Perhaps the best Afghani restaurant I have ever been to is Helmand’s in Cambridge, MA. There, my husband and I tried Kaddo, an appetizer described as pan-fried baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on yogurt garlic sauce, topped with a ground beef sauce. This recipe was inspired from that appetizer, but instead of pan frying, the pumpkin is just baked in the oven until caramelized …
Main Dish
Chicken Shawarma Lettuce Wraps
Traditional shawarma is made by layering strips of marinated meat onto a vertical rotisserie and then roasting it in its own juices until moist and tender. The meat is then shaved into small pieces and piled onto flatbread with garlic sauce, fries, and pickles, as a sandwich (wrap) or served with rice and sides as a platter. Today I wanted to share with you the way I like to make chicken …
Stuffed Zucchini with Tomato Sauce
This Lebanese dish known as Kousa mahshou bil-tamatem is without a doubt one of our family favorites. So much so, that when my sons left for college, this pot of simmering zucchinis became a fixture on my stovetop for every return visit. It’s also dish that can’t be rushed, the coring/stuffing takes time along with about an hour cooking, but it’s well worth it. The finished zucchini will be …
Drunken Noodles
During a college visit several years ago, my family and I tried this dish for the first time. Of all the entrees we ordered, this plate of wide tender noodles was the most popular. After the trip and home back in my kitchen, I went about recreating the dish. Freshly made rice noodles are the way to go here—dried noodles can be substituted, but there’s no comparison to the flavor of the sauce …