Lebanese Spicy Potatoes: Batata Harra

"Batata Harra, or "Spicy Potatoes," is a fairly common dish from Lebanon, which is also eaten in Syria, and I "believe" that it's not totally uncommon in some other Middle Eastern areas, like Jordan. It is a dish in its own right, or it can be served as a side dish. 

 

If you like lemony flavor, you can certainly use 3 or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Harissa is a Tunisian chili pepper paste made with olive oil and typically seasoned with some spices. Its use goes well beyond Tunisia across North Africa and into the Middle East. It is available in many supermarkets, and most certainly in Middle Eastern grocery stores or food shops. Commonly pronounced "ha-riss-ah" or "hu-riss-ah" in English, but more like "ha-ree-zah" in Arabic.  

 

 

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings):

 

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced (1 inch dice)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 3 teaspoons harissa, depending upon desired heat level (or chopped chili pepper)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (also known as fresh coriander to some)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (for the sauce)

vegetable oil or olive oil for frying, enough to give about 1/4 inch depth of oil in your skillet (or use about 3 tablespoons of olive oil to drizzle on the potatoes if you are roasting them)

 

You can roast the diced potatoes, or you can fry them. To roast: put the diced potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle on about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; put into a preheated 400 F oven for about 45 minutes, turning the potatoes one time after 25 minutes. The potatoes are done when they have a crispy exterior, but the centers can be easily pierced by a fork. To fry: add enough oil to a skillet to give about 1/3 inch of oil; heat the oil over medium heat and fry the potatoes to achieve the same as just mentioned above; or, you can boil the diced potatoes first, drain them VERY well, and then fry them. For the seasoning: In a skillet or a pan, add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, and saute for 30 to 45 seconds, then add the harissa and saute a further 30 seconds, mixing everything around constantly. Remove the potatoes from the oil (or from the baking sheet) and add them to the harissa/garlic mixture; add the lemon juice, chopped cilantro (fresh coriander), salt and ground black pepper; mix everything.  

 

 

 

Kith-This word, in more recent times most commonly used in the expression "kith and kin," is related to "ken" (knowledge, understanding, comprehension), "know," "can" (the verb, initially meaning 'to be able to do something through knowledge,' later expanded beyond that) and "couth/uncouth," all words going back to the Germanic roots of English, and to "cognizance," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English from French. "Kith" goes back to Indo European "gnoh/gneh," meaning "to know," and this gave Old Germanic the verb "kunnanan," with the same general meaning. This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "cunnan," meaning, "to know, to be able to do something (by having knowledge of), to be familiar with," and the base of the past tense forms being "cuþ" (=cuth), with the meaning "known." This gave Old English the noun "cyðð" (=cythth) meaning "kinfolk, relatives, kinship;" thus also, "homeland," all with the underlying idea of "people or places well known to someone or to a group." There were spelling variations way back, but the spelling finally settled on "kith," meaning "family, relatives, kinfolk," with the broader meanings of "fellow countrymen, home region." The word's relatives in the other Germanic languages all remained somewhat more directly centered around the meaning "know," with German, for instance, having the nouns "(die) Kunde" (message, news; that is, "information made known") and "(der) Kunde" (originally, "someone known to a person, an acquaintance;" thus later, "a customer (initially, "someone who buys wares from someone on a regular basis," but later, more general in meaning). German also has the noun "Kundschafter," "a reconnaissance person or scout;" that is, "one who gets knowledge of others or of places." Low German has the noun "Künn" meaning "knowledge."       

Mexican-Inspired Egg Salad

Mexican food has long had an influence on the American food scene, especially in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and southern California; all areas with historical ties to Mexico and its food, and also all with significant minorities of their populations made up of people of Mexican descent. Often from these areas, Mexican food influences have spread to other parts of the United States.  

 

This egg salad has some spicy kick to it from the chili pepper, but only as much as you prefer it to have.

 

Ingredients (4 to 5 servings):

 

6 eggs, hard boiled, cooled and peeled

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper (small chop)

1/3 cup chopped green onions, white and green

1 jalapeno or serrano chili (seeded and finely chopped)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 medium avocado, mashed and mixed with 1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon olive oil

crumbled dried oregano (Mexican oregano, if you have it) 

 

Chop the peeled hard boiled eggs and put the chopped egg into a bowl. Add the chopped red bell pepper, chopped green onions, finely chopped chili pepper (jalapeno or serrano), chopped cilantro, ground cumin, ancho chili powder, garlic powder and celery salt; mix briefly to begin distributing the ingredients. In a cup or bowl, mix together the mashed avocado (with the mixed in lime juice), the mayonnaise and the teaspoon of olive oil, then mix this avocado mayo into the egg and seasonings. Refrigerate for at least 90 minutes, but a few hours is better. Make sandwiches using whole wheat bread or flour tortillas; garnish with a sprinkle of dried crumbled oregano.

 

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Diverse- This word, meaning "varied in characteristics," is really a compound, with the first part being "di," which goes back to Indo European "dwhis/dwis," which had the meaning "twice, again, two ways;" thus also, "aside (from), away." This gave its Italic/Latin offspring "dis," with the "aside (from)" meaning, as well as some other meanings. The second part of "diverse" is "verse," which is related to "versus," which was borrowed into English from Latin, and to "verse" ('line of writing,' 'line of poetry,' 'song lyrics'), a Latin-derived word borrowed into Germanic and passed to its Old English offspring, then later reinforced by French. It goes back to Indo European "wer," which had the notion of "turn, bend, wind" (with a long 'i' sound), and this gave Latin "vertere," meaning "to turn." The two parts were combined in the compound, "divertere," meaning "to turn in varied directions, go different ways," and from this came "diversus," which meant "different, varied, various." This gave Latin-based Old French "divers," with much the same meaning. English borrowed "divers" (it is NOT related to 'divers' =swimmers) from French in the 1200s, with the meaning "different," but in the 1300s the spelling changed to "diverse," likely under the influence of Latin "diversus."

Greek Fried Feta Cheese & Honey Sauce

Greek feta cheese is often made from sheep's milk, but sometimes it is made in combination with some goat's milk. It is stored in brine, but there are also prepackaged containers of about 7ounces to about 10 ounces, also with the brine included. Greek honey, if you have access to it, "often" has a bit of a thyme flavor to it. If you like buying things online, you'll definitely find Greek honey there, at varying prices, from modest to expensive. 

It seems the basic idea for this dish originated on the Greek island of Crete, the largest of the Greek islands and one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean. The fried cheese will have a slightly crispy, crunchy crust.

 

Ingredients (about 4 servings as appetizers):

 

7 to 9 ounces Greek feta 

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup honey

pinch of dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon orange juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

 

On a plate or in a shallow bowl, mix the pepper into the flour. Leave the cheese slightly damp and put it into the flour to coat the cheese; shake off any loose excess. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet, then fry the cheese for about 2 minutes per side until lightly browned (you don't want it too dark or burned) and a slightly crisp "shell" develops. Add the honey to a microwave safe cup or bowl, add the pinch of dried oregano leaves, 1/2 teaspoon orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice; microwave for 20 seconds. Serve the just fried feta with the warm honey sauce drizzled over it. 

 

 

The whole slice of fried feta ...

 

WORD HISTORY:

Acrobat-This word is related to several words, with the first part related to "acme," a word borrowed by English from Greek, to "acne," a word borrowed from Latin, which had it from Greek. The second part is distantly related to "come," a word from the Germanic roots of English. The first part of "acrobat" goes back to Indo European "ak," which had the notion, "be pointed, be sharp." This gave transliterated Ancient Greek "akros," meaning "at the top point" (noun: "akron," "the highest point, the peak"). The second part goes back to Indo European "gwa" and its extended form "gwem," which meant "to walk, to go." The Indo European "gw" was rendered in Greek as 'b,' thus giving Greek the verb "bainein," also meaning "to walk, to tread, to step, to go." These parts gave Greek "akrobátis" (also transliterated as "akrovátis"?), which meant "rope walker, one who walks on tiptoes;" thus also, "tightrope walker." "Apparently" borrowed directly from Greek by French as "acrobate." English borrowed the word from French in the first half of the 1800s (circa 1830?). 

Indian Vegetarian Burgers

Vegetarian substitutes for meat have been gaining in popularity over the years, and even many of the fast food places entered into the market for such foods. Somewhere around a third of India's population is vegetarian, and that figure "could" even be higher.  

 

As I'm sure many of you know, the foods of India are often "spicy," and you can certainly adjust the heat level of these "burgers." Scrub the potatoes well and you can leave the skins on, if you'd like. There are lots of chili pepper varieties used on the Indian Subcontinent, and many of the specific types are not available all over the world, but "generally," you can substitute other types of chilies; as for instance, you can use jalapeño chilies in place of the various green chilies used on the Indian Subcontinent. As I've mentioned in some other articles, I've had jalapeño chilies that really had no heat; I mean, they were like green bell peppers; but on the other hand, I've had jalapeño chilies that could bring smoke billowing from your nostrils. So, use the number of chilies to accommodate your desired level of heat, but remember, chilies also provide a degree of flavor. 

Ground coriander is not the same as fresh coriander, which is better known as cilantro in many parts of the world. Ground coriander is the spice made from the seeds. As for cardamom, you can buy ground cardamon in a jar (some say bottle), or you can buy, or you might already have, whole green cardamon pods, and you can grind them yourself (I often use a mortar and pestle, and sometimes a spice/coffee grinder). You might find ground fennel in some supermarkets or spice shops, but certainly not in all. Or you can use a spice or coffee grinder, or a mortar and pestle and grind about 6 or 8 fennel seeds for this recipe.

 

You don't have to be precise in how you chop or cut the veggies, because they will be mashed or processed after cooking. You don't want the veggies, lentils and peas to be mushy, and you don't want them dripping with moisture, so drain them super well. The lentils and split peas will be processed too, so they don't have to be cooked until totally tender, as if you were making soup or curry, but you don't want them to be hard either. By the way, if you don't have red lentils, or if you can't find them easily, use brown lentils; the earth won't shift because of it.  

I know the list of ingredients looks long, and there's a reason for that ... IT IS! But it includes the spices often used in Indian cooking. Generally speaking, I'm not a real big fan of commercial Indian spice blends like garam masala or curry powder (and there are others). Many people of India, and from the overall Subcontinent, as well, make their own spice blends at home; so, they are not "standard." I keep a couple of commercial spice blends for occasional convenience, but I often prefer to add individual spices to recipes myself; thus, that's another reason for the list of spices here. The long list doesn't mean any of this is complicated, because it isn't. All you're doing is measuring out various spices and adding them to the recipe.

Serve with fried potato wedges

 

Ingredients (4 to 6 burgers):

 

2 1/2 cups chopped potatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped carrot

1/2 cup green beans

1/3 cup red lentils (or brown lentils)

1/4 cup split green peas

1 onion (tennis ball size), peeled and quartered

1 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled

4 cloves garlic

1 to 3 chilies (depending up desired heat level)

1/4 cup fresh coriander, known to many as cilantro

2 teaspoons ground coriander (NOT the same as ground up fresh coriander, ground coriander is a spice made from coriander seeds)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cardamon 

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground fennel 

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

about 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (more if needed, I prefer fine breadcrumbs for this, not panko)

1/4 cup flour + 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper + 3 to 4 tablespoons water

1/2 to 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs (separate from amount above)

oil for frying 

hamburger buns, lightly dry toasted, then buttered

lettuce leaves

tomato slices

onion slices

1/2 cup mayonnaise + 1 clove minced garlic + 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper + 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Use a pan that can hold the potatoes, carrots and green beans. First, cook the potatoes and carrots in lightly salted boiling water, but keep them rather firm, NOT mushy, then add the green beans for just a couple of minutes before removing the vegetables from the heat, as the beans shouldn't take long to cook. DRAIN WELL!

Cook the lentils and split peas in lightly salted simmering water until softened, but again, NOT mushy ("about" 15 minutes) ... DRAIN WELL

Mash about a third of the vegetables, lentils and split peas to a coarse mixture in a large bowl (this will provide some texture to the burgers). Process the rest of the vegetables, lentils and split peas, along with the onion, ginger, garlic, chilies and fresh coriander until just finely chopped; add to the bowl with the coarsely mashed ingredients; add the spices (ground coriander, cumin, ground cardamom, ground turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, ground fennel, mace) and the 2/3 cup breadcrumbs; mix together very well (remember, this mixture needs to be able to hold together as a "burger-type" patty, so if it needs more breadcrumbs, don't hesitate to add them). 

Roll the mixture into rounds (golf ball to tennis ball size), then press them to make patties (I make them about 1/2 inch thick). Mix together the flour, pepper and water in a shallow bowl (it should be thick, but not really a paste). Put the breadcrumbs onto a plate or into a shallow dish. Dip the patties into the flour mixture, then into the breadcrumbs to coat.

Fry the patties in oil over medium heat until browned on both sides  

For the mayonnaise, mix the ingredients together well. Serve with any or all of the toppings.

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Oblige (Obligation)-"Oblige" is related to "ligament," a word borrowed by English from Latin, and to "liaison," a Latin-based word borrowed from French, and to "league" (the noun meaning "confederation, alliance, association"), another Latin-based word borrowed via French, which had it from Italian. The prefix "ob" goes back to Indo European "ep(i)," which meant "toward, near, against, to." The main body of the word "oblige" goes back to Indo European "leig," which had the meaning, "to bind." This gave Latin "ligare," with essentially the same meaning, "to tie, to bind." The combination gave Latin "obligare," meaning "to tie to, to fasten;" thus also, "to bind to responsibility, indebtedness, liability." This passed to Latin-based Old French as "obligier" meaning "to commit to something, to pledge oneself to something," and then became "obliger," and English borrowed the word circa 1300 as "obligen" meaning "to commit/pledge oneself to something (sometimes involving an oath), to feel compelled to do or behave in a particular way,"^ later also, "to be indebted (or to feel indebted) to someone." The noun "obligation" goes back to Latin "obligationem," the accusative form of the verb "obligare" (see above). This passed into Old French as "obligacion" meaning "legal or perceived responsibility or duty, a pledge, commitment or contract to do something (often to pay indebtedness)." English borrowed the word in the early 1300s, initially as "obligacioun," from French, but with influence from Latin. 

 

^ Verb forms ending in "en" was how English indicated the infinitive form in those times, and how its cousin, German, still does. As such, English speakers didn't have to insert "to" into sentences, as the "en" signified that same meaning; thus, "obligen" meant "to oblige." English later changed its way of conjugating verbs by dropping the "en," but usually adding "to" to statements like, "I have to go;" whereas, German still just uses the "en" form; thus, "Ich muss gehen," meaning "I have to go," but it also means, "I must go," it can be translated either way (notice English doesn't have to use "to" when we say, "I must go," with "must" being an auxiliary verb).