Category Archives: Midde Ooste / Middle East

BURGHUL AND POTATO CAKES WITH LAMB AND APRICOT FILLING
SERVES: 6
4 potatoes, about 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) in total, scrubbed
130 g (4½ oz/¾ cup) fine burghul (bulgur)
35 g (1¼ oz/¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
oil, for deep-frying

Lamb and apricot filling
40 g (1½ oz) ghee, or 2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) finely minced (ground) lamb
40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) chopped almonds
90 g (3 oz/½ cup) chopped dried apricots
½ teaspoon Baharat, optional
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season Continue reading→

MEAT WITH OKRA
SERVES: 5–6
1 walnut-sized piece of tamarind paste
1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) beef or lamb stewing meat
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
375 g (13 oz/1½ cups) chopped, peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons Baharat
2 teaspoons sugar
salt, to season
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) okra
Mashkoul, to serve

Soak the tamarind in 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) warm water.
Trim the meat and cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes. Heat half the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and brown the meat in batches, removing each batch to a plate.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan and gently fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, cook for a few seconds, then stir in the tomatoes, 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water, the Baharat and sugar. Season with salt.
Return the meat to the pan, then cover and simmer for 1–1½ hours, or until the meat is almost tender. The time will depend on the type of meat used.
Prepare the okra as directed. Rub the tamarind to separate the pulp from the seeds and fibres, then pass through a sieve, reserving the liquid.
Arrange the okra on top of the meat and pour the tamarind liquid over the top. Cover and simmer for a further 30 minutes, or until the meat and okra are tender. Do not stir once the okra is added — just shake the pan gently to distribute the flavours.
Serve with Mashkoul or another simple rice dish.
Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg

SPICED LAMB AND RICE
SERVES: 4–5
40 g (1½ oz) ghee
2 large onions, chopped
1 tablespoon Baharat
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) lamb shoulder, on the bone, cut into 4–5 pieces
375 g (13 oz/1½ cups) chopped, peeled tomatoes
3 cloves
½ teaspoon ground loomi (dried lime) or grated zest of ½ lemon
2 pieces of cinnamon bark
3 cardamom pods
3 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or coriander (cilantro)
400 g (14 oz/2 cups) basmati or other good-quality long-grain white rice Continue reading→

DATE SWEETBREAD
MAKES: 20
150 g (5 oz/1 cup) wholemeal (whole-wheat) flour
60 g (2 oz/¼ cup) ghee or Samneh
1 cardamom pod, bruised
160 g (5½ oz/1 cup) chopped dates
½ teaspoon ground ginger
icing (confectioners’) sugar, for sprinkling

Place the flour in a heavy-based saucepan and stir over medium heat until lightly browned — about 10 minutes.
While the flour is browning, heat the ghee or Samneh in a small saucepan with the cardamom pod. Heat for 5 minutes and leave aside.
Add the dates to the flour and heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the dates feel soft.
Remove the cardamom pod from the ghee and add the ghee to the date mixture. Sprinkle with the ginger and stir until the ghee is evenly distributed — the mixture will be crumbly. Remove from the heat and leave until cool enough to handle.
Take about a tablespoonful of the mixture at a time and knead by hand, tossing from one hand to the other. When the mixture holds together, squeeze it into an oval shape, moulding it smoothly. Place on a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture.
Leave until cool, then pack in an airtight container.
Serve sprinkled with icing sugar.

Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg

FRESH DATE SWEET
SERVES: 6
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh dates
125 g (4 oz/½ cup) butter
110 g (3¾ oz/¾ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Pit the dates and arrange them in individual dessert dishes.
Continue reading→

FRIED NUT ROLLS
MAKES: ABOUT 40

10 sheets fillo pastry
ghee or oil, for deep-frying

Nut filling
100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) finely ground cashew nuts
115 g (4 oz/1 cup) finely ground walnuts
115 g (4 oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
1–1½ teaspoons ground cardamom

Combine the nut filling ingredients in a mixing bowl, adding the cardamom to taste.
Cut the pastry sheets into quarters, into pieces about 15 cm (6 inches) wide and 20 cm (8 inches) long. Stack them and cover with a cloth.
Take a strip of pastry and place it on a work surface, with the narrow edge towards you. Thinly sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the nut filling across the base of the strip, keeping 1 cm (½ inch) of pastry clear of the filling at the sides and base.
Moisten the sides of the strip with water. Fold the sides over the filling, pressing the folds along the length of the sides. Roll up firmly to within 5 cm (2 inches) of the end of the strip. Moisten this section lightly and evenly with water, then complete the roll.
Repeat using the remaining ingredients, placing the completed rolls on a cloth.
Heat the oil or ghee in a deep saucepan to 180°C (356°F), or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds.
Deep-fry the rolls, five at a time, for 2–3 minutes, turning to brown evenly. When the rolls are deep golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Allow to cool before serving. Store in a sealed container at room temperature

Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg

FRIED CARDAMOM SWEETBREADS
MAKES: 24
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) milk
300 g (10½ oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
125 g (4 oz/½ cup) butter, melted
oil, for deep-frying
sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar, for sprinkling

Bring the milk to the boil, then leave to cool. Continue reading→

SHORTBREAD COOKIES
MAKES: 35–40
250 g (9 oz/1 cup) Samneh
125 g (4 oz/1 cup) icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
375 g (13 oz/2½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

The Samneh needs to be firm, so chill it in the refrigerator if it is soft. Place the firm Samneh in a mixing bowl and beat until light. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating until very creamy and light.
Sift the flour and fold it into the Samneh mixture. Knead lightly until smooth. If your kitchen is hot, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F/Gas 3).
Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on ungreased baking trays. Press a thumb into the centre of each ball to make a dimple and to flatten the dough slightly. Flour your thumb lightly if necessary.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until very lightly coloured. Allow to cool on the baking trays.
Store the biscuits in a sealed container. These biscuits are very delicate and must be handled carefully.

Note: These cookies are prepared in most countries of the Middle East. Sometimes they are topped with pine nuts or a blanched almond instead of being dimpled; cooks in other areas prefer not to let the cookies colour at all; others finish them with a dusting of icing sugar. Outside the Gulf States, caster (superfine) sugar is often used in the mixture rather than icing sugar.

Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg

FRIED NUT TRIANGLES
MAKES: ABOUT 60

Samboosa holwah should be very tiny and literally bulging with sugar and nuts. You might find it difficult to contain the nut filling in the narrow confines of the pastry strip as it is folded. Push the filling in during the first two or three folds — if you go off-course with the shaping, do not be concerned, as the final shape will be near enough to a triangle.

Try one or two strips before cutting all the pastry. If it proves too difficult, cut the remaining strips 5 cm (2 inches) wide, using the same amount of filling.

10 sheets fillo

pastry ghee or oil, for deep-frying

Nut filling

100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) coarsely ground raw cashew nuts

55 g (2 oz/½ cup) coarsely ground walnuts

115 g (4 oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

½–1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Combine the nut filling ingredients in a mixing bowl, adding the cardamom to taste. Add 2 teaspoons cold water and knead well by hand until the mixture clings together in a coarse paste.

Cut the pastry sheets into 4 cm (1½ inch) strips, across the width of the sheet. The strips may be a little longer or shorter, according to the size of the sheet. Cover the strips with a cloth.

Take a strip of pastry and place a teaspoon of filling on one end of the strip. Fold the pastry diagonally over the filling, forming a triangle, then fold it straight over, followed by another diagonal fold in the opposite direction to the first fold (see diagrams). Continue folding to the end of the strip. Moisten the end of the pastry with water and press together to seal.

Repeat using the remaining ingredients, placing the finished pastries on a cloth.

Heat 10 cm (4 inches) of ghee or oil in a deep saucepan to 180°C (356°F), or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds.

Deep-fry the triangles, 10 at a time, for about 2–3 minutes, turning to brown evenly. The pastries must not cook too quickly, as the inner layers must cook before the outside becomes too brown.

When the pastries are a deep golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Leave until cold before serving.

The pastries will keep crisp for a number of days, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Recipe posted by Corne Liebenberg