Main Dishes

This was the special dish at our wedding lunch, and I am cooking it till today, my children love it....

INGREDIENTS

One whole Chicken (1 ½ kg) cut into 4 pcs (discard skin, keep bones), or Chicken breasts and thighs
2 cups White Rice, I use the Australian (SUNRICE), washed and drained
2 tbsp. raw Pine Nuts
2 tbsp. raw Cashew Nuts
2 tbsp. raw Almond Nuts (soak in hot water to peel and separate)
1 tsp. All Spice
1 ½ tsp. powdered Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
4 cups of Chicken Stock - Liquid Sauce

COOKING THE CHICKEN

Place chicken in a large pot, add water to cover it completely, add 1 tsp kosher salt and bring to a boil.
Skim the surface of the water as needed with a spoon to remove the scum as it rises.
Add to the chicken,1 small onion, 3 bay leaves, 2 sticks cinnamon, 1 loumi (loumi is a small dried lemon), and 1/2 tsp. crushed nutmeg. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked well for about one hour. Remove the cooked chicken from heat, once it has cooled enough to handle, shred into medium-sized pieces.

      
PREPARING THE CHICKEN WITH RICE

In a large pot fry with vegetable oil, pine nuts, cashews and almonds (each kind alone and remove to fry the other kind), later gather nuts into the same cooking pot. Top the nuts with the shredded chicken and add the seasoned rice with salt, cinnamon, and allspice over the shredded chicken. (be generous with the cinnamon).
Sieve the chicken stock and add 4 and a half warm cups of the sauce over the rice, place the pot uncovered on medium-high heat and as soon as it starts to boil, move it from high heat to the lowest on your stove then cover and reduce to minimum heat, cook for 20 to 30 minutes. When the water has fully evaporated and the rice is fully cooked, take the pot off the heat and leave covered until it cool. Let it cool down 10 to 15 minutes before flipping over to a serving dish.

Take a large serving platter, place it over the cooking pot, take a deep breath, and gently flip it upside down. Tap over the bottom of the pan and the upside-down chicken and rice will fall onto the plate, Carefully remove the cooking pot, VOILÀ!!! ..Here, it is, your final step to a tasty Chef-d'oeuvre

Note: 7 spices are a combination of cumin, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and paprika

A Lebanese recipe that is quite easy to make and the secret is in the marinade and is rather simple!!

INGREDIENTS

6 pieces of Chicken (breast or thigh, can be a mix of both)

1/2 cup Lemon juice

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1 whole Garlic head

1 tsp. Salt

3/4 tsp. 7 Spices

3/4 tsp. Cinnamon

METHOD

In a bowl, rub the raw chicken with a cup of vinegar and some ground cinnamon for a couple of minutes, this will help rid the chicken of any smell. Make cuts in chicken pieces (for the marinade to seep in).

Grind the garlic. In a bowl combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, 7 spices, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well. Place the chicken pieces and garlic sauce in a large bowl. Rub with your hands. Cover it with cling film before placing in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours.

Preheat the oven 350F degrees. Before you put inside in the oven add 1 cup of water to the marinated chicken to have more of the sauce after getting it cooked. Bake 15 min on each side. Check the chicken if it is cooked by using a fork and poking it to see if it is soft and browned enough. This is served with fried potatoes and salad  

.* For a healthier version of this recipe

Chicken breast is a leaner choice than the thighs but many people prefer the taste of chicken thighs. Either option can be healthy if you prepare it in the right way; Trim off any skin and visible fat and choose a healthy cooking method such as roasting, grilling…

Good source of Phosphorus, Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, B- Vitamins, Folate

This Lebanese oriental minced meat casserole, flavored with onions and parsley, nestled into a delicious lemony tahini sauce, makes a winning combination, and a special balanced dish!!!

INGREDIENTS

1 kg minced beef meat

2 small Onions

1 cup Parsley, chopped

1 tsp. Spice mix, 7 Baharat

½ tsp. Cinnamon powder

1 tsp. Salt

1 Egg

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

FOR THE TOPPING

4 large sliced Potatoes into rounds (medium thickness)

FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE

1 cup Tahini

1/2 cup Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Salt

4 cups of Water

PREPARATION

Peel the onions and chop them in a blender.

With the minced meat, egg and all spices and salt, mix well and pour in a bowl.

In a casserole dish or pan coated with vegetable oil, flatten out the kafta mixture with your hand.

Make small holes in the meat with your fingers, so that later the meat will absorb the sauce better and take up the flavors of the tahini.

Place the casserole on the stove and fry the kafta on medium heat and lightly brown it on both sides, then turn the kafta to the right side up.

Fry the sliced potatoes halfway, and arrange on top of the kafta.

Mix tahini sauce with lemon juice, salt, and water, add the water gradually as you keep mixing until it becomes lighter in consistency and lighter in color.

Pour the tahini lemon sauce over the kafta and potatoes until it is covered with the sauce.

Cook on a stove or in the oven for around 20 minutes.

The sauce will bubble and thickens while cooking, you can always add more water to keep enough sauce when serving.

Continue cooking until well done.

Enjoy sopping up the tahini sauce with pita bread.