Here’s to a rainy November, our favorite olive oil season. While we wait for the cold pressing to be done, there is only one way to enjoy staying dry indoors, and that is by cozying up with a hot bowl of lentil soup! And you’re in luck because our grandma has left us her recipe for a delicious lentil soup!

Lentil Soup 4-5 portions

Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp. Olive oil
1 Cup orange lentils
1 Finely chopped small onion 1 clove garlic finely chopped 1tspn cumin
1tspn. Curry
1tspn. Black pepper
1tspn. Salt

For garnish
Juice of one squeezed lemon
Bread croutons
1tspn. Sumac

Pick the lentils then wash and soak in water for 1⁄2 hour.
Sauté́ onions in olive oil until translucent, then add garlic and sauté́ in a pot.

Once the lentils are soft and plump remove the water and add to the pot keep folding until the lentils are coated in oil

Add water (you can add chicken stock) to the top of the lentils, bring to a boil for 5minutes then let simmer for another 20minutes at this point the lentils would have thickened, add more water to cover the lentils again and let simmer for another 20minutes, until texture is thick and ready add salt, black pepper cumin and (curry to preference)

In a hand mixer blend the soup
Add lemon, and croutons parsley and sumac for garnish.

Enjoy and Sahtein!

Welcoming the Easter bunny with a bang today has got me excited about eggs, and what better time to introduce Arabic egg recipes than when we’re all stuck at home with limited ingredients that can be utilized to make a wide variety of tasty dishes. 

So here’s the deal, eggs are delicious as is… so having them fried in olive oil or ghee could just be what the doctor ordered, dress them up with sumac, freshly cracked pepper and sea salt, and ta-da! The fastest pick me up you can think of is ready to be served.

Awarma Bi Beid

My grandmother, Mary, is Lebanese and was raised on the mountains of “Aley” where it was very cold, and preserving quality meat in fat was all the rage.

The idea behind Awarma Bel Beid is to cook your eggs with the meat in a clay pot for extra protein and fat, to give you a hearty, warming meal.

Don’t let the fat part trick you, Awarma needs to be made with the best quality meat from fine fillets and pieces of fat surrounding the meat, which will help it store for longer periods of time. This delicacy is seldom sold in stores.

• Awarma
• 2 eggs
• salt and fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

1. -A clay pot is key when making Awarma Bel Beid
2. -Put a tablespoon of Awarma in the hot clay pot and add two eggs 
3. -Add salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and leave in the oven to cook for 2-3 minutes 
4. -Serve warm and enjoy with pita bread

Shakshouka

Jordanians, especially people who live in the Ghor region are famous for tomatoes and Shakshuka is nothing short of delicious. Here’s an awesome recipe for Shakshuka to shake up your senses:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tomato
• 1 hot pepper whole
• salt, pepper and sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Sauté chopped garlic on low heat and add the whole hot pepper for flavour (remove before serving) 
2. Add peeled and chopped tomatoes onto the garlic and cook on low heat till it starts thickening
3.  Add salt, sugar and freshly cracked black pepper then add the eggs
4. Mix the eggwhites slightly, keeping the yolk whole and place in the oven for 2 minutes 
5. Enjoy with pita bread 

Potatoes and Eggs (Mfaraket Batata) 

Potatoes and eggs are also a great combination that is heavily present in the Arabic kitchen. I remember vividly having Mfaraket Batata as a kid at sleepovers at my teta Vera’s house and every time I recreate it for my son, I know exactly how he feels when he has it for dinner.

Here’s a recipe for Mfaraket Batata (potatoes with eggs) that I think you guys would enjoy!

• 1 small potato
• butter
• 2 eggs
• salt and fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

1. Chop the potato finely and saute in butter until golden brown then add salt, fresh cracked pepper 
2. Add 2 eggs and keep whisking until eggs are soft and runny and potatoes are golden brown 
3. Add freshly cracked pepper and a 1/2 tsp of salt 
4. The trick to making good scrambled eggs is turning the heat on when cooking the eggs and butter and then letting the eggs cook in the heat of the pan 
5. Enjoy with pita bread

For egg dishes, the possibilities are endless within Middle Eastern cuisine. For example, mashing boiled eggs with labneh, zaatar and a bit of shatah (hot chilli) is our version of avocado toast (No avocado included), while frying a couple of eggs in ghee for an Arabic breakfast spread is always a staple for households across Jordan.

Signing out!

Maria Haddad