Fatut (Yemeni Fried Eggs with Bread)

It doesn't get much more simpler than this.Start the day of right with this rustic Yemeni breakfast dish that takes few minutes to put together.

Yield:2 Servings
Ingredients:
1 Arabic bread, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp. butter or samneh (clarified butter)
3 large eggs, beaten
salt, to taste

1. Heat butter or samneh in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the bread and stir until it becomes slightly browned.
2. Pour eggs into the pan and stir until they are well cooked.Place on a serving dish and serve immediately.

Qishr (Yemeni Ginger Tea)

Picture courtesy of Just Food Now

I came across this unusual Yemeni drink recipe while doing research on something else. Qishr is the name given to a Yemeni tea/coffee that is made from ground up coffee husks. Apparently, it originated in al-makha , a port located on the Northwestern coast of Yemen where the original coffee trade route was located and as you may have guessed , it's where we get the name mocha.

Even though, at the time al-makha was a major coffee exporter, many of the locals could hardly
afford it. So, the coffee husks that were discarded were ground up, brewed with water and flavored with ginger.I've tried looking online for recipes on this Yemeni brew but unfortunately most recipes disappointingly use powdered coffee as the main ingredient but considering you can't get coffee husks in your neighborhood supermarket I found this ground coffee from the Haraaz Mountains to be a fairly decent substitute.



Photo courtesy of Yemen Peace Project


Yield:4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 c water

6 tsp. Haraaz Mountain Yemeni Coffee or regular powdered coffee

6 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. ground ginger


1. Pour water into a Yemeni long-handled coffee pot or small saucepan.

2. Add the coffee, sugar and ginger and stir well until combined over medium heat.Bring to a boil.

3. Remove from heat and pour into small cups and serve immediately.

Yemeni Fish (Samak al-Yamani)

Craving a bit of Yemeni home cooking but there isn't a Yemeni restaurant within a 5 mile radius??.This fish recipe is easy and quick to put together and is ready in under 30 minutes.Hamour fish is the best for this recipe but any firm fish like cod, halibut, or tuna will do.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs. cod, halibut, sole, or tuna fillets

1 1/2 Tbsp. Hawayij

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 Tbsp. turmeric

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

1. Heat the oil in large pan on medium-high heat.

2.Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry.In a medium bowl.combine the hawaji, salt, cumin,turmeric and black pepper.

3.Dip the fish fillets in the spice mixture,lightly coating both sides.

4. Place the fish fillets in the pan and cook over medium heat, turning over every few minutes till they begins to flake.Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Yemeni Oxtail Stew (Shorbat al-Yemeni)

Add a little spice to your winter's evening with Yemen's answer to meat & potatoes stew.Like most stews, this is pretty quick to put together but requires a lengthy cooking time but the results are worth the wait.

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
2 lbs. oxtail, washed and patted dry
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. yemeni hawayji spice mix
1 1/2 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly chopped
8 c water
5 tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
2oz. orange juice
zest of 1 small orange

1. Combine the flour with the salt and freshly ground pepper in a plastic bag or bowl .Toss the oxtail in bag or bowl and coat evenly.
2. Heat the butter in a large pot and gently brown the oxtails over low heat.Add the hawayji, onions, and garlic and stir gently till onions are slightly translucent.
3. Add the water,tomatoes, bay leaves, orange juice, and orange zest.Cover and cook for 3-3 1/2 hours till oxtails are tender and meat falls of the bone.
4.Serve with plain rice.

Hilbeh (Yemeni Fenugreek Relish)

Looking for something different other than the usual pita & hummus for mezze?Spice things up a bit with hilbeh, a spicy Yemeni relish made with fenugreek and cilantro.Hilbeh is a staple on the Yemeni table much like zhoug.It is used as a dip for Arab bread or added to Yemeni-style stews.Hilbeh is very easy to make but just keep in mind the the fenugreek seeds require about 18 hours soaking time to remove their bitterness.

Yield:4 oz.

Ingredients:

2 tsp. fenugreek seeds, soaked in water for 18 hours or until they have softened, drained

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 fresh green chili, chopped

a handful of cilantro, chopped

2-3 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt, to taste

1. In a food processor or blender, grind the fenugreek seeds with the garlic, chili and cilantro to a coarse paste.Place fenugreek paste in a medium bowl.

2. Add the tomatoes and beat in the sugar,lemon juice, and salt to taste.Serve with arab bread or as a flavoring for stews.

Hawayij (Yemeni pepper spice mix)

Hawayij alternately spelled hawaij is a peppery spice mixture from Yemen.It is a mixture made up of black peppercorns, caraway seeds, cardamon,saffron, and turmeric and is used in many Yemeni dishes particularly in soups, grilled meats, and vegetable dishes.

Ingredients:
6 tsp. black peppercorns
3 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. saffron threads
1 tsp. cardamon seeds
2 tsp. turmeric

1. Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, combine all the ingredients together and pound until ground.
2. Store in an airtight glass jar and in an dry, dark place.Will last for 6 months.

Qahwah (Arab Coffee)

Nothing defines Arab hospitality more than the offering and taking of coffee.Coffee is the main drink in the Arab world. Though the Ottoman Turks embraced and spread it throughout thier empire giving it the name "turkish coffee", it actually has its origins in Yemen.The cultivation of coffee began in Yemen sometime around the 16th century.It first became popular with the dervishes in Yemen where it was said it helped them perform thier religious ceremonies then muslim spread it throughout the Middle East.

Coffee is the principal social drink for men.This is clearly evident throughout the coffeehouses of the Arab world.Hours are spent in the coffeehouses socializing,playing backgammon, or smoking the narghileh(water pipe)while drinking coffee.Coffee is also consumed while conducting business or bargaining.

To make Arab coffee a few essential things are required.Mocha beans from Yemen are prefered but if these cannot be found, coffee beans from Brazil or Kenya are an appropriate substitute.Two dallahs (a coffee pot with a long, curved spout)are neededso it can be brewed in the first and poured in the second. The coffeee beans need to be freshly roasted and ground to a very fine powder.And a cardamon pod added to the pot.When serving, only about 1/3 of the cup is filled.The serving cups are small and handle-less.Milk, cream , or sugar is never added to Arab coffee instead dates may be offered.

There is a ritualized etiquette involved in the offering and consumption of coffee.First, all guests are offered coffee, not to offer it is akin to being considered unwelcomed.Once offered, it must never be refused,to do so would be a great insult to your host.Your cup will be refilled a second or third time, to accept more is considered impolite.It is always accepted with the right hand.When you have had sufficient,jiggle your empty cupslightly from side to side.There is an order to serving it.Persons of high rank or the male head of the household are served first,followed by older guests, and men before women.

Yeild:6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

4 c water

3 Tbsp. cardamon, ground

2 Tbsp.Arabic coffee, ground

1. Bring water to a boil.

2. Add coffee to the water and bring to a boil over low heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add the cardamon and heat for another 2 minutes.

4.Remove from heat and serve 1/3 full in demitasse cups.

Dajaj bil Zhoug (Yemeni Chicken with Zhoug)

Here's another simple, easy to make chicken dish from Yemen.Sorry I don't have a picture for it as I was in a hurry to prepare it because my family was hungry and they couldn't wait but I'll try to post one in the future.You can also try this dish without the zhoug but if you're brave enough to try the recipe for it is in the Condiments section.Enjoy!

Servings:8
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped finely
3 large garlic cloves, finely sliced
3 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. zhoug
6 lbs. chicken breast without skin, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 c seedless raisins or black currants

1. In a large pan, add the butter, onions, and garlic and saute on medium -high heat until they are slightly browned.Bring down the heat a little.Add the salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, and zhoug and continue sauteing.
2. Add the chicken pieces and saute until it is cooked (15-20 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and add the raisins or black currants and mix to combine.
4. Serve warm with basmati rice.

Salatat Yemeni (Yemeni Salad)

Looking for a simple mezze dish with a Yemeni twist?Try the following simple salad with zhoug, the Yemeni spice relish for your next gathering or when your in the mood for something different.The recipe for zhoug is in the Condiments section.

Servings:4-6
Ingredients:
1 lb. eggplant, split in half
1c tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. zhoug

1. Preheat oven to 400F .Brush eggplant slices with a little bit of olive oil and bake until soft, about 35 minutes.Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Once cooled, remove purple skin from eggplant and dice into small pieces.
3. In a mixing bowl, add the eggplants and tomatoes and the remaining ingredients and mix well until thoroughly combined.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Zhug (Yemeni Hot Paste)

Yemeni cooking is characterized by its extremely hot & fiery dishes and nothing exemplifies this more than zhug(zhough), a green chilli-cardamom paste.Zhug is found on every Yemeni table.It is used as a condiment in all kinds of dishes from soups, stews,meat dishes, and as a dip for bread.No Yemeni meal is complete without the addition of this paste.The following recipe yields enough for a small jar which considering the amount of chillies it has,only a small amount is required.

Yield:1 1/2 c

Ingredients:

4-6 fresh green chillies, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, peeled & roughly chopped

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

a handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. olive oil

1. In a blender or food processor,puree the chillies.Add the garlic , cardamom and puree again.Add the remaining ingredients.Blend well.


2. Put the zhug in a glass jar and keep it in the refrigerator until rready to use.