First published 2018 by Taste of Jerusalem

Copyright © Taste of Jerusalem 2018

The right of Sufian Mustafa to be identified as the author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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Designed by Michael Desson

Photography by Ruslan Pilyiarov
Cover photo by Alex Fletcher
Edited by Janice Saunders

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 My personal fascination with Basmati rice started at the end of the 1960’s, when I
was visiting family in Kuwait City, there I had my first taste of basmati at my
cousin Suhila’s, accompanied by Fasuliah (green beans) cooked in tomato sauce,
one of my ever favourite vegetables. I admired her cooking and told my mother that
my cousin’s Fasulia dish was better than anything I have had eaten before. With a
gentle smile my mother revealed the secret …… she said the only difference to
what you know is that cousin Suhila had served her green beans with basmati rice.

Years later when we moved to Doha and my mother started using Basmati, only
then I understood what she meant. Thereafter, I chose to cook and eat Basmati rice,
for it has a delicious aroma and a distinctive wonderful taste, I sometimes eat it
plain, with a board chopped salad or a bowl of yogurt.

Sufian
Contents

Introduction
Vegetarian
Ameer Baree
Five a day
Spinach
Mjaddarah, Lentil
Fasulia
Peas
Andalusia
Arabia
Fish kabab
Prawn Biryani
Sayyadiyeh
Hot Salmon

Chicken

Jazaria
Joly good
Sudania
Msakhan
Chicken Murri

Meat

Kufta
Qidreh
Zahriyeh
Rummania
Tamriyeh
Mansafeh
Arasia
Fooliyeh
Courgette
Chabseh
Dawali
Aubergine
Cabbage

Side rice

Mufalfal
Two colours
Vermicelli
Mashkhool
Stir fried
Introduction

Each nation has a staple food that features in many of

their recipes; pasta in Italy, potatoes in the rest of the
western world, bread in Egypt, couscous in northern
Africa, bread and rice in eastern Arabia and the rest of
Asia.

There are two major types of rice, the plump and rounded
one, and the other is long and thin with the most
acknowledged being Basmati, the latter is mainly
cultivated in the Himalayas.

Pilaf is a spiced basmati rice and vegetable dish, layered

or mixed, and cooked with meat or chicken. The first
known recipe for pilaf was written by the tenth-century
Persian scholar Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna),
accordingly, Uzbeks and Tajiks consider Ibn Sina to be
the “father” of modern pilaf. Pilaf is known to have been
served to Alexander the Great at a royal banquet
following his capture of ancient Samarkand, currently in
Afghanistan, and it is said that soldiers from Alexander’s
army brought pilaf back to Macedonia, after which its
popularity spread throughout Ancient Greece and Europe.

Biryani is a rice pilaf which means ‘fried’ originated in

Persia. The Mongols brought it to northern India and then
it journeyed to Arabia and became the base of all their
rice dishes; Chabseh from the Gulf, Zurbian from the
Yemen, bilao from Iraq and Maqloobah from Greater
Syria, particularly Palestine.

Maqloobah is a Syrian version of pilaf or biryani and can

be made with a wide variety of ingredients; legumes such
as chickpeas and garden peas or with green leaves such as
spinach or Swiss chard. the most widely liked in Palestine
is the Maqloobah with vegetables, especially cauliflower
and aubergine.

Mujaddarah is another popular pilaf dish all through

Syrian countries, containing rice and lentils, the name is
derived from the verb ‘jadara’, which means worthy. The
most popular pilaf in Egypt is Kushari, which resembles
Mujaddarah with the addition of pasta.

Another pilaf dish that is cooked across Arabia, with

variations that reflect local taste and flavour, is Sayadia,
which translates as ‘fisherman’s catch’. The best fish I
tasted with this dish is the Qatari Hamour, a type of
grouper. The fish is cut into pieces, dipped in spiced flour
and shallow fried until golden brown. It is then added to
the rice pot just before it is covered.

Rice is also the main ingredient when rolling green leaves

and stuffing vegetables. Arabs hold rice in high regards,
so much so that they created many dishes with this white
grain. To name a few, stuffed courgettes, aubergines,
carrots, onions and the list goes on. This is also true with
leaves, as you can enjoy them any time of the year rolled
around rice, the likes of; vine leaves, cabbage, lettuce, all
of which are best when in season.

“Rice of Arabia” features a wide variety of recipes

inspired by Arab cooking, ancient and current; designed
to provide a healthy approach to balanced eating to suit
the needs of our current time. It has thirty-five recipes in
total, designed to feed two people. Twenty-four of them
are pilaf, six fried rice recipes and five side rice. The
recipes include six vegetarian dishes, six sea foods, five
chicken varieties, and thirteen lamb and beef dishes. Most
recipes in this book can be made vegan.
We hope that you will try some of our dishes, and by all
means, feel free to adjust to your preferences. After trying
a few of our recipes, you should be able to create your
own.

Enjoy

Sufian & Lamees 2018

Sufian’s foolproof rice – the ‘perfect’ basmati rice

Cooking rice can be a very challenging task to perfect,

since there are three elements that have to be considered;
the type of rice, the quantity of water, and the cooking
method. Over the years I have honed my skills in the art
of cooking rice and here’s how you can also serve the
perfect bowl of rice!
Soak the rice in warm water for 30 minutes.
Drain the water and then fry the rice in a pan with a
little oil.
Boil the rice in its volume of hot water (1 cup of rice to
1 cup of water).
Once boiled, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer
until holes form on the surface of the rice because of
the air bubbles.
When the water is not evident, put the lid on the pan
and reduce the heat to an absolute minimum and cook
for a further 10 minutes.
Set aside for 5 minutes so that the rice absorbs all the
steam and separates from the bottom of the pan.
Vegetarian
Ameer Barees is zereshk, which is a type of berry
found in Persian cooking and is referenced in ancient
Arab books. This berry has a deep crimson red
colour, resembling a pomegranate seed in size, and it
is equally balanced between sweet and sour. This
quality resonates well with Arab palates; and is
therefore welcomed and well used as one of the
ingredients in this dish.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 cup of hot water
5 saffron strands, soaked in the hot water
A small handful of zereshk
A small handful of pistachios
3 spring onions thinly sliced
½ teaspoon of salt
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Heat the oil and fry the rice, then add the water
including the saffron and salt and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, add the zereshk
and cover the pot; reduce the heat to a minimum and
cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and mix the spring
onions in and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the pistachios and serve.
A common belief which seems to be promoted
nowadays, to live and eat healthily is to have five
vegetables per day. In an attempt to consume a
healthy ‘five a day’ dish, I have created the following
recipe.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 cup of hot water
150g diced mixed vegetables
1 chopped small onion
½ teaspoon of black pepper
½ teaspoon of salt
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and drain.
Heat the frying oil in a pot and stir fry the vegetables
and onion.
Add the rice, water, black pepper and salt and bring
to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving.
Spinach - Sabanekh

Spinach originated in Persia and still carries its first given

name. This recipe is popular in the region of Greater
Syria.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 cup of hot water
300g chopped spinach
150g cooked chickpeas
½ teaspoon of black pepper
½ teaspoon of salt
1 chopped onion
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 juiced lemon
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the onion gently, then the
spinach and chickpeas and then add the salt and
pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the rice and water and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving.
Lentil Rice - Mujaddara

It is believed amongst Arabs that lentils have great health

benefits, so much so, that they have called it ‘nails of
knees’. Because lentils are affordable to all, it has become
known as the meat of the poor. This dish comprises rice
with lentils, topped with fried onions.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 cup of brown lentils
2 cups of water
½ teaspoon of cumin
3 chopped onions
4 pitted dates
1 small handful of raisins
Deep frying oil
3 tablespoon of olive oil
Soak lentils in warm water for 1 hour then Boil for 10
minutes in 2 cups of water, then drain into a container
keeping one cup of the lentil stock.
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Deep fry 2 onions until dark brown, and strain off the
oil and keep aside on a kitchen towel.
In a pan, heat the olive oil and fry the other onion
until golden brown, then add the cooked lentils, rice,
salt, cumin and lentil stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all the apparent water evaporates, cover the
pot, reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving.
Serve with brown fried onion, raisins and dates.
Green Bean Rice - Fasulia

Fasulia is Arabic for green beans. These stringy

vegetables are very popular, especially so in Palestine and
the surrounding regions. They can be cooked in many
ways, sautéed with olive oil to be eaten with bread, or
with cooked meat, tomato sauce and fried garlic. In other
countries like Persia, people make rice pilaf with green
beans.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 cup of hot water
150g green beans cut into 1 inch lengths
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
1 glove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small handful of dry roasted pine nuts
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the green beans, then
add the garlic and fry until you can smell the aroma.
Add the onion and fry further, then add the tomato,
salt and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the rice and water, and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving with roasted pine nuts.
Give peas a chance- Bazela

Peas happen to be one of my favourite vegetables, when

combined with carrots make an even better tasting and
brighter looking plate.
1 cup of basmati rice
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup of hot water
1 small chopped onion
150g sweet pees
1 small grated carrot
1 small handful of roasted almonds
1 handful of raisins and sultanas
A pinch of salt and pepper
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Heat the olive oil in a pot and stir fry the onion until it
colours slightly, then add the peas and carrot and fry
together for 2 more minutes.
Add the rice and water and bring to the boil then
reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it
rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with roasted almonds, raisins and sultanas
Seafood
Andalusia

This is one of my favourite recipes and was first created

in Alzaituna restaurant in Nazareth in 1998. It was then
named Chabseh as a tribute to the widely known Arabian
Gulf dish known by the same name. However, when I
introduced this rice dish many years later in Barcelona,
Spain, I found the name Andalusia much more suited its
colourful appearance.
1 cup of cooked and refrigerated basmati rice
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 chopped tomato
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
¼ teaspoon of paprika
½ teaspoon ground dried lime
12 raw king prawns
2 cloves of garlic creamed with olive oil
1 small handful of zereshk
1 small handful of roasted cashew nuts
A squeeze of lemon juice
Coat the prawns with the creamed garlic and leave to
marinade.
Add the oil to a hot non-stick pan and fry the prawns
for 1 - 2 minutes on either side and set aside.
Stir fry the onion and rice in the same pan then add
the spices and salt and stir.
Add the chopped tomato and parsley and mix well.
Serve on a plate placing the prawns on the top, then
drizzle the lemon juice and sprinkle with zereshk and
cashews.
Arabia

This recipe was inspired by the time I spent in southern

Arabia, and one of my favourites. I first presented it to
the public during the time I was working in Barcelona,
Spain in 2005. Arabia has a wealth of dried fruits and
assorted nuts, ingredients which I frequently use in my
recipes.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of hot water
2 tablespoons of rose water
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
5 saffron strands, soaked in the hot water
6 tiger prawns
6 pitted dates
4 dried apricots cut into thin strips
1 small handful of mixed raisins and sultanas
1 small handful of whole pistachios and pine nuts
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Cook the prawns under the grill.
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the rice, then add the hot
water including saffron, cardamom and salt and bring
to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and sprinkle in the rose
water. Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes before
serving.
Sprinkle all dried fruit and nuts before serving.
Fish kabab

Kabab Is Arabic for barbecued meat, irrespective of what

type of meat it is and in this dish we have chosen to add a
twist to this and use fish as an alternative to meat to
create this recipe.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander
1 cup of hot water
2 chopped onions
1 chopped green chili
2 tablespoons of frying oil
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
1 tablespoon of lemon zest
¼ teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
1 small handful of roasted almonds
¼ teaspoon of turmeric
For the fish kabab
150g white fish fillet
1 tablespoon of roughly chopped coriander
2 garlic cloves
25g mashed potato with olive oil
A pinch of salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of frying oil
In an electric mixer blend together the fish, garlic and
coriander.
Mix with the mashed potato and season with the salt
and pepper.
Between your palms, form into hazelnut sized balls.
In a non-stick pan, gently fry the fish balls in cooking
oil until golden brown and place on a kitchen towel.
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour then drain.
Fry 1 onion in the frying oil until burnt and drain.
Boil the onion in 1 cup of water until a brown stock is
obtained and keep aside.
Heat a pot and stir fry 1 onion, coriander and the
green chili.
Add the rice, water, salt, turmeric and coriander seeds
and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 10 minutes,
then remove the pot from the heat, add the lemon zest
and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with fish balls on top and sprinkle with
almonds.
Prawn biryani - Rubian

In Arabic Rubian stands for Prawns, and we have

developed a recipe that originates in Gulf countries where
they have a great variety of prawns to choose from.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 cup of hot water
200g small prawns
1 chopped onion
1 glove garlic, minced
1 green chili, chopped
½ inch ginger, grated
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander
1 teaspoon of ground Persian lime
¼ teaspoon cardamom
1 small tomato, chopped
1 small handful Zereshk
1 small handful pistachios
½ teaspoon salt
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour then drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the prawns adding the
onion, garlic, chili, ginger, coriander, tomato,
cardamom, Persian lime and salt and cook together
for 5 minutes.
Add the rice, water and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 10 minutes,
then remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes.
Serve sprinkled with pistachios and zereshk.
Fisherman’s Rice - Sayadiyeh

Sayadiyeh is a fisherman’s dish, because it literally means

fisher man in Arabic, and it is a dish of fish with rice. In
the fisherman’s world, any sort of fish is welcome,
dependent on the fishing season and in this dish, the fish
can be laid on top of the rice, or layered within it.
1 cup of basmati rice
200g cod fillet cut into fingers
100g of peas
1 cup of water
2 chopped onions
1 cup of frying oil
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
1 tablespoon ground Persian lime
¼ teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
1 handful of zereshk
1 small handful of roasted pine nuts
Soak rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Deer fry 1 onion until burnt and drain, then boil in 1
cup of water until a brown stock is obtained, then
strain and keep the water aside.
Heat a pot and stir fry 1 onion, peas and add the rice,
onion water, salt, Persian lime, cardamom, coriander
seeds and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes, then remove the pot from the heat, and set
aside for 5 minutes to rest.
Fry the fish fingers and serve on rice sprinkled with
pine nuts and zereshk.
Hot Salmon - Salamone

Rice with fish is a favoured dish across eastern Arabia,

from Damascus to the Gulf; this recipe was an adventure
on my part, to try to see how spicy Salmon would taste on
a bed of rice specially laid for it.
200g salmon steak cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup of basmati rice, cooked and refrigerated
1 small handful of pistachios
1 small handful of zereshk
1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 tablespoon of finely chopped red chili
Fry the salmon in a nonstick frying pan until slightly
brown and keep aside.
Fry the chili and rice together in the same oil.
Serve with the salmon on top and sprinkle pistachios
and zereshk.
Chicken
Jazaria - Carrot Rice

This specific recipe is inherited from my mother who was

born and bred in Yafa-Palestine (Jaffa) and was one of
her tastiest dishes. I first introduced it in a menu at
Alzaituna restaurant in Nazareth in 1998. This dish has
accompanied me throughout my journeys across various
continents. Over the years it became apparent to me after
extensive research that it could have originated in Kabul
of Afghanistan.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 cup of hot water
250g chicken mini fillets
100g carrots cut into thin strips
1 small onion, chopped
1 small handful of roasted almonds
1 small handful of raisins and sultanas
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of frying oil
½ teaspoon of Greek yoghurt
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
Marinade the chicken in the yoghurt and fry in a non-
stick frying pan, with 1 teaspoon of oil for 2-3 minutes
on either side.
Heat the frying oil in a pot and stir fry the carrots and
onion.
Add the rice, water, salt and cinnamon and bring to
the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the
surface of the rice forms little holes from the bubbles.

When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,

reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it
rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with the chicken on top and sprinkle with
almonds, raisins and sultanas.
Jolly Good Rice - Ruz al el al

I have borrowed the name for this recipe from an old

cookery book by a very distinguished and one of my
favourite author’s - IBN AL-A`DEEM from Aleppo,
Syria, who had listed a recipe in his book ‘the link to the
beloved’ entitled ruz al el al.
150g chicken balls
1 cup of basmati rice
250g mixed diced vegetables
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup of hot chicken stock or water
½ teaspoon ground Persian lime
½ teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
1 small handful of raisins
1 small handful of mixed nuts
½ teaspoon of salt
For the chicken balls
150g chicken mini fillets
1 teaspoon of chopped red chili
A little squeeze of tomato puree
2 garlic cloves
A pinch of salt
In an electric mixer blend together the chicken, garlic
and chili.
Between your palms, form into tiny balls and place on
an oven tray.
Bake for about 10 minutes in a hot oven at 200°C.
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
Heat the frying oil in a pot and stir fry the mixed
vegetables and onion.
Add the rice, water, salt, Persian lime and coriander
seeds and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 10 minutes,
then remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes.
Serve with chicken balls on top and sprinkle with the
almonds and raisins.
Peanut Rice - Sudania

Peanuts are called Fool Sudani throughout Arabia,

perhaps because there is a saying that peanuts were
introduced to us from Sudan by the Sudanese who
seemed to have travelled everywhere and anywhere with
heavy pockets filled with peanuts.
250g chicken breast cut into strips
1 cup of basmati rice, cooked and refrigerated
1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
6 button mushrooms cut into thick slices
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
2 cloves of garlic creamed with olive oil
1 small handful of dry roasted peanuts
A squeeze of lemon juice
A pinch of salt
Coat the chicken with half the garlic cream and coat
the mushrooms with the other half and let them
marinade.
Add the oil to a hot nonstick pan and fry the chicken
for 1 - 2 minutes on each side and set aside.
Do the same with the mushrooms and leave aside.
Stir fry the rice in the same pan then mix with the
mushrooms and spice with cardamom and salt.
Add the parsley and mix well, then drizzle with lemon
juice.
Serve on a plate and place the chicken on top, then
sprinkle with peanuts.
Chicken and Sautéed Onion Rice - Musakhan

This is an interpretation on a popular and festive dish,

mainly served in Palestine. Musakhan comprises of
Taboon bread, roasted chicken and sautéed onions which
are sprinkled with plenty of summac, a burgundy
coloured spice that also originates from that region.

250g diced chicken breast

1 small onion finely cut
1 cup of basmati rice, cooked and refrigerated
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small handful of dry roasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon of summac
A pinch of salt
In a frying pan sauté the onion in olive oil and remove
from the pan.
Fry the chicken in the same oil until golden brown
and remove aside.
Stir fry the cooked rice, and then mix with the
chicken, onion and salt.
Spice with summac and sprinkle with the pine nuts.
Murri Chicken

Murri is derived from ‘Murr’ Arabic for ‘bitter’. This

sauce used to be made in medieval Arabia by soaking fish
in wine or spirit and sometimes with burnt bread. In
either case it is left to soak under the sun until it matures
and would resemble Chinese soya sauce in taste and
colour, and it was named Murri.

250g diced chicken

1 cup of basmati rice, cooked and refrigerated
3 sliced button mushrooms
1 tablespoon of frying oil
¼ cup of cooked sweetcorn
2 spring onions cut into thin rings
A drizzle of naturally brewed soya sauce
¼ inch of ginger grated
¼ cup of peas
In a hot nonstick pan, fry the chicken and ginger in
cooking oil, add the mushrooms, then the sweetcorn,
peas and stir fry.
Add the rice and spring onions and stir fry.
Drizzle some soya sauce on one side of the pan so that
not all the rice is coloured and then serve.
Meat
Kufta rice

Kufta in Arabic means ground meat and can be cooked in

various ways, in a tray, baked in an oven or made into
meat balls. In this recipe I chose to use meat balls as the
main ingredient.

150g beef balls

1 cup of basmati rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon of frying oil
¼ teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
¼ teaspoon of turmeric
1 chopped green chili
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 lemon zest
1 small handful roasted pine nuts
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Heat the frying oil in a pot and stir fry the onion,
parsley, green chili and tomato.
Add the rice, water, salt, turmeric and coriander seeds
and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 10 minutes,
then remove the pot from the heat, add the lemon zest
and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with meat balls on top and sprinkle with pine
nuts.
Beef balls

150g lean minced beef

1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
1 small onion finely chopped
½ teaspoon of black pepper
A sprinkle of cardamom
A pinch of salt
Knead the meat with the other ingredients until well
mixed together.
Form into tiny balls between your palms and place on
an oven tray.
Bake for about 10 minutes in a hot oven at 200°C.
Earthenware Rice - Qidreh

Qidreh is an earthenware pot made out of clay,

traditionally used for cooking bigger celebrative meals
and this recipe reminds me of this pot. This dish of rice,
chickpeas, and chunks of meat can be eaten with salads or
yoghurt.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 cup of hot water
250g cooked meat
150g cooked chickpeas
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
¼ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 teaspoon of salt
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the cooked meat gently,
and then add the onion, tomato, chickpeas, cumin and
cook together for 5 minutes.
Add the rice, water, turmeric, salt, and bring to the
boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it
rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Cooked meat

250g beef/lamb
6 whole black peppercorns
2 whole garlic cloves
4 cardamom pulps
1 whole small onion
1 whole walnut with shell
1 small stick of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
6 whole allspice corns
1 bay leaf
1 whole dried lime
Cut the meat into 1 inch cubes and rub with salt, then
wash in a colander under running cold water until the
meat water is clear.
Boil the meat in a pot with salted water and remove
the froth.
Reduce the heat so that it is just simmering and add
all the spices, walnut, a whole onion and a bay leaf.
The walnut will absorb all unpleasant flavour of the
meat.
Cover the pot and simmer until the meat is cooked.
Drain the stock in a container and separate the meat
and keep a side.
Cauliflower Rice - Zahria

This is a traditional dish - a recipe of cauliflower rice,

which I inherited from my mother’s kitchen. Admittedly
though, as a child I did not like this particular recipe
because when this vegetable is overcooked, it can turn
into a soggy unpleasant consistency.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 cup of hot water
250g cooked meat
150g cauliflower, cut into small florets and fried
1 chopped onion
1 small handful of dry roasted pine nuts
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of allspice
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of salt
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the cooked meat gently
and then add the onion, all the spices and salt, and
cook together for 5 minutes.
Add the rice, water, and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, add the
cauliflower and cover the pot, reduce the heat to a
minimum and cook for 10 minutes, then remove the
pot from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before
serving.
Sprinkle the roasted pine nuts on top before serving.
Pomegranate Rice - Rummania

Pomegranate rice which has a captivating colour as well

as a phenomenal taste is rather wonderful to say the least.
This recipe is a reflection on an older one, which was
eloquently and very descriptively written about in an old
recipe book named ‘’Alwasla ela al habib’’.

250g of cooked meat

1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of frying oil
¾ cup of hot water
1 chopped onion
¼ cup of pomegranate juice
1 pomegranate seeded
1 small handful of pistachios
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the meat with the onion
gently, and then add rice, water, pomegranate juice,
salt, and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot
and reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 10
minutes and then remove the pot from the heat and let
it rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with pomegranate seeds and pistachios on top.
Date Rice

In years gone by, Arabs used to narrate their daily

activities, along with their opinion on any matter through
poetry and literature. Whilst researching this Book of
Rice, I came upon a verse of poetry speaking highly of a
dish that combined rice with dates, which was consumed
by the rich and cultured at that time.

250g of cooked meat

6 date balls
1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon frying oil
1 cup of hot water
1 chopped onion
6 chopped pitted dates
3 button mushrooms, halved and sliced
3 asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 chopped onion
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
1 small handful of pistachios
1 tablespoon of salt

Recipie for Date Balls

30g pitted dates
30g peeled raw almonds
10g ground almonds
A pinch of cardamom
In an electric mixer, blend together the dates, raw
almonds and cardamom, until a hard paste is
obtained.
Form the mixture into hazelnut size balls between
your palms, and then dip them in the ground almond.
Lay the date balls on a tray and bake in the oven at
180°C for 10 minutes.
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the meat with the onion
gently, and then add the mushrooms and asparagus
and cook for a minute, then add salt, rice and water
and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, add the chopped
dates, and cover the pot, reduce the heat to a
minimum and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving with date balls and pistachios.
Date balls
Meat Rice with Cooked Yoghurt - Mansafeh

Munsaf is a typical Palestinian and Jordanian cooked

dried yoghurt dish with lamb and white rice and is
usually associated with bedouin food in that Area. Similar
dish is Shakeryeh and is made in all Syrian cities but
cooked with fresh yoghurt

250g of cooked meat

1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ cup of hot water
¼ cup of yoghurt diluted with ¼ cup of water
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon of salt
1 small handful of roasted almonds
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the meat with the onion
gently, then add the salt, rice, yogurt and water and
bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, add the diluted
yoghurt, and cover the pot.
Reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving with almonds.
Prune Rice - Arasiyah

Aarasiyah is Syrian for prunes and in this recipe I am

paying tribute and admiration to Moroccan cooking by
creating this particular dish which is prepared with rice,
prunes and black olives.

250g of cooked meat

1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 cup of hot water or meat stock
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
1 red chili, cut into rings
12 pitted black olives
12 pitted prunes
50g of chickpeas
50g of diced halloumi, fried
1 small handful of walnuts
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 lemon zest
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of salt
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the meat with the onion
gently and then add tomato, chili, chickpeas, cumin,
coriander, salt, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the rice and water and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, add the prunes,
black olives and cover the pot.
Reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes.
Serve with fried halloumi and walnuts.
Broad Bean Rice - Fooliyeh

Just as popular as the green string bean is, so is the green

broad bean, which translates to Fool in Arabic. When it’s
in season, it is a very welcome and thought after dish and
can be served as a vegetarian dish, to be eaten with bread,
or enjoyed with meat and a side of rice.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 cup of hot water
150g diced lean meat
150g green broad beans
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander
1 garlic clove sliced
1 tablespoon of frying oil
1 small handful of dry roasted almond flakes
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
In a pan, heat the oil and fry the meat, broad beans
and garlic, then add the coriander and fry until you
can smell the aroma.
Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes further.
Add the rice, water and salt and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving with roasted almond flakes.
Courgette Rice - Kusayeh

The courgette as a vegetable is very popular in Arabia

and is used extensively and can either be stuffed or
chopped. In this dish we chose to lightly roast them with
care so they would not lose their firmness when added to
the rice.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of hot water
1 large courgette
1 small chopped onion
1 small thinly sliced tomato
A drizzle of olive oil
A small handful of pine nuts
250g beef steak
1 tablespoon of black pepper
2 minced garlic cloves
½ teaspoon of cardamom
½ teaspoon of allspice
1 small onion chopped finely
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Cut the meat into 1 inch cubes adding salt and pepper
and the rest of the spices and leave aside.
Slice the courgette into 1inch slices and then cut into 4
and drizzle some olive oil and black pepper on the
courgette and bake under grill and then put to the
side.
Fry the beef in a pan till cooked then add the onion
and fry for 5 more minutes.
Sprinkle half the rice on top then add a layer of
tomato slices then the rest of the rice.
Add the hot water and bring to the boil then reduce
the heat and simmer until the surface of the rice forms
little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, add the
courgette on top and cover the pot, then reduce the
heat to a minimum and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes.
Serve with pine nuts.
Chabseh

This recipe is made widely across the Arabian Peninsula,

and is based on the Indian biryani. The maqloobah in
greater Syria, is another variation of the same recipe
250g of cooked meat
1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of hot beef stock
1 small chopped onion
1 small chopped tomato
1 small grated carrot
A small handful of roasted almonds
½ teaspoon of Persian lime juice
½ teaspoon of coriander seed
Soak the rice in warm water for half an hour and then
drain.
Heat the frying oil in a pot and stir fry the onion until
it gains colour then add the meat and slightly fry.
Add the carrot, tomato, Persian lime and coriander
and cook together for 5 minutes.
Add the beef stock and further cook for 5 minutes
then add the rice and bring to the boil then reduce the
heat and simmer until the surface of the rice forms
little holes from the bubbles.
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a minimum and
cook for 10 minutes, then remove the pot from the
heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Vine Leaves Rice - Dawali

Dawali is Arabic for vine leaves and people in the region

of Greater Syria tend to roll these small tender leaves
around rice, the size of a small finger. These leaves when
in season can be eaten raw with salads especially with
Tabbouleh. The process of rolling can be time
consuming, however this tender leaf is wildly divergent
and can be used in many ways and in this specific dish it
has been used to create a stock so that you can experience
the great taste of the vine leaves with rice.
1 cup of basmati rice
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of vine leaves stock
250g lean beef fillet cut into 2 steaks
1 small chopped onion
A bunch of finely chopped vine leaves
1 small chopped tomato
1 teaspoon of black pepper
A small handful of roasted pine nuts
A squeeze of lemon
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
Cook the vine leaves in 3 cups of water and reduce to
1 cup.
Fry the chopped onion in a pot until golden brown
then add the rice and stir fry.
Add the vine leaves stock and black pepper and bring
to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the
surface of the rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, add the tomato,
cover the pot and reduce the heat to a minimum and
cook for 10 minutes, then remove the pot from the
heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Rub the meat with a drizzle of oil and season with salt
and pepper.
In a hot heavy pan, cook the steaks for about 5-10
minutes on each side depending on how well you like
your meat cooked.
Cut and serve on the rice with a sprinkle of pine nuts
and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Aubergine Rice - Kibreet iljan

As children we were always told the story of a Genie

named Kebrret Al Jan, which always resonated in my
young head as ‘Bathenjann’ which is Arabic for
Aubergine. This is my interpretation on a traditional
recipe of aubergine rice pilaf.

150g beef fillet

1 small onion finely chopped
1 cup of basmati rice, cooked and refrigerated
1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of water
250g beef fillet
1 large aubergine, cut into thick slices and baked
1 small chopped onion
1 small handful of roasted pine nuts
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of clove
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
¼ teaspoon of all spice
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
1 small handful of roasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon of finely chopped parsley
Cut the beef fillet into strips, season and fry in
cooking oil for 2 minutes on each side and leave a side.
Add some oil in the same pan and stir fry the onion
then the rice, then add the spices and mix well.
Add the baked aubergine and the beef fillet strips, and
then sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts.
Cabbage Rice

This recipe is inspired by another traditional dish of

cabbage leaves which are stuffed with rice and rolled.
However, in this recipe, I have modified it to keep the
delicious taste of cabbage but combined it with the rice,
garlic, mint and lemon without using the rolling
technique.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of hot water
150g lean beef, diced small
150g green cabbage, blanched in boiling water
1 small chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 diced tomato
Lemon juice
1 small handful of dry roasted pine nuts
Parsley for garnish
A sprinkle of dry mint
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
Heat the frying oil in a pot and stir fry the meat and
onion until the meat is cooked.
Add the cabbage and fry it and then add the rice and
water and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and
simmer until the surface of the rice forms little holes
from the bubbles.
When all apparent water evaporates, cover the pot,
reduce the heat to a minimum and cook for 10
minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it
rest for 5 minutes.
Add the diced tomato, a squeeze of lemon, minced
garlic, dry mint, the pine nuts and garnish with
parsley just before serving.
Side Rice
Mufalfal

Falfal is a culinary term meaning that cooked grains are

separated from one another. Just like Filfil, the Arabic
for peppercorn seeds, filfil has many derivatives, one of
which is Falafel and in this case it refers to the shape and
not the taste of the peppercorns. This may be achieved
by sealing the grains in hot oil, to prevent them from
sticking together and forming lumps before cooking it in
boiling water. By applying this technique to the
preparation, we ended up with the name Mufalfal, which
is the same term that has appeared in old cookery books
such as: al wasl ela alhabibi.

1 cup of Basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of hot water
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
Heat the oil and fry the rice, then add the water and
salt and bring to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a minimum and cook
for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving.
Refrigerate when cooled if to be used with a stir-fry
recipe.
Vermicelli Rice - Shairiah

Shairiah is Arabic for vermicelli wh ich is often used in

the making of side rice to add mass or volume to the dish
and also to add the rich red colour.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of vermicelli
1½ cups of water
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the vermicelli until golden
brown.
Add the rice and stir, then add the water and salt and
bring to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a minimum and
cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving.
Egyptian Mufalfal

This rice dish is famous in Egypt, like Mufalal but half

the rice is fried until it changes colour to red brown.

1 cup of Basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of water
Soak in warm water for half an hour and then drain.
Heat the oil in a pot and fry half the rice until golden
brown.
Add the rest of the rice and mix, then add the water
and salt and bring to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer until the surface of the
rice forms little holes from the bubbles.
Cover the pot reducing the heat to a minimum and
cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5
minutes before serving.
Mashkhool

Mashkhool is another way of cooking rice and this

method of cooking rice is widespread in Persia and many
parts of Arabia. They start by boiling the rice in ample
amounts of water and then it is drained of its water and
oil or butter should be added before serving.

1 cup of basmati rice

1 tablespoon of frying oil
½ teaspoon of salt
4 cups of water
½ teaspoon of turmeric
6 whole black peppercorns
A bunch of coriander
6 whole cardamoms
Boil the water in a pot with the salt, turmeric,
cardamom and the coriander for about 15 minutes or
until all is infused in the water.
Add the rice and boil like you do with pasta for about
15 minutes.
Drain the water well and add the oil and mix.
Cover the pot and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Fried Rice

Boiled and stir fried rice is not very popular in Arabia, or

anywhere for that matter except for in China and some
other Far Eastern countries but I have used this technique
in the stir fry chapter of this book.

1 cup of basmati rice, refrigerated cooked

1 egg
¼ cup of cooked sweetcorn
2 spring onions cut into thin rings
1 glove of garlic thinly sliced
A drizzle of naturally brewed soya sauce
1 tablespoon of frying oil
In a hot nonstick pan, scramble fry the egg with the
oil then add the garlic, sweetcorn and cold rice and
stir fry, then add the spring onion and mix together.
Drizzle some soya sauce on one side of the pan, so that
not all the rice is coloured.
 Hints/Tips
If rice is fried without washing it first, you will get a
Smoky flavour as the starch in the rice will burn, cook the rice
in 1½ its volumes of water.
When rice is cooking in the pot you should never stir it –
just gently fold the rice with a ladle but do not stir it.
If you see the rice is cooked but the water has not been
fully absorbed, delay putting the lid on the pot and it will
evaporate. Furthermore, you can put a kitchen towel over the
top of the pot and then add the lid – the towel will absorb the
steam.
Once the lid is placed on the pot while rice is cooking, do
not attempt to open until cooked.