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INTRODUCTION Food Secrets began as just a senior project, but it has become more than just a mere project for me. This book is composed of the Araradian and Avakian family recipes that have been shared with me by my mother, Anita Araradian and my grandmothers, Jeanette Avakian and Mariette Araradian. These Armenian recipes have been in my family for many years and have traveled with my family from Beirut, Lebanon. This book is composed of my family favorites and the recipes were too good to not share with the rest of the world. The recipes are very easy to follow and can be accomplished by any cook, even a teenager like myself. I hope all the meals created with this cookbook are enjoyable and great tasting. I would like to thank Michael Nahabet, Seta, and Femi for helping me design this cookbook and teaching me throughout the process. To my grandmothers, Jeanette Nene and Mariette Nene, for sharing their recipes with me and allowing me to use them to create this book. To my mother, Anita, who helped me cook these food items many times in order to get the perfect picture and for sharing some of her own recipes. To all my friends who spent countless hours hearing me talk about this book and helping me whenever I was stuck. To all my family for believing in me and showing an interest in helping me bring this book to life.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction.................................................Page 2 Fatoush.......................................................Page 4 Taboouleh........................................................Page 5 Ich...................................................................Page 6 Potato Salad................................................Page 7 Cheese Boureg (Individual).............................Page 8 Cheee Boureg (Large).....................................Page 9 Pasta...............................................................Page 10 Manti..........................................................Page 11 Lahmanjune....................................................Page 12 Squash and Meat Medley..............................Page 13 Eggplant Kebab...............................................Page 14 Oroukh............................................................Page 15 Steak Kebab....................................................Page 16 Chicken Kebab...............................................Page 17 Kunefeh...........................................................Page 19 Chocolate Biscuit Cake...................................Page 20 Namura...........................................................Page 21
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FATOUSH Makes 4 servings
Ingredients 2 ½ 3 3 ½ 1 ½ 2
Preparation time: 40 min.
Whole Pita Bread Bunch of Parsley Cucumbers, Cut Green Onions, Chopped Teaspoon Salt Tomato, Cut Pirpirem Tablespoons Sumac
½ Cup of Lemon Juice ½ Cup Olive Oil
Preparation Open two pita breads and place both sides on a tray. Place the tray into the oven on 350 for 15
“My favorite salad, especially with a side of steak or fish. It is very refreshing and tasty.”
minutes, until the bread is crunchy (Cook the bread at least one day in advance). Then chop up the cucumbers, green onions, tomatoes, and parsley and place them in a bowl. Add the washed pirpirem and 2 tablespoons of sumac. Next, cut the bread into pieces and add it to the vegetables. Add the salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. Fatoush tastes best with fresh lemon juice, but store bought lemon juice from a bottle also works. Mix everything together and the fatoush is ready to eat.
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TABBOULEH Makes 4 servings
Ingredients ½ Cup #1 bulgur 1 Cup lemon juice 4 Ripe tomatoes, finely 4 Bunches of parsley, chopped finely chopped 1 Small onion, finely 1 Cup olive oil chopped Pinch of red pepper 6 Green onions, finely and salt chopped Romaine lettuce leaves ½ Bunch of mint (Optional)
Preparation
Preparation time: 30 min.
In a mixing bowl combine bulgur and tomatoes. Let the tomatoes and bulgur sit for about an hour in room temperature. While waiting for the bulgur and tomato, add the green onions, mint, parsley, and onion in a separate bowl. Once the hour is over add the vegetables to the tomatoes and bulgur and mix well. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and
“A great tasting salad, especially with a piece of pita bread and Romaine lettuce.”
red pepper over the mixture and mix well. Put in the refrigerator in order for it to chill, but it is not necessary. Surround the bowl with Romaine lettuce leaves for garnish.
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ICH (Wheat Bulgur Salad) Makes 4 servings
Ingredients ½ Cup of Mazola oil 1 Large onion, chopped 1 Can of 16 oz petite diced tomatoes 1 Tablespoon tomato paste 1 Tablespoon of pepper paste ¾ Cup of lemon juice
Preparation time: 35 min. Cooking time: 20 min.
1 1 1 1
Cup of water Teaspoon salt Teaspoon of red pepper Cup of regular (#1 grade) bulgur 1 Cup of boiling water ½ Cup of parsley and green onions as garnish
Preparation In a heavy skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions until limp and translucent, then add the diced
“Ich tastes great with a cucumber and yogurt, especially when it is hot outside.”
tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper paste, salt, and red pepper. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Put it aside. Pour 1 cup of the bulgur over the simmered onion and tomatoes. Then pour the lemon juice and one cup of the water in the skillet,and bring it to boil. After pour the boiling water over the bulgur and tomatoes and mix it all together and let it cool off for 15 minutes. Then sprinkle all the parsley and green onions over for garnish.
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Potato Salad Makes 4 servings
Ingredients 1 ½ 6-8 ½ ½ ¾
bunch of parsley, ½ spoon of red pepper chopped ½ spoon of salt a bunch of mint, chopped green onions, chopped a white onion, chopped cup of olive oil cup of lemon juice
Preparation Boil about 10 potatoes for 45minutes with a pinch
Preparation time: 20 min. Cooking time: 30 min.
of salt. Then, peel off the skin of the potatoes and slice them into about 1inch pieces. Combine the potatoes with the parsley, mint, green onion, white onion, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix everything together and enjoy.
“This potato salad tastes great with the eggplant kebab recipe found later on in this cookbook and a side of rice.”
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CHEESE BOUREG (Individual) Makes 8 individual bouregs
Ingredients ½ Lb of Feta Cheese 1 Teaspoon of Red Pepper 1 Egg 4 Small Squares of Dough
Preparation time: 30 min. Cooking time: 45 min.
Preparation Put the ½ pound of Feta Cheese in a bowl and smash the cheese with a fork. Add the one teaspoon of red pepper and half the yolk of a broken
“My mother uses the fork in order to pinch the sides of the boureg to secure the cheese in place and to make the boureg more presentable.”
egg to the cheese. Then, cut the 4 square doughs into halves in order to have 8 triangles. Take out a tray and cover it with aluminum foil. Place a small amount of cheese in the center of one of the triangular doughs and fold the dough in half. Pinch the sides of the dough so the cheese doesn’t escape while it is cooking. With a fork stamp the sides of the boureg in order to make sure the cheese doesn’t escape and place the finished boureg onto the tray. Continue the same process for the remaining 7 pieces of dough. Once all the bouregs have been put on the tray, brush the remaining half egg yolk all over the top of the bouregs. Once all the bouregs have been covered, place the tray into the oven on 350 for 45 minutes.
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CHEESE BOUREG Makes 8-10 servings
Ingredients 2 ½ ½ ½
Pieces of large dough 1 Egg Red onion ¼ Cup Milk Lb Feta cheese Lb Monterey Jack Cheese ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper 5 Green Onions ½ Bunch of Parsley
Preparation Mix the red onion, green onion, parsley, and red
Preparation time: 15 min. Cooking Time: 45 min.
pepper in a bowl. Cut the half-pound of Feta Cheese and Jack Cheese into small pieces, you may also use shredded Jack Cheese. Add the two types of cheese to the other ingredients and mix well. Take out a pyrex and spray it with Pam. Put either one of the two large doughs onto the pyrex. Then, place all the ingredients from the bowl onto the dough that is in the pyrex. Once the bottom dough is covered, place the second dough on top of the first
“Whether eaten, hot or cold, this is my favorite boureg. It tastes great on the side of a plate of shish kebab or eaten by itself as a snack.”
dough and the ingredients from the bowl. Once the second dough has been placed, pinch the sides so the cheese does not escape while cooking. Once all the sides have been pinched, break an egg into a bowl and add the milk to the egg yolk. Using a brush, cover the dough with egg and milk. Once the dough has been covered place it in the oven on 350 for 45 minutes.
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Pasta With Feta Cheese Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients 1 Package of Fettucini 1 Lb of Feta Cheese ½ Cup of Milk 2 Tablespoons of Flour ½ Stick of butter 2 Tablespoon Bread Crumbs
Preparation time: 20 min. Cooking time: 40 min.
Preparation Boil the package of pasta until the pasta is soft. Drain the pasta, then put it back into the pan used to boil it. Add the feta cheese, milk, and flour to
“This pasta was my favorite dish as a child, and it is still one of my favorite recipes. It tastes great with a side of corn and brocolli.”
the pasta and mix everything together. Take out a pyrex and using the half stick of butter, cover all the sides of the pyrex. Next, sprinkle half of the breadcrumbs on the bottom of the pyrex and add the pasta to the pyrex. Then, add the remaining breadcrumbs on top. Place the pyrex in the oven on 375 for 40 minutes.
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MANTI Makes 4 servings
Ingredients Filling: Broth: 1 Lb ground beef 1 can of chicken broth Pinch of Salt, black pepper and red pepper Dough: Chinese won ton squares
Preparation In order to prepare filing combine all the ingre-
Preparation time: 20 min. Cooking time: 45 min.
dients into a mixing bowl and mix well. Cut each sheet of Chinese won ton dough into four squares. Take out a Pyrex and spread butter all around the bottom and sides of the pan. Place about a teaspoon of the filling into the center of a square of won ton dough. Pinch the sides with your fingers to form a small bundle. Place the completed manti
“One of my all time favorite dinners. It tastes great with a side of yogurt and corn.�
in the pyrex and continue making the bundles until your meat and won ton squares run out. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Heat the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Before taking out the manti from the oven pour the hot chicken brother over the pan. Serve manti with plain yogurt or garlic-yogurt.
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Lahmajune (Armenian Pizza) Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients 1 1 1 4
Pound Ground Meat Onion, finely chopped Parsley, finely chopped Large Tomatoes, finely chopped 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste 1 Tablespoon Pepper Paste
Preparation time: 10 min. Cooking time: 20 min.
½ 1 1 ¼ 8
Bunch of mint Teaspoon Salt Teaspoon Red Pepper Cup of Lemon Juice Tortillas
Preparation Mix the onion, parsley, tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper paste, mint, salt, red pepper, and lemon juice into the ground meat. Make sure everything
“This homemade Armenian pizza tastes better than the store bought ones because it has less bread and more meat, plus you can make it however you want by adding any special ingredients.”
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is mixed equally into the meat before proceeding to the next step. Next, put a sprinkle of water on each tortilla and make sure to spread the water all over the tortilla. Then, put the meat on the tortilla and make sure to spread the meat to cover at least 3/4th of the tortilla. Place two tortillas on a tray covered with foil and place it in the oven on 350. Each pair of tortillas take 20 minutes to cook.
SQUASH AND MEAT MEDLEY Makes 8 servings
Ingredients Meat: 1 Pound of ground beef Pinch of salt Pinch of black and red pepper Vegetables: 5 Italian Squash, finely cut 3 Potatoes, finely cut
1 Can of diced petite tomatoes 1 Onion finely sliced 1 Tablespoon of pepper paste 1 Tablespoon of tomato paste 2 Cups of Water
Preparation Combine the meat with the salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a bowl and mix well. Put the bowl
Preparation time: 20 min. Cooking time: 1 hour and 15 min.
aside and take out a Pyrex. Combine the onions, squash, potatoes, and pour the diced tomatoes over the vegetables. Add the meat to the Pyrex and mix well. In one cup of water add the pepper paste and tomato paste in order to soften them up. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and meat. Fill another cup with water and pour the water
“The squash and meat medley tastes great with a slice of a green bell pepper and a piece of pita bread.�
over the mixture. Cover the pyrex with aluminum foil and cook in the oven on 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cook the food closed for 1 hour and take off the aluminum foil and cook for another 15 minutes.
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Eggplant Kebab Makes 4 servings
Ingredients 1 Pound of Ground Beef ½ Teaspoon Salt ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper 1 ½ Pound of Japanese Eggplants
Preparation time: 25 mins. Preparation Cooking time: 45 mins. In a large bowl add 1 pound of ground beef, salt, red pepper, and black pepper. Wash the eggplants,
“This kebab is the best especially when it is cold outside and you aren’t able to barbeque meat. It is simple to make and it tastes delicious.”
then slice them into one inch pieces. Make sure to cut the stems off the eggplants. Place the eggplants in a Pyrex covered with aluminum foil and Pam. Form the meat into small flattened balls. Place the meatballs evenly in between the eggplant slice, side by side. Place the Pyrex in the oven for 45 minutes on 350 degrees.
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Oroukh (Meat with Bulgur) Makes 4 servings
Ingredients 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ¼
Pound Meat Tablespoon Mint Teaspoon red pepper Teaspoon salt Cup of #1 Bulgur Onion, finely chopped Cup Olive oil
Preparation Take the one cup of #1 bulgur and put it in a bowl
Preparation time: 20 min. Cooking time: 30 min.
with ½ a cup of water. Set aside the bulgur with for 10 minutes until the meat is prepared. Combine the meat with the mint, red pepper, salt, and the finely chopped onions, and mix them together. After you have mixed those ingredients with the meat,
“Oroukh tastes great with a piece of pita bread and yogurt.”
add in the wet bulgur and mix well. Once the meat has been mixed, take out a pyrex and cover it with foil. Next, take a handful of meat and roll it up into the shape of a ball. Then, squish the ball into a flat circular shape and place onto the pyrex. Once all the meat has been shaped and placed on the pyrex use a brush to brush olive oil onto each meat. Cover all sides of the meat with the olive oil. Once all the meat has been covered with olive oil, place the pyrex in the oven on 350 for 30 minutes.
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STEAK KEBAB Makes 4 servings
Ingredients 1 Lb Filet Mignon ½ Teaspoon Salt ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper 1 Teaspoon Pepper Paste 1 White Onion, sliced 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Preparation time: 30 min. Cooking time: 20 min.
Preparation Cut the Filet Mignon into small pieces and place the pieces in a bowl. Add the salt, red pepper, black pepper, pepper paste, and olive oil in the bowl. Mix everything together, and then add the sliced onions.
Helpful Hint: The longer the meat marinates, the better it will taste, so make sure to marinate the meat at least six hours before cooking.
Again make sure to mix everything together. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The following day, before you start, make sure to put skewers in a cup of water, this will keep them from breaking when barbequing. Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and place the meat and onions on the skewers. You should alternate on the skewers by placing one meat, one onion, one meat, and so on until the skewer is 3/4 full. Once all the meat and onions have been placed on skewers, they are ready to be barbequed. The meat should be barbequed for at least 20 minutes or until the meat is entirely cooked.
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CHICKEN KEBAB Makes 8-10 servings
Ingredients 1 ½ ½ ½ 2 1
Lb Chicken Teaspoons Salt Teaspoons Red Pepper Teaspoons Black Pepper Garlic Cloves Tablespoons Olive Oil
Preparation Cut the chicken into small pieces and place into
Preparation time: 20 min. Cooking Time: 25 min.
a bowl. Add the salt, red pepper, black pepper, and olive oil to the chicken. Then, using a garlic masher, mash the two garlic cloves into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator overnight. The following day, before you start, place skewers in a cup of water in order to keep them from burning when barbequing. Once the skewers have been soaked for at least 20 minutes, take the chicken out of the refrigerator and start putting the chicken on the skewers. The skewers should
Helpful hint: You can marinate and cook this chicken with green and red bell peppers in order to add some more flavor and color. You can alternate adding the peppers to the skewers with the chicken.
be about ½ to ¾ of the way full, do not put too many chickens on one skewer. One all the chickens have been placed on skewers, they are ready to be barbequed. The chicken should be barbequed for at least 25 minutes or until they are entirely cooked.
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Kunefeh Makes 12 servings
Ingredients 1 ½ Sticks of Sweet Butter 16 oz. Box of Kataifi (shredded Filo Dough) 16 oz. of Ricotta Cheese 2 Tablespoons of Cinnamon (If desired) Syrup 2 Cups Sugar 1 Cup Water 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Preparation Melt 1 ½ sticks of butter. Place the Kataifi in a large
Preparation time: 20 mins. Cooking Time: 45 min.
bowl and separate it. Once the dough is separated, add the melted butter onto the Kataifi. Mix the butter with the Kataifi, then separate the dough into two equal piles. Place ½ the dough in a 9x13 pyrex and press down on it until it’s completely flattened. Next add 16 ounces of Ricotta cheese on top of the flattened dough. Now, add the 2 tablespoons of cinnamon if desired, more or less can be added depending on the how much cinnamon you enjoy. Place the remaining half of the Kataifi on top and again flatten it. Place in the oven on 350 for 45 mins. While the kunefeh is cooking, prepare the syrup by putting the sugar and water in a pan and bring it to
“Kunefeh can be eaten as breakfast or dessert. Once it has cooked, it can be placed in the microwave for 30 seconds in order to heat it up and make it as tasty as it was when it was fresh out of the oven.”
a boil on low heat for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, add the lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes. Once the kunefeh is out of the oven and ready to be served add the syrup to each individual piece.
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CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE Makes 12 servings
Ingredients 2 Cans of Cocoa with Condensed Milk 1 ½ Packets of Simsek Petit Beurre Crackers 12 Oz. of Challenge Whipped Butter
Preparation time: 30 min. Freezing time: 4 Hours
Helpful Hint: The chocolate covered crackers can also be placed into two pie pans instead of making the logs because it is less time consuming to place the crackers into a pan, but don’t forget to add the grated crackers on top.
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Preparation Open the cans of cocoa and butter, and place them in a bowl. Mix them together and place them aside. Next, take about 6 cookies and grate them into crumbs using a cheese grater. Once the crackers have been grated put them aside. Then, take the remainder of the cookies and cut them into 4 small pieces. Once all the crackers have been cut, add them to the cocoa and butter mixture. Mix the crackers and cocoa until all the crackers are covered in cocoa. Next, place the chocolate covered crackers into two pie pans. Add the grated crackers over the chocolate covered crackers in both pie pans. Next, place both pans in the freezer. The logs will be ready to eat within 4 hours.
NAMURA Makes 12 servings
Ingredients 1 Cup Ferina (Cream of 4 Eggs Wheat) 2 Teaspoons Lemon Zest 1 Cup Sugar Syrup 1 Cup Flour 1 ½ Cups Sugar 2 Sticks Sweet Butter 1 ½ Cup Water 2 Teaspoons Baking ½ Teaspoons Lemon Powder Zest ½ Cup 2% Milk
Preparation In a mixing bowl combine the egg, butter, sugar,
Preparation time: 30 min. Cooking Time: 1 Hour
milk, wheat, baking powder, flour and lemon zest. Add the contents of the bowl into a Pyrex and place in the oven on 350. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by combining the sugar with the water in a saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and add the lemon juice. Simmer for ten minutes. After 45 minutes of the namura in the oven, take
“Namura tastes great any time of the day with a cup of Armenian coffee.”
it out and pour the hot syrup over it. Put the Pyrex back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
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