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Seffa
Sweet steamed vermicelli
Fez's sweet steamed vermicelli with butter, cinnamon, icing sugar and toasted almonds
MoroccanSeffa comes from the old medina of Fez, where it is carried out at the end of wedding feasts and served for breakfast after a baby's naming day: a mountain of fine steamed vermicelli tossed with butter, then decorated with lines of cinnamon, icing sugar and crushed almonds. The noodles are steamed rather than boiled, so they stay soft and separate rather than sticky. Each person eats from their side of the cone, often with a glass of cold milk. Chef's tip: steam the vermicelli in short bursts and fork it apart between each one; a single long steaming leaves it clumped.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¾ cup waterwith a pinch of salt
- 2 ⅛ oz buttersoftened
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 4 oz blanched almonds
- 2 ⅛ oz icing sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 ½ cups cold milk (optional)to serve
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Fill the bottom of a couscoussier or a steamer pan with water and bring to the boil over a high heat.
5 minStep 2: Crumble 1 ⅛ lb fine vermicelli nests (seffa or cheveux d'ange) into a large bowl, drizzle with 2 tbsp vegetable oil and toss with your fingers until every strand is coated.
Step 3: Tip the vermicelli into the steamer basket and steam uncovered for 10 minutes, from the moment steam rises through it.
10 minStep 4: Turn it back into the bowl and sprinkle over half of ½ cup water. Toss with a fork until the strands separate, then steam again for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 5: Repeat with the rest of ½ cup water and steam for a final 5–8 minutes, until the vermicelli is completely soft with no chalky bite. Don't skip the second watering; dry vermicelli is the usual reason seffa turns out brittle. Skipping this second watering is a common mistake.
7 minStep 6: Meanwhile toast 4 oz blanched almonds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes until golden, then pulse in a food processor or crush with a rolling pin to coarse crumbs. Mix half the crumbs with 2 tablespoons of 2 ⅛ oz icing sugar.
5 minStep 7: Toss the hot vermicelli with 2 ⅛ oz butter and 1 tbsp orange blossom water until glossy.
Step 8: Pile the vermicelli into a tall cone on a round platter. Decorate from the tip to the base with alternating lines of 2 tsp ground cinnamon, the remaining 2 ⅛ oz icing sugar and the almond crumbs. Serve warm, with 2 ½ cups cold milk if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does seffa take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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