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The Healthy Falafel Recipe You Have To Try

Falafel is a Middle Eastern food that originated in Egypt. Falafel is made up mostly of ground chickpeas, although traditionally it was made up of fava beans.

Falafel is most commonly served in pita bread with hummus, or on a bed on the salad with tahini sauce or as part of a mezze.

Healthy-Falafel-Recipe

Is falafel healthy?

Chickpea falafel is good for you because chickpeas are packed with vitamins and minerals. Their health benefits include being high in protein, improving digestion, aiding weight management and decreasing the risk of disease. Because it is high in protein, falafel is also a great meat replacement for vegetarians and vegans.

How to make falafel: healthy falafel recipe

You can make falafel at home with this easy-to-follow recipe.

Ingredients (serves 20 falafel balls):

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • 1 ½ large onion, chopped (1 for garnish)
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 green capsicum, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon dried red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • Vegetable oil
  • 4-6 teaspoon plain flour
  • Pita bread
  • Tahini sauce

Method (prepare the day before):

  1. In a large bowl, put the dried chickpeas and cover with water so that the chickpeas are submerged by at least 2 inches. Leave to soak overnight. (You can also make falafel with canned chickpeas.)
  2. The next day, blend together the chickpeas, chopped onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, hot red pepper and salt.
  3. Add the baking powder and plain flour to the mix so it’s no longer sticky.
  4. Using your hands, make 20 round balls out of the mixture.
  5. Put the balls into the refrigerator and let cool for 3 hours.
  6. In a large wok, heat the vegetable oil and lightly fry the falafel balls for a few minutes on each side, until brown.
  7. Serve by putting the falafel into pitas, and garnish with chopped onion, tomato and tahini sauce.

Cooking falafel is so easy that anyone can do it! Try it for yourself and indulge in the traditional Middle Eastern cuisine at home!

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Uncategorized Blog

Tabbouleh: The Perfect Healthy Dish For Those On A Budget

Tabbouleh is a salad that originates from the Middle East, often used as a part of a mezze. It is fresh, light, incredibly healthy and inexpensive to prepare. If you’re on a budget but are looking for a dish that is both healthy and simple, Tabbouleh salad is for you.

Healthy-Dish

What is in Tabbouleh?

Tabbouleh is traditionally made up of finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, onion, mint, bulgur wheat and seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.

Instead of bulgur Tabbouleh, other variations include couscous or quinoa Tabbouleh. All variations are healthy. You may also choose to add garlic or lettuce to the parsley Tabbouleh salad.

Tabbouleh salad recipe: how to make Tabbouleh salad

Ingredients you’ll need (6 servings)

  • 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
  • 2 chopped green onions
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 1 cup bulgur wheat
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup boiling water

Method (45-50 minutes – can be prepared the day before):

  1. Mix the garlic in a bowl with the lemon juice and olive oil.
  2. In another bowl, put the bulgur wheat and cover with boiling water. Let the bulgur stand until the water has been absorbed (approximately 15 minutes).
  3. When the water is absorbed, add the finely chopped onion, parsley, mint and tomatoes.
  4. Add in the oil, garlic and lemon juice, and toss all together.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and let stand, chilled, until flavours have blended in (approximately 30 minutes)

To save money, you can make the Tabbouleh salad in bulk and store it in the fridge, dipping into it throughout the week.

Tabbouleh salad can be enjoyed on its own, or as a side dish to other ingredients like meat, falafel, bread or hummus.

However you choose to eat your Tabbouleh salad, you can rest assured knowing it’s an incredibly healthy option full of fresh ingredients and is incredibly tasty. Better yet, it is cheap to prepare!

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Blog Pizza

Top 10 Lip-Smacking Pizza Crusts That Will Blow Your Mind

Sure, we all get excited about our pizza toppings, but nothing beats an amazing crust! The humble pizza crust doesn’t get nearly enough good press as it deserves – so here are ten lip-smacking styles of pizza crust that are sure to blow you away (and work up your appetite!)

1. Cauliflower Pizza Crust
A delicious, healthy pizza crust that is low-carb! Cauliflower pizza crust has become increasingly popular as we’ve all become more health conscious. A large cauliflower gets blended until it resembles cous-cous. It’s baked for 15 minutes, and then the water is squeezed out with cheesecloth. You’re left with a gorgeous dough to construct a delicious pizza crust with

2. Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Yay! Finally, a crust for the gluten-intolerant. Gluten-free pizza crust means than everyone can enjoy a mouth-watering pizza.

3. Thin Pizza Crust
The thin pizza crust is ultra-traditional. Crispy and delicate, you’ll find you can fit in more sumptuous pizza when you have a thinner crust in front of you.

4. Stuffed Crust Pizza
Possible the King of Crusts, stuffed crust pizza is a wonderful modern edition to the pizza world. Stuffed crust can contain mushrooms, cheese – basically, any pizza topping can be used to fill up a gorgeous flaky crust.

5. Wood Fired Pizza Crust
Wood-fired pizza crust captures that irresistible smoky flavour of the oven. It doesn’t get any better than that heavenly, charcoal crunch.

6. Deep Dish Pizza Crust
Instantly recognisable, the deep-dish pizza is characterised by a very high edge. More room for cheese and extra toppings.

7. Vegan Pizza Crust
Another inclusive pizza crust that lets our vegan friends take a bite of the action! No animal products in sight.

8. Zaatar Pizza Crust
Middle Eastern herbs go so well with pizza, so a Zaatar pizza crust is a guaranteed party for your taste buds.

9. Focaccia Style Crust
Nothing like a thick focaccia crust infused with herbs and olive oil to give your meal that savory flavour.

10. Double Crust Pizza
Also known as a Calzone, because the crust is folded over to make a pizza pocket. This is truly one for the crust lovers!

Next time you order a pizza, opt for one of these incredible crusts and really vamp up your meal!

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Blog Lebanese Food

Why Lebanese Cuisine Should Make Its Way into Your Kitchen

Lebanese cuisine is amongst the freshest and tastiest in the world – so why wouldn’t you start introducing it to your own kitchen? Grilled meats like shawarma, gorgeous pastries like baklava, even the classic combination of pita bread and babaghannouj, are all memorable Lebanese dishes that you can serve right at home.


The Lebanese Essentials

Before you embark on your Lebanese odyssey, there are some basic ingredients that you should have close to hand.

Olives: Olive oil, and olives as they are, heavily present in Lebanese menus. There are over 170,000 olive producers in Lebanon because there is clearly a market for them! Olives and olive oil help to lower our ‘bad’ cholesterol and raise our ‘good’ cholesterol.

Onions & Garlic: Onions are an integral part of Lebanese stews, and garlic is undoubtedly the most common flavouring. You can find it in dips, sauces, pesto and stews.

Lemons: Lemons and lemon juice are another crucial components of Lebanese food. You’ll need copious lemon juice to make a truly tangy, tasty hummus or fresh tabouli.

Herbs & Spices: The essential herbs and spices you’ll need for authentic Lebanese dishes include mint, coriander, cinnamon, sumac, and parsley.

Easy Lebanese Meals

Amongst the best dishes to attempt as a beginner are:

Kafta – Lebanese mince meat skewers made of lamb or beef.

Babaghannouj – creamy eggplant dip that’s perfect with a piece of soft pita bread.

Tabouli – the vegetarian salad that consists of finely chopped parsley, Bulgar wheat, tomatoes, mint, onion, with lemon juice and olive oil mixed through (delicious!)

Shawarma – juicy, well-seasoned grilled meats.

Tabouli Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4)

  • 1 handful of mint leaves
  • 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley
  • 1-2 lemons
  • 2 tbsp fine bulgar wheat
  • 3-4 diced tomatoes
  • 2 white onions finely chopped
  • Salt & pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  • Finely shred the parsley and mint.
  • Juice the lemons and pour over the bulgur wheat and set aside to soften for ten minutes.
  • Combine the parsley, mint, soften bulgar wheat, tomato and onion in a bowl.
  • Season with salt & pepper, add olive oil and mix.
  • Add more olive oil and/or lemon juice according to taste.
Categories
Blog

9 Must-Try Dipping Sauces For Your Pizza

If you’re the kind of person who eats pizza on its own and doesn’t dip it in anything, you’re seriously missing out. Especially if your pizza of choice is a classic Margarita.

There is an abundance of dips that can seriously enhance the flavours of your pizza toppings, and it’s time to experiment.

From the classic pizza dips like mayonnaise and BBQ sauce to more unusual variations, here are 10 pizza dipping sauces you have to try.

Get your pizza slice at the ready…

  1. Hummus dip – dipping pizza in hummus might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it works surprisingly well with vegetable-topped pizzas.
  2. Labneh dip – Labneh is a yoghurt-based dip, similar to cream cheese. It is perfect if your pizza topping is a little too spicy for your taste buds.
  3. Garlic dipping sauce – garlic mayonnaise is a pizza dip favourite, especially for super cheesy pizzas.
  4. Ranch dipping sauce – super creamy and herby, ranch dipping sauce is the perfect accompaniment so many pizza toppings.
  5. BBQ dip – BBQ sauce will add some sweetness to a smoked-meat pizza. (Note: your meaty pizza will most likely have BBQ sauce on-top already, but more can’t hurt.)
  6. Buffalo chicken chilli dip – this dip is made up of tender chicken, three cheeses, Buffalo sauce, chilli peppers and herbs and spices. Dip your pizza in this sauce for a real indulgence.
  7. Mayonnaise dip – mayonnaise is one of the most popular dipping sauces for pizza and is a gateway to more exciting dipping flavours.
  8. Peri Peri dip – Peri Peri dip is perfect for a Peri Peri pizza – enhancing those piping hot flavours for a taste explosion.
  9. Sweet chilli mayonnaise – this dip is the best of both worlds – smooth with kick. It’s definitely worth experimenting with this chilli dipping sauce.

Trying out these dipping sauces will open you up to a world of flavours, and might even urge you to experiment with different pizza toppings. What are you waiting for?

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Blog

5 Creative Pita Bread Recipes

Pita bread is the ultimate versatile food. You can stuff the pockets with pretty much anything and make yourself a delicious doughy snack.

If you’re tired of dipping pita bread into hummus and are on the hunt for some creative recipes, look no further. Here are 5 creative pita bread recipes:

Lebanese Pita Bread

Turn your pita bread into a Lebanese-inspired dish by stuffing the pocket with a mixture of traditional ingredients: grilled halloumi cheese, tomato sauce, minced lamb, za’atar, white onion and chilli flakes. Toss with za’atar and add yoghurt and you have yourself a 5-star Lebanese-inspired dish. After all, pita bread history dates back 4,000 years ago in the Middle East, so it’s only right.

Pita Bread Pizza

What is pita bread if not super doughy like a pizza? So, how to make pita bread pizza?

The pita bread pizza recipe is simple. Spread your pita bread with tomato puree and top with cheese (cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella – or all three) and herbs. Pop it in the oven until it’s crispy and the cheese has melted, and serve!

The great thing about pita bread pizza is that it is small in size and perfect for snacking.

Breakfast Pita Bread
If you were wondering “is pita bread healthy?” it’s completely down to what you put in it. Avocado and scrambled eggs are great fillers that are healthy but don’t compromise on flavour.

Mediterranean Pita Bread
Give your pita bread a Mediterranean makeover by adding staple Mediterranean ingredients. Toss together a salad of greens (lettuce, cucumbers, capsicum, tomatoes, carrots and garlic) and add chickpeas, feta, parsley and mint. Pop the salad into the pita pockets, and voila!

Leftover Pita Bread
You can fill pita bread with almost anything, so why not pile your leftovers into the pockets and have it for lunch the next day?

Add in whatever you had for dinner: meatballs, kidney beans and rice, stir-fry, etc. Anything goes! You can even grill your stuffed pitas to ensure the food melts well together, and to give your bread that crispy outer edge.

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Blog

Indulge in the Delicious BBQ Chicken Pizza with Sauce & Toppings at Manoosh

The only thing that beats a hot, fresh BBQ pizza is a hot, fresh BBQ chicken pizza! It is a relatively new face on the scene, compared to staples like the Margarita or Pepperoni pizza. It was first invented in Los Angeles during the 1980s, by the famous pizza chef Ed LaDou. Today, it’s an easy choice to make for lovers of chicken when they peruse the menu at any reputable pizza parlour.

Lucky for you, and all pizza fanatics who dwell near Enmore and Marrickville, OOSHMAN is one such eatery. We produce a huge range of delicious pizzas, wraps, sides and desserts that caters to all tastes. So, whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or a die-hard carnivore, you’ll never leave OOSHMAN with an empty stomach.

Our two main styles of pizzas are Traditional Style and Lebanese Style. This BBQ chicken pizza recipe falls under the ‘Traditional’ category. Make no mistake, ‘traditional’ is never synonymous with ‘boring’ when it comes to the menu at OOSHMAN. Our traditional pizzas are a mouth-watering smorgasbord of fresh ingredients and sensational flavour combinations, so you’ll always be satisfied.

Our BBQ chicken pizza toppings are no exception to the quality ingredients that our OOSHMAN team use. You’ll find that hot, stringy cheese, fresh onion and mushroom and, of course, tender chicken await you when you order this masterpiece. And to top it all off (quite literally) we drizzle our irresistible BBQ pizza sauce over your slices.

If you haven’t tried our BBQ Chicken Pizza, you’re seriously missing out! Next time you’re dining in with us, or getting fresh, hot pizza delivered right to your door, add our amazing chicken pizza to your order. Better yet, have our pizzas on hand when you next need catering for your event! It’s such a crowd pleaser, you’re bound to understand the hype from the first bite!

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Blog

7 Lebanese Wraps and Pizzas You’ll Wish You Had Tried Earlier

Just when you thought Italy had the monopoly on pizza, OOSHMAN goes and changes the entire ballgame! Accompanying our traditional style pizzas is a smorgasbord of mouth-watering zaatar pizza and wraps just waiting for you to sink your teeth into. Here’s just seven of our delicious Lebanese bread pizzas and wraps that you are going to wish you had tried earlier……

The Folded Cheese Pizza
If you’re a fan of cheese, you need to try our Folded Cheese Pizza asap! This pizza is a combination of stringy mozzarella, tasty haloumi and soft fetta, all topped off with fragrant oregano. Bliss!

The Zaatar with Veggies
If you haven’t tried a zaatar pizza or wrap before, you haven’t lived! We start with a delicious zaatar bread base, top it with fresh tomato, onion, capsicum and olives – and then we wrap it all up! A feast you can hold in your hand.

The Zaatar with Labne
Our Zaatar with labne is irresistible! A zaatar base, with fresh labne (yogurt), olives, onion, tomato and mint leaves wrapped up inside.

The Folded Meat Pizza (Lahembajin)
Calling all carnivores! This Lebanese meat pizza packs a punch. Lean mince lamb and minced tomatoes and onions, combined with seven different herbs and spices and served with a wedge of lemon for good measure.

The Zaatar with Falafel
Falafel, a Lebanese classic! We wrap up our freshly made falafel with capsicum, onion, olives and tomato in zaatar so that you can eat your heart out – but not before we drizzle it all with delicious tahini!

The Folded Sujuk Pizza
A heart pizza guaranteed to satisfy the hungriest of customers. Sujuc (sausages) teamed with cheese, olives, capsicum and tomato will stop starvation in its tracks!

The Zaatar Beirut Style
This list wouldn’t be complete without Zaatar Beirut Style! Zaatar (the perfect combination of ground thyme, sesame seeds and sumac) cooked with sensational haloumi, fresh tomato and onion. We add some chilli flakes for an extra kick. That’s a wrap, folks!

So, what are you waiting for? Come discover OOSHMAN’s appetizing range of Lebanese wraps and pizzas – you’ll wish you had paid us a visit sooner!