Thread: Some of today's food finds

On Dec 7, 5:54*am, koko <k...@letscook.com> wrote:
> I found some spices and ingredients I've never used before so I
> thought I'd get them. I hope some of you great cooks have used them or
> know of them so you can give me some pointers.
> I'm also going to do some serious googleing and blog browsing to find
> out what to do with them.
>
> The only thing in this photo I don't know what to do with are the
> dried lemons omani. The other items, which I know about. Whole nutmeg
> with shell, cardamon, tarragon and the tangerines.http://i38.tinypic.com/dov1g5.jpg

Dried lemons (usually they're really dried limes) are used in Middle-
Eastern, especially Iranian, cuisine. Here is a soup recipe that uses
them:

Kuwaiti Lentil Soup

400g lentils
1 onion, very finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3.2 l water
salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
70ml tomato paste
3 dried lemons
2 potatoes, peeled and diced

Bring 1.1 l water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the lentils,
onion and 2 garlic cloves. Cook until the water is absorbed
completely. Tip the lentils into a food processor. Process until
smooth.

Heat the oil in a casserole. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes,
then add the cumin. Stir and add the tomato paste and the lentils. Add
the remaining water, the potatoes and the dried lemons. Bring to the
boil, reduce the temperature and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Discard the dried lemons. Serve immediately with Arabic bread.

> The dried spices I bought that I'm unfamiliar with are ground sour
> grapes, ground lemon omani and seven spices.http://i34.tinypic.com/33z5mwg.jpg

Seven spices are probably what is known as baharat, another Middle-
Eastern ingredient. A recipe for them:

Saloohah Laham - Oman

2-2.5 kg beef, cubed
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
300g okra, in large slices
1 kg potatoes, cubed
2 large green peppers, cubed
3 tbsp baharat
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 fresh hot chillies, chopped
salt

Pour 1.6 l water into a large casserole. Bring to the boil. Add the
meat. Skim off any scum. Add the garlic and turmeric. Cover and cook
for 2-3 hours, or until the meat begins to become tender.

Add the onion, tomatoes, okra, potatoes, peppers, baharat, tomato
paste, parsley and chillies. Season. Cook until the meat and the
vegetables are very tender. Add water, if needed, to make it as dry or
as soupy as you like it. Serve with rice.


Sour grapes and the bread I don't recognize, sorry.

What a sensible and useful response! Thank you...

"Dragonblaze"
kokowrote:
> I found some spices and ingredients I've never used before so I> thought
> I'd get them.
Dried lemons (usually they're really dried limes) are used in Middle-
Eastern, especially Iranian, cuisine.

> The dried spices I bought that I'm unfamiliar with are ground sour
> grapes, ground lemon omani and seven
> spices.http://i34.tinypic.com/33z5mwg.jpg

Seven spices are probably what is known as baharat, another Middle-
Eastern ingredient.

Sour grapes and the bread I don't recognize, sorry.

On Sun, 7 Dec 2008 00:30:47 -0800 (PST), Dragonblaze
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Dec 7, 5:54*am, koko <k...@letscook.com> wrote:
>> I found some spices and ingredients I've never used before so I
>> thought I'd get them. I hope some of you great cooks have used them or
>> know of them so you can give me some pointers.
>> I'm also going to do some serious googleing and blog browsing to find
>> out what to do with them.
>>
>> The only thing in this photo I don't know what to do with are the
>> dried lemons omani. The other items, which I know about. Whole nutmeg
>> with shell, cardamon, tarragon and the tangerines.http://i38.tinypic.com/dov1g5.jpg
>
>Dried lemons (usually they're really dried limes) are used in Middle-
>Eastern, especially Iranian, cuisine. Here is a soup recipe that uses
>them:
>
>Kuwaiti Lentil Soup
>
>400g lentils
>1 onion, very finely chopped
>3 garlic cloves, crushed
>3.2 l water
>salt
>1 tbsp olive oil
>2 tsp ground cumin
>70ml tomato paste
>3 dried lemons
>2 potatoes, peeled and diced
>
>Bring 1.1 l water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the lentils,
>onion and 2 garlic cloves. Cook until the water is absorbed
>completely. Tip the lentils into a food processor. Process until
>smooth.
>
>Heat the oil in a casserole. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes,
>then add the cumin. Stir and add the tomato paste and the lentils. Add
>the remaining water, the potatoes and the dried lemons. Bring to the
>boil, reduce the temperature and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
>Discard the dried lemons. Serve immediately with Arabic bread.
>
>> The dried spices I bought that I'm unfamiliar with are ground sour
>> grapes, ground lemon omani and seven spices.http://i34.tinypic.com/33z5mwg.jpg
>
>Seven spices are probably what is known as baharat, another Middle-
>Eastern ingredient. A recipe for them:
>
>Saloohah Laham - Oman
>
>2-2.5 kg beef, cubed
>5 garlic cloves, smashed
>1 tbsp ground turmeric
>1 large onion, chopped
>3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
>300g okra, in large slices
>1 kg potatoes, cubed
>2 large green peppers, cubed
>3 tbsp baharat
>3 tbsp tomato paste
>3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
>2 fresh hot chillies, chopped
>salt
>
>Pour 1.6 l water into a large casserole. Bring to the boil. Add the
>meat. Skim off any scum. Add the garlic and turmeric. Cover and cook
>for 2-3 hours, or until the meat begins to become tender.
>
>Add the onion, tomatoes, okra, potatoes, peppers, baharat, tomato
>paste, parsley and chillies. Season. Cook until the meat and the
>vegetables are very tender. Add water, if needed, to make it as dry or
>as soupy as you like it. Serve with rice.
>
>
>Sour grapes and the bread I don't recognize, sorry.

Thank you so very much Dragonblaze, I appreciate your informative and
timely response.
I'm thrilled, I have most of the ingredients for the delicious looking
recipes you shared, including the baharat.

koko
There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 12/04

On Dec 6, 11:54*pm, koko <k...@letscook.com> wrote:
[snip]
> The Lavash is low carb, 5gm for a 1 oz piece. That's about an 8X7 inch
> piece. It's very, very good. It would be perfect with curry or a nice
> hearty stew. *http://i37.tinypic.com/6448ht.jpg

Lahvash is sometimes called "Armenian Cracker Bread". Folks here
cover it with thinly sliced (or grated) Havarti and raw veggies like
onions, bell peppers and sliced mushrooms. Then they stick it in a
hot oven (on a aking sheet) until the cheese is bubbling. Break it
into pieces and serve. Warn folks that the cheese is HOT. Tastes like
"more"!
Lynn in Fargo
(No, it is NOT pizza. Ask Giusi.)

In article
<[email protected]>,
Dragonblaze <[email protected]> wrote:

> Dried lemons (usually they're really dried limes) are used in Middle-
> Eastern, especially Iranian, cuisine. Here is a soup recipe that uses
> them:

<snippety>

Dried lemon compliments a lot of things. It tends to brighten flavors.
My #1 most commonly used spice/flavoring in a LOT of stuff is salt free
lemon pepper. Lately, I've started purchasing more dried ground lemon
and orange peel since I can now get it in bulk.
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

On Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:06:23 -0600, Omelet <[email protected]>
wrote:

>In article
><[email protected]>,
> Dragonblaze <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Dried lemons (usually they're really dried limes) are used in Middle-
>> Eastern, especially Iranian, cuisine. Here is a soup recipe that uses
>> them:
>
><snippety>
>
>Dried lemon compliments a lot of things. It tends to brighten flavors.
>My #1 most commonly used spice/flavoring in a LOT of stuff is salt free
>lemon pepper. Lately, I've started purchasing more dried ground lemon
>and orange peel since I can now get it in bulk.

I was thinking about putting a whole dried lemon in the water I'd cook
some rice in. I'm not sure just how strong it is so I'll experiment
with one in a cup of water and taste.
I'm excited to try these new things.

koko
There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 12/04

On Sun, 7 Dec 2008 03:16:21 -0800 (PST), Lynn from Fargo
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Dec 6, 11:54*pm, koko <k...@letscook.com> wrote:
>[snip]
>> The Lavash is low carb, 5gm for a 1 oz piece. That's about an 8X7 inch
>> piece. It's very, very good. It would be perfect with curry or a nice
>> hearty stew. *http://i37.tinypic.com/6448ht.jpg
>
>Lahvash is sometimes called "Armenian Cracker Bread". Folks here
>cover it with thinly sliced (or grated) Havarti and raw veggies like
>onions, bell peppers and sliced mushrooms. Then they stick it in a
>hot oven (on a aking sheet) until the cheese is bubbling. Break it
>into pieces and serve. Warn folks that the cheese is HOT. Tastes like
>"more"!
>Lynn in Fargo
>(No, it is NOT pizza. Ask Giusi.)

Hot dang Lynn, that sounds great. You just gave me something to add to
my breakfast menu.

koko
There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 12/04

In article <[email protected]>,
koko <[email protected]> wrote:

> >Dried lemon compliments a lot of things. It tends to brighten flavors.
> >My #1 most commonly used spice/flavoring in a LOT of stuff is salt free
> >lemon pepper. Lately, I've started purchasing more dried ground lemon
> >and orange peel since I can now get it in bulk.
>
> I was thinking about putting a whole dried lemon in the water I'd cook
> some rice in. I'm not sure just how strong it is so I'll experiment
> with one in a cup of water and taste.
> I'm excited to try these new things.
>
> koko

Let us know how it turns out? :-)
I've found that both lemon and/or vinegar used sparingly "brighten" the
flavors of many things.
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

koko <[email protected]> wrote:

>The Lavash is low carb, 5gm for a 1 oz piece.

That doesn't compute. An ounce has 28 grams. If only
5 grams are carbs, what are the other 23 grams? Some
of it could be moisture, but not that much, I don't think.

Steve