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Middle Eastern Cuisine

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A short history of Middle Eastern Cuisine

The middle east covers a large region and the middle eastern food is wide and diverse and has a long history. The area includes the middle east and also western asia and the region is the meeting place of Europe Asia and Africa. Traders would pass through the middle east and it became an area where food was traded and exchanged. Wheat which is very much a staple food was first cultivated in the Middle East and Barley, pistachio nuts, pomegranates are also cultivated in the region. The Mongols brought dumplings to the region, spices such as cumin, turmeric and garlic came from India and from the Spice Islands came pepper, allspice and cloves. Okra came from Africa and tomatoes from Spain via the Moors who in turn had brought them from the New World.
With all these people travelling through and bringing their wares came also religious influences on the food of the region. As neither the Muslims or Jews eat pork the pig does not feature in the cuisine of the region. The main meat eaten is lamb but chicken and camel also features in the region.. Alcohol does not form a great part of the Middle Eastern cuisine as it is forbidden in the Muslim religion. Coffee is widely consumed and this is thought to have come from the Ottoman Empire. This is a strong dense brew and is served very sweet. Tea is also widely consumed in some parts.
Vegetables feature quite prominently in Middle Eastern cuisine. Aubergines (eggplant), courgettes, cucumber, onions and okra are popular vegetables. Olives are widely grown and consumed as are citrus fruits, mainly lemons. Nuts such as pistachio, walnuts, pine nuts and almonds are a part of the middle Eastern diet as are figs and dates.
Pulses such as chickpeas, and lentils are much in evidence and chickpeas. Chickpeas are the main ingredient of hummus, dip which is eaten and served with pitta Bread. Hummus is made from chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini which is a sesame paste and olive oil blended together. It's a delight to eat.

All in all there are some extremely interesting tastes to be enjoyed from the cuisine of the Middle East. You will find that many of the spices used are very similar to those used in Indian cuisine, mainly due to the influence of traders.
Try some of the recipes and I do hope that you enjoy them.

Table of Contents

A recipe for Hummus

a delicious snack or appetiser

Humus is a great and very popular snack or appetiser found all over the Middle East. It is generally eaten with some warm pitta bread and perhaps some salad. To make a basic hummus you will need the following:-

1 can of chick peas (garbanzo beans). Retain half the liquid
1 clove of garlic chopped
4 tblspns lemon juice
2 tblspns tahini
2tblsspns olive oil
salt and pepper to taste.

Put all the ingredients in a blender plus some of the liquid from the chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until you have a smooth paste. Add more liquid if too stiff but remember hummus should be a creamy texture. Put in a bowl and make a well in the cntre into which put about 1-2 tblspns olive oil. Serve.

As a pleasant variation also add some roasted red peppers to the mixture and make as above.

Lebanese red lentil soup

A delicious healthy soup

Lentil soup is a very wholesome and health dish and the Lebanese version which is slightly spiced with North African spicing is delicious. As a bonus it is simple to make. To make this soup you will need the following:-

1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
1lb (500gms) Red lentils
3 tbs olive oil
1tbsp ground cumin
1/2tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp chopped coriander
juice of 1 lemon
6 cups (1.5 Litre) chicken or vegetable stock

Soften the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent. Ad the lentils and add the cayenne and cumin an add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the lentils are soft and tender. I would add the cumin in stages and taste, as cumin can have a very overpowering flavour if too much is added

Puree the soup with a stick blender, and add the coriander and lemon juice before serving.

Recipe for Pitta Bread

to go with your Hummus

To make your own pitta bread you will need the following:-

12 oz all purpose flour
1 packet of yeast
½ cup of warm water
1tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water.

Dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water and sugar and stir until dissolved. Leave to sit for 10-15 minutes until the mixture starts to froth.

Put the salt in the flour and combine in a mixing bowl and make a depression in the middle. Add the yeast water to the depression. Ad the cup of water slowly and stir with a wooden spoon. Put the dough onto a floured board and kead for 10 - 15 minutes until the do is no longer sticky but smooth and elastic.
Put the dough into a large bowl the sides have which have been smeared with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Put the dough in the bowl and turn the dough so that too is coated with the oil. Put a damp teacloth over the bowl and let it rest in a warm place for 2-3 hours to allow the dough to double in size.

Once doubled roll out the dough into a rope and cut or pich into 10-12 pieces. Place the balls on a floured surface and let them rest covered for 15 minutes. Roll each ball into a circle of about 5 inch diameter and place on a preheated baking sheet. Place towards the bottom of an oven heated to 500 deg F (260 C). Bake for 4 minutes until bread has puffed up and turn over and bake for a further 2 minutes.
Remove from the baking sheet and push the puff gently down with a spatula and place in storage bags. They should keep for a week or if you wish to store longer then freeze in freezer bags.

Jordanian Lamb Mansaf

Spicy Lamb and yoghurt served on rice

Lamb Mansaf may be considered to be the National dish of Jordan. It's main ingredients are lamb and yoghurt and it is usually served on special occasions.

To prepare this dish you will require the following ingredients.

1kg (21/4lbs) lean lamb pieces with bones attached. I would suggest lamb shanks but you can use other joints.
1 large onion chopped finely
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 cups (500gm)yoghurt
2tblsp olive oil
1 egg
small tin tomato puree (2tbsp)
1 cinnamon stick
1tsp each of turmeric, cumin and chilli powder
150gm (5 oz) toasted almonds
75gm (21/2oz) pine nuts
Parsley
salt and pepper

Method

Seal the lamb joints in oil in a frying pan, add water, bring to boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. In a separate pot cook the rice, drain and set aside. In another pot add oil, heat and add the garlic and onion and saute until golden. Pour in the yogurt, add the spcies, the egg which has bee beaten, tomato puree and stir the mixture.
Gradually add the stock from the lamb and make a light cream sauce. Add the lamb to the cream sauce and continue to cook for a further 15- 20 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
Place the cooked rice on a serving platter, place the lamb on top of the rice and pour the sauce on top.
Garnish with the nuts and parsley
The dish can be served with pitta bread.

Moroccan Lamb shanks recipe

Serve with couscous

Here is a delicious and very tasty dish from North Africa. Wonderful aromatic scents and tastes. Give it a try.

To make Moroccan Lamb shanks for 4 people you will require the following:-

4 large lamb shanks
2tsp ground cumin
2tsp ground coriander
2 tsp fresh ginger
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1.5-2 tbs harissa paste
600 ml hot chicken stock
can of chopped tomatoes
100gm ready cooked dried apricots halved
100gm ready cooked dried figs halved
2 large red onions cut into wedges
olive oil
salt and pepper

Method
Heat some oil in a large casserole and seal and brown the lamb shanks.. Remove and set aside. Add the onions and garlic and cook on a medioum heat until golden but not burnt. About 5 minutes. Add the spices and harissa and cook for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes and the stock and bring to the boil and put in the stick of cinnamon. Stir in the fruit and put a lid on and place the casserole in a preheated oven at 160 degrees/140 degrees fan oven gas mark 3 and cook for 2 hours or until the lamb is falling off the bone.
Serve this dish with hot couscous flavoured with preserved lemon, coriander and mint Here is a delicious and very tasty dish from North Africa. Wonderful aromatic scents and tastes. Give it a try.

How to cook Middle Eastern rice

A staple Middle Eastern food

The cooking of rice in the Middle East is an art form as there are so many variations. It is used as a staple and in some areas is as important as bread for providing grain. Rice is often used as a filling for some dishes as it makes meat and vegetables go much further. Unlike other regions of the world in the Middle East rice is served fluffy and unlike risotto rice which is served sticky. Other ingredients are put into the rice such as pine nuts, raisins, garlic olive oil , meat and saffron. Basmati rice is used for Middle Eastern rice dishes. The video shows just one way of preparing rice and remember that there are regional variations in the way rice is served.
The producer of the video will tell you that the recipe is not authentic but it will provide you with a good basis for producing Middle Eastern rice.
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Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Tastes of North Africa

This is a fairly easy dish to cook and originates from Morocco. To make it you will need the following:-
4tbsp Olive Oil
2 peeled and chopped onions
1 or 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
2tsp ground ginger
2tsp ground coriander
2tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2tbs tomato puree
2 tins canned and chopped tomatoes
1 large jointed (2.25 kg/5lb) chicken, skin taken off.
3tbsps clear honey
For the couscous

500gm (1lb) couscous
4tbsp olive oil
The juice of 1 lemon
500ml (1pt) chicken stock
3 tsp each chopped coriander, parsley and mint
2 satsumas peeled and chopped.
Method
To make the tagine heat oil in a large casserole or saucepan, large enough for the chickens in one layer. Ad the garlic, onions, ginger and spices, season and soften onions until soft and golden.
Add tomatoes, honey and tomato paste and cook until sauce is thick. About 10 minutes
Ad the chicken pieces to the pan and coat with the sauce. Bring to boil and simmer for about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

To make the couscous put into a bowl oil and lemon juice. Mix well to coat the grains. Pour boiling stock over and season. Leave to allow the grains to ansorb the liquid. Fork the couscous to separate the grains and stir in herbs and satsuma pieces.
Serve with lemon wedges and spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt

Recipe for Moussaka

A delicious recipe from Greece

Moussaka is a wonderful Mediterranean dish from Greece featuring minced lamb and aubergines. It may take some time to prepare but the effort is well worth it. To make Moussaka for 6 people you will need the following:-

2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 peeled and crushed garlic cloves
150-175 ml olive oil
1kg lean minced lamb
100ml red wine
2tbs tomato puree
1 piece of cinnamon stick
2tbsp oregano
3 aubergines weighing about 300gm
75 gm butter
75 gm plain flour
600 ml milk50gm grated parmesan cheese
2 medium size eggs beaten

Method

Soften the onions and garlic in oil until golden and then add the minceand fry over high heat to seal for a couple of minutes. Spoon off and discard any fat or if the lamb is not lean put the mixture into a sieve and spoon the fat from the top of the cooking juices. Add the red wine, tomato puree, tomatoes, cinnamon and oregano. Simmer for 30-40 minutes giving the mixture the occasional stir.
In the meantime slice the aubergines and brush with olive oil. Fry until brown on each side. Lay half the aubergine slices on the base of a shallow ovenproof dish and season. Spoon half the mixture over the aubergines. Ad another layer of aubergines and again add the other half of the sauce.
In a separate saucepan add the butter and melt over a low heat. Add the flour and cook for a minute to make a roux. Gradually incorporate the milk to the roux beating until the sauce has thickened slightly and simmer on a very low heat for about 10 minutes to cook the sauce. Add the cheese, nutmeg and seasoning and let cool slightly and beat in the eggs. Pour the sauce over the lamb and aubergine mixture and cook in a 200degC gas mark 6 oven for about 40-40 minutes until the mixture is bubbling and the top is browned.

Some great cookbooks on Middle East cuisine

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How to cook perfect basmati rice

Cooking rice tends to create a problem for many people as it is easy to either under or over cook. Here is a method that I have used that usually produces rice cooked and fluffy.
It is better to measure the ingredients for cooking rice by volume not weight. I would suggest about 65ml (21/2) fluid ozs per person. Or 150 ml (5ml) for 2. Normall you need about double the volume of water to that of rice.
It is best to use a good quality pan with a lid that fits tightly to cook rice and some recommend a deep frying a saute type pan. Add the rice, you should not need to rinse as rice is cleaned when it is milled and you remove some of the nutrients by washing. Add boiling water or stock if you prefer to the pan. I suggest you pre measure the water and boil it in a kettle and add salt.
Once the water is added stir just once, any more may damage the grains and thus releases the starch. Bring to the boil and turn to a low setting and simmer gently for about 12-15 minutes. You can test by just biting a grain. If you tilt the pan and you see liquid coming to the edge you will need a little more cooking.
Once cooked take off the heat and put a tea cloth on the top to absorb the steam for a few minutes and this will help to keep the grains separate. Fluff the rice up with a fork just before serving.

Please tell us if you like Middle Eastern food

  • Inkhand Jan 27, 2012 @ 7:24 am | delete
    Your recipes look delicious!
  • tonyb65 Jan 27, 2012 @ 8:27 am | delete
    Thanks inkhand, I hope you try them
  • rayray131 Jan 26, 2012 @ 11:46 pm | delete
    Thanks for the recipies
  • tonyb65 Jan 27, 2012 @ 8:27 am | delete
    Thanks Rayray131
  • MareeT Jan 26, 2012 @ 11:17 pm | delete
    The Moroccan Chicken Tagine sounds so delicious! Thanks for the great great recipes!
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tonyb65

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