Sinyah
Unique Druze dish of meat covered with vegetables and tahini sauce.
This traditional Druze dish known as Sinyah gives the meat a Mediterranean flair. The lamb should be shoulder and the beef a good non-stewing cut. Serving with pita and a cucumber and tomato salad, makes it a complete meal.
Adapted from the blog “From the Grapevine” (www.fromthegrapevine.com)
Ingredients:
Kebabs:
2 pounds ground lamb, beef, or mix coarsely ground
½ onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon Baharat
½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped fine
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tahini sauce:
3 cups tahini sauce diluted with extra lemon juice (see recipe above)
Vegetables:
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, any color, sliced
6 cherry tomatoes sliced
1 lemon, peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup roasted pine nuts
½ bunch fresh finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to garnish
Preparation:
Mix all the kebab ingredients. Cover and put in refrigerator to mellow for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Roll kebabs into 2″ balls, and press the balls into little patties. Sauté a test patty and adjust taste if needed. Sauté the patties, in batches, in olive oil until browned on both sides but not cooked through. Remove to a platter.
Use the same skillet with hot oil to fry the sliced onion and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion just starts to change color. Remove and set aside.
Place kebabs on a clean oven safe frying pan. Cover with fried onion and bell pepper slices. Scatter sliced tomato and sliced lemon over each kebab patties.
Pour tahini over the kebabs and jostle the pan so it seeps between the kebabs and spreads evenly.
Place the frying pan over medium heatc and cook for 5 minutes, until the tahini bubbles, thickens and changes color to light brown. Look for the golden-tinged edges.
Add water around the edges of the pan to avoid burning. Scatter the pine nuts over all. Transfer to oven (350º) 10-15 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve with plenty of pita to mop up the delicious sauce.