Dates Candy Balls

3 cups fresh ripe dates

¾ cups toasted ground walnuts

¾ cup toasted ground almonds

2teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

2/3 cup pure honey

About the image above: dates candy balls

‘Dates recipe has probably been developed since thousand of years. The original recipe was just the ripe dates fruits, honey and spices (cinnamon and cardamom), to be stored as ingredient to produce sweet dish, bread, cake or to be served as paste, just like jam. Recently add with some toasted ground nuts as just like to crumb.’

In food processor, turn the dates into paste with honey, cinnamon powder and cardamom powder. Store it in a clean bowl and keep in the fridge for about 1 hour to chill.

Meanwhile in a clean bowl, combine the toasted ground walnuts and toasted ground almonds.

Use glove on both hands, turn the date paste into balls then roll those balls into the toasted ground nuts mixtures. Better to serve these dates balls while they are cool. Makes about 30-36 pieces.

Helpful Hints

• You may prepare the candy earlier and keep them in your fridge.
• Put more honey if you like them sweeter.
• When you use the sweet dates, may need to put less honey.

Super Chef Diary: Vermicelli Rice - Roz bil Shaghria

Super Chef Diary: Vermicelli Rice - Roz bil Shaghria: 1 cup long grain rice 2/3 cup dry broken vermicelli (ready in a package) ¼ cup olive oil 2 tablespoon butter ½ cup chopped red oni...

Muhammara - Hot Pepper and Walnut Dip

3pieces red bell pepper

2-4 pieces hot red chilies

1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

¼ cup freshly made white bread crumbs

¼ cup garlic cloves, sliced and sautéed

½ cup red onion, sliced and sautéed

1 ½ tablespoons molasses

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate juice

2 tablespoon fresh pomegranate fruit for garnish

About the image above: mohamara

Rub the pepper and the chilies with little oil and roast in the oven until it soft and take out from the oven. Allow cooling and peel the skin out as well as take out the the seeds of both chilies and peppers.

Combine the bell peppers, red chilies, toasted walnuts, white bread crumbs, sautéed garlic, sautéed onion, molasses, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice and pomegranate juice. Turn the ingredients into a fine paste. Check the taste.

Chill the paste in the fridge before serving. Serve with bread or accompaniment for Arabic dishes. Makes about 3 cups

Helpful Hint

You can serve the dip as mezzah or accompaniment of Middle East dishes. If you like it hot, you will ne to increase the number of the hot chilies.

Super Chef Diary: Vermicelli Rice - Roz bil Shaghria

Super Chef Diary: Vermicelli Rice - Roz bil Shaghria: 1 cup long grain rice 2/3 cup dry broken vermicelli (ready in a package) ¼ cup olive oil 2 tablespoon butter ½ cup chopped red oni...

Vermicelli Rice - Roz bil Shaghria

1 cup long grain rice

2/3 cup dry broken vermicelli (ready in a package)

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoon butter

½ cup chopped red onions

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 ½ cups rich chicken stock

salt to taste

1-2 bay leaves (optional)

About the image above: vermicelli rice – roz bil shghria

In a pot, sauté the vermicelli to nearly golden brown and add chopped onion and garlic and continuously to sauté and add the rice in. Continue to sauté a little bit and add the stock to cook and the bay leaves. Add also some butter to make the taste tastier as well as some salt.

Cook the rice slowly over low heat and covered. Check the rice after 20 minutes or maybe you need to cook the rice a bit longer. When it is ready, serve the rice with other Arabic dishes. Make about 4 servings.

Helpful Hints

The just cooked rice will give more flavors then the old rice. I like my rice to be served with molokhia and nice grills items. It is a great rice dish for your special Middle East theme dinner.

Super Chef Diary: Bamia - Stewed Okra in Tomato Gravy

Super Chef Diary: Bamia - Stewed Okra in Tomato Gravy: 1 cup of red tomatoes 1½ teaspoons of chopped garlic ½ cup of chopped red onions 2 thin slices of green lime 1 teaspoon of lime ju...

Bamia - Stewed Okra in Tomato Gravy

1 cup of red tomatoes

1½ teaspoons of chopped garlic

½ cup of chopped red onions

2 thin slices of green lime

1 teaspoon of lime juice

1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley

1 ½ tablespoons of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

½ teaspoon of crushed coriander seeds

dash of cardamom powder

ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

4 cups of okra pods, clean

1 tablespoon of olive oil

About the image above: Egyptian bamia

Chop the tomatoes and place in a blender to make puree, keep aside. Meanwhile; put a pot over medium high heat and with the olive oil, sauté the red onion and chopped garlic until fragrant and add the crushed coriander seeds and then add in the tomato puree, chopped parsley, chopped coriander leaves and sliced green lime. Keep sautéing until the tomato cooked and add the okra. Cook until the okra becomes soft and season with salt, pepper, cardamom powder, and lime juice.

Take out from the heat and serve immediately with rice or vermicelli rice. Make about 4 servings

Helpful Hints

If the fresh okra is not available, you can replace with the package okra ready to cook.