First teenage cooking class!

I was asked by the Rabata Friends, Fun and Faith camp to do a nosaibasfood cooking class. At first I was nervous as to what to do with these 13-18 year old girls, without any cooking hobs for the class. I decided to get the girls to make the tomato, olive and basil pasta from my blog, working in teams, with a blind-fold taste test at the end to determine the winner. Alhamdulilah it was a great success! Smiling faces is what I want to see - and that is exactly how the girls were during the class, alhamdulilah :). 

First cooking class...complete! 😊👍

America & Canada Trip 2017!

Strawberry and mint mojito

A super refreshing drink, which can be made according to the taste you prefer. The unique taste of this mojito comes from the grenadine syrup, which really elevates the flavour. Simple and so easy to make.

Chewy chocolate chip cookies

For some soft and chewy delicious chocolate chip cookies, which hold their shape and are so easy to make - this is the perfect recipe for you.

Chickpea raita

A perfect accompaniment to a hot curry or a rice dish. Its cooling deliciousness is so easy and quick to put together. I made it along with my bagara rice dish. There is so much room for creativity when it comes to raita, so enjoy this recipe and expand upon it as you wish.

Bagara rice (aromatic South Indian rice)

For a simple and quick vegetarian rice, that is the perfect accompaniment to currys, sauces or simply on its own, this is the dish for you! Bagara rice is most popular at occasions in the Hyderabad region, yet is the perfect alternative for biryani, pilau or plain rice. 

Chicken pakora

I have made a few types of pakoras before, such as cauliflower pakora, lentil pakora (daali bora) and simple pakoras. The chicken pakora is full of flavour, with a nice and juicy chicken centre. Lovely side dish, really crunchy and super delicious!

Kleicha (Iraqi cookies)

Kleicha is a well known Iraqi cookie, made typically on occasions such as Eid. They are soooo delicious, you will be making these all year round! In this recipe I have made kleicha with two fillings, dates and walnuts. I hope you give these a try.

Chicken Kabuli (Afghani style chicken rice)

For a light, fragrant and absolutely delicious rice dish - this is the one! It is so straight forward to make and a wow-zer for whoever tries it! Give it a go to see for yourself.

Chicken and vegetable pasta with béchamel sauce

I really love pasta with béchamel, it is light, creamy, cheesy and oh so yummy! I hope you enjoy making this simple recipe, and enjoy even more digging into it!

Ramadan Recipe Ideas

Ramadan Mubarak to you all! 

It is the blessed month of Ramadan, alhamdulilah for being gifted this great blessing! 

Below is a list of recipe ideas to help you think of what to make during this holy month, something quite easy 

(to reserve your energy) and not so time consuming (to utilise your time for other things). 

Tamarind marinated chicken

Sometimes you run out of ways to make chicken, something easy, quick and tasty...and this is exactly what this recipe is! The tamarind goes sooo well with the chicken, it really is finger-lickingly good!

Arabic style chicken biryani

I absolutely love biryani, who doesn't? I have made boneless chicken biryani, chicken biryani and mutton biryani before, all are delicious recipes to try. If you want something that has the biryani theme to it, but without the spice, with depth of flavour and is straightforward to make, then this arabic style chicken biryani is perfect for you!

Yakhnit Al-Arnabeet (Lebanese cauliflower stew) - يخنة القرنبيط

This Lebanese yakhni - or what you may call a stew - uses minimal ingredients, yet it is so delicious and straightforward to make! If you are a lover of cauliflower, you are in for a treat!

Lemon and garlic chicken with potato

I absolutely love this super easy, absolutely delicious dish that you can put together so simply, then let the oven do the rest of the work. It was literally finger licking-ly good! You have to give it a go to understand what I mean!

Spaghetti aglio e olio (spaghetti with olive oil and garlic)

If you are wondering what to cook, something super simple, super quick and using minimal ingredients you already have on hand - then you are missing out if you don't make this! It is so yummy with minimal effort.

Carrot and coriander soup

This is the perfect soup to make from the basic ingredients you already have on hand. It is quick and easy to make, yet absolutely delicious in taste.

Mediterranean feta salad - nosaibasfood style :)

It was one of those moments when you crave a delicious, juicy, flavourful salad - that satisfies both tangy and sweet flavours. This salad does all this, the sharpness from the vinegar is met by the sweetness of the dried cranberries, the juiciness from the pomegranate, the saltiness of the feta and the crunchiness of the pine nuts. It is a perfect quick salad, with so many ways to personalise it to your liking.

Soto Ayam (Malaysian chicken soup)

When you are missing Malaysia, a delicious soto ayam can really help bring back wonderful memories. This soup was one of our favourites with its depth of flavour and deliciousness. I read through a few recipes and took the best of all the different ways of making this soup. Obviously this cannot compare to the real deal in Malaysia, but it definitely comes very close to it.

Malaysia trip 2017!

So yes, I have disappeared for a while...this time with a legitimate excuse! Alhamdulilah I spent two weeks with the amazing Anse Tamara Gray in Malaysia, helping establish a much needed organisation which helps empower women by women. It was all about promoting positive cultural change, and helping to revive the female voice in scholarship (visit: www.rabata.org).

So besides the uplifting and life changing experience in the beautiful land of Malaysia, as well as the amazing hearts you find amongst the people, the food is just incredible! Below are a few of the foods on what felt like a trip that could have lasted even longer!

Nutella filled pancakes

Imagine a light and fluffy pancake, then imagine it being filled with warm and gooey nutella - that is exactly what this pancake is! Absolutely delicious mashAllah!

One pot pasta dish

This is perfect for those who want an easy, delicious and hassle free dish - only one pot to wash up, and who doesn't love having less mess to clear up? The balance on this pasta dish is just perfect, tangy yet sweet - hope you give it a go and let me know what you think.

Fattet humus (chickpeas with spiced yoghurt and pitta bread)

If I was to begin with expressing just how delicious this Middle Eastern starter is, it would not do it justice! It is light yet so delicious - you will have to go back for more until the whole thing is finished. The way I have made it today is thanks to my Syrian friend, who made it once and I just fell in love with how good it tasted! So I obviously enquired how it was made, and thanks to her for sharing the method with me. It is something I highly recommend you try - simple, quick and soo tasty!

Boneless chicken biryani

I have been craving some good old home made biryani for so long! I wanted to make something easy, yet super delicious. Who doesn't love some good old biryani??? It is my absolute favourite!!

I have made mutton biryani before: http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2013/07/mutton-biryani.html

As well as chicken biryani: http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2013/08/chicken-biryani.html

Today it is boneless chicken biryani, made simply by putting together a curry and cooking rice 3/4 of the way, then layering it up. Here it goes...

Get well soon chicken soup

This is the perfect soup for when it is cold and gloomy outside, something that is full of flavour yet also full of benefits to help keep you well, or help you get well soon! The ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin are just some of the ingredients in this soup to act as the medicine for that cloudy day. A super delicious soup, perfectly balanced! I hope you give it a go and enjoy it as much as me and my family did.

Garlic and herb marinated salmon

A lot of people don't like the idea of salmon, or have never found it delicious. For this reason I think you will love this recipe, as the marinade is just so yummy, and the salmon comes out lovely and perfect. Best of all, it is so simple and easy to make, minimal effort yet amazing outcome. 

Your feedback is needed!

I will be putting the blog into some capable professional hands to give it a touch up that the user (i.e. YOU) wants. I want it to be as user friendly and easy to navigate as possible, making finding recipes and scrolling through the website as swift as possible.

For this, I would love to hear your opinion about what you like in the current blog (so we can make sure to keep it) and what you would ideally like to have on here, what improvements you wish to see...your general opinion would be really useful!

So please leave your comment, or email me on nosaibasfood@gmail.com.

Thank you in advance and I look forward to the new and updated website to come inshAllah!

😊😊😊😊

Garlic marinated roast chicken with sautéed potatoes

When you want to prepare dinner, but don't want any hassle or effort, roast chicken, for me, is the easy answer. I have made tandoori marinated chicken before:
http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2016/06/tandoori-marinated-whole-roasted-chicken.html

This garlic chicken is just super tasty, the chicken is deliciously flavoured, and the accompaniment of the buttery flavoursome sautéed potatoes is just perfect! 

Three bean salad with wild rice

Another one from the catering event. This is easy, filling and flavoursome salad - and not only that, it is healthy and the longer you leave it in the fridge, the more flavour it has! So it is perfect to make in advance and take it with you for lunch or dinner. 

Chicken curry - Pakistani style

There are many ways people from the Pakistan region make their chicken curry - sometimes it varies between individual households and their preferences...this is one take on it, and may I add, a very delicious take! My family felt it was the best curry they had tasted so far! Alhamdulilah! :)

I have also previously made Bengali style chicken curry: http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2013/02/bengali-chicken-curry.html

As well as Indian style: http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2014/11/potato-chicken-curry-indian-style.html

Tomato, olive and basil pasta salad

This has got to be my favourite pasta salad so far, its light yet filling, and has such good flavour to it mashAllah!! This is another one on the menu from the catering event. It is really straight forward to make, and once made can be kept in the fridge ready for your next days lunch.

Grilled lemon and garlic Mediterranean chicken salad

This is another recipe that I made for the catering event - and I have to tell you, the flavour on the chicken alongside the dressing on the salad lifts this to another level. It is something you can prepare separately and mix it when you are ready to eat and enjoy!

Coronation chicken sandwich

I will be posting a series of the recipes I made for my first ever catering event. The recipes are highly requested, especially by those who attended and tasted the food. All the food was food that is eaten cold, which makes it so good for those who want to pack their lunch, for the next day or even a few days worth.

Coronation chicken sandwich was a big hit mashAllah! It is super easy and straightforward! I hope you give it a go - and let me know how it turns out for you :)

Maamoul madd bil tamar - Lebanese semolina dessert with dates - معمول مد بالتمر

Maamoul is a traditional Lebanese sweet, served all year round - but especially popular at Eid. i have previously made pistachio and walnut maamoul:

http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2012/10/pistachio-walnut-maamoul.html

but this one is easier, it uses dates and you place it in a tray, making it quite simple.

Sticky toffee date cake

We have lots of dates left over from Ramadan, so I thought let me utilise them for a sticky toffee date cake. To be honest, I think this would have been perfectly fine without the toffee icing, as the actual cake is super soft and delicious - so you can do it either with or without the toffee :)

How to crack an egg with one hand

For those who follow me on snapchat (nosaiba89) - and watch the step by step cooking/baking videos - wondered how I crack an egg with one hand and asked for a video on how it is done. 

It is super simple, and super fun - and once you get the hang of it, you will never go back to cracking an egg with two hands!

The YouTube video on how it is done is now up on my YouTube channel: 

Give the video a like if you enjoyed - and please subscribe if you haven't already done so :)

First ever catering event!

I will be providing the wholesome finger food for this amazing event inshAllah! 

This is the first time I will be catering for such a large number - I am excited but super nervous! 

Ladies, if you are interested in attending - please book your tickets so you do not miss out!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

To keep up to date on what I upload, for example my recent upload of the lamb chop curry recipe:

Then subscribe to my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/nosaibasfood

Feel free to leave me your feedback - it is always really helpful to hear your opinions :)

Yakhnit al fool يخنة الفول (Green broad bean Lebanese stew)

It is healthy, it is easy and it is Lebanese! What more could you want? hehe... This is a Lebanese stew with minimal ingredients, fantastic flavour - and good nutrition!

Mujadara (Lebanese lentil dish)

This is a very traditional Lebanese dish, which dates back to our great great great (you get the idea) grandparents. It was very common due to its simple ingredients, nutrition and delicious taste.

Tangy beef steak with creamy mashed potato and flavoured vegetables - Lebanese style

When you want to make something super delicious, filling and easy - then get yourself some beef steak. Instead of the normal way of making steak, this Lebanese style uses pomegranate molasses to take the tangy flavour of this dish to another level. You end up with steak pieces that fall apart, yet they have absorbed all the tangy flavour. The mashed potato is absolutely deeeelicious!!! And the flavoured vegetables are a yummy way of eating vegetables - give this a go, I think you will love it!

Crispy fried bbq chicken wings

This was a recipe request for fried bbq wings, and as unhealthy as they sound, they really were a crispy treat!
I have made healthier sticky wings before: http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2013/03/healthier-sticky-chicken-wings.html which you may wish to check out.

This recipe is super easy and super delicious, it will get all sticky and messy when your eating it - but I think that is what makes it even more yummy! :)

Mozzarella filled beef burger with caramelised onions and coleslaw

I have always loved the sound of mozzarella inside my juicy burger...as I am a big cheese fan as it is...so here is the easy recipe, with the additional yummy sides you may wish to make to go with the burger. I also decided to use brioche burger buns to give that added deliciousness...

Chicken stir fry noodles

I had a request for a stir fry recipe, so I put together this chicken stir fry noodles - with a sweet chilli and honey glaze to the chicken - plus an array of super yummy veggies. Making a stir fry is so easy, once you chop up your vegetables - you have done the main part of your meal! You can obviously add more or less vegetables depending on what you have on hand. Definitely recommend you give this one a go.

Double chocolate cookies

If you are looking to make a super delicious, yet easy cookie - this is absolutely perfect! It has a glossy outside, but a soft gooey chocolate interior! These are a big hit with whoever tries them! Highly recommended..

Maghmour مغمور (Lebanese aubergines in a tangy tomato sauce)

In the change of weather, you want an easy dish that suits both the cold winter days, and the hot summer days - and this simple Lebanese dish does just that! It can be eaten both hot or cold - and has a delicious taste to it, you will find yourself enjoying it till the last mouthful.

Tangy mutton chops in pomegranate sauce

It was one of those days whereby I made this recipe up as I went along, tasting and adjusting to create a perfectly balanced dish - the tangy flavour was just right, and the chops full of flavour and well cooked. A definite one to try.

Follow me on Pinterest!

Can you believe, I only just discovered Pinterest, and I am amazed at how good it is. 

So I have created an account: nosaibasfood, and divided the recipes into categories. Click on the category you are interested in, it shows you all the recipes in a picture format. The recipe that you fancy, all you do is click on it and it directs you straight to the recipe! You can also pin recipes so you can check them out on a later date. Amazing! :D (I am quite late in this discovery, lol, but better late than never!)

Follow me on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/nosaibasfood

Enjoy :) 

Screenshot from Pinterest

Caramelised balsamic pasta with spinach

Pasta, in my opinion, is one of the easiest dishes to make - especially when you want something quick, filling and on hand. So today I used whatever ingredients I had on hand, and created a concentrated caramelised onion base - with tomatoes that got a balsamic glaze - and I have to say, this tasted sooo good mashAllah! :)

Loobya bi zayt (Lebanese green beans in tomato sauce) - لوبيا بزيت

What is so good about this dish is that it uses little ingredients, so simple to put together, yet has such an amazing final taste. It is really healthy, filling and so straight forward to make.

Mutton leg with mint sauce and saffron rice

So this has become one of the classic Eid dishes in our home, although we make it during the year too. I gave it a classic British marinate, but with a slight Lebanese touch. The rice accompanied the mutton leg perfectly - and the mint sauce was just perfect with the meat.

There are a few recipes going on here, but I think each one can be done together to make a delicious dinner.

Strawberry layered cake

I want a deliciously fluffy soft cake, that melts in your mouth...with a yummy filling and a fancy topping...hehe, and that is exactly what this cake is, alhamdulilah.

Chilli butternut squash soup with crème fraîche

If you are looking to make something delicious, easy and full of flavour - then this soup is perfect. You can adjust the chilli amount to suit you, I added two de-seeded chillis, and it gave that kick to the soup, yet maintaining the yummy flavour from the roasted butternut squash.