kupsa

kupsa 1987

All the family was gathered for Cheryl & John's wedding in the Logan Temple. Just prior (I think...can anyone remember?) Mom & Dad treated us to the traditional meal—the kupsa—they learned to make while living in Saudi Arabia. We were at Doug & Allison's in Provo. Allison and Dee were expecting Michelle and Erik.  [Going around the feast clockwise: Scott, Jason, Dad, Mom, Jared, Brandon, Doug, Allison, John, Cheryl, Joel, Karen, Brenda, Dee]

Saudi Arabian Dishes

FATOUSH (BREAD SALAD)

1/2 flat Arab bread (or 4 thin slices white bread) toasted to a golden brown 1/2 c. lemon juice 3 med. cucumbers, chopped 1 lg. tomato, chopped 2 T. chopped fresh mint or 1 T. dried mint

1 lg. white onion, chopped or 8 green onions 2 T. parsley, chopped 1/2 c. bagli (cress) leaves (opt.) 2 T. ground sumac 1/2 c. olive oil Salt to taste

The ingredients and proportions of this salad vary with every family.  Lettuce can be used instead of cucumbers.  Sumac can be omitted entirely, or amount lessened according to taste.  Break bread into small pieces and put into bowl.  Moisten and soften with lemon juice.  Mix with remaining ingredients.   Add olive oil slowly.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Makes 6 servings.

more pictures of the days before Erik and Michelle were born...

We were celebrating Jason's birthday (everyone knows it's May 8th, right?!) 

at Trafalga. Pictured left to right: John, Dee, Cheryl, Jason, Kirsten, Doug & Allison

HOMMOS (CHICK PEA AND SESAME PUREE)

1 c. chick peas, or 1 can cooked and drained chick peas or canned garbanzo beans 1/2 t. baking soda

4 to 5 t. tahini (sesame paste) 1/2 c. lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 t. salt

Wash and soak chick peas in water overnight, add 1/4 t. baking soda in soaking water.  Drain.  (Canned cooked chick peas do not need soaking or cooking.  Just rinse and drain to remove excess skins).

Boil chick peas in fresh water, enough to cover.  Add another 1/4 t. baking soda to boiling water.  Collect foam from surface until cooking water is clear.  If using pressure cooker, cover and cook for 25 minutes.  (Do not open pressure cooker until cold.)  Ordinary pot: 1 hour, in this case, check water during cooking.  Add more water as needed.  Drain chick peas.  Save a few chick peas for garnish.  Place the remainder of the chick peas in an electric mixer; add tahini, crushed garlic and salt.  Add lemon gradually, and taste.  Mix the hommos until you have a very creamy consistency.  Present the hommos by spreading in a serving plate, and flattening the surface with a spatula, leaving a 1/2" high edge by the border of the plate.

Garnish:

2 to 3 T. olive in the middle

A few whole chick peas or pine nuts at corners and middle

Chopped parsley on edges

Paprika sprinkles on whole chick peas

Optional: 4 or 5 black or green olives and turnip pickles, sprinkled with cumin, around edges.

Leftovers will keep in an air-tight container for 2 to 3 days.  Do not freeze.

Dee, Allison & Doug, Jason, Kirsten...

and the engaged ones: Cheryl & John

KAPSA

2 lbs. meat (beef or lamb cut in med.-sized pieces) or 1 chicken, cut in pieces 1 med. onion, chopped 2 T. corn oil 2 fresh tomatoes, diced or 1 (4 oz.) can tomato sauce 1 t. black pepper 1 t. cumin

1/2 t. cinnamon 1/2 t. cardamon 3 to 4 c. water 2 to 4 t. salt (to taste) 2 c. rice Boiling water as needed Peas, beans, carrots (opt.) Pine nuts Golden raisins

Using a 4 to 6 qt. saucepan or kettle, fry the cut-up meat or chicken in the corn oil.  Add the chopped onions and fry until they are yellow, about 6 to 10 minutes.  Add the diced tomatoes and mix together.  Add the spices little by little while stirring.  Cover and cook on a low heat for 10 to 12 minutes.  Add enough water to cover.  Add salt to taste.  Cover and cook on medium heat about 20 minutes for meat, or about 12 to 15 minutes for chicken.  Remove the meat or chicken and keep warm.  Meanwhile, wash and drain the rice.  Let it drain in a strainer about 10 minutes.  Add the rice to the broth in which meat was cooked; stir and add enough boiling water to cook the rice (depending on type of rice used).  At this point, peas, beans or sliced carrots may be added.  If so, check to be sure there is enough water in pot.  Continue cooking another 25 to 30 minutes until all water is absorbed and rice is fluffy.  During cooking, check water occasionally and add if needed.  Serve rice heaped on a platter with pieces of meat or chicken (and vegetables if used) arranged on top.  Kapsa is considered the national dish of Saudi Arabia.  It is served for lunch or dinner accompanied by green salad or any vegetable salad. 

Erik and Michelle were born in September of 1987.

These pictures were taken in December.

Erik was in red and Michelle in green.

PITA BREAD

2 c. warm water (90-110°) 2 pkg. (2 T.) active dry yeast 1/2 t. sugar

2 t. sugar 2 t. salt 5 to 5-1/2 c. unbleached flour, plus extra

Pour water into large bowl; sprinkle with yeast.  Stir to dissolve.  With wooden spoon, stir sugar and salt into yeast; mix thoroughly.  Gradually add 5 cups flour, stirring constantly until smooth.  Slowly work in remaining flour (up to 1/2 c.) with hands, kneading until dough is no longer sticky.  Turn out onto well-floured board.  Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. 

Shape dough into rectangle and cut in half lengthwise.  Divide into 24 portions for small pitas; 12 for large.  Shape each into smooth ball.  Place on floured surface and cover with damp towels while rolling out 1 ball at a time.

Gently press each flat with fingers, keeping well rounded.  With floured surface and rolling pin, roll out each round from center to outer edge, giving dough 1/4 turn after each roll, to form perfect circle not quite 1/4" thick (about 5 to 5-1/2" diameter for small; 8-1/2" for large).  Carefully flip circles over to smooth out any creases that prevent pocket forming.

Fifteen minutes before rising is finished, preheat oven to 450 to 500° and place ungreased baking sheet in oven.  To bake, place 4 small pitas, or 1 large, on hot baking sheet.  Bake on bottom rack until puffed and lightly browned on top, about 4 minutes; pita will be soft and flexible.  (If desired, flip rounds after they puff and bake up to 1 minute longer to brown tops.  Don't let them get crisp and brittle.)  Remove from oven and wrap immediately in dry towels until cool enough to handle.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Repeat until all are baked.  Makes 24 small or 12 large pitas. 

Variation:  Poppy seed or Sesame Pita:  After rolling out each circle of dough, brush tops lightly with water and sprinkle with poppy seeds or toasted sesame seeds.  Rise and bake as above.

Erik and Michelle were able to have a birthday reunion in Tucson,

 just before he left for his mission in 2006.

Fun to have cousins you love!

TABBOULEH

2 bunches parsley (4 c. chopped) 1/2 bunch fresh mint (1 c. chopped) 3/4 c. medium burghul 10 spring onions 1/4 t. black pepper 1/4 t. allspice 1/4 t. red pepper

3 to 4 tomatoes, finely chopped 1/2 c. lemon juice (to taste) 1/4 to 1/2 c. olive oil (you can mix some corn oil with olive oil) 1-1/2 t. salt 1/4 c. pine nuts

Clean and wash the mint and parsley several times; dry it well on kitchen towels or salad drier.  This can be done ahead of time and kept in refrigerator in plastic bag.  Wash and drain burghul; let it stand for 1/2 hour.  Fine chop the white part of spring onions and mix it with burghul.  Add spices to the burghul-onion mixture (except the salt).  Finely chop the parsley, mint, rest of onions, tomatoes; mix them all with the burghul.  Just before serving add lemon juice, olive oil and salt.  Adjust to taste.  Present to shallow salad bowl; garnish with lettuce leaves.  Tabbouleh is usually served in lettuce leaves and eaten with the fingers.  Variation:  Finely chopped cucumber and green peppers can also be added with the other vegetables.  

• more recipes from Saudi in the Barbara Doney cookbook above
• another kupsa picture was posted by Cheryl here
• I remember more kupsa pictures taken downstairs in Elk Ridge,
but haven't found those yet. If anyone gets to them before me, email and I'll post!

UPDATE: I had a "mini-freak out" about this post. It was scheduled for 1/21. When I looked today (1/23), it did not post. I went to find the draft and I couldn't. "Great" I thought, "I don't want to start over." Next I did a search for Barbara recipes...and—sure enough—it was there! I had scheduled it to post 1/21/10. Just a year behind schedule. Welcome to 2011!