Coconut Squares (Numoora bi joze-hind)

This is a signature Palestinian
dessert, and also one of my grandmother's favourites. It's very simple to make, I got it right on my first attempt even my mother was proud!

• 3 cups fine semolina flour
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose white flour
• 2 cups of finely shredded coconut
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 cup butter (or for vegans, 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water

For Garnish:

• 1 cup simple syrup
• 25 pine nuts (optional)

Mix the yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water and a dash of sugar. Let stand until the mixture is cloudy. In a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix all ingredients (except the garnishes but including the yeast mixture) together. The dough should be soft, yet still together. If you find it needs to be softer, add another 1/4 cup of water.

Preheat your oven to 100°F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Spread out the mixture on the bottom of the pan until the top is smooth. Slice the mixture into diamond shapes, and place a pine nut in the centre of each piece. Turn off the oven , and put the tray in the oven to allow the mixture to rise for at least 30 minutes.

Once the squares have risen, remove the tray from the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Return the numoora to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until its a dark golden colour (or as my Tata would say, dark roses).

Remove from the oven and pour the simple syrup over the squares while they're still warm. Allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the syrup. Remove from the tray and enjoy!

Coconut Diamond Cake (Cake bi joze-hind)

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 recipe quantity of simple syrup
  

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

In a stand mixer, mix butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs & vanilla and mix for another minute or two. In a separate bowl, mix he flour and baking powder. Gradually add the milk and the flour mixture into the mixer, alternating until they're done. Lastly add the coconut and mix just until the coconut is incorporated.

Pour it into a greased and floured 9"x13" pan. Cut it into diamond shapes (similar to Numoora) and add a pine nut in the centre of each diamond (you can substitute any other nut as well).

Bake for 30 minutes or until it's golden brown. Once done, let the cake cool and run a knife through the diamond shapes, to separate them fully after baking. Pour the simple syrup all over the cake. Wait until it has completely cooled before serving.

Beef in Tahina Sauce (Kofta bi tahina)

It was requested by your dad this weekend, I don't remember the last time I made it (not one of my favorites).

• 1 lb of kofta meat (you can use just plain ground beef, spiced with salt and pepper too)
• 1 cup of tahina
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 onions
• 6 medium potatoes, sliced in wedges
  
• 1 2/3 cups water
  
• salt and pepper to taste

In a dutch oven or covered roasting dish cook the kofta on stove top over low heat. You can make the kofta in any shape you like (baby fingers, balls, small hamburgers) or just flatten it in the the bottom of the tray then cut it in squares. Cover to let it cook.

In a large bowl, mix the tahina and lemon juice until thick and well blended. Add a cup of water and mix well until smooth.

Add the onions and potatoes to the pot with the beef and then pour the tahina sauce over everything.

Add the the salt, pepper, and the remaining water (if needed). Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350ºF, or until the potatoes are fully cooked. Lastly, turn on the broiler and brown until it's nice and golden. Make sure you only brown the potatoes not the meat.

VARIATION:
You could omit the potatoes, make the dish extra saucy and eat over rice. Some even eat the potato version over rice as well (but make sure you go to the gym the next day! :)

Serves 4.

Green Beans in Tomato Sauce (Fasolia Khadra)

I never liked this meal, I just do it because your dad likes it. At first I used to say it's time consuming, but then he would trim and cut it for me so that I just have to cook it. Then I realized that he really loves it.

• 1 lb of green beans, ends trimmed, sliced horizontally and then diced into 2cm pieces
  
• 1 lb of stew beef or lamb, cut in 2cm cubes
  
• 1 onion, diced
  
• 1/2 a can of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups of water
  

In a medium sized pot, sear the beef on high until it's golden. Add the water and spices and simmer on medium heat until the meat is tender, approximately 1 hour.

In the meantime, prepare the vegetables. In another medium sized pot, add the oil and saute the onions on medium-high heat until golden brown. Add the green beans with a dash of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and let the green beans cook completely, stirring occasionally.

Lastly, add the tomatoes and meat to the pot with the green beans. Add enough broth to just barely cover the mixture and adjust the seasonings at this point. Bring everything to a low simmer for about 15 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Serve over steamed rice and enjoy!

VARIATION
To make this meal vegan, use olive oil instead of vegetable oil and use diced fresh tomatoes (~4). Follow the assembly as above, just omitting all of the meat steps. At the end, only simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Canned diced tomatoes can also be used. The vegan version is better eaten with pita bread instead of rice.

Zucchini With Beef and Tomatoes (Moghshi Kousa)

• 10 light green zucchinis (also known as Mexican squash or calabacita)
• 2 onions
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp each of salt black pepper, allspice
• a dash nutmeg and cinnamon

Slice the zucchinis in half lengthwise. Heat a large frying pan on high. Brush the zucchini slices with the oil and sear both sides until golden. Once seared, reduce the heat to low and let them cook through for about 3-5 minutes. Remove the zucchini and add in the beef and spices, cook completely on medium heat. Add the tomato sauce and mix well. Layer the zucchini slices on top, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Serve this dish over rice or simply eat with pita bread.

VARIATION
Instead of layering the zucchini on top of the beef mix and layer half of the zucchini in a baking dish. Top with the beef mixture spread evenly over the zucchini. Lastly, layer the remainder of the zucchini on top and cover in shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.