#baharat

[ID: An extreme close-up of ground spices in various shades of brown and orange laid out in lines on a plate. End ID]

سبع بهارات فلسطينية / Seb'a baharat falastinia (Palestinian seven-spice)

Seb'a baharat is one of a few spice blends often referred to in English simply as “baharat” (the plural of Arabic بهار / bahar, “spice”). A warm, earthy blend, it is commonly used to season meat, fish, and poultry in the Levant, Eastern Arabia, and Egypt, where recipes differ from region to region and from person to person. Common ingredients include cumin, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Palestinian versions of seb'a baharat are usually dominated by allspice, black pepper, and cinnamon, giving them a pungent and sweet head; nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom provide additional warmth, while cumin and coriander often round out the blend with earthiness and a hint of florality. Ginger is also an occasional inclusion.

By the early 2010s, decades of Israeli taxation on exports and imports of non-Israeli goods had eroded Palestinian economic and culinary self-determination; Israel had instituted further blockades of the Gaza border in 2007, leading to a sharp decline in exports. Several farmers in Gaza turned to growing spices and herbs, including cumin and ginger, on their farms with the intention of finding a profitable market for them in Europe. However, frequent border closings, punitive export taxes, and Israeli shooting at Palestinian farmers who were attempting to work their land, made the plan unviable.

More recently, Palestinians have continued to work to find new ways to produce food despite shrinking access to arable land and fresh water. Resisting Israeli targeting of Palestinian food self-sufficiency is a matter, not just of subsistence and economic power, but of identity and dignity.

Today, Israel's total siege of Gaza continues as civilians run out of food, water, power, and medical supplies. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has put out an urgent call for donations to provide medical supplies to hospitals when supply lines reopen. Also contact your representatives in the USA, UK, and Canada.

sehne waale kamaal karte hain,

kaun dhundhe jawaab dardon ke,

log to bas sawaal karte hain”

Chicken with citrus, sweet spices, and pomegranate, with rice, braised peas, and red cabbage on Saturday 3 December 2022

I saw an Instagram post by Sabrina Ghayour where she roasted a spatchcocked chicken with baharat and then glazed it with membrillo. It inspired this dish, which was utterly delicious and very easy.

Serves 6

12 chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon baharat

Zest and juice of one lemon

Zest and juice of one tangerine (or half an orange)

2-3 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses

Salt and pepper

Pomegranate seeds to serve

Mix together the oil, spices, citrus, and pomegranate molasses in a large dish. Coat the chicken pieces in the mixture, cover it, and let it marinate for between one and 24 hours. 

Bring the meat to room temperature before you cook it, and season it with salt and pepper as you do so.

Heat the oven to 190º Celsius (fan) and cook the chicken, skin-side up, for about 40 minutes or until there is no pink meat but the skin is crisped. Transfer the thighs to a serving platter and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds. Offer the sauce from the pan alongside it in a jug, giving it a good whisk first!