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Recipes: Middle East Page 2
Brown Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions (Megadarra)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
7 cups onion, vertically sliced *see NOTE
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups lentils
1 1/4 cups long-grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat, Add onion; cover and cook 15 minutes or until soft stirring occasionally. Uncover and increase heat to medium, cook 25 minutes or until golden brown stirring occasionally. Keep warm.

While onion cooks, bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add lentils cook 20 minutes or until tender. Stir in 1/2 cup caramelized onion, rice, salt, and pepper. Cover, and cook 25 minutes or until lentils and rice are tender. Spoon lentil mixture into a shallow dish; top with remaining onion. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over lentils.

NOTE: To cut an onion vertically, slice it in half from root to stem. Turn cut side down, and cut into slivers.

Serving size: 1/2 cup.

Calories 222 (22% from fat); Fat 5.4g (sat 0.8g, mono 3.7g, poly 0.6g); Protein 8.5g; Carb 35.6g; Fiber 8.3g; Chol 0mg; Iron 3.1mg; Sodium 222mg; Calc 34mg

Source: "Cooking Light Magazine, October 2001, page 144"
Description : Megadarra (me-ga-DAR-ra) is immensely popular in Egypt-as it is in the rest of the Arab world. (Elsewhere, the dish is pronounced mu-jah-DRA.) It's served either warm or at room temperature as a mezze, or appetizer, often accompanied by yogurt. Large quantities of dark caramelized onions are the best part.
Chicken with Chickpeas (Ferakh bel Hummus)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 skinless chicken drumsticks (about 1/2 pound)
2 skinless chicken thighs (about 1/2 pound)
2 skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 12 minutes or until onion is golden, stirring often. Stir in the turmeric. Add the chicken to pan, turning to coat. Add the water and next 4 ingredients (water through garlic); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove from heat.

Remove the chicken from broth. Remove chicken from bones; cut meat into bite-size pieces. Discard bones. Return chicken to pan, and add chickpeas. Cook 5 minutes or until the chickpeas are thoroughly heated.
Serving size: 1 cup.

Description: This Egyptian dish (pronounced fira-KAH bel hoo-MUS) was a family favorite that the author's mother served with plain rice. The mix of turmeric, garlic, and lemon yields a special flavor characteristic of the area. Chickpeas are a staple of the Middle East.
Source: "Cooking Light Magazine, October 2001, page 148"
Lebanese-Style Kafta with Grilled Pita Bread

1 3/4 pounds lean ground beef or ground lamb
1 1/2 cups very finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 whole wheat pita breads
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons slivered fresh mint
Tzatziki:
2 cups nonfat or lowfat plain yogurt
1/2 large  cucumber
1 cloves garlic (minced), (1 to 2)
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill or mint
1 1/2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make Tzatziki.
Combine beef or lamb with onion, herbs and spices. Knead 4-5 minutes to combine well. Will be moist. Heat grill to medium high. Divide into 8 portions. Shape each into a cylinder. Thread lengthwise onto skewers, continue to squeeze the meat along the skewer into sausage shapes, about 7" long. Brush with oil, oil grill rack. Grill kafta, turning after 5 minutes, until browned and just cooked through, 12-16 minutes. Heat pitas on grill 30 seconds per side. Slip kafta off skewers and slice. Halve pitas, stuff with 1 tablespoon tzatziki, half a kafta, tomato, onion, and mint.

Tzatziki:
Line sieve or colander with cheesecloth or filter paper, set over a bowl, leaving at least 1/2" clearance from the bottom. Spoon in yogurt, cover and let drain in refrigerator 2 hours. Discard whey and transfer yogurt to bowl. Peel and grate cucumber. Place in double layer cheesecloth. Bring edges together to create a bundle, squeeze out excess moisture. Add with garlic, dill or mint, oil, vinegar, and salt to yogurt.
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Source: "Eating Well Summer 2003"
Macerated Apricots and Nuts (Khoshaf bil Mishmish)

3 cups boiling water
2 1/2 cups dried apricots
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons pistachio nuts, chopped, toasted
1 teaspoon rose water, (optional)

Combine water and apricots in a medium bowl; soak 5 minutes. Strain apricots in a  colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Place reserved liquid, 1/2 cup apricots, and sugar in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into bowl. Stir in apricots, raisins, and remaining ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Serving size: 1/2 cup.

Source: "Cooking Light Magazine, October 2001, page 148"
NOTES : Throughout the Middle East, the usual conclusion to a family meal is fresh fruit, and dried fruit and nuts or fruit preserves are offered with coffee. This simple, fragrant dessert (pronounced kho-SHAF beel mish-MASH), with macerated--rather than cooked--dried fruit, is a Syrian specialty of the Muslim month of Ramadan, when it's eaten to break the daily fast. Rose water is the distilled essence of rose petals, a distinguishing flavor of Middle Eastern puddings and pastires (as is orange blossom water).