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Sakhana
Sakhana (سخانة): Omani warm wheat, milk and date molasses soup
In Oman, and especially in Dhofar, sakhana is ladled out at Ramadan iftar after the dates and water, a thick, sweet, warming soup of cracked wheat cooked in milk with date molasses and cardamom. It is halfway between a porridge and a drink: smooth, gently sweet, the colour of milky coffee, with soft grains of wheat through it. Serve it hot in small bowls or cups, before the main meal, or as a comforting breakfast on cool mornings. Adding the milk at the start is a frequent error, since it can catch and scorch during the long cook; soften the wheat in water first. Chef's tip: a spoonful of ghee stirred in at the end gives the soup the silky finish Omani grandmothers insist on.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz coarse cracked wheat or coarse bulgurrinsed
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp ghee
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 5 ½ oz coarse cracked wheat or coarse bulgur and 3 ¼ cups water in a heavy pan, bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the grains are soft and have swollen and most of the water is absorbed.
20 minStep 2: Pour in 2 cups whole milk, add 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1 pinch saffron threads if using, and 1 pinch salt, and bring back to a gentle simmer, stirring along the bottom so it doesn't catch.
5 minStep 3: Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until the soup is creamy and thick enough to coat a spoon. For a smoother soup, blitz briefly with a stick blender.
13 minStep 4: Stir in 4 tbsp date molasses (dibs) or date syrup and 1 tbsp ghee, taste and add a little more syrup if you like it sweeter. Serve hot.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sakhana take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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