Introduction: Fattoush is a Levantine bread salad built around crisp toasted or fried pita, fresh vegetables and a distinctive tangy dressing flavoured with sumac and pomegranate molasses. Its name comes from the Arabic root 'fatt', meaning to crumble or break bread, reflecting its origin as a resourceful way to use up stale flatbread. It is […]
Introduction: During the long fasting periods of the Orthodox calendar, especially Great Lent before Easter, observant households turn to simple, plant-based staples for the first meal of the day. Tahini (sesame paste) and petimezi (grape must syrup) are two of the oldest pantry staples in Greece, predating refined sugar in the countryside. Spread together on […]
Introduction: Pkhali is a cornerstone of the Georgian supra (feast table) and one of the most Lent-friendly dishes in the entire Orthodox culinary world, since it is built entirely from vegetables, walnuts, and spices with no dairy, eggs, or meat at all. Made from spinach, beetroot greens, or cabbage depending on the season, pkhali is […]
Introduction: Dabeli is a spiced, stuffed bun snack that originated in the Kutch region of Gujarat and is usually made with a mashed potato filling. The Jain version swaps the potato for mashed raw banana, which takes on the same soft, starchy texture and readily absorbs the sweet-tangy dabeli masala, pomegranate and peanuts that define […]
Native Name: Morgh-e Anari Cultural Background: Pomegranates were prized across the Persian Empire both fresh and reduced into a thick, sour-sweet syrup, and glazing roasted fowl with pomegranate juice is one of the oldest documented flavour pairings from the region, referenced in later Sassanid-era culinary writing that preserved much older household practice. A modest roast […]
Native Name: Ash-e Anar Cultural Background: Sour pomegranate juice and reduced pomegranate paste appear repeatedly in the oldest surviving Persian-tradition recipe writing as a souring agent for soups and stews, prized alongside vinegar and verjuice. A soup built around tart pomegranate, herbs, and small meatballs or rice would have made good use of the fruit's […]
Native Name: Sharbat-e Anar Cultural Background: Sharbat, a chilled fruit-and-flower syrup diluted with water, is among the oldest known Persian drink traditions, prized for cooling the body during hot summers long before ice was widely available, using whatever fruit syrup or petals a household had preserved. Pomegranate, one of the region's signature fruits, made a […]
Native/Reconstructed Name: Ser en Inhemenet (reconstructed; festival duck) Cultural Background: Duck, alongside goose, was standard fare at ancient Egyptian religious festivals and temple feasts, offered to the gods before being shared among priests and worshippers. Pairing roasted duck with pomegranate, a fruit associated with fertility and abundance following its New Kingdom introduction, would have made […]
Native/Reconstructed Name: Inhemenet en Nedjem (reconstructed; sweet pomegranate drink) Cultural Background: Pomegranates were introduced to Egypt during the New Kingdom period and quickly became a valued fruit, appearing in tomb paintings and among grave goods as a symbol of fertility and abundance. Juiced and sweetened with honey, a pomegranate cordial would have been a refreshing […]
Introduction: Fattoush is a bright, crunchy salad built on fried or toasted flatbread scraps, tossed with fresh vegetables and a tangy sumac dressing. Cultural Background: Fattoush is a bright, crunchy salad built on fried or toasted flatbread scraps, tossed with fresh vegetables and a tangy sumac dressing. Widely shared across the Levant and Gulf, it […]