I have grown to love some of the good Arabic food that is readily available here. It is usually dirt cheap and yummy! A day ago my friend and I were doing business with a jeweler and it was around lunch time, so he ordered us all falafel sandwiches. The ones we ate had fresh mint in them as well. They were so tasty. I have never made falafel, but I think I am going to try. Here's a recipe I found on the internet. Then again, it is so cheap to buy Arabic food here, I am not sure it is worth the effort.
FALAFEL
The Ingredients:(25 falafel balls)
2 cups of dries chickpeas, soaked in water for 12 hours (can use canned)
Crumbs from 2 slices of white bread
5 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 small onion
1 spoon of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin spice
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt, pepperOil for deep frying
Preparation:1. Wash the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion and spices. Grind until you get a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed.2. Move the mixture into a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and put aside, covered, for 30-60 minutes.3. Warm the oil - it should be hot, not boiling. Add the baking soda to the mixture and knead a little.4. Wet your hands and shape little balls (smaller then apricots). Fry until you get a deep brown shade. Serve hot!
Don't forget about the HUMMUS recipe that my friend invented that you can find here.
Another fabulous mideastern dish is SHAWARMA. Shawarma is thinly sliced cuts of meat, like chicken, beef, goat, lamb, and sometimes turkey, rolled into a large piece of flatbread or pita that has been steamed or heated. Inside the pita, foods like hummus, tahini, pickles, vegetables, and even french fries are added. Think of shawarma as a taco or burrito Middle Eastern style.How is Shawarma Made?Raw meat is placed on large, rotating cones. As it rotates, the meat is cooked by a heat source that is located behind the actual cone. The meat slowly falls off or is thinly sliced by a chef with a large knife. It can take several hours to fully cook.
What is Served with ShawarmaI have had shawarma with fries, salads like tabouleh, falafel, and just by itself for a quick bite on the go.In some places it is served alone, without the pita or flatbread.
Do I Need a Cone Tower to Make Shawarma at Home?It's really hard to duplicate the taste without a tower. You can come very close, but there is still that "something" that is missing! When buying your meat, try to get chicken. Dark meat (thigh meat) is the best for shawarma, but white meat will work, too. Ask your butcher or supermarket meat department to slice it very thin. Ideally, the meat will be thinner than cutlets.
Shawarma is like the ultimate on the go meal. Thinly sliced meat, wrapped in a pita bread with veggies and sauce is a delicious quick meal. You won't be disappointed!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (thinly cut)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon allspice
juice from 1 lemon
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FOR THE SAUCE:
1 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons yogurt
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PITA FILLINGS:
8 loaves of pita bread or 4 large
thinly slice cucumbers
thinly sliced onions
1/2 teaspoon sumac (never heard of it until I moved here)
thinly sliced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
pickle slices (optional)
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except for chicken, fillings, and sauce ingredients to make marinade. If it seems a little dry, add a little olive oil (a tablespoon at a time). Here is an excellent tahini recipe, if you do not have some handy.Add chicken, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferable overnight. In a stockpot or large saucepan, cook chicken over medium heat for 45 minutes or until done. Be sure not to overcook! If chicken becomes a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water throughout cooking duration.While chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce.
Combine sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside. Take the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and sprinkle with sumac. Add other filling ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.When the chicken is done, you can shred it, slice it, or leave into large pieces. As long as it it thinly cut, there is not much difference. I prefer to cut mine into wide strips.
Prepare the Pita
Place enough chicken on pita that cover 1/4 of the loaf. Add veggies and pour sauce. Roll like a soft taco or burrito and you have shawarma! You can also stuff the pocket of the pita if you like. I prefer to roll large pitas, but it is hard to find large loaves of pita at the supermarket.
