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.
Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip) Like this Kashke Bademjan recipe? You’ll love my online Persian cooking class! 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 […]
Skordalia Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Greek cooking class Inspired by Janni Kyritsis! Skordalia, Greece’s famous garlicky white dip, is sometimes made with bread as the thickening agent, sometimes with ground almond and sometimes potato. I love chef Janni Kyritsis’ version using both bread and almond as it gives a lovely rich flavour. […]
Savoury Künefe Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Turkish cooking class inspired by Somer Sivrioglu! I love the flavours in Turkish paçanga börek – the pastirma, kasar cheese, tomato and chilli sing together. I’m also impressed by how deliciously easy sweet kunefe is to make using kadayifi pastry. So I wondered what would happen […]
Turkish Eggplant Salad Like Turkish Eggplant Salad? You’ll love my online Turkish cooking class inspired by Somer Sivrioglu! Eggplant appears in so many dishes in Turkey that it should be named the country’s national vegetable! And why not – it’s a wonderfully versatile and delicious ingredient, especially when it’s exposed to a bit of intense […]
Hamin Eggs with Cumin Salt Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Middle Eastern cooking class inspired by Michael Rantissi! I first tasted this dish in the mid ‘90s at Middle Eastern restaurant Fez in Darlinghurst, and it became my go-to breakfast dish. Years later I discovered that it’s the long slow cooking that gives […]
Lebanese Pink Pickled Turnips Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Lebanese cooking class! Pickled vegetables are always on a Lebanese table. Olives, chillies and turnips are most common, and small stuffed eggplants (makdous), cucumbers and cauliflower are also popular. The most distinctive are the pink pickled turnips, traditionally stained bright pink with beetroot. These […]
Olive, Feta or Anchovy Fillo Fingers Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Greek cooking class Inspired by Janni Kyritsis! Just about everything I’ve ever cooked has been inspired by something I’ve eaten before and these fillo fingers are no exception – my friend Janni usually whips these up to serve with drinks when friends […]
Pita Crisps Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Lebanese cooking class! 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, tzatziki, babaganoush, labneh, or any dips, crumbled over salads, alongside soups or just as a moreish snack on their own […]
Kisir (Turkish Tabouli) Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Turkish cooking class inspired by Somer Sivrioglu! I’m a fan of traditional recipes but every now and then I prefer to do things my way. And I’ve always made tabouli with far more cracked wheat than any Lebanese cook ever would. Then I realised I […]
Hummus Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Lebanese cooking class! I was taught to make hummus by a Cypriot friend’s grandmother and her recipe produces a wonderfully creamy result; she insisted we remove the skins from the chickpeas to make a really smooth hummus. I find it quite therapeutic popping them out of their […]
