Samira El Khafir

Samira El Khafir Masterchef Australia Finalist
Foodie, Travel, Author, Educator
Where there is food, there is love.

01/09/2026

FOUL FAVA BEANS
Cheap. Simple. Filling. Delicious. And full of flavour.
This is one of those meals that proves you don't need expensive ingredients to make something absolutely incredible!


INGREDIENTS
• 2 cans fava beans, rinsed really well and strained
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 tsp tomato paste or pepper paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
• Splash of water
• Pinch of cumin
• Pinch of ground coriander
• Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
• 2 tbsp tahini (optional)
• Salt, to taste
• Juice of ½ lemon
METHOD
1️⃣ Prepare the beans
Rinse the fava beans really well, drain them and gently mash them with your hands. You want some texture — don't turn them into a completely smooth puree.
2️⃣ Build the flavour
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until tender and translucent.
Add the garlic and chopped chilli and sauté for about 30 seconds.
3️⃣ Add the tomato
Add your diced tomato and cook it down for a minute or two.
Add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste or pepper paste. Pepper paste is especially delicious if you have it!
4️⃣ Reduce the sauce
Add a small splash of water and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the mixture reduces by about half and becomes thick and rich.
5️⃣ Add the foul
Add your mashed fava beans and mix everything together.
Season with:
• A pinch of cumin
• A pinch of ground coriander
• Chilli flakes, if you like some heat
• Salt to taste
Add just a small splash of water — not too much! We want beautiful, thick foul, not soup
Let it simmer so all those flavours can come together and the beans warm through.
6️⃣ Finish it off
Once it's thickened, stir through approximately 2 tablespoons of tahini. This is completely optional, but I LOVE the creaminess it adds.
If it becomes too thick, add another tiny splash of water.
Then squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon, stir and taste. Adjust the salt, lemon and spices to your liking.
SERVE IT UP!
Spoon your foul onto a plate and top with:
Chopped fresh tomato
Chopped red onion
Fresh sliced chilli (optional)
A generous drizzle of olive oil
And of course… beautiful warm pita bread for dipping!
Serve it with all your favourite sides, just like you see in the reel.

30/08/2026

🇪🇬 EGYPTIAN KUSHARI
CRISPY FRIED ONIONS
• 10 onions, thinly sliced
• Corn flour/cornstarch
• Plain flour
• Salt
Coat the sliced onions in a 50/50 mix of corn flour and plain flour.
Deep-fry in batches until beautifully golden and crispy. Remove and place on a wire rack, season with salt and allow them to air-dry and crisp up.
DON’T THROW AWAY THE ONION OIL!
We’re using it throughout the entire recipe.
VERMICELLI RICE
• ½ cup vermicelli
• 3 cups washed medium-grain rice
• ½ cup onion oil
• Salt
• Boiling water
Heat the onion oil and toast the vermicelli until golden, stirring constantly.
Add the washed rice and salt and stir to coat. Add boiling water and cook covered according to the cooking instructions for your rice.
CHICKPEAS
• 1 can chickpeas
• Salt
• Water
• Onion oil
Drain and rinse the chickpeas well.
Add to a saucepan with a little water, salt and a drizzle of onion oil. Warm through until tender and delicious.
LENTILS
• 1 cup brown lentils
• 2 tbsp red lentils
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Onion oil
• Salt
• Pinch of cumin
• Water
Add the lentils and garlic to a pot with a drizzle of onion oil and toast lightly.
Season with salt and cumin, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the lentils are tender.
PASTA
• 200g dried spaghetti
• 100g macaroni or any small pasta
• Salt
• Onion oil
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water with a drizzle of onion oil.
Once cooked, drain and toss with another drizzle of onion oil so the pasta stays loose and doesn’t become sticky.
TOMATO SAUCE
• ½ cup onion oil
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• 1kg can whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• Salt, to taste
Heat the onion oil and add all the spices. Toast for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the whole can of tomatoes, 2 cups water and vinegar.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced by about half.
Blend until smooth using a stick blender, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
You want a rich, thick and flavour-packed sauce.

Chilli oil
Add chilli flakes to a pan with some onion oil. Simmer gently for 5–10 minutes to infuse.
Season with salt, strain and pour into a jar.
LEMON DA'A
• 1 garlic clove
• Juice of 1 whole lemon
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 cup water
• ½ tsp salt
• Pinch of cumin
Add everything to a saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Pour into a jar and keep ready for serving.

14/08/2026

HOMEMADE PITA BREAD
Cozze Australia pizza oven
Recipe below

2 kg plain flour
20 g instant dry yeast
20 g salt
1.5–1.6 litres lukewarm water (you may not need every last drop)
1–2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Method
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast and salt.
Pour in about half of the water and mix well. Gradually add the remaining water a little at a time until you have a very soft, wet and sticky dough. Different brands of flour absorb water differently, so don't be afraid to stop a little short or add a splash more if needed. Resist adding extra flour—the wetter dough is what gives you that beautiful soft, airy pita.
Drizzle the top of the dough with the olive oil (if using), cover, and rest for 20 minutes.
Perform a stretch and fold by lifting each side of the dough and folding it into the centre.
Cover and rest for another 20 minutes.
Repeat the stretch and fold two more times, resting 20 minutes between each round (3 rounds in total).
Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until noticeably puffed.
Once risen, lightly flour your work surface and gently turn out the dough. Divide into approximately 16–18 equal pieces, depending on how large you want your pitas.
Shape each piece into a smooth ball, being careful not to knock too much air out of the dough. Cover and let the balls rest for another 15–20 minutes.
Preheat your pizza oven until the stone is very hot — around 350–400°C.
Using your fingertips or a rolling pin, gently flatten each dough ball into a round, approximately 3–5 mm thick. Try to keep the thickness as even as possible.
Place the pita directly onto the hot pizza-oven floor. Cook for approximately 60–90 seconds, turning once if needed. When the pita puffs up like a balloon and develops a few golden spots, it's ready!
Remove and immediately wrap the hot pitas in a clean tea towel. This traps the steam and keeps them beautifully soft.
And that's it! Homemade, fluffy, pocket-perfect pita straight from the pizza oven. 🔥🫓
The best part? Watching them puff up in seconds! 😍

29/07/2026

Steak night at home just got a serious upgrade.
This thick-cut ribeye was coated in the Volcano Steakhouse Espresso Rub, paired with a fresh Fire Salt herb sauce, cheesy garlic bread, crispy chips and a simple salad. Restaurant-quality without the restaurant price!
The steak knives sliced through this ribeye effortlessly, and the spice collection added incredible flavour from start to finish. They'd make an amazing Father's Day gift! You can grab the spice collection and steak knives directly from Volcano Steakhouse.

Volcanos Steakhouse

Espresso Rub Ribeye
Ingredients
1 thick-cut ribeye on the bone (around 480g)
2-3 tsp Volcano Steakhouse Espresso Rub
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
Method
Coat the steak with the espresso rub, olive oil and a pinch of salt, massaging it in well.
Marinate for a few hours, or overnight if preferred. Remove from the fridge about 30-60 minutes before cooking.
Preheat your barbecue on high until very hot.
Place the steak onto the grill and rotate every 4 minutes until cooked to your liking. A thick 480g ribeye will take around 16 minutes total for medium, depending on thickness.
For well done, finish under a hot oven grill for 15-20 minutes if needed.
Rest the steak for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Steak Temperatures
Rare: 50-52°C
Medium Rare: 54-57°C
Medium: 60-63°C
Medium Well: 65-68°C
Well Done: 71°C+
Fire Salt Herby Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
1 tsp Volcano Steakhouse Fire Salt
1 cup fresh dill
1 cup fresh mint
½ red onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup olive oil
Method Blend everything except the olive oil until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and blend again until smooth. Taste and add a little extra Fire Salt if you'd like more heat.
Save this one for your next steak nigh

21/07/2026

No overnight dough, no fuss—just delicious homemade bread. Recipe tomorrow!

17/07/2026

Deep-Fried Chocolate Bars
Deep-fried mini chocolate bars 🤎
Just like the legendary deep-fried Mars bar, but this time it’s your choice of mini choc — Twix, Snickers, Caramello… the works!
Frozen first, double battered, and golden fried until crisp and melty on the inside.
This is your ultimate nostalgic guilty pleasure – straight from the fish & chip shop to your kitchen 😍

🔸 Ingredients:
• 10 mini chocolate bars (of your choice)
• ½ cup plain flour (for dusting)
🔹 Batter:
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup cold soda water or icy cold water (adjust for a thick pancake-like batter)
Method:
• Refrigerate your mini chocolate bars for at least 30 minutes or freeze — this helps them keep their shape during frying.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
• Gradually whisk in the cold soda water until you have a thick, smooth batter. Don’t overmix.
• Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 180–190°C.
• Dust each frozen bar lightly in plain flour — this helps the batter stick.
• Dip into the batter, then back into the flour, and then a second time into the batter. This double-coat gives it that extra crunch.
• Gently place into the hot oil and fry for 1–2 minutes, turning once, until golden and crispy.
Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve warm, optionally dusted with icing sugar or with a scoop of ice cream

14/07/2026

Simple & Delicious Spinach Pastries (Fatayer)

Makes: 12 medium pastries
Dough
500g plain flour
300ml warm water
7g (2¼ tsp) instant dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Method
Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add the flour, salt and olive oil, then knead for 8–10 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough.
Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Spinach Filling
1 large bunch spinach, washed, dried and roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
½ tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp sumac
A generous drizzle of pomegranate molasses
A generous drizzle of olive oil
Mix everything together well and allow it to marinate for a few hours, or overnight for the best flavour. Before using, transfer the filling to a sieve and let any excess liquid drain away.
To Assemble
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about golf-ball size).
Roll each piece into a thin circle.
Spoon your desired amount of filling into the centre.
Fold the edges together to form a triangle, pinching well to seal.
Gently flatten each pastry slightly with your hands.
Lightly dip each pastry in a neutral oil or olive oil and place onto a lined baking tray.
Bake
Bake at 200°C fan-forced for 18–22 minutes, or until beautifully golden and crispy. Flip the pastries over for the last few minutes if needed so both sides become evenly golden.

10/07/2026

hicken Tikka BBQ is a celebration of charred perfection. Marinated in yogurt, spices, and love, it's the real deal straight off the grill.
Chicken Tikka BBQ Recipe
Ingredients:
• 1 kg boneless chicken thigh or breast, cut into large chunks
• 1 cup thick Greek-style yogurt
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder (for color)
• 1 tsp red chili powder (for heat)
• 1 ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp mustard oil (or vegetable oil, but mustard oil is more authentic)
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
• Optional: a few drops of red/orange food color (for tandoori-style color)
Method:
In a large bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, all the spices, mustard oil, kasuri methi, and food coloring if using. Add chicken pieces and coat thoroughly, then cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Cook on a flat plate BBQ or charcoal over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until nicely charred and cooked through — about 12–15 minutes. Baste with a little butter or oil during grilling for extra richness. Serve hot with lemon wedges, coriander and mint chutney, and naan.

08/07/2026

Football should be decided by the players—not controversial decisions. 💔 My heart breaks for Egypt today. Win or lose, every team deserves fairness on the pitch. 🇪🇬⚽

07/07/2026

Creamy Vegan Cauliflower & Potato Bake with Tahini 🤍🥔🥦
The ultimate comfort food for a cold, rainy day. Crispy potatoes and golden cauliflower baked in a rich, creamy tahini sauce until bubbling and golden. Serve with warm Lebanese bread or enjoy it just as it is!
Ingredients
For the vegetables:
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
Salt, to season
Oil, for deep frying
For the tahini sauce:
1 cup tahini paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
Juice of ½ lemon
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
1 cup boiling water, plus extra if needed
Method
Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges. Soak them in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry.
Deep fry the potatoes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a baking dish.
Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets, then pat dry. Deep fry until golden and crispy. Season both the potatoes and cauliflower with salt and add them to the baking dish.
To make the sauce, combine the tahini, crushed garlic, salt, lemon juice and chilli flakes (if using). Gradually whisk in the boiling water until smooth and pourable. If needed, add a little more boiling water until you reach a runny consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Pour the tahini sauce over the potatoes and cauliflower, ensuring everything is well coated.
Bake in a preheated 180°C fan-forced oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Serve hot with fresh Lebanese bread, or enjoy it on its own.
Save this recipe for your next cosy night in! 🤍

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