Truffles -the delicious tubers- have been a topic in food literature throughout the ages, from neo-Sumerian inscriptions in the 20th century BCE, to the writings of 19th-century chef Brilliant Savarin, to the joyful greediness of contemporary author Peter Mayle. But if you think that good truffles come exclusively from Italy and France…
There’s nothing like homemade falafel when you’re in the mood for those savory, crunchy chickpea balls packed into a fluffy pita. We teach you how to make whole-wheat pita here. Making your own falafel, you decide exactly which fixings go into your package of chickpea goodness. Do you like lots of chopped cucumber and tomato, […]
Eating vegan only has become so popular in Tel Aviv that a new NGO called Vegan Friendly are handing out certificates to restaurants who offer a vegan main course. Look for the sticker on the door.
It’s the final run-up to Eid al-Adha, when Muslims around the planet commemorate God’s test of the Prophet Ibrahim by slaughtering a hapless quadruped: also called Qurbani, it’s an essential religious ritual wherein an estimated 100 million creatures will be killed.
Khameer, a round flatbread of humble Beduin origins, once fell out of favor with the upscale eaters of the United Arab Emirates. But the tender round bread with its golden top is enjoying a comeback. We show you how to make it. Gently slit open, the puffy top separates from the flexible bottom layer to make […]
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the immune system attacks the nervous system. The result can be a wide range of debilitating motor, physical, and mental problems. But smoking a spliff might decrease this inflammation, scientists from Israel find.
Public health officials in the Gulf states are playing down fears about an outbreak of the deadly MERS coronavirus among pilgrims travelling to the Hajj in Saudi Arabia this month, though doctors are advising the elderly, people with existing health conditions, pregnant women and young children to stay away.
If someone offered you camel bourguignon or a camel-burger on a gold-leaf bun, would you think they were kidding? We offered you an affordable recipe for camel burgers in this post. Now The Daily Star reports that in the Abu Dhabi Emirates Palace Hotel, the humble camel has been elevated into the new ulra-gourmet meat.
Gnocchi or kofteh? I’d always thought of kofteh as meatballs of one kind or another. But in this recipe, I discovered that a dumpling may go by that name too. And how delicious the dumplings – gnocchi – or kofteh are.
Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but piety may prove lethal. So say global health officials as they warn travellers to take special precautions when on Hajj, where a mysterious virus knowns as MERS threatens a concentrated pilgrim population expected to exceed 3 million. Over a year has passed since the first case emerged of […]
The deadly coronavirus behind Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) has been isolated in a bat in Saudi Arabia, according to a report in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. The virus was found in a the feces of an Egyptian tomb bat, or Taphozous perforatus, a creature known to roost in abandoned buildings.
Although the international furor around horse meat has died down since it first escalated earlier this year, the shock is all too fresh for a Tel Aviv couple who recently discovered chunks of it in their paella.
The American nonprofit Center for Environmental Health (CEH) has found a cancer-causing chemical in 98 shampoos, soaps, and other personal care products sold by Walmart, Target, Babies R Us, Trader Joe’s, Kohl’s and other national retailers. Their investigation focused on California, but these popular products are found everywhere.
Sweet tea is ubiquitous throughout the Middle East, but the go-to drink to fuel us through the workday is coffee. Here’s a stone-cold fact for you java freaks: the costliest coffee in the world is shit. We’re not talking Turkish-brewed or cardamom-laced Arabic. But kopi luwak, or cat poo coffee.
So addicted to technology, we have forgotten that nature has an answer to just about everything – including water purification. Douglas Schauer, Ph.D has shown that cilantro – a leafy herb used in Middle East cooking – can clear toxins from contaminated water.
Meat consumption in Iran has soared by 60 percent since 2005, according to the Omega Research Team (ORT), so the group is trying to convince locals to embrace Meatless Mondays. But for many, meat isn’t a choice.
An 840 pound Saudi man died last week from complications associated with his weight and his passing is loudly being mourned online. Is it a sign of our digital times or a new awareness of the obesity epidemic in the Middle East?
By the time a patient notices the symptoms, treatment options against the progression of Parkinson’s is limited. While some of us might rather live on in ignorant bliss until the disease hits us in the face in older age, a new tool from the University of Haifa finds that with Parkinson’s, the writing is on […]
Jordan’s activists have officially petitioned to re-establish the country’s “green party”, according to human rights activist Ghandi Abu Sharar, who was also a founding member of the original Green Party of Jordan created in 2000. After failing to meet revamped requirements in the then-temporary Political Parties Law, the nascent party disbanded in 2008.
Blue cheese, yogurt, and yeasty breads are delectable byproducts of fungi, a kingdom of naturally occurring organisms distinct from animals, plants and bacteria. Fungi perform an essential role in nature by decomposing organic matter, but many forms are highly toxic to humans. Researchers at a Turkish University warn that our kitchens can be cooking up […]
Rice is the standard “background” dish in many Middle Eastern menus. It’s often cooked quite plain, as a foil to the intense colors and pungent flavors of fresh vegetables and meat. Or it might appear all dressed up with spices and protein-rich grains, as in majadra, a typical lentil and rice dish. This recipe of […]
There’s a new business afloat that links people to people for the purpose of sharing authentic local dining experiences. I found EatWith.com a month too late for this summer’s vacation, but there’s always next time. I’m fresh back from a few weeks in Europe, a family reunion through Paris and Venice and Rome that doubled […]
Saudi Arabian King Abdullah has intervened to help save the life of his largest subject, ordering Khalid bin Mohsen to be specially transported from the southern border province of Jazan to the country’s capital to undergo treatment. Nineteen-year-old Shaari, who weighs 1,345 pounds, is believed to be one of the world’s heaviest humans.
There are two good reasons for cooking with turmeric. The first one is that the spice’s attractive yellow color and pungent flavor satisfy the sense of having eaten real food. The second, as folk wisdom has always known, is that it’s good for you. Our previous post on turmeric vs. arthritis offers a wide view […]
Opposites attract; just ask salted caramel, chocolate-covered pretzels, or kettle corn. These treats are all sweet-and-salty food combinations and here’s a new one to add to summer – just before the season ends. Watermelon and feta cheese may not seem like the perfect pair, but you’ll have to trust me when I tell you that […]