After dinner during the month of Ramadan, I look forward to drinking my tea and feasting on dessert.  As much as I say my husband loves desserts, I must admit I equally do as well. He prefers milk desserts like pudding and ice creams, my preferences are mostly of cakes, cookies, chocolates and several different traditional Middle Eastern & Turkish desserts.

Revani or Basbousa as known as in Arabic, amongst many other Turkish desserts, happens to be one of my absolute favorite dessert.  Over the summer, I started looking for a good recipe and to my surprise stumbled upon a recipe on Epicurious.com.  This recipe was a bit different from the traditional Turkish recipes as it called for semolina then flour creating a dense sponge cake soaked in syrup.

Even though both Eids have past, this is a great recipe to have and make for anytime of the year. Especially when you are expecting company and want to creat a special dessert.

REVANI
adapted from Epicurious | July 2009
by Carol Robertson  – Turkish Cooking: A Culinary Journey through Turkey

Ingredients:

Syrup:

• 3 cups of sugar
• 4 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)

Cake:

• 9 eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar
• grated rind from 1 lemon
• 2 cups semolina or farina (cream of wheat)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar (I did not serve with whipped cream)
• 1/4 cup ground nuts or 1/4 cup of dry coconut

To make the syrup:
Bring sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil, simmer 15 minutes. Cool.

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and lemon rind with an electric beater for 5 minutes or until pale yellow.
3. Wash and dry the beater.
4. Fold the semolina and flour into the beaten yolks until well blended. Set aside.
5. Beat the egg whites with the clean beater until stiff.
6. Alternate gently folding the egg whites and the melted butter into the yolk and flour mix.
7. Pour batter into a well greased and floured 9×12 inch or 10×12 inch baking pan.
8. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40 minutes, or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Pour the syrup over the hot cake. Let it stand for several hours until the syrup is absorbed and the cake is cool.
10. Cut the cake into squares.
11. Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle nuts or dry coconut on tops.

Last Friday for Iftar, I made a simple and quick lamb chop dish. Baked the lambs chops right under the broiler with light and simple seasoning and severed it with pea and rice pilav.

Keep in mind this a great quick meal any day of the week or weekend. Serve warm and devour right away. Note: no fork or knife required, hold from the tip and bite in.

Oil the bottom of the baking dish, align the chops, season and broil.

TURKISH STYLE LAMB RIB CHOPS

Ingredients:

• 1 rack of lamb chops – makes about 8 to 10 pieces depending on the size (ask the butch for French Style – as mine are Turkish Style)** NOTE: 6- 8 thinly sliced loin chops are a great substitute
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 1 tablespoon of Herbes de Provence* can be left out – this is optional
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat broiler. Arrange oven rack accordingly.

Oil the bottom of your cooking pan with a brush. With the same brush, brush both sides of the lamb chops with the olive oil. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper, season one side with oregano and one side with Herbes de Provence.

Align and arrange that the lamb chops on to your cooking pan.

Place under the broiler, cook one side for 4-7 minutes, until well browned. Once one side is cooked, using a pair of thongs turn over lamb chops and cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Until well browned. *

Note 1: Depending on the thickness cooking time might be less or more.

Note 2: French lamb chop, Frenched lamb chop or Turkish lamb chop means the meat at the tip is cut away to expose the bone.

Another wonderful Ramadan is upon us in the middle of the summer.  It is said that every 35 years or so, Ramadan falls into the summer days and months.  Regardless of the long days and long hours, our fasting and prayers bring peace and holiness upon us.   May your Iftar tables be filled with the foods that you love and surrounded with the ones you love.  Last year during Ramadan, I had the opportunity to with Saudi TV and never got the chance to release the videos. Hopefully in the coming days I will be able to share the video and the recipes with you all.

Wish you and your families a wonderful Ramadan. Ramadan Kareem.

Iftar & Sahoor times for United States & Canada can be found here.  United American Muslims

Wishing all a wonderful Eid ul Fitr filled with family, friends, and most importantly filled with food. See you all when ? return home from Turkey.   These were the last two tables ? had hosted before we left, recipes will be posted upon my return.

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