Here is another one of my absolute favorite Middle Eastern dishes. “Mahshy” literally means stuffed, and I love all things mashy. Stuffed vegetables, stuffed grape leaves, and stuffed cabbage are all fantastic dishes in the Middle Eastern kitchen. Parsley and mint are prevalent in most Middle Eastern recipes, as is garlic. All three of these flavorings take center stage in this recipe. This satisfying dish can serve as a main entree or a side. The stuffing can be prepared completely vegetarian with only the herbs and rice, or you can add ground beef or lamb as we typically prefer to do. But I have cooked it both ways many times, and it is very delicious and full of flavor either way!

The stuffing consists of medium grain rice (get Egyptian rice if you are shopping at an International market, or sticky sushi rice works well per the recommendation of my girl Dalia), chopped parsley, mint, dill, diced onions, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and some spices. The spices are a medley of cinnamon, cumin,  baharat, salt and pepper. The Arabic spice baharat, is a warm, aromatic all-purpose spice and it is used often in most Middle Eastern recipes. You are not likely to find it in a regular grocery store. If you do not have access to a Middle Eastern store, you could use a combination of ground all spice and cloves as an adequate substitute. You could also make your own baharat spices with the following recipe I found on The Kitchn. If you are using ground meat in the stuffing, you will need to cook this first in a pot with minced onions, salt and pepper, and a dash of all spice.

Pictured above is the vegetarian mixture, including rice, tomatoes, parsley, dill, mint, onions, garlic, and spices. 

The eggplants and zucchinis need to get cored with a coring tool, or a butter knife works well if you use careful strokes! Peppers are wonderful because all you need to do is cut the top off. The last time we did this we used the smaller sweet peppers that come in a variety or red, orange, and yellow. I also love to use an onion as is typical in Iraq. You simply simmer a peeled onion in boiling water for a few minutes until the  layers become malleable enough to roll. When this dish cooks, the cinnamon, herbs, and vegetables scent the air beautifully; it simply smells amazing!

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Anybody can stuff some veggies with this flavorful filling, and you’d be halfway there at achieving deliciousness. But the secret is in the sauce. I have had this dish prepared before and it tasted either too dry from baking in the oven or too bland. The sauce I use to cook this in perfects the flavor and texture and must not be omitted! It is simply wonderful: very lemony and cooks the veggies and stuffing juicy and zesty and full of flavor. As most of my cooking is a delicate fusion of many Middle Eastern countries, this dish originates from my mother’s Egyptian cooking, but is infused with some delicious Lebanese flavor that I picked up from one of my best friends, Melanie. Melanie’s stepmother, Tunt Soad, who is an excellent chef from Lebanon would often have this dish prepared when we would come over after school and I always looked forward to it! When I wasn’t at her house I would beg her to bring some to school for lunch, and I still craved more. I finally asked Tunt Soad for the recipe and have been cooking my stuffed veggies the same way ever since! The sauce consists of marinara sauce, fresh squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, dry mint, baharat, cinnamon,  salt, and pepper.

You can either stack the stuffed veggies in a pot and cook over the stove, or lay them in a baking dish and bake in the oven. As long as you cover the veggies with this sauce it will come out nice and juicy and flavorful. Enjoy! Or as they say in Lebanon “Sahtein” (good health) or “Bil hana wil shifa” (with joy and with health) as they say in Egypyt. After all isn’t that what food should be for: health, nutrition, and well-being?

Stuffed Zucchini

2014-03-26 09:13:49

Serves 4

A delicious mediterranean dish of zucchini and eggplants stuffed with a flavorful medley of herbs, spices, and rice.

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Prep Time

25 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

55 min

Prep Time

25 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

55 min

Ingredients

1. about 10 short and wide zucchinis
2. about 10 short and wide eggplants
3. 1 large onion
4. 2 large bell peppers

For the stuffing

1. 1 c medium grain rice (Egyptian rice or sushi rice)
2. 1 tsp baharat or all spice
3. 1/4 tsp cinnamon
4. 1/4 tsp cumin
5. 1 tsp salt
6. pinch of pepper
7. 1 tbsp minced garlic
8. 1 medium onion, minced
9. 1-2 tomatoes diced
10. 1/4 c chopped parsley
11. 1/4 c chopped dill
12. 1 tbsp chopped mint
13. Optional: 1 lb ground beef, browned and cooked with 1 onion, salt and pepper, and baharat

For the sauce

1. 1/2 c marinara sauce, such as Prego
2. 1/2 c water
3. 1/2 c lemon juice
4. 1 tsp dry mint
5. 1 tsp minced garlic
6. 1/2 tsp baharat or all spice
7. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
8. 1 tsp salt
9. pinch of pepper

To cook

1. 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Peel and score the large onion to slice it open halfway. This will allow you to peel away the soft layers later. Simmer in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes until the onion layers are malleable enough to stuff with filling and roll. Do not over cook it so that it is too soft as it will cook more later in the pot. Set aside to cool.
2. Wash the zucchinis, peppers, and eggplants and cut off the tops. Core out the center of the eggplants and zucchinis and reuse the inner flesh for another recipe such as baba ghanough or zucchini bread.
3. Combine all ingredients for the stuffing.
4. Fill each vegetable halfway with the stuffing, as it will increase in size as it cooks. For the onions, peel off a layer of the onion, fill with a teaspoon of stuffing, and roll tightly.
5. Neatly place each vegetable into a pot, standing upright to prevent the stuffing from spilling out as it cooks. If you will bake in a baking dish, laying the vegetables down will be fine as they will not be disturbed by boiling liquid.
6. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and mix well. Pour over all the vegetables and pour olive oil on the very top of the pot. Simmer on medium high heat, and turn the heat down to low once it boils. Cover halfway with a lid and remove from heat once the rice in the center is tender (about 20-25 minutes). If baking in the oven, bake at 350 degrees, for 35 minutes.

Notes

1. It is important that the rice in the vegetables is covered with cooking sauce in order for it to cook well. Potatoes, tomatoes, and other vegetables may be used in this recipe as well but using zucchini and eggplant is the traditional way to prepare this dish.
2. You may also substitute the rice for quinoa or bulgur to make this dish a little healthier and contain less carbs!

By Noha ElSharkawy

Adapted from Mom and Tunt Soad

Adapted from Mom and Tunt Soad

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/

This Middle Eastern staple has made its way all around the world and is a huge hit! This perfectly flavored chickpea puree provides fiber, protein, and healthy omega 3 fats that are filling, satisfying, and perfectly low in calories. Chickpeas are quite high in fiber, protein, folic acid, magnesium , and zinc and are great for reducing cholesterol and blood sugar.  Hummus makes an excellent spread in sandwiches or a dip for veggies, which makes it a filling snack but lower in fat than mayo, ranch dressings, and other less healthy options.  No wonder this dip is so popular! I love my hummus extra lemony and garlicky, and that’s the beauty of making this easy dish at home- you can add as much or as little flavor as you want. You can vary the flavor, color, and texture by including preferred vegetables such as parsley, beets, roasted red peppers, carrots, or my favorite:  cilantro with jalapeño! Hummus is traditionally prepared with tahini paste, which is basically sesame seed butter.

As with all of my recipes, I do not use any canned products here, and try to keep everything as natural and homemade as possible. Nothing is more satisfying than enjoying something perfectly concocted in your kitchen and knowing exactly everything that is inside.

I start with 1/2 cup of dried garbanzo beans or chickpeas. These should be sorted for stones or dirt and washed. Many people need to soak the beans overnight before boiling the next day, but if you use a pressure cooker like I do, no need for that hassle! Simple toss the chickpeas into your pressure cooker, cover with water, add a quarter of an onion, and cook on high pressure for 1 hour. Do not add salt in the pressure cooker as it inhibits cooking. Once the peas are cooked, its as simple as pureeing the little gems with tahini paste in your blender with your favorite spices and flavors! The basics that I must include are salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Its important to reserve some of the water the chickpeas cooked in or have fresh water on hand to thin out the hummus as needed. I forgot about the water at first and had a very THICK dip to start with (it happens!). But no worries,  this is something you can vary depending on how thick or thin your prefer your hummus to be. This dish is really fool proof! When in doubt, start with a little and add more as needed 🙂 I make my hummus in a flash with my trusty Vitamix blender, which does require at least 1/4 cup of water in order to pull all the ingredients downward into its funnel of fury shredding every ingredient into a silky smooth dip!

Hummus

2014-01-13 04:31:48

Serves 4

A delicious and healthy chickpea puree dip with sesame paste, lemon and garlic

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 10 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

1. 1/2 c dried chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans)
2. 3/4 c water
3. 1 small onion, quartered
4. 1 tsp salt
5. 1/4 tsp pepper
6. 1/4 tsp cumin
7. 1/4 tsp paprika
8. Juice of 2 lemons
9. 4-6 cloves of garlic
10. 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp for drizzling
11. 2 tbsp of tahini paste (sesame seed butter)
12. parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Sort the chick peas for dirt, stones, or old pieces and wash well. Place chickpeas into pressure cooker and cover with water, about 1 inch above the peas. Add 1 quarter of an onion and cook over high pressure for 1 hour. Do not add salt until after the beans cook. Once done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally.
2. Strain the chickpeas and reserve some of the liquid for thinning out the puree (or you could use fresh water).
3. Pour 1/4 c water or cooking liquid from the chickpeas to a Vitamix blender or food processor. Reserve some whole chickpeas for garnish and add the rest into the blender.
4. Add Tahini paste, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and garlic cloves. Pulse to combine all ingredients, then puree on high until the mixture is smooth. If using a Vitamix, it is helpful to use the patented push stick to move everything downward into the blades. Add more water if needed to thin it out. Add the olive oil at the end and pulse again until well combined. Taste and add more lemon or garlic to your preference. I usually have at least 6 garlic cloves in mine because we love the taste!
5. Spoon the hummus onto a serving platter, carve lines into the top with a fork or butter knife and drizzle olive oil on top. The oil will settle into the lines. Sprinkle paprika, chopped parsley, and arrange the reserved whole chickpeas in the center to garnish.
6. Serve with cucumbers, or any favorite veggies, pita bread, crackers, or spread onto sandwiches!

Notes

1. While the chickpeas are cooking, roast a red pepper in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees and add to the blender to make roasted red pepper hummus. Or you could add 1/4 cup cilantro leaves and half a jalapeño pepper to make a zesty, spicy green hummus!

By Noha ElSharkawy

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/

I always get the winter blues, but this winter is just brutal! I’ve been snowed in too many days to handle 2 small children in a not so spacious home. My daughter’s school has been cancelled enough times to make me lose my mind, and I just really want to feel some warm Sun. We whipped up a deliciously refreshing vitamin boosting smoothie to  help ward of the cold and other ailments spreading around. Sipping this ice cold refresher made us feel like we were sun bathing on a beach to help us get through these “rough” days.

This was actually my first time trying papaya, and it was not my favorite when I ate it on its own. I could only assume it is because the fruit was not in season nor very ripe. But in this smoothie with the banana and pineapple, it was heaven! The papaya is a tropical fruit rich in an enzyme called papain which helps digest proteins. Papain also provides anti-inflammatory effects shown to heal burns as well as reduce inflammation caused by trauma, asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Papaya fruits are also one of the most highly concentrated fruits in vitamin C,  providing more than the daily value, is very high in vitamin A, and is also rich in potassium, fiber, lycopene, and folate. The nutrients from the vitamins A and C help prevent heart disease as it prevents cholesterol from oxidizing and sticking and building up on blood vessel walls (read more here). Potassium is essential for maintaining a healthy heart beat, maintaing a normal blood pressure, and promoting health of the muscles. Papaya is also a source of the antioxidant lycopene which is essential to reducing the risk of cancer, macular degeneration (age-related loss of vision), and heart disease.

The wonderful thing about making smoothies is that you are allowing your body to consume a larger quantity of fruits and vegetables, increasing your intake of all of these wonderful nutrients. Including smoothies, purees and dips,  and soups of raw and whole produce into your daily diet is an excellent way of improving your health and intake of necessary vitamins and minerals! Just be sure to stay away from adding sugar and other unhealthy additives. I usually add a banana, dates, or a tablespoon of honey if added sweetness is necessary but in most cases the produce picked at season tastes fabulous on its own!

Tropical Paradise

2014-02-02 14:57:46

Serves 2

A refreshing blend of papaya, banana, and frozen pineapple giving a huge dose of vitamin C

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Prep Time

5 min

Prep Time

5 min

Ingredients

1. 1 papaya, seeds removed
2. 1 banana
3. 1/4 c water
4. 1/2 c frozen pineapple (or fresh, plus ice)

Instructions

1. Slice the papaya in half and scoop the flesh out with a table spoon.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree on high for 45 seconds.

By Noha ElSharkawy

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/