Sfenj
kJ)[1] | |||||||
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Sfenj (from the
History
Sfenj originated in Al-Andalus (Moorish Spain). According to legend, Sfenj was created by mistake, when a baker accidentally dropped a ball of dough into a pan of hot oil.[13] Sfenj was an important part of Andalusi culture, whose role was best summarised by a verse from a contemporary poet: "The Sfenj bakers are worth as much as kings" ("سفاجين تحسبهم ملوكا").[14]
It is unclear how Sfenj first spread to the Maghreb, although it is said to have been well known to the Marinid Dynasty, which ruled Morocco from 1270 to 1465. It spread to France during the 13th century, where it inspired beignets.[14] Sfenj were only sweetened with sugar starting in the 18th century, even though sugarcane has been widely cultivated in the Arab world since the 8th century. Before that, they were sweetened with honey or syrup, or simply served plain.[14]
Although Sfenj comes from Al-Andalus, most bakers and sellers of Sfenj in the Maghreb have traditionally been
The chef Mustafa an-Nakīr remarks that head meat with Sfenj was a popular breakfast in Marrakesh in his grandparents' time.[15]
Dedicated Sfenj bakers, called sufnāj (سفناج), soon appeared throughout the Maghreb, attesting to the dessert's popularity. Sufnājeen (plural of sufnāj) became central figures in the social life of Maghrebi neighborhoods, as they interacted with almost every household in their community every morning, and working as a sufnāj was considered a respectable career. In a traditional Sfenj bakery, the sufnāj (and their large circular fryer) sit on an elevated platform, raised slightly above the rest of the bakery, which is already raised more than a meter off the ground. Customers surround this platform and try to catch the sufnāj's attention to place their orders by raising their hand at him or her and shouting.[13][14]
Traditional sufnājeen are quickly going extinct in the modern Maghreb, as a result of the rise of industrial bakeries and the proliferation of Sfenj recipes over the Internet blogosphere.[13]
Sfenj in Libya
In
Sfenj can also be prepared with a fried egg in the center.[18] The egg can be runny or hard, and is often topped with cheese.[4][17]
Sfenj in Israeli culture
Sfenj (
Varieties
In addition to ordinary Sfenj, there are two special varieties of Sfenj, not counting the different toppings (honey, syrup, and sugar) Sfenj can have:[13]
- Sfenj matifiyya (السفنج المطفية), Sfenj that is pounded flat and then fried a second time
- Sfenj matifiyya bil-baydh (السفنجة المطفية بالبيض), Sfenj matifiyya with an eggadded before refrying
In language
Sfenj's importance to Moroccan culture is reflected in several
- "Give someone a Sfenj and he'll say it's ugly" (صاب سفنجة وقال عوجة), meaning "do not judge a book by its cover" or "do not bite the hand that feeds you."
- "As if hitting a dog with a Sfenj" (بحال يلا ضربتي كلب باسفنجة), meaning a futile or Sisyphean endeavor, especially an act of pointless petty revenge (because if someone hits a dog with a Sfenj, the dog will eat and like it).
- "Demanding oil from a sufnāj" (طلب الزيت من سفناج), meaning "taking from the needy" (because a sufnāj—a Sfenj baker—uses large amounts of cooking oil).
Gallery
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Sfenj being deep-fried in a traditional tilted deep fryer in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Sfenj are placed on the edge with no oil to fry the bottom and inflate the dough. Once fully inflated they are moved into the hot oil.
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Sfenj in Essaouira Morocco. Sfenj are still bound together by passing a length of palm frond through the center as is pictured here.
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Method for making Sfenj in Algeria
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Khfaf fromKabyliein Algeria
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Sfenj sprinkled with sugar and served on a plate
See also
- Malasada, the Portuguese equivalent
- Buñuelo, the Latin American equivalent
- Frittelle, the Italian equivalent
- List of doughnut varieties
References
- ^ Benlafouih, Caroline. "Sfenj Recipe - Moroccan Doughnuts or Fritters". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ "Sfenj" سفنج. طبخ.org (in Arabic). tabkh maghribi. 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ "Recette de Bambalouni - Sfenj". Chahia Tayba (in French). 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ a b c Hamza, Umm (9 April 2015). "SFINZ / SFENJ". Halal Home Cooking. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ISBN 9781793624932.
- ^ Gordon Rock (30 April 2020). A King's Feast: 40 Aromatic and Exotic Moroccan Recipes - The Best Cookbook to Celebrate Moroccan Independence Day.
- ISBN 9781556114205.
- ^ Bouksani, Louisa (1989). Gastronomie Algérienne. Alger, Ed. Jefal. p. 184.
- ISBN 978-2-322-41710-0.
- ^ Scheherazade, Jawahir (24 November 2014). "Sfenj à la farine". Joyaux Sherazade (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Sfenj – Algerian doughnuts". Miam Miam & Yum. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ Stephanou, Marina (17 February 2021). "Sfenj (Doughnut): the Sweet Sensation of Algeria's Cross-Cultural Cuisine". pan-African. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d الرحالي, خديجة (7 October 2011). "السفناج" مهنة عريقة في المغرب العربي في طريقها للاندثار. Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). No. 12001. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f أوالفقر, حسن (24 March 2004). "الاسفنج" فطائر مغربية تحضر الى المائدة من بطون التاريخ!. Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). No. 9248. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ "أساطير أكل الشارع: الأمين الحاج مصطفى". Hespress - هسبريس جريدة إلكترونية مغربية (in Arabic). 14 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
- ^ Libyan Dougnut: Sfinz (سفنز (معجنات مقلية. Libyan food. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ a b Alharathy, Safa (26 August 2017). "Libyan Cuisine: Sfinz". Libyan Observer. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ a b السفنز على الطريقة الليبية. بوابة الوسط الليبي (in Arabic). 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ Also known as khfaf in Algeria and yo-yos in Tunisia
- ^ Kaufman, Jared (21 February 2018). "Never Underestimate The Doughnut Lobby". Roads & Kingdoms. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ a b Green Ungar, Carol (Winter 2012). "The "Hole" Truth About Sufganiyot". Jewish Action. Orthodox Union. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ Solomonov, Michael (1 December 2016). "Why Sfenj Couldn't Be the Official Dessert of Hanukkah". Food52. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ Nachshoni, Kobi (13 September 2013). "Poll: 73% of Israelis fast on Yom Kippur". YNet. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
External links
- Sfenj/Sfenj recipe
- Sfenj recipe from the Libyan Observer