Arabic Recipes

Shawrma Arabic Dish

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup malt vinegar
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
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• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
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• 4 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 4 cups shredded lettuce
• 8 pita bread rounds

Directions

1. In a glass baking dish, mix together the malt vinegar, 1/4 cup yogurt, vegetable oil, mixed spice, cardamom, salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs into the mixture and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, 1/4 cup yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust flavors if desired. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Cover the chicken and bake in the marinade for 30 minutes, turning once. Uncover, and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove from the dish, and cut into slices.
4. Place sliced chicken, tomato, onion, and lettuce onto pita breads. Roll up, and top with the tahini sauce.

Fattoush

Ingredients

• 3 pita rounds, torn into pieces
• oil for frying
• 2 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 small cucumbers, peeled and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 green onions, minced
• 15 fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon cilantro
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• Dressing:
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• 1 pinch celery salt
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place pita pieces into the skillet without crowding. Fry in batches until browned; then remove to paper towels.
2. Place romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, green onions, mint leaves, parsley, and cilantro into a large bowl.
3. Pour lemon juice and white wine vinegar into a small bowl. Season with salt, lemon pepper, onion flakes, celery salt, and garlic powder. Stir in olive oil.
4. Gently toss salad with fried pita pieces and dressing. Adjust seasonings to taste, and serve.

Tabouli
Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fine cracked wheat
• 1 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 teaspoons sea salt

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour the water over the cracked wheat and cover,
   
2. let stand about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed.
   
3. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the mix.
   
4. Combine the oil, lemon juice, and salt in a separate bowl.
   
5. Add to wheat mixture and mix well. Chill. Serve and enjoy.

Pita Bread

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water. Sift together the flour and salt and mix the yeast and water. Work the mixture into a dough and knead for several minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 3 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll into balls. With either your hand or a rolling pin, pat and press each ball of dough into a 5-inch circle about 1/2-inch thick.
   
3. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the pita are light golden brown.

Falafel

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked in water to cover overnight and drained
• 1 cup dried shelled fava beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped yellow onions
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup garbanzo flour
• 1/4 cup fine bulgar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 Tbs. salt
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Oil for deep-frying

Directions

1. Run the drained garbanzo beans and fava beans through the fine blade on your meat grinder or in your food processor.
   
2. Blend in all the remaining ingredients and let the mixture stand for 1 hour. Form into little patties 1/3 inch thick and 1-1/2 inches round. Or, you can form them into balls the size of walnuts.
   
3. Deep-fry in 375° oil until toasty brown and crunchy on the outside, about 4 minutes.
4. Fill pita bread with Falafel, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion, lettuce and yogurt.

Chicken & Rice Skillet (Kabsa)
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 (2-1/2 to 3-lb.) chicken, cut up
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce or puree
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• grated peel of 1 orange
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 cardamom pods or 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced or slivered almonds

Directions

1. Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces. Sauté until onion is tender. Stir in tomato sauce or puree. Simmer over low heat 1 minute to blend flavors.
   
2. Add tomatoes, carrots, orange peel, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute. Add broth. Return chicken pieces to skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes.
   
3. Stir rice into liquid between pieces of chicken. Or remove chicken, stir in rice, then return chicken pieces to skillet. Cover. Simmer 30 minutes longer or until rice is tender.
   
4. Garnish with raisins and almonds. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Kosheree (Egyptian Lentils)
Ingredients

• 1 c Lentils
• 2 Fresh chili peppers
• 1 1/2 c Regular rice
• 1 1/2 c Tomato sauce
• 1 c Elbow macaroni
• 2 Tbs Vinegar
• 3 Tbs Oil
• 1 lg Onion

Directions

1. Place lentils in a saucepan and cover by 1". Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, turn down heat to simmer, and cook covered for 35 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add rice turn down to simmer for 20 minutes and fluff up rice with a fork and add to lentils.
3. Boil 2 quarts of water, add elbow macaroni and cook until tender. Add to lentils.
4. In a small skillet add 1 Tbs of oil and sauté finely chopped peppers for 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of water, and the vinegar, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. In another skillet heat 2 Tbs oil, add onions and sauté until brown around the edges.
7. Garnish lentil mixture with the onions and pour the tomato sauce over all. Serve immediately.

Kefta Kabab


Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground lean beef or lamb
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Let stand 1 hour to blend flavors. Preheat oven to broil. Or prepare hot coals on barbecue grill. Using about 1/4 cup mixture for each kebab,
   
2. mold into a sausage shape around flat metal skewers. Moistening your hands will help mold the meat mixture onto skewers.
   
3. Taper ends of sausage shapes to prevent meat from slipping off skewers during cooking. Place skewers on broiler rack 4 inches from heat source on grill or over hot coals.
   
4. Turn frequently to brown evenly until meat is done as desired, 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.