Let's get some different Mediterranean flavors on the table!
More than a warm fire or a cup of hot cocoa, you know what else keeps you all nice and cozy in the winter season?
Spicy food.
Especially spicy food that's made with fresh peppers and lots of delicious herbs and other flavors. We had a request for a little bit of spice this winter, and I can't think of anything better than a delicious, flavorful stew to accomplish that with. As I was skipping through lentil soups and curries, though, one recipe caught my eye: a recipe for Palestinian shrimp stew (known as Zibdiyit Gambari).
I got the main recipe idea from Love Food, with a couple of my own substitutions/flare, of course, and a recipe for Palestinian flatbread—or taboon—from Urban Farm and Kitchen.
But now, here's the thing. While this meal initially reminded me of a meal I already make for Lent—a variation of my sausage and peppers recipe with shrimp instead of sausage—I realized very quickly that this would, in fact, be very different, and that is because of the herbs and spices used within. Whereas sausage and peppers has a more typical savory taste to it, this shrimp stew uses dill, caraway, allspice, and cumin in its sauce, as well as some fresh hot chilis to add that bit of spice. We never get to see these kinds of herbs and spices together like this, so it's a great opportunity to take a look at how they all work together in magic.
And remember: the destruction being wrought on Palestine is still going on, and if you want to help families that are displaced because of Israel's genocide on the people and the catastrophic assault on their land, there are many places you can donate to, such as:
And of course, there's so much going on in the world that it's just hard to keep track of. Keep your hearts and your prayers set on the families of California, as well (and check CBS for how you can help if you'd like), as well as Ukraine, the Congo, Sudan, and everywhere else facing the disasters they're facing. May the world see better days.
But now, let's take a look at this magic.
Magic in Palestinian Shrimp Stew (Zibdiyit Gambari)
Now, we could talk about the bread that goes with this, too (a flatbread made of flour, milk, olive oil, and sugar), but we've covered ingredients like this before. No, instead, we're taking special interest in the cumin, dill, caraway, and allspice, which means we're looking at herbs and spices that, above all, deal with courage, communication, protection, luck, mental power, and healing. These influences together make this the perfect blend of ingredients for sharpening your mind, focusing yourself on your goals, and restoring your strength so you can continue fighting for all you have to fight for. That boost in communicative power makes it easier to explain your ideas and get others on board, too.
With Air and Fire, Mercury and Mars, at the forefront of the magical energy here, you know that this is a dish purely focused on what can be rather than what is. It's a blend that pushes you to stop focusing on what you're afraid of and instead allow yourself to tap into your creative, intellectual potential; with these plant allies, you can focus on charging your meal to bless your household with inspiration, logic, sound mind, ration, and a knack for problem solving and speaking.
Got any big goals on your mind, especially team-focused goals? This is the meal to make!
Palestinian Shrimp Stew (Zibdiyit Gambari)
Prep time: 30min
Cook time: 30min
Makes 4-6 servings
Stew Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can of whole peeled tomatoes
200ml water
1-2 tsp sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 Tbsp dried dill
1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2-4 green chilis, finely chopped
(Optional) 2 tbsp sesame seeds
1lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 splash of olive oil
Taboon Ingredients:
420g bread flour
10g Instant yeast
12g sugar
5g Kosher salt
120ml warm water
120ml warm milk
53g olive oil
Directions:
Preparing the Bread:
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, then mix water, milk, and oil in.
If using a stand mixer: let mix 5-7min until a dough ball forms. Otherwise knead by hand 5-7min. (If too sticky, add more flour a Tbsp at a time.)
Let rise for 1 hour.
Starting the Stew:
Chop onions and fry in a pan until soft, about 10min.
Crush garlic and chilis together in a mortar and pestle.
Add tomato, sugar, spices, and water into the saucepan.
Add crushed garlic and chilis and simmer for 20min over low heat.
When sauce is about done, add peeled shrimp and cook until they turn pink, submerging as much as possible and turning where necessary.
Making the Bread
Divide bread into 6 tight balls, then roll into flat circles.
Dimple the bread with your fingers like you're making foccacia.
Heat a heavy bottomed pan on medium-high for 5min.
Fry the bread in a pan for 30-45 seconds, or until brown, then flip.
Fry until bread is done, another 30-45 seconds, then remove.
Store in a basket with a towel to keep warm.
Then serve your stew with your bread!
Christmas cookie baking is something I have so much fun with. I usually love making Linzer Plaetzchen, an Austrian cookie sandwich full of delicious raspberry jam and with those iconic cut outs in the middle. There's also Medenjaki, a Slovenian take on a gingerbread type cookie that's actually full of honey and orange zest (hence the name, as med means honey). No matter what cookie you bake, though, remember—the magic is in the love you put into baking them, no matter what ingredients you put inside. ♥
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
My mouth started watering while I read this so I know I need to make it!