Indulgences

1. مقروض

   maqrūḍ

   Makroud (fried pastry)

   Usage

   A diamond-shaped fried pastry filled with figs, dates or almonds. The version from Kairouan is the best known.

   Grammar Note

   A noun; with the article, "l-maqrūḍ", it means the pastry in general.

2. بمبلوني

   bambalūni

   Bambalouni (fried doughnut)

   Usage

   A fried doughnut rolled in sugar, sold at beach stalls and in morning cafés.

   Grammar Note

   A noun; the final ي belongs to the word, it is not an adjective ending.

3. يويو

   yūyū

   Yoyo (ring-shaped fried doughnut)

   Usage

   A fried ring-shaped doughnut, sometimes glazed with syrup or honey. Popular for breakfast and snacks.

   Grammar Note

   A noun spelled with the same syllable twice.

4. بقلاوة

   baqlāwa

   Baklava

   Usage

   Nuts layered in thin pastry, baked and soaked in syrup; for celebrations a whole tray is prepared.

   Grammar Note

   A noun; one piece is counted with "ḥabba" (a piece of baklava).

5. بسيسة

   bsīsa

   Bsissa (roasted grain flour mix)

   Usage

   Roasted ground grains and nuts mixed with olive oil or milk; a traditional breakfast.

   Grammar Note

   A noun; a spoonful is "mighrafa".

6. عصيدة بالزقوقو

   ʿaṣīda b-z-zqūqū

   Asida with pine seeds (sweet pudding)

   Usage

   A sweet pudding made from pine-seed cream, traditionally prepared to mark the Prophet's birthday.

   Grammar Note

   The prefix "b-" means "with"; this exact phrase appears in a Derja example sentence.

7. بوزة

   būza

   Bouza (cream dessert)

   Usage

   A cold mousse-like dessert, popular on hot days.

   Grammar Note

   A noun, not the word for ice cream.

8. مسفوف

   masfūf

   Masfouf (sweet couscous)

   Usage

   Couscous mixed with sugar, dates and nuts, eaten as a dessert, especially in the evenings of Ramadan.

   Grammar Note

   A noun for the sweet dessert, as opposed to the savoury couscous.

9. كعك الورقة

   kaʿk l-warqa

   Kaak warka (almond pastry from Zaghouan)

   Usage

   A pastry famous in Zaghouan, made with thin dough and almond filling and scented with floral water.

   Grammar Note

   The noun "kaʿk" (pastry) is followed by "l-warqa" (the thin sheet); a composed name taken from the Arabic Wikipedia title.

10. دقلة نور

    deqla nūr

    Deglet Nour (date variety)

    Usage

    An amber-coloured date grown in southern oases such as Tozeur; it is sold in boxes as a souvenir.

    Grammar Note

    "Deqla" is a date variety and "nūr" means light; the general word for dates is "tmer".

11. شكلاطة

    shklāṭa

    Chocolate

    Usage

    Chocolate, whether in a bar or used in cakes.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; a shorter form than Standard Arabic "shūkūlāta".

12. ڨاتو

    gātū

    Cake

    Usage

    Cake for birthdays and celebrations, from French "gâteau".

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; ڨ stands for /g/ in Tunisian spelling.

13. بونبون

    bonbon

    Candy

    Usage

    Small sweets that children love; used much like "ḥalwa".

    Grammar Note

    A noun from French "bonbon".

14. ڨرانيت

    grānīt

    Granita (shaved-ice sweet)

    Usage

    A summer street-stall sweet of crushed ice with sweet syrup.

    Grammar Note

    A noun that some people use as a brand name.

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