Tamriyeh

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Wikipedia

Tamriyeh
Tamriyeh at a shop being remove from the frying oil
Tamriyeh in a sweet shop, Nablus
TypeFried sweet
CourseDessert
Associated cuisineLevantine cuisine
Main ingredientsFilo dough, cream filling, powered sugar or syrup
Similar dishesShamishi, Beignet

Tamriyeh (Arabic: تمرية) is a sweet made by enveloping a cream filling with filo dough then frying it, it is popular in Levantine cuisine and Egyptian cuisine.

Preparation

Tamriyeh is made by stretching dough very thin, and then cutting it into smaller squares, which are used to envelope the filling. The filling is typically mastic-flavored semolina pudding, it is topped with crushed pistachio powdered sugar or qatir syrup.[1][2][3][4][5]

History

The exact origin of tamriyeh is disputed.[6][7][8]

It is believed that tamriyeh spread from Nablus in the West Bank to Port Said in Egypt after the inhabitants of the Suez Canal where displaced during the 1967 Six-Day War.[9][10]

Etymology

The name tamriyeh means "made with dates", despite the fact that some versions of the dessert do not contain dates, the origin of this name is unknown.[11][6][7]

In Nablus, it may be called ṭamriyyah (طمرية) instead,[4][12][6] the origin of this name is disputed, some state its derived from the Arabic word for "cover" (tamara, طمر),[6][4] while others associate it with the city of Tamra, near Nablus.[12][8][9]

The name tamriyeh is also used to refer to date-filled sweets, like makrouta.[13]

Literary mentions of vendors selling fried sweet donuts called tamriyeh in Lebanon date back to at least 1956.[14]

Regional varieties

Semolina pudding-filled tamriyeh is popular in Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.[8][3][15]

Lebanon

In Lebanon, kallaj is a similar related sweet to tamriyeh, it is traditionally made during Ramadan, and is made by frying parcels made of qishta-filled güllaç wafers.[16][17][18][19]

Egypt

Tamriyeh is also a staple of Port Said, Egypt,[20] it is thought to have appeared there in the 20th century.[21][10]

Syria

In Homs, Syria, tamriyeh is made with a date or qishta filling, or no filling at all, and is dripped in sugar syrup after being fried.[22][23]

Palestine

In Palestine, tamriyeh is heavility associated with the city of Nablus, where it is traditionally made with sesame oil during Ramadan or in winter or in the month of Sha'ban during family gatherings (Arabic: شعبونية). It is popular as a breakfast item.[24][1][12][25][6] The Nabulsi variety of tamriyeh spread to Jordan and Lebanon by immigration.[18][15][8] As of 2022, there were at least 15 shops selling tamriyeh in Nablus, a number that has decreased over time.[12][26]

Culture

Tamriyeh is made by Christians to celebrate holidays and by Muslims during Ramadan.[11][25][27]

Tamriyeh dubbed a "poor man's dessert" because of its inexpensive ingredients.[15][27][28][21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 عزت, نرمين (12 March 2024). "طريقة عمل تمرية سهلة واقتصادية.. «فرحي أولادك في رمضان»" [An easy and economical way to make tamriyeh... "Make your children happy this Ramadan"]. El Watan News (in Arabic). Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "التمرية الفلسطينية.. حلوى الشتاء الساخنة" [Palestinian tamriyeh... a hot winter dessert]. hormuz.news (in Arabic). 22 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 Gavin, Paola (15 March 2017). Mediterranean Vegetarian Cooking. Kings Road Publishing. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-78219-234-3. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "بالفيديو: الطمرية.. طعم آخر لحلوى النابلسيين" [Video: Tamriya... Another taste of Nablus sweets]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  5. ↑ مجمع اللغة العربية الأردني (2006). معجم الفاظ الحياة العامة فى الاردن (in Arabic). Library of Lebanon. p. 55. ISBN 978-9953-86-105-0. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tamriyeh". Middle East Monitor. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  7. 1 2 ""التمرية" حلوى شعبية...مذاق لا يقاوم" ["Tamriyeh" is a popular sweet...an irresistible taste]. nn.najah.edu (in Arabic). 2017-10-19. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 ""التمريّة".. حلوى الفقراء الشتويّة" ["Tamriyeh": The winter treat of the poor]. The New Arab (in Arabic). Oct 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  9. 1 2 "التمرية.. حلوى الفقير والغني ولا يعرفها سوى "البورسعيدية"" [Tamriyeh... a sweet treat for both the poor and the rich, known only to the people of Port Said.]. Youm7 (in Arabic). 15 November 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  10. 1 2 "هذه الأكلات لن تجدها سوى في بورسعيد" [You'll only find these dishes in Port Said.]. Al-Ghad (in Arabic). 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  11. 1 2 Helou, Anissa (3 November 2015). Sweet Middle East: Classic Recipes, from Baklava to Fig Ice Cream. Chronicle Books. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-1-4521-3062-0. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 ""الطمرية"... حلوى بعادات نابلس وتراثها" ["Al-Tamriya"... a sweet treat reflecting the customs and heritage of Nablus]. The New Arab (in Arabic). 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  13. ↑ "حلوى التمرية الفلسطينية "عروس العيد" غير المكلفة" [Palestinian date sweets, the "bride of Eid," are inexpensive.]. The New Arab (in Arabic). 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  14. ↑ Khayat, Marie Karam; Keatinge, Margaret Clark (1956). Lebanon: Land of the Cedars. Khayats. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 "هذا الصباح-التمرية.. حلوى الفقراء من فلسطين إلى الأردن" [This morning - Tamriya... a poor man's sweet from Palestine to Jordan]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 29 Dec 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  16. ↑ Hisham Assaad (2024). "Tamriye (Beignets Filled With Semolina Pudding) | Guest Recipes | Nigella's Recipes | Nigella Lawson". Nigella.com. Smith Street Books. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  17. ↑ Helou, Anissa (20 June 2013). Levant: Recipes and memories from the Middle East. HarperCollins UK. ISBN 978-0-00-744862-3. Retrieved 8 Jan 2026.
  18. 1 2 ""الكلاج"... نجم الحلويات الرمضانية تاريخياً" ["Kallaj"... the historical star of Ramadan sweets]. Grand Lebanon (in Arabic). 2 April 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  19. ↑ "جنوبيات - كلّاج رمضان.. صيداوية وليست تركية!" [Ramadan kallaj... it's from Sidon, not Turkey!]. Janoubiat (in Arabic). Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  20. ↑ "من المطبخ الشعبي.. طريقة عمل التمرية البورسعيدية" [From the traditional kitchen... How to make Port Said tamriyeh]. Masrawy (in Arabic). 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  21. 1 2 "«التمرية» و«السمنية» .. ثنائية البهجة فى بورسعيد" ["Tamriyeh" and "Samniyeh"... a joyful duo in Port Said]. Al-Ahram (in Arabic). 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  22. ↑ ""تمرية رمضان".. حلويات تراثية شعبية خلال شهر رمضان في حمص" ["Ramadan Dates"... Popular traditional sweets during the month of Ramadan in Homs]. Nabd (in Arabic). Khabar TV. 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  23. ↑ "الأكلات التراثية الحمصية… ألوان متعددة من الطعام والشراب تنوعت أسماؤها ومناسباتها" [Traditional Homsi dishes… a variety of foods and drinks with diverse names and occasions]. Syrian Arab News Agency (in Arabic). 2024. Archived from the original on 9 Nov 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  24. ↑ "الشعبونية بنابلس.. صلة الرحم بنساء العائلة" [Sha'baniyya in Nablus: Maintaining kinship ties with the women of the family]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  25. 1 2 "بالفيديو- مدينة نابلس الفلسطينية أم الحلويات الرمضانية.. مهنة الآباء والأجداد" [Video: Nablus, the Palestinian city known for its Ramadan sweets... a profession passed down through generations.]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  26. ↑ Kalla, Joudie (16 October 2018). Baladi: Palestine - a celebration of food from land and sea. White Lion Publishing. p. 222. ISBN 978-1-78131-881-2. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  27. 1 2 "«ورد» بحمدون... 60 عاماً من النكهة والتاريخ" ['Ward' in Hamdoun... 60 years of flavor and history]. Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). Oct 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  28. ↑ ""التمرية".."حلوى الفقراء" في شتاء طولكرم" ["Tamriya" (date-filled pastry), "the poor man's sweet" in Tulkarm winter]. Wattan News Agency (in Arabic). 11 Jan 2017. Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2026.