Okra. Ladies' fingers. The name bamia or bamya is used widely across India, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa. In some places the same name describes a stew of okra, usually with lamb, spices and herbs.
Baba ganoush or ganouj is a spread or dip made from puréed or diced aubergine (US: eggplant), tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and garlic. Some say that it originated in northern Syria, others from the Lebanon or Egypt.
An Arab version of garam masala, from the Gulf; a highly perfumed mix of spices used in cooking, usually containing nutmeg, coriander (US: cilantro) and cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom, paprika and cayenne pepper. It is used to flavour both meat and vegetable dishes.
The Arabic word for spice. It is a blend of cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and nutmeg and varies from country to country. It is sometimes referred to as the Middle Eastern version of seven-spice seasoning.
Little tunny. The little tunny is a handsome fish with black scribble patterns on its back. It has a robust, torpedo-shaped body built for powerful swimming and it has no swim bladder. The mouth is large, the lower jaw slightly protruding past the upper jaw. The flesh of the little tuna is darker and stronger tasting than that of the other large tunas. It is marketed fresh, dried, canned, smoked, or frozen. It is often caught on hook and line near reefs.
