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RECIPES FOR EGYPTIAN FOODS

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:12 pm
by Connie Tindale
Egyptian food is delicious. Share your favourite recipes here.

basboosa

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:01 pm
by Miriam
hubbys favorite

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
1tsp vanilla essence or sachet vanilla from supermarket
2eggs
2 cups semolina
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bi carb
3/4 cup yogurt
coconut


cream butter, sugar,vanilla til light and fluffy
add eggs little at time , fold in semolina bi-carb baking powder, stir in yogurt and coconut, put in greased shallow tin ( I usually grate more coconut on top and put slivers of almonds and pistachio nuts on top as well ) put in pre heated oven at gas 4 -180c-350f for 30 mins

meanwhile put 2 cups sugar
one and half cups water
tablespoon lemon juice
into a pan and boil for 10 mins
when boiled put some rose water into syrup for flavor

when cake is cooked pour the atar (syrup) over the cake and enjoy :D

Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:50 pm
by Ladybird
:P well ihave to say my favourite food is mashey and lahama goulash and mulakouya

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 2:00 pm
by Ladybird
Basboosa - Semolina Cake with Honey and Lemon

Ingredients:

Syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 whole lemon
3 teaspoons honey


Basboosa
3 cups semolina
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup milk

Instructions:


1. To make the syrup: Peel the lemon with a potato peeler to get flat strips of peel.
2. Juice the lemon.
3. Bring the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil.
4. Throw in the rind of the lemon.
5. Boil until the lemon rind is hard or the mixture is a runny syrup consistency.
6. Add the honey.
7. Set aside while you make the basboosa.
8. Mix the semolina, flour, sugar, and baking powder.
9. Add the oil and mix until all the batter is well blended.
10. Grease a large cookie sheet tray (10 x 16 inches).
11. Add the milk just before you are about to bake.
12. Dot the mixture into the greased pan by spoonfuls.
13. Level the mixture with your hand (dipped in milk).
14. Shake the tray to level.
15. Bake for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.
16. Cut into squares and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes.
17. Pour the syrup over the basboosa immediately after you remove it from the oven the last time. i have to say this was not easy as my hubby mum makes it much better with years of practice,but it turned out nice.
:P

Shurit Ads

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:08 pm
by Quinonostante
Ingredients
2 cup red lentils
2 qt stock
1 each onion, peeled, quartered
1 each tomato, quartered
2 teaspoon garlic, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon salt
1 pepper, freshly ground
1 lemon, cut into wedges


Directions:


Wash the lentils in a large sieve or colander set under cold running water until the draining water runs clear. In a heavy 4 to 5 qt pot, bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils, onion, tomato and garlic, reduce the heat to low, and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1 tb of the oil over moderate heat. Add the chopped onions and, stirring frequently, cook for 10 minutes, or until they are soft and deeply browned. Set aside off the heat.

Puree the soup through a food mill or pour the entire contents of the pot into a sieve set over a deep bowl and force the ingredients through with the back of a large spoon, pressing down hard on the vegetables before discarding the pulp. Return the soup to the pot and, stirring constantly, cook over low heat for 3 or 4 minutes to heat through. Stir in the cumin, salt and pepper, and taste for seasoning. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 3 tbs of oil.

To serve, ladle the soup into a heated tureen, sprinkle lightly with the reserved browned onions and serve the lemon wedges separately

Milookhiyya

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:10 pm
by Quinonostante
Ingredients
1 qt stock
1 cup milookhiyya OR spinach, washed & shredded
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 pepper, freshly ground
2 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoon coriander, ground
2 tablespoon olive oil


Directions:


In a heavy 3 to 4 quart saucepan, bring stock to a boil over high heat. Stir in the milookhiyya, tomato paste, salt and a few grindings of the pepper and reduce the heat to low. Stirring occasionally, simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the milookhiyya has dissolved and the soup is thick and smooth.

With a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon, mash the garlic and coriander to a smooth paste. In a small skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat. When hot, add the garlic and coriander and, stirring constantly, cook for a minute or two until the garlic is lightly browned. Add the entire contents of the skillet to the soup and, stirring all the time, simmer for 2 or 3 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and serve at once from a heated tureen.

In Egypt, milookhiyya is often accompanied by hot cooked rice and sliced boiled chicken or game birds, presented separately on individual plates.

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 2:29 pm
by Quinonostante
Egyptian Stuffed Grape Leaves
-----------------------------

Ingredients:
0.8 lb of ground beef
1.5 cups of uncooked rice
1 Large onions (or 2 small ones)
1 Can of preserved (pickled) grape leaves
A handful of parsley
1 tsp of allspice
1 tsp of lemon pepper salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon juice
4+ Chicken boullions

Boil grape leaves for 8 minutes. Drain and let cool down. Chop onion very
fine. Chop parsley very fine. Mix chopped onion, chopped parsley, ground
beef, rice, allspice, lemon pepper salt, and garlic powder together into a
paste. Stuff grape leaves. Tightly pack stuffed grape leaves into a
medium-large saucepan in layers. Make sure each layer is completely filled
in. Cover to top layer with a plate to weight the stuffed grape leaves
down. Cover with water. Add chicken boullions and lemon juice to water and
bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until water is
almost gone. Serve and enjoy!

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 9:33 pm
by Countessa
[glow=gold]Macaroni Bechamel[/glow]

Bechamel Sauce:
Few tbsps vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 1/2 litres milk
onion (chopped)
couple of bay leaves (optional)
couple of cardamom pods (optional)
3 eggs (beaten)

Method:
Begin by putting the milk, chopped onion, bay leaves and cardamom on to heat (once boiled, keep it on a low heat). Then heat the oil and add the flour...stir until the flour is slightly golden. Add the milk a little at a time, and stir thoroughly until the sauce is smooth. Set aside (preferably overnight) to cool. Once cold add the beaten eggs and salt and pepper to taste.

Mince Mixture:
500g lean meat (minced)
2 or 3 green chilli peppers (not the spicy ones!) (finely chopped)
2 tomatoes (liquidised)
1tsp tomato puree
1 large onion (finely chopped)
Pinch of mint

Fry the mince with the onion and peppers until cooked...then add the tomatoes, tomato puree and mint and leave on a low heat until reduced and thickened.

Pasta:
2 bags of penne pasta, boiled in salted water

To Combine:
Mix 3/4 of the bechamel sauce into the pasta...take half of the pasta and lay it on the bottom of a tray. Then evenly spread over the mince mixture and top it with the other half of the pasta. Cover this with the remaining bechamel sauce. Sprinkle a few drops of oil over the top and cook in a hot oven (gas 6) for around 45 mins or until golden on top.

Serve hot or cold with a nice leafy salad

:) just call me Delia ;)

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 8:39 am
by Countessa
Not a recipe per se as it only has 2 ingredients! But try mixing tahina paste with treacle (assal aswad) then eating it with freshly baked fateer...absolutely delicious.

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 12:40 pm
by SoCalledEgyptologist
I'm really bad at cooking, but would like to do this some time, but what does this mean?:
countessa wrote: 2 tomatoes (liquidised)

The "liquidised" bit... Sorry if I'm being really thick :oops:

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:16 pm
by Countessa
SoCalledEgyptologist wrote:I'm really bad at cooking, but would like to do this some time, but what does this mean?:
countessa wrote: 2 tomatoes (liquidised)

The "liquidised" bit... Sorry if I'm being really thick :oops:
sorry if it wasn't clear....what I do is pop the tomatoes and tomato puree in the food processor and give them a whizz together for about 30 secs. If you don't have a food processor, grate the tomatoes with a cheese grater (top tip!!).

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:34 pm
by SoCalledEgyptologist
:D Ok, thanks, got it now! :)

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:46 pm
by Countessa
Another point, when making the bechamel sauce, add the milk little by little and KEEP STIRRING FOR YOUR LIFE!! It will probably start by going all lumpy, but just keep stirring - don't give up...I promise you'll end up with a smooth sauce!! I learned this lesson after giving up and throwing away my lumpy efforts...only to be shown how it was done properly by my sis-in-law!

Chocolate Marble Cake

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:57 am
by Countessa
This is such an easy cake to make and it always turns out perfect! :)

BTW, in winter when oranges are in plentiful supply, you can make an orange cake by simply omitting the vanilla and milk and adding the finely grated rind of an orange and half a cup of orange juice.

Ingredients

1 cup butter (you can buy this by the kg/half kg in Omar/One)
2 cups sugar
6 x eggs
6 x vanilla sachets
2 1/2 cups flour
1 x sachet baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 or 3 tbsp cocoa powder

Method

Firstly, grease a medium tray and pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6.

Cream the butter and sugger together with an electric mixer until it's light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla sachets and give another whizz with the mixer for a minute or so. Add the flour, baking powder and milk and whizz for about 30 secs till the consistency is like a thick ?sauce?.

Pour 3/4 of the mixture into the tray. Add the cocoa powder to the remain mixture and whizz again. Spoon the cocoa mixture over the top in a random pattern.

Pop into the oven for 30 mins or until you can stick a thin knife into the centre and it comes out clean.

Then make a cup of tea, put your feet up and ENJOY!!

Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 3:47 pm
by Countessa
Moussaka

This is a popular asha (supper) dish. It goes nicely served alongside feta cheese and a plain egg omelette. :)

Ingredients:
4 large aubergines - (remove 3/4 the skin by peeling vertically, then slice horizontally into circles about 5mm thick)
Half bulb garlic - finely chopped
3 tomatoes - liquidised with 1xtsp tomato puree
1/4 cup vinegar

Method:
1. Sprinkle the aubergines with salt and leave for 10/15 mins
2. Fry the aubergines in hot oil until both sides are golden brown...set aside
3. Fry the garlic until light brown...add about 1/4 cup vinegar then add the tomato mixture - simmer on a low heat until thickened.
4. Add the aubergine and mix with the tomato sauce.
5. Sprinkle some cumin over the top and serve.

Cooking Meat

Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:19 pm
by Countessa
I was rather confounded when I first arrived in Egypt and saw how the meat came from the butchers!! Now, after removing the sinew and fat, I find this the best way to cook it...

1. Put the meat in a large pot of cold, salted water
2. Place on a high heat until it boils
3. Scoop off the scum that forms on top
4. Add a whole onion, 2-3 bay leaves and 4-5 cardamom pods
5. Boil for around an hour until the meat is tender

Take the meat out to drain - you can then fry it in simna, or add it to a vegetable dish.

The stock can be used to make vegetable dishes, molokhia, rice, or lisan asfour (pasta) soup.

Lisan Asfour Soup:
1. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of simna (Halouba is the best) in a pan
2. Add around 1/4 pack lisan asfour (tiny pasta pieces - lisan asfour actually means 'sparrow's tongue'!!)
3. Cook until golden brown - then add a little more pasta
4. Add the stock from the meat with some salt and pepper
5. Leave to simmer for around 15-20 mins until the pasta is cooked

Feta Rice

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:21 pm
by Countessa
Feta Rice

This is a dish eaten mostly at Eid to accompany fried meat.

Start by making a quantity of plain rice.
Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with broken gargoosh (dried bread) chunks
Fry the meat in a frying pan using some simna
Using the same simna, lightly brown 2 finely chopped bulbs of garlic
Add half a cup of vinegar to the pan
Add 1 or 2 pints of stock (from the meat) to the pan (depends on the size of the casserole dish).
Pour this soup mixture over the gargoosh, leaving a little aside
Spoon the rice on top and pour over the remainder of the 'soup'

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 6:26 pm
by Countessa
Felafel

Ingredients
1 lb. dried, peeled fava beans
2 medium onions, quartered
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch parsley, large stems removed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups oil


Method
Soak the fava beans in water overnight. Remove skin if present.

Combine the fava beans, onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, baking powder, salt and pepper in a blender. Grind until mixture becomes very smooth (it helps if you partially chop, or dice the ingredients before you put them in the blender). Let paste rest for 30 minutes.

Take small lumps and make round, flat patties. Let the patties rest for about 15 minutes to preserve their shape. Heat oil in a deep pan so that the patties can be submerged. Fry the patties until golden brown. Place them on a plate covered with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Felafel goes well with a tahina dip, here's the recipe....
1 cup yogurt
2 Tbs tahina
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 glove garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Few sprigs of fresh coriander, finely chopped (optional)

Method:
Combine all ingredients. Blend well and refrigerate.

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 6:37 pm
by HEPZIBAH
Falafal
[face=Comic Sans MS]Thanks Contessa
Will give this a try one day. I think it will be good picknick food or boost a bbq table.
Used to love to cook but cooking & washing up for one is a bore & chore. Will have to practice and impress my friends again.[/face]

Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:34 pm
by Geraldine
Ok...you can make falafels using either fava beans or chickpeas. Which ones they mostly use in Egypt?