PAPAYA SALAD
from Menus and Memories from Punjab, by Veronica Sidhu

Most Punjabis like to eat ripe papaya for breakfast with a splash of lime. Here I have used it to bring color and flavor in a fruit chaat that will brighten a brunch or bring a light touch to a heavier meal. The enzymes found in papaya help digest protein.

Yield: 8 1-cup servings

3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon crumbled gurd or brown sugar
2 teaspoons chaat masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups peeled and cubed (1-inch) ripe papaya
1 cup halved red or green grapes
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes green or red apple
1 small to medium red onion, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup sliced cilantro leaves

Mix the lime or lemon juice, garlic, brown sugar, chaat masala, salt and pepper together until smooth.

Combine the fruit and the onion in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss carefully. Refrigerate until serving time and then add the cilantro just before serving.

Menus and Memories from Punjab, by Veronic Sidhu will be available in June 2009.

Hippocrene in Publisher's Weekly

Hippocrene's international cookbook line was mentioned in Publisher's Weekly this week! Here's an excerpt:

Hippocrene’s international focus derives from founder and publisher George Blagowidow’s passion for travel and his personal history. Born in Poland of Russian parents, Blagowidow survived the Nazi occupation and escaped from communist Europe in 1945... The house began as a distributor and publisher of foreign language dictionaries. Its first international cookbook was The Best of Polish Cooking by Karen West in 1983. The simple paperback Polish cookbook has been one of Hippocrene’s perennial top sellers, selling more than 30,000 copies, and the house did revised editions in 1991 and 2000. Polish Cooking set the stage for Hippocrene to develop an extensive Polish-interest list, including dictionaries, other cookbooks, history and travel titles. It published Polish Heritage Cookery in 1993, and followed up with a revised, illustrated edition in 1997. On Good Morning America, Julia Child hailed the 875-page, $44.95 hardcover as, “An encyclopedia of Polish cookery and a wonderful thing to have!” In the late 1990s, Hippocrene was selling approximately 3,000 copies each year; today, sales are still strong (by its standards) at about 600 copies/year. In all, Hippocrene has sold about 24,000 copies of Polish Heritage Cookery. Publisher Blagowidow says simply, “We fill a small but important need in the market where resources were previously unavailable.”

Twenty-five years of publishing quality ethnic cookbooks, with many more to come! Thanks to all of our customers out there for being a part of our continued success!

Biko

Filipino sweet rice is not only a traditional New Year’s Eve treat; it is an easy-to-make dessert anytime. Malagkit, coconut cream, and monggo are available in Asian supermarkets.

2 cups malagkit or sweet rice
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 (15-ounce) can coconut cream
1 cup monggo or mung beans


Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Using a skillet, caramelize the brown sugar over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, and then add the coconut cream. Reserve 3/4 cup of this mixture.

Add the rice to the brown sugar and coconut mixture. Stir frequently over medium heat until the rice is soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Spread on a cookie sheet.

Boil the mung beans in 1/2 cup water for 5 to 6 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly, and mash until the mixture is smooth.

Combine the mashed mung beans with the reserved brown sugar mixture in a saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Spread on top of the rice and place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the top is a golden brown. Cut into squares and serve with ginger tea.
Yields 18 to 20 squares.

Tip: Malagkit or sweet rice is also known as glutinous rice, sticky rice, sushi rice, Chinese sweet rice, waxy rice, mochi rice, Japanese rice, and pearl rice. Despite its names, this rice is neither sweet nor glutinous. It is a sticky, short-grain rice widely used by Asians.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Pork Adobo

Banbeave

Filipinos often combine pork with chicken. Experiment with half pork and half boned chicken.

2 pounds pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 whole peppercorn, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar
8 cups cooked white rice


Sauté the pork and garlic in the vegetable oil for 5 to 6 minutes, or until browned. Add the vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorn, salt, soy sauce, sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pork is tender. Serve over hot, fluffy rice. Yields 8 servings.

Pork Adobo
Onion Garlic Pork Adobo

2 pounds lean pork, cut in 2-inch pieces
1/3 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 bay leaf, optional
1/2 cup vinegar, or enough to cover meat
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 to 6 cups cooked white rice

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer with the cover slightly ajar until the pork is tender and all liquid evaporates. Be sure the pork is thoroughly cooked. If the meat is still tough or pink, add 1/2 cup hot water and continue simmering. When meat is tender, stir-fry the meat slightly in its own juices until light brown in color. Serve hot, with steamed rice. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The New Year in the Philippines!

Our author Karen Hulene Bartell continues our Filipino Menu Series by giving us a look into what festivities and foods have become a tradition in the Philippines on New Years Eve and Day!

On New Year’s Eve, Filipino families make as much noise as possible by lighting firecrackers, beating pans, and blowing horns or whistles until midnight. The Media Noche is a snack served at midnight.

Media Noche New Year’s Eve Snack
Biko Sweet Rice
Salabat Ginger Tea

On New Year's Day, try something different. Roast a pig over hot coals and serve with traditional Pancit, Lumpia, and Adobo.

New Year’s Day Dinner
Whole Suckling Pig
Pancit Canton or Noodles Cantonese Style
Lumpia Shrimp and Vegetable Wraps
Lumpia Sauce Pork
Adobo Steamed Rice
Papaya Atsara or Green Papaya Pickles
Flan
Sweet Potato Flan
Star Fruit

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Buko I (Five-Minute Coconut Salad)

What could be easier than a recipe that calls for only three ingredients? Look for lychees and canned coconut in Asian supermarkets.

3 (11-ounce) cans whole lychees, quartered
6 (3.5-ounce) cans canned grated coconut in syrup
1 cup heavy cream

Combine the lychees with the undrained coconut in a medium bowl. Fold in cream. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Yields 8 servings.

Coconut Salad
Buko II

Filipino ingredients are available in Asian supermarkets.
8 ounces frozen shredded buko (young coconut), thawed
8 ounces fruit cocktail
1 (15-ounce) jar mata de coco (coconut gel)
1 (12-ounce) jar kaong (palm fruit in syrup)
1 (8-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8-ounce) can Nestle cream (thick, sweet topping)
or 8 ounces vanilla yogurt

Drain the buko, fruit cocktail, mata de coco, and kaong thoroughly; combine in a medium bowl. Add the milk and cream, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Stir well before serving.
Yields 8 servings.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Midnight Feast)

Enjoy a few sample recipes from Karen's Filipino Christmas Eve menu for a flavorful evening!

Arroz Caldo Con Pollo Chicken Rice Soup with Ginger
Caldereta Hearty Beef Stew
Paksiw na Lechón Pork Pot Roast in Lechón Sauce
Hamon Chinese Ham
Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Buko Coconut Salad
Yema Egg Balls
Polvoron Powdered Milk Candy
Christmas Cookies
Tsokolate Rich Chocolate Drink
Tangerines
Roasted Chestnuts

Arroz Caldo Con Pollo

Make this comfort food a day ahead to allow the flavors to marry. Besides being traditional Christmas Eve fare, the soup is also a cold remedy.

1/2 cup minced garlic
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, coarsely chopped or squeezed through a garlic press
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 (2-pound) chicken, cut into serving-size pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt or patis (fish sauce)
1/2 cup finely sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Using a 3-quart pot, sauté 2 tablespoons garlic, the ginger, and onion in 2 tablespoons oil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the garlic is golden, and the onion is translucent. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add 10 cups water to the rice mixture. Bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat, add the chicken, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Add the salt during the final 5 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, sauté the remaining garlic in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until the garlic is a golden brown.

Serve the soup in a preheated tureen. Garnish with the sautéed garlic, green onion rings, and black pepper.
Yields 4 servings.
Note: Patis is a fish sauce used for seasoning nearly every Filipino dish: chicken, beef, pork, fish, shrimp, crabs, and other seafood. However, patis is an acquired taste. A good substitute is rock or iodized salt. Other substitutes for patis are a mixture of soy sauce and freshly squeezed lemon juice or soy sauce and kumquats. Patis is available in Asian supermarkets.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.