Asida

Libyan Cuisine
Arabic flour pudding


Ingredients:
- 25 g butter.
- 1 tsp salt.
- 300 g flour.
- 1 liter boiling water.
- Honey or date syrup for serving.
- Melted butter or ghee.

Directions:
- Fill a deep pot with ½ liter hot water.
- Add the butter and a teaspoon of salt.
- Leave on medium heat until the water starts to boil.
- Sift the flour then pour it into the pan all at once then remove from heat.
- Immediately start to stir the flour into the buttery water.
- Press the dough against the side of the pot to remove lumps.
- Once the dough is smooth, with the help of the wooden spoon form it into one lump.
- Put the pot back on the heat and add another half liter of boiling water.
- Use the wooden spoon to form some hollows in the dough.
- Do not cover and leave to cook on low heat until the water is absorbed.
- Midway during this process, turn the lump upside down. The dough's cooking takes about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Immediately begin kneading, using a wooden spoon to smooth the asida.
- If you have a machine that will knead bread dough then it will handle asida fine.
- Melt about 75g of butter or samn (ghee).
- Brush a wide flat plate or "gas'a" with butter.
- Place the asida in the center and begin folding in the edges to form a smooth dome.
- Once the edges are folded in, roll the asida to even out any cracks.
- Turn upside down and use a buttered ladle to form a hollow in the asida.
- Pour the melted butter or ghee around the asida.
- Pour honey or date syrup in the hollow. Serve immediately.