There is nothing like an extended amount of work in the kitchen, preparing food from scratch and cleaning up, to make you appreciate modern conveniences (food processors and dishwashers), as well as a sense of pride in feeding one’s family.
I’ve spent the last couple of hours making a number of items from scratch. Everything I made required making pastes out of foodstuffs. For the hummus, I slow-cooked dried chickpeas (garbanzos). These were then ground up in the food processor with garlic, lemon, tahini, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. The tahini meant a light toasting of 4 c. white sesame seeds, and then grinding them into a paste with olive oil – once more in the food processor. Finally, hot green pepper sauce made – yet again! – in the food processor, and combined with cilantro (coriander), garlic, cumin and olive oil. If I had to grind all these things into a paste, using a mortar and pestle, I would be still going at it, and have the muscles of a wrestler!
Tahini
4 c. white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
2/3 c. olive oil
pinch salt (optional)
Lightly toast the seeds. This may be done in an oven, set at 350 F, or over a medium high heat, in a pan, on the stove top; I did the latter. Be very careful not to over-toast, as there will be a bitter taste in the final product. Stir frequently when doing it on the stove-top or in the oven, and toast until seeds are a light ivory color.
Place seeds in food processor, and drizzle in olive oil, grind until a paste forms.
Add a pinch of salt if desired.
Hummus
1 lb. dried chickpeas / garbanzo beans
7-9 c. water
5-7 cloves garlic
3-5 T. lemon juice
2-4 T. parsley
1/4 c. tahini sauce
pinch salt
In slow cooker, place all the beans, and cover with the 7-9 c. water. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8. Remove beans, rinse several times in cool water, agitating to remove the outer skins. Let skins rise to surface of water, and skim off – they look like a flotilla of jellyfish! Drain well.
In food processor, add drained beans, and all the other ingredients; grind until a smooth paste forms.
Hummus can be seasoned with roasted garlic, and toasted pine nuts may be added as well.
Hot Green Pepper Sauce
This sauce is called zhuk, and is a condiment found in many variations, and with various names, throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and into the Asian subcontinent. You can make it as hot or cool as you want. Chimichurri sauce is similar, but has vinegar and parsley in addition to the cilantro / coriander. You can use whatever hot green peppers you have on hand, and in whatever combination you want. This created a mild sauce with a bit of bite. To make a hotter sauce, you can leave seeds and ribs in the mix.
2 bunches fresh cilantro (coriander)
5-7 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp. cumin
2 serrano chili peppers
5 jalapeno chili peppers
Olive oil
Chop cilantro. I included stems and leaves. Seed and de-rib hot peppers (be sure to take care not to rub your eyes, wear gloves, and remove seeds and ribs under water). Chop peppers.
Place all ingredients into food processor, grind until it is a liquid in appearance, adding olive oil as necessary. The cilantro and peppers are visible as tiny bits suspended in the oil.
Dinner will be pita slices and vegetables to dip in the hummus. I may thin some tahini into a dressing or as a dip; the zhuk will be set to the side as a hot condiment as a complementary taste.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 