Banquets of the nations

Tajin. (Stewed Neck of Mutton.) Boil some oil till it smokes, and add two tablespoonfuls of capsicum (powdered). When boiling, add half a pint of water. Stand till cold ; then pour off the clear oil from the top into a stewpan. Add a head of garlic, some minced almonds, two ounces of stoned raisins, a pinch each of ground caraway and cinnamon. Bring to the boil ; put in the mutton cut up into pieces about the size of a five-shilling piece ; stew at the side of the fire till tender. When nearly done add some pepper and salt, all kinds of vegetables handy, more especially artichokes (but not potatoes), and some hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters. Serve with sliced oranges and split radishes. Dojaja Zeitoum. (Fowl and Olives.) Cut a fowl in eight pieces, and stew in two ounces of butter and three tablespoonfuls of oil, with pepper, salt, and saffron (all in powder), the butter to be put in first and the oil poured on when melted. The meat should be first rubbed with salt, and left so for ten minutes, after which the salt is washed off just before putting it into the pot. Cook a quarter of an hour, then replace the lid for ten minutes, after which put in three onions cut up, and pour on a pint of water ; boil till nearly all this has evaporated. Stew till no moisture comes out, when a fork is stuck into the meat. Now add two ounces of raisins, and in five minutes add three dozen olives and a large pinch of grated nutmeg. Leave it near the fire for a quarter of an hour. Serve with plain boiled rice like a curry. It should take altogether an hour and a half to cook. Baisar. (Bean Porridge.) Bring a quart of good stock to near boiling point, and add a pint of split broad beans (which have been well soaked) , leaving them to boil for half an hour, removing the scum as it rises. If they are then tender, take them off the fire, which should not be too fierce ; but, if still hard, keep them boiling till done. Then stir well with a wire whisk till the whole is reduced to a paste. Now add the minced heart of a very small boiled cabbage and two or three boiled and chopped onions with one gill of cream, one and a half ounces of butter, a little ground cumin and nutmeg, a point of garlic, salt, and a pinch of red pepper, and stir gently over the fire for a few minutes ; but not to boil. Serve very hot. Saraj min Dan. (Saddle of Mutton.) Boil one pound of oil in a stewpan till it smokes, then add half a pound of butter along with some artichoke stalks and black olives steeped in lemon juice, and one or two apples, seasoning with some pounded cumin, coriander, parsley and marjoram, cinnamon and nutmeg, being very careful as to the use of the two latter. Cook for a little, then add the meat. When the meat has absorbed most of the oil, add water, hot or cold, to make the required quantity of gravy. Keep close covered, and turn, taking care that the fire is not fierce enough to burn it. Serve with a plate of pounded cumin and salt mixed. Samak bi Toum. (Fish in Garlic.) Half a dozen large herrings, or an equal quantity of any fish, prepared in the following style, form a favourite dish.