The Arab Table

by Bsisu, May S.

• ISBN13: 9780060586140
• ISBN10: 0060586141
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-02-08
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publications

Summary

It is one of the world's oldest and most intriguing cuisines, yet few have explored the diverse dishes and enchanting flavors of Arab cookery beyond hummus and tabouleh. In 188 recipes, The Arab Table introduces home cooks to the fresh foods, exquisite tastes, and generous spirit of the Arab table. May S. Bsisu, who has lived and cooked in Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, England, and now the United States, takes you along a reassuringly down-to-earth and warmly personal path through exciting culinary territory. The Arab Table focuses intimately on the foods of Arab countries such as Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria. The book offers a bountiful range of appealing dishes: cold and hot mezza, or little dishes; vibrant salads and fresh vegetable preparations; savory soups, stews, and hearty casseroles; baked and grilled meats, poultry, and fish; cooling drinks; and ambrosial desserts. There are recipes for familiar dishes including Falafel, Chicken and Lamb Kebabs, and Baklava, as well as a diverse selection of lesser known delights greatly enjoyed around the world, such as Eggplant Pomegranate Salad, Zucchini with Bread and Mint, Grilled Halloumi Cheese Triangles, and Arab Flatbread. Celebration dishes, the cornerstone of Arab cuisine, include Moroccan and Lebanese Couscous, Baked Lamb with Rice and Chickpeas, and Baked Sea Bass with Rice and Caramelized Onions. No Arab cookbook would be complete without an ample selection of soups and stews, the customary way to break the fast at the end of each day during Ramadan. The Arab table is also well known for its sweets: Semolina Pistachio Layer Cake, Milk Pudding, and, of course, date-, nut-, and cream-filled pastries perfumed with rose and orange-blossom water are just a sampling of the desserts included here. Along with these treasured recipes collected from May's extended family, friends, neighbors, and her own discoveries, The Arab Table is also a resource for learning about the traditions and customs associated with this time-honored cuisine. Throughout, essays on Arab holidays, from Eid Al Adha, the feast celebrating the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca, to Ramadan and Mubarakeh, the celebration for the birth of a baby, are explained and menus are provided for each. May enlightens readers as to customary greetings (How do you say Happy Ramadan?), gifts (What do you bring to an Arab home during Ramadan?), and wishes (How do you acknowledge the birth of a baby?) that are traditionally extended during these special occasions. Now you can bring the abundance and flavors of The Arab Table to your table.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
The Arab Pantry	p. 12
Basics	p. 31
Mezza	p. 47
Bread	p. 92
Breakfast	p. 104
Soups and Stews	p. 124
Salads	p. 144
Rice	p. 163
Main Courses	p. 175
Side Dishes	p. 267
Beverages	p. 287
Desserts	p. 299
Sources	p. 347
Index	p. 351
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

The Arab Table
Recipes and Culinary Traditions

Tahini Onion Sauce

Makes 3 cups

The secret to making delicious Tagen is to very slowly cook, or caramelize, the onions until they are golden brown and almost melting. I prefer Spanish onions because they caramelize so well. Serve Tahini Onion Sauce with Fish Kibeh, Warm Lentils with Rice, or any grilled fish.

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sesame paste (tahini)
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil 2 pounds onions, halved and thinly
sliced ¼cup fried pine nuts
Salt, to taste

Instructions:

Combine the garlic, salt, and sesame paste in a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice and whisk until the mixture becomes a firm white paste. Gradually add up to 1 cup cold water, whisking constantly, until the mixture has the consistency of heavy cream. Set it aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Slide a heat diffuser under the skillet and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and translucent and all the liquid has evaporated, 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to paper towels to drain.

Add the drained onions to the tahini mixture and stir well. Add the pine nuts, reserving a few for garnish. Season with salt.

Spoon the sauce into a serving bowl, and scatter the reserved pine nuts on top.

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Roasted Eggplant Spread

Serves 6

The distinctive flavor of this dish comes from getting a good char on the eggplants. The intensely smoky flavor of Betinjan Mutabal makes it an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats and chicken. It is thick and creamy enough, too, to spread on Arab bread or to scoop up with crudités. My mother's version, which I give here, is particularly smooth thanks to the addition of yogurt as a "secret" ingredient.

The spread can be prepared 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Alternatively, you can prepare the eggplants only: Roast, peel, and seed them. Submerge them in a bowl of lemon juice, then drain, and freeze in resealable freezer bags. Defrost at room temperature until soft.

Ingredients:

2 pounds medium eggplants
½cup sesame paste (tahini)
2/3cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
¾teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon mashed garlic
2 tablespoons full-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sliced radishes, for garnish
Chopped scallions, for garnish
Julienned red or green chiles, for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Pierce the eggplants in a few places with a sharp paring knife, and place them on an aluminum foil -- lined baking sheet 4 inches from the heat source. Roast, turning the eggplants a quarter turn every5 minutes, until the skin blisters and cracks all over. To determine doneness, press the top of an eggplant between your index finger and thumb. If it is soft, they are cooked. Let the eggplants cool until they are comfortable to handle. Then, holding the still-warm eggplants, at the stem end, peel them from the top down. Cut them in half and gently scrape out the seeds with a spoon, leaving as much flesh behind as possible. Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl, and mash it with a potato masher or a pestle until smooth. Mix the sesame paste with the lemon juice, salt, garlic, yogurt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Add this to the eggplant and stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season to taste with additional lemon juice and salt if needed. Spoon the eggplant spread onto a serving plate and garnish with the radishes, scallions, and chiles. Drizzle with olive oil, and serve. The Arab Table
Recipes and Culinary Traditions. Copyright © by May Bsisu. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

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Excerpted from The Arab Table: Recipes and Culinary Traditions by May Bsisu
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.