,honey,orange blossom water,pistachio nuts almonds or hazelnuts. The rice is short grain not like Basmati.

There is Bademli Muhallebi ( Milk Pudding with Almonds) using Ground rice sugar,almonds and almond essence.

That's about the best I can help you with.

[barry1010]

Was it a hot or cold pudding? Could it have been ashura?

[retrocop]

Ashura? That's interesting. I googled that and it says it is the name of a Islamic Holy day.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ashura-Islamic-holy-day

[retrocop]

How about Kunafeh in the link?
https://egyptianstreets.com/2019/05/05/19-middle-eastern-desserts-to-remember-this-ramadan/

[jno]

ashure rather than ashura

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashure

[MartinMillar]

I didn’t think you could cruise through Cairo?
Anyhow was it like a milk custard?

[retrocop]

Basbousa ?
https://www.tastymalabarfoods.com/2016/05/basbousa-semolina-cake-egyptian-dessert.html

[barry1010]

Babousa is more like a cake than a thin porridge

[barry1010]

Thanks, jno, for the proper spelling. Don't know I've always said it with an A on the end

[MartinMillar]

Mahalabiya which is milk custard
Roz bil laban Rice pudding

[naomi24]

Lots of dinner cruises from Cairo, MM.

[Bazile]

Time for another Nile cruise , me thinks

[Peter Pedant]

er no good on Egyptian puds I am afraid
all the cruises I was on
red white and yellow goo
summed it up

sozza - and time for another cruise - deffo -
I was thinking that Oct 2021 was doable

[MartinMillar]

Sorry I was under impression that all cruise left more from luxor they did when I went there

[naomi24]

No apology necessary, MM.

[Peter Pedant]

// He claims to be our Egyptologist but you will have difficulty understanding. anything //

You LIIIIIEEEEEE! no seriously: innocent mistake, never mind, my degree ( oops none of my degrees ) is in Egyptology. I used to hang around with them alot. spending time with them between Aswan and Wadi Halfa - and the puds were nothing to write home about

[KARL]

An Egyptian I know wonders if it might be Bileela
https://lubnascookbook.com/2019/10/08/egyptian-wheat-porridge-bileela/

[Vimto]

May I thank all the contributors to this question. All sensible and very little divergence from the pertinent subject. You have given me much to chew over or should I say slurp over. I'm going to have to return sometime and investigate the matter further. The fanfare from Aida by about a dozen musicians welcoming the passengers up the gangway was also memorable. A highly entertaining afternoon in all respects was had that day.
Do go to Egypt, their tourist industry has taken a big hit from different directions in the last few years not least the present pandemic of course. You will receive a generous welcome.
I most gratefully thank you all , Vimto.