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.jpg) A plate of Serbian-style Christmasgurabija | |
| Type | Shortbread |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Maghreb,West Asia,Balkans,Crimea |
| Main ingredients | Almond flour, sugar,egg white,vanilla |
Qurabiya (Arabic:غريبة), alsoghorayeba(h),ghoriba,ghraybeh,kurabiye, orkourabiedes (Greek:κουραμπιέδες) and numerous other spellings and pronunciations, is ashortbread-type biscuit, usually made with ground almonds. Versions are found in mostArab,Balkan andOttoman cuisines, with various different forms and recipes.[1][2] They are similar topolvorones fromAndalusia.[3][dead link][4][5]
In theMaghreb andEgypt, they are often served withLibyan tea,Arabic coffee orMaghrebi mint tea.
A recipe for a shortbread cookie similar to ghorayebah but without almonds—called in Arabickhushkanānaj gharīb (“exotic cookie”)—is given in the earliest known Arab cookbook, the 10th-centuryKitab al-Ṭabīḫ.[6]The termkurabiye appears inOttoman cuisine in the 15th century.[7] Proceedings of the 8thInternational Congress of Orientalists from 1889 describe Syrianghraybe as a type ofma'amoul, shaped into small rings or hexagonal star-like forms, with no nut filling and a high butter content. They also described Egyptianghurayba as a white, round biscuit-like cookie.[8]
There is some debate about the origin of the words. Some give no other origin for the Turkish wordkurabiye than Turkish, while others have given Arabic or Persian.[7] Among others, linguistSevan Nişanyan has given an Arabic origin, in his 2009 book of Turkish etymology, fromġurayb orğarîb (exotic).[9][10] However, as of 2019, Nişanyan's online dictionary now gives the earliest known recorded use in Turkish as the late 17th century, with an origin from thePersiangulābiya, a cookie made withrose water, fromgulāb, related to flowers. He notes that the Syrian Arabic wordsġurābiye/ġuraybiye derived from the Turkish.[11] Syrian historianKhayr al-Din al-Asadi attributes a Turkish origin to the wordghraiba used inSyrian Arabic.[12] According to food historianGil Marks,ghraybeh is of Arabic origin.[2]
Crimean Tatars call cookieskhurabie (qurabiye,qurabye,къурабье,къурабие).
The Crimean Tatarkurabye has many forms, but basically it looks like a rhombus, or a combination of two or three rhombuses to form a flower, or it is cut in the shape of a crescent.
Crimean Tatars preparekurabye as follows: powdered sugar is mixed with ghee, and then flour is added.
The finishedkhurabye is completely sprinkled with powdered sugar on all sides.[13][14]
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Kurabie.[15]
Ghribia (Algerian Arabic:غريبية)[16][17][18]
Khourabia[19] (Armenian:Ղուրաբիա) is the Armenian version sometimes referred to in English as Armenian butter cookie or Armenian shortbread cookie.[20]Khourabia was traditionally made with three ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour and usually shaped like bread, wheat ear, or horse shoe signifying health, wealth, and prosperity. It was mostly eaten during theEaster, Christmas and new year celebrations. Later, more ingredients were added, like eggs, cinnamon, and walnuts.
Gurabija inBosnia is characterized by a sugar cube in the middle. In some regions, sugar is replaced by syrup from boiled indigenous fruits. InTuzla, they are often prepared with apple molasses.[21]Gurabije are typically served withBosnian coffee.
While the meal is mostly associated with the MuslimBosniaks, a variant calledDuvanjska gurabija is also made by the CatholicCroats of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the area ofDuvno.[21]
Kurabii, aBulgarian variety, is typically shaped into balls and dipped in coarse sugar before baking. It is especially popular during the holiday season. It is often stored in tightly closed containers for later use.[22]
The Greek version, called "kourabiedes"[23] or "kourabiethes"[1][2] (Greek:κουραμπιέδες; plural ofkourabiesκουραμπιές), resembles a lightshortbread, typically made with almonds.Kourabiedes are sometimes made withbrandy, usuallyMetaxa, for flavouring, thoughvanilla,mastika orrose water are also popular.[24] In some regions of Greece,Christmaskourabiedes are adorned with a single whole spiceclove embedded in each biscuit.[25]Kourabiedes are shaped either into crescents or balls, then baked till slightly golden. They are usually rolled in icing sugar while still hot, forming a rich butter-sugar coating.[26]Kourabiedes are popular for special occasions, such as Christmas orbaptisms.[27]
The Greek word "kourabiedes" comes from the Turkish wordkurabiye,[28] which is related to qurabiya, a family of Middle Eastern cookies.[29]
In Cyprus, they are often given as gifts to wedding attendees after the ceremony.
InTabriz, Qurabiyas are made ofalmond flour, sugar,egg white,vanilla,margarine and a topping of coarsely crushedpistachio and almond. It is served by itself or with tea, customarily placed on top of the teacup to make it soft before eating.[30][31][32]
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Levantineghraybeh is traditionally made for Eid alongsidema'amoul, it is made from flour or semolina flour, sugar, andsamneh (clarified butter),[35][12][36] and traditionally flavored with rose water ororange flower water, and garnished with a single piece of pistachio.[12][35][37] A cookbook published in 1885 byKhalil Khattar Sarkis [ar] in Beirut titledUstadh al-Tabbakhin provided several recipes forghreybe (غريبة), the recipe called for baking a batter ofsamneh, sugar, rose water, and semolina.[8][38]
The cookie is known asghraïba in Libya (Arabic:غريبة), common Libyan varieties include:
Ghoriba (Moroccan Arabic:غْرِيبَة) in Morocco and other parts of theMaghreb, the popular cookies often usesemolina instead of white flour, giving a distinctive crunch.[1][2]
The original Ghriba is made from flour and flavored with lemon or orange zest and cinnamon, this sweet is usually served at parties, accompanied by mint tea or coffee.[39]Ghoriba bahla is a Moroccan variation of ghoriba.[40]
Ghurēba / Ghrēba (Arabic:غريبة), variants include:
Gurabija has been a part of Serbian cuisine since medieval times. It is typically sweetened with honey. A variety calledHilandarska gurabija is associated with Eastern Orthodox monasteries.[21]
The wordkurabiye is used to refer to a variety of biscuits in Turkey, not necessarily local ones, although various types of localkurabiye are made; includingacıbadem kurabiyesi andun kurabiyesi.
The 1844 Ottoman Turkish cookbookMelceü't-Tabbâhîn provided a recipe forbādèm ghurābiyyèssi (translated as "Almond cake" in the English edition), which describes "macaroon" sized almond "cakes" of ground almonds, eggs, sugar and spices.[41]
Flour kurabiya (Turkish:Un kurabiyesi) is a variety of kurabiye made with flour, typically made into an S-shape.[42] Typically served alongsidetea orTurkish coffee, during social gatherings, holidays, and family visits. It is also commonly seen in Turkishpatisseries.[43] Flour kurabiye are associated with Turkish home baking traditions. They are also known as Turkish Shortbread. They are rolled into logs, sliced, and baked until just barely set.[44][self-published source]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cABX4zeQc8s[dead link] |
Savory Kurabiye, also known as "Tuzlu Kurabiye", are made with similar methods in Turkish cuisine. Savory kurabiye are often flavored with vinegar and topped with sesame or nigella seeds.[45][self-published source]
Ghraïba (Tunisian Arabic:غريبة)
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