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Indian & Middle Eastern Recipes for Two, Made with Love

Trending Recipes

These are my tried, tested and loved-by-you recipes. It makes me super happy when you share your feedback.

  • kerala style egg puffs
    Kerala style spicy masala egg puffs
  • cream kunafa
    Cream Kunafa
  • Tuna cutlets with ketchup
    Tuna Cutlet Recipe (Kerala Style)
  • kaak el eid cookies
    Ka'ak el Eid | Date Paste Cookies
  • Tiramisu with cream cheese served in dessert plates.
    Tiramisu without Mascarpone (No Eggs, No Alcohol!)
  • baked samosas
    Baked Samosas
  • A plate of bliss energy balls with dates and nuts.
    Date Energy Balls without oats
  • kafta bil sanieh casserole
    Kafta bil Sanieh

Popular Recipe Categories

  • Arabic Dessert
  • Arabic Bread
  • Malabar (North Kerala)
  • Arabic Savoury Snacks

Looking for something?


Most Popular Recipes

  • Keema biryani rice with herbs, and lime garnishes on a white decorative plate.
    Keema Biryani Recipe
  • A tray of vellayappam with a bowl of stew.
    Vellayappam Recipe with Yeast
  • Tiramisu with cream cheese served in dessert plates.
    Tiramisu without Mascarpone (No Eggs, No Alcohol!)
  • A plate of ghraybeh cookies studded with pistachios.
    Ghraybeh Cookies
  • Homemade Chaat Masala Recipe
  • A plate of served chicken tikka biryani
    Chicken Tikka Biryani
  • Fried shami kababs with onions and lime on a blue plate.
    Beef Shami Kabab Recipe (Instant Pot)
  • A bowl of chicken hyderabadi curry with lime wedges and naan bread.
    Chicken Hyderabadi Curry Recipe (dum ka murgh)
  • A pot of Emirati chicken and vegetable stew called dajaj salona
    Dejaj Salona | Emirati Chicken and Vegetable Stew
  • A close up of the Om Ali dish with the spoon.
    Om Ali Recipe (Mini Croissants)
  • A platter of deep fried neypathal ready to serve.
    Neypathal - Malabar Deep-Fried Rice Bread
  • Gond ke Ladoo with Ragi and Atta flour

Dessert Recipes

Who is not sweet-toothed? Discover desserts for both small and large occasions that will satisfy your sweet cravings.

  • Slices of French lemon yoghurt cake in a oval dish.
    Lemon Yoghurt Cake (Gâteau au Yaourt au Citron)
  • A pile of rava laddu on a a dessert plate.
    Rava Laddu Recipe using Semolina Flour (No Coconut, No Milk)
  • banana chocolate chip cookies on a wire rack.
    Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • A slice of kerala plum cake on a dessert plate.
    Kerala Plum Cake Recipe

See more dessert recipes →

Seasonal Favourites

  • kacchi mutton biryani served with yoghurt, pappad and onions
    Kacchi Mutton Biryani
  • chicken chettinad curry recipe
    Chicken Chettinad Curry
  • A saucepot of Afghani chicken curry with chicken leg quarters.
    Afghani Chicken Curry
  • Varutharacha Malabar Chicken Curry | Chicken Curry with Roasted Coconut Sauce
    Varutharacha Malabar Chicken Curry | Chicken Curry with Roasted Coconut Sauce

About Famidha Ashraf

I'm Famidha, a chai lover, an Indian in the UAE, a Hooman of two cats, a Malabari who loves Tamil food and the cook cum writer behind But First Chai. He is Mr F, my husband, who gets to taste whatever I cook. Couch dinners, favourite shows, and our cats for company, that's our kind of evening.

Learn more about me →


A slice of gateau pommes on a dessert plate with a fork.

trending recipe!

All you need is a bowl, a whisk, and those gorgeous seasonal apples. Lightly scented with vanilla and incredibly moist, it pairs beautifully with your coffee or afternoon tea.

French Apple Cake

Get the recipe

Sweet Bread Bakes

Some popular sweet quick-bread recipes are not just banana bread.

  • ripe plantain muffins recipe for 5 muffins
    Ripe Plantain Muffins | nenthra pazham muffins
  • kousa sweet quick bread recipe
    Kousa Sweet Bread | Baby Marrow Loaf
  • Dominique Ansel Banana Bread
    Dominique Ansel's Banana Bread
  • A stack of bread slices
    Zucchini Buttermilk Bread

See more quick bread and muffin recipes

New Recipes

  • A portion of French Toast Casserole served.
    Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole with Sliced Bread
  • A skillet of Yemeni Lahsa.
    Lahsa Recipe | Yemeni Spiced Eggs with Creamy Cheese
  • A oval dish of chicken fatteh served.
    Chicken Fatteh Recipe with Rice
  • A bowl of kerala style mutton stew with potatoes.
    Kerala Mutton Stew with Coconut Milk (Instant Pot)

Social Media Favourites

Recipes that are gaining readers.

  • A plate of ghraybeh cookies studded with pistachios.
    Ghraybeh Cookies
  • A basket of mini batbout
    Batbout | Moroccan Pita bread
  • A sliced loaf of banana bread with nigella seeds
    Banana Bread with 1 Banana
  • thalassery chicken dum biryani recipe
    Thalassery Chicken Dum Biryani
aloo bonda in a plate

viral recipe!

★★★★★

Aloo Bonda

One reader commented: "I'll never be slim again! OMG, that was fantastic! It's not a recipe for beginners if you're not at least accustomed with Indian cooking, but the time and effort are totally worth it! "

Get the recipe
Mr.F and Famidha

Hey, I'm Famidha

As a passionate food blogger, I share a diverse collection of recipes spanning the Middle East and South Asia. With each dish, I aim to spark your culinary curiosity and encourage you to try new flavours and cooking methods. He is Mr F, my unpaid taste-tester.

about me

Popular

  • Plantain bread loaf sliced and placed on a plate.
    Plantain Bread
  • A bowl of roasted capsicum dip garnished with walnuts, pomegranate arils, mint leaf and olive oil.
    Mhammara (Roasted Capsicum Dip)
  • A bowl of coconut tomato chutney with freshly tempered with tadka.
    Tomato Coconut Chutney
  • two tall glasses of aval milk
    Avil Milk Recipe | Kerala’s Famous Malabar Drink

More Seasonal Favourites

  • A plate of margooga chicken served.
    Margooga (Emirati Chicken and Pastry)
  • A bowl of mesfouf with a mug of milk.
    Mesfouf | Steamed Sweet Couscous
  • freekeh grain soup with chicken served in a wide bowl.
    Freekeh Soup
  • Kaapa served in a bowl with beef curry.
    Kappa Puzhukku | Mashed Cassava in Spicy Coconut

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