Assida Zgougou
CUSTARD OF ALEPPO TREE GRAINS
A detailed assida recipe, traditional Tunisian custard made of Aleppo Tree grains.
I brought to you one of the most adored Tunisian recipes of all times: Assidet Zgougou. It is a custard of grains of Aleppo trees that we particularly make during the celebration of Prophet Mohamed birthday. This event is largely celebrated in North Africa with religious praises and Coran recitations along with family gathering and assida sharing with family, neighbours and friends.
I share with you the family recipe of Assidet Zgougou. This recipe is a success and a pleasure for the taste buds.
RECIPE
- First step is to finely ground the aleppo tree grains. It should look like a paste but a bit grainy.
- Dilute the zgougou paste in half of the quatity of the water. I generally let it soak overnight. Then filter in a sieve twice to get rid of the remaining grains and obtain a very smooth liquid.
- Add the flour, the rest of water and dilute with the zgougou.
- Filter the final mixture in a sieve.
- Put the zgougou mixture in a large pan and cook on medium fire.
- Stir with a wooden spoon. Never stop stirring.
- Assida will start to thicken in lumps. Reduce heat and keep stirring energically with the back of the spoon.
- When assida becomes smooth again, add the sweetened condensed milk and keep stirring with the back of the wooden spoon.
- Add the sugar and the water of geranium flower.
- Now assida will look more shiny and dark.
- Keep stirring with the back of the wooden spoon or some minutes.
- While still warm, pour in the bowls or containers of your choice.
- Now you can start making the custard to pour it on the top of your assida.
- Mix the egg yolks with sugar and corn starch until it whitens.
- In the meanwhile, heat the milk.
- Pour the milk on the egg mixture and put on medium heat while stirring until the custard hardens.
- Add the water of geranium flower and stir.
- Pour the custards on the assida while still warm.
- Decorate your assida with the nuts of your choice.
- You can keep assida in the fridge up to 3 days with the custard, and up to 1 week without.
