to 25 cm) long and hold about three to eight beans, depending on their size. To remove fresh fava beans from the pod, either pull down on the stem so the pod opens, or cut a slit along one of the side of the pod. Before they can be eaten, the beans’ outer skins must be removed. Do this by blanching the shelled beans for two minutes in boiling water and then plunge them into an ice bath; the skins should slip right off. Once the outer skin is removed, fresh fava beans are delicious sautéed with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and cilantro. Although they can be eaten fresh, they are commonly dried. Cooked fava beans are the main component in Mashed Fava Beans with Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, & Garlic (page 76) and are also frequently used to make Falafel (page 81).
Grape Leaves (Waraq al Ainab or Dawali): these are the tender leaves that grow on grapevines; they are used to make Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves (page 71). If you have access to fresh grape leaves that have not been sprayed with pesticides, look for leaves that are the size of the palm of your hand or larger, that are free from holes or blemishes. Before stuffing grape leaves, they require a little bit of preparation. Rinse them under cold running water, trim off the stems (without cutting the leaves), and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Rinse and drain them, and then they are ready to use or freeze (they can also be canned in a brine solution). To freeze, pat each leaf dry and then stack them on top of each other (try to place as many in a stack as you will need for a recipe); place the stack(s) in a plastic bag, press out all the air, and freeze. If you don’t have access to fresh grape leaves, you can buy them frozen, canned, or jarred, just be sure to soak them for about 10 minutes in hot water (changing the water three times) before using.
Mastic (Miskeh): A resin that comes from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) in eastern Mediterranean countries such as turkey and Greece. To produce the resin, sap from the trees are dried into pale yellow or ivory colored “tears” that look like small pebbles of beach glass. Mastic is highly aromatic, with a strong licorice-like, piney flavor. Before being added to recipes, mastic should be ground, which is easiest to do by freezing it for 20 minutes, then grinding it in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of sugar (or salt, if the recipe is savory); don’t use a spice grinder, as the mastic will gum it up. It is used sparingly in puddings like Lebanese nights (page 121), and in addition to flavor, it lends a chewy texture to Rose and Pistachio ice Cream (page 131). It can also be chewed with a little wax as a sort of chewing gum.
Marrow Squash (Kousa): this is a type of summer squash similar to zucchini, but lighter in color and smaller and slightly more bulbous in size. It is commonly hollowed out and stuffed for Stuffed Marrow Squash (page 107) in Middle Eastern cooking. When choosing marrow squash to stuff, look for squash that is about 5 inches (12.75 cm) long and about 1½ to 2 inches (3.75 to 5 cm) in diameter at its thickest part. If you can’t find marrow squash, zucchini can be used instead (see hollowing Out Vegetables to Stuff, page 12).
Middle Eastern Cheese (Jibneh): there are many kinds of sheep, goat, and cow’s milk cheeses native to the Middle East. Quite a few are salty and/or brined, and must be soaked in water to remove the excessive saltiness before being used in recipes. In the Middle East, cheese is commonly eaten with smaller meals (i.e., breakfast or dinner), along with tea to balance out the cheese’s salty flavor. Perhaps the most well known Middle Eastern cheese is halloumi, a salty, firm, brined cheese that squeaks when chewed. It has a high melting point, which makes it good for frying or grilling in recipes like Pan- Seared white Cheese (page 68). Ackawi, which comes from Acre, Palestine, is a salty, semi-firm, smooth cheese that melts similarly to mozzarella. After soaking in water to remove the salty flavor, this cheese becomes significantly softer; it is commonly used as table cheese. Nabulsi originated in nablus, Palestine, and is a salty, semi-firm, brined cheese made by boiling Ackawi either with or without other spices and flavorings; nigella seeds are frequently used. Nabulsi is typically used to make Sweet Cheese Pastry (page 122). It can be used almost interchangeably with halloumi in savory dishes. Shellal is a salty, stringy Syrian cheese that this made of cheese strands twisted together; it also melts similarly to mozzarella. It is quite common to find Shellal with nigella seeds woven in with the cheese strands. Beladi is a soft, mildly tangy cheese that is typically made of goat milk; my favorite substitute for this cheese is farmer’s cheese made from goat milk, if available. A recipe for Yogurt Cheese is found on page 73 and Spiced Cheese Balls is on page 69.
Mint (Naa’na): A bright-flavored herb commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Both fresh and dried mint is used in various salad, soup, and sauce (particularly, yogurt-based sauces) recipes, and as garnishes. Mint is frequently steeped with tea and made into an elixir to drink after a large meal, as it is said to relieve indigestion.
Nigella Seeds (Habbat al Barakeh): Also called black seeds, their name literally translates to “the blessed seed.” nigella seeds are small and black, with a three dimensional, teardrop-like shape. They’re related to buttercups, and they take their name from the lovely-named Nigella sativa plant that they come from. They are revered medicinally in islam, and it is said that the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) once stated that black seeds are “a remedy for all diseases except death.” nigella seeds have an interesting flavor—peppery, nutty, smoky, slightly bitter, and strangely, a little bit like oregano. They are a common addition to cheeses, breads, and pastries.
Orange Blossom Water (Ma’ al Zaher): Also called orange flower water or just flower water, this clear liquid is distilled water made from orange blossoms. It is slightly bitter and very fragrant; to me, it smells like Damascus itself. It is used judiciously along with rose blossom water to flavor sweets and less frequently, savory dishes. It is the main flavoring in Scented Sugar Syrup (page 28) and white Coffee (page 139).
Persian Cucumber (Khiear): Small and slender cucumbers with very few seeds and a subtly sweet flavor. They are perfect for dicing up for salads or slicing up for maza platters. If you can’t find them, you can use any other small cucumber you can find (such as Lebanese or Japanese); or use English cucumber instead (1 English cucumber equals approximately 3 to 4 Persian cucumbers).
Pine Nuts (Snobar): the edible seeds found beneath the scales of pinecones from certain varieties of pine trees. In Middle Eastern cuisine, longer, oval shaped pine nuts are preferred over the shorter, more round variety. Pine nuts are ivory colored with a soft, almost buttery texture and a nutty, mildly piney flavor. They are frequently toasted in a bit of clarified butter or olive oil and used as a garnish for rice dishes; they have a tendency to burn easily, so when toasting them, be sure to keep the heat low, stir frequently, and don’t walk away from them. Due to their high oil content, it’s best to store pine nuts in the freezer.
Pomegranate Molasses (Dibis Rouman): Pomegranate juice that has been reduced to thick brownish-reddish syrup. It has a very concentrated tangy, sweet/tart flavor and is frequently used in savory dishes, such as Bell Pepper walnut Dip (page 72) and Meat and Vegetable Casserole with Pomegranate (page 103). Also, spread a little on a falafel sandwich and you’ll have everyone wondering about your delicious secret ingredient. If
