Foods of Egypt. Recipes please!

[FaithManor]

I do not know how I get myself into these things. But, I'm going to be involved in a fundraiser for a doctor who will be working in a free clinic in North Africa - in and of itself, a great thing and a cause I am fully behind - AND IT INVOLVES COOKING! The very thing I really hate.

 

Sigh, I am certain I can get other cooks so long as I have recipes they can easily follow and if I do the shopping. I'll need to be as authentic as possible but understand I will be dealing with the limitations of shopping in an area without a Middle Eastern market.

 

Suggestions?

[Mrs Mungo]

Rice, rice with shredded chicken, hummus, pita bread, falafel, moussaka, baklava, lots of pickled veggies, kofta, marinated olives-these are some of the main things that I'm familiar with that you find in Egypt. Hold on, I have recipes for some of these.

[FaithManor]

Thanks! As soon as I am through rehab and off restrictions,I want to try falafel and other bean recipes in particular. A !ot of the men who attend this event will be expecting meat and a good bit of it. I want to be fairly authentic and in order to fill them up, expect to serve beans in large amounts and more than one variety.

 

[greenvneck]

I think for Egypt that falafel and hummus are traditionally made with fava beans rather than chickpeas. IDK if that helps, that's all I know. And injera, isn't that Egyptian?

ETA: nope, Ethiopian. Oops.

[greenvneck]

Ful Medames is something that is going on my menu list ASAP!

[FaithManor]

Ful Medames is something that is going on my menu list ASAP!

That looks good. I've never cooked with fava beans so that is on the agenda.

[Amira]

Are you looking for appetizer/mezze types of dishes, or entrees, or side dishes, or street food?  Or a mix of everything?  

[FaithManor]

Are you looking for appetizer/mezze types of dishes, or entrees, or side dishes, or street food?  Or a mix of everything?  

A mixture because this will be a sit down dinner fundraiser with a meet and greet at the beginning so appetizers needed and question and answer after with dessert. I just want to take this opportunity to say it's very sad to be a gluten free person when baklava is around!

[Aiden]

Koshary. Absolutely koshary! It's the one dish that I know of that's really Egyptian, not Lebanese-but-eaten-a-lot-in-Egypt. You can find it in stalls on the street all the way up to sit-down fine dining.

 

I never learned how to make it, but I understand that it's easy though time-consuming. Let me find a recipe ...

[Aiden]

This koshary recipe looks pretty authentic ...

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/egyptian-koshary/

 

 

Edited to add: I limit gluten ... this is NOT a good meal for that! But koshary is so tasty that all my gluten reservations go out the window, and I eat like there's no tomorrow :)

[idnib]

I'm of no help. I read the title, made a bad assumption, and came in here to make a mummified chicken joke.  :leaving:

[Spy Car]

I'll second Aiden's suggestion of Kushari (Koshary). It is a very specifically Egyptian dish built in layers, with a lentil and rice mixture forming the bottom layer, with a pasta layer above, then a red sauce of tomato and vinegar (sometimes spicy), and finally topped with copious amounts of carmelized onions (the best part).

 

No matter how many onions a recipie calls for use more (way more!) and really let them cook slowly and carmelize.

 

Bill

[Liz CA]

Kunafeh (there are some spelling variations) and here is a link:

 

http://arabiczeal.com/tag/kunafeh/

 

Then there is also a dish that consists of either orzo pasta or rice, cooked, then sauteed in oil with a little honey - very tasty. Don't remember what this is called exactly.

[Amira]

If you're up to it, I'd suggest making flatbread ('aysh) instead of buying it (and you have to have flatbread and lots of it).  If you don't have much of a Middle Eastern population in your area, you're not going to be able to buy decent flatbread.  

 

Koushary is great, filling, inexpensive food.  If you make that, and I think it would be good, you might consider having two different sauces- one that's traditionally vinegary and spicy, and one that's a little more toned-down.

 

For mezzes, ful and ta'amiya would be my first choices since they're more specifically Egyptian rather than more generally Levantine and/or Arab (like Aiden said, there are lots of things eaten in Egypt that are imported from other places).  Baba ganouj, tahina, hummus, and tabbouleh would work too, but they're not so Egyptian.  A different variation of hummus is one where the garbanzos are left whole and tossed with tahina, lemon, garlic, and spices.

 

If you can find mulukhiyah, you might try cooking with that, although it wouldn't be to everyone's taste (unless you live in a place where okra is popular, and then it might be. :))

 

Kibbeh and dolma (stuffed grape leaves) are other non-Egyptian options, but they can be fairly time consuming unless you have a group (and nimble fingers).

 

Roz bi laban (rice pudding) is an easy dessert that reminds me of Egypt.  Rice pudding is popular all over the place, but there are Egyptian versions out there.

 

Claudia Roden's books are great places to find Egyptian recipes.  She includes recipes from all over the Middle East, but she was born and raised in Egypt.

 

I wish I were moving to Cairo next!

[umsami]

Every Egyptian's favorite is something called macarona béchamel.  It's a lot like pastito.  Here's a basic recipe.  You can also add some cinnamon to the ground beef/tomato mixture.  Claudia Roden has a good recipe.  Mine is:

 

Sautee one chopped onion in some olive oil.  Add in 1 pound ground beef(well, actually I use 1.25 pounds), salt, and pepper and cook until well browned. (Can also sprinkle in cinnamon…but that is really optional.)

 

Once brown, add in one can of tomato sauce and let cook for about 5 minutes.  Taste….adjust salt/pepper.

 

 

Meanwhile start some water boiling….and start on your béchamel sauce.

 

 

Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan, and when melted add in 5 Tablespoons of flour.  Stir/whisk the flour in the hot butter until cooked for about one minute, then slowly add in 4-1/2 cups of milk.  YOu can nuke the milk first to make it faster…or just add in about half a cup at a time…whisk….add more.   Add salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg.  Many Egyptian women will add a beef stock cube to the béchamel.  Continue stirring and take off the heat when thick.

 

 

Boil one pound of penne….and undercook it by one minute.  So 8 minutes if it says 9-11 on the package.

 

Drain.  Now add about 1/3-1/2 of the béchamel mixture to the penne….and stir to coat.

 

Take a nice large foil pan (we buy them in bulk at Sam's)…or a Lasagna pan….and spray with Pam.   Put half of the béchamel coated penne in the pan, and then spread the beef/tomato mixture over the top.   Then add the rest of the béchamel.   Add a beaten egg to the remaining béchamel, and then pour that on top.  Ideally you want to cover everything….and push down as best you can any penne guys who stick up.

 

Bake in a 400 degree oven for about one hour…or until very nice and golden.   Serve with salad.

 

 

 

For salad….make Fattoush…using Claudia Roden's recipe.  (Google).

 

 

You can also make fasoulia wa row…..green beans in meat sauce with rice…which is very easy/typical Egyptian family meal.  Here is a typical recipe http://abissadacooks.blogspot.com/2011/11/dinner-fasolia-wa-roz-beans-and-rice.html

 

 

Koshary….if you try it, the key is in making the onions nearly black.  You need a ton of them…. double whatever you think or any recipe suggests…..and they have to be so deeply caramelized that they are almost black.  You also need to make sure that the tomato sauce is very vinegary.   Most Egyptians I know don't make it at home….it's one of the things you usually buy outside.  It's Egyptian fast food, for lack of a better term.

 

 

Ful Medames is easy to make, but it's an acquired taste.  If you have an Arabic grocery store, you can buy canned fuul.  You then want to sautee onion in olive oil….add in some chopped seeded tomato…..sautee some more…. add in the drained fuul, but keep the water.   Mash them in the pan with a fork into the hot oil….. add in a swirl of tahini, salt, pepper, cumin, and some more olive oil.  Serve with hard boiled eggs, and bread.

 

 

For dessert, kunafa if you can find kunafa (Shredded phyllo) is easy.  The cheese filling can be hard to duplicate, so make a vanilla pastry cream.  You can also do the same thing with baklava (phyllo).  Egyptians call it gollash, though….not baklava.

 

 

[umsami]

You can also make fattah….which is a traditional Egyptian celebration dish.  It can be made with beef or lamb.   Often times people will make a soup with the broth called bird tongue in Arabic.  (That refers to the fact that it uses orzo, which is called bird tongue in Arabic.)  It's simple…the broth is seasoned with cardamom….and there is usually just the pasta.  If it's a chicken broth, a lot of lemon is added.

 

 

The Egyptian version of fattah uses a very garlicy tomato sauce, a lot like koshary.   This is a basic recipe   http://www.wasfasahla.com/cooking_recipes.aspx?section=ck1513&recipeId=124   but they like tomato paste, we always use tomato sauce.  To make the sauce…..sautee in olive oil 8-10 cloves of garlic chopped….with salt and pepper….then add in the can of tomato sauce…..cook for about 5-10 minutes, and then add in 1/3 cup of vinegar.  You want it vinegary/garlicy.

 

 

 

 

PM me if you need help.  I've been married to an Egyptian for the past 12 years, and have been working on Egyptian cooking for that time.  

 

 

"Dining on the NIle" is a good cookbook geared towards AMericans.  "Nile Style" is also great.  If your library has Claudia Roden's "New Book of Middle Eastern Food"….anything in there would work. :)   Amy Riolo wrote "Nile Style" and has some good recipes on her blog. http://amyriolo.com  http://amyriolo.blogspot.com/?view=classic

[FaithManor]

Wow everyone! Thanks! We'll be raising money for some equipment for a hospital and I want to make sure it is a really special evening. I am going to try to get the cookbooks you suggested Umsami. I am also going to employ my mom and mil who are grat cooks! I am the type of cook who doesn't enjoy keeping and keeps it ver simple. Funny how I am ending up planninv the meal, LOL. But, I will mostly be able to assign it to others once the dishes and recipes are decided on and supplies purchased.

[umsami]

Oh, one wonderful appetizer is to make meat pies.  You can make it super easy on yourself and use either canned biscuits rolled out as the dough, purchased bread dough, crescent roll dough, or purchased pie dough.  The yogurt/lemon juice mixture really makes it good IMHO.  This is close to what I use…..http://www.chucklingpigblog.com/2010/03/lebanese-meat-pies

 

 

Hummus bil tahini! It's authentic.  Everybody loves it.  I think I usually use the ATK recipe, but I'm not sure.  (There's one that adds a little cold water, and IMHO, it really does help make it smooth.)  If you're going to be needing a lot of tahini, buy it on Amazon.  Usually grocery stores only carry the Joyva brand, which is expensive.  

 

 

Fried cauliflower is a favorite appetizer…but I"m not sure if frying is reasonable. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fried-cauliflower-egyptian-style/

 

 

Baba ghanoush is a great appetizer and can be made ahead too.

 

 

 

Red lentil soup is easy to make and cheap.  Buy the lentils in a Pakistani/Indian store if you have one near by.  You can also buy them at Trader Joe's and in the bulk bin of health food stores.  

 

1 large onion, chopped
3 T olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 - 1-1/2 tsp cumin
1 - 1-1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 3/4 red lentils
1 stick of celery w/ leaves
1 carrot finely chopped
2 Quarts Chicken Stock or Veggie Stock (I use the Swanson giant cardboard container... but I've made this with bouillion cubes before, homemade as well)
Salt & Pepper

Sautee the onion in the olive oil in large saucepan until soft, but not browned.

Add garlic, cumin, and coriander. Stir and saute for a minute or two.

Add the lentils, celery, and carrot... saute for a minute, then add the stock.

Bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes until the lentils have disintegrated. Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point, I like to puree it with an immersion blender... but you don't have to. You may need to add some more stock/water at this point (or when reheating) if it's too thick.

DH's likes to squeeze in a bit of lemon when he eats it. I'm usually too lazy to do that.

I serve it with my version of fattoush salad (chopped salad w/ pita bits.)

Dressing is from Claudia Roden...so it's traditional... I just don't add all of the variety of greens (usually because I can't find them.):

5 T olive oil
1 to 1-1/2 lemons (juiced)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely diced
salt & pepper

Whisk together in a small bowl. I usually start with juice from one lemon, and add more if needed.
Salad Bit:
1/4 onion, 1-2 shallots, or a few scallions
2-3 tomatoes
1 cucumber (I usually use two small Israeli or kirby cukes)
1 carrot or handful of baby carrots
handful of parsley (flat leaf, if available)
Hearts of Romaine Lettuce
Pita Chips (see above)
Salt
Pepper
Vinegar

Slice the onions very finely and put in a big bowl. Sprinkle with salt (1 tsp or so) and pepper. Then add one capful of vinegar.

Dice the tomatoes finely and add.

Dice the cucumber finely as well. (You can peel and de-seed if you like. I'm usually too lazy.)

Finely chop carrots and add.

Finely chop parsley and add.

Finely chop romaine lettuce as well. (Think of chopped salads you've had.) You don't want to use too much... want relatively even amounts of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber.

Mix with your hands. Add pita chips and mix again with hands.

Pour on the dressing...mix again.

Enjoy!

 

 

You can make a normal rice pudding and then decorate it with a mixture of any of the following….chopped almonds, pistachios, coconut, dried apricots, and dried dates to make it look more Egyptian.  You can also make a simple vanilla cornstarch pudding called mallhabaya and do the same with decorations.

 

If you want, you can try and make mammoul.  You can ignore the rose water…and just use vanilla.  No need to use a mould, you can just use a fork to kind of make a design.  http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/2012/01/15/mamoul-cookies/

 

An easier cookie to make is called ghorayba.  Some recipes call for clarified butter (semna/ghee), but I've used normal butter just fine.  (Most Egyptians have a big can of the stuff….it's kind of like Egyptian Crisco.)   http://www.foodofegypt.com/08/01/butter-cookies-ghorayeba/

 

Basboussa is a favorite dessert too.  It's a semolina cake.  Serve it with whipped cream.  http://www.nestle-family.com/recipes/english/by-method-baked-dishes_Basbousa-with-Almond_9457.aspx

 

Another famous Egyptian dessert is called Um/Om Ali.  It's basically a bread pudding made with puff pastry.  You can make it with the frozen stuff, and some people say you can just use croissants (like buy a big box at your warehouse store).  This recipe is good, but you don't need to do the whipping of the cream, just add it to the milk as it heats.  Use whatever nuts you can find easily.  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/om-ali/

[FaithManor]

Umsami, how many servings would you say your recipe for red lentil soup makes? I would like to make it for the committee - 9 people- for the planning meeting in Sept. if I am up to it.

[umsami]

Umsami, how many servings would you say your recipe for red lentil soup makes? I would like to make it for the committee - 9 people- for the planning meeting in Sept. if I am up to it.

 

It serves our family of 6 (2 adults, 4 kids) with a little leftover.  To be on the safe side, I'd make a double batch.  It does freeze well. :)  I like to have an extra container of chicken broth on hand when reheating, in case it got too thick in the 'fridge.  Really good with pita chips.  You can buy them at the store, or just split pita in half so that you have two circles, and put it on a cookie sheet at 350 (or whatever temp your oven is at for another recipe).  Remove when crunchy.  Break up, and put into a ziploc baggie until ready to serve.

[umsami]

Oh, if you don't have coriander, I've seen it in the Badia spices at the store.  You could also just omit it and use just cumin.

[FaithManor]

I do have corriander. I LOVE cumin!

 

I'll do a double batch and try the leftovers at home with a rice based chip since I can't have the wheat. Yum, yum.

 

I sure do appreciate the help and recipes!

 

[umsami]

I've yet to see GF pita, but my DS wants me to try and make some.  

 

Found this: http://www.thebakingbeauties.com/2014/04/gluten-free-pita-bread.html   :)

[stripe]

Ful Medames is easy to make, but it's an acquired taste.  

And will result in major gas for those who aren't used to it. Those beans are serious, girl. And they have zero taste; it's all about the sauce.

 

All Egyptians I know are crazy about macarona and koshari. Basbousa is very easy and tasty, so you should make that, as it's not labor intensive.

 

 

If you can find mulukhiyah, you might try cooking with that, although it wouldn't be to everyone's taste (unless you live in a place where okra is popular, and then it might be.  :))

 

:lol: By the way, it is usually translated as "Jew's marrow," so that might be on the label. It's usually sold frozen. It's like really slimy spinach.

[FaithManor]

I may not enjoy cooking, but I am very certain the eating part is ngoing to be bliss! LOL

 

I know you said I don't need the moulds, but I might splurge. They look so beautiful, and would contribute to the authenticity of the meal.

[stripe]

I know you said I don't need the moulds, but I might splurge. 

It's like shortbread that's made in molds, only the molds are thicker to accommodate the stuffing.

[umsami]

Mulukhiya is an acquired taste.  It is really slimy like okra.  Most non-Egyptians that I know do not like it.

You can buy it dried or frozen.  Usually you make a kind of slimy soup with it and serve it with chicken and rice (or rabbit my DH would say.  Umsami won't cook Bugs Bunny, though.)

[FaithManor]

Mulukhiya is an acquired taste.  It is really slimy like okra.  Most non-Egyptians that I know do not like it.

You can buy it dried or frozen.  Usually you make a kind of slimy soup with it and serve it with chicken and rice (or rabbit my DH would say.  Umsami won't cook Bugs Bunny, though.)

Well, the good news is that to cook for 100 who will have paid $100.00 each for the evening - goal is to get a used ultrasound machine, defribulator, and a couple of other vitally necessary items plus pay the freight and import taxes - it would be hard to come up with that much rabbit, so I should probably avoid "slimy" as a potential end of evening description of the food! LOL

[umsami]

I would check and see if there are any Egyptian or Muslim doctors on staff at the local hospitals….or professors at a local college.  Egyptians tend to be everywhere.  DH was in the UP at a restaurant, and found that somebody had marked visiting there from Cairo.  They or their wives might help.

 

You might be able to get somebody who will roast a lamb in a pit…kind of like they do pigs in Hawaii.

 

 

If it's going to be anytime soon, one favorite Egyptian thing is called mashi (which means stuffed, I think).  They stuff any and all veggies….but zucchini is a favorite.  There is a special tool for coring out the zucchinis, but you can also slice them lengthwise, stuff them, and then put the tops back on.  (Note; I do not recommend paying $19.00 for one.  I want to say there are typically $4-5.)

 

http://www.food.com/recipe/cousa-mashi-arabic-stuffed-zucchini-363420

 

 

 

 

 

[stripe]

There is a special tool for coring out the zucchinis, but you can also slice them lengthwise, stuff them, and then put the tops back on.  (Note; I do not recommend paying $19.00 for one.  I want to say there are typically $4-5.)

*Please* do not pay $19 for one.  Mamoul molds should be about $4-5 too. 

[FaithManor]

Well, the onenthing we never run out of in this area is zucchini!  :lol:

[Um_2_4]

A trip to Detroit should yield all you need LOL. Or you might try contacting this brand (I have been happy with their quality, versus some imported stuff is only ok) to bulk order some stuff. (falafel mix, tahini, olive oil (theirs is EXCELLENT), hummus)  Also Amazon carries a lot, just shop around on their site. Some bakeries might be willing to ship you bread for 100 people, assume about 2-3 loaves per person , so 200-300 loaves???

If this is more "semi formal" versus a buffet  I think I would serve the following:

appetizers:

small falafel on a pita wedge with sauce (the ziyad brand mix is very good and on amazon for a decent price)

small meat pies

small spinach pies

baba ganooush with pita wedges

 

soup: a lentil soup like this with fried pita bread chips on the side

 

salad: a typical fatoush recipe, but just my advice, fry the bread not bake it or it won't last long in the salad. Just my experience.

 

main dish either roasted chicken with a good spice mix (like 7 spices, yogurt, etc) or kafta kabobs (again spices make all the difference and use a good meat like ground lamb, camel is good, but not sure you can get that :laugh: ) served with a rice pilaf made with vermicelli (saut t hem in butter quickly till light brown, then add rice, stir add salt, then add water, cook on low till done) and topped with toasted almonds/pinenuts. Make a good sauce with yogurt/garlic/cucmber/mint and then you could make small dishes of bechameli pasta as a side (my aunt taught me to make it with an egg beaten and mixed with the pasta after draining it and then layer in a VERY well greased pan and then top with the meat sauce (cinnamon and nutmeg are key for me) and then top with more of the pasta then the white sauce. I usually add some white cheese to my white sauce like a queso fresco type cheese.) Or some stuffed Kousa <<<video so you can see> (called mexican squash or winter squash here, I tried zucchini once and found it too thin skinned/walled).

 

dessert I would do small serving sizes of um Ali (really easy) and some rice pudding or the pudding below . If you are going for authentic the orange blossom water really makes the dessert. You can order it online (amazon) or maybe bulk order (though you wouldn't need much LOL). Also if you could find someone willing to make them: atayif . They look very nice on a platter and are oh so good. Although I prefer the nut stuffed ones .  Sfoof is an easy cake to make and looks pretty as it is very yellow and cut usually into diamonds and topped with sliced almonds. Here is my best friend's mom's recipe and it never fails:

 

2.5 c flour

1.5 c semolina

1.5 c sugar

3 tsp baking pwdr

2 TB Tumeric (yes 2 Tablespoons)

1 c oil

1 c milk

1 c water

 

mix all, pour into a well greased tray (think jelly roll size, but with good sides), sprinkled silvered almonds on top, bake at 350F for exactly 30 minutes, cool and cut into diamonds

 

This is a spiced rice pudding that should be easy to find ingredients for:

1 c rice flour (most asian markets will carry this)

1 1/2 c sugar

2 TB cinnamon

8 tsp ground caraway

7 c water

 

mix all and stir over low till thick (do not stop stirring till done, take turns with someone) (makes 9 good size servings), pour into cups, cool, top with powdered coconut, ground pistachios, silvered almonds, pinenuts, ground walnuts before serving. Looks very nice on a plate.

 

This is just from my experience serving large groups. Moulkhiya is good, but messy and maybe not popular. Koshari is a common egyptian food, but either you love it or you don't and I would feel like I was serving fast food at a formal event. kwim? Not to mention all that onion breath  :lol: .

 

 

 

[KungFuPanda]

I think you can be completely authentic, OR you can make people happy. For a large crowd at a sit down dinner, I'd do rice, a chopped salad, chicken kabobs and kofta, pita, and hummus. Add some tea a few desserts and and maybe some almonds and olives in there to make it nicer. These are the sorts of spreads I see in Egyptian restaurants when I go for a bellydance show. It's usually served family style at the table. Often there is a giant platter of rice with the meat on top (often bone-in chicken or lamb) and a separate platter with vegetables. Keep baskets of pita on the table and bring the hummus and olives out before the meal as an appetizer. Add feta to the salad if you wish.

 

Hire a local folkloric bellydance troupe to perform. They'll do family friendly dances in full-coverage costumes and your guests will feel they've had an 'experience' despite the relatively cheap chicken-rice-bean meal.