Vegetarian Iftar Recipe | Egyptian Kosherie

Today we feature a special vegetarian iftar recipe from Egypt called the Kosherie. Kosherie is an Egyptian dish of spicy lentils, rice, pasta, and fried onions.


Vegetarian Iftar Recipe
Egyptian Kosherie





Ingredients

* ¾ c lentils
* 4½ c water
* 2¼ t salt
* 4 c tomatoes, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 fresh green chile, chopped
* 3 T vegetable oil
* 1 c basmati rice
* 4 c small onions, thinly sliced
* 1½ c elbow macaroni

Method

1) Combine lentils, 3 c water, and ½ t salt in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes, until tender. If there's any water left, drain it before setting the lentils aside.

2) Meanwhile, place tomatoes, garlic, chile, 1 T oil, vinegar, and 1 t salt in blender and purée. Pour into another saucepan over high heat and boil, then reduce heat and simmer with no lid, stirring occasionally at the beginning and more frequently at the end, about 20-25 minutes, until thick.

3) Meanwhile, rinse the rice and drain. Heat oil in the third saucepan, add rice, 1½ c water, and ½ t salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to very low heat and simmer about 15 minutes, until rice is cooked and water is gone.

4) Meanwhile, heat ½ inch of oil in frying pan over high heat until very hot, then add half the onions and fry them stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until brown. Place on paper towels to drain, and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Repeat with the other onions.

5) When the hot sauce is ready, set aside and bring a pot of water to boil for the macaroni. Cook until just tender and drain.

6) Make piles lentils, rice, and pasta on platter, top of onions and a drizzle of hot sauce. Serve immediately with the remaining hot sauce on the side.

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Vegetarian Iftar Recipe | Lebanese Fattoush

Today we feature a special vegetarian iftar salad recipe from Lebanon, the fattoush, which means crumbled bread. This is a popular salad dish. Ingredients used in this recipe should be fresh for this dish to work its invigorating magic.


Vegetarian Iftar Recipe
Lebanese Fattoush Salad




Ingredients

* 2 whole-wheat pitas, cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide, then toasted and crumbled
* 1 tsp. chopped garlic (2-4 cloves garlic)
* 1 tsp. sea salt
* 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (add more or less to taste)
* 2 tsp. powdered sumac, plus more for sprinkling on individual salads
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
* 1 cup diced tomatoes (let drain a minute or two if extra juicy)
* 1 cup diced cucumber (same size as tomatoes)
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (leaves only, no stems)
* optional: chopped green pepper or radishes

Method

1) Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400F (200C). While oven heats, mash together the chopped garlic and salt using a mortar and pestle, or the side of a knife or spoon. Put garlic-salt paste in a small bowl, then add lemon juice and 1 tsp. sumac. Whisk in olive oil and set dressing aside.

2) Cut whole wheat pita into strips about 3/4 inch wide and arrange on baking sheet. (Optional: Brush tops of pita with a bit of olive oil before baking.) Bake until pita strips are crisp but only barely starting to brown, less than 10 minutes.

3) Remove outer leaves from lettuce, trim stem end, then wash and spin dry (or dry with paper towels). Cut lettuce into fourths lengthwise, then turn and chop crosswise into small pieces. (If you have a salad spinner, you can chop the lettuce first, then wash.) Put chopped lettuce into salad bowl large enough toss all ingredients.

4) Chop tomatoes, green onions, cucumbers, mint, and parsley and add to lettuce. Add about half of the dressing and toss, then add crumbled pita chops and toss again with more dressing until you have your desired amount. At this point the salad should sit for a few minutes (or longer) to let flavors blend and so the pita chips absorb some of the dressing. To serve, arrange salad on individual plates and sprinkle with a bit more sumac. You can also serve it in a large bowl with the sumac sprinkled over.

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Iftar Recipe | Indian Naan Bread

Today we feature a special iftar recipe from Indian called the naan, which is type of bread. Naan served hot and fresh is appetizing indeed! This recipe is moderately difficult, if you are trying it for the first time.


Iftar Recipe
Indian Naan




Ingredients

5 cups bread flour

2 tsp. Kosher salt

1 packet quick rising yeast

5 tsp. vegetable oil

2 cups warm water

1 spray bottle filled with water

Method

1) Pour all the dry ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. Add oil and mix further. Gradually add the water and knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes the dough is smooth and elastic. Once the dough is done, set it in a large bowl, cover with 2 dish cloths and keep in a warm place for 2 hours. Punch down the dough. It is ready to be baked.

2) Preheat oven to 500F degrees. If you have convection, turn it on. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and set in the oven to heat. Spread some flour on the work surface and pat your hands with flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Divide the dough into three balls and work it gently into an oval that measures about 1 ½ feet long and ½- inch thick. As you stretch the dough it will pick up some of the flour from the work surface, make sure that you add more flour or the dough will stick to the work surface. Once the dough is shaped make three deep lines (don’t cut the dough) lengthwise on the surface of the dough with a knife.

3) Once the oven is very hot, remove the baking sheet.Gently lay the shaped dough onto the baking pan. Gently press the seeds into the dough. Place the dough in the oven, spray 5-6 times with your spray bottle and bake for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, spray the bread around 5-6 times and continue to bake for another 5 minutes. The nan should be golden brown and crusty on the outside.

Note: To keep the bread moist, wrap the warm bread in a large dishcloth until it cools down.

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Vegetarian Iftar Recipe | Lebanese Hummus

Today we feature a special vegetarian iftar recipe from Lebanon called the hummus. There can be nothing better than dipping pita bread into hummus.


Vegetarian Iftar Recipe
Lebanese Hummus





Ingredients

1 25 oz can chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/2 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup water
3-5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
freshly ground black pepper
salt, if needed

Method

Place everything, except the salt, into the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Check for seasoning. Add the salt if needed.

Note: Serve with pita bread or crackers. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil if you wish.

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Vegetarian Iftar Recipe | Tunisian Chickpea Soup

Today we feature a vegetarian iftar recipe from Tunisia called the leblebi, which is chickpea soup. This dish is made a lot in Tunisia during the Ramadan period. This recipe is relatively easy to make, and is a nutritious vegetarian iftar meal that will be loved by all in the family, especially the children.


Vegetarian Iftar Recipe
Leblebi
Tunisian Chickpea Soup




Ingredients

28 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed OR
2 cups dried chickpeas soaked overnight in 2 quarts of water, then drained and rinsed after 1-2 hours of steady, covered simmer until tender [Length of cooking depends on age of chickpeas and heat intensity.]
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
5 cups water
2 generous teaspoons toasted ground cumin (Heat for 5 minutes in a dry skillet or until browned and fragrant.)
2 teaspoons harisa, prepared or homemade
[No additional salt needed. Harisa, capers and preserved lemon all contain salt.]

Any one or more of the following garnishes:

capers
cilantro leaves
parsley leaves
chopped bell pepper
toasted cumin seeds
chopped hard-cooked egg
preserved lemon slices
toasted bread strips or croutons
additional harisa

Method

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil then add the onion, stirring occasionally until it is translucent and golden without browning. Add garlic, coating with onion mixture before stirring in the chickpeas, water, ground cumin and harisa. Simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish as desired.

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Vegetarian Iftar Recipe | Harira Soup

Today we feature a special vegetarian iftar recipe from Morocco called the harira, which is a popular soup served during Ramadan. The Harira can be made with meat, but this recipe shows the vegetarian version, which is equally, if not more tasty and nutritious.


Vegetarian Iftar Recipe
Moroccan Harira
Vegetarian Soup




Ingredients

* 1/4 cup green lentils
* 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas (soaked overnight and cooked. Or simply use canned chickpeas)
* 1 onion,chopped
* 1/4 ground ginger
* 1/2 ” cinnamon stick
* 2 large tomatoes, chopped (or you can use canned chopped tomatoes)
* 1/4 cup Vermicelli
* generous sprigs of parsley and cilantro
* few lemon wedges for garnish
* salt to taste (if needed)

Tadouira
* 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
* 1 tbsp lemon juice
* 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
* few sprigs of cilantro,chopped

Method

1. In a skillet, add 1/4 tsp oil, add the onions and little of cilantro and cook until soft.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes along with other seasoning like ginger,cinnamon stick etc and cook until soft.

3. Add about 2 to 2-1/2 cups of water along with lentils, close the lid and cook until lentils turn soft – anywhere between 15-25 minutes.

4. Add vermicelli ( more water/stock if needed – the vermicelli will thicken the soup). Season with little salt. Cook until vermicelli is soft . Add cooked/canned chickpeas

5. Make the tadouira. Combine all the ingredients given under it to make a paste.

6. Add it to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot garnished with the herbs.

Note: You can squeeze some lemon juice on top or else simply serve them as wedges for your guests.

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