Moroccan · Breakfast

Assida (Semolina Breakfast Porridge with Honey)

Assida is a smooth, warm semolina porridge cooked until thick and glossy, then hollowed in the middle and filled with melting butter and honey that runs into the grain as you eat. It is a quick, filling breakfast for cold mornings and a common first food for children, comforting and barely sweet on its own until the honey pool does its work.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 20 min
Serves: 3
Level: Easy

Assida (Semolina Breakfast Porridge with Honey)

Ingredients

150 g fine semolina
700 ml water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, plus extra to finish
4 tbsp honey, to serve
1 tbsp orange-blossom water (optional)
Ground cinnamon, to serve

Method

1

Toast lightly

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and stir in the semolina for a minute over low heat to coat it — this keeps the porridge from turning gluey.
2

Add water gradually

Pour in the salted water in a steady stream while whisking constantly to avoid lumps, then bring to a gentle simmer.
3

Cook until thick

Cook over low heat, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until smooth, thick and pulling from the sides of the pan.
4

Perfume

Stir in the orange-blossom water if using and check the texture — it should mound softly on a spoon.
5

Serve with a honey well

Spoon into bowls, press a hollow in the centre of each, drop in a knob of butter and pour in honey, then dust with cinnamon.

Chef's tips

Whisk without stopping as you add the water — this is the whole trick to a lump-free assida.
Serve it the moment it is made; semolina porridge stiffens quickly as it cools.
Loosen a stiffened bowl with a splash of hot milk rather than water for a richer result.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between assida and herbel?

Assida is made from fine semolina and cooks in minutes to a smooth porridge; herbel uses whole barley grains simmered for over an hour in milk until creamy.

Can I make it with milk instead of water?

Yes — using milk, or half milk and half water, makes a richer, more luxurious assida. Keep the heat low so the milk does not catch.