Ta'leyah-Egyptian Seasoning Recipe

In Egypt, there is a distinct taste to a lot of dishes.  That taste can be attributed to a seasoning sauce known as ta'leyah.  Ta'leyah is a simple seasoning used in a lot of vegetable stews in Egypt, most particularly, it is used as the main flavoring in molokhia (recipe here).

Ta'leyah is traditionally, and most effectively made in a mortar and pastel.  It consists of just two spices, garlic and coriander, and it is the particular crushing method that makes the paste needed for the perfect flavor.  Ta'leyah is then fried golden brown releasing those flavors before being added to the stew of choice.

INGREDIENTS:

• 20 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Crush the garlic with the coriander until it has a smooth creamy consistency.  I know this might be difficult to understand.  You don't want the garlic to turn to paste but you also don't want there to be too much chunk present.   See the image below to help get an idea of what it should look like.  
   
2. Heat oil over medium heat in frying pan.  Add ta'leyah mixture and saute for about 3 minutes until the garlic has browned. 
3. Add to stew.  Take a small amount of stew water and add to the pan. Swish it around and pour back into the stew to make sure you get it all.  

And that's it.  Pretty simple recipe that adds so much authentic Egyptian flavor to your vegetable stews. Enjoy.  <3

Basilla wa rooz: Egyptian Pea Stew served with rice

Of all the recipes I have posted thus far, I can not believe I have not posted my basilla recipe.  For those of you unfamiliar with basilla, it is a big deal when mama makes basilla.  It is an all-time Egyptian favorite meal, made of fresh peas, tomato, onion, seasoning with big chunks of stew meat. It's something that's always in season and is extremely filling.  It's great on cool winter days or for breaking fast during Ramadan.

Basilla can be made either with or without meat, it won't effect the overall flavor at all, so it is a great vegetarian alternative.  It is generally served, like most stews in Egypt, with Egyptian rice (recipe in this link).

How basilla is made is basically the same throughout Egypt, with the exception of what spices are added.  Some regions traditionally just season it with onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper.  In addition, our family uses cumin and thyme as well.  Some regions, such as Sa'id use bay leaves instead of thyme while many families in Alexandria add chilli pepper as wells as cumin and thyme. You can definitely experiment with flavors to find what tastes best for your family.

I will be referencing the recipe I was taught, which does include cubed meat, though as I stated earlier, you can easily remove the meat for vegetarian recipes. Also note, traditionally basilla is made with fresh peas that you remove from the pod by hand.  You can also use frozen peas, which I do more often as I hate shucking peas.  Do not use canned peas as it will ruin the consistency and turn to mush.  Your peas should retain their shape and be only moderately soft when you finish cooking them.

Basilla wa rooz
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 hours
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• 1 tbsp butter (you can substitute for 1 tbsp oil)
• 4 cloves of garlic 
• 1 medium sized bag of frozen peas or 4 cups of fresh peas (no canned peas)
• 1 cup frozen diced carrots (optional)
• 1 medium tomato
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 5 cups of water
• 1 lb cubed meat or stew meat
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dried crushed thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mince onion and garlic in a food processor. Heat butter in stock pot over low heat.  Cook onion and garlic until browned.
2. Add garlic and thyme. Mix with onion and garlic.  Cook over low heat for about 1 minute to release the flavors.
3. Add beef and brown on all sides.  
4. While beef is browning, dice tomato. 
5. When the beef is browned, add water, tomato, tomato paste, peas, and salt/pepper.  Bring to rapid boil and boil for about 15 minutes.
6. Reduce to simmer and cook for 2-3 hours until meat is tender and peas are moderately soft. Add more water as necessary. Be careful not to overcook it as the peas will turn to mush. Simmer sauce down to a thick consistency similar to that of beef stew. 
7. About 20 minutes before it is finished, start Egyptian rice. You can find the recipe here: RECIPE
8. Serve hot.

Baba ghanoush: Egyptian Style Recipe

One of my favorite side dishes is baba ghanoush.  It is a hearty egg plant dip that is very popular throughout the Middle East. This dish is great for the vegan/vegetarian but is often used as a side dish to compliment a meat.

You can often find baba ghanoush in Lebanese and Middle Eastern restaurants throughout the US and Euorpe.  I am not particularly a fan.  It tastes too bland for me.  My first taste of baba ghanoush was in Egypt and Egyptians tend to make things with a little more flavor than some of it's neighbors.  The big difference is the use of cumin and the amount of garlic used.  Egyptian baba ghanoush should have a bite to it, not overly spicy, just a little kick.

I also want to note that it is best for the flavor of the baba ghanoush to ensure you use quality fresh ingredients to achieve the best flavor.

 Egyptian Baba Ghanoush:

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants
• 4 cloves of garlic 
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) of tahini 
• 1 tsp (5 ml) cumin 
• 1/2 (2.5 ml) tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (~175°C)
2. Prepare eggplant for roasting. Wash and dry the surface and poke holes around them with a fork.  Place in an oven safe pan and roast for about 30-40 minutes until soft and bottom skin has crisped.
3. While eggplant is roasting, prepare garlic.  Mince and crush garlic.  You can use ready minced garlic but I advise using fresh cloves to achieve the best flavor.  
4. When eggplant is soft remove from the oven. Cut open and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
5. When cool remove insides and place in a food processor.  Chop at medium speed for about 2 minutes.  
6. Add garlic, cumin, and salt. Mix well for about 30 seconds.
7. Add tahini and continue mixing until you have a creamy consistency. Remove from food processor and place in serving dish.  Squeeze lemon juice over top (do not mix).
8. Serve cold with pita bread.