Middle Eastern Recipes

There is something about Middle Eastern food that I just love.  The spices, flavors and the aroma coming from the kitchen when my husband is cooking is to die for, not to mention the pastries.  Below are some of my favorite recipes along with links to other sites that specialize in Middle Eastern cuisine.  Enjoy!

Recipes

• Appetizer
• Soup
• Salad
• Entree
• Dessert

Middle Eastern Cookbooks
Middle Eastern Cuisine Links

Recipes

Appetizer   return to top

Hummus (Garbanzo Bean Dip)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
3 tbl tahini
1/4-1/2 cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/8 teas. cumin
1/2 teas. salt
olive oil
water
parsley,  simmaq, pickle slice and olive for garnish, optional

Place all ingredients, except for parsley, olive oil and simmaq, in a blender and add enough water to just below the level of the garbanzos.  Turn on puree and blend well,  If thinner consistency is desired, add more water.  Garnish edge of serving dish with finely chopped parsley.  Mound 1 tablespoon of whole garbanzo beans in center with a few leaves of parsley.  Place pickle slice and olive in the middle of dip.

Optional: Arabic custom is to pour a small amount of olive oil over top as well as a sprinkling of simmaq.

Soup  return to top

Adas bis-Silq (Lentils with Swiss Chard)
1 cup lentils
1 1/2 qts. water
1 large potato, diced
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbl. olive oil

Wash lentils, add water, cover, and cook until almost tender.  Add diced potatoes; boil for 10 minutes.  Add Swiss chard.  Meanwhile saute onions with seasonings in oil until golden brown.  Add to lentil mixture and cook until all vegetables are done, no more than 10 minutes.  Serve with lemon wedges.  Serves 4-6.

Salad  return to top

Tabbuli (Arabic salad supreme)
3/4 cup burghul (crushed wheat)
2 large bunches of parsley (approximately 1 qt. when finely chopped)
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint or 1/4 to 1/3 cup dried mint, optional if unavailable
1/2 bunch green onions, with green ends, finely chopped
1 or 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 small dried onion, finely chopped
1/8 teas. cinnamon
2-3 teas. salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil

Rinse burghul, drain, then squeeze excess water out.  Place in large mixing bowl.  First finely chop the parsley, then mint, then green onions and the tomatoes.  Place vegetables in layers on top of burghul in the order given. leaving dried onions on one-half of the top layer and diced tomatoes on the other.

Add seasonings to the dried onions and mix thoroughly with fingers.  Add lemon juice and toss with spoon and fork.  Just before serving, add oil and toss thoroughly.

This is eaten by hand by using very tender grape leaves, Romaine lettuce, or head lettuce to pic up tabbuli in bite-size servings.

Note: Tabbuli may be prepared 1-2 hours ahead of time by omitting tomatoes and oil.  Just cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Add tomatoes and oil just before serving.

Entree  return to top

Djaj Mhammar (Baked chicken)
1/4 cup olive oil, or vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teas. salt
1 teas. oregano
1/2 teas. pepper
1/4 teas. cinnamon
1 chicken, fryer, cut into serving-sized pieces

Combine olive oil, lemon juice and spices in shallow baking pan.  Roll cut up chicken in marinade.  Bake in hot oven at 425 degrees; basting occasionally.  Bake until tender when pierced with a fork (approximately 30 minutes).

Remove from oven and baste again.  serve around a bed of plain rice.  Sprinkle rice with cinnamon or pine nuts sauteed to a golden brown.

Dessert  return to top

Baklava (Layered pastry)
2 cup medium chopped walnuts or pistachio nuts
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbl. rose water
1 lb. filo dough
1 lb. drawn butter
1 basic syrup recipe

Combine nuts, sugar and rose water.  Take two filo sheets and brush lightly with drawn butter.  Place 3-5 tablespoons of mixture along wide edge.  Roll as in jelly roll, and place close together on buttered 10X14" pan.  Brush tops with butter.  cut diagonally into 2-3: lengths.

Bake at 300 degrees until golden brown.  Remove from oven.  spoon cold syrup over each piece until saturated.  (This takes about 3 applications of syrup per piece).

Middle Eastern Cookbooks

Essential Middle Eastern Cooking: authentic recipes from a fascinating cuisine
by Soheila Kimberly
paperback: 96 pages, $12.95 
Publisher: Lorenz Books; ISBN: 0754804836; (April 2001)

Kibbee 'N' Spice and Everything Nice: popular and easy recipes for the Lebanese and American Family 
by Janet Kalush
Paperback: 122 pages, $18.95 
Publisher: Unknown; ISBN: 0967266300; (November 1999)

Lebanese Cuisine: more than 200 simple, delicious, authentic recipes
by Madelain Farah
Paperback: 192 pages, $15.00
Publisher: Four Walls Eight Windows; ISBN: 1568581793; (January 30, 2001)

The New Book of Middle Eastern Food 
by Claudia Roden
Hardcover: 513 pages, $24.50
Publisher: Knopf; ISBN: 0375405062; Revised edition (September 26, 2000)

New Food of Life: ancient Persian and modern Iranian cooking and ceremonies 
by Najimieh Khalili Batmanglij 
Hardcover: 440 pages, $44.95 
Publisher: Mage Pub; ISBN: 0934211345; 2nd edition (December 1, 1992)

Persian Cooking: a table of exotic delights 
by Nesta Ramazani 
Paperback: 296 pages, $17.95 
Publisher: Ibex Pub; ISBN: 0936347775; (November 1997)

Traditional Arabic Cooking 
by Miriam A. Hashimi
Hardcover: 200 pages, $27.95
Publisher: Garnet Pub Ltd; ISBN: 1873938039; (September 1997)

Middle Eastern Cuisine Links  return to top

Goodcooking.com - Mideast recipes

Middle Eastern Food - Mideast recipes

Middle Eastern Recipes - Without a doubt, one of the most pleasurable aspects of exploring Middle Eastern culture is the cuisine. Here is a sampling of recipes from a variety of sources.

Mideast Feast - Mideast recipes



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