Egyptian Cooking: And Other Middle Eastern Recipes [Spiral-bound]

Samia Abdennour (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 2005

Since its original publication twenty years ago, Samia Abdennour’s Egyptian Cooking has become a true classic - a must-have cookbook for anyone who wants to eat as the Egyptians do. From hearty staples like foul midammis (stewed fava beans) and kushari (a mix of pasta, rice, and lentils under a rich tomato sauce) to more complex meals such as roast leg of lamb and baked stuffed fish, Egyptian Cooking runs the gamut of the national cuisine. Now, in this revised and expanded edition, Abdennour has added over eighty new recipes from all over the Middle East, including some of the most popular dishes from the Levant, the Gulf, and North Africa. With some 480 recipes and mouthwatering color photographs, this versatile guide gives users a wide array of basic meals and sumptuous dishes. With entries organized under the categories of Mezze, Breakfast, Main Courses, Sweets and Desserts, and Beverages, Egyptian Cooking offers a comprehensive collection of Middle Eastern recipes in one volume. Spiral-bound for easy accessibility while cooking, this practical handbook offers detailed advice on shopping, food preparation, and unusual ingredients, as well as the Arabic names for individual items and recipes. Ideal for the novice as well as the experienced cook, this expanded edition of an Egyptian bestseller is the ideal introduction to cooking this delicious cuisine at home.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Samia Abdennour came to Egypt from Palestine in 1947. She is married to a physician and has two children.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 240 pages
• Publisher: American University in Cairo Press (October 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9774249267
• ISBN-13: 978-9774249266
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #808,582 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > African

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Are we talking about the same cookbook?, October 15, 2006

By 

halalchickennugget "halalchickennugget" (Tucson AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Egyptian Cooking: And Other Middle Eastern Recipes (Spiral-bound)

When even rice pudding doesnt turn out right, after following the directions to the letter....you can safely say that a cookbook was poorly written.

Simply dissolve sugar in milk, then add rice and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes? Hardly. I started out with a low flame....and was still waiting for the rice to soften 45 minutes later. I made rice pudding out of the Good Housekeeping Cookbook, and I'd much sooner make rice pudding their way----you start out with a boil (to cook the inner core of the grain of rice), and THEN reduce to low and simmer. Works every time.

Ms. Abdennour should also mention to the novice, that it is necessary to stir the rice pudding continuously, or it will stick to the pan and BURN. However the word "stir" was not even mentioned in the recipe! This may seem like common sense to most, but cookbooks should be written at the level of a novice.

The rice in my pudding ended up having a hard, uncooked center. And when I went to taste it (aside from the bitterly hard rice) I felt there was way too much sugar.

In addition the cookbook has a strange format...the pages are numbered but the recipes are indexed not by page number but by recipe number (they are actually numbered from 1 on up) I much prefer good old fashioned page numbers---whats wrong with that?

Also, the author seems to be unfamiliar with the names of certain items in the West. When a recipe calls for "gullash" this corresponds to our "phyllo dough" however the author seems to not know that we have a word for this....so she describes it as "fresh, paper thin sheets of dough at your local bakery"....gee thanks, that would help the novice cook! I know that she is describing phyllo dough, but would a novice know?

In addition, I made kuftat ras al asfur. Again, following the instructions to the letter resulted in a bland tomato sauce.

Some recipe instructions amounted to no more than four sentences, when surely they are a bit more complex to make and worth describing in a bit more detail.

There are better Arabic cookbooks out there...I just haven't found them yet. This cookbook is suited to someone who is familiar with making these dishes....maybe then they can fill in the details which Abdennour fails to mention. But then one wonders, why would these people need a cookbook in the first place?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic, delicious food, February 19, 2006

By 

Samer S. Sadek "Food lover" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Egyptian Cooking: And Other Middle Eastern Recipes (Spiral-bound)

Having grown up in Egypt, I had no idea what I took for granted. Delicious stuffed tomatoes, fresh lemony salads, vine leaves, meat stews. It's such a pleasure to find a book that allows me to recreate these meals I had back at home. It's easy to follow and the ingredients are readily available here in the States. I recommend this book for everyone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Featuring classic dishes that perfectly capture the staples of Egyptian cuisine, December 6, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Egyptian Cooking: And Other Middle Eastern Recipes (Spiral-bound)

First published twenty years ago, and now in a revised and expanded edition with over eighty new recipes added by author Samia Abdennour, Egyptian Cooking And Other Middle Eastern Recipes is a spiral-bound cookbook featuring classic dishes that perfectly capture the staples of Egyptian cuisine. A handful of color photographs illustrate the simple and practical instructions for creating such Middle Eastern delicacies as Falafels, Duck Pot Roast, Baked Rice With Milk, Hot Yogurt Soup, Pickled Eggplant, and so much more. A glossary, list of common spices and cooking utensils, and index round out this "must-have" cookbook for anyone interested in savoring Egyptian cuisine.