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The watch list: Ramadan TV highlights

One of Saudi Arabia’s biggest stars, Nasser Al-Qasabi, is back with this comedy (“Exit 7”). (Supplied)
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Updated 27 April 2020
RACHEL MCARTHUR
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The watch list: Ramadan TV highlights

  • Pranks, military dramas, and social satires: These are the shows we’ll be talking about this Holy Month 
Updated 27 April 2020
RACHEL MCARTHUR

DUBAI: Ramdan is traditionally the biggest season of the year for Arabic television shows. And with an even larger captive audience than usual this year, the region’s top networks are eager to attract viewers with quality content and A-list actors.

No season comes without controversy of course, and for 2020, it will be interesting to see how Hayat Al Fahd’s drama, “Um Haroon” will perform, following her very public outburst on a TV segment, calling for expatriates to be expelled from Kuwait.

And a number of hotly anticipated productions have been forced to suspend filming because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including Haifa Wehbe’s “Aswad Fateh” and Cyrine Abdelnour’s “Dantelle.” 

However, Abdelnour fans will be pleased to learn that she has bagged a last-minute gig with MBC – more details below.

‘MAKHRAJ 7’

Genre: Comedy

One of Saudi Arabia’s biggest stars, Nasser Al-Qasabi, is back with this comedy (“Exit 7”) in which he plays a humble government clerk working in the complaints department. Touching upon recent events in the Kingdom — there’s even a promo trailer online that explains the current lockdown, advising people to stay at home — the show features a whole host of big names from the GCC’s world of comedy.

Where: MBC1

‘AL EKHTEYAR’

Genre: Drama

Probably the most-anticipated title to come out of Egypt this year, “Al Ekhteyar” is the true life account of Egyptian army colonel and hero, Ahmed Al-Mansi, commander of the Thunderbolt Forces, who lost his life in a terrorist attack in Rafah, North Sinai, in 2017. It stars Amir Karara in the lead role, alongside Ahmad Al-Awady, Dina Fouad, Sarah Adel, and Ashraf Meslehi. Its trailer alone, released at the start of April, garnered over one million views on YouTube.

Where: ART, MBC1, ON E

‘EL FUTOWA’

Genre: Drama

His last series, “Rahim,” did phenomenally well and this year Yasser Galal (yup, Ramez’s brother, see below) returns with another drama. This one tells the story of rival gangs vying for power in a deprived neighborhood. The gang leaders bear responsibility for their people — but can these sworn enemies ever join forces for the sake of others?
Where: AlHayah, OSN Yahala Al Oula

‘RAMEZ MAGNOUN RASMY’ 

Genre: Hidden camera pranks

Every year, we say we’re not going to watch Ramez Galal’s hidden camera show in which he “pranks” some of the biggest stars from the world of entertainment, sport and media. But then one notable episode airs (Shah Rukh Khan in 2017, anyone?), everyone starts talking about it, and, just like that, we’re sucked into the whole series. 

It’s no secret that the “unsuspecting” celebs know that they’re appearing on the show — remember when details of Paris Hilton’s contract were leaked online? — but rumor has it they’re not in on the full details of the prank. Quite frankly, we’re not sure how Galal has any celeb friends anymore. One question remains; just who is he going to fool this year?

Where: MBC1

‘FORSA TANYA’

Genre: Drama

Could her real-life marriage to Egyptian entrepreneur slash millionaire, Ahmed Abou Hashima *be* more perfectly timed? This Ramadan sees Yasmine Sabri star in “Forsa Tanya” (Second Chance) as Malak, a successful engineer who is not so lucky in love. So not lucky, that it turns out she might have a stalker. How will she handle the events that follow?

Where: ART, MBC Drama, ON E

‘VALENTINO’

Genre: Comedy

While Adel Imam’s comedy splits opinion (it’s very much a love-it-or-loathe-it deal), there’s no denying his popularity with TV commissioners. He’s become a Ramadan fixture. This year, he stars in “Valentino” alongside Dalal Abdel Aziz. Imam plays Nour Abdel Majid — aka Valentino — a professor who runs a franchise of private schools alongside his wife, Afaf. 

Whilst Afaf is quite strict, Nour is more mischievous, as his nickname suggests.

Where: DMC, MBC1, OSN Yahala Al Oula

‘EL-PRINCE’

Genre: Drama

There’s no one quite as divisive as Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan at the moment, with the majority of the public either stanning hard for him or despising his personal antics. His TV dramas inevitably do well, however, and this year he plays Radwan El-Prince, who is left to take care of his family following the death of his parents. It’s another collaboration between Ramadan and director Mohammad Sami, following their work together in 2016 hit “Al Ostoura.” Nour also stars.

Where: MBC1, OSN Yahala Al Oula

‘BE MEET WESH’

Genre: Comedy

This will be interesting. Not least because it features Nelly Karim in a very different role to what we’re used to. She aces drama, and has numerous TV hits under her belt, so how will she fare in this comedy, co-starring alongside Asser Yassin? The trailers haven’t given much away, but “Be Meet Wesh” (With 100 Faces) sees the pair playing a couple of con artists who — you guessed it — pose as multiple characters to pull off their heists.

Where: AlHayah, Dubai TV, OSN Yahala Al Oula

‘AL NAHAT’

Genre: Drama, mystery

Bassel Khayyat is Yaman (aka “Al Nahat” — or ‘The Sculptor’), a university art teacher who loves nothing more than perusing antique stores. During one of his visits, he comes across a photo album. While flicking through it, he finds images that leave him shocked and confused. What ensues is a mystery in which Yaman attempts to uncover the stories of several interconnected characters. 

Where: Abu Dhabi TV, OSN Yahala Al Oula

‘SAHRANEEN MA3AKOM BEL BAIT’

Genre: Talk/variety show

MBC has introduced this talk/variety-style show (“Staying Up With You at Home”) at the very last minute. Fronted by Cyrine Abdelnour (fans, rejoice!) and Ahmed Fahmi, the show will feature segments from studios in Beirut and Riyadh, but replacing the traditional Arab talk-show format — featuring guests in the studio with a live audience — will be interviews from the homes of the Arab world’s top celebs and other personalities.  

Where: MBC1

Topics: Ramadan ramadan shows Ramadan series Ramadan 2020 Lifestyle Reads of the Week

Pakistani films attracted ‘biggest’ Eid collections in 5 years, says largest cinema chain

Updated 37 min 29 sec ago
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Pakistani films attracted ‘biggest’ Eid collections in 5 years, says largest cinema chain

  • Pakistani films ‘Love Guru’ and ‘Deemak’ led box office collections surge this Eid Al-Adha, says Cinepax Cinemas sales head
  • Love Guru’s team says flick generated $676,500 during first five days, Deemak distributor says movie collected $142,000
Updated 37 min 29 sec ago
BURAQ SHABBIR

KARACHI: Pakistani films that released on the Eid Al-Adha last week attracted the highest Eid box office collections in five years, the sales and marketing head of the country’s largest cinema chain said on Friday.

Pakistani romantic comedy ‘Love Guru,’ starring acting powerhouses Humayun Saeed and Mahira Khan released in cinemas worldwide on Eid-ul-Adha. The other prominent Pakistani movie that released in theaters across the world was “Deemak,” a horror movie with A-list actors Faysal Qureshi, Sonya Hussyn and Samina Peerzada starring in lead roles.

As per official figures released by Love Guru, the Pakistani film collected Rs 12.8 crores [$457,143] in Pakistan during the first three days of Eid Al-Adha, making it the biggest ever Eid weekend opener in the country.

“If we look at Eid [film] business since Covid, we did the biggest business this year [on Eid],” Adnan Ali Khan, the sales and marketing head of Cinepax Cinemas, told Arab News. “Meaning highest in five years.”

He said this does not include The Legend of Maula Jatt film, which enjoyed record-breaking box office business but was not released on Eid.

This undated photo shows people gather outside cinema hall in Karachi. (Photo courtesy: Azadar Kazmi)

“Love Guru got 50 percent of the shows and that is why it generated huge numbers,” Khan explained, adding that Deemak was the second-best performing film on Eid while Hollywood flick “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” secured the third-highest collections.

The film’s official team announced that its international box office collections for the opening weekend surged to Rs15.4 crores [$546,000]. This means the film raked in a total of Rs28.2 crores [$999,186] in the first three days of the release.

After the first five days of their release, Love Guru’s team said it collected Rs19.10 crores [$676,500] locally while Deemak distributor Nadeem Mandviwalla said the horror flick generated around Rs4 crores [$142,000] at the box office.

Mandviwalla said the film is expected to secure over Rs7 crores [$248,000] in box office collections by the end of this week.

“It is a very encouraging figure for Deemak,” Mandviwalla said.

However, there have been speculations around the authenticity of these figures, particularly at the local box office. There hasn’t been an official detailed division of box office collections in cinemas across Pakistan.

Pakistani film critic Kamran Jawaid, however, brushed aside claims that Love Guru’s box office collections were fabricated.

‘ONLY FOR THE DELUDED’

“When the audience comes out of cinemas in droves at seven in the morning— and that too from multiple shows— then countering claims about fabricated figures is only for the deluded,” Jawaid told Arab News.

He said the high footfall in cinemas across the country puts to rest the opinion that attendances at cinemas are too low due to expensive ticket prices or that audiences no longer harbor interest in Pakistani movie.

“One just has to make movies that people are willing to shell money out on, whether it is Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning, which also ran shows till morning two weeks before Eid, or Love Guru,” Jawaid said.

The Pakistani film critic broke down the numbers based on the number of screens and seating capacity of Pakistani cinemas.

This undated photo shows people gather outside cinema hall in Karachi. (Photo courtesy: Azadar Kazmi)

“Although not big, counting all 91 screens, Pakistan’s total seating capacity is a little above 21,000, which equates to 21 million in ticket sales per show/slot, with an average ticket price of a thousand,” he said.

“An average of four shows per day leads to 84 million in gross income. Depending on the number of screens a film like Love Guru gets — which is roughly between 30-40 percent of the country — per-day estimates range between 25 to 33 million in gross receipts,” Jawaid explained.

“Given that the tickets are selling hot, one cannot refute the legitimacy of the quoted figures.”

Khan said the movies garnered the highest numbers at its cinemas in Packages Mall in Lahore, followed by Jinnah Park in Rawalpindi.

“We are running late night shows every day,” Khan said, adding that the coming weekend was also expected to feature “packed” theaters as the cinemas have bookings in advance.

“We need four Pakistani movies like Love Guru every year,” he said. “However, Deemak has started gaining momentum now alongside Love Guru.”

Jawaid, however, looked toward the future of Pakistani cinema.

“Pakistan’s cinema needs one Love Guru a month to revive audience’s interest,” he said.

Topics: Mahira Khan Humayun Saeed Love Guru Movie

‘Ocean’ — bleak indictment of mankind offers a glimmer of hope

Updated 13 June 2025
Adam Grundey
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‘Ocean’ — bleak indictment of mankind offers a glimmer of hope

  • David Attenborough’s latest documentary is a vital, compelling call to action
Updated 13 June 2025
Adam Grundey

JEDDAH: “Ocean with David Attenborough” was released regionally on Disney+ on June 8 — World Ocean Day. It hit cinemas in May, on the 99th birthday of its venerable and venerated presenter, the famed biologist and broadcaster.

Like all Attenborough-fronted nature docs, “Ocean” is gorgeously shot and an immersive viewing experience. But while the vast majority of his output leaves you speechless at the on-screen beauty, “Ocean” also strikes you dumb at the horrifying devastation wrought on the open seas by the 40,000+ super-sized fishing trawlers operating around our planet constantly.

Sweeping the seabed with their giant nets, these ships commit slaughter on an unimaginable scale, leaving little alive in their rapacious search for a few specific species that humans actually eat. In their wake they leave something akin to the dystopian portrayals of a nuclear winter in post-apocalyptic dramas. These grim, heart-breaking shots are interspersed with glorious, vibrant scenes of what a healthy seabed should look like — towering forests of kelp, sea meadows, abundant diverse communities of extraordinary marine life… A reminder of what we are destroying every minute of every day.

Attenborough lays out for us with all of his trademark passion and authority just what is at risk here. The seas, he stresses, are vital for the survival of humankind. And humankind is putting the seas in terrible jeopardy. Marine ecosystems are delicately balanced and linked in complex, subtle ways that we are only now beginning to understand. And industrial fishing is far from subtle. As Attenborough notes, if rainforests were being razed at this rate, the protests would be global and furious. But because this destruction takes place miles below the surface of the water, it goes mainly unnoticed. Incredibly, this mindless, untargeted carnage is not illegal; it is positively encouraged — and heavily subsidized — by many governments. 

Thankfully, there is hope. Attenborough reveals that scientists have discovered that — if left alone through the imposition of “no-take zones” — the oceans can recover at an incredible rate, and the most barren of sea floors can once again flourish in just a few years. There is now an international pact to turn one-third of Earth’s seas into no-take zones by 2030. And if this does happen — note the if — then there’s a good chance that man-made damage can be reversed not just in the water, but on land, as sea life is, it turns out, extremely adept at reducing carbon. The sea could save the world.

As nature documentaries go, it’s hard to imagine “Ocean” being bettered (except perhaps for the distracting clichéd mishmash that serves as its soundtrack, which deserves to be classified as a man-made disaster itself). This is a compelling, vital and urgent narrative delivered by an expert scientist and broadcaster accompanied by awe-inspiring, mind-boggling cinematography showing us wonders that most of us will never come close to seeing first-hand. And it lays out a path for survival. Whether we actually take that path...

Topics: DAVID ATTENBOROUGH Ocean Ocean with David Attenborough

Streaming successes: What’s coming to your screens later this year 

Updated 13 June 2025
Arab News
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Streaming successes: What’s coming to your screens later this year 

  • From stressed-out cooks to foul-mouthed spymasters, the must-see shows still to come in 2025 
Updated 13 June 2025
Arab News

‘Squid Game’ season 3 

Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-joon 

Where: Netflix  

When: June 27 

The final season of the South Korean survival thriller about a game show where the rewards are enormous but loss means death, Seong Gi-hun (or player 456, as you might know him) and his friends must fight for survival in ever-more fiendish challenges. The VIPs — the wealthy individuals who fund the games — return to the island once again, perhaps setting the stage for a vengeance-fueled finale and a showdown between the Front Man and his brother, police officer Jun-ho. 

‘Ironheart’ 

Starring: Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross 

Where: Disney+ 

When: June 25 

This Marvel miniseries is a spinoff from the “Black Panther” movie franchise and follows MIT student and genius inventor Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, who was responsible for creating the vibranium detector that sparked the events of 2022’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” in which she also invented an exoskeleton to rival that of Tony Stark/Ironman so that she could fight alongside the Wakandans. Now Williams has returned home to Chicago, where she meets Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, who is able to access dark magic, setting Williams on a “path of danger and adventure.”  

‘The Bear’ season 4 

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri 

Where: Disney+ 

When: June 26 

The first two seasons of the horribly tense kitchen-based drama “The Bear” were fantastic TV. The third? Not so much. (Although it should be said that even weak episodes of “The Bear” are still better than the vast majority of shows.) But hopefully season four finds super-talented chef Carmy Berzatto and his crew back on form as they try to make a success of the titular family restaurant which they’ve shifted from run-down sandwich shop to fine-dining venue. And after a wait of almost a year, we’ll finally get to find out what that all-important review said. 

‘Wednesday’ season 2  

Starring: Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman 

Where: Netflix  

When: August 6 

Wednesday Addams is back at Nevermore Academy for another year. And this time around, the rest of her spooky, kooky family will be spending a lot more time there, too — much to Wednesday’s chagrin — and not just because her brother Pugsley has enrolled. Co-showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have promised a “darker, more complex” series. And at Netlix’s live Tudum event last month, it was announced that Lady Gaga will be guest starring as the “mysterious and enigmatic” Nevermore teacher Rosaline Rotwood. 

‘Slow Horses’ season 5 

Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas 

Where: Apple+ TV 

When: Sept. 24 

Former British super-spy Jackson Lamb and his unfortunate crew of misfit spooks return for another series of this excellent, darkly humorous espionage drama. This time around, the trouble starts when Slough House’s resident tech nerd Roddy gets a glamorous new girlfriend, who everyone — or, at least, everyone except for Roddy — can see is well out of his league. The show is an adaptation of Mick Herron’s “Slough House” novels, and this season is based on “London Rules.” “Ted Lasso” star Nick Mohammed is perhaps the biggest new name to join the cast; he'll be playing an ambitious London mayoral candidate. 

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 

Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown 

Where: Netflix 

When: November 26 

The final (really?) season of the phenomenally successful Eighties-set sci-fi horror drama has a lot to live up to. Once again, psychokinetic Eleven and her pals in Hawkins, Indiana, must fight to save the Earth from the alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. Since its arrival on our screens in 2016, “Stranger Things” has been one of the world’s most talked-about and beloved series. Showrunners The Duffer Brothers have got pretty much everything right so far. Can they stick the landing? 

Topics: Squid Game Stranger Things Ironheart The Bear Wednesday Slow Horses

REVIEW: ‘Stick’ — Apple’s golf-based comedy unlikely to rival ‘Ted Lasso’ success

Updated 13 June 2025
Adam Grundey
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REVIEW: ‘Stick’ — Apple’s golf-based comedy unlikely to rival ‘Ted Lasso’ success

  • Owen Wilson’s charisma shines through, but ‘Stick’ is forgettable fluff
Updated 13 June 2025
Adam Grundey

JEDDAH: You remember “Ted Lasso,” right? The Jason Sudeikis-fronted feelgood football-based sporting comedy that was a huge hit for Apple? Apple sure does. Hence “Stick.”

The Jason Sudeikis of “Stick” is Owen Wilson — a solid choice, possessed of a similar goofy charisma and real comedy pedigree. The football of “Stick” is golf. Which, while it’s easier to convincingly replicate to a high standard on screen (the supposedly elite football action in “Ted Lasso” was, unintentionally, just as hilarious as its best jokes) is also nowhere near as visually engaging as football. So “Stick” already has a lot of work to do.

The plot: Wilson is former pro golfer Pryce “Stick” Cahill, a serious talent who had a serious meltdown during a televised tournament, basically ruining his life. He now sells golf gear, gives lessons, and carries out side hustles with his former caddy Mitts (Marc Maron, doing what Marc Maron does — grumpy, cynical, with a glimpse of heart). And he’s going through a protracted divorce with a woman he still clearly loves but who has moved on.

One day, Pryce spots a young teen, Santi (Peter Dager), smashing balls further than most pros manage. Pryce quickly identifies that Santi is a prodigy and convinces his single mom Elena (Mariana Trevino) to let him coach/manage/try and qualify Santi for the US amateur championships. This involves a road trip in Mitts’ RV. It also involves Pryce handing over $100,000 that he really can’t afford to Elena to prove to her he’s serious. She knows Santi’s good, but since his dad — and former coach — left them, he hasn’t wanted to play golf at all. Santi is hugely talented, but prone to losing his head if things don’t go perfectly for him.

And that’s about it (in episodes up to the time of writing). We follow the mismatched crew on their road trip; Santi plays some golf and wows people; Pryce kind of becomes a substitute dad; Mitts and Elena bicker in a kind of flirty way. Nothing much happens, no huge laughs are had, Dager is a convincing mix of adolescent arrogance and angst, and Wilson is his usual quirky, charming self.

There’s nothing to hate about “Stick,” but there’s nothing really to love about it either. It’s nice. It’s vaguely entertaining. I’m already forgetting it.

Topics: Stick Ted Lasso

Recipes for Success: Chef Davisha Burrowes offers advice and a tasty recipe  

Updated 13 June 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar
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Recipes for Success: Chef Davisha Burrowes offers advice and a tasty recipe  

Updated 13 June 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar

RIYADH: The Mediterranean dining venue The Lighthouse, founded in the UAE, recently opened its first Saudi outpost in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. 

“I like to describe the Lighthouse menu as a celebration of fresh and seasonal ingredients that represent the Mediterranean culturally as a whole,” says its executive chef Davisha Burrowes. “I think it’s a perfect balance between East and West.” 

Burrowes — who grew up in Barbados — caught the culinary bug early. 

“I was around nine years old when I started cooking,” she says. “And that just grew around the age of 14 or 15. I did a few competitions in Barbados, and from there, I took my degree in culinary arts, worked around the world in different cuisines, then finally landed with the Lighthouse.” 

The Lighthouse recently opened its first Saudi outpost in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. (Supplied)

 When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?  

I think all young chefs tend to seek perfection. I was definitely overthinking the little things. And when you overthink, you tend to overcomplicate and overseason. and throughout the years, with growth from maturing as a chef, I will tell anyone that lasts this morning. 

 What’s your top tip for amateur chefs? 

Experiment. Don’t be afraid to try new things — new flavors, new blends. Go with the flow a little bit, and don’t be so hard on yourself. Some of the best recipes, by a lot of chefs around the world, have been born through mistakes. 

 What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish? And why? 

Probably a fresh squeeze of lemon. It brightens, it lifts, it cuts through very rich flavors as well. But personally, I think the best ingredient you can put in a dish is love, cooking with your heart, with your passion, just enjoying it and giving respect to each ingredient, whether it’s something as humble as an onion or a piece of foie gras. 

 When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food? 

It depends. If I go to somewhere casual, you know, I take it for what it is. I manage my expectations. I also work within hospitality, so I know there can be certain challenges within the back of house and within the operation. But if I’m going somewhere where I have high expectations, then I hold them to a certain level. 

The Lighthouse was founded in the UAE. (Supplied)

 What’s your favorite cuisine? 

I love Japanese cuisine. I worked in Japanese cuisine for two years, so I love a good selection of Nigiri platter. It needs precision, but it’s very, very simple.   

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home? 

I love cooking spaghetti carbonara. It has very few ingredients, it takes minimal effort, but it also has its intricacies. 

 What’s your favorite dish to cook?   

If time’s not a factor, then it’s a barbecue. Going back to my roots, I’m from the Caribbean, and we do a lot of barbecue — it’s always summer in the Caribbean, so we do a lot of cooking outdoors. So, definitely a barbecue feast or a grazing plate.   

What customer behavior most annoys you?  

I wouldn’t say it necessarily “annoys” me, but I do get a little disappointed when some ingredients are swapped out of dishes — especially ingredients that are essential to the harmony of the dish. As chefs, we spend a lot of time curating dishes, making sure the flavors are balanced, so when ingredients are swapped out, it just changes the whole experience that we’re trying to offer. 

 As a leader, what are you like? Are you a disciplinarian? Or are you more laid back?   

I prefer to inspire rather than intimidate. I’m very hands-on in the kitchen. I like to lead by example. I think that as a chef — or as a leader in any field — it’s important that the team see you do it, so they can have the encouragement to do it on their own. 

Chef Davisha’s charred aubergine with labneh and hot honey harissa 

(Serves 2) 

Ingredients: 

 For the Charred Aubergine:  

1 large eggplant (aubergine)  

1 tbsp olive oil  

2 tbsp labneh (or see Labneh Mix below)  

1 tbsp hot honey harissa (see Hot Honey Harissa below)  

1 tsp toasted pine nuts  

A few fresh chives, finely chopped  

Salt and pepper to taste  

For the Labneh Mix (optional, for a more flavorful labneh):  

60g labneh  

0g Greek yogurt  

Pinch of table salt  

1 tsp fresh lemon juice  

For the Hot Honey Harissa:  

20g butter  

10g olive oil  

3g harissa paste (or more for extra heat)  

1g crushed chili flakes  

5g smoked paprika  

10g honey  

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Char the Aubergine: Preheat a grill pan or BBQ to high heat. Brush the aubergine halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  

Place cut-side down on the hot grill and cook until charred and softened (about 6-8 minutes per side). For a true smoky flavor, roast directly over a gas flame or in a preheated oven at 220°C for 20 minutes.  

Prepare the Labneh Mix (optional): In a bowl, whisk together labneh, Greek yogurt, salt, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.  

Make Hot Honey Harissa: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat.  

Add the harissa paste, chili flakes, smoked paprika, and honey. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat.  

Assemble: Place the charred aubergine on a serving plate. Dollop with labneh (or labneh mix), drizzle generously with hot honey harissa, and scatter toasted pine nuts and chopped chives on top. 

At-home tips  

Labneh Substitute: If you don’t have labneh, use thick Greek yogurt, strained through a cheesecloth or coffee filter for a few hours to mimic labneh’s rich texture.  

Char at Home: If you don’t have a grill, broil the aubergine in your oven or cook it in a cast-iron pan to achieve a similar smoky effect.  

Harissa Hack: No harissa paste? Mix 1 tbsp tomato paste with 1 tsp chili flakes, ½ tsp cumin, and a pinch of smoked paprika for a quick substitute.  

Honey Choices: Use mild, floral honey for a more balanced sauce or a spicy honey to really turn up the heat. 

Topics: Davisha Burrowes

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