Labneh and other delights

I have developed some taste buds for Middle Eastern cuisine.  Favourite choices are meze dishes - appetizers to be savoured on outdoor patios, watching the world go by.  Meze consists of such exotic names like mutabbal or babaghanoush (an eggplant mash mixed with tajine, lemon juice, and garlic), kibbeh and kofte - spiced and minced meat dishes, labneh - the best of all yoghurts, shanklish - a choice of cheeses from sheep and cows, muhammara - a hot pepper dip with ground walnuts, breadcrumbs and seasoning, and fattoush - a garden vegetable salad with toasted pieces of pita bread.  Of course, there is always hummus.

Simple casserole dishes cooked to perfection in clay pots over coals are just delicious entrees - you are given a wide range of meats to choose from - beef, lamb, goat and camel.  Have to say though, that we never developed a taste for anything other than beef or lamb.  The seasoning is quite different from what we are used to - cardamom, cumin and cinnamon blends added some distinct flavour to the dishes.  Fish dishes are plentiful and always a favourite - best fish in the Gulf - for me at least - hammour, sherry, and lots and lots of shrimp.

My favourite drink: mint lemonade - but not the way we know it - I now prefer the Arabic version that blends mint leaves with the lemonade - the coolest drink on a scorching day.

And I haven't even talked about my all-time favourite - Arabian sweets - I always made room for them - probably why I never lose any weight out here.  They are very sweet so at least you don't eat too many at once, but wow! are they tasty. They usually consist of puff pastry, honey, pistachios, almonds, dates and pine nuts.  Mmmm.    I also like the hot desserts, particularly Um Ali - a kind of Arab-style bread pudding.

Here are some recipes I found:

Mint Lemonade:

2 bunches of fresh mint leaves
1 cup of granulated sugar
5 medium lemons, juiced without seeds
2 1/2 cups of cold water (plus one more if too sweet per your taste)

Directions:

Remove the stems from the mint leaves.
Wash the leaves and press them down into a 1/2 cup measure.
You should have enough leaves to fill the cup.
Place the mint leaves, sugar, and lemon juice in a blender and blend. Strain the mint mixture through a fine sieve and place in a large pitcher.
Add 2-1/2 cups of cold water, and ice if desired.
Stir well.
Chill and serve in cold or chilled glasses garnished with additional mint leaves or a slice of lemon.
If this is too sweet for your taste, add an extra cup of water.

Labneh is strained yogurt and has a cheeselike consistency. It makes a great alternative to sour or cream cheese. Spread it on bread, bagels, or fresh pita.  I will have to find a way of making this myself if I can't find it in the stores back home:

Labneh Ingredients:

• 3 cups plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt and salt.

Place mixture in the middle of large cheesecloth. Bring the sides of the cheesecloth together, making a pouch. Tie the "pouch" with string or twist tie.

Hang in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours with a bowl underneath to catch the whey. You can tie the pouch to a rack in the refrigerator and place a bowl on the shelf below to

Um Ali Dessert:

Ingredients:	Serves 6
- 3 croissant ( 5 if using small or medium size)	- 5 cups milk
- 6 to 7 tablespoons sugar (for the milk)	- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon corn flour	- 1 1/2 cup mixed nuts + raisins
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder	- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar or to tastes (for the    heavy cream)

 
Method:

1- Cut the croissants in halves and distribute them in your baking pan.
2- In a different pan add milk sugar and cinnamon and bring it to a boil.
3- Pour half the milk on the croissant and wait for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rest of the milk and     again wait for 5 minutes (depending on the croissant, you might need to add more milk). the     croissant absorbs lot of milk, and by giving it time to absorb the milk you'll know if more milk     is needed. Milk should be at least 3 inch above the croissant.**
4- Sprinkle your mixed nuts on top of the croissant.
5- Mix the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla and pour it on top of the croissant.
6- Since we only need the surface to have a light brown color, place the baking tray in a     preheated oven, keeping only the broiler on.
7- Um Ali is best served hot or warm.

Enjoy!
Bil-hana'wa ash shifa - "May you have your meal with gladness and health".