Al-Bardauni's Musakhan
In 1962, Ibrahim Boulous from Ramallah opened two Al-Bardauni's Park Restaurants - one in Ramallah and another in Jericho (the name is derived from the Barada River in Lebanon). Both were remarkable in the quality of food served, and the Jericho restaurant was unique because it had the first zoo and the largest playground in the West Bank. Unfortunately after the 1967 war, the Jericho Restaurant, with its birds, gazelles, hyena, Iynx, bear, and other creatures, was confiscated and the Boulous family was left with only its Ramallah restaurant.
In 1980, Adel Boulous took over his father's restaurant and continues to run the business today. After the end of the Intifada he embarked on a massive campaign to renovate the restaurant, bring its gardens back into bloom, and train the staff.
Today, one of the oldest still operating restaurants in
Ramallah, Al-Bardauni's is particularly fmaous for its Musakhan. Literally
translated as "re-heated" it is one of the most famous dishes from rural
Palestine, whose three main components are:
The onions are diced into 1 square centimeter parts, and fried in pure olive oil with white peper, salt, and mixed spice. When the onions are nearly done a large quantity of Summach is added (Summach is a natural spice that gives food a red colour and adds a tangy slightly-sour flavour).
Chicken is sprinkled with cinnamon, paprika, salt, green pepper, lemon, and olive oil and roasted in the oven until nearly done (i.e it reaches the point where it needs five more minutes to finish).
An oven pan is greased with olive oil, the bread is placed in the pan, and chicken broth is poured onto the bread until it is soaked. The bread is then covered in onions and pine nuts, the chicken is placed on top, and the remaining onions and pine nuts areused to cover the chicken. Summach is then sprinkled over the top and tis is returned to the oven until the edges of the bread begin to resemble toast and the chicken is completely done.
Musakhan be eaten for lunch rather than dinner in the winter months, because all of the olive oil and Summach are very heavy - especially to the sensitive stomachs of foreign tourists.