Saturday 31 October 2015

Muhammar (Bahreini Sweet rice )

                                                                               Receta en español

In Arab countries they like rice with dates, raisins or any ingredient that sweetens rice, in Bahrain they also like it.

This sweet rice is called Muhammar, it is used as side dish of fish courses, it is a dish eaten in special days like the end of Ramadan.

In the recipe we will use sugar to sweeten the rice, they also use honey or dates.


Muhammar (Bahreini Sweet rice )


Ingredients:
  •   1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads.
  •   3 cracked cardamon pods.
  •   1 1/2 tablespoon rose water.
  •   1 1/1 cup basmati rice.
  •   5 cups water.
  •   Salt.
  •   1/3 cup White sugar or honey.
  •   85 grams butter or ghee.

Method:


1-   Put saffron, rose water and cardamon pods in a bowl, let sometime for saffron to infuse.

2-   Wash basmati rice until water runs clear.

3-   Pour 5 cups water in a saucepan and put over medium heat, bring to a boil, when it reaches this point add salt and rice, let it boil again uncovered during 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4-  After this time throw away the remaining water from the rice and put the rice in a large colander.



5-  Melt butter in the same saucepan where we previously have cooked the rice and add the rice back into it with sugar or honey.
We also add rose water with saffron and cardamom and stir everything with a wooden spoon.


6-  We use the wooden spoon to make 3 holes in the rice.


7-  Cover the saucepan with a paper towel and put a lid on top.


8-  Cook rice over low heat during 20 minutes until it is done.




My comments to the Recipe

It is very easy to prepare and the result is good, perhaps it is too sweet to me, I prefer it when the rice is sweetened only by adding raisins or dates. Besides it is a curious mixture of spices.

This type of rice seems good, at least you will find no rice sticked at the base of the saucepan.
Where to find the ingredients

The ingredient more difficult ti find may be rose water, in Madrid I bought it at one of the Arab shops in the street Antonio Calvo, around the mosque of Madrid.

Here you have a link to my favourite cooking tools where you can find my spices grinder:  




Bahréin

Saturday 17 October 2015

Baharat (blend of spices)

                                                                               Receta en Español

Baharat is an Arabic word meaning 'spice'.
It refers to a blend of spices widely used in Arab countries, especially in the Middle East.
The mixture can vary from country to country, today I present the way they prepare the blend in Bahrein.
It is added to a lot of dishes, so this mixture of spices gives the characteristic taste and smell of the Bahraini food.
It is not too much spicy, so you can use it without fear.

Baharat (blend of spices)


Ingredients:
  •   1 tablespoon whole black pepper.
  •   1 tablespoon cumin seeds.
  •   2 teaspoon coriander seeds.
  •   1 cinnamon stick 4 cm long.
  •   1 teaspoon whole cloves.
  •   1/4 teaspoon Green cardamom seeds.
  •   1 tablespoon powder papikra.
  •   1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Method:

1-   Put all the ingredients ,except paprika and nutmeg, in a pan without oil . Cut the cinnamon in pieces.



2-   Roast the mixture over medium heat during 3 or 4 minutes, stirr continously:


3-   Put the mixture of spices in a coffee grinder and add the paprika and nutmeg.
 Grind until you get powder.




keep it in a jar, it last fresh for six years.


 Here you have a link to my favourite cooking tools where you can find my spices grinder:   
Bahrein

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