DINE IN Palestine HEIFA ODEH creator of Fufu’s Kitchen An Authentic Taste of Palestine in 60 Recipes from My Family to Your Table Bring the Bold Flavors of Palestine into Your Kitchen 5 5 5 Re-create traditional, flavorful Palestinian meals at home with this comprehensive collection of Middle Eastern recipes. From familiar favorites like Dawali (Stuffed Grape Leaves), Shawarma and Baklawa, to more complex meals such as Musakhan, Palestine’s national dish, Heifa Odeh has carefully adapted her family recipes with streamlined techniques, making it easier than ever to enjoy a taste of Palestine. Explore the full range of this rich cuisine from boldly flavored breakfast options like Ka’ek El Quds (Jerusalem Sesame Bread) and satisfying mains like Pomegranate Molasses & Harissa Salmon, to sweet treats such as traditional Palestinian Knafeh, Fig & Honey Pistachio Cake and beyond. Whether you have been making Arab cuisine for ages or you are looking to expand your repertoire, this cookbook has something for everyone. HEIFA ODEH is a Palestinian American recipe developer and the winner of Saveur magazine’s 2019 Best Food Culture Blog. She created a popular online cooking course teaching classic Arab cuisine. Heifa resides in Chicago, Illinois, with her family, where she is an active member of the community. “ Dine in Palestine is a beautiful book, and Heifa has captured the true essence of Palestine in this treasure through her touching commentary. The recipes are vibrant, varied and delicious. You will want to cook everything!” —Joudie Kalla, bestselling author of Palestine on a Plate and Baladi 5 DINE IN P ALES T INE 5 HEIF A ODEH 9 781645 676911 52399> ISBN 978-1-64567-691-1 $23.99 COOKING / Regional & Ethnic / Middle Eastern US $23.99 / CAN $30.99For the Love of Vegetables 47 Flafleh Mahshi bil Burghol STUFFED PEPPERS WITH BULGUR & HERB YOGURT Servings: 3 3 small red bell peppers, halved lengthwise and deseeded 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided Salt and pepper, to preference 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup (140 g) bulgur, coarse 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock ½ tsp seven spice 1 vegetable bouillon cube, crushed 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste ½ tsp pomegranate molasses HERB YOGURT 1 cup (240 ml) plain yogurt Handful chopped parsley ½ tbsp (3 g) dried mint ½ lemon, juiced Salt, to preference 1 clove garlic, minced In Palestinian cuisine, bulgur can often be found as a substitute for rice. Bulgur, which is a wheat, actually contains more health benefits than rice, as it is high in fiber and other nutrients. Often, my mom would make a side of bulgur to go with mashawi (Arabic grilled meats). I have also used bulgur in salad, as it just takes on flavors so beautifully. In this recipe, the bulgur is flavored with tomato and pomegranate molasses, then used to stuff peppers, and then gets topped with a complementary yogurt sauce to tie it all together. It makes for such a wonderful vegetarian meal. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Prepare the bell peppers by coating them thoroughly in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil. Season them with salt and pepper. Add them to an oiled baking pan and bake for 40 minutes, flipping them once halfway into baking. Mix the yogurt together with the chopped parsley, dried mint, lemon juice, salt and garlic, and then cover and refrigerate. In a pot, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil along with the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and then let everything cook down for a few minutes until the mixture is fragrant and lightly caramelized. To this, add the bulgur, vegetable stock, seven spice, bouillon cube and tomato paste. Stir and let this cook together covered for 15 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and fluff the bulgur. At this point, the peppers should be cooked. Fill each pepper with the bulgur and enjoy with a side or topping of the herb yogurt!For the Love of Vegetables 47 Flafleh Mahshi bil Burghol STUFFED PEPPERS WITH BULGUR & HERB YOGURT Servings: 3 3 small red bell peppers, halved lengthwise and deseeded 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided Salt and pepper, to preference 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup (140 g) bulgur, coarse 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock ½ tsp seven spice 1 vegetable bouillon cube, crushed 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste ½ tsp pomegranate molasses HERB YOGURT 1 cup (240 ml) plain yogurt Handful chopped parsley ½ tbsp (3 g) dried mint ½ lemon, juiced Salt, to preference 1 clove garlic, minced In Palestinian cuisine, bulgur can often be found as a substitute for rice. Bulgur, which is a wheat, actually contains more health benefits than rice, as it is high in fiber and other nutrients. Often, my mom would make a side of bulgur to go with mashawi (Arabic grilled meats). I have also used bulgur in salad, as it just takes on flavors so beautifully. In this recipe, the bulgur is flavored with tomato and pomegranate molasses, then used to stuff peppers, and then gets topped with a complementary yogurt sauce to tie it all together. It makes for such a wonderful vegetarian meal. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Prepare the bell peppers by coating them thoroughly in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil. Season them with salt and pepper. Add them to an oiled baking pan and bake for 40 minutes, flipping them once halfway into baking. Mix the yogurt together with the chopped parsley, dried mint, lemon juice, salt and garlic, and then cover and refrigerate. In a pot, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil along with the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and then let everything cook down for a few minutes until the mixture is fragrant and lightly caramelized. To this, add the bulgur, vegetable stock, seven spice, bouillon cube and tomato paste. Stir and let this cook together covered for 15 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and fluff the bulgur. At this point, the peppers should be cooked. Fill each pepper with the bulgur and enjoy with a side or topping of the herb yogurt!The Land & Sea 89 88 Dine In Palestine Place the dumplings on a parchment-lined baking pan and bake at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes to toast them. Set them aside. Note that shish barak, after it is baked and cooled, can be placed in a ziplock bag and frozen for future meals. Make the yogurt sauce by blending together the yogurt, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons (12 g) of salt and 2 cups (480 ml) of water and adding the mixture to a pot. Stir over medium heat for 15 minutes or so until it starts to boil and slightly thicken. To thicken it more, make a cornstarch slurry to add to the sauce. Then, add the shish barak to the sauce, once it is ready. Stir the shish barak in the sauce for 10 minutes so that everything simmers together. Sauté the garlic with the olive oil, and then top the shish barak with that and the dried mint! Enjoy as is or with a side of Vermicelli Rice (page 93). YOGURT SAUCE 32 oz (907 g) plain yogurt 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch 2 tsp (12 g) salt 2 cups (480 ml) water FOR SERVING 1 whole head garlic, crushed 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil 2 tbsp (12 g) dried mint Vermicelli Rice (page 93) Dajaj Mahshi bil Freekeh CHICKEN STUFFED WITH FREEKEH Servings: 4–6 CHICKEN 2 (2.5-lb [1.1-kg]) whole chickens 1 tsp salt 1 lemon, juiced 1 tbsp (15 ml) vinegar MARINADE 1 lemon, juiced 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste 1 tbsp (6 g) paprika 1 tbsp (6 g) seven spice 1 tbsp (8 g) garlic powder Salt and pepper, to preference STUFFING 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil 1 yellow onion, finely diced Salt and pepper, to preference 2 cups (380 g) coarse freekeh, thoroughly rinsed, soaked and drained ¼ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp seven spice 2½ cups (600 ml) vegetable or chicken stock 1 bouillon cube, crushed My Aunt Mufideh would make the best dajaj mahshi bil freekeh. I cannot make this dish without thinking of those times in Jordan at the dinner table with my aunts, uncles and cousins enjoying this meal. I loved it from the first time I tried it. Since then, whenever I go back overseas, this dish is always a part of the dinner table welcoming us. Even before trying this dish, I have always been fond of freekeh, which is wheat that you can enjoy just like rice. I just never had them together. In the market, you can find both fine or coarse freekeh. For soups, fine freekeh is used, but coarse freekeh is used to take the place of rice, just like in this recipe. In Middle Eastern food culture, we love to stuff things, whether it’s veggies or chicken. This is definitely a staple dinner piece that you can always go back to. Enjoy it with some salad and yogurt and you have yourself a wholesome meal. Start by cleaning your chicken thoroughly. I do so by rubbing it with a teaspoon of salt, lemon juice and vinegar, and then rinsing the chicken and patting it dry. To make the marinade, mix together the juice of 1 lemon, tomato paste, paprika, 1 tablespoon (6 g) of seven spice, garlic powder, salt and pepper until the mixture is paste-like. Make some room underneath the skin of the chicken and rub in some of the marinade. Then, rub the marinade all over both chickens. To make the stuffing, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil to a pot. Add the onion and sauté until it is caramelized, which will take 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stirring every few minutes. Add the freekeh to the onion and give it a nice stir for 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper along with the cinnamon, cumin and ½ teaspoon of seven spice. Add the stock and crushed bouillon cube and bring the freekeh to a boil, and then to a simmer until the liquid has cooked off. (continued) Shish Barak (CONTINUED)90 Dine In Palestine Once the freekeh is cooked, it is time to stuff the chicken. With a spoon, add the freekeh into the cavity of the chicken. Then, close the cavity by using a skewer or toothpick to seal the end. You will have extra freekeh, but this is typical, as the freekeh used to stuff the chicken won’t be enough to feed many. So, serve the extra freekeh with the meal! Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the chicken for 1 hour covered, and then uncovered for another 30 minutes. Chicken is safe to eat and perfectly tender when its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. If needed, allow the chicken to cook longer for 5- to 10-minute intervals until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Keep in mind that different size chickens will require different cooking times; that is why a meat thermometer is a great tool to have. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy with Jerusalem Salad (page 84) and/or some plain yogurt. FOR SERVING Jerusalem Salad (page 84) Plain yogurt Dajaj Mahshi bil Freekeh (CONTINUED)90 Dine In Palestine Once the freekeh is cooked, it is time to stuff the chicken. With a spoon, add the freekeh into the cavity of the chicken. Then, close the cavity by using a skewer or toothpick to seal the end. You will have extra freekeh, but this is typical, as the freekeh used to stuff the chicken won’t be enough to feed many. So, serve the extra freekeh with the meal! Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the chicken for 1 hour covered, and then uncovered for another 30 minutes. Chicken is safe to eat and perfectly tender when its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. If needed, allow the chicken to cook longer for 5- to 10-minute intervals until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Keep in mind that different size chickens will require different cooking times; that is why a meat thermometer is a great tool to have. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy with Jerusalem Salad (page 84) and/or some plain yogurt. FOR SERVING Jerusalem Salad (page 84) Plain yogurt Dajaj Mahshi bil Freekeh (CONTINUED)Sweet Treats 111 110 Dine In Palestine Bake this for 12 to 15 minutes covered in foil, and then 5 minutes uncovered. Wiggle the baking pan to see if the edges loosen from the pan and to see if it is crisp. These are both indications that the knafeh is ready and the cheese is melted. While the knafeh is baking, make the simple syrup. Prepare the syrup by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan on medium to high heat, stirring continuously until it reaches a boil. Then, stop stirring and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Once you have a consistency similar to corn syrup, add the lemon juice and stir. Set the syrup to the side. Any extra syrup can be stored for up to 2 months in a container in the refrigerator. When the knafeh is finished baking, flip it over into a slightly larger rimmed platter, drizzle a majority of the syrup on top and sprinkle the crushed pistachios, and then cut and serve immediately. Knafeh is best served fresh. Serve extra syrup on the side for those who prefer a sweeter knafeh. Alternatively, if you are uncomfortable flipping the knafeh, use the following instructions for easier assembly. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). In the food processor, in intervals, pulse the kataifi dough into finer shreds. Set aside. Remove any excess moisture from the cheeses by either patting them dry or using a cheesecloth to squeeze any excess liquid. Then, in the same food processor, crumble the cheeses until they resemble small chunks. To prepare the dough add ½ cup (120 ml) of melted ghee or unsalted butter to the shredded kataifi dough along with dye, if using. Stir and set aside. Add half of your prepared dough to the bottom of a greased pan and press it down gently. Then add all the cheese and top it with the remaining half of the dough. Gently pat down the dough. Bake this for 12 to 15 minutes covered in foil, and then for 5 minutes uncovered. When the knafeh is finished baking, pour the warm syrup on top and garnish with pistachios. Serve fresh. SYRUP 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar 1 cup (240 ml) water 1 tsp lemon juice Chocolate Almond Baklawa Makes: 2–3 dozen pieces 6 oz (175 g) 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped 14 oz (397 g) unsalted whole almonds, finely chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 (16-oz [454-g]) package phyllo dough, thawed 2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, melted This is such a well-known dessert that is seen across the Mediterra- nean in many forms. Baklawa is what we call baklava in the Arabic language. The most traditional in our region is baklawa with walnuts and a simple syrup, but baklawa is so versatile and is great to get creative with. So, for you, I have this Chocolate Almond Baklawa. The first time I had chocolate with phyllo, I was won over. I still think about it to this day. The buttery, crispy phyllo and the subtle, yet prominent chocolate just worked. That moment inspired this recipe. I truly don’t believe it is baklawa if there aren’t nuts, and my go-to combination is almost always chocolate and almonds, so here they are, creating magic for the taste buds. The simple syrup also has a hint of coffee to accentuate the flavor of the chocolate in the baklawa. If you didn’t know, baklawa is even better the second day, as the flavors will have had time to really develop and meld together. The same goes for this wonderful recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Mix together the chopped chocolate, almonds and cinnamon. You can either chop each ingredient by hand or with a food processor one at a time and then combine everything. In a 9 x 13–inch (23 x 33–cm) baking pan, lay half of the phyllo sheets flat and evenly in the pan. Trim the edges if it does not fit exactly. Add the chocolate-almond mixture on top of the phyllo, spreading it out evenly. Place the rest of the phyllo sheets on top of the filling, and then with a sharp knife, slice across the shorter side and then slice diagonally to create diamond-looking pieces. You can also easily make square pieces. Either will be great! Pour the melted butter all over the top evenly. (continued) Knafeh (CONTINUED)Sweet Treats 113 Bake for 35 minutes, until the baklawa is lightly browned on top. While the baklawa is baking, make the syrup by combining the ingredients in a small pot. Stir together on medium-high heat until it starts to boil, and then let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens slightly. Set this aside. You should taste some coffee flavor in the syrup. If you like it more pronounced, feel free to add more instant coffee and stir. After baking, pour the warm syrup immediately all over the top of the baklawa. Let the baklawa cool completely to room temperature to absorb the syrup. Baklawa is best the next day! SYRUP 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar 1 cup (240 ml) water 1½ tsp (2 g) instant coffee Chocolate Almond Baklawa (CONTINUED)Sweet Treats 113 Bake for 35 minutes, until the baklawa is lightly browned on top. While the baklawa is baking, make the syrup by combining the ingredients in a small pot. Stir together on medium-high heat until it starts to boil, and then let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens slightly. Set this aside. You should taste some coffee flavor in the syrup. If you like it more pronounced, feel free to add more instant coffee and stir. After baking, pour the warm syrup immediately all over the top of the baklawa. Let the baklawa cool completely to room temperature to absorb the syrup. Baklawa is best the next day! SYRUP 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar 1 cup (240 ml) water 1½ tsp (2 g) instant coffee Chocolate Almond Baklawa (CONTINUED)Next >