Synia: a Palestinian Culinary Treasure

Well, that’s another dish I would die for but can’t spell. It’s the Arab Sinia in it’s Palestinian version. Make way for another REAL recipe.

Some of the readers of this blog are vegetarian or health freaks, or people who are fond of hummus and tahini mainly because of their famous nutritional virtues. Some of the recipes already posted here, were more suitable for them.

This recipe is not for those people, I’m afraid. It involve the use of tasty animals, and forbidden practices such as frying in oil (!) and, all in all, I can’t guarantee that’s it will improve anybody’s health - contrary to hummus or tahini.

On the other hand, it’s absolutely delicious. Know what, just look at at it:

Palesinian Synia
My very own Synia. click to enlarge.

I just wish you could also smell how good it is.


I hardly know how to pronounce “Synia”, so I have no clue regarding it’s correct English spelling (is it sinia, sniya, siniya or sinniya?). However, making that fabulous meat & tahini dish, is not at all complicated. With a good bread - or, preferably, pita bread - it’s makes a perfect devastatingly good meal. Goes wonderfully good with hummus, naturally.

Ingredients
[for 4 people]

1/2kg (or 1.1 pounds) ground Meat (beef, mutton or 50/50)
3-4 medium Tomatos, cut to small-medium cubes
1/2 cup Tahini sauce
1 big chopped Onion
1tsp Salt
Olive oil for frying
1 spoonfool spice mixture

The spice mixture:
1/2tsp of each of these spices: turmeric, black pepper, cumin, coriander seeds, allspice.
(Each of which can be replaced with spices like elaichi, cinnamon, dried ginger)

Optional but worth the effort:
50gr pine cone, lightly roasted on a pan
a handful of chopped parsly

Directions
a. Put the onion in a hot pan with the olive oil, and fry gently until it becomes transparent.
b. Add the spices and go one frying for a short moment, then add the meet.
c. Saute the meet while gently crumbling, until it changes it’s colot. Add the pine cone and chopped parsley and take of the fire.
d. Put the meet in a 30×20cm (11×8inch) baking pan, in a more or less uniform film. Cover with a layer of tomato cubes and pour over the tahini sauce, so it would cover the tomatos.
e. Bake in a medium heated oven, for about 20 minutes, until the tahini is lighly crusted, changing color and texture.
f. EAT!

IMPORTANT: keep an eye on it while it’s in the oven, and see the tahina is not getting burned.

December 15, 2007 | Filed Under All Recipes | Tags: , ,

Comments

One Response to “Synia: a Palestinian Culinary Treasure”

  1. sam UNITED STATES on January 1st, 2008 12:19 pm

    just wondering ..where did u get the recipe from?..is it commonly eaten in palestine? im fairly familair with levantine cuisne and it reminds me of kafta with tahini..but this looks very well worth trying..could u please provide more info ..thank you sam

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