If you’re after a party in your mouth, then this is the recipe you’re after. It’s packed with flavour, fried nutrition (:P), and loaded with texture to kick-start the best flavourful experience you’ll ever have. I’ll make an outright confession here: these aren’t as healthy as Rufus’ baked sweet potato fries, but they’re fries, so I’ll fry … Continue reading »
Filed under side dish …
scrumptious curry puffs
I wonder if anyone is finding today a particularly weird day. Because it’s the 29th of Feb. Since I don’t know if I’ll be here or alive after 4 years from now, I thought I’ll put up a recipe for the occasion. A while back I tried a recipe for 2-toned curry puffs I saw on Tes … Continue reading »
lolling lentil soup [syrian style]
I’ve been so brain dead for the past few days. Like in the same way society scrutinises blondes for being dumb. Only tenfold worse. You see….. I’ve been aiming to get my driver’s license since August last year… I did a practical driving test on the 23rd Aug 2011… and after passing all the exam … Continue reading »
fancy fataayer bil jibneh
Ehm… I-L-O-V-E-F-A-T-A-A-Y-E-R! If it helps to read it like this, then: I LOVE FATAAYER! I can’t explain to you how much I love this fat-full, carb-full, little delight. Back home in Syria, on the days you feel like it, you wake up, wash up, wear your clothes and head down to the “bakery” and order … Continue reading »
suave sushi
Ehm. Just thought I’ll make a little announcement that YES, I’m still alive You may have caught me at your blog commenting on your amazing posts, but I’ve been so busy since last Monday, I think I missed all the online fun. Well, my blog did anyway I’ve had family come up from the … Continue reading »
Syrian sheesh kabaab
I made these kabaabs by chance when abati said “what’s for lunch?”, and I said “we have left over rice, and I’m making salad”…. You know, rice and salad for lunch doesn’t make sense all that much for a Syrian. So he said, why not make some kabaab?! As he fired up the coals, I … Continue reading »
magical musaqa’ah
Musaqa’ah literally means “cold”. Of the very cold cold. But the tanginess, and let me tell you it’s served piping hot from the pot, is everything but musaqa’. If you’re having trouble reading this word, click on the link above, and click on the little speaker sign in Google Translate to hear it This dish has … Continue reading »
zesty za’tar potatoes
I came home from uni a couple of weeks ago, and found a plate of gorgeous looking potatoes sitting there waiting for me! I asked who’d made them, and how, but I was answered with a question. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to guess everything in this recipe card, but that didn’t matter, because I loved … Continue reading »
ebullient breakkie egg
Serves: 1 (or 2) Ingredients: 2 hard boiled eggs (they must be freshly cooked and hot) 10 sprigs parsley 1 small onion (use red onion if you can’t withstand the tanginess) salt, pepper, paprika, baharat or your favourite spices to taste Method: Peel the eggs and mash roughly with a fork. Finely dice the … Continue reading »
sentimental sweet chilli sauce & spring rolls
Today was a day of “if only”-s. If only .. If only.. If only.. Fried ones on the left, baked ones one the right Today was also the day that I made an official decision that Asian cooking is that area which I sometimes struggle with. And that it takes a LONG time. Like 2 hours. … Continue reading »
dandy dinner: chicken & potato
A couple of weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to make dinner for the family.. Having asked mum for some ideas, we concluded that that night we were going to have chicken and roast potato… and some left overs from the night before. I think this humble yet dandy dinner is good for those … Continue reading »
macho mansaf roast meat
Mansaf is a rice and meat dish, which I will go into in the next post… (to be posted very soon)… The meat used for mansaf is usually not very flavoursome, so I’ve come to make an amazing roast to replace it! Below is a recipe for the roast only, in the coming post, I … Continue reading »
radiant roti jala
When I first heard about this very gorgeous dish, I instantly wanted to make it. It’s SO easy! But of course, I had to wait for the mail man to deliver my roti jala mould first…. So when I saw this: And found this in it: I was really glad. Until I found out that … Continue reading »
the SLC
Ehm. Still alive. Just not blogging. Since I started something called uni – there has been very little time to do anything but stress over assignments and waking up early after a very late night of study. I miss home life – I really got used to it for …how many months?! So anyway, … Continue reading »
monkeys that can cook!
Today’s post is dedicated to my two little monkeys. Yes: we fall into arguments. Yes: we sometimes wish to pull each other’s hair. Yes: we always pretend like nothing ever happened, and just move along – talk about mild dementia! Yes: no matter what goes and comes, I’m always your loving older sis who tells you … Continue reading »
proper parathas
It’s winter. And the days are a lot shorter here. Which is great since I get to sleep in for longer. But it’s not so when I’m in a flurry to get everything ready by 5pm. Because a flock of loved ones are arriving soon after. Child minding, cleaning and cooking for one who … Continue reading »
fervent falafel
Beware street food lovers. This falafel recipe is gourmet…it’s the traditional recipe made by great grannies. If you want that downtown taste, skip the coriander and halve the garlic. And don’t be too generous with the spices. Ingredients: 1 kg dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked overnight 1 large bunch of coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped 1 … Continue reading »
meaty monster mash
I was digging through my Jurassic-old files the other day, and came across this: Stop calling it cute! It’s supposed to be a scary monster!! Amazing, I thought. That was done back in the day when I was a fresh year eleven-er. During my first Home Economics class. I still remember the criteria we had … Continue reading »
sinisterly pleasing stuffed potato
For other recipes using a zucchini corer, follow this link REPOST! Earlier this year (in April) I posted a recipe card about stuffing potatoes. I made it again more recently, and I thought that it’s best to repost the recipe card because the other one was my first try…and just because I can Half this post … Continue reading »
nifty naan pizza
I have a serious problem with my oven. I don’t like it. It’s my enemy in cooking. It burns my food. It turns off half way through the cooking process. It browns the top of my cake, but not the bottom. It. Makes. My. Pizza. Crusts. Harder. Than. RocK. fati… …you have to find a … Continue reading »
shimmering shish barak
Shish barak with coriander in the yoghurt Serves: 6 Ingredients: Shish Barak Dough: 2 1/2 plain or wholemeal flour (or a combination of both) 1/4 cup water 1 egg 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp sugar Shish Barak Filling: 180g minced meat 10 sprigs coriander, finely diced 1 medium onion, finely diced salt, pepper, mixed spice … Continue reading »
gleaming guacamole
I realised with guacamole that there are two types of recipes. Ones with tomato and onion, others with sour cream. I personally love the smoothness of the sour cream recipe, so this is my version below (perhaps one that’s at least 100′s people’s version, too??) Serves: makes a fairly large plate Ingredients: 3 small-medium ripe avocados 200 … Continue reading »
mesmerising makdous
Makdous. Magdous. Maqdous. Call it what you want. So long you eat it. This dish is based on the olden day methods of storing food for winter when little produce was available. Basically, it’s eggplant stuffed with capsicum and walnuts, cured in oil to produce the most divine tangy taste eggplant could ever give the … Continue reading »
prudish potato salad
This recipe is inspired by the simple thinking Arabian cuisine undertakes. Potato salad = potato + salad. Where ever did mayo get into the story? Perfect for those who don’t like mayo Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 large potato 1 medium tomato 1 Lebanese cucumber 1 cup chopped lettuce 1 spring onion, finely diced 1 medium … Continue reading »
poised potato mash
Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup potato cubes 1/4 cup milk (lactose free, lite, whole – doesn’t matter) 1 tbs butter (make sure it’s not a heaped tbs!) 1 clove garlic, crushed (optional) fresh chives or spring onion (optional) salt, pepper, mixed spice, dried mint, za’tar (dried thyme) Method: Cook the potato cubes in boiling … Continue reading »
flawless fatoosh
Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1/3 lettuce 2 medium cucumbers 2 medium tomatoes 1 carrot, finely grated 1 spring onion 1/2 cup black olives 2 – 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1/3 cup white vinegar 1 Lebanese pita bread juice of half a medium lemon 10 parsley sprigs, finely chopped handful fresh mint, finely chopped pinch of: salt and … Continue reading »
tempting tisqeeyah
A tempting tisqeeyah is a mix of hummus, pita bread, sesame paste, ghee and parsley… Can’t go past it. Can’t live without it. I take no blame for any cardiatric related health problems that occur as a result of the excessive consumption of ghee-drenched tisqeeyah. Apparently tisqeeyah means “quenching” Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans/chickpeas/hummus … Continue reading »
recipe request: zesty za’tar
I’ll class this as a recipe request, although I’ll honestly note I didn’t make this recipe (only because it’s available here to buy ready). If one day we suddenly stop seeing za’tar in stores, then I’ll put it together myself. So… This is my third “recipe request” post. The dish – Za’tar. The recipe card … Continue reading »
yummy yoghurt-cucumber salad
Yummy yoghurt & cucumber salad – perfect for any hot day! Serves: 8 Ingredients: 8 heaped tablespoons of Greek-style yoghurt (or your favourite yoghurt) 1-2 medium cucumbers 1 clove garlic, crushed (optional) pinch of salt, dried-crushed mint Method: Add the yoghurt into a serving bowl. Peel the cucumber and slice in half vertically (better if … Continue reading »
glorious garlic prawns
Serves: 6 Ingredients: 300g pre-cooked cocktail prawns (with their tails on!) 1/3 cup white vinegar 1/2 green capsicum 1/4 red capsicum (optional) 1 onion 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed 1/4 lemon 1/2 tbs tomato paste 1/2 tbs tomato sauce 1/2 tbs bbq sauce pinch of salt, pepper, mixed spice, & paprika is optional Method: Thaw the … Continue reading »
zippy zucchini dip
Keeping the safflower whole gives a really nice colour to the dish.. Serves: 4 Ingredients: 7 white zucchinis 2 – 3 cloves garlic 1/2 onion, finely diced 1/3 cup tap water pinch of: salt, pepper, mixed spice, safflower, mint (dried + crushed) Method: Note: this recipe goes hand-in-hand with another recipe (sheikh) that uses the … Continue reading »
omnipotent [stuffed] okra
Stuffed okra – couldn’t get a decent photo of them Everyone was in a hurry to eat! Serves: 4 Ingredients: 12 large okra 100g minced meat 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional) 2-3 tbs tomato paste 1/3 cup fresh coriander, finely diced 2 cloves garlic pinch of: salt, pepper, mixed spice Method: In a pan, add the … Continue reading »
posh potato wedges
3, 2, 1… where have the wedges gone? Serves: 6 Ingredients: 6 medium-large potatoes 5 cloves pinch of: salt, pepper, mixed spice, thyme (dried + crushed – mine has sesame seeds in it, too), tasteless orange colouring (powdered) Method: I used the washed potatoes (pictured); so I only gave them a rinse and got to work. If … Continue reading »
baked potato and mince
For my lazy potato and (minced meat) lamb recipe, click here. Baked potato and mince — with a twist… ? Serves: 8 Ingredients: 4 medium-large potatoes 200 g mince meat 1 medium onion 1 cup your favourite grated cheese/s (I used low fat tasty cheese) 1/2 tbs tomato paste 1/2 tbs barbecue sauce pinch … Continue reading »
stuffed stuffing
I am SO, completely, STUFFED with stuffing vegetables! I don’t want to eat another stuffed vegetable for a year! (Okay, maybe only a few months). In this post, I will show you a variety of vegetables that can be stuffed using the same stuffing. I completely forgot to add capsicum to the dish! Here’s a … Continue reading »
aloo paratha & potato patties ……………………………painfully potatoey
Recently, my lingering appetite for Indian drove me to attempt making Aloo Parathas. And what a painful experience it was. I spent my whole afternoon trying to figure out how to do it. The Madras Curry Powder I have came with a <tiny, tiny> book with 10 recipes in it. And due to its size, … Continue reading »
superb spinach stuffed pies
Serves: 8 Ingredients: Dough: The recipe for the dough can be found here 1 egg for glazing Stuffing: 1/2 bunch spinach, roughly chopped 1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped 1 tbs cumin pinch of salt, pepper, mixed spice Method: In a large pan, add the spinach, onion and 1/4 cup water. Cook through for a minute. … Continue reading »
dangerously daring dough
The versatility of this dough is amazing. That’s why it’s original name is called “The Golden Dough”… Take this word of advice from me: if you want to get anywhere with this dough, be wise and double the recipe Serves: ~depends on what you’re making with it! Generally the size of an average pizza base when rolled … Continue reading »
cleverly crafted counterfeit croissants
What can I say? My last post was about deceiving drumsticks. And now, conterfeit croissants. WARNING: this recipe is not to be made by fussy croissant-loving eaters. Only for those who are on a low-fat, low-on-time, low-on-resources diet. If you can’t afford croissants from the shops, or afford to make them over a period of … Continue reading »
delectable deceiving drumsticks
The only remaining drumstick. They ate the rest before I could even take a photo! Serves: 8 Ingredients: 1 1/2 chicken breast, diced [1] 1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs 4 puff pastry sheets 1 egg 2 large potatoes 1 carrot, grated 1 medium onion, diced 1 clove garlic (optional) 1/8 wong bok or any cabbage (optional), diced … Continue reading »