No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing--Julia Childs
Shrimp There are many different species of shrimp. In the US and Britain, large shrimp are called prawns; in India, all shrimp are prawns. Brown, white and pink shrimp are a triad of warm water marine animals known collectively as “Gulf shrimp.†Commercially important …
Horta When in Greece there are seen groups of women, or sometimes a whole family, clambering over hills, their eyes to the ground, each carrying a large bag. They are looking for a favorite side dish for their dinner: horta. Horta, or edible wild greens, …
Sumac
Not to be confused with the poison sumac plant that flourishes in North America (although it is a close relation), sumac spice comes from berries harvested from a bush that can be found in the wild all across the Mediterranean. Sumac has a tart flavor that is sprinkled on fish, chicken, over salad dressings, rice pilaf, or over raw onions. It is considered essential for cooking in much of the Middle East, in the same manner as we use lemon juice or vinegar. Sumac has a very nice, fruity-tart flavor which is not quite as overpowering as lemon. The Romans used sumac frequently before lemons were available to them. In addition to their very pleasant flavor, flakes from the berry are a lovely, deep red color which makes a very attractive garnish.
Yogurt Yogurt is the product of bacteria culturing in milk. The development of lactic bacteria, which use lactose as their food source and produce lactic acid, thickens the milk and gives it a tangy flavor. The culturing of the milk also helps with its preservation. …
Grape Leaves Grape leaves are typically found pickled or canned. The leaves of the grape vine are also edible if found fresh, though they need to be blanched first. Using canned or jarred leaves, rinse the leaves well before use, and dry on a towel. …
Also known as the Indian date, the tamarind is the fruit of a tall shade tree native to Asia and northern Africa and widely grown in India. The large pod about 5 “contains small seeds and a sour sweet pulp that we dried, becomes extremely sour. Tamarind pulp concentrate is popular as a flavoring in East Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine’s, much like lemon juice is in western culture. It’s used to season full-flavored foods such as chutney, curry dished and pickled fish. Additionally tamarind is used to make a sweet syrup flavoring soft drinks. It’s also an integral ingredient in Worcestershire sauce. Tamarind can be found in East Indian and some Asian markets in various forms, concentrated pulp with seed, canned paste, whole pods dried into brick or ground into powder.
If making tamarind paste from tamarind pods, the seeds must first be removed and then simmered in water until the flesh around the seed is soft. This is then strained through a fine sieve to remove the fibrous strand and the seeds
Bulgur Bulgur is cracked wheat berries. It can be purchased in different grades based on the size of the processing. Fine bulgur is used for making tabbouleh. It is cracked to a very small size, and can be softened simply by soaking in water for …
Phyllo or Filo Dough Filo is an unleavened dough used in both sweet and savory recipes. The dough is similar to strudel dough, in that it is very thin. Because of its delicacy, filo dries out very easily and quickly. It is important to keep …
Tahini
Tahini is a nut butter made from ground sesame seeds. The butter easily separates into oil and solids, and must be stirred together before use. Tahini is used as a sauce or as a flavoring agent in items like baba ganoush and hummus bi tahini. When working with tahini, adding a small amount of water or lemon juice will cause the tahini to seize. Continue stirring to form a stiff whitish emulsion before proceeding.
▶ 3:07 Roasting Vegetables There is more to preparing vegetables than applying heat. Your goal should be to preserve and enhance their flavor, texture, color, and nutritional content. To do this you must keep several factors in mind. Vegetable fiber gives vegetables shape and firmness. …