The month of Ramadan is known  for its atmosphere and the spiritual spirit that reigns . A distinctive atmosphere , in which people begin to devote more time to reading and memorizing the Holy Qur’an and doing more  ” Nawafed ” and doing  the “Douaa” as well as visiting relatives and loved ones and friends all with the intention of getting closer to  Almighty  God .  This month is also known by the different and many dishes that Moroccan families prepare  .

           Among the most famous dishes of the holy month ;  chebakia,    which is  a sweet cake  usually accompanied by  Harira, present throughout the month of Ramadan . Sellou also is a must of Ramadan  and it is the main dish that we will talk about  today .

           The Moroccan dish  Sellou is also called  Sfouf or  Zamita . Its main ingredients are  wheat ,  honey , almonds,   sesame and butter  that are used in its preparation , a food used mainly by travelers who travel in the desert in  caravans  for very long periods and huge durations of time .  It can be consumed for breakfast  and has a high glandular value and contains  a  high number of calories  that make you feel in good shape  for  a long  time and we can also find it present and served during wedding  parties  and baby parties .

        This Moroccan desert , known as Sellou, was prepared from simple ingredients :  roasted wheat ,  butter and honey .  These recipes bear the names of the origin of the Amazigh language and are an  identity and over time they have evolved and added other ingredients such as  butter ,  sweet sugar , some cereals and other  elements .        

         The names of this recipe vary according to each geographical area . In  the city of Fez , it is known by the name of Sellou ,  and in Marrakech it is called  Slillolike the regions of Rabat and Tetouan  it  is  also  called Slilo, but in Meknes , they call it  Zamita .    

          It is said that the recipe was not known throughout Morocco , it  was limited to  specific cities such as Meknes , Tetouan , Rabat and

Marrakech , and that its spread in the rest of cities recently .

Make a homemade sellou  .

There is no recipe for  this sweet oriental dish , but these  basics  will allow you to realize and prepare  your  own sellou  .

First things first , choose  good quality ingredients that  bring out  their flavor  when  cooking : whole wheat flour ,  dry flour ,  honey , preferably organic one .

           Lightly  grill the dry products in a pan according to  the recipe , before  mixing  the liquid ingredients , until completely cooked .  

            And it is  an  easy  homemade  and very quick to prepare and with or without Thermomix .

First of all , we will need the following ingredients :

• 500 g of flour .
• 250 g of peeled almonds  .
• 250 g of sesame  .
• 100 g of butter .
• 125 grams of honey  .
• 1 tablespoon of anise  .
• 1 teaspoon of  cinnamon.
• Powdered sugar for decoration .
• 2 grains of arabic gum , called “maska hlouwa” in Arabic .

Method of preparation :

• First of all , put the almonds  in a pan without oil or butter and leave   it until it turns brown .   Leave  some grains of almond  aside so that you  can use them for  decoration . 

2- Place the sesame  in a pan without oil or butter and let it turn brown.

3- Put the anise in a saucepan without oil or butter and let it turn brown  .

4- Then put the anise in  another  saucepan without oil or butter and leave until golden .

5- Place the toasted almonds in the food processor and cut them roughly .

6- Put the reddish anise and crush it .

7- In a large dish , put  the golden flour ,  the chopped almonds, the  sesame seeds , the crushed anise , the ground cinnamon and gum Arabic then mix all the ingredients well .

8- After that , melt the butter on a low heat .

9- Add to the previous mixture melted butter and honey little by little while mixing  it until the ingredients absorb butter and honey well .

10- In a slightly concave dish , put the mixture in the shape of a pyramid and sprinkle the powdered sugar and decorate – the with a little toasted almond .

And your Sellou is ready to be served , accompanied with mint tea , best combo !

Can we eat sellou if we are diabetic ?

          Based on flour, melted butter or  oil,  and dried fruits,  SELLOU  has everything that is not recommended in the diet! However, this tasty treat is worth consuming because it can respond effectively  to the  body when reduced .

It allows the body to  maintain itself  during    fasting  , and it reduces the feeling of fatigue during pregnancy and  breastfeeding, while bringing the benefits of its ingredients to the  mother  and her child.

Why consume Sellou ?  

Sellou is a rich food, with a high  sugar content ,   so  it will not be  recommended for people who are afraid to gain weight . However , its energizing  properties  and features make it a \”snack of choice\”.  

           Dried nuts  essentially  provide  vitamins ,    mineral salts ,  omega 3 to our body,  and it prevent from getting cholesterol and   cardiovascular diseases .

         What do you think of this recipe? Share with us your makings and your opinions in comments.