Ramadan recipies :)

[caybee 21]

I get all my recipes and info re: egyptian food from this website - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/Recipnew.html - so far I haven't made anything from there that the husband hasn't liked.

Umm Ali is a pudding like dish. I make mine with puff pastery - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/recumali.htm

Foul is the traditional egyptian breakfast. We buy it in cans from the local ME groccery store, and the husband adds cumin, onions, tomato and lemon to it. If you can't find it canned, then get dried fava beans, soak overnight, cook for a few hours, then mash and add the stuff you want.

Not sure about lebn though.

Is lebn what you get when you let plain yogurt drain through a cheesecloth so it's thickened, with maybe a little olive oil drizzled over it and some mint leaves? Sorry if I missed the description.

[Henia 11]

Leben is fermented (sour) milk aka buttermilk! The "stuff" on top on the natural leben is/will be butter once churned! The yogurt drained in a cheesecloth is just homemade cheese.

[caybee 21]

Leben is fermented (sour) milk aka buttermilk! The "stuff" on top on the natural leben is/will be butter once churned! The yogurt drained in a cheesecloth is just homemade cheese.

Okay. I've seen that cheese on the menu of a Middle Eastern restaurant as something labene or labane or lebene, but that may have absolutely nothing to do with lebn. It was a completely wild guess.

[Henia 11]

Rahma: I know for sure Egyptians eat Leben (buttermilk) for breakfast since when I lived in Germany I had an Egyptian friend ... every morning they ate leben with bread sprickled with zaatar, olives, and tomatoes!She even made her own leben ... boy did it smell!

Tasha:

Well Oum Ali (mother of Ali) is sweet dish from Egypt. It is basically a Middle Eastern style bread pudding using pyhllo instead of bread. Eaten all over MENA! Very tasty! This is how I make mine:

14 thawed sheets fresh phyllo pastry, (about 1/4 kg)

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup sultanas

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

3 cups milk (plz use reg milk, not low fat version here)

1 cup creme (or combined milk/creme to 4cups milk)

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons orange flower water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Brush the pyllo with melted butter, then bake on high heat until golden. Beware this does not take long - so keep eye on it!

Working quickly, transfer pastry sheets to another large baking sheet and cool (pastry may break).

Arrange half of phyllo in bottom of baking dish, breaking phyllo to fit into dish as necessary.

Reserve 2 tablespoons almonds and 2 tablespoons raisins.

Sprinkle remaining almonds and raisins over pastry.

Cover with remaining pastry.

Combine milk, sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Remove pan from heat.

Mix in cream and orange flower water.

Pour milk mixture over phyllo (phyllo will shrink as it absorbs milk mixture).

Sprinkle with cinnamon, then pistachios and reserved almonds and raisins.

Bake until pudding puffs and center is set, about 45 minutes or less Serve hot.

Seffa, achhidda or msemem... really have no idea if they are eaten in Egypt as they are traditionally North African (Algeria, Morocco, Tunezia) dishes ... but still very very tasty for souhour (actually anytime) ... but mahalabiyya is roz bel haleeb everywhere ... basic rice pudding! And crepes well are French ... thin pancakes, I am sure you know! The rest are more American fare ...

Achidda bel semoule (semolina porridge)

3 cups milk

1 (1 1/2) cup of semolina (fine for finer texture but moyen for more grainy texture, whatever you prefer)

1/2 sugar (or to taste)

pinch of cinnamon, plus for decorating.

Choice of decorations: sultanas, flowers, nuts, etc.

Bring the milk to almost boil, then slowly whisking add the semolina, sugar and cinnamon. Stir until cooked. When cooked, transfer to your prefered dish. Allow to cool slightly before decorating (or not) and serve hot!

Mahalebiyya

1 cup cream of rice (just grind some rice in coffee grinder)

7 cups skim milk

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon rose water (in NA they use orange blossom not rose)

Combine cream of rice, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken. Lower heat, and allow mixture to simmer until it attains the consistency of a cream filling. Add rose water turn heat up. Bring to a fast boil and remove from heat immediately. Por into bowl or individual serving bowls. Serve warm or cold. If desired drizzle with honey and garnish with pistachios.

Caybee: Lebane or Jebane/Jben is the arabic word for cheese. Leben is the buttermilk. They look similar but not the same.

Edited August 28, 2008 by Henia

[caybee 21]

Rahma: I know for sure Egyptians eat Leben (buttermilk) for breakfast since when I lived in Germany I had an Egyptian friend ... every morning they ate leben with bread sprickled with zaatar, olives, and tomatoes!She even made her own leben ... boy did it smell!

Tasha:

Well Oum Ali (mother of Ali) is sweet dish from Egypt. It is basically a Middle Eastern style bread pudding using pyhllo instead of bread. Eaten all over MENA! Very tasty! This is how I make mine:

14 thawed sheets fresh phyllo pastry, (about 1/4 kg)

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup sultanas

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

3 cups milk (plz use reg milk, not low fat version here)

1 cup creme (or combined milk/creme to 4cups milk)

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons orange flower water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Brush the pyllo with melted butter, then bake on high heat until golden. Beware this does not take long - so keep eye on it!

Working quickly, transfer pastry sheets to another large baking sheet and cool (pastry may break).

Arrange half of phyllo in bottom of baking dish, breaking phyllo to fit into dish as necessary.

Reserve 2 tablespoons almonds and 2 tablespoons raisins.

Sprinkle remaining almonds and raisins over pastry.

Cover with remaining pastry.

Combine milk, sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Remove pan from heat.

Mix in cream and orange flower water.

Pour milk mixture over phyllo (phyllo will shrink as it absorbs milk mixture).

Sprinkle with cinnamon, then pistachios and reserved almonds and raisins.

Bake until pudding puffs and center is set, about 45 minutes or less Serve hot.

Seffa, achhidda or msemem... really have no idea if they are eaten in Egypt as they are traditionally North African (Algeria, Morocco, Tunezia) dishes ... but still very very tasty for souhour (actually anytime) ... but mahalabiyya is roz bel haleeb everywhere ... basic rice pudding! And crepes well are French ... thin pancakes, I am sure you know! The rest are more American fare ...

Achidda bel semoule (semolina porridge)

3 cups milk

1 (1 1/2) cup of semolina (fine for finer texture but moyen for more grainy texture, whatever you prefer)

1/2 sugar (or to taste)

pinch of cinnamon, plus for decorating.

Choice of decorations: sultanas, flowers, nuts, etc.

Bring the milk to almost boil, then slowly whisking add the semolina, sugar and cinnamon. Stir until cooked. When cooked, transfer to your prefered dish. Allow to cool slightly before decorating (or not) and serve hot!

Mahalebiyya

1 cup cream of rice (just grind some rice in coffee grinder)

7 cups skim milk

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon rose water (in NA they use orange blossom not rose)

Combine cream of rice, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken. Lower heat, and allow mixture to simmer until it attains the consistency of a cream filling. Add rose water turn heat up. Bring to a fast boil and remove from heat immediately. Por into bowl or individual serving bowls. Serve warm or cold. If desired drizzle with honey and garnish with pistachios.

Caybee: Lebane or Jebane/Jben is the arabic word for cheese. Leben is the buttermilk. They look similar but not the same.

Thank you for the clarification.

Do the sweet breads and pastries freeze pretty well or save well in an airtight container?

I'm really starting to feel pressed for time here, especially since it looks like my husband won't be working this weekend, so I won't have the baking time I expected. I'll get some shopping done this evening for pistachios, almonds, walnuts, dates, and orange blossom or rose water. I have most of the rest, at least enough to get started.

[Nothing1234 2]

YAY...thanks for the site Rahma. My hubby is getting annoyed w/ my "Jordanian/Palestinian cooking" LOL I have to start to branch out and try Egyptian. I just think the spices and dishes in Jordan/Palestine seems tastier but of course thats my own personal opinion.

I get all my recipes and info re: egyptian food from this website - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/Recipnew.html - so far I haven't made anything from there that the husband hasn't liked.

Umm Ali is a pudding like dish. I make mine with puff pastery - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/recumali.htm

Foul is the traditional egyptian breakfast. We buy it in cans from the local ME groccery store, and the husband adds cumin, onions, tomato and lemon to it. If you can't find it canned, then get dried fava beans, soak overnight, cook for a few hours, then mash and add the stuff you want.

Not sure about lebn though.

[doodlebugg 10]

I get all my recipes and info re: egyptian food from this website - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/Recipnew.html - so far I haven't made anything from there that the husband hasn't liked.

Umm Ali is a pudding like dish. I make mine with puff pastery - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/recumali.htm

Foul is the traditional egyptian breakfast. We buy it in cans from the local ME groccery store, and the husband adds cumin, onions, tomato and lemon to it. If you can't find it canned, then get dried fava beans, soak overnight, cook for a few hours, then mash and add the stuff you want.

Not sure about lebn though.

I like the first link too but fyi that bird tongue soup recipe he has on there is deeeeeeeeeeesguuuuuusting!!!

my husband's never heard of lebn but maybe I'm not describing it well enough.

[Nothing1234 2]

I get all my recipes and info re: egyptian food from this website - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/Recipnew.html - so far I haven't made anything from there that the husband hasn't liked.

Umm Ali is a pudding like dish. I make mine with puff pastery - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/recumali.htm

Foul is the traditional egyptian breakfast. We buy it in cans from the local ME groccery store, and the husband adds cumin, onions, tomato and lemon to it. If you can't find it canned, then get dried fava beans, soak overnight, cook for a few hours, then mash and add the stuff you want.

Not sure about lebn though.

I like the first link too but fyi that bird tongue soup recipe he has on there is deeeeeeeeeeesguuuuuusting!!!

my husband's never heard of lebn but maybe I'm not describing it well enough.

Say labna...Yogurt cheese....YUCK....LOL

[Aymsgirl 0]

I get all my recipes and info re: egyptian food from this website - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/Recipnew.html - so far I haven't made anything from there that the husband hasn't liked.

Umm Ali is a pudding like dish. I make mine with puff pastery - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/recumali.htm

Foul is the traditional egyptian breakfast. We buy it in cans from the local ME groccery store, and the husband adds cumin, onions, tomato and lemon to it. If you can't find it canned, then get dried fava beans, soak overnight, cook for a few hours, then mash and add the stuff you want.

Not sure about lebn though.

I like the first link too but fyi that bird tongue soup recipe he has on there is deeeeeeeeeeesguuuuuusting!!!

my husband's never heard of lebn but maybe I'm not describing it well enough.

Say labna...Yogurt cheese....YUCK....LOL

Is that the sliced white cheese you get in EG?

[doodlebugg 10]

My hubby does put cheese on his pita but it's almost like a thick cheddar type cheese sliced like regular landolakes american, you know? It doesn't taste at all like yogurt. I'll ask when gets home.

[Nothing1234 2]

I get all my recipes and info re: egyptian food from this website - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/Recipnew.html - so far I haven't made anything from there that the husband hasn't liked.

Umm Ali is a pudding like dish. I make mine with puff pastery - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/recumali.htm

Foul is the traditional egyptian breakfast. We buy it in cans from the local ME groccery store, and the husband adds cumin, onions, tomato and lemon to it. If you can't find it canned, then get dried fava beans, soak overnight, cook for a few hours, then mash and add the stuff you want.

Not sure about lebn though.

I like the first link too but fyi that bird tongue soup recipe he has on there is deeeeeeeeeeesguuuuuusting!!!

my husband's never heard of lebn but maybe I'm not describing it well enough.

Say labna...Yogurt cheese....YUCK....LOL

Is that the sliced white cheese you get in EG?

No, its really like a yogurt or cream cheese consistency.

[Nothing1234 2]

I get all my recipes and info re: egyptian food from this website - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/Recipnew.html - so far I haven't made anything from there that the husband hasn't liked.

Umm Ali is a pudding like dish. I make mine with puff pastery - http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/recumali.htm

Foul is the traditional egyptian breakfast. We buy it in cans from the local ME groccery store, and the husband adds cumin, onions, tomato and lemon to it. If you can't find it canned, then get dried fava beans, soak overnight, cook for a few hours, then mash and add the stuff you want.

Not sure about lebn though.

I like the first link too but fyi that bird tongue soup recipe he has on there is deeeeeeeeeeesguuuuuusting!!!

my husband's never heard of lebn but maybe I'm not describing it well enough.

Say labna...Yogurt cheese....YUCK....LOL

Is that the sliced white cheese you get in EG?

I think its called Sardo...its a hard cheese but is sliced...swear that stuff could last forever its like a rock. LOL

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Speaking of egyptian cheese, the husband really likes rumy/roomy cheese, but I can't stand it. I think it smells/tastes like a barnyard. bleck! I like the beida, which is kind of like feta, though.

The local ME grocery store sellls huuuuuuuuuuuge blocks of parmasean I have my eyes on, but they're like $25. Can't they cut them any smaller

[Nothing1234 2]

Speaking of egyptian cheese, the husband really likes rumy/roomy cheese, but I can't stand it. I think it smells/tastes like a barnyard. bleck! I like the beida, which is kind of like feta, though.

The local ME grocery store sellls huuuuuuuuuuuge blocks of parmasean I have my eyes on, but they're like $25. Can't they cut them any smaller

YES! I agree...its very smelly. LOL

I love FETA of any kind and from any land!!!!

[Aymsgirl 0]

OH yesssssssssss, i have tried that yogurt cheese now. It comes salted and unsalted right? Looks like baby throw up! Just joking but hubby tried to get me to eat it several times and I just couldn't stand it.