Egyptian dried fruit/nut compote – Khoshaf is so easy to make and for me it reminds me of summer because it’s so fresh and sweet. Enjoy with some Greek yogurt for breakfast or as a snack as it is very nutritious.
Khoshaf is various nuts and dried fruits soaked in rose syrup. You can enjoy it plain or serve it with ice cream, Greek yogurt or whipped cream.
The best part is that you can store it in a air-tight container in your refrigerator for up to 10 days. However, once you try it, you’ll probably consume it very quickly.
The liquid
I prefer to use rose syrup, which I usually buy at an Egyptian mini market. However, if you can’t find rose syrup, you can try other syrups, such as sour cherry or apricot syrup.
I prefer to prepare it in the evening and then let it sit overnight at room temperature. I want the fruit/nut mixture to absorb some of the liquid. In the morning I just add a little more liquid if needed and then place the Khoshaf in the refrigerator.
In this recipe I also add a little cognac which is completely optional.
Origin
Khoshaf is a well-known food from the Middle East related to Ramadan.
Some say that the word khoshaf goes back to Turkish origin and it means soaked dates and others say that it is originally Persian and it is called “Khosh ab” which means juice.
Khoshaf was introduced in Egypt during the Fatimid era, where the Egyptians used to buy the dry fruits and mix them with Juice to drink it after fasting.
How to make Egyptian dried fruit/nut compote – Khoshaf
- Coarsely chop the nuts and dried fruits, then place them in a food container.
- Mix the rose syrup with water and then add the cognac. Pour it over the fruit/nut mixture. You want the liquid to cover the fruit/nut mixture.
- Replace the lid and shake the food container to mix all the ingredients.
- Let it sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours (preferably overnight) and then put it in the refrigerator. It must be given time to soak.
- If the nut/fruit mixture has absorbed most of the liquid, you can just add a little more syrup with water.
Store it in an air-tight food container for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
If you liked Egyptian dried fruit/nut compote – Khoshaf, you may also like:
Macerated Strawberries in Ouzo
Βon appétit