Hello everybody.
First day of the Holy month of Ramadan, wish Muslims all around the world a month full of spirituality and forgiveness.
A usual custom in our house first dish will be stuffed vine leaves and courgettes with yogurt cucumber salad, fatoush and mushroom soup. My sister in-law will bring lentil soup and boiled eggs and potatoes.
I also baked a big loaf and sliced it to squares a must for my son every year.
Good thing weather is warm so as we’ll eat outdoors.
Hello everybody.
Ramadan Kareem family and friends,though this holy month must be spiritual,full of prayers and good will,but as usual all housewives face a big dilemma each day,what to cook? who to please? is it enough? need more kinds? who to invite? make qatayef or no? each member will start asking for certain dishes and cravings.
Best thing to do in Ramadan though hard to apply is to decrease quantity you usually cook so as not to have many leftovers,plus try to make all your grocery shopping once a week to minimize the effort and time. Well as I said this might not work out everyday but worth trying.
I will post what I cooked everyday after Maghreb to give you ideas about what to make the next day,hope you all go through this month with good health and less tiring work in the kitchen,I think moms or whoever is the one responsible for feeding the family specially at this time of the year,deserves a prize cause each year everybody I know starts with a decision not to cook a lot and eat less cause of the heat and high prices but you’ll always find full tables and full lines in supermarkets and exhausted moms ,God bless you all moms and dads in the Muslim world.
As for today,a tradition since long time ago,first day begins with stuffed vine leaves and courgettes with yogurt and cucumber salad,fatoush,lentil soup,some sambousek and a must to my son mushroom soup . though many families believe specially in my family that you must cook something white the first day like mansaf,or anything cook in yogurt but it’s not a must,well I made cucumber with yogurt,guess this is white enough 🙂
Dessert is QATAYEF stuffed with walnuts and cheese,I usually bring the small ones that’re supposed to be stuffed with cream and put each pair together,they look cute and small in size. I dip each one in vegetable oil then bake them in the oven then add syrup on top,yummy yummy!!
Hello everybody.
Today I cooked a repeated dish ,eggplant with rice (maqloubeh),I think made it with cauliflower,it’s the same but with eggplants instead.
Last week I bought these lovely mini cucumbers,great for making pickles,many housewives now starts to make them for Ramadan,they’re very tasty though people with high blood pressure must avoid them,but I usaully make them not too salty. I might even need to make another batch cause I’m sure they’ll be gone soon as Ramadan comes.
Ingredients and method:
* cucumbers (or any other vegetables you like e.g. cauliflower,beets,green tomatoes,small eggplants…etc)
* water.
*salt.
*sugar.
* vinegar.
*garlic.
* chili powder or flakes.
* In an clean empty juice or water bottle or glass jar insert cucumbers.
* make a salt water mixture, 1 big tablespoons for 1 cup of water,I usually make 4 cups of water for this bottle.
* fill water solution in bottle then add 2 cloves garlic and chili (optional)
* add 1 small spoon vinegar and 1 small spoon sugar.
* close well and shake.
* pickles will need one week to 10 days to be ready, you can leave it stored or open bottle ( be careful cause it’ll be very fizzy) then store it in the fridge.
Enjoy 🙂
Hello everybody.
Saturday is back!!!!
Grocery and errands, kids wanted spaghetti, of course I didn’t object..easiest thing to do.
Today I made the sauce by using:
*minced meat.
* one can chopped tomatoes.
* 1 spoon tomato paste.
*1 spoon pesto sauce.
* chopped mushrooms.
* Mix meat with all other ingredients add a bit of water then leave to simmer till done.
* add salt, pepper, oregano or paprika according to your taste.
* cook pasta then add olive oil, salt and pepper , mix them all till heated
* serve with sauce abd cheese on top.
I found a bottle of tzatziki herbs in my husband’s picnic basket. Took it to use before it expires.
We usually eat this salad in all Cypriot restaurants, it’s served with traditional meat or fish mezze. It resembles the cucumber and yoghurt salad we make but it’s thick and eaten with bread.
Tzatziki seasoning can be bought ready as the bottle I show you or it can be done easily at home by mixing garlic powder with a bit of salt, oregano and dried mints. Original recipe uses only garlic, salt and vinegar. But adding herbs gives is a great taste.
Ingredients and method:
* 3-4 grated cucumber.
* 2 cups strained yoghurt or thick creamy yoghurt (
لبن بالقشطه او لبن نعاج )
* 1 tsp tzatziki powder.
Or salt, vinegar, crushed garlic, oregano and dried mints.
* Drain and squeeze cucumbers till all water is out.
* add herbs and salt.
* Add yoghurt and mix well.
* drizzle with olive oil.
* Can be garnished with paprika and olives.
