When I made this dish I left the kitchen window open. The smell attracted several male neighbors, and when my husband came in, he said that it smelled so good, he hoped it was coming from our house and...
Spices, spices, spices! This recipe is thick with 'em, and your taste buds will be thick with pleasure from Moroccan Chicken. This exotic tasting dish is a definite crowd pleaser!
Sweet and savory stewed chicken with dried fruits and exotic spices. Serve this on top of couscous and top with toasted almonds and fresh cilantro. Children love the familiarity of the 'sweet' spices and...
Serving a gorgeous, fancy-looking holiday roast doesn't have to be complicated, time-consuming, or expensive. This pork loin proves exactly that. This is fast, easy, and affordable, but when you bring...
I love Ethiopian food but had difficulty finding authentic recipes online. I ultimately found 3 or 4 recipes and altered them all to incorporate them together in an attempt to capture the flavors. Typically...
Peanuts 101! This is a basic recipe for roasting peanuts gleaned from Chef2Chef. You may use as many peanuts as you want, the method is the same, just keep it one layer deep. The computer won't let me...
For those of you who have difficulty locating berbere in your local grocery store, this recipe is a good substitute that is easy to make. Note that it is quite spicy, so use to taste. This spice combination...
A delicate, flavorful dish that will satisfy vegans and carnivores alike! Inspired by my family's deep Coptic Orthodox Christian tradition, this is a great meal alternative during strict fasting times....
My 'ouma' South African grandmother's legendary milk tart. It is lip-smacking. The recipe is a real winner. It is a traditional South African tart that is very easy to prepare.
Amazing chicken skewers my mom used to make when I was younger. These are great fresh of the grill and even better reheated. I love to meal prep this and take with me to work.
Chicken is marinated in a spicy piri piri pepper sauce, then grilled for this simple but flavorful African-inspired recipe. I like to serve this with a cool yogurt sauce and fonio pilaf.
This perfect meal features all four food groups. It is inspired by the Arabic dish called 'Maqluba,' which translates to 'upside down.' When the meal has finished cooking, you take the pot and flip it...
Harissa powder is the ground spice blend of the spicy, earthy North African paste with a base of smoked chili peppers. It can be used as a dry rub on meats or as a spice in place of any other spice blend...
This tagine is a deliciously spicy meal that is my go-to dinner for guests, because everyone loves it and it's vegan! I usually pair it with some cumin roasted cauliflower.
A hearty vegetable stew with couscous for a crowd that is naturally vegan. Couscous is the staple food of much of North Africa, where it is often served topped with tender, colorful vegetables, drenched...
Your Instant Pot® replaces the traditional clay or ceramic cone-shaped cooking pot used in Moroccan cuisine (the tagine). The word 'tagine' also refers to the slow-cooked, stew-like dish that is prepared...
I love berbere spice, a classic Ethiopian spice blend, but it never occurred to me to make my own. Actually, authentic berbere spice would use whole spice seeds/pods, toasted, and ground. But I usually...
Honey(raw organic is best) is one of nature's miracles. It is a delicious ingredient in many foods, has antibacterial properties, works as a humectant (keeps things moist), soothes a cough or sore throat,...
Harira is a famous Moroccan soup, and here's a hearty vegetarian (and vegan!) version - packed with tomatoes and chickpeas and flavored with paprika, turmeric, saffron, ginger, and harissa. The amount...
This delicious stew is inspired by my friend from Sierra Leone, West Africa, who cooks often for her family. Many ingredients can be modified. This is kind of a 'whatever is handy now' recipe. You can...
This easy dry rub blasts the fish with unique Middle Eastern flair and is perfect paired with other cold sides and salads. Roast it in the morning to enjoy cold with your guests that evening. Any variety...
Lentils, rice and pasta are cooked and then served in a spicy tomato sauce. This is a typical Egyptian dish that is very good and cheap over here! Puree the sauce in a food processor if you like a smoother...
A classic South African entree. While not particularly spicy, the dish has complex flavors with the sweetness of raisins contrasting the curry. Serve with yellow rice.
This traditional Nigerian dish brings out the best possible flavor of rice and chicken. Chicken is first sauteed on the stove top to produce a wonderful aromatic base for the rice. For an extra special...
This is a traditional South African braai (bbq) dish that can also be prepared using venison or beef. This dish is best if meat and vegetables are allowed to marinate overnight before grilling.
Butternut squash, chicken thighs, spinach, and spices are thrown together and cooked quickly and easily in an Instant Pot® in this Moroccan-inspired chicken tagine.
Ma'amoul means filled in Arabic. These are very popular in Lebanon but can be found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. They are traditionally shaped as crescents or as pressed cookies and have...
This is an African (Mozambique) curry that can be done with chicken, shrimp, or crab. Goes well with tomato chutney and onion hot sauce. For shrimp or crab, use 1 pound.
This is a traditional roast chicken dish from Algeria. The sauce is a combination of onions, garlic, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and cayenne pepper. When I have time, I prepare the chicken a few hours ahead...
A vegetable-full curry! Serve this curry over your favorite rice and you're sure to have a tasty meal. If you have carrot-ginger juice available to you, try using it in place of the orange juice - either...
Falafel, or ta'ameya as we call it in Egypt, is an all-time favorite street food. In most parts of the Middle East, falafel is made with ground chickpeas. However, in Egypt, we make it with dried fava...
Couscous is the traditional family meal on Fridays in Morocco, and best when made by a Moroccan mom. When I was living there, my roommates and I would wait all week for Couscous Friday, so naturally when...
Tabil is used to season & enhance many Tunisian dishes. In fact, Tabil means seasoning (it originally referred to the coriander which is the key ingredient in Tabil!) Tabil is often used in conjunction...
Sure, you can make falafel from a mix but frankly, it's a far cry from authentic falafel. This is the best falafel recipe I know of. You can find dried fava beans in Middle Eastern grocery stores and some...
Umm Ali is a delicious traditional Egyptian dessert equivalent to North America's bread pudding. You can serve it warm with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.