Bsissa | Tunisian Roasted-Grain Breakfast Paste with Olive Oil

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat without oil. Roast the barley, wheat, and chickpeas in separate batches, stirring constantly; each ingredient takes a different amount of time. Remove them when they turn the color of hazelnut shells and smell sweet. Dark brown grains will taste bitter, so discard them.

Put the cumin, coriander seeds, fennel, and flaxseeds in the same pan. Toast over low heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Spices burn much faster than grains, so watch them closely. Transfer everything to a tray and let cool.

Grind the completely cooled grains, chickpeas, and spices with the salt in batches in a mill or powerful food processor until powder-fine. Sift the mixture and regrind any coarse pieces. The powder keeps for 3 months in a sealed jar in a cool place.

For each serving, put four 15 ml measures of the powder in a bowl. Add the olive oil and date syrup and stir, then gradually pour in lukewarm water until it reaches the consistency you like. Do not add all the water at once; once bsissa becomes lumpy, it will not smooth out again. It should flow slowly off a spoon.

Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in another spoonful of olive oil. Serve with dates and olives on the side. Do not let prepared bsissa stand; it thickens and hardens within half an hour. If that happens, loosen it with a spoonful of lukewarm water.