Marinated meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, served in a wrap or platter.

Shawarma

Stuffed grape leaves with rice, herbs, and spices.

Grape Leaves

Creamy rice pudding flavored with cinnamon and vanilla.

Rice Pudding

A sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey.

Baklava

Grilled meat skewers marinated in traditional spices.

Kabobs

Crispy chickpea patties seasoned with herbs and spices, served with tahini sauce.

Falafel

A creamy blend of chickpeas, tahini, and olive oil, served with warm pita bread.

Hummus

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Add the chicken or beef and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Marinate the Meat

Preheat a grill or oven to high heat. If using a rotisserie, skewer the marinated meat onto the rotisserie spit. If using a grill, place the meat on a grill pan. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked and has a nice char.

Cook the Meat

Remove the meat from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Slice the cooked meat thinly against the grain.

Slice the Meat

Place a portion of sliced meat onto a pita or flatbread. Add fresh vegetables and drizzle with tahini sauce, if desired. Roll the wrap tightly and serve.

Assemble the Shawarma

Boneless chicken thighs or beef sirloin

Yogurt

Olive oil

Garlic cloves, minced

Ground cumin

Ground coriander

Paprika

Ground turmeric

Ground cinnamon

Salt

Black pepper

Lemon juice

Pita bread or flatbreads

Tahini sauce (optional)

Fresh vegetables (tomato, cucumber, onion)

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in the rice, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped parsley, dill, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Prepare the Filling

Lay a grape leaf on a flat surface, vein side up. Place about 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture near the stem end of the leaf. Fold in the sides and roll tightly to form a small package. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

Stuff the Grape Leaves

In a large pot, layer any leftover grape leaves on the bottom. Place the stuffed grape leaves seam side down in the pot. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Pour vegetable broth over the stuffed leaves, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 40-45 minutes until the rice is cooked and the leaves are tender.

Cook the Stuffed Grape Leaves

Let the grape leaves cool slightly before serving. They can be served warm or at room temperature, drizzled with additional olive oil and lemon juice if desired.

Serve

Grape leaves

Rice

Onion

Fresh parsley

Fresh dill

Cinnamon

Vegetable broth

In a medium saucepan, combine the Arborio rice and 2 cups of milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Prepare the Rice

Stir in the remaining 2 cups of milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy, about 10-15 minutes.

Add Remaining Ingredients

Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Serve warm or chilled, sprinkled with ground cinnamon to taste.

Finish and Serve

Arborio rice

Milk

Sugar

Vanilla extract

Butter

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Pulse until finely chopped and well mixed.

Prepare the Nut Filling

Thaw the filo pastry according to package instructions. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Prepare the Filo Pastry

Brush a 9x13 inch baking dish with melted butter. Lay down one sheet of filo, brush with butter, and repeat with 7 sheets. Sprinkle a layer of the nut mixture over the top. Repeat the layering of filo and nuts until all ingredients are used, finishing with 8 layers of buttered filo on top.

Assemble the Baklava

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cut and Bake

While the baklava is baking, combine honey and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Prepare the Syrup

Once the baklava is done baking, pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava. Allow it to soak in for several hours or overnight before serving.

Finish the Baklava

frozen filo pastry

unsalted butter

walnuts

sugar

ground cinnamon

honey

water

In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Add the cubed chicken breast and mix well to coat. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

Marinate the Chicken

While the chicken is marinating, chop the bell peppers and red onion into bite-sized pieces.

Prepare the Vegetables

Once the chicken is done marinating, thread the chicken pieces, bell peppers, and red onion onto the skewers, alternating between the meat and vegetables.

Assemble the Kabobs

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has nice grill marks.

Grill the Kabobs

Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your delicious grilled kabobs!

chicken breast

bell peppers (mixed colors)

red onion

olive oil

garlic cloves

ground cumin

paprika

salt

black pepper

lemon juice

skewers

Place dried chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight (or for at least 8 hours). Drain and rinse.

Soak Chickpeas

In a food processor, combine the soaked chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Pulse until coarse and well combined.

Prepare the Mixture

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the flour until well incorporated. If the mixture is too wet, add a bit more flour.

Add Flour

Form the mixture into small patties or balls, about 1.5 inches in diameter.

Shape Patties

In a deep skillet or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot.

Heat Oil

Carefully add the patties to the hot oil, a few at a time. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Fry Falafel

Serve warm with tahini sauce or your choice of dipping sauce.

Chickpeas (dried)

Fresh parsley, chopped

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Onion, chopped

Baking powder

Flour (all-purpose or chickpea flour)

Oil for frying

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas under cold water.

Prepare Chickpeas

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, and salt.

Blend Ingredients

Blend the mixture until smooth and creamy. If it's too thick, add a bit of water or more olive oil to reach your desired consistency.

Process Until Smooth

Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl, drizzle with additional olive oil if desired, and serve with warm pita bread.