Tag: Western Asian
Matzah Ball Soup
Matzah Ball Soup
Matzah ball soup is the quintessential soup of Jewish cuisine; eaten all year round, especially during Passover. The matzah represents the unleavened bread the Jews ate while fleeing Egypt in the time of Moses. The balls are made from matzah meal, eggs, and fat: either oil or rendered chicken fat called smaltz. The matzah balls are simmered in chicken soup until they double in size, becoming light and fluffy.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken skinned; cut into 8 pieces
- 3 quarts water
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1 small onion quartered
- salt to taste
- 1 box matzah ball mix
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 4 tbsp olive oil or smaltz
- 3 tbsp dill chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces, bay leaves, carrots, celery, and onion in a large stock pot. Cover with 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 90 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Scoop out the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaves. Take the meat off the chicken and chop. Save the carrots and celery. Discard the bay leaves and onion. Season the chicken stock with salt to taste.
- In a bowl, mix together the matzah meal, eggs, and oil or smaltz.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Using a cookie dropper, scoop the matzah dough and roll into balls.
- Turn the heat on the stock to medium low. Add the chicken, carrots, and celery back into the pot.
- Add the matzah balls into the pot.
- Simmer for 20 minutes until the matzah balls more than double in size. Turn off the heat and stir in the dill.
Lebanese-Style Grilled Chicken
Lebanese-Style Grilled Chicken
Djej mishwe is a Lebanese-style grilled chicken. The marinade used is garlicky and acidic; using a lot of lemon juice and red wine vinegar. After the chicken is marinated for 24 hours, the remaining marinade is cooked down and turned into a basting sauce. This chicken is best grilled over hardwood charcoal, but you can definitely use a gas grill or your oven’s broiler. You will want to sear the chicken over the charcoal for 8-10 minutes a side. Then grill the chicken indirectly for up to 25 minutes; basting and flipping every 5 minutes or so until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees.
Equipment
- food processor
- gallon sized storage bag
- charcoal grill
- hardwood charcoal
- chimney starter
- Probe Thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 whole leg quarters thighs and drums separated
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 head garlic peeled
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp 7 spice
Instructions
- Add the marinade ingredients to the food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Marinate the chicken pieces in a gallon sized storage bag for 24 hours.
- Save the remaining marinade and cook down in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes. This will be used to baste the chicken.
- Use a chimney starters worth of charcoal for your grill. Place in the front half of the grill. Once grey, place the grill rack over the charcoal. Place the chicken pieces skin side up over the charcoal. Grill for 10 minutes, covered.
- Flip the chicken over. Grill for another 10 minutes, covered.
- Flip the chicken again. Move the chicken slightly away from the charcoal. Continue grilling the chicken for up to 20-25 minutes; basting every 5 minutes and occasionally flipping. You will want dark meat to reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees using a probe thermometer.
Lamb and Cabbage Soup
Lamb and Cabbage Soup
Not only is this soup unbelievably tasty, it is fairly healthy for you. This soup is full of protein from the lamb, fiber from the channa daal and cabbage, plus iron, Vitamin A and B just to name a few. Perfect for a cold day.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs bone in lamb shoulder cubed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups water
- 15 oz canned tomatoes puréed
- 1/2 head cabbage chopped
- 1/2 cup channa daal soaked for 2 hours
Garnish
- mint chopped
Instructions
- Heat up the ghee over medium high heat. Sauté the onions, lamb, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaf for 10 minutes until browned.
- Season the lamb with salt, ground coriander, paprika, and pepper.
- Pour in the water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add in the tomato purée, cabbage, and channa daal. Continue to simmer for 2 hours.
