Samira El Khafir

Samira El Khafir Masterchef Australia Finalist
Foodie, Travel, Author, Educator
Where there is food, there is love.

29/07/2026

Steak night at home just got a serious upgrade.
This thick-cut ribeye was coated in the Volcano Steakhouse Espresso Rub, paired with a fresh Fire Salt herb sauce, cheesy garlic bread, crispy chips and a simple salad. Restaurant-quality without the restaurant price!
The steak knives sliced through this ribeye effortlessly, and the spice collection added incredible flavour from start to finish. They'd make an amazing Father's Day gift! You can grab the spice collection and steak knives directly from Volcano Steakhouse.

Volcanos Steakhouse

Espresso Rub Ribeye
Ingredients
1 thick-cut ribeye on the bone (around 480g)
2-3 tsp Volcano Steakhouse Espresso Rub
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
Method
Coat the steak with the espresso rub, olive oil and a pinch of salt, massaging it in well.
Marinate for a few hours, or overnight if preferred. Remove from the fridge about 30-60 minutes before cooking.
Preheat your barbecue on high until very hot.
Place the steak onto the grill and rotate every 4 minutes until cooked to your liking. A thick 480g ribeye will take around 16 minutes total for medium, depending on thickness.
For well done, finish under a hot oven grill for 15-20 minutes if needed.
Rest the steak for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Steak Temperatures
Rare: 50-52°C
Medium Rare: 54-57°C
Medium: 60-63°C
Medium Well: 65-68°C
Well Done: 71°C+
Fire Salt Herby Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
1 tsp Volcano Steakhouse Fire Salt
1 cup fresh dill
1 cup fresh mint
½ red onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup olive oil
Method Blend everything except the olive oil until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and blend again until smooth. Taste and add a little extra Fire Salt if you'd like more heat.
Save this one for your next steak nigh

21/07/2026

No overnight dough, no fuss—just delicious homemade bread. Recipe tomorrow!

17/07/2026

Deep-Fried Chocolate Bars
Deep-fried mini chocolate bars 🤎
Just like the legendary deep-fried Mars bar, but this time it’s your choice of mini choc — Twix, Snickers, Caramello… the works!
Frozen first, double battered, and golden fried until crisp and melty on the inside.
This is your ultimate nostalgic guilty pleasure – straight from the fish & chip shop to your kitchen 😍

🔸 Ingredients:
• 10 mini chocolate bars (of your choice)
• ½ cup plain flour (for dusting)
🔹 Batter:
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup cold soda water or icy cold water (adjust for a thick pancake-like batter)
Method:
• Refrigerate your mini chocolate bars for at least 30 minutes or freeze — this helps them keep their shape during frying.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
• Gradually whisk in the cold soda water until you have a thick, smooth batter. Don’t overmix.
• Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 180–190°C.
• Dust each frozen bar lightly in plain flour — this helps the batter stick.
• Dip into the batter, then back into the flour, and then a second time into the batter. This double-coat gives it that extra crunch.
• Gently place into the hot oil and fry for 1–2 minutes, turning once, until golden and crispy.
Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve warm, optionally dusted with icing sugar or with a scoop of ice cream

14/07/2026

Simple & Delicious Spinach Pastries (Fatayer)

Makes: 12 medium pastries
Dough
500g plain flour
300ml warm water
7g (2¼ tsp) instant dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Method
Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Add the flour, salt and olive oil, then knead for 8–10 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough.
Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Spinach Filling
1 large bunch spinach, washed, dried and roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
½ tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp sumac
A generous drizzle of pomegranate molasses
A generous drizzle of olive oil
Mix everything together well and allow it to marinate for a few hours, or overnight for the best flavour. Before using, transfer the filling to a sieve and let any excess liquid drain away.
To Assemble
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about golf-ball size).
Roll each piece into a thin circle.
Spoon your desired amount of filling into the centre.
Fold the edges together to form a triangle, pinching well to seal.
Gently flatten each pastry slightly with your hands.
Lightly dip each pastry in a neutral oil or olive oil and place onto a lined baking tray.
Bake
Bake at 200°C fan-forced for 18–22 minutes, or until beautifully golden and crispy. Flip the pastries over for the last few minutes if needed so both sides become evenly golden.

10/07/2026

hicken Tikka BBQ is a celebration of charred perfection. Marinated in yogurt, spices, and love, it's the real deal straight off the grill.
Chicken Tikka BBQ Recipe
Ingredients:
• 1 kg boneless chicken thigh or breast, cut into large chunks
• 1 cup thick Greek-style yogurt
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder (for color)
• 1 tsp red chili powder (for heat)
• 1 ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp mustard oil (or vegetable oil, but mustard oil is more authentic)
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
• Optional: a few drops of red/orange food color (for tandoori-style color)
Method:
In a large bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, all the spices, mustard oil, kasuri methi, and food coloring if using. Add chicken pieces and coat thoroughly, then cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Cook on a flat plate BBQ or charcoal over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until nicely charred and cooked through — about 12–15 minutes. Baste with a little butter or oil during grilling for extra richness. Serve hot with lemon wedges, coriander and mint chutney, and naan.

08/07/2026

Football should be decided by the players—not controversial decisions. 💔 My heart breaks for Egypt today. Win or lose, every team deserves fairness on the pitch. 🇪🇬⚽

07/07/2026

Creamy Vegan Cauliflower & Potato Bake with Tahini 🤍🥔🥦
The ultimate comfort food for a cold, rainy day. Crispy potatoes and golden cauliflower baked in a rich, creamy tahini sauce until bubbling and golden. Serve with warm Lebanese bread or enjoy it just as it is!
Ingredients
For the vegetables:
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
Salt, to season
Oil, for deep frying
For the tahini sauce:
1 cup tahini paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
Juice of ½ lemon
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
1 cup boiling water, plus extra if needed
Method
Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges. Soak them in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry.
Deep fry the potatoes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a baking dish.
Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets, then pat dry. Deep fry until golden and crispy. Season both the potatoes and cauliflower with salt and add them to the baking dish.
To make the sauce, combine the tahini, crushed garlic, salt, lemon juice and chilli flakes (if using). Gradually whisk in the boiling water until smooth and pourable. If needed, add a little more boiling water until you reach a runny consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Pour the tahini sauce over the potatoes and cauliflower, ensuring everything is well coated.
Bake in a preheated 180°C fan-forced oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Serve hot with fresh Lebanese bread, or enjoy it on its own.
Save this recipe for your next cosy night in! 🤍

30/06/2026

Lazy Pan-Fried Chicken Wontons with Sweet Chilli Hoisin Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
For the wontons:
• Wonton wrappers
• 1kg chicken mince
• 4 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, grated
• Small pinch of salt
• Pinch of white pepper
• Small drizzle of sesame oil
• Small drizzle of soy sauce
• 1–1½ tsp oyster sauce
For the dipping sauce:
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• ½ tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Tiny splash of vinegar
• ½ tsp chilli sauce
• Small splash of water
Method
In a bowl, combine the chicken mince, spring onions, ginger, garlic, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Using chopsticks, mix well until the filling becomes sticky and binds together.
Place roughly 1 teaspoon of filling into each wonton wrapper.
Drizzle a little sesame oil into a frying pan and line up the wontons side by side, close together.
Cook over medium heat until the bottoms are golden and crispy. Lift one to check.
Once crisp, pour in ¼ cup of water around the edges of the pan, immediately cover with a lid, and allow the wontons to steam until the water has evaporated and the chicken is cooked through.
For the dipping sauce, mix together the garlic, ginger, hoisin, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, chilli sauce, and a splash of water until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed — add more soy for saltiness, honey for sweetness, or chilli for extra heat.
Serve the crispy wontons hot with the dipping sauce on the side.
Tip: If you overfill the wontons, they may need a little extra steaming time, so always check the chicken is fully cooked through before serving.

23/06/2026

The cheap pasta my mum made growing up… still under $20 today

RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients:
• 500g mince (lamb or beef)
• Olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup water
• Pasta of choice
Method:
1. Drizzle olive oil into a pan and add your mince. Cook until browned and caramelised.
2. Season with salt, allspice, cumin, and cracked black pepper. Stir well and cook through.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
4. Pour in a splash of water (about ¼ cup) and stir until the sauce comes together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
5. Boil your pasta according to packet instructions, then drain.
6. Add the pasta straight into the mince sauce and fold through until coated.
7. Finish with a fresh drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.

19/06/2026

HSP (Halal Snack Pack) at Home
Recipe below

1kg boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
Into a bowl add:
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 whole lemon
Salt to taste
A generous drizzle of olive oil
Spices:
1 tbsp sweet paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Mix it all really well until every piece is coated. Marinate overnight (or at least 4 hours).
When ready, bring the chicken to room temp, then pan-fry in a little oil until crispy, golden, and cooked through.
Fry up a bag of chips, season generously with chicken salt, and layer them into your tray. Pile the chicken straight on top.
Sauces (optional but classic):
Garlic yogurt sauce:
1 clove garlic, crushed
A few spoons of yogurt
A splash of water
Salt
Drizzle over the top, followed by BBQ sauce for sweetness and chili sauce for heat.
Cheese or no cheese? Your call.
The halal snack pack that hits harder than the takeaway one

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