If there are a people that can turn day-old bread into a sumptuous feast, it would be the people of the Middle East. Resourcefulness is practically in their genes, as they turn lowly lentils into regal Mujaddarah, chickpeas into silky hummus, or stale bread into Fatteh. The word Fatteh in Arabic means “crushed” or “crumbs”,…… Continue reading Fattet Hummus: The 5 Layer Casserole of the Arab World
Tag: pita bread
Homemade Pita Bread (Khobiz Arabe)
If there is one consistent item missing from supermarket shelves during this quarantine, it’s yeast. People are buying up yeast like never before, and social media has been saturated with home cooks posting warm and fuzzy photos of baguettes, pizzas and banana bread baked from scratch. These longer baking projects have the extra bonus of…… Continue reading Homemade Pita Bread (Khobiz Arabe)
Easter Menu: Musakhan- Palestinian Chicken Made Easy!
There is a tiny Palestinian village called An’arreeck, where a famous dish called Musakhan originated. Musakhan means “warmed” or “heated” in Arabic. It’s a gorgeous dish of roasted chicken baked on bread topped with caramelized onions and toasted pine nuts. To this day you can find older women baking the bread in a “taboun” or…… Continue reading Easter Menu: Musakhan- Palestinian Chicken Made Easy!
The Original Veggie Burger: Felafel!
Before there were burgers or chicken nuggets, there was falafel. These browned chickpea nuggets made the right way taste crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. The word falafel is actually plural for the Arabic word for “filfil”, which means hot pepper. Traditional falafel is spicy hot, but I prefer the tamer version…… Continue reading The Original Veggie Burger: Felafel!
Arayes….”Bride and Groom” Sandwiches
The silhouette of a bride and groom locked in a tender embrace is undeniably romantic. The white feminine billowy dress against the sharper lines of a dark masculine tuxedo is celebrated universally, captured in photo albums around the world. No better reason than to commemorate this embrace with a sandwich! Ara’yes, literally means bride…… Continue reading Arayes….”Bride and Groom” Sandwiches
My Baba’s Hummus…
The Egyptians are not only known for their pyramids—they have also been making and eating hummus for over 7000 years. The word hummus is Arabic for garbanzo bean, and is basically the peanut butter of the Middle East—popular among Egyptians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Jordanians, and Syrians because it is economical, full of filling protein, and delicious!…… Continue reading My Baba’s Hummus…
Musakhan and other musings….
So here is another great reason to follow the Mediterranean diet–to fight inflammation! I just stumbled upon this great ARTICLE The jist of it is, a diet that is based on whole foods, including healthy fats like those contained in olive oil and nuts, can help fight inflammation from diebetes, cancer, and other diseases. With…… Continue reading Musakhan and other musings….