There are some things that I look forward to all year – one of those things is fig season. Whether they are the Black Mission, Brown Turkey, or Tiger Stripe variety, I always make it a point to head to Trader Joe’s the last few weeks of August to stock up on the deliciousness. My absolute favorite fig is the Tiger Stripe both in appearance and flavor and so I chose to use them this time but any fresh fig will do. Enjoy!
Upma (pronounced ‘oop-maa’) is a traditional South Indian breakfast dish made from semolina or ‘sooji’. Recipes vary from household to household but this is my favorite way of making it. My mom would make this for me on Saturday mornings after dance classes especially in the winter and it made me feel cozy from the inside out. Semolina is similar to cream of wheat (aka farina) so you can use that instead of going specifically to an Indian grocery store for ‘Sooji’, however it may just turn out a little softer/smoother since it is further processed than semolina.
I love the flavors of the Middle East and found this recipe on Maureen Abood’s website. Oven baked potato wedges are delicious but sometimes they don’t have that crispy salty exterior that I crave. The method used in this recipe is fantastic and gives you that fluffy interior and crispy exterior that really hits the spot. The za’atar spice that I have is a delicious blend of thyme, sumac, roasted sesame seeds, marjoram, oregano and salt. Some za’atar spices don’t include salt so the amount of salt you use to season may vary. Next time I make these I’m going to sprinkle some more sumac on top to add some color and a little tang.
Toothsome Bites 