Zainab’s fingers (sawabe-zainab) are one of the most famous Arabic sweets and the most widespread.
There is almost no lover of Arabic food who does not know it.
Zainab’s fingers are flour with semolina in the form of fingers that are crunchy on the outside and very soft on the inside and placed in sugar syrup.
The main ingredient for Zainab fingers in flour and semolina.
Middle Easterners eat Zainab’s fingers on many occasions, the most important of which is Eid al-Fitr, as well as popular celebrations
Zainab’s fingers are considered one of the oldest sweets that were mastered by the Arabs in the old days and then spread around the world and many and many lovers of oriental sweets innovated in it
INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg syrup- of sugar
- ½ liter syrup-water
- 1 tablespoon syrup-lemon juice
- 1 syrup- saffron (optional)
- 2.5 cups Dough- flour (313 grams)
- Half cup Dough- melted ghee or oil or ghee on oil (100 grams)
- Half cup Dough- melted ghee or oil or ghee on oil (100 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Dough- sugar (10 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon Dough- salt (2 grams)
- ½ teaspoon Dough- yeast (3 grams)
- 1 &1/4 cups Dough – water for kneading (¼ Liter)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Syrup Preparation : In a medium saucepan, put sugar from half a liter of water
- Syrup Preparation: Add some saffron (small amount)
- Syrup Preparation: When the syrup mixture begins to boil, add lemon juice
- Syrup Preparation: Leave the syrup mixture to cool completely for at least 3 or 4 hours
- Dough Preparation: In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour and semolina
- Dough Preparation :Add yeast, salt and sugar
- Dough Preparation : Mix all ingredients together
- Dough Preparation :Heat the ghee over a medium heat, then add it to the ingredients
- Dough Preparation :Mix the mixture a little using a silicone spoon, then mix the mixture well with your hand
- Dough Preparation : Note: you must make sure that the ingredient are fully companied
- Dough Preparation :Add water and continue kneading – note that you do not need to knead a lot, just until the ingredients are mixed (about a minute and a half)
- Dough Preparation :Cover the dough to rest for 10 minutes
- Dough Preparation : Cut the dough into fingers about 10 grams
- Dough Preparation :Take each finger and roll it into a hollow roll using the grater
- Dough Preparation :Once you have finished the quantity, you must fry it directly in hot oil
- Dough Preparation :After placing Zainab’s fingers in the hot oil for two minutes, put the frying pan on a medium heat
- Dough Preparation : Note-Do not leave Zainab’s fingers after rolling them so that they do not ferment and lose their texture when frying (fry them directly)
- Dough Preparation : Tip: You can know that the dough is of the right consistency when it floats on the surface of the oil
- When Zainab’s fingers reach a golden color, take them out of the pan and put them in a plastic strainer until they rest.
- Soak Zainab’s fingers in the syrup for 15 minutes until all the syrup is absorbed
Check out my recommended ingredients & tools for this recipe I love it & I think everyone should have them.
Step by Step guide

Egyptian Zainab fingers recipe- sawabe-zainab
Equipment
- Frying pan
- food strainer
- big bowl
Ingredients
- 1 kg syrup- of sugar
- ½ liter syrup-water
- 1 tablespoon syrup-lemon juice
- 1 syrup- saffron (optional)
- 2.5 cups Dough- flour (313 grams)
- Half cup Dough- melted ghee or oil or ghee on oil (100 grams)
- Half cup Dough- melted ghee or oil or ghee on oil (100 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Dough- sugar (10 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon Dough- salt (2 grams)
- ½ teaspoon Dough- yeast (3 grams)
- 1 &1/4 cups Dough - water for kneading (¼ Liter)
Instructions
- Syrup Preparation : In a medium saucepan, put sugar from half a liter of water
- Syrup Preparation: Add some saffron (small amount)
- Syrup Preparation: When the syrup mixture begins to boil, add lemon juice
- Syrup Preparation: Leave the syrup mixture to cool completely for at least 3 or 4 hours
- Dough Preparation: In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour and semolina
- Dough Preparation :Add yeast, salt and sugar
- Dough Preparation : Mix all ingredients together
- Dough Preparation :Heat the ghee over a medium heat, then add it to the ingredients
- Dough Preparation :Mix the mixture a little using a silicone spoon, then mix the mixture well with your hand
- Dough Preparation : Note: you must make sure that the ingredient are fully companied
- Dough Preparation :Add water and continue kneading - note that you do not need to knead a lot, just until the ingredients are mixed (about a minute and a half)
- Dough Preparation :Cover the dough to rest for 10 minutes
- Dough Preparation : Cut the dough into fingers about 10 grams
- Dough Preparation :Take each finger and roll it into a hollow roll using the grater
- Dough Preparation :Once you have finished the quantity, you must fry it directly in hot oil
- Dough Preparation :After placing Zainab's fingers in the hot oil for two minutes, put the frying pan on a medium heat
- Dough Preparation : Note-Do not leave Zainab's fingers after rolling them so that they do not ferment and lose their texture when frying (fry them directly)
- Dough Preparation : Tip: You can know that the dough is of the right consistency when it floats on the surface of the oil
- When Zainab's fingers reach a golden color, take them out of the pan and put them in a plastic strainer until they rest.
- Soak Zainab's fingers in the syrup for 15 minutes until all the syrup is absorbed
Resouce : Sawabe’ Zainab (Zainab’s Fingers) Recipe “Eastern Dessert”
Recent Posts
Did you know that Saudi Arabia is home to some of the most delicious food in the world? Saudi Arabia is a melting pot of different cultures and flavors. There are many dishes that are...
Morocco, a place that is both ancient and modern. It's cuisine, one of the most diverse in the world. You'll find everything from couscous to tajines, tabouleh to pastilla. With so many great dishes...