When you wake up to hear crickets singing, there’s only one thing it can mean, and that is it’s summer! Alright, I lie, it’s only spring, but springs Down Under can get so hot, you lose yourself between the seasons, and activate Summer-Time mode immediately. : With summer, you get fresh peaches, nectarines, and all … Continue reading »
![gallant grape leaves [yabraq]](http://fatisrecipes.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/mg_0159.jpg?w=160&h=120&crop=1 "gallant grape leaves [yabraq]")
Yabraq was something I grew up watching my mum and granny do… as kids, we were never allowed to roll grape leaves with them, but sometimes, if we were behaving extra good, we were allowed to take a leaf and filling and ‘pretend roll it’, meaning it never got into the pot after all – … Continue reading »
![nightingale nests ['ish al-bulbul]](http://fatisrecipes.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/mg_0331.jpg?w=160&h=120&crop=1 "nightingale nests ['ish al-bulbul]")
These little nests have always been a childhood favourite. I still love them, but I love so many other Arabian sweets, too, I don’t think I have a one-and-only-fave any more. In Arabic, these are called ‘ish al-bulbul where ‘ish means nest, and bulbul is the Arabic name for Nightingale. The pistachios within the kataifi … Continue reading »
When I first saw a version of the recipe below, I was amazed. It’s such a fantastic idea to present pasta and meat this way! My version of the recipe is below (it’s almost the same as the original but only a little less on the comfort-food scale, because it’s important to keep ourselves in … Continue reading »
If you read the proper parathas post, then you’ll know why I made these. After a lovely dinner, what do you have? Another dinner? Or dessert? How about a dinner for dessert? Yields: 24 Ingredients: 2 x standard vanilla muffin recipe (that yields 12), totalling 24 1 x standard chocolate muffin recipe (that yields 12) … Continue reading »
Simon Wright. What can I say? Your recipe looked a lot more promising than Al’s….but hey, it still didn’t work out! But if anyone’s to blame, it’d be me this time, because there were some mistakes I made which I should have been more careful of. a) I forgot to turn down the oven – it … Continue reading »
Serves: 8 Ingredients: 350g (or 4 cups) ribbed penne pasta (can use elbows, or other shapes… if you’re using gluten free pasta, just skip the breadcrumbs) 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 3 tbs butter 3 tbs plain flour 1 1/2 cup milk 2 cups shredded cheese (your favourite type will do) salt, pepper, baharat Method: In a … Continue reading »
We saw her get freshly pressed for it. We read her creative idea. Now it’s time for her destructive turn. Yields: ~ 70 Ingredients: 2 cups grated Colby cheese (the type you use does make a difference) 1 cup plain white flour 4tbs butter 1/2 tsp onion salt/powder 1/2 tsp ground black pepper orange food colouring … Continue reading »
Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs 4 medium-large potatoes 2 medium-large onions 5 tbs oil (olive, rice bran, vegetable, canola, doesn’t matter) 1 1/3 cup water salt, pepper, baharat Method: Remember to defrost the chicken thighs. Begin by washing and peeling the potatoes. Slice the potatoes. You want them a little bit thick, about 0.8 cm … Continue reading »
So a few weeks ago, it was time for my grandmother, who is filled with the most delicious traditional recipes one can’t find anymore, had to go back to her home country after a couple-month stay here at Down Under. And boy was it hard say goodbye. I didn’t know how I should let … Continue reading »
Yields: ~ 10 Ingredients: Lasagne: 2 – 4 lasagne sheets (depends on the size) grated cheese (I used tasty) Meat mixture: 150 – 170 g minced meat 1 large onion, finely diced 1 1/2 tbs tomato sauce 3 tbs barbecue sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 3 tbs tomato paste salt, pepper, baharat, paprika is optional … Continue reading »
Serves: 4 Ingredients: 500 g grean beans 4 cups water 4 tbs tomato paste 150 g minced meat 1 medium onion, finely diced 10 peppercorns salt, pepper, baharat (preferably Syrian) – which I once called “mixed spice” Method: Wash the green beans and cut the ends off. Next slice each bean into thirds/quarters. You … Continue reading »
Alluring Artichokes – Colourful and healthy Serves: 4-5 Ingredients: 1/2 kg artichoke bottoms (I think you can get a packet of frozen ones which have up to 10 bottoms) 1/3 cup pine nuts 150-180g minced meat 1 med-large carrot, finely diced into cubes 1 cup pea pods 1 medium onion, finely diced citric acid, salt, … Continue reading »
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 »
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 »
It’s so tasty, there was only a glass left for 3 people to share. Next time, I’ll sticky tape my mouth when doing this! Serves: 4 Ingredients: 8 medium pomegranates (even if they’re partially unripe) 1/2 cup sugar water Method: Cut the pomegranates in half. Seed the pomegranates using your preferred method. The one I use … Continue reading »
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 »
“Sheikh” is the Islamic equivalent of the Christian “priest” I wonder what makes this dish called that! Serves: 7 Ingredients: Sheikh zucchinis: 7 medium white/Lebanese zucchinis 1/3 cup pine nuts 180 g minced meat pinch of salt, pepper, mixed spice Sheikh yoghurt: 900 g plain Greek yoghurt (or your favourite type) 1 1/2 tbs cornflour dissolved … Continue reading »
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 »
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 »
Serves: 8 Ingredients: 1 bag (375g) curry simmer sauce – I used butter chicken flavour 800g breast chicken (approx 4-5) 3 large potatoes 300 mL coconut cream [can substitute with sour cream, Greek yoghurt, coconut milk, etc] 2 cups water 1 tbs tomato sauce 1 tbs tomato paste 1 tbs barbecue sauce The spices: pinch … Continue reading »
This is my first “recipe request” post. The dish – marble cake. The recipe card – below. Serves: 8 Ingredients: For an 8 inch round baking tray: 1 1/4 cup plain flour 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil or butter (when solid) 2 tsps baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract powder (+ any flavouring … Continue reading »
![omnipotent [stuffed] okra](http://fatisrecipes.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/img_2466.jpg?w=160&h=120&crop=1 "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 »
Try not to eat them all before you share with others…. Serves: 15 Ingredients: Awaamah dough: 4 cups plain flour or 3 1/3 cups plain flour and 2/3 cup wholemeal flour 3/4 tsp yeast dissolved in 1 cup warm water 1 tsp black onion seed or sesame seeds 1 3/4 cup warm water 1 tsp sugar … Continue reading »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Use the “Golden Dough” recipe to make an even tastier bread roll! Serves: 6 Ingredients: 3 cup plain flour 1 cup warm water 1 tbs yeast 1 tbs sugar 1 egg 1/2 tbs salt 1/2 cup oil[1] 1/2 tps honey 3 Kiri cream cheese pieces[2] 6 pitted dates[2] black onion seed (optional) Method: Combine the … Continue reading »
Serves: 5 Ingredients: 200g mince meat (lamb or beef, I used lamb) 6 tbs tomato sauce 6 tbs bbq sauce 2 tbs tomato paste salt, pepper, mixed spice paprika (optional) 1/4 large lettuce 1 tomato 1 cucumber 2 carrots 5 roti parathas – I started buying a 2kg bag of frozen roti paratha because it … Continue reading »
