This video is from the YouTube show “Cooking With Dog.”  Please do enjoy the lesson on making the perfect bento right at home! I love to spice mine up with hot sauce from hotsauceplanet.com. You should try it! Do not worry if you do not have Francis to help you.  You can do it on your own.

That’s right it might sound strange to you, but for some reason hummus and hamburgers just taste so darn good together.  Plus hummus is very easy to make and makes an easy appetizer if you are planning on having a cookout.  I just make sure to save some to top off my burgers with.

In the store you will find that pre-made hummus is not cheap, but a lot of people do not realize how simple it is to create at home.  The recipe in the video below is very close to how my mother always made it.  So if you are looking for a good recipe, there you have it.  Might I recommend you try it on a burger…

We did Thanksgiving up right like most people.  We had a huge turkey, stuffing, gravy, biscuits, sweet potatoes, and who can forget desserts?  Today the family has gotten a little bigger, but we still have our Thanksgiving celebrations.  I found an infographic about the calories in a Thanksgiving meal and I thought I would share it with you all.  I was shocked when I saw it, but it does make sense.  Basically that wonderful feast you and your family just shared has so many calories in it that you would have to run or walk about 26.2 miles (a whole marathon) to burn it all off.  Wow!  I think I’m going to have to ignore that come Thanksgiving!

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The staple of most Kuwaiti dishes is mutton, chicken and rice not including the seasonings. How expensive really can that be? 2.01 Per 1lb of chicken .64 for lb of rice 2.33 dozen eggs and 4.52 for lettuce at these prices it seems as if you could eat like a king everyday based on the salary you make and the government handouts. There are other meats used for the meals as well like camel, beef, goat, fish or shrimp depending upon the budget and personal preference.

The most common dish in this culture is called Kabsa. Kabsa is a one-plate combination of meat, vegetables and spices. If it is your first time to prepare the dish you may want to get pre mixed kabsa spices, they are available from many companies and it reduces preparation and difficulty but it may not taste like the traditional kabsa dish. Some spices used are black pepper, cloves, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves and nutmeg. You can also put a twist on the flavor by adding things like pine nuts, onions, almonds or raisins into the dish. Many people also find that they like the flavor when you top it with a homemade tomato sauce.

Traditionally the meat is cooked in a hole in the ground that is covered while cooking or it is grilled upon flat stones on top of burning embers. The way that has been adopted in the modern days is cooking in a pressure cooker. After you marinate and cook the meat, you will want to cook the rice with the spices added to it. When the meat and the rice are, done pile it up in the serving dish and place the meat on top.

These dishes contain interesting meat and spice combinations that sound strange at first but do not let that fool you; they are very tasty, filling and satisfying. The dishes also tend to yield a high serving count making it ideal for a big get together that needs wake up call to the palate or just able to feed a big family on a budget here in the states.

America has their well known comfort foods such as a luxurious creamy dish of baked macaroni and cheese. Apple pie has been a long time favorite of Americans and no one can make apple pie like grandma. Specialty hamburgers and hot dogs of all kinds are in abundance and a favorite of the American people. Unlike some countries, the American people are dealing with an obesity problem. So they may do well to follow traditions of countries like Kuwait, where healthier dishes are served, and spices are used in abundance.

The country of Kuwait has a wonderful healthy cuisine. Like America, Kuwait’s cuisine is very important in their culture. Kuwait cuisine is a mixture of Indian, Persian Najdi and Mediterranean foods. The people of Kuwait love their food and they love to eat. And you would love to partake in the Kuwait cuisine. Like macaroni and cheese in America, Machboos hold the same tradition in Kuwait. This dish is made with mutton or chicken placed over an abundance of spicy rice.

The Kuwaiti people include in their diets fish several times a week. Favorites are shrimp, pomfret, grouper and red snapper. Mutton and chicken are also favorites. International trade has made it possible for Kuwaiti to obtain and add beef to their menus. The Kuwaiti people do not eat pork as it is against Islamic tradition. Salads are big in Kuwait and are made with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers radishes and red onions. For a dressing they use lemon juice. A very healthy alternative to salad dressings.

Spices are used in abundance. The more popular spices are cinnamon coriander, cumin, pepper, saffron, cloves and nutmeg. With obesity in young children and adults in America, they would do well to follow the Kuwait cuisine. It is much healthier. Coffee and tea are the most popular beverages in Kuwait. They normally spice their coffee with cardamom and their tea with saffron.

Some other favorite dishes served in Kuwait are Gars Ogialy. This is a traditional cake made with eggs, flour, sugar, saffron, cardamom and is served with tea.
Harees is wheat cooked with meat, mashed and topped with cinnamon sugar.
Gabout are stuffed flour dumplings in a meat stew.
Biryani is seasoned rice cooked with chicken or lamb and is a common dish in Kuwait.
Balaleet is saffron noodles served with a savory omelet on top.
Ghuraiba are crisp brittle cookies that are served with Arabic coffee.
Lugaimat are fried yeast dumplings cooked in saffron syrup made of sugar lemon and saffron.
Zalabia is fried dough soaked in syrup of lemon, sugar and saffron.
Mumawwash is cooked rice with black lentils and topped with dry shrimp.

These are just a few of the favorite Kuwait cuisine dishes that sound very appealing to the taste buds. Share some of your favorites using our online form!

Kuwait is a nation in the north eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Historically the region was a major trade area between India and Mesopotamia. And with all those traders came the opportunity to blend their cultures. A big part of the culture in Kuwait revolves around food. Whether it be inviting neighbors over to share in a feast or offering guest tea or coffee meals provide the opportunity to bond and strengthen relationships.

Kuwaiti cuisine has become a melting pot for foods of the Arabian Peninsula, India, Persia, and the Mediterranean, provides a wonderful way to taste the world. Machboos, for example, is the national dish of Kuwait and consists of chicken or lamb served on top a bed of lightly seasoned rice that was cooked in the broth of the meat and garnished with nuts and raisins. Drawing strongly upon the Arab tradition Machboos lets you step outside the everyday chicken and rice meals without stepping way out. Plus it’s fun to say. Harees is another dish that is popular throughout the region. Prepared from Lebanon to India this dish made from cracked wheat, meat and butter is eaten regularly. With a texture like a soft dumpling it might not be well received by little ones who are picky eaters but will be well received by those willing to try it. Or you might try Biryani. Coming from India originally Biryani is not too dissimilar from Machboos. Both have chicken or lamb served with rice. However Biryani is heavily seasoned. Oftentimes cinnamon is added to help offset the other spices used. Again picky eaters may not like this dish.

On to the desserts!

Looking for a traditional Kuwaiti cake? Gers Ogaily could be what you are looking for. Made from flour, sugar, and eggs seasoned with cardamom and saffron has delightful flavor that goes well with tea. Perhaps you would prefer cookies? Grab a cup of Joe and sit down with some Ghuribia. These cookies will make you think of biscotti. And of course you should use an Arabian blend for the coffee. And if these options aren’t hitting your sweet tooth maybe you should try Zalabia. It is essentially fried dough soaked in syrup. What do you get when you combine sugar, lemon and saffron? Deliciousness.

It’s fun to step outside of the box and try different things. And while some of the full on dishes might not be agreeable to some there are certainly other options available. Why not try something new and if you like it see where it originates from. Cultural melting pots like Kuwait provide a great way to sample many different foods. The dishes listed above give you a great place to start and the internet provides a wealth of resources. Remember to have fun on your new adventure.