Fogaiyya Stew From Gaza City Food

SHEER KHURMA - VERMICELLI PUDDING

Steps:

• Soak dates in warm water for 3-4 hours or until they become soft to cut. Remove seeds and cut the dates into small pieces.
• Boil the dates in 1 cup of milk, till the milk is reduced completely. The dates will absorb all the milk.
• Boil milk in a thick bottomed pan and keep on low flame for about 40 mins until it is thick enough. Keep stirring the milk in between else it will stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Mix in the condensed milk. Stir to combine well.
• In a separate pan, add 2 tbsps of ghee, cardamoms (slightly pounded) and vermicelli. Fry for some time until the vermicelli is light brown.
• Add the vermicelli to the boiling milk and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves. (Adjust sugar according to taste. The condensed milk is also sweet so you might want to taste the milk before adding sugar).
• Add saffron mixed in a tbsp of hot milk to the milk.
• Add about ¼ cup of dry fruits and half the dates. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from fire.
• Garnish with remaining dry fruits and dates. Serve hot.

FOGAIYYA (STEW FROM GAZA CITY)

Steps:

• Wash chard well, chop finely and set aside.
• Place meat and water in a stockpot and bring to a boil, skimming any froth.
• Lower heat to medium.
• Tie spices in a piece of gauze or disposable tea filter and add with onions. Cover and let simmer on medium-low heat for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender.
• Stir in rice, 1-1/2 teaspoons of the salt and canned chickpeas. (If using dried chickpeas, add them to the meat halfway through cooking.) Cook until rice is soft, approximately 10 minutes.
• Add chard by handfuls, stirring after each addition. Decrease heat to low.
• Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoons salt.
• Fry the garlic in olive oil until lightly browned.
• Add to stew and mix well.
• Just before serving, stir in lemon juice.
• Pour into bowls, garnish with thinly sliced lemon wedges, and serve with flatbread.

FRENCH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F
• Mix together all ingredients, except potatoes, in a large Dutch oven casserole; cover and cook for 3 hours.
• Add potatoes and cook for additional 1 hour.

STUFFED MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Cut the top off of the cherry tomatoes and core them. Stuff in a small amount of grated asiago cheese. Repeat for all of the tomatoes. Remove the sausage meat from the casing. Pinch off a small amount and flatten it out into a disc. Place the tomato on the disc and wrap the sausage meat around the tomato. Have three dishes ready to roll the meatball inches First one with flour, salt and pepper to taste. Second with 2 beaten eggs. Third with panko, the rest of the asiago cheese, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Now roll the meatball first in the flour then egg and finishing off in the panko mixture. Heat 2″ of canola oil in a wok and deep fry to golden brown. Serve with salsa. Yummo!