Tag Archives: 2015

Ramadan Kareem!

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This week, Facebook has been flooded with news of the UK’s heatwave, and the hot and sweaty plight of my friends and family (us Brits are unused to warm weather as a rule, and are not built to cope with it).

It was extremely tempting to mock them all with the fact that’s it’s 46 degrees here, and has been pretty consistently for the last month, so therefore 2 days of 30 degrees is hardly unbearable. (That’s 46 degree celcius for you non-metric people of the world – about 115 degrees if you’re working in farenheit)

However, then I remembered that it’s also Ramadan, and my amazing Kurdish and Arabic colleagues are not only going out into the 46 degree hear every day to provide much-needed support to people, but they also can’t eat or drink any water for 17 hours straight. And they come in to work every day and do it all over again with a smile on their faces.

Trust me when I tell you that, based on past experience of my own grumpiness factor when my blood sugar level drops too low, if I had to go out into 46 degree heat everyday and stand in the sun distributing emergency kits without a single drop of water or food for 17 hours, I’d either collapse or start World War 3.

So I can express nothing but awe and MASSIVE respect to my incredible colleagues for continuing to come into work everyday and help all those people in need of support.

Here’s to ALL my Muslim colleagues and friends working hard in humanitarian emergencies this Ramadan all over the world.

You are incredible.

Ramadan Kareem!

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Aubergines with melted Goat’s Cheese

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This one’s specially for a friend of mine who recently became vegetarian. It’s quick, simple and delicious! I can’t claim credit, it came from a cookbook, but sadly I can’t remember which one.

This serves 2 as a light, summery main course, or 4-5 as a starter.

You’ll need:

1 large aubergine

Handful of fresh Basil
Concentrated sun-dried tomato paste, or red pesto
Goat’s cheese (I prefer the round logs for this, but any kind will do)
Bag of Rocket salad
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Walnuts (optional)
Balsamic vinegar/salad dressing of your choice

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How to make…. Perfect Rice

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Here’s one that my mum is always asking me how to make – perfect fluffy rice.

There are of course many ways to do this, but this is my usual method, and it’s pretty foolproof. I use the absorbtion method, which means that you need to have a certain level of accuracy in your measuring and cooking.

1) Select your rice: First things first, choose your rice. I generally buy a good quality basmati, although I also like Jasmine rice. However, standard long grain will usually just about work too. Don’t buy short grain or easy cook rice for this method – it will go all soggy as those varieties don’t need as much water and cook differently. Continue reading →