arabian cook : Toasted Bread Salad 
A delicious Lebanese salad
containing toasted bread,
parsley, tomato and other
vegetables.
1/2 Lebanese round bread (pitta), toasted
3 medium firm tomatoes, washed and
chopped
3 slender cucumbers (250g\9 oz),
washedandchopped
3 medium radishes (250g\9 oz) (1 cup),
washedandchopped
4 spring onions, washed and coarsely
chopped
1 medium onion (1/4 cup), roughly
chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
2tablespoonsvinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 cup small purslane leaves
1/2teaspoongroundsumac
1/2 cup coarsely chopped sweet green
pepper
1 teaspoon salt
8 crisp cos (2 cups) lettuce leaves, torn
into bite size pieces
-------------------------------------------
Break toasted bread into small
pieces and keep aside.
Wash the chopped mint, parsley
and purslane, then drain well.
Mix crushed garlic with salt, oil,
vinegar, dried mint, lemon juice
and ground sumac and keep
aside.
Put all ingredients in a serving
bowl. Add toasted bread pieces
and dress with garlic mixture,
mix well.
Serve fattoush if you wish
garnished with additional
toasted bread.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Mixed Green Salad 
A nutritious salad.
1/2 kg (16 oz) red tomatoes, cubed
1/2 kg (16 oz) cucumbers, cut into
rounds
1/2 medium Cos lettuce, broken into
small pieces
1 green sweet pepper, coarsely
chopped
1 medium sized onion, coarsely
chopped
1/2 bunch purslane leaves, washed
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, washed
3 cloves garlic crushed with a dash of
salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate thickened
juice (optional)
1 teaspoon salt (as desired)
----------------------------------------
Put all vegetables in a bowl. Mix
garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt
and pomegranate juice. Add to
vegetables, toss well.
Serve immediately accompanied
by different dishes.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Cabbage and Tomato Salad 
Raw cabbage, either green or
white, makes an excellent salad.
1/2 medium sized cabbage
2 medium tomatoes, washed and sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice or 3 tablespoons
vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of
salt
1 teaspoon salt (as desired)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
----------------------------------------
Remove and discard the larger
leaves from the cabbage,
then cut it lengthwise into
quarters. Cut each quarter into
long, very thin strips. Wash and
drain.
Mix well garlic with salt, lemon
juice and oil.
In a salad bowl, mix the cabbage
strips with garlic mixture.
Garnish with tomato slices and
serve.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Cucumber and Yoghurt Salad 
A tasty refreshing salad, best
served with rice dishes.
500g (16 oz) cucumbers, diced
3 cups yoghurt
3 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of
salt
1 teaspoon salt (as desired)
1 teaspoon dried ground mint
1 cup water
------------------------------------
Blend well yoghurt and water till
consistent.
Add cucumber, garlic, salt and
mint. Blend well.
Serve cold.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Lima Beans Salad 
This appetizer is usually served
with main dishes.
2 cups Lima beans (soaked for 1 night)
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of
salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
---------------------------------
Wash beans and drain. Add
water to cover. Bring to a boil
over medium heat. Reduce heat
to low. Cover and simmer for 45
minutes or till tender.
Dressing: Mix well salt, garlic,
lemon juice, oil and parsley.
Drain beans and pour dressing
over.
Serve hot or cold.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Thyme Salad 
1 bunch thyme
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
-------------------------------------
Pick thyme leaves, wash well,
drain, squeeze with your hands.
Rub onion with salt well in a
bowl. Mix with lemon juice and
olive oil. Add to thyme and toss
well.
Serve accompanied by different
grilles.
Note: Adding 1 tablespoon of
pomegranate thickened juice to
this salad would give a special
taste.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Artichoke and Mushroom Salad 
A unique salad for artichoke
lovers.
500 g (16 oz) canned artichoke
500 g (16 oz) canned mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of
salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
a dash of olive oil
-------------------------------------
Wash canned ingredients. Place
in a bowl.
Mix garlic, lemon juice, olive oil,
and parsley in the bowl.
Serve accompanied by different
dishes.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Parsley Salad 
The most famous Lebanese salad,
made of: parsley, tomato, mint
and burghul.
1/4 cup burghul, fine cracked wheat
2 cups finely chopped parsley
1/2 kg (16 oz) firm red tomatoes,
washed and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt (as desired)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
a dash of all spice (as desired)
---------------------------------------
Wash chopped mint and parsley
then drain well.
Wash the burghul several times
and drain. Soak it in chopped
tomatoes for 20 minutes.
Rub chopped onion with salt.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add
olive oil and lemon juice, toss
the mixture well.
Serve Tabbouleh with crisp cos
lettuce leaves, or fresh cabbage
leaves.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Cocktail Drink 
A nutritious drink made from
fresh fruits.
¾ cup fresh strawberry juice
¾ cup mango juice
¾ cup guava or pineapple juice
¾ cup apple juice
2 small bananas, cut each into 8 pieces
4 small peach slices
4 strawberries, washed
4 tbls honey
¼ cup fresh milk
¼ cup blanched and ground almonds
¼ cup ground pistachio nuts
4 tbls fresh cream
2 pineapple slices, chopped into16
pieces
2 tsp sugar (as desired)
-------------------------------------
Place strawberry, mango, guava
and apple juices in a blender.
Blend in milk, honey, sugar,
almonds, and pistachio nuts.
Prepare 4 cups. Add to each
cup 4 pieces of banana, 1 slice
of peach, and 4 pieces of
pineapple.
Pour fruit juices mixture in
glasses. Garnish with 1 tbls of
cream and 1 strawberry.
Serve cold.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Banana and Milk Juice 
A delicious and easy way to
prepare juice.
3 bananas
1 cup fresh cold milk
¼ cup strawberry juice
¼ cup sugar or honey (as desired)
----------------------------------
Mash banana in a food
processor.
Stir in milk, sugar, and
strawberry juice.
Serve it in the mornings to your
children.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Hot Almond Drink 
Hot Almond Drink
2 tbls clarified butter (shortening)
2 tbls flour
1 cup ground almonds
2½ cups milk
2 tbls sugar
------------------------------
Fry flour in clarified butter in a
pot over moderate heat.
Stir in almonds, milk and sugar,
stirring constantly, until it boils.
Serve hot.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Strawberry Juice 
A delicious quenching juice for
hot summer days.
1 kg (32 oz) strawberry
½ cup sugar (as desired)
1 cup water
---------------------------------------
Remove the green stems from
the strawberries. Wash well.
Drain.
Mash strawberries using a food
processor. Stir in sugar and
water.
Serve cold with biscuits.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Pomegranate Juice 
A refreshing juice suitable for
summer days
2 kg (64 oz) sweet pomegranate
1 cup sugar (as desired)
½ cup water
1 tbls rose water or orange blossom
water (as desired)
----------------------------
Peel pomegranate. Process
pomegranate seeds using a
food processor. Strain.
Stir in sugar, water, and rose
water.
Serve cold beside sweets.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Guava Juice 
A nutritious and delicious juice
suitable for summer days.
1 kg (32 oz) guava
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups water
-------------------------------
Wash and peel the guava.
Process using a food processor.
Stir in sugar and water. Strain
well.
Serve cold.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Raisin Drink 
A special drink usually served in
the holy month of Ramadan.
½ kg (16 oz) raisins (seedless)
1 cup sugar
2 medium lemons, peeled and sliced
¼ cup lemon juice
10 cups water
---------------------------------
Grind raisins. Add lemon juice,
lemon slices, sugar and water.
Place mixture over moderate
heat for 20 minutes. Remove
from heat. Place aside until cool.
Pour in sterilized jar. Refrigerate.
Stir twice a day for 3 days.
Strain through a sieve set over a
bowl. Serve garnished with pine
nuts and pistachio nuts.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Lentil Soup 
1 cup brown lentils
2 tbls rice
6 cups water
½ tspn salt
½ tspn ground cumin
¼ tspn ground allspice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tbls shortening or butter or vegetable
oil
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pitta, toasted and cut into cubes
---------------------------------------
Wash lentils and rice well. Place
in a pot with water. Bring to a
boil. Cover and simmer gently
for about 1 1/2 hour.
Transfer the soup to a food
processor or blender. Add 1 cup
of water and blend well.
Put mixture in the pot. Simmer
over low heat. Add allspice,
cumin and salt.
Fry chopped onion till soft. Add
to lentil mixture. Bring the
mixture to a boil for 10 minutes.
Add chopped parsley. Serve
soup with toasted bread and
lemon wedges.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Tomato Soup 
A well known soup in the Arab
world.
400 g (14oz) lean meat, minced
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup broken vermicelli
½ kg (16 oz) soft red tomatoes, washed
and squeezed
1 tspn salt
½ tspn ground allspice
2 tbls butter
4 cups water
-------------------------------------
Mix meat with half the amount of
salt and allspice. Divide into
small balls.
Fry meat with shortening over
medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add water, tomato juice, salt and
allspice to meat and cook for 30
minutes or till tender.
When it boils, add vermicelli,
and simmer for 15 minutes. Add
parsley and simmer for 1 minute.
Serve it hot.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Spinach with Fried Kibbi Balls Soup 
Fry onion with shortening until
soft. Stir in spinach.
Place water in a pot. Add
spinach mixture and spices.
Stir mixture occasionally until it
boils. Add rice. Cook for 15
minutes.
Fry garlic and parsley with
shortening for 5 minutes. Add to
soup.
Add kibbi balls to soup. Cook
for 5 minutes. Remove from
heat. Serve hot.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Chicken Soup 
It is one of the hearty world
known soups. All soups keep
well, under refrigeration. They
retain their full flavor when
reheated.
1 kg (32 oz) chicken, cut into 4 pieces
½ cup broken vermicelli
1 medium sized onion, peeled
2 tbls chopped celery or chopped fresh
parsley
2 tbls shortening or butter
½ tbls salt (as desired)
2 ½ litres(10 cups) water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cardamom pod -1 clove -1 nutmeg
------------------------------------
Fry chicken in shortening for 7
minutes. Add 2 ½ liters of water,
onion and solid spices and cook
over medium heat for 40
minutes, or till tender.
Remove skin and bones from
chicken pieces and cut meat
into small cubes. Strain stock.
Return cubes to stock.
Add celery, vermicelli and salt to
stock and bring to a boil.
Simmer over low heat for 20
minutes. Serve hot.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Vegetable Soup 
This soup has a variety of
vegetables, added to either
meat or chicken. It can be
served as an appetizer or a
light meal.
½ kg (16 oz)chicken or cubed stew
lamb meat
1 kg (32 oz) red ripe tomatoes, peeled
and finely chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup cubed zucchini
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 medium sized onion, peeled
½ cup roughly chopped string beans
½ tbls salt (as desired)
¼ tspn ground black pepper
2 tbls butter
¼ cup rice
2 ½ litres (10 cups) water
----------------------------------
Fry meat in butter until brown.
Add meat with onion, spices and
salt to a pot filled with water.
Cover and simmer for 2 hours or
till tender.
Add vegetables and rice to meat.
Cover and cook on medium heat
for 30 minutes.
Add parsley. Remove from heat.
Serve with main dishes with
toasted bread.
Note: If you choose chicken,
cook it for 40 minutes then
remove bones.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Kapse Sauce 
2 cups meat stock
1 large onion, peeled and finely
chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled and finely
chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tbls tomato paste
¼ cup chopped celery
1 tspn salt (as desired)
1 tspn cinnamon
2 tbls shortening
--------------------------------------------
Fry onion, garlic and tomato in
shortening. Add tomato paste,
salt, cinnamon and meat stock.
Cook mixture on medium heat.
When it thickens, add celery.
Serve sauce beside the Kapse
platter.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Saudi Arabian Rice and Meat
arabian cook : Saudi Arabian Rice and Meat 
Kapsé, is a Saudi Arabian main
meal.
2 ½ kg (80 oz) lamb leg or shoulder
meat, large cubes
4 cups long grain rice
½ kg (16 oz) carrots, peeled and finely
chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and finely
chopped
½ kg (16 oz) green peas
1 kg (32 oz) red tomatoes, peeled and
chopped
1 kg (32 oz) finely chopped onion
1 medium sized garlic head, peeled
and crushed
½ tspn ground saffron
¼ tspn ground cardamom
½ tspn ground cinnamon
½ tspn ground allspice
¼ tspn ground white pepper
1 tbls salt
shortening for frying
Fried almonds and pine nuts for
garnishing
---------------------------------------
Fry meat pieces till brown from
both sides. Cover with water,
bring to a boil then cook gently
over medium heat for 2 hours or
till tender. Reserve stock.
Soak rice for 15 minutes. Drain,
wash well, then drain again.
Add shortening to a pot, fry on
medium heat all ingredients
except rice and meat. Cook on
low heat for about 10 minutes,
or until tender.
Add rice to vegetables in pot,
stir fry for 4 minutes on medium
heat. Add stock meat until stock
covers rice. Cover pot. Cook on
low heat for 30 minutes or until
tender.
Serve rice in a large platter.
Garnish with meat, almonds, and
pine nuts.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Overturned Eggplant 
Casseroles are ideal for the
cook who likes to entertain,
because they usually demand a
minimum of last-minute
attention and can be assembled
in advance.
2 cups long grain rice, washed and
drained
½ kg (16 oz) minced meat
1 medium onion, peeled and finely
chopped
1 kg (32 oz) medium round eggplants
2 tbls shortening or butter (for frying
meat and onion)
4 cups vegetable oil (for frying
eggplants)
½ cup fried pinenuts and almonds
¼ tspn ground allspice
¼ tspn ground cinnamon
¼ tspn ground black pepper
4 cups water
---------------------------------------
Peel eggplants. Chop lengthwise
into 1 cm thick slices. Sprinkle
some salt over eggplants and
leave aside for 1 hour. Fry
eggplants in oil, remove and
drain on absorbant paper.
Sauté onion with shortening
until transparent over medium
heat. Stir in meat, salt, and
spices. Cook until meat is brown
and tender.
Arrange in layers in a pot: ¼
quantity meat, eggplants,
remaining meat and rice. Add
gradually water.
Place pot over moderate heat.
Boil for 5 minutes. Lower heat
and cook for 20 minutes or until
water evaporates. Turn over pot
into a large plate (larger than
pot).
Sprinkle fried pine nuts and fried
almonds on top of the
eggplants. Serve hot
accompanied with yoghurt and salads.
Quotation...
الجمال,الصحة و التغذية: Rice with Vegetables 
It is a side-dish, served with fish
or meat.
2cups long grain rice
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
300 g (10 oz) minced meat
½ cup blanched and fried almonds
4 cups chicken or meat stock (or
water)
2 tbls shortening (butter)
Salt (as desired)
a dash of cinnamon and pepper
-------------------------------------
Place shortening in a pot over
medium heat, fry minced meat
with spices until tender, then
add carrots till soft.
Add peas, salt and stock. Bring
to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes.
Add rice and cover. Cook for 5
minutes. Reduce heat to low and
cook for another 20 minutes.
Serve garnished with almonds.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Biryani Rice 
A Saudi classic, perfect for
lunches, buffets, and suppers
alike.
½ kg (16 oz) shoulder meat, cubed
2 cups long grain rice
(Basmati),washed
¾ cup chopped onion
2 tbls shortening or butter
¼ tspn saffron threads, soaked in ¼
cup of water
1 tspn ground dried coriander
1 tspn ground cinnamon
1 tspn ground ginger
1 tspn cumin seeds
4 cups chicken stock
salt (as desired)
2 bay leaves
¼ tspn ground clove
½ tspn ground nutmeg
½ cup finely chopped fresh coriander
2 tbls butter
½ cup fried onion rings, for garnish
60 g (2 oz) roasted cashew nuts
½ cup seeded raisins
-------------------------------------------
Heat shortening in a pot over
low heat. Stir in onions until
golden.
Stir in meat. Add coriander
(dried and fresh), bay leaves,
and spices (except saffron). Stir
until meat becomes golden.
Remove bay leaves. Add salt,
saffron, chicken stock, and rice
to the same pot (stock level
should be 5 cm higher than rice
level). Add butter. Cover pot.
Cook over low heat until tender
(and water evaporates).
Mix mixture with a spoon. To
serve, line a large serving platter
with rice-meat mixture, sprinkle
fried onion rings, cashew nuts
and sultanas. Serve hot
Quotation...
arabian cook : Prawns and Rice 
Another delicious Saudi Arabian
main meal.
½ kg (16 oz) uncooked prawns,
cleaned
2 cups long grain rice, washed and
drained
¼ cup frozen green peas
¼ cup finely chopped carrots
1 tspn salt
¼ tspn ground saffron
1 tspn grated green ginger or ¼ tspn
ground dried ginger
¼ tspn ground piquant pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of
salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
-----------------------------------
Fry prawns in oil for 5 minutes
over high heat. Remove from
heat and put on absorbent
paper. Add all ingredients except
rice to pot, stirring constantly for
2 minutes.
Add 1 liter water and bring to a
boil for 10 minutes over
moderate heat.
Add rice and see that water is
covering mixture. If not, add
some.
Cook for 15 minutes then lower
heat, cook for another 10
minutes until rice is cooked. Stir
in prawns until cooked.
Serve hot with sesame paste
dip.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Chicken with Rice 
A main meal of chicken and rice.
1 chicken, about 1 ½ kg(48 oz)
2 cups long grain rice
400 g (14 oz) minced meat
¼ cup fried pine nuts
½ cup fried almonds
2 medium sized onions (1 whole, 1
finely chopped)
¼ cup vegetable oil and butter mixture
1 tspn ground cinnamon
2 tspn salt (as desired)
a dash of ground allspice
2 tbls butter
1 cup canned mushrooms (as desired)
1 cardamom pod, 1 nutmeg, 1 clove
2 cinnamon stalks
---------------------------------------------
Wash the chicken well and cut
into 4 pieces.
Fry chicken pieces in oil and
butter mixture until golden from
both sides.
Put it in a deep, heavy pan and
add to it one peeled onion with 1
tspn of salt, cardamom pod,
clove, nutmeg and cinnamon
sticks.
Add 1 ½ liters of water, cover
and cook over medium heat for
30 minutes. Reserve stock.
Fry finely chopped onions in
butter, keep stirring till soft and
golden.
Add minced meat, allspice,
cinnamon, and salt to chopped
onions and fry for 10 minutes
over medium heat.
Wash rice and drain, then add to
meat and onion. Stir
occasionally over low heat for 3
minutes.
Add 4 cups of boiling chicken stock to the rice, add
mushrooms and cover. Cook rice over high heat for
5 minutes. Lower heat to low and cook for 20
minutes.
Pile rice onto large platter with chicken pieces in
center and spread over nuts.
Serve hot with cucumber mixed with yoghurt and
salad.
Note: You can use brown rice in this recipe.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Thyme Pastries 
One of the most famous
Lebanease pastries.
½ quantity basic dough recipe (exclude
oil and add 1 tspn yeast dissolved in ¼
cup of water)
6 tbls thyme (zahtar)
½ cup olive oil
--------------------------------------
Set oven at (250°C).
Divide dough into rounds. Cover
with cloth for 15 minutes. Roll
out each round to medium
thickness (8 cm diameter) on
floured board.
Place rounds on greased baking
sheet. Mix zahtar and oil
together. Spread mixture evenly
over the rounds. Bake for 15
minutes in a moderately hot
oven (180°C).
Serve for breakfast or for a
snack.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Meat Pastries 
One of the most famous Lebanese
savoury pastries.
Dough, same recipe ( exclude oil and
add 1 tspn yeast dissolved in ¼ cup
water)
½ kg (16 oz) ground lamb meat
1 kg (32 oz) firm tomatoes, finely
chopped
5 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tspn salt
a dash of: ground cayenne red pepper,
ground cinnamon, and ground allspice
2 tbls butter, diced
2 tbls yoghurt
1 tbls sesame paste (Tahinah)
1 tbls pomegranate thickened juice (if
available)
4 tbls fried pine nuts
-------------------------------------------
Mix well meat, tomatoes, onion
and spices. Add yoghurt,
sesame paste and pomegranate.
Mix all with fried pine nuts. Add
butter.
Divide dough into walnut size
balls. Roll between hand palms
to smooth.
Roll out balls with a rolling pin to
form 8 cm diameter circles. Put
one tbls of meat mixture on
dough circle seeing that a cube
is in each spoon.
Bring the edges up and press to
make a square.
Arrange meat pastries in a tray
brushed with butter. Bake in a
moderate heat oven (180° C) for
30 minutes or till dough is
golden and meat is cooked.
Serve hot with yoghurt.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Meat Pastry Rolls 
Delicious meat pastries.
3 cups all purpose (plain) flour
1 egg
1 tspn salt
¾ cup water
4 cups vegetable oil
400 g (14 oz) finely minced meat
3 onions, finely chopped
1 tspn salt
a dash of Lebanese ground 7 spices
2 tbls shortening or butter
2 tbls fried pine nuts
1 tbls ground sumac
1 tbls pomegranate thickened juice (if
available)
---------------------------------------------------
Mix flour, egg, salt, and water.
Knead well, until dough is firm.
Put vegetable oil in a deep tray.
Divide dough into small balls
(walnut size). Put them in the
tray and make sure they are
covered with oil. Cover with a
piece of texture and leave aside
for 4 hours.
Fry onion in shortening until
golden. Add minced meat,
allspice and salt and fry over
medium heat for 15 minutes.
Stir, fried pine nuts, sumac, and
pomegranate juice into meat.
Preheat oven (200°C ) for half an
hour before you put the
pastries.
Put one dough ball on an oiled
board and spread it using your
finger-tips to form a very thin
rectangle.
Fold to form half a rectangle,
then fold from right to left.
Place 1 tbls of filling across one
side of the squares.
Fold the other side to cover filling, and press to
close.
Arrange in an oven tray. Bake at (200°C) for 30
minutes.
Serve hot or cold with yoghurt or salads.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Spinach Pies 
An enrgetic appetizer.
5 cups all purpose (plain) flour
1 tbls sugar
1 tbls salt
1 ½ cups of water
¾ cup vegetable oil
1½ kg (48 oz) fresh spinach
½ cup lemon juice
3 large onions, finely chopped
1 tspn salt
1 pinch of ground black pepper
2 tbls ground sumac (as desired)
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tbls pomegranate thickened juice (as
desired)
-------------------------------------------
Prepare dough. Leave aside
and cover for an hour to rise.
Make sure dough doubles in
volume.
Filling: Remove roots and yellow
leaves from spinach. Chop finely
then wash well and drain, rub
with ½ tspn salt. Drain spinach
again with your hands to dry.
Mash the onions with remaining
salt. Add pepper and sumac.
Add spinach to onion, then mix
in oil and pomegranate. Put
aside.
Roll out dough using a rolling
pin till dough is as thin as
possible (5 mm). Invert a tea cup
on dough and press to have
equal circles.
Place a tbls of spinach filling on
each piece.
Bring up sides at 3 points to
form a triangular shape.
Press edges firmly with
fingertips to seal completely (put
flour on finger tips tohelp seal).
Place pies on oiled baking sheets. Bake in a
moderately hot oven (200° C) for 30 minutes.
Note: You can substitute spinach with unchopped
purslane leaves.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Meat Pastries in Yoghurt 
A Lebanese main meal, delicious
and nutritious.
2 kg (64 oz) cooked yoghurt
½ quantity of basic dough recipe
3 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of
salt
1 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
½ kg (16 oz) ground meat
3 medium sized onions, finely chopped
¼ cup fried pine nuts
1 tspn salt
¼ tspn ground allspice
¼ tspn ground cinnamon
2 tbls shortening or butter
-------------------------------------------------
Roll out dough with a rolling pin
to about 1 cm thickness.
Turn a coffee cup over, press
over dough to get equal rounds.
Fry onion in shortening till color
changes a little. Add meat, salt,
allspice and cinnamon. Stir
occasionally and fry for 10
minutes.
Add pine nuts. Mix. Drain the
mixture, butter would affect
closing pastries.
Spread the round a little with
your fingers. Place 1 tspn of the
filling on it.
Fold over one end to make a
semi-circle. Press edges down
to seal.
Take the two ends from the
straight side, bring them
together to make a small ring.
Press well. Repeat till rounds are
done.
Place in a tray in a hot oven
(200- 250°C) for 10 minutes or
until golden. Add to boiling
cooked yoghurt one by one. Let it boil over low heat
for 10 minutes or till pastries are cooked.
Fry with shortening coriander and garlic. Add to
cooked yoghurt mixture. Cook
another 2 minutes.
Serve hot or cold with cooked rice.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Meat-Cheese-Leek Pastries 
Sambusik is usually served as an
appetizer. It is an important
part of meals in the Gulf.
5 cups all purpose plain flour
1 ½ cups lukewarm water
2 tbls salt
2 tbls sugar
vegetable oil for deep frying
1 cup oil
Cheese Filling :
425 g (14 oz) white cheese (Ikawi
Altishiki)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ tspn ground cayenne pepper
Meat Filling :
300 g (10 oz) ground meat
1 tbls shortening or butter
¼ cup fried pine nuts
a dash of ground allspice
¼ tspn salt
Leek Filling :
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 tbls shortening or butter
1 cup finely chopped leek
¼ tspn salt
a dash of pepper
--------------------------------------------
Soak white cheese in water for
1 night. Change water
occasionally. Drain.
Prepare dough.
Cover and leave aside for 1 hour.
Cheese filling: Mix ingredients and put
aside.
Meat filling: Fry meat in shortening, add
salt, spices and pine nuts. Stir over
medium heat for 1 minute. Put aside.
Leek filling: Fry onion and leek in
shortening. Add salt and pepper. Stir for 1
minute. Put aside.
Divide dough into walnut-size balls. Roll out
to form circles (8 cm diameter).
Fill 1/3 circles with cheese, another 1/3
with meat and the last 1/3 with leek
following this way: Put filling on one side of
circle.
Fold over one end to make semi-circles.
Press edges with fingers.
Fry in 1 cup of vegetable oil over medium
heat. Brown both sides.
Serve hot.
Note: You can add ¼ cup of chopped onion to meat filling.
You will get 25 pieces of every kind.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Vegetable Rolls 
You can freeze these rolls,
defrost and fry before serving.
8 filo pastries
1 cup grated carrots
¾ cup grated onions
1 cup thin cabbage strips
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
¼ tspn salt
----------------------------------------
Spread filo pastries, cut each in
half in order to get 16 peices.
Fry all ingredients in ¼ cup of oil
for 5 minutes over low heat. Stir.
Remove and put aside.
Put some vegetable mixture on
the smooth side of each filo.
Fold sides and roll neatly. Fry in
hot oil over medium heat till
golden-brown.
Serve hot.
Quotation...
arabian cook : Cheese Cigars 
Loved by children and adults at
all times.
8 sheets filo pastry
350 g (12 oz) white cheese, (alikawi
altishiki) grated
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 egg beaten with a dash of white
pepper
1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
---------------------------------------
Soak white cheese in water for 1
night. Change water
occasionally. Drain.
Spread filo pastries. Cut in half.
Place semi-circles over each
other. Cut in half in order to get
triangles.
Filling: Mix all ingredients except
the vegetable oil.
Put some of the filling in center
of the smooth side of filo
pastries. Fold sides and roll
neatly. Brush side with some
flour dissolved in ¼ cup of water
to seal.
Fry in hot oil until golden. Serve
hot with main dishes.
Quotation...