Mamounia (Semolina Pudding)

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
3 c water
1/2 c superfine sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/2 c semolina
1 Tbsp. rose water
1 Tbsp. orange blossom water
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds, to garnish

1. To make the sugar syrup, place the water and sugar in a saucepan , stirring continuously till the sugar dissolves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.Remove from heat and set aside.
2.In a separate pan, melt the butter, then add the semolina, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until all the butter is absorbed. Slowly stir in the sugar syrup and continue stirring until the mixture has thickened.
3.Remove mamounia from heat and add the rose and orange blossom water. Stir to evenly combine.
4. Pour mamounia into 4 serving dishes and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and slivered almonds.

Za'faran wa hail ka'ak (Saffron & Cardamom Cake)

The idea for this cake recipe was inspired by the spice souks of the Middle East.This cake is perfect for Ramadan and any other festive occasion or is the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea.The combination of saffron, turmeric and cardamom blend perfectly together to create a cake that is both light and aromatic.

Yield:6 Servings
Ingredients:
pinch of saffron threads
6 dates,pitted, chopped
5 eggs
5 oz. sugar
1 tsp. cardamom, ground
pinch of turmeric
5 oz. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
butter or oil for greasing
flour for dusting
handful of almonds, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Soak the saffron strands in 2 Tbsp. of hot water for 1 hour, then set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar till well combined, about 10 minutes.Add the cardamom and turmeric.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder together.Then sift into the egg/sugar bowl slowly while mixing.
4. After the flour and baking powder have been folded into the egg/sugar, add the saffron water and vegetable oil and mix.
5.Grease a small cake pan with butter or vegetable oil.Dust with a little of the flour.
6.Pour half the cake mixture into the pan. Add the chopped dates , then cover with the remaining cake mixture.Top with the sliced almonds.
7. Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes.

Arab Ice Cream in a Box

One of the delights of living in the Middle East is the unusual range of food products one comes across. I came across this package for instant ice cream in the supermarket around the corner from where I live.It claims "Ice Cream in 5 Minutes" and comes in chocolate, vanilla, and chocolate flavors.Of course, it's claims are a little deceptive as the preparation takes 5 minutes but, the actual ice cream isn't ready for another 2-3 hours depending on how cold your freezer is.

So, I followed the 3 step instructions:

1. Pour 1 glass of cold milk with the chocolate powder into a bowl.

2.Mix milk and chocolate powder by hand until completely combined, for 5 minutes.

3. Put mixture in freezer for few hours until frozen.

The Result?

Sorry I don't have a pic but ice cream looks and tastes just as good as the one bought already made from the store.Only thing they forgot to mention in the package is that it needs to be stirred about every half hour to hour to break up the ice crystals.

Buza al-Halib (Sahlab Ice Cream)

When one thinks of Middle Eastern desserts, ice cream is not the first thing that comes to mind. Buza al-halib (Sahlab ice cream) aka buza bi mistiki (mastic ice cream) is just one of many iced desserts available throughout this region.Buza al-halib is a snowy white ice cream that is thickened with sahlab,powdered orchid root and flavored with mastic, not to be confused with gum arabic,a resin taken from the lentisk tree which is native to the Mediterranean.


Mastic gives this ice cream a consistency that is smooth, elastic, while at the same time chewy.Mastic is usually available from middle eastern grocers or you can try My Amazon Store.It looks like small, hard translucent crystal-like lumps that must be ground to a fine powder before using.Here's a recipe for authentic arab ice cream,buza al-halib, if you cannot find mastic , don't worry about it,the ice cream tastes just as good without it.



Yield:6-8 Servings
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. sahlab
5 c whole milk
1 c sugar
small piece of mastic, size of half a fingernail, pounded till powdered (optional)
1 tbsp. rose water
chopped pistachios,for garnish (optional)



1. In a small bowl, mix the sahlab with a little milk to create a loose paste.Put the remainder of the milk with the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly till the sugar dissolves.

2. Reduce the heat. Add the sahlab/milk mixture to thee warmed milk, stirring vigorously.Add the mastic and continue stirring vigorously until it has dissolved.

3. Simmer milk for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add the rose water. Remove saucepan from heat.

4. Pour milk mixture into a ceramic bowl and allow it to cool before freezing. Freeze for 4 1/2 -5hours,stirring every 30 minutes to break up the ice crystals.*

5.When ready to serve, spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped pistachios, if desired.

*Pour ice cream mixture into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

Halva Kharrub (Carob Halvah)

Most of the halvah available in Middle Eastern markets is either hard, brittle, frozen and lacking any taste.Traditional middle eastern halvah should be light and soft.The following recipe uses carob, a pod that is used primarily in Middle Eastern cooking.This carob halvah can be put together in a few minutes and can be ready to eat immediately and is the perfect dessert for when company shows up unexpectedly.


Yield:6 small servings
Ingredients:
1 c raw sesame seeds
1 tbsp. raw carob powder
dash of ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1/4 c raw honey
2 tbsp. raw tahini
1 tsp. vanilla extract


1. Put sesame seeds in a food processor and process for 60-90 seconds.Put sesame seeds in a large bowl.

2. Add the carob powder, cinnamon, and the salt to the sesame seeds and blend together.

3. Add the honey, tahini, and vanilla extract to the sesame seeds mix and blend together to form a stiff dough and shape.

4. Store halvah in the fridge prior to serving.Will keep in a sealed container for 3 weeks.Bring to room temperature before serving.

Ranginak (Persian Date Fudge Cake)

A popular Persian dessert that hails from Southern Iran,ranginak is an easy, no-bake stuffed dates set in a fudge-like mixture garnished with ground walnuts and pistachios.

*Pic coming soon

Yield:12-16 pieces
Ingredients:
3/4 c walnuts, halved
2 2/3 c dates, pitted
1 c butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 c all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. almonds, ground
1 Tbsp. pistachios, ground

1. Place half a walnut inside each date.Lightly grease a shallow baking dish and place the dates in it, making sure they are tightly packed.
2.Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan and stir in the flour.Cook it until it turns a caramel-like color.
3.Pour caramel/fudge mixture over dates and let it set.In a small bowl, combine ground almonds and ground pistachios and mix.Sprinkle ground pistachios and almonds over dates.
4. Cut Ranginak into squares and serve with tea or coffee.

Bouza al Karaz (Cherry & Goat's Milk Ice Cream)

Goat's milk is so under appreciated.Try searching for recipes online and in cookbooks and they are hard to come by, which is a shame since it has a slightly sweet, full creamy taste not "goaty" like commonly believed.Plus, goat's milk is the perfect alternative for those individuals that are lactose intolerant.Here's a recipe for ice cream I developed using goat's milk.You can usually find it in Middle Eastern or Armenian grocers if not you can try My Amazon Store

Yield:2 qts.
Ingredients:
1/2 c honey
3 eggs
6 c goats' milk
1/2 tsp. rose water essence
2 c cherries, pit removed, pureed in blender or food processor

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the honey, eggs and 2 cups of the goat milk and beat with an electric mixer until well-blended and smooth.
2. Pour honey-egg mixture in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens (5-8 minutes).Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
3.When completely cool, pour mixture into a ceramic bowl,add remaining ingredients, stir, and chill thoroughly in a freezer.*Every hour mix to break apart ice crystals.Ice cream will be ready in 4 1/2-5 hours.

*Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

Ataif (Arab Pancakes)

Ataif alternately spelled qatayif are small yeast pancakes that are dipped in orange-blossom syrup and served with clotted cream(eishta) and garnished with chopped pistachios. They can also alternately be stuffed with nuts and unsalted white cheese and dipped in syrup.Ataif (qatayif) are traditionally eaten during Eid al-Fitr ,the breaking of the fast that marks the end of Ramadan and they also make an appearance at festivals and weddings.Ataif(qatayif) are very easy to make but most people usually buy them already prepared from bakeries and then take them home to prepare them according to thier preference.
Below is the recipe for ataif (qatayif).The recipe is fairly easy to make but keep in mind that unlike American pancake batter, the pancake batter for these Arab pancakes need to rest for 2 hours.


Yield:16 pancakes
Ingredients:
For the pancake:
1 packet (1tsp.)active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/4c lukewarm water
2 c all-purpose flour
sunflower oil

For the syrup:
2 c sugar
1 1/4c water
juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 Tbsp. orange-blossom water or rosewater

To serve:
2-3 handfuls of pistachios, chopped
clotted cream

1. Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl with 1/4c of lukewarm water and leave till it begins to froth(about 5-6 minutes).
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the remaining water and beat till you have a smooth batter.Add more water , if necessary.Cover the bowl with a dishtowel and leave to rest for about two hours in a warm place.
3. When the batter is ready(by this time you will see air bubbles have formed in the batter),oil a large pan with the sunflower oil and heat pan.Slowly add about 1/4c of the batter to the pan and wait for it to bubble on one side.Then flip it over to the other side till batter is firmed up.
4. Place pancake on warmed serving platter.Repeat this process till batter is finished.
5.For the syrup, Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.Stir in the lemon juice and simmer for 15 minutes.Add the orange-blossom water or rosewater, if using and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Remove syrup from heat and allow to cool then chill in the refrigerator.
7.When ready to serve, arrange pancakes on a platter with a dollop of clotted cream and drizzle with chopped pistachios.

Tamr bi Loz (Stuffed Dates)

Craving a chocolate truffle??Why don't you try this easy and healthy date snack recipe. A popular way of eating dates throughout the middle east, their pit is removed and stuffed with either pistachio or an almond.Just as delicious as that chocolate you've been craving.

Yield:50 pcs.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c whole almonds or shelled pistachios, unsalted

1 lb. dates, pitted

2-3 Tbsp. rose water or orange blossom water, for sprinkling

1. Slit a small cut down the date but leave the ends intact.Insert a pistachio or almond or you can mix and match and put on a serving platter.

2.Sprinkle rosewater or orange blossom water over them and enjoy.

Salata Naranj bi Fistuk Halibi(Orange Salad with Pistachios)

I've been wanting to try this recipe for days unfortunately the weather here has not been in my favor.It would be nice if you can use Jaffa oranges ( also known as shamouti or khalili in the Middle East) but if they are not available just use any you have on hand.This recipe is perfect as a simple, light dessert after a heavy meal and requires minimal preparation.

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
4 large Jaffa oranges or other kind of orange
1 1/2 Tbsp. rose water
1/4 c shelled pistachios
2 tbsp. whole mint leaves, for garnish
1/4 c fresh raspberries, for garnish (optional)

1. Using a paring knife, slice of the top and bottom of the oranges, then peel.Then slice each orange into equal slices (about 1/4"thick).
2. Place the orange slices on a nice serving platter and drizzle rosewater over them.Scatter the pistachios and raspberries(if using) over the orange slices ,then garnish with the mint leaves.Serve immediately.

Pomegranate Sorbet

A member of the berry family and long considered a symbol of fertility and abundance in many cultures, a few years ago pomegranates were virtually unknown.But with all the interest in anti-aging, superfoods, and exotic ingredients, they have become a common addition to many food products.There are two kinds of pomegranates available.There is the "sour"kind that is used in many middle eastern products like pomegranate syrup to add a souring element to foods.Then there is the "sweet"or "eating" kind which is the one that is most readily available in the produce section.

Pomegranates mature in the fall which is about the time that you start seeing them in stores.They are extremely rich in antioxidants especially Vitamin C, pantothenic acid,and potassium.A lot of cultures believe that they help cool and cleanse the system and as such are eaten in a variety of ways throughout the world, particularly the Middle East.Pomegranates are eaten just as-is or they are used in salads,rice dishes, stews, stuffings,or in desserts.Below is a simple ice cream recipe using the juice from this extremely versatile fruit.Hope you enjoy it.

Yeild:1quart

Ingredients:

3 c pomegranate juice

1/2 c sugar

2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses

2 tsp.fresh lemon juice

1. Put all ingredients into a large saucepan, set over medium heat, and warm, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and refrigerate till very cold (takes maybe about an hour).
3. Transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.
4. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the freezer.