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10 Potatoes.
Beef (or lamb or turkey, quantity according to budget.
4 Onions
2 cups tomato paste.
Cardamom pod (Habahan)
Salt and pepper.
Method:
Cut 1 onion into 4 pieces (this goes with the meat when it is boiled). Cut the
remaining onions into ring slices and place them in a cooking pot, and keep
the other onion for later use.
Wash and peal the potatoes and cut them into thick slices and put in the pot,
add water to cover the ingredients and add the tomato paste and salt and pepper
to taste.
Boil the mixture for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked.
In the mean time cut the beef into 2x2x2cm cubes and put in another pot with
the remaing onion and the cardimom. Boil for about 1/2 an hour, then fish the
cardimom out.
Preheat the oven.
Layer the potatoe and onion slices in the oven dish together with the beef cubes.
Pour the beef broth (Bahreez) resulting from boiling the beef in the oven dish,
and put the dish in the preheated oven. Cook until the potatoe become red in
colour (10-15 mins). You might need to add more broth if all the water is absorbed
before that.
Variations and Comments
You can miss out on the meat to end up with a vegeterian dish
You can use a layer of uncooked tomatoes as well. You can also add a layer of
uncooked onions.
This is a low fat version since there is no fat used in cooking. For a lower
fat version use turkey instead of beef. For a fuller fat version with nice distinctive
taste use lamb.
This is the quick way of cooking this dish and requires less time than cooking
everything in the oven from their raw state (usijng thinly sliced potatoes).
The proper, full taste, full fat method would involve frying some of the ingredients
(meat, onions, tomatoes with possibly some garlic) in olive oil rather than
boling them, but can result in too heavy a meal
2 lbs. stewing lamb or beef, cut into one-inch cubes.
2 onion(s), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
1 teaspoon(s) ground coriander
1 cup(s) peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
1 cup(s) stock (beef) or water, or as needed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 lbs. okra
juice of 1 lemon
Preperation:
Note Okra must be cooked so that its slimy texture is eliminated. The Greeks
have the best technique for achieving this. Trim the conical tops with a sharp
knife, then soak the okra in red wine-vinegar (Khall) for 30 minutes, allowing
1/2 cup vinegar per pound. Drain, rinse and dry the okra and proceed with the
recipe. This dish is popular throughout the Middle East and can be prepared
with lamb or beef. Serve with rice.
Method:
Preheat an oven to 325 F (165 C)
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the butter
or oil per serving.
Working in batches, add the meat and fry, turning, until browned on all sides,
about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer to a baking dish or stew pot.
Add the onions to the fat remaining in the frying pan and saute over medium
heat until tender and translucent, 8-10 mins.
Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, tomatoes, tomato paste, the 1 cup stock and
mint (if using). Stir well. Pour over the meat and season to taste with salt
and pepper.
Cover and bake until all the liquid is absorbed, about 1 1/2 Hrs. Taste and
adjust the seasonings.
Meanwhile, prepare the okra as directed in the note above.
In a saute pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1/2 tablespoon (per serving)
of butter or oil Add the okra and saute for 3 mins, stirring gently.
Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the okra on top in a spoke pattern.
Sprinkle the lemon juice evenly over the surface. Re-cover the dish and return
it to the oven.
Bake for 35 minutes longer. Add stock or water if the mixture seems too dry.
Serve the "BAMIA" stew piping hot.
Fattah is a mixture of meat cubes embedded in rice and crusted pita pieces in soup. It is a traditional meal that is enjoyed by all Egyptian and is considered the most famous dish in Egypt. It is served in the bairam feast (an Islamic holy feast after the month of Ramadan) but it can also be served at any time of the year.
Ingredients:
(Serves Four)
One kg of meat cut in cubes. One may use any type of meat but lamb if preferred.
Two cups of short rice.
2-3 loafs of pita bread
two small peeled onions
dash of pepper
mastic
cardamom
garlic
ghee
cumin
tomato paste
salt
vinegar
Method:
To prepare a perfect dish of Fattah you need to follow four steps.
Preparing the meat
Fill a pot with water and place two small peeled onions, pepper, mastic and
a cardamom. When the water starts to boil drop in the pieces of meat and let
them boil to a stew.
Preparing the rice
Wash the rice and let it sit in water for about 10 minutes then seive it well.
Place two tablespoons of oil in a pot on medium heat. As soon as the oil starts
to fry add the rice and half a tea spoon of salt. Stir the rice for 5 minutes.
Add 2 glasses of the meat stew to the cooking rice. Let the rice cook (for 20
minutes) on the lowest heat until it absorbs all the stew and becomes tender.
When the rice is all dried up remove it from the stove.
Preparing the crisp pita bread
Cut the pita bread into small squared pieces, then place those pieces into a
pan. Apply oil or butter to the bread pieces. Place the pan filled with bread
pieces in a preheated oven for ten or so minutes until it becomes golden and
crisp.
With the above three steps finished you have to place the ingredients in a deep bowl in layers before you can proceed on to the fourth step. Do not forget to pour some of the meat stew on each layer after placing it in the deep bowl. Make the lowest layer from bread top it with a thin layer of rice and pour some stew. Add the meat layer and pour some more stew on it. Place the final layer of rice and do not pour soup on the top layer of rice so that it does not turn soggy.
Preparing the dressing
Now that you have placed the meat, the bread and the rice in layers in a deep
bowl, you are ready for the final and most important step in making the Fattah
dish. The dressing gives the secret taste to the whole dish. So you have to
be extra careful when you prepare it.
In a frying pan place one tablespoon of crushed garlic, one table spoon of ghee, half a teaspoon of cumin and 1\4 teaspoon of salt. Dissolve one tablespoon of tomato paste in two tablespoons of water in a cup. In a frying pan, use low heat and stir the garlic, ghee, cumin and salt until the mixture darkens. Then add to the darkened mixture the tomato paste you prepared. Stir the mixture for a minute then add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Leave the mixture on low flame for 4-5 minutes. Pour the dressing on top of the Fattah.
3/4 pound ground lamb or beef
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint or oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano,crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 of a 16-ounce jar grape leaves (20 leaves), drained and well rinsed
Olive oil
Lemon wedges
1. In a medium skillet cook ground lamb or beef, onion, and garlic over medium
heat until lamb is no longer pink. Remove from heat; drain off fat. Stir in
feta cheese, mint or oregano, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Place a grape leaf on a clean work surface, shiny side down and stem end
toward you. Place 1 level tablespoon of filling about 1/2 inch from the bottom
edge of each leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, overlapping
slightly. Starting at the bottom edge, roll up the leaf and place, seam side
down, in a 2-quart square microwave-safe baking dish. Repeat with remaining
leaves and filling. Cover the baking dish and chill until needed or heat and
serve immediately.
3. To heat, add 1 tablespoon water to the baking dish. Brush grape leaf bundles lightly with olive oil. Cover and micro-cook on 100% power for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through, turning dish once. (For a low-wattage oven, micro-cook bundles on high power for 5 to 6 minutes, rearranging once.) Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Makes 20 bundles (2 per serving).
1 large onion(s) chopped.
1 lbs super lean ground beef.
2 tblsp. olive oil.
1/2 cup(s) water.
salt and pepper
1 cup(s) chopped nuts (optional)
1 stick(s) of butter.
1/2 egg(s)
1 cup(s) of milk (or skim milk)
1 package(s) of frozen Fillo dough sheets (thawed overnight)
Method
Saute the onion in the oil until it changes color to dark yellow.
Add the meat and brown it then add the water, salt and pepper and let it cook
until all the water has evaporated. If you decide to use nuts add them at this
time. This is called asaag and it is used in makaronah felforn bilbashamel (pasta
casserole).
Open the Fillo dough package and divide the sheets in half (they are usually
sheets of 10X20" rectangles, you want to end up with 2 stacks of 10X10
sheets.
In a greased 9x12x3" baking dish layer 2 to 3 sheets at a time and sprinkle
them with a few drops of the melted butter, and so on until you finish the first
half of the sheets.
Spread the meat and nut mixture on it and start doing the same thing with the
other half of the sheets. Don't worry about spreading the butter on the sheets.
When you finish with all the dough cut the feteer in 2X1" squares with
a sharp knife.
Mix together the left-over melted butter, the egg and the milk and a pinch of
salt (not much) beat it with fork.
At this point, if you want, you can wrap the dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate
until 1/2 hr before it is time to eat.
Pour the egg mixture gently over the feteer and bake, uncovered, in a 375o oven
for about 20 minutes or until the milk is absorbed and the feteer turns gold
yellow.
Ingredient:
1 kg beef
2 onions, chopped finely
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
5-7 garlic cloves, crushed
cooking oil
salt and pepper
Cut beef into bite-sized cubes. Mix flour, cinnamon and seasoning and roll meat
in this mixture. Cook meat, onion, and pinch of salt over very slow flame. When
the juice is re-absorbed, add garlic and cooking oil and fry lightly. Add water
to barely cover and cook over low heat for one hour, adding more hot water,
along the side of the pot, whenever the level of the juice is too low. Serve
with the juice, which should be fairly concentrated.
2 lbs beef.
2 onions.
1 slice soft bread.
1/2 cup milk
salt, pepper
Method
Mince beef and onions twice (till smooth consistency),soak bread in milk and
add to meat together w/ the seasoning.
Mix well and shape into rounds 2-3 inch in diameter.
Grill or fry on skewers or in a double grill untill cooked.
Ingredient:
2 racks of lamb, deboned, fat removed
Brown sauce made with lamb stock from bones (recipe below)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
4 slices prosciutto, 1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp chopped shallots and 1 garlic clove, sliced
7 oz. fresh spinach, washed,
salt and pepper, 2 sheets phyllo pastry
2 tbsp butter, melted
Vegetables: 8 oz. potatoes, peeled, cut in thin slices
2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 cherry tomoatoes,
4 thyme leaves
Instructions:
To make stock, place bones under broiler, turn to brown on all sides. Place browned bones in sauce pan, cover with cold water, simmer for two hours.
In frying pan, heat oil and saute loins on medium-high heat to brown on all sides, but ensure meat is rare inside. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Roll prosciutto around loins. Reserve.
Add stock to pan, boil down to make 1 cup brown sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
In saucepan, add butter, saute shallots and garlic. Add spinach, cover, cook just until spinach is wilted, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, drain.
Fold each phyllo sheet in half. Brush with butter. Place loins on phyllo, cover with spinach. Fold pastry around each loin like an envelope. Place on bake sheet, bake in 375F oven 10 minutes (meat shouldbe medium-rare).
Vegetables: Fry potato slices in very hot oil until golden brown and cooked. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Place tomatores on lightly oiled pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, bake in 350F oven for three minutes or until barely tender.
To serve, place sauce on the obttom of hot plate, slice lamb in thick slices, place slices on sauce and garnish with potatoes and tomatoes. Decoreate with thyme.
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 (16.00 ounces) cans sweet potatoes, drained well
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk (not skim)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh onion
1 dash Tabasco sauce, to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, stir together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, allspice, nutmeg,
pepper, cayenne, and 1 tsp of salt.
3. Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate up to the rim;
refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in another large bowl mash together the sweet potatoes and remaining
ingredients and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt with a potato masher until mixture
is smooth.
5. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into the uncooked meat shell.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes or until knife inserted in
center comes out clean.
2 lbs. of lamb cut into ½ inch cubes
3 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tb. Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk
2 cups rice, rinsed
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Simmer the meat, onions, coriander, salt and pepper in water in a covered saucepan
over low heat for one hour. Remove the meat and set aside, and keep warm.
Add 2 cups of water and the milk to the stock in which the meat was cooked. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice, cover and cook very gently over low heat until the rice is nearly cooked (about 15 minutes.) Turn off the heat and allow to steam 10 minutes longer.
Place the rice on a large tray. Arrange the pieces of meat on top. Pour the melted butter over the rice and meat. Serve with a vegetable salad.
1 lb filet mignon.
1 1/2 tsp bohar.
1 tsp sumac.
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TB oil.
2 medium tomatoes.
1 small onion.
Method
Slice meat on a bias very thin. Then slice into julienne strips.
Mix together all the dry spices and sprinkle on top of the meat.
Add the oil and stir.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Heat a frying pan or wok. When hot add a little oil and heat.
When hot, add some of the meat to form a single layer, so it is not crowded
in the pan
Continue to fry on the hottest heat possible, and turn the meat over so it cooks
quite quickly. About 2 minutes.
Remove and place on a dish.
Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
Add to the pan the onions and tomatoes, cook for 1/2 minute. Add the already
cooked meat. Mix completely. Serve, on bread.