Easy Baklava Recipe

     This recipe is really one of the easiest ways to make delicious BAKLAVA(one of the most delicious Middle East Desserts) Enjoy Tasty Middle Eastern Desserts and learn how to make Easy Baklava.  

Ingredients
1 pound chopped mixed nuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.

3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.

4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.

5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered

Stuffed Baby Zucchini with Tomato Sauce...

     I invite you to try Stuffed Baby Zucchini with Tomato Sauce Recipe. Enjoy the Arabic Cuisine and  learn how to make Stuffed Baby Zucchini with Tomato Sauce. 

Ingredients

3 lb baby zucchini

2 TS ghee

1 medium onion,finely chopped

350 g minced lamb

2 TS fresh mint

½ ts ground cinnamon

½ ts ground black pepper

¾ cup egyptian rice,washed and drained

1 medium tomato,finely chopped

2 cups water or 500 ml

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 TS tomato paste

2 cubes MAGGI Chicken Bouillon

Preparation

1. Hallow the zucchini, wash well and set aside.
2. Heat ghee in a large saucepan then add onion, meat, spices and sauté while stirring for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in rice and tomato.
3. Stuff the zucchini with the meat and rice mixture and arrange in a large casserole. Place 2 plates on top of the zucchini to press them down.
4. Combine water, garlic, tomato paste and MAGGI Chicken Bouillon cubes in a sauce pan, bring to boil then pour over the zucchini in the casserole.
5. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until zucchini and rice are cooked.

Ginger-Beef Stir-Fry

      Lean beef and crispy spring vegetables stir-fry together for a full-flavored, low-fat, low-calorie dinner you can toss together in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 8  ounces beef top round steak
• 1/2  cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 3  TS reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2-1/2  TS cornstarch
• 1  TS sugar
• 1/2 TS grated fresh ginger
• 12  ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch-long pieces
• 1-1/2  cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1  cup small broccoli florets 
• 4  green onions, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2  TS cooking oil
• 2  cups hot cooked brown rice
• Nonstick cooking spray

 

Directions

 

1. Trim fat from steak. Thinly slice steak across the grain; cut into bite-size strips. Set aside. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together beef broth, soy sauce,cornstrach, sugar, and ginger; set aside.

2. Lightly coat an unheated wok or large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, mushrooms, broccoli, and green onions to hot wok or skillet. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from wok or skillet.

3. Carefully add oil to the hot wok or skillet. Add meat.Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in center. Push meat from center of wok or skillet. Stir sauce; add to the center of wok or skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

4. Return cooked vegetables to wok or skillet. Stir vegetables and meat together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with hot cooked rice. Makes 4 servings.

NOTE

Partially freeze steak for easier slicing.

 

Foul Mudammas Recipe

      Recipe for Foul Mudammas, learn how to make best foul mudammas, a dish made from fava beans, which are cooked and served with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and parsley in a pita and is commonly served in the middle east as a breakfast food.

Ingredients
1 Can fava beans 16oz
1 Can garbanzo beans 16oz
2 Large minced Garlic
1 tsp of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 Cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 radish sliced
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation
In a pot warm up the fava beans and chick peas then transfer to a large bowl. Add minced garlic with salt,cumin and lemon juice and combine with beans. With a mortar, mash half of the beans then mix with a spoon. Top with freshly chopped parley, tomato, radishes, olive oil and cayenne pepper. Serve with pita bread.

The Best Falafel Recipe

     This recipe will teach you how to prepare Falafel from Scratch!
There are many falafel recipes. Each country has its own way of preparing falafel, and in every country you can find many versions of recipes.
I will suggest one falafel recipe which is very popular in the Middle East.

Ingredients

• 2 lb of dries chickpeas, soaked in water overnight
• 1 small head of garlic - cut to peeled cloves
• 1 onions cut to quarters
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander (if you like)
• 1 tablespoon cumin spice
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon hot paprika
• Salt, pepper
• Oil for deep frying

Preparation

• Wash the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion, parsley, and coriander. Grind until you get a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed.
• Put the mixture into a large bowl; add baking soda and the rest of the ingredients.
• Warm the oil in a wide pot
• Make falafel balls by spoon.
• Fry until you get a golden shade.
• Take the balls out with a slotted spoon.
• Serve hot!

Iraqi Biryani Recipe - Recipe from my country

       Biryani, biriani, or beriani (Nastaliq script: بریانی) is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice (usually basmati) and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā(n) (بریان) which means "fried" or "roasted".

Biryani was brought to the Indian Subcontinent by Muslim travelers and merchants. Local variants of this dish are not only popular in South Asia but also in Arabia and within various South Asian communities in Western countries.

Easy and delicious recipe for Iraqi Biryani. Enjoy Iraqi food cooking and learn how to make tasty dish of Iraqi Biryani.
Ingredients
250 g minced lamb
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons onions, finely chopped
1 cup vegetable oil or 220 g, for deep frying
1 medium potato or 150 g, cut into medium cubes
1 medium carrot or 150 g, cut into medium cubes
1 medium onion or 125 g, sliced
½ cup frozen green peas or 80 g, thawed
1 whole chicken or 800 g, cooked, without bones and shredded
2 tablespoons raisins
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of saffron filaments
½ cup almonds or 75 g, peeled and toasted
2 tablespoons ghee
¾ cup vermicelli or 75 g
2 cups rice or 400 g, washed
2 cubes MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon
1½ teaspoons arabic mixed spicess
4 cups water or 1000 ml

Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl, combine minced lamb, onion and parsley (season with salt and pepper). Form meat mixture into small balls; place in a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 200˚C for 10 minutes or until meat balls are cooked. Remove and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, deep fry potato and carrot in the hot oil , and set them aside over a kitchen tissue to absorb any excess oil.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat the reserved oil and sauté onion until its tender then add green peas, shredded chicken meat, raisins, black pepper powder, saffron leaves, almonds, the prepared meat balls potato and carrot. Stir until well combined and set aside (add salt to your taste).
4. In a medium pot, melt the ghee, add the vermicelli and stir until vermicelli is changed in color to golden brown; Add rice, MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon cubes and spices (add salt if needed). Stir for seconds then add the water and stir constantly to boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
5. Add the prepared meat and vegetable mixture over the rice and mix all carefully with the rice. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes then serve.

Serving tips : Serve with green salad and laban drink.

Lamb Shawarma Recipe

      Lamb Shawarma is like the ultimate on the go meal. Thinly sliced meat, wrapped in a pita bread with veggies,pickles and sauce is a delicious quick meal. Learn how to make Lamb Shawarma, just like at your favorite Middle Eastern restaurants!
Ingredients 

• 2lb (1 kg) lamb fillet
• 50 g fat
• 1/4 cup  vinegar 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, all spice, black pepper, mistika and salt

Preparation

• Cut the lamb fillet into thin strips (1/2 cm).
• Cut the fat into thin strips too.
• Mix the seasoning together with the vinegar and the olive oil.
• Combine the lamb and fat strips in a bowl with the seasoning mixture and let marinate overnight.
• Heat a large skillet very well. Add the lamb and fat strips and cook over high heat until the fat melts and the lamb strips turn brown.
• Serve with Tahinah sauce and salad.