Melt the margarine in a pan.
Add the pine nuts and semolina.
Saut over medium-low heat 30-40 minutes or until pine nuts change color, stir continuously.
Stir in milk.
Stir in sugar.
Cover and cook over low heat 15-20 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool 30 minutes.
Stir before serving.

Lightly grease a 9″ x 14″ baking pan.
Quickly toss the sesame seeds in a saucepan over medium-high heat to brown; set aside.
Combine honey, peanut butter, sugar, rose water and cardamom in a saucepan.
Cook over low heat until sit begins to simmer.
Stir in sesame and walnuts.
Spread into pan.
Let cool.
Cut into diamonds or squares and serve.

* Rose water may be found in many supermarkets and is also available by mail-order. If you’ve never tried rosewater before use it sparely, this stuff is strong. Of course, you can always opt for vanilla extract.

batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt
pinch of baking powder
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt to taste
chili powder to taste

vegetables to choose from:
potatoes, thinly sliced
yams/sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
eggplant, thinly sliced
onions, sliced
add whatever, your heart desires

Combine all batter ingredients and let rest 10-15 minutes.
Heat oil for deep-frying.
When the oil is hot dip the vegetables in the batter to coat.
Gently lower them into the oil.
Fry until golden on both sides.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Serve with chutney or catsup.

dressing
2 minced cloves of garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
dash of apple cider
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
topping
1-2 pita bread, toasted & cut into bite-sizes

Combine all the salad ingredients and refrigerate.
Whisk together the garlic, oil, lemon juice, apple cider, and spices; refrigerate.
Just before serving, sprinkle with toasted pita bread and pour on the dressing.
Toss.

Clean and salt fish.
Refrigerate 4 hours.
Bring fish to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Drizzle fish with olive oil.
Bake fish until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Meanwhile saut onions in olive oil until translucent.
Slowly whisk lemon juice and water into the sesame oil.
Stir the onions into sauce.
Pour sauce over the baked fish and return it to the oven.
Bake 20 minutes more.
Bring to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Serve cold.

This is classed as an ‘oil’ dish by Coptic Egyptians and is prepared during periods of fasting when animal products cannot be taken. You may cook the lentils, macaroni and rice simultaneously in 3 pots, or if, like me, you like to keep pots to a minimum, use the method given. This is the way they prepare it in Egypt anyway.

1 cup ads iswid (brown lentils)
water
salt
1 cup small macaroni noodles
1 cup short grain rice
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup tomato puree

TA’LEYA II
2 large onions
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove or more, finely chopped

Place lentils in a sieve and wash well under running water.
Place in a large pot and add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 hour until tender but still intact. Drain and keep aside.
Clean same pot and add 4 cups water. Bring to the boil, add 2 teaspoons salt and the macaroni. Stir constantly until water returns to the boil and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes until tender.
Stir occasionally. Drain and keep aside. Clean pot again and dry.
Wash rice well in sieve under running water and drain. Heat oil in pot and fry rice over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until tender.
Leave covered off the heat for 5 minutes for grains to separate.
Prepare the ta’leya (directions below), add tomato puree and bring to the boil.
Add lentils and macaroni to cooked rice and toss together lightly with a fork. Pour hot ta’leya and tomato mixture on top, toss again and cover pot.
Leave over low heat for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

TA’LEYA: Halve peeled onions lengthwise then slice thinly to give semicircles. Heat olive oil in a pan, add onions and fry over medium heat until golden brown. Add garlic and cook a minute longer.

Source: The Complete Middle East Cookbook, by Tess Mallos

Pick over the lentils, rinse and set aside.
Heat oil in a large pot.
Add garlic and lamb and saut until lamb has browned.
Add the onion, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne and black pepper.
Saut until onions and celery have softened.
Add water and lentils.
Partially cover and simmer 60-90 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, cilantro and parsley; continue to simmer 20 minutes.
Add the pasta and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
Beat eggs with lemon juice.
Remove soup from the heat.
Stir egg mixture into the soup.
Serve with lemon slices floating on the top.

batter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon oil
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tablespoons or more
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses*
1/3-3/4 cup finely ground walnuts

Saut the onion in the oil until transparent.
Salt and pepper the chicken breasts then brown with the onions.
Add lemon juice and chicken stock.
Simmer 15 minutes.
Add pomegranate molasses and walnuts.
Simmer another 45 minutes.

*Pomegranate molasses is available at any Middle Eastern food store. If you have difficulty finding it, you can substitute pomegranate juice or grenadine syrup.

Saut onions and rice in butter until translucent.
Add the meat and season with salt and pepper.
Cook until meat has browned.
Stir in mint; remove from heat and cover.
Slice off the top off the tomatoes.
Carefully remove the pulp.
Stir half of the pulp into the meat mixture.
Spoon the meat mixture into the tomatoes.
Put tops back on tomatoes.
Place tomatoes in a large pan.
Add 5-6 tablespoons of butter and the water.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are tender.

Combine garlic, salt, lemon juice, oil, water and the spices.
Add the chicken, toss to coat and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place potato wedges and chicken with marinade in a baking dish.
Bake about 40 minutes.
Then place under the broiler until the chicken and potatoes are golden in color.