Wonders of the World

Latest Episodes:

Pašticada Jul 27, 2018

Show notes

Pašticada

Pašticada is a long-simmered piece of beef, the kind of beef that would normally be tough and chewy, but when you cook it low and slow melts in your mouth. Flavored with vinegar, fruit, veggies, and spices, it's a traditional holiday or Sunday night meal,

Basically, you take a big ol' slab of top round, or silverside in the UK, stick cloves of garlic and pieces of prosciutto inside it, douse it in vinegar, and leave it overnight to marinate. The next day, you quickly sear it Then you roast it with veggies like onion, celery root, carrots, plus prunes, and wine and olive oil. Low and slow in the oven.

When it's done, as the meat rests, you puree the fruit, veggies, spices, wine, and drippings into a succulent sauce. And serve it all over njoki (gnocchi if you'd rather), which is far easier to make at home than you think.

Every Croatian grandmother has her own recipe; this is one that seems like a winner to me. Since, as I may have mentioned, my wife doesn't eat red meat, I'm reliant on you to try this out.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1.5-2 kg (3.5-4.5 lb) of stewing beef (top round or silverside in the UK)
100 g (3.5 oz) pršut (Croatian prosciutto) (Consider Italian prosciutto or regular bacon, cut in smallish squares or strips as an alternative.)
5 cloves garlic, sliced lengthwise
6 cloves
3 juniper berries
salt
750 ml (3 cups) balsamic vinegar (This can be expensive. Red wine vinegar will work as well.)
400 ml (1 2/3 cup) dry red wine, divided (The Croatian Plavac Mali is closely related to Zinfandel, so try that.)
100ml (half a cup) extra virgin olive oil
30 ml (2 tablespoons) flour
250 ml (1 cup) beef broth
5 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large celery root, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 parsley root, peeled and coarsely chopped (if you cannot find parsley root, use more celery and add a large potato, peeled and coarsely chopped.)
150 ml (2/3 cup) prošek (a white Croatian desert wine, which is NOT prosecco - very different. Consider Sauternes as an alternative.)
15 ml (1 tbsp) sugar
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
8 prunes, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley
package of gnocchi (unless you're making your own - which is delicious and easier than you'd think, but outside the scope of this recipe)

STEPS

Begin on the day before you intend to serve the pašticada. Dry the beef and use a sharp knife to cut small openings all over. Carefully insert the pršut or bacon, garlic and cloves.
In a ceramic or aluminium bowl, combine the vinegar with the juniper berries, a bay leaf, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper into the vinegar to make a marinade.
Place the meat inside, top up with about 250 ml red wine until fully covered. Leave in the fridge or a cold place for a minimum of 12 hours, but preferably for 24.
The next day, take the meat out of the marinade and dab it dry with paper towels. Be sure to reserve the marinade! Remove the pršut/bacon, garlic and cloves from the meat and reserve them as well.
Roll the beef in the flour until it's lightly dusted on all sides.
Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven on medium-high. Place the meat in the hot oil, turning regularly until it is browned on all sides. This should take about 10 minutes. Once browned, remove the meat from the pan, retaining the oil.
Using the same oil over medium high heat, sauté the onions and carrots, plus the garlic and bacon that were used with the marinade, until the bacon starts to brown (the meaty parts). Stir constantly.
Deglaze the pan with the beef broth and bring to a boil. Replace the beef to the Dutch oven, cover partially, and boil for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the tomato paste, dessert wine, an additional 150 ml red wine and sugar in a bowl.
When the broth and beef have boiled 10 minutes, add the wine blend to the Dutch oven, then add the celery root, parsley root and 2 bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, reduce to low heat and cover.
Simmer for 80 minutes, stirring lightly occasionally. If the braising liquid starts to dry up, add some of the leftover marinade.
Halfway through the simmer, about 40 minutes in, add the chopped prunes. Stir well.
Continue simmering for another 80 minutes, or until the meat is very tender. Again, add marinade if the braising liquid is dry.
Once the meat is tender enough, remove it from the Dutch oven, let it cool a little and cut it into thick slices (about 2 cm, a little less than an inch, in thickness).
For the sauce, turn up the heat of the remaining liquids and vegetables to high and boil for at least 5 minutes to reduce the sauce. Remove the bay leaves and juniper berries (if possible) and either use an immersion blender or, in batches, puree the sauce in a blender.
Prepare your gnocchi (njoki) according to the package instructions (assuming you're not making your own).
Return the blended sauce to the saucepan, season to taste, add the meat and reheat.
Your pašticada is now ready to serve. Sprinkle it with fresh parsley, then place a slice or two of meat per plate next to some gnocchi (or other accompaniment) and pour the sauce generously over both. Serve with a fresh green salad.

Recipe adapted from https://www.petersommer.com/blog/another-bite/pasticada

Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/saundersmecklem/25598495030

041 - Diocletian's Palace and the Roman Dominate Jul 24, 2018

Show notes

Rome was entrenched in chaos, until one man took charge, and through sheer force of will - and the army - remade the Empire into a completely new government, one that would last for over a thousand years. Then he retired to farm cabbages, moving into an incredible palace on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, a palace which today forms the core of Split, Croatia's old town. Rob and Jamie from the Totalus Rankium podcast drop by once again to discuss Diocletian, one of the most significant emperors, whose legacy paved the way to medieval Europe. We dig into the good, like his bureaucratic reforms, the bad, like his persecution of Christians, and the ugly, like his edict on prices. Listener Hrvoje Tolić calls in to discuss Split, the sights, and the cuisine. Pašticada, a long-marinated beef roast served over njoki, is the recipe of the day.

Ma'amoul (Date-filled cookies) Jul 15, 2018

Show notes

Ma'amoul (Date Cookies)

Ma'amoul are shortbread cookies, filled with a sweetened date puree, baked until just golden, and dusted with powdered sugar. They are traditionally served for Eid, as a welcome sweet reward following the fasting of Ramadan, and for Easter, as a welcome sweet rewards following the fasting of Lent, for Rosh Hashanah for a sweet new year… Basically, no matter what your religion, in the Levant, if you want a sweet treat, these cookies are your go-to.

Making them traditionally requires two things you likely don't have, but I've got ways to work around those. First, you probably don't have the traditional wooden mold that you use to shape the cookies - but that's OK. You can use your palm or anything else you have on hand to mold small cookies. Or you can order one online.

Second, traditionally, these cookies include mahlab, a spice made from cherry pits, which gives an amaretto-like flavor. Easy to find at a Middle East specialty market, but not accessible anywhere else. You can substitute almond extract or just leave it out.

Building the cookies are easy. Mix up the dough, knead it and let it sit.

Pit and chop the dates - I like medjool dates for this, but if you have deglet noor, those work too, they just aren't as sweet. Letting the dates cook a bit helps to break down the fibers, enrich the spices, and build up the sweetness.

Roll out the dough into little balls, then take one, press it out in your hand, add some dates, and fold the dough around it. If you have a mold, put the cookie into it, press gently to get the shape, and then whap onto the counter to release it. If you don't have the mold, it's fine - consider using a fork to make indentations to form a pattern.

Then bake until just golden - do NOT overbake - and dust with powdered sugar.

So good. IF you like dates.

Makes 20

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup butter melted and hot
½ teaspoon Mahlab or almond extract (optional)
4 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons sugar
½ cup milk

FOR THE FILLING

1 ½ cup pitted and chopped dates
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

STEPS

The dough:

Mix the vanilla with milk and oil, keep aside.
In a bowl add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour the hot butter into the flour and mix using a whisk until well combined.
Add the milk and knead for at least 5 minutes. Cover and leave in a warm place for one hour.

The filling:

In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and stir on medium heat. The date will soften and will form into a dough like texture. This process and depending on the type of dates you are using might take 3 minutes to four minutes.
Let the mixture cool completely then form 10 equal balls.

The cookies:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease a baking pan with butter and keep aside.
Form 20 equal balls from the dough previously prepared. Take one ball and flatten it slightly in the palm of your hand. Place a ball of date in the center and close the dough forming a sealed ball.
Place the ball in a mold, press it gently until the surface is even.
Slam the edge of the mold on folded towel, a clean kitchen counter, or cutting board few times to release the dough from the mold.
Place the cookies on a nonstick or greased baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes. When it cools dust with confectioners' sugar if you wish.

Recipe adapted from https://www.munatycooking.com/maamoul/ Image from the Guardian

040 - The Temple of Bel at Palmyra and Queen Zenobia Jul 10, 2018

Show notes

In 2015, ISIS terrorists destroyed the Temples of Bel and Baalshemin in the Syrian desert city of Palmyra, temples which had remained in pristine condition since their city's glory days in the 3rd century.

Back then, under the capable leadership of its rulers Odenaethus and the "Warrior Queen" Zenobia, Palmyra rose from wealthy caravan town to leader of the Eastern Mediterranean, taking advantage of the chaos of the Roman Crisis of the Third Century. So. Many. Emperors. So. Much. Chaos.

Scott Chesworth from the Ancient World podcast returns to finish his tale of Roman Syria, discussing how Palmyra challenged two empires, and how they very nearly pulled it off.

Also, listener David Adam recounts his trip to Palmyra before the temples were destroyed; you'll appreciate how he brings the humanity of modern Syrians into the story. And you can see his photos here: https://www.wonderspodcast.com/single-post/2018/07/10/The-Temple-of-Bel-at-Palmyra

The destruction of Palmyra and of Syria has been a great human catastrophe, and by acknowledging and remembering lost Palmyra, we might hope to prevent the next one.

Also, there are cookies! Date-filled cookies, in honor of the date palms that gave Palmyra its name.

Kibbeh bil Sanieh (Lebanese "Meatloaf") Jul 07, 2018

Show notes

Kibbeh are delicious Lebanese dishes made of ground meat (usually beef or lamb), bulgur wheat, onion and spices. Very simple, very delicious. Sometimes kibbeh comes as a baked casserole, like a meatloaf, and sometimes it's a deep-fried croquette, shaped in balls. Sometimes, it's eaten raw, like steak tartare.

I genuinely like fried kibbeh best, but it's pretty similar to falafel in looks, and you might be tired of fried food, so y'know what, we'll try the baked variety. I think you'll like it, and maybe your arteries will too!

A couple of things: If you can't get the meat for the kibbeh layer ground finely from the butcher, you'll need to grind it super-fine yourself, but if you're like me, you don't have a meat grinder lying around. So what to do? You may have to use a food processor to grind it down. Not great, but it'll do.

Second, the meat will stick to your hands. Having ice cold water on hand to moisten your hands and keep them free from stickiness will help a lot. Just make sure not to get too much water into the meat.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

For bulgur mixture (kibbeh)

1 cups fine bulgur (#1)
1 pounds ground beef or lamb, VERY lean
1 tbsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 medium sweet onion, pureed
1 cup ice water
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For filling

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more to coat the pan
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 pound ground beef from chuck
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons cold butter

STEPS

Rinse the bulgur in cold water, drain, and cover to 1⁄2 inch with cold water. Soak for 1⁄2 hour, or until the bulgur is softened.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
First step is the outer layer, the kibbeh. In a large bowl, knead the ground meat with the pureed onion and about half of the bulgur. If there is any visible water left in the bulgur from soaking, squeeze it out of the wheat before adding it to the kibbeh.
Dip hands in ice cold water as you knead, adding about 1⁄4 cup of the water in total; be careful not to add too much water to the kibbeh or it will become mushy rather than just soft. Add the bulgur 1⁄4 cup at a time until it's fully incorporated. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and cinnamon, tasting and adjusting the seasoning.
Now for the middle layer, the filling: in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and about a half teaspoon of salt and sauté until soft. Add the ground beef and season with cinnamon, another half teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a metal spoon into small bits as it cooks. Squeeze the lemon juice over the meat, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in the pine nuts and set aside to cool.
Coat a 9x13x2 inch baking dish with oil. Set up another small bowl of ice water where you are working and use the water to coat your hands as you flatten and shape the kibbeh. Use half of the kibbeh to form thin, a flat layer covering the bottom of the baking dish. Smooth the layer with cold water.
Spread the filling evenly over the flat kibbeh layer. Using the remaining kibbeh meat, form another thin, flat layer over the stuffing and smooth with cold water.
With a knife, score the top in squares (or the traditional diamond pattern) into the kibbeh, cutting through to the center layer but not all the way to the bottom of the dish.
Place a dab of butter on each square—this adds a wonderful savory flavor and moisture to the kibbeh.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the kibbeh is deep golden brown on top; finish the kibbeh under the broiler, if needed, to get that deep color.
Serve with Labneh (Lebanese yogurt); plain Greek yogurt will do in a pinch. Warmed pita bread works too. And don't forget the mezze in advance like hummus or tabouleh)

Recipe adapted from Maureen Abood's Rose Water and Orange Blossoms (https://www.maureenabood.com/baked-kibbeh-you-say-meatloaf-i-say-meatlove)

Photo from sbs.com.au

BONUS! History Fangirl Podcast: the Grand Place Jul 02, 2018

Show notes

BONUS EPISODE! In January 2018, Drew Vahrenkamp appeared on Stephanie Craig's History Fangirl podcast to discuss Brussels' glorious central square, the Grand Place. In honor of Belgium's appearance in the Round of 16 of the World Cup, we are honored to share this episode with you. Please check out more of Stephanie's interviews with travelers, historians, bloggers and podcasters at https://historyfangirl.com. Brussels, Belgium is an often-overlooked city, with neighboring capitals of Amsterdam and Paris stealing the spotlight. But Belgium is definitely much more than just great beer and chocolate. My guest today is Drew Vahrenkamp of The Wonders of the World podcast, and we sit down to chat about Brussels' La Grand-Place, or Grand Place, the city's central square. Drew is a self-described Belgiumphile, having studied there while in business school.

039 - The Temples of Heliopolis at Baalbek and Emperor Elagabalus Jun 26, 2018

Show notes

In the remote Bekaa valley in Eastern Lebanon sit the ruins of the great temples of Heliopolis, some of the largest and most impressive ever built in Antiquity, three times larger than the Parthenon, which columns half again as tall as as those in Karnak.

The temples are mysterious, and Scott Chesworth from The Ancient World podcast helps explain what they might be, and how they might be connected to Elagabalus, one of the most fascinating and least appreciated Roman emperors. Not good, mind, but fascinating.

Elagabalus does not get the coverage of a Caligula or Nero, but maybe he should. The teenage emperor did not kill indiscriminately, but his sexual and religious activities shocked conservative Roman society and make for excellent story-telling.

Some modern writers call Elagabalus the world's first known transgender leader. Maybe? We'll discuss.

There's also the story of how Caracalla meets his untimely demise, thanks to a prescient fortune-teller and a dislike of reading his own mail.

And of course, we'll talk about Lebanon, its Phoenician heritage, and the way Lebanese food has spread around the world. The recipe of the week is kibbeh, a deep-fried croquette of goodness that is as popular in the Dominican Republic as it is in Lebanon.

Couscous bil Busla (Couscous with Onions) Jun 22, 2018

Show notes

The trick to wonderful couscous is to steam the grain over the sauce so that the flavors of the stew seep into every little piece. Much fluffier and more flavorful than the store-bought boiled method you're probably familiar with.

This version also steams onions and chickpeas with the same method. You soften the couscous with chicken stock first, then make a simple stew of chicken thighs, onion, tomato paste, salt and Libya's favorite Five Spice blend: Hararat. Hararat is cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and allspice - I love that concept of earthy, spicy, slightly sweet.

As that simmers, put a steamer over the pot and steam a ton of onions and chickpeas. After they've softened, you'll transfer them to a separate pot to caramelize. Then put the couscous in the steamer and let it steam until pure fluffiness. Then pile it up: couscous, stew, and onions on top.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups (600 ml) couscous
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chicken stock
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 lb (500 g) Chicken thighs, boneless, cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
2 1/2 tbsp (37 ml) tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander
1/4 tsp (1 ml) chili flakes
1⁄4 tsp (1 ml) ground allspice
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
approximately one liter of hot water
Approximately 7 medium onions, halved and sliced
1/2 cup (120 ml) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp ghee

STEPS

In a saucepan, heat chicken stock to boiling. Place couscous in a separate bowl. Pour the hot stock over the couscous, mix, and cover. Let rest for 5 minutes, then uncover and fluff the couscous, breaking any lumps. Use a separate bowl rather than the saucepan because you don't want the additional radiant heat from the pan. The goal is soften the grains, but not to cook them yet.
Mix the spices together.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onion until golden, then add the tomato paste. Stir it in and cook, stirring until the paste is fully integrated; you might need to turn the heat down to keep the mixture from scorching.
Add the chicken and 1 tsp of the spice blend, mixing thoroughly to coat. Cook a couple of minutes until spices release their aroma. Then add salt and water and bring to a boil.
Prepare steamer to place on top of pot and put sliced onions into steamer. Reduce heat to medium, place the steamer onto the pot and cover.
After about 20 minutes, check to see if the onions are softening, then add a dish of salt and the chickpeas, then put the cover back on the steamer.
After another 20 minutes, the onions should be tender, but not mushy.
In a separate saucepan - you can use the one you heated the stock in - melt the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chickpeas and 3 ladles of the chicken sauce. Top with another 1 tsp of the hararat spice blend you made in step 1. Let this simmer.
Put the couscous into the now-vacant steamer. Check the stew to ensure there is enough liquid to steam the couscous - you might need to add some more water.
Replace the steamer and cover, steaming the couscous for about 20 minutes.
When the couscous is fluffy and aromatic, prepare to serve. Put the couscous in a large serving bowl, and sprinkle with some more of the hararat. Then ladle the stew onto the couscous, with the onion mixture on top.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Umm Obabdiah's website (http://ummobaidahcooks.blogspot.com/2011/11/libyan-couscous-bil-busla-couscous-with.html)

Keralan Mini-Feast Jun 14, 2018

Show notes

The sadhya is a traditional Keralan feast: a banana leaf covered with small servings of 20 different items, from rice to curries to breads to a banana for dessert. It's pretty awesome.

It's also not something you'll make for a weekday meal. So what I've done is to take three vegetable curries and combine them for you for a mini-sadhya of sorts. Delicious, redolent of Keralan flavors, and just fun.

Each dish has a different texture, so even though the flavor profiles are complementary, the tastes are very unique. I loved how they all worked together, so I'm going to present them as such. If you want to make each individually, I got all three recipes (plus the rice) from the cookbook Savoring the Spice Coast of India: Fresh Flavors from Kerala by Maya Kaimal.

Each recipe has its own spice mix, or masala. You'll note that they are each slightly different, and that difference matters.

Curry leaves are the hardest part of this to get and also the most important. I bought a bunch for $1 at a local Indian grocery, so I'd recommend that. You can also order them via mail, but the premium for shipping has to be crazy.

Read through this first and build your mise en place before starting. Several of the steps go VERY quickly, so it's best to have everything chopped, mixed, and prepped before you turn on the stove.

This is going to be a bit messy and will use five pots: I'll note which recipe you're working on as you go - what can be made first and what can wait until the end.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

11 tbsp vegetable oil (divided)
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup thoor dhal, washed and rinsed (Or masoor dhal, or whatever dal you prefer)
28 ounces fresh spinach (or 2 10-ounce packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed)
3/4 cup grated unsweetened coconut
3 1/2 cups finely chopped onions (divided)
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 fresh green chile (serrano or Thai), split lengthwise
3 dried red chiles (divided)
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp ground cumin (divided)
4/8 tsp cayenne (divided)
5/8 tsp turmeric (divided)
1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (divided)
20 to 22 fresh curry leaves (divided)
2 cans (15 ounce) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 3/4 tsp salt (divided)
2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (divided)
1 tsp ghee
1/4 cup cilantro (for garnish)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

STEPS

Start with the:

KERALAN DAL

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine dal with 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes or so, until the water is absorbed and the lentils break apart under pressure from your spoon.

Move on to the:

BASMATI RICE

Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tsp whole cumin seeds. Then quickly add 2 cups basmati rice. Stir to coat each grain of rice. Toast for a while to bring out a nutty aroma.
Add 4 cups water, bring to a boil, stir, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat after that and set aside.

Back to the:

KERALAN DAL

While the rice and dal are cooking, create a masala for the dal:

1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp turmeric

In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and COVER the skillet or pot. Mustard seeds will pop like crazy once they reach the right internal temperature, and that's what you want to release flavor, but trust me, you'll want to keep them in the skillet instead of all over your kitchen.
Once the popping subsides - but before they burn - add 1 dried red chile and 10 curry leaves. After a few seconds, add 1/2 cup onion and sauté until golden brown.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the masala and saute for 1 more minute.
Take this whole onion mixture and add it to the dal in the saucepan, along with 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, partially covered.
Add more water as needed - the consistency should be pea soup-thick, not pasty.
Remove from heat and add 1 tsp lemon juice and ghee.
Set aside - you can reheat when it's time to serve.

Next comes the:

SPINACH with COCONUT (Spinach Tharen)

Wash, dry, and chop the fresh spinach or drain the thawed frozen spinach. Set aside.
Create a masala for the spinach:

1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp turmeric

In a bowl, combine coconut, the green chile, 1 tsp salt and the masala. Stir with about 1/4 cup water, just enough to make a paste.
In a large skillet - or even a strong bottomed soup pot: I liked the high walls to keep the spinach in - heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and COVER the skillet or pot.
Once they start to pop, add 2 dried red chiles, 10 to 12 curry leaves and 1 cup onion. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes or until the onion starts to soften (but not brown).
Add the spinach and cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until the spinach is halfway to wilted through.
Stir in the coconut paste and keep cooking, stirring constantly until the spinach is tender. Remove from heat and taste for salt. Set this aside - you can reheat quickly when it's time to serve.

Proceed to the:

PEPPERY CHICKPEAS

Create a masala for the chickpeas:

2 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp turmeric

Heat 4 tbsp oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté 2 cups onions until light brown. Add masala and stir for 1 minute or until the spices start to smell fragrant.
Add the drained chickpeas, 1 tsp pepper, 3/4 tsp salt, and about a tablespoon of water. Sauté over medium heat stirring constantly until a few of the chickpeas start to break down. Add a teaspoon of water whenever the mixture becomes dry: it should never be wet or saucy but it should be moist.
Stir in 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, remove from heat, taste for salt and serve with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

Wow. 23 steps. I know that seems like a lot, but it's all about careful planning your mise en place.

Trust me - you'll love this. I did. The chickpeas are my new go-to recipe, and the spinach with the coconut was particularly outstanding.

Recipe adapted from Savoring the Spice Coast of India: Fresh Flavors from Kerala by Maya Kaimal (2000).

038 - The Ruins of Leptis Magna and Emperor Septimius Severus (and Sons!) Jun 12, 2018

Show notes

So close to the tourist trail, yet so far, Libya sits on the Mediterranean yet has been isolated for decades by poverty, dictatorship and civil war. But should peace return, Leptis Magna is the jewel in Libya's crown: potentially the largest and best preserved Roman city in the Mediterranean. With a resplendent forum, theater, basilica, harbor, amphitheater, and especially, a colossal arch, Leptis is an unvisited gem.

Leptis' golden age came under the leadership of local-boy-made-good Septimius Severus. To help tell the story of how a lad from Leptis became ruler of the "known world," Rob and Jamie from the Roman Emperors: Totalus Rankium podcast stop by.

Not only do we talk about Severus and the disastrous emperor who preceded him (Didius Julianus), but we also discuss Severus' evil son Caracalla. Evil. Oh so evil.

No discussion of Libya would be complete without discussing the cuisine: a blend of North African and Middle Eastern, highlighted by couscous. This isn't your store-bought fluffy cardboard; we'll be properly steaming it this time.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected