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Supermarket Explorer: Middle Eastern Foul Moudammas

Have you ever found yourself at the supermarket staring at a can or bag or bundle of something that looked intriguing, but intimidating at the same time? I have—more times than I can count. But I’m always up for a challenge, which is why I finally worked up the nerve to take home a can of foul moudammas, from the Middle Eastern section. The name, to its own detriment, doesn’t encourage impulse buys, but there was always something about those plump, brown beans that I found tempting. Today, I’m a foul fan, and I always have a can or two in my pantry.

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Cooking Techniques

Copy Cat in the Kitchen: Pamcakes

I’m a copy editor, not a chef. And I’m a mediocre home cook at best. I’m trying to amass a stable of veg recipes in my family’s diet. I’ll use some of the product samples we get here at VT HQ (Vegetarian Times Headquarters) and make recipes from some of the books in our cookbook library (don’t expect the most current releases). I’ll share the non-scientific results from my four-person-family panel. If something doesn’t impress, I’ll let you know, even if my novice kitchen skills are to blame.

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Ingredients

High and Low: Fleur de Sel, Kosher Salt, and Iodized Salt

When I first heard the term “finishing salt” I rolled my eyes—must we have yet another chi-chi, gourmet term for yet another superfluous ingredient? No sooner had I had that thought than I sheepishly shrugged my shoulders. You see, I regularly use finishing salt in my cooking, though I’d never thought to call it that. Ever since I lived in Brittany, France, and learned about fleur de sel from my Bretonne apartment-mate, Soizic, I’ve done as she showed me and sprinkled the flaky, white salt crystals over foods just before serving them. Soizic never thought of fleur de sel as a finishing salt. She'd always pulled the one-two seasoning punch, using plain sea salt while cooking, then the locally harvested (from Guérande in southern Brittany) fleur de sel as a final flavor adjustment.

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Diets

Supereasy Vegan: Rice-Paper Rolls Demystified

The best part about my bi-monthly jaunt to the Asian grocery store isn’t just stocking up on potstickers, dried shiitakes, and chili sauce, but roaming the aisles looking for new stuff to try. From frozen sheets of tofu skin to whole lotus roots, I’ve (almost) tried it all—with varying degrees of culinary success. One of the best moves I ever made was working up the courage to try rice-paper wrappers. Something about them always intimidated me—their stiff translucence, for starters. How do those rough, papery sheets morph into those deliciously delicate rolls that I order every time I set foot inside a Vietnamese restaurant?

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Diets

Rich and Creamy Cashew Cheese

This is great on its own and can be flavored to your tastes. Try blending in 1/2 cup chopped parsley and chives; 2 Tbs. diced chipotles in adobo sauce; or 2 tsp. dried herbs (oregano, basil, tarragon) in the food processor after the base mixture has been processed smooth.

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Uncategorized

What Do I Do With Smoked Paprika?

The people of Spain deserve a muy grande gracias for coming up with one of the best things known to cooks anywhere: smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is typically made from mild red peppers, which are dried over an oak fire in special smokehouses. This is what gives the pimentón ahumado its deliciously haunting depth of flavor. I buy the deep-red powder in colorful 2.6 oz-tins at my local Spanish import store, but I’ve also found it in mainstream supermarkets. If you’re unable to source it at a store near you, you can find smoked paprika at Amazon.com and other online retailers.

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Diets

Supereasy Vegan: Popped Amaranth

Generally, I consider myself an early adopter, but I have to admit that sometimes, I really am the very last person alive to hear a new band, read the latest bestseller, or try a trendy food. That would definitely be the case with amaranth, which I didn’t discover until everyone and their grandmothers were already on board. Better late than never, though, right?

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