Mom's Vegetable Soup with Rice

1 Tablespoon olive oil.
1 medium onion, finely chopped.
2 Scallions,finely chopped.
1 boneless,skinless chicken breast (finely chop).
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
1 teaspoon salt.
1/4 cup Green pea.
1/4 cup Yellow corn.
1/4 -1/2 cup Green beans chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup white or brown basmati rice.
1 Medium carrot, chopped to small cubes.
1 Medium potato, chopped to small cubes.
1 Medium zucchini, chopped to small cubes.
5 cups water.
1 Tablespoon flour + 1 Tablespoon milk powder mix well in 1 cup water.
Fresh parsley or Coriander, chopped.

1) Heat oil in pan; add onion, cook, and stirring until onion is just soft, than add the chicken and spices, cook until chicken is lightly browned and almost cooked.

2) Add green pea, green beans & 1 cup water, bring to boil, simmer, covered about 10-20 minutes or until the pea & beans are soft.

3) Add remaining ingredients, rice & water, simmer, covered until all ingredients cooked . (if you use brown basmati rice add it in step" 2")

4) Stir in milk & flour mixer then add the parsley or Coriander, stir until heated through about 3-4 minutes.

5) Serve with qulash cheese snails or try it with delicious cream cheese Fatayer, Sahan Fatayer, Sambosa bel joben, Safiha (lentils pizzas) ,or with Tasaly (crackers) .

Mom's Mix Beans Soup

2 cups mix soaked beans.
1 Tablespoon olive oil.
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (finely chop).
1 small onion, finely chopped.
4 green shallots, chopped.
1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped.
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.
1/4 teaspoon ground sweet paprika.
1 teaspoon salt or to taste.
1/2 cup of spaghetti.
6 cups water.

Extra water for boil the beans.

1) Add mix soaked beans to pan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, about 20 minutes; drain. Or you can use Pressure Cooker.

2) Heat oil in pan, add onion, cook, and stirring until onion is just soft, add green shallots, and stir over heat than add chicken and spices.

3) Stir in beans & water, simmer, covered on low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally (if you use Pressure Cooker this step will take 30 minutes).

4) Add fresh coriander+ spaghetti & cook according to package.

Albasara

Recipe by:zainab

Albasara is easy recipe for make simple soup , it is popular all over arab world .
Originally from Egypt and they make it with Fava Beans .
I love to make it with yellow lentil.



For Albasara you will need:



1/3 cup yellow lentil.

1 medium onion,quartered.

1 medium tomato ,quartered.

1 large carrot.

chopped fresh parsley.

1 1/2 teaspoon salt.

ground cumin & pepper.

4 cups water.



1)Add lentil + 2 cups water to pan , bring to boil, simmer, uncovered, until tender about 20 minutes.



2)Than add spices,onion,tomato,carrot and 1 cup water,simmer for 20 minutes.



3)Blend or process the soup + 1 cup water until smooth.



4)Return soup to pan ,add the parsley & cumin, simmer for 15 minutes.



5)Sreve it with fresh Squeeze lemon juice.

Hummus

Recipe by:zainab

2 cans (about 3 cups)chickpeas.
1/4 cup water.
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice.
1/4 cup tahini.
3/4 teaspoons salt.
olive oil for drizzling.
paprika or red hot pepper for garnish.

Place all all ingredients in a food processor.
Process until smooth.
Top hummus topped with a little olive oil & sprinkle with paprika or red hot pepper .

Serve with pita bread ,naan bread or try it with meedo's funky flat bread.

Salata Bathenjan (Eggplant Salad)

Recipe by:meedo

2 medium lebanese cucumbers, chopped.
2 medium tomatoes, chopped.
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped.
1/2 cup yellow split peas.
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped.
1 medium lettuce, chopped.

1/2 cup black olives.
1/2 cup green olives.
5 to 6 baby eggplants, halved.
Olive oil.

Dressing:
1 tablespoon olive oil.
Juice of one lemon.
Salt to taste.

1)Brush eggplants with olive oil, place it on backing sheet, back on hot oven (350ْ F),until tender. remove from pan and cut into medium chucks.

2)Combine all ingredients in bowl, mix well, drizzle with dressing.

Best made just before serving.

Fol Bel Baid (Fava Beans With Eggs)

Recipe by:meedo

2 jars (800 grams) fava beans, rinse.
1 medium tomato, chopped.
1/2 to 1 cup of water.
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin.
Salt to taste.
Dash of ground black pepper .
5 to 6 eggs, depends on how many you are serving.
Chopped parsley.

1)Mash fava beans mix it with chopped tomato, water, salt, cumin.

2)Pour mixture into pan, crack the eggs over the mixture one by one, sprinkled with black paper.

3) Bake at 350 F until eggs is cooked, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Serve with chopped tomato, cheddar cheese, and pita bread.

Safiha (lentils pizzas)

Recipe by:zainab

For dough:
2 teaspoons yeast.
1 teaspoon sugar.
1 1/3 cups warm water.
1 1/2 cups white flour.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour.
1 teaspoon salt.
1/4 cup olive oil.

For lentils topping:
1 teaspoon olive oil.
3/4 cup brown lentils,(you can use meat).
2 small onion, finely chopped.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
1 teaspoon ground cumin.
1/2 teaspoon arabic mix spice.
2 teaspoons salt.
2 small zucchini, grated.
2 Tablespoons tomato paste.
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped.

1) Combine all dough ingredients. Knead to make soft dough. Knead dough about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

2) Place dough in oiled bowl, cover, and stand in warm place about 1 hour.

3) Divide dough into 36 pieces. Roll each to a 9 cm round.

4) Place rounds onto greased oven trays top each with 1-2Tablespoons of lentils mixture.





5)Bake in hot oven at 400F about 15 minutes or until browned.

Serve topped with coriander.

For lentils topping:
1) Cook lentils for 10 to 15 minutes.

2) Heat oil in pan add onion, cook, stirring until is soft. Than add garlic, spices, zucchini, and cooked lentils, stirring than add paste and tomatoes, cook about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly, cool.

Lentils & Kofta stew

Recipe by:zainab

1/2 Zainab's Easy Chicken Kofta recipe.

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil.
1 medium onion, chopped.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric.
1 teaspoon ground coriander.
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin.
1 teaspoon curry powder.
1/2 teaspoon ground garam masala.
2 medium potatoes, peeled, chopped.
3/4 cup red lentils.2 1/2 cups water.

1)Heat half the oil in non-stick pan, cook Kofta ,in batches until kofta lightly browned.

2)Heat oil in large pan, cook onion until browned lightly, add garlic and spices,cook,stirring, until fragrant.

3) Add potatoes, red lentils, Kofta and water, bring to boil then immediately simmer cook, covered for about 20 minutes or until Kofta is tender and mixture thickened.

4)Serev with naan bread or basmati rice.

Curried lentils and chicken in tomato sauce

Recipe by:zainab


5-6 thin chicken cutlets.

1 Tablespoon olive oil.
1 medium onion,finely chopped.
2 garlic cloves,finely grated.
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger,peeled and finely grated.
1 teaspoon salt.
2 teaspoons curry powder.
1 teaspoon garam masala.
3 medium tomato ,finely chopped.
3/4 cup lentils.
2 cups water.
1 Tablespoon tomato paste.
chopped fresh cilantro.

1)Heat a grill pan over high,season cutlets with olive oil ,salt and pepper,cook 3 minutes per side.

2)In a large saucepan,heat oil ,add onion,cook,stirring until beginning to brown 7-8 minutes.

3)Add ginger,garlic and spices,cook,stirring until fragrant .

4)Add chopped tomato ,lentils,water ,tomato paste and cooked chicken cutlets.simmer than cook for 20-25 minutes over medium heat .

5)Serve with naan bread or basmati rice.

Lentil soup

Recipe by:zainab

3/4 cup yellow lentil.
2 cups water.
1 bay leaf.

1 Tablespoon olive oil.
1 medium onion, finely chopped.
1 boneless,skinless chicken breast (finely chop).
1 small carrot, grated
1 small zucchini, grated
1 small potato, grated
1 1/2 teaspoon Arabic gulf mix spice
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups vegetable stock or water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dry oregano.

1) Place lentil in bowl, cover with water, stand 30 minutes. Drain lentil, rinse under cold water.

2) Add lentil with 2 cups water, bay leaf to pan than bring it to boil, simmer, uncovered, until tender.

3) Remove bay leaf, blend or process lentil until smooth.

4) Heat oil in pan, add onion, cook, and stirring until onion is just soft, add garlic stir over heat than add chicken and spices.

5) Stir in stock, simmer, covered on low heat for 30 minutes.

6) Add blend lentil, carrot, zucchini, and potato, cook for 8 or 10 minutes on low heat.

Maraq Samak Kana'd (fish with tomato sauce)

Recipe by:meedo

Tasty fish dish from the gulf area .

1 1/2 lb fish (salmon or any of your favorite, I use kana'd, this fish available all around the Arab gulf area)

1 teaspoon salt .
1 teaspoon ground turmeric.
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
White flour.

For the sauce (maraq):
1 large onion, chopped.
1 tablespoon olive oil.
2 large tomatoes, chopped.
1 cup cooked pinto beans.
1 cup water .
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric.
2 black limes (dried limes).
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste).
1/4 cup fresh parsley or fresh coriander, chopped.

3 cups basmati rice.
Pinch of saffron socked in 1/4 cup rose water .


1) Clean and wash the fish, dried with towel paper then season it, seat a side.
2) Dust fish with white flour, shack away excess, Shallow fry them until they golden brown, drain on paper kitchen towels.
3)To make tomato sauce: sauté onion with olive oil until it cook and soft, add tomatoes, stir, cover, let it cook for 15 minutes. Add water, spices, limes, pinto beans, and fresh chopped parsley, let it cook for another 15 minutes.

4)Place fish in a deep pan, spoon sauce over. Cover it with parchment paper and aluminum foil. Cook it on 350 F. oven for 35 minutes.

5)Serve it with basmati rice.

To make basmati rice:

In a deep pan bring to boil water with 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oil, add basmati rice, and boil it for 8 minuets. Remove from heat and Rinse the rice from any excess water, put it back to the same pan, drizzle with rose water and saffron, let it cook on a very low heat for 25 minutes, then serve it.