Author: cookingwithshy

Hummus with Tahini

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Last week I tried out a wonderful Moutabal with a greek twist by adding some crumbled feta. I’m back again with some more dishes that are a part of Arabic Mezze. Mezze usually consist of small bites and are an important part of Middle eastern cuisine.They are usually made for sharing so one can enjoy a variety of snacks before a main meal. This post is a part of a series of recipe reviews for OSN.They have been kind enough in sending across a delightful collection of recipes that they would like me try out and review. And perhaps even tweak them and add in a few of my own ingredients. Last night was Arabian Nights at home.With the weather getting cooler we actually managed to get the barbecue going.I decided to make up some Hummus to go along with the grills. Hummus in Arabic literally translates to mean chickpeas. That’s exactly what this mezze is all about.A combination of crushed chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste) some lemon juice,garlic and olive oil…And Voila a delicious dip to serve with …

Sprouted & Curried Mung (Moogachi Usal)

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This is total comfort food for me. Especially after a hectic week in the kitchen with cooking workshops and recipe testing. The inner foodie in me craves simple and soul food.. Sprouted and curried Moong or better know as Moogachi Usal in Maharastra. This delicacy can be made with any beans such as Moong or red beans commonly known as matki in India. Generally the beans are soaked in water and allowed to sprout. The sprouted beans are stir fried along with onions, spices and curry leaves in oil. Little water is put to cook the sprouts or alternatively the sprouted beans could be parboiled in water in advance. I’m reminded of the magic beans in ” Jack in the Bean Stalk”.These beans once soaked over night seems to sprout quite like magic the next day.The best way to sprout them is drain off the water and wrap the Moong in a kitchen towel and keep them covered with a lid on in a warm dark place.The kitchen oven works great for me. They sprout in about a couple of days …

Moutabel with Crumbled Feta

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This delicious dip is a popular selection of mezze served with most Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. A mix of the simplest of ingredients which include roasted eggplant,Tahini (sesame paste),minced garlic,lemon juice and olive oil.Put these together and you have a delightful accompaniment which goes really well with grilled meats,crisp pita bread or even just some chopped vegetables. My original recipe takes on a wonderful twist by the addition of some crumbled feta and sumac. This one’s a winner. How about giving it a try? Ingredients: 2 Medium eggplants (roasted, peeled and mashed) 2 tbsp. ml tahina(recipe below or store-bought) 25 ml lemon juice 2 cloves garlic(minced) 2 tablespoon olive Oil Chopped parsley sprinkling of sumac (optional)salt to taste Directions: 1.Mash the roasted eggplant. 2.add in the olive oil, salt ,minced garlic and lemon juice. 3.Mix well and add in the tahini. 4.Drizzle with some more olive oil. 5.Garnish with crumbled feta and sprigs of parsley…Serve with crisp pita. Ingredients for Tahini Paste: 1 cup sesame seeds 2 tablespoons  olive oil and/or a small amount of sesame …

Kiwi Fairy Cakes (Gluten free)

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My kitchen has a sweet fragrance of ripened  green and golden delicious Kiwi’s. Thanks to Zespri Arabia who have been providing me with boxes of this wonderful fruit. I baked a whole batch of these gorgeous fairy cakes over the weekend.I actually used a loose bottom cheesecake mould for baking these delightful little wonders. The base is made from a gluten-free self-raising flour.I usually like using Dove brand.A lovely twist is the addition of pureed green kiwi into the batter that lends just a hint of flavor to these cakes. Now the cakes do tend to rise and develop a muffin top as usual .I’ve just gone ahead and trimmed the tops off and sliced them in the center. I’ve used some dream whip between the slices and as the topping as well. The sliced green Kiwi and some mint gives this easy dessert a gorgeous look. wouldn’t you agree…Go ahead and make some right away. Ingredients: 150 grams Gluten free Self raising flour 125 grams sugar 6 tablespoons vegetable Oil 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 medium green …

Ramadan Kareem: Kiwi & Coconut pudding

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Ramadan Kareem Having lived in Dubai for over 15 years now one has become fairly accustomed to this greeting during the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and Muslims all over the world observe a month in fasting. Ramadan Kareem literally translates into “May you have a blessed and peaceful Ramadan” Looking deeper into the essence of the Holy month of Ramadan there is a lot more I’ve discovered over the years. The true spirit of Ramadan would mean looking beyond eating at dawn, fasting through the day and breaking one’s fast at sunset. It is a period of introspection and self-healing. A  time to reflect on one’s deeds and actions. A time to exercise self-control, restraint and sacrifice. A time to encourage actions of generosity and charity. The fasting of course is the essential part of Ramadan. This consists of two main meals. One is the Suhoor which is the pre fast meal eaten at dawn and Iftar which is the meal eaten after breaking one’s fast at sunset. An Iftar forms a large part of …