Make it Fancy but Comfortable

by Aya Aboshady

“BILHANA” is a non-traditional modern Middle Eastern cookbook produced by three talented professionals who are aiming to celebrate local seasonal ingredients in the Middle East and bring a bunch of healthy and delicious homecooked recipes that are creative, classic, and easily achievable at home with the usage of 100% clean and organic food.

The authors are Shewekar El-Gharably - originally an established interior designer, currently a certified holistic health coach, and a culinary nutrition expert based in Cairo, Egypt. And Yasmine El-Gharably - a self-taught home cook with a business and strategy background. She’s also founded and is a partner in CairoCooking.com, a recipe sharing platform aiming to inspire home cooks across the Middle East. Both sisters share the same passion of a healthier and happier lifestyle which is exactly what they’re trying to promote with their new book.

The photographer is Yehia El-Alaily, an Egyptian/ British commercial photographer based in Cairo, Egypt. His portfolio covers a wide range of trends, such as food, interiors, people, nature, architecture. His commercial and editorial work has been published by the Food Print, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the Four Seasons Hotels, Hilton Worldwide, and more!

We had the opportunity to chat with the three people behind this amazing book and get an inside look on what went on behind the scenes, how the idea of the book was born as well as the production of the creative content.

1. What’s the main idea behind “BILHANA”?

It’s always been the perception that Middle Eastern food is fattening and high in calories and with this book we wanted to prove the opposite. We’ve incorporated more greens and veggies into the recipes, went back to the origin of using healthy ghee and olive oil, and highlighted the process in each recipe to benefit the most from the fresh ingredients. We also included recipes to satisfy vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, keto and paleo followers.

2. Walk us through the process of working on the book!

The first 20-30 recipes were the easiest because they came from our current everyday cooking with recipes we are passionate about - so final recipe testing and photography were easy. Then we had to dig deeper into recipes we enjoy from our homes and work on them to get the perfect results - so we worked on testing 20 recipes at a time, writing and photographing them. We also looked at seasonal fresh ingredients that would make a lovely well set dining table and came up with more ideas as we put the book categories together. It all fell into place and made us see where we need to research further and make sure all good occasions are covered with the right food.

3. In your opinion, what do you think is so special about Middle Eastern food?

Middle Eastern food is originally packed with fibers, minerals, and all the needed vitamins/antioxidants. It’s also full of healthy fats and satisfies all taste buds with its rich flavors and spices and most importantly, it’s made with a lot of love. We also think that globalization has processed horrible additives that have been replacing the wholesome ingredients. With this cookbook, we wanted to go back to the original and add a twist.

Mediterranean ingredients are inherently colorful, flavorful and full of goodness to start off any dish. We wanted to highlight how our raw clean veggies and grains are equipped to keep you satisfied in a lifestyle diet using our traditional yet modernized recipes. 4. What’s your favorite recipe from the book? Why?

Shiwi: I like the Vine Leaves Pie. Because one can play with the stuffing, be creative, and it will turn out amazing without spending hours rolling vine leaves fingers.

Yasmine: I love all the fresh and grain based salads because they are a complete meal and easy to prepare. Also the desserts section, especially those prepared with dates and tahini, are a combo that I enjoy cooking with and eating.

Yehia: I really like the Spinach Chips, Lamb Shoulder, and Lentil with Shrimps.

5. Do you think a healthier lifestyle might be the new food-trend with “BILHANA” in the picture?

The healthier lifestyle has been the new foodtrend for years now, but unfortunately most people have perceived it as complicated, thinking that it is impossible to eat delicious yet healthy food! We are hoping “Bilhana” will inspire households that it is simple and hassle-free.

6. Tell us about your artistic direction in preparation for the food photography of the book?

We were aiming for a modern Middle Eastern direction. We wanted to avoid any cliches, such as the Khayameya style or the cliche Middle Eastern cookbook. Therefore, we opted for local materials from Fayoum and Upper Egypt as well as a natural background so the focus would be on the food itself.