This Arabic dish is a favorite because its easy to prepare and healthy (a great source of calcium). It is usually served with rice but can also be served with bread. This is a vegetarian recipe but meat can also be included by adding 1 cup ground beef to the saucepan while frying the onion.
2 lbs baby okra (frozen or fresh) 1 small-medium onion 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 Tbsp coriander 2 cups water 1 cup tomato sauce Salt and pepper to taste
Sautee the onion in oil for about 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to boil over high heat. Change to low heat and cook for 25 minutes or until okra is tender.
Wheat Salad ("Tabouleh")
Another healthy and popular recipe is this easy one. It can be served with practically any Arabic dish or alone.
1/3 cup bulgur wheat 3 whole lemons juice 1 bunch mint fresh 2 clove garlic crushed 7 bunch parsley large bunches, 7 cups chopped 4 whole scallions both white and green parts sliced thin 3 whole tomatoes ripe, diced salt and black pepper to taste olive oil optional
Soak wheat in warm water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out excess water. Mix in the lemon juice, crushed garlic , salt and pepper. Set until wheat is soft (about 30 minutes.) Chop parsley and mint finely. Combine mint, parsley, scallions and tomatoes and bulgur mixture . Add olive oil and toss. Add lemon juice, salt or pepper as desired. Serve with romaine lettuce leaves which are used to scoop the salad (the way bread is used to scoop hummous.)
Cucumber Yogurt Salad
1/4 cup fresh mint 2 cups nonfat yogurt 2 whole, seedless cucumber garlic, 2 clove, minced salt to taste black pepper to taste 1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped 2 teaspoon olive oil
Peel the cucumbers and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Crush the garlic and and salt together to a paste. Stir the yogurt into the garlic paste. Add the cucumbers, pepper, mint, and parsley. Mix/toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving drizzle with the olive oil.Tear off pieces of the pita bread and use them to scoop up salad.
Most of the ingredients in the above recipes can be found in any grocery store. However some ingredients such as tahini (sesame) paste are a little more difficult to find. There are a few online Arabic stores where products like these can be bought, such as at Shamra.com For websites with great Arabic recipes go to Arab Gateway: Food and Recipes
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