Historical Day!!

[Bent_Bladi]

... well, at least for me

Salams everyone!!

Guess what?! Today I cooked my FIRST meal!! Mjaddara Falasteeniya - and it actually turned out really good! My father, friend and I licked the pot clean!! . I can't believe it, my first time ever cooking and the tabkha actually came out good!

The only things that kept it from being perfect is the fact the rice was slightly mushy and I burned the onions .

Here's the recipe:

Mjaddara

A fully nutritious meal, Mjaddara is easy to make and very tasty.
Ingredients (for 4 persons)

* 2 cups of rice
* 1 cup of brown lentils
* One onion
* Vegetable oil

Steps:

1. Clean the brown lentils and boil them in a pot until they are soft and edible (15 minutes on medium heat.)

2. Wash the rice and cover it in hot water and leave aside until the lentils are done.

3. Cut the onion in stripes and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.

4. Drain the water from the lentils and from the rice as well. Place the rice on top of the lentils in the pot and mix. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, and mix the ingredients together over medium heat for two minutes. Add salt, pepper, cumin, and cardamom to taste. Cover with hot water (1 cm above the mixture). Let simmer on low heat until the water evaporates (about 15 - 20 minutes).

5. Turn over (like a cake) in a big plate, and cover the top with the fried onion stripes.

6. Serve with yogurt and green salad. Variation: half the onion stripes can be added tothe mixture before adding the water and letting itsimmer. The remaining onion stripes can be used for garnish.

I got it from this website and I got that link from this thread (thanks to monda! )

Of course, I took a picture and I'm going to call my mom in Syria to tell her the news... I'll post the picture once I find my camera's USB cable .

I still can't believe it!!!

~BB

[piccolomondo]

Mabrook, ya 7abibti!
Rise is a very good start for any wanna-be cooker and it could play as a medium for any recipe you invent.

Next step, a 'homework' for you:
Risotto Abu Milano
(my creation from the original risotto alla milanese, just using SUMAC instead of zaffron. Ah... and the wine in the original recipe is completely superfluous)

[Bent_Bladi]

Here's the picture:



... and um, I don't think I'll be able to do that Risotto Abu Milano - too advanced!! I think my next step will be maybe maklouba ...

[sania]

Hi BB..

Looks like your father & friends love you very much,
Do not want to hurt your feelings!

Mushy rice and burnt onions..!

What else did you burn.BB.?

[Bent_Bladi]

OMG!!! !!

No seriously... it actually tasted good... and after a day in the fridge the rice became perfect and delicious!!

My friend didn't really like the burnt onions but my dad and I LOVE burned onions

[Cheba_Mami]

it looks kinda ok thus congrats, not many people have a good ready-to-eat first dish experience.

and for the unions, i bet they taste good like BBQ but i would not bake them black (because black burned food is not healthy, as so many other things) good luck

[Bent_Bladi]

... I'm feeling self-conscious now. I guess that picture doesn't do the tabkha justice. It really tasted good.