Fig Jam مربة التين

Every year, in mid August, I purchase a few pounds of figs to consume or make jam. I prefer the light colored figs like yellow or light purple. I do not chop the figs, but cook them whole. That way you can eat the whole candied fig as a piece of candy, on a toast, or serve it on top of vanilla ice cream; very delicious! Here is my easy recipe:

1 pound whole figs, rinsed

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

3 whole pods of cardamom

Juice of one lemon

Place the figs in a deep pot and sprinkle the sugar on top.  Put the pot on the burner on medium heat. When it starts to boil reduce the heat to low. Cook uncovered. Drop in the cardamom pods and pour the lemon juice and stir.

Make sure to skim off the foam that develops on top. Do not add any water. The figs will cook in their own juices. Leave them to cook for 45 -60 minutes until the juices reduce to syrup. Remove the pot from heat to cool. Arrange the figs in a sterilized mason jar and pour the syrup over. Seal it, and store in the refrigerator.  It will keep for a few months.

Note: When the syrup is light and watery, the jam will not keep long and will develop mold on top. Make sure to cook the jam long enough to reduce the juices to a thick syrup.

Enjoy

Stuffed Grape Leaves-Vegetarian ورق عنب ملفوف ونباتية

Every family has its own stuffed grape leaves recipe. My mother always cooked it during Lent, but you can cook it and serve it at a room temperature as an appetizer or for picnics. It could last a few days in the refrigerator. 
If you are using fresh grape leaves from your garden, make sure to rinse them and put them in a bowl of hot water to wilt for 10 minutes. Drain them in the colander, and rinse them in cold water.

If you are using the grape leaves from a jar, remove leaves from the jar and rinse them and put in colander to drain.

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Arabian spice (combination of allspice, cinnamon and black pepper)

1 medium tomato, chopped

½ cup chopped dill weed (optional)

½ cup frozen peas

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup pine nuts

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup white rice

Juice of 2 lemons

In a skillet, heat oil and sauté the onions and garlic. Add salt and spices. Add chopped tomatoes, dill, and peas and stir. Add rice, pine nuts, raisins and tomato sauce and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. (You can prepare filling the day before).

Remove the grape leaves from the jar, rinse them and put in a colander to drain. Arrange the leaves the top side down on the cutting board and spoon a tablespoon of the filling on the stem side of the leaf. Roll the leaf over the filling. Turn the sides of the leaf towards the center, and roll the leaf to the end.

Arrange in a deep pan. Pour 1 ½ cup of water and lemon juice over the grape leaves.  Place a heat proof plate on top of the leaves to keep them submerged while cooking. Bring to a boil covered, and reduce heat to a medium. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the rice grains are cooked.

Bulgur with Mushrooms

 I listed Arabian spice in this recipe. It is called Seven Spices or Syrian Spice too. You can find it in the Middle Eastern grocery stores, or purchase it online from this website (www.nutsonline.com). It is very aromatic and you can use it instead of plain ground black pepper.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup onions, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Arabian Spice

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

½ sup water

1 ½ cup coarse bulgur (no.3 or 4)

In a pot, bring water to a boil and drop the bulgur. Turn off the heat and leave it in the hot water to soften for 10 minutes.

Pour the oil in another pot and sauté the onions. Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and spices. Stir for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil.

Strain the bulgur in the colander, and add it to the mushroom. Stir until well coated. Cover, the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce is absorbed by the bulgur. Check it needs more salt.

Serve it with chopped scallions, sliced pickles and tomatoes. It tastes even better at a room temperature.

Eggplant with Tomatoes

Eggplant with Tomatoes

1 large eggplant, sliced
1 large onion, sliced crosswise
1 tomato sliced
1 green pepper, sliced (optional)
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Arabian spices (combination of cinnamon, allspice, black pepper)
1 cup water
Rmove the stem of the eggplant. Peel the eggplant lengthwise in 1 inch strips. Cut the eggplant crosswise or lengthwise in ½ inch slices. Place the eggplant slices in the colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave in the sink to drain for 30 minutes.
Remove the eggplants from the colander, and dry with paper towel. Place in a bowl and drizzle olive oil over them. Arrange them on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler for 7 minutes. Turn the eggplant slices to the other side and broil until lightly browned.
Heat oil in a deep pan and sauté the onion, and add the green pepper, and sliced tomatoes. Add water and simmer for 10 minutes. Arrange the eggplant slices over the vegetables. Pour the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle salt and spices. Bring to boil; reduce heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Check if it needs more water or salt.
Serve it with plain white rice or Bulgur pilaf