NEED MENA CULINARY EXPERTISE!!!!

[chaishai 1]

I cant bury this in the recipe thread and I cant trust the recipe thread because I need to know....

What are your FAVORITE MENA salads/dips/spreads/appetizers/hors d oeuvers (sp).

I want to have a nice little mezze going so need good good tried and tested recipes that are wonderfully delicious.

So please, bring it on!!!!!

Note: cannot have shellfish or anything with dairy.

Thanks!!!!!!

[Nasturtium 500]

I cant bury this in the recipe thread and I cant trust the recipe thread because I need to know....

What are your FAVORITE MENA salads/dips/spreads/appetizers/hors d oeuvers (sp).

I want to have a nice little mezze going so need good good tried and tested recipes that are wonderfully delicious.

So please, bring it on!!!!!

Note: cannot have shellfish or anything with dairy.

Thanks!!!!!!

This isn't MENA and it has butter, but you can sub oil/margarine for the butter since it's only for frying and sticking the phyllo together. Ammar says that it's similar in line with Levantine cooking and he thought it would be really popular over there.

Mushroom cups

ETA-- you could use a non-dairy cheese or something, I actually use parmesan and you could use a vegan one.

Edited April 9, 2008 by julianna

[chaishai 1]

I cant bury this in the recipe thread and I cant trust the recipe thread because I need to know....

What are your FAVORITE MENA salads/dips/spreads/appetizers/hors d oeuvers (sp).

I want to have a nice little mezze going so need good good tried and tested recipes that are wonderfully delicious.

So please, bring it on!!!!!

Note: cannot have shellfish or anything with dairy.

Thanks!!!!!!

This isn't MENA and it has butter, but you can sub oil/margarine for the butter since it's only for frying and sticking the phyllo together. Ammar says that it's similar in line with Levantine cooking and he thought it would be really popular over there.

Mushroom cups

ETA-- you could use a non-dairy cheese or something, I actually use parmesan and you could use a vegan one.

thanks julianna! but i am already making bisteeya - but isntead of making it the normal way i am going to try to put them in phyllo cups!!! we will see how that goes?! so i am set with a phyloo cup dish i dont want phyloo overload! lol

any other salads? a great recipe for somethin?!

[sereia 0]

well hummus of course. but you probably already know how to make that. and baba ghanough? tabbouleh?

there are tons of moroccan salads: orange/olive, carrot salad, zaalouk (spicy eggplant), roast pepper/tomato salad,

what about fattoush? thats one of my favorite middle eastern salads. toasted ripped pieces of pita, cut romaine, tomato, cucumber, onion, raw peppers, lemon juice, evoo, sumac, salt, and pepper. YUM!

also what about muhammara? wait let me find some of my MENA books. i'll be back

Edited April 9, 2008 by sereia

[sereia 0]

muhammara:

1-1/4 c shelled walnut

1-1/2-2 T tomato paste

1 slice whole wheat bread, crust removed, toasted

1/2 C evoo

2 T pomegranate molasses/syrup

1 t coarsely ground red pepper flakes

1 t cumin

2 t sugar

salt

blend to a ROUGH chop (not smooth) in a food processor.

[♥JP♥ 5]

well hummus of course. but you probably already know how to make that. and baba ghanough?

what about fattoush? thats one of my favorite middle eastern salads. toasted ripped pieces of pita, cut romaine, tomato, cucumber, onion, raw peppers, lemon juice, evoo, sumac, salt, and pepper. YUM!

also what about muhammara? wait let me find some of my MENA books. i'll be back

Dont for forget the chopped up mint in the fattoush!

[sereia 0]

well hummus of course. but you probably already know how to make that. and baba ghanough?

what about fattoush? thats one of my favorite middle eastern salads. toasted ripped pieces of pita, cut romaine, tomato, cucumber, onion, raw peppers, lemon juice, evoo, sumac, salt, and pepper. YUM!

also what about muhammara? wait let me find some of my MENA books. i'll be back

Dont for forget the chopped up mint in the fattoush!

oops! typing so fast i left that out. i also put chopped flat leaf parsley too

[♥JP♥ 5]

Chicken Taratoor is one of my favorites.

Just boil some chicken with salt, pepper, and a whole onion. Once it's tender, shred it. The sauce is made from Tahini, lemon, garlic, parsley, and serrano peppers, all to taste. Drizzle over the chicken. Eat with pita or pita chips.

[sereia 0]

here's an interesting one:

zucchini salad with raisins and pinenuts

1 pound zucchini, thin slice

4 T evoo

2 T pine nuts

1 T raisins or currants

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

2 t dried mint

juice of 1/2 lemon (or more)

saute zucchini in the oil with the pine nuts, raisins, and garlic. add salt and dried mint. stir over medium until zucchini is just cooked.

serve hot or cold with lemon juice squeezed over.

[sereia 0]

i have this cookbook with new style MENA food. i haven't tried anything in it yet. but it sounds good!

she made hummus with avocado instead of chickpeas. sounds really good. i've also made hummus with edamame instead and that is fabulous!

personally i really LOVE kibbeh. but they can be tricky to form the tear drop shapes.

[ya falaha! 0]

Just made baba ganouj and mini kufta meatballs last night. Here's how I made them...

baba ganouj

1 eggplant

1 clove of garlic

juice of half a regular sized lemon

1 tblsp tahineh

half of a medium tomato

half of a small jalapeno (seeded)

salt to taste

Roast eggplant until cooked through. Let cool then peel. Blend all ingredients in a food processor.

Kufta

1 lb ground beef, lamb or turkey (I use beef)

1 medium onion

about a cup or so parsley

cumin, coriander powder, salt and pepper to taste

Chop onion and parsley in food processor. Add mixture and spices to ground meat and combine. Make into small meatballs or put on skewers. I have baked mine in the oven and grill them as well. It comes out great both ways.

[sarahaziz 0]

A tip , my dad was a chef when he was younger he's an awesome cook. The simpler you make the spices the more tasty the recipe is. Always explore with something realistic, cooking is an art. For example if a recipe doesn't call for parsley use cilantro. Something similiar can produce a different yet subtle taste.

my favorite food is beef and chicken shawarma , yellow rice, hummous, leban blended with fresh cilantro, homemade pita.

my uncle married an israeli woman and wow!! can she cook!!! i got a shawarma recipe from her

I'm just gonna list the ingredients and you can do to your taste.

soak meat for 6 hours in aloooottt of vinegar/lemon juice

After soaking meat for 6 hours, drain out most of the vinegar but not all.

rub spices (dried parsley, dried cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, indian spices are fabulous i.e. shan maselas.) Then soak into olive oil.

Let it finish marinating for another 3-4 hours. (the more marinating the better)

Rostissire ovens (over gyro machines) are the closet you can get to perfect shawarma !

Edited April 9, 2008 by sarahaziz

[chaishai 1]

muhammara:

1-1/4 c shelled walnut

1-1/2-2 T tomato paste

1 slice whole wheat bread, crust removed, toasted

1/2 C evoo

2 T pomegranate molasses/syrup

1 t coarsely ground red pepper flakes

1 t cumin

2 t sugar

salt

blend to a ROUGH chop (not smooth) in a food processor.

is this good???? have you made before? i cant believe i have never heard of this before!

[♥JP♥ 5]

muhammara:

1-1/4 c shelled walnut

1-1/2-2 T tomato paste

1 slice whole wheat bread, crust removed, toasted

1/2 C evoo

2 T pomegranate molasses/syrup

1 t coarsely ground red pepper flakes

1 t cumin

2 t sugar

salt

blend to a ROUGH chop (not smooth) in a food processor.

is this good???? have you made before? i cant believe i have never heard of this before!

We make this all the time although I've never used the pomegranate syrup but that stuff is good. I think we also use alot more red pepper and we use the paste not flakes...but this stuff is GOOD and SPICY!

[chaishai 1]

well hummus of course. but you probably already know how to make that. and baba ghanough? tabbouleh?

there are tons of moroccan salads: orange/olive, carrot salad, zaalouk (spicy eggplant), roast pepper/tomato salad,

what about fattoush? thats one of my favorite middle eastern salads. toasted ripped pieces of pita, cut romaine, tomato, cucumber, onion, raw peppers, lemon juice, evoo, sumac, salt, and pepper. YUM!

also what about muhammara? wait let me find some of my MENA books. i'll be back

i would like a recipe for the salads you mentioned above

the salads i make regularly are matboucha (moroccan but maybe just jews?), baba gan... i buy hummus because i have a brand i LOVE but i make fava beans to put on top.

fattoush sounds great! i love lebanese fattoush. and my husband is making pita for the event so it might be really yummy

muhammara:

1-1/4 c shelled walnut

1-1/2-2 T tomato paste

1 slice whole wheat bread, crust removed, toasted

1/2 C evoo

2 T pomegranate molasses/syrup

1 t coarsely ground red pepper flakes

1 t cumin

2 t sugar

salt

blend to a ROUGH chop (not smooth) in a food processor.

is this good???? have you made before? i cant believe i have never heard of this before!

We make this all the time although I've never used the pomegranate syrup but that stuff is good. I think we also use alot more red pepper and we use the paste not flakes...but this stuff is GOOD and SPICY!

JP can I have your recipe so I dont have to trek to the lebanese store to buy the pom syrup?

thanks!