Latest news with #familyrecipes
Entrepreneur
09-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Jessica and Rita Kahawaty Sign Global Cookbook Deal with Penguin Random House
"Mama's kitchen with Mama Rita: Family Recipes from the Mediterranean" is a vibrant, heartfelt celebration of home cooking by mother-daughter duo Jessica and Rita Kahawaty. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Born from the runaway success of their Dubai-based food delivery company, Mama Rita, this beautifully photographed cookbook offers over 75 delicious and nourishing dishes inspired by Lebanese and Mediterranean flavors. Jessica Kahawaty, Lebanese-Australian humanitarian, model and influencer with over 1.5 million Instagram followers, joins her mother, Rita, in bringing their culinary heritage to the page. With deep roots in Lebanon and Australia, the Kahawatys' recipes are filled with warmth, family stories, and dishes that have stood the test of time.
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Dal bhat two ways from MasterChef winner Justin Narayan
My mum and grandma made dal literally every day. They didn't have a recipe. Sometimes they added garlic, other times they played around with different kinds of lentils. It was always different and it was always amazing. Whenever I go home to visit, Mum will make dal, chicken curry, roti and rice. She knows they're still my favourites. But even though it was such a fond recipe, I didn't make it until I was in the MasterChef apartment practising for challenges. I didn't know what was going to happen on the show, but I wanted this up my sleeve so I could make something that meant a lot to me during a challenge. So, I called my mum. I was moving around the kitchen, phone to ear, Mum telling me what to do. She gave a vague description, but I'd eaten it a thousand times, so when she said something confusing like 'add this, it'll taste better', I knew what she meant. Mum taught me the traditional version, but I wanted to make a creative one on the show – something new but still nostalgic. So I tried making a crisp from dehydrated rice, making a thicker dal you could use as a dip and adding pickled onions and chutney for more texture, acidity and pops of spice. I practised in the apartment, but I only nailed it on TV. It was super weird to do it in front of the whole world, but that's the kind of cooking I wanted to share with people. Humble recipes I grew up with. First up is The OG – a culmination of all I learned from Mum and Grandma. If it's like their dal, it'll be perfect. The second recipe is my MasterChef recipe. Serves 4-6 ½ cup (100g) red lentils ½ cup (100g) yellow lentils 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped1 small eggplant, peeled and finely chopped1 tomato, finely chopped2 tsp lemon juice (from about ¼ lemon)Temper2 tbsp ghee 1 small brown onion, finely chopped1 garlic clove, finely chopped1 bird's eye chilli, halved lengthways (use ½ or ¼ if you want less spice)¼ tsp cumin seeds¼ tsp black mustard seeds 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds Wash the lentils and place in a saucepan with five cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring after five minutes. Skim and discard any white foam that comes to the surface. Stir in the turmeric and salt until combined, then add the carrot, eggplant and tomato. Simmer until the lentils are soft (you should be able to easily crush one between your fingers), about 10–15 minutes. Using a potato masher, give the dal a rough mash to thicken. To make the temper, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium–high heat, then add the onion, garlic, chilli and whole spices and cook until the onion is golden brown. Add the temper to the dal and mix in, then season with the lemon juice and more salt to taste. Serve with roti, chicken curry and chilli chutney. Serves 4 ½ cup (100g) red lentils ½ cup (100g) yellow lentils ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tomato, finely chopped1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped30g unsalted butter 1 small brown onion, finely chopped1 garlic clove, thinly sliced½ bird's eye chilli, roughly diced½ tsp cumin seeds ¼ tsp fennel seeds1 tbsp lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)Basmati rice crisp½ cup (100g) basmati riceQuick pickled onion½ red onion, thinly sliced¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegarCoriander chutney1 bunch of fresh coriander, leaves and stems1 garlic clove 1 long green chilli 1 bird's eye chilli1 tbsp lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1 tsp white vinegar To make the basmati rice crisp, wash the rice until the water runs clear. Transfer to a small saucepan with one cup water. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook until the rice is slightly overcooked, about 20 minutes. Drain. Preheat the oven to 140C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Blitz the rice in a blender until you get a smooth, thick paste, adding a little water if it's too thick to blend. Spread the blitzed rice as thin as possible over the prepared tray. Sprinkle salt over the rice, then bake until crisp, about one hour. If it browns, you've gone too far; you don't want any colour. Set aside. Meanwhile, make the quick pickled onion. Place the red onion, vinegar and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Use your hands to massage everything for one to two minutes, then set aside for 20 minutes to pickle. While the onion is pickling, wash the lentils, then place in a saucepan with three cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring after five minutes. Skim and discard any white foam that comes to the surface. Stir in the turmeric and a pinch of salt until combined, then add the tomato and carrot. Simmer until the lentils are soft (you should be able to easily crush one between your fingers), about 10–15 minutes. Using a potato masher, give the dal a rough mash to thicken. Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic, bird's eye chilli, cumin and fennel seeds and cook for 2 minutes. Mix this butter mixture into the lentil mixture. Adjust the seasoning with the lemon juice and salt to taste. Using a stick blender, roughly blitz the dal to slightly thicken it – you want the consistency of a chunky hummus. To make the coriander chutney, roughly chop the coriander, garlic and green and bird's eye chillies, then transfer to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, then season with salt. You're looking for something with a bit of punch; it should be spicy and a little sour. Place the dal in a serving bowl, then top with the chutney and a few slices of pickled onion. Break the rice crisp into iPhone-sized shards and serve on the side. This is an edited extract from Everything is Indian by Justin Narayan (Murdoch Books; $39.99)
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Dal bhat two ways from MasterChef winner Justin Narayan
My mum and grandma made dal literally every day. They didn't have a recipe. Sometimes they added garlic, other times they played around with different kinds of lentils. It was always different and it was always amazing. Whenever I go home to visit, Mum will make dal, chicken curry, roti and rice. She knows they're still my favourites. But even though it was such a fond recipe, I didn't make it until I was in the MasterChef apartment practising for challenges. I didn't know what was going to happen on the show, but I wanted this up my sleeve so I could make something that meant a lot to me during a challenge. So, I called my mum. I was moving around the kitchen, phone to ear, Mum telling me what to do. She gave a vague description, but I'd eaten it a thousand times, so when she said something confusing like 'add this, it'll taste better', I knew what she meant. Mum taught me the traditional version, but I wanted to make a creative one on the show – something new but still nostalgic. So I tried making a crisp from dehydrated rice, making a thicker dal you could use as a dip and adding pickled onions and chutney for more texture, acidity and pops of spice. I practised in the apartment, but I only nailed it on TV. It was super weird to do it in front of the whole world, but that's the kind of cooking I wanted to share with people. Humble recipes I grew up with. First up is The OG – a culmination of all I learned from Mum and Grandma. If it's like their dal, it'll be perfect. The second recipe is my MasterChef recipe. Serves 4-6 ½ cup (100g) red lentils ½ cup (100g) yellow lentils 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped1 small eggplant, peeled and finely chopped1 tomato, finely chopped2 tsp lemon juice (from about ¼ lemon)Temper2 tbsp ghee 1 small brown onion, finely chopped1 garlic clove, finely chopped1 bird's eye chilli, halved lengthways (use ½ or ¼ if you want less spice)¼ tsp cumin seeds¼ tsp black mustard seeds 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds Wash the lentils and place in a saucepan with five cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring after five minutes. Skim and discard any white foam that comes to the surface. Stir in the turmeric and salt until combined, then add the carrot, eggplant and tomato. Simmer until the lentils are soft (you should be able to easily crush one between your fingers), about 10–15 minutes. Using a potato masher, give the dal a rough mash to thicken. To make the temper, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium–high heat, then add the onion, garlic, chilli and whole spices and cook until the onion is golden brown. Add the temper to the dal and mix in, then season with the lemon juice and more salt to taste. Serve with roti, chicken curry and chilli chutney. Serves 4 ½ cup (100g) red lentils ½ cup (100g) yellow lentils ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tomato, finely chopped1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped30g unsalted butter 1 small brown onion, finely chopped1 garlic clove, thinly sliced½ bird's eye chilli, roughly diced½ tsp cumin seeds ¼ tsp fennel seeds1 tbsp lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)Basmati rice crisp½ cup (100g) basmati riceQuick pickled onion½ red onion, thinly sliced¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegarCoriander chutney1 bunch of fresh coriander, leaves and stems1 garlic clove 1 long green chilli 1 bird's eye chilli1 tbsp lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1 tsp white vinegar To make the basmati rice crisp, wash the rice until the water runs clear. Transfer to a small saucepan with one cup water. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook until the rice is slightly overcooked, about 20 minutes. Drain. Preheat the oven to 140C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Blitz the rice in a blender until you get a smooth, thick paste, adding a little water if it's too thick to blend. Spread the blitzed rice as thin as possible over the prepared tray. Sprinkle salt over the rice, then bake until crisp, about one hour. If it browns, you've gone too far; you don't want any colour. Set aside. Meanwhile, make the quick pickled onion. Place the red onion, vinegar and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Use your hands to massage everything for one to two minutes, then set aside for 20 minutes to pickle. While the onion is pickling, wash the lentils, then place in a saucepan with three cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring after five minutes. Skim and discard any white foam that comes to the surface. Stir in the turmeric and a pinch of salt until combined, then add the tomato and carrot. Simmer until the lentils are soft (you should be able to easily crush one between your fingers), about 10–15 minutes. Using a potato masher, give the dal a rough mash to thicken. Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic, bird's eye chilli, cumin and fennel seeds and cook for 2 minutes. Mix this butter mixture into the lentil mixture. Adjust the seasoning with the lemon juice and salt to taste. Using a stick blender, roughly blitz the dal to slightly thicken it – you want the consistency of a chunky hummus. To make the coriander chutney, roughly chop the coriander, garlic and green and bird's eye chillies, then transfer to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, then season with salt. You're looking for something with a bit of punch; it should be spicy and a little sour. Place the dal in a serving bowl, then top with the chutney and a few slices of pickled onion. Break the rice crisp into iPhone-sized shards and serve on the side. This is an edited extract from Everything is Indian by Justin Narayan (Murdoch Books; $39.99)
The Sun
29-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Delicious healthy dinner that feeds a family of four for just 50p a head & it takes 10 minutes to make
A SAVVY shopper has revealed how she keeps her food costs down to feed four people for just 50p a head per meal. 26-year-old Scottish lass, only known as The Finance Gurl, took to TikTok to share the mouth-watering recipe that cost her just £2 to whip up. 2 2 The cash-savvy shopper regularly shares easy and affordable recipe ideas on her page - and this time, showed her 10k fans how to make veg and egg fried rice on the cheap. Ingredients For this, she explained in a recent video, you will need a bag of white rice from Aldi's Essentials range, 52p, a six-pack of eggs for £1.45 and 500g of fresh carrots for 40p. Whilst shopping, the Aldi customer also snapped up a pack of three bell peppers for £1.69 and spring onions for just 69p. The total breakdown of the budget-friendly dish was 16p for the rice, 97p for four eggs, 10p for two carrots, 56p for one bell pepper, as well as 20p for three spring onions. This comes to a total cost of £1.99 - or just 50p per head if you're feeding a family of four. Method Once you have all the necessary ingredients, start by boiling 300g of rice and leave it to cool whilst preparing the other items. When the oil in the pan is ready, add the diced carrots and bell peper to cook, with the optional garlic if you have some already. Stir fry for around five minutes before pushing the veggies to the side of the pan and crack in the four eggs before scrambling them. ''Once the eggs have cooked, I'm mixing them in with the vegetables. I spend £400 on a weekly grocery shop - and that's cheap for my family ''Then you're gonna add your rice in and mix all of that together. ''Finally, you're gonna add two tablespoons of soy sauce and your spring onion.'' Give all of this a good stir and cook for an additional three minutes and voila, you're ready to serve your family a delicious meal on a budget. The cash-savvy foodie wrote in the caption: ''This veg & egg fried rice is easy & delicious to make. ''If you want to you can add meat to this, but it's still great without!'' 'Must say that looks lovely' The recipe has clearly impressed many, as the video has racked up more than 130k views and almost 2,000 likes. How to cut the cost of your grocery shop SAVING on your shop can make a big difference to your wallet. Here are some tips from comparison site about how you can cut the cost of your shopping bills: Write yourself a list – Only buy items that you need. If it isn't on your list, don't put it in the trolley Create a budget – Work out a weekly budget for your food shopping Never shop hungry – you are far more likely to buy more food if your tummy is rumbling Don't buy pre-chopped veggies or fruit – The extra they'll charge for chopping can be eye watering Use social media – follow your favourite retailers to find out about the latest deals Be disloyal – You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains Check the small print – It's always worth checking the price per kg/lb/litre when comparing offers so you're making a like for like decision as a bigger box won't necessarily mean you get more Use your loyalty cards – Don't be afraid to sign up to them all. They all work slightly differently – work out what bonus suits you better and remember to trade in your points for additional rewards One person commented: ''Well done. Type of post I like. Makes a change from people moaning about only having £20 to last them one day.'' Someone else chimed in: ''I think you're really inspiring, cooking healthy unprocessed food on a budget.'' ''Must say that looks lovely,'' a fourth penned.
CNA
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
On The Red Dot: Finding Lost Recipes
In every home, there are dishes tied not just to flavour, but to memory — lovingly made by someone who may no longer be around. But when that person is gone, can their signature dish ever be brought back? In this series, we follow Masterchef alumnus Jonathan Ng as he helps four individuals on deeply personal quests to rediscover dishes that meant the world to them. For actress Hong Ling, it's the emotional taste of her late mother's Thai-style laksa — a dish that no one else in the family knows how to make. For Belinda, it's a race against time. Her mother Katherine, who once made a unique Nyonya chang (dumpling) every festive season, is slowly losing her memory to dementia. Can the flavours — and the stories that come with them — be recovered before they fade completely? For Kim, who lost her husband Joseph unexpectedly, it's isn't just about the dish. It's about honouring the man who made Hakka Yong Tau Foo not just a meal, but a way of bringing people together — and understanding how he added his own twist to the dish he loved. And for Claresta, it's chasing a taste she can't quite describe — the elusive magic behind her late husband Chef Stefan Liau's Cashew and Banana creation. Even with the original recipe in hand, something is missing. Can Jonathan decode the secret behind the flavour — and the man?
