jazzbo Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 The doctor still wants me to take it easy and Chinese New Year was a long holiday -- I decided to experiment. Before the not-Thailand-related police get all exorcised, I would like to offer the following: I have been working on a Braille version of the official Government of Peru Travel Guide and they claim that these crops -- grown and eaten by Thai folks in Thailand -- are NATIVE to Peru: Custard Apple (Nawy Na) Sweet cucumber ( as opposed to bitter) Squash Guava (Farang) Passion Fruit Sweet Potato and, last but not least, the Papaya. Yes, you can tell your Isaan-born significant other that her/his twice-daily Som Tam originates in PERU. Now to the Baba. Sesame is a major export crop in Thailand -- you can buy 500 grams for 21 baht at BigC so you can afford to experiment...not like playing with truffles. 'Took me 5 days but I got Tahini down: There are two types (Raw and Toasted) and two basic methods (hull-on and hull-off)...and the golf-ball eggplants work fine -- add some other Thai grown ingredients and you are set -- except for the pita bread.. I used those indigenous Thai-made Glico Pretz for dipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Gorgon Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Recipe, dear Jazzbo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonthai Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 so how do you make tahini from sesame seeds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) so how do you make tahini from sesame seeds? probly the same way dat ye make peanut butter from peanuts...just gotta grind dem up in a suitable appliance. Claudia Roden in her classic A Book of Middle Eastern Food doesn't mention a way of preparation, she just supposes that you have it at hand. So, check it out...you can probably find it in the arab quarter of Sukhumvit...sumone said that it is available in shops in small places like Hua Hin...but in small town rural Thailand I would ferggedaboutit... whattaboudit, jazzbo? you gotta recipie to do from scratch? Edited February 21, 2007 by tutsiwarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farma Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) This is local way of making tahini in a country I spend a lot of time working in. 1 Get 2 big grindstones with long pole attached to top stone. 2. Add 1 blinkered camel attached to pole. 3. Place sesame seeds in holes in top of stone. 4. Walk camel round and round the grindstone all day. 5. Collect tahini in jugs. The local Arabs assure me this method makes the best tahini. Does this sound familiar tutsi Edited February 21, 2007 by Farma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 de arabs dey use camels fer lots ob things, just ask 'ol Sheikh Mohammad from Dubai...when over dere better to just buy it from de store...baba an' hoummous can also be store bought...adda bit ob lemon juice an' wid yer fresh 4pm baked arabic bread hunker down an' enjoy. If peckish later in de evenin' just head up to de boulevard and get a shwarma...best food dat I have had inna woild...other than Mexico City an' certain parts ob Los Angeles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florin Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Any babaganoush lover has just GOT to try Shoshana restaurant in Khao San...GREAT stuff! (Though they call it hazilim) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
english_farang_lady Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 If you dont have a couple of camels around, try Foodland in Pattaya, and maybe in other Foodlands in Bangkok. They have the real deal. Best baba in Bkk so far is the Beiruth Restaurant in the basement of Ploenchit Villa supermarket mall. Best Lebanese food so far in Bkk. Their hummos and labneh is also brilliant. I've searched everywhere to find the thick not low fat yogurt here in Thailand, all to no avail. This is what is used in labneh, which is super thick yog with lemon and garlic. YUM ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Hello (Ms.?) Jet -- The recipe is still a work-in-progress. Khun Farma is right in that it probably takes a real grind stone -- camel-powered or otherwise -- to make a genuine tahini...also that a genuine tahini probably involves removing the hulls. The sesame seed is first soaked for 24 hours in water, then ground. The mash is immersed in very salty water. The ground up hull sinks and the pulp is skimmed off the top -- what a mess. The best results so far -- without too much effort -- involved toasting the seeds lightly, then (after letting them cool down ) grinding them in my coffee-grinder blender attachment, then placing them in the actual blender with enough oil (and a bit of water) to emulsify. The first time I tried it I over-toasted the seed and it turned out more like sesame-peanut butter. In the USA, the health food stores love the raw tahini which I always found to be bland. So the best results so far -- without too much hassle -- involved lightly toasting the seeds ( i.e. BEFORE that characteristic sesame smell emerges ) then using the 2-step blender method above. But as I say, a work-in-progress and I still have a few more permutations to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florin Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 If you dont have a couple of camels around, try Foodland in Pattaya, and maybe in other Foodlands in Bangkok. They have the real deal.Best baba in Bkk so far is the Beiruth Restaurant in the basement of Ploenchit Villa supermarket mall. Best Lebanese food so far in Bkk. Their hummos and labneh is also brilliant. I've searched everywhere to find the thick not low fat yogurt here in Thailand, all to no avail. This is what is used in labneh, which is super thick yog with lemon and garlic. YUM ! Beirut is very delightful indeed Foodbyphone is a handy outlet for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I think that most folks will find that most well known middle eastern food is derivative of lebanese cuisine...this would exclude roasted camel testicles served in camel's milk yogurt which would be a Gulf regional specialty...dem desert bedouins are culinary monsters (in de positive sense, ob course...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griser Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 (edited) Yeah, I'd have to say that lebenese is my favorite cuisine... Babagashnose Kibi Hummos Falafil Love that stuff, tho I probably spelled em all wrong! Hehe Greg Edited February 22, 2007 by griser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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