MID EAST FEAST

​Cook for Good is a social enterprise rooted in cooking and sharing food. We run virtual and in-person corporate team building experiences, and invest our profits into food-focused community projects.We have exciting projects planned for 2021, including building our very own community kitchen on a housing estate in London's Kings Cross. Read more about our community project here

​We are really looking forward to cooking with you! ​Below are all the details you need for the session, but if you have any questions, feel free to email us

MENU:
This wonderful Mid Eastern street food is easy to make, and totally delicious to eat! The idea is that you make a few elements, then stuff them into a pita pocket, and enjoy. There are many items that can fill your pita, but on this session, we will be making the essentials: Shwarma (chicken or aubergine), a chopped colourful salad, hoummous, tahina sauce and homemade pita.  ​​
INGREDIENTS:
The ingredients here are for 4 portions. If you want more, or less please adjust

Please make sure to wash all vegetables/fruit in advance of the session. You don't have to weigh anything out, just make sure you have all your ingredients ready to hand
​  
Protein/Main element:
  • 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (can use 4 breasts if you prefer)
  • Vegetarian/Vegan alternative -  1 large aubergine
Spices:
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Garlic salt/powder
  • Ground cumin 
  • Paprika (regular sweet, not smoked)
  • Ground turmeric  
  • Ground coriander 
  • Ground allspice 
  • Ground cinnamon 
  • Sumac (optional but good)*** 
  • Za'atar (optional but good)*** 
​
Storecupboard:
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 100ml light olive oil (not extra virgin)
  • Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling, not cooking)
  • 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional but nice) *** 
  • 125g tinned chickpeas (ready cooked, small 210g tin)
  • 100ml tahina paste*** 
  • 2 pickled cucumbers (optional but good)
  • 12 black pitted olives (optional but good)
  • 250ml cold water
  • 500g strong (bread) flour
  • 1 x 7g sachet dried instant active/easy bake/fast action yeast (the kind you can just add to the flour directly)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1.5 tsp sugar
  • 300ml lukewarm water 
​
​Veg/Salad/Fruit:
  • 2 lemon 
  • 2 white onions
  • 1 red onion
  • ​1 English cucumber
  • 2 plum tomatoes
  • 1 red bell pepper (or any colour)
  • 1 small bunch mint
  • 1 small bunch parsley 

Notes:
*** The tahina paste, pomegranate molasses, sumac and za'atar are widely available in mainstream supermarkets, Mid Eastern & Mediterranean supermarkets. 
  • Tahina - There are some very good tahina paste brands available in supermarkets (like Achva, Al Rabih, Baracke, Belazu) and we suggest sticking to Arabic or Israeli brands rather than the Cypressa or supermarket own brands as they can be bitter. 
  • Pomegranate molasses is fine from a supermarket but worth knowing that its even better to buy from a Mid Eastern shop as the flavours are better. Some lovely brands include Al Rabih, 1&1 
  • Pita bread needs to be soft and pillowy, not hard, and many supermarket pita is hard. We prefer buying our Pita bread from a bakery where they are wonderful (brands like Taboon). If you cannot find soft pita, then you can use flour wraps instead or you can also substitute the pita for rice (please make in advance of the session) 
UTENSILS & EQUIPMENT:
Please have all your utensils out of cupboards and quickly accessible. We wont have time on the class for you to look for equipment.  
  • Oven set to 200 degrees Celcius at start
  • 1 x food processor (small is better, 500ml capacity bowl)* If you don't have one, then a zip lock bag and rolling pin will suffice)
  • 2 x chopping boards (1 for veg, 1 for meat)
  • 1 x large cook's knife
  • 1 x small utility knife (serrated) 
  • 2 x large flat baking sheets/shallow roasting trays
  • 1 med deep roasting dish 
  • Fork or tongs
  • Measuring spoons (Tbsp & tsp)
  • Measuring cups/scale
  • Measuring jug
  • 2 large bowls
  • 2 x small mixing bowls
  • Small whisk/fork
  • A few spoons - for mixing and tasting
  • 1 x med serving bowl - for the finished salad
  • 2 x small serving bowls - for the finished hoummous and tahina sauce
  • A flat serving dish/platter for the finished shwarma
  • Apron
  • Tea towel
  • Oven gloves/thick tea towel
  • Kitchen paper towel  
  • Tinfoil/baking parchment
  • Full kettle, freshly boiled 
GENERAL GUIDANCE NOTES:
  • Please login outside of company firewalls that prevent the use of Zoom. Otherwise you may have issues with access, sound or video. If you not sure, please log in early (from 10 mins prior to scheduled start time) to check your sound and visuals.  
  • We will send you all the recipes after the session so no need to take any notes
  • Please make sure to wash all vegetables in advance of the class 
  • Have all your utensils out of cupboards and/or quickly accessible 
  • We strongly recommend you log in using a laptop for the optimum experience, so you can see everyone clearly (smartphones and iPad limit you seeing others)
  • Please make sure you have adequate sound/speakers to you can hear instructions
  • There will be a waiting room enabled prior to the start, and then the “kitchen doors” will be opened. Please login from 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start so everyone is in the kitchen on time. Please don't be late
  • When you come in your video will be on and your sound unmuted. You will be muted when the cooking starts so that everyone can hear. If you have questions during you should unmute and ask, and then re-mute yourselves again
  • We will not be using the chat forum in this session 
  • Please make sure your name(s) are showing on your screen so we can refer to you correctly - you can rename yourselves
  • Please don't share the Zoom link with anyone - the session organiser will have invited everyone