كبسه، السعوديه، شوربه عدس،kabseh

Hello everybody.

I bet you’ll be dieting after the holidays, a few pounds extra are inevitable in these occasions. One can always sart a diet when done and enjoy this week as mush as possible after all you only live once.

This soup is awesome for this purpose,healthy and fulfilling plus it contains lots of fiber for those with bowel problems and of course everybody knows that oats are super cholesterol reducing kind of food.

Lunch today is Kabseh with meat not chicken and a salad.

I also made another batch of cream cheese with added garlic and herbs to half the amount:)

Ingredients and method:

* 2 cups oatmeal.

* 1 small chopped onion.

* 2 cloves chopped garlic.

* some grated carrots.

* some chopped celery.

* 1/2 cup milk.

* 1 cube Maggi or 4 cups chicken broth.

* some cheddar cheese.

* lemon juice,salt and pepper.

* saute onions,garlic and celery in some oil or butter.

* add carrots and oats.

* add cube,salt and pepper and 4 cups water.

* leave to simmer till oats are done.

One of the things I’m happy about since starting this blog is that what to cook is really not a problem anymore, don’t know why!
Each night I really decide quickly,brainstorming in a second.
Today I made kabseh (كبسه ), to those who don’t know what it is,this dish is mainly a Saudi,I have the recipe from a Saudi friend living in Amman.I also made lentil soup cause it’s extremely cold outside.
I’ll begin with the soup.lentil soup is an old-fashioned soup done since long time ago,many recipies and ways to do it are found in grandmas and moms cook books.
I usually make it like this.
You need:
*1 cup lentils.
*1 small finely chopped onion.
*1 sliced carrot.
*1 sliced courgette (كوسا ).optional.
* 1 cube chicken stock.
*1 spoon salt.
*1 spoon powdered cumin.
*6 cups hot water.
Sautee the onions, carrots, courgettes in a bit if olive oil till tender.wash then add lentils.stirr well then add salt, cumin, chicken stock.add water and leave to boil then simmer.
serve with fried or baked bread cubes and lemon juice.

Now to kabseh,originally it’s done with large pieces of lamb but Imake it with small lamb cubes or chicken cause that’s how my kids prefer it.
Basic ingredients are:
*Meat.
*onions.
*tomatoes.
*2 large grated carrots.
*2 large spoons tomato paste.
*2 small cloves garlic.
*bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, pepper corns, cardamom, salt.
* 5 dry limes (لومي ).
*1 spoon kabseh spices which is a mix of mainly pepper.cumin, and many other spices.
*basmati rice.

For the sauce:
*2 large ripe tomatoes.
*1 big spoon lemon juice.
*1 big spoon olive oil.
*3-4 small hot chillies or dried crushed chillies. According how chilli you like it.
*freshly chopped coriander leaves if desired. * salt.

Method:
Put meat cubes or chicken in a pan.stirr till all water dries.add salt and all spices.stickes and leaves.limes.
*Add water and leave to boil till tender.
*In another pan.heat some ghee and vegetable oil
*add chopped onions and garlic till tender.
*add grated carrots.
*add chopped tomatoes and paste.
* when meat is done remove from water and add to mixture.
*add the dried limes..the ones used in meat broth.
*leave to simmer for 15 minutes then add the rice and sieved meat broth till above the rice by 1 inch.
* when most water is absorbed lower the heat, cover and leave till rice is done.

I usually wrap the pan in an old blanket for a while before serving, makes it more fluffy and done to perfection.

As for the sauce. Mix all ingredients except coriander in blender then chopp and add it.serve with the rice.