The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking (English and Arabic Edition) [Paperback]

Howida Elhalogy (Author), Michelle Easton-Ewais (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Several years ago I married an Egyptian man who loved my American cooking; however, I knew it would not be long before he yearned for recipes familiar to his native country. I decided to try a few Middle Eastern dishes I found over the internet. They turned out okay but just that, okay. Let's face it; no woman wants her husband to think her cooking is just okay. One day we were invited to a friend's house for dinner. That's where I first met Howida (Dodi). She was a charming woman, and as I was soon to find out, an excellent cook. She had prepared a lavish feast as delightful to the eye as to the palate. We were presented with one mouthwatering surprise after another: savory soups, colorful salads, incredible entrees, and delectable desserts. Many of the spices were as unfamiliar to me as the names of the dishes. Nevertheless, each course was a delicious treat. As women often do when invited to a friend's house for dinner, I asked if I could copy those recipes to make for my husband. She said that they were all in her head, not in a cookbook. Dodi went on to explain that she had many recipes which had been passed down through generations of females in her family. Over time, I managed to convince Dodi to share her family trade secrets with all of us, and I'm now proud to introduce to you, this fine collection of recipes, entitled..."The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking". Enjoy! Michelle (Layla) Easton-Ewais Co-Author

About the Author

Howida (Dodi) Elhalogy was born and raised in a quaint agricultural village near Tanta, Egypt located in the middle of the Nile Delta. She grew up on a 4.5 acre estate with 5 sisters and 2 brothers. Her father was mayor of the province and their large ten bedroom house was used to facilitate many of the special events which helped to establish and maintain her father's political position within the community. Her role, at the early age of 12, was to assist her mother and sisters in preparing meals for these events. Over time Dodi learned to master the art of Middle Eastern cooking and to showcase her family's traditional style recipes. Dodi was also married in Egypt at the young age of sixteen to Nehad Saeed, another important business figure in their community at that time. Together they have three children, Sherin, Mohamed, and Nada. At the age of forty-one, Dodi moved to the U.S. with her family. They are now currently residing in Corona, California. Her reputation as a renowned cook has won her much popularity, not only among friends and family members of her own culture, but with many Americans as well. This book is dedicated to her Egyptian relatives who so lovingly taught her about Middle Eastern cuisine. Most importantly, the special touches she adds to her recipes assure that they will not be found anywhere else in the world. "The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking" is a collection of fine recipes passed down through many generations and now, with the help of Outskirts publishing company, her family's traditional recipes will live on.

Product Details

• Paperback: 92 pages
• Publisher: Outskirts Press (June 24, 2008)
• Language: English, Arabic
• ISBN-10: 1432725572
• ISBN-13: 978-1432725570
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,254,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Recipes!, January 8, 2009

By 

Sheryl Harbaoui (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking (English and Arabic Edition) (Paperback)

My husband is Arabic and I really wanted to cook food for him that he would love. And he does. I do too! I love that there are pictures of all the dishes in the book. The recipes are well written and easy to follow. There is a section in the back describing terms that may not be familiar which helps a lot and I was able to find all the ingredients necessary. There are some simple recipes that do not require a lot of time, and more elaborate recipes that are fun to try. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to try Middle Eastern food or already loves Middle Eastern food. I loved it so much I bought one for each of my aunts as a gift, who are excited to try the recipes, after looking at the books illustrations.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Cookbook is Must-Have for Your Collection, September 12, 2008

By 

Sarah Moore "Sarah" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking (English and Arabic Edition) (Paperback)

I always take a little time to skim through cookbooks while at my local bookstore. I like discovering new ingredients, or perhaps just new ways to use already familiar ingredients. I enjoy taking a moment to envision the great dinner parties I will host and the compliments I will receive on the unique and delicious menu I prepared. Above all, I love to stare at the beautiful pictures of the final product as created by the author. While my limited culinary skills may never allow for an exact visual replica of the dish as it's intended, the colorful presentations provide something to which I can aspire. The new cookbook The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking by Howida "Dodi" Elhalogy exceeds all of my prerequisites for a great addition to anyone's kitchen collection.

Mrs. Elhalogy grew up in an Egyptian village as the daughter of the province's mayor. Since her family did a lot of entertaining on their large estate, Mrs. Elhalogy learned at a young age to prepare meals for special events and eventually mastered the art of Middle Eastern cooking. She decided to pull together her family's recipes into this beautiful cookbook as a way of preserving a cultural tradition and of introducing a new audience to the amazing flavors and textures found in the dishes of the Middle East.

I was first struck by the beauty of the book. Mrs. Elhalogy uses rich colors of yellow and orange on the cover, along with a photo of garlic, onion and cilantro (I'm already sold ... you cannot do better than those ingredients for a great-smelling kitchen!) to draw her readers into the culinary treasures inside. Once I turned the pages, I found page after page of beautiful pictures highlighting the table presentations that can be created with her recipes. When necessary, there were even "action photos" showing how to proceed correctly with certain steps in the recipe. I am a cook who hesitates to try a new recipe unless I can see the intended end product, so the pictures that accompanied each recipe were much appreciated.

The recipes themselves provided explicit step-by-step instructions. I have tried to work from other cookbooks that take certain steps in the process for granted, inevitably leading me to make a critical error. Not so with the recipes written by Dodi. The recipes develop methodically from the initial washing of ingredients to the necessary garnishes. I feel confident that, even though I would be working with some food that is unfamiliar to me, Dodi has provided enough instruction to ensure my success. And, just in case aspiring cooks of Middle Eastern cuisine still have some concern when working through her recipes, Dodi includes a glossary of some of the more unusual ingredients, along with their alternate names and descriptions. This component of the Helpful Hints section, along with the recipes' Arabic translations on each page, provide an opportunity to learn about the individual foods while you are bringing them together for a meal.

As I read through each recipe, I was struck by an even greater opportunity that this book provides than just creating amazing food. A primary way of learning about a culture is through its traditional foods. I think back to "Culture Days" as a young child at school, when we would bring in a meal from the country of our choice. Learning about food opens the doors to other conversations, and this truth continues into adulthood. Why is a particular ingredient a staple of the diet in certain cultures? What are the most common cooking methods and why are they used? What are the standard customs practiced when eating a meal? I believe that by discussing these questions and other topics that may evolve from the conversation, we can gain greater appreciation and understanding for individuals from around the world. The recipes in The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking provide an excellent catalyst for just this purpose.

My husband and I have long considered Middle Eastern cuisine to be among our favorites. I already have tried several of the recipes, including the Tabula Salad and Koshary, to rave reviews around my dinner table. I look forward to wearing out the pages of The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking as I teach my own children the great Egyptian traditions that Dodi learned in her own youth and now, thankfully, shares with all of us. For those who are interested in expanding their culinary horizons, or perhaps simply want to enjoy the beauty of a well-planned cookbook, this offering by Howida "Dodi" Elhalogy is a must-have addition to your home library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great cookbook, December 8, 2009

By 

Darlene E. Barry "comma super genius" (Virginia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Savory Secrets of Dodi's Home Cooking (English and Arabic Edition) (Paperback)

i found this to be a great cookbook, although i already know how to make several of the dishes and the egyptian cooking she does is a little different than what i learned first hand.. all in all , worth the money.. it's a little confusing at first.. the pictures usually follow the recipe on the following page but not always.. they have conversions on the recipes with is fantastic..