Walima Club:Iraqi cuisine(Egg plant Wraps,Date balls and Cardamom cookies,yum!)

The Walima Cooking club celebrates Iraqi cuisine for the month of August with 3 palatable delicacies(one savory and two sweet).Thanks Arlette for the delectable picks.

Iraqi cuisine
Iraqi cuisine or Mesopotamian cuisine is Iraq's traditional cuisine developed since antiquity in MeMesopotamia (Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria). It is considered one of the oldest kitchens.
As Baghdad became the centre of the Abbasid Caliphate during the Islamic Golden Age, Muslims and other scholars from many parts of the world came to visit, live and study in Iraq, which gave the Iraqi cuisine new twists to its food. This is most commonly seen in the greater use of spices (e.g. Saffron) used in the Iraqi cuisine in comparison to other Arab cuisines.
Iraqi cuisine has absorbed influences from all the neighboring countries and has much in common with Levantine, Persian, and Turkish cuisines. With the Ottoman rule of Iraq, influences of Turkish cuisine also became incorporated into Iraqi recipes (and vice versa).
Furthermore, as the rest of Iraqi history, the Iraqi cuisine has been deeply influenced by its fertile land between its two rivers Euphrates and Tigris.[1] This influence is seen in Iraq's national dishes.


Lissan Al Kadi - Eggplant wraps

The wraps turned out to be one of best tasting eggplant appetizer.Usually made with minced meat ,but one can also stuff with vegetable like mushrooms or with tofu and flavor up with choicest spices.
Recipe
Makes about 12 pieces
Ingredients:
1 large eggplants
1 tablespoon Olive oil

Meat Stuffing:
1/2 lb Lean ground meat(lamb or beef),
1 garlic ,minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 medium onion (1 cup) finely minced,
1 tsp salt,
1/4 tsp black pepper

Vegetarian Stuffing :
1/2 red or green bell peppers,chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 medium portobello mushrooms,sliced
1 garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup low fat crumbled feta cheese or shred mozzarella
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper for seasoning

Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil,
1 large onion diced,
1 large tomato peeled and chopped,
8 oz. tomato sauce,
1 cup beef or chicken stock or vegetable stock,
2 tablespoon lemon juice,
1 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp pepper or chili powder,
1/2 tsp turmeric.

Direction:
Trim off the top and bottom of the Egg plant. Place eggplant slices on baking sheets lined with foil and brushed with oil. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes until brown, turning the eggplant halfway.
If using meat stuffing
Mix together the ground meat, onion, spices,salt and pepper. Divide the meat into sausage shaped portions 1" thick and 2" long. Place a portion of the meat stuffing at one end of an eggplant slice and begin wrapping the eggplant around it.

If using Vegetarian Stuffing
Heat oil on medium high heat in a pan and saute the vegetables with garlic and spices for about 5-6 minutes until soft,season with salt and pepper.let cool for a minute or two.place the about a tablespoon of stuffing ,sprinkle cheese on the eggplant slice and wrap it.

Place the rolls in a baking dish and layer the tomato slices on top (optional).
In a saucepan heat 2 tbsp oil and saute the diced onions. When soft add the chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and turmeric. Add tomato sauce, stock and lemon juice to taste. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the rolls in the baking dish, cover with aluminum paper and bake for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees for meat stuffing or 30 minutes for vegetables stuffing.


KURAT Al TAMIR - (Date Sesame Balls)

Sweet and nutty,these morsels make a nutritious dessert after a spicy meal.


Recipe
Makes about 20 small balls.
Ingredients:
1 pound soft dates(I used Medjool)
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds or shred coconut
2 tablespoons tahini
½ teaspoon cardamom/cinnamon or both

Preparation:

Add dates, ½ cup sesame seeds, and tahini in the food processor. Pulse and add the walnuts and spices; pulse again. Take the mixture out and make small balls and roll them in toasted sesame or shredded coconut.


Cardamom Cookies - Shakar Lama
Buttery melt in the mouth delicious,the cardamom imparts sweet scent and exotic flavor to the rich cookies.

Recipe
Makes around 1 dozen
Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoon Organic butter,softened not melted
1 tablespoon whole milk
3 tablespoon brown sugar or 2 tablespoon agave nectar
1 Organic egg yolk (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
few whole almonds

Preparation:

Beat the butter in a bowl for 3 minutes. Add sugar and beat the mixture until becomes light in color. Add flour, cardamom and salt gradually. Use your hand to mix the cookie dough. Take a small piece of dough the size of walnut. Shape the cookie and place and almond in the middle. Arrange on a tray with parchment paper or silicon pad. Bake for 20 minutes in 350 degree oven.