How to Milk an Almond Stuff an Egg And Armor a Turnip A ...

Dish Prepared With Fried Eggplant
Andalusian p. A-40
79
Take meat and cut it up small, then put it in
the pot and throw in half a spoon of vinegar, one
of murri and another of fresh oil, and pepper,
coriander and cilantro, both pounded fine, and
salt. Bring the pot to a full boil until the meat
and the spices are cooked, and don't throw in
water. When the meat has browned and is done,
remove it, stir it and throw in enough water, but
do not let it cover the meat, and boil again. Then
boil the eggplant separately, after salting it and
removing its water, and then cut in thirds and
quarters and remove the peel. Dust with good
white flour and fry in the pan with some fresh oil,
then throw it in the pot and cover the contents of
the pot with two eggs and crumbs of leavened
bread and draw off the grease to the oven. Boil
moderately, take off the fire for a while and serve.
Translator’s note: When I translate
“removing its water,” I'm reading the
incomprehensible “dhâ'uhâ” as “mâ'uhâ,”
“its water.” “Draw off the grease to the
oven” is a strange instruction, not found
elsewhere. The instruction to boil and take off
the fire indicates that the pot itself does not go
to the oven. (Charles Perry)
½ lb lamb 1 t salt
1 T oil 1 medium eggplant
½ T vinegar ½ c flour
1 T murri ⅓ c more oil
½ t pepper ½ c water
½ t ground coriander 2 eggs
4 T cilantro ⅓ c breadcrumbs
Cut the lamb up small, fry it in the oil with
vinegar, murri, and seasonings about 10-15
minutes (until the meat is cooked). Add the
water and simmer about another 20 minutes,
until most of the water is gone.
Meanwhile, peel the eggplant and boil it
10 minutes in salted water, take it out and
slice it. Lay it on paper towels or something
similar for ten or fifteen minutes to let some
of the juice come out. Pat it dry, smother in
flour, fry in oil in a second frying pan for
about 5-10 minutes. Then add it to the first
pan. Stir in the beaten eggs, mix in the
breadcrumbs, remove from the heat and serve.
A Baqliyya of Ziryab's
Andalusian p. A-48
Take the flesh of a young fat lamb, put in the
pot with salt, onion, coriander seed, pepper,
caraway, two spoons of oil and one of murri naqî';
put on a moderate fire and then take cabbage, its
tender “eyes”; take off the leaves and chop small
with the heads, wash, and when the meat is
almost done, add the cabbage. Then pound red
meat from its tender parts and beat in the bowl
with eggs and the crumb [that is, everything but
the crust] of bread, almonds, pepper, coriander
and caraway; cover the pot with this little by
little and leave on the coals until the sauce dries
and the grease comes to the top and serve.
2 lb cabbage 1 T murri (p. 5)
1 lb lamb for stew 5 oz ground lamb
⅜ lb onion 2 eggs
1 t salt ½ c breadcrumbs
½ t coriander ¼ c blanched almonds
¼ t pepper ⅛ t pepper
½ t caraway ¼ t more coriander
2 T oil ⅛ t more caraway
Wash and chop cabbage. Put cut-up lamb,
onion, salt, first set of spices above, oil, and
murri in a pot and cook over middling high
heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir
in cabbage and cook covered for 20 minutes;
the cabbage will yield a lot of liquid.
Meanwhile, grind remaining lamb and mix
with remaining ingredients. Add this mixture
to pot by spoonfuls until the top is mostly
covered. Cook covered until the topping is
cooked through, then uncovered until most of
the liquid is gone, about an hour in all on low
heat.
Note: Ziryab was the famous arbiter of
elegance during the caliphate of 'Abd al-
Rahman II, in Cordoba; 'Abd al-Rahman II
became Caliph in 822.