Category Archives: Egypt

How to make Basbousa – Egyptian food

Basbousa, also called Harissa, is a traditional Egyptian dessert. However, you can find it in almost all sweet shops and cafes throughout the MENA region and the Arab world. Most people use Semolina drenched in a sweet or sugary syrup to make this dessert.

The most exciting thing about this dessert is that it is easier to make and healthier enough to improve your overall wellbeing. It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, iron, copper, and antioxidants that enhance your metabolism.

Ingredients

  • Two Semolina
  • One cup of sugar
  • Two tablespoons of honey
  • One teaspoon of baking powder
  • Ten almonds
  • A half cup of melted butter
  • For the syrup, you will need the following ingredients
    • One cup of sugar
    • One cup of water
    • One tablespoon of lemon juice
    • One tablespoon of rose petals (dried)

Instructions

Follow these steps for Basbousa:

  1. Whip or Whisk sugar, Semolina, and baking powder in a large-sized bowl
  2. Add melted butter and yogurt to the bowl
  3. Mix well to create a thicker batter
  4. Pour the batter into a baking pan
  5. Make sure you grease the baking pan
  6. Bake for at least 45 minutes to achieve a golden brown surface

For the syrup, you will have to follow these steps:

  1. Boil water in a pan and add lemon juice, dried rose petals, and sugar
  2. Boil these ingredients for 10-15 minutes to thicken the syrup
  3. Pour the syrup over the hot cake
  4. Set aside for 60 minutes, so the cake absorbs the syrup
  5. Serve to your family or friends
  6. You can eat it as an evening snack or full-fledged meal
  7. Serving it with coffee or black tea is more enjoyable

How to make Umm Ali – Egyptian food

Umm Ali is a traditional Egyptian dessert enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of natives and tourists visiting the country. Most tourists say that Umm Ali is similar to North America’s bread pudding. Some people even eat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Without further ado, let us get started with Umm Ali. Read on!

Ingredients

  • One puff pastry
  • Five cups of milk
  • One cup of white sugar
  • One teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup of raisins
  • ¼ cup of pine nuts
  • ¼ cup of slivered almonds
  • ¼ cup of chopped pistachio nuts
  • ¼ cup of sweet coconut

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Unroll the pastry sheets and appropriately place them on the baking sheet
  3. Now bake them for 15-20 minutes in the oven
  4. Break the pastry puff into several pieces
  5. Place these pieces in a large-sized bowl
  6. Add almonds, raisins, pistachios, pine nuts, and coconut
  7. Pour into a large-sized glass baking dish
  8. Spread it evenly and then pour milk into a saucepan
  9. Stir in the vanilla and sugar
  10. Heat until it becomes hot
  11. Avoid too much boiling
  12. Pour over the mixture in the dish
  13. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the oven
  14. Turn the oven to broil and bake for 2-5 minutes
  15. Remove from the oven and set aside for five minutes
  16. Serve warm and enjoy Umm Ali with your family and friends

How to make Knafeh – Egyptian food

Knafeh is a famous Egyptian dessert prepared throughout the Middle East. You can find it in almost all Middle Eastern restaurants and consume it to satisfy your taste buds, thanks to the delicious, rich, sweet flavors of cheese and syrup. Let us get started with the Knafeh recipe. Read on!

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients for the syrup

  • Four cups of granulated sugar
  • Two cups or 500ml of water
  • One teaspoon of lemon juice

Make available the following ingredients for Knafeh

  • A half kilogram of shredded phyllo dough
  • One kilogram of grated mozzarella cheese
  • One to two cups of butter
  • Orange food coloring
  • ¾ cup of crushed pistachios

Instructions

For the syrup, you have to follow these steps:

  1. Mix water, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot
  2. Place the pot over medium-high heat
  3. Stir until the sugar dissolves
  4. Now remove the pot from the heat and set it aside to cool

For the Knafeh, you will follow these steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Thaw the phyllo dough and transfer it to a bowl
  3. Use your hands to pull the strands apart
  4. Break the stands into smaller pieces
  5. Pour the melted butter and coloring over the phyllo
  6. Use your hands to mix the butter and foot coloring with phyllo
  7. Spread half the dough in a round cake pan
  8. Spread the cheese over the dough
  9. Cover the cheese with a small amount of dough
  10. Cover the edges to seal the cheese
  11. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes
  12. Remove from the oven and flip over onto a plate
  13. Spoon the syrup over the Knafeh
  14. Adjust the syrup based on your taste
  15. Use crushed pistachios for topping and decoration
  16. You can refrigerate the Knafeh
  17. Warm the Knafeh for 20-30 seconds in the microwave before serving

How to make Hawawshi – Egyptian food

Hawawshi is famous Egyptian street food in Alexandria and Cairo. Most people in these cities call Hawawshi “Baladi.” It is delicious food with dough or pita and stuffed with seasoned ground beef. It also contains onions, garlic, spices, herbs, and peppers. Let us now discuss how you can make Hawawshi. Read on!

Ingredients

  • One large yellow onion
  • Two cloves of garlic
  • One green pepper
  • One jalapeno
  • A half ounce of fresh parsley
  • Two pounds of lean ground beef
  • Three tablespoons of tomato paste
  • Kosher salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Six loaves of pita bread
  • One teaspoon of coriander
  • One teaspoon of allspice
  • One teaspoon of paprika
  • One teaspoon of black pepper
  • A half teaspoon of cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon of cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Add spices to a small bowl and mix well
  3. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, and jalapeno to the food processor
  4. Pulse for a few minutes until the processor finely chops the ingredients
  5. Transfer the mixture to a sieve and drain excess liquid
  6. Transfer the onion mixture to a large-sized mixing bowl
  7. Now add the ground beef and tomato paste
  8. Mix these ingredients to combine
  9. Add the spice fixture and some kosher salt
  10. Remix the ingredients and distribute them appropriately within the meat
  11. Cut the loaves and create twelve pita pockets
  12. Use olive oil to brush a large sheet
  13. Stuff each pocket with 1/3 cup of meat
  14. Arrange all pita pockets in the sheet pan
  15. Brush the pocket tops with extra virgin olive oil
  16. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes
  17. Turn the pitas over and cook the other side for 10 minutes
  18. Enjoy the delicious Hawawshi

How to make Alexandrian Sayadiyah – Egyptian food

Sayadiyah Fish is not only famous in Egypt but also Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries. It contains basmati rice and fish, and you can serve it with fish broth or green salad to satisfy your family’s taste buds. The total preparation time is two hours. Let us get started!

Ingredients

  • You will need the following ingredients for the broth
    • 100 grams of butter
    • One pack of aromatic herbs
    • 200 grams of onions
    • Nine garlic cloves
    • 200 grams of leek
    • 250 grams of carrot
    • 150 grams of mushroom
    • Two kilograms of fish bones and locos
    • One teaspoon of anise star
    • One teaspoon of coriander
    • One teaspoon of cumin
    • A half teaspoon of black pepper
    • One cinnamon stick
    • Four pieces of carnation
    • Six pieces of cardamom
    • Three liters of water
    • One teaspoon of salt
    • Two tablespoons of lemon juice
    • 100 milliliter of white grapes juice
  • You will need the following ingredients for preparing rice
    • One kilogram of locos fish
    • Three cups of basmati rice
    • 130 grams of butter
    • One tablespoon of black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon of cumin
    • Salt and pepper
    • Two tablespoons of lemon juice
    • Six sliced onions
    • Corn oil for frying
  • You will need the following ingredients for the sauce
    • Fish broth
    • A half teaspoon of black pepper
    • Lemon juice
    • Salt
    • One tablespoon of butter for serving

Instructions

  • Preparing the fish broth requires the following steps
    • Heat your oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit
    • Add onion, butter, and fish to the grilling pan
    • Grill the mixture until you cook it properly
    • Pour some butter into a pot and heat over a high temperature
    • Add veggies and cook for 10-15 minutes
    • Add cooked fish bones, lemon juice, and white grapes
    • Remove frying leftovers over medium-low heat
    • Add water, spices, aromatic packages, and salt
    • Leave the mixture to boil
    • Now remove the surface bubbles and cover it
    • Cook for 30 minutes over low heat
    • Drain the broth
  • Cooking the rice requires the following steps:
    • Fry the onions until they have a golden brown color
    • Set aside half of the fried onions for topping or garnishing
    • Add fish broth to friend onions
    • Leave the mixture to boil for 25-30 minutes
    • Drain and keep the fish broth
    • Put the butter in a pot and melt it until it is golden
    • Add the rice and fry for another four minutes
    • Add spices and season the rice with pepper and salt
    • Add fish broth and cover it
    • Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes
    • Cook the fish with broth for about 5-10 minutes
    • Put the rice on a large plate and fish over its surface
    • Use friend onions for garnishing
    • Serve with sauce and enjoy the delicious dish

How to make Alexandrian Kebda – Egyptian food

Alexandrian Kebda, also known as Alexandrian liver, is one of the most delicious Egyptian dishes. It is readily available in almost all Alexandrian restaurants. If you love spicy food, nothing is better than making Kebda in your home and tasting the spicy flavors of hot peppers. The best thing about Kebda is that it is easy and quick to prepare. Let us get started with Alexandrian Kebda. Read on!

Ingredients

  • 500 grams of sliced liver
  • Ten crushed garlic cloves
  • Five tablespoons of vinegar
  • Three lemons (juiced)
  • One teaspoon of salt
  • Two teaspoons of black pepper
  • One teaspoon of dried coriander
  • Two teaspoons of cumin
  • One teaspoon of chili
  • Four bell peppers
  • Four hot peppers
  • Two lemons
  • One small bun
  • One cup of oil
  • Two tablespoons of butter

Instructions

  1. Use a deep dish to add lemon juice, vinegar, and liver
  2. Now add cumin, coriander, garlic, black pepper, chili, and salt
  3. Mix these ingredients well
  4. Use a large frying pan and heat over a hot temperature
  5. Add oil and butter to the frying pan
  6. Butter gives a delicious taste
  7. Use a large-sized frying pan for the appropriate cooking
  8. Add the liver to the frying pan for five minutes
  9. Cut hot and bell peppers into slices
  10. Put the peppers on the liver and set aside for five minutes
  11. Prepare the bread and liver in between the buns

Drizzle the lemon juice and enjoy the delicious Kebda

How to make Bessara – Egyptian food

Bessara is one of the traditional Egyptian dishes characterized by creamy dip and flavors from fava beans and fresh green herbs. Most people layer Bessara with fresh garlic, ground coriander, and cumin. You can garnish Bessara with crispy onions and toasted almonds. Here is the list of ingredients and the step-by-step procedure to make Bessara at your home. Read on!

Ingredients

  • One pound or 16 ounces of fava beans
  • Ten tablespoons of olive oil
  • One cup of sliced yellow onion
  • Three tablespoons of chopped garlic
  • One or two teaspoons of ground coriander
  • One teaspoon of ground cumin
  • One cup of chopped cilantro
  • One cup of fresh parsley
  • A half cup of chopped dill
  • ¾ cup of water
  • One tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
  • One or two teaspoons of salt
  • ¼ cup of sliced and toasted almonds

Instructions

  1. Add some salt to the water and add it to the pot
  2. Bring the pot to a boil
  3. Now add fava beans to the pot and simmer for two minutes
  4. Drain well and set aside to cool
  5. Remove beans from pods and set aside
  6. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet
  7. Add onion to the skillet and stir until it is golden brown
  8. Now heat four tablespoons of olive in a clean skillet
  9. Heat the olive oil and add green onion, garlic, cumin, and coriander
  10. Cook for at least 2-3 minutes
  11. Now add fava beans and cook for 5-10 minutes
  12. Remove from heat and set aside to cool
  13. Transfer fava bean mixture to the blender
  14. Add parsley, cilantro, water, dill, lemon juice, and salt
  15. Blend these ingredients and transfer them to the serving bowl
  16. Use toasted almonds for topping
  17. Service with pita wedges
  18. Enjoy!

How to make Mahshi – Egyptian Food

Mahshi is a delicious Egyptian platter available in almost all restaurants. It is one of the favorite dishes of Egyptian people in Ramadan, allowing families and friends to gather for iftar and enjoy the delicious Mahshi. Let us list the ingredients and discuss the procedure to make Mahshi. Read on!

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make a rice mixture

  • Three tablespoons of olive oil
  • One medium yellow onion
  • Two tablespoons of tomato paste
  • One can or 16 ounces of tomato sauce
  • Two cups of short grain rice
  • One cup of fresh parsley
  • A half cup of fresh cilantro
  • 1/3 cup of fresh dill
  • One tablespoon of dry mint
  • A half teaspoon of ground black pepper
  • A half teaspoon of salt

For cooking liquid, you will need the following ingredients

  • Two or three cups of hot water or stock
  • One bouillon cube
  • One teaspoon of tomato paste

Instructions

  1. Use a large-sized pot for heating oil and onions for 2-3 minutes
  2. Add tomato paste and sauce to the pot and stir appropriately
  3. Add rice, spices, and herbs once the paste starts bubbling
  4. Cook for at least 2-3 minutes
  5. Turn off the heat and set aside the mixture to cool down
  6. Wash the vegetables with clean water
  7. Now stuff the vegetables with the rice mixture
  8. Rice will expand after cooking
  9. Arrange the stems, herbs, tomato slices, lemon slices, and onion slices
  10. Arrange the stuffed vegetables in the pot
  11. Dissolve tomato paste and bouillon in the hot water
  12. Pour the mixture into the pot and cook the liquid halfway
  13. Place the pot on medium-high heat for a few minutes
  14. Now reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes to cook veggies
  15. Set aside to cool down and serve the dish to your family or friends

How to make Feteer Meshaltet – Egyptian food

Feteer Meshaltet is delicious Egyptian food characterized by multiple layers of dough with loads of butter and ghee sandwiched between the dough. It is one of the most famous pastries in Egypt and the Middle East. The best thing about Feteer is that it requires simple ingredients. So, you can easily make Feteer Meshaltet at home. Read on!

Ingredients

  • Four cups of all-purpose flour
  • One or two cups of tap water
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • One cup of unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup of ghee or oil

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour and salt
  2. Add one cup of water and knead the flour
  3. Set aside the dough for ten minutes
  4. Make six to eight balls
  5. Heat ghee or butter and pout it into a bowl
  6. Apply the warm butter to the dough balls
  7. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes
  8. Preheat your oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit
  9. Fold the dough and add the butter mixture in between it
  10. Set aside the ball and make the next one
  11. Place the ball on a 10-inch pie or baking dish
  12. Make sure it is side down
  13. Use butter to top the balls
  14. Place the balls in the oven for 10-15 minutes
  15. Once the Feteer starts to puff, turn it upside down
  16. Add a small amount of butter on top and cover for a few minutes
  17. The purpose is to avoid it from getting dry
  18. Serve your family or friends and enjoy

How to make Mahalabia – Egyptian Dessert

Egyptian desserts are the most authentic and delicious sweet treats in Arabic cuisine. These delicacies are an integral part of the thousand-year culture, and most of the dishes have origins dating back to ancient Egypt.

Today’s article will list the ingredients and procedures to make an Egyptian dessert. We will instruct you to make the most popular dessert in Egypt, the Mahalabia. You will love the deliciousness of milk and heavy cream. Read on!

Ingredients

  • Two cups of milk
  • One cup of heavy cream
  • Two teaspoons of vanilla sugar
  • Three tablespoons of white sugar
  • Four teaspoons of cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Mix milk, sugar, cream, cornstarch, and vanilla sugar in a saucepan
  2. Whisk these ingredients to create a good mixture
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat
  4. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes until it has a thick texture
  5. Remove the dessert from the heat
  6. Pour pudding into bowls and set aside to cool at room temperature
  7. Once cooled, you can refrigerate the dessert for one hour
  8. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve it to your family or friends