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Showing posts with label rice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rice. Show all posts




This month's Walima Cooking Club challenge is representing the Lebanese Cuisine.
We share this recipe also with the Turkish cuisine and with a little difference in preparation, they call it "mantee" or "manti" and the shish barak word that we use is I would say comes from the Turkish and Balkan word "burek". I used the manti this time in my recipe which is the dough filled with meat, it's the same except that it comes in a different shape. In Lebanon, we shape it (the Sheesh Barak) like tortellini.

Here are the ingredients as given by Walima Club founder Arlette from Phoenician Gourmet blog:

Lebanese Style Sheesh Barak

INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ kg of plain Greek style yogurt or home made
1/2 quantity of Ajeen or basic dough recipe
3 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of salt
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint (if fresh is not available use couple spoons dried)
½ kg (16 oz) ground meat (either beef or lamb)
3 medium sized onions, finely chopped
¼ cup fried pine nuts
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp butter

Basic Dough or Ajeen
(this is used in many savory pastries)

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg (32 oz / 5 cups) plain flour
1 ¼ cups warm water
½ cup olive oil
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar

PREPARATION:
Sift the flour into a working surface.Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the center. Pour olive oil and vegetable oil in the well. Mix the dry ingredients into the liquid. Add water gradually. Knead the dough into a ball (if the dough is too stiff add some water). Knead the dough on a floured working surface until it is smooth and elastic this can be done in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, or in a food processor. Form the dough into a ball and put into a lightly floured bowl, covered with a damp cloth. Leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

For the Cooked Yogurt:

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 kg of plain Greek Style Yogurt
or home made you can check my blog for home made yogurt (you can check my blog for homemade yogurt)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 cup water + 1 beaten egg (or egg's white)

PREPARATION:
Strain yogurt using a smooth colander into a pot. Add egg or egg's white. Dissolve cornstarch in 1 cup of water. Stir into cold yogurt for 2 minutes.Place on medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils.
Preparing the Sheesh Barak:

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 1 cm thickness. Using a round cookie cutter (medium size), press over dough to get equal rounds.
Fry onion in shortening till color changes a little. Add meat, salt, allspice and cinnamon. Stir occasionally and fry for 7-8 minutes. Add pine nuts and Mix. Drain the mixture as butter would affect closing the pastries.

Spread the round a little with your fingers. Place 1 tspn of the filling on it. Fold over one end to make a semi-circle. Press edges down to seal. Take the two ends from the straight side, bring them together to make a small ring. Press well. Repeat till rounds are done.

You will have left over dough , (this is the best part) roll the remaining dough in thin rope and cut into diagonals. Place the stuffed dough and the cut pastries in a tray with parchment, Bake in a hot oven (400F) for 10 minutes or until golden. During this time prepare and cook the yogurt and when it starts to boil add the baked pastries to the boiling cooked yogurt one by one. Let it boil over low heat for 10 minutes or till pastries are cooked.


Note: The egg and the cornstarch are there as stabilizers so that the yogurt won’t separate.
Make sure to cook the yogurt on medium low heat , high heat could ruin the sauce.

In a separate skillet you’ll want to quickly sautée the garlic and mint in one tbsp extra virgin olive oil and add it to the Sheesh Barak. And cook for another 2 minutes .

Serve hot in bowls, or you can serve with it Lebanese Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli.
13


This is my savory recipe for the second Walima cooking challenge for the month of June. The ingredients and directions below are as given by Summer. I kept the fish as a whole fillet, and I used Tilapia fish. The jalapenos that I used were ones that I had hand picked them fresh earlier this year and put them in a jar full of olive oil and preserved them, very powerful! I also left the sauce on the side and poured it over the fish before serving. The taste of this dish reminded me of a similar fish with sauce that I had in one of my favorite Indian restaurants, I guess the use of turmeric and spices is what made it so similar, as well as the flavor of the Basmati rice.

Ingredients:
1 tsp of turmeric
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 kg of fish fillet cubed
2 jalapeno peppers seeds removed and finely chopped
1 tbsp of freshly chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic chopped
Some fresh ginger chopped
2 med size chopped onions
2 med chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp of mustard
2 ½ cups of water
2 cubes of chicken broth , unless you have homemade chicken stock
Replace the water with stock
2 tbsp of freshly chopped cilantro

Preparation:
Mix the turmeric with veggie oil, and marinate the fish in it for couple of minutes.
Then lay the fish on a baking tray and bake in a preheated 400F oven for 18 minutes to turn golden brown.
In a food processor, add the garlic, onion, jalapeno peppers tomatoes ginger and mustard, and whip until it turns to paste.
I did not puree my sauce, I felt that it would taste better chunky.
Heat a non stick pan and cook the paste on medium heat, without oil, till it start to turn golden,(takes around 5 min) add the water and dissolved chicken bouillon or the chicken stock, whatever you have on hand, and cook for 7-8 minutes more to become a thick sauce, pour over the fish in the oven and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.
Serve over Basmati rice and sprinkle fresh cilantro on top.

Thanks Summer!!!!! That was very delicious!
18


Serves 4-5
5 potatoes peeled and medium cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 small chopped bell pepper
1 clove of garlic chopped
3 cups of chopped tomatoes (or can cubed tomatoes)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of flour
1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of allspice or 7 spices
2 cups of fresh chopped cilantro
1 cup of lean minced meat (or 1/2 pound cubed stew meat)
An optional dash of red pepper flakes (or more depending on how spicy you want it)
Few cups of water
Salt & pepper to taste

For the plain white Rice:
The recipe is in most of my previous recipes of rice or stews

In the cooking pot, add the butter, chopped onions and garlic, minced meat and olive oil, let it cook on medium heat. Add salt & pepper to taste and red pepper flakes. Once the meat browns and cooks, add the tomatoes, let the ingredients cook for a couple of minutes then add the potatoes and let them all cook for few minutes. Add the flour to coat the ingredients. Now, add water enough to cover the stew, then add the tomato paste and stir a bit to dissolve it. Add the paprika, allspice and cilantro. Cook until the potatoes are done. Serve with the rice.

I chose minced meat this time, just for a change. Normally I use beef stew meat, or sometimes I make this without meat if I want it a vegetarian dish.
11


This recipe is very common all over the Arab world and not only Lebanon. In Jordan, it is very popular and they prepare it with Lamb. In Lebanon, another version of this is popular also, but made with chicken instead of meat and without eggplant and nuts, I will post it one day as well. I personally prefer this one :) In arabic it is called (Makloubeh or Ma2loubeh= turned over, because you layer everything and turn the pot upside down to serve)

Serves at least 5
Ingredients:
1 eggplant
1 small cauliflower
2 cups of rice (long grain)
1 pound of lean medium cubed beef or lamb
1 cup of assorted raw nuts (like pistachios, almonds, pine nuts etc...)
1 big onion chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
4 cups of wate
1 teaspoon butter
Vegetable oil for frying
Some olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste and some allspice

- Slice the eggplant into medium circles, sprinkle salt and let it drain its water for like half an hour (this way it won't absorb a lot of oil ;))Then drain on a paper towel and fry them half way until they begin to turn gold. Fry the cauliflower too and let drain ona paper towel as well.
- Now in a cooking pot, add chopped onions and some olive oil then add the meat, add salt & pepper to taste and allspice, cook until the meat is mostly cooked, then layer the eggplant on top of the meat and onions, then layer the cauliflower on top of that then the rice. Now mix the tomato paste with the 4 cups of water and add to the rice and all. Let everything cook on medium and until the rice is done and has absorbed the water. Meanwhile, in a pan, add a teaspoon of butter then add the nuts and toast them. To serve, place a rounded serving plate on top of the pot, hold it tight and flip upside down quickly. Be careful so that the whole thing doesn't fall apart. Top with the nuts and serve with any salad of your choice.
21


This is a very easy and healthy spinach recipe.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1 big bunch of fresh Spinach, chopped (or frozen, canned etc..)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 tsp allspice
Juice of a lemon
1 tsp tomato sauce
1 cup of lean minced meat
1 1/2 cups of water
Salt & pepper to taste

- In the cooking pot, add onions, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and cook for about a minute, then add the minced meat, salt, pepper & allspice. When the meat is cooked, add the spinach. Turn the heat to low and let the spinach cook for few minutes then add the water, tomato sauce and let it all slow cook for another 12 minutes. Add the lemon juice in the last 5 minutes. Serve with rice cooked with vermicelli (the rice recipe is already posted with the red beans/chilli recipe).
10


Meghli is a kind of Lebanese rice pudding prepared in special occasions especially when a baby is born. It is a tradition to serve it to guests and friends when they come to offer their congratulations. It is also served on Christmas Eve's dinner along with the Yule Log. Most people nowadays prepare it all the time not only on occasions.

Serves 7-8 (of the same size of the serving bowl shown in the photo)

Ingredients:
1 cup of rice flour
1 cup of sugar
8 cups of water
1 tbsp of ground caraway seeds
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground anis seeds

For the topping:
Raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts and coconut flakes.

In the cooking pot, add the cups of water, rice flour, whisk or stirr until desolved, then add the sugar until it desolves too. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Add the spices: caraway, cinnamon, anis seeds. The pudding can easily stick so you can't leave it. Stirr until it thickens then transfer into the serving bowls and let it cool. Meanwhile, add water to the alomds and pistachios and let them sit until they soften (about half to an hour or so). Before serving the pudding, top it with coconut flakes, then almonds and pistachios then serve. Or you can decorate the bowls and leave them in the refrigerator.
6


This is my easy version of Siyyadiyeh. The traditional version is a little bit more complicated and requires using whole fish, where you bake it and then remove the head and bones and boil them with water and spices to obtain fish broth. In this version, I make it with fish fillets and use ready fish broth. Therefore, I don't deal with bones nor a longer cooking time.

Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
1 pound of Whiting fish fillets (or Tilapia)
2 cups of white long rice
2 cups of fish broth (or any other broth you like)
2 onions, cut in half and sliced
1/2 cup of pine nuts
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of allspice
1/2 cup of Olive oil
1/2 cup of vegetable oil (I prefer canola)
Salt & pepper to taste

For the sauce:
1 teaspoon of butter
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of flour
1 cup of fish broth
Juice of half a lemon
Salt & pepper to taste

Take the fish fillets and coat them with a mixture of flour, cumin and salt & pepper, set them aside. In a pan, add the vegetable oil and cook the fish on both sides and let drain the oil on a paper towel.
In another pan, add olive oil and the onions. Cook the onions until they are brown. remove from the oil and add the pine nuts to the oil until golden then also remove and transfer on a paper towel to drain the oil.
- In a pot, add the 2 cups of fish broth bring to a boil and then add the browned onions, cook on medium for a couple of minutes and then add the rice with 2 cups of water. Then add the cumin, allspice, salt & pepper, and let it simmer and cook.
Meanwhile prepare the sauce, in a sauce pan, add the butter, then the flour, mix until the flour obtain the roue, then add the broth, cumin, lemon juice, salt, pepper, stir and bring to a boil until it thickens.
Serve the cooked rice with pine nuts on top as well as the fish fillets and top them with the sauce. Any salad is good with it too.

PS: You also have the option to bake or broil the fish fillets but then you skip the flour and cumin coating and you spice them and drizzle some olive oil.
12



This is the Lebanese style of making Chili served over rice with vermicelli.

Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
Half a pound of lean stew meat
4 sliced cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of butter
2 cups of tomato sauce
Juice of 1 small lemon
1 cup of fresh cilantro
1 cup of red beans soaked overnight and cooked
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

For the rice:
2 cups of white long grain rice
1/2 cup of vermicelli
1 teaspoon of butter
1 cup of meat stock or chicken bouillon (optional)

In a pan, add the chopped onions, butter, stew meat, salt and pepper. After the meat had browned and the onions cooked, add the garlic then cook for another few minutes then add 1 cup of water and the tomato sauce and slow cook the stew for 15 minutes. Add the beans and then the cilantro in addition to the lemon juice and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the stew is cooking you can prepare the rice:
In another pan, add butter then the vermicelli until they turn brown, then add the rice and 3 cups of water and 1 cup of stock, bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked and the water is absorbed. (Do not stir the rice more then twice so it doesn't get lumpy).

Serve the Chili with the rice.
12


Serves a crowd!
Ingredients:
About a 3 pound roast (Lamb or beef)
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
2 carrots peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
1-2 big onions chopped
10 cloves of garlic, peeled only
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into medium cubes
1 celery stick, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks, 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of allspice
1/3 cup of wine (optional)
1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

The vegetables need to be medium sized and not small or finely chopped because they need to cook with the roast and this will keep them from browning quickly and falling apart. And my technique is that I allow one minute between every ingredient, I don't like to dump everything all at once. So in a pot, add the oil, onions, potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, celery and garlic add half the amount of salt and black pepper and cook for few minutes then add the roast, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.(I usually rub the roast with a bit of salt and black pepper and let it sit for few minutes before I cook it). Once you've added the roast you want it to brown from all sides and absorb all the flavors. Here you can add the wine. Turn the roast every now and then until the sides are browned then you add 2 to 3 cups of water. Once you've added the water, add the rest of the spices, bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low and let it cook slowly. It would probably take about 2 hours maybe more depending on the meat.
Once the roast is cooked take it out of the pot and transfer into the cutting board. Now to obtain the gravy just put everything left in the pot in the mixer for a couple of minutes. I personally leave everything in the pot, take out the cinnamon sticks and the bay leaves and use the handy mixer for few minutes until all the chunks are gone. You'll obtain a thick gravy because of the potato and vegetables so no need to thicken it. After I obtain the gravy, I let it simmer for few minutes and then serve it with the roast.

Tips on how to serve this roast:
1- You can leave it as a whole on the cutting board and when it's time to eat, cut and serve with the gravy on the side.
2- Slice and put back in the sauce or gravy and simmer for few minutes and serve (I recommend this)
3- Slice some and serve on the side as cold cuts and put the rest in the gravy for variety.
4- Serve the roast with Basmati rice and nuts as shown in the photo or serve it with mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables.

PS: Cooking the Basmati and toasting the nuts can be found in my previous recipes like the Chicken with rice recipe for example.
7


Makes around 24-25 (I prefer to eyeball or use as much as the filling makes)

This recipe can be served with a green salad and plain yogurt.

Ingredients:
Grapes leaves (24 small or medium, half of that if the leaves are big cause you can cut in half)

Filling:
1 cup of lean minced meat
1 cup of chopped onions or shallots
1/3 cup of small diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of plain white rice
1 teaspoon of allspice
Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of flour to be mixed with some water. 2 Cinnamon sticks.

- In a bowl, add the minced meat, onions, tomatoes, wash the rice and drain and add to the bowl too, add the spices and mix the ingredients together.
- If the grape leaves are fresh, soak them in hot water for half an hour, then drain.
- If you are using the ones from the jar, soak in tab water for few minutes, then drain and use. To start filling, take the leaf and spread it on the surface you're using, cut the stem, take a teaspoon or less depending on the size of the leaf and place the filling a bit before the center, fold the sides toward the center and roll tight. In order for them to unravel and fall apart while cooking, I tie them up together. I place three stuffed grape leaves, then two on top, then another one or two like forming a triangle, I tie them up together with a string and place in the pan, add the water and tomato paste, cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil, add the flour mixed with a little bit of cold water then reduce the heat and let them cook slowly for half an hour. Remove the cinnamon sticks and discard when serving the grape leaves.

PS: If you end up with extra filling, keep them in the freezer or stuff a bellpepper, tomato etc... ;)
18


Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the kafta:
1/2 pound of minced lean meat
1 small chopped onion
1 small clove of garlic chopped
2 cups of fresh chopped parsley
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon allspice
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:
2 cups of chopped tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1 small onion
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/3 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

For the rice:
1 1/2 cup of rice
3 cups of water
1/2 tablespoon of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

In the food processor, add: minced meat, parsley, onions, garlic, bread crumbs, allspice, salt and pepper for 1 minute or 2. When the ingredients are combined all together, transfer into a bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for half an hour. After that, start making medium-small balls of the kafta. Heat a non-stick pan and start cooking the meatballs, turn them every 2 minutes until done. Set aside. In the same pan, if no juice is left from the cooked meat, you might wanna add a tablespoon of olive oil, then add the onions, allspice, chili flakes, salt and pepper, cook for about 3 minutes then add the tomatoes and let them cook on low for 10 minutes, then mix the tomato paste with the water and add it. Cook for another 5 minutes then add the meatballs and let all simmer for few minutes. (If you find the sauce thick you might wanna add a little bit more water.
Now for the rice: in another pan, add butter, then add the rice, fold them together until the rice absorbs the butter, add salt and pepper then the water and stir 1 time only. When it starts boiling, turn down the heat and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Serve the rice with the meatballs and sauce on top.
9


Serves 4-6 (depending on the size of the dessert bowl)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup white rice
3 1/2 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups of water
4 tablespoons of condensed sweetened milk (optional)
5 tablespoons of sugar
4 tablespoons of corn starch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon rosewater
A pinch of salt
Apricot marmelade for the topping

In a pan, add water, pinch of salt, then add the rice and cook for 30 minutes on low. Drain any water left if not all absorbed. In another pan, add milk, sugar, corn starch, condensed milk, vanilla, rosewater. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium. Add the cooked rice and stir. You need to keep an eye on that and keep stirring until it thickens. Also you need to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. When it thickens, pour into the serving bowls and let it completely cool. After that, spread the marmelade on top then refrigerate until time to serve.
1


Serves 4

Ingredient:
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of white rice
1 cup of olive oil
2 onions sliced (medium half circles)
1 tablespoon of allspice
1 tablespoon of cumin
Salt, pepper to taste
5 cups of water

In a pan, add the 5 cups of water and the lentils, cook on medium until the lentils are half way cooked, then add the rice then the allspice, cumin, salt and pepper. Let them cook on low. Meanwhile, in a skillet, add olive oil and the onions, season with some salt and pepper and let them brown but be careful not to burn them. After the onions are ready, drain the remaining olive oil and add it to the lentils and rice that are cooking. After the rice and lentils are cooked and the water is absorbed, transfer to the serving plate and add the onions on top. Serve with plain yogurt or a salad.
4




Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
1/2 pound of fresh Green beans
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 1/2 cup of canned diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
olive oil, salt and pepper
water

For the Rice:
1 1/2 cup of rice
1 teaspoon of butter and a dash of salt

In a pan, add onions, olive oil (I usually eyeball, just enough to coat the onions), dash of salt and pepper, cook for a couple of minutes then add the garlic, green beans, let them cook for few minutes then add the tomatoes, and keep cooking for another few minutes then add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and water enough to cover what's cooking. Let it all simmer until the beans are cooked. Meanwhile, in another pan, add 1 teaspoon of butter, then add the rice, when the butter coats the rice, add 3 cups of water (or according to directions) and let it simmer.
Serve with any kind of salad.

PS: This recipe is good also if you add meat to it (cubes or minced), if you wish to do so, add the meat with the onions then continue the recipe.
1



Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
2 cups of Basmati rice (or any other rice of your choice)
1 1/2 cups of assorted raw nuts
Butter
Salt

For cooking the chicken: 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper, cardamom, salt. Add all to a pot half filled with water including the chicken. When it starts boiling, clean the surface from the foam. Let it cook until done.
- For the rice: In a pot, put 1 tablespoon of butter, add the washed and drained 2 cups of rice. After the rice absorbs the butter, add 4 cups of water, add salt upon taste and let it simmer for 15 minutes. While the rice is cooking, in a pan, put a teaspoon of butter and add the raw nuts and mix with the butter and let it roast until brown or golden.
Once the rice is done, serve with nuts on top and then cut the chicken and put on top of rice and nuts and serve.

Tip: You can cook the rice with the broth of the cooked chicken.

This dish can be served with salad of your choice or plain yogurt.
0

Ingredients: (5-6 servings) Choice of chicken: like chicken breasts or upper thighs 2 cups of rice 1 cup of ground beef Assorted raw nuts: cashew, chopped almonds, pine, pecan (1/3 cup of each) 1 tablespoon of butter 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil Salt, pepper (or seven spices) 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 small carrot, 1 small onion
0

Ingredients: (serves 4)
1 cup of minced meat
1 cup of frozen peas
1 cup of chopped carrots
1 cup of chopped onions
1 cup of basmati rice
1 cup of fresh cilantro chopped
1 cup of fresh juicy tomato chopped (or canned)
1 clove of garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Salt, pepper (or seven spices: optional).

In a pan put 1 tablespoon of butter, then onions, after 1 minute add the minced meat, garlic, add salt and pepper, stir until the meat is not red anymore then add the freash carrots, mix and leave for few minutes then add the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes cooked, add the tomato paste with 1/4 cup of water, let it cook for 10 minutes then add the peas (after u wash them and rain them) and the cilantro leave for another 10 minutes (you don't wanna over cook the peas).
For the rice: add in another pan 1 tablespoon of butter, then add the rice after you wash it and rain it. Add salt upon taste. Mix the rice with the butter until absorbed, then add 2 cups of water. when the rice starts to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes until it's done.
1

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