CHAPTER SIX
Chicken and Seafood
Chicken is an affordable source of protein that's enjoyed throughout the Middle East in everything from soups, like the Rice and Vegetable Soup that goes with the Roast Chicken on page 90, to sandwiches, like Spiced Shawarma Chicken Wraps (Shawarma Dajaj) (page 92), to impressive rice dishes [see Rice Pilaf with Spiced Smoked Chicken (Mendy Dajaj) (page 94)]. Seafood, on the other hand, is also a favorite, but is much more expensive, which makes it an extravagant meal that’s perfect for serving to guests. Fish and other seafood used to be enjoyed only in coastal areas, but now can be found just about everywhere. Along with the availability of seafood, the recipes for it have spread as well; for example, Fish Pilaf with Caramelized Onion (Sayadieh bil Samek) (page 86) was once only enjoyed by fishermen along the coast of Lebanon and Syria, but is now a well-known favorite even in land-locked areas such as Damascus. The Gulf States of the Middle East are also known for their seafood delicacies. My mother-in-law spent a good deal of time living in Kuwait, which borders the Persian Gulf, and has many delicious preparations for seafood; there she learned how to prepare many Kuwati seafood dishes, including Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce (Makboos Rubian) (page 95).
Fish Pilaf with Caramelized Onion SAYADIEH BIL SAMEK
Traditionally, this dish was a fisherman’s delight. These days, it’s no longer confined to coastal areas, but is enjoyed all over the Middle East.
5 tablespoons oil, divided
4 tablespoons pine nuts
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Fish Spice Mix (page 87)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
¾ teaspoon ground cumin, divided
¾ teaspoon ground coriander, divided
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 lb (500 g) medium-textured, mild-flavored white fish fillets (such as cod or haddock), rinsed and patted dry
1 teaspoon Nine Spice Mix (page 29)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1½ cups (325 g) uncooked basmati rice
2-2½ cups (500-625 ml) low-sodium fish or chicken stock, boiling
Fresh lemon wedges (for serving)
Chopped Salad with Sesame Dressing (page 47)
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking
1 Prepare Fish Spice Mix and nine Spice Mix.
2 heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl and set aside.
3 Combine the flour, Fish Spice Mix, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon coriander, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the fish in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil that you cooked the pine nuts in over moderately high heat; add the fish and fry until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes, flipping once. Transfer the fish to a plate (remove the skin, if desired). Cut into large chunks and set aside.
4 with the heat over moderately high, add the onion to the oil that the fish was fried in, and sauté until deep caramel in color, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water as necessary if the onion starts to get too dark. Transfer the onions to a small bowl and set aside.
5 Soak the rice in water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, bring the stock up to a boil. Combine the drained rice with the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, remaining ¾ teaspoon cumin, remaining ¾ teaspoon coriander, remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, nine Spice Mix, and turmeric in a large bowl.
6 to layer the rice, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil on the bottom of a medium, thick-bottomed, lidded saucepan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rice across the bottom of the saucepan and arrange 1/3 of the caramelized onion on top; arrange the fish on top in an even layer, then add another 1/3 of the caramelized onion (reserve the remaining 1/3 of the caramelized onion for garnish). Spread the rest of the rice in an even layer on top.
7 Boil the stock and add it to the rice so it’s just covered with liquid, about 2 to 2 ½ cups (500 to 625 ml). Bring to a boil over moderately-high heat, then cover the pot, turn heat down to low, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes, adding a splash of water if necessary. Turn the heat off and let the rice sit (covered) 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
8 transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the reserved 1/3 of the caramelized onion and the toasted pine nuts on top. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and Chopped Salad with Sesame Dressing.
SAMEK MESHWI
My mother-in-law makes this dish with a kind of fish called hamour, which translates to “greasy grouper.” where I live, this kind of fish isn’t readily available so instead I use rainbow trout, grouper, or red snapper; you can use any kind of whole fish that’s available to you.
If you prefer, instead of using four smaller fish you can use one large fish (about four pounds/two kilograms), just be sure to increase the cooking time (the fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork).
Fresh fish is always best, but if it you’re using frozen, there is a way to freshen it a bit. In a large bowl, combine ¼ cup (65 ml) fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup (65 ml) apple cider vinegar, and 4 cups (1 liter) cold water. Add the fish and let it soak 10 minutes, then rinse the fish, pat it try, and proceed with the recipe.
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Four (¾-1 lb/350-500 g) whole fish, cleaned head and tail intact
1 small and 2 large onions, thinly sliced and divided
5 cloves garlic, minced, divided
2 tablespoons Fish Spice Mix
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided
4 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons oil, divided
5 tablespoons water, divided
1 portion Sesame Sauce (page 25)
Fish Spice Mix (Combine the following spices)
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Rinse the fish and toss it with the small onion, 2/3 of the garlic, Fish Spice Mix, coriander, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Use your hands to rub the spices onto the outside and into the cavity of the fish; let it marinade 10 to 15 minutes.
2 Preheat oven to 450˚F (230˚C). Add 4 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over moderately-high heat; add the 2 large onions and ¼ teaspoon salt and sauté until starting to wilt, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to a roasting pan.
3 Combine the remaining 1/3 of the crushed garlic and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl; set aside.
4 use your hands to scrape the onion, garlic, and excess spices off the fish, pat it dry, then lay it on top of the onion in the roasting pan. Stir together the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons water; pour this on top of the fish.
5 Bake 20 minutes, then pour the garlic water over the fish. Continue roasting until the fish is fully cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes more. (when it’s done, the fish will be golden outside with opaque flesh that flakes easily with a fork.)
6 Serve immediately, with Sesame Sauce alongside to spoon on top.
KEBAB DAJAJ
This recipe is perfect for people who love grilled kebabs but aren’t big fans of red meat. If you can’t find ground chicken, you can easily make your own by grinding boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a meat grinder or food processor.
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes to chill the chicken
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
1½ lb (750 g) ground chicken
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed in a mortar and pestle with 1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons Chicken Spice Mix (page 29)
¼ bunch fresh parsley leaves, trim the stems and mince the leaves
1 Prepare Chicken Spice Mix.
2 use your hands to combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
3 Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled, about 30 minutes.
4 Fill a small bowl with water for wetting your hands in between shaping the kebabs. Wet your hands and roll a small handful of the meat mixture into a ball (about the size of an egg), then slide it onto a metal skewer. Flatten the ball so the meat spreads out on the skewer, and repeat this process until all the meat is skewered.
5 Grill until fully cooked, about 10 minutes, flipping once.
Marinated Chicken Skewers
SHEESH TAOUK
Sheesh Taouk is an incredibly flavorful dish with relatively minimal effort. In Damascus it can be bought pre-marinated from just about any butcher and so it is quite a common meal. If you don’t have a grill, this chicken can also be skewered, cooked in the oven, and then browned briefly under a broiler. If you want to forgo the skewering altogether, you can cook it on the stovetop in a large skillet with a little oil and some sliced onion. Cooked this way, it is makes a fantastic sandwich filling with some Garlic Mayonnaise (page 24).
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 1 to 4 hours for the chicken to marinade
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
3 cloves garlic, crushed in a mortar and pestle with ½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground paprika
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ lb (750 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into large cubes
1 Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, tomato paste (if using), garlic, paprika, cayenne (if using), allspice, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat; refrigerate at least 1 hour but up to 4 hours.
2 use your hands to remove any excess marinade from the chicken pieces and thread the chicken onto skewers.
3 Grill until fully cooked, about 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Roasted Green Wheat with Chicken
FREEKEH BIL DAJAJ
Freekeh is an extremely healthy whole grain with a smoky, nutty flavor. For more information on Freekeh, see Roasted Green wheat (Freekeh) (page 22).
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes to soak the wheat
Cooking Time: 40 minutes, plus 10 minutes to let the wheat sit after cooking
1¼ cups (175 g) roasted green wheat
3 tablespoons clarified butter (or 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon canola oil)
2 tablespoons pine nuts or blanched almonds
1 onion, finely diced
1½ teaspoons Nine Spice Mix (page 29), divided
2 bay leaves
1¼ teaspoons salt, divided
2¼ cups (565 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick slices
Plain yogurt (optional, for serving)
1 Prepare nine Spice Mix.
2 Sort through the wheat to remove any irregular pieces, small stones, or pieces of dirt, and then rinse with cold water in a colander. Soak the wheat in cold water for 30 minutes, skimming off any debris that rises to the surface and changing the water two or three times; drain.
3 Add the butter to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium heat. Add the nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl; set aside.
4 Boil the chicken broth or water.
5 Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the nuts in, and cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wheat, 1 teaspoon nine Spice Mix, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour the boiled broth or water into the saucepan, stirring. Turn the heat up to high, and bring to a rolling boil.
6 Give the wheat a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to low, and cook until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes; the water should be mostly absorbed but the wheat should still be slightly moist. Once it’s done cooking, let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
7 while the wheat cooks, cook the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon nine Spice Mix and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt onto the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat; add the chicken and sauté until fully cooked and lightly browned on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes.
8 to serve, transfer the wheat to a large platter or bowl; arrange the chicken on top and then sprinkle on the pine nuts. Serve immediately, with plain yogurt.
Roast Chicken with Rice and Vegetable Soup
MOLOKHIA NA’AMEH
The name of this soup means “for royalty” and it has quite the royal history, as it originated in ancient Egypt and was food for the nobles. Now it is one of Egypt’s national dishes and is commonly eaten across the Middle East. It is made of minced jute mallow leaves; you can mince your own fresh leaves if they’re available. A mincing knife is the perfect tool for this job (see page 16 for more information), but if it isn’t available fresh, frozen minced jute mallow is commonly found in Middle Eastern grocery stores. (Dried minced jute mallow can also be found, but I find that the flavor of frozen is preferable to dried.)
Once cooked, this soup is thick with a slimy consistency, very similar to cooked okra. The flavor is a bit like spinach, but earthier somehow. It can also be made with lamb or beef stew meat instead of chicken, if you prefer. For more flavor, sauté ¼ bunch minced fresh coriander leaves or 2 teaspoons ground coriander along with the garlic.
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 55 minutes
1 whole chicken, with the innards, giblets, head, and neck removed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 chicken-flavored soft bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 (14 oz/400 g) bag frozen minced jute mallow
2 cloves garlic, crushed in a mortar and pestle
1 lemon, wedged (for serving)
1 batch Rice with Toasted Vermicelli Noodles (page 58) for serving
1 Prepare the Rice with toasted Vermicelli noodles.
2 Cut out the chicken’s backbone; quarter the chicken so you have 2 breasts and 2 thigh/leg pieces, and then cut each breast into 2 pieces, leaving the wing attached (you will end up with 6 pieces total; if you prefer, you can also separate the leg and thigh so you end up with 8 pieces total). Cut away the wing tips and excess fat, leaving the skin on. Rinse and pat the chicken dry.
3 Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a large baking sheet; drizzle 1 tablespoon oil on top; sprinkle on ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Roast until the juices run clear when poked with a sharp knife, about 50 to 60 minutes. Once roasted, if you want the chicken to have more color, you can broil it for a couple of minutes.
4 while the chicken cooks, prepare the jute mallow. Add the water, bouillon cube, bay leaf, onion, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to a medium saucepan. 5 Bring to a boil, then stir in the jute mallow; let the soup come back up to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. If the jute mallow is still frozen, simmer 10 to 15 minutes; if it is partially or fully thawed, simmer 7 minutes.
6 Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the garlic to a small skillet over medium-low heat; cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir the garlic into the soup.
7 Serve the soup and chicken with lemon and Rice with toasted Vermicelli noodles.
SHAWARMA DAJAJ
Shawarma is the Middle East’s version of fast food, and in populated areas you probably won’t walk a block without seeing half a dozen or so shawarma vendors. Shawarma is made from chicken, lamb, or beef (or occasionally other meats like goat) that has been marinated, wrapped around a stick, and cooked on a vertical rotisserie; the meat is then shaved off and made into sandwiches. Not many of us (including me) have a vertical rotisserie, so when my husband and I were first married and he moved from the Middle East to the u.S., I had to find another way to make his favorite fast food that still tastes like the real deal without the use of this piece of equipment. I use a two-step cooking process—roasting in the oven, followed by sautéing on the stovetop—which results in delicious and authentic-tasting shawarma.
Once the meat is cooked you can either serve it in a shallow dish to scoop up with flatbread, or roll it into sandwiches. If you make it into sandwiches, you can add just about any vegetables you like (such as lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and/or onion), but no matter what you add, there are two components that need to be present: pickles and creamy garlic sauce. The garlic sauce (called Toumieh) is really more of a garlic-y mayonnaise, and my opinion it makes the shawarma.
Once the chicken is roasted, it can be stored in the fridge for up to three days before being sautéed, which makes it perfect for leftovers.
Serves 8
Preparation Time: 30 minutes, plus 2 to 24 hours for the chicken to marinate
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
1 batch Shawarma Spice Mix
½ cup (125 ml) plain yogurt
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1½ teaspoons salt
2 lb (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for sautéing
16 flatbreads
Garlic Mayonnaise (page 24)
Pickles (page 27)
Shawarma Spice Mix
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) (optional)
1 Prepare the Shawarma Spice Mix.
2 Combine the spice mix with the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
3 Preheat oven to 350˚F and spread 1 tablespoon of oil on the inside of a large baking dish.
4 Scrape off any excess marinade from the chicken with your hands. Starting in the center of the oiled dish, arrange the chicken so that it overlaps, and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil on top. Bake (uncovered) 1 hour, or until the chicken is fully cooked; cool. (it’s done when you cut into the center and there is no pink.)
5 Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a large cutting board; slice it very thinly across the grain, then transfer it back into the pan it was cooked in to soak up the juices (the chicken can be refrigerated this way for up to 3 days before continuing with the rest of the recipe, or you can continue after 10 minutes).
6 Coat the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat with oil. Once hot, add the sliced chicken and sauté until crispy and golden brown (you may need to sauté the chicken in two or three batches so the pan isn’t overcrowded).
7 Spread some Garlic Mayonnaise in the center of each piece of bread; add some chicken and pickles (and any other vegetables you like) and roll it up.
8 toast the sandwiches on a dry griddle or a flat sandwich press so that the bread gets golden brown and slightly crispy.
9 Serve as is, or cut into small rounds; serve with additional Garlic Mayonnaise for dipping.
Rice Pilaf with Spiced Smoked Chicken
MENDY DAJAJ
This is a Saudi dish that’s commonly eaten all over the Gulf States.
the chicken is traditionally smoked underground; however, my mother-in-law came up with a brilliant smoking method that can be done right in your kitchen. While the smoking method is my mother-in-law’s, credit for teaching me this recipe goes to my brother-in-law, who worked as a chef in Dubai for a while.
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 55 minutes, plus 15 minutes to smoke the chicken and rice
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Mendy Spice Mix (page 29)
½ teaspoon salt
1 whole fresh chicken, cut into serving pieces
For Smoky Flavor
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 piece of charcoal
For Serving
2 cups (500 g) plain yogurt
Fresh Tomato Sauce (page 53)
Rice Pilaf
1½ cups (325 g) uncooked basmati rice
2 tablespoons clarified butter (or 1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon canola oil)
4 tablespoons cashews or blanched almonds
1 onion, finely diced
1¾ cups (425 ml) water or chicken stock
1 chicken-flavored soft bouillon cube
2 bay leaves
2 dried limes (loomi), pierced with a paring knife a couple times
One 2 in (5 cm) cinnamon stick
½ tablespoon whole green cardamom pods, cracked
½ teaspoon whole cloves
½ whole nutmeg
¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 Prepare Mendy Spice Mix and Fresh tomato Sauce.
2 Preheat oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Combine the yogurt, olive oil, Mendy Spice Mix, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
3 Place the chicken in a large bowl, add the yogurt mixture, and rub the yogurt into each piece of chicken. (if there is time, cover the chicken and let it marinade in the fridge for up to 4 hours.)
4 use your hands to scrape off any excess yogurt and arrange the chicken in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast until the juices run clear when poked with a sharp knife, about 50 to 60 minutes.
5 while the chicken roasts, soak the rice in water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, bring the water, and added spices to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
6 Add the clarified butter to a thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium heat. Add the cashews and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
7 Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the nuts in, and cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the boiling water (with all the spices), turn the heat up to high, and bring to a rolling boil.
8 Give the rice a stir, then cover, turn the heat down to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (do not open the lid during this time). Turn the heat off and let the rice sit 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
9 Place the chicken on top of the rice (or if the pot isn’t big enough, transfer both the rice and the chicken to a large lidded casserole pot that’s large enough to hold them both); nestle a heat-safe cup or bowl in the center and pour the olive oil into the cup. Heat the piece of charcoal until glowing red, then use tongs to place it in the cup with the oil. Immediately cover the pot and let it smoke for 15 minutes.
10 Carefully remove the dish of oil and transfer the rice to a large serving platter; top with the chicken and sprinkle on the cashews. Serve with plain yogurt and Fresh tomato Sauce to spoon on top.
Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce
MAKBOOS RUBIAN
This is a classic dish from the Gulf area that my mother-in-law learned when she lived there during the ‘80’s. It’s usually served with beautiful, aromatic Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine nuts (page 61).
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
1-1½ lb (750 g) fresh large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 36-40 shrimp per pound)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed in a mortar and pestle with ¾ teaspoon salt
3 tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 bay leaf
3 pods cardamom, crushed
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 portion Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts, for serving (page 61)
1 Prepare the Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine nuts.
2 heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat; add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and tomato and cook 2 minutes, then add the tomato paste and water and bring up to a boil. Cover the skillet, turn the heat down to simmer, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3 heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add the shrimp, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, cinnamon ground sweet paprika, ground red pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and black pepper. Cook until the shrimp turns pink (about 2 to 3 minutes).
4 Stir the shrimp mixture into the tomato sauce and serve immediately with Saffron Rice with Raisins and Pine nuts.
Baked Chicken with Red Rice Pilaf
KEBSEH
This classic Saudi dish is an impressive sight to see; it’s usually brought steaming hot out to the table on a huge serving platter with the colorful rice on the bottom, the meat on top, and nuts interspersed. It’s the perfect meal for a special celebration, or when you want to impress your guests. (Note: Lamb or beef can be used instead of the chicken if you prefer.)
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 55 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking
1 whole fresh chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1¼ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Kebseh Spice Mix (page 29), divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small green bell pepper, deseeded and finely diced
1 small tomato, peeled and finely diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
1½ cups (325 g) uncooked basmati rice
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water
4 tablespoons pine nuts or blanched almonds
1 Prepare Kebseh Spice Mix.
2 Combine the yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of Kebseh Spice Mix in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss gently to coat.
3 Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast until the juices run clear when poked with a sharp knife, about 50 to 60 minutes. Once roasted, if you want the chicken to have more color, you can broil it for a couple minutes.
4 heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the canola oil in a medium saucepan over moderately-high heat; add the onion and green bell pepper and sauté until completely softened, about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced tomato and garlic and cook until the tomato is completely soft, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato paste, turn the heat down to medium, and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.
5 Soak the rice in water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
6 Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
7 Add the rice to the saucepan you cooked the pine nuts in, turn heat up to high, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomato mixture, boiling water, remaining 1 teaspoon Kebseh Spice Mix, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and bring to a rolling boil.
8 Give the rice a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (do not open the lid during this time). Turn the heat off and let the rice sit (covered) 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
9 transfer to a serving dish, arrange the chicken pieces on top, and sprinkle on the toasted pine nuts; serve.
Roasted Chicken with Flatbread
M’SAKHKHAN
Although it’s popular all over the Middle East, this dish is Palestinian in origin. Traditionally, it’s made with a thick and chewy, blistered bread, called Taboon. it’s always impressive to see a tray of M’sakhkhan brought out, but it’s actually a fairly simple dish that’s mainly about good quality olive oil, chicken, and sumac, which gives the dish a pleasant sour tang.
Like so many Middle Eastern dishes, this one has numerous variations; no matter which variation you make, the chicken and onions are typically wrapped in bread and eaten with your hands.
If you have leftover chicken on hand, you can make a quick version of this dish. Shred the chicken and sauté some onion in olive oil with sumac. Add the chicken to the onion and roll the onion/chicken mixture up as sandwiches in flatbread. Arrange the sandwiches in a baking dish, drizzle the tops with a little olive oil, and broil until golden brown and crispy.
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
1 large fresh chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
¾ cup (175 ml) olive oil, divided
4 lb (2 kg) onions, halved and thinly sliced
5 tablespoons sumac, divided
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pieces taboon bread, or 3-6 large pita breads or Middle Eastern flatbreads
1 tablespoon clarified butter (or ½ tablespoon unsalted butter plus ½ tablespoon canola oil)
4 tablespoons pine nuts
1 whisk together 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of sumac in a small bowl; set aside. Transfer 4 tablespoons oil to a large pot over high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
2 turn the heat down to medium and add the onion and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Cook until the onions are softened and translucent, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 4 tablespoons sumac, allspice, black pepper, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook 3 minutes more, stirring frequently.
3 Preheat oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Place 1 piece of bread on the bottom of a large, round oven-safe tray (if you don’t have a tray that’s large enough to fit the taboon bread, you can break the bread into smaller pieces and arrange it in a single layer). Top the bread with 1/3 of the cooked onion mixture; top the onions with another piece of bread (or a layer of broken bread), then top the bread with another 1/3 of the onion mixture. Place the last piece of bread on top and top with the last 1/3 of the onion mixture. Arrange the chicken on top of the bread and sprinkle on the oil/sumac mixture. Bake (uncovered) until the chicken is fully cooked, about 1 hour to 1½ hours.
4 while the chicken bakes, toast the pine nuts. Melt the clarified butter in a small saucepan over low heat; add the pine nuts and cook until light golden brown, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
5 when the chicken is out of the oven, sprinkle the pine nuts on top and serve.
