Tamari Kaak

Tamari Kaak (Syrian Date Pancake)

Tamari Kaak is a beloved Syrian street-style pancake, naturally sweetened with caramelised dates and finished with a drizzle of sweet syrup. Traditionally eaten as a snack or dessert, it is soft, rich, and deeply comforting.

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

6 small pancakes

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (9 oz) fresh dates, pitted, Medjool or Deglet Noor; traditional recipe uses soft fresh dates
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) water
• •120 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• •2 g (½ tsp) instant (fast-action) yeast
• •5 g (1 tsp) baking powder
• •15 g (1 tbsp) sugar
• •2 g (¼ tsp) salt
• •250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm water, for the batter
• •120 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing; ghee can be used traditionally
• •150 g (½ cup) date molasses or honey, for drizzling; traditional Syrian shops use date syrup (dibs)
• •30 g (2 tbsp) white sesame seeds or ground sesame (tahini mix), optional garnish

Steps

1. 1 Place the pitted dates in a small saucepan with the 200 ml water. Simmer over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes until the dates are very soft and the liquid has reduced to a thick, jam-like paste. Mash with a fork or blitz briefly until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. 2 In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar and salt.
3. 3 Pour in the 250 ml lukewarm water and whisk until you have a smooth, thin batter with the consistency of single (heavy) cream. Cover and rest for 20 minutes so the yeast activates and small bubbles appear on the surface.
4. 4 Stir the cooled date paste into the rested batter until evenly combined; the batter will turn a warm caramel colour.
5. 5 Heat a non-stick skillet or flat cast-iron pan over medium heat and lightly brush with a little melted butter.
6. 6 Pour roughly 80 ml (⅓ cup) of batter per pancake into the pan and swirl to form a round about 15 cm / 6 in across.
7. 7 Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form across the surface and the underside is set and lightly golden, then flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until both sides are pale gold and the pancake is cooked through.
8. 8 Transfer to a plate, brush generously with melted butter, and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.
9. 9 Stack the pancakes, drizzle liberally with date molasses or honey, and sprinkle with sesame or a swirl of tahini if using. Serve immediately while warm.