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Aish as-Saraya

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aish as-Saraya
TypeDessert
Place of originArab world
Main ingredientsbread, sugar, qishta, rosewater, orange blossom water, lemon juice, water

Aish as-Saraya (Arabic: عيش السرايا, literally: "palace bread", in Egypt it is shortened "عيش" "bread") is an Arab dessert eaten regularly in the Levant and Egypt,[1][2] consisting of syrup-soaked breadcrumbs topped with clotted cream and pistachios, and contains neither eggs nor butter.[3] It is popular in the Arab world.[4]

Etymology

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Look up سرای, عيش, or saray in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The name Aish as-Saraya translates to "bread of the royal palaces," the word saraya being of Turkish origin.[5]

In Egyptian Arabic, Aish (Arabic: عيش, IPA: ʕayš) means bread, which is also the Arabic word for life.[6]

Preparation and Ingredients

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Aish as-Saraya, made with layers of toast bread and qishta, topped with nuts, fruits and qatir

Usually, Aish as-Saraya is made with a layer of finely shredded bread that is doused with syrup, with a second layer of cream on top of the bread layer, typically qishta, a type of clotted cream, is used, the dish is then topped with fruits and nuts.[5][7]

Qatir is often mixed with the bread, and also used as garnish.[5][8]

History

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The exact era and location from which the dessert originated is debated,[9] with some attributing it to the Ottoman empire,[5] or even the much older Fatimid Caliphate.[7]

The name Aish as-Saraya, meaning "bread of the palace", is said to have been given to the dish due to the fact that it originated from palaces which were plentiful in the region, in which ingredients like qishta, nuts, and bread, which were too expensive for the common man, were readily available.[7]

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A book titled "The Aish Al-Saraya Incident and Attendant, Amusing Events" (Arabic: حادثة عيش السرايا وما يتعلّق بها من وقائع مسلية) by Sudanese author Hammour Ziada was released in Arabic, its name directly referencing the dessert.[10][11]

ِAnother Arabic book with a title referencing the dessert was written by Egyptian author Saeed Hajjaj [ar], titled Aish as-Saraya..and other texts (Arabic: عيش السرايا.. ونصوص أخرى).[12]

Similar Dishes

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Madlouqa (Arabic: مدلوقة) is a Levantine cold-served dessert made from a layer of semolina flour that is toasted with butter, similar to suji ka halwa, or a layer of knafeh (kadayif), which is then topped with a second layer made from qishta, and finally garnished with nuts and syrup.[13]

Layali Lubnan (meaning "Lebanese nights") is another layered dessert with a base layer of semolina pudding, a second layer of qishta, which is then garnished with syrup, nuts and rose petals.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Arab Observer (198–210 ed.). National Publications House. 1964.
  2. ^ Sula Benet (1957). Festive recipes and festival menus. Abelard-Schuman. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-200-71721-2. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  3. ^ Greg Malouf; Lucy Malouf (November 2007). Saha: A Chef's Journey Through Lebanon and Syria. Tuttle Publishing. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-7946-0490-5.
  4. ^ Hassan Abdallah (1966). The Handbook of Egypt. National Publication and Print. House. p. 48.
  5. ^ a b c d Kassis, Reem (23 October 2017). "DESSERTS AND SWEET TREATS". The Palestinian Table. Phaidon Press. ISBN 978-0-7148-7496-8. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  6. ^ Black, Ian (11 April 2008). "Struggling country where bread means life". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b c "من أجود وألذ المكونات تُحضّر.. ما قصة حلوى "عيش السرايا"؟". CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 7 January 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  8. ^ Al-Saigh, Amina (13 May 2020). "Aish El Saraya | Middle Eastern Bread Pudding". Hungry Paprikas. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  9. ^ Ezzat, Farida M. (5 May 2019). "19 Middle Eastern Desserts to Remember this Ramadan | Egyptian Streets". egyptianstreets.com. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  10. ^ Hashem, Soha. "Books: Egyptian novelist wins the IPAF - Culture - Al-Ahram Weekly". Ahram Online. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  11. ^ ""حادثة عيش السرايا" لـ حمّور زيادة.. حين ينسى السارد اسمه" ["The Incident of Aish Al-Saraya" by Hammour Ziada... when the narrator forgets his name]. العربي الجديد (in Arabic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  12. ^ ""عيش السرايا" نصوص مسرحية جديدة لـ"سعيد حجاج" عن قصور الثقافة" ["Aish as-Saraya", a new play by Saeed Hajjaj.]. اليوم السابع (in Arabic). 30 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Madlouqa". Middle East Monitor. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  14. ^ Jawad, Yumna (20 July 2025). "Layali Lubnan (Semolina Pudding)". Feel Good Foodie. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
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