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So I got my copy of this yesterday and started reading through it today. As is the custom I have gotten into, I always read the various goodies at the end first. It was during the description of the food and drink of the Katapesh Marketplace that I found something that just intrigued the heck out of me. Thal and khat.
In doing some searching online, I can find no bread referred to as khat ... I did find the plant khat that is chewed for it's stimulant properties in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, but that ain't a mildly spicy bread ;)
For thal, I found mention of a dessert, almost fudge like, but no mention of a rice/olive/lime combination.
So the question is this: are these just creations of the author(s) or are they based on actual foods? If so, what foods? If not, I'm gonna make it anyway!
I figured I would give creating these things a shot in the next day or two ... baking bread has kind of become a hobby over the last 6 months, I have the olives and rice and I can get some limes and any spices I don't have on hand (I do have some ideas for the spices to be used, following the traditional Northern Africa / Middle Eastern track this AP seems to follow for inspiration).
If these creations are edible, I'll post up the recipes (such as they will be). If they are not edible, it's been nice knowing y'all. ;)
Well done and good luck!
Someone a long way back did something for the Age of Worms AP. They used the formal Menu (a player handout) for Prince Zeech's annual celebration of his rule and made food as close as they could to it!
Apparently the item from the banquet that was supposed to have been utterly nasty ended up being a hit with the players! Strange, but true.
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OK, so I had my first attempts at these dishes and have mixed results.
For the khat, I used a bread recipe I have used in the past with excellent results (it's not a basic bread recipe) and used a spice mix of paprika to cayenne pepper in a 4:1 ratio. Not enough bite ... barely any really. So I'll try again with a different mix and let y'all know.
The thal, on the other hand, came out great. Be forewarned, when I cook, I tend to estimate rather than measure exactly, so the measurements I list below are rough to say the least. I used the following ingredients:
black olives
spanish olives
kalamata olives
(equal amounts ... approximately 1.5 cups total)
coriander (about 1/2 teaspoon)
salt (maybe 1/4 teaspoon)
lime juice (from 2 small/medium limes)
fresh thyme, chopped (probably between 1 and 2 tablespoons)
fresh mint, chopped (probably between 4 and 5 tablespoons)
Mix the above together and allow to marinade for a few hours. Then taste it. Mmmmmmmmm ... I almost did not cook the rice.
Cooked up 1 cup basmati rice and mixed the marinaded olive mix into the hot rice. It was quite delicious, and was still extremely tasty shilled the following day.
Next time I make this, I'll measure everything and if there are significant variations I'll post the corrections.
Keep bringing on the general cultural cuisine descriptions, Paizo. I love a culinary challenge. ;)
I approve of your culinary ventures. :D
For the khat, I used a bread recipe I have used in the past with excellent results (it's not a basic bread recipe) and used a spice mix of paprika to cayenne pepper in a 4:1 ratio. Not enough bite ... barely any really. So I'll try again with a different mix and let y'all know.
What kind of paprika did you use - hot, smoked or sweet? You could take dried ancho peppers and buzz them to a powder in a coffee grinder or food processor to make your own chili powder.
I don't know if powdered might be the way to go in a bread recipe, you might not get quite the flavor spread using dry ingredients. You might try mixing in a paste (maybe a red curry paste or mole sauce) to up the heat. Or a piri piri sauce - Nando's is a good brand if you're not up to making it yourself.
I approve of your culinary ventures. :D
For the khat, I used a bread recipe I have used in the past with excellent results (it's not a basic bread recipe) and used a spice mix of paprika to cayenne pepper in a 4:1 ratio. Not enough bite ... barely any really. So I'll try again with a different mix and let y'all know.What kind of paprika did you use - hot, smoked or sweet? You could take dried ancho peppers and buzz them to a powder in a coffee grinder or food processor to make your own chili powder.
I don't know if powdered might be the way to go in a bread recipe, you might not get quite the flavor spread using dry ingredients. You might try mixing in a paste (maybe a red curry paste or mole sauce) to up the heat. Or a piri piri sauce - Nando's is a good brand if you're not up to making it yourself.
I figured khat was essentially naan bread, or perhaps persian flatbread (nan-e) with about 1 teaspoon of hot chili power / ground chile (perhaps serrano?) per cup of flour. idk, spicy means a lot of different things to different people. I top out somewhere between a serrano and a habanero, whereas my wife thinks jalepenos are painful.
What strikes me about Katapeshi cuisine is that with the prevalence of lime and Katapesh's proximity to the coast, ceviche should be a natural fit.
If you're looking for other Katapesh-themed foods, there was/is a really interesting note in one of the articles - I forget which one or where, though I think it was one of Wolf's - that noted sorbet. I thought it was such a strange reference that I looked it up, and what would you know, sorbet/sherbet has some interesting Arabian/Oriental roots. The Wikipedia page says a bit about it here.
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If you're looking for other Katapesh-themed foods, there was/is a really interesting note in one of the articles - I forget which one or where, though I think it was one of Wolf's - that noted sorbet. I thought it was such a strange reference that I looked it up, and what would you know, sorbet/sherbet has some interesting Arabian/Oriental roots. The Wikipedia page says a bit about it here.
I'll have to search it down ... I do need a dessert to go with the khat and thal. ;)
I never realized that sorbet had such a long history.
Don't forget the sticky desserts...nuts and lots of honey as ingredients.
Don't forget the sticky desserts...nuts and lots of honey as ingredients.
Mmmmm .... BAKLAVA :)
In addition to the (drool) baklava family, there's also rather different Indo-Pakistani desserts that depend on honey and nuts. My taste memory is better than my terminological memory.
Edit: Apparently the boards would have censored the name of some of the restaurants and groceries in some of my old neighborhoods.
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In addition to the (drool) baklava family, there's also rather different Indo-Pakistani desserts that depend on honey and nuts. My taste memory is better than my terminological memory.
Edit: Apparently the boards would have censored the name of some of the restaurants and groceries in some of my old neighborhoods.
There is baklava .... mmm baklava ... though the concept of a traditional Persian sorbet is intriguing.
But, of course, thal and khat are foods of the common folks (according to the text), so I figure the dessert should be as well. Perhaps I'll come up with something based on honey/pistachios/mint ... or perhaps a more fruit based theme. Figure in that region, cinnamon is a common spice as well, so the possibilities are pretty good.
Also, good point about the bread type. I'll have to look for a naan recipe on which to base the next attempt.
The paprika I used does have a smoked flavor to it (it is just labeled as paprika ... though the Arabic on the label may clarify things, if I could only read it).
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I figured khat was essentially naan bread, or perhaps persian flatbread (nan-e) with about 1 teaspoon of hot chili power / ground chile (perhaps serrano?) per cup of flour. idk, spicy means a lot of different things to different people. I top out somewhere between a serrano and a habanero, whereas my wife thinks jalepenos are painful.
What strikes me about Katapeshi cuisine is that with the prevalence of lime and Katapesh's proximity to the coast, ceviche should be a natural fit.
Let me put it this way ... your wife would have been able to eat the bread with no worries, the bite was that low. I can handle a good amount of heat; serranos are good , but habanero and scotch bonnet are out of my league in any significant quantity ... though for hot sauces they do rule.
zylphryx,
There used to be a great historical gastronomy/culinary thread on the boards, you ought to be sure and talk to those folks if you haven't already. Wish I could find it and point you to it. I think Lilith was one of the posters in it.