Zaaki!

Zaaki is the word for delicious here.  Here are some of our recent favorite foods here and some inventions based on what’s around…

From our rooftop garden…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These peaches are called “little cakes” in Arabic…for a delicious reason…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juice of 2 lemons + handful of garden mint + sugar + ice + blender = “limo-na’na'”, a local favorite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good recipe for local ingredients:

Tahini Cookies:

• 6 Tbs Tahini (sesame paste)

• 1/2 cup date syrup (or honey)

• 1/2 cup chopped almonds or walnuts

• 1.5 cups quick oats

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix together and drop spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350F  (or as close as you can get if you have an oven like ours 🙂

The souk is selling gorgeous cherries – making great baby food for Caleb and “kuchen” for us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kuchen Recipe (German for “Cake” and one of my mom’s classics – it freezes well too):

Crust:

• 1.5 cups flour

• 3/4 cups sugar

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1 egg

• 1/ 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugar, add flour, then egg, then baking powder and vanilla.  Use the palm of your hand to press into the bottom of a baking dish.

You can top this crust with jam or fruit that’s been cooked down with a little sugar and cinnamon (eg. apricots, plums….)

Crumb Topping (“Streusel”)

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1.25 cups flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla or cinnamon

Cut ingredients together with fork or pastry blender and crumble on top of crust and fruit.  Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.