Sultan's Kitchen

[Yaads 0]

Hello Everyone

After a wonderful meetup with some of the fabulous MENA girls I have been inspired to try and cook some Moroccan/MENA food As much as I loved the Bastilla I don't think I am quite at that level yet but hopefully I can work my way up to that!

So what would be some good recipes to start out with? Kind of an intro to MENA cooking. I am a pretty good cook so it doesn't have to be too easy. Just something that is a staple dish that I could add to my collection

Thanks!

[doodlebugg 10]

Well if you want to try Egyptian, Koshari is pretty darn easy!

There's a recipe for it in this thread somewhere but off the top of my head here is what I do:

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati, jasmine or similar rice

chili mac pasta (I use about 1/2 a box)

1 cup lentils

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup olive oil (depending on your waistline at the moment )

1 can Pastene ground crushed tomatoes (ready to eat)

1 can French's Onion Rings

8 cloves garlic (or 4 big ones)

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp cumin (or more to taste)

salt and pepper

1 lemon

hot sauce

Directions:

Boil lentils in water for approx 15 minutes. Meanwhile melt butter in small pot and pour 1 cup rice into the butter lightly toasting the rice until goldenish. Add 2 cups water to rice, bring to boil, cover and simmer on low for approx 20 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside and boil a pot of water for the chili mac pasta which you should cook as directed on the box.

Peel garlic and heat oil in small pot. Mince garlic into the heated oil and saute for a few minutes but do not let the garlic burn or get brown at all 'cause it will wreck the taste. Add the can of tomatos, cumin, salt, pepper, hot sauce (to taste) and vinegar and simmer for about 15 minutes or so. While simmering put onion rings on baking sheet and broil on high for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Assembly is key according to my husband, though I say it all ends up in the same place so who cares but omg if I ever mix things incorrectly he gets sooo sad. lol. According to him, mix the lentils with the rice and put in a bowl. Put chili macs in separate bowl. Put onion rings in bowl. Put sauce in bowl. Cut lemon and serve with all the bowls on the table.

Take a plate or a bowl and first put the chili mac pasta in it. Then on top of that goes the rice/lentil combo. Then pour some sauce and mix together. Then put onion rings on top. Squeeze lemon on top of everything and bon appetit! This is soul food for me now!

Edited September 25, 2008 by bridget

[~Jackie~ 30]

Wow, I just read all that bridget and I think I can do that!

Keep'em coming cuz I would LOVE to suprise Ibrahim with real food when he comes back!

[doodlebugg 10]

Wow, I just read all that bridget and I think I can do that!

Keep'em coming cuz I would LOVE to suprise Ibrahim with real food when he comes back!

Seriously it's easy. The hardest part is taking up all the burners on the stove because there are so many things to boil/simmer. That's why I wait until the lentils are done before I cook the chili macs so that I can reuse the pot and have less dishes to wash! Once you try this it will be a total replacement for Chinese food cravings when pms is rearing it's ugly head. And it's kind of healthy with the lentils too!

Oh and most people scoff when I tell them I use the French's onion rings but seriously I'm not into standing around a stove for a long time cooking onions until they are brown and crunchy. Your'e really supposed to slice about 3 onions up real thin and saute until brown and crunchy but 1) i hate onion tears...they hurt! and 2) too much time.

[Yaads 0]

Thanks Bridget That sounds so yummy! You are so right...the less dishes to wash the better

[RAKASA 0]

Seriously it's easy. The hardest part is taking up all the burners on the stove because there are so many things to boil/simmer. That's why I wait until the lentils are done before I cook the chili macs so that I can reuse the pot and have less dishes to wash! Once you try this it will be a total replacement for Chinese food cravings when pms is rearing it's ugly head. And it's kind of healthy with the lentils too!

Oh and most people scoff when I tell them I use the French's onion rings but seriously I'm not into standing around a stove for a long time cooking onions until they are brown and crunchy. Your'e really supposed to slice about 3 onions up real thin and saute until brown and crunchy but 1) i hate onion tears...they hurt! and 2) too much time.

What's chili mac?

[~Jackie~ 30]

ya know...i was wondering that myself. Do you mean elbow macaroni?

Edited September 25, 2008 by just_Jackie

[RAKASA 0]

ya know...i was wondering that myself. Do you mean elbow macaroni?

If that's it, then it probably won't fly in our house since hubby doesn't care for most pasta. I think he just hasn't had the "right" pasta. He likes lasagna and discovered he also likes tortellini and he'll eat vermicelli if it's crushed tiny and in small amounts (like in harira or on chicken tagine). I've yet to try to get him to eat mac-n-cheez, but there's always a chance later!

[doodlebugg 10]

No it's little hollow pastas. Here's the link to what the pasta looks like. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fondofelves/2162765008/

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

noura, if your going to try and get him to eat mac and cheese, mac it homemade...thats what i do and sofyan is "so so" with it..he thinks mac and cheese is really sweet so he puts tons of salt and pepper on it...the box stuff he wont go near which i cannot comprehend, IMO there is nothing better than a good ol 59cent box of spongebob mac and cheese...

ive never heard of any of these egyptian or moroccan dishes...

Jackie, Do you really not know how to cook arabian dishes? girrrl!! id kick yo butt...I can always come by and give ya a lesson as long as i get to eat it too

[~Jackie~ 30]

kel, I know nothing. I know what goes in it all....I know what it all tastes like, I can shop for all the ingredients. But to actually cook...uh. no. I can order quiet well at Al Basha .......but to measure out rice and make it edible, I can not. Dawn tried to teach me maglooba, but we chatted and I paced around her kitchen and didn't pay attention.

I can make the salad kick azz! But not to be trusted with rice. I don't cook now because I am home alone (sounds like a movie). It's easier now to make a bowl of cereal or toast.

Jackie

[star_dragon 0]

I think we should have a Midwest cooking lesson at someone's place, cause I need the lessons too

I have a tagine, but have used it only once.

[~Jackie~ 30]

Ya'll can come tagine at my place

[MrsAmera 41]

Sfinj - anyone have a recipe for Moroccan Doughnuts? You know the kind that vendors sell on strings?? I want to surprise hubby tonight!

[~Jackie~ 30]

Donuts on a string?