Batheeth- No bake dates cookie

Another month with another challenge .Its time for a challenge in the MFB group .If you remember last month I had joined a fb group where the members would be assigned a challenge every month.Last month it was a blog and the participating recipe was this Hijazi almond coffee .This month it was an ingredient for the challenge.Dates were assigned for this months challenge .There are endless possibilities with dates and dates is one of my favourite dry fruits .

According to a hadith "The people in a house with out dates are in a state of hunger".

Date(s) is a super natural food.You can read the health benefits of dates here .The recipe I chose for today was on my to do list since famidha had posted on her blog .While I was googling for authentic Qatari food batheeth was mentioned as one of them .No wonder that the gulf states have some common dishes .Though Qatar is a gastronomic heaven and you are spoilt with choices  there are very few outlets that serve authentic Qatari cuisine .Souk waqif is one such destination where you can find a few options.So this recipe is a token of gratitude for the country(Qatar) which has been a home away from home and my nest for half of my life.

Hijazi Almond coffee

I have been part of a small like minded,food loving bloggers group on FB.Starting this month we would be doing a monthly theme challenge.As a part of the challenge for December we were assigned the blog Chef in disguise by the famous and talented blogger Sawsan .Sawsan is a doctor by profession and a blogger by passion .Her blog is a treasure house of some authentic middle eastern recipes.Her effort to preserve family recipes is phenomenal.I was introduced to her blog during the initial years of blogging through the daring bakers challenge which I unfortunately could not continue.The recipe which I selected for this months challenge is Hijazi almond coffee .Contrary to its name it is a zero caffeine drink with no traces of coffee.

Shakshuka |How to make shakshuka from scratch

Hello every one .Hope you all are doing well .After a holiday I am back to the grind.Hope you all have enjoyed the scheduled posts.Today's post is an Arabic classic breakfast - S H A K S H U K A.A tongue twister indeed.Shakshuka is one of the commonly available breakfast here apart from falafel ,hummus ,foul.

Falafel |How to make falafel from scratch

Falafel is a middle eastern snack often served with hummus.Falafel is the most common Street food available here. Falafel wrapped in pita bread makes an ideal grab on- the- go breakfast. Egyptian Falafel is made with fava beans where as in other middle eastern countries it is made with chickpeas.In fact when I landed in Qatar the first ever middle eastern food I had tasted was falafel. 

Tahini paste |How to make tahini sauce from scratch |home made tahini sauce

Tahini or tahini paste is quintessential part of middle eastern cuisine/Arabic cuisine .It is basically roasted sesame seeds ground with olive oil .It finds its place in dips ,hummus ,babaghanoush and as an accompaniment to falafel .

Hummus

After living for so many....... years in qatar.It has become a second home for us.A multilingual ,multicultural atmosphere brings in different cuisines of the world.Being a foodie family we enjoy every cuisine .Hummus.....is basically  a middle eastern delicacy(dip) made with chick peas ,a must in every arabic restuarant.For me its a healthy sustitute to calorie ladden .......mayonnaise.can be had with any thing  on a bread slice ,with pita bread ,or it really goes well with indian chapathi too......we had it wth turkish bread,and it was yumm......

when ever we have a buffet,we make sure to have it .Was on my to do list for a while  but missed it some how or the other.This time i tried it ,and Alhamdulillah ....it was a success.This is perhaps the easiest one to make with minimal ingredients and stays fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days  .The recipe is as follows.....

HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cup boiled chicpeas
• 1 big lemon
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil+for drizzling
• 1/4 cup tahina
• olives for garnish
• salt to taste

METHOD

1. De-skin the chick peas (a time consuming prep .....i know...but its worth it).
2. Chop garlic,juice the lemon.
3. In a blender add the chickpeas, garlic and blend it coarsely.
4. Now add the tahina and half the oil,continue blending.
5. Give astir and add the remaining,oil ,salt and lemon juice,blend it till smoooth.
6. Garnish with olives,drizzle with some generous olive oil,serve with bread of ur choice.

   

   HUMMUS

NOTES

1. You can use canned or homemade boiled chickpeas but the latter will give the best result.
2. Olive oil is a must .it cannot be substituted.
3. Use lemon to descretion.
4. U can add cilantro or parseley but I prefer it this way.