Wednesday, July 13, 2005
The First Recipe I Learned in Egypt
Most of the Egyptian recipes we use are shamelessly laden with butter. I suppose you can substitute the butter for olive oil or some such "healthy" oil-like substance, however, I must mention that doing so will be at the expense of your Middle Eastern Flavor. Even though everything SEEMS fatty over there, it's really much healthier than American food as the vegetables and meat are always fresh, often plucked from the vine, or slaughtered within 12 to 24 hours of purchase. I lost much poundage while in Egypt simply because everything is healthy, (well, I also did a lot of walking.) For the best effect in Egyptian cooking, you should try to use fresh vegetables and herbs, but I always used dry herbs when the fresh were no longer in season.
Kosa (Zucchini)
5 or 6 small zucchini squash (2-3 large/1-2 gigantic)sliced into circles
1/2 onion (diced)
1/2 pound ground beef (optional for vegetarians)
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons butter (if not using beef)
1 teaspoon dried basil (or fresh to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
water
Brown ground beef with the onion and garlic. (if not using beef, brown the onion and garlic in the butter). Stir in tomato paste until well blended. Add about 1-1/2 cups water, stirring until mixed up well, and simmer for a few minutes, just until it starts to thicken a little. Add the zucchini slices and basil and continue to simmer until zucchini is tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over steamed white rice accompanied by salad.
This one is very simple and resembles American cooking to a great extent. It is inexpensive for most families in Egypt if the meat is omitted. (Meat, or lahma, is high priced, although it isn't cheap here, either). Rice is a staple food, and although Basmatti rice is decidedly Middle Eastern, it is more expensive and is only used by the more affluent families and restaurants. This recipe can also use other vegetables than zucchini. Often spinach, green beans or peas and carrots are used with great success, and although the tastes are similar, each vegetable contributes its own taste and creates a completely different dish. This is also a fabulous dish for those who like to make enough to freeze portions. You would need to double or triple the recipe for more volume, but it freezes well. I hope you enjoy it, and I will post more recipes later. I moved my cookbook to the apartment, so I will have to sneak one out of it tomorrow. Perhaps I will post the recipe for "babaganoush" next...(eggplant dip). If there's anything my readers would like in particular, let me know and I'll find it for you.
