Manaqish bil-Za'tar (Thyme "Pizza") 

This bread is popular for breakfast in Lebanon, according to the recipe from Anissa Helou in Savory Baking from the Mediterranean. It is a pita bread dough (Khobz Arabi), topped with a blend of olive oil and a dried herb mixture. Although this doesn't look like many of the photos I see on Instagram of the same bread, it puffed up in the hot oven and turned out to be very light. I was very satisfied with my first attempt at Manaqish. Yay! 

Anisssa Helou Facebook

Iraqi Sambousek (Chickpea-Filled Pastry Pockets)

This recipe is from Janna Gur's Jewish Soul Food. Since I can't have butter, I used a smaller amount of coconut oil in the pastry, instead. I baked them, as I can't eat deep-fried food, but the taste didn't suffer for that. 

This recipe made many sambousek, of which I baked the amount that fit on one baking sheet, and froze the rest unbaked. 

The main thing I would do differently next time, would be to do each of the steps on a separate day (make filling, make dough/refrigerate or freeze, fill and bake/freeze pastries). That would make life easier, and it would be more fun to bake these.  The recipe is well-written. Scrumptious! 

Egg-Potato-Green Pepper Sandwich

This sandwich is made on homemade toasted bread, with a bit of pav bhaji masala for flavor. A filling and tasty lunch! If you don't have a lot of time or energy, and therefore decide to use frozen hash browns and frozen chopped peppers that cook together very quickly, I won't tell anyone. 

Vanilla Mahalabia (Middle Eastern Rice Pudding)

This was made with rice flour, according to SmileyGirl230's recipe on YouTube. It's very thick and luxurious, and I added some ground cardamom in addition to the vanilla extract. Very soothing and creamy after a spicy meal, or just when you need a little pick-me-up during the day!

SmileyGirl230 YouTube, How to Make Mahalabia - Easy Rice Pudding

Baked Cauliflower Pakore (Pakoras/Fritters/Dumplings)

These were made according to Vegan Richa's recipe for Baked Broccoli Fritters. I don't think I got them exactly right, so I guess I'll just have to make them again. I really liked them, and had to stop myself from eating all of them at once!

The veggies were cut up small and mixed with a thick batter of chickpea/garbanzo bean flour/besan, before being baked; I also sprayed them with oil. I used slightly defrosted frozen cauliflower, as that's what I had to work with. Maybe I'll have broccoli to try it with, next time.

Vegan Richa Website, Baked Broccoli Fritters with Spiced [Vegan] Yogurt

Pomegranate Syrup on Peaches & Cream Sorbet

I was trying to document the exciting process of drizzling Pomegranate Syrup onto Peaches & Cream Sorbet. Although I wasn't able to photograph the end of the process, I think you get the idea.

Pupusas

These are like stuffed corn tortillas made from masa harina corn flour, and which are popular in El Salvador. The package of masa harina which I bought recently at the supermarket, mentioned that this flour could be used in a variety of yummies, including "pupusas." I looked it up, and decided to try it. As I get tired easily and as I have to be careful what I eat, I couldn't make it this time the proper way, with traditional fillings and with the usual accompaniments. I decided to use as filling, the leftover spiced cauliflower and green peas from the Gobhi Matar Mini Samosas, pictured a couple of days ago. I had exactly enough filling for the amount of masa (dough) that I made!

I think everything went well regarding cooking them (except for burning the pan), but I'm not sure if these look like real pupusas, as I've never had any before. I made the first few without any oil, as I've heard is traditional -- which is why the pan was burned a bit -- and the last ones with a minimal amount of oil. I did enjoy them, but have been wondering since then if they look like they're supposed to. They remind me of what I imagine stuffed makki roti (Indian flatbread made of corn) would look like. 

Archana's Kitchen Website, Gobi Matar Mini Samosa Recipe