Ma'amoul

Ma'amoul 

Ma'amoul are small shortbread pastries filled with dates, figs, pistachios or walnuts. They are made in the shape of balls or flattened cookies. They can either be decorated by hand or be made in special wooden moulds. Ma'amoul with date fillings are often known as menenas.

They are very popular in Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and other Levantine countries, and highly demanded in the Persian Gulf States. Many households keep a stock of them all year round, but they are particularly made during festivals and celebrations... 

Information from Net ....

There are different ways of making it.. 

If we don't have Ma'amoul mould then we can use any mould which is available.

For the Dough

Ingredients 

1 cup  Fine Semolina

1 1/2 cup  All Purpose Flour 

1/2 cup Powder Sugar 

1/2 cup Milk powder 

1 tsp Dry Yeast 

1/4 tsp Salt 

2/3 cup Butter Room temperature 

1/4 cup Oil 

1/4 cup Lukewarm Water 

1 tsp Orange essence or 1 tbsp Orange Blossom Water 

Method 

Take yeast and lukewarm water. Mix it in a cup and keep it aside. In another mixing bowl, add the butter and oil. Beat it till  fluffy. Add the sugar and beat it. Add yeast water and orange essence. Beat it again. Add all purpose flour, semolina, milk powder and salt. Mix it to form a dough. Keep it aside.

For the Stuffing 

Ingredients 

1 cup Dried Figs ground 

1/4 cup Walnut ground

½ cup Pistachios ground 

¼ cup Brown Sugar

Method 

Take fig and walnut in a bowl, mix it together. Similarly mix pistachio and brown sugar, mix it together. This will make 2 different stuffings.

For the Cookies 

Method 

Divide the dough into equal small size balls. The portion should be the size of the mould. Take a dough ball. Flatten the  ball using your palm and create a hollow in the centre. Place any stuffing desired in the centre. Press the stuffing and close the edges of the dough.  Press the edges and seal well. Press it into the mould. Gently  remove the cookie from the mould. Prepare the rest of the cookies in the same manner. Place the cookies in a rows, on a greased baking tray. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes till brown in colour. Remove from the oven and let it cool.

Maqluba

Maqluba 

It is a traditional dish of Jordan and Palestine. The dish includes meat, rice, and fried vegetables placed in a pot, which is then flipped upside down when served, hence the name maqluba, which translates literally as "upside-down".When the casserole is inverted, the top is bright red colour from the tomatoes  and rest covered with other vegetables. It is usually served with either Yogurt or simple Arabic salad...

Net Source
 
Today I have made Veg Maqluba..and have adapted the recipe as per the availability of the ingredients in my kitchen...
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
2 big size Potatoes peeled and cut into thick rounds
2 Eggplants cut into thick round
1 Cauliflower cut into medium florets
3 Tomatoes cut into thick rounds
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic Clove chopped
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 1/2 tbsp Baharat powder
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Allspice powder
Or
***1/2 tsp Cloves powder
     1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
     1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder***
2 Bay Leaves
Salt to taste
4 1/2 cups of Vegetable stock or water
2 tbsp Oil
Oil to fry the Vegetables
1 tbsp Butter, melted
1 tbsp Almond and Pistachio flakes
Few Raisins and dry Berries  for garnishing

Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot, add bay leaves, onions and garlic, stir for 2 minutes.  Add salt, pepper, turmeric powder, cumin powder, allspices powder and baharat powder. Add 4 1/2 cups vegetable stock and let simmer for 10 minutes. Keep it aside.
Take another pan, heat the oil for frying. Add the  eggplant slices and fry it from both sides until golden brown. Take it out and on an absorbent paper, keep it aside. Fry the cauliflower florets and keep it aside. Fry the potatoes and keep it aside.
Take a heavy bottom pot. Grease it with butter. Arrange the tomato, eggplant, potatoes and cauliflower in layers. Pour 1/2 the stock, add the rice and then pour the remaining stock. Cover it and cook it on a low flame. Till the rice is cooked. Let it cool a bit, then carefully flip it up-side down on a serving platter. Garnish it with raisins, berries, almond and pistachio flakes. Serve hot with fresh yogurt or Arabic salad.

Baharat Spice powder
Ingredients
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
2 tbsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Pepper Corns
1 tbsp Cloves
2 to 3 sticks of Cinnamon
4 Cardomom
2 tbsp paprika / chill powder
1 small Nutmeg

Method
Blend all the above spices in a blender. Store it in a dry glass container.

   

kabsa

Kabsa

Few years back I had this dish in a restaurant while traveling from Dubai to Oman border. Just loved the dish. After that I never had it but it was always there in my mind. Finally I made this at home today.... On the occasion of Eid.. 

Kabsa is a family of mixed rice dishes that are served mostly in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, where it is commonly regarded as a national dish in these countries. Kabsa, though, is believed to be indigenous to Yemen. In countries such as Jordan, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraqand Kuwait, the dish is popularly known as machbūs, but is served mostly in the same way. These dishes are usually made with rice (usually long-grain, such as basmati), meat, vegetables, and a mixture of spices. There are many kinds of kabsa and each kind has a uniqueness about it.  The spices used in kabsa are largely responsible for its taste. The dish can be served hot with daqqūs, which is a home-made Arabic tomato sauce. Kabsa is also known as machbūs in the Persian Gulf region. 

Informative source Net.. 

Ingredients

1 whole Small Chicken or Chicken cut into 4 pieces

1 1/2 cup Rice soaked

1 1/2 liter Water

Salt to taste

4 tbsp Butter

2 Onion chopped

2 Tomato chopped

2 tbsp Tomato purée

1 tsp Garlic paste

 Spice mix

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

2 pinch Nutmeg powder

1 stick Cinnamon

4 Cloves

2 pinch Saffron

1 bay leaf

1/2 dry Lime powder (Optional)

Mix all the powder spices together in a bowl.

For Garnishing

1 tbsp Almond chopped

1 tbsp Cashews

1 tbsp Raisins

Fry all the above ingredients for garnishing in 1/2 tbsp Butter

Method

Add water, chicken and salt in a pot.

Cover pot and cook until the chicken is cooked.Remove chicken from stock and set aside. Reserve stock. In another pot melt butter and fry chicken from all sides until get a brownish colour. Remove chicken and set aside.In the same butter fry garlic and onions until onion golden brown. Add spices, tomatoes and tomato puree, mix well. Pour 2 1/2 cup chicken stock. Add rice, cover and cook until rice 80 % done. Now place chicken on top of rice and simmer about 10 minutes.Garnish with nuts and serve with Daqqūs and Salad.

Daqqūs - Arabic Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

3 tomatoes cut into 4 pieces

1/2 cup of Coriander leaves

2 Garlic

Salt to taste

1 tsp Cumin seeds

Method

Put all ingredients in the food processor. Blend all the ingredients in the processor.