2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. Iemon juice

Boil until dissolved and let cool completly. You may want to double this recipe if you are making a big tray.

1 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves

Boil the ingrediants for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the cloves and cinamon (these are extra, and to taste. many recipes don't include them). Pour the syrup over the kunafa and let set for at least an hour.

This sounds good but I wouldnt use it for Kanafeh, use the one I posted Jackie thats Jordanian way. Oh and I'm not sure what kind of kanafeh this is but we serve it piping hot. You pour the cooled syrup over the hot kanafeh and eat it immediatly.

NOT an expert here...but its simple syrup I can do
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
juice from 1/2 lemon
some ground cinnamon (whatever amount you like)
some ground cardamom (about 1/3 the amt of the cinnamon) if you have it. not a big deal to not use
just boil the water and sugar about 10 minutes, don't let it bubble over so you gotta watch it.
toward the end, add the lemon juice and cinnamon and cardimom, stir it and let it cool

So are you making it now? hows it goin?

I guess there are faster syrup experts here
Don't let the variation scare you. its just thick sweet water no matter what you do

I found immitation vanilla flavoring (not extract) in the grocery store (it was right beside the extract) and checked all the ingredients on a website to see if it had any alcohol (and were maybe calling it a different name) and everything checked out.
It tastes the same but I've found you have to use a little more than the recipe calls for to get the flavoring right.

While growing up, my mom always used the highest quality vanilla extract for cookies, so I'm kinda spoiled I've tried a lot of different brands of immitation stuff, and none of it stacks up, so I shell out the extra for the beans. What brand do you use?

I have wondered about this before...the alcohol content in things like extract. The chemist in me knows that by the end of the cooking or baking process, there is no alcohol in the fineshed product. Do any of you know why cooking with alcohol is a big deal if in the end you are not consuming or serving alcohol...and the use of it can't possibly contribute to any kind of intoxication or morals-compromising behavior?
Just wondering. I'm not arguing it.

Store brand Kinda on a budget being a "single mom" and all

Rahma I have also found that there is a difference in high quality vanilla extract and vanilla flavoring... it's just not the same. The vanilla beans are the best way to go for certain things but they are so expensive!

For me it's because I don't believe we're supposed to use it at all in the first place. I know there are some christians who have to abstain from alcohol during certain fasts and they have told me the same thing... it cooks out... but I just don't like to add it to begin with.



Is this a dessert? I'm looking for it on the other board and I don't see it.... what section would it be under?

Vanilla powder is halal. It's basically vanilla flavored sugar or powder. You can use that as a vanilla extract subsitute. I buy it at the Mid Eastern market in my area. I've also seen it at supermarkets that have an international foods section.

Thanks! I made naan with chicken tikki masala this weekend and although the kids hated the chicken (too spicey for them) they loved the naan!

I'm making the kanafa Tuesday morning if anyone wants to come taste the results

Jackie

HELP!

How do you make the sauce for couscous that they have in Morocco (it's a red sauce).

Hello all

Regarding the vanilla issue, I looked around alot online and found something called Pure Vanilla Powder. Not sure if it's the same thing Moody is talking about or not. The only ingredients are vanilla bean and maltodextrin. When you use it you use the same amount as you would for the liquid vanilla extract that contains alcohol. It is very expensive, but I find it easier than to mess with vanilla beans. I get mine from Whole Foods market for anyone who has one of those near them.

So even though the alcohol cooks out its not ok?

As far as I know, it's not okay. Of course, there are some who use it anyways, figuring that since it won't affect you like drinking a beer or something, that it's okay.
I guess it's up to the individual to make a decision about whether they use it or not.

Oops, sorry Hicham. haha just kidding I haven't even baked anything with vanilla yet but I know he would only be upset if it was during Ramadan. No, I don't think he would even be upset about it then.

is it ready? I'll swing by on the way to work.

kidding of course, but I'm off at noon if you're serious
Have fun making it!!! I know you have been excited all week thinking about it so def have fun!
later

Ohhhhhh Jackieeeeeeeee...Miss. Countdown queen...Can we please have a Kanafeh countdown? I wanna know what time to show up on your doorstep

Final date: Kanafa making commences at 11am Wednesday Oct. 25th. JP, book your flight, Dawn, pm me for my address and you are welcome. Anybody else want to join us?

Jackie

So what time is the slumber party for the countdown!?

I'll have to make this to take to work. Last week was the Greek festival and I commented that I knew how to make Spanakopeta (sp?). Our secretary told me that I should make a pan and bring it to work, but these look so much easier to serve to a group and seem to be almost the same thing, just a different form.



This is one I WON'T be trying. Abdel and I were looking at a middle eastern cookbook together last week and he found a picture that looked very much like this. He commented that he hated Okra and I was quite happy - so do I.



VP, I used to not be able to afford cooking wines so when a recipe called for white wine I found that chicken broth worked really well. I didn't even buy the canned kind, just used water and bouillon. You can decrease the water and use more bouillon for a richer flavor too.

Whenever Abdel gets all mushy and says he wishes we had met when we were younger so we could have had more years together, I tell him he wouldn't have liked that because I was a horrible cook when I was younger. It's a miracle my kids' dad is still alive. It's good you are practicing before your hubby gets here so you don't kill him with your cooking when he does. You'll get better with practice, especially with these ladies to guide you.




Thanks JP! I really like that it tells what spices are common in a certain cuisine, since I cook a lot of "just go see what's in the kitchen and make something up." Knowing what spices make a specific cuisine really helps when I do that.

Ok, here's what I made for breakfast.

Abdel says they make something called chekchoukah that is like this only it doesn't have the corn in it and I'm guessing probably not the cheese either. He thinks that's a regional name for it though.

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Small Onion (Peeled & Chopped)
1 Anaheim Pepper (Washed, Seeded & Chopped) (Use Green Bell if you can't find Anaheim)
1 Jalapeno Pepper (Washed, Seeded & Chopped)
2 Medium Tomatoes (Washed and Chopped - if you prefer peeled & seeded, do that too)
1 Can (16 Ounce or about that) No-Salt Added Whole Kernel Corn, Drained
1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic (or to taste)
1/4 Bunch Fresh Cilantro (Washed & Chopped)
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
Salt to taste
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
6 Eggs
1/4 Cup Milk
4 Ounces Shredded Colby Cheese

Cook peppers and onion in oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, corn, garlic & cilantro; simmer until most of the liquid cooks off. Meanwhile, with mortar and pestle grind cumin seeds and peppercorns (or use a peppermill). Sprinkle on all seasonings and stir in. Stir together eggs and milk and add to skillet. Cook until eggs are set, stirring as desired. Stir in cheese and serve with toasted bread of your choice.

Anyone got a recipe for a good seafood soup???

What kind of seafood? I've got a really simple microwave vegetable one that Abdel loves that you could add seafood to. I'd precook any kind of seafood and then stir it into the hot soup at the end.


Vegetable Soup

4 Servings

Per Serving: about: 95 Calories, 3 g Protein, 4 g Fat, 12 g Carbohydrates, 685 mg Sodium.

1 Cup Sliced Zucchini
1 Cup Thinly Sliced Carrot
1 Cup Sliced Celery
½ Cup Chopped Onion
1 Tablespoon Oil (Vegetable or Olive)
1 (16 Ounce) Can Tomatoes (I use Del Monte Italian Seasoned Ones)
2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
1 Bay Leaf
¼ Teaspoon Oregano
1/8 Teaspoon Rosemary (I used about 10 Needles Fresh, Chopped)
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
13 ¾ Ounces Chicken Broth (Canned or From Bouillon)

Place zucchini, carrot, celery and onion in 2-quart microwavable casserole. Stir in oil. Cook on high 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes (breaking up with a fork if using whole tomatoes), parsley, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary and pepper. Cover; cook on high 6 minutes, rotating dish occasionally.

Stir in the chicken broth. Cover; cook on high 6 minutes longer, rotating occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaf.

I'm thinking with a thick base like the chinese soup. Maybe some lobster, crab and oysters.

That recipe sounds good too.

Can you ladies post your recipes in new forum Rebecca created? It makes it alot easier. This thread is too hard to navigate and find recipes that were posted.

Do we have to stop posting them here???? Maybe we can post them both places coz I kinda like it here too.

No not at all, its just a request.

Beef Stew (made it tonight and it was yummy)

sorry in advance that the measurements aren't accurate...i usually eyeball it

1 1/2 lbs chuck roast (i get it pre cubed from the store)
1 carton (I think it's 32 oz) beef broth
2 15 oz (or so) cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp (or so) thyme
enough vegetable oil to coat bottom of pan
about 5 potatoes peeled and chopped
about 4 or 5 large carrots chopped
1/2 onion chopped
about a cup of flour

put the chopped beef and flour in ziploc bag and shake until the meat is coated
put enough oil to coat bottom of pot and add the chopped beef coated with flour. (I put in the rest of the flour in the bag too)
brown beef on all sides
add beef broth, 2 cans tomatoes, thyme, carrots, potatoes, onions and salt and pepper to taste
bring to boil and simmer until veggies are tender

I serve with crusty french bread and butter and I put a little dollop of Dijon mustard in each bowl and mix it up to kick it up a notch.

Bean Dip

1 can (15.5 oz) white kidney beans
1/3 cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper

drain and rinse off the white kidney beans
put beans, olive oil, garlic (peeled), lemon juice and chopped parsley in food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy

I serve this with celery (the big stalks have more flavor and crunch), english cucumber slices, peppers,etc. It's great if you're on a low carb diet. Serve with crispy pita if you're not lowcarbin' it.

Has anyone here made biscotti cookies? I know its not quite an arab treat but I had one from the coffee shop at Nordstroms and it was the best. I would just go get some more of theirs, but its in a big mall and I'd have to park far away and its on the 2nd floor....I am looking for a tested, proven wonderful biscotti recipe. I did an online search and there are so many- I want one that I know is wonderful. theres a lot of plain-to-sucky biscotti out there and I want good stuff. Anybody?

Also, what recipie forum are you all talking about? You created a searchable middle eastern recipie thing? I must have missed this.
Dawn

I made cream cheese puffs this weekend. Nummy and very easy to make


Soften cream cheese + anything you think would taste good with it (I put in green onions), dab a bit into a wonton wrapper, wet edges of wrapper, fold into triangle, fry.

mmmm.

that does sound good and easy too. good idea

I made these for Christmas last year and everyone loved them!!! They were not too hard to make even though it's listed as being "medium" instead of "easy".

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...tml?rsrc=search

Holiday Biscotti
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
Red and green sugar crystals, for garnish


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the pistachios and cranberries.

Form the dough into a 13-inch long, 3-inch wide log on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 40 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

Place the log on the cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake the biscotti until they are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

Stir the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Dip half of the biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti on the baking sheet for the chocolate to set. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes.

The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.



Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
User Rating: 5 Stars

dawn if you didn't get the link for the new recipe board here it is

http://z10.invisionfree.com/MENA_Recipes/index.php

This sounds perfect, I'll be making this today- I"ll report how it goes. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!




I had not seen this.....Its wonderful, Thanks - And good job, ladies!

Nice Doodle...I am kinda experimenting with my husband too...trying new things...subbing and adding to dishes I normally would cook...alots of things not availible here in Algerie (like sour creme or real butter for example)....

I will PM you the recipe...and post it on the MENA recipe www tomorrow inchallah Sarah... here in Algerie my family uses the white sauce, which I really dislike...i made my sauce, red sauce...that I learned in Tuniz to make...and they really loved it...my husband actually prefers the red sauce (hehe)

Mmmm chekcouka...my fav.... I make mine with cubanelle pepppers....Mmmmm

what kind of soup? like bouillobaisse or zarulta?

like the creamy seafood soup in the chinese restaurants

I did find some seafood/oyster base in the grocery store last week and used it... I added some of the base to some milk in the pot and let it heat up and dissolve good... then I added some immitation crab meat, medium shrimp, oysters, clams, an onion and some noodles. It was OK but it wasn't great... I'd rather have a recipe to follow because I'm not that good at cooking to make stuff up like that

You crack me up Charles....I see where your mind is....LOL

ahhh ok une moment...



Anyones have a nice choco truffle recipe... something to wow people here? LIke rum balls without the rum ?



From real and easy Chinese cooking:

Cantonese seafood soup

Serving Size: 4


Preparation Time: 20 minutes


Ingredients:


4 sole fillets
save bones and trimmings from fish
1 onion -- sliced
1/2 lg carrot -- chopped
1 chicken bouillon cube
8 button mushrooms -- halved
1 tbsp olive oil
10 shrimp -- prawns
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp lemon juice -- or juice of 1 lemon
salt
spinach leaves
bean sprouts

Directions:

1. Place the bones and trimmings together with onion, carrot and chicken stock cube in 1200 ml (2 pints) water. Bring to boil and cook for 30 minutes. Strain and put aside.

2. Cut each fillet of sole in half by slicing lengthwise. Tie each fillet loosely into a knot and poach in stock until tender.

3. Cook the mushrooms in the oil until tender, add the prawns and stir for 2 minutes.

4. Add the dry white wine and lemon and take from the heat. Add the spinach and bring the stock again to boil. Add the rest of the ingredients

5. When ready to serve ladle the soup into bowl and top with bean sprouts.


Per Serving (excluding unknown items):


267 Calories; 6g Fat (22.2% calories from fat); 37g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 101mg Cholesterol; 351mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.





COuld this be it?

I don't think so...see she said creamy soup there is simply not a sufficent amount of calories and fat to fit this description.

I'm not sure if that's what I'm looking for or not... I'll try it next week inshallah. Thanks!

Just to follow up... These are awesome!! I substituted the cranberries, pistachios and white chocolate for dried pinapple, chopped almonds and dark chocolate, and used more lemon zest just to finish off the lemon....but these are really pretty and yummy too.
Thanks!!!

Oh wow I would never have thought about dried pinapple!!! I'll have to try that the next time!!! Glad you liked them!

I love Food Network recipes! I'll have to try those biscotti next time! Thanks for the recipe.

I love them too. I'm partial to Giada's stuff and some of Rachel Ray's.

I like Giada a lot. Rachel annoys me a little bit in her show but she makes some good stuff.

My favorite is Barefoot contessa. I have all of her cookbooks and they are great!

Sarah,

If you like biscotti, check out this shop Moroccan Biscotti