Beiruti Mfatta’a

A traditional Job’s Wednesday turmeric & tahini rice pudding from Beirut

The ongoing attacks on Lebanon, and I say Lebanon because the attacks on Beirut stopped (for now) a few weeks ago, have made me feel demotivated about sharing stuff. The things that I do often; writing, posting, sharing. I haven’t touched my camera since January. This is not a post for pity, but an attempt at narrating reality. Or at least my reality. What I am experiencing. Others might not be feeling the same way. Others might be resuming their daily routines as if nothing happened. Some never had their routines disturbed at all. Mine have been.

I see people doing stuff. I don’t know if it’s true or it’s what I see through my perception, but I feel that everyone is faking it, doing it for the show—and that’s not a judgement, but an observation. I want to resume doing things for fun. I want us to be happy for real, not as a distraction or out of “resilience”.

Continue reading →

Sweet and Sticky Sesame Chicken

PIN-Sweet and sticky sesame chicken recipe - cookin5m2 -2763

Fear takes different forms.
When we are young, we are afraid of the darkness.
We grow up and find that it’s not that scary.
We grow up and start getting scared of things we never expected to induce fear in our spines.
We fear getting older.
We fear responsibilities
We fear the death of someone dear
We fear ending up alone, dying alone, meeting new people, getting out of our comfort zone and trying something new,…
We fear failure as we fear success.
We are afraid of other people’s jealousy, their opinions, their comments, their criticism.
We are afraid of ourselves. No wonder we’d be afraid of others. Continue reading “Sweet and Sticky Sesame Chicken” →

Asian Duck Stir-fry

I don’t always get my hands on duck meat. It is only recently that I was able to taste it and fall in love with it. It is true that ducks are birds, but the meat is darker than chicken and it can be more tender. Did you know that duck has less fat than turkey? That’s what I was told

Asian Duck Stir-fry recipe - cookin5m2-PIN

What I didn’t know is that duck meat is best eaten when the inside is still pink, unlike chicken. The filets that I got are part of the breast. When cooked, they are so tender and more flavorful than chicken and they should only be cooked for a short period to keep the center pink and moist.

This recipe uses the stir-fry method, which is cooking the food for a short period of time in oil until done. This keeps the duck meat soft and tender, just the way I want it. The sauce is incredible! The aroma of sesame oil while marinating is so appetizing the anticipation for marination time was a killer.

Continue reading “Asian Duck Stir-fry” →

Black Bean Broccoli Fried Rice

Black Bean Broccoli fried rice recipe - cookin5m2 -3 This is one of the quick recipes that you could use to clean your leftovers and whatever is there in the fridge. Fried rice is a staple in Asian cuisine and I like to think it is a complete meal. It has carbs, vegetables, and proteins with enough salt to flavor the dish. The extra dose of proteins from the black beans makes this dish a super dish and takes away the guilt of carbs, if ever found! Continue reading “Black Bean Broccoli Fried Rice” →

Soujok & Mixed Bean Stew, and Counting my Blessings

When your life takes an unexpected turn and gives you a lot to think about and process, sometimes you are left with your thoughts, overworked from the craziness of things in your head at one moment. Early this year I was an employee working from 8 to 5 in an office, on a desk, behind a screen, endlessly clicking the mouse before the bell rings announcing the day’s end. I had an opportunity that seemed to bright, and too got to be true. I knew I would be dumb and regret it if I didn’t take it. So I jumped.
In the past five months, my life matched my soul; floating, figuring things in the ether, finding it’s calling. I’ve cooked, managed the restaurant, sous chef-ed, catered at a gala event as part of the Bi Bayti team(you can hire me to cook at your home now!), cooked in the mountains for more than 50 person each time, got my name and work printed (read my interview on one8one magazine here, and buy the latest issue of The Carton to read my entry), and I went on TV. Continue reading “Soujok & Mixed Bean Stew, and Counting my Blessings” →

Tag: Rice