What are some delicious ethnic middle eastern meals?

Question

I went to a restaurant a while ago and had some really good rice and kabobs. I want to make a meal based off the middle eastern cuisine. Possibly a dessert too. Thanks!

Out of curiosity, is it true that middle eastern peoples biggest meal of the day is lunch?

Answer 1

Kebab & Tikka recipes:

http://www.khanapakana.com/kebab-recipes...

Answer 2

This recipe looks complicated but is in fact very simple. I exchange the prunes for gorgeous pitted dates and serve it with couscous rather than a basmati rice, both are more traditional. Middle Eastern food uses spices such as cumin, gorund coriander, turmeric, saffron, cinnamon and cloves and due to their climate citrus fruits also play a large part in their cusine. Most are curries or Tagines, which is the cooking dish that they are prepared in. The also use yoghurt as a dressing or sauce and a good deal of tomatoes. I suggest looking up recipes for Tagines. Their pastries and flat breads are exquisite as well as there desserts that are usually scented with either rose water or orange blossom water.

This recipe is by a great Australian chef Neil Perry.

Persian Style Lamb with Pumpkin & Saffron Pilaf

Ingredients

600g diced lamb shoulder, 4cm dice

400g diced, peeled, butternut pumpkin, 3.5cm dice

200g brown onion wedges, 1cm

50ml olive oil

2g freshly ground cinnamon

2g freshly ground cumin

800ml fresh chicken stock

65g pitted prunes

5g caster sugar

30g fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon saffron threads dissolved in 20ml boiling water, for lamb

¼ teaspoon saffron threads, for pilaf

500g basmati rice

Sea salt and pepper

Method

Heat some of the oil in a heavy based pan, add meat in batches, and stir over heat until browned. Remove from pan, repeat with remaining meat.

Add extra oil and onions to the same pan, stir over heat until lightly browned. Add ground spices and salt, stir over heat 1 minute or until fragrant.

Add 350ml of the stock, simmer over low heat, covered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add prunes, sugar, lime juice and saffron water. Cover and simmer a further 30 minutes or until lamb is very soft. Add a little more lime juice and sugar if required.

Combine pumpkin pieces with salt and 10ml olive oil. Place in baking dish and bake at 200°C for about 20 minutes or until just tender and lightly browned.

Wash rice well in sieve under a running tap. In a pan, bring 450ml of the stock to the boil; add rice, saffron and salt. Bring to the boil again. Cover immediately with a tight fitting lid, simmer over very low heat for about 20 minutes or until little holes appear on the surface and the rice is tender.

Keep covered 5 minutes. Fluff rice up with a fork.

To Serve

Transfer lamb to a deep serving dish, carefully arrange the meat and the pumpkin spooning over the broth. Cover and place in a warm oven until ready to serve. When the rice is ready serve it hot, in a mound, or press it into a mould with the lamb and pumpkin.

May be garnished with 1 chopped onion fried until golden, flaked or chopped toasted almonds or chopped toasted pistachios.

Serves

4

Answer 3

make some falafel, and definately get some hummous.

Also, basmanti rice would be good

Answer 4

Try these sites...