Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is one of the world’s most popular health foods — although kebabs do not quite enjoy the same reputation. But the two are combined in this trio of top recipes for you to try this week.
Quinoa is a grain-like seed that is gluten-free, high in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids. It is also high in fiber, magnesium and B-vitamins. In the recipe, below, quinoa replaces meat in this delicious kebab mixture.
Meat eaters can, however, try the below recipe for biryani, a South Asian mixed-rice dish with its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It is a delicacy and a popular main dish — one made with spices, rice, and meat — that is mostly enjoyed on weekends.
And to top things off, there is a sweet made from cornflakes presented in a way that kids will love.
RECIPE 1
QUINOA KEBABS
Serves 3
Preparation and cooking time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of quinoa
A few parsley leaves
A few cilantro leaves
A teaspoon of red chili powder
A teaspoon of ginger garlic paste
A teaspoon of garam masala powder
A teaspoon of fenugreek dry leaves
1 chopped green chili
1 egg
A tablespoon of lime juice
Handful of chopped carrot
Handful of chopped capsicum
1 small boiled and mashed potato
METHOD:
1) Soak 1 cup of quinoa for half an hour.
2) Boil for half an hour in lots of water, and then strain.
3) Add chopped cilantro and parsley leaves to it.
4) Add the above mentioned ingredients.
5) Semi-boil the vegetables and add the quinoa along with mashed potato and egg.
6) Mix everything together and make round kebabs.
7) Shallow fry them on both sides.
RECIPE 2
MINCED MEAT RAINBOW BIRYANI
Serves 5
Preparation and cooking time: 1 to 2 hours
There are four layers of rice and each layer has a different flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
500 grams of minced meat
4 cups of rice (wash and soak for half an hour)
Yellow food color (a pinch)
Red food color (a pinch)
Green food color (a pinch)
Salt as required
A bunch of cilantro leaves
A bunch of mint leaves
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
A few curry leaves
2 ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
Fried onions for garnishing
1 tablespoon of kewra water.
Minced meat is prepared with usual spicy ingredients.
METHOD:
1) Divide the rice into four parts of 1 cup each.
2) First part should be plain, boiled and steamed in 1 teaspoon of salt.
3) Second part is flavored with ground cilantro and mint leaves, cumin seeds and curry leaves with a pinch of salt and a pinch of green color. Boil the rice and steam it.
4) Third part is boiled and steamed rice in 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder with salt and a pinch of yellow color.
5) Fourth part is boiled rice in tomato puree and ground tomatoes with salt and red color.
6) All parts should be boiled and steamed with each part kept separate.
7) Make minced meat with the usual ingredients, adding more spices so as to balance the taste of the biryani.
8) Grease a deep microwave bowl. Begin layering the rice.
9) Start with white rice layer, then the green layer, then a minced meat layer, and then the yellow and red layers.
10) Repeat layering.
11) Add a teaspoon of kewra water to it and microwave or bake for a few minutes.
12) Keep a plate over the dish and remove the bowl.
13) You may garnish the dish with fried onions or any way you like.
14) Enjoy with green raita.
RECIPE 3
CORNFLAKES “BURFI”
Serves 6
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of cornflakes
1 cup desiccated coconut
Half cup rolled oats (optional)
1 small tin of condensed milk
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon of cardamom powder
1 small cup of ghee
Half cup of sugar and 1 cup of water
METHOD:
1) Chop rolled oats and cornflakes together and roast them in a deep vessel for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat until golden brown.
2) Add cardamom and cinnamon powder and mix well again.
3) Meanwhile cook sugar and water together in a separate vessel; add a teaspoon of cardamom powder to it.
4) Add coconut powder to cornflakes and start pouring melted ghee; keep stirring it.
5) Add condensed milk and mix it well.
6) Add boiled water and sugar syrup to the mixture and mix well.
7) Remove from the flame. Do not overcook.
8) Grease a flat dish and pour the mixture in it and spread it evenly, and garnish it with roasted nuts.
9) When set, cut into brick-shaped pieces, and enjoy!
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Keen on Quinoa? Look no further
Keen on Quinoa? Look no further
Turkiye applies to have doner kebab protected under EU law
- Meat-based dish could join the likes of Champagne, Serrano ham if approved
- Bloc can apply protections based on heritage value, ingredients, method of production
LONDON: Turkiye has applied to have the doner kebab protected under EU law, Metro newspaper reported.
The bloc famously enforces strict regulations on certain foods — including French Champagne, Spanish Serrano ham and Neapolitan pizza — in order to safeguard their production and preserve regional culinary heritage.
Issues including the sourcing of ingredients, method and place of production all go into determining what can and cannot be labeled as a protected food, with harsh penalties for those found to be profiting from items deemed not to match the legal criteria.
The doner kebab will undergo a three-month evaluation process to determine whether it too will join the exclusive list of dishes and foodstuffs.
During the process, other countries will be permitted to challenge the application over similarities to their own products, as happened in 2021 when Italy voiced opposition to the Croatian sparkling wine Prosek receiving protected status due to its apparent similarities to Prosecco.
Traditionally formed of meat marinated in salt, pepper, a number of other herbs and spices as well as tomato puree and yoghurt, the doner kebab can contain beef, lamb or chicken.
It is placed on a skewer and rotated against a fire, with thin strips sliced off and served in a flatbread or pitta with lettuce, tomato and onion.
Beef and lamb slices should be 3-5 mm in thickness, while chicken should be thinner at 1-3 mm per slice.
The dish is believed to be worth around $3.6 million annually to Europe’s economy, according to the Association of Turkish Doner Producers.
Where We Are Going Today: Sawada cafe in Riyadh
Sawada cafe is located in a plaza overlooking Olaya Street, Riyadh, making it an ideal getaway from the bustle of the city.
The coffee shop offers specialty coffees and desserts, but what sets it apart is its ambiance, with a bohemian-influenced interior design style, soft lighting, and decorative wheat plants lining the walls of the seating area.
Eclectic paintings from Saudi artists are displayed on the walls, providing an artistic touch.
Sawada is ideal for those looking for a quiet and calm spot to relax with friends. It is also good for studying or working — if you can ignore the light, ambient music playing in the background.
Various seating areas are available, including booths bordering the walls and benches overlooking the barista area. A designated smoking area with seating is well separated from nonsmokers sitting indoors.
Customers can also grab their coffees and head to the outdoor seating area or take a walk on the path outside the cafe.
With so many coffee shops and cafes opening in Riyadh, it can be difficult finding authenticity when it comes to coffee beans. But Sawada’s quality is revealed in its V60 drink, a pour-over coffee that highlights the subtle and smooth flavors of the beans.
The menu is standard, with many local favorites, including Spanish latte, flat white, cortado, cappuccino, and tea. Iced tea, an ideal thirst quencher in Riyadh’s summer heat, is also available.
Sawada offers a variety of desserts that can be paired with coffee, including pecan tart, classic date cake, croissants, sweet bars made out of dates, and toffee crumble.
Our recommended options are the chocolate cookies, the classic cheesecake, and the San Sebastian cake. A Snickers and Ferrero Rocher cake also looked appetizing.
We tried the matcha, but the large amount of milk overpowered the flavors of the tea. We recommend trying the signature or Spanish latte instead.
For updates and more information, check Instagram @sawada.ksa.
Where We Are Going Today: ‘Jon & Vinny’s restaurant in Riyadh
- The atmosphere and decoration of the restaurant are standard, with wooden bench-style seating and walls decorated using pizza boxes
Los Angeles-based Italian restaurant Jon & Vinny’s has opened a location in Riyadh serving pizza, pasta, desserts and coffee.
Located in Al-Sulimaniyah, the Italian restaurant has four locations in the US, all in California: Fairfax, Brentwood, Slauson and Beverly Hills.
The Riyadh restaurant features a more casual laid-back dining experience as opposed to other Italian restaurants in the Saudi capital that offer a more refined dining atmosphere.
If you are looking for a luxury restaurant for a quiet date night, this is not the best option, but if you are searching for a trendy hang-out spot, Jon & Vinny’s is suitable for you.
The atmosphere and decoration of the restaurant are standard, with wooden bench-style seating and walls decorated using pizza boxes.
The restaurant founders, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, attended the grand opening in Riyadh on April 17, saying that their mission is to offer authentic food that captures traditional Italian flavors.
The prices on the menu are average, with dishes ranging from SR65-75 ($17-20).
The menu offers a wide variety of pizzas, from “The Rosy,” a tomato and olive oil pizza with parmesan, to the “The Lola,” with fresh burrata, tomato, basil olive oil and a dash of sea salt.
One thing to note is that the pizza is quite authentic compared to other options in the city. The pizza crust is crispy, light and airy, allowing the freshness of the tomatoes and herbs to shine through.
Unlike other Italian restaurants, Jon and Vinny’s also offers different options for crust dips, such as ranch, garlic, buffalo, creamy Italian, pomodoro and olive oil.
In terms of drinks, the options on the menu include juices, soft drinks and caffeinated beverages such as americanos, cappuccinos and other coffee.
You may try the house-made lemonade, which is refreshing but a bit on the sour side. It is definitely great for guests looking for something tangy and refreshing for the Saudi summer heat.
For pasta options, you can try the pesto pasta, known on the menu as the pesto parmigiano oregano. The pasta is perfectly cooked al dente and the sauce is tasty but nothing new or innovative.
The lemon pasta and the spicy fusilli are the two highlight dishes of the restaurant.
When it comes to meat, there are limited choices on the menu. You may try the braised meatballs with ricotta and garlic bread.
The meatballs are very flavorful and seasoned well, with the flavors of the spices in the meatballs complimenting the simple and fresh red sauce.
The garlic bread which is offered with the meatballs is a bit on the charred side.
Another notable option on the menu is the Caesar salad with cheese sticks.
The freshness and quality of the ingredients shine through in the simple dishes.
The restaurant is very trendy and social-media friendly. The wall of Jon and Vinny’s pizza boxes is the perfect backdrop for photos.
Although the restaurant is small, it does offer an open-style kitchen where guests can approach the kitchen area and see the chefs cooking each meal.
For dessert, the restaurant offers a variety of sweets, including cheesecake and chocolate cake.
You will find the staff incredibly friendly.
Jon & Vinny’s offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is open from 8 a.m. to midnight.
Renowned London restaurant and Emirati fashion label launch t-shirt collection
DUBAI: Acclaimed Persian restaurant Berenjak Dubai, hailing from London, has joined forces with Shabab Intl. to launch a range of stylish t-shirts.
In sleek black, the t-shirts – now on sale at the restaurant – feature a Berenjak-inspired print on the back. The logos of both the restaurant and Shabab Intl. are depicted on the front.
Images for the launch campaign were shot by Dubai creative Cheb Moha, who leads the fashion label.
“We’re thrilled to be at Berenjak,” he told Arab News. “Personally, I am a huge fan and make it a point to dine there at least once especially when I’m in London.”
Moha’s deep appreciation for Berenjak stems from an enduring passion for Persian cuisine and cultural heritage, he said.
“Having Shabab there is particularly special for us, and I am confident that it will open doors for more collaborations. With our Shabab community present, it is exciting for them to witness this crossover between our origins and the spaces we inhabit at the restaurant. We are thrilled to stand alongside Berenjak and to have Shabab represented there.”
Moha added his t-shirt designs aimed for simplicity and clarity.
“I wanted to incorporate our identity with Berenjak’s identity and the identity of (the) city we are in, which is Dubai,” he said.
“If you notice, the graphic on the back of the t-shirt is sort of sun shaped. That is part of the Shabab spirit, the sunrise. And if you look in the windows, Berenjak also has a sun motif in the glass. I wanted to incorporate that and feel like there is a nice synergy between both brands.”
Moha also feels there is a crossover between fashion and food. “I feel like there’s always been a pipeline between both. They do complement each other in some way,” he said.
Berenjak, founded by chef Kian Samyani and award-winning London restaurant group JKS Restaurants, is a renowned Persian restaurant that has made its mark by bringing a contemporary twist to classic dishes.
Where We Are Going Today: Kaak Al-Farah
Kaak Al-Farah — which translates as “the cookie of joy” — is an Instagram shop that offers kaak, a traditional date-filled treat enjoyed in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries.
A cherished part of celebrations such as Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, weddings and baby showers, kaak are similar to maamoul cookies, which include semolina.
Kaak Al-Farah makes each cookie with care, using ornate molds to shape the date-stuffed dough. After baking, the cookies are packed in a beautiful reusable box.
Made from locally sourced ingredients, including wheat, dates and traditional Saudi flavors such as cardamom and cloves, each bite is a celebration of the region’s rich culinary heritage.
What makes Kaak Al-Farah stand out is not just the delightful taste of the cookies but also the thoughtful packaging which reflects the essence of Saudi culture.
The round box features designs redolent of the joyful spirit found in Saudi communities, including a cheerful ring of colorful flowers symbolizing happiness and beauty and a portrait of a lady representing peace and love. Added to each box is a personalized greeting card.
Kaak Al-Farah delivers to various cities throughout the Kingdom and can be found on delivery apps including The Chefz and Hayak.
For more information, visit their Instagram profile — @kaak.alfarah.
