Eid is the perfect opportunity to share and indulge in good food with family and friends. Waitrose & Partners have shared with us three classic, delectable and easy Middle Eastern recipes for you to try cooking at home this Eid.
Classic Middle Eastern Recipes for Eid
Lamb flatbreads with spicy cashew dressing
Blending cashew nuts creates a deliciously creamy dressing to complement tender Middle Eastern recipes for spiced lamb.
- Preparation time:15 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- Total time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 4 lamb leg steaks
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1⁄2 lemon, zest, and juice
- 21⁄2 tbsp essential Waitrose olive oil
- 1⁄2 red onion, finely sliced
- 75g cashew nuts
- handful coriander
- 1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger
- 1 green chili, roughly chopped (deseeded, if liked)
- 2 courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways
- 4 flatbreads
- Handful baby leaf herb salad
Method
1. Put the lamb in a resealable bag with the garlic, spices, lemon zest and 1 tbsp oil. Season and massage into the meat through the bag; set aside. Mix the red onion with the lemon juice, season and set aside.
2. For the dressing, whizz the cashew nuts, coriander, ginger, chili, 1 tbsp oil and 75ml water in a high-speed blender such as a NutriBullet. Season, blend again and add a little more water if necessary (aim for
the consistency of double cream).
3. Set a griddle over high heat. Take the lamb steaks out of the plastic bag and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side; set aside to rest. Toss the courgettes with the remaining 1⁄2 tbsp oil, season and griddle for 1 minute on each side. Griddle the flatbreads for 30 seconds on each side. Slice the lamb and pile onto the flatbreads with the herb salad and courgettes. Drizzle over the cashew dressing and scatter with the pickled red onion.
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Middle Eastern fattoush
This delicious staple salad from the most authentic Middle Eastern recipes is a great side dish to complement many occasions.
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 5 minutes
- Total time: 25 minutes
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp essential Waitrose olive oil
- 3 tsp Bart Baharat spice blend
- 2 Pittas
- 1 cucumber portion, halved, deseeded and thickly sliced
- 1 small cauliflower, cut into very small florets
- 270g pack cherry vine tomatoes halved
- 100g radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 Little Gem Lettuce, chopped
- 4 salad onions, thinly sliced
- Juice 1 lime
- 200g pot Greek strained natural yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
Method
1. Stir together the olive oil and 2 tsp of the Baharat spice blend. Split open the pittas and brush the open sides with the spiced oil. Cook under a medium grill for 1–2 minutes on each side until golden and crunchy, then set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cucumber, cauliflower, tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, salad onions and lime juice.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, mint and remaining Baharat.
4. Break the pittas into small pieces and stir into the salad mixture. Divide between 4 plates and serve each with a spoonful of the minted yogurt.
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Cook’s tip
Try using a 200g tub Waitrose Tzatziki in place of the yogurt dressing
Lebanese baba ghanoush
This is one of the most classic Middle Eastern recipes. The dish is great as a starter or as part of a mezze. The trademark smokiness comes from cooking the whole aubergines, so don’t worry if the skins char – it all adds to the character.
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
- Total time: 25 minutes
- Serves: 4 as a starter/snack
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 large Preserved Lemon
- 1 tbsp tahini
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ x 25g pack Cooks’ Ingredients Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 4 whole-wheat Pittas
Method
1. Place a griddle pan over high heat and cook the whole aubergines for 15 minutes, turning occasionally until well charred and soft in the middle. Add the whole garlic cloves in their skins for the last 2 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. Scrape the aubergine flesh from the skins and chop to give a coarse paste. Finely chop the garlic flesh and mix into the aubergine.
3. Quarter the preserved lemon, discard the flesh and finely chop the skin. Add to the aubergine with the tahini, cumin, 1 tbsp oil and half the parsley. Season to taste. Scatter over the sesame seeds and remaining parsley, then drizzle with the remaining oil. Griddle the pittas for 2-3 minutes, turning once, then cut into thick slices and serve warm with the baba ganoush.
Which are your favorite Middle Eastern recipes? And will you be making them over Eid?