Feast

  SERVES 6

  1 small leg of lamb on the bone (4½ pounds/2 kg)

  ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

  4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter

  Good pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons rose water

  1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges

  1 teaspoon ras el-hanout

  Sea salt

  1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (400 g) good honey

  3⅓ cups (500 g) golden raisins, soaked for 1 hour in warm water

  1 cup (150 g) blanched almonds, toasted in a hot oven for 7 minutes, until golden brown

  Moroccan Bread, for serving

  1. Put the leg of lamb in a heavy pot and add 4 cups (1 L) water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming the froth that rises to the surface. Add the olive oil, butter, and saffron-rose water. Add the onion, ras el-hanout, and salt to taste, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, turning the leg every 15 minutes to make sure it is not sticking and is coloring evenly, until the meat is cooked through.

  2. Add the honey. Reduce the heat to as low as you can have it and let simmer, this time without disturbing the meat, for another 30 minutes.

  3. Drain the golden raisins and add to the pot. Let simmer until the sauce is completely concentrated and silky, 5 to 10 more minutes.

  4. Transfer the cooked leg of lamb to a serving dish. Scoop the raisins with a slotted spoon and scatter over it, then drizzle the sauce all over. Garnish with the toasted almonds and serve immediately with Moroccan bread.

  Awadhi Chicken Korma

  MURG AWADHI KORMA

  INDIA

  When I was in Indonesia, I learned to make a chicken gulai using kenari nuts instead of coconut cream. The sauce was really interesting, concentrated and creamy yet light. It was incredibly delicious, and the dish was fairly simple to make if you don’t plan on using the typical Indonesian flat mortar and horizontal pestle that Indonesians use to grind their ingredients. The sauce for this Indian curry is also made with nuts (almonds or cashews), but it is rather different from the Indonesian gulai because of the complexity of the spicing. The word Awadhi means the dish is from Awadh, a region of northern India, once ruled by the Nawabs—fine gourmets whose cooks, the bawarchis, prepared supremely sophisticated dishes that were very much influenced by the cooking of the Mughal court. The bawarchis of Lucknow, once the capital of Awadh but now the capital of Utar Pradesh, were famous for their kebabs, kormas, biryanis, and many other elaborate dishes. This particular korma is a classic of Lucknow. The amount of nuts is a little extravagant, but the final result is definitely worth it. This said, you can use less without making the dish any less delicious.

  SERVES 4 TO 6

  Vegetable oil, for frying

  1 small onion (3½ ounces/100 g), halved and cut into thin wedges

  3⅓ cups (500 g) blanched almonds

  2 bay leaves

  3 whole cloves

  3 green cardamom pods

  2 black cardamom pods

  1 cinnamon stick

  3 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste

  1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced

  2¼ pounds (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken meat, both white and dark, cut into medium chunks

  ½ cup (60 g) chickpea flour, toasted in a dry pan until lightly browned

  ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

  Sea salt

  1 tablespoon ground yellow pepper (optional)

  ½ teaspoon Garam Masala 2

  ½ cup (125 g) yogurt, whisked

  ½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream

  Good pinch of saffron threads

  ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

  ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  1 teaspoon kewra (pandanus flower extract)

  FOR SERVING

  A few sprigs cilantro, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped

  Cooked basmati rice or Naan or other good flatbread

  1. Cover the bottom of a skillet with a thin film of oil and add the onion. Sauté until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a sieve to drain off excess oil. Process into a fine paste.

  2. Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the almonds until golden. Pour into a sieve. Let cool, then grind in a food processor until very fine.

  3. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaves, cloves, green and black cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and sauté until the spices start crackling. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a few seconds, then add the chicken pieces. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the caramelized onion paste. Add the chickpea flour, pepper, and salt to taste. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) water. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is almost done.

  4. Add the yellow pepper (if you have it), garam masala, and yogurt and simmer for a minute or so. Add the ground almonds, cream, saffron, cardamom, nutmeg, kewra, and 1 cup (250 ml) water and simmer for 5 minutes or so.

  5. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl. Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve immediately with rice or bread.

  Quail Tagine with Sweet Potatoes

  D’JAJ BEL BATATA LEH’LOUA

  MOROCCO

  In every medina or souk in Morocco, there is a section where they sell live birds, usually chickens and pigeons. The customer chooses the birds he or she wants. The vendor then takes them out of the cage, slits their throat, and throws them in a barrel to thrash out their last breath. Once completely dead, he lifts them out and plucks them by holding them against an antiquated rotating machine that removes the feathers in seconds. After that he dunks the birds in water that looks as if it is teeming with a million germs—he changes it only once a day—before putting them in a bag for the customer to take home where he or she not surprisingly will wash them carefully before cooking. This particular tagine is one of my favorite sweet-savory ones. I like to make it with quail instead of the more traditional chicken. You can also use squab or poussin.

  SERVES 6

  6 quail

  1 medium onion (about 5 ounces/150 g), grated on the fine side of a grater

  1 teaspoon ground ginger

  ¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

  ½ teaspoon ras el-hanout

  Good pinch of saffron threads

  Sea salt

  3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  1 pound 10 ounces (750 g) sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into medium chunks

  1¼ cups (200 g) golden raisins

  3 tablespoons good-quality honey

  Moroccan Bread, for serving

  1. Put the quail, onion, spices, and a little salt in a large pot. Add 2 cups (500 ml) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pan and let bubble gently for 30 minutes, or until the quail are done and the sauce is reduced by three-quarters.

  2. Remove the quail to a serving platter and keep warm.

  3. Add the sweet potatoes and golden raisins to the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the golden raisins have plumped. If the sauce is too runny, increase the heat and boil it hard uncovered for a few minutes, until you have a silky sauce. Carefully stir in the honey, making sure you don’t mash up the potatoes. Let bubble, uncovered, for a few more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

  4. Arrange the sweet potatoes and golden raisins all around the quail and spoon the sauce all over. Serve very hot with Moroccan bread.

  Iranian Chicken in Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce

  KHORESHT-E FESENJN

  IRAN

  Possibly Iran’s most famous dish, this khoresht is traditionally made with duck, but I make it with chicken because it is less fatty. The ducks that are bred in Iran are leaner than their Western equivalent. You can also use squab, quail, or poussin or Cornish hen if you want to serve individual birds. Pheas
ant is also a good choice. Use one pheasant to serve two—hen pheasants have more fat on them and they would work better here. Be sure to buy walnuts from a reputable source as they have a tendency to go rancid if poorly stored or if they have been around for too long.

  SERVES 4

  4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  1⅔ cups (250 g) walnuts, finely ground

  1 medium onion (about 5 ounces/150 g), finely chopped

  1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg), quartered

  2 cups (500 ml) organic chicken stock

  ¼ cup (60 ml) pomegranate molasses

  1 tablespoon raw cane sugar

  Sea salt

  Plain Iranian Rice, for serving

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they start changing color. Be careful not to burn them.

  2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and brown lightly on each side.

  3. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Discard the skin and return the chicken to the pan. Add just enough stock to cover the chicken (save the remainder for adding in the next step) and let bubble gently, covered, for 15 minutes.

  4. Add the walnuts and the remaining stock and cook for another 15 minutes. Add the pomegranate molasses and sugar. Season with salt to taste and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is very tender. Serve hot with the rice.

  Aceh-Style Goat Curry

  GULAI KAMBING ACEH

  INDONESIA

  Ramadan is big all over the Islamic world, but in some countries like Oman people hardly venture out during fasting. As a result if you visit the country during that time, as I did, you will not get to see much life on the street, even in the markets. But in other countries like Indonesia, the atmosphere is very festive with markets full of food for those fasting and not wanting to cook for their buka puasa (iftar, or breaking the fast). And in restaurants, huge curries are put to simmer on charcoal fires in the afternoon so that they can be ready for when the fast is broken at sunset. This goat curry is a speciality of Aceh, a province at the northern end of Sumatra with the largest concentration of Muslims in Indonesia, where they live by Sharia law, a religious law derived from the religious precepts of the Qu’ran.

  SERVES 4 TO 6

  FOR THE SPICE PASTE

  3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

  2 tablespoons coriander seeds

  2 teaspoons white peppercorns

  ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

  1 tablespoon white poppy seeds (kas-kas)

  ½ nutmeg, grated

  ½ teaspoon ground cumin

  2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger

  2 inches (5 cm) fresh turmeric

  1¼ inches (3 cm) fresh galangal

  4 small shallots (3 ounces/85 g total), peeled

  2 cloves garlic, peeled but whole

  1 fresh red chili, trimmed

  4 candlenuts, macadamia nuts, or cashews

  Sea salt

  FOR THE MEAT

  2¼ pounds (1 kg) goat meat, preferably on the bone, cut into medium chunks

  Juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon

  FOR THE CURRY

  ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil

  4 medium shallots (3½ ounces/100 g total), halved and cut into thin wedges

  2 fresh curry leaves

  3 tablespoons mild chili powder mixed with 1 tablespoon water

  2-inch (5 cm) cinnamon stick

  2 star anise

  4 whole cloves

  2 green cardamom pods, smashed

  4 stalks lemongrass, white part only, smashed

  2½ cups (600 ml) coconut cream

  Sea salt

  Boiled fragrant jasmine rice, for serving

  1. To make the spice paste: Put the shredded coconut, coriander seeds, white peppercorns, fennel seeds, white poppy seeds, and nutmeg in a nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. Toast, stirring all the time, until fragrant. Add the ground cumin and stir for a few seconds. Transfer to a food processor. Wipe the pan clean and put the fresh ginger, turmeric, and galangal in it and toast until lightly golden. Add the galangal to the food processor, then peel the ginger and turmeric and add to the food processor. Add the shallots, garlic, chili, nuts, and salt to taste and process until you have a fine paste.

  2. To marinate the meat: Put the goat meat in a bowl and add the lime or lemon juice. Mix well, then rub the spice paste into the meat. Let marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

  3. To make the curry: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the curry leaves and chili paste. Add the marinated goat, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom, and lemongrass and cook, stirring regularly, until the goat is lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for a few minutes, or until the meat browns a little more. Add the coconut cream and salt to taste and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer 45 minutes, stirring regularly to make sure the sauce is not sticking, or until the sauce is thick and some of the oil has risen to the surface. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with rice.

  Pakistani Chicken Curry

  CHICKEN KARAHI

  PAKISTAN

  When I was in Lahore for the Lahore Literary Festival, I was invited to stay with Razi Ahmed, the founder of the festival, and his family; and every morning I would meet his mother in the kitchen for a desi breakfast and a chat that often revolved around desi food, which I adored, not to mention that I also loved being with the Ahmed family, whose hospitality and generosity reminded me so much of both my countries, Lebanon and Syria. I also remember my first home-cooked lunch, at Nuscie Jamil’s beautiful home. Nuscie, who is also very involved with the festival, became a firm friend, and even though this recipe is not hers, I am pretty sure she served a similar curry at that lunch. It is simple to make and I love the concept of cooking the sauce before adding the chicken, which ensures a beautiful consistency not to mention an intense, irresistible flavor.

  SERVES 4

  ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil, plus more if needed

  3 medium onions (1 pound/450 g total), finely chopped

  2 medium tomatoes (7 ounces/200 g total), processed with a little water to a smooth puree

  1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste

  2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste

  1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

  2 teaspoons ground coriander

  1½ teaspoons ground cumin

  1 teaspoon curry powder

  ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

  Sea salt

  1 tablespoon tomato paste

  1 whole chicken (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg), skinned and jointed into 8 pieces

  ¼ bunch cilantro (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, coarsely chopped

  ½ teaspoon Garam Masala 1

  Cooked basmati rice or Naan, for serving

  1. Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat until hot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

  2. Add half the pureed tomatoes and mix well. When the tomatoes start bubbling, add the ginger, garlic, the chili powder, coriander, cumin, curry powder, turmeric, and salt to taste and mix well. Cook, stirring regularly, until fragrant.

  3. Add the remaining pureed tomatoes and mix well, then stir in the tomato paste. If you find that the sauce is sticking at this stage, add 1 tablespoon more vegetable oil. Stir until the oil rises. Use a hand blender to process the sauce into a puree. (Or transfer to a food processor to puree, then return to the pot.)

  4. Add the chicken pieces to the pot and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) water and continue to cook until the
water has evaporated and the sauce or masala is thick again with some of the oil rising to the surface. Then add 1 cup (250 ml) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is concentrated; check on the chicken halfway through to make sure the sauce is not drying out.

  5. Uncover and stir. Add the cilantro and garam masala and let simmer, covered, for a few more minutes. Serve immediately with rice or bread.

  Iranian Yellow Split Pea Stew

  KHORESHT-E GHEIMEH

  IRAN

  Khoresht-e gheimeh is one of the most common khoreshts in Iran, mainly because it is economical and can be prepared all year round, given that it does not call for any fresh produce. My first taste of gheimeh was on my last trip to Iran. I was in Isfahan on the day of ‘Ashura, the day of mourning for Shi‘ite Muslims to commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein (the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson), his companions, and members of his family in Karbala. I was staying in a charming boutique hotel near a large mosque and both places were an extraordinary scene of frenzied cooking. In the hotel, the cook was preparing a khoresht-e gheimeh for two hundred people, and at the mosque, the cooks were making a chicken kohresht for three thousand! And of course they were also cooking gigantic quantities of rice to serve with the stews. During ‘Ashura food is distributed and old and young men process through the town and flagellate themselves to share in the suffering of their saint. I first went to the mosque’s kitchens to watch the cooks soak huge quantities of rice in enormous vats before draining and boiling it, as well as wash hundreds of chickens to make the khoresht. It was an astonishing spectacle with the mammoth pots filling the kitchen, each placed over a low gas fire with either the stew or the rice cooking in it. I missed out on the killing of the lambs that were tied together in a tiny room across the courtyard from the kitchen.