🌸 About Touba 🌸

Bringing the Warmth of Eastern Kitchens to Your Home

👋 Hi, I’m Touba

I grew up in a close-knit Middle Eastern household in California, where my grandmother’s kitchen was the heart of our home. The smell of saffron and rosewater still takes me back to those weekend mornings when I’d sit on a wooden stool, watching her hands work effortlessly as she prepared rice and stews for our family gatherings.

Today, I share those flavors and techniques here at ToubaEasts—tested recipes that bring the comfort and boldness of Eastern cooking into your kitchen, no matter where you are in the world.

📖My Story

My love for cooking began before I could even reach the counter. In our family, the kitchen wasn’t just where meals were made—it was where stories were told, where my mother taught me patience while waiting for bread dough to rise, and where I learned that a pinch of sumac at the right moment could transform an ordinary dish into something unforgettable.

“I still remember the first dish I made entirely on my own: stuffed grape leaves. I was fourteen years old, and I rolled them too loose the first batch—they fell apart in the pot. But by the third try, I got them tight and perfect. When my father took that first bite and closed his eyes the way he always did when food reminded him of his mother’s cooking back home, I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life.”

After studying communications and working in digital marketing for several years, I realized I was spending every free moment in the kitchen, scribbling recipe notes in the margins of my work notebooks. In 2019, I started ToubaEasts as a small blog to preserve the recipes passed down through my family and share them with others who craved authentic, home-cooked Eastern food.

What began as a weekend project has grown into something I never expected. Today, thousands of home cooks visit ToubaEasts each month, trusting my recipes to bring real flavor to their tables. I’ve developed and published over 200 recipes, each one tested at least five times in my own kitchen before it ever reaches the site.

⭐What I Bring to Your Kitchen

After more than fifteen years of cooking Eastern dishes—first learning from my family, then experimenting on my own, and now teaching through this site—I’ve learned what makes the difference between a good dish and one that people ask for again and again.

🍚 Authentic Techniques

Traditional methods passed down through generations—like properly steaming couscous in three stages or achieving the perfect golden crust on tahdig—explained step by step so you can master them at home.

🌶️ Bold, Balanced Flavors

Eastern cooking is about harmony. I’ll show you how spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and saffron work together, and when to add them for maximum impact.

📝 Clear, Tested Instructions

No vague measurements or mysterious steps. Each recipe includes exact quantities, timing cues, and the tips I’ve learned through years of trial and error in my own kitchen.

🛒 Practical Ingredients

I adapt recipes for ingredients you can find at regular grocery stores, with substitution suggestions when specialty items like preserved lemons or dried limes might be hard to source.

🍽️What You’ll Find Here

ToubaEasts focuses on Middle Eastern and Persian recipes, from everyday meals to special occasion dishes that have been in my family for generations. Some dishes my readers come back to again and again:

Persian Saffron Rice with Tahdig — The crispy golden rice that everyone fights over. I share my foolproof method for achieving that perfect crunch every single time.

Lamb and Herb Stew (Ghormeh Sabzi) — My grandmother’s recipe, slow-cooked with dried limes and a mountain of fresh herbs until deeply flavorful.

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolma) — The dish that started it all for me, with a filling of seasoned rice, herbs, and tender meat wrapped in brined grape leaves.

Homemade Flatbreads — From Persian barbari to lavash, I’ll show you how to make fresh bread that puts store-bought to shame.

Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner or an elaborate weekend feast, I’ve designed these recipes to work in real home kitchens, with the kind of detailed guidance I wish I’d had when I was first learning to cook on my own.

💬Let’s Connect

📧 Questions or Feedback?

I read every message and love hearing how recipes turned out in your kitchen. Whether you have a question about substitutions or just want to share a photo of your finished dish, I’d love to hear from you. Reach out here →

📌 Follow on Pinterest

Save recipes, browse my inspiration boards, and see what I’m cooking next. Find me on Pinterest →

Thank you for being here. Every time you make one of my recipes, you’re helping keep these traditions alive—and that means everything to me. I can’t wait to cook with you.

Come explore our world of rich and flavorful Eastern recipes!

Explore our captivating blog articles and immerse yourself in a journey through the rich flavors of the East. Let the charm of creativity and deliciousness transport you to a world of spices, aromas, and endless culinary possibilities.

Recipes Favorites