A few nights ago, Lara took me to Barracuda – a popular fish restaurant in Jumeirah 3, Dubai. It is owned by an Egyptian and is established on the concept of ‘selecting’ your own seafood. It reminds me very much of selecting catfish in some Nigerian restaurants, popularly known as Point & Kill. Except in this case, the fish (and other seafood) is all fresh but dead, and sitting on ice.
Five (5) Favourite Mocktails
The last cups are poured slowly, sipped with dreamy eyes. Eyes glazed with memories of mornings and glasses of juice – mostly orange, memories of heat at noon and refreshing drinks, full of muddled mint and ice. Holidays for me are mostly about the unhurried cups of tea at dawn, the fresh juices I down at breakfast and more. Dubai has been wonderful for showing me a few delicious mocktail combinations.
Five (5) Things I Now Know About Pita Bread
The best pita bread is pillowy, soft, sweet and served warm. Thank you Jedoudna, for all I’d ever known about pita bread has gone to pot. A few days ago, we strolled down ‘The Walk’, seeking where we might feast. At Jedoudna – a Lebanese establishment, we were served basket after basket of the most delicious pita bread.
Happy New Year, 2015
Dear Lord, Thank you for 2014 – the year in which I survived more than accomplished. No need for long stories. Thank you Lord for 2015. I wish you all the very best for the new year ahead, Love & Peace, Ozoz[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Happy New Year, 2015 – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
Zafran – Saffron Tea At Filli, ICCA Dubai
The best thing for me about a holiday, any holiday is the drinking of leisurely cups of tea. And for me, quite frankly, the tea culture in the Middle East, Gulf states and North Africa is unrivaled. Except by the Chinese perhaps but this isn’t a discourse on who does it better – this is about holidays and desires and favourite things. Almost every morning since our arrival in Dubai, I’ve made a cup of tea and savoured it – not with sunrise though (for we’re still trying to get back into normal sleeping patterns). I sip and drink and...
The International Centre for Culinary Arts, Dubai
It took me a while to learn the difference between cook and chef. A cook does wonders in the kitchen, without formal training of techniques and cuisines. A chef does wonders in the kitchen, with formal training of techniques and cuisines. I never really wanted to be a chef, not till a couple of years ago anyways.
A Taste of Camel Milk Gelato in Dubai
So yes, I was brave enough to try camel milk gelato. In Dubai. The first camels I saw in Dubai were on the beach, backs covered in 2, 3 blankets, led by a ‘shepherd’ who was riding one and pulling the other. Strange, I thought – camels for horses on Dubai’s beaches. But of course it made sense – camels, desert, Dubai.
Spices & Abras Sailing on the Creeks of Dubai
We took an abra on a warm morning across the Dubai creek, from Bur Dubai to Deira with my friend, Lara of A Life on a Plate. We met up with Sally of My Custard Pie later and enjoyed a nice enough lunch on the Creek. An abra (Arabic: عبرة abra) is a traditional boat made of wood. Abras are used to ferry people across theDubai Creek in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. They travel between the water station at Shindagha/Al Ghubaiba on theBur Dubai side, and the water station at Al Sabkha on the Deira side. The abras depart every...
Yam & Dambun Kazaa Hash
This has to be one of my greatest discoveries of 2014 – that frying boiled yam, cut up in little chunks is an adventure in textures. A couple of months ago, my children wanted fried yam but what we had was boiled. So I lightly greased a pan, seasoned the yam and fried away. The results? Golden nuggets of goodness – crisp and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I proceeded to make a hash which I repeat here…for your sake. Hash is a dish consisting of diced or chopped meat,potatoes, and spices that are mixed together and then...