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Belila Vegan Friendly Recipe

Indulge in this creamy, comforting Belila, a vegan-friendly Egyptian breakfast or dessert sensation! Cooked wheat berries simmered in fragrant spiced milk create a uniquely chewy and satisfying dish. This recipe, adapted from Martha Rose Shulman's 'Mediterranean Light,' requires overnight soaking but is well worth the wait. The subtle sweetness and warm spices make it a perfect start to the day or a delightful end to a meal. Prepare to be amazed by the texture!

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 73 mins
Calories 120.8 kcal
Protein 8g
Rating 5.0 (1 Reviews)
Belila Vegan Friendly 98

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Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Belila Vegan Friendly

  • 1 cup wheat berries
  • 6 cups water (3 cups for soaking, 3 cups for cooking)
  • 2 cups plant-based milk (almond, soy, or oat milk)
  • 2 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon orange blossom water
  • ¼ cup diced apple
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, for refined sugar-free)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional, as alternative to ground cinnamon)
  • sprinkle of powdered sugar

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How to Make Belila Vegan Friendly

  1. Rinse 1 cup of wheat berries and soak them in a bowl with enough water to cover (about 3 cups) overnight.
  2. Drain the soaked wheat berries in the morning.
  3. In a medium saucepan, combine the drained wheat berries with 3 cups of fresh water.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the wheat berry skins begin to split open. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  6. Drain the cooked wheat berries in a fine-mesh sieve.
  7. In the same saucepan, heat 2 cups of plant-based milk (almond, soy, or oat milk work well).
  8. Add 2 tablespoons of honey (or maple syrup for a refined sugar-free option), 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick), and ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
  9. Gently heat the milk mixture until the spices become fragrant (about 5 minutes). Do not boil.
  10. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon of orange blossom water.
  11. Gently stir in the cooked wheat berries. Reheat for a few minutes if needed.
  12. Serve warm. Top with ¼ cup diced apple, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, a drizzle of honey, and ¼ cup slivered almonds.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

2 g

Sugar

36g

Fat

14g

Carbs

5g

Recipe Tags (Choose a tag and find related recipes!)

Time To Make Course Main Ingredient Cuisine Preparation Breakfast Desserts African Easy Vegetarian Grains Egyptian Dietary Pasta Rice And Grains 4 Hours Or Less