Upcoming

Yalla Eat! Instagram Takeover Chef Series

AANM presents a Yalla Eat! series in the form of Instagram Takeovers by different Arab American chefs, Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET. Each guest chef will cook and demonstrate a delectable recipe on AANM’s Instagram stories, with the dish and ingredient list announced ahead of time so that audiences can prepare and follow along. All recipes are archived in our Instagram Highlights as well as below, to refer back to. 

Join us and learn to make some unique, delicious dishes! Sahtain!

Mary (Make With Mary) presents Cinnamon Roll Baklava

Mary (or Maryam, both names work) has a background in Languages and Linguistics. She loves sharing bits of her life, educational facts and food recipes on all of her social media. She was born and raised in both the U.S. and the U.K. but is originally from Jordan, so most of the foods she shares are fusion foods, reflecting the different cultures she grew up with. You’ll always find her in the kitchen, fusing ingredients and blending them to make a delicious dish.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted and browned
1/2 cup each: walnuts, almonds and cashews
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons orange blossom water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water (+1/4 cup white and brown sugar)
Puff pastry roll


Yaseen Jawad (oh_my_foodness) presents Layali Lubnan

Yaseen Jawad is an Engineer by day and a home chef by night. Born and raised in Michigan with roots from Sierra Leone, Yaseen makes everything from traditional middle eastern and African dishes to the latest trending recipes on social media. He strives not only to make his recipes tasty but to make them foolproof so that even beginners won’t feel intimidated when entering the kitchen. Yaseen owes his kitchen successes to his mom for teaching him everything there is to know and especially for handing down their favorite Middle Eastern and African recipes to share with the world. Yaseen loves cooking for his wife as she is his biggest critic and thanks her for the constant love and support to push him through new culinary boundaries. He showcases his love for cooking on his Instagram page @oh_my_foodness.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the semolina base:
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup semolina
1 teaspoon each rose and blossom water.
Pinch of mastic

For the custard layer:
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon each rose and blossom water
Pinch of mastic (crush with sugar)
Puck cream in a can (optional)

Crushed pistachio and simple syrup to garnish


Mai Kakish (Almond and Fig) presents Fried Tomatoes (Alayet Bandoura)

Mai Kakish runs Almond and Fig, a memoir told through food. She cooks to remember the place she came from, Palestine, and to pass that connection on to her children and others. Through Almond and Fig she shares meals and her family table; sharing the food that taught her about her identity, culture and family. The kind of food that makes memories and tells stories. She believes that food not only plays an important role in forming traditions and social interactions, but is also a tool to tell a story about culture and identity. Through her cooking and stories, she hopes to inspire others to cook food from an often misunderstood part of the world, and help create new memories and conversations around their own dinner tables.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

5-6 large tomatoes cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper; you can leave it whole or seed and dice (optional)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon dried mint to finish


Reian Abdin (shami_eats_and_treats) presents Musabaha

Reian Abdin is a Syrian American born in New York and raised in South Carolina. She is a proud mother of her three little ones. Having a family of her own showed her the importance of preserving cultural identity and she loves doing this through her food, sharing recipes for dishes she grew up with on Instagram and Youtube. She wants others to be able to enjoy traditional Middle Eastern food just as much as she does, and be able to recreate them in an easy way without having to guess ingredients and amounts; through sharing these recipes she hopes to instill the love of a home cooked meal and inspire others to elevate their dishes and try new recipes.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 jar (400 grams drained) chickpeas with their liquid
4 tablespoons tahini
1 lemon, juiced
3 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons labneh
Dried parsley and red pepper powder for garnish


Monica Isaac (Cairo Coffee) presents Arabic Coffee

Monica Isaac is a first generation Coptic Egyptian living on the eastside of Detroit. She is the owner of Cairo Coffee, a specialty coffee shop and community-lending library in the city. Cairo Coffee focuses on building relationships with local vendors and small businesses and training young Detroiters through their Barista apprentice/skill-sharing program. Monica is also a proud community member, organizer and creator in different mediums.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients/supplies:

Arabic/Turkish style ground coffee (Cairo Coffee uses a 50/50 blend with cardamom from Hashems Roastery in Dearborn)
Sugar
Water
Spoon
Qahwah/demitasse set (cup and saucer, or a regular espresso set)
Dallah/rakwah (traditional coffee pot with a handle)


Samantha Sanchez (HaveSpicesWillTravel) presents Om Ali

Samantha Sanchez has a background is in Cultural Anthropology and Education, but cooking is her passion. She has been blogging and sharing recipes on Instagram and Facebook. Her page, HaveSpicesWillTravel was born from her love of culture and cuisine. Not everyone has the opportunity to travel often and immerse themselves in new cultures and tastes, but one thing everyone has access to is… spices! A story, a tradition, and of course a recipe help to teleport our tastebuds to new places. Samantha is the winner of the Daybreak Press Award for Best Cookbook in 2020 for her groundbreaking book, Ramadan Recipes, the first and only cookbook dedicated to the Muslim holidays and the amazing variety of cultures that make up the Muslim community.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

4-6 croissants
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of milk
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Assorted nuts (walnuts, pistachios, almonds)
Raisins, chopped dates, apricots
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 can of table cream
Rose petals for garnish (optional)


Summar (The Cozy Home Chronicles) presents Vegan Mahklama

Summar is a mom of three completing her Ph.D. in anthropology at Wayne State University. When not writing her dissertation, she writes about all things home life and motherhood on her blog The Cozy Home Chronicles. She believes coziness is a labor of love that can be built into simple everyday moments whether it’s crafting with your children or putting together a nourishing home-cooked meal. She’s especially passionate about sustainability and is always looking for ways to lessen her impact, including experimenting in the kitchen to make delicious plant-based versions of traditional Middle Eastern dishes.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 (14oz) block of firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 medium vine ripened tomatoes, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil


Lama Bazzi (TasteGreatFoodie) presents Roasted Eggplant Salad

Lama Bazzi is the founder of TasteGreatFoodie, a page where she shares diverse food recipes that are mostly healthy, and sometimes not! She has a social media presence on known platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube with over 40 thousand followers combined and has an upcoming blog on the way. She started cooking seven years ago when she got married and moved to Florida. Without any prior cooking skills, her mom guided her over the phone and her passion for cooking bloomed. About two years ago, she began sharing her love for simplified recipes and turned it into a business. She has been featured in Voyage Magazine Miami and has collaborated with known brands, such as Morning Star, Starkist, Lactaid, Post, Van Foods, BJ’s Wholesale and Crescent Foods. She is a stay at home mom of two little girls whom she homeschools. Her children are her absolute favorite food critics.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 whole eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 tablespoons green onions, chopped
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt to taste
Pomegranate to garnish


Lamees AttarBashi presents Baked Kufta Parcels

Lamees AttarBashi is an MBA Engineer turned TV chef and personality, an international culinary enthusiast with a focus on Middle Eastern cuisine, a recipe developer and a constant Nomad who spent most of her years traveling the world and learning about different cuisines and food. Her passion for food led her to complete a Diploma in Hot kitchen from ICCA (International Center for Culinary arts) in Dubai, along with various certificates of cooking with many international and Michelin star chefs. On her TV show Lamees’s Dining Table she got to showcase her love for Middle Eastern and international food, along with regular appearances on TV shows like Sabah El Kheir Ya Arab, Sabah El Dar and food festivals like Dubai Food Festival and Sharjah Food Festival. She is currently in the last stages of launching her own superfood snack company Bashi’s Superfood Snacks, that focuses on natural, superfood healthy snacks in a tub with a no-nonsense approach to snacking and indulging.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 Medium sized eggplants

For the kufta:
1 pound ground meat
1 tomato, minced
1 onion, minced
1 bunch parsley, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons flour

For the sauce:
1.5 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water


Sahar Elhallak (At Home in Morocco) presents Moroccan Taktouka

Sahar Elhallak is a certified vegetarian and vegan nutritionist. Her food represents her birth country Lebanon, her Palestinian roots and her adopted country Morocco. She was recently named a Rooted Everyday Ambassador and a Mediterranean food hero for advocating sustainable cooking and farming. She firmly believes that food connects us and knows no borders; what better way to be connected with others than to share the same vision for our Mother Earth. She advocates for a whole food diet that involves no additives or processing; that respects Mother Earth and sees her as a source of life, not a resource.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 medium to small Anaheim peppers or green peppers
2-3 medium tomatoes
1-3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt to taste

 


Mahdi Blaine (Maroc the Casbah) presents Moroccan Harcha with Merguez Sausage Gravy

Mahdi Blaine is 26 years old and living in NYC, where he is a graduate student in Middle Eastern Studies at NYU, researching Moroccan statecraft in regards to Western Sahara. When he is not studying he is always experimenting in kitchen, either trying new dishes or cooking dishes that he grew up eating, and sharing the results on his Instagram page @marocthecasbah.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the Harcha:
1 3/4 cup semolina
2/3 cup melted butter or neutral oil
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt

For the Merguez Sausage Gravy:
1 pound merguez sausage
1/4 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste


Rania Renno (Hungrily Homemade) presents Muhammara Pinwheels

Rania Renno is a passionate home cook, mama of soon to be two boys, wife, daughter and sister. Her Lebanese and Palestinian heritage have influenced her cooking and the foods she brings to her kitchen table, and to tables all over the world through her writing and recipes on hungrilyhomemade.com. While living in Saudi Arabia for a portion of her life, Rania picked up flavors of the gulf as a part of her influence and had the opportunity to travel all over the world. These experiences shape the food that Rania loves and cooks every day. For some simple, flavorful and incredibly delicious recipes, head over to her website and follow her on Instagram at @HungrilyHomemade.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
2 packages crescent dough sheets
1 hot pepper (such as jalapeno peppers)
3/4 cup walnuts
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parsley
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
Black pepper, to taste


Patty Darwish (Patty’s Food Fare) presents Batata Harraa (Spicy Potato Hash)

Patricia Darwish (pronounced Pat-reesia) was born and raised in Michigan her whole life. Her great grandfather came to the United States from Lebanon in hopes of starting a new life here. She is the eldest child in her family as well as of 33 grandchildren, and the single mother of 4 beautiful children. Food has always been important in her home. She learned her recipes from her grandmother and parents; learning how to cook by feel, sight and smell. Patty recently changed a 20 year career as an Early Childhood specialist and went back to culinary school, then purchased the 100 year old Iversen’s Bakery in Dearborn, now doing what she loves.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 cups medium diced potatoes
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

 


Tariq Nasir (Chef Tariq Cooks) presents Musakhan

Tariq Nasir is an Arab American food blogger and founder of ChefTariq.com. He empowers the everyday home cook to bring Middle Eastern cuisine to their table. Growing up as a refugee, Tariq has a passion for bringing people together and has found that the dinner table is the perfect place. With a Palestinian father and American mother, Nasir grew up in both the U.S. and Middle East eating both burgers and mahshi. At the moment he lives in Jordan with his wife Harriet and two dogs, Max and Charlie.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
2 whole chicken legs
1/4 teaspoon seven spices or cumin
1/4 teaspoon sumac
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons oil

For the onions:
2 onions, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon sumac
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon seven spices

To serve:
2 loaves taboon bread or pita
1 tablespoon slivered almonds or pine nuts


Sheila Mansour (Sheila’s Pitas and More) presents Iraqi Spiced Beef Bourek

Sheila Mansour‘s love of cooking came at an early age as she watched her grandmother, mother and father cook incredibly delicious homemade and handmade Iraqi meals in their Detroit home. As an adult, she learned to cook for her family and friends because she yearned for the flavors of her Iraqi heritage, upbringing and culture; her Chaldean/Assyrian ancestors whispering to her the measurements as she cooks and bakes in her California kitchen. Nothing brings her more happiness or pleasure than sharing her food with others.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 pounds 10-15% fat ground beef
3 bunches chopped parsley
2 medium onions
2 bunches green onions
2 teaspoons curry spice
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons pepper
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup small golden raisins *optional
1-2 packages of egg roll wrappers
2 eggs for an egg wash
Grapeseed oil, for frying


Jad Saad presents Focaccia with Zaatar

Jad Saad is a Lebanese American startup chef currently residing in California. He received his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the American University of Beirut, later becoming interested in nutrition and cooking in general. He moved to California and completed a diploma from the International Culinary Center (ICC) as well as online certificate in Nutrition and Healthy Living from Cornell University. He went on to work at Rosewood SandHill Hotels for 8 months gaining extensive experience, and recently created a YouTube channel where he is sharing new cooking recipes each week.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups of AP flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup zaatar
2 cups of warm water (at 100°F)


Manal Mourad (The Eating Expat) presents Baklawa French Toast

Manal Mourad is a California native of Lebanese background. Her recipes, shared through her Instagram page @theeatingexpat, are mostly focused on modern Middle Eastern cuisine and combining both Arab and American dishes.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

White toast
Phyllo dough
1-2 large eggs
1/2 cup of milk
Cinnamon
Orange blossom water
Vanilla extract
Ghee
Heavy cream
Simply syrup or honey
Pistachios or walnuts

Garnish (optional):
Pomegranate or strawberry
Fairy floss


Sukaina Al Shami (Kikit with Kiki) presents Yemeni Mutabag (Stuffed Flatbread)

Sukaina Al Shami was born in Sana’a, Yemen and grew up in Yemen, throughout the Sham region in the Middle East, and in Virginia in the U.S., where she currently lives. She has always gravitated towards the art of food; cooking, baking, recreating traditional recipes, or creating new ones, and more importantly, the experiences and memories meals bless us with. With her platform, she wishes to spread Yemeni culture by sharing traditional recipes, bringing the Yemeni cuisine experience right to people’s kitchens. She follows a “guilt free” lifestyle balanced between a healthy and nutritious diet while still enjoying “guilty” foods when reasonably craved, and staying active! She likes to recreate traditional Yemeni recipes to make them “guilt free”, along with many other favorite recipes from all over the world. The youngest of 7 children, she holds a degree in economics and works with a government consulting firm as an analyst, and is happily married.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
1 egg
1/3 cup warm milk
1/3 cup warm water (added gradually)

For savory filling:
2 tomatoes
3 green onions/scallions
1 cup chives
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
2 eggs
Olive oil
Butter/ghee (to sprinkle)

For sweet filling:
Fruit spread (such as fig)
Goat cheese
Walnuts


Denise Hazime (DedeMed) presents Fig & Mascarpone Crostini

Denise Hazime is a native Michigander currently living in California. Her love of cooking began at a young age and turned into an online presence in 2006 when she began posting cooking videos on her Youtube (DedeMed). With 13 million Youtube views, she’s known for her easy to follow and healthy recipes. She has one of the most popular Hummus recipes on the internet and was called the “Queen of the mashed chickpea” on the front page of The Wall Street Journal. She has also appeared on CNN, Coast Magazine and many other nationwide outlets. Her first cookbook Idiot’s Guides: Mediterranean Diet Cookbook was published in 2014, and her second, 5 Ingredient Mediterranean Cookbook: 101 Easy & Flavorful Recipes for Every Day in 2020. Although her passion is cooking, she enjoys business and runs a tech company out of Los Angeles, and was named to the Forbes Business Development Council.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

4-5 ripe figs
12-inch French baguette
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup fig jam
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons honey


Mona P. (Revolving Table) present Sfoof‌ ‌(Turmeric‌ ‌Tea‌ ‌Cake)‌ ‌

Mona P. is a Lebanese home cook from Dearborn, MI. She runs the account @revolvingtable to document her love affair with food, especially Arab food, and its historical, cultural and emotional significance. She holds a doctorate in developmental psychology with a special interest in Arab identity.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2‌ ‌and 1/4 ‌cup‌s ‌‌flour‌ ‌
2‌ ‌cups‌ ‌sugar‌ ‌
3/4 ‌cup‌ ‌fine‌ ‌semolina‌ ‌
3/4 ‌cup‌ ‌oil‌ ‌or‌ ‌melted‌ ‌butter‌ ‌(or‌ ‌a‌ ‌mix)‌ ‌
2 and 3/4 teaspoons‌ ‌turmeric‌ ‌ ‌
2‌ teaspoons‌ ‌baking‌ ‌powder‌ ‌
1‌ ‌teaspoon ‌vanilla‌ ‌
1 and 3/4 cups milk
Pine‌ ‌nuts,‌ ‌almonds, ‌or‌ ‌sesame‌ ‌seeds‌ ‌to‌ ‌garnish,‌ ‌if‌ ‌desired‌ ‌


Inaam Shahin & Marah AbuDieyeh (Bateekh W Jebneh) present Kunafah Nabulsiyeh

Inaam Shahin & Marah AbuDieyeh are a mother-daughter duo who own the Instagram page @bateekh.w.jebneh, where they share memorable moments in the kitchen and their love for cooking. Inaam is a biologist and research assistant, and Marah (pictured) is an electrical engineer and business owner. Inaam is a mother who grew up watching her own mother cook, who was her companion in the kitchen, watching her every move from how she would fold a pastry in a specific way, to how she would spice her dishes, and Marah is a daughter who longs to be just like her mother. They focus on Palestinian and Middle Eastern food and through their Instagram page, they share recipes and cooking techniques, their love and passion for Palestinian recipes and their love for tradition and culture, as well as for photography and writing.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the Kunafah dough:
3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup semolina (fine or course)
1/2 cup vegetable ghee
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the simple syrup:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 cups water
Half a lemon

For assembling the Kunafah:
Ghee
Desalted Akkawi cheese
Kunafa food colouring (Ziyad brand works great and can be found easily)
Ground Pistachios


Sara Ahmad (Add A Little Lemon) presents Kubbat Hallab

Sara Ahmad is an Iraqi American educator, writer, and food blogger based in Los Angeles. Her Iraqi food blog Add a Little Lemon explores food, politics, and identity in diaspora through family recipes, personal stories, and shared history. Sara’s recipes have been featured in Middle East Eye, Buzzfeed, and in the recently published cookbook A House With a Date Palm Will Never Starve: Cooking with Date Syrup. 

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 cups long-grain white rice, washed and soaked for at least 2 hours, cooked until soft
Just enough water to soften the rice
1 egg

For the stuffing:
Oil, for sauteing
1 onion, finely diced
2 lbs ground meat (beef or lamb)
Salt and pepper
1 bunch parsley, minced

Oil for deep frying


Lama Bazzi (TasteGreatFoodie) presents Date and Nut Filled Maamoul

Lama Bazzi is the founder of TasteGreatFoodie, a page where she shares diverse food recipes that are mostly healthy, and sometimes not! She has a social media presence on known platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube with over 40 thousand followers combined and has an upcoming blog on the way. She started cooking seven years ago when she got married and moved to Florida. Without any prior cooking skills, her mom guided her over the phone and her passion for cooking bloomed. About two years ago, she began sharing her love for simplified recipes and turned it into a business. She has been featured in Voyage Magazine Miami and has collaborated with known brands, such as Morning Star, Starkist, Lactaid, Post, Van Foods, BJ’s Wholesale and Crescent Foods. She is a stay at home mom of two little girls whom she homeschools. Her children are her absolute favorite food critics.

 

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 1/4 cups flour
3 cups + 3 tablespoons fine semolina
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup rose or blossom water

For the filling:
Date filling: 8 oz date paste
Pistachio filling: 1 cup ground pistachio, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons rose water
Walnut filling: 1 cup ground walnuts, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 4 to 5 tablespoons rose water


Loubna Zouiten (Louz Kitchen) presents Moroccan Milk Pastilla (Jouhara)

Loubna Zouiten is a Moroccan chef who loves cooking all types of food. She owns a Mediterranean restaurant in Parker, Colorado called Sahara, and loves sharing her recipes and passion for food with others and does so regularly on her Instagram page, Louz Kitchen.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the Pastry Cups:
6 sheets of filo dough
1 stick butter, melted

For the Cream:
1 and 1/4 cup milk
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar

Garnish:
Crushed toasted almonds
2 or 3 dates, pitted and sliced
A few mint leaves


Sahar Elhallak (At Home in Morocco) presents Moroccan Zaalouk

Sahar Elhallak is a certified vegetarian and vegan nutritionist. Her food represents her birth country Lebanon, her Palestinian roots and her adopted country Morocco. She was recently named a Rooted Everyday Ambassador and a Mediterranean food hero for advocating sustainable cooking and farming. She firmly believes that food connects us and knows no borders; what better way to be connected with others than to share the same vision for our Mother Earth. She advocates for a whole food diet that involves no additives or processing; that respects Mother Earth and sees her as a source of life, not a resource.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 medium-sized eggplants
2 large tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves
1-2 tabelspoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon coriander
A handful of crushed walnut or fried pine nuts on top (optional)
4-5 dried tomatoes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste


Lamees AttarBashi presents Kufta with Tahini Sauce

Lamees AttarBashi is an MBA Engineer turned TV chef and personality, an international culinary enthusiast with a focus on Middle Eastern cuisine, a recipe developer and a constant Nomad who spent most of her years traveling the world and learning about different cuisines and food. Her passion for food led her to complete a Diploma in Hot kitchen from ICCA (International Center for Culinary arts) in Dubai, along with various certificates of cooking with many international and Michelin star chefs. On her TV show Lamees’s Dining Table she got to showcase her love for Middle Eastern and international food, along with regular appearances on TV shows like Sabah El Kheir Ya Arab, Sabah El Dar and food festivals like Dubai Food Festival and Sharjah Food Festival. She is currently in the last stages of launching her own superfood snack company Bashi’s Superfood Snacks, that focuses on natural, superfood healthy snacks in a tub with a no-nonsense approach to snacking and indulging.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the Kufta:
1.5 lb ground beef (80% meat, 20% fat) (you can substitute lamb, chicken or turkey)
2/3 cup minced onion (water squeezed out)
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup minced cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Tahini Sauce:
1/2 cup tahini
Juice of half a lemon
5 tablespoons water (or more if required)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons labna (optional)
Pinch of Salt

Garnish:
Handful of toasted pine nuts


Nada Keaik (Cooking with Nada K) presents Ka’ak Cookies 

Nada Keaik's passion is cooking and teaching others how to cook, which she does through her instagram page, Cooking with Nada K. She loves trying new recipes, and taking her mother's old recipes and making them her own with her own touch. Besides Middle Eastern and American cuisine, she loves making African meals since living part of her life in West Africa.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 cups flour + 3/4 cup
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (depending on desired level of sweetness)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon yeast + 1/4 teaspoon sugar, melted in 1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon ka’ak spice (typically consists of anise, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, mahlab, sesame and caraway)


Rania Renno (Hungrily Homemade) presents Deconstructed Baba Ghanouj Platter

Rania Renno is a passionate home cook, mama of soon to be two boys, wife, daughter and sister. Her Lebanese and Palestinian heritage have influenced her cooking and the foods she brings to her kitchen table, and to tables all over the world through her writing and recipes on hungrilyhomemade.com. While living in Saudi Arabia for a portion of her life, Rania picked up flavors of the gulf as a part of her influence and had the opportunity to travel all over the world. These experiences shape the food that Rania loves and cooks every day. For some simple, flavorful and incredibly delicious recipes, head over to her website and follow her on Instagram at @HungrilyHomemade.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 large globe eggplants
Cooking spray; I prefer avocado oil spray
1/2 cup tahini paste
3 tbsp cold water (or more depending on desired consistency)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice of 1 & 1/2 lemons
Salt to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley or dill (choose your favorite)
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds


Yumna Jawad (Feel Good Foodie) presents Shish Tawouk

Yumna Jawad is the founder of Feel Good Foodie – a blog dedicated to sharing modern healthy-ish recipes with feel good ingredients. Yumna has a business degree from the University of Michigan and a background in Marketing. Without any formal cooking training, she started sharing recipes she cooked her family in 2013 and eventually garnered millions of followers on social media and millions of monthly page views on her blog. Her recipes have been featured by Parade, BuzzFeed, Women’s Health, Greatist and Good Housekeeping. She was a guest on ABC’s Live with Kelly & Ryan, and was named by US Weekly and SELF Magazine as a top healthy food blogger.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into large chunks
1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Amjaad Al-Hussain (Sifra wa Safar) presents Yemeni Shufoot with Luhooh Bread 

Amjaad Al-Hussain is a health administration professional with over 9 years of experience working across healthcare systems. In her free time, she loves to cook for her family and enjoys educating her online audience about Yemeni cooking. She believes food is the perfect way to introduce individuals to new people and cultures. Her self-published cookbook, Sifratna, was featured in the Washington PostMiddle East EyeWashingtonian MagazineNorthern Virginia MagazineEaterDC and more. In 2019, she expanded her brand, Sifra Foods, and began offering an authentic Yemeni Hawayij spice blend. In Spring 2020 she published her second book, Eid Ka’ak, a kids’ book about how Yemeni Americans celebrate Eid in the U.S.

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Ingredients:

For the Shufoot (herb yogurt):
1 tub (32oz) of plain yogurt (whole milk)
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp dried coriander
2 tbsp salt (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp pepper (adjust to taste)
Water to thin out yogurt as needed (1/2 to 1 and 1/2 cups)

Herbs:
1 cilantro bunch
1/4 cup fresh dill
1/4 cup fresh mint
1 large green pepper
1 large jalapeno pepper
6-7 garlic cloves
6 green onions stems
1 cup chives
1 plum tomato

 

For the Luhooh Bread:
1 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp active dry yeast
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup pancake mix
1/4 cup wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 additional cups warm water

Garnish:
Pomegranate seeds
Grapes
Mint leaves
Dill leaves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Tariq Nasir (Chef Tariq Cooks) presents Maklouba

Tariq Nasir is an Arab American food blogger and founder of ChefTariq.com. He empowers the everyday home cook to bring Middle Eastern cuisine to their table. Growing up as a refugee, Tariq has a passion for bringing people together and has found that the dinner table is the perfect place. With a Palestinian father and American mother, Nasir grew up in both the U.S. and Middle East eating both burgers and mahshi. At the moment he lives in Jordan with his wife Harriet and two dogs, Max and Charlie.

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Ingredients:

Leg of lamb, about 3 pounds
2 cups rice
2 tsp seven spices
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 large eggplants
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

Karima (Karima's Kitchen) presents Lamb and Vegetable Stew with Couscous

Karima is the main chef behind Karima’s Kitchen, a collaborative effort with her daughter, Meriem. She co-owned Pomera Bakery and Restaurant located in the North Side of Chicago for over 10 years. Now Karima is interested in teaching people how to cook traditional Algerian food, pastries, desserts and other recipes she commonly cooks in her kitchen.

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Ingredients:

2 cups of couscous
1/2 kg lamb cut into 4 pieces (you can use chicken; add more or less depending on your taste)
2 zucchini
2 carrots
3 stalks of celery
1/4 cup of chickpeas
1 medium turnip
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic

Seasonings to taste:
Salt, black pepper, curry powder, garlic and ginger


Mahmoud Elbarasi (Moody Elbarasi) presents Grilled Branzino with Zhoug and Tomato and White Bean Tabeekha

Mahmoud Elbarasi brings his passion for communicating between cultures to his signature cuisine, inspired by his North African roots and Southern upbringing. Raised in Kentucky by an American mother and Libyan father, Elbarasi’s culture fusion resonates in his dishes, as does his passion for the history of cuisine and its ability to bring people together. Known for balancing intense flavors, Elbarasi consistently exposes his patrons to the unexpected, while also fearlessly promoting a nose to tail approach to cuisine. His cooking can be found at The Coronet in the historic Barrio Viejo neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, where he serves as Executive Chef.

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Ingredients:

For the fish:
1 10 oz whole cleaned branzino
Olive oil
Harissa paste
Sliced lemon (optional)
Salt and pepper

For the tabeekha:
1 cup olive oil
3 cups San Marzano canned tomatoes with liquid
2 cups white beans (I like Gigante)
1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 red onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 serrano or jalapeno Pepper (sliced)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1 teaspoon kabsa mix
2 cups chopped cilantro

 

For the zhoug (emulsify all ingredients together):
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch parsley
2 sliced seranno or jalapeno peppers
2 cups olive oil
1 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cardamom
4 cloves garlic
Salt

Garnish:
1/4 sliced onion
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Nada Keaik (Cooking with Nada K) presents Meat Pies

Nada Keaik's passion is cooking and teaching others how to cook, which she does through her instagram page, Cooking with Nada K. She loves trying new recipes, and taking her mother's old recipes and making them her own with her own touch. Besides Middle Eastern and American cuisine, she loves making African meals since living part of her life in West Africa.

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Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 teaspoon yeast
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 cups white flour
1/2 cup warm water

For the meat:
3/4 pound ground beef
2 medium onion chopped small
3 medium ripe tomato chopped small
1 teaspoon 7spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon canola oil


Loubna Zouiten (Louz Kitchen) presents Fish Tagine

Loubna Zouiten is a Moroccan chef who loves cooking all types of food. She owns a Mediterranean restaurant in Parker, Colorado called Sahara, and loves sharing her recipes and passion for food with others and does so regularly on her Instagram page, Louz Kitchen.

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Ingredients:

Fish fillet, 3-4 pieces
1/2 lb shrimp

For the fish sauce (charmoula):
1 cup chopped cilantro
3-4 garlic cloves minced
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili flakes
Salt & pepper
1 can tomato sauce

For the vegetables:
1 large carrot, sliced and boiled halfway
2 potatoes, sliced and boiled halfway
1 red pepper sliced
1 green pepper sliced
Sliced preserved lemon
Kalamata olives


Amina (Meals With Amina) presents Atayef

Amina is an Egyptian American living on the East Coast. Ever since she could remember, she was fascinated by the food world. She was labeled from a young age as the friend that can cook. From the clacking of pans to the constant “winging it” vibes that cooking embraces, she loves every single minute of it. As the years go by, she still finds that she is always the happiest in the kitchen. Now she shares that passion through her Instagram page Meals With Amina.

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Ingredients:

For the Atayef:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup water (have some water on the side just in case)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt

For the filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the simple syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey


Yumna Jawad (Feel Good Foodie) presents Mujadara

Yumna Jawad is the founder of Feel Good Foodie – a blog dedicated to sharing modern healthy-ish recipes with feel good ingredients. Yumna has a business degree from the University of Michigan and a background in Marketing. Without any formal cooking training, she started sharing recipes she cooked her family in 2013 and eventually garnered millions of followers on social media and millions of monthly page views on her blog. Her recipes have been featured by Parade, BuzzFeed, Women’s Health, Greatist and Good Housekeeping. She was a guest on ABC’s Live with Kelly & Ryan, and was named by US Weekly and SELF Magazine as a top healthy food blogger.

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Ingredients:

2.5 cups green or brown lentils
1 cup rice
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil divided
6 onions 5 chopped, and 1 sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste


Amanda Saab (Amanda's Plate) presents Chocolate Halawa Cookies

Amanda Saab was born and raised in Dearborn, MI where her love for baking began in her mother’s kitchen. Amanda earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Wayne State University, before pursuing her passion for baking in December 2017, by launching butter bear shop. Amanda was named a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow and received the Arab American Professional Network Rising Star Award. Amanda has since moved to a new role with the City of Detroit in the Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity department.

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded halawa


Amjaad Al-Hussain (Sifra wa Safar) presents Yemeni Style Stewed Potatoes

Amjaad Al-Hussain is a health administration professional with over 9 years of experience working across healthcare systems. In her free time, she loves to cook for her family and enjoys educating her online audience about Yemeni cooking. She believes food is the perfect way to introduce individuals to new people and cultures. Her self-published cookbook, Sifratna, was featured in the Washington PostMiddle East EyeWashingtonian MagazineNorthern Virginia MagazineEaterDC and more. In 2019, she expanded her brand, Sifra Foods, and began offering an authentic Yemeni Hawayij spice blend. In Spring 2020 she published her second book, Eid Ka’ak, a kids’ book about how Yemeni Americans celebrate Eid in the U.S.

WATCH THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

4 large golden potatoes
6 garlic cloves
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 cups diced yellow onions
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Yemeni Hawayij or alternative spice mix: 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
Optional: ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

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