Breaking Fast at Home

Yesterday we hosted iftar.  I was so pleased that our guest said that my pakoras were "true Pakistani". I think that would make my father proud...

The menu: 

• Juice

Fresh Dates from our favorite veg guys

Eggplant Pakora (also made potato and onion & spinach)

Lentil Soup, a bit runny but still tasty

Mint Chutney (a delicious one made by the Bronx Falcon!)

Jalebi from Baba Sweets

Fruit Chaat from Baba Sweet

Just Say No to Frozen Veggie Burgers

I've been a vegetarian (ok, a reluctant pescetarian) for 20 years. At first, I was completely appalled by the idea of eating any type of "fake" meat. Why would anyone choose to eat fake meat and be a vegetarian? If I wanted the taste of meat, I'd rather have the real thing. Well, as time went on, I went to the dark side and indulged in all sorts of things found in the frozen food isle and refrigerated sections - "bacon", "hot dogs", and "burgers" were the ones most purchased.  The funny thing is, these were items that I didn't eat much of even when I was a meat eater. It started out with the kitsch factor, and then it was about convenience.

After learning more about what was in these prepared food items (and by learning, I mean simply reading the ingredients on the box) and going on an elimination diet to find out what foods may be exacerbating my hay fever symptoms, I swore off veggie burgers.

But what is one to do when there is a BBQ to attend? There are many options, like grilled vegetables or tofu. Yet sometimes, a burger type food, something that can be eaten with your hands between two pieces of bread product, is the only thing you desire.

Mark Bittman to the rescue! I tried one of his base bean burger recipes and made some for tonight's BBQ. Although we didn't make it to the BBQ, we did cook them on the stove in a pan with olive oil. Simply delicious, ridiculously easy, and so much cheaper than buying pre-made. And the best part of all, you know every ingredient that went into your tasty burgers.

photo credit, DG

 1st Try at a Home Made Veggie Burger (Mark Bittman saves the day!)

• 2 cups cooked lentils (I cooked mine with a dried lime in the water)
• 1 egg
• 1 small red onion (quartered)
• 1/2 cup oats
• 2 cloves garlic
• sea salt + fresh ground black pepper
• hand ground cumin + coriander seeds
• cayenne pepper
• handful of parsley
• handful of mushrooms
• some feta cheese

Put everything in your food processor. Pulse until it comes together nicely (don't over do it!) - must be a nice balance of wet and dry or else it will fall apart when you cook and/or the texture will be all wrong. After it's all burger like, let it rest for a few minute. Then shape into patties with dampened hands. Let chill until ready to use. We cooked ours on the stove in some olive oil - 5 minutes per side. You can also bake or grill.  For our next BBQ, I think we will pre-cook our burgers, freeze them, and then grill on-site for easier handling.

Tabouleh, another gateway food to vegetarianism

The origins of tabouleh (spelling varies depending on transliteration system used) are decidedly Middle Eastern.  Exactly where is up for debate, although Lebanon is claiming the titile.  If a restaurant serves mezes (appetizers or small dishes), then they serve tabouleh.  Tabouleh is a lovely and refreshing salad that is perfect for the hot desert climate.  I remember as a teenager making tabouleh out of a box (gasp!).  In NYC, tabouleh is plentiful at falafel or fast food type spots that serve Middle Eastern and Israeli cuisine.  What I love about the tabouleh in the Kingdom is that the focus is more on the fresh herbs - the mint and the parsley is the star of the show and not the bulgur wheat.

Serves 8 (if you are serving it as a meze)

1/2 cup of bulgur wheat

1-cup water

2 tomatoes, diced

1-cup of fresh parsley, chopped (stems and all)

1/4-1/2 cup of fresh mint, chopped (leaves only) - optional

1/2-1 lemon

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 of one red onion (finely chopped) or some scallions (whites and greens, chopped)

Fresh ground black pepper

•  Heat the water and pour it over the bulgur wheat.  Cover and let sit for 15-30 minutes.  All of the water should be absorbed and the wheat should be tender.  If it is too watery, drain the excess water.
• Squeeze half a lemon and the olive oil into the prepared bulgur wheat, stir.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, stir.
• Taste!  If the salad needs more acidity, add the other half of the lemon.  More olive oil can be added if necessary.

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 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!)

the cure to homesickness

Back home, I have been very frugal with my coffee. I would make my coffee at home, put it in my coveted thermos, and bring it to work. I hated the idea of spending money for coffee that I could make myself, exactly the way I like it. Since moving to my new home, I have not yet purchased a coffee maker, so I am now visiting my local coffee shop. I have had the pleasure of being served by the nicest baristas! There is an on-site coffee shop where I work, and the baristas are all Filipino. After good-naturedly grilling me about why I don’t know Tagalog, then grilling me about me using my reusable thermos instead of a disposable cup, I have been making this a daily routine. They also have treats – my favorites so far are the “date twist” and “zaatar croissant”. The other day I decided to try out another coffee shop. I met a Brother from India, who cooked up a nice cup of Turkish coffee for 5SR (about $1.33 USD). We ended up talking about a variety of topics – how long he has lived in the country, his goal of going on the Hajj with his mother, religion in India, how Muslim women dress in the USA, life in Saudi Arabia, and the like. But the biggest surprise was when the barista asked me if I had breakfast yet. I thought he was trying to get me to purchase a food item. Then, he walks out of the back room with his aloo paratha. He says that it is “Indian Breakfast” and asked if I would like some. Now, obviously this man did not know who he was talking to! I told him about my father’s and how I was taught how to make it as well. In the end, despite me trying to not accept the treat, I walked out of the coffee shop caffeinated and with a bag of aloo paratha and some halva! Now, it may be homesickness, but this Brother’s potato bread was the best I have had in a long time. Before I left the USA, I really wanted to get a thorough lesson about how to cook all of my favorite Pakistani dishes. There was not enough time to do this, but we did cover aloo paratha (or as we have Americanized it to be “potato bread” or “potato treat”). Watch and learn…