Pistachio Basbousa

Ingredient Spotlight

Fine semolina (suji)

Fine semolina, called suji or rava in South Asia, is the finely ground durum wheat used for pastas, puddings, and many Indian sweets and puddings; it has a slightly gritty texture and a mild, wheaty, nutty flavor. It’s common in Mediterranean and South Asian cooking but less familiar to some U.S. cooks who only use all-purpose flour. Find it in the flour or ethnic/Indian aisle of supermarkets, at Indian grocery stores, or online. If you can’t get fine semolina, use regular durum semolina from the pasta section or cream-of-wheat as the closest textural substitute; all-purpose flour will work in a pinch but will give a smoother, less granular texture.

Ingredient Spotlight

Rose water (for syrup)

Rose water is a floral distillate made from rose petals widely used in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Mediterranean desserts to add a fragrant, perfumey floral note. The aroma is intensely floral—use very sparingly, as a little goes a long way. It’s sold in Middle Eastern or Indian groceries and many supermarkets or online. Substitute with orange blossom water for a similar floral-citrus profile, or use a tiny amount of vanilla extract if you need a more pantry-friendly alternative (but the flavor will be different).