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!

Cream of Chicken Soup, Black Bean Brownies

Erik, Ian with his silly fake grin, and Kyle at Mom & Dad's cabin

December 2010 

Wish we had a picture off our entire family at a favorite: Honkin' Huge Burritos—it's the "Keep Portland Weird" employees that make going there so fun. Our family likes beans. We reconstitute the church cannery's dehydrated refried beans and have burritos quite often. (And we did use some of the cannery beans at the cabin, Mom. They were yummy : ) Lately, I've been cooking dry beans in the crockpot. (for more on that, click here.) You can then freeze the cooked beans into the quantity that you use...like the equivalent of a can, or whatever. I've also been grinding beans in our wheat grinder to make flours. (And popcorn into cornmeal too!) Here is a collection of recipes that allow for a healthy no fat no salt, protein substitute for the classic can of Cream of Chicken soup. If you scroll to the bottom, there is the recipe for Black Bean Brownies. They are good—really!

3 Minute White Bean Soup

1/2 c. white bean flour 

3 c. hot water 

1 T. chicken base or bouillon (or use 3 c. chicken broth in place of water) 

1/2 c. cooked cubed chicken (optional)

In a medium saucepan or 6 c. microwave bowl, whisk white bean flour into hot water and chicken bouillon, or use 3 c. chicken broth in place of water. Bring to a boil, stir well, then cook 2 more minutes over medium-low heat or microwave on high. Pour soup into blender and blend for 1 minute. If desired, add 1/2 c. cooked, cubed chicken after blending. For creamy sauce or gravy, follow recipe above, adding 1/4 c. additional water. Salt and pepper to taste. Makes 3 servings. 

(Bob's Red Mill)

CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP (condensed)

Grind: 

4 T. of any white bean (lima, navy, etc.) to make 5 T. bean flour


Combine:

5 T. bean flour, 1 ¾ c. water , 4 t chicken bouillon into a saucepan

Cook: 

On stovetop at medium temperature until thick and delicious (whisk frequently). The soup should cook in 3 minutes! (this may be longer if your grinder makes a very coarse flour).

Use this with cooked veggies and or meat for a complete meal. You can also add this to recipes calling for cream of chicken soup cans (I have found this replaces a can plus the water or milk in recipes). 

(Rita Bingham Country Beans via foodstoragemadeeasy.net)

CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP 

1 c. navy bean flour (lima beans or garbanzo beans will also work.)
4 c. water or milk 

1 T. chicken bouillon 

1/8 t. pepper
1/4 c. dehydrated onions or 1 small onion (optional)

Grind the dry beans in a wheat grinder. Usually, 3/4 c. of beans will make 1 c. of flour. Add the other dry ingredients to the bean flour. Stir 1/2 c. of water or milk into the bean flour until it is mixed then add the rest of the water or milk and heat it in a medium sized sauce pan, constantly stirring. As it reaches the boiling point it will thicken. Boil it for about a minute. If it gets too thick add a bit more water/milk until your soup thins down to what cream of chicken soup should be. If it lacks flavor, add a bit more chicken bouillon. Garnish with dry parsley flakes. Serves 4.
(waltonfeed.com)

REFRIED BLACK BEANS

Boil 2-1/2 c. water. Whisk in dry ingredients: 


3/4 c. pinto or black bean flour

pinch garlic powder (optional) 

1/2 - 3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. cumin

1/2 t. chili powder

Cook and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium/low. Cover pan and cook 4 minutes (stirring occasionally).

Black Bean Brownies

Makes 36 (3 per serving)

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained (or use beans you've cooked and frozen ahead) and rinsed


4 large eggs


2 T. extra-virgin olive oil


1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granular sugar substitute
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably dark
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
36 small pecan halves or walnut pieces (about 1.5 ounces)


Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat an 8" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray.

In a blender or food processor, combine the beans, eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar substitute, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Process until smooth.

Scrape the batter into the pan and arrange the nuts in even rows, 6 across and 6 down. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into 36 squares with a nut piece in the center of each.

Nutritional information 
Per brownie 
34 calories
2 g fat (0.4 g sat)
2 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
1 g fiber
66 mg sodium

 Lastly, I went to a cooking class is December by a local woman who does a lot of cooking from scratch, her garden, and without much measuring. I'd attended a class by her before. (Click here for her info.) Anyway, we did no sugar Christmas treats. They were great! There were mandarin oranges segments and Bosc pear slices, with one end dipped in butter then into a mix of freshly ground nutmeg and flax or coconut. (Scott and Ian made up the plate below...and liked it!) She also did Chocolate Goodies: grind equal parts raisins and walnuts, knead with cocoa. Pat into a little circle, press with chopped walnuts. Serve little wedges. Both were very tasty.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott