Ramadan Recipes

[tatedaoudi 0]

Not sure if these would be in another link with past recipes but im looking for a good Harira and shpekia (spell??? sorry) recipe. Or any other recipe for the month. Im trying to be prepared....Time flies by and Ramadan will be here soon!!

[Bosco 1]

Shebbakia

next up Harirashebbakia.rtf

[UmmSqueakster 54]

While I've never made harira, it's on my list of things to try.

This recipe and this one don't look too difficult. However, since I've never made it, I don't really know. Any Moroccan related gals have a suggestion?

One suggestion I do have is definately try the recipes out before Ramadan. You don't want a disaster on your hands when maghrib time comes (the time of breaking the fast). 2 ramadans ago, I decided I really really really wanted Biryani for iftar (the meal after breaking the fast). While I was in college, all the community aunties would cook for the students, and one of the frequent dishes was biryani, so it just didn't seem like ramadan without it. I went to our local ME grocery store, got all the ingredients and spent the entire afternoon making the dish. Well, come iftar time, I'm all ready to dig in, but bleck. It tasted horrible. Very very disapointing

As for general ramadan recipes, a lot of the regular recipe sites have directories

recipezaar

All Recipe

It would be interesting (and helpful) if we could organize a recipe review. We could each try a different recipe or 2 or 3 and write a review, so we would know if it's worth trying.

[Bosco 1]

One thing I would suggest for harira is to ask your husband how he likes it, some are used to one type of bean, others three, some like rice, some like pasta. Follow the general recipe but adapt it to his "home" recipe.

Formatting came out a little funky on this scan.harira.rtf

[tnh9479 1]

I've made Harira numerous times during last Ramadan (and then for my family at Christmas). It real is not that hard. Now Shebakkia...good luck!

Twila

I'll try to find the link were I got my recipe.

[Bosco 1]

Here is a link to a cookbook that you can download for free (requires registration).

Sensational Eid Sweets: Recipes from the Muslim-American Kitchen

of course I encourage you to buy the print edition if you like it to reward her effort.

Rebecca

[~*Dorothy*~ 2]

thanks for starting this thread as I am dreading Ramadan...all that cooking and I suck at it...lol...I hope that with time and practice I will get better....you guys always come thru...thanks

dorothy

[iceyspots 0]

mmm shorba

[maryandatif 0]

Here's the one I like....I'll try it on Atif soon....before Ramadan.

http://soup.allrecipes.com/az/Harira.asp

Mary K.

PS. Anybody have a good recipe for Couscous with onions, Raisins and chicken???

PM me if you do.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Ah, I almost forgot this bit of ramadan food advice for the newly arrived arab immigrant -

Oftentimes, mosques will host iftars throughout Ramadan. Usually, different segments of the community (ie the arabs, the pakistanis, the somalis) will host an iftar and serve food traditional from their country. My advice - watch out for the pakistani and indian food! Now, I love it, but apparently the arab palet isn't use to all that spice. Even when the aunties specifically make it less spicy for the arab diners, it still can be quite a shock to the system. So, if you go to an iftar that serves pakistani/indian food, advise your husbands to go easy on the sauce and mix it with lots and lots of rice. Otherwise, he may get awful stomach pains after the meal and won't make it through taraweeh.

Edited July 27, 2006 by rahma

[I'm Gone 60]

I guess no one what's my mother's recipe for pork chops? LOL

[Jenn! 918]

I guess no one what's my mother's recipe for pork chops? LOL

[Henia 11]

Esalaamu Aleikum

Some foods I prepare during Ramadan

El Ham Lahlou

1 lb lamb12 prunes (dried) 1 pear (firm) 3 cups water 1/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons buttr 2 tablespoons orange blossom water 2 tablespoons raisins (white) 2 tablespoons whole almonds (blanched) 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Cut lamb into 2-3 in pieces. Soak prunes in water for 1-2 hours & remove pits. Peel & core the pear & cut into wedges.
   
2. Melt butter in a pan over low heat & add the lamb. Sauté over low heat for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add cinnamon, water & sugar & mix well.
   
4. Increase heat to mod & cook for approx 45 minutes or till the lamb is tender to a fork. The sauce will become darker.
   
5. Drain prunes & add them to the lamb w/the raisins, almonds & pear.
   
6. Simmer for a further 15 minutes, remove the pan from heat & stir in the orange blossom water. (See note below).
   
7. Normally served at room temp w/rice, salad & bread, this sweet lamb dish is eaten after a dy of fasting during the Muslim holy celebration of Ramadhan. It's cooked w/o salt to prevent thirst the next day for those fasting -- something that can be important in hot desert areas.
   

Harira

1 cup whole dried fava beans 1 cup dried chickpea beans or 1 can 2 liters water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cups onions, minced 1/2 lb lamb, cut in small pieces 2 teaspoons ground turmeric 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons sweet paprika (the best most vibrant you can find) 1/2 teaspoon finely ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon finely ground caraway seeds 3/4 cup tomato paste 1 lemon 1/2 cup flour1/2 cup fresh fparsley, chopped 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 cup lentils, soaked for 1 hour 1 in cold water and drained 1 teaspoon ground pepper 2-3 teaspoons salt 2 cups vermicelli, broken into 1/4-inch pieces

Rinse and pick over fava beans if you can't get these then use dried broad/lima/butter beans and chickpeas. Soak overnight in water to cover. Quick soak method; place beans in large soup pot and add 2 litres hot water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and soak beans for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Squeeze each fava bean and chickpea between your thumb and first two fingers to remove skins. Set aside.

1. In large soup pot over medium heat, cook the onions and meat (chicken can be used as well as beef or no meat at all though NEVER pork) stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and transluscent.
   
2. Add turmeric, ginger, paprika and 2 litres water. Cover and bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add fava beans, chickpeas and cook, covered, until beans are tender. 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on your beans.
   
3. Finely chop together tomatoes, parsley and cilantro. Add this mixture along with the tomato paste, the lentils, pepper, juice of the lemon and drop in 1/2 of the squeezed lemon and salt to taste. Cover and cook until lentils are tender 20 to 25 minutes.
   
4. Bring back to the boil and make a fairly thick slurry (flour and water) with the 1/2 cup of flour. Add this to the boiling soup stirring very briskly to avoid lumps. Boil one minute stirring constantly. Add nutmeg and caraway. Bring the soup to medium heat, you just want a nice slow bubbling.
   
5. Add pasta (orzo or small soup pasta can be used as well though I always prefer vermecelli) and cook until soft. Taste and add salt to taste and adjust pepper. When soup is heated through, ladle harira into individual soup bowls. Serve immediately with lemon wedges,khbouz or crusty french baquette. This soup should be velvety, not overly thick.
   

2lb calf meat or beef or chickens 2 carrots2 turnips 2 large potatoes 2 stalks celery3 very ripe tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato concentrate or tomato puree 1 bunch fresh parsley 1 onion 2 cups vermicelli or thin spaghetti, broken into 1/4-inch pieces 1 tablespoon oil 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon saffron 1 teaspoon turmeric

1. If you cannot find turnips use kholrabi or other similar firm vegetable, even cabbage in chunks! You can also simply omit it. We use what we have not necessarily what we need here in Morocco. Just do not use rutabegas/swede! Most of we Moroccan home cooks use the 1 teaspoons of good turmeric instead of the saffron but you must use one or the other as this is mainly for color.
   
2. Peel and cut the vegetables into little pieces(except for tomatoes), put them inside a stew pot ,add the meat cut in little pieces plus the vegetables with parsley,crushed onion (grated or very finely minced),oil salt, pepper and saffron. Add 2 ltres of water, put the pot on until boiling.
   
3. Fold the parsley into a bundle/packet and tie with a stem or kitchen string.
   
4. Remove the tomato cores, wash them and plunge them for 30 seconds into boiling water before peeling them, crush the pulp with a fork in a bowl or on a plate, put the tomatoes in the pot and mix. Cover and leave it cook on a medium fire for 60 minutes.
   
5. 10 minutes before serving, throw vermecilli in rain (scatter) , cover 3/4 and leave it to cook. Serve as soon as it is cooked. Pasta is done. Please do not cook your Moroccan dishes with pasta al dente; al just isn't to be found. We think that he left for America! Also, here someone always eats the parsley bundle.
   

Ma'amoul

3 1/2 cups flour 8 ounces unsalted butter 1 tablespoon milk 6-7 tablespoons sugr 3 tablespoons rose water 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 1/2 cups walnuts or pistachios, chopped fine powdered sugar

1. Mix flout and sugar. Cut in the butter. Add 1 tablespoon rose water and just enough milk to bind mixture.
   
2. Nut filling: mix and set aside- 1 1/2 cups nuts, 4 - 5 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons rose water.
   
3. Take a walnut size lump of dough and make a hole in the center to make a hollow container. Fill with the nut mix. Cover opening by folding and pinching. ####### with fork. Bake at t325 for 20 to 30 minutes.
   
4. DO NOT BROWN!
   
5. Cool before removing from pan. Dust with powdered sugar.
   

Basboussa

2 cups sugar 6 eggs 2 cups corn oil 1 1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons baking powder 1 dash vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 cups flour4 cups of shredded coconut (unsweetened usually found in middle eastern stores)

1. First make syrup by boiling water and sugar for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on how heavy you may want it but it should'nt be any thicker than pancake syrup in consistency. *You may also add a tsp of rose water or orange blossom to it to give more of a traditional middle eastern dessert taste (I personally can do without it so thats why my recipe doesnt call for it under the ingredients)
   
2. When done with that process set syrup aside to cool.
   
3. Start on the Harissa by combining sugar,eggs,oil,milk,vanilla,lemon juice and mix them together until blended.
   
4. Then add flour and baking powder to mixture and blend well.
   
5. Lastly you want to STIR coconut into batter.
   
6. Then its time to add to greased and floured pan (never a bundt pan)-- an oblong pan will do.
   
7. Bake for about 30 minutes or more if needed on 375 degrees.
   
8. When cake is done and still hot pour syrup all over cake in pan.
   
9. You don't have to use all the syrup but at least 3/4 should be used on the cake.
   
10. Let cool, then cut in slanted squares.
    
11. Then, remove each piece onto a tray.
    
12. You can garnish with a little shredded coconut on top for presentation.
    

Algerian Couscous

1Can cooked chickpeas, drain3/4To 1 lb. pkg couscous2lgOnions chopped1Carrot sliced1Gr bell pepper, sliced1Eggplant,sliced, salted &Rinsed1lbLamb, cut in 2 inch cubes1Chicken cut up in 8 parts3tbOil1Hungarian or Cubanelle pepper4Tomatoes, seeded, chopped2tsPaprikaSalt7ozFresh string beans or peas2 Zucinni

1 whole cauliflower

DrainedCayenne pepper4ozButter

1. Place couscous in shallow salted and oiled pan with hot 4 cups water until it absorbs the water
   
2. Add more water until it doubles in size
   
3. Swirl and pour off water immediately in a sieve.
   
4. Rub couscous well between hands and drop back into couscousier or a cheesecloth lined fine mesh strainer, making sure couscous is lump free. Set aside for now
   
5. Brown the meat in the pan, then set aside on a warm plate
   
6. Fry onions garlic until soft
   
7. Then add chickpeas( if using dried ones ) and all the veggies, except the zucinni and caulifower and enough water to cover. Add pepper and salt and pepper to taste,
   
8. Bring to a boil and fasten colander over kettle to fit snugly.
   
9. Spoon couscous into colander and let steam for 45 minutes, then dump couscous back into pan to let dry again.
   
10. Add tomatoes, beans or peas and cook another 1/2 hour. Now attach colander and let couscous steam another 15 minutes.
    
11. Add the zucinni and cauliflower , canned chickpeas to the stew. Cook a few minutes longer.
    
12. Add some butter to the couscous and place couscous shaped into a cone on a serving platter with the meat is the certain and surround by vegetables.
    

Brik à l’oeuf

1 circle of filo pastry

1 egg

½ soup spoon of stuffing per person

Oil for frying

For the stuffing

150g lamb or veal (can also use tuna)

Salt and black pepper

2 soup spoons of finely chopped onion

1 glass water

4 soup spoons parsley, finely chopped

1 knob butter

Salt and black pepper

To make the stuffing, chop the meat, then season. Put into a pan with the onion and water and cook until the water has evaporated. Mince the meat, add the parsley and butter and warm together for two or three minutes.

To make the brik, take filo pastry circle and fold in the edges to form a square. Place half a soup spoon of stuffing into its centre, together with a raw egg. Fold one corner of the square to the opposite corner and seal edges. Slide into hot oil and spoon oil over the brik until it swells and turns golden. Serve hot with the egg still runny.

I also have found wanton wrappers work better, more crisper then phillo.

Well that is the basic table... I have many more recipes but these are the more traditional ones..

Does anyone here have the recipe for Lebanese Ghallaba by chance? Mmmm I love that dish !!!!

Peace and Blessings everyone !!!! And Happy cooking...LoL

[babybunny 2]

I guess no one what's my mother's recipe for pork chops? LOL

tacky pure tacky!

[Henia 11]

Ah, I almost forgot this bit of ramadan food advice for the newly arrived arab immigrant -

Oftentimes, mosques will host iftars throughout Ramadan. Usually, different segments of the community (ie the arabs, the pakistanis, the somalis) will host an iftar and serve food traditional from their country. My advice - watch out for the pakistani and indian food! Now, I love it, but apparently the arab palet isn't use to all that spice. Even when the aunties specifically make it less spicy for the arab diners, it still can be quite a shock to the system. So, if you go to an iftar that serves pakistani/indian food, advise your husbands to go easy on the sauce and mix it with lots and lots of rice. Otherwise, he may get awful stomach pains after the meal and won't make it through taraweeh.

Yea you are right Rahma....we all cannot handle some foods out there. I mean we love our sisters and brothers...and when I see curry I RUN !!! I mean I can handle spicy foods, actually love spicy foods...but for some werid reason turmeric in great amounts and curry I cannot !

O man that reminds of the time a African sister invited me to her house for dinner...She served us some type of smoke turkey leg in a red palm oil sauce served with white rice. I kept staring at it and their cat, as the rice seems to have some white things in it that looked like hairs. I didnt want to rude and thought humourous Allah is with the believers...and i closed my eyes and took that first bite.

I managed to eat half the food...and felt my stomach convulted in pain. The palm oil are like eating pure oil and I dont mean olive oil striaght up. Luckily I managed to hold it together for another 20m when i left....and drive like a maniac home straight into the bathroom...Yuck!!!!

Sorry if that grossed anyone out LoL