Moroccon

Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Blueberries

February 8, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

This Chicken Tagine with Potatoes and Chickpeas right here is the BEST Moroccan Chicken recipe you will find! Succulent , tender chicken stew w/ warm Moroccan spices, cilantro, lemon & dried blueberries. No ordinary chicken dinner, this easy one-pot wonder will surprise your taste buds in the best way possible.

There probably hundred chicken meals in the blog and it keeps on coming. This chicken tagine with vegetables and blueberries is a new favorite. Tagines are definitely flavor-dense but are not necessarily spicy or hot. The use of fruits such as apricots or dates and almonds are common, but blueberries are a unique touch that we love more than any dried fruit. Sometimes honey often adds a slight sweetness to an otherwise savory dish. The word “tagine” also refers to the traditional clay and ceramic pots in which the tagines are prepared. The tagines are perfect for people who like tender and juicy food since it seals in the moisture for even cooking. The best part is that the tagine can be used as the serving pot, so straight out of the stove to the dining table.…

Egyptian Koshari Recipe

January 16, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

Delicious Egyptian Koshari is the national dish of Egypt. This interesting combo of carbs on carbs on carbs with all the fixings is delicious and the most favorite dish we had in Cairo. It’s got spiced lentils, rice, vermicelli, pasta, chickpeas, topped with spicy tomato sauce and fried onions, SO GOOD!

Koshari (also spelled, Kushari) is both the street food and Egypt’s national dish, also known to be at least a thousand years old. This starch fest of a dish is made out of lentils, rice and has a spicy tangy kick. It came about when someone fell in love with the Indian dish, kichadi made with lentils and rice. You can find this at any street corner in Cairo.

“If you go to Cairo and not have Koshari, it’s like going to South India and not having Idli sambar”.

Kushari was originally sold as street food before becoming the crown jewel of brick and mortar shops all over Egypt—in fact, the late Anthony Bourdain, always a champion of quirky culinary gems, once shot an episode in Egypt where he enjoyed kushari from one of the most famous restaurants in Cairo. We were lucky to be dining at a local favorite Abou Tarek, where the Koshari is famous. Sold for pennies, a it’s a hearty vegan meal made with lentil rice, pasta, chickpeas, vinegar tomato sauce, and topped with fried onions. Perhaps unsurprising once you see the ingredient list, three different countries each contributed a piece of the culinary puzzle: India is behind the rice, lentils, and chickpeas; Italians working in the restaurants of Egypt added pasta and tomato sauce and Egyptians themselves topped it all off with those crispy onions and a bright, vinegary sauce to tie it all together. “It’s three different cultures all together in one meal.” Perhaps that’s why I love it so much.

It’s a culture overload along with sensory overload.…

Mediterranean Fish with Olives

January 8, 2022 By Asha Shivakumar

This Baked Mediterranean fish with olives and capers is one of our absolute favorite baked white fish recipe. It’s cooked in a delicious tomato based sauce until tender and flaky. It’s a 30 minute dinner recipe you don’t want to miss! Serve with rice or a chunky sourdough bread to mop up the salty goodness.

On our recent trip, we were invited to have lunch at our family friend’s place in Cairo. The lady of the house was from Ronda, a small town in Spain and the husband is from Cairo. We got to taste a couple of Mediterranean dishes and traditional Egyptian dishes. How incredibly lucky are we?! The family was so kind to make vegetarian options for me and meat/fish dishes for the rest. Their hospitality was unmatched.

If there’s one thing I never miss during my travels, is, eating at local homes and this family being a family friend of ours worked out perfect. In a bit of delicious irony, the two of us ladies struck up a conversation when she was flavoring the fish. We quickly discovered a shared interest in cooking, world cuisine, and travel, and she graciously slowed down the process and shared exactly how to make her mom’s world famous baked fish. We swapped stories about how hard it was to find culturally authentic dining experiences when abroad.. She was enthusiastic about Indian food. All this with her husband being the mediator/translator. I did not feel sorry for him 🙂 . We got along fabulously.

“Sharing a meal is the best way for
people to get to know one another.
This is how we realize how similar we
are, despite being from different parts
of the world, different cultures.”…

Turkish Eggs with Burnt Garlic Herb Sauce and Feta Yogurt

November 30, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

Turkish Eggs with burnt garlic herb sauce and feta yogurt. Topped with crispy fried eggs, it’s perfect with salty creamy feta yogurt and fresh avocado. Great for breakfast that can easily dinner, takes only minutes to prepare, is healthy, and so good! Everyone is sure to love this fun and delicious way to enjoy fried eggs!

I love my eggs. Our family goes through eggs like there’s no tomorrow.

I like eggs. In fact, I like them quite a bit. In my kitchen or when dining out, if I have the option to add an egg to a dish, I will.

I love the act of holding the chilled eggs, tapping it on the side of the skillet and listening to it instantly sizzle in a pan. It’s a morning ritual that wakes me up, centers me and prepares me for a new day. My zeal for eggs reaches far beyond the breakfast skillet, though. The egg blurs the boundaries between breakfast and lunch and confidently pushes its ways into dinner territory….

Eggplant Seafood Shakshuka

June 24, 2021 By Asha Shivakumar

Easy Eggplant Seafood Shakshuka recipe is a Meditterranean treat. An array of spices, fried eggplant and the perfectly cooked calamari in tomatoes is a one-skillet dinner that comes together in 30 minutes!

Most of you know the traditional shakshuka, eggs poached in a tomato sauce or even eggplant shakshuka. It’s popular and we love it.

Seafood Shakshuka is something my family has enjoyed time and again in our travels. But, I had never ventured into the deep sea, since it was overwhelming. My hubby and little one are big fans of seafood and I’ve been trying to dip my foot in seafood other than white fish and salmon.

I made this calamari shakshuka a month ago and the boys enjoyed it. So, I had to share it with all of you.

Usually when I search up lobster or calamari, there are not many recipes that cater to our liking and this one definitely hits a spot. And it super SIMPLE. …

Moroccan Guava Almond Phyllo Cake aka Snake cake/ M’hanncha

December 17, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Traditional Moroccan dessert, Moroccan Guava Almond Phyllo Cake M’hanncha/snake cake is made with filo pastry and almond filling, scented with orange blossom water and cardamom. Here we’ve used guava paste and cream cheese for that nontraditional modern touch. M’hanncha means coiled snake, name given because of the shape. It is easy to make and the taste is simply divine!

When I began blogging in 2013 I was completely blown away by the prolific community of food writers and home cooks who shared their stories and their inspiration on the web. Come to think of it, I barely visited blogs let alone food blogs, until giving it all a go myself… It was one of those “jump before looking how deep the water was first” sort of things. Needless to say, I spent countless hours pouring over gorgeous, articulate web pages, trying to learn as much as I could. Beautiful photos, authentic writing, original tested recipes, and authenticity was incredibly inspiring….

Quick and Easy Harissa Chickpea Stew with Peppery Parmesan Potato Stacks

September 8, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

This quick and deliciously easy harissa chickpea stew which is served with parmesan potato stacks is quite an impressive meal which comes together in a jiffy. Weeknight meal or to entertain with, comforting any way.

Have you ever wondered how we or the food subconsciously transitions from season to season, quite smoothly?

I woke up on this very gloomy, slightly chilly day determined to make these potato stacks….

But before anything, I had to take my darling Waffles for his leisurely morning stroll. We hiked up the mountain just to see a cast of fog engulfing the huge red building behind, almost like a blanket. He looked around, quite peacefully deciding if he wanted to chase a cow or stay beside me. Its one of those days he peacefully walked and sniffed as I was in my own thoughts.

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