Egyptian Flavors: 50 Recipes by Dyna Eldaief

lentils

🥗Healthier: green lentils

💰Cheaper: split peas

Green lentils are nutritious and split peas are often less expensive.

macaroni

🥗Healthier: whole grain pasta

💰Cheaper: elbow pasta

Whole grain pasta offers more fiber, while elbow pasta is often cheaper.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while canola oil is a budget-friendly alternative.

chickpeas

🥗Healthier: edamame

💰Cheaper: canned beans

Edamame is a protein-rich alternative, and canned beans are cost-effective.

Introduce the concept of healthy and nutritious food for Ramadan.

Suggest preparing stuffed grape leaves (mashi wara enab) as a light dish for iftar.

Demonstrate how to fold the grape leaves with stuffing: place meat and rice at the end, fold the end over, flip the sides, and roll down to create a neat roll.

Explain that stuffed grape leaves are served hot with a squeeze of lemon juice and are a light dish.

Introduce full medames (slow-cooked fava beans) as another dish suitable for iftar.

Explain that full medames is made from broad beans, slow-cooked for several hours, and then mushed together with seasonings.

Suggest serving full medames with finely diced onion, cucumber, and tomato for a light meal.

Discuss the use of modern cooking tools like slow cookers or pressure cookers for preparing these dishes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens