GZ Tai-Tai

Vacation Time

Vacation time! I have pre-posted recipes for the next several weeks. The recipes are all from our most recent classes with the guest Mothers that visited us in May and the class held in June with one of our club members.

Unfortunately I was unable to get photos for several of the posts before it was time for us to leave, it was my intention to do so.  I did make a few of those recipes for a recent party, but was so busy greeting guests and being the hostess that I was unable to locate the camera to take photos. I apologize for the lack of photos.

This will be an exciting vacation as our son and I have not been back to the states since 2006 so we are looking forward to seeing, family and friends. It will be a bit of work too, as we need to make contact with our family doctors, allergist, dentist, optometrists etc. needless to say, we will be busy with lots of appointments too. We are looking forward to our side trip vacation to Disneyland, San Diego, the Grand Canyon and Phoenix for some pool side fun and visit with more family.

Enjoy your Summer!

Tabbouleh

One of my favorites so fresh tasting and lively for the tongue. No photo.

Tabbouleh

1 cup bulgur cracked wheat

3 spring onions, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

½ bunch mint, finely chopped

3 tomatoes chopped into small cubes

2-3 lemons the juice of

3 Tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper, to taste

 

Put the bulgur, into a bowl and cover with cold water, soak for 30 minutes.

Drain the bulgur and squeeze out excess water.

Place the bulgur into a bowl with.. both types of onions, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper (to taste) and mix well with a spoon.

Add parsley & mint mix lightly.

Just before serving fold in the tomatoes.

 

Foulia - Broad Beans

This was part of our lunch with the Falafel, Kibbeh, Tahini sauce, Baba Ghanoush and Tabbouleh. We also had flat bread and were told that you could eat the beans in the bread with the other items. I enjoyed just eating the beans by themselves, they had such a lovely taste on their own.

Foulia - Broad Beans

3 - 400g cans foulia beans  broad beans

1 - lemon  the juice of

1 tsp cumin

3 Tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

chilli powder to taste

Drain the beans, but reserve a little of the liquid. Put a little of the liquid with the beans and heat in the microwave about 3 minutes.

Then toss the beans with the lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and chilli powder to incorporate the spices.  Taste and adjust as needed. 

Eggplant Dip - Baba Ghanoush

Egg Plant Dip - Baba Ghanoush

500g eggplant

2-3 cloves garlic chopped, finely

Salt to taste

Juice of  2-3 lemons

1/3 cup Tahini paste

 

Blacken eggplants over a gas flame. Put into a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to sweat a little.  When cool enough to handle remove skin a wash any black residue off.

I usually put in the oven moderate heat, bake until the skin turns brown, then I remove from oven, and let cool. Then slice open skin and run a spoon along skin to remove the eggplant.

 

Blend  the eggplant, garlic, most of lemon juice, and the tahini paste. Mix until combined well.

Adjust flavor of the salt and lemon.

Cool in fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. 

 

Tahini Sauce

Serve this sauce with the Falafel and the Kibbeh it compliments both very well.

Tahini Sauce

 

½ cup Tahini

½ - ¾ cup Lemon juice

¼ cup Water

1 tsp Salt

1 large clove Garlic

½ ts Cumin powder

 

 

Mix together.

It will look like it has seized but keep mixing and adding water and juice a bit at a time, until a smooth runny consistency is achieved. Taste for lemon and cumin.

 

 

Falafel

Recently our cooking club had some guest chefs... some of the Mothers of our group had been visiting and they were nice enough to share many of their recipes with us, and show us how they make them. The next several posts will be those recipes that were shared.  So I will start with this lovely recipe with a minor change made and noted because the local market near my home did not have curly parsley.

This recipe is from our member that is from Australia her father is German and lived in Greece. Her mother is originally from Alexandria and then Greece. It is very interesting how much Australia and USA have in common. Australia really is America's cousin.

Falafel

250g split yellow peas (Soaked for 2 hours)

1 bunch parsley roughly chopped I used Coriander/Cilantro instead as my local market did not have parsley.

12 stalks spring onion  you may also add coriander for taste if using regular parsley. I did not as I used Coriander instead of parsley.

1 onion roughly chopped

4 big cloves garlic roughly chopped

 

Blitz together in batches in food processor until a rough paste is formed.

 

To the paste add

3 Tbsp ground coriander

1 Tbsp salt

Chilli powder to taste (optional)

The mixture can be frozen at this point.

 

When ready to cook

Add 1 egg

¾  tsp baking powder

 

Mix well and form tablespoon sized balls.

(Lightly wet hand if mixture is sticky)

Heat oil. As you drop the balls into the oil flatten slightly.

Fry till golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.

 

 

Fried Eggplant Sticks

 

When my Argentine friend taught us how to make the Lentil Stew we also made these eggplant sticks. I loved them! Sorry no photo.

 

Fried Eggplant Sticks

 

2 medium size eggplants

2 large eggs, beaten

Salt

3 cups cracker crumbs

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Peel the eggplant and cut lengthwise into thick slices. Spread the eggplant slices on several sheets of paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let sit for 20-30 minutes, this will draw out the bitterness and moisture from the eggplant. Put the eggplant slices in a colander, rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Beat eggs in a shallow bowl. Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture, and then dredge in the cracker crumbs, tapping off the excess crumbs. In heated oil 360 F deep fry several slices of eggplant at a time for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Lentil Stew

This is an Argentine dish and a meal in itself. You can serve it with crusty bread and a salad too. Very good if you are in the mood for comfort food.Thanks to my Argentine friends I now have a new favorite comfort food.

Lentil Stew

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper,chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1/2 carrot, diced

1 pkg (200g - 250g) bacon

2 tsp Paprika

1 -  225g Spanish chorizo, sliced

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 potatoes, diced

Olive oil

500 ml  vegetable or chicken stock

3 - 200g cans  lentils

or

1/2lb. (225g) dried lentils that have been rinsed and cooked for 20 minutes, and drained.

In a few tablespoons of olive oil, saute the onion and garlic, then add the red bell pepper and the bay leaf cook for a few minutes. Then add the potatoes,carrot, bacon and paprika.  Cook for 2 minutes and add the tomatoes, cook 5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the chorizo and lentils, cook until lentils and chorizo are hot, about 5 minutes.

Cinco de Mayo Guacamole

I made this from what I had on hand at the moment. It was very nice with the tacos last night and will be nice on my bread for lunch.

5 avocados
12 green onions chopped the white part and some of the greens.
salt to taste
2 lemons the juice to your taste

Resurrection Cookies

We will be doing this again for Easter this year, it is a tradition that started long ago in our home.
Have a blessed and Happy Easter!

Resurrection Cookies

Make the evening before Easter

·       1 cup whole pecans

·       3 egg whites

·       1 cup sugar

·       1 tsp vinegar

·       pinch of salt

·       wooden spoon

·       zipper bag

·       Bible

·       tape

Preheat oven to 300F

Place pecans in zipper bag and let the children beat them with a wooden spoon, to break nuts into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into a mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand, let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us, he wants us to know and belong to him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat egg whites on high-speed until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.        Read Isaiah 1: 18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in the broken pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight  Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie, notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.                                                                                           Read Matthew 28:1-9