The Islamic Garden
Arabic Cuisine - Medieval
Cooking
The authors of this feature
web-site have researched their
subject well and come up with an impressive collection of recipes
from the 10th-15th centuries, including some Andalusian dishes.
They explain how to substitute modern ingredients for ancient
ones and also take care to avoid ingredients which may cause
allergies.
You may visit the site here.
The Menu:
The menu consists of several interesting dishes, including the following:
- Badinjan
Muhassa :
An eggplant dip which combines the unique flavors of eggplant, walnuts and onions - Tabâhajah:
Marinated meat cooked in oil and topped with fresh greens and herbs - Cooked
Dish of Lentils :
Lentils, onions and spices garnished with cooked eggs - Andalusian
Chicken :
Spicy chicken from 13th century Moorish Spain - Hais :
Date-balls popular with travelers, perhaps as energy snacks - Khushkananaj
:
Pastry filled with almonds, sugar and rosewater - Hulwa:
A variety of 15th century candies - Makshufa:
Another type of candy which uses nuts as a base - Syrup of
Lemon:
Served hot or cold, the authors describe this drink as a 13th century lemonade with medicinal properties
Whether you try these dishes or not, this site contains a wealth of information on medieval cooking and is fun to browse. Without a doubt, understanding a culture's eating habits lends an extra layer of insight into understanding the people of that culture as well and this is what makes me interested in trying some of these recipes myself. Until next time, take care and Enjoy!
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