Nov 29, 2012

Steak Indonesian Way

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A few years ago, when I worked as a journalist in a Lebanese magazine, I received an invitation from the Indonesian Ambassador in Lebanon to visit Indonesia. There was an important seminar, and people from 40 countries participated in this big event. I was so excited to visit this country. I traveled  from Beirut airport and after nearly fourteen and a half hours of flight, I finally arrived at Jakarta.  A seminar representative received me and took me to my hotel which was located near the  seminar’s venue. I spent a lovely week there, and met people from all around the world – the trip was a great experience. And above all I discovered the Indonesian cuisine which is very rich in flavors. This is a recipe I took from a lady I met there, but I made some changes to the original one to suit  me and my family.

Ingredients:

  • 500 grams sirloin steak
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger 
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 can mushroom, sliced
  •  1/2 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

  • Heat the oil in a skillet, cut the steak into thin strips
  • Fry the onion in the oil until light golden, add garlic and leave it for one minute
  • Add the carrots, the the mushroom, let them cook for a further 5 minutes
  • Add the beef strips, stir well, then add the ginger, the beef broth, soy sauce, salt and pepper
  • Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the meat is cooked
  • Served with cooked rice ( I cook it with some mixed vegetables)

ET VOILA… C’EST TOUT.

Filed Under: Main dish · Tagged: , , , , ,
Nov 23, 2012

Soup with Meat Balls ( Shawrabt el Ima)

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Hello everyone,

I realized today that I have been away for three weeks. I had a very bad flu that put me in bed for few days. When I felt better and moved out of bed I had dizziness that make me feel really bad. The weather in Lebanon during this autumn is very unreliable. Flu is everywhere. So finally I’m here, back again 🙂

The first meal I cooked when I was sick is this soup with meat balls, to make me feel better. The first time I had this soup was at my mother-in-law’s house, and it was so warming and delicious – and very suited for the cold seasons, I liked it a lot and took the recipe from her.

Ingredients:

  • 300 grams minced beef
  • 1/2 cup short grain rice ( I use the Italian one)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon corn oil

Preparation:

  • Mix the meat with half teaspoon salt and a dash of black pepper, and shape it into small balls
  • In a pot, heat the oil and fry the meat malls until brown, remove them and place on a kitchen towel paper to remove the excess of oil
  • In the same oil fry the onion until slightly golden, the add the rice and cover with about 5 cups of water. Let it boil, then simmer covered on low fire until the rice is tender, then add the meat balls
  • Add the tomato puree to the soup, add the remaining salt and pepper and adjust the seasoning. Cover and let it cook slowly for few minutes
  • When you put the fire off, add the chopped parsley

ET VOILA.C’EST TOUT. BON APPETIT.

Filed Under: Uncategorized ·
Nov 1, 2012

Namoura (Egg free Lebanese Cake)

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It is so strange how a smell can bring back a lot of memories from your childhood. During the Eid el Adha I went to a sweet shop to buy something, and I saw and smelt Namoura. I remembered when I was young, a vendor used to come to our neighborhood with his trolley selling Namoura and we loved eating it with our hands. As I grew up it was one of the first sweet recipes I learnt from my mother. This is an egg free, butter free Lebanese cake, that can be made on any occasion and can last for quite a while time without any alteration to the taste.

Ingredients: 

  • 2 1/2 cup semolina
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • a pinch of salt
  • 2 cups yogurt
  • 1/2 cup orange blossom water
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 cup of almonds for decoration

Sugar syrup:

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup orange blossom water
  • teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Preparation:

  • Mix the semolina with bicarbonate of soda, sugar and salt
  • Gradually add the orange blossom water while stirring with a spoon
  • Add the yogurt and stir until all the ingredients are well mixed
  • Cover the mixture with a clean towel and leave it to rest for half an hour
  • Preheat the oven to 180 C
  • Grease a 40 cm diameter tray with tahini, pour the mixture in the tray, decorate with the almonds and bake it for about 35 minutes, until the cake becomes golden
  • In the meantime prepare the sugar syrup, boil the sugar with water until it thickens, then add the lemon juice, the orange blossom water and the butter
  • When the Namoura is baked remove from the oven and put over it the hot sugar syrup, and put it in the oven  again for 5 minutes

  • Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool, then cut into squares or diamond shape and serve

ET VOILA… C’EST TOUT.

Filed Under: Dessert, Lebanese food · Tagged: , , , , , ,