food
This week, we’ve put together an introduction to the month of Ramadan, from key terminology to the festive treats that are served. If you’d like to learn more about Ramadan, here’s some of the most important aspects of the month to know about, and if you’re learning Arabic we’re sharing all the Ramadan vocabulary you’ll need!
Stock up your bookshelves this month with the ten best books to read about Syria. We’ve rounded up the best books by Syrian authors to create the ultimate Syria reading list for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of the country. From poetry, fiction, hard-hitting journalistic accounts and poignant memoirs to cookbooks, this list has you covered whether you’re studying the Syrian crisis, or simply looking for a brilliant new novel to sink into. There’s something for all ages too, with some wonderful ideas for the kids in your life, from preschoolers to teens!
Learn all about the wonders of Yemeni coffee beans and dive into the world of coffee with us, from its discovery to the darker chapters of its story. Read on to find out about the history hiding within your morning latte, and explore the delicious world of Arabic coffee with the incredible Medina Ilyas!
No matter who you’re shopping for, prepared to be inspired by our ideas for gorgeous gifts for the holiday season. Whether you need a present for a booklover, a keen foodie, an Arabic student, a lovely little one, or that friend who has a serious house plant problem, we’ve got you covered! As always, we’ve focused wherever possible on small, women-owned and artisanal businesses along with social enterprises and fair trade companies so that your gifts are also giving back to local communities across the MENA region.
The culinary traditions of the Middle East are much incredibly varied, particularly as we head south, across the rugged mountains and vast deserts of the Arabian Peninsula towards the Sultanate of Oman. Here’s a recipe for Omani Qabooli Rice with Lamb Shanks to wow your dinner party guests, courtesy of Dine with Dina.
There are so many pronunciations for this Middle Eastern dish, from kafta to koftas, kebab…
This rustic one-pot dish is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Inspired by Pink Jinn’s very-own Ras al Hanout spice blend, this wholesome dish celebrates the complex and aromatic blend of spices used widely across North Africa.
This autumnal tagine recipe combines grass fed beef shin, butternut squash, chickpeas and sticky prunes. Inspired by Pink Jinn’s very-own Ras Al Hanout spice blend, this dish is the ultimate celebration of this complex and aromatic blend of spices used widely across North Africa.
Ras al Hanout at its core is an incredibly complex and aromatic blend of spices. Across the Middle East and North Africa, blends such as za’atar, dukkah, chermoula and zhug are widely used in cooking, helping to create distinctive flavour profiles that enhance ingredients from aubergines, okra, chickpeas, to fresh sea trout and lamb.