The Arabian nights cookbook: from lamb kebabs to baba ghanouj, delicious homestyle Arabian cooking

163 Pages·2010·5.49 MB·English

by  Habeeb Salloum

Appetizers and Snacks 1
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22 the Arabian nights Cookbook
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A
rabian
q

t he
n
ights
q
Cookbook
From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj,
Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking
Habeeb Salloum
Photography by Suan I. Lim
Styling by Chow Chui Lin
TUTTLE Publishing
Tokyo Rutland, Vermont Singapore
Appetizers and Snacks 3
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Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of
Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
www.tuttlepublishing.com
Text copyright © 2010 Habeeb Salloum
Map and photos copyright © 2010 Periplus
Editions (HK) Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without prior written
permission from the publisher.
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contents
The Diversity of Modern Arab Gulf Cooking 8
Useful Tools and Implements 13
Essential Arabian Ingredients 16
26 Basic Recipes
Crunchy Pickled Garlic 26
Tangy Hot Tomato Sauce 27
Creamy Garlic Sauce 27
Chapter 2
Orange Blossom Syrup 27 44 Salads
Saudi-Style White Rice 28
Arabian Gulf Spice Mix 28 Creamy Cucumber and Bell Pepper Salad 46
Creamy Yogurt Spread 29 Zesty Tomato and Fresh Coriander Salad 47
Creamy Cucumber and Yogurt Salad 30 Spicy Eggplant Salad 48
Coriander and Yogurt Salad 30 Warm and Spicy Potato Salad 49
Homemade Plain Yogurt 31 Fresh Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Sumac 49
Orange and Olive Salad 50
Refreshing Green Salad 51
Diced Vegetable Salad with Tahini Dressing 52
Chapter 1 Tabbouleh 53
32 Appetizers and
Snacks
Roasted Eggplant Purée 34 Chapter 3
54
Classic Hummus Chickpea Purée 35 Soups
Stuffed Grape Leaves 36
Noodle Soup with Tomatoes and Fresh Green Chili
Spiced Chickpea Kebabs 38
Pepper 56
Aromatic Chickpea Fritters 39
Spicy Broad Bean Soup 57
Yogurt and Tahini Dip with Fresh Herbs 40
Creamy Tomato and Chickpea Soup 58
Deviled Eggs, Arabian-Style 41
Spiced Lentil Soup with Lemon 59
Sesame Seed Sticks 42
Hearty Meat and Bulghur Soup 59
Red Bell Pepper Dip with Pine Nuts 43
Aromatic Barley and Lentil Soup 60
Mixed Vegetable Puréed Soup 60
Noodle Soup with Lamb and Spinach 61
Chicken Noodle Soup 62
Richly Spiced Seafood Soup 63
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Chapter 4
64 Chicken Dishes
Barbecued Chicken Slices 66
Baked Chicken with Almonds and Rice 67
Chapter 6
Garlicky Chicken Kebabs 68 111 Seafood and fish
Tender Chicken with Creamy Milk Rice 69
Dishes
Tandoori Chicken, Omani-Style 70
Saudi-Style Chicken ’n Rice 71 Fish Fillets in an Aromatic Red Sauce 94
Gulf-Style Pasta with Chicken 72 Grilled Marinated Fish Kebabs 95
Roast Chicken with Saffron Rice Stuffing 73 Lightly Breaded Fish in a Tangy Tomato Sauce 96
Aromatic Chicken and Rice with Almonds and Perfect Fish Cakes 97
Raisins 74 Kuwaiti Fish Curry 98
Lemony Chicken Stew 75 Easy Tuna Salad and Rice, Omani-Style 99
Sautéed Fish Fillets with Lentils and Rice 100
Fried Fish with Spicy Rice 101
Shrimp Balls in a Tangy Sauce 102
Chapter 5
Whole Fish with Garlic and Fresh Coriander 103
76 Meat Dishes
Elegant Sautéed Fish Fillets with Nutty Rice 104
Lamb in a Savory Sauce with Pita Bread 78 Saudi-Style Shrimp ’n Rice 105
Golden Meat Turnovers 78
Hearty Lamb Stew with Vegetables 80
Batter-Fried Meatballs 81
Chapter 7
Mini Saudi Pizzas 82
106 Vegetarian Dishes
Tender Beef Simmered in Yogurt 83
Aromatic Roast Leg of Lamb 84 Spicy Falafel Patties 108
Thick and Rich Lamb Pottage 85 Hearty Bulghur Simmered in Tangy Yogurt 109
Baked Lamb Kebabs with Aromatic Spices 86 Puréed Lentils with Fried Garlic and Pita
Spicy Meatballs in a Creamy Yogurt Sauce 87 Croutons 110
Stuffed Lamb or Veal 88 Spinach and Chickpeas with Garlic and Lemon
Savory Lamb Tartare 90 111
Lamb and Okra Stew 90 Fresh Herb Omelet 112
Grilled Lamb Chops 91 Spicy Chickpea Stew 113
Sweetened Vermicelli Omelet 113
Rice and Lentils Topped with Caramelized
Onions 114
Mung Beans and Rice with Almonds 115
Spicy Vegetarian Turnovers 116
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Chapter 8
Breads, rice
118
and Side Dishes
Wafer-Thin Bedouin Pancakes 120
Sweet Holiday Biscuits 121
Pita Bread 122
Onions Stuffed with Meat and Rice 123
Aromatic Rice with Almonds 123
Date Syrup Rice 124
Rice with Arabian Truffles 124
Three-Spice Rice with Pine Nuts and Raisins 125
Cauliflower Sautéed with Chili Peppers and Fresh
Coriander 126
Aromatic Baked Tomato Slices 127
Delicious Stuffed Zucchini 128
Chapter 9
130 Desserts
Chapter 10
144 Drinks
Sweet Saffron Custard with Pistachios and
Pine Nuts 132 Iced Yogurt Drink with Fresh Mint 146
Cardamom Fritters with Walnuts in Orange- Cardamom-Spiced Hot Milk 147
Blossom Syrup 133 Omani-Style Coffee 148
Irresistable Baklava 134 Real Arab Coffee Made Just Right 149
Cardamom-Scented Fruit Salad 136 Saudi Style “Chai” 150
Crispy Doughnuts in Sweet Syrup 137 Lemon Tea 151
Creamy Custard Perfumed with Rosewater 137 Cinnamon Tea 151
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cardamom Shortbreads 138 Pomegranate Juice Spritzer 152
Saudi-Style Crepes filled with Sweetened Hot Ginger Milk Flavored with Cloves 153
Almonds 140 Aniseed Tea 153
Sweet Bread Pudding 141
Filo Wrapped Nut Rolls 142
Sweet Date Pudding 143 Resource Guide 154
Acknowledgements 157
Index 158
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The Diversity of Modern
Arab Gulf Cooking
The first time I was introduced to the modern style of Arab Gulf the coasts, dominated the cuisine of the region. The choice of
cooking was in the early 1980s, during a trip to the United Arab ingredients was limited. It basically consisted of rice and sea-
Emirates. A gentleman in Dubai, whom I barely knew, invited food brought by Arab dhows—the Arab lateen-rigged boats
me to a wedding. I had known this person for only a few days that traded along the coasts of East Africa and the Indian sub-
but in the true spirit of Arab hospitality, which is still widely continent. As the centuries rolled by, these renowned ships
practiced in the Arab Gulf countries, he invited me to his son’s of commerce returned with the spices of India and of the
wedding. As is the case in all the Gulf countries, when it comes Indonesian archipelago. Soon, the simple yet delicious foods
to festive occasions, the mainstay is traditional food. of Arab lands became infused with the aromatic fragrances of
Kharouf Mihshee (whole roast stuffed lamb), Makbous these exotic spices.
(fish with lentils and rice), Harees (lamb stew) and other tra- Despite the simplicity of their everyday foods, for hon-
ditional Arab Gulf dishes were all there. What surprised me ored guests the Bedouin would always serve roast lamb with
at that time was that these old standards were enhanced by rice in their desert tents (and continue to do so to this day!).
a good number of other dishes, mostly from the Greater Syria Along the eastern coast of this ancient land, where merchant
area—such as Baklava, Classic Hummus Chickpea Purée, ships brought spices, the inhabitants created their own ver-
Baba Ghanouj (Roasted Eggplant Purée), and Shawarma (Bar- sion of roast lamb by adding many more spices to the rice,
becued Chicken Slices). In the ensuing years, during more and sometimes served fish instead of lamb. Roast lamb has
than a dozen trips to the region, I found that the number of come down to us today as the quintessential Arab Gulf dish—
foreign dishes appearing on Arab Gulf tables kept increasing one that is reserved for special occasions.
year after year, but were almost always adapted to the tastes The historical links between the Arab Gulf countries and
of the cook or region. the Indian sub-continent through shipping and trade led to
It was the same in Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
Roaming through these countries, I dined in the homes of a
number of locals and expatriates, and in many restaurants Arab Hospitality
and hotels, and it was always the same—traditional dishes Western visitors usually dine on tables set with plates,
were served alongside what once had been foreign dishes. An knives, forks and china while Arab guests are served
offering of both the old and new had become standard fare. in the traditional manner—dishes of food are set on a
The people of the Gulf countries had become cosmopolitan, cloth spread over a carpet on the floor, a centuries-old
especially in their cuisine. tradition with its roots in Bedouin tent dining. Arab
Yet this was not always so. hospitality ensures that visitors, no matter from what
part of the world, feast in comfort. It is common for
Traditional Arab Gulf Cooking guests to be given the best seats around the platter of
Long before the modern boundaries were drawn in the sand food, with distinguished guests of honor typically being
to create the Arab Gulf nations, the people who inhabited this seated near the host, and to be served the choicest cuts
area were either nomadic (with a meat-based diet) or were of meat. The host might say: “You have honored our
clustered along the coastlines and followed a fishing and a home!” or “We feel you are part of the family!” and “Do
merchant lifestyle (and seafood-based diet). For untold cen- not stay away too long—our home is your home!” Guests
turies, the simple Bedouin foods of the Arabian Peninsula, a are made to feel that they are part of the family and are
largely desert landscape, and the pearl diver’s foods along never allowed to feel that they are strangers.
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