May 21, 2012 by Dr. Lamya Almas
Lahoh reminds me of Ramadan in Aden. My mum would buy paper thin Lahoh from the Somali market and we would have them for Sahoor. I like to put some ghee on a skillet, crisp them, sprinkle sugar on top and enjoy with a cup of Adeni red tea. Yum. These are not the same kind because they have 3 kinds of flour in them, and buttermilk. My mother-in-law makes these. They come out so thin. Here’s the recipe, “Bismillah.”
You will need:
1) 1 and a 1/2 cup of white flour
2) 1/2 cup of wheat flour
3) 1/3 cup of millet flour
4) 3 cups of water
5) 1 cup of buttermilk [I used whole]
6) 1 tsp of black seed
7) 1 and 1/2 tsp of yeast
8) 1 and 1/2 tsp of sugar
9) 1 tsp of salt [I used sea salt]
Mix all the above ingredients together into a smooth batter. Let rise for approximately 2 hours–less if your home is warm enough. Place a skillet under medium high heat until it is hot, and then using a 1/4 cup measurement pour the batter onto the skillet and move the skillet around until the batter makes a thin coating. When it browns on the bottom and is nice and fluffy on top remove and continue until all the batter is done. Enjoy with your favorite sauce [try Glaba/Qlaba/Khusar] with it, or just with a little honey or ghee and sugar. It’s delish.
Mix ingredients
Has risen
Posted in Appetizers, Breads | 16 Comments »
May 21, 2012 by Dr. Lamya Almas
You might have come across this dish in Yemeni restaurants. Usually it’s meat [beef, lamb or chicken] with vegetables [popularly with potatoes or carrots]. You can add any vegetables you like. I added green beans and potatoes. Alright Bismillah let’s start. You will need:
1) 2 pounds of lamb cut into 2 bite-size cubes with or without bone
2) 2 medium onions diced
3) 3 tbslp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4) 1 red chili pepper cut down the middle
5) fistful of of green beans
6) 3 medium potatoes halved or quartered [you don't want them to look bigger than the meat so eyeball how you should cut them]
7) 3 cloves of garlic finely minced
8) 1 tsp of ground cumin
9) 1 tsp of ground coriander
10) 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
11) 1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
12) 1/4 of a cube of beef or chicken bouillon
13) tomato peeled and diced
14) salt to taste
15) 2 tblsp of cilantro finely chopped
I used a pressure cooker to cut on cooking time, but you can use a regular pot of course. Add the oil to the cooker/pot and let them saute. Add the garlic and let that cook, but make sure it does not burn. Then add the meat and let it cook for a little. Then add the rest of the ingredients except for the potatoes and let cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes, and then add a cup of water and close the pressure cooker, or cover if you are using a regular pot. Cook under medium low heat until meat is tender. Serve hot with bread.
Posted in Red Meat | 5 Comments »
May 20, 2012 by Dr. Lamya Almas
While you are browsing some of my recipes you will notice that many of them have this ingredient “Bisbas Ahmar Adani” or red chilly sauce [Adeni style]. Every home in Aden has a bottle of this in the refrigerator. I remember days when I would put open the fridge and realize I have run out, and then run down to the neighbors for a little bit to make lunch for that day. It’s absolutely necessary for Adeni cuisine. Some add garlic to the mix, but I don’t like to do that because some recipes don’t require garlic. If you can’t buy these dried red chilies from Aden, you can find some at your local grocery store in the Mexican section. You’ll find many kinds, but the kind that Adenis use are these:
Alright, so you will need to first cut off the stem to the chili pepper and get the seeks out. It’s okay if you can’t get all of them out, the rest will add some flavor. Then soak the peppers overnight [if you are in a hurry to use you can boil them until they are soft, but know that you are sacrificing flavor]. Then blend into a fine semi paste like sauce. Make sure you blend well, or else you will have pieces of the chili pepper that will get stuck in your throat–it makes for an uncomfortable experience. Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.
Here’s the process in pictures for you:
Cut them with scissors or leave whole
Soak in water
Soaked overnight
Blend well
- Done!
Posted in Tricks of the trade | 7 Comments »
May 20, 2012 by Dr. Lamya Almas
This is indeed a delicacy in Yemen. The feet are prepared in two different ways. One is to burn the hair off them and leave the feet intact — maybe bend and break at the joints. The other is to strip the layer of the skin with the hair as is done in this recipe. It needs muscle so use a sharp knife and get your husband to help. Let’s start and before we do remember the magic word “Bismillah”. You will need:
1) sheep feet cleaned
2) 2 cloves of garlic minced
3) 1/4 tsp of tumeric
4) 1 tsp of ground cumin
5) 1 tsp of ground coriander
6) Salt to taste
In a pressure cooker boil 5 cups of water. Once it comes to a boil add the sheep feet. Remove the foam that rises to the surface. Then add the garlic, spices and salt. Close the lid to the pressure cooker and leave on medium high for 1 hour and a 1/2 to 2 hours. The meat around the sheep feet should be so tender that they fall apart. As a friend of mine says until the meat says, “No chewing required. Just swallow.” Serve hot with slices of lemon and break.
Posted in Soups | 1 Comment »
May 19, 2012 by Dr. Lamya Almas
I have searched far and wide for a good pizza dough and none satisfied me. I needed a dough for a nice thin crust like the one I loved from Domino’s Pizza. So, finally this has worked for me very well. Let’s start Bismillah! For one pizza enough for 3-4 people:
1) 2 cups of white flour [I used organic white flour]
2) 1/2 tsp of salt [I used sea salt]
3) 1/2 tsp of sugar
Mix all the above dry ingredients together. Then come the liquid ingredients:
1) 2 1/4 tsp of yeast dissolve in 1/4 cup of warm water
2) 1/2 cup of warm water [it's best if you heat it up rather than use tap water]
3) 1 tblsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Mix the dry and liquid ingredients to make a dough. You may or may not need extra water to help it come together. Knead well on a surface by hand for 5 minutes or so. Place in an greased bowl for 10 minutes for a thin crust pizza, or 40-50 minutes for regular crust. Either way, once the dough has rested spread it out with your fingers [you may dip your hands in olive oil to help] to the desired size, or use a rolling pin to desired size–the thinner you want it the more you want it spread out, Then prick it with a fork and bake for 5 minutes in a 500 degree oven before you use your favorite toppings and bake again in the oven.
For toppings I made some tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes from the farmer’s market. I immersed the in hot water, peeled and diced them. Cooked the tomatoes in olive oil, with garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and a little tomato paste. Make sure you don’t put too much sauce, or else the pizza will get soggy. Made some meat balls using ground beef , garlic, oregano, cracked black pepper and salt. Added some green olives, and Mozzarella cheese [fresh and shredded]. You can basically use any toppings you like. Then bake in a preheated 500 degree oven until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned. Enjoy with ranch dressing.
Posted in Breads | Leave a Comment »
May 19, 2012 by Dr. Lamya Almas
We use these in dishes like the Shurbah in Ramadhan [insha Allah will be posting soon], Zurbiyan, Sayadiyyah, Kabsat Shrimp. It’s nice to have it on hand when you need it rather than having to go through the process of making them every time you need them. This is a way for you to make some in advance and store for later use, especially during the month of Ramadhan when you want to cut down on time spent in the kitchen.
Take some onions and cut them into thin or thick slices, according to taste. Toss them in some flour, and fry them. Let them drain on a paper towel. Let them cool down completely before you store them in a plastic or glass jar.
Posted in Tricks of the trade | 2 Comments »
May 15, 2012 by Dr. Lamya Almas
Quick and delicious salad. Yallah Bismillah! You will need:
1) 2 ripe avocados cubed
2) 1 big tomato cubed
3) 1/2 medium red onion finely chopped
4) 1 small green chilly pepper finely chopped
5) 1 garlic clove finely minced or 1/4 tsp of garlic powder
6) 2 tbslp of finely chopped cilantro
7) salt to taste
8) juice of 1 lemon [or less depending on your taste]
9) 1 tbslp of plain yogurt
Mix all ingredients together and serve chilled with pita bread.
Posted in Appetizers | Leave a Comment »
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