25. Bahrain

Umm Ali | Bahraini Bread Pudding

1 cup Puff Pastry approx
4 tbsp Condensed Milk
2 tbsp Fresh Cream
2 tbsp Almonds
1 tsp Coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 185 C.
In a greased baking cup, place the puff pastry and bake for 5 mins or until the pastry is puffed and golden in color.
Remove from oven. Break puff pastry into small pieces.
Add coconut, condensed milk, and nuts. Bake for 6 to 7 mins.
Add fresh cream on top and serve warm.

 SPICY BAKED FISH WITH SWEET MUHAMMAR RICE

What Did I Need?

For the muhammar (I used a modified version of this recipe):

• 2 cups basmati rice, washed
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons rosewater
• the contents of 3 cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup ghee or butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• a generous pinch of salt

For the baked fish (modified from this recipe):

• 4 smallish white fish (or fewer if fish are larger), descaled and gutted
• 2 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp of turmeric powder
• a tsp of salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer it spicier)
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 minced small fresh chilli (remove seeds if you can’t handle the heat!)
• 1 tsp dried lime powder (or the zest of one small organic lime)
• 1/2 cup fresh dill (optional)
• a few glugs of sunflower or olive oil
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

How Did I Do It?

For the muhammar:

1. Mix the saffron, cardamom, cloves and rosewater; leave aside to steep for an hour or two before cooking.
2. Add rice, sugar, butter, cinnamon stick and rosewater mixture to 4 cups of boiling water.
3. Cover and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about half an hour, or until water is absorbed and rice is cooked.
4. Transfer rice to a large casserole dish and place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees celsius.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is dry and fluffy.

For the baked fish:

1. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees celsius.
2. Place fish in a baking tray.  Rub the cayenne pepper, turmeric, garam masala and half the salt onto the outsides of the fish.
3. Mix the chopped onion, garlic, dill, bell pepper, chilli, lime zest and the remaining salt together, then stuff these into the stomach cavities of the fish.  Scatter any remaining stuffing around the fish.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and place in oven for half an hour.
5. Top with sliced tomatoes and place in a hotter oven (190 degrees celsius) for a further 30 minutes.
6. Place under a hot grill for a few minutes to crisp the skin.
7. Remove from oven and serve with muhammar.

Machbous ala Djaj (Spiced Chicken with Rice)

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
• 1 tablespoon baharat
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 3 or 4 lb chicken
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 3 cloves
• 1 strip lemon rind
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Melt the ghee or butter in a saucepan and frying the onions until they are transparent and beginning to turn brown. Add the baharat and turmeric and stir for another two minutes or so.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the pot and turn to coat. Cook over a medium heat until the pieces are lightly browned on all sides.
3. Add the tomatoes, cloves, lemon rind, cinnamon, cardamom pods and salt. Stir to get everything well incorporated, then add the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about 45 minutes.
4. Wash the rice in cold water and drain. Add the rice, cilantro and parsley and bring back to a simmer.
5. Keep cooking for another 35 to 40 minutes, until chicken is tender and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes.

Pita Bread with Eggplant Dip

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
• 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• A pinch of sugar
• 3 3/4 cup bread flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in about a half cup of the lukewarm water. Let stand until frothy.
2. Sift the flour together with the salt and add the yeast mixture. Knead by hand until the dough is soft, adding water as necessary. Add the oil and keep kneading until the dough becomes elastic and is no longer sticky, which should take about 15 minutes.
3. Now form the dough into a ball and rub all over with a little bit of olive oil, to prevent it from drying out. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
4. Punch down and knead for another five minutes or so. Now break the dough into tennis-ball sized portions. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll flat, until each ball is about a quarter inch thick. Dust with flour and transfer to a lightly floured surface, leaving a few inches between each one to allow for rising. Let rise for another 30 to 60 minutes.
5. Oil two large baking sheets. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. About 10 minutes into the preheating, put the sheets in the oven. Leave them there for another 10 minutes.
6. Now open your oven and quickly transfer the dough balls onto the baking sheets.
7. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes. When the breads are lightly browned, take them out. Let cool.
8. Each piece should have formed a pocket while baking.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp sesame tahini
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 5 kalamata olives

Directions:

1. Put the eggplant on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for about an hour.
2. When the hour is up, take the eggplant out and let it cool, then remove the skin and the green top and put the soft insides into a blender.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until smooth. Garnish with the kalamata olives.

Ghuraiba Cookies

INGREDIENTSNutrition

• 1cup clarified butter (samneh, I have always used just sweet butter without clarifying)
• 1cup icing sugar, sifted
• 2 1⁄2cups all-purpose flour
• blanched slivered almond, to garnish (loz)
• additional icing sugar, for dusting

• DIRECTIONS

  1. First of all, sifting is an important part which must not be left out or the cookies will not turn out the right texture so be sure you have a sieve.
  2. If need be, chill samneh or butter in refrigerator if too soft. (It should be somewhat soft just not very soft)
  3. Put samneh in mixing bowl and beat until light. Gradually add sifted icing sugar, beating until very creamy and light.
  4. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  5. Sift flour and fold into butter mixture. Knead lightly until smooth. (Don't overdo it) If kitchen is hot, chill dough in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
  6. Roll pieces of dough into balls the size of a walnut and place on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Flour hand lightly if necessary. Top half or all with a slivered almond. (I like to do half with the nuts and half with the dusting of icing sugar after cooled).
  7. Bake in the preheated moderately slow oven for 20-25 minutes until very lightly coloured. Cool on baking sheets. Dust the other half without the almond slivers with icing sugar. (Makes for a pretty presentation of the mixed biscuits on a platter) then remove. These are very delicate biscuits and must be handled carefully.
  8. Enjoy!

  9. ARABIC QAHWA

  10. INGREDIENTSNutrition

      • 1tablespoon arabic coffee
      • 2tablespoonscardamoms, roughly ground
      • 2cups water
      • 1⁄4teaspoon saffron(optional)

      • DIRECTIONS

        1. warm coffee on low heat.
        2. add water and bring to boil 3-4 minutes
        3. remove from heat and allow coffee to settle.
        4. filter.
        5. add cardamom and saffron.
        6. bring to boil once again, simmer 20 minutes
        7. serve.
        8. (Good Eats: Good Eats Roast Turkey) 
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