![Risotto with Asparagus and Green Peas]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jun 22, 2017 | Halal-Certified Products, Italian, Rice & Grain Dishes, Spring, Summer
I don’t eat too much rice or pasta in Ramadan because it leaves me feeling too full before eating other things, but if I’m going to make rice, it’s a special dish. That’s why I love risotto, the Italian rice dish made with arborio rice.
It can seem intimidating to cook because it’s often cooked with cream and Parmesan cheese, but hopefully I can show you the steps to make it perfect- light and fluffy and creamy and delicious- exactly how it should be. Once you master it this way, you’ll want to keep your pantry stocked with arborio for any last-minute meal side dish you crave that can be made into a wonderful risotto of your own style.
For this one made with cut asparagus (it cooks faster) and green peas, it really came out of my usual cooking style: either something classic from my family culinary recipe box or out of what I ended up finding in my refrigerator and thought would go well together.
In this case, it was a little bit of both.
What I had in my fridge was what reminded me of dishes I’ve made in the past based on either my mother’s or my aunts’ cooking styles- so it was a little bit of both here. Regardless of where and how it was derived, it’s just superb in taste.
You can also use some chicken stock or broth to add flavor and nutrients to the rice.
The key to cooking the arborio rice is to let it steam cook at the end, once it’s off the stove. I have played around with many ways of making it. If you want to skip the addition of Parmesan cheese, then you don’t have to even open the lid once it’s cooking; if you add the Parmesan then you’ll have to stir it in (towards the end) just to make sure it’s mixed in thoroughly.
It’s such a fantastic one-pot rice dish that if you’re interested in having just this for dinner or any other meal, I am pretty sure it could be quite satisfying and filling that way, too.
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![10 Simple Kitchen Hacks to Make Ramadan Cooking Easier]()
by Yvonne Maffei | May 31, 2017 | Cooking Techniques & Kitchen Tips
This post is sponsored by Zabiha Halal
During these long summer fasts, we sure could use as much help as possible to make the normally mundane tasks of life that much easier. Here are ten hacks that have worked for me over the years and I continue to use them this Ramadan simply because they just work- and I’ve learned a little something about making life easier- there’s no less reward for being more efficient!
- Clean out your fridge and pantry. Get rid of all old condiments and spices. Wipe everything down. Make a quick list of what you need to replace. It’ll make you feel better about cooking and being in your kitchen with a clean slate.
Storage shelves in pantry with homemade canned preserved fruits and vegetables
- Get Chinese take out boxes. to store leftovers and to give food to neighbors, let guests take home leftovers.
- Marinate chicken in ziploc bags for use in recipes later. Store fresh chicken in fridge or freezer.
- Use dried fruit or fruit paste to make fruit juices. Simply cut into desired size of pieces and add to hot or boiling water. Cover and stir.
Various dried fruits on wooden table top view
- Get a few convenient frozen items. This make entertaining easier and weeknight meals less stressful. Find some great options here.
- Make your favorite smoothie combinations. Freeze them for the whole month so you can enjoy them at either Suhoor or Iftar time.
- Get potted herbs at your local nursery or farmer’s market. They’ll make adding freshness and zing to any dish so much easier when they’re right at your finger tips.
- Plan on making sandwiches or wraps at some point during Ramadan. They’re quick and easy and when it’s hot outside sometimes you just don’t want to do any cooking! You can make them hearty or light and even entertain a crowd by making long sub sandwiches with these deli meats.
- Pick one day and shop for most veggies and fruits. Chop, dice, mince and store them in the fridge for easy access throughout the week of cooking.
Four filled and colorful eco-friendly shopping bags in the back seat of a car.
- Keep the table set at all times for either Iftar or Suhoor, doing it after the cleanup of each meal. It’ll alleviate some stress and save time when you’re either too tired, groggy or running out of precious minutes to serve and eat.
I would love to hear what you think my Ramadan hacks and if you have any of your own, please share for everyone to benefit from, as well.
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![Roasted Eggplant with Ground Meat]()
by Yvonne Maffei | May 29, 2017 | Chicken, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Whenever I think of stuffing vegetables, it seems like a really tedious and cumbersome process- stuffed zucchini, stuffed cabbage, grape leaves, you name it. It seems like something I don’t have time for now want to spend an afternoon doing.
This recipe, however, isn’t like that at all. It’s a sort of twist on actually ‘stuffing’ and slow cooking because it’s sped up by cooking the ground meat ahead of time and using the inside flesh of the eggplant in that ground meat. The eggplants are then left sort of thin enough to bake nicely in the oven with enough time to just give the meat that seared taste.
I love this recipe so much and I hope you will, too.
The one secret I have to making and keeping the meat moist is by adding plenty of broth to the meat and also to the pan I’m cooking it in. It doesn’t impart any other meat flavors but since it has herbs in it, it imparts a nice flavor and aroma to the meat.
See the recipe below- ft’s a fantastic choice for any time of year, but truly satisfying this time of year when we love something substantial but not too heavy for Iftar.
The simple way to serve stuffed vegetables is right here in this two-step recipe that will leave you wondering why you ever spent more time worrying it would be too cumbersome to make!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut the eggplants in half and using a spoon, scoop out all of the flesh. Roughly chop it into small cube-size pieces and set aside.
- Gently heat the oil in a saute pan.
- Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Raise the heat and add the chicken, the chopped eggplant, and the spices. Stir until all the chicken is mostly cooked, about 6-7 minutes. Add half of the container of the broth. Continue cooking on medium high heat until the broth has mostly evaporated, about 5-6 more minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the eggplant shells in a semi deep oven-safe baking pan. Add the meat mixture to each shell, then top with fresh parsley. Drizzle each with a bit of olive oil.
- Add the remaining broth to the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, uncovered, or until you see that the meat has significantly browned on top. Remove and let cool slightly before serving with rice, potatoes or pasta.
By Yvonne Maffei | My Halal Kitchen
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![Banana Date Cups]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jun 3, 2016 | Iftar, Ramadan
I’m probably not the only one whose favorite time of the day in Ramadan is the time when we break our fast. It’s not because it’s actually time to eat; it’s because the sweetness of that first bite or first drink is really and truly the sweetest moment time and time again. For me, t’s a time for the appreciation of flavors, of gratitude for the food before us and for the ability to savor every bite. No more taking ingredients and simple pleasures for granted. It truly changes the way you look at food.
That’s why some of my favorite things to come up with in the kitchen are Iftar Starters, usually of the naturally sweet variety. I use what I have in the kitchen and very rarely go out of my way to buy anything unusual to create them. Like these Banana Date Cups, I incorporated Medjool dates, which I always have on hand, fruit like bananas that I always have on hand and baking ingredients like coconut flakes, almonds and honey.
These are simple to make, very quick to put together and are easy enough to make just one or more for a crowd. That’s the kind of ‘cooking’ I like to do, especially in Ramadan.
How about you?
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![Edible Art for the Ramadan Iftar Table]()
by Yvonne Maffei | Jul 16, 2015 | Iftar
This is a Guest Post by Sweet Pillar Food Founder, Nadia Hubbi
Chicken Rolls, A Modernized Msakhan (Chicken with Sumac and Onions) with Eid tag, “Saha ou Hana”, or “Bon Appetit” in Arabic.
The month of Ramadan may mean different things for different people, however at the end of the day, we can all agree that we are ready to feast! Growing up in a traditional Syrian household with an exceptionally great cook for a Mom, there was an endless array of mouth watering dishes every night for iftar. Now as I prepare the iftar for my family and friends, I try to emulate the delicious spread my Mom laid out when I was younger, but with my own innovative twists. Much in the same way, many children raised to immigrant parents try to uphold the traditions and values of their ancestors while also incorporating the positives of the society around them. The idea of a synergy between western and eastern cuisine brought to fruition in an easy accessible way was the inspiration behind my cooking style and ultimately the starting another branch of of my company, Sweet Pillar called Sweet Pillar Food. An Instagram page and blog to follow with inspirational Modern Middle Eastern cuisine.
Medijool Dates and Milk
While the taste of the food is of utmost importance, I am also a strong believer in a visually appealing food display and an aesthetic presentation. Incorporating “kitchen craft” to your iftar spread is a great and easy way to achieve a more personalized aesthetic. What I call kitchen crafts are the arts and crafts for food and includes food tags, menu print outs, name labels etc. The great thing about kitchen crafts is that they can be done ahead of time and there are a multitude of free printables online. They add such a special touch to any iftar and Eid dinner table but are unfortunately overlooked.
Hareesay
I also believe in experimenting with traditional recipes by tweaking some of the ingredients, usually to enhance different flavors or improve the nutritional content. This year, I played around with a traditional Arab dessert called Hareesay which is made using yogurt and semolina and yields a moist cake and topped with decedent honey syrup. With this recipe, I substituted flavored yogurt to add a slight fruit flavor. I also used greek yogurt to increase the protein content and decrease fat. After it was out of the oven, I printed out a mini lantern banner to place on top and I washed and cut stems from my garden flower bouquet to hang my lantern banner on. The result was a delicious dessert that evoked memories of my grandparents kitchen in Syria, with a fun modern twist that everyone loved.
As we approach the end of Ramadan and wonderful iftars, I challenge us all to think of using kitchen crafts this year for a more colorful and festive Eid! Follow my Instagram @sweetpillarfood for inspiration and tag you photos #sweetpillarfood to be featured! Inshallah a blessed Eid al Fitr to all of your family and friends.
