HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD ...EGYPT AND HAWAII

HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD
WEEK #4

Wow I cant believe Christmas is right around the corner.  We have been giving you the gift of Travel Dreams on my podcast... ZMT,  I hope you have been enjoying it.  This week we are going all the way to Egypt.  Most people don't realize that there is a large Christian population there.  Most belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church.  Now your saying what is Coptic Church.  Well the Coptic Christians trace their founding to the apostle St. Mark.  Traditions holds that Mark brought Christianity to Egypt and founded the Coptic church during the first century.  So there you have your little history lesson.

So how do they celebrate you ask.  Christmas Day is celebrated on the 7th of January, equal to the 29th of the Coptic month Khiahk.  On that day many people give out zalabya...donuts.  They also distribute bouri...a mullet fish to the poor.  It represents the act of giving.  That is what the Holiday is all about, giving.

You may be wondering about eating.  During the Holiday Season most of us are chowing down on everything from popcorn to multiple course meals.  However the eating habits of the Christian Egyptians are carefully structured during the season leading up to Christmas.   They fast for 45 days from November 25th to the night of January 6th, they become vegetarians for the season as they don't eat any meat or dairy products.  I don't know about you, but this sounds pretty tough.

The churches are decorated with special lamps and candles.  They also give candles to the poor.  They are said to represent the candles Joseph  used to protect Mary on the night of Jesus' birth.  Even the Coptic language is used in the church ceremonies and religious songs.  It is the old language of the Nation before the Arabs came to Egypt.  I remember years ago when I went midnight mass it the service was in Latin.  So it doesn't surprise me that the Coptic language is spoken.

So January 6, the Christians go to churches to celebrate.  The bells of the churches and monasteries ring with joy and the priests wear their ceremonial clothes.    So to explain the January 6 date...this is the day that the Three Wisemen show up to meet the Christ child.  The Cathedral of Saint Mark in Cairo is where the Pope of the Orthodox Church begins the Christmas ceremonies at 11p.m which is broadcast on television throughout the nation.....


Well with all that fasting its now time to eat.  When everyone returns home from mass they dine on a soup and fatta, made of meat and rice.  They also eat a special sweet biscuits marked with a cross.  Those biscuits are called Kahk.  Believe it or not these were originally eaten by those of the Muslim faith on Eid el Fitr...when they break their fast.  This big World seems to get smaller during Holiday season when traditions overlap.

Of course Christmas gifts for the children and even though forbidden by law the children buy firecracker to set off as part of the Christmas celebration.  Christmas carols are sung by choirs.  The Worldwide music is mixed with the very special Coptic music.

Now I know everyone would like to know how to make the Fatta...so I searched the internet and found this recipe for you....I also got the recipe for the bread that goes with it....If you are brave enough give it a shot.  If not you can buy the bread at a Middle Eastern Market.

Fatta 

1 1/2 pound lean lamb meat without bones (some make is with beef)
2 medium onions, chopped fine
Fresh ground black pepper
6 c. plus 3/4 c. water, divided
1/2 c. rice
1/4 c. plus 2 T ghee or butter, separated
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c. wine vinegar
2 rounds Khoubiz, toasted *

NOW…..

Cut lamb into 1 inch cubes and place in a large pot with 6 cups of the water. Bring slowly to a boil, skimming occasionally. Add onion, salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender yet not falling apart.

Meanwhile, wash and drain the rice. In a medium saucepan boil one cup of water add 1 Tablespoon of ghee and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, than the rice. Bring back to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover and simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes until tender.

Using a slotted spoon remove meat from cooking liquid. In a separate skillet melt 1 Tablespoon of ghee, add the meat and fry it a few minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside and keep it warm.
In the same frying pan used for the meat melt 1/4 cup of ghee over medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it begins to take on color. Remove skillet from heat. Stir vinegar into the skillet. Return to heat and boil a few seconds. Set this mixture aside.

Place 1 round of toasted khoubiz in a large casserole or soup tureen. Spoon some of the garlic mixture over the bread then add half of the cooked rice. Pour some of the soup broth over top of this. Place second round of toasted bread then the remaining rice. Place fried lamb cubes on top the fried lamb. Top this off with the remaining garlic mixture.
Pour the remaining soup broth over this. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Note: adding a clove to boiling water will help to cover the aroma of boiling lamb if desired

Khoubiz…It is a bit tricky

Flat Bread Or Khoubiz
( recipe is difficult to master, may be purchased at Middle Eastern markets)

1/2 ounce active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups warm water
8 cups plain flour
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons oil

Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water. Stir in the sugar. Set aside in a warm place. Leave it until it begins to rise up and foam. This will take about 15 minutes.

Sift the salt and flour together into a large, warm mixing bowl.
Form a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the yeast into the center. Gently mix the yeast into the flour. Mix by hand, adding small amounts of warm water if necessary.

Knead until this becomes a soft dough. Transfer the dough from the bowl to a floured pastry board and continue to knead until it is smooth and shiny. This will take about 15 minutes.

Knead 2 tablespoons of oil into the dough. Roll into a large ball. Rub the remaining one tablespoon of oil over the surface of the ball. Return to the bowl. Cover with a moist cloth. Set in a warm place to rise. Leave it about 1 1/2 hours until it doubles in size.

Pre heat the oven to maximum heat at a minimum of 30 minutes before using. Punch down the dough. Pull the edges up to form another ball. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead 2 minutes.

Divide into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. On the floured board flatten each ball and roll with a heavy rolling pin into flat round shapes approximately 1/4 inch or 6mm thick. They should be about 12 inches in diameter. Place the flattened bread rounds on a lightly floured cloth. Cover this with another floured cloth set in a warm spot to rise again to double their size. This should take about 30 minutes.

Pre heat the baking tray in the oven for 5 minutes. Carefully rub the tray with oil.

Place one round at a time on the baking tray. Cook 5 - 9 minutes. The bread should swell in the middle and become a light brown in color. Remove from the oven and wrap in a clean cloth to keep moist. The swelling will disappear when the bread is removed from the oven. Continue this procedure with the remaining rounds.

So many different ways to say Merry Christmas....now what if I said 

Mele Kalikimaka.....that's how they say Merry Christmas in Hawaii.  Yes Hawaii is one of the United States...but the Hawaii culture is unique and very special.  The Christmas Season or Winter Season if you are planning to travel to Hawaii you will be visiting during the Season the Hawaiians call Makahiki.  Marked by a celebration that combines religious and cultural traditions with a keen understanding of sustainability.  The Makahiki season has a lot more to offer than big waves and gushing waterfalls.  So what exactly is Makahiki?  It's the Ancient Hawaiian New Year and its the season of rest and rejuvenation for both the land and the people.  I think this is a wonderful idea...we should all celebrate Makahiki.  

You see it is a time for the ocean to rest as well from all the fishing that has been going on during the year.  It allows it to replenish itself...its sustainability.  It all started with the God Lono.  The Hawaiians would give thanks to Lono who was a deity of peace, agriculture and healing.    

Hawaiians also celebrate by playing games.  There were many ancient games played and they still play some of them today.  like ulumaika, this is where a player must roll a hockey puck shaped rock in between two sticks stuck in the ground.  Also forms of wrestling, tug of war, spear throwing and foot races were included.  You can actually see these games for yourself at Molokai's annual Makahiki Celebration.

So the Hawaiian people mix the past celebrations with current Christmas traditions...That is what the United States is all about.  

Now everyone thinks of Hawaii and they thing of Luau's and Poi...but I wanted something a little different, something that is more traditional for the Holiday.  So I found this recipe and its sounds yummy.  It usually is a side dish.

LOMI-LOMI SALMON

 ·         Level: Easy

·         Total: 24 hr 30 min

·         Prep: 30 min

·         Inactive: 24 hr

·         Yield: 4 servings

 

 Ingredients

For the Salmon:

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

1 pound wild salmon fillet (skin removed), rinsed and patted dry

For the Salad:

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Juice of 1 lime

Chopped macadamia nuts, for garnish (optional)

 

Directions

1.      Cure the salmon: Mix the salt and sugar in a bowl. Place 2 long pieces of plastic wrap on a work surface, overlapping them to form a cross. Put half of the cilantro sprigs in the middle of the plastic wrap and top with half of the salt-sugar mixture. Press the salmon into the mixture, making sure the bottom of the fish is covered with salt and sugar. Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining salt-sugar mixture and rub it in, then place the rest of the cilantro on top. Wrap tightly in the plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2.    The next day, unwrap the salmon, rinse off the salt and pat dry. Cut into 1/4-to-1/2-inch cubes.

3.    Make the salad: Toss the salmon, cilantro, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, vegetable and sesame oils and lime juice in a bowl. (Traditionally, the cured salmon is flaked and "massaged" with the other ingredients by hand.) Garnish the salad with chopped macadamia nuts, if desired.

Well I sure hope you are tuning into my podcast ZMT.  You can subscribe to it for free.  You can find it real easy on I-tunes/Stitcher/Buzzsprout.  You can also visit my website at www.zeemichaelsontravel.com and you can let your imagination run wild.  If you want to visit any of these places that we talk about or something you see on my website, give me a call and I will help you Make Your Travel Dreams Come True