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Fava Bean and Dill Rice

3/24/2020

1 Comment

 
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​Serves 4 (double recipe if desired)
Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups white basmati rice
2 cups water
3 tablespoons oil
1 cup tightly packed chopped dill leaves
1 14 oz package frozen fava beans
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions
  • If your fava beans are in the shell
    • Run cold water over them to defrost a bit
    • Pick a piece of the shell off and then squeeze to pop the bean out of the shell
  • Heat oil in pot over medium heat
  • Add beans and dill and sauté for a few minutes
  • Add rice, water, and salt and stir
  • ​Bring to boil for 3 minutes
  • Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes
  • After turning burner off, let rice sit for 5 minutes while still covered
  • Fluff rice with fork or spatula and enjoy

1 Comment

Beef Cubes for Stew/Maraka

3/2/2020

1 Comment

 
You will need about 1 pound of beef of your choice for a pot of stew/maraka that serves about 6.  Any budget cut like chuck roast, English roast, bottom round roast, or even sirloin will do.  Sometimes the stores sell beef that is already cut up and call it stew beef which would be fine too.

Prepare the beef by trimming any fat and cutting into about 2 inch cubes.

Option 1 - Stove Top Instructions
  • Add the beef to a small pot of boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt, making sure the water is a few inches over the beef.
  • During the first 5 - 10 minutes, remove anything that floats to the top with a spoon.
  • Reduce heat to low and cover.   
  • Boil until tender enough to break apart with a spoon. Depending on your cut of beef, this can take an hour to an hour and half. 
  • See pressure cooker (Instant Pot) instructions below if you want to speed up process.

Option 2 - Pressure cooker (Instant Pot) Instructions
  • Add beef to Instant Pot or any other pressure cooker. 
  • Add 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  • Use manual setting at high pressure for 40 minutes.  
  • Use quick release and check if the meat is tender enough to to break apart with a spoon.  If it is not, pressure cook again for 5 minutes at a time.
  • Rinse the beef to remove any residue.
1 Comment

Fava bean stew/maraka’d Bacilla

3/1/2020

1 Comment

 
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Serves about 6
Prep time about 45 minutes












​Ingredients


1 lb fresh fava beans (aka broad beans)
1 small onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons cooking oil of your choice
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon citric acid
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 lb stew meat cut in large cubes and cooked until tender (optional)
5 cups water

Instructions

  • Remove the strings on the beans by grabbing the end of the bean where the stem is and wiggling a little and then pulling down. Pinch off the other end of the bean.
  • Chop the beans in one inch long pieces, crosswise.
  • Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.
  • Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they are mostly tender.
  • Add garlic and saute for a few minutes.
  • Add beans and saute for a few minutes.
  • Add tomato paste and stir until it softens.
  • Add water and stir until the tomato paste is not chunky.
  • Add cooked meat if you are using.
  • Add salt, citric acid, and red pepper and stir.
  • Cover and simmer on low until the beans are tender (about 25 - 30 minutes).
  • Serve over rice.

For white rice recipe click here.
For beef recipe for the stew click here.

1 Comment

Spinach Stew/Maraka’d Spinakh

12/6/2019

2 Comments

 
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​Ingredients

1 lb. Stew beef (some options are sirloin or chuck roast)
12 oz. fresh baby spinach
1 medium onion chopped
1 6 oz can tomato paste
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoons salt (divided)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon or pinch citric acid
1 15 oz can of chickpeas drained or 1 cup cooked (optional)

Instructions
  • Trim and cut your meat into cubes that are 1/2" to 3/4" wide.
  • Add meat to pot and water a couple inches above meat. Boil for 5 - 10 minutes. Discard water.
  • Add 1 teaspoon salt and water a couple inches above meat and bring to boil. Cook on medium low for 50 minutes or until your meat is starting to get tender (this time can vary depending on your meat). Discard water.
  • Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pot with the meat. Add the onions and saute until the onions are translucent and tender (about 5 - 10 minutes).
  • Add your spinach to the pot and stir until its wilted.
  • Add 5 cups of water, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, citric acid and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on medium low for about 20 minutes.
  • If you are using chickpeas, add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  • Add more salt, black pepper, or citric acid to taste.
  • ​Serve over rice. Click here for white rice recipe.

Other Notes
If you want to make this vegetarian/vegan, you can leave out the meat.
If you are eating keto/low carb diet, you can eat it without rice and leave out chickpeas.
Frozen spinach can be used instead of fresh.
​
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker instructions (pressure cooking reduces time in half):
For the step when the meat is boiled for 5 - 10 minutes, use the sauté button to boil (no need to cover).
For the step where you cook the meat for 50 minutes, pressure cook on high for 25 minutes and use quick release.
For the step when you boil with tomato paste for 20 minutes, pressure cook on high for 10 minutes and use quick release.

2 Comments

Eggplant Salad

11/11/2019

0 Comments

 
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Serves 4

Prep time 1 hour, mostly unattended

Ingredients
1 large eggplant or 2 to 3 small eggplants
3 tablespoons cup cooking oil ( I use regular olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups colored bell peppers julienned
1/2 cup red onion sliced
1 cup sliced Persian or curly cucumber

Dressing Ingredients
1/4 cup lemon juice from fresh lemon
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sumac
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  • ​Cut eggplants in 3/4 inch to one inch cubes
  • Toss the eggplant in bowl with 3 tablespoons cooking oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
  • ​Roast eggplants for about 45 minutes or until golden brown, flipping a few times
  • Another alternative for the eggplant is to pan fry until they are brown
  • When the eggplant is done, allow to cool
  • Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk
  • Add all vegetables including eggplant in a large bowl
  • Add the dressing on top of the vegetables
  • ​Mix and enjoy





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Easy Crockpot Hareesa/Barley Porridge

10/7/2019

2 Comments

 
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Hareesa is usually eaten for breakfast but it can also make a nice dinner especially now that the weather is getting colder. ​Our other Hareesa recipe uses a few more ingredients, meat with bones, and is done in the oven. Both recipes come out great but this one is very easy to make with minimal ingredients.


Serves 6-8.


You will need a 7 qt or larger crock pot/slow cooker.

Ingredients
  • 2 cups barley (Pearl or Habia type)
  • 2 1/2 - 3 pounds boneless beef roast trimmed of fat and cut in large pieces if the roast is thick (Chuck, English, bottom or top round Roasts can be used)*
  • 1 Tablespoon salt + more to taste
  • Cinnamon for serving (optional)
  • 2 15 oz can chick peas (optional)

*You can use half chicken breast or thigh, half beef if you prefer.

Directions
  • Add your roast to a pot on the stove, cover with water, boil for 10 minutes, then discard the water.
  • Rinse your barley a couple times with cold water and drain water.
  • Add the barley, 10 cups of water, and salt to the crock pot. Stir.
  • Add the roast to the crock pot and cover.
  • Set crock pot to high for 4 hours. (you can do low for 8 hours if you prefer).
  • After the 4 hours, stir and push the meat against the side of the crock pot to break down big chunks.
  • Keep stirring quickly in circular motion for about 5 minutes to help the barley break down.
  • If you are using chick peas , drain and add in the last 10 minutes.
  • Have some boiling water ready to add to the Hareesa if you want it thinner.
  • Add more salt to taste.
  • When serving in individual bowls, cinnamon can be sprinkled on top if preferred.





2 Comments

Tashreeb/Lamb Shank and Tomato Soup

3/15/2019

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Ingredients

About 2 - 2. 5 pounds lamb shanks cut into small pieces
2 15 oz cans of chick peas
1 large or 2 small tomatoes
2 medium or 3 small onions
1 15 oz tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3 dried limes/numi bussra (can substitute with juice of one lemon)
2 tablespoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon baharat (middle eastern spice blend)
Water

You will need a 6 qt pot or larger.

Instructions
  1. Add lamb shanks to pot and add enough water to cover. Boil for 10 minutes. Discard water and rinse lamb shanks with cold water.
  2. Add lamb shanks back to pot with 12 cups of water and 2 tablespoons salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
  3. While the meat is simmering, cut a piece of the dried limes off near the peel. Peel and quarter the onions and tomatoes.
  4. After the meat has simmered for one hour, add the tomato paste and tomato sauce to the pot and stir until the paste is broken down. Add the remaining ingredients except the chick peas. Cover and simmer on low for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (until the meat is easily pulled of bone). Add the canned chick peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  5. Serve over bread

Instant Pot/Pressure cooker Instructions
Follow the instructions above except for the following changes:
  • Step 1 – Use the Instant pot to boil the lamb shanks uncovered by using the saute setting (this can be done on the stove top but it will result in an extra pot to wash).
  • Step 2 - Use manual setting on high for 30 minutes. Use quick release (if water comes out of vent, cover it with a towel).
  • Step 4 - Use manual setting on high for 30 minutes. Use quick release and add chick peas.

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Pacha/Stuffed Tripe

12/19/2018

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Serves about 8

Prep time about 3 hours
Cooking time about 3 hours

You will need 2 large cooking pots (10 quarts or bigger) and a large needle and thread

Ingredients
5 pounds beef or lamb tripe*
4 cups basmati rice rinsed
3 lbs chuck roast cut in small cubes
4 garlic cloves minced
Salt
ground black pepper
2 teaspoons baharat (middle eastern spice blend)
2 cups dried chick peas or 4 15 oz cans of chick peas
3 -5 pounds lamb shank or other meat with bones of your choice
3 pounds of Lamb tongue (optional)
lamb feet (optional)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 lemons or limes sliced

Optional Ingredients
Tomato paste and/or chopped tomatoes for rice mixture
Onions quartered (to put in the meat soup)

*If you end up buying more pacha than you need, clean and freeze for another use.

If you are using dried chick peas, soak the chickpeas in water overnight.

Meat Soup Preparation
The meat soup is done in a separate pot than the pacha. First rub some flour on the lamb shank or other meat with bones, tongue, or feet and then rinse well. Add them all to a large pot of boiling water. Boil on high for about 20 minutes then discard water. Rinse all of the meat/bones with cold water. Add the meat/bones back to the pot and add enough water so that it is a couple inches over the meat/bones. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, onions (optional), and bring to a boil. Cover and boil on medium/low heat for about 2 – 3 hours or until your meat is tender. The tongue usually takes about 2 – 3 hours to become tender. If you are adding dried chick peas, add them the last hour of boiling. If you are using canned chick peas, add them the last 15 minutes of boiling. When the broth is done, remove the tongue from the pot and allow to cool enough to handle. Peel the tongue and add both back to broth. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Tripe Preparation
Rinse the tripe well. Cut the tripe into pieces that are symmetrical when folded. Keep in mind the pouches will be the size of your piece folded in half. Discard extra small pieces. Gently rub them all over with flour and water and rinse. Soak with a little water and lemon/lime slices for at least an hour and then rinse. Thread your needle and tie a knot at the end of the thread. Fold your tripe piece in half and sew around most of it except about 2 inches. Tie a knot and cut the thread. Repeat this for the rest of your pieces.

Rice Mix Preparation
Gently mix the rice, meat cubes, garlic, 5 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper (more if you like spicy), and 2 teaspoons baharat by hand . If you are using tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, also add those and mix.

Pacha Stuffing and Cooking Directions
Stuff the pouches about half full and sew the part you left open closed. Repeat for all of your pouches. Add the pouches to a pot of boiling water and boil for about 10-15 minutes. Remove the pacha and dump the water out. Add the pacha back to the pot with enough water to cover a couple inches over, and one tablespoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat for to 2-3 hours or until tender (the lamb tripe cooks faster than the beef). Serve the pacha with the meat soup.
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Mumbar (aka Bumbarreh)/Stuffed Intestines

12/19/2018

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Serves about 8
Prep time about 3 hours
Cooking time about 3 hours
​

You will need 2 large cooking pots (10 quarts or bigger)

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds of beef intestines/casing
4 cups basmati rice rinsed
3 lbs chuck roast or sirloin cut in small cubes
3 garlic cloves minced
Salt
ground black pepper
2 cups dried chick peas or 3 15 oz cans of chick peas
3 -5 pounds lamb shank or other meat with bones
3 pounds of Lamb tongue (optional)
Lamb feet (optional)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 lemons or limes sliced

*The stores usually sell mumbar in bags so you may not be able to pick the amount you want. You can freeze whatever you don’t use for another time.

If you are using dried chick peas, soak the chickpeas in water overnight.

Meat Soup Preparation
The meat soup is done in a separate pot than the mumbar. First rub some flour on the lamb shank or other meat with bones, tongue, and feet and then rinse well. Add to a large pot of boiling water. Boil on high for about 20 minutes then discard water. Rinse all of the meat/bones with cold water. Add the meat/bones back to the pot and add enough water so that it is a couple inches over the meat/bones. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, mix and bring to a boil. Cover and boil on medium/low heat for about 2 – 3 hours or until your meat is tender. The tongue usually takes about 2 – 3 hours to become tender. If you are adding dried chick peas, add them the last hour of boiling. If you are using canned chick peas, add them the last 15 minutes of boiling. When the broth is done, remove the tongue from the pot and allow to cool enough to handle. Peel the tongue and add both back to broth.

Mumbar/Casing Preparation
Rinse the casings. Cut into 14 -18 inch pieces. Add the casings to a bowl and add about a cup of water and ½ cup of flour and gently rub them to clean. Rinse the casings and place in a bowl with enough water to cover and about 2 lemons/limes sliced. Soak for at least a half hour.

The next few steps are going to turn the casing inside out. This is done so that you can clean the other side and because when you stuff them, you use the same process of tucking them into themselves (described more below) so that the rice and meat mixture slides in. After you stuff them, they will not be inside out anymore.
Run water through the inside of one by placing under the kitchen faucet. Take the top end of the casing and start to tuck it in to itself about an inch. Take a wooden spoon with a narrow end and stick it in the casing where you tucked it in. Keep pushing the casing through the spoon until you have reached the end. Pull your casing off the spoon by pulling the bottom of it off the spoon. The casing should be inside out now. The inside part has some texture so you should be able to tell if you did it right. Place in a bowl. Repeat until you have done this to all of the casings.

Clean again by adding about a cup of water and ½ cup of flour and gently rub them. Rinse the casings and place in a bowl with enough water to cover and about 2 lemons/limes sliced. Soak for at least a half hour. Discard water and rinse the casings. Add a little water in the bowl so that they stuff easier.

Rice Mix Preparation
Gently mix the rice, chopped meat, garlic, 5 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper (more if you like spicy) by hand.

Mumbar Stuffing Directions
The casings are inside out still. Tuck one end in about one inch. Hold that end of the casing between your thumb and forefinger and use your other hand to stuff the rice mixture in with your thumb. As you keep stuffing, the tucked in part will get tucked in more and more until your casing is right side out again. They will not look very full but the rice will expand when cooked. Repeat. You should have about ¾ inch with no stuffing on each end. If it close to the edge, grab both ends and give it a shake so that the rice moves more toward the middle. Rinse the casings to remove any of the rice on the outside of the casing.

Mumbar Cooking
Boil a large pot of water. Put all of the mumbar in and boil for about 15 minutes. Remove the mumbar and dump the water out. Add your mumbar back to the pot, enough water to cover plus 2 inches over, and 1 tablespoon salt and gently mix. Cover and boil on medium/high heat for 1 ½ -2 hours or until the casings are tender. Start checking at 1 1/2 hours for tenderness. A fork should easily cut through cashing when they are ready.

When the mumbar are done, remove from the broth and set aside because sometimes they fall apart from being in the broth too long. Save the broth they cooked in and mix it with meat soup. Add more salt to the meat soup if necessary.

Serve the mumbar with the meat soup.



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Pea and Potato Cary Stew

12/7/2018

3 Comments

 
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This recipe is similar to the chicken and potato cary stew. We are happy to post this recipe as it is one of our most requested recipes.

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​Serves 4 -6
​
Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 medium potatoes or about 1.5 pounds peeled and cut in large pieces (about 8 per potato)
2 cups of frozen peas or one 16 oz freezer bag
1 pound stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes or your can use meatballs* (see those ingredients below)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon curry (more if you like spicy)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 cups water

Meatball ingredients (optional instead of stew meat)
​1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped fine
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon baharat (middle eastern spice blend)

Directions
  • Start by cooking your stew meat or meatballs
    • For stew meat
      • Place meat in a small pot, cover with water and add a little salt
      • Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes and skim off anything that floats to the top
      • Simmer until tender
      • Depending on your meat, this can take about an hour. I like to use pressure cooker to save time.
    • For meatballs
      • Place the ground beef, parsley, garlic, salt, and baharat in a bowl
      • Knead together until the ground beef it is smooth.
      • Shape into small meatballs and set aside.
      • Put 1/4 cup of water into a pan on medium heat. Place meatballs in the pan and turn until they are evenly browned, about 20 minutes.
  • ​Preparing the Stew
    • Heat oil in a pot over medium heat
    • Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they are tender and translucent
    • Add garlic and saute for a minute
    • Add your potatoes, curry, salt, and pepper and saute for a few minutes making sure to mix frequently
    • Add the tomato paste and mix for about a minute until it has softened
    • Add the water
    • When the water boils add your meat
    • Cover pot, turn burner to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes
    • Add your peas and simmer for about 10 more minutes or until your potatoes are tender.
    • Add the lemon juice and more salt or spices to taste.
  • Serve with rice (click here for white rice recipe)

​​

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