Middle East Spread

Non-Vegetarian:
1.Egg And Meatball Soup(Shawrbat Bayd Bil-Kufta):
Ingredients:
200g minced meat; 1/2 cup vermicelli; 2 eggs; 2 onions; 1 tbsp lime juice; 100ml chicken stock; 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder; 10-12 almonds; 1 tbsp coriander leaves(chopped); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp red chilli powder(optional); salt to taste;
For Garnishing:
1 tsp parsley(chopped);

Method:
Mix the minced meat and the salt, one egg, one chopped onion, chopped coriander and chilli powder and 1 tsp oil.Mix well and shape into small balls.Keep aside.Heat the rest of the oil in a pan and add one sliced onion and fry till a light golden brown.Add the chicken stock, almonds, cinnamon, and about 50ml water and bring to the boil and add the meatballs and the vermicelli.Continue to cook over a medium flame for another 5-6 minutes till the meatballs are cooked.Just before removing soup from fire, in a bowl beat the remaining egg and mix in the lime juice and add to the meatball soup.Cook for 30 seconds and put off the flame.Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.

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2.Bukhari Chicken:
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken(cut into medium sized pieces); 1 tsp chopped garlic; 1 tsp chopped ginger; 1 tbsp celery(chopped); 300ml chicken stock; 1 tbsp cornflour; 1 tsp soya sauce; 1 cup cabbage(shredded); 1 onion(sliced); 5-6 mushrooms(sliced); 5-6 tbsp vegetable oil; a pinch of ajinomoto;
For Garnishing:
2 onions(cut, peeled and chopped into long pieces and browned);

Method:
Heat the oil and brown the chicken turning and cooking the pieces on both sides.Add salt to taste and the ajinomoto and the soya sauce.Continue to cook over a low flame for about 4-5 minutes.Mix in the ginger and garlic.Add the stock and cook for another 5-6 minutes.Mix in the onions and the chopped celery.Cover the pan and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.Add the mushrooms and the shredded cabbage.Mix the cornflour in 2 tbsp of water to make a smooth paste.Mix the cornflour paste to the chicken gravy and serve garnished with browned onions.

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3.Egg Kebabs:
Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs; 1 tsp pepper powder; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp butter; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp cinnamon powder;
For Garnishing:
1 tbsp seedless dates(chopped);

Method:
Shell the hard boiled eggs.Heat the olive oil in a pan and melt in the butter.Add the eggs and saute over a low flame for 2 minutes.Add the cinnamon powder and paprika.Serve garnished with seedless dates.

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4.Pita Bread:
Ingredients:
2 tsp dry yeast; 1 cup warm water; 3 cups flour; 1 tsp salt;

Method:
Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water.Sift together the flour and salt and mix the yeast and water.Work the mixture into a dough and knead for several minutes.Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 3 hours.Preheat the oven.Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll into balls.With either your hand or a rolling pin, pat and press each ball of dough into a 5 inch circle about 1/2 inch thick.Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the pita are very light golden brown.

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Vegetarian Fare