Man may have taken his first
faltering steps in East Africa, but
the Middle East is where we made
the irresistible shift from gatherers to
farmers, from nomads to city dwellers and
from small groups to intrepid traders. That
means that this region, for various reasons,
has acted as both the cradle of global
cooking and the initial catalyst to the food
routes of the world.
This is, after all, the region where wheat
was first cultivated, where bread was first
leavened, beer first brewed. How then do
we identify specifically Middle Eastern
ingredients? After all, olives, honey, sesame
seeds, chickpeas, mint and parsley are
ubiquitous, though the use of these ingredients
are regionally specific - sesame seeds
turned into tahini to make hummus or baba
ghanoush, chickpeas ground down to make
falafel and so on.
How do you untangle the web of influences
when the region has been such a melting pot
for at least two and a half millennia? During
the Persian Empire, the well-known mix of
rice, poultry and fruit was created and
Arabian fruits and nuts were spread out of the
region by Arab armies. Then, during Turkey's
Ottoman Empire, filo pastries and coffee
became ever-present. Mongol invaders
brought dumplings; trade with India delivered
turmeric, garlic, cloves, pepper, allspice and
cumin; trade with Africa brought okra; and
European traders brought culinaries treasures
from the New World, especially the tomato.
So let's look instead at a number of
representative tastes from the region and
think how you can incorporate them into
your own cooking.
SUMAC
What is it? A deep red or purple powder
from the dried fruits of the sumac shrub.
What's it used for? It adds a lemony taste
to salads, meat or as a garnish to, for
example, hummus. It is also added to za'atar.
What could you do with it? Try adding it
to guacamole or sprinkling it on a grilled
aubergine risotto. Cut potato wedges, coat
them in egg white, chilli and sumac, then
bake in the oven till crisp. Add some to a
classic burrito mix. Blend it into a lemon and
chilli flake-based marinade for fresh olives.
We also find it goes well with beetroot and
makes an interesting addition to mayonnaise.
* SESAME
What is it?
A flowering plant
whose seeds are
used as a spice
and which can
also be pressed to
create sesame oil.
What's it used for? Mixed with honey or
sugar syrup, it is found in baklava and
similar treats. The seeds are also pressed
to create tahini, which is used in hummus.
What could you do with it? Sesame seeds
have a natural affinity to bread - everything
from your hamburger bun to a bagel. Try
adding sesame oil and chopped cashews to
simply steamed asparagus. Marinade tuna with
lemongrass, sesame seeds, black pepper and
oil before searing it briefly. Broil hard white fish
(cod is ideal) coated with lemongrass and
sesame seeds. Mix baby spinach and sliced
strawberries for a delicious salad, served with a
dressing containing sesame and nigella seeds.
* LABNEH
What is it?
A creamy,
strained yoghurt
that can be cooked
at high temperatures.
What's it used for? Commonly for breakfast
and as part of mezzeh. Served with olive oil,
hard labneh is added to salads.
What could you do with it?
Tzatziki. Find a recipe for the delicious
Indian dessert shrikhand. Use in place of
Greek yoghurt.
* CARDAMON
PISTACHIO READ,
What is it? A nut
from a desert-tolerant
tree, it is related both
to the cashew and
the sumac.
What's it used for?
Eaten as a snack, in ice
cream or confectionery
like baklava.
What could you do
with it? Though traditionally seen in sweet
dishes, the pistachio copes well in more
robust dishes. Roast with almonds, grind and
add to any cream-based curry sauce. Use
roasted nuts to garnish artichoke soup. Make
a stuffing with apricots, raisins and pistachios.
Try pistachio butter as the base for hors
d'ouvres - puree equal parts blanched
pistachios and almonds, add two thirds of this
volume of sugar and salt to taste.
* POMEGRANATE
What is it? A very ancient
fruit, containing around
600 edible seeds encased
in pulp.
What's it used for? Heavily
used in classical Persian cuisine, it's also used
as an astringent syrup in Turkey for salad
dressings or meat marinades.
What could you do with it? Learn how to
deseed it. First: cut it open and then pull
apart in a bowl of water - the inedible pulp
floats and can be easily removed. Freezing
first also makes it easier. Spinney's now sells
pots of fresh seeds, thus avoiding the hassle.
Add to good vanilla ice cream. It makes a
quick salad with rocket, walnuts and feta
cheese. Try a crumble of pears and
pomegranate seeds, spiced with lemon juice,
nutmeg and cinnamon. Get cooking with
pomegranates with the recipes on page 38.
What is it? An Indian
spice, related to the
ginger family. Small
black seeds are held
in a triangular pod.
What's it used for?
In the region, green
cardamom powder is
used as a spice for
sweet dishes as well as traditional
flavouring in coffee and tea. Pods are
ground with coffee beans to produce a
powder, which is boiled.
What could you do with it? It's used widely
in Indian cooking so you'll find inspiration
there. More unusually, Scandinavians use it in
baking. Try making a marinade (cardamon,
black pepper, honey and sherry) for baked
chicken breasts. Sprinkle dried cardamon on a
citrus fruit salad, already drizzled with honey
and lime juice. Add a touch to meringues or
any chocolate dessert. And try adding some
to your favourite rhubarb recipe.
ZA'ATAR
What is it? A herb/
spice mix that
combines some of
the following dried
ingredients: oregano,
mint, marjoram, basil
thyme and thyme,
with sesame seeds,
sumac and salt
added. Cumin, coriander
or fennel seeds can also be added.
What's it used for? Mixed with olive oil, it's
spread on a dough base and baked to
create manakeesh. You can also use it to
season meat or eaten with drained labneh as
a breakfast dish. Omanis make a herbal
infusion with it. It's high in anti-oxidants so
should certainly find a place in your kitchen.
What could you do with it? Sprinkle it on
salmon before grilling it. Add it to dips or
mix with sour cream and eat with a baked
potato. It's delicious with pasta fagioli or
chickpea salad, especially with some
added paprika! Or try roasting veggies
with a mix of za'atar and fresh chopped
parsley, mixed with lemon juice.
How do you untangle the web of influences
when the region has been such a melting pot
for at least two and a half millennia?
i t
* SAFFRON
What is it? The
dried stigma of
the saffron crocus.
By weight, it's the
world's most
expensive spice
- about 150 flowers
provide 1gm of dry
saffron threads. If it's
cheap, it's not saffron.
What's it used for? Used widely to colour
and flavour rice dishes.
What could you do with it? Cornish saffron
cake - like a saffron-flavoured brioche with
mixed fruit. Add saffron to lamb stew, with
pomegranate and chestnuts. Garlic and
saffron soup. Saffron and rose water ice
cream. Mix grape seed and extra-virgin olive
oil with crushed saffron to make delicate
saffron oil - use like truffle oil. Add to shrimp
and asparagus risotto.
BULGUR
What is it? A
parboiled and dried
mix of wheat varieties,
mainly durum, with
only a small part of the
bran removed.
What's it used for?
tyjV ? The main ingredient in
tabbouleh salad and
kibbeh, it can also be used as a good
substitute for couscous.
What could you do with it? Indians eat it
as a cereal with milk and sugar. Mix with
chickpeas, roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes
and diced cucumber for an easy salad
dressed with olive oil, fresh dill, balsamic
vinegar and ground cumin. Make patties from
onion, kidney beans, bulgur, walnuts and
herbs for delicious veggie bulgurs (er,
burgers). Use bulgur instead of arborio rice to
make a quick risotto with shrimp and corn.
The food down here is ridiculously awesome; so don’t be surprised if you see some new Cajun and Creole inspired video recipes in the near future. I’ve already had some amazing fried chicken on bourbon-spiked sweet potatoes, and also tempted fate by eating raw oysters in August. My new friend, David Aman, from DocNO Productions, took me out for some oysters and beer at Pascal's Manale, and you can see the visual proof of my culinary courage below. 
