Ramadan 101: Day 29

With Gamila Karjawally (left) and Suzy Shoukry (right) Eid Cookies (above by Michael Stewart Photography)

Dessert Table (left)

Dried Fruit Kabob Centerpieces

Last night's iftaar at the Egyptian Embassy was more than just good food and fun. It was a good learning experience! Ambassador Shoukry's wife, Suzy, orchestrated a feast worthy of royalty. Her interior design expertise was evident in carefully placed decorations, tablescapes, and my favorite (the dried fruit kabob centerpieces). Since people break their fasts with dried fruit, the centerpieces were symbolic, functional, beautiful, and delicious. I hope Suzy doesn't mind if I incorporate that idea into my own Ramadan repertoire from now on!

The dinner included countless Egyptian specialties like Okra Stew, M'saa'a, Circassian Chicken, salads, dips, breads, stuffed vegetables, lentil soup, kabobs, quail, rice, hulled grains, and much more. The dessert table boasted Sweet Mouthfuls, K'nafeh, baklava, Om' Ali, Carrot Halva, Khoshaf.........

Since tomorrow is the last day of Ramadan, however, I thought I'd share a recipe for the Eid- the three day Feast of the Fast Breaking. These traditional cookies are usually eaten for breakfast on the Eid, and shared with loved ones.

RECIPE: From: Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture

Traditional Eid Cookies Kahk a L’Eid Makes approximately 4 dozen After a month long of rising and eating beans, eggs, and bread before dawn, the Traditional Eid Cookies make the perfect celebratory breakfast. Instead, people wake up later, eat their Traditional Eid Cookies with tea and milk or coffee and milk, put on their newest and best clothing, and congregate at mosques and stadiums for a congregational Eid prayer. These cookies became significant during the Fatimid Caliphate (9th century) Egypt when the Sultans used to stuff them with gold coins and give them to the poor for the Eid. These cookies can be made in advance and frozen. To serve them, thaw them for a few hours at room temperature, and dust with another coating of powdered sugar. To enable the cookies to “grab” onto more powdered sugar, their tops a decorated with a ma’alit which looks like a cross between tweezers and a staple remover to make dents on the top. If you don’t; have one, you can use a fork to make deep groves into the tops of the cookies. Ingredients:

4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 cup clarified butter (ghee)*

1 cup milk

¼ teaspoon salt

½ tablespoon yeast

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

½ teaspoon rose water

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup confectioners sugar, for decoration

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
3. Pour flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Sprinkle sesame seeds in the center.
5. Heat clarified butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bowl.
7. Remove from heat, and using a wooden spoon, carefully incorporate into the flour.
9. Stir until ingredients are mixed well and flour mixture turns cool.
10. In a separate bowl, add milk, salt, yeast, baking powder, rose water, almond, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
12. Add milk mixture to dough ¼ cup at a time, mixing well to incorporate after each addition.
14. When all of milk mixture is incorporated, form into a ball.
16. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until a ball is formed.
18. Break off small pieces and roll to form 1-inch balls.
20. Place each ball 1-inch apart on a baking sheet.
22. Flatten the tops slightly and use a ma’alit or fork to make 3 to 4 lines of dents down the tops of the cookies.
24. Bake both cookie sheets side by side for 14 to 18 minutes, or until light golden.
26. Take out of oven and carefully transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
28. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Continue with remaining dough. *Clarify butter by melting it, letting it stand for 5 minutes, and removing the white solids from the top.