Arseeyah

Posted on July 30, 2012 | 7 comments

Arseeyah (Ar-see-yah)
Arseeyah is a simple and hearty rice and chicken dish. I consider of the UAEs great comfort foods. It is a great food for young
children (it is one of my childrens favorite foods) and adults love to eat it as well. I cook this often during Ramadan and it is
also a dish which is always made at my sister-in-laws house every Eid for breakfast time. I like to make this for a simple lunch
or dinner.
This past April, Sharjah had a Heritage Festival. If you are able to go please do it is held every April. Anyway, this was a
common dish being offered there. I was able to ask one of the women there how she made hers and it was the same except that
she used basmati rice instead of calrose (short grain) rice like I do but she assured me that it could be made using the calrose
rice. I have never tried making Arseeyah with basmati rice.
Arseeyah is very easy to make and only has just a few ingredients. I use chicken breast to make mine but you can definitely use a
whole chicken which will give you more flavor of course. Okay, now for the recipe.
Ingredients:
2 cups of calrose (short grain) rice

1 kg (2 pounds) of chicken breast or 1200 grams of whole chicken

2 liters of water (about 8 cups)

1 large piece of cinnamon bark

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 teaspoons salt

teaspoon black pepper powder

Melted Samen or ghee

Directions:
In a medium size pot add the chicken, water, and cinnamon bark. Boil the chicken breast for one hour or the whole chicken until
it is falling off the bones. Remember to skim off the scum. Strain and reserve the broth.

Cool and then debone the chicken. The chicken will now need to be cut into finely chopped pieces.

In a large pot add the rice, the strained broth, the chopped chicken, salt, pepper and cardamom powder. Stir.

Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. The pot needs to be covered. Every ten minutes go and stir
the Arseeyah so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pot.

I like to use this heavy spatula to help stir and scrape the Arseeyah.

Every ten minutes you will need to stir the Arseeyah.

Turn off the heat and remove the lid to let all the steam out.

Once, it finished cooking it will look like thisnot dry but still moist.

Taste for salt.

With an electric mixer set on high, mix the Arseeyah until the rice and chicken are melted into each other very well.

Arseeyah needs to be served hot.

Place the Arseeyah onto a platter and spoon melted samen (ghee) over the entire surface and smooth out. Since it is Ramadan I
am serving the Arseeyah in a huge hot pot (I just love these! It will keep the food nice and hot for hours!).

Variation: I like to add 1 can of Nestle Cream to the Arseeyah and then mix it well using the electric mixer.

I hope that you try and enjoy my recipe!

Print this recipe.

7 Comments
Posted in Breakfast, Chicken, Dinner, Eid Dishes, Lunch, Ramadan Recipes, Rice Dishes, UAE Recipes
Tagged Calrose Rice, Chicken, Comfort Food, Eid, Iftar, Ramadan, traditional emirati food

Thareed Laham (Flat Bread Layered with Lamb Stew)

Posted on July 29, 2012 | 14 comments

Thareed is another popular dish to make when a Muslim is fasting. It is very common to make Thareed for Iftar (breaking of
the fast) during Ramadan because it is light on the stomach. It is basically crispy flat bread layered with a meat soup. Actually it
is a cross between a hearty soup and a soupy stew. (Does that make sense?)
It is often mispronounced as Fareed but the correct way to say it is Thareed.
Thareed is even mentioned in a hadith of the Prophet Mohammed
Thareed can be made with lamb, chicken, and also with just vegetables. Today I will give you the recipe for Thareed with lamb
and will post the recipes for the chicken and vegetable later on, InshaAllah.
The best bread to use when making Thareed is Khobuz Raqaq which is a crispy wafer-thin bread.

If you live in the UAE you can usually find it in abundance during Ramadan. There are women who make this early in the
morning and will sit out front places like the Co-Op or the fruit and vegetable market selling these for Dh10 a bag.

You could also use Khobuz Irani which is a thin flat bread (about the thickness of tortillas) and this can be bought at any Iranian
bakery. Sorry I dont have a picture to share of what it looks like. Here in Sharjah there are many Iranian bakeries which are
little hole-in-wall places in the neighborhoods of Ghafiyah andUmmKhanoor.
When I was living in the US, I would substitute Roti which I bought from the frozen food section of an Indian grocery store. You
could also use regular pita bread. I have never used it before but a friend of mine has.
This recipe can easily be halved but since it is Ramadan it is nice to share with your neighbors or to feed the poor.

Okay so on to the recipe:

Thareed Laham (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
1 kg (2 pounds) lamb stew meat

1 liters of water (6 cups)

2 cups of finely chopped onions

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of corn oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 large potatoes, each potato quartered

4 small koosa (courgettes or kalabasa squash) each piece cut into half

1 large carrot cut into 4 pieces

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 pieces of whole black dried lemons

1-3 pieces of green chili

3 cubes of Maggi

1 tablespoon of Arabic Bizar spice mix

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon black lemon powder (loomi aswad)

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

teaspoon black pepper powder

teaspoon red Kashmiri chili powder (or cayenne pepper)

cup cilantro, finely chopped

5 large piece of Raqaq bread or 2-3 pieces of Khobuz Irani (or you can substitue Roti or Pita bread)

(Note: Tear the Raqaq bread or the Khobuz Irani into large piecesabout the size of the palm of your hand. Leave the pieces
out to air dry on a large platter on your kitchen counter or dining room table. If you do not have Raqaq bread or Khobuz Irani
available, you use Roti or Pita bread.)

Directions:
In a large pot, boil the lamb meat removing the foam when it starts to boil. Boil for one hour.

Strain and reserve the broth.

In a large pot, heat the oil and saut the onions until they get a nice golden brown color. Dont burn the onions. Add the garlic
and stir until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and all of the vegetables, EXCEPT the koosa (squash) mix together to coat the vegetables with the tomato
paste.

Rinse the two whole dried lemons and then pierce each one once with a sharp knife.

Add the lamb meat, reserved broth, Maggi cubes, and the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the koosa and the chopped cilantro.

Add more water if necessary to make this stew a bit soupy. Taste for seasoning.

Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are almost done. You can now add the koosa (squash) and the chopped
cilantro and cook until the koosa is fork tender.

Preparation:
Carefully remove the meat and vegetables from the pot and keep aside on a large platter.

In a large deep sided bowl, add one layer of Raqaq bread (or whichever bread you are using.

Add another layer of bread and ladle some more liquid.

Each layer of bread will be soaking with the liquid from the stew. None of the bread should be left dry.

Ladle the remaining liquid from the pot onto the bread.

Now you arrange the vegetables and lamb meat over the soaked bread.

You can garnish with a little bit more chopped cilantro if you wish.

Serve and enjoy!

Note: Thareed is best eaten on the same day.

Print this recipe.

14 Comments
Posted in Dinner, Food in UAE Pop Culture, Lamb, Ramadan Recipes, Soups, UAE Recipes
Tagged Black Lemon, Fareed, Iftar, Lamb, Ramadan, Tharid, traditional emirati food

Harees
Posted on July 23, 2012 | 16 comments

Harees bil Dajaj (Harees with Chicken)

Harees is one of the daily Ramadan staples here in the UAE. It is easy on the stomach after a long day of fasting. It is a very
simple, delicious,and filling dish that can be eaten at Iftar (breaking the fast) or for Suhoor the meal beforeFajr (morning)
prayers. It is served either alone as a main dish or as a side dish with all the other goodies during Ramadan.
During Ramadan, you will find this is one of those dishes that is widely shared between neighbors.if you should receive a bit
too much or you get tired of eating it, it will freeze very nicely. Just freeze it in an aluminum container, thaw it out in the fridge,
and then heat it up in the oven.

Harees is also one of those dishes that you will find at every occasionRamadan, Eid, weddings, engagement parties, any
special eventso I would classify it as one of the foods in UAE popular culture.
The harees grain is wheatberries in English and can be made with either lamb or chicken. When my family was living in
America, I also used pearl barley for this because it looked so similar to wheatberries and I achieved the same tasty result using
it.
Also, you can add as much or as little chicken or lamb as you wish. For the 2 cups of harees, I will usually use 1 kg of meat. Of
course, the more meat you use the more richer the dish. But for economic reasons the harees would be more. If you are using
lamb this is a good time to use those bones and make a stock from it and debone what you can use.

Harees (wheatberries) up close

I made Harees Laham (Lamb Harees) just the other day and I experimented using the crockpot/slow cooker. It is summertime
and the temperatures outside are at least 45C. During Ramadan in the summer, I want to spend as little time in the kitchen! The
resultsI think it turned out better in the crockpot than cooking it over the stove top!
Okay now, on to the recipe:

Harees (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
2 cups of harees (wheatberries) For best results, you will need to soak the harees (wheatberries) overnight or for at least 8 hours.
1 kilo (2 pounds) of chicken or lamb

2 sticks of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of black pepper powder

2-3 teaspoons of salt

water

samen (local-made clarified butter) or melted butter

Directions:
First of all, you will want to boil the chicken or the meat until tender. After boiling until tender, debone your chicken or lamb.
Save the stock to use later on in this recipe.

In a large pot, add the harees, deboned chicken or lamb, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and the stock. Add water if needed. The
stock/water need to cover the harees by about 2 or 3 inches.
Bring to a boil and then turn down the fire/heat to low. Let it boil, boil, boil until it reduces to a watery oatmeal-like consistency.
Total cooking time will be about 1 hourI didnt time it.

(Note: Be sure to check every 10 minutes and just stir the pot so that the hareeswont burn at the bottom.)
Now you are ready to blend the harees. Using a hand mixer, blend the harees in the pot until smooth. It wont be entirely
smooth. You can also use one of those hand blenders to do the job.
The harees when ready will have a thick consistency. Serve on a small platter and spoon the samen (clarified butter) or melted
butter on top to cover. Some people will decorate the top of the harees with powdered cinnamon in a simple pattern.

Harees bil Laham (Harees with Lamb)

Cooking Harees in the crockpot or slow cooker:

This was my experiment: If you cooking the harees using a crockpot, you will just need to add all the ingredients to the
crockpot. Add enough stock and water to equal 3 liters (12 cups). I cooked this on high for 6 hours.
I added the lamb without deboning (I dont think I will do that again). I had to add a little more water so that I could blend it and
then let it cook a little bit more (maybe an hour).

I will be making the harees again this way today because I think that it turned out much better than on the stovetop. This time
though I will be using already cooked and deboned lamb.

Harees at the end of cooking time. I just needed to add a bit of water to blend.

16 Comments
Posted in Chicken, Eid Dishes, Food in UAE Pop Culture, Lamb,Ramadan Recipes, Side Dishes, UAE Recipes
Tagged Chicken, Crockpot Recipes, Eid, Iftar, Lamb, pearl barley, Ramadan, Suhoor,traditional emirati food, weddings, wheatberries

Marak Samak (Fish Stew) with Halwayoh

Posted on July 17, 2012 | 5 comments

The fish that I am using in this recipe is called Halwayoh in the local Arabic (pronounced helll-why-oh). the fish has small, itsybitsy scales and is very easy to clean. It is a rather plump fish and has a creamy-white flesh. Whenever my husband would bring
home a Halwayoh to cook it would always be made into a stew, but just this past year we have enjoyed cooking it fried and even
cooked in the oven stuffed with a hashwa (herb stuffing) like the one I made in this recipe Grilled Hamra with Hashwa(hellwhy-not)sorry I just couldnt resist
I really dont think that you can overcook Halwayoh. I have done so by mistake a couple of times when I have made it into stew
and it did not turn out hard like or fall apart like some other kinds of fish.

I think the name Halwayoh is akin to the Arabic word for Heloo meaing sweet or nicewell, to me it does anyway I think
I asked my husband about it once a long time ago.
Correct me if I am wrong though about the word relation

Everyone always praises and values using the Hammour (grouper) but I much prefer this fish in stews, baking, and even in
frying. It is very delicious no matter how you cook it. If you should find this in the fish souk (or local market) buy it without
hesitation! It is rare to find and will be a little bit costly but it is well worth it!
Here is what you will need:

1 kg fish cut into 3-inch slices (I prefer to use a chunky fish such as hammour or halwayoh for this dish)
For the marinade:
3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Arabian Spice Mixture

1 inch cube of fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon salt

juice of 1 lemon

For the stew:

2 tablespoons corn oil

1 cup of onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 large tomato, skinned, de-seeded, and chopped

1 to 2 green chilies

1 heaping teaspoon of Arabian Spice Mix

2 Maggi stock cubes

1 teaspoon tumeric powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

2 inch cube of dried tamarind, soaked in hot water

2 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups of water

2 dried black lemons (loomi aswad)

1/2 cup cilentro, finely chopped

1/4 cup of corn oil for frying

Directions:
Mix all marinade ingredients together. Thoroughly rub with the fish with marinade and set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat 1/4 cup of corn oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the marinated fish pieces. Lightly fry until just golden brown. You do
not want to thoroughly cook the fish because you will be letting it simmer and finish cooking in the stew in just a little bit. Drain
on a plate lined with paper towels.

Mix the soaking tamarind seeds with your hands to separate the seeds. Drain into another bowl and save the water. Discard the
seeds.

In a medium sized pot, heat the 2 tablespoons corn oil. Add the chopped onion and sautee until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and green chili. Stir until the tomato has become soft.

Add the Arabian Spice Mix, Maggi stock cubes, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and dried lemons.

Add the tomato paste, tamarind juice, and water. Stir. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the cilentro and then gently add the fried fish chunks. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve in individual soup bowls accompanied with basmati rice and a platter of fresh greens.

Enjoy!

Note: I have come across some Khaleeji recipes that cook this fish stew with potato chunks. In all the times I have had Marak
Samak (fish stew) at my mother-in-laws or other in-laws homes I havent ever had any stew with potatoes in it. I asked my
husband one time about putting potatoes in the stew and he gave me the weirdest look

sooo.its up to you if you want to

try it with potatoesIf you are married to a local (Emirati) ask him first if he would like potatoes in his fish stewbefore he
gives you that Are you crazy look?!?!
5 Comments
Posted in Dinner, Fish, Lunch, UAE Recipes
Tagged Fish, Fish Curry, Fish of the UAE, Great Amberjack,Halwayoh, traditional emirati food

How to Cook Camel Meat

Posted on June 28, 2012 | 7 comments

Hello all,

I have only had camel meat three times in my life, twice was at a bedouin familys wedding in Al Ain and the other was at a party
at my sister-in-laws house. To me it tastes just like lambbut it isnt fatty like lamb meat. The way that the camel meat was
cooked when we had it at the wedding was quite delicious and hard to forget the succulent taste and the tenderness of the meat.

The best camel meat to use for cooking is from the younger camel because the older the more tougher.

Well, to tell you the truth I have not cooked camel meat at my home but for the purpose of this post I will use lamb meat which is
the same method used for cooking camel meat. The way that I am cooking this meat is the same way the meat (lamb, chicken,
camel) is prepared when making it for special occasions (wedding parties and Eid).

This is just a basic recipe. You can adjust the seasonings and add others to your liking later on. Okay, on to the recipe

Fried lamb layered over Lentil Hashwa and Yellow Rice

Ingredients:

2 kg, or more, of camel meat best if it is a whole piece like a roast or cut into big chunks like in the picture above

1 tablespoon tumeric powder

2 dried black lemons (loomi)

1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns

8 pods of green cardamon, crushed

1 teaspoon of whole cloves

1 large piece of cinnamon bark

3 bay leaves

1/4 cup of salt (to be added towards the end for flavoring)

oil for frying

Directions:

In a large pot, add about 2 tablespoons of corn oil. Heat it up and lightly brown the meat to seal in the juices.

After the meat has that nice golden color add the tumeric, dried lemons, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, and bay
leaves. Add enough water to cover the meat. Bring it to a rolling boil, lower the fire/heat so that it simmers, and cover the pot.

Cook it this way for about 1 hour and then add the salt. Keep simmering until the meat becomes tender. Take the meat out of the
pot and set in a colander to drain. At this point, you can save the stock to prepare some rice.

You will now need to lightly fry the meat. So add enough oil to a wok or deep-sided frying pan, heat it up and carefully add the
meat. Be careful because it is going to splutter. You just want to lightly fry the meat until it gets a nice golden color. Remove it
from the oil and let it drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Thats it! This is then layered over rice such as Yellow Rice and Lentil Hashwa (recipe for the Hashwa is upcoming!).
7 Comments
Posted in Chicken, Eid Dishes, Lamb, UAE Recipes
Tagged Black Lemon, Camel Meat, dinner, Lamb, lamb meat,traditional emirati food, whole cloves

Grilled Hamra with Hashwa

Posted on December 9, 2010 | 16 comments

Todays Fish of the Day is Hamra. In English this fish is also known as Red Snapper.

I will show you in todays recipe how to prepare Hamra with an easy to make hashwa (stuffing). Hashwa literally means
stuffing. This stuffing recipe is very easy to make and brings a wonderful aroma and flavour to fish.
Grilled Hamra with Hashwa or Grilled Red Snapper with Cilentro and Onion Stuffing
Ingredients:
Hamra (Red Snapper) 1 kg or larger (the fish only needs to be gutted. Do not scale or trim the fins!)

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1 bunch of cilentro (kuzbara) chopped

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 heaped teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cumin powder (or Arabian Spice mix)

Since you will be grilling the Hamra the only thing you will need to do to the fish is have it gutted. Gut the fish from the belly so
that you will have a pocket to stuff the hashwa in.
Do not scale it or trim the fins. The reason for this is that you will be placing the whole fish directly onto the grill and having
the scales still on the fish will prevent it from sticking to the grill.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix all of the ingredients (from chopped onion to cumin powder). Note: that this hashwa can easily be
doubled or tripled according to how many fish you will be grilling.

cilentro, onion, garlic, green bell pepper

salt, black pepper, tumeric, ground ginger, cumin powder

Prepared hashwa

Now all you have to do is stuff each hamra with the hashwa as seen in the picture below.

stuffed Hamra waiting to be sewn up

Now you will need a large-eye needle and some cooking twine (I didnt have any twine so I just used cotton yarn) for sewing up
the belly of the fish.

All the Hamra sewn up

A close-up of my needlework!

Sewn up Hamra up close.

Now all you have to do is prepare your grill. Grilling time will be approximately 1 hour. Every 30 minutes turn the fish over so
it will not char. Do not turn the fish over before 30 minutes because it will break up over the grill and you dont want that!

Hamra on the grill with some shrimp.

When the Hamra is finished serve on a platter. When you get ready to eat it just peel away the skin. Serve with the hashwa with
a squeeze of lemon if you wish.
When I prepare grilled fish with hashwa I serve it with white rice, daqoos is optional, lemon wedges, and fresh greens.

If you so happen to plan a picnic on the beach in the evening all you need is a roaring fire, some lemons and bread from an
Iranian bakery (khobuz Irani).

Enjoy!

Red Snapper
16 Comments
Posted in Fish, Grill and BBQ, Lunch, UAE Recipes
Tagged Fish, Fish of the UAE, Hamra, Red Snapper, traditional emirati food

Fried Fish with a Dry Spice Rub

Posted on December 6, 2010 | Leave a comment

Since I am posting the pictures of Fish of the UAE I will go ahead and post this recipe to frying fish UAE style.

The recipe that I am sharing with you today is basically fish coated with a dry spice rub. Almost all of the fish that you will in
the UAE can be fried. Depending on the size of the fish you will need to cut it into big chunks or if frying a whole fish that is fat
in size, you will need to make a couple of slits on the sides to ensure even cooking.

In this recipe today I am using Chennad (Kingfish). It is quite long so I had it cut into big chunks.

Ingredients:

fish

1 heaping teaspoon of Arabian Spice (or you can use garam masala or curry powder)

1 teaspoon of tumeric

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon of salt

(Note: the spice mixture can easily be doubled or tripled according to how much fish you will be cooking.)

Corn oil for frying (I like to use Coroli corn oil)

Arabian spice mix, tumeric, cumin, and salt

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl.

Since this is a dry rub, sprinkle the fish with the spice mixture and then gently rub into the fish. Let this sit, covered for at least
30 minutes. The moistness from the fish will soak in the spices.

On a high flame, heat the oil in a deep skillet. When you see the oil slightly smoking turn the flame to low. Add the fish.

Cook for 5 minutes and then gently turn the fish over and fry for another 5 minutes. Take fish out and drain on paper towels.

Serve with basmati rice, daqoos, and fresh greens. Enjoy!

Yellow Rice
Posted on November 26, 2008 | 2 Comments

This rice recipe is very simple. You will be using the stock from Fried Chicken Emirati Style to make this rice.
This is my daughter Fatimas favorite rice. Actually it is the only time I can really get her to eat rice.

Yellow Rice
2-3 cups of basmati rice

chicken stock

water

generous pinch of saffron

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons tumeric (if you are not using the chicken stock from the recipe above) or use the food coloring option
below.

2-3 drops of yellow food coloring, optional

Gently wash the rice in three changes of water. Let the rice soak in water for at least 30 minutes.

Strain the stock into a large pot.

Add the saffron and food coloring and enough water to fill a very large pot 2/3 full.

Bring to a boil.

Drain the rice and add to the boiling stock. Stir once or twice very gently.

Let boil for 6 minutes and strain the rice.

Note: DO NOT throw away the stock! I will now give you a recipe for a very delicious chicken soup!

Fried Chicken Emirati Style

Posted on November 26, 2008 | 1

Comment

The fried chicken I make here in the UAE is unlike the fried chicken I grew up with in Texas. The fried chicken we are used to is
batter-dipped and deep fried.

This fried chicken recipe starts off by boiling the chicken with spices and then draining the chicken, but keeping the stock, and
then frying the chicken until golden brown. I use small chickens because I find them to be very tasty when cooked. You could
use a large chicken but I suggest that you cut it up into fours and then proceed to boil.

I always serve this with Yellow Rice and Daqoos. And for a salad I make Tabbouli.
Here is the recipe:

2-3 600 grams chickens

2 tablespoons tumeric powder
1 dried black lemon, poked
4 cloves
5 cardamon pods partially opened
7 black pepper balls
1 tablespoon whole cinnamon bark
2 tablespoons salt
water

Throughly wash the chickens inside and out. Place in a very large pot. Add enough water to cover the chickens. Bring to a boil.
When the water starts boiling remove the accumulating scum.

Add all of the remaining ingredients.

Boil until the chicken is done, about 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the stock. Place the chicken in a colander/strainer.

In a frying pan add about 1 cup or more oil. Heat and then carefully add the chicken, one at a time, and lightly fry the chicken
until golden brown on all sides.

Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Note: Do not throw away the stock! I will now give you a recipe for yellow rice. And after cooking the rice in the stock you will
use the stock again for an absolutely delicous Chicken Soup.

Madhrooba
Posted on October 6, 2008 | 2

Comments

This is a delicious recipe. This dish gets its name from the very large wooden spoon used to beat the mixture until it resembles
very thick oatmeal. I dont have a madhrooba spoon so I use my hand mixer (though not traditional) which gives the same
results (in my opinion). It is popular during Ramadan for Iftar and Suhoor. This is absolutely even more delicious the next day. It
is a little time consuming to make but the results are worth it.

Madhrooba (maTH-roo-ba)
1 chicken (1 kg) thoroughly washed inside and out

1 cup of onion, finely chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, grated
3 cups of tomato, finely chopped or shredded
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green chili, chopped (optional)
1 bunch of fresh coriander (kuzbara) finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste

4 Maggi cubes
1 teaspoon black dried lime powder
1 teaspoon cardamon powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 tablespoon bezar (mixed gulf spices) or

1 tsp curry powder + 1 tsp cumin powder + 1 tsp tumeric powder + 1 tsp coriander powder

3 cups of Jereesh (broken wheat, not pearl barley

1 cup yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
melted butter, ghee (samen)

In a large pot, boil the chicken until done. Remove the chicken and let it cool. Save the stock. Then skin and debone. Cut the
chicken into small pieces or shred it.

In a very, very large pot, add 1/4 cup of oil and saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic, tomatoes, bell pepper, and chili.
Cook until the tomatoes are mushy. Add the cut up chicken and cook stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Add the spices and
tomato paste.

Add the Jereesh to the pot along with 3 litres of water. Bring it to a boil. You will need to stir this occasionally because it will
eventually start sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When the Jereesh softens and most of the water is gone you will need to reduce the flame to very low. It is best to put a cast iron
sheet (like the kind to make raqoq withlooks like a pizza pan but is about 1/4 inch thick, 15 inches wide and made of cast iron)
underneath the pot so the bottom will not burn.

Cook for about 2 hours. Check often and add hot water if needed.

At this point, adjust the seasoning to your tastes. Add yogurt and mix well.

Now remove the madhrooba from the heat. You will now be using the electric mixer to mix until it is a very thick oatmeal-like
consistency. You have to be very careful because it will of course be very hot. Put the mixer into the madhrooba before turning it
on or else you will have madhrooba flying all over your kitchen and you will get burned!! Just move that mixer all over the pot
making sure that the chicken blends in really well with the Jareesh.

Now your done!

To serve, place madhrooba either in a deep oval serving dish or for individual serving into bowl-plates. Drizzle with the melted
butter or ghee.

Enjoy! And dont forget to share with your neighbors during Ramadan!

Liqeemat
Posted on October 6, 2008 | 10

Comments

Liqeemat little balls of batter deep fried in oil and are a staple during Ramadan. This recipe makes a huge batch which is good for
two days or as one batch to have for your house and more to share with your neighbors.

During Ramadan, this along with Harees, Madhrooba, and Oatmeal Soup is made in abundance and shared with family and
neighbors.

Liqeemat

1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
pinch of flour
4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon cardamon powder
1 generous pinch of saffron
4 tablespoons sugar
2 to 2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons rose water
date syrup (locally called dibs)

In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and the pinch of flour. Mix well with a small whisk and leave
in a warm place to rise.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cardamon powder, saffron, and sugar. After about 30 minutes, add the yeast mixture, 2
cups of water, and the rose water. Using a large-head spoon mix the batter until there are no more lumps. If you need to add an
additional 1/2 cup of water you can but do it a little at a time. Your batter will need to be very thick, almost elasticky (it will
definitely be thicker than pancake batter).

Now you need to set this batter aside in a warm draft-free place (inside the oven or microwave is ideal) and let rise for at least 2
hours or until it has doubled.

Now for the fun part

You will need a medium-large wok because you will fill it up half way with oil. Heat up the oil and then reduce the heat to low.

For me, because I hate the feeling of the batter, I use two dinner spoons to make the dumplings. Dip the spoons into a bowl of
water (the water keeps the batter from sticking to the spoon and the batter will then easily slide into the oil).

Next, with one spoon scoop up some batter. With the other spoon, you will scrape off the batter into the oil. With this first
dumpling, you will be checking the heat of the oil. If the oil is too hot, it will brown very quickly and the inside will not be
cooked, so you will need to decrease your fire and then start adding more dumplings.

Put about 11 dumplings into the oil. You will need to constantly turn the dumplings with a big round spatula so that they will all
be evenly browned.

Once the dumplings are evenly browned, remove from the oil and let drain on a large baking dish covered with paper towels.

Once all of your dumplings are cooked you can place about 18-24 pieces on a medium-sized bowl plate and drizzle with the date
syrup.

There you have itan absolute favorite for Ramadan.

Daqoos
Posted on October 6, 2008 | 2

Comments

This is a tomato-y, garlicky sauce that is really delicious alone with rice or with any other meat-rice dish.

6 large red juicy tomatoes, finely chopped (or if you wish shredded)
3 large cloves of garlic, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon (or more) of kashmiri chili powder
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups of water

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot and then add the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes until all the liquid has cooked away and
all you are left with is tomatoes and oil.

Add the garlic, salt, chili powder, and tomato paste. Stir well and then add the water. Stir again.

Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, until you get a nice, thick sauce.

Serve with rice.

Chicken Soup
Posted on November 26, 2008 | 1

Comment

I experimented with this soup during Ramadan 2008 and came up with a soup that has a very rich taste, and silky texture. It is
absolutely delicious. Other ingredients can easily be added to it such as corn, diced chicken breast, mixed vegetables, or
vermicelli noodles. The stock for this soup comes from the Fried Chicken Emirati Style and Yellow Rice recipes.
Chicken Soup
Strained stock from the above two recipes
5 tablespoons oatmeal
generous pinch of saffron
juice of one lemon
two Maggi chicken stock cubes (optional)
one cup of vermicelli noodles

The stock that you will have from the Yellow Rice recipe will fill a huge pot. Boil the stock until it reduces to half a pot.

Put the oatmeal in grinder to turn it into a powder. Add water to the oatmeal and stir until there are no longer any lumps. It should
be smooth and watery. Add this to the chicken stock and stir with a large whisk.

Add the saffron, lemon juice, stock cubes, and noodles (optional but I like to add it). Stir well. Bring to a boil and then turn the
fire to low.

At this point, you can feel free to add a cup of diced chicken breast, 1/2 a cup of corn, or 1/2 a cup of mixed vegetables.

Let simmer for at least 10 minutes so the noodles can cook.

Harira Soup
Posted on December 6, 2008 | 1

Comment

This soup recipe is originally from Morocco. I tried this recipe during Ramadan 2008 and all my children loved it. I made this
soup again today because it is rainy and cold outside. This is an excellent cold weather soup.
I did not have all of the ingredients so I substituted the cubed lamb meat with ground beef. Also, I did not have the brown lentils
so I substituted it with mung beans and the soup still turned out terrific. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/2 kilo cubed lamb (or 1 pound of cubed lamb or ground beef or ground lamb)
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 Maggi stock cubes

a pinch of ground red chili powder (cayenne pepper)
3 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cilentro, chopped
8 cups of water
cup brown lentils (or substitute with cup of mung beans or split green peas)
1 15oz can of garbanzo beans, drained
1 cup of vermicelli noodles
Juice of 1 lemon
2 eggs, beaten (optional)

In a large cooking pot, heat the cooking oil and saute the lamb until nicely browned. Add the onions and
saut until the onions are soft and transparent. Add the tomatoes, all the spices, lentils, and Maggi stock
cubes. Stir well. Add the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the lamb is tender (about 2 hours).

Add the can of drained garbanzo beans and the vermicelli. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30
minutes.

Stir in the lemon juice and the eggs. Cook for a minute.
Serve hot. This soup is excellent the next day if there are any leftovers!

Mitchboos, Machboos, or Makboos with Chicken or Lamb

Posted on December 27, 2008 | 4

Comments

Mitchboos, as I call it, is actually the boiling of rice in stock. It can be made from chicken, lamb, fish or
shrimp. Mitchboos is delicious using any of the mentioned meats. The recipe is quite simple and uses
ingredients that are readily available here in the UAE or can easily be found at your local Indian grocery
store.

Ingredients:
1 chicken (750grams to 1kg) cut up into 8 pieces or 1 kg of lamb stew meat with bone

2 cups of chopped onions

3 cloves, or more, of grated garlic
1 inch cube of grated ginger
2 cups of chopped tomatoes
cup of chopped cilantro (kuzbara)
1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon of Madras curry powder (I use the Ship brand)

1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon of dried black lemon powder
teaspoon cardamom powder
teaspoon cinnamon powder
teaspoon red Kashmiri chili powder
2 Maggi chicken stock cubes
1 teaspoon of salt, optional

1 green chili pepper

1 whole dried lemon ball
3 cups of water

2 cups of Basmati rice (gently rinsed three times and left to soak for at least 30 minutes)

In a large pot, saut the onions and the chicken (or lamb) until nicely browned. Avoid burning the
onions.

Add the garlic, ginger, tomatoes, cilantro, and bell pepper. Mix the ingredients well and saut for about
one minute.

Now add the spices and stir very well. Turn the heat to low and cover with lid. Leave it to cook for
about 10 minutes.

Now add the green chili, the whole dried lemon, and the water. Let this stew gently boil for 45 minutes
if you are using chicken (or 1hr 45 minutes if you are using lamb). You will want the meat you are using
to be thoroughly cooked and tender.

Now you will need a colander and another pot because you will strain the stew. Put the meat mixture
back into your cooking pot. Add the rice. Do not stir!

Measure the stock and it should be 3 cups of stock, if not, add more water and stir. Now add this to the
pot with the meat and rice. Gently stir because you do not want to break up the rice kernels.

Bring the mitchboos to a boil and then turn the fire to lowest setting (I call it turning the fire to low-low).
Simmer on this very low fire for 17 minutes. Turn off the fire and remove the lid so that the steam will
escape and will the mitchboos will not turn soggy.

Gently remove the mitchboos onto a large platter. Gently break up the rice so it will not look packed
together on your serving plate.

Serve with pickled onions, a plate of fresh greens (locally called roowaid, jarjeel).

Enjoy!

Tangy Baked Chicken

Posted on February 7, 2009 | 2

Comments

This baked chicken recipe pairs well with my Spiced Tomato Rice recipe. It was an experiment in the
combination of spices I used. I first made this dish over 11 years ago and it has become a dish that I
make often.

In this recipe, I use black lemon powder. This tiny dried lemon is a staple pantry ingredient here in the
UAE home. It is a key lime and is dried out in the sun and then used whole or in powder form in cooking
for stews and mitchboos rice dishes. The dried lemon will either be black or brownish in color. I prefer
to use the black lemons. If you live in the UAE or other Gulf countries then this is called Loomi Aswad
and can be bought in either whole or powder form. If you live in the States, this dried lemon is available
whole and can be bought at any Arab supermarket. When you get home just break a whole bunch of
them open and take out the seeds and then grind them in a spice grinder.

The ingredients I give are for one baked chicken. I have a big family and I usually make three fresh
chickens 600 grams each! Any leftovers make delicious cold sandwiches of course!

1 kg (2 pounds) of fresh chicken

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika powder (OR 1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder seasoning)
1 teaspoon oregano or mixed Italian spices
1 teaspoon ground black lemon
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil (or more to make a paste)

Clean your chicken very well inside and out.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well to form a paste.

Scoop up a bit of the paste and you will now coat the chicken inside and out with this paste. If you have
any paste leftover you can add it to the two pockets between the skin and breast meat area near the
thigh.

Bake the chicken for 45 minutes to one hour or until done.

Enjoy!

Spiced Tomato Rice

Posted on February 7, 2009 | Leave

a comment

This is a wonderful and an extremely easy to make and rice dish that is delicious on its own served with
a side dish of yogurt as a complete vegetarian meal or as a nice complement to my version of baked
chicken.

If you are married to a finicky Emirati husband who is reluctant to try dishes that he did not grow up
with then this dish, in my opinion, with the spices I have used gives it a close enough Arab or Indian
flavor that he will be used to. I am sure that this will become a family favorite.

This recipe can easily be doubled and is terrific to take to a potluck or Ramadan get-together.

2 cups of basmati rice, washed and soaked for at least 30 minutes

2 tablespoons of ghee
cup of chopped onion

1 cup of chopped tomato

cup of chopped cilantro
cup of chopped green bell pepper
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
1 green chili chopped; or deseeded and chopped (this ingredient is optional)
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
teaspoon ginger powder
teaspoon cardamom powder
teaspoon red Kashmiri chili powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 Maggi chicken stock cubes
Pinch of black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups of hot water

In a large pot, saut the onion in the ghee until lightly browned.

Add the tomatoes, bell pepper and cilantro. Stir well.

Add all of the spices, Maggi stock cubes, and tomato paste. Mix well.

Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Drain the rice and then add to the pot.

Add the 3 cups of hot water. Gently stir.

Bring to a boil. Lower the fire to very low and cover. Cook for 17 minutes.

Spice Mixture using Loomi Aswad

Posted on April 10, 2009 | 7

Comments

Here is a spice mixture that I have made and have been using now for about 12 years. It is excellent rubbed on chicken, beef and
lamb roast and broiled salmon. After applying the spice mixture, it is best if you roast the meat, chicken, or fish.

Heres the recipe. The quantities I give can easily be doubled or tripled and can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for
another time.

1 tablespoon ground loomi aswad (ground black lemon powder)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon of Garlic and Herb Seasoning (or you can use finely ground Oregano powder)

2 tablespoons Mexican Chili Seasoning

2-3 cloves of garlic, grated (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt

3 tabespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar or the juice of half a lemon

Mix all the ingredients together and you will have a nice thick paste.

You can now use this to rub on your chicken, beef, lamb, or salmon.

Okra Fritters
Posted on October 1, 2009 | 2

Comments

My husband went to Dubais fruit and vegetable market and bought a big box of okra. All I thought about was, What in the
heck am I gonna do with all of this okra? Alhamdulilah we bought a freezer this past Ramadan and I was able clean up the okra,
cut it up, and then freeze it in one-quart sized Ziploc baggies. We will be eating okra for a long time!

This was a new recipe I tried for Ramadan 2009 and the whole family, even my children, enjoyed this recipe.

If you are not fond of okra because of its sliminess, or for any other reason, I suggest that you do try this recipe. Serve it with
ranch-style dressing. OMG it is so delicious!

Okra Fritters
2 cups of fresh okra, finely chopped

cup onion, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

tsp black pepper

cup water

1 egg

cup of flour

1 tsp of baking powder

cup of cornmeal

Oil for frying

In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients, except for the okra. Add the okra and mix.

In a medium-sized wok, heat the oil. When the oil is hot add the okra batter by spoonfuls. Adjust the flame to medium heat.
Cook the okra fritters until golden brown. Remove from heat and let drain on a platter lined with paper towels.

After all of the fritters are cooked serve with Ranch-Style dressing.

How to cook Basmati Rice

Posted on October 11, 2009 | 17

Comments

I have a finicky Emirati husband. Basmati rice has started many wars in my house.

There were times my husband would refuse to eat the rice I cooked and would go to one of the public kitchens and buy a
container of cooked rice to eat with the stews I cooked.

The rice was either overcooked in that it was mushy or undercooked and still crunchy. I used to just add water and cook it with
the quick-boil method but the rice would stick together.

It has taken me years to learn how to properly cook basmati rice so that it turns out nice and fluffy. The secret is in the size of the
pot you use and how long you let the rice soak. You need an extra-large pot to cook the rice in. The rice needs lots of room to
move around when it is boiling.

Here is my recipe:

2 cups of Basmati rice (I use India Gate because the rice has been aged and the kernals of the rice are longplus it has a
delicious taste!)

extra-large pot

salt

1 tablespoon cooking oil

a timer

Place the rice in a large bowl and fill it up with water.

Carefully wash the rice so that you do not break the kernals. Cup your hand slightly and slowly wash the rice. I turn my hand in
the bowl 20 times.

Drain the water and repeat the above two more times.

Drain the water and then pour water over the rice again with enough water to just cover the rice by about an inch.

Now you let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes but better if you let it soak for an hour.

Meanwhile, fill the extra-large pot half way with water. A good guide is to use 3 liters of waters for every 1 cup of rice.

Add 1/4 cup of salt and 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot of water.

Bring the water to a full rolling boil.

Drain the rice in a strainer and add to the pot. Stir once.

Cover the pot with a lid and when the water starts boiling again remove the lid. This takes about a minute.

Have a large strainer waiting in the sink to drain the rice.

Let the rice boil for exactly 5 minutes. Trust me when I say exactly 5 minutes because if it is less time or more time it will
greatly affect the texture of the rice.
Drain the rice in the strainer and gently, very gently, shake the strainer to get out all of the excess water.

Return the rice to pot and keep warm until ready to serve.

When you are ready to serve the rice. Gently fluff the rice with a large fork or large wide serving spoon.

Arrange on a platter.

An tasty variation:

At the end of cooking the rice you have the option of adding fried onions. It is very, very delicious! I do not do this often
because it is fatty but try to at least make it this way once. You will need the following:

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup cooking oil

Heat the oil in a frying pan. When hot add the chopped onion and stir. Stir the onion every now and then until it becomes a nice
golder color.

Now take a large spoon and scoop out the fried onion and scatter it over the cooked rice that is still in the pot. Drizzle the oil that
you cooked the onion in over the rice.

When it is time to serve the rice. You will fluff the rice and the onion and oil will be incorporated into the rice. Yummy!

How to Cook Short Grain Rice

Posted on May 19, 2010 | 5

Comments

I have a little secret to share with you on how to cook short grain rice without it being sticky. In the US, Calrose Rice is a
brand that sells short grain rice. Here in the UAE short grain rice is also known as Egyptian Rice or Rice Misri.
The most important thing about cooking the rice this way is that you have to be patient for just about 5 minutes. That is just
part of my secret. The other part is that you will be lightly stir-frying the rice in a bit of oil to cook away that starchiness that
makes the rice sticky.
The following recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, etc.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

1 cup of uncooked short grain rice (Egyptian Rice)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 cups of boiling water

Salt to taste (optionalI dont like to add it)

In a medium-sized saucepan heat the cooking oil and add the uncooked rice.

I used a wok in this picture.

Gently stir the rice so that each grain will be coated with the oil.

Turn the heat to medium.

Now for the next 5 minutes (a little more or little less) you will have to stand at the stove and gently stir that rice (preferably with
a wooden spoon) until it turns from its original opaque color to where the grains look like tiny pearls. If you want you can also
stir-fry the rice until the grains are a golden color.

Note:

You have to be very careful not to let the rice burn because it will, very quickly, if left unstirred or the flame/heat is too
high!

Be careful of stirring too vigorously because those rice grains will fly andthey are hot if they land on your foot!

Once the grains of rice have turned color (it is very noticeable) then you will add the boiling water. Be careful when adding the
boiling water because it will splutter wildly. Put the top on the pot and reduce the heat to very low.
Cook the rice for 17 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

And there you have itshort-grain rice that is light and fluffy and not sticky!

(Ill will post a picture of the finished product soon, InshaAllah. I just forgot to take a picture of it.)

Spicy Apple Muffins

Posted on December 6, 2010 | Leave

a comment

The weather here in the UAE right now is wonderful. The air in the mornings are cool and crisp. I was awake at 4am and
wanted to take advantage of this quiet time to make a special treat for my children.

I decided to make some muffins because what better way to wake up to a home filled with the sweet aromas of cinnamon and
nutmeg.

(and I love the scent of nutmegespecially when it is freshly grated!)

Spicy Apple Muffins

2 cups of sifted flour

2.5 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg

1 cup of milk

1/3 cup melted butter

1 large apple (peeled, cored, and shredded)

Preheat your oven to 425F. Brush muffin tin with some butter. Add the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and
nutmeg into a mixing bowl. Mix well.

In a small bowl, mix the egg, milk, and butter. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix just enough until the dry ingredients are
moistened.

Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

This makes 12 moist, delicious muffins!

Chicken Makhtoum
Posted on January 6, 2011 | 8

Comments

My friend Noor over at Ya Salaam Cooking has a wonderful collection of tasty recipes available, MashaAllah.
A few weeks ago I tried her recipe for Chicken Makhtoum and let me tell you it is delicious! I have cooked it at least twice
already and my DH just loves the taste of it and this is what I am making for lunch today.
I double this recipe (it doubles very easily) whenever I make it because of my big family, MashaAllah. I have made a few tweaks
here in my versionI sauteed the tomatoes and added frozen garden peas for a little bit of color and also decreased the amount of
tomato paste because my DH is not too keen about tomato paste.

I served this delicious chicken dish with Indian Vegetable Rice (recipe to follow in the next post).

Chicken Makhtoum (adapted from Ya Salaam Cooking)

2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon corn oil

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 cup of yogurt

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon Arabic spice mix

2 tablespoons corn oil

700 gram whole chicken, cut up into 4 pieces

1 cup of frozen garden peas

In a medium frying pan, saute the chopped tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of corn oil until mushy.

In a blender, add the sauteed tomatoes, onions, yogurt, salt, Arabian spice mix, and tomato paste and blend until smooth.

In a large pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of corn oil and once it is hot add the chicken pieces and fry until golden brown.

Add the yogurt mix. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes and reduce the heat to low.

Add the frozen garden peas, gently stir in and then cover and let cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.

Serve with basmati rice or nice and hot parathas. Enjoy!

And Noor is right, this recipe would be really delicious if you substituted lamb or shrimp for the chicken.

Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

Posted on January 24, 2011 | 14

Comments

It was a bit chilly and breezy early this morning and the weather outside was just so beautiful with a brilliant blue, cloudless sky.
It was a perfect day so I was immediately in the mood for some homemade bread.

Some people are intimidated by the thought of making bread. It is not hard whatsoever! I find it so very peaceful and relaxing
and the end results are homemade goodness created lovingly by youjust imagine your home filled with the aroma of freshly
baked bread and the compliments you will received for all your hard work!

When I first saw the delicious-looking pictures for these dinner rolls I knew I just had to make them. I have been wanting to
make these for quite a while now and have just got around to baking them today. The original recipe for this is from the For the
Love of Cooking blog. But Pams recipe for whole wheat dinner rolls was meant for a bread machine and since I dont have
one I had to experiment.
The results? A perfectly (good for you) luscious, soft, melt-in-your mouth bread that you will want to make every day. Its so
easy!

For starters you will need:

1/2 cup of warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon yeast

In a medium sized bowl, add these three ingredients and mix. Store in a nice warm place while it grows to double (or triple) its
size. This will take about 15-20 minutes.

While you are waiting for the yeast to activate, gather these ingredients:
1/2 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg warmed to room temperature

Mix these three ingredients in a large bowl.

In another bowl you will need the following ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup whole meal flour (or whole wheat)

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix these three ingredients together.

By now, the yeast will have doubled in size. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl with the milk, egg, and butter. Stir well.

Now add the flour mix to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix well to form a dough ball. If the dough ball is a little dry , you
might need to add some more milk at this point. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a nice workable dough ball.
On your counter top or table top, spread a little flour so that you can knead the dough. This is the fun part. Hopefully you have a
window where you will be kneading the dough so you can sing and watch whats going on outside.

Knead the dough for at least 15 minutes. If you dont know it, you are incorporating air into the dough helping it to expand and
riseand yeast just loves to be massaged

Now you will have to add your dough ball (which will be nice and smooth from all that massaging kneading) to a big bowl. Add
a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the bowl and smooth it all over. Add the dough ball and just turn it once to oil the other side.
Cover with cling fling and a clean dish towel and set it out in a nice warm place. I set mine outside. Leave it to rise until it has
doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours).

Punch the dough down. Butter a 913 inch glass baking dish (dont use oilthe dough will just suck it up). Divide the dough
into 15 smaller pieces and place into the baking dish. Brush each roll with melted butter.

Cover and let rise about an hour until it has doubled in size.

Bake in a 375F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. You can brush each finished roll again with melted butter
serve hot. Enjoy!

and

If you should find you have any leftovers, these keep well in the fridge and can be heated up in the microwave for a few seconds.
They will still be as delicious!

These days, when you say youre serving wings, most people assume its the spicy variety that were made popular in the far upstate
New York city of Buffalo. In a nod to their provenance, when these wings were first introduced to Texas in the late 1980s, they were
always called Buffalo wings, a name that perplexed me. My young mind reckoned they were named after the bovine mammal, which
didnt make much sense. Then I thought perhaps they referred to Buffalo, Texasa small Texas town.

If youre not familiar with Buffalo, Texas, its right off I-45 and was always a popular place for my family to stretch our legs as we
journeyed between Dallas and Houston. Its a quiet town, and stopping there doesnt have the excitement of stopping in say, West
for kolaches. The first time, however, that my mom and I paid a short visit to Buffalo, it ended up being quite an adventure.

Mom and I were in the process of moving from Dallas to Houston, and our car was loaded with boxes, along with our dog and cat.
We had made the stop at night, and after pulling out of the gas station, Mom made a wrong turn and we ended up on a strange,
dark road.

At first she thought it was the feeder, so we kept motoring along looking for the freeway entrance. But after we had traveled a good
15 minutes without any access, she began to get worried. Adding to the confusion were our pets, who after sensing her
nervousness began barking and meowing while padding around the car.

As this was a time before GPS or cell phones, she had me look at a paper map to see if I could spot where we were. I couldnt find
the road on the map (nor could I figure out how to refold the mapa common problem back in the day), but I wasnt worried as I
was young and thought it was fun being lost in the middle of Texas. My mom, however, disagreed.

Finally, she decided that the road we were on would never lead to where we wanted to be, so she simply turned around and we
made our way back to Buffalo. After a consultation with the gas station attendant, we ended up on the correct route and continued
on to Houston. And yep, to this day, whenever I pass through Buffalo, I always think back to that night.

Getting back to those wings, the interesting thing about themand why I was shocked to learn they were a Yankee importis that
they are known for their heat. If theres one thing Ive learned while living in the Northeast is many of its natives do not like it hot. But
yep, its the heat is what has made them such a favorite treat in places far from upstate New York.

Now, no disrespect to Buffalo, but when I make my wings I like to call them red chile wings, as that name makes more sense to me
as they're not quite the same. Instead of being fried, mine are baked (or grilled). And while most recipes call for wings to be topped
with bottled hot sauce, I prefer to make my own red chile salsa, which allows me to control both the fire and the spice.

My red chile salsa is a blend of fiery chiles de arbol and berry-like guajillo chiles, with a bit of garlic, cumin, oregano and allspice
thrown in to give the blend depth. For tang, I stir in some vinegar and then cook the salsa for a few minutes to bring all the flavors
together.

This salsa, of course, makes a fine topping for other dishes such as tacos or eggs. But I like it best on wings, which I serve with
chipotle blue cheese dressing, sliced radishes and jicamathe latter a trick I picked up from Houston chef Jonathan Joness new
Mexican restaurant, Xuco Xicana.

These red chile wings are a perfect party food, and they always go fastso if youre serving a crowd you might want to double the
recipe. And while the dishs origins may have been in the Northeast, I find that this version has its roots firmly planted in Texas
both Buffalo and beyond.

Red chile wings

Ingredient for the wings:
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried garlic flakes or 1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, plus more to taste
2 pounds chicken wings, cut Buffalo style
1 jicama, peeled and cut into sticks
1/2 bunch of radishes, cut into slices
Chipotle blue cheese dressing

Ingredients for the red chile salsa:

25 chiles de arbol, stems and seeds removed
4 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup white vinegar, plus more to taste
Salt to taste

Method:
To make the wings, stir together the lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic and cayenne for a marinade. Place the
wings in the marinade, and let sit unrefrigerated for 30 minutes. (If you want to marinade it longer, please keep in the refrigerator.)

Meanwhile, in a dry skillet heated on high, toast the chiles de arbol and guajillo on each side for about 10 seconds or just until they
start to puff. Fill the skillet with enough water to cover chiles. Leave the heat on until water begins to boil and then turn off the heat
and let the chiles soak until soft, about 30 minutes.

To cook the wings, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and place a rack on a baking sheet lined with foil. (If you dont have a rack,
dont worrythe wings will taste the same but be a little less crisp as the rack helps the fat drain as they cook.) Remove the wings
from the marinade and place on the rack. Cook for 25 minutes, turn the wings over, and then cook for 20 more minutes.

While the wings are in the oven, remove the chiles from the soaking water, rinse and place in a blender. Add to the blender the
garlic, cumin, oregano, allspice and 3/4 cup of water. Blend for 5 minutes until smooth. (You blend the chiles this long because they
have very tough skins and this ensures the salsa is smooth without having strain it and lose some of the flavor.) In a skillet, heat up
the oil on medium low and pour in the salsa. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in the vinegar and
add salt to taste. You can add more vinegar or water if you desire a thinner sauce.

After the wings have been in the oven for 45 minutes, remove from the oven and generously brush both sides with the red chile
salsa (you can save remaining salsa for another use. Its terrific on tacos and on eggs). Return to the oven and cook for 10 more
minutes.

(Alternatively, you can cook the wings on the grill, about 10 minutes per side, turning once, brushing with sauce after removing from
the grill.)

Sprinkle the jicama and radish slices with cayenne, and serve alongside wings with chipotle blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Yield: 4 servings

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