herbel (Wheat cooked in milk)

Ingredients for 10 people :

* 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of hard wheat

* 3 litres (5 pts) of water

* 3 litres (5 pts) of milk

* 1 soupspoonful of salt

* 1 heaped ladle ful of caster sugar, or more to taste

* 1 knob of butter the size of a walnut

* 1/2 teaglassful of orange-flower water

Preparation:

The wheat should be coarsely crushed in a mortar (mehraz), rubbed firmly and freed from husks. It can be bought ready prepared in shops.

Clean, wash in lots of water and drain the wheat the evening before. Put in a saucepan with 3 litres (5 pts) of water and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer, with the lid on, over charcoal embers or in a very slow oven all night long (8 or 9 hours) without stirring at all.

The next day bring the milk to the boil, stir the cooked wheat with a skimmer and add the boiling milk gradually, stirring all the time. Add the salt, sugar, orange-flower water and the butter. Put back over a moderate heat (not in the oven). Leave to simmer a few minutes and remove from the heat. Eat either hot or cold.