This is a great cookie to eat with a hot cup of tea. Perfect to have around during the holidays. Thanks to my Aunt Sherkia for this recipe. Ingredients 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup oil (I used corn oil) ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cardamom (hale) 3 1/2 cups flour ½ Cup sesame seeds Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees Grease a large cookie sheet (I used a 15 x 20 inch cookie sheet) Use a spoon to mix versus a blender or electric mixer
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This recipe is a fall favorite! Thank you so much to Bushra Atisha for sharing your recipe! The pictures show a combination of beef oxtails, beef chuck roast, and lamb chops. This recipe is usually made with all beef but sometimes Bushra replaces 1/3 of the beef with lamb for flavor. Serves 6 - 8 Ingredients: 3 lbs of meat with bones - Beef oxtail, chuck roast, lamb chop or lamb shank 1 1/2 cup of barley (Pearl or Habia type) 1/2 cup of red/orange split lentils (can replace with 1/2 cup more barley) 1 cup dried chick peas 5 teaspoons of salt You will need an 8 quart pot with oven safe handles. Directions: Preheat oven 280 Degrees F 1. Fill pot about a third full with with water- bring to a boil over medium heat. 2. Add meat and cook for ten minutes. 3. Mix barley, lentils, and chick peas in bowl and wash/rinse thoroughly with water, drain the water and set aside. 3. Drain cooking water from the pot with meat. 4. Add 12 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil over the stove. 5. Add the mixed barley, lentils, and chick peas to the pot. 6. Add salt and stir. 7. Place pot in preheated oven for 6 hours - Stir every 2 hours. 8. Take out of oven, stir mixture, and begin pulling out bones and disposing of them. 9. When all bones have been removed - Stir for about 5 minutes to break down barley and separate any meat that is still together. 10. Add more salt to taste if needed. 11. If you like your hareesa thinner, add some boiling water and salt if necessary. When reheating, you may need to add some water as it will thicken. Enjoy! These stuffed egg rolls are traditionally made with ground beef and then fried. I did that but also baked some and used some non-tradtional ingredients for the stuffing. You can stuff them with whatever you want really – the possibilities are endless. My family loved the broccoli and cheese stuffing. Ground Meat Stuffing
3 – 4 cups vegetable oil for frying (I used corn oil) 1.5 lbs lean ground meat (I used one with a 90/10 ratio) 1 Large or 1 cup onion chopped ½ teaspoon baharat ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon to ¾ teaspoon salt (depending on preference) ½ Cup parsley leafs chopped fine 1 package of egg roll wraps (I used the Nasoya brand that I purchased from the grocery store and they worked well) Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet Brown ground beef Add onions, baharat, pepper, and salt to taste Stir until the onions are tender and clear Turn the heat off Add the parsley and stir Drain the meat mixture in a pasta strainer if it looks like there is oil sitting in the bottom Allow to cool Lay out one egg roll wrap in the shape of a diamond Place 3 heaping tablespoons of meat mixture in it See Pictures above for best way to explain how to roll Fold the bottom up first and then the sides (so it looks like an envelope) Moisten the top corner of the egg roll wrap with water so it will seal Roll the top closed Do this for all of your rolls For Frying Heat 3 – 4 cups of oil until bubbly (oil should cover at least half of your egg roll) Add egg rolls for a few minutes (the time will vary depending on how hot your oil is) You will know when it is time to turn them when the color has turned a light brown Turn egg rolls on the other side. When that side is also brown, remove and place in a napkin to absorb oil For Baking Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Brush the egg rolls with olive oil Place the egg rolls in the oven for 6 minutes (or until brown), turn and allow them to bake for an additional 6 minutes. Other options that I tried for stuffing were: Turkey deli meat with gouda cheese Jajeak cheese, which is feta cheese mixed with chives Steamed brocolli and chedder cheese This recipe was submitted by our reader Angela Rahib. Thank you so much Angela for contributing, we can't wait to make this! Maraka'd Fasoliya Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh long green beans, washed and ends trimmed, then sliced into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces 5-6 garlic cloves, diced very small, or according to your taste 1 can (14oz) tomato sauce 1 pound fresh lean meat, cubed or cut according to your preference 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon 7 spice, or similar baharat, found in your local middle eastern market 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Olive oil, for browning the meat I have come across many variations of this very popular maraka, of fasoliya, or fresh green beans. Some recipes include just sautéed onions, some don't include any onion or garlic. Some are like my recipe, and include just a dash of curry. I tend to do that sometimes. Some recipes cook the meat and green beans separately, but for myself, I came up with the following recipe, and it works best for me and my family. Please note, adjust the amount of seasonings to your preference. Heat your pot or deep pan on medium high. Brown the meat in two tablespoons of olive oil. Season it with a couple dashes of salt and black pepper. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not cook thoroughly, as you will later in the recipe. If there is any brown foam from the meat, discard by pouring it out, and proceed with the recipe. Add the prepared garlic and green beans, and stir. Let the garlic sweat some flavor and green beans heat up. This should take 2-3 minutes. Pour in a can of tomato sauce, and then fill the same can with water and pour into the mixture, add a second can of water to the mixture. This gives you a total of one can of sauce and two cans of water. Add the seasonings and cover the pot. Let it cook on medium to medium high for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check to see if the green beans have softened. Also check the taste of the sauce, and adjust according to your preference. Serve on a bed of fresh rice and enjoy. Ingredients: Salad: 2 whole pieces of pita bread (white or wheat, your preference) 3 heads romaine hearts lettuce 1 large cucumber or 3 small cucumbers 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves 2 large tomatoes 1 medium red onion 2 tablespoons fresh mint or 1 tablespoon dried mint Dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon sumac 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic (optional) salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Cut pitas into small squares. Brush them with olive oil and lay them out sparsely on a baking dish. Bake for 6-10 minutes, until light golden brown. Watch them closely because they can burn quickly. Set aside. Chop the romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, onion, and fresh mint (if using dry mint, mix it in the dressing). Toss in a large salad bowl. Prepare dressing: The easiest way to mix dressing properly is to place the ingredients in a sealed jar and rapidly shake the jar for 20 seconds. You can also thoroughly whisk together the ingredients. Using one of the methods, combine olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, garlic, and salt pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Immediately before serving the salad, toss in the pitas. Be sure to do this just before serving so the pitas stay crispy. Turshi is a staple in Chaldean households. Many always have it on the counter ready for eating with rice and stew or in sandwiches. As with all dishes, there are different versions depending on the cook. This turshi has a slight sweetness to it due to the addition of the apple juice. If you like yours spicy, you can add more jalapenos, other hot peppers, or more curry. Vegetables 4 - 5 pounds various vegetables cut up (typical ones used are cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, and turnips) 2 Jalapenos with slits cut in the bottom 2 whole garlic cloves peeled Liquid Mixture 3 Cups of water 3 Cups of Apple Juice 3 Cups of Apple Cider Vinegar 4 Tablespoons Salt 2 to 3 Tablespoons Curry(depending on your taste or the spiciness of your curry) 1/2 Teaspoon Egg Yellow Powder/Yellow coloring Instructions
Click here for our Spicy and Sour turshi recipe This is my mama's version of Shekh Mahshi. It can also be made with ground beef instead of minced beef, or made with zucchini. Thank you so much to my friends for visiting me and giving me a reason to cook such great food! Everyone loved this dish, I hope you do too :) Ingredients:
4 medium sized skinny (Italian) eggplants 1 lb. beef (sirloin or any preference steak) 1 medium sized onion chopped 1 garlic clove minced 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 lemon juiced 1/2 teaspoon salt and additional salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baharat (middle eastern allspice) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups water Optional: 1 teaspoon pomegranate syrup/molasses Wash eggplant and cut off stems and ends. Peel stripes on the eggplant and cut them into 3 to 4 inch sections. Take out the centers/pulp of the eggplants with a paring knife or other device and set it aside. Be sure to try and keep the shell/exterior of the eggplants intact and not break them. Salt the eggplant both on the inside and outside. Place in a bowl filled with cold salted water and soak for 30 minutes. Chop the pulp/inside of the eggplant, salt it, and set aside. Mince the steak into small cubes and brown it in a skillet. Once brown, add the onion and garlic and cook over a medium heat until the onion begins to soften or about 4 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoon baharat. Mix well. Rinse the chopped pulp/inside of the eggplant in a colander and squeeze out and discard the excess water from the pulp. Add the chopped pulp to the beef mixture and mix. (Optional: Add 1 teaspoon pomegranate syrup and mix well.) Reduce heat to low and cover the skillet, cook for additional 10 minutes or until beef is tender. Remove from heat when cooked. Rinse, drain, and dry the eggplant shells with a paper towel. Lightly brush the inside and outside of the eggplant shell with olive oil. Stuff the eggplant with the meat mixture and line in a baking dish. Line up the eggplant end to end to ensure the meat stuffing stays inside the eggplant during baking. If you have any extra leftover beef set it aside in the skillet. Return the skillet you cooked the meat in to a medium heat (with the leftover meat if you had any). Add 1 1/2 cup water, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 lemon juiced. Mix well until tomato paste is dissolved. Remove from heat and pour over stuffed eggplant. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 475 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with rice. This is one of my favorite pickled vegetables and is extremely easy to make. It is great eaten with a sandwich, on top of rice and stew, or even on its own. Ingredients 10 small or approx 4 lbs Turnips 3 small or approx 1.5 lbs Beets 6 cups cold water 2 cups white vinegar 3 1/2 tablespoons Salt 2 cloves of Garlic (optional) You will need a 1 Gallon jar Instructions
Catfish gets a bad rap for being a bottom feeder but most U.S. catfish is actually farm-raised so they are only eating the fish-food pellets the farmers are giving them, which are made from soy-beans, corn, and rice. It is a good fish to use because it is very mild tasting, lean, and nutritious.
Ingredients 1 ½ pound fish (I used catfish) 1 lemon 2 Tablespoons oil 3 medium or 2 large onions 3 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon curry (more if you want it spicier) 2 dried limes (aka numi bussra) * *Dried limes can be purchased at chaldean markets. If you cannot obtain them, you can substitute the juice of one lemon. ½ teaspoon salt plus some 3 Tablespoons tomato paste ¼ cup parsley leaves Instructions Prep Chop onions Smash garlic with the side of a knife and chop finely Split dried limes open and remove the black pulp from them. If the pulp is in big pieces, chop it Chop the parsley fine Fish Your fish should be scaled and split open. Squeeze lemon over the fish and sprinkle with salt. Bake the fish in the oven at 500 degrees for 20 minutes. While the fish is baking, work on the topping. Tomato/Curry Topping Heat oil in a pot over medium heat Add chopped onions and stir occasionally until they are clear and soft Add the garlic to the pot with the onions and stir occasionally for a few minutes Add the dried lime pulp to the pot and stir for a few minutes. Add salt, curry, tomato paste, and parsley and stir for a few minutes. Remove the fish from the oven and spread on the tomato/curry topping. Bake for another 15 minutes at 500 degrees. Optional step – broil the fish for 5 minutes so the topping gets blackened a bit. Serve with rice 2 1/2 cups Basmati rice
4 cups Water 3 tablespoons oil 5 tablespoons tomato paste 2 1/2 teaspoons salt Rinse rice a couple times to remove excess starch. Soak rice in warm water for about 20 minutes. Heat oil in a pot. Add tomato paste and stir until it melts down a bit. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Add rice and allow it to boil for a minute. Stir rice well to make sure that there are no chunks of tomato paste. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and allow to simmer for about ten minutes. Fluff rice with fork cover and allow to simmer for about 2 more minutes. Serve with salad. |