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Dukkah - Nutty Spice Mix Recipe
NOTES: Dukkah, an aromatic mixture of dried legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, it is the poor man's dinner or perfect travel food in the Middle East. Make it part of your next Middle Eastern Mezze! Roasted chickpeas are generally available from Indian and Middle Eastern grocers.
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup roasted chickpeas
1/2 cup coriander seeds
3 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons mild Hungarian paprika
flatbread -- preferably warm
extra-virgin olive oil -- for dipping
1. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden. Remove and set aside.
2. Roast the hazelnuts and chickpeas, separately, in the same hot pan for about 4-5 minutes or until aromatic.
Remove and set aside. Reserve two tablespoons of the roasted chickpeas.
3. Pan-toast the coriander and cumin seeds until aromatic. Remove from pan and let cool.
4. Mix all the dukkah ingredients, except the paprika
and reserved chickpeas, in a bowl. In a spice grinder,
small food processor or mortar and pestle, grind the dukka
to a fairly chunky consistency. Remove to a serving bowl
and stir in the paprika and the reserved chickpeas.
5. To serve, place the olive oil in a separate bowl and
place the dukkah and oil side by side on a large serving
platter with flatbread. Torn flatbread is dipped first
into the oil, then into the dukkah.
Felafel
(Serves 6)
NOTES : For optimum texture and flavor, use dried
chickpeas, NOT CANNED, to make felafel.
VARIATION: Spread about 1/2
cup sesame seeds on a dish. Gently press both sides of
felafel into seeds. Proceed with frying for only 2-3 minutes.
Dried chickpeas and Middle Eastern Tahini are available
from Middle Eastern Markets.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup dried chickpeas -- soaked overnight
2 tablespoons fine-grain bulgar
1 medium yellow onion, peeled -- finely chopped
2 garlic cloves -- peeled and minced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves -- finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves -- finely chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper -- or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper -- or to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds -- optional
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup sesame seeds -- optional
vegetable oil -- for frying
6 pieces flatbread
zhoug -- see recipe
tahina sauce -- see recipe
CONDIMENTS:
chopped tomatoes
shredded lettuce
shredded red cabbage
julienned dill pickles
fried eggplant slices
ZHOUG:
3 large garlic cloves -- peeled
10 fresh chiles, such as jalapenos or serranos -- or a mixture of both
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 small bunch cilantro -- washed and dried
1 small bunch parsley -- washed and dried
sea salt -- to taste
water -- as needed
TAHINI SAUCE:
2 garlic cloves -- peeled
1/2 cup Middle Eastern tahini -- if available
6 tablespoons water
2 lemons -- juice only
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
large pinch cayenne pepper
sea salt -- to taste
FOR THE FELAFEL:
1. Drain chickpeas. Put into the bowl of a food processor
fitted with a steel blade, and grind, scraping sides with a
rubber spatula as needed, until chickpeas are the texture
of cornmeal. Misture should just hold together when pressed
between your thumb and forefinger. Transfer ground
chickpeas to a large bowl.
2. Add the bulgur, onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro,
salt, cumin, coriander, baking powder, pepper, cayenne,
turmeric and cardamom seeds, if using. Mix well. Stir in two
tablespoons water. Cover bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Pour oil into a medium saucepan or wok to a depth of
two inches and heat over medium heat until it reaches 350
degrees on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, with wet hands,
shape chickpea mixture into 24 1 1/2-inch rounds about 1 1/2
inches thick. Working in batches, fry felafel until
golden, 3-4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper
towels to drain.
4. To serve, lay 3-4 hot felafels onto a piece of
flatbread and spoon either zhoug or tahina sauce over the top.
Top with condiments of choice, roll and enjoy!
FOR THE ZHOUG:
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel
blade, add the garlic cloves and process until minced. Add
the chiles, cumin and cardamom, and process to form a paste.
Add the cilantro and parsley and process to a fine paste.
Add salt to taste and process to incorporate.
2. If necessary, add a few tablespoons water to facilitate
processing to a fine paste. Correct seasoning and serve
with felafel.
MAKES 3/4 CUP
FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE:
NOTE: Well made Tahini Sauce should be fluid but not thin,
and should nicely balance bitter, acidic and garlicky
flavors. Stir tahina before using, as the oil may have
separated from the paste.
1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic and
process until finely minced. Add the tahini, water and two
tablespoons lemon juice, cumin, cayenne and salt to taste.
Process by pulsing so as not to over-thicken sauce.
2. Adjust seasonings, adding a little more lemon juice and
spices if necessary. Serve with felafel.
MAKES 1 CUP
Hummus Bi Tahini - Chick Pea and Sesame Puree
INGREDIENTS:
2 large cloves garlic
1 14-ounce can chickpeas -- rinsed and drained
1/2 cup sesame paste (tahina)
1 1/2 large lemons -- juice only
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pure chile powder
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
pita bread
pomegranate seeds -- optional
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel
blade, add the garlic and process until finely minced. Add
the chick peas, sesame paste, lemon juice, cumin, chile
powder, salt and 1/4 cup water and process to a smooth paste.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup water and continue to process
until smooth. Add salt to taste.
2. To serve, turn out on a plate, depress the middle with
the back of a large spoon and fill with olive oil. Serve
with pita bread.
3. OPTIONAL: Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the hummus
for a festive flare.
Sameke Harrah Al-Sahara - Fish with Chile & Tahini Sauce
(Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS:
2 large Red Snapper fillets
salt
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cilantro -- chopped
1 cup tahini
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground chile pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
lemon wedges -- for garnish
cilantro sprigs -- for garnish
1. Blot fish dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
2. Heat olive oil in a frypan and saute fish on
medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each side, just until lightly
browned. Transfer to a baking dish.
3. Pound the garlic cloves with 1 teaspoon salt and mix in
cilantro. In the same pan in which you sauteed the fish,
heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the garlic mixture.
Saute quickly until mixture is crisp without burning. Cool.
4. Place the tahini in a bowl, beat well, then gradually
add the water, beating constantly. The mixture will thicken
at this point. Beat in the lemon juice gradually and stir
in the garlic mixture and chile.
5. Pour the sauce over the fish covering it completely.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 or so minutes or until the fish
is cooked through and the sauce is bubbling.
6. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a clean pan
and saute the pine nuts until golden.
7. Lift cooked fish onto a platter and spoon the sauce on
top. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and garnish platter with
lemon wedges and cilantro sprigs. Serve hot.
Fresh
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
with Two Sauces - Goi Cuon
(Serves 4)
NOTES:
This is nothing more than a Vietnamese salad with pork
or shrimp rolled up in rice papers. The aromatic herbs
in these traditional rolls give an incredibly refreshing
taste. Store-bought dry-roasted unsalted peanuts may be
substituted for the roasted peanuts in this recipe. These
rolls can be prepared a few hours in advance, covered
with a damp towel or plastic wrap and kept at room temperature
until needed. Of all the sauces, Nuoc Cham is perhaps
the most indispensable at the Vietnamese table, where
it serves somewhat the same function as salt and pepper
do in the West. It is a delightfully tangy, piquant seasoning.
Like most Vietnamese sauces, it includes fish sauce, which
gives a well-defined personality to Vietnamese food. It
is what makes Vietnamese food uniquely Vietnamese.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE SPRING ROLLS:
2 ounces thin rice vermicelli
1 tablespoon peanuts
8 raw medium shrimp
1 large carrot -- shredded
1 teaspoon sugar
8 rounds rice paper (banh trang) -- 8 1/2 " in diameter
4 large red leaf or Boston lettuce leaves -- cut in half
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
16 sprigs Chinese chives, trimmed to 5" lengths
1/2 cup coriander leaves
FOR
THE NUOC CHAM:
1 small carrot -- peeled and shredded
1 small daikon, peeled and shredded -- optional
1 teaspoon sugar 2 small garlic cloves -- crushed
1 small fresh red chile pepper -- seeded and minced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup fish sauce
FOR
THE HOISIN PEANUT SAUCE:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves -- minced
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Asian chile paste
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts -- coarsely chopped
PREPARATION:
FOR
THE SPRINGROLLS:
1. Soak the rice vermicelli in warm water for 15-20 minutes.
Drain. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot.
Drop in the noodles. With a pair of chopsticks, lift and
separate the strands to prevent clumping. Boil the noodles
for no more than 2-3 minutes. Test after 2 minutes so
you will know whether they are just al dente. Refresh
in cold water.
2. To prepare the peanuts, place in a skillet over moderate
heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the nuts turn
golden brown, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Pound in
a mortar with a pestle or process in a spice grinder until
the peanuts are a bit chunky. Do not overprocess or they
will turn into peanut butter.
3. Drop the shrimp in a pot of boiling water and cook
for 2 minutes. Refresh under cold water. Shell, devein
and cut lengthwise in half. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, combine the shredded carrot with the sugar.
Let stand for 10 minutes to soften.
5. Have a bowl of warm water ready to moisten the rice
papers. Work with only 2 sheets of rice paper at a time,
keeping the remaining sheets covered with a barely damp
cloth to prevent curling. Immerse each sheet individually
into the warm water. Quickly remove and spread out flat
on a dry towel, without letting the sheets touch one another.
The rice paper will become pliable within seconds.
6. Lay one piece of lettuce over the bottom third of the
rice paper. On the lettuce, place a snall amount of vermicelli,
1 tablespoon of the shredded carrot, bean sprouts, a sprinkling
of peanuts and several mint leaves. Roll up the paper
halfway into a cylinder. Fold both sides of the paper
over the filling. Lay 2 shrimp halves, cut side down,
along the crease. Tuck 2 chive springs under the shrimp
at one end, leaving about 1 inch of the chives extending
over the fold line. Place several coriander leaves next
to the shrimp row. Keep rolling the paper into a cylinder
to seal. Place the rolls on a plate covered with a damp
towel so they will stay moist as you fill the remaining
wrappers.
7. Pour the dipping sauce into small individual bowls
and sprinkle with the ground nuts. Dip the rolls in the
sauce as you eat.
FOR
THE NUOC CHAM:
1. Toss the carrot and daikon shreds with 1 teaspoon sugar
in a small bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes to soften the
vegetables.
2. Combine the garlic, chile and sugar in a mortar. Pound
with a pestle to a fine paste. Add the lime juice, vinegar,
fish sauce and 1/4 cup of water. Stir to blend. Alternatively,
combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor
and process for 30 seconds, or until the sugar dissolves.
3. Place the Nuoc Cham in a bowl and add the carrots and
daikon. Stir to blend. Serve with fresh spring rolls.
FOR
THE HOISIN-PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil.
When hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden,
about 30 seconds.
2. To the pan, add the hoisin, fish sauce, sugar and chile
paste. Stir well and simmer for 15 seconds. Stir in the
chicken stock. The mixture should have a thick, creamy
consistency. Remove from the heat and add the peanuts.
Let cool.
3.
Divide among small saucers and serve with fresh spring
rolls.
Spicy
Cucumber Relish - "Nam Thaeng Kwa"
(Serves 4)
NOTES
: This cool and spicy relish is a traditional accompaniment
to many Thai dishes. Crisp sliced cucumber and cilantro
are bathed in a sweet-and-sour dressing, then studded
with crushed peanuts and chopped chiles. You can make
the dressing and refrigerate up to one day in advance.
Add the relish ingredients just before serving so the
cucumbers and peanuts stay crisp and the cilantro stays
lively.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup sugar, white or golden brown
1 teaspoon salt
2 large cucumbers, preferably English/hothouse
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
6 small Thai red chiles or serrano chiles -- finely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts -- finely chopped
1/2
cup fresh cilantro, including stems -- roughly chopped
PREPARATION:
1.
Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan
over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring
to dissolve the sugar and salt. Cook for 1 minute at a
gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat
and add the lime juice and fish sauce. Cool to room temperature.
2.
When ready to serve, peel the cucumbers and cut in half
lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and cut the halved cucumbers
crosswise into thin slices. Place the cucumbers, chiles,
peanuts and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Pour the cooled
vinaigrette over the relish ingredientsjust to cover and
mix gently. Store the remaining vinaigrette in a tightly
covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to
1 week.
Steamed Red Curry Pork - "Ho Mok Mu"
(Serves 6)
NOTES
: Shredded cabbage may be substituted for the sweet basil
leaves which line the custard cups.
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup coconut cream
1 teaspoon rice flour
2 tablespoons prepared red curry paste -- or to taste
1 1/4 cups coconut milk
1 pound ground pork
1 large egg -- slightly beaten
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 cups sweet basil leaves. -- 1 cup chopped -- 1 cup whole
leaves
1/4 cup cilantro -- roughly chopped
3 tablespoons kaffir lime leaves -- finely shredded
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
2 Thai red chiles or red jalapeno -- finely sliced
PREPARATION:
1.
In a small saucepan,
add the coconut cream and rice flour and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and set aside for the topping.
2. Mix the prepared red curry paste with one cup coconut
milk in a medium bowl. Add the ground pork and mix together.
Add the egg, fish sauce, and remaining coconut milk a
little at a time and continue mixing GENTLY. Add the chopped
basil, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and one tablespoon finely
shredded kaffir lime leaves. and GENTLY stir to mix.
3. Place the remaining sweet basil leaves in the bottoms
of custard cups, fill each cup with the pork mixture to
the very top (as the mixture will shrink in the cooking
process) and steam for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the
heat and drizzle each cup with the coconut cream mixture,
top with cilantro leaves, finely shredded kaffir lime
leaves and finely sliced red chile. Return to the heat
and steam for one minute. Remove cups from the steamer
and serve hot.
Thai
Rice Pilaf with Lemongrass, Basil & Mint
(Serves 8)
INGREDIENTS:
1
1/2 cups jasmine rice
1/3 cup currants or golden raisins
2 garlic cloves -- finely minced
1 stalk lemongrass, inner leaves only -- finely minced
2 cans chicken stock
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon Asian chile sauce
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 kaffir lime leaf, deveined -- finely minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded -- small dice
3 green onions -- thinly sliced
1/4 cup basil leaves -- minced
1/4 cup mint leaves -- minced
1/4 cup sesame seeds -- toasted
PREPARATION:
1.
Place the rice in a sieve set over a stainless bowl. Wash
the rice under cold water, stirring with your fingers,
repeating the process, until the water runs clear. Drain
and set aside with the currants or golden raisins. Set
aside the garlic and lemongrass.
2. In a bowl, combine the chicken stock, coconut milk,
sherry, fish sauce, chile sauce, orange zest and kaffir
lime leaf. Place a 2 1/2-quart saucepan over high heat,
add the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and lemongrass and
saute 15 seconds. Add the rice and currants or golden
raisins and saute 5 minutes, until well heated. Add the
stock mixture and bring to a low simmer. Cover the pot,
reduce the heat to low, and simmer 15-20 minutes, until
all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
3. Stir in the red pepper, green onions, basil leaves,
mint leaves and half the sesame seeds.
4. Remove to a heated bowl and top with the remaining
sesame seeds. Serve hot.
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