Sesame Rice with Sides (Palestine/Korea)
Sarah is half Korean, half Palestinian American. Her unique heritage influences all her undertakings and food is no exception. Add to the mix, that of a busy New Yorker, and what you get are recipes that are quick and easy to make, healthy and tasty.
Born and raised in Ohio, Sarah moved to New York to follow her passion for fashion which she got into at a young age. She started making clothes in elementary school, painting shirts and making her first pair of shoes by taking apart a pair of Keds to use as a sole and re-stitching and designing them. Sarah would spend a lot of time in thrift stores or wearing her parents clothes from the 70’s. “I hardly shopped at the mall and didn’t find it appealing. Most of what I wore in middle school and high school were a mix of secondhand or vintage finds, or from my parents closet. I would take a tote bag and turn it into a top, I wore my dad’s tailored pants with his chunky sweaters or my mom’s dresses from Korea with cardigans.”
When she started wearing hijab at age 17 following a trip to Palestine, she also became more conscious about dressing modestly, and found it hard to do so while staying fashionable. At the time, the trend was all about low cut jeans and short shirts and you had to be careful not to expose yourself bending down, etc., which she didn’t find liberating at all. Sarah would try to pair her vintage pieces but it didn’t always work because many pieces wouldn’t be long or wide enough. When looking for longer tops or cardigans, she would skip the teen section and go to the women’s section. She found inspiration from her Korean grandmother who wore mismatched floral prints, elasticated pants with cardigans and traditional Korean slippers. “As a teenager, I was starting to look like my grandmother with the loose clothes and layering which I found to be really cool, it felt special.” Along with her mother, Sarah’s grandmothers on both sides are her style icons, always comfortable, in layered pieces, and staying true to their cultural identity.
After launching her first online brand straight out of high school, Sarah eventually decided to pursue fashion full-time and moved to NY to start Fashion School and gain more technical skills. Following school, Sarah worked with top brands, including Ralph Lauren, Theory, and Club Monaco, and is now getting ready to start her own label of minimal and practical pieces that are timeless in style and vintage inspired. Her cultural heritage, worldly travels, and American sportswear are a major influence in her design aesthetic. “I love seeing the pieces I have played a part in making worn by celebrities like Meghan Markle, Drew Barrymore, along with red carpet looks, but even more-so seeing them on every day women. I’ll be on the subway and see women wearing the dress I patterned and my heart will skip a beat.” Though she loves the fashion world, she believes so much more can be done ethically and sustainably and is excited to build a brand that does not make any compromise on its values.
As she prepares for this exciting new chapter, “Ramadan is an opportunity for more quiet time to think about my purpose in life, to realign myself, and set my goals. It’s a special time. I count down the days before Ramadan because I get so excited. It’s in our nature to submit to God and there’s something beautiful about it”.
As for food, “I cook the way I design: I choose quality ingredients [from the farmer’s market], and make tasty meals that are practical and easy to make. She likes each ingredient to stand out and not overpower each other. While Sarah admits she is usually in a rush and needs to do better fitting cooking and self-care time, “Ramadan is the one time of year I’ll make the time to see all my friends. We’ll have Iftars with one another and make a point to see each other.”
In both Palestinian and Korean culture, bread or rice is the base of every meal and served with a variety of side dishes rather than one big dish. Today, Sarah is making sesame rice with sides of Adas soup, sautéed tofu, \ zucchini and yellow squash. She usually makes a big batch that can last her for several meals. Sarah also has some staples she includes with almost every meal: Za'atar seasoning, Palestinian Olive Oil (usually from her family’s farm, delivered by way of Ohio), Kimchi (homemade by her mother whenever possible or bought at the Korean market), and seaweed.
Head to the Suhoor section to check out Sarah’s Avocado Toast recipe.
Sesame Rice with Sides (serves 4)
Sesame Rice
1 cup short-grained rice, soak for 30mn, then drain. Cook in 1 1/2 cup of water (or as directed if using a rice cooker)
Add desired roasted sesame oil and roasted sesame seeds and mix
*Sarah uses Korean sesame oil and boils the rice in filtered water which she believes makes all the difference.
Adas soup
2 cups of red lentils
1/2 yellow onion, diced
6 cups of water
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 lemon
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper (as desired)
*This is Sarah's basic version of Adas soup. It is typically made with Maggi cubes, and carrots and potatoes can be added, but Sarah likes it simple - It's delicious either way!
Wash and drain the lentils. Combine the onion and lentils in a pot of water (Sarah uses filtered water) and bring to a boil, then let it simmer on low medium heat for about 35 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Once cooked, add cumin, salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle a little olive oil and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze on top.
Sautéed Tofu:
1 block of extra firm tofu (Sarah buys it organic and Korean when she can)
5 cloves of pressed garlic
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 green onion
soy sauce
Sriracha or hot sauce
Using paper towels, dry up the tofu and get as much water out as possible.
Dice the tofu into medium-sized cubes
Heat coconut oil in the pan over medium heat and add the tofu and garlic.
Cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes on low heat, stirring mid way.
Add soy sauce as desired and chopped green onion, stir and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Add sriracha sauce or any hot sauce on top for added flavor before serving
Sarah’s pro tip: If you spill any coconut oil, don’t waste it, use it on your skin! ;)
Zucchini and Yellow Squash Dish:
2 zucchinis, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
2 cloves of pressed garlic
2 tbs Olive oil
Salt and pepper as desired
In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add all ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes.
