The Ethnic Food Aisle

The ethnic food aisle is an interesting place.  Who determines what is "ethnic" and when does an ethnic food item become mainstream (or "normal" as some may say)? In the USA, often foods identified as Chinese and Mexican are in a separate aisle, usually close to the pet food section.  Depending on the location of the grocery store and whom the store is catering to, things get categorized differently.  Why is the Old El Paso brand in the "normal" aisles while the Goya are "ethnic"? The list can go on and I'm sure you can come up with your own contradictions and observations.

I'm happy to see this recent story on The Huffington Post that illustrates this issue from a different standpoint - what happens when "American" foods are in the ethnic aisle? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/30/american-ethnic-food-groc_n_631231.html

More posts later on what is in the ethnic food aisles here in the kingdom.  Would love to hear from you - please take note of what is in your grocery store's ethnic food aisle and comment here.

What you can buy with 10SR

It's Thursday morning, the first day of the weekend. At 10:30am the temperature is already at 108ºF. I'm set on making a couscous salad today and need to run out to get a few more ingredients. Raisins could not be found at either of my local small grocers [which actually is quite fine since I really don't like raisins and was thinking of eliminating them from the salad to begin with].

I walk into the local vegetable store and did not immediately see the shop keeper, as he was sitting on the floor surrounded by beautiful bouquets of mint that were about 2-3 feet in length. As he was smoking a cigarette, he was gathering and tying mint bunches together for smaller bags for sale. The smell of the shop was quite nice and not very strong - the mint was actually overpowering the cigarette smoke. After Arabic pleasantries were exchanged (good morning, how are you, I'm fine, how are you, I'm fine, thank you, thank you, your Arabic is very good, thank you and thanks to god, etc.), it was time to get down to business.

All in all, a bag of radishes (roots only), 7 lemons, 5 tomatoes, a large bunch of mint, and a large bunch of parsley were all purchased for 9SR (Saudi Riyals), which is equivalent to $2.40. Perfect - with one riyal left I could get my fix of fresh bread. I walked to the bakery next door and had to make a difficult choice: whole wheat or white, large or small? After staring at the recently packed bags of bread that were still hot, I choose the small sized whole wheat khubz. Seven pieces for 1SR.

Radish Radish

I am amazed by the quality of produce available here.  I mean, I am in the middle of the desert and can find beautiful, fresh and tasty produce for less than half of what I used to pay and in much greater quantity.  As in most mega marts in The States, the produce in grocery stores here are usually not as good as the produce found at smaller fruit and vegetable stands or street markets. 

The curse/blessing is that when buying vegetables you get a lot of vegetables for a two-person household.  And because of extreme heat, they do not stay fresh for very long.

I had a beautiful bunch of radishes – so spicy and crisp.  What to do?  And the leaves were in tact as well, which were looking leafy and ready to be eaten.  After a brief internet search, I found that radish greens could be braised similarly to any other greens. 

First, I made a simple salad with the root part of the radish.  I like to use my secret weapon with radishes, which I refer to as my “Secret Indo Salt”.  It is a combination of sea salt ground in a mortar and pestle with toasted cumin and coriander seeds.  I tossed the sliced radishes with the salt, then added a dash of sesame oil and some acid (either lemon juice or a vinegar).  Throw in a bit of fresh coriander (also known as cilantro), and you have yourself a fresh salad.

After washing the greens, I roughly chopped them and put them in a pan that already had some garlic toasting in sesame oil.  Some dried red chilies, and maybe I even threw in an onion or some scallions.  After tasting, I knew it needed a bit more something, so I added some store bought black bean sauce.  Perfection!

It was a last minute decision to try putting the greens in some fresh bread made by our local Egyptian baker.  I don’t remember the name of this bread, but the closest thing it looks like to the western eye is a hot dog bun.  But please, it is nothing like a hot dog bun in taste – only in shape.  The taste is delicious and fresh.  After my first bite, I reminisced about having bánh mì in Hawaii.  At first glance, the combination seems odd, but when together it makes so much sense.

The Spice Route

Being in the Arabian Peninsula, one has easy access to spices from around the world.  Food is quite international, with neighboring countries influencing one another along with the large amount of expats from India and other South Asian countries.  I have yet to visit the major spice souq (seller/store), but still have had plenty of spice choices.  Easy access to quality spices is one of the things I was looking forward to upon preparing for my first trip to the Middle East.  I am still asked by my father about the prices and quality of the saffron, and when will I be shipping some over.  [Sorry Dad, I am still looking for the best deal…]

In every neighborhood or town, it seems as if there is a local dry goods shop, featuring spices and nuts in bulk.  Our local shop is right next to a major park that also caters to families and children, keeping the sodas and candies towards the front of the store.  Towards the back is a tempting display of various nuts, spices, and coffees (Turkish and Arabic beans).  We have purchased whole bean Arabic coffee and whole cardamom pods.  While the store clerk can and will grind coffee and cardamom, I prefer to grind them myself.  Coffee and cardamom, like other spices, taste better and are closer to their original state when ground just before use.

Even in New York City, one must know exactly where to go for bulk spices: in Hell’s Kitchen a friend of mine introduced me to an amazing bulk store for za’atar, and I would go out of my way to the Indian neighborhoods in Jackson Heights, Queens or by 28^th Street for Indo-Pak bulk spices.  Growing up with a family who heavily relies on spices, I was taught that one must go to specialty stores (or “ethnic” stores as some may say) for quality goods.  I admit that I am disturbed that people purchase and use spices from the spice isle of their grocery store or mega mart.  It has been instilled in me from a young age that those pre-packaged spices in the little glass jars are overpriced and stale.  Growing up, our coffee grinder was not used for coffee, but for grinding spices such as coriander, cumin, black pepper, dried chili peppers, and other non-coffee items.  I was taught that whenever possible, spices should be bought whole and ground according to the chef’s preference.  However, I understand that for an unfortunate portion of the population, spices do not extend further than salt and pepper, or maybe some dried mélange of “Italian” spices tucked in the back of the kitchen cupboard.

To my delight, in every full sized grocery store that I have been to in the Kingdom, there is a separate dry good section that sells bulk spices and nuts.  This section is in addition to the typical, Western spice isle that has your pre-packaged spices with the McSpice label in the glass jar.  The grocer’s spice section is similar to your deli section – a separate counter person is in charge of scooping and weighing out customers requests.  Several varieties of cardamom, saffron, peppercorns, za’atar, other spices, dals, nuts, and other dried goods.  Unfortunately, my Arabic is not good enough to identify the items that I am unfamiliar with.  The amount of products available is overwhelming and I often get lost just staring at the options.  I cannot adequately describe the joy I have when standing in front of all of these bins.  I guess it’s like being a girl in a spice shop…  What to do with blackened, dried lemons?  Do I need a half-kilo of sumac?  The nut offerings are much more than salted or unsalted, shelled or whole – there are spicy almonds, lemon pistachios, raw pine nuts, sesame crusted  whatnot, Brazil nuts, and all manner of sweet, savory, salty and in-between.  As with our local dry goods shop, there is a grinder for coffee and cardamom.  But why get anything ground when I would much rather grind them myself, allowing the perfume to fill our home.  Besides Arabic coffee and cardamom pods, we have purchased lemon almonds, popcorn, za’atar, turmeric, chili powder, black peppercorns, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds,  coriander seeds, black chickpeas, couscous, lentils, tamarind paste and shredded coconut.  I have my eye out for the pistachios of different flavors, saffron, and red za’atar, which I believe has more sumac than the green variety.  As in the west, grocery stores also have separate deli sections that include meats, cheeses, and pickled goods.  It will take several months to try all the varieties that tempt me from behind the glass.  To date, we have had purchased varieties of labneh (a thick yogurt, almost like a paste), olives from Turkey, Jordan, and beyond, and “feta” cheese that is not quite as crumbly as I have had in the USA, but just as salty and strong with flavor.  Oh, and all items may be sampled before purchase!

We didn’t pack many kitchen items with us.  In the spice department, we only brought our electric coffee grinder and quickly determined that a suitable mortar and pestle was essential for cooking.  I have been partial to Japanese varieties, and had a small porcelain one back in NYC.  While waiting for the perfect tool to present itself, we settled for grinding our spices by hitting them with the side of a cleaver between pieces of paper towel. Although not the ideal or safest method of spice grinding, the flavor is still superior to pre-ground spices lurking in the back of the cupboard.  Our new mortar and pestle was purchased in the food section of a pretty famous outdoor market here in Riyadh (unfortunately, I did not visit this market as I was abaya shopping).  It is made of cast aluminum, and is heavy with high sides, keeping those pesky seeds inside when smashing them.  I’ve never used a metal mortar and pestle before, but I must say that I am quite happy with the switch.

bread / khubz

Whenever I really like something, I try to learn how to make it myself so I can enjoy it whenever I fancy.  One treat that I became quickly addicted to is zaatar bread.  Popular in the Arabian Peninsula and Middle East, zaatar (also written as za'tar) is a mixture of various dried herbs, usually ground thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and salt.  Each region, country, and specific household will prefer their own blend.

My first try of za'tar bread was at a lovely Middle Eastern restaurant in NYC called Moustache (see link under "Recently Dined At").  While not exclusively vegetarian, there are enough options to fill even the hungriest vegetarian diner.  In addition to za'tar, they have humus, felafel, foul, and other dishes that either have been or will probably be featured here on this blog.

Spice markets are easy to come by in NYC, and there is a well stocked one in Hell's Kitchen that sold za'tar in bulk (I will update this post with the exact location and name of this place once I remember it).  To make your own za'tar bread the easy way, simply by the spices from a reputable shop, get some fresh pita, and good extra virgin olive oil.  As your oven pre-heats, pour a generous amount of olive oil on your pita, smear it around with your fingers (or use a pastry brush if you don't want soft hands0, and then liberally sprinkle the spices on top.  Cook in the oven until the bread is hot and the olive oil is bubbling.

Being in the Arabian Peninsula, I was not surprised to see za'taron the menus at at the market.  I found two different varieties at Tamimi's, purchasing the greener one, saving the reddish version for another day.  I made my own za'tar bread here in my dorm-like kitchen, with ok results.  The bread here is called khubz and is thinner than your traditional pita, but is just as tasty.  I need to adjust the time due to the thickness of the bread, along with the fact that I'm using and electric oven.

Another khubz-based item that I am in love with is labneh with honey.  Trusty Mama Noura was my introduction to this item on their "pastry" section.  Labneh is a very thick yogurt, even thicker than that Greek yogurt all the kids are eating now.  This paste is oven eaten with bread and served weet or savory - sweet with honey and savory with za'tar.  At Mama Noura, they smear the labneh on their freshly baked khubz, drizzle honey on top, and cook it in the oven and roll it up.  This is one of the best things I have ever eaten - warm, comforting, sweet, filling, and very simple.  Simple enough to even make in a dorm-like kitchen?

At my last grocery outing, I got the courage to belly up to the deli counter.  Overwhelmed with the choices of labneh, olives, and various pickled items, I asked for the Turkish variety for no reason other than it was one of the lower priced plain varieties.  I bought my freshly baked bread from the bakery section and honey from the condiment isle.  The honey took a bit of time, as I wanted to purchase local honey and many of the jars were imported from the USA, Australia, and countries in Europe.  I finally found a jar that was produced in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Like my za'tar bread making experience, I didn't have the electric oven temperature mastered.  However, it was not a bad first attempt.

The Cure to Homesickness Pt.2, Grocery Shopping

I have shopped at three different grocery stores since my arrival and each one is very different. As you may have already known, I am very particular with my grocers (see""Shopping for Groceries on the right hand side bar).

My first grocery experience is on the compound. It presents as quite basic, smaller that a full grocer, but larger than a bodega. The compound grocer does have some basic non-food items as well, such as household stuffs, perfumes, and small toys.  In addition to Arabic food items, there are Filipino products to cater to the large number of staff who live and work on the compound.  To give you an idea of what this grocer is like, I’ll share a partial list of items I have purchased at this grocer: stuffed grape leaves in a can, green olives in a can, popcorn in a can; bean thread noodles, scallions, upo (Filipino squash), cabbage, toilet paper, sponges. 

My second grocery experience is off the compound (or “off campus” as I like to say). Although it is only the equivalent of a few city blocks away, it is a bit challenge to get to as I have to cross a very busy street and pedestrians do not have the right of way in the KSA.  This grocer is decidedly more “Arabic”. Less random household items and a nicely stocked deli counter filled with a variety of olives and cheeses and a separate spice section where one can buy bulk items. Items I have purchased here include bananas, cauliflower, garlic, pasta, olive oil, toothpaste (*note, the toothpaste cost more than the olive oil), cotton swabs, laundry detergent (Tide for general stuff, and a special abaya wash for the delicates – it keeps your blacks staying black!), stuffed grape leaves in a can.

My third grocery experience is also off campus at a place called Tamimi’s. It is actually SafeWay, which I am told is an “American” grocer, but I have never seen or been to one before.  It is a very large, suburban type grocery store – wide isles, large carts, and they also sell more than food items like household items, small toys, and such.  And for reasons I am not sure of yet, you do not have to wear your headscarf inside. Special sections that I took notice of are the nice little plant section, a date section, a well stocked deli with olives, local cheeses and imported cheeses, and an extensive spice and bulk bean section.  Inside my grocery bag: my first house plant, zatar spices, ginger, silken tofu, a broom & dustpan, general household cleaner, flat bread, dates.

 

Today I decided that I had to cook something, despite my meager, dorm-like kitchen. Menu: pancit. For those of you not in the know, pancit is Filipino noodles.  My mother makes a delicious vegetarian version and I honestly do not have to cook it much as it has always been so easy to go my parent’s to have some home cooking.  In my battle to fight homesickness, I tried my hand at making some pancit.  The kitchen is small and at the moment I don’t have the proper pots, pans, or even a chopping board.  So, did what I could and the results were pretty tasty. The recipe below is quite basic – I could not find shitake mushrooms in my adventures, which I really missed. Please be creative and add your own twist.

How to make:

1. Soak bean thread noodles for about 5 minutes

2. Meanwhile, chop up your favorite vegetables. I used baby bok choi & cabbage.

3. Sauté some tofu in oil with ginger and garlic.  It is preferable if you use regular or cotton tofu as it stands up to the sautéing more. However, I only had access to extra firm silken tofu, which did work out nicely.

4. Pull tofu out and set aside.  Keep any remaining oil in the pan.

5. Put in more garlic, then your veggies. Add a bit of salt and sauté until wilted. Pull out your soaked (and now softened) bean thread noodles and put inside your pan. Continue to sauté and add some soy sauce and a good squeeze of lemon juice.  As the cooking nears completion, add some scallions and your reserved tofu. Heat through.

Enjoy.


Masarap! (Delicious!)