Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce: Shakshuka

Tags

authentic food, breakfast, breakfast for dinner ideas, breakfast for lunch ideas, eggs dishes, Eggs in spicy tomato, middle eastern food, Shakshuka, tomato, tunisian food, بيض بالبندوره, شكشوكه

Forget the hassle of what’s for dinner tonight. This middle eastern comfort shakshuka, is very welcomed to be at your dinner table more often than a satisfying breakfast meal.

If you think preparing breakfast dishes for afternoon and evening meals looks oddly indulgent, then you better get out your pajamas and feel comfort to dig in.

Eating breakfast for dinner is a traditional way many middle eastern enjoy all over the levant countries, where the main course meal commonly offered at lunch time, while the dinner is usually the lightest meal.

Lunch is the meal where all the family gather around the table, which is usually consists of a choice portion of meat, chicken or fish, a portion of rice or grain, and a portion of cooked vegetables. In addition to salads and soups that sometimes offered as part of mazzi, and always accompanied with a kind of bread or pastries.

At dinner, a healthy light meals offered, usually egg dishes like shakshuka and eggah, even the basic fried egg (my kids humbled dinner), salads and soups or light appetizers, also dishes like falafel and hummus, shawarma, and light sandwiches are on the top picks.

How often do you like to eat breakfast for dinner? What’s your favorites?

Shakshuka basically is eggs cooked in spicy tomato sauce, a well known middle eastern dish that originally comes from Tunisian, Libyan and Moroccan cuisine. Usually enjoyed at supper time as well as a breakfast meal. There are more versions of shakshuka recipes, this one is the basic, where some other recipes replace the tomato sauce with other vegetables from spinach to cauliflower and fava beans to artichoke, and the potato version is one of my favorites.

Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce: Shakshuka

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 table spoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 large tomato ripened or 6 roma tomato, skin peeled, chopped or sliced
1 medium to high heat green pepper, Anaheim is perfect choice, sliced
1 teaspoon chilli sauce, optional for more heat
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon of each: cumin, cinnamon
3 large eggs

Heat the oil in large deep skillet, sauté the onion for 1 min then add the garlic, lightly fry. Add the tomato and the green pepper, season with salt and pepper, add the cumin and cinnamon, cook for about 15-20 min over low heat, check the seasoning, the sauce should be strong and piquant flavor.

Break the eggs one by one, and slide into the tomato sauce, arrange the yolk around the pan. Continue cook on low heat until the egg whites set about 7 min, you may Partially or completely Cover the skillet to let the eggs cooks very well, and it depends a bone your liking if you want the yolk to be a little watery or hard, and to prevent the sauce from spraying all around the cooking place.

Baked Kofta with Tomato

Tags

baked kofta in tray, Beef mince, ground meat, Kofta, tomato, Tomato paste

kofta is the middle eastern version of meatloaf, fast and healthy super dish.

A Well known dish that is versatile in the way of preparing it, and every country has it’s version, but the basic recipe is simply ground beef mixed of minced onion, parsley, and ground spice mix.

Kofta can be fried, baked, or grilled. Shaped into burgers, pressed into skewers for grilling, rolled into balls to use in soup, thin fingers, or layered and baked usually with other element like tomato or tahini or vegetables.

One of my memories came when I used to go with my father to the market and stop by the butcher to order the meat, he was so punctilious to follow butcher’s work on preparing our kofta the way my mom recommened. Beginning from choosing the right meat then grinding the meat a couple of times along with the onion and parsley. That will ensures the flavors and textures will blend together. Then take the kofta and head to the local oven, not like the electrical ovens nowadays, it was stone oven heated by burning wood. There, he spreads the kofta in the tray that first seasoned with a mix of spices and bake it on hot ground of the oven, then sprinkle it with generous amount of chopped tomato. That kofta’ taste will never leave my tongue. The juicy, and smoky flavored meat.

Baked Kofta in tray with tomato is one way to introduce kofta, it’s called “kofta bil seniyah”. Where the kofta spread evenly into a tray of any shaped, sometimes I like to make an indentation in the kofta with the tips of my fingers as a decoration, the way my grandmother used to make. Sometime I like to grind potato with the meat, this will give it more flavor and became more tender and juicy. Another important step when preparing the kofta is not to over mix it, this will keep it more tender after baking.

Serve the kofta with mixed vegetable salad and flat bread for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Baked Kofta with Tomato 

1 lb ground meat (1/2 kg)
1 onion finely minced
1/2 cup fresh finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper
1\4 teaspoon of each ground cardamom, dried coriander, and cinnamon.
1\2 teaspoon ground all spice
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Mix the onion, ground meat, parsley, salt, pepper, oil, and spices in your hands to make the kofta, don’t over mix.

Spread the mixture evenly in an oiled baking tray (use any that is available for you, I used the pyrex ). Gently patting the surface until the bottom of the tray is fully covered and smooth.
With your finger tips, make an indentation to look as a decoration to the surface, also this will help it cook better.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake the kofta at 400 degrees farenheit, until the meat is 3/4 cooked for 1\2 an hour.
Spread the chopped tomatoes on top on the baked Kofta, sprinkle salt, pepper and cinnamon to taste.

Mix the tomato paste with 1/2 cup water and add it to the tray. Bake uncovered in a 375 degrees F oven for another 20-30 minutes, until tomatoes are well cooked.
Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato with Pepper & Garlic

Tags

Appetizer & Sides, barbecued tomato sauce, middle eastern, side dish, tomato, vegetarian

One of the famous middle eastern barbecue dip. A side dish served usually with meat, chicken or fish barbecue, kebab and kofta, it can be served hot or cold.
Very delicious, especially with plenty of olive oil, it combines the sweet taste from barbecuing the tomato and the sour taste, with the distinguished flavour of herbs like parsley and garlic. Serve with pita bread.
Can be cooked in the oven or stove top, but on the grill it give it very rich flavour.

Roasted Tomato with Pepper & Garlic

4 large fresh tomatoes
1 green pepper slightly hot
4-5 garlic cloves
1\2 cup minced parsley
salt black pepper
dash of cinnamon
olive oil

Clean the tomato cut it into big pieces, along with some garlic cloves minced, and the chopped parsley and cutted green pepper. if you like the heat you can use any kind of hot pepper, dash of black pepper, salt.

Cover with aluminum foil and put it on the grill, make sure the pot is heat resistant and high sided, put the grill  and cook it on medium low heat for a bout 20-30 min, check for it, add olive oil , more salt if needed, press the tomato with the fork to break it into small pieces, mix  and serve with plenty of pita ships.

Oven Roasted Okra with Tomato

Tags

beef, easy recipes, main dish, meat, okra, quick recipes, stew meat, tomato

A very well-known dish in the eastern mediterranean, called Bamya. As it also known to english speaking countries as Gumbo.

In spite of many healthy benefits of okra: rich in fiber that helps the digestive system work orderly, rich in minerals especially iron, calcium, and vitamin A, some people don’t like okra because of its slimness texture (that’s including my husband).

Some tips to reduce the slimness; keeping the pods intact and cooking quickly, cook it with acidic ingredients like tomato, citrus or drops of lemon juice will do well. When buying okra pick the fresh ones (not spotted), small buds have smaller seeds than longe buds.

Okra can be found fresh in farmers markets or in super grocery store either fresh or frozen. to prepare fresh okra you just cut the upper half of the cone (don’t reach the bud otherwise it will release its slime during cooking) and try not to squish or damage the bud. Wash the okra and wrap it with paper or cloth towel and keep it in the fridge for a week. If you decide to freeze it, make sure they are dry no water residues by spread it on cloth towel for an hour or so, then pack it in plastic bags and keep it in the freezer for 6 months.

Okra can be cooked in many ways. You can fry it, braise it, grill it, or oven roasted. My family (especially my DH) like it pan style roasted in the oven with stew meat, fresh tomato, pepper, and garlic.

Oven Roasted Okra with Tomato

fresh or frozen okra
stew meat
minced onion
chopped garlic
chunky fresh tomato
green pepper
olive oil
black pepper
cumin
ground dried coriander
cinnamon
all spice
paprika
cardamom

On the pan sear the onion and meat with 2 tablespoon olive oil for 10 minutes stir occasionally, add the okra stir gently for a couple more minutes with squishing the buds, season with salt and the other spices.

layer the tomato, garlic, and pepper season with salt and the same spices, drizzle another 1 tablespoon of oil on the top and 1\4 cup of water. Cover the pan tightly and put it in the oven on 400 f for an hour. Uncover and transfer it to the top rack to broil for 10 more minutes.

Serve it with your kind of bread (we like it with pita) or with side of white rice.