the taste of Egypt

Egyptian Food

By Taco, Egyptravel

Egyptian cuisine consists of the local culinary traditions of Egypt. Egyptian cuisine makes heavy use of legumes and vegetables, as Egypt's rich Nile Valley and Delta produce large quantities of high-quality crops

Kushari

Kushari, often transliterated as koshary, kosheri or koshari, is a popular traditional Egyptian national dish. It consists of a base of rice, brown lentils, chickpeas, macaroni, and a topping of Egyptian garlic and vinegar and spicy tomato sauce (salsa). Fried onion is commonly added as a garnish. Koshary is normally a vegetarian and usually a vegan dish, possibly reflecting the meatless diet of Coptic Christians during Lent and other fasts and/or the high cost of meat for the lower classes. It is becoming common to add fried liver or shawarma meat as an additional topping.

Koshary is one of the most popular, inexpensive, and common dishes in Egypt, and many restaurants specialize in this one dish.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rice

• 1 cup Macaroni pasta (or bucatini, ditalini, penne)

• 1 cup Lentils

• 2 tbsp Olive oil

• 1 Onion, chopped finely

• 2-3 cloves minced Garlic

• 2 cups Tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes)

• 1/2-1 tsp Pepper flakes

• Salt and pepper

• Oil for frying

• 1 sliced (thinly) Onion, sliced thinly

• Salt and pepper

Preparations

Cook Rice (in 2 cups water) about 20 minutes.

Cook Macaroni until „al dente“

Simmer Lentils in 2 cups of water in a covered pot until tender, about 30-45 minutes.

While cooking, in the meantime:

Use a sauté pan to heat the Olive oil (medium high heat).

Add Onions and Garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent/, about 4-5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium/low, stir in the tomato sauce, pepper flakes, simmer for 10-15 minutes.

(For more spicy tomatoe sauce, add ground cumin, cinnamon or baharat spice)

If necessary add just a little water. Season with salt and pepper, set the sauté pan aside.

Heat 1/2-inch of Olive oil, and add the sliced Onions. Fry until they are crispy and brown, and drain the slices Onions on paper towels.

In a large bowl place Rice, Macaroni and Lentils, stir gently when seasoning with salt and papper. Serve the mixure as portions in indivual bowls, og pour Tomatoe sauce (or crushed tomatoes) over each portion. On top, place crispy fried Onions. Serve Kushari hot or at room temperature, with Lemon slices as additionals.

Falafel

Falafel is a ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a meze.

Ingredients:

• • 1 cup dried Chickpeas (alternatively 16 oz. can of garbanzo beans).

  • 2 cloves chopped Garlic

  • 1 large chopped Onion

  • 3 tbsp fresh, chopped Parsley

  • 1 tesp Cumin

  • 1 tsp Coriander

  • 2 tbsp Flour

  • Salt

  • Pepper

Cover the Chickpeas with cold water in a bowl and allow them to soak overnight.

Drain the Chickpeas, and place them in pan with fresh water. Cook for 5 minutes, thereafter let them simmer 1 hour. Drain, and cool (15 minutes).

Mix Chickpeas, Onion, Garlic, Cumun, Coriander, cumin, Salt and Pepper in a bowl. Then add the flour. Mash roughly until the mix is a thick paste. Form the mixure into round balls, as big as ping-pong-balls, then flatten them slightly.

Fry the Falafel in oil until they turn golden brown (5-7 minutes). You can serve Falafel as a main course, as a burger, or as stuffpita with tomatoes, lettuce, tahini, salt/pepper.

Generally accepted to have first been made in Egypt, falafel has become a dish eaten throughout the Middle East. Falafel is also often considered a national dish of Israel. The Copts of Egypt claim to have first made the dish as a replacement for meat during Lent. The hearty fritters are now found around the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food.

Dolma

Dolma is a family of stuffed vegetable dishes in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empireand surrounding regions such as Russia, Iran and the Caucasus and Central and South Asia. Perhaps the best-known is the grape-leaf dolma. Common vegetables to stuff include zucchini, eggplant, tomato and pepper. The stuffing may or may not include meat. Meat dolma are generally served warm, often with sauce; meatless ones are generally served cold, though meatless dolma are eaten both ways in Iran. Both are often eaten with yogurt.

Ingredients:

• • 1 kg Grape Leaves

  • 1 1/2 cup Rice

  • 2 Tomatoes, peeled and diced petite

  • 3 Onions

  • Parsley, chopped

  • 2 cloves Garlic

Spices:

• • 1-2 tbsp spoon Salt

  • 1 tbsp Black pepper

  • 1 tabsp dried Mint

  • 1/3 tbsp Cumin

  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste

  • 3 tbsp Olive oil

  • 2 cups of hot water

  • 1 tbsp Pepper Paste

Preparation:

Rince and drain the rice. Place the rice in a wobl and ass the spices, olive oil, pepper and tomato paste. Add vegetables, diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, and parsley, and mix well.

Wih a teaspoon you place the mix on the grapeleaves. Pack the mix in by bending the sides and make a roll. In a deep pan you place the the stuffed leaves and pour the hot water gently over. Then cook for 35-40 minutes. For making the stuffed leaves even more delicious, add lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil into the hot water.

Kebab

Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Persia and later on adopted by the Middle East and Turkey, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer or döner kebab served wrapped in bread with a salad and a dressing. In the Middle East, however, kebab includes grilled, roasted, and stewed dishes of large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat; it may be served on plates, in sandwiches, or in bowls. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb, but depending on local tastes and taboos, it may now be beef, goat, chicken, pork; fish and seafood; or even vegetarian foods like falafel or tofu. Like other ethnic foods brought by travelers, the kebab has become part of everyday cuisine in many countries around the globe.

Ingredients

• • 2 pounds boneless Beef

Marinade:

• • 3 cloves Garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp smoked Paprika

  • 1/2 tesp ground Turmeric

  • 1 tsp ground Cumin

  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt

  • 1/2 tesp Black pepper

  • 1/3 cup Red Winegar

  • 1/2 cup Olive oil

  • Special tools: 4 x 12-inches metal skewers

Preparation:

Cut the Beef into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes, and set aside. Use a food processor to make the marinade of paprika, garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, papper, winegar and olice oil. Pour the marinade over the meat in a bowl, place it in a airtight container in the fridge and allow it to marinade for 3-4 hours.

Preheat the grill (medium heat). And now, the skewers. Thread the meat onto the skewers with ½ inch between each meat piece. Place on the grill, 2-3 minutes on each side (total 8 minutes for rare, and 12 minutes for medium). When done, place them on aluminium foil, wrap and allow them to rest a couple fo minutes before serving

Maḥshi ḥamām

Maḥshi ḥamām: Pigeon stuffed with rice (or wheat/herbs), roasted or grilled.

• • 4 whole Pigeons incl giblets

  • 2 cups Freekeh (measure before soaking 1 hr in cold water)

  • Chicken broth

  • 1 chopped Onion

  • 2 tsp ground Black pepper

  • 1 tsp Cinnamon

  • 5 Peppercorns

  • 2 Bay leaves

  • 1 Lemon

  • Salt

Clean the pigeons well inside/outside, rub the cavities with lemon, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Use a sauté pan, and sauté onion in a olive oil until transparent. Add giblets chopped finely. When brown, add soaked/drained freekeh, cinnamon, pepper, little salt, and mix it well.

Stuff pigeons with freekeh mix, and place them in a pot filled with hot chicken broth until they are almost covered. Add peppercorns and bay leaves in the broth. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Thereafter, take the pigeons out of the broth and place them on a smoky barbeque, turn them until they are well browned all over. Serve the pigeons with broth from the cooking.

Mesa'a`ah Sliced eggplants

Mesa'a`ah Sliced eggplants that are lightly grilled and placed in a flat pan with sliced onions, green peppers, and jalapeños. It is then covered with a red sauce made of tomato paste and Egyptian spices. This pan is cooked in the oven for 30–40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Fried Eggplant in Tomato sauce:

• • 1 sliced Eggplant

  • Olive oil

  • Black Pepper Sauce

  • Tomato Sauce:

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil,

  • 1 diced Onion

  • 2- 3 gloves sliced Garlic

  • 15 Fresh, diced button Mushrooms (or 1 can)

  • 1 diced Green pepper3-4 diced Celery sticks

  • 1 fresh Bay leaf (or dried)

  • Fresh or dried spices: basilika, oregano, thyme, dry chilies,

  • 5.5 oz Tomato paste

  • 28 oz Tomatoesm diced

  • 28 oz Tomatoes crushed

  • Add a bit more oil during cooking.

Sauce

Add onions, celery, green pepper, let cook until onions begin to get brown. Add mushrooms, and cook 3 minutes. Thereafter, add the tomatoes (cans) and herbs. Stir occasionally during cooking, 20 minutes., stir, cook 20 minutes, then add tomato paste. Cover, and allow it to cook for 2 hours, stir every 15-20 minutes.

While sauce is cooking:

Peel and slice the eggplant, and place it in a fry pan. Add olive oil and black pepper sauce. Fry 3 minures on each side.

Serve the eggplants with tomato sauce.

Calamari Fried (Squid Fried)

Calamari Fried is a dish in Mediterranean cuisine; Batter-coated, deep fried squid, fried maximum 2 minutes (for preventing toughness). Serve them plain with salt and lemon.

Ingredients

• • Use vegetable oil, for deep-freed squid.

  • Squid: 1 pound cleaned with tentacles. ½Inch thick rings and bodies cut into 3.

  • 2 cups Flour (all-purpose)

  • 2 tbsp Parsley, dried

  • Salt

  • 2 lemons cut in wedges

  • 1 cup Tomato sauce (alternatively jarred marinara sauce)

  • Fresh ground Black pepper

Tomato Sauce

• • 1/2 cup Olive oil (extra-virgin)

  • 1 Onion, chopped

  • 2 Garlic clove, chopped

  • 1 Carrot, chopped

  • Fresh ground Black pepper

  • Tomatoes, crushed ~ or 2 (32 oz)

  • 2 dried Bay leaves

  • 4 tbsp Butter (unsalted)

  • 1 Celery stalk, chopped

  • Sea salt

Preparations:

Heat the oil in a large pot, medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 8 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all they are soft (5-8 minutes). Thereafter, add tomatoes and bay leaves, let simmer on low heat until it is thich (approximately 50-55 minutes). Remove bay leaves. Taste for seasoning. Should the sauce taste acidic, add butter little by little until the taste is round in flavour.

Pour half of the sauce into a bowl for food processing. Process until the tomato sauce is smooth. Pour in the rest of the tomato mix and process until smooth.

Use a large sauce pan, and 3 inches of oil. Medium heat (350 degrees F) .

In a large bowl, mix flour, parsley, salt, and pepper. Coat the squid with the flour mixture.

Be careful when adding the squid into the hot oil. Fry until crispy and light golden, approximatly 1 minute on each side. Place the fried calamari on a plate covered with paper-towel to drain. Be careful, so use tongs or spoons

Serve the fried calamari with lemon and the marinara sauce..

Samak Mashwy

Samak Mashwy ~ Grilled fish

Ingredients

• • From 1 1/2 - 2 kg Fish

• Rice, Lemon, and Green Onion

• 2 cups Flour

• Salt

• Pepper

• Spice mix: prepare a dry spice mix of: Cumin, Salt, Mixed spices, hot Chili and Garlic (crushed).

Preparations

Wash the fish, remove scales with a sharp knife, and leave the fish whole.

Dip the fish into flour, coat both sides

Stuff each fish with the spice mix. Grill the fish. Add salt and pepper.

Serve the fish with rice, lemon, green onion.

Samak makly - Fried fish Samak makly

Ingredients

• 2 kg fresh Fish

• 2-3 tbsp flour

• 12 Garlic cloves, crushed garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp Cumin powder

• 1 tbsp Lemon juice

• Vegetable oil

• Salt

• Green Pepper

• Parsley

• Lemon slices.

Preparation

Leave fish whole or cut it if large

Spice mix: Garlic, Lemon juice, Cumin, Salt and Pepper

Stuff and coat fish with the spice mix. Set aside 2 hours

Dipp them in seasoned flour, and place them carefully in to the warm oil in a frying pan

Drain the fried fish on kitchen paper

Serve with lemon slices and parsley

Gambari Ma'li ~ Shrimp Fried (or Grilled)

Gambari Ma'li ~ Fried Shrimps

Ingredients

• 1kg Shrimps

• 2 tbsp Flour

• ½ cup Milk

• ½ cup Water

• 1 Egg

• 1 tsp Cumin

• Oil

• Salt

• Pepper

Preprations

Wash th shrimps and shell them

Mix the flour with cumin, milk, water, and egg

Dip the shrimps into the batter, and place them in the sizzling oil

Allow them to drain on kitchen paper.

Season with with salt, pepper, cumin, and seasoning.

Serve with lemon and parsley

Mulukhiyah

Mulukhiyah, mloukhiya, molokhia, mulukhiyya, or malukhiyah ‎) is the leaves of jute and related Corchorus species used as a vegetable in Middle Eastern, East African, North African, and South Asian cuisine. Mulukhiyyah is rather bitter, and when boiled, the resulting liquid is a thick, highly mucilageinous broth; it is often described as "slimy," rather like cooked okra. Mulukhiyyah is generally eaten cooked, not raw, and is most frequently turned into a kind of soup or stew, typically bearing the same name as the vegetable in the local language.

Chopped Fresh or Frozen Mulukhiya

Ingredients

• 2 kg fresh Mulukhiya, or packets (or 4 x 1/2 kg packets frozen)

• 2 Chickens á 1kg

• Cooking Oil

• 3. Bay leaf

• 4-6 Cardamom Grains

• 1 Onion

• 18-20 crushed garlic Cloves

• 1 tbsp Coriander powder

• 1 tbsp Lemon juice

• Salt

Preparations

Chop the Mulukhiya, cover and let aside

Boil water with onion, bay leaf, salt, and cardamom (use a muslin bag)

Add the chicken, Cook until it is tender.

Remove the chicken from the water, cut it into neat joints, and fry them.

Discard the muslin bag - mash the onion

Boil the soup, add the Mulukhiya and the seasoning. Let it simmer 4-5 minutes (do not overcook)

Mix corander, salt and crushed garlic.

Use a high sauté pan, and sauté the mix for 4-5 minutes until it is becomes golden.

Thereafter, add the boiling Mulukhiya and lemon juice. Stir carefully and serve.

Mulukhiya Bi-L-Samak

Mulukhiya Bi-L-Samak - Mulukhiya, cooked with Fish

Ingredients

• • 2 kg fresh Mulukhiya (or 4 x ½ kg packages frozen)

  • 1- 1 1/2 kg Fish

  • 1 chopped Onion

  • 10-12 crushed Garlic cloves

  • 1 tsp ground Coriander

  • Oil

  • Cumin

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • 2 cups water

Preparations

Chop/shave Mulukhiya, cover, and set aside

Clean and rinse the fish, cut into large chunks

Cover the fish with seasoned flour

Fry the fish lightly in oil

Mix garlic, coriander and salt

Fry garlic and onion mix until it becomes brown

Add 2 cups water with cumin and seasoning, then boil

Be careful when slipping the fish into the boling water. Ccook the fish until it is tender, only a few minutes.

Remove fish from broth (and keep it warm)

Add mashed onion and Mulikhiya to the broth, let simmer for 2-3 minutes, and serve with the fish.

The Egyptian Cooking programs

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