My last night here in Maryland, I came to understand what it is to pack up your life into two impossibly small, unbelievably heavy suitcases in order to take a chance on an unknown place where a new space awaits.
Come Monday, when most people are returning to their regularly scheduled schoolwork, jobs, or otherwise, I will be a shiny new teaching intern in the mountains of Malawi: Dedza, the site of the Malawian College of Forestry. My job in the Peace Corps will necessarily involve teaching, but I will be there to first help improve secondary schools at the grassroots, community level (read: they are not a government priority, yet). I will train in a village-based "cluster," so it will be less like sitting through classes and more like taking the jalopy out for a spin with my brand new PC buds. I can picture it now: "Does anyone know what that road sign back there meant?"
I will be living in a "homestay" for the three months of teacher training, so I'll get an intimate glimpse into - and a chance to be a part of - the Malawian family. Imagine intensive language classes until noon, working in the classroom until dinner, and then coming home to a "mom" or "sister" speaking to you rapidly in a language you're just beginning to grasp. Talk about a brain workout! Throw in pit latrines and bathing under the stars, and you might harken back to summer camp with the soundtrack on mute.
It won't be so bad. I'm actually very excited for the new language - but the intensive immersion training is a new thing for me, so all sorts of scenarios (like the previous one, for example) are playing out in my head. I am not sure what language I'll be learning, even though I have done some work with Chichewa; I could be in a Chitimbuka-dominant area too.
Most everyone wants to know how I'm going to eat vegan in Africa. Well, if I wanted to do that, I'm sure I'd use my resources to find a way. That's not part of the plan, however; I feel that the protest of the Ag industry's careless practices is going to be really irrelevant in a place where a chicken is slaughtered in honor of a guest by the host family, right before being cooked -- and in a place where food production for export is much more important than importing fun things like tangelos from new zealand and bananas from guatemala. I have seeds to plant a garden, but you better believe I'm going to eat what is available for my own health as well as to show respect for my new home culture. Integration is about changing your ways - not demanding others cater to peculiar American preferences.
But you'll hear about all that when it comes to pass! This week of preparations has been wonderful for absorbing so much love from many friends who have taken the time to "see me off." Most of my relatives have given me their blessing, which means a lot; I don't come from a very adventuresome, service-oriented family, so the idea of it still seems a bit left-field to them. But they have come to understand my passion and commitment, and are supporting me as best they can -- and that's all I could have wanted. I feel strongly now that the life I have had here has been very full of good people, and I am sad that I'm leaving it at such a time -- even though my departing caused so many great visits! I choose to interpret these events to mean that there is much to come back to, and that I have many examples of good people to enrich my life in the US.
It's time to switch over to the travel blog, and I'll write there as much as I can. I encourage any and all of you to drop me a letter in the mail, because it only costs 94 cents, and because I'd love to hear from you about the familiar and comforting details of home! Especially election drama.
25.9.08
13.9.08
So happy together..
It's been a week since I packed my bags and said goodbye to my summer home, the co-op on G street in Southeast DC. I miss the house and the housemates something awful. Here's a not-so-little brainstorm/torrent about what I loved about it.
My first success in sharing a bedroom.
Always finding someone around to chat with.
More politics than a Georgetown library.
Being a stone's throw away from Eastern Market, where I managed to consistently get a week's worth of groceries for about $20.
A well-equipped kitchen and a free shelf to scrounge when I was too lazy to cook.
Cute little mice to keep us guessing in the kitchen.
A garden to toil in, to harvest tomatoes, squash, basil, peppers, and sunflowers from, and to compost in.
Housemates who understood, respected, and catered to my peculiar diet.
Folks interested in good books, good music, far-flung travel, serious documentaries and lectures, patriotic parades, afternoons in the Library of Congress or Ebenezer's Cafe, a good game of scrabble, or a night of karaoke.
A lax policy on drinking in a quaker-owned rowhouse.
A cute, safe neighborhood with kind neighbors and tidy front yards.
A five minute walk to the metro stop.
Amazing rent prices for volunteers and interns.
Nightly games of "tennis" and "soccer" at the nearby park.
Walking everywhere.
Magnolia trees and lavender after the rains.
Sharing resources like laundry detergent, cooking oil, sugar, and toilet paper.
Ceiling fans with half the lightbulbs unplugged to save on electricity.
A great supply of tea and a water heater at the ready.
Room for my yoga mat.
A shower and chore schedule.
House meetings with hilarious, half-hour long icebreakers.
Connecting with friends of friends who share the same level of awareness and compassion.
Nightowls coexisting with morning glories.
A lending library almost bigger than my personal library.
Walks after dinner.
Staying around for an hour talking at dinnertime.
Housemates with lives as busy as mine.
Meeting housemates' friends and being comfortable with them very quickly.
Christians with high levels of tolerance and respect.
A guest policy welcoming people to eat and stay with us for free.
Fit and healthy girls to keep me inspired.
Two daily newspaper subscriptions.
Hanging out at the pool for the first time.
Complete dependence on public transportation.
Picnics on the mall or in the sculpture garden.
Nearby eco-bike tours and a neighborhood bike shop.
Concerts on the capitol lawn for fourth of july and memorial day.
Good listeners.
Cutting down internet use outside of work to the library or slow house computer only.
The house whiteboard for sharing messages.
A paid blockbuster account.
Togetherness and respect of each others' space.
My broadened worldview.
My first success in sharing a bedroom.
Always finding someone around to chat with.
More politics than a Georgetown library.
Being a stone's throw away from Eastern Market, where I managed to consistently get a week's worth of groceries for about $20.
A well-equipped kitchen and a free shelf to scrounge when I was too lazy to cook.
Cute little mice to keep us guessing in the kitchen.
A garden to toil in, to harvest tomatoes, squash, basil, peppers, and sunflowers from, and to compost in.
Housemates who understood, respected, and catered to my peculiar diet.
Folks interested in good books, good music, far-flung travel, serious documentaries and lectures, patriotic parades, afternoons in the Library of Congress or Ebenezer's Cafe, a good game of scrabble, or a night of karaoke.
A lax policy on drinking in a quaker-owned rowhouse.
A cute, safe neighborhood with kind neighbors and tidy front yards.
A five minute walk to the metro stop.
Amazing rent prices for volunteers and interns.
Nightly games of "tennis" and "soccer" at the nearby park.
Walking everywhere.
Magnolia trees and lavender after the rains.
Sharing resources like laundry detergent, cooking oil, sugar, and toilet paper.
Ceiling fans with half the lightbulbs unplugged to save on electricity.
A great supply of tea and a water heater at the ready.
Room for my yoga mat.
A shower and chore schedule.
House meetings with hilarious, half-hour long icebreakers.
Connecting with friends of friends who share the same level of awareness and compassion.
Nightowls coexisting with morning glories.
A lending library almost bigger than my personal library.
Walks after dinner.
Staying around for an hour talking at dinnertime.
Housemates with lives as busy as mine.
Meeting housemates' friends and being comfortable with them very quickly.
Christians with high levels of tolerance and respect.
A guest policy welcoming people to eat and stay with us for free.
Fit and healthy girls to keep me inspired.
Two daily newspaper subscriptions.
Hanging out at the pool for the first time.
Complete dependence on public transportation.
Picnics on the mall or in the sculpture garden.
Nearby eco-bike tours and a neighborhood bike shop.
Concerts on the capitol lawn for fourth of july and memorial day.
Good listeners.
Cutting down internet use outside of work to the library or slow house computer only.
The house whiteboard for sharing messages.
A paid blockbuster account.
Togetherness and respect of each others' space.
My broadened worldview.
8.9.08
Only child becomes a Big Sis
I fully took on the role of Big Sis for the first time this summer - and really enjoyed it. It's a funny feeling to accept being looked up to: initially, I failed to spot it, but after a while, I realized that what I learned from my experiences in college, in romance, and in the working world have given me a unique ability offer guidance to other people my age or younger. This came in handy with a huge crop of interns arriving at CHEJ in June and departing in early August. Until this summer, I didn't know what a difference there can be between 20 and 23!
Part of the sudden realization is that I can almost feel how much I've grown in the past 6 months or so -- like mental stretch marks. Working in the non-profit sector and gearing up for Peace Corps has separated me from a deep-seated selfishness I've had lurking for a long time. I finally found something to give myself to. In college, I selfishly pursued a degree so I could someday make money (losing lots of my zest in the process); in college, I selfishly pursued a relationship so I could feel good about myself and have an outlet for my energies. Now, although I have learned the value of money in being able to provide for future endeavors from talking to those with 30, 40 years on me, I have learned the value of giving and loving first-hand. Striking a balance is going to be hard, because vilifying money comes to me almost as a reflex to abundance, but walking that line is essential.
I've also matured as a result of a very protracted break-up of my most meaningful tryst to date. I've had tons of time to reflect and re-reflect on my actions, his actions, and everything else, such that I can understand now the objective reasons that we were not right together, quite apart from any feelings involved. I accept that with no feelings of regret or desire for revenge. It makes me sad sometimes, to finally be able to see his flaws. Love was blinding - it took a sudden sharpening of focus to know that.
As a counselor for my friends' relationships, romantic and otherwise, I find I can easily detect patterns of emotionally charged action-reaction so I try to help them to see the big picture. If only someone had done that for me! But it's a little strange to feel like a Big Sis to my friends; won't they realize how they could be thinking their way to being happier? I wouldn't deny them any support they need, though -- someday, I know they will be offering sisterly words of wisdom in my time of need.
Part of the sudden realization is that I can almost feel how much I've grown in the past 6 months or so -- like mental stretch marks. Working in the non-profit sector and gearing up for Peace Corps has separated me from a deep-seated selfishness I've had lurking for a long time. I finally found something to give myself to. In college, I selfishly pursued a degree so I could someday make money (losing lots of my zest in the process); in college, I selfishly pursued a relationship so I could feel good about myself and have an outlet for my energies. Now, although I have learned the value of money in being able to provide for future endeavors from talking to those with 30, 40 years on me, I have learned the value of giving and loving first-hand. Striking a balance is going to be hard, because vilifying money comes to me almost as a reflex to abundance, but walking that line is essential.
I've also matured as a result of a very protracted break-up of my most meaningful tryst to date. I've had tons of time to reflect and re-reflect on my actions, his actions, and everything else, such that I can understand now the objective reasons that we were not right together, quite apart from any feelings involved. I accept that with no feelings of regret or desire for revenge. It makes me sad sometimes, to finally be able to see his flaws. Love was blinding - it took a sudden sharpening of focus to know that.
As a counselor for my friends' relationships, romantic and otherwise, I find I can easily detect patterns of emotionally charged action-reaction so I try to help them to see the big picture. If only someone had done that for me! But it's a little strange to feel like a Big Sis to my friends; won't they realize how they could be thinking their way to being happier? I wouldn't deny them any support they need, though -- someday, I know they will be offering sisterly words of wisdom in my time of need.
6.9.08
Solutions to the Juice Box Dilemma
Avid and capable recycler that I am, I can't seem to figure out how to get breakfast items like soy and rice milk in a sustainable container. However - the hardy, bacteria-free box milks from Tetrapak (a la grade school juice boxes and Parmalat) are recyclable. Woop woop! But who will take them?
This question is actually kind of complex, like the recycling process itself. There are at least 6 separate layers - paper, aluminum, and plastic - that have to be separated - and not everyone's municipal recycler is even interested in something that tedious, and fewer still actually provide the service. I tried to call around today to find out some more local folks to take my boxes, which I've saved up - a whole stinky bag of them, thanks - but couldn't do any better than a place out in Oregon called BRING recycling. I've sent stuff to them before, and they seem pretty reputable, so here's their address in case YOU want to save up and recycle your aseptic packages:
BRING Recycling Warehouse (541) 746-3023
4446 Franklin Blvd
Glenwood, OR 97403
Make sure you flatten them before mailing, and remove any plastic pour spouts, etc.
A last thought: I could try to remove myself entirely from the "American Breakfast Establishment." I've done it in China, where they serve you steaming noodles and veggies with heavy bread. For some reason though, sleepy me always wants something familiar and comfortable - leave lunch and dinner for venturing wildly into unknown food territory. Luckily, another breakfast craving, tea, is available literally worldwide, under amazingly similar names in varying languages. Wo yao cha.
This question is actually kind of complex, like the recycling process itself. There are at least 6 separate layers - paper, aluminum, and plastic - that have to be separated - and not everyone's municipal recycler is even interested in something that tedious, and fewer still actually provide the service. I tried to call around today to find out some more local folks to take my boxes, which I've saved up - a whole stinky bag of them, thanks - but couldn't do any better than a place out in Oregon called BRING recycling. I've sent stuff to them before, and they seem pretty reputable, so here's their address in case YOU want to save up and recycle your aseptic packages:
BRING Recycling Warehouse (541) 746-3023
4446 Franklin Blvd
Glenwood, OR 97403
Make sure you flatten them before mailing, and remove any plastic pour spouts, etc.
A last thought: I could try to remove myself entirely from the "American Breakfast Establishment." I've done it in China, where they serve you steaming noodles and veggies with heavy bread. For some reason though, sleepy me always wants something familiar and comfortable - leave lunch and dinner for venturing wildly into unknown food territory. Luckily, another breakfast craving, tea, is available literally worldwide, under amazingly similar names in varying languages. Wo yao cha.
31.8.08
Crunchy Leaf Comment
This morning I went out to forage for fallen leaves so I could beef up ye olde backyard compost pile -- I've been neglecting it because work's been busy and I've been staying in NoVA more than my 6 hour quota most days. A quick walk down G street provided more evidence for this conclusion: fall is here, and it's early! Sure, it will get hot this week, but September is always hot. Let's focus on the fallen leaves (still green): they're everywhere! It didn't take me but 15 mins to fill up on crunchy carbon to pair with 7 housemates' worth of food waste, but it shouldn't be that way.
And of course I *may* just be looking for evidence of suspicious weather that just smacks of climate change, but that only causes me grumpiness. At least on the end that worries about mass species extinction, famine, and disease. The part of me that likes a well-rounded compost pile is doing quite well.
And of course I *may* just be looking for evidence of suspicious weather that just smacks of climate change, but that only causes me grumpiness. At least on the end that worries about mass species extinction, famine, and disease. The part of me that likes a well-rounded compost pile is doing quite well.
14.8.08
Money and the line in the sand
Last night after cooking up a community meal for my housemates, I found myself enjoying a lively wine-stoked discussion on something I never would have thought I'd be interested in a year ago: international finance. Several of my housemates have a very sophisticated understanding of the details of debt relief because their volunteer organization, Jubilee, strives to promote it as a way to help countries with troubled economies to free themselves of the legacies of colonialism and corruption. Yes, that points to Africa. But recently, another housemate took on a project on sub-prime housing loans where she had to build her own understanding of how financing works in the US from the ground up because she doesn't have any background knowledge on the topic. Among a diverse set of obliquely related ideas that included Swiss citizenship required for Red Cross disaster relief abroad and the vacuum filled by drug lords in South America, I'm left with the following impressions. I'm not sure how to reconcile these ideas, so any comments would be quite welcome.
Loan vultures who buy up the debts of struggling countries and then use their deep pockets to sue those countries - thereby decimating the ability of the government to provide for basic needs like health care and agriculture (seed programs good - but sterile corn bad) - are, to me, pure evil. I can't imagine anyone who does that by day being able to go home and sleep at night.
The idea that countries with able, well-functioning economies should expect any kind of interest on loans they give to countries with corrupt leaders and crude infrastructure -- indeed, that they should expect to be paid back at all -- seems ludicrous. It also pairs perfectly with the way sub-prime borrowers are treated in the US. The process seems to go like this: I'll lend you money, knowing that you need it because you live paycheck to paycheck, but I also know absolutely that you will not be able to pay me back later because you'll still need money then too. And I'll call my charity act a payday loan, charging up to 400% interest. Yes, 400 - that's not a typo. And I'll do this because otherwise, who would provide money to these people in need? And why should I help if I don't get something for it? Another example of pure evil.
If I do go with this idea that "loans are bad" what are the options for helping someone? Paul Theroux's "Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown" is riddled with charity program failures. According to him, struggling people -- Africans, in the book -- didn't need money, because they'd burned through buckets of it. What they needed was for Africans to make a change, because only then would it stick. So what can a person with a good conscience do in a situation where the "other" is destitute and pathetic? The one resource many of us (casual donors included), are always tight-fisted with is time - is there a way to give it that will not be just another arrogant charade, like that of the colonial missionaries who wanted to civilize the "sauvages" and make them repent?
One tenet of Design for the Other 90% is that priveleged engineers should provide their tools and designs to those in need, be it food storage, an irrigation system, or simple preventative health care, only at cost so that the users will more fully value it. This idea seems similar to the operation of a nonprofit, with the same problem too: charges for service should cover costs to product the product (materials and construction in the case of tools, transportation and office costs in the case of, say, a campaign organizer), but how much extra is built into the charge to cover salaries? Where is the line between a martyr and a vulture, and how do you walk it?
My conclusion at present: they are all lines in the sand, but they fall in an absolute range. I can't subscribe to a relative system of morals, if only because of instinct. I have to wonder how the lens of various faiths might alter any of these conclusions - and the line one can draw.
Loan vultures who buy up the debts of struggling countries and then use their deep pockets to sue those countries - thereby decimating the ability of the government to provide for basic needs like health care and agriculture (seed programs good - but sterile corn bad) - are, to me, pure evil. I can't imagine anyone who does that by day being able to go home and sleep at night.
The idea that countries with able, well-functioning economies should expect any kind of interest on loans they give to countries with corrupt leaders and crude infrastructure -- indeed, that they should expect to be paid back at all -- seems ludicrous. It also pairs perfectly with the way sub-prime borrowers are treated in the US. The process seems to go like this: I'll lend you money, knowing that you need it because you live paycheck to paycheck, but I also know absolutely that you will not be able to pay me back later because you'll still need money then too. And I'll call my charity act a payday loan, charging up to 400% interest. Yes, 400 - that's not a typo. And I'll do this because otherwise, who would provide money to these people in need? And why should I help if I don't get something for it? Another example of pure evil.
If I do go with this idea that "loans are bad" what are the options for helping someone? Paul Theroux's "Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown" is riddled with charity program failures. According to him, struggling people -- Africans, in the book -- didn't need money, because they'd burned through buckets of it. What they needed was for Africans to make a change, because only then would it stick. So what can a person with a good conscience do in a situation where the "other" is destitute and pathetic? The one resource many of us (casual donors included), are always tight-fisted with is time - is there a way to give it that will not be just another arrogant charade, like that of the colonial missionaries who wanted to civilize the "sauvages" and make them repent?
One tenet of Design for the Other 90% is that priveleged engineers should provide their tools and designs to those in need, be it food storage, an irrigation system, or simple preventative health care, only at cost so that the users will more fully value it. This idea seems similar to the operation of a nonprofit, with the same problem too: charges for service should cover costs to product the product (materials and construction in the case of tools, transportation and office costs in the case of, say, a campaign organizer), but how much extra is built into the charge to cover salaries? Where is the line between a martyr and a vulture, and how do you walk it?
My conclusion at present: they are all lines in the sand, but they fall in an absolute range. I can't subscribe to a relative system of morals, if only because of instinct. I have to wonder how the lens of various faiths might alter any of these conclusions - and the line one can draw.
7.8.08
This isn't a film blog, is it?
I'm lucky to have seen two great films this week.
The first, a showing of The Judge and The General, thanks to the Institute for Policy Studies and their obsessed Latin American issues staff. It was at The Avalon, not far from the Friendship Heights metro. Patricio Guzman, who is the famous documentalist of Chile (especially on the topic of the dictator Pinochet), was a coproducer. After the film, the judge himself sat in front of the audience to provide some lengthy answers to some heavy questions. I was mostly basking in the glow, but what the story is compelling: a priveleged judge awakens to the horrors inflicted on the people of Chile by Pinochet, and becomes the very first in Chile to indict him for the murder of los desaparecidos (the disappeared ones).
Tonight it was Into the Wild, which I watched with my parents while home for some birthdays. Great, great cinematography (half of that was thanks to nature for being so abundant) for a really beautiful, and ultimately tragic, story of a troubled guy who sets out to live on shoestrings, on a circuitous journey into Alaskan wilderness, in order to cope with his childhood and "society" that plagues him. Instead, he ends up finding out what true happiness is.. while leaving behind a trail of acquaintances he touched. This one hit a little close to home for me and probably my parents too. Africa is a wilderness to us here in the states, and I certainly don't appreciate how harsh I can be on my parents with my decisions.. but I know I won't truly be alone where I am going. This film will stay with me for a good long while.
The first, a showing of The Judge and The General, thanks to the Institute for Policy Studies and their obsessed Latin American issues staff. It was at The Avalon, not far from the Friendship Heights metro. Patricio Guzman, who is the famous documentalist of Chile (especially on the topic of the dictator Pinochet), was a coproducer. After the film, the judge himself sat in front of the audience to provide some lengthy answers to some heavy questions. I was mostly basking in the glow, but what the story is compelling: a priveleged judge awakens to the horrors inflicted on the people of Chile by Pinochet, and becomes the very first in Chile to indict him for the murder of los desaparecidos (the disappeared ones).
Tonight it was Into the Wild, which I watched with my parents while home for some birthdays. Great, great cinematography (half of that was thanks to nature for being so abundant) for a really beautiful, and ultimately tragic, story of a troubled guy who sets out to live on shoestrings, on a circuitous journey into Alaskan wilderness, in order to cope with his childhood and "society" that plagues him. Instead, he ends up finding out what true happiness is.. while leaving behind a trail of acquaintances he touched. This one hit a little close to home for me and probably my parents too. Africa is a wilderness to us here in the states, and I certainly don't appreciate how harsh I can be on my parents with my decisions.. but I know I won't truly be alone where I am going. This film will stay with me for a good long while.
History for the Unimaginitive
When I told her I wanted to brush up on my American history, my Mom gave me a picture book.
However, it's about as juvenile as Animal Farm. We Americans looks to be really cool - great historical images, poignant quotes from all sorts of people, and written in a style a twelve year old could pay attention to.
I may be posting some quotes in the future, we'll see.
However, it's about as juvenile as Animal Farm. We Americans looks to be really cool - great historical images, poignant quotes from all sorts of people, and written in a style a twelve year old could pay attention to.
I may be posting some quotes in the future, we'll see.
25.7.08
Changes: That's just the way it is
It's a little sad to realize two of the things I identify with - tea and biking - might be making their way out of my life for good. It's not as traumatizing as a breakup, but still, it's tough to be moving on, and sometimes coming to terms with that takes more time than the changes themselves.
I realized I was hardcore addicted to tea one day at work: it was a busy day but my brain was sluggish and irritated. Something was amiss, but what? No signs of withdrawal appeared other than a few symptoms quite invisible to the outside world. Then I got to thinking about my habits.. and realized that I had become accustomed to filling my mug three, four, five times a day sometimes - nuking 10 or 12 ounce sof water at 2.5 minute blasts, and brewing loose or bagged tea, just to keep warm. On those days when the little old Virginia office sweltered because the AC was down, well, I drank tea then, too. And not just health-conscious green tea, either - usually some fruity variety of relatively high-octane black tea, because I have a huge collection of it in the drawer in my desk - too close to resist temptation.
Compared to coffee, tea is mild; but caffeine is caffeine, and my body doesn't know the difference between two cups of black tea and one cup of coffee. What my body did know was that I was inadvertently starving it on the day of my realization.
The idea of becoming dependent on something outside the self is uncomfortable to me to begin with - I prefer to power through pain from minor scrapes or headaches without the aid of a pill, and antibiotics make me nervous - but that wasn't it for me. It was the withdrawal symptoms that hammered the point home. Into my frontal lobe.
Why allow myself to get into some habit that I would have to keep up for the rest of my life if I didn't want to experience a fog of irritation everytime I forgot to feed the addiction? I've weaned myself off other material comforts in the name of environmental conservation, but the comfort of a fragrant cup never fell into the same mental category before. Until now.
So I'm on a strict regimen of herbal tea from here on out. I'm down to one cup of black/caffeinated tea per day (max). I know I'll miss the process of brewing tea, and that I'll feel a little gluttonous when I glance over my rather sizeable collection -- they're from around the world, you know -- but my sense of integrity will be redeemed.
What about biking, then?
Back in May, I had a great experience biking the Tour of the Scioto River Valley in Ohio, but I wasn't physically prepared for clocking 200 miles. My muscles fared fine, and mentally I was fit, but now the rest of my body is fighting back.
The problem is I don't know what's wrong. I just know that when I go on easy rides - completely flat, less than 15 miles, and slow - I experience sharp pain in my right knee. It seems the less obvious parts of my knee - the shadowy connective tissues and tendons - are obviously displeased about something.
It's not like I've been ignoring the pain; the last 30 miles of TOSRV was a special kind of hell, in which I had to learn to pedal half as fast using the force of the left side of my body only, riding into a nasty headwind in the home stretch. All the while feeling the weakness of my right knee with every stroke, not knowing at all why this was happenning to me.
To try to get a real diagnosis, I have an appointment with an orthopedist, but that's not reassuring; I keep thinking, what if I have to get off my bike permanently? This is the first sport where I've felt at home - and free - on my bike; running never worked because my feet got too hot, snowboarding was too damn scary (and painful; who wants to be black and blue everytime they go to have some fun?), and few people actually want to play tennis with me without making it a match - competition I can't mentally handle.
Worse yet, what if I can't serve in Malawi with the Peace Corps, where biking might just be the main everday mode of transportation? Where will I be then? Sure, I could wait for another assignment to come along in a few months, but I can't - and don't want - to keep working as an intern at CHEJ forever.
This is a change I obviously haven't yet come to terms with. But the conclusion hasn't yet been drawn, so I'll have to wait and see.
I realized I was hardcore addicted to tea one day at work: it was a busy day but my brain was sluggish and irritated. Something was amiss, but what? No signs of withdrawal appeared other than a few symptoms quite invisible to the outside world. Then I got to thinking about my habits.. and realized that I had become accustomed to filling my mug three, four, five times a day sometimes - nuking 10 or 12 ounce sof water at 2.5 minute blasts, and brewing loose or bagged tea, just to keep warm. On those days when the little old Virginia office sweltered because the AC was down, well, I drank tea then, too. And not just health-conscious green tea, either - usually some fruity variety of relatively high-octane black tea, because I have a huge collection of it in the drawer in my desk - too close to resist temptation.
Compared to coffee, tea is mild; but caffeine is caffeine, and my body doesn't know the difference between two cups of black tea and one cup of coffee. What my body did know was that I was inadvertently starving it on the day of my realization.
The idea of becoming dependent on something outside the self is uncomfortable to me to begin with - I prefer to power through pain from minor scrapes or headaches without the aid of a pill, and antibiotics make me nervous - but that wasn't it for me. It was the withdrawal symptoms that hammered the point home. Into my frontal lobe.
Why allow myself to get into some habit that I would have to keep up for the rest of my life if I didn't want to experience a fog of irritation everytime I forgot to feed the addiction? I've weaned myself off other material comforts in the name of environmental conservation, but the comfort of a fragrant cup never fell into the same mental category before. Until now.
So I'm on a strict regimen of herbal tea from here on out. I'm down to one cup of black/caffeinated tea per day (max). I know I'll miss the process of brewing tea, and that I'll feel a little gluttonous when I glance over my rather sizeable collection -- they're from around the world, you know -- but my sense of integrity will be redeemed.
What about biking, then?
Back in May, I had a great experience biking the Tour of the Scioto River Valley in Ohio, but I wasn't physically prepared for clocking 200 miles. My muscles fared fine, and mentally I was fit, but now the rest of my body is fighting back.
The problem is I don't know what's wrong. I just know that when I go on easy rides - completely flat, less than 15 miles, and slow - I experience sharp pain in my right knee. It seems the less obvious parts of my knee - the shadowy connective tissues and tendons - are obviously displeased about something.
It's not like I've been ignoring the pain; the last 30 miles of TOSRV was a special kind of hell, in which I had to learn to pedal half as fast using the force of the left side of my body only, riding into a nasty headwind in the home stretch. All the while feeling the weakness of my right knee with every stroke, not knowing at all why this was happenning to me.
To try to get a real diagnosis, I have an appointment with an orthopedist, but that's not reassuring; I keep thinking, what if I have to get off my bike permanently? This is the first sport where I've felt at home - and free - on my bike; running never worked because my feet got too hot, snowboarding was too damn scary (and painful; who wants to be black and blue everytime they go to have some fun?), and few people actually want to play tennis with me without making it a match - competition I can't mentally handle.
Worse yet, what if I can't serve in Malawi with the Peace Corps, where biking might just be the main everday mode of transportation? Where will I be then? Sure, I could wait for another assignment to come along in a few months, but I can't - and don't want - to keep working as an intern at CHEJ forever.
This is a change I obviously haven't yet come to terms with. But the conclusion hasn't yet been drawn, so I'll have to wait and see.
23.7.08
Super-fly Blueberry Pie (vegan)
I made this pie this weekend after trekking to Larriland farms for some serious pick-your-own fruit action.. and it's gone already! I guess that's par for the course when you live with 9 other people. It's an amalgamation of recipes, so here it is the way I actually did it.
Ingredients
pie
1 Graham cracker crust (or make your own - crumble some graham crackers, mix with butter, and press into a pie pan)
6 cups blueberries (3 pints) 1/2 cup sugar 5 Tbs. quick-cooking tapioca Finely grated peel of 1 orange (optional)2 Tbs. fresh orange juice 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
crumble topping
3/4 C finely chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans (hint: food processor!)
1/4 C vegan spread, cold or room temp, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 t salt
2/3 C unbleached flour
1/4 C brown sugar
Directions
- Filling: In a saucepan on medium, dissolve the sugar in the lemon and orange juice.
- Add tapioca and blueberries, mixing gently but thoroughly. Turn heat up to high.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, or until tapioca pellets mostly "disappear" and blueberries develop a nice syrup and a thicker consistency.
- Cool filling directly in saucepan for an hour (in the fridge).
- Crumble topping: pulse all ingredients together in food processor until well-mixed. Set aside in a shallow bowl.
- Crumble the topping by breaking it up with your fingers.
- Preheat oven to 400 degF.
- Spoon the chilled filling into your graham cracker crust until nice and high, but not overflowing.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the pie, using up as much as you can. Using a fork makes it easier to avoid big clumps.
- Stick the pie in the oven (on a baking pan to distribute heat better) in the center for about 15-20 mins, until the top begins to brown. Check every 5 mins, then more frequently when it begins to get fragrant.
Ingredients
pie
1 Graham cracker crust (or make your own - crumble some graham crackers, mix with butter, and press into a pie pan)
6 cups blueberries (3 pints) 1/2 cup sugar 5 Tbs. quick-cooking tapioca Finely grated peel of 1 orange (optional)2 Tbs. fresh orange juice 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
crumble topping
3/4 C finely chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans (hint: food processor!)
1/4 C vegan spread, cold or room temp, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 t salt
2/3 C unbleached flour
1/4 C brown sugar
Directions
- Filling: In a saucepan on medium, dissolve the sugar in the lemon and orange juice.
- Add tapioca and blueberries, mixing gently but thoroughly. Turn heat up to high.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, or until tapioca pellets mostly "disappear" and blueberries develop a nice syrup and a thicker consistency.
- Cool filling directly in saucepan for an hour (in the fridge).
- Crumble topping: pulse all ingredients together in food processor until well-mixed. Set aside in a shallow bowl.
- Crumble the topping by breaking it up with your fingers.
- Preheat oven to 400 degF.
- Spoon the chilled filling into your graham cracker crust until nice and high, but not overflowing.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the pie, using up as much as you can. Using a fork makes it easier to avoid big clumps.
- Stick the pie in the oven (on a baking pan to distribute heat better) in the center for about 15-20 mins, until the top begins to brown. Check every 5 mins, then more frequently when it begins to get fragrant.
14.7.08
The Role of Documentaries: This is Not About Michael Moore
I've been privileged to watch some excellent documentaries lately: Kassim the Dream at American Film Institute's Silver Theatre in Silver Spring; Taxi to the Dark Side and Bishar Blues at Busboys and Poets near U Street. The stories presented in these three were all moving enough to enlarge my personal view of the world. A brief description of each:
Patricio Guzman is a famed documentalist born in Chile in the 1940s who was left his country when Augusto Pinochet, supported by the United States, took power from Salvador Allende in a coup that ushered in an era of murder and missing persons, quieted journalists, and stolen livelihoods. His first film, La Batalla de Chile (The Battle of Chile) documented the coup and was nominated by CINEASTE, an American magazine on the art and politics of the cinema, as one of the top 10 political films in the world.
Guzman has a lot to say about the importance of the making of documentaries. In Spanish and then in English, two quotes from his website:
"No todos los documentalistas somos cazadores de eventos, sino que también somos poetas, que tratamos de encontrar en el tiempo y espacio reales las huellas de la gente, aún las más ínfimas," y "Un país sin cine documental es como una familia sin album de fotografias."
"Not all makers of documentaries are hunters of current events, rather we are also poets that try to find in contemporary time and space the paths of the people, even the smallest," and "A country without documentary film is like a family without a photo album."
For Chile, his films serve to remember the awful events of the reign of terror that forever changed their lives and their relationship to their home. They are a remembrance that begins to do justice to the desaparecidos, who went missing from their families never to be heard from again (and who probably faced fates as dark as torture and mass, unmarked graves). Here, the documentaries are more than an educational film about people without the glamour to make it into a media dominated by celebrities and economics. You and I are united through these films with a marginalized people through knowledge of their struggle. To return to Kassim, the dramatization of dark events brings emotional release, and enables us to live more humanely like the fakirs of Bengal in Bishar Blues.
Update (19/7/08): A new website is making documentaries available for free viewing online. Kudos to them for using the internets for its most edifying purpose: worldwide distribution!
- Kassim the Dream is the story of a Ugandan immigrant to America who struggles with his boxing career at the same time that he tries to come to terms with his past as a child soldier in the army and the friends, family, and displaced persons left behind.
- Taxi to the Dark Side delves into the horrific practices by the US Army (and the policies that enabled them) in American prisons abroad and at Guantanamo, centering around the story of a taxi driver whose fate is to suffer and die from fatal blows to the legs - all in the name of collecting foreign intelligence.
- Bishar Blues tells the story of the fakirs in Bengal, India, who struggle to transcend religious classification and caste limits in a society that ostracizes them for their earnest practice. Their beliefs celebrate the holiness within people and are a modern manifestation of the human lifestyle of Mohammed (and Jesus, for that matter) before institutional structure began to dominated these ideologies.
Patricio Guzman is a famed documentalist born in Chile in the 1940s who was left his country when Augusto Pinochet, supported by the United States, took power from Salvador Allende in a coup that ushered in an era of murder and missing persons, quieted journalists, and stolen livelihoods. His first film, La Batalla de Chile (The Battle of Chile) documented the coup and was nominated by CINEASTE, an American magazine on the art and politics of the cinema, as one of the top 10 political films in the world.
Guzman has a lot to say about the importance of the making of documentaries. In Spanish and then in English, two quotes from his website:
"No todos los documentalistas somos cazadores de eventos, sino que también somos poetas, que tratamos de encontrar en el tiempo y espacio reales las huellas de la gente, aún las más ínfimas," y "Un país sin cine documental es como una familia sin album de fotografias."
"Not all makers of documentaries are hunters of current events, rather we are also poets that try to find in contemporary time and space the paths of the people, even the smallest," and "A country without documentary film is like a family without a photo album."
For Chile, his films serve to remember the awful events of the reign of terror that forever changed their lives and their relationship to their home. They are a remembrance that begins to do justice to the desaparecidos, who went missing from their families never to be heard from again (and who probably faced fates as dark as torture and mass, unmarked graves). Here, the documentaries are more than an educational film about people without the glamour to make it into a media dominated by celebrities and economics. You and I are united through these films with a marginalized people through knowledge of their struggle. To return to Kassim, the dramatization of dark events brings emotional release, and enables us to live more humanely like the fakirs of Bengal in Bishar Blues.
Update (19/7/08): A new website is making documentaries available for free viewing online. Kudos to them for using the internets for its most edifying purpose: worldwide distribution!
25.6.08
Weekend Update: Life on the Hill
At the beginning of this month, I finally got over my fear of spending money on living expenses and moved out of MD and into a really excellent community house in the Capitol Hill/Eastern Market area of DC. Yes, it's Southeast -- but around here that means shaded streets and whiffs of lavender from miniscule front yards, an arts workshop and a public library, and fresh produce from the farmers on the weekends (which can be supplemented by Yes! Market natural food store when needed).
I live in a house with 9 other people, most of whom are working on the policy-related nonprofit end of social justice and poverty campaigns. Some are faith-based, but not all; many share international interest and I've learned a lot about some topics I only knew a little about before -- NAFTA in Latin America, U.S. pesticide companies' conflicts of interest in the War on Drugs, debt forgiveness in Africa, and all about German customs, including all-night wedding bashes.
Life in the city hasn't been all gloom and circumstance, though! Here are some fun things I did in the past few weeks that make my days in MD look pretty tame:
So, consider this your open invite, my readers, to come and do fun things in DC with me -- there is no shortage of them to be had.
I live in a house with 9 other people, most of whom are working on the policy-related nonprofit end of social justice and poverty campaigns. Some are faith-based, but not all; many share international interest and I've learned a lot about some topics I only knew a little about before -- NAFTA in Latin America, U.S. pesticide companies' conflicts of interest in the War on Drugs, debt forgiveness in Africa, and all about German customs, including all-night wedding bashes.
Life in the city hasn't been all gloom and circumstance, though! Here are some fun things I did in the past few weeks that make my days in MD look pretty tame:
- Visiting Dumbarton Oaks in upper Georgetown: a lovely estate turned into a Harvard-run botanic conservatory and center for archaic arts (Byzantine, ancient Greek?). There's an awesome mosaic garden of stones all precisely oriented in swirling patterns and vibrant earthy colors.. and some nice flowers too.
- Hitting up one of my favorites in Dupont circle with an old friend (and fellow Merckie) -- Teaism. There are several locations around the city, but their tea-house atmosphere, hot and cold beverage variety, and veg-friendly asian food can't be beat.
- A wandering, though brief, visit to The National Art Gallery. There are so many great things to do on the mall, though I regret that much of the huge, two-building facility seems to be poorly explained by even sparser text. They have nice large-space art installations, and some cutout pieces by Matisse were a good feature, though the Afghanistan exhibit was way too crowded to enjoy properly.
- The American Film Institute's SilverDOCS festival in Silver Spring screening of Kassim the Dream. The main character and his coach cum adopted uncle and guiding force stood up during the questions to the director session at the end! Kassim was taken into the army in Uganda as a child and used Boxing as a way to deal with the day-time images of horror that continued to dog him after escaping to the U.S. His story of redemption was funny and packed a punch. The film from the Displaced Person camps in Uganda were particularly powerful.
So, consider this your open invite, my readers, to come and do fun things in DC with me -- there is no shortage of them to be had.
23.6.08
My family, the chore
Do you know how nice a feeling it is when someone or a group of lovely someones works out all the details and absolutely ensures that your happiness is the only concern for you when it's your birthday? Even if they haven't thought of everything, people doing things like this routinely will check for verbal confirmation that yes, you are indeed enjoying your special day.
That's not what it was like when I went home for my Birthday.
So what happenned? I'm not going to say. I try to avoid going into details on personal matters on here and in general; I don't believe bitching or feeling depressed and doomed by genetics is anywhere near productive. But I did get an important lesson out of this.
As phrased by a good friend: "The only thing a child owes a parent is his or her own happiness."
Well put.
That's not what it was like when I went home for my Birthday.
So what happenned? I'm not going to say. I try to avoid going into details on personal matters on here and in general; I don't believe bitching or feeling depressed and doomed by genetics is anywhere near productive. But I did get an important lesson out of this.
As phrased by a good friend: "The only thing a child owes a parent is his or her own happiness."
Well put.
15.6.08
Ode to Dad
I may not seem the most likely of authors for a Father's Day ode in prose -- I've been known to wonder aloud things like, "Where did I come from?" -- but today is a good opportunity to reflect on some lessons and traits I'm glad my Dad shared with me.
The importance of Laughter
One thing that was definitely not lacking in my childhood home was laughter -- my parents laughed at the world and at themselves. I like to think I have a healthy portion of humor to apply to daily life as a result. Sometimes scary situations have been best remedied by the ability to shake off the seriousness and awaken yourself to the absurd. Was the monster in the horror film giving you the chills about walking home alone? Oops, there's his zipper - but maybe even funnier are the cinematic heroes in their stoic quest to battle weird forms of evil. I'm always busting out laughing in apocalyptic movies.
Mercy for Animals
I sometimes think Dad has more sympathy and understanding for the needs of dogs and squirrels than he does for his fellow humans; he did admit to wanting to be a squirrel as a child. But mercy for animals is an important lesson in caring for the world and its creatures -- including other people -- which we find all around us. I'm glad I grew up with dogs (well, since 4th grade) and learned from that easy, symbiotic relationship the value of companionship, too.
How things Work
At the heart of a lot of his hobbies, my Dad is a true engineer - he appreciates an understanding for how things work. Mechanistic relationships govern the way he sees the world - and that's enabled him to become a do-it-yourself expert. I'm glad to have been shown first-hand that anyone can find out how something works in order to fix it or to build anew. Though most of my Dad's hobbies revolve around home improvement (how fondly I remember that 90's TV show!) as well as automobiles, the lesson for me was that I could use my brain to solve problems. Being a woman was never a barrier for me, or for my Dad's willingness to involve and explain.
My Dad is my Dad and though I may sometimes want to change him, these are just a few of the things well worth keeping. Time to go hit some tennis balls with the old man!
The importance of Laughter
One thing that was definitely not lacking in my childhood home was laughter -- my parents laughed at the world and at themselves. I like to think I have a healthy portion of humor to apply to daily life as a result. Sometimes scary situations have been best remedied by the ability to shake off the seriousness and awaken yourself to the absurd. Was the monster in the horror film giving you the chills about walking home alone? Oops, there's his zipper - but maybe even funnier are the cinematic heroes in their stoic quest to battle weird forms of evil. I'm always busting out laughing in apocalyptic movies.
Mercy for Animals
I sometimes think Dad has more sympathy and understanding for the needs of dogs and squirrels than he does for his fellow humans; he did admit to wanting to be a squirrel as a child. But mercy for animals is an important lesson in caring for the world and its creatures -- including other people -- which we find all around us. I'm glad I grew up with dogs (well, since 4th grade) and learned from that easy, symbiotic relationship the value of companionship, too.
How things Work
At the heart of a lot of his hobbies, my Dad is a true engineer - he appreciates an understanding for how things work. Mechanistic relationships govern the way he sees the world - and that's enabled him to become a do-it-yourself expert. I'm glad to have been shown first-hand that anyone can find out how something works in order to fix it or to build anew. Though most of my Dad's hobbies revolve around home improvement (how fondly I remember that 90's TV show!) as well as automobiles, the lesson for me was that I could use my brain to solve problems. Being a woman was never a barrier for me, or for my Dad's willingness to involve and explain.
My Dad is my Dad and though I may sometimes want to change him, these are just a few of the things well worth keeping. Time to go hit some tennis balls with the old man!
3.6.08
Ask, dear reader, and you shall receive..
By request from Mo, here's an explanation for my recent recipe blitz you may have noticed, as well as a quick review of the recipes themselves!
I'm moving to DC and am pretty sad to make the practical decision to leave some cookbooks behind. I'm lazy and I want to conserve paper (though not electricity.. doh), so I am not writing or copying my favorites - instead, I'm posting a smattering of recipes online for all to see.
(I'm not really sure what I'm going to do about viewing the recipes when I go to cook them, especially if I don't bring a computer with me! But I'll deal with that later.)
Most of the recipes I included are ones that I've either made or eaten and found quite yummy.
Going in reverse order, by book:
Nigella Lawson - Feast
Nigella's recipes are always fabulous. I altered Bang Bang Chicken so I could have my vegan way with it.. but you can use any kind of shredded meat for this and it'll be delicious. And it was definitely delicious, before I vegged out. Walnut crescents are a crumbly delight (and easy), and that Andy's Fairfield granola is finger-lickin good. It smells amazing when you open the oven to check on it and a cloud engulfs you.
Patricia Wells - Trattoria
I haven't made many of Patricia Wells' recipes, but I fell in love with Trattorias while traveling in Italy a few summers ago, so the theme of the book was perfect. The green risotto is amazing (as most risotto is), and it's easy to see how I veganified it, so you can just as easily reverse-engineer the thing. I like spinach and the spinaci saltati is probably yummy (and quick). I also like red beans so the Insalata di Borlotti bean salad appealed to me; the infusion with herbs, a technique which I've tried before, promises to work like magic to infuse some really good smells. Caponata is one of those Italian appetizers that is mysterious in its all-encompassing flavor - and it has marvelous texture and a variety of nutrients. I made this one recently and it gets a stamp of approval.
Claudia Roden - The New Book of Middle Eastern Food
I'm pretty sure I made the meaty version of the middle eastern dolma at one point (and Mo and Aileen had some), though it could have been the veggie. They are delightful little morsels but they take a lot of work. I love the use of the grape remnants - those durable leaves - and it's neat how the rice cooks and puffs up without being seen. Falafel is also quite possibly my favorite meal ever (in fast food form too!). I haven't made that recipe - I've only made them from a box mix. I have to, so that's kind of in the 'wish list.' I've made many hummuses [hummusi?], that recipe inclusive, and I did that baba ghanouj recently - they are oldies but goodies. More eggplants in the turkish recipe, because.. they're dark, they're smooth, and they make a mean meaty vegan meal. Bulgur is included because, though I haven't made that particular recipe (or did I?), you really can't fail with it. It's good to get a variety of grains in your diet, and it's so fast to cook because most of the cracking of the protein envelope has been done in grain processing.
Hilaire Walden - North African Cooking
I also haven't tried too many of the north African recipes. I love couscous, another quick-cooking grain, and dried apricots pair nicely in this kind of dish with almonds to flavorify your starch dish. My first real hookah bar, in Philly (shoutout to Merck interns who experienced it with me), introduced me to tagines - they are the traditional regional way to simmer meat, veggies, and rice together in a beautiful painted clay dish that resembles a wizard hat. So obviously the veggie tagine had to be included, though it is a wish-list type recipe. The grated carrot salad was approved by my meat-and-cake loving family, and it's really very good (though a little labor intensive if you don't break out the heavy machinery to do the grating).
Rawji and Suleman - Simply Indian
I like Indian food. Dating the desi way was a great way to be introduced to the authentic (home-cooked) thing as well as ubiquitous restaurant delicacies, but I would probably have discovered lentils anyway as a vegan. Spiced rice is simple, but don't be deceived - rice does a lovely job of taking up the flavors you expose it to. Massoor daal (small, red split lentils) cooks fast and gets nice and mushy so you don't have to chew it - serving it on some rice is probably ideal to soak up the sauce. Dal is just one of those essentials you have to know how to make. Channa daal (medium yellow lentils, split or not) is always tasty too, so I included it for variety. I have made both of these dals - and they do benefit from some mashing of the lentils, but sometimes that's easier said than done. I also like aloo gobi and potato curry, and have had them many times at restaurants, though I don't remember if I made either of those recipes before. I don't often make potatoes. But now that I have an indian recipe, I'm going to. Spinach and veggie curries are included for this reason: they are hearty, spicy, and fun - the huge list of spices you add gives the vegetables a hearty, unique aspect that you can't get if you only include one or two. Don't ever forget ginger or garlic if called for, and onions are usually a must. Also ,coconut milk does a great (vegan) job of making things sweet and thick.
I'm moving to DC and am pretty sad to make the practical decision to leave some cookbooks behind. I'm lazy and I want to conserve paper (though not electricity.. doh), so I am not writing or copying my favorites - instead, I'm posting a smattering of recipes online for all to see.
(I'm not really sure what I'm going to do about viewing the recipes when I go to cook them, especially if I don't bring a computer with me! But I'll deal with that later.)
Most of the recipes I included are ones that I've either made or eaten and found quite yummy.
Going in reverse order, by book:
Nigella Lawson - Feast
Nigella's recipes are always fabulous. I altered Bang Bang Chicken so I could have my vegan way with it.. but you can use any kind of shredded meat for this and it'll be delicious. And it was definitely delicious, before I vegged out. Walnut crescents are a crumbly delight (and easy), and that Andy's Fairfield granola is finger-lickin good. It smells amazing when you open the oven to check on it and a cloud engulfs you.
Patricia Wells - Trattoria
I haven't made many of Patricia Wells' recipes, but I fell in love with Trattorias while traveling in Italy a few summers ago, so the theme of the book was perfect. The green risotto is amazing (as most risotto is), and it's easy to see how I veganified it, so you can just as easily reverse-engineer the thing. I like spinach and the spinaci saltati is probably yummy (and quick). I also like red beans so the Insalata di Borlotti bean salad appealed to me; the infusion with herbs, a technique which I've tried before, promises to work like magic to infuse some really good smells. Caponata is one of those Italian appetizers that is mysterious in its all-encompassing flavor - and it has marvelous texture and a variety of nutrients. I made this one recently and it gets a stamp of approval.
Claudia Roden - The New Book of Middle Eastern Food
I'm pretty sure I made the meaty version of the middle eastern dolma at one point (and Mo and Aileen had some), though it could have been the veggie. They are delightful little morsels but they take a lot of work. I love the use of the grape remnants - those durable leaves - and it's neat how the rice cooks and puffs up without being seen. Falafel is also quite possibly my favorite meal ever (in fast food form too!). I haven't made that recipe - I've only made them from a box mix. I have to, so that's kind of in the 'wish list.' I've made many hummuses [hummusi?], that recipe inclusive, and I did that baba ghanouj recently - they are oldies but goodies. More eggplants in the turkish recipe, because.. they're dark, they're smooth, and they make a mean meaty vegan meal. Bulgur is included because, though I haven't made that particular recipe (or did I?), you really can't fail with it. It's good to get a variety of grains in your diet, and it's so fast to cook because most of the cracking of the protein envelope has been done in grain processing.
Hilaire Walden - North African Cooking
I also haven't tried too many of the north African recipes. I love couscous, another quick-cooking grain, and dried apricots pair nicely in this kind of dish with almonds to flavorify your starch dish. My first real hookah bar, in Philly (shoutout to Merck interns who experienced it with me), introduced me to tagines - they are the traditional regional way to simmer meat, veggies, and rice together in a beautiful painted clay dish that resembles a wizard hat. So obviously the veggie tagine had to be included, though it is a wish-list type recipe. The grated carrot salad was approved by my meat-and-cake loving family, and it's really very good (though a little labor intensive if you don't break out the heavy machinery to do the grating).
Rawji and Suleman - Simply Indian
I like Indian food. Dating the desi way was a great way to be introduced to the authentic (home-cooked) thing as well as ubiquitous restaurant delicacies, but I would probably have discovered lentils anyway as a vegan. Spiced rice is simple, but don't be deceived - rice does a lovely job of taking up the flavors you expose it to. Massoor daal (small, red split lentils) cooks fast and gets nice and mushy so you don't have to chew it - serving it on some rice is probably ideal to soak up the sauce. Dal is just one of those essentials you have to know how to make. Channa daal (medium yellow lentils, split or not) is always tasty too, so I included it for variety. I have made both of these dals - and they do benefit from some mashing of the lentils, but sometimes that's easier said than done. I also like aloo gobi and potato curry, and have had them many times at restaurants, though I don't remember if I made either of those recipes before. I don't often make potatoes. But now that I have an indian recipe, I'm going to. Spinach and veggie curries are included for this reason: they are hearty, spicy, and fun - the huge list of spices you add gives the vegetables a hearty, unique aspect that you can't get if you only include one or two. Don't ever forget ginger or garlic if called for, and onions are usually a must. Also ,coconut milk does a great (vegan) job of making things sweet and thick.
1.6.08
Recipe: Bang Bang (Protein)
(from Nigella Lawson's Feast, 2004 - Veganified)
Serves 4-6. Time: not long!
You have your choice of tofu, tempeh, or seitan here. Unflavored seitan might be good in terms of texture, but pre-made tempeh is easier to deal with (in my opinion; I would want to make my own seitan if using here, and that takes a while.. though you could use leftovers).
Ingredients:
Sauce
2 t peanut oil
3 T smoooth peanut butter
2 T chinese chilli bean sauce
1 T superfine sugar
1 T soy sauce
1.5 T Chinese black vinegar
2 T water
Salad
3 C cold, cooked, shredded protein
1 med head iceberg lettuce, 6 C finely shredded
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 C fresh mint, chopped
4 oz cucumber
1 scallion
Directions:
- Heat the oil and let it cool. Pour into a bowl all sauce ingredients and whisk them together to make a thickly runny paste.
- Arrange the shredded lettuce on a flat plate; sprinkle with cilantro and mint. Drip 4-5 T sauce over lettuce and herbs.
- In a small bowl, add 4 T to protein strips, turning them in the sauce until well-coated. Arrange protein on a rough line down the middle of the salad.
Peel and de-seed cucumber and cut into fine strips. Half the scallions and slice that in long strips - sprinkle both over your salad. Dribble more sauce - and you're done!
Serves 4-6. Time: not long!
You have your choice of tofu, tempeh, or seitan here. Unflavored seitan might be good in terms of texture, but pre-made tempeh is easier to deal with (in my opinion; I would want to make my own seitan if using here, and that takes a while.. though you could use leftovers).
Ingredients:
Sauce
2 t peanut oil
3 T smoooth peanut butter
2 T chinese chilli bean sauce
1 T superfine sugar
1 T soy sauce
1.5 T Chinese black vinegar
2 T water
Salad
3 C cold, cooked, shredded protein
1 med head iceberg lettuce, 6 C finely shredded
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 C fresh mint, chopped
4 oz cucumber
1 scallion
Directions:
- Heat the oil and let it cool. Pour into a bowl all sauce ingredients and whisk them together to make a thickly runny paste.
- Arrange the shredded lettuce on a flat plate; sprinkle with cilantro and mint. Drip 4-5 T sauce over lettuce and herbs.
- In a small bowl, add 4 T to protein strips, turning them in the sauce until well-coated. Arrange protein on a rough line down the middle of the salad.
Peel and de-seed cucumber and cut into fine strips. Half the scallions and slice that in long strips - sprinkle both over your salad. Dribble more sauce - and you're done!
Recipe: Walnut Crescents
(from Nigella Lawson's Feast, 2004 - This is a veganified version)
Makes 24. This might feed... 4 hungry people! Or 12 polite ones.
Ingredients:
1.5 C shelled walnuts
1/4 C confectioners sugar + some to sprinkle everywhere
1 stick + 1 T soft margarine/other vegan buttery spread
3/4 C all-purpose flour
pinch salt
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degF.
-Toast walnuts in a dry frying pan until aromatic, then process until pulverized.
- Take out the nuts and add loosened sugar, soft butter, and process; add flour and salt and process again. If your food processor isn't humongous, you might have to break up the ingredients into 2 batches (I did).
- Scrape down sides and add nuts; pulse to mix, then tip out the dough.
- Mold with your hands into half moons: flour your hands, take just 1T of dough, and roll into sausages; flatten slightly and curl into a crescent. Put crescents on a baking sheet.
- Cook crescents for 25 mins, checking at 15 mins. Let sit on baking sheet for a bit before transferring to cooling rack.
- Cover thickly w/ confectioners' sugar; leave to cool.
Makes 24. This might feed... 4 hungry people! Or 12 polite ones.
Ingredients:
1.5 C shelled walnuts
1/4 C confectioners sugar + some to sprinkle everywhere
1 stick + 1 T soft margarine/other vegan buttery spread
3/4 C all-purpose flour
pinch salt
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degF.
-Toast walnuts in a dry frying pan until aromatic, then process until pulverized.
- Take out the nuts and add loosened sugar, soft butter, and process; add flour and salt and process again. If your food processor isn't humongous, you might have to break up the ingredients into 2 batches (I did).
- Scrape down sides and add nuts; pulse to mix, then tip out the dough.
- Mold with your hands into half moons: flour your hands, take just 1T of dough, and roll into sausages; flatten slightly and curl into a crescent. Put crescents on a baking sheet.
- Cook crescents for 25 mins, checking at 15 mins. Let sit on baking sheet for a bit before transferring to cooling rack.
- Cover thickly w/ confectioners' sugar; leave to cool.
Recipe: Andy's Fairfield Granola
(from Nigella Lawson's Feast, 2004)
This makes enough to give out as gifts, and then some. But it's so tasty.
Ingredients:
4.5 C rolled oats
1 C/4 oz sunflower seeds (not the spicy kind!)
3/4 C/4 oz white sesame seeds
3/4 C/6 oz apple compote or apple sauce
2 t gr cinnamon
1 t gr ginger
1/3 C brown rice syrup or rice malt syrup or golden syrup
1/4 C clover honey
3/4 C light brown sugar
2 C/8 oz whole almonds
1 t salt
2 T sunflower oil
2 C raisins
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300/325 degF.
- Mix all things together very wlel in a large bowl. I do it in layers so the sticky things find their way to the dry things, and so seeds coat evenly. Use some spatulas or you'll be tarre dand feathered/seeded.
- Spread mxiture on two baking sheets (cookie sheets) and bake. Turn them halfway and redistribute - after around 20-25 mins. Your goal is to get it evenly golden.
- Cool and mix with raisins. Store in airtight containers. Little patterned cellophane bags make cute gift bags for this!
This makes enough to give out as gifts, and then some. But it's so tasty.
Ingredients:
4.5 C rolled oats
1 C/4 oz sunflower seeds (not the spicy kind!)
3/4 C/4 oz white sesame seeds
3/4 C/6 oz apple compote or apple sauce
2 t gr cinnamon
1 t gr ginger
1/3 C brown rice syrup or rice malt syrup or golden syrup
1/4 C clover honey
3/4 C light brown sugar
2 C/8 oz whole almonds
1 t salt
2 T sunflower oil
2 C raisins
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300/325 degF.
- Mix all things together very wlel in a large bowl. I do it in layers so the sticky things find their way to the dry things, and so seeds coat evenly. Use some spatulas or you'll be tarre dand feathered/seeded.
- Spread mxiture on two baking sheets (cookie sheets) and bake. Turn them halfway and redistribute - after around 20-25 mins. Your goal is to get it evenly golden.
- Cool and mix with raisins. Store in airtight containers. Little patterned cellophane bags make cute gift bags for this!
Recipe: Spinaci Saltati
(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 4-6. Total time: 30 mins.
Ingredients:
3 T coarse sea salt
2 lb fresh spinach
4 garlic cloves
2 T EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
- Bring 6 Q water to a rolling boil over high in a large pot.
- Prep work: wash carefully and stem the spinach; halve the garlic cloves.
- Add the salt, then add spinach to the water, stiring to eveny wilt it. Cook until wilted through, 2-3 mins.
- Drain spinach and rinse w/ cold water to stop cooking (in a huge colander or in the pot).
- Coarsely chop the spinach and place in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Set aside to drain once again. Press the liquid down and out from time to time.
- In a large skillet, combine garlic and oil and cook over med heat until garlic is golden (2-3 mins). Remove and discard garlic.
- Add chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, tossing w/ a fork, until warmed through (2-3 mins). Season w/ salt and pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6. Total time: 30 mins.
Ingredients:
3 T coarse sea salt
2 lb fresh spinach
4 garlic cloves
2 T EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
- Bring 6 Q water to a rolling boil over high in a large pot.
- Prep work: wash carefully and stem the spinach; halve the garlic cloves.
- Add the salt, then add spinach to the water, stiring to eveny wilt it. Cook until wilted through, 2-3 mins.
- Drain spinach and rinse w/ cold water to stop cooking (in a huge colander or in the pot).
- Coarsely chop the spinach and place in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Set aside to drain once again. Press the liquid down and out from time to time.
- In a large skillet, combine garlic and oil and cook over med heat until garlic is golden (2-3 mins). Remove and discard garlic.
- Add chopped spinach to the skillet and cook, tossing w/ a fork, until warmed through (2-3 mins). Season w/ salt and pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Recipe: Red Bean and Onion Salad (Insalata di Borlotti)
(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 4-5 as an antipasto. Time: 2.5 hours, start to finish; 45 mins active.
Ingredients:
1.25 C dried cranberry beans (1/2 pound)
1/2 small onion, halved
1 medium carrot
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 small rib celery
sprig of fresh sage
3 T EVOO, or to taste
1 small red onion
2 T good red wine vinegar, or to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Rinse beans and pick over to remove pebbles. Place in a large bowl. Boil 16-20 oz water and add to cover the beans. Set aside 1 hr. Drain and discard the water.
- Prep work: peel the carrot, crush the garlic cloves, mince the red onion (using a food processor). Mince some flat-leaf parsley leaves if desired (as a condiment).
- Place onion, carrot, bay leaves, garlic, celery, sage, and 1T oil in a large covered saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring just to a simmer on med heat; cook 15 mins.
- Add drained beans and return to a simmer. Cover and continue cooking just until beans are tender - 30 mins to 1 hour more (beans will be slightly firm, not mushy).
- Meanwhile, toss minced red onion with 1T oil in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once beans are cooked, drain them and discard the herbs and vegetables (composting them!). Transfer beans to a large bowl. Toss with minced onions and 1T oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper; taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature or warm.
(Keeps 2-3 days in the fridge)
Serves 4-5 as an antipasto. Time: 2.5 hours, start to finish; 45 mins active.
Ingredients:
1.25 C dried cranberry beans (1/2 pound)
1/2 small onion, halved
1 medium carrot
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 small rib celery
sprig of fresh sage
3 T EVOO, or to taste
1 small red onion
2 T good red wine vinegar, or to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Rinse beans and pick over to remove pebbles. Place in a large bowl. Boil 16-20 oz water and add to cover the beans. Set aside 1 hr. Drain and discard the water.
- Prep work: peel the carrot, crush the garlic cloves, mince the red onion (using a food processor). Mince some flat-leaf parsley leaves if desired (as a condiment).
- Place onion, carrot, bay leaves, garlic, celery, sage, and 1T oil in a large covered saucepan. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring just to a simmer on med heat; cook 15 mins.
- Add drained beans and return to a simmer. Cover and continue cooking just until beans are tender - 30 mins to 1 hour more (beans will be slightly firm, not mushy).
- Meanwhile, toss minced red onion with 1T oil in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once beans are cooked, drain them and discard the herbs and vegetables (composting them!). Transfer beans to a large bowl. Toss with minced onions and 1T oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper; taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature or warm.
(Keeps 2-3 days in the fridge)
Recipe: Risotto Verde (Asparagus, Spinach, and Parmesan Shreese)
(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993. This is a vegan-ified version.)
Serves 4-6. Time: 1-1.5 hours.
Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 small onion
sea salt to taste
1 C arborio rice (medium grain w/ high gluten!)
2 C veg broth
4 C loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
10 thin spears fresh asparagus
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 C freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano shreese (or as close as you can get while still fakin' it.)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degF. Get out: a 1.5 Q saucepan and 1 Q souffle dish.
- Prep work: Rinse, dry, and finely chop the spinach; rinse, trim, and cut asparagus into thin diagonal slices; mince the onion (food processor works well).
- In a saucepan, combine oil with onion and salt on med heat. Cook until soft and translucent - 3 to 4 mins. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Add broth, spinach, asparagus, nutmeg, and salt, and bring to a simmer on medium. Stir in 1/2 shreese.
- Transfer to a 1Q souffle dish and smooth out the top w/ back of a spoon. Sprinkle with remaining shreese. Cover souffle dish w/ foil.
- Bake until rice is cooked through and has absorbed most of the liquid - 35 to 40 mins. Serve immediately.
- Patricia's wine suggestion: a crisp Italian white, eg. Pinot Grigio, Galestro, or Orvieto Secco.
Serves 4-6. Time: 1-1.5 hours.
Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 small onion
sea salt to taste
1 C arborio rice (medium grain w/ high gluten!)
2 C veg broth
4 C loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
10 thin spears fresh asparagus
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 C freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano shreese (or as close as you can get while still fakin' it.)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degF. Get out: a 1.5 Q saucepan and 1 Q souffle dish.
- Prep work: Rinse, dry, and finely chop the spinach; rinse, trim, and cut asparagus into thin diagonal slices; mince the onion (food processor works well).
- In a saucepan, combine oil with onion and salt on med heat. Cook until soft and translucent - 3 to 4 mins. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Add broth, spinach, asparagus, nutmeg, and salt, and bring to a simmer on medium. Stir in 1/2 shreese.
- Transfer to a 1Q souffle dish and smooth out the top w/ back of a spoon. Sprinkle with remaining shreese. Cover souffle dish w/ foil.
- Bake until rice is cooked through and has absorbed most of the liquid - 35 to 40 mins. Serve immediately.
- Patricia's wine suggestion: a crisp Italian white, eg. Pinot Grigio, Galestro, or Orvieto Secco.
Recipe: Caponata
(from Patricia Wells' Trattoria, 1993)
Serves 8-12, as an appetizer. Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
2 med onions
2 red bell peppers
1 C EVOO
fine sea salt (to taste)
One 16-oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
Several herb stems: parsley, celery leaves, thyme sprigs, tied in a bundle w/ cotton twine
4 plump fresh garlic cloves
8 ribs celery hearts w/ leaves
2 t fresh thyme leaves
1 firm med eggplant (~1 pound)
2 T sugar
1/2 C best-quality red wine vinegar
1 C drained pitted green olives
1/4 C drained capers, rinsed
Directions:
- Prep work: Peel onions and cut in half lengthwise. Then cut crosswise into very thin slices. Cut peppers into thin vertical strips and cut in half. Thinly slice the garlic cloves, dice the celery hearts, and cube the eggplant.
(Batch 1)
- In a deep 12-in. skillet, combine in 1/4C oil: onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions and cook on low until soft and translucent (5 mins).
- Add peppers and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for ~5 mins more.
- Add crushed tomatoes directly from the can, don't drain. Cook 5 more mins.
- Add herb bundle and garlic - taste for seasoning.
- Cover and simmer gently 20 mins, stirring occasionally: until vegetables are cooked but still firm. No mushiness!
- Remove herb bundle and compost; remove from heat and set aside.
(Batch 2)
- In another skillet at the same time (also 12 in), heat 1/4 C oil over moderate heat. Add celery and cook 7-10 mins until lightly colored and beginning to soften and turn translucent. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and thyme. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil (1/2C) in skillet after removing celery. Add the eggplant when hot and cook ~5 mins until lightly colored. Keep the pan moving to avoid scorching. Eggplant should remain firm.
- Add eggplant and celery to the tomato mixture. Taste for seasoning. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the mixture is soft and jam-like (~20 mins).
- Meanwhile, combine sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve.
- Bring 1 quart/1 L water to a boil on hight in a med saucepan. Add olives and blanch 2 mins. Drain and rinse under cold running water. If olives are still salty, repeat.
- Add sugar-vinegar, olives, and capers to the jam-like veggie mixture and simmer on low heat for 1-2 mins to allow flavors to blend. Taste and salt if necessary. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool. Serve warm or room temperature (not cool) with some crusty pieces of bread.
Serves 8-12, as an appetizer. Time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:
2 med onions
2 red bell peppers
1 C EVOO
fine sea salt (to taste)
One 16-oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
Several herb stems: parsley, celery leaves, thyme sprigs, tied in a bundle w/ cotton twine
4 plump fresh garlic cloves
8 ribs celery hearts w/ leaves
2 t fresh thyme leaves
1 firm med eggplant (~1 pound)
2 T sugar
1/2 C best-quality red wine vinegar
1 C drained pitted green olives
1/4 C drained capers, rinsed
Directions:
- Prep work: Peel onions and cut in half lengthwise. Then cut crosswise into very thin slices. Cut peppers into thin vertical strips and cut in half. Thinly slice the garlic cloves, dice the celery hearts, and cube the eggplant.
(Batch 1)
- In a deep 12-in. skillet, combine in 1/4C oil: onions and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat onions and cook on low until soft and translucent (5 mins).
- Add peppers and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for ~5 mins more.
- Add crushed tomatoes directly from the can, don't drain. Cook 5 more mins.
- Add herb bundle and garlic - taste for seasoning.
- Cover and simmer gently 20 mins, stirring occasionally: until vegetables are cooked but still firm. No mushiness!
- Remove herb bundle and compost; remove from heat and set aside.
(Batch 2)
- In another skillet at the same time (also 12 in), heat 1/4 C oil over moderate heat. Add celery and cook 7-10 mins until lightly colored and beginning to soften and turn translucent. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and thyme. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil (1/2C) in skillet after removing celery. Add the eggplant when hot and cook ~5 mins until lightly colored. Keep the pan moving to avoid scorching. Eggplant should remain firm.
- Add eggplant and celery to the tomato mixture. Taste for seasoning. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the mixture is soft and jam-like (~20 mins).
- Meanwhile, combine sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve.
- Bring 1 quart/1 L water to a boil on hight in a med saucepan. Add olives and blanch 2 mins. Drain and rinse under cold running water. If olives are still salty, repeat.
- Add sugar-vinegar, olives, and capers to the jam-like veggie mixture and simmer on low heat for 1-2 mins to allow flavors to blend. Taste and salt if necessary. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool. Serve warm or room temperature (not cool) with some crusty pieces of bread.
31.5.08
Recipe: Dolma (Cold Stuffed Grape Leaves)
(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
The cold version is vegetarian, unlike its middle eastern cousin. Though called "false" dolma, these are actually the most popular!
Makes 35 or so grape leaves. Time: 1.5-2 hrs.
Ingredients:
8oz brine-preserved or fresh grape leaves
1 1/4 C long-grain rice (basmatic, etc)
2-3 tomatoes
1 lg onion or a bunch of scallions
2 T flat-leaf parsley
2 T dried mint, crushed
1/4 t gr cinnamon
1/4 t gr allspice
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)
3-4 cloves garlic
2/3 C EVOO
1 t sugar
1 lemon (or more)
Directions:
- For preserved grape leaves, put them in a bowl and desalt by pouring boiling water over them and agitate to make sure all leaves get desalted. Soak 20 mins, then change water twice w/ fresh cold water.
- Prep work: finely chop the onions and parsley; peel and chop the tomatoes and juice the lemon(s).
- Pour boiling water over the rice and stir well, then rinse under cold and drain. Mix rice with chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley, mint, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stuff the grape leaves w/ this mixture: place a leaf on a place, w/ vein side up. Put a large teaspoonful of filling in the center near the stem. Fold the stem end up over the filling, then fold sides inward and foll like a little cigar (tightly). Squeeze it together lightly in your palm.
- As you stuff the grape leaves, pack them tightly in a large pan lined w/ tomato slices or grape leaves. Put in some garlic if you like.
- Mix together olive oil, 2/3 C water, sugar, and lemon juice. Pour over stuffed leaves. Add a small plate to keep them together, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add water occasionally (8oz at a time) as liquid becomes absorbed.
- Serve cold.
The cold version is vegetarian, unlike its middle eastern cousin. Though called "false" dolma, these are actually the most popular!
Makes 35 or so grape leaves. Time: 1.5-2 hrs.
Ingredients:
8oz brine-preserved or fresh grape leaves
1 1/4 C long-grain rice (basmatic, etc)
2-3 tomatoes
1 lg onion or a bunch of scallions
2 T flat-leaf parsley
2 T dried mint, crushed
1/4 t gr cinnamon
1/4 t gr allspice
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)
3-4 cloves garlic
2/3 C EVOO
1 t sugar
1 lemon (or more)
Directions:
- For preserved grape leaves, put them in a bowl and desalt by pouring boiling water over them and agitate to make sure all leaves get desalted. Soak 20 mins, then change water twice w/ fresh cold water.
- Prep work: finely chop the onions and parsley; peel and chop the tomatoes and juice the lemon(s).
- Pour boiling water over the rice and stir well, then rinse under cold and drain. Mix rice with chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley, mint, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stuff the grape leaves w/ this mixture: place a leaf on a place, w/ vein side up. Put a large teaspoonful of filling in the center near the stem. Fold the stem end up over the filling, then fold sides inward and foll like a little cigar (tightly). Squeeze it together lightly in your palm.
- As you stuff the grape leaves, pack them tightly in a large pan lined w/ tomato slices or grape leaves. Put in some garlic if you like.
- Mix together olive oil, 2/3 C water, sugar, and lemon juice. Pour over stuffed leaves. Add a small plate to keep them together, cover the pan, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add water occasionally (8oz at a time) as liquid becomes absorbed.
- Serve cold.
Recipe: Ta'amia or Falafel!
(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
As the author says, "I have never known anyone to not like falafel." Indeed.
Serves 10. Total time:
Ingredients:
1lb dried (skinless) split broad beans, soaked in cold water 24 hrs (or mixed with chickpeas - the Israeli way)
salt and pepper
2 t gr cumin
1 t gr coriander
good pinch of gr chili pepper or cayenne (optional but recommended!)
1 t baking soda or baking powder
1 lg onion
5 scallions
6 cloves garlic
2/3 C flat-leaf parsley
2/3 C cilantro
veg oil for deep-frying
Directions:
- Drain the beans and let them dry a little on a towel.
- Get out the food processor and process those babies to a paste, adding salt and pepper and your dried spices (cumin, coriander, hotness) and baking soda. Make sure it's a fry-able consistency (soft and smooth). Let rest 1/2 hour.
- Meanwhile, do some prep work: process the onion until finely chopped (then strain to get rid of excess moisture), chop parsley and cilantro, crush the garlic, and finely chop the scallions.
- Combine all ingredients except oil. Knead well with your hands.
- Take small lumps and make flat, round shapes about 2 in. diameter, 1/4 in thick. It's easy to make balls and flatten them. Let rest 15 mins.
- Heat >2in. oil in a heavy pot until sizzling (but not smoking) hot. Fry patties in batches until crisp and brown, turning once. Lift with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels or cheesecloth.
- Serve with hummus or baba, some tomato and cucumber salad, and pita bread.
- Variation: dip lumps in sesame seeds before frying.
- If paste is too runny, add flour by the tablespoon. This means your beans were not properly mashed.
- To make lighter rissoles, add 1/4 oz dried yeast in lukewarm water (and let rest an hour).
As the author says, "I have never known anyone to not like falafel." Indeed.
Serves 10. Total time:
Ingredients:
1lb dried (skinless) split broad beans, soaked in cold water 24 hrs (or mixed with chickpeas - the Israeli way)
salt and pepper
2 t gr cumin
1 t gr coriander
good pinch of gr chili pepper or cayenne (optional but recommended!)
1 t baking soda or baking powder
1 lg onion
5 scallions
6 cloves garlic
2/3 C flat-leaf parsley
2/3 C cilantro
veg oil for deep-frying
Directions:
- Drain the beans and let them dry a little on a towel.
- Get out the food processor and process those babies to a paste, adding salt and pepper and your dried spices (cumin, coriander, hotness) and baking soda. Make sure it's a fry-able consistency (soft and smooth). Let rest 1/2 hour.
- Meanwhile, do some prep work: process the onion until finely chopped (then strain to get rid of excess moisture), chop parsley and cilantro, crush the garlic, and finely chop the scallions.
- Combine all ingredients except oil. Knead well with your hands.
- Take small lumps and make flat, round shapes about 2 in. diameter, 1/4 in thick. It's easy to make balls and flatten them. Let rest 15 mins.
- Heat >2in. oil in a heavy pot until sizzling (but not smoking) hot. Fry patties in batches until crisp and brown, turning once. Lift with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels or cheesecloth.
- Serve with hummus or baba, some tomato and cucumber salad, and pita bread.
- Variation: dip lumps in sesame seeds before frying.
- If paste is too runny, add flour by the tablespoon. This means your beans were not properly mashed.
- To make lighter rissoles, add 1/4 oz dried yeast in lukewarm water (and let rest an hour).
Recipe: Mezze! Hummus and Baba Ghanouj
Yum.. two of my faves. And oh so easy to make!
(from the New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
Baba Ghanouj
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 lb eggplants
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt
4T tahini
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 t gr. cumin
optional garnish: EVOO (2T) and parsley (1T)
Directions:
- Broil or roast eggplants (1/2 hour) until very soft inside and skin is blistered. Let cool and peel, letting flesh fall into a colander.
- Mash flesh with a fork, letting the bitter juices run off. Pour flesh into a bowl and add in other ingredients.
- Mix well with a fork. Add salt and some pepper to taste.
Hummus bi Tahina
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1.25 C chickpeas (or one can)
Juice of 2-2.5 lemons, or to taste
Water
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt
4-5 T tahini
Directions:
- Blend soft chickpeas in a food processor to a puree.
- Add remaining ingredients and a little water (can be from cooking beans), and blend it up to make a soft creamy paste.
- Adjust seasoning w/salt and pepper; then add more lemon juice, garlic, or salt if necessary.
Serve both with pita and scoop-worthy vegetables. Think zucchini and cucumber slices, carrot slices or baby-cut carrots, sugar snap peas, celery sticks.. anything really.
(from the New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
Baba Ghanouj
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 lb eggplants
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt
4T tahini
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 t gr. cumin
optional garnish: EVOO (2T) and parsley (1T)
Directions:
- Broil or roast eggplants (1/2 hour) until very soft inside and skin is blistered. Let cool and peel, letting flesh fall into a colander.
- Mash flesh with a fork, letting the bitter juices run off. Pour flesh into a bowl and add in other ingredients.
- Mix well with a fork. Add salt and some pepper to taste.
Hummus bi Tahina
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1.25 C chickpeas (or one can)
Juice of 2-2.5 lemons, or to taste
Water
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt
4-5 T tahini
Directions:
- Blend soft chickpeas in a food processor to a puree.
- Add remaining ingredients and a little water (can be from cooking beans), and blend it up to make a soft creamy paste.
- Adjust seasoning w/salt and pepper; then add more lemon juice, garlic, or salt if necessary.
Serve both with pita and scoop-worthy vegetables. Think zucchini and cucumber slices, carrot slices or baby-cut carrots, sugar snap peas, celery sticks.. anything really.
Recipe: Eggplant Slice with Tomato Sauce (Domatesli Patlican Tava)
(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, Roden 2000)
This is a Turkish way of preparing eggplants.
Serves 6. Time:
Ingredients:
3 med eggplants (2.5 pounds)
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 lbs tomatoes
2 T red or white wine vinegar
1T sugar
salt
chili pepper
1/3 C chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
- Prep work: slice eggplants, peel and chop tomatoes, chop parsley.
- Grill or broil slices by peeling eggplants, slicing, brushing sides with oil, and cooking for 6-8 mins, turning once.
- Fry garlic in 2T oil, stirring. Add tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and chili pepper and cook uncovered over low heat for 20 mins. Reduce to a thick sauce.
- Add parley and let it cool. Serve eggplants cold covered w/ tomato sauce.
This is a Turkish way of preparing eggplants.
Serves 6. Time:
Ingredients:
3 med eggplants (2.5 pounds)
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 lbs tomatoes
2 T red or white wine vinegar
1T sugar
salt
chili pepper
1/3 C chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
- Prep work: slice eggplants, peel and chop tomatoes, chop parsley.
- Grill or broil slices by peeling eggplants, slicing, brushing sides with oil, and cooking for 6-8 mins, turning once.
- Fry garlic in 2T oil, stirring. Add tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and chili pepper and cook uncovered over low heat for 20 mins. Reduce to a thick sauce.
- Add parley and let it cool. Serve eggplants cold covered w/ tomato sauce.
Recipe: Bulgur Pilaf with Tomatoes (Burghul bi Banadoura)
(from The New Book of Middle Eastern Cooking, Roden 2000)
Serves 6-8. Time: 45 mins.
Ingredients:
1 large onion
5 T veg oil or EVOO
3 C coarse-ground bulgur
1lb tomatoes
2T tomato paste
2 t sugar
salt and pepper
1 t allspice
1.5 C water
Directions:
- Prep work: chop the onion, wash bulgur in cold water and drain, peel and chop tomatoes.
- Fry onions in 2T oil until golden. Add bulgur and stir well.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, allspice, and water. Cover and cook, stirring, over very low heat 15 mins. Add some water if too dry.
- Leave to rest, covered, for 10 mins until grain is plump and tender. Then stir in remaining oil.
Serves 6-8. Time: 45 mins.
Ingredients:
1 large onion
5 T veg oil or EVOO
3 C coarse-ground bulgur
1lb tomatoes
2T tomato paste
2 t sugar
salt and pepper
1 t allspice
1.5 C water
Directions:
- Prep work: chop the onion, wash bulgur in cold water and drain, peel and chop tomatoes.
- Fry onions in 2T oil until golden. Add bulgur and stir well.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, allspice, and water. Cover and cook, stirring, over very low heat 15 mins. Add some water if too dry.
- Leave to rest, covered, for 10 mins until grain is plump and tender. Then stir in remaining oil.
Recipe: Couscous with Dried Apricots and Almonds
(from North African Cooking, Walden 2003)
Serves 8. Time:1 hour.
Ingredients:
12 oz couscous (pre-cooked)
1/2 C dried apricots, sliced into strips
salt and pepper
1/2 C blanched almonds, lightly toasted
chopped resh cilantro, to serve
olive oil or margarine to serve
Directions:
- Put couscous in a bowl and pour over 2.5 C water. Leave 30 mins or until most water has been absorbed, stirring frequently with a fork to separate grains.
- When 30 mins is almost up, get a good amount of water boiling in another saucepan.
- Stir in apricots and seasoning, then tip into a lined colander. Place over saucepan of boiling water, cover tightly with foil, and steam 20 mins.
- Stir in almonds, cilantro, and oil (if desired).
Serves 8. Time:1 hour.
Ingredients:
12 oz couscous (pre-cooked)
1/2 C dried apricots, sliced into strips
salt and pepper
1/2 C blanched almonds, lightly toasted
chopped resh cilantro, to serve
olive oil or margarine to serve
Directions:
- Put couscous in a bowl and pour over 2.5 C water. Leave 30 mins or until most water has been absorbed, stirring frequently with a fork to separate grains.
- When 30 mins is almost up, get a good amount of water boiling in another saucepan.
- Stir in apricots and seasoning, then tip into a lined colander. Place over saucepan of boiling water, cover tightly with foil, and steam 20 mins.
- Stir in almonds, cilantro, and oil (if desired).
Recipe: Mixed Vegetable Tagine
(from North African Cooking, Walden 2003)
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
3/4 C chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained, an chopped
3 T olive oil
4 small carrots
2 onions
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green pepper
2 zucchini
1 t gr. coriander
1 t gr. cumin
3 tomatoes
2.5 C broth (vegetable-based)
salt and pepper
1 lemon
2 T chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
4 green onions, finely chopped, to garnish
Directions:
- Cook chickpeas in lots of boiling water until tender. Meanwhile, do prep work.
- Prep work: slice carrots, chop onions, slice green pepper, slice zucchini, chop tomatoes, chop parsley, juice lemon.
- Wipe the sweat from your brow. Take a deep breath and continue.
- Heat oil in a pan, add the carrot and fry until browned. Set aside.
-Add onion and garlic and cook gently until soft and golden. Then add pepper and zucchini and cook until softened.
- Stir in spices
and cook until it smells good (3 mins?) then add tomatoes, carrots, broth and seasoning. Bring to a boil.
- Drain chickpeas and add to the veg mixture. Cover and simmer ~30 mins until all vegetables are tender. Stir in lemon juice and sprinkle garnishes.
- Serve over couscous or rice:
- Cooking couscous: Boil water in 1 to 1 ratio for 5 mins. Cover and let sit 5 more mins. Fluff w/a fork.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
3/4 C chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained, an chopped
3 T olive oil
4 small carrots
2 onions
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green pepper
2 zucchini
1 t gr. coriander
1 t gr. cumin
3 tomatoes
2.5 C broth (vegetable-based)
salt and pepper
1 lemon
2 T chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
4 green onions, finely chopped, to garnish
Directions:
- Cook chickpeas in lots of boiling water until tender. Meanwhile, do prep work.
- Prep work: slice carrots, chop onions, slice green pepper, slice zucchini, chop tomatoes, chop parsley, juice lemon.
- Wipe the sweat from your brow. Take a deep breath and continue.
- Heat oil in a pan, add the carrot and fry until browned. Set aside.
-Add onion and garlic and cook gently until soft and golden. Then add pepper and zucchini and cook until softened.
- Stir in spices
and cook until it smells good (3 mins?) then add tomatoes, carrots, broth and seasoning. Bring to a boil.
- Drain chickpeas and add to the veg mixture. Cover and simmer ~30 mins until all vegetables are tender. Stir in lemon juice and sprinkle garnishes.
- Serve over couscous or rice:
- Cooking couscous: Boil water in 1 to 1 ratio for 5 mins. Cover and let sit 5 more mins. Fluff w/a fork.
30.5.08
Recipe: Grated Carrot Salad
(from North African Cooking, Walden 2003)
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1lb small carrots
1-2 T clear honey
1 lemon
5 T olive oil
1 T gr. cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
scant 1/2 cup raisins
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Grate the carrots coarsely, put into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix together other ingredients. Pour mixture over carrots in larger bowl and stir well.
- Leave to marinate for 1 hour before serving.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1lb small carrots
1-2 T clear honey
1 lemon
5 T olive oil
1 T gr. cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
scant 1/2 cup raisins
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Grate the carrots coarsely, put into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix together other ingredients. Pour mixture over carrots in larger bowl and stir well.
- Leave to marinate for 1 hour before serving.
Recipe: Bhagharay Chawal (Plain fried rice)
(from Simply Indian by Rawji and Suleman, 2003)
Serves 3-4. Time: 1hr.
Ingredients:
2.5 C basmatic rice
1 small onion
1/4 C veg oil
1/2 t garlic paste
1 t salt
1/2 t black cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods
4 C water
Directions:
- Wash rice and leave to soak in fresh water 20 mins; drain.
- Peel and slice onion. Fry it in the oil in a heavy saucepan on med high heat.
- Add garlic paste and stir well. Add salt, cumin, cloves and cardamom pods. Fry well 1 minute.
- Add rice and stir until water evaporates (10 mins)
- Add 4C water and cook uncovered until 1C remains. Mix well, cover and let simmer for 10 mins or until rice is tender (time varies).
- Variation: to make Green Pea Pilau, decorate rice w/green peas.
Serves 3-4. Time: 1hr.
Ingredients:
2.5 C basmatic rice
1 small onion
1/4 C veg oil
1/2 t garlic paste
1 t salt
1/2 t black cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods
4 C water
Directions:
- Wash rice and leave to soak in fresh water 20 mins; drain.
- Peel and slice onion. Fry it in the oil in a heavy saucepan on med high heat.
- Add garlic paste and stir well. Add salt, cumin, cloves and cardamom pods. Fry well 1 minute.
- Add rice and stir until water evaporates (10 mins)
- Add 4C water and cook uncovered until 1C remains. Mix well, cover and let simmer for 10 mins or until rice is tender (time varies).
- Variation: to make Green Pea Pilau, decorate rice w/green peas.
Recipe: Massor Daal Curry
(from Simply Indian, Rawji and Suleman 2003)
Serves 6. Time: 1 hour (doesn't include rehydration time)
Ingredients:
2 C red lentils (masoor daal) - rehydrate 1hr to shorten cooking time
3C water
1/4 t haldi (turmeric)
4 T veg oil
1 t rai (black mustard seeds)
6 limro (curry leaves)
2 tomatoes
1/4 C chopped onions
1 t curry powder
1 t garlic, crushed
1/2 t salt
1/2 t chili powder
1 T chopped cilantro
2 lemons (squeezed)
1/2 t garam masala
2 T chopped cilantro (garnish)
Directions:
- Wash daal. In a pot add 3C water, 2C daal, turmeric and 1T oil. Boil ~20 minutes or until cooked. When ready, they'll be almost mushy.
- Prep work: chop tomatoes, chop onions, squeeze lemons.
- Heat remaining 3 T oil in another pot to medium heat. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Fry until popping. Add onions and fry.
- Add tomatoes and fry 1 minute. Add curry powder, garlic, salt and chili powder.
- Mash daal slightly w/ potato masher and add to the spicy mix in the second pot. Let cook at least 5 mins. Add water for a thinner consistency, cook longer for thicker consistency.
- Add cilantro and fresh lemon juice and garam masala. Simmer 4 mins and remove from heat.
- Sprinkle with cilantro before serving
Serves 6. Time: 1 hour (doesn't include rehydration time)
Ingredients:
2 C red lentils (masoor daal) - rehydrate 1hr to shorten cooking time
3C water
1/4 t haldi (turmeric)
4 T veg oil
1 t rai (black mustard seeds)
6 limro (curry leaves)
2 tomatoes
1/4 C chopped onions
1 t curry powder
1 t garlic, crushed
1/2 t salt
1/2 t chili powder
1 T chopped cilantro
2 lemons (squeezed)
1/2 t garam masala
2 T chopped cilantro (garnish)
Directions:
- Wash daal. In a pot add 3C water, 2C daal, turmeric and 1T oil. Boil ~20 minutes or until cooked. When ready, they'll be almost mushy.
- Prep work: chop tomatoes, chop onions, squeeze lemons.
- Heat remaining 3 T oil in another pot to medium heat. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Fry until popping. Add onions and fry.
- Add tomatoes and fry 1 minute. Add curry powder, garlic, salt and chili powder.
- Mash daal slightly w/ potato masher and add to the spicy mix in the second pot. Let cook at least 5 mins. Add water for a thinner consistency, cook longer for thicker consistency.
- Add cilantro and fresh lemon juice and garam masala. Simmer 4 mins and remove from heat.
- Sprinkle with cilantro before serving
Recipe: Potatoes! Aloo Gobi and Potato Curry
Aloo Gobi (Potato Cauliflower Curry)
Serves 4. Time: 45 mins
Ingredients:
1 small cauliflower
4 large potatoes
1 med onion
2-3 tomatoes
2 T veg oil
1/4 t asafoetida
1/2 t salt
1/2 t haldi (turmeric)
1/2 t dhania (coriander, coarsely ground)
1 t jeera (cumin, coarsely ground)
1 t chili powder
1 t garam masala
Directions:
- Prep work: separate cauliflower into small florets. peel and cut potatoes into small pieces, chop onion and tomatoes and put those two into a bowl and cover with lemon juice to marinate.
- Heat veg oil in a saucepan to medium high. Saute onions and tomatoes. Add potatoes and fry 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Add cauliflower and fry 3 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Mix dry spices in a bowl and add to saucepan (except garam masala). No need to add water.
- When potatoes are fully cooked (10-15 mins), sprinkle with garam masala.
- Serve with yogurt (raita) and chapatis.
Potato Curry
Serves 4. Time: 30 mins.
Ingredients:
6-7 med potatoes
1/2 t rai (black msutard seeds)
1 C crushed tomatoes
1.5 t curry powder
1 t chili powder
2 t paprika
1/2 t salt (to taste)
2.5 t sugar
Directions:
- Boil and peel potatoes. Cut into large cubes and set aside.
- Heat oil to medium hot in a pan and add mustard seeds until popping.
- Add crushed tomatoes. Cover and cook 4 mins. Stir in curry powder.
- Add chili powder and paprika, and reduce heat.
- Season potatoes with salt and sugar, and then add to the sauce. Cook 5 mins.
Serves 4. Time: 45 mins
Ingredients:
1 small cauliflower
4 large potatoes
1 med onion
2-3 tomatoes
2 T veg oil
1/4 t asafoetida
1/2 t salt
1/2 t haldi (turmeric)
1/2 t dhania (coriander, coarsely ground)
1 t jeera (cumin, coarsely ground)
1 t chili powder
1 t garam masala
Directions:
- Prep work: separate cauliflower into small florets. peel and cut potatoes into small pieces, chop onion and tomatoes and put those two into a bowl and cover with lemon juice to marinate.
- Heat veg oil in a saucepan to medium high. Saute onions and tomatoes. Add potatoes and fry 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Add cauliflower and fry 3 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Mix dry spices in a bowl and add to saucepan (except garam masala). No need to add water.
- When potatoes are fully cooked (10-15 mins), sprinkle with garam masala.
- Serve with yogurt (raita) and chapatis.
Potato Curry
Serves 4. Time: 30 mins.
Ingredients:
6-7 med potatoes
1/2 t rai (black msutard seeds)
1 C crushed tomatoes
1.5 t curry powder
1 t chili powder
2 t paprika
1/2 t salt (to taste)
2.5 t sugar
Directions:
- Boil and peel potatoes. Cut into large cubes and set aside.
- Heat oil to medium hot in a pan and add mustard seeds until popping.
- Add crushed tomatoes. Cover and cook 4 mins. Stir in curry powder.
- Add chili powder and paprika, and reduce heat.
- Season potatoes with salt and sugar, and then add to the sauce. Cook 5 mins.
Recipe: Channa Daal Curry
(from Simply Indian, Rawji and Suleman 2003)
Serves 6. Total time: 1.25 hours.
Ingredients:
2 C channa daal (soaked overnight - soak 1 part lentil to 3 parts water.)
3.5 C water
5 T veg oil
1 med onion
1 med tomato
1/2 t haldi (turmeric powder)
1/2 t garlic paste/minced
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
1/4 t asafoetida powder
2 t tomato puree
2 C water
2 med potatoes (boiled and diced)
1/2 t garam masala
1/2 t khatai (dried mango powder)
cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
- Concurrently boil daal and potatoes in 4-6C water (half-covered, large pot). You can peel the potatoes while waiting for water to boil. Dice the potatoes.
- Do prep work: chop the onion, chop the tomato.
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil on medium high. Fry the onion until golden to light brown.
- Add the tomato, as well as spices: turmeric, garlic paste, chili powder, salt and asafoetida and fry 5 mins.
- Add tomato paste and boiled daal. Cook ~5 mins, then add 2C water. Bring to a boil.
- Add potatoes, garam masala and khatai powder. Cook for another 5-10 mins.
- Serve, sprinkled with garnish.
Serves 6. Total time: 1.25 hours.
Ingredients:
2 C channa daal (soaked overnight - soak 1 part lentil to 3 parts water.)
3.5 C water
5 T veg oil
1 med onion
1 med tomato
1/2 t haldi (turmeric powder)
1/2 t garlic paste/minced
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
1/4 t asafoetida powder
2 t tomato puree
2 C water
2 med potatoes (boiled and diced)
1/2 t garam masala
1/2 t khatai (dried mango powder)
cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
- Concurrently boil daal and potatoes in 4-6C water (half-covered, large pot). You can peel the potatoes while waiting for water to boil. Dice the potatoes.
- Do prep work: chop the onion, chop the tomato.
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil on medium high. Fry the onion until golden to light brown.
- Add the tomato, as well as spices: turmeric, garlic paste, chili powder, salt and asafoetida and fry 5 mins.
- Add tomato paste and boiled daal. Cook ~5 mins, then add 2C water. Bring to a boil.
- Add potatoes, garam masala and khatai powder. Cook for another 5-10 mins.
- Serve, sprinkled with garnish.
Recipe: Mixed Vegetable Curry
(From Simply Indian, Rawji and Suleman 2003)
Serves 5. Total time: 1.25 hours.
Ingredients:
1 eggplant
2 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
3 medium carrots
1 medium cauliflower
6 T veg oil
4 methi (fungreek) seeds
1/4 t rai (black mustard seeds)
2 med tomatoes
1/2 t garlic (crushed)
1/2 t ginger (crushed)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t haldi (turmeric)
1/2 t ground jeera (cumin)
1 t khatai (dried mango powder)
cilantro, to garnish
Directions:
- Cut eggplant into 2-in. thick slices. Salt them by sprinkling on a liberal amount of salt and rubbing it on both sides.
- Peel potatoes and cut into similar-sized pieces. Also do this for onions and carrots.
- Cut cauliflower into 1-in. pieces. Chop tomatoes.
- Heat oil to med. high an dfry the eggplant until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Reheat the oil to medium high and add the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Cook until popping (and aromatic). Add onions, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Cook ~10 minutes until vegetables are tender. (Note: can speed this step by precooking potatoes and carrots in a microwave)
- Add remaining spices except mango powder (garlic, ginger, salt, chili powder, turmeric, gr. cumin). Cook on low heat until vegetables are completely cooked.
- Add a little water if necessary. Add mango powder and cilantro for garnish.
- Serve with chapatis or puris.
Serves 5. Total time: 1.25 hours.
Ingredients:
1 eggplant
2 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
3 medium carrots
1 medium cauliflower
6 T veg oil
4 methi (fungreek) seeds
1/4 t rai (black mustard seeds)
2 med tomatoes
1/2 t garlic (crushed)
1/2 t ginger (crushed)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t haldi (turmeric)
1/2 t ground jeera (cumin)
1 t khatai (dried mango powder)
cilantro, to garnish
Directions:
- Cut eggplant into 2-in. thick slices. Salt them by sprinkling on a liberal amount of salt and rubbing it on both sides.
- Peel potatoes and cut into similar-sized pieces. Also do this for onions and carrots.
- Cut cauliflower into 1-in. pieces. Chop tomatoes.
- Heat oil to med. high an dfry the eggplant until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Reheat the oil to medium high and add the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Cook until popping (and aromatic). Add onions, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Cook ~10 minutes until vegetables are tender. (Note: can speed this step by precooking potatoes and carrots in a microwave)
- Add remaining spices except mango powder (garlic, ginger, salt, chili powder, turmeric, gr. cumin). Cook on low heat until vegetables are completely cooked.
- Add a little water if necessary. Add mango powder and cilantro for garnish.
- Serve with chapatis or puris.
Recipe: Spinach Curry with Beans and Coconut
Serves 5. Total time: 1 hour, not including chutney
(from Simply Indian: Rawji and Suleman 2003)
Ingredients
3 bunches of spinach
4 T veg. oil
1 onion
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic paste (or minced garlic)
1 green chili
1/2 C black-eyed beans (soaked overnight)
1 C coconut milk
1/2 t green chili chutney (to follow)
Green chili chutney:
6 green chilis
1/2 t jeera (cumin)
1 large clove garlic
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 t salt
- Mix together in a blender until completely liquid. Refrigerate in a glass jar up to 1 week.
Directions
- In a large pot, boil soaked beans in 2C water for 15-20 minutes. During this time, do some prep work:
- Chop finely the onion and green chili.
- Chop finely the spinach, and leave it to soak in water to clean well. Drain, and remove as much water as possible.
- Drain beans and put the pot back on the stove. Add vegetable oil and heat on medium high.
- Saute onion until tender (5-8 mins). Add drained spinach. Cook until all the water evaporates and spinach starts to stick to the pot.
- Add salt, garlic paste, green chili chutney and beans.
- Cook 2 minutes, then add coconut milk.
- Cook 3-5 minutes and remove from heat.
Seve with rice or chapatis. Basmatic rice can be made concurrently starting after the draining of beans. Follow directions on package.
(from Simply Indian: Rawji and Suleman 2003)
Ingredients
3 bunches of spinach
4 T veg. oil
1 onion
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic paste (or minced garlic)
1 green chili
1/2 C black-eyed beans (soaked overnight)
1 C coconut milk
1/2 t green chili chutney (to follow)
Green chili chutney:
6 green chilis
1/2 t jeera (cumin)
1 large clove garlic
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 t salt
- Mix together in a blender until completely liquid. Refrigerate in a glass jar up to 1 week.
Directions
- In a large pot, boil soaked beans in 2C water for 15-20 minutes. During this time, do some prep work:
- Chop finely the onion and green chili.
- Chop finely the spinach, and leave it to soak in water to clean well. Drain, and remove as much water as possible.
- Drain beans and put the pot back on the stove. Add vegetable oil and heat on medium high.
- Saute onion until tender (5-8 mins). Add drained spinach. Cook until all the water evaporates and spinach starts to stick to the pot.
- Add salt, garlic paste, green chili chutney and beans.
- Cook 2 minutes, then add coconut milk.
- Cook 3-5 minutes and remove from heat.
Seve with rice or chapatis. Basmatic rice can be made concurrently starting after the draining of beans. Follow directions on package.
25.5.08
Gaviotas excerpt
On development:
While his polyglot father translated, Paolo [Lugari, creator of Gaviotas] concentrated as the tall priest [Lebret] posed a Socratic question to the others over the dessert brandy. "How," he asked, "can we define development?"Gaviotas is a wonderful book by Alan Weisman about a lifelong sustainable development project in Colombia involving many people, many auspicious ideas, with implications for the country and the world. I highly recommended it - an easy-to-read nonfiction book! It might even give you the urge to head out somewhere really remote and rough it like this bunch of innovators.
"By the amount of paved kilometers of road per citizen," suggested Lugari's uncle, Tomas Castrillon, then Colombia's Minister of Public Works. Lebret shook his head.
"By the number of hospital beds per capita," said the Minister of Health. No again.
Equally incorrect, evidently, were the treasury minister, who offered a ratio of gross domestic product divided by the population, and a director of Banco de la Republica, who proposed calculating the percentage of total wealth that a given society had invested in infrastructure.
"Development," Lebret finally told them, "means making people happy." Eyes snapped toward him. "Before you spend your money on roads and factories, you should first be sure that those are what your citizens really need."
20.5.08
The burning question
I keep wondering about the broad-spectrum goals of my organization, and the environmental justice movement in general. I'm going to start accosting folks around the office with this question:
Are policy changes the true ultimate tangible accomplishment we are working so hard to achieve?
My bias is this: It's a little less than believable to me that policy changes alone will accomplish the sociocultural changes needed to truly prevent harm that's perpetrated by chemical factories and a waste industry so focused on profitability that they don't even factor in life cycle and the effects on human health before something bad happens. But then what do caring folks work toward after those policy changes are or are not achieved?
We'll see what responses I get.
Are policy changes the true ultimate tangible accomplishment we are working so hard to achieve?
My bias is this: It's a little less than believable to me that policy changes alone will accomplish the sociocultural changes needed to truly prevent harm that's perpetrated by chemical factories and a waste industry so focused on profitability that they don't even factor in life cycle and the effects on human health before something bad happens. But then what do caring folks work toward after those policy changes are or are not achieved?
We'll see what responses I get.
16.5.08
Photo essay: Spring trips
There's a huge lapse in my posts this spring, but I've been pretty busy (having fun!) so I thought I'd share some of what I've been up to.
First, pictures from my trip to see long time friend Emily in Colorado, where she's working in the education outreach program of the Southwest Conservation Corps.
Next, pictures of a 210-mile bicycle odyssey I went on with my Dad on Mothers' Day weekend. It was following the Scioto river valley in Ohio over 2 days, with over 2500 bikers making it the largest touring weekend in the U.S.
First, pictures from my trip to see long time friend Emily in Colorado, where she's working in the education outreach program of the Southwest Conservation Corps.
Next, pictures of a 210-mile bicycle odyssey I went on with my Dad on Mothers' Day weekend. It was following the Scioto river valley in Ohio over 2 days, with over 2500 bikers making it the largest touring weekend in the U.S.
13.5.08
Some new role models: Goldman recipients 2008
This year's Goldman Prize winners for protecting the environment are some truly awesome folks. Here's just a peek at the latest.
I admit I'm a latecomer to these yearly awards to one outstanding activist for every continent (excepting Antarctica; no one will ever fight the cold and win) -- my boss was a winner in 1990 and so she introduced me. But they're so cool, I have to spread the word!
Africa: Feliciano dos Santos
As founder of the group Estamos (Portuguese for We are), Feliciano spreads the message of sanitation through his music and community empowerment through an invention:
EcoSans, or ecological sanitary composting toilets with a final product suitable for fertilizing crops.
Dos Santos' band Massukos is also internationally reknown - they're quite good! - for connecting villagers with his message through their culture and hopes for a safer, healthier, more plentiful future. Now that is some grooving appropriate technology.
South America and Central America: Pablo Fajardo Mendoza and Luis Yanza
These two have been fighting a big opponent in what is essential an Ecuadorian environmental justice fight: Texaco/Chevron's wanton destruction of Amazonian rainforest through years of irresponsible petroleum practices. A biographic article on Mendoza's life struggle blew me away because it seems like the man never sleeps. He was pursuing a law degree through a correspondance course while teaching, leading a community organizing group, raising and protecting his family from corporate provocateurs/hitmen, and running a daily radio show. Now, he's leading a 30,000-person class action suit against the oil tycoons for destruction of natural resources, water, and just about everything else near the drilling sites, including the health of the very people who toiled to bring the corporation big profits through the fossil fuels they piped away to first-world consumers.
You can check out the rest of the winners at the Goldman Prize website.
Note: I originally started to write this about a month ago, but for some reason put it off for a while. Sorry for the long absence!
I admit I'm a latecomer to these yearly awards to one outstanding activist for every continent (excepting Antarctica; no one will ever fight the cold and win) -- my boss was a winner in 1990 and so she introduced me. But they're so cool, I have to spread the word!
Africa: Feliciano dos Santos
As founder of the group Estamos (Portuguese for We are), Feliciano spreads the message of sanitation through his music and community empowerment through an invention:
EcoSans, or ecological sanitary composting toilets with a final product suitable for fertilizing crops.
Dos Santos' band Massukos is also internationally reknown - they're quite good! - for connecting villagers with his message through their culture and hopes for a safer, healthier, more plentiful future. Now that is some grooving appropriate technology.
South America and Central America: Pablo Fajardo Mendoza and Luis Yanza
These two have been fighting a big opponent in what is essential an Ecuadorian environmental justice fight: Texaco/Chevron's wanton destruction of Amazonian rainforest through years of irresponsible petroleum practices. A biographic article on Mendoza's life struggle blew me away because it seems like the man never sleeps. He was pursuing a law degree through a correspondance course while teaching, leading a community organizing group, raising and protecting his family from corporate provocateurs/hitmen, and running a daily radio show. Now, he's leading a 30,000-person class action suit against the oil tycoons for destruction of natural resources, water, and just about everything else near the drilling sites, including the health of the very people who toiled to bring the corporation big profits through the fossil fuels they piped away to first-world consumers.
You can check out the rest of the winners at the Goldman Prize website.
Note: I originally started to write this about a month ago, but for some reason put it off for a while. Sorry for the long absence!
29.3.08
Spring is for Cycling
Now that it's warm out, I'm hauling out the road bike again! Training has been under full swing for a month, so I tested my progress with the longest bike ride I've ever been on.
It was a sunny day, and a little chilly, but that's what layers are for.
It's striking how pretty howard county is when you get out to the farms - 30 years ago, it must have all been like this! But beneficiaries of suburban sprawl couldn't care less. Horses? no thanks. Homegoods and Home Depot, that sounds about right.
Interesting things seen along on the ride: Silky black cows a-grazing, a former corn field covered in a dusty purple wildflower, bushes full of loud birds, two Hooters girls posing next to a toolshed, and LOTS of trash. Yuck.
I also spotted a wicked-looking hill that I remember deciding to ride up last fall when I was tired -- I thought it would be a good place to take a short-cut home. What's worse was I managed to get a bee stuck in my bra so I was stung a couple of times on my way up the "wall."
Check out my 37mi ride on bikely.
It was a sunny day, and a little chilly, but that's what layers are for.
It's striking how pretty howard county is when you get out to the farms - 30 years ago, it must have all been like this! But beneficiaries of suburban sprawl couldn't care less. Horses? no thanks. Homegoods and Home Depot, that sounds about right.
Interesting things seen along on the ride: Silky black cows a-grazing, a former corn field covered in a dusty purple wildflower, bushes full of loud birds, two Hooters girls posing next to a toolshed, and LOTS of trash. Yuck.
I also spotted a wicked-looking hill that I remember deciding to ride up last fall when I was tired -- I thought it would be a good place to take a short-cut home. What's worse was I managed to get a bee stuck in my bra so I was stung a couple of times on my way up the "wall."
Check out my 37mi ride on bikely.
26.3.08
Constituent does not equal Consumer
Every morning I wake up to C-SPAN radio, before it even gets light outside. For some reason, it's easier for my brain to come to waking when political speakers are demanding my attention, asking for Change, insisting Yes We Can or trying to drum up some party unity.
This morning I noticed that, when addressing all manner of issues (from health care, investment and the economy, environment, education), decision-makers tend refer to their constituents primarily as consumers - as if the only factor that matters in any of these issues is money.
Excuse me for being picky, but I truly see myself as a citizen first and a consumer at least third or fourth, maybe even last. This way of thinking - the long shadow that "economics" casts - seems to be entrenched in the minds of those who should be thinking of their constituents' needs, not their wallets.
I don't want a politican to look at me and see dollar signs. But how to fix that unless the ubiquitous stakeholder companies are taken out of the legislative, judicial, and executive equation? I read a lot about that problem (and have a few posts on it), but I wonder what other major patterns in American society are contributing to the current myopic focus on money. We should be shaking our politicians out of their avarice and demanding they re-focus on what really sustains people -- health, shelter, family, and an occupation by which to contribute to society.
This morning I noticed that, when addressing all manner of issues (from health care, investment and the economy, environment, education), decision-makers tend refer to their constituents primarily as consumers - as if the only factor that matters in any of these issues is money.
Excuse me for being picky, but I truly see myself as a citizen first and a consumer at least third or fourth, maybe even last. This way of thinking - the long shadow that "economics" casts - seems to be entrenched in the minds of those who should be thinking of their constituents' needs, not their wallets.
I don't want a politican to look at me and see dollar signs. But how to fix that unless the ubiquitous stakeholder companies are taken out of the legislative, judicial, and executive equation? I read a lot about that problem (and have a few posts on it), but I wonder what other major patterns in American society are contributing to the current myopic focus on money. We should be shaking our politicians out of their avarice and demanding they re-focus on what really sustains people -- health, shelter, family, and an occupation by which to contribute to society.
22.3.08
Making it New
I find that a greater sense of gratitude has helped me become a happier, friendly, more engaging person in the past year. Practicing gratefulness is a conscious decision, not unlike the Buddhist's eschewing desire, that leads to a greater fullness (gratefulness = "great fullness") and sense of being at peace with the world.
The practice is at home in many contexts that we find ourselves in, and I want to share one such anecdote that links gratitude and relationships.
The practice is at home in many contexts that we find ourselves in, and I want to share one such anecdote that links gratitude and relationships.
I once went to a conference on relationships. Most of the presenters were therapists who had all kinds of elaborate theories about what made good relationships. Then a Buddhist lama got up and said, "I know the secret to keeping love alive. It's simple. All you have to do it act as if you have just met this person and are falling in love. When you meet someone you are interested in, everything they do is wonderful. You love looking at them, hearing what they have to say. Even when they play you country western music, which you might dislike, you think, 'Well, maybe Tammy Wynette isn't so bad after all.' As time goes on, however, you take the person for granted and fight over Tammy Wynette. So the solution is to see your loved one new again."
The therapists were up in arms, prolaiming that such a task was too hard. "Oh," said the lama, "I said it was simple. I didn't say it was easy."
The lama is right. The secret to love -- and a sense of joy and gratitude toward all things living -- is to see, feel, and hear as if for the First Time. Before the scales of the habitual clouded the brilliant blue sky outside your office window, the tangy juiciness of an orange, or the smooth softness of your loved one's hands. Before you got used to her kind words, or his musical laughter, that they became invisible to you.
Recently, my husband Don had vividly brought home to us the truth of how easy it is to get blinded to the miracles around us. When we first adopted Ana, we couldn't sleep -- we were too busy looking into her peaceful face and crying tears of gratitude. Now, a mere four months later, Don, who is home all day with her, finds himself taking her presence for granted, already losing that overwhelming sense of appreciation that she was sent to us.
"I get bored, he says, "because it is so much the same, day after day. But her spirit, her presence, is no less a miracle today than it was four months ago, or than it will be four or forty years from now. And when I can remember that, I catch myself 'falling asleep' to the miracle, and the awareness wakes me again and my heart once again fills with joy."
When we can live our lives as if it is always the first time -- the first time we made love, the first time we gazed upon the face of our beloved, the first time we tasted ice cream, the first time we saw a bird-- we won't have to try to experience a sense of gratitude. It will be there automatically, as a natural response to the beauty and the bounty around us.
9.3.08
TOSRV, here we come!
I'm officially signed up for the 2008 Tour of the Scioto River Valley - America's largest bike touring weekend!
It's going to be two days of back to back century bike rides in flat Ohio between Columbus and Portsmouth. Me and my Pops are setting out in the second weekend in May for some serious bike 'n bonding. That's perfect, because the ride started out as a father and son event in the 60s, evolving to appeal to feminist and not so feminist female riders.
Training started for me on March 1, but will amp up when the weather gets warmer. For now, I'm keeping my butt in shape by pedaling on my bike-stand in the basement a few times a week. Thank the lawd for portable music players!
It's going to be two days of back to back century bike rides in flat Ohio between Columbus and Portsmouth. Me and my Pops are setting out in the second weekend in May for some serious bike 'n bonding. That's perfect, because the ride started out as a father and son event in the 60s, evolving to appeal to feminist and not so feminist female riders.
Training started for me on March 1, but will amp up when the weather gets warmer. For now, I'm keeping my butt in shape by pedaling on my bike-stand in the basement a few times a week. Thank the lawd for portable music players!
2.3.08
Profile of Ronald McDonald, The Psychopath
My latest reading list epiphany is from Drutman and Cray's "The People's Business." Some related thoughts:
Corporations are being awarded more and more rights and privileges traditionally reserved for individual citizens. These privileges were originally established to protect you and I from the powerful. Everyone knows of someone whose house has been taken for "justifiable use" whether they wanted to sell it or not, but how inappropriate current corporate law is might be better highlighted by comparison to the psyche of one very scary type of individual: the psychopath.
According to Dr. Robert Hare, a renown expert on psychopathy, a corporation fits the following checklist for an individual who is psychopathic:
1. Irresponsible: In an attempt to satisfy the corporate goal, everybody else is put at risk.
2. Manipulative: They try to manipulate everything, including public opinion.
3. Grandiose: Every company insists they are the best, number one, above their competitors.
4. Lack of Empathy and
5. Asocial Tendencies: Corporations' behavior indicates they don't identify with or care about their victims.
6. Refusal to accept responsibility for their actions: If caught breaking the law, they pay big fines and continue doing just what they did before.
7. Unable to feel remorse: Rarely does behavior change after settling a lawsuit due to wrongs perpetrated on innocents.
8. Superficial: The corporations' goal is to have an appealing public image but that often does not represent what the corporation and its operations are really like.
So what do we do with psychopaths in society, danger that they are? Apparently, we have decided to let them control everything, from our schoolyards to our politics to our homes.
But what should we do with psychopathic corporations? Get them into reform school, at the very least. And that does mean shutting down sales during the rehabilitation period - which most corporations refuse to do even while in court. The thought process behind that: Why lose profits during long-winded litigation, even if a company's means be ruled responsible for harming the public?
Corporations are being awarded more and more rights and privileges traditionally reserved for individual citizens. These privileges were originally established to protect you and I from the powerful. Everyone knows of someone whose house has been taken for "justifiable use" whether they wanted to sell it or not, but how inappropriate current corporate law is might be better highlighted by comparison to the psyche of one very scary type of individual: the psychopath.
According to Dr. Robert Hare, a renown expert on psychopathy, a corporation fits the following checklist for an individual who is psychopathic:
1. Irresponsible: In an attempt to satisfy the corporate goal, everybody else is put at risk.
2. Manipulative: They try to manipulate everything, including public opinion.
3. Grandiose: Every company insists they are the best, number one, above their competitors.
4. Lack of Empathy and
5. Asocial Tendencies: Corporations' behavior indicates they don't identify with or care about their victims.
6. Refusal to accept responsibility for their actions: If caught breaking the law, they pay big fines and continue doing just what they did before.
7. Unable to feel remorse: Rarely does behavior change after settling a lawsuit due to wrongs perpetrated on innocents.
8. Superficial: The corporations' goal is to have an appealing public image but that often does not represent what the corporation and its operations are really like.
So what do we do with psychopaths in society, danger that they are? Apparently, we have decided to let them control everything, from our schoolyards to our politics to our homes.
But what should we do with psychopathic corporations? Get them into reform school, at the very least. And that does mean shutting down sales during the rehabilitation period - which most corporations refuse to do even while in court. The thought process behind that: Why lose profits during long-winded litigation, even if a company's means be ruled responsible for harming the public?
Vegan tummy yummies: molasses raisin cookie
It's a humbling experience to try to bake using an ingredient set you've never been stuck with before - evinced by a series of catastrophic failures! Sugar cookies that were too crumbly to cut into shapes, brownies that resembled a molten tar pit.. but I finally had a success.
Here's the recipe!
Molasses Raisin Cookies
(from Ener-G)
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Preheat oven to 325 deg F.
Ingredients:
2C + 2T Whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose)
1 t Ground ginger
1 t Cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 t Baking Soda
1 t Ener-G egg replacer
1/2C Soft shortening, eg. Crisco
1/2C Granulated sugar, eg. Evaporated cane sugar or Turbinado
1/2C Molasses
1/4C + 2T Water
1/2C Packed raisins
Directions:
- Sift or mix flour, spices, salt, and baking soda together.
- In a mixer or with your [beastly] hand-power, cream together the shortening, sugar, molasses, and egg replacer.
- Stir flour mixture into shortening mixture, a little flour at a time. No flour clouds!
- Stir in the water and raisins until absorbed and well-distributed.
- Grease cookie sheets and drop Tablespoons of batter 2" apart or more. Aim for 12 or less per sheet.
- Optional: flatten cookie balls with a spatula and put some festive sprinkles on [green for St. Paddy's Day!].
- Bake 13-15 mins.
- Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks [heat transfer via air] for 5-10 mins.
- Enjoy!
Here's the recipe!
Molasses Raisin Cookies
(from Ener-G)
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Preheat oven to 325 deg F.
Ingredients:
2C + 2T Whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose)
1 t Ground ginger
1 t Cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 t Baking Soda
1 t Ener-G egg replacer
1/2C Soft shortening, eg. Crisco
1/2C Granulated sugar, eg. Evaporated cane sugar or Turbinado
1/2C Molasses
1/4C + 2T Water
1/2C Packed raisins
Directions:
- Sift or mix flour, spices, salt, and baking soda together.
- In a mixer or with your [beastly] hand-power, cream together the shortening, sugar, molasses, and egg replacer.
- Stir flour mixture into shortening mixture, a little flour at a time. No flour clouds!
- Stir in the water and raisins until absorbed and well-distributed.
- Grease cookie sheets and drop Tablespoons of batter 2" apart or more. Aim for 12 or less per sheet.
- Optional: flatten cookie balls with a spatula and put some festive sprinkles on [green for St. Paddy's Day!].
- Bake 13-15 mins.
- Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks [heat transfer via air] for 5-10 mins.
- Enjoy!
27.2.08
My small screen debut
I got my 15 seconds of fame tonight on the Washington Abc news affiliate, WJLA. That's the modern standard for limelight time now. Oh well, it was fun!
Check out the video at the WJLA website: How much trash do you create?
Update: Part 2
My memorable quote: "That brown stuff is bean dip." So inspirational, so green.
It's also funny that they aired the shot of "my trash" that I had to steal from my coworker, who sips on slim fast all day long! Haha.
(The story behind that is: I left the real trash bag on the metro because I kinda forgot about it, it being early in the morning (the bag still weighed 0.0 pounds) -- so I had to "recreate" it when I got to work.)
Third weird connection to this story: My very first AOL screename was 'Garbegegrl,' after my favorite femme-fronted band Garbage, so in a way, I guess I've come full circle. Or as my cousin "The Pool Guy" says, I am the true garbage girl.
Check out the video at the WJLA website: How much trash do you create?
Update: Part 2
My memorable quote: "That brown stuff is bean dip." So inspirational, so green.
It's also funny that they aired the shot of "my trash" that I had to steal from my coworker, who sips on slim fast all day long! Haha.
(The story behind that is: I left the real trash bag on the metro because I kinda forgot about it, it being early in the morning (the bag still weighed 0.0 pounds) -- so I had to "recreate" it when I got to work.)
Third weird connection to this story: My very first AOL screename was 'Garbegegrl,' after my favorite femme-fronted band Garbage, so in a way, I guess I've come full circle. Or as my cousin "The Pool Guy" says, I am the true garbage girl.
23.2.08
Change and habit
The benefits of habit and regularity don't usually present themselves to me in a favorable light, but in the past few days, the ideas have snuck in and refused to budge.
Theoretical. In The Relaxation Response, Herbert Benson (M.D.) defines stress, in the context of hypertension, to be any necessary change in one's behaviors. So when subject to stress-inducing changes, a person becomes more likely to become ill: widows 12 times more likely to die than others their age. That's the old romantic (!) story about the remaining spouse dying of a broken heart - but now there's scientific proof?
So if change is a health risk, what's invigorating? Or is "vigor" dependent on the heart's ability to withstand an exciting strain - a little like the breathlessness of living to tell the story, be it from getting by in a new city, succeeding in a new job role, or completing a century on your road bike?
Personal. The women on my Mom's side of the family seem to regard themselves as doomed to repeat mistakes and unhealthy behavior - while admitting guilt (and sometimes even declaring it!). Have they capitulated to some concept of habit? Or does it have real sway? How to understand this without more years under my belt? Sometimes, I wonder about how much predilection for martyrdom the Catholic upbringing might have left behind to make it possible to condemn oneself knowingly, but this idea that a person isn't able to change seems simply ridiculous.
I believe: We are all capable of learning, and at any age. I appreciate more and more the continuing education centers run by colleges nationwide, and hope I'll be able to avail myself of them eventually.
New Year's resolutions are a common form of condoned change - so is habit why we often fail?
Honestly, I find an arbitrary date like Jan 1 to be a stupid one to choose for making a change that you're convinced is appropriate for you. If a person wants to make a change, they'll think about it and then take the plunge then. Waiting seems to increase disingenuousness - and hence failure. At least at ritualized attempts at change is a step toward taking life into your own hands, but I'd like to see people find a way to be successful instead of simply following a January fad and forgetting by Valentine's Day, when exercise plans are easily abandoned for some gourmet chocolates.
Back to habit again - should life be the alignment of one's normal activities with one's ideals until sufficiently satisfied .. and then bring on the calcification?
Life to me seems like an abundant buffet, expanding at [someone else's] will. The moment I choose a habit, do I deny that myriad of fragrant choices? I can't easily imagine turning a blind and forgetful eye to the multitude of interesting ideas, people, hobbies, etc. But neither can I imagine joy without discovery. Even if that discovery lies in appreciating what is already here to stay.
I can't draw a conclusion yet.
I'm suspicious that my self-imposed definitions are muddled - and that habit may not be exclusive of newness. In my own case, it seems a fusion may be called for. Maybe I'll be victim to my own ancestry eventually - so this may all be for naught! But, I'd like to think not.
Theoretical. In The Relaxation Response, Herbert Benson (M.D.) defines stress, in the context of hypertension, to be any necessary change in one's behaviors. So when subject to stress-inducing changes, a person becomes more likely to become ill: widows 12 times more likely to die than others their age. That's the old romantic (!) story about the remaining spouse dying of a broken heart - but now there's scientific proof?
So if change is a health risk, what's invigorating? Or is "vigor" dependent on the heart's ability to withstand an exciting strain - a little like the breathlessness of living to tell the story, be it from getting by in a new city, succeeding in a new job role, or completing a century on your road bike?
Personal. The women on my Mom's side of the family seem to regard themselves as doomed to repeat mistakes and unhealthy behavior - while admitting guilt (and sometimes even declaring it!). Have they capitulated to some concept of habit? Or does it have real sway? How to understand this without more years under my belt? Sometimes, I wonder about how much predilection for martyrdom the Catholic upbringing might have left behind to make it possible to condemn oneself knowingly, but this idea that a person isn't able to change seems simply ridiculous.
I believe: We are all capable of learning, and at any age. I appreciate more and more the continuing education centers run by colleges nationwide, and hope I'll be able to avail myself of them eventually.
New Year's resolutions are a common form of condoned change - so is habit why we often fail?
Honestly, I find an arbitrary date like Jan 1 to be a stupid one to choose for making a change that you're convinced is appropriate for you. If a person wants to make a change, they'll think about it and then take the plunge then. Waiting seems to increase disingenuousness - and hence failure. At least at ritualized attempts at change is a step toward taking life into your own hands, but I'd like to see people find a way to be successful instead of simply following a January fad and forgetting by Valentine's Day, when exercise plans are easily abandoned for some gourmet chocolates.
Back to habit again - should life be the alignment of one's normal activities with one's ideals until sufficiently satisfied .. and then bring on the calcification?
Life to me seems like an abundant buffet, expanding at [someone else's] will. The moment I choose a habit, do I deny that myriad of fragrant choices? I can't easily imagine turning a blind and forgetful eye to the multitude of interesting ideas, people, hobbies, etc. But neither can I imagine joy without discovery. Even if that discovery lies in appreciating what is already here to stay.
I can't draw a conclusion yet.
I'm suspicious that my self-imposed definitions are muddled - and that habit may not be exclusive of newness. In my own case, it seems a fusion may be called for. Maybe I'll be victim to my own ancestry eventually - so this may all be for naught! But, I'd like to think not.
22.2.08
Treasure hunting in the woods
Having just finished The Omnivore's Dilemma and recalling the excitement of the early days of garden-grown baby greens from The United States of Arugula, I have to say I find mushroom foraging pretty intriguing! Mushrooms have mysterious biology, but they're also the culinary version of treasure - highly valued, hidden and sought-after, and seemingly free for the taking.
Here's a website I want to check out more about foraging food for free (when I have the time! My reading to-do list is towering high above me at the moment): Wild Man Wild Food
Here's a website I want to check out more about foraging food for free (when I have the time! My reading to-do list is towering high above me at the moment): Wild Man Wild Food
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