"Macaroni Bechamel" (مكرونة بشاميل)

Macaroni Bechamel is a pasta dish. A heavy one, but a very tempting one too.

Ingredients needed:

Penne pasta.
1/4 kg ground beef.
1 minced onion.
1 tbsp tomato paste.
2 tbsp ghee, butter or oil.
5 overfilled tbsp flour.
4 cups milk.
Grated Romano cheese.
Salt and pepper.
1 egg.

"Preheat oven to 350 degrees!"

Directions:

1. Boil 1/4 kg penne pasta then rinse when fully cooked.
2. Fry 1 minced onion until it becomes yellow.
3. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper and stir on medium heat.
4. When it's fully cooked add 1 tbsp tomato paste and stir all again with adding a little water, so that the tomato paste dissolves well with the meat.
5. Start preparing the beshamel in a medium-big nonstick sauce pan/casserole, by adding 2 tbsp ghee on a low-medium heat.
6. Add 5 tbsp flour, start whisking all time with a balloon nonstick whisk.
7. Slowly pour 4 cups milk, keep whisking!
8. Add 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese while whisking.
9. When all ingredients are homogeneous you can stop whisking.
10. Increase heat to medium and stir every now and then until you feel it became thick.
11. Remove from stove and set aside.

Preparing the baking dish:

• Use a 2-quart square Pyrex dish.
• On the bottom put a layer of rinsed penne.
• Pour 1/2 of beshamel and mix all together with the penne.
• Add the ground beef.
• Put rest of penne over the beef.
• Pour the other half of beshamel on the top.
• Beat 1 egg, season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the beaten egg slowly on the surface of beshamel, until it covers it all. Use a spatulas to help you spreading it equally.
• You can also sprinkle some breadcrumbs on the top.
• Put on the middle rack in a preheated oven.
• When the surface turns dark yellow with medium brown spots, then you know that the dish is done and you can remove it to cool down a bit before serving.

Next to the "Macaroni Bechamel" we can prepare a green salad or some sauteed vegetables.
Fried breaded chicken fillet next to it, would be also great as a meal for kids.

Enjoy!

"Rice Pudding" (أرز باللبن)

Rice Pudding is a very popular dessert in the Middle East.
It is usually served cold, but some like to eat it warm.
A very simple recipe to a very yummy dessert! It doesn't take any time nor effort!!

  

Ingredients needed:

1 cup of washed rice.
3 cups whole milk.
5 overfilled Tbsp sugar.
1/2 tsp Cinnamon.

Directions:

1. Wash rice in a strainer
2.  Boil 2 1/2 cups water in a small casserole, then add the rice and stir.
3. Boil the rice until half-cooked.
4. Pour out water and add 3 cups whole milk and continue cooking on medium high heat.
5. Add 5 overfilled tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon then stir.
6. Keep cooking until rice is fully cooked.
7. Remove and pour in small serving bowls.
8. Decorate the bowls by adding an additional cinnamon sprinkle on the surface.
9. Makes 4 individual bowls.

Some like to add some grated coconut on the top.
Others like to add raisins to the rice pudding.
Enjoy an extra delicious dish!

"Shish Tawook" (شيش طاووق)

BBQ! A healthy meal, which everyone likes, young or old!
Today we have the "Shish Tawook" recipe.

Ingredients needed:

6 Boneless chicken breasts, cut into thick cubes.
Green pepper (or red).
Red Onion.
Steak Tomato.
Zucchini (optional).
Lemon.
2 minced garlic cloves (٢ فص ثوم).
1 regular minced onion.
Salt and pepper.
Thyme (زعتر).


Directions:

1. Remove all fats from chicken.
2. Season with 1 minced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, juice of 1 squeezed lemon, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of thyme.
3. Cut the green pepper, tomato,red onion and zucchini into squares or cubes.
4. Prepare each skewer as the following steps: insert 1 piece green pepper, 1 tomato, 1 red onion and 1 zucchini then one cube chicken. Repeat this sequence, so that you have 3 pieces of each in the skewer.
5. When you finish preparing all your skewers put in a tray and pour over the remaining seasoning.
6. Leave in its seasoning for not less than 3 hours, before you start grilling!

Tip:

• The grilling should not be on high heat, or else it will burn and not fully cooked!
• I prefer leaving any kind of seasoned meat for 1 whole night in the fridge.
• As a side dish you can have rice or pasta and green salad.

Have a lovely healthy meal.

"Fried Calamari" (كالماري محمر)

A very simple recipe for a very popular appetizer!

Ingredients needed:

Flour and salt for washing the calamari.
1 lb Calamari cut into rings.
1 lemon.
1/2 cup flour.
Salt, pepper and garlic powder for seasoning.
Oil for deep frying.


Directions:

1. Cut the calamari in 1/4 inch thick rings.
2. Rub the rings with flour then rinse; repeat rubbing with salt then again rinse with water.
3. Put in a bowl and squeeze over 1 lemon or more depends on the quantity.
4. Just before serving, highly heat oil in a sauce pan. Oil must be very hot!
5. Season the calamari with salt, a little garlic powder and some pepper.
6. Add 1/2 cup flour in that bowl and mix all, so that calamari is well covered with flour.
7. Leave in seasoning just for 10 minutes before frying.
8. Put each ring separated on a kitchen towel for 5 minutes.
9. Lastly, fry in oil just for 45 seconds maximum then remove.

Tip:

• We don't leave the calamari in seasoning long time, because salt will make it very dry and it would get like rubber after frying.
• Use marinara sauce as dip.

Hope you like it!

"Creme Caramel" (كريم كرامل)

"Creme Caramel" or "Flan" as it is called here in the states, is an extra delicious dessert.
I got this recipe from my sister who doesn't mind eating it everyday..and I don't blame her!

It takes few steps, but it tastes surely much better than the ready made Flan mix sold in stores.

Ingredients needed:

 6 Eggs.

1 kg Milk. (4 cups)
1 tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract.
1 cup Sugar.
Another 1/2 cup Sugar.
1/2 Lemon.

First prepare the tools you will be using:

• A 9" nonstick "Crown Bundt Pan" or just a "Classic Cake Pan".
• You will also need an extra baking pan, which should be larger than the one you will bake the Creme Caramel in. It doesn't have to be the same shape. It will be used as a water bath.
• A small fry pan, used for doing the Caramel.
• Egg mixer.

Directions:

1. Heat the milk and add 1 cup sugar to it while on stove and keep stirring.
2. While heating, beat the 6 eggs with the Vanilla in a bowl until they make a big foam.
3. Let the milk-sugar mixture cool down.
4. Use the the egg mixer to beat the milk-sugar mixture with the eggs-vanilla mixture. You do it by adding the milk-sugar mix. slowly to the eggs-vanilla mix. while beating all the time.
5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Prepare the Bundt Pan by wetting it with water.
7. Add 1/2 cup sugar in a small fry pan and cover with water by 3 ml, squeeze 1/2 lemon and keep stirring until the colour is dark brown on a high heat.
8. Quickly pour the the caramel in the bundt pan and spread it in its bottom .
9. Beat the milk mixture again then add it slowly in the bundt pan over the burned sugar.
10. Fill the other larger pan ( I use a rectangle one) until its quarter with water.
11. Put the bundt pan in it and then put both in the lower rack of the oven.

It will take about 45 minutes, you can check if it's fully baked by using a knife. If the knife comes out clean, then it's done.

Remove from oven and let it cool down for 30 minutes, then put it in the fridge.

At serving time flip it in a nice serving tray with a small edge. You need the edge for the remaining sauce.

Yummy, enjoy!

"Meatballs" (كفتة داوود باشا )

Our recipe today is about Meatballs كفتة داوود باشا .
In the Middle East we do it a little bit different than other cuisines.
It can be eaten as an appetizer, or as a main dish if served with sauce.

Ingredients needed:

1/2 kg (1 lb) minced meat.
5 crushed garlic cloves.
1 tbsp of rice powder.
1/2 minced onion.
Salt, pepper and 1 tsp of cumin.


Directions:

1. Mix well all previous ingredients together.
2. Then make into small balls.
3. You can cook it in a steaming covered casserole.
4. Remove when fully cooked and fry in heated oil for just 1 minute.

It makes about 25 pieces.
If you want to serve it as an appetizer, you are ready now. But if you want to serve it as a main dish, you have to prepare its sauce!


Sauce Directions:

• Fry 1/2 minced onion in some oil in a sauce pan. (not too much oil)
• Add 4 tbsp tomato paste and then add some water until it is dissolved and is still thick in the same time.
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
• Add the meatballs to the sauce and heat all together for a few minutes.

Enjoy a lovely double recipe!!

"Cucumber Yogurt Salad" (سلطة زبادي)

One of the most delicious salads is the "Cucumber Yogurt Salad".
It contains many healthy ingredients.

Ingredients needed:

2 individual cups of plain yogurt.
4 chopped garlic cloves (٤ فصوص ثوم).
Minced Mint.
1 Cucumber.


Directions:

1. Cut unpeeled cucumber into tiny cubes. If you want to peel it that's fine.
2. Mix the yogurt with the chopped garlic, 1 tsp of minced mint and the cucumber.
3. You can decorate the salad with pieces of mint leaves on the top.

This Salad can be eaten next to any dish, always will match!

"Brown Rice" (أرز سمك)

It is very common in the Middle East and specially in Egypt, that the side dish next to Seafood is the:
Brown Rice.
Why do we call it "brown"? Because after it is fully cooked, its colour turns to brown!
So basically you can use any regular white rice for this recipe. Sometimes they call it "red rice" too.

Ingredients needed:

1 cup of washed rice, enough for 4 people maximum.
1 minced onion.
1/2 tsp tomato paste.
Salt, pepper and cumin.
Oil.


Directions:

1. Wash and strain rice.
2. In a casserole fry the minced onion in some oil.
3. After it turns into dark brown add the water relatively to the type of rice you are cooking.
4. Add 1/2 tsp tomato paste and keep stirring until dissolved then add the rice.
5. Season with salt, pepper and 1/4 tsp cumin.
6. Stir and cover until fully cooked.

If you ever tasted the brown rice next to seafood you will addict this lovely combination!
Enjoy.

"Shrimp" (جمبري)

There are different ways to cook shrimp.
The one I like most is steaming!

Ingredients needed:

Flour and salt for washing shrimp.
2 lbs shrimp enough for 4 people.
2 medium onions.
3 lemons.
Salt, pepper and cumin.


Directions:

1. Wash shrimp with flour and salt, then rinse with water.
2. Put the unpeeled shrimp in a big pot over the stove.
3. Add 2 sliced onions, salt, pepper and some cumin then squeeze 3 lemons and mix everything well.
4. Cover the pot while cooking on medium heat. Stir the shrimp every 10 minutes.
5. It would take about 35 minutes until fully cooked.

Tips:

• Don't over cook shrimp or else it would stick to its shell.
• Steamed shrimp tastes more delicious if cooked with its head!

As a side dish we can have brown rice and a nice green salad!
Enjoy your meal.

"Salmon Fish" (سمك سلمون بالفرن)

Today's recipe is the "Baked Salmon Fish".
A special request from fish lovers.

The salmon is very fatty that's why it needs lots of lemon, specially if baked, because all the fats will remain in the baking dish.

Ingredients needed:

4-6 pieces of salmon, size as shown in the picture above.
Flour and salt for washing the salmon.
1 sliced tomato.
1 sliced green pepper.
1 sliced red onion.
2 tsp crushed garlic.
2 lemons.
Cumin, salt and pepper.


Directions:

1. Wash salmon with flour and salt then rinse with water.
2. Season salmon with the juice of 2 lemons, salt, pepper, cumin and 2 tsp of crushed garlic.
3. Place fish in the baking dish and leave for at least 2 hours in its seasoning.
4. Slice 1 tomato, 1 green pepper and 1 red onion and add them on top of fish. Start with a layer of onions then layer of green peppers and at the top the tomato slices.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Cover the dish with Foil and place in the middle rack for at least 45 min.
7. When the fish is fully cooked (check its tenderness with a fork), uncover for 15 minutes.
8. Don't let the dish get dry, if so then add some water, just to cover the bottom surface of the baking dish.

Tip:

• As a side dish, you can cook brown rice and prepare green salad. Brown rice is well known as a side dish to seafood meals in the middle east.
• Brown Rice recipe coming soon on the blog!

Hope you enjoy your meal, with much more coming soon on "Delicious Middle Eastern Recipes"!

"Loukoumades" (لقمة القاضي/ زلابية)

Loukoumades (لقمة القاضي) is a type of dessert, which is well known in the Middle East. It's completely different than all other pastries and that's what makes it so special!!

Ingredients needed:

1 filled cup of flour.
3/4 cup water.
1 tsp dry yeast.
1/2 tsp sugar.
1 boiled potato.
Oil for frying.

Ingredients of Syrup:

1 cup sugar.
1/2 cup water.
1/2 lemon.

Directions:

1. Put 1 tsp yeast, 1/2 tsp sugar and add some water (just a few drops) then cover the cup with a plate for minimum 15 minutes.
2. Boil 1 peeled potato until very tender.
3. In a bowl mix 1 filled cup of flour and 3/4 cup water then add the yeast sugar mixture.
4. Mash the potato with 3 tbsp water then add to the previous mixture and stir everything together.
5. Cover the bowl for approximately 2 hours.
6. Heat the oil on medium high in a deep sauce pan. The oil should be at least up to the middle of the pan.
7. When the oil boils, start frying. With a tsp take some from the mixture and drop it in the oil carefully. When golden fried, remove and put on paper towel. (Like frying french fries)

Preparing the syrup:

• In a sauce pan, add 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. The stove heat should be medium high.
• Keep stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.
• At the end squeeze 1/2 lemon and stir again for 2 minutes then remove aside.

Tip:
Syrup should be poured over the Loukoumades. But one should be hot and the other is cold.
Depends on which one u prepared first.
You can also sprinkle some powdered sugar on top of it.

 Yummy!! Enjoy a very tasty dessert!