US $40.00 UK £28.00 A CELEB R ATI O N O F P A LES TINI AN FO O D F A D I K AT TA N B E T H L E H E M K AT TA N B E T H L E H E MB ETHLEHEM F AD I K A T T ANB ETHLEHEM F AD I K A T T ANSP R IN G SUMMER A UTUMN W INTER C O N T E N T S 8 62 132 194SP R IN G SUMMER A UTUMN W INTER C O N T E N T S 8 62 132 194Salt Olive oil 500 g / 18 ounces grape leaves (fresh or in a jar in brine) 1 kg / 2¼ pounds koussa (small Palestinian zucchini) Juice of 2 lemons SERV ES 8 To stuff the rest of the grape leaves, place a leaf flat on your worktop and place approximately 1 teaspoon of the rice stuffing on one side of the leaf. Fold the sides in and roll tightly. Arrange the stuffed grape leaves over the courgettes in the pan. In a bowl, mix 1 L/ 4¼ cups boiling water, the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the mix in the pot until the water covers the grape leaves. Place a small plate on top to keep the leaves from floating. Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and leave to simmer for 50 minutes or so. Make sure there is water at the bottom of the pot. If needed, add some boiling water. Steal one stuffed grape leaf and taste to make sure the rice is cooked (unless you intend to be told off at the picnic!). Once everything is cooked, turn off the heat and carefully tilt the pot sideways to drain any leftover water. Replace the lid and leave covered until it has fully cooled down. To serve, carefully flip over onto a large tray. 400 g / 2 cups medium- grain rice, rinsed and drained 2 small onions, finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped ½ bunch mint leaves, finely chopped 1 small green chilli, finely chopped 1 kg / 2¼ pounds tomatoes 2 teaspoons ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg In a large bowl, combine the rice, onions, garlic, parsley, mint, and chilli. Finely chop 3 of the tomatoes and add to the rice. Add the allspice, pepper, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Finally add 1 tablespoon of salt and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well to coat the rice and vegetables with the oil and spices. Set aside. If the grape leaves are fresh, cut off the hard stalks and blanch the leaves in a large pot of boiling water until tender but firm, about 5 minutes. If the grape leaves are stored in a jar, drain them and rinse under running water to reduce the acidity and saltiness. Set aside a few leaves to line the bottom of the pot. Slice the remaining tomatoes. To core the courgettes, cut off the tops, slice lengthwise, and, with a corer or spoon, empty the courgettes until the outside is about 6 mm / ¼ inch thick. (Store the cored insides to use in another recipe, perhaps an omelette with courgettes and zaatar or the recipe for Mafghoussa [page 58]). Rinse the cored courgettes in a bowl of salted cold water (for 1 liter / 1 quart of water, use 1 tablespoon of fine table salt). Place in a sieve, cored side downwards, to allow the excess water to drain. Start filling the courgettes with the rice stuffing, but not to the top—leave about 1 cm / ⅜ inch empty as the rice will expand during cooking. Cover the bottom of a Dutch oven with a dash of olive oil, a few grape leaves, and the sliced tomatoes. Layer the courgettes on top. Siyam is the Arabic word for “fasting.” The palestinian year is marked by many days of fasting. palestinians of Muslim faith fast during daylight hours during the month of ramadan. palestinian Christians refrain from eating animal products on Wednesdays and Fridays, depending on their denomination. Lent, the month leading up to Easter, requires fasting of all Christian denominations. Although the cuisine is not religious, it is often adapted to suit religious traditions. i find it a strong symbol of diversity and brotherhood between palestinians to see Muslims and Christians gather around a table, preparing the foods used for different religious events. Stuffed courgettes (zucchini) and rolled grape leaves are delicacies that can be made vegetarian to suit all those fasts. personally i prefer serving the siyami version of stuffed leaves and courgettes cold or at room temperature and the meat version piping hot. SIYA MI- STUFFED GR A PE LEAV ES AND COURGET TES 56 57 B ETHLEHEMSp r in gSalt Olive oil 500 g / 18 ounces grape leaves (fresh or in a jar in brine) 1 kg / 2¼ pounds koussa (small Palestinian zucchini) Juice of 2 lemons SERV ES 8 To stuff the rest of the grape leaves, place a leaf flat on your worktop and place approximately 1 teaspoon of the rice stuffing on one side of the leaf. Fold the sides in and roll tightly. Arrange the stuffed grape leaves over the courgettes in the pan. In a bowl, mix 1 L/ 4¼ cups boiling water, the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the mix in the pot until the water covers the grape leaves. Place a small plate on top to keep the leaves from floating. Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and leave to simmer for 50 minutes or so. Make sure there is water at the bottom of the pot. If needed, add some boiling water. Steal one stuffed grape leaf and taste to make sure the rice is cooked (unless you intend to be told off at the picnic!). Once everything is cooked, turn off the heat and carefully tilt the pot sideways to drain any leftover water. Replace the lid and leave covered until it has fully cooled down. To serve, carefully flip over onto a large tray. 400 g / 2 cups medium- grain rice, rinsed and drained 2 small onions, finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped ½ bunch mint leaves, finely chopped 1 small green chilli, finely chopped 1 kg / 2¼ pounds tomatoes 2 teaspoons ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg In a large bowl, combine the rice, onions, garlic, parsley, mint, and chilli. Finely chop 3 of the tomatoes and add to the rice. Add the allspice, pepper, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Finally add 1 tablespoon of salt and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well to coat the rice and vegetables with the oil and spices. Set aside. If the grape leaves are fresh, cut off the hard stalks and blanch the leaves in a large pot of boiling water until tender but firm, about 5 minutes. If the grape leaves are stored in a jar, drain them and rinse under running water to reduce the acidity and saltiness. Set aside a few leaves to line the bottom of the pot. Slice the remaining tomatoes. To core the courgettes, cut off the tops, slice lengthwise, and, with a corer or spoon, empty the courgettes until the outside is about 6 mm / ¼ inch thick. (Store the cored insides to use in another recipe, perhaps an omelette with courgettes and zaatar or the recipe for Mafghoussa [page 58]). Rinse the cored courgettes in a bowl of salted cold water (for 1 liter / 1 quart of water, use 1 tablespoon of fine table salt). Place in a sieve, cored side downwards, to allow the excess water to drain. Start filling the courgettes with the rice stuffing, but not to the top—leave about 1 cm / ⅜ inch empty as the rice will expand during cooking. Cover the bottom of a Dutch oven with a dash of olive oil, a few grape leaves, and the sliced tomatoes. Layer the courgettes on top. Siyam is the Arabic word for “fasting.” The palestinian year is marked by many days of fasting. palestinians of Muslim faith fast during daylight hours during the month of ramadan. palestinian Christians refrain from eating animal products on Wednesdays and Fridays, depending on their denomination. Lent, the month leading up to Easter, requires fasting of all Christian denominations. Although the cuisine is not religious, it is often adapted to suit religious traditions. i find it a strong symbol of diversity and brotherhood between palestinians to see Muslims and Christians gather around a table, preparing the foods used for different religious events. Stuffed courgettes (zucchini) and rolled grape leaves are delicacies that can be made vegetarian to suit all those fasts. personally i prefer serving the siyami version of stuffed leaves and courgettes cold or at room temperature and the meat version piping hot. SIYA MI- STUFFED GR A PE LEAV ES AND COURGET TES 56 57 B ETHLEHEMSp r in gNext >