Omani Lemons

Indeed, Omani lemons are not lemons at all! They are dried limes and also go by the names black lime, loomi, amani and noomi basra (to name a few).

I scooped these up one day at a Middle Eastern specialty store and have been adding them to braises and rice dishes ever since. They go a long way, so one of them has enough flavor for around 3 cups of basmati rice (with which it goes especially well).

Omani lemons are used in cooking throughout the Middle East and even North India. Typically, (fresh) Omani limes are boiled in salt water and then dried in the sun. This preservation process turns them anywhere from a light tan to black in color and hollow in the center. Their flavor is tart, more like the peel than the juice, without any sweetness, and they also have an indescribable muskiness. They are fantastic as a souring agent in place of lemon juice in a sauce.

To use them, you can poke a small hole in one or two and throw them into whatever slow-cooking pot is at hand. They can also be crushed or even powdered, and they are sold whole, crushed or powdered at various ethnic grocers.

Urfa Biber

NYTimes magazine predicted a few months ago that this Turkish pepper would be popping up all over the place, and I’m so happy for it. This is an IT spice if ever there was one.

Urfa biber is made by coarse-grinding a Turkish chili called the Urfa chili. These chilies are grown in southeastern Turkey, close to Syria. They range in color from burgundy to purplish-black, and they go through a two-part process, alternatingly dried in the sun and wrapped overnight – a process that develops the amazingly smoky, sweet and earthy character of the pepper.

The flavor is like ancho chilies on steroids, although it has a little more heat. It hits you more at the front of your tongue, in a black pepper kind-of-way, and has a beautiful smokiness to it. This is my go-to these days for grilled meats, but I also use them in Sunday breakfast scrambled eggs with pancetta and green onions and to give sautéed fish more depth of flavor.

The peppers have a pretty high oil content, and the ground spice should look shiny. I keep it in my freezer, and it stays for months that way. Here are two sources for the spice: World Spice Merchants and Kalustyan’s.

Za’atar – Fresh Herb & Spice Blend

I tried fresh za’atar for the first time a few weeks ago, and it was really surprising – like a taste you recognize but can’t quite put your finger on. When I taste it, I get the pungency of oregano, the woodsiness of thyme, and a zest that reminds me of mint. Za’atar is from the marjoram family, and it’s pretty hard to find fresh. I lucked out with this plant because the Union Square Greenmarket happened to carry it.

Za’atar is not only a fresh herb but also a spice blend used in Middle Eastern cooking. The blend is traditionally comprised of crushed, dried fresh za’atar, toasted sesame seeds, and ground sumac with salt and other spices or herbs. The blend differs from region to region and even from household to household. Lebanese za’atars include orange peel, nigella seeds, and anise, whereas the Syrian version includes roasted cumin and paprika and the Israeli version, dill weed and garlic.

Although za’atar can be found at Middle Eastern groceries and even Whole Foods, using dried or fresh thyme makes a great approximation for homemade variations. Sesame seeds add nuttiness and sumac tartness. In the Middle East, unleavened bread is first dipped in olive oil and then za’atar. It’s awesome as a dip for crudités when mixed with yogurt and sour cream and also makes a versatile spice rub for anything from fish to meats.

Sumac

Sumac is a deep burgundy-colored spice powder made from crushed sumac berries. The flavor is tangy and pleasantly sour with fruit undertones. Sumac trees are found predominantly in the Mediterranean region and throughout the Middle East, and the spice is a staple in Middle Eastern cooking. It is used as a souring agent and is a key ingredient in za’atar.

Phulourie

Phulourie, a snack or side dish in the West Indies, are little, fried dough balls that are made from split pea or chick pea flour. They are mixed with garlic and curry spices and are traditionally served with a thin, fruit chutney or tamarind sauce. Although often labeled a street food, they may be served at all types of occasions.

Callaloo

Callaloo, the ingredient, is a green leafy vegetable similar to spinach that comes from the taro plant, also known as the dasheen bush. Callaloo, the dish, is a soup-like side dish served in West Indian culture, that is made with callaloo, okra, coconut milk, garlic and peppers and may include salt pork, pumpkin, crab, other seafood, and other aromatics.

Ethiopian Nit'ir Qibe

Ethiopian Nit’ir Qibe

When I saw this article on ghee, I thought it might be interesting to talk about how to clarify butter. Clarified butter has long been synonymous with traditional Indian cooking, a delicious form of fat in which to fry up spices or brown onions. What was interesting in the article, though, was the inclusion of the spices in the bottled ghees, not typically done in an Indian household. Spicing clarified butter is actually an Ethiopian tradition, the resulting fat called nit’ir qibe.

Clarifying butter is relatively simple; butter is cooked at a low temperature until all of the water has evaporated and the milk solids have settled at the bottom. Decanted or strained, this liquid now becomes an excellent cooking agent, which, unlike whole butter, can withstand high temperature cooking (and is also great for dairy intolerance since almost all of the milk solids are gone).

In nit’ir qibe, butter is slowly melted. Once the foam subsides, certain herbs and spices are added and gently cooked in the butter at a low temperature for about 20 minutes. The clarified butter starts to take on the character of the spices, infused and aromatic – it’s completely delicious. The smell alone as I make it drives me nuts. It also keeps incredibly well, lasting in a sealed container in the fridge for about a month.

Garlic, ginger, fenugreek, turmeric, cardamom, sacred basil…all of these are typical in a spiced Ethiopian butter. Sometimes red onions are included, sometimes not. I’ve also seen dried oregano in certain homemade versions. This is again one of those traditions that differs from household to household – the secret recipe guarded for only the cook in the house to know.

Unlike ghee, this delicate and expensive infusion is not used for sauté purposes. It’s actually a finishing agent, added to an Ethiopian stew at the end of the cooking process to elevate and warm the flavor. I love to do a simply seared fish and spoon a bit of nit’ir qibe on top to lightly spice it. And that’s the beautiful thing about this: if you aren’t in the mood for something heavily spiced, this is a more subtle approach.

Lovely on plain rice. Warmed, a decadent dip for shellfish. Delicious on morning breakfast toast. Bumps up a grilled steak. The uses are endless…

Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemons are an incredibly distinct and subtle ingredient used in North African, Middle Eastern, and even certain East Asian cuisines. They may be added to soups, stews, salads, rice dishes, tagines, used as a stuffing, baked in a savory or even sweet pie…there are endless uses. Since it takes a month or so for the lemons to preserve and the flavor to really develop, I wanted to get on it immediately. I’ve been envisioning a beautiful sauce or even a bright salad to be served with summer’s grilled fish dishes and a cold goblet of rosé for a summer Sunday “family” dinner party…and maybe a friendly game of spades.

Although the flesh is used, it’s truly the peel and pith that are the celebrated ingredients. Meyer lemons are great for this because they naturally have a softer peel that eats very well. A cross between a lemon and a mandarin, their sweetness is an added bonus. If only regular lemons are available, go with them – that’s the tradition anyway.

Many recipes call for various spices like coriander and bay leaf to be included in the pickling liquid; some even add rose or orange blossom water. I’m keeping this super simple because I want these little lemons to be as versatile as possible. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Meyer lemons or regular lemons

Sea salt

Lemon juice

Sterilized jar

Procedure

I’m not giving exact quantities because it really depends on how large the jar is that you are using. You want enough lemons to fit in the jar and be completely submerged in lemon juice. You also want to be able to apply some level of pressure on the lemons so the juice oozes out of them.

Start by slicing each lemon into quarters but still keeping them intact at the stem end. Then, take ¼ tsp of sea salt per lemon and rub it onto the inside flesh. Place each lemon into the jar pressing down as you go. When the lemons are all prepped and in the jar, add enough lemon juice to cover completely. Weight down or use the lid of the jar as pressure and seal.

At this point, you just want to store them in a cool place. As I mentioned, they will take about a month, but they do look beautiful on the kitchen counter!

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