Home At Last! with Patty Gironda

I've been studying and enjoying a Turkish cookbook that my mom received from a good friend back in 1954 when our family first arrived in Izmir, Turkey.  Since starting this pleasurable pastime I've also savored a few of my favorite Middle Easter dishes! A favorite Atlanta market offers one of the tastiest salad bars with plenty of savory toppings spiced with lots of cumin, coriander, paprika, and turmeric. My favorites toppings include curried chickpeas, Tabouleh, walnuts, Feta cheese, cous-cous, sprouted beans, hummus and olives! The exotic flavors linger in my memory for days! I finally started gathering all the spice ingredients for a Moroccan blend that might serve me well with all my upcoming projects. Beef and Chicken Samosas and a Turkish recipe for Lamb and Chickpeas served over rice. I stopped what I was doing a hour ago and toasted some of the required seeds and pods before blending with turmeric, ginger, paprika, blac...

Smoky cumin and plump, sweet craisins are the stand out flavors of this easy chicken stew. Paper-thin slices of cabbage and slivers of carrot add texture while fresh basil and cilantro brighten the dish. Subtle undertones of tamarind, garlic and scallions create authentic Thai flavors along with Dark Soy Sauce and smooth peanut butter. Look for tamarind paste or pods at the grocery store.  Create quick tamarind sauce with the addition of fresh garlic, Dark Soy, vinegar, basil and cilantro.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

        Completely fascinated by the shape, texture and earthiness of the tamarind pod, I often make a reduction sauce with the addition of black plums and red grapes. Once cooled I bottle and store the sauce in the refrigerator, pulling it out whenever I need exotic Indian flavors. Reduced further it makes a delicious paste that can be added to minced onions, cilantro, red chile and cumin for meats and sauces. I usually start with 10 pods of cleaned tamarind, cover the fruit with water, add whole fresh garlic and shallot, a piece of dried red chile, a tbsp. of fish sauce, 2 tbsp of sugar, 3 skinned and halved black plums, a clump of red grapes, chinese chives, 2 tbsp. cumin powder, 1 tbsp of dark soy and a tbsp. of chutney powder or ginger powder. I cook the mixture for about a half hour on medium heat, reducing it by half. Once cooled I put it through a manual food mill, separating the seeds and pulp from the liquid. I'm left with a thick, dark sauce that takes ...