Hello everybody.
Today’s lunch was what we call in Arabic ‘Ablama ‘ which consists of fried minced meat courgettes cooked in creamy thick yogurt.
Many people consider this a royal dish, it is actually,specially if well done and courgettes are tiny.
These are steps of making ablama in photos taken by my mom two years ago.
Hello everybody.
Back to an old dish today, been a while since I made it.
Chicken with potatoes, of course with some onions and a bit of garlic. I even fried the potato cubes like old times.
Made some coarse mloukhieh on the side since I have chicken broth,yummy with fresh lemon juice and hot pepper.
coarse mloukhieh .
Hello everybody.
I was invited to lunch today so I cooked very early, a selection of dishes was the menu cause main dish was spinach stew and my husband is not a fan at all .
healthy nutritious dish .
Alternatives were spinach pastries, beetroot orange salad and a small dish of hedge mustard (حويرنه) with yogurt.
Hello everybody.
Did my first official order today to a dear friend of mine.
Date rolls, baked Zaynab fingers were the dessert part, za’tar puffs, smoked kebabs with Iranian rice were appetizer and main dish.
all ready and packed.
Hello everybody.
It’s cold and rainy today, cooking plan is just perfect for this weather which is stuffed cabbages.
Just remembered that I made a video last winter of how to stuff and cook them,will repost it below.
You should do it this week since it’ll be raining for few more days.
* minced meat.
* rice.
* ghee and vegetable oil.
* salt, pepper, all spices, dried mint.
* cabbage, boiled and stems removed.
* garlic as much as you like.
* lemon juice.
Method:
* Wash the rice then add the meat. I usually cook it before a bit.
* add spices, salt, mint.
* stuff the cabbages and line them with garlic in between.
* add lemon juice, a bit of oil and enough water to cover all cabbage. I have this heavy pottery lid I use as weight or you can put a heavy plate.
* cook for 10 minutes over high heat then lower it and cook it for another hour or till rice inside is done.
Adha Mubarak everyone.
I’m pretty sure most people are fasting today so it’s a late lunch or Iftar.
We’re all gathered so it’s a kind of big dinner.
Menu was a new chicken recipe I took from our dear family friend Osama, really easy and yummy,plus pesto pasta, potatoes with cream,red or rice with tomato paste.
Ingredients and method of chicken :
# whole chicken with skin on.
# eggplants.
# carrots.
#red peppers.
#1 clove garlic.
# juice of a lemon.
# salt, pepper, cumin, all spice, tandoori spices.
# olive oil.
#Cut all veggies to big shunks.
# Season chicken and veggies with all spices,lemon and olive oil.
# In a deep oven pan arrange chicken and veggies around it.
# heat the oven from upper section then roast chicken and veggies till golden or brownish.(الشوايه من فوق)
# cover all with foil paper then leave in oven for one hour or more till done and sauce is thick.
Serve with any kind of rice you prefer.
Hello everybody.
Another batch of veggies were brought from the farm yesterday, so had to do something with these eggplants before they rot.
A traditional Arabic dish Maqloubeh is always a good choice but today I added two things that I don’t use usually, onions and sun-dried tomatoes.
Well thought I’d combine a recipe I saw on Fatafeat cooking channel in Chef Daad Abu Jaber show and an advice from my lovely aunt .Result was extremely delicious ,they really did add to the taste .
onions,tomatoes,eggplants and meat all arranged under the rice.
Hello everybody.
Lunch today was an old fashion heart warming meal,green beans with meat and tomato sauce with rice on the side, good choice specially that it’s been a while since I cooked it.
You will need:
1/2 kg of lamb meat cut to cubes or big pieces with bones as you prefer.
1kg cut, washed green beans.
2 or 3 large ripe tomatoes.
2 cloves of garlic.
1 small onion.
2 big spoons tomato paste.
5 cups of water.
Salt.pepper. mixed spice.paprika.
1 big spoon olive oil.
In a pressure cooker or regular pan..heat the oil then add meat pieces, salt.pepper.spices. paprika, stirr well till meat is brownish and crispy.
Add the beans and keep stirring till it softens.
In a blender mix the onion, garlic, peeled tomatoes, tomato paste and water then pour it over the beans and meat..
You can add one more cup of water if the juice is too thick.then leave to boil for 30-40 minutes on low heat if in pressure cooker or for hour and half if in regular pan.. or till meat is well done.
Of course this dish is served with rice..today I made rice with small noodles (شعيريه ) I toasted it with vegetable oil and salt till golden.added the rice, mix them well together then added water till above rice by one inch.
When all water is absorbed lower the heat ,, I usually place a tin under the pan to keep heat very low and rice won’t burn, then leave till rice is done.
Hello everybody.
Protein for today is lentils, cooked with rice pr mujaddara . A typical end of the week meal !
Have a nice weekend 😉
Recipe for Mujaddara:
1 cup brown lentil.
1 cup rice or coarse burghul.
1 cube chicken stock.
1 or 2 large onions
Boil the lentils in water with 1 small spoon cumin powder till tender.
Wash the rice or burghul add them to the lentils, with the maggi cube, 1tsp of each,, salt, black pepper, mixed spices…and 2 large spoons olive oil.
Add water to the mixture ( almost 2 and 1/4 cup)…let it boil then lower the heat till rice is cooked.
Chop the onions to thin slices and fry in olive oil till crispy…and serve them with the mujadara…
This is a very nutritious dish,, a good source of protein and iron.
Some people love to eat it with yogurt as well.
Hello again.
Lots and lots of eggplants in my fridge, have to cook them before they’re ruin I guess.
Lucky me my sister came to lunch today and she’s an eggplant lover cause half of my family doesn’t eat it at all by the way.
Quick lunch solution, kofta balls wrapped in fried eggplants as bundles then cooked in tomato sauce. Though the shape wasn’t perfect but taste was very good.
I also did some Gazpacho soup, good in this hot weather.
