¹Various recipes, of which more later. al-Shaquri, pp. 58v & 59r, says it is called "isfidabaja" in the East, and that an easy kind is known as "Slaves' Stew"; he gives the recipe and divides it into two kinds, white and green. Al-Bagdadi describes it, p. 32. Dozy mentions it under the name masluq--a boiled dish. (HM)

²The famous arbiter of elegance during the caliphate of 'Abd al-Rahman II, in Cordoba. (HM)

'Abd al-Rahman II became Caliph in 822. (DF)

³These really are dusted (though a different verb is used, "ghabara"). Perhaps this is the original recipe and the batter version is an elaboration. (CP)

⁴This is a poetical or fantasy name: the green fava beans are compared to pistachios. (CP)

⁵I do not know "durra" and "jaus." 'anqara is the fatty part of a bullock's neck, known today in Morocco as "'angra." (HM)