SUNDAY: COOKIES FROM AFRICA 🌞

CHIKO



Chiko is a traditional Ethiopian dish made from Beso Duket (barley powder)
mixed with a sufficient amount of Niter Kibbeh (Ghee), along with spices. It is easy
to prepare in a short time, and is full of protein because of its high butter content.

Author: Sara Bayou
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups (480 ml / 250g) Beso Duket (roasted barley flour)
1 teaspoon (5 ml / 2g) caraway seeds
1 teaspoon (5 ml / 2g) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (5 ml / 2g) ground cardamom
1 teaspoon (5 ml / 5g) salt
1 cup (240 ml / 227g) melted Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian clarified butter)

Instructions

In a bowl, combine beso duket, caraway seeds, ground coriander, ground cardamom, and salt. Mix these dry ingredients together.

Slowly add the melted kibe to the dry mixture. Stir continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and free of any lumps.

Transfer the cookie dough to a flat pan or container. A rectangular 32-ounce/8.75×6-inch plastic container works well.
Ensure that you press the dough down into the corners to create an even layer.

Seal the container and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 1 hour or until it hardens.

Once the dough has hardened, remove it from the refrigerator. Cut it into 1- to 2-inch squares, triangles, or small shapes of your choice.

Enjoy these spiced butter cookies with Ethiopian coffee or tea for a delightful treat.


From https://ethiopian-food.org/chiko-recipe/

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Crunchies (South African)



Crunchies- South African Oatmeal Bar- Nutty, buttery, Sweet, and Crunchy –
quite a treat these little wonders.


Ingredients

6 ounces (170g) butter
1½ tablespoons golden syrup or honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
½-1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried shredded coconut
⅓ cup sliced almonds
1½ cups oats
1¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Prepare an 8x8 or 9x13 baking pan/sheet if you want thin crunchies.
Grease or spray with cooking oil. Set aside.

Melt butter, syrup, brown sugar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until
completely melted. You may do this in a microwave-safe bowl. Then
add baking soda and mix.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl – oatmeal, flour, coconut,
sliced almonds, and spices. Thoroughly mix.

Pour the butter mixture into the bowl of oatmeal mixture and mix well.

Press the mixture into the greased baking pan. You can use parchment
paper to smooth it out.

Start baking at 325℉ (160℃ for 10-15 minutes, then finish at 300℉ (150℃
for another 10 minutes or until golden brown, depending on your oven.
Start checking after 20 minutes.

Remove, let it cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. It will keep
in an airtight container for up to a week.

Tips & Notes:

The recipe was updated from 8 ounces of butter to 6 ounces. I've tried it
several times with less butter, and it works great. You can increase the
baking time by about ten more minutes to get it really crunchy.

from https://www.africanbites.com/crunchies/

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Bradj | (Algerian Date Bar Cookies)



INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

500 - 3 cups of medium grained semolina
generous pinch of salt
115g - ½ cup of real butter, melted
115g - ½ cup of light and fruity olive oil
230ml - 1 cup tepid water
Optional - 2 tsp nigella seeds (sanoudj/ habbat el baraka)


FILLING

300g (10 1/2 oz) date paste
1 TBS toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground cloves
2 cap fulls (about 2 tsp) of orange blossome water
zest of one orange (my secret touch)
1 tsp oil
Optional - whole almonds


METHOD

MIX the cinnamon, orange blossom water, oil and dates in a bowl until you have a
soft and smooth spreadable paste. Alternatively, if your date paste is dry and hard,
you can steam it for a few minutes to soften it up. Set the mixture aside.

COMBINE the semolina, nigella seeds and salt in a large mixing bowl. Slowly pour
into the melted butter and oil into the bowl. Coat the grains of semolina with the oil/
butter mixture by grubbing it between your hands and fingers.

GRADUALLY pour a little of the tepid water on the semolina. Gently squeezed and
bring the semolina and water together. Don't knead or overwork the dough. Once
the water has been absorbed, continue adding more until you have used all the water.
The dough should be soft and malliable, but not sticky.

DIVIDE the dough into 2 equal balls. Flatten the balls into disks about 1cm in thickness.
You can use a rolling pin or your hands for this step.

SPREAD the date mixture evenly on one of the semolina disks (a rubber spatula helps)
Then top the base with the remaining semolina round.

PRESS the 3 layered disk gently to flatten and even out. Cut the round galette with a knfe
into 6 or 8 triangles. Optionally - decorate the bradj by imprinting them with cookie cutters.

HEAT a tadjine or cast iron pan on medium fire. Once heated, gently lift the triangles with a
spatula onto the pan.

BAKE on for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip over and continue to bake for another
additional 2-3 minutes. Remove and transfer to a platter. Repeat with all the triangles.

Bars can keep in airtight container for about 2 weeks.


KITCHEN TIPS

⇝Size- Wise
You can cut these date bars into smaller squares, diamond or lozange shapes.

⇝Subsitute
Subsitute cornmeal or rice semolina for the regular (wheat) semolina for gluten-free diets.

⇝Variation
You can vary the flavour of the filling by adding ground ginger or allspice to the date mixture.

⇝Time-Wise
The dough can be made ahead then frozen until ready to eat; allow about 2 hours to thaw
on countertop


from https://thetealtadjine.blogspot.com/2016/12/bradj-algerian-date-bar-cookies.html

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Ghorbias, Montécaos غريبية | North African Shortbread Cookies
Traditional Algerian Recipe




INGREDIENTS

1 cup measure = one 240ml mug

3 - 3 1/2 cup sifted flour
1 measure (cup) oil (sunflower, olive oil, etc)
1 measure (cup) powdered sugar/icing sugar
1 packet of baking powder (10g - 2tsp)
2 tsp vanilla powder
pinch of salt
cinnamon

METHOD

Cream the oil and powdered sugar together.

Add in the vanilla, generous pinch of cinnamon, and sifted baking powder.

Now gradually add in the flour until you have a nice supple dough.

Allow to rest for about 30 minutes, covered in the fridge.

Remove from the fridge and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before handling.

Now pinch off walnut sized balls of dough, then roll into balls.

Place on a greased baking sheet, then top with cinnamon.

Bake in a preheated 170°C - 325°F oven for abot 10 min. But I would suggest checking them around 8 minutes. They should be golden on the bottom but not browned or burned.


TO SERVE
These cookies would go lovely with some date milk or mint tea.

KITCHEN TIPS

Make Ahead
⇝ These cookies is easily made ahead up to 2 days before you would like to serve it.

STORAGE

⇝ The cookies keeps well, stored in a food safe box for several days.

Alternative Shape
⇝ Another nice way to prepare these cookies is to form them into a mount or use a cookie mold.


**BitDefender says recipe website attempts to make suspicious connections, so I will NOT post it.

ENJOY!