Middle Eastern Food Night

This post will contain all of the recipes we tried on Middle Eastern food and what I thought of them.  You are more than welcome to add your thoughts in comments if you think I left anything out.


Beef Shawarma:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lamb-shawarma/detail.aspx

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon ground mace
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 5 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips

Directions

1. Place the yogurt, water, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, onion, and garlic into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the salt, black pepper, cumin, nutmeg, clove, mace, and cayenne pepper until evenly blended. Mix in the lamb strips to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator 12 to 24 hours (the longer the better).
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Cook the lamb strips in a single layer in batches until the fat melts and the meat has browned and is no longer pink on the inside, about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Changes we made: 

-We only used 2.5 lbs of beef (I think it was steak, but I don't actually know)

-We doubled the sauce

-This had great flavor, but way too much cayenne.  I think I halved the cayenne, it just probably needs a dash so you can taste everything else. 

-I am pretty sure I halved or omitted the salt due to comments on this recipe, but I can't actually remember. 

Tahini Paste:

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-diy-tahi-29695


2 cups sesame seeds
1/4 cup olive oil


Heat a heavy wide-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the sesame seeds and toast lightly, about two minutes, shaking the pan so they cook evenly.  Let cool completely.  


Put in a food processor and drizzle in the olive oil.  Pulse for 3-5 minutes until it is smooth.  Add more olive oil as needed.  Refrigerate.  


Comments: 
-I didn't wait until it was completely cool.  I also got bored waiting for them to toast, so I didn't really toast them.  It all turned out 


Hummas:

Hummus

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/12/classic-hummus-three-ways-sugar-rush-reinvented-2.html

printed from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: The prepared hummus can be prepared and refrigerated 5 days in advance (don't add the parsley and cilantro until ready to serve). When ready to serve, stir in 1 tablespoon hot water to loosen up the texture of the hummus, if needed. Tahini can usually easily be found in the natural foods section of many grocery stores.

*Makes about 2 cups

3 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons

1/4 cup water

6 tablespoons tahini, stirred well

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch cayenne

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

Combine lemon juice and water in small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoons oil in second small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside 2 tablespoons chickpeas for garnish, if desired (I processed all the chickpeas in with the hummus).

Process chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas (if using) and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Flatbread:

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/02/flat-bread/

Ingredients

1 c. warm (105-115 F) water

2 packets or 1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

2 1/4-2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. Kosher salt, divided

In a small bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar and allow to stand for 10 minutes or until bubbly.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer, combine 2 c. flour, olive oil, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Add in yeast mixture and mix until combined. Add in another 1/4-1/2 c. of flour or until a very soft dough is formed. Cover with a clean towel and allow to stand about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Spray a baking sheet and then your hands with cooking spray. Punch dough down and then remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet and spread into a circle about 1/2″ thick and 11-12″-ish inches in diameter. Cover and allow to rise another 30 minutes.

While dough is rising, preheat oven to 400. When dough has risen, use your fingers to make indentations in the dough. Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with remaining Kosher salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool slightly and then just tear pieces off instead of cutting it–it just tastes better that way… :)

Comments: 

-Bruch it with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt before making the indentations, otherwise the salt and oil gets stuck in the holes.  THis isn't really a flatbread, it tasted more like an italian bread to me, but regardless it was way good and my preferred way to eat the hummus.  Although Danielle liked the hummus better on pita chips.  

Falafel:

We tried two falafel recipes that were both a little different from each other.  

1: Falafel from the mix at Winco.  I don't remember how to make it, but it says on the contain.  You find it near the bulk spices, but closer to the bulk taco seasoning.  

2: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/falafel-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas, picked through and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 8 warm pita bread, store bought or homemade recipe follows
• Tahini Sauce, recipe follows
• Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, chopped cucumbers

Directions

Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and add cool water to cover by 2 inches. Soak the beans in the refrigerator for at least 18 hours or up to 24; the chickpeas will swell to triple their original size. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

Put the soaked chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to coarsely grind, not until smooth but with no whole chickpeas remaining either. Add the baking powder, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs; process until the mixture is pureed; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while heating the oil, this should take about 15 minutes.

Pour 3-inches of the oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.

Roll the falafel mixture into ping-pong size balls. (Alternatively, use an ice cream scoop.) Carefully slip a few at a time into the hot oil, making sure they don't stick to the bottom. Fry until the chickpea fritters are a crusty dark brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the falafels with a slotted spoon and drain on a platter lined with paper towels.

Open the pita bread halves to make pockets (don't split all the way) and put 4 fried falafels into each. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and layer with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Serve immediately.

Tahini Sauce:

1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/2 cup plain yogurt or water

1 lemon, juiced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Pinch salt

Pinch paprika

Combine all the ingredients in a blender, process on high speed to make a smooth and creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning, to taste, and serve with falafels or as a salad dressing.

Yield: about 1 cup

Comments:

The falafel recipe we made exactly as is, except I forgot the salt and it needed salt.  The tahini sauce I ended up adding more yogurt and tahini to drown out the amount of lemon juice...I think I put too much.  Do not just eat this tahini sauce off your finger, its gross.  But I really enjoyed it with the falafel dipped in it.  Before this evening, I had only had tahini sauce as a salad dressing, but I think that this particular recipe would be too bitter. 

Tabuleh (or Tabuoli or Tabbuleh etc, etc): 

This was also bought in the bulk section at WinCo.  Its main component is bulgar, but it also tomatoes, parsley and other spices.  I really liked it.