Camounia

Marilyn shares a tasty family recipe for Camounia – a hearty and flavorful stew made from meat, beans and Harissa sauce that is commonly eaten on Shabbat by Jewish families from Tunisia. Absolutely delicious, this dish is sure to be enjoyed by all… so let’s get cooking!

Add 1/3 cup of oil into a pot on the stove. Add two cans of tomato sauce, one teaspoon of paprika, three teaspoons of cumin, three teaspoons of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of Harissa (hot chili sauce), and one teaspoon of salt. Mix together and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, occasionally stirring. Add 2-2.5 pounds of meat, and mix together. After 15 minutes, stir, and add 2.5 cups of water. Let cook at medium-low for an hour to one hour and 15 minutes. Stir and cook for 30 more minutes. Add two cans (15 oz each) of pinto beans and let cook for 15 more minutes. Stir, and add a ground glove of garlic. Add one teaspoon of cumin. Stir. Ready to serve.

Serve over a bowl of couscous.

Couscous: To one lb of couscous, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix together. Pour boiling hot water, enough to cover the couscous. Mix together. Cover the bowl, and let the heat cook itself. Leave for 5-7 minutes.

Bamiyeh

Bamiyeh

Nora shares a traditional and tasty family recipe for okra stew, known in Syria as “Bamiyeh”.

First, cook the beef. Add some olive oil into a pot, and then add 1.5 lbs of beef cubes. Add one tablespoon of salt. Add 1 teaspoon of allspice. Cover with enough water to cover the meat with two inches. Put on stove, and let cook for 45 minutes (30 minutes with pressure cooker).

Roughly chop three tomatoes, rough chop one cup of fresh cilantro, and mash six large garlic cloves. Place these in separate bowls and set to the side.

Add a little olive oil into a new pan, and heat it up. Add two 14 oz bags of small okra. Add one 6 oz can of tomato paste. Add the chopped tomatoes. Add one tablespoon of salt. Add two teaspoons of allspice. Mix together, and then add the cooked beef, and add enough stock to cover the top. Simmer for 20 minutes, without the cover on. In the last five minutes of simmering, add the chopped cilantro and mashed garlic. Mix together.