Yemen

Yemen was a difficult in a way.  For some reason it just felt wrong doing a country that is presently in conflict.  As much as one may have a bravado attitude on who is right and wrong in any conflict there is the one aspect that many forget to realize.  That simply there is many in the that country that shares the same values, and beliefs as we all do.  The matter of politics and poverty is sometimes all that separates people around the world.  We decided to skip dessert for Yemen just to respect the troubled times they are having.  As is our usual tradition we listened to Yemeni radio and even though we were not there, nor understood the language you could hear the sounds of conflict in the background and in the voice of the radio personnel.   If is really strange to hear gunfire in the background and know this was not staged.

Hopefully there is a peaceful and long lasting solution to the people of Yemen.

The Menu

Yemini Fahsa Saltah

Basically a stew prepared in a very specific way.  We were introduced to a new ingredient which was fenugreek powder.  You must soak this powder in water for at least one to a few hours to remove the bitterness from the fenugreek.  After this you drain the water from the fenugreek powder and whip it until it turns into a pale colour.  You then add a puree of chives, coriander, chiles and garlic to the whipped fenugreek.  In a separate pot you make the Kushn which is tomatoes, onions and garlic.  The main dish is prepared separately which consists of meat, onion potato and a medley of spices.  At the end this is all combined and cooked a few more minutes.  After all was said and done this is an acquired taste however was much better the next day.

Yemeni Bread

After buying this bread as I thought I did not have the time or skill to make I realized it actually would be quite simple to do.  However I felt good supporting the little Middle Eastern bakery I had found.   The irony was though in the end I could have made a better bread myself and this was confirmed by the family.  Sometimes you just have to take a mission to task and just do it.



Mint and Pomegranate Shafout

A really fresh and light side dish.  Yogurt with cilantro, cumin, parsley and fresh lemon as a base.  Soak the Yemini Bread in it with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.  This paired really well with the Fahsa Saltah and provided a nice contrast to the heavier dish.

Yemeni cuisine and dishes are different from middle eastern cuisine and unique in their own way.  When cooking you expect something to taste a certain way with Yemen however the taste stood out as original.

Next week we are off to Vatican City to cook the current Popes favourites.