Learning, Understanding, and Empathy Through Food

Source: World Red Eye

I have been cooking and posting on this blog for many years, well over a decade. Over that period of time, my blog has evolved, from my first posts about Italian cuisine to my many posts about everyday cooking, and to my more internationally-focused cooking. However, in recent weeks and months, I have been thinking about how this blog has caused me to evolve.  

Indeed, for the few who follow this blog, you have probably seen that evolution yourself. I have been spending a lot more time learning, not just how to prepare a dish, but what's behind the dish. The history, the culture and the people. I started a project known as Beyond Borders, where I go one step beyond my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge to learn about those who do not have their own countries. I have been posting about the struggles of people in various parts of the world, whether it is the Uyghurs, the Rohingya, the Palestinians or the Sahrawi. Put simply, I have been opening myself to learning just as much about cultures as I am about cuisines, as much about the history, good and bad, as current events and situations. 

As I thought about this evolution, I came to picture it as more of a path ... one that has been walked down before.  I found myself taking this path that was made possible by others, most notably, the three people pictured above -- Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, and Jose Andres. Each of these individuals epitomize the evolving focus of my personal culinary blog. Each one of them embodies the qualities that are often missing in a large segment of the world: a desire to learn, understand and empathize.  

Take, for example, Anthony Bourdain. He did more than simply eat and drink his way around the world. Tony used his shows, No Reservations and later Parts Unknown, to educate, not only himself but others about cultures and cuisines around the world. Tony took something that, at least in the United States, was often the province of public television and injected into mainstream media, whether it was the Travel Channel or CNN. He brought understanding of other cultures and other cuisines to a wider audience.

Anthony Bourdain accomplished this feat in a way that, at first glance, may not seem very Bourdain-like. Tony often portrayed himself as a brash chef, with an uncensored tongue. However, when traveling, Tony was perhaps his true self. He did not walk in as the celebrity. He approached people in a more humble way, seeking to understand them by allowing the people to explain their culture and their cuisine. Tony listened, humbly and with gratitude.  

Anthony Bourdain in Haiti (Travel Channel, Source: Human Connections)

Anthony Bourdain summed it up best during an interview with Fast Company, which happened to his last full interview with them (Tony died about 8 months later). At around 3:00, Anthony noted: 

I think the most important, you know, be humble, be grateful. Be aware of the fact that you are probably the stupidest person in the room. As far as you are the least prepared, least equipped person to know who really is in charge and what's really going on. 

Bourdain demonstrated this humble approach during visits to areas with long histories of suffering, such as Sri Lanka (Season 5, Episode 9); Liberia (Season 6, Episode 16); Haiti (Season 7, Episode 1); Nicaragua (Season 7, Episode 3); and the special two episodes when Tony was in Beirut, which tied together Season 2 and Season 3. The Parts Unknown episodes that continue this learning and understanding include Tony's visits to the Democratic Republic of Congo (Season 1, Episode 8); and  Jerusalem (Season 2, Episode 1).

Then there is Andrew Zimmern, perhaps best known for his Travel Channel series, Bizarre Foods. Much like Tony, Andrew used his platform for a specific purpose. Andrew did not want to just showcase weird and exotic foods, but  he sought to understand the people and cultures behind the food. In his words, the show "explored culture with a goal of engendering more patience, tolerance and understanding in the world." Put more simply, "come for the bug eating, get a lesson on humanity." 

Andrew Zimmer (Travel Channel; Source: Mashed)

Over the course of twelve seasons, Andrew Zimmern seemingly hit every part of the planet, delving not only into the present day cultures, but also their history. One example could be found in Season 4, Episode 4, where Andrew explored the island of Madagascar. He met a fisherman, who had almost no possessions, except for a house (which blew away with the storms), a boat, and, of course, his family. When Andrew asked the fisherman if he was happy, the fisherman laughed and replied: "I have everything a man could ask for: my family and a boat." There are many more episodes where Andrew and his crew went beyond simply filming people to take the extra step to learn more about them and their lived experiences, such as Season 12, Episode 7 when Andrew followed the Underground Railroad, eating the meals that were available to the escaping slaves. 

Finally, there is Jose Andres, who once said, "without empathy, nothing works." With empathy, Jose has built one of the most prominent humanitarian organizations, World Central Kitchen (WCK). Since 2010, beginning with an earthquake in Haiti, WCK and Jose Andres have provided critical relief to people around the world, crisis after crisis, disaster after disaster. Jose is there, with WCK, delivering water, ready-to-eat meals, or other important supplies to people who have lost everything due to natural disaster, man-made disaster, and wars. 

Jose Andres in Ukraine (Photo: Efram Lutasky/AP; Source: New York Times)

Jose Andres does not try to organize and operate local relief operations from the outside. Jose recognized the importance of recruiting local volunteers and enlisting local kitchens to help with the relief efforts. Rather than imposing an outside (western-based) approach to relief, Jose draws upon the knowledge, skills and experience of the people themselves. Jose and WCK adapt to the people and their circumstances, rather than having them adapt to him. But, they are not alone, because Jose and WCK are on the ground, taking the same risks that they are. 

And, there are a lot of risks, as well as a lot of catastrophes and disasters, both natural and man-made at this day and time. I keep sensing that we collectively are heading toward a darker time, where the forces that seek to divide us are on the verge of victory, having pitted group against group, person against person. I could retreat inward in despair at this realization, as I watch hatred and intolerance on the rise. I could also simply ignore the oncoming darkness, turning away from the suffering to come. 

But, that is not me. I know what is coming, but I also know what is still out there. To borrow words better spoken than I can write: 

I think something that brings America and the world together is understanding.... It seems a very big percentage of Americans believe that every child and every person in America should have the right to a plate of food. In the worst moments of humanity, I learned through food that the best of humanity shows up. People that may be different skin, color, religion, or political inclination and party. They put everything away ..., and they become one with the people. That's what gives me hope.

Those are the words of Jose Andres. They give me hope as well, but I know that we need more than hope. We need action, such as reminders of how the best of humanity can show up. That can only happen when we are presented with opportunities to learn, understand and empathize.  

These three individuals -- Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, and Jose Andres -- have in many ways become some of the guiding stars for my blog and myself. They went beyond their own culture  and world, to learn about other cultures, and draw value from everything about the people, their experiences, and their ways. They have worked to bring us together by emphasizing what we have in common, rather than what divides us. 

That has become the goal of my blog. I am not fortunate enough at this time to travel the world and I do not have a television show that I could use to broadcast a message of learning, understanding and empathy. I have done so vicariously through Anthony, Andrew and Jose, watching their travels on television or online. I will continue to spend my time learning from afar with the hopes that someday I will be able to see it firsthand. 

I realize this is just a small blog with a very limited readership. I could be fooling myself into thinking that this very small contribution will make any difference. Still, I look forward to starting the new year with a renewed commitment to try to show how food can unite us. It is better than doing nothing. 

PEACE.

Steamed Shrimp

Sometimes all one needs is a very simple recipe. Steamed shrimp is just that recipe. All one needs is shrimp, some liquid and a spice mix (and, if you like lemons with your seafood, then add a lemon). Heat the liquid in a pot with a steamer basket to a boil, which creates the steam, and then add the shrimp. Wait two minutes, remove the shrimp, sprinkler the spice mix, and serve immediately. It's that simple. 

The only other thing that I can say about this recipe is that, as simple as it is, there are variations that one can do to add some creativity to the dish. While I used a good lager beer to make this recipe, you can substitute a good white wine for the vinegar or beer. I would probably use a good Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay. You can also substitute any other spice bland for Old Bay or XO, but, given my love for the Chesapeake Bay area, I went with Old Bay. (I don't have any XO on hand.) 

This is a great recipe if you need a quick appetizer or finger food for guests. It is a helluva lot better than simple steamed shrimp.

STEAMED SHRIMP

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 16 large shrimp, deveined
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar or beer
• 2 tablespoons J.O. or Old Bay, plus extra for finish
• 1 lemon, quartered

Directions:

1. Prepare the boiling liquid. Place the water and cider vinegar/beer in a small to medium-sized pot. Add the J.O. or Old Bay and stir well. Place a steamer basket in the pot and bring to a boil. 

2.  Steam the shrimp. Once the water is boiling, place the shrimp in the pot and cover. Steam for 2-3 minutes. Remove immediately rom the steam once the shrimp have turned pink.

3. Finish the dish. Place the shrimp on a platter, sprinkle lightly with more J.O. or Old Bay. Serve immediately with the lemons. 

PEACE.

Chef Bolek's Picanha with Chancho en Piedra

My love for churrasco -- that is, beef grilled over an open fire -- often leads me to places like Fogo de Chao or Texas de Brazil. It also leads me to seek out smaller, family owned churrascarias or other Brazilian and Argentinian restaurants. Those dining experiences, especially the ones at the large chain restaurants, often involve one server after another carrying a skewer of grilled meat.  There is the server with costela (or beef ribs), followed by the server with beef ancho (or ribeye), the server with fraldinha (bottom sirloin), the server with alcantra (top sirloin), and then the server with filet mignon. However, there is always one server that I try to find in the restaurant ... the person with the picanha or what is also referred to as the sirloin cap or cullote. 

However, my efforts to find picanha outside of a national chain restaurant, or even a smaller family-run restaurant, had encountered some difficulty. This particular cut is not one that is typically stocked on the shelves of a supermarket. One has to dig a little deeper and work a little harder to find it. This work necessarily involves identifying a trusted butcher. Fortunately, for me, there is one -- Chop Shop Butchery -- which I highly recommend. A simple question - do you have picanha - led to the purchase of a very nice cut of meat. 

That cut is identifiable by the strip of fat along the top, which, when grilled properly, helps to baste and  flavor the meat. The story of picanha can be traced back to the Bixziga neighborhood of Sao Paulo, Brazil during the 1950s. The cut did not make its way onto a menu until Dinhos offered a roasted picanha. The cut took off in Brazil and eventually made its way (along with Brazilian immigrants) to Portugal and then to the United States. 

The preparation of picanha is rather simple: flaky sea salt is really all that is needed before cooking the meat. The meat is roasted on a spit in Brazil or grilled in Argentina, and, either way, it can be cut into smaller pieces or the whole cut could simply be roasted. Given it was my first time, and recognizing that I probably did not have the right skewers to spit roast the meat, I decided to roast the whole cut. I seasoned the cut with sea salt, but I also used some merken especial, a chile rub used by the Mapuche, to provide a smoky kick to the meat. I grilled it to 135 degrees, well short of the 145 degrees for medium rare, given the shape of the cut. This approach ensured that the narrower edge of the cut would not be overcooked. 

My version of Chancho en Piedra

Finally, when one serves picanha or any grilled meat as part of a churrasco, it is accompanied by a chimichurri sauce.  I have made many a chimichurri sauce in my time. There are a few recipes on this blog, like this one and these two. So, I can say that a chimichurri is my own go-to sauce for grilled or roasted meats. However, for this occasion, I wanted to do something different. 

My search led me to pebre, which is a Chilean condiment made with cilantro, olive oil, onion, garlic and chiles. If one adds freshly chopped tomatoes to their pebre, it becomes chancho en piedra (which translates to "pig on a rock"). This salsa-like side is traditionally prepared using a molcajete or a mortar and pestle to create a consistency that looks more like a sauce. However, I have seen versions where the chancho en piedra has more texture, akin to a chunky-like salsa. I generally prefer the latter when it comes to salsa, so I opted with that approach. I also substituted one of the green chiles for 1/2 tablespoon of merken especial to tie the side with the grilled meat. These modifications resulted in a side that seemed, in my humble opinion, was a better accompaniment for slices of grilled picanha. 

CHEF BOLEK'S PICANHA WITH CHANCHO EN PIEDRA

Picanha recipe adapted from Barbecue Bible

Chancho en Piedra receipt from Food Comas

Serves several

Ingredients (for the picanha):

• 2 pound slab of picanha (top sirloin) with 1/2 inch of fat on top
• Merken especial
• Coarse salt (sea or kosher)

Ingredients (for the Chancho en Piedra)

• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 green chiles, seeded and finely diced or 1 tablespoon Merken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tomato, peeled and finely diced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:

1. Prepare the Chancho en Piedra. In a bowl, add the oil, garlic, onion, coriander, tomatoes, chiles (or merken) and veingar. Add the salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

2. Prepare the picanha and the grill. Cut the picanha crosswise (across the grain) into slices that are 1.5 inches thick. Dust the picanha with merken on all sides. Set aside while you set up the grill for direct grilling. Heat the grill to high. Brush and oil the grill grate.

3. Grill the picanha. Arrange the meat pices fat side down on the grill. Direct grill until fat is partially rendered, crisp, and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn each piece of meat on its side and grill until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Grill the bottom the same way. You are looking for medium rare. An instant read thermometer inserted into the narrow end to the center of the meat should read about 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Finish the dish. Transfer the picanha to a cutting board, fat side up and let rest for a couple of minutes. Carve it into thin slices across the grain, including a bit of fat and a bit of meat in each slice. Serve with the Chancho en Piedra.

P.S. While writing this post, I discovered that there is also Chancho en Piedra, the Chilean experimental, funk band. Their music is actually pretty catchy. My only regret - apart from not being able to speak Spanish - is that I did not learn about this band earlier. I could have played the music in the background while preparing chancho en piedra, the sauce.

PEACE.

Paul's Perfect Pour

Cult Classic Brewing is a brewery and restaurant located on Kent Island just off of Route 50. Drawing inspiration from popular cult movies over the decades, which is evident with the movie posters hanging in the restaurant, the brewery produces a wide range of beers. I have previously reviewed one of its India Pale Ales, The IPA When the World Stood Still, which I bought when the Savage Boleks first visited this brewpub back in 2021. 

A few years later, the Savage Boleks found themselves passing through Kent Island on our way to the Oysterfest in St. Michaels, Maryland. Loyal to any brewpub that serves good beer, we made a stop at Cult Classic Brewing for dinner. When we left, we purchased two six packs. One of them was Paul's Perfect Pour. 

As it turns out, this beer was brewed for a cause. Cult Classic Brewing partnered with the guitar maker Paul Reed Smith to produce Paul's Perfect Pour. They joined in this collaboration to celebrate Make Music Day, which was on June 21, 2024. Make Music Day was first recognized forty-two years ago in France as a day where "free music would be everywhere: street corners, parks, rooftops, gardens and store fronts." 

Although we came a few months late for Make Music Day, we nevertheless got a chance to try Paul's Perfect Pour. It is advertised as a blend of an Irish Red Ale and a German Kolsch Ale. 

The beer pours more like the former rather than the latter, with a reddish hue. The aromatic elements are very malt-forward, with a sweetness laced among them. The sweetness may be the Kolsch trying to shine through the otherwise Irish Red facade. The malt characteristics follow through with the taste, with a sweet, somewhat fruity flavor in the initial taste. It is somewhat reminiscent of apples. The sweetness hangs out on the palate for quite a while.

This beer proved to be as interesting as I thought an blend of Irish Red Ale and Kolsch would be. If you happen to find yourself around Kent Island, Maryland, you should check out Cult Classic Brewing and pick up a six pack. That is, if it is still around. Until next time ...

PEACE.

La Selva Sangiovese Bianco (2022)

Nearly twenty years ago, I spent a short time in Tuscany learning about, among other things, Tuscan wines. Much of that time was spent in the Chianti region, learning how vintners and winemakers turn the Sangiovese grape into some truly special Chianti Classico wines. I got to taste some amazing wines produced by Antinori and Frescobaldi. Some of those wines were produced with grapes solely from the Chianti Classico region, while others sourced Sangiovese grapes from around Tuscany. 

When I returned home, I began to explore other Sangiovese wines. Those efforts introduced me to wines like the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (some of which, in my humble opinion, can rival the Chianti Classico wines), as well as other wines like the Rosso Di Montalcino and what are commonly referred to as the "Super Tuscans."

Yet, I never came across a Sangiovese wine other than a red wine. This makes a certain amount of sense, because the Sangiovese grape is a red grape. One would not ordinarily expect it to produce a white wine. I certainly did not have that expectation, until I came across a bottle of a Sangiovese Bianco in a local wine store. The wine was produced by Cantina La Selva, an organic vineyard in Tuscany.

Cantina La Selva began operating back in 1980 in Tuscany's Maremma region. That is the coastal region, with shorelines that meet the waves from the Ligurian Sea. Dotted along that coastline are cities, both large (such as Livorno) and small (like Baratti). A coastal region makes sense for a white wine, as that type of wine typically gets paired with seafood. Yet, as one travels inland, they would encounter hills and mountains, areas where vineyards and winemakers like Cantina La Selva can work their trade.

To produce a white wine from a red grape, Cantina La Selva begins by harvesting the Sangiovese grapes by hand in mid-September. They then press the grapes lightly, as that is what results in the white wine (generally speaking, if the grapes are pressed harder or left with the skins for a longer period of time, that results in a red wine). The resulting liquid goes through static cold fermenting and aging in stainless steel tanks. The wine ages for six months on the lees and conditioned in the bottle for only 3 months.

The Sangiovese Bianco pours a very light, transparent golden color, which takes on pinkish hues depending upon the light. The wine makers describe the aroma as including small berries and a hint of spiciness. Others describe elements of rose water, grapefruit and citrus zest. 

The small berries come through particularly on the palate, but I have to say that I also get faint hints of rose water. (That is a good thing because, as anyone who has worked with rose water as an ingredient can tell you, that ingredient is rather "loud."). The wine has a definite sweetness to it, but that sweetness is also balanced by a fair amount of acidity, providing a dryness that really works.

A bottle of the La Selva Sangiovese Blanco costs approximately $18.99 per bottle. It is worth the price, if only to try something different. 

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Afghanistan

I find myself challenged in more ways than one. My Around the World in 80 Dishes takes me to Afghanistan, which is also known as the "Graveyard of Empires." One foreign power after another -- the Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Mongols, Mughals, British, Soviets, and, most recently, Americans -- sought to dominate the country, from the southwestern plateau to the northern plains, and from the central highlands to the Hindu Kush.  Yet, if one were to go to Afghanistan, any tombstones that they would find will not have the names of empires. Rather, they would bear the names of the Afghans who have been victims of those empires. 

Today, a more appropriate name for Afghanistan would be the "Graveyard of Rights." In recent years, as the Taliban reasserted its control over the country, the extremist Muslim leadership have imposed restriction after restriction upon women and girls. The Taliban first limited the educational and employment opportunities for women. It then sought to limit their voice, imposing oppressive restrictions upon women raising their voice in public. The restrictions even prohibit women from signing or laughing in public. The Taliban are literally oppressing the voice of women and girls. 

Hence, the challenge. Typically, I spend time researching the post, delving  not only into cooking, but the cuisine and culture of those who prepare the food. I could write a post about the Pashtun people, who constitute a plurality of "Afghans," and their cuisine. I could also write about the other "Afghans" -- such as the Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Aimaks, Turkmen, Balochs, Nuristanis and Pamiris -- and their cuisine. But, how can I ignore the plight of women in Afghanistan, a plight that crosses ethnic lines. 

Afghan women (Source: Wikipedia)

The answer is that I don't. This post will feature a challenge to prepare a main course of Afghan cuisine, but I will do so while explaining the plight of women, contrasted with their undeniable contribution to Afghan society and their unquestionable right to be free from arbitrary and capricious legal restrictions.

I want the women of my country to know that they are equal to men in the eyes of religion, of civil laws, and humanity. God created them equal."

-- Lina Rozbih, Journalist and Poet

Unlike most of the empires that passed through, the United States engaged in nation building, with a focus on establishing governmental institutions. In 2004, Afghanistan adopted a new constitution. A product of 500 delegates representing Afghan men and women who met at the Constitutional Loya Jira, Article Twenty-Two declares "[a]ny kind of discrimination and distinction between citizens of Afghanistan shall be forbidden. The article further provides, "[t]he citizens of Afghanistan, man and woman, shall have equal rights and duties under the law. 

During the twenty or so years that the United States worked in Afghanistan, opportunities opened for women. Indeed, at the time the Constitution was adopted, women constituted twenty-seven percent (27%) of the lower legislative house (compared to women constituting only 25% of the U.S. House of Representatives). Those women, along with their male counterparts, enacted laws prohibiting a range of crimes against women, including domestic violence and forced marriage, as well as established other prohibitions, such as preventing women or girls from going to school or preventing women to own property. 

Female students (Source: United Nations)

By 2020, women made substantial strides in Afghanistan. Over three million girls attend school, and, at the university level, girls are 25% of the students. The literacy rate had tripled for women (although even with that progress, it was only 30%). Women were 19% of the doctors, 40% of the nurses, 35% of the public school teachers, 27% of the government employees, 12% of judges, 10% of attorneys and 20% of provincial council members. Considering that women had been persecuted for years and decades prior to 2001, the gains over the two decades marked considerable progress. 

"Because of the Taliban, Afghanistan has become a jail for women. We haven't got any human rights. We haven't got the right to go outside, to go to work, to look after our children."

-- Faranos Nazir, 34 year old woman in Kabul

In 2021, the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, creating a power vacuum that the Taliban quickly filled with the Second Islamic Emirate. Much like the First Islamic Emirate, which was the Taliban's rule between 1996 and 2001, the government moved quickly to strip women of not only the progress they made over the previous two decades, but also of their fundamental rights.  The damage is substantial. The Taliban have banned girls from attending secondary school (that is, up to Grade 7), thereby significantly limiting their educational opportunities. For those women attending universities, the Taliban has imposed numerous restrictions upon them and their education. The government first banned women from pursuing certain degrees, such as agriculture, mining, civil engineering and journalism. Thereafter, the Taliban banned women from universities altogether.

The loss of rights extends beyond the educational system, it includes stripping women of their legal rights. The Taliban went so far as to invalidate thousands of divorces that had been decreed between 2001 and 2020.  It dissolved the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, but established a female moral police department. 

Afghan women after 2021. (Source: United Nations)

The Taliban also stripped women of employment opportunities, ordering women to stay home rather than go to work. It also banned women from many occupations in the legal system, government, and private sector. 

Finally,  the Taliban issued a series of decrees that greatly restricted the movement of women outside of their homes. Indeed, women cannot leave their home without a mahram, which is a close relative. Even if a woman went out on her own, the Taliban imposed rules prohibiting many -- from health centers to coffee shops -- from providing goods and services to them. 

MAIN COURSE

For this particular challenge, I wanted to focus on a particular ingredient ... the tomato. While the tomato may be native to South America, it has its place in Afghan cuisine. This main course -- Kofta Challow -- features lamb or beef meatballs cooked in an onion-spiked tomato sauce. 

KOFTA CHALLOW

Recipe adapted from Afghan Yummy Food

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the rice):

• 3 cups basmati rice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
•  2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon cardamom

Ingredients (for the meatballs):

• 2 cups coriander (cilantro), minced
• 1 green pepper, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 onions minced
• 1 pound ground beef or veal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1.5 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Prepare the rice. Rinse the rice and set aside for a few hours before cooking. Boil water in a pot. Add the rice and boil for a few minutes or until the rice is soft and long. Drain the water from the rice.

2. Continue preparing the rice. Heat a pan on high heat and add vegetable oil, boiled rice, salt dissolved in warm water and the spices. Mix well. Make holes with the back of the spatula. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Cook on low heat for at least 25 to 30 minutes. 

3. Prepare the meatballs.  Add coriander, green pepper, one onion, garlic and mince in a food processor. In a big bowl, add the meat and spices. In a large saucepan, add the oil and heat on high heat. Add the second onion (minced), and sauté. Add the tomato sauce. Add water and leave on high heat until it comes to a boil. Make small balls form the meat mixture and add to the sauce. Leave it on low for 30 minutes to cook. 

4. Finish the dish. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.

SIDE DISH

The tomato sauce continues onto the side dish, Banjan Salat. This dish is a simple one, consisting of eggplant, tomato sauce, and some spices. It is also different in terms of presentation insofar as it is served either at room temperature or cold. As I am not a very big fan of eggplant, I was a little apprehensive about a cold dish. I did like the spiced tomato sauce, but I still need to work on my liking of eggplant.

BONJUN SALAT

Recipe from Recipeland

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 3 medium eggplants
• 2.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1.5 cups tomato sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or minced fresh chiles
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves

Directions:

1. Prepare the eggplant. Slice the eggplants crosswise into 1.5 inch thick pieces.  Sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons of coarse salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse the eggplants under cold water, which removes the bitter taste. Rinse and dry well on a towel. 

2. Brown the eggplants. Heat the oil in a skillet and lightly brown the eggplant slices over moderate heat for 5 minutes.  Remove and put in a serving bowl to cool. 

3. Prepare the sauce. Put the tomato sauce, pepper, chile, cinnamon, mint and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a pan. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, which is long enough to integrate the flavors.

4. Finish the dish.  Pour the sauce over the eggplant, refrigerate until ready to use. The salad can remain in the refrigerator for several days. Serve cold or at room temperature. 

*    *    *

In doing a challenge to prepare a main course from Afghanistan, it is impossible to ignore the plight of women in that country. Extremist religions of every kind often subordinate (or subjugate) women, depriving them of important and necessary opportunities to learn and seek better lives. The Taliban is depriving women of their fundamental rights, as well as denying the undeniable: namely, women have a lot to contribute to the political, economic and social success of Afghanistan. While I think I succeeded in making Kofta Challow, my mind will always look to a possible future where women could once again contribute to the future of the country.

PEACE.

Goi Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)

 Ăn uống hài hoà 

(Eat and drink harmoniously)

Balance is important in every aspect of one's life, including what one cooks and eats. As I continue to explore the cuisines of cultures around the world, I have noticed a current that runs through the recipes and dishes of many cultures, including, by way of example, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Indian and even Native American. It is balance. This balance may take many forms, such as a balance of ingredients or a balance of cooking methods. Nevertheless, it is still there. 

More recently, I found this balance in Gỏi Gá, a chicken salad that is commonly prepared in Vietnam. From what I could find, the salad originated in the north of the country. However, it is dish that is popular throughout Vietnam. Goi Ga is often served at home for family gatherings; but, people can also find the salad being served at festivals and even as street food. When one peruses the ingredient list, they will find a recipe for a light salad that incorporates chicken, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs and a dressing that features one of my favorite ingredients, fish sauce. 

Yet, there is something more fundamental about Goi Ga. It represents balance, or as the Vietnamese would describe it, "Ngũ Hành" or "ngũ vi." I have previously explored the multiple levels of balance in Vietnamese cuisine. For example, there is the balance among the five tastes: spice, sour, bitter, salty and sweet. There is also a balance in texture: crispy crunchy, chewing, soft and silky. There are even further levels of balance, such as in cooking methods. 

Balancing "Ngũ Hành" or "ngũ vi" on multiple levels can seem somewhat like a culinary game of 3-D chess. Gỏi Gá achieves that balance. The ingredient list illustrates the balance across all five tastes: peppers (spice), lime juice and vinegar (bitter), sugar (sweet), and fish sauce (sour and salty). It similarly shows a balance with respect to texture, with crispy elements (fried shallots), crunchy (peanuts), silky (olive oil), soft and chewy (chicken). 

Each bite of the Gỏi Gá brings with it a sense of harmony, and, along with that, a sense of happiness. This recipe is a call to be mindful of ingredients and how they interact. It is a mindfulness that I lack and have struggled to develop, especially given the lack of balance elsewhere in life, such as the work-life balance.  Still, If I can make this dish every once in a while, it will serve as a necessary reminder to take a moment and think more about what I prepare, eat and serve to others.

This may be the reason why I subconsciously keep coming back to dishes from Vietnam or elsewhere, such as China's Sichuan province. It is my own little nudge to find my some balance, even if it is only of the culinary kind. 

GOI GA (VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD)

Recipe from Food & Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1.5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
• 1.5 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 serrano chile with seeds, minced
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 4 cups green cabbage (from 1/2 small head), finely shredded
• 2 carrots, finely shredded 
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
• 3 cups chicken (from 1/2 chicken), shredded
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, water, chile and garlic. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let the dressing stand for 5 minutes.

2. Fry the Shallots. In a small saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook over heat heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the shallots on paper towels. Reserve the oil for another use. Sprinkle the shallots with salt and let cool.

3. Finish the dish. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, red onion, cilantro, mint and shredded chicken. Add the olive oil and the dressing and toss. Sprinkle with the peanuts and fried shallots and serve the chicken salad with lime wedges.

PEACE.

Rohingya Tomato Soup

While much of the world (including myself) focuses its attention on the Middle East, there are atrocities that continue to unfold around the world. One such atrocity marked its seventh anniversary: Myanmar's ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in the Rakhine state. 

Seven years have led to between 750,000 and 1.1 million Rohingyans being forced to flee Myanmar for neighboring Bangladesh. Most of the Rohingyans who fled to Bangladesh have found themselves in Cox Bazar, a district where there are thirty-three refugee camps that, combined, house over 930,000 Rohingyans as of July 2023. 

The camps are overcrowded, many of which exceed the guidelines established by the United Nations Human Rights Commission ("UNHCR"). For example, the UNHCR standards provide that the number of people per latrine should be 4-6 and, in emergency situations, up to 20 per latrine. Six of the refugee camps are at 30 people or more per latrine and one is as high as 54 people per latrine. The UNHCR standard also provide that the number of people per water supply should be 1 water supply for every 80 people. Nine of refugee camps exceed that standard, with one of them -- the Nayapara Refugee Camp -- having a water supply for every 1,931 people. Add in the lack of educational and employment opportunities generally in the refugee camps, and, the situation is very bad and getting worse for the Rohingyan refugees.

Rohingyan refugee camp in Cox Bazar (Source: Danish Refugee Council)

Life for Rohingyans who remain in Myanmar is also getting worse. Approximately 636,000 Rohingyans remain in Myanmar, where they are subjected to an apartheid legal system that refuses to recognize them as an ethnic minority (even though Myanmar recognizes 135 other minority ethnic groups). To make matters even worse, those Rohingyan remaining in the Rakhine State are caught between a military conflict between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army, a nationalist military organization. The situation continues to worsen and little is seen or heard as it is drowned out by events elsewhere in the world.

To be sure, I have spent quite a bit of time in recent months focusing on Palestinian culture and cuisine. However, I have talking about the plight of the Rohingyan people for years. I have previously focused upon the Rohingyans, their culture and cuisine, along with their plight. My prior posts can be found here and here. 

Rohingyan family (Source: CORE)

I return my focus to the cuisine of the Rohingyan with this recipe for a Tomato Soup. This recipe is not just any soup. It is a window that reveals a common bond shared between the Rohingyan people and many other groups of people from Pakistan to Thailand (and beyond). That window can be found in the combination of three ingredients: ginger, garlic and turmeric. Together those three ingredients are the base of a curry. And not just any curry. They are the fundamental building blocks of the original curries that emerged from the Indus river valley more than four thousand years ago. That historical curry is the foundation of curries across the subcontinent and into southeastern Asia. 

This connection proves a basic truth: despite an organized, governmental effort by Myanmar to strip the dignity and humanity from the Rohingyan people (by refusing to recognize their ethnicity and declaring them a stateless group), the Rohingyans have a common bond with the other peoples. This bond extends to the other ethnic groups across Myanmar. This tomato soup shares similarities with other curry dishes prepared in Myanmar, such as those who live in the Shan Hills. But the bond extends far beyond the borders of Myanmar, across not only the subcontinent and southeast Asia, but across the world.

ROHINGYA TOMATO SOUP

Recipe from SBS Food

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 40 grams ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon ginger powder
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 liter of water
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

1.    Saute the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the spices and stir until fragrant. 

2.    Add the tomatoes and water. Add the chopped tomatoes, water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 7-10 minutes until slightly thickened. 

3.     Finish the dish. Serve scattered with chopped green chiles and coriander (cilantro), with lime wedges and steamed rice on the side. 

PEACE.

An Internal Struggle

This is not the post that I planned. I have a relatively long line of finished posts ready to be published. I also planned out the timeline for publishing, posting on a weekly basis about my exploration of cooking and cuisine both here in the U.S. and around the world. 

This past week was no ordinary week. 

I am still struggling to process what happened. How a majority of Americans could vote for an openly racist and misogynist candidate for President. How could Americans vote for candidates affiliated with the Republican party, whose platform not only embraced racism and misogyny, but contains a Spanish Galleon's worth of planks that are truly unpopular with a majority of Americans? How could a majority of Americans vote for politicians who openly campaigned on such racism, targeting communities of color, and who publicly called for utilizing the government to inflict substantial harms on groups who have known little else than discrimination and persecution by the supposedly greatest democracy in the history of civilization?

Cooking provides an escape for me. It is a way to close the door to my daily anxieties and stress. I can immerse myself in learning about food and the people who prepare it. I often joke that this blog also serves as an outlet for my international studies degree, as I travel virtually around the world to learn more about people. I try to learn as much as I can about their history, culture, and, of course, their cuisine. 

In recent months, I have viewed my culinary journeys as following the footsteps of someone who I have revered ... Anthony Bourdain. He traveled the world in a quest to learn not only about food, but the people who prepare it. His travels took him to some very troubled places, like the Middle East (Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank), Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He detailed in an open, objective way, the struggles of the people. In so doing, Anthony would ultimately show how food united people, showing how much more we have in common than what divides us.

Anthony Bourdain in Beirut, Lebanon (Source: No Reservations)

I have been "walking" in those footsteps for some time. Over the past few years, I have explored the cuisines of Armenia, Vietnam, St. Helena, Portugal, China, Mexico, Thailand, The Gambia, Argentina, India and Sri Lanka. I have also explored the cultures and cuisines of some very troubled places, like Gaza, the West Bank, Myanmar, Xinjiang, and Kashmir.  

It is the posts about those troubled places that have profoundly moved me, just as I expect it did to Anthony Bourdain as he walked the streets of Gaza or visited with home cooks in Haiti or the Congo. I learned about the struggles and suffering of people, the cause of which more often than not lied outside of their direct control. While it has been hard to write some of my posts (like those about what is happening in Gaza right now), there was always a small light off on the horizon. A beacon that, if it could guide humanity, would lead to something better: an end to conflict, an amelioration of suffering, and a restoration of human dignity. 

This past week revealed that such a beacon may, at best, be further off in the distance than I thought, or, at worst, may be nothing more than a mirage. Setting aside the untold level of masochistic pain that Americans have just unleashed upon themselves, they have also opened the floodgates to a further torrent of violence, suffering and pain around the world. 

For example, the past week's election represents an "all-clear" to the far-right wing Israeli government to continue and perhaps intensify its campaign of genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. It waved on Israeli fighter jets to further clear the southern reaches of Lebanon of not only Hezbollah, but also of Lebanese civilians.

The past week's election will also embolden Russia in its effort to recreate what it lost back in 1991, pushing it to not only eliminate Ukraine's existence, but to further destabilize other countries, like Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, and the Baltic States. 

However, it goes beyond Ukraine and the Middle East. As Lady Liberty's torch goes dark, I look at the prospect of not just more suffering and blood in many other places around the world. Places where the strife was the result of a history that bears the marks of our past foreign policy or our current capitalist economy. (Just look up and down the Western Hemisphere.) Strife that will only get worse because the next administration lacks the empathy, knowledge, and understanding to do anything about it. 

Source: ABC News

As Lady Liberty's torch fades into darkness, I find myself struggling with whether the path that I am on is one that I should continue to explore. Why try, even in the smallest way, to promote empathy and understanding when a majority of people in your country just don't care. Why try to promote what unites us when that majority seems quite content to drown in what divides us. 

I've come too far to go back to posting what random dish that I made on a particular day. I could choose to explore the cuisines around the world, confining myself to places free of suffering and pain. I could limit myself to just cooking out of cookbooks or recipes off of the internet. But, that is not who I am or who I want to be. I can't turn a blind eye to what is going on or what will happen, which means that the road ahead is one that may be too overwhelming and unsustainable. I just don't know right now. 

While I try to resolve this internal struggle, I will continue to post what is in my queue. After that, only time will tell. Until then, I will close with my undying wish for everyone around the world ...

PEACE. 

Lahmajoun (Lahmacun/Lahmajo)

This post has been a long time coming. The spark of inspiration goes back years, perhaps more than a decade. I was sitting at home watching Anthony Bourdain eating with someone at a small restaurant in Turkey, most likely Istanbul. He and his guest were eating a flatbread that had a layer of minced lamb and vegetables. Tony identified the flatbread as "lahmacun." Ever since that day, I have wanted to make that flatbread. However, a lot of days went by. Then the years passed. I still wanted to make this recipe, but I made a lot of  other ones instead (as this blog will attest). 

Perhaps the one obstacle in my mind was making the dough. Sure, I make pasta, but I don't really do a lot of baking or working with dough. Thoughts of how long it would take to make the dough, or what would happen if I screwed up the dough, became difficult to overcome. However, I recently decided that, on some time off from work, I would take the time to make the dough. Then other obstacles got in the way. It seemed that more days, weeks and years would go by without me making this flatbread. That was, until I had a batch of thawed pizza dough in front of me. That batch served as the springboard with which I would finally make lahmacun.

Or is it lahmajoun or lahmajo? There is a serious debate in which these two words -- lahmacun and lahmajo -- are at the very heart.  The debate asks the question of where did this flatbread originate? Was it Turkey, where it is referred to as lahmacun? Or, was it Armenia, where it is referred to as lahmajoun.

As it turns out, the answer requires some explanation. The original name derives from Armenian, in which lahmajo means "meat with dough." One account traces the dish back to the city of Aleppo, Syria, where Armenian merchants settled from areas such as Aintab, Urha and Cilicia. The Armenian community in Aleppo began preparing the dish, and local cooks offered it to customers as "lahmajoun." The dish became very popular throughout Syria and Lebanon (where it is called lahm bi ajin), as well as in Turkey, where it took on the name lahmacun. 

Of course, those in Turkey disagree with the above account. The Turkish version traces the flatbread's origin to the southern Turkish cities of Urfa and Gaziantep. (It should be noted that there were significant communities of Armenians who lived in both cities until the end of the nineteenth century.)

Setting aside the dispute over its origin, I decided to make the recipe for myself. The batch of pizza dough made the preparation of this dish a lot easier for me. I could just focus on preparing the spread. I relied upon a recipe from the World Central Kitchen cookbook, which came from a Lebanese chef (which, for this reason, I will refer to it as lahmajoun). I made only one change to the filling. Instead of using a mixture of half beef and half lamb, I decided to use all lamb. There were two reasons. First, I think lamb is more traditional (although there could be some debate about that). Second, ground lamb comes in one-pound packages and I did not want to have to buy a separate package of ground beef. 

In the end, I think that this was a very good first effort at making lahmajoun. I think when I return to this recipe, I will try some of the regional variations, as well as incorporate other ingredients. Hopefully, it won't take a decade for that to happen.

LAHMAJOUN (LAHMACUN/LAHMAJO)

Recipe adapted from Jose Andres, World Central Kitchen Cookbook, page 85

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for the topping):

• 1 batch store-bought, fresh pizza dough
• 16 ounces ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Armenian red pepper paste or finely chopped roasted red peppers
• 1 2/3 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 pound plum tomatoes diced
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 medium garlic clove

Directions:

1. Make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, lamb, tomato paste, allspice, salt, red pepper paste, and paprika. Gently mix in the diced tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, parsley and garlic until well distributed - avoid overmixing. 

2. Prepare the oven. Heat the oven to the highest temperature, preferably with a pizza stone or foil lined sheet pan inside. 

3. Prepare the flatbread. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 pieces (to do this, cut the ball of dough in half, then half again, then divide each quarter into 3 pieces). Roll each piece into a round about 8 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick. Put 3 to 4 tablespoons of filling in the center of the round and use a spoon to spread it out nearly to the edge, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch border all around. 

4. Bake the flatbread. Depending on the size of the stone or baking sheet, bake the lahmajoun in batches until they start to brown but the dough is still soft enough to fold over - the meat layer will be completely cooked by the time the dough is done. There are no rules for the time and temperature. The hotter the oven and stone, the shorter the baking time and the tastier the lahmajoun. In a home oven that can reach 500 degrees Fahrenheit, it should take 6 to 8 minutes. While the flatbread is baking, you can grill long pieces of eggplant over an open flame until smoky, and season with sea salt.

5. Finish the dish. Serve warm. Lahmajoun are served folded over, sometimes with a squeeze of lemon, a yogurt dip or the traditional Armenian Ayran yogurt.  

PEACE.