I’ve strayed from tradition here, as kebab karaz, as it’s known in Syria, is usually made with veal or lamb served on Arabic bread. The spices used are not at all typical and in the traditional manner, kebab karaz, is served over flattened Arabic bread with the sour cherry sauce drizzled over. This notorious dish, which hails from Aleppo, is a real rustic, comfort kind of food in its traditional form. It truly is an alluring demonstration...
Photography by Sarka Babicka This is my take on a popular Levantine dish of chickpeas and yogurt known as fattet* hummus or hummus (chickpea) crumble. The Arabic word fatteh is derived from the root word "fatta" (in Arabic root words are actually only three letters but let's not get into that). To translate it closely it would mean to break up, tear up, or crumble, which is what occurs to the bread in this recipe. This means that a true fatteh...
There are many schools of thought on the origin of the Scotch egg. Of the two most notable, the first claims it was invented by the London department store Fortnum & Mason in 1738 and the other claim is that it traveled from Persia to India with the Moghuls, where it is now known as nargisi kofta. In fact, a version of a kafta-encased egg appears in several volumes of Middle Eastern cookery books, including my upcoming cookbook. Anyone have...
Photography by Sarka Babicka As ever, it's been a busy few months. I thought things might slow down a tad after #FBC12, finally allowing me some time to catch up but alas, it has not been the case. I'm always happier when busy though, so not complaining. I've managed to swing a long weekend in Istanbul this coming weekend. If you happen to have any foodie suggestions, then please do send them my way. In the last post on DKS I introduced the...
I had a sudden inspiration to make panna cotta last week while my cousin Melanie was visiting. Before I talk about that, let me introduce Mel... Mel and I were born the same year, same day AND in the same hospital! Yea, pretty freakish! Have you ever noticed how many late August/September babies there are?! I've always put it down to the holiday spirit...If ya know what I mean ;) Anyway, one of the other things Mel and I share is our...
For those of you that know me, you will perhaps know that I don't have much of a sweet tooth. However, I do absolutely love chocolate truffles as they are not sickly but more bitter sweet. These are the types of sweets I really enjoy. I couldn't really decide on any particular flavour to go with. I had several ideas lurking in my mind like Orange Blossom Flower and Pistachios, Chile and Vodka, Rum and Coconut, Brandy and Ginger, and simply just...
I want to begin by apologizing for the silence... I'm back! It has taken me a while to catch up with all my blogging duties after all the FBC happenings and another side project I've been working on. I'm still not fully up to speed but nevertheless getting there. Christmas is nearing and if you're anything like me in the gifting department, then you'll love the next couple of posts. I'll be featuring several homemade, edible holiday gift ideas...
I grew up on a farm for part of my childhood, during the turbulent civil war in Beirut, Lebanon. As many other Lebanese, we fled the city (many more left the country altogether), in search of refuge in the mountains. As every family traditionally hails from a village, we returned to our home village of Baskinta. My father, an international lawyer, started a dairy farm and began planting the land where we grew just about everything. We were...
This is a family recipe that's been around ever since I can remember. It's a chicken casserole recipe with Spanish influence, not Indian, contrary to its name. Nevertheless and for unidentifiable reasons my aunt Janane, coined it "Poulet A L'indien" perhaps because the spices hailed from India. I met up with my other aunt, Amale, in Montreal this week. After a few phone calls to Lebanon, we got the recipe from aunt Janane and got busy in...
This sumptuous meal part of the 7-course christmas tasting menu scored a 9/10 on the Mmm meter! The duck legs were marinated for over 24 hours and then slowly braised for 4 hours. The duck came served atop creamed parsnip with an onion confit. What a delectable combination this was... I can't wait to make it again, very soon! Slow-Braised Orange Glazed Duck with Creamed Parsnip Ingredients 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon...
My father-in-law Jim is the inspiration behind this post- he can make an mean carrot soup! Now, I am big on soup and this carrot soup has to be in my top 10 soups to love. It's delicious and wholesome and so simple to make. Here's what you'll need: Ginger and Coriander Carrot Soup Author: Bethany Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 35 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients Knob of butter 1 onion, roughly...