tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57381234288019045102024-03-13T19:20:07.956-07:00gastro.politico.Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-66385388476794569662013-11-08T11:21:00.000-08:002013-11-08T11:21:11.792-08:00Celebration cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Happy to report that there's been a lot of reason to celebrate around these parts lately. Halloween: the holy high day of the year. Diwali: the new year. My birthday: only 32, which means I still have a year until my Jesus year. Desmond's half birthday: I have an eighteen month old who laughs, plays games, hides everything I find useful in the house, and finally, FINALLY, calls me Mama. And a new job: a pretty great gig in higher education policy that I'm very excited to start next week.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And, delight of all delights, some of our closest friends from graduate school gathered this past weekend to celebrate the fact that two of our friends are expecting a baby in a few months. This particular mama-to-be introduced me to the evil eye a few years ago, a practically universally understood superstition--one we call <i>dhusta </i>in Marathi--but one that my Turkish friend informed me could be symbolized through a blue glass charm with an eye painted on it to ward off the evil eye that you
could catch from someone else’s jealous compliment or envy. </span></div>
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So when we were going to get together and shower our friends with love this past weekend, I thought it would be fun to make sure there were some evil eyes around. Not because any of our friends would be sending any negative energy their way, but because a superstition for superstition sake is what you do when you wish only positive, wonderful things for your friends. </div>
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And since my glass-blowing skills are rusty, I decided to make some edible eyes. Making a sugar cookie with the right consistency that not only holds up to shape-cutting, but also stays nice and chewy for the shortbread-averse among us has been somewhat of my white whale. And don't even get me started on icing that allowed multi-colored, non-bleeding designs that a layered evil eye requires. But worry no longer! <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sugar-cookies-recipe/index.html">Alton</a> <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/royal-icing-recipe/index.html">Brown</a> to the rescue. </div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-25581990521456823992013-10-01T13:09:00.005-07:002013-10-01T13:12:09.126-07:00Furloughed? Eat for free at Z burger!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well, it happened. The government has shut down, meaning those hacks on the hill were unable to reach an agreement on how to actually fund federal agencies and set spending priorities. One party, let's call them the effing Republicans, is being run by infantile asshats in the House and they've decided to take the American people hostage because they don't like a law that was already democratically passed. An extremist by any other name would smell as sour.</div>
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My husband is still at work, not because he was deemed essential (heaven forbid someone working in diplomacy, not just defense, be considered to work in the interests of our national security and be exempt from this shutdown), but because some federal workers have been told that they must continue to work until the money literally runs out. When will that be exactly? Not sure. Yeah, wrap your head around that. </div>
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The silver lining in all of this mess is how the District is responding. Mayor Gray has already said that he will declare all of city services "essential," which is a brilliant and subversive way to keep our city open. But we apparently have $144 million in funds to use for these purposes, which will last only a couple of weeks. After that, who knows what happens. </div>
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And this isn't to say anything about the important services nationwide that are coming to a halt. The Women, Infants and Children program, which helps pregnant women and new moms buy healthy food is being cut off by the Department of Agriculture. Local housing authorities are not going to get additional money for housing vouchers. And we're looking at incredible revenue loss that will hit our economic growth, when we're not still stable in our post-recession recovery. The local economy around the District itself is projected to lose $200 million for EACH DAY that the government is shut down. </div>
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In the midst of all this despair, there are some glimmers of hope coming from the area's eateries. While some restaurants and bars are responding with happy hours to encourage federal employees to spend their precious dollars drinking away their sorrows, others are reaching out to appreciate the workers who are being played like pawns by those aforementioned asshats and help them save their funds. </div>
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Z burger, for instance, is pledging to give free burgers to federal employees daily during the shutdown, from 11am-1pm. If you haven't eaten here, it's the local answer to the Five Guys' craze, and, IMHO, a superior one. Even if you're not furloughed, stop by, patronize the place, and show thanks for an establishment that cares for our public servants. </div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-17936219996479153282013-09-26T11:11:00.001-07:002013-09-26T11:11:33.892-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you are a federal employee household, like we are, the potential government shutdown is probably also on your mind. Thanks to a number of children (and not the good kind, but those cavechildren you see in public, climbing furniture, eating paste, and pulling hair out of baby dolls' heads) that some people in this country saw fit to elect as their distinguished representatives, our debt ceiling and the world economy are being held hostage by House Republicans. I can't go on about it because I get all rage-y when I think about their callousness for 1.2 million federal employees' families who, wonder of all wonders, might need something as silly as a paycheck to help them subsist.</div>
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Well, stressful times call for relaxing recipes. I'm thinking easy marination, one-pot-dishes, and unattended oven time that also happens to heat your home as the fall chill approaches in the evening. Bonus points for ones that happen to use ingredients you already have in your fridge, since we're talking about saving money after all, and are easily amenable to your fridge's quirky constitution instead of mine. Enter my Asian interpretation of roasted chicken and root vegetables.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Spicy Miso Chicken Thighs</span></h3>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">2 tablespoon garlic, minced</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">2 tablespoon ginger, minced</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">3 tablespoons miso paste</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 lemon, zested</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">2 tablespoons vegetable oil</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon olive oil</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon sesame chili oil</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon rice vinegar</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon soy sauce</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon sugar</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon sambal oelek</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 pound carrots</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">sea salt</li>
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the garlic, ginger, miso, lemon zest, vegetable oil, sesame chili oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and sambal oelek and marinate the chicken thighs in the mixture for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.</div>
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Peel the carrots, slice them on the bias, and toss them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some sea salt. Spread them out on the bottom of a baking dish and top with the chicken.</div>
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Bake for 30 minutes, flipping chicken once halfway through the cooking time. Broiling for 3-4 minutes is optional to brown the thighs. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then serve it up.</div>
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If you look really closely, you can see 1.2 million workers giving the bird to the House GOP.</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-66984009899616270322013-09-23T08:08:00.003-07:002013-09-23T08:09:14.379-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A few years ago, while menu-tasting for our wedding in the DC metro area, I tasted what continues to be my favorite appetizer, hands down: crispy <i>palak</i> (spinach) <i>chaat. </i>I won't mention the name of the Indian restaurant in the Virginia suburbs, despite the wondrousness they caused in my mouth, because they were completely unethical and I want no part in driving business towards their establishment. But once every few months my mind wanders back to that tasting and I find myself involuntarily smacking my lips in memory of the light, crispy, almost airy quality of the starter. It doesn't hurt that the following conversation occurred at the table when the dish was introduced, causing my sister to almost lose her shit on a complete stranger, when it's hard enough to convince her to accompany us to Indian restaurants for exactly this reason:</div>
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Manager: And this is our <i>palak chaat.</i></div>
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Me: Does this have any gram flour in it? My sister (sitting across from me) is deathly allergic to it, if so.</div>
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Manager: Absolutely no gram flour.</div>
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Me: Really? Because it looks like it's been slightly battered in it.</div>
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Manager: Nope. No gram flour whatsoever.</div>
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Me: (making the rest of the table uncomfortable at this point) Are you absolutely sure? Because my sister will have an awful allergic reaction to this dish if it even has as much as a dusting of <i>besan</i> (gram flour). </div>
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Manager: Oh, there is a LOT of <i>besan</i> in it.</div>
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In any case, the dish was delicious but we decided we couldn't reliably serve it at the wedding because we needed practical starters that could withstand delays and crowds. One of the reasons this dish was truly spectacular was because its light crunch necessitated the intimacy of making it "to order"--something that would be difficult at our three hundred person affair.</div>
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Once again, my favorite <a href="http://www.rasikarestaurant.com/">restaurant</a> in the district doesn't disappoint, as it is also famous for the same dish (albeit made differently by flash frying entire leaves of baby spinach instead of the thin ribbons of the leafy green I tasted at The Restaurant That Shall Not Be Named). I haven't actually tasted it at Rasika, however, since I've only been with my sister and I usually try to avoid choosing dishes that will send her into severe anaphylactic shock (see above). But the interwebs are rife with diners who have tasted the starter at Rasika and are haunted months, if not years, later, desperately trying to copycat the recipe in their own kitchens.</div>
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Fast forward a few years from the first time I tasted this dish to this past week when I brought a new member of the family into our home. I bought a two pound bag of kale at the store, thinking--hey, I love kale, I haven't really cooked with it much in the past few months, and I always feel like greens cook down into oblivion, so why not go big with the large bag? HAVE YOU EVER SEEN TWO POUNDS OF TIGHTLY PACKED KALE? I seriously think Desmond would take up less room in our fridge. This bag is endless and it does not cook down. I have already made five dishes with it and it looks like I haven't even made a dent. </div>
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Not that I'm complaining--kale is a sought-after superfood and has really been pretty trendy in the U.S. (if not France, as a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/dining/in-paris-the-kale-crusader.html?hp">NYT piece</a> sure to enrage fellow freelancers explained this weekend). I had it at Craft a few months ago, seemingly sauted with onions in nothing but a bit of rice wine and butter. It's hearty and healthy--what's not to love?</div>
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As I was staring in wonder at this bag this past weekend, I saw some "tips" (essentially on how to get rid of this ridiculous amount of greens, as though they knew) for helpful ways to use kale. One of them suggested replacing it for any recipe that calls for spinach. [note: this is not true when it comes to raw spinach salads, since raw kale really needs acidity to soften it up--rice wine vinegar or soy works nicely.] </div>
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Spinach! Palak Chaat! As anyone who's made kale chips knows, that delicate, light crunch is pretty easy to obtain with this green. So I set about making my own "palak" chaat for some friends who were coming over for dinner. Owing to the deep fryer incident of 2009, I chose to avoid this horrendous appliance in favor of baking the crispy chaat--just as I would for kale chips.</div>
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Crispy "Palak" Chaat</span></h3>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">five cups of kale, ripped off the stem and ribboned</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">quarter cup gram flour (<i>besan</i>)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">three tablespoons rice flour</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon garlic powder</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">sea salt, to taste</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">olive oil </li>
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Massage or spray the kale with olive oil. Spread it out in an even layer on a wire rack over baking sheets, trying to avoid as much overlap as possible. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a sifter and sift over the kale.</div>
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Place the sheets in the oven on the lowest rack possible for about 10-12 minutes, stirring a bit once in the middle to ensure that all of the kale crisps evenly. The kale is ready when it is crispy to touch and the light appearance of the flour has mostly disappeared. </div>
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Plate immediately and top with a mixture (to taste) of yoghurt, tamarind paste and pureed roasted garlic. Additional chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro are optional. </div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-9861699112245872572013-09-20T08:53:00.001-07:002013-09-20T09:22:11.068-07:00Don't hold your breath for ramen burgers to hit the district<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I'm sharing a recipe that my sister mastered: the coveted ramen burger, the hipster dish still noticeably absent on the district's food scene, despite having already traveled from its hometown Brooklyn all the way out west to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/ramen-burger-craze-heads-west/story?id=20206260">California</a>, and even back <a href="http://ny.eater.com/archives/2013/08/the_ramen_burger_returns_to.php">again</a>. My sister just moved from the district up to the center of foodie fads, New York City, and since she a) is a broke medical student, b) is a recently self-trained excellent cook, and c) has the eating habits of a six year old you would imagine living in a fraternity house, she immediately decided to make the ramen burger in her own kitchen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DC gets a bad rap when it comes to food, and while I'll be the first to defend its growing culinary options, it does seem like fads hit us <a href="http://inthecapital.streetwise.co/2013/08/05/the-next-food-fad-dc-should-jump-on-ramen-burgers/">late</a> and stay long enough to die a slow, painful death. Why, for example, are cupcakes still so damn popular? I like them just fine, but perhaps I overdosed because they were ALWAYS around my old office--the end of staff meetings, birthdays, anniversaries... by the end I swear it felt like Mondays and Wednesdays just for the hell of it. And, call me old fashioned, but I'd actually like my mini-cakes to cost less than, well, cakes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I digress. Point is, the ramen burger isn't even served up at the district's ramen Mecca, <a href="http://tokiunderground.com/#/">Toki Underground</a> yet. And this is doing nothing to ameliorate the severe foodie insecurity Washingtonians feel towards their northern counterparts. If you don't believe me, just google "Where can I get NY-style pizza in DC?" and get back to me after you spend the next three days wading through the results. [Incidentally, as someone who has scoured through all of the hits more than once, and spent a good deal of time traveling around the city testing the advice out, a gift from me to you: Italian Pizza Kitchen (either their Van Ness or Woodley Park location). Get their thin crust, with extra sauce. It's smaller than a New York slice, but otherwise the basics are there. You're welcome.] </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ramen burger was originally created by New York's noodle master, Keizo Shimamoto, at Brooklyn's <a href="http://www.smorgasburg.com/">Smorgasburg</a>. This self-described "food flea market" hits two locations on the weekends, DUMBO and Williamsburg, to serve up some great hipster flare. And the burger is no exception. It is made exactly as it sounds--a burger pattie sandwiched between buns made out of ramen. The ramen crisps up to give a nice crunch to the bun on the outside, but allows noodles to stay soft, warm and crumbly on the inside. You can get creative with the seasoning of the buns, burger and sauce, but my sister tried to stay true to Shimamoto's "special sauce." Here's her take on the authentic RB:</span></div>
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The Ramen Burger</span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 packets ramen noodles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 packet of ramen noodle seasoning packet</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 large egg</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">butter, for searing</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Cook two packets worth of ramen noodles in boiling water and then drain all the water. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Add only one packet of the chicken flavoring for two packages of noodles, or the buns will be too salty. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Let cool, then add one large egg to noodles and stir to make sure all noodles are coated evenly. D</span><span style="background-color: white;">ivide the noodles into 6-8 piles. Add one pile to a ramekin or a bowl, and cover with saran wrap. Use another bowl to flatten into a flat disc, then pop out the</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">ramen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">disc, cover it fully in saran wrap, and put it in freezer for 20 minutes. Repeat for all 6-8 buns. A</span><span style="background-color: white;">fter 20 minutes, sear</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">r<span class="il">amen</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">buns on a greased pan until golden brown on each side.</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 pounds of ground beef (80/20 fat composition works well to retain moisture in patties, but it's really up to you)</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 small onion, diced</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons fresh garlic</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons fresh ginger</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup grated cheddar cheese</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 packet of ramen noodle seasoning packet</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 chilies, diced</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the buns are in the freezer, prepare your patties. Combine the ground beef, onion, ginger, garlic, cheese, ramen noodle seasoning packet and chilies. Shape into patties and sear on a stovetop or grill, reserving some drippings if possible. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sauce</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon sri racha</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon oyster sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 teaspoon soy sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">some leftover drippings from searing the burgers</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Combine sauce ingredients with some of the drippings from searing the </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">burgers</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and mix well. Adjust sauce ingredients to taste. Layer fresh arugula</span><span style="background-color: white;"> on the bottom</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">ramen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">bun, place the</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">burger</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">on top, lather with the sauce, and top with the second bun. </span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-60395000290233022602013-09-18T08:27:00.001-07:002013-09-18T08:27:22.009-07:00kebabs!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0069_zps1c9ff94b.jpg" width="650" /></div>
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A few notable things happened this past week. I got sick, I got better, and now I'm sick again. The chef at my <a href="http://www.rasikarestaurant.com/">favorite restaurant</a> in the district asked to take home some of <i>my</i> <a href="http://gastropolitico.blogspot.com/2013/09/ganapati-removing-obstacles-for-women.html">burfi</a> from our Ganapati celebrations this weekend (yeah, I'm not even going to pretend that's a humblebrag). And my son stopped calling me Purple. In the midst of all this excitement, I also happened to refine a recipe for kebabs that pleased both full sized and mini members of our family all at once. </div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Kebabs</h3>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 pound ground meat of your choice (I used beef)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon minced garlic</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon minced ginger</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">3 cups spinach, packed</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 cup cooked rice</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 teaspoon turmeric</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon garam masala</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">2 large shallots</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon olive oil</li>
</ul>
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Preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Saute the spinach and shallots in the oil until the shallots are soft. Add the mixture to the rest of the ingredients and knead well. </div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/photo15_zps8c691406.jpg?t=1379431265" width="650" /></div>
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Place a mounded spoonful in a nifty mini-muffin pan, because square kebabs are just so darn cute. </div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0067_zps9daa9d2b.jpg?t=1379431353" width="650" /></div>
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Pop them in the oven for 30 minutes and enjoy.</div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0068_zps7b0945f7.jpg?t=1379431477" width="650" /></div>
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Kebabs are a great menu item to have on hand. They're versatile, they can mask all sorts of healthy additions (from vegetables to flax seed), they freeze well, and you can even pop them in some curry if you prefer sauce to the grill. Use them to experiment and experiment often-- you won't be sorry.</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-14384183833607001972013-09-13T08:31:00.001-07:002013-09-13T08:33:16.914-07:00Ganapati removing obstacles for women?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0066_zps20b639d7.jpg?t=1379085516" width="650" /></div>
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India has been on my mind lately. We're right in the middle of one of the biggest festivals of the year: the ten-day Ganapati festival. Millions of Indians across the world will be visiting one another in homes to pay homage to elaborate arrangements surrounding the idol of Ganesh, the god of auspiciousness, the remover of obstacles. Dictated by the lunar calendar, this festival usually hits during monsoons in India, and I remember getting soaked to the bone hopping from one home to the other as we made our way through taking <i>darshan</i> (literally, sight) of relatives and friends' Ganapati. The host would welcome us, give us some <i>prasad</i> (literally, a gracious gift), which was always in the form of a sweet, we'd stay for some pleasantries, and then we'd put our sopping sandals back on and be on our way to the next stop. Morning to evening, for ten days.</div>
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We're celebrating out at my folks' place this weekend, and I wanted to bring some sweets to share. I started out with plans to make a couple of different <i>burfis</i>, an Indian equivalent of fudge. I planned on coconut and pistachio, two popular and personal favorites. But the best laid plans... well, let's just say that <i>burfi</i> is a very forgiving dessert. And since India's flag is such a simple triad of colors, it can make for a very nationalistic one as well. </div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Coconut and Pistachio Burfi</h3>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>4-5 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut </li>
<li>2 14 oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. ground cardamom</li>
<li>1 cup shelled pistachios, plus a handful reserved to crush for garnish</li>
<li>pat of butter, for greasing the pan</li>
</ul>
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Blanch the shelled pistachios by immersing in boiling water for two minutes; then just rub between your fingers to remove the remaining peels. </div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0098_zps5673ab76.jpg?t=1379085716" width="650" /></div>
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Grind into a paste, using some water if necessary.</div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/8893ae54-2aa9-44a0-a563-f10ff32f4f5f_zps4359797b.jpg?t=1379085762" width="650" /> </div>
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In one pot, dry roast the coconut until it is fragrant (do not allow it to become brown). Remove one cup and add to another pot, with the pistachio paste. Add one can of the condensed milk to the coconut-only pot, and stir continuously over medium heat until the mixture begins to incorporate the milk and the coconut becomes clumpy and less sticky. Add the ground cardamom. Remove from heat. Repeat with the coconut-pistachio mixture in the other pot with the second can of condensed milk, sans cardamom. </div>
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Layer the pistachio burfi on the bottom of the greased pan and pack it in tight. </div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0099_zps07f11d52.jpg?t=1378999466" width="650" /></div>
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Next, divide the coconut-only batch into two halves. Now, if you have saffron, you're a better person than I am and you should soak a bit in some warm water and add the essence to one half of the coconut-only mixture until you reach the desired flag-orange color. If you don't, use some food coloring--I won't tell. </div>
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Layer the white mixture on top of the green. </div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0102_zps6686ec23.jpg?t=1379085835" width="650" /></div>
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And top it off with the orange mixture, remembering to pack both layers tightly. Finally, crush some pistachios for garnish and press onto the orange layer. </div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0103_zps7d4c6de7.jpg" width="650" /></div>
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Chill this pan in the fridge for at least one hour, then use a greased butter knife to slice.</div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0105_zps83c85ba9.jpg?t=1379085642" width="650" /> </div>
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Why else is India on my mind? The four defendants in the brutal New Delhi gang rape case have been on trial, which ended with a guilty verdict, followed by today's sentencing condemning them to death by hanging. It's difficult to read about the gleeful reactions to the verdict--not because even any small part of me thinks these monsters deserve life, but because these episodes offer relief in the form of temporary moments of vindictive vengeance. They distract from the larger problem of violence against women and the institutional and societal failures that allow women to continue to be vulnerable to such heinous behavior. And, after all, they're unlikely to even die this way. There are 477 people on <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/14/world/asia/4-sentenced-to-death-in-rape-case-that-riveted-india.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&hp">death row</a> in India, yet only three have been executed in the last nine years, due to an appeals process that can travel up several levels of bureaucracy and a severely backlogged justice system. </div>
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I would like to think that the public outcry in response to this case will not end here, with this symbolic sentence. I would like to think that the bodies that poured into the streets after the brutal rape will continue to band together, to say such violence against women has always been and continues to be one of the fundamental flaws of human societies. I would like to see millions of Indians take to the streets again, saying that this doesn't end with this verdict and sentence.</div>
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Millions of Indians in the streets? That's actually not hard. Particularly during Ganapati because the ten days culminate in public processions through the streets that march to the water and immerse their family idols in the sea. Not the most environmentally sound tradition, I know, and I have family members who are starting to refrain from this practice (our NoVa version included), but it does bring millions of Indians out into those streets. </div>
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One of India's greatest freedom fighters, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, actually gave the festival a distinctly political face in the late 1800s. He brought families into the streets for this procession, who until then had celebrated Ganesh in privacy of their homes, and made Ganapati a public vehicle for protest against British colonial reign. </div>
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Wouldn't it be something if millions of Indians took the tenth day this year, next Wednesday the 18th, to march on our behalf and demand that obstacles be removed for the women of India, and, let's face it, the world. That's assuming that you, like me, don't agree that patriarchy is <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/09/39-things-well-miss-about-patriarchy.html">dead</a>.</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-51252877802578982002013-09-11T13:02:00.002-07:002013-09-11T13:05:02.490-07:00Got crabs?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/photo13_zpsf060fdb3.jpg?t=1378843305" width="650" />
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A few months ago I stumbled upon one of the best dining establishments in the district: Hot N Juicy. That's right-- that place nestled in the strip of not-so-great restaurants along Connecticut Avenue in Woodley Park, that place where people who want to gorge on crawfish go, that place with plastic tablecloths and tin buckets on the tables.</div>
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Forget for a moment that I *am* that person who will go somewhere specifically for the crawfish (have you been to Ghost Street in Beijing, where you can have hot pots and buckets of crawfish at four in the morning?). More importantly to me, Hot N Juicy has CRABS--blue, dungeness, snow, <i>yum</i>.</div>
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Even with crabs on the menu it takes some cajoling to get me to sit down at one of these places, given that the crabs are so much more expensive than the crabs you can get fresh and by the bushel down at the southwest waterfront wharf. And the regional Old Bay seasoning is nice, don't get me wrong, but sometimes you want your crabs simmering in a pot of juicy sauce. My community in India calls our variation <i>khadkhale</i> (the best example of onomatopoeia I've ever heard, named for the spitter spatter the frying garlic makes as it hits the hot oil and spices in a pan). My family will pick apart dozens of <i>khadkhale chimboree</i> (crabs) for hours upon hours, until the table is completely covered in delicate opaque membranes and broken shells. Bombay-folk know how to work over their seafood.</div>
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But when we moved to this area, the ease and convenience of Old Bay smothered freshly steamed bushels started to replace the hard work involved in a making a <i>chimboree</i> curry from scratch (no judging, Mom!). So you can imagine my heart's delight when I met up with some friends to try Hot N Juicy for the first time and discovered that they have their own <i>khadkhale</i>! They use a cajun spice, but it's the same, unmistakable blend of garlic, oil, and spices. They have five flavors--Lousiana Style, Juicy Cajun, Garlic Butter, Lemon Pepper, and, my favorite, the Hot N Juicy Special. I've tried them all, and you should too.</div>
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The aesthetic that matters here is taste, so if you're looking for white linen tablecloths you should move on. In fact, the crabs/crawfish/shrimp are delightfully served in plastic bags so you get plenty of the sauce and don't forget to order a side of rice or rolls to sop it all up! The best part is that utensils are on special order, so eating the rice, sauce and crabs by hand reminds me even more of our family dinners. </div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-6438473890112470482013-09-09T09:59:00.000-07:002013-09-09T10:12:10.864-07:00DC carousels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've always been somewhat obsessed with carousels. The shellacked animals, the strung lightbulbs, the mesmerizing carnival music. And now that I have a little person in my life who still can't quite climb all over a jungle gym but has, quite frankly, mastered the art of sitting, these are perfect weekend destinations. Lucky for me, the DC metro area is chock-full of some beautiful, historic, refurbished carousels that cost next to nothing to ride.</div>
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The National Zoo has the Speedwell Conservation Carousel, with 58 different species to ride. The Smithsonian Carousel sits on the Mall, with some of the best people/tourist-watching views around. And Clemyjontri Park has one as the epicenter of its playground (though I can't vouch for anything but how adorable it is, since the operator is not one of those souls who would wait <i>twenty</i> seconds to start the last ride of the day for a mother running full speed for the carousel-entrance with her twenty-one pound boss on her hip in the 95 degree heat). </div>
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But I think one of the more hidden gems in this area is Glen Echo Park's carousel.</div>
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/photo11_zps84332868.jpg?t=1378745084" width="650" />
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<span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><table style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><tbody></tbody></table>
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After its inception in 1891 as a National Chautauqua Assembly, which taught the sciences, art, languages and literature, GEP became a full-fledged amusement park in the early 1900s. After a successful sit-in by student civil rights activists in 1963, the park ended its policy of segregation in 1964 until it ultimately shut down in 1968. In 1971 the federal government obtained the land, and the National Park Service tried to collaborate with local arts organizations to return to its original Chautauqua spirit. Today it's managed by the Glen Echo Partnership for Arts and Culture and hosts various classes, from pottery to calligraphy to glass blowing. </div>
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It's hard to wander around the grounds and not feel as though you've stepped out of a time machine into the past. For starters, the park's buildings are all charmingly Art Deco, from the cafe signs to the first aid clinic.<br />
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/photo12_zps3e79a6da.jpg?t=1378660256" width="650" /><br />
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But then there are the children squealing in delight on the playground, against the backdrop of carousel music that literally comes out of a restored organ. Seriously, look at this organ. It's a Wurlitzer Style 165 Military Band Organ, which sounds full of gravitas, but all I could think of the entire time watching it play was that eery boardwalk where Zoltar the fortune telling machine made David Moscow turn into Tom Hanks overnight.<br />
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<img src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/photo9_zpsffae1556.jpg?t=1378659660" width="650" /></div>
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Anyway, one of the old centerpieces of the park that they haven't restored is the bumper cars arcade under an open-air pavilion. Bumper cars! You may be able to take the girl out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of the girl. Who do we need to talk to to get this feature reinstalled at Glen Echo? Chris Christie himself?</div>
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</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-25142111770789975222013-09-04T07:54:00.001-07:002013-09-04T07:58:29.670-07:00Have a friend who just had a baby?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="second baby" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/GPnewbabypic_zpscbd01ab7.jpg?t=1378219451" width="650" /><br />
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Yeah, me too. And <a href="http://mintheworld.blogspot.com/2013/09/new-mommy-care-package-iii-freezing-dal.html">others</a> too! Four people told me this past week that they're expecting first or second children and the first of my friends to have their second child delivered last week. Welcome to the world, IMH!</div>
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While you're counting back nine months to see what was in the air, let me share a recipe that will make your friends look forward to your visit, even if you weren't going to gladly take on baby-holding duty while they do, well, anything else. When I found out my friend was being induced, I started to think about what we could bring over there once the family is settled back at home and we go over to meet the new addition. A good friend of mine from my bizarre time in a castle in <a href="http://gastropolitico.blogspot.com/2009/03/manchester-it-is.html">Manchester</a> was coming over for dinner last week, so I set about experimenting with the meal to see what might work as an easily transportable, tasty and nutritious meal for four. And maybe my brain was addled from the intense DC heat outside and trying to get me to think of cold-weather meals to cool off, but I couldn't stop thinking about meatloaf.</div>
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The key to meatloaf, in my opinion, is figuring out the fine balance between it being moist enough to not live up to its horrid name, but having enough structure so that it doesn't crumble when you try to slice and serve. I found my happy place with yesterday's loaf. And the best part is that the oats are great for lactation! I remember becoming so damn tired of oatmeal for breakfast when I was breastfeeding that I gladly welcomed it in new forms--cookies, baked "fried" chicken, you name it.</div>
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**</div>
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Mushroom and Spinach Meatloaf</span></h2>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1 pound ground beef/pork/veal combo</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 large shallot</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">3 garlic cloves</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tbsp butter</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">8 ounces button mushrooms</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">splash of dry white wine</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 egg, beaten</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">splash of whole milk</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 cup steamed spinach</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1 tbsp Italian seasoning </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1/2 cup of quick cooking oats</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">salt and pepper, to taste</li>
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop the mushrooms and shallots. Mince the garlic. </div>
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<img alt="shallots" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/c5c80077-1127-4706-9a58-4df11fbf3238_zpsa6c197ef.jpg?t=1378303369" width="650" />
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Heat the butter, add the mushroom, shallots and garlic. Saute until the mixture soften. Add the wine and reduce. Combine the mushroom mixture and steamed spinach with the ground meat, egg, cheese, seasoning, milk, and oats. </div>
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<img alt="meatloaf" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0061_zpsa13bed67.jpg?t=1378305494" width="650" /> </div>
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Pack it into a lightly greased loaf pan.</div>
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<img alt="meatloaf 1" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0062_zpse061a4f8.jpg?t=1378303429" width="650" /> </div>
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Bake for roughly 60 minutes until it's golden brown on top. Broiling it an additional 5 minutes for a darker crust is optional.</div>
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**</div>
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Meatloaf is the quintessential kitchen-sink meal. Have leftover veggies that are cusping? Throw 'em in. Have a couple tablespoons of sauce leftover from a curry that you just couldn't bear to throw away? Mix it in for flavor. </div>
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<i>The Atlantic</i> did a great <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/09/from-budget-fare-to-culinary-inspiration-the-history-of-meatloaf/245265/">piece</a> on the history and social relevance of meatloaf a couple years back that traced the dish back to the innovation of the meat grinder at the end of the 1800s. A few decades later this invention and the meatloaf it enabled families to consume was a boon to Americans experiencing the Great Depression. Meatloaf gussied up tough cuts of meat, required little of it, and camouflaged fillers like crackers, cereal or tapioca. </div>
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While meatloaf never really went out of style in American homes, it's become a conduit for fusion inspiration-- chili paste, tahini, soy sauce--anything that adds to the flavor profile of the basic meat and filler combo. I'm partial to mushrooms and shallots reduced in wine. Feel free to suggest your favorite ingredients!</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-71300243111588577632013-08-28T14:15:00.000-07:002013-08-28T14:17:41.208-07:00Packing muffins with a punch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="retro muffin meme" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/muffinretro_zps8561a571.jpg" width="650" />
If your house is anything like ours is right now, your cooking revolves around the very finicky tastebuds and moods of a mini-dictator. Yes, he has adorable wispy curls and his gap-toothed smile makes you find new corners in your heart for jack-o-lanterns, but, man, he is stubborn at meal time. So we have to get really creative, by which I mean crafty and manipulative. </div>
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Besides playing around with tastes and textures, I thought it could be fun to make some bite size treats. And, wonder upon wonder, I found a fantastic, heavy-duty non-stick mini-muffin pan at Sur la Table. Yes, I love SLT, but I don't love having to pay $35 for a piece of kitchen equipment that's, let's face it, completely superfluous. It doesn't help that it's almost impossible not to feel like a pretentious ass just saying the store's name. South Park gets it right: </div>
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But that store is like crack to a cooking addict. And so imagine my delight when I found the perfect pan in the clearance section for just over $10!</div>
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<img alt="mini muffin tin" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/PRO-1018142_Default_1_430x430_zps32f07e3d.jpg" width="650" /><br />
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Ben used it to make some banana-yogurt muffins this weekend, and they turned out predictably adorable and bite-sized. The recipe is inspired by Chobani's greek yogurt recipe, but he just used regular whole milk yogurt since we have cartons of the stuff on hand for said picky child.<br />
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Banana-Yogurt Muffins</h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1/2 cup whole milk yogurt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 c all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 c whole wheat flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 t baking soda</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 t baking powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">½ t ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">¼ t salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">4 ripe bananas, mashed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 c packed light brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">½ c canola oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em;">1 large egg</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8fa; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your muffin tin, unless it's amazing and non-stick like the one above. Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, beat the rest of the ingredients with an electric mixer. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low until combined. Pour batter into the muffin cups and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.</span></div>
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These fared well with our 21 pound boss for about a day, and then he figured out what we'd been up to. This morning we chased him around with some muffin bits in hand, until we finally called them "bread" and he about-turned, snatched them up, and stuffed them in his mouth. Your guess is as good as mine.</div>
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</div>Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-63076258785983064382013-08-28T07:58:00.000-07:002013-08-28T07:58:42.114-07:00Are All New Mothers Endowed Equally?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>(this piece was originally published on www.momsrising.org, as a contribution to <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">"Moms Get Real About Race in America: A </span><a href="http://momsrising.org/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" target="_blank">MomsRising.org</a></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><i> Blog Carnival in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington."</i>)</span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 26.66193199157715px;"><img alt="momsrising.org teen pregnancy" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/momsrising_pic_zps5e42f5a0.jpg" width="650" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 26.666667938232422px;">There could be a lot of reasons I see everything through a race lens. I have a biracial son, for instance, and I know I’m going to get questions about why a whole lot of folks who look like his mother seem to live differently than the folks who look like his father. I’m also a political scientist who focuses on race politics, so it’s my basically my job to see race everywhere.</span></div>
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Or maybe I see race everywhere because it really is everywhere. In the world of public policy, practically any issue you can think of can be challenged to demonstrate racial equity: education, healthcare, employment, climate change, you name it. Racial disparities are real and impact the opportunities that children of color, for instance, have compared to their white counterparts.</div>
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After having my first child last year, I started working on a book that looks at the politics of pregnancy. For the first time I thought I’d not have to apply the race lens. I’m completely consumed in the world of restrictions and regulations on women’s bodies: Can you choose whether you have a doctor or midwife? Can you try for a vaginal birth after having a cesarean section? Can you eat salami? Can you continue your anti-depressants? I thought, if anything, the world of epidurals, midwives, and soft cheese wouldn’t trigger questions about equity.</div>
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Turns out I was wrong. As I read debates, pored over legislative history, and talked to dozens of friends and acquaintances who have been pregnant themselves, my race lens has followed me. I quickly saw I couldn’t escape it because a pregnant woman’s race can play an important part of her pregnancy— different races have different access to prenatal treatment, quality hospitals, and safety, for instance.</div>
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Yes, some people concern themselves with whether they can eat deli meats during pregnancy while others worry about being victims of violence. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ranking what I think to be valid concerns—trust me, as someone with cult-like affection for Potbelly’s, I am not judging and it most certainly was on my list of concerns. But what makes the latter group more troubling to me is that it is composed disproportionately of women of color.</div>
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<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447110/" style="border: 0px; color: #9f9f9f; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Research</a> on intimate partner violence (IPV), for instance, has shown that black women report higher rates during pregnancy (Hispanics report slightly lower rates, and enough research hasn’t been done on Asian or multiracial women). It doesn’t seem to require a study to show that violence is decidedly bad on a pregnancy, but, yes, we have research on <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1593739" style="border: 0px; color: #9f9f9f; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">this</a> too: surprise, surprise, the majority of women who experience abuse experience it multiple times during pregnancy, and they are more likely not to receive prenatal care until the third trimester. There are odd details in there too, like most of the injuries occur to the head. And then race appears again—this time concerning white women, for whom the “frequency and severity of abuse and potential danger of homicide [is] appreciably worse.”</div>
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And then there were the rates of teen pregnancy that also differ by race and ethnicity. Here too, young women of color experience pregnancy at disproportionately high rates. See the chart below.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5901a6.htm" style="border: 0px; color: #9f9f9f; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pregnancy, Birth, Abortion, and Fetal Loss Rates Per 1,000 Women Aged 15–19 Years, by Race and Hispanic Ethnicity — United States, 2005</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.momsrising.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Screen-shot-2013-08-26-at-2.30.58-PM.png" style="border: 0px; color: #9f9f9f; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010. " height="266" src="http://www.momsrising.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Screen-shot-2013-08-26-at-2.30.58-PM-300x199.png" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 1px 4px; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010.</span></i></div>
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Pregnancy at such a young age influences whether new mothers will stay in school and finish the education that will eventually offer better job opportunities at higher wages in the workforce. As any parent knows, being pregnant and then raising a child will certainly make finishing school at the same time feel impossible. And so we have the dropout rates that we have—when young women get pregnant, school supports are rare (though they are wonderful when they <a href="http://www.checdc.org/" style="border: 0px; color: #9f9f9f; font-size: 14.44444465637207px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">DO</a> exist!) and new mothers end up dropping out. And this precipitates a cascade of negative effects: without a high school diploma, women become economically insecure members of the workforce.</div>
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I fortunately did not have to worry on either of these fronts during my pregnancy. I have the good fortune to be in a supportive, healthy relationship with my partner who believes that parenting is just as much a father’s responsibility (and joy!) as it is a mother’s. I am also, woefully, one of the overeducated—the ones who prove that the education-as-it-correlates-to-income curve is, in fact, curvilinear. At some point more education (like a Ph.D.) seems to reduce wages, as many of my underemployed friends will tell you.</div>
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But, particularly on the anniversary of the March on Washington, it is important for me as I reflect on the politics of pregnancy and parenthood to think about how all mothers are not endowed equally. When Dr. King described his ideal society, presumably he meant a world where women, of any race, were enabled to lead healthy pregnancies.</div>
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When my son asks us inevitable questions about race, my husband and I are going to be honest with him and talk about race and class and the continued segregation that makes these categories determine the level of opportunities available to children. It would be great if the rest of the country could try and do the same.</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-66074071514429058422013-08-26T13:46:00.003-07:002013-08-26T14:06:06.079-07:00Union Market<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Do you ever feel like you never have time to actually take advantage of where you live? In the district, it's common to hear transplants to the city who now call it home express regret that they don't take advantage of the Smithsonian's (free!) museum system. I'll be the first one to admit that it's fantastic to be able to walk down the street and through the National Zoo to see one ape or a couple of elephants and then beeline home without feeling like you need to get your money's worth. Seems like a no-brainer. DC does museums well--people travel across the country to see them, set among regal, marble monuments with waterfront views. </div>
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The food scene, however, is less known and this is a shame. There are new young restauranteurs emerging throughout the city and some of them are committing to the renewal of district neighborhoods. At the heart of one such neighborhood is Union Market. </div>
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The <a href="http://unionmarketdc.com/about-union-market/">Union Terminal Market </a>opened in 1931, with airy indoor stalls for 700 vendors and remained open to the public six days a week. But in 1962, the district banned the outdoor sale of eggs and meat, so Union took some time, regrouped and eventually opened again in 1967 as a new indoor market. Unfortunately, merchants began to leave the area in the 1980s as this industrial space started to show wear and tear. </div>
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But today Union Market is back and it's trying to be an engine of entrepreneurial spirit and economic growth. The bricks are no longer crumbling--they're painted! And the pipes are no longer rusty--they're shiny (or also painted--come to think, is there anything a nice thick coat of white paint <i>can't </i>make look all industrial-chic?)!</div>
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If you're local to DC, go here as soon as you can. There are delicious food vendors, not-too-tony brunch counters, farmers' market produce, and spacious halls were children can be children without annoying the dining crowds. </div>
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Cordial will let you taste wine, 12-3pm on both Saturdays and Sundays. Free wine!</div>
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Food trucks will feed you outdoors.</div>
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Peregrine will course some of the most delicious coffee you've ever had through your veins.</div>
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<img alt="Peregrine coffee DC" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/DSC_0037_zps1167d4b9.jpg" width="650" /></div>
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And, if you've got a mini-person, he or she will delight in the open space and outdoor stalls.<br />
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Really, go immediately. Or, actually, pay attention to the hours, which are Wednesday to Friday, 11-8, and Saturday/Sunday, 8-8. </div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-74956866691196958572013-08-24T08:15:00.000-07:002013-08-26T14:07:44.547-07:00Why I'm glad I'm not a panda<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The district is elated over the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/national-zoos-panda-in-labor/2013/08/23/98044f06-0b55-11e3-9941-6711ed662e71_story.html">birth</a> of its newest panda resident, a cub born yesterday to the National Zoo's female giant panda, Mei Xiang. This new cub reminds us of Mei Xiang's loss back in September, when she gave birth to a four ounce cub that died only six days later, due to underdeveloped lungs that led to lung problems. But this baby is looking healthy, so let's hope everything goes well.</div>
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I'm not going to pretend that I've ever known much about the animal kingdom, except learning far too late in life from my friend Robyn that you should avoid (not seek, as I thought) eye contact with animals that seem hostile. But the more I read about Mei Xiang's planned pregnancy, birth, and post-birth treatment, the horror grows.</div>
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Some reasons I'm glad I'm not a panda held in captivity, by a bunch of humans who are obsessed with my procreating to birth a child who will also be held in captivity:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">After "natural breeding attempts" with the resident male Panda Tian Tian failed, zoo officials turned to artificial insemination. I believe the appropriate phrase is "no means no."</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Zoo officials inseminated her not only with fresh sperm from Tian Tian, but also with his frozen sperm collected in 2003, AND some extra frozen sperm they just had lying around from San Diego's male giant panda, Gao Gao. How's she going to know who to hit up for child support? (The zoo is going to conduct a DNA test to determine paternity. No joke.)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">When Mei Xiang's water broke, the zoo spread the word on twitter and Facebook, hoping people would tune in to the live panda cam to see the birth streamed on the internet. If someone had tried to stream my birth on the internet after my water broke, I'd have found new and particularly painful ways to kill with a camera.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">In order to check on the cub's health, which panda experts in China and other zoos do regularly, zoo officials will distract Mei Xiang with food and take the cub away to examine. I'm all for checking on the cub's health and think bonding must come second in any post birth to fundamental vitals, but distracting her with food? My family tried to distract me with a burger and fries while Desmond was getting checked out and all I could think was "whatever goes in has to come out." No thanks.</li>
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I will not endorse the video of this very private moment going viral, but I will give you an adorable photo of a panda cub getting into some trouble (a slightly matured cub, because I find the brand new ones kind of creepy. I'm an awful person, I know.):</div>
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<img alt="baby panda" src="http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/BabyPanda_001_Web.jpg" width="650" /></div>
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Welcome to this crazy world, panda cub!</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-51060120520580681622013-08-21T09:08:00.003-07:002013-08-26T13:52:40.324-07:00Leftovers for life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Do you ever make a dish specifically to enjoy its leftovers for the next few days? I find myself doing this with roast chicken, which makes a wicked curried chicken salad that is perfect in this summer heat (recipe coming soon!). Curries are also better the longer they sit, allowing the spices and flavors to really seep into the meats and vegetables. But one of my favorite repurposings of leftovers has to be the frankie.</span></div>
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The frankie is my favorite street food from my childhood summers in Bombay. Right next to the McDonald's down the street from my grandparents' flat, there was a frankie stand. You would pay a guy a few rupees and he would give you a small coin that signaled either chicken, mutton or veggie to the man you handed it to through a small hole in the wall. A moment later a hand would emerge and give you the most delectable snack-- spicy (always mutton for me) filling wrapped up in a <i>tawa</i>-fried, egg-coated roti. My cousins and I would eat them on our walk back home along Linking Road, with juices running down our elbows, and quickly mop our faces before adults could figure out what we'd been up to.</div>
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I wasn't really allowed to have frankies. One, I was of a weak Western constitution, and two, well, did you hear about the hole in the wall? But it didn't really matter. I ate them so often that I figured after the first dozen or so, I'd beaten the odds.</div>
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And now, in adulthood, I make my own frankies whenever I have leftover, spiced meat. My shortcut is that I use store-bought rotis, particularly the Spring Home Roti Paratha that is readily available in many of the large Asian grocers in the DC metro area. This time I had some leftover <i>masala raan</i>, an Indian-spiced leg of lamb that I slow cooked for 8 hours. Given that my shortcut frankie isn't even brushed with egg (a nice touch, but one I've learned to forsake in a household where my mother is deathly allergic to eggs), I'll give you the recipe for the lamb instead. It's delicious fresh, of course, but the tender, slow-cooked leftovers pull into wonderful frankies. To assemble the frankie, though, just pan-fry a roti (if you'd like the egg-coating, just brush each side with a beaten egg and flip), fill with meat and veggies of your choice, roll up and enjoy!</div>
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<h3>
Masala Raan</h3>
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<img alt="Masala Raan" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/photo8_zps3cce584c.jpg" width="650" />
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">1 tbsp ground coriander </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">2 tsp ground cumin</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">1 tbsp ground fennel</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">6 green cardamom pods, husks removed and discarded, insides crushed</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">1 tsp ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">2 tsp turmeric</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">1 tbsp minced garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">1 tbsp minced ginger</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">5 tablespoons olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">4-5 lb leg of lamb, stabbed all over</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">3-5 red chillies, dried or fresh</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">4 sprigs rosemary</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">4 whole cloves of garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">15 whole cloves</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">2 large onions, sliced</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">1 - 2 tsp sea salt</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">1/2 cup water or stock</span></li>
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Combine the first nine ingredients. Add four tablespoons of olive oil and stir to make a paste. Rub the paste all over the leg of lamb. Set aside to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Allow the lamb to come to room temperature for 1 hour before inserting cloves, rosemary, and red chillies into the meat's slits. Spread the onions, garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs over the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the lamb on top, sprinkle with salt and douse with the water or stock. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high for 4-6 hours. Try to baste every hour or so, if you're not using the slow cooker for convenience in your absence in the first place.<br />
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Speaking of the wonder of leftovers, one of the most inspiring social campaigns I've seen recently fights child hunger on the streets of Bombay. <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShareMyDabba">Share My Dabba</a></i> is a fantastic initiative that takes advantage of one of the most efficient food delivery systems in the world. Over 200,000 <i>dabbas</i> (lunches) are delivered to people across the city each day. While this adds up to 120 tons of food each day, more than 16 tons are left uneaten, so SMD started handing out sheets of stickers to see if their patrons would be willing to share their food with the city's 2 million starving children. A little red circle with the simple word "share" designates the <i>dabbas</i> with remaining food. Once the tins are collected again after lunch, those with the stickers are sorted by volunteers and shared with hungry children. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/00XPkmlF7g8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I used to work at a <a href="http://www.ananyatrustindia.org/">school</a> that provided a home and education to impoverished children in Bangalore. Mealtimes were my favorite--they were spirited and loud and the kids always used to light up (unless <i>bittergourd</i> was on the menu). This program reminds me of Ananya's efforts to make sure that children who were hungry were fed, period. If you're anything like me, you won't be able to watch this video without getting teary. And, hopefully, without donating to this wonderful initiative. Please consider it. And please let me know if you do!</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-57079768671961001592013-08-20T12:54:00.002-07:002013-08-26T13:53:01.472-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We should all Expect Better, and then ask some more questions</span></h2>
Yes, I know about Emily Oster's new <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323514404578652091268307904.html">book</a> released today that questions conventional pregnancy wisdom.<br />
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Yes, I think her work is quality and that a social scientist's interpretation of the data around pregnancy restrictions and recommendations is much needed in our discourse about women's health.<br />
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Yes, I agree with a number of her conclusions--namely, that moderation is key. One of my favorite lines is <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323514404578652091268307904.html">"It isn't that complicated: drink like a European adult, not a fraternity brother." </a> I think the most important conclusion that I share in common with Oster is that neither of us is actually making recommendations for other women's pregnancies--we both study, research and investigate common pregnancy do's and don'ts to navigate our own pregnancies and make our own decisions. In the end, though, readers should be left to their own decision-making mechanisms. In the case of my work, at least, I just hope they're armed with enough information to make a decision based on knowledge and not fear.<br />
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Yes, Joe Scarborough makes my head hurt:<br />
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Visit NBCNews.com for <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">breaking news</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">world news</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">news about the economy</a></div>
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Do I think Oster's work scooped my own project on the politics of pregnancy? No.<br />
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After a couple of weeks of indigestion, I calmed down and realized that the major do's and don'ts that Oster tackles in her work are typically about ingestion and exposure to a long list of substances traditionally banned from pregnant women's diets and lifestyles: alcohol, caffeine, raw milk cheese, hair dye, exercise, etc. She applies an economist's eyes to the randomized trials and peer-reviewed research out there on these topics and comes to her own conclusions about the restrictions that seem hysterical and those that seem reasonable and evidence-based. Applying reason to pregnancy? Kudos to her.<br />
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I also tackle some of these debates, particularly when it comes to food and drink restrictions. For instance, I examine KRAFT's involvement in lobbying for stronger pasteurization regulation and discuss how this shaped the average American's taste for cheese.<br />
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But the do's and don'ts of pregnancy include so many more decisions than randomized trials can help us study. There are decisions about the medical care you choose--an OB or a midwife?--which raises questions about the increasingly prominent role of insurance companies and medical associations in these matters. Then there are often difficult conversations to be had at work when first announcing a pregnancy and thinking ahead to negotiate leave entitlements, given our nation's historical failure passing paid family leave legislation. Even finding out the sex of the baby can easily be politicized, with gendered assumptions and a blue-pink dichotomy that not only confuses <a href="http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2831/was-pink-originally-the-color-for-boys-and-blue-for-girls">history</a>, but defies the logic of the color wheel itself. And, as I've discussed, there are <a href="http://gastropolitico.blogspot.com/">child care </a>concerns that parents have to consider far before the baby is born--that is to say, during pregnancy.<br />
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These are the questions that my book is going to answer. Building on Oster's excellent work for sure, but asking a set of questions that asks <i>how </i>we got to this place of misinformation and fear in the first place.<br />
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You can't fix something unless you know what exactly is broken.<br />
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-1389665373607234532013-08-19T14:23:00.002-07:002013-08-19T14:23:45.534-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Considering child care</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Alissa Quart has a <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/crushed-by-the-cost-of-child-care/?_r=0">piece</a> in <i>The</i> <i>New York Times</i> today that looks at the financial burden, and often impossibility, of child care on American families. Given that one of my chapters tackles exactly this topic, it piqued my interest. Why would a book on the politics of pregnancy discuss post-birth child care? Because we put our son on a
daycare waitlist five months into our pregnancy—<i>twenty</i> months later, our number (a pessimistic 35) has not budged.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If parents are lucky enough to gain admission for their children, Quart discusses the crushing costs. Citing research from University of Massachusetts at Amherst sociologist Joya Misra, she writes that the cost of center-based day care surpasses one year of tuition at a public college in thirty-five states, as well as DC. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But it's not only the price tag that has parents in despair. Despite resounding evidence that investing in young
children’s care reaps huge social benefits, the United States is currently
suffering from a severe scarcity of decent day care facilities. A survey conducted by the National Institute
Child Health Development deemed only ten percent of facilities to be
“high-care” nationwide and a recent <a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112892/hell-american-day-care">cover story</a> for <i>The New Republic</i> by Jonathan Cohn described the overall quality of
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">An expose like this, on the dismal state of American child care, surfaces once every year or so. In general, comparisons are made to other industrialized nations, where states invest heavily in quality child care facilities and parents are even offered tax incentives if they stay home to take care of their own children, given that it is considered to save the state a huge sum of money. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pamela Druckerman also discusses the American day care dilemma in
her comparison between parenting in France and the United States, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Up-B%C3%A9b%C3%A9-Discovers-Parenting/dp/1594203334"><i>Bringing Up Bebe</i></a>. As an American expat in Paris, she compares the quality of care that her first daughter receives from state run </span><i>crèches</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> </i>with day care back home in the States. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At least half of any
<i>crèche’s</i> workers, Druckerman writes, must pass rigorous tests in reasoning, reading
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quarter must have degrees in health, leisure or social work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But what really wins
Druckerman over with her own daughter’s experience in the </span><i>crèche</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is its dining
experience. Again, the rumored four course meal: “a cold vegetable starter, a
main dish with a side of grains or cooked vegetables, a different cheese each
day; and a dessert of fresh fruit or fruit puree.” Lunch is prepared by an
in-house cook from scratch each day. Soon Druckerman admits to thinking of her
daughters’ caregivers as the “Rhodes Scholars of baby care.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The first day cares were established during the Industrial Revolution in both countries, because women simply had no choice but to leave their homes and enter the workforce. Horror stories of children being tied to bedposts all day while their mothers worked in factories became so common that the <i>crèche</i> was established in France in the mid 1800s. News of this arrangement spread to States soon thereafter. In France this child care system was seen as a state investment in helping create responsible new members of society, and enabled mothers to participate in the workforce with confidence that their children were in good hands. </div>
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In the U.S., however, born more out of necessity and continued for dubious reasons such as “Americanizing” the children of immigrants, child care never developed as an institution that could help socialize children into well-adjusted, independent and developmentally advanced individuals, as it did in other industrialized nations.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We do ourselves a disservice if we just think that this set of circumstances that conspire to disproportionately punish women in the workforce are happenstance. American day care is so dismal because the state has long
seen the care of children outside of the home as inferior to a mother’s
care—the proper place for a woman is in the home, tending to her children’s
needs, so significant state subsidies have been nearly unimaginable for the majority of
our country’s history. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's not even deign to discuss the wild possibility that a father might also be considered a parent. When the government collects <a href="http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/the-census-bureau-counts-fathers-as-child-care/">data</a> on parents and work life balance, for instance, the mother is termed the "designated parent" and the father is a "childcare arrangement." Yes, you read that right. </span></div>
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How might things have evolved differently in this country had our government established an agency that oversaw child care facilities, similar to the Mother and Infant Protection service that the French state formed after World War II? What might it take to convince our state that child care is a responsible investment, given the huge social benefits to not only children, but their working parents and the economy as a whole? </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not quite sure what my husband and I would have done had we not had an amazing network of family to care for Desmond while we both worked full time. He really hates bedposts. </span></div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-70753345334842655442013-08-19T09:04:00.000-07:002013-08-19T09:04:17.126-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Coconut milk for the win</span></h2>
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This past weekend, as I enjoyed an outdoor concert in the area, a very pregnant lady handed me a little piece of heaven: the <i>SO Delicious</i> mini ice cream sandwich made with coconut milk. It was part of a promotion to share the merits of a vegan lifestyle and they handed out some literature with the treats.</div>
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Replacing what can often be pretty unexciting and stale vanilla ice cream with a creamy coconut milk-based faux ice cream is a thought conceived in heaven. I could easily imagine a similar dessert on one of Tom Collichio's plates, but of course his dish's slices of "bread" would be made with chocolate unicorn tears.</div>
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<img alt="so sandwich" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/photo7_zps33e42dca.jpg" width="650" />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My father takes a bite out of his third sandwich </i></span><br />
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As I skimmed the pamphlets that Prego McPrego handed me, I thought about how many times, in the process of working on this book, vegetarian and vegan women I know have mentioned that they are worrying about their diets during pregnancy. Sure enough, the literature in my hands addressed this.</div>
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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is cited three times saying "a well-planned vegan diet is safe for all stages of the life-cyle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence..." I want to be on board with this, because, again, I like the idea of women having enough information to make intelligent decisions about how they will handle <i>their</i> pregnancies.</div>
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But a vegetarian diet is decidedly different from a vegan diet.</div>
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One common nutritional concern during pregnancy is vitamin B-12 (<i>cobalamin</i>), and it is most commonly found in what vegans call "flesh foods"--or meat products. Here is the <a href="http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-vitamin-B12.php">top 10</a> list of foods highest in B12. Yeah, vegans can't have any of it. And why do we care so much about B12 in particular? Well, for adults it's a pretty great nutrient whose effects range from protecting us against certain types of cancer to potentially reducing depression.</div>
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But, for babies in utero, it's pretty crucial. B12 is associated with a lot of the crucial development they need. Neural tubes, for instance. So one of the main concerns with a vegan diet is that vegan mother might suffer from B12 deficiency. One of the most common symptoms of which, by they way, is fatigue and loss of balance--nothing an already pregnant woman needs more of. </div>
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The AND endorsement of a vegan diet refers to the American Dietetics Association's <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864">position paper </a>on vegetarian diets. In this paper, the ADA actually says that vegan mothers will have special needs and draws an important distinction between vegetarian and vegan diets. A "well-planned diet" for a vegan would consist of foods different from vegetarian diets, namely in its use of "fortified soy and rice beverages, some breakfast cereals and meat analogs, or Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula nutritional yeast [<i>look for a post on this product in the future!</i>]." Coconut milk beverages, to circle back to this elixir of the gods, can be enriched with B12 and a couple of cups can provide your daily nutritional requirement. Alternatively, a pregnant vegan would have to take a daily B12 supplement, not too different from the majority of pregnant women who take prenatal vitamins of some sort.</div>
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The position paper provides a pretty great summary of the research done on vegetarianism or veganism during pregnancy. Basically, vegetarians have it pretty easy--you can plan your diets to get enough B12, iron, folate and vitamin D. Vegans, however, have to be particularly diligent on getting the nutrients their baby needs. My take is that it is completely doable. Just do a little research, like the position paper in question.</div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-65023583805185398332013-08-16T22:13:00.001-07:002013-08-18T09:08:26.625-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
A quick pickle</span></h2>
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I grew up loving all kinds of pickles. The basic ones that came on our McDonalds hamburgers to the ones that were specially steeped with bulbs of garlic and sold on the Massachusetts coast to whale watching tourists. And my brother-in-law and sister-in-law in Charlotte passed on a "fresh" jar of pickled vegetables made by a chef-friend of theirs. They are dilly and delicious.</div>
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And then there were Indian pickles (<i>achar</i>). Mango is a popular kind, not only in Indian restaurants in the diaspora, but in Indian family kitchens as well. While western pickles are mainly brined in an acetic acid like vinegar, Indian pickles are usually cooked with spices and packed with oil and salt (sometimes with an acetic or citric acid of some sort as well). They're then traditionally canned tightly and set in the direct sun for days.</div>
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In addition to the basic mango pickle, I love:<br />
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<a href="http://kitchengardenrecipes.wordpress.com/category/fresh-relishes/">Carrot</a><br />
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<img alt="carrot pickle" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/quickcarrotpickle_zps2894e787.jpg" width="650" />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo courtesy of www.kitchengardenrecipes.wordpress.com</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://honestcooking.com/garlic-achaar-indian-pickle/">Garlic</a><br />
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<img alt="garlic pickle" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/garlic_achaar_3_zps98e708f8.jpg" width="650" />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>photo courtesy of www.honestcooking.com</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://the-dogs-breakfast.com/2012/01/22/lemon-lime-pickle/"><br />Lime</a></div>
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<img alt="lime pickle" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/lemon_lime_pickle_3_zps4635dbf4.jpg" width="650" />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo courtesy of www.the-dogs-breakfast.com</span></i><br />
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I also distinctly remember trips home to New Jersey from summers in India when my mother would (close your ears, customs' officials) sneak in some dried prawns (<i>sukat</i>). I fought and threw the teenagiest of tantrums to keep them out of my suitcase--I was convinced, due to the neurosis that comes from growing up in an era before Indian food was the trendy ethnic option it is these days, that it would transfer its pungent, borderline rotten odor onto all of my clothes.</div>
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But once we safely evaded the folks at the airport, friends would line up to get batches of what my mom made with it. There were pulaos, there were stir fries, and, yes, there were pickles.</div>
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<img alt="sukat" src="http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t564/jajinkya/Boozleli-Sukat-Kolim_zps5adcea41.jpg" width="650" />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo courtesy of www.konkancouncil.org</span></i></div>
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But pickling takes time! It takes preparation and then fermentation, both of which require forethought. So when you want a nice Indian pickle to cut a curry, or you just want to have some with creamy yoghurt and rice (try it!), it's convenient to have some ready-made on hand. I'm lucky enough to have some ready-family-made, but there are some good options (my favorites are <i>Mother's Recipe</i> or <i>Patak's</i>) in the Indian sections of grocers now.</div>
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And then leave it to my mother, a true innovator in the kitchen, to introduce me to a quick pickle tonight. It's simple and relies on the pickle <a href="http://www.simplysensationalfood.com/2010/02/achar-masala-pickle-masala.html">masala</a> to provide the salty, spicy punch of an <i>achar</i>, but doesn't require the fermentation. The raw yellow onion adds nice texture and bite, while the ribboned spinach makes it quite an attractive slaw or relish even. In any case, it was delicious and went perfectly with a rich lamb curry.</div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Onion and Spinach Achar</span></h3>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;">some ribboned spinach</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">chopped yellow onion</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">finely minced garlic</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">achar masala, to taste</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">salt, to taste</li>
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Combine all ingredients. It's that simple. Enjoy!</div>
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<br /></div>
Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-63117410709279687092013-08-15T09:43:00.003-07:002013-08-15T10:00:24.847-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Homemade fingerpaints</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When it's uncomfortably hot outside, I try to find indoor activities for Desmond. Preferably activities on the less-destructive end of the spectrum, for the good of our sweet little cherub, but also our apartment's security deposit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fingerpainting seems like it would violate this guidance, but the highchair with a washable tray is a beautiful thing. So I set about looking for homemade fingerpaint recipes-- turns out cornstarch is handy to have around for more than thickening up the perpetually runny curry. With the simple addition of both hot and cold water, it turns into a surprisingly satisfying goopy substance that kids will love messing around.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N64AodfdYzY/Ug0IuWztK5I/AAAAAAAABIw/uQOb1N_MDz0/s1600/cornstarch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N64AodfdYzY/Ug0IuWztK5I/AAAAAAAABIw/uQOb1N_MDz0/s400/cornstarch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: www.imaginationtree.com</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Given that this substance alone looks disturbingly similar to Desmond's favorite food in the entire world: (yoghurt), I wanted to add some colors and encourage his inner Picasso to shine. But most artificial food coloring creeps me out, and for good reason. Food manufacturers in the U.S. are more </span><a href="http://greatist.com/food-coloring-bad-us" style="font-family: inherit;">lax</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> about adding artificial dyes made from synthetic chemicals to many of our foods, and some of them are beloved to our picky mini-eaters. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kraft macaroni and cheese, for instance, has come under fire for using Yellow Dyes 5 and 6, coloring that requires a warning label in other countries. While the studies on these yellows and some other dyes (particularly Blue 1 and Red 40) are inconclusive, some <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf">research</a> links these substances to heightened levels of carcinogens and potential behavioral problems such as hyperactivity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">So the research is inconclusive, but what bothers me most is that Kraft still <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/kraft-keeps-yellow-dye-in-macaroni-and-cheese-2013-4">refuses</a> to take these dyes out of production in the States. England's version doesn't use 5 or 6, and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/08/artificial-food-dye-kraft-macaroni-and-cheese_n_2837205.html">similar products </a>like Annie's or Back to Nature use natural dyes like carrots or paprika. And, shocker, Annie's matches that gross fake yellow pasta look down to a tee. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">Natural dyes it was, then! I rifled through my fridge and spice cabinet and came up with some colorful additives: </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yTSRTrCxhWk/Ugz54X5oppI/AAAAAAAABIU/R_ZKOJRA3w8/s1600/IMG_3302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yTSRTrCxhWk/Ugz54X5oppI/AAAAAAAABIU/R_ZKOJRA3w8/s320/IMG_3302.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Raspberries. I always keep some frozen raspberries around for summer snacks or teething episodes, so I knew the reddish hue was one to be reckoned with. Added a bit of boiling water to help the color seep out, and voila! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lBecqkGSzgA/Ugz530OsmwI/AAAAAAAABIc/np4gaM0dWN8/s1600/IMG_3294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lBecqkGSzgA/Ugz530OsmwI/AAAAAAAABIc/np4gaM0dWN8/s320/IMG_3294.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Spinach, a great green.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PW4rLZDE1sY/Ugz54dNDxfI/AAAAAAAABIQ/El5riNUVGD4/s1600/IMG_3305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PW4rLZDE1sY/Ugz54dNDxfI/AAAAAAAABIQ/El5riNUVGD4/s320/IMG_3305.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And, speaking of yellows, anyone who has ever come within 10 feet of turmeric knows its power. After actually stirring this one up, I thought better of giving it to my little painting prodigy because I didn't want his tray permanently yellow. Yes, it's possible to remove turmeric stains (a Hindu wedding ritual called the <i>haldi </i>ceremony taught me this, after only something like twenty of my relatives got to smear turmeric paste all over my face and hands the day before my wedding. Why? To, ironically, make the bride beautiful and to protect her from evil spirits, who are notoriously Type A about messes it turns out.), but I wasn't feeling up to the scrubbing challenge. Maybe I'll use it to enhance my next batch of mac 'n cheese.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXrSb47MHk8/Ugz53xyfYeI/AAAAAAAABIA/5Om6RDs4SDo/s1600/IMG_3291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXrSb47MHk8/Ugz53xyfYeI/AAAAAAAABIA/5Om6RDs4SDo/s1600/IMG_3291.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, all in all, got some nice colors out of some basic foods and spices. Desmond loved it, but a word to the wise: this activity is NOT rug or carpet friendly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Fingerpaint recipe</b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">*adapted from www.theimaginationtree.com </span></i></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup of corn starch</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup of cold water</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ 2- 2.5 cups of boiling water</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">some food colouring</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix the corn starch with the cold water and stir together. Pour in the boiling water and stir between each cup. Keep stirring for a bit until it turns into the desired goopy-ness. Separate into jars and add coloring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-68831368027516891922013-08-14T12:40:00.001-07:002013-08-15T20:29:33.980-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><b>A Fresh Start</b></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been a busy couple of
years—I got my doctorate, I found a job, I gave up a job, I found another job, I had a
son, I quit a job, and now I’m looking for a new job. But I’m back!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the spirit of new
beginnings, I’m repurposing this blog as a place where I think about how to
make sense of all the different pieces of my life right now: work (<b>politics</b>),
food (<b>recipes</b>), family (<b>kids</b> and <b>products</b>), home (<b>DC</b>), dreams (<b>travel</b>), interests
(<b>feminism</b>) and obsession (<b>pregnancy</b>). That last one probably takes a bit more
explanation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My pregnancy with my son
Desmond blew me away. I had never exactly looked forward to being pregnant and
I had a suspicion as to why. As soon as I became pregnant, it was confirmed. The pregnant 'condition' was one of neurosis, restrictions and warnings. There were a lot of decisions to be made, for sure, but it seemed like women were not in charge of their own pregnancies. I became sort of obsessed with researching
the roots of debates—from debates over insurance restrictions that chose
obstetricians over midwives, to what sort of deli meats I wasn’t allowed to
order at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Potbelly’s. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I’m putting all that
work into a book project called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Political Pregnancy</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tell the
story of my nine month pregnancy, discovering a new political debate each
month. I look at food and drink restrictions, parental leave entitlements, and childcare
preparations, amongst other debates. And I try to explain the politics behind
why we are where we are right now. When a Senate candidate can call ‘rape
pregnancies’ a gift from God (yeah, what a <a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/10/republican-senate-candidate-says-rape-pregnancies-are-gift-god/58282/">charmer</a>,
right?), there’s no way that everyone thinks a pregnancy should be only a
woman’s business—it is political and it is up for public debate. And some people
are batshit insane, so I uncover some crazy episodes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But back to the blog. I’m
going to post things here that interest me right now. I’ll continue to post recipes and discuss food. But now I’ll also post some products that I think are cool,
places I'd be interested to visit, fun kid-related ideas, and
stories I come across while writing my book. It’s basically going to be my head
for the next long while. Welcome to the umpteenth narcissistic blog! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And, I’m not going to lie:
a lot of it is going to focus on food!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, let’s toast to a fresh
start. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://whatsheshaving.com/2012/01/02/afreshstartcocktail/"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Fresh Start</b></span></a>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A rosemary scented grapefruit cocktail</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/2 cup water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2-3 long
sprigs rosemary</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 cups fresh
squeezed grapefruit juice*</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 oz vodka</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 oz Triple
Sec</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iaVdok1kQZo/UgvY9bMTfCI/AAAAAAAABHs/Mz6ieLA_nFg/s1600/grapefruit-rosemary-drink_edited-1-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iaVdok1kQZo/UgvY9bMTfCI/AAAAAAAABHs/Mz6ieLA_nFg/s1600/grapefruit-rosemary-drink_edited-1-copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of www.whatsheshaving.com</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; text-align: left;">Make the
rosemary syrup: In a small saucepan heat the sugar and water until the sugar
has completely dissolved. Add rosemary, simmer for 5 minutes and turn off.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; text-align: left;">Once cool, mix
the rosemary syrup with juice, vodka and Triple Sec in a pitcher.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; text-align: left;">Serve over ice
with a rosemary “stirrer.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">*<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">if using store-bought juice, which can be a little sweet, reduce sugar
a bit.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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</div>
Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-63700750113094923922011-03-16T13:35:00.000-07:002013-08-13T08:58:28.383-07:00Obsessed with Kale<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm generally irked by phrases such as 'black is the new pink' or '40 is the new 30,' but kale, my friends... kale is the new spinach. And my favorite way to eat it is raw.<br />
<br />
Raw kale salads have been popping up with alarming frequency on almost every food blog I frequent. It's one of the healthiest vegetables out there, according to various nutritionists who extol its cholesterol-lowering and cancer-risk reducing effects. I've had requests for more vegetarian/vegan friendly recipes, and while my last post was beef-minded, one of the side-effects of traveling abroad for me is that I hate coming back to meat in the States. The massive hormone-fed drumsticks and flavorless flesh leave quite a bit to be desired, especially after eating far tastier versions abroad, so I take refuge in locally-grown vegetables. And so I thought I'd share one of my favorite (vegan) recipes with you.<br />
<br />
I'm happy to say I caught on to kale's wondrousness fairly early in the game, one delightful afternoon in Ithaca, when we hosted a potluck with our neighbors on our porch. One of the neighbors brought a kale salad that had been marinated with nothing more than rice vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and slivers of raw garlic and then tossed with some goat cheese and vegan sausage. Now, if you know me at all, you know it would take something of colossal import to make me partake in something like vegan sausage.<br />
<br />
And it was the kale salad that did it. I went back for seconds, thirds and then cried a bit when it was done. I got the recipe and made it so frequently that it was the only thing I had left in my fridge on our moving day; I tried repaying the kindness of a friend, I, who had shown up to help, by forcing him to eat some of this delicious salad. Turns out rice vinegar and garlic don't agree with *everyone* at 10am.<br />
<br />
Anyway, my obsession with raw kale didn't end there. I played around with caramelized onions, learned to love its ceasar salad preparation, and thought it was the best vehicle for mustard vinagrette. But, now, I have found the kale salad that trumps all other kale salads: The Garlicky Kale Salad.<br />
<br />
I found this salad one desperate lunch hour at the Whole Foods near my gym. I usually hate the prepared food bars, even at WF, but once my obsessive eyes spotted kale, I had to give in. I came home, devoured the salad, and swore I wouldn't rest until I figured out the recipe. And the great thing about WF is that they list the ingredients under their dish labels, so it actually wasn't as dramatic as I was prepared for it to be. So, I give you Garlicky Kale Salad and dare you to not LOVE this. And it's gloriously healthy to boot.<br />
<br />
<b>Garlicky Kale Salad</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-obB46CGw9zk/TYEK2lzTh0I/AAAAAAAABAc/OUHgyETR5WU/s1600/IMG_1012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-obB46CGw9zk/TYEK2lzTh0I/AAAAAAAABAc/OUHgyETR5WU/s640/IMG_1012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
2 cups raw kale, torn off of the stem and chopped roughly<br />
1 Tbsp olive oil <br />
1 Tbsp tahini<br />
1 Tbsp water<br />
1-1.5 Tbsp lemon juice<br />
1 Tbsp soy sauce (WF asks for liquid amino acids, but this works just fine as a substitute)<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
1-2 cloves garlic, finely grated<br />
<br />
<i>Directions</i>:<br />
Drizzle the olive oil over the kale and massage into individual pieces (this helps loosen up the kale and is why you don't need to marinate this salad for the 8 hours that some other kale salads can require). Next, combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, soy sauce and garlic and douse the salad. Again, massage it in. Finally, add black pepper to taste. Refridgerate for 5 minutes and then serve. It will only get better with time, so feel free to make plenty for leftovers. <br />
<br />
There are obviously other things on my mind of late, most importantly Japan and the unfolding tragedy over there. Interesting tid-bit: the Japanese love Kale so much, culinarily and aesthetically, that they introduced it ornamentally to their gardens. The people of Japan are in my thoughts right now, especially the workers at the nuclear plants and the hazards they're facing. If you're looking for some aid organizations to contribute to, here's a short list. (Just a note: I've heard that the phone companies' 'text-to-donate' plans can take up to 90 days to reach folks in need). <br />
<br />
<a href="https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=240&__utma=121179421.3043967907521580500.1300307638.1300307638.1300307638.1&__utmb=121179421.1.10.1300307638&__utmc=121179421&__utmx=-&__utmz=121179421.1300307638.1.1.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=doctors%20without%20border%20japan&__utmv=-&__utmk=137386416">Doctors Without Borders</a><br />
<a href="https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?5052.donation=form1&df_id=5052&idb=0">Red Cross</a><br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html">Google's compiled list of resources</a></div>
Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-80376419204265065992011-03-14T13:26:00.000-07:002013-08-13T11:00:51.640-07:00Lucking out in Lucknow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've apologized for my blog's neglect before, by explaining that when I write here I don't write my dissertation. Well, turns out I finished, so now I have no excuses. Not much else has changed--I think it's funny to choose 'Dr.' as a prefix on online surveys and I'm looking for a job because I chose to take a break from academia (more on this later, I'm sure).</div>
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I did, however, just get back from a trip to India to celebrate my cousin's wedding. This involved roughly 64 members of our clan flying to Kanpur for a weekend and being graciously hosted by his girlfriend's family. There was excellent food, tremendous fashion and heartening time with our huge family. On the way back to Bombay, a smaller subset of us (18 people) took a detour to Lucknow for 2 days.</div>
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There, I ate a damn good meal.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yX_r5pzD89g/TX5_KhiuiYI/AAAAAAAABAA/mvgT6Dm6uBA/s1600/IMG_0950.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584040406765439362" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yX_r5pzD89g/TX5_KhiuiYI/AAAAAAAABAA/mvgT6Dm6uBA/s320/IMG_0950.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>It was a foodie trip for sure. Lucknow, you see, is known for two main things: <a href="http://aahang.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/lucknow-chikan-work-2/">chikan embroidery work</a> and <a href="http://lucknowcity.com/restaurants.php">pretty phenomenal kebabs</a>. My family agreed from the start that we were going to Lucknow to eat, first and foremost, and that we might shop on the side for some chikan gifts for others back home.</div>
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We shopped a bit the first evening, where my cousin, L, used her mobile to text pictures back to cousins in Bombay and take their orders if they liked something. It was all very technologically saavy and, in the midst of these Arab revolutions, pretty consistently demonstrated that we've entered an age completely pervaded by social media. In the end, I got a kurta, watched some men blockprint fabric by hand, and played with my nephew.</div>
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The rest of the trip was about the food. We were stopped by some disturbance in the streets from going to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297684-d1061720-Reviews-Tunday_Kababi-Lucknow_Uttar_Pradesh.html">Tunday Kebabi</a> our first night, but ended up at an excellent <span style="font-style: italic;">dhaba</span> in the middle of a street of streetstalls. We feasted on shaami kebabs and reshmi kebabs, with some tandoori chicken, biryani, and meat "stew" on the side for good measure. The best part of the meal, we all concurred, was the "stew" gravy, which we sopped up with our freshly warm <span style="font-style: italic;">rumali</span> rotis (named after the indian hankerchief).</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5gOmYhnQ64/TX6ARP7DycI/AAAAAAAABAI/7eYwMgcrxig/s1600/IMG_0957.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="478" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584041621806369218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o5gOmYhnQ64/TX6ARP7DycI/AAAAAAAABAI/7eYwMgcrxig/s640/IMG_0957.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a></div>
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The genius of our trip was that we made it to Tunday Kebabi the next day and had exactly the same meal there. That's what I love about my family and the way it eats. They love trying new things (my grandmother is particularly fond of beef burgers in the US, it turns out), but they know when something is worth reveling in. It was a comparison of sorts, and we discussed which place had the better of two dishes while reminiscing about the family memories. Both meals were made remarkably indulgent by one of my <span style="font-style: italic;">bhaoji</span>'s attentive ordering for the entire table. He stood over us, watched which dishes we loved and devoured and then ordered more immediately. An endless supply of heaven, basically.</div>
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I regrettably fell sick with a stomach bug for the second half of my trip, so Bombay was (surprisingly) unable to top Lucknow's meals. If I'd had the tum for it, however, I know <a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/india/mumbai/34789/trishna/restaurant-detail.html">Trishna </a>would have done the job. As it is, I'll just have to make sure I get there next time. It's been too long.</div>
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In honor of Lucknow's upset victory, I'm making reshmi kebabs for dinner tonight. Here's the recipe I use:</div>
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<a href="http://www.khanapakana.com/mutton-recipes/reshmi-kebab.html"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Reshmi Kebabs</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9OYG_uvQNxE/TX6EPMUFSKI/AAAAAAAABAQ/CfdxSh1RldE/s1600/reshmi-kebab.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br />
</a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b>:</div>
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<b><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WlT02cGrAs0/TX6PIZsBY5I/AAAAAAAABAY/JtF0ShzrNhw/s1600/reshmi-kebab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WlT02cGrAs0/TX6PIZsBY5I/AAAAAAAABAY/JtF0ShzrNhw/s400/reshmi-kebab.jpg" width="300" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></a></b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1 lb ground beef</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
2 eggs</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
3 green chilies, chopped</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1/2 cup onion, pureed</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1 tbsp ginger, pureed</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1 tbsp garlic, pureed</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1 tsp all spice powder</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper</div>
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<li><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="display: inline ! important; margin: 0px;">
1/2 cup breadcrumbs</div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Salt to taste</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Oil to pan fry</span></li>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Directions:<br />
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 100%;">Mix all the spices, cilantro, green chillies, breadcrumbs and eggs in the minced beef and make elongated kebabs or patties.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Pan fry till dark golden brown on each side.</span><br />
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Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-51201877353411085212010-06-16T17:59:00.000-07:002013-08-13T11:01:14.289-07:00North Korea, Iran and Bulgogi Leftovers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
North Korea qualified for the World Cup this year? Really?<br />
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<a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45939000/jpg/_45939980_nkorea_afp226i.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="479" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45939000/jpg/_45939980_nkorea_afp226i.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%; font-style: italic;">Source: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8106203.stm">BBC Sport</a></span><br />
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Does anyone detect the sweet irony of this situation? The only reason North Korea squeaked by was because Iran failed to beat South Korea, meaning that North Korea only needed a draw with Saudi Arabia. But WHY Iran failed to beat South Korea is amazing, in my book at least. Six of the Iranian players (including the Captain) chose that game to <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8106203.stm">protest</a> Iranian presidential election results. They wore green arm bands, a very visible protest and reminder to the Iranian audience that was watching it telecast at home on state television that they supported the opposition candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi.<br />
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They came out for the second half without the armbands. Apparently they'd been told to remove them. So, let me get this straight. These men chose to defy what can only be called a rogue regime, and chose very publicly to do so on television worldwide, and then someone tells them during halftime that they really should take them off (if they know what's good for them, that is). And then they come out for the second half and go on to draw 1-1, failing to win one of the four automatic qualification spots for Asia. Are you kidding me? They must have been so damn scared, knowing that they were going to have to go home after that match, that I'm surprised it was 5-1--and not in their favor. Seriously, watch the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8106203.stm">video</a> in this report--scroll down and please ignore the inane commentary about 'detecting protest.' Those are terrified men on that field.<br />
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South Korea got really lucky in that match. It's not like they were really preoccupied with a terrifying regime at home. After all, it's not like they're North Korea, right? Some of that luck ended up wearing off on North Korea too though, which is the irony. Players who bravely protested a terrifying regime ended up pushing through players from another terrifying regime. North Korea and Iran--now <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> would be a match.<br />
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And I'll bet that when you saw it was a post about North Korea, you thought I was going to talk about the <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/15/espn-north-koreas-world-cup-fans-are-paid-chinese-actors/">Chinese individuals who were paid money to appear as North Korean fans</a>.<br />
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In all fairness, since I like to use World Cup games as inspiration for meals, I now have double the reason, with both North and South Korea qualifying, to make bulgogi. I think I stumbled upon a very satisfying <a href="http://savorysweetlife.com/2009/07/marinade-this-bulgogi-recipe-korean-barbequed-beef/">recipe</a> the other day, and it was delicious. And because my very considerate mother knows how much I love bulgogi, she always picks up about 2 extra pounds of the thinly sliced ribeye when she shops at her local Korean grocer, since I can't seem to get anyone to cut it that thinly up here.<br />
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When you consider how much thinly sliced meat constitutes 2 pounds, you'll understand we had a lot of leftovers. After a couple of meals of bulgogi and brown rice, I decided to whip up something new, using the leftover meat. What came together was amazing--the bulgogi had soaked up juices over 2 days, and, what's more, the fresh cabbage, peppers and scallions over rice vermicelli made it taste refreshingly Vietnamese, and the peanut chili sauce reminded me of Thai noodles. All in all, a party in your mouth and definitely one I'd host again. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Bulgogi part 3: Peanut Chili Noodles</span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span>:<br />
<ul>
<li>3/4 pound of leftover bulgogi</li>
<li>2 red peppers (thinly sliced)</li>
<li>1/2 head of purple cabbage (thinly shredded)</li>
<li>4 scallions, white and green parts (chopped)</li>
<li>1 tbsp garlic (minced)</li>
<li>2 tbsp ginger (minced)</li>
<li>10 oz. rice vermicelli</li>
<li>1/2 cup natural peanut butter (if using regular peanut butter, just omit 1tbsp sugar)</li>
<li>1 tbsp sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup-1 cup low sodium chicken broth</li>
<li>1 tbsp red chili flakes</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce</li>
<li>2 tbsp vegetable oil</li>
<li>1 tbsp sesame oil</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Directions</span>:<br />
Submerge vermicelli in boiling water for 6-7 minutes. Then flush the noodles with cold water for one minute. Drain and keep aside. Add vegetable oil to a pan and saute the garlic until fagrant. Saute the red peppers and cabbage in this oil for 3-4 minutes and then add green onions and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBmAYmPt0XI/AAAAAAAAA6w/rnhkuXaSvK4/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483555181371969906" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBmAYmPt0XI/AAAAAAAAA6w/rnhkuXaSvK4/s640/DSC_0001.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and red chili flakes in a saucepan. Slowly add chicken brother, making sure to continue stirring so it doesn't congeal. Stir for 10 minutes, allowing it to simmer, but continuing to add broth so it doesn't become too thick. Toss the vermicelli with the sauce.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBmAs9zH1LI/AAAAAAAAA64/XxTkJZyrAKI/s1600/DSC_0004.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="504" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483555531291874482" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBmAs9zH1LI/AAAAAAAAA64/XxTkJZyrAKI/s640/DSC_0004.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>Serve topped with peppers and cabbage mixture, and top that with some heated leftover bulgogi. Serves 6.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBmA8SRCCXI/AAAAAAAAA7A/Lge3eb59TyI/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483555794484070770" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBmA8SRCCXI/AAAAAAAAA7A/Lge3eb59TyI/s640/DSC_0005.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a></div>
Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5738123428801904510.post-83958515848288853832010-06-13T09:29:00.000-07:002013-08-13T10:59:54.430-07:00Bunny Chow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In honor of World Cup 2010's host country, I decided to make some popular South African street food for a group of friends who gathered at our place yesterday to watch USA vs. England. I was lucky enough to get to SA in our summer/their winter of 2005, and Bunny Chow was far and away my favorite meal there--perhaps with the exception of PeriPeri shrimp, which I'll post before the Cup ends. Here's the recipe for one of the easiest and most satisfying dishes I've made in ages.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Bunny Chow</span><br />
<ul>
<li>2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (bite size pieces)</li>
<li>2 tbsp garlic (minced)</li>
<li>2 tbsp ginger (minced)</li>
<li>1.5 red onions (chopped)</li>
<li>4 large potatoes (bite size pieces)</li>
<li>1 tbsp turmeric</li>
<li>2 tbsp red chili powder</li>
<li>2 tbsp ground coriander</li>
<li>2 tbsp salt</li>
<li>2 tbsp garam masala</li>
<li>1 inch piece of cinnamon</li>
<li>3-4 cardamon pods</li>
<li>3-4 cloves</li>
<li>1 cup low sodium chicken broth</li>
<li>1 tbsp cornstarch and a little bit of water</li>
<li>12 whole bread rolls (not the sliced kind)</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBULGfMqmCI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/JI0Gbfx7g4k/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482300327475189794" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBULGfMqmCI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/JI0Gbfx7g4k/s640/DSC_0006.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>Here's the amazing part--just combine* all of the ingredients (with the exception of the chicken broth, cornstarch, water and rolls) in a slow cooker. Make sure you rub the spices into the chicken, onion and potatoes. Next, add the chicken broth. Cook on high for 3.5-4 hours, or on low for 7.5-8 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, mix the cornstarch with enough water to make a thick paste and add this mixture to the chicken curry. Stir well, and don't be afraid to have the chicken and potatoes break apart. <span style="font-size: 85%;">*<span style="font-style: italic;">I ignored a bunch of slow-cooker first principles by not searing the meat, not layering meat on top of potatoes, etc. It turned out moist, tender and delicious anyway. And if we had the time to do all of those preparatory steps in the morning before work, would the slow cooker really have revolutionized the amount of time we spend on meals? </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBUNRU9sGVI/AAAAAAAAA6g/I0Ge-PPT_5k/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="364" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482302712729835858" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBUNRU9sGVI/AAAAAAAAA6g/I0Ge-PPT_5k/s640/DSC_0011.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">How to serve:</span> Pour the chicken curry into a serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro (optional). Take the bread rolls and hollow out a large hole in each one, making sure that you retain the 'lid' and 'insides' as one piece. [note: the kaiser rolls pictured above are a decent, if not slightly disappointing, substitute for South African 'government sandwich loaves' which are tall and square, like Indian <span style="font-style: italic;">pav</span>. If you can get loaves like those, bless you.] Allow guests to assemble their own Bunny Chow by removing the lid, scooping some curry inside and <span style="font-style: italic;">using the lid to eat the meal with their hands. </span>That's the real way to do it. Serves 12.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBUPTPJAomI/AAAAAAAAA6o/iktL0OY5e_U/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="349" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482304944549700194" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NrlFMTj6JB0/TBUPTPJAomI/AAAAAAAAA6o/iktL0OY5e_U/s640/DSC_0012.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
The astute among you may be asking why chicken curry inside of a bread bowl is called Bunny Chow. Since 12 servings of rabbit do not usually appear on a graduate student's grocery budget, I'm grateful that the name developed completely independent of the cottonball-tailed burrowers.<br />
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While the actual origin of the dish is disputed, I find the most believable account to involve the <span style="font-style: italic;">Bania</span> (pronounced: <span style="font-style: italic;">buh-nee-yah</span>) caste of Indian migrants, brought over to South Africa as indentured laborers to work on sugar cane fields. One version explains that Indians were excluded from restaurants and given curry scooped into a loaf of bread to take away; another claims that Indian workers found the loaf easy to transport to the fields. Both reports describe the affordability and convenience of a meal that workers have discovered in various countries throughout history--<a href="http://www.cornishpastyco.com/">pasties</a> in England, for example, were also cheap and convenient options for Cornish tin miners who could not come up for lunch and wanted a self-contained meal to eat without utensils below ground.<br />
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The term Bunny Chow is said to have arisen around 1933, when Indians and non-Indians alike suffered from the Great Depression and discovered that this meal was one of the cheapest they could manage. Bunny became the colloquial adaptation of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Banian</span> curry, and 'chow' was the term used to describe Chinese food--another community who turned to the meal for sustenance. Interestingly enough, now the phrase is sometimes used to describe multiculturalism in South Africa, even becoming the namesake for a 2006 <a href="http://www.globalfilm.org/lens08/bunny_chow.htm">film</a> about the humanity in interpersonal/intercultural/interracial, really inter-<span style="font-style: italic;">difference</span>, relationships.<br />
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Sixteen years after the end of apartheid, South Africa has made serious advancements in this direction, and I hope that this fact isn't lost on World Cup audiences as they watch matches hosted in this country. Its post-apartheid Constitution was the first in the world to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation, for example, and even legalized same-sex marriage in 2006.<br />
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But race relations seem to be another matter. The legalized system of racial segregation under apartheid (in addition to a history of colonialism), and the measures that have since been taken to compensate for such injustice, have fostered distrust and resentment that seems to live strong today. I remember walking back to my hostel in Durban, with some Bunny Chow in hand, and encountering its white owner on a bench outside. He looked at the food in my hands and offered the following, unsolicited, wisdom: "We have a saying here in South Africa. During apartheid, whites were the head of the cow, blacks were the ass, and Indians were milking it in the middle. Now that apartheid's over, blacks are the head, whites are the ass and the damn Indians are still milking it in the middle." Charming, really.</div>
Juliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04754684847212793725noreply@blogger.com2