My Ras el Hanout spice blend contains 28 ingredients, and I've included the list and method for making your own "k'meesa"(aka "secret stash"). But If you're not up to purchasing and creating the spice blend, African, Middle Eastern and other specialty grocery stores will have bags of Ras el Hanout already mixed. Williams-Sonoma has good one too! … [Read more...]
This dish is a version of an Indian dish called Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken). In my version, I first braised the pheasant with Indian spices and then added heavy cream, toasted cashews and melted butter to finish cooking the pheasant in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce. The result was a creamy, sweet, spicy, tender pheasant!! I served the teetar makhani with jasmine rice and an Indian bread called … [Read more...]
Dukkah/Duqqa/Du’ah (dook-ah) is an Egyptian spice mixture containing a variety of spices and ground nuts. In Egypt, it’s usually used along with bread and oil. A piece of bread is first dipped in oil, then in a bowl of dukkah. It’s also used to crust meat and fish. Spice markets sell small paper cones of dukkah, and it varies from vendor to vendor. Typical mixes contain cumin, caraway seed, and … [Read more...]
Thanks to Julie Gracie for giving me yet another one of her fabulous recipes!! This one uses a Middle Eastern spice called "sumac" along with rabbit!! You can also substitute squirrel for rabbit. Sumac can be found in most grocery stores in the spice aisle. Sumac is a flowering plant that is grown in subtropical regions throughout the world. The shrubs or small trees produce … [Read more...]
We're going to the Middle East with Meat on a Stick Monday! I love the spices and flavors of the Middle East. With so many countries in close proximity to each other there is an overlap of cuisine. Kufta (or kofta) are little meatballs or meatloaves skewered and cooked over an open fire. Many Middle Eastern countries have their own variation of them. Greece, Iran, Israel, Turkey, Pakistan, and … [Read more...]
