Asabe Zainab (Zainab's fingers) | أصابع زينب | Arabic dessert | Cook with Taste & Life

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: cake flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

rose water

🥗Healthier: orange blossom water

💰Cheaper: vanilla extract

Orange blossom water provides a floral note.

pistachios

🥗Healthier: almonds

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Almonds are nutritious and more affordable.

In a bowl, mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup semolina, and 1 tablespoon sugar.

Add a pinch of salt and mix well.

Add approximately 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and mix again.

Gradually add warm water to form a dough, ensuring it is neither too thick nor too thin.

Knead the dough until smooth and let it rest for about 30 minutes to rise.

Prepare the sugar syrup by combining 400 grams of sugar with water in a pan and heating it on medium flame.

Add 3-4 green cardamom pods to the syrup and let it boil for 4-5 minutes.

Add 3-4 drops of lemon juice to prevent crystallization and remove from heat.

Divide the rested dough into two parts and roll each into a log about 1-1.5 inches thick.

Cut the log into 1-inch pieces.

Take each piece and press it to create a pattern, then roll it out again.

Heat oil in a pan on medium flame until warm, but not too hot.

Fry the shaped pieces until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes, turning them to cook evenly.

Remove the fried pieces and let them cool slightly before dipping them in the sugar syrup for 10 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens