simple, clean recipes with bold flavors
There's no hiding my love for Mediterranean food. I can eat it all day, every day, and have a list of recipes on here to prove it! But I was gifted an amazing cookbook, Baladi by Joudie Kalla, and it has truly been a treat reading through it. You not only get detailed family recipes, but you get stories mixed with beautiful photography to give you an experience like no other. An insight into the cuisine itself. From there I gathered the courage to put a spin on a recent favorite, Fatteh...
These Tex Mex Egg Rolls are so good and they're vegetarian! I made a big batch of Veggie Enchiladas one day, which are to die for by the way, and had some filling leftover. Instead of making another tray of enchiladas, I decided to try my hand at these egg rolls, and since that day I have always had a batch of these in my freezer. You can make mini ones by rolling the egg roll pastry a little tighter, or keep them full size like these. They make a great party appetizer, are a great picnic food, and they will make your afternoon tea spread a memorable one.
Kaley Chanay (Black Chickpeas) are a family favorite. They have a different flavor compared to chickpeas, more robust and intense, and have more of a bite to them. They're found in spicy and tart chaats, dry roasted and packed into newspaper packs on the streets of Pakistan, and in robust curries, like the one made in my home. They create a gorgeous masala with just onions, no tomatoes or yogurt in sigh. They are naturally gluten free, vegan and rich in nutrients. I love them served over delicious long grain basmati steamed to perfection, but you won't find me refusing to eat them with naan either.
The things I hated about it, like the texture, the small seeds, and the insane amount of onions, are all things I absolutely love now. In fact, I'm the one who adds extra onions. Bhindi Pyaaz is also known as Bhindi do Pyaaza, meaning bhindi and two onions...I used to hate Bhindi Pyaaz (directly translated to Okra Onions) growing up. The things I hated about it, like the texture, the small seeds, and the insane amount of onions, are all things I absolutely love now. In fact, I'm the one who adds extra onions. Bhindi Pyaaz is also known as Bhindi do Pyaaza, meaning bhindi and two onions. And as I have recently come to know, it's because you add half the onions at the end, so they stay crunchy. It gives a combination of cooked onions and slightly raw ones, which does wonders for texture and flavor...