Subject: Re: REQUEST: "medieval" references to hummus, tabbouli, etc.

From: [email-masked] (Stephen Bloch)
Date: 10 Mar 1994 09:19:19 -0500

David Friedman <[email-masked]> quoted:
>> Specific items I would like information about include: hummus (chickpea dip), tabbouleh (parsley/mint/wheat mix), and kibbeh. Now, if these items were not found in period, help me with some alternative items.

and replied:
>"Hummus" means "chickpea," and is a common period ingredient. I have never
>seen a period recipe for "Hummus bi Tahini," which is the familiar dip. Nor
>do I think I know of period examples of the other things you mention.

I'll second that.  I've seen all the major INGREDIENTS of hummus,
tabbouleh, and kibbeh in medieval Arabic sources, but those particular
dishes are conspicuously absent.

>Counterfeit (Vegetarian) Isfriy of Garbanzos is a little like felafel It
>is in Manuscrito Anonimo, and will be in the next edition of the
>Miscellany--but that will be a few years yet, I expect.

Yes, I've made this once or twice.  I haven't worked out the proportions
and seasonings to my liking yet, but it formed beautiful pancakes.

You might also check my article in TI about four years ago, "Some Receipts
of al-Andalus".  I don't remember the issue number, but the cover
illustration is a woman bending down to gather herbs, silhouetted against
a large blue circle.  All the recipes in that article are from the 13th-
century Manuscrito Anonimo that David mentioned, and include both my
translations (Charles Perry hadn't done his yet) and my redactions.

-- 
					Stephen Bloch
				     [email-masked]