Wherever and whenever you take a LINDOR moment, it just seems to make life feel so much more sublime. When you unwrap LINDOR and break its delicate
LINDOR, created by the Lindt Master Chocolatiers. Passion and love for chocolate since 1845.
This, our Middle Eastern edition of Nourish magazine, really is a celebration of food, culture and community. Between the pages, you’ll find a collection of recipes inspired by traditional Levantine and Gulf dishes and desserts – all of which are intrinsic to these regions’ multi-layered, rich histories. You’ll also meet pioneering players in the food industry, such as members of our Spinneys UAE Farmers’ Club (pages 30-31), Tala Bashmi – the first-ever holder of the Middle East & North Africa’s Best Female Chef title (pages 40-41) and Kamal Mouzawak, who is championing Lebanon’s culinary customs and home cooks (pages 42-43). If you’re looking for a foodie adventure, a walking tour with Frying Pan Adventures in Dubai will have you eating some of the best Palestinian, Syrian, Lebanese, Iranian and Iraqi food in the city (find out more on pages 106-107) and we also share our pick of Muscat’s top eateries and bloggers – should you be looking for inspiration from Oman (pages 104-105). These highlights are just the beginning – there’s a lot more delicious content to devour. We hope you enjoy the issue and do let us know what you make!
Sahtain!
THIS MAGAZINE IS PRODUCED BY
CEO SUNIL KUMAR
GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMERCIAL TOM HARVEY
GENERAL MANAGER OF MARKETING WARWICK GIRD
CREATIVE AND CONTENT DIRECTOR TIFFANY ESLICK tiffany.e@finefarefood.com
Spinneys Dubai LLC and the publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, howsoever caused. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without written permission.
Dive into the latest restaurants to open in Dubai, offering singular experiences that make the city a culinary destination
14 ALT PURPOSE
Chef Troy Payne’s sustainable approach
16 USE IT UP
Don’t waste leftover ingredients
18 READ, WATCH, LISTEN
Cookbook, podcast and streaming recommendations
IN SEASON
19 Make the most of our fresh asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes, apples, strawberries and cherries
MEET THE PRODUCERS
28 SPRING SWEETNESS
We source our plump and full-of-flavour early season British strawberries from Hall Hunter. Managing director Harry Hall tells us about his family business’ story and how they’re using innovation to ensure a sustainable future
30 THE NEW OASES
Spinneys is dedicated to supporting the UAE’s mission to increase food security in the region. We work with several local producers who have invested in the latest technology to achieve that goal. Get to know a few of them
WEEKNIGHT WONDERS
34 Whip up nutritious, family-friendly and easy dinners for four in under 30 minutes
PEOPLE IN FOOD
40 BAHRAIN’S BEST
Showcasing her native country’s cuisine, Bahraini chef Tala Bashmi was crowned Middle East & North Africa’s Best Female Chef 2022. She discusses terroir, lessons from football and giving Middle Eastern cuisine the spotlight it deserves
42 FOOD SERVICE
Restaurateur, entrepreneur and activist Kamal Mouzawak’s life vocation is to preserve culinary traditions, promote heritage and empower people
44 SAVOURING SYRIA
Food has a magical way of comforting and fostering a sense of community.
Omayah Atassi began recreating family recipes as a way to feel closer to her roots and share the beautiful flavours of Syrian cuisine with foodies in the UAE. We sat down with her one afternoon to find out more about her journey
Recipe features
OUR MIDDLE EAST
48 WAKE UP AND SMELL THE GAHWA
Emirati pancakes, halwa topped semolina, tuna and tomato fatteh and a spicy egg and za’atar salad – these modern Middle Eastern breakfasts are a great way to start the day
PALATE PLEASERS
Tangy pomegranate molasses, lemony-like sumac and astringent vinegars often feature as key ingredients in dishes across the Middle East. Experiment with these pantry staples to make pickles, sweet-and-sour stuffed onions and more
60 MORE THAN HUMMUS
Is there any ingredient more versatile than chickpeas? We think not — here’s how to use them to make brittle, shortbread and churros
64 FALAFEL FUN
There’s more than just one type of falafel – try these recipes from the Levant and North Africa
70 MOREISH MEZZE
This assortment of flavourful nibbles is ideal for entertaining or weekend-dining with the family if you’re looking for something special
76 FROM THE SEA
From plump Omani prawns covered in a tangy tamarind sauce to delicious Iraqi grilled masgouf and much more – these fish and seafood dishes are inspired by an array of traditional, regional dishes
82 ICE COOL
Inspired by ubiquitous freezing cold lemon-mint drinks served at just about any Middle Eastern restaurant in the UAE, we came up with four flavourful frosty treats
THE MILKY WAY
Muhallabiya, sobia and sahlab are popular milk-based desserts and drinks in the Middle East –we’ve given the traditional trio our own twists
88 OLD IS GOLD
Baklava, kunafa, qatayef, sfouf… these traditional Middle Eastern desserts and more have one thing in common – they all turn wonderfully golden when baked or fried. We’ve used them as inspiration for an elaborate sweet spread
LITTLE COOKS
98 BACK TO THE FUTURE
From products on shelves to markets, supper clubs and a huge array of restaurants, Dubai’s food scene is evolving rapidly. But, there are a selection of snacks from the 90s which should never be forgotten. Use old-school childhood favourites like Laban Up, Chips Oman, Choki Choki and Vimto to make these modern-day treats
102 PERFECT FOR SHARING
Foodie celebrity Zahra Abdalla loves nothing more than cooking for her boys and enjoying a meal with them. This recipe is one of her favourites since everyone can make their own wraps
Live well
104 MUNCHING THROUGH MUSCAT
There’s so much more to Muscat than its stunning vistas, deep-rooted culture and tourist attractions – we’re here to talk about our favourite thing: the cuisine
106 NO STANDARD FARE
We ate and drank our way through one of Dubai’s older neighbourhoods while learning about culinary traditions and brushing up on food trivia
108 FIVE TO TRY: FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOTELS
Whether you’re looking for a short staycay this summer or a longer break without the long flight, Helen Farmer’s top picks will welcome kids with open arms
110 NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
With international recipes and wholesome, organic ingredients, Oliver’s Cupboard promises to broaden your little one’s palate
DON'T JUST CLEAN. CARE. Waken promises eco-friendly mouthcare with a difference
112 SUPER DAD
Father’s Day 2022 falls on 19 June. If you’re looking to dazzle Dad with some super gifts, you’ve come to the right place. It’s time to show the main man in your life that you care with our handy gift guide
The Luxury of Simplicity
Now available at Spinneys
The cut
Shelf talk
Keep a look out for these products as you browse the aisles at Spinneys
SOUPED UP
Is there anything better than a big bowl of hot soup? It never fails to comfort, which is why our chef has created four vegetarian SpinneysFOOD Soups. Our tomato and basil soup has the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness. The curried butternut, ginger and coconut soup has a bit of heat from chilli and ginger. Lemon juice gives the Arabic lentil soup a refreshing kick. The chunky Moroccan harira soup is a fragrant, wholesome mix of rice, chickpeas and brown lentils.
White out
Don’t miss our SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk and Low Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk the next time you’re in store. Both types of milk are locally-sourced from a farm in Al Ain.
The Holstein cows at the farm are fed a diet of forage, alfalfa, silage and grains to ensure they produce the best quality milk.
BUZZ ABOUT BILTONG
One of the most popular snacks in South Africa, protein-rich biltong can also be shredded into stews and other savoury dishes.
Our SpinneysFOOD Biltong is prepared from excellent cuts of hormone-free beef and has been flavoured with a carefully curated spice mix. Its all-new packaging ensures it retains its flavour and moisture for a chewy and tender texture.
DELI deliciousness
Celebrity chef, restaurateur and global MasterChef judge Silvena Rowe’s deli creations for Spinneys have become customer and staff favourites. Here, she chats about each dish.
Chicken noodle salad
Everyone loves Asian food and I wanted to create a vibrant salad that is light and different. There’s a touch of turmeric, a dash of tamari, a drizzle of soya and a splash of pomegranate to help give the chicken breast and rice noodles a zingy Asian flair.
Salmon and soba noodle salad
Inspired by Japanese cuisine, this salad is super healthy. Featuring crunchy edamame beans, bean sprouts and soba noodles tossed in a tangy dressing, this again is quite an unusual mix of ingredients.
Croque monsieur
Gooey, melting cheese with a beautiful slice of quality turkey ham, the croque monsieur is an old favourite of mine. And what’s special here is we kept the recipe as close to the original as possible with creamy béchamel sauce and a touch of mustard, too. This is undeniably a restaurant-worthy sandwich!
Meatball sub
Who doesn’t love meatballs? I have Turkish roots and in Turkey we have a popular street food snack called ‘Turkish wet burger’ (ıslak burger) – it’s like a rich, home-made tomato sauce-soaked burger, but in meatball form. And this is what inspired my sub!
Pulled beef brioche roll
Perfecting pulled beef takes hours, so at Spinneys we’re doing the hard work for you here. We cook the beef in a blend of herbs and spices to create this juicy, mother-watering filling, which we pack into a pillowy-soft brioche roll.
PERFECT PARTNER FOR EACH COFFEE
Brew in bulk, and show your coffee regulars a whole latte love!
The essentials
Ice-cubes; 12 espressos; 1L Alpro Barista Drink Optional: 60ml syrup (If you use syrup, reduce the amount of Alpro Barista to 940ML); Food-safe 1,5l bottle; Espresso machine; Bowl; Jug
Step by step
1. Brew the espressos in a jug, put in a bowl of ice to cool.
2. When it’s chilled to 7ºC or cooler, pour the espressos into the bottle, then add the chilled plant-based drink and the syrup if you’re using it.
3. Reseal the bottle, shake well and keep chilled. Best before date, 5 days after you open the plant based drink.
With a crunchy, apple-like texture and mildly sweet flavour, our fresh Barhi dates can be eaten as a snack on their own, or toss them into a salad or baked goods such as crumbles.
THE PERFECT DATE
Pleasantly sweet and chewy, a box of our SpinneysFOOD Khodri Dates with Almonds makes a thoughtful gift, or snack on them for a burst of energy.
TINY BUT MIGHTY
Want a healthy alternative to a breakfast pastry or the perfect workout fuel? Munchbox Date
Cinnamon Vanilla Energy Balls pack all the deliciousness of dates, pecans, vanilla and almonds into a bite-sized snack.
7 of a kind
A date is more than just an energy boosting dried fruit. These date-based products ensure we can use the fruit of the desert in multiple ways
GOLDEN GOODNESS
Enjoy the sweetness without any of the guilt with Al Barakah Dates
All Natural Date Sugar, which is extracted from dried, ground dates. It has a low GI index and can replace cane sugar in your baking. Keep in mind it doesn’t dissolve so can’t be used to sweeten drinks or make syrups.
LIQUID TREASURE
Jomara Organic Date Syrup comes in its classic original avatar, or combined with flavours such as vanilla, cardamom or passionfruit.
Drizzle it over pancakes and desserts, or substitute it for sugar while baking.
MELTING MOMENTS
Known for their delicious, authentic Arabic sweets, Al Mealim’s confections have been perfected by generations of pastry chefs. Don’t miss out on this special variety of Ma’amul with Dates when you need an extra special tea-time biscuit.
SMOOTH AS SILK
Rich and silky chocolate unites with sweet, chewy dates in Nadiya Belgian Chocolate Coated Dates. These irresistible little treats will delight anyone with a sweet tooth.
DRINK UP
Think bath bombs – but for your drink!
3 to try
NIX & KIX SPARKLING CUCUMBER MINT
Cayenne pepper adds a zingy kick to this refreshing beverage with the clean and balanced flavour notes of cucumber and mint. nixandkix.com
PUNCHY PEACH, GINGER & CHAI
The heat from ginger, a subtle sweetness from peach and aromatic chai give this low-calorie, vegan drink a lovely flavour. punchydrinks.com
THE BERRY COMPANY GOJI
Goji berries pair beautifully with sweet white grapes, passion fruit and earthy ginseng in this lightly sparkling drink that’s not only gluten-free and GMO-free, but also vegan. theberrycompany.co.uk
RASPBERRY ROSE MOCKTAIL BOMBS
Prep time: 5 minutes (plus drying time)
Makes: 6
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp rose water
1 tsp pink food colouring powder
1 tsp freeze dried raspberry powder
130g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
1½ tbsp citric acid
200g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
To serve
4 x The Artisan Drinks Co. Pink Citrus Tonic
1 Combine the bicarbonate of soda, rose water and food colour in a bowl. Make sure there are no big lumps. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
2 Press the mixture into moulds, then leave to dry for approx. 1-2 hours. 3 Remove the bombs from the moulds, add to glasses filled with the tonic and watch them fizz.
Tips from The Tasting Class
Have you used citric acid in a drink before?
It is the unusual ingredient in this month’s mocktail. Top mixologists experiment with a range of food-grade acids to achieve an array of textures, colours and consistency in their creations. You can take this science into your kitchen, too.
Citric acid is an organic compound found in high concentrations in citrus fruits such as lemons and limes. It is sold in powder form and tastes similar to lemon. While fruit-based drinks taste best when fresh, they do start to change flavour and appearance when exposed to oxygen. When making an individual drink that’s going to be consumed immediately, you don’t need to worry about chemical changes. But, if you are making a large batch in advance, using citric acid instead of fruit juice will ensure the drink’s taste remains stable. As a preservative it also slows fruit juices from browning and can be used to make long-lasting syrups and cordials.
If sustainability is at the top of your list of priorities, then this is a great ingredient. You can swap out citrus juice for citric acid should the former be out of season, or if you only need a little juice but plan to discard the peel. Use it to give any in-season fruit a refreshing boost, or to revive over-ripe fruit to reduce waste.
Are you ready to give it a try? Make this month’s mocktail or mix in a 1-part citric acid to 10-parts water solution for the same sour quality of lemon juice.
Raspberry rose mocktail bombs
ONE-OF-A-KIND
Dive into the latest restaurants to open in Dubai, offering singular experiences that make the city a culinary destination
1
Winner of the Art of Hospitality title and 4th place in the overall list at the 50 Best MENA Awards, Trèsind Studio has upped and moved to a sparkling new location at the Rooftop, Nakheel Mall on Palm Jumeirah. With a larger space that keeps the intimate vibe intact, the open kitchen offers a clear view of the preparation and care that goes into the 16-course menu – helmed under the watchful eye of chef Himanshu Saini. The menu includes classic dishes and new creations and our favourites are the missi roti with papadum curry and cultured butter and the morel pulao with Assam tea dashi. A lovely addition is the outdoor terrace garden where the chefs grow their own herbs and a few vegetables, and the new Papadom Botanic Bar.
2
Check out signature Asian dishes by Alvin Leung at Demon Duck at Caesars Palace on Bluewaters Island. With inventive twists on Cantonese, Malaysian and Korean classics, there’s something for everyone at this restaurant. We loved the local influence in some dishes; a particular favourite was crispy duck nestled atop creamy pepper hummus. For a spot of indulgence, there’s a moreish and juicy Wagyu
THAT’S WHAT CHEESE SAID
a
short rib gyoza with black truffle and spicy mayo. Of course, for the ultimate meal, opt for the ‘duck journey’ for two – from duck lettuce wraps to the signature duck soup, and of course, the whole slow-roasted Peking duck. It’s not just the food –the interiors have nods to ducks everywhere, from artwork to sculptures and stunning tableware.
3
Suspended 200 metres in the air from its 50th floor vantage point, AURA Skypool – the world’s highest 360-degree infinity pool – is undoubtedly one of Dubai’s most Instagrammable hotspots. We visited for ‘Evening in the Sky’, a newly launched weekend experience taking place between 8pm and midnight. Expertly curated, the Asian-inspired sharing-style menu is divided between ‘Snacks’, ‘Yakitori’, ’Land & Sea’, ‘Maki’ and ‘Sweets’ with highlights including the spicy tuna maki, juicy king tiger prawns with a punchy pickled papaya relish and the perfectly cooked Wagyu striploin with an aromatic dipping sauce made of shallots, lime, chilli and ginger soya. The mixed drinks are equally impressive and it’s definitely a bucket-list experience – at least while the weather permits. Go now, if not just for the views.
1 11 Woodfire: Chef Akmal Anuar is one the most talented chefs in the region, and his burnt Basque cheesecake is baked in the restaurant’s woodfire oven. It’s perfection on a plate and you can order it home, too.
2 Roseleaf Café: Get your fix of this in-demand dish (in party size, as Roseleaf calls it) from the cute café known for its good coffee. As a bonus, you can find their cakes at Nightjar’s bakeshop as well.
3 The Kakao Guy: This is the OG of burnt Basque cheesecakes. The Kakao Guy started creating this delectable dessert in 2020 and offers the classic version, but also delights with seasonal flavours.
We love
good burnt Basque cheesecake! This dish gets its name from its place of origin: the Basque region of Spain, and specifically the La Viña in San Sebastian. It has no crust, a wonderful burnt top and a creamy centre. It’s absolutely the cheese knees.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The ‘demon hummus’ – crispy duck atop sweet and spicy red pepper hummus; AURA Skypool offers stunning views from the top; Trèsind Studio’s missi roti with papadum curry; chef Himanshu Saini’s morel pulao and Assam tea dashi.
Alt purpose
Chef Troy Payne talks about traditional methods of cooking and how every ingredient can be repurposed to create something new and delicious
Australian chef Troy Payne was always a bit different, even as a kid. Where other children would bring chips or sweets to school, his lunch box was packed with dolmades and olives. From his grandmother making sponge cake with nothing but two forks instead of a whisk, to his stepfather being a maître d’restaurant at three hat-winning Jacques Reymond in Melbourne, food has always been an intrinsic part of his upbringing.
It’s no surprise then, that this product of English, Yugoslavic and Swiss heritage, who loves Middle Eastern food, wound up in Dubai and is passing on his knowledge of how to respect ingredients.
His father, who graduated cooking school at the age of 60, taught Troy how to fish, hunt and forage when he was not even 10 years old, instilling in him the values of taking only what was needed. He learned how to cook in the wild, using fire, at a young age. He watched one grandmother make her own pickled peppers and jams, while the other made her own chutneys.
He reminisces, “You made sure that you respected everything, and you didn’t waste. And if you did have too much, then you went next door and gave it to the neighbour.”
Troy is fascinated with family and history and says, “I’ve gone back to wherever my family came from and seen the food and the ingredients and how they’re traditionally treated. Yet we stand in
kitchens now and press a button on a machine and it does things for us.”
However, Troy certainly knows what he’s doing without machines, having worked in kitchens since he was 14 – falling instantly in love. He pursued this passion, starting as a kitchen porter in small pubs and restaurants. Then he brazenly walked into the best restaurants in Melbourne with a uniform and his own knife and said he was ready to start learning. The confidence worked and Troy wound up working two weeks at a time at amazing restaurants during holidays.
Having learned so much from his family, Troy was appreciative of the knowledge that comes with experience.
“I made sure I found good chefs to learn from and made sure I found kitchens with lots of older chefs instead of walking to a kitchen where the head chefs had two years’ experience. I was working in one kitchen where there was 120 years’ worth of experience. That’s the best place to learn apart from grandparents and family.”
After opening his first restaurant at the age of 24, Troy kept working in Melbourne until he met chef Greg Malouf, who changed Troy’s life. From learning about Middle Eastern food and flavours to landing in the UAE with Greg more than eight years ago, Troy has never felt more at home. With that, he’s come through on his desire to pass on age-old traditions. He says, “My career is
now about education and making sure that young cooks don’t forget. Half of them have never seen a whole fish or a whole rabbit, so it’s making sure that they understand where food comes from. The possibilities are endless with food and our food industry if everybody knows what they’re doing.”
He applied his values wherever he went in his career and even at home. Troy showed his team how to cook vegetable scraps and purée them before spreading out the mixture on dehydration trays to create wraps. Beetroots can be used, he says, to make zero-proof red wine sauces by cooking and blending them with zero-proof sauces to give it more body. “It’s just how creative you can get,” he says.
After a successful career across restaurants in the UAE including the likes of Greg Malouf’s Zahira, Sandersons and most recently, The Pangolin, Troy has struck out on his own – focusing on family and home traditions. Cue his brand: Home x Troy.
The chef says, “I love Dubai. I’ve been here long enough to now be able to say to people: ‘you know what I do so if you want what I do, then you can come and enjoy it’. Home x Troy is anything that I want it to be: whether it’s me cooking on a tuna boat for seven days for 12 people in Oman or whether it’s setting up a a pop-up in the desert.”
He continues with a smile: “When I was young, somebody asked me what’s my dream for food, and I said, ‘I actually believe that one day food could create world peace’. When you sit at a table and you’re eating, you’re not arguing, it’s about sitting and enjoying something together.”
Interview by Devina Divecha ; Photography by Aasiya Jagadeesh
TABL E TALK
Troy has shared his method for creating vinegars with fruits that might otherwise get thrown away.
If fruits have bruises on them, he says that people usually end up discarding them. “Instead of doing that, we can turn it into something else: vinegar.” From apples to berries to pineapple skins, the opportunities are endless, says Troy. “It’s just a basic form of fermentation and we only need a few ingredients. We need the fruit, which contains sugar, and natural yeast – which is on the skin of most fruit. We need bacteria, which helps produce the vinegar mothers.”
He adds, “This can be done by anybody. There is a science behind it, but it doesn’t require a science degree. The basic idea is to prevent wastage.”
Once the vinegars are ready, he advises removing the fruit pieces, puréeing them, adding flax seeds and spreading on a sheet to create healthy fruity sheets.
Pineapple vinegar
Berry and apple vinegar
SCAN FOR RECIPE
Use it up
Don’t discard any leftover ingredients from the recipes in this issue. Here are ideas to turn a number of them into a delicious soup, side and dessert
LEFTOVER ASPARAG U S
CHILLED ASPARAGUS STEM SOUP WITH HERB OIL
This soup uses the leftover stems from the asparagus recipe on page 20. While the woody stems are not great to eat boiled, they do make a delicious soup. The herb oil is the best way to use wilted herbs that have seen better days and can be spooned onto just about everything.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
For the soup
2 leeks (you can use the leftover green leaves)
200g asparagus stems and trimmings
2 medium potatoes
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
500ml SpinneysFOOD Full-Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk
Chilled asparagus stem soup with herb oil
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
For the herb oil
50g wilted mixed herbs
125ml mild olive oil
To serve
Sour cream or leftover yoghurt
1 Finely slice the leeks and roughly chop the asparagus. Peel and cube the potatoes. 2 To make the soup, add the olive oil to a large pot placed over a medium heat. Sauté the leeks until soft. Add the asparagus, potatoes, milk and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the water and blend until smooth. Strain and check the seasoning. 3 To make the herb oil,
place the herbs and oil in a blender and blitz until smooth. 4 Serve the soup topped with the sour cream or yoghurt and drizzled with the herb oil.
YESTERDAY’S BREAD WITH TOMATOES AND RICOTTA
This dish is a great way to use up two of the most common foods that go to waste – bread and milk.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
100g tomato skins and leftover tomatoes
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 leftover Lebanese breads
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep-frying
½ avocado
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
For the ricotta
500ml leftover milk
2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
To serve
SpinneysFOOD Micro Greens, optional
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2 Place the tomato skins and leftover tomatoes on a roasting tray, drizzle with the olive oil and roast until softened and caramelised – approx. 20 minutes. 3 Heat the oil to 180°C in a pot and deep-fry pieces of the bread until golden brown and crunchy. 4 Place the fried bread in a blender and blitz to form breadcrumbs.
5 Mix the breadcrumbs and tomatoes together.
6 To make the ricotta, place the milk in a saucepan and add the lemon juice and salt. Heat gently, while stirring, until the mixture starts to split. Strain the mixture through a sieve. 7 Peel and cube the avocado. 8 Place the tomato breadcrumbs on a plate, top with the ricotta and avocado. Garnish with the microgreens, if desired, and serve.
Yesterday’s bread with tomatoes and ricotta
BAKED OVERRIPE FRUIT WITH BURNT HONEY MARSHMALLOW
Overripe fruit is high in sugar and perfect for roasting – especially if the fruit has a few blemishes. We’re also making use of leftover egg whites, which are often ignored in the fridge.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
750g mixed overripe fruit – figs, berries, cherries
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
2 leftover egg whites
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2 In a large roasting tray, toss the fruit and sugar together and spread out in the tray. Roast the fruits until sticky and golden – approx. 30 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until stiff then add the honey and vanilla extract to form a sticky meringue. 4 Drop spoonfuls of the meringue onto the fruit. 5 Increase the oven temperature to 220°C, gas mark 7, and bake the meringue-topped fruit for 2-3 minutes until golden and toasted. Baked overripe fruit with burnt honey marshmallow
VEGGIE
COOKBOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
The best new releases to add to your library wish list
For the traveller
MI COCINA:
Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico
Take a trip to Mexico with Rick Martínez through this book, reminiscent of a love letter to the cuisine of the country. Travel with this cook and food writer across 32 states and 156 cities and recreate some his favourite experiences on this journey. Whether you’re new to Mexican cuisine or experienced with some of its delights, this book will add to your repertoire in the kitchen with dishes such as tender sweet corn tamales packed with succulent shrimp, chillies and roasted tomatoes from Sinaloa on the west coast.
Time to feast
For beginners
THE COOK YOU WANT TO BE: Everyday Recipes to Impress Dive into Andy Baraghani’s debut cookbook with essays and 120 recipes. If the name seems familiar, it’s because it is: he’s the chef behind many of Bon Appetit ’s famous recipes. With the heritage of his Iranian parents’ immigrant upbringing behind him, he’s grown into a culinary figure that creates flavour with unexpected ingredient combinations. Recipes you’ll love in this book include roasted beetroot with mint and sesame, caramelised sweet potatoes with browned butter harissa and pomegranate-glazed chicken legs with buttery almonds.
Daniel Newman completed a translation of a 15th century cookbook, titled The Sultan’s Feast by Egyptian scholar Ibn Mubarak Shah. We find out more… What can people expect when they read this book?
It’s a cookery book from 15th century Egypt, which contains 332 recipes, most of them for dishes, both savoury and sweet, but there are also instructions for pickling, condiments and even a few perfumes, breath sweeteners and anti-nausea remedies. In short, everything one needs to enhance the meal experience.
Read the full interview on spinneys.com
For foodies
KOREAN AMERICAN: Food That Tastes Like Home More than just a cookbook, this is a labour of love dedicated to being Korean American and all the stories that come with it. Written by New York Times staff writer Eric Kim, who is a popular creator on NYT Cooking’s YouTube Channel, he shares stories of what makes a Korean pantry, meals while growing up in Atlanta as a first-generation family and much more. With recipes like caramelised kimchi baked potatoes, gochugaru shrimp and grits, and much more, this book will delight anyone looking to be introduced to Korean cuisine.
THE AMATEUR GOURMET PODCAST with Adam Roberts
We love this podcast for keeping it real. If you love to cook but don’t always get it right, this is a great listen. Adam Roberts, aka The Amateur Gourmet and author of three books, hosts this weekly podcast featuring interviews with famous chefs, writers, actors and cookbook authors connected to a particular theme. Paid subscribers also get access to twice weekly recipes, essays, bonus podcast material (including Ten Feisty Food Questions with that week’s guest) and more.
Find The Amateur Gourmet podcast wherever you find your podcasts, like Apple Music and Spotify.
IS IT CAKE?
You can find an endless supply of memes borne out of TV shows and movies. This fun reality TV competition flips the switch and has created an entire show out of the ‘Is it cake?’ meme that started in 2020. Saturday Night Live’s Mikey Day hosts this fun baking contest where the premise is simple: bakers create cakes that look like entirely different objects (from hamburgers to purses and more) and a panel of celebrities have to guess what is cake and what isn’t.
All 8 episodes of Season 1 of Is it Cake are now streaming on Netflix.
In season
Make the most of our asparagus, local tomatoes, potatoes, apples, strawberries and cherries
Asparagus and oysters with tarragon hollandaise
Asparagus
ASPARAGUS AND OYSTERS WITH TARRAGON HOLLANDAISE
The briny salinity of locally-grown UAE oysters pairs perfectly with juicy asparagus. If you’ve ever struggled to make a hollandaise sauce, do try this recipe. It is fool-proof thanks to a secret ingredient –corn flour.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
2 bunches asparagus spears
4 tbsp créme fraîche
1 tsp corn flour
2 egg yolks
1 tsp white grape vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
2-3 sprigs tarragon
40g unsalted butter, softened
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Fine White Pepper, to taste
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
12 oysters, shucked
1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the asparagus for 4-5 minutes until tender. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water. 2 Place the créme fraîche, corn flour, egg yolks, vinegar and lemon juice in a saucepan over a low heat. Cook, whisking gently, for 1-2 minutes until thickened and combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3 Chop the tarragon. 4 Whisk the butter and tarragon into the egg mixture until well combined, then season with the salt and white pepper. 5 Drain the asparagus and arrange with the oysters on a plate. Drizzle with the hollandaise sauce and serve.
MEET THE PRODUCERS
Produce Plus
Widely regarded as among the best in the world, British-grown asparagus has a delicate sweetness. The asparagus currently available in store is sourced from Produce Plus, which grows this crisp vegetable at Cobrey Farms in Herefordshire’s Wye Valley. The asparagus is harvested and packed by hand to ensure only the highest-quality produce reaches Spinneys.
Tomatoes
TOMATO KOSHARI SALAD
Usually served warm, this chilled version of the comforting Egyptian dish, koshari, has beautiful seasonal tomatoes. Serve it as we have, in sections on a big platter, or in separate bowls and allow everyone to create their own plates.
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ser ves: 8-10
190g short grain rice
225g ditalini or elbow pasta
125ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 x 400g tin brown lentils
1 brown onion
2 garlic cloves
800g tamatim tasties tomatoes
120ml white vinegar
125g vermicelli
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
1 x 400g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
For the crispy onions and fried tomatoes
1 brown onion
250ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
200g Tamatim Tasties tomatoes
To serve Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander or Parsley
1 Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Set aside. Cook the pasta according to package instructions in boiling salted water. Drain and toss in 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Set aside. Drain and rinse the lentils well. Chop the onion and crush both garlic cloves. 2 Heat a pot with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Sauté the onion and 1 garlic clove until softened. Add the tomatoes and 4 tbsp of vinegar and simmer until softened – approx. 20 minutes. 3 Add the lentils and stir to combine. 4 In a medium pot placed over a medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of oil and vermicelli. Cook until the vermicelli turns golden brown. Season with the salt. 5 In a small saucepan, sauté the garlic clove and cumin together until fragrant, approx. 30 seconds. Add the remaining vinegar, water then season with the salt to taste. 6 To make the crispy onions, thinly slice the onion and place it in a saucepan with the oil and slowly heat until the onions start sizzling. Fry until golden and crispy then drain on paper towels. 7 Quarter the tomatoes and fry them in the same pan until softened. 8 Arrange the ingredients in different sections on a platter, including the fried tomatoes and spoon the sauces over. Spoon some of the onion oil over the rice. Serve immediately.
MEET THE PRODUCERS
Al Dahra BayWa
We source Tamatim Tasties tomatoes from UAE-based producer Al Dahra BayWa. These plum snacking tomatoes have an oblong shape and firm flesh. They're grown in a semi-closed greenhouse located in Al Ain using sophisticated technology and hardware to maximise efficiency and support sustainability.
Tomato koshari salad
VEGAN
Iraqi
Potatoes
MEET THE PRODUCERS
Also known as ‘aruk’, these patties make a delicious side or a meal on their own when served with an Omani herb salad. Substitute some of the herbs for chopped leafy vegetables such as spinach or kale to increase the nutritional value. The potatoes need to be baked to make light and fluffy aruk.
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
For the patties
700g Russet potatoes
1 large brown onion
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
30g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
30g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
25g spring onions
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 tsp baharat
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Paprika
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for frying
For the red tahini sauce
2 large red capsicums
1 lemon
1 garlic clove
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
125ml tahini
1 red chilli
125ml iced SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Paprika
For the salad
10g fresh za’atar leaves
10g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill
10g fresh fenugreek leaves
10g water spinach
10g siliq
SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Preheat the oven to 175°C, gas mark 4. 2 Pierce the potatoes with metal skewers and place them in the oven. Bake for 1 hour or until soft. Scoop out the flesh and roughly mash in a large bowl. 3 In a separate bowl, grate the onion into a sieve or muslin cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Add the onion to the cooled potato along with the eggs and flour. 4 Finely chop the herbs and spring onions and add that to the potato along with the spices. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 5 Heat a pan with ½cm of oil until shimmering. 6 Shape the potato mixture into small 5cm patties. Fry the patties in the hot oil in batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. 7 Increase the oven temperature to 200°C, gas mark 6. Core and halve the capsicums. Place in the oven to roast until soft. Juice the lemon. 8 Place the capsicums and all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. 9 Toss the Omani herbs together in a bowl with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. 10 Serve the aruk with the salad and sauce.
potato and herb patties with Omani herb salad
IRAQI POTATO AND HERB PATTIES WITH OMANI HERB SALAD
Elite Agro
Spinneys sources locally-grown potatoes from Elite Agro, a well-known producer in the UAE. The farm is located in Al Ain and is home to the country’s largest potato production facility. Once harvested the potatoes are quickly removed from direct sunlight to retain their freshness. They are graded and undergo manual quality checks to ensure only the best reach Spinneys.
VEGGIE
APPLE AND CINNAMON FATAYER
Although this Levantine pie is traditionally made with meat, it can be a delicious dessert, too.
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus proofing time)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 14
For the dough
500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
4 tbsp date syrup
2 tsp instant yeast
125ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
720g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
For the frangipane
50g salted butter
55g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
1 large egg yolk
80g ground almonds
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
4 red apples
4 tbsp date syrup
1 To make the dough, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl to form a slightly sticky dough. Knead until smooth, approx. 8 minutes. 2 Divide the dough into 14 balls and place them on a lined baking sheet. Loosely cover with greased cling film. Allow to rise until doubled in size. 3 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line two baking sheets with baking paper. 4 To make the frangipane, place the butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolk, ground almonds and flour, and mix until combined. Set aside. 5 Lightly flour a clean work surface. Working with one ball of dough at a time, hand stretch or use a rolling pin to make a circle approx. 10-12cm. Spread 2 tbsp of the frangipane filling down the centre of the circle to within 2½cm of the edges. Pull the dough’s edges up around the filling and pinch the ends together to create a boat shape. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets. 6 Thinly slice the apples and fan the slices on the top of each fatayer. 7 Brush the dough with warm date syrup and sprinkle caster sugar over the apple slices. 8 Bake the fatayer until lightly browned, approx. 15-20 minutes. 9 Serve warm.
Apple and cinnamon fatayer
Apples
MEET THE PRODUCERS
The 100% organic apples currently in store are the Juliet® variety grown in orchards in France. These apples are crunchy and juicy with a mild flavour. We work with Cardell Export to source this delightful fruit from French growers. The Juliet® apple was specially developed to be resistant to diseases, easy to produce and better for the planet since it is produced exclusively using organic farming methods.
Cardell
VEGGIE
Strawberries and cream with date sugar meringue
Strawberries
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM WITH DATE SUGAR MERINGUE
The classic combination of strawberries and cream gets a modern spin with the addition of a date sugar meringue, which adds a sweet, malty flavour.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2-2½ hours
Serves: 4
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
245g date sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
200g fresh strawberries
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
2 tbsp rose water
2 tbsp lemon juice
250ml double cream
1 Preheat the oven to 130°C, gas mark 1. Line two standard baking trays with baking paper or silicone baking mats. 2 Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until soft peak stage. Carefully spoon the sugar into the egg whites as you whisk, beating for 7-8 minutes until the mix is completely cold. The meringue should be very thick, glossy and form stiff peaks when the beater is lifted. Beat until the sugar has dissolved completely.
3 Drop large spoonfuls of the meringue onto the prepared baking trays and spread thinly. Sprinkle with the extra date sugar. 4 Bake for 2-2½ hours or until the meringues are crisp.
Break into shards. 5 In the meantime, remove the tops from the strawberries and quarter them. Place in a bowl with the icing sugar, rose water and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Set aside. 6 Whip the cream to stiff peaks and refrigerate. 7 Layer the strawberries, cream and date sugar meringue alternately in glasses and serve.
MEET THE PRODUCERS
Hall Hunter
Our SpinneysFOOD British Strawberries come from Hall Hunter, a producer with farms in the Berkshire and Surrey countryside. Hall Hunter works directly with breeders to get the best varieties of strawberries available in the world. The farms also combine innovative technology with traditional modes of land management and wild bee pollination.
VEGGIE
BLACK FOREST ICE CREAM CAKE
Using SpinneysFOOD Ice Creams cuts down the prep time of this dessert significantly. You can cheat even further by buying ready-made chocolate sauce.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8
500g fresh cherries
2 x SpinneysFOOD Triple Chocolate Ice Cream
1 x SpinneysFOOD Vanilla Ice Cream
100g dark chocolate
200ml SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk
1 Pit the cherries. 2 Soften the chocolate ice cream and stir in the cherries. 3 Line a loaf tin with cling fi lm and spoon the softened ice cream into the base. Freeze until fi rm.
4 Meanwhile, soften the vanilla ice cream.
5 Place the dark chocolate and milk in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on low, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Allow to cool. 6 Remove the tin from the freezer and spoon the vanilla ice cream on top. Freeze again for at least 2 hours. 7 Unmould the ice cream cake on to a serving board. Drizzle with the chocolate sauce, slice and serve.
MEET THE PRODUCERS
Rio Cinca
Spanish producer Rio Cinca is based in Lleida, Spain, where it grows cherries in greenhouses as well as in open fields. The mild temperatures (between 7ºC-30ºC) in Lleida at the time of harvesting the open field cherries allow the fruit to ripen slowly and thus achieve optimum sweetness.
Black forest ice cream cake
VEGGIE
Meet the producers
Get to know our British strawberry grower as well as producers in the UAE from whom we source fresh fruit and veg
Harry Hall, managing director of Hall Hunter
by
SPRING SWEETNESS
We source our plump and full-of-fl avour early season British strawberries from Hall Hunter. Managing director Harry Hall tells us about his family business’ story and how they’re using innovation to ensure a sustainable future
Hall Hunter is one of the UK’s leading strawberry producers. Where did your story begin?
It began in 1966 with my parents who, living on Heathlands farm in Wokingham (where they still reside today) were growing fruit and vegetables to sell at the London markets. They pioneered the pick-your-own concept – inviting customers onto the farm to pick their own produce – and this evolved into them establishing a farm shop and a garden centre. In the early 90s they started supplying BerryWorld with strawberries – which were sold into various local supermarkets. I took over in 1997 and went from growing 300 tonnes of strawberries to 14,000 tonnes of mixed berries including raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
How many farms do you have today?
In addition to Heathlands, which is also home to our packhouse, we have Tuesley farm in Surrey (probably the largest blueberry farm in the UK) and Sheeplands in Berkshire, which borders the River Loddon. We use this river’s water to heat 15 hectares of strawberries on the farm. Sheeplands is also where we trial new varieties from 15 different breeding programmes.
What makes the regions in which your farms are situated ideal for growing strawberries?
Overall, the UK has quite a cool, maritime climate and this has several benefits. The fruit ripens more slowly than that in southern hemisphere countries – this has a positive effect on natural sugar levels. We’re also able to maintain good fruit quality and yield in the hotter summer months of June, July and August, and we’re able to extend the growing season until November.
Tell us more about how your heated river water system works?
We’ve invested in an environmental heat project that enables us to generate hot water and heat our tunnels. Essentially, the whole system works like a radiator – the hot water runs through pipes which sit directly under the strawberry plants. Because of this process, we’re able to pick fruit three to four weeks earlier in the season. And we’re able to achieve this in a sustainable manner. Using river water and a heat-pump system like ours has a much lower carbon footprint than using a gas boiler.
Is this system unique to Hall Hunter?
We pioneered this project in collaboration with Ebtech Energy Systems. It’s been an up-and-down journey, but it works and that is great!
What other sustainable practices do you employ on your farms?
We have a biomass boiler to generate heat for our residential accommodation and we use photovoltaics to generate electricity for our barns. In terms of nature around our crops, we have wildflowers and indigenous hedgerows – these not only provide a great habitat for beneficial insects, particularly pollinators, but they (the hedgerows) also act as essential windbreaks for our crops. We’re aware that as we go forward, sustainability has to be top of mind.
Why do use honey bees and bumblebees?
Honey bees tend to only “work” or pollinate your flowers when the temperature is higher than 15 degrees, so we rely on bumblebees on cooler days. Bees are vital for pollination.
What would you say is the secret to the success of your family business?
OPPOSITE PAGE: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Hall Hunter has introduced honey bees and bumblebees in its greenhouses; planting the saplings; strawberries slowly beginning to change colour; bumblebees pollinate strawberry flowers; pickers harvesting ripe strawberries; tubes deliver heated water to the plants; strawberries are placed directly into punnets; Hall Hunter produces 14,000 tonnes of mixed berries every year; inside one of Hall Hunter’s strawberry greenhouses.
The only reason we are where we are today is because of our staff – they’re the backbone of our business. I owe a lot to them, and I must never forget that. As we’ve grown, so have they – we’ve been able to take pickers and turn them into team leaders, and then managers. And it will always be my responsibility to try to improve their lives. For me it’s not about only growing berries, it’s about supporting the families and building the community in which we operate. That is critical.
What else keeps you motivated in this business?
It’s been 25 years and I’m still passionate about berry farming. I feel at peace when I’m walking among the crops. There’s plenty of time to think – and I get to be involved in the whole process. It’s pretty easy to jump out of bed most days!
Do you think your children will carry on the family legacy?
They’re young, but they seem to be interested in the business which is lovely. My son loves tractors, and both my daughters think they’ll be in charge. At least they’ve realised it’s not just about eating strawberries!
IN STORES NOW
Interview by Tiffany Eslick
SpinneysFOOD British Strawberries from Hall Hunter
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Emirates Hydroponic Farms (EHF) uses rotating hydroponics to grow basil; Joseph Makhlouf, farm manager and capsicum grower at Elite Agro; freshly harvested red capsicums; Hamez Abu Sini inspecting the corn crop; Hasan Juma Al Zaabi is continuously experimenting and innovating at his farms in Abu Dhabi; freshly picked cucumbers; Niaz Ali grows lettuce and herbs at EHF’s farm in Abu Dhabi; EHF uses rockwool as a growing medium for lettuce.
THE NEW oases
Written by Karen D’Souza & Reema Rahman
Spinneys is dedicated to supporting the UAE’s mission to increase food security in the region. We work with several local producers who have invested in the latest technology to achieve that goal. Get to know a few of them here…
SILAL FARMS
Hasan Juma Al Zaabi never intended to be a farmer. But, it’s often impossible to avoid one’s heritage – his mother’s father and grandfather were farmers, too.
“I have been doing this for 25 years. It is my aim to prove that farmers in the UAE are capable of producing flavourful fruit and vegetables,” says Hasan.
Today, he has two farms in Abu Dhabi that are part of the Silal Cooperative. The first, set up in 1992, served as a sort of testing lab, where he honed the techniques he’d learned during his travels abroad. He soon graduated from open fields to greenhouses, which gave him the freedom to grow more delicate produce such as tomatoes and capsicums, as well as experiment with exotic fruit. A few years ago, Hasan decided to grow only organic produce on his land.
In 2013, Hasan set up a hydroponic farm, where he grows cucumbers and aubergines, which are available at Spinneys. This soil-free system of production not only saves water, but also allows him to produce larger volumes in a shorter span of time.
“It’s an expensive investment, but the returns are worth it in the long run. It allows me to grow greater quantities while protecting the crops more effectively against pests and diseases,” he explains.
EMIRATES HYDROPONIC FARMS (EHF)
Vibrant green and maroon lettuce grow on scaffolding in an open field during the cooler months of the year at one of EHF’s farms in Abu Dhabi. This is known as an ‘A’ frame system.
“In winter we can grow outdoors, which is great because the abundant sunshine coupled with precisely measured nutrients results in big,
fluffy heads of lettuce,” explains Niaz Ali, a grower at EHF.
In the summer, production moves inside to temperature-controlled greenhouses. Although this results in slightly smaller lettuce heads, the quality and taste remain unchanged.
Regardless of the season, the eight varieties of lettuce produced by EHF are grown in rockwool, which extends a plant’s shelf life because its roots are better able to absorb and retain nutrients.
Another space- and energy-saving indoor farming practice at EHF is rotating hydroponics. Rows of plants are rotated on a circular system every five minutes, which allows each row to get an equal amount of sunshine over the course of a day.
Spinneys sources aromatic pots of fresh basil, dill, mint, coriander and parsley from EHF.
ELITE AGRO
“Growing locally means we can pick our produce when they were perfectly ripe, thereby getting them from farm to table in 24 hours,” says Elite Agro’s farm manager and capsicum grower, Joseph Makhlouf.
Aubergines, capsicums, tomatoes and more, Spinneys sources several types of locally-grown fruit and vegetables from the sprawling Abu Dhabi farm. Founded in 2010 and a member of Spinneys UAE Farmers’ Club since 2016, there are many things Elite Agro prides itself on – selfreliance, food security, ethical farming methods, the list goes on – but above all, the quality of produce they harvest.
“Consumers often associate quality with shape, size and appearance, but it’s not just about having a beautiful looking fruit and vegetables –quality goes beyond that. It’s about the taste, shelf life, and honestly, the products used to harvest
the crops. Quality starts at the very beginning of the harvest cycle and quality is key throughout,” continues Makhlouf.
Aspiring to write a new green history among the sandy dunes of the UAE, the farm is also the only one of its kind in the region to harvest deliciously juicy, antioxidant-rich blueberries.
The berries are grown in a climate-controlled environment using the latest technology and once they’re at their prime, they are carefully picked and reach Spinneys’ shelves within 24 hours. It doesn’t get fresher (or tastier) than that.
EMIRATES
FARM FOR AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION (EFALP)
Based in Abu Dhabi and with a number of farms dotted across the UAE, EFALP has more than a decade of experience in desert land farming –and EFALP is also where Spinneys sources its fresh supersweet corn from.
“We harvest three to four times a week to ensure a steady supply of fresh corn to Spinneys,” says Hamzeh Abu Sini, who grows the corn at EFALP’s Al Ain farm.
Growing fresh corn in the middle of the desert may be thought of as a challenge, but the farm has spent years researching the efficient utilisation of scarce water sources.
“Al Ain is especially good for harvesting corn because the soil is red sand soil and we also have sweet water, not saltwater. Fresh groundwater and rich soil are key; if the soil is good you’re guaranteed to make good produce,” explains Abu Sini.
Quality food produced close to home is a motto EFALP prides itself on.
“Health is wealth and we try to use as little pesticides as possible to ensure the produce we offer our customers is as healthy as possible.”
Weeknight wonders
Whip up easy, nutritious, family-friendly dinners for four in under 30 minutes
RICOTTA SPAETZLE WITH FENNEL BROWN BUTTER AND COURGETTES
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
For the ricotta spaetzle
55g salted butter
1 Brush the interior of a large bowl with 1 tbsp of butter and set aside.
2 Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and water well and fold in the ricotta. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and whisk well until smooth. The mixture should have the consistency of thick pancake batter; add more water, if necessary. 3 Place a large pot of water over a high heat and bring to a boil. 4 Place a colander with medium holes over the boiling water. Using a large rubber spatula, push the batter through the colander’s holes into the water. Do this in batches. Cook each batch until they all float, approx. 1 minute.
5 Using a large strainer or slotted spoon, lift the spaetzle out of the water, shake off excess water, and drop them into the buttered bowl.
6 Continue cooking the spaetzle, tossing in the buttered bowl to keep them from sticking. 7 To make the brown butter sauce, place a large cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Add the butter and allow to melt completely. Once the butter starts to brown, add the salt and fennel seeds then grate in the garlic.
8 Coarsely grate the courgettes and zest the lemon. 9 In a large serving bowl, toss together the spatezle, burnt butter sauce, courgette and lemon zest. Top with the fresh mint leaves, drizzle with the oilve oil and serve immediately.
265g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
4 large eggs
80ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
150g SpinneysFOOD Ricotta
For the brown butter sauce
125g unsalted butter
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds
1 garlic clove
To serve
400g courgettes
1 lemon
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
YOU COULD ALSO TRY...
To make the spaetzle even more delicious, after boiling, fry the tiny dumplings in the fennel butter for approx. 5 minutes until the butter is golden and the spaetzle are slightly crispy.
Ricotta spaetzle with fennel brown butter and courgettes
VEGGIE
HAZELNUT CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI GREMOLATA
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
125g skinned hazelnuts
30g Parmigiano cheese
120g Panko breadcrumbs
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
160ml mayonnaise
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Maldon sea salt
4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
50g salted butter
50ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the sweet potato purée
4 SpinneysFOOD Beauregard Sweet Potatoes
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
250ml SpinneysFOOD Fresh Full Fat Milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
For the broccoli gremolata
200g broccoli
100g shelled pistachios
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
1 lemon
1 garlic clove
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 2 Finely chop the hazelnuts. Grate the cheese. 3 In a shallow dish, combine the hazelnuts, cheese and breadcrumbs. 4 Finely chop the parsley and, in a small bowl, combine the parsley, mayonnaise, paprika and sea salt. 5 Butterfly the chicken breasts and, using a pastry brush, baste the breasts generously with the mayonnaise. Dip each breast in the crumb mixture, coating both sides completely. 6 Place a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Melt half the butter and oil together in the pan then fry two chicken breasts at a time, approx. 4 minutes a side. Once golden, place the chicken breasts on a baking tray. Repeat with the remaining two chicken breasts. 7 Place the baking tray in the oven and roast for approx. 15 minutes or until cooked through. 8 Meanwhile, peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Fill a large pot with water and add the salt, add the sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water. 9 To make the purée, place the sweet potatoes in a blender and add some of the milk and all the butter. Blitz for a few minutes, adding more milk until a smooth, creamy purée forms. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. 10 Finely slice the florets off the core of the broccoli. Toast and finely chop the pistachios. Finely chop the parsley. Zest and juice the lemon and finely grate the garlic. Combine all the gremolata ingredients in a large bowl. 11 Serve the chicken breasts with the sweet potato purée and spoon the gremolata over.
Hazelnut crusted chicken with broccoli gremolata
ROASTED AUBERGINE SALAD WITH DILL
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4
For the roasted aubergine
2 large aubergines
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
Roasted aubergine salad with dill
1 Preheat the oven 200°C, gas mark 6. 2 Quarter the aubergines and red onion and place in a large bowl. Peel and finely grate the garlic.
3 Combine the olive oil, garlic and sea salt and add the mixture to the aubergine and red onion. Mix well then place in a large roasting dish and roast for approx. 20 minutes, or until super tender. 4 Zest and juice the lemon. Combine all the dressing ingredients and set aside.
5 When ready to serve, drain and rinse the lentils. In a serving dish, combine the lentils, olives, herbs and salad dressing, top with the roasted aubergine and red onion. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
For the dressing
1 lemon
50ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Dried Oregano
½ tsp nigella seeds
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt Flakes
To serve
1 x 400g tin brown lentils
100g pitted green olives
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Dill
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Microgreens
1 lemon
Aubergines need to be well roasted in order to bring out their fl avour. Make sure to cook them until the fl esh is tender with no sponginess at all.
VEGAN
SAVOURY VEGETABLE COBBLER WITH CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
For the vegetable filling
800g mixed vegetables (butternut, red capsicum, sweet potato, onion, leek)
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
2 tbsp tomato paste
500ml vegetable stock
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
For the Cheddar dumplings
250g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
Savoury vegetable cobbler with Cheddar dumplings
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
30g light brown sugar
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
½ tsp Aleppo chilli pepper
85g salted butter, cold
110g SpinneysFOOD Mature Cheddar Cheese
125ml buttermilk or full-cream yoghurt
1 large egg, at room temperature
STIR IT UP
Follow these top tips to make this dish even more delicious
1 Add in shredded rotisserie chicken to the veggies before baking to bulk up this dish.
2 Add in 2 tsp garam masala to the dumpling mixture for an aromatic flavour kick.
3 Instead of chicken, keep this dish vegetarian by adding in a tin of chickpeas for some extra plant-based protein.
1 Roughly chop the vegetables into 3cm cubes. 2 Heat the oil in a 30cm cast-iron pan placed over a mediumhigh heat. 3 Add in the vegetables and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until starting to soften. Finely grate the garlic into the vegetables and season well. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a further 1 minute. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid reduces slightly – it should resemble stew. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley.
4 Remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly while you prepare the dumplings. 5 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 6 In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar, turmeric and Aleppo chilli pepper together. Cube the butter and add to the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour using your hands or a pastry cutter until it is almost completely incorporated –the mixture should look a little like coarse breadcrumbs. Grate the cheese into the flour and toss to combine. 7 In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together and add to the flour mixture. Stir until completely combined. 8 Using a tablespoon, dollop rounds of the dough over the cooled vegetables.
9 Place in the oven and bake until the dumplings are golden and cooked through, approx. 20 minutes.
10 Serve immediately.
4 If you want to make vegan dumplings, replace the Cheddar with the Violife Cheddar flavour block and the yoghurt with the Waitrose soft vegan cheese.
5 Add a handful of chopped mixed herbs to the dumplings for a burst of fresh flavour.
VEGGIE
HOT SMOKED SALMON WITH FREEKEH, FENNEL AND MINT
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 2 Place the freekeh in a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven to lightly toast, approx. 5-10 minutes. 3 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add in the freekeh, cook until tender – approx. 20 minutes. Drain and spread on a clean baking tray to cool. 4 Juice the lemon. 5 To make the dressing, combine the ingredients and set aside. 6 Finely slice the cucumbers, pick the mint leaves and roughly chop the baby spinach. 7 Spread the yoghurt dressing on a large serving dish, top with the freekeh, hot smoked salmon fl akes, sliced cucumbers, herbs, baby spinach and a drizzle of olive oil. 8 Serve immediately.
YOU COULD ALSO TRY...
Swap the hot smoked salmon flakes for other seafood such as SpinneysFOOD Cooked Prawns or Smoked Tuna.
340g cracked freekeh
For the yoghurt dressing
1 lemon
2 tbsp horseradish sauce
250ml full-cream yoghurt
To serve
4 baby cucumbers
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
100g SpinneysFOOD Organic Baby Spinach
400g SpinneysFOOD Hot Smoked Salmon Flakes
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Hot smoked salmon with toasted freekeh, fennel and mint
People in food
Meet MENA’s best female chef, Lebanon’s food pioneer and a Syrian supper club host
BAHRAIN’S best
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Tala Bashmi; a dish from her menu titled ‘Corniche’; the restaurant was rebranded to ‘Fusions by Tala’ in early 2020; seabream carpaccio.
Showcasing her native country’s cuisine, Bahraini chef Tala Bashmi was crowned Middle East & North Africa’s Best Female Chef 2022. She discusses terroir, lessons from football and giving Middle Eastern cuisine the spotlight it deserves
Written by Devina Divecha
From making giant pots of food for her sister and her friends in university, to being named the Middle East & North Africa’s Best Female Chef 2022, Tala Bashmi has worked her way to the top through sheer determination and hard work.
After moving back to Bahrain from university in the US and UK, she started baking for friends and going to food markets. But that wasn’t enough for Tala. She says, “I always aim to be the best I can be at something and if I can’t be the best or one of the best, that can be a hobby.” It was then she decided that she was going to be a chef.
She joined Gulf Hotel Bahrain as a trainee for six months and started out at the butchery. “We used to cut 40-60 kilos of meat a day. I remember my forearms were super sore,” she says with a laugh. “I started literally from the bottom. I don’t think I was allowed to cook a single dish. It was purely preparation and peeling and cleaning.”
Tala set about to prove to the hotel that she was serious about being a chef – which eventually propelled her into the management training programme, where Bahrainis were sent abroad to pursue a degree in hospitality. After working across restaurants at the hotel, she attended the Culinary Arts Academy in Lucerne, Switzerland, for two years and received her Masters in International Business in Culinary Management. A year-and-a-half of being sous chef at the Gulf Hotel later, she took over completely and rebranded the restaurant to Fusions by Tala in early 2020.
Taking over the restaurant wasn’t easy. She says, “The management said, ‘We will give you a year at the restaurant and we want to see what you can do with it.’” But Tala didn’t have much to work with – from a broken blender to a small crew. After a year, she says she was able to “increase profits significantly”, which resulted in a renovation of the restaurant into the version it is today.
Guest experience forms a major role in this process. “I had one guest who is still one of my best guests until today. He didn’t know who I was, showed up, saw the menu and said, ‘Give me whatever you want.’ And to this day I think he’s eaten more different dishes from me than anyone else I know. Because every time my guests get the tasting menu, I give them a different experience.”
Tala’s two menus include an à la carte and a tasting menu. The former includes signature dishes like Bahraini tikka and bamia (a stew with okra and beef). Her tasting menu, however, is a different kettle of fish. She says, “You will look at my dishes and think there’s absolutely no connection or association with Arabic food but once you taste it…” She reiterates not being obvious about the connection. “I can use an ingredient that’s local that nobody else uses and that for me is cuisine. It’s terroir, it’s what grows on the land that I’m living in. If you look at French cuisine, it’s all based on terroir. I’m trying to utilise ingredients that grow on this land that are not known and infuse them into my dishes.”
She mentions a few fruits like looz (pronounced ‘lo-ze’) and bambar, and then discusses seafood – in abundance on the island nation. “Mahyawa is an ingredient we use in Bahrain which is a fish paste. It doesn’t taste fishy but everyone has this connection of fish paste being gross. It’s actually got such an umami flavour. We use it so simply with bread and eggs for breakfast. That’s one ingredient that I usually like my customers to try before explaining what it is.” Another seafoodbased ingredient Tala uses is dried shrimp. “It concentrates flavour and umami, and it’s something that I use differently in my cooking; I use it almost like bottarga.”
She says, “It’s about being less obvious. You don’t have to be so in-your-face, you can use these [ingredients] and integrate them very discreetly.”
Talking about the importance of showcasing Bahraini cuisine, Tala asks me: “How many fine dining, or rather, not casual dining Middle Eastern restaurants exist?” She references the MENA’s 50 Best 2022 list, and adds, “I saw the list and I thought, OK they’ve come to the region but where are we on this map? We’re the one per cent. If you’re from a country, you want to take your guests somewhere to say, ‘this is where my food has come from, this is how far it’s come and this is what we want to show you about our culture.’ That was my goal: I want to have this restaurant to showcase Bahraini food, which is why it’s important for me to share our flavours.”
She’s a big believer in supporting local and local farms, and says she visits the market once
a week and maintains a good relationship with farmers. She says, “If I need something specific from them, I have their contact and tell them I need this much of the purple cauliflower, I need this much of the Romanesco, and they’re super helpful.”
She acknowledges that local ingredients have seasonality but it’s up to the chef to make a difference. “You need to be smart about it; that’s why my menu changes accordingly.
“I’m very inspired by Scandinavian cuisine: growing and preserving vegetables and fruits for the winter. I’ve been trying to apply that to our ingredients for the summer. Because it’s the same thing: nothing grows for them in the winter, for us it’s the summer.”
She continues: “I asked the farmer, ‘What do you do with all this broccoli that’s left over?’ I told them they need to think about whether to pickle them or even blanch them and then freeze them and keep them and use them later. What are you going to do, are you going to toss it all out?
“For example, the tomatoes I’ve created are in preserving liquid. So I’ve been playing around with different techniques – from putting it in a glass jar or vacuum – and I’m just trying to see which one will last the longest. I haven’t done this, so I just have to play around because our ingredients are different, our weather is different.” Her perseverance is a beacon of light, and I wonder if this is one of the lessons she took away from football. Tala played football with the country’s national team for seven years before moving to the US to study sports management.
Tala had to stop playing after she sustained an injury, so she moved to London and studied Fine Arts before returning home.
She says: “I feel like I’ve grown up my whole life in uniform! What I took away from football was discipline. Because even when you’re tired, even when you’re sore, even when you have absolutely zero energy, you still have to get up and you have to train. You have to show up. At the end of the day, motivation would only get you so far. You could be motivated today and not tomorrow. Does that mean you’re going to skip training? Does that mean you’re not going to go to work? It’s discipline and having an ultimate goal and an ultimate focus. That will allow you to persevere and do something every single day to reach what you want to achieve.”
This ties back to her desire to be the best at whatever she sets out to do, further proven by her title win with MENA’s 50 Best 2022. It’s months after the announcement, but Tala says it hasn’t hit her yet. “I still feel the same, of course. In a sense, it couldn’t have come at a better time. It came at a time where I began overthinking things and wondering, ‘Am I on the right path, am I doing the right thing, am I good enough?’ This was able to keep me on track and make me realise that I’m doing something right.
“Now we’ve got to go global. Middle Eastern food needs to be shown in a different light now and I hope I can be the one to do that.”
FOOD
service
Restaurateur,
entrepreneur and activist
Kamal Mouzawak’s life vocation is to preserve culinary traditions, promote heritage and empower people
Written by Lynn Soubra
”Make food, not war,” culinary entrepreneur and social activist Kamal Mouzawak echoes his culinary enterprise’s slogan before signing off on our video chat.
Born into a family of farmers during the Lebanese civil war, Kamal lived a paradoxical life between food’s nurturing nature and war’s constant threat. Food is what he has always known, and what he chooses to use as a tool for the greater good.
It has now been nearly two decades since Kamal founded Lebanon’s first farmers’ market, Souk El Tayeb, to support local, sustainable agriculture, small-scale farmers and producers, and to play his part in mending a once broken community through one of life’s simplest pleasures: food.
“We [eat food] every day, so why not build around it and find common grounds?” he asks rhetorically.
Through the market, Lebanon’s colourful culinary heritage – stretching across the coastline and deep into the mountains – converges at the heart of Beirut. Apart from purchasing seasonal fruits and vegetables, preserved foods (mouneh), or handmade goods, visitors to the market (re)discover the country’s rich offerings through the hands of women and men whom Kamal refers to as “the doers that keep the conversation going”. Whether it’s Rita’s organic essential oils, Haidar’s hot sauces, Rima’s saj, Maurice’s honey, Georgette’s gluten-free goodies, Ziad’s recycled glassware, or Sonia’s Armenian delicacies, every item sold at the market tells the story of a local farmer or producer and the area from which they come – be it Dekweneh, Nabatiyeh, Aley, Jdeide, Safra, Daraya or Burj Hammoud.
Since its launch, Souk El Tayeb has grown into a collective of restaurants, B&Bs and social enterprises bound by one aim: preserving Lebanon’s traditions and heritage by uniting cooks, farmers and artisans.
One of them is Tawlet, the Souk’s farmers’ kitchen, which opened in 2009 in one of Beirut’s iconic neighbourhoods, Mar Mikhael. Its weekly menu features regional specialities – prepared by women, many of whom are refugees, representing their hometowns – such as Ammiqi kafta naye (raw minced meat with fine bulgur and spices), Trabulsi bemiyeh bi zeit (okra with tomato paste and olive oil), Syrian horaa osbao, (lentil stew with pomegranate molasses) and Beiruti fattet makdous (roasted aubergines with yoghurt).
The women have become the face of Tawlet, amassing a cult following of people craving farm-to-table home cooking. “They are the guardians of our traditions,” says Kamal. “By making people rediscover the produce of their region, these women are making a crucial contribution to their families, our society and the economy. They are important on many levels.”
Tawlet does more than just serve ingredients on a plate; the faces behind the aprons, the inviting open-style kitchen, the bespoke shop displaying the farmers’ markets’ products and the handmade artisanal décor present an unpretentious way of dining out that inspires communal eating and encourages conversation
“We don’t need to look for sophisticated ways to make the world a better place.”
with one’s neighbour, transcending social, political or geographical barriers.
As of January 2022, Tawlet touched down in Paris, France. “While my dream was to adopt Tawlet’s model of celebrating local domestic cuisine in every country, I soon realised it would take effort and time,” explains Kamal. “I said to myself, ‘We should be doing what we already know and do, a Lebanese Tawlet’.”
A Lebanese Tawlet it is, indeed. Nestled in the City of Lights’ 11th arrondissement, the social enterprise’s newest location celebrates a specific region in Lebanon each day through seasonal produce and authentic home cooking. With every mouthful of mujaddara, shorba, kibbeh and kechek, everyone who walks through the door experiences Lebanese fare beyond the typical street food and mezze.
“We also host a Beiruti brunch on weekends and repeat the same pattern every week,” says Kamal. “There’s been a lot of excitement and curiosity to try Lebanese home cuisine.”
Kamal and the Souk El Tayeb team’s efforts earned them global praise, most recently at the MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in Abu Dhabi, with Kamal awarded the first Foodics Icon Award for his achievements and Tawlet’s original location of Mar Mikhael ranking 28th on the 50 Best Restaurants list.
“I am very proud of the recognition for the great work of the Tawlet team,” he says. “It’s much deserved, especially with what’s been going on in Lebanon. It’s also touching to see the F&B industry recognising the celebration of the simplicity of tradition as a viable model, which normally doesn’t fit its standards.”
Photography Supplied
If there’s one thing to recognise Kamal and his team by, it’s their unwavering devotion to employing food as a means to serve a greater cause. A mandate that was massively reinforced in the aftermath of the catastrophic August blast that devastated Beirut in 2020. Like hundreds of thousands of people, Kamal and the team suffered unimaginable loss. Yet, they poured their grief into lending a helping hand. “When there’s a problem, what do you do? You either think of loss, or you find solutions,” he says. “It was as simple as that.”
Out came Matbkah El Kell, a community kitchen that distributes thousands of meals to
OPPOSITE PAGE: Kamal Mouzawak, founder of Souk El Tayeb.
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Rima Massoud; Sonia Tikidjian from Souk El Tayeb’s farmers’ market; Tawlet Paris; Tawlet Mar Mikhael; Matbakh El Kell, Souk El Tayeb’s bustling community kitchen.
Kamal’s favourite dish is tabbouleh, which as his journalist friend describes, is a combination of many competing elements that cannot exist without each other – just like Lebanon.
food-insecure households with the help of local non-profits. The donated meals are prepared by the kitchen’s staff with the support of Tawlet’s cooks, volunteers and cash-for-work hires (an initiative that provides temporary employment to people from disadvantaged communities).
“If we were builders, we would’ve helped people build their homes back,” says Kamal. “But, we’re cooks. So we started cooking for those in need. We don’t need to look for sophisticated ways to make the world a better place.”
Their do-good ventures sweetened Lebanon, and now France. Could the UAE be the next stop for Kamal and the Souk el Tayeb family?
“Our food pop-ups in the UAE have always been met by a warm welcome. I’m very thankful for that,” he gushes. “I would dream of establishing something [in the UAE] like a farmer’s market for local producers or something around food processing and cooking.”
Restaurateur, entrepreneur, activist, agent of change – whichever way you refer to Kamal, one thing is certain: his advocacy for the underrepresented and efforts to share the legacy of those who are the driving force behind Lebanon’s culinary wealth are proof that food can nourish more than just our guts.
SAVOURING SYRIA
Written by Karen D’Souza
Food
has a magical way of comforting and fostering a sense of community. Omayah Atassi began recreating family recipes as a way to feel closer to her roots and share the beautiful flavours of Syrian cuisine with foodies in the UAE. We sat down with her one afternoon to find out more about her journey
THIS
OPPOSITE PAGE: Omayah decided to create a vegan version of khisk al fuqara, a popular Middle Eastern dessert, to make it more accessible to people with food intolerances.
Arelative newcomer to Dubai’s food scene, Omayah Atassi arrived in the city three-and-a half years ago from Chicago, USA, where she grew up. In that time, she’s already carved a niche for herself as a food writer, recipe developer, food stylist and photographer, and supper club host.
“I’ve always had a passion for cooking. I loved to cook and taught myself, especially after I moved out of my parents’ house to attend university in New York. I kept broadening my knowledge base by reading and experimenting,” says Omayah.
However, it wasn’t until she shifted base to the UAE that she began focusing on the food she grew up eating. Omayah is quick to point out that this was largely due to the fact that she’d taken it for granted. Up until that point, her mother’s kitchen had always been accessible and she’d also spent several summers during her childhood with extended family in Syria, enjoying the dishes prepared by her grandmothers, aunts and uncles.
“My maternal grandmother would usually make mahshi ara (stuffed long green pumpkin) for our first big meal there. She’d stuff the pumpkin with a mixture of rice, meat and spices and cook it in tomato sauce. It was absolutely delicious,” recalls Omayah. “After I moved to Dubai I really wanted to replicate my family’s traditional recipes, so I merged my interest in food photography with cooking, which gave birth to my blog Omayah Cooks.
Her natural talent soon caught the eye of local foodies, who began asking her to cook for them.
“Stuff like that seems to happen in Dubai,” says Omayah with a chuckle. “A friend of mine who hosts his own supper club really encouraged me to dive right in, so I did. I got a lot of positive feedback and it was a great platform for me to share my family’s stories and heritage with diners, many of whom had not been exposed to traditional Syrian cooking.”
One of her most popular dishes were bite-sized doughnuts filled with Middle Eastern flavours, which she also sold for a brief period during the early days of the pandemic.
PAGE, FROM TOP: Omayah Atassi; Aleppo pepper roasted carrots with labneh.
Aleppo pepper roasted carrots with labneh
Almond milk pudding with crushed almonds, orange blossom and mastic (vegan kishk al fuqara)
Since then, Omayah’s focus has shifted to private dinners, which she feels allows for more creative freedom as she combines her clients’ inputs with her own ideas to craft fresh menus featuring authentic Syrian dishes as well those with contemporary twists.
When asked where she sources ingredients from, she says, “Bait al Moona al Halabi and Al Douri Mart in Sharjah are always reliable, but I also use an app called Moontna, through which I order fresh produce such as aubergines from the cities of Homs and Hama in Syria, as well as Aleppo peppers.”
Omayah tells us that several cities in Syria are associated with specific dishes and ingredients. Homs, which is where her family is from, is famous for fatteh, which gets its name from day-old Arabic bread that gets made into croutons. Damascus is especially known for the use of fresh coriander. Aleppo, besides its namesake pepper, is also known for mahshi (stuffed vegetables) and kibbeh, which are either baked, cooked in stews or fried.
And Aleppo peppers are the key ingredient in one of the three recipes Omayah has shared with us. Her roasted carrots with Aleppo pepper paste and labneh was inspired by a recipe from awardwinning food website Serious Eats. She’s also taken the popular Middle Eastern dessert khisk al fuqara and given it a vegan twist by making it with almond milk and coconut cream, “which gives it a luscious creaminess,” adds Omayah. @omayah.atassi
ALEPPO PEPPER ROASTED CARROTS WITH LABNEH
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4-6
For the carrots
1kg carrots
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Mediterranean Extra
Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Aleppo pepper paste
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
To serve
300-350g labneh
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2 Rinse the carrots and quarter them then chop into 7cm long pieces. 3 Set a large pot of water to boil and add the salt. 4 Add the carrots and boil for approx. 5 minutes. 5 In a large bowl, combine the oil, pepper paste and cumin. Transfer half the spice mixture to another bowl. Toss the carrots in the remaining mixture until fully coated. 6 Place the carrots on the lined baking sheet, spreading them out evenly. Roast for approx. 40 minutes, tossing once or twice
in between. 7 Meanwhile, chop the fresh coriander. 8 Once the carrots are tender, toss with the coriander. 9 Spread the labneh in a serving platter and top with the carrots. 10 Drizzle with the remaining spice mixture and sprinkle with some salt, if desired. 11 Serve warm or at room temperature.
ALMOND MILK PUDDING WITH CRUSHED ALMONDS, ORANGE BLOSSOM AND MASTIC (VEGAN KISHK AL FUQARA)
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus chilling time)
Cook time: 00 minutes
Serves: 4
70g skinless blanched almonds
500ml almond milk
4 tbsp corn starch
1 x 470ml tin coconut cream
150g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
¼ tsp mastic, smashed
1 tbsp orange blossom water
TOP TIP!
To make the macerated strawberries, combine 200g sliced strawberries with 4 tbsp caster sugar in a bowl. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.
To serve Macerated strawberries (see TOP TIP) Crushed pistachios
1 Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely ground, but not powdered. 2 Add 4 tbsp of the almond milk along with the corn starch to a small bowl and stir until combined. 3 Shake the tin of coconut cream then add the contents to a medium-sized pot. Stir in the rest of the almond milk and corn starch-almond milk mixture. 4 Place the pot over a medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for 1 minute before adding the sugar and stirring for a further1-2 minutes.
5 Remove from the heat. 6 Add in the mastic and orange blossom water and stir to combine.
7 Immediately ladle into 4 bowls and place in the fridge to cool for at least 4 hours, or overnight. 8 Serve topped with the macerated strawberries and crushed pistachios.
Scan for the recipe
Omayah’s recipe for hearty, slow-cooked pomegranate braised lamb shanks is exactly what you need when you want to serve a centrepiece with big, bold flavours.
Our Middle East
An array of recipes inspired by savoury and sweet dishes (and drinks) from The Gulf and Levant regions
smell the gahwa Wake up and
Emirati pancakes, halwa topped semolina, tuna and and tomato fatteh and a spicy egg and za’atar salad – these modern Middle Eastern breakfasts are a great way to start the day!
Chebab with cardamom-coconut chocolate spread
Rose water semolina pudding with Omani halwa
Smoked tuna and tomato fatteh
CHEBAB WITH CARDAMOMCOCONUT CHOCOLATE SPREAD
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
For the spread
240g hazelnuts
45g cocoa powder
80ml SpinneysFOOD Organic Maple Syrup
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp ground cardamom
100ml coconut milk
For the chebab
500g cake flour
25g soft brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds
Pinch of saffron
100g milk powder
250ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
To serve
100g blackberries
100g fresh figs
250ml SpinneysFOOD Maple Syrup
100g Boursin cheese, at room temperature
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
2 Chop the hazelnuts and place them on a baking tray. Roast for approx. 5-10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove them from the oven and place the warm hazelnuts in a blender and blitz until they form nut butter. 3 Add the remaining ingredients for the spread to the blender and blitz until smooth and combined. Pour into a sterilised, resealable jar and set aside to cool. 4 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine all the chebab ingredients and beat until smooth, approx. 15 minutes. The mixture should have a pouring consistency. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. 5 Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Grease the pan with cooking spray and place 3 tbsp of the mixture in the pan to form a round pancake. Cook on either side for approx. 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove from the heat and repeat this process until all the batter is finished.
6 Serve the chebab with the chocolate spread, blackberries, sliced figs and maple syrup.
ROSE WATER SEMOLINA
PUDDING WITH OMANI HALWA
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
For the Omani halwa
120g salted butter
1 x 320g tin coconut condensed milk
2 tsp ground cardamom
25g toasted pumpkin seeds
For the semolina pudding
1 orange
375ml coconut milk
750ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
4 tbsp soft brown sugar
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
150g fine semolina
1 tbsp ghee
2 tsp rose water
To serve
280g coconut yoghurt
250g red currants
50g slivered pistachios
1 Grease and line a 20cm-square baking tin with baking paper. 2 To make the halwa, combine the butter, condensed milk and cardamom in a medium pot and place over a medium-low heat. Stir the mixture continuously to ensure it doesn’t stick to the base of the pot. The mixture will start to brown and pull away from the sides. 3 Pour the mixture into the greased tin and evenly spread out the mixture. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds over the top and gently press them into the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 4 Cut the halwa into small, bite-size squares and set aside. 5 Zest the orange. 6 To make the pudding, combine the coconut milk, water, brown sugar, spices and orange zest in a medium pot over a medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer. While whisking, slowly add the semolina into the milk mixture. Continue whisking over a low heat until smooth and thickened, approx. 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the ghee and rose water. 7 Divide the semolina pudding between 4 serving bowls, top with yoghurt, red currants, pistachios and halwa.
SMOKED TUNA AND TOMATO FATTEH
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
3 Lebanese flatbreads
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the za’atar yoghurt
280g double-cream yoghurt
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Zaatar
1 garlic clove
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ lemon
For the sumac-pomegranate dressing
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp sumac
1 tbsp raspberry vinegar
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
To serve
250g Pure Harvest Yoom Tomatoes
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
200g SpinneysFOOD Smoked Tuna
Fresh za’atar leaves
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2 Roughly tear or cut up the Lebanese bread and spread evenly in a baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Place in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. 3 Combine the za’atar yoghurt ingredients and adjust the seasoning to taste. 4 Combine all the sumac-pomegranate dressing ingredients and adjust the seasoning to taste. 5 Halve and quarter the yoom tomatoes. Roughly chop the mint and parsley.
6 To serve, place the crisp flatbread on a serving platter, spoon over the za’atar yoghurt in a layer, top with the smoked tuna, yoom tomatoes, herbs and fresh za’atar.
SPICY EGG SALAD
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
8 large eggs
4 spring onions
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
Handful of fresh za’atar
½ lemon
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the eggs and cook for 6-8 minutes, or to your preferred doneness. 2 Drain and place in iced water until cool. 3 Remove the shells and coarsely grate each egg. 4 Place the grated egg in a large mixing bowl.
5 Finely chop the spring onions, mint leaves, fresh za’atar and juice the lemon. Toss the grated egg with the spring onions, herbs and lemon juice. 6 Season well with salt, chilli flakes and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss and serve immediately.
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
Spicy egg salad
PLEASERS PALATE
Tangy pomegranate molasses, lemony-like sumac and astringent vinegars often feature as key ingredients in dishes across the Middle East.
Experiment with these pantry staples to make pickles, sweet-and-sour stuffed onions, baked aubergines and zesty roasted carrots
Lebanese pickled cauliflower
B’zar roasted carrots with preserved lemon paste
This dish is even more delicious when served the next day. Just pop it back into the oven at 180°C, gas mark 4, for another 10-15 minutes then serve immediately.
Sweet-and-sour stuffed onions
LEBANESE PICKLED CAULIFLOWER
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes: 1½L jar
500g cauliflower
1 garlic clove
1 small beetroot
400ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
350ml beetroot juice
125ml white vinegar
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 Slice the cauliflower into 5mm thick slices, including the stem. Peel and halve the garlic. Peel and thinly slice the beetroot. 2 Combine the cauliflower, garlic and beetroot in a large bowl.
3 Combine the water, juice, vinegar and salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Stir until the salt has dissolved, approx. 10 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the raw ingredients and set aside to cool to room temperature. 4 Divide the cauliflower mixture between sterilised jars and store at room temperature for approx. 4-5 days before eating. 5 Keep refrigerated for up to one month.
B’ZAR ROASTED CARROTS WITH PRESERVED LEMON PASTE
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
For the preserved lemon paste
150g preserved lemon
80ml fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the honey-roasted carrots
600g small carrots
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
3 tbsp salted butter
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt
200g red currants
To serve
Lemon slices
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
1 Place all the ingredients for the paste in a food processor and blitz until smooth and
combined. 2 Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6. 3 Rinse the carrots and place in a roasting dish. Drizzle with the honey and add in the butter. Season with the salt.
4 Place the dish in the oven and roast for approx. 20 minutes. 5 Remove the carrots from the oven and add in the currants. Baste with the honey-butter sauce. Place back in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes or until tender.
6 Serve with the preserved lemon paste, lemon slices and roughly torn herbs.
SWEET-AND-SOUR STUFFED ONIONS
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
4 red onions
For the filling
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
400g chicken mince
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
¼ tsp seven spice mix
1 tsp smoked paprika
VEGAN
VEGGIE
Sweet-and-sour
sumac baked aubergines
100g SpinneysFOOD Long-Grain Basmati Rice
50g pine nuts
2 tsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 lemon
For the sauce
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
1 x 400g SpinneysFOOD Organic Chopped
Italian Tomatoes
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
1 tbsp tomato paste
300ml chicken stock
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To serve
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
100g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Pomegranate Jewels
150g full-cream yoghurt
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 2 Peel the onions and trim off the roots. Using a sharp knife, make an incision a quarter of the way through the centre of each onion. Place the onions in the boiling water, lower the heat and leave to simmer for approx. 10-15 minutes. 3 Drain under cold water until easy to handle. Gently remove each layer of the onion. Chop and set aside any layers that are too small to be filled. 4 Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and chicken mince. Season with the salt and spices. Break up the chicken into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Allow it to lightly brown and the liquid to evaporate. Add the rice and pine nuts, allowing the pine nuts to lightly brown. Stir through the pomegranate molasses and tomato paste, zest in the lemon and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove from heat.
5 Before stuffing the onions, spread a light layer of olive oil on the bottom of a large oven-proof baking dish. 6 Spoon 1 tbsp of the filling into the centre of an onion layer. Roll the side of the layer that naturally falls higher than the other over the
filling, then fold the other side over, forming an oval shape with pointed ends. Repeat the same with the remaining onion layers and place them neatly in the prepared dish, seam-side down.
7 To make the sauce, peel and finely grate the garlic. Zest and juice the lemon. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and adjust the seasoning to taste. 8 Spoon the sauce over and between the stuffed onions and drizzle with the olive oil. 9 Cover with a tight-fitting lid or aluminium foil and place the dish in the oven for approx. 40 minutes. Remove the lid or foil and bake for a further 20-30 minutes or until slightly charred and the onions are soft and caramelised. The sauce should be reduced to a sticky texture and a deep red colour. 10 Finely chop the parsley and spinkle it over the onions along with the pomegranate seeds. Add a dollop of yoghurt and serve immediately.
SWEET-AND-SOUR SUMAC BAKED AUBERGINES
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
For the dressing
70g raisins
125ml apple juice
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli
For the baked aubergines
4 large aubergines
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp sumac
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
150ml white grape vinegar
75g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
To serve
150g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Pomegranate Jewels
25g toasted pine nuts
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2 Combine the raisins, apple juice and chilli flakes in a small pot. Place the pot over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool. 3 To hasselback the aubergines, slice them widthways at 1cm intervals, three-quarters of the way through, so the slices are still attached at the bottom.
4 Place the aubergines on a large baking tray and generously drizzle with the olive oil.
5 Combine the sumac and salt and sprinkle the mixture between each slice. 6 Place in the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes or until tender and cooked through. 7 Meanwhile, combine the vinegar and sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Once the aubergines have cooked through, drizzle the sweet vinegar over the hot aubergines. Set aside for 5 minutes.
8 Arrange the aubergines on a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing. Top with the pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and mint leaves.
VEGAN
SPAGHETTI IN A RICH ROASTED TOMATO & PEPPER SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
5 large tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 onions
250g mixed cherry tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp curry powder
20 g fresh basil
250g grilled peppers (from a jar)
400g vegan & gluten-free spaghetti
250ml Alpro Cooking Soya OR
250g Alpro plant based alternative to yoghurt plain No Sugars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 mins
Serves: 4-5 persons
VIBRANT AND CREAMY WITH A HINT OF SPICE, MADE WITH ALPRO COOKING SOYA OR PBAY PLAIN NO SUGARS
PREPARATION
1 Start by preheating your oven to 160°C, line a baking tray with parchment paper and bring a large pot of salted water to boil. 2 Cut the large tomatoes and one of the cloves of garlic in two, and coarsely chop one of the onions. Pile them into your lined tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes. 3 Finely dice the rest of the onion and garlic, warm olive oil in a large skillet and sauté them over a medium heat until soft. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Season the onions and garlic with salt, pepper, chili powder and curry powder, then toss in the cherry tomatoes, turn down the heat and sauté for 5 more minutes. 4 Meanwhile, put the roasted tomatoes, half the fresh basil and the grilled peppers in a blender and whizz until you have a smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 5 Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the pack. 6 Grab your skillet of veggies, and stir in the pepper sauce and the Alpro Cooking Soy OR Alpro plant based alternative for yoghurt plain No Sugars. Let it all simmer for six more minutes. 7 Finally, drain the cooked pasta, add to the skillet and stir to coat every strand with the sauce. Scatter with the rest of the chopped basil and serve straight away.
hummus More than
Is there any ingredient more versatile than chickpeas? We think not —here’s how to use them to make brittle, shortbread and churros!
Salted caramelised white chocolate and chickpea brittle
SALTED CARAMELISED WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CHICKPEA BRITTLE
2 Finely chop the chocolate and scatter onto a baking tray. Drizzle over 1 tbsp of the oil. Place in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or until it’s a deepcaramel colour. Don’t worry if it starts to look grainy and lumpy; keep spreading it out and it will come together at the end. If the chocolate
is still lumpy at the end of roasting, place it in a blender or add another tablespoon of oil to bring it back together. Set aside. 3 Increase the oven temperature to 200°C, gas mark 6. 4 Drain the water from the tin of chickpeas then rinse with water. Remove the skins from the chickpeas and toss in the remaining oil. Place in the oven and roast for 40 minutes or until crispy. 5 Allow to cool then stir through the melted chocolate. Spread onto a piece of baking paper, sprinkle with the salt fl akes and allow to set. 6 Break into shards to serve.
CHICKPEA SHORTBREAD
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Makes: 12 pieces
100g chickpea flour
250g salted butter
½ tsp vanilla extract
55g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
55g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
50g corn flour
250g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm round fluted tart tin. 2 Toast the chickpea flour in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat, stirring slowly and constantly, until it is light brown and has a nutty aroma, approx. 6-8 minutes. Immediately spread the flour on a plate to cool. 3 Melt the butter and allow to cool. Beat the cooled butter, vanilla, sugars, corn flour and chickpea flour in a bowl with an electric mixer until thick. Stir in the all-purpose flour.
4 Press the mixture into the tin and prick lightly with a fork. 5 Bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm and golden brown. 6 Sprinkle with the extra caster sugar while still hot and cut into wedges to serve.
SMOKY PAPRIKA CHICKPEA CHURROS WITH VEGAN MAYO
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
For the churros
120g SpinneysFOOD Self-Raising Flour
240g SpinneysFOOD Hummus
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
½ tsp smoky paprika
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep-frying
For the mayo
4 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a tin of cooked chickpeas)
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1-3 tsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Maple Syrup
250ml SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
1 To make the churros, mix the flour, hummus, water, paprika and salt together in a bowl. Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. 2 Heat the oil in a small pot placed over a medium heat until 180°C. 3 Squeeze 10cm long strips of the batter into the oil in then snip the batter using a pair of scissors. Fry until golden and crunchy (approx. 3-4 minutes). 4 To make the mayo, place the aquafaba in a tall jar along with the mustard, salt, vinegar and maple syrup. Using a stick blender, blitz on a high speed. Gradually add the oil in a thin stream while blending. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. This mayo can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. 5 Serve the hot churros with the mayo.
VEGGIE
VEGAN
Chickpea shortbread
VEGGIE
TOP TIP!
Aquafaba is an incredible ingredient that whips into a light and fluffy meringue substitute. It can be used to replace whipped egg whites in any recipe, including mayo.
Smoky paprika chickpea churros with vegan mayo
Falafe l fun
Freekeh falafel with sumac onions and shrak bread
There’s more than just one type of falafel – try these recipes from the Levant and North Africa
FREEKEH FALAFEL WITH SUMAC ONIONS AND SHRAK BREAD
Freekeh has been cultivated in the Middle East for more than four millennia. Palestinians use it to thicken soups prepared during Ramadan and as stuffing for chicken, but here we’ve used it to put a spin on traditional Palestinian falafel, which is usually made only with chickpeas.
Prep time: 1 hour (plus overnight soaking time)
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
For the freekeh falafel
50g freekeh
500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Cumin Seeds
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Coriander Seeds
150g tinned SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 spring onions
2 garlic cloves
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander leaves
and stems
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp baking powder
For the sumac onions
2 red onions
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp sumac
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
½ tsp seven spice mix
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
For the shrak bread
Falafel can be frozen and used later. Once they’ve been shaped pop a batch into the freezer. When required place frozen falafel directly into hot oil and fry.
5 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the tahini yoghurt
250g yoghurt
3 tbsp tahini
½ lemon
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep-frying
To serve
150g SpinneysFOOD Organic Baby Spinach
50g SpinneysFOOD Microgreens
1 Place the freekeh in a large bowl and cover with the water. Set aside overnight or for up to 24 hours. 2 For the sumac onions, finely slice the onions in rounds. 3 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add in the onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until softened. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat. Lower the heat and cook the onions until soft. Remove from the heat and cool. 4 To make the bread, combine the yeast, sugar and 120ml of the lukewarm water in a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside in a warm area for 15 minutes or until foamy. 5 Place all the remaining ingredients (except for the water) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add in the yeast mixture and knead at a medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the remaining water until the dough forms a smooth ball. You may not need all the water. Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is completely smooth and soft. 6 Cover the bowl with a cloth and place in a warm area to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 7 Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, roll them out and place them on a floured work surface. Cover and allow them to rise for a further 45 minutes. 8 Preheat a wok or large cast-iron frying pan placed upside down over a medium-high heat. 9 On a floured work surface, roll out a ball of dough to 5mm thickness. Place on the hot wok or pan, making sure to stretch the edges out over the surface of the pan. Cook for approx. 2-3 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, roll out another ball of dough and keep it ready. Repeat the process with all the remaining balls of dough. Once the shrak are ready, place them on top of each other and immediately cover them with a cloth so they don’t dry out. 10 Combine all the tahiniyoghurt ingredients and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. 11 Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small pan over a medium heat for approx. 1 minute or until fragrant. Then grind the seeds in a pestle and mortar. 12 To make the falafel, drain the freekeh. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in a food processor along with the spices. Roughly chop the spring onions, peel and roughly chop the garlic and herbs. Add the onions, garlic, herbs, salt and baking powder to the food processor and blitz until smooth and combined. 13 Roll the mixture into 20 small balls, each approx. 5cm wide. 14 Heat a pot of oil to 180°C. Fry the falafel in batches for approx. 5-10 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. 15 To serve, spread a tablespoon of the tahini yoghurt on the shrak bread, top with falafel, sumac onions, spinach and microgreens.
VEGGIE
CAULIFLOWER FALAFEL WITH BEETROOT HUMMUS
Flavoured with Hawaij spice, which originated in Yemen, this falafel is made without chickpeas for a lighter, fluffier texture.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
For the beetroot hummus
1 x 425g tin SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas
300g cooked beetroot
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the cauliflower falafel
130g cauliflower
1 small red onion
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
55g almond flour
1 large egg
1 tbsp corn flour
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Chilli
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To serve
Handful of mixed SpinneysFOOD Herbs (dill, mint, parsley and coriander)
1 To make the beetroot hummus, drain and rinse the chickpeas and roughly chop the beetroot. Place both ingredients in a food processor along with the rest of the hummus ingredients. Blitz until smooth. 2 To make the falafel, place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Remove from the blender and set aside. In the same processor, place the rest of the ingredients and blitz until the herbs are finely chopped. Add in the cauliflower and pulse until combined. 3 Preheat a pot of oil to 180°C. 4 Using a teaspoon, shape the mixture into ovals and drop in the oil in batches of 2-3 and fry for approx. 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat this process with the remaining falafel mixture. 5 Serve the falafel sprinkled with the roughly torn herbs.
Substitute the cauliflower with broccoli, beetroot or even sweet potato for a pop of colour.
Cauliflower falafel with beetroot hummus
VEGGIE
TOP TIP!
If you can’t find fava beans, edamame beans make an equally delicious substitute.
Falafel with marinated cucumber and dukkah
TOP TIP!
If the falafel mixture falls apart while frying, add 1-2 tablespoon of chickpea flour to the mixture and blend.
Baba ganoush falafel with toum yoghurt
FALAFEL WITH MARINATED CUCUMBER AND DUKKAH
Egyptian falafel is made only with fava beans, which gives these falafel a beautiful green colour.
Prep time: 40 minutes (plus marination time)
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
For the marinated cucumbers
2 SpinneysFOOD Organic Cucumbers
1 garlic clove
80ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fennel Seeds
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
For the falafel
400g fava beans
200g leeks
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2L SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for frying
To serve
1 tbsp dukkah
1 To make the marinated cucumbers, finely slice the cucumber into rounds and place in a large bowl. Peel and finely grate the garlic into another bowl. Add in the olive oil, lemon juice, fennel seeds, chilli flakes and sea salt and mix to combine. Pour the marinade over the cucumbers and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2 Preheat a pot of oil or deep fryer to 160°C.
3 Combine all the falafel ingredients in a food processor and blitz until light and creamy.
4 Wet the palm of your hand and place 2-3 tbsp of the mixture in your hand and lightly flatten it to a thick, rounded disc. 5 Fry the falafel in batches, flipping them every 2-3 minutes or until golden and crisp on both sides. Remove from the oil and drain, before placing it on a tray lined with paper towels to dry. 6 Serve the falafel with the marinated cucumbers and dukkah.
BABA GANOUSH FALAFEL WITH TOUM YOGHURT
Traditionally, Lebanese falafel is made only with chickpeas or a combination of chickpeas and fava beans. Our take on it includes a popular Middle Eastern aubergine dip, baba ganoush. This gives the traditional falafel a deep savoury richness topped with another twist on a popular favourite, toum yoghurt.
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4-6
For the toum yoghurt
20g garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
50ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
150g full-cream yoghurt
For the baba ganoush
1 large (450g) aubergine
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Olive Oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 lemon
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
For the falafel
180g SpinneysFOOD Organic Chick Peas
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 garlic cloves
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
4 tbsp chickpea flour
½ tsp baking powder
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for deep-frying
To serve
200g SpinneysFOOD Cherry Tomatoes
1 SpinneysFOOD Organic Cucumber
1 small brown onion
50g pine nuts
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
1 To make the toum yoghurt, place the garlic and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blitz to form a paste. Slowly pour the olive oil into the garlic mixture with the blender running on high. Add in the yoghurt and blend until smooth. Season and refrigerate until needed. 2 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 3 Place the aubergine in a roasting dish and, using a fork, pierce it a few times. Place the dish in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the aubergine is blistered and super soft inside. Allow to cool before peeling off the skin. 4 Once cold, add the flesh to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients for the baba ganoush and blitz until smooth. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. 5 Preheat the oil to 180°C. 6 Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a food processor along with the rest of the falafel ingredients as well as the baba ganoush. Blitz until smooth. 7 Using a tablespoon, mould the mixture into even-sized balls. 8 Drop the falafel in the hot oil and fry for approx. 5-10 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain the falafel on paper towels. 9 Halve the cherry tomatoes, roughly chop the cucumber, peel and finely slice the onion and toast the pine nuts. 10 Serve the falafel with the toum yoghurt, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, pine nuts and coriander.
THAT FALAFEL FEELING
Perched at No. 38 on the MENA’s 50 Best list, Zooba in Cairo is famous for its tameya, the Egyptian falafel that’s usually made with fava beans. Founded by restaurateur Chris Khalifa and chef Moustafa El Refaey, Zooba is well known for its Egyptian street food, with its falafel considered among the best in the world. It even won the title of best falafel at the London Falafel Festival in 2016. We spoke to Moustafa, who attended culinary school in the US, before returning to his roots in Egypt. He says, “What makes the perfect falafel is figuring out the equation: the right ingredients, the right mixing process, the type of frying oil used and the oil temperature.” His tameya is simple, with fava beans, onions, fresh coriander and parsley coming together to create heaven on a plate. Zooba came to life in Cairo in 2012 and has expanded across Egypt, along with the US and most recently in Saudi Arabia. Moustafa says he did a lot of research to make sure his recipe for falafel was perfect.
He reveals, “When I started my culinary journey to create the ultimate falafel recipe, I travelled to every part of Egypt and tasted different versions of falafel – which was really interesting. Then I tried falafel from different regions in the Middle East. This research is what makes Zooba’s falafel taste great.” Anyone from this region knows that the subject of “who invented the falafel?” is a touchy one; many Middle Eastern and North African countries like to claim it as their own.
As Farida Ahmed from Frying Pan Adventures (pages 106-107) said to us, “When you meet anyone from this region who asks where you think falafel was invented, look them straight in the eye and say, ‘Your country’.” Moustafa is graciously diplomatic: “I love any falafel and I enjoy it from any country with any recipe. There’s no reason to fight about who invented the magical crunch from heaven because they are a genius. Just wrap it or stuff it and enjoy it!”
VEGGIE
VEGAN
This assortment of fl avourful nibbles is ideal for entertaining or weekend-dining with the family if you’re looking for something special
Moreish
Bulgur, potato and kamouneh kibbeh
Buckwheat and roasted butternut tabbouleh
Spicy Aleppo chilli chicken wings
zze
Smoking cinnamon lamb kebabs
Spicy Aleppo chilli chicken wings
Olive and za’atar ma’amoul
SPICY ALEPPO CHILLI CHICKEN WINGS
Named after the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, this spice is now largely sourced from Turkey and elsewhere, due to the challenges of growing and exporting from Syria at present. It comes from a burgundy chilli also known as the Halaby pepper. Once ripened, the chillies are semi-dried, de-seeded and coarsely ground. Aleppo chilli is a common Middle Eastern condiment, traditionally used to season meat, beans, salads and muhammara dip, but it can be used like any other dried chilli.
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Dried Thyme
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
To serve
1 tsp Aleppo chilli flakes
1 Finely chop the onion and place in a large bowl along with the vinegar and salt. Stir to dissolve the salt. 2 Add the chicken wings and coat well. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, turning the wings occasionally. 3 To make the basting sauce, mix the olive oil with the chilli, cumin, dried thyme and salt in a large bowl.
4 Remove the wings from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels and add to the basting sauce. Stir to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 5 Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7. Line a roasting tray with baking paper or foil. Oil a large wire cooling rack and place it on the baking sheet. 6 Remove the wings from the basting sauce and lay them skin-side up on the rack and roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. 7 Serve the chilli wings with the Aleppo chilli flakes on the side.
OLIVE AND ZA’ATAR MA’AMOUL
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 12
100g cold salted butter
100g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Zaatar
The combination of Parmesan, za’atar and smoked paprika in our ma’amoul recipe turns these ever popular sweet treats into umami flavour bombs. Make a big batch and freeze a few to ensure you always have enough to bake when needed.
50g Parmesan or vegetarian Italian hard cheese
1 large egg
50g olive tapenade
Corn flour, for dusting
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2 Cube the chilled butter and place in a food processor along with the flour, paprika and za’atar. Grate in the Parmesan. Pulse until the mixture starts to form coarse breadcrumbs.
3 Whisk the egg. 4 While the processor is running, slowly pour in the egg until the mixture pulls together into a firm dough. You won’t need all the egg so work slowly. 5 Divide the dough into 25g pieces and roll into balls.
6 Press the balls out in the palm of your hand to form a shallow bowl. Fill with ¼ tsp of the olive tapenade. Press the edges to seal and roll into a ball again. 7 Dust ma’amoul moulds with corn flour then firmly press the dough into the moulds. Alternatively, flatten the balls slightly and make a few marks with a fork in a decorative way.
8 Arrange, spaced slightly apart, on 2 lined baking trays. 9 Bake for approx.10-12 minutes or until golden brown. 10 Cool on the tray before serving. These biscuits keep for 5 days in an airtight container and freeze well.
SMOKING CINNAMON LAMB KEBABS
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
For the lamb kebabs
1 red onion
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
35g pine nuts
500g SpinneysFOOD Free Range Lamb Mince
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
8 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Sticks
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for brushing
To serve
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
1 Peel and finely chop the red onion. Finely chop the herbs. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan.
2 Place the lamb mince in a large bowl along with the red onion, herbs, pine nuts and salt.
3 Place the pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg in a spice grinder and blitz until fine. Add the spice mix to the meat. 4 Using clean hands, knead the meat mixture until well combined. Mould approx. 60g of meat around each cinnamon stick. 5 Place a griddle pan over a high heat.
6 Brush the kebabs with the oil and grill for approx. 2-3 minutes per side or until char lines form. 7 Roughly chop the parsley and sprinkle over the kebabs. 8 Serve immediately.
BUCKWHEAT AND ROASTED BUTTERNUT TABBOULEH
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
100g buckwheat
1 (900g) whole butternut
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp harissa paste
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil
3 spring onions
1 lemon
100g flaked almonds
175g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Pomegranate Jewels
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Soak the buckwheat in a bowl of water overnight. 2 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 3 Cut the butternut in half and slice each half in 2cm-thick half rounds. 4 Toss the butternut slices, harissa and 1 tbsp of pomegranate molasses in a bowl and season with half the salt. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender and
VEGAN
VEGGIE
Buckwheat and roasted butternut tabbouleh
Potato kibbeh, also known as kibbet batata, is the veggie- and vegan-friendly alternative to beef or lamb kibbeh. Studded with fresh, fragrant flavours, skipping the meat couldn’t be easier with this dish.
Create a spread with the snacks, dips and small bites available in stores.
caramelised. 5 Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil over a high heat. 6 Drain the buckwheat and add to the boiling water along with the rest of the salt. Cook for approx. 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and refresh under cold running water. 7 Roughly chop the herbs. Finely slice the spring onions. Juice the lemon. 8 Transfer the buckwheat to a large bowl along with the almonds, pomegranate seeds, herbs, spring onions, olive oil, lemon juice and the rest of the pomegranate molasses. Season and toss to combine. 9 Place on a serving platter and top with the roasted butternut and serve.
BULGUR, POTATO AND KAMOUNEH KIBBEH
Kamouneh (meaning ‘made with cumin’) is a dried herb and spice mixture that originated in southern Lebanon. It can also be prepared with fresh herbs such as marjoram, basil, mint and parsley. The mixture also includes dried rosebuds, spices, bulgur wheat and onions. Kamouneh can be used as a spread over minced meat, or it can be mixed with the meat.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
For the kamouneh mix
50g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
30g fresh marjoram or oregano
Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil
Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
½ lemon
½ orange
2 dried rosebuds
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
For the kibbeh
600g (5) potatoes
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 leeks
2-3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
4 tbsp kamouneh mix
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp lemon juice
Large pinch of sumac
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
150g fine bulgur wheat
For the topping
50g walnuts
1 plum tomato
1 red capsicum
Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
Small handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Basil
1 spring onion
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
To serve
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 To make the kamouneh mix, finely chop the herbs, zest the lemon and orange and pick the petals off the rosebuds. Place the ground cumin, herbs and rosebuds into a food processor and blitz until very fine. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the lemon and orange zests and season with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed. 2 To make the kibbeh, using a knife, score the potatoes around the middle (this will help you peel them). Place them in a pot of cold water with the salt and bring to a boil, cooking until tender, approx. 20 minutes. 3 Finely chop the leeks then sauté in olive oil along with the paprika, cayenne pepper and black pepper for approx. 5-10 minutes or until tender. 4 Peel and mash the potatoes in a medium bowl and combine with the kamouneh mix, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sumac and salt. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. 5 Soak the bulgur wheat in a bowl for approx. 5 minutes then drain in a fine sieve before adding to the potato mixture. 6 To prepare the topping, roughly chop the walnuts, finely chop the tomato, capsicum, mint, basil and spring onion. Mix together and season to taste. 7 Transfer the kibbeh to a shallow bowl or small plate and make indents with a knife or spoon. Top with the salad. 8 Serve drizzled with the olive oil.
SpinneysFOOD Moroccan Hummus
Eazy Freezy Mini Meat Kibbeh
Zahra’s Kitchen Za’atar Cheese Rolls
Naksha Milk Chocolate Blondies with Lebanese Tahini
Arlene Falafel
VEGAN
FROM SEA THE
From plump Omani prawns covered in a tangy tamarind sauce to delicious Iraqi grilled masgouf and much more – these fish and seafood dishes are inspired by an array of traditional, regional dishes
Omani prawn brochettes with tamarind
OMANI PRAWN BROCHETTES WITH TAMARIND
For best results, marinate the prawns overnight.
Prep time: 15 minutes (plus marination time)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
For the marinade
1 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
2 garlic cloves
2½cm piece fresh ginger
200g tomato purée
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Black Pepper
500g fresh Omani prawns
To serve
1 lemon
1 Dissolve the tamarind in the water. 2 Crush the garlic and finely grate the ginger. 3 Combine the tamarind water, garlic, ginger and tomato purée with the oil and season well with the salt and pepper. 4 Set aside 4 tbsp of the marinade then toss the prawns through the rest of the marinade.
5 Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6 Prepare a barbecue or preheat a griddle pan to high. 7 Thread the prawns onto skewers and place on the grill or in the pan until charred and cooked through, for approx. 3-5 minutes per side. 8 Serve hot with the remaining marinade and lemon wedges.
SPICY GRILLED FISH IN GREEN TAHINI SAUCE
To increase the heat of this dish, add a chopped green chilli to the green tahini sauce before blending.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
For the garlic-coriander butter
3 garlic cloves
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli
100g salted butter
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
For the fish
4 x whole Sultan Ibrahim
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
For the green tahini sauce
140g tahini
2 tbsp white vinegar
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 leek
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Coriander Seeds
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
To serve
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Microgreens
50g toasted pine nuts
4 Lebanese breads
1 To make the garlic-coriander butter, place the garlic cloves, half the coriander and half of chilli flakes in a food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides occasionally, until finely chopped. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms a paste. Season well.
2 Preheat oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 3 Place the fish in a large deep-sided baking tray or ovenproof dish. Dot the garlic-coriander butter mixture all over the fish and season. Pour over the water, cover with a sheet of aluminium foil and bake for approx. 20-25 minutes until the fish is just cooked through. 4 Meanwhile, prepare the tahini sauce. Place the tahini, vinegar, olive oil, leek, coriander seeds, fresh coriander, parsley and water in a blender. Season and blitz until combined and the mixture has a sauce-like consistency. (If your sauce is too thick, add a little water until you reach your desired consistency.) 5 Remove the fish from the oven and remove the foil. 6 Pour half the tahini sauce over the top and bake, uncovered, for a further 10-15 minutes until the fish has absorbed the sauce. 7 Transfer the fish to a large platter and spoon over the tahini sauce. Scatter the microgreens and toasted pine nuts over and serve with the Lebanese breads on the side.
PRAWN AND SALMON KIBBEH
This dish can be prepared a day in advance and baked just before serving.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6
For the kibbeh base
180ml SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive
Oil, plus extra for brushing
190g fine bulgur
200ml boiling SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
2 white onions
3 garlic cloves
450g salmon
150g prawns
1 large egg
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
For the kibbeh filling
1 lemon
1 green chilli
1 tsp sumac
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the tahini yoghurt
3 tbsp tahini
60g double-cream yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp cold SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
To serve
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Lightly brush the base and sides of a 20cm cake tin with oil. 2 Place the bulgur in a large bowl and pour in the boiling water. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel or a large plate and set aside for 15 minutes. Remove the towel or plate, fluff up the bulgur with a fork, and set aside to cool. 3 Finely chop the onions and crush the garlic cloves.
4 Remove the skin from the salmon and cut the fish into even-sized cubes. Peel the prawns and cut them into the same size as the salmon cubes. Place together in a bowl. 5 Drizzle 120ml of olive oil into a large frying pan placed over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for approx. 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until soft and nicely browned. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. 6 Once cool, add half the onion to a food processor along with 250g of the salmon-prawn mix, egg, cooked bulgur, cumin, coriander, allspice, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend for approx. 1 minute, until the mixture comes together in a sticky ball, then set aside.
7 Zest the lemon. 8 To make the filling, place the remaining onion in a bowl with the remaining salmon-prawn mix, green chilli, lemon zest, sumac and cinnamon. Mix to combine and set aside.
9 Put half the bulgur-fish mixture into the base of the greased cake tin and press down firmly; it should reach approx. 2cm up the side of the pan. Top with the filling and press down firmly. Top this with the rest of the of bulgur-fish mixture, using wet hands to spread it out, pressing down as you go, ensuring it’s even and smooth.
10 Use a small sharp knife to score the top into a decorative pattern and drizzle with the remaining oil and bake for 20 minutes, then switch the oven to grill and bake for a further 5-10 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 15 minutes before gently transferring to a serving platter. 11 While the kibbeh is baking and cooling, combine the tahini, yoghurt, lemon juice, cold water and sea salt. Whisk until smooth.
12 Serve the kibbeh sliced along with the tahini yoghurt and roughly torn coriander.
MASGOUF WITH POMEGRANATE GLAZE
Make sure you ask your fishmonger to butterfly the fish masgouf style. The pomegranate molasses is crucial for the flavour, so make sure you baste the fish thoroughly.
Spicy grilled fish in green tahini sauce
Prawn and salmon kibbeh
Masgouf with pomegranate glaze
Fish baked in tomato sauce with red chillies
Vine leaf baked whole fish with sweet-savoury rice
To make the masgouf in an oven, preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4, and roast the fish on a rack for 45 minutes or until tender and cooked through.
Prep time: 35 minutes (plus refrigeration time)
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4-6
For the amba sauce
500g (2) large mangoes (unripe and firm)
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
3 garlic cloves
1 red chilli
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
2 tsp ground fenugreek
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Coriander (optional)
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper
3 tbsp brown sugar
250ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
125ml apple cider vinegar
For the masgouf
1 x whole red snapper, butterflied
250ml pomegranate molasses
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
To serve
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
150g Lebanese pickled cauliflower (see page 57) 4-6 flatbread
1 To make the amba sauce, peel and cube the mangoes. Place the cubes in a large bowl. Add the salt and stir by hand until all cubes are well coated with the salt. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 2 days. 2 Place a large pot over a medium-low heat. Add the oil to heat. Add the mustard seeds, and once they start to pop, crush the garlic in along with the whole chilli. Sauté until softened, but before browning, approx. 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the dry spices. Sauté for a further 1 minute. 3 Add the mango, brown sugar and water. Mix and increase the heat to a medium-high. Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the mango is softened and the liquid has slightly decreased. Turn off the heat and add the vinegar to the mixture. Taste and adjust by adding more vinegar, sugar, salt or spices, if necessary. Reserve half the mango cubes and set aside. 4 Using a food processor or blender, purée the rest and mix it with the reserved mango cubes. 5 Once cooled, transfer the amba to hermetically sealed glass jars and refrigerate. It can be stored well in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. 6 For the masgouf, open the fish
and brush with the pomegranate molasses and season with the salt. Place the fish on a large grid and close it. 7 Make a large charcoal fire, spread the coals evenly and place the fish over a low heat as far away from the coals as possible. Cook slowly skin-side down for 45 minutes without turning the fish. 8 In a small bowl, mix the sumac with the salt. 9 Remove from the heat and serve with the pickled cauliflower, flatbreads and sumac salt.
FISH BAKED IN TOMATO SAUCE WITH RED CHILLIES
To add a bit of smokiness to this dish, add 1 tbsp of Spanish smoked paprika to the tomato sauce.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
400g plum tomatoes
1 brown onion
2 red capsicums
3 red chillies
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
180ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
2 tbsp white grape vinegar
2 x hammour fish fillets
2 tbsp salted butter
2 beefsteak tomatoes
To serve
Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Parsley
1 lemon
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2 Quarter the tomatoes, peel and quarter the onions and quarter the capsicums. 3 Place the vegetables, including the whole chillies, in a roasting dish, season with the salt and pepper, drizzle with the olive oil and roast until caramelised and soft, approx. 20 minutes.
4 Remove the vegetables from the roasting tray and place half in a blender along with the water and vinegar. Blitz to form a sauce. 5 Return the sauce to the tray, lay the fish fillets on top of it and scatter the remaining vegetables over the fish. Divide the butter between the fish. Slice the tomatoes and arrange over the fish. 6 Bake the fish for 10 minutes per 2½cm of thickness for medium to well-done. 7 Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
VINE LEAF BAKED WHOLE FISH WITH SWEET-SAVOURY RICE
It’s best to soak the saffron for as long as possible before using it. Soaking overnight definitely yields the best results.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
For sweet-savoury rice
Good pinch of saffron threads
4 tbsp rose water
500g SpinneysFOOD Long-Grain Basmati Rice
250ml date syrup
500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
4 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods, smashed
1 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
3 garlic cloves
2½cm piece fresh ginger
½ lemon
1 tbsp b’zar or fish masala
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
1 whole sea bream, gutted
1 x jar vine leaves in brine
1 Soak the saffron in rose water for at least 30 minutes. 2 Crush the garlic and finely grate the ginger. Juice the lemon. 3 To make the marinade, mix together the garlic, ginger, b’zar, turmeric, pepper, salt and lemon juice in a small bowl.
4 Pat the fish dry with a kitchen towel, then make two or three diagonal slashes across the flesh on both sides. Rub the fish with a little salt inside and out, then set aside for approx. 5 minutes.
5 Dividing it evenly, rub the marinade all over the fish, inside and out and into the slashes. Put the fish into a dish and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes, or longer if you have the time. 6 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 7 Lay out the vine leaves, making sure they overlap each other, on a clean counter and place the fish on top. Wrap the fish in the vine leaves and secure it with string. 8 Place it on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for approx. 20 minutes or until cooked through and the leaves are crispy.
9 While the fish cooks, wash the rice three times and rinse until the water runs clear. 10 Place the date syrup in a large pot, along with the water, cardamom, cinnamon stick and salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat, cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and place a tight-fitting lid on top of the pot, set aside to steam for 10 minutes. 11 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. When the rice is done, sprinkle the hot oil over the rice and sprinkle the saffron-rose water all over. Use a fork to mix and fluff up the rice. 12 Place the rice and fish on a serving platter with some fresh coriander and serve hot.
ICE cool
Herbed yoghurt and cucumber froyo
Inspired by ubiquitous freezing cold lemon-mint drinks served at just about any Middle Eastern restaurant in the UAE, we came up with four fl avourful frosty treats
Pomegranate and orange blossom ice
HERBED YOGHURT AND CUCUMBER FROYO
This refreshing treat is inspired by doogh, a tangy, salty yoghurt drink. If you’d prefer its taste to be more like the original, add a generous pinch of salt. It can also be served as a float by placing two scoops in a glass and topping up with soda water.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
120g white granulated sugar
250ml hot SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 lemon
1 SpinneysFOOD Organic Cucumber
500g double-cream yoghurt
10g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander
10g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint
1 Combine the sugar and water in a bowl and stir until completely dissolved. 2 Finely zest and juice the lemon. Finely grate the cucumber and squeeze out any excess liquid. 3 Place the yoghurt, herbs, simple syrup, lemon juice, zest and cucumber in a blender. Blitz until completely combined. 4 Place
the mixture in an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, place the mixture in a zip-top bag and freeze. Then blend until smooth and creamy. 5 Place the mixture in a loaf tin, or resealable container, and freeze until firm.
POMEGRANATE AND ORANGE BLOSSOM ICE
Pomegranate and orange blossom is a classic Middle Eastern combination, which works well in this flavoured ice.
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus freezing time)
Serves: 4
400g white granulated sugar
400ml hot SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
300ml pomegranate juice
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
300ml SpinneysFOOD Smooth Orange Juice
2 tbsp orange blossom water
1 Combine the sugar and hot water and stir to dissolve. Divide the mixture between two bowls.
2 Add the pomegranate juice and molasses in one bowl and stir to combine. Pour into a freezer-proof container and freeze. 3 Add the orange juice and orange blossom water to a second bowl and stir to combine. Pour into a separate freezer-proof container and freeze.
4 Once frozen, use a fork to scrape the ice into flakes. 5 Layer the two types of ice into frozen glasses and serve immediately.
PINEAPPLE AND LOUMI GRANITA
The addition of loumi, or dried limes, to pineapple gives this granita an almost fizzy feel like sherbet. Serve it in a frozen hollowed out pineapple for fun.
1 Place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz
VEGAN
Pineapple and loumi granita
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
until smooth. 2 Pour into a shallow metal tin and freeze overnight. 3 Using a fork, grate the granita and return to the freezer until ready to serve.
SPICED MANGO SORBET WITH PISTACHIO TUILES
The creamy consistency of mango makes an excellent no-churn sorbet (no ice cream machine required). Store the tuiles in an airtight container to keep them crispy. Prep time: 30 minutes (plus freezing time)
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
For the sorbet
600g frozen mango
4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Maple Syrup
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
For the pistachio tuiles
60g salted butter
55g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
60g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
2 large egg whites
50g slivered pistachios
1 To make the sorbet, place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour the mixture in a freezer-proof container and freeze for approx. 2 hours or until firm. 2 To prepare the tuiles, melt the butter in the microwave and set aside to cool completely. Sieve the flour and icing sugar together into a small bowl. Whisk the melted butter and egg whites into the icing sugar mixture to form a smooth batter. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 4 Scoop out 2 tsp of batter and place on the baking paper, spaced approx. 10-15cm apart on the sheet. Make only 2 tuiles at a time; you must work with them quickly after they come out of the oven. 5 Using an offset spatula, smooth out the batter to form a 10cm circle. Sprinkle the pistachios over the tuile and bake in the oven for 4-5 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. Remove the cooled tuiles from the baking sheet. 6 Serve the sorbet with the pistachio tuile.
Find a selection of icy treats from sorbets and lollies to froyo in stores.
SpinneysFOOD Lemon-Mint
Sorbet and Mango Sorbet
Love Life Raspberry and Blackcurrant Frozen Yoghurt
Muhallabiya, sobia and sahlab are popular milk-based desserts and drinks in the Middle East – we’ve given the traditional trio our own twists
MUHALLABIYA DRINK
An all-time classic, Muhallabiya is a Middle Eastern milk-based, rose-flavoured dessert, which we’ve turned into a drink. You can adjust this recipe to use whatever fruit you may have at home.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
3 tbsp corn flour
1L SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk
75g white granulated sugar
1 tsp rose water
1 tsp orange blossom water
150g SpinneysFOOD British Strawberries
To serve
100g strawberry jam
20g rose petals
1 In a small bowl, combine the corn flour and 125ml of milk and whisk to dissolve. 2 Place
the rest of the milk in a medium pot, along with the sugar and place over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil and whisk in the corn flour mixture. Whisk until the mixture thickens slightly then remove from the heat. 3 Add in the rose water and orange blossom water and refrigerate until completely chilled.
4 When ready to serve, hull the strawberries. Place the milk mixture in a blender along with the strawberries and blitz to combine.
5 Dip the rims of 4 glasses in the jam then roll the rims in rose petals. 6 Divide the rest of the jam between 4 glasses and top with the muhallabiya drink. 7 Serve immediately.
PISTACHIO SOBIA
Sobia is a popular drink in Egypt and Saudi Arabia and widely consumed during Ramadan. For this recipe, it’s best to let the rice soak for as long as possible as it thickens the milk and makes it extra creamy and delicious.
Prep time: 5 minutes (plus refrigeration time)
Serves: 4
100g SpinneysFOOD Long-Grain Basmati Rice
1L SpinneysFOOD Low Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk
100g pistachio slivers
500ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
60g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
60g milk powder
½ tsp vanilla powder
1 In a blender, blitz the rice to a fine powder then combine with the milk. 2 Combine the pistachio slivers and water in a separate bowl. Refrigerate both for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.
3 When ready to serve, strain the rice milk, discarding the leftover rice. Strain the pistachios, discarding the water. 4 Place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth and combined, approx. 3-4 minutes. 5 Strain the mixture and chill further, if necessary, or serve immediately.
CHILLED CHOCOLATE
HALVA SAHLAB
Inspired by the Middle Eastern milk pudding of the same
Pistachio sobia
Muhallabiya drink
VEGGIE
VEGGIE
name, this creamy drink is just as delicous. The sahlab powder can be made in big batches and stored until your next craving hits. For a single cup, combine 60g sahlab powder with 250ml milk and follow the recipe.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
For the sahlab powder
130g milk powder
60g rice flour
60g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
3 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp corn flour
½ tsp vanilla powder (vanillin)
For the chilled sahlab
1L SpinneysFOOD Full Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk
240g sahlab powder
150g milk chocolate
100g halva
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
To serve 2 tbsp cocoa powder
50g halva
1 Combine all the sahlab powder ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Store in a resealable zip-top bag or airtight container for up to a year. 2 Place half the milk in a medium-sized pot over a medium heat. Slowly whisk in the sahlab powder. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, approx. 5-10 minutes. 3 Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and halva until a smooth mixture forms and all the chocolate has melted. 4 Add in the rest of the milk and refrigerate until needed. 5 Serve with a dusting of cocoa powder and the rest of the halva.
From organic to full fat, skimmed and more, we offer a variety of milk in store.
SpinneysFOOD Full Fat and Low Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk 500ml
SpinneysFOOD Full Fat and Low Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk 1L
SpinneysFOOD Full Fat and Low Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk 2L
Valley Organic Fresh Whole Milk 1L
Anchor Milk Powder 900g
Yeo
Chilled chocolate halva sahlab
VEGGIE
old is
Baklava, kunafa, qatayef, sfouf… these traditional Middle Eastern desserts and more have one thing in common – they all turn wonderfully golden when baked or fried.
We’ve used them as inspiration for an elaborate sweet spread
Spiced fig walnut baklava
Make this baked yoghurt recipe vegan by using coconut yoghurt, coconut condensed milk and maple syrup.
Persian saffron-cardamom baked yoghurt
SPICED
FIG WALNUT BAKLAVA
Loaded with figs, nuts and bitter dark chocolate (to counter any sweetness), these baklava rolls offer a modern take on traditional versions. And they’re easier to master – as there’s no layering needed.
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus resting time)
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves: 8
For the syrup
500g soft brown sugar
300ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
60g SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
2 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Sticks
For the baklava
200g dried figs
1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
150g walnuts
150g almonds
100g dark chocolate
20 sheets phyllo pastry
280g ghee or melted butter
1 Preheat oven to 150°C, gas mark 3. 2 To make the syrup, place the sugar, water, honey and cinnamon in a medium saucepan placed over a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and cool. 3 Coarsely chop the figs and place in a bowl. 4 Place the cinnamon, walnuts, almonds and chocolate in a food processor and blitz. Add to the figs and mix. 5 Working with 5 sheets of phyllo at a time (cover the rest with a lightly damp tea towel until ready to use), brush a sheet of phyllo with ghee, then sprinkle approx. 4 tbsp of fig mixture on top. Layer with another sheet of phyllo, brush with ghee and sprinkle over 4 tbsp of the mixture. Repeat this process until you have layered ¼ of the sheets of phyllo with the nut-spice mixture. Roll the phyllo into a long log lengthways. Make sure that the roll is not too loose or too tight. Repeat until you have made 4 logs. 6 Cut each log into 2½cm-wide rounds. Arrange the pieces close together, with the cut sides facing up, in a lightly greased large baking tray with high sides (approx. 20cm x 30cm). 7 Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 8 Pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and allow it rest for at least 1 hour before serving.
PERSIAN SAFFRON-CARDAMOM BAKED YOGHURT
These baked yoghurts make a quick and easy dessert.
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus steeping time)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2
For the baked yoghurt
4 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods
1 tsp saffron strands
1 tbsp boiling water
400ml double-cream yoghurt
150ml sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Organic Honey
For the mango purée
150g mango
¼ tsp saffron strands
125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
To serve
Edible gold leaf
Slivered pistachios
Dried rose buds
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C, gas mark 3. Prepare a roasting tray by placing a clean tea towel on the bottom, then fill it up with hot water. Place in the oven until you need it.
2 Crush the cardamom pods and place them in a bowl along with the saffron. Add the boiling water and allow to steep for at least 1 hour.
3 Combine the yoghurt, condensed milk and honey in a bowl. Make sure the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust for sweetness.
4 Strain the spice-infused water into the yoghurt mixture and whisk. 5 Divide the mixture equally between 4 ramekins or glasses. Place them in the roasting tray filled with water. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes or until the yoghurt is set like jelly. Switch off the oven and allow them to sit in the oven for 10 minutes with the door open. 6 Refrigerate until chilled. 7 Meanwhile, peel, deseed and chop the mango into cubes. Place the cubes, saffron and water in a saucepan placed over a medium heat. Simmer until the fruit has softened. Place the mixture in a blender and blitz until smooth. 8 Top the baked yoghurts with the purée and decorate with the gold leaf, pistachios and dried rose buds.
TAHINI HALVA TRUFFLES
The base of these truffles can easily be changed to create a variety of flavours. Swap the tahini for almond butter, peanut butter or any other nut butter.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes: 15
120g full-cream milk powder
120g SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
170g tahini paste
30g cocoa powder
Edible gold leaf, for decorating
1 In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the milk powder and icing sugar. Add the tahini paste and knead until smooth (the mixture will start out dry and crumbly and then get smoother).
2 Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, divide the mixture into balls. Roll until smooth and set aside on a sheet of baking paper. 3 Roll the truffles in cocoa powder, then decorate with gold leaf to serve.
LUGAIMAT WITH ROOIBOS KARAK SYRUP
Rooibos is a fragrant, caffeine-free herbal tea from South Africa with low tannins. It creates a light karak that pairs well with the lugaimat.
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus proofing time)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
For the lugaimat
360ml warm SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tsp dry yeast
360g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
2 tbsp corn flour
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground cardamom
Pinch of saffron
1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil, for frying
For the karak syrup
250ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
200g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
5cm piece fresh ginger
5 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods
1 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Stick
6 cloves
2 rooibos tea bags
1 Combine the water and yeast in a bowl and set aside for approx. 5 minutes or until foamy.
2 Place all the ingredients for the lugaimat in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix to form a soft dough. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside in a warm area until doubled in size (approx. 1 hour). 3 Meanwhile, prepare the syrup, by combining all the ingredients (except the tea bags) in a medium pot and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 5 minutes before removing the pot from the heat. Add in the tea bags and steep for 20 minutes. Strain the syrup and keep warm. 4 Heat a pot of oil to 180°C. Dip a spoon in the hot oil. Then take a heaped teaspoon of the batter and using the oiled spoon push the batter off the teaspoon into the hot oil. Fry the lugaimat for 5-10 minutes or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter. Drain on paper towels. 5 Drizzle with the karak syrup immediately and serve.
KUNAFA CHEESECAKE
With a crunchy, syrupy base and a smooth, creamy topping, this cheesecake has all the necessary textures. The pomegranate seeds add a pop of acidity, but any fresh fruit or toasted nuts would be delicious, too.
Prep time: 1 hour (plus setting time)
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 8
For the syrup
200g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
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Tahini halva truffles
Before serving the kunafa cheesecake, it is best to leave it out at room temperature for 30 minutes as this ensures its texture is super soft and velvety.
Lugaimat with rooibos karak syrup
Kunafa cheesecake
Turkish orange cookies
Syrian nut cake
To enhance the citrus flavour in the Turkish orange cookies, use a mixture of orange, lemon and lime zest.
125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 SpinneysFOOD Cinnamon Sticks
3 SpinneysFOOD Cardamom Pods
For the cheesecake base
85g ghee
170g kunafa pastry
80g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
For the cheesecake filling
250ml whipping cream
500g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
100g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Super Fine Icing Sugar
250g sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the crispy topping
180g kunafa pastry
85g ghee
100g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
To serve
50g SpinneysFOOD Fresh Pomegranate Jewels
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 2 To make the syrup, combine the ingredients in a medium-sized pot placed over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer for approx. 10 minutes or until reduced and thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. 3 To make the base of the cheesecake, melt the ghee and break the kunafa pastry into small pieces in a medium-sized bowl. Add the melted ghee and sugar into the bowl and mix together using your hands, until evenly coated. 4 Line a 20cm cake tin. 5 Arange the kunafa mixture into the base of the tin, firmly pressing down to form an even layer. 6 Bake for 20 minutes. 7 While the pastry’s still hot, pour 4 tbsp of the syrup over or just enough to coat the surface. Allow it to cool completely. 8 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to stiff peaks then place in another bowl to refrigerate. Using an electric hand beater, beat the cream cheese and caster sugar together on a medium speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and add in the icing sugar, sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat for 2-3 minutes on high, until smooth. 9 Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream-cheese mixture, then spoon into the cake tin with the cooled kunafa base and
make sure the surface is smooth. Wrap the tin tightly with aluminium foil and refrigerate for approx. 6-8 hours or until set. 10 Meanwhile, make the topping. While the kunafa is semi frozen, break it up into small pieces. In a large pot or pan, melt the ghee and sugar together, stirring until dissolved. Add in the kunafa and stir to coat evenly. Continue stirring gently until golden brown and crunchy. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely. 11 When ready to serve, loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan using a thin knife, then remove the rim. Top with the crispy kunafa and pomegranate seeds.
TURKISH ORANGE COOKIES
With a crumbly texture similar to Italian amaretti, these crunchy cookies are delicious served with tea or coffee. Prep time: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 20
2 oranges
125g butter, softened at room temperature
160g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
50g double-cream yoghurt
450g cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
100g golden caster sugar
Edible gold dust (optional)
1 Zest and juice the oranges. 2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the yoghurt, orange zest and juice and beat again for 1 minute. The mixture will look like it has split. 3 Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three equal parts. Mix until combined. The dough should be stiff, pliable and only slightly sticky. 4 Divide the cookie dough into 40g balls and place on two lined baking sheets. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes. 5 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. 6 Place the golden caster sugar in a small bowl or plate and roll the chilled cookie dough balls in it, then return to the sheets keeping them 3-4cm apart from each other. 7 Using a pair of scissors, score the top of the dough balls with a cross pattern. 8 Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown. They will still be a bit soft so allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the sheets. Cool on wire racks for at least 30 minutes before serving. 9 Decorate with gold dust, if desired,
and serve. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
SYRIAN NUT CAKE
This cake is super moist and the crunchy top adds a lovely contrast to its soft texture. Best enjoyed with strong tea or coffee to counteract the sweetness
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8
For the fragrant syrup
500g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
1½ tsp lemon juice
125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
1 tbsp rose water
1 tbsp orange blossom water
For the nut cake
225g semolina flour
85g unsalted butter
50g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
360ml whole-milk yoghurt
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp tahini
50g blanched almonds
50g hulled unsalted pistachios
50g walnuts
50g cashews
1 Combine the ingredients for the syrup (except for the rose and orange blossom waters) in a medium pot placed over a medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes before removing the pot from the heat. Stir in the rose water and orange blossom water and set aside to cool completely. 2 Place the semolina flour, butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on a high speed until smooth and combined. Add in the yoghurt and bicarbonate of soda and continue to beat until a firm batter forms. 3 Using a pastry brush, grease a 25cm round tart tin or cake tin with the tahini. Pour the batter into the greased tin and spread it out evenly. Cover the tin with cling film, ensuring it doesn’t touch the batter and refrigerate for approx. 3 hours. 4 Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. 5 Finely chop the nuts. 6 Remove the cling film from the cake and scatter the nuts across the surface. 7 Place in the oven and bake until the cake is golden, approx. 30-40 minutes. 8 Remove from the oven and pour the syrup all over. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the cake to soak up the syrup before serving.
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Little cooks
Conjure up nostalgic memories using old-school snacks and make Zahra Abdalla’s pulled lamb wraps with the kids
Back to the
Choki Choki banana splits
future
From products on shelves to markets, supper clubs and a huge array of restaurants, Dubai’s food scene is evolving at a rapid rate. But, there are a selection of snacks from the 90s which should never be forgotten. Use old-school childhood favourites like Laban Up, Chips Oman, Choki Choki and Vimto to make these modern-day treats!
TOP TIP!
This mac and cheese can be prepared a night or two before and topped with the Chips Oman just before baking.
Chips Oman mac and cheese
Vimto ice cream soda floats
CHOKI CHOKI BANANA SPLITS
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
4 medium bananas
2 x 500ml tubs SpinneysFOOD Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream
To serve
4 x Choki Choki
250ml whipped cream spray
2 x Toffo Original Toffee rolls
8 maraschino cherries with stems
1 tsp sprinkles
1 Peel and halve the bananas lengthways and place two halves in 4 serving dishes. 2 Top each banana with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream. Top with a drizzle of the Choki Choki, whipped cream, Toffo rolls, maraschino cherries and sprinkles. 3 Serve immediately.
CHIPS OMAN MAC AND CHEESE
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
300g SpinneyFOOD Macaroni
For the white sauce
30g salted butter
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour
500ml SpinneysFOOD Full-Fat Fresh Cow’s Milk
½ bunch oregano, plus extra leaves for serving
350g SpinneysFOOD White Cheddar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
Pinch of SpinneysFOOD Fine Cayenne Pepper
2 x 30g bags Chips Oman
1 Preheat the oven to grill. 2 Cook the macaroni according to packet instructions. 3 To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a medium pot placed over a medium heat. Crush the garlic cloves and add to the butter, stirring for 1 minute or until softened. 4 Add in the flour and whisk for approx. 1 minute. Pour in the milk and keep whisking until slightly thickened. 5 Pick the oregano leaves and finely chop them. Grate the Cheddar. 6 Add half the cheese to the sauce, along with the oregano, macaroni and mustard. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.
7 Divide between 4 x 10cm ovenproof dishes or 2 x 20cm oven-proof dish. 8 Top with the rest of the cheese and crush the Chips Oman over. Place in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until golden and bubbling. 9 Serve immediately.
VIMTO ICE CREAM SODA FLOATS
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
1 x 500ml tub SpinneysFOOD Madagascan
Vanilla Ice Cream
2 x 350ml bottles Vimto Sparkling Soft Drink
1 Divide the ice cream between 4 glasses and top with the Vimto. 2 Serve immediately.
LABAN
UP AND PINEAPPLE POPSICLES
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus freezing time) Makes: 6 small popsicles or 4 big ones
1 pineapple or 350g SpinneysFOOD Ready Cut Pineapple
1 lime
160ml Laban Up
60g SpinneysFOOD Extra Fine Caster Sugar
1 If using a whole pineapple, remove the top and outer peel from the pineapple. Chop the pineapple into even-sized cubes. 2 Zest and juice the lime. 3 Place the pineapple cubes, half the Laban Up and half the caster sugar in a blender along with half the lime juice and zest. Blitz until smooth. 4 Combine the rest of the Laban Up with the remaining sugar, lime juice and zest in a small bowl. 5 Divide the Laban Up mixture between 8 popsicle moulds and freeze for 30 minutes before topping with the pineapple mixture. Freeze until firm. 6 When ready to serve, place the moulds under warm running water to allow the popsicles to pop out easily.
Laban Up and pineapple popsicles
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PERFECT FOR sharing
Foodie celebrity Zahra Abdalla loves nothing more than cooking for her boys and enjoying a meal with them. This recipe is one of her favourites since everyone can make their own wraps
SLOW COOKED PULLED LAMB WRAPS
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours
Makes: 12 wraps
For the lamb
2kg lamb shoulder
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
2 large onions
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 orange
6 SpinneysFOOD Fresh Thyme
2 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil
2 garlic bulbs
3 SpinneysFOOD Bay Leaves
500ml chicken stock
500ml hot SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
For the spice rub
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Black Pepper
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine White Pepper
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon
3 tsp 7-spice powder
2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Turmeric
2 tbsp orange zest
3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the tahini sauce
½ tbsp tahini
1 lemon, juiced
85-125ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water
½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt
Pinch of red chilli (optional)
For the sumac-marinated onions
1 red onion
SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste
¼ SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp sumac
For the wraps
Rocket
Pita bread
Tomato slices
1 Pat the lamb dry and season with the salt.
2 To make the spice rub, combine the black pepper, white pepper, cinnamon, 7-spice powder, turmeric, orange zest and olive oil in a small bowl. Generously rub the mixture all
over the lamb. 3 Preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4. 4 Quarter the onions. Chop the carrots and celery stalks into large chunks. Slice the orange. Finely chop the thyme. 5 Heat the sunflower oil in a large cast-iron pot placed over a medium heat. Once hot, add the lamb and sear on all sides. Remove the lamb and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic bulbs, orange slices, thyme and bay leaves to the pot. Add the seared lamb and cover with the chicken stock and water. Season with salt. 6 Cover the pot with the lid and place in the oven for 4 hours.
7 Transfer the lamb to a large plate, cover with aluminium foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Once rested, shred the meat using two forks. 8 To prepare the tahini sauce, mix all the ingredients together until it has a smooth consistency. 9 To prepare the sumacmarinated onions, finely slice the onion and place it in a small bowl along with the salt. Add the olive oil and sumac. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. 10 To assemble the wraps, arrange rocket leaves inside the the pita. Top with slices of tomato, pulled lamb, tahini sauce and marinated onions. Serve as an open sandwich or as a wrap.
Recipe by
Zahra Abdalla ; Photography by Aasiya Jagadeesh
Our
Live well
foodie faves in Muscat and Dubai, Helen Farmer’s hotel picks plus health and beauty news
Dried figs at Sadaf Iranian Sweets
Munching throughMuscat
There’s so much more to Muscat than its stunning vistas, deep-rooted culture and tourist attractions – we’re here to talk about our favourite thing: the food. And what better way to get insight
into a country’s heritage than through its cuisine?
As the capital of Oman, it’s no surprise that Muscat’s foodie scene is so deliciously diverse. Reflecting its long history as a major port connecting the East and West for thousands of years, Omani cuisine can best be described as a fusion of Arab, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Asian, Eastern Mediterranean and African cuisines. Fragrant curries and stews flavoured with rich spices and herbs are staples in Oman as is the excellent quality of fresh seafood. If you’re planning a trip to Muscat, these are the foodie spots you need to get on your radar, stat.
FROM THE SEA
Before discovering oil in 1964, Oman’s economy was heavily reliant on agriculture and fishing, so it’s no surprise that fresh seafood is an Omani speciality. Located in the heart of Muttrah, one of the largest harbours in the region, Muttrah Fish Market is where Spinneys Oman sources
its fish from, with our dedicated fish buyer heading there daily at 4am to get his hands on the freshest offerings possible.
And for a taste of excellent seafood, Turkish House (don’t let the name deceive you – this Omani hotspot serves up some of the best locallycaught seafood in the city) is well worth a visit. Start with a selection of mixed dips before digging into beautifully grilled juicy prawns and the catchof-the-day. Fresh fish aside, don’t miss out on the sweet melon juice. Naturally sweet melon flesh blended with ice and served inside a melon, this refreshing treat will leave you wanting more. @turkishhouse.restaurant
OLD-SCHOOL FAVOURITES
Part of Muscat’s charm is the number of ‘if you know, you know’ – type restaurants dotted throughout the city. And a perfect example of this obscurity is Al-Ahli Restaurant, better known as Adam’s (Al Bahri Road; +968 9572 4166)
to the locals. Just a stone’s throw away from Muttrah Corniche (look for the arches – or better yet, head to spinneys.com for the Google pin), the unassuming side-street eatery is famed for its menu of hearty home-style dishes. Given Oman and India’s close connection that can be traced back 5,000 years, it’s no surprise that highlights include the soupy dal and fragrant lamb stew (take our word for it and order a side of freshly baked tandoori bread to mop up all the rich goodness).
“What? You went to Cheese & Jam?!” was the most common response we received when telling Oman foodies that we paid hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop Cheese & Jam (near Al Alam Fire Station; +968 9915 6520) a visit. Operating for over 40 years as a family-run business passed down through three generations, the key to its deep-rooted success is unsurprisingly the moreish cheese and jam sandwiches – a taste of childhood nostalgia wedged between two slices of crust-free white bread. And don’t miss out on the
equally delicious Chips Oman and cream cheese variation. So simple. So good.
TRADITIONAL
While we try to avoid ‘touristy’ haunts as much as possible when on a foodie expedition, Bait Al Luban (which translates to ‘home of frankincense’) offers a unique insight into Oman’s diverse culinary influences. Omani hospitality takes centrestage as we step into the ornately decorated space, decked out with dark woods and traditional ornaments. The menu combines flavours picked from the path taken by Omani travellers during their years of trading, stretching from East Africa to India. The saloonat rubyan (Omani prawns in a creamy coconut broth) is a highlight as is the complimentary frankincense-infused water. Al Mina Street, Muttrah Corniche; @bait_al_luban (+968 2471 1842)
SOMETHING SPECIAL
For a truly special evening, Sultanah at Shangri-La Al Husn oozes elegance. With endless views across the Arabian Sea (visit at sunset and you won’t regret it) and helmed by chef Gregory Lymperopoulos, the chic spot proudly uses as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible. From Salalah chicken to baby spinach grown nearby – local produce is at the heart of its refined Mediterranean-inspired menu. Based on recommendations, we opted for frankincensesmoked chicken. Referred to by Omanis as the ‘elixir of life’, frankincense is as much a part of Oman’s rich culture and heritage as is fishing and seafood, and smoking the chicken with the aromatic resin leaves the bird tasting sweet, smoky and deliciously intriguing.
Sultanah, Shangri-La Al Husn; @shangrilaalhusn (+968 2477 6565)
THE ONE TO WATCH
On our visit, we were lucky enough to nab a table at Japanese hotspot Takara for a pop-up dining experience in collaboration with self-taught Omani chef Abdullah Al Lawati. The evening saw Al Lawati combine the flavours of Japan and Oman.
“I’ve always been fond of Asian food, especially Japanese cuisine. When designing the menu, I tried to combine my favourite dishes from both countries, adding a unique twist and merging the powerful flavours of Oman with the delicate flavours of Japan,” he explained.
Highlights included Japanese-style onigiri stuffed with loomi-spiced shrimp, spiced lamb gyoza and matcha panna cotta with khabeesa, saffron and pistachio.
“The food scene here is continuously evolving and locals are more open to experiencing new flavours. Nowadays you can find food events, pop-ups, and kitchen takeovers with people lining up to try and book a spot,” he adds.
Follow Abdullah on Instagram @amjs.cooks to find out when his next pop-up is taking place.
Better known as ‘Dine with Dina’, Macki knows a thing or two about food. The self-taught chef, blogger, recipe developer, entrepreneur and now vlogger was born and raised in the UK to an Omani and Zanzibari family and her diverse upbringing is evident in her unique creations. Dina’s food is heavily influenced by her Omani heritage, allowing her to merge the best of Asian spices with the colours of Iran, home comforts of the Middle East and Africa along with the delicate touch of the West.
@dinewithdina
Hina Surti
For a dose of sugary goodness, Hina’s page will have you drooling. From perfect pastries to elaborately decorated cakes, indulgent cookies, pillowy bakes and more, her page is a must for anyone with a sweet tooth. And for an added dose of sweetness, her Pomsky (Pomeranianmeets-Siberian Husky) Pita also makes regular appearances. Desserts and dogs? Yes, please. @hinasurti
Mohamed Al Asfoor and Fajer Redha Hussain
Foodie couple Mohamed and Fajer (AKA Munching with M&F) love nothing more than munching their way through life together. From dining out at some of Muscat’s newest spots to exploring hidden gems and cooking up a storm at home, their Instagram page will evoke serious hunger pangs. Don’t say we didn’t warn you... @munching.mf
Omar Al Zidjali
Follow filmmaker and photographer Omar on TikTok for humour-packed food content. Oman’s best sandwich? Check. The best shawarma in Oman? He’s found that, too. A sandwich packed with Chips Oman, peanut butter, za’atar, hot sauce and hot dogs? You get the picture… tiktok.com/@omarzidjali
OPPOSITE PAGE: Dina Macki of Dine with Dina.
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Chef Abdullah Al Lawati; Cheese & Jam’s Chips Oman sandwich; Mohamed Al Asfoor and Fajer Redha Hussain of Munching with M&F; Omani art at Turkish House.
THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A falafel takes shape at Sultan Dubai Falafel; Iraqi masgouf served with amba (mango sauce), pickles and fresh greens; rose syrup pairs beautifully with saffron ice cream and faloodeh; chicken shawarma; irresistible Nabulsi kunafa; osh el bulbul which literally means ‘nightingale’s nest’; sugar syrup complements the saltiness of the Nabulsi cheese; Farida Ahmed.
No standard fare
We ate and drank
our way through one of Dubai’s older neighbourhoods while learning about culinary traditions and brushing up on food trivia
Dubai’s culinary landscape is thriving – from award-winning restaurants and home-grown concepts to oldschool eateries in Karama and Deira – there is something to cater to every taste and culture.
Our content team met up with Farida Ahmed, the general manager of Frying Pan Adventures food tour group (@fryingpanadventures), for a guided tour through the lanes of Al Rigga in old town Deira. This bustling community is home to multiple down-to-earth Middle Eastern eateries where foodies can get their fill of staples such as falafel, kunafa, baklawa, shawarma, masgouf and more.
SULTAN DUBAI FALAFEL
Our first stop was for falafel. PalestinianJordanian-owned Sultan Dubai Falafel serves specialities such as musakhan (sumac-packed roasted chicken with warm spices, caramelised onions over taboon bread) and mansaf (meat cooked in fermented yoghurt over rice), but one must-have at this streetside joint is the famed falafel mahshi (stuffed falafel). Cooks scoop out a herb-laden chickpea mixture with their aleb (moulds) to form one half of the falafel ball, which is then smeared with shatta (chilli paste) before it’s sealed off with yet another scoop of the mixture. It is then sculpted into the desired shape, rolled in sesame seeds and fried. The result: a crispy on the outside, tender on the inside falafel bursting with flavour.
Plates and bowls full of creamy hummus, tatbeela (thin sauce made with green peppers, lemon and garlic), fried aubergines, crispy fried cauliflower, assorted lip-smacking pickles and fresh pita were placed before us so we could create our own falafel piece de resistance.
QWAIDER AL NABULSI
Next door to Sultan Dubai Falafel is its sister restaurant, Qwaider Al Nabulsi and its famous kunafa. We were treated to freshly-made Palestinian kunafa nabulsiya from the city of Nablus. Unlike Lebanon’s smooth kunafa (na’amah) made with a semolina-based dough, Nabulsi kunafa is coarse (khishna); it is prepared with layers of crispy kataifi noodles and briny Nabulsi cheese made from sheep’s milk, all of which is then generously soaked in sugar syrup.
As soon as the tray of kunafa was brought out, all post-falafel tableside conversations came to a dramatic halt, our eyes zeroed in on the golden dessert and Farida’s food tour portion control advice went flying out the window. Qwaider Al Nabulsi’s warm, crispy, gooey, salty-sweet kunafa topped with finely chopped pistachio – sprinkled across the top of the kunafa in the shape of a heart, just for us – couldn’t have been a sweeter way to end the first leg of the food tour.
AL SAMADI SWEETS
A short stroll accompanied by Farida’s engaging commentary led us to the next delight, this time courtesy of a centuries-old Lebanese shop, Al Samadi Sweets.
Confections such as baklava (layered phyllo dough with nuts), ma’amoul (cookie filled with dates or nuts), basbousa (syrup-soaked semolina cake) and osh el bulbul (nest-shaped kataifi pastry with pistachio) were meticulously displayed with the intention of turning each adult
scene – serves up some of the best in town. Chicken or beef? Take your pick and either way you won’t be disappointed.
With the eatery’s name literally translating to ‘chicken of the Levant’, we opted for its namesake. Juicy, tender and marinated to perfection, the chicken was packed into a soft wrap along with all the usual suspects – fresh slices of tomato, tangy pickles, French fries and a generous dollop of toum (a punchy garlic sauce). Vegetarians need not fret. The moreish cheese and za’atar manakish were just as tasty, especially with an extra sprinkle of za’atar.
KABAB ERBIL IRAQI
What usually comes to mind when you think of Iraq? Is it its poets, architects and painters, who are among the best in the region? Its natural beauty that ranges from sandy dunes to plush stretches of flora and fauna? Or, is it its war-torn history of recent decades? If it’s the latter, a trip to Kabab Erbil Iraqi will change that.
With roots back in Kirkuk, Iraq, where it first opened in 1973, this Iraqi restaurant is famed for its masgouf – smoked carp that was traditionally fished out of the Tigris River. And to Iraqis, masgouf is so much more than a national dish – the way it’s smoked over a wood fire (from where it derives its name) is a ritual that embodies a way of life long before the events of recent history.
Take our advice and order an extra side of amba, a tart sauce made with pickled green mangoes, to dip the tender fish in. And hopefully, after tasting Kabab Erbil Iraqi’s authentically prepared dishes, when you think of Iraq, you’ll think of its food.
Due to its labour-intensive harvesting methods, precious saffron is the world’s most expensive spice...
present into a kid in a candy store. Perhaps the most interesting of the array was karabij (semolina cookies with pistachio and rose water). This was served alongside natef, a sweet meringue similar in texture to marshmallow fluff made from the root of soapwort, the same plant used to make natural soap – wait, we ate soap?! Before heading to our next stop, we tamed our sugar highs with the definitive beverage of Arabian Gulf hospitality, gahwa (coffee). Farida demonstrated the elaborate drinking and serving etiquette that goes into enjoying the piping hot, cardamom-infused drink.
FAROOJ AL SHAMI
Shawarmas are a dime (or should we say dirham?) a dozen in the UAE, but in-the-knowfoodies will tell you that Farooj Al Shami – a relative newcomer to Dubai’s thriving shawarma
SADAF IRANIAN SWEETS
We end our Middle Eastern food pilgrimage at Sadaf Iranian Sweets in the sweetest way possible: with traditional saffron ice cream topped with faloodeh (starchy vermicelli-like noodles). The ice cream is deliciously refreshing, boasting that distinctly pungent saffron flavour. Sadaf is a haven for Persian ingredients and delicacies including fragrant spices, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, traditional sweets, and of course, saffron. Due to its labour-intensive harvesting methods, precious saffron is the world’s most expensive spice so we were pleasantly surprised when we were each gifted a container of delicate saffron threads. A truly special way to end a truly special experience.
To book your own Frying Pan Adventures tour, visit fryingpanadventures.com
FIVE TO TRY –
family-friendly hotels
Whether you’re looking for a short staycay this summer or a longer break without the long flight, Helen Farmer ’s top picks will welcome kids with open arms
THE ADDRESS BEACH RESORT FUJAIRAH
One of the emirate’s newest and most impressive hotels, there are mountains behind you and wildlife-packed waters to the front. It boasts three swimming pools (including one just for adults while the little ones are in Qix kids’ club), with the shallowest perfect for children, while a shaded playpark keeps them busy, too. The children’s menu has the usual favourites, plus healthy options like steamed fish and veggies, and lovely staff are on hand with colouring pens. Make sure you take a boat trip to nearby Snoopy Island to look for turtles. addresshotels.com
HATTA FORT HOTEL
Much-loved by city dwellers looking to escape the fast-paced life, this hotel has been around
since 1981 but the chalet-style rooms have recently been upgraded. Set in lovely lawns, there’s a packed itinerary for families, from animal feeding (there are deer, bunnies, tortoises, goats and horses on-site plus peacocks roaming around), to crazy hour in the pool where the team turns up the music and hands out inflatables. Come sunset, head to the grass where there’s daily kite flying. Around Hatta there’s kayaking at the dam and Hatta Wadi Hub for hiking and bike trails, plus a water slide and climbing. jaresortshotels.com
LONGBEACH CAMPGROUND
For a bit of glamping, head to Ras Al Khaimah, where this beachfront site has accommodation options including a basic tent on the beach with shared facilities to dome tents complete
with bunkbeds, air conditioning and a private bathroom, and they have recently added Sunset Terrace Suites, which are like a miniature home where you’ll have an outdoor jacuzzi and sauna. It’s all-inclusive, with buffets, plus loads of activities throughout the day, from sandcastle competitions to film screenings, all finished with roasting marshmallows under the stars. bmhotelsresorts.com
ANANTARA AL JABAL AL AKHDAR
While it’s a five-hour drive from Dubai, you’ll feel a world away. Perched among the Hajar mountains, this stunning resort offers respite from the summer heat, with a Mediterranean climate. You’ll need a 4x4 to reach the top, but Omani hospitality awaits with dining across multiple cuisines, and a kids’ club where they’ll be treated to treasure hunts and scooters. Activities for grown-ups include yoga, rock climbing and guided walks around abandoned villages. For longer stays, book a villa with a private pool. anantara.com
DUBAI
We’re a bit spoilt for choice in Dubai. From access to Aquaventure at Atlantis and Wild Wadi Waterpark at any Jumeirah property, to amazing kids’ clubs at Sofitel The Palm, The Westin Mina Seyahi and Fairmont The Palm, children are often front and centre at hotels in the city. They’ll love the lagoon access straight from the terrace at Anantara The Palm (as will you). Lapita offers access to Dubai Parks & Resorts. And, if they’re all about the bricks, it doesn’t get more mind-blowing than the new Legoland® Hotel
DON’T MISS
Listen out for Farmer’s Kitchen on Dubai Eye103.8FM in collaboration with Spinneys. It airs from 2-5pm on Fridays.
New kid on the block
With international recipes and wholesome, organic ingredients, Oliver’s Cupboard promises to broaden your little one’s palate while making sure they get all their essential nutrients. Look out for this exciting and fl avourful brand of baby food that will soon be available in Spinneys
”Iwas looking for baby food for my son, Oliver, and all I found was bland and boring products, which were usually fruit- or vegetable-based with unnecessary sugar,” says Sadia Ahmed, the founder of Oliver’s Cupboard, a UK-based brand.
Founding a full-fl edged business hadn’t really been a top priority for Sadia. She wasn’t even from the food business, but the frustrating lack of options inspired this young mother to craft her own recipes. She also spoke to several mums from culturally diverse communities to fi nd out what they were feeding their kids at home to gain a better understanding of what was missing from supermarket aisles.
“There are many parents out there who prefer to feed their children food from their cultures and it’s not represented in the baby food sector,” explains Sadia.
Without expecting much, she sent her proposal to a few leading retailers. One
reached out to her and that was the start of an exciting journey.
Sadia, who is passionate about creating baby food using select herbs and spices to prevent fussy eating later on, says, “My team, which includes a nutritionist and food technician, use authentic recipes to produce our organic (halal) food pouches. These are nutritious, home-made meals for babies and toddlers. This is also convenient for parents who are short on time.”
In keeping with the brand’s principles of diversity and inclusivity, the Oliver’s Cupboard food range currently has six recipes including sambar, korma, laksa and tom yum, with more being developed. Sadia is also working on a line of healthy fi nger foods, which will launch later this year.
For more information, visit oliverscupboard.com and @oliverscupboard
THIS PAGE, FROM TOP LEFT: Sadia Ahmed, the founder of Oliver’s Cupboard, named the brand after her own son; at present there are six recipes on offer with more in the pipeline; korma is one of the most popular recipes.
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Karen D’Souza Photography Supplied
Don’t just clean. Care.
Waken promises eco-friendly mouthcare with a difference
Founded in 2019, Waken is a UK-based mouthcare brand. Focusing on complete oral hygiene, the company’s deliciously effective formulas prioritise purity over strength, and are made to work with your mouth rather than just ‘targeting’, ‘killing’ or ‘fighting’ off bacteria. But, it’s not just oral hygiene it is here to take care of – the eco-friendly brand is 100 per cent vegan-friendly, recyclable and the mouthwashes are carbon neutral. Good for your mouth and good for the planet – and let’s not forget to mention the beautiful packaging. We chatted with founder, Simon Duffy, about what makes Waken different from your everyday oral care brand.
What sets Waken apart from other brands in the market?
There is a lot that makes us different, but first let me say that people can feel completely reassured that there is absolutely no sacrifice in terms of performance. Waken products are focused on amazing results. We use fluoride and other science-led ingredients in our formulations. We fully test everything and do a great deal of work on developing our products to make sure they really work. However, there is a lot that
sets us apart. Waken is more sustainable than typical traditional brands. Our mouthwashes are bottled in fully recyclable bottles made from post-consumer recycled plastic. We take a lot of care on every new product to develop more sustainable solutions. We also prioritise natural formulations. Waken is actually the only major brand that uses real natural peppermint and natural spearmint while other brands typically use artificial fragrances.
What materials go into making Waken eco-friendly?
Packaging is vital. When you consider how much virgin plastic goes into typical dental products, it’s shocking. Waken takes a different approach. Our toothpaste tubes are packed in sustainable aluminium tubes and our mouthwashes are bottled in sustainable PCR bottles. We’re also more sustainable when it comes to our formulations. That is not just about the natural ingredients we use, it’s also about what we don’t use. For example, we don’t add titanium dioxide into our toothpastes. We don’t like the way this ingredient is mined and it’s only included to make pastes ‘whiter’ and serves no actual purpose beyond the cosmetic look and feel.
THIS PAGE: Waken uses natural spearmint in its toothpaste and mouthwash; the brand’s eye-catching packaging has been a hit with consumers; Waken mouthwashes are packaged in fully recyclable bottles made from recycled plastic; Simon Duffy.
The packaging looks beautiful – can you tell us a little bit about this?
Stunning packaging has been a huge focus for us. With Waken, I want people to feel proud to have their dental products on display all the time. There shouldn’t be any difference between having cool dental products and cool beauty products. On Instagram, we’ve been overwhelmed by the content that people are posting of Waken products looking stunning in their beautiful homes.
And lastly, what’s your favourite flavour?
Ha! That’s a bit like being asked which is your favourite child. They are all brilliant. However, if you really pushed me, I would say the peppermint mouthwash. It’s just so intensely minty and refreshing, but I also think you can appreciate the natural flavour notes coming from the real peppermint we use.
For more information, visit wakencare.com
Super dad
Father’s Day 2022 falls on 19 June – not that you need reminding, right? – so if you’re looking to dazzle Dad with some super gifts, you’ve come to the right place. It’s time to show the main man in your life that you care with our handy gift guide
SAY IT WITH SOCKS
Happy socks, happy dad? It’s time to give all the other dads some serious sock envy with Happy Socks’ colourful, quirky range. A fun way for fashionable dads to jazz up their 9 to 5 attire, we’re particularly fond of the banana design (pictured). These eye-catching socks, which are now available at select Spinneys stores, would have us merrily grinning like the Cheshire Cat. From 45 AED.
THE PERFECT SHAVE
Eco-conscious dad in need of a good shave on your hands? Say hello to Bulldog Skincare’s original bamboo razor. With five tempered steel blades, a lubricating strip with aloe, a precision trimmer and a pivoting design, this natural bamboo razor has everything Dad needs for a stellar shave. Vegan-friendly, 100 per cent cruelty-free and made from recycled stock, it’s a feel-good gift that any dad will love.
41.50 AED.
SKINCARE SAVVY
Repeat after us: skincare is not just for women. Now say it again. It’s often overlooked, but the health of men’s skin is just as important as that of women’s – so why do only a few men follow a skincare routine? Formulated specifically for male
skin, Sukin’s natural range of scrubs, cleansers and moisturisers will leave dad feeling refreshed, hydrated and dare we say – even glowing?
From 60 AED.
MUSKY & MASCULINE
From spicy black pepper and ginseng to aromatic ginger and lime, Baylis & Harding’s bath and body collection for men will turn shower time into a pampering treat. Inspired by the latest interior design trends, the quintessentially British brand prides itself on its chic packaging that mimics the textures of steel, marble, or wood but, more importantly, the ingredients used are both kind to the skin and the environment.
From 26 AED.
DEAR DAD…
And if all else fails, nothing beats a few sentimental words jotted down in a keepsake card. From the funny to the sappy, shop our extensive range of Father’s Day cards at your nearest Spinneys store today.
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Reema Rahman ; Photography Supplied
RECIPE INDEX
STARTERS, SOUPS, SALADS & SIDES
Chilled asparagus stem soup with herb oil 16
Yesterday’s bread with tomatoes and ricotta 16
Asparagus and oysters with tarragon hollandaise 20
Tomato koshari salad 21
Roasted aubergine salad with dill 36
Aleppo pepper roasted carrots with labneh 45
Sweet-and-sour stuffed onions 57
B’zar roasted carrots with preserved lemon paste 57
Sweet-and-sour sumac baked aubergines 58
Smoky paprika chickpea churros with vegan mayo 62
Spicy Aleppo chilli chicken wings 72
Buckwheat and roasted butternut tabbouleh 72
Smoking cinnamon lamb kebabs 72
Omani prawn brochettes with tamarind 78
Bulgur, potato and kamouneh kibbeh 74
Prawn and salmon kibbeh 78
CONDIMENTS
Lebanese pickled cauliflower 57
DRINKS
Raspberry rose mocktail bombs 11
Muhallabiya drink 86
Pistachio sobia 86
Chilled chocolate halva sahlab 86
MAINS
Ricotta spaetzle with fennel brown butter and courgettes 34
Hazelnut crusted chicken with broccoli gremolata 35
Savoury vegetable cobbler with Cheddar dumplings 37
Hot smoked salmon with freekeh, fennel and mint 38
Freekeh falafel with sumac onions and shrak bread 65
Cauliflower falafel with beetroot hummus 66
Falafel with marinated cucumber and dukkah 69
Baba ganoush falafel with toum yoghurt 69
Spicy grilled fish in green tahini sauce 78
Masgouf with pomegranate glaze 78
Fish baked in tomato sauce with red chillies 81
Vine leaf baked whole fish with sweet-savoury rice 81
