http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/134412958.html
The Arabian Nights get new life with this collection of stories and the sweet treats that are part of them.
(Countryman Press, 128 pages, $19.95).
Long before the stories of 1,001 Arabian Nights were told by Scheherazade to save her life from the murderous King Shahryar, women have told stories. Leila Salloum Elias and Muna Salloum join the tradition with "Sweets of Araby: Enchanting Recipes From the Tales of the 1001 Arabian Nights" Stories about growing up on their mother's desserts as third-generation Syrian-Canadians help the sisters personalize this dessert cookbook.
The unusual feature of this book is its connection to the Arabian Nights, a collection of short stories told within the shell of the frightening relationship of the royal Persian couple. Scheherazade not only curtailed the king's wrath with her stories each night, say the authors, but also with sweets. "She must ensure that his love for her became even more powerful," the Salloums write in opening. "Starting tonight, she would serve with each tale a sweet from Araby that would please him even more."
The Salloum sisters translated the recipes of these life-saving delights from ancient texts. Sure, perhaps they could have gotten several of the recipes from their mother or from one of the cooks they met as they enjoyed the treats across the Middle East.
But isn't the whole point here the telling of stories? It's much more fun to prepare these exotic treats after learning how the recipes were directly translated by the authors, both Middle East scholars, from 10th-century manuscripts before being adapted for today's modern cooks.
Most of the 25 recipes (one for each tale included) use the same core ingredients. If you like rosewater and spiced nuts, you're as golden as the almond-filled fried doughnut hole called luqum al-qadi, or the pistachio-stuffed and batter-fried dates. If Scheherazade's desserts don't tempt you like they did the king, consider the book a sweet compilation of 25 of the legendary tales, colorfully illustrated by Linda Dalal Sawaya.
CATHERINE DEHDASHTI, freelance writer
Recipe: Hays (Date-Nut Balls)
Makes 35 balls.
Note: According to the authors, these no-bake morsels are one of the oldest sweets recorded in Arab history and were a stepping stone for the desserts enjoyed in the Middle East today. The recipe requires a food processor.
3/4 lb. fresh, pitted dates, chopped
2 c. finely ground bread crumbs
1 c. ground almonds
1 c. chopped pistachios
1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. light sesame oil
Powdered sugar for rolling
Directions
Place the dates, bread crumbs, almonds and pistachios in a food processor and process for 2 minutes.
Pour the sesame oil evenly over the mixture and process for about 5 minutes. Press a small amount of the mixture in the palm of your hand to make sure it sticks together. If it doesn't, process the mixture a little longer until it begins to bind.
Form the mixture into balls that are each about the size of a walnut. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar and place on a serving plate.
Nutrition information per each ball:
Calories 120 Fat 7 g Sodium 45 mg
Carbohydrates 14 g Saturated fat 1 g Calcium 26 mg
Protein 2 g Cholesterol 0 mg Dietary fiber 2 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 fruit, 1/2 bread/starch, 11/2 fat.
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