The Middle East includes the Fertile Crescent and the land between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates where wheat was first cultivated, followed by ray, barley, lentils, beans, pistachios figs and pomegranates. Fermentation was also discovered there so bread and beer where first made in this region.
Apparently, during the first Persian Empire (550 - 330 BC) the foundations were laid for modern Middle Eastern cooking. Rice, poultry and fruit were added to the local diet. Figs, dates and nuts were brought from the conquered lands, and spices were brought from the Orient. A very varied and delicious cuisine.
Here are a few recipes.
This is my favourite Middle Eastern dip.
2 large aubergines
Lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
2 - 3 tbsp or ore tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt if necessary, and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/4 ground cumin
Lemon juice
Garnish:
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 cup parsley, chopped
Prick each aubergine with a fork in 4-5 places and hold over a gas flame until the skin blisters. Then pace them in a hot oven for about 20 minutes or until the desired softness is reached and remove from the oven to cool. Cut the aubergines in half, scoop out the flesh and drizzle with lemon juice.
Blend the aubergines with the garlic, tahini until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly also add more lemon juice, if necessary.
Spoon the baba ganouch in a bowl and serve sprinkled with spring onions and chopped parsley.
MOLOKHIA SOUP
A delicious soup.
800 g (1lb and 10 oz) chopped frozen molokhia
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
946 ml (4 cups) chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups of rice
Bring the chicken broth to the boil and add the frozen chopped molokhia. Lower the heat and simmer gently for15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the rice in salted water until tender, and a frying pan saute the garlic until golden brown, add salt and pepper. When ready bring the frying pan near the saucepan with the molokhia add a ladleful of soup into the fryingpan it should sizzle a little. Pour the frying pan contents into the soup pot and mix well together.
Serve in large soup bowls with the white rice.
TABBOULEH
A lovely salad, worldwide popular.
120 g (4.2 oz) cracked wheat soaked in vegetable stock for 30 minutes and strained
250 g (1/2 lb) firm tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and finely diced
1 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
2 heaped tbsp finely diced yellow and red bell peppers
6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
Lemon juice according to taste, about 4 tbsp
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
5 tbsp olive oil
Pat the strained cracked wheat with a kitchen towel to remove extra moisture and place in a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients toss gently but thoroughly and place, covered, in the fridge overnight.
Just before serving, taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary, and stir. Serve the salad with tender cos lettuce leaves.
FLATBREAD
A must for Middle Eastern meal.
210 g (7 oz) plain or wholemeal flour
1/4 tsp salt
100 ml ( 3 1/2 fluid oz) warm water
2 tbsp olive oil and extra for cooking
Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and pour in the water in a trickle. Mix well together and knead a little. If it seems too sticky add some more flour if it seems too dry add a splash of water.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes, on a floured surface, cover and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Then divide the dough into four balls and roll out each ball, thinly with a rolling pin on a floured surface.
Heat a large frying pan and rub its surface with a little olive oil. Cook each flatbread about 2 minutes on one side, it should puff a little, then flip it over and cook fora couple of minutes more. Keep each cooked flatbread warm wrapped in foil, until the others are cooked.
KUNAFEH
Kunafeh is a delicious Middle Eastern dessert.
500 g (1 lb) Akawie soft cheese
500 g (l lb) Kataifi pastry
175 ml (3/4 cup) melted butter
125 ml (1/2 cup) ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
250 ml (1 cup) water
1 tbsp rose water
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
Place the akawie cheese in a large bowl and cover with water. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours. Drain, since well, pat dry, grate and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Place the kataifi in a large bowl and with your finger, loosen and separate the strands, Drizzle with melted butter and toss to coat evenly.
Transfer half of the kataifi to a greased round cake tin and press gently into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the grated akawie cheese and spread the ricotta evenly over. Add the remaining kataifi, pressing gently into the pan. Bake until golden brown and crisp, remove from the oven and allow to cool for10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the syrup with the sugar, lemon juice and water and cook for 3 minutes until thick. Cool to room temperature and add the rose water.
Run a thin flexible knife around the pastry and turn it over onto a serving dish Sprinkle the dessert with the chopped pistachios and drizzle with 3/4 of the syrup. After 12 minutes when the syrup is absorbed drizzle with the remaining syrup. Bring to room temperature before slicing.
Here are a few recipes.
BABA GANOUCH
This is my favourite Middle Eastern dip.
2 large aubergines
Lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
2 - 3 tbsp or ore tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt if necessary, and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/4 ground cumin
Lemon juice
Garnish:
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 cup parsley, chopped
Prick each aubergine with a fork in 4-5 places and hold over a gas flame until the skin blisters. Then pace them in a hot oven for about 20 minutes or until the desired softness is reached and remove from the oven to cool. Cut the aubergines in half, scoop out the flesh and drizzle with lemon juice.
Blend the aubergines with the garlic, tahini until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly also add more lemon juice, if necessary.
Spoon the baba ganouch in a bowl and serve sprinkled with spring onions and chopped parsley.
MOLOKHIA SOUP
A delicious soup.
800 g (1lb and 10 oz) chopped frozen molokhia
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
946 ml (4 cups) chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups of rice
Bring the chicken broth to the boil and add the frozen chopped molokhia. Lower the heat and simmer gently for15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the rice in salted water until tender, and a frying pan saute the garlic until golden brown, add salt and pepper. When ready bring the frying pan near the saucepan with the molokhia add a ladleful of soup into the fryingpan it should sizzle a little. Pour the frying pan contents into the soup pot and mix well together.
Serve in large soup bowls with the white rice.
TABBOULEH
A lovely salad, worldwide popular.
120 g (4.2 oz) cracked wheat soaked in vegetable stock for 30 minutes and strained
250 g (1/2 lb) firm tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and finely diced
1 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
2 heaped tbsp finely diced yellow and red bell peppers
6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
Lemon juice according to taste, about 4 tbsp
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
5 tbsp olive oil
Pat the strained cracked wheat with a kitchen towel to remove extra moisture and place in a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients toss gently but thoroughly and place, covered, in the fridge overnight.
Just before serving, taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary, and stir. Serve the salad with tender cos lettuce leaves.
FLATBREAD
A must for Middle Eastern meal.
210 g (7 oz) plain or wholemeal flour
1/4 tsp salt
100 ml ( 3 1/2 fluid oz) warm water
2 tbsp olive oil and extra for cooking
Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and pour in the water in a trickle. Mix well together and knead a little. If it seems too sticky add some more flour if it seems too dry add a splash of water.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes, on a floured surface, cover and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Then divide the dough into four balls and roll out each ball, thinly with a rolling pin on a floured surface.
Heat a large frying pan and rub its surface with a little olive oil. Cook each flatbread about 2 minutes on one side, it should puff a little, then flip it over and cook fora couple of minutes more. Keep each cooked flatbread warm wrapped in foil, until the others are cooked.
KUNAFEH
Kunafeh is a delicious Middle Eastern dessert.
500 g (1 lb) Akawie soft cheese
500 g (l lb) Kataifi pastry
175 ml (3/4 cup) melted butter
125 ml (1/2 cup) ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
250 ml (1 cup) water
1 tbsp rose water
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
Place the akawie cheese in a large bowl and cover with water. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours. Drain, since well, pat dry, grate and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Place the kataifi in a large bowl and with your finger, loosen and separate the strands, Drizzle with melted butter and toss to coat evenly.
Transfer half of the kataifi to a greased round cake tin and press gently into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the grated akawie cheese and spread the ricotta evenly over. Add the remaining kataifi, pressing gently into the pan. Bake until golden brown and crisp, remove from the oven and allow to cool for10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the syrup with the sugar, lemon juice and water and cook for 3 minutes until thick. Cool to room temperature and add the rose water.
Run a thin flexible knife around the pastry and turn it over onto a serving dish Sprinkle the dessert with the chopped pistachios and drizzle with 3/4 of the syrup. After 12 minutes when the syrup is absorbed drizzle with the remaining syrup. Bring to room temperature before slicing.
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| The Rooster by Adam Henein |
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