ethnic
Sauerkraut Update #1
Feb 10th
I took a peek at the slowly fermenting cabbage today and decided that it wasn’t going to ferment fast enough. The pieces I cut were closer to 3/8 of an inch to ½ an inch, rather than the ¼ inch I described in the original post. My apologies.
I grabbed my biggest wooden spoon—mind you, it is in fact quite large—and proceeded to mash and bash the cabbage until it exuded more water. After 5-10 minutes, I stopped and replaced the bag. A nice brine now slightly covers the cabbage and things should go slightly faster. I’ll update in a few days!
Oh, and the smell is divine. Nice and pungent and cabbagey. Not gross, but definitely not sterile. I. Love. Food.
Oatmeal, and Not Your Grandpa’s Bowl
Oct 6th
I. Love. Oats.
They’re the perfect vehicle for flavors, sweet or savory. And they can make an especially brilliant breakfast if you’d just toss those wimpy packets in the bin. This way is cheaper, tastier, and will get some heat in your belly for those chilly autumn days that are certain to come.
Here’s how I make them for one serving. You’ll need:
- 1¾ cups water
- 1 cup rolled oats. You know, the same kind as the goofy dude with the hat
- salt
- unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons of palm sugar (date palm, not coconut)
- dried sultanas (I’d get them from an ethnic Western Asian store), or golden raisins. They’re essentially the same, just produced slightly differently.
- half stick of cinnamon
- cloves
- Cognac
You’ll also need a small pan and a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon.
- Get your water on high. Once boiling, add the oats and mix. Add the sultanas, cinnamon and a few cloves.
- Once firmed up a bit and not watery, add a small amount of butter. A teaspoon or two should do the trick. We’ll be adding a touch more at the end. Crumble up the sugar with your fingers and stir constantly until the water is absorbed. I like mine sorta gloopy but so the oats hold their shape, still swollen with water.
- Add a splash of cognac. I use about 2 tablespoons. Mix briefly while on heat. Then kill the heat and give it some time to soak up.
- Serve. I keep the cinnamon and cloves in as long as I can but you can remove them if you don’t want to accidentally bite into them. I finish with a modest pad of butter and let it melt over the top, eating a little with each bite. So good.
More ideas:
- You can use currants, regular raisins, or other dried fruits in addition to or instead of sultanas.
- Soaking the dried fruits in alcohol will add a KICK to your morning
You can also be less of an alchy and soak in water, juice (see * below) or a flavored syrup for a few hours. - The date palm sugar provides a sweetness that is extremely mellow. It almost melds with everything else. You can tell it’s sweet but you might not necessarily realize why. Cane sugar is often much less discrete. If you don’t have palm sugar, brown sugar is a good substitute. There’s also muscavato sugar, and a variety of others. Give them a shot, you’ll feel your culinary world open before your eyes.
- leave the butter out and it’s vegan. If you want some richness, there are plenty of substitutes!
- A tiny hint of heavy cream? Gorgeous. Or, I’d imagine this would top a nice, rich ice cream brilliantly. The heat, melting the cream? I can almost taste it now.
- A squeeze of *orange juice would pair nicely with the spices and alcohol, and add acidity to balance the richness of the butter and or cream—if you’re using it.
This is made almost exclusively with pantry stuffs, relatively cheap, fast, delicious, can be made for many people, and is relatively healthy.
Best of all?
You don’t have to take your dentures out to eat it!
Nutrition Label Data – Understanding What We Eat
Sep 26th
Nutrition labels aren’t entirely useless—their regulations are surprisingly thorough and they provide basic information about most of the food we eat. Unfortunately, they also legally allow misrepresentation (mostly of serving portions), which the FDA and other regulatory bodies are often unable to validate. The far larger issue is understanding what those numbers and ingredients mean.
Over the course of several weeks, I will build a general nutritional knowledge base. Some bits will be scientific, while others will be more holistic. I will provide specific ways to improve your diet while still eating things you like. I’ll also explain why those methods work.
Here’s some information to build our foundation:
What we consider calories are actually kilocalories, or 1000 calories. One calorie is the amount of energy required to raise 1 gram of water by 1°C. Thus, 1 kilocalorie is the amount of energy required to raise one kilo of water by 1°C. Since a single calorie is quite small, kilocalories [kcal, Calories (uppercase)] are used for measuring energy contained in the food we eat.
Most of what makes up our food can be broken down into three groups: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Each gram of carbohydrate yields roughly 4 Calories, and each gram of fat yields 9 Calories. Proteins actually contain 7 Calories per gram, but because the human body cannot convert all amino acids to usable energy, proteins generally yield about the same 4 Calories that carbohydrates do. It should also be noted that alcohol has 7 Calories per gram.
Some foods are entirely contained by one group. Olive oil, for example, is pure fat. If one were to measure 14.235 grams (approximately 1 tablespoon), it would yield roughly 128.115 Calories, or 14.235 grams olive oil * 9 Calories/gram of fat.
Other foods have different combinations of each. For example, some peas I bought have the following properties per serving:
- 0g fat
- 12g carbs
- 5g protein
- 70 calories total
We can figure out the calories on our own by: (0g * 9Cal/g) + (12g * 4Cal/g) + (5g * 4Cal/g) = 0 Cal + 48 Cal + 20 Cal = 68 Calories, which is rounded up as is allowed by the FDA guidelines.
The balance of these nutrients is also important. It is generally agreed upon that a standard diet should be comprised of roughly:
- 55-70% carbohydrates
- 15-30% fats
- 15-25% proteins
If you eat 65% carbs, 25% fats, then you’d be under your daily protein allotment at 10%. Luckily, these are guidelines. There’s nothing saying you can’t eat more or less of each group. I do often. You will, however, see these figures reflected across many of the world’s cuisines, with some disparity. See for yourself:
- diets around the world (NBC)
- how the menu varies (FAS/USDA)
- the world’s healthiest diets (Oprah)
- diet secrets from around the world (medicinenet.com)
- what the world eats, part I (TIME Magazine)
Variety is also hugely important in diet in order to get other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and enzymes. But that’s another post.
Tostones – Fried Plantain Medallions
Sep 16th
This is one of the easiest and most rewarding dishes I’ve ever made. Ever.
These are eaten all over the Caribbean and Central America, and are also called patachones and tachinos. Since they’re starchier than bananas, they’re usually eaten with some sort of savory dish and used to sop up fats and liquids—but they’re also eaten as treats, which is how I’ve prepared them. Here’s how to do it. You’ll need:
- However many plantains you want to prepare. I’d get two or three the first time around.
- Oil. I prefer vegetable. Canola can suck it. Hard.
- Salt. Kosher please, thanks.
- Sugar (optional)
You’ll also need:
- a pan—preferably a wide one if you’re cooking a lot. I used a small 8–inch cast iron pan (I only used one plantain). I’d say at least a 12–inch pan if you’re cooking two or three.
- tongs
- a knife and cutting board
- a wooden spoon, spatula, or glass bottle
- a bowl of cool water
- a cloth towel for drying the plantains
- a drying rack or paper towels/bags to absorb excess oil
- a fry thermometer (optional)
First things first: get your pan on a medium high flame and fill it with 2cm of oil. Let it heat as you prep your plantains. If you’ve never seen a plantain…
Now you have.
They look super similar to bananas, but they’re not as easy to peel by hand. So, with a knife, cut off both ends. Then make a slit through the flesh from end to end. Remove the fruit and cut into 4cm lengths (roughly 1½ inches). The peel should look something like this:
Not all that different from a banana, but it is much stiffer, as is the fruit inside. Anyhow. Since the segments you cut are 4cm and the oil is 2cm, that means we’ll have to give them a flip to cook both sides. Once the oil is up to temperature (325°F) gently place in the segments so they rest on a flat, cut side. If you don’t have a fry thermometer (I don’t either, don’t worry), just guess. The oil should get excited initially, but should settle down after 30 seconds or so. If it continues to rage, turn the heat down slightly. You should be able to see the segments as they cook–they shouldn’t be completely enveloped in bubbling oil. Here’s a photo to clarify:
After about 1½ minutes or when the bottom halves have started to brown, give them a flip to the other flat side with your tongs. Cook again for 1½ minutes. They should look something like this:
Now remove them from the oil and let them drain a little on a cooling rack or paper towels. I kill the heat at this point because the cast iron retains the temperature and I don’t want the oil to burn. Using the wooden spoon (or other squashing implement), flatten each segment down to half it’s size, like this:
Then, place the medallions in the bowl of water for a minute or so. Don’t let them sit too long or they’ll absorb excessive moisture and fall apart. Keep this in mind when squashing them–don’t make them too flat! Remove them from the water and pat dry in a cloth towel.
Get the oil back to about the same temperature as before and gently place in the medallions. You’ll need a little more room this time around; work in batches if you need to so you don’t overcrowd the pan and lower the temperature. Also: when frying it’s best to place things in away from you, so the oil doesn’t splash onto you. Don’t blame me for your hospital visit! Work smart and safe, always. Here they are back in the oil:
Cook for about 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove, drain, and season immediately with salt (even if making them sweet). If you want them to be sweet, sprinkle on a sugar variety of your liking. I like granulated or cane for the texture. You could even use a squeeze of lemon juice, some crème fraîche, or whipped cream to add some more richness and bite to this treat.
There you have it.
If you live in Milwaukee and are fry-tened (groan) to fry on your own, let me know and maybe we can arrange something.
Eat well, and cook safely!
Viet Hoa
Sep 6th
I was supposed to meet a friend. But as I stepped off the bus I found myself face to face with a place I’d only heard of. I didn’t remember the name, but rather the location. So, just before 7pm, I walked through the corner entrance of the building on 49th and North Avenue: Viet Hoa.
I debated not calling my friend to let him know I’d be late—but there was no hesitation as I crossed the street and pulled the door open. As I walked through, I was confronted by a large rack full of rice sacks. I walked past the checkouts, past the open freeze coolers and refrigerated displays full of exotic fruits and vegetables. The store was full of color, smells, bizarre packaging, and things one would generally not sense in an American grocery. Despite being the only white male in the store, wearing a bright yellow hoodie, rolled up jeans, and large green bag, no one stared at me—unlike the attention I’ve drawn at other ethnic groceries. Thanks, El Rey.
I felt at home. I was comfortable. At ease, completely free. Ten minutes passed. Fifteen. Twenty. As I wandered the store, I smelled things I’d only read of, touched things I’d only seen in pictures, and smelled things whose existence I’d still question as I write this. And for once, I saw a real butcher in a grocery store. And a proper one at that—who sold more than the choicest cuts that this culinarily-challenged nation has become so accustomed. One whose case contains whole chickens. Head in all, in all their de-feathered glory. In case you’re looking, they’re right next to the bin of chicken feet. Or you could just ask.
I continued, perusing the aisles, absorbing as much as possible. From what I’ve heard, Viet Hoa is Milwaukee’s largest Asian food store. I haven’t been to all of them, but I wouldn’t question it; the store expanded back far deeper than I expected—where I found an entire aisle of rice noodles. Seeing as I’m invited to two food-related events on Sunday (with wheat allergies being a potential issue), I figured they were a safe buy. Plus, I’ve only cooked rice noodles a few times and could use the practice. I also picked up some standard fare: a can or coconut milk, some chile oil, and a box of red bean popsicles—a memory of a friend from my recent past.
As I walked out, I immediately opened the popsicles. They certainly…were…frozen? The taste grew on me, but they were still a bit too subtle and questionable to be a regular purchase. Anyhow, I finally rang the doorbell 30 minutes late. No questions asked.
I’ll return soon for some in store photos, but I couldn’t resist writing something. This place is phenomenal. Indian, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese and other Asian ingredients have been creeping into my cooking vocabulary, so I will definitely be writing more soon. I’d suggest you check it out if you haven’t already.