BAHRAIN: Vermicelli with Omelet (Balaleet) and Savory Chickpeas (Hamsat Nikhee)

These dishes are both commonly served as breakfast food in Bahrain. But they both work perfectly for OWW as being repeatable due to ease and accessibility. More so, who does not love breakfast for dinner?

Vermicelli with Omelet (Balaleet)

2 cups (~6 oz) vermicelli/thin spaghetti*

2 tablespoons butter or ghee

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon saffron

1 teaspoon cardamon

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ cup sugar

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Radish slices for garnish, optional.

*Typically short strands are used, but you can break long ones into pieces. NOTE: Do not use capellini/angel hair. You want a strand slighlty thicker than that, but ideally thinner that standard spaghetti.

1. Heat ½ tablespoon of butter or ghee over medium heat in a large sauté pan. If using long vermicelli, break into pieces into the butter (if using short, simply dd to the butter). While the noodles toast, bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil. a

2. Add the ¼ teaspoon saffron to a tablespoon of water to dissolve.

3. When noodles are slightly toasted and golden, pour the boiling water on top of them, add the teaspoon salt, and bring back to a boil. Cook until al dente, about 7-9 minutes. Drain.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or ghee in either the same sauté pan, wiped down, or a new skillet. Once hot and bubbling, add the vermicelli back in, along with the sugar, turmeric, cardamom, and saffron mix. Reduce heat to medium, and stir for a few minutes until sugar is dissolved and noodles have dried out a little. Meanwhile, prepare the eggs.

5. Whisk together the eggs, with a few pinches or salt and pepper. Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter or ghee in a non-stick on medium heat and pour in the mixture. Lower heat and lightly stir the eggs with a wooden spoon until they start to thicken. Stop stirring and let mixture form into an omelet.

6. Place noodles on a serving plate. Top with omelet folded in half. Garnish with radish slices, if using.

Savory Chickpeas (Hamsat Nikhee)

1 can chickpeas

1 medium yellow onion

1 Serrano chili

1 clove garlic

2 large tomatoes or ½ a 14.5-ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ lemon

½ teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Crushed red pepper to taste, optional

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Finely chop the onion and chili. Mince the garlic. Grate the tomatoes, discarding the skin, if using fresh.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until they are soft and lightly browned, about 7 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if they begin to stick.Stir in the garlic, chili, and cumin and cook for another few seconds until fragrant. Then mix in the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down and turn a rust color.

3. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and add them to the pan with a ½ cup of water. Stir to coat evenly. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan and let it simmer 5-minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice over top and add in the salt and cilantro. Mix well and add crushed red pepper and season, to taste.

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FUN FACTS:

• Bahrain was the first country in the Arabian Gulf to discover oil, in 1932.

• Dive Bahrain features a sunken Boeing 747 airplane and serves as the world's largest underwater eco-dive site.

• Bahrain originally consisted of 33 natural islands, but aggressive land reclamation projects have expanded the archipelago to 84 islands.