Recipes

Maqlubeh

Ingredients for 4-6 persons:

2 cups rice, well washed
2 cups onion, sliced or sliced in circles
1/2 kilo boned lamb cutlets (or beef or chicken) cut in 1 1/2 cm. cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 3/4 tsp. ground allspice 1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups chicken stock
generous pinch of saffron /turmeric (kurkum) dissolved in 3 cups beef stock

1/4 cup peeled and slivered almonds fried to a light blondish-colour also in vegetable oil
1 large cauliflower or 2 small ones (cut into flowerets)

OR

1 large or 2 small peeled eggplants, sliced.
Salt to sprinkle on raw eggplants
2 large ripe tomato, thickly sliced
7 cups water
natural plain yogurt (200g small pot per person)

Preparation Method:

Soak the rice in lightly salted lukewarm water for about 1 hour. Drain well. In a large, heavy skillet heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and in this sauté the onions just until translucent. Sprinkle the lamb generously with salt and pepper and add to the onions. Sauté, stirring regularly until the meat is seared on all sides and the onions are golden. Add 1 tsp. of the cumin, the allspice and just enough water to cover the lamb. Bring to a boil and then lower the flame, simmering uncovered for 20 minutes. While the lamb is cooking, fry the cauliflower in olive oil in another heavy skillet and set aside.

To assemble: Place the thick slices of tomatoes at bottom of casserole pot, then add the lamb and anion , crush half of the garlic on top of the meat, add fried cauliflower along with the spices and the rest of the garlic (sliced). Drain rice and spoon over the cauliflower; spread out to cover. Pour the lamb broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to very low and cook until all water is absorbed, keeping in mind that the rice should remain somewhat moist (30-40 minutes).

Knafeh

Ingredients:

Qatayef

Ingredients:

- Qatayef / Pancakes

3/4 teaspoon dry yeast 
1 1/2 cups warm water or milk
1 teaspoon sugar 
1 1/2 cups flour (or 1 cup semolina and ½ cup flour).
Pinch of salt 
Vegetable oil for frying    

- Stuffing

White sweetened cheese

Sugar  to taste (3 to 4 teaspoons)

- Sugar Syrup  

3 cups sugar 
1 1/2 cups water 
1 teaspoon rose water  (or/and 1 teaspoon orange flower water)
1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Preparation Method:

- Qatayef / Pancakes

Blend yeast with sugar and 1/4 cup of the water. Stir to dissolve. Sift flour and salt into warm mixing bowl. Add yeast mixture and 1 cup water, stir gradually by hands or with a wooden spoon until getting consistent and smooth batter, if batter is too thick, add the remaining water and stir. Cover with a thick cloth and leave in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until batter rises and some bubbles appear on the batter surface. Pour certain amounts of the batter, 1/3-1/2 cup each on a greased hot plate, let it spread a little into a 10-15 cm diameter round shape each. Remove as soon as the batter begins to form bubbles. Do not turn over. The bottom should only be slightly brown. L eave it for 20-30 minutes to cool.

- Sugar Syrup
Add sugar to water, stir and boil rabidly. Remove the foam that rises to the top. Add orange blossom water and lemon juice. Continue boiling till syrup is like thin honey. Add rose water last to keep its perfume. Set aside to cool but don't refrigerate.

- Stuffing
In nut's stuffing option, smash the walnuts, add the cinnamon and sugar and mix.

In cheese stuffing options,. cut the into very small pieces and shred them by hands. Add the sugar and mix. In both stuffing options, add about a tablespoon of stuffing mixture on the centre of the qatayef / pancakes. Close by folding over and seal by pressing the edges. Bake the oval-shaped Qatayef on a greased tray in a preheated (250 C ) oven for a bout 30 minutes, turning once, till golden, OR Fry 2-3 minutes in hot oil until pale golden on both sides. Dip hot Qatayef / pancakes in room .