Entering a food market in a foreign country can be a revelation. From jewel-like fruits and vegetables to pungent spices, the markets found abroad are siren calls to explore new cuisine. Travel, itself, is a thrilling opportunity to discover new ingredients. And while museums can be interesting, food is much more captivating in a cultural sense.

Luckily for Northern New Mexicans, we don't have to travel far and wide to experience a new world of ingredients. We now have a local market full of visual delights to tempt the imagination: Ziggy's International Market, owned by Mohamed (Ziggy) Rzig, in the Pen Road Center. From the outside, the store may look small, but it's packed full of wonderful food finds.

From our first meeting, Rzig, a native of Tunisia, impressed me with his food knowledge, work ethic and generosity. Recently, I had the opportunity to tour the market, and I couldn't stop exclaiming over the variety of products sold at Ziggy's. "Oh, you have Kewpie mayonnaise! What is this? How is that used?"

On the shelves at Ziggy's, it's common to find: paprika from Hungary and Spain; Spanish chorizo from La Rioja; Moroccan sprats and sardines; handmade Italian pastas; Polish pickles and sauerkraut; Japanese roasted barley tea and Lebanese olive oil soap.

Ziggy divides his time between his food businesses in Santa Fe and Los Alamos, where he also owns the two Pyramid Cafés. With no less than three businesses in operation, he's not always in the store, but his store manager, Maria Sermeno, a native of El Salvador, is equally willing to help customers. Between the two of them, they cover a wide range of food culture.

As the store has grown, Rzig has made it a priority to learn about many ingredients and spices to accommodate customers. He has built a small, loyal following of adventurous cooks, who know that if the market doesn't sell the products they need, Rzig will find a way to get them.

The market also is a big hit with local chefs, who use ingredients and spices found at Ziggy's to expand their culinary repertoire. Chef and cooking school director John Vollertsen of Las Cosas says, "I was thrilled when Ziggy opened his market."

"I go there for my New Mexican chiles, Thai and Vietnamese ingredients, curry paste, fish sauce and kaffir lime leaves," Vollertsen says. "Now that people are more adventurous with cooking, they don't have to go across the planet to find what they need."

One of Ziggy's best customers, Ahmed Obo, owner-chef of Jambo Café, says, "I like the convenience of being able to get the ingredients that I use to cook with right here in Santa Fe."

The recipes below contain ingredients — noted with asterisks — that are available at Ziggy's International Market.


1 pound, or 2 large, red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, quartered and seeded

1 cup shelled walnuts (pecans may be substituted)

1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 teaspoon coarsely ground red Aleppo pepper, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chile flakes

1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 teaspoons tomato paste

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

11/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses*

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt, preferably kosher salt

Preparation: Place the peppers in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse several times, until they are reduced to a pulp. Add the nuts, bread crumbs, spices and sugar, and process until the ingredients are ground and well mixed.Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add all remaining ingredients. Process to a paste, scraping down the processor from time to time. Taste and adjust season. Thin out with a little more olive oil, if desired. Refrigerate until serving time, then bring to room temperature and serve with vegetables and bread. Store for five days in the refrigerator.



2 cups kala chana*

2 teaspoons ground turmeric*

2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons ghee or butter

2 to 3 whole, small red hot chiles

11/2 teaspoons black mustard seed*

1/4 teaspoon asafetida powder*

1 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut, reconstituted

Preparation: Soak the kala chana overnight; drain and rinse. In a medium pan, cover with water and cook with the turmeric and salt until tender, adding more water if necessary — pressure cooker works well for this.

Heat the ghee until it shimmers and add the chiles, mustard seeds and asafetida powder. Sauté spices for 2 minutes. Add the boiled kala chana along with its cooking liquid and the coconut. Cook over low heat until thickened. Serve hot over basmati rice.

IF YOU GO

What: Ziggy's International Market

Where: Pen Road Shopping Center, 1005 Pen Road, 986-5054

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday