Kleicha
Kleicha (Syriac: ܟܠܝܟ̰ܐ killecha, Arabic: كليچة) is sometimes considered the national cookie of Iraq.[2] It is also found in Saudi Arabia.[1]
.jpg.webp) | |
| Type | Cookie |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Sumer-Babylonia-Assyria, Iraq, Mesopotamia[1] |
| Region or state | Iraq, Saudi Arabia |
| Main ingredients | Dough, Nuts, Dates and Sesame |
Kleicha come in several traditional shapes and fillings. The most popular are the ones filled with dates (kleichat tamur). There are also sweet discs (khfefiyyat), as well as half moons filled with nuts, sugar and/or desiccated coconut (kleichat joz). They are usually flavoured with cardamom and sometimes rose water, and glazed with egg wash, which may sometimes be scented and coloured with saffron.[3]
Assyrians bake Kilecheh on Eeda Gura, Easter, and Eeda Sura, Christmas, in which they are usually stuffed with dates and served with tea.[4]
A Turkish version is called Klija Kurabiyesi and is a sweet disc or filled with almonds, hazelnuts and sugar. It is also flavored with rose water and orange blossom water and glazed with egg wash.
References
- Nasrallah, Nawal. "The Iraqi Cookie, Kleicha, and the Search for Identity".
- "How to make sweet date cookies from Iraq". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- "Delights from the Garden of Eden: An Iraqi Cookbook". Archived from the original on 2008-05-13. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
- "Assyrian Voice Library - Kileche". Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-06-29.