Teff Porridge with honey and dates

“Beneath them, the plain stretched out immense and empty, a vast flat expanse that reached to the distant horizon and beyond. It was a sea, Dany thought. Past here, there were not hills, no mountains, no trees nor cities nor roads, only the endless grasses, the tall blades rippling like waves when the winds blew…” -A Game of Thrones

Teff Porridge with Dates

Thoughts:

This recipe comes courtesy of a suggestion by blog fan and reader Jessette. I’d seen teff for sale, but hadn’t the faintest idea what to do with it. Now, I’m eager to experiment. The seeds are tiny, even smaller than chia seeds, but they cook like millet or quinoa, but faster. It’s an ancient grain, dating back to at least 1,000 BCE, making it an ideal candidate for the continent of Essos.

Teff porridge is like a quirky, earthier version of breakfast oatmeal. The grains don’t break down completely, leaving tiny *pops* of texture. The dried dates match the darkness of the teff, and the honey-sweetness ties the whole thing together. I was instantly smitten by the tasty uniqueness of this morning breakfast alternative.

Proposed Location?

The Dothraki Plains, hands down. Teff comes from a type of African grass, which seems to particularly invoke images of the Dothraki Sea. One taster suggested that it would also make an excellent stuffing. I imagine the Dothraki women or slaves hunting rabbits and birds as they traveled, and using teff as a nutritious stuffing.

Recipe for Teff Porridge

Cook’s Notes: Teff porridge, as made by the Dothraki, could include any ingredients they had plundered from their enemies or gathered on the plains. Get creative!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole teff grain – not the flour
3 cups boiling water
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped dried fruit, such as dates or raisins
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ cup honey, plus extra for serving

Pour the teff into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, and toast gently for 3-5 minutes until it gives off a nice, nutty smell.

Add the butter, boiling water, and spices. Increase heat to a simmer and stir occasionally to keep the porridge cooking evenly. After 10 minutes, add the chopped dates, salt, and honey. Continue to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, adding extra water if needed, until the porridge is cooked through to your liking.

Scoop into serving bowls, and garnish with extra honey and dates. Enjoy!

Teff Grains

Dothraki Blood Pie

Traditional Blood Pie

“Food was brought to her, steaming joints of meat and thick black sausages and Dothraki blood pies, and later fruits and sweetgrass stews and delicate pastries from the kitchens of Pentos…” -A Game of Thrones

Modern Blood Sausage Tart

Thoughts:

*Fun Fact: Blood Pie is also a Klingon Dish. Oh, the wonders of the interwebs…*

The traditional pies are great. Rustic and hearty, frying leaves the dough wonderfully chewy, and the insides bursting with flavor. If you are wary of the blood sausage, you needn’t be; One of our housemates ate four of the pies in quick succession, raving about them, and was shocked to learn that they contained black pudding. The spices further improve what would be a wonderful recipe on its own. I used Aleppo pepper, and loved the middle eastern spiciness of it. If you too add spicy pepper to your filling, then you may find that our Milk Tea is a wonderful counter to that heat.

The modern pie is amazeballs. Truly. It took me about three glorious bites to even be able to think about additional adjectives. The smidge of garlic on the bottom of the filling was planted, grown, and harvested purely to complement the chevre. The leek was lovingly tended by orphans of the Greenblood who sang to it daily, until the time came for it to join the other ingredients in this tart. The black pudding, the center of the whole dish, stands firm amidst the other flavors, allowing them to complement, rather than overpower it. You may think the addition of the pistachios strange, but they lend a bit of crunch to an otherwise creamy dish, and help bring out the subtle nuttiness of the crust. Nibbled on its own, the crust has a nice, dry earthiness. However, it softens as it soaks up moisture from the filling, and adds to the overall gloriosity of the whole.

The two recipes are too dissimilar to compare fairly. I loved them both equally, albeit for their separate merits. I’d say that the traditional pie is the most Dothraki, but although the modern tart moonlights as a dainty and proper dish in its fluted tart pan, it’s absolutely one that Ser Jorah could dig into with both hands. Since most black pudding comes in 1 lb. packages, I suggest making both!

Feast like the Dothraki…

Mongolian Milk Tea

The Dothraki milk based beverages in the books are, I believe, entirely of the fermented variety. We’d certainly give it a go, but mare’s milk is a bit hard to come by. Still, Sariann has in fact milked a horse before, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. More on that later, if you’re lucky. :)

While not strictly in the books, this Milk Tea is a perfect pairing for our traditional Blood Pies (recipe forthcoming). I came across it while doing research into the blood pies, and thought it really fit the Dothraki setting. What’s more, the Mongolians know what they’re about: it is great with the meat pies!

Thoughts:

Don’t think of it as tea, or as milk, and you will probably like it as much as I did.

The roasted millet gives it a slightly earthy, nutty taste, while the small amount of butter provides richness. The tea is not all that prominent, but just present enough to lend the drink a decidedly foreign feel. For something extra, spoon up the millet in the bottom of your cup; the merest of pops should remain in what your brain will register as a type of hot breakfast cereal.

It puts me in mind of dark, musty yurts on the Dothraki Sea, a fortifying drink before the day’s ride, or a refreshing sip to wash the dust from one’s throat in the evening. I had two servings.

Drink like the Dothraki!

Happy Valentine's Day

Ummmmmm…

Goat with Sweetgrass, Firepods, and Honey

Medieval Goat

“She brought back a haunch of goat and a basket of fruits and vegetables. Jhiqui roasted the meat with sweetgrass and firepods, basting it with honey as it cooked…” -A Storm of Swords

Modern Goat

Thoughts:

The argument was fierce over which of these dishes was better. Although different, both were very good. The metal skewers allowed the meat to cook perfectly so it was very tender, leaving all judgment hanging on the marinade.

The medieval goat dish was succulent and flavorful. The garlic, salt, and pepper are a tried and true combination, and one that in this case really complimented the slight gaminess of the goat. While it was tasty, it struck several of us as generically medieval (if such a thing is even possible). This dish seemed more appropriate to the clansmen in the Mountains of the Moon than the nomadic Dothraki.

In contrast, the modern dish made me feel like a princess on the plains of Vaes Dothrak. I could practically smell the sweat of horses and feel the wind blowing through grass tents. This dish had an exotic feel that was lacking in the medieval version, and that, for me, made the difference. The complexity of the ingredients, and the interplay of sweet, tart, savory and spicy is lovely, and I found myself tempted to lick the plate at the end of the meal.

Bottom line? Medieval if you want medieval, Modern if you want Dothraki.

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