* * * NA*ME Presents: Wish You Were Here! ***

[Um Safia]

Starting with.......................





Algeria is situated at the very top of North Africa, between Morocco & Tunisia.





The estimated population in 2007 stood at 33,333,216 people. Algeria covers a total area of 2,381,740 km² - it is the largest North African country & is the 2nd largest African country. Arabic, French, Algerian (mix of Arabic & other languages such as French, Italian etc) & Berber languages. The capital of Algeria is Algiers.




The current president of Algeria is Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the currency is the Algerian Dinar (DZD).



Algeria is a country of stunning natural beauty. You will find every kind of geographical occurance there from sandy beaches to rugged snow capped mountains & everything in between. Unfortunately it has never been the most tourist friendly of countries so many of us are not aware of what Algeria has to offer.



The cuisine of Algeria is overlooked too, which is a shame as it is just as delicious as that of it's neighbour Morocco! The food varies from area to area, with each part of Algeria famous for its own specific dish. You will find a huge array of colourful salads, rice dishes, tagines, stews & of course the national dish Cous Cous. In Algeria cous cous is known as Ta'am, which means 'food' in Arabic.



The main spices used in Algerian cooking are Cumin & Cinnamon. Ras el Hanout is hugely popular & is found in many Algerian recipes, most housewives will blend their own depending on what spices they have to hand. Fresh Coriander & fresh Parsley are the most used of the herbs & Garlic is also used commonly in many dishes. The chilli paste Harrisa is loved by almost all Algerians, both to cook with & to serve as a condiment.



Algerians are well known for their hospitality. Whenever a guest arrives (whether expected or not) they will be greeted with cold drinks, tea, coffee & an impressive selction of sweet pastries known as helouwa. There will also be fruit (including dates) & nuts & the guests will be invited to stay for the next meal.



Algeria is one of the largest producers of dates. However, until recently they were never exported & sold as 'Algerian' but as Tunisian. The dates from Algeria as known as "Deglet Noor" which translates as "Dates of Light". This is due to their golden almost translucent appearence. They taste heavenly too, if you get the really soft ones they ooze a syrupy, honey flavoured juice.





Here are the Algerian recipes listed on Zaar:

Algerian Beef

Algerian 'zrodiya Mcharmla' - Carrots With Vinegar.

Algerian Adess - Traditional Lentil Soup / Stew - Family Recipe!

Algerian Couscous

Algerian Cucumber Salad

Algerian Fish Soup

Algerian Fish Soup

Algerian Green Bean and Lamb Tagine

Algerian Harrissa - Not a Chilli Sauce but a Sweet!

Algerian Lamb and Lentil Soup

Algerian M'hajeb - Traditional Filled Pastry.

Algerian Mchewek - My Traditional Family Recipe!

M'shewsha - Algerian Egg Dish for Breakfast or Coffee

Algerian Poached Eggs (Chakchouka)

Algerian Rice Salad

Algerian Salad

Algerian Stew for Couscous

Algerian Stew With White Beans - Barboucha

Batata Merhiya (Algerian Mashed Potatoes Layered With Beef )

BBQ North African Baby Chicken and Herbed Yogurt

Cauliflower With Dorsa Sauce (Algerian)

Djedj Mechoui (Algerian Poulet Roti/Roast Chicken)

Dolma (Algerian Stuffed Vegetables)

Garantita (Algerian Chickpea Pie)

Green Beans Algerian-Style

Khobz Ftir - Algerian Bread for Use With Chakhchoukha.

Khobz Tunis - Algerian Helouwa - My Family Recipe

L'ham Bil Khorchef - Lamb and Wild Artichoke (North African)

L'ham Lahlou - Algerian / North African Sweet Lamb Dish.

L'kebab (Algerian Fried Potato in Sauce)

Lamb and Lima Bean Soup (Morrocan/Algerian)

Makrout a Louz - Algerian Almond Cakes

Makrout a Louz - Algerian Almond Cakes #2

Moroccan Harira - a Favourite in Algeria

North African (Algerian) Kebda M'chermoula - Liver!

North African Beetroot, Fennel and Lentil Salad

Salatat Khiyar (Algerian Cucumber Salad)

Tagine Zaytoun for the Tagine!

Talha's Favourite Couscous (Ta'am Bil Jilbana & Foul)

Traditional Algerian Baklawa / Baklava - Family Recipe

Traditional Algerian Rechta (Noodles) - Family Recipe!

Traditional North African Cous Cous (The Real Way!)

Wow - Algerian Chakhchoukha - Family Recipe!



We hope you have enjoyed your trip to Algeria. Next stop Bahrain!................

[Elmotoo]

Wow!! You did an amazing job, Rezika!!

[Um Safia]

Elmotoo wrote:
Wow!! You did an amazing job, Rezika!!

Thanks Bethie - Glad you like it!

[Um Safia]

Well, it's been very quiet on the Algerian leg of the tour but we'll be spending June in Bahrain - I hope you all can join us!

[Um Safia]

Less than a week to go!!!!

[Um Safia]

Bahrain is situated in the Persian Gulf, nestled between Saudi Arabia, Iran & Qatar.








Bahrain is 665km² & is linked to Saudi Arabia by King Fahds Causeway. Recent figures put the estimated population of Bahrain at 1,046,814. The official language of Bahrain is Arabic. The capital of Bahrain is Manama.





The current King of Bahrain is Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah & Prime Minister of Bahrain is Khalifah ibn Sulman Al Khalifah. The currency is the Bahraini dinar (BHD).




Bahrains official name is 'The Kingdom of Bahrain', though it is usually referred to as Bahrain only. Bahrain means 'Two Seas' in Arabic, referring to the sweet water springs that can be found within the salty sea surrounding it. Historical records referred to Bahrain with names like "Life of Eternity", "Paradise", "Eden" & has also been called the "Pearl of the Persian Gulf.





Pearl diving was the main economy until cultured pearls were invented in early twentieth century. Oil is now responsible for much of the economy in Bahrain.





Bahrain is a popular tourist destination with over eight million tourists a year. Most of the visitors are from the surrounding Arab states but there is an increasing number of tourists from outside the region thanks to a growing awareness of the kingdom’s heritage and its higher profile with regards to the Bahrain Formula One Race Track.











The Lonely Planet describes Bahrain as "an excellent introduction to the Persian Gulf" because of its authentic Arab heritage and reputation as relatively liberal and modern. The kingdom combines Arab culture, Gulf glitz and the archaeological legacy of five thousand years of civilization. The island is home to castles including Qalat Al Bahrain which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site





Bahraini cuisine takes it's roots from many cultures, which have included the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, and finally the Arabs. Black lemon & black lime (dried) are very popular spices in Bahraini cooking.





A traditional Bahraini dish will usually have fish or meat, rice and dates as the main ingredients. Due to it's location, Bahrain is passionate about fish & seafood. One of the most famous Bahraini delicacies is the Machboos - fish or meat served with rice. Muhammar is another kind of rice which is brown in color and sweet to taste.





Due to scanty agricultural lands, the country can produce very little of what it eats. The food pattern of Bahrain mainly consists of dates, bananas, citrus fruits, mangoes, pomegranates, tomatoes and cucumbers.





Bahrainis have a special way of making and serving coffee ..........

The drinking of coffee is a traditional part of a Bahrain welcome, and begins with the preparation of the coffee itself. Water & arabic coffee(kahwa) are poured into a saucepan and then boiled for about two minutes.

Next comes the "relaxation" process, which is very important, as it allows time for the traditional exchange of greetings and welcome.

After adding cardamom and saffron in rosewater, the coffee is poured gently from the saucepan into the coffeepot (dalla) taking care that the sediment remains in the pan. The coffee is then left to brew for five or ten minutes before being served in a small cup (finjan).

It is polite to accept a second cup if offered, but for third and subsequent helpings, the shaking of the cup from side to side indicates refusal.











Here are the traditional Bahraini recipes available on 'Zaar:

Machboos or Fooga (Traditional United Arab Emirates Dish)

Machbous Rubyan (Rice With Shrimps)

Machbous - Spiced Lamb With Rice

Traditional Bahraini Chicken Machboos / Machbous

Traditional Bahraini Muhammar - Sweet Rice Dish

Bahraini Prawns / Shrimp in Tomato Sauce

Traditional Bahraini Cardamom Coffee





Here's another great recipe:


Bahraini Fish Curry

Ingredients:
2 onions, chopped
1/4 c butter, oil or ghee
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp curry powder
1 small cinnamon stick
3 tomatoes,; peeled & chopped
3/4 c water or chicken stock
2 dried limes
4 fish fillets

Directions:
Saute the onions in the butter until softened. Add the garlic,
salt and curry powder and cook for another minute.
Blend in the cinnamon stick, tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the dried limes and lower the fish into the sauce. Cover the pot and poach the fish over low flame until it is tender and flaky. Serve with your favorite plain rice dish.






The Wish You Were Here Official Cookbook can be found here ~ NA*ME Forum - Wish You Were Here!. This includes all the wonderful dishes we come across on our travels.

Please do try some of them! If you are tempted to make any of the featured recipes, it would be lovely to let us know what you think











We hope you have enjoyed your trip to Bahrain. Next stop Egypt!................

[Elmotoo]

Wow! That is stunning - love the photos! Great job as always!
xo Bethie

[Um Safia]

Elmotoo wrote:
Wow! That is stunning - love the photos! Great job as always!
xo Bethie

Thanks Bethie I'm wondering if we'll have any company in Bahrain

[Elmotoo]

I hope so!!

[Mom to all]

Hi,
I am very new to this forum, Today as a matter of fact. I simply loved both countries you reviewed. I am now looking for the next one. I have never left the US but these countries do look inviting. Thanks for keeping us informed.
I love to hear about different places and seeing the beautiful pictures. I will also plan on making some of the dishes of these countries too. I have to wait till our older son goes back to college since he is so fussy. Our younger son is very easy -- He will try anything new.
Thanks again,
Lori, (Mom to all)

[Um Safia]

Mom to all wrote:
Hi,
I am very new to this forum, Today as a matter of fact. I simply loved both countries you reviewed. I am now looking for the next one. I have never left the US but these countries do look inviting. Thanks for keeping us informed.
I love to hear about different places and seeing the beautiful pictures. I will also plan on making some of the dishes of these countries too. I have to wait till our older son goes back to college since he is so fussy. Our younger son is very easy -- He will try anything new.
Thanks again,
Lori, (Mom to all)

Hi Lori!,

Welcome to NA*ME I am so glad you are enjoying the tour so far - we have many, many countries left to see, so get your bags packed

And now that you've found us, please don't be a stranger!

Rezika

[Mom to all]

No stranger here. I will keep this forum handy. I would love to make the food from the different countries. The pictures and the information is very beautiful and interesting. I cant wait for the next country. I will have to wait till my older son goes back to college to make the dishes but I will let you know what I make when the time comes.

[Um Safia]

Egypt is situated in North Africa, with Libya to the West & Saudi Arabia to the East.








Egypt has land totalling 980,869 km² & recent figures suggest the estimated population to be well over 80,000,000.





Egypt is the world's 38th-largest country (after Mauritania). It is comparable in size to Tanzania, twice the size of France, four times the size of the United Kingdom, and is more than half the size of the US state of Alaska. Due to the aridity of Egypt's climate, approximately 99% of the population uses only about 5.5% of the total land area.

The official language of Egypt is Arabic. The capital of Egypt is Cairo.














The current President of Egypt is Hosni Mubarak & the Prime Minister is Ahmed Nazif. The currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP).





Misr, the Arabic and modern official name of Egypt (Egyptian Arabic: Masr), is of Semitic origin, directly cognate with other Semitic words for Egypt. such as the Hebrew Mitzráyim, literally meaning "the two straits" (a reference to the dynastic separation of upper and lower Egypt). The word originally connoted "metropolis" or "civilization" and also means "country", or "frontier-land".

The English name "Egypt" came via the Latin word Aegyptus derived from the ancient Greek word Aígyptos. The adjective aigýpti, aigýptios was borrowed into Coptic as gyptios, kyptios.











Egypt is famous for its ancient civilization and some of the world's most famous monuments, including the Giza pyramid complex and its Great Sphinx. The southern city of Luxor contains numerous ancient artifacts, such as the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings.











Egypt is widely regarded as an important political and cultural nation of the Middle East. The resort of Sharm el Shaikh is not just popular with tourists but with foriegn delegates, Kings & Presidents as they regularly meet to discuss the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.





The Egyptian Nile Valley was home to one of the oldest cultures in the world, spanning three thousand years of continuous history.





Evidence of human habitation in the Nile Valley since the Paleolithic era appears in the form of artifacts and rock carvings along the Nile terraces and in the desert oases.











Following the completion of the Suez Canal by Khedive Ismail in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation and trading hub. Egypt is a fairly large producer of coal, oil, natural gas, and hydro power.
Egypt's economy depends mainly on agriculture, media, petroleum exports, and tourism; there are also more than three million Egyptians working abroad, mainly in Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf and Europe.





In the 5th century BC Herodotus wrote of Egypt that 'nowhere are there so many marvellous things...nor in the world besides are to be seen so many things of unspeakable greatness' - and not too much has changed. The Sphinx, the Nile, ancient Luxor, the pyramids - Egypt's scope is glorious.





It's not just the Pharaonic monuments that have drawn travellers to this country since long before the birth of Christ - it's the legacy of the Greeks, Romans and early Christians, and the profusion of art and architecture accumulated from centuries of successive Islamic dynasties.











The unique Egyptian cuisine has been influenced throughout history, particularly by its neighbors from the Middle East. Persians (modern-day Iraqis), Greeks, Romans (modern-day Italians), Arabs, and Ottomans (from modern-day Turkey) first influenced Egyptian cuisine thousands of years ago.





More recently, the foods of other Arabic people in the Middle East such as the Lebanese, Palestinians, Syrians, as well as some foods from Europe, have affected the Egyptian diet. However, Egyptian cuisine maintains its uniqueness. After thousands of years, rice and bread remain staple foods, and molokhiyya (a spinach-like vegetable) and ful mudammas (cooked, creamy fava beans), a national dish, are nearly as popular as long ago.





Egypt has a variety of national dishes. Ful (pronounced "fool," bean paste), tahini (sesame paste), koushari (lentils, macaroni, rice, and chickpeas), aish baladi (a pita-like bread), kofta (spicy, minced lamb), and kebab (grilled lamb pieces) are the most popular.














Dining customs vary throughout the country and between different religions. When guests are in the presence of Muslims (who make up approximately 90 percent of Egypt's population), there are some general guidelines one should follow. The left hand is considered unclean and should not be used for eating, feet should always been tucked under the table, and alcohol and pork should not be requested.





When invited to be a guest in an Egyptian household, it is polite for guests to bring a small gift to the host, such as flowers or chocolate, to show their appreciation for the meal. Before dinner, cocktails (often nonalcoholic) are frequently served. This is a time for socializing and becoming acquainted. Mezze (salads and dips) would also be served at this time. When dinner is ready, usually between 9 P.M. and 10 P.M., guests seat themselves and food is placed in the middle of the table. Bread will almost always accompany meals, which may include vegetables, rice dishes, soups, and meat dishes. Following dinner, guests will move into another room and enjoy coffee or mint tea. Guests should always compliment the cook.











Egyptian Recipes On Zaar:

Egyptian food is so popular that I really can't list all of them here for you...but if you click on the link nelow, you'll be taken to the entire list!

167 Egyptian Recipes!

Here Are A Few Favourites!:

Koshari

Basbousa(بسبوسة)

Fooll Mudammes (Fava Bean Egyptian Breakfast)(فول مدمس)

Shakshouka

Dukkah

Iced Hibiscus Tea

Egyptian Molokheya (Green Spinach-Like Soup)

Egyptian Sweet Couscous Dessert

Egyptian Garlic Yogurt Cucumber Salad

Omm 'Ali (Egyptian Bread and Butter Pudding)

Egyptian Lahma Bil Basal (Beef in Rich Onion Sauce)

Tamatim Mashwiya

Egyptian Moussaka

Ataif (Arab Filled Pancakes)

Classic Egyptian Omelette

Ful Medames











The Wish You Were Here Official Cookbook can be found here ~ NA*ME Forum - Wish You Were Here!. This includes all the wonderful dishes we come across on our travels.

Why not try a recipe & see what you are missing out on!





We hope you have enjoyed your stay in Egypt, do come back for the next stop on our tour..............

[Mom to all]

Ahhh, Egypt. This has always been a place I wanted to visit. Thank you so much for all the beautiful pictures and information. The Fruit coucous dessert sounds great and I know everyone including our fussy son will enjoy. I will have to make this soon.

I have never been accross the Atlantic Ocean. Our youngest son spent a month in Europe last summer visiting Austria, Germany, Greece and Italy. Our older son spent about a month in Australia about 6 years ago.

Thanks again for positng this forum I am really enjoying the far off places, there pictures and recipes to try.

Lori,
Mom to all.
from a small town in Connecticut.

[Um Safia]

Mom to all wrote:
Ahhh, Egypt. This has always been a place I wanted to visit. Thank you so much for all the beautiful pictures and information. The Fruit coucous dessert sounds great and I know everyone including our fussy son will enjoy. I will have to make this soon.

I have never been accross the Atlantic Ocean. Our youngest son spent a month in Europe last summer visiting Austria, Germany, Greece and Italy. Our older son spent about a month in Australia about 6 years ago.

Thanks again for positng this forum I am really enjoying the far off places, there pictures and recipes to try.

Lori,
Mom to all.
from a small town in Connecticut.

Hi Lori

I'm glad you enjoyed your 'trip' to Egypt It's nice that you've found a recipe that will suit your familiy's tastes too - I know it's often hard to find NA*ME recipes that won't shock the taste buds of people unacustomed to the distinct flavours.

It's great that your son's have been fortunate enough to travel overseas, it really is a wonderful experience.

I hope you enjoy our new destination as much as the last ones

Rezika.