MENUS FOR THE SECOND WEEK OF RAMADAN

Author: Marisa Lopez 

We are about to finish our first week of Ramadan 2021, I wish that all of you are having a blessed Month and fasting is going easy for everybody inshaAllah.    

I would like to give you some suggestions of menus for this second week, I hope that can be useful for you. 

Prepare a weekly menu planning has several advantages during the whole year but especially in Ramadan:  

• Save time. Planning your meals for the week can help you to manage your time better and have more time for worship. 
• Portion control.
• Reduces the amount of food waste.
• Reduces the stress of cooking last minute.
• Save money. 
• Avoid unhealthy options. 
• Enjoy more variety.

MY IFTAR MENUS PLAN FOR THE SECOND  WEEK

Day 1

•  Khoshaf (a mix of dried fruits and nuts with water, cinnamon and honey) and lemon juice
• Pumpkin  Soup
• Arugula salad with apple and white cheese 
• Chichen maqluba  
•  Dessert: Assorted of fruits and stuffed baklava with nuts , espresso or tea  

Day 2

• Dates stuffed with walnuts. Lemon juice  
• Bisara soup
• Spaghetti Bolognese (with meat and vegetable, cheese and tomato sauce)
•  Roasted eggplants 
•  Dessert: Assorted of fruits and Omo Ali, espresso or tea  

Day 3

• Dates stuffed with almonds  and Tamarind juice.
• Zucchini soup with cheese    
• Green salad with mandarins and sesame 
• Chicken fajitas with vegetables and fries 
• Dessert: Assorted of fruits and tiramisu,  espresso or tea  

 Day 4

• Dates covered with dark chocolate. Fresh mango juice.
• Potatoes and tuna salad with roasted pepper 
• Baked seabass with roasted vegetables
• Dessert: Assorted of fruits and basbousa, espresso or tea  

Day 5

•  Khoshaf and Qamar el Din juice (Apricot Juice).
• Harira (Morocco soup with meat and chickpeas) 
• Tomato, coriander, green onions and avocado salad (Pico de Gallo)
• Chicken panne 
•  Dessert: Assorted of fruits and brownie, espresso or tea  

 Day 6

• Assorted dried fruits with milk and Orange juice.  
• Coleslaw salad and baba ganoush salad
• Roasted kofta with vegetable saute  .   
• Egyptian rice with noodles  
•  Dessert: Assorted of fruits and qataifs stuffed with nuts, espresso or tea  

Day 7

• Dated stuffed with pistachios and sobia .   
• Meat consomé
• Cucumber salad with mint  
• Roasted Beef with potatoes pure and gravy  
• Beef Sambousas 
• Dessert: Assorted of fruits and konafa with mango, espresso or tea  

Author Marisa Lopez Chicote

About the Author: Marisa Lopez Chicote is an event planner and mother of 5, living in Cairo and Muslim since 1985 alhamdullah. I love travelling and cooking. 

Read our recent blog posts here:

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Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts. 

The word Tiramisù literally means “pick me up”. It comes from the Treviso dialect, “Tireme su”, Italianised into Tiramisù in the latter half of the 20th century. Historical records state that Tiramisù originated in Treviso in 1800. It is said that this dessert was invented by a clever “maitresse” of a house of pleasure in the centre of Treviso.

Ingredients 

• EGGS, 4 separated yolks and whites
• ICING SUGAR, 100 grams  
• MASCARPONE CHEESE, 500 grams 
• COFFEE espresso, 250 ml (about a cup) 
• LADYFINGERS, 200 grams 
• COCOA POWDER, 3 tbs 

Elaboration:

1. Spread out the ladyfingers on a tray, and brush with the coffee using a pastry brush, until soaked but not soggy (you should be able to hold it without it collapsing).

2. Mix egg yolks with the icing sugar, whisk (with electric whisk) until light and creamy (the color of the mixture should lighten).

3. Stir in the mascarpone into this mixture.

4. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks(you should be able to turn the bowl upside down and the whisked egg whites not slip out).

5. Gently but thoroughly fold into the mascarpone mixture.

6. In a glass dish (preferably square/oblong) put alternate layers of cream mixture and biscuit – starting and finishing with the cream mixture.

7. Leave for at least 3 hours to chill in the ‘fridge. Preferably overnight.

8. Dust the top with cocoa powder.

About the Author: Marisa Lopez Chicote is an event planner and mother of 5, living in Cairo and Muslim since 1985, alhamdullah. She loves travelling and cooking.

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EGYPTIAN BALADÍ BREAD 

Author: Marisa López 

Origin of Egyptian Baladi bread (Aish Baladi) 

The court bakery of Ramses III

In ancient Egypt, bread was made of a kind of ancient wheat called “Emmer”. At that time, there were two types of grains that ancient Egyptians planted: wheat and barley.

Wheat had an important status in the Ancient Egyptian economy. It was not only used for bread making; it was also a form of payment. Wheat was both a strategic commodity of the state and kept in vaults, as well as an investment for more difficult times. Emmer earned its worth from its high fiber content, low gluten content, and organic quality. It was the food that both the rich and the poor ate, and it was a sacred plant to ancient Egyptian gods, particularly Osiris.

Harvest time was a great celebration in Ancient Egypt, especially when prayers were answered and the great Nile River flooded generously to water different crops, most importantly wheat. Even today, growing wheat brings happiness, hope and thankfulness to God by Egyptian farmers and their families. 

This wheat growing tradition, which dates back more than 5,000 years, brought about Egyptian “Baladi Flatbread” – a very special bread that is not like any other. Though it may look similar to pita bread in shape, Baladi Flatbread has a much different taste.

Ancient Egyptians baked bread from emmer wheat or barley, and added wild yeast to help the dough rise. They used to flatten the dough on a round baking board and bake it on high temperature in ovens built from Nile red mud. The baking method and ingredients have remained the same in every farmer’s house in both lower and upper Egypt since the pharos started the tradition.

But what is really unique about Egyptian bread?

Bread in standard Arabic is “Khobz”, which is the most common word for bread in Arab countries, except Egypt. There, Egyptians call bread “Aish baladi”.

Baladi means traditional or authentic in English, but the word “Aish” is the key to understanding the special place of bread in Egyptian heritage. Aish means “life”, which is how Egyptians have perceived bread since ancient times. Bread is considered a commodity that Egyptians cannot live without in their daily diet. It is on every table, breakfast to dinner. It never fails to make a person feel full and happy. It is a thermometer of mood.

Poor or rich, everyone eats bread. If a person doesn’t have money and is hungry, just get a loaf of “Aish baladi” and a cup of tea. If a farmer wants to take a break from his work, he eats “Aish”, and maybe some onion, arugula, or cottage cheese.

Bread is the sign of friendship, love, loyalty, and long-lasting relations. You can hear it in friendly conversations over “breaking bread.” Aish is a symbolic expression of prosperity, as it has always been a secure job and income source for Egyptians of all ages throughout time.

“Aish Baladi” has been a dear friend to Egyptians since ancient times. A prayer to get God’s blessings during harvest time is immortal in Egyptian genes. The country sings for the bread, celebrating wheat harvest.

“Aish Baladi “is not only a food item for Egyptians; it is a reflection of Egyptian culture and a significant meaning of life. 

Ingredients for 10 loaves 

• 1 1/2 cup white flour
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour.,
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dry yeast
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup of very warm water
• Cracked wheat bran for proofing

Elaboration:

1. In a large bowl, whisk the yeast with the water and honey and let stand until foamy, 10 minutes. Add 1 1⁄2 cups of the whole-wheat flour and 1 ½ cup of white flour stir until smooth. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Uncover the dough and, using your hand, stir the salt and oil into the dough and then add the remaining 2 1⁄2 cups whole-wheat flour and mix until the dough comes together. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a large bowl greased with oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until doubled in size, about 1 1⁄2 hours.

3. Punch the dough down and divide into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten into a 5-inch circle. Lightly sprinkle the cracked wheat bran, if using, or more whole-wheat flour over 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Divide the dough circles between the baking sheets and loosely cover with a kitchen towel. Let stand until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes.
4. On high heat, place the pan to be really hot.
5. Put the hand grill on the other stove top on high heat.
6. Take a piece of dough and flatten it with your roller over some wheat flour. Make it thin in your first trial. When you become comfortable with this recipe, you can play around with the thickness to make it fuller.
7. Place the flat dough on the hot pan for 10 seconds. Now flip on the other side for 10 seconds.
8. Move it to the hand grill and be careful with heat control.
9. As soon as the bread starts to rise, lower the heat a bit and flip on the other side.
10. Let get cold and enjoy 

• Chicken Couscous
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Cous Cous is the National dish of several countries from Morocco to Tunisia through Algeria, the couscous speaks to everyone but is cooked a thousand different ways, according to seasonal products. This dish has charmed various European countries such as France, Spain, Italy and Portugal thanks to its taste and simplicity.

Semolina, various fresh vegetables, meat, a good broth of vegetables, and voila, you have a couscous!

There are different theories accepted as to the origin of couscous, but the most widespread, is the one that testifies to a Berber origin. But historians are divided on the exact origin of couscous and the date of its appearance in the Maghreb. Some of them affirm it is from China, others say from Eastern Africa from Sudan via Egypt.

After its appearance, each country in the Maghreb has adopted this concept to create their own recipe.

I was introduced to this delicious dish by a dear Moroccan friend, Aisha, she taught me how to make it and I have developed my own recipe with my touch as I do not like some of the traditional veggies that couscous used to have like pumpkin or  turnips.

Couscous

• ½  kg couscous medium caliber
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee 
• 1.5 l water
• 2 to 3 tsp salt 
• 2 tbsp soft butter

Chicken and Broth Seasoning

• 1 large whole chicken
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 fresh tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 55 ml olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1.5 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 1 tbsp pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 handful parsley and cilantro sprigs, – tied into a bouquet
• 2 tsp of ghee 

Veggies

• 100 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 small head of cabbage, cut in half or quartered
• 8 to 10 carrots, peeled – (cut in half lengthwise if large)
• 1 or 2 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered
• 1 or 2 small onions, cut in half – (can use some whole fresh pearl onions instead)
• 4 or 5 small zucchini, ends trimmed – (or 8-ball round, cut in half)

Optional Tafaya – Caramelized Onions and Raisins

• 70 g raisins, – soaked in water for 15 minutes
• 2 or 3 large onions, – preferably red
• 125 ml water
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp honey
• 0.5 tsp pepper
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon
• 0.25 tsp ginger
• 0.25 tsp turmeric
• 1 pinch saffron threads, crumbled
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp orange flower water – (optional)

Elaboration: 

Ahead of Time

• Soak the dried chickpeas in a large bowl of water overnight. (Or, use a quick soak method: boil the dried chickpeas for 4 or 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave them to soak for an hour.)
• Wash and prep your vegetables. Start making the tfaya 
• Set up an area to work with the couscous. In Morocco they use a gsaa (very wide, shallow serving and mixing dish), but another very large wide vessel or bowl can work. Have oil, water, salt, and butter out and ready. Lightly oil the steamer basket of a couscoussier.

The Broth 

• Brown the chicken with the oil, onion, tomatoes and spices in the base of a couscoussier over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, uncovered and stirring frequently, for about 10 to 15 minutes, until a very thick and rich sauce begins to form. 
• Add the soaked, drained chickpeas along with the parsley/cilantro bouquet and about 3 quarts (or liters) of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes

First Steaming of the Couscous

• Drizzle 1/4 cup of oil over the couscous. Toss and roll the couscous around between your hands for a minute to distribute the oil evenly and break up any balls or clumps. 
• Add 1 cup of water and work it into the couscous in the same way–tossing and rubbing the couscous until all is well blended and there are no clumps. 
• Transfer the couscous to a lightly oiled steamer basket, taking care not to compress the grains in the process. Place the basket on the couscoussier and steam for 15 to 20 minutes, timing from when the steam first appears over the couscous.

Second Steaming of the Couscous

• Turn the couscous back into your gsaa or bowl. Allow it to cool briefly, then work in 1 cup of water, using the same tossing and turning as you did before. (You may need to use a wooden spoon if the couscous is too hot, but move to using your hands when it has cooled enough.)
• Add the salt in the same manner, then add in another 1 cup of water. Toss and roll and rub the couscous with your hands for a good minute or two, again making sure there are no balls. 
• Transfer the couscous back to the steamer basket, again taking care not to compress or pack the grains.
• Add the onions, tomatoes to the couscous pot, then place the couscous basket on the couscoussier. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, timing from when you first see steam emerge from the couscous.

Third and Final Steaming of the Couscous

• Turn the steamed couscous out into your bowl. 
• Add the turnips and carrots to the pot; cover and allow them to cook for 15 minutes while you work with the couscous.
• In increments, work 2 to 3 cups of water  into the couscous in the same manner as before–tossing and turning and rubbing the grains between your hands and making sure there are no clumps. Use only as much water as needed to make the couscous al dente.
• Taste the couscous for salt and add a little more if desired. Transfer half of the couscous to the steamer basket, again being careful not to pack the grains. 
• Add the zucchini. Top with a little water if the level has dropped below the vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning–it should be well flavored, a bit salty and peppery.
• Place the couscous basket back on the pot and cook until steam begins to emerge from the couscous. Gently add the remaining couscous to the basket and continue cooking. Once you see steam rise from the couscous, allow it to steam for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until light and fluffy and the latest additions of vegetables have cooked.

To make tafaya:

• Combine all tafaya ingredients (except for the orange flower water) in a small pot. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the onions and raisins are tender and liquids have reduced to a thick syrup, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally, and add a small amount of water during cooking if it’s needed. An optional last step is to add a little bit of orange flower water to taste. Serve warm.

Serving the Couscous

• Turn the couscous out into your bowl and work in the butter. 
• Add the ghee to the broth in the pot and swirl to incorporate.
• Work about 1 cup of broth into the couscous, tossing as you did before. Arrange the couscous into a large, shallow mound in your gsaa or on a deep serving platter. Make a large indentation in the middle to hold the meat. 
• Retrieve the meat from the pot and place in the center of the couscous. Top it with the vegetables from the broth with a slotted spoon and arrange all around chicken (in pyramid fashion, if you like). Garnish with the chickpeas Drizzle several cups of broth carefully over the couscous. Offer the remaining broth in bowls on the side.
• Tafaya is optional and can be used as a garnish or served on the side. I like to add also almonds with the Tafaya

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History of the dish

Fattah is thought to have evolved from a Pharaonic dish called Fotat according to a number of prominent Egyptologists. Fotat was made by soaking dried old bread in a meat stock or in yogurt. The name Fotat means crumbs or small pieces in Egyptian Arabic. While the role of the dish is not exactly clear in Pharaonic society, it seems to have been eaten in Egypt since time immemorial. The ancient Egyptians were extremely fond of garlic in their food, as they believed it warded off evil spirits and that it provided strength and vitality to the human body, it is possible that if Fattah was a Pharaonic dish then the garlic was part of their recipe. The Coptic Egyptians are the modern day descendants of Ancient Egyptians and so it is possible that they kept the dish alive throughout the millennia and made changes along the way. (It’s hard to verify the origins of dishes from 2000 years ago.

Fattah was popularized as a dish during the Fatamid Dynasties rule of Egypt (969 – 1171 AD). During Eid the Fatamid rulers would throw street feasts, where people from all walks of life were welcome, the main dish served at these feasts was Fattah. This was likely due to the simplicity in scaling up the dish, but also the efficient use of meat when creating a stock. 

The dish became known as the People’s dish as it was eaten by rich and poor alike. Sometime in the 19th century when tomatoes spread like wildfire in the Ottoman empire, the tomato sauce was added to the dish. In some cities in Egypt, it is still eaten without the tomato sauce to this day.

This recipe is based on the one I learned from my mother in law who was a great chef!  

Ingredients for the meat:

1 kilo veal meat

5 cup (50 g) diced carrot

5 cup (50 g) diced onions

1 cup (100 g)  diced celery

0.7 oz (20 g) whole cardamom

0.35 oz (10 g) bay leaves

0.35 oz (10g) black pepper corn

1 tbsp (17 g) salt

1 tbsp of cumin

6 cups of water

Elaboration:

1. Put the meat, carrots, onion, celery, cardamom, cumin, bay leaves and peppercorns in a pan  and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer the meat for 60 minutes or longer, until it is tender

2. Strain and reserve three cups of the broth. Set the meat aside. Discard the solids.

3. The meat should be fried in ghee or olive oil before served on the top of the dish

Ingredients for the rice:

1 cup rice (200 g) white short grain rice

2 tbsp. (28 g) unsalted butter or ghee

½ tbsp. (8.5 g)  salt

3 cups (0.7 L) water

Elaboration:

1. While the meat is braising, wash the rice well under running water and drain.

2. Heat  two tablespoons of butter in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat  and stir for a minute. Add the rice and stir for another minute.

3. Add the salt and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the saucepan and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Ingredients for the sauce:

2 tbsp. (28 g) olive oil

3 tbsp. (45 g) minced garlic

100 g (3.5 oz) diced fresh tomatoes and their juices

½ cup (118 mL) water

½ cup (118 mL) white vinegar

1 tbsp. (17 g) cumin

½ tbsp. (8.5 g) white pepper

½ tbsp (8.5 g) salt

Elaboration:

1. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir continuously until it is golden.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, water, vinegar, cumin, salt and white pepper. Heat until they come to a boil.

Ingredients for the bread:

2 pieces pita bread

2 tbsp. (28 g)  unsalted butter

2 to 3 cups meat broth reserved from cooking the meat

Elaboration:

1. Cut the bread into bite-sized squares. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread and stir until it is crisp.

2. Starting with two cups of the meat broth, gradually add broth to the bread and stir until the bread is just soft. (Add up to three cups if necessary.) Drain off any unabsorbed broth and discard.

To plate the dish

1. Arrange the bread evenly on a large serving platter.

2. Spread the rice over the bread and sprinkle some of the sauce  over the rice.

3. Place the fried meat on top and serve immediately.

About the Author: Marisa Lopez Chicote is an event planner and mother of 5, living in Cairo and Muslim since 1985, alhamdullah. She loves travelling and cooking.

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