Fattoush (Middle Eastern Bread Salad)

Photo courtesy of Islamic Iftar

Yield:6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Arab (pita ) bread , cut into small pieces

1 medium head of lettuce, shredded

3 medium tomatoes, cut into small cubes

3 cucumbers, cut into small cubes

1 1/2 green onions, thinly sliced

handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Dressing:

5 Tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp. ground sumac

salt & pepper, to taste

1. To make the salad, place all the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl and toss till evenly

combined.

2. For the dressing, place all the ingredients together in a blender and blend for 1 minute.Adjust

seasonings if necessary.

3. Add the salad dressing to the salad, toss again just before serving.

Shanklish (Syrian Mezze Salad)

Photo courtesy of SyrianFoodie

Shanklish is an aromatic, zaatar-coated cheese from Tartous, a port Northwest of Damascus.It is traditionally made at home from either cow, sheep or goat's milk. Shanklish is usually eaten as part of a mezze dish where it is usually served crumbled in a salad of finely chopped tomatoes, onions and olive oil.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. shanklish, crumbled

1 medium red onion, peeled, finely minced

3 tomatoes, finely diced

4-5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a medium serving bowl add all the ingredients together and mix thoroughly.

2. Chill for 1/2 hour and serve.

Zaatar Pita Bites

This recipe is so easy and quick to put together that it takes just under 20 minutes to put together and be ready.Perfect for when unexpected guests arrive.

Yield:24 zaatar bites

Ingredients:
6 pita breads, cut into fourths
7 Tbsp. zaatar spice
6 Tbsp. olive oil


1. Preheat broiler.

2. Place spice and olive oil in separate bowls.Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Lightly brush olive oil on both sides of the pita pieces and dip one side of it onto the zaatar spice bowl. Set aside on the aluminum foil and repeat with the remaining pieces.

4. Place in the broiler for 3 minutes and remove.Serve immediately.

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.

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.

Simple Middle Eastern Hummus Salad (Salata Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat)

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. olive oil

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3/4 c fresh cilantro, thinly chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

2 c canned low-sodium chickpeas (garbanzos)

1/2 medium red onion, thinly chopped

1. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, red wine vinegar,cilantro, salt and pepper until evenly combined.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the chickpeas and onions.Add the dressing and toss gently till evenly coated.

3.Place chickpea salad in refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.Serve chilled.

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.

Tajin Samak (Baked Fish with Bay Leaves)

Pic courtesy of Habeeb.com

The following recipe is popular throughout the Middle East.It is preferable to use whole fish but fillets work as well.

Yield:2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

1(3-4lbs.) whole fish such as red snapper,cod, or trout,gutted, rinsed

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves,mashed

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

4-5 bay leaves, crushed

salt & pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

1.Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Make about four incisions on the top of the fish an rub the olive oil and mashed garlic allover and inside the fish.

3.Put half the bay leaves and cumin seeds inside the fish and the other half on top.Bake fish for 45-50 minutes.Serve with lemon wedges.

Qawarma (Spiced Preserved Lamb)

A good example of meat preservation in the Middle East is the Lebanese qawarma.Qawarma is highly seasoned pieces of lamb or mutton fried in melted fat from the fat-tailed Awassi sheep,then packed into earthenware ,clay sealed jars and stored in a cool dry place.Once popular in the in the rural areas of Lebanon, this ancient dish is almost but forgotten.
Used to be a very young, usually six month old sheep was force fed grain, mulberry and vine leaves during the Spring/Summer months then came early Fall was butchered in preparation for the coming months.But nowadays with modern conveniences and time constraints this ancient method of preservation has been lost.
Qawarma served a several purposes.It was mainly used to impart a meaty flavor to rice dishes when meat was unavailable.It also formed the basis for winter stews.Other uses included using it as a cooking fat and as a spread for bread. Below is a simplified, modern version recipe for qawarma.

*Note:Qawarma will keep well for 1 year and does not need refrigeration.

Yield:4-6 qts.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. beef fat or margarine,melted
5 lbs. lean lamb or mutton, cut into 1/2"cubes
5 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp.pepper

1. Place the melted beef fat or margarine in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil.Add in the lamb or mutton, if using, salt and pepper.Cook uncovered.Stir regularly to make sure the lamb does not stick to the bottom of the pot.Cook until lamb is well cooked.
2.Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3.Place the meat in clear glass jars covered with 1/2" of the fat.Seal tightly.
4.Store qawarma in a cool, dry place till ready for use.Before using, slightly warm the qawarma and discard the fat.Always return unused qawarma to cool. dry place after use.
4.

Sahlab (Middle Eastern Orchid Root Drink)

Sahlab also known as salep in Turkey and Greece is a powder made from the dried tubers of a species of orchid,Orchis mascula that grows throughout the Middle East.These dried tubers are ground to an extremely fine powder and are used to give a gelatinous texture to foods.Because this powder is so fine, silky, and odorless it is commonly used as a flavoring for drinks and ice cream.

Pure, unadulterated sahlab is very hard to find outside the Middle East.If your lucky enough to find it at a Middle Eastern grocer it can be very expensive. I have seen some boxed "instant sahlab" ,but these are an inferior product as they contain a high ratio of cornstarch to sahlab.The following recipe is for a thick, wintry drink popular during the winter months throughout the Middle East.I figure now is a good a time as any to try this recipe before the weather becomes warm.If you cannot find genuine sahlab, you can try the boxed kind(available in my Amazon store) or you may substitute (surprise), cornstarch.It gives sahlab the same creamy texture but not the flavor that makes this drink so unique.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. sahlab (can substitute 2 Tbsp. of cornstarch)

4 c whole milk

3 Tbsp. sugar or more, to taste

2 tsp. orange-blossom water or rosewater, to taste

ground cinammon, for dusting

1. In a bowl, mix sahlab or cornstarch (if using) with a few drops of cold milk.

2.In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining milk to a boil and pour in the sahlab mixture.Turn down the heat to a simmer.Stir till lumps are dissolved.Keep stirring till mixture thickens (maybe about 10 minutes).

3. Stir in the sugar and either orange-blossom water or rosewater and stir for 30 seconds.

4. Remove from heat.Pour sahlab in serving mugs and dust the top with ground cinnamon.

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.

Loubia Tripoli (Tripoli Black-Eyed Peas )

A neighbor of mine recently gave me several cans of black-eyed peas so I was wondering what to do with them.Then I remembered I had this recipe in my collection called Tripoli Black-Eyed Peas.I've had this recipe for several years but could never get around to making it so I figured now was as good a time as any.I don't know much about this recipe as I have it written down and there is no mention of it's source.I don't know if it comes from Tripoli in Libya or Tripoli in Lebanon.I'm not sure if it's even Middle Eastern as I've always associated black-eyed peas with the cuisine of the Southern USA.If anyone knows anything behind the history of this particular recipe and its origins, please let me know.

Servings:4
Ingredients:
1/2 small onion, thinly chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3c black eyed-peas(canned),drained and rinsed
1-1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 celery stalks,chopped
1/2c fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper
lemon wedges, to serve

1.In a large serving bowl, combine all the ingredients together and mix till evenly combined.
2.Serve with lemon wedges.

Alya (Sheep Tail Fat)

A staple of the Arab kitchen since 3000B.C. , alya also known as aliya or roghan-e donbeh in Farsi is the rendered fat from the tail of the Awassi sheep, an Asian breed of sheep that are commonly found in parts of Africa, the Middle East,Northern India,Mongolia, and Western China.Just like the camel, these sheep hold most of their energy reserves in their tail which can weigh upwards of up to 25+lbs. and are able to survive in hot, arid climates.

Alya is hardly used anymore except in rural areas because of the widespread availability of other more convenient cooking fats and oils but it was used extensively in Medieval Arab recipes.Most Medieval Arab cookbooks refer to it's method of employment as "melt tail" or "fry in tail".Nowadays,certain rural areas of Lebanon and Syria have been known to use it where it is a common ingredient in the Lebanese dish qawarma, pieces of meat that are fried in alya , then preserved for later consumption.

Labna bi Zayt (Yogurt Balls Marinated in Olive Oil)

Labna (alternately spelled labneh,labne,and laban) has been a basic food of the Middle East for centuries.It usually accompanies or is an ingredient in many Middle Eastern dishes.Labna bi Zayt is the result of yogurt that has been drained until it is quite firm and dry and is manually shaped into small balls and marinated in oil.Labna bi Zayt can be enjoyed as part of a mezze or as a popular snack called arus "the bride", which is a warm pita bread with labna and sprinkled with zaatar.

Labna bi Zayt is easy to make but is very time consuming and once I show you the recipe you'll see why.If you prefer, you can purchase it at any well-stocked Middle Eastern grocer or as I did this past weekend at an Armenian market.Mine was imported from Syria.Below is a 2 part recipe for Labna bi Zayt.



Recipe for Labna(Yogurt)
Ingredients:
5 c whole milk
1 Tbsp. plain yogurt(starter)



1.Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan. Then, as the froth rises, turn off the heat, then allow to cool where it is slightly warm.

2.Put the plain yougurt (starter) in a small bowl and stir 2-3 Tbsp. of the warm milk into it. Beat this mixture into evely combined and then pour back into the milk in saucepan.

3. Stir the milk for about 1/2 a minute then pour it into a bowl and cover with a paper towel.

4. Put bowl in a warm place and leave overnight (8+ hours) to rest.

5.After the 8+ hours, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and it's ready to eat or be used for another recipe.





Recipe for Labna bi Zayt (Yogurt balls Marinated in Olive Oil)
Yeild:Varies
Ingredients:
4 c full-fat plain yogurt
1 tsp. salt
extra-virgin olive oil
2 Muslin bags
large glass jar

1. Mix the yogurt with salt and stir to remove any visible lumps.
2. Put the 2 muslin bags together and scoop the yogurt into the center of it and tie an the ends and suspend over a large bowl overnight(8+ hours) letting the whey drip out.Scrape the contents of the bag every so often to facilitate draining.
3. After the 8+ hours are up, remove the cheese from the muslin bag and crumble unto a paper towel-lined baking sheet or tray.
4.Refrigerate yogurt until it feels firm and dry.
5.When desired texture is reached,lightly oil your hand with olive oil and roll yogurt into 1"diameter balls.
6. Put the labna inside a jar when finished and cover fully with olive oil.Refrigerate before and after opening.

Salatat Halloumi wal Einab (Halloumi & Grape Salad)

Halloumi alternately spelled hallumi,haloumi,and hallum is a salty,semi-hard white cheese made with either sheep or goat's milk.Originally made by the bedouin of the Middle East , it's popularity spread to neighboring Greece and Cyprus where now Cyprus is the largest producer.Halloumi is usually eaten grilled. It is cooked in a hot pan with olive oil until the outside becomes a golden brown color and the inside is soft.

In Lebanon,it is known as kebab cheese because it is cubed and grilled on skewers and eaten as a quick street snack.It is also part of mezze where it is eaten as part of a salad or with khoubz,the Arab flatbread sprinkled with nigella seeds.The Cypriot version is flavored with dried mint.

Servings:4

Ingredients:

4c mixed salad greens with fresh herbs (romaine lettuce, raddichio, purslane,etc.)

60z. seedless red and/or black grapes,sliced in half

9oz. halloumi cheese,sliced into cubes

5 Tbsp. oil & lemon juice

1. In a mixing bowl, toss together the salad greens with the grapes.

2. Heat a non-stick pan and coat lightly with olive oil. Thinly slice the halloumi cheese and cook briefly, turning until it becomes a light golden brown.Remove from heat.

3. Put salad greens in a serving bowl. Place halloumi over salad greens.Drizzle with oil and vinegar.Serve immediately.

Hummus bi Tahina (Chickpea Puree with Tahina)

Hummus is the Arabic name for chickpeas.It is also the name given to the popular Middle Eastern mezze dish.Hummus is a chickpea puree that is flavored with tahina,garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.It is a very simple dish usually eaten simply with Arab flatbread as an appetizzer or snack or as a filling for sandwiches like felafel.Hummus is also eaten in Israel, Turkey,Greece, and Cyprus.It is so popular througout this region ,that several countries have claimed credit for its creation Hummus Wars

Though hummus is readily available in most supermarkets, nothing beats the taste of homemade and it is worth going through the extra effort to make it.Its fairly easy, the only difficult part is the soaking of the chickpeas.

Servings:2c
Ingredients:
1 1/4c soaked in cold water at least 8 hours, then drained
juice of 2 lemons
3 garlic cloves, mashed
salt
4-5 Tbsp. tahina
olive oil, for drizzling
fresh parsley, for garnish


1. Bring four cups of water to a boil and cook the chickpeas for about 1 1/2 hours or until they are soft.
2. Remove from heat then drain.Blend the chickpeas with the remaining ingreddients in a food processor till it has a puree texture.Taste.Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
3. Pour into a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil and fresh parsley.Serve with Arab flatbread(khoubz).

Arak ( Anise-Flavored Liqueur)

Arak is an anise-flavored aperitif that is made from the fermented juice of white grapes.It is widely produced and consumed in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan though the best is said to come from Zahle in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.Arak is the traditional accompaniment to mezze because it is said to supposedly stimulate the appetite.

Arak is 87% proof alcohol.It is served diluteed with water and ice but never straight. A little is poured into a small glass, usually 1/3 arak to 2/3 water, then a little ice is added. Arak will then turn a milky white which is usually referred to as "lions milk"because only those that are as strong as a lion can handle it.

In resataurants, arak is usually served with many small glasses on the tray than drinkers because traditionally the same glass should not be refilled with Arak.Though alcohol is strictly prohibited in Islam,arak seems to escape this scrutiny.

Dibis Kharoub (Carob Molasses)

Carob aka Locust Bean is the pod of a fruit from an evergreen tree, Ceratonia Siliqua, that is native to countries of the Eastern Meditteranean.When these pods ripen, thier insides become filled with a sweet syrup(molasses) which is removed by manually.Carob molasses has a taste that is a cross between caramel and chocolate.There are many culinary uses for carob in the Middle East.Carob is sometimes mixed with a little tahina and enjoyed as a spread on Arab bread for breakfast or snack.In some places, the pods are chewed as a snack.

After the syrup is removed, the pod does not go to waste either.They are broken into pieces, then roasted, and ground to a fine powder where it is sold as carob powder.This powder is used as a flavoring for cookies, cakes, and sweetmeats.Here in the U.S., carob pods are extremely difficult to find, but carob powder which is often marketed as "chocolate substitute"can be found in many major health-food stores.Carob molasses can usually be found in most Middle Eastern markets.Carob molasses is a perfect no fat food.One tablespoon contains only 60 calories.