Interesting information, Phil. I didn't know that tahini is sesame paste. In fact, I hadn't heard of sesame paste until recently, either.

DonnaZ

Hi Donna & Sara,

I generally can pick up whatever I need at the Middle Eastern Market over in Winston Salem, NC, however, there's also a couple of places tht I order from online. I've found that the online markets are quite often Cheaper and have a much better selection.

My two favorite online suppliers are http://daynasmarket.com and http://zamourispices.com . As you'll note, Dayna's also has my favorite Greek pastries as well. Matter of fact, you can order the Tahini Paste very reasonably from them, a 1 lb. Jar is only $4.49 or a 2 lb. Jar is only $6.99. Shipping is also quite reasonable.

Hope this helps.

Have A Terrific Week,

Phil

Thank you Phil for the links. I am going to bookmark both sites.

Have a great day!

Sara

Hi Sara,

You're quite welcome my Friend.

I love Middle Eastern food, it's got some very powerful flavor combinations and yet it's usaully quite simple to prepare. Matter of fact, here's a Morrocan dish which you can prepare in the Crockpot...

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Ingredients:

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed

2 cups chicken broth

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 onions, chopped

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

6 sprigs fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Hot cooked couscous or rice

Preparation:

1.Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine broth, tomatoes with juice, onions, apricots, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, red pepper and cilantro in medium bowl; pour over chicken. Cover; cook on LOW 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender.

2.Transfer chicken to serving platter; cover to keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water in small bowl until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and chickpeas into slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

3.Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro and toasted almonds and serve with couscous.

Tip To toast almonds, heat small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds; cook and stir about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan at once. Let cool before adding to other ingredients.

Hi Donna,

Sorry that I seem to be monopolizing your Forum, however, I couldn't share the Moroccan Chicken, without a stout Cup of Turkish Coffee to go with it.

Turkish Coffee Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of extra finely ground coffee (powder consistency)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 1 cardamom pod
• sugar (optional)

Preparation:

Bring water and sugar to a boil in ibrik. If you do not have an ibrik, a small saucepan will work.

Remove from heat and add coffee and cardamom.

Return saucepan to heat and allow to come to a boil. Remove from heat when coffee foams.

Again, return to heat, allowing to foam and remove from heat.

Pour into cup, and allow to sit for a few minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup. A cardamom pod may be served in cup for added flavor. Sometimes, I prefer to put allspice and cinnamon in it, rather than cardamom. It's a deliciously sweet-spiced coffee either way.

Turkish Coffee Tips

Turkish coffee must always be served with foam on top.

If you can't find finely ground Arabic coffee, you can purchase a bag of coffee at any coffeehouse and ask them to grind it for Turkish coffee. You need to have a powder-like consistency.

Do not stir after pouring into cups; the foam will collapse.

Always use cold water.

Hope You'll Share A Cup With Friends,

Phil