Menus and Memories from Punjab book launch at the Rubin Museum on September 9!

Calling all gourmands: Come to the book launch and tasting for Menus and Memories from Punjab: Meals to Nourish the Body and Soul at the Rubin Museum of Art on Wednesday, September 9!

Author Veronica Sidhu will serve a sampling of the delicious recipes from her new book. A discussion on the "Health Benefits of Spices" with Dr. Leat Kuzniar, will accompany the tasting. The night will cap off with a classic bhangra folk dance.

Admission is $12, and includes a food-themed tour of the galleries beginning at 6 p.m.

The Rubin Museum of Art is located at 150 W. 17^th (at 7^th Ave.).

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 Veronica Sidhu will be available in September 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.