Arabic meatballs (ZNOOD EL BANNAT)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4eggs,hard boiled and peeled.
• salt.
• pepper.
• 500grams ground beef.
• 2tablespoons minced parsley.
• 2tablespoons dried onion soup mix.
• 1teaspoon arabian spices.
• semne for frying.

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STEP BY STEP:

1. Prepare the meat in a mixture,and put the salt,pepper,onion soup mix,spices and parsley into the meat.
2. Divide the meat into 4 equal peices.
3. Form each peice of meat into a ball,and make it as you make a kebbe,and when it is ready,insert one whole boiled egg into each meat ball and close it very well so the meat shell will not crack.(for an easier way:devide each peice into two parts,flatter each part into a circle shape as you are making a hamburger,wrap the two peices around the egg and cover it completely,and close it from all the sides very well).
4. The meat balls should be fried in semne very well,and you can use any cooking oil instead of the semne.
5. You can serve it with some sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

Lamb brains with lemon

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 peice of garlic cruched with:
  a) 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  b) 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice.
  c) 1/4 cup olive oil.
• 5 lamb brains.

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STEP BY STEP:

1. Prepare the brains by removing the thin skin that covers the brains.(if you find this diffucult,put them in cold,salted water with a spoon of vinegar for15minutes).
2. Put the brains in a pot of cold water and add the lemon,salt,vinegar and onion.Bring to the boil,reduce heat,and boil gently until tender(10-12minutes).
3. Slice gently each brain into several peices,mix all the ingredients together except the 5 lamb brains and pour it over the brains.
4. Put them in the refrigerator for a half an hour or slightly longer,turning the slices once or twice.
5. Decorate with parsley and served chilled.

Lamb brains in butter (Nkha'at mi'leeye)

Ingredients:

• 5lamb brains.
• 2tablespoons milk.
• 1egg.
• flour.
• 1/4teaspoon salt.
• cold water.
• 2wedges lemon.
• 2wedges onion.
• 4tablespoons salt.
• 2tablespoons vinegar.
• butter.

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Step by Step:

1. Prepare the brains by removing the thin skin that covers the brains.(if you find this diffucult put them in cold,salted water with a spoon of vinegar for15minutes).
2. Put the brains in a pot of cold water and add the lemon,salt,vinegar and onion.
3. Bring to the boil,reduce heat,and boil gently until tender
   (10-12minutes).
4. Prepare a batter from the egg,salt,milk and enough flour to bother the mixture.Put the prepaired brains in the batter and saute them on all sides in a melted butter.

SPINACH

Ingredients:

• 1 package(250g)frozen chopped spinach.
• 3 tablespoons small peices of onion.
• 1/2 tablespoons salt.
• 1 tablespoon butter.
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
• 1/4 cup pine nuts.
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
• 1/2 teaspoon arabian mixed spices.
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley.

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Step By Step:

1. Prepare the frozen chopped spinach according to the instructions on the package.
2. fry the onion in the butter until soft.
3. Take off all the water from the spinach and add it to the onion and butter,and then add all the ingredients and mix well.

OLIVE APPETIZER (ZEITOON BI HAMED ER RUMMAN)

INGREDIENTS:

(use green olives that do not have a spicy or bitter flavor).

• 1/2 small onion.
• 1 cup green olives.
• 3 tablespoons water.
• 3 tablespoons hamed er rumman sause.
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar.
• 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• pinch salt.

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STEP BY STEP:

1. Remove the seeds from the olives and cut each one into two or three peices.
2. Mix the ingredients together and stir them into the olives.

Falafel

ngredients:

• 1 tablespoon of Hot green pepper Powder
• 4 cups of grounded Fava beans (Fooll)
• 2 cups of chick peas
• 2 cups of sesame seeds
• 3/4 cups of finely minced onions
• 1/4 cups of pounded garlic
• 1 cup of finely minced coriander
• Salt to taste
• Cumin to taste
• Cinamon to Taste
• Sumac to taste

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Step by Step:

1. Clean the Fava beans and chick peas very well.
2. Soak both of the beans in cold water for at leat 12 hours.
3. After the period os over take the beans and put them in the mincing machine.
4. Add the Onions, Garlic, Coriander, Hot green pepper and mince very well.
5. Add the spices and leave for two hours.
6. Heat the cooking fat and shape the Falafel into small balls (Similar to the ping pong ball)
7. Before frying the Falafel cover the top with sesame seeds then fry.
8. Take out the Falafel when it gets a golden brown color.
9. Serve hot with Arabic bread, Tahini, yogurt, Tomatoes and slices of lemmons.

Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo of lamb meat (With the bones)
• 1/2 loaf of Arabic bread
• 1 cup of lentils
• 1 cup of cooking fat (samneh)
• 1/2 bundle of parsley
• juice of 1 lemmon
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of white pepper
• Pinch of cinamon
• stick of cinamon

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Step by Step:

1. Clean the meant and bones.
2. Put them in a cooking pan and pour water to the top (until covered).
3. Heat over a high fire, removing the grease on the top from time to time.
4. Add the stick of cinamon and keep it boiling for two hours and a half.
5. Take out the meat and the bones from the stew.
6. Clear and clean the lentils and add over the stew.
7. Add the salt.
8. Pour over some water (Enough to make a soup).
9. When the lentils are well cooked pour all the stew ingredients into a squeezer, (You should not have any big parts of the lentils remaining).
10. Clean the cooking pan and pour what you have from the stew.(the remaining after squeezing).
11. Add the white pepper, cinamon and lemmon juice.
12. Keep it on a medium fire.
13. Clean the parsley, chop up and add to the lentil soup.
14. turn of the fire and put the soup aside.
15. Cut the bread into small pieces and fry until it gets a golden color.
16. When serving add some of the fried bread over the soup.
17. Extra lemmon juice can be served upon request.

Chick pea and yoghurt crumble (Fattet Hummos)

(Fattet Hummos)

Ingredients:

• 350 grams of clean Chick peas
• 300 grams of Arabic bread or Toast
• 60 grams of butter
• 800 grams of yoghurt
• 15 grams of garlic (Crushed)
• 20 grams of Salt
• 50 grams of pine nut

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Step by Step:

1. Boil the chick peas or buy it already cooked with some of the water it was cooked with (About 2 cups)
2. Cut the bread into small square pieces and spread them in a deep bowl.
3. pour some of the chick peas syrup over the bread until wet.
4. Pour the Chick peas over the top and spread evenly.
5. Mix the Yoghurt , salt and garlic together and pour over .
6. Fry the Pine nuts with the butter until they get a light brown color.
7. Spread them over on the top with the melted butter.

Garlic Dip (Toomeh)

(Toomeh)

Ingredients:

• 7 egg yolks (Yellow part)
• 1 tablespoon of viniger
• 1 teaspoon of mustard
• pinch of salt
• 4 cups of oil (Olive or vegetarian)
• 3 - 5 cloves of garlic (pounded very well)

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Step by Step:

1. Mix the Egg yolk with the Viniger, Mustard and Salt.
2. Start pouring the oil slowly on the mixture while mixing.
3. Do not stop mixing untill all the oil is mixed thoroughly.
4. When you get a creamy dip add the Pounded garlic and keep on mixing until all the ingredients are merged together.

Fried Turnovers (Samboosek)

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups of flour, sifted
• 1 cup of butter
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2/3 - 3/4 warm water
• Oil for frying

Cheese Filling

• 1 cup of grated grams of haloumi or crumbled Feta
• 1/2 cup of parsley leaves, torn
• 2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves, torn
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper.

Meat filling

• 1/4 cup of onions, minced
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 500 grams of ground beef or lamb.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of pine nuts.

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Step By Step

1. Cut shortening into flour and salt.
2. Sprinkle in the water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing until all flour is moistened and the dough cleans the side of the pan.
3. Punch down the dough and divide into several portions.
4. Roll out to 3-4 mm. thick and cut into small rounds 8 cm. in diameter.
5. Place a heaping teaspoonful of filling in the center of the each pastry.
6. Fold in half and pinch with a fork to seal the edges.
7. Deep fry in very hot oil for a few minutes until golden brown.
8. Serve hot

Keshkeh

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of soft cracked wheat (Burghul Naem)
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of yoghurt
• 1 small onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• coriander for garnish
• olive oil

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Step By Step

1. Cook the cracked wheat on medium fire after putting the milk over it.
2. The milk should be coverring all the Burghul
3. Cook for 10 minutes (Until the Burghul absorbs all the milk)
4. Put the cooked burghul (Kishkeh) in a small bowl and add the yoghurt.
5. Add the chopped onions and mix until well blended.
6. Add the salt and pepper.
7. Garnish with Coriander and olive oil.

Arabic Bread (Khoboz Araby)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 teaspoon of yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1-1 1/4 cups of lukewarm water (40-45 c)
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup cornmeal

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Step By Step

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
2. In a deep bowl, combine the flour, and salt, making a well in the center.
3. Pour in the yeast mixture, the oil, and 3/4 cup water.
4. Using your hand, gently blend the ingredients in the liquid.
5. Continue mixing and kneading in the bowl for about 10 minutes until a smooth dough results.(Add a little more flour or water if necessary).
6. Return the bread to the bowl and cover with a clean dishtowel.
7. Leave to rise in a warm spot until boubled in bulk (2-3 hours).
8. Place the dough on a lightly floured board, and knead with floured hands for 5 minutes.
9. Tear off pieces the size of oranges or grapefruits and roll between cupped hands to form smooth balls.
10. Set aside on a floured cloth. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 475 F . Sprinkle baking sheets with cornmeal.
12. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece of dough onto a circle about 0.75 cm thick.
13. Arrange the circles on the baking sheets, cover with a towel and let rise again for 30 minutes.
14. Place sheets in the bottom of the oven, directly on its floor, and let them bake for 5 minutes, until the loaves puff up and are lightly browned, or place under the broiler until browned.

Chick Pea Salad (Salatet Hummos)

Ingredients

• 1 can (425 grams) of chick Peas
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsely
• 1/4 cup of chopped green onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon of oregano
• 12 teaspoon of salt
• Pinch of cumin

Dressing

• 1 clove of garlic (Crushed with 1/2 teaspoon of salt)
• 1/3 cup of lemmon juice
• 1/3-2/3 cup of olive oil (To taste)

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Step By Step

1. Turn the can of the chick peawith their liquid into a saucepan and heat.
2. Combine the chick peas with the remaining ingredients.
3. Pour on the lemmon dressing and blend thoroughly.
4. Stir several times before serving.
5. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Fattoosh

Ingredients

• 2 cups of lettuce (Washed, Dried and torn into small pieces
• 2 medium tomatoes (Cut into small pieces)
• 2 small cucumbers ( peeled and cut into small pieces)
• 1/2 cup of onion or green onion (coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves (torn into pieces)
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsely (chopped)
• 1 cup of drey toasted Arabic bread (Torn into pieces)

Dressing

• 1 clove of garlic (crushed with salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of lemmon juice
• 1/3-2/3 olive oil (to taste)

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Step By Step

1. Toss all the ingredients in a salad bowl.
2. Take care that the vegetables and the bread are in pieces of similar size.
3. Prepare the lemmon dressing and pour over the salad (Toss to coat thoroughly)

Tabbooleh

Tabbooleh

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of fine grained cracked wheat (Burgul)
• 3 cups of water
• 3 cups of fresh minced parsley
• 2-3 large chopped tomatoes
• 4-5 minced green onions
• 10 fresh mint leaves (Minced) or 2 tablespoons of dried mint

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt to taste

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Step By Step

1. Rince the cracked wheat several times and set aside to soak in the water for 20 minutes or longer.
2. Chop the parsley very, very fine (Do not use a blender)
3. Add remaining ingredients and squeeze the wheat by handfuls, removing all the water, and add to the salad.
4. Pour on the dressing and mix well.
5. Serve accompanied by crisp leaves of lettuce to be used to scoop up the salad.

Enjoy the Tabbooleh

Fried Chees (Jebneh Me'leyeh)

(Jebneh Me'leyeh)

Ingredients

• 1 package of Halloumi cheese
• 1/2 cup of butter

Batter

• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pinch of pepper

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Step By Step

1. Slice the cheese about 0.7 cm. thick.
2. Beat together the ingredients for the batter.
3. Melt the butter over a medium flame. Monitor the flame carefully so that it is as high as possible without burning the butter.
4. Dip the cheese in the batter and brown in the the butter, turning once.

Green beans and olive oil (Fassoliya bi zait)

Ingredients

• 500 grams of green beans
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 large tomato (pealed and finely diced)
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup chopped of corinader (Kusbara)

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Step By Step

1. Trim off the ends of each bean and cut it into 2 or 3 pieces.
2. Rinse well and add to a large pot of boiling salted water.
3. Cover, reduce heat to moderate and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Drain off all but 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and add the remaining ingredients except for the corinader.
5. Blend gently and cook for 25 minutes.
6. Add the corinader and cook 5 more minutes.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. The sauce should be thick and each bean glistening and coated.
9. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Chick Pea Dip (Hummos bel tahena)

Ingrdients

• 2 cups of cooked chick peas or (1 can (450g))
• 1/4 cup liquid in which peas were canned
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of tahena
• 1/3 cup lemmon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

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Step By Step

1. Puree all the ingredients in a blender (Reserving a few whole peas for the garnish)
2. Add additional tahena and /or lemmon juice until you have achieved a flavour and consistency that suits your taste.
3. Spread in an oval serving platter, drizzle lightly with olive oil and garnish lavishly.
4. Serve at room temperature with pieces of Arabic bread for dipping.

EGGPLANT DIP (BABAGHANOOJ)

Ingredients

• 1 Large Eggplant
• 2-3 tablespoons Tahini
• Juice of 1 or 2 Lemons
• 1 or 2 cloves Garlic (Crushed)
• 1 teaspoon of Salt
• 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt

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Step By Step

1. Grill the eggplant over a flame until the skin blisters.
2. Remove the skin, chop the pulp coarsely, and squeeze out some of the bitter juice.
3. Stir in garlic, yogurt and salt, alternatively adding tahini and lemon juice until you are pleased with the flavor
4. Pour into several small shallow serving dishes
5. Drizzle a bit of olive oil.
6. Serve with pieces of Arabic bread.

White Bean Dip (Salatet Fool Abiad)

Ingredients

• 250 grams of white beans
• 1 clove garlic (crushed with 1/2 teaspoon salt)
• 1/3 cup lemmon juice
• 1/3-2/3 cup olive oil (to taste)
• Salt
• Pepper

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Step By Step

1. Drain beans which have soaked in cold water for at least 12 hours. Replace the water and boil until tender, 11/2-3 hours. If a pressure cooker is used, the beans will cook in around 40 minutes.
2. Setting aside a few beans, smash the remainder in a mortar or liquify in an electric blender.
3. Combine the (Clove crushed with salt, Lemmon juice and olive oil)blending thoroughly and beat in about half a recipe, or more if desired.(If pureeing in a blender, add the dressing to the beans before putting them in the blender)
4. Adjust seasoning.
5. If mixture is too thick, add a little water or a small amount of the liquid in which the beans were cooked.
6. Spread on a platter, dust with paprika and garnish decoratively.

Lentil Dip (Salatet Adas)

Ingredients

• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic (Crushed)
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 3/4 large brown lentils
• small pinch of salt
• Small pinch of black pepper
• water
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

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Step By Step

1. Saute the onions in the olive oil until slightly softened.
2. Add garlic, cloves and lentils and stir to blend.
3. Pour on water to cover and bring to the boil.
4. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender (From 1-2 hours depending on lentils), add more water if necessary.
5. Drain and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Add the cumin and coriander.
7. Mash the lentil mixture in a mortar or puree in the blender.
8. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, black olives and lemmon or tomato wedges.

Hot Eggplant Puree (Taghmis El Betenjan)

Ingredients

• 1 Large eggplant
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• pinch of cumin
• 2 tablespoons lemmon juice

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Step By Step

1. Grill the eggplant over a flame until the skin blisters and remove the skin.
2. In the bottom of a large bowl smash the garlic and salt with a wooden pestle.
3. Add the eggplant and pound it into a puree.
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan and stir in the remaining ingredients.
5. Add the pulp and saute gently for about ten minutes.
6. Turn into a serving platter.
7. Garnish with parsley and tomato wedges, and serve immediately with Arabic bread.

SPICE WALNUT DIP (MOHAMMARA)

Ingredients

• 1 cup breadcrumbs, unseasoned
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsley chopped
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• juice of 1 1/2 lemons
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

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Step By Step

1. Combine all ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended.
2. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding cayenne if desired.
3. Spread in a plate, and drizzle olive oil over the top.
4. Sprinkle with paprika and decorate with pine nuts.