The Hungry Crabb

Tempering Oil

Directions
1. Heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the cumin, cloves, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the cumin turns a golden brown color, about 1 more minute.
3. Add the lentils, water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Turn down the neat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft 20 to 30 minutes. Add more water during cooking, if necessary.
4. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
5. Ladle about 1/2 c of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon. Return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir.
6. Continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to thicken. If you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree. If you like a thinner dal, add water.
7. Remove the cinnamon stick.

For the tempering oil:
1. Heat the oil (or ghee) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until it just begins to brown around the edges, 4-5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic paste, ginger, and minced chile and cook just to mellow the raw taste of the garlic, 10-15 seconds.
4. Stir half of the tempering oil into the dal along with half of the cilantro and all of the lemon or lime juice.
5. Simmer very gently for 5 minutes.
6. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, pour the remaining tempering oil over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.
7. Serve hot.

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
2. Add the onions and 1 tsp of the salt and cook, stirring, until the onions begin to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the coriander and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
4. Add the carrots, green beans, and fresh chile and cook, stirring often, 15 minutes.I also added eggplant - feel free to add any vegetables you like
5. Stir in the garam masala, cayenne, ketchup, tomatoes, peas, the rest of the salt, and the water.
6. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
7. Taste for salt and serve hot, sprinkled with the cilantro.

Directions
1. Combine the rice and water in a medium bowl and soak 20 minutes.
2. Drain and reserve the water. Set the rice and water aside separately.
3. Meanwhile, toast the saffron in a small frying pan over medium heat, stirring and pulling the pan off the heat occasionally to keep the saffron from burning, until the saffron darkens to a maroon color and is fragrant, 15-20 seconds.
4. Crush the saffron into a coarse powder in a mortar and pestle, or in a bowl with the back of a spoon.
5. Stir the milk or cream into the saffron powder and set aside.
6. Combine the ghee or oil, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and ginger in a medium heavy-bottomed casserole over medium-high heat.
7. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1-2 minutes.
8. Add the currants and nuts and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
9. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
10. Add the reserved water, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer very gently over low heat for 15 minutes.
11. Now uncover and sprinkle the rice evenly with the sugar.
12. Drizzle the saffron mixture over the top. Put the pan over very low heat, cover, and continue cooking 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Directions
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process to a puree. (This won’t blend easily; you’ll need to stop and start the blending and stir the ingredients often to get the mixture to catch.)
2. If needed, add a bit more water to facilitate the process, but this will make the flavor milder.
3. Refrigerate and eat within 4-5 days.

Directions

1. In a large pan, saute the minced onion and garlic with the oil for about 5 minutes, add the paprika and take off the heat.
2. Add this to a large mixing bowl together with the ground pork, veal (or beef), rice, ground pepper, salt marjoram, half of the dill chopped and mix well.
3. Lay a bed of sauerkraut (about 1 inch) on the bottom of a large pot (preferably cast iron for optimal heat transfer and distribution), add 2-3 sprigs of dill 4. Build a surrounding wall out of your stuffed cabbage rolls, by placing them seam down and pointing to the center.
5. Fill up the center space with the remaining rolls, sprinkle about 1 tsp salt, pepper to taste, add the bay leaves, 3-4 sprigs of dill, and add the remaining sauerkraut on the top.
6. Don’t top the pot to the rim like I did because the rice will expand while cooking pushing the entire sarmale up. Leave about one inch to the rim.
7. Add the tomato sauce and broth making sure that the liquid level comes up to the top level of rolls. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Boil it for the next 4 hours.

Directions
1. Scald 1/2 cup milk and stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.
2. Heat another 1/2 cup milk just until lukewarm. Do not scald. Place yeast in a small bowl and pour lukewarm milk over, stirring until dissolved. Add yeast mixture to flour paste and beat until large air bubbles appear. Cover and let rise at least 15 minutes.
3. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup milk to lukewarm. Do not overheat. Pour into a warmed large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Add, stirring after each ingredient, the egg yolks, sugar, raisins, zest, yeast mixture and flour. Knead about 10 minutes by machine or 15-20 minutes with buttered hands while still in the bowl, adding butter as necessary to achieve a nonsticky, pliable, moist ball of dough. It will probably take about 3 ounces of butter. Save the rest.

4. Add rum, vanilla and oil and knead another 2-3 minutes. Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Punch down and with hands dipped in some of the reserved melted butter, knead another 5-10 minutes.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10- to 12-inch round pan that is at least 3 inches deep with cooking spray. Using buttered hands, twist the dough and place in the pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan.
6. Mix 1 large egg yolk with 1 tablespoon cold water and brush top of dough. Sprinkle walnuts and a few raisins on the dough, if desired. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick tests clean or an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees.
7. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. If you wish, while the cake is still hot, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and walnuts.

For the feta cheese garnish:

Directions
1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, and add the corn meal in a slow steady stream while constantly whisking - this will prevent lumps.
2. Add the salt and reduce to low heat, whisking the mamaliga frequently.
3. Continue this for about 30-40 minutes, until the mamaliga starts pulling away from the pot’s sides.
4. Add the feta and cottage cheese, sprinkle the chopped parsley on top

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut in strips - I’m not used to buying flank steak, it was pricey!
• 5 tablespoons oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic or 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 6 ounces sofrito sauce (recipe below)

Directions

1. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in skillet on medium, brown meat on all sides.

So. much. meat.

2. Remove from skillet, add remaining oil to skillet, stir in garlic, onion and green pepper and cook until translucent.

3. Stir in black pepper, browned meat, tomato sauce, water and sofrito (recipe below). Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 1 hour.

4. Serve on top of rice.

• 21 cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 8 to 10 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• touch of ground cumin
• touch of dried oregano
• 3/4 cup Sherry, or to taste
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste (optional)

Directions
1. Saute tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin and oregano in oil slowly until all vegetables are limp.
2. Add Sherry and let simmer. If you add the salt, taste beforehand as you might not need it at all.

• 4 egg yolks
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tspn vanilla
• 1 lemon peel
• 1 cinnamon stick

Directions
1. First to prepare the caramel, add the water and 3/4 cups of sugar into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar begins to melt. Make sure to stir while the sugar is melting.
2. Once the sugar begins to melt (the sugar begins to caramelize), remove the sugar from the heat and pour into a flan pan (I just used large ramekins). Make sure you cover the bottom of the pan as well as the sides.
3. Next, place the milk, lemon peel and cinnamon stick into a saucepan and bring the milk into a boil (over medium high heat). Make sure to stir the milk constantly while it begins to scald.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool (for about 15 mins or so).
5. Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick.
6. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks with 3/4 cups of sugar and vanilla.
7. Pour the cooled milk into the bowl and then strain the bowl contents into the flan dish covered with the caramel coating.
8. Set the flan dish inside a large pan filled with about an inch of water.

Flan - going into the oven

9. Bake to 350 degrees for an hour or until you insert a knife in the center and it comes out dry. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove from dish by inserting knife around the edges to loosen the flan, and then covering flan dish with a serving dish and turning it upside down until flan falls onto the serving dish.
10. Serve warm and enjoy!

• 2 pound flank steak; cut in 3 or 4 pieces
• 1 each bay leaf
• 5 cups beef stock; to cover
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion; coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic; minced
• 4 medium tomatoes; peeled, seeded, and chopped
• Salt; to taste
• pepper; to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds; crushed
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 8 cups Arroz blanco; see recipe
• 6 cups caraotas negras; see recipe
• 2 medium bananas, very firm
• 2 tablespoon safflower oil

Directions:

1. Simmer the meat and the bay leaf in the stock for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Allow it to cool in the stock.
2. When it is completely cool, remove the meat from the stock, shred it, and set it aside.In the olive oil, sauté the onion until it is soft. Add the garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano and continue to cook over low heat until the mix is quite dry. Add the shredded meat and correct the seasoning.
3. Cut the banana into 3 inch pieces and sauté them in the safflower oil over medium heat until they are lightly browned all over. Drain them on paper towels.
4. To assemble the “flag,” arrange the beef, rice, and beans on a rectangular platter in three rows with the rice in the center. Garnish with sautéed bananas. In some recipes, the meat is further embellished by a topping of fried eggs - one per person - but the dish is substantial enough without that last minute addition.

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
• salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups white rice, preferably medium-grain
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. In small saucepan or microwave oven, heat broth or water until steaming.
2. Stir in about 3/4 teaspoon salt if using salted broth, 1 1/2 teaspoons if using unsalted broth or water.
3. Cover and keep warm.
4. In medium (3-quart) saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium heat.
5. When hot, add raw rice and onion and stir regularly until grains have turned from translucent to milky-white, 4-5 minutes.
6. Add garlic and stir for a few seconds, until fragrant. Do not let grains brown.
7. Add the warm liquid and lime juice, stir thoroughly, scraping down any grains that are clinging to the side of the pan.
8. Cover and cook over the lowest heat for 15 minutes–temperature should be low enough that only the slightest hint of steam escapes lid.
9. Remove pan from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.
10. Uncover and test a grain of rice: if still a little hard, re-cover pan and set over low heat for about 5 min.; if rice has absorbed all liquid and is completely dry, sprinkle on 2 tablespoons water before returning to heat.
11. When rice is done, sprinkle on parsley and gently fluff with fork to release steam and stop the cooking.

• 2 cups of Harina P.A.N. flour
• 2 cups of water
• A pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Place two cups of flour in a mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix through with clean dry hands.
2. Measure two cups of warm water and pour onto flour.
3. Knead together the flour and water with your hands until the mixture is thoroughly blended and there are no grainy lumps.
4. If the is too soggy and sticks to your fingers add more flour. If it is too dry add water. The perfect dough should roll easily into a large ball without cracking.
5. Break off a fistful of the dough and roll it into a ball in your hands. Then pat it and turn it in your hands until its about half an inch thick and about 3-4 inches across. It should have the classic flying saucer shape now.
6. Make the rest of the arepas you want to cook. If any dough is left over wrap it in plastic - to keep in the moisture - and place in fridge. It will keep for three to four days.
7. Heat a little oil in a heavy frying pan or griddle and when hot add the arepas, as many as will comfortably fit in the pan. The idea is to give the arepas a crunchy exterior (”una cara”, literally a face, as they say in Venezuela) so don’t turn the heat up too high. When the arepas are brown on one side turn them over. The whole process should not take longer than 10 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
9. When arepas have been browned, reduce oven to 200 degrees, place arepas on a baking tray at the top of the oven for 15-20 minutes. When ready they should sound hollow when tapped with a knife.
10. Serve with butter and grated cheese, scrambled eggs, black beans, ham, hot sauce and anything else you want to fill them with. The trick is to make an incision in the arepa - slicing through the middle but not going all the way - and then open it up like a pocket for the filling.

• 1 1/2  tablespoons  canola oil
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 3/4  cup  finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  brown sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1  cup  water
• 2  (15-ounce) cans 50%-less-sodium black beans, undrained
• 1  teaspoon  white wine vinegar

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add onion and bell pepper to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in sugar, garlic, black pepper, and cumin; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in 1 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.
5. Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 7 oz. water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 oz. Dry Yeast

Directions

1. Put flour and salt in an oversized bowl.
2. Mix Dry Yeast with the water.
3. Slowly add water.
4. Take turns kneading the dough.
5. Spread flour on a clean, flat surface.
6.  Roll dough into small balls.
7. Form balls into flat round shapes or triangles.
8. Cover with a cloth for one to two hours only.
9. Bake bread on a greased sheet for 30 minutes at 350 Degree heat.

• 1 15-ounce can fava beans
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grilled flatbread
• 2 eggs

Directions:
1. Drain and rinse the beans, then pour into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes, breaking up roughly with a fork. Stir in the olive oil, onion, tomato, cumin, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and most of the parsley. Continue cooking for five minutes.

2. In the meantime, grill the flatbread or sear it with a little olive oil in a skillet. Fry the eggs in some olive oil in a separate skillet, leaving the yolks runny.
3. Serve the bean mixture warm with the fried eggs and flatbread.

Kushari

Rice with Lentils
70 min | 35 min prep
Serves 6

Ratings:

Taste: 4, while I think I probably made a mistake by adding 1.5 c of uncooked lentils instead of 1.5 c of cooked lentils, this dish was mushy and bland. I’ll take the blame for 2 points worth of taste and give kushari a 4 for taste, all things considered.

Intangibles: 8, this dish seemed extremely authentic. It incorporated lentils and rice, two of the most common Egyptian ingredients.

Bon appetit! !بالهنا و الشفاء