Ma'soub was born in the kitchens of Makkah and Jeddah from an old Yemeni recipe: ripe banana is mashed with crumbled brown bread and date paste into a thick, dense bowl, topped with clotted cream, honey and sometimes white cheese. Its aroma drifts from breakfast eateries each morning, and it is a favoured post-dawn meal in Ramadan and Hajj — rich and deeply satisfying.
The warm Hijazi breakfast Hijaz (Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah)
Ma'soub معصوب
A Hijazi breakfast bowl of mashed banana, brown bread and dates, crowned with cream and honey.
The ReimaginingMa'soub French Toast
Brioche slices soaked in banana-date custard, pan-seared in butter and served with smoked cream, honey and caramelised banana.
Ingredients
Ripe bananasBrown breadDate pasteCreamHoney
Date varieties used
The blessed date of Al-MadinahAjwa Dates
Ajwa is a dark, tender date from Al-Madinah, cited in prophetic medicine and prized as one of the most precious dates of the Islamic world.
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Madinah's grand jewelAnbara Dates
Anbara is among the largest and most luxurious dates: an elongated red-brown fruit with a small stone and protein-rich flesh — Madinah's premier gift date.
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