(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
The cold version is vegetarian, unlike its middle eastern cousin. Though called "false" dolma, these are actually the most popular!
Makes 35 or so grape leaves. Time: 1.5-2 hrs.
Ingredients:
8oz brine-preserved or fresh grape leaves
1 1/4 C long-grain rice (basmatic, etc)
2-3 tomatoes
1 lg onion or a bunch of scallions
2 T flat-leaf parsley
2 T dried mint, crushed
1/4 t gr cinnamon
1/4 t gr allspice
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)
3-4 cloves garlic
2/3 C EVOO
1 t sugar
1 lemon (or more)
Directions:
- For preserved grape leaves, put them in a bowl and desalt by pouring boiling water over them and agitate to make sure all leaves get desalted. Soak 20 mins, then change water twice w/ fresh cold water.
- Prep work: finely chop the onions and parsley; peel and chop the tomatoes and juice the lemon(s).
- Pour boiling water over the rice and stir well, then rinse under cold and drain. Mix rice with chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley, mint, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stuff the grape leaves w/ this mixture: place a leaf on a place, w/ vein side up. Put a large teaspoonful of filling in the center near the stem. Fold the stem end up over the filling, then fold sides inward and foll like a little cigar (tightly). Squeeze it together lightly in your palm.
- As you stuff the grape leaves, pack them tightly in a large pan lined w/ tomato slices or grape leaves. Put in some garlic if you like.
- Mix together olive oil, 2/3 C water, sugar, and lemon juice. Pour over stuffed leaves. Add a small plate to keep them together, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add water occasionally (8oz at a time) as liquid becomes absorbed.
- Serve cold.
Showing posts with label middle eastern. Show all posts
Showing posts with label middle eastern. Show all posts
31.5.08
Recipe: Ta'amia or Falafel!
(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
As the author says, "I have never known anyone to not like falafel." Indeed.
Serves 10. Total time:
Ingredients:
1lb dried (skinless) split broad beans, soaked in cold water 24 hrs (or mixed with chickpeas - the Israeli way)
salt and pepper
2 t gr cumin
1 t gr coriander
good pinch of gr chili pepper or cayenne (optional but recommended!)
1 t baking soda or baking powder
1 lg onion
5 scallions
6 cloves garlic
2/3 C flat-leaf parsley
2/3 C cilantro
veg oil for deep-frying
Directions:
- Drain the beans and let them dry a little on a towel.
- Get out the food processor and process those babies to a paste, adding salt and pepper and your dried spices (cumin, coriander, hotness) and baking soda. Make sure it's a fry-able consistency (soft and smooth). Let rest 1/2 hour.
- Meanwhile, do some prep work: process the onion until finely chopped (then strain to get rid of excess moisture), chop parsley and cilantro, crush the garlic, and finely chop the scallions.
- Combine all ingredients except oil. Knead well with your hands.
- Take small lumps and make flat, round shapes about 2 in. diameter, 1/4 in thick. It's easy to make balls and flatten them. Let rest 15 mins.
- Heat >2in. oil in a heavy pot until sizzling (but not smoking) hot. Fry patties in batches until crisp and brown, turning once. Lift with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels or cheesecloth.
- Serve with hummus or baba, some tomato and cucumber salad, and pita bread.
- Variation: dip lumps in sesame seeds before frying.
- If paste is too runny, add flour by the tablespoon. This means your beans were not properly mashed.
- To make lighter rissoles, add 1/4 oz dried yeast in lukewarm water (and let rest an hour).
As the author says, "I have never known anyone to not like falafel." Indeed.
Serves 10. Total time:
Ingredients:
1lb dried (skinless) split broad beans, soaked in cold water 24 hrs (or mixed with chickpeas - the Israeli way)
salt and pepper
2 t gr cumin
1 t gr coriander
good pinch of gr chili pepper or cayenne (optional but recommended!)
1 t baking soda or baking powder
1 lg onion
5 scallions
6 cloves garlic
2/3 C flat-leaf parsley
2/3 C cilantro
veg oil for deep-frying
Directions:
- Drain the beans and let them dry a little on a towel.
- Get out the food processor and process those babies to a paste, adding salt and pepper and your dried spices (cumin, coriander, hotness) and baking soda. Make sure it's a fry-able consistency (soft and smooth). Let rest 1/2 hour.
- Meanwhile, do some prep work: process the onion until finely chopped (then strain to get rid of excess moisture), chop parsley and cilantro, crush the garlic, and finely chop the scallions.
- Combine all ingredients except oil. Knead well with your hands.
- Take small lumps and make flat, round shapes about 2 in. diameter, 1/4 in thick. It's easy to make balls and flatten them. Let rest 15 mins.
- Heat >2in. oil in a heavy pot until sizzling (but not smoking) hot. Fry patties in batches until crisp and brown, turning once. Lift with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels or cheesecloth.
- Serve with hummus or baba, some tomato and cucumber salad, and pita bread.
- Variation: dip lumps in sesame seeds before frying.
- If paste is too runny, add flour by the tablespoon. This means your beans were not properly mashed.
- To make lighter rissoles, add 1/4 oz dried yeast in lukewarm water (and let rest an hour).
Recipe: Mezze! Hummus and Baba Ghanouj
Yum.. two of my faves. And oh so easy to make!
(from the New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
Baba Ghanouj
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 lb eggplants
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt
4T tahini
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 t gr. cumin
optional garnish: EVOO (2T) and parsley (1T)
Directions:
- Broil or roast eggplants (1/2 hour) until very soft inside and skin is blistered. Let cool and peel, letting flesh fall into a colander.
- Mash flesh with a fork, letting the bitter juices run off. Pour flesh into a bowl and add in other ingredients.
- Mix well with a fork. Add salt and some pepper to taste.
Hummus bi Tahina
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1.25 C chickpeas (or one can)
Juice of 2-2.5 lemons, or to taste
Water
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt
4-5 T tahini
Directions:
- Blend soft chickpeas in a food processor to a puree.
- Add remaining ingredients and a little water (can be from cooking beans), and blend it up to make a soft creamy paste.
- Adjust seasoning w/salt and pepper; then add more lemon juice, garlic, or salt if necessary.
Serve both with pita and scoop-worthy vegetables. Think zucchini and cucumber slices, carrot slices or baby-cut carrots, sugar snap peas, celery sticks.. anything really.
(from the New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
Baba Ghanouj
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 lb eggplants
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt
4T tahini
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 t gr. cumin
optional garnish: EVOO (2T) and parsley (1T)
Directions:
- Broil or roast eggplants (1/2 hour) until very soft inside and skin is blistered. Let cool and peel, letting flesh fall into a colander.
- Mash flesh with a fork, letting the bitter juices run off. Pour flesh into a bowl and add in other ingredients.
- Mix well with a fork. Add salt and some pepper to taste.
Hummus bi Tahina
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1.25 C chickpeas (or one can)
Juice of 2-2.5 lemons, or to taste
Water
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt
4-5 T tahini
Directions:
- Blend soft chickpeas in a food processor to a puree.
- Add remaining ingredients and a little water (can be from cooking beans), and blend it up to make a soft creamy paste.
- Adjust seasoning w/salt and pepper; then add more lemon juice, garlic, or salt if necessary.
Serve both with pita and scoop-worthy vegetables. Think zucchini and cucumber slices, carrot slices or baby-cut carrots, sugar snap peas, celery sticks.. anything really.
Recipe: Eggplant Slice with Tomato Sauce (Domatesli Patlican Tava)
(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
This is a Turkish way of preparing eggplants.
Serves 6. Time:
Ingredients:
3 med eggplants (2.5 pounds)
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 lbs tomatoes
2 T red or white wine vinegar
1T sugar
salt
chili pepper
1/3 C chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
- Prep work: slice eggplants, peel and chop tomatoes, chop parsley.
- Grill or broil slices by peeling eggplants, slicing, brushing sides with oil, and cooking for 6-8 mins, turning once.
- Fry garlic in 2T oil, stirring. Add tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and chili pepper and cook uncovered over low heat for 20 mins. Reduce to a thick sauce.
- Add parley and let it cool. Serve eggplants cold covered w/ tomato sauce.
This is a Turkish way of preparing eggplants.
Serves 6. Time:
Ingredients:
3 med eggplants (2.5 pounds)
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 lbs tomatoes
2 T red or white wine vinegar
1T sugar
salt
chili pepper
1/3 C chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
- Prep work: slice eggplants, peel and chop tomatoes, chop parsley.
- Grill or broil slices by peeling eggplants, slicing, brushing sides with oil, and cooking for 6-8 mins, turning once.
- Fry garlic in 2T oil, stirring. Add tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and chili pepper and cook uncovered over low heat for 20 mins. Reduce to a thick sauce.
- Add parley and let it cool. Serve eggplants cold covered w/ tomato sauce.
Recipe: Bulgur Pilaf with Tomatoes (Burghul bi Banadoura)
(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Cooking, Roden 2000)
Serves 6-8. Time: 45 mins.
Ingredients:
1 large onion
5 T veg oil or EVOO
3 C coarse-ground bulgur
1lb tomatoes
2T tomato paste
2 t sugar
salt and pepper
1 t allspice
1.5 C water
Directions:
- Prep work: chop the onion, wash bulgur in cold water and drain, peel and chop tomatoes.
- Fry onions in 2T oil until golden. Add bulgur and stir well.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, allspice, and water. Cover and cook, stirring, over very low heat 15 mins. Add some water if too dry.
- Leave to rest, covered, for 10 mins until grain is plump and tender. Then stir in remaining oil.
Serves 6-8. Time: 45 mins.
Ingredients:
1 large onion
5 T veg oil or EVOO
3 C coarse-ground bulgur
1lb tomatoes
2T tomato paste
2 t sugar
salt and pepper
1 t allspice
1.5 C water
Directions:
- Prep work: chop the onion, wash bulgur in cold water and drain, peel and chop tomatoes.
- Fry onions in 2T oil until golden. Add bulgur and stir well.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, allspice, and water. Cover and cook, stirring, over very low heat 15 mins. Add some water if too dry.
- Leave to rest, covered, for 10 mins until grain is plump and tender. Then stir in remaining oil.
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