Syrian Musakhan
In Syria, Musakhan is fairly well known and frequently eaten dish although the Syrian version varies a lot from the Palestinian ancestor. The flavors remained the same but the cooking, ingredients and presentation has been refined in keeping with Syrian fondness with food finesse. Here goes thick Taboon bread and comes in paper-thin Saj bread. Chicken is shredded and Musakhan is served in individual portions.
Musakhan is hardly ever eaten as a main dish in Syria. It is usually served as a side dish or part of a large spread in dinner parties and big family occasions. In coffee shops and restaurants Musakhan is usually served as a small snack dish you can munch on in the few hours you spending there smoking Argeeleh. Another very popular version of Musakhan is tiny small pastries stuffed with the chicken and sumac mixture and served as part of finger food buffet in parties.
For this recipe we use Saj bread, a very thin Syrian bread. Alternatively you can use Lavash bread which is similar bread native to Iran, Armenia and Turkey.
Ingredients:
1. Cooked chicken 500g (boiled or roasted)
3. Three onions
3. Olive oil 1/2 cup
4. Sumac 4 tbsp
5. Pomegranate Molasses 1 tbsp (my own addition, optional)
6. Pine nuts 30g
7. Saj bread
8. Salt
Directions:
– Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
– Start by frying the pine nuts until golden in the olive oil. Be very careful as pine nuts burn very quickly. Remove from the oil when ready.
– Slice the onions thinly and fry on medium heat until they go translucent. Shred the chicken and add with the sumac, pomegranate molasses and the rest of the olive oil (keep some to brush the bread with at the end) to the pot. Taste and add salt as required. Remove from the heat.
– Cut the saj bread into 20cm (8inch) squares. Spoon 3-4spoonfuls of the chicken mixture into the centre of the bread. Fold three corners in and roll the bread into a spring roll shaped pies.
– Arrange the rolls in a roasting tin. Brush generously with olive oil and back until golden brown.
Lara Kh.