The Blog
Cooking tips, ingredient and technique guides, and the stories behind the food.
Basmati vs Jasmine Rice: Texture, Aroma, Cooking and Nutrition
Basmati cooks dry and separate, jasmine soft and clingy. The water ratios, best dishes, nutrition, glycemic index and arsenic, each with its source.
October 10, 2026Baking Soda vs Baking Powder: The Difference, and How to Swap Them
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate and about three times stronger. Baking powder brings its own acid. How to swap them, test them and keep them fresh.
October 10, 2026How to Make Buttermilk, and Which Substitute to Use
Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup of milk and wait 10 to 15 minutes. Which substitutes work instead, and how long it keeps.
October 10, 2026How to Cook Bulgur, and Which Grade to Use
Soak fine bulgur in hot water; simmer coarse bulgur, 1 cup to 2 cups water, about 12 minutes. What bulgur is, which grade to buy, and bulgur vs couscous.
October 10, 2026Corn vs Flour Tortillas: How They Differ and When to Use Each
Corn tortillas are lime-treated corn, water and salt. Flour adds wheat and fat. Taste, USDA nutrition per tortilla, gluten, and which suits each dish.
October 10, 2026What Is Pomegranate Molasses? Taste, Uses, Substitutes and How to Make It
Pomegranate molasses is pomegranate juice boiled down to a thick, sour syrup. How it tastes, what to add it to, how to make it, and what to use instead.
October 7, 2026What to Serve With Enchiladas: Rice, Beans, Salads and Toppings
Mexican rice and refried beans are the classic sides for enchiladas. What else works: lime-dressed salads, corn, toppings, and timing it all with the bake.
October 4, 2026What to Serve With Chicken Parmesan, With or Without Pasta
A sharp salad and a starch to catch the sauce. Which pasta to choose, what to serve instead of pasta, and how to time it all in one oven.
October 4, 2026How to Brown Butter, and How to Bake With It
Cook off the water and stop when the solids turn amber and smell nutty. How long it takes, how to keep it from burning, and how to bake with it.
September 14, 2026How to Cut a Pomegranate and Get the Seeds Out Clean
Score it, pull it apart, and seed it under water. How to cut and open a pomegranate without a red kitchen, how to eat it, and how long it keeps.
September 14, 2026What Is Tahini, and How Do You Cook With It?
Tahini is ground sesame seeds, usually nothing else. Hulled or unhulled, roasted or raw, how to make it into sauce, what to swap in, and how long it keeps.
August 25, 2026How to Store Fresh Herbs So They Last
Parsley should last a week, not two days. Wash, dry properly, wrap loosely. Which herbs want a jar of water, which want a cloth, and which must not be frozen.
August 25, 2026Freezer Meals That Actually Reheat Well
Which meals survive the freezer and which are ruined by it, why sauce and fat protect food, how to pack it, and how long each kind actually keeps.
August 25, 2026What Actually Goes on a Mezze Platter
A mezze platter is built from four groups, not a shopping list: one creamy, one sharp, one warm, one crunchy. What goes on it, how much, and what to skip.
July 19, 2026Why Toum Splits (and How to Fix It)
Toum split into an oily mess? You can almost always save it. Here is why Lebanese garlic sauce breaks, three ways to bring a broken batch back, and how to stop it happening again.
June 26, 2026The Secret to Crispy Chicken Parm (No More Sogginess)
The real secret to crispy chicken parm is keeping the crust away from the sauce. Here's how I get shatter-crisp chicken parmesan that stays crunchy under the cheese.
June 26, 2026What to Serve with Kebabs (My Favourite Easy Sides)
Not sure what to serve with kebabs? Here are the sides I always reach for, from a sharp fattoush to fluffy rice, warm pita, and a cooling garlic-yogurt sauce.
June 24, 2026How to Cook Basmati Rice: Water Ratio for the Stove, Rice Cooker and Instant Pot
How to cook basmati rice: 1.5 cups of water per cup of soaked rice, 1.75 unsoaked, plus rice cooker, Instant Pot and boil-and-drain ratios and times.
March 30, 2026Middle Eastern Pantry Staples (The Ingredients I Actually Use)
The Middle Eastern pantry staples I actually cook with: what each one tastes like, how to use it, and where to buy it, so you can build the shelf slowly and cook the food properly.
March 18, 2025Why I Started Simply by Maha
The story behind Simply by Maha, and how growing up around Middle Eastern food shaped the way I cook, host, and share meals.