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Besan or gram flour (not graham) is ground chickpea flour. It is commonly used in Indian dishes, but because it's a legume instead of wheat, it makes an ideal alternative for thickening and savory pancakes in a diabetic diet. Overall, it is higher in protein and thus makes for a healthier finished product. Besan can be purchased in indian or some asian markets or online. A couple of easy recipes are Mushroom Gravy and Summer Squash Pancakes.
Flavored oils are easy to prepare and make great condiments. They should be used fresh and made with high quality olive oil. If you don't like the flavor of extra virgin olive oil, taste a few alternatives.
A wonderful spanish pepper that is found on many tapas menus throughout Galicia, Spain. They are absolutely delicious and although mostly sweet, frequently in a platter served, one or two will be hot! It's always a competition around here to get the hot one. In Spain, they are prepared this way. Yumm!
Very common in middle eastern dishes, this fragrant water is added as we would add vanilla or almond extract to many sweets. In addition to the famous Baklava, it is also in Basboosa cake and rice pudding. Western palates are unfamiliar with most floral aromas and flavors, but if you enjoy herbs, you may find you really like rose flower water.
Saffron is irreplaceable as a spice. It is technically the stamen of a specific type of crocus. The flavor is incredibly complex. It is also a very strong spice so a little goes a long way. Perhaps second in cost only to truffles (the fungus type), it is worth investing in a small quantity to experiment with. Use a solid recipe such as Paella, Chicken Soup or Risotto so you can judge the flavor, complexity and strength.
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