Semseg

This is a dish my mom has been making for me and my brothers  since we were little kids.  She says she made it when she had ground beef left-over from  kebab or mantuh.  We loved it because it was fried and we didn’t eat too many fried things growing up.  Try this and let your inner child come out.  

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 package of La Saltena dough (the one for frying)

1 small onion finely chopped 

1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for frying

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. Aleppo pepper

Directions:  

Remove dough from the freezer to thaw.

Mix ground beef, chopped onion, salt and peppers in a bowl.  Be sure not to over mix.  

Take some of the meat mixture (about 1 heaping tbs.) and place it in the dough.  Spread the meat out in a thin, even layer, leaving about 1/4 inch border.  Then with the outer edges of the dough make little folds inward all around to seal the edges.  

Heat the oil over high heat in a Dutch oven until it begins to shimmer.  

Fry the semseg (2-3 semsegs at a time) meat side down and dough side up and then turn over until you get a nice golden brown color (3-5 minutes total).  Remove with a spider and drain on a paper towel lined sheet try.  

Serve with your favorite salad for a complete meal.  I personally like to eat my semseg with ketchup and Tabasco whereas my boyfriend likes to eat it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Either way,  enjoy!

Lola's Curry Chicken Salad

I love Jinky’s Cafe and Urth’s curry chicken salad sandwiches so one day I decided to recreate the same flavors and serve it in lettuce cups instead.  Of all people, my mom loved it!  So now when she asks for it, I gladly make it for her the way she’s made me yummy food all these years!  Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken breast (think Costco or Whole Foods) chopped

2 tender celery stalks (from the middle) chopped

2 spring onions chopped

1/8 cup toasted almonds chopped or slivered

1/8 cup golden raisins (or chopped dried apricots)

1 heaping tbs mayo

1-2 tsp. curry powder (depending on the variety and how strong of a curry flavor you like)

salt (to taste)    *note:  some curry powders are more salty than others

lettuce cups

In a bowl,  mix chicken, mayo, celery, spring onion, curry powder, almonds and raisins until well combined.

Spoon curry chicken mixture onto lettuce cups and enjoy!

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Mama’s Carne Asada

Years ago, when my brothers would go clubbing they'd return home early in the morning with their favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint (El Tap) tacos.  One time, mom was still up waiting for them when they arrived home and she got to taste what all the fuss was about.  The next day she made her own version.  It’s been a hit with our family ever since.

Ingredients

2 pounds flap meat

1 small onion finely chopped

2 tbs. dried oregano

cilantro chopped

canola oil

salt

Serves 4 to 5 hungry people

Cut flap meat against the grain into long strips then cut into small bite size pieces (1/4 inch cubes).  Heat 2 tbs. of canola oil in a large pot and add all the meat at once and cook on all sides on high heat.  Once water begins to render out, drop the heat to medium to allow for a more tender meat.  Stir the meat occasionally and keep cooking.  

Meanwhile, prepare all the veggies for the tomato salsa and the onion and cilantro mixture and set aside.

Once the water cooks out of the meat, add salt (to taste), 1/2 of the remaining chopped onions and oregano and continue to cook the meat until it browns on all sides and the onion becomes soft (there should be no liquid left at this point).  Remove from heat and serve with either corn or flour tortillas, chopped cilantro and chopped onion.  Serve with chips and tomato salsa (recipe follows).  Enjoy!

Tomato Salsa

2-3 roma tomatoes

half a small onion (white or red) chopped

2 jalapenos or serranos for more heat, chopped small

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

juice of 1 to 2 limes 

salt to taste

Combine chopped veggies in a bowl and mix.

Chop cilantro and remaining onion in a small bowl and mix.

Eech (Kilis eechee)

This is an Armenian dish that is eaten for lent and therefore making it perfect for vegetarians and vegans.  My mom learned how to make this from her mother and now I’ve learned how to make this from my mom.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup Bulgar (size # 1bulgur)

2 cups water

2 tbs. tomato paste

1 tsp. red pepper taste (less if spicy)

1 medium onion (half chopped and the other half thinly sliced for topping)

1 lemon juice

3 tbs. canola oil

1 tsp. kosher salt 

1/2 tsp. pepper

garnish:

green olives

cornishons

sliced onions

Directions:

Finely chop half an onion.  Thinly slice the other half and set aside for garnish.  In a small pot, heat oil on medium heat and add chopped onions.  Cook for about 6 or 7 minutes or until semi-soft and translucent.  Add the tomato paste, pepper paste, salt, and lemon juice and cook until the paste dissolves (2 minutes).  Add the water and bring to a boil.  

In a separate bowl, mix the Bulgar, salt and pepper.  Add the boiled mixture to the bowl and combine the ingredients.  The Bulgar absorbs the hot mixture which also softens it. Mixture should have the consistency of wet sand.  If too dry, boil a bit more water and add to mixture until you get to desired consistency.  

Add thinly sliced onions over the top and serve with green olives and/or cornishons if desired.  Enjoy!

Foul Mudammas

Growing up in the Middle East, this was a family staple for breakfast.  It’s healthy and keeps you full for a long time.

1 29 oz can of foul (fava beans)

1-2 large garlic cloves, mashed

1 heaping tsp. of red pepper paste 

1 tsp. ground cumin

juice of 1 large lemon

Garnish options:

chopped tomato

chopped parsely

chopped fresh mint leaves

chopped onions

boiled eggs

extra virgin olive oil

Pour can of foul into a pot and bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the red pepper paste, lemon juice, cumin and garlic.  When foul comes to a boil, pour mixture into the pot, stir well, then turn off heat.

Serve in a bowl with any garnish you like and enjoy!  I like mine with some freshly chopped tomatoes and onions, fresh mint and a drizzle of olive oil with a side of warm pita bread.