So, the first thing I made was Syrian Onion Bread. I started out by adding my yeast packet to 4 ½ oz of lukewarm water and let it sit for about 10 minutes to proof. Then I put my flour and salt in a bowl and mixed it altogether. After making a well in the center, I poured my yeast proof in the center and mixed to form a dough. I ended up doubling the recipe to make eight pieces instead of four. I kneaded my dough on a floured surface for about 7-8 minutes until it was really soft and stretchy, adding a bit of flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Then I put it in a lightly oiled bowl, covered it with some wax paper (since I didn’t have any cheesecloth) and let it sit in a warm place until it’s risen some. (It’s January, and my house is cold, so it was a struggle.) After about 45 minutes or so, I turned it out onto a floured surface and punched it down, kneading it a little more. Then I cut the dough into eight equal pieces, formed them into balls only to flatten them out into disks. Then I pricked the entire top of it with a fork. Using some lightly oiled wax paper, I covered them again to rest for 20 minutes. At this point, I brushed the tops of them with olive oil. In a small bowl, I mixed together finely chopped onion, cumin, coriander powder, and finely chopped mint and sprinkled it on top of the breads. I baked this at 390ºF for 18 minutes. They were a little crispier than I thought they’d be, but they were really tasty to me. The onions and cumin weren’t quite as strong as I thought they’d might be. (They were pretty good with the cucumber yogurt salad below!)
The main dish was Dawood Basha, or Syrian meatballs. You can use either beef or lamb, but I went with beef because it was cheaper. I took my ground beef and mixed it with some chopped parsley and some salt and pepper, forming them into small meatballs when it was all mixed. (Aldi only had the 96/4% super lean ground beef, which I don’t like to use for meatballs because it falls apart too easily while cooking them.) I browned my meatballs on all sides and then took them out and set them aside. Then I sauteed my onions in the drippings before adding in a can of diced tomatoes. I let it cook until it started boiling. Once that started, I added my meatballs back into it and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Toward the end, I added in a little Bharat mix (I actually just mixed a lighter version of some cumin, cloves, black pepper, and coriander). I served this over some white rice. I think this was a hit with the whole family, even with my husband who has trouble eating tomatoes because it gives him heartburn.
To go with this, I made Mujadara, or Lentil Pilaf. I washed and covered my lentils with water, boiling them for about 15-20 minutes until they were done but still firm. I really had to make sure there was enough water in the pot for this dish. Next, I cut some onions into wedges and sauteed them in olive oil. Just when they started to turn yellowish, I took half of them out and reserved them for later. I left the others in to get brown and crispy. When that was done, I moved that off to the side. Then I washed my bulgur wheat and added it to the lentils, adding a little salt and pepper to the pot as well. I left it on medium heat until most of the water is gone. I added a little more water at that point, and then I covered this and set it on very low heat for about 10 minutes, making sure every few minutes that there’s enough water to keep it wet. When the bulgur is soft, I added my yellowed onions back into it with some olive oil and mixed it altogether and letting it cook for another 5-10 minutes, garnishing it with the crispy onions I saved. I liked this dish, oddly enough, but I think it also needed just a tad more salt to it. Or maybe some a bit of something spicy perhaps.
And to contrast these two savory dishes, I made a cool dish called Laban bikhyar, or cucumber yogurt salad. I cut up part of a cucumber into small pieces, added it in a bowl with two plain yogurt cups. Then I added in a bit of chopped mint, a little mashed minced garlic, and a little salt. To me, it tasted close to Greek tzatziki sauce. In essence, I’m sure it’s probably the same, and I’ve probably made it before. But no matter, it went well with the bread.
I thought Syria was going to be a difficult country to cover, and there were certainly stories that were difficult to read about. But I made it through. And I did come across stories of the helpers, of the regular people doing extraordinary things. Lately, I’ve become really interested in the podcast called “Today, Explained.” They did a really good job explaining the complexities of what’s going on in Syria. Somewhat dated now (it aired April 6, 2018 called “It’s never too late to understand the war in Syria”), it made me realize what an extremely sensitive situation there is over there. And it’s understandable if you’re a little fuzzy on who all the players are in this conflict. But I would definitely suggest checking it out. So, if you’re interested in learning more, please click on the link above.
Up next: Tajikistan
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