Baqalawa (Baklava)

Ingredients: 

1 package of filo (baqalawa) dough papers, thawed to room temperature

3 cups of ground almonds or pistachio nuts

1 cup of finely chopped almonds or pistachio nuts

1 cup of powdered sugar

2 teaspoons of ground cardamom

3/4 cup of melted butter

FOR SYRUP:

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of honey

2 cups of water

juice of one lemon

In a saucepan, bring the syrup ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about five minutes. (Be careful not to boil over the syrup.) Remove from heat and put aside for later. 

In a mixing bowl combine the nuts, powdered sugar, and cardamom. Open the filo dough, but keep it covered with a kitchen towel to keep it from drying out. Lay out one sheet of filo dough. Brush melted butter over it. Lay another sheet of filo dough on top of the first one. Again, brush with melted butter. Lay a third sheet of filo dough on top, and again brush with butter. Across the middle of the top sheet, make a line of nut mixture, about four rounded Tablespoons of nut mixture. Fold the filo dough in half over the nut mixture so that the nut mixture is right inside the fold. Then roll up the filo dough as tight as you can, with the nut mixture being in the very middle. Carefully move this "log" of filo dough to a baking sheet. On the baking sheet, diagonally cut into 3/4 inch pieces with a shape knife. Repeat the process again until you have used all of the filo dough. 

Drizzle any remaining butter over the baqalawa pieces on the baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Take five or six pieces of baqalawa at a time and dip them into the syrup allowing them to soak up syrup for about 15 seconds. Remove them from the syrup and place them in a strainer or on a rack where the excess syrup can drip off. 

They are very pretty when each piece is served in a mini paper cup (like the decorated paper cups used for mini-cupcakes). 

Saloonah Laham - Meat Stew

Ingredients: 

meat for 4-5 people (lamb, mutton, beef or camel) 

5 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 Tablespoon of turmeric powder

1 large onion, chopped

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

3-4 cups of fresh vegetables chopped in big pieces (carrots, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, potatoes, okra and/or bell pepper)

3 Tablespoons of Omani mixed spices (or 1 Tablespoon ground coriander, 1 Tablespoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and a couple of whole cloves)

3 Tablespoons of tomato paste

3 Tablespoons of fresh, chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)

fresh hot peppers or ground cayenne pepper, to taste

salt or bouillon, to taste

serve over white rice 

Leave some meat on the bones (if any) and cut the rest into 1 inch cubes. In a large pan, bring about 7 cups of water to boil. Add the meat. In a few minutes, skim off the foam that collects on the top of the water with a spoon. Add the smashed garlic and turmeric powder. Cover and boil for a few hours, until the meat starts to get tender. 

Add the chopped onion, tomato, vegetables, and the rest of the ingredients. Boil until the meat and all of the vegetables are very tender. Add water, if needed, to make it as dry or as soupy as you like it. 

Serve the "saloonah" over white rice

Quick Hummus

Ingredients:                                                               

                                                                            

1 can of garbanzo (ceci) beans                                             

1 medium-sized clove of garlic (or 1/2 of a big clove)                     

1 Tablespoon olive oil                                                     

3 Tablespoons sesame seed paste (tahina)                                   

3 Tablespoons of lemon juice                                               

a pinch of cayenne (red) pepper                                            

                                                                            

Strain the garbanzo beans, reserving the liquid. Put the garbanzo beans    

and all of the other ingredients in a blender. Blend on high for about 20  seconds. Turn off the blender and stir the mixture with a spoon. Add from  the reserved liquid, 1 spoon at a time, just enough to get the mixture to  run smoothly in the blender. (You will not need to add all of the liquid.) 

Run the blender for about 20 seconds after each addition of liquid. The    

final product should be thick, not runny.                                  

Spoon into a bowl or plate. Drizzle with more olive oil if desired.        

                                                                            

Serve with grilled meats or spread in sandwiches.                          

For a light dinner, serve along-side a plate of finely chopped tossed      

salad. Eat with pita or other soft flat bread, using the bread to grab the 

hummus dip and salad (without the use of spoon or fork).                   

  

VARIATION: For a lighter tasting and creamer Hummus, add 3 Tablespoons of  

plain yogurt to the recipe.    

Baba Ghanoush - eggplant appetizer

Ingredients:                                                       
1 1/2 pound of eggplant                                                   
3 Tablespoons lemon juice                                                 
1 teaspoon salt                                                           
2 teaspoons minced garlic                                                 
3 Tablespoons sesame paste (tahini)                                       
1/4 cup chopped parsley                                                   
2 Tablespoons olive oil                                                   
                                                                           
Wash and prick the eggplant all over with a fork. Then, bake in a 400     
degree F oven until the flesh is tender and soft, about 30-50 minutes     
depending on the sizes of the eggplant. (For even more flavor, broil the 
eggplants over charcoals or even over the flame of a gas stove.) Remove   
from the oven and allow to cool.                                         
                                                                           
Halve the eggplants and scoop out the flesh. You should have 2-2 1/4 cups 
of flesh. Beat in a mixer or food processor, with the lemon juice, until 
smooth. Mash the salt and garlic together, mix with the sesame paste and 
olive oil, and combine with the eggplant. Stir in the parsley, and drizzle
with more olive oil, if desired. Best served and eaten with warm, fresh   
pita bread.                                                               
                                                                           
For a variation: stir in 1 cup of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes and 
1/2 cup of chopped green onions.