Perfect Breakfast (part two): Sweet Labneh with Rose Water, Honey, Figs & Pistachios

It's hard to define perfection (as nobody is perfect) but some things can come as close to perfection as we know it. In the fascinating world of  culinary delights many things can be just perfect.

My Savoury Labneh with Mint and Olive Oil was another example that showcases how something so  simple and unpretentious has a life of its own and can become a gourmet experience in itself. 

Simple things aren't bland by any means. Sometimes I find myself craving something as mundane as fish and chips or chicken and (bukhari) rice, the staple food in the Arab world. We turn things "gourmet" by just adding a few extra touches: a surprising combination of spices or an interesting pairing of ingredients. 

I dare say this dish is gourmet by revamping it and boosting its taste with  the delicate flavour of rose water, crunchy pistachios and giving it the soft sweetness of honey and figs. 

Sweet Yoghurt Cheese with Honey, Figs and Pistachios

Type of cuisine: Middle Eastern/Fusion

Preparation time: 12 hours (to make the labneh, if you haven't done so) & 5 minutes for presentation/decoration

 labneh

rose water

honey

crushed pistachios

chopped mint

figs

Method

Mix the labneh with a spoonful of rose water.  Chop the mint, crush the pistachios, slice the figs. 

To decorate drizzle honey over the cheese & sprinkle the mint and the pistachios  on top. 

As a serving suggestion, I would recommend toasted ciabatta, if you don't have or haven't baked your own fresh tamis. Tamis is a flat Middle Eastern/Afghan bread that goes so well with dips. 

Because I didn't have tamis, I made use of what was handy :) I oven-toasted the ciabatta with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and honey. As you can see from the picture below, I spread the cheese on the bread and had the most delicious (fusion, I must say) sandwich ever tasted :) It's a great combination that I urge you to try asap.

A perfect breakfast calls for an unforgettable morning read: Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif. 

“Is it that happy stretch of time when the lovers set to chronicling their passion . when no glance , no tone of voice is so fleeting but it shines with significance . when each moment , each perception is brought out with care , unfolded like a precious gem from its layers of the softest tissue paper and laid in front of the beloved - turned this way and that , examined , considered.”   

“I'm taken over by this trunk. I'm practically living inside it. When I read the journals I feel as if I'm there, a hundred years ago. I'm putting together the whole picture and I know everything that happened and wasn't written down"

Perfect Breakfast: Labneh with Mint & Olive Oil

If you close your eyes and daydream of a bedouin tent in the middle of the desert, sun-kissed by a ball of fire, you might see the cosiness inside: a simple decor consisting mainly of Iranian-style carpets, cushions, trays of tea and semolina cakes bathed in rose water and loaded with pistachios and nuts. This scene could seem more or less idyllic, but it's certainly very close to reality.  Bedouins do exist as a desert-dwelling ethnic group in the Middle East and northern Africa and they are renowned for their hospitality, generosity, friendliness, and simple lifestyle. 

Breakfast is also defined by its sheer simplicity: labneh with extra virgin olive oil and fresh tamis. 

Labneh is a one of life's delicious treats that I discovered in Saudi Arabia. I have also found it in gourmet Arab traditional shops, but the price is steep. Labneh is sold either as spreadable cheese or in jars: small lebnah balls floating in a sea of rich olive oil. Traditionally, labneh is made of goat's milk; however,  I used rich sheep & cow's milk yoghurt (7% fat) which I strained overnight. In the morning, I used an ice-cream scoop to make labneh balls, drizzled olive oil over them, and sprinkled fresh mint on top. Delicious with fresh ciabatta and a cup of strong Arabica with cardamon!

Rich Strained Yoghurt with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Crushed Mint

1 kg of 7-8% fat yoghurt

a handful of fresh mint

extra virgin olive oil 

(salt)

Type of cuisine: Middle Eastern

Preparation: 12 hours

Method

As its definition suggests, labneh is strained yoghurt, aka yoghurt cheese. To make labneh you need the following: 

yoghurt

a clean cloth/muslin  

a colander

a plate to keep the excess water

Line the colander with a clean cloth (which you have boiled to kill all possible germs). Pour the yoghurt in the cloth and let it strain overnight.  I used no salt as I wanted to have the option of having sweet labneh as well.

In the morning roll the cheese out of the cloth and store it in tuppeware. It will keep well for a couple of days in the fridge.

To make labneh balls scoop the cheese and place them on the plate. Sprinkle with olive oil and fresh crushed mint. It is absolutely delicious and goes perfectly with fresh bread, tamis or toasted ciabatta, believe it or not. 

Later, I will revamp and transform this delicious savoury dish into a sweet delight. Stay tuned :)

Until then, enjoy these beautiful photos (for which I take no credit) that will put this stunning - but easy - dish on the map.

 Inside a Bedouin Tent

stubbornluddite.blogspot.com

Photographer:Gary Latham  source: http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/

A smoky start to the day as a Bedouin tribesman cooks breakfast at camp near Wadi Razarah

Egypt In the Bedouin Tent Photograph - Egypt In the Bedouin tent 

source: fineartamerica.com

source: http://sakhal.blogspot.com/2011/07/sahara-women-portraits.html

Gourmet Yoghurt for the Foodies

As you might know, I love all things gourmet. Gourmet food is known to be posh and therefore, pricey :( , but it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to satisfy your cravings... At the end of the day, gourmet is, paradoxically, defined by simplicity with a twist and a state of mind. 

Yesterday I bought four tiny jars of bio vanilla-flavoured and blackcurrant yoghurt. As I was relishing the last spoonfuls of vanilla yoghurt with great gusto, I thought that, maybe I can make my very own flavoured yoghurt at home and with the zest and the aromas that I love the most: lavender, rose water, pistachios, orange blossom water, almond & coconut flakes, crushed pulped fruit. 

And I did it! :) No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, than I found myself in the kitchen, as busy as a bee. As you can imagine, I kept the small jars (full, they weigh approx 150 gr), as they were as cute as a button; I love them because they have a vintage feel as well. Unfortunately, our whole society is too obsessed with plastic these days...

 To fill a small jar I used 4 big tablespoons of full-fat plain yoghurt.

The first flavour was -

 Yoghurt with Rose Water, Toasted Sesame & Crushed Pistachios

4 tbs plain yoghurt

1 tsp condensed milk (or honey)

2 tsp rosewater

1 tsp of toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp juice from raspberries (to colour the yoghurt naturally)

crushed pistachios, petal roses on top (to decorate)

In a small bowl, mix the yoghurt , condensed milk & rose water. Add the toasted sesame seeds and the raspberry juice to colour the flavoured yoghurt naturally. 

Pour the yoghurt in the small jar and decorate with crushed pistachios and edible rose petals. 

My second creation was -

Citrus Yoghurt with Orange Blossom Water and Crushed Digestive Biscuits

 4 tbs of plain yoghurt

1 tsp of honey

1 tsp of condensed milk

orange rind from 1 orange

2 tsp of preserved lemon rind 

2 tsp orange blossom water

1 digestive biscuit packed with sultanas (crushed)

Mix the plain yoghurt with honey, condensed milk, preserved lemon rind, orange rind and orange blossom water.

Crush the digestive biscuit and transfer it to the bottom of the jar. Pour the yoghurt on top and decorate with extra preserved lemon rind.

Last but not the least, I made this delicious -

Pink Yoghurt with Crushed Raspberries & Toasted Almond Flakes

 4 tbs of plain yoghurt

1 tsp of condensed milk

2  tsb of crushed raspberries (frozen and thawed)

+

1 tsp of honey

1 exta tsb of crushed raspberries to mix with the yoghurt

2 tsp of toasted almond flakes

preserved dried raspberries (for decoration)

Mix the yoghurt with the condensed milk and the crushed fruit so that the yoghurt turns pink. 

In a separate bowl mix the crushed raspberries with honey (otherwise the raspberries will be sour).

Pour the sweet raspberries at the bottom of the jar. Add the toasted almonds and top with the pink yoghurt.

Decorate with almond flakes and dried preserved raspberries.  

I can't pick one favourite flavour as I loved them all. I loved the smooth & crunchy texture, I loved the taste, the smell and the look of my tiny jars. To take two spoons out of the drawer, damage the decor for the "photo-shoot" broke my heart. Because I must confess without too much pride, they looked so much better than gourmet-supermarket yoghurt jars. And they tasted even better. ;p Yummy. 

supermarket vanilla flavoured yoghurt (nice, but not blog-worthy)

The last two photos were taken outside on the terrace. Today it was sunny and rainy at the same time (don't worry, I have a canopy) with sudden gusts of wind. It was chilly, but it felt springlike.

After a long winter, let's paint our life in beautiful soft colours and enjoy it to the fullest.

Late Night Snack: Salmon & Grilled Courgette Baguette w Ramson Raita

Breaking diet rules and regulations doesn't have to leave you with a guilt complex, right? :) I don't believe in what is commonly accepted that "rules are meant to be broken", but what is there to do when you are just hungry in the dead of night?

It only took 10 minutes to prepare this delicious snack, including the photos, so this bite is not only easy, but it's ridiculously quick to fix.

Salmon & Courgette Baguette

a baguette (though I used only half)

1 courgette

strips of Norwegian smoked salmon

20-30 leaves of ramson

2 radishes- chopped finely

lemon juice

onion seeds & pepper (to decorate)

chutney

Raita

yoghurt

ramson 

lemon juice

a pinch of fleur de sel

pepper

a dash of extra virgin olive oil

crushed almonds

Method

Cut the baguette halfway and spread chutney on each slice. I used home made mango chutney, made by Mike. (He is chutney proficient, his chutney is the best thing ever since the invention of the wheel :) Truly delicious.)

Cut the courgette in thin slices and grill them.

Wash the ramson leaves, keep 5 or 6 leaves for the raita.

Put the salmon on the bread, squeeze some lemon juice on top. Add the slices of grilled courgette and the ramson leaves.

Decorate with freshly ground pepper, onion seeds and tiny cubes of radishes.

To make the raita, just blend the ramson leaves with the yoghurt using a vertical blender, add fleur de sel, ground pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of olive oil.
With the blade of the knife, crush some almonds and add them at the end.

Ramson leaves taste garlic-y and peppery, I must say they are my favourite aromatic plants of the season. I have been using ramson obsessively these days, so expect more recipes and postings with this kitchen diva. 

Cooked or raw, ramson, aka wild garlic or bear's garlic, doesn't lose its peculiar taste and gives dishes a wow  factor. You can read more about it here.

Frozen Yoghurt (& my heart is melting)

Frozen yoghurt, who would have thought I would actually make it myself??? I used to buy this cooling healthy dessert in the middle of the Arabian desert, in Riyadh, as an alternative to fatty ice-creams, from the flagship store in Tahlia Street or the mall. I used to love going to FreshBerry and Yogen Fruz and it's such a pity these brands are not in Romania. :( You could go to the shop, choose from different flavours and the toppings made me feel like I was a child in a chocolate factory: nuts, almonds, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, cherries, pomegranates, the sky is the limit.


Here, winters are long and horrible, but summers are mercilessly hot.
It snowed last night, hopefully for the last time, but today I had a sudden craving for frozen yoghurt. Yoghurt is a staple in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines and I make the most of it almost daily: raita, tzatziki, cacik, lassi, yoghurt and cucumber soup, labneh, ayran- the list is long and I will never be bored with the variety of choices.

frozen mixed berries

Frozen Yoghurt with Mixed Berries, Crushed Almonds and Honey

a small bag of frozen mixed berries (300 gr)

2 tbs of honey

4-5 tbs of full-fat yoghurt (3.5%) 

2 tbs of single cream

a handful of freshly crushed almonds 

If you don't have an ice-cream machine (like me) :( and if you love ice-cream, but worry about the content of sugar, cream and fat, then frozen yoghurt is the perfect choice: it's healthy and it's insanely delicious!!!!!!!! 

Mix the frozen berries with honey. Use a vertical blender to pulverise the berries with the yoghurt and the cream, and add a handful of freshly crushed almonds, as they will make your treat crunchier and even yummier.

Pour this mixture in a tupperware container, cover, store in the freezer for an hour and enjoy one of the most delicious and healthiest dessert on planet Earth.

vibrant colour, healthy treat

smooth & crunchy

Ginger up! Spiced Cauliflower Soup

Lunch time today comes with a velvety spiced cauliflower soup. It's the easiest thing in the world to make when you are hungry, as it cooks so quickly. 30 busy minutes in the kitchen are over and it's time to call your family for lunch :)


Type of cuisine: Indian/Vegetarian
Mildly hot
Cooking time: 30 minutes


Oh, I never liked cauliflower :( ....until I discovered Indian cuisine. One day, I came across and fell in love with Aloo Gobi (an enchanting mix of cauliflower and potatoes with selected spices). 
The other day I had a fresh cauliflower in my fridge and going through the options, I made up my mind to turn in into a soup.


A hot soup with spices and pungent flavours is best recommended on cold, gloomy winter days.

The spices

2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger root

2 tablespoons of turmeric

2 tablespoons of cumin seeds (use them for decoration at the end)

1 tablespoon of (yellow) mustard seeds

2 tablespoons of coriander seeds (keep some to use for decoration at the end)

1 tablespoon of onion seeds

You will also need

a cauliflower head (fresh)

chicken or vegetable stock

single cream or yoghurt (I use single cream)

a small onion

Preparation

Break the cauliflower into florets and boil them for 15-20 minutes. Drain (but keep some of the water)

Method

In a pot fry the onion and the spices (ginger root, cumin, mustard, coriander and onion seeds) and cover- they will pop and splatter your cooker with hot oil! (And you could get burned as well).

Pour the water in which the cauliflower has boiled in over the spices and mix.

Add the cauliflower and use a vertical blender to puree the soup.  

In a small bowl, take some soup from the pot and dissolve a chicken/vegetable stock in it.  Add to the soup and let it simmer. 

Work in the cream/yoghurt and add the turmeric.  

To serve use the some cumin, coriander or onion seeds to decorate. 

The result should be light, creamy and very tasty. 

The ginger is the base of this delightful soup and it will give it a mild spicy flavour.  

As I can't handle hot chilly too well, most of my Indian dishes tend to be mild. This dish will surprise you with its edginess, given by the fresh ginger root. Don't substitute it for dry powder ginger from the supermarket. It will ruin your soup. Store the ginger in a cold place. It will keep well in the fridge for a couple of weeks. 

Lassi on the Rocks

Between me and lassi there is a love story! 


The first time I had lassi was in the Indian restaurant in Ramada Continental Hotel in Jeddah. 
The restaurant is open-space, the food and the service are both excellent, and the Indian staff is friendly and attentive.
One evening, the waiter offered me a drink on the house. It was a glass of lassi with honey and almonds. 
So, I fell in love with it and when I came back home, I decided to make lassi as well. The wonderful thing about lassi is that it is so versatile and you can play with a variety of fruit, vegetables and spices. 


According to Wikipedia, "lassi (Punjabi: ਲੱਸੀ, Hindi: लस्सी, Urdu: لسی,) is a popular and traditional Punjabi yogurt-based drink of India and Pakistan. It is made by blending yogurt with water or milk and Indian spices.Traditional lassi is a savory drink sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin while sweet lassi on the other hand is blended with sugar or fruits instead of spices. [...] With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis". 

Savoury lassi is the actually the first entry to this blog. 

http://lemonlovenotes.blogspot.com/2010/11/quick-snack-irish-style-tamis-with.html

Yoghurt with cumin seeds, mint, salt and lime juice. 
It goes so well with freshly baked bread: French baguette, pita, tamis, or naan bread.

Summery "Fru Fru" Lassi

Yoghurt with honey and blackberries.


I made this lassi in July when I went to the farmers' market and bought fresh blackberries. 
Since now it's cold and winter and fresh forest fruit are not readily available, you could give it a shot and try buying them frozen from the supermarket. 

"I don't give a fig" Lassi

Actually, how nonsensical this saying is! It doesn't do justice to figs. I love figs. These wonderful delicate fruit, slightly sweet and full of calcium and vitamin K, remind me of the Bible.


"Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, be queen over us.’ But the fig tree said to them, ‘Must I give up my sweetness and my good produce, and must I go to wave over the other trees?" Judges 9/10, 11.

Yoghurt with figs, banana, cinnamon, orange blossom water.


"Honey, I'm home" Lassi is another favourite of mine. 

Yoghurt with honey, banana, cinnamon, nutmeg. I usually have it early in the morning with a handful of cereals or oatmeal to replace a big breakfast.


There are so many ways of making lassi. One could use walnuts, pistachios, almonds, mango, peaches, mint, papaya, strawberries, raspberries, cardamom, saffron, cucumber, chives, avocado, crushed ice, you name it. Be creative. Try out your own version. However, as I learned from trial and error, lassi doesn't blend well with citrus fruit, kiwi or pomegranate. 


Lassi is very easy to make and, basically,  all you need is a vertical blender and the ingredients of your choice.

Mezze

This is a very easy recipe to make when you are a bit peckish and you need to feel a gap.

Hummous with pine kernels, Raita and Tamis

Type of cuisine: Middle Eastern/Indian
Difficulty: super easy
Time: 5 minutes for the Hummous and Raita, 20 minutes for the Tamis
Cost: very cheap

For the Hummous, you will need:

a can of chickpeas

a jar of yoghurt

2 spoons of tahina sauce

cumin

coriander seeds

sweet paprika

a pinch of salt

freshly squeezed lemon juice

pine kernels and sumac for decoration

Method
Place all the ingredients in a bowl as in the image below.

Use the vertical blender or the food processor to mix everything thoroughly until it becomes a velvety paste.
Adjust the taste with salt and lemon and decorate it with pine kernels, a drizzle of olive oil and some cumin or mint.

Raita

a jar of yoghurt

a spoonful of cumin

salt

lemon juice

olive oil to pour on top

Method


Mix them and enjoy! 

Tamis

In a bowl mix the flour, salt and zataar (or thyme). 
Dissolve the yeast in warm milk, pour it over the flour and knead for 5 minutes then let it rest next to the oven or a warm place.

Roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle and flatten it.

Leave them in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius till they swell and change colour.

Enjoy! 


(sorry for the quality of the shots, it wasn't a special occasion or anything like this, just a quick snack)