Strolling around Los Angeles Middle Eastern Markets will make you notice delicately perfumed waters, tangy pomegranate molasses, and some intoxicating spice blends guaranteed to perk up any dish with only one or two teaspoons.
Middle Eastern cooking is made up of powerful and vibrant ingredients that give every dish a unique character and flavor. Of course, not all neighborhoods have Middle Eastern markets. The good news is that you can now find and shop for many ingredients online.
Here are some favorite ingredients you can add to your grocery list:
Advieh
It is a spice blend often made up of cardamom, cinnamon, clove, rose, and sometimes nutmeg and mace. Dried flowers look beautiful before they are grounded. Advieh has a delicate and sweet aroma often used to season roasted meat and perfume rice pilafs. This can also be sprinkled on chicken or lamb before braising.
Aleppo-Style Pepper
Syria’s large-flaked and deep red pepper has a slow-building and mild heat that you can sprinkle on pretty much everything. A few teaspoons can be stirred with oil to use as a marinade for your roast chicken. You can also spoon it over greens or add some pinches to the vinaigrette.
Baharat
This is a type of finely ground mixture of spice made with black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and paprika. The all-purpose warming blend has a literal meaning of spices in Arabic, with a wonderful flavor you will love. This is used as a seasoning for steaks before they are grilled or you can also toss it in root veggies before roasting.
Barberries
These tiny berries are best added to crunchy salads after you plumped them in water. You can also use barberries on top of roasted chicken or bejeweled rice.
Dried Limes
Limes are boiled in salt brine and sun-dried until they are hardened to form dried limes. The fruit can be pierced several times and added to stews or braises for a slightly fermented and musky flavor.
Dukkah
The Egyptian condiment is a combination of spices, seeds, and nuts that are crushed to tiny bits. This is especially perfect for adding texture to salads, dips, and popcorn.
Marash Chile Flakes
These chile flakes from Turkey feel a bit oily to touch. The soft heat makes it possible to use it similar to black pepper. You can add a pinch of it after frying eggs. The chile flakes will bleed their color after it touches the sizzling oil.
Orange Water
The best brands of orange water are infused with Damascus rose petals and orange blossoms. These are delicate and reminiscent of fresh flowers. You can add a splash of this to give more depth to braises, especially lamb. This can also transform a tonic and gin or the floral notes can be highlighted in a simple citrus salad.
Pomegranate Molasses
These are simply pomegranate juice that has been reduced to sweet-tart and thick syrup. This can be used as an alternative to vinegar or citrus juice in salads or can be used as a glaze on meats before roasting or grilling.
