That is not to say that it is complicated. Just that it will give your spice rack a really good workout. It is one of my favorite lunch thingies.
It is loosely based on an Afghan recipe given to me by the mother of one of my customer’s neighbor’s cousins. Or something.
Chana dal are often called yellow split peas, but they are not the same thing—they are in fact split black chickpeas (aka Bengal gram) and cook like a slightly obdurate lentil.
They take around 35 minutes to cook (and do not need soaking)—but you do need to watch they as they froth up something awful and boil over the minute your back is turned. And just as with regular chickpeas, they need to be skimmed. Like most beans/legumes, they simply will not cook if you add salt or sour stuff to them (it’s all to do with osmotic pressure), so this is why we are going to boil them first.
Pick through the chana dal (they often contain small stones) and place them in a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil, leaving the lid slightly open to stop it from boiling over, and bubble for about 35 minutes or until the dal are just cooked. Drain and set aside.
Melt the ghee and oil in a pot and add the cumin, cardamom and mustard seeds. Sizzle over high heat for around 2 minutes before tossing in the onion, garlic and chiles. Once the onion has softened, add the celery and carrots and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the celery has softened and then add the remaining spices, stirring well. Add the chana dal and around 1 ¼ cups (300 milliliters) water plus the oat milk, mix well and simmer, topping up with water if the mixture starts to look dry. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes or until the mixture starts to dry. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes or until the ingredients begin to homogenize. Add salt to taste and serve with raw onion “spoons,” chopped chile, some salad Shirazi and plenty of warm bread.
Reprinted with permission from
Veganistan: A Vegan Tour of the Middle East and Beyond
Sally Butcher
Interlink Books, 2023
interlinkbooks.com
Sally Butcher is a London-based food writer and cookbook author. She runs Persepolis, the acclaimed Persian food store in London. Her most recent book, The New Middle Eastern Vegetarian (also published by Interlink) has been a hugely successful and was shortlisted for the Guild of Food Writers’ Cookery Book of the Year Award. Her first book, Persia in Peckham, was also published to critical acclaim and short-listed for the 2008 Andre Simon Award. It was also selected by The Sunday Times as their cookbook of the year. When Sally is not running her store, she blogs and tweets prolifically and has amassed a devoted online following.
]]>No Bengali New Year celebration in Bangladesh is complete without various kinds of bhorta. If tomatoes are available, this bhorta will definitely be on the table.
Since it has a salsa-like texture, it can be used as a relish for burgers or even grilled halloumi. It’s a great accompaniment to barbecued meats too. It can be made in advance and kept covered in the fridge for 24 hours until you are ready to eat.
There is a messy way to roast the tomatoes, using direct heat—either by cooking them on the embers of a barbecue or by holding them in tongs directly in a flame, turning them so they roast evenly. These methods give an added smokiness, but they are not always practical. The easiest way is to heat up a tawa or a griddle over high heat and roast the tomatoes on it until the skins blacken.
Once they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and chop the tomatoes into small pieces.
Mix the tomatoes with the chiles, onions, oil and salt and serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with cilantro.
Reprinted with permission from
Ammu: Indian Home-Cooking to Nourish Your Soul
Asma Khan.
Interlink Books, 2022.
interlinkbooks.com.
Asma Khan is the chef and restaurateur of London’s Darjeeling Express, which began as a supper club, then a pop-up, before settling in its permanent location to wide acclaim. Khan’s food is homage to her royal Mughlai ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta, where she grew up. An all-women team runs the kitchen at Darjeeling Express, which has been featured in Time Out, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian and numerous others. In 2015 it was named one of the best restaurants in London by the Evening Standard, and in 2017 Eater named it one of its most impressive restaurant newcomers.
]]>The dish has a long and illustrious history; it was thought even the Prophet Muhammad enjoyed it. More importantly, this simple no-bake, one-bite dessert was said to “fortify the traveler” in the days when travels, especially the arduous journey to the Hajj, were often perilous. The original recipe says to “make into cabobs,” which I took to mean small balls, but you could roll into finger-shaped sweetmeats or spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and cut into squares. Any which way, they are yummy and energizing.
Whiz the dates, almonds, pistachios and oil together in a food processor until ground and the mixture is resembling breadcrumbs.
Tip into a large bowl and shape into balls roughly the size of a walnut (they don’t need to be the same size). If still crumbly, dab your palm with a little vegetable oil to help bind the mixture. Place the balls in the fridge to set.
To finish, roll each ball in sesame seeds, coconut or pistachio slivers, if desired—the options are endless.
Adapted and reprinted with permission from Sun Bread and Sticky Toffee: Date Desserts From Everywhere
Sarah al-Hamad.
Interlink Books, 2013.
interlinkbooks.com.
Sarah al-Hamad grew up in Kuwait and lives in London. She worked as an editor for Saqi Books and is the author of several cookbooks, including the award-winning Cardamom and Lime: Flavours from the Arabian Gulf. She recently completed her master’s degree in creative nonfiction at the University of East Anglia.
]]>
Most Syrians eat cauliflower this way, but any vegetable can be made into ma’aleh—just deep-fry it and make a sandwich as described above. But in my opinion, my mother’s oven-roasted cauliflower is even better; it’s a perfect side dish or sandwich filling.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 degrees Fahrenheit).
On a large baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets and its leaves with the olive oil, cumin, paprika and some salt. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and just starting to char at the tips.
Take the cauliflower out of the oven, toss with the garlic, and bake for another 3 minutes.
Serve Zahra, street-food style, in a pita or flatbread sandwich, stuffed with fresh herbs and tarator, or as a snack or side dish with tarator dipping.
Reprinted with permission from
Sumac: Recipes and Stories from Syria
Anas Atassi.
Interlink Books, 2021.
interlinkbooks.com.
Anas Atassi was born in Homs, Syria, and now lives in Amsterdam. Every summer the entire family goes back to Homs to be together and celebrate the season. Good food continues to be an important part of that celebration, and Atassi has remained a lover of Syrian cuisine, which started his great love for cooking. Sumac: Recipes and Stories from Syria is his first cookbook.
]]>During the hot summer months, ice-cream shops, called shir yakh feroshees, would sell an assortment of ice creams and other cold desserts. My sister Fatema remembers going into beautiful little shops after school to buy shir yakh. They were colorful and decoratively tiled and had Bollywood music playing in the background.
The shir yakh, with rose and pistachios, is a favorite at Parwana, one of her restaurants.
Process the cream, condensed milk and food coloring in a food processor for 3-4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and add the cardamom, rose water and pistachios. Fold through gently to combine well, then transfer to a large airtight container.
Cover the entire surface of the ice cream directly with plastic wrap to avoid the formation of ice crystals. Cover the container with a lid and freeze for at least 10 hours before serving, scattered with slivered pistachios and rose petals.
Reprinted with permission from
Parwana: Recipes and Stories From an Afghan Kitchen
Durkhanai Ayubi.
Interlink Books, 2021.
Interlinkbooks.com
Alicia Taylor
Freelance food writer and restaurateur Durkhanai Ayubi is involved in day-to-day responsibilities of two family-run eateries in Adelaide, Australia: Parwana and Kutchi Deli Parwana. She has written for several international newspapers and websites. Daughter of Afghani refugees Zelmai and Farida Ayubi, she tells her family’s story from her own perspective while passing along memories and recipes from her parents. Parwana is also the title of her first book and won the 2021 Art of Eating Prize.
]]>Put the ground chicken in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients (except the oil); mix well. Oil your hands and divide the mixture into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten to a patty. Each kabab should be 2 centimeters (3/4 inches) high. Cover the kababs to prevent them from drying out.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. To test that the oil is hot, cut one of the onion slices in half and dip the tip into the oil—it should start to sizzle immediately. If not, heat the oil for a bit longer and check again. Reduce the heat to medium and after 30 seconds slip the kababs from the edge to prevent the oil from splashing and burning your hand. Do not overload the pan. Fry the kababs in a single layer with enough space for you to turn them safely, until well-browned on both sides and cooked through.
Slice the open burger buns and spread both sides with a thin layer of chutney, if using. Top with a kabab and a slice of onion.
Reprinted with permission from
Ammu: Indian Home-Cooking to Nourish Your Soul
Asma Khan.
Interlink Books, 2022.
interlinkbooks.com.
Asma Khan is the chef and restaurateur of London’s Darjeeling Express, which began as a supper club, then a pop-up, before settling in its permanent location to wide acclaim. Khan’s food is homage to her royal Mughlai ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta, where she grew up. An all-women team runs the kitchen at Darjeeling Express, which has been featured in Time Out, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian and numerous others. In 2015 it was named one of the best restaurants in London by the Evening Standard, and in 2017 Eater named it one of its most impressive restaurant newcomers.
]]>Traditionally, it’s a great way to use up yesterday’s flatbreads, but we use gluten-free crackers here for a slightly lighter recipe. Sumac and mint are essential flavors for fattoush, and we, like many others, love to add sweet-sour pomegranate molasses to the dressing. To combine the olive oil, syrupy molasses and lime juice perfectly in no time, take our tip and shake the dressing ingredients together in a sealed glass jar.
Add all the dressing ingredients except the onions to a glass jar, seal the lid, and shake well. Add the sliced red onions.
Rinse the olives to get rid of any excess brine, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Mix all the vegetables, the mint leaves and the olives in a large bowl.
Give the dressing another shake and drizzle over the salad. Scatter over the broken crackers and serve.
Reprinted with permission from Bilhana: Wholefood Recipes From Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco
Yasmine Elgharably and
Shewekar Elgharably,
AUC Press, 2021.
aucpress.com
Yasmine Elgharably is a self-taught home cook with a business background and a passion for Middle Eastern food. She is a cofounder of cairocooking.com, a recipe-sharing platform helping cooks across the Middle East. She is also based in Cairo. Sheweker Elgharably is a certified holistic health coach and culinary nutrition expert based in Cairo, Egypt. She completed the Integrative Nutrition Program and the Culinary Nutritional Program at the US-based Academy of Culinary Nutrition. Originally an established interior designer, after seeing how small food and lifestyle changes have a huge impact on health, she wanted to help people strive to live healthier and happier lives. Shewekar is also the founder of #HealthyRocks.
]]>
It wouldn’t be the first choice for a dinner party: It is usually eaten in close family settings. If you do happen to find yourself sitting at a table where it is being served, consider it a compliment, because the message is clear: You’re part of the family.
Heat the oil in a large pot and sear the meat on all sides until golden brown and caramelized. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
Fry the onion, carrot and a’atryaat for 5 minutes in the same pot. Return the meat to the pot, along with the tomato paste and paprika, and continue to cook for another minute.
Add the tomato juice, 2 cups (500 milliliters) of water, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the meat is tender. Add a bit more water if the cooking liquid evaporates too quickly.
Remove and discard the a’atryaat. Add the peas and the pomegranate molasses, and continue to simmer until the peas are cooked. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve the stew immediately, accompanied by vermicelli rice.
Reprinted with permission from Sumac: Recipes and Stories From Syria
Anas Atassi.
Interlink Books, 2021.
interlinkbooks.com.
Anas Atassi was born in Homs, Syria, and now lives in Amsterdam. Every summer the whole family goes back to Homs to be together and celebrate the season. Good food continues to be an important part of that celebration, and Atassi has remained a lover of Syrian cuisine, which started his great love for cooking. Sumac: Recipes and Stories from Syria is his first cookbook.
]]>
This is how we came to know what the Babylonians ate for breakfast and what they offered their gods in the temples. They used date syrup to sweeten food, referring to it as honey, and enjoyed dates dried in a fermented beverage. Palace cake was made in honor of the gods who were worshipped in the temples of Ur on the banks of the Euphrates. It contained raisins, aniseed, and an unbelievable amount of fat and dates. The original recipe mentions “oodles of butter” and vine leaves to line the baking dish—Babylonian wax/greaseproof paper, of sorts. This lightened version, with pineapple and date slices arranged in a sunny pattern, is delicious and far more digestible.
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit/gas 5). Grease a 20-centimeter (eight-inch) tarte tatin pan or round cake pan.
To make the caramel topping (which will be baked as the base), put the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved and started to bubble at the sides. Pour the syrup into the pan and swirl to coat the base. Arrange the dates in a circular pattern, cut-side up. Do the same with the pineapple, placing chunks between each date.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla, fold in the flour and baking powder, and mix well to combine. Spoon the mixture into the pan over the fruit, smoothing with the back of a spoon to ensure all the fruit is covered.
Bake for 25–30 minutes until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate and glazing the top with honey. Serve warm.
Adapted and reprinted with permission from Sun Bread and Sticky Toffee: Date Desserts From Everywhere
Sarah al-Hamad.
Interlink Books, 2013.
interlinkbooks.com.
Sarah al-Hamad grew up in Kuwait and lives in London. She worked as an editor for Saqi Books and is the author of several cookbooks, including the award-winning Cardamom and Lime: Flavours from the Arabian Gulf. She recently completed her master’s degree in creative nonfiction at the University of East Anglia.
]]>
I was surprised to see the number of pumpkins on sale. The shop owner gave me a free one to take home because he was amused that I did not know anything about Halloween! After that, I would buy a pumpkin whenever I saw him. I made a lot of pumpkin soup in the first fall after I moved to England. In Bengal the most-prized pumpkin is a variety with sweet, deep-orange flesh, and this soup does taste best when made with a sweeter variety of pumpkin. The combination of pumpkin and coconut works beautifully with the flavors of fennel seeds and dried red chiles.
Warm the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. In quick succession add the broken dried chiles, fennel seeds and star anise, followed by the onion, ginger and garlic, then cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Stir in the pumpkin, and add enough warm water to cover, along with the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
Use a hand blender to blend the contents of the pot until smooth.
Put the pot back over low heat to warm through. Stir in the coconut milk, then taste for seasoning, adding sugar and more salt to suit your taste.
Serve in bowls, with some coconut cream swirled on top of the soup.
Reprinted with permission from
Ammu: Indian Home-Cooking to Nourish Your Soul
Asma Khan.
Interlink Books, 2022.
interlinkbooks.com.
Asma Khan is chef and restaurateur of London’s Darjeeling Express, which began as a supper club, then a pop-up, before settling in its permanent location to wide acclaim. Khan’s food is homage to her royal Mughlai ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta, where she grew up. An all-women team runs the kitchen at Darjeeling Express, which has been featured in Time Out, Harper’s Bazaar, The Guardian and numerous others. In 2015 it was named one of the best restaurants in London by the Evening Standard, and in 2017 Eater named it one of its most impressive restaurant newcomers.
]]>My mother recalls having this dish for breakfast during family day trips, such as to Mazar-i-Sharif (in northern Afghanistan) for the Red Tulip Festival (Guli Surkh), during the spring equinox. It would be made in a beautiful copper karayee, a shallow heavy-based pan used in Afghan cooking. The karayee would be placed directly over a portable kerosene burner, where the eggs, vegetables and spices would bubble away. The large karayee is then placed in the middle of the breakfast spread, surrounded by naans and various chais, for everyone to help themselves.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat, and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, or until softened and browned. Add the tomatoes and fresh chili, and cook, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes have softened but are still intact. Then mix in 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste.
Break the eggs into a bowl, then pour evenly over the tomato and onion mixture in the saucepan. Break up the yolks gently, if that’s how you prefer them. Then cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to low, and cook the eggs slowly, shaking the pan occasionally to avoid sticking, for 5–10 minutes for soft, 10–15 minutes for medium-soft or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ground red pepper and cilantro, and serve hot—straight from the pan.
Reprinted with permission from
Parwana: Recipes and Stories From an Afghan Kitchen
Durkhanai Ayubi.
Interlink Books, 2021.
Interlinkbooks.com
Alicia Taylor
Freelance food writer and restaurateur Durkhanai Ayubi is involved in day-to-day responsibilities of two family-run eateries in Adelaide, Australia: Parwana and Kutchi Deli Parwana. She has written for several international newspapers and websites. Daughter of Afghani refugees Zelmai and Farida Ayubi, she tells her family’s story from her own perspective while passing along memories and recipes from her parents. Parwana is her first book and won the 2021 Art of Eating Prize.
]]>We make this dish in a pressure cooker to help tenderize the lamb. Pressure cookers are often used to help seal in flavor, create a uniform tenderness and substantially reduce the cooking time. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, use a heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven to cook the lamb instead; however, you’ll need to add 2 cups (500 milliliters) more of water than the recipe states, and the cooking time will increase to about an hour or until there is approximately half of the liquid left.
Pour half the oil into a pressure cooker pan over high heat, and fry the onion, garlic and chili, stirring regularly for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add the lamb and sear until it has browned all over. Add 3 cups (750 milliliters) water and 2 tablespoons salt. Then close the lid of the pressure cooker. Bring up to high pressure, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat, and set aside, allowing the pressure to release naturally.
Meanwhile, finely chop the spinach leaves. Place in a large saucepan with the boiling water, Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Next, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and fry the cilantro and garlic chives, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes to bring out the flavors.
Add the lamb to the spinach along with 1 cup (250 milliliters) of its cooking liquid and the fried herbs. Stir to combine well, then simmer for 15 minutes over low heat so that the flavors mingle.
Enjoy with rice and a dollop of yogurt alongside.
Reprinted with permission from
Parwana: Recipes and Stories From an Afghan Kitchen
Durkhanai Ayubi.
Interlink Books, 2021.
Interlinkbooks.com
Alicia Taylor
Freelance food writer and restaurateur Durkhanai Ayubi is involved in day-to-day responsibilities of two family-run eateries in Adelaide, Australia: Parwana and Kutchi Deli Parwana. She has written for several international newspapers and websites. Daughter of Afghani refugees Zelmai and Farida Ayubi, she tells her family’s story from her own perspective while passing along memories and recipes from her parents. Parwana is her first book and won the 2021 Art of Eating Prize.
]]>For a light dish in which you can really taste the essence of eggplants, we simply roast them in olive oil and combine them with arugula, a tahini dressing and one of our favorite ingredients: sweet-sharp pomegranate molasses. It’s a recipe that impresses in any setting.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line an oven tray with baking parchment.
Slice the eggplants into thin rounds, brush them lightly on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and lay them carefully next to each other in one layer on the oven tray. Place in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes until fully cooked, turning halfway through.
While the eggplant slices roast, put all the ingredients for the dressing along with about 4¼ cups of lukewarm water into a medium bowl and mix to combine. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, you can mix in a little more water.
When the eggplants cool, arrange them next to each other on a plate, drizzle with the tahini mix and then lay the arugula leaves on top. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle olive oil and pomegranate molasses. You can garnish with a handful of fresh pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts.
Reprinted with permission from
Bilhana: Wholefood Recipes From Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco
Yasmine Elgharably and Sheweker Elgharably.
AUC Press, 2021.
aucpress.com
Yasmine Elgharably is a self-taught home cook with a business background and a passion for Middle Eastern food. She is a cofounder of cairocooking.com, a recipe-sharing platform helping cooks across the Middle East. She is also based in Cairo.
Sheweker Elgharably is a certified holistic health coach and culinary nutrition expert based in Cairo, Egypt. She completed the Integrative Nutrition Program and the Culinary Nutritional Program at the US-based Academy of Culinary Nutrition. Originally an established interior designer, after seeing how small food and lifestyle changes have a huge impact on health, she wanted to help people strive to live healthier and happier lives. Shewekar is also the founder of #HealthyRocks.
]]>
This see-through date is also known as “the translucent;” in Arabic, noor means light. Not long ago, at a long, lazy lunch, I enjoyed delicious North African—inspired date and prune torte enrobed in smooth chocolate, not unlike this one.
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (345 degrees Fahrenheit). Grease and line a 22-centimeter (9-inch) springform cake pan.
Lightly whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla extract in a small bowl until light and creamy. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Add half the sugar and whisk until pale and stiff peaks form. In a food processor, whizz the nuts with the remaining sugar until crumb-like but not too fine.
Using a large metal spoon, fold the egg-yolk mixture into the whites. Add the nuts, fruit and chocolate, then fold together until combined.
Pour into the cake pan and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is set and pale golden. Turn the oven off and, with the door ajar, leave the torte to cool completely before removing.
Enjoy warm. A slice will reveal the fondant goodness within.
Adapted and reprinted with permission from Sun Bread and Sticky Toffee: Date Desserts From Everywhere
Sarah al-Hamad
Interlink Books, 2013, interlinkbooks.com. Kate Whitaker
Sarah al-Hamad grew up in Kuwait and lives in London. She worked as an editor for Saqi Books and is the author of several cookbooks, including the award-winning Cardamom and Lime: Flavours from the Arabian Gulf. She recently completed an MA in creative nonfiction at the University of East Anglia.
]]>
Our version incorporates local spices that add warming, Middle Eastern flavors, and we use the broccoli stem as well as the florets to achieve a more substantial, filling soup without adding any potatoes or cream. One of the flavorings we use here is mastic, which may be unfamiliar to some. It’s a gum collected from a species of tree in the cashew family that is sold as small, translucent granules often called pearls. The flavor is distinctive: resiny, almost piney and redolent of sunbaked hillsides. It’s very strong, so use it sparingly.
Cut the florets from the broccoli head, and then chop the stem, discarding any woody part at the base.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and mastic for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.
Stir in the broccoli florets and chopped stem, then add the hot water, bay leaves and cardamom. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the broccoli is softened. Add the arugula and stir for a couple more minutes, then take the pan off the heat.
Remove the cardamom and bay leaves, then blend the soup to a creamy texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a dry skillet, toast the flax seeds over medium heat for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan continuously. Serve the soup hot, with a sprinkling of flax seeds on top for some crunch.
Reprinted with permission from Bilhana: Wholefood Recipes From Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco
Yasmine Elgharably and Shewekar Elgharably, 2020, AUC Press, aucpress.com
Yasmine Elgharably is a self-taught home cook with a business background and a huge passion for Middle Eastern food. She is the founder of a partner in cairocooking.com, a recipe sharing platform helping cooks across the Middle East. She is also based in Cairo.
Sheweker Elgharably is a certified holistic health coach and culinary nutrition expert based in Cairo, Egypt. She completed the Integrative Nutrition Program and the Culinary Nutritional Program at the US-based Academy of Culinary Nutrition. Originally an established interior designer, after seeing how small food and lifestyle changes have a huge impact on health, she wanted to help people strive to live healthier and happier lives. Shewekar is also the founder of #HealthyRocks.
]]>In a time before the convenience of julienne slicers and store-bought peeled and slivered nuts, kabuli palaw was time-consuming and elaborate to prepare and was reserved primarily for ceremonial events. These days, although it takes less time to make, it still commands reverence. The delicate blend of spices and a crowning glory of glistening carrots, raisins and nuts give kabuli palaw pride of place among Afghan rice dishes.
To prepare the palaw rice, add the oil and onion to a pressure cooker pan over high heat and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the lamb and stir occasionally for 5 minutes, or until the meat is browned and sealed. Add 4 ¼ cups (1 liter) hot water and a heaped tablespoon of salt, place the lid on the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes, then carefully release the pressure to remove the lid. Using a slotted spoon, take out the meat (which should be lovely and tender) and set aside. Reserve the stock to flavor the rice.
Bring 10 cups (2.5 liters) water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, drain excess water from the rice, add it to the boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the rice is parboiled and the grains look like they have doubled in length.
Drain the rice in a colander and return to the pot. Pour the meat stock over the rice, then add the cumin, cardamom and 1 tablespoon salt to the mixture. Using a large, flat, slotted spoon, known to Afghans as a kafgeer, mix gently. With the kafgeer, create a well in the center of the rice and place the lamb in the well. Cover the meat with rice and place the lid on the pot. Cook over high heat until steam escapes from under the lid, then reduce the heat to very low and cook for 20 minutes.
For the topping, heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Add the raisins to the oil and fry for 3 minutes, or until they are plump and float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl with the carrots. Add the nuts, sugar and cardamom to the bowl and mix gently.
Using the kafgeer, layer the rice and lamb onto a large serving platter, creating a heap. Liberally spoon over the topping and serve immediately.
Reprinted with permission from
Parwana: Recipes and Stories From an Afghan Kitchen
Durkhanai Ayubi 2021, Interlink Books, 978-1-62371-875-6, $35 hb, interlinkbooks.com.
Freelance food writer and restaurateur Durkhanai Ayubi is involved in day-to-day responsibilities of two family-run eateries in Adelaide, Australia: Parwana and Kutchi Deli Parwana. She has written for several international newspapers and websites. Daughter of Afghani refugees Zelmai and Farida Ayubi, she tells her family’s story from her own perspective while passing along memories and recipes from her parents. Parwana is her first book, and it won the 2021 Art of Eating Prize.
]]>It is foolproof, with easy-to-buy ingredients and very healthy. Serve with jasmine/basmati rice.
—Jenny Ai-Ling Lo, Penang, Malaysia, on this Malaysian side dish.
Heat the wok over a high heat and add the oil when very hot and slightly smoking. Add the ginger and stir-fry for 12 to 15 seconds or until cooked but still slightly crispy. Now splash in the soy sauce.
Next, put in the spinach and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes so that it blends with the ginger, oil and sauce.
When the spinach has wilted to a third of its size, add lots of pepper and continue to stir-fry briefly to combine the ingredients well before serving.
Reprinted with permission from
One World Vegetarian Cookbook
Troth Wells, 2019, Interlink Books, 978-1-56656-834-0, $35 hb, interlinkbooks.com.
Troth Wells is an Oxford-based food writer and author of cookbooks including also The Spices of Life (2001), Global Vegetarian Cooking (2010) and Small Planet, Small Plates: Earth-Friendly Vegetarian Recipes (2012), all published by Interlink Books.
]]>Spreading the toppings evenly across the dough takes practice. Too much or too little of the topping makes a big difference. I found that the best way to spread the toppings on different pies is with your hands. Quite elementary, but very efficient. Instructions for preparing the dough can be found below with this recipe.
In a bowl, mix tomatoes, onion, hot peppers, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
If you are using a cast-iron crepe pan, griddle or convex disc (saj): Preheat over high heat. Heat the dough until small bubbles form, then lower the heat and spread on the topping. Cook until the bottom is slightly golden and the edges are crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the heat source. Lightly spray the cooking surface with water between pies and wipe away any debris.
If you are using a conventional oven: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture over the prepared dough, leaving about 1 centimeter (½ inch) of exposed dough at the edges. For more even distribution, use your fingertips. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes on the bottom shelf until the edges are slightly golden, watching carefully so they don’t burn.
Serve the pies hot.
Measure the flours. Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for a couple of minutes. Sift flour and salt together into a bowl and stir in the sugar (it is important to mix the dry ingredients first).
Gradually pour the yeast water and the oil into the dry ingredients and mix. Knead the mixture to make soft dough. Then tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (If you are using a food processor or stand mixer, add the dry ingredients first, then gradually add the liquids. Start at low speed, and gradually turn up the speed, running the machine for 1 minute. Always stand close to the machine while it is running.)
Place the dough in a large bowl dusted with extra flour or greased with olive oil (this will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface of the bowl). Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and leave to rise in a warm place, free of drafts for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. I usually place my dough in an unheated over to rise.
Punch down the dough. On a floured surface, form the dough into a log. Pinch off the dough to form 4 equal-sized balls. Flour or grease the bowl again and leave to rise for an additional half-hour.
Flatten each ball with your palm. Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough into a dish of about 25 centimeters (10 inches) and a thickness of 6 millimeters (¼ inches).
If you are using a conventional oven, spread the circles onto a baking or crisping pan or place your baking stone on the bottom shelf of the oven before preheating.
Reprinted with permission from
Man’oushé: Inside the Lebanese Street Corner Bakery
Barbara Abdeni Massaad
2020, Interlink Books, 978-1-62371-932-6, $30 hb, www.interlinkbooks.com
Barbara Abdeni Massaad is a food writer, TV host, cookbook author and a regular contributor to international cooking magazines. She won the Gourmand Cookbook Award and the International Academy of Gastronomy for Mouneh: Preserving Foods for the Lebanese Pantry (Interlink Books, 2018). Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she moved to Florida at a young age and gained her real culinary experience helping her father in the family-owned Lebanese restaurant, Kebabs and Things. After moving back to Lebanon in 1988 and completing university there, she decided to pursue her passion for cooking. Determined to gain proper experience within the culinary world, Massaad trained with several renowned chefs at Lebanese, Italian and French restaurants. She is also a founding member of Slow Food Beirut and an active participant in the International Slow Food movement. She lives in Beirut with her husband and three children.
]]>There were several meat dishes, so I asked if I could eat only non-meat ones. They were happy for that and charged very little—perhaps because the meat dishes were the centerpiece. This bean soup, harira, is often made with lamb, but this is a meatless version. I sometimes add peas or other veg to use them up.
Using a saucepan, gently fry the onion and then add the garbanzos/chickpeas, beans, tomatoes, saffron, cinnamon and chili/powder.
Then put in one tablespoon of the parsley plus the cilantro/coriander, the lemon juice and seasoning.
Stir well and cook for 5 minutes.
Now pour in the stock and then add the rice. Stir well and boil for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is soft.
While that is cooking, mix the flour with a little water to make a roux and stir this into the soup.
Adjust the seasonings and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Serve with the remaining parsley on top.
Reprinted with permission from
One World Vegetarian Cookbook
Troth Wells 2011, Interlink Books, 978-1-56656-834-0, $35 hb, www.interlinkbooks.com.
Troth Wells is an Oxford-based food writer and author of cookbooks including also The Spices of Life (2001), Global Vegetarian Cooking (2010) and Small Planet, Small Plates: Earth-Friendly Vegetarian Recipes (2012), all published by Interlink Books.
]]>I have included two versions here, since you can literally swap the peas for the beans if you like. Ruz wa bazela, how we know it in Palestine, was a childhood favorite of mine and still is. I love the meat-and-rice mixture with the spices and the peas, served with buttered pine nuts. We prefer the peas, but my mama loves the ful (fava beans). Try both and decide which is your favorite.
If using frozen fava beans, boil them in water for 25 minutes and drain.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the ground lamb and cook for 5 minutes to brown. Add the salt, pepper and rice; stir to combine. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir again. Add the water, bring to a boil and add the frozen peas or cooked fava beans. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt the butter and fry the pine nuts until golden. Keep a close eye on them, since they burn easily. Set aside.
Spoon the rice into serving dishes, add the buttered pine nuts and serve with the yogurt dip on the side.
Reprinted with permission from Baladi Palestine,
Joudie Kalla, 2019, Interlink Books, 978-1-62371-981-4, $35 hb, www.interlinkbooks.com.
Joudie Kalla has been a chef for over 20 years. She trained at Leiths School of Food and Wine, London, and worked in many prestigious restaurants before going on to run her own successful catering business. She opened a Palestinian deli, Baity Kitchen, in London, from 2010–2013 to much acclaim before turning her sights to writing her first bestselling cookbook Palestine on a Plate. She runs cooking classes, catering events and pop-up supper clubs, and she consults on food projects.