Directions:

1.) Collect a chicken carcass, giblets, and bones to make a rich stock. The giblets must be very fresh, and the bones and carcass those of a chicken prepared the same day, otherwise any meat on them will be hard and dry, and the marrow in the bones very stale. Crack the bones slightly to release more flavor.
2.) There are two ways of preparing this soup. The stock can be made beforehand and strained through a fine sieve, the vegetables then being cooked in the clear broth. However, I usually cook all the ingredients together in the following manner.
3.) Put the carcass, bones, and giblets in a large pan. Add the celery and, if you like, sliced leeks. (The basic recipe is made with celery only.) Add the slivered garlic and cover with about 9 cups water.
4.) Bring to the boil and skim the scum off the surface. Season with salt and pepper, and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the pan.
5.) Simmer gently for about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the heat and discard all the bones, leaving only pieces of chicken in the broth.
6.) Add the zucchini, if using them, and cook for 15 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice if necessary. The soup should have a distinctly lemony tang. It is this and the taste of garlic which give it an Oriental flavor
7.) Add cooked rice just before serving so as not to give it time to become sodden and mushy.

Serves 6.

From "A Book of Middle Eastern Food" by Claudia Roden

Kosheree (Egyptian Lentils)

Ingredients:

Directions:

1.) Place lentils in a saucepan and cover by 1".
2.) Turn heat to high, bring to a boil.
3.) Turn down heat to simmer, and cook covered for 35 minutes or until tender.
4.) Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
5.) Bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
6.) Add rice and turn down to simmer for 20 minutes.
7.) Fluff rice with a fork and add to lentils.
8.) Boil 2 quarts of water, add elbow macaroni and cook until tender. Add to lentils.
9.) In a small skillet add 1 TBS oil and sauté finely chopped peppers for 2 minutes.
10.) Add the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of water, and the vinegar, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
11.) In another skillet heat 2 TBS oil, add onions and sauté until brown around the edges.
12.) Garnish lentil mixture with the onions and pour the tomato sauce over all.
13.) Serve immeadiately.

Sweet Egyptian Couscous Dessert

After first steaming, rub well into grains:

After second steaming combine couscous with:

Mound on serving platter and sprinkle with mixture of:

Surround with:

Sprinkle with:

Serves 6.

From "Middle Eastern Cookery" by Eva Zane

Morocco

Moroccan Tea

Ingredients:

Directions:

1.) Rinse a 4-cup teapot with boiling water.
2.) Add to the pot all of the ingredients.
3.) Cover with 4 cups of boiling water.
4.) Allow tea to steep at least 3 minutes. Stir slightly and correct for sweetness.
5.) Serve hot in glasses.

Variation: Add fresh orange blossoms to the pot before pouring in the boiling water.

Serves 6.

From "Middle Eastern Cookery" by Eva Zane

Moroccan Meat

Ingredients:

Directions:

1.) Mix meat chunks, 1/4 cup almonds, dashes each of salt, pepper and safron, onions and green corriander - tied together to make it easier for removing after cooking.
2.) Add 2 tablespoons shortening and fry till brown. Add water to cover the mixture. Cover pan and cook over medium heat till meat is tender. Remove the green corriander and let cook on low heat till liquid is absorbed.
3.) Serve meat mixture and decorate face with sliced eggs and almonds. Serve aside a bowl of plain yogurt and green salad.

From "One Thousand And One Delights" by Nahda Salah

Palistine

Banana Loaf

Ingredients:

Directions:

1.) Cream the butter and sugar, beat egg yolks for 5 minutes and add to the butter mixture.
2.) Add milk and then the flour.
3.) Stir well and add the bananas (mashed) and banana essence.
4.) Beat egg whites stiffly and fold in.
5.) Bake at 350° F. - Regulo 3, for 1 hour and serve cold, sliced and spread with a little butter.

From "Arab World Cook Book" by Nahda Salah

Saudi Arabia

Aroz Saudi (Saudi Rice)

Ingredients:

Directions:

1.) Brown meat, with one TBS butter, from all sides.
2.) Add seasoning to meat and stir. Pour three c boiling water over. Cover and let cook for one hour on a medium high heat, until meat is done. Measure the broth left in a measuring cup. Add water to have 3 c liquid.
3.) Stir onions and garlic with 1/2 TBS hot melted butter, till slightly brown.
4.) Add the meat and the liquid to the onion mixture. Stir tomato paste over. Let boil bfore adding the rice and raisins.
5.) Cover pan and reduce heat to low, putting a thin layer of tin under the pan to prevent the rice from burning.
6.) Let cook for 30 minutes. Open the pan and stir just the top layer. See if rice is cooked. You may need to cook, covered, a few minutes longer.
7.) Serve and garnish with meat and nuts.
8.) Serve with plain yogurt and mixed green salad.

From "One Thousand And One Delights" by Nahda Salah