In the Arab or the Muslim world, food is an important part of celebration when it comes to any feasts. With Eid al-Adha now knocking on the doors, Muslims around the world begin celebrating and preparing traditional Eid food.
As it is a holiday that literally means” sacrifice feast,” there are many recipes across several countries that are made to celebrate Eid al-Adha and share meals with friends and family.
Here are 6 recipes that you should try cooking this Eid.
Egyptian Fattah
Egypt's exclusive Eid dish that everyone is obsessed with is Fattah, which is the crispy bread layered with the rice, tender braised lamb or even beef, and a pungent garlic-vinegar tomato sauce. Assembled fresh and served together.
Ingredients:
• 750g bone-in lamb or beef (shank) 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, celery, carrot, cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, salt
• 2 cups short-grain rice, 3 cups reserved meat broth, 2 tbsp ghee
• 3 rounds of pita or Egyptian baladi bread, oil for toasting
• Sauce: 4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp ghee, 3 tbsp white vinegar, 400g crushed tomatoes.
Method:
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Simmer meat with onion, vegetables, and spices in water for 1.5–2 hrs. Reserve meat and broth.
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Toast or fry bread pieces until crispy. Lay in a deep serving platter as the base layer.
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Cook rice in the strained meat broth with ghee until fluffy.
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Fry minced garlic in ghee until golden. Add vinegar (it will sizzle), then tomatoes.
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Simmer for 10 mins to turn into a thick sauce.
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Pour warm broth over bread to soften slightly. Add rice, then the meat. Pour tomato-garlic sauce over everything.
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Serve at once.
India is famously known for their delicious cuisines, one of the most popular dishes they have is the beef curry. A deeply aromatic, slow-cooked beef curry layered with caramelized onions, warm spices, and yogurt creates a thick, rich gravy around melt-in-your-mouth tender beef. Best with naan or basmati rice.
Slow Cooker Beef Curry, India
India is famously known for their delicious cuisines, one of the most popular dishes they have is the beef curry. A deeply aromatic, slow-cooked beef curry layered with caramelized onions, warm spices, and yogurt creates a thick, rich gravy around melt-in-your-mouth tender beef. Best with naan or basmati rice.
Ingredients:
• 1 kg beef chuck, cubed; 2 onions sliced; 6 garlic cloves; 2 tsp grated ginger
• 400g canned tomatoes, 3 tbsp yogurt, 3 tbsp ghee or oil
• Spices: 1.5 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp each ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, Kashmiri chili; 1 tsp garam masala
• Whole spices: 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, 4 cloves; salt, fresh coriander to garnish
Method:
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Sear beef in batches in hot oil until browned.
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Transfer to the slow cooker.
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In the same pan, fry onions for 15–20 min until deep golden.
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Add garlic, ginger, whole and ground spices; cook for 2 min.
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Add tomato paste, tomatoes, and yogurt.
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Cook the masala for 5 min until the oil separates. Pour over beef.
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Cook on LOW 7–8 hrs or HIGH 4–5 hrs.
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Remove the lid for the final 30 min to thicken.
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Stir in garam masala, adjust seasoning.
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Garnish with fresh coriander and green chili.
Kabsa, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's national dish that gets everyone’s mouth watering is one-pot beef or lamb and basmati rice simmered in a richly spiced tomato broth with dried lime, finished with toasted almonds and raisins.
Ingredients:
• 1 kilo beef or lamb (serves 3-4 people)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste, 400g canned tomatoes, 1 stock cube in 4 cups hot water
• Kabsa spice mix: 1/2 tsp each saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice; 1/4 tsp white pepper; 1/2 tsp dried lime powder
• 2.5 cups basmati rice (rinsed); 2 whole cloves; 1/4 cup raisins; 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
Method:
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Brown meat all over in ghee; set aside. Sauté the onion and garlic until golden in the same pot.
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Add tomato paste, tomatoes, grated carrots, kabsa spice mix, and cloves. Cook for 3 min.
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Return meat, pour in hot stock. Simmer covered for 30 min. Remove meat and set aside.
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Add rinsed rice to the broth; bring to a boil, then cover and cook on very low heat 35–40 min. Add raisins for the last 10 min.
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Pile rice on a large platter, place meat on top, and scatter toasted almonds. Serve with salad and hot sauce.
Spiced Lamb Ribs, Middle East
Lamb ribs are rubbed with a bold cumin-coriander spice paste and slow-roasted until caramelized and tender. One of the first cuts made from the Odheya (cow or sheep sacrifice)
Ingredients:
• 1.5 kg lamb ribs; 3 tbsp olive oil; 4 garlic cloves crushed
• Spice rub: 1.5 tsp each ground cumin and coriander; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp each turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon; salt to taste; fresh parsley and lemon wedges to serve
Method:
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Mix oil, garlic, spices, lemon juice, and salt into a paste.
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Score the ribs and rub paste all over. Marinate at least 2 hrs (overnight is best).
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Oven method: roast at 180°C, covered in foil, for 1.5 hrs.
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Uncover, raise the heat to 220°C, and roast 20–25 min until caramelized.
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Grill method: cook over medium-high heat 8–10 min per side until charred and cooked through.
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Rest 10 min.
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Cut between ribs and serve with flatbread and lemon.
Baked Beef Kofta Kebab, Middle East
Spiced ground beef is shaped onto skewers and oven-baked until charred and juicy; one of the most direct, celebratory uses of freshly sacrificed Eid meat: served with flatbread and tahini.
Ingredients:
• 1 kg ground beef (or beef and lamb mix); 1 onion (grated); 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• Large handful fresh parsley (chopped); 1 tbsp olive oil
• Spices: 1 tsp each cumin, coriander, paprika; 1/2 tsp each cinnamon, allspice, black pepper; 1.5 tsp salt
Method:
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Combine all ingredients and mix by hand for 2–3 min until slightly sticky.
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Rest in the fridge 30 min minimum.
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Preheat the oven to 220°C.
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Shape the meat firmly around skewers into 15cm sausages.
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Bake on an oiled tray 18–22 min, turning once.
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Grill for 2–3 min at the end for extra char.
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Serve with warm flatbread, tomato-cucumber salad, and tahini sauce.
Pastry-Stuffed Beef, Turkey
Spiced minced beef and toasted pine nuts wrapped in golden puff pastry. It is the Eid centerpiece inspired by Turkish börek and Levantine stuffed pastry traditions.
Ingredients:
• 600g ground beef; 1 large onion; 3 garlic cloves; 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Spices: 1 tsp each cumin, coriander; 1/2 tsp each cinnamon, allspice, black pepper; salt
• Handful fresh parsley; 50g toasted pine nuts
• 500g puff pastry; 1 egg (beaten); sesame or nigella seeds for topping
Method:
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Fry the onion until golden.
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Add garlic and ground beef; cook until browned and dry.
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Add tomato paste and all spices; cook 3–4 min.
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Stir in parsley and pine nuts.
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Cool completely.
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Preheat the oven to 200°C.
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Roll out the pastry.
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Spread the cooled filling, roll tightly into a log, and seal the ends (or cut into individual parcels and crimp the edges).
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Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with seeds, and score the top lightly.
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Bake 25–30 min until deep golden.
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Rest 5–10 min before slicing.
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Serve with yogurt dip and fresh salad.
Finally, each one of these recipes is worth a try. All of them carry tradition and love in the process of making them.
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