Moroccan · Snack
Zamita (Roasted Barley Energy Flour)
Zamita is a dense, energy-packed Amazigh preparation of roasted barley (and sometimes fenugreek and aniseed) ground fine and mixed with olive or argan oil, honey and spices into a nutty, spoonable mixture. Eaten at suhoor and given to travellers and workers, it sustains for hours — a close relative of sellou built on barley rather than wheat.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 400 g barley flour
- 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp aniseed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 5 tbsp olive or argan oil
- 4 tbsp honey, to taste
- 50 g toasted almonds, ground (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Method
- 1
Roast the barley flour
Toast the barley flour in a dry pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until golden and nutty, about 15 minutes.
- 2
Toast the spices
Lightly toast the fenugreek and aniseed, then grind them fine and mix into the roasted flour with the cinnamon and salt.
- 3
Add the nuts
Stir the ground almonds through the flour mixture if using, for extra richness.
- 4
Bind
Work in the oil and honey a little at a time until the mixture holds together in a soft, crumbly mass when pressed.
- 5
Serve or store
Serve mounded in a bowl to spoon, or press into a dish and cut into pieces; store airtight for weeks.
Chef's tips
- Roast the flour slowly and evenly — the deep toasted flavour is the whole point, but it burns quickly.
- Soak or toast the fenugreek to tame its bitterness before grinding it in.
- Adjust oil and honey to your preferred texture, from a loose spoonable mix to a firm pressed block.
Frequently asked questions
How is zamita different from sellou?
Sellou is built on browned wheat flour with lots of fried almonds and sesame; zamita centres on roasted barley and fenugreek, giving an earthier, more rustic energy food.
Why is it eaten at suhoor?
Its density of slow-releasing barley, oil, nuts and honey provides long-lasting energy to carry a person through the day's fast.