A Yemeniyah's Recipes

I waited long to meet my college mate from Yemen, who is currently married and  living in Buffalo/New York to show me how to make this Aseeda. With Aseeda, it is best to see it made in front of you–but I to be able to help you make it with this entry. This is a very rich Aseeda, and can be eaten with honey or the soup [maraq] that it usually comes with. So, choose either or. Plus there is an ingredient that you have to get from Yemen–but you can choose to leave it out if it’s not available on hand. The concentrated tamarind–that by the way is optional but an absolute necessity for us from the southern part of Yemen–will give the soup [maraq] the dark color.

You will need:

1) 2 tblsp of burned onion–this is the ingredient that we usually get in Yemen. But I think if you absolutely want it, then you can fry some onions, until they are dark, and then wait for them to cool and then grind them.

2) 1 whole chicken–cut into four parts.

3) 4 cloves–whole

4) 2 tblsp of oil–I use Olive Oil.

Place all of these in a pot and let cook under medium heat, for about 5-6 minutes. Then add:

5) 2 whole cardimon

6) 1 onion –finely chopped.

7) 1 small tomato–finely chopped.

8 ) 2 cups of water

9) 1/2 tsp of black pepper

10) 1/8 of tsp of cream of tartar

11) 1 tsp of concentrated tamarind–this is optional

12) salt to taste

Let boil until it all comes together, and the oil moves up to the surface. Turn off and leave aside. Now it is time to make the Aseeda. First combine equal parts of three flours–if you have any left you can place in a container and store for future use:

1) 2 cups white flour

2) 2 cups finely ground corn flour

3) 2 cups of Juwar flour

Combine all three–the amount really depends on how much aseeda you are making. It it very filling, so don’t be fooled by how little it is, because usually a little goes a long way. In a pot–medium sized pot add:

1) 2 cups of butter milk

2)1 cup of milk

3) salt to taste–make sure the salt is enough because it is what will salt the flour that you will be adding to this as we go along.

Let boil. Once it starts bubbling–using a whisk first, and later on as it gets thicker either an aseeda paddle [you can buy this from Yemen] or a strong wooden paddle [by strong I mean it won’t break easily as you work the dough]–add fistfuls of the flour. Add one fistful at a time–waiting a couple of minutes as you add the next. Once it starts to thicken–like a very thick custard stop adding anymore. Let cook under medium heat, and keep on mixing with the paddle. It takes a long time, at least 1 hour and a half for it to cook, even more. So, keep on mixing–not continuously, but like every 10 minutes–and you will see the mixture pull away from the pot and thicken. When it is finally  a soft and silky dough that pops out of the pot onto a plate, then it is ready to go.

To serve, place on a plate and make a hole in the middle and fill with the maraq [soup] we made earlier. Serve hot. Enjoy.