Michoteta (Egyptian Cucumber and Feta Salad)

Here's a perfect little salad for when the weather's warm and you don't have much time on your hands.It can be put together in under 15 minutes.Feel free to substitute low-fat feta for the regular, it tastes just as good.

Yield:6 Servings
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion, peeled, finely chopped
1 large cucumber, finely diced
1 Tbsp. fresh mint finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
dash pepper

1. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together until evenly combined.Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately or chill in refrigerator till ready to serve.

Baked Egyptian-Style Felafel

Some Egyptian friends of mine asked me if felafel is as popular in the U.S. as it is in Egypt.I usually like to joke with them by saying that the only felafels that I have ever come across are from a box.The kind where you just add water to a prepared felafel spice mix and then fry.But, I don't think anything would upset them more than to learn that my method for preparing them involves baking them as opposed to frying.
The following recipe takes about the same amount of time to prepare as the frying version but minus the calories and fat.Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Yield:18 felafel balls

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1-14 oz. canned fava or lima beans, rinsed well and drained

2-14oz. canned low-sodium chick peas (garbanzos), rinsed well and drained

6 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. whole coriander seedsfinely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 c chickpea or regular flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a large baking dish with the olive oil. Set aside.

2.Combine all the ingredients together except the sesame seeds in a food processor or blender.Process until well combined.

3.Form the felafel mix into 2 Tbsp. sized balls or patties.

4.Place the sesame seeds on a dish.Roll the felafel balls or patties into the sesame seeds fully coating them.

5.Place the felafels in the oiled baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.Serve with sliced tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and spreadable feta.

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.

Melokhia bi Dajaj (Chicken with Melokhia)

Melokhia is as I can best describe it one of those things where the history behind it is more interesting than the dish itself.Melokhia is a green leafy vegetable that belongs to the same family as the jute plant.It resembles spinach but when cooked acquires the texture of okra.Melokhia is one of those things were either you like it or hate it.There is no in between.Melokhia is derived from the Arabic word for "royal" because dishes made with this vegetable were greatly enjoyed by royalty especially the 7th century Umayyad caliph, Mu'awiyya. Unfortunatly, the 10th century Fatimid Caliph of Egypt, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah didn't quite agree.Al-Hakim believed that its consumption led to a life of debauchery and banned its cultivation and consumption.

Today melokhia is enjoyed throughout Egypt and in Lebanon and Jordan.Traditionally it is made into a soup by the same name or is used as a sauce for chicken and rice dish.

Yield:6 Servings
Ingredients:
4 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, chopped into pieces
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled, chopped
6 cardamom pods, optional
salt and pepper
2 or 3 - 14oz. melokhia, frozen, chopped

For the garlic sauce(takleya):
15 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground red chili pepper
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Basmati rice, to serve
Arab flat bread, to serve, optional

1.Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces and cook in a medium -high heat for 5-7 minutes.Add the onions, cardamom pods, if using, and salt and pepper.Cook for 10-12 minutes more, stirring regularly.Add the melokhia and cook for another 10 minutes, till melokhia is cooked.Remove from heat and set aside.Keep warm.
2.To make the garlic sauce, heat the vegetable oil .Add the garlic, coriander, and ground chili.Stir.Cook sauce for about 8 minutes till it becomes fragrant.Remove from heat and add to chicken and stir.
3.Serve immediately with rice or serve layered with Arab bread on a dish topped by rice then followed with melokhia chicken/garlic sauce mixture.

Melokhia (Traditional Egyptian Melokhia Soup)

I was talking with my boyfriend the other night who happens to work in Saudi Arabia and asked him what he was having for lunch.Chicken sandwich with corchorus.Corchorus??He seemed surprised that I did not know what this was.At first I thought he meant cornichons(a kind of pickle)and had misspelled the word but no, he said it looks like spinach.So after much searching, I realized he was talking about a green, leafy vegetable known as melokhia.

Melokhia (corchorus olitoris) is a green,leafy vegetable that is popular in Egypt and countries of the Levant.It is known by several names and spellings such as Jews mallow, mlookheeyeh,mlukhiyya,mulukhiyya,melokheya and of course corchorus.Melokhia is also the name of the national dish of Egypt, a soup that is extremely popular today as was during pharoanic times.Melokhia is also used as a sauce spooned over rice and chicken.

Melokhia is an acquired taste.It tastes like bitter spinach or sorrel when cooked and develops a mucilaginous and viscous texture, like okra. Melokhia requires short cooking time.Because of its mucilaginous texture, the leaves will remain "suspended" in the stock, once they sink to the bottom of the pot, it is overcooked.Melokhia is normally sold fresh in the Middle East but elsewhere is available dried,frozen, or canned from Middle Eastern grocers.


Yield:4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
1 lb.fresh or frozen melokhia
5 c vegetable or chicken stock
1-2 garlic cloves,crushed
1 Tbsp ghee or olive oil
1-2 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. red pepper,ground
salt and ground black pepper

1. If using fresh melokhia,cut into small pieces and rinse with cold water and set aside. If using frozen, thaw melokhia in cool water,remove and set aside.
2.In a large saucepan, heat the stock and bring to a boil.Stir in the melokhia and simmer for 25 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, in a small pan heat the ghee and add the crushed garlic and fry till slightly brown.Stir in the coriander and red peeper and mix to form a paste.
4.Add the coriander-red pepper paste to the soup and simmer for a while longer (5 minutes).Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

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.

Kabees Left (Pickled Turnips)

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of pickled foods but since they are an important staple of the Middle Eastern kitchen, I decided no discussion of Middle Eastern/Arabic cuisine would be complete without them.Pickling foods is one of the oldest methods of food preparation.It was introduced to the Arabs by the early Romans, Greeks, and Persians and considering the time period and location was the perfect solution for preserving foods for consumption at a later date.

All manner of fruits and vegetables can be pickled in the Middle East and to a lesser extent meat and fish.Some of the most popular are turnips,peppers, onions, olives, lemons, cabbage,cauliflower, and eggplants.Today, there is no longer a necessity to pickle foods at home because they are available from street vendors and neighborhood grocers throughout the Middle East but the practice still remains.

Pickled vegetables are usually served as part of a mezze or to accompany main dishes.They are fairly easy to prepare but require some time to be ready(a minimum of two weeks).The following recipe ,Kabees Left is one of the most popular Arab pickled vegetables. This recipe is from Claudia Roden's,The new book of Middle Eastern Food and takes just 6 days to be ready.

Yield:2 quarts
Ingredients:
2 lbs. small white turnips
1 raw or 2 cooked beets, peeled and cut into slices
3 3/4 c water
3 Tbsp. salt
3-4 Tbsp. red or white wine vinegar

1. Peel the turnips and cut them in half or quarters.Pack the pieces in a clean 2-quart jar interspersed with slices of beets.
2.Boil the water with the salt and vinegar, and let it cool a little before pouring over the turnips and closing the jar.
3.Store in a warm place or at room temperature for 6 days, until mellowed, then keep in the refrigerator.

Samak Tarator (Fish with Pine Nut Sauce)

Tarator is a sharp, garlicky pine nut sauce that is popular in Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt.It is usually served with grilled fish and seafood but can also serve as a dip or as a dressing for cooked vegetables.

For the Tarator Sauce:

Yield:1/2 c

Ingredients:

1 c pine nuts

1 slice stale bread, crust removed, soaked in water, then water squeezed out

juice of 1 lemon

1-2 garlic cloves

salt and pepper

1/2 c vegetable oil or olive oil

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until it has a mayonnaise-like consistency.

For the Fish:

Yield:6 Servings

Ingredients:

6 fish fillets (red snapper, swordfish,cod, halibut,or sole)

olive oil, for brushing

salt and pepper

1. Prepare a grill.Brush the fish with olive oil on both sides and drizzle with salt and pepper.

2.Grill fish on both sides till it begins to flake easily.Place on a serving dish and pour the tarator sauce on top or serve on the side.

Karkady (Egyptian Iced Hibiscus Drink)

Photo courtesy of homemade-recipes.blogspot.com

Karkady(Karkade) is an iced hibiscus drink that is very popular throughout Egypt.It is characterized by a beautiful ruby-red color and a tart,citrus cranberry-like flavor. Karkady is also enjoyed hot during the winter months.Hibiscus is high in Vitamin C and the Egyptians believe that consuming it is very beneficial to one's health.

Yeild:4 servings

Ingredients:

1c hibiscus petals

5c water

sugar, to serve

1.Put the hibiscus in a pan with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

2.Strain infusion into a serving pither and chill in refrigerator.Discard hibiscus petals.

3.Serve chilled with sugar on the side.

Koshary (Egyptian Lentil, Pasta, Rice Dish)

Koshary comes from the Hindi kishri meaning an "unlikely mixture".It is a popular traditional Egyptian dish consisting of a layer of rice, brown lentils, chickpeas, elbow pasta toppped with garlic, vinegar and spicy hot sauce garnished with caramelized onions.It is a very poopular and inexpensive dish consumed throughout Egypt at any time of day.It is sold by street vendors and restaurants that sell koshary only.

6 Servings

Ingredients:

2 c white rice, cooked

1 lb. elbow macaroni pasta, cooked

2 c brown lentils, cooked

2 c chickpeas, cooked

For the Salsa:

2 onions, sliced thinly

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

4 Tbsp. white vinegar

2c tomatoe puree

1 tsp. cumin

pinch of salt

pinch of cumin

pinch of black pepper

For the caramelized onions:

3 onions, roughly chopped

2 c vegetable oil

For the garlic & vinegar Sauce:

1 Tbsp. garlic, crushed

pinch of salt

4 Tbsp. white vinegar

1/2 c water

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. cumin

For the hot Sauce:

1 tsp. garlic, crushed

pinch of salt

1/2 c vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. chili flakes

1 chili pepper, finely chopped

1. Cook the rice, pasta, lentils , and chickpeas according to instructions on package. Set aside individually.



2. For the salsa, add the chopped onions to the hot oil and saute until golden, stirring frequently. Add the vinegar and continue cooking for another minute. Add the tomatoe puree, cumin, salt, and black pepper.Cook until the tomatoe sauce thickens.Then set aside and keep warm.



3. For the caramelized onions.Heat the oil on a pan and add the onions and saute , stirring frequently until golden brown and crispy.Set aside on a paper towel to drain.Keep warm.



4. For the garlic and vinegar sauce, add vinegar, water, lemon juice,and cumin to garlic and mix well.Set aside.



5. For the hot sauce, mix garlic with salt, set aside.Heat vegetable oil and add chili flakes and stir.Add chili pepper and garlic mixture and stir till well combined.Remove from heat and set aside.



6. In a large dish, layer the rice, pasta,lentils, chickpeas, salsa, and caramelized onions on top of eachother.Serve with the garlic/vinegar and hot sauce on the side.

Raw Felafel Patties

Felafels aka Ta'amia in Egypt are spicy meatballs or patties made with either fava beans or chickpeas.They are popular all over the Middle East particularly in Egypt,Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan where they are eaten any time of day.For breakfast, they are usually eaten with yogurt .For lunch, they can be drizzled with tahina and served with chopped vegetables wrapped in pita bread.Another variation is to serve them with either hummus or baba ghanoush.

I love felafels but unfortunately do not like the fact that they are fried and it seems every recipe I have come across involves this method of preparation.So, I've been intrigued by this recipe I came across.It contains neither chickpeas nor fava beans.Its a raw food recipe in that it requires no cooking and involves soaking.You would need a dehydrator but instead I just set my oven at the lowest temperature with the door slightly ajar.I tweaked it a little bit and finally got around to preparing it this week.

After making these raw felafels, I was surprised by how similar in taste and texture they are to the real ones.If you are looking for a healthier alternative to regular felafels, this recipe is the answer.

6 Servings

Ingredients:

3/4 c almonds, soaked overnight, then rinsed

3/4 c pecans, soaked overnight, then rinsed

3/4 c cashews, soaked overnight, then rinsed

1/2 c sesame seeds

1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp.pepper

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/4 c water

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree.



2. Shape puree into equal size patties.



3. If using dehydrator, dehydrate patties for 8 hours until crispy.If using oven method, heat patties at the lowest setting on your oven for 3 hours, turning patties over every hour until crispy.



4. Serve wth pita bread drizzled with tahina dressing.

Samak Kamounieh (Baked Fish with Cumin)

I was told this recipe comes from Egypt. It is simple, easy to prepare , and doesn't require any special ingredients as you probably have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Samak Kamounieh is traditionally served with plain basmati rice and vegetables as a side dish.

Serves:4-6

Ingredients:

4Tbsp. olive oil

3 onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp. cumin

2Tbsp.tomatoe paste

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/4 c water

2 lb. cod or other firm white fish fillets

3 tomatoes, thinly sliced

1. Heat half the oil in a pan then add the onions, garlic, and cumin.Saute until brown.



2. Stir in the tomatoe puree,half the salt,pepper,and water and cook until most of the water has evaporated and the mixture has thickened.



3. Place fish in a greased ovenproof dish.



4. Sprinkle the remaining salt and tomato/cumin sauce over fish.



5. Arrange the tomatoe slices over the top of the fish and sprinkle with remaining oil.



6. Cover fish with foil and bake at 350F for 20 minutes.Check liquid if too dry add a little more.



7. Remove foil cover and cook for 20 minutes more.