One of the many things to love about the Middle East is the central role shared food plays in its culture. Whether it’s offering hospitality to visitors or a meal with family and friends, a large part of the joy of eating is in the sharing. This is nowhere more apparent than in the tradition of mezze, small dishes enjoyed with a drink and the company of others in a leisurely fashion. It can be a few pickles and fresh vegetables with a glass of tea or arak or an elaborate spread of dips, bread and hot and cold dishes that can make a meal in itself.
Beetroot Leaf Boorani Fresh crisp beetroot leaves make a great addition to a salad or a Persian herb platter (sabzi khordan), but they tend not to be valued in Australia. They’re generally chopped off the beets and thrown out, so they’re usually not in great condition; but it’s surprising what a good soak in a […]
Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip) Bademjan is Farsi for eggplant, kashk is fermented whey, and kashke bademjan (roasted eggplant dip) is one of my favourite Persian dishes. My friend Parya-joon made a huge bowl of it for my last birthday party which was a great hit! It uses the same garnishes as the classic Iranian […]
Savoury Künefe I love the flavours in the pasirma börek in our Month of Turkish and am impressed by how deliciously easy the sweet kunefe is. So I wondered what would happen if we combined them. Here’s the answer: a simple, crunchy, messy, delicious savoury kunefe! Be inspired to vary the filling. As long as […]
Pickled vegetables are always present on a Middle Eastern table. Olives, green chillies and turnips are most common but small eggplants, cucumbers and cauliflower are also popular. Turnips, traditionally stained bright pink with beetroot juice, are the most distinctive, though commercial ones are usually artificially coloured these days. The good news is they’re easy to […]
Just about everything I’ve ever cooked has been inspired by something I’ve eaten before and this is no exception … my friend Janni usually whips these up to serve with drinks when friends gather at his place. They’re so simple they hardly need a recipe, and everyone’s always eagerly awaiting the next batch hot out […]
Pita Crisps With this not-even-really-a-recipe, you’ll never buy pita crisps again, nor will you ever waste a piece of leftover Lebanese bread! Perfect with hummus or any dips, crumbled over salads, alongside soups or just as a moreish snack on their own with a glass of the gorgeous copper-hued La Nebbia Col Fondo naturally sparkling […]
You know I’m a fan of traditional recipes … but every now and then I prefer to do something my way. So this is my version of the popular Lebanese parsley salad tabbouleh (also written tabbouli, tabouli and tabouleh), using far more cracked wheat than any Lebanese cook ever would. This recipe makes a big […]
I was taught to make hummus by a Cypriot friend’s grandmother and her recipe produces the smoothest, creamiest hummus I’ve ever had. She insisted that you should remove the skin from the chickpeas to get a smoother texture. I find it quite therapeutic popping them out of their little casings, but you can leave them […]
These fritters (keftedes in Greek) are typically served as part of a mezedes, the array of snacks eaten at the start of a meal or at any time when drinking ouzo. Add some dolmades, spanakopita, olives and tzatziki to create your own mezedes, or serve them as an entrée with Greek yoghurt on the side. […]
I love fetta’s salty tang, especially when it’s combined with cooling cucumber. Traditional Greek Feta is made from sheep milk, sometimes with a little goat milk added; it has PDO status meaning only cheese produced to specific criteria within a certain part of Greece can now be called “Feta”. Similar brined white sheep milk cheese […]
