Here’s another test kitchen spread I put together not too long ago. I’ve still been drawing inspiration from Dubai, which means plenty of saffron, black lime, cardamom, and other warm, fragrant flavors.

I also got lucky with some stunning locally grown heirloom vegetables—red carrots, Choggia beets (with their beautiful pink and white rings), and Blue Meat turnips, which have striking purple edges around a creamy white center.

A few prep details: I ground my black limes by hand rather than using store-bought powder. I find that pre-ground black lime loses much of its potency—at least here in Europe, where it’s not a fast-moving product. In the Middle East, it’s a different story, with shelves constantly restocked due to its widespread use.

I also soaked saffron strands overnight in cold water in the fridge. By morning, the liquid was a deeply fragrant concentrate—an easy but powerful technique to extract its full essence.

Now, onto the dishes!

First up: black lime tofu, seared and served over homemade rose coconut labneh, topped with sumac onions and walnuts. This dish was a stunner, making me rethink the endless potential of a block of firm tofu. Two important details to get the tofu right: sear it in sesame oil and use the ground black lime generously. Trust me, don’t be shy with the black lime. That said, I’m debating whether the labneh was the right pairing—on paper, it worked, but in practice, I wasn’t entirely convinced. Next time, I’d rather pair the labneh with saffron-mustard roasted red carrots and potatoes (a mix of red-skinned and purple sweet potatoes).

That’s the beauty of testing recipes—sometimes, you realize things can be swapped, adjusted, or reimagined for an even better result. The more you experiment in the kitchen, the more you uncover the ideal combinations.

Since I love meals with raw, refreshing salads, I made two this time.

One featured endive, which has been everywhere lately and is super affordable. I tossed it with za’atar, fennel, cucumber, and vibrant Choggia beets, creating a crisp and zesty palate cleanser.

The second was a more complex, nutrient-packed parsley salad with homegrown lentil and bean sprouts, layered with contrasting flavors and textures: juicy pomegranate, honey-like dates, chewy dried apricots, crunchy toasted walnuts, and briny olives. My brother, who was there that day, especially loved this one.

On the side, I served little plates of extra sumac onions, radish slices, my current fave spicy condiment, Kuwaiti Mabooch, and something sweet—Jordanian Medjool dates (among the best) alongside saffron-cardamom-puffed amaranth cookies. These gluten-free almond flour cookies, lightly sweetened with honey, melted in the mouth, and I’m leaving the recipe below!

A colorful spread, welcoming spring—just around the corner with a little more patience…

If you have any questions on the dishes I made, feel free to leave a comment or message me at thefoodcuriouslife@gmail.com

Gluten Free Saffron-Cardamom-Almond Melt In Your Mouth Cookies

Ingredients (for about 10 cookies)

115g dates, pitted
10 strands of saffron, soaked in a jar in 1 tbsp rose water and 2 tbsp water overnight in the fridge
110g almond flour
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp honey (I used Yemeni ginger honey)
Puffed amaranth, sesame seeds, or flaxseeds for rolling (optional)

Directions:

In a food processor, blend the dates with the saffron-infused water until smooth.
Add the almond flour, cardamom, and honey, then process until a soft dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or overnight for better texture).
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Roll the dough into small balls and coat them in puffed amaranth (or your choice of seeds).
Arrange on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Turn off the oven and leave the cookies inside for another 15 minutes to set without overbaking.
Let them cool completely before enjoying.
Store leftovers in an airtight container.