Truffles
KAMA or KAMAIEH
Many of the truffles consumed in the Arab world are found
in the Syrian desert near the ancient site of Palmyra. Legend
claims that the wild storms of the desert, particularly the thunder
and lightening of the Palmyra district, account for the presence
in quantity of this delicacy. Two kinds of truffles are marketed,
the black and the white. The dark kama are considered the best.
Kama are usually full of sand and must be diligently
cleaned. First soak in cold water for two hours. Then scrub
with a hard bristled brush, rinse, and remove the thin layer of
outside peeling with a sharp knife. Go over them carefully,
prying out any sand remaining in the cracks with the tip of a
knife. Wash in several waters. Now the truffles are ready for
cooking.
(From Food from the Arab World Marie
Karam Khayat and Margaret Clark Keatinge, Khayat's, Beirut 1959)
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