Barazik Al Sham

It was Syrian cuisine at Walima cooking club this month. As usual we were given 1 savory and 1 sweet recipe the savory recipe was for 'the spring Kibbeh' and the sweet Barazik Al sham. And this months challenge was brought to us by Nisrine of Nisrine's Blog and Mona . I really wanted to try the spring Kibbeh...but as I could not find all the ingredients mentioned in the recipe, I decided to make it later when I find the ingredients coz I wanted to make it exactly the authentic way. And thus, I decided to go for Barzik Al sham/ Syrian cookies. Thanks Nisrine and Mona for this month's challenge. The cookies were yummy and something different and my Son loved these cookies. And as usual before we go to the recipe, a little peek into Syrian Cuisine....
The Syrian cuisine is rich and varies in its ingredients which is linked to the region of Syria where a specific dish has originated. Syrian food mostly consists of Southern Mediterranean, Greek, and Southwest Asian dishes. Some Syrian dishes also evolved from Turkish and French cooking. Dishes like shish kebab, stuffed zucchini, yabra' (stuffed grape leaves, the word yapra' derives from the Turkish word 'yaprak' meaning leaf).
The main dishes that form the Syrian cuisine are kibbeh, wara' Inab, hummus, Syrians often serve selections of appetizers, known as mezza, before the main course. Zaatar, minced beef, and cheese manakish are popular hors d'œuvres. The Arabic flatbread khobz is always eaten together with mezza. Syrians are also well-known for their cheese. The very popular string cheese jibbneh mashallale is made of curd cheese and is pulled and twisted together. Syrians also make cookies to usually accompany their cheese called ka'ak. These are made of farina and other ingredients, rolled out, shaped into rings and baked. Another form of a similar cookie is to fill with crushed dates mixed with butter to accompany their jibbneh mashallale. Drinks in Syria vary depending on the time of the day and the occasion. Arabic coffee, also known as Turkish coffee is the most well-known hot drink usually prepared in the morning at breakfast or in the evening. It is usually served for guests or after food. Syrian beverages include Ayran, Jallab, and White coffee.
BARAZIL AL SHAM / SYRIAN COOKIES

Ingredients:

200 gm soft butter,
¼ cup powder sugar,
2 large eggs,
1 tsp pure vanilla,
3 cup of sifted all purpose flour,
1 tsp baking powder,
2 tsp white vinegar,
1 cup of chopped pistachios,
1 cup of sesame seeds and
a pinch of salt.

Method:

In a mixer add the soft butter and the icing sugar and mix to combine, add the eggs and mix well. Add the vinegar and vanilla.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder add them to the mix well so that they all combined to nice dough. Put the dough in the fridge to rest for one hour.

Take the dough out of the fridge and turn it into small balls.

In separate bowls add around ½ cup of sesame seeds and 1 cup of sliced pistachios. Using the palm of your hand, flatten the round cookies and dip the bottom side with chopped pistachios and the top with sesame seeds.
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 10-13 minutes depends on your oven, or till golden brown.

Note:
Some recipes ask for honey syrup to brush the top before dipping in sesame seeds…It will give a darker golden color.
For step by step pic visit, see Nisrine's post here.

Shakshouka

The Walima cooking club was clebrating Tunisian cuisine in the month of March..As I had returned from my visit to India at the end of that month, I couldn't participate and post that month, but I was really eager to try the savory dish given that month and here I am with that challenge...its better late than never. Right?Now before we go to the recipe, below is a quick intro to Tunisian cuisine:

The cuisine of Tunisia, is a blend of Mediterranean and desert dweller's culinary traditions. Its distinctive spicy fieriness comes from neighboring Mediterranean countries and the many civilizations who have ruled Tunisian land: Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Turkish, French, and the native Berber people. Many of the cooking styles and utensils began to take shape when the ancient tribes were nomads. Nomadic people were limited in their cooking by what locally made pots and pans they could carry with them. A tagine is really the name of a conical-lidded pot, although today the same word is applied to what is cooked in it.Like all countries in the Mediterranean basin, Tunisia offers a "sun cuisine," based mainly on olive oil, spices, tomatoes, seafood (a wide range of fish) and meat from rearing (lamb).Unlike other North African cuisine, Tunisian food is quite spicy. A popular condiment and ingredient which is used extensively Tunisian cooking, Harissa is a hot red pepper sauce made of red chili peppers and garlic, flavored with coriander, cumin, olive oil and often tomatoes. There is an old wives' tale that says a husband can judge his wife's affections by the amount of hot peppers she uses when preparing his food. If the food becomes bland then a man may believe that his wife no longer loves him. However when the food is prepared for guests the hot peppers are often toned down to suit the possibly more delicate palate of the visitor. Like Harissa or chili peppers, the tomato is also an ingredient which cannot be separated from the cuisine of Tunisia. Tuna, eggs, olives and various varieties of pasta, cereals, herbs and spices are also ingredients which are featured prominently in Tunisian cooking.

SHAKSHOUKA

This dish, with many variations, is a popular breakfast in North Africa, especially in Algeria and Tunisia. Most recipes include the eggs, but they can actually be left out if you like. Jewish immigrants from the Maghreb have made this a popular breakfast dish in Israel.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil,

1-2 tbsp of Paprika,

1 thinly sliced Onion,

2 to 3 cloves minced Garlic,

3 Tomatoes- peeled, seeded and diced,

2 to 3 Green and red bell peppers,

1 cup of Water,

4 Eggs (optional),

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Stir in the paprika and cook slightly to color the oil, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent and wilted but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to reduce down a little bit. Add the peppers, water and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add more water as needed to keep it from drying out.

Using a spoon, form four small indentations in the simmering peppers to hold the eggs. One by one, crack the eggs into a small bowl and slip each from the bowl into an indentation. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or so until eggs are cooked through.

Serve with crusty bread, pita or rice.

Variations:

Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seed to the hot oil for about 15 seconds before you add the paprika. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground coriander along with the onions.

For a little spice, sauté 1 tablespoon of Harissa paste or a minced Chile pepper with the onions.

Sometimes fresh shrimp or a spicy lamb sausage called merguez is added to the simmering peppers along with the eggs.

Add 1 small, diced eggplant along with the peppers.

Add 1 potato, cut in a small dice, along with the peppers.

Sprinkle the top of the cooked dish with chopped parsley or cilantro.

Add a few olives and capers and eliminate the eggs. Chill and serve garnished with hard-boiled eggs or tuna.

Tips:
Instead of adding the eggs to the pan, one can divide the tomato pepper sauce into 4 ramekins and top them with 1 egg each and bake in a preheated oven at 190 C until the eggs are cooked.

Omani Lamb kabouli

For the month of January, we were given Omani cuisine in Walima Cooking club . The lovely lady Arlette had chosen 2 recipes as usual, the savory dish called LAMB KABOULI and a sweet dish called SAKO-a traditional caramelized tapioca sweet.I decided to cook the savory one.
Thanks Arlette for the challenge, loved cooking the Omani kabouli. My family loved this recipe. Infact I made this 2 times this month...first time I cooked this, we couldn't even resist till I could take the pics and it was gone, before I took any snaps of it :) I had to cook this again for the pictures :D Before I go to the recipe, here a an intro to Omani cuisine.

Ted during celebrations, which consists of mashed rice flavored with spices. Another popular festival meal is shuwa, which is meat cooked very slowly (sometimes for up to two days) in an underground clay oven. The meat becomes extremely tender and it is impregnated with spices and herbs before cooking to give it a very distinct taste. Fish is often used in main dishes too, and the king fish is a popular ingredient. Mashuai is a meal comprising whole spit-roasted kingfish served with lemon rice. The rukhal bread is a thin, round bread originally baked over a fire made from palm leaves. It is eaten at any meal, typically served with Omani honey for breakfast or crumbled over curry for dinner. Chicken, fish and mutton are regularly used in dishes Although spices, herbs, onion, garlic and lime are liberally used in traditional Omani cuisine, unlike similar Asian food, it is not hot. Omani cuisine is also distinct from the indigenous foods of other Arab states of the Persian Gulf and even varies within the Sultanate's different regions. There are also significant differences in cuisine between different regions of Oman(Wikipedia).


OMANI LAMB KABOULI

Ingredients:
1 kg lamb legs, pieces with bones,
9 cups/ 2¼ liters of water,
3 small cinnamon sticks,
1 tsp whole cardamom pods,
1 tsp cloves,
1 tsp whole black peppers,
½ cup /125 ml water- extra quantity,
3 medium onions or 375 grams- sliced
4 tbsp ghee,
3 cloves garlic-crushed,
3 tbsp raisins,
1 tin/400 grams canned chickpeas,
4 tablespoons Omani mixed spices,
½ tsp saffron strands,
½ cup rose water,
3 cubes Mutton Bouillon-
if you have lamb stock or chicken stock use 3 cups as part of the above water
2½ cups/500 grams Basmati rice-washed and drained.

For the Omani spice :
2 cloves garlic- chopped,
1 Tbs (15 ml) cumin seeds,
1 Tbs (15 ml) coriander seeds,
1 Tbs (15 ml) cardamom seeds,
2 tsp (10 ml) cayenne pepper,
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground turmeric and
About 2 Tbs (30 ml) distilled vinegar.

Method:
To make the Omani spice paste-Combine all ingredients in an electric food processor and process until a thick paste is formed, adding more vinegar if necessary. Keep aside.
Put lamb pieces and water in a large pot, bring to boil and remove froth as it appears. Add the cinnamon sticks, and all whole spices. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1½ hours or until the meat becomes tender. Remove lamb pieces, put them in a bowl and set aside. Drain the stock and set aside.
Cook the extra water and onion in a large sauce pan with occasional stirring for 5 minutes or until water is steamed and the onions become tender. Add 2 tablespoons of the ghee (reserve 2 tablespoons) and stir for another 3 minutes or until onions become golden in color. Add garlic, raisins, chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of Omani mixed spices (reserve 3 tablespoons), saffron strands and rose water, stir for 1 minutes then set aside.
In a large pot put 4½ cups of drained stock; add more water if stock is not enough. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee, the remaining 3 tablespoons of Omani mixed spices, the Bouillon cubes and rice. Bring to boil with occasional stirring, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until rice is half cooked, add the boiled lamb pieces on top of the rice, cover and cook on low heat again for another 10-15 minutes or until rice is cooked.
Serve the rice and lamb in plate topped with the onion mixture.

Walima Cooking Club Moroccan tour - Couscous with lamb and Ghriba

Its Moroccan cuisine for the month of December at Walima club . Sabah from Sousoukitchen and Touria from Cuisine Touria picked the challenge for this month - Couscous with lamb/ beef and Ghriba (the famous Moroccan cookies) . Here is a history of Morocco and Moroccan cuisine .

Morocco or the Kingdom of Morocco(Al Mamlaka -Al-Magribiya) translated to the Western Kingdom, is a country located in the north Africa with an area just under 447,000 square kilometres. Rabat is the capital and Casablanca is the largest city.

Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic ocean that reaches past the straight of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean sea. It is bordered by Algeria to the east, Spain to the North and Western Sahara to the south.Several Arabic and Berber dialects are spoken in Morocco and the population is largely homogeneous.

The Moroccan Cuisine is one of the diversified cuisines in the world. It is a mix of Berber, Spanish, Moorish, Middle eastern, Mediterranean and African Cuisines.

Moroccan Cuisine is based on the use of different spices but the most characteristic feature is the use of powder ginger in different tajines. Olive oil is also a characteristic of Moroccan Cuisine as it is the case of all the Mediterranean cuisines.Chicken is the most widely eaten meat in Morocco. The most commonly eaten red meat in Morocco is beef; lamb is preferred as it is the basic ingredient in making tajines. the Moroccan tajine can also be made with fish and vegetables.The most popular drink is green tea with mint which is accompanied with different Moroccan pastry.

Now coming to the recipes...We were given the recipe for couscous with beef, but one can even use lamb or chicken instead and I used lamb . And the recipe asked for butternut squash along with other veggies., But I used potatoes instead. because my family is not a big fan of butternut squash.

COUSCOUS WITH BEEF
Ingredients :
1 pound couscous
1 pound meat -beef or chicken or lamb,
2-3 carrots,
2 zucchinis,
3 tomatoes,
2 potatoes,
1 big onion,
1/2 cup chopped coriander,
1 cup boiled chickpeas,
2 tbsp vegetable oil,
1/2 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp pepper,
1/2 tsp ginger,
1/2 tsp turmeric,
pinch of saffron and
1 tsp butter/ ghee.

Method:
Heat the oil at medium temperature, add chopped onion and the meat.After 15 minutes, add chopped tomatoes, parsley, coriander and the spices, let cook 10 min, add water, and cook for 1 hour. When the meat is almost done, add carrots to the meat stew and cook for 10 minutes, then add the potatoes, zucchini and chickpeas and cook again for 15 -20 minutes or untilall the vegetable are cooked.
To cook the Couscous:
Traditionally the couscous is cooked by steam, by putting the couscous in a steamer pot and placing it(the steamer pot) over the meat, while it gets cooked by the steam. But, for quick and easy way or if you don't have a couscous pot, put the couscous in a large bowl and add equal boiling water to it and cover for 2-3 minutes. Fluff it with your hands, using some butter . Add some salt and keep aside.
To serve, place couscous first on a plate, then the meat, the vegetables and the sauce.


Now coming to the cookies, Its Ghriba/moroccan cookies. Its very easy and simple.. here goes the recipe for it...


GHRIBA (THE FAMOUS MOROCCAN COOKIES)

Ingredients :

3 3/4 cups flour
2 stick melted butter (230 grams)
1/4 cup oil
1 cup sugar
a pinch of salt

Method:

Mix flour, sugar, salt, melted butter, oil and mix until the mixture becomes sandy.Form small balls, flatten them a little bit, place in a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 380 F, 20 min.
The cookies should keep their white color.

Walima cooking club (November) Lebanese cuisine- Aysh-el saraya and Sheesh barak

For the month of November Walima Cooking Club chose Lebanese cusine. As usual were given 1 sweet dish 'The Bread of the Seraglio' ( Aysh el-Saraya) picked by Joumana of Taste of Beirut
and 1 savory dish Sheesh Barak picked by Arlette of Phoenician Gourmet. Every month I try only 1 delight...either sweet or savory. But, I was soo tempted to try both the yummy delights this month. Thanks Joumana and Arlette.I enjoyed making both the dishes, they turned out really yummy. Here is a little introduction to Lebanese cuisine.

Lebnan, Le-b-nan that means the White Mountain, once called "The pearl of the middle East,” is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel, and Syria. At one time or another Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, European Crusaders, Ottomans, and French all ruled and had influence over the land and its cuisine. The Cuisine of this Ancient Land is diverse and steeped in history; Lebanon is a culinary and cultural Crossroads. Lebanon is located on the Eastern most shore of the Mediterranean in the Fertile Crescent, where Western Civilization is said to have begun. Both the Eastern and Western influences in its cookery are apparent. It combines the sophistication of European Cuisine with the excitement of Eastern Spices. The food of the entire Mediterranean region is a celebration of life; it is fresh, flavorful, diverse and invigorating. The Lebanese proudly admit that the genius of their food is its simplicity, and that the food was a product of both the earth and the sea. Also the natural bond that all of the Mediterranean cuisines share, from the tip of Spain to Lebanon “the same waters equally splash all of the countries around the Mediterranean". Lebanese cuisine is the richer and the finest in the Middle East and any other Arab countries due to their milder climate, and indeed, any cuisine is dependent upon climate and geography. Lebanese Cuisine is considered a very balanced, healthy diet. The Cuisine of Lebanon is the epitome of the Mediterranean diet. The country’s cuisine characterized by the use of a wide variety of fresh ingredients which include olive oil, herbs, spices, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, grains, fresh fish and seafood; animal fats are consumed sparingly. Poultry and red meat and usually lamb, is eaten more often, either grilled, baked or sautéed in olive oil or butter, cream is rarely used other than in a few desserts. Vegetables are often eaten raw or pickled as well as cooked. Though its mainstream popularity is relatively new, the Cuisine is not; the Cuisine of Lebanon has been in the making since pre-biblical times. The influence that Lebanon has had on the world is totally out of proportion to its size; culinary contributions from this tiny Country have had the greatest impact on modern Middle Eastern cuisine.

THE BREAD OF THE SERAGLIO( Aysh-el-saraya)

Ingredients:
1 loaf white bread,
2 cups of golden super fine sugar,
1 cup of water,
4 tablespoons water,
1 teaspoon lemon juice,
1 tbsp orange blossom water or rose water,
1 1/2 cups Lebanese clotted cream or Ashta ,
1 cup coarsely ground pistachios.

Method:
Cut the crust with a sharp knife and keep aside.Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and toast in an oven at 350 F until lightly brown on both sides(Turn once) about 10-15 minutes.Cool and break into small pieces .
To make the caramelized syrup, in a saucepan, put water, sugar and lemon juice and bring to boil stirring continuously, so that the sugar does not crystallize in places, for about 20 minutes or until it is caramelized.
Towards the end of the cooking time, measure 7 ounces of water and bring to a boil in a teakettle. When the sugar is caramelized, start adding the water gradually without taking the sugar mixture off the heat.
Now add the bread pieces to the pan. Stir for 3-5 minutes until the breads absorbs the sugar syrup and becomes soft. Add the orange blossom water and remove from heat.
Pour the mixture in a serving dish and spread it evenly across the dish. After it cools spread the Ashta cream / ricotta cheese evenly on the bread and garnish with the coarsely grounded pistachios.

Note: If one can't find ricotta cheese/ Ashta cream, here is a way to make home made Ashta :-
Clotted cream or Ashta: 2 slices of white bread without the crust
2 cups half-and-half
Cut the bread in small pieces and place in a saucepan
Pour the cream or half-and-half over the bread
Bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often.
Cool then refrigerate.

Source: Lebanese Cuisine by Anissa Helou and Middle eastern cookbook by Maria khalife.

SHEESH BARAK

Ingredients:

For the basic dough or Ajeen :
1/2 kg (2-3 cups) plain flour,
1 cups warm water,
1/4 cup olive oil,
1/4 cup vegetable oil,
1 tbsp salt and
1 tbsp sugar.

For the filling:
1/2 kg minced meat( beef or lamb),
3 medium sized onions finely chopped,
1/4 tsp ground all spice,
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder,
1/4 cup of pine nuts and
2 tbsp cooking oil or butter.

For the yogurt sauce:
1/2kg of plain Greek Style Yogurt,
1 tbsp cornstarch,
1/2 tsp of salt,
1/4 cup water,
1 beaten egg ,
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint or some dried mint,
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic.

Method:
For the basic dough or Ajeen:
Sift the flour into a working surface.Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the center.Pour olive oil and vegetable oil in the well.Mix the dry ingredients into the liquid.Add water gradually. Knead the dough into a ball. Knead the dough on a floured working surface until it is smooth and elastic.Form the dough into a ball and put into a lightly floured bowl, covered with a damp cloth.
Leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

For them meat filling:
Fry onion in butter till color changes a little. Add meat, salt, allspice and cinnamon. Stir occasionally and fry for 7-8 minutes. Add pine nuts and Mix. Drain the mixture as butter would affect closing the pastries.

For the yogurt sauce :
Strain yogurt using a smooth colander into a pot. Add egg or egg's white.Dissolve cornstarch in 1 cup of water. Stir into cold yogurt for 2 minutes.Place on medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils.

Preparing the Sheesh barak:
Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 1 cm thickness. Using a round cookie cutter (medium size), press over dough to get equal rounds.Spread the round a little with your fingers. Place 1 tspn of the filling on it. Fold over one end to make a semi-circle. Press edges down to seal. Take the two ends from the straight side, bring them together and seal them. Press well. Repeat till rounds are done.
Place the stuffed dough and the cut pastries in a tray with parchment, Bake in a hot oven (400F) for 10 minutes or until golden. During this time prepare and cook the yogurt and when it starts to boil add the baked pastries to the boiling cooked yoghurt one by one. Let it boil over low heat for 10 minutes or till pastries are cooked.
In a separate skillet quickly saute the garlic and mint in one tbsp extra virgin olive oil and add it to the Sheesh Barak. And cook for another 2 minutes .

Source: Adapted from Antonio Tahhan.

Walima cooking club (September)Jordanian cuisine-MANSAF

Jordanian cuisine was selected for the month of September by dear Arlette . And the Savory Dish that was selected was Mansaf. Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan, it is served on special occasions such as weddings and births, or to honor a guest and feasting on Mansaf is taken seriously, and hours are spent in its preparations.The lamb is cooked is Jameed /dried yogurt and mansaf is served on a large platter with a layer of Arabic flat bread topped with rice and then meat, garnished with almonds and pine nuts.
I have to admit that I cooked it Indian way, adding many Indian spices to the meat for our Indian taste buds, which loves spicy foods :) But one can refer here for the authentic recipe.

Ingredients:
2 containers of reek yogurt,
2 lbs of lamb meat with bones,
a pinch of turmeric powder,
1 small onion-finely chopped,
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste,
1 tsp red chili powder,
1/2 tsp cumin powder,
1/4 tsp black pepper powder,
3 cups jasmine rice or Basmati rice,
1 cardamom,
1 cinnamon,
1 cloves,
1/2 cup of almonds,
1/2 cup of pine nuts,
2-3 Arabic flat bread/ thin Indian roti(chapathi),
1 cup of butter/ ghee and
salt to taste

Method:
In a large pot before turning on the heat pour the yogurt.Bring it to boil on high heat , make sure while you are cooking the yogurt that you are constantly stirring yogurt with a wooden spoon in one direction only. If you started stirring to the left you must keep stirring that way until yogurt starts to boil. Once the yogurt boils turn the heat off.
In another pot cook the meat with the spices- ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, onion and some salt. Cover the meat completely with water and cook till the meat is tender. remove the cooked meat and strain the broth to remove the onion pieces.
Now add 2-3 cups of the above broth to the pot of cooked yogurt, add salt and if its not tangy enough, juice of 1/2 lemon van be added to it. Add the lamb meat to the yogurt and broth mixture and cook till it thickens a little bit (like a sauce).
Heat the butter/ghee in another pot and fry the nuts and almonds till light brown. Remove the nuts and in the same butter add the garam masala(spices)- cardamom,cloves and cinnamon and a pinch of turmeric powder. Add rice , water and salt to taste and cook the rice.
When serving put Arabic bread and wet it with some yogurt, then add rice and meat in individual plates and spread cooked yogurt and slivered nuts over it.

My Debut in Walima Cooking Club :Iraqi Cuisine- KURAT AL TAMIR and SHAKAR LAMA

Walima cooking club celebrates Middle Eastern cuisine, where every month we go by Latin alphabetical order, choosing two recipes from every Arab country, one savory and one dessert. We can cook any one of them or both. And I really wanted to join this club, because the tag itself says' For all Arabic food lovers' and I just love Arabic food :) So..here is my first challenge. Walima club is celebrating Iraqi cuisine this month.

Iraqi cuisine or Mesopotamian cuisine is Iraq's traditional cuisine developed since antiquity in Me Mesopotamia (Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria). It is considered one of the oldest kitchens.
As Baghdad became the centre of the Abbasid Caliphate during the Islamic Golden Age, Muslims and other scholars from many parts of the world came to visit, live and study in Iraq, which gave the Iraqi cuisine new twists to its food. This is most commonly seen in the greater use of spices (e.g. Saffron) used in the Iraqi cuisine in comparison to other Arab cuisines.

Iraqi cuisine has absorbed influences from all the neighboring countries and has much in common with Levantine, Persian, and Turkish cuisines. With the Ottoman rule of Iraq, influences of Turkish cuisine also became incorporated into Iraqi recipes (and vice versa).

Furthermore, as the rest of Iraqi history, the Iraqi cuisine has been deeply influenced by its fertile land between its two rivers Euphrates and Tigris.[1] This influence is seen in Iraq's national dishes.

Now coming to this months challenge. We were given 1 savory and 2 options for sweets -Kurat al tamir ( Date sesame balls) and Shakar Lama (Cardamom cookies) by Arlette. And I tried making both the sweet dishes. Here they are :-

KURAT AL TAMIR ( Date and sesame balls)

Ingredients:
1 pound soft dates
1 cup walnuts
1 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons tahini
½ teaspoon cardamom/cinnamon powder

Method:
Add dates, ½ cup sesame seeds, and tahini in the food processor. Pulse and add the walnuts and spices; pulse again. Take the mixture out and make small balls and roll them in toasted sesame or shredded coconuts.


SHAKAR LAMA (Cardamom cookies )

Ingredients:
3 sticks butter
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk (optional)
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2tsp. salt
1/3 cup slivered almonds

Method:

Beat the butter in a bowl for 3 minutes. Add sugar and beat the mixture until becomes light in color. Add flour, cardamom and salt gradually. Use your hand to mix the cookie dough. Take a small piece of dough the size of walnut. Shape the cookie and place and almond in the middle. Arrange on a tray with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes in 350 degree oven.