Fall is the season where there is plenty of activity as sumac, carob, pomegranate are picked. Tons of olives are harvested and mostly made into olive oil, while some of it is used to make olive pickles. Also it’s the season of vegetables that are main ingredients of many Palestinian dishes, one example is eggplant. I was driving from Amman to Jerash two weeks ago, all I could see by the side of the road were street vendors with boxes and boxes of baby eggplants on display, and this only means one thing, it is time to make Makdous!

Two important things to keep in mind when buying baby eggplants: 1) to taste a sample to make sure the ones that will be used are not bitter, and also, some say it is better to used ones that have been picked before the first rainfall. 2) to follow the simple rule of making makdous; the smaller the eggplants, the better…

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Shulbato is made of coarse bulgur, eggplants, tomato and green pepper cooked all together. It’s usually served as a side dish, but also can be a good main-dish option especially for vegetarians.

Everyone has their own version of shulbato. Some replace eggplants with zucchini, or use rice instead of bulgur, others add cooked chicken or minced beef on the top, so it absolutely depends on one’s taste buds.

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There are few ways to cook eggplant for making mutabbal. Some would deep fry it, while others would bake it in the oven. But nothing could beat the unique taste coming from roasting it. Roasting eggplants on stove-top or barbeque grill brings out richness in eggplant and adds smoky flavor and aroma to the dish.

About picking the good eggplants for making mutabbal, I quote Christiane Nasser: “Large and pulpy Jericho eggplants (betinjan rihawi) are ideal or frying and grilling. They are quite sharp when grilled, and intensify the flavor of many salads that accompany meat dishes”.

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Okra stewed in tomato sauce is widely known in many Eastern cuisines; including Egyptian, Greek, Iranian, Indian, in addition to the Levantine. The secret of making good okra stew is by picking the tender and small okra pods which can be found, fresh or frozen, in different middle-eastern shops.

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Stuffed cabbage rolls (malfouf or mahshi malfouf) is not only one of these dishes, it is one of the most flavored and delicious options among them all. At least from my taste buds point of view. The Arabic name of cabbage is “malfouf”, however this word originally means wrapped up and that explains where the name of cabbage comes from.

The recipe that I am sharing today is the typical and original Palestinian way of making stuffed cabbage rolls. It is easy, simple and delicious.

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Shakshoukeh (or shakshuka) is the kind of dishes that can be prepared and made anytime, by anyone, and using the most basic ingredients that any kitchen would have. It basically consists of two ingredients: tomatoes and eggs, but extra ingredients can be added according to the preference of the cook like garlic, onions, green peppers, cheese and meat. In this recipe, I’ll be using tomatoes, eggs, green onions, parsley and tomato paste for a thicker sauce and more concentrated tomato flavor.

Shakshoukeh has started as a meal for workers, farmers, fishermen, and poor people in general; and this (in addition to it’s fresh and deciduous taste) made it a very popular dish not only in Palestine but in the whole Arab region. It’s called shakshouka in the countries of north Africa (where it’s originally from),  jaz-maz in Syria, makhlama in Iraq, and some people would simply call it eggs and tomatoes.

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It took me some time to begin writing on this blog after it was created good time ago. And it took me even more time to decide on the first recipe. I was thinking to myself; maybe I should start with the most classical Palestinian dish like Msakhan and Maqloubeh, or with a worldwide known one like Hummus and Falafel, or maybe with one of the basic everyday Palestinian food like Pickled Olives and Zatar (Thyme). Then I told myself, “Eman, simply start with your favorite dish!”. And here we go with Cauliflower in Tahini Sauce.

Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce is popular particularly in Palestine and generally in Levant. It’s a perfect winter dish made of healthy and tasty ingredients. One is Tahini, which is made of ground sesame seeds and is essential in East Mediterranean cooking. Adding rich flavor and texture to food, Tahini also provides good fatty acids, minerals and energy. Another ingredient is cauliflower, a cold season vegetable, usually produced in December and January. It is considered a rich source of Vitamin C and fibers. So it makes all the sense for these two ingredients to come together in one wintery dish.

In this recipe I use pan/shallow frying to cook cauliflower florets instead of deep frying for less oil intake. However roasting the florets would be the healthiest option. Also it’s good to mention here that this dish can be a vegetarian choice if you eliminate the beef from it.

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