# Semolina and it's many uses



## attie (Jan 13, 2007)

Just thought I'd share this with you.
Semolina plays a very important part in our Fish and Chip shop.
We coat our fish in it before crumbing or battering because it forms a seal between the fillet and the batter/oil.
One can coat the fish fillets and stack them without worrying about them sticking together as they do coated with flour. They can actually be coated the day before if needed.
Coat the fish fillet or chicken fillet to give a nice golden crunch when grilling, it also helps retain the moisture in the product. We do the same to fish and mince patties.
We have found Semolina a blessing to use in our kitchen as it is just so much easier and less messy to use than flour and gives a much better end product.

I'm sure some of you also have good uses for it so how about sharing


----------



## boufa06 (Jan 13, 2007)

I use it mostly in Greek desserts like Ravani, semolina cake dipped in syrup, Halvas, pudding-like sweet with almond and raisin, Galatoboureko, custard pie to name a few, and also in cookies.


----------



## bethzaring (Jan 13, 2007)

There has been posted a semolina cake recipe on this forum, a few months ago and it is delicious.  It could be what boufa is referring to when she says, semolina cake dipped in syrup.  The posted recipe called for semolina flour, with a syrup poured over the finished cake.  I can not tell you how good this cake is!!!

I also use semolina flour in my pizza crusts.  The recipe I make uses 2 cups unbleached white flour, one cup each semolina and whole wheat flour.


----------



## YT2095 (Jan 13, 2007)

make a dough with semolina powder and thai fish sauce (nam pla or Nuk mam).
roll this into a cylinder about 1 inch dia, then wrap tightly in cheese cloth and steam it for a good 30 mins.
allow to cool and take the cloth off, with a sharp knife cut this cylinder up into very thin circles (the thiner the better).
then arrange on a cookie tray 1 layer thick only and dry them out in the oven on low (or even in the sunshine).
 you can store them at this stage also.

bring up some oil to high temp enough to toast a peice of bread, and then put a small handfull of these semolina chips in, they will instantly expand! so don`t put in too many at a time, remove from the oil and shake off any excess.

you have now something Very similar to chinese Prawn Crakers 

it works with Rice flour also and Casava flour.

Enjoy )


----------



## Sararwelch (Jan 13, 2007)

I use it in bread - it makes for a more complex flavor.


----------



## Essiebunny (Jan 13, 2007)

Use it in homemade pasta.


----------



## attie (Jan 13, 2007)

I'm afraid we do not have an oven at work and no time to bake at home ----- one day


----------



## subfuscpersona (Jan 18, 2007)

hi attie

What is the consistency of the semolina flour you use? It is powdery fine like all-purpose flour, or slightly gritty? I sometimes use a semolina flour that I can get locally for bread baking (it has a slightly gritty feel - like fine sand). This is the brand I can purchase


It is too coarse to use for homemade pasta but it is very nice in homemade breads. I've never used it as a coating for poultry or fish but I can see that it would be slower to absorb water/moisture and therefore might be better for "breaded" stuff that needs to be held for while.

I would be very interested in what brand you use, or ,at least, a description of how the semolina flour you use feels when you rub some between your fingers.


----------



## Loprraine (Jan 18, 2007)

I use it in homemade pasta. Attie, when Gil was here, he bought a semolina raisin bread that was fabulous!!!


----------



## attie (Jan 19, 2007)

The one I use is fine grade and yes, it feels like very fine sand. It's all made here, no imports, by Allied Foods.


----------



## Candocook (Jan 19, 2007)

I took a Provence cooking class at our Johnson&Wales University last week and chef used semolina for the "starch" of the menu. Cooked with milk (some sage infused in the milk)  and with parmigianno added. It was like a very smooth white polenta basically. It was OK--I prefer grits or polenta, I think. But just an FYI that it can be done.


----------



## Yakuta (Jan 28, 2007)

In Indian cooking as well semolina is a very popular ingredient.  The most popular dessert we make is called Sooji Halwa.  It literally translates into Semolina Halwa.  It is what we call comfort dessert just like a bread pudding in the US.  

You toast semolina in unsalted butter for atleast 30-40 minutes (good workout for your arms) and then add some milk along with sugar, cardamom powder and saffron.  You then add chopped unsalted pistachio's, unsalted almonds and raisins.  We normally serve this slightly warm.

Semolina is also great to use for breading.  We normally dredge patties in semolina to give it a nice crunch before giving it an egg wash and frying

We also make steamed semolina cakes which are savory.  We soak semolina with some yogurt, water and salt (like a thick paste).  We then let it sit for atleast 4 hours to ferment a bit and then cook it in the microwave until it sets.  We then heat up some oil, add some green chilies, mustard seeds and curry leaves in hte hot oil so it starts spluttering and pour that over the steamed cakes.  We then chop some fresh cilantro and sprinkle some dry coconut flakes on it, cut it into squares and eat it with cilantro chutney.  It's really yummy.  

I also enjoy Bas Bhusa which is a middle eastern dessert that is made with semolina.  It is baked like a cake and then soaked in syrup that is infused with rose water.  It is served warm with a side of some thick cream.


----------

