Middle Eastern Lamb And Spinach Soup Food

MIDDLE EASTERN SPINACH WITH SPICES AND YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat and add the clove, allspice berries, and coriander seeds or cumin seeds. Heat, shaking the pan, until the spices begin to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes, then grind in a spice mill. Add the cinnamon, and set aside.
• In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt to a paste, and stir into the yogurt. Set aside.
• Place the baby spinach in a bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water, and chop coarsely.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the pine nuts. Cook, stirring, until they begin color (2 to 3 minutes), then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the spices to the oil. When they begin to sizzle, cook for about 30 seconds and add the spinach, toasted pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is heated through and coated with the oil and spices, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon the yogurt over the top. This is very nice served with Arabic bread.

MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB AND SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pan, saute the chopped onion in 2 Tbs oil until golden.
• Add the turmeric, split peas and 5 cups water; bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes.
• Combine the lamb and grated onion. Shape into walnut-sized balls with your hands.
• Add meatballs to the pan and simmer 10 minutes.
• Add the spinach, cover and simmer 20 more minutes.
• Mix rice flour with 1 cup cold water to make a smooth paste. Slowly add the paste to the pan, stirring constantly.
• Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and cook over low heat 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, saute the garlic in 1 Tbsp oil in a small skillet until golden. Stir in mint and remove from heat.
• Remove the soup from the heat and stir a little bit into the beaten eggs, then stir the eggs back into the soup.
• Sprinkle the garlic and mint over the top of soup before serving. Serve hot.

SHURPA - MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB SOUP

Steps:

• Sear the lamb chops in your choice of fat in a large pot (I used my dutch oven) until it easily comes off the surface. Flip over and sear the other side.
• Add enough water to cover 2/3 of the pot.
• Add bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt and allow the lamb broth to come to a boil on medium-high heat.
• Spoon the fat and impurities rising to the top with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to slow simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours until lamb is tender and falls off the bone easily.
• Optional step: remove cooked lamb from pot.
• Add potatoes and diced onions and let them cook for about 15 minutes.
• While the vegetables are cooking in the rich broth, I use this time to pick the meat off the bones. Add the lamb meat back to the soup after the vegetables have cooked and I usually throw the bones into the freezer for some crock-pot bone broth later.
• Check for salt and add more as necessary. Top with chopped parsley and give the soup a stir.

MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB AND OKRA STEW (BAMIA STEW)

Steps:

• Trim the baby okras and wash in cold water and then place in a colander to drain.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil or butter and add in the meat and brown on all side.
• Add the crushed garlic and chopped onions to the meat and saute till brown.
• Add in the chopped tomatoes, stirring in till the tomatoes are all broken down and soft, for about 10-15 minutes.
• Add in all the spices and salt and give it a good mix.
• Add enough water to cover the meat (about 7-8 cups) and stir to combine well.
• Add in the trimmed okras and bring to boil.
• Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, until the meat is tender (the sauce will thicken as it cooks).
• Lastly, pour in the lemon juice and add in the chopped coriander and carefully stir once or twice (careful not to mash the okras) and gently simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and serve with rice.

MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB

Steps:

• Trim meat of fat and sinew.
• Slice across grain into long thin strips.
• Heat oil.
• Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
• 1 teaspoon ground corriander.
• 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves.
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
• Stir fry 1 minute.
• Add meat and cook until browned.
• Add spinach and cook 4 minutes.
• Mix together cornflour, yoghurt and water and add to pan.
• Add sultanas.
• Let sauce thicken over heat.
• Serve immediately with couscous.

MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB AND RICE WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the water and the teaspoon of salt.
• Bring to a boil, lower the heat, stir with a fork, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender, but still somewhat al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• In a large frying pan, over medium heat, melt the remaining butter and brown the lamb evenly. Add more butter if needed.
• Add the garlic and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cumin; cook for 5 minutes.
• Barely cover with water and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
• Add the apricots and currants and cook, covered for 20 minutes, or until lamb is just tender.
• Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper, if needed.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a casserole, arrange alternating layers of rice, with any of the liquid it was cooked in, with layers of the lamb and the liquid it was cooked in, ending with a layer of rice.
• Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
• Serve from the casserole.