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THERELUCTANT GOURMET

Sing a song of spices

BURSTING WITH FLAVOUR A spice tray

To my eternal fascination, I recently met a girl who’s frightened of cardamom. We ate a dinner party in Abu Dhabi, standing in a friend’s kitchen discussing shoes, news and all things important when she spotted a menacingly large jar of c ardamom on the shelf beside her. She recoiled in horror and then, between shudders explained that the little pods really scared her. Biting into one mid-meal was clearly the stuff of nightmares: “They’re all smooth and creepy and ugh.”

Spices really do have strange powers.

Once back in Dubai, it was appropriate that we took an abra (Arabic for a traditional wooden boat) across the dark, restless creek at night to hunt down the city’s enchanting spice souk. We were seated next to a group of Emiratis, in abhayas and kanduras for whom the crossing was clearly routine. Beside them, there were excited Japanese tourists recording every minute of the journey with blinding camera flashes and squeals. Spices, like tourist attractions, tend to bring the most diverse people together.

We were hugged by a cloud of tantalising fragrances as soon as we got off the abra — cardamom, pepper and cinnamon intertwined with other, more unfamiliar, scents. Following our noses, we walked into the 18th Century. A row of colourful stalls bustling with people of all nationalities shimmered with the delicious scent of frankincense.

The souk, set beside the creek, trades in spices that have traditionally arrived by sea from all over the world, mainly the Far East, India and Sri Lanka. Today, while the rest of Dubai exults in air-conditioned malls boasting gourmet hot chocolate, caviar and Christian Dior, this souk remains obstinately unchanged.

We first noticed the rocks. Huge salt rocks and astonishingly bright bars of indigo, used to dye clothes. There were baskets of dark volcanic rock, to be used as pumice stones.

Then came the fragrances. Frankincense and myrrh, conjuring up images of kindergarten Christmas plays and the biblical Three Wise Men, carrying these as gifts as they travelled through the desert on camels, following a star. The more mysterious myrrh is a collection of dark saps from different trees in Yemen, and billows into a thick, sweet cloud when set on red-hot coal.

Of course there’s saffron, from Iran. A favourite with the American, Japanese and European tourists for whom rare saffron is the ultimate in exotica. However, I was more interested in the huge sacks of inviting nuts, set in rows. We chatted with shopkeepers who earnestly urged us to try handfuls: cashew nuts dusted with fresh pepper, pistachios encrusted with rock salt and crisp almonds. They were followed by chocolate-coated dates with nut centres, which are chewy, gooey and crunchy at the same time.

We bought stunning pepper jars, filled with peppercorns in different colours — red, green, grey and black — from a variety of countries ranging from Brazil to India. We also discovered the fabulous bezar spice mix, used in Arabic cooking. It’s a mix of cumin, fennel and coriander seed, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, dried red chillies and turmeric powder, all roasted till they’re golden and then ground together.

Bundles of the biggest sticks of cinnamon I’ve ever seen were set beside fascinating sacks bursting with dried limes — black and brown from Oman. They’re popped whole into stews and soups. Or pierced, peeled or crushed before being added to biryanis, meat dishes or seafood.

There’s red and white ginseng. Fresh vanilla pods. Intriguing bundles of red and pink dried rosebuds.

Rosebuds? They’re perfect for tea. Especially if you want to pretend you’re a heroine from one of those ridiculously enthralling Mills and Boons-type stories set in the desert. Arabian stallions, campfires and a cup of cinnamon and rosebud tea make for an ideal combination. It also works pretty well after one too many tequila shots. Bet the ancient seafarers who explored the world for these spices would be surprised at how far their bounty now travels. And how differently it’s used.

shonali@thehindu.co.in

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