A recipe for one of the most famous and authentic dishes in Iraq
The recipe for this zesty Iraqi salad, which uses pickled mango, or amba, comes from the food cart Aladdin's Castle Café in Portland, Oregon.
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These were originally introduced to our family by an Iraqi friend, who recently immigrated here with her family. She explained to me how she made them, and then I worked up a recipe through trial and error. I am not sure how to write the name in Arabic- she called them something like (spelled phonetically) "Kooba Tih-mon". However, I was only able to find similar foods called Potato (Batata) Kibbi or Chap. So I just call them Meat-Filled Rice Fritters. This is not the easiest recipe to try initially, but certainly worth the effort. Once you make it once, you learn the technique and can make them quicker. These are very nice to have on a picnic, or as an appetizer or part of a meal. These can be made with rice, other grains like bulgur wheat or couscous or potatoes and can be filled with meat or I have seen it filled with eggplant, as well. This recipe, however, is only with ground meat stuffed in rice. My friend believes that curry is necessary to use with ground beef since it helps take away some type of bad flavor. I am not sure if this is more because they were used to eating lamb, previously. The curry used is not a hot type. Also, she does not use too many other seasoning. I have taken a little liberty and added garlic- a must for me in any meat dish. I also added more parsley than she uses, as well as added some cilantro/coriander leaves. One might also try some ground red pepper, if desired. Many people in the Middle East have a spice blend that they use with meats. You might try some of the Arabic Seven Spice blend that goes by various names but includes spices like black pepper, cinnamon and allspice, nutmeg, sometimes ginger and paprika, as well as other combinations of spices. This recipe is very approximate- I started with about 1/2 pound of ground beef and about 2 1/2 cups cooked medium grain rice. After I finished making the fritter- the rice mixture was gone and I still had a lot of meat left. I have tried to compensate for this in writing the recipe. A note about the meat mixture- it needs to be smooth and like a paste. I added the parsley and cilantro before browning the meat. However, it lost some of its flavor- it would be better to add it to the meat after sauteing the meat. This is the rice mixture. It also needs to be pretty-well mashed. It will become more pastey as you work it with your hands to make the fritters. These are the fritters, ready to fry. This is what not to do- there are too many in the pan, and it made it difficult to turn them, as well as keep them from sticking together. And again, the finished product. They smelled (and tasted) so good! Makes approximately 24. Ingredients: Medium grain rice, cooked with salt- approximately 4 cups bread crumbs or torn bread pieces water 1/2 pound ground beef or lamb (or any other ground meat) 1 large onion, chopped very small 3 garlic cloves, minced fine 1 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp seasoned salt 1/8 -1/4 tsp black pepper few dashes of ground red pepper (optional) 1/4 tsp allspice (optional) 4 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves 3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro/coriander leaves (optional) water oil for frying and preparing fritters Directions: To prepare rice, mash with fork or other instrument/hands, adding water a little at a time until it starts holding together. Gradually add in about 1/4 cup bread crumbs alternating with a little water until the mixture is pretty smooth and yet still holding some shape. To prepare the meat, use hands to mash together the meat with seasoning, onion and garlic, except the parsley and cilantro. Add a little water to aid in the softening of the mixture. Then brown meat in a medium skillet, making sure the meat is broken up into very fine pieces. When finished, drain off the fat. Mix in the parsley and cilantro. To start preparing the fritters, have a small bowl of oil nearby to keep applying to your hands between making each fritter, otherwise the rice will stick to your hands too much to work with. You may also need to occasionally rinse off your hands to removed the sticky rice residue. (Plastic or rubber gloves might be useful!) Take a ball of rice about the size of a lime and begin mashing it out into a flat patty in the palm of one hand. Form a slight cup with your fingers, folding up the edges of the patty slightly and fill with approximately 1 Tbsp meat mixture. Press the meat together into the center and begin folding the rice up and around the meat so the edges come together. As this is being done, apply slight pressure with both hands around it if needed to squeeze the rice together. If needed, use a little more rice to fill in the gaps. Place formed fritters onto an oiled plate/platter. After all are made, then heat oil in frying pan until hot. Add fritters so they have some space around them. Fry until golden brown, turning as necessary. Place on paper towels to drain. *Note: if using potato instead of rice, you would first boil some potatoes/drain them, mash them and season them as desired with salt and a little pepper, mix with some wet torn bread or bread crumbs or beaten egg. If necessary to make the potato more firm in order to form it around the meat, you may need to add a little cornstarch. Recipe variation: The Iraqi family we know also frequently eats these served as part of a soup- the fritters are boiled in a tomato based broth with a meat bone- lamb or chicken or beef- and some small pieces of meat, chopped potatoes and other vegetables, as well as chickpeas, which are common in many different Iraqi dishes. This is served with some rice or flat bread as part of a meal. In addition, the fritters can be baked instead of fried, although they should be sprayed with a little oil before baking and be turned part way through the baking (or put on a wire rack on the baking sheet and then the air can circulate for all-around crispiness and you won't need to turn them- just bake until golden brown!).
This sweet and tangy Middle Eastern stew, with falling-apart-tender lamb, is one of wordsmith and perfect host Jesse Sheidlower's favorites. He found...
This is a quick and easy to prepare dessert. I usually always have the ingredients on hand. There are boxed versions of this pudding, but it is traditionally prepared at home. You can add more or less cornstarch if preferred. This dessert is so versatile that it can be served warm or chilled. I love to eat it both ways, when it chills it firms up.
Children in an internally displaced persons' camp near Suleimaniyah holding bouquets of flowers during the visit of Yasushi Akashi, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. 5/May/1997. Suleimaniyah, Iraq. UN Photo/P Sudhakaran. www.unmultimedia.org/photo/
Potato chap is basically the Iraqi nomenclature for a potato kubba (or kibbi). Lightly crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and encrusting a fragrant Arabic spiced minced meat mixture. There are two crucial steps to succeed in making this recipe. First, chilling the potato mixture before forming the kubba. Second, freeze the formed kubba before frying in hot oil. A delicious side-dish that will please the palates of young and adult alike. Adapted from the Iraqi Family Cookbook. Ingredients: For the crust: 1 kg potatoes, boiled and peeled 2 heaping Tbsp cornstarch 1 egg 1/2 tsp salt For the filling: 300g minced meat 1 onion, chopped finely 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp allspice 1/2 cup parsley, chopped Method: To make the filling: saute the mince in a pan until browned, add the onion, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and allspice. Keep cooking until onions are transparent and there is little to no liquid left. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, stir in the parsley, allow to cool completely. To make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the potato, cornstarch, egg, and salt until smooth and well mixed. Refrigerate the crust mixture at least 2 hours to make it easier to work. Note that working with a chilled crust mixture is crucial, because it is near impossible to form the kubba using a warm mixture. To form the kubba, take from the potato mixture the size of an egg. Make a hollow in the center and fill it with a teaspoon of the meat filling. Seal with the edges of the potato, and flatten slightly between your two palms to create and bi-convex disc shape. Freeze the kubba in single layer for at least 2 hours before deep-frying. Deep-fry the frozen kubba until lightly golden, drain on absorbent paper towel before serving. Other Kubbas: Kubba Halab Kubba Burghul Beetroot Kubba Lentil Kubba Rice Kubba Semolina Kubba Kibbe Bil-Siniyeh (Tray Kubba) Iraqi Dill Kubba صحة و عافية
Pomegranate molasses, coriander, and curry powder perfume the filling for these tender stuffed onion rolls from Aladdin's Castle Cafe.
This earring was found in Israel and was originally thought to be from the Byzantine period, around the 4th or 5th century A.D. After the earring was tested in the laboratory, it was discovered to be over 2,000 years old. Amazing. The piece is made out of gold and pearls and emeralds. For something that predates the Christian era, it looks amazingly fresh and trendy, even. I can imagine the jeweler Elizabeth Locke having a pair like these in her collection. If there were two of these, I would wear them to my nephew’s wedding this weekend. These gold earring are from the 1st century, found in Afghanistan. My daughter recently gave me a pair a earrings that look remarkably similar. 17th century gold pendant – BC, that is! Amazing!!!! The pendant features bees circling the sun. But even at 17 century BC, it’s still not the oldest recorded jewel. That distinction belongs to the beads below: This early string of beads, a total of 41 tiny shells, was found in a South African cave. There are visible holes and wear markings that document these shells were strung together. This necklace is more than 75,000 years old – 30,000 years older than any other ornament ever discovered. Even cavemen were vain, apparently. A Short History of Jewelry: Jewelry predates Homo Sapiens. The Cro-Magnon man who roamed the earth from 45,000-10,000 BC made jewelry adorned with engravings that told the story of their great migration from Africa to the Middle east, and on to Europe. Other early examples of jewelry are plentiful. In a Paleolithic cave in the Pyrenees mountain of France, an archaeologist found bracelets and necklaces made out of teeth, shells, mother of pearl and stone – strung with twine or a piece of animal sinew – that date from 17,800 to 6,500 BC. A Spanish cave produced the earliest example of gold jewelry – which also dates to the late Paleolithic period from 40,000 – 10,000 BC. Other metals such as copper, iron, tin, and silver were first seen over 10,000 years ago. Copper in jewelry was first used in 7,000 BC in Turkey. Metalworking was hard business though, until bronze came about in 3,500 BC, which in turn started the Bronze Age. Man really can only speculate what early jewelry was used for, as there is no written language from that age. Cave drawings from 10,000 to 12,000 are too basic to describe jewelry’s importance. Gold bracelets found at the biblical town of Nimrud. Many references to jewelry are found in the bible. Solomon's son paid a ransom in temple treasures and jewelry that belonged to the royal women. Jezebel was adorned with jewelry. Gold jewelry from Nimrud was discovered. Along with the Israelites, early Egyptians valued jewelry, especially that made of gold, which came from Africa. The early Greeks and Romans also wore jewelry. Greek jewelry was influenced from Asia after Alexander’s conquests. Roman women in particular wore large amounts of jewelry. The early Roman design, the fibula, which looks like a safety pin, is still produced today. Back then, the decorative fibula was used to pin clothing together. They were adorned with Sri Lankan sapphires and diamonds from India. Cameos and intaglio carvings were also popular with the early Romans, both of which are still popular styles today. Later in time, the Byzantine people used jewelry laden with gemstones. Men limited themselves to signet rings, similar to English men today. India was another country where jewelry was prevalent. Initially Indian jewelry was made of clay and shells, which was later replaced with glass and metals. India used their ornaments to ward off evil and pay dowries and slave beads were used as trading currency. Early Roman jewelry: a snake bracelet and a coin ring that features emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 AD to 180 AD). Roman men were required to wear at least one ring, which was used with hot wax to seal documents and letters. The fibula, an early safety pin, held Roman clothes together. Here an intaglio is seen on the fibula’s front. Queen Elizabeth I adored pearls, which were said to signify her virginity. Coming out of the Dark Ages into the Renaissance, much jewelry of that age has been lost. The Thirty Years war caused great havoc on the civilized nations as all their natural resources were used to further their causes. Examples of jewelry from this time are almost non existent. After the war was over, France led the fashion movement and jewelry was changed completely with new designs. Old settings were melted down and reshaped to fit the trends. Gemstones became more important than the setting and the cutting of stones became an art. The Rose cut was most popular, but by 1640, stones with 16 surfaces started appearing. Amsterdam became the world’s stone cutting headquarters – as this is where the Portuguese Jews were expelled to. The design of the setting became more paramount: diamonds were set in silver and gem stones were set in gold. During this period, Baroque pearls fell out of favor while strings of pearls gained popularity. Enamel used in jewelry came primarily from Switzerland where only a few craftsmen could master the challenging art. One of the largest changes in jewelry came about in the 17th century. Before this time only royalty and upper class wore jewelry. But, in France, Italy and Holland, the country class were now able to afford to wear gold and silver ornamentation and it became part of their peasant costumes. This provincial jewelry rose in importance, while the upper class could only stand by and watch these societal changes. The 18th century brought about Romanticism which had a huge impact on jewelry making. Modern archaeology revived an interest in ancient jewelry styles. The growing middle class’ desire for jewelry brought about the beginnings of costume jewelry and the development of paste and gem stone substitutes, something that today is still a huge portion of the market. At this time, goldsmiths flourished as the upper class required jewelry that was set apart from the costume varieties. This all changed when in America, Tiffany and Co. opened its doors in 1837 and Pierre Cartier opened their doors in France in 1884. Italy was the home of Bulgari. These jewelry stores signified the beginning of the mass production studios, which forever changed the individual craftsman’s dominance in jewelry making. Queen Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth’s great grandmother, loved jewelry and she was only ever seen covered in pearls and diamonds. The royal jewelry is never sold, it is simply passed down from generation to generation. Here, Queen Alexandra is seen in the pearls and diamonds that she passed down to her daughter in law, the future Queen Mary. Queen Alexandra wearing a tiara which her great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth has been wearing throughout her reign. Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth’s grandmother, wearing strands of diamonds she got from her mother in law. Some of these same diamond strands were passed down to her granddaughter Princess Margaret. After her death, these diamonds were auctioned off, something that is rarely seen within the royal family. And now, to the giveaway!!!! The designer, Leslie Andrews, who creates all the jewelry for her company, Tarnished Lace, recently contacted me about a giveaway. Her jewelry appealed to me because she uses vintage pieces to make her unique, one of a kind pieces. Here is how she describes her work: “I love bits and pieces of jewelry ephemera from previous centuries. I collect antique ivory, Venetian glass, crystal and mother of pearl beads, vintage rosaries, tarnished sterling charms and other tiny mementos to recreate necklaces, bracelets and earrings which evoke a sense of history. Additionally, I design and fashion heirloom pieces from clients' personal collections of family jewelry. This is my passion. Each item is unique and tells a story. The majority of components in each piece is a true antique (over 100 years old) or truly vintage (over 50 years old). My goal is to design beautiful, well-made, affordable jewelry which connects with the past.” In picking out one piece of jewelry for the giveaway, we decided on the Victorian Eiffel Tower bracelet, as a tie in with the French theme of the blog. This piece is loaded with both vintage and antique treasures: the opalescent glass ovals and silver fleur de lis are circa 1940 and came from a necklace previously owned by a west coast opera singer. The Victorian filigree snowflake is circa 1900 and is encrusted with six clear rhinestones and a royal blue center stone. The link is from a post war souvenir bracelet from Paris and there is also a vintage sterling silver Madonna with a halo of tiny stars and sterling silver rose blossoms. All this on one bracelet! The winner of this giveaway will receive the Victorian Eiffel Tower bracelet, compliments of Tarnished Lace. How to Enter: Simply go to the Tarnished Lace web site here: http://tarnishedlace.com/gallery.html Look at her items for sale and find one piece of jewelry that you really love and which speaks to you. Come back here to the comments section and leave a comment telling me your favorite piece of jewelry. That’s all! The contest will close this Saturday night at 12:00 pm.
This recipe is one of the many koubba (kibbeh) recipes that are common throughout the Middle Eastern region.This particular one I am told c...
Found this recipe while looking for an Iraqi chicken and potatoes dish requested in the NA/ME forum. (From chicken to cookies, yes my mind wanders.) Saw this and thought it would be a great addition to 'Zaar for all my cardamom loving friends. The original recipe is from "The World of Jewish Cooking." Posting for some future ZWT.
Bulgarian Muslim Bulgarian Muslim Moussa Babechki (L) speaks to his bride Fikrie Sabrieva during their wedding ceremony in the village o...
Okay, we've enjoyed our indulgence. We've eaten turkey and stuffing and yams and mashed potatoes and gravy and green bean casserole and rolls and cornbread and pie and more pie and just one more sliver of pie. We're ready to burst! The Thanksgiving leftovers should be gone by now. Today, we return to moderation and restraint. Today, we reaquaint ourselves with vegetables. But who said that vegetables have to be boring? Why do salads have to be bland bowls of lettuce, carrots, and croutons? To demonstrate that plain ol' vegetables can be transformed into something amazing, today I'm offering a gorgeous and flavorful salad featured in the beautiful cookbook Ma Baseema: Middle Eastern Cooking with Chaldean Flair. As I wrote in my recent post about Cardamom-Scented Shortbread Cookies, Chaldeans [kal-DEE-uns] are Iraqi Christians. They cherish their extended families, sharing large meals with multiple generations of loved ones, and they are noted for their hospitality. And this Iraqi salad is highly representative of Chaldean cuisine, as it features many vegetables but gives them a unique twist. The familiar cucumbers and beets and onions are taken into a new realm of flavor with a simple but vibrant dressing, as well as the addition of a sprinkle of mint. Rather than feeling deprived today as you recover from the holiday feast, try this salad and enjoy something that's nutritious but enticing. Iraqi Salad (slightly adapted from Edward Korkis' "Zalata d'Iraqia" featured in Ma Baseema) Salad: 1 large cucumber, seeded, cut into 1/2" dice 1 small red onion, chopped 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 15-ounce can shoestring beets, drained 3 large scallions, chopped 2 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths 1 teaspoon dried mint (available at Middle Eastern markets; substitute parsley, if need be) Dressing: 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt juice of half lemon 2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil 1 ounce red wine vinegar Combine all salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine all dressing ingredients; mix well, then pour over salad. Stir to combine all the ingredients, then let the salad rest for 30 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8.
Two weeks ago my immune system decided, all on its own (bless its heart), to wage war against pollen. Me against a militia of relentless…
Anbar, Mosul, Bosra, Samarra. What do you think of when you hear these names? Chances are, you think of violence, of roadside bombs and IEDs, of suicide bombers and gun fights. How sad it is that these cities, once famous for their history and traditions, are now thought of in the context of war and conflict. Samarra, that ancient city, once most famous for the fabulous spiral minaret that every art history student studies. I’ve been doing research recently about the culinary traditions of different Middle Eastern cities: Aleppo’s unique use of spices, Anataklia and its eggplants, the biscuits of Saida. Mosul is famous for its kibbe mosul, a casserole of ground lamb and rice, and the cuisine of Bosra is characterized by its use of dried limes. It got me thinking about those city names, that those cities can have more than one meaning, that in the past when someone said Iraq one thought of Babylonian gardens, the cradle of civilization, an old and rich culinary tradition, and not of war. My goal here is not political, in fact, by writing about Iraqi foods my aim is to depoliticize. When you understand what someone eats everyday, how they shop, how they prepare their foods, you begin to understand how they live and what their values are. That region often in the headlines, el Anbar, was once known for producing some of the best rice in the world. Iraq’s most esteemed anbari rice is slender and highly aromatic. Unfortunately, Anbari rice is no longer available, but you can make a truly witching pilaf using the similar basmati rice. You’ll find this rice dish from Iraq to Oman and it is particularly popular in the Gulf, but it uses those most beloved Iraqi ingredients: dates, cardamom, and rose water. The dish also reflects the Iranian influence on Iraqi cuisine: the technique of cooking the rice to yield a crispy crust and the spice mix similar to the Iranian mix advieh. Quite frankly, this is one of my favorite recipes, it always shows up whenever I’m cooking for a crowd and sometimes I make the whole recipe just for the two of us so we can eat it all week long. It has the wonderful scent of rose water, cardamom, and saffron, with a hint of sweetness from the dates. (Or, if you’re feeling cheap, a bit of safflower in place of saffron) The rice is par-boiled, then mixed with the seasonings and cooked over very low heat so that the bottom of the rice forms a delectable crispy crust (tah dig in Persian). Making the crust is part experience and part sheer luck: turn the heat too high and the crust will burn, too low and the crust will be pale and not crisp. The real talent is to be able to turn out the dish in one piece so that the crust makes a beautiful crown on the serving platter. Despite practice, I am never this lucky, and usually half my crust sticks to the pan, in which case you can just crumble the crusty bits over the top, which tastes equally as good. I actually don’t mind if it gets a touch burnt, it adds a nice toasty crunch. I’ve called this dish Anbari rice pilaf, not because it is specific to el Anbar, but rather in remembrance of that legendary rice. I hope you’ll make it mainly because it’s amazingly good, but also so that next time Anbar comes on the news maybe your senses will be flooded with the scents and tastes of rice pilaf, and not just images of war. Anbari Rice Pilaf 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed in cold water 1/2 cup date molasses* 1/2 tsp ground saffron 1/2 tablespoon cardamom 2 teaspoons rose water 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons ghee or butter 1. Combine, saffron, cardamom and rose water in a small cup. 2. Bring a large pot of water to boil with the salt. Add the rice and boil uncovered for precisely 8 minutes, then drain. 3. Mix the date molasses with the rice, then mix in the rose water mixture. 4. Choose a medium sized heavy bottomed pot. Melt the butter in it over medium heat. Add 2 spatula-fulls of rice and mix with the butter, patting down to cover the bottom of the dish. Pile the reminder of the rice in a loose cone shape and poke a few holes in the rice with the spoon handle. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over the rice, then wrap the pots lid with a towel and cover the dish. Place over very low heat and let cook for 20-25 minutes. Keep a close eye at the end as the rice can burn (use your nose to see if it begins to smell burned). 5. The easiest way to unmold the rice is to prepare a sinkful of cold water, dip the bottom of the pot in cold water for about 30 seconds, then invert the pot onto a serving platter. If the rice crust does not release fully, simply break up the crunchy pieces that stuck to the pot and scatter over top. *Date molasses is available in Middle Eastern groceries. You can make a quick substitute by placing 1/3 cup minced Medjool dates in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and mash with a fork so that the dates melt into a paste. Serving Suggestion: this rice is delectable alongside any saucy dish (I often serve it with Sweet and Sour Fish), but our favorite serving is the following. Mound the rice on a platter, or on individual plates. Take shredded cooked chicken meat (from a roast chicken or poached chicken breasts, whatever you’d like), scatter the chicken meat over the rice. Get some good plain yogurt, add a pinch of salt, and thin it with a bit of water so that the yogurt is thick but pourable. Pour the yogurt all over the chicken to cover. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Serve immediately. Note: In parts of the Gulf this dish is called Muhammara- which just means red. The name muhammara is often used to refer to any reddish colored dish, do not confuse it with the red pepper dip from Syria or the Iraqi dish of rice with tomatoes, both of which bear the same name.
custard desserts in Dohuk, Iraqi Kurdistan
