These delicious vegetarian pastries are pan-fried with just a drizzle of oil and they make a great side dish or party food. They keep well if prepared earlier during the day and then warmed up in the oven. Ingredients: Makes about 20 rolls Preparation time 15 minutes cooking time 15 minutes To prepare rolls 20 … Continue reading
I adapted this recipe from Greg Malouf’s cook book, Saraban, recipes inspired from his travels around Persia. It was the first time that I ever had chicken cooked in yoghurt and loved it. It is simple and easy to make. The original recipe uses orange juice which I liked but I preferred using lemon instead. … Continue reading
Distant Orchards We must look forward also to the springtime of the body. Minucius Felix In distant orchards green cicadas hum; Their wings are folded in a brittle prayer. When will the springtime of the body come? Can you not hear the blind guitarist strum Songs on the hollow body of despair? In distant orchards … Continue reading
I first tasted ‘Mahalabiya’, milk Pudding with dried figs in Istanbul a few years ago and loved it. Even though for years I have been making various recipes for Middle Eastern milk puddings, I had never tasted a dried fig flavoured milk pudding prior to this trip. ‘Mahalbiya’ is traditionally a milk pudding using either … Continue reading
Poet of the Month for March is Jakob Ziguras. Jakob was born in Poland in 1977 to Polish and Greek parents and came to Australia in 1984. He studied fine arts before completing a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Sydney. His poetry has been published in Meanjin, Australian Poetry, Mascara, Measure: A Review of Formal Poetry, Snorkel and Southerly. He was a finalist in the Newcastle … Continue reading
I made today a perfect soup for a rainy autumn day in Sydney. This is a popular winter soup in Lebanon and a really healthy one. ‘Adas bi Hamoud’ soup, which literally translates as lentils and lemon soup is packed with iron and vitamin C. It is a perfect combination because the vitamin C in … Continue reading
Syrian Desert I walk off alone through the hot winds that flap my clothes like the broken sail of a dhow beaten by storms on the Red Sea, across the ochre sands and scattered rocks and past the caves where desert fathers once dwelled and prayed. My eyes settle before the calm expanse, trace the … Continue reading
Freekeh is wheat harvested when still young and green, then roasted and rubbed to remove the grain from chaff. It has a special smoky flavour and is quite rich in fibre and protein. It is traditionally cooked as a stew, however chefs of modern Middle Eastern cuisine are reinventing this ancient grain and using it … Continue reading
Spoil yourself or your loved ones with a flour-less chocolate cake this Valentine’s day, or any other day. I love this cake, it is foolproof and tastes great. You can serve it with just a dusting of icing sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Or if you are in the … Continue reading
Flamenco Trio Granada An old man sits at the rear of a dusky cavern, dressed in a suit and hot pink tie. He listens intently to the dexterous fingerwork of the young guitarist on his left, mining with his ears for something that might appear behind the notes. Every now and then he claps and … Continue reading
Vine leaves with herbed rice ” Vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs (dolmades in Greece), are a sign that one is eating the food of eastern Mediterranean. Tender leaves should be harvested before sun and wind had done their damage. In South Africa, my mother once fooled a guest at the table and told … Continue reading
The tangy taste of the sun-dried apricots teams up really well with the crunchiness of walnuts to give this salad an interesting twist on flavours. The Beetroot and the grilled sweet potato introduce a lovely sweetness which contrasts quite well with the sourness of the dressing. prep time: 20 min cooking time: 30 – 45 min … Continue reading
Taking a bite out of these rolls, is like having all the flavours of an antipasto platter exploding in your mouth at the same time. Absolutely delicious and so light, it is my Mediterranean twist on the very popular ‘Vietnamese rice paper rolls’. I wanted a gluten-free and light alternative to the usual crusty bread piled … Continue reading
The sweet and salty flavours pair so well in this refreshing salad. It has various textures too which makes it a delight to the palette. Note: for a vegetarian option, omit the prosciutto and scatter extra cheese pieces on top of salad. Serves: Two people Prep Time: 15 min Cooking time: 5 min 4 figs … Continue reading
Band of Cockatoos The white of their plumage seems a bit too white like the polished teeth of salesmen or the glare of the sheet on which I jot these observations though they remind me of children as they quietly collect twigs and leaves from around the path. Now and then they reveal the wattle … Continue reading
Artichoke hearts are one of my favourite vegetables and I love them in this quick and delicious dish. They are full of antioxidants and people tend to mostly eat them marinated, not knowing what else to do with them. The marinated option has the least nutrients, fresh is best but a frozen artichoke still retains … Continue reading
Augury? Samothraki, Greece for Jakob Ziguras 1 I’m not sure if I’m following a trail left by goats or on the human path as I attempt to circumvent the farmstead where, the last time I came near, a dog pursued me, snapping and snarling. Noticing the piles of rusting junk dispersed around the place … Continue reading
Poem and Dish is creating a new category titled: Poet of the Month. A poet will be featured every month and one of his or her poems will be posted weekly for four consecutive weeks. I am so excited to be highlighting in the month of February the work of Luke Fischer. Luke Fischer is … Continue reading
For many long years I had lost my voice, and with it I lost my essence. As I travelled across continents heading towards civilisation, I left all the sophistication of words accumulated in my young eighteen years behind. In this new land I was a newborn who had to learn to crawl, walk and talk … Continue reading
A delicious gluten-free light alternative to the usual stuffed mushroom recipes. It makes a great entrée or use small button mushrooms as appetizers. I bought these gorgeous Portobello mushrooms yesterday, they are the brown large ones, but you can most definitely use large button mushrooms instead. Feel free to experiment with goat feta or sheep … Continue reading
Poem and Dish 