[Sca-cooks] Mashed chickpea dish, was Book Question

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Mashed chickpea dish, not really like modern hummus bi-tahini, since 
chickpeas are not mashed with anything oily.

ORIGINAL
from Kanz al-fawa'id fi tanwi al-mawa'id
(The Treasure-Trove of Things Delicious for the Diversification of 
the Table's Dishes)
Mamluk period - late 13th to early 16th, probably 14th c.

Cook the chickpeas in water, then mash them in a mortar to make a 
puree. Push the puree through a sieve for wheat, unless it is already 
fine enough, in which case this step is not necessary. Mix it then 
with wine vinegar, the pulp of pickled lemons, and cinnamon, pepper, 
ginger, parsley of the best quality, mint, and rue that have all been 
chopped and placed on the surface of a serving dish [zubdiyya]. 
Finally pour over a generous amount of oil of good quality
--
"Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World: A Concise History with 174 recipes"
by Lilia Zaouali
University of California Press, 2007
p. 65

URTATIM'S INTERPRETATION

-- one 1-lb cans chickpeas - ok, so maybe they're 15 oz. cans...
-- 1/4 c. wine vinegar, red or white, or to taste
(a blend of white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar with sherry 
vinegar would taste really nice, although it would not be 
historically accurate)
-- the pulp of one Moroccan salted lemon, or more to taste
(it is generally recommended in modern Moroccan cookbooks to rinse 
salted lemon first)
(if pulp doesn't add enough flavor, finely mince peel and add some to taste)
-- 1/2 tsp. powdered cinnamon
-- 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
-- 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
-- 2 Tb. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
-- 2 Tb. finely chopped mint
-- 2 tsp. finely chopped rue
(can't think of a good substitute - rue is a bit bitter and 
camphorous in flavor)
-- 3 Tb. high quality extra-virgin olive oil or *untoasted* sesame oil

1. Drain canned chickpeas well and rinse well (in a colander works 
well) (or soak dried chickpeas overnight in water to cover, drain, 
rinse, cook in water as necessary, then refrigerate until cool enough 
to handle, drain.)

2. Pushing chickpeas through a strainer will remove skins. Whirling 
chickpeas in a blender or food processor (as in step 3), however, 
will not. Therefore (if not pressing chickpeas through a strainer) 
remove skins from chickpeas by hand: gently rub a handful of 
chickpeas between your hands to slip off skins, then discard the 
skins. If you don't get every last bit of skin, don't worry about it.

3. Mash / puree the skinned chickpeas in a blender, food processor, 
or non-electric food mill.

4. In a bowl, gently and thoroughly mix mashed chickpeas with wine 
vinegar, lemon pulp, cinnamon, pepper, and ginger. Taste, adjust 
seasonings, maybe adding some minced salted lemon peel (i love salted 
lemon :-).

5. Sprinkle most of chopped parsley, mint, and rue (if using) evenly 
over the surface of the serving dish (especially around the edges). 
Arrange chickpea puree neatly and smoothly in center, slightly 
depressing the center, leaving a very slightly raised rim around the 
edge. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining herbs. Top with oil, swirled 
on artistically.

How it was eaten is not mentioned. It might have been scooped up on 
flat bread - since bread was the primary food of Arabic speaking 
countries, of Persia, and the Ottoman Empire, and accompanied every 
meal - or it may just have been eaten with a spoon or one's fingers 
(as i tend to eat modern hummus bi-tahini).
-- 
Urtatim [that's err-tah-TEEM]
the persona formerly known as Anahita