Taramosalata

Have you heard about the omega-3 acids? Of course you have. These unsaturated acids are included in many facial products and are sold separately as food supplements. Human body can not generate them and this is the reason why we reach for the foods which are known for containing them.

Doctors claim, our bodies need them for growth and development and they protect us against stroke and heart disease. Omega-3 acids affect mood in positive way by beating depression and lowering the symptoms  of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 

Omega-3 acids can be found in varying concentrations in the fish roe of the different varieties of fish. And since ancient times, long before anybody has thought about omega-3 acids and their health beneficial properties, people have enjoyed the salted fish roe of different types of fishes, because it is very, very tasty. 

The roes of Beluga, Ossetra, Sevruga, Salmon, called caviars are delicacies, which have no place on the common people everyday's table. But the fish roe of many other fish varieties is eaten in many countries of the world, salted, fried or processed in another way. 

Greeks and Bulgarians love to eat taramosalata. This is a spread, prepared from salted cod  fish roe. You can find taramosalata in the menu of nearly every Greek reastaurant. In Bulgaria you can find taramosalata in the big food chains, but my mummy has always prepared home-made taramosalata, because it is far better.

This creamy smooth paste, result of emulsification of roe with olive oil, lemon juice and onion, requires a lot of bread. One slice as an ingredient of the recipe to make mixture less greasy and to provide puffiness to it. But also far more slices to be covered with this delicious spread. This is my mother's recipe for preparing taramas:

Roasted eggplant dip (Kyopoolu)

One of the main characteristics of the cuisine of the Balkans is the wide variety of salads. Countries in the region have hot and sunny climate and vegetables grow full of taste. But this is only one of the reasons for the huge consumption of salads here. The heart of the matter is that we start lunch and dinner with hard alcoholic drinks. Rakia in Bulgaria, raki in Turkey, ouzo and tsipouro in Greece are national drinks served at the beginning of the meal. These strong drinks go well with salad. Kyopoolu - a roasted eggplant dip, is one of the most popular Bulgarian summer salads, although it has a Turkish origin. The typical smoky taste of its roasted skin, the soft inside which absorbs a lot of olive oil and salt, the freshness of grated tomatoes and roasted peppers, the garlic as an ingredient make this dip irresistable.

Spinach and yogurt dip (Ispanak borani)

Yogurt dips and salads are highly appreciated in the Eastern and Middle-Eastern countries. Yogurt provides the dishes with a rich and cooling taste, which is important in places with hot climate and harsh sun. Borani is a persian cold dipping sauce, based on yogurt and vegetables. As long as tsatsiki it goes well with meats or fried potatoes, but also just with a slice of toasted bread. 

Tiro salata (Spicy feta cheese spread)

The Greek word 'τύρι' means cheese. Tiro salata is a mixture of Feta and Myzithra (similar to ricotta) cheeses, olive oil and hot peppers. Sounds good and tastes good. This traditional spicy appetizer is served in nearly every restaurant in Northern Greece where we spend our summer holidays. It is a good meze for ouzo, beer or retsina and it is quick and easy to make at home. The hot banana peppers could be roasted or fresh. If you use roasted peppers, which are easier to incorporate into the cheese mixture, you should roast them on the grill until charred on the outside, then place in a plastic or bag and allow them to sweat until cool enough to handle. After that the skins could be easily removed and you'll be left with  succulent roasted hot peppers. I use fresh peppers. The tiro salata does not look so homogenous, but it is fresh and tasty and I can feel better the spicyness.

Tsatsiki - yogurt and cucumbers appetizer from the Balkans

Tsatsiki or tzatziki is the worldwide popular name of a Greek dip, consisiting of yogurt, grated cucumber, some minced garlic and a little olive oil. In Bulgaria there is a salad with same ingredients, but cucumbers are diced small in Bulgarian version and the texture is little denser than the Greek one. Bulgarian name is little funny - this salad is called Snejanka, which is the name of Snow White in Bulgarian, probably because of its white color. On the other hand, people can easily feel its garlicly flavour, so if Snow White had it on her table, no dwarfs would be around her, much less a prince. Anyway, if you don't have kissing in your schedule, you can enjoy this dish, beacuse it is tasty, healthy and easy to prepare.