As we enter the last days of Ramadan, we are excited to share our fourth and final Ramadan Recipe Collection! This week, food blogger Nida Khalaf offers four more recipes with a video of her preparing Qatayef, a Ramadan must-have!

QATAYEF

Qatayef is a dessert similar to a pancake stuffed with white cheese (Nabulsi or Akawi) or Eshta! Serve the Qatayef with orange blossom infused syrup. During Ramadan, Qatayef is a must-have, and bakeries all over the Arab world sell ready-made Qatayef or Qatayef dough. 

Below is the recipe for Qatayef with Nabulsi cheese and syrup!  

Prep: 30 mins 
Cook: 2-3 mins and 20-25 mins

– Using a pancake pan or griddle, heat it on high, then reduce the temperature to medium. Pour the Qatayef mix and let them bubble until fully dry on top (this will take around 2-3 mins). You are looking for 4-5 cm diameter pancakes, make sure not to flip them while they cook! Unlike pancakes, Qatayef cook on one side only; this will allow them to seal! 
– Place the ready Qatayef on a kitchen towel and cover with a towel until you finish the entire batter. 
– While preparing the Qatayef, soak the Nabulsi cheese in boiling water and let it sit for an hour to get rid of the saltiness (it is ok if it remains a tiny bit salty as that’ll give the Qatayef a nice sweet/salty flavor); once done crumble the cheese with your hands or grate it.  
– Fill the Qatayef with 1 tbsp or more of cheese and seal it around the edges by pressing the sides with your index finger and thumb. 
– Place the Qatayef on a baking tray covered with parchment paper, add ¼ tsp of butter on top of each Qatayef. Bake at 400F for 20-25mins or until crispy. Alternatively, Qatayef can be fried. 
– Take out of the oven and place in the orange blossom syrup! Serve hot with a nice cup of Arabic coffee or mint tea.

TABOULEH

Tabouleh is a vegan salad from the Levant region. It consists of chopped parsley with tomatoes, onions, mint, & bulgur (cracked whole grain wheat) tossed in olive oil & lemon dressing.  
 
Serve the tabouleh as a stand-alone fresh salad with lettuce (lettuce wraps) or as part of the iftar appetizers. It also makes an excellent side dish with anything served off the grill.  

Prep: 20 mins 
Enough for 3-4 people 
 
Ingredients: 
– 2 bunches of parsley 
– 1 large tomato 
– ¼ onion (replace with green onion if you don’t like onions) 
– ¼ cup finely chopped mint 
– ¼ cup bulgur 
– ⅓  cup olive oil 
-Juice of 1 lemon 
– ½  tsp salt (to taste)  
– A sprinkle of pepper (to taste) 
– ¼  Jalapeños (optional) 

Method: 
– Prepare the dressing by combining the bulgur, olive oil, lemon juice & the salt and pepper. Let it sit for 15-20 mins until the bulgur softens. 
– Finely chop all the ingredients (Be careful not to cut the parsley too finely!).  
– Add the dressing and thoroughly mix. 
– Try it and see if you’d like to add a bit of salt, olive oil, or lemon! I like my tabouleh extra lemony with a bit of a kick, so I usually add a little more lemon juice and jalapeno. 

MUSAKHAN

A Palestinian celebration and a feast showcasing roasted chicken smothered in Sumac spice, onions and olive oil. The chicken is served on top of the taboon bread with cooked onions and roasted pine nuts. Musakhan its distinct flavor from a mixture of high-quality olive oil, cooked onions, and sumac. Musakhan was typically prepared around the olive pressing season in a wood oven but is now cooked frequently and will make an incredibly satisfying Iftar dinner. 

Prep: 30-45 mins 
Cook time: the chicken, the Musakhan 10 mins  
Enough for 3-4 people 

Ingredients: 
– 1 whole chicken cut in quarters 
– Chicken spices & seasoning: 
– 1 tsp 7 spices  
– ¼ onion cut into wedges  
– 3 cloves minced garlic 
– 1.5 tbsp lemon juice  
– 3 tbsp olive oil  
– ¾-1 tsp salt (to taste) 
– 3 bay leaves 
-¼ cup water or chicken broth  

– 4 loaves of Taboon bread 
– 10 medium size white onions 
– 1/8 tsp cumin  
– ⅛ tsp ground cardamom  
– ⅛ tsp caraway (optional for a richer flavor) 
– ⅛ tsp dry ground dill (optional for a richer flavor)  
– ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper (to taste) 
– 3-4 TBSP sumac spice  
– 1 cup olive oil  
– ¼ cup toasted pine nuts and almonds  
– ½ TBSP sumac for garnish 

Method: 
– In a small bowl, mix the chicken spices and seasoning, along with the garlic and onion wedges. 
– Pad dry the chicken using a paper towel and place it in a roasting pan. Using your hands, rub the chicken with the seasoning, add the chicken broth or water to the bottom of the roasting pan, place in a preheated oven, and roast at 425F for 45 mins until golden and done. You are looking for a chicken temp of 165F. 
– Chop the onions into medium-sized cubes. Cook the onions with the olive oil over medium- low heat with the lid on to allow the onions to cook and release their juices, stir occasionally. Add the sumac and spices and let it cook until the onion is translucent (not brown in color). 
– Once the chicken is ready, place the taboon bread on a large roasting or baking tray, brush the taboon bread with the cooked chicken sauce and juices. 
– Add a large spoon of the onion mix onto the taboon bread and spread it, add the chicken on top, and place it back in the oven for another 10 mins to allow the taboon and chicken (the Musakhan) to heat up all together, brown the edges of the bread and get a nice color. 
– Garnish with some toasted pine nuts and almonds and add a sprinkle of sumac! 
– Enjoy with plain yogurt, hummus, and Arabic salad.  

EGGS WITH SOUJOK

One of our favourite eggs combos is scrambled eggs with Soujok! The spicy, salty Soujok gives your scrambled eggs the perfect kick. However, since Soujok is salty, don’t overindulge during sohour. 
Soujok is spiced sausage that is full of flavor and absolutely delicious. 

Prep: 5 mins 
Cook: 10 mins 
Enough for 2-3 people  

Ingredients:  
– 1 Soujok (the size of a sausage) 
– 4 eggs 
– 2 tbs olive oil 
-Salt and pepper to taste 

Method: 
– place a skillet on medium-high, heat the olive oil, add the Soujok (chop it into ½  circles) and cook it for around 2 mins on each side. 
– Add the 4 eggs let them cook for 1 min, then using a wooden spatula scramble. 
– Add some salt and pepper (don’t put too much salt as the Soujok is already salty). 
– Enjoy with some pita or homemade bread and a nice cup of mint tea.

ABOUT NIDA KHALAF 

Nida Khalaf was born and raised in Ramallah, Palestine. She later moved to North America to pursue higher education and settled in Toronto. For Nida, food, family, and culture are intimately tied up; food serves as a memory and a human connection. Preserving recipes passed down from her loved ones and sharing them with her own unique twist, gives her a wonderful sense of nostalgia for her childhood home and the people with whom she shared the cooking and dining experience. Follow Nida on Instagram!