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...
I take my hummus very seriously. I may be a Pakistani but I grew up in Michigan, surrounded by delicious and authentic Mediteranean food. I can spot a fake and lumpy hummus full of unwelcome ingredients from a mile away. I keep mine simple, to the point, and delicious, as it should be. It's beautifully balanced with nutty notes from the tahini, a fresh zing from the lemon juice and a subtle bitterness from the olive oil and garlic. You take one bite and you know you're eating the real thing.
Me and fattoush salad go way back. How do I go way back with a salad, you ask? Well, it was love at first bite. I grew up in Michigan, a melting pot of cultures. Michigan is known to have the best Lebanese food outside of Lebanon itself (I may be biased, but you have to try it for yourself and I'm sure you'll agree), and it was a cuisine we grew up eating because most Lebanese restaurants served Halal meat. I first tried fattoush at the age of four, and since then I've been hooked.