Egyptian Fattah

Method36 steps · about 3 hr 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: In a deep pot melt butter or ghee over medium high heat, add mastic and stir until mastic pieces are melted.

   Uses 1 Tablespoon ghee/unsalted butter. · 2-3 mastic pieces.

2. 2

   Step 2: Add meat cubes and brown all over.

   Uses 2 pounds beef/lamb (cut into 2-inch squares. See notes below for best cuts.) · mastic-infused melted fat

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the bay leaves, sugar, black pepper and cardamom, stir to combine.

   Uses 2 bay leaves. · 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom. · 1/4 teaspoon sugar. · 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. · browned meat

4. 4

   Step 4: Add onion (1), garlic (1), tomato, celery and carrots. Mix everything well together.

   Uses 1 medium onion (quartered.) · 1 (100g) Roma tomato quartered. · 2 (70g )celery stalks, cubes almost half a cup. · 1 garlic clove. · 1 large (60g) carrot (cut into chunks.) · spiced browned meat

5. 5

   Step 5: Pour in hot boiling water to cover the meat and vegetables; add the 1 teaspoon salt listed for the meat broth. Remove any foam rising at the surface.

   Uses Boiling water to cover. · 1 teaspoon salt (I’ve used pink salt.) · meat and broth vegetables

6. 6

   Step 6: Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat, cover loosely, and simmer until the meat is tender.

   Uses meat and vegetables in water

7. 7

   Step 7: Set aside to cool down a bit, remove vegetables and bay leaves with a slotted spoon. Discard if you wish to or season the vegetables and eat.

   Uses tender meat, broth, and vegetables

8. 8

   Step 8: Take the beef cubes out in a plate, cover and set aside.

   Uses cooked meat cubes

9. 9

   Step 9: Strain the broth through a sieve and reserve it. Measure out 3 cups for the two sauces; additional broth may be used as the rice liquid if desired.

   Uses cooking broth after removing vegetables

10. 10

    Step 10: In a pot over medium high, add butter and oil.

    Uses 1 Tablespoon ghee or unsalted butter. · 1 Tablespoon olive oil.

11. 11

    Step 11: Wait for the butter to melt then add the rice.

    Uses 2 cups (400g) short grain or jasmine rice. · melted rice fat

12. 12

    Step 12: Stir the rice for 2-3 minutes until it is all covered with the butter and oil mixture.

    Uses rice coated with fat

13. 13

    Step 13: Pour in the 2 1/4 cups hot water, broth, or their mixture listed for the rice; season with the rice salt (to taste) to taste and bring to a boil.

    Uses 2 1/4 cup hot water/beef broth or a mixture. · Salt to taste. · toasted rice

14. 14

    Step 14: Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 13–15 minutes, until the rice is tender. If the rice is still firm after the liquid is absorbed, add a little hot water and continue cooking covered until tender.

    Cook rice · 15 minUses hot water, as needed if rice remains firm · rice in seasoned liquid

15. 15

    Step 15: Preheat oven to 350F.

16. 16

    Step 16: Cut the bread into 1 inch squares. Arrange on a baking sheet.

    Uses 6 Pita bread loaves. more or less depending on your liking. (cut into 1 inch squares.)

17. 17

    Step 17: Place the baking sheet in the center of your oven.

    Uses cut pita squares

18. 18

    Step 18: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges and bottoms are crisp and golden brown.

    Toast pita bread · 12 minUses pita squares on baking sheet

19. 19

    Step 19: Remove from oven and set aside.

    Uses toasted pita squares

20. 20

    Step 20: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil (1 tablespoon).

    Uses 1 tablespoon ghee or unsalted butter, for garlic sauces · 1 tablespoon olive oil, for garlic sauces

21. 21

    Step 21: Add garlic (5 large) and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned.

    Uses 5 large garlic cloves (minced.) · melted sauce fat

22. 22

    Step 22: Add the vinegar and let the mixture cook for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat.

    Uses 1/4 cup white vinegar. · lightly browned garlic

23. 23

    Step 23: Remove about half of the cooked garlic-vinegar mixture into a small bowl and set aside for the white sauce; leave the rest in the pan for the tomato sauce.

    Uses cooked garlic-vinegar mixture

24. 24

    Step 24: Increase heat to medium again, pour tomato sauce, 7-spice blend, salt & pepper and mix.

    Uses 2 cups tomato sauce. · 1 teaspoon 7-spice blend. · Salt and pepper to taste. · garlic-vinegar mixture remaining in pan

25. 25

    Step 25: Add tomato paste and 1 cup of the 3 cups reserved strained meat broth.

    Uses 2 Tablespoons tomato paste. · 1 cup reserved strained meat broth · seasoned tomato sauce

26. 26

    Step 26: Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.

    Uses tomato sauce with broth and paste

27. 27

    Step 27: In another saucepan, pour in the remaining 2 cups reserved meat broth and bring to a boil.

    Uses remaining 2 cups reserved strained meat broth

28. 28

    Step 28: Add the garlic-vinegar mixture that we scooped out earlier.

    Uses reserved half garlic-vinegar mixture · hot reserved broth

29. 29

    Step 29: Season with salt and pepper (to taste) then turn heat off.

    Uses Salt and pepper to taste. · white garlic-vinegar sauce

30. 30

    Step 30: For optional meat browning, melt the additional 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Skip this browning stage if preferred.

    Uses 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for optional meat browning · 1 tablespoon olive oil, for optional meat browning

31. 31

    Step 31: If browning the meat, add the cooked meat cubes and brown on all sides.

    Uses reserved tender meat cubes · optional browning fat

32. 32

    Step 32: Keep the pan covered while browning so the cooked meat cubes do not get too dry. If skipping browning, use the cooked meat reserved earlier.

    Uses optionally browned meat cubes

33. 33

    Step 33: Place the toasted pita on a platter and drizzle with about 1 cup of the prepared white garlic-vinegar sauce.

    Uses toasted pita · about 1 cup white sauce

34. 34

    Step 34: Add the rice and level then arrange the meat pieces on top or around the platter.

    Uses cooked rice · cooked meat cubes · pita with white sauce

35. 35

    Step 35: Drizzle some tomato sauce on top.

    Uses some prepared tomato sauce · assembled meat, rice, and pita

36. 36

    Step 36: Pour the remaining white sauce and tomato sauce on bowls and serve on the side.

    Uses remaining white sauce · remaining tomato sauce · Fattah platter