Gamja Bokkeum (Korean Sweet Soy-Glazed Potatoes)

This recipe checks off a couple of culinary boxes for me: one looking for new and interesting side dishes to prepare and another looking to prepare more Korean food. I have prepared some Korean dishes in the past, and even included South Korea as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge. (That was, in fact, my first foray into Korean cuisine.) And, ever since then, I have been wanting to prepare more Korean food. My only problem was fitting it in amongst all of the other cuisines that I want to prepare as well. 

This particular dish, gamja bokkeum, goes all the way back to the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled from 1392 to 1910. It was a dish of peasants, simple faire made from the relatively few ingredients that they may have in their kitchens or on hand. The very basic versions were prepared with potatoes, soy sauce and little else. Some "fancier" versions may have included vegetables, like carrots and scallions. And, while this dish evolved over time and by region, I wanted to pay tribute to its humble origins. Hence, this recipe.

In the end, this recipe serves as yet another reminder that the simplest of dishes could rival the most complex of dishes. The combination of soy sauce and sesame oil provide the earthy flavors that complement the starchy texture of the potatoes. Those earthy flavors are balanced by the sweetness of the sugar, and enhanced by the umami of fish sauce (as it always does). This recipe might become a go-to in the kitchen whenever I need a quick, starchy side dish.

GAMJA BOKKEUM (KOREAN SWEET SOY-GLAZED POTATOES)

Recipe from Serious Eats

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 medium clove garlic, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10 ounces small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced in half
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, sugar, fish sauce, and garlic until sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds. Set aside. 

2. Cook the potatoes. Pour oil into a 3 quart saucier or saucepan. Add potatoes, arranging them cut side down in a single layer. Set saucier over medium high heat and cook, uncovered, until potatoes are light golden brown on cut-side, 5 to 6 minutes. 

3. Continue cooking the potatoes. Lower heat to medium-low, add soy sauce mixture and stir to combine with potatoes. Cover saucier with a lid and cook until potatoes are completely tender and offer no resistence when pierced with a cake tester or paring knife, about 10 minutes. 

4. Create the glaze. Remove the lid and increase the heat to high. Cook, uncovered, stirring constgantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula, until the liquid has reduced and thickened to a sticky caramel consistency that fully glazes the potatoes, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Finish the dish. Remove from heat, and transfer potatoes to serving bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve. 

PEACE.

Gambian Oyster Stew

"We had no money and struggled - we used to only charge 10 dalasi per cup, now its 60 dalasi. We are a family now, this association." 

-- Marie Demba

The above quote references the sale of cooked oysters by a female vendor at one of the markets in The Gambia. The quote is part of a larger story. It is the story of how that little bivalve can play an oversized role in the economic empowerment of marginalized people.

The Gambia is a very small country in Western Africa, basically running along the shores of the river of the same name. It is not a place that one would ordinarily associate with oysters; however, there are mangrove forests along the river. Those forests provide an ideal place for oysters to plant themselves and grow. And, for four months of the year, from March to June, the oysters can be harvested. 

Approximately 98% of the people who harvest oysters in The Gambia are women. During low tide, they take canoes out onto the water and, with small axes, the women chip oysters off the roots of the mangrove trees. Once the tide re-emerges, the women return to the shore. They process the oysters that they have harvested. The process begins with a sorting of the oysters. If the oysters are destined for a local market, then the women shuck them and cook them.  

All of this work is hard and dangerous. Many of the women do not know how to swim, so there is the threat of drowning whenever they go out onto the river. When they return safely, the women confront the absence of basic facilities needed to prepare the oysters, such as clean water. They also lack basic protective gear when they shuck the oysters, like gloves, leaving their exposed hands to being cut by the sharp edges of the oyster shells. 

Nevertheless, they persevere and do so collectively. For example, the female oyster harvesters in Kartong, a small village in the south of The Gambia, have joined together to establish the Senegambia Oyster Women Association. Through this association, the harvesters get training in oyster cultivation, including how to preserve the mangroves where the oysters grow. A video produced by the United Nations Food & Agricultural Organization describes their work: 

Not only do the women make money by harvesting, boiling and then selling the oysters, they also create additional income through the byproduct -- the oyster shells -- that are used to make jewerly or sold to be turned into white lime for construction uses. The women generate income to support themselves and their families, including paying for their children's education, paying their rent and even establishing their own bank accounts. The Senegambia Oyster Women Association has also grown, bringing in additional harvesters from neighboring villages. 

The story of the women harvesters, as well as their association, demonstrates perhaps the most important feature of the common oyster ... its ability to lift communities out of poverty through economic empowerment, enabling people to achieve economic independence and relative prosperity that has been otherwise denied to them. This empowerment has been demonstrated, time and time again, over the course of history, both in large countries, like the United States, and small ones, like The Gambia. 

Having learned how oysters empowered women in The Gambia, I began to search for a Gambian-inspired oyster recipe. That search was rather difficult, as there are few such recipes to be found. Nevertheless, I eventually I found the makings of an oyster stew in a video interview of Ida Cham-Njai, who is the founder of the Yabouy Home Cooking School. While I have made many oyster stews in my time, this particular stew provided a unique opportunity to try something different. Most notably, and perhaps expectedly, the base of the stew does not include cream. Rather, the base is created with tomatoes (which, quite frankly, I like a lot more than cream). Additional flavor comes from the use of onions, bell peppers, scallions and garlic, but there are no other herbs or spices added to the stew. The end result is a simple to prepare stew that is very delicious.

GAMBIAN OYSTER STEW

Recipe from Give Me This Day (recipe originally from Ida Cham-Njai)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Handful of fresh oysters in their liqueur (about 12 oysters)
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch of scallions, white parts diced, green parts sliced
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Cooked Rice, to serve

Directions:

1.  Saute the oysters. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the oysters, and cook for only 1-2 minutes, until they firm just slightly around the edges and start becoming opaque. Remove immediately and set aside. 

2. Prepare the stew base. Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onion, scallions, and the pepper, and saute until the onion is translucent and the pepper softens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine with the ingredients, then add the tomatoes and oyster liqueur. Lower the heat to medium. Continue to cook, as the tomatoes break down, for another 3-5 minutes. 

3. Add the oysters. Add the oysters, and gently stir the oysters into the base. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. 

4. Finish the dish. Plate some cooked rice, and spoon the stew with the oysters over the rice. Garnish with scallion greens. 

PEACE.

Chapulines al Ajo con Chile y Sal

 One of the few chefs that I follow is Sean Sherman, a member of the Ogala Lakota tribe who has dedicated his work to preserving the foodways of indigenous peoples throughout Turtle Island (or what non-indigenous people refer to as "North America"). I have dined at Chef Sherman's restaurant, Owamni, which recently closed to make way for an even greater restaurant, Indigena by Owamni. I have also purchased his cookbooks, including his most recent, Turtle Island.

I have been reading the book, which is excellently written and very thorough, planning in my head how I can acquire certain ingredients and when I can make some of the recipes. However, as I reached the section entitled "Mesoamerican Highlands and Pacific Coast," I came across a recipe for Chapulines al Ajo con Chile y Sal. A simple recipe for which I already had all of the ingredients, including the chapulines. 

A couple of years ago, I made Tacos de Chapulines con Tequila y Guacamole. It way my nod to Chef Jose Andres, who served a very similar taco at his restaurant, Oyamel. Ever since then, I have kept dried chapulines in my pantry for future dishes. Now, with Chef Sherman's new cookbook, I had the opportunity to prepare a recipe for chapulines in a different, and more fundamental way.  

Before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and colonizers, the indigenous peoples who lived in the States now known as Oaxaca and Puebla, including the Zapotec and the Mixtec, relied upon chapulines as one of their protein sources. In fact, grasshoppers have more protein than beef. Grasshoppers were everywhere. During from spring to fall, farmers would head out early in the morning to collect the insects using special nets. The time of year would usually dictate the size of the grasshopper. Maria Itaka, a writer for Culinary Backstreets, once spoke with Inocencia Mendez, a vendor who owns Chapulines Dona Chencha, a food stall in Oaxaca's Central de Abastos Market. As Mendez observed: 

"The babies are caught in June, the small-medium and medium-sized ones are collected between July and August, and the medium-large and large ones in September, October and even November."

Once collected, the chapulines are washed and then cooked in water, salt, garlic, and lime juice. The chapulines are then dried and toasted on a comal. Once prepared, chapulines are usually served straight as a snack to hungry Oaxacans, or added as a garnish, such as tacos or guacamole, to provide a herbal or briny flavor to the dish.

While many people (including some Savage Boleks other than myself) may find chapulines off-putting, these insects represent a significant part of a cultural and culinary heritage of indigenous peoples across Meso-America. Indeed, the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples -- who live in the present-day states of Oaxaca and Puebla -- have a long history of eating chapulines dating back centuries, whether as a snack (such as this recipe), or incorporated into dishes, such as tacos or tlayudas. 

Finally, the collection, preparation, and consumption of chapulines also represents an environmentally friendly way to protect crops without the use of pesticides. A natural way to engage in pest control.  And, while there are many efforts to industrialize the raising and production of chapulines, pretty much like every other food commodity, we should be supporting those who have gathered, prepared and sold chapulines in the traditional ways. Traditions are worth honoring, which holds true for every culture.

CHAPULINES AL AJO CON CHILE Y SAL

Recipe from Sean Sherman, Turtle Island at pg. 224

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 garlic gloves, smashed
• 1 cup dried chapulines, preferably unseasoned
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle or chile de arbol

Directions:

1. Saute the garlic. Line a plate with paper towels and place near the stove. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, tilting the skillet if necessary to allow it to fry a bit in the oil and cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garflic from the oil and discard or add to a salsa. 

2. Saute the chapulines. Add the chapulines ot the skillet and stir to coat evenly. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until crisped. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chapulines to the paper towels to drain. Season them with the salt and chile powder and serve. 

PEACE.

Dhal Bhat

"Dhal bhat power, 24 hours."

-- Nepali saying

Many cuisines are readily identifiable by one dish. For example, jollof rice would be cited for the cuisines of Ghana or Nigeria. Sushi could be identified for the cuisine of Japan, while pho could be identified for the cuisine of Vietnam. And, if one had to choose which dish could be representative of Nepali cuisine, that dish would be dhal bhat. 

The name translates literally into lentil soup and rice, which is a very good description of the dish. Yellow or red lentils are prepared with a variety of spices, like mustard, turmeric, coriander and cumin, to prepare a stew that is served alongside or with rice.

Yet, to Nepalis, dhal bhat is not just a dish or even a meal. It is a story as old as the people themselves. Nepali farmers have been cultivating both lentils and rice for centuries. Nepali cooks have take those two building blocks to prepare a dish that became the source of fuel or energy for farmers when they went back into the field. Hence the phrase, "dhal bhat power, 24 hours." Between 400 C.E. and 750 C.E., dhal bhat became more popular generally as both Buddhism and Hinduism, with their emphasis on vegetarian dishes, spread among the Nepali people. As time went on, especially during the thirteenth through eighteenth centuries,  dhal bhat went from representing fuel for farmers to a dish that meant hospitality and community. It was something that not only energized farmers in the fields, but also something that brought families together. Even today, when someone serves dhal bhat, it is a sign of regard and respect of the host toward guests. 

There are regional variations of dhal bhat within Nepal. If one travels the terai, which are the lowlands of western Nepal, they would most likely find a thinner dhal bhat prepared with mustard oil and chiles, making a spicer dish. If they headed into the Himalayan mountains, they would be served a thicker stew, with barley or millet serving as a substitute for the rice. 

I found a recipe for a dhal bhat prepared in connection with the Tibetan Nuns' Project, a charity that supports and educates nuns living in India. The dish caught my attention as part of my own Mindfulness Foodways, where I have been exploring healthier foods to prepare. A dish that could naturally provide power for twenty-four hours is far more preferable than western-style supplements. Although the source describes this dhal bhat as "Tibetan-style," it is very similar to the dishes prepared by Nepalis, whether in the Himalayas or the terai.

This dish challenged me in a few ways, but all of them are good. I have eaten lentil dishes in the past, but they are not a regular part of my culinary repetoire. This dish provided a compelling reason why they should be. Quite frankly, I should be preparing a huge pot of this at the beginning of the week and making a small bowl of this part of my breakfast for the day. That definitely provides me with something to think about. Until then ....

DHAL BHAT

Recipe from the Tibetan Nuns Project

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped in small dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 tablespoon butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons cilantro and/or green onion, chopped. for garnish
• Water
• Basmati rice
• Indian chutney or pickle (achar) as accompaniment

Directions:

1. Prepare the lentils. Wash the lentils and rinse a couple of time. Be careful to remove any stones. If you have the time, soak the lentils in water as long as you can, up to overnight, before you cook. They can get very soft and can cook faster.

2. Prepare the rice. Prepare the rice according to its instructions. 

3. Prepare the base. Heat the oil in a pan for a minute or two. Add the ginger, garlic and onion and stir fry on high until the onion is a little brown on the edges, about a minute or two. Stir in the cumin seeds, salt, turmeric, mustard seed and coriander powder, turn down the heat to medium and cook for two minutes (stirring often). Add the tomatoes and butter. Stir and cover with the lid and cook for four minutes. 

4. Continue cooking the lentils. Stir in the lentils, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add one cup of water, cover the lid and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in 2 more cups of water, as the water will begin to decrease as you cook. Continue to cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. 

5. Finish the dish. Remove from the heat, garnish with the cilantro and/or green onions. Serve immediately with rice. 

PEACE.