Rice pudding is a comfort food in so many cultures – growing up in the north of England it was a staple – typically served at school dinners warm with a dollop of jam atop it. Riz Bi Haleeb is typically served cold, but this version can be served warm if you desire. As with…
Lebanese talami (also sometimes spelled talame) bread could be described as a Middle Eastern focaccia. It’s perfect paired with soup, sliced for sandwiches, or simply dipped in olive oil and za’atar. The dough is not your typical bread dough, however – it is much softer / wetter than a typical bread dough, and so I…
Aubergine (or eggplant) is one of my absolute favourite vegetables. Typically when I put out an aubergine dish for mezze it’s sliced into rather large rounds. These Indian (or baby) aubergines are quick to roast, easy to eat, and of course make a beautiful presentation on the plate. I am always sure to ‘sweat’ my…
My daughter’s teacher is celebrating her birthday today and her favourite drink is a vanilla chai – so C and I decided to make her a chai-infused cake to celebrate. I’m a bit of a spice hoarder, so we already had everything we needed to make our own chai spice mix. The beauty of this…
Muhallebi (sometimes called malabi or muhallabia) is a Middle Eastern milk pudding. Traditionally made with rice flour, most modern muhallebi recipes feature cornstarch to give the pudding its thickness. It is lightly sweetened, and beautifully delicate and fragrant as its main flavour comes just from the milk and the floral water you choose. The base…
This easy pound cake recipe blends classic American baking with the flavours of the Middle East. This rich but delicately flavoured cake pairs beautifully with a hot cup of tea, or with a cup of thick spiced Turkish coffee. The recipe makes two full size loaves, so you may want to reduce by half –…
This Mizrahi charoset makes a wonderful addition to your seder table. Made with dates, apricots steeped in Jasmine tea, rose water, pistachios, almonds, orange zest, and rose petals. The word charoset derives from the Hebrew word cheres (חרס), which means “clay”, it represents the mortar that the Israelites used while they were slaves in Egypt,…
This month I found myself finally getting a long-delayed dental procedure – which meant for two weeks my diet could consist only of soft foods. After glancing at the list and realising that many of the listed ‘recommended’ foods were things I didn’t like eating (seriously, I don’t like mashed potato), my first thought was…
