Join The National and Table Tales on a culinary journey around the Middle East to savour the quintessential dishes that embody the spirit of Ramadan. From table staples to family favourites, this series of recipes – one for each day of Ramadan – pays homage to the holy month and the home cook alike.
An age-old ingredient, molokhia finds mention in the 14th-century Kanz Al-Fawa'id Fi Tanwi' Al-Mawa'id book (Medieval Arab-Islamic Culinary Art).
The dish dates back to the days of the pharaohs, while there are some who believe it was first prepared by ancient Jews, which may account for its first translation, Jew’s mallow soup.
Although the dish is considered a national symbol of Egypt, consumed by farmers and urbanites alike, this version is made the Lebanese way.
Hanan Sayed Worrell, of Table Tales, says: “When chopped and added to chicken, rabbit or duck broth, the leaves offer a mucilaginous quality. However, this is an unusual and uncommon recipe, in that it is vegetarian and meant to be eaten cold, as a side.
"The dish really brings out the essence of the molokhia leaves, since they are simply sauteed with onion, garlic and coriander. The flavours are not overpowered by the traditional chicken or meat broth," says Worrell.
In fact, Levantine cuisine has a rich array of vegetarian recipes sauteed in oil, or food done "bil zeit", owing to the Christian population observing Lent. More common are loubieh bil zeit (green beans) and hindbeh bil zeit (dandelion greens), while recipe contributor Sallama Al Sayegh shares: "Molokhia bil zait is unique to our family. I always have at least one bil zeit dish on our Ramadan table. They are healthy with lots of fibre, easy to digest and have a high water content, ideal after a long day's fast. Any leftovers can be eaten for suhoor."
Whether or not you add meat to the dish, molokhia (jute leaves) have significant health benefits, packed as they are with vitamins A and C, as well as potassium, iron and dietary fibre.
Click through the gallery below to see all of the dishes include in The National and Table Tales' Ramadan recipe series:
Sallama Al Sayegh's molokhia bil zeit – jute leaf in olive oil
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 1kg fresh molokhia
- 300g fresh coriander, chopped
- 340g (2 medium) onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp coriander, ground
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 greens chillies, seeded and chopped
- 2 whole green chillies (or less, as per taste)
- 120ml cooking oil
- 120ml lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Lemon wedges, to garnish
Method:
- Pick the leaves of the molokhia, wash and dry thoroughly.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil, add the onions and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, until golden.
- Add all the garlic and chopped chilis and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the fresh coriander, whole green chilis, coriander powder and salt, and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Working in batches, add the molokhia leaves and stir to combine with the onion mixture.
- Leave it to cook on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently. The molokhia is done when it turns darker and the liquid has dried out.
- Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and mix well.
- Serve on a platter and garnish with lemon wedges. This dish is best served cold.
This dish has been brought to you by Sallama Al Sayegh and curated by international recipe hunter Hanan Sayed Worrell, author of Table Tales: The Global Nomad Cuisine of Abu Dhabi. The Table Tales concept celebrates the people and stories that give flavour to recipes of the Middle East.
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
Star%20Wars%3A%20Ahsoka%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Various%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rosario%20Dawson%2C%20Natasha%20Liu%20Bordizzo%2C%20Lars%20Mikkelsen%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Fourth-round clashes for British players
- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)
- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
MATCH INFO
Fulham 0
Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Men from Barca's class of 99
Crystal Palace - Frank de Boer
Everton - Ronald Koeman
Manchester City - Pep Guardiola
Manchester United - Jose Mourinho
Southampton - Mauricio Pellegrino
Where to submit a sample
Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
