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Here's Where You Can Buy The Exotic Ingredients In Ottolenghi's Recipes

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By 

Taste Senior Editor, HuffPost

Anyone who enjoys cooking is likely to know -- or be totally in love with -- the name and recipes of Yotam Ottolenghi. The London-based Israeli chef made a name for himself with the most beautiful pastry-filled restaurants in the UK. He has also written a successful vegetarian column for The Guardian despite being a meat eater, and has now become one of the most popular cookbook authors anywhere. Ottolenghi has totally taken over our kitchens -- and it's a really good thing.

From roasted garlic tarts to fresh corn polenta, Ottolenghi recipes inspire home cooks to try new things; and they reward your adventurous spirit with delicious results every time. We can hardly find one negative thing to say about this successful chef, except that some of his ingredients can be challenging to find -- even in metropolitan areas.

With this conundrum in mind we put together a list of online sources for those hard-to-find Ottolenghi ingredients. So the next time you want to make Ottolenghi's Burnt Eggplant with Tahini but have no pomegranate molasses on hand, you'll know where to find it.

Happy cooking, folks!

1
Pomegranate Molasses
Flickr: Jessica and Lon Binder
Pomegranate molasses is not molasses at all, but a syrup made from pomegranate juice. It's super tart, and pretty pungent, so a little goes a long way -- a bottle will last you a good long while.

Buy Pomegranate Molasses at Kalustyan's
2
Dried Barberries
Flickr: Fatemah Alhusayni
Barberries are incredibly sour and tart, but just like cranberries they sweeten well with a little sugar. The fruit originated in Persia, but is now grown across the globe.

Buy Dried Barberries at Amazon
3
Za'atar
Casey Broadwater
Za'atar is a popular spice blend in the Middle East. It's a mixture of sumac, sesame seeds and dried herbs. This is one spice mix you'll definitely want in your house -- just a pinch on top of a salad, pita or meat goes a long way. Plus, it's in a ton of Ottolenghi recipes. You can make it yourself, too.

Buy Za'atar at Amazon
4
Ras el Hanout
Flickr: Dennis
Ras el hanout is a spice mix that's common in Northern Africa. There is no one definitive recipe, and the spice combination will change from shop to shop. Commonly used ingredients include, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ground chili peppers, coriander, cumin, peppercorn, paprika, fenugreek, and turmeric. You can easily make your own, just be sure to start with fresh spices.

Buy Ras el Hanout at Market Spice
5
Tamarind Paste
Flickr: See Reeves
Tamarind is a fruit that can often be found as a paste or frozen pulp. It comes from warm-weather destinations and is used in sweet and savory dishes alike. In Mexico, it's often used to make aguas frescas.

Buy Tamarind Paste at Amazon
6
Sumac
Yamini Chao via Getty Images
Sumac is a reddish-purple spice that boasts a lemony flavor. It's made from ground flowers, so you know it's got to be pretty great.

Buy Sumac at Amazon
7
Mograbieh
Flickr: Hisham Assaad
Mograbieh is similar to couscous only larger. It's referred to as Lebanese couscous -- and it's also the name of a famous Lebanese dish that uses this ingredient.

Buy Mograbieh at Melbury & Appleton
8
Freekeh
Flickr: Hayden Flour Mills
Freekeh is a cereal food made from green wheat. It's an ancient Middle Eastern food. If you can't find it, you can substitute pearl barley. It's not quite the same, but it'll work.

Buy Freekeh at Amazon
9
Passata
Flickr: Terre Italiane
Passata is a tomato puree. "Passata" literally translates to "passed," which in cooking language translates to "passed through a food mill." Its thickness lands somewhere between tomato paste and tomato sauce -- and it is never seasoned.

Buy Passata at Amazon
10
Labneh
Flickr: Mohanad Alsous
Labneh is a rich and tangy Lebanese yogurt cheese. You can find it at specialty markets, online or you can make it yourself.

Buy Labneh at Amazon

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