Syria

 Welcome to Syria!  Syria gained its independence from France in 1946 after WWII.  Syria is home to the oldest library in the world -- in 1974, the ancient city of Ebla was discovered along with around 1,800 clay tablets dating from around 3,000 BC. Syrians are some of the lightest drinkers in the world: the average Syrian consumes just 0.1 liters of alcohol per year.  According to Google, the population of Syria is 24.26 million people and the capital is Damascus.  Their national dish is...

Kibbeh!

They look like little footballs!  However, to make kibbeh, you need to use bulger wheat, which I cannot eat. So it was off to the recipes to find something to make with the kibbeh.  We found Batata Harra (which is a spicy potato), Syrian Salad, and Fattet Djaj, which is a chicken and rice dish.  It was a very full, busy kitchen, but the smells were wonderful.  I did the prep over two days, just to make it easier on myself.  Here's what I did:

KIBBEH

For the shell:

1 lb bulgur wheat

1 1/2 C cold water.

1/2 lb ground beef

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 C onion, diced

1 C plus 2 tbsp water

For the filling:

2 tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

1 lb ground beef

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1/3 C pine nuts

Iced water for shaping and forming

Oil for frying

1. 1. In a deep bowl, add bulgur wheat and pour water over, cover and let it soak for 30 minutes.
2. 2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add oil and sauté onions until translucent.
3. 3. Add the ground meat and stir until it is browned. 
4. 5. Add the seasoning, mix well.
5. 6. Turn heat off and stir in the pine nuts.
6. 7. Add the onion, ground beef, salt and pepper to the bulgur wheat and combine well.
7. 8. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of food processor in batches, adding a couple of tablespoons of water and processing until mixed each time. 
8. 9. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.
9. 10. Fill a measuring cup with cold water and add some ice (this is for when you roll the kibbeh).
10. 11. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper and set next to you.
11. 12. Lightly dip your hands in the cold water and take about 3 Tablespoons of the shell mixture then roll into a ball the size of a golf ball.
12. 13. Place the ball in your left hand and using the index finger of the other hand poke a small hole in one end of the ball reaching to the middle of the ball.
13. 14. Gently roll the ball into your left hand while pressing your index finger in a circular motion.
14. Keep doing this until the hole is bigger; make sure not to press too hard on the walls of the kibbeh or it might break or tear.
15. 15. Now take about 3/4 teaspoon of the filling and fill the hole of the kibbeh, do not overstuff.
16. 16. Close the end of the kibbeh by pinching the end together, make sure to dip your fingers in the iced water every now and then.
17. 17. Place the kibbeh on the baking sheet and continue until the whole batch is done.
18. 18. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour,
19. 19. In a deep frying pan add oil enough to cover the kibbeh when put in it.
20. 20. Heat oil on medium-high , between 355F-375F. 
21. 21. Add cold kibbeh and fry for 4 minutes until dark brown.
22. 22. Transfer the Kibbeh to a plate lined with paper towel.
23. 23. Continue until you are done with them all.
24. 24. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Kibbeh)

BATATA HARRA

2 lbs potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes or baby potatoes

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper 

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tbsp avocado oil

Cilantro Sauce

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 tsp cayenne 

1/2 C cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp lemon juice

1. 
   
2. 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. 2. Pat the 2 lbs potatoes dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel until they're completely dry.
4. 3. Mix the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika in a medium bowl. 
5. 4. Stir in the avocado oil to make a paste.
6. 5. Add the potatoes to the spice mix and coat evenly until every surface is covered.
7. 6. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat the foil with oil.
8. 7. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
9. 8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and golden in color. 
10. 9. Transfer potatoes to a serving dish.
11. 10. In a small saucepan, saute garlic in avocado oil over medium heat. 
12. 11. Turn the heat down to low and add cayenne and stir briefly. 
13. 12. Stir in cilantro, paprika, and lemon juice. 
14. 13. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
15. 14. Add cilantro garlic sauce to the potatoes. 
16. 15. Stir all ingredients together and serve immediately as a side dish or appetizer.

(Source: Batata Harra)

SYRIAN SALAD WITH ZA'ATAR VINAIGRETTE

4 C Romaine Lettuce, chopped

1 C diced tomato

1 C diced cucumber

1/2 C thinly sliced red onion

1/4 C minced parsley

1/4 C minced fresh mint

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 C avocado oil

1/4 C lemon juice

2 tbsp za'atar

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. 1. Place the first six ingredients in a large salad bowl (Romaine through mint)
2. 2. Squeeze juice of one lemon around the bowl, carefully holding your opposite hand underneath to catch the seeds.
3. 3. Using a microplane, grate the garlic directly over the salad.
4. 4. Drizzle salad with oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with za'atar. 
5. 5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. 6. Gently toss the salad together and enjoy!

(Source: Syrian Salad with Za'atar Vinaigrette)

SYRIAN FATTET DJAJ

1 rotisserie chicken, chopped

3 gluten free pita breads, cut into small squares

Vegetable oil, for frying

3 C cooked rice

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 C plain yogurt

1/4 C tahini

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 C toasted sliced almonds to garnish

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Chopped parsley, to garnish

1. 1. Start by heating the vegetable oil, over medium heat, and frying the pita squares until golden and crispy. 
2. 2. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up the extra grease and set aside.
3. 3. Prepare the sauce by combining the mashed garlic and the yogurt and whisk until smooth. 
4. 4. Add the tahini while whisking and, finally, the lime juice. 
5. 5. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
6. 6. Make sure your shredded chicken and rice are warm before assembling the Fattet Djaj and work quickly so everything is still warm when you serve it.
7. 7. In a big casserole dish or serving platter, start with the pita squares, evenly distributed in a single layer.
8. 8. The next layer is the rice and finally 2/3 of the chicken.
9. 9. Top with the yogurt sauce and the remaining chicken and finish by sprinkling the toasted nuts, the chopped parsley and the cinnamon. 
10. 10. Serve warm and enjoy!

(Source: Syrian Fattet Djaj)

The verdict?  The Fattet Djaj was ok.  It was a very strange combination of flavors and textures.  I think it needed more seasoning and needed more sauce.  It was slightly dry unless you had a spoonful of sauce.  And the combination of the cinnamon and the yogurt made it slightly sweet, but not icky sweet.  Then you had the soft rice and chicken with the crunchy almonds.  It was a party in your mouth!  The fried pita bread at the bottom didn't add much.  I think it would have been better to fry the pitas and used them as chips and eaten the Fattet Djaj as a dip.  It was also a little bit odd that it is supposed to be served lukewarm... I'm sure the health department would have something to say about that!  The potatoes were good, but had a kick to them!  I would recommend roasting them a bit more so they are more crispy - maybe put them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes.  I didn't care much for the salad.  I think it would have been fine without all the different spices in the za'atar mix, but that's what is unique about the salad!  I think more tomatoes would have been good too :-)  I did forget to take a picture of the salad...oops!  I will let Handsome Husband tell you about the Kibbeh!

The Kibbeh was very interesting. It was firm and almost crunchy, and I had no idea that there was actually ground beef in the shell until I previewed the blog post! Very odd, but it worked! It was a little bit dry and crumbly, but the flavor was mild and nice. The savory flavors were a good addition to the rest of the meal.

    

ME

Taste of Kibbeh (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): NA

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): NA

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): NA

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kibbeh (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Batata Harra (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 3

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Batata Harra (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 1

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

ME

Taste of Syrian Salad (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Syrian Salad (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

ME

Taste of Fattet Djaj (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Fattet Djaj (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Hope you enjoyed reading about Syria.  Come with us to Costa Rica next time!

Grenada

 Welcome to Grenada!  A neighbor to our last country, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Grenada is another country in the Caribbean.  It is known as the "Island of Spice", and exports many spices.  It is the second largest producer of Nutmeg (second to Indonesia!).  Grenada is also home to the first underwater sculpture museum - interesting!  According to Google, Grenada has a population of 117,000 people and the capital is St. George.  Their national dish is...

Oil Down!

Sounds appetizing, right?  I have to admit, I wasn't too excited to try this meal.  I found a couple other dishes to make too: Nutmeg Chicken and Nutmeg Ice Cream!  Since I had leftover breadfruit from St. Vincent and Grenadines, and Oil Down has breadfruit, I figured why not.  We did this country over two days, and I'm glad we did!  The ice cream took a little bit of planning ahead, but the chicken and Oil Down were quick, easy meals.  Here's what I did:

OIL DOWN

1 breadfruit

1 whole hot green pepper (I used Ancho)

1 tsp thyme

1/2 oz saffron

2 tbsp curry powder

12 oz salted meat (I used spam)

6 C coconut milk

4 C spinach

Salt, to taste

1. 1. Cut the breadfruit into slices about 1 1/2 inches thick
2. 2. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and place them in the bottom of a large pot
3. 3. Arrange the breadfruit over the meat
4. 4. Add the seasonings and coconut milk
5. 5. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil
6. 6. Add spinach to the pot.
7. 7. Cook until the breadfruit is tender and the liquid has mostly absorbed (about 30 minutes)
8. 8. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Oil Down)

NUTMEG CHICKEN

Nutmeg syrup

1/3 C sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 C gluten free soy sauce

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp chili flakes

1 C water

1/2 tbsp tapioca starch

Chicken

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 lb chicken thighs

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1. 1. Place the chicken in a medium sized bowl and season with the poultry seasoning, salt, thyme and back pepper, and set aside
2. 2. Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and chili flakes in a saucepan
3. 3. Mix the gluten free soy sauce, maple syrup, water and tapioca starch together then pour it into the saucepan
4. 4. Bring the saucepan to a boil, and reduce to a simmer while stirring for 5 minutes; then set aside
5. 5. Meanwhile heat the oil on medium heat
6. 6. Proceed to sauté the garlic and onion until soft and translucent
7. 7. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and proceed to cook the chicken until just white (it won't be cooked all the way.  Also, make sure there is no water or liquid in the pan before the next step)
8. 8. Pour the nutmeg syrup all over the chicken and bring to a rolling boil
9. 9. Reduce the flame to medium-low, cover the pan with lid and occasionally baste the chicken throughout the 20-25 minute cooking time
10. 10. If you are left with excess liquid and want the syrup to adhere to the chicken increase heat to high and allow the liquid to evaporate and stick to the chicken (be careful not to burn the chicken)
11. 11. Enjoy with rice!

(Source: Nutmeg Chicken)

NUTMEG ICE CREAM

1 1/2 C milk

1 1/2 C heavy cream

3 eggs

3/4 C sugar

1 tbsp fresh nutmeg; grated (about 1 whole nutmeg)

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1. 1. In a saucepan bring the milk and the cream to almost boiling - do not let it boil - then turn off the heat
2. 2. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla
3. 3. Whisk 1/2 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, and whisk that mixture into the remaining milk mixture
4. 4. Cook the custard over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it registers 175 F on a candy thermometer
5. 5. Transfer the custard to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir it until it is cold
6. 6. Freeze the custard in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions
7. 7. Enjoy

(Source: Nutmeg Ice Cream)

The verdict?  So many thoughts on this one.  Let's start with Oil Down.  I didn't think this meal was anything special at first.  It was OK to eat, but nothing to write home about.  But then we hit the sauce.  The sauce was GOOD.  It was delicious on the breadfruit.  We didn't taste the spam in the dish at all.  If I were to make it again, I would cut the breadfruit into smaller, bite-sized pieces, and make more sauce (double the recipe, except for the breadfruit, spinach, and salt meat).  The more we ate the dish, the better we liked it.  The nutmeg chicken was delicious.  I didn't know what to expect with it, but it was so good.  It was a warming meal - like something you would eat in the fall or winter.  When I make it again, I won't put as much sugar in - I would probably only do half the sugar it calls for.  I would also chunk the meat instead of leaving it whole.  The ice cream was interesting.  It really reminded me of the Christmas cookies that my sister makes each Christmas - it was good!  Rich, but good.  

 

ME

Taste of Oil Down (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Oil Down (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

ME

Taste of Nutmeg Chicken (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Nutmeg Chicken (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 8

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

ME

Taste of Nutmeg Ice Cream (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Nutmeg Ice Cream (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Hope you enjoyed Grenada!  Join us next time in a mystery country!

St. Vincent & Grenadines

 Welcome to St. Vincent & Grenadines!  It's summer, well, almost, so a Caribbean country sounded great.  That and I FINALLY found breadfruit!  This country is apparently where the "rich and famous" play, including the British royals.  There is a volcano there, La Soufriere, which was dormant for over 40 years, and just erupted in 2021.  "Pirates of the Caribbean" was filmed here as well.  And the pictures are beautiful!  According to Google, the population of St. Vincent & Grenadines is 100,500 people and the capital is Kingstown.  Their national dish is...

Roasted Breadfruit and Fried Jackfish

Like I said earlier, finding breadfruit was HARD.  I've been looking for months (literally) and finally found some frozen at an Asian food store.  I bought a lot of it (there are several more countries coming up that include breadfruit) and prayed we liked it.  Breadfruit is supposed to taste like bread when you roast it or bake it - we were looking forward to seeing (or smelling) if that was true.  It also has a low glycemic index, and is high in fiber - who knew!  I didn't even try to find jackfish - it's a fish native to the area.  A firm cod was the suggested substitution.  So, I found the recipe and went to work!  Here's what I did.

ROASTED BREADFRUIT AND FRIED JACKFISH

1 breadfruit (or slices of breadfruit, like I had)

For the fish:

1 good-sized jackfish, filleted (or two cod filets)

Juice of 1 lemon

Enough flour to coat the fish fillets

A good pinch each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper

Coconut oil for frying

For the sauce:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp thyme

1 medium ripe tomato, sliced

12g butter

1 tsp tomato puree

1 cup water

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. 1.  Wrap the breadfruit in foil and roast at 420 degrees F for one hour, or until soft. 
2. 2. After the breadfruit has been in the oven for about an hour, start preparing the fish by pouring the lemon juice over the fillets and leaving it to marinate for 15 minutes.
3. 3. While the fish is marinating, make the sauce.
4. 4.  Fry the onion, garlic, thyme and tomato in 1 tbsp coconut oil, until softened. 
5. 5.  Add the butter and stir until melted. 
6. 6.  Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer until thickened.
7. 7.  Once the fish is marinated, mix all the seasonings into the flour, and rinse and pat dry the fish.
8. 8.  Coat the fish on both sides with the flour mixture, removing any excess.
9. 9. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking.
10. 10. Fry the fish for approximately 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
11. 11. In a skillet, melt 3 tbsp of coconut oil.
12. 12. Remove the breadfruit from the oven, and transfer to the skillet of coconut oil, and fry both sides until slightly crispy.
13. 13. Salt the breadfruit, and serve together with the fish, with the sauce poured over both.
14. 14. Enjoy!

(Source: Roasted Breadfruit and Fried Jackfish)

The verdict?  IT SMELLED LIKE BREAD!  And the smell started early on.  The breadfruit was very much like an unsweet plantain or a really done potato.  The first couple bites were ok, but as we continued to eat it, the better and better it got.  Salt helped a lot, and it was really tasty with the sauce.  The fish wasn't anything special.  I didn't think that the breading added much, but Handsome Husband said he liked it with the breading.  To each their own, I guess.  I do wonder if jackfish has its own unique taste - may have to go to St. Vincent & Grenadines to find out!

ME

Taste of Roasted Breadfruit and Fried Jackfish (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Roasted Breadfruit and Fried Jackfish (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

Hope you join us next time next door in Grenada!