Bulgur Pilaf with Ground Beef

Tags

burgol, cracked wheat, ground beef, middle eastern, pilaf, برغل مفلفل

For a hearty main meal, accompany your meat or chicken dish, with a side of bulgur pilaf.

Ramadan is here. For me, it’s the most beloved month of the year, a very special month. We as Muslims, celebrate it in every way possible. Thus, there is a lot of things that makes it special. Ramadan is great because you will experience the hospitable and spiritual acts of our culture, a blissful month, the family gathering. A lot of memories about Ramadan are engraved in our hearts, and will be from year to year. I would like to share with you why is it special for me, one for every post through the end of the month, beginning with childhood memories.

I now believe that the more technological the world becomes, the greater the nostalgia for the days when life was simple. When those past never return days became the sweetest things in your life, where I have fond memories for charming Ramadan nights. Every night we agreed to meet after Iftar (the meal eaten by muslims after sunset), me and my best girlfriends. Celebrating Ramadan nights on our way, making fireworks from some kind of kitchen scrupping sponge and Not like todays fireworks.
How many times we burned our hair, our clothes…
Yes, but it has special kind of happiness, not even my kids nowadays will feel it, may be because it related with the past simple life we had.

If you’re looking for something lighter, healthier than rice, this will be perfect. This pilaf makes a delightfully different accompaniment to my roasted chicken. Nutty and little spicy but not hot. The ground meat adds more value to the pilaf, make it perfect for family gatherings, but you can make it with the meat too. I used the extra coarse grains, first pick it from any possible stones or dirts, then wash and soak for about 5-10 minutes. Sauté the grains first in olive oil for couple of minutes to add a toasty nutty flavors, then add the water. Continue with cooking like you cook rice.

What is Bulgur?
Bulgur is a kind of cracked wheat that is first boiled and then dried and roughly ground to produce the semi processed wheat known as bulgur.
It comes in different colors and grades. Fine, medium, course, and extra coarse. It can be bleached or unbleached.
Bulgur can be steamed or boiled, moistened with butter or oil. It’s texture is a little like brown rice, and it has a nutty, earthy favor.

How to use Bulgur?
The bulgur carries a lot of traditional Arabic flavors and makes an exciting change from your average rice dish. It can be almost as versatile as rice. Its high nutritional value makes it a good substitute for rice or couscous, too. It features in everything from pilafs to stuffings. The coarsest grade is usually cooked like rice and used to make pilafs and stuffings. The finest grade is used in salads such as Tabbouleh, as well as being a key ingredient in the Lebanese national dish, Kibbeh.

Where to find bulgur in U.S.?
It can be found in natural food stores, Middle Eastern specialty grocers, and some traditional grocery stores. In large stores, like Wal-Mart, it can be found in specialty grain sections.

Bulgur Pilaf

Ingredients

•  1 cup course bulgur soaked in water for 5 minutes
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup ground be
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup pine nut, toasted
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon sumac
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Rinse the Bulgur well in cold water and then put it in a heavy pot with 1 1/2 times it’s volume of fresh water and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and then simmer, covered, on low heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, add 2 tablespoon oil then the ground meat and onion, sauté on medium heat, cook for 10 minutes, add salt and pepper and the rest of spices, toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.
Add the meat mixer to the cooked wheat pilaf, stir gently to mix together, serve warm.
Serve with cardamom and oregano roasted chicken

البرغل المفلفل بخلطة اللحمه المفرومه
١ كوب من البرغل الخشن منقوع بالماء لمدة ٥ دقائق
٣ ملاعق كبيره زيت زيتون
١ كوب لحمه مفرومه
١/٢ كوب بصل مفروم
ملح وفلفل
١/٢ ملعقه صغيره بهار حلو
١/٤ ملعقه صغيره هيل مطحون
١/٤ ملعقه صغيره سماق
١/٣ كوب صنوبر محمص
٢ ملعقه كبيره بقدونس مفروم ناعم

نغسل البرغل جيدا وننقيه من الحصى والاتربه. في طنجره نضيف البرغل و مقدار مره ونص من الماء ونتركه يغلي، اي الكوب يحتاج ١ ١/٢ كوب ماء، نضيف ملعقه من الزيت والملح والفلفل . على نار هادئه ، نغطي الطنجره ونتركه ينضج، يحتاج ١٠ دقائق تقريبا
في مقلاه نضيف باقي الزيت واللحمه والبصل ونقلب ونتركه ينضج على نار متوسطه مع التقليب بين الحين والاخر، تحتاج لعشر دقائق لتنضج تماما، نضيف البهارات الباقيه
نضيف على خليط اللحمه الصنوبر والبقدونس المفروم، نخلط المقادير مع بعضها
ونضيفها الى البرغل المفلفل ونخلطها
تقدم وهي ساخنه

Cardamom & Oregano Roasted Chicken with Braised Fava Beans, Artichokes, and Peas (Guest Post)

Tags

artichokes, braised vegetables, cardamom, fava beans, oregano, oven roasted chicken, peas, roasted chicken, دجاج مشوي

The delicious flavors of middle eastern cuisine with vibrant fresh colors are all combined together in this one complete meal dish of fresh herbs roasted chicken on a bed of popular middle eastern vegetables. Today, I’m very excited to be a guest over at Yummy Food. Lubna is the blogger behind Yummy Food, food photographer and stylist. At her wonderful blog, she shares her indian recipes and many recipes from around the globe, strongly recommended to give her a visit and feast your eyes. Lubna contacted me to write for her a guest post on the occasion of ramadan… Our fasting month. Since 2008, Lubna is holding a Ramadan event (Joy from Fasting to Feasting), where she is sharing some of ramadan recipes. This year the theme calling for all muslim bloggers from all around the globe to celebrate and share their traditions and popular meals during Ramadan. Please do a visit to the event page and feast on various recipes shared by wonderful bloggers, and read about to get to knowledge more about this holly month through peoples traditions from all around the world.

Roasted chicken is one of the comfort food I love to go with, not only in ramadan, but also in my regular busy days. Whether I’m looking for delicious and nutritious food to feed my family or something elegant and understated to serve at a friends gathering. It’s easy to make and quick to prepare. Serve it with another side, mainly vegetables, you’ll have a satisfying complete meal.

You will not be bored with the roasted chicken. Everytime I make roasted chicken I can add a new flavor. This simple roast chicken recipe uses fresh herbs with spices and olive oil marinade to influence and complement the flavor of the chicken. Oregano, the flavor of the Mediterranean and middle east. One of the essential herbs, its lively savory flavor makes it dearly loved, that is used to make many savory dishes, stocks, soups, and all kind of slow cooked savory dishes. Cardamom is an indian spice, widely used in middle east in savory or sweet dishes. It adds a curious , slightly camphorous undertone to the dishes. With garlic, an old herb, all the flavors mixed together to give the chicken a pleasant flavor that you will not forget. Serve the chicken with this vibrant summery vegetable braise of fava beans, artichokes, and peas (recipe follow) and a side of cracked wheat pilaf. Artichokes, or as they called in arabic kharsuf, are clearly enjoyed in arab styles of cooking. Their delicate nutty flavors make them popular in many dishes. For the recipes, please check out Lubna’s blog here.

الدجاج المشوي بنكهة الزعتر الاخضر والهيل

دجاجتين كل منها بوزن ١ باوند او حسب الرغبه
حوالي ١٥ حبة هيل
٣ فصوص ثوم
ملح وفلفل
ملعقتين كبار زعتر اخضر مفروم
١/٤ كوب زيت زيتون
١/٢ ملعقه صغيره بهارات مطحونه

ندق الهيل بالهاون حتى تنفصل القشور عن البذور، نزيل القشور ونكمل طحن البذور لحتى تظهر رائحة الهيل. نضيف الثوم المقطع والملح والزعتر، ندقه ونطحنه بالمدق لنعم ويصبح كالمعجون لعدة دقائق، نضيف ٣ ملاعق زيت زيتون ونحرك المزيج تدريجيا، نستمر بالطحن حتى نتاكد من حصولنا على معجون املس تقريبا نتبل الدجاج بالملح والفلفل ، ندهن معجون الزعتر والزيت على كامل الدجاج مع الفرك حتى نتاكد من تشبع الدجاج بالنكهات، نخلط باقي الزيت بباقي معجون الزعتر ونصبه فوق الدجاج، نغطيه ونتركه ينتقع لمدة من٤- ٨ ساعات او طول الليل بالثلاجه نحمي الفرن على ٤٠٠ ف، نضع الدجاج في صينية الفرن، نرش الفلفل المطحون على الدجاج وندخله الفرن لحوالي ساعه، او حتى يتحمر ويصبح لونه ذهبي قبيل انتهاء طهي الدجاج ندهنه مره اخرى بما تبقى من خليط الزعتر والزيت يقدم بجانب طبق من الخضار

خلطة الفول الاخضر مع الارضي شوكي والبازيلا المطهوه

١ كوب بازيلا حب طازجه او مفرزه
١ و ١/٢ كوب فول اخضر طازج او مفرز
١/٢ بصله مقطعه ارباع
١/٢ كوب من الارضي شوكي المنقوع بالزيت ومقطع ارباع
٢ ملعقه كبيره زيت زيتون
١ ملعقه صغيره ثوم مهروس
١ كوب بندوره شرحات رفيعه
ملح وفلفل
بهارات

في طنجره نضيف الفول والبصل والبازيلا نغمره بالماء قليلا ونتركه يغلي لمدة ١٠ دقائق على حراره متوسطه ، نصفيه من الماء ونبرده باضافة ماء مثلج عليه لينهي عملية الاستواء في طنجره اخرى نضيف الزيت والثوم نستويه لدقيقه، نضيف البندوره ونحرك، نضيف الفول والالبازيلا والبصل ونحرك بهدوء، ثم نضيف الارضي شوكي، الملح والفلفل يقدم بجانب الدجاج المشوي والفريكه المفلفله باللحم المفرومه

للمزيد من الصور لمتابعة الطريقه كامله تابعوني حيث احل ضيفة على Yummy Food

Seafood Rice Pilaf Phyllo Pies

Tags

carrots, crab legs, dill leaves, How to, light lunch, main dish, middle eastern, middle eastern recipes, Oozi, ouzi, peas, Phyllo pastry, phyllo pies, pilaf, puff pastry rice pies, rice dish, rice filled phyllo, seafood, shrimp, vegetarian, اوزي, اوزي بالربيان

How to make individual rice pilaf pies that are tasty, elegant, and very easy to prepare. These also make a perfect light meal, accompanied by a salad or yogurt.

Did you hear about Ouzi?
No!
Not a problem then, I will help you.
It is a term you’ll never hear it except in middle eastern cuisine. This might be called for the mixer of rice, vegetable, and ground meat pilaf, or sometimes for the phyllo pocket or pies that filled with rice pilaf. The traditional recipe using the ground lamb or beef. In this recipe, I tried to go over and change a little by substituting the shrimp and crab instead, you can also prepare it with chicken or turkey too.

Usually rice dishes considered as a side dish, but this one is a whole main dish. My family enjoy it with some chopped fresh salad or yogurt on the side.

I love the ease on this dish, either when preparing or serving, never the less to say about the healthy side. You can make the rice a head of time, you just need to assemble the phyllo pies and bake them a little before serving to better enjoy the crunchy fresh phyllo. Some said it’s ok to put it in the fridge after baking then bake it again before serving but I never tried that.
For extra flavor, I added some chopped fresh dill with the rice pilaf, it goes well with the seafood dishes.

Variations:

– Traditionally, using short grain rice to make the pies, but works good too with long rice grain like basmatti rice.

– You can use vegetables any of your choice or favorite. Usually with this pies, carrots and peas with pine nuts or almond are widely preferred, I added also some chopped bill pepper to add value and color too.

– Use any kind of meat you like, I used fresh large shrimp and king crab legs. The traditional Ouzi pies prepared with ground meat, beef or lamp. Chicken also makes a good choice.

– The pies can be prepared using puff pastry too.

– If you want the pilaf alone but not to bother with the pastry crust, press the pilaf in a ring or dome-shaped mold and heat it through in the oven, turn it out and surround it with the meat and vegetables.

To make Seafood Rice Pilaf:

2 cups white basmatti rice, washed
1 cube chicken bouillon broth
1 lb fresh shrimp, any size available
1/2 lb chopped fresh crab legs
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup peas
1 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
Salt and pepper
Olive oil & sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon ground of each: all spice, cardamom, coriander
1 cube frozen chopped dill greens

In a large pot, add 2 tablespoon sunflower oil, add the washed rice, season with salt and cardamom, toast a little on medium heat for 1-2 min, stir occasionally. Add water (for every cup of rice you need 1 1/4 cup water or stock, notice that this will vary from brand to brand so read the directions). Let the water boil, cover and simmer on low heat until all the water absorbed and the rice cooked evenly, about 10-15 min, fluff the rice with fork and put a side covered.

Meanwhile, in saute pan, add some olive oil, cleaned and chopped shrimp (you have the choice to use any size, if it large chop into smaller pieces). Clean the crab legs, take out the meat, chop into smaller pieces, add it with minced garlic to the pan, season with salt and pepper, add the other spices, stir and cook all together on medium heat for 5-10 min. Leave it a side.

In a pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, sauté the carrots and peas then add chopped red pepper and cook for 5-10 min on medium heat, you may add a couple of tablespoon of water to help the veggies cook without burning.

Add together, the rice, the shrimp and crab, the peas and carrots. for extra flavor add some frozen dill leaves. Stir gently all together and be careful not to break the rice grains.

To make the individual pies:

1 package frozen phyllo pastry
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon sunflower oil

Assemble the pies not too long before the serving. Roll out the phyllo pastry, follow the directions on how to thaw and handle. Cut into squares about 6-7 inches, it depends on how big or small you prefers the pies. Take two sheets, brush with a mixer of butter and oil, take another two and brush with butter and oil too, overlap each ones’ angle, use a small bowl dish as a mold to assemble your pies, fill with the rice pilaf mixer. Fold the edges of phyllo over the rice to close the pies. Arrange the pies into oven baking sheet, brush the top with oil butter mixer, bake 5-10 min on 400 degree.

Tagine of Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Tags

Comfort food, dawood basha, dinner meals, ground beef, Healthy meals, kids friendly, lunch meal, meatball stew, meatballs, middle eastern, Soups and Stews, tomato sauce, Turkish, vegetable meatbals

Adding vegetables to your meatballs to enhance the flavor and add a nutritional boost to your hearty comfort meal.

Getting your kids to eat their vegetable is a challengeable mission lots of moms have.
How many time I forced them to eat veggies?
How many hours spent lecturing on how veggies are good for their health and bodies?
I asked myself if there is a way to end this dilemma?
So why not to make tricks and think out of the box?

Sneaking some vegetable into their favourite food is a good way to start with.
Why not to add some cauliflower, or spinach to the meatballs! Some carrots is  good too!

Tagine of Meatballs in Tomato Sauce – a well known dish called Dawood Basha, it has been told that it’s originally from turkey and where it took it’s name – is one of the classic comfort foods that enjoyed all over the levant countries. The basic recipe is only meatballs with pine nuts fried then simmered in the oven with tomato sauce.

Nothing Better Than a comfort hearty meal to enjoy in weekdays also to gather the whole family at weekends, baking the meatballs instead of frying make it light and fresh, adding the vegetable to the meatballs was a great idea to boost up more nutrient to the meal. Any vegetable available is very welcome, I tried to add spinach, cauliflower, and carrots. Make sure to shred or chop them very fine so they can mix in easily with the ground meat.  The vegetable wasn’t noticeable though, it’s all blended in with the herbs and spices that added to make it more flavorful, tender, and juicy. For a bonus, I like to add potato to the stew, since the original recipe can be served along with mashed potato instead of the rice.

Serve with rice pilaf.

 

Tagine of Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

To make the meatballs:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/4 cup chopped cauliflower
1/4 cup minced parsley
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon of each: dried coriander, cinnamon, all spice
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

4-5 ripened tomato
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 garlic Cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste

To make the stew:

2-3 potato cut into medium cubes
Cooked rice pilaf to serve

Preheat the oven to 400 f.
In a bowl, mix the ground beef lump with the vegetable add the onion, parsley, spices and oil, and work with your hands, don’t over mix. Roll into a small ball the size of walnuts.
Arrange the meatball in an oven tray, bake for 15-20 min until little browned.

Meanwhile, cut the tomato, add onion, garlic and liquidate them in the blender. Add spiced, herbs, and tomato paste, blend in. Put the sauce in a pot on low heat to simmer and thicken.

Fry or bake the potato with a little oil, add to the simmering tomato sauce along with baked meatballs and don’t forgot to add the meat juices, it adds more flavor to the stew.

Adjust the seasoning and continue simmering for 15-20 more minutes.
Serve along with rice pilaf. You may add some toasted pine nut on top.