Watercress and Pea Falafels

It's been a few days since we returned from Morocco. We are still jet lagged. Signs of our epic holiday show from the tans on our faces to the piles of laundry waiting to be done.

We had a wonderful time touring Marrakech, Essaouira and Casablanca, mesmerised by the saturated blues and oranges on display. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a few pictures of the sites that we discovered.

Morocco has beautiful old buildings with terracotta walls. And oh the doors. Morocco has some of the most beautiful doors with every inch telling a story of its history. I cannot wait to share the photos of our trip and some Moroccan inspired recipes I know you'll love. How does crispy fried sardines with herbed couscous sound? I knew you'd approve. 

But our holiday did end on a slight sour note when my little Hassoon brought back an unwanted souvenir from Casablanca. He has just learnt to walk and slipped in the bathroom, cutting his finger on a broken tile. Five hours later and with five stitches on his tiny finger, we were back in the hotel. 

Eight hours on the plane with a one year old in pain and a tired but hyper four year old was.......let's just say trying. And tiring. So I was relieved to find some of these herby watercress and pea falafels in the freezer that I had made before I left. 

If you read my last post, you may remember me mentioning how hard it can get for children to try different leafy vegetables. Falafels are the perfect vehicles for them. I have experimented with various flavours ranging form spinach to broccoli. But this version is my favourite. Perfect for spring. 

Since Maryam is a a fan of peas, I just tell her it has peas. And it does. And so much more. Next time, I think I'm going to try and bake them to make them even healthier. Whilst she ate them as is, me and Akber wrapped ours in Arabic bread with a simple salad and tahini and yoghurt dressing. Such a good lunch. 

Of Perfection and Failure

A while back, I received a lovely email from a reader telling me how much she enjoyed reading the blog. Not condescending in any manner, she told me that whenever she read a post, she thought about what a perfect life I had. 

A husband lucky enough to have a different meal on the table at least every couple of days. A sweet note to follow every meal. Model children who ate and polished everything on their plates including foods in brights shades of green. Could I give her tips?

She imagined my house to be decorated in crisp shades of whites and beiges, not a toy out of place. Not a stain in sight, not a dish dirty. A picture perfect family, a perfect life. Perfect. As happy as I was to receive an email from an avid reader telling me she enjoyed reading the blog, the email left me feeling apprehensive and scared. Apprehensive that I would fail to live up to every reader's expectations. Scared of failure. 

Banana Chocolate and Hazelnut Loaf Cake

I can't believe it's been nearly a year and a half since I last baked a banana cake. I was six months pregnant at that time and it was a craving that led me to bake one of my favourite cakes. Since that time, many things have changed.

Our family has grown and is complete. We moved to a bigger house to accommodate this- and my growing collection of props. Maryam started school and Hassan learnt many new things. I worried for the longest time when he didn't sit till nine months. Now he tries to climb into Maryam's chair and sit, just like his big sister. He crawls and cruises and has the most headstrong personality a fifteen month old could ever have. It is highly amusing to see him throw his head back in anger and then bury it between his legs when he doesn't get his way. Terrible twos already?

I finally have a garden although it still needs some love and attention. A few more plants and flowers to add colour and perhaps even a herb garden at some point? I'm being rather optimistic I think. But one thing that hasn't changed is my love for banana cakes. Oh yes, I still have a thing for them.

Here I have taken that same cake I baked whilst pregnant and changed it to suit our current cravings (Oh and I'm definitely not pregnant). Added some chocolate and hazelnut butter and finished it with some chopped toasted hazelnuts. We devoured it together. Me, Maryam and my little Hassan as well. Good thing it makes two loaves so we could share with friends too. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

There are times when recipes take many hours of testing, much research, abundant time in the kitchen spent trying to perfect them. Ingredients bought many times over with numerous trips to different supermarkets to get just the right brand of chocolate, that perfectly formed tomato, the crispest herbs, the best looking berries.  

Amounts and measurements jotted, crossed, halved and multiplied on journals, colouring books and even the back of your hand. Complicated mathematics to get that perfect outcome. The kitchen may look like a whirlwind of activity with a thick dusty coating of flour covering the countertops. Butter smeared on every surface. All in the name of achieving that perfect outcome. 

Then there are times when it all comes together in a flash. All the right ingredients magically lined up on the counter begging to be used together. The show goes off without a hitch and every actor in the recipe plays their part flawlessly. Like today. 

The chocolate and peanut butter play their parts effortlessly, each supporting the other and yet stars in their own right. Cream brings the show together. My family gave this dessert a standing ovation and their were calls of 'encore encore.' For sure, it will be made again. 

Orzo Salad with Lemon Mint Dressing

You may have come here expecting an enticing image with colours of bright orange mangoes paired on a creamy background of rice pudding. One where dainty tarts are carefully decorated with just the right amount of pistachio dusting. 

Instead I have for you this salad. One that was created by my sister Zainab. You see, she's been having a go at me for not posting this recipe especially since I beg her to make it every time she comes. It's not the most exciting mix of ingredients really, whatever vegetables and greens you have lying in the fridge. 

But its the dressing that's my favourite here. I have long been a fan of of the lemon and mint combination, my go to drink to order whenever we eat out. Zainab's too. Here, it's bottled in a dressing. That same cool refreshing taste atop ice cold crunchy greens. Salad in a cocktail glass?

I promise to be back with something sweet.  Whilst it may not be the rice pudding tarts with mango coulis (they disappeared before a camera came close to them), it is a promise of something sweet. And maybe even chocolatey. 

Tiramisu

Last week, my mum and sister were visiting. As is always the case when they visit, there was much laughter, reminiscing about childhood memories and eating good wholesome food.   

On the menu was grilled chicken simmered slowly in a coconut broth, a simple pasta with meatballs for kids and for dessert......this time we left it simple. My mom brought apple mangoes from Tanzania that we sliced into wedges. The smoothest mangoes with the texture of velvet. Fresh, natural and light. The perfect end to any meal really.

But I did manage to sneak in these tiramisu pots amongst all the feasting. This is my go to dessert when I'm short of time, when I'm entertaining, when I need something light and creamy, when I'm in the mood for coffee even though I don't drink it. I've made so many variations of this basic recipe- date syrup to give the mascarpone some edge, a cardamom or two to uplift the coffee, a splash of citrus or berries with the ladyfinger layer.

Here is the basic recipe- it begs you to do to it what you please. I'll be back in no time with a recipe for rice pudding tarts topped with a mango coulis. Yes, using the mangos that my mom brought back. I sneaked a few into the back of the fridge to keep them safe from Maryam especially for this recipe. It was worth it. 

Shepherd's Pie

I have a blanket. I did actually. It now belongs to Maryam. Or Hassan when she's not looking. It's a deep blue and white chequered pattern or rather it was. The white has transitioned to a sorry looking beige and the blue is now a faded turquoise.

The edges are frayed and Hassan likes to catch the threads and pull them into a knot around his fingers. What was once a thick stiff cotton has now transformed itself into the most delicate cashmere. I avoid washing the blanket too often from fear it will fall apart. Even then, it has the scent of a new born baby. The fuzziness of a peach. The warmth of a roaring fire.

It didn't always belong to me though. It started life as a bed sheet when my Mummy was small. It was then upgraded to a blanket for the next generation. All my mom's nieces and nephews put their stamp on it before it was handed down to my children. Just like this recipe.

As every family, we have our own recipe for Shepherd's pie. With every generation and every family member, the recipe has changed. Tweaked. Ingredients added. Methods simplified. With every change, the recipe is perfected. Just like that old blanket, it's a family heirloom.

So here is my version of Shepherd's Pie. It is a basic recipe allowing much room for change. A few humble ingredients that meld together to become a gourmet meal. Sometimes I add baked beans to it, other times I omit the carrot and add peas. Fresh herbs never go amiss in this recipe but it doesn't always have to be thyme. 

Take this recipe, mould it to your taste, to your family's palate. It will keep you company on a cold evening and make sure you feel warm and fuzzy, just like an old worn blanket.