One of the keys to this dish is the spices—Kashmiri red chili and garam masala. Kashmiri chili is known for its distinctive vibrant red color and relatively mild heat. Whereas garam masalas are a combination of spice like: cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and black peppercorns. Using whole spices and grinding them with a spice/coffee grinder into a fine powder produces the best …
basmati rice
Vermicelli Rice
This rice appears on many Lebanese tables, accompanying grilled meats, fish, stews, and much more. The traditional preparation for frying the vermicelli is to use butter or oil. I dry fry toasting the bits of pasta in a wider-based pan instead. The toasting brings out a delicious nutty flavor and the lack of additional fat isn’t missed. Tip Tying a clean kitchen towel around the lid of your …
Green Beans with Tomato & Onion
This recipe is my adaptation to a Lebanese dish called Lubya bi-zayt or Green Beans in Oil that uses just a few ingredients. Tender green beans, ripe, juicy tomatoes, and soft melt-in-your-mouth diced onion, don’t get any better than this. You will find other recipes with slight variations, even one that includes ground beef (which my sons love), but my husband and I prefer this meatless …
Basmati Rice
Rice is a basic side for so many of my dishes, and this long grain basmati rice has to be one of my favorites. I love the beautiful grains that separate perfectly after steaming and the way it soaks up any sauce it’s served with. But I have found, after making plenty of different kinds of rice (jasmine, short grain, brown rice, wild rice, black rice) that there are some unique considerations for …