Bezar ~ Mixed Local Spices

This spice is very essence of Arabian cooking and is a mixture of spices first roasted then pounded together. Once the bezar has been prepared, it can be kept in an airtight container and will remain fresh for up to 10 months.

Ingredients

1 cup cumin seeds (whole)

1 cup fennel seeds (whole)

1 cup cinnamon sticks

1 cup coriander seeds (whole)

1/2 cup pepper corns (whole)

1/4 cup dried red chillies (whole)

1/2 cup turmeric powder

 

Directions

Put cumin, fennel, cinnamon, coriander, pepper corns and dried chillies into a frying pan and roast over a low heat, stirring continuously, until the spices turn golden. Remove from heat, grind in a blender and keep in an air tight container. Use as advised in the recipes.

Ba-theeth ~ Date crumple

Ingredients

4 cups wheat flour

2 3/4 cups seh - ripe sticky dates

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 1/4 cups toasted sesame seeds

3/4 cup samen  

Directions

Brown the flour in a skillet, stirring to avoid burning. Stone the dates and pull them apart with your hand. Place in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the cardamom and sesame seeds over. Gradually add the samen (oil) and browned flour, a little at a time, working the ingredients in with the fingertips.

When all is well blended, the mixture should resemble large biscuit crumbs. Store in an airtight container and serve on a fou-alla. The mixture will keep for a week.

Kham-fa-roush~ Small Fried Rice Cakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup ground rice (rice flour)

1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon saffron

1 teaspoon rose water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

oil for frying 

Directions

Beat the eggs and mix with the sugar, blend in the rice flour and remaining ingredients. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Cover the bottom of a frying pan with 1/2 inch oil (1.25cm) and heat - be careful not to allow oil to over boil and smoke. Drop rounded teaspoons of the rice flour mixture into the hot oil and, when brown, turn over and brown again. Drain on paper towel. Serve warm.

Custard ma hal ~ Custard with Cardamom and Rose Water

Ingredients

4 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons custard powder (commercial)

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 tablespoons rose water

ground pistachios and glace cherries for decoration

 

Directions

Put milk, sugar and cardamom into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower heat and taste for sweetness. Mix the custard powder with a little water to make a smooth thin paste and carefully stir it, little by little, into the milk mixture, whisking continuously. Continue stirring until the custard is smooth.

Remove from heat and add rose water. Return to the stove and place over a very low heat to simmer gently for two to three minutes. Pour into small bowles, or a large bowl, garnish with nuts and cherries and chill until ready to eat.

Machboos or Fogga ~ Chicken and Rice

Serves 6-8

A traditional local dish, its colour depends on the amount of tomatoes used in cooking and how brown it turns out to be!  Very filling, it can be made with fish, meat, chicken, shrimp or game and is always served with radishes, freshly sliced onion, sliced limes and dates.  

Ingredients

1 fresh chicken

2 tablespoons bezar

salt to taste

4 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 fresh tomatoes chopped

6 cloves garlic

3 whole dried loomi

1 stick cinnamon

8 cardamom

4 cups Pari rice

3 onions sliced and browned in samen  (clarified butter) 

Directions

Clean chicken and cut into pieces. Rub with salt and bezar.  Gently fry in a little samen until brown on both sides.

Transfer to a pot, add a little oil and add the stock, garlic, loomi, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat.

Taste for salt and add the drained rice. Boil gently on a low heat (don't stir). Once the water has been cibsorbed, cover pan with damp cloth and a heavy lid. Leave to steam, unopened, for 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat and stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot on a platter.

Sa-mak koufta ~ Fish Cakes

Serves 6-8

These savory fish cakes are fried just long enough to become light and fluffy. The spices added give them sufficient flavor to be tasty and not too spicy.

A favorite during Ramadan, and on any afternoon visit, the cakes can be made in advance and kept in fridge for up to 24 hours, then fried.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs (650gms) hammour or Cha-naad (grouper)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 eggs beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

6 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons loomi (lemon juice)

2 onions chopped and browned in a little oil

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons bezar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Extra breadcrumbs for coating

Corn oil for frying  

Directions

Place fish, parsley, onion, eggs, salt, vinegar, spices and breadcrumbs in a bowl and mix well with the hands. Crush the garlic and pound with loomi in a mortar and pestle until the paste is formed: Add to fish mixture and mix well again.

If too wet, add little flour, if too dry, a little cold water. Form the mixture into small cakes approximately 3" (7.5cm) diameter and roll in the breadcrumbs. Deep fry until they turn golden brown. Serve hot.

Ro-be-yann nashif ~ Shrimp Fried with Spices

Serves 4

This is a very popular main course meal. The dried jumbo shrimps are ideal, but fresh locally caught prawns are just as tasty.  Some people add a little more oil at the frying stage which gives a richer flavour, while others may add one or two finely chopped green chillies during the cooking stage. When this is served as a luncheon dish it is normally accompanied by plain boiled rice, but as an evening meal, it is more common to serve paratha or chapati bread, hot from the pavement baker.

For the cook who hasn't ready access to these types of bread, try pitta bread which has been warmed in the oven or microwave. Side dishes of sliced limes and mixed salad would be the normal accompaniments for this modern dish.  

Ingredients

1 lb (450gms) fresh or dried shrimp

2 large onions sliced

1/2 cup corn oil

1 tablespoon bezar

1 teaspoon turmeric

pinch of ground fennel seeds

2 garlic cloves crushed

1 tablespoon loomi

1/2 teaspoon cumin

6 curry leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon grated ginger

salt to taste

 Directions

If using dried shrimp, leave in cold water 30 minutes before using, then drain, remove gut and shell. Fresh shrimps should be cleaned in the usual way.

Fry onion in oil until brown, then add remaining ingredients except shrimps. Fry gently for 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp, and a little water if necessary. Turn heat to low and cook for 12-15 minutes, stir frequently to avoid sticking. Chopped fresh coriander can be sprinkled over the top as a garnish. Serve immediately.

Khameer ~ Round Yeast Bread

Makes Approximately 15 Pieces

The word khameer comes from khameera, meaning to leaven or ferment. The dough mush be kneaded well and left at least 12 hours before baking.

Before placing on a hot iron griddle, the dough is sprinkled with a little water or beaten egge to bind it together. Some people quickly turn the griddle over the heat to allow the dough to bubble and brown on top.

This bread is traditionally Bedoun and is served for breakfast, or in the evening, when it would accompany cheese, eggs, chami, honey and home-made butter.  

Ingredients

1 tablespoon yeast

2 cups wheat flour

2 cups all-purpose four

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup powdered milk

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon ground fennel

1/2 teaspoon saffron

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

Beaten egg and sesame seeds for garnish  

Directions

Dissolve yeast in tepid water. Put dry ingredients in a bowl, make a well in the center, add eggs, yeast and oil. Add enough water to make a very thick pancake batter, whisk well, cover tightly and put in a warm place for 10-12 minutes.

Warm a small frying pan )ungreased). Take a handful of dough and put it in the pan, patting in flat with little water in your hand, to form a round pattie which is not too thick.

Heat through and when it starts to bubble, put a teaspoon of beaten egg on top and sprinkle sesame seeds over. When the bread begins to swell and turns brown on the bottom, remove from the pan, and put under the grill until brown on top. Continue in this way with the reminder of the dough.

Sharab loomi ma ward ~ Lemon & Rose Flavoured Punch

Ingredients

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

3 cups water

sugar to taste

3 teaspoons rose water

a drop of pink food colouring

mint leaves for garnish 

Preparation 

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend for 30 to 60 seconds. Taste for sugar. Leave in fridge and serve with ice cubes, garnished with the mint leaves.