GLUTEN FREE BAKLAVA!
But before we get to that...
Welcome to the Middle East!
When you think of the middle east (western Asia) you probably think of hummus and pita.
Hummus and breads are a big part of the cuisine here, and I admit that I assumed most of the other foods here were also shades of brown with warm spice flavours.
However I was surprised when almost all of the recipes I looked up included CUPS of fresh green herbs, and loads of fresh citrus notes.
First one of my favourite salads, that I didn't know was Middle Eastern: Tabouleh.
I stopped eating tabouleh when I stopped eating gluten because it includes wheat bulgar or coucous. I have been using a corn couscous for a while now and I love it, so this was an excellent chance to do something new with it.
When you see packaged tabouleh in a store it's usually mostly couscous with some added herbs and veggies. True Lebanese tabouleh, however, is mostly parsley and mint with only a small amount of grain added for texture. Lemon juice, olive oil, cinnamon, and allspice make this healthy salad a flavour adventure.
Another salad we made was called fattoush. This salad includes crispy pieces of broken pita that either get over cooked during initial cooking, or are left over and not wanted to go to waste.
We used old tortilla chips and it did the trick, although the next day they were quite soggy and I don't think pita would have done that as much. Fattoush is bright and lemony and is dusted with sumac powder, which also has a sour citrus flavour, so it compliments plain breads and meats.
With this we had lamb kofta; like meatballs but made into a sausage shape or patty so it can easily be wrapped in a pita if you wanted. The lamb is flavoured with cloves, cumin, corriander and cinnamon, along with lots of fresh parsley and onion. Definitely a unique and delicious flavour package.
Baklava going in!
Baklava coming out!
When I make it next time I'm going to grind the nuts into smaller pieces because the larger chunks caused the layers to separate. Gluten free meant that it was chewier than 'normal' bakalava, but the flavour was spot on.
I was also able to find Turkish delight in a package that was made in Turkey (thank you random food aisle at Winners)! Some people say they don't like Turkish delight, but I don't know what's not to like.
On to northern Asia, and our last stop on this continent!
But before we get to that...
Welcome to the Middle East!
When you think of the middle east (western Asia) you probably think of hummus and pita.
Hummus and breads are a big part of the cuisine here, and I admit that I assumed most of the other foods here were also shades of brown with warm spice flavours.
However I was surprised when almost all of the recipes I looked up included CUPS of fresh green herbs, and loads of fresh citrus notes.
First one of my favourite salads, that I didn't know was Middle Eastern: Tabouleh.
I stopped eating tabouleh when I stopped eating gluten because it includes wheat bulgar or coucous. I have been using a corn couscous for a while now and I love it, so this was an excellent chance to do something new with it.
When you see packaged tabouleh in a store it's usually mostly couscous with some added herbs and veggies. True Lebanese tabouleh, however, is mostly parsley and mint with only a small amount of grain added for texture. Lemon juice, olive oil, cinnamon, and allspice make this healthy salad a flavour adventure.
Another salad we made was called fattoush. This salad includes crispy pieces of broken pita that either get over cooked during initial cooking, or are left over and not wanted to go to waste.
We used old tortilla chips and it did the trick, although the next day they were quite soggy and I don't think pita would have done that as much. Fattoush is bright and lemony and is dusted with sumac powder, which also has a sour citrus flavour, so it compliments plain breads and meats.
With this we had lamb kofta; like meatballs but made into a sausage shape or patty so it can easily be wrapped in a pita if you wanted. The lamb is flavoured with cloves, cumin, corriander and cinnamon, along with lots of fresh parsley and onion. Definitely a unique and delicious flavour package.
Of course, being in the middle east, we made a traditional hummus with flat bread.
Hummus is a puree of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and tahini (sesame paste) mixed with cumin, lemon, and oil. Anything can be added to the hummus to make different flavour variations, and is usually topped with some of the un-pureed ingredients. We also garnished ours with thyme and paprika.
Chickpeas and beans are a staple ingredient in many recipes, and another popular use for chickpeas is in falafels. I have never really liked falafels, I think it's just a texture thing, and even though I felt the same about these the flavour was great and they worked perfectly. The only thing that I did differently in This Recipe was use sunflower seeds instead of sesame seeds, and used gluten free flour. Toby loved them.
Dessert time!
I knew I wanted to make Turkish baklava. Baklava is thin sheets of pastry layered with nuts and spices and honey and it becomes these chewy sticky delicious squares - but finding gluten free phyllo dough in Canada is impossible. There are companies in Australia and the US that make it, but I couldn't fine anywhere that ships.
Next I tried looking for just gluten free baklava. I contacted local bakeries and searched the internet but as far as I can tell nobody sells it pre-packaged.
I really didn't want to make it from scratch because phyllo dough is tricky at the best of times, and gluten free would be harder, but that seemed to be my only option.
I knew I wanted to make Turkish baklava. Baklava is thin sheets of pastry layered with nuts and spices and honey and it becomes these chewy sticky delicious squares - but finding gluten free phyllo dough in Canada is impossible. There are companies in Australia and the US that make it, but I couldn't fine anywhere that ships.
Next I tried looking for just gluten free baklava. I contacted local bakeries and searched the internet but as far as I can tell nobody sells it pre-packaged.
I really didn't want to make it from scratch because phyllo dough is tricky at the best of times, and gluten free would be harder, but that seemed to be my only option.
I found MANY recipes, each claiming they were the best, but finally settled on one that was simple and had a believable photo. Once I got working with it though, it was apparent that this recipe was not proportioned properly and I had to make MANY edits along the way. Someday if I make this again and perfect it I will post a recipe that works.
Anyway, I finally got the dough consistency right and wonder of wonders it rolled in to thin, not-crumbly pieces.
Anyway, I finally got the dough consistency right and wonder of wonders it rolled in to thin, not-crumbly pieces.
Baklava going in!
Baklava coming out!
When I make it next time I'm going to grind the nuts into smaller pieces because the larger chunks caused the layers to separate. Gluten free meant that it was chewier than 'normal' bakalava, but the flavour was spot on.
I was also able to find Turkish delight in a package that was made in Turkey (thank you random food aisle at Winners)! Some people say they don't like Turkish delight, but I don't know what's not to like.
On to northern Asia, and our last stop on this continent!
Happy Eating!!
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