Inspiration - roast and sides

potatos are missing from this scene, but I did make some mashed potatoes to go with the roast leg of lamb. Apart from the zucchini, all of these ingredients are quite western.

inspiration: fruit

I have always believed in the social power of food. Food brings people together, whether we are talking at the level of communities or to go along with the mingling of friends. I was with family the other day, having various discussions until pretty late at night, over trays of fruit. Various forms, all ready to eat. And what wrong can come from overeating of fruit? perhaps over the long run, some harm will come out of excess of anything, but we are typically deprived of fresh produce in our industrialized lives. Here was a chance for a collective packing of minerals and vitamins, along with some green tea and arabic coffee. A ritual that is one I am quite proud of, one that I truly enjoy. Cornucopia symbolizes the bountiful, the plentiful; this came pretty close.

inspiration: thai produce

This is usually how I start preparing for a meal. Go to the market, get what's fresh then just lay everything on the table and start grouping. I may have some ideas, some things that needed long prep times, but most of the dishes emerge as they're being put together. Here we have kale, bok choi, lemongrass, galangal, kafir limes, baby eggplants, oyster mushrooms, jelly fungus, mange-touts and kafir lime leaves (ascending order). Made a curry and some side dishes.

أكل

ek-il is obviously a transliterated word.
i intended for this stie to be ek-il, as in food (noun) أكل, not ik-il, as in eat (2nd person command) إكل.
thanks.

21st century dessert

my obsession with Asian desserts led me to a series of experiments. this is one of them. The consistency of the coconut milk could have been thicker, but here is what's in this dessert: gnocchi, black jelly fungus soaked in thai berry syrup, black beans and, i think, some tapioca. Mostly things that don't go into dessert but they worked so well. Especially after some very spicy food, this dessert is both really tasty and vegan.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies @ November

My sister has a food/event/gift institution called November. Please check out their website, www.thenovembercompany.com - they have been kind enough to mention this website, ek-il, as one of their favourites. November generates lots of new ideas every day, but like any institution it has classics that will stand the tests of time again and again. The oatmeal chocolate chip cookie is one of those classics. With the oatmeal, the moderate sweetness of the chocolate chips and a slight saltiness, a harmonious balance is created that is surely addictive.

PS the packaging is older, but going through my photos, I thought this was one I really should share.

bresaola

I started liking bresaola when i was a teenager visiting my aunt in italy. Every time she comes back to kuwait, i ask her to bring me some really good parmesan, bresaola and pesto. to me, these are quintessential italian flavours. And as in most food in italy, you use the combinations of ingredients that have gone together for centuries. Here is how I learned to put together bresaola, and I typically don't like it in any other form, except maybe in a good panini or in the form of the salad on a good thin pizza. Bresaola + rocca + parmesan + oil + balsamic is the winning combo for me.