Spicy Stewed Tomatoes, better known as Bandora Maqlīyya, is a classic dish I grew up eating and continue to enjoy to this day. Typically, this dish is served for breakfast, but there is no shame in serving it up as lunch or part of a “breakfast for dinner” spread. A proper balance of flavor is achieved by combining sweet tomatoes, zesty garlic, and chiles for a punch of spice. Extra ripe tomatoes make for the best Bandora Maqlīyya. In the summer time, find sweet varieties of heirloom tomatoes for a little twist. Best served alongside warm pita, tangy olives, and sweet mint tea to cool down the heat.
In a skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and add jalapenos. Lightly fry jalapenos until brown and slightly charred. Add crushed garlic and saute until golden. Increase the heat to high and add tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper. Allow mixture to come to a boil, then turn down heat to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring. Remove from heat when tomatoes are broken down and soft and sauce is slightly reduced. Serve immediately alongside warm pita bread.
Here’s how it all came together:
Start with 3 basic ingredients. Use the freshest, highest quality produce to ensure great flavor.Adjust the heat level to your liking. Remove seeds and veins from peppers for a mild heat level. Add a few more peppers for the spicy food lovers.Allow the peppers to fry in the oil for a few minutes before adding the next ingredients. I used a non-stick pan here (because I was too lazy to wash my cast-iron), but a cast-iron is a great option because of its ability to retain heat.To easily remove garlic peel, lay your chef’s knife flat down on the clove and (carefully) give it good whack with the heel of your hand. The peel will pull away easily from the clove.My grandfather’s mortar and pestle-one of my priceless kitchen appliances and the absolute best for crushing garlic. Add a sprinkle of salt to help break down and crush garlic.Add garlic to peppers and allow it to lightly fry until golden. Don’t let it burn or it’ll have a strong, bitter taste and you’ll need to start over with fresh garlic.Very ripe and juicy tomatoes yield a sweet, thick sauce.Allow tomatoes to lightly fry and simmer in olive oil, only stirring occasionally when necessary so they keep their form.If your Bandora Maqlīyya is looking dry, you can pour a little bit of water over the tomatoes to help create more sauce.While everything simmers and comes together, plate some complementary side dishes. Here we have tangy green olives and pickled turnips.Warm up some pita for dipping.Plate up your Bandora Maqlīyya and enjoy while it’s hot!Try Bandora Maqlīyya served over rice or pasta if you’re looking for a different option from bread. Enjoy!
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Abeer Najjar 
I read a lot of interesting posts here. Probably
you spend a lot of time writing, i know how to save you a lot of
time, there is an online tool that creates readable, google friendly articles in minutes, just search in google
– laranitas free content source
I love the fact that your mortar and pestle was your grandfathers. Family heirlooms are the best.
I bet your house smelled delicious!