First and foremost I want to say this is not a political thing to write about Palestina in these turbulent times. It was simply accidently Palestina’s turn. I already cooked a dish from Israël a few years back. Secondly with my blog I like to focus on the positive side of the world and the food!

Palestine boasts a diverse and awe-inspiring landscape, featuring rolling hills in the West Bank and serene Mediterranean shores. These natural wonders form a backdrop to the daily lives of Palestinians, who draw solace and inspiration from the beauty that envelops them.

Things you didn’t know about Palestine:

• The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem has a low entrance known as the “Door of Humility.” It was intentionally designed this way to make people bow as they enter, symbolizing humility before entering the holy site.
• The West Bank is known for its vibrant agricultural terraces, especially in areas like the town of Battir, which has ancient irrigation systems that are UNESCO World Heritage-listed.
• The city of Nablus in the West Bank is famous for its olive oil soap, a traditional product that has been crafted for centuries.

The Palestinian cuisine is incredibly diverse and delicious. One popular dish is “Musakhan,” a traditional Palestinian meal consisting of roasted chicken, sumac, onions, and pine nuts served on flatbread. I used storebought flatbread because I really didn’t have time to make my own.

Ingredients:

Chicken:

• 250 gr chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons of sumac
• 1 teaspoon of ground cardamon
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of all spice
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons of brown caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1/4 cup of sunfloweroil
• storebought flatbread

Salad:

• 1 cucumber
• 3 tomatoes
• mint
• parsley
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Garlic sauce:

• 1/4 cup greek yoghurt
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 3 cloves garlic

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Mix allspice, cardamom, cumin, sumac in a small bowl to combine. Season chicken all over with salt in a large bowl. Rub with the spice mix, sugar and honey, pressing and working it into the meat.
2. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown on both sides and some fat is released, 3–5 minutes per side.
3. Put the chicken in the oven, until cooked for about 10 minutes.
4. In the mean while toast the pinenuts until golden brown.
5. Chop everything for your salad
6. Mix everything for your garlic sauce
7. Heat up your flatbreads.
8. Take the chicken out of the oven and make yourself a beautiful colorful plate.