Orange Marmalade (Tutlee Bourd-ann)

This again is a Tata-staple.  I was craving some of this orange tutlee on toast this weekend so I called her up, and here goes!  Note, this recipe quantity makes 6 litres of marmalade (12 500 ml jars)!  You're welcome to make any proportion of this recipe.

• 12 medium oranges
• 2 lemons
• 2 grapefruits
• 3 kg sugar (yes, three whole kilograms!)

Wash and dry the fruit.  Slice the oranges, lemon and grapefruit into quarters and then thin slices about 2-3mm thick.  Put the fruit in a large pot and simmer over medium heat.  Allow the fruit to fully cook, approximately 1 hour, stirring frequently. Once the fruit is cooked, add in the sugar and stir until well dissolved.  Allow to simmer until it comes to a full rolling boil, at least 30 minutes.  To test whether or not the marmalade is complete, drop a small spoonful into 1/2 a cup of cold water.  If the marmalade sinks to the bottom quickly, it's done.  If not, let simmer for a little while longer.  If you'd like a thicker marmalade, add in one package of fruit pectin when you add in the sugar.    

Pour the hot marmalade into jars that have been sterilized and cover with sterilized lids  (your choice of size). Close tightly until fully cooled or overnight.  Store for up to two years.

Makes 6 litres.

Summer Potato Salad

This was the only potato salad we ate growing up. The flavors are fresh and simple and compliment any barbecue. It's also great because my mother-in-law is allergic to canola oil and there's no mayonnaise in this recipe. The secret is to make this the day before and then add more of the dressing just before serving.

• 5 large potatoes (I always use Yukon golds)
• 1 medium bunch of fresh mint
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, mashed (optional)
• Salt to taste

Boil the potatoes until just finished (as soon as a knife glides right through a potato), do not over boil so that they're mushy. Run the potatoes under cold water and peel them, let them cool completely. In the meantime, finely chop the mint and place half of it in a bowl. Mix all the remaining ingredients and the remainder of the mint in a jar shake well to mix it all up. Once the potatoes are cooled, dice them into 2cm cubes into the same bowl as the mint. Pour half of the dressing mixture over the potatoes and mix well. Cover the potato salad and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, mix in the remainder of the dressing and toss.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Vegan Stuffed Vegetables (Mahshie Sowmy)

This is traditionally made during the Easter fast, since it's customary to abstain from eating any animal products. It's a delicious dish - really really delicious - but it's very time consuming! This would be a meal that the ladies would work on together as it's usually too much work for one person. I have fond memories of sitting around this very same table with my sister, mom, tata (shown) and aunts all making large pots of "mahshie sowmy".

Vegetables to stuff

• 2kg of one or a mixture of: small Italian eggplant, small light green zucchini (also known as Mexican squash or calabacita), grape leaves, swisschard, cabbage or even romaine lettuce.

Filling

• 1 cup of Italian Arborio rice
• 3 onions, diced into 5mm squares
  
• 5 cloves of garlic, mashed
  
• 5 tomatoes, finely diced
  
• 1 bunch of parsley, chopped
  
• 1 small bunch of fresh mint, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
  
• 2 cups of chick peas (canned is fine but preferably soaked and boiled)
  
• juice of 1 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
  
• salt & pepper to taste

Mix all of the stuffing ingredients together in a large bowl. If you're using any green leaves, you have to remove the hard stem in the core and blanch them in salted boiling water so they can fold easily. If you're using eggplants or zucchini, hollow them out using a corer. For zucchini's you leave about 3mm thick outer shell. For eggplant, the thinner the shell, the better!

Stuff the zucchini and eggplant generously with the mixture, and place them in your cooking pot as you complete them.

If you're using any leaves, spread the leaf in front of you on a flat surface, a large plate works perfectly. Then place a small amount of stuffing in the centre-bottom of the leaf, in a horizontal line. Leave about 5cm on each side and from the bottom. Then fold both of the sides inward, then fold the bottom up and roll the leaf until complete. You'll want the diameter of the leaf to be about the size of your thumb, not too thick. You also don't want it to be too long, (no longer than a regular hot dog), so don't be afraid to cut the leaf if it's too large.

Once complete, add a dash of salt and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover the pot and bring everything to a boil. Immediately reduce to low heat, and let steam for about 15 minutes, just as you'd normally cook rice. If using a pressure cooker, only add one cup of water and let it cook for only about 5 minutes.

Serves 6.

Parsley Tahini Salad (Bedounsia)

This salad is more like a saucy-salsa and is eaten traditionally with fish. It's amazing. Very simple, but so flavourful and fresh. The nutty flavours of the tahini and the citrus of the lemon make it a perfect fit. Any type of white fleshed fish works well (cod, snapper, tilapia, whitefish, sole or pickeral) or you could use salmon or trout. The only type you'll want to avoid is mild flavoured fish like halibut; since this salad is packed with flavour.

• 1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely diced
  
• 4 tbsp tahina
• Juice of 1 lemon
  
• 1/3 cup water

In a medium bowl, mix the lemon juice and tahina until the mixture forms a thick paste. Add the water and stir until well mixed and runny. Lastly, mix in all the other ingredients, and let the salad sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 2-3.

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!

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.

Split Red Lentil Soup (Ad-das)

This is our dad's favourite soup!! Quite simply, it's red lentil soup, or if you're familiar with Indian cuisine, it's called Daal. As children, we'd often have this soup for dinner, and we're always reminded of our dad every time we make this for our families. The onion-sumac garnish is key, as it really enhances the flavour of the soup. Laura also adds fresh chopped cilantro on top, something she learned while in Fiji!

• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1 cup of red lentils
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cumin

Optional garnishes

• 1/4 medium white sweet onion, finely diced
• 1tbsp sumac
• chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium sized pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions until tender and lightly golden. Add the water then the lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the salt and cumin and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. If you're making the garnish, simply mix the sweet onion and sumac together and let sit. Once the soup is done, adjust the seasoning if needed, and then serve. I usually put a tsp of the onion-sumac garnish and a big pinch of cilantro on top of each bowl. Enjoy!

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as an appetizer.

Chickpea Dip (Hummus)

• 1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp tahina (sesame seed paste)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• fresh juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 garlic clove mashed
• sprinkle of salt

1. Blend everything together in a food processor.
2. If consistency is too dry, add more olive oil or a spoon of water.

To serve, spread hummus on a large flat plate and garnish with: cumin, paprika, zatar, parsley, and some whole chick peas. Drizzle with olive oil and eat with pita.

Tip: To mash garlic you can use a mortar and pestle, or a plastic bag and bottle. Sprinkle some salt on the garlic before mashing it, as this will make it easier to handle.

Taboula (aka Tabouli)

This is a great summer salad that works very well with kofta or other grilled meats, or you can simply eat it as an appetizer with any meal.

• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1/3 cup of dried Bulgar wheat
• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 medium tomatoes
• 3 spring onions
• 5-7 stems of fresh mint (optional)
• Salt
  

In the bottom of a medium sized covered bowl or dish, mix the Bulgar, oil, salt and lemon juice. Finely dice the tomatoes and layer on top of the Bulgar mixture. Do not mix. Then finely chop the parsley and layer on top of the tomatoes. Up to this point, the taboula can be made ahead and stay in you fridge covered up to 3 days. Otherwise, if you're planning on eating it right away, let it sit for a minimum of 1 hour or until the Bulgar absorbs all of the juices from the oil, lemon and tomatoes. Once ready to serve, finely chop the spring onions and mint then mix with the taboula preparation above.

Enjoy!

Baked Fava Beans (Fool or Fül)

This is a staple in middle eastern breakfast foods. This is my dad's particular favourite!

1 can of whole fava beans
1 clove of garlic, mashed
the juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp water
2 tomatoes, diced
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
pita bread
salt to taste

Strain the can of fava beans and rinse well. On medium heat, bring the beans to a boil with as little water , add the smashed garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Mash everything together and add more water if necessary. Add the tomato and serve into bowls. Drizzle each bowl generously with (at least!) a tablespoon of olive oil. Eat with pita bread as you would a dip or hummus.

Serves 3-4.

Brown Lentil Rice (Imjudara)

Imjudara is one of the simplest meals you can make. My dad would always say that this is a "poor man's dish", but the flavours here are anything but lacking! At home, this meal would always be served with plain Balkan style yogurt or a tomato-cucumber salad, or both!

• 1 1/2 cups green or brown lentils
• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 clove garlic (optional)

For the garnish,

• 2-3 large onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• plain Balkan style yogurt

For the salad, mix:

• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 english cucumber, diced
• 1 large avocado (optional)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• pinch of salt

In a medium sized pot, bring the lentils, water and salt to a boil for approximately 10 minutes. Add the rice, cumin and mashed garlic and bring to a boil again. Reduce to low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked. In the meantime, fry the onions with the oil on medium heat until they're caramelized a dark brown, approximately 30 minutes. Serve the imjudara with the caramelized onions on top, and a spoonful (or two!) of the plain yogurt. If you're making the salad, just mix all ingredients together and serve with the imjudara.

Serves 4-6.