Kuzey

This week’s post is going to be about the most unforgettable meal because it is one of the most difficult meals to cook in Middle East. However, it is the most delicious meal you’ll be eating.

In Middle East, it is very popular to make varieties of delicious dishes whenever there is a gathering, but sometimes they can make one delicious meal that would be enough for 60 people, which will be even tastier than all meals. Kuzey is the dish we will be making this week and it is from the most familiar dishes cooked in Middle East.

Kuzey is basically a huge dish that includes a lot of rice and a mix of potatoes, beans, carrots, eggs, and lamb shoulder. Therefore, Kuzey is a very special dish that has plenty of healthy ingredients.

Kuzey is from the meal that are easy to make but if you have a gathering then you would want to make a delicious dish that will be enough for 60 people. Kuzey is a dish that could be made for an everyday meal but can be made for an important event or gathering.

Ingredients: 
Rice: 

• 1 cup rose water 
• 1 tablespoon saffron 
• 1 - 2 teaspoon saffron color 
• 20 cup rice 
• 1/2 cup corn oil 
• 1 cup margarine 
• 1 cup pine nuts 
• 1 cup almonds 
• 1 cup raisins 
• 1 cup peeled Pistachio 
• 2 kg minced meat 
• 6-7 onion, minced 
• 5 tbsp salt 
• 2 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1/4 cup margarine 
• 2 head of garlic, mashed 
• 3 large grain onion, minced 
• 4-5 century spicy green pepper 
• 6-8 large tomatoes pill 
• 1/2 cup tomato paste 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 

Kuzey

Kuzey requires a lot of effort, but the results will be amazing and I guarantee that everyone will love it. Kuzey is a different type of dish but it is very delicious and not everyone makes it but when they do it requires a lot of hard work. 

In the Middle East, it is very popular to be invited for Kuzey and when you are invited over for some Kuzey it is always a good thing! I like to share all the delicious types of dishes that we have in Middle East and share the recipes for it. I hope you guys like today’s blog and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. 

Grilled Chicken

I wanted to start this week’s blog by talking about the most popular dishes in each culture. Some foods are generally more known than others. In England, fish and chips are very popular, Italy is known for its pasta dishes, and the Middle
East is famous for a few different dishes.

This week’s blog is going to be about a very well known dish in every culture, which is chicken. In Middle East, there’s more than one way to marinate and cook the chicken. Today, I’m posting a recipe about grilled chicken.

Grilled Chicken is a broiled marinated chicken with oil, lemon and garlic sauce. “Dajaj Mashwi” in Middle Eastern dish that is grilled chicken and we cook it on the grill or barbecue. Therefore, it is one of the easiest dishes to make. If you are interested in doing a BBQ, this can be one of the delicious dishes you consider to make. It is a healthy and delicious meal for everyone.

All you need to get is the chicken and add a mixture of garlic, lemon juice and oil then you grill it. Depending on how everyone likes it either well done or medium done. The grilled chicken is marinated in Middle Eastern-style marinade of yogurt, lemon, garlic and spices, and then grilled until golden brown. It’s delicious served over a bed of golden basmati rice with dried fruits and almonds or on top of a Greek salad. Next, prepare the chicken. They’re more flavourful than chicken breasts, and easier to cook without drying out.

In addition to grilled chicken, Middle Eastern people are known for other plates of chicken such as stuffed chicken with rice. This is also a delicious dish, but requires a significant amount of effort.

I guarantee all these types of ways to make chicken will be delicious plates and everyone eats chicken. There’s many ways to make chicken such as grilled chicken, stuffed chicken and BBQ but the difference are the way each country does it.

Hopefully this week you guys like the simple ways of making grilled chicken. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions and leave comments!

Dajaj Mashwi

Warak Dawali

It is widely known how Middle Eastern are known for their passion for cooking, especially on special occasions. They include different main dishes such as “Warak Dawali” or “Dolma”. This type of food is not easy to cook and it needs a lot of work but the results are amazing. Warak dawali is one of the most delicious meals in Middle East and everyone has a different way of making it. Furthermore, not everyone makes it delicious but a good cooker will know how to make it and put all their effort to make the best results.

Warak dawali is amazingly creative, tasty, and even a healthy Middle Eastern dish. It is stuffed grape leaves. It is usually made of rolled grape leaves with rice and vegetables that are stuffed slowly in lemony water. 

Vegetarian grape leaves are very healthy and tasty and can be good for a diet. Bring the greatest taste of Lebanese food to your own kitchen.

In     Ingredients:

• 1 lb of Grape Leaves (about 75-90 leaves)
• 2 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 bunch of Italian parsley finely chopped (cut off stems)
• 1 bunch of green mint leaves finely chopped
• 1 bunch of green onions finely chopped
• ½ cup of chickpea halves, rinsed and soaked in water overnight
• ½ cup of rice
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• ¾ cup of olive oil
• 1 cup of lemon juice
• 1 medium size onions, sliced
• 1 large tomato, sliced

Instructions:

 In a bowl mix finely chopped tomatoes, mint, Italian parsley (with stems removed), green onions along with the chickpea halves, rice, 1 teaspoon of salt, ¼ cup of olive oil and ¼ cup of lemon juice.

prepare the leaves and once leaves are ready, cut off their stems and stack them on a cutting board, and let’s get ready to roll!

• Lay the leaves flat on a cutting board 
• Add ¾ teaspoon of stuffing 
• Roll bottom of leaf over the stuffing
• Fold right side over
• Fold left side over
• Then roll all the way through the end of the leaf
• A good roll needs to be tight so that it doesn’t break apart during cooking. 

 

• Once you’ve finished adding the rolls, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt on top, add ¾ th cup of lemon juice, ½ cup of olive oil, 2 cups of water.
• Shake the pot sideways to let the liquids seep all the way through the bottom.
• Cover the pot and cook for a few minutes on high heat until the sauce boils, at which time turn the  heat down to low and let simmer and cook for about 35 minutes.
•  Every 10 mins or so, shake and swing the pot slowly to ensure that the sauce is equally dispersed and isn’t stuck on one side.
• Drain most of the juice before serving. serve hot!!

Warak Dawali

Warak Dawali requires a lot of hard work to make it however, while your making this delicious food, you will not feel the time and you will enjoy every bit of it. All that you need to do is put effort and try to make it. You will not regret it because in the end it is going to be a very delicious meal. It is important to try new and different types of Middle Eastern food and learn new things.

Kebab

This week’s blog is going to be about a very well known Middle Eastern food, which is Kebab. This word may not be strange to everyone because almost everyone knows this type of food. Shish Kebab is known by 95% of people around the world and there’s no way anyone wouldn’t like this delicious food!

Shish kebab is a skewer with meat and vegetables and is usually grilled but it can be fried too. It can be lamb, beef, or chicken and can also have vegetables like green peppers, onions and mushrooms.

You can also eat it as a sandwich and add some Hummus to it or you can have it alone. Middle Eastern people usually call it “Shish Tawooq” and it can be served both as chicken or beef depending our your taste. They are easy to make, inexpensive, and also looks absolutely delicious with different vegetables and meat. The most common way to cook Shish Kebab is grilling. In the Middle East, kebabs are not always prepared on a skewer and do not always consist of cubed meat or chicken. It can also be prepared alone without a skewer.

Shish Kebab

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef sirloin or tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced

Preparations:

• 24 hours prior to grilling, prepare marinade by combining olive oil, vinegar, corinader, garlic, cumin, and paprika. Pour marinade into freezer bag and add beef cubes. 
• Allow to marinate in the refrigerator until ready to grill. 
• Remove from refrigerator and thread meat onto skewers that have been sprayed with cooking oil.
• Spray grill with cooking oil to prevent sticking. 
• Grill for 5-7 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. 
• Serve over a bed of white rice, salad. 

This basic recipe includes the marinade and cooking instructions just for the chicken. You can add vegetables to the skewer if desired. Shish Tawooq are usually cut into many small pieces, however, it is as delicious as Shish Kebab but the only difference is that it is chicken!

Shish Tawooq plate with Hummus and Rise

Shish Kebab and Tawooq plate with Rise and Tabouleh

I wanted to share this type of delicious Middle Eastern food with all of you. Kebab is the most popular food that most of you are familiar with. Enjoy the taste and if you have any questions or comments I’ll be more than happy to reply.

Shawarma

My blog today is going to be about a type of food that is not only known in Middle East, but is also popular in all different cultures. This type of food is known as Shawarma. Shawarma is a very delicious food that could be served as a plate or a sandwich. It depends on your personal taste, but Shawarma can also be served as a beef shawerma or chicken Shawarma.

When making a Shawarma we usually cut off the shavings off the block of meat for serving, and the remainder of the block of meat is kept heated on the rotating spit. Although it can be served in shavings on a plate, Shawarma can also be referred to as a sandwich. It can also be eaten with Tabbouleh, Fattoush, tomato and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus, and pickled turnips.

Shawarma is a very delicious type of Middle Eastern food and it is very healthy. Once you start eating Shawarma, you can’t stop! In Canada, Shawarma can be found in many different places like Pita Land, Paramount, Osmows, etc.

Chicken shawarma

Beef Shawarma with rise

Ingredients:

• 10 garlic, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 4 pieces pita bread
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Shawarma sauce

Preparations:

That are needed to make a Shawarma are having a medium bowl and whisking together the garlic, lemon juice, and oil. You can also add curry powder, salt pepper, and food coloring and whisk to combine. After these steps, you can add chicken and coat with marinade. Marinate chicken overnight in the refrigerator. Then, you preheat a grill to medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade. Grill chicken for about 10 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. Serve chicken on pita and top with tomatoes and Shawarma sauce.

Shawarma sauce:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1-cup tahini
• 3 cups water
• ½ lemon juice
• Salt

You add all these ingredients in a bowl and mix them together until it feel like it gets creamy. Then you can taste it so you can tell if it needs anything extra or not. you will love it once you make it and try it especially when you come with amazing results. Shawarma is simply one of the most delicious Middle Eastern foods ever!!

Kibbeh

Appetizers are a crucial part of meals in every culture. In Middle Eastern traditions, there is usually more than one plate of appetizers in gatherings, parties, or even family dinners. Middle Eastern people like to present a variety of appetizers that are very delicious. For example, some of these appetizers are Tabouleh, Hummus, Fattoush, Baba Ghanoush, and today we will be talking about a different kind of appetizer, which is Kibbeh.

Kibbeh is one of the most delicious appetizers in the Middle East. There’s many ways in which you can eat it. For example, Kibbeh can be in the same plate as hummus or you can eat it alone. Once you start eating Kibbeh I guarantee you wont stop having it!!

Kibbeh is a Middle Eastern type of dish that is made of a variety of ingredients. These ingredients are bulghur,minced onions and ground red meat, usually beef, lamb, goat or camel. The best-known type of Kibbeh is a torpedo-shaped fried croquette stuffed with minced beef or lamb. Other types of Kibbeh may be shaped into balls or patties, and baked or cooked in broth. Kibbeh is considered to be the national dish of Lebanon.

Kibbeh

There are many recipes for kibbeh, but this one is very easy and perfect for beginners.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs finely ground beef or lamb, lean, divided
• 1/2 lb. bulghur cracked wheat, medium 
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 2 medium onions, 1 finely chopped, and 1 coarsely chopped, divided
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  

Preparation:

• In a medium bowl, soak wheat for 30 minutes in cold water. Remove and drain. 
• Remove excess water. Place into medium bowl and combine with 1 lb. meat, coarsely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• Combine well and place small amount in food processor until dough-like consistency. You can slowly add an ice cube at a time during processing if needed. 
• Place mixture aside, covered. Instead of using a food processor, you can use a mortar and pestle, however it will take you over an hour to achieve desired consistency.

When I first saw this type of Middle Eastern dish, I didn’t like the way it looks and I didn’t want to try this type of food. However, my parent always taught me not to judge food by the way it looks. It might not always look super delicious but it might taste amazing. I ate the Kibbeh alone and loved it and I even liked it better when I added Hummus to it. Every time we eat we have to include Kibbeh in our appetizers.

Food can be presented in many different ways but it is always delicious. That’s why we should always try a variety of new things in cooking food and then judges it by trying it. There are different types of food from every culture and we should try each type of food and learn about them. It is a nice thing to know about every country’s cultural food traditions and what type of ingredients they use to make their food. I hope you guys like the Kibbeh and if you have any questions or comments I’ll be more than happy to reply to you and assist you in making Kibbeh. Enjoy!!!

Hummus

Welcome back to my blog this week. Last blog was about the most popular salads in the Middle East. There are many salads that are made in the Middle East, but Tabouleh and Fattoush are the most two popular salads that are known. Appetizers are a very special part of every meal. In the Middle East, there is a very healthy and popular appetizer, which is known as Hummus. Every Middle Eastern restaurant has Hummus as one of the main appetizers. Hummus can also be served at home for dinner or lunch or even parties.

Hummus is a very popular Middle Eastern food dip that is made from many different types of ingredients. These ingredients are cooked and are mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic and olive oil.

Hummus can be made in many different flavors. These flavors could be strong lemon flavor garlic flavor and some hummus even has a spicy flavor  When you are making your own hummus you must be tasting it to make sure you got the flavor you want. For example, if the hummus you want to make requires a lot of “Tahini sauce” and you may not like this particular, so you should scale down the amount of Tahini sauce. The amazing thing about Middle Eastern cooking is that the ingredients amounts don’t have to be the exact same amounts, you can add a little bit of a particular ingredient or take away a bit of another ingredient and you will still have a masterpiece. 

Hummus can be served with fresh or toasted pita bread. It is one of the more popular dips or appetizers in the Middle East. There is a particular sauce that is important in the Hummus recipe and cannot be substituted which is the Tahini sauce. 

Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1/ 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

• Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor.  
• Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth. 
• Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
• Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. 
• Garnish with parsley (optional). Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita. 

The fun thing about making Hummus is that you can add it on different types of food such as beef shawarma or you can have it with Tabouleh. Hummus is a very delicious dish and you cannot stop eating it once you try it! You can also eat Hummus as a plain dish or with red pepper as Middle Eastern people do it! Hummus is not a difficult dish to do in fact, you will love it once you make it and try it especially when you come with amazing results.

Hummus with Beef

Fattoush

This week’s blog is going to be about a different type of Middle Eastern salad which is Fattoush. Like I mentioned before, salads are a very important and healthy part of our everyday meals. Most people do include a salad as an important part of their meal either as an appetizer or as a side dish on their main entrees. Furthermore, salads are a big part in a vegetarian’s lifestyle and they would like to include it in every meal.  Last week’s blog was about Tabouleh which is a Lebanese salad and this week I’m going to tell you about another most important salad in the Middle East which is Fattoush.

Fattoush is a Levantine bread salad made from toasted or fried pieces of pita bread combine with mixed greens and other vegetables. Fattoush includes different vegetables and herbs according to season and taste. The vegetables are cut into large pieces compared to Tabouleh, which requires ingredients to be finely chopped. Sumac is usually used to give Fattoush its sour taste.

Fattoush

Ingredients:

Salad:

·      Pita breads, halved, toasted until golden brown, broken into bite-size pieces

·      1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

·      Kosher salt

·      3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped

·     1 pound Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced crosswise

·      6 scallions, thinly sliced

·      2 romaine lettuces, or 1 small head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 3/4" strips

·      2 cups (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves

·      1 cup fresh mint leaves

·      Ground sumac (optional)

Dressing: 

•   4 teaspoons ground sumac
•   3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
•  2 tablespoons (or more) pomegranate molasses
•  2 teaspoons (or more) white wine vinegar
•  1/2 teaspoon dried mint
•  3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  Salt

After adding all these ingredients, you add the dressing to the salad. It is better to add these ingredients in a bowl and mix it all together then add it to your Fattoush to get better results! Finally, this is how you make Fattoush, which is one of the simplest and easiest salads to make as you can see! Hope you guys enjoyed it!!

Tabooleh

First, I would like to start with making salads. Salad is an important and healthy meal in everyone’s life. In addition, people tend to eat salads almost every meal, whether it is for lunch, dinner, or even as a snack. Eating a salad almost every day can pay off with plenty of health benefits. Salads are cool, crunchy, and fun to eat (lots of textures, colors, and flavors). Most people enjoy eating salads--even kids! 

In the Middle East, everyone loves to eat “Tabooleh”.  It is one of the most delicious and tasty salads you can eat. Furthermore, it is healthy too! Tabouleh is a salad like no other. If you have some I promise you cant stop eating it! Even when we have dinner or lunch it is one of the main meals on the course meal. It is also very easy to make but it requires a little work, however, it is worth the work!

Tabooleh

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of fresh parsley (1 1/2 cup chopped, with stems discarded)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup bulgur, medium grade
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

• Soak bulgur in cold water for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until soft.
• Squeeze out excess water from bulgur using hands or paper towel.
• Combine all ingredients, except for salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.
• Line serving bowl with grape leaves or romaine lettuce, and add salad.
• Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on top.
• Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

The picture may not look very delicious but you can never judge a book by its cover! The way the salad looks can tell how good it looks! You can find this type of salad "Tabouleh" in many Middle Eastern restaurants such as “Paramount”, “Pitaland”, and many more.

Welcome to Middle Eastern Fine Food

“The key to everyone’s heart is a meal.”

I am writing this blog about all types of Middle Eastern food. I have a hobby in cooking different types of food. Each week I am going to post different meals and add the ingredients that are required to cook the meal. There is a variety of Middle Eastern food that everyone loves to eat!

We all know everybody loves to eat and no one can live without food so this blog will provide you with the perfect and simple ingredients to make the most tasty and delicious meals.

Cooking can be more than just making food for day-to-day meals. It can transform routine to a passion. If you have the likes for cooking up a dish then you can take up cooking as a career.

Middle Eastern food is one of the most popular foods around the world. It is one of the most delicious foods and can be cooked using different varieties of healthy ingredients. Most regions in Middle East use different types of spices and olive oil.

Middle East is famous for a few different dishes. Here you will find the most popular and widely recognized Middle Eastern dishes and their recipes.
In the next few blogs, I am going to discuss all different types of salads, for example, Fatoush, Tabouleh, and many more! We will discuss more meals like Falafel, Shawermeh, Kibbeh, Dawali and more. You may not understand what these foods are so each blog will help you understand and master the skills in cooking those types of food.

Get your aprons ready and get ready to experience first class cooking! Stay Tuned.