تقاوت- سْلِيلُو - سْلّو- سْفُوف - زمّيطة
Most Seloo recipes contain basic nuts which are almonds and sesame seeds, blended with regional, traditional spices into a thick rich past. Though Seloo is one of several traditional dessert treats, served at Weddings, Newborn Ceremonies and other special occasions, it is particularly consumed in Ramadan during Ftour or Iftar (the evening meal that breaks the day-long fast), as it is very nutritious and gives instant energy. Actually, this has made Seloo synonymous with Ramadan. Traditionally, Seloo is considered as a natural dietary remedy, and is recommended for nursing mothers as it has been known to increase the milk supply. Moroccan nursing mothers consume this nutritious and fortifying paste for at least 30 days after childbirth, and it really helps to increase milk secretion.
As all Moroccan recipes, Seloo is no exception, it widely varies from one region to another and even from one family to another. Its preparation has become an art form and each family has its own Seloo secret recipe that includes the best fresh herbs and spices that could make the tastiest Seloo ever! In Morocco, if you ask for the recipe, instead of a written instructions, it is common to get a quick answer as "Quite easy to make, just mix almonds and sesame seeds, add flour and honey, that's it"!. Moroccans take their household recipes very seriously and keep them as their own special secret.
In fact, Seloo recipe remains controversial and even Moroccans themselves don't agree when they discuss or rather engage in heated arguments over the ingredients to preparation of Seloo. Some recipes call for adding special fresh spices and herbs to the nut-paste for health benefits, some use pure olive oil or argan oil and honey instead of clarified butter and icing sugar, which is much healthier, and some use roasted flour, whereas others do not. Despite the traditional and official recipe, Moroccans and cooks everywhere use various ingredients, but the result is all the same; a rich and tasty paste where flavours build and meld together creating a delicious dessert. I think you can even invent your own combination of spices and nuts so you get a personal recipe that's just exactly right. There is no one unique Seloo recipe, in other words, make your own Seloo, convert it into a wonderful paste and wow your family and friends!
Seloo is one sweet treat that typically tastes better with age, and traditionally, it is prepared one to two weeks ahead before the start of Ramadan, and it is supposed to last during the whole month and even sometimes stretch out over a couple months without worry (most freeze well too, though it is not necessary to freeze Seloo unless you want to save some for later). This is the reason why the use of clarified butter is valued in this recipe for its long-lasting freshness. With so many different flavours and ingredients in Seloo as almonds, sesame seeds, linseed, aniseeds, pure honey, ground cinnamon, gum Arabic, etc... you name it, you’re sure to find a firm favourite of the whole family. Since the collection is so large, I made an effort to organize each step flavour separately with detailed pictures. I do it for my blog readers but I also do it for my adorable boys: Kamal, Nassim and Anwar, becauce I know one day, this speciality will be on the list of their best childhood food memory, and I know they can count on me, when it comes to a well-detailed, illustrated recipe, and make it available for them one day when they need it.
The Seloo popularly seen in most Moroccan restaurants or hotels is only one of different versions that exist; however, there are so many, (and I repeat, many) versions as well as adaptations of a Seloo from all parts of Morocco that could leave you confused. In general, there are 3 different varieties of Moroccan Seloo:
1-Seloo/Sellou/Sleeloo/Sfoof: This version calls for roasted whole wheat flour as the main ingredient along with almonds and sesame seeds. The flour should be roasted in the oven or in a heavy, ungreased skillet or pan until golden, stirring every few minutes otherwise it will burn. Your kitchen would smell like one of those bakeries in Morocco around the corner.
2-T9awt/Tquawt/Tkawt: This is the flourless version of Seloo. Basically the same ingredients in Seloo are used except for roasted flour. My mother used to make this version, and it was so delicious that was to die for, and this is the recipe I'm posting today.
3-Zamita/Zemmitta (Some call it "Toummette [T O O M E E T] or Bssisse [Bseese]): This is an ancient Moroccan-Imazighen/Shlooh version of Seloo and its preparation also varies from one region to another. In the South, Souss region, Zammita is made by mixing roasted barley flour with argan oil, adding pure honey and pinch of salt to the mixture to form a crumbly consistency. However, the savoury version uses boiled water, pinch of salt and argan oil. In some regions, where argan oil is not available or too expensive, pure olive oil is used instead.
N.B. In some regions, especially in Mekness, Taza, etc.... "Seloo" or "Sellou" is called as Zamita, and this version sometimes include toasted peanuts along with other special regional ingredients. However, this Meknassi version still uses the basic ingredients so common in Seloo and T9awt.
Yield: Approximatively 3.8 kgs / Pour environ 3.8 kgs
Preparation Time: This recipe takes 2 to 3 days to prepare, and probably is not for the impatient./ Temps de préparation : Cette recette de Sellou Marocain exige au moins 2 à 3 jours de préparation d'ingrédients, qui est une vraie partie de patience et de méticulosité. Les impatients, s’abstenir !
Time to let Seloo rest:24 hours / Le temps pour laisser reposer le Sellou : 24 heures
N.B. : To make Seloo, there are several ingredients that should be chopped into a fine potent powder. So as equipment, you need a good "Coffee Grinder" for this purpose. If you don't have one, a small amount of extra effort is required if you choose to use a mortar and pestle! / L'outil dont vous aurez certainement besoin pour obtenir une poudre fine afin de préparer le Sellou Marocain, c'est "Moulin à Café", qui vous serait idéal mais si vous n'en avez pas, il peut être remplacé par un simple mortier.
Recette and Photos par Mamatkamal
Ingredients:
-2 kg whole almonds / 2 kg d'amandes
-2 kg brown sesame seeds / 2 kg de graines de sésame brunes
-3 tablespoons anise seeds / 3 c à soupe de graines d'anis
-4 tablespoons ground cinnamon / 4 c à soupe de cannelle moulu
-500 gr good quality honey / 500 gr de miel pur de de bonne qualité
N.B.: Before serving Seloo, make sure to test it for sweetness, adding more honey if desired./ Avant de servir le Sellou, goûter et ajouter plus de miel si vous aimez plus sucré.
-400 ml clarified butter / 400 ml de beurre clarifié
-200 ml pure olive oil / 200 ml pure olive oil
N.B: You can use as well argan oil for cooking, but as we know this oil does not last too long, so if I use it, I usually store my Seloo in the fridge or in the freezer. / Vous pouvez ajouter de l'huile d'argan si vous en avez, mais si vous préparez une grande quantité de Sellou, il faut penser à le réfrigérer ou mettre au congélateur.
-Pinch of salt / Une pincée de sel
-1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg / 1/2 c à thé ou à café de noix de muscade fraîchement hachée
-Few small grains of gum arabic / Quelques graines de gomme arabique
-200 gr linseed or flaxseed / 200 gr de graines de lin
-2 cloves / 2 clous de girofle
Method / Préparation:
1-First you need to blanch the almonds. / Faire blanchir les amandes.
3-You have to plan ahead on this recipe, to get the sesame seeds, washed, dried and available. Wash out the dirt and mud. Drain the seeds and let them dry in the sun, placing them on a large baking pan. This will take 1 to 2 days to dry them. When dry, remove any small stones from brown natural sesame seeds. / Préparer les graines de sésame avant de commencer la préparation de Sellou. Laver les graines de sésames et laisser sécher naturellement au soleil, ceci peut prendre 1 jusqu'à 2 jours. Puis enlever les mauvaises graines et faire attention si jamais il y a des petites pierres noires.
4-Toast sesame seeds in a small pan over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring or shaking the pan constantly. Allow to cool. /Faire dorer les graines de sésame à la poêle en remuant sans arrêt. Laisser refroidir.
5-Lightly toast anise seeds, which should only take two to three minutes. / Faire dorer légèrement les graines d'anis à sec (Pas plus que 2 à 3 minutes).
6-Lightly toast linseed./ Faire dorer légèrement les graines de lin à sec.
7-Grind almonds and sesame seeds, which can be ground into fine or coarse paste for crunch or smooth texture, depending on your preference./Faire moudre les amandes et les graines de sesame au moulin, soit grossièrement ou finement selon votre choix, si vous voulez une texture croquante ou lisse!
8-Grind toasted anise seeds, linseed and cloves, then do a bit of sifting. / Faire moudre les graines d'anis et les faire passer au tamis. Faire de même avec les graines de lin et clous de girofle.
9-Use a mortar and pestle to crush gum arabic crystals. Mix 1/2 teaspoon (about 2.5 ml) of caster sugar with the grains of gum arabic, then grind them together into a fine powder. Sift the obained powder to get rid of any clumping. It is important to grind gum arabic with caster sugar to prevent it sticking together. You can also use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a heavy glass or mug or coffee grinder to crush gum arabic. Set aside until needed./Ecraser au mortier les grains de gomme arabique avec 1/2 c à thé ou à café(2.5 ml environ) de sucre semoule puis tamiser la poudre obtenue. Il est important d'écraser la gomme arabique avec du sucre pour que les grains ne se collent pas ensemble. Vous pouvez aussi utiliser le dos d'une cuillère ou le fond d'un verre ou une tasse lourde ou moulin à café pour écraser la gomme arabique. Laisser de côté.
10-Once all the ingredients are ground, start the preparation of Seloo. Start with adding all dry ingredients into Kasriya or a large bowl, then pour in honey, olive oil, the clarified butter and mix Seloo. Best way to do this is using your hands, mixing all the ingredients together and kneading the paste. This is the fun part! /Lorsque tous les ingrédients secs sont prêts, procéder à l'étape finale qui est la prépartion de Sellou. Placer tous les ingrédients secs dans une Kassriya ou un grand bol, puis verser le miel, l'huile d'olive, ensuite le beurre clarifié et avec les mains, commencer à mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble. Il faut bien pétrir le mélange comme on fait avec la pâte à pain.
Recette et Photos par Mamatkamal
5-Lightly toast anise seeds, which should only take two to three minutes. / Faire dorer légèrement les graines d'anis à sec (Pas plus que 2 à 3 minutes).
6-Lightly toast linseed./ Faire dorer légèrement les graines de lin à sec.
7-Grind almonds and sesame seeds, which can be ground into fine or coarse paste for crunch or smooth texture, depending on your preference./Faire moudre les amandes et les graines de sesame au moulin, soit grossièrement ou finement selon votre choix, si vous voulez une texture croquante ou lisse!
8-Grind toasted anise seeds, linseed and cloves, then do a bit of sifting. / Faire moudre les graines d'anis et les faire passer au tamis. Faire de même avec les graines de lin et clous de girofle.
9-Use a mortar and pestle to crush gum arabic crystals. Mix 1/2 teaspoon (about 2.5 ml) of caster sugar with the grains of gum arabic, then grind them together into a fine powder. Sift the obained powder to get rid of any clumping. It is important to grind gum arabic with caster sugar to prevent it sticking together. You can also use the back of a spoon or the bottom of a heavy glass or mug or coffee grinder to crush gum arabic. Set aside until needed./Ecraser au mortier les grains de gomme arabique avec 1/2 c à thé ou à café(2.5 ml environ) de sucre semoule puis tamiser la poudre obtenue. Il est important d'écraser la gomme arabique avec du sucre pour que les grains ne se collent pas ensemble. Vous pouvez aussi utiliser le dos d'une cuillère ou le fond d'un verre ou une tasse lourde ou moulin à café pour écraser la gomme arabique. Laisser de côté.
Add ground cinnamon, then mix all the ingredients /Ajouter la cannelle moulue, puis mélanger le tout
Add ground anise seeds, ground linseed and ground cloves, then mix all the ingredients / Ajouter les graines d'anis moulues, graines de lin moulues et les clous de girofle moulus, puis bien mélanger le tout
Add ground gum arabic, salt and nutmeg, then mix all the ingredients / Ajouter la gomme arabique moulue, sel et noix de muscade, puis mélanger le tout
Add honey, then mix or knead again the whole mixture. / Ajouter le miel et mélanger ou pétrir le tout
Pour in the clarified butter and olive oil, then mix all the ingredients / Verser le beurre clarifié et l'huile d'olive, puis mélanger le tout
N.B. Some prefer to use less butter or olive oil for a more crumbly texture, but if you are looking for that wonderful, buttery flavour and moist texture of Seloo, go for it and add more melted clarified butter (but don't tell anyone). / Certaines personne mettent moins de beurre ou d'huile d'olive pour une texture plus friable, mais franchement, si vous aimez cette délicieuse, onctueuse et gourmande texture de Sellou comme celui qu'on sert pour fêter une naissance au Maroc, ajouter alors un peu plus du beurre clarifié fondu et ne le dites à personne.
N.B. : Kneading and mixing process of Seloo, normally should take approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the quatity your're working with. / Il est important de consacrer assez de temps pour bien mélanger ou pétrir le Sellou. Entre 20 à 30 minutes, dépendamment de la quantité d'ingrédients utilisés.
N.B. Cover and allow prepared sellou to sit for at least 24 hours, then re-knead the mixture for about 15 to 30 minutes. Now your Moroccan Seloo, bursting with flavours, is ready! Store in an airtight plastic container, and as we say in Moroccan Darija "3wacharkom Mabrooka"! / Bien couvrir et laisser reposer le Sellou au moins pendant 24 heures, puis re-pétrir le mélange pendant environ 15 à 30 minutes. Votre Sellou Marocain est prêt et vous pouvez le conserver dans des boîtes hermétiques, et comme on dit en Darija Marocain "3wacharkom Mabrouka"!
11-Mound Seloo mixture in a pyramid on a plate, then decorate with some toasted almonds. Seloo should be placed on individual plates and served to each person. Eat with teaspoon and serve with nice Moroccan fresh mint tea. Enjoy! / Présenter Sellou en forme de pyramide dans une grande assiette de service, puis décorer avec des amandes grillées. Servir dans des assiettes individuelles avec un bon thé Marocain. Bssaha w Raha!
N.B. My lovely boys Kamal, Nassim and Anwar like to eat Seloo that way: They place a piece of Seloo in an individual cup, then place one or two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and drizzle caramel or hot fudge sauce on top. I've never tried it this way, but they always say "This is an outstanding dessert and the best one we've ever had"! :) I shall post one day their creative Seloo desserts! / Mes petits anges Kamal, Nassim et Anwar ont leur propre façon de manger ce fameux Sellou Marocain. Ils mettent un morceau de Sellou dans une tasse, puis ajoutent une boule de crème glacée à la vanille, et arrosent le tout de sauce au caramel ou sauce chaude au fudge sur le dessus. Ils répètent sans cesse que c'est le meilleur dessert! Je dois poster un jour leurs recettes de dessert de Sellou Marocain, ça l'air trop bon :)!
Recette et Photos par Mamatkamal
6 comments:
machallah 3lik mamatkaml,tbarkellah 3lik azine,je m'excise hbiba j'ai pas avant ta recette,merci hbiba pour ce magnifique partage et ramadan karim
Merci pour cette recette, je l'ai vue sur la blogosphère marocaine, mais les recettes sont un peu confuses et pas aussi détaillées comme la tienne et il y a des recettes qui mettent trop de sucre et je n'aime pas. Ta recette me tente beaucoup, je vais l'essayer parce que j'ai des beaux souvernir du Maroc quand j'ai travaillé comme professeure d'anglais il y a 10 ans maintenant, et grâce à tes explications détaillées et ton joli site je peux encore une fois savourer ce délice de la cuisine marocaine.
Rachel South Africa
Une spécialité qui à tout pour me plaire! Je suis sûre que j'en deviendrais accro. Vraiment magnifique.
Bises et bonne semaine,
Rosa
TbarkAllah 3lik. That looks wonderful!! I've only made Sfouf once, using roasted flour. It was great, although time consuming. I didn't know about the milk production increase in nursing mothers. I should make a batch for my friend, Wafae. She's due in less than a week inshaAllah. 3wacharkoum Mabrouka!!
Hugs,
Hanaa
Bon weekend! .-)
Bises,
Rosa
wow.. j0aime..la cuisine marocaine c'est superrr
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