A TikTok chef is going viral with video recipes using only ingredients that can still be found in Gaza, where aid blockages fuel famine. This use of her talents to help civilians caught in a brutal war earned her praise and admiration from those who often feel helpless as they’ve watched the tragedy unfold in real time for nearly two years now.
Featured VideoHer comment sections are overflowing with Palestinians thanking her after trying these recipes.
Chef Nasir makes recipes for Gaza
Chef Yasmin Nasir, a Jordanian-Canadian who studied at the Le Cordon Bleu in London, has been posting her recipe videos on TikTok since October 2022. She’s always been popular online, including on Instagram, but her videos started reaching millions of views in recent months after she began tailoring her content for Gazans.
AdvertisementOn Aug. 25, 2025, Palestinian journalist @hebh_jamal boosted her on X to over 2.3 million viewers.
“This chef makes videos on TikTok aimed at those in Gaza to make food only with the ingredients that they have,” Jamal wrote.
“For example, she taught people how to make vegan chicken, + the comments are flooded with people thanking her after trying her recipes. This is how you use your platform.” Jamal also shared a screenshot of what appears to be a Palestinian resident watching one of Nasir’s videos.
AdvertisementNasir’s vegan seitan chicken recipe is the most popular on the account so far, with over 18.1 million views and 643,000 likes.
The short video demonstrates how to prepare the dough so that it has the texture of chicken, which is sure to be refreshing when meat is scarce. The essential ingredients are nothing more than flour, water, and salt.
@yasmin.nasir دجاج القمح، نباتي و مصنوع بس من الطحين، و مليان بروتينات! Seitan Chicken, is washed flour vegan meat substitute, filled with Plant Based Proteins. المكونات لكل 1 كوب طحين 1/2 كوب ماء 1/2 ملعقة صغيرة ملح بهارات حسب الرغبة (أنا استخدمت بودرة مرق، بودرة بصل و ثوم، بابريكا، ملح و فلفل) ماء لغسل العجين Ingredients For every 1 cup Flour 1/2 cup Water 1/2 tsp Salt Spices (I used chicken stock powder, onion & garlic powder, paprika, salt & pepper) Water to wash the dough طريقة التحضير: 1) اعجن الطحين مع الماء والملح حتى تتكون عجينة متماسكة. كلما زادت مدة العجن، زادت نسبة تطوير الجلوتين. 2) اترك العجينة ترتاح في ماء وملح لمدة ساعة. 3) اغسل العجينة بالماء ٤ إلى ٥ مرات حتى يصبح الماء صافيًا ويتبقى لديك كرة من الجلوتين فقط. بالنسبة لماء النشا، انقله إلى وعاء كبير واتركه حتى يترسب النشا في القاع، ثم جففه واستخدمه في وصفات أخرى. 4) تبل الجلوتين واتركه يرتاح لمدة ساعة، ثم قطعه إلى شرائح، وجدله واربطه عدة مرات. 5) اقلي السيتان قليًا خفيفًا من الجهتين، ثم لُفه في قطعة قماش نظيفة أو شاش، واغليه على نار هادئة جدًا مع التوابل لمدة ساعة. 6) بعد أن يبرد، يمكن تفتيته تمامًا مثل الدجاج. يمكنك تناوله كما هو، أو قليه، أو شويه، أو استخدامه في أي طبق. Preparation Menthod – Knead flour, water & salt into a dough. The more you knead, the more gluten is developed – Rest your dough in water and salt for 1 hour – Wash your dough in water 4 to 5 times till the water runs clear and a ball of gluten remains. – As for the starch water, transfer the starch water to a big bowl and set aside till the starch sinks to the bottom, then dry the starch and use it in other recipes. – Season your gluten and rest for 1 hour, then cut into strips, braid and knot multiple times – Shallow fry the seitan on both sides, then wrap in a cheesecloth or clean fabric, then simmer in boiling water and spices for 1 hour on super low heat. – Once cool, it shreds just like chicken. You can eat as is, or fry, grill, or incorporate in any dish #seitan #chicken #vegan #yallayasmin #yallanotbokh #yasminnasir #دجاج #نباتي # يلا_ياسمين # يلا_نطبخ #ياسمين_ناصر ♬ original sound – yasmin.nasirAdvertisement
The United Nations recently estimated that by the end of September, 640,000 Gazans will face Phase 5 levels of food insecurity, classified as “catastrophic” by the organization’s Food Security Analysis Unit. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres did not mince words when placing the blame for this crisis.
“It is a man-made disaster, a moral indictment – and a failure of humanity itself,” he said. “Famine is not about food; it is the deliberate collapse of the systems needed for human survival.”
Social media reactions
While Nasir’s efforts alone are heartwarming enough, seeing the people of Gaza say that they’ve successfully tried her techniques even in the middle of the crisis is all the better.
Advertisement“I am from Gaza and I tried it very tasty and tasted like meat 90% chicken taste,” wrote @lana_skeer.
“I swear, Yasmin, that you are creative and awesome, God bless you, God bless you,” said @D.mohammed.j.
Unfortunately, just as many commenters say they can’t attempt her recipes because they don’t have enough flour, or they have so little that they’re afraid to try, worrying that they may waste what they’ve managed to secure.
On X, Nasir’s content is at least boosting the spirits of those weighed down by the images they’ve seen coming out of Gaza.
Advertisement“This is so beautiful. It’s touching to see someone actually think about what’s available in Gaza and turn it into ingredients,” said @dvsirenco. “I wish I could do more, like her.”
“May more people with real, useful skills show up for Palestinians.”
AdvertisementUser @jjaej86 wrote that “after recently seeing people’s lack of humanity and empathy when it comes to something as simple as a coffee boycott, it’s important to remember that people with so much love in their hearts also exist.”
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