Shawarma Seasoning

Chicken Shawarma with Hangry Girl Hummus, Tomatoes, and Fresh Spinach

     Shawarma is a fantastic blend of spices and the grilled meats prepared with it native to the middle east. Delicious on Chicken, Beef, Pork, Lamb, or Goat, it is a luscious and rich mixture with tremendous depth and vibrancy. Mix it to taste with and pan fried or grilled meat and slap that shit on a pita with everything, you'll be happy you did.

Here's What You'll Need:

1 Table spoon Cumin Seed *

1 Tablespoon Coriander Seed*

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Ground Cardamom

1/2 Tablespoon Paprika

2 Teaspoons Sumac

2 Teaspoons Salt

1 Teaspoon Turmeric

1 Teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns*

1/2 Teaspoon Whole Cloves*

3 Dried Piri Piri Peppers*

1 Cinnamon Stick 1 inch long *

Here's What You'll Do:

1. Take all of the ingredients marked with an asterisk and grind them finely in a coffee or spice grinder.

2. Combine your fresh ground Spices with your pre-ground Spices, mixing thoroughly.

3. Season the fuck out of everything you eat for the rest of your life. 

Restaurant Review: Khyber Halal

     Located across Georgesville Road from the sprawling Hollywood Casino complex, tucked unobtrusively behind a Sunoco station, in a broken down three store shopping plaza, lies what might be the finest Middle-Eastern restaurant in Columbus. The small staff is friendly and attentive, and emphasize explaining what goes into their food and how it's made. The premises in front aren't the cleanest I've ever encountered, but their kitchen is spotless, and their equipment is well maintained. As of last Wednesday I've had almost everything on their menu and it has all been fantastic, fresh, well seasoned, and with delicious accompanying sauces. I feel it's important to mention that they have a real honest to goodness Tandoor on premises to make their Chicken Tandoori and their Naan. Not to mention, they have an attached store that sells a lot of what you need to delve into the exotic and wonderful world of Middle-Eastern cuisine in your own home.

Final Ranking:  A+ (Make a special trip to try this place, or take a few minutes out of your casino trip to go, either way you're in for something wonderful.)

Baba Yaga Ganoush

     Smooth with a subtle smokiness and a lingering bite, our Baba Yaga Ganoush  is a great dip or sandwich topper, low in calories and fat and high in flavor. If you're wondering why I related this Middle-Eastern favorite with a Russian folk tale I have just three words for you, "Mortar and Pestle." Look it up.

Here's What You'll Need:

1 Large Eggplant (about a pound and a half)
2 Tablespoons Tahini
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds
2 Teaspoons Applewood Smoked Sea Salt
1/2-1 Teaspoon Habenero Powder

Here's What You'll Do:


1. Poke holes all across the skin of your Eggplant with a fork, the more holes the smokier your Baba will taste.
2a. (For those with an Electric Stove) On a foil lined cookie sheet place your Eggplant under your Broiler on high, rotating every few minutes to evenly blacken the skin. The longer you go with this step the more of a smokey flavor your Baba will develop as the smoke from the burnt outer skin makes its way in through your previously poked air holes.
2b. (For those with a Gas Stove) Using tongs (and an oven mitt, I hope you guys already knew this part) rotate your Eggplant over a medium flame from one of your burners allowing the skin to blacken evenly.
3. Bake your Eggplant for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until tender enough that a fork meets little resistance at the center.
4. Allow to cool. And scoop the insides into your largest Mortar and Pestle (or Food Processor if you're feeling lazy) and grind to a paste with all other ingredients, saving the Sesame Seeds for last and just giving them a quick stir in.
5. Gobble that shit down on some crackers, or tortilla chips, or even the traditional flat bread of your choice.