Qurabiya

Qurabiya (also ghraybe, ghorayeba, ghoriba, ghribia, ghraïba, gurabija or ghriyyaba and numerous other spellings and pronunciations), is a shortbread-type biscuit, usually made with ground almonds. Versions are found in most Arab and Ottoman cuisines, with various different forms and recipes. They are similar to polvorones from Andalusia.
In the Maghreb and Egypt, they are often served with Libyan tea, Arabic coffee or Maghrebi mint tea.
History
A recipe for a shortbread cookie similar to ghorayebah but without almonds, called in Arabic (exotic cookie), is given in the earliest known Arab cookbook, the 10th-century Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ. Kurabiye appears in the Ottoman cuisine in the 15th century.
There is some debate about the origin of the words. Some give no other origin for the Turkish word kurabiye than Turkish, while others have given Arabic or Persian. Among others, linguist Sevan Nişanyan has given an Arabic origin, in his 2009 book of Turkish etymology, from or (exotic). However, as of 2019, Nişanyan's online dictionary now gives the earliest known recorded use in Turkish as the late 17th century, with an origin from the Persian , a cookie made with rose water, from , related to flowers. He notes that the Syrian Arabic words / likely derive from the Turkish.
Regional variations
Crimea
Crimean Tatars (indigenous people of Crimea) call cookies "khurabie" (qurabiye, qurabye, къурабье, къурабие).
The Crimean Tatar "kurabye" has many forms, but basically it looks like a rhombus, or a combination of two or three rhombuses to form a flower, or it is cut in the shape of a crescent.
Crimean Tatars prepare kurabye as follows: powdered sugar is mixed with ghee, and then flour is added.
The finished "khurabye" is completely sprinkled with powdered sugar on all sides.
Albania
Gurabija
Algeria
Ghribia
Ghribia with almonds
Ghribia with peanuts
Ghribia with walnuts
Ghribia with pistachios
Armenia
Khourabia is the Armenian version sometimes referred to in English as Armenian butter cookie or Armenian shortbread cookie. Khourabia was traditionally made with three ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour and usually shaped like bread, wheat ear, or horse shoe signifying health, wealth, and prosperity. It was mostly eaten during the Easter, Christmas, and new year celebrations. Later, more ingredients were added, like eggs, cinnamon, and walnuts.
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".
Cyprus & Greece
The Greek version, called "kourabiedes" or "kourabiethes" (plural of kourabies ), resembles 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 popular for special occasions, such as Christmas or baptisms.
The Greek word "" comes from the Turkish word kurabiye, which is related to qurabiya, a family of Middle Eastern cookies.
In Cyprus, they are often given as gifts to wedding attendees after the ceremony.
Iran
In Tabriz, Qurabiyas are made of almond flour, sugar, egg white, vanilla, margarine and a topping of coarsely crushed pistachio and almond. It is served by itself or with tea, customarily placed on top of the teacup to make it soft before eating.
Kuwait
Variants including:
Ghoriba with Cardamom
Ghoriba with pistachio
Ghoriba with saffron
Levant
Ghoriba with pistachio
Ghoriba with Rose water
Libya
Ghraïba Libyan Arabic translation : | غربية
Ghoriba with peanuts
Ghoriba with almonds
Ghoriba with walnuts
Morocco
Ghoriba (Moroccan Arabic: ) in Morocco and other parts of the Maghreb, the popular cookies often use semolina instead of white flour, giving a distinctive crunch.
the original Ghriba is made from flour and flavored with lemon or orange zest and cinnamon, this sweet is usually served at parties, accompanied by mint tea or coffee.
Mlouwza, made with almonds and sugar flavored with orange flower water
Ghoriba bahla
Ghoriba dyal zite
Ghoriba mramla
Turkey
The word kurabiye is used to refer to a variety of biscuits in Turkey, not necessarily local ones, although various types of local kurabiye are made; including acıbadem kurabiyesi and un kurabiyesi.
Tunisia
Ghraïba
Ghraïba bidha, made with wheat flour
Ghraïba droô, made with sorghum flour
Ghraïba homs, made with chickpea flour
See also
Almond cookie
Un kurabiyesi
Hallongrotta
Kavala Almond Cookies
Murabbalı mecidiye
Nankhatai
Osmania Biscuit
Panellets
Polvorón
İzmir Bomb Kurabiye
Şekerpare
List of almond dishes
List of shortbread biscuits and cookies
References
Almond cookies
Azerbaijani desserts
Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine
Bulgarian desserts
Christmas food
Iranian desserts
Shortbread
Tabriz cuisine
Armenian desserts
Turkish desserts
Arab desserts