Egypt is one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East. The great majority of its estimated 76 million[1] live near the banks of the Nile River, in an area of about 40,000 square kilometers (15,000 sq mi), where the only arable agricultural land is found. The large areas of the Sahara Desert are sparsely inhabited. About half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with the majority spread across the densely-populated centres of greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta.
Egypt is famous for its ancient civilization and some of the world's most famous monuments, including the Giza pyramid complex and its Great Sphinx. The southern city of Luxor contains numerous ancient artifacts, such as the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Egypt is widely regarded as an important political and cultural nation of the Middle East.
Egypt possesses one of the most developed economies in the Middle East, with sectors such as tourism, agriculture, industry and service at almost equal rates in national production.[citation needed] Consequently, the Egyptian economy is rapidly developing, due in part to legislation aimed at luring investments, coupled with both internal and political stability, along with recent trade and market liberalization.
the July Challenge is brought to us by Chahira Daoud, from Chahirakitchen.blogspot.com, she choose two recipes Koushari as the savoury dish, and the Basboussa for dessert.
Koshary
Is not just one of the most delicious dishes in Egypt but it is also one of the cheapest meals in Egypt. housewives make it at home because it is cheap and it is much cleaner than the ordered koshary. Our challenge this time is about Egypt as all of you knows, so I wanted this time to present to you the main recipe for our Egyptian Koshary dish, please follow the recipe but I need from you different ideas in presenting this dish, it is up to your imagination, change in the presentation of the dish or add for it a side dish, it is you choice now !!First,
Ingredients:
-1 cup brown lentils
1 cup rice (Egyptian rice)
1/8 kg ditalini pasta
Salt
For the fried onions :
2 big onions and some oil for frying it.
About a 1/4 cup of vegetable oil.
For the salsa or tomatoes sauce:-
2 cups tomato juice.
1good onion chopped very finely.
2 garlic cloves, finely crushed.
2 TBS vinegar (white vinegar).
vegetable oil, salt, pepper, cumin, hot chili.
For Dakka:-
a cumin, vinegar, garlic sauce2 TBS cumin seeds crashedHalf a cup of vinegarHalf a cup of hot water1tsp of hot chili- salt and pepper 4 garlic cloves
Preparation:
Cook lentils in salted water until tender. Strain.In a rice pan stir the washed rice in a tablespoon of vegetable oil then cover it with water put some salt and let it cooked till boiling then Cook it on a very low flame until tender.Cook macaroni, strain, rinse, and strain again.Place these three ingredients in a cooking pot. Fry onions (in a separate pan) to a brown , then remove the onions onto absorbent paper and strain the oil into the lentil /rice/pasta mixture. Return the pot to the flame and cook for 7-10 minutes, keep the flame always low.
To prepare tomato sauce:-Saute onions until soft, then add garlic and fry to a pale brown. Add tomato juice and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until sauce is cooked and becomes thick . Add vinegar and seasonings and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
To prepare Dakka:-Take garlic cloves and hit them with the end of the knife, but don't break them up. Add into white vinegar and water mix. Add some cumin and coriander into the vinegar as well as salt and pepper and hot chili. Stir and let it aside.Serve the dish by topping each individual plate "rice/pasta/lentil" with tomato sauce and fried onions. Sprinkle it with some whole cooked chickpeas.Serve it with a bowl full of Dakka so you can add from it the quantity you need in your plate.
For more photos about this recipe please check the rest of the Walima members for their posting.
Basboussa
One of the most famous dessert dishes in Egypt, you can find it in other Arabic countries but with different tastes and different flavors as well as different names.I am presenting to you this time the Egyptian basbouussa
The ingredients:-
2 and half cups of fine Semolina flour
A half cup of all purpose flour
1 and half TBLSof baking powder
.A half cup of coconut
A 3/4 cup of ghee " natural ghee" or you can use butter instead of it but you have to make it one full cup "softened at room temperature"
1tsp of vanilla.
One cup of yogurt.
Half cup of sugar.
For the syrup:
-2 and half cups of sugar
2 and half cups of water
1 tbls of lemon juice.
vanilla
Tahini and some butter to grease the baking tray.
Preparation:
Mix the semolina- flour- baking powder- coconut- sugar- butter or ghee- yogurt- vanilla, mix it well with your hands, don't be afraid it will not bite you….LOLJust to feel the batter and to enjoy it as I always do.Grease very well your baking tray with a mix of butter and tahini, you can use just Tahini.Pour your basbouusa dough and spread it using your hand to cover and fit your baking tray.Garnish it with nuts and candied cherries, it is up to you, I love it with walnuts, hazelnuts and candied cherries. Take care and insert your nuts or fruits very well by pushing it down.Keep your basbouusa tray for 6 or 7 hours before baking it.
To prepare the syrup:-In a pan put the sugar with the water , on the stove stir it until the sugar crystals dissappear then let the spoon and add the lemon juice, let it boil till it reaches the thread point stage , add some
vanilla . Keep it warm when pouring it over the basbouusa tray, it should be hot too.Bake basboussa in a preheated oven on 230C or from middle to middle high temp.Pour the warm or hot syrup over the hot basbouusa tray, and Enjoooooooooooy !!!But you have to wait or you'll burn your tongue dear ;))))Decorating and serving your dish is the subject of our challenge so please do your best to add to the dish some about you, the story you had while preparing the dish, and even if you did not like it, tell us or send it to me I would be soooo grateful.Thanks fellows and hope you'll enjoy my egyptian dishes.
*** I prepared two tray of the Basboussah, one mixed with the Yogurt and the second one I used a whole can of Coconut Milk instead to balance the flavour of the coconut inside the dessert.... I leave you with the photos....
Awesome in both flavours..... Ginan Kawi Kawi - as the Egyptian will say....
