Scheherazade's Feasts: Foods of the Medieval Arab World

Synopsis

The Author Of The Thirteenth-century Arabic Cookbook Kitāb Al-ṭabīkh Proposed That Food Was Among The Foremost Pleasures In Life. Scheherazade's Feasts Invites Adventurous Cooks To Test This Hypothesis. From The Seventh To The Thirteenth Centuries, The Influence And Power Of The Medieval Islamic World Stretched From The Middle East To The Iberian Peninsula, And This Golden Age Gave Rise To Great Innovation In Gastronomy No Less Than In Science, Philosophy, And Literature. The Medieval Arab Culinary Empire Was Vast And Varied: With Trade And Conquest Came Riches, Abundance, New Ingredients, And New Ideas. The Emergence Of A Luxurious Cuisine In This Period Inspired An Extensive Body Of Literature: Poets Penned Lyrics To The Beauty Of Asparagus Or The Aroma Of Crushed Almonds; Nobles Documented The Dining Customs Obliged By Etiquette And Opulence; Manuals Prescribed Meal Plans To Deepen The Pleasure Of Eating And Curtail Digestive Distress. Drawn From This Wealth Of Medieval Arabic Writing, Scheherazade's Feasts Presents More Than A Hundred Recipes For The Foods And Beverages Of A Sophisticated And Cosmopolitan Empire. The Recipes Are Translated From Medieval Sources And Adapted For The Modern Cook, With Replacements Suggested For Rare Ingredients Such As The First Buds Of The Date Tree Or The Fat Rendered From The Tail Of A Sheep. With The Guidance Of Prolific Cookbook Writer Habeeb Salloum And His Daughters, Historians Leila And Muna, These Recipes Are Easy To Follow And Deliciously Appealing. Appetizers -- Green Olive Spread (zaytun Akhdar Marsus) -- Labnah With Chopped Greens And Walnuts (shiraz Bi Buqul) -- Fried Eggs With Vinegar And Spices (bayd Masus) -- Fava Bean Salad (baqillà Bi Khall) -- Fava Beans With Yogurt And Garlic (baqillà) -- Spicy Chard And Fava Bean Dip (baridah Min Baqillà Li-ibn Abi Nuh Al-katib) -- Fava Bean Dip With Fennel And Cumin (lawn Min Al-baysar) -- Tangy Eggplant Stir-fry (badhinjan) -- Seared Eggplant With Walnuts (badhinjan Mahshi Li-ibn Al-mahdi) -- Pickled Onions (basal Mukhallal) -- Honeyed Carrots In Rosewater (jazar) -- Cauliflower With Tahini-walnut Sauce (tatbil Al-qanbit) -- Hummus With Ground Nuts (hummus Kasa) -- Sautéed Spinach With Garlic And Coriander (isfanakh Mutajjan) -- Cold Roasted Chicken With Almonds And Pomegranate Seeds (baridah Mujarrabah) -- Cold Roasted Chicken With Lime And Cucumber (baridah Li-abi Ja'far Al-barmaki) -- Herbed Chicken Salad (baridah Ma'junah-- An Almond-mustard Condiment (khall Wa Khardal) -- Herb Sauce For Fish (sals) -- Soups -- Cold Yogurt And Cucumber Soup (khulat Baysani) -- Spiced Lamb And Fava Bean Soup (ma' Al-baqillà) -- Hearty Lamb And Chickpea Soup (ma' Wa Hummus) -- Tart Chickpea Soup (naw' Al-hummus Al-yabis) -- Aromatic Soup With Pomegranate Seeds And Rice (marqah Habb Al-rumman Wa Al-aruzz Al-maqlu) -- Squash And Lentil Soup (marqah Nafi'ah Li Al-sa'al) -- Meat And Chickpea Soup (shurba Khadra') -- Entrées -- Lamb -- Lamb And Prune Tajine (muruziyah) -- Spiced Lamb With Walnuts (shawi) -- Lamb And Sour Apple Tajine (tuffahiyah) -- Lentil Stew With Lamb And Swiss Chard ('adasiyah) -- Spiced Lamb And Lentils With Rice (mujaddarah) -- Browned Lamb With Saffron-cinnamon Rice (aruzz Mufalfal) -- Lamb And Rice Porridge (harisah Al-aruzz) -- Lamb And Cabbage Tajine (luhum Al-da'in Yutbakh Bi-al-kurunbiyah) -- Lamb With Honeyed Onions (basaliyah-- Lamb With Greens And Clockwise-stirred Yogurt (labaniyah Rumiyah) -- Fried Bananas With Lamb And Hazelnuts (mawz Ma'lahm) -- Spiced Lamb And Fennel Tajine (al-raziyanaj Al-akhdar) -- Sweet And Sour Lamb And Vegetable Stew (sikbaj) -- Savory Meatballs And Cubed Lamb With Coriander (tafaya Al-bayda') -- Spice-infused Cucumbers With Lamb And Walnuts ('ajuriyah) -- Asparagus Wrapped In Lamb (luhum Al-da'in Yutbakh Bi-al-isfaraj) -- Ground Meat With Fried Halloumi Cheese And Spices (badi'iyah) -- The Caliphs Wife's Eggplant And Lamb Stir-fry (buraniyah) -- Stuffed Eggplant (madfunah) -- Lamb And Vegetables With Spiced Onion Sauce (dikabrikat) -- Garlicky Spinach With Buttered Lamb And Chickpeas (isfanakh) -- Spiced Lamb With Honeyed Apricots (mishmish Yabis) -- Sweet And Meaty Lamb And Date Kebabs (rutabiyah) -- Spicy Lamb Sausage (siffah Hashu Masir Al-duwwarah) -- Fried Lamb Turnovers (two Ways) (sanbusaj And Sanbusak) -- Hearty Stuffed Tripe With Lamb, Chickpeas, And Rice (sukhtur-- Aromatic Couscous With Veal And Vegetables (kuskusu) -- Stuffed Dumplings In Yogurt (shushbarak) -- Chicken -- Herbed Chicken Pita Rolls (bazmaward Bi Hummad Yu'rafit Bi-al-ma'muni) -- Chicken Stew With Pomegranate Juice And Pumpkin (tabikh Habb Rumman) -- Savory And Sour Chicken, Lamb, And Egg Casserole (bustaniyah) -- Grilled Chicken In Yogurt (dajaj 'amrus) -- Fried Meatballs With Pistachios And Honey (dajaj Mudaqqaqah) -- Pistachio-stuffed Roasted Chicken (fustuqiyah) -- Chicken And Vegetables In A Tart And Creamy Sauce (kishk) -- Tangy Sumac Chicken (summaqiyah) -- Saffron Chicken Tajine (ja'fariyah) -- Zesty Almond And Chicken Pie (maghmum) -- Aromatic Chicken With Fried And Boiled Eggs Over Toasted Pita (tharidah Bi-al-dajaj) -- Creamy Stew With Meat And Vegetables (madirah) -- Seafood -- Ginger-fried Shrimp For Lent (tabahajah Min Al-rubiyan) -- Fried Fish With Garlic And Coriander Sauce (al-samak Al-kizbariyah) -- Poached And Baked Fish With Fennel (basbasiyah-- Fried Fish With Tahini And Onions (al-samakah Al-tahiniyah) -- Walnut-stuffed Roasted Fish (samak Mashwi) -- Summertime Fried Fish (samak Al-sikbaj) -- Fried Salmon With Raisins And Almonds (zabibiyah) -- Vegetarian -- Sweet Tooth Rice And Yogurt (aruzz Bi-al-laban Al-halib) -- Sautéed Aphrodisiac Greens (muzawwarah Mulukhiyah) -- Garlicky Yogurt And Chard (silq Bi-laban) -- Spiced Chickpea Patties ('ujjah Min Ghayr Bayd) -- Gardeners Vegetable Tart (janndniyah) -- Desserts -- Basic Dessert Elements -- Sugar Syrup (qatr) -- Honey Syrup ('asal) -- Rosewater And Orange Blossom Custard Cream (qashtah) -- Desserts -- Sugared Lettuce (khassiyah) -- Honey And Almond Candy (faludhaj) -- Chewy Fruity Nut Candy (halwà) -- Muhammad's Wedding Cookies (hays) -- Fried Rosewater Melts (kahin) -- Honeyed Sesame Patties (juljulaniyah Al-bayda') -- Adult Butter Cookies ('adhari) -- Caliphs Favorite Shortbread (khushkananaj Gharib) -- Sesame-nut Shortbread (khubz Al-abazir-- Hazelnut Filo Dough Cake (akhmimiyah) -- Fried Filo Dough With Pistachios And Rosewater (kul Wa Ushkur!) -- Honey-cream Crunch (kunafah) -- Seven-layer Ricotta Cake (qayjatah) -- Almond Fingers (lawzinaj) -- Fried Dough Bites (luqam Al-qadi) -- Crunchy Beaded Honey Squares (barad) -- Crispy Lattice Fritters (zalabiyah Mushabbakah Wathiqiyah) -- Fried Stuffed Pancakes (al-qata'if Al-mahshi) -- Sweet Cheese Fritters (mujabbanah Al-miqlah) -- Honey-dipped Almond-stuffed Rings (al-qahiriyah Al-khass) -- Braided Fried Dough With Spices (dafa'ir) -- Aromatic Nut-stuffed Half Moons. (adhan) -- Almond-sealed Stuffed Cigars (qananit Al-mahshuwah) -- Fried Nut Turnovers (sanbusak Ismuhu Fadil) -- Beverages -- Hot Sweet Rosewater Drink (sharab Jullab) -- Lemonade (ma' Al-laymun Li-al-sharab) -- Aromatic Honey And Grape Juice Drink For Wintertime (sharab Akhar Yusta 'malu Fi Al-shita') -- Zesty Mint Drink (sharab Na'na') -- Hot Aromatic Honeyed Milk (sharab Min Alban Al-baqar-- Pomegranate Seed Smoothie (habb Rumman) -- Sour Apple Syrup (sharab Al-tuffah) -- Cold Apricot Drink For Breaking A Fast (mishmish Lawzi) -- Sample Menus For Special Occasions -- A Dinner During Ramadan (breaking The Fast) -- A Dinner During Lent -- A Dinner During Passover -- A Dinner For Christmas -- A Dinner Feast Such As That Held In The Caliph's Court. Habeeb Salloum, Muna Salloum, And Leila Salloum Elias. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 205-210) And Index.