Healthy Middle Eastern Recipes

The following are two popular middle eastern recipes often enjoyed over Ramadan.

Lebanese Crushed Lentil Soup

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 1½ cups dry red lentils
• ½ cup short grain rice
• 1 large carrot roughly chopped
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Chopped shallots for garnish
• Chopped parsley for garnish.

Method:
In a large pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, rice, carrots, cumin, salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until they are well mixed and the spices are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add 8 cups of water and bring mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook covered until the rice and lentils are fluffy and fully cooked, about 20-30 minutes. Make sure to stir a couple times while cooking to prevent any lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times to get the desired consistency. Stir in the lemon juice.

Garnish with green onions and parsley, if desired, and serve warm.

Semolina Turmeric Cake (Sfoof)

(Makes 12 Serves)

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups semolina flour
• ½ cup plain flour
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ cups white sugar
• 1 cup milk (cow, almond, soy, etc.)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• Optional: 1 tbsp rosewater or orange water
• 1 tbsp pine nuts.

Method:
Preheat oven to 175oC or 155oC fan-forced. Grease a 22-23 cm round baking pan.

In a small bowl, mix semolina, flour, turmeric and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir milk and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add flour mixture and oil (and rose or orange water) and beat with an electric beater at medium speed for 5 minutes. This step is essential, do not use any shortcuts.

Pour into a prepared pan. Sprinkle top with pine nuts. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out dry.

• Topics:

• Health & Wellbeing
• Food