Both of those dishes look so good! We had seffa (sweet couscous) for suhour this morning ... I wanted to take a picture but my husband ate it before I could find the camera LOLOL! Then he went back to sleep zzzz!

Ash: I love it hot! Maybe I have some Tunezian blood in me too LOLOLOL!

Rahma: I will have to try out your recipe ... but probably not until spring when there's aspragus here! But looks yummy!

Well Zlabia is the funnel cake sweets and Chebbekia is the twisted/folded cookie ... but both are fried, then dipped in a honey mixture then sprinkled with seasame seeds!

A Canadian Sister posted this recipe on her blog. I tried it tonight it was wonderful.

Pouding Chomeur ( Poor Man's Cake)







Cake

1 1/2 cup of flour (all purpose)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk


Maple Sauce

1 cup maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract ( halal of course )


Instructions;

preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

Sift flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Put aside

In a bowl, whip butter and sugar together. then gradually add milk and flour into the mixture alternately.

Pour mixture into a 13x9 inch pan( greased). put aside

In a pot put all the ingredients for the sauce and bring to boil for 2 minutes (stirring often) then pour over the cake mixture. DO NOT MIX.

Bake in oven @ 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 mins

* best served with vanilla ice cream when it's still hot.

Wow meriem that sounds wonderful! I just realized not to click on this forum while fasting. LOL Serious tummy growling after seeing that pic.

jJ

Asbusa (anicent Egyptian version of the Algerian achida)

2lbs cream of wheat
2.5 cups sugar
3/4 lb. butter
16 oz. plain yogurt
slivered almond halves


Bring all ingredients to room temperature. In a large bowl mix sugar and cream of wheat. Add butter, mix by hand, rubbing the buuter, sugar and cream of wheat between your palms for 10 minutes or more until the mixture is very well blended.

Add the yogurt and mix with your hands until the dough feels smooth in your hand. If it feels dry add one tablespoon at a time of water so when you hold it in your hands it feels like pie dough.

Butter a 13x9x2" pan and pat the dough into the pan with your hand. With a sharp knife slice the dough in 2 x 2 inche squares or into diamond shapes.

Press one almond half onto the surface of each piece. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Arnabit musa"a’a aka Moussaka Cauliflower

1 pound ground beef

I small onion chopped

1 Cauliflower

3-4 eggs

2 Tablespoons flour

Cooking oil

Salt and pepper

2 cups tomato juice

Brown ground beef and onion, seasoning (salt, pepper) and set aside.

Remove core and leaves from cauliflower and slice into ‘trees,’ about ¼" – ½’ thick.

You may blanch the cauliflower if you prefer a softer cauliflower, or leave it raw.

Prepare a thin batter by beating together eggs, flour, seasoning and 3-4 tablespoons water. Dip the cauliflower slices into the batter and fry lightly until nicely brown. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.

Add 1 cup of tomato juice to the ground beef. If you want a spicier taste, use either one if the seasoned V8 juices, or add hot pepper sauce to your tomato sauce. You could also use spaghetti sauce, although it will result in a thicker consistency. Grease a casserole or baking dish. Layer as follows: cauliflower, ground beef, cauliflower. Pour the remaining juice over the moussaka and bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.



Egyptian Chicken & Pasta Corniche

With the rich flavors of the Mediterranean in this dish, you can imagine yourself sitting al fresco along the corniche in Alexandria, watching the boats in the harbor, as you enjoy this tasty dish!

1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skinned, about 5 pounds ( or 5 pounds of skinless, bone-in chicken breasts if you prefer all white meat)

1 Tb. olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, mashed

2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (roma tomatoes are good for this)

1/2 c. dry red wine

1 Tb. wine vinegar

3 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

pinch paprika

pinch cinnamon

1 lb. pasta noodles, such as macaroni or other shaped pasta

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesean

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

-Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot and brown the chicken in batches, over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

-Add the onions and garlic and saute', stirring occasionally or until softened.

-Add 1 2/3 c. water, tomatoes, wine, vinegar, cloves, bay leaves, paprika and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Add chicken, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes.

-Remove the chicken and keep warm. Remove the bay leaves and cloves from the sauce and discard. Skim the fat from the sauce and set sauce aside.

-Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and stir into the sauce and heat through. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve pasta with grated parmesan and with the chicken.
Serves 8.

Tabouli Chicken Casserole

Bulgur consists of wheat grains that have been hulled, steamed until partly cooked and then ground. Available in fine and coarse grades, it is a popular grain for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean salads.

I found this recipe in a small cookbook of recipes from the National Chicken Cooking Contest of 1993, which is sponsored here in the USA by the National Broiler Council. A basic tabouli salad is transformed into an elegant, main course luncheon or dinner salad. I used rice as an accompaniment to the casserole, in case my daughter, the resident picky eater didn’t care for the tabouli, but she loved it!

1 cut up broiler-fryer chicken
2 cans (6 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained
1 can (15 oz.) chopped, crushed or diced tomatoes.
3 medium carrots, coarsely grated
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
1 Tb. fresh chopped mint
1 Ts. chopped garlic
1 cup bulgur
1 Tb. finely grated lemon peel
2 Tb. Corn starch
4 Tb. Cold water
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh cucumbers
Grease large casserole dish. Place artichokes, chickpeas, tomatoes, carrots, chicken broth, wine, mint, garlic, bulgur and lemon peel in casserole dish. In small dish, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; add to vegetable mixture, stirring well. Place chicken on top. Bake, covered, in 350F oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until fork can be inserted into chicken with ease.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley and cucumbers.

Makes 6 servings.



Shorba Arnabeet Baladi
Spicy, Homestyle Cream of Cauliflower Soup



2 cups chicken broth

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups chopped cauliflower

Hot sauce to taste

2 tablespoons butter or margarine ( optional; omit for low fat)

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

ground pepper, salt to taste

1 cup low-fat milk

Combine the chicken broth, onion, cauliflower and hot sauce in a sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer until the vegetable bits are tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetable to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Repeat until all the cauliflower is smooth ( if you don't have a food processor, you can use a food mill or potato masher). In a separate saucepan or small skillet, melt the butter, add the flour and pepper and make a roux. Add the roux to the milk and stir well. Add the milk mixture to the soup ( in the original saucepan ); cook and stir until thickend and bubbly. Do not let the soup burn. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 3 or 4 servings.

Note: if you like hot spicy food, don't be afraid to add more hot sauce to the soup.

Egyptian Hindbeh for Ramadan


100 g dandelion flowers (Hindbeh)
40 g white onions
10 g garlic
20 ml olive oil
20 ml corn oil
1 g white pepper
2 g salt
4 slices onions, rings,crisp fried until golden brown


Instructions: 1. Boil the dandelion in water in a pot.
2. Heat oil in a skillet.
3. Toss in the garlic and onion and stir-fry until the raw smell of garlic is gone and the onion is light brown in colour.
4. Add the boiled dandelion and stir-dry till dry.
5. Transfer into a serving plate.
6. Serve topped with golden brown crisp fried onion rings.

Moroccan Crunch Chex Mix
11 cups mix, approx
1 hour 5 minutes (5 min prep, 1 hr cooking)

Here's a nice change from the regular Chex Mix - you can make it savory or sweet by including the honey or not. Enjoy!

Ingredient: 1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried mint (optional)
4 cups corn chex
3 cups rice chex
1–2 cup Wheat Chex cereal, to preference
2 cups almonds
1 cup cashew pieces
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 cup combination of chopped dried fruits, currants,and/or raisins
3 tablespoons finely minced crystallized ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons honey, if desired

Directions: 1. Heat oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Melt the butter in a large roasting pan in the hot oven, then stir in the seasonings.
3. Stir in the dry cereals and nuts until it's all evenly coated.
4. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the sesame seeds, dried fruits, and ginger.
6. Drizzle with honey and stir well; let cool.
7. Store in airtight container.
8. Makes 10 1/2 cups Chex Mix snack.

PBS's Cooking Academy is the bane of my existence during Ramadan, but at least I get good ideas for iftar.

Turkish Beef Kabob


Unfortunately, there was a great recipe for a south african hamburger that was done in a coconut sauce, but the recipe isn't on the website

I thought maybe this recipe might be similar to the south african one you saw on PBS. Enjoy

Lion's Head Meatballs in Spicy Coconut Sauce

These spicy meatballs are called "Lion's Head" because of their large size. Also, lions are believed to ward off evil. You can make the meatballs a day or two ahead, store them covered in the refrigerator, and heat them in the sauce before serving. Decrease the red pepper for a milder flavor.

Ingredients
SAUCE:
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced hot red chile pepper
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

MEATBALLS:
1 pound ground round
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced hot red chile pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
Preparation
To prepare sauce, combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.
To prepare meatballs, combine ground round and next 9 ingredients in a large bowl, and shape mixture into 8 meatballs. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cook 7 minutes, browning on all sides. Drain well.
Place sauce in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Garnish with basil and rind.
Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 meatball and 3 tablespoons sauce)

Mmm, those look quite tasty, and I have everything but the fish sauce and chilis. Since the husband doesn't like chilis anyways, I think I"ll try to make it with what I have on hand. Thanks!

Woo, all the recipes look so good! Can't wait to try out some of them soon..

I want harrira..... where's a good redcipe???? I guess I have to flip through 48 pages to find it huh?

I would like a simple recipe for Ba stilla. Chicken preferably.

I have a great b'stilla recipe.... I'll post it tonight for you! I use cornish hens instead of chicken though. It takes a little time, but it's simple enough. I always get compliments.

I just pm'd you my recipe. It's always a hit! OH - and just for the record - I've been to 2 Moroccan restaurants and had their b'stilla. It was a sore disappointment. Mine is far better!
I'll post it here too, just in case anyone else is wondering. I've posted it before, but here it is again:

B'STILLA
Filling -
2T veg oil (I use olive)
1 onion finely chopped
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 C minced fresh flat leaf parsley
2 T minced fresh cilantro (I use a bit more)
1/4 t ground turmeric
8 threads saffron, crushed
1 C water
1 t ground ginger
1 1/4 t ground cinnamon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2/3 C powdered sugar

Almond mixture -
1/2 C whole blanched almonds (I used split almonds)
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 t ground cinnamon

12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
1 C (2 sticks) butter, melted (I completely skip this and used spray butter stuff)
ground cinnamon & powdered sugar for garnish

Filling: In a large saucepan over med heat, heat the oil. Saute' onion until golden (6-8 min). Add chicken, parsley, cilantro, turmeric, saffron, water, ginger, & cinnamon. Cover & cook until the chicken is tender (20-25 min). Transfer chicken to a bowl or plate and set aside to cool. Let the sauce continue to simmer in the pan and add the beaten eggs, salt, pepper, & sugar. Stir constantly until the eggs are scrambled. Shred the chicken & add it to the egg mixture. Set aside.

Almond mixture: In a blender or food processor, coarsely grind the almonds and mix w/ sugar & cinnamon. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove 12 sheets of phyllo from the pkg and re wrap the remaining phyllo in its original wrap. Refrigerate for future use.
Stack the 12 sheets on a work surface and cover w/ a damp towel. Spray a little butter on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Layer 3 sheets of phyllo, lightly spraying each layer w/ butter. Sprinkle the 3rd sheet evenly w/ 1/2 of the almond mixture. Layer & butter 3 more sheets. Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the top, leaving a 1 1/2" border of phyllo. Fold over the edges to partially cover the chicken mixture. Layer & butter 3 more sheets over the chicken, sprinkling the remaining almond mixture evenly over the top. Layer & butter the last 3 sheets of phyllo over the almond mixture. Tuck the edges of the last 6 sheets under the b'stilla as you would a bed sheet (@ this point, I take another baking sheet and place it on top, then flip it over & seal the last 6 sheets of phyllo from bottom to top) - does that make sense?

Bake the b'stilla until golden brown (20-25 min). Place the powdered sugar in a fine-meshed sieve. Tap the sides of the sieve to cover the surface of the b'stilla lightly & evenly w/ sugar. Using thumb & forefinger, sprinkle ground cinnamon over the top (most people make patterns, I just lightly dust it). Serve immediately, before pastry becomes soggy.
**It took me a long time to finally make this b/c I thought it would be a really daunting task. It's not - it's a lot of steps, but it's really easy and didn't take as long as I thought.

Note: These can be prepared in advance and frozen uncooked in aluminum foil. It will keep up to 2 months in the freezer. No need to thaw before baking, but bake for 10 min extra if frozen.
**This makes about a 10" pie and easily serves 4 average plates.
Recipe from "Cooking at the Kasbah" by Kitty Morse (w/ some personal notes adapted in parentheses).

I CANT FIND MY B'STILLA RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I just found my Harira recipe!

Janine, the B'stilla recipe I posted above is awesome! Try it sometime and let me know what you think. If you find yours, post it too!

you know i can't find any safron for the life of me!!!

You should be able to find it in most Arabic/Int'l stores. You might also find it in Mexican grocers. Some of your more "upscale" groceries should have it too. You might have to ask for it. We use it a lot. Let me know if you still can't find it & I can send you some from one of the stores here.

We have one arabic store close to us, and nothing. I even went to the indian store and nothing there. its like no body uses it here, but i don't understand. I've heard its very expensive? Let me know what the cost would be. thanks.

Terrie, have you checked in the spice department of your local grocery store? That's where I have always found saffron. Yes it's very expensive here in the states, but ohhhh what a flavor!! Good luck!

I made pizza last night

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust

It's definately enough for 2 12 inch pizzas. I have one of those pizza pans that fits a frozen pizza. I stuck all the dough on there and woh, puffy pizza. Next time, I'm going to divide it in half. I prebaked the crust for 10 minutes at 325 before I topped it and baked it for 15 minutes at 425.


I used a pesto base, and then sprinked it with kalamate olives and chunks of the soft egyptian cheese. Note to self, soft egyptian cheese does not melt. Ah well, it was still tasty, even if it was puffy.

I've check every store i go into for saffron. I just can't find it here!

That really is odd, it is at all of the stores by me. I don't know the exact price, but I remember that it was in the same bottle as other spices for about the same price. I didn't think that was too horrible until I opened the bottle and saw a little piece of paper wrapped around a few strands. Ummmm...I don't think I will use it often for that price!

COSTCO sellsit for approximately $22-25/bottle. If you don't have COSTCO, I'd try SAMS.

COWBOY CAVIAR (or TEXAS caviar, or SOUTHERN caviar)


1 can black beans or black eyed peas, rinsed and drained well
I can corn, some kind of crisp one like niblets or summerfresh (I have also used a couple of ears of fresh corn,its better if you can find it in season but if not the canned is fine)
2 or 3 ripe tomatoes
1 or 2 avocados
4 or 5 green onions sliced thin, both the white and part of the green
about 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped (more or less to taste - we love it so I use a lot)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup good vinegar ( I love vinegar so I usually use a combination of any of these: balsamic, apple cider, red wine, rice wine, white balsamic, etc. any of the above)
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced very fine or through a garlic press
salt and pepper
splash or two of good hot sauce (tapatio or tabasco or whatever you have around)

combine the beans, corn, cilantro, onions, chopped tomatoes (seeded if you want) in a big bowl or tupperware. whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, hot sauce and salt/pepper and pour it over. its best if you can let it sit at this point for a few hours while stirring it every so often. about an hour before serving chop up the avocados and stir them in, they dissolve a litle bit and add some creaminess. taste it and add salt, pepper, vinegar, hot sauce to taste.
we usually eat this as a dip with tortilla chips but we've also used it as a chunky salsa topping for grilled fish, chicken and portabello mushrooms.
I would strongly advise doubling the recipe because its pretty addictive. also, the salting is tricky so be careful. the raw veggies need some salt for sure but if you are going to eat it with chips then you have to keep in mind they have their own saltiness.
I've made it many times with black beans and also with black eyed peas, whichever one I am eating at the time seems like the better one so it really doesnt matter at all, just personal preference

OUR FAVORITE PASTA SALAD


1/2 pound orzo, cooked and then run under cold water to cool
1 seeded and thinly sliced yellow, orange, or red pepper (I prefer yellow mainly for the color )
I cucumber, peeled, seeded chopped (either english or regular, I've used both)
8 oz. crumbled feta
about 1/2 a cup craisins
1 or 2 cups of a green vegetable - either green beans or peas. frozen peas are fine, just run under cold water to thaw. green beans you should use fresh, cut them into 1 inch pieces and throw them in with the pasta for the last 4 or 5 minutes of cooking
salt and pepper
half a bottle or so of your favorite vinagrette salad dressing - last time I used Brianna's New American vinagrette and it was AWESOME

throw it all together and let it sit for a while, then check for seasoning. I usually end up splashing on extra vinegar and some more salt and pepper a couple of hours after I made the salad.
sometimes before serving I sprinkly on some toasted pine nuts but I dont like to add it to the whole bowl because they get soggy.

this pasta salad cannot last at our house. We all love it.

Thanks Sara!!

Have you asked at the stores in your area, or just looked on the shelves? The Arabic stores around here all have it, but they keep it up front locked up.
Next best thing is to have your SO's family mail you some!

Oh yea! I forgot about that.... I always ask for it at the counter. And it has gone up in price recently... lol - the clerk told me it's like "gold" - it was $3 now it's $6!

My sister actually grows the flower that produces the saffron. I've never tasted it myself though.

I promised Noura I"d post my lamb shank recipe.....prep takes a little time but then it's so easy and soooo worth it!!!


Lamb Shanks

Ingredients:

2 lamb shanks (my store only sells them in twos but you could just do one if you want)
3 carrots
3 onions
3 celery stalks
5 garlic cloves
3 potatoes, peeled
water
garlic powder
onion powder
salt
pepper
cajun spice
pinch of tarragon
2 bay leaves
cinnamon
cumin


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drizzle olive oil to coat metal pan. Place on stove burner and put on high. Place the 2 lamb shanks in the pan and burn the heck out of them to sear the meat...takes about 5 minutes and smokes up the whole house so whip those smoke alarm batteries out before hand. (but don't forget to put them back after).

Put lamb aside and cut in half carrots, onions, celery, garlic cloves and potatoes. Add veggies to shanks and fill pan with water about 2 inches. Sprinkle with all of the spices (sorry I don't measure just do what feels right), add the bay leaves cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 for 3 1/2 hours. Then take foil off and bake for another 1/2 hour. YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I totally forgot to post the date bread recipe before Ramadan.

I got this from here to give credit where credit is due. Only thing I will warn you about is DO NOT THROW OUT LIQUID AFTER SOAKING DATES....THAT LIQUID SHOULD BE COMBINED WITH THE OTHER INGREDIENTS. I learned that one the hard way. Also I only use 2 cups of water now since 2 1/4 made it too goey. My husband loves eating this with eggs and fuul for suhoor.

Date Nut Bread
Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
Yields: 24 servings are they serious???? About 8 servings in my house! lol

"This is a moist, dense date bread with your choice of nuts -walnuts or pecans, almonds or hazelnuts."
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and
chopped
2 1/4 cups boiling water
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups white sugar 3 tablespoons margarine
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine baking soda with the boiling water. Soak the dates in the water and baking soda solution for 30 minutes.
2. Cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs, vanilla, dates, nuts, flour, and salt.
3. Divide batter equally between two 9 x 5 (or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2) inch greased loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) (or until loaf tests done). Can be frozen when cool.

We have a new favorite dessert in our household, beingets. OMgosh, so freakin tasty!



http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beignets/Detail.aspx

I halved the recipe, because I couldn't imagine how many one could make if you added 7 cups of flour.


I had these years ago when I visited New Orleans and my craving for them was recently re-ignited. We were suppose to have a hearing down in NOLA. I was going to ask the lawyers to bring me back of beinget mix, but the hearing got canceled. Thus, had to find out how to make it on my own. It was really quite easy.

Hello Everyone

After a wonderful meetup with some of the fabulous MENA girls I have been inspired to try and cook some Moroccan/MENA food As much as I loved the Bastilla I don't think I am quite at that level yet but hopefully I can work my way up to that!

So what would be some good recipes to start out with? Kind of an intro to MENA cooking. I am a pretty good cook so it doesn't have to be too easy. Just something that is a staple dish that I could add to my collection

Thanks!

Well if you want to try Egyptian, Koshari is pretty darn easy!

There's a recipe for it in this thread somewhere but off the top of my head here is what I do:

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati, jasmine or similar rice
chili mac pasta (I use about 1/2 a box)
1 cup lentils
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup olive oil (depending on your waistline at the moment )
1 can Pastene ground crushed tomatoes (ready to eat)
1 can French's Onion Rings
8 cloves garlic (or 4 big ones)
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cumin (or more to taste)
salt and pepper
1 lemon
hot sauce


Directions:

Boil lentils in water for approx 15 minutes. Meanwhile melt butter in small pot and pour 1 cup rice into the butter lightly toasting the rice until goldenish. Add 2 cups water to rice, bring to boil, cover and simmer on low for approx 20 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside and boil a pot of water for the chili mac pasta which you should cook as directed on the box.

Peel garlic and heat oil in small pot. Mince garlic into the heated oil and saute for a few minutes but do not let the garlic burn or get brown at all 'cause it will wreck the taste. Add the can of tomatos, cumin, salt, pepper, hot sauce (to taste) and vinegar and simmer for about 15 minutes or so. While simmering put onion rings on baking sheet and broil on high for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Assembly is key according to my husband, though I say it all ends up in the same place so who cares but omg if I ever mix things incorrectly he gets sooo sad. lol. According to him, mix the lentils with the rice and put in a bowl. Put chili macs in separate bowl. Put onion rings in bowl. Put sauce in bowl. Cut lemon and serve with all the bowls on the table.

Take a plate or a bowl and first put the chili mac pasta in it. Then on top of that goes the rice/lentil combo. Then pour some sauce and mix together. Then put onion rings on top. Squeeze lemon on top of everything and bon appetit! This is soul food for me now!

Wow, I just read all that bridget and I think I can do that!

Keep'em coming cuz I would LOVE to suprise Ibrahim with real food when he comes back!

Seriously it's easy. The hardest part is taking up all the burners on the stove because there are so many things to boil/simmer. That's why I wait until the lentils are done before I cook the chili macs so that I can reuse the pot and have less dishes to wash! Once you try this it will be a total replacement for Chinese food cravings when pms is rearing it's ugly head. And it's kind of healthy with the lentils too!

Oh and most people scoff when I tell them I use the French's onion rings but seriously I'm not into standing around a stove for a long time cooking onions until they are brown and crunchy. Your'e really supposed to slice about 3 onions up real thin and saute until brown and crunchy but 1) i hate onion tears...they hurt! and 2) too much time.

Thanks Bridget That sounds so yummy! You are so right...the less dishes to wash the better

What's chili mac?

ya know...i was wondering that myself. Do you mean elbow macaroni?

If that's it, then it probably won't fly in our house since hubby doesn't care for most pasta. I think he just hasn't had the "right" pasta. He likes lasagna and discovered he also likes tortellini and he'll eat vermicelli if it's crushed tiny and in small amounts (like in harira or on chicken tagine). I've yet to try to get him to eat mac-n-cheez, but there's always a chance later!

No it's little hollow pastas. Here's the link to what the pasta looks like. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fondofelves/2162765008/

noura, if your going to try and get him to eat mac and cheese, mac it homemade...thats what i do and sofyan is "so so" with it..he thinks mac and cheese is really sweet so he puts tons of salt and pepper on it...the box stuff he wont go near which i cannot comprehend, IMO there is nothing better than a good ol 59cent box of spongebob mac and cheese...

ive never heard of any of these egyptian or moroccan dishes...

Jackie, Do you really not know how to cook arabian dishes? girrrl!! id kick yo butt...I can always come by and give ya a lesson as long as i get to eat it too

kel, I know nothing. I know what goes in it all....I know what it all tastes like, I can shop for all the ingredients. But to actually cook...uh. no. I can order quiet well at Al Basha .......but to measure out rice and make it edible, I can not. Dawn tried to teach me maglooba, but we chatted and I paced around her kitchen and didn't pay attention.

I can make the salad kick azz! But not to be trusted with rice. I don't cook now because I am home alone (sounds like a movie). It's easier now to make a bowl of cereal or toast.

Jackie

I think we should have a Midwest cooking lesson at someone's place, cause I need the lessons too

I have a tagine, but have used it only once.

Ya'll can come tagine at my place

Sfinj - anyone have a recipe for Moroccan Doughnuts? You know the kind that vendors sell on strings?? I want to surprise hubby tonight!

Donuts on a string?