Two More Recipes from Rula: Hummus and Stuffed Grape Leaves

Hummus (Chick peas or garbanzo beans)

Cooking time: ~ 30 minutes
Serving: ~  4 persons
Served with pita bread, radishes, onion, parsley, roasted pine kernels

Ingredients1) Chick peas (1 cup dry or 2 cups canned)
2) Tahini (~ 4 tbsp)
3) Lemon ( 1 medium)
4) Garlic (2 cloves)
5) Salt (1/2 tsp)
6) Olive oil (~ 3 tbsp)

Cooking 1) Sort dry chick peas, rinse, and soak overnight or for 8 hours (canned chick peas may be used instantly).
2) Boil chick peas (~ 20 minutes)
3) In a bowl, add finely crushed garlic to tahini, lemon juice, and salt.
4) Grind chick peas in a food processor then add to bowl and mix.
5) Spread Hummus on a plate and add olive oil. You may garnish with some chick peas and/or diced parsley, sprinkle of hot pepper, roasted pine kernels.

Sahtayn!


Stuffed Grape Leaves

Cooking time: ~ 1 hour
Serving : ~ 6 persons
Served with bread, yogurt, radish, fresh lemon juice.

Ingredients1) Grape leaves (1 lb) (or chard)
2) Tomato (1 large)
3) Parsley ( 1/2 bunch)
4) Brown rice (1/2 cup)
5) Salt (1/2 tsp)
6) Dry mint (1/4 tsp)
7) Black pepper (1/4 tsp)
8) Olive oil (~ 1/4 cup)

Cooking1) In a bowl, mix chopped tomato, diced parsley, rice, salt, dry mint, and pepper.
2) Cover the bottom of a pot with a layer of  flat grape leaves.
3) Put a little of the mixture (~1/2 teaspoon) in each leaf , close both ends of leaf and roll leaf.
4) Lay the rolled leaves in the pot tightly next to each other, layer above layer.
5) Add water to cover top layer by 2 centimeters.
6) Cover pot and cook on medium heat ~ 30 minutes (taste one to make sure that rice is tender).
7) Turn off heat, add olive oil, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Sahtayn!