Synopses & Reviews
More than 2.6 million Muslims live in America, and that number is expected to double by 2030. Many follow a halal diet, eating only those foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines. Due to the dietand#8217;s restrictions (no alcohol, pork, or pork byproducts, to name a few), it is hard for halal home cooks to branch out and try new and delicious recipes.
My Halal Kitchen: Global Recipes, Cooking Tips, and Lifestyle Inspiration by Yvonne Maffei, founder of the hugely popular cooking blog and Islamic lifestyle website of the same name, is one of the first mainstream cookbooks to cater to the millions of Americans who follow halal dietary customs. This beautiful, hand-sewn hardcover book allows readers to explore food from around the world using simple, halal-friendly substitutes and all-natural ingredients. My Halal Kitchen provides readers with the tools they need to prepare flavorful, trustworthy halal dishes.
Complete with full-color photography and more than 75 unique recipes from across various culinary traditions, My Halal Kitchen showcases Maffeiand#8217;s unique identity as the daughter of Sicilian and Puerto Rican parents. Born and raised in the US, Maffei was exposed to her familyand#8217;s traditional meals that most Muslim-Americans would enjoy but could never try. From her father, Maffei inherited a love of Mediterranean food and Italian classics like homemade meatballs, lasagna, and tiramisu. From her mother, it was arroz con frijoles (rice and beans), empanadas, and pasteles. After becoming Muslim, Maffei learned how to incorporate her favorite childhood dishes, American comfort foods, and the dishes she discovered while studying abroad, into her familyand#8217;s halal customs.
My Halal Kitchen breaks down the basics of halal cooking, provides resources for sourcing halal foods, includes a glossary of terms explaining exotic concepts, and delivers clear-cut steps for replacing most any ingredient with a halal-friendly alternative. The book combines the best of Maffeiand#8217;s massively popular food blog with many brand-new recipes for appetizers, breakfast dishes, entrees, desserts, and non-alcoholic beverages.
Maffei launched her site in 2008 as a forum for halal foodies interested in culinary tips and recipes. Now, just seven years later, the site is a go-to halal resource, receiving over 100,000 unique monthly visitors and nearly 1 million and#147;likesand#8221; on Facebook. As someone who grew up tasting all kinds of food, Maffei is especially suited to finding the proper halal substitute for nearly any ingredient without comprising the flavor or integrity of the dish. My Halal Kitchen is not just a must-have for Muslims everywhere; itand#8217;s an ideal resource for any home cook looking to find delicious and healthy recipes from across the globe.
Review
"A cook, food writer, and self-described Halal foodie." andmdash;
CBS News"Yvonne Maffei. . . writes a popular cooking and nutrition blog, My Halal Kitchen, from her home north of Chicago. . . . Her simple recipe for medjools drizzled with tangy crand#232;me fraand#238;che is excellent for transforming date doubters into date lovers." andmdash;Julia Moskin, New York Times
"You'll hear Maffei's passion and intelligence, and whatever your religious persuasion you'll no doubt relate to her motives: to find a deep and meaningful connection to the world." andmdash;Alison Cuddy, WBEZ-FM
Synopsis
Yvonne Maffei is the founder of the hugely popular cooking blog and Islamic lifestyle website My Halal Kitchen. Her new book,
My Halal Kitchen: Global Recipes, Cooking Tips, and Lifestyle Inspiration, celebrates halal cooking and shows readers how easy it can be to prepare halal meals. Her cookbook collects more than 100 recipes from a variety of culinary traditions, proving that halal meals can be full of diverse flavors. Home cooks will learn to make classic American favorites and comfort foods, as well as international dishes that previously may have seemed out of reach: Coq without the Vin, Shrimp Pad Thai, Chicken Tamales, and many more.
The book also includes resources that break down the basics of halal cooking and outline common non-halal ingredients, their replacements, and how to purchase (or make) them. As Maffei often says to her million-plus social media followers, halal cooking elegantly dovetails with holistic living and using locally sourced, organic ingredients. In the halal tradition, every part of the farm-to-fork cycle has importance. This book is an ideal resource not only for Muslim home cooks, but also for any home cook looking to find delicious and healthy recipes from around the globe.
About the Author
Yvonne Maffei is the founder of the hugely popular cooking blog and Islamic lifestyle website MyHalalKitchen.com. She has earned a vast following in the United States and internationally, including a Facebook page totaling nearly one million likes. Born in Ohio to Sicilian and Puerto Rican parents, Maffei developed a love of many diverse culinary styles. Between her B.A. and M.A. in International Studies at Ohio University and trips spanning the globe, Maffei honed her cooking skills and ability to adapt a wide range of cuisines to her family's dietary customs. Her recipes specialize in adhering to halal standards while also focusing on all-natural, organic ingredients. She currently lives with her family outside Chicago, IL.