This week’s menu is a compromise between Dutch taste and the inferno I’m currently living in. That’s right – it’s here: 105F degrees in the shade. This is the weather that requires me to be doing one of two things: swimming or hiding out in the air conditioning. I’m a little surprised 105F has joined us in June, but that’s what’s happening. And we’re all sweaty.
While I couldn’t serve ice on ice (although I was tempted), I found a summery-festive collection of dishes to try. They’re simple and sweet, so you can spend more time laughing with friends.
What sounds good to you?*
Dutch Potato Salad | Huzarensalade [Recipe] This is not your grandmother’s potato salad. Unless, of course, she’s Dutch. In all seriousness, this salad is an entire meal. She’s not only loaded up with sweet corn, salty gherkins, tart apples, smoky ham, and fresh parsley – she’s also surrounded with an assortment of salad items like cucumber, carrot, tomato, lettuce, and hard-boiled egg.
Dutch Spice Cake on a Rope | Ontbijtkoek [Recipe]
A much beloved treat, traditionally eaten in honor of the Queen’s birthday, but also very popular at children’s birthday parties in the Netherlands. The actual event of eating the cake on strings is called Koekhappen. As you can see from the picture, eating Ontbijtkoek this way is quite the Adventure.
Dutch Sprinkles n’ Bread | Hagelslag [Recipe]
Greet the smiling sun like a Dutch person – with a huge bite of buttered bread and hagelslag (a.k.a. sprinkles). It’s a little like eating a doughnut, without the bellyache.
*All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.
If you like windmills, green pastures, unusual architecture, a dollop of Indonesian culture, and being way, way below sea level, then our week at the Dutch Global Table is for you. But first, let’s start with the basics. We have lots of names to keep track of. The country goes by the Netherlands and Holland (Holland being reserved for when her territories are also being referred to). Regardless, her people are called the Dutch and 25% of their land is below sea level and twice that no more than 1 foot above sea level, giving the country yet one more name: “The Low Country.”
The Cube Houses in Rotterdam, The Netherlands viewed from Blaak Subway Station. Photo by Cmglee.
It’s funny to be spending a week on the food of Netherlands during 101F days, since this isn’t really her element. In fact, there’s a wintery-crunchy-leaves-snowy-skies sort of feel to the place which is reflected in the food. Most Dutch food is hearty and homey – sausages, potatoes, soups, stewed meat (hachee), and thick brown gravies. They are known for a fantastic potato salad, loaded up with all manner of goodness [Recipe]. Great cheese and butter also come from this region. For vegetables, favorites include Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, and cabbage. Carrots and onions are mashed with potatoes – this is called hutspot.
Man in snow from 1960. Windmill in the snow. Photos courtesy of Nationaal Archief Fotocollectie Anefo and Rasbak.
Even with all that hearty food, a nice summery meal is still possible. On the balmy summer days, one might make a meal of potato salad with chopped veggies, steamed asparagus wrapped in ham, or even fish (sometimes battered and fried as with kibbeling, other times served pickled as with herring).
There is a huge Indonesian influence on Dutch cuisine as well, thanks to former colonial days. You’ll find glutinous rice used in various ways, most notably in a rice and custard pie of sorts called rijstevlaai from southern Netherlands. There’s also dishes like nasi goreng [recipe], which we made when we cooked Indonesia. This vegetarian fried rice is loaded with sweet shallots, kecap manis (apparently the predecessor to ketchup), and topped with a beautiful fried egg.
When it comes to sweets, the Dutch have a few fun tricks up their sleeves. There are tons of apple fritters, pies, and tarts, but one of the all-time favorite breakfast sweets is hagelslag, served as buttered bread loaded up with a “hailstorm” of high quality chocolate sprinkles [Recipe]. Chocolate doesn’t have to be in sprinkles to be enjoyed, however, as chocolate milk and hot chocolate are beloved as well. And on Saint Nicolas Eve (December 5) children often find the first letter of their name in chocolate as a gift, supposedly from Saint Nicolas himself.
If chocolate isn’t your thing…. well… there’s still a ton of options. For starters, there’s gingerbread [recipe] and Ontbijtkoek, or Dutch spice cake [Recipe], which is used in elaborate celebrations for the Queen’s birthday. Think cake hanging from strings for all to eat.
Cake on strings. Hanging from the sky. For all the people.
Let them eat cake, indeed.
Thirsty? Wash it all down with a beer (anyone up for a glass of the famous Heineken?)
Maps and flag courtesy CIA World Factbook. Bakery in Amsterdam, by Yair Haklai.
After a few minutes of rummaging through the kitchen, I find a plastic bottle in the refrigerator door, half full of water. The bottle is from Ava’s trip to the zoo a couple of weeks ago and is covered with tigers, zebras, and lions. Apparently, it’s the only bottle in the house.
I remove the lid and slowly begin to fill it with iced coffee.
For an odd, fleeting moment, I find myself wishing I had more plastic bottles laying around to use. I shake my head at the silliness.
“What are you doing, mama?” Ava asks, standing on tiptoe to peer over the counter. Her head is now a good few inches above the counter, growing taller every day.
“This is a grownup drink enjoyed in Nauru, made with coffee and milk,” I say, and offer her a tall glass of milk so she doesn’t feel left out.
They drink their iced coffee out of old water bottles” I say. “It helps them make less trash.”
Ava’s eyes gets big.
“It’s good to use things more than once, if you can. To reuse things.”
“Like my purple bathing suit?”
I give her a hug and laugh. But she’s right, too.
“Sure! Imagine if you threw out your bathing suit every time you wore it. How weird would that be?”
Explaining the three “R’s” of recycling to my daughter feels so grown up. And perhaps a little abstract.
I want her to know about it, though, and Nauru seems as good a time as ever. At only 8 square miles, Nauru uses a lot of bottles. 20,000 per month (according to the Nauru Country Study Guide by Ibp USA). That’s 240,000 bottles a year. According to the same study, about 10% of the bottles are used to sell water or iced coffee.
When you live in a large country – so large you can’t see end to end unless sitting on top of the moon, it’s easy to lose track of why recycling matters. This week we can thank Nauru for giving us a fresh dose of perspective.
The cold-brew method is totally fantastic. The flavor is smooth and robust without a trace of bitterness. I also love adding a half ton of milk, which is very typical of Nauru. I’ll be drinking a decaf version of this all summer long.
What I loved least about this drink:
I had two …. not so ideal … tasters for this drink. A child who can’t drink coffee and a man who loathes coffee. To his credit, Mr. Picky sipped it twice before pushing it my way and saying “no thanks.” When I asked him what he thought of it he said, rather dryly, “like coffee.” Apparently all the sugar and milk in the world won’t make him like coffee.
This was grand fun – we’ve already done it several times and have thoroughly enjoyed the fries. They taste like hearty steak fries and are great with anything – we can confirm not only the coconut crusted fish, but the wonderful Grilled Tuna Steaks with Garlic and Butter from East Timor which we ate on Father’s Day weekend.
What I loved least about this dish:
Nothing. They are fantastic. Please keep in mind this is not a crispy fry, but more like those thick, soft steak fries you get in restaurants (with the bonus, of course, of loads of great char flavor). Yumm. Be sure to add plenty of salt, pepper, and oil so they don’t stick (I had no issues with sticking)
This fish recipe so fantastically easy to make and, as an added bonus, introduced my family to a new kind of fish. Pacific Rockfish is so much nicer than many fishes we’ve tried, and is quite similar to cod (which, having been born on Cape Cod, is a personal favorite). This cooks up quick and tastes like summer. This was a favorite across the board. Ava gobbled it up as did I … and Mr Picky tried to eat some of ours he liked it so much.
What I loved least about this dish:
Nothing. Feel free to vary it up and add some heat with extra spices if you’d like but I really think this is aces just as it is.
I like to do what makes sense. And in Nauru fish is the natural meal, considering beautiful, fresh fish can be found just two steps outside of most people’s doors. People love to eat it any which way – particularly on the grill, deep fried and pan fried. Today we’re doing a crispy coconut crusted rockfish – a fish native to the Pacific waters as a nod to our Nauruan friends. This fish is light, flaky and has a wonderful mild flavor, rather like cod.
After gentle panfrying, squeeze on fresh lime juice and welcome to happy town.
Ava can show you how it’s done.
She was…
… a fan!
Ingredients:
6 fillets of Pacific Rockfish, or other fish of choice
salt & pepper
For the breading:
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 egg
coconut oil, for pan frying (about 1/4 cup for an 1o inch pan)
1-2 limes, sliced
Method:
First, stir together soft mountains of breadcrumbs and snowy coconut.
Next, whisk together an egg. Look at this pretty shell. This egg comes from a pasture-raised egg…
… and is has the most glorious orange yolk. Yay for happy chickens!
Now, you have a breading setup, including the fish, the breadcrumb mixture and the egg.
(P.S. Don’t forget to salt and pepper the fish.)
Dip both sides of the fish in the egg and then coat with a happy smattering of coconut bread crumbs. I like to spoon them over and give them a little pat to make sure they are pressed on there well.
Shake off any excess coating and fry the fillets over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, depending on the size of the fillet. I only had room to cook two at a time so, as they were done, I kept them warm in a 200F oven until they were all ready.
Serve with plenty of fresh limes.
Just beautiful.
Welcome to a fresh summer afternoon in Nauru.
Coral reef on the beach in Nauru. Photo by D-Online
We’d eat this any day of the week.
Enjoy, my friends!
Coconut Crusted Fish
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In Nauru fish is the natural meal, considering beautiful, fresh fish can be found just two steps outside of most people’s doors. People love to eat it any which way – particularly on the grill, deep fried and pan fried. Today we’re doing a crispy coconut crusted rockfish – a fish native to the Pacific waters as a nod to our Nauruan friends. This fish is light, flaky and has a wonderful mild flavor, rather like cod.
In Nauru fish is the natural meal, considering beautiful, fresh fish can be found just two steps outside of most people’s doors. People love to eat it any which way – particularly on the grill, deep fried and pan fried. Today we’re doing a crispy coconut crusted rockfish – a fish native to the Pacific waters as a nod to our Nauruan friends. This fish is light, flaky and has a wonderful mild flavor, rather like cod.
coconut oil, for pan frying (about 1/4 cup for 10" pan)
1-2limes, sliced
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
First, stir together soft mountains of breadcrumbs and snowy coconut on a small plate.
Next, whisk together an egg in a second small plate or shallow bowl.
Now, you have a breading setup, including the fish, the breadcrumb mixture and the egg.
Dip both sides of the fish in the egg and then coat with a happy smattering of coconut bread crumbs. I like to spoon them over and give them a little pat to make sure they are pressed on there well.
Shake off any excess coating and fry the fillets over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, depending on the size of the fillet. I only had room to cook two at a time so, as they were done, I kept them warm in a 200F oven until they were all ready.
Iced coffee doesn’t sound very exotic until you realize that it isn’t so much the coffee that is totally Nauru, but how they drink it.
If you pull up to a roadside shack and order an iced coffee you won’t have to …
… say tall, venti, or grande
… worry about what syrups, double whips, or skinnies you need to specify
… spend half a fortune, before tax
You will, however have a choice of …
… sugar or more sugar
… milk or more milk
… and, of course, whether you’d like your coffee in a plastic bottle or plastic tub
At only 8 square miles, Nauru uses a lot of bottles, mostly for drinking water – 20,000 per month (according to the Nauru Country Study Guide by Ibp USA). That’s 240,000 bottles a year. According to the same study, about 10% of the bottles are used to sell water or iced coffee in a localized recycling effort.
So, in the spirit of Nauru, if you have some extra plastic bottles or tubs (yes, tubs) laying around, feel free to fill them up with coffee.
I should add that, while I’m all about this glorious treat, iced coffee does give me the twitches, reminding me of my pre-pregnancy days when I guzzled caffeine as if my life depended on it. Since that time I cut out almost all coffee except decaf. That being said, if you’d like you can make this with decaf. No matter what you use, however, be sure to play around with the coffee quantities until you hit on something you like. I made this mix pretty strong because the fine folks of Nauru really like to “water it down” with milk (something I’m all for!)
For the iced coffee herself, I thought it’d be fun to try cold brew – the easiest way to make iced coffee and a way guaranteed not to heat up your house. Perfect for island living. Store it black and add milk when serving. It will keep longer this way.
Makes a gallon (or a 1/2 gallon of black iced coffee)
Ingredients:
2 cups ground coffee
2 quarts water
2 quarts milk, to be added during serving
sugar, to taste
Method
First, find a large glass container to brew the coffee. I used a large flour canister. Pour in the coffee grounds… the yummiest you can find.
Next splash on a crystal stream of water. You can use room temperature, from the tap, or filtered. Depends how fancy pants you want to be.
Is your mouth watering yet?
There will be some settling after five minutes. Give it a stir, cover and let sit at room temperature for about 8 hours.
Meanwhile take a walk around Nauru. She’s not very big (8 square miles), so go ahead – take your time.
Satellite image of Nauru. Photo courtesy of ARM Image Library.
When you get home, filter the coffee. I ladled it through a coffee filter sitting inside a strainer. Since there is so much coffee, I changed the filter a few times, being sure to squeeze out the grounds to get all the good stuff. This worked great! You can refrigerate the coffee at this point and sip on it all week.
Now, for the fun. To serve, pour the coffee over ice. Only go halfway up the glass.
Fill the other half with chilled, creamy milk. Sprinkle in sugar, to taste. Give it a stir.
Want a sip?
Of course, as I mentioned, if you want to be totally authentic, you’ll need to drink your iced coffee out of plastic containers.
Nauru Island. Courtesy: U.S. Department of Energy’s ARM Program.
P.S. Is Nauru in the water or floating in the sky?
Nauru's "Recycled" Iced Coffee
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At only 8 square miles, Nauru uses a lot of bottles, mostly for drinking water – 20,000 per month (according to the Nauru Country Study Guide by Ibp USA). That’s 240,000 bottles a year. According to the same study, about 10% of the bottles are used to sell water or iced coffee in a localized recycling effort.
So, in the spirit of Nauru, if you have some extra plastic bottles or tubs (yes, tubs) laying around, feel free to fill them up with coffee.
At only 8 square miles, Nauru uses a lot of bottles, mostly for drinking water – 20,000 per month (according to the Nauru Country Study Guide by Ibp USA). That’s 240,000 bottles a year. According to the same study, about 10% of the bottles are used to sell water or iced coffee in a localized recycling effort.
So, in the spirit of Nauru, if you have some extra plastic bottles or tubs (yes, tubs) laying around, feel free to fill them up with coffee.
First, find a large glass container to brew the coffee. I used a large flour canister. Pour in the coffee grounds… the yummiest you can find. Next splash on a crystal stream of water. You can use room temperature, from the tap, or filtered. Depends how fancy pants you want to be.
There will be some settling after five minutes. Give it a stir, cover and let sit at room temperature for about 8 hours.
Filter the coffee. I ladled it through a coffee filter sitting inside a strainer. Since there is so much coffee, I changed the filter a few times, being sure to squeeze out the grounds to get all the good stuff. This worked great! You can refrigerate the coffee at this point and sip on it all week.
Now, for the fun. To serve, pour the coffee over ice. Only go halfway up the glass. Fill the other half with chilled, creamy milk. Sprinkle in sugar, to taste. Give it a stir.
Recipe Notes
Makes 1 gallon or 1/2 gallon of black iced coffee.
Ok. So even in the summer I crave french fries. But I don’t crave heating up a big pot of oil inside the house. There’s a solution: grilled fries. The fine people of Nauru love their fries. While most of them enjoy deep-fried fries, we covered that with Belgium Pommes Frites. So, inspired by their island setting – where the fine people of Nauru love to grill – I thought it’d be fun to try grilled fries.
And it was fun.
In my research I found several ways to make these, including boiling the potatoes and then slicing (again, who wants to heat up the house with a big pot of bubbling water? Not me!).
I decided to try something different. Something simpler. I crossed my fingers, shut my eyes, and hoped against hope that it would work.
And it did.
Here is how I did it.
Sunset on Nauru. Photo by Clive Cooper.
Serves up to 5
Ingredients:
5 large yukon gold potatoes, washed
vegetable oil
salt & pepper
Method:
First, find the largest yukon gold potatoes you can. You can also use Russets, although they are a bit more temperamental and want to fall apart if you overcook them even the littlest bit.
Cook your potatoes on the second rack of your grill preheated to about 425F. You aren’t looking to completely cook them. You just want to get them started. These large ones took about 15 minutes. I did smaller ones and they only took 10 minutes.
Remove from grill and set aside until cool enough to handle – about ten minutes. Meanwhile, go for a walk or a jog on the airport runway, just like the locals. Don’t worry, you’ll be safe. Airplanes only land – at most – twice per week.
Nauru’s airport landing strip. Photo by Cedric Favero.
When you return home, cut open the potatoes there should be a circle of raw, light-colored potato in the middle. That’s good! If it’s all the same color you cooked them too long.
This raw area ensures that the potato will hold up to cutting without falling apart. It also keeps the thin section of the wedge from overcooking during the second grilling. Win-win!
Brush or toss in a shimmering sea of oil. Then sprinkle with several happy shakes of salt and pepper.
Grill on the lower part of your grill, on both sides, until as browned as you’d like. Be sure to oil the grill to help keep them from sticking.
The longer they sit there, the more charred they get. You’re looking for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on how you like ’em.
Serve immediately with ketchup.
Or whatever floats your Nauruan boat.
So what do you think… are Grilled Island Fries in your future?
Grilled Island Fries
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Ok. So even in the summer I crave french fries. But I don’t crave heating up a big pot of oil inside the house. There’s a solution: grilled fries. The fine people of Nauru love their fries. While most of them enjoy deep-fried fries, we covered that with Belgium Pommes Frites. So, inspired by their island setting – where the fine people of Nauru love to grill – I thought it’d be fun to try grilled fries.
Ok. So even in the summer I crave french fries. But I don’t crave heating up a big pot of oil inside the house. There’s a solution: grilled fries. The fine people of Nauru love their fries. While most of them enjoy deep-fried fries, we covered that with Belgium Pommes Frites. So, inspired by their island setting – where the fine people of Nauru love to grill – I thought it’d be fun to try grilled fries.
First, find the largest yukon gold potatoes you can. You can also use Russets, although they are a bit more temperamental and want to fall apart if you overcook them even the littlest bit. Cook your potatoes on the second rack of your grill preheated to about 425F. You aren’t looking to completely cook them. You just want to get them started. These large ones took about 15 minutes. I did smaller ones and they only took 10 minutes.
Remove from grill and set aside until cool enough to handle – about ten minutes. Meanwhile, cut open the potatoes there should be a circle of raw, light-colored potato in the middle. That’s good! If it’s all the same color you cooked them too long. This raw area ensures that the potato will hold up to cutting without falling apart. It also keeps the thin section of the wedge from overcooking during the second grilling. Win-win!
Brush or toss in a shimmering sea of oil. Then sprinkle with several happy shakes of salt and pepper. Grill on the lower part of your grill, on both sides, until as browned as you’d like. Be sure to oil the grill to help keep them from sticking.
The longer they sit there, the more charred they get. You’re looking for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on how you like ‘em.
See the look on our faces? Yep. This week’s menu for Nauru reflects fun, easy breezy island fare – all you need is one bite to feel the joy. The only thing we’re missing is the ocean breeze. I can’t decide if the best part is making fries on a grill, the simplicity of fresh pan-fried fish, or drinking iced coffee out of plastic bottles. What!? What.
Seriously. Stay tuned for more explanation on that.
What sounds good to you?
Grilled Island Fries [Recipe]
This week the Nauruan love of all things grilled inspires me to toss French fries on the grill. It’s a little crazy and a lot delicious. Especially once you learn the secret to doing it right every single time.
Coconut Crusted Fish [Recipe]
A super simple way to cook fish, dipped in egg, then coated with a mixture of shredded coconut and breadcrumbs. The finishing touch? A hearty squeeze of fresh lime juice.
“Recycled” Iced Coffee [Recipe]
Come with me on an iced coffee journey which begins with a smooth pitcher of cold brewed grounds and ends with a plastic bottle filled with iced coffee. Totally Nauru-style.
*All recipes and the meal review will be posted throughout the week.
P.S. Last night I was up late, eating Afghanistan with a friend who has just set out on her Global Table Adventure. ♥ Where are YOU on your Adventure? Have you begun eating the world? Are you having fun yet? What’s stopping you?! (P.S. I put up this photo of her dinner on our Facebook Fan Page, feel free to do the same…. I love seeing photos and hearing stories about your meals)
Coral reef on the beach in Nauru. Photo by D-Online
If you’re the kind of lost soul who loves isolation, knowing your neighbors, and an ocean breeze, then Nauru is for you. Clocking in at just eight square miles, Nauru is the third smallest country in the world (and the smallest island nation). With more than three hundred miles between her and the closest piece of land, well, I can’t help but be amazed that anyone found their way to Nauru in the first place, let alone make their home there. I mean, what are the odds?
So let’s figure out what’s for eats on this little island.
Photos courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy's ARM Program.
As you can probably imagine based on the size of Nauru, not a lot of food grows here. Once host to lush forests, Nauru is now stripped almost bare with poor soil. Coconut and pandan fruit are about all you’ll find. Of course, off the island you’ll find a teeming buffet, filled with as much seafood as your net/rod/spear can capture. Coconut fish is on every menu [recipe].
The old (warrior suit from 1891. Photo by Daderot) contrasted with the new (Pizza shop in Aiue Boulevard at Aiwo, Nauru. Photo by CdaMVvWgS)
The majority of the food in Nauru is shipped in every six weeks. As the entire population counts down the boat’s arrival there’s an eerie echo in the grocery stores; aisle after aisle sits empty, while a few token items cling on until restocking day. If you ask the average person, their diet consists of grilled or fried fish, french fries [recipe], hamburgers, pizza, and Chinese food (including the ever popular twist of spam fried rice). Unfortunately, there’s hardly anything green to be found in a Nauruan meal.
If all this rich food has made you thirsty, saddle up to the nearest food shack. The national drink is considered iced coffee, loaded up with as much sugar as you can stand and plenty of milk [recipe].
In preparation for this week’s Global Table I watched this fascinating News clip on the food and people of Nauru (it’s about 7 minutes long). If you have the time, I’d highly recommend it to get a better picture. Never mind the sensational title.
Maps & flag courtesy CIA World Factbook. Buildings are the government (left) & parliament (right) of Nauru. Photo by Porthos Bop
Slowly, slowly I fold the momos, turning them into little moons. I am relaxed. My fingers work, awkwardly at first, but gradually pick up a gentle, gliding smoothness as my muscles memorize the steps. Folding these dumplings feels like meditation. Whenever I try to rush the process, everything collapses and the folding becomes a source of frustration instead of peace.
So I keep my movements measured and slow. I keep a towel under my elbows, to catch stray bits of filling. I continue, remembering that the process is as important as the final dish.
Photo of Nepalese woman by Tevaprapas Makklay.
This night we share dinner with our friends Annie, Scott and their daughter Bea. We eat with great relish – while the kids go crazy for the dhal baht and besan burfi, we adults fixate on the momos. They taste gingery and cabbagy and bright. We dunk them in sauces and smile.
Eventually we move outside to sit in the starlight, by the flickering chiminea. Conversation turns to our children and the choices we make to give them the best chance at a happy, fulfilled life. Within this discussion comes the concept of creativity and how to best bring it out in our children.
Annie says something remarkable – that she loves her 2 1/2 year-old daughter’s drawing style – how her little hands illustrate strawberries. So simple and in this simplicity, perfection. Annie doesn’t wish to influence her. She is hesitant to draw around her, in case it changes Bea’s free-spirited approach.
I can relate. Ava thinks of grass as green and the sun as having rays shooting out in all directions. I take care to show her pictures of yellow, brown and even purple grasses, as well as sunsets that look like firey pools in the sky, with not a single ray in sight. Even still, our culture is filled with so many simplifications.
All week thoughts of creativity have been mulling around in my head. And then one of our longtime readers (she found us in the very beginning, almost 2 1/2 years ago), Jessica, suggested a Nepali documentary called “A Gift for the Village.” This is about an artist, Vance, who is the first westerner and the first female in history granted permission to paint a Tibetan lineage painting of an accomplished Tibetan amchi. The painting takes 10 months to finish and the film recounts the odyssey to bring the painting to Tibet and the celebration that ensues. Here is the trailer to the film and the web site.
Photo of Amchi, courtesy of http://www.agiftforthevillage.com There are more detailed photos of the painting on the web site.
“A Gift for the Village” really changed my thinking on creativity. Or at least broadened my thoughts. You see, what is remarkable about this artist is that she is transcribing the life of a great man, as well as representing it in the traditional Tibetan style. So much of her work is essentially “copying” tradition, yet the end result shows more creativity and beauty than many paintings which stand completely alone.
What does it mean to be creative? I’m not totally sure. In many cases it is creating something new. But it might be as simple as giving a beautiful “spin” to an established tradition. As with the case of Amchi, it just might be perfecting something many have done a hundred thousand times before.
The satisfaction of learning how to make momos is fantastic. While these little pockets of Nepali goodness took quite a bit of work, I felt like the results were worth the effort. I especially enjoyed “mastering” (I use this term, of course, very loosely) how to crimp the momos. The flavor was simple – mostly cabbage with a ginger, carrot, and turmeric. I loved that the turmeric gave the momos a sunrise hue, making them a little more special than ordinary dumplings.
All the adults at the table enjoyed them and there wasn’t one left at the end of the meal. Ava enjoyed the outer wrapper with a bit of the filling but didn’t really “go for it”… although the next day i cooked up some leftovers with Chinese noodles and she ate it all up. Sometimes it can be easier to feed toddlers a deconstructed meal and they are more willing to sample it.
What I loved least about this dish:
These take a bit of work, but as I described above, if you spend some time relaxed and thoughtful as you make the momos, the process will be rewarding and enjoyable. On another note, I wasn’t too sure on the cooking time. Every recipe I saw said just a few minutes but since mine were made with wonton wrappers it takes quite a bit of time for the steam to penetrate through the wrappers and cook them. You’ll just have to check them, depending on what kind of wrapper you use. The wait is worth it though!
Oh, the glories of simply spiced split peas. This is a winner – the entire family, including our guests, enjoyed the dhal. I had my doubts as to whether or not Mr Picky would go for it, but he ate it all up with gusto. The biggest hit, however, was with the children. It’s so nice to see kids loving a completely healthy (and bonus, vegan) meal.
These dense treats are sweet, floral and so out of the ordinary. Our friends loved the besan burfi so much that they joked, as they took half the leftovers home, that they’d have to fight over who gets to eat them. Mr Picky said it best when he cried “Take this away! If you leave these here I’ll just keep eating until I’m sick.”
What I loved least about this dish:
While this is very good, I can only eat besan burfi in moderation. It is intensely sweet and needs to be served with tea. In Nepal the traditional accompaniment would be butter tea, not unlike what I made for Mongolia (minus the butter toasted millet). Ava didn’t want to try it, maybe some other time!
If you wake up in Nepal, chances are you’ll be eating Dhal Baht. In fact, you’ll probably also eat Dhal Bhat as the sun bobs below the horizon. Nothing wrong with eating the same dish twice in one day. There’s a beautiful simplicity in waking up and knowing that, as certain as the sun will circle the sky, there will be Dhal Bhat.
Ah, yes. There’s something to be said for consistency.
And for not having to make quite so many decisions during the day.
I’m not sure what in my life is that certain. Perhaps my daily cups of tea. All day long I drink glass after glass of the stuff.
This fancy name simply means lentils, split peas, or other pulses (dhal) with rice (baht), but each bite reveals so much more.
This might as well be the national dish of Nepal. While rice doesn’t grow well in the mountains, this is a dish from the valleys. The seasonings in Dhal vary widely, but most commonly this soup-of-sorts contains tomato, turmeric, ginger, onion, and garlic. A sprinkle of earthy cumin seeds rounds out each spoonful.
Home amid the rice. Photo by Julesair. Winnowing Rice in Nepal. Photo by KenWalker.
P.S. This is fabulous toddler food. Nourishing and grand.
Let’s make our Dhal Baht in a valley. A glorious, golden valley.
Swayambhunath in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Photo by Dhilung Kirat.
Now wash sunshiny split peas 3 times in a bowl of cold water, drain, and set aside.
Next, peel, chop, grate, and dice your way through the rest of the ingredients.
Next, time to get cooking. Fry the cumin seeds and turmeric in oil until the house smells like delight (about one minute). This is when you add the onion, garlic and ginger – which will only make the aroma more perfect. Cook until the onion is softened and beginning to brown. Then add on a heap of chopped red tomatoes, yellow split peas, 6 cups of water, and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for at least an hour, adding remaining 2 cups of water to taste (if a thinner mixture is desired). Meanwhile, take a stroll by a stream in a golden-green valley. Let your thoughts lift away from you, like a heavy fog, and feel the smiles return.
Ripuk within the Barun Valley. Photo by Dhilung.
A note on the cooking time:
I had my dhal baht on a slow bubble all afternoon and it was divine, especially around the two hour mark when the split peas really softened. I’m thinking this would be a great recipe for the slow-cooker (let us know how it goes if you give it a try).
Right before serving, check the seasonings and adjust as needed. Give it all a stir to combine any liquid (it tends to separate if it sits too long).
You can serve the dhal in one bowl and the rice in another. Combine at will!
Be sure to take a bite of rice and split peas together. Yummers.
Just look at this smile! This is Ava’s friend Bea and she ate an entire bowl.
Photo of Hilary Bridge, Khumbu Valley, Nepal by Simons Images
Glorious.
Here’s wishing you a happy wander through the valley.
May it always be filled with sunshine or a friendly hand to hold.
Vegan Spiced Yellow Split Peas | Dhal Baht
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If you wake up in Nepal, chances are you’ll be eating Dhal Baht. In fact, you’ll probably also eat Dhal Bhat as the sun bobs below the horizon. Nothing wrong with eating the same dish twice in one day. There’s a beautiful simplicity in waking up and knowing that, as certain as the sun will circle the sky, there will be Dhal Bhat.
This might as well be the national dish of Nepal. While rice doesn’t grow well in the mountains, this is a dish from the valleys. The seasonings in Dhal vary widely, but most commonly this soup-of-sorts contains tomato, turmeric, ginger, onion, and garlic. A sprinkle of earthy cumin seeds rounds out each spoonful.
Serve with rice.
If you wake up in Nepal, chances are you’ll be eating Dhal Baht. In fact, you’ll probably also eat Dhal Bhat as the sun bobs below the horizon. Nothing wrong with eating the same dish twice in one day. There’s a beautiful simplicity in waking up and knowing that, as certain as the sun will circle the sky, there will be Dhal Bhat.
This might as well be the national dish of Nepal. While rice doesn’t grow well in the mountains, this is a dish from the valleys. The seasonings in Dhal vary widely, but most commonly this soup-of-sorts contains tomato, turmeric, ginger, onion, and garlic. A sprinkle of earthy cumin seeds rounds out each spoonful.
Serve with rice.
Wash sunshiny split peas 3 times in a bowl of cold water, drain, and set aside. Next, peel, chop, grate, and dice your way through the rest of the ingredients.
Fry the cumin seeds and turmeric in oil until the house smells like delight (about one minute). This is when you add the onion, garlic and ginger – which will only make the aroma more perfect. Cook until the onion is softened and beginning to brown. Then add on a heap of chopped red tomatoes, yellow split peas, 6 cups of water, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for at least an hour, adding remaining 2 cups of water to taste (if a thinner mixture is desired).
Recipe Notes
A note on the cooking time:
I had my dhal baht on a slow bubble all afternoon and it was divine, especially around the two hour mark when the split peas really softened. I’m thinking this would be a great recipe for the slow-cooker (let us know how it goes if you give it a try).
Right before serving, check the seasonings and adjust as needed. Give it all a stir to combine any liquid (it tends to separate if it sits too long).
You can serve the dhal in one bowl and the rice in another. Combine at will!
No matter where you live in this great, glorious world, you know someone with a mega sweet tooth. Someone who can’t get enough of the sugary, fingerlickin’ foods. This person can’t be trusted with a cookie jar and – I’m here to tell you right now – they most certainly can’t be trusted alone with a platter of Besan Burfi. And, really, can you blame them?
Besan Burfi, popular throughout Nepal and India, tastes a little like sugar cookie dough… a little like a dreamy pistachio flower … and a lot like, well, happiness. The “fudge” is made with ghee, chickpea flour and sugar. Every bite is an outrageous crunch of crystalized goodness. When topped off with a smattering of cardamom and pistachios, you’ll find these make for a rich and irresistible snack.
A snack, in fact, that makes you repeat to yourself “curiouser and curiouser.”
So come on down the rabbit hole. Never mind that this “fudge” is made with besan, a.k.a chickpea flour. That sounds entirely too healthy and … beany. Trust me. This turns everything you knew about chickpeas all around and upside down.
Two girls seeking shadow on Bodnath Temple. Bodnath is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the area of Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo by Luca Galuzzi.
Makes enough to fill a 12×6 area (enough for a party).
Ingredients:
2 cups coarse grind chickpea flour (ladu besan, available at Indian grocers)
1 cup melted ghee
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp cardamom, plus a sprinkle for garnish
1/2 cup roughly crushed shelled pistachios.
Method:
First, find yourself a kitchen in a beautiful, sunny part of Nepal. I’m going to Kathmandu and you can join me if you’d like. Lets meet by the flower pots.
Kathmandu. Photo by Xiquinho.
Now for the ingredients. You can probably find ghee at your local supermarket, but the ladu besan will be at your Indian market. This type of coarse ground chickpea flour is important as it gives the dessert characteristic crunchy texture.
Now put on a smile and get cookin’. Melt the ghee in a large pot or skillet.
Whisk in a flurry of chickpea flour.
Simmer. The mixture will go from smooth and shiny to thickened. Keep whisking. Finally, after several minutes, the ghee will separate out from the chickpea flour in golden pools. This is how you know you’re ready for the next step.
Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Then add the sugar and cardamom.
You wait to add the sugar because you don’t want it to melt into the ghee. You want it to stay crystalized, for – again – major, happy crunch factor.
Spread the gloppy goup into a tray lined with aluminum foil. If your tray is too big, you can fold up the foil to create a new, tighter container. That’s what I did! Smooth with a spatula and top with plenty of pistachios.
Sprinkle with more cardamom, if desired. Just a pinch of a pinch is all you need.
Let set for several hours at room temperature or refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour. I prefer to refrigerate it, as this makes it easier to slice.
Lift the foil out of the tray and slice in diamonds or squares… as big or as little as you’d like.
Serve at room temperature.Enjoy and…
… always remember to eat with peace in your heart…
The World Peace monument in a pond next to a statue of the Buddha on a lotus in Swayambhunath temple site, Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo by Markus Koljonen.
Crystal Crunch "Fudge" | Besan Burfi
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Besan Burfi, popular throughout Nepal and India, tastes a little like sugar cookie dough… a little like a dreamy pistachio flower … and a lot like, well, happiness. The “fudge” is made with ghee, chickpea flour and sugar. Every bite is an outrageous crunch of crystalized goodness. When topped off with a smattering of cardamom and pistachios, you’ll find these make for a rich and irresistible snack.
A snack, in fact, that makes you repeat to yourself “curiouser and curiouser.”
Besan Burfi, popular throughout Nepal and India, tastes a little like sugar cookie dough… a little like a dreamy pistachio flower … and a lot like, well, happiness. The “fudge” is made with ghee, chickpea flour and sugar. Every bite is an outrageous crunch of crystalized goodness. When topped off with a smattering of cardamom and pistachios, you’ll find these make for a rich and irresistible snack.
A snack, in fact, that makes you repeat to yourself “curiouser and curiouser.”
You can probably find ghee at your local supermarket, but the ladu besan will be at your Indian market. This type of coarse ground chickpea flour is important as it gives the dessert characteristic crunchy texture.
Melt the ghee in a large pot or skillet.
Whisk in a flurry of chickpea flour.
Simmer. The mixture will go from smooth and shiny to thickened. Keep whisking. Finally, after several minutes, the ghee will separate out from the chickpea flour in golden pools. This is how you know you're ready for the next step.
Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Then add the sugar and cardamom.
You wait to add the sugar because you don’t want it to melt into the ghee. You want it to stay crystallized, for – again – major, happy crunch factor.
Spread the gloppy goup into a tray lined with aluminum foil. If your tray is too big, you can fold up the foil to create a new, tighter container. That’s what I did! Smooth with a spatula and top with plenty of pistachios. Sprinkle with more cardamom, if desired.
Let sit for several hours at room tempature or refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour.
Today let’s stove top travel to Nepal, sit in the afternoon sunshine, and make our own little mountain ranges, good enough to eat. Momos are carefully folded dumplings, each crease like a ridge in the most glorious of mountains, Mount Everest. (Did you know Nepal has 8/1o of the world’s tallest mountains?)
This is a recipe for quiet days. Contemplative days. Days when you want to be more, learn more… and find out what you’re made of. With each fold you evolve. Listening becomes easier. Being present is the only option.
Today’s recipe is entirely vegetarian, made from a a traditional combination of cabbage and carrot, seasoned with golden turmeric, fresh ginger and sweet onion. You’ll find similar recipes south, towards India and across Tibet, through China.
From what I understand you can fold your momos in circles or half moons. The circles are typically used for meat while the half moons are typically reserved for vegetarian. You can also steam or deep fry them, although steaming is the most popular.
Annapurna massif panorama near Manang village, Nepal. Photo by Dmitry A. Mottl.
NOTE: In case you don’t use it all up, extra filling is great-fried in ghee and tossed with Chinese noodles.
First, hike to a snowy, sundrenched mountaintop. Set up your kitchen here, in the mountain’s cloudy delight.
The hidden valley. Photo by Donald Macauley.
Next, grate, chop, and shred your way through a colorful collection of veggies. Hum and tip-tap to local music while you work.
To get the cabbage as fine as possible, cut it first in strips, then crosswise to make small dice. The smaller the pieces, the easier it is to stuff the momos.
Ah… now we’re ready to go. Time to make the house smell like “good.”
Cook the fresh ginger and golden turmeric in oil for about a minute, until the fragrance makes your mouth curl up into a smile, despite yourself. Add onion and cabbage, then season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and neon yellow (that’s thanks to the turmeric).
Remove the glorious, florescent mixture from the heat. Stir in the deep orange carrots. Set the vivid mixture aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make friends with that Yak that’s been watching you. Hello, yak!
(Psst… how many M’s can you find in this photo? I found five … so far.)
A yak in the mountains of Nepal. Photo by Rudy Ayala.
Now, time to get serious. Time to do a momo-folding meditation. Get comfortable. Relax. Invite a friend, if you’d like.
How to fold the Momos:
First, add a bit of water around the inside edge of the wrapper, then add a small spoonful of stuffing. To make the half moon shape you must use round wrappers (you can just cut them with a cookie cutter if they are square, that’s what I did).
Next, use your fingers to pinch together a little mountain ridge.
Press that ridge down towards you, crimping together the edge.
Now create a second ridge by pressing the top layer of dough together again.
And fold it over towards you. Look, two pretty mountain ridges:
Keep going until you have a line of beautiful, evenly spaced ridges. The momos will naturally curve like the moon as you go.
Let’s review.
Keep going. Keep smiling. Let your mind wander and ponder… and wander some more.
Photo of Nepalese woman by Tevaprapas Makklay.
Slowly fill a tray…
… enough to share with friends, friends of friends, and not yet friends.
Here’s one for you!
Steam in an oiled steamer (metal is traditional, but I used bamboo and that worked wonderfully as well) until the dough is cooked through.
NOTE: Mine took about 30 minutes. Depending on what wrappers you use, cooking times will most likely vary. Please adjust as needed. I consider this a great excuse to sample the momos as you go!
While you wait for the momos to cook, gather with friends and chat about beautiful Nepal. Put a pin in your map. Or scratch it.
(seriously… have you see these “scratch off” maps? They are so super fun. Special thanks to Annie and family for Ava’s new map! She loves marking the places we’ve eaten.)
Serve with chili sauce, achar, or even soy sauce. I used sirracha, because that’s what I had in the fridge.
Enjoy these mountains for your mouth.
P.S. Remember, that’s what life is all about… one mountain after another. We spend more time climbing than sitting at the summit, so be sure to look around and enjoy the process.
Vegetarian Momos
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This is a recipe for quiet days. Contemplative days. Days when you want to be more, learn more… and find out what you’re made of. With each fold you evolve. Listening becomes easier. Being present is the only option.
Today’s recipe is entirely vegetarian, made from a a traditional combination of cabbage and carrot, seasoned with golden turmeric, fresh ginger and sweet onion. You’ll find similar recipes south, towards India and across Tibet, through China.
From what I understand you can fold your momos in circles or half moons. The circles are typically used for meat while the half moons are typically reserved for vegetarian. You can also steam or deep fry them, although steaming is the most popular.
This is a recipe for quiet days. Contemplative days. Days when you want to be more, learn more… and find out what you’re made of. With each fold you evolve. Listening becomes easier. Being present is the only option.
Today’s recipe is entirely vegetarian, made from a a traditional combination of cabbage and carrot, seasoned with golden turmeric, fresh ginger and sweet onion. You’ll find similar recipes south, towards India and across Tibet, through China.
From what I understand you can fold your momos in circles or half moons. The circles are typically used for meat while the half moons are typically reserved for vegetarian. You can also steam or deep fry them, although steaming is the most popular.
Grate, chop, and shred your way through a colorful collection of veggies.
To get the cabbage as fine as possible, cut it first in strips, then crosswise to make small dice. The smaller the pieces, the easier it is to stuff the momos.
Cook the fresh ginger and golden turmeric in oil for about a minute.
Add onion and cabbage, then season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and neon yellow (that’s thanks to the turmeric).
Remove the glorious, florescent mixture from the heat. Stir in the deep orange carrots. Set the vivid mixture aside to cool.
How to fold the Momos:
First, add a bit of water around the inside edge of the wrapper, then add a small spoonful of stuffing. To make the half moon shape you must use round wrappers (you can just cut them with a cookie cutter if they are square, that’s what I did).
Next, use your fingers to pinch together a little mountain ridge.
Press that ridge down towards you, crimping together the edge.
Now create a second ridge by pressing the top layer of dough together again.
And fold it over towards you.
Keep going until you have a line of beautiful, evenly spaced ridges. The momos will naturally curve like the moon as you go.
Steam in an oiled steamer (metal is traditional, but I used bamboo and that worked wonderfully as well) until the dough is cooked through.
NOTE: Mine took about 30 minutes. Depending on what wrappers you use, cooking times will most likely vary. Please adjust as needed. I consider this a great excuse to sample the momos as you go!
Serve with chili sauce, achar, or even soy sauce. I used sirracha, because that’s what I had in the fridge.
