Arabic dishes

[ayeshasadique]

hi
living in UAE, i have learnt a few arab dishes, and thought of sharing them :)

[ayeshasadique]

HAREES

Mutton - 300 gms
basmati rice - 50 gms
wheat - 100 gms
ghee - 2 tbsp
salt

1. place all items in a non stick pan and cook on slow fire tiil done
2. when done , mash up and cook till ghee comes up.
3. serve hot.

[RedPepper]

whole wheat or wheat powder or crushed wheat??

Do you have a recipe for kabsa rice? And shawerma(spelling?)? Can we make shawerma at home without that machine they use at the restaurents?

Thanks in advance.

[ayeshasadique]

in the traditional method, for harees, big pieces of meat (actually veal), and whole wheat is used...cooked on low flame and mashed up in the process :)
but, yes, for quick method use broken wheat (burghul)

[ayeshasadique]

it has no spice in it, but to modify to suit our indian palate, u can add pepper or paprika

[Raikkonen]

Looks very good..

[ayeshasadique]

KABSA


oil/butter - 30 gms

1 chicken (if using mutton take around 400 to 500 gms of small pieces) - cut into pieces

onion - 1 large , chopped
garlic cloves - 8 nos. ,minced finely
tomato puree - 1/4 cup
tomatoes - 2 ,chopped
carrot - 1 no., grated
orange peel grated - 2 tsp
or
dried lemon coarsely powdered - 1 tsp
5 whole cloves
cardamom powder - 1 tsp
1 cinnamon stick
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
chilli powder - 1/ 2 tsp
chicken stock - 3 cups
basmati rice - 1 cup
raisins - 20 gms
almonds - skinless, sliced, fried/roasted - 1/4 cup


1. Melt butter . add onion and garlic.
2. fry until onion is golden. add meat/chicken.
3. Stir in tomato puree. Add tomatoes, carrots, orange peel, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, salt, chilli powder and pepper. 4. Cook for a few minutes. Add stock.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook till meat is done.
5. add rice,Simmer and cook covered until rice is tender.
6. Garnish with raisins and almonds. serve hot.

[ayeshasadique]

[tscii:b92956e306]SHAWARMA


chicken thighs - 8 nos( boneless thighs) sliced into thin pieces

marinade:
malt vinegar - 1/2 cup
plain yogurt - 1/4 cup
vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
salt and pepper
mixed spice - 1 tsp
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

tahini sauce:
tahini - 1/4 cup (sesame seed paste)
yogurt - 1/4 cup
minced garlic - 1/2 tsp
lemon juice - 2 tbsp
olive oil - 1 tbsp
finely chopped fresh parsley - 1 tbsp
salt and pepper to taste
whisk all together and refrigerate.


tomatoes - 3 to 4 nos.,thinly sliced
sliced onion - 1/2 cup
shredded lettuce - 2 cups
pickled cucumbers - a few pieces (optional)
french fries - a few pieces (optional)
pita bread rounds - 8

1. marinate the chicken slices in the marinade for to 4 hours.
2. bake chicken at 180 degrees C till cooked and brown ( or) grill it till done (or ) just plain stir fry in a non stick pan with little oil till done and brown.
3. stuff into pita pockets - tomato, onion, lettuce, pickled cucumber, french fries, chicken, tahini sauce, roll tightly and serve .

mixed spice powder:
2 tbsp Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp Ground coriander
1 tbsp Ground cloves
2 tbsp Ground cumin
½ tsp Ground cardamom
2 tsp Grated nutmeg
¼ tsp Ground cinnamon
[/tscii:b92956e306]

[ayeshasadique]

like HAREES there is a spicy hyderabadi dish called HALEEM.....if anyone wants it let me know :)

[ayeshasadique]

to make the shawarma spicy..u can add some chilli powder to the marinade

[RedPepper]

ayesha,

What do you serve with kabsa? Any side dishes? Thanks.

[Sowmya]

Hi Ayesha
Any Veg Arabic dishes? :cry: I am a strict veggie.


Regards
sowmya :)

[ayeshasadique]

it is a dish that can be served by itself....it is something like an arabic equivalent to indian biriyani....so i serve it with 'laban' - yogurt raita and some nice fresh veggie salad.

[ayeshasadique]

the arabic cuisine is mostly non veg....but it has a number of good vegetarian dishes too!! :)

MUJADARRA
(lentil rice)


basmati rice - 1 cup
lentils - 1 cup
olive oil - 3 tbsp
onion(yellow) - 3 large, sliced
salt
water - 3 cups


1. heat oil, and saute onions. add water and lentils , simmer till lentils are nearly done.
2. add the rice and salt. cook till rice is done and water is absorbed.
3. fry 2 onions cut in to rounds in oil till golden.
4. before serving garnish with fried onion rounds.
5. serve with yogurt and fresh green salad.

[ayeshasadique]

IMAM BAYILDI
meaning-'imam fainted'


4 eggplants/brinjals, washed and dried
olive oil - 3 tbsp
2 onions, coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic
chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
2 green peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt to taste
water


1. Cut a 1-inch-deep slice from stem end down the length of each eggplant. With small spoon, scoop out pulp, leaving about 1/4-inch wall around sides. Set scooped-out pulp aside. Sprinkle inside of shell with salt, and turn upside down on work surface to drain.

2. Heat oil in a pan . Add eggplant pulp, onions, garlic,chilli powder and peppers, mix well, and fry until onions are soft. Reduce heat to simmer

3. stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and parsley. Add salt to taste, mix well, simmer for 5 minutes longer, and remove from heat.

4. Rinse eggplants to remove salt, pat dry, and place side-by-side in baking pan. Fill each with eggplant mixture. Pour about 1 inch of water in baking pan with eggplants and bake in oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or until eggplants are tender .

5. serve hot.

[ayeshasadique]

ZAITOON salad


green olives - 200 gms, sliced, pitted
tomato - 1, small, chopped
tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
cucumber - 1, chopped
onion - 1, chopped
lemon juice - 1 tsp
olive oil - 1 tsp
mint leaves - 1 tsp, chopped
salt

1. mix all together.
2. chill and serve.

[ayeshasadique]

LOUBIA
(beans)


green beans - 250 gms, cut into 1 inch pieces
onion - 1, chopped
garlic - 5 cloves, finely chopped
tomatoes - 2, skinned and deseeded
olive oil - 1 tbsp
salt, pepper
chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
coriander leaves

1. heat oil, saute onions and garlic till golden.
2. add the beans and fry.
3. add the other items except coriander leaves.
4. sprinkle water and cook till done
5. garnish with chopped coriander and serve.

[ayeshasadique]

ISTANBULI RICE

basmati rice - 2 cups
minced meat - 2 cups
onions - 4, sliced
tomato puree - 1/2 cup
chilli powder/ pepper - according to taste
olive oil - 5 tbsp
salt
pine nuts

1. fry onions till golden, add minced meat , salt and pepper/chilli and fry till the water evaporates.
2. add tomato puree and cook till meat is done.
3. add 4 cups water and boil.
4. add rice and cook till done.
5. serve garnished with pine nuts.

[Sowmya]

Hi Ayesha
Your enthusiasm and speed is amazing.. :thumbsup:

Regards
Sowmya

[ziaxxxxx]

hi ayesha..thanx alot fer all the lovely recipes in this thread and the ptehr threads as well.

i have a request ..i would liek to know how to make arys ( spelling??) or arice ..however you pronounce it...its a khubz which has a meat filling ....i would also like to kno how to make lahm ( if you kno how to make it).

in fact..if you kno any of the folowing recipes...pls take your own time to post them..theres no hurry :)....:

garlic sauce( like the one served in the lebanese restaurants in Dxb)

whole grilled chicken ( lebanese style)

katayef ( an arabic dessert)

filafil

haleem

desserts of any type

and any microwave recipe..

I kno i ahve asked tooo much ,..but the other readers may post their recipe as well if they know .

[ayeshasadique]

hi folks
wud post the recipes one by one.....
both my kids have got viral infection with vomitting and diarrhoea .....my daughter was admitted in hospital for drips :cry: .....and iam unable to post on the computer.......will get back to posting in a couple of days...everyone pray my kids get well soon

[cynthia_a02]

Dear Ayesha,
Don't worry.They'll get well soon.surely i'll pray for them.give them water often so that they won't be dehydrated.take care.bye.

[ayeshasadique]

BOUREK
(meat stuffed pastry)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion chopped (1/4 cup)
2 Tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped
300 gms ground beef/lamb
phyllo sheets
salt to taste
black pepper
lemon juice



1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for 2 minutes. Add the meat, salt and pepper and fry for 5 minutes. Add the egg and parsley and fry for 1 minute more. Cool well.

2. Take 1 phyllo sheet and spread it out flat . Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture . Fold both long sides in toward the middle, then roll from one side forming a cylinder shape. Repeat with all the remaining phyllo sheets and stuffing. Set aside.
3. Fry the rolls. Drain on paper towels for a minute. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice.

[ayeshasadique]

thanks cynthia
we have come home... and my kids are better now

[ayeshasadique]

thnx sowmya...will try to post with same enthusiasm :)

[ayeshasadique]

dear zia
lahm means "meat "
what type of meat recipe do u want...plz let me know

[ayeshasadique]

[tscii:b3591308b8]FALAFEL


250 gms, chick peas, cooked
1 onion, very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 slice of white bread, soaked in a little water
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. cumin powder
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt, to taste
oil for frying


1. grind the chick peas to a purée, without water.

2. Squeeze out the bread and add to the chick peas together with the rest of the ingredients. Knead well for a few minutes.

3. Let the mixture rest for 1-2 hours, then form falafel balls.

4. Heat oil and fry the balls, a few at a time, until nicely brown all over..

5. Drain and serve hot .

[/tscii:b3591308b8]

[ayeshasadique]

FALAFEL WITH FAVA BEANS


1 cup fava beans ,soaked overnight
3/4 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
oil, for frying
Tahini Sauce



1. Drain and rinse the favas and chickpeas and put them in a food processor and grind.

2. Add the onion, parsley, coriander leaves, garlic, salt, cumin and chilli . Pulse, to form a coarse paste.

3. In a pan, heat oil. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the falafel mixture into the hot oil and fry in small batches until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes.

4. Drain on paper towels set over a wire rack and serve hot, with Tahini Sauce.

[ayeshasadique]

dear zia,
for desserts...check my "delicious desserts" topic

[ayeshasadique]

LEBANESE GARLIC SAUCE

garlic - 1 clove
oil - 1 cup
lemon juice - 3 tbsp
salt to taste


blend all together till it gets a white mayonnaise like form.

[ayeshasadique]

a trick i use....when blending the items, add a tsp of mayonnaise too!!

[Noodles]

Hi Ayesha!


Howz ur Kids now?

I pray God for their quick recovery.

[Noodles]

AYESHA U ARE THE TREASURE OF ARABIC RECIPES. KEEP IT UP

[ayeshasadique]

ARAYES
(grilled pita with meat stuffing)

Stuffing:
mix all together

500 gms lean ground beef/ lamb
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground arabic spice
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder

pita breads - 3 nos.,each cut into 4 triangles
butter

1. butter the insides of pita slices. stuff with the mixture.
2. grill in oven at 200 degrees C , for a few minutes until the meat is cooked.
3. serve hot with yogurt dip.

[ayeshasadique]

thnx noodles
my kids are better now.....:)

[ayeshasadique]

for anyone who wants
the mixed arabic spice powder.......
i have posted it under the shawarma recipe...plz check.

[ayeshasadique]

HALEEM

This is a hyderabadi specialty and it is traditionally made with whole wheat (soaked overnight) and meat. But nowadays broken wheat is used....it can also be made with half oatmeal...
another version is to make it with wheat, rice and all dals mixed together...this gives a much yummy taste!! :)

I
broken wheat - 200 gms
a mixture of the following - 300 gms
(mung dal, chana dal, toor dal, masoor dal, urad dal, pearl barley, oatmeal )
onion - 1 cup chopped
chilli powder - 2 tsp
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
ginger paste - 4 tsp
garlic paste - 3 tsp
salt
2 cardamoms+ 1 stick cinnamon+ 5 cloves - dry roast and powder

1. soak grains and wheat and cook them together with the above items till done.
2. remove, mash, set aside.

II
mutton - 500 gms, small cubes, boneless
ginger paste - 3 tbsp
garlic paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
red chilli powder - 2 tsp
oil - 2 tsp
coriander powder - 2 tsp
5 cardamom +5 cloves +1 cinnamon - powdered
yogurt - 2 tbsp
salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mint and coriander leaves


1. cook mutton and the above items till mutton is done
2. remove, mash and keep.


III
5 tbsp ghee
sliced onion - 1 no, large

IV
fine juliennes of ginger
4 slit green chillies
lemon juice
mint leaves


1. heat ghee, fry the onion slices III to golden brown. remove and keep.
2. add the mashed grains I and the mashed mutton II to the same ghee.
3. cook on low flame, stirring continuosly till the ghee comes up.
4. serve hot garnished with the items in IV

[cynthia_a02]

happy to hear ayesha.take care.

[ayeshasadique]

LEBANESE GRILLED CHICKEN


chicken - 1 whole, slit at the breast
lemon juice - 1/4 cup
salt
cumin powder - 2 tbsp
chilli powder - 1 tbsp( reduce if u want less spicy)
mixed spice powder - 2 tsp
garlic paste - 1 heaped tbsp
olive oil - 5 tbsp

1. marinate overnight, turning chicken once or twice in between.
2. preheat oven to 220 degrees C.
3. grill chicken till golden.( may be about 1 hour)
4. serve with baked potato wedges and a salad.

[ayeshasadique]

MOUTABEL
grilled eggplant dip


eggplant - 1 extra large
tahini sauce - 1/2 cup
lemon juice - 3 tbsp
plain fresh yogurt - 1/2 cup
garlic - 2 cloves, minced finely
salt
garnish:
sumac powder
pomegranate seeds
olive oil


1. grill eggplant with skin. peel and leave on a rack for few minutes.
2. mash it coarsely and mix with rest of the items.
3. drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with sumac and pomegranate seeds.
4. serve chilled.

[ayeshasadique]

RUZ MA SHEREEYEH
vermicelli rice


rice - 1 1/2 cup, soaked for 1/2 an hour
vermicelli - 1/2 cup
ghee/ butter - 5 tbsp
chicken/ vegetable stock - 4 cups
bay leaf - 1
salt


1. fry vermicelli in heated butter till golden brown. add drained rice and fry for some more time.
2. add the rest of the items and when the water is boiling, reduce fire and cover.
3. cook till done and dry.
4. serve hot with veg/ meat stew, or any curry of ur choice
note : can be served with stuffed zucchini.

[ayeshasadique]

[tscii:82f5242112]KOUSA BIL LABAN
stuffed baby zucchini in yogurt sauce


2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion , finely chopped
200gms minced lean lamb meat
1 tsp, garlic paste
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp mixed arabic spice
1 tbsp pine seeds, toasted
¼ cup Egyptian rice
2 cups Chicken Stock
500 gms small size zucchini , hollowed/ scooped
3 cups low fat yogurt
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt

1. heat oil, add and cook onions for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Add zucchini flesh, minced meat, garlic, black pepper, spice and pine seeds. Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the rice,add stock and cook till done.
3. stuff zucchini with the meat mixture.
4. Arrange stuffed zucchini in a large saucepan. Add water /stock. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until zucchinis are almost cooked.
5. Combine yogurt and corn flour in a large pot and bring them to boil under constant stirring. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic , salt and dried mint.
6. Pour the yogurt sauce over zucchini and simmer for another 5 minutes Serve with vermicelli rice.





[/tscii:82f5242112]

[ayeshasadique]

MOGRABIEH

mograbieh is similar to couscous, only it is bigger in size (looks like yellow pepper corns)

mograbieh - 200 gms
chicken - 1 small, cut into pieces
lamb - 100 gms, cubed
mixed spice+salt+pepper +lemon juice = marinate chicken and lamb in it for 1 hour

shallots - 200 gms
butter/ghee - 3 tbsp
mixed arabic spice - 2 tsp
chilii powder - 1 tsp
chick peas - 1 cup, cooked
salt


1. heat butter, fry the chicken and lamb till brown.
2. remove chicken pieces and add water/stock and cook till 3/4th done ; now add back the chicken pieces and cook till done.

3. heat butter, fry shallots and chick peas...and add mograbieh, fry...add the spices and water and cook till mograbieh is done.
4. serve the mograbieh with the lamb and chicken sauce ladled on top.

[ayeshasadique]

LOUZ SHORBA
almond soup


2 tsp butter
1 large chopped onion
2 Tbsp plain flour
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup ground blanched almonds
2 tbsp cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper


1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onions, and cook until soft but not browned. Stir in the flour.
2. When blended add the stock, stirring briskly. Allow to simmer a few minutes. Stir in the ground almonds. simmer. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in the cream . Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

[Anoushka]

I was in Egpt last week and had some lovely Egyptian food like Kosheri and Egyptian Pie.

Kosheri is rice, macaroni, noodles and lentils all cooked together with a layer of tomato sauce on the top!

Egyptian pie was like our parOta with plently of vegetables and rumi cheese stuffed inside :) yummy

[ayeshasadique]

the one iam posting now is not an arabic dish, its one of my favourite dishes....iam sure non vegetarians would like it :), the veggie lovers can ofcourse cut off the mince !!


AVARAI KOTHUKARI MASALA

(mince and broad beans masala)

avaraikkai - 200 gms, thinly chopped
mince meat - 100 gms
oil - 2 tbsp
onion - 2, finely chopped
tomatoes - 1, finely chopped
ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
red chilli powder - 2 tsp
coriander powder - 2 tsp
cumin powder - 1 tsp
salt
garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
grated fresh coconut - 2 tbsp

1. heat oil fry onion and gingergarlic; add the mince and fry till brown.
2. add tomatoes and salt ; cook till done.
3. add all the rest and keep frying on low flame, covered.
4. just sprinkle water when needed.
5. serve hot with chappatis.

[ayeshasadique]

THARID
an arabic lamb and chickpea stew

lamb cubes - 500 gms
chickpeas - 300 gms, soaked overnight
water - 5 cups
onion - 3 cups, chopped
coriander powder - 2 tsp
fresh coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, chopped
shah jeera (carraway seeds) - 1 tsp
salt, pepper
saffron - 1/4 tsp
eggs - 4 (optional)

(the original recipe calls for honey to be added, but I have cut it off.....instead i have added 3 things on my own...)
-- garlic - 1 tbsp, minced
---ginger - 1 tbsp, minced
---green chilli - 3 nos

1. place lamb cubes in water and boil; remove any foam on top.
2. add all the other ingredients, except eggs.
3. cook till lamb and chick peas are done.
4. now u can break in and poach the eggs till done.
5. serve hot with pita breads.

[ayeshasadique]

ARABIAN PAN BREAD

wheat flour
water
salt
1. make a dough, knead atleast for 15 minutes.
cover with a damp cloth and rest for 3 hours.
2. make balls and flatten; griddle each flat bread on a hot pan till golden.
3. break an egg on top, sprinkle with sugar and cardamom powder.
4. when set and not runny, turn to cook.
5. serve hot.

[ayeshasadique]

LAVASH

yeast - 2 tsp
sugar - 1 tsp
water - 1 cup, warm

add together and let it bubble.

all purpose flour - 3 cups
salt
olive oil - 3 tbsp

make a dough (with yeast and flour)
knead 15 minutes
keep for 1 hour covered witha damp cloth.

preheat oven to 450 degree F

roll out dough balls and prick with fork; sprinkle with sesame seeds.
bake for 3 minutes or until golden.
cool and serve.

[ayeshasadique]

dear red pepper
did u try thr kabsa and shawarma?

[ayeshasadique]

are u in here anywhere ziaxxx :)

did u try the dishes u asked for? u never gave me any feed back :(

[ayeshasadique]

MULAKHIYA


frozen mulakhiya - 1 pk, thawed
chicken stock - 1 cube in 2 cups water
salt
oil - 2 tbsp
garlic - 3 tsp, minced
coriander powder - 2 tsp
chilli powder - 1 tsp
cooked, chopped chicken - 1 cup

1. heat oil, add garlic, and spices.
2. add the chicken cubes, stock and salt.
3. add the molokhiya and cook till done.
4. serve with rice topped with roasted badam, cashew , pine nuts.

[ayeshasadique]

the pizza hut here has come out with something called shawarma pizza
shawarma topped on the pizza base

tried it yesterday..was good ,but could do with more spice in it

[ayeshasadique]

if i get to know more arabic dishes, i will try them out and post immediately.......
as of now, i thought i will use this thread for posting other lamb/mutton dishes i know....

[ayeshasadique]

KARELA GOSHT


karela/bitter gourd - 3 small
(scrape, slit and remove the seeds; apply a mixture of yogurt , salt and turmeric on the insides and let stand for 2 to 3 hours; then wash under warm water and cut into pieces)

tamarind - a lemon sized ball, soaked in a cup of water

mutton - 1/2 kg
oil - 3 to 4 tbsp
onion - 3 , chopped
ginger paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
garlic paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
tomato - 3 , chopped
coriander leaves
salt
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
red chilli powder - 2 tsp
coriander powder - 3 tsp
ground coconut - 3 tbsp

1. heat oil and fry the onions till brown. add ginger garlic pastes and fry.
2. add meat and fry well till water evaporates.
3. add tomato , salt and spices. fry till tomato is mashed up.
4. pressure cook till meat is done; mean while cook the karela in the strained tamarind pulp water, with little salt.
5. add cooked karela to the cooked meat mixture along with the tamarind water. add coconut and keep simmering for a few minutes.
6. garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

note: bitterness can be further reduced by frying the karela pieces in oil and then cooking in tamarind water.
some people throw away the water in which the karela was cooked, but i add it to the gravy and even my kids eat the gravy without complaining of bitterness :)

[kavikuil]

Ayesha! I'm guilty for not trying out your karuvadu recipe yet... [Will try it as soon as the baby comes out. Not too much energy and the mood to cook food these days.]

Btw, My husband is a big fan of arabic dishes! I'm bookmarking this thread. He loves esp. the lentil soup they serve there, with a dash of lemon squeezed in. Do you have a recipe for it? I'm sure HE'll be happy to give it a try. :wink:

[RedPepper]

ayesha, please tell me more about the shawerma pizza. I am a shawerma fan, but I cannot find it where I live now. :(
Does the shawerma pizza has cheese also added to it? how about tomato sauce? or only shawerma ingredients added on a regular pizza base?

Also, what is the english name for mulakhiya leaves? I love this with chicken.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry I didn't get time to try kabsa and shawerma yet. I will be making the kabsa soon. Can you suggest a substitute for dried lemon?

[ayeshasadique]

LENTIL SOUP

olive oil - 1 tbsp
onions - 2, large, chopped
green chilli - 1, finely chopped
water
split lentils - 1 cup (toor/ fava,etc)
salt
powder the following:
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
coriander seeds - 1 tsp
black pepper - 1/2 to 1 tsp
Pinch of saffron
lemon juice - as needed
cooked white rice for garnish - 2 tbsp

1. Heat oil and fry onions and chilli.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except lemon juice, and bring to boil. Cover and cook till done. allow to cool.
3.puree; then reheat.
Stir in lemon juice; and serve piping hot with rice.

[ayeshasadique]

dear red pepper
the shawarma was on regular pizza base with the tomato sauce spread, topped with the usual shawarma ingredients, plus it had creamed cheese (they call it labneh ) and some pickled gherkins...

we get mulakhiya here...iam not sure of its english term, i will find out n let u know...it looks like the "pulichha keerai", but without that much pulippu...i will find out the english term, anyways :)


u can use fresh grated lemon rind, instead of the dried lemon.

[ayeshasadique]

red pepper, the other names for mulakhiya leaves....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molokhiya

[ayeshasadique]

SAYYADIEH


Boneless fish - 200 g
marinate in 2 tsp cumin powder, salt and pepper.

heat olive oil and fry the fish. in the smae oil fry, onion slices till brown and crisp. fry pinenuts.

rice - 1 cup (cooked in fish stock)

fry this rice in the same oil and arrange on a platter. sprinkle pinenuts and set the fish on top. serve.

[shkl]

Hi Ayesha, do you know kebbe recipe? I love it so much!

[Alan]

Ayesha,

The 'felafel' that I've eaten in an Arabic Restaurant here , was a fried ball sandwiched between 2 long breads(hotdog breads) along with fried brinjals and some green leaves-

Could u give me the recipe for this?

[Alan]

AYESHA, where are you?

[chevy]

Ayesha,

The 'felafel' that I've eaten in an Arabic Restaurant here , was a fried ball sandwiched between 2 long breads(hotdog breads) along with fried brinjals and some green leaves-

Could u give me the recipe for this? hey .. i lived in the middle east throughtout my childhood ..and felafel and "shawarma" are famous arabic stuff.. but i am a veggie so don't eat shawarma .. and yeah felafel's okay ..


arabic bread .. - kuboos . ( or khubbs ..) . is also nice .. wen u r lazy n don t wanna roll out chapatis .. it's comes handy .. ofcourse .. anyday .. i d prefer our indian roti to the dry arabic bread .. but . . u need to taste the good ones ... from traditional arabic ovens ....

[Alan]

I've had Quboos- its soft & oil free and filling!

[chevy]

yeah .? i dunno wer u get good kuboos .. in india ? in chennai ? ..

but there it was very cheap.. .

[Alan]

There is an Arabic Restaurant in New Delhi, where I stay. Its called 'Al Ameen'.

[ayeshasadique]

hi folks...got busy...mom was here for 2 months...
i have given the recipe for felafel earlier...
if sandwiched between loaves, obviously, it was a felafel sandwich...the fried balls are called felafels..made from chick peas..

[ayeshasadique]

[tscii:8b18c6c79d]FALAFEL


250 gms, chick peas, cooked
1 onion, very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 slice of white bread, soaked in a little water
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. cumin powder
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt, to taste
oil for frying


1. grind the chick peas to a purée, without water.

2. Squeeze out the bread and add to the chick peas together with the rest of the ingredients. Knead well for a few minutes.

3. Let the mixture rest for 1-2 hours, then form falafel balls.

4. Heat oil and fry the balls, a few at a time, until nicely brown all over..

5. Drain and serve hot .
[/tscii:8b18c6c79d]

[bulb_mani]

Chicken Shawarma IS Good. But In general their cullinary is bad. I was staying at the youth hostel in Qatar for a week last month... the food was horrible... the BIRYANI is too bad... nothing like indian spices :wink:

But in bits n pieces some dishes were good... i dontknow what it is... SALMON fish made using something was good.

But arab dishes make u fat and be careful... its not all that healthy either as most of arabs are obese :?

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=14663

Though the reason written in that article is crap to me... food is major contributor. High Carb High Fat Dishes... :?

[Alan]

Ayesha, I did see the falafel recipe but..........I'm talking about the rest of the filling- it had fried brinjals, curd, and some leaves!

[bulb_mani]

http://www.arab.net/cuisine/

http://www.arab.de/arab/Arts_Entertainment/Cooking/

[ayeshasadique]

Alan,
iam not sure what exactly u had, lets try to find out...
1. if the leaves, were not lettuce then may be they were rocket leaves..(arugula)
2. the curd, must be labneh (mostly, goat cheese but also made from cows milk)
3. and fried brinjals..

i hope this helps.. :)

[ayeshasadique]

dear bulb mani
traditional arab food is really healthy.....it is the fast foods that has made, almost everyone obese, not just the arabs...:)

[ayeshasadique]

dear shkl,
the Kibbeh/ kubbah recipe you asked for...

1/2 cup - burghul, soaked and drained well
1 cup - minced meat
1 onion chopped
salt and pepper
grind the above coarsely. keep aside.

filling:
olive oil - 1 tbsp
onion chopped - 1
1 cup minced meat
salt, pepper, cumin, allspice - as needed

saute all the above till done.

take rounds of burghul dough, fill in and shape into pointy egg shaped kibbehs. deep fry till golden brown. serve.

to make it a little indianised, you can add chilli powder, garam masala, etc to the filling....

[Alan]

What is burghul?

[ayeshasadique]

Cracked/ broken wheat is called Burghul..

[Alan]

oh, i c. thanks ayesha!

[ayeshasadique]

SHISH TAWOOK

chicken breasts - 4 , cut into strips(pan fry) or cut into cubes(skewered and barbequed)
yogurt - 2 tbsp
lemon juice - 2 tbsp
tomato puree - 2 tbsp
onion paste - 2 tbsp
garlic paste - 1 tsp
chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
olive oil - 2 tbsp
salt and pepper
cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

1. marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
2. pan fry or skewer and grill till done
3. serve with garlic dip.

garlic dip:
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

blend till smooth and fluffy

[Alan]

FALAFEL WITH FAVA BEANS


1 cup fava beans ,soaked overnight
3/4 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
oil, for frying
Tahini Sauce



1. Drain and rinse the favas and chickpeas and put them in a food processor and grind.

2. Add the onion, parsley, coriander leaves, garlic, salt, cumin and chilli . Pulse, to form a coarse paste.

3. In a pan, heat oil. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the falafel mixture into the hot oil and fry in small batches until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes.

4. Drain on paper towels set over a wire rack and serve hot, with Tahini Sauce.


Ayesha, what are fava beans and Tahini Sauce? Are these available in India?

[ayeshasadique]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fava_bean

[ayeshasadique]

tahini is sesame paste

tahini sauce
1/2 cup sesame paste + 2 tbsp lemon juice+ 2 cloves garlic+ salt. blend well.
add water if needed.
drizzle olive oil before serving.

[dsath]

tahini is sesame paste


Its an excellent non-diary source for calcium.

[ayeshasadique]

yes, it also has iron, zinc, vitamin B1, etc :)

[ayeshasadique]

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=84

[Alan]

Ayesha, do u have the recipe for the arabic bread, quboos?

[ayeshasadique]

living in UAE, I get ready- made khubz, so , never tried making them at home.....

anyways..heres a very simple recipe...

plain flour - 3 cups (or u can use a combination of plain flour and atta)

dry yeast granules - 1 tsp
warm water - 1 1/2 to 2 cups
sugar - 1 tsp
salt as needed
oil - 1 tbsp

1. dissolve yeast in warm water and add sugar . let it ferment for 15 minutes.
2. sift flour with salt and then add the yeast dissolved water. knead to make a smooth dough by adding a tbsp or more of oil at the end. let it rest, covered , for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3. now knead again and make small balls, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
4. preheat oven to 400 degree F .
5. make flat khubz using a rolling pin and place them in greased baking trays (1 or 2 at a time depending on the size)
5. bake for 10 to 12 minutes turning when brown on one side.
6. after baking, cover them with a cotton cloth/ towel to keep them warm and soft.

[ayeshasadique]

Alan, didnt u try out any recipe? :)

[ayeshasadique]

WARAK EINAB
stuffed vine leaves

grape leaves - 1 jar
soak the leaves in water to remove saltiness; remove stalks and keep aside.

mix together the following:

onions - 2, finely chopped
tomato - 2, deseeded and chopped
carrot - 1, grated
cooked rice - 2 cups
fresh coriander - 1 tbsp, chopped
parsley - 2 tbsp, chopped
salt
pepper
lemon juice
oil - 1 tbsp
minced meat - 1 cup (vegetarians, please avoid this , obviously!)
put in the fridge until needed

1. take a leaf, place very little mixture; fold the edges and roll loosely.
2. when all the leaves are stuffed, place in a deep pan, one on top of another and place a weight (like a ceramic plate) on top of the leaves.
3. pour water and a little salt and oil into the pan directly and place on heat.
4. simmer covered for about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. remove and serve.

[ayeshasadique]

EGUSI SOUP (Algerian)

egusi seeds - 1/2 cup
(egusi is a type of melon seed; pumpkin seeds or pine seeds can be used in place of egusi)

meat cubes - 500gms
peanut oil - 5 tbsp

tomatoes - 2 large, chopped
onion - 1, chopped
2 or more habanero peppers (green chillis can be used as needed)

tomato paste - 3 tbsp
fresh shrimps - 1/2 cup, cleaned
fresh spinach - 1 bunch, chopped
salt to taste

1. powder the egusi/pumpkin/pine seeds.
2. heat oil and fry the meat with a tsp of salt, till well browned.
3. grind tomatoes, onions, and pepper/chilli.
4. add tomato mixture to meat and cook till meat is done(add water as necessary).
5. add tomato paste, and shrimp and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add spinach and ground pumpkin seeds and cook till spinach is cooked.

[ayeshasadique]

MUSAKHKHAN (Palestinian)

chicken - 1, cut into pieces, sprinkled with salt and pepper
olive oil - 1/2 cup
onions - 4 cups , sliced
sumac - 3 tbsp
cardamom powder - 1/2 tbsp
pine nuts - 1 cup, roasted
khubz (arabic bread pieces)

1. heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and add 1 cup of onion and fry till translucent. add the chicken pieces and cardamom powder. season with salt and pepper. add water and cook till chicken is done.
2. heat the rest of the (1/4 cup) oil, and add the remaining onions; fry till very lightly brown. add sumac and remove.
3. line a greased baking tray with the bread pieces. spread half the onion-sumac mixture; then add the chicken; again cover with the remaining onion- sumac mixture.
4. cover with an aluminium foil and bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
5. when serving, sprinkle with roasted pinenuts.