Halal Snacks
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Hummus - Middle-Eastern Chick Pea dip
Ingredients
15 ounce (2 cans) chickpeas (or garbanzo beans), drained
1/2 cup roasted tahini (or tahini paste)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, minced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup packed flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
salt and ground black pepper to taste
oilve oil to taste (optional)
Directions
1. In a large bowl, cover chickpeas with cold water and soak overnight. (Alternatively you may use tinned chickpeas)
2. Drain chickpeas and place in a large heavy saucepan; add onion, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 1 hour, or until chickpeas are very soft. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Allow to cool.
4. Add all ingredients into a food processor. Add water if the mixture is too thick until it reaches the right consistency. Continue to process until mixture is thoroughly combined and smooth.
5. Drizzle with a little olive oil if desired.
Baba Ghanoush
- Syrian eggplant and yoghurt dip
Ingredients
1 eggplant
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (may be substituted with yogurt or sour cream)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (alternatively may use pine nuts)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Chopped parsley (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Prick entire eggplant with fork and place eggplant on baking sheet. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft.
3. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.
4. Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil and parsley.
6. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
7. May be served as a dip with tortilla chips or triangles of flat pita bread.
Shami Kabab
- Pakistani Spiced Minced Lamb Patties
Ingredients
1/2 kilo minced lamb/beef
1 cup presoaked yellow split peas
2 tsp Chili powder (or 8-10 whole dried red chilies)
10 whole black pepper
6 cloves
1 large Cardamom
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
2-3 green chilies, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of fresh Corriandar leaves
1-2 large eggs
1 medium sized onion coarsely chopped
1 tsp root ginger, roughly chopped
2 tbsp oil
Salt according to taste
Oil, for shallow frying
Directions
1. Wash Yellow Split peas thoroughly and soak in plenty of water for 3-4 hours. Drain and wash in few changes of water.
2. Place Split peas in a large saucepan. Add the mince, onions, ginger, garlic, black cardamoms, cumin seeds, chilli powder, cinnamon stick, black pepper, cloves, salt and water to it.
3. Cook over medium heat for 40-45 minutes until the meat and Split-Peas are tender and the water has been completely absorbed. This is very important otherwise kabab will split on frying. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Yellow Split Peas may be boiled separately and added to the minced meat for quicker and easier cooking.
5. Put the mince and Yellow Split Pea mixture in a food processor and grind to a smooth thick paste which holds its shape.
6. Add coriander leaves, egg and green chilies to the paste and mix well in the processor.
7. Break off 2 tablespoons of the mince paste. Wet palms with walm water and place mixture in the centre of your palm. Shape it into a smooth ball and then press it into a smooth flat shape.
8. Heat a heavy based frying pan and add enough oil to just cover the surface. (if there is too much oil, the kebabs will split).
9. Dip the kababs in beaten egg (chilli powder may be added for taste) and fry 3-4 kababs at a time to a rich brown color, turning them once. Remove from pan and put them on absorbent kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
10. Serve Hot. Can be easily frozen in freezer until needed.
Falafel
- Lebanese Falafel
Ingredients
1 cup dried peeled fava beans (7 ounces), soaked overnight (alternatively may use other dried white beans, such as cannellini)
3/4 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp minced cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of crushed red pepper
3 tbsp water
Olive oil or canola oil, for frying
Directions
1. Drain and rinse the favas and chickpeas and put them in a food processor.
2. Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, baking powder, salt, cumin and crushed red pepper. Pulse, scraping down the side of the bowl, to form a coarse paste.
3. Add the water and process until the mixture is gritty but fine and brilliant green. Scrape the paste into a bowl.
4. Allow the mixture to stand for at least 1/2 an hour.
5. Scoop small rounded tablespoons of the falafel mixture into ball shapes with your hands. (About the size of large walnuts)
6. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°. Scoop the rounded falafel balls into the hot oil and fry in small batches until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes.
7. Drain on paper towels set over a wire rack.
8. Fill pita bread with Falafel, sliced tomatoes, sliced onion, lettuce and yogurt, and serve hot.
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