[Sca-cooks] Silq bi-laban (spinach and sesame dip)

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Ranvaig wrote:
>There seems to be a translation issue, Silq bi
>laban would be spinach and yogurt.  Laban is
>yogurt not sesame.  I'd consider this a sauce or
>side dish, not an entree.

Actually, Silq is chard. In translations of recipes, spinach seems to 
be a common substitute in America, although chard is often readily 
available.

>This would seem to be from Al Baghdadi Chapter
>VII: On pickles, relishes and condiments

 From al-Baghdadi (trans. Arberry):
Take beet with large ribs; cut off the ends of the leaves and cut in 
to pieces a span long. Wash, and boil in salt and water until cooked. 
Dry and put into Persian milk and garlic, sprinkle with sesame and 
serve.

NOTE: Silq is not beet, it's chard. This is an error on the part of Arberry.

 From the Description of Familiar Food (trans. Perry):
Take big Swiss chard stalks and cut off their leaves and throw them 
away. Cut the stalks the size of four fingers and wash them. Then 
boil them in salted water until done. Take them out of the water and 
spread out on a woven tray until well dried off. Put them in yogurt 
that has been mixed with garlic, of the sort that has been boiled as 
previously, and sprinkle a little nigella and fresh mint leaves on it.

NOTE: The Book of the Description of Familiar Foods incorporates a 
version of al-Baghdadi that has the original plus 67 recipes (for a 
total of about 160 recipes), chapters from other works (such as the 
one on Lenten food), individual recipes from other sources, and a 
confectioner's manual, for a total of about 420 recipes.

NOTE: There are still modern recipes for silq that instruct the cook 
to cut off the leaves and cook the stalks.
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita