Layali Hejazia at Rosewood Hotel this holy month

Ramadan in the Hejaz region is well-known amongst many as a very special month. Not only is it a month of grace, spirituality, dedication and commitment to prayers and reading the Holy Qur’an, but it’s a month filled with family gatherings and specially made meals best served in Ramadan. Families have gathered for many generations and presented all that is new and special for this month, there is a feeling of welcome and humble hospitality in a way only Hejazies can give and have been doing so for many generations. For a third year in a row, the Rosewood Hotel in Corniche Jeddah is offering Ramadan Layali Hejazia all throughout the month serving both iftar and sahoor in its Habsburg Restaurant and Noodles Restaurant. The multi-award winning luxurious hotel will be transformed into a traditional Hejazi setting with all the add ons and details provided to give visitors and hotel guests a real feel of the Hejazi region and give a taste of its hospitality.
The two restaurants will be transformed into an ancient and traditional Hejaz setting from the hanging colorful famous lanterns to the traditionally dressed Zamzam water bearer along with décor and seating corners, even Mashrabiya windows just the way it used to look in old times. Preparations for Ramadan begin six months in advance, the Rosewood is all about perfection and since the theme is Hejazi, then the food must be as well. The menu reflects traditional Saudi dishes with Ramadan’s favorites cuisine in sync with the unique culture and heritage of Hejaz. The restaurants will serve a buffet filled with many well-known dishes such as gursan, jareesh, lamb kabsa, foul, manto, and much more. Both Iftar and Sahoor will have different set buffet menus, specifically at Sahoor where there will be live cooking stations with more traditional dishes such as saj, shawerma, mgalgal (lamb and beef liver sautéed to fine tender slices), foul mdamas, a wide range of deserts and an assortment of breads and spreads.
Maurizio Panicali, the executive chef at Rosewood corniche said, “having a staff from different parts of the world makes the job exciting and different tastes are tried and tested to give the best in the dishes served. It’s the diversity that makes the work load easier and on its toes. I have around fourteen different nationalities in the kitchens, from the Middle East, to Far East Asia. Each one with a different role to play and I have a wonderful helpful staff that will not accept anything less than perfect.”
Chef Maurizio is especially proud this year to have new additions in his kitchen, two young Saudi chefs, first timers in the hotel business but dedicated. Sultan Bahabri is one of the Saudis, having graduated from SCAFA Dubai, he’s since worked in the restaurant business, until enrolling into the Rosewood restaurant haul and hasn’t had anything but positive input on his training there. “The chefs are all helpful and teach you what is needed with a lot of patience. I’ve been working in restaurants since I’ve graduated but I’m enjoying the work here because it’s more of a team work yet I can do my work individually and add my touches here and there in the station I’m assigned to with the Executive Chef’s approval.”
The holy month will be celebrated throughout the entire hotel as the hotel is still one of the city’s most elite properties for family, friends, and business acquaintances to meet and dine in the finest establishment. In preparation for the holy month, chef Maurizio has provided readers of Arab News a special recipe for the Ramadan table.

Kebbeh Labaniya
Ingredients:
Half kilo extra lean minced meat
(beef or veal or lamb, unspecified preference)
Half kilo fine burghul (or more) washed and dried
2 onions
Salt, pepper, spices and cinnamon
Filling:
Toasted pine nuts or finely grated walnut
Half kilo minced meat
2 finely minced onions
Salt, pepper and spices
Yogurt sauce:
1 kilo yogurt
1 egg white
¼ tsp corn starch
½ cup water
2 garlic cloves
Crushed coriander
1 tbs ghee or shortening

Directions:
1. Mince meat with a meat grinder once.
2. Mince the burghul three times with the pulsed onions in a food processor and spices. Mix both meat and burghul together until well blended thus creating dough for the kebbeh.
For the filling:
1. Gently sauté the onion until softened, then add the lamb and continue sautéing until the meat is just cooked through. Pour the meat and onions into the bowl with the pine nuts, then add in the remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Knead by hand until the mixture comes together and all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
2. To form the kebbeh, take a handful of the outer shell and press between your hands to get it to cohere, turning it over a few times to make an oval shape. Gently create a pocket for the filling, and then spoon in a small amount of the fried stuffing. Pinch the top closed to seal. Wet hands in cold water and turn a couple more times in your hand to ensure the kebbeh will hold together.
3. Fry the kebbeh in the oil and place on the side.
4. In a pot, place yogurt, egg white, corn starch and water and mix well, then place over low heat with continuous stirring until it starts to boil. Turn off the heat afterwards to prevent from sticking to the
bottom
5. Carefully place the kebbeh in the yogurt mix and let stew for 10 minutes. Then place in serving plate.
6. Fry the minced garlic cloves and crushed coriander with the ghee or shortening until fragrant. Pour over the kebbeh and yogurt and serve with white rice and thin vermicelli noodles.
—
Email: [email protected]