Ma’moul

 
Ingredients:

The dough  

1 pack semolina flour #2 (907g)  
300g semi-melted butter  
⅓ cup vegetable oil  
1 tbsp ghee (optional)  
1 tsp ground mastic  
¾ tsp ground mahlab  
3 tbsp orange blossom water  
3 tbsp rose water  
½  cup warm milk  
½  cup water  
1 tsp instant yeast  
1 tbsp powdered sugar  
 
The date filling  
1 pack pitted dates (375g) @ziyadbrand  
1 tsp ground cinnamon  
¼  tsp nutmeg  
1 tbsp room temp butter 
 
2 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting – use at the end  
 
Method:  
Day 1:  
– In a large bowl, mix the semolina with the butter, ghee, and vegetable oil. Using your hands, mix thoroughly and work it with your palms and fingers to ensure it’s properly mixed. This step is very important to prevent any crumbling. 

– Cover and set aside for at least 24 hrs. 

Day 2: 
– Add all the flavorings and the remaining dough ingredients (add the yeast last). Using your hands thoroughly mix until well combined. You’re looking for a soft doughy texture. Let it rest for 30 mins.

– In the meantime, prepare the date filling by mixing all of the ingredients and rolling it into thin strings or ropes.

– Now let’s assemble, divide the dough into 2-inch balls. 

– Flatten each ball and add a circular string of dates in the middle. With your fingers, lift the dough edges to cover the dates fully. Using your pinky insert a small hole in the middle. 

– Repeat until you assemble all the cookies. 

– Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the cookies on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and bake for 10 mins.

– Once ready, allow to cool for 30 mins to an hour, dust with powder sugar and enjoy!  

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Mint Lemonade  

Mint Lemonade is a Ramadan favorite. This refreshing slushy is perfect for quenching your thirst after a long day of fasting. 

This recipe makes around 2 cups 

 Ingredients: 

Juice of 3 lemons 

¼ cup fresh mint leaves 

¼ cup sugar (note: I don’t like my lemonade super sweet, hence I use ¼ cup. Feel free to add a bit more sugar) 

1 cup of cold water 

8-10 ice cubes 

Method: 

 – Cut the lemons in halves, squeeze them using a lemon squeezer 

 – Place all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until it becomes slushy   

 – Serve with fresh mint leaves as a garnish 

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Sfeeha (صفيحة او لحم بعجين)  

Sfeeha is a very popular savory pastry in Palestine and the Levant region. 

It is one of those dishes I simply do not have a measured recipe for. Each time I asked my family (grandma and dad) for the instructions, they differed. Everything was measured by “eye,” or “touch,” or “taste.” So over the past couple of months I’ve made sfeeha a few times (measuring the ingredients each time and eating a fair amount of raw meat) until I got the perfect recipe! It was a bit messy in my kitchen but 100% worth it. 

Many ingredients can go into making sfeeha and it’s also shaped differently depending on the region. This version is the Palestinian one. It includes minced lamb and beef, tomatoes, onions, tahini, garlic, lemon, jalapeño pepper, pomegranate molasses, salt & pepper, and a sprinkle of 7 spice! Even within Palestine, there are different recipes e.g., sfeeha with tahini, sfeeha with tomatoes, etc. 

A few friends also mentioned that their moms refer to this style of sfeeha as Jerusalem sfeeha (صفيحة القدس). This was new to me and I would love to learn more about it, but perhaps it’s to distinguish it from the other styles of sfeeha e.g., Armenian, Lebanese, etc. 

This recipe makes around 42 mini pies 

Ingredients:  

 The dough 

 • 3.5 cups flour 

 • ½ Powdered milk (I use Nido) 

 • ½ cup vegetable oil 

 • 1 tbsp traditional yeast 

 • 1 tsp salt 

 • 1 tsp sugar 

 • 1 ¼ cup warm water 

 • 1 egg 

 The meat filling 

 • 550g of minced lamb and beef (50/50) 

 • ½ cup + 1 tbsp tahini (8 tbsp) 

 • ½ cup lemon juice (7 tbsp) 

 • 1 tbsp water 

 • 1 tbsp yogurt 

 • 1 ¾ tsp salt 

 • 1 tsp black pepper 

 • Less than ½ tsp 7 spice (Bharat) 

 • 2 cloves of minced garlic 

 • ½ jalapeño pepper (optional) 

 • 1.5 cups finely chopped tomatoes 

 • ¾ cup finely chopped onions 

 • ½ tsp pomegranate molasses 

 – 2 tbsp butter (for baking) 

 –  1/3 cup pine nuts for baking 

Method:  

–       Prepare the dough by activating the yeast, add the sugar, yeast, and one cup of water. Let it sit for 10 mins until the yeast becomes active. 

–       Add the rest of the dough ingredients to a bowl, then add the activated yeast and knead for 10-15 mins by hand. Mix for 5 mins using a mixer until the dough forms. You’re looking for a soft, playdough-like texture. If you find it a bit tough, add one tablespoon of water at a time until it softens. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for at least 1 hour or until it doubles in size.  

–       In the meantime, prepare the meat filling. Start by (very finely) chopping the onions, tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeños (use a mortar and pestle to mince the jalapeño and the garlic into a paste). Place in a bowl, add the tahini, lemon juice, and the remainder of the ingredients (except the meat). Mix and taste. Assess if you would like to add any more seasoning (note: the recipe above is measured precisely, so if unsure just go for it as it renders an excellent result). Add the meat and thoroughly mix.  

–       Once the dough is ready, cut into 1–2-inch balls and place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Let them rest for 15-20 mins.  

Now, let’s start making the sfeeha. With your fingertips flatten the dough into mini discs, place around 1 tablespoon of the meat filling, press it down and spread it with your finger so it almost covers all the edges. Don’t worry about pressing hard as that prevents the meat and dough from splitting while baking. Once done, add a sliver of butter on top of each pie and 2-4 pine nuts.  

–       Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 10-12 mins or until the Sfeeha is fully cooked. Take out and loosely cover with a towel.  

–       Enjoy it with yogurt, Arabic salad, and some pickles. 

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Mloukhieh 

One of the ultimate middle eastern comfort foods is Mloukhieh, or as my great aunt, Azzizeh calls it, “Moloukieh,” i.e., food of kings. 

Mloukhieh (Jew’s Mallow or Jute Mallow) season is typically in the summer. In Canada, I usually get my mloukhieh dried as you don’t often find fresh leaves. Mloukhieh is made with chicken as a stew and served with vermicelli rice and a squeeze of lemon! 

Here is a very simple and delicious way to make mloukhieh. 

Ingredients: 

 1 small chicken cut into quarters 

 3 tbsp olive oil 

 12 cloves of garlic peeled and cut into small pieces 

 1 tomato 

 1.5 tsp salt (to taste) 

 1/2 tsp black pepper (to taste) 

 1/2 tsp allspice (Bharat or 7 spice) 

 1 tbsp dried coriander 

 8 cups dried mloukhieh 

 1.5 L chicken broth 

 1.5 tsp lemon juice 

 3 tbsp of olive oil and 1.5 tbsp fresh coriander chopped 

 Side: vermicelli rice 

Method: 

 – In a stew pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the chicken and let it cook on each side for around 5-7mins on high heat until it browns. Halfway through, add 8 cloves of the garlic (chopped) and the spices. Let the chicken cook until it’s a nice color (total time 15-20 mins). 

 – Add the dried coriander, mloukhieh (after properly washing it), and let them cook for an additional 5 mins. Then add a tomato sliced in half. Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium, cover and let it cook for 45 mins. 

 – Once done, in a small skillet, add 3 tbsp olive oil, the remainder of the garlic and the coriander. Let them cook for 5 mins on medium heat until they sizzle and get a nice color. Pour the mixture over the mloukhieh stew (this is what we call qadha قدح). Add the lemon juice and you are all done! 

 – Prep a side of rice and enjoy this hearty meal with some jalapeños, lemon juice, and olive oil mix!