Although not grown in Palestine, rice is a staple food and is unquestionably the basic ingredient in ceremonial dishes. It invariably accompanies stews and is an essential component of mahashi. My children love to eat vermicelli or plain rice with cold yoghurt as a snack.
Mansaf and kidreh, without which any celebration does not deserve any mention, are de rigueur at every traditional wedding, funeral, baptism and circumcision. Mansaf originally comes from Jordan but was adopted wholeheartedly by the Palestinians as a dish for special occasions, most particularly in the Hebron area. Kidreh is served as a rule in the Bethlehem and Jerusalem areas. They are often served the traditional way in a large, shared plate, a sidir, and without the use of western tableware.
The Palestinian way of cooking rice is highly recommended as it allows all the water to be absorbed in the cooking process, trapping all the nutrients in the rice, unlike in the West where it is customary to drain the rice after the cooking is completed. However, it is important to be attentive during the cooking so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan and therefore it is safer to place a heat diffuser under the pan at the second stage of cooking.
An accomplished cook does not measure the water and is still able to get loose and fluffy rice. The trick is to add enough water to the rice to allow a wooden spoon to stand upright in the middle of the pan. I personally still prefer the measuring method, especially with the round-grain rice, which is tricky to get right, especially when the quantity exceeds a measure of two cups. For regular round-grain rice, one and a half cups of liquid for every cup of rice is the correct measure; for other varieties, like Basmati or Persian or any long-grain variety, it is necessary to count two cups of liquid per cup of rice.
Most of the suggested quantities in the following recipes serve six people.
When a wedding feast was cooked, the men gathered around to eat from the large trays of meat and rice. The following song was sung to them:
Our bread is sufficient, our house is warm
Our sword is perfect!
Eat ye good men of God!
May it do you good.
After the men had eaten, the food was carried to the women, who had been sitting with the bride.
Karen Seger, Portrait of a Palestinian Village,
The Photographs of Hilma Granquist
Originally, kidreh referred to a split level clay heater used formerly for cooking, then it came to mean a brass or clay container shaped wide at the bottom with a narrow opening, which was traditionally used to cook this dish, hence the name. During ceremonial occasions when the extended family as well as friends are present, it has become customary to have these events catered. The caterers would come with as many kidrehs as were ordered, steaming straight from the wood oven and the fragrance of spices and samneh, lavishly used for the occasion, would fill the air.
For funerals or other sad occasions, a one-course meal of kidreh and yoghurt is served to all the members of the family, the clan and all the friends and acquaintances. It is a social obligation the family of the bereaved has to honour, even if it means borrowing money.
For large parties, this dish is preceded with all sorts of appetisers and salads, and followed by a sidir of knafeh, a traditional cheese dessert from the Nablus area. Back in the thirties, when my aunt got married to a Palestinian who had emigrated to Chile and had come back to Bethlehem to find a bride, my grandfather, who was well travelled and had lived in France for many years, held two banquets for the occasion. The first was traditional in order to save face with the family and clan members who expected nothing more nor less than the traditional kdur (plural of kidreh). For his friends and acquaintances in Jerusalem, already more worldly and among whom were many foreigners, he served a western-style banquet with china and silverware and for dessert, delicate French pastries ordered from a Jewish bakery in Jerusalem. At that time, western-style wedding dresses had already made a breakthrough since the mother of the bride, my grandmother, had a white wedding dress instead of the traditional thowb malak.
1 kg–1.2 kg (2 lb 4 oz–2lb 11 oz) mutton, cut into chunks
2 bay leaves
2½ tsp salt
1½ tsp pepper
1 tsp allspice
¼ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp cardamom
2 cinnamon sticks
(You can substitute the above spice with 2½ tsp mixed spices)
1 onion
3 cups round-grain rice
4½ cups stock
¼ tsp saffron pistils
4 garlic cloves
50 g (2 oz) butter or 2 tbs samneh
It is best to use chump chops or a shoulder cut, but you can also use the leg. Traditionally, the meat is cooked with minimal trimming of the fat but I prefer to have it trimmed as much as possible and to skim the fat off the juice before adding the rice. Put the chunks of meat in a medium-size pan, adding the whole peeled onion and the salt and spices. Cover with water and cook for 1¼ – 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender.
For the second stage of the cooking, use a big cast-iron or heat-resistant clay pot. Grease the bottom and sides of the pot with butter or samneh. Wash the rice under the hot water tap and leave it to soak for 5 minutes before transferring it to the pot. Meanwhile crush the garlic with ¼ tsp salt to a fine paste in a pestle and mortar then soak the saffron for a few seconds in a small amount of hot water. Measure the meat stock and the saffron liquid and add enough hot water to make 4½ cups and pour over the rice in the pot. Add the crushed garlic and the butter or samneh and stir. Add the chunks of cooked meat on top, cover the pot and put in a moderately hot oven (200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6) for 30 minutes, when you check if the rice is done and all the liquid has been absorbed. If necessary, leave it for another 5 minutes or so. Serve with unflavoured yoghurt and simple traditional salad on the side.
¾ cup fine noodles, crushed
4 tbs vegetable oil
2½ cups round-grain or long-grain rice
3¾ cups boiling water/5 cups for the long grain
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
1 tbs butter
Measure the rice and wash it under the hot water tap. Leave it to drain.
In a pan, stir-fry the noodles in the oil until they turn golden. Add the rice and stir quickly, then add the salt and pepper.
Measure the hot water according to the type of rice you are using, add to the rice and bring it quickly to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let it cook until most of the water is absorbed, about 12–15 minutes.
Dot the rice with the butter and leave to cook for another 3 minutes. When it has melted, remove from heat and, instead of stirring, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula to spread the melted butter without squashing the rice. Leave it to rest for a few minutes before serving.
A side dish for most stews, this rice is also delicious with unflavoured yoghurt.
The king of rice dishes, ruz hashweh adorns every buffet dinner and is a favourite for all. Beautiful to look at when served, the aroma from the variety of spices makes this dish particularly enjoyable.
Traditionally, this dish is prepared with round-grain rice, but I have tried using Basmati rice with excellent results. The nutty flavour of the Basmati enhances the aroma of the blend of spices that make this dish an unforgettable experience.
In the Hebron area, it is customary to add cardamom to the spices suggested in the recipe, which gives the whole dish a somewhat bitter aroma. If and when I add cardamom, I use it very sparingly and prefer to go heavy on the nutmeg.
Ideally the meat for this dish should be minced by hand. The topside is best, and you should prepare it following this procedure: cut across in thin slices as you would cut a steak, then taking one slice at a time, cut into thin strips first, then across into small cubes (1 cm/¼ in).
800 g (1 lb 14 oz) ground lean beef
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 whole onion
3 cups round grain rice
4½ cups hot chicken broth (optional, hot water can be used instead)
1½ tsp salt
¾ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
50 g (2 oz) butter
For serving
30 g (1 oz) butter
80 g (3 oz) pine nuts
80 g (3 oz) blanched and slivered almonds
Peel and wash the onion.
Heat the oil in a heavy pan, add the meat and the whole onion and fry over high heat for 10–12 minutes while stirring occasionally until the meat is nicely browned. Add the salt and the spices and cook, covered, over low heat while you prepare the rice.
Wash the rice in running hot water and allow it to drain, then add to the pan and stir well. Add the boiling stock or water and stir again. Cover the pan and bring to the boil on medium heat. It is a good idea to taste the liquid at this point in order to check the salt and spices.
Allow the rice to simmer for 10 minutes then lower the heat. You can stir the rice slowly, then leave it on low until most of the liquid is absorbed. If you prefer, put a heat diffuser under the pan to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
When the rice is almost done dot the surface with the butter and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula in order to distribute the butter without squashing the rice. Allow it to rest covered for a few minutes before serving. Meanwhile, brown the almonds and the pine nuts separately, in the butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring so as to get an even golden colour. Spread evenly over the rice.
Served with roast or charcoal-grilled chicken, this meal becomes a real treat.
Tips
To avoid lumpy rice, put a clean kitchen towel under the lid covering the pan while it rests.
To add some flair to your dish, wrap individual portions of the rice and nuts in puff pastry (unsweetened) and put those portions on a greased pan and bake on medium-high heat for 30 minutes or until they become golden brown. We call them bukaj, meaning the knotted kerchief in which travellers used to put their belongings.
Makloubeh means upside-down with reference to the way it is served; it is as wholesome as it is filling and is regularly served in large families. The vegetables included in this dish are usually fried aubergines or cauliflower or both. The rice is layered with the meat and vegetables and when the cooking is done, the pan is tipped over a plate or tray to serve. I use an old-fashioned aluminium pan with sloping sides, wider at the top and without handles, which makes for easier tipping.
I prefer to use either cauliflower or aubergines and have tried the dish with marrows with great success. A recommended option is to use beef and sauté the vegetables but, to go completely traditional, use mutton and fry the vegetables – I have tried to sauté the vegetables lightly but the casserole came out dry and the ingredients did not blend smoothly.
In spring and early summer, when the baladi aubergines from Battir are out, this dish is cooked quite often until el-ghbar, when the baladi aubergine season is over. Battir aubergines, unlike the brands that originate from Jericho or Gaza, are small and narrow and quite pale in colour; they also have a thin skin making their peeling unnecessary.
This dish is best accompanied by yoghurt or yoghurt-based salad.
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) of beef, trimmed and cut in chunks
1 whole onion, peeled
3–4 tbs olive oil or 30 g (1 oz) samneh
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
¾ tsp allspice
1 small cinnamon stick
(You can substitute the pepper, allspice and cinnamon with 1½ tsp mixed spices)
1 small cauliflower cut into florets or 8 small aubergines, washed and dried
½ cup olive oil
2 cups round grain rice
1 tbs samneh or clarified butter
At least 3 cups of hot water (less if you add the meat juice)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pan, brown the meat with the onion in the hot oil or samneh. Add the salt and spices and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to the boil then let it simmer covered for 60–70 minutes. The amount of time can vary according to the type and cut of meat you use and to the degree you like it done.
While the meat is cooking, fry the cauliflower in a separate pan in ½ cup olive oil until the florets are soft and golden. Let them drain over kitchen paper. If you are using aubergines, peel them and cut them into slices of desired thickness. If you are using small, oblong aubergines just cut them lengthwise in two. Heat the oil in a separate pan and fry them, turning them only once. Place the fried slices on kitchen paper until the meat is ready.
Measure the rice and wash it under the hot water tap. Leave it to drain. Melt the butter or samneh in a large aluminium pan, add the rice and stir until all the rice is coated with the butter. Remove half the rice and even out the rice at the bottom, add a layer of the fried cauliflower or aubergines, and add the chunks of meat, saving the juice. Add the remaining rice and top with a layer of the remaining vegetables. Measure the liquid of the meat and add enough hot water to make 3 cups. Bring to boil on a high heat with the pan covered. Taste a spoonful of the liquid to adjust the spices. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Place a heat diffuser under the pan and leave to cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
This kidreh dish is a variation on the Bethlehem version and is very popular in the Ramallah and Bir-Zeit areas as well as in coastal Gaza where cumin, much more freely used, enhances the blandness of chickpeas with a warm and slightly bitter flavour. For best results, it is advisable to toast the cumin seeds in a small pan and grind them just before use. Otherwise, it is a good idea to grill and grind small quantities at a time and save them in a tightly covered jar away from any direct source of light or heat. This principle applies to all spices if you want to obtain optimum results.
The cooking process is similar to western-style casseroles where all the ingredients are cooked in the same pan. The best way to serve this dish is with unflavoured yoghurt on the side. It is quite a treat!
1 kg–1.2 kg (2 lb 4 oz–2 lb 11 oz) mutton, cut up in chunks
1 whole onion, peeled
2 tbs clarified butter
2½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp allspice
1 small cinnamon stick
400 g (14 oz) cooked chickpeas
2 cups round grain rice
3 cups hot water
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1½ tsp cumin
50 g (2 oz) butter
In a large pan, brown the meat with the onion in the butter.
Add the salt and spices and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to the boil then let it simmer for 60–70 minutes. The amount of time can vary according to the type and cut of meat you use. It is to be noted that lamb cooks faster than beef; however, it is always better to consult with your butcher. When the meat is done, add the cooked chickpeas and heat through.
Measure the rice and wash abundantly in hot water. Add to the pan and mix with the meat and chickpeas. Measure the hot water and add to the pan. If there is already some liquid from the meat, you might not have to use all 3 cups of water otherwise you will end up with sticky rice.
Melt the 50 g of butter in a pan and add the peeled and crushed garlic with the cumin. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes and add to the rice mixture. Mix carefully with a wooden spoon, lower the heat to medium and leave to cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Place a heat diffuser under the pan and cook slowly until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes or so.
Turn off the heat. Uncover the pan and place a fresh kitchen towel over the top and replace the lid. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving. The cotton towel will absorb the extra moisture and prevent the rice from becoming sticky.
Easy to prepare, this rice is usually served with stews. It is traditional to use round-grain rice, readily available and much cheaper. I like to use Persian or Basmati rice occasionally for variety. You can cook this rice with chicken or beef for a richer flavour.
2 cups rice
30 g (l oz) butter
3 cups broth
¾ tsp salt
Dash of white pepper
Wash the rice under the hot water tap and drain it. Dissolve the butter in a small pan, add the rice and mix thoroughly with the butter. Add the salt and pepper and the stock, stir and bring to the boil, and leave covered for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and cook for another 10–15 minutes, until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutritious and filling, this dish is served with tabun bread soaked in chicken stock, whence the name fatteh. I prefer to use tannur bread, round, flat bread, lighter and thinner than tabun, and spongy enough to absorb the stock. Palestinians have traditionally served their favourite dishes with different breads, not unusual in a country that has witnessed long stretches of hunger.
Although fatteh is still a special meal for most families, it is served in some circles to reflect the new trend for going traditional. The following recipe serves a party of eight to ten people.
2 chickens
1 onion
1½ tsp salt
1 small cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
¾ tsp peppercorns
6–8 grains allspice
Dash cardamom grains (optional)
20 g butter (1 oz) for the chicken
3 cups round-grain rice
40 g butter (1½ oz) for the rice
2 oz blanched and slivered almonds
2 oz pine nuts
Cut the chicken in four and remove the skin. Put in a big pan and add the salt and spices and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil and let simmer for one hour or until the chicken is tender. Strain the stock and set it aside for the rice.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the rice after it has been washed under a hot water tap. Measure out 4½ cups of the hot chicken stock, leaving two cups for serving the bread, add to the rice, cover the pan and bring to the boil. It is important to taste the liquid and adjust the seasoning before all the liquid is absorbed. Keep on medium heat until most of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set to rest for a few minutes before serving.
While the rice is cooking remove the bones from the chicken and spread the boneless meat on a greased tray, dotting it with small pieces of butter; put in the broiler for 10 minutes while you fry the almonds and pine nuts in a small amount of butter.
In a large serving plate, or a sidir, spread three of the warmed tannur breads, which are usually about 30 cm (12 in) in diameter, and ladle out the hot stock over the surface. Top with the rice and spread the chicken over the surface. Add the almonds and pine nuts and serve with laban m’thawam.
To prepare the laban, add three garlic cloves crushed with ¾ tsp salt with a pestle and mortar to three cups of unflavoured yoghurt.
Originally from Jordan, this dish is cooked in a variety of ways according to the different regions, but it is in Hebron that it has become established as the dish to surpass all dishes, and is always served to dignitaries and official guests. A stronghold of tradition and conservatism, Hebron society entertains the traditional way, with the men separated from the women. The mansaf is served in a large sidir, a big round brass platter without western tableware. The men will sit alone in a circle around the sidir and eat while the women of the house are in the kitchen. On such occasions, it is the duty of the man of the house to make sure that his guests are not in want of anything.
Ali Qleibo, an anthropologist friend of mine, describes the ritual of sharing mansaf most accurately:
Each food morsel is transformed, with an elegant well-coordinated movement of the thumb, index and middle fingers, into an oval-shaped mouthful. In the elegant hands of an expert, not a single grain of rice slips in the process of tossing the morsel into the mouth.
Ali Qleibo, Before the Mountains Disappear
Mutton, laban jmeed, dry yoghurt from lamb’s milk and cardamom are specific ingredients for this dish. The distinctively pungent taste of the laban and the bitterness of the cardamom may not appeal to every taste. I have developed my own version of this royal dish substituting the laban jmeed with unflavoured yoghurt and using a hint of cardamom.
1 kg–1.2 kg (2 lb 4 oz–2lb 11 oz) lamb, cut up in large chunks for stew
1 whole onion, peeled
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
¾ tsp allspice (you can substitute the pepper and allspice with 2 tsp of mixed spice)
3 tbs clarified butter
2½ cups round-grain rice
2 tbs samneh or butter
a pinch of saffron flowers or powdered turmeric
3 grains cardamom
1 small cinnamon stick
For the sauce
200 g (7 oz) dry yoghurt (laban jmeed) or 3 cups unflavoured yoghurt
2 tbs cornflour
2 cups broth
3 whole garlic cloves
1 tsp butter or samneh
For serving
1 large tannur bread
20 g each fried pine nuts and almonds for topping
If you are using laban jmeed, soak it for 24 hours with enough water to cover the clumps of laban. When the laban has absorbed all the liquid and the clumps have softened, process in a food processor for a few minutes until you obtain a thick liquid of creamy consistency. In the old days, they used to soak the laban for a few hours in water and rub the clumps by hand against the rough bottom of an earthenware bowl, hence the other name by which it is also known, laban san. It took a great deal of elbow grease to prepare enough laban for a large family! You can prepare the laban a day ahead; you should obtain about three cups, and keep in the refrigerator.
Sprinkle the chunks of meat with the salt, pepper and allspice. Put the meat in a medium-size pan, add a small cinnamon stick and the peeled onion and cover with two litres of water. Bring to the boil and cook covered until the meat is tender, about one hour. You might have to skim the foam off the surface. When the meat is ready, keep it hot in the pan while you cook the rice. You will need two cups of the stock for the sauce and the rest will serve to cook the rice. Heat the samneh or butter in a medium-size cooking pot and add the rice and the grains of cardamom. Stir until all the rice is coated with the fat. Add the saffron diluted in two spoons of hot water or the turmeric powder and stir once again. Measure four cups of liquid using as much broth as there is available, topping up with hot water, and add to the rice. Bring to the boil and adjust the seasoning. Cover and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid is absorbed. Reduce the heat and cook for another 5 minutes before turning off the heat. You can use a heat diffuser during the last stage of the cooking in order to prevent the rice from sticking.
You can prepare the laban sauce while the rice is cooking: melt the butter in a medium-size pan and add the garlic. Stir over low heat while making sure that the garlic does not change colour. Add the laban and broth and cook for 20 minutes over a very low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you are using yoghurt, mix the cornflour in the yoghurt and add the hot broth, a small quantity at a time, to avoid any lumps. Heat through on a low flame and adjust the spices if necessary. Turn off the heat and everything should be ready for serving.
Spread the hot bread on a large round tray and spoon over it at least one cup of the hot laban sauce. Serve the rice making sure to remove the cardamom seeds and spoon out some more sauce, serving the rest of the sauce in a small bowl for extra servings. Arrange the meat over the rice and add the almonds and pine nuts. You can prepare individual bowls of hot laban as a side dish. Bon appetit!
The proverbial poor man’s dish, it took me quite a few years before I started appreciating it; now I can eat m’jaddara with a simple tomato salad on the side any day.
There are two types of lentil grains, flat ones and round ones, known as adas baladi. The latter are tastier and cook faster. I always opt for the baladi though they need more attention to come out just right.
Just as in the other rice dishes, the cooking water of the lentils should be totally absorbed, trapping all the nutrients in the prepared dish.
1 cup lentils
½ cup rice
1½ tsp salt
¾ tsp pepper
1½ tsp cumin
1 onion
¼ cup olive oil
Wash the lentils under a running tap. Put them in a pan with just one cup of water and bring them to boil on a high heat; it takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the heat and cook them, covered, for another 15 to 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Add the washed rice, the salt, pepper and cumin, add another cup of water, stir gently and leave to boil, then lower the heat. At this stage of the cooking you can put a heat diffuser under the pot in order to make sure that the rice and lentils will not stick to the bottom of the pan.
While the lentils are cooking, peel and wash the onion and slice it into rings. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion rings until they turn golden. By this time, the cooking water of the lentil and rice mixture will have been almost absorbed: add the hot oil from the pan to the lentils, but do not add the onion rings, and stir gently with a wooden spatula. Leave it to simmer for a few more minutes until the liquid is totally absorbed, then remove from the stove and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Place the onion rings over the ingredients to decorate and prepare a tomato salad to serve on the side.
Saffron, the most precious of all spices, gives this simple dish a powerful aroma and smooth warm taste. I like the nutty flavour of Basmati rice for variety.
It takes 150,000 flowers to yield 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) of saffron, which raises the price of this exotic spice remarkably. Turmeric may be used as a substitute as it has the same slightly bitter and musky aroma. In case you want to invest in saffron, buy the flowers as opposed to the powder, which is often adulterated to make it more lucrative.
1 small onion, finely chopped
50 g (2 oz) butter
2½ cups Basmati rice
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp saffron
4 cups boiling water
Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat, add the chopped onion and stir until it becomes translucent. Add the rice and salt and measure the water. Soak the saffron pistils in a small amount of water for five minutes.
Bring to the boil, covered, and keep on a medium heat until most of the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat, add a heat diffuser under the pan and simmer for another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.
