Revani from Turkey

'Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London, I'll show you something that'll make you change you mind'. That was Ralph McTull.

Bu there were cities before London was born and there were streets and routes-- that traded silk and tea. Today it lies in ruins. But ...

Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of Turkey. I saw something that made me change my mind.  And it will do your's too...if you see it the way I did :) A country where history and enchantment still reigns. Don't let the newspapers tell you anything that ain't so. And what better way to start than to do it by the book-- so to speak :) 

Named after a sixteenth century Turkish poet who wrote reams extolling the delights of food, Revani (also known as Basbousa) , is an old country favorite :) It is nothing but semolina sponge in orange or rose water syrup. 

If only things were this bland. 

'This is Turkey. Where romance adventures when freed from the curbing reins of  should and woulds. Where spicy aromas tease the senses till you can take it no more...where old roads lead to new adventures and dark eyes becon you from beneath gorgeous scarves. They tell me the castles are in ruins and the coffee is bitter and the country has no money. But this is Turkey. What do I care...the belly dancers still swing and the bazzars still reek of aroma and old country. The muslin is still untainted. So what if its in the books. I am sure it exists...in the streets of Turkey'

Okay..enough of crazy romance and peotry! But it is so difficult not to be in this mood, when you make this spicy syrupy decadant semilina cake. Lovingly called 'Revani'. And for more of such midless teasing..surely take up this book. 'Classic turkish cooking' by Ghille Basan and photographs by Jonathan Basan.

For once I am doing it by the book :)

Ingredients:

For the cake

4oz/120 g semolina

2oz/60g all purpose flour

4oz/120g sugar

6 eggs, separte into white and yellow

zest of 1 orange, 

For the syrup

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

6oz/175 g of brown sugar. You can also use white sugar

300 ml of water

To garnish

Desicated coconut

Sliced almonds. Optional

Step by step into old world charms :)

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease 10 in cake pan with little oil

Mix together the semolina and flour. 

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar until creamy and light. 2 mins

Beat in the orange zest (1 min) and then showly the semolina-flour mixture (3 mins)

Whisk in the egg whites to stiff peaks (2 mins) in a separate bowl and then gradually fold (add then slowly) it into the batter.

Pour into the cake pan 

bake for 30 min or till brown in top

Syrup:

Mix all ingredients and bring to boil. Stir continuously. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 min

Take the Revani out of the oven and cut into squares right in that pan. Pour warm syrup all over the cake and put it back in the oven for another 2- 3 minutes. 

Turn off oven and let the Revani cool ( 15-20 mins)

Sprinkle with coconut and almonds, raisins.

Transfer to serving dish and serve chilled. I liked it with bitter ..very bitter expresso.

Or store it in a container in the refrigerator.But no more than a week. It starts getting sour. Not that you would have any left :)

Happy journey...and happy eating...and not so healthy eating-- just this once :)