Wonders of the World

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Sweet-and-Sour Carp Jun 06, 2017

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Traditionally, this dish requires carp caught from the Yellow River. You won't have access to that in all likelihood, so use any good firm mild-flavored fish. Whole fish looks really cool, but if you're not trying to impress, filets work just as well. Bass, trout, halibut, all would work fine. I used grouper, which worked fantastically well. The recipe is for the whole fish, but cooking a filet is easier.

Basically, score the skin of the fish if you're using whole fish, coat it with cornstarch and then flash-fry it in a very hot wok. Then drain the oil, and make a simple lightly sweet and vinegary sauce in the wok and serve with rice and veggies. The sauce is not fluorescent orange. The key is the black vinegar. I had never heard of this. It's a rice-based vinegar, but aged so it becomes dark and umami-rich. It's kinda like balsamic but more magical, and the way it mingles with the sugar, garlic, scallions and ginger… wow. You can use the sauce on chicken, tofu, pork… I bet it's really good with strips of lean beef stir-fried. Try it. You will like it.

Ingredients:

Fish: 1 whole or filleted fish (1 1/2 lbs) 1 tsp salt cornstarch oil for frying (peanut or vegetable or similar)

Sauce: 2 green onions, chopped fine 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine 1/4 cup black vinegar 3 tbsp sugar (preferably turbinado) 2 tbsp soy sauce 1/4 chicken stock (unsalted) 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water

Steps:

Pat the fish dry with paper towels, then using a sharp knife, score the fish with deep curved angled cuts along both sides. Sprinkle the fish with salt, including within the cuts, and let it sit while you prepare the rest.
Heat a wok over medium heat until it starts to smoke, then add about 3 inches of oil (which is a lot more than you'd think). Get all your other ingredients next to the stove along with chopsticks and a slotted spoon and a serving platter, lined with paper towels. Be ready because you'll be moving fast.
Hold the fish up by the tail so the slashes you made flap open. Coat the fish with cornstarch, including the slashes, then drop a little starch into the oil to determine that it's hot enough (you'll want it around 300 degrees F). If the starch bubbles and disappears, you're ready. Lower the fish headfirst slowly into the oil, letting the slashes open up wide. Adjust the heat if necessary so that the oil is bubbling but the fish is not browning too fast. Ladle hot oil over the fish to ensure even frying. When one side is golden brown, use your spoon and chopsticks to gently turn the fish over. Keep the tail raw for as long as possible, to keep it from breaking off - it cooks very quickly at the end. Once the second side is golden brown, carefully use your spoon and chopsticks to lift it out of the oil and onto your serving platter.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the wok - pour the excess into a large empty glass jar or two so you can safely dispose of it later. Heat the remaining oil over medium-high high, then add the green onions, ginger, and garlic. Stir them for about 10 seconds to release there aroma, then add the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and stock. Bring to a boil and adjust seasoning if necessary - probably not needed, but just in case - then stir in the corn starch slurry. As soon as the sauce bubbles, pour it evenly over the fish and garnish with excess scallions (the green parts of the green onions).
Enjoy with rice and a veg - I sauteed broccolini in sesame oil, but you do you.

Adapted from All Under Heaven: Recipes from the 35 Cuisines of China by Carolyn Phillips

017 - Mount Tai and the Beginnings of Confucianism and Daoism Jun 06, 2017

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Looming over Confucius' home province of Shandong, Mount Tai is the holiest place in Daoism, which means we can tackle both great philosophies while discussing feudal China and Shandong cuisine.

Shakshuka May 16, 2017

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An incredibly delicious dish of North African origin, shakshuka is eggs poached in tomato sauce, but it's so much more than that. Brought to Israel by immigrants from Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya, shakshuka has been throughly embraced by Israelis, and it's easy to see why. I like it as part of the breakfast meal that's traditionally served at sundown on the day after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is the fast day in September or October.

Basically, start by sautéing onions and pepper in a cast-iron skillet. Get them brown and even a little charred, then add a bit of garlic. Paprika, cumin, coriander come in. Canned whole tomatoes, mashed up as you cook them. Then whatever else you want: olives, feta, greens, beans, artichokes, whatever.

Once you've got a crazy good sauce, use a spoon to make indentations in the sauce and then crack the eggs into those holes. Finish it in a preheated oven until the egg whites are just set. Then Woot! Dig in!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large red pepper (bell pepper for milder heat, or a hotter variety, such as red horned pepper, chopped
1 fresh small hot chili (such as jalapeño, serrano, or Fresno), stems, seeds, and ribs removed, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons (15g) sweet Hungarian or smoked Spanish paprika
1 tablespoons (10g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (5g) ground coriander
1 (28-ounce; 800g) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by squeezing between your fingers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Large handful minced cilantro, parsley, or a mix
6 eggs
Crusty bread, for serving

STEPS

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Sauté the onion and peppers. Don't stir for the first 6 minutes, allowing the veggies to get brown and crispy in parts. I like the texture that the browning gives. Then stir give it another six minutes without stirring Finally, once you have good charred bits, sauté another 4 minutes or so.
Add the garlic, but only until it softens (30 seconds)
Throw in the spices, and cook while stirring until you can smell it.
Immediately add the hand-crushed tomatoes, stir, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add salt, pepper and half of the herbs.
With a large spoon, make six indentations in the reduced sauce. Crack the eggs and slide them into the indentations. Spoon some sauce onto the whites of the eggs, leaving the yolks visible. Add a little salt onto the eggs, then cover and let simmer for 5-8 minutes, until the whites are barely set and the yolks still runny.
Definitely serve with crusty bread for dipping, although pita, sourdough, heck anything will do.

Again, play around with this. Once you have the basic down, add other stuff: olives, artichokes, greens, mushrooms, cheese, chorizo, you name it. If this doesn't become your go-to brunch standard, I'll eat my new hipster hat.

Recipe a blend of ideas from www.toriavey.com and www.seriouseats.com

016 - The Western Wall of Jerusalem and the Beginning of Judaism May 16, 2017

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The Jews had been exiled, came back, were exiled again, and have come back again. Through the process they changed a temple into a book, redefining religion. We'll see the Western Wall and talk Israeli breakfasts with Lara Rodin and Noah Lew, and Garry Stephens of the History in the Bible podcast helps us examine the biblical history.

Falafel May 03, 2017

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Falafel are crunchy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside deep-fried balls of ground chickpeas. They are an essential part of most Middle-Eastern cuisines, and are particularly embraced in Israel - since they are vegetarian, they can be eaten at any meal even if you're keeping kosher.

Normally, I scour the web and test different recipes to find the right one to share with you. And typically, I make some changes to match my experience. In this case, I am going to direct you straight to a recipe I used that needs no changes or doctoring. This recipe made phenomenal falafels, and I even had success with their accompanying condiments.

So here: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/03/the-food-lab-vegan-experience-best-homemade-falafel-recipe.html

Just make that. Make the tahini and the zhug and get good pitas to go with. But you don't need the bread.

Tell me this isn't as good as restaurant-quality falafel. It's so so so good. And not too difficult.

015 - The Dead Sea and the History in the Torah May 03, 2017

Show notes

Near the shores of the salt-saturated Dead Sea, the Israelites wrote the world's most read book. Garry Stephens of the History in the Bible podcast helps us examine historical accuracy, while Lara Rodin and Noah Lew help us visit Israel. Plus falafel!

Mahalabia Apr 18, 2017

Show notes

When you need something sweet and simple, look no further than mahalabia, a "milk pudding" made with just milk, sugar, corn starch, and flavor.

Traditionally, rosewater is the way to go, but if you can find rosewater, you're better connected than I am. Moroccans go with orange blossom water, but again, that's not at your local 7-11 either. So if you must, which I did, vanilla works in a pinch, but it's not a 1:1 trade!

Making mahalabia is super easy, but you have to pay attention. It's very easy to burn this or not make it thick enough or make it too thick. When I tried making it, it was not thick enough. Ack! But don't stress too much. Just watch the clues: when it coats the back of your spoon, it's done.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Milk, plus 1/2 cup extra
1/2 cups Sugar
4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
2 teaspoons rosewater (or 2 tsp orange blossom water or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

STEPS

Over medium heat, warm milk and sugar to close to boiling. Be sure to stir pretty constantly to keep the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Turn down to low.
In a side bowl, while the milk/sugar combo is heating up, combine cornstarch and extra milk.
Add cornstarch mixture to milk, stir and warm until milk mixture thickens and coats the back of your spoon. They say it takes 2 minutes, but I think it's a bit longer than that.
Take off the heat, and add rosewater or substitute. Stir and cool in refrigerator until thick and delicious. 3 hours minimum, but the longer the better.
Consider adding raisins, pistachios, or almonds.

Play around with this - other versions have cardamon as well. Just watch the heat when you're boiling the milk - you don't want it to stick or burn. The final consistency ought to be something similar to Greek yogurt.

014 - The Temple of Ramesses at Abu Simbel and Pharaoh Ramesses the Great Apr 18, 2017

Show notes

Ramesses the Great, public relations genius, takes us to Abu Simbel to visit his masterpiece of self-glorification. We talk about his reign and visiting Aswan with Dominic and Jack one last time. Plus ancient graffiti, singing kids on boats, and pudding!

Molokhia Apr 04, 2017

Show notes

Molokhia

Molokhia is a vegetable, technically the leaves of the jute plant, also called Jew's Mallow. Jute, like other mallows such as marshmallow (not that marshmallow, but the original plant) and okra, is mucilaginous, which means that it creates a mucus-lke texture when cooked. Molokhia is also the name of a soup which has been enjoyed by Egyptians since pharaonic times. Does the idea of a slimy bright green soup seem appealing? No?

Well, you'll never know until you try it. So why not give it a try? Molokhia is full of vitamins, and the onion, garlic, coriander and chicken stock will all help make the soup flavorful and delicious. Serve with a side of rice, and you're good to go. It's like a bright green chicken gumbo. Really. Molokhia is vague related to okra, and serves a similar purpose.

There are a variety of different recipes for molokhia, but they all have some consistencies. Most start with chicken, but others use rabbit - which was the original, traditional choice - or duck, lamb, or any other meat. Most include using the meat to make the stock for the soup, but honestly, if you're using chicken, save a step by using one of the fine organic chicken stocks available in most groceries.

Molokhia the vegetable is not something you're going to find in most Western groceries, and outside the Middle East and Asia, you're not going to find it fresh at all. Word on the interwebs though is that frozen molokhia works very well for this soup, and that should be available at any Middle Eastern grocery, and apparently at some Asian groceries as well.

You really can't substitute spinach or kale or mustard greens or anything similar. The texture of the jute is important.

I'm basing this recipe on the recipe here: http://myhalalkitchen.com/molokhia/ — Yvonne's recipe is the best I've found so far, but I'm putting coriander back into the mix, because it's in every other recipe I've found, and that feels important.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided into 2
1 cup diced yellow onions (about 2 small onions)
2 split chicken breasts, skin-on
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
4 cups Chicken stock (preferably organic/roasted/reduced sodium)
2 packages frozen molokhia leaves (jute leaves)
8 cloves garlic (chopped - the finer you mince the garlic, the stronger the flavor. This calls for larger chunks, which should be a little more mellow)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
4 cups prepared white rice (basmati works fine)

STEPS

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the first 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onions until translucent or slightly browned.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper and cumin, rubbing the spices into and under the skin.
Add the chicken and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. Continue to sauté until the chicken is nicely browned on all sides.
Add the stock and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 35 minutes.
Remove the chicken and let cool. Once cooled, remove the skin and bones and pull the meat apart so that it's nicely shredded. Add back to the broth.
Open up the packages of molokhia and drop directly into the pot. As the molokhia heats up, it will break apart, but you can use your wooden spoon to help this along.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small sauté pan for the garlic and coriander. Start with the garlic, then after a couple of minutes, add the coriander. Cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes total, stirring constantly. Watch this - you do not want to burn the garlic or overly toast the coriander.
Add the garlic and coriander with the oil directly into the soup and stir it up.
Scoop the rice into soup bowls and serve the soup on top, with fresh lemon on the side.

Play around with this - other versions have cinnamon, paprika, dill and cilantro making appearances. I promise I will try when I get back to my kitchen, and I will update this appropriately.

Thanks to Yvonne Maffei (http://myhalalkitchen.com/molokhia/)

013 - The Tombs of the Valley of the Kings and Pharaohs Akhenaten and Tutankhamun Apr 04, 2017

Show notes

We're sticking around Luxor, Egypt, and crossing the Nile to visit the tombs of the New Kingdom pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings. We discuss Tut and Akhenaten. Plus pigeons! Dominic Perry and Lantern Jack stop by again to share their thoughts and tips.

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