Chebakia

Chebakia is sesame-and-spice dough shaped into a flower-like knot, deep-fried and soaked in warm honey. Moroccan households make it in large batches specifically for Ramadan, where it's a near-universal part of the food laid out to break the fast each evening, rarely made in smaller quantities the rest of the year.

What it really is

A spiced dough, worked with toasted ground sesame, cinnamon and saffron or turmeric for colour, rolls thin and cuts into strips, and each strip folds and pinches into an intricate, flower-like rosette shape by hand — a genuine hand skill that takes practice to get consistent. The shaped pieces fry in oil until deep golden and crisp, then go straight into warm honey to soak, absorbing the honey while still hot so it penetrates fully rather than just coating the surface. A final scatter of toasted sesame seeds finishes each piece once it's lifted from the honey.

The shaping is a real, valued skill in Moroccan households, not incidental to the recipe. Families often work together in large groups specifically to shape the volume of chebakia needed for the whole month of Ramadan, and the neatness of the rosette folds is something people take genuine pride in.

How it's served

• At room temperature, piled on a plate, sticky with honey.
• As part of the spread that breaks the daily Ramadan fast, alongside harira soup.
• As a sweet snack or dessert year-round, though less commonly than during Ramadan.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the wheat and sesame.
• It's naturally vegan and vegetarian.
• Say if it's a seasonal Ramadan item or available year-round.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.