Past Sunday we invited a few of our friends over for breakfast to finish off our holiday celebration.  We all work during the week and most of us are unable to take off from work because the holiday fell on a weekday.    

The main dish for our breakfast is the lamb stew I had cooked.  This holiday is known for sacrificing/slaughtering an animal.  A little background information in regards to Kurban holiday, Wikipedia online explain the history and traditions well.

History

“Four thousand years ago the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring his wife’s servant, Hagar (Hajira) and their child Ismael to Arabia from Palestine by Allah’s command, as his first wife Sarah started to get jealous after Hagar got her baby. With some supplies of food and water he left them without wanting, his wife Hagar asked him: “Who ordered you to leave us here”, Ibrahim replied :”Allah”, she said: “than Allah will not forget us, you can go”. However the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days Hagar and Ismael were suffering from hunger and dehydration.

In her desperation Hagar ran up and down two hills called Safa and Marwa trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance. Finally she collapsed beside her baby Ismael and prayed to Allah for deliverance. Ismael struck his foot on the ground and this caused a spring of water to gush forth from the earth. Hagar and Ismael were saved. Now they had a secure water supply they were able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies.

After a while the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Palestine to check on his family and he was amazed to see them running a profitable well.  The Prophet Ibrahim was told by Allah to build a shrine dedicated to him. Ibrahim and Ismael constructed a small stone structure – the Kaaba – which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in Allah.

As the years passed Ismael was blessed with Prophethood and he gave the nomads of the desert the message of surrender to Allah.  After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zam Zam. In the year 628 the Prophet Muhammad set out on a journey with 1400 of his followers.

This was the first pilgrimage in Islam, and would re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet Ibrahim. Also this EID you slaughter an animal.”

Tradition

Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer in any mosque. Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim’s sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, also known as “al-qurb?ni”, have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. Generally, these must be at least a year old.

At the time of sacrifice, God’s name is recited along with the offering statement and a supplication as Muhammad said.  According to the Quran, the meat is divided into three shares, one share for the poor, one share for the relatives and neighbors and the last to keep to oneself. A large portion of the meat must be given towards the poor and hungry people so they can all join in the feast which is held on Eid al-Adha. The remainder is cooked for the family celebration meal in which relatives and friends are invited to share.

The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adhaby the concerted effort to see that no impoverished person is left without sacrificial food during these days.  Eid al-Adha is a concrete affirmation of what the Muslim community ethic means in practice. People in these days are expected to visit their relatives, starting with their parents, then their families and friends.

Distributing meat among people is considered an essential part of the festival during this period, as well as chanting Takbir out loud before the Eid prayer on the first day and after prayers through out the four days of Eid.  In some countries families that do not own livestock can make a contribution to a charity that will provide meat to those who are in need.

After a bit background history, what I am writing hopefully will not sound odd.  I had a lamb sacrificed in my name and distributed the meat to family, friends and neighbors.  I also cooked a portion of lamb to serve at our breakfast/brunch gathering.

Kavurma Lamb Stew

In Turkish it is called “kavurma,” which translates to lamb stew.  My dad the butcher (or any butcher) de-bones the lamb legs and cuts the meat into 1 inch cubes.  Lamb stew recipe will be the next post! It deserves it own posting!

Breakfast table was again a traditional Turkish breakfast table:

• tomatoes & cucumbers (seasoned with salt & olive oil)
• hot long peppers & scallions
• Turkish sucuk
• hard broiled eggs
• Turkish black olives
• Cubed Bulgarian feta cheese
• Cubed Turkish soft & lightly salted kasari
• Arabic style string cheese
• Broiled then oven baked potatoes (seasoned with, olive oil, salt, oregano & black pepper) 
• Kavurma – Lamb Stew

Oven Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

• 5-7 cups of cold water (depending on how many potatoes you will boil)
• 8-10 medium sized potatoes
• salt
• olive oil
• oregano
• black pepper
• (any other seasoning you may like)
• 1 wooden spoon – will be using the back of the spoon

Preparation

1. Wash the potatoes, add into the pot with filled water and bring to a boil over medium to hot heat.
2. To make sure the potatoes are cooked through, using a fork poke into one of the potatoes, if it goes into the potato easily then the potatoes are cooked through. 
3. Drain the water and cool for 5 min
4. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
5. Take a potato, place it on a flat surface, with a knife make cut an (X) across the top, cutting a little bit into the potato.
6. Hold the potato in one hand and with one hand press down with the wooden spoon on top of the potato.  This process will break potato, creating a cavity. Do not worry if you break the potato all the way through. 
7. Place the pressed down potatoes on a baking sheet pan.  Continue this process for the rest of the potatoes and a line all of the patotoes into the baking pan. 
8. Then, drizzle each potato with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle salt, black pepper, oregano, hot pepper flakes over the top.
9. Place into the oven, cook for 15 minutes. 
10. Turn on the BROILER part of the oven and broil the top for about 3-5 minutes.  Until they turn a light brown color.
11. Serve hot to warm!

Enjoy!

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Tags: black olives, cheese, cucumbers, Holidays ~ Bayram, kavurma, sucuk, tomatoes, Turkish