First of all, this is not Moroccan chermoula, which is a family of marinades that I’ll explore in the future. What it is: a highly versatile salad that goes with most anything, including served with flatbread as a dip. It’s…
Ah, falafel, one of the Arabic cultures’ most ubiquitous foods. Various groups try to take ownership, and there are plenty of varieties, but all signs point to it’s origins in the Egyptian ta’miyya, which is made with fava beans, and…
So, “shorwa” is “soup” in Pashto. In other Arabic regions, shorba, sharba, chorba, etc. “Takari” more or less means “greens”, but contextually vegetables. And this one has a little bit of everything, with a hearty feel that doesn’t sit too…
Shakshuka ~ eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce ~ is kind of a universal dish across the Middle East and Northern Africa these days, with roots in Libya or Tunisia (depending on who you ask) and Morocco tries to…
These kabobs are super simple, but I know a lot of people are put off by the saffron because it’s so expensive. The thing is, it’s only expensive in the grocery store ~ you can find good quality cooking-grade Persian…
This one is is definitely a labor of love. Count on 2.5-3 hours start to finish, but soooo worth it. Rich spices built up on a slightly sweet onion base in layers and layers crowned with chicken and a marinated…
So, the kid only had one request for his birthday dinner ~ goat. But it turns out that the local Afghan markets don’t carry it, so I tracked down a local butcher. The most common cut appears to be cubed,…
So misir wot is a lentil stew, but consistency-wise it’s a lot more like a porridge, and that’s important to the recipe. It doesn’t seem to taste right otherwise. The spiced butter gives it a little earthy undertone, and the…
Chapli kabobs are a popular street food in Pakistan. Disc-shaped and fried, they make for a great walk-around food. Pomegranate seeds are usually added for a little extra zip, but they’re not 100% required to make a tasty kabob. Somewhere…
Well, I call it ‘porridge’ anyway. It’s textured more like split pea soup, but it’s thick and served over rice. Flavor-wise, it’s rich and creamy but on the subtle side, so the peas and rice are free to do their…