Iran's Nomads Tour Map

Check out the stops we will make on the Iran Nomads Tour in May!


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Day 12: Eech - Armenian Side Dish

Eech - Armenian Side Dish

1 onion chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can water
2-3 lemons squeezed and seeds removed
a pinch of salt, pepper and paprika
1 red pepper chopped
1 green pepper chopped
parsley and scallions
1 cup bulghur (medium)  - cracked wheat

Sauté the onions and the peppers until the onions become lite yellow add the sauce and water with the lemons, bring to a boil add the spices and then 1 cup bulghur (medium).  Let sit until the water is all absorbed.  Add parsley and scallions on top and serve warm or cold with pita bread.

Day 11: Georgian Shishkebab

The following recipe if for Georgian Beef Shishkebob. Enjoy!

“Shashlyk”

1/2 cup dry red wine, pomegranate juice, or sparkling water*
3 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press
1 small onion, grated
8 to 10 black peppercorns, crushed
Salt, to taste
2 1/2 pounds boneless lean sirloin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3 small onions, cut into wedges
3 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into wedges
1/4 cup olive oil

GARNISHES
Radicchio or red kale leaves
2 tomatoes
2 lemons, cut into wedges
8 scallions (green onions), trimmed
1 long zucchini, cut into six 1-inch-thick slices

1. In a large glass bowl, combine the wine, garlic, grated onion, peppercorns, and salt, then add the meat and toss to coat well. Refrigerate, covered, for 6 to 8 hours, turning the meat occasionally. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

2. Prepare hot coals for grilling until coated with white ash, or preheat the broiler.

3. Toss the onion and pepper wedges in a bowl with the oil.

4. Remove the meat from the marinade and string it on long metal skewers, alternating meat cubes with onion and pepper wedges and pushing everything closely together.

5. Grill or broil the skewers 4 inches away from the heat, turning frequently and sprinkling with the marinade every 3 minutes, 9 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 to 13 minutes for medium.

6. To serve in a traditional way, line two serving platters with radicchio leaves or red kale. Cut into the tomatoes as though you are cutting them into quarters, but leave intact at the stem ends. Place one in the middle of each platter. Scatter lemon wedges and scallions on the platters. Stick the sharp end of each skewer into a zucchini slice. Place three skewers on each platter and bring the open ends together to form a tripod. Wrap the ends with a linen napkin to hold them together. Serve at once.

Serves 6

* Note: Although it is traditional to marinate the beef in wine or vinegar, the truly experienced Georgian cooks suggest that they actually toughen, rather than tenderize, good beef. They recommend using sparkling water instead.

Arava Border Crossing has Re-opened

We have received word the the Arava border crossing between Jordan and Israel has been re-opened.

Day 10: Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Here is an easy, refreshing salad that you can do the night before and then just add the tomatoes before serving.

4 cucumbers ( diced)

2 bunches of green onions - chopped

3 green peppers - chopped

6 stalks celery - chopped

1 bunch parsley - chopped fine

6 tomatoes quartered

Equal parts of lemon and olive oil

Mix all the vegetables together with the lemon and oil - cover and refrigerate.  Right before serving quarter the tomatoes and mix in, then serve.

Fabulous next to any meat or rice dishes.

Day 9: Stuffed Peppers, Tomatoes & Eggplant

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified butter

For the Shells:
6 small black skinned eggplants (about 12 cm long and 4 cm in diameter)
6 medium green bell peppers
6 large firm tomatoes
salt
ground black pepper
For the Stuffing:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified butter
1 1/2 pounds (700 g) ground beef or lamb
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium green pepper (pointed or bell), finely chopped
chopped tomato pulp* (see the recipe)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup cooked and split chickpeas (1/4 cup dried, boiled in slightly salted water and drained), optional
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare the shells.
Eggplants: There are two ways to prepare the eggplant shells. Choose one you like better.
Method 1: This is the easier method and takes less time than the second. Cut off the stalk end of the eggplants. Make a lengthways slit in each taking care not to cut right through. Fill a pan with water and bring to a boil. Gently drop the eggplants into the boiling water, and simmer for about 2 minutes, using a slotted spoon to keep them submerged. Remove and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove the seeds from the eggplants with a spoon or by rubbing the eggplants gently between the palms of your hands to let the seeds fall out. Set aside.

Method 2: My favorite method, although requires more time and effort to prepare. Here instead of blanching the eggplants fry them before stuffing. Using a vegetable peeler or knife, remove about 3-4 lengthwise strips of skin from the eggplant to create a striped effect. Make a lengthways slit in each eggplant taking care not to cut too deep through. Soak the eggplants in a large bowl full of cold water with 2 tablespoons salt for 20 minutes to remove any bitterness. Drain, and gently pat dry. Fry the eggplants in 4 tablespoons oil or butter (add more if necessary) on all sides for about 10 minutes, or until evenly brown. Remove, drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

2. Make the stuffing. In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ground meat and cook until the released liquid has evaporated and the meat has nicely browned. Add the onions and cook for 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped pepper and tomato pulp and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. Add the fresh herbs, and if using, cooked and split chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.

3. Sprinkle inside of the shells with some salt and black pepper and fill them with the stuffing. Cover the top of the peppers and tomatoes with their lids. Place the vegetables side by side in a deep frying pan. Pour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified butter over the top. Cover and simmer over low to medium heat for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender (but not mushy!) and the liquid has reduced to the syrupy consistency.

Be sure to check out AZ Cookbook blog (where I found this recipe) for more Azeri dishes.

Day 8: Midia Dolma (Armenian Stuffed Mussels)

Today's recipe is for Armenian Stuffed Mussels, called Midia Dolma. Great for a party or a special dinner. Enjoy!

36 large mussels (in shells)
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup uncooked rice -Basmati rice - wash it two times
1/4 cup dried currants
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 lemons cut into wedges for garnish

Preparation - Oven at 300'F
1. Scrub mussels, loosen (do not separate) shells, and remove beard.
2. Rinse under cold, running water then soak in cold salted water 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil.
4. Remove from heat and stir in rice, currants, nuts, allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
5. Rinse mussels again under cold, running water.
6. Place 1 Tablespoon of filling in each shell, careful not to overfill them. Close tightly and tie with a piece of string.
7. Arrange in layers in a heavy casserole. Add water and lemon juice. Place an inverted plate on top to hold mussels down during cooking.
8. Cover and bake in a 300' oven for 1.5 hours
9. Uncover and cool to room temperature.

 Serve with a garnish of sliced lemon.

Day 7: Bunyer Armenian Cottage Cheese Salad

Banir aghtsan / Bunyer
Armenian Cottage Cheese Salad
Serve in small bowls with pita bread. Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup cottage cheese
2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup cut-up green pepper (use bell peppers, mild frying peppers or chilies)
2 Tablespoons chopped black olives
2 Tablespoons olive oil
pinch of oregano & cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Mix tomato paste with cottage cheese using approximately 1 Tablespoon paste per cup of cottage
cheese
2. Add feta cheese, onion, tomato, green pepper, and chopped olive
3. Sprinkle a dash of cumin and oregano
4. Salt and pepper to taste
5. Drizzle with olive oil

Day 6: Georgian Cheese Pie

Georgian Cheese Pie

“Khachapuri”

In the restaurants and khachapuri parlors of Georgia, the pie is made from a dough that combines local yogurt, eggs, and flour, or from yeast dough. The shape and the fillings vary from region to region.

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup club soda, or more as needed, at room temperature

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 recipe Cheese Filling (see below)

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl, and make a well in the middle. Pour in the egg, oil, and club soda and stir into the flour, adding more club soda, if necessary, to make a rather soft dough. Transfer the dough to a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with a linen or cotton (not terry cloth) kitchen towel, and let stand for 1 hour.

2. Divide the dough into four parts and shape each one into a ball. Let stand, covered for 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two large baking sheets.

4. On a floured surface, roll out one of the balls to an 1/8-inch-thick square. Brush the dough with some of the melted butter. Dip your fingers in melted butter and pull the edges of the dough in different directions, stretching it evenly until it is almost transparently thin. Don't worry if the dough tears, as you will be folding it up. With a sharp knife, trim the edges of the dough to form an even square. Fold the square in half, brush the surface generously with melted butter, and fold in half again crosswise, to form a smaller square. It should be approximately 6 to 7 inches. If it isn't, pull it out slightly to fit the dimensions.

5. Brush the square with butter. Shape one-fourth of the filling into a ball and place in the center of the square. Fold in the corners of the square like an envelope. With your palm, flatten the pie so it is about 1 inch thick. Brush the top with melted butter, and carefully transfer to a prepared baking sheet.

6. Repeat the procedure with the rest of the dough and filling.

7. Bake the pies in the middle of the oven until golden brown; about 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Cheese Filling

10 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated

8 ounces feta cheese, preferably Bulgarian, crumbled

6 ounces cottage cheese

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces

1 large egg

Salt, to taste (optional)

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the salt and mix well. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.

Makes 4 pies, to serve 8

Day 5: Gutab - Azeri meat stuffed flatbread

Here is a popular Azeri dish that we sampled several times, with both a meat filling and a spinach filling, during our visit to Azerbaijan. This recipe came from the AZ Cookbook blog and you can see photos of the process there.  These can be an appetizer or light lunch or dinner. 

Meat Stuffed Flatbreads (Et Gutabi) 

Makes 12 (serves about 6)

For the Dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water, at room temperature

For the Filling:

1 pound ground beef or lamb, or a combination
2 medium onions, peeled and passed through a meat grinder (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon sour fruit paste (you can obtain it from sour fruit leather - soften it with water) or ½ cup fresh pomegranate arils (you can adjust these amounts to taste)
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Filling Variation

In the northwest, particularly in the region of Balaken, a pinch of dill seeds (they add a FANTASTIC new dimension to the filling), some crushed garlic and sometimes chopped fresh cilantro is added to the filling too. Sometimes, sour paste slightly diluted with water is spread in a thin layer on a cooked buttered gutab for a piquant tart taste.

Also needed:
Unsalted butter stick, to brush (if using method 1 to cook)
Vegetable oil, to fry (only using method 2 to cook!)
Powdered sumac, to garnish

Prepare the dough: Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and stir to mix. Make a well in the center. Gradually adding the water, stir with your hand, until a rough ball forms. Sprinkle a large working surface (you can use large round wooden board) with some flour. Scrape the dough the floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and not tight, adding more flour if it sticks to your hands, about 10 minutes. Do not be tempted to add too much flour, or the dough will be tight and difficult to roll out. You will add more flour to the dough while rolling it. Divide into 12 equal parts and shape each part into a ball. Work with one ball at a time, keeping the rest covered with a kitchen cloth.

Prepare the filling: In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling and mix well. If using pomegranate arils instead of sour paste, mix the mixture gently so as not to smash the arils. (You can also sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the meat filling before sealing the bread in a half moon.)

Roll out the dough: Transfer one ball onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with some flour. Slightly pat on top with your hand to flatten then begin rolling with a thin rolling pin, rotating the dough with each rolling, until it is about 5 inches in diameter. Now, sprinkle the circle with some flour and spread it evenly with to cover the entire surface of the circle (this will prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and tearing and will also make it easier to roll). Begin wrapping the circle around the rolling pin at a slight angle from you. Wrap till the very end, then turn the dough so that the rolling pin is parallel to you, and unwrap the dough swiftly. Continue in this manner, sprinkling the dough before each wrapping and thinning process. Continue rolling until you obtain a thin 10-inch circle.

Fill the dough: Spreading half of the dough circle with a thin but dense layer of the meat stuffing. Then cook, following either of the methods below:

Method 1: Cook on a preheated saj or a griddle, or  a non-stick frying pan, first one one side, until slightly brown blisters appear, then turn to cook the other side. Remove from the pan and transfer onto a plate. Brush the top with butter while still hot. Continue cooking the flatbreads in the same manner, stacking the cooked gutabs on top of each other and brushing their tops only. Sprinkle with sumac and serve immediately.

Method 2: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan, large enough to hold one or two gutabs. Cook the gutab until light golden, turning once to cook on both sides. Add more oil to the pan if needed for each new batch. Transfer the cooked gutabs onto paper towels to drain (do not brush with butter in this method). Sprinkle with powdered sumac and serve immediately.

Day 4 of Caravan-Serai Cooking

Chakhokbili

The name of this Georgian dish, chakhokbili, derives from the word khokhobi, which means "pheasant" in Georgian. But although this dish was evidently made with pheasant at one time, today either chicken or lamb is used. Chakhokbili is a refreshing, slightly tangy fricassee, with tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and lots of fresh herbs. Double the recipe and serve at a large dinner party - it's healthy, simple, and inexpensive. Serve with a steamed rice pilaf or bulgur pilaf.

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 chicken (4 1/2 pounds), cut into 12 to 16 pieces, well rinsed and patted dry
6 cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
10 fresh, ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus additional for garnish
5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
8 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and brown on all sides over medium heat.
2. Stir the garlic and onions into the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover tightly, and cook without stirring for 15 minutes. The chicken will release quite a lot of juice
3. Add the tomatoes, wine, l/4 cup lemon juice, half the herbs, all the peppercorns, the bay leaf, and salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, until the chicken is tender, about 35 minutes
4. Stir in the rest of the herbs and simmer for 10 minutes more
5. Taste and correct the seasoning. Remove the bay leaf. Sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve at once.

Serves 6

Day 3: Sucmic Kufta

Here is a quick Armenian recipe that will help you use up left over mashed potatoes! Or you can make your potatoes before hand. Enjoy!

Sucmic Kufta
Potato and Bulghur Appetizers
Serves 4 - 6

1 1/2 cup cold mashed potatoes
1/2 cup fine bulghur wheat - soaked in hot water for about 10 - 15 minutes until soft
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Knead bulghur into mashed potato until well mixed
2. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
3. Shape into small egg-sized portions with hands.
4. Chill before serving
5. Arrange sucmic on a platter and brush lightly with olive oil. Garnish with sprigs of parsley.

Day 2: Spinach "Pkhali"

Photo courtesy of Dona Malan

Pkhali (the 'kh' is pronounced as a deep, guttural 'h') is a whole class of Georgian vegetable dishes that straddle the line between salad and dip. The constant is the walnut sauce, and the fact that the vegetable is cut very, very finely - almost (but not quite) to a puree. Beet pkhali is also very popular, and is often served alongside the spinach; to prepare beets this way, wrap 3 large ones in foil and bake until soft, then peel and finely chop (or pulse in a food processor) before mixing with the sauce. If you'd like to substitute frozen spinach in this recipe, I imagine it would work, though I'm not sure about the amount; maybe start with a pound (half a kilo) of the frozen stuff and add more as needed to balance out the flavors.

1.5-2 pounds (.75-1 kilo) fresh spinach, stems removed and washed in several changes of water

1 cup (100g) walnuts

4 cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek

pinch cayenne

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste

1 small onion, minced

3 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

1 1/2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh tarragon

salt

pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the spinach and cook just until tender, about one minute. Drain well and let cool. When manageable, wrap the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze until nearly dry. Chop it as finely as possible (don't use a food processor or blender, which may puree it; it should have texture) and set aside.

In a blender, combine the walnuts, garlic, coriander, fenugreek, cayenne and vinegar. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and blend until you have a smooth, creamy sauce about the consistency of mayonnaise, adding a little more water if needed to get things moving.

Add the walnut sauce to the spinach and stir until thoroughly blended and smooth. Stir in the minced onion, cilantro and tarragon, and season with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Taste again before serving and adjust the salt and vinegar if needed.

To serve, spread the pkhali on a plate and smooth the top with a spatula. With a knife, make a pattern of diamonds in the top, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds (or, in a pinch, walnut pieces). You can also roll the mixture into balls, as shown in the photo. Serve with bread.

Enjoy!

Day 1: Cauliflower with tahini sauce

This recipe is courtesy of the Tufenkian Hotel chain of Armenia, and it is served in their restaurants. It's a great vegetarian dish, too. Enjoy!

Cauliflower with tahini sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower, about 1 ½ pounds

• 1 ½ cups water

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 3-4 thin lemon slices

Sauce:

• ¼ cup water

• 1/3 cup tahini 

• 2 cloves garlic, mashed

• 4 tablespoons lemon juice 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon yogurt

• ½ teaspoon salt

Garnish: 

• ME red pepper

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons minced parsley

Preparation:

1. Remove any bruised leaves and bottom core from cauliflower, using care not to break it up. Hold cauliflower under a gentle spray of water and rinse it a few times.

2. Bring water to the boil in a saucepot large enough to hold whole cauliflower. Lower cauliflower into water, core side down. Sprinkle with the salt, layer lemon slices on top , cover and simmer gently 8 to 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is still a little firm. Remove and place it on a round serving dish to cool thoroughly. Discard lemon.

3. To prepare the sauce, add water to tahini, stirring until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix.

4. Drizzle sauce over the cauliflower, sprinkle with red pepper, garnish and serve

6 servings

The History of Syrian & Armenian Cuisine

To understand Syrian cuisine as it developed in Aleppo, a little history is necessary. Aleppo is ancient, but its roots are buried beneath a very modern city. Legend has it that the prophet Abraham paused in Aleppo to milk his cows on Citadel Hill, thus came its Arabic name Halab, which means "milk." It is one of Syria's principle cities and the second largest after Damascus. Located in northwest Syria, it borders on Turkey and is at the crossroads of great and historic commercial routes, only sixty miles from the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates River. Aleppo lies along the Baghdad-Istanbul railway and is linked by rail with Damascus and Beirut, Lebanon. With road connections to Damascus, Latakia, and Antioch, Turkey it is a natural gateway to Asia.

Common ingredients such as pomegranate, nuts, onions, herbs, and spices are used in this  spread.

The old city of Aleppo is centered around and dominated by a twelfth-century citadel where the ancient souks, or bazaars, are found. They run along narrow and winding streets and virtually everything from spices and silks to brass are sold in these precursors to modern shopping malls.

The city was originally laid out in walled districts entered via babs or doors. Different groups, such as Jews and Armenians, lived in these distinct quarters. Though no longer segregated residential entities, these areas are still known by their ethnic names. The overwhelming majority of Aleppians are Muslim, but Christians, Jews, Turks and Armenians have had a say in the life of the city for centuries. While some group rivalries exist, it is not unusual to find churches and mosques abutting one another in Syria's major cities.

Travelers in Syria quickly realize that the people are multilingual, diverse and very much aware of the diversity around them. In the crossroads that is Aleppo, this is particularly true. Like Damascus, it is filled with many foreigners, tourists, and refugees. The Ottoman occupation of Syria, Lebanon, Greece, and Armenia supplied a context for tolerance and sharing, giving Aleppians a commonality of food, albeit in slightly different forms and presentations. When we hear baklava, for example, we think of Greece, but it is also a Syrian pastry called batlawa. Over time, the string cheese brought to Syria by the Armenians became known as Halabi cheese or the cheese of Aleppo because that is where so many of these refugees settled.

Armenian string cheese.

 Syria has an estimated 300,000 (although numbers vary a lot with some authors put the number at 800,000) ethnic Armenians. This is the largest Armenian community outside Armenia and Russia. Armenians were present within or around the northern borders of Syria since ancient times. The ancient Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia occupied the north western parts of greater Syria. This kingdom was part of the region historical and political landscape. It was involved in all the major events of the area from Mongols, Crusaders, Turks and Ayyobid wars. The Armenians established few towns in Greater Syria like Urfa and Aintab. These towns are in modern day Turkey and with virtually no Armenians left. The kingdom finally fell under the control of Mamluks rule and the Armenian population numbers in Syria dwindled gradually as most of them either immigrated to Cyprus or lived under Ottoman Turkey north of the Syrian border. The only town in modern Syria with an original Armenian population is Kassab in the north west of the country, with an Armenian presence estimated to be 1000 years old.

Most of the current Armenians in Syria today came during the Armenian genocide at the turn of the twentieth century. Tens of thousands of Armenians were forced out of their villages by the Ottomans and taken to the edge of the Syrian desert near Deir Az'Zor were they were killed and buried in mass graves. Armenians who fled the genocide came to Aleppo and other cities in northern Syria where they were given refuge and protected from the slaughter. From there they spread to the rest of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Cyprus and Greece, and with them spread their culture and their cuisine which is incorporated into all walks of life in northern Syria mostly, and then from there into Turkey and Lebanon.