Posted in Ramadan on July 10, 2012|
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This is a typical Ramadan dish in Aden particularly. Don’t know if they know it in Sana’a. It’s dried peas in a rich sauce. As far as I know, the peas themselves are only available in Yemen. But you can ask around and see if you can find them in your area. I am posting a pic of them–before they are soaked–at the end of this post. You will have to soak them overnight and boil them before you make the sauce that is the base for this dish. For this amount you will need:
1) 1/2 cup of attar [dried Yemeni peas]
2) 1/4 tsp of turmeric
3) 1 medium onion finely sliced
4) 2 cloves of garlic minced
5) 1 tsp of ground cumin
6) 1 tsp of ground coriander
7) 1 tblsp of red chilly sauce [ click here for details about this]
8) 1 medium tomato finely chopped
9) 1/4 tsp of concentrated tamarind
10) 1 tsp of tomato paste
11) salt to taste
12) cilantro for garnish
13) 2 tbslp of olive oil [or any regular oil]
Alright let’s start. Soak the attar the night before and in the morning throw away the old water and add new. Add the turmeric and let boil until softened–there shouldn’t be too much water but just enough. Some people like it watery, but I like it semi thick. Then in a saucepan on medium heat add the oil and onions and let them brown. Then add the garlic and sautee for a minute or so. Then add the red chilly sauce and the spices. Let cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes and the salt. Once they melt add the tamarind and the tomato paste and a 1/4 of a cup of water. Let it cook and thicken. Then add the sauce to the boiled attar and let simmer until oil rises to the surface. You might want to add a little more salt–but taste first before you do so. Then garnish with the cilantro and serve hot. We also like to add a little vinegar to it before serving or lemon. Enjoy!
Here’s a picture of the raw beans used in this recipe:
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Sister Fatema, my neighbor from Bangladesh, taught me this recipe. Absolutely delicious and especially light for Ramadan with a salad and puffed rice you can make quite a satisfying and healthy meal with it. You will need:
1) 1 can of chick peas
2) 1 medium onion finely chopped
3) 5-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
4) a tsp of ginger
5) 1/2 tsp of ground chilly powder [more depending on taste]
6) 1/2 tsp of turmeric
7) 1 tsp of ground cumin
8) 1 tsp of ground coriander
9) 1 medium or big potato diced
10) Salt to taste
11) 3 tbslp of oil [I used olive oil]
12) Optional: 1 /4 tsp of concentrated tamarind
13) cilantro for garnish
At medium heat and using a frying pan [with a lid] add the onions and garlic and sautee until the onion is browned. Add the ginger and tamarind [again optional] and all of the spices [you can add about a quarter cup of water to the spices before you put them in]. Or you can add the spices to the mixture and then add water. This is so it does not burn. Now when the water has evaporated and only the oil and spices are left, add the potatoes and salt and add a little more water [1/4 cup] and cover and let cook under low heat. Once the potatoes are almost cooked through, add the chick peas and cover and cook until they brown. Turn off heat, garnish with the cilantro and enjoy.
I recommend that you make a salad on the side [like avocado salad] and serve the chick peas in bowls with puffed rice sprinkled on top and lemon wedges for extra sourness.
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A Yemeniyah's Recipes 