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Garlic and Walnut Sauce | Garo

Makes 4 cups This bold tasting spread/sauce from Georgia will have your mouth asking “What is in this!”  I couldn’t decide what it reminded me of, which I find exciting (trying new flavors is the purpose of eating the world, A-Z!). The bold flavor of cilantro and walnut are the main body of flavor, with an earthy, almost bitter note from the spices. You can knock the bitter profile back a bit if you use less fenugreek seeds. Adapted from The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia. Ingredients: 1 bunch cilantro, including stems 4 cloves garlic 2 cups walnuts, chopped 2 cups stock (chicken is traditional, but vegetable is fine for a vegan recipe) 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 1/2- 1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds (add to taste) 1 tsp ground turmeric salt pepper Method: Welcome to Georgia – this picture shows so many of the characteristic flavors of this beautiful country. First, blend together the washed cilantro (stems and all) with walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and stock. …

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Georgian Five Spice | Khmeli-Suneli

Makes about 3 Tbsp Ever take a bite of food and know exactly what country the food is from? Ever wonder why? Usually it’s because the food is loaded with typical, regional herbs and spices. The food of Georgia (the country) is no different. This Georgian five spice can be used in almost any dish thanks to it’s agreeable combination of grassy herbs like coriander, savory, bay leaf and dill – along with a hit from subtly bitter fenugreek seeds (whose flavor you’ll recognize from curry powder). Side note – Before Khmeli-suneli I had never tried savory. I rather like it – the flavor is a little like thyme with a hit of mint. This happy herb would be lovely in a salad dressing. Adapted from The Silk Road Gourmet: Volume One: Western and Southern Asia Ingredients: 2 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 dried bay leaves 1 Tbsp ground coriander 1 Tbsp dried savory 1 1/2 tsp dried dill 1/2 tsp pepper Method: Add fenugreek seeds and bay leaves to spice grinder. Blend until powdered. This …

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Roast Lamb from Cyprus | Ofto Kleftiko

Serves 2-4 This completely fuss-free roast lamb dish, Ofto Kleftiko, maximizes the rich, succulent flavor of lamb and is so tender it literally falls of the bone. A great dish for holidays, festivals, or even pot luck dinners. Serve one shank per person, unless appetites are small. Ingredients: 2 lamb shanks, about one pound each 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground coriander 4 bay leaves salt pepper olive oil Method: Get the oven nice and toasty – set it to 375F. Meanwhile, drizzle lamb with olive oil… (a.k.a. liquid gold) Sprinkle with heaps of salt and pepper… Then, divide the cinnamon and ground coriander seed equally amongst the lamb shanks. If you’re feeling kind of crazy, you might add a bit more cinnamon. Take off your rings, roll up your sleeves, and rub the spices into the meat. Make sure to also coat the ends and bottom of the lamb. Place both lamb shanks on top of a bay leaf, on their own large square of aluminum foil. Add another bay leaf on top and …

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Red Wine Potatoes | Potatoes “Afelia”

While Afelia commonly refers to a pork dish, the term can also refer to any number of ingredients stewed/roasted in red wine and sprinkled with coriander seeds. Yum! In Cyprus, the most popular variants include mushrooms, potatoes, and artichoke hearts (all of which are vegan). Most recipes add a sprinkling of coriander seeds at the end of cooking (ground or cracked is best). Serves 4 Slowly roasted in olive oil and red wine, these potatoes are so rich you won’t need butter. A typical recipe from Cyprus and Greece. Ingredients: 2 pounds fingerling potatoes (or any small potato) 1/2 cup red wine 1/2 cup olive oil salt pepper ground coriander seeds, to taste Method: Put on some music from Cyprus. Then, preheat the oven to 375F Meanwhile, rinse and slit the potatoes (about 4 slits per potato – this allows the wine and oil to seep in and flavor them) Douse with olive oil. Don’t be shy. Some recipes I saw from Cyprus and Greece actually cover these with oil. Wow. Splash on the red wine …

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Curry Spice Mix | Rempah

Makes enough for about 2 curries (more if you like them mild) Rempah, a common curry blend in Brunei, will infuse your meal with the most haunting flavors of garlic, ginger, lemongrass… spicy chili pwder and golden turmeric. The entire kitchen smells like paradise when you cook with Rempah. PS. You can use this in our recipe for Sayur Lodeh. Ingredients: 1/8 cup cashews 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground coriander 1 Tbsp belachan or anchovy paste 1 Tbsp chopped, fresh lemongrass 1″ fresh ginger, chopped 1 Tbsp vegetable oil Method: 1. Add all ingredients to a small food processor. The fresh lemongrass is actually from my garden! It looks like a giant piece of overgrown grass, but with the most incredible, lemony-spring scent. Clip the lemongrass as close to the ground as you can. Here’s what not to do: The bottom ends have all sorts of tasty goodness that gets infused into the curry, when it cooks. Don’t forget the bechalon/anchovy paste. It …

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Bahraini Shrimp Balls | Chebeh Rubyan

Serves 4 Shrimp balls blend the flavors of the Middle East with India. Though these are traditionally stuffed with minced onion, I prefer the simplicity of unfilled balls. If you like spicy food, add a sprinkle of cayenne. The way the recipe stands, however, this dish is mild, but wonderfully flavorful. TIP: Use the cheapest shrimp because you are just going to puree it anyway. Ingredients: 1 lb cleaned shrimp 1 Tbsp cilantro 1/4 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 – 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup brown rice flour 1/3 cup ghee or butter 1 onion, minced baharat powder: 1 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp coriander 1/4 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp cloves 1/8 tsp cardamom the rind of 1/2 a lemon, grated 1 tsp tamarind paste 1 cups warm water 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes 1/2 tsp chili powder 2 Tbsp sugar Method: For the shrimp balls: 1. In a food processor blend into a paste shrimp, cilantro, turmeric, salt, and rice flour. Chill until needed. For …

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Harissa Chili Paste

Harissa (also Harisa) is chili paste used to flavor many north african dishes, specifically in Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and western Sicily. The condiment can be made mild, medium, or hot. For those who don’t feel like making Harissa from scratch, middle eastern markets sell the paste in cans. Whole Foods sells Harissa in the spice aisle (you just add water and olive oil to make the dry mix into a paste). The main components of Harissa: 2 ounces dried Guajillo chili peppers, soaked for 30 minutes, seeded and stemmed 2 ounces dried Anaheim chili peppers, mild, soaked for 30 minutes, seeded and stemmed 5 Garlic cloves, peeled 2 Tbsp water 2 Tbsp Olive Oil, plus extra 1/2 tsp ground caraway 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 1/2 tsp salt 1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until mixture creates a paste. 2. Cover with extra olive oil and store in the refrigerator. Adapted from A Mediterranean Feast, Clifford Wright Harissa Chili Paste Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Harissa (also Harisa) is a chili paste used …

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