Tag: Western Asian
Shorbit Adas (Lentil Soup)
Shorbit Adas (Lentil Soup)
Lentil soup is the most popular soup in Syrian cuisine. It is a staple to have with every meal. There are many different variations of lentil soup. This is the basic traditional soup that you would find at restaurants and street stands in Syria. Simply sauté the onions for 10 minutes. Add in the lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Season. That’s it. Serve this soup with ojji (Syrian omelettes).
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Heat up olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 10 minutes.
- Pour in the water and lentils. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Season the soup with salt, pepper, and cumin.
Chicken Shawarma
Chicken Shawarma
Shawarma’s origins can be traced back to Turkey. In Arabic, shawarma translates to “it turns,” referencing how the meat is traditionally cooked; upright on a spit. Shawarma is marinated chicken, lamb, turkey, or beef that is slowly roasted, then sliced and eaten on a sandwich made out of pita or laffish bread and topped with tomato, cucumber, onions, and a yogurt sauce. The concept of Shawarma has many variations not only in Middle Eastern cuisines like Syrian, Israeli, Lebanese, and Jordanian, but also in Mediterranean cuisine such as gyros; al pastor in Mexican cuisine; and many other countries around the world involving marinated meat being roasted on an upright spit.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- juice of 2 lemons
Marinade
- 1 head garlic peeled
- 2 shallots
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sumac
- 3 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 2 tsp salt
Shawarma
- pita
- tomatoes finely diced
- Persian cucumber finely diced
- red onion thinly sliced
- garlic mint yogurt sauce
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend all of the marinade ingredients together.
- Marinate the chicken thighs overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken thighs on a rack on a baking sheet lined in foil. Brush with lemon juice. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Brush with another layer of lemon juice and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Let rest before chopping.
Pita Bread
Pita bread can trace it’s roots over 14000 years ago to the Stoned Age in the Middle East. Today, pita bread is a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. The yeast leavened flatbread dough is rolled flat. The edges are then tucked up underneath itself into a ball. This allows air to be trapped, creating steam to puff up the flatbread and make a pocket once the dough is baked. There is also pita that is just rolled flat and use more as a wrap, such as is Greek cuisine.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp sugar
- 1 cup warm water
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together.
- On a floured surface, knead the dough fo 7-8 minutes.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Keep in a warm place.
- Let dough rise for 2 hours. It will double in volume.
- Roll dough out on a floured surface.
- Cut the dough into 4 pieces.
- Flatten the dough into a circle.
- Tuck the edges up under into itself to form a ball. This helps trap air inside, making the pita light and airy.
- Roll out the dough ball into 1/4” thick discs.
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
- Cook the pita for 4 minutes a side.
