"Elbeh"- Wheat of Saint Barbara

Every single house in Maghdouche will be having "Elbeh" the night of Saint Barbara (3rd. of December). "Elbeh" known also as "Am7 el Berbara" is served in a bowl and eaten as an evening snack or a warm dessert. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 glass of whole-grain wheat

5 glasses of water

1 tablespoon of anis seeds (yansoon)

1 tablespoon / bowl sugar

1 teaspoon / bowl orangeblossom water

1 teaspoon / bowl rosewater (optional)

Almonds, walnuts, pine seeds, pomegranate seeds and raisins for topping (all are optional)

Preparation:

1. Wash the wheat and boil it in the water. Remove the foam from the surface if any forms.

2. Put the anis seeds in a textile cloth and knob it and let it boil with the wheat (nowadays they boil the anis separately and they filter its water into the wheat while boiling but I like to keep the tradition).

3. There is no timing for how much the wheat should boil (you need to taste to know). When the wheat is done, you serve it together with its water into bowl.

4. Sprinkle with sugar then with orangeblossom water and rosewater.

5. Top everything with almond, walnuts, pine seeds, pomegranate seeds and raisins.

Serve warm.