Falafel

The origin of falafel is well disputed, but is highly eaten across countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, and Israel. Falafel is enjoyed in fresh baked, piping hot pitas across these regions, smothered in hummus, pickles, and salad. It’s a common and popular street food.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jordana Hart (@ihartnutrition)

Doner Kebab

Doner Kebab originates in Turkey, and is similar to other shaved meat dishes such as Greek Gyros and Shawarma. This is a popular late night snack that has gained popularity throughout Europe. Its a delicious, and perfectly season delight.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nagi & Dozer – RecipeTin Eats (@recipe_tin)

Joojeh Kebab

This is the delicious version of chicken kebabs that is unique in Persian cuisine. A flavorful chicken marinade with saffron, turmeric, Greek yogurt, and lemon creates juicy, tender chicken loaded with flavor. Its excellent paired with a plate of rice or flatbread.

The post Three Dishes to try if You Love Middle Eastern Food appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Schug

Originally from Yemen, schug has filtered down into many other Middle Eastern countries, and thus, their cuisine. This is used as a hot sauce and can come in many different colors like green, red, and brown. To make your own schug, you need fresh red hot peppers, some cumin, coriander, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a touch of parsley or cilantro.

Amba

Amba is a sauce found in most Israeli dishes, but it has Iraqi origins. It’s not a spicy sauce like schug, but instead, it tastes rather tangy and a bit sweet on account of the mangoes it’s made from.

To make amba, you will need a mango, some cumin, a dash of cayenne, fenugreek, sumac, garlic, lemon, olive oil, and a light vinegar of your choice. You will also want to add some water to thin out the mixture a bit. These sauces can be added to sandwiches, salads, meat dishes, and so much more!

The post Middle Eastern Spice Blends Every Cook Should Try appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

There are a lot of dishes you can use za’atar in, but if you are new to the spice here are a few to get started with. Flatbread can be a bit bland on its own, but if you make some with a za’atar coating on top, you can get a good taste of the blend. Another good way to incorporate za’atar into your life is by sprinkling it on meat dishes, like roast chicken. One of the most delicious recipes is a simple salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta. The za’atar is sprinkled liberally all over the salad and gives it a very fresh taste.

This is definitely a spice blend you want to add to your pantry.

The post Spice Up Your Life with Za’atar appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized eggplants
• 2 garlic glove
• 4 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup of tahini
• 2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt

Instructions

1. Grill the eggplants on an open fire (or in a preheated oven at 390°F) until the skin completely burns. Turn them occasionally.
2. Let the eggplants rest and chill for a few minutes and then remove all of the skin and chop the top part off. Move the flesh of the eggplants to a large bowl.
3. Add to the bowl the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and salt and mix well. Check out the seasoning and if needed, add some more salt and lemon juice.
4. Move the dip into a serving bowl and serve with fresh pita bread. Enjoy.

The post How to Make Classical Baba Ganoush appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Ingredients

• Bread of your choice
• 2 eggs
• 2 Persian cucumbers
• 2 radishes 
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 bell pepper
• 1/2 cup of tahini
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 2-4 tablespoons of water
• 1 minced clove of garlic
• Parsley to garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction

1. First, prepare the eggs any way you like. You can hard boil, soft boil, fry, or do whatever you please.
2. Chop up the cucumbers, radishes, tomato, and bell pepper into a fine dice. Try to make each ingredient that same size, put them into a bowl, and season them lightly with salt and pepper.
3.  Then, combine the tahini, lemon juice, water, and garlic into a medium-sized bowl. Mix until it’s thinned out but thick enough to use as a dip and a dressing. If you need to thin it more, use more water. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. 
4. To assemble, put the salad on the plate with the eggs and bread. Drizzle the tahini sauce all over the plate and save some on the side to dip as well. 
5. Tear up some leaves of parsley and put the over the top as well, and enjoy!

The post This Middle Eastern Inspired Breakfast is Perfect for Savory Lovers appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Tahini

Tahini is a sesame seed paste that can be used to make other dishes like hummus or baba ganoush, but it can also be eaten on it’s own or as a dressing. There are so many possibilities with tahini, and experimenting with it’s sweet and savory notes is a fun way to get to know the culture.

Couscous

Couscous comes in two main varieties: the smaller grain variety from Morraco and the pearled from Israel. Israeli couscous is a bit starchier, while Morracan couscous blends in easier to salads. These are both essential grains of the Middle East and can be used as a base to lentils, chickpeas, or whatever you’re serving up.

Herbs

Herbs are the cornerstone to most Middle Eastern dishes. From salads to tabbouleh, a dish can really suffer without fresh herbs. Parsley and mint are used most, but any fresh herb will usually do the trick.

The post The Essential Middle Eastern Kitchen appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Quinoa

Although quinoa is very trendy, there are some great benefits to it. Technically it’s a seed, so the carb count is lower than other products, and it is full of protein and vitamins. It also only takes 20 minutes to make on the stove or in your rice cooker.

Couscous

This Middle Eastern grain is a fun way to spice up your regular dinner routine. There are two kinds, one that has very small grains, or the other that is called pearled, or Israeli couscous. Both of these kinds are easy to make by just adding the grains to boiling water and cooking for 10 minutes or less.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjYA5zkF7pQ/?tagged=couscous

Bulgur

Bulgur is super high in Magnesium, vitamin B6, and protein. To cook it, you just need to combine it with cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjX0I6dnCCP/?tagged=bulgur

The post Try Some New Grains At Dinner Tonight appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Making It At Home

Using one of the yogurts suggested above, stir in a bit of salt. The salt will allow the moisture to come out of the yogurt more easily, so it is a crucial step to take. Use a cheesecloth or light towel and wrap the yogurt. Put it over the sink or in a bowl to drain for a few hours, and you have labneh!

How To Use It

Labneh can be used simply or really dressed up. You can serve it plain and eat it on bread, or put a little olive oil on it for some decadence. To really jazz it up, add some zaatar spice to it which will give it a lovely green color and a delicious herby taste. Serve with vegetables, spread it on a sandwich, or eat it with a spoon-it is that good.

The post You Have To Try Labneh! appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Falafel

The origin of falafel is well disputed, but is highly eaten across countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, and Israel. Falafel is enjoyed in fresh baked, piping hot pitas across these regions, smothered in hummus, pickles, and salad. It’s a common and popular street food.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jordana Hart (@ihartnutrition)

Doner Kebab

Doner Kebab originates in Turkey, and is similar to other shaved meat dishes such as Greek Gyros and Shawarma. This is a popular late night snack that has gained popularity throughout Europe. Its a delicious, and perfectly season delight.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nagi & Dozer – RecipeTin Eats (@recipe_tin)

Joojeh Kebab

This is the delicious version of chicken kebabs that is unique in Persian cuisine. A flavorful chicken marinade with saffron, turmeric, Greek yogurt, and lemon creates juicy, tender chicken loaded with flavor. Its excellent paired with a plate of rice or flatbread.

The post Three Dishes to try if You Love Middle Eastern Food appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Schug

Originally from Yemen, schug has filtered down into many other Middle Eastern countries, and thus, their cuisine. This is used as a hot sauce and can come in many different colors like green, red, and brown. To make your own schug, you need fresh red hot peppers, some cumin, coriander, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a touch of parsley or cilantro.

Amba

Amba is a sauce found in most Israeli dishes, but it has Iraqi origins. It’s not a spicy sauce like schug, but instead, it tastes rather tangy and a bit sweet on account of the mangoes it’s made from.

To make amba, you will need a mango, some cumin, a dash of cayenne, fenugreek, sumac, garlic, lemon, olive oil, and a light vinegar of your choice. You will also want to add some water to thin out the mixture a bit. These sauces can be added to sandwiches, salads, meat dishes, and so much more!

The post Middle Eastern Spice Blends Every Cook Should Try appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

There are a lot of dishes you can use za’atar in, but if you are new to the spice here are a few to get started with. Flatbread can be a bit bland on its own, but if you make some with a za’atar coating on top, you can get a good taste of the blend. Another good way to incorporate za’atar into your life is by sprinkling it on meat dishes, like roast chicken. One of the most delicious recipes is a simple salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta. The za’atar is sprinkled liberally all over the salad and gives it a very fresh taste.

This is definitely a spice blend you want to add to your pantry.

The post Spice Up Your Life with Za’atar appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized eggplants
• 2 garlic glove
• 4 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup of tahini
• 2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt

Instructions

1. Grill the eggplants on an open fire (or in a preheated oven at 390°F) until the skin completely burns. Turn them occasionally.
2. Let the eggplants rest and chill for a few minutes and then remove all of the skin and chop the top part off. Move the flesh of the eggplants to a large bowl.
3. Add to the bowl the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and salt and mix well. Check out the seasoning and if needed, add some more salt and lemon juice.
4. Move the dip into a serving bowl and serve with fresh pita bread. Enjoy.

The post How to Make Classical Baba Ganoush appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Ingredients

• Bread of your choice
• 2 eggs
• 2 Persian cucumbers
• 2 radishes 
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 bell pepper
• 1/2 cup of tahini
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 2-4 tablespoons of water
• 1 minced clove of garlic
• Parsley to garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction

1. First, prepare the eggs any way you like. You can hard boil, soft boil, fry, or do whatever you please.
2. Chop up the cucumbers, radishes, tomato, and bell pepper into a fine dice. Try to make each ingredient that same size, put them into a bowl, and season them lightly with salt and pepper.
3.  Then, combine the tahini, lemon juice, water, and garlic into a medium-sized bowl. Mix until it’s thinned out but thick enough to use as a dip and a dressing. If you need to thin it more, use more water. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. 
4. To assemble, put the salad on the plate with the eggs and bread. Drizzle the tahini sauce all over the plate and save some on the side to dip as well. 
5. Tear up some leaves of parsley and put the over the top as well, and enjoy!

The post This Middle Eastern Inspired Breakfast is Perfect for Savory Lovers appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Tahini

Tahini is a sesame seed paste that can be used to make other dishes like hummus or baba ganoush, but it can also be eaten on it’s own or as a dressing. There are so many possibilities with tahini, and experimenting with it’s sweet and savory notes is a fun way to get to know the culture.

Couscous

Couscous comes in two main varieties: the smaller grain variety from Morraco and the pearled from Israel. Israeli couscous is a bit starchier, while Morracan couscous blends in easier to salads. These are both essential grains of the Middle East and can be used as a base to lentils, chickpeas, or whatever you’re serving up.

Herbs

Herbs are the cornerstone to most Middle Eastern dishes. From salads to tabbouleh, a dish can really suffer without fresh herbs. Parsley and mint are used most, but any fresh herb will usually do the trick.

The post The Essential Middle Eastern Kitchen appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Quinoa

Although quinoa is very trendy, there are some great benefits to it. Technically it’s a seed, so the carb count is lower than other products, and it is full of protein and vitamins. It also only takes 20 minutes to make on the stove or in your rice cooker.

Couscous

This Middle Eastern grain is a fun way to spice up your regular dinner routine. There are two kinds, one that has very small grains, or the other that is called pearled, or Israeli couscous. Both of these kinds are easy to make by just adding the grains to boiling water and cooking for 10 minutes or less.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjYA5zkF7pQ/?tagged=couscous

Bulgur

Bulgur is super high in Magnesium, vitamin B6, and protein. To cook it, you just need to combine it with cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjX0I6dnCCP/?tagged=bulgur

The post Try Some New Grains At Dinner Tonight appeared first on Cooking 4 All.

Making It At Home

Using one of the yogurts suggested above, stir in a bit of salt. The salt will allow the moisture to come out of the yogurt more easily, so it is a crucial step to take. Use a cheesecloth or light towel and wrap the yogurt. Put it over the sink or in a bowl to drain for a few hours, and you have labneh!

How To Use It

Labneh can be used simply or really dressed up. You can serve it plain and eat it on bread, or put a little olive oil on it for some decadence. To really jazz it up, add some zaatar spice to it which will give it a lovely green color and a delicious herby taste. Serve with vegetables, spread it on a sandwich, or eat it with a spoon-it is that good.

The post You Have To Try Labneh! appeared first on Cooking 4 All.