Msabbaha
| Alternative names | Musabbaḥa, mashausha |
|---|---|
| Course | Breakfast |
| Place of origin | Levant |
| Main ingredients | Chickpeas, Tahini, parsley, lemon juice, garlic |
Musabbaḥa (Arabic: مسبحة), also known as msabbaḥa, mashausha[1] (Arabic: مشوشة), is a runnier variation of hummus made up of whole garbanzo beans and tahini.[2] It is popular in the Levant.
Etymology
The full native name in Arabic is hummus musabaha, with root sabaha meaning "swim", referencing the fact that the chickpeas are "swimming" in the tahini and olive oil.[3][4]
History
Syrian author Zafir al-Qasimi wrote in his 1960 book Dictionary of Damascene Industries that hummus shops in Damascus often sold msabbaha alongside hummus b'tahina and taskiyeh, he described msabbaha as a dish of mashed chickpeas and tahini combined with whole chickpeas topped with samneh and pine nuts, with a variation of it topped with oil instead.[5]
Ingredients
The main difference between msabbaḥa and hummus is the texture. In contrast with hummus, the chickpeas here remain whole.[6] Author Paula Wolfert describes it as "deconstructed hummus".[7] It sometimes contains hard-boiled egg, and like hummus, it is typically eaten with pita bread.[1]
A variation of msabbaḥa common in Damascus serves chickpeas and tahini with melted butter, pomegranate or lemon juice, and pistachios or toasted pine nuts.[8][9] In Lebanon, it is known as masabaḥa or mashawsha, and may be served with a hot sauce condiment with side dishes. It is also sold prepackaged.[10]
References
- ^ a b Gil Marks (2010). "Hummus". Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. Wiley. ISBN 9780470943540. Romanazied as masabacha
- ^ Kassis, Reem (25 Jan 2023). "Hummus, Tahini and Other Tastes of Home in Jerusalem's Old City". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ Kehdy, Bethany (1 January 2014). The Jewelled Kitchen: A Stunning Collection of Lebanese, Moroccan and Persian Recipes. Watkins Media Limited. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-84899-135-4. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "ترجمة و معنى سبح بالإنجليزي في قاموس المعاني. قاموس عربي انجليزي المعاني مصطلحات صفحة 1". Almaany. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ Al-Qasimi, Zafir (1960). قاموس الصناعات الشامية - القاسمي [Dictionary of Damascene Industries - Al-Qasimi] (in Arabic). pp. 166–168. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
- ^ Shooky Galili (May 31, 2007). "Land of hummus and pita (a hummus glossary)". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
- ^ "A New Spot in Elkridge Serves Authentic Palestinian Food—and Really Great Hummus". Baltimore Magazine. 30 April 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ Khayr al-Din al-Asadi (1981). موسوعة حلب المقارنة [Comparative Encyclopedia of Aleppo] (in Arabic). p. 2758. Retrieved 26 Jan 2026. Page 98 in the books own index
- ^ James Grehan (2007). Everyday life & consumer culture in 18th-century Damascus. University of Washington Press. p. 107. ISBN 9780295801636.
- ^ Haim Handwerker (May 12, 2004). זה לא סתם חומוס, זה הומוס [This isn't just hummus, this is hoommus (translated)]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2008-03-07.