Ya Salam Cooking

Al Zalabiyah

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:27:00 +0000

Al Zalabiyah is a popular gulf favorite especially during Ramadan. This sugary sweet is served with Arabic coffee. Many people add a few drops of food color to obtain a bright color. Red, orange and yellow are the traditional colors used. Fresh saffron can be used to obtain a natural golden color.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 cups + 2 tablespoons warm water

Pinch saffron

3 tablespoons rose water

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Sunflower oil for frying

2 cups sugar syrup

1. In a small bowl add yeast, sugar and 2 tablespoons of warm water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until frothy. In another small bowl add rose water and saffron and allow sitting for 5 minutes as well.

2. In a large mixing bowl add flour and cardamom. Add rose water and yeast mixture. Carefully add water until a buttermilk consistency forms. The mixture should not be too thick or thin. Mix well removing any lumps. Cover with a damp towel and allow sitting in a warm place for 1 hour.

3. In a large sauté pan on medium heat add 6 cm of oil, enough for frying. Meanwhile, pour sugar syrup in a medium sized bowl and prepare a large platter or strainer. In a small spout or funnel pour batter into small spiral circles quickly. Allow to cook until golden on each side.

4. Remove from oil, roll in sugar syrup and allow excess syrup to drain.

Yields: 2 dozen

Rocky Road Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:34:00 +0000

The combination of chocolate, marshmallows and almonds in these sweet cakes is a taste of pure indulgence. I wanted to make these cupcakes grown up on the inside yet fun for my son on the outside. We worked together making the homemade flag toppers. I used a saved bag, glue and some toothpicks. And the great thing is that you can save them to use over again.

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self rising flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
1 ounce white chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 tablespoons silvered almonds

frosting:
3-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and fold in. Stir in the milk, followed by the chocolate chips, marshmallows and almonds.

3. Spoon the mixture into the paper liners and bake for about 8 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. To decorate, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until almost boiling, then pour in the chocolate and let melt for about 5 minutes. Stir until smooth and creamy, then let cool for about 30 minutes until thick and glossy.

5. Spread the chocolate mixture over the cupcakes and decorate.

Yields: 12

adapted from Cupcake Heaven

Aseeda

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:38:00 +0000

You will find many aseeda recipes throughout the Gulf area. In Bahrain the dough is ate with sweet eggs, in Libya the dough is filled with honey and in Saudi and Yemen you will find a lamb or chicken broth. The dough is not an easy thing to make and you usually have to try a few times before you get it just right. It takes constant watch and work to make. The end result should look and feel like play dough. I would suggest trying to watch a few videos on YouTube if you have never watched anyone make it. Aseeda is typically make the way I have made it with the broth in the dough in Yemen however in Saudi the dough is usually served on the side and pieces are added to a bowl of the piping hot broth.

dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups water
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil

broth:
1 chicken, cup up
1 onion, diced
6 cardamoms, bruised
4 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup cilantro, diced
4 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a 4-quart saucepan add 3 cups water and salt. Bring to a full boil. Add oil, yogurt and flour. Continuously stir the mixture quickly with wide/flat wooden spoon.Add more flour if any water is left.

2. Remove from heat and keep stirring until it softens. Add some of the boiled water to the dough and let it sit for 10 minutes. Beat the mixture until it softens and and becomes thick, the consistency of soft play dough. You should mix for several minutes adding water if needed. Place back onto heat on medium heat mix more about 20 minutes, add more water and allow to further cook until the side start pulling from the pan.

3. Shape into a small mound in a bowl. Create a small bowl with the bottom of a ladle.

4. Meanwhile, make broth. In a large saucepan on medium heat add oil, garlic and onions. Allow to cook until tender. Add chicken pieces, cardamom and cumin. Add water ans bring to a full boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook for 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add broth into dough. Serve.

Vanilla Coffee Creamer

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:12:00 +0000

When I was back home a cup of coffee was not complete without Coffee Mate vanilla creamer however since moving to Saudi it can be hard to find since great things seem to come in bulk and are quickly gone until next time. I have started relying on nestle powder coffee creamer and found that I have become quiet attached to the taste. I decided to try to make some sort of replica of my favorite vanilla creamer in a small amount. This recipe is actually pretty close and what I love the most about it is that it does not have all those nasty preservatives and other weird ingredients’ that we do not need. You can make a larger amount if you will use it I personally prefer a smaller amount since I am the only coffee drinker in my home.

90 grams condensed milk

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a small jar add condensed milk, milk, cream of tartar and vanilla. Tightly close the lid and shake until well combined, refrigerate.

Bint Al Sahn

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

Bint Al Sahn (“Daughter of the Dish”) is a traditional Yemeni dessert consisting of light, flaky dough topped with sesame seeds and honey. Yemenis make this golden dessert in all sizes some making an unbelievable amount of layers. I ranged this recipe down to fit my small family using a smaller pan and only 16 layers. Traditionally a special pan is used and actually makes the process much easier. The pan looks like a large cake pan. I would think using a dough machine to make really thin layers would be idea but I myself have never worked with one and I make my bread the old fashioned hand with my hands and a rolling pin. Typically the topping is golden which is a result of the egg wash however I used the last of my eggs for the bread so I was not able to get the golden topping.

After I made this dessert my husband walked in and knew what it was right away and was surprised that I had made it. His best friend growing up was Yemeni and he said the maid made it for them quite often. He grabbed some kiri cheese to have with his and I told him he had to make every dish into a Saudi dish lol. Saudis love bread, honey and kiri. And I think this sweet dish will easily be loved by everyone you share it with.

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar

topping:
honey
black sesame seeds
egg yolk, beaten

1. In a small bowl add yeast, water and sugar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until frothy. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl add flour, salt, yeast mixture, eggs, mix well. Add 1/4 cup of butter and knead well until a dough consistency is formed. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes.

2. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Divide the dough into 16 small golf ball sized balls. Grease the bottom and sides of a cake pan. Roll each dough so thin you can see through it and a size that will spread into the pan your using (10-12 cm). Place dough into pan, stretching the side carefully. Brush each layer with remaining butter until finished. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

3. Bake for about 20 minutes until cake is golden, Drizzle honey all over the top of the cake and serve.

Khoubiz Mehala

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:37:00 +0000

Khoubiz Mehala is an old traditional Bahraini bread which is usually baked in a special clay oven built in the ground. This delicious lightly sweetened bread is usually served alongside halawah and qahwah. This is the perfect recipe to showcase the true flavors or the Gulf region and what I love most about it is that is not to sweet. I love baking these little golden rounds at night so that my husband can have them for breakfast, he adores them.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cups pitted dates
1/2 cup boiling water
pinch saffron
1 tablespoon rose water
1 tablespoon sunflower oil

topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1. In a small bowl add yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Sit aside for 5 minutes until frothy. Meanwhile in another small bowl add dates and 1/2 cup boiling water and in another small bowl add saffron and rose water.

2. In a a large mixing bowl add flour, oil, yeast mixture, rose water and egg, mix. In the bowl with dates and water, mash then add to flour mixture, mix well. Add the remaining water until you have a dough like consistency. Knead well. Cover in a warm place with a damp towel and allow to rise for at least an hour.

3. In a small saucepan on make topping. Add sugar, water and cardamom. Allow to come to a full boil stirring until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 400F.

4. Shape dough into small rounds and place on a greased or non-stick baking mat on a baking sheet. Brush tops with sugar mixture then sprinkle with seeds. Allow to bake until golden about 15 minutes.

Yields: 9

I've been published

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:54:00 +0000

At the end of the Summer I was approached by Sisters Magazine which is based in the UK and sold worldwide. The magazine asked me if I would be willing to work freelance with them monthly and I happily obliged. I received my first issue today and was so excited that I got a full two page spread as well as another page featuring a lamb recipe of mine. MashAllah the magazine is really nice and has so much great content in it.

Southern Lemonade

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:02:00 +0000

Growing up nothing made me happier than running to the fridge and getting some of my momma’s ice-cold lemonade. In the South we make lemonade a bit different from other people. We slice the lemons and allow them to marinate overnight in the water and sugar which makes a perfect combination that is not too sweet nor to sour.

8 cups cold water
3-4 lemons, washed and sliced
1 cup sugar

1. In a 4-quart saucepan on high heat add 2 cups of water and sugar, boil until dissolved about 2 minutes.

2. In a pitcher add lemon slices and remaining water. Pour sugar syrup on top, refrigerate over night.

Bread Baking Day #46 announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:41:00 +0000

I am so happy to be hosting this year’s first BBD event which is also #47 on the list. I am old schooler when it comes to this event and have been baking along since it first started. Over the years I have found so many amazing people that also bake in these events, the bread they make is just spectacular. The BBD event of course was founded by Zorra and the lovely Cinzia hosted last month.

A great thing about being the host this month is that I also get to come up with the theme for our baking endeavors. I really wanted to try something different and fun this month because let’s face it if you can bake it we have. Many of us love to travel and even if we are not able to we still imagine places that we would love to visit all over the world. That’s pretty much the theme for this month. This month’s theme is baking from a place you would love to visit. For example let’s say you have always wanted to travel to Nepal then I want you to discover some popular bread from the region and make it yourself. This should be a lot of fun.

To enter here is what I am going to need from you. You can email all entries to yasalamcooking (at) gmail (dot) com and be sure to add BBD#46 in the subject line. Also include the following:

Picture of your bread
Your name
Your blog name
Post about it on your blog, with a link back to this post
The country your dish hails from
The name of your bread
Your recipe should be in English

Deadline for submission February 1st, 2012.

Final round up will be on line on February 5th, 2012.
Please feel free to promote the event by sticking the logo on your blog.

Al Zanjabel Ma Al Haleeb

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:44:00 +0000

I first had this warm drink right after I had arrived in Saudi. I had gotten a cold and my mother in law made me a flask. Zanjabel is what all Gulf Arabs use to cure a common cold or flu. Zanjabel means ginger in Arabic and as we all know all over the world ginger is a great cure for many things. In Saudi this recipe is made using only water however in countries such as Bahrain and Oman they use milk which I prefer. You can use sugar or honey to sweeten the drink if you would like. Honey is much better as it has many natural cures as well. Both ginger and honey have great medical uses in Islam.

5 (1 cm) root pieces, cleaned
3 cups milk
1/2 cup water
Sugar or honey to sweeten

1. In a small saucepan on high heat add water and ginger. Allow to come to a full boil then reduce heat to medium and cook until a light yellow color is obtained. Strain the ginger from the water reserving just the water.

2. In another small saucepan on low heat add milk, cook until thoroughly hot. Add ginger water into milk, stir.

Yields: 3-4 cups

Soft Pretzels

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:42:00 +0000

Soft Pretzels is a recipe that I have wanted to make for quite a while but I was bit skeptical thinking that they may not turn out well being made at home. A few days ago on our way out the mall my son asked for a pretzel at Auntie Anne’s as he usually does. As we stood there I watched the guy cut the dough, shape and then cook it. I then had my husband ask him a ton of questions like “what is that stuff you dip the pretzel in before you cook it” and so on. After we left I felt pretty confident that maybe I could make them at home myself. So last night I gathered my tools and went to town.

Since the weather is cooler out now I was worried that my dough would not rise well so I tried a new trick and it was perfect and one that I will use from now on. I turned my oven on broil for a few seconds not even enough time to allow the rack to get warm but just warm the air in the oven a bit. I then turned on the oven light and sit my dough which was covered with a damp towel (just like they did at Auntie Anne’s) and allowed the dough to rise, it was perfect and I could see the rise working almost immediately. The guy at Auntie Anne’s sure knew how to twist the pretzel though. He was flipping and doing all these moves and had a perfect pretzel in a few seconds. I on the other hand carefully shaped mine on my non-stick mat. Oh well, it looked better than it did in my head so I was happy. Eight minutes was the absolute perfect time allowing the pretzel to get that perfect crisp bottom and golden top. You can really add whatever topping that you may like at this point. I personally love the melted butter and sea salt mixture. I was out of sea salt so I just sprinkled on table salt and the taste was right on. These pretzels not only taste as good as the store bought kind they taste better. They were gone in no time making me wish I made more.

2 teaspoons yeast
1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons hot water
2-1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons baking soda

melted butter, for topping
sea salt, for topping

1. In a small bowl add yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 3 tablespoons of hot water, allow to sit until frothy for 5 minutes.

2. In a large mixing bowl add flour, salt, 1/4 cup sugar and oil, mix. Add yeast mixture and add a small amount of the 1/2 cup water a little at a time until a dough consistency forms. Knead well, about 5 minutes.

3. Cover dough with a damp towel and sit in a warm place and allow dough to double, about an hour.

4. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Place baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper in oven allowing to get hot. In a large bowl add water and baking soda, mix. Meanwhile, roll dough into long skinny ropes about 2 feet long and the size of your pinky. Form each piece into a pretzel shape, dip in baking soda water and place on baking sheet, 3 to 4 pretzels should fit on each batch. Cook each batch for 8 minutes until finished. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt.

Yields: 7 pretzels

Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:11:00 +0000

Whoopie pies are considered a New England phenomenon and a Pennsylvania Amish tradition. A whoopie pie is like a sandwich, but made with two soft cookies with a fluffy white filling. Traditional whoopie pies are made with vegetable shortening, not butter. The original and most commonly made whoopie pie is chocolate. But cooks like to experiment, and today pumpkin whoopie pies are a favorite seasonal variation.

The recipe for whoopie pies has its origins with the Amish, and in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, it is not uncommon to find roadside farm stands offering these desserts. Amish cooking is about old recipes that have fed families for generations, with no trendy or cross-cultural fusions or mixtures. These cake-like whoopie pies were considered a special treat because they were originally made from leftover batter. According to Amish legend, when children would find these treats in their lunch bags, they would shout "Whoopie!"

1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

FILLING:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Dash salt
1 cup milk
3/4 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water. Cool for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and cocoa mixture. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

2. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3. In a small saucepan, combine flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth; cook and stir over medium-high heat until thick, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool.

4. In a small bowl, cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add milk mixture; beat for 7 minutes or until fluffy. Spread filling on half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Store in the refrigerator.

Yields: 2 dozen

recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Nasi Goreng

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:31:00 +0000

When my family and I visited Indonesia this summer we quickly were drawn to the countries famous dish Nasi Goreng in particular at the local eatery called Chicken Story which I swear we ate at almost daily. What I love about this dish is that you can use your leftovers to make it. I used leftover white rice and chicken for mine. I added some fresh ginger to my small food processor and grinded it up and I have to say that fresh ginger is a must in this recipe. The toppings of fried onions and cilantro bring this meal together.

4 cups cold basmati rice
2 eggs
6 tablespoons oil + more for onions
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup cooked, peeled shrimp
1 cup cooked, chicken, chopped
dash red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger
1 small onion, thinly sliced
soy sauce, to taste
cilantro for garnish

1. In a saute pan on medium heat add half of oil. Add eggs and a few drops of soy sauce, scramble. Add garlic and ginger, saute then add peas. Add rice, remaining oil and shrimp paste, mix well. Reduce heat to low.

2. Meanwhile, in a small pan on medium-high heat add a small amount of oil. Add onion slices and fry until golden.

2. Add shrimp, chicken and red pepper and soy sauce to taste, mix well. Cover and allow to thoroughly warm, about 5 minutes.

4. Place mixture on a serving dish and sprinkle fried onions and cilantro on top.

Yields: 4 servings

Snowball Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:54:00 +0000

I am sure many of you remember the popular snowball cookie growing up and your family’s special twist on it. I like to add mixed nuts and ground cardamom to mine but that is a new practice that I have started myself. I just love the taste of cardamom in things both sweet and savory. It seems that regardless of where I go or how many years pass I enjoy keeping the traditions that I was brought up with alive through my own family as well. These cookies are a lot like the popular Mexican wedding cake and Russian Tea Cakes which was another favorite in my home growing up; tea cakes have been around for centuries. Regardless of the variations snowball cookies are a great treat.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups ground mixed nuts
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 pound butter (at room temperature)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Powdered sugar, to coat (about 1 cup)

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add sugar, cardamom and the vanilla and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour, then nuts. Wrap separately in cling film and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Set the sugar aside.

3. Working with the chilled dough, roll 1 scant tablespoon of dough between your palms into balls. Arrange the balls on a large baking sheet, spacing them 1/2 inch apart. Bake for about 18 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then gently toss or roll the warm cookies in sugar to coat them completely. Transfer the coated cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Sift any remaining cinnamon sugar over the cookies and serve.

Yields: 20

Banana Pudding Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:51:00 +0000

My husband is a huge fan of any sort of banana bread so I am constantly making it and trying to tweak the recipe to have a better recipe. In this recipe I discarded the usual walnuts and decided to add fresh qashta to have a pudding like yet still creamy taste and tea biscuits for a slight crunch. My goal was to make a banana pudding taste into the bread; the outcome was remarkable and had the banana pudding taste that I had hoped for. Make sure that the bananas that you use are over ripe for the perfect taste. You can also make homemade qashta if you do not have it readily available where you live or a small amount of pudding. Crushed cookies such as vanilla wafers can also easily replace the tea biscuits.

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
1 (170 gram) can qashta
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tea biscuits, crushed

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F, grease a loaf pan and sit aside.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, qashta and vanilla. Fold in tea biscuits.

3. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Yields: 1 loaf

Mouloukhiek

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Mouloukhiek was an Arabic dish that I had heard a lot about but never had the pleasure of tasting. At all the grocers here in Saudi I have saw huge green stalks of the leafy green vegetable with tons of people grabbing them up. I thought that dish must be good if that many people are making it. I cannot say this is an actual eye pleasing dish myself as my first reaction was like ‘what is it’. But after I tried it I really loved everything about it and now see why it’s so popular throughout Arab countries. This is a bath my mother in law made and her recipe as well, she made a chicken version because I love chicken. Many people use lamb or a chicken and lamb mixture as well as rabbit. This dish is typically served with white rice and pita bread.

4 pounds fresh mouloukhiek, picked, cleaned and dried
1 large chicken, cut up
salt, to taste
1 onion, chopped
8 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 cups chicken broth

1. In 4-quart saucepan add water and salt, add chicken. Bring to a full boil then reduce to low and cook until fully cooked. About 45 minutes. Shred chicken when finished. Cover and keep warm. Cut dried mouloukhiek up with a knife.

2. In another saucepan on medium heat add butter. Fry onions and garlic until tender. Add cilantro and coriander. Add mouloukhiek and lemon juice with chicken broth.

3. Bring to a full boil then reduce to low. Cover and allow to sit until ready to serve.

Yields: 6 servings

Arabic Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:40:00 +0000

One of the hardest things for me to get down when I started cooking was the correct way to cook rice. Growing up we never ate rice with our meals and the only time I ever remember having it was for dessert which was served with milk and sugar and not that often. However, when you marry an Arab you better learn how to cook rice because most meals that do not involve rice do not equal much of a meal and I have become quiet fond of the dish myself. You can really do a lot with rice I have found out over the years. This recipe is the simple white plain rice you will find served on most tables. Arabs always add a cube of Maggi in their rice dishes and well most other dishes as well. Nestle makes a fortunate off the Middle East let me tell you. Vinegar is really great when cooking rice because it keeps the rice from being sticky and makes it fluff to perfection. This is one the two recipes for basic rice that I always use, enjoy.

7 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3 cups basmati rice
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1. In a 4-quart saucepan add water, chicken bouillon cubes and vinegar, bring to boil.

2. Add the rice and cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is almost tender. Drain in a strainer. Heat half the quantity of butter in a large saucepan, add turmeric and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the cooked rice and spread the rest of butter on top of rice without stirring.
Cover and cook on low heat for at least 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. Fluff up the rice using a wooden fork in order to become yellow and white mixed colors.

Yields: 5 servings

Farm Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Biscuits are certainly a Southern staple that you will find being made in every Southerner’s home. In the South we only bake buttermilk biscuits and you will find them on tables throughout the day served for breakfast with white gravy, always accompanying dishes such as fried chicken and of course we make dessert out of them as well by spreading honey and butter on top. Biscuits are the one recipe that I just could not do without, I always make them. Biscuits are certainly one of those recipes that require practice. If you over mix you will get a flat and hard biscuit in the end. I barely mix my ingredients together in the bowl when I dump it out on the board. Kneading is also a big mistake; do not be tempted to do it. Just mix, dump, flip, roll and cut very quickly for a perfect biscuit.

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon shortening
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup melted butter

1. Pre-heat oven to 500F. In a mixing bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add shortening, mix in until mixture looks crumbles. Add baking soda and buttermilk. Quickly combine together being careful to not over mix.

2. Place dough on a floured surface or a non-stick baking mat. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick and cut 2 inch circles. Dip biscuits into melted butter, covering all of biscuit. Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden approximately 10 minutes.

Yields: 8

Batata bil Laham

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:08:00 +0000

I have always been a meat and potato type of girl so if any recipe has a combination of the two I am in heaven. This recipe takes a bit of time and I have found it’s easier to pull up a chair at the table and work. I usually have a bit of the meat mixture left so I add a small amount of egg and breadcrumb’s and make kofta out of the remaining mix. These golden dumplings are perfect served with white rice.

5 potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
1 pound ground lamb
1 onion
2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons coriander
1 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1-1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoons turmeric
oil for frying

1. In a small food processor add onion and coriander, pulse until chopped. In a medium sized bowl add onion mixture, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, curry powder and turmeric. Add lamb, mix and sit aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl add potatoes, remaining salt and sunflower oil. Make the potatoes mixture into a dough like consistency. Take a small ball the size of a large egg. Make a bowl with the potatoes mixture and stuff 1 heaping teaspoon full of lamb mixture inside and shape ball into a ball covering lamb. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

3. Add eggs in a small bowl and breadcrumbs in another small bowl. Add enough oil to fry into a saute pan on medium heat, allow to get hot. Dip potatoes into egg mixture and then roll in breadcrumbs. Fry on each side until golden and lamb is well done. About 10-15 minutes.

Yields: 18

Khubz bil Jubnah

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:10:00 +0000

My family absolutely adores this golden bread filled with cheese and covered with sugar syrup. This is bread that you will find served in many Saudi and other Arab homes. These superb rolls have a slight sweet taste and are filled with cream cheese; we use Kiri then topped with sugar syrup or honey. You can even sprinkle black sesame seeds on the bread before baking for another great flavor.

1 cup + 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon yeast
dash of salt
oil
cream cheese
egg white

1. In a small bowl add yeast, 1/2 teaspoon of yeast and water, stir. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until frothy.

2. In a large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, butter, yeast mixture, salt. Add egg and milk a bit at a time until a dough consistency has formed. Form a ball, oil hands and apply all around dough ball not working into. Place into bowl, cover with a towel and place in a warm place for at least an hour.

3. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Meanwhile, ball dough into small balls the size of a large egg. Shape into a bowl and stuff with a heaping teaspoonful of cream cheese. Form back into a ball. Place balls in a greased pie tin touching one another. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

4. In a small bowl mix egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush on top of bread. Place bread into oven and cook until golden, 25 minutes. Drizzle sugar syrup or honey on top of bread.

Yields: 8-9

Chicken Kofta

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:45:00 +0000

Chicken kofta is one of my favorite meals and it’s pretty easy to make which helps a lot. To save time I use my pre-mixed Arabic spice mix and chop up everything in a small food processor. I always serve this dish with white rice and tomatoes that I roast under the broiler until lightly charred.

4-5 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup ground bread crumbs
1 teaspoon ground Arabic spice mix
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sunflower oil

1. In a 4-quart saucepan on high heat add chicken breast and fill with water to boil. Bring to a full boil then reduce heat to simmer. Allow to cook until meat is no longer pink. About 30 minutes.

2. In a small food processor add onion and garlic, pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. When chicken has fully cooked add chicken pieces into food processor until chicken is ground.

3. In a large mixing bowl add chicken, cilantro, onion and garlic mixture, breadcrumbs, Arabic spice mix, salt and pepper. Mix well then add eggs, combine well.

4. In a sauté pan on medium heat add 3 tablespoons; add more as needed while cooking. Allow oil to become hot. Roll kofta into small long shapes or balls. Fry until golden on both sides, flipping when needed. Drain on a paper towel. Serve.

Yields: 2 dozen

Brownie Bites

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:52:00 +0000

These cute little sweet bites are not your average brownies you see they have a secret ingredient inside which is the ever popular Almond Joy candy bar. The mix of the brownies, walnuts and smooth texture from the Almond Joy are a pleasurable mix. And the best thing about them is their small size which you can easily pop into your mouth. The cupcake pan that I used said that it was mini but I have another mini pan which is smaller so I think it’s more of a medium size since its smaller then my regular pan and larger then my mini one. You can use 1/2 cup shortening or butter in place of the mix that I have if you do not have one on hand. I personally like the taste and texture the combination gives.

1/4 cup shortening
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts
1 almond joy candy bar

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl add shortening, butter, cocoa; beat in eggs, sugar and vanilla using a hand mixer. Add in sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

2. In a small food processor add walnuts and almond joy, pulse until coarsely chopped. Fold into batter.

3. In a non-stick mini cupcake pan add 1 heaping teaspoon full of batter into each cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Yields: 30

Umm Ali

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 10:38:00 +0000

I get asked quite a bit by my readers why I do not have an Umm Ali recipe. Honestly it’s not a recipe that appeals to my husband nor me so I have never cared to make it. My husband bought me some new cookbooks (yes, I am obsessed) for Eid and one of the books that I bought was Sweets of Arabia by Osama El Sayed. He had a recipe for Umm Ali that looked simply amazing. Instead of using the traditional phyllo in the recipe he has used croissants. Umm Ali is a bread pudding type dessert after all so this really turns the recipe around. My house smelled heavenly while it was cooking and I could not wait to dig in. Wow what a difference this recipe makes compared to the other ones that I have tried.

6 plain croissants
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon melted, butter
3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream (or already whipped cream)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, walnuts or almonds, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Tear croissants into chunks and place into a large bowl. Add almonds, walnuts, coconut, raisins and butter, toss to mix.

2. In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat add milk. Bring to a boil. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat.

3. Pour a little of the milk into a baking dish. Scatter half the croissant mixture into the dish, then pour in half of the milk. Add the remaining croissant mixture, spread evenly and add remaining milk on top.

4. Whip cream to soft peak and spread over top. Bake for 20 minutes, then place under broiler for about 5 minutes or until golden. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve hot.

Yields: 6-8 servings

She'reya

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:01:00 +0000

She’reya is a very old fashioned traditional dish found in Saudi and other surrounding Middle Eastern countries. Basically this easy dish is simply boiled pasta with sugar and definitely not anything fancy or hard to make. My mother in law told me the story behind this special dish and why she continues to always make it on the days that her family fast so that they will have it to break the fast. When her grandmother was a small girl her family was extremely poor. So poor that most days they did not have food to eat and the days they did it was usually borrowed. Maybe one day a neighbor would give them a small Arabic coffee cup with some tahina in it and they (the other three kids) would add water and drink it as if it were a soup. The mother (my mother in laws great-grandmother) would usually not eat just so the children would have food. This she’reya recipe was one that sometimes they would have and they would eat it with bread and it was such a treat. So my mother in law now always keeps the tradition alive by making she’reya. This beautiful story makes the dish so much more appealing and its found in a lot of Saudi homes during Ramadan since most were raised with it.

1/2 pack vermicelli, broken into small pieces (we use the nest)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
5 tablespoons sugar

1. In a 4-quart saucepan on high heat add oil and vermicelli. Stir until color changes to a golden brown.

2. Add water and reduce heat to medium, add sugar. Cook until water is fully absorbed.

Yields: 4 servings

Lamb Mandy

noreply@blogger.com (Noor) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:12:00 +0000

{finished mandy}

{after smoking}

{ready to serve}

There are special ovens for mandy, which are dug in the ground, and which give a special flavor and delicious taste. However, if these ovens are not available you can use the above ground method like your stove. For some time now I have had request to post this recipe. My chicken mandy is actually the most popular recipe on Ya Salam Cooking. I even made a video to guide you step by step with my smoking method. Mandy is smoky flavored dish so this is a step that you do not want to miss.

2 kilo lamb shoulder
5 cups basmatti rice
5 cups water
2 onions, cut into slices
1 tomato, grated
2 tablespoons mandy spice mix
2 tablespoons butter, softened + more for smoking
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 black lemon
boiled eggs, optional

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. In a small bowl add mandy spice mix and butter, mix well. Cut a few deep slits around lamb. Rub mixture all over lamb and deep into slits. Cover lamb tightly with aluminum foil. Place into oven, after 30 minutes reduce heat to 350F. Allow to cook for 2 hours, reserve juice.

2. When lamb has finished take a saute pan on high heat add reserved lamb juice. Add rice, water, onions, tomato, black lime, and salt. Bring to a full boil then reduce to low and cover. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes not uncovering until. Leave heat on low.

3. Meanwhile, heat coal. When rice has finished place an onion shell into center with a spoon of butter. Arrange lamb around pan. Place hot coal onto butter in onion shell, quickly cover and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.