Egyptian Protests and Koshary

Tags

2011 arab protests, egypt, fast food, January 25, koshary, lentils, Middle East, north africa, pasta, protests

Over the past few days, I have been unable to peel myself away from Al Jazeera and the ongoing news regarding the protests in Egypt. It’s an exciting and terrifying time– one that will, no doubt, change the the Middle East and the world.

I find the overwhelming solidarity among Egyptians– young and old, rich and poor, Muslim and Christian– touching and inspiring, and am incredibly proud of my Egyptian friends who, inside and outside of Egypt, are shedding their fear and, at last, standing up against Mr. Mubarak and his regime. My respect and support is with them all.

In honor of my friends, I am going to make koshary for dinner tonight. Koshary is a popular Egyptian dish, cheap and often served as fast food from food stalls on the streets. In fact, though it is considerably warmer in Egypt, this dish seems like an incredible dinner for a wintry Chicago night. To elaborate, it is a huge bowl of carbs, guaranteed to warm and fill up.

Koshary is a mix of chickpeas, TWO  types of pasta (spaghetti and ditalini), lentils, AND rice, topped with a spicy tomato sauce and fried onions. I have no doubt that this will not be a pretty meal, but I am pretty certain that this carb-loaded dish will taste delicious.

A koshary recipe from Saveur can be found here.

Though I’m far from the protests in Egypt, my thoughts (and stomach) are with my friends in Cairo.

Mabrouk, ya misr. Your change is coming.

Jallab

Tags

beverage, chilled, dates, drink, jallab, Middle East, nuts, raisins, Ramadan, rose water, syrup

Jallab, a popular drink in the Middle East (particularly in Lebanon and Syria), is often served during the month of Ramadan, though it’s quite tasty any time of the year. Jallab syrup is made of dates, grape molasses, and rose water. The syrup is mixed with water and ice, while whole pine nuts, almonds, and rehydrated raisins, which will float atop, are then added.

I recently found a bottle at my local grocer’s, and, while it is bound to be even more delightful during the warm summer months, I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit over the past few weeks. The taste, though quite delicate, is extremely flavorful.

I imagine that any Middle Eastern grocery store would have carry this. For Chicago folk, Kedzie Avenue in Albany Park is your best bet.

Jallab

• 3 tablespoons Jallab syrup
• water
• ice
• handful of raw pine nuts, almonds, and rehydrated raisins

Add the ice to the glass. Pour the syrup over the ice. Then, fill the glass with water and mix gently. Top with nuts and raisins.

Nothing to it, right?

Enjoy!

Vegetarianism in the West

Tags

chicken, curries, india, indian food, switzerland, vegetarian, vegetarianism

I recently read an article on the ever-wonderful website Culinate, which I found quite enjoyable and felt compelled to share. It’s entitled Going Vegetarian in Geneva, and follows the author’s parents as they move from India to meat-centric Europe and are, subsequently, forced to reconsider their vegetarian lifestyle.

It’s an amusing account, charming and pleasurable to read, not to mention replete with recipes from the author’s parents. I look especially forward to trying the chicken curry recipe.

Though, it is no longer exceedingly difficult to become or remain a vegetarian in the western world, it’s interesting to read this portrait from a time when most Western cuisines were not particularly vegetarian-friendly.

I think this is especially fascinating since I work with the immigrant community, including many people from the Indian sub-continent. Once immigrants make a home for themselves, they are forced to participate within their new community, whether it’s making a trip to the local grocer store, opening a new bank account, or filling out a job application. Naturally, this is a method of survival, and, in this instance, our protagonists find themselves wondering whether to renounce their traditional foods or adapt to their new country’s cuisine.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Enjoy the story!

Linguine and Prosciutto Frittata

Tags

brunch, cheese, eggs, frittata, linguine, pasta, prosciutto

Hello, and Happy New Year. If you are still reading, I would like to share a recipe.

A frittata is wonderful thing. A sort of savory omelet, it is quick to make and usually just consists of whatever odds and ends you’ve left in the refrigerator. Old pasta? Broccoli? Asparagus? Canned artichokes? Throw it all in.

This recipe, originally from Giada De Laurentiis, is exceptionally light and airy due, I presume, to the generous amount of dairy (read: fat).

I made a few slight changes to the original recipe, and thoroughly enjoyed this dish for brunch yesterday along with a glass of champagne (to cure the hangover, you see).

Not a bad way to start the year.

Linguine and Prosciutto Frittata (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

• 1/2 lb. of linguine (could substitute fettuccine or spaghetti)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/2 cup mascarpone
• 5 oz. of Asiago, grated
• 6 oz. prosciutto, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• half of an onion, chopped
• pinch of salt
• pinch of black pepper
• sprinkle of nutmeg
• generous heaping of Parmigiano, grated

Cook the pasta until it’s al dente. Drain, and toss lightly in olive oil. Chop the pasta into smaller pieces, about an inch or so long.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, milk, and mascarpone until well blended. Add the Asiago and parsley, and mix well. Set aside.

In an oven-proof saute pan, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until onions are translucent. Add the pasta and prosciutto, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well, and pat down the mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan.

Add the egg mixture, being sure to cover the entire pan. Let stand for 2 minutes so that the eggs can set. Sprinkle Parmigiano generously on top of the frittata.

Move pan to the oven. Cook about 15 minutes, until frittata is firm and cooked through.

Serve warm or room temperature.