Arabic Recipes Archives - An Edible Mosaic™

Syrian Ice Cream (Éma’a)

September 9, 2010 by Faith 58 Comments

At the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan comes a three-day holiday called Eid al-Fitr, which means The Festival of Fast-Breaking. People greet each other by saying Eid Mubarak (Blessed Festival), and during this time charity is given to needy families, gifts are given to children, and people get dressed up and visit family and friends. As you can imagine, food of every kind (but especially sweets) is abundant.…

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Shakriya (Arabic Meat in Yogurt Sauce)

May 4, 2010 by Faith 41 Comments

I’m going to be honest right from the start. This soup really is an acquired taste. The first time I had it, not only did I think the very idea of it was strange (it’s basically yogurt soup), but I didn’t like how it tasted either (it was tangy!). I was able to spend quite a bit of time in the Middle East when my hubby and I first married…and the longer I stayed the more my tastes changed. It was right around the time I started enjoying slimy green soup that I also started to like Shakriya. Even though Mike and I no longer live […]...

Ramadan & Red Lentil Soup

September 6, 2009 by Faith 29 Comments

I wanted to write a post on Ramadan earlier (since it’s already the 16th day!), but time has been flying by. Ramadan (the Islamic month of fasting) is also a time for prayer, reflection, and giving charity. During Ramadan, fasting is done from sunrise to sunset to teach you patience, discipline, and empathy for others who aren’t as fortunate. Each day the fast ends with prayer, followed by a meal called iftar, and is usually broken with dates and a sip of water…but be careful not to drink too much water or you’ll be too full to eat, and trust me, that would be a shame!...

Jew’s Mallow Soup (Molokhia)

August 27, 2009 by Faith 24 Comments

If you’re not familiar with this dish, you might think that I went a little crazy. (Scroll down and take a look…you’re probably thinking, is that swamp water she’s cooking?) This green soup is a traditional Egyptian dish called Jew’s Mallow, Jute Mallow, or Nalta in English (it’s called Molokhia in Arabic). It’s said that the word Molokhia was derived from Molokia, which means “for royalty” and rightly so because it’s so delicious. The consistency of this soup is something that must be surmounted if you’re going to eat it, since Molokhia has a very mucous-like feel (similar to cooked okra). Although Molokhia is […]...

Arabic Stuffed Zucchini (Kousa Mahshi)

August 6, 2009 by Faith 28 Comments

I learned to make this dish while visiting my mother-in-law in Syria. She is a truly amazing woman; she excels at whatever she puts her hands to, and of course she is a fantastic cook! Since I’m a beginner at speaking Arabic and she’s a beginner at speaking English, our time together in the kitchen involved a lot of pointing, gesturing, nodding, and excitement when the other person finally understood what was being communicated. But that just made it all the more memorable. In Syria, the zucchini is a lot smaller than the zucchini typically found here (a 6” zucchini there is pretty big!), so […]...

Cardamom-Spiced Mocha

August 2, 2009 by Faith 18 Comments

Cardamom in coffee might sound strange, but cardamom is typically added to Turkish and/or Arabic coffee. Cardamom is related to ginger, and it has a eucalyptus-like aroma and a warm flavor similar to cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, but with lemon-citrusy undertones. Not only does it add a very complex flavor to coffee, but according to The Herb & Spice Companion, there is some evidence suggesting that cardamom reduces the effects of caffeine in coffee. I really like the use of cardamom in mocha because all of its flavor complexities pair well with the various flavor notes in the cocoa powder. And it’s even better […]...