Boeber facts for kids
Two boeber drinks
|
|
| Place of origin | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Associated national cuisine | Cape Malay |
Boeber is a yummy South African pudding. It's a sweet, milky drink made by the Cape Malays. It has thin noodles called vermicelli, tiny sago pearls, and sugar. It gets its special taste from spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and a splash of rose water.
People traditionally enjoy Boeber on the 15th night of Ramadan. This is a special time to celebrate reaching the middle of the fasting month. It's like reaching the 'summit' of a mountain!
Contents
Where Boeber Comes From
Boeber was first made in South Africa by the Cape Malays. Their ancestors came from places like Indonesia, East Africa, and India. This shows how different cultures can share food ideas!
Similar Dishes Around the World
Did you know other countries have similar sweet treats?
- In Malaysia, people eat a special porridge called bubur lambuk during Ramadan.
- In Trinidad and Tobago, they have a drink called Sawine or Sewine. It's served on Eid al-Fitr, which is the festival that marks the end of Ramadan.
- Across Asia, you can find sweet dishes like kheer and sweet congee. Boeber is very much like kheer or payasam from India. These dishes might have come to South Africa with Indian people long ago.
- In South Africa, there's also an Afrikaans dish called melkkos. It's quite similar to Boeber.
Many families have their own special Boeber recipes. You can find recipes and pictures of this tasty treat in most Cape Malay cookbooks. If you want to try making it, you can even buy a special Boeber mix in some South African shops!
What's in Boeber?
Here are the main things you need to make Boeber:
- 100 grams (3.5 oz) of butter
- 75 millilitres (2.6 imp fl oz; 2.5 US fl oz) of sago
- 1 cup of water (to soak the sago)
- 200 grams (7 oz) of vermicelli (thin noodles)
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cardamom pods (gently squashed)
- 50 grams (2 oz) of sultanas (dried grapes)
- 2 litres (0.44 imp gal; 0.53 US gal) of milk
- 15 millilitres (0.53 imp fl oz; 0.51 US fl oz) of rose water
- 150 millilitres (5.3 imp fl oz; 5.1 US fl oz) of white sugar (you can add more or less to your taste)
- 50 grams (2 oz) of blanched almonds (these are almonds with their skins removed)
How to Make Boeber
Making Boeber takes about an hour, and it makes enough for 8 to 10 people.
First, soak the sago in water for 15 minutes. This makes the sago soft.
Next, melt the butter in a deep pot. Add the vermicelli noodles and stir them with a fork. Cook them until they turn a light brown color.
Then, add the cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and sultanas to the pot. Stir everything together.
Now, pour in the milk and bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling, add the soaked sago. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Keep stirring all the time so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. The sago will become clear when it's ready.
Finally, add the rose water, sugar, and almonds. Keep simmering for another 10 minutes, stirring until everything is mixed well.
Serve your Boeber hot and enjoy!
