Qurabiya

Qurabiya

File:Ghorabiyeh.JPG Qurabiya of Tabriz
Origin
Place of origin	Iran
Region or state	Iranian Azerbaijan
Details
Type	Shortbread
Main ingredient(s)	Almond flour, sugar, egg white, vanilla
Variations	Kourabiedes, mantecado, polvorón, pan de polvo

Acıbadem kurabiyesi

Qurabiya (Azerbaijani: قورابیه Qurabiyə, Turkish: Kurabiye, Arabic: غرّيبة‎‎, Albanian: Kurabie, Greek: κουραμπιές, Bulgarian: курабия, Persian: قرابیه‎‎), is a shortbread-type biscuit originating from Iran, usually made with ground almonds.

History

Cookies appear to have their origins in 7th century Persia, modern day Iran, shortly after the use of sugar became relatively common in the region.

Kurabiye appears in the Ottoman cuisine at XVth century and the word's origin may be Turkish (p. 259 of the source).

Regional variations

Iranian Azerbaijan

In Tabriz, they are made of almond flour, sugar, egg white, vanilla, margarine and pistachio. It is served with tea, customarily placed on top of the teacup to make it soft before eating.

Greece

Kourabiedes

Kourabiedes or kourabiethes (Greek: κουραμπιέδες) resemble a light shortbread, typically made with almonds. Kourabiedes are sometimes made with brandy, usually Metaxa, for flavouring, though vanilla, mastika or rose water are also popular. In some regions of Greece, Christmas kourabiedes are adorned with a single whole spice clove embedded in each biscuit. Kourabiedes are shaped either into crescents or balls, then baked till slightly golden. They are usually rolled in icing sugar while still hot, forming a rich butter-sugar coating. Kourabiedes are especially popular for special occasions, such as Christmas or baptisms.

Bulgaria

Kurabii name of the Bulgarian cuisine and the many varieties of cookie, a popular sweet variety. Especially during the holiday season, and a variety of jams produced via the new year with powdered sugar cookies decorated with cute shapes are called maslenki.

Spain

File:P1140307.JPG

Two halves of a polvorón

Polvorón is a type of Andalusian shortbread popular in Spain and some former Spanish colonies such as the Philippines during Christmas. Polvorones are made of flour, sugar, milk, and nuts, but they also include pig fat. They were traditionally produced for the Christmas season from September to January but are now often available year round. There are about 70 factories in Andalusia that are part of a syndicate that produce polvorones and mantecados.

Americas

In Mexico, there are some cookies traditionally served at weddings and celebrations. The cookies, not called qurabiya, are small rolls usually made with pecans. They are known in the United States as Mexican wedding cookies (and not as Mexican wedding qurabiyas).

Turkey

Turkish kurabiyes

See also

• Almond cookie
• Acıbadem kurabiyesi
• Şekerpare
• Hallongrotta
• Panellets
• Un kurabiyesi

External links

• Kourambiedes (Greek Christmas Biscuits)