This blend of spices typifies Moroccan seasoning, and transforms the dish’s simple ingredients into a complex offering. This dish can be made two ways, one that centers solely on the chickpeas, and one that incorporates vegetables to add more substance. Both versions are considered a side dish, but when served with couscous or rice they become a main course….
Ali’s Spinach Curry (Tarka Saag)
From the cookbook, Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World, “The Baghdadis of Calcutta used spinach with more frequency than did their non-Jewish neighbors. Indian Jews, however, did adopt their neighbors’ love of spices, which found their way into the cuisine, as exemplified by this dish. A tarka is a mixture of hot ghee or oil and spices. The essential oils in the spices are fat solvents, and the heat contributes to the release of flavors. This dish is commonly accompanied with rice.”…