A Yemeniyah's Recipes

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.

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This is by far the best meatloaf recipe, thanks to Sister Jamila [Chandra Craft] one of my Circle of Light Halaqa sisters. I add some Middle Eastern ingredients to make it a Middle Eastern Meatloaf. So, let’s start Bismillah.

You will need:

1) 1 lb of ground beef

2) 1/4 tsp of garlic powder

3) 1/4 tsp onion powder

4) 1/4 tsp of Seasoned Salt [I used Lawrys]

5) 1/2 roll of crackers [crushed]

6) 3 eggs

7)  2 tbslp of ketchup [some more for the surface]

8) a dash of black pepper

First , preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl combine the ground beef, chopped onion, eggs, crackers, seasonings and ketchup. Mix by hand until the mixture is sticky–if it isn’t then try adding more ketchup or another egg. If it is too sticky then add more crackers. With the amounts in this recipe, it should be just right.  Then once, the mixture is evenly mixed, put in a loaf pan–so it takes the form of a loaf for it is meatloaf after all isn’t it ! Then place in the oven for 40 min. When it’s almost done  put ketchup on the top of the meatloaf, until it covers it. Let the meatloaf cook a little longer, about 10 minutes but make sure you don’t burn the ketchup. Serve with mashed potatoes and enjoy.

I make this and add some Middle Eastern ingredients. Instead of the garlic and onion powder and Lawrys Seasoned Salt , I add:

1)  1 cup of crumbled feta cheese

2) 1 tbslp of oregano

3) 2 cloves of garlic finely minced

4) 1 tsp little olive oil

5) 1/4 fresh cracked pepper

Then I cook the same way as above. Let rest after it is cooked, then cut into thin slices and use as you would gyro meat in pita sandwiches with yogurt sauce or hummus.

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Served on a bed of white rice, with salad and Zhug on the side and you have yourself quite a meal. Usually eaten for lunch, which is the main meal of the day in Yemen. Comfortably served 4:

1) 1/2 pound of lamb/goat cut into medium sized pieces. Bone in. Boil in water until tender. You will need the broth, so do not discard.

2) 1 medium onion finely chopped

3) 4 medium tomatoes roasted in the oven, peeled and pureed in a blender

4) 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

5) 1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper

6) salt to taste

7) 2 cups of fresh okra, ends cut off and washed.

8 ) 3 tbslp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

9) 2 tbslp of tomato paste.

In a pot , under medium head, saute the onions. Add the garlic and let saute well. Then add the okra and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the meat and let  brown a little. Then add the pureed tomatoes and season with the pepper and salt. Then add some of the lamb broth, and the tomato paste and cover and cook until the okra is cooked through. At first you will see the okra climbing to the surface, but as it cooks they will sink to the bottom. Also, the oil will rise to the surface. It’s usually done in about 20 minutes.  Turn off and serve hot. Goes well with bread as well as on a bed of white rice.

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