Alternative names | Samali, Kalo prama |
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Type | Dessert |
Region or state | Middle East, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Armenia, Tunisia, Egypt, Kuwait, Iran, Turkey |
Serving temperature | Cold |
Main ingredients | Semolina, yogurt, syrup |
Variations | Orange blossom syrup or rose |
Calorie rich kcal | |
Shambali or Damascus honey (Turkish: Şambalı or Şam tatlısı, meaning "Damascus dessert", Greek: Σάμαλι /ˈʃamali/), is a very popular Middle Eastern semolina cake often flavoured with orange blossom water or rose syrup. Its ingredients include but are not limited to; yogurt, course semolina, sugar, ground almonds, lemon/orange juice and cinnamon. It is usually served with tea that does not contain sugar due to its very sweet taste. There are theories the name 'Shamali' derives from the town of Şam (located in Damascus Syria). It is more likely however that the name comes from Armenia where it is still commonly known as Shamali. Elsewhere the dessert is known as 'Kalo Brama' in Cyprus meaning "Good thing", 'Namoura' in Lebanon, Kalbelouz (Qhalb-el-Louz), in Tunis, Revani or Ravani in Greece and Turkey (itself deriving directly from the Persian), and commonly known as Babousa/Basbousa amongst other Arabic speaking communities.