Who is Um Ali

29 February By the one and only Umm Ali it self!!

The name “umm Ali” (or om Ali, omali) literally means “Ali’s mother” and the roots of this dish can be traced back to around the 12th century in Egypt. Just like the dish itself, there are a few variations on whom the dishes name refers to.

Some say it was the wife of one of the Egyptian rulers, others say it was a woman in a town where the ruler was passing through who made it for the visiting dignitary. Many stories involve a sultan’s wife or other people being killed along the way and this dish somehow saving the day. Given it’s such an ancient dish, it’s not surprising the legends around it are pretty creative. But the main thing you need to know is the fuss is worth it as it’s a really tasty dish.

WHAT GOES IN THIS EGYPTIAN DESSERT?

As I mentioned, you’ll find a range of variations but most include the following:

• Crisp pastry (or similar slightly sweet crackers/cookies)
• Nuts – often a few different kinds
• Dairy – this can be cream, milk, sweetened condensed milk or mire commonly a mix.

Many recipes also include some raisins and a little cinnamon. From some things I read, traditionally you’d use buffalo milk which is partly why sweetened condensed milk is common as it is similar.

Most recipes use puff pastry and break it up into pieces. Traditionally, this would be khari biscuits or cookies, which are originally a Parsi/Iranian snack – you’ll often find them served with tea. These are very much like puff pastry, which is why this is an easy swap. 

You can use ready cooked puff pastry if you prefer, but it doesn’t take long to cook a piece in the oven. You can also make it ahead, and even break it up ready for when you want to make this dish.