Bssisa (Arabic:بسيسة,Berberaḍemmin,Hebrew:בסיס) is a typical Tunisian food, based on flour of roasted barley, which dates back to Carthaginian times.[1][2] This kind of food is known throughout Tunisia.[3] Its history goes back a long way, and travellers and nomads used to take bssisa with them on their journeys since it was both full of nutritional value and easy to carry in its ground powder form.
Bsisa is a variety of mixtures of roasted cereals ground with various spices and sugar. The herbs and spices that are added to the mixture can vary,[4] and the mixtures can also be used as a liquid when added to milk or water, creating a strongly floured drink calledrowina.
It is eaten byTunisian andLibyan Muslims[5] and Jews on various occasions.
Jews consume it especially on the first day of the Hebrew month ofNisan as this is the day theMishkan (tabernacle) was erected (in this case, the food is namedbsiset el-marquma or simply bsisa).[6] The food is powder that consists of wheat and barley, which represents the mortar used to build the Mishkan. Additionally, the mother of the household puts her gold ring into the bsisa, recalling the gold that was also used in the building of the Mishkan. Before eating the bsisa, the father of the household blesses inArabic while he mixes the bsisa with oil using the key to his house, recalling the oil used in the Mishkan.[7] This symbolizes the "opening" of the 'new year' The father and family recite in turn:
Ya fetach,
Bla Neftach,
Arzekna warzek menna
Ya atai,
Bla mena!
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