http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CVMInq42c4

“Want to help me make the kebabs?” I asked Ava, gesturing toward the pile of long, metal skewers, the bowl of sour cherries swimming in water, and the ground lamb meat, spiced with baharat.

I tried to imagine what this spread looked like in a three year-old’s mind.

Dangerous, slimy, raw.

I cringed a little internally, knowing she wouldn’t want to help. Knowing this would push every squeamish part of her mind.

But then she spoke.

“Sure!” she smiled and slipped her hand into the cold, wet bowl of cherries. A moment later she plucked one out. “Can I eat it?”

I thought about the sour flavor. How outrageous the slippery flesh would taste to her young taste buds (I once read that children have more taste buds than adults).

“No… let’s wait until we can eat the cherries with the meat.” I replied, thinking it would be her best shot at loving it.

“Okay!” she chirped, agreeably.

We took turns, me threading the small meatballs onto the skewer, she sliding on the cherries. Soon, this wasn’t enough.

“Mamma, can I make a meatball?”

I thought about the clammy, wet meat. About how she’d hate the feeling in her hands.

“Okay,” I said reluctantly.

Her little hands took a scoop of meat from my spoon and began rolling it around until it mashed into a “ball-ish” sort of shape. She was having fun and she didn’t back down.

The lesson? Children can be squeamish one day, brave the next. Just let them be, and never stop trying. Don’t think so much. We have more preconceived notions than a toddler and can end up ruining their sense of adventure if we decide too much for them.

THE FOOD

Syrian Lentils [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

While I was nervous about the pungency of this dish, the garlic, lemon juice, and pomegranate syrup really melded into the chard and lentils in a beautiful way. I even found myself added extra pomegranate syrup and lemon juice, simply because I liked the brightness of flavor. Ava gobbled this one up, and Keith ate more than I expected since he is not a fan of cilantro.

What I loved least about this dish:

Not much at all; I adapted the recipe from Clifford A. Wright, and it’s hard to go wrong with his recipes; he’s a James Beard award-winning author for good reason. The main changes I made included more olive oil and lemon juice because, well, yum.

Syrian Lamb kebabs with Sour Cherries [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

Everything. This is a fun, impressive grill item easy enough for a week night, but glamorous enough for the weekend. The only change I might add is to add a little cayenne pepper to half of them (this wouldn’t be traditional, although I think the added heat would be delicious).

What I loved least about this dish:

These skewers were gone fast. If you make the kebabs,  be prepared to serve at least 2 kebabs per person (unless you have lots of other food). If you want to save money, use a blend of lamb and beef.

Baharat [Recipe]

What I loved most about this dish:

This spice blend is peppery, but also earthy and sweet from the cinnamon and nutmeg. This would go great in any meat dishes, or even in stews. A fun addition to any spice cabinet and the perfect hostess gift.

What I loved least about this dish:

Nothing… there’s no wrong answers with Baharat – play around with proportions and make what works for you. Have fun!

I’m craving a little excitement. A little spice. In my younger years, I might have stayed out all night clubbing, I might have found a new crush,  or I might have packed my bags and drove off into the sunset without checking a map.

Even worse, I might have done all three.

Today, I think, I’ll settle for something simpler. Something more manageable.

Baharat is a popular Middle Eastern spice blend which often makes its way into kebabs and other meat preparations. There are countless recipes from Turkey, all the way down to Iran, but one thing is for certain: in Syria, you can count on a hefty amount of black pepper to give your meat delicate heat.

All you need for this recipe is a coffee grinder or spice mill and a handful of spices.

I say double the recipe and give some to a friend. It’s the perfect “thinking of you” gift.

Who knows, they might be looking for the Spiced Life, too… or, at the very least, a little sparkle…

Mosque in Damascus. Photo by “strangerer.”

Ingredients:

1/4 cup black peppercorns
1/4 cup allspice berries
8 cloves
5 whole cardamom pods

1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

Toast the whole spices in a clean, dry skillet. This should only take about a minute. Keep moving the spices so that they don’t burn.

Let cool a moment then grind in a spice grinder.

Stir together with the nutmeg and cinnamon.

Enjoy the peppery goodness.

Especially in our Sour Cherry Lamb kebabs.

There’s a whole head of garlic up in these cyber pages. By now you should be able to smell it through the screen.

I know. You have boys to kiss. Important business meetings and no Altoids. You don’t have time to smell like garlic.

But indulge me for a moment, please.

We’ve eaten a whole head of garlic on this Adventure before, as with our Lebanese garlic sauce Toum, but this time our garlic is making friends with lentils and Swiss chard. They bubble and steam up together, considerably mellowing out the flavor.

To round out the flavor, there’s a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a splash of pomegranate syrup, and a pile of cilantro.

(To my cilantro haters: don’t worry, the offending leaves get waaay cooked down. If you can eat Salsa, you can eat these lentils).

The result is a lovely warm lentil side dish or dip (best enjoyed with homemade pita bread). I even like it cold, with salad. And it’s definitely better the next day, although you might want to “refresh it” with another squeeze of lemon juice and another sprinkling of salt.

(Thank you for voting on this recipe on our Facebook Fan Page!)

Adapted from A Mediterranean Feast  by Clifford A. Wright.

Serves 6 (as a side or a dip)

Ingredients:

2 cups lentils
1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 small head garlic, mashed or crushed
1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed and sliced very thinly (about 8 leaves)
1 bunch cilantro, minced
1 lemon, juiced
3-4 Tbsp pomegranate syrup (available at Whole Foods or a Middle Eastern market)
water, as needed
salt & pepper

Method:

Rinse the lentils, cover with a few inches of water, and cook 20-40 minutes, until just tender. (Cooking times really vary with lentils, so I suggest checking them after 20 minutes)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant.

Add in the thinly sliced chard and de-stemmed cilantro leaves (reserve a bit of cilantro for garnish, if desired) and cook another two minutes.

Add the cooked lentils, lemon juice, and pomegranate syrup and cook until the lentils are a bit mushy, about ten more minutes. Add water as needed to keep the mixture loose and to keep it from drying out.

Season really well with salt, to brighten up the flavors.

Serve warm with an extra drizzle of olive oil and wedges of pita bread.

Enjoy!

Perhaps with a kitty cat… perhaps with a view.

Panorama of Damascus. Photo by Wurzelgnohm.

P.S. Do you eat garlic whenever you like, or – is there safety in numbers, and you only do it when other people are indulging?

I can almost hear it; the hiss and sizzle of grills waking up from their long winter naps. It’s warm in Oklahoma and we’re ready to move our kitchen outside, into the sparkling sun.

Today’s inspiration comes from Syria and the pucker of sour cherries, which will be in season sometime in the next few weeks, depending where in the world you live.

Syrian Lamb Kebabs with Cherries can be made two different ways. The first is easy – you string up the meat along with the sour cherries. The second involves creating a gravy of sorts with the sour cherries and serving the whole shebang on a platter over pita bread. The latter is more of a winter dish, so we’re going all summer, all the way.

The distinctive seasoning in these kebabs is baharat (we’ll have that recipe posted very soon), but if you don’t have time to make any, add some pepper, allspice, and cinnamon, plus a pinch of clove and nutmeg  to this recipe and you’ll be good to go.

Makes 6 skewers

Ingredients:

1 lb ground lamb
2 tsp homemade baharat
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt & pepper

1 jar sour cherries, fresh or jarred
skewers, for grilling

Method:

Let’s build some towers. Like this… but with meat:

Palmyra, Syria. Photo by Zelidar.

To get started, thoroughly mix the lamb with the spices. The best tool for the job is your hands. Really work it. Then cover and refrigerate at least an hour, but overnight is fine, too.

Shape into balls and thread onto skewers , alternating with the sour cherries.

“Look, mama, you made a pattern!” said Ava, at this moment.

Cook on an oiled, medium-hot grill, turning once, until the meat is cooked through. You can also make these inside on a grill pan, if your door happens to be blocked by a giant table. You know, if that’s where you happen to take your blog photos …. (ahem).

Enjoy with some crazy, curly hair.

Seriously. When did that happen?

Enjoy kebab bliss.

Are you ready to fire up the outdoor grill yet, or is it too cold where you are?

Also, do you see this kebab as a special occasion treat or something you’d make any ol’ day?

“If your friend is honey, don’t lick him all.”
Syrian Proverb

If I’m going to be honest, I’d have to say I’m not exactly sure what this proverb means (or, more to the point, I’m not sure I should be visualizing my friends as honey bears).

My theory: the proverb is not literal (so few are), but it does teach that good things should not be taken advantage of. Lest we lick them all up.

But what a vivid picture the Syrians paint to teach this message.

The food is just as vivid. There are bright punches of garlic (an entire head in our lentil recipe), an entire bunch of cilantro, and as many sour cherries as a girl can stand.

So let’s get vivid.

All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.

Syrian Lentils [Recipe]
An addicting (and vegan) blend of lentils, swiss chard, and entire head of garlic. Dont’ forget the lemon juice, pomegranate syrup and cilantro. A big punch of flavor for very little effort.

Lamb kebabs with Sour Cherries | Kebab Karaz [Recipe]
Lamb balls seasoned with Baharat and grilled with sour cherries. Easy and impressive.

Baharat Seasoning Blend [Recipe]
A blend of black peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices.

(Photo by Bernard Gagnon)

So what do you think?

Did I get this proverb right… or is there some other meaning I’m missing?