Hummus (Hummous)

Hummus or pronounced as Hummous in the Middle East, is a ground chickpea, tahini dip that goes great with almost anything! As a child, my dad would bring home Arabian Barbecued chicken or Chicken Broast on days we decide to eat takeout. In Riyadh, Chicken broast was a popular local fast food. A popular fast food joint was Maccoys, where the queues are sometimes so long, it goes far out of the store. Hummus is always a free accompaniment with any item on the grill.
After I left Saudi Arabia, I missed hummous so much that I started making my own. It comes close to what I used to get there, but I guess it will never match upto the magic of food back in Riyadh.
This is more of a taste and go recipe. You keep tasting it as you're grinding the ingredients and add whatever you feel the hummous needs more of.
If you're wondering what tahini is, it's a paste of ground white sesame seeds. I used to make my own tahini as well while I was in India, but you can find them easily in most grocery stores in the US.

Ingredients:

Chickpeas - 1 cup, soaked overnight in water (about 8 hours)
Tahini - 2-4 tbsp
Garlic - 1 large clove, minced fine
Lemon juice - from half a lemon
Water - 3 cups (for boiling chickpeas)
Extra virgin Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Paprika - a pinch (optional)

Method:

Boil chickpeas with enough water in a pressure cooker, for about 6 whistles. Drain and store some of the remaining water. In a mixer, add the boiled chickpeas, tahini sauce, garlic, 1/4 cup drained water, salt and lemon juice. Grind till it becomes a coarse paste. Add olive oil and grind a bit more. Don't make it too fine like peanut butter, its good to have a few chunks of chickpeas for texture.

Store in a bowl. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and drizzle more extra virgin olive oil.

Hummous can be used as a dip for carrots, cucumber sticks, or pita chips, tortillas and crackers. Or as I said, you can eat it with fried or grilled chicken. Falafels and hummus are a killer combination! Smear it on toast or shawarma sandwich. Serve with accompaniments such as olives, pickled radishes, turnips, cucumbers, feta cheese. The choices are endless!

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Seekh Kabab

Seekh kababs are my favorite variety of kababs. Grilled on skewers also known as seekh, until juicy and succulent, they're just mouth watering.
The seekh is a round metal skewer, however I used bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water (to prevent them from burning when grilling).
You can use any kind of ground meat for this - beef, lamb or chicken. But it should not be too lean, or it will become too dry. So make sure it has some amount of fat in it. They will melt into juices when its cooking, and the excess will drip down.
This weekend, our neighbor took us to a meat packing company at Sussex, NJ. I bought a pound of ground sirloin (beef). It looked so beautiful, that I decided to try out seekh kababs for the first time.
Since I don't have an outdoor grill yet, I broiled it in the oven. They need to be cooked at the highest temperatures possible. Traditionally, seekh kebabs are grilled in a tandoor (clay oven), that has temperatures as high as 800°F. As ovens cannot be this hot, crank it up to the highest possible.
Another thing to note is that the final mixture should not be too moist, or it will not hold onto the skewers. So make sure you absorb most of the moisture from the ground meat in some kitchen towels.
This recipe was inspired by vahchef.

Ingredients:

Ground beef - 1 lb (500 gm)
Red onion - 1/2 medium
Garlic - 4 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green chilli - 1 or 2
Grated cheese - a handful (optional)
Parsley or Cilantro - small bunch, about 10 sprigs
Mint leaves - a handful
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp or to taste
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Egg - 1
Lemon juice - from half a lemon
Salt to taste
Bread crumbs - optional (see note)
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water - 10

Method:

Preheat oven to the highest temperature or on broil.
Chop onion, garlic ginger and green chilli finely. Or run it through a food processor. Collect it in a mixing bowl. Add grated cheese, finely chopped parsley or cilantro (or use small amounts of both), finely chopped mint leaves, red chilli powder, garam masla and coriander powder and mix it. Add ground meat and thoroughly mix everything together by hand. This is so therapeutic, trust me! Sprinkle enough salt, squeeze lemon juice, and break an egg into this mixture. Continue kneading this mixture.
Note: If you feel that the mixture is too moist, add bread crumbs or chickpea flour (besan) to this. It will help making the mixture more dry.
Let the mixture marinate for about 15 mins. If you want, you can prepare this in advance and allow it to marinate overnight.
Take a lemon sized ball of the mixture.

Push it through a skewer.

Using your fingers, work it along the length of the skewer to form a long kebab.

Place these skewers across a rectangular cake pan, or on a baking sheet.

Place it on the top rack of the oven, and cook until done, around 12-15 mins. You can also grill these beauties on an outdoor grill.
Serve with lime wedges and coriander-mint chutney mixed with yoghurt.

Or serve over a bed of cumin rice.

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Chicken Puff Pastry

I have a weakness for puff pastries, the thin flaky layers with something spicy hidden inside is just too good to resist on a rainy day.
The filling I used for this, is a Middle Eastern version, but you could try any type. Also I used store bought puff pastry sheets. Still not cheffy enough to make my own pastry sheets. (nor do I have the time!)

Ingredients:

2 sheets puff pastry
1 lb ground chicken/lamb/beef
1 onion chopped finely
2 cloves garlic chopped finely
1 tomato chopped finely
1/2 bunch parsley chopped finely
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
a pinch of sumac (optional)
Salt to taste

4 tbsp corn/canola oil

Method:

Heat oil and fry pine nuts till golder brown. Keep aside on a plate.
In same oil, fry onions on medium heat. Fry for 10 mins mixing constantly till it turns pink. Add garlic and fry for 3 mins. Add minced chicken and fry till cooked. Add all powders - black pepper, salt, garam masala, cumin powder, red chilli powder, sumac (if using).
Mix in parsley and squeeze a small wedge of lemon. Fry on high for a few mins.
Grease a baking pan with butteer/oil. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Fill in puff pastry sheets, seal the edges. Brush the top with an egg wash (egg white). Can brush a little butter on top (optional).
Bake in oven for 15 mins till the puff pastry turns golden brown. flip the pastries over and cook for another 15 mins.

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Falafel Sandwich

Saudi Arabian Falafel Sandwich

A lot of different ingredients go into Falafel sandwiches.
But I try to keep it as close to the ones I've had in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the popular shawarma shops such as Yamal Asham, Mama Nourra and Maccoys.

Ingredients:

Khubz (Arabic Bread/Pita)
Falafels
Garlic Sauce or Garlic Tahini Sauce
French Fries
Lebanese pickled cucumber/carrot/radish
Chopped tomato
Parsley

Method:

Spread Garlic Sauce or Garlic Tahini Sauce on the Khubz.
Sprinkle parsley, chopped pickled veggies and tomatoes.
Place falafels. I crumbled mine as it was easier to roll into a sandwich but usually they are placed whole.
Add french fries. I made my own french fries by peeling potatoes and chopping them in my food processor with the french fries blade, fried and sprinkled salt.
Wrap and serve.

You can also add iceberg lettuce in them.

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Falafel

On some days I miss the food I grew up with in the middle east. Falafels are one of them.
The first time I tried making these, it was a total disaster. I was inexperienced and decided to cook the chickpeas first before making the ground mixture and frying them. The result: As soon as the falafel hits oil, it just kept disentegrating into the oil and whatever is left is not cooked. God what a nightmare. Almost a year later, I tried this again by referring another blog. It was successful, but a bit dry. But definitely tasty. The vegetable and sauces I used to wrap them in my own grilled Khubz helped to cut down the dryness. I've been finding it impossible to find flat leaf parsley in Bangalore so on my trip back from Riyadh, I got a bunch of parsley which costs less than a Saudi Riyal! Its magical flavour is what gives falafels and many other middle eastern foods a unique taste.
Credit: Homemade-recipes blog

Ingredients:

For Falafels:
500 gms dried chick peas (kabuli chana)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped (cilantro)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground red chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plain flour or gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon ground dried coriander
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 teaspoons baking powder

Note: When I made the mix using the above ingredients, I did find that it was still a bit difficult to make firm balls, so I added about 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs into the mix. Also I did not use paprika, used extra red chilli powder instead. I did not use the bicarbonate of soda because I did not have it with me. Will use next time to see if it has a difference. I also used only 2 tsp of baking powder. Maybe it will be more airy and lighter (less dense).

For Deep Frying
Vegetable oil

Method:

• Soak chickpeas in water for 24 hours, then drain well.
• Mix together the chick peas, chopped parsley, coriander/cilantro, crushed garlic and chopped onions 
• Grind in a food processor.
• Add all remaining falafel ingredients and process again.
• Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• Knead the falafel mix.
• Form spoonfuls of the falafel mixture into balls and flatten slightly. Flattening ensures the insides are cooked.

• Heat oil in deep pan over high heat, then fry till browned and cooked through.

 

Serve with Garlic Sauce or Garlic Tahini Sauce or Hummus.



Or make a Falafel Sandwich



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Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma is the most loved and craved for snack that we get in Saudi Arabia. Brands like Yamal Asham and Mama Nourra have become so famous, they've become large chains. Maccoys for some reason seems to operate from the same old shop, though still so popular. The shawarmas that you get in Riyadh are the Lebanese style. When I went to Riyadh this time, I got a bottle of shawarma spice.

Its just a spice mix and its contents are as follows:

• Turmeric
• Red Chilly
• Coriander
• Black Pepper
• Cloves
• Cardamom
• Nutmeg
• Ginger
• Cumin
• Cinnamon

 Credit: Lebanese Recipes

Ingredients:

For Chicken Shawarma:

• 1/2 kilo chicken thighs or breasts, skin removed, bones removed and pounded to even thickness
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Shawarma spice
• 1 tablespoon allspice toasted and ground
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed toasted and ground
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped summer savory - I did not use this
• 1 onion, grated
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For Assembly:

• 6 thick pitas or Khubz
• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
• 6 leaves Boston lettuce/Iceberg Lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley (optional)
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Cucumber and Carrot Pickle
• French Fries
• Garlic Sauce (Thoom) / Garlic Tahini Sauce / Hummous

Method:

Chicken:
Combine the lime juice, olive oil, spices, garlic, summer savory and grated onion in a medium bowl.
Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat.
Cover with plastic and marinate in the refrigerator for four hours.
Preheat the barbecue on medium.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess.
Skewer the thighs on a long metal skewer, stacking them flat on top of each other.
Season the chicken thighs and put them on the grill.
Cover and cook the chicken, turning the skewer every few minutes for even cooking, 25 to 30 minutes or until charred on the outside and chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Note: I did not use any skewers. I just heated a frying pan and placed the chicken pieces on it to grill on each side. You may drizzle a little olive oil over it to avoid it from sticking to the pan.

Assembly:
Spread garlic sauce or hummous on pita/khubz.
Slice chicken off the skewer in thin shavings and serve it wrapped in pita bread along with the tomato slices, lettuce, french fries and pickles. You can also add chopped parsley to it.

Note: I used home-made french fries as they felt more authentic. Just peeled a potato and ran it through the french fries blade of my food processor, and deep fried them. Drain on tissue towels. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over it.

The Authentic Saudi shawarma contains:

• Khubz
• Chicken
• Cucumber pickle
• Garlic Thoom
• French Fries

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Better-Than-Pita Grill Bread

Khubz is the Arabic bread known as pita in other parts of the world.
Usually this is made in the traditional wood burning oven. It can also be made in the modern oven.
Since I dont have either, I tried this lovely grilled bread from Epicurious

Credit: Epicurious

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fast-acting yeast from 1 (1/4-oz) package such as Fleischmann's Rapid Rise yeast
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water (105-115°F)
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon beaten egg

Special equipment: a lightly oiled ridged grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or griddle

Method:

Whisk together flour (2 cups), sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl until combined. Whisk together water, oil, and egg in another bowl until combined well, then stir into flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, working in just enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking, about 2 minutes (dough will not be smooth). Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled bowl, turning to coat, then let rest in bowl, uncovered, in a warm draft-free place 10 minutes.
Note: I required almost 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup oil to get a dough. To be safe and to get the required consistency, first add 1/4 cup each and then add little by little as you go.



Cut dough into 10 pieces and form each into a ball. Working with 1 piece at a time, flatten balls, then roll out into 6-inch rounds (less than 1/8 inch thick) on lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin.



Mine of course turned in shapes other than rounds. To ensure that you get a pocket in the middle, fold it in half as shown below, and roll out again.



Preheat grill pan or skillet over moderately high heat just until smoking, then reduce heat to moderate and grill bread rounds, 1 at a time, turning once, until marks appear and bread is cooked through, about 2 minutes. It will puff up on the hot pan and deflate once taken off the pan. Keep breads warm, wrapped in a cloth napkin.



Cooks' notes: If you have a 2-burner grill pan, you can grill 2 bread rounds at a time.
Bread can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat bread, loosely wrapped in foil, in a 350°F oven until heated through.

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Chicken pie Sambousek (Chicken Samosas)

I just came back from probably my last visit to the country where I was brought up, Saudi Arabia. I will surely miss that country for the abundant ingredients and the mind boggling varieties available in the numerous hypermarkets. One would simply get spoilt for choice. And the vegetables, I dont know how they keep it so clean and beautiful. The best hypermarket in Bangalore is put to shame!
So I bought these Switz Sambosa leaves which my mom used to make samosas with when we were little. They're lovely for making samosas and I dont know why its so darn hard to find such things here in India! Rarely do I see the spring roll pastry available in their deep freezer.
Being brought up in Saudi Arabia, I loved the ramadan season for the iftaar parties. Being non-muslim I never fasted, but we used to get invited to various muslim families' houses for iftaar. A common item on the menu would be meat samosas or sambousek as Arabs would call it.
I made these simple chicken samosa last year for Eid and tonight again as a snack.
I bought chicken breasts (skinless and fatless) from the supermarket and minced them in my food processor. Much better and leaner than the minced chicken they have in the stores. You can use and ground mince (chicken, beef or mutton) for these. There's also another lovely vegetarian variety called the spinach and feta sambousek which I will post some other day.

Ingredients:

Sambosa leaves
Vegetable oil for frying

For filling:
Chicken mince - 250 grams
Onions minced - 1 large
Black Pepper - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Lebanese seasoning - 1 tsp (optional)
Shawarma seasoning - 1 tsp (optional)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Frozen green peas - 2 tbsp (optional)
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 1 tbsp (you can use any oil of your choice)

For paste:
All purpose flour (maida) - 1 tbsp
Corn flour 1 tsp
Water - 2 tbsp

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add onions, black pepper and cumin powder. When onions turn translucent, add lebanese seasoning, shawarma seasoning and minced chicken. Stir and cook till the chicken changes colour completely and starts to brown. Add frozen green peas if using and toss for another 2-3 minutes.
Allow to cool.

Assembly:
Mix all ingredients to make the paste and keep aside. This will be used to glue the edges of the samosas.
Take out a sambosa leaf. Prepare samosas easily using this video posted below.
Place 1 tablespoon of meat filling and seal.




Deep fry until golden brown turning once - about 6-8 minutes.
Drain on paper towel and serve with any sauce you like.

By the way... I have completed a year since I started this blog. Yayy! Its been quite an eventful year for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope better things are yet to come. :-)

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