Sobia. The OTHER white drink!

No, it's not milk. It's not coconut milk, and it is definitely not soy milk or almond milk, it is one of the most traditional drinks to break the fast during Ramadan.
My first experience with it last year was not great. It reminded me a lot of Tropicana Suntan Lotion in a glass. The texture is slightly thick, and creamy, and it tastes a little like a melted vanilla shake and then the after taste of coconut goes through your nose. For me, I was not a fan. However! This Ramadan, I decided to give it another try because if it is that popular amongst everyone here in Cairo, I must not be "getting" it. The juice shop around the corner from my flat, sells Sobia for 2 EGP in a plastic bag secured with curling ribbon.  My husband serves it the "Egyptian" way and opens it from the bottom of the bag with his teeth to create a small hole. He pinches the opening closed and tips it over into the glass and slowly releases the milky drink from the bag, and quickly into another glass when perfectly full.
Success! It is so much better than I remembered! Sweet? Yes. Spiced with something like cinnamon and cardamom maybe? Definitely. Served ice cold and frothy after prayer on a hot day.....peeeeerrrrrrrrrfect!
Why do I like it so much now? What is sooo different from last year?  I have no idea. Is it just this shop's version that I like? I have to find out.
Last year, I lived on the other side of town, Darasaa. We got our Sobia from street vendors that would fill up water bottles full of the drink. This year, I am in Maadi. There are 2 shops on my way home from work. The one closest to the street is my next candidate. Same procedure. Plastic bag, curling ribbon, ice cold, but not as good. This one is slightly watered down and the flavor just isn't there. The next day, my hubby brings home another version from the downtown area. It is not as white, almost a cream color. Hmmmmmm. This one is super sweet. Like a melted milkshake with that suntan lotion taste. Nope, can't do it. It's not refreshing, it's too much before breakfast and it brings back memories of last year. So I'm sold on my corner shop's version and won't stray. But I have to find out why it is so different from shop to shop.
With research I have found many different recipes. Some made with bread, barley, sugar, spices and milk. Some with raisins, some without. Another made with milk, coconut, sugar and water. And for a more festive look, apparently red food coloring is added, but I have yet to find this version. Then there is the already made powdered mix you can buy and just swirl with cold water.

I have yet to find a recipe closest to my corner shop's. I would ask for their recipe, but with the language barrier and the ritual of buying from these guys, I honestly don't want to take away the mystery and fun! I do know they use a version of the bread recipe without coconut. So instead of tracking down this recipe, I will leave it to the master's and continue with the tradition of buying on the street and keeping up the relationship with local vendors.
Ramadan Kareem!


UPDATE!

I have a recipe!!!!
I have only been able to find the powder mixes and really wanted to make my own. This is my own creation, which differs slightly from the drink sold on the streets.....hope you like it!

1 cup milk, full cream
1/2 cup coconut milk*
1/4 cup sugar (1 tbs +- depends on your sweetness liking)
1 tbs sweetened coconut
3/4 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 small piece cinnamon stick
1 cardamom pod, smashed

*The thickness of the coconut milk will have an effect on the overall product of the drink. You may need to add more water or less.

Make a slurry of the water and cornstarch by whisking in a bowl, set aside.
Bring milk, coconut milk, sugar and shredded coconut to a boil. Add slurry, and whisk vigorously.
Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add the cinnamon and cardamom. Steep for only 5 minutes.
Strain and chill well.
Enjoy!

Fried. Panne. Crispy. Breaded...and it's all about chicken.

I know fried chicken, we all know fried chicken. The world knows fried chicken. KFC has probably been the greatest monopoly of spreading this love of greasy, crispy, well seasoned piece of bird.
In Egypt, chicken is probably the most popular meat item and frying it, panne style, seems to be the favorite preparation style.
Panne in Egypt is a combination of filleting breast meat into thin, flat pieces, marinating them for a MINIMUM (this was a specified point of the recipe by my mother-in-law) of 2 hours and finally, breading the pieces with highly seasoned flour, egg and finely ground breadcrumbs. Egyptians serve this with white rice and cucumber salad, or with pasta, or most commonly in a sandwich with mayonnaise, tomatoe and lettuce on a long roll.

The marinade consists of onion, grated using a basic box grater, tomatoes, grated, garlic, crushed in a press, a mix of toasted and mortared cumin and coriander, chili powder and a touch of olive oil.
Seems like a lot of work just for a piece of fried chicken meat, but with all cooking in Egypt, there is a lot of love and care when cooking for family, friends, guests, anyone. Egyptian hospitality is heartfelt and generous. And the quality of food, and preparation is considered a rank among families.
With all of this talk about fried chicken, I am now drooling and longing for a piece from my favorite fried chicken spot in Los Angeles, Ca, USA.....Roscoe's Chicken! Yep, a longtiime favorite of Angelenos and now of many in California, this version has been my own inspiration in my kitchen. Here is my recipe that guarantees, crispy, well seasoned and supremely delicious fried chicken! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour for coating, plus 1 cup set aside
• 3/4 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. Take your cut up chicken pieces and skin them if you prefer. Put the 2 cups flour in a large plastic bag (let the amount of chicken you are cooking dictate the amount of flour you use). Season the flour with paprika, salt and pepper to taste (paprika helps to brown the chicken). Put the chicken in the bag, seal and shake to coat well.
2. Dip chicken pieces in buttermilk, a few at a time. Mix the 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup rice flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch with paprika, salt and pepper to taste (paprika helps to brown the chicken).  Put the mix into a bag and place the buttermilk dipped chicken in the bag, seal and shake to coat well. Place the coated chicken on a cookie sheet or tray, and cover with a clean dish towel or waxed paper. LET SIT UNTIL THE FLOUR IS OF A PASTE-LIKE CONSISTENCY. THIS IS CRUCIAL!
3. Fill a large skillet (cast iron is best) about 1/3 to 1/2 full with vegetable oil. Heat until VERY hot. Put in as many chicken pieces as the skillet can hold. Brown the chicken in HOT oil on both sides. When browned, reduce heat and cover skillet; let cook for 30 minutes (the chicken will be cooked through but not crispy). Remove cover, raise heat again and continue to fry until crispy.
4. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels. Depending on how much chicken you have, you may have to fry in a few shifts. Keep the finished chicken in a slightly warm oven while preparing the rest.

 

Tamr Hindi (Egyptian Tamarind juice)

"A traditional food plant in Africa, tamarind has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare." - Wikipedia

Before coming to Egypt, I had used Tamarind in sauces and broths, but had never really tried an actual drink. A mistake of purchasing at the restaurant left us with a box of Tamarind concentrate that we desperately tried to make into an aqua fresca, but the results were never as quenching as we had hoped. Thus, the box sat and collected dust, and I am sure is still there, sitting in the office and used as a foot stool!
On that note, Tamr Hindi of Egypt is a delicious, sour, chilled drink made from tamarind and is widely popular in the summer. In the streets of Cairo you will find juice shops, stands, mobile carts and colorful vendors clanging their sagaats (finger cymbals) through the streets selling this drink for 1 LE. 
Tamarind is easy to find in all areas of the city and come in the form of a wadded up ball of tamarind "meat" or in the natural form of the pods.
My first experience with this drink came during Ramadan of last year. My husband and I were riding a microbus through Maadi just as the fast broke on the first day, and within minutes, boys with trays of Tang and Tamr Hindi came to the bus to offer quick relief from the day's hunger pains. Cool, tart and refreshing, this drink became a staple of the summer for me.
With summer here again, I have tried a few recipes at home and have found that this one works best.
RECIPE:
1 14-oz block wet tamarind
1-2 C sugar (I used 1 C and it’s still on the sour side, if you want something a bit sweeter, kick it up to 2 C)
10 cups water
- Cut tamarind into pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour 2 cups of warm water into the bowl and let the tamarind soak for 20-30 minutes.
- Scoop out one piece of tamarind from the bowl and place in a blender with another cup of water. Pulse for only a couple seconds – just to break up the large chunks and pour into a saucepan. Repeat with the other three pieces of tamarind and pour the water from the bowl into the saucepan.
- Add four more cups of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and stir in the sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Take the saucepan from the heat and strain the mixture through a colander/sieve over a cheesecloth into a large bowl or another large saucepan. Once all the liquid has been strained (and has cooled down!), squeeze as much liquid as you can from the cheesecloth. Discard the pulp.
- Once the juice has cooled down, pour it all into a pitcher and refrigerate. Serve over ice.

Since Ancient times, food has been a symbol of hospitality. The hieroglyphic symbol of bread was the most common character used for food in Ancient Egypt. In Egypt then and now, food is something shared by all. "Any", a New Kingdom scribe wrote, "Do not eat bread while another stands by without extending your hand to him."  This belief is still true. Living in Egypt I have experienced this in person. The kindness and hospitality shown in an Egyptian household is almost overwhelming. The Western interpretation could be, "sharing is caring."
In this heiroglyph seen in the Karnak Temple, it shows a royal servant carrying a platter of baked breads to serve the Gods, so I am told. The higher classes dined richly and commonly used food as an offering to appease the Gods and as a means to give to the poor in hopes that these good deeds would lead them to a favourable afterlife.
No matter what time period in history, food tells us to be kind, share, love and the rewards will be plenty.

The Pharaoh's Tonic aka Karkade (Hibiscus Tea)

One of my favorite teas in Egypt has become the ancient recipe of Karkade, red Hibiscus tea.  In Ancient Egypt, the tea was served as a celebratory drink during weddings and considered a favorite among the Pharaohs. Many health benefits include lowering blood pressure, high Vtamin C content as well as electrolytes. The tea has a tart, cranberry-like flavor with a full mouth feel of sweetness that is served hot or cold. A sweet-tart in liquid form for sure! On a hot day, the chilled option is a definite choice! On ice with a squeeze of lime? Perfect!
Karkade- Egyptian Hibiscus Tea

2 quarts plus 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups dried hibiscus flowers

1 cup sugar

ice cubes

1 lime, sliced thin

METHOD:
Heat water to a boil. Add hibiscus flowers and sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes or until sugar is fully dissolved. Turn off heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a serving vessel. Add ice and lime for garnish. Enjoy!