Semolina Turmeric Cake

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups semolina 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon turmeric 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons white sugar 

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1 tablespoon pine nuts 

Method 

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Grease a 9 inch round baking pan. 

In a small bowl, mix semolina, flour, turmeric and baking powder. 

Set aside. 

In a large bowl, stir milk and sugar until sugar is dissolved. 

Add flour mixture and oil and beat with an electric beater at medium speed for 5 minutes. 

This step is essential, do not use any shortcuts. 

Pour into a prepared 9 inch round pan. 

Sprinkle top with pine nuts. 

Bake at 350 F for 25 to 35 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out dry. 

Laban matboukh

Ingredients:

2 cups plain yogurt

1 large egg white

2 teaspoons corn four

1 teaspoon salt

Instructions: 

Put the yogurt in a medium sized heavy saucepan. Beat the egg white just until it turns frothy. Blend the beaten egg white, corn four, and the salt into the yogurt. Stir in a clockwise direction until the ingredients are well combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Heat to a boil. It is critical that you stir constantly in the same direction (clockwise). When the mixture begins to boil lower heat and simmer gently 4 or 5 minutes without stirring, until thick. Use as directed in recipes.

Laban Bil Bayd - eggs in garlic yogurt sauce

Servings:6 

Ingredients:

1 recipe laban mutboukh (see archives)

3 cloves of garlic

salt

3 teaspoons of dried mint

1/4 cup ghee (see archives)

fresh ground white pepper

6 large eggs

Instructions: 

Prepare the laban mutboukh and gently simmer uncovered. With 1/2 teaspoon of salt, crush the garlic and blend in the dried mint (a mortar and pestle is best for this). Heat the ghee in a small frying pan. Stir in the garlic mixture and sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Place the laban mutboukh in a shallow baking dish. Break the eggs one at a time and drop them on top of the laban mutboukh, space them evenly. Pour the garlic mixture over the eggs. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until the eggs are set, cooked hard. Serve immediately.

Falafel

Servings: 35 patties

Ingredients:

1/2 pound broad fava beans (skinless),soaked overnight

1/2 pound dried chick peas, soaked overnight

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 large onion finely chopped

6 large scallions, finely chopped

1/2 hot pepper finely chopped or ground

1 tablespoon baking soda

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

vegetable oil for frying

Instructions: 

Drain and rinse the beans, using cold water. Take the skins of the beans off. Pound or grind the beans, or put through the food processor, minced to very fine. Add the garlic , onions and peppers, mix well. Add the remaining ingredients. Pound or process into a paste. Cover and let stand 1 1/2 hour.

Take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form into patties about 1 1/2 inch diameter.Let the patties set another 15 minutes. Fry them in vegetable oil until golden brown. See Tahini sauce recipe.

Best way to eat: Serve with fresh pita bread, tomato, cucumber top with tahini sauce.

Shawrbat ` Adas Maa Bandoura – Lentin and Tomato Soup

(Serves from 8 to 10)

1 cup lentils, rinsed

7 cups water

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 medium size onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups stewed tomatoes

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup white rice, uncooked

1/4 cup lemon juice

Place lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes.

In the meantime, in a frying pan, heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until they turn golden brown. Stir in remaining ingredients, except lemon juice, and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Stir the frying pan contents into the lentils and bring to boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until rice and lentils are well-cooked. Stir in lemon juice and serve hot. 

Total Calories Per Serving: 115

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
125 ml yogurt
3 tbsp olive oil
Several whole olives

Preparation
Heat oven to 200°C. Place whole eggplant on a baking sheet and bake until the outer shell is crisp and the inside is soft and mushy (about 1 hour). Let the eggplant cool, then remove and discard the skin and the green cap. Spoon the inside into a food processor or a blender. Add garlic, tahini, salt, lemon juice and yogurt. Purée until creamy. Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with olive oil and whole olives. Serve cold or warm, with sliced pita bread or vegetables for dipping.