New Arabian Cuisine

**piccolomondo** · 7th May 2007 22:33

Eggplant Sushi and Dubai Duck Add Up in New Arabian Cuisine

Mr. Maass, a cheery 36-year-old German chef, works in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and with several other chefs he is now on the fast track to modernize the centuries-old, traditionbound food of the Arabian peninsula.

He was in the United States a couple of months ago for meetings and to promote the new book that sets out his ideas for Arabian food, “Dubai: New Arabian Cuisine” (Umschau, 2006), written with Lutz Jäkel, a photojournalist who inspired the project, and three other chefs.

Mr. Jean and two other chefs on the staff, Amgad Zaki, an Egyptian, and Khalil Zakhem, a Syrian, also collaborated on the recipes. They have come up with savory hummus meringues, broad bean soup with zaatar cream, Arabian sushi made with baba ghanouj eggplant purée, and toasted flatbread filled with diced, marinated raw hammour, the name for a local grouper, and drizzled with pomegranate molasses.

A saddle of lamb is coated with dried fruits. A potato purée has olives, dried tomatoes and sesame seeds in it, and crème brûlée is flavored with hibiscus, called karkadeh in the region. And a version of Peking duck, called Dubai duck, is seasoned with an Arab spice blend and uses pomegranate syrup instead of hoisin sauce.

[Lutz Jäkel]
Seared scallops are served with a warm bulgur salad and olive oil cream.

[Lutz Jäkel]
Falafel with a red pepper salad.

**piccolomondo** · 7th May 2007 22:44

Lutz Jäkel

Recipe: Fillet of Salmon in a Cinnamon Coating With Cardamom Sauce
Adapted from “New Arabian Cuisine” by Ingo Maass and Lutz Jäkel (Umschau)

Time: 30 minutes

1/2 cup fish stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 green cardamom pod
1 1/2 pounds center-cut salmon fillet, skinned, in 4 equal pieces
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed or corn oil
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in small pieces
Sprigs of flat-leaf parsley for garnish.

1. In a saucepan, combine fish stock, cream, orange juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add seeds from cardamom pod. Bring to a simmer and boil until reduced to 1/2 cup. Set aside.

2. Coat salmon pieces with remaining olive oil. Mix cinnamon with salt and pepper and spread on a plate. Coat salmon with cinnamon on all sides.

3. Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add salmon and sauté, turning to cook all sides, about a minute or so per side, until salmon is not quite cooked through in center. Transfer salmon to a warm plate. Tent with foil.

4. Gently reheat fish stock mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in butter bit by bit. Add any juices from salmon platter. Serve salmon at once, garnished with parsley, with sauce on the side.

Yield: 4 servings.

**piccolomondo** · 7th May 2007 22:52

Recipe: Rice and Lentils (Kushari)
Adapted from “New Arabian Cuisine” by Ingo Maass and Lutz Jäkel (Umschau)

Time: 45 minutes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup short grain rice, preferably Spanish or Turkish
1/3 cup brown lentils
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves.

1. Heat oil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned. Stir in rice and lentils. Add 1 1/2 cups water, salt and pepper to taste, and cinnamon. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes.

2. Fluff with a fork, fold in cilantro and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.