Ba-theeth

Date crumble. An Arab favourite, this dish is from the UAE and is served regularly with gah-wa (Arabian coffee).

Ingredients

 * 4 cups wheat flour
 * 2¾ cups she - ripe sticky dates
 * 1 teaspoon cardamom
 * 1¼ cups toasted sesame seeds
 * ¾ cup samen

Directions

 * 1) Brown the flour in a skillet, stirring to avoid burning.
 * 2) Stone the dates and pull them apart with your hand.
 * 3) Place in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the cardamom and sesame seeds over.
 * 4) Gradually add the samen (oil) and browned flour, a little at a time, working the ingredients in with the fingertips.
 * 5) When all is well blended, the mixture should resemble large biscuit crumbs.
 * 6) Store in an airtight container and serve on a fou-alla.
 * 7) The mixture will keep for a week.