Recently I spoke with two experts about the pediatric vaccine for covid-19 that was approved for use in the general population of children. Physicians Sarah Mbaeyi, MD from the CDC and Nour Akhras, MD a representative of the American Muslim Health Professionals, joined us live for a webinar to discuss many questions that have come through about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. The questions were great, the answers were very helpful, I believe. You can also see the live feed webinar on the My Halal Kitchen Facebook page here where you can see some of the live questions and answers.
Feel free to leave more questions or comments on this page after this post.
It is with great pleasure that I was able to bring to all of you an enlightening discussion with the authors of the book, Halal Food: A History, the first and only book (that I know of at least), which covers the complete history of Halal food up to our current times.
You can order the paperback book here. Kindle version here. Audiobook version here. Hardcover here. Audio CD here.
The book is a fascinating read that spans the historic inception of halal as a dietary custom all the way up to today’s halal business industry of food certifiers, global standards, bloggers and chefs. They cover the topic of halal and tayyib and ethical halal (my favorite topics) as points of reference to which the basis of halal has historically stood, including in it examples of consumer goods that aim to reflect such values. I won’t say more here, because now you can watch the livestream that was recorded on Friday at 8AM PST/11AM EST/7PM ISTANBUL time. Hop on over to the My Halal Kitchen Facebook page to see the live stream or watch it here.
Author Bios
Febe Armanios is a Professor of History at Middlebury College in Vermont, where she is also co-Director of the Axinn Center for the Humanities. Her research focuses on comparative religious practices between Christians and Muslims, and among Christian communities in Egypt as well as throughout the Middle East and Balkans. She is a former Fulbright scholar who has authored or co-authored two books, including Coptic Christianity in Ottoman Egypt (Oxford UP, 2011), as well as several articles, chapters, and blog entries. In her writings, she looks at everything from the veneration of saints and pilgrimages, to diverse food and fasting traditions, comparative gender roles, and (recently) at the history of Christian television in the modern Middle East.
Boğaç Ergene (Bo-Atch Air-gen-a) is Professor of History at the University of Vermont. He’s the author and co-author of three books, including Local Court, Provincial Society and Justice in the Ottoman Empire (Brill, 2003) and The Economics of Ottoman Justice (Cambridge University Press, 2016). He also edited or co-edited two books, including Judicial Practice: Institutions and Agents in the Islamic World (Brill, 2009). He’s published multiple articles in major history, law, and economic history journals. His research over the past two decades has focused on Islamic law and legal practice in the Ottoman Empire, a topic which he has explored both qualitatively and quantitatively. He is currently working on a book project that explores perceptions of corruption in the Ottoman context.
I love the topic of what’s in your food. When I wrote the My Halal Kitchen cookbook, I learned more than I ever expected – or perhaps thought possible- about what goes on in the food industry that effects what’s in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products we use on a daily basis. It was mind-blowing and changed the game of how I not only look at food, but also how I think about my mission at My Halal Kitchen. It’s not just about writing recipes anymore; it’s also about constantly learning how the food industry changes, what kind of strange and unhealthy ingredients land in our food and what I can do to help you solve that problem.
That said, I love meeting people, particularly those in the food industry, who are going deep into what’s really in the food they create. It’s really difficult for restaurant owners, especially because of the cost of food- cheap food is tempting because the potential for massive profit is at their feet. However, there are good people out there who really do care what they make for the people who buy their products. They care deeply about the health of people and planet, and those are the types of foodies I like to surround myself with to reach the goal of educating as many people as I can about making the changes that are good for all of us- a conscious, holistic approach to eating and living.
This brings me to one of my recent Facebook live interviews where I chatted with Dobra Bielinski of Delightful Pastries bakery in Chicago. Dobra and I met when I was giving a talk for the Culinary Historians of Chicago at Kendall College. I was talking about halal with respect to how Muslim eat and what we look for in our food, including breads and doughs that might contain human hair or duck feathers, often using the name l-cysteine or dough conditioner, which is used to help these products stay softer longer, particularly in mass production. She took this information to heart and began checking to make sure all of her suppliers products were free of these elements. Later, we were both inducted into the Les Dames d’Escoffier Chicago Chapter together at the same time, earlier this year. From then on, we’ve had deeper conversations about bread and pastry products, particularly the impact of bleaching and bromeating flour, which she explains in the video below. She’s a real gem, dedicated to lifelong learning and serious about her craft, which I have so much respect for- you’ll see why here.
Love to hear your comments and questions in the comments section below. Enjoy!
I’m really getting used to this Facebook Live thing! I love how many of you have been adding comments and feedback to join in the discussion on “What’s Really in Our Food?”. It’s a five-part series where I’ll be discussing the nuances of food labels, insight into the processing of food and food industry ingredients and how food is marketed to us and our children.
You won’t want to miss these! Mark your calendars for the next three Wednesdays at 11:00 AM CST (except 10/5/16).
You can see a recap of Episodes 1 & 2 in the videos below.
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for more information on the books I mention in the live chats. To subscribe, go here.
I hope you’ll join me for something quite exciting- my first ever web chat, today at 2pm CST on the blog, Muslim Voices. You can go directly to the site link and join in on the conversation. Ask your questions, give your feedback or just follow the conversation until you feel ready to comment.
I’ll be expanding on the topic of why halal food isn’t just for Muslims, but can be enjoyed by everyone and anyone. I’ll explain what halal means in the context of food, including the life cycle of animals from farm to table within Islamic dietary guidelines.
Here is the article that sparked the conversation, previously published on the Muslim Voices and IQRA blogs and in Halal Connect magazine:
Within the Muslim community, halal is used to describe what is permissible both in food and in actions. We typically associate halal with food, as do many non-Muslims. For purposes of this article, we explore why halal food, specifically meat and poultry, is good for everyone.
I grew up devouring literature with information on eating right and living healthy. When I became a Muslim nearly ten years ago, I was excited to learn about the guidelines set forth in the Qur’an as it relates to what a Muslim should and should not eat. In the process, I realized that I was fortunate enough to develop health-conscious eating habits early on in life that morphed into actions related to food consumption in accordance with Islam. It was quickly obvious to me that the two went hand in hand.
As a food writer and blogger, I keep up with the latest news and trends on the U.S. and international food scene on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there are more and more instances in which food is contaminated and people sickened from preventable issues related to food safety and sanitation in both the agricultural and manufacturing sectors. Also unfortunate is the rising number of preventable diseases related to over-consumption.
Alhamdullilah, there is a growing movement in the U.S. to revolutionize how and what we eat. First Lady Michelle Obama, celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver, and well-known food writers such as Michael Pollan and Alice Waters are heading up this movement through books, documentaries and lectures across the country.
Because of this push to educate the masses, many people are not only reading labels but demanding to know the source of their food. They want to know what the animals are eating and how they are living, the kind of air they are breathing and what, if anything is being injected into their bodies. They are visiting farms, talking to farmers, insisting on organic products, or at least those that are all natural and not sprayed or injected with harmful pesticides, toxins or artificial growth hormones.
How does halal food fit into this parameter?
Halal encompasses more than just meat, or even the type of meat eaten, although it is the most discussed type of product consumed. For an animal to go from farm to table as halal food, it must have lived a pure life from the very beginning, finishing a cycle of life that is permissible in accordance with Islamic standards. It must have eaten well, been treated well, and been sacrificed well. It may sound good in theory, but what does this all mean?
The Life of the Animal
The kind treatment and the feed of an animal during its life is important. It should be not be abused, mistreated or caused any pain. It should not be confined to an area where it cannot move or walk normally or get fresh air. It should be fed clean water and food that is appropriate and absolutely never fed another animal or products that contain the by-products of other animals.
The Sacrifice of the Animal
As an animal should be treated well during its life, it should also be treated well at the time it is sacrificed for us. The slaughter should never be done in the presence of other animals and the animal should be made comfortable as it is positioned for the sacrifice. The act of the sacrifice should be done with a sharp object, so as to accelerate the process and reduce the pain suffered by the animal as much as possible. iMercy for animals (as well as humans, of course) is a key component of the character of a Muslim.
Afterwords, the blood should be completely drained from the animal. It is the blood that carries toxins, germs and bacteria and when left inside the body of the animal, could potentially make people sick. At the very least, it could make the cooked meat quite tough. An amazing result of cooking and consuming halal meat is a healthy meat in which the resulting texture is tender and the meat delicious. Some people say they can “taste the difference”.
Treating One’s Body Well is a Good Thing
On the flip side of halal is the haram (impermissible). The most commonly known haram consumables are alcohol and pork (and their by-products), both of which are the cause of numerous health issues, backed by volumes of scientific data. Although these two products themselves could constitute their own essays, for purposes of this article they are only briefly mentioned here. It is worthy to mention that whatever can kill us (i.e. poison) is not permissible to Muslims, either. What can we say of known poisons like toxins and pesticides purposely sprayed on our food?
Instead of seeing the impermissible as a closed door on food choices, one can embrace an entire world of exciting, delicious and a healthy variety of foods. Islam enjoins us to treat our bodies well as it has a right over us and will testify against us on the Day of Judgment for any injustices we may have caused it during our lifetime.
Treating our bodies with wholesome foods free of harmful ingredients: pesticides, toxins, pollutants, filth, etc. is not just a value desired by Muslims, it’s desired by all of humanity. It’s a common need, a common desire and a common right, and that means everyone can benefit from consuming halal foods and avoiding what is not.
Important Documentaries about Our Food & Agricultural System
Food, Inc.
Fresh: the Movie
The Future of Food
King Corn: You are What You Eat
Books About the Current State of Food & What You Can Do About It
Pollan, Michael. Botany of Desire
Pollan, Michael. Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual
Waters, Alice. Edible Schoolyard
iNarrated Shaddad bin Aus (RA) Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said, “Anyone of you should sharpen his blad so that the animal may be spared fromteh suffering of the sharpening.” [Reported by Muslim].
This recipe is unbelievably simple and there’s absolutely no cooking involved- a perfect crowd pleaser for these hot summer days. Use the freshest ingredients, including oranges and limes, instead of juices or concentrates which really makes a difference in the resulting taste. Makes 10 rolls (20 servings)
Rice Paper Roll Ingredients
2 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
½ lb. tiny cooked shrimp or two (2) 4-oz. cans wild pink shrimp
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles, and cook according to package instructions. Drain, and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.
Clean the shrimp of any veins if using fresh. If using canned shrimp, drain it of all liquids.
Remove the skin of a mango and cut into long, thin strips.
Cut each lettuce leaf in half, removing the firm center ribs.
Roughly chop the cilantro.
Cut the scallions lengthwise into very thin strips and then in half again.
Fill a pan large enough to hold rice paper with hot water.
Get an all-cotton kitchen towel or a paper towel with water and spread it out on a clean, flat surface, such as a cutting board.
Immerse 1 sheet of rice paper into the hot water until softened and flexible, about 45 seconds. Transfer to the dampened towel and smooth out.
Across the bottom third of the rice paper, place 1 piece of lettuce, a strip of mango, ½ of a scallion, a few pieces of shrimp, a bit of salt, to taste several cooked vermicelli noodles, and a few sprigs of cilantro.
Roll the rice paper into a cylinder, stopping halfway and using the paper towel to guide the process. Fold the left and right sides into the middle, remove the towel from the underside of the rice paper roll, then finish rolling. Repeat the entire process, making 10 rolls.
Place each roll on a platter with plastic wrap to cover.
To serve, cut each roll into 4 pieces and sprinkle with more fresh cilantro. Serve with a toothpick and the dipping sauce on the side or on top of each roll.
Orange-Lime Asian Sauce Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the orange and lime juices, molasses and sesame oil.
In a small pan over low heat, toast the cumin, about one minute. In a coffee or spice grinder, combine the red pepper flakes with the cumin to grind them both together.
Add the cumin-red pepper mixture to the orange-lime mixture and whisk together.
Add the salt, sugar, and ground black pepper to the above mixture. Add scallions and gently combine. Serve in small cups alongside the rice wrappers for dipping.
Recipes adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook Notes About This Recipe:
I like to use the Zhongshan Rice Vermicelli brand, but you can find a whole host of different brands to use at most Asian food stores.
Use a moist paper towel to wrap the rolls. It makes it easier to work with the rice paper.
Once the rolls are finished, they work best as appetizers once refrigerated, especially if you are going to cut them up and use toothpicks to serve. They will hold better when cold.
For the very best resulting flavors in the citrus sauce, use only fresh juices. Concentrated juices don’t have the same flavor and diluting them to the correct proportions can be tricky. If you don’t get it just right, you could ruin your sauce.
You can order the paperback book 
This recipe is unbelievably simple and there’s absolutely no cooking involved- a perfect crowd pleaser for these hot summer days. Use the freshest ingredients, including oranges and limes, instead of juices or concentrates which really makes a difference in the resulting taste. 
