Lebanese Style Rice

This rice is a staple in the Lebanese cuisine. It is served with all stews and casseroles. You can use any kind of rice you have on hand, just adjust the water quantity accordingly.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups jasmine rice
¼ cup vermicelli, broken into ½ inch pieces(can be substituted with angel hair pasta)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 ¼ cups water, at room temperature

Preparation:
Heat vegetable oil in a non stick pot over a medium flame. Add vermicelli and toast until lightly golden, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Add rice and toast for 3 minutes. Add salt and water and stir gently. When the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to simmer and cover the pot with a tight lid. Let the rice cook for 15-20 minutes, until all water is evaporated and rice is fluffy. Keep the pot covered until you are ready to serve.

Serves 4

Kafta and Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
¼ cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg
1 ½ tsp Salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp black pepper
2 large potatoes, sliced to ½ inch rounds
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 large tomatoes, sliced to ½ inch rounds

Preparation:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly oil an 8 inch square pan and set aside.
Mix ground beef, onion, bread crumbs,egg, 1 tsp salt and spices together until just combined. Lightly press down to cover the bottom of the pan.
Combine crushed tomatoes with water and crushed pepper and spread 3 Tbsp of the mixture over the beef bottom. Arrange enough potato slices to cover. Sprinkle with remaining salt. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the potatoes to cover the whole casserole.
Top with the tomato slices and a light sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 min, remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes to lightly brown the top. Serve with Lebanese style rice.

Serves 4