Lentil Tagine

4 Servings
1 lb lentils,picked over
4 lg tomatoes,vine-ripe, chopped
1 lg onion,chopped fine
1/4 c olive oil
2 cl garlic,chopped
1 t paprika
1/2 t white pepper
1 t salt
3 1/2 c water,plus more if needed
1 c parsley,fresh
1 c fresh coriander sprigs
-chopped
In a large Tagine, combine lentils, tomatoes, onion, oil,
garlic, paprika, pepper, salt, and water, making sure that water
covers lentils and adding more if needed. Simmer lentil mixture,
covered, over moderately low heat 45 minutes, or until lentils are
tender. Stir in parsley and coriander and cook 1 minute more.

Hookahs and Sheshas

The Hookah's origin traces back to India. It surfaced in the form we know it as today around the 15th Century when Indian Glass manufacturing began as a result of the exporting of glass to India through the British East India Company. The glass base was called Shisha. Its mystique spread to Iran where special strong, flavorless tobacco was used with it called "Ajami". It rose to fame under the Ottoman Empire's rule around the time of Murat V in 1623-1640. The sultans of the age took portraits with their Nargiles and it became a status symbol of the time. It was smoked after royal dinners and at diplomatic meetings.

Hookahs are known around the world by many different names, such as a water pipe, nargeela/nargile/narghile/nargileh, argeela/arghileh, shisha/sheesha, okka, kalyan, or ghelyoon or ghalyan. Many of these names are of Arab, Somalian, Indian, Ethiopian, Turkish, Uzbek, or Persian origin.

Shisha, a synonym for Hookah, is from the Persian word shishe, literally translated as glass and not bottle. It is more commonly used in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Somalia.