We’re at the dinner table. You ask, “Hamza, what are your latest creative endeavors?”
Here’s a peek into what I’ve been tinkering on lately.
“A Living Mosaic: Of Rice and Self”
Inspired by Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,”↗ I embarked on a culinary journey to understand my individuality and how my sense of self is also connected to nature.
Hamza’s “Song of Myself” is expressed through a magazine spread↗. (Special shoutout to my mom for spending time in the kitchen showing me the biryani making process!)
Hey, hi, hello!
I absolutely love using Instagram Stories to journal my observations of the world around me. It’s the perfect medley of photography, writing and handwritten doodles.
I’ve created collaborative playlists and what I call “story vlogs,” where I document my explorations.
During the pandemic, I found solace in the written word and debuted custom journal pages complete with a mark I designed.
A bowl for every moment
It’s super particular, but I think bowls are the perfect dishware because they offer a surprising number of possibilities. Portable, comforting and adaptable, I’ve come to enjoy experimenting with ingredients and, in the process, appreciating the many ways the humble bowl shows up around the world.
Gluten-free expeditions
Gluten has been my nemesis for some 15 years, but all is well. I’ve been on a baking adventure with stops along the way to learn how different ingredients interact with each other.
My most recent exploration came while taking a break from working on my application and discovering that the fats in almond flour can step in for butter and double as a non-wheat base in the crust. Next stop? Experimenting with corn starch vs arrowroot to get the filling texture just right. And, seeing whether the caramelization of coconut sugar or brown sugar pairs better with spiced pumpkin notes.
A favorite discovery came from the age-old dilemma: What do you do with ripe bananas? My go-to is almond butter banana bars!