Category: recipes

Chicken Maqluba

Maqluba is a popular Palestinian and Jordanian spiced rice dish that is mix with fried cauliflower, eggplant, potatoes, and meat. In Arabic, Maqluba (Makloubeh or Maqlooba) means “Upside Down” since we take the pot and flip it upside down directly on the large plate.

Chicken Maqluba 

Author: Marisa Lopez

Maqluba is a popular Palestinian and Jordanian spiced rice dish that is mix with fried cauliflower, eggplant, potatoes, and meat. In Arabic, Maqluba (Makloubeh or Maqlooba) means “Upside Down” since we take the pot and flip it upside down directly on the large plate. 

My recipe doesn’t contain cauliflower because my family and myself doesn’t like it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo Chicken boneless thighs 
  • 2 1/2 cup Basmati or long grain rice
  • 2 long eggplant
  • 2 large size potatoes
  • 5 cup water for boiling and making a broth

Spices for this Recipe: 

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
  • 2 teaspoon of boharat 
  • 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 4 pieces Bay leaves.
  • 1 tablespoon of salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of ginger 
  • Raisins and Almonds for garnish 

Elaboration 

  • Add the chicken and water into the pot. Put it into the gas stove and turn on the heat.
  • When it is already boiling, remove excess fats or dirt from the boiling chicken using the large spoon. After that, add all the spices and give it a slow stir. Let the chicken cook for 30 minutes.
  • While the chicken is cooking, chop the potatoes and eggplants to  prepare to fry them. I prefer to make roasted to cut calories 
  • Add vegetable oil in the separate pan. When it is hot, add the potatoes and fry them till it becomes light brown. 
  • When the chicken is already cooked, separate the chicken from the broth. Dry the chicken first with a kitchen paper towel before frying them in the same pan. This will prevent causing the oil from splashing.
  • After all the chicken and the vegetables are fried, start transferring all of them into a new pot.
  • To make the first layer, add first the rice (20%), followed by half of the fried vegetables and the chicken. For a second layer, repeat again by putting the rice (20%), followed by the remaining vegetables and the chicken. Lastly, put all the remaining rice (60%) into the pot, and transfer the chicken broth from the old pot into this pot.
  • Turn on in high heat and let the pot boil. When the water is fully absorbed, reduce to low heat. Cook for additional 15 minutes.
  • Once it is cooked, prepare a large round plate. Bring the pot to the plate and quickly flip into an upside-down position.
  • Slowly raise the pot up to have a nice beautiful cake shaped like Maqluba. Garnish it with almonds and raisins nuts (Optional) and serve with any yogurt and salad.

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Egyptian Basbousa

The origin of basbousa goes back to the revani (one of the names of basbousa even in Egypt has a different recipe than basbousa) of Turkish cuisine, a classic cake from the time of the Ottoman Empire.

The origin of basbousa goes back to the revani (one of the names of basbousa even in Egypt has a different recipe than basbousa) of Turkish cuisine, a classic cake from the time of the Ottoman Empire.

Indeed, revani was baked for the first time by Ottoman pastry chefs to celebrate the conquest of Armenia in the sixteenth century. The battle of Revan, capital of the country, today called Yerevan, gave its name to this famous dessert.

Basbousa has different names depending of many Middle Eastern countries like harissa or harissa hloua in Tunisia and in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, kalb el louz in Algeria, chamia in Morocco, revani or rabani in Turkey, safra in Israel , pastūsha in Kuwait, namoura in Lebanon or Syria, revani in Greece, shammali in Cyprus, or shamali in Armenia.l

Ingredients:

For the batter:

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee, melted, plus additional soft butter for greasing the pan
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons of grated coconut 
  • 1 cup fine semolina
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

For the syrup:

  • 1½ cup sugar
  • 1¾ cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon juice

To finish:

¼ cup sliced almonds

Elaboration:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a cake pan  and line the bottom with parchment.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and yogurt. Add the milk, coconut, sugar, yoghurt and baking powder. 
  3. Mix the semolina very well with butter or ghee until it is quite impregned.
  4. Slowly stir in basbousa with the liquids mix. Let the mixture stand until all liquids are absorbed.
  5. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer withdraws clean. (If necessary, broil briefly to brown the top.)
  6. Meanwhile, while the cake bakes, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Cool completely. Discard the cinnamon stick.
  7. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, pour the syrup on the hot cake. Let cool completely. (Syrup must be fully absorbed into the cake.)
  8. Top the basbousa with the coconut and shaved almonds. Slice and serve. 

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Baked Kobeba Tray (Saneya Kobeba)

Kobeba (pronounced Ko-beh-buh) or Kibbeh, is a classic Middle Eastern dish consisting of a filling of ground beef surrounded by layers of ground beef and cracked bulgur wheat mixture. It is very commonly found in single-serve preparations shaped into conical, fried, meatballs but I like more baked in a tray (saneya in Arabic).

Author: Marisa Lopez Chicote

Kobeba (pronounced Ko-beh-buh) or Kibbeh, is a classic Middle Eastern dish consisting of a filling of ground beef surrounded by layers of ground beef and cracked bulgur wheat mixture. It is very commonly found in single-serve preparations shaped into conical, fried, meatballs but I like more baked in a tray (saneya in Arabic).


Ingredients 

For the kobeba crust:

  • 2 cups burghul
  • 500g minced lamb or beef
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp mixed spices Boharat 
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs parsley and coriander 
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • A pinch of chilli
  • 1/2 glass water

For the filling:

  • 200g minced lamb or beef 
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbs pine nuts or another nut I use cashew or almonds 
  • 1 tsp mixed spices boharat 
  • Salt & pepper 

Elaboration:

  1. Place bulgur in a large bowl, cover with hot tap water for 20-30 minutes. Drain the bulgur in a sieve or squeeze the water out.
  2. To do the crust: Puree onions in a food processor. Add minced meat, salt, all spices and bulgur and mix.
  3. To do the filling: add 1 tablespoon of oil, butter or ghee in a pan on medium heat. Add minced onion and garlic until they turn golden. Then add minced meat and all spice and cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease baking tray or large pyrex.
  5. Take half of the meat crust and spread evenly on the greased baking tray.
  6. Add kobeba meat filling and spread over the crust without reaching the edges. Spread raisins and some of the pine nuts over the filling.
  7. Add one more layer of the crust meat on top.
  8. With a sharp knife cut the meat into squares or diamond shapes, and add one or two pine nuts on each diamond.
  9. Place it in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked all the way through.
  10. Serve hot with yoghurt salad.

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.

EGYPTIAN BISARA

When I first tried Egyptian bisara, I thought that it was a ta3meya soup, because it has the same taste. This dish was the star dish of my MIL Allah yerhamaha. It is a simple but very nutritive dish full of flavour and perfect for vegetarians.

Author: Marisa Lopez

When I first tried Egyptian bisara, I thought that it was a ta3meya soup, because it has the same taste. This dish was the star dish of my MIL Allah yerhamaha. It is a simple but very nutritive dish full of flavour and perfect for vegetarians.      

  • 1 cup peeled and split fava beans, soaked in water for 1 hour (foul mashus).
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped.
  • 1/2 cup  fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped.
  • 1/4 cup  fresh dill, coarsely chopped.
  • 1 onion, quartered.
  • 3  garlic cloves.
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
  • 1 teaspoon salt at your taste 
  • 2-3 cups water.
  • 1 onion chopped.
  • 1/4 cup olive oil for frying onion.
  • More cumin, salt and black pepper to taste for final seasoning.

Elaboration:

  1. In a deep pot over medium high heat add soaked and drained beans, onion, garlic and fresh herbs.
  2. Add the cumin, salt then pour in water to cover.
  3. Bring everything to a boil then simmer stirring occasionally. If it soaked up all the water feel free to add more, half a cup at a time.
  4. Keep cooking until the beans are very tender.
  5. Using your hand blender or an ordinary blender blend all the ingredients together until very smooth.
  6. Pour back into the pot and boil again.
  7. Check seasonings adding more salt, cumin and black pepper to taste.
  8. In a non stick skillet brown onions in some olive oil.
  9. Pour the Bissara mixture in serving plates and garnish with browned onions. Serve hot or cold.

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.

Tagen BAMIA (Okra) WITH MEAT

Tagen BAMIA (Okra) WITH MEAT 

Author: Marisa López Chicote 

Bamia or bamiya is a stew made from lamb, okra and tomatoes originating from the Middle East. It is found in all Arab countries but also in Anatolia and Greece. In Arabic, bamya literally means okra, the same fruit of the malvaceae family.

Bamia is one the Egyptian cuisine star dishes 

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg Okra small
  • 2 tablespoons of clarified butter (ghee)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 kilo of veal or lamb  meat in pieces
  • 2 chopped onions
  • 1 green pepper, chopped and 1 chilli pepper 
  • 2 tablespoons of Tomato paste
  • 4 chopped tomatoes
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Boharat
  • Cumin , Cardamom 

Elaboration:

  1. To peel the okra, peel the pyramid -shaped top and cut a very small piece bottom . Then rinse and let dry.
  2. First, I prepare the meat. In a pot, boil water with salt, pepper, cumin, boharat,  one onion, cardamom seed and cook for about 1 hour and half low fire. This can be done in express pot will take only 20 minutes 
  1. Once I have the meat done, I put in a pot a tablespoon of ghee and a chopped onion and chopped garlic and saute well. Add salt and pepper and a bit of cumin. Once become transparent, add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and simmer well and let cook the tomato.            
  1. Add the bamia ( Okra),  the cooked meat with the broth and green pepper and 1 chilly peper and water if necessary and put all in a tagen. Put the tagen in the oven at 180 C and bake it for about 1 hour. Rectify salt and add lemon juiice .
  1. Serve hot with rice

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.

Chicken Kabsa recipe

Kabsa is a rice dish that is enjoyed throughout the Gulf States of the Arabian Peninsula. Heavily influenced by Persian and Indian biryanis, kabsa makes use of the water that was used to cook fish or meat and re-using it to cook the spiced, long-grain rice in it, perfectly blending all the flavors and spices.

Author: Marisa Lopez Chicote 

Kabsa is a rice dish that is enjoyed throughout the Gulf States of the Arabian Peninsula. Heavily influenced by Persian and Indian biryanis, kabsa makes use of the water that was used to cook fish or meat and re-using it to cook the spiced, long-grain rice in it, perfectly blending all the flavors and spices.

The dish can be made with chicken, lamb, camel meat, fish, or even shrimps. The meat or fish is usually placed on top of the rice, and the whole dish is served on a large platter, meant to be shared and eaten by hands. Although it originated in Yemen, this traditional combination of rice and meat is incredibly popular in Saudi Arabia, where it is considered a national dish.

Across the Arabian Peninsula, kabsa is also known as machboos.

At home, we like chicken kabsa the most Here you have my recipe 

 Ingredients

 2 cups basmati rice

 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 

 1 teaspoon cloves

 2 teaspoons cumin

 1 teaspoon black pepper

 1/2 teaspoon cardamom

 1 pinch of nutmeg

 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

 2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)

 1 1/2 onions cut into julienne

 750 g chicken

 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped

 1 tablespoon tomato paste

 3 garlic cloves finely minced

 Salt

 1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper

 1/2 teaspoon cloves

 1/3 teaspoon cardamom

 1 cinnamon stick

 1/2 tablespoon of white pepper

 1 pinch of saffron

 1 splash of warm milk

 30 g of almonds

 25 g raisins

Elaboration 

 Wash the rice and soak it for 1 hour.

 Make the kabsa spice mix by grinding 1/2 teaspoon chili, 1 teaspoon cloves, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, 1 pinch of nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.

 In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the clarified butter to fry the onions until tender.  Add the chicken in pieces and let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Subsequently, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, half of the spice mixture, garlic and salt to taste.  Cook until the tomato softens.

Add 3 cups of water, the bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon of whole black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of cloves, 1/3 teaspoon of cardamom and the cinnamon stick.  Bring to a boil.  Then, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

 Preheat the oven to 180º C. On a baking sheet, place the chicken covered with the other half of the kabsa spice mixture and black pepper.  Bake a few minutes so that the chicken browns a little.

Once you remove the chicken and spices from the broth, add the rice and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the water.  At this time, pour the splash of milk mixed with the saffron on the rice and mix.  Cover so that the rice is finished cooking.

Serve the rice in a bowl.  Cover it with the chicken, almonds and raisins.

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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