World On A Plate

Bacon - Chinese Style

                

A few weekends ago, after leaving the SF Ferry Plaza Farmers Market I ended up being diverted through Russian Hill.  As I navigated the car over the hills I met up with a curiosity--a middle-aged Chinese woman tightening twine  off a wooden stick held up between two wooden chairs.  From his line hung long 7” to 10” slabs of meat.  I double-parked to take a closer look. 

 The basement level apartment was dark inside excepting for a shadow of movement.  I waved and out came a middle-aged woman with a warm face. It turned out to be Chinese bacon air-curing in the dry, winter sunlight. As good a place as any right outside her apartment door on the city sidewalk.  What I was able to piece together was that it was Lop Yuk or Chinese bacon.  Her mother made a new batch every six weeks or so.  “It’s much better and you save monies.” She said grinning. The simple recipe involves the belly cut of the pig treated with Chinese wine (shaoxing) soy sauce, brown sugar, and spices for seven to ten days or until it is hard.

 In order to use it in recipes it needs to be soaked for about 6 or 7 hours before being sliced, chopped and fried for use in recipes such as Chinese stir-fried greens or Chinese sticky rice.  I’ve also simply sautéed it and added it to scrambled eggs.

 Unfortunately the woman I chatted with said that she never made it herself as her mother “only” was the one to make it for the family.  She said, “someday! I watch very careful!”

Chinese Stir Fried Greens with Bacon
Adapted from The Bacon Cookbook by James Villas

 

3 oz. air-cured Chinese bacon, soaked in water at least 6 hours (rind removed), coarsely chopped

1 tblspn peanut oil

1 tblspn sesame oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

2 tspns salt

2 lbs Chinese shredded greens (e.g. bok choy, spinach)

3 tblspns chicken broth

 

In a large skilled fry the bacon over medium heat until crisps, drain on paper towels, and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.  Add the two types of oils to the bacon fat, increase the heat to high, and when just smoking, add the garlic and salt and stir fry for 15 seconds.  Add the greens and stir-fry until wilted, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the broth and bacon and stir-fry until the greens are still slightly crisp, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

 

Serves 4

Beautiful Breads - Spicy White Pepper Jack Bread

               

The last four months have somewhat  erased any "regular routine" I thought I had.  After a few weeks restabilizing after India I took a 3-week trip to Boston to tend to family concerns. Now I'm back and although I started this post a few days ago I stopped when I heard the devasting news from Mumbai.  The new friends I made in Mumbai during my stay just a few weeks past are all  safe.  Needless to say it's left me a little tweaked and unsettled given that I sat in the lobby of the Taj--a maginficient old lady--just people watching and think how special Mumbai and its people really are. 

Image: Artist Unknown

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A few days ago anticipating leftovers I decided to try my hand once again with making filled breads.  I have had pretty good success over the years perfecting technique while making chocolate babka.  This is only made at the holidays elevating it's unique and special status to those that receive the tasty holiday gift.  Bread making, as much as everyone looks for a quick homemade route is time intensive.

However, my first attempt, about six months ago, with Cinnamon-Raisin Bread  from Margaux Sky's Beautiful Breads & Fabulous Fillings left my little cottage smoky and me fuming  angry to the point of tossing the whole lot--bread and pan out the door and into the bin followed by some cruse words.  You see, these breads are not for the meek.  I've been making bread for years. I go through cycles were I am experimenting with egg breads, sourdough starters and no-knead breads.  They are a serious but rewarding endeavor.  This particular cookbook has such strong components:  a creamy Viognier and pineapple sauce; coffee liqueur mushroom sauce and a quick honey-mustard-curry sauce.  Unfortunately it is just a tad weak on technique and the recipes are written loosely so this is not for anyone on their maiden voyage.  With these filled breads you need to prepare the fillings in advance of the bread.  The rising and kneading are relatively quick requiring two rises. 

Long before Oprah's name became synonymous with Ms. Sky's Curried Chicken Sandwich she ran a  popular San Luis Obispo sandwich shop. and that sandwich is now called the "O Special." The chicken-based filling is sandwiched between Spicy White Pepper-Jack Bread. This, I thought, would be an excellent compliment to a post-Thanksgiving turkey salad. 

The entire effort probably took about 4 hours. The curry sauce is really just a honey-mustard  with a ration of 2:1.  Next time I would decrease the amount of honey as it was a tad too sweet for me.  Also I might do a blend of Monterey jack and its zippy cousin--pepper Jack. I also used a yellow curry powder which I felt guilty about doing as my masala dabba sat there begging to be used from my travels to India.  Old habits die hard.   Also, what I can't figure out is Ms. Sky's portions there's no way the amount of curry sauce and jack cheese could be accommodated in this bread so I just did what I could.

The taste is good, especially when toasted and with the turkey salad and cranberry-quince chutney piled on top.    Also you would think Ms. Skye is a stock holder in Lawry's Lemon Pepper--it's used everywhere.  I forgot how tasty this blend actually is so it's back in the cupboard.

Next on the horizon is Peanut-Butter Fudge Bread.  The basic white bread is made and tucked in the fridge.  This weekend we'll see what lessons bloom from that effort.

Spicy White Pepper-Jack Bread

Makes 1 loaf - Adapted recipe from Beautiful Breads by Margaux Sky

Basic White Bread Dough (1/4 portion-see below)

2 tblspns olive oil

1 1/2 cups curry sauce (see below)

1 1/2 tblspns cayenne, 1 tblspn Lawry's lemon pepper, 1/4 tspn salt - Mix together

2 cups shreded Montery Jack cheese

1 egg

2 tablespons water

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Prepare the Basic White Dough.

Generously butter a 9-inch loaf pan.

Roll out  1/4 of the risen basic white dough into a 9" x 11" rectangle so that the long side is near you.

Spread the olive oil over the dough followed by the curry sauce.  Sprinkle the cayene-lemon pepper-salt blend over the curry sauce.  Sprinkle the cheese over the spcies.

Tightly roll the dough into a loaf, with the rolling action going away from your body. To hold in most of the filling, fold the outer edges of the dough in as you roll. When finished, pinch the seam together firmly.

Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan seam side down . Loosely cover with plastic wrap, place the pan in a warm, dry place and allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes.

Preheat over to 400 degrees. After rise bake for about 1 hour.  During the last 10 minutes of baking time sprinkle wome of the filing over the top of the loaf for color and taste.  Cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Basic White Dough
Ingredients: Makes 4 loaves  (but I cut the portions below in half and had success)

·       2 tablespoons yeast

·       4 cups warm milk

·       4 cups half-and-half (I used whole milk instead)

·       1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

·       1/2 cup powdered sugar

·       16 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

·       3 1/2 tablespoons salt

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk and half-and-half. Let stand for 5 minutes, until the yeast is foamy. Add the butter and mix with a whisk. Add the powdered sugar and mix well to break up any clumps.

In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl), combine the flour and salt. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and knead well. If you’re using a stand mixer, knead for 3 to 4 minutes. If you’re kneading by hand, knead for 4 to 7 minutes. Keep the dough moist for a soft, tender bread.

Place the kneaded dough in a generously buttered bowl, cover with a towel or loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, dry place for 1 hour.

NOTE: {START THE FILLING}

Punch down the dough with your fist, and divide into 4 portions, one for each loaf.

Curry Sauce

1 1/2 cups honey

3/4 cup spicy mustard

1 tblspn Lawry's lemon pepper

1 tblspn curry powder

1/4 tspn salt

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well.   Makes 2 cups--you only need 1 1/2 cups for the bread--there's extra if you want to warm it up and blend with your chicken or turkey.

Mumbai Magic

Homogeneity makes for healthy milk but anemic friendships. We need relationships that cross culturally imposed lines to enlarge our hearts and expand our vistas."       -- Dan Schmidt

Mumbai.  It's an energetic, complex, and pardon the cliche, a masala of a destination.  Oldways mix with the new and create something else entirely.  Knowing my time here was limited I signed up for a private tour with Mumbai Magic.  This decision made at the last minute will now be added to the best decisions-in-trip-planning list.  It was fate and luck that I eneded up with Deepa, the company owner as my guide.  As a result I not only received an insider's view of middle-class Mumbai but also perspective and understanding, something that would take me several long visits to gain.  Deepa gave me insight into religion, textiles and sari history and also made me see things about how we may appear different culturally we share a common bond through our connection as women.

We also shared a love of food, culture, creativity and our thoughts on what we want from ourselves and life.  It was a special day. 

Deepa also blogs. This post, "The choices women make--an Indian viewpoint" offers an incredible amount of insight in understanding our sisters here in urban centers in this country.  How much does this sound like a Western point of view too?

At the end of the day she shared with me the other side of Mumbai--Dharavi.  I hadn't expected to see this first hand.  My only understanding comes from Shantaram (someday I'll stop talking about this book!) and from the National Georgraphic article, Dharavi | Mumbai's Shadow City.  Only through Deepa could I get a new perspective.  No it isn't all a happy story.  There's no running water so the air is heavy with human stench. She warned me that she had nightmares.  I did have nightmares last night.  But what I did see was a community that works. Women taking care of their children while working in small cottage industries such as pottery and pappadum making.  A man preparing a dessert in two big steel pots outside the Hindu temple for the evenings final night of prayers (Sunday was Krishna's birthday and Monday was the final day of prayers.), shared a taste.   

So thank you Deepa.  You are a generous, compassionate sister.  The gift you gave me through the sharing so intimately of your family, home, city and it's communities has left its mark on me and I am forever changed because of it.

NAMASTE!

Note: If your travel plans include Mumbai or other points in India look up Mumbai Magic.  The company is socially-pogressive and is making a difference in young teens lives in the cities they service.

Ed. Note: the computer at this internet shop is old and this is the third time I've written this--spell check crashes explorer...onward and excuse grammar and syntax.  I need to pack and get to street food, kebabs at Bade Miya before 9:30pm.  The 24 hour + transist begins at 10pm tonight!

When a Home is not a Home

         

This photo is how I am choosing to remember the most beautiful building in the world.  Because the truth of the matter is that today I behaved badly as a tourist.  I don't stay within the lines.  I don't like being led. I am not a good sheep in a flock.  There that wasn't so bad.  I also see that this is as true on the road as it is back home.

I officially hit that wall that travelers hit when on the road for more than two weeks. The point where you can't take the stares, the not being understood, the language barrier...you like that you are out in the world but at the same time you've been gone long enough to miss those creature comforts that you take for granted.  I will never get comfortable with people standing over you as you eat. You start to miss electricity, running hot water and your cell phone. You can no longer tolerate the smells of body, diesel and animals.  You are continually confronted with the issues of poverty and are saddened when you see that naked child running down the road, or the 9 year old selling the postcard book instead of being in school (he needs to work.)  India is an land of complex realities.  Happiness and sadness. The best of humanity. The worst of humanity.  It's all a cliche and then it's not.

It hasn't been all temples, spice and chai delights.  Today nearly sent me over the edge.  And really I knew it was going to happen.  I've been traveling solo for a few days now and as much as you know it is going to happen it just sneaks up on you. As Mr. Singh (he laughs cutely when I shout "Singh is King" which is a just released-here Bollywood blockbuster...) entered the state of Uttar Pradesh.  It's a rural state and main road plies heavily to the tourist trade.  (Ed. note: I'm not near Lucknow and today's monsoon.)

All tourist vehicles coming into the state are required to stop and submit paperwork.  Mr. Singh left me behind in the car and wham-o I had 3 souvenir sellers, one snake charmer and six monkeys on the car.  I'm here to tell you monkeys flat against your car window with their private parts at eye level are very difficult to ignore.  But I pretended to bury myself in my book as I flicked them away using the wrist movement I have seen locals use.  It magically worked.

Then the tour at the Taj Mahal by guide, Mr. Sanjeev.  I didn't like that you are stripped of everything except what you can carry.  I WANTED my crutch tour book. I wanted my water bottle and socks. And call me a dumb American but in all the ads and mentions I've seen related to this building it is referred to as a home, and one man's testament to his one true soul mate. (I'll buy that.). But today I learned it's essentially a grave site.  Gosh golly, I'm in marketing so I know that doesn't sell but why didn't I know that?  Mr. Sanjeeve kept on looking at all my pictures and then asking for the camera.  "You are not capturing the beauty. This is the most magnificent building you will be being at in your life.  Please. The camera to me.  This after I asked him why there are no signs in India to help people out. He replied, "ma'am this is India, it is our duty to serve you."   As we approached the main gate I was stared at, pointed at and asked by many to have their picture taken with me.  I thought this was cute at first.  Now I'm starting to feel like the Siamese Twins at the circus. Don't worry, I'm being a good ambassador for America.

Anyway, I'll stop the whining. I'm a lucky girl.  I walked around the Taj Mahal today. There's me at the "Princess Diana bench" with my handy scarf.  This is Mr. Sanjeev's idea of what a good posed photo is.  My feet shouldn't be on the ground as my husband should think me "relaxed" and in "good hands."  Tomorrow it's Mr. Sampson.  And I am NOT going to one more government showroom.  I am going to the bazaar in Jaipur.  I'll be "being better" tomorrow.  I just miss my life, my bed and wine but it's all around the corner. I'm going back to my room and eating a Kit Kat.  I think I'm ready for Mumbai. Hmmm...maybe not.

Becky, another fellow Kerala tour traveler has posted some thoughts about her experience. 

Image by Trey Ratcliff  Stuck in Customs. For more more remarkable, breathtaking images used under Creative Commons with credits.