Arabic seven spice mix

Arabic seven spice Mix

• 1/2 cup ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup ground cumin
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup ground coriander
• 1/4 cup ground cloves
• 4 teaspoons nutmeg
• 4 teaspoons ground cinamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamon

Mix all these together. Put in a spice jar. And this can be used as often as needed :) 

Oozy

Oozy

On my recent visit to Jordan, I was invited out to quite a number of family and friends and what stood out to me as the main dishes of choice there was the Oozy and Mansaf. I have to say, it is not the first time I've tasted these, but reminded my how much I had missed it.  The beauty of these dishes is that they are so easy, yet so full of flavour. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 chicken, cut up

• chicken stock, enough to cover the chicken

• 1 large chopped onion

• 1 tablespoon Arabic seven spice

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder

• 1 1/4 cups frozen peas

• 1 1/4 cups carrots (frozen or fresh, diced small)

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef

• 2 cups long grain rice

• 1/4 cup almonds

• 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

• parsley or coriander for garnish

• seasoned salt

• 1/2 of a lemon

• salt

• 1 teaspoon Arabic seven spice

Place the cut up chicken in a pot along with enough chicken stock to cover the chicken. Add just a dash of salt. Skim the top of the stock and remove the froth as it forms. Once all the froth is gone, add the diced onion and let boil for about ten minutes. Add the Arabic seven spice to the stock, along with the cumin and turmeric powder. Let boil for another 5 minutes, then add the peas and carrots. Let boil for another 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.

Remove the chicken and place on a baking pan, and place aside. Brown the ground beef in a frying pan, and add just a dash of salt and 1 tsp arabic seven spice.Brown almonds, and add to the ground beef.In a pot big enough to hold the ingredients, place the minced beef on the bottom of the pot. The strain the peas, carrots, and onions out of the chicken stock and place on top of the ground beef, making a second layer (do not mix them in the pot). Then add the rice on top of the peas and carrots. Add enough of the chicken stock from the first pot to cover the rice, peas and carrots, and ground beef (add slowly, trying not to mix everything up).Cover and let cook until the stock is gone and the rice is cooked.
Brown the pine nuts and almonds
Take a serving tray bigger than the pot used to cook the rice in and place it on top of the pot. With one hand on top of the tray and one on the bottom of the pot, flip the pot upside down on top of the tray. Tap the bottom of the pot making sure all the ingredients came down. Remove the pot and shake the tray a little making everything spread out nicely.
Arrange the chicken on top of the rice, then sprinkle the pine nuts, almonds and chopped fresh parsley or coriander for garnish. 

Squeeze the half of lemon on top of the chicken, just adding a hint of flavour and sprinkle seasoned salt over the chicken. Place under the broiler just until it is golden brown.

Serve with a nice fresh salad and some plain yogurt.

voila.... the Oozy

Foul - Fava Beans

Foul (Fava Beans) is usually a starter dish widely spread in the middle eastern. Usually served for brunch along side humus, falafel, feta cheese, olives and arabic bread. It is basically cooked and mashed fava beans served with olive oil, chopped parsley, onion, garlic ad lemon juice. So for the recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium chopped onion

• 3 cloves finely chopped garlic

• 2 medium chopped tomatoes

• 2 cans (3 cups) fava beans, rinsed and drained

• 1  teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1/4  teaspoon cayenne or red chili pepper

• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice

• 1/4 cup fresh coriander or parsley

Preparation:
In a pan, fry the onion and garlic for about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the fava beans, cumin, coriander and red pepper, and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and olive oil.

Serve this with spring onions,tomatoes and toasted pitta or arabic bread.

Baba Ganoush/ Eggplant and Tahini Dip

Eggplant and Tahini Dip - BabaGanoush

This is a tasty dip which is not only easy to make, but improves if made a day or two in advance. 

To make this you need

• 1/2 cup tahini (roasted sesame paste)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• a half bunch picked flat-leaf parsley or coriander leaves
• 3 medium-sized eggplants

Preheat the oven to 190C or Gas Mark 5. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they’re completely soft. Remove from the oven and let it cool.

Peel off the skin and discard. Puree the eggplant in a blender with the other ingredients until smooth. Taste, and season with extra salt and lemon juice if you want. Chill for a few hours before serving. 

I usually drizzle with a little olive oil and serve it with toasted bread or pitta triangles. This can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days! 

Healthy Beef Stir Fry

Healthy Beef Stir Fry

Really simple. Really healthy. Really tasty. What more could you ask for? Perfect served with plain white rice.

• 3 pieces of steak meat (or any good lean meat)
• green pepper/capsicum
• 4 spring onions
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoon soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
•  4 tablespoons vinegar (I use whatever I have, not specific)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water 
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

So chop up about 3 beef steaks into cubes. In a wok, fry spring onions and pepper in the oil. Add the chopped beef and fry on a low heat. 

While that is cooking, grab another pot, add the soya sauce, cornflour , vinegar and sugar (mix these together and add the water) stirring over a medium heat. It should thicken a little. 

When the beaf is cooked (when you dont see any more of its juices), pour the sauce over it and stir for another few minutes. Add salt and pepper accordingly. 

There you have it, simple and tasty, and you get some greens in there too :)

Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones

Raspberry and White Chocolate Scones

For those of you who enjoy a nice scone for tea, this lovely raspberry and white chocolate scone is a must try.  I first tasted it in the canteen in work, and from there pleaded with the chef to give me the recipe, and he did.. Go on, try it for yourself :)

• 1 kilogram self raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 250G caster sugar
• 250G margarine
• 2 small eggs
• frozen raspberry's
• 500 ml milk
• 3 small bars of white chocolate grated

Simply mix all your dry ingredients with the margarine into a fine bread crumb. 

Add the eggs and milk gradually to a form a soft dough. 

Press the frozen raspberry's on top of the dough and fold together quickly. 

Cut out and place in a preheated oven 180 C or Gas 4. Bake for 20/25 minutes. 

Really nice eaten hot..spread with butter.. Mmmmmm

PITTA BREAD

Pitta Bread 

Pitta Bread is traditional in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. Its served in just about every meal. From dipping into humus and other other dips, to making delicious sandwiches in the pocket. Yum, nothing beats freshly baked bread. So, lets do this!

• 31/2 cups plain flour

• 1  tablespoon quick rising yeast

• 1 teaspoon of sugar

• 1 1/2 cups of warm water

• 1/2  tablespoon of salt

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.

Place the flour in a bowl with the salt. Now add the yeast water. Pour in the remaining water (1 cup) and mix with a wooden spoon. 

Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes til the dough is no longer sticky. 

Coat the dough with the oil and place in the bowl. Leave it to rest for a few hours (say 3-4 hours). It should have doubled in size by then. 

Preheat the oven to 260 C or Gas Mark 9. Oven needs to be really hot for this. Place the baking tray you will use to bake your pittas in the oven too. 

In the meantime, pinch off about 10 balls of dough. Place on a floured surface and leave it to relax for another 10 minutes. 
Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough into flat discs- about 5 inches across and 1/4 inch thick. Bake each disc for 4 minutes about 2 minutes on either side.  

DE Deeeen, your bread is done and ready to be eaten :) Bon apetit.

On a side note, pittas can be frozen if you do not want to eat them straight away.