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Archive for the ‘Entrees’ Category

Yemeni Salta

Posted in Yemeni Dishes on July 25, 2010| 11 Comments »


salta 2

ALRIGHT, Latin Americans have Salsa nights but Yemenis have SALTA nights. The ONLY thing they have in common is that they are both HOT! This dish is made in a dish made of STONE called MADRA or HARADHA–yes stone and it is stove-top and oven safe and it stays hot for a long time during COLD Sanaa nights. It literally keeps whatever is in it hot–if not boiling– for quite some time as well. According to my knowledge you can ONLY buy them in the Old City of Sanaa in Yemen. But if you can’t find one–or don’t have a yemeni friend to get you one :) you can use a stove-top safe stone dish as well, if you can find one.

First make the Hulba (fenugreek) –here is how:

You will need ground fenugreek for this recipe. Be careful one tblsp of ground fenugreek goes a long way. For this you will need 1/2 tsp of ground fenugreek, which you will soak for about 2 hours or so.

Then throw away the water and take the fenugreek paste (yes it has turned into a paste like mixture) and place in a liquidizer. Add 1/2 of a small tomato (preferably still a little hard–not ripe and mushy), a clove of garlic,1 tblsp of cilantro chopped, 1/4 green chilly (or less if you like), juice of 1/2 lemon, salt to taste.

Keep this aside.

Now for the Salta.Usually these dish is made with leftover TABEEKH (lamb or beef stew), rice, meat etc. SO if you have leftovers then this is the way to make it (I will have the method from scratch as well insha Allah as well). This is really a throw together dish, you are merely putting it all together and letting the contents mingle and boil. Nothing to it. As i said, traditionally it is made with leftovers.

Take the stone and place under high heat, then add a little oil (tsp of oil) and crack an egg and cook. Once cooked, then add some of the stew (as desired–depending on how many will be eating–so eyeball it) let it cook with the egg. Add the meat–can be ANY meat, either ground or small stew pieces. Add about 1 tblsp of the leftover rice and let boil as well. Then add the Hulba (fenugreek) let cook until it starts to bubble. Serve hot with bread. Usually the bread that this is served with is called Malooj and it looks like Iraqi Tanoor bread. But you can eat it with pita as well.

Now for the Salta from scratch you will need the Hulba (fenugreek) see above, and the following:

1) 1/4 pound of veal or lamb–as you desire. I find the veal tastier

2) a quarter of a green bell pepper, cut into cubes.

3) an egg OPTIONAL

4) 1 tbls of cooked rice–i just boil it in salted water, run it through a sieve and keep it aside.

5) a small onion

6) a quarter of green chilly pepper (cut into small pieces) OPTIONAL

7) clove of garlic minced

8) spices–i have a mixture of cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamon, and cinnamon all mixed together. I use that for this dish. You can use any mixed spices you like

9) a small tomato diced

10) a tblsp of oil

11) tsp of tomato paste

12) tbslp of cilantro finely chopped.

14) OPTIONAL red chilly sauce (i make my own from dried chilly peppers, that i soak, blend and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator)

First let the Veal or whatever meat you are using BOIL–until cooked through. If you perfer to use ground beef, then cook it with a little oil, onions and spices. Should be dry and NOT SAUCY.

So to start place the MADRA (stone dish) on high heat, when it is hot add the oil and the onions until golden brown. Add the green chilly peppers, bell peppers and garlic. Let them sautee for about a minute. Then add the red chilly sauce [or you can use red chilly powder], and the tomatoes and sautee some more. Then add the meat, spices and cilantro. Let the flavors get to know each other–in other words let them SAUTEE.

Then add the egg and let that cook in as well. Add the cooked rice and add about 1/2 cup of water to the mixture and let boil for about 2 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and let it thicken. Once it has thickened, as desired, then add the hulba (fenugreek) and watch it boil. That part is sooooooooooooo fascinating to me.

Serve BOILING hot with bread.

ENJOY ! 

Salta

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Couscous (Moroccan)

Posted in Entrees on July 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »


I made this for a party of 8, so do the math if you are going to make it for less than that number. I hated math at school–so i just eyeball everything when I am making it for less then 8.

You will need:

1) 3 pounds of veal cut into big pieces (if you cut them into small or medium pieces, they won’t retain their shape in the long cooking process)

2) 1/2 bunch of cilantro washed and tied with a piece of string

3) 3 tsp of freshly ground pepper

4) salt to taste

5) 3 big onions finely sliced

6) 12 saffron threads (crushed between your fingers)

7) Saffron food coloring (orange)

8) 1 tsp ground ginger

9) 3 tblsp of Olive Oil

10) 3 tblsp of Canola Oil

11) Chick peas (soaked overnight)

12) 3 tomatoes (medium) diced.

13) a small cabbage cut length wise, and then each half cut into two width wise.

14) 6 big carrots, peeled and cut into half

15) 4 small zucchini, cut lenghtwise and then into each half cut into two.

16) I used a whole ACORN SQUASH, peeled completely and cut into 6 quarters.

17) Couscous, Medium (DO NOT BUY THE READY IN 5 MINUTES)–the brands i used are either TRIA or FRIDA both of which are available at either a Middle Eastern Store of an Indian Store. MAKE SURE YOU BUY THE MEDIUM.

To make this dish, you will need a couscous pot–it looks like this: http://www.fantes.com/couscoussier.html They are available in the Middle Eastern Stores here in Minneapolis, and they come in sizes SMALL, MEDIUM and LARGE. For this recipe you will need the large one.

So, in the pot you will mix in the first 11 ingredients in the “You will need” section–except instead of the 3 onions you will add 2 and leave one for later. Mix them all together and place the pot, with over, on first high and then medium once it starts boiling. Leave on for 30 minutes to cook. After 30 minutes, add the tomatoes and let cook for another 20 minutes.

Now it is time to prepare the couscous. I used 1 and 1/4 kg of couscous (a packet and a quarter). Place it in a big plate. Add 1/2 cup of warm water and 2 tlsp of canola oil and and mix it in with your fingers. It should feel moist, if it isn’t add a little more water. Leave aside for 10 minutes.

After ten minutes, place the couscous in the pan with holes (it comes with the couscous pot ) and place on the opening of the pot with the meat and spices. Let it cook for 20 minutes. USE A TIMER–it REALLY helps. After twenty minutes add the rest of the onion and let cook for another 20 minutes, with the couscous still on top.

After 20 minutes empty the couscous again on a plate and run your fingers through it to make sure there aren’t ANY lumps. If there are loosen between your fingers. BE CAREFUL IT IS HOTTTTT ! Again add 1/2 cup of warm water and again mix with your fingers and leave aside for 10 minutes. After which you place in the pan with holes and attach to the pot on the stove again. Let cook for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes add the carrots (they take longer to cook) and boiling water to the meat and spice mixture, covering it COMPLETELY.Attach the pan with the couscous to the pot and let boil for another 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes empty the couscous ONE LAST time onto the plate, salt to taste (keep on tasting it until it is as you desire) add 1/2 cup of water and cover and leave aside for 20 minutes.

After the 20 minutes add the rest of the vegetables, except for the zucchini and attach the pan with the couscous and let cook for 15 minutes. Then add the zucchini and let cook for another 15 minutes.

IT IS DONE !!! Serve on a platter of your choice. First form a bed of couscous, then SLOWLY spoon and arrange the vegetables and meat and then pour the liquid mixture to moisten the couscous. You can serve the rest on the side, so your guests can spoon some more while eating.

ENJOY !

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