Extra Virgin Olive Oil Archives | 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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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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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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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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Za’attar Herb Potatoes

Omry Gelber — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:38:58 +0000

Za’atar is a common plant that grows in many parts of the middle east.
It looks like oregano but tastes different. It is the predominant component in the famous za’atar spice mix.

In this simple recipe, with only 4 ingredients we will get simple and crispy potatoes with a distinctive za’atar taste.

Of course, this potato recipe will work with any herbs such as Italian oregano, thyme, rosemary, and the like.
It won’t work as well with za’atar mix (as opposed to fresh zaatar).

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Arais (Arayes)

Omry Gelber — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:30:49 +0000

Easily ready within 30 minutes, this tasty dish can be served as a light main course or a mouth-watering finger food to be shared with guests. It really is as easy as mixing the ingredients, stuffing the pitas, and grilling them before finishing the pockets off for 5 minutes in the oven.

You can grill them on a BBQ, a stove, or even in a toaster press – use your creativity.

All the kebab juices will absorb into the pita, the olive oil on the outside will produce an extra crisp pita, and the kebab will retain its juiciness.
Flavor bomb!

If you consider visiting Israel, make sure to explore this list of Traditional Arab Food You Must Try in Israel (including Arais) before you arrive!

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Potatoes with Middle East Flavors

Omry Gelber — Sun, 27 Oct 2019 11:11:45 +0000

Simple and delicious potato recipe that everyone will love, children too.

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