A riot of colours.

A meal is often made by those who cannot afford luxuries of bread and a mixture called dukkah, which is commonly composed of salt and pepper with za'atar or wild marjoram or mint or cumin seed, and with one or more, or all of the following ingredients- namely, coriander seed, cinnamon, sesame, and hummus (roasted chickpeas). Each mouthful of bread is dipped in this mixture. 

Lane, Manners and customs of the Modern Egyptians,1860

Little bits of food always always make me happy. Its almost a ritual at our home to savor   some dips and bread before we start our dinner.At the risk of spoiling our and our guests appetite a combination of dips is something I always like to have in my kitchen. 

There is something really beautiful about dipping a pita wedge or a carrot stick or an olive or whatever one fancies into a communal bowl. Lovely company, unhurried eating and seductive flavours to open one's appetite. The riot of colours is also a feast for the eyes.

Don't you just love how the cream, peach and hot pink look together on a single platter?

From left to right: Hummus, Charred bell pepper, pitted dates, toasted walnuts and a pomegranate dip. Beetroot dip.

Hummus

Recipe, here.

Charred bell pepper, pitted dates, toasted walnuts and a pomegranate dip.

Serves 4

Ingredients
3 red bell peppers
4 pitted dates
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Char the bell peppers over a gas burners turning frequently. Transfer to a medium bowl and top with a plate. Let cool slightly. Rub off skins and remove stems and seeds. Set aside.

2.Soak dates in hot water for 10 minutes until softened. Drain.

3. Pulse pomegranate seeds in a food processor. Strain liquid, discarding solids. Return to food processor and add roasted peppers, softened dates, walnuts, and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth. Slowly add olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Beetroot Dip (Yogurtlu pancar mezesi)
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
3 beetroots
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove,peeled and crushed
5 tbsp greek yogurt
apinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
pita bread to serve

Instructions

1. Boil the beetroot for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked, or microwave with 2 tablespoons of water 4 minutes.

2.Place the beetroot,lemon juice and garlic in a blender and blend together until smooth.Add the yogurt and salt,and blend again until smooth.

3.Transfer to a serving dish,drizzle with the olive oil and serve.

All of the above dips go really well with pita bread or pita crisps.

Herb pita crisps

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

8 pitas cut into 6-8 pieces

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs and/or sumac

Salt and pepper

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Butter pitas and sprinkle with herbs and/or sumac, salt, and pepper. 

2.Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Recipes : The mezze cookbook and Martha Stewart living
Images : Personal Album
While you enjoy reading this post with visuals.Please do not use them without asking. 
They belong to Orange Kitchens unless otherwise stated.

Hummus Habb and a Feta Radish Dip

The reasons I make these two dips so often.

1. It literally takes me seconds to prepare them

2.  Both go equally well with pita bread (I simply adore Pita crisps)

3. Oh and the days that you don't have Pita at home; they go brilliantly well with soup sticks and crackers too.

4. They are a favorite with the little chef as well. 

Hummus Habb

serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight

salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons of ground cumin

2 large cloves of garlic crushed or to taste

4-5 tbsp or more of lemon juice

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

A good pinch of chili pepper (Optional)

Instructions

1. Pressure cook the chickpeas with a little salt until really soft and drain

2.Cool a little and save some chickpeas to garnish. Blend the chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients with a blender (Add enough of the cooking water to achieve a light creamy consistency)

3. And its done. Garnish with chili pepper and chickpeas you saved earlier.

Variations:

1. I like to sprinkle it with ground sumac too. And sometimes toasted sesame seeds.

2. At times I add chopped capers and chopped black olives too

3. Or transform it into Hummus bi Tahina by adding Tahina and omitting ground cumin.

Feta Radish Dip

serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

225 gms feta cheese, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

4 radishes, quartered and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

1. Pulse feta, yogurt, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons oil in a food processor just until mixture is thick and spreadable

2. Now stir in parsley and radishes. 

3. Serve.

Images : Personal Album

Recipes: The new book of Middle Eastern Food and Martha Stewart Recipes 
While you enjoy reading this post with visuals.Please do not use them without asking. 
They belong to Orange Kitchens unless otherwise stated.