Part 13 (1/2)

1 onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons vegetable oil teaspoon turmeric A 3-4-pound chicken 1 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste 2-4 cloves garlic, crushed Black pepper or a pinch of cayenne or ground chili pepper Salt Fry the onion in the oil in a large saucepan until golden, then stir in the turmeric.

Put in the chicken and turn it until it is yellow all over. Add 2 cups water, the drained chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or longer, until the chicken is very tender, the chickpeas are soft, yellow, and lemony, and the liquid is reduced. Turn the chicken occasionally and add aadd water so that there is plenty of liquid sauce. Add salt when the chickpeas have softened.

Adjust the seasoning and cut up chicken.

Djaj Qdra Touimiya Saffron Chicken with Chickpeas and Almonds Serves 4-6 * In this delicately flavored and scrumptious Moroccan * In this delicately flavored and scrumptious Moroccan qdra qdra, the long-cooked almonds should become very soft.

As so often in Moroccan cooking, one onion is cooked first with the meat or chicken, and when these are nearly done, the remaining onions are added. The first onion is used to add flavor to the meat, and it practically melts and disappears into the sauce. The onions added later keep their shape and add body to the sauce.

A 3-4-pound chicken 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 3 medium onions teaspoon crushed saffron threads or powdered saffron (optional) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or more Pepper cup chickpeas, soaked overnight, or a 1-pound can of chickpeas cup blanched almonds Salt cup chopped flat-leaf parsley Juice of lemon Put the chicken, b.u.t.ter, and 1 onion, finely chopped, in a large pan, and cover with water. Add saffron, cinnamon, and pepper. Bring to the boil, add the soaked chickpeas (if using canned ones, they go in later) and the almonds, and simmer for about I hours, until the chickpeas are soft and the chicken is very tender, adding salt when the chickpeas begin to soften, and more water if necessary. Lift out the chicken and cut into serving pieces.

Add the rest of the onions, finely chopped, the parsley, and canned chickpeas if using, and boil slowly for about 15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the sauce considerably reduced. Return the chicken pieces to the sauce to heat through.

To serve, arrange the chicken pieces on a serving dish, cover with chickpeas and almonds and the sauce, and squeeze lemon juice over the dish.

Variations Dried black-eyed peas, or haricot or navy beans, can be used instead of chickpeas, or all three can be cooked together.

Djaj qdra bel looz (chicken with almonds) has twice the amount of almonds and no chickpeas. (chicken with almonds) has twice the amount of almonds and no chickpeas.

Djaj Mqualli Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives Serves 4 * The last time I ate this famous Moroccan dish was in a restaurant in Paris where there was an evening of Arab poetry and tales accompanied by musicians. It was not the best example of the dish, but I always find it enjoyable. I love the special flavor of preserved lemons. At every vegetable market in North Africa, and now also in the south of France, you can see stalls laden with huge piles of soft lemons oozing with juice beside several varieties of olives. The two are often used together. The pulp of the preserved lemon is discarded, and the skin alone is used. The word * The last time I ate this famous Moroccan dish was in a restaurant in Paris where there was an evening of Arab poetry and tales accompanied by musicians. It was not the best example of the dish, but I always find it enjoyable. I love the special flavor of preserved lemons. At every vegetable market in North Africa, and now also in the south of France, you can see stalls laden with huge piles of soft lemons oozing with juice beside several varieties of olives. The two are often used together. The pulp of the preserved lemon is discarded, and the skin alone is used. The word mqualli mqualli alludes to the way the chicken is cooked, with oil and only a little water. alludes to the way the chicken is cooked, with oil and only a little water.

A 3-4-pound chicken 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 large onion, grated or very finely chopped 2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed teaspoon crushed saffron threads or powdered saffron - teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoons cinnamon Salt and pepper Peel of 1 or 2 preserved lemons (see page 459), rinsed and cut in quarters 12 green or pale-brown olives, soaked in 2 changes of water for hour Put the chicken in a large saucepan with all the ingredients except the preserved lemons and olives.

Half-cover with water and simmer, covered, turning the chicken over a few times, and adding water if necessary, for about 1 hours, or until the chicken is so tender that the flesh pulls off the bone and the liquid is reduced to a thick unctuous sauce.

Throw the lemon peel and drained rinsed olives into the sauce for the last 15 minutes of cooking. Some like to add the peel at the very end; some like to chop part of it up to flavor the sauce. Cut the chicken into serving pieces and serve hot, with the sauce poured over.

RIDDLE:.

Our black servant is green.

Her children are born white and then grow black. Who is she?

ANSWER :.

An olive tree.

Djaj Matisha Mesla Chicken with Tomatoes and Honey Serves 4 * This Moroccan tagine is one of my favorites. The chicken cooks in the juice of the tomatoes, which reduces to a sumptuous, thick, honeyed, almost caramelized sauce. And it looks beautiful too. * This Moroccan tagine is one of my favorites. The chicken cooks in the juice of the tomatoes, which reduces to a sumptuous, thick, honeyed, almost caramelized sauce. And it looks beautiful too.

A 3-4-pound chicken, cut into quarters 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 large onion, grated 2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and cut into pieces Salt and plenty of pepper teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon teaspoon crushed saffron threads or powdered saffron 2 tablespoons clear honey (Moroccans use up to 4 tablespoons) cup blanched almonds, coa.r.s.ely chopped, toasted under the broiler or fried in oil 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted Put all the ingredients except the honey, almonds, and sesame seeds in a large pan. Cook gently, covered, turning the chicken occasionally, for about 1 hours, or until the flesh is so tender it can be pulled off the bone easily.

Remove the chicken, and continue to cook the sauce over medium heat until reduced to a thick, sizzling cream. Stir as it begins to caramelize, and be careful that it does not stick or burn. Now stir in the honey, return the chicken pieces to the sauce, and heat through. Serve hot, covered with the sauce and sprinkled with the almonds and sesame seeds.

Djaj bel Loz Chicken with Almonds and Honey Serves 8 * A magnificent dish, and a stunning example of the way Moroccans mix savory and sweet. Chicken pieces are first stewed with lemon juice and saffron, then baked with a topping of almonds and honey. * A magnificent dish, and a stunning example of the way Moroccans mix savory and sweet. Chicken pieces are first stewed with lemon juice and saffron, then baked with a topping of almonds and honey.

2 large onions, chopped 4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoons cinnamon 2 3-4-pound chickens, cut into quarters Salt and pepper teaspoon powdered saffron Juice of -I lemon 1 cups blanched almonds, coa.r.s.ely ground 1 tablespoon rose water 4-5 tablespoons honey In a large pan, cook the onions in the oil over low heat with the lid on until they soften, stirring occasionally. Stir in the ginger and cinnamon and put in the chicken. Cover with water, add salt and pepper, saffron, and lemon juice, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings (the sauce should be quite salty), and move the pieces so that the top ones go to the bottom.

Lift the chicken pieces out and arrange them in a large, shallow baking dish. Remove the skin if you like, and pour the sauce over.

Mix the ground almonds with the rose water and honey. Spread this paste over the chicken pieces and bake in a 350F oven for about 30-45 minutes. The flavor, with the melting honey, is divine. Serve hot.

Jaj bel Lissan al a.s.sfour Chicken with Pasta Serves 6 * This Syrian dish is made with a type of pasta called * This Syrian dish is made with a type of pasta called lissan al a.s.sfour lissan al a.s.sfour (bird's tongues) which looks like large grains of rice. It cooks in the sauce from the chicken and acquires a rich, spicy flavor and light-brown color. You will find it in Middle Eastern stores as well as in the pasta section of supermarkets, where it is called ”orzo.” An apricot sauce, (bird's tongues) which looks like large grains of rice. It cooks in the sauce from the chicken and acquires a rich, spicy flavor and light-brown color. You will find it in Middle Eastern stores as well as in the pasta section of supermarkets, where it is called ”orzo.” An apricot sauce, salsat mishmisheya salsat mishmisheya, sometimes accompanies the dish (see variations).

1 large onion, chopped 2 tablespoons sunflower oil 1 chicken, about 3 pounds 4 cloves garlic, sliced 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds teaspoon ground ginger (optional) Salt and pepper Juice of lemon 2 cups orzo 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter In a pan large enough to contain the chicken, fry the onion in the oil until soft. Put in the chicken, and pour in 4 cups of water (it will not cover the chicken entirely). Add garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger if you like, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 1-1 hours with the lid on, until the chicken is so tender the meat falls off the bone, turning the chicken over once halfway through. Take out the chicken, and when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones.

Bring the sauce to the boil, add the lemon juice, and throw in the pasta. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until tender, adding boiling water-about 1 cup-if necessary, and more salt and pepper.

Stir in the b.u.t.ter and put the chicken pieces back into the pan, over the pasta. Heat through before serving. The pasta becomes soft rather than al dente al dente.

Variations Dry vermicelli (s.h.a.ghria (s.h.a.ghria in Arabic), crushed into 1-inch pieces with your hands, can be used instead of the orzo. They will need less cooking time-about 5-6 minutes. in Arabic), crushed into 1-inch pieces with your hands, can be used instead of the orzo. They will need less cooking time-about 5-6 minutes.

For the apricot sauce to accompany, simmer pound tart, unsweetened dried apricots in water until soft. Add the juice of lemon if you prefer a sharper taste. When the apricots are soft, crush them with a fork and continue to simmer until reduced to a soft puree, or puree to a cream with the liquid in a food processor. Serve hot or cold in a separate bowl.

In Morocco, they boil a chicken, lift it out of the broth, and cut it up, then cook broken vermicelli in the broth. They serve the chicken covered and concealed by the vermicelli and garnished with sprinklings of ground cinnamon in a pattern of lines.

Tagine T'Faia Tagine with Hard-Boiled Eggs and Almonds Serves 4-6 * In Morocco they say that this dish, like many others, was brought back from Andalusia by the Moors after the Reconquista. * In Morocco they say that this dish, like many others, was brought back from Andalusia by the Moors after the Reconquista.

1 chicken, weighing about 3 pounds, cut into 4-6 pieces 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or vegetable oil Salt and pepper teaspoon ground ginger About teaspoon powdered saffron 2 onions, finely chopped 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 6 hard-boiled eggs cup blanched almonds, or more Put the chicken pieces in a large pan with 2 tablespoons of the b.u.t.ter or oil, salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, onions, and parsley. Cover with water, bring to the boil, and simmer gently, half covered, for -1 hour, or until the chicken has absorbed the taste of the ginger and saffron and is well cooked, and the sauce is reduced.

Heat 3 tablespoons of water with a pinch of powdered saffron. Sh.e.l.l the hard-boiled eggs and roll them in the saffron water to color them all over. Fry the blanched almonds in the remaining b.u.t.ter or oil, shaking the pan and turning them over, until lightly colored.

Arrange the chicken in a serving dish and pour the sauce over it. Arrange the eggs on top, between the pieces of chicken, and garnish with fried almonds.

Yogurtlu Basti Chicken with Spiced Yogurt Serves 4 * A Turkish dish in which yogurt, an important feature in Turkish cooking, is flavored with cardamom and ginger. * A Turkish dish in which yogurt, an important feature in Turkish cooking, is flavored with cardamom and ginger.

2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, or the seeds, crushed 1 inches fresh gingerroot, grated, or crushed in a garlic press to extract the juice 1 large onion, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil A 3-pound chicken, cut into quarters, or 4 chicken fillets Salt and pepper cup blanched almonds, toasted and coa.r.s.ely chopped In a bowl, mix the yogurt with the cardamom and ginger and let them infuse while you cook the chicken.

In a large skillet, fry the onion in the oil till soft. Add the chicken pieces and saute until the onions are golden and the chicken pieces lightly browned. Add salt and pepper and a cup of water, and cook over low heat-12 minutes for breast meat, 20 minutes for dark-until the chicken is very tender and the sauce reduced, turning the chicken pieces over and adding a little water if it becomes too dry.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yogurt. Serve sprinkled with almonds.

Fattet Jaj Fatta with Chicken Serves 8 * This multi-layered dish is complex and time-consuming, and I don't expect many people to attempt it. But it is very important in the Arab world, especially in Syria and Lebanon. And it is one of those recipes which bring me a flood of memories. I had received a letter from a woman I did not know in Beirut saying that she would like to meet me and that she had recipes for me. It was the late Josephine Salam. On our first meeting-at Claridge's tearoom, where a band played Noel Coward tunes-she brought me a bottle of orange-blossom water and a copper pan. She volunteered to come to my house and show me how to * This multi-layered dish is complex and time-consuming, and I don't expect many people to attempt it. But it is very important in the Arab world, especially in Syria and Lebanon. And it is one of those recipes which bring me a flood of memories. I had received a letter from a woman I did not know in Beirut saying that she would like to meet me and that she had recipes for me. It was the late Josephine Salam. On our first meeting-at Claridge's tearoom, where a band played Noel Coward tunes-she brought me a bottle of orange-blossom water and a copper pan. She volunteered to come to my house and show me how to make fattet jaj make fattet jaj. I got the ingredients, and we made so much that we had to call in the neighbors to eat. I saw her for many years after that, and we had many meals together. It was the time of the civil war in Lebanon, and I received through her an ongoing account of everyday life in the ravaged city. Her daughter Rana has become a conceptual artist. For her thesis at the Royal College of Art in London, she asked me to give a lecture on the history of Middle Eastern food. She filled the college with hangings announcing the event, with my portrait painted on by a cinema-poster painter in Egypt. She laid out foods and spices as in a souk, put on a tape of Egyptian street sounds and music, and offered Arab delicacies.

4 cups thick Greek-style drained yogurt, at room temperature 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 chicken, about 3 pounds Juice of 3 lemons 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 5 or 6 small pieces of mastic (page 44), pulverized with a little salt (optional) Salt and pepper 1 large onion, finely chopped 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound lean ground beef 1 cup basmati or long-grain rice (washed if basmati) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice 3 very thin pita breads or 2 ordinary pitas Vegetable oil for frying - cup pine nuts Pour the yogurt into a bowl and beat in the garlic. Let it come to room temperature.

Wash the chicken. Put it in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil, and remove any sc.u.m. Add the lemon juice and cardamom, mastic if you like, salt, and pepper, and cook until the chicken is very tender and almost falls off the bones-1 to 1 hours. Lift out the chicken, remove the skin and bones, and return the chicken pieces to the stock. Bring it to the boil again when you are ready to serve.

In the meantime, make the hashwa hashwa or filling: Fry the onion in 3 tablespoons of the oil until it is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the ground meat and cook, crus.h.i.+ng and stirring it, until it has changed color, then add the rice and continue to stir. Add cinnamon and allspice, salt and pepper, and l cups water. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to a minimum. Cook gently over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is done. or filling: Fry the onion in 3 tablespoons of the oil until it is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the ground meat and cook, crus.h.i.+ng and stirring it, until it has changed color, then add the rice and continue to stir. Add cinnamon and allspice, salt and pepper, and l cups water. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to a minimum. Cook gently over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is done.

Open out the pita breads. Toast them in the oven or under the broiler until they are crisp and only lightly browned. Then break them up into pieces in your hands and spread them at the bottom of a deep serving dish.

Work quickly to a.s.semble the dish when you are ready to serve, so that all the layers, apart from the yogurt, are hot. Cover the toasted bread with the rice-and-meat hashwa hashwa. Lay over this the chicken pieces, and pour over enough of the flavorsome stock to soak the bread thoroughly. Cover entirely with the yogurt, and sprinkle the top with the pine nuts lightly fried in a drop of oil.

Serve at once.