Beid Bi Gebna Maqli Recipes

GEBNA MAKLEYAH EGYPTIAN OVEN BAKED CHEESE

Steps:

• On a baking sheet, line with parchment and drizzle the Olive oil on the parchment. Heat the oven to 400F
• In a bowl, combine the feta, flour, egg, lemon juice, salt and lemon pepper. Mix it up well.
• Next, roll the cheese mixture into little flat balls.
• Place the balls on top the oil coated parchment paper.
• Bake the little disks for about 10 minutes. They will become a light golden brown.
• Take out the oven, let them cool slightly then Enjoy!

BIBIMBAP (KOREAN RICE WITH MIXED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Stir cucumber pieces with 1/4 cup gochujang paste in a bowl; set aside.
• Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a large nonstick skillet and stir in spinach; cook until spinach is bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible; set spinach aside in a bowl and stir soy sauce into spinach.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet and cook and stir carrots until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in cucumber pieces with gochujang paste; sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and set the mixture aside in a bowl.
• Brown beef in a clean nonstick skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, and set aside. In a separate nonstick skillet, heat 1 more teaspoon olive oil over medium-low heat and fry the eggs just on one side until yolks are runny but whites are firm, 2 to 4 minutes each.
• To assemble the dish, divide cooked rice into 4 large serving bowls; top with spinach mixture, a few pieces of beef, and cucumber mixture. Place 1 egg atop each serving. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a small amount of gochujang paste if desired.

GEBNA MAKLEYAH (EGYPTIAN OVEN-FRIED CHEESE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Place the cheese, flour, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well with very clean hands. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. If the mixture seems too loose to hold its shape, add a little more flour. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit of lemon juice, vinegar, or water.
• Pour 2 or 3 Tablespoons olive oil onto a cookie sheet to grease. Arrange the cheese balls on cookie sheet, rolling them around to coat thoroughly with the oil. Bake 5 minutes at 400°.
• Wearing an oven mitt, shake the baking sheet to turn the cheese balls, and bake 5 more minutes or until golden brown.
• With a spatula, transfer the cheese balls to a paper towel.
• Serve the cheese balls while still warm, with lemon wedges and triangles of pita bread.

SAMAK MAQLI

Steps:

• Season the fish with salt inside and out and dredge with flour so that it is entirely, but lightly, covered (1 teaspoon ground cumin mixed with the flour gives a distinctive Arab flavor). You may also marinate the fish in one of the marinades given on page 180 for 1/2-1 hour, then dredge in flour.
• Olive oil is the best oil for frying fish, because it can reach higher temperatures than other oils without deteriorating. Use the ordinary-not extra-virgin-oil, which is bland and mild. You can reuse it 4 or 5 times, but it must be filtered to remove impurities each time. Fry in oil deep enough to cover the fish entirely, in a pan large enough so that the oil does not boil over as it expands.
• The oil must be very hot. Do not put too many pieces of fish in at the same time, or the temperature will drop considerably and the fish will be soggy instead of crisp. Cook fish of roughly the same size together, since different sizes need different cooking times and temperatures.
• Put the fish in when the oil sizzles if you throw in a cube of bread. As soon as the fish is in, turn the heat up to maximum for a short time to make up for the heat lost.Then keep the oil at a constant, not-too-high temperature. Very small fish must be fried very quickly at a very high temperature. Larger fish take longer and need a lower temperature, so that they have time to cook inside before the skin gets burnt. Gently shake the pan occasionally, to prevent the fish from sticking, and turn over once, so that they are crisp and golden brown all over.
• Lift out the fish and drain on paper towels. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. You can also serve the fried fish with a dressing or sauce such as chermoula (page 180) or tarator (page 181).

KOUSA BI LABAN

Steps:

• For the stuffed zucchini: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground top round and ground lamb and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Lebanese seven spices, cinnamon, cardamom, 1/2 cup of the pine nuts and the parsley and stir gently. Set aside to cool.
• Cut the stem off the top of the zucchini. Using a vegetable corer or small spoon, core the zucchini by gently removing the center while leaving the sides intact. Fill the center of the zucchini with the filling, packing to make tight and leaving a 1/2-inch space between the filling and the top.
• Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium heat and fry the zucchini for a few minutes, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the zucchini to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
• Arrange the stuffed zucchini side by side in a large pot of simmering water. Sprinkle with salt, reduce the heat and cover. Cook until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Remove the zucchini and reserve the cooking liquid.
• For the yogurt sauce: Place the yogurt in a medium high-sided skillet over medium heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture to the yogurt and cook, stirring, until it begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Add the white pepper and sea salt. Add 3 spoonfuls of the reserved zucchini cooking liquid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and dried mint and cook while stirring until browned, about 3 minutes. While stirring, add the garlic mixture to the yogurt and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Carefully drop the partially cooked zucchini in the yogurt sauce and continue cooking until completely done, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup pine nuts on top to garnish. Serve hot with vermicelli rice.
• Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Drop the vermicelli noodles into the pan and stir every few seconds until they are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a towel-lined plate.
• Bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the rice, noodles, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the sea salt. Stir together, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

BEID BI LAMOUN (EGG AND LEMON SOUP)

Steps:

• Make a rich chicken stock with leftover chicken bones or giblets.
• If it is not strong enough, add a stock cube.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the rice, pastina, or tapioca to the boiling stock and simmer until tender.
• Beat the egg yolks or whole eggs and add the lemon juice, beating constantly.
• Add a ladleful of the soup to the egg mixture and beat well.
• Pour this back into the pan slowly, still beating constantly.
• Keep the heat under the pan very low, and cook the soup gently, stirring all the time, until it thickens.
• On no account allow it to boil, or the eggs will curdle.
• Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice if necessary.
• Garnish, if you like, with chopped parsley or chives, and serve immediately.

BEID BI GEBNA MAQLI

Steps:

• Some people dip the slice of cheese in flour before frying it, but this is not really necessary.
• Fry the cheese in hot butter or oil. When it begins to melt, sprinkle with lemon juice if you like, and open the egg over it. Cook until the white sets. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper (taking into consideration the saltiness of the cheese), and serve piping hot.