Mujaddara

Black Eyed Peas Salad

Omry Gelber — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 13:30:03 +0000

Once again, my Jewish-Iraqi origin plays a major role in this recipe.
Blacked eyed peas, or “Lubia” as I know them, are the closest thing to magic beans.
We sow them in our backyard every year in April.

It takes only a few days for them to sprout out of the earth, strong and green.
We all watch them grow slowly until one day the little plant grows long and winding.

In September, when the days shorten, butterfly-like purple flowers begin to appear.
Within days the flowers transform into small and thin pea pods that grow longer and longer each day.
We harvest the plants every day, picking the fresh pods, and cook them in boiling water.

Black-eyed peas plants and pods

The plants are extremely fruitful, we just can’t keep up with their pace!
Many pods are left to grow and eventually dry up on the plant.

When November comes, the season ends. The plants are taken out of the ground and the dry pods are collected.
Each dry pod is emptied, and the dried peas are saved in a jar anticipating their next life.
Most will be used for soups and recipes like this one, some will be saved for replanting next year.

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Ba’ba Ta’mar (Date Filled Pastry)

Omry Gelber — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:18:02 +0000

This pastry is a part of my childhood. Usually made for Purim (a Jewish holiday) by Jewish Iraqis. My grandmother made these date-filled pastries occasionally: she prepared the dough, the filling, and when the dough was ready, divided it and stuffed it before baking. I love them. A great advantage of the Ba’ba Ta’mar pastry:...

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Stuffed Onions with Rice and Lamb in Pomegranate Juice

Omry Gelber — Sun, 08 Mar 2020 08:47:43 +0000

I’ve recreated this dish from a sweet memory of a meal I first ate 15 years ago. It’s of Syrian origins, made by a friend’s mom who makes, in my opinion, the best stuffed onions. She even makes her own fresh pomegranate molasses at home (I bought mine).
This is not one of the easiest recipes, but it’s worth the effort and is much easier the second time around. It’s not as complicated as it looks.

A funny thing.
I’ve posted this recipe on Reddit. Take a look at what happened.
I guess that people have a crazy imagination and they are not used to basmati rice.

[homemade] Onions stuffed with rice and lamb in pomegranate juice from r/food

If something it’s clear, feel free to leave a comment.
Indulge…

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Tahini Butter Cookies

Omry Gelber — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 12:08:03 +0000

These cookies are super easy to make and very rewarding.
You simply mix the ingredients at the same time and shape the dough into cookies before baking.

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Fattoush Salad

Omry Gelber — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 13:26:15 +0000

This salad is a winner. Fresh, unique and like many middle eastern food – simple.
It’s my wife’s favorite salad and it is very hard to stop eating it.
With plenty of fresh lemon juice, good olive oil and Sumac spice i’m sure that it will enter your favorites salads too.

I’ve put this detailed recipe together so you could enjoy this Fattoush salad as it was served in a restaurant.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini

Omry Gelber — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 08:09:43 +0000

Some dishes are so tasty that you won’t believe how easy they are to make.
This Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini recipe is on one of those dishes.
With an extra lemony tahini, sumac and olive oil the taste of the middle east was never so close.

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Multipurpose Dough

Omry Gelber — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 12:05:21 +0000

Since wheat originated from this region and is being harvested here for over 10,000 years it’s no wonder that bread, and in my region Pita (known as pita pocket) is a star.
Many more Arab bread type exists, some are made just for a special occasion or a holiday.

In this recipe I’ll try to bring a super basic, simple and detailed instruction for a multipurpose dough.
I am not a master backer but this dough has proved it self for many years.

The ingredients are important but the technique plays a major role.

I’m preparing this dough without a mixer using a very nice trick I’ve learned from a pro backer, you’ll see it in the steps below.

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Basmati Rice With Dill

Omry Gelber — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 13:32:22 +0000

In this easy rice recipe, we will first make the rice in its most simple form, and then, while the rice is still hot, we’ll add the chopped dill and olive oil. As you will notice, I did not wash or soak the rice first. I’ve learned that it doesn’t change much if the rice...

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Turkish Red Lentil Soup

Omry Gelber — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 10:28:51 +0000

Quick to make, cheap, and filling this Turkish lentil soup is a great starter! With a nice piece of toasted bread on the side it can be a great lunch that will keep you right threw the day. Red or yellow lentils, unlike green, black or brown lentils soften and break down very easily creating...

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Tabouli Salad

Omry Gelber — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:40:54 +0000

Simple, delicious, and surprising. A recipe for a fresh Tabula salad.
This Tabula salad adds freshness and color to any meal.

It works great as a light meal like breakfasts or lunch can star at a brunch, and makes a great addition to a BBQ.
Parsley has lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which makes this recipe very healthy.

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