Arab Rice - (Kathy Lewis Starks DH'76)
Curry - (Martin Golding DH'66)
Dal - (Andrew Fight AB'73)
Goa Shrimp Curry,Francis X. Pereira's - (Andrew Fight AB'73)
Hummos - (Eric Hill DH'63)
Hummos I - (Mark Moehlenbruck RT'68)
Hummos II - (Mark Moehlenbruck RT'68)
Kabsa - (Cory Gunter-Smith DH'86)
Kibbeh Loaf - (Sally Onnen Duncan RT'65)
Maglubah - (John Kessinger DH '55)
Mensef - (Chicken & Rice) (Kathy Lewis Starks DH'76)
Misakka'a - (RT Women's Group cookbook)
Pickled Shrimp - (Pam Branch AB'79)
Pickled Shrimp - (Diana Ryrholm-Geerdes RT'62)
Pita Bread - (Jeanne Wallace Wojciechowski) DH'87)
Popsicles - (Karen Offield McIntosh DH'78)
Samosas, Keema - (Marie Littlejohn Dunn DH'77)
Samosas, Matar Alu - (Marie Littlejohn Dunn DH'77)
Shawarma - (Alex Yannakakis RT'74)
Shawarma - (Jeanne Wallace Wojciechowski) DH'87)
Stuffed Camel - (Peter Speers DH'64)
Tabouli Salad - (Gail Eckberg McGuire RT'56)
Tahini - (Lynn Martin DeGrado DH'60)
Zaatar Mixture - (Karen Lane Rike RT'66)

The following recipes are original written recipes, in pdf format. Thanks to Tom Sales, DH'75 for scanning and sending them in. We apologize if some of these recipes aren't easily readable.

Baba Au Rhum - BP1865
Brownies - June Sales
Caviar Mousse - Elsie Sweet
Chicken Curry - Ruth Mahon
Consomme Rice - June Sales
Herbed Meatloaf - June Sales
Lobster Casserole - Maggie Maher
Macaroni & Cheese - June Sales
Mushroom Meatloaf - June Sales
Shrimp & Rice - Anita Ryrholm

Arab Rice (Kathy Lewis Starks DH'76)

Melt about 1-1/2 sticks of (real) butter in a pot. Pour in 1-1/2 cups of rice and fry. Add about 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt & pepper. Dissolve 1 chicken bouillion cube in 3 cups of water and add to rice; stir well and bring to a boil. Cook on med-high, uncovered, until the water level is even with the rice. Cover and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes.

Variations:
1. You can brown pine nuts in butter and serve over the top of the rice.
2. You can brown vermicelli in butter, add the rice, then cook as shown above.
3. You can sauté onions in butter, add the rice, then cook as shown above.
4. You can do all three variations at the same time.

Curry (Martin Golding DH'66)

Meat, cubed, 1 lb for every two people.
To each pound of meat:
2-4 T vindaloo curry powder (Martin recommends ordering from Penzey's)
cayenne to taste
a medium to large onion, finely chopped
a large potato, cubed
3/4 C water
oil or (more authentically) ghee
vinegar
salt to taste

Combine curry powder with enough vinegar to make a thick paste (I also occasionally use some sake). Mix to coat meat, let marinate a few hours (or, if you're in a hurry, while you chop the onion and cube the potato).

In some of the oil, saute the onions until soft, reserve.

In more oil, saute the meat until it's dry and sizzles. The sizzling is critical, the spices must be fried to get the best flavor.

Add reserved onions, potatoes, water, salt to taste. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

With no cayenne, it's a fiery but tolerable curry. About a half teaspoon of cayenne per pound of meat makes it painfully Authentic, any more and it becomes dangerously lager resistant.

Dal (Andrew Fight AB'73)

3 cups red lentils
1 chopped onion
3 chili peppers chopped very fine
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
salt, pepper, 1 grated ginger root
1 teaspoon coriander
Enough water to cover contents.

Cook over a low fire for 45 minutes.

Serve the above with a side dish of diced cucumbers in yogurt with a few shredded mint leaves.

Goa Shrimp Curry, Francis X. Pereira's (Andrew Fight AB'73)

2 lb raw shrimps (large), shelled and deveined
2 medium sized onions (chopped)
4 large red diced tomatos
1 small can tomato paste
5 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 ginger root, peeled and grated
10 sprigs fresh coriander cut coarsely
6 green chili peppers (chopped fine)
4-6 tablespoons Sharwood's (from india) hot powdered curry spice
1/2 cup cooking oil or ghee
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Fry onions, and garlic in ghee or cooking oil; add shrimps and stir fry 3 to 5 minutes, add tomato paste and continue stirring; add all the other ingredients and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower fire. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with basmati rice and mango chutney, or Dal. Recommended beverage - beer.

Hummos (Eric Hill DH'63)

Makes about enough to spread around two good size dinner plates, or to dip in about a dozen rounds of Arab bread....

Two cans of garbanzo beans - the cheapest ones usually taste best - simmer in a saucepan for about an hour until they are nice and tender. Pour off the liquid into something to save it for a bit.

Dump the warm beans into a blender - I bought a blender with an exceptionally wide mouth, just for making hummus in.
Squeeze 1 1/2 to 2 lemons (to taste, depending on the size and juiciness of lemons), pour into blender.
crushed garlic to taste - I use about 1 1/2 teaspoons
sprinkle in about half a handful of roasted sesame seeds.
couple tablespoons of sesame tahini
about 1 to 1 1/3 teaspoons cumin

puree the lot. add a little olive oil to smooth it out.

If it seems too thick or dry, you can smooth it out some more using a little of the liquid from boiling.

When you have it blended to the right consistency, it should still be nicely warm.

Use a spatula to spread it around a dinner plate - any one will do, although I like an old stoneware one I have with a deeper center...

smooth it with a circular depression in the middle with a rim. should look like a saucer, sort of. Take a few pinches of parsley and decorate with a few lines of green from the edge of the plate to the edge of the center depression.

sprinkle paprika all over, lightly

put some olive oil in the center depression and in the low area around the center depression.

I like to garnish with a few strategically placed Greek olives, and some thick sliced cucumber around the edges to dip with.

Hummos I (Mark Moehlenbruck RT'68)

Darlene Moehlenbruck's recipe:

1/3 c sesame tahini
1/4 c lemon juice
5 cloves garlic, pressed
5 drops tobasco
1/4 c water
1/2 tsp cumin
2 15-oz cans garbanzo beans, drained.

Mix first six ingredients in food processor, then add beans, and process until smooth.

Hummos II (Mark Moehlenbruck RT'68)

Mrs. Shafiq Kombargi's recipe:

1 c chick peas, soaked in water overnight
3/4 c - 1 c lemon juice
3-4 tbsp tahini
2 cloves of garlic, finely meshed or ground
1/2 tsp baking soda
salt

Boil chick peas with fresh water & 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Drain well from water when completely soft and well cooked (reserve 3-4 tbsp of the water); add everything else. Work by hand first with a big spoon - taste for salt or lemon. Then put in a food processor. If consistency too thick, add the 3-4 tbsp reserved water. Lemon could also be added if you think necessary.

Kabsa (Cory Gunter-Smith DH'86)

2 large onions, chopped
1/2 c oil
1 tbsp mixed spices (see recipe)
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 kg lamb shoulder cut into 6 pieces
or any other cut of lamb
2 c fresh tomatoes chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 whole cloves
1 tsp black lime powder
1 stick cinnamon ~
4 cardamon seeds
4 1/2 c of water
1/2 c chopped coriander
2 c rice (basmati)
salt to taste

In large pot fry onion with oil. Add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Fry for 2 minutes. add mixed spices, turmeric, garlic and coriander. Cook for 5 minutes. Add meat and brown. add tomatoes, lime and salt. Cook 5 to 10 minutes. Add water, cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender.

Pick over rice for stones if necessary and place in a bowl to wash thoroughly. Drain and stir into the meat. Reduce heat and cover tightly. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring once or twice during cooking.

When cooked pile onto a large platter and sprinkle with pine kernels or sliced almonds.

Kibbeh Loaf (Sally Onnen Duncan RT'65)

2 lb lean minced lamb
2 Tbsp salt
2 c burghul (crushed wheat)
1 Tbsp allspice
2 onions
3 Tbsp butter (I use margarine)
1/4 c pine nuts (toasted)

Wash the burghul, squeeze out the water and place in mixing bowl, sprinkle it with water, set aside or refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Chop onions very fine and add them to the meat in another mixing bowl. Drain the burghul once again and squeeze out the excess water. Fold it in with the meat in the mixing bowl. Season with salt and allspice and knead the mixture well. Dip your hands in iced water while kneading. Set the Kibbeh mixture aside and prepare the filling.

FILLING:
1 lb coarsely chopped lamb (not too lean)
2 Tbsp butter
2 med onions chopped
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 c pine nuts roasted until lightly brown
1 Tbsp allspice

Melt the butter in a pan and saute a mixture of all the given ingredients over high heat until the meat and onions are lightly browned. Reduce the heat and simmer 10-15 min until the meat is done.

The Loaf:
Grease a Kibbeh pan (a large round pan with sides about 3 in high). Line the bottom with a 1/2 inch think layer of the kibbeh mixture, all the while dipping your hands in ice water. Smooth out well and top it with the filling.

Cover the filling with a 1 inch thick layer of kibbeh mixture. Slice the top layer into quarters, and again each quarter into straight lines 1/2 inch apart. Be careful not to reach the bottom while slicing. Cut across the loaf diagonally to form small diamond shaped wedges. Top with melted butter and arrange pine nuts decoratively in flower shapes all over the top of the kibbeh. Bake at 400 deg for 30-45 minutes.

Serves 6 (big eaters!)

Maglubah - Arab dish meaning "upside down" (John Kessinger DH '55)

This recipe is from Beatrice Kessinger (Mother of John, Ron, Jettie and Ethel)

5 tomatoes (or 1 small can of solid pack tomatoes)
1 bell pepper (good size)
1 onion (medium)
3 celery stalks (chopped small)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp curry powder (heaping)
1 lb ground beef (i prefer chuck or round)
1 c chopped/slivered almond
1½ c rice, cooked

Make a sauce with the brown sugar, curry powder and the tomatoes - Heat slightly on low heat.
Brown the chopped celery, onion and bell pepper in butter or Crisco then put aside.
Brown the ground beef. Put ground beef and vegetable together with the tomato sauce, add almonds.
Cook rice and mix with the other ingredients, put in a large casserole or 2 small ones. 
Bake in the oven at 350* for 15 minutes

Serve with tossed salad and hot bread (French is nice). 
Keeps well in the freezer.

Mensef (Chicken & Rice) (Kathy Lewis Starks DH'76)

Boil whole chicken (or pieces) with cinnamon powder and about 1/2 onion, cubed. De-bone when cool and break into bite size pieces. Keep broth on the side.

Chop & fry 1 onion until brown; add 1-1/2 c rice and fry. Add 3 c water, cinnamon, allspice, salt, pepper and 1 chicken bouillon cube. Break up 1 lb raw, lean ground beef and add to rice. Cover and cook for 20 min. Taste for seasoning.

Meanwhile mix cooled, bite-size chicken pieces with fresh, mashed garlic (I use 2 good size cloves), salt, pepper, little sprinkle of cinnamon & allspice, sumac (red spice found in Arab or foreign grocery store) and juice from about 1/2 to 1 lemon. Mix well and add about 1/2 cup of your saved chicken broth. Nuke in microwave when ready to serve.

Brown pine nuts and almonds.

To serve: spread your rice on a large platter. Place chicken pieces and broth on top and sprinkle nuts. Most importantly - enjoy, enjoy, enjoy and be hungry because it's great!!

Tip - remember you may need to play with the amount of seasonings and lemon juice depending on your tastes, but try it like this the first time and adjust on your second round.

Misakka'a (from RT Women's Group cookbook, 1972, What's Cookin'?)

2 kg or 4 1/2 lb eggplant (select the biggest and blackest)
2 lb ground beef
3 onions (medium size)
3 c water
1/2 head garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp allspice
1 Tbsp shortening
1/4 c pine nuts
1 can (70 gm) tomato paste

Skin the eggplants and sprinkle with some salt (other than salt from the ingredients). This keeps the eggplants from getting dark in color. Leave the skinned and salted eggplants for 10-15 min. Then wash them and let them drip their water before frying. Heat come cooking oil and fry the eggplants. BE SURE THEY DON'T DRIP WATER BEFORE YOU PUT THEM IN THE HOT OIL. Divide the fried eggplant into two equal parts. In a tray of medium size (12 x 9 x 1.5 inches) put half of the fried eggplants to make one layer.

FILLING:
Chop onions fine and squeeze garlic or chop it fine also. Mix together and fry in shortening until brown. Add meat, salt, black pepper and allspice. Leave on fire until cooked. In a separate pan, fry the pine nuts until brown and add to the meat after it is cooked. Take this mixture and put on top of the eggplants in the tray to make a second layer. Put the rest of the eggplants on top of the meat to make the third layer. Dilute the tomato paste in 3 cups water and put it on the eggplants so that all the tray is covered with the sauce. Put in 350 degree oven for 30 min and later in 250 for 15 min more -- covered.

Pickled Shrimp (Pam Branch AB'79)

1 lb shrimp
1 can mushroom buttons
3 cloves, garlic, minced
1/4 c lemon juice
2 8-oz cans artichoke hearts
1/2 c olive oil
1 tsp ea. salt, pepper, oregano
1/4 c chopped parsley

Boil Shrimp. Marinate arthichoke hearts, mushrooms and shrimp in remaining ingredients at least 24 hours. Can be heated in chafing dish, but we usually eat it cold.

Pickled Shrimp (Diana Ryrholm-Geerdes RT'62 - from the Al Hasa Cookbook)

2 lb shrimp
1/4 c cooking, salad or olive oil
2 medium onions (sliced)
3 cloves garlic
1/3 c vinegar and oil
2 medium onions (sliced in rings)
8 peppercorns
1/2 tsp horseradish
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
Salt (to taste)

Cook the first 4 ingredients together over low heat until shrimp are done (pink). Remove from heat and cool 30 minutes. Remove shrimp from ingredients and mix together with the last 7 ingredients. Marinate. Refrigerate 24 hours. Marinate several times.

DRG Note: The original does not include bay leaves, however, there is a handwritten note in my book that says to add bay leaves, parsley, and dill weed.

Pita Bread (Jeanne Wallace Wojciechowski DH'87)

This recipe uses your bread maker, but it is not necessary, you can knead by hand if you want to! Taken from Bread Machine Baking by Lora Brody

For large machines:
2 1/2 tsp yeast
2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c unbleached white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried herbs (rosemary, dill, or thyme)
1 c plus 2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp olive oil

Put all ingredients in machine, program for knead, manual, whatever (just don't bake it.) Check dough after 5 minutes to ensure it is forming a smooth, un-sticky ball. when done, remove dough to a floured work surface, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Preheat your conventional oven to 450 degrees with the rack in the lowest position. Set a pizza stone, bread tile, or heavy-duty cookie sheet in the oven to preheat.

Divide the dough in 6 equal pieces. Use a rolling pin to create 6 in circles of dough. Using a spatula (or your hands like me) transfer to dough to the oven. Bake 5 to 7 minutes on one side. When you take the pita out it should be puffed up like a balloon! Cool on a rack, but serve warm. These are really good with hummus.

Popsicles (Karen Offield McIntosh DH'78)

I used to sell jello popsicles in Abqaiq back in '73. From what I can recall you mixed the Koolaid as usual and then make a box of jello (must have been a small box at that time, before everything became double servings!) but only use one cup hot water to melt the jello. Mix the Kool-aid and jello water together, put in Dixie cups with sticks and freeze. You can use less water in the kool-aid also to make them richer and "softer."

To make other flavors, i.e. banana, just get banana flavoring and make the sugar water and flavoring to taste, I can't remember the portions but it must have been pretty easy as I did them back then.

Enjoy!!

Samosas, Keema (Marie Littlejohn Dunn DH'77)

(Pastry Stuffed with Minced Meat)
From Mrs. Balbir Singh's "Indian Cookery" (which, BTW, is one of the best Indian cookbooks I've found):

Ingredients for the stuffing:
1 lb minced lean mutton
1 ounce ghee
6 cloves garlic
3 green chilies
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces onions
1 ounce ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 dessertspoonful dried green mango
OR
1 dessertspoonful fresh lime juice

For the stuffing: Chop finely the onions, garlic and green chilies. Heat the ghee and fry the onions. Add ginger, green chilies, mince, turmeric, red pepper, salt and nutmeg and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Cover, put some water on the lid and simmer on slow heat until the mince is cooked.

Uncover and dry the liquid. Remove from the heat, cool and add garam masala, coriander leaves and the ground dried green mango or fresh lime juice.

Suggestions from Marie:

1. Blow off the dough and buy phyllo pastry instead. Assemble samosas as you would tyropitakias (feta cheese filled pastries). This is what several of my Indian friends do.

2. Blow off the deep fat frying (phyllo soaks up oil like it's going out of style) and bake as you would tyropitakias. Pastries will be light and flaky.

3. Instead of pomegranate seeds, throw in some golden raisins (great in meat stuffing too). Pine nuts are a good addition as well.

Samosas, Matar Alu (Marie Littlejohn Dunn DH'77)

(Pastry Stuffed with Peas and Potatoes)
From Mrs. Balbir Singh's "Indian Cookery" (which, BTW, is one of the best Indian cookbooks I've found):

Ingredients for the pastry:
8 ounces flour
5 tablespoons water
2 ounces ghee (clarified butter)
a pinch of salt

Ingredients for the stuffing:
1 ounce ghee
1 ounce ginger
8 ounces potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (curry powder)
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
2 ounces onions
2 green chilies
6 ounces shelled peas
3/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon pomegranate seeds
1 dessertspoonful powdered, dried mango
OR
1 dessertspoonful fresh lemon juice

Ingredients for frying:
Ghee or lard

Method
For the pastry: Sieve together the flour and salt. Rub the ghee into it till the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add water and mix it to a smooth dough. Knead for 10 minutes and leave it covered with a wet cloth in a cool place until needed.

For the stuffing: Boil the potatoes, dip them in cold water, peel and cut into very small and neat cubes. Chop finely the onions, ginger, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Heat the ghee and fry the onions. Add ginger, green chilies, peas, salt, and red pepper and fry for 2 to 3 minutes; mix 4 tablespoons water and cook on slow heat for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the peas are soft. Then add the cooked potatoes, chopped coriander leaves, garam masala, powdered dried green mango, coriander seeds, pomegranate seeds and the lemon juice. Stir for 4 to 5 minutes, remove from the fire and cool.

For the samosas: Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Shape them into balls, dredge wit the dry flour and roll them out into rounds as thin as possible. Cut each one of these into 2 halves. Moisten the edges of the semi-circles formed. Hold one of these from its two extremes, keeping the arc of the circle downwards, and fold it over so that they meet each other and form a join opposite the centre of the arc. Seal the edges with a little paste made from flour and water. Fill the cone thus formed with a table- spoon of the stuffing. Seal the top with the same flour paste, pinch the edge thus formed and decorate with very small scallops.

Fry in hot ghee till crisp and golden in colour. Serve with mint and coriander chutney.

Shawarma (Alex Yannakakis RT'74)

5 lb meat (lamb,chicken or beef)
1 lb suet (lamb fat) use olive oil!!
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp meski (arab gum-ground) ??
1/2 tsp cinamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 bay leaves
3 large onions chopped finely
5 cloves of garlic mashed
1/2 c lemon juice
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c vinegar

Cut meat into strips. Do same with the fat (yuk). In a large glass or ceramic dish, combine meat and dry spices. Rub spices into meat thoroughly. Add onions and bay leaves-mix. Combine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and mashed garlic-mix. Pour over meat-mix. Cover and marinate for 24 hrs in fridge.

If you bake, do so at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes (if cut in 1" strips).

Shawarma (Jeanne Wallace Wojciechowski) DH'87)

For the marinade:
1 c yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp minced onion
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp salt

Marinate 1 kilo of chicken, lamb, or beef in the above mixture overnight. Cook marinated meat in a barbeque cage over hot coals for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, (this is the confusing part) combine taheeni, a clove of garlic, lemon juice, and parsley until creamy (add water if necessary.) Place cooked meat, sliced tomatoes, and onions on a pita, top with taheeni mixture and eat.

I apologize for not having the exact measurements for the last part, I guess if you really want this shwarama, you can experiment!

Stuffed Camel (Peter Speers DH'64)

From the Al Hasa Cookbook -a more than 400 page compilation of recipes compiled by the women's groups, and published in 1976. This recipe from Jo Waters of Abqaiq:

1 medium camel
4 lambs
20 chickens (roasted)
150 eggs (boiled)
40 kilos tomatoes
Salt and seasonings

Stuff eggs into tomatoes, stuff tomatoes into chickens, stuff chickens into lambs, stuff lambs into camel. Roast until tender Serves 150 people.

Tabouli Salad (Gail Eckberg McGuire RT'56)

Here is a Tabouli recipe I have used for years.

2 Bunches fresh parsley chopped
1/2 bunch green onions chopped
tomatoes ( 3 sm or 2 med) chopped
1 c #1 fine or cracked wheat
1/4 c plus lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Soak wheat in cold water until wheat is soft. Squeeze out extra water. Mix all together in bowl. Better if made day before.

I use cracked wheat from Droubi's. Enjoy.

Tahini (Lynn Martin DeGrado DH'60)

This is my favorite Tahini recipe. Actually, it is a Greek version:

2 cans (15-1/2 oz) garbanzo beans
1/4 c olive oil
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 c peeled and coarsely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
pinch of cayenne pepper (I add more)
1/2 c tahini
salt to taste

Open both cans of garbanzos and drain the juice from one. Pour contents of both cans into a food processor and add all other ingreds. Process until smooth. Makes 4 cups.

Enjoy.

Gordon Golding DH'70 adds:
I always soak and cook my own dried in a slow-cooker - very easy, cheap and I make a huge recipe - it freezes really well

One can substitute:
Lemon/lime juice instead of vinegar - more flavor, I use a lot
No olive oil - lots more tahineh - more flavor
IF NO Tahineh, use olive oil and peanut butter, or olive and a teaspoon of Chinese Sesame Oil - very strong flavor
Don't bother chopping the onion and garlic - more work - just put them in first with the liquid and process, then add the rest
Green onion adds both flavor and color - a bit of fresh red pepper - to replace the cayenne if it's hot, is also great
By cooking the garbanzos, you can add them hot, it mixes the flavor better than cold, canned.

Zaatar Mixture (Karen Lane Rike RT'66)

This is a popular herbal blend consisting of 1 part thyme (zaatar), 1 part roasted sesame seeds, 1/4 part sim'meh and salt to taste. It can be bought from most Lebanese delicatessens. Thyme is a suitable substitute.

I found this recipe in my Lebanese Cookbook.