Middle Eastern Cuisine – Urban Simplicty

Lebanese Flavored Brown Rice with Chickpeas and Vermicelli

This is a recipe that is not unlike moudardara, I suppose, and it is a good example of how a recipe is basically a thought or an idea and not necessarily a blueprint or carved in stone. Anyhow, this is really delicious and easy to make, and it’s also a one-pot recipe so cleanup isContinue reading “Lebanese Flavored Brown Rice with Chickpeas and Vermicelli”

Lebanese Flavored Brown Rice with Chickpeas and Vermicelli

Basmati Rice with Saffron…

Here is another very easy but delicious rice dish. And again–as I say with most my recipes–this is a guide and not carved in stone…interchange ingredients as you like them; it is the method that is important. Speaking of variations, the difference between the recipe pictured and the one typed below is that below thereContinue reading “Basmati Rice with Saffron…”

Basmati Rice with Saffron…

Taboulé d’hiver

Okay, so yup…this is as refreshingly delicious as it looks. Sometimes I need the brightness of summer in the middle of winter. Anyhow, this is a variation of traditional tabbouleh recipe but with more heartier ingredients…mainly lentils and turmeric-poached potato; tomatoes were omitted because of the season and I opted for canned roast peppers forContinue reading “Taboulé d’hiver”

Taboulé d’hiver

Shakshouka (Yuumm!)

Shakshouka is a Middle Eastern/Israelis egg dish where the eggs are oven-poached in tomato sauce and other good things; usually onions and peppers, but the sky really is the limit. It is an extremely easy one-skillet meal and good for you as well. Eaten with crusty bread and a piece of fruit really makesContinue reading “Shakshouka (Yuumm!)”

Kibbeh (cru et cuit)

Ok, so to some this may be a bit odd…raw meat. Yup, that’s what one version of this famous Lebanese dish is; raw lamb and bulgar wheat (pictured above). In it’s raw form it is referred to as kibbeh nayeh; think of it as a sort of Middle Eastern steak tartare. When I was aContinue reading “Kibbeh (cru et cuit)”

Lebanese Plate (yum!)

Sometimes I just have to cook for myself. I really do. I cook all day for others and sometimes it just feels food to cook for me. Anyhow, this is what I had for dinner tonight (click any of the highlighted words for recipes)…moudardara with lamb (rice with lentils and vermicelli), hummus, labna (yogurt cheese),Continue reading “Lebanese Plate (yum!)”

Lentil Soup with Vegetables and Lebanese Spices

This is a variation of my more traditional Lebanese Lentil Soup recipe; in this version I added many more vegetables. This is super easy to make and yes it tastes as good as it looks. The vegetables I added are simply suggestions (it’s what I had on hand), use whatever you like. This is easilyContinue reading “Lentil Soup with Vegetables and Lebanese Spices”

Toum! (an interpretation)

So this is a variation of a variation of a variation…but geeze ‘o man is it good. What, you may wonder, am I talking about. Garlic mayonnaise and it’s many variation. The south of France (and Italy and Spain) have Aioli (the French word for garlic is ail), in the Middle East there is theContinue reading “Toum! (an interpretation)”

Chicken and Vegetable Ragout with Lebanese Seven (or Eight) Spice Seasoning

Okay, so this is good. Really good. Delicious (if I do say so my self). It’s easy to make (about 30 minutes once the vegetables are cut) and it’s likely pretty healthy, too. It’s a basic braised chicken and vegetable dish with Middle Eastern seasoning. This, like most of the recipes on this blog, isContinue reading “Chicken and Vegetable Ragout with Lebanese Seven (or Eight) Spice Seasoning”

Shanklish!

Okay, so you’re going to love this. It’s a type of homemade Lebanese cheese that is easy to make and super flavorful. It is different from labneh (which is simply strained yogurt) in that it is cooked. It’s more along the lines of a homemade Italian ricotta or Indian paneer, only instead of being madeContinue reading “Shanklish!”

Shawarma Chicken!

So of course I always say how easy and delicious the recipes that I post are (at least most of them) but this time I really mean it. This is a play on the classic shawarma chick (or beef or lamb) that you find at any Middle Eastern or Turkish restaurant. It is basically chickenContinue reading “Shawarma Chicken!”

Spicy Lebanese-Style Whole Wheat Spinach and Toasted Walnut Pies (Yum!)

This is a variation on the classic Middle Eastern fatayer (savory pie). These are slightly different in a few ways. One is that rather than using white refined flour for the dough I used 100% whole wheat (delicious). I also used an egg wash on the dough and added sesame seeds. And in the fillingContinue reading “Spicy Lebanese-Style Whole Wheat Spinach and Toasted Walnut Pies (Yum!)”

Hummus with Fresh Herbs, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Seven-Spice Chicken

This is something I made for an employee meal today. It is really, really delicious (I ate so much I wished I had a bed to take a nap afterwards) and of course really simple to make. It is basically a hummus recipe layered (loaded, actually) with all sorts of good things. But the prize,Continue reading “Hummus with Fresh Herbs, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Seven-Spice Chicken”

Chickpea and Haricots Verts Falafel with Spicy Roast Pepper Taratoor Sauce (Yum!)

So yes, these little vegetarian/vegan nuggets are as good as they look (bet you can’t eat just one). And yes (as usual) they are really simple–exceedingly simple–to make. They are not only a play on the classic falafel and taratoor sauce (chickpea fritters and sesame-garlic sauce), they are actually a variation of an earlier postContinue reading “Chickpea and Haricots Verts Falafel with Spicy Roast Pepper Taratoor Sauce (Yum!)”

Middle Eastern Inspired Fried Chicken

This is a variation on traditional American-style fried chicken in a few ways. Firstly, there are no bones in the chicken legs (they cook quicker with the bones removed and are much more flavorful than the breast). Also, the chicken is first marinated in yogurt, herbs, and spices, then dredged in whole wheat flour, whichContinue reading “Middle Eastern Inspired Fried Chicken”

Lebanese-Inspired Brown Rice Pilaf with Lamb, Vermicelli, and Green Beans

This is a really colorful, fragrant, and delicious rice dish. In the recipe I used lamb, but it could just as well be made with beef or chicken (or vegetarian). The only difference(s) from the recipe pictured and the one listed below is that I also added a pinch of turmeric to the rice withContinue reading “Lebanese-Inspired Brown Rice Pilaf with Lamb, Vermicelli, and Green Beans”

Broccoli Falafel with Taratoor (Yum!)

Falafel is of course that awesome and healthy snack food that can become an entire meal when served over a salad or wrapped in flat-bread. And when paired with taratoor (tahini-garlic sauce) it is nothing short of culinary genius (in my humble opinion). This is a variation on the classic chickpea falafel in that itContinue reading “Broccoli Falafel with Taratoor (Yum!)”