Forum Topic

Wonderful turkish shop in Acton High Street.

So I was over the moon when my mum gave me Ottolenghi's new book, "Jerusalem". It's just the prettiest cookbook ever. I thought I would inaugurate it (christen seemed the wrong concept!) to celebrate New Year's EveBut the recipes are not wholly straightforward. And as for the ingredients list...well...So I high-tailed it down to Acton High Street to Habbakuk.They had Orzo, fresh coriander, fresh parsley, za'atar, raw beets, walnuts both shell on and shell off, pomagranite, pine nuts, li-chee, fresh madjoul dates. I bet you don't know what all those are. I didn't. In fact the only things not in stock were walnut oil - does anyone? And tamarind water - ditto?I was dead impressed.But will be spending much of the rest of the day in the kitchen!Happy New Year.

Sara Nathan ● 5007d24 Comments

Update: Tesco's has walnut oil. who knew?

Sara Nathan ● 5007d

Sounds good.  Do you mean Hakkekat (I think that is how it's spelled)?

Gill Hothersall ● 5007d

I'm sure I do. Thanks.It was raining so furiously that I never lifted my head to look at the sign to confirm.

Sara Nathan ● 5007d

Hi Sara, happy cooking. I am newish to Acton (2yrs?) and I found this shop a godsend.It is always buzzing. I recently cooked an Ottolenghi recipe too and bought my ingredients from there.I always try something new when I go in. I bought Kaki Fruit the other day...delicious. I think it is also called Sharon fruit. And in summer they sell those sweet flat peaches and yellow Mangoes..

Ros Guthrie ● 5007d

I bought the Ka'atar - whatever it is - and then got home and found I'd decided not to cook the recipe that needed it.

Sara Nathan ● 5007d

Waitrose sell Orzo!

Amanda Knights ● 5006d

Also I must recommend Global4Seasons which is on Market Place - for full Ottolenghi ingredients!

Anne Brown ● 5006d

Waitrose sell Orzo!---so does Morrisons... (lovely stuff...)

Lorna Dodd ● 5006d

Not seen it in Morrison's. Will have to look next time I want some!

Amanda Knights ● 5005d

Why buy it in Morrisons, Waitrose or Tesco's if you can get it at Hakkekat and support our local indie trader and the high street?One of (several) New Year's Resolutions is, I think, to buy more from local independent stores and less from the big chains.

Sara Nathan ● 5005d

I think you should be able to buy blocks of 'wet' tamarind from Hakkikat and you can mix that with water to make the tamarind water. Also good is little shop at bottom of Horn Lane with fruit and veg outside - just along from health food shop. Hakkikat also stocks pomegranate molasses which is in lots of Ottolenghi type recipes and is delicious. Fantastic tasty chewy pitta 4 packs for £1.20! Yummy blocks of dried figs. Hakkikat is my favourite shop in Acton - have moved to W13 but stil come back to shop there!

Rosie Blair ● 5005d

The health food shop on market place also sells walnut oil and some of their dried fruits are much much cheaper than holland & barett.

N Roberts ● 5004d

Hakkekat had tamarind paste in various sizes and the original block. I made the tamarind water by adding a couple of tablespoons of boiling water to about yay much of the paste and stirring widdershins while incanting madly.

Sara Nathan ● 5004d

amazed that you have not been in this fabulous store before NOW. you seem to me to have been every where else!!!

Jane Willingale ● 5004d

One final posting re the za'atar you did not need. Warm up a pitta until it puffs up but does not go crisy and melt some butter on top and sprinkle with za'atar and maybe some sea salt and cut into strips for delicious snack. This is sort of like lebanese flatbread with za'atar which is, I think, a classic dish

Rosie Blair ● 5004d

Of course I have been in it before - many times - but I was struck afresh at the range of amazing things it has in stock. And wanted to share that.In a quarter of a century living in one area, you do get to most of what it has to offer.

Sara Nathan ● 5003d

Sounds fab!More za'tar bought fresh in Jaffa market - arriving Tuesday so will need many things to use it on.Hakkekat also has a huge - presumably Hallal - butchers at the back. Complete with queues.

Sara Nathan ● 5002d

Sara, I bought the book after hearing Yotam Ottolenghi interviewed on the Robert Elms show on BBC London a couple of months ago.  He  said that his partner, Sami Tamimi buys a lot of ingredients from ' a shop in Acton, near where he lives..'

Vivienne Duggan ● 5002d

Oh how funny!It must surely be the same one.I must ask when I go in next.

Sara Nathan ● 5002d

It is a great little shop,  although when purchasing a tin of baba ghanoush (probably wrong spelling)  I asked if they had any fresh baba ghanoush,  they seemed to think me mad saying fresh baba was in the tin.  With all the houmous etc that we can buy why is there no fresh baba ghannoush?  Perhaps a reason ora gap in the market!PS I know I could invariably make it myself but it is nice to have pre bought dips in the fridge as a quick snack.

Jen Morty ● 5002d

If they don't sell it in Hakikat [or Waitrose]- it's not worth having!

Winsome Gillette-Fussell ● 5000d

za'tar and barberries (probably - no-one in Jaffa market seemed sure apparently) have made the arduous journey from Israel to Acton via Finchley.From tasting the latter, currants WOULD do just as well.

Sara Nathan ● 4998d

Sara - just for your info. "Habbakuk" IS IN THE Old Testament and secondly the shop you are refering to are Kurdish, so they maybe offened - labelled as turkish.

Victor Bell ● 4995d

Others have referred to it as Turkish. I'm afraid i have no independent information. Maybe they are Kurds from Turkey.Anyhow, I seem to be on very good terms with them so I won't raise the issue.Also i now know its Hakkekat. I think Habbakuk must be something I picked up doing the Sporcle quiz on the 200 bible names occurring most frequently...including Joash, jehoshaphat and jeroboam but hardly any women and only about 14 from the New Testament - just to go off at a total tangent)

Sara Nathan ● 4995d