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Buying the Right Middle Eastern Ingredients

When it comes to Middle Eastern ingredients you will find that most of the other ingredients used in the recipes in this book are probably already in your pantry / freezer / fridge, or are readily available at your grocery store. And even the ingredients on this list are likely to be found in the regular section of your regular grocery store (like cardamom, dates, and pine nuts), or in your grocery store's “ethnic” or “international” section (like bulgur wheat or fava beans). Some things can be easily made at home (like pomegranate molasses) or substituted (like lemon juice for citric acid, zucchini for marrow squash, other fresh herbs for mint or purslane, or equal parts unsalted butter and canola oil for clarified butter). For the few ingredients that are harder to find check your local Middle Eastern grocery store (see the Resource Guide, page 140).

Apricot Leather (Qamar al Deen): the name literally translates to “moon of the religion.” it’s made from puréed apricots that are spread onto large trays and dried in the sun; the dried sheets of apricot are lightly brushed with oil, folded, and tightly wrapped in plastic to keep them fresh. Apricot leather keeps best stored at room temperature. It can be eaten as candy, made into Apricot Drink (page 138), or Layered Apricot and Milk Pudding (page 120).

Bulgur Wheat (Burghul): _typically made from durum wheat, but can also be made from other types of wheat. It is parboiled, stripped of its outer layers of bran, and dried. It is then ground into three different sizes: #1—fine, #2—medium, and #3—coarse. The fine grind is commonly used in tabbouleh (page 44) and Kibbeh (page 100). Medium or coarse-ground bulgur wheat is prepared similarly to rice in dishes like Lentil and Bulgur Pilaf with Caramelized Onion (page 82).

Cardamom (Hale): Cardamom, which is related to ginger, produces green or black pods that contain fragrant black seeds. (Note: in this book, i’m always referring to green cardamom pods.) the seeds have a unique, warming flavor, with notes of lemon, pepper, and camphor. Once the seeds are ground they have a tendency to lose their flavor quickly, which is why it’s best to leave the pods whole until ready to use. Cardamom is used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes alike, and in Damascus it’s in the ground coffee you buy to make turkish Coffee (page 139).

Citric Acid (Hamud Lamoun): Also called lemon salt or sour salt, citric acid is found naturally in citrus fruits. It has a sour taste and is often used as a preservative, or to give dishes a pleasant tart tang. It’s handy to keep this in your pantry, as it can be substituted for fresh lemon juice in just about any recipe (the one exception I can think of is Lemony Mint Salad Dressing on page 28). To substitute, 1 large lemon = 3 to 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice = ¼ teaspoon citric acid. If you’re using citric acid to replace lemon juice, keep in mind that you may need to add a bit of water as necessary to compensate for the lack of liquid.

Clarified Butter (Ghee or Samneh): Butter that has had the milk solids and water removed resulting in a higher smoke point, which makes it useful for cooking at higher temperatures. Because of its low water content, clarified butter is ideal for use in many rice dishes, as well as in cookies—particularly, Butter Cookies (page 123)—and other confections. Clarified butter can be easily made: melt unsalted butter over low heat and cook it until foam rises to the top. Remove from heat, skim the foam off the surface, and strain the liquid through a double-cheesecloth lined mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Store in an airtight container at cool room temperature or in the fridge.

Dates (Tamar): the fruit that grows on the date palm tree, Phoenix dactylifera. there are many different varieties of dates, which are divided into the following categories based on their sugar and moisture contents: soft (including Medjool), semi-dry (such as Deglet noor), and dry (for example, Thoory). Dates undergo four different stages of ripening where they change color from green to yellow, orange, or red and then finally to brown; their texture also changes from crunchy to soft, and their flavor becomes sweet. Dates are thought of as a fairly healthy food, containing a wide range of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber. Dates play an important role in Middle Eastern cuisine. They contain simple sugars that help to quickly restore energy, which makes them the ideal food to break your fast with during the islamic holy month of Ramadan. Dates are used as the filling for Date-Filled Cookies (page 118).

Dried Limes (Loomi): Made from Persian limes that are dried until the insides turn black. They are about the size of golf balls or a little larger, and the outside color ranges from tan to brownish-black, but the darker variety is generally more flavorful. They taste sour, but without the brightness found in fresh limes, and have a complex, slightly fermented flavor. They are commonly used in dishes from the Arabian Gulf area, including Baked Chicken with Red Rice Pilaf (page 96) and Rice Pilaf with Spiced Smoked Chicken (page 94). If a recipe calls for grinding dried limes, do so right before you’re ready to use them, as their flavor diminishes once ground.

Fava Beans (Foul): Also called broad beans. They grow in slender green pods that are usually anywhere from 5 to 10 inches (12.75 to 25 cm) long and hold about three to eight beans, depending on their size. To remove fresh fava beans from the pod, either pull down on the stem so the pod opens, or cut a slit along one of the side of the pod. Before they can be eaten, the beans’ outer skins must be removed. Do this by blanching the shelled beans for two minutes in boiling water and then plunge them into an ice bath; the skins should slip right off. Once the outer skin is removed, fresh fava beans are delicious sautéed with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and cilantro. Although they can be eaten fresh, they are commonly dried. Cooked fava beans are the main component in Mashed Fava Beans with Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, & Garlic (page 76) and are also frequently used to make Falafel (page 81).

Grape Leaves (Waraq al Ainab or Dawali): these are the tender leaves that grow on grapevines; they are used to make Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves (page 71). If you have access to fresh grape leaves that have not been sprayed with pesticides, look for leaves that are the size of the palm of your hand or larger, that are free from holes or blemishes. Before stuffing grape leaves, they require a little bit of preparation. Rinse them under cold running water, trim off the stems (without cutting the leaves), and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Rinse and drain them, and then they are ready to use or freeze (they can also be canned in a brine solution). To freeze, pat each leaf dry and then stack them on top of each other (try to place as many in a stack as you will need for a recipe); place the stack(s) in a plastic bag, press out all the air, and freeze. If you don’t have access to fresh grape leaves, you can buy them frozen, canned, or jarred, just be sure to soak them for about 10 minutes in hot water (changing the water three times) before using.

Mastic (Miskeh): A resin that comes from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) in eastern Mediterranean countries such as turkey and Greece. To produce the resin, sap from the trees are dried into pale yellow or ivory colored “tears” that look like small pebbles of beach glass. Mastic is highly aromatic, with a strong licorice-like, piney flavor. Before being added to recipes, mastic should be ground, which is easiest to do by freezing it for 20 minutes, then grinding it in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of sugar (or salt, if the recipe is savory); don’t use a spice grinder, as the mastic will gum it up. It is used sparingly in puddings like Lebanese nights (page 121), and in addition to flavor, it lends a chewy texture to Rose and Pistachio ice Cream (page 131). It can also be chewed with a little wax as a sort of chewing gum.

Marrow Squash (Kousa): this is a type of summer squash similar to zucchini, but lighter in color and smaller and slightly more bulbous in size. It is commonly hollowed out and stuffed for Stuffed Marrow Squash (page 107) in Middle Eastern cooking. When choosing marrow squash to stuff, look for squash that is about 5 inches (12.75 cm) long and about 1½ to 2 inches (3.75 to 5 cm) in diameter at its thickest part. If you can’t find marrow squash, zucchini can be used instead (see hollowing Out Vegetables to Stuff, page 12).

Middle Eastern Cheese (Jibneh): there are many kinds of sheep, goat, and cow’s milk cheeses native to the Middle East. Quite a few are salty and/or brined, and must be soaked in water to remove the excessive saltiness before being used in recipes. In the Middle East, cheese is commonly eaten with smaller meals (i.e., breakfast or dinner), along with tea to balance out the cheese’s salty flavor. Perhaps the most well known Middle Eastern cheese is halloumi, a salty, firm, brined cheese that squeaks when chewed. It has a high melting point, which makes it good for frying or grilling in recipes like Pan- Seared white Cheese (page 68). Ackawi, which comes from Acre, Palestine, is a salty, semi-firm, smooth cheese that melts similarly to mozzarella. After soaking in water to remove the salty flavor, this cheese becomes significantly softer; it is commonly used as table cheese. Nabulsi originated in nablus, Palestine, and is a salty, semi-firm, brined cheese made by boiling Ackawi either with or without other spices and flavorings; nigella seeds are frequently used. Nabulsi is typically used to make Sweet Cheese Pastry (page 122). It can be used almost interchangeably with halloumi in savory dishes. Shellal is a salty, stringy Syrian cheese that this made of cheese strands twisted together; it also melts similarly to mozzarella. It is quite common to find Shellal with nigella seeds woven in with the cheese strands. Beladi is a soft, mildly tangy cheese that is typically made of goat milk; my favorite substitute for this cheese is farmer’s cheese made from goat milk, if available. A recipe for Yogurt Cheese is found on page 73 and Spiced Cheese Balls is on page 69.

Mint (Naa’na): A bright-flavored herb commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Both fresh and dried mint is used in various salad, soup, and sauce (particularly, yogurt-based sauces) recipes, and as garnishes. Mint is frequently steeped with tea and made into an elixir to drink after a large meal, as it is said to relieve indigestion.

Nigella Seeds (Habbat al Barakeh): Also called black seeds, their name literally translates to “the blessed seed.” nigella seeds are small and black, with a three dimensional, teardrop-like shape. They’re related to buttercups, and they take their name from the lovely-named Nigella sativa plant that they come from. They are revered medicinally in islam, and it is said that the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) once stated that black seeds are “a remedy for all diseases except death.” nigella seeds have an interesting flavor—peppery, nutty, smoky, slightly bitter, and strangely, a little bit like oregano. They are a common addition to cheeses, breads, and pastries.

Orange Blossom Water (Ma’ al Zaher): Also called orange flower water or just flower water, this clear liquid is distilled water made from orange blossoms. It is slightly bitter and very fragrant; to me, it smells like Damascus itself. It is used judiciously along with rose blossom water to flavor sweets and less frequently, savory dishes. It is the main flavoring in Scented Sugar Syrup (page 28) and white Coffee (page 139).

Persian Cucumber (Khiear): Small and slender cucumbers with very few seeds and a subtly sweet flavor. They are perfect for dicing up for salads or slicing up for maza platters. If you can’t find them, you can use any other small cucumber you can find (such as Lebanese or Japanese); or use English cucumber instead (1 English cucumber equals approximately 3 to 4 Persian cucumbers).

Pine Nuts (Snobar): the edible seeds found beneath the scales of pinecones from certain varieties of pine trees. In Middle Eastern cuisine, longer, oval shaped pine nuts are preferred over the shorter, more round variety. Pine nuts are ivory colored with a soft, almost buttery texture and a nutty, mildly piney flavor. They are frequently toasted in a bit of clarified butter or olive oil and used as a garnish for rice dishes; they have a tendency to burn easily, so when toasting them, be sure to keep the heat low, stir frequently, and don’t walk away from them. Due to their high oil content, it’s best to store pine nuts in the freezer.

Pomegranate Molasses (Dibis Rouman): Pomegranate juice that has been reduced to thick brownish-reddish syrup. It has a very concentrated tangy, sweet/tart flavor and is frequently used in savory dishes, such as Bell Pepper walnut Dip (page 72) and Meat and Vegetable Casserole with Pomegranate (page 103). Also, spread a little on a falafel sandwich and you’ll have everyone wondering about your delicious secret ingredient. If you can’t find pomegranate molasses, you can easily make it by simmering 4 cups (1 liter) of pomegranate juice over medium heat until it’s reduced to ½ cup (125 ml), then store in your refrigerator.

Purslane (Baqli): Also called lamb’s lettuce, lamb’s tongue, or mâché, the leaves of this leafy green vegetable look like little lamb’s tongues and grow in clusters. Its extensive root system allows it to thrive in poor soils and dry conditions (it’s because of this that purslane is often thought of as a weed by those who aren’t familiar with it). Purslane is prized in Middle Eastern cuisine for its delicious, slightly nutty flavor with a hint of bitterness. It’s a favorite ingredient in herb Salad with tangy Dressing and Croutons (page 48).

Roasted Green Wheat (Freekeh): this ancient grain is green wheat that is harvested young, sun-dried, and then fire-roasted. It has a very unique nutty, smoky flavor that is delicious in dishes like Roasted Green wheat with Chicken (page 89). When purchasing, look for coarsely cracked green wheat that smells deeply smoky and is greenish-brown in color.

Rose Water (Ma’ al Ward): this clear liquid is distilled water made from rose petals. Similar to orange blossom water, it is slightly bitter and very fragrant. It is used sparingly, usually in conjunction with orange blossom water, to flavor sweets and sometimes savory dishes. Along with orange blossom water, it is the main flavoring in Rose and Orange Blossom-Scented Milk Pudding (page 127).

Saffron (Zafaran): this spice is the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower; it can be found in whole threads or ground, but using whole threads is preferred. Saffron has a bittersweet, earthy flavor and should be used sparingly, as using too much may cause a dish to turn overly bitter or metallic. Saffron is deep red in color and gives a lovely golden hue to dishes such as Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine nuts (page 61). Turmeric can be substituted to achieve a similar color; however, it will not yield the same flavor.

Semolina (Smeed): Coarse or fine-ground durum wheat. It is commonly used to make custard-like dishes, such as Lebanese nights (page 121). It is also used to give a rustic texture to cakes (see Coconut Semolina Cake, page 130), and a crumbly, coarse texture to cookies.

Shredded Phyllo Dough (Kataifi): Phyllo dough that is shredded into thin, vermicelli-like strands. It gives a dish great texture, since it becomes crisp once cooked. In Middle Eastern cuisine, kataifi is commonly shaped into cigars, cones, cups, or nests, and used as the basis for sweets; it is also used to make Sweet Cheese Pastry (page 122). Kataifi is most commonly found frozen; once you’re ready to use it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then let it come to room temperature for about an hour before working with it (keep it in its package while thawing so it doesn’t dry out). If you’re making Knafeh bil Jiben you don’t have to take as much care with your kataifi, since it will be crushed anyway. However, if you want to shape the dough to make small sweets it should be handled similarly to phyllo dough so it doesn’t dry out. When you’re ready to use it, lay a piece of plastic wrap on a large baking sheet, then unwrap the kataifi, place it on the prepared sheet, and cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Then lay a towel that has been slightly dampened on top to help keep the dough chilled while you’re working with it.

Sour Black Cherry Pits (Mahlab): A beautifully scented spice that is the dried kernel from sour black cherry pits. The whole kernels are small (about 5 mm long), tear-shaped, and tan colored, but mahlab is also commonly found ground. It smells of cherries and almonds and is slightly sweet, but with a pleasant, nutty bitterness. It gives a lovely flavor to breads, cakes, cookies, and pastries, and is found in Cake Spice Mix (page 29).

Sumac (Sumac): not to be confused with poison sumac, this spice is the dried berry of non-poisonous sumac bushes. Depending on the variety used, sumac’s color can range from brick red to purple to brown. It has a fruity, sour taste similar to lemon, and lends a bright flavor and lovely color to dishes like Roasted Chicken with Flatbread (page 97). It is also frequently used to flavor or garnish dips, such as Bell Pepper walnut Dip (page 72), and is found in thyme Spice Mix (page 29).

Tahini (Tahina): in Middle Eastern cooking, this refers to a beige-colored, thick and creamy paste of ground raw sesame seeds. Sesame seed paste, which is made from roasted sesame seeds, has a slightly different flavor but can be used as a substitute if tahini isn’t available. Tahini has a nutty, slightly bitter flavor and is used frequently in both savory and sweet dishes, such as hummus (page 79), Eggplant Dip (page 64), and Sesame Fudge (page 119). Tahini should be stored in the pantry until opened, but once opened, give it a stir (to equally distribute the oil) and keep it in the fridge for six months to a year.

Tamarind (Tamar Hindi): Literally meaning “indian date,” this fruit grows in curved brown pods on tamarind trees. These bushy trees are indigenous to tropical Africa but have also been cultivated in other tropical areas, including india. The pods’ hard exterior turns brittle when the fruit is ripe, and it protects the seeds and fibrous, edible reddish-brown pulp inside. The pulp is pressed into a moist paste, which is how tamarind is commonly found in grocery stores. Tamarind has a very refreshing sweet/tart taste and is used to flavor savory sauces and make tamarind Juice Drink (page 137).