Falafel, Ta’amiya, Whatever You Call It, Here’s A Recipe!

Last week, I shared Amer‘s recipe for hummus and it got such a great response that I’m posting this falafel recipe a little bit early.  I’m gradually cutting more and more meat out of my diet, and as a result I have to come up with vegetarian dishes for dinner.   While deep frying isn’t exactly the healthiest thing in the world, it’s definitely a nice treat every now and then!  Just like the hummus recipe, this involves throwing everything in a food processor– the only extra step is frying.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb bag of dry chick peas (soaked overnight)
• 1 whole bulb of garlic
• 1 medium size onion
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 cup cilantro
• 1 cup Italian (It’s the flat-leaf kind) parsley
• 1 table spoon coriander powder (freshly ground if possible)
• 1 ½ teaspoon cumin powder (freshly ground if possible)
•  ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon (kosher or sea salt)
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to deep fry

Read on »

“This Is The Best Hummus I’ve Ever Had.”

Lots of people say that about my hummus, but I’ll let you in on a little secret– I stole it from my friend Amer. This hummus is a regular staple at the Friday Prayers we hold at my house, and all I get are rave reviews. So thanks Amer, for making me a super popular guy in Blacksburg, VA.

Sure, it tastes absolutely amazing, but the best part is it’s really easy to make. See all that stuff up there ? Throw it all in a food processor. (shh! the garlic is hiding!)

1 can chick peas. Rinsed and drained.
3 cloves of garlic (mash into paste w/ salt) (I never mash it into a paste, I just throw all this stuff in)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup of yogurt (can add more or less if you like)
pinch of cumin powder 1/4 tsp or less (I go for a full 1/4 tsp)
cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp or less (depends if you like to add a kick…)
1.5 lemons of juice
4-5 tbsp tahini (I do 5)

Flip the switch or push the button… and leave your processor running for a full minute.

Now, dump it all in a round plate or glass pie pan. Make pretty circular design with a spatula by turning the plate.

Top with lots of olive oil and a bunch of sumac.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Breakfast Berry Quinoa (Welcome Kiran!)

HijabMan’s Note: Please welcome our new guest blogger, Kiran. She’ll be posting healthy recipes and whatever else she feels like writing. She also blogs at 400Degrees

Salaams, Greetings & Hello I’m Kiran!

HijabMan and I have been friends for some time, but I didn’t really get to know him until he photographed my wedding two years ago. At the time I was living in Indiana and have since moved to Connecticut. After getting married I had to face several adjustments: I was beginning a masters program (I’m a librarian by training), I was moving to some strange unheard of state, and after so long, I had to share my space with another person. Fortunately he likes books and I like shelving them (not that a real librarian would).
Read on »

Holy Cannolis! …Or Just A Recipe For Atayef

Note: This Is A Guest Post By Taiyyaba

Ameir, my husband, is of Syrian descent. He also grew up with a lot of friends from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh whose mothers fed him while he was in college. (I like to think he hung out with Desi, or South Asian people because he was preparing himself to marry me.)
Read on »

Cooking With Amer & Jasmina: Hamburger Buns

These hamburger buns are so easy to make and so delicious. Once you make them, you won’t be able to buy buns at the store again!

Read on »

Stone Soup: Making Homemade Veggie/Chicken Stock

Note: The following is a guest post from Taiyyaba

I was always destined to be a foodie. My favorite short stories, or favorite parts of longer tales, were always about what food everyone was eating. So naturally, I loved the story of Stone Soup. The story of the old man who started with a rock and some water, and ended up with a mouthwatering stew was entirely enchanting to my child self. I could always taste the savory broth on my tongue and smell the strong aroma by the end of the story.
Read on »