

Mothers To Daughters

### Original Recipes from Refugee Homelands

### By D'Arcy McGinniss

Copyright © D'Arcy McGinniss

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The intent of the author is only to offer general information to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual welfare. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself or others, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

# Table of Contents

Introduction

Farangeez - Iran

Chelow Kebab

Vegetable Kukoo

Gheimeh Badenjan – Eggplant and Split pea Bake

Gormeh Sabzi

Persian Rice

Persian Koftah – Beef and Rissoles

Sabzi Khordan

Yoghurt

Norzorq

Bakhita \- Sudan

Spinach and Peanuts

Beef Molokhia

Mullah Bamyah – Beef Stew with Okra

Fool Medemma – Sudanese Breakfast Dish

Chicken and Peanut Soup

Mullah Pumpkin – Pumpkin Stew

Peanut and Spinach Bake

Tamayya – Energy Snack

Ines – El Salvador

Papusas

Tomato Salsa

Crab Perpitas

Easter Fish Dish

Holy Thursday Pumpkin and Cinnamon Syrup

Quesadilla

Fish Soup

Empanada

Sunday Breakfast of Refried Beans and Eggs

Horchata

Loan - Vietnam

Spaghetti Salad with Coconut Dressing

Golden Fish Soup

Fresh Spring Rolls

Fish Cakes

Sweet and Sour Soup

Tapioca Dessert

Bean Quencher

Fun Jellies

Samira and Hanan - Iraq

Fisherman's Hats

Kabuli Rice – Lamb Rice with Pistachios

Shorbat - Green Dumpling Soup

Shorbat Rumman – Pomegranate Soup

Rice and Potato Coquettes

Chicken Biryani

Faisinjan – Chicken in Pomegranate Sauce

Lamb and Currant Kebabs in Yoghurt

Shahkam Asheh – Rice Stuffed Vegetables

Baklava

Bas bous Goz – Semolina Pudding with Coconut

Esther - Liberia

Palava Sauce

Jollof Rice

Dried Fish and Dried Chicken

Liberian Cornbread

Liberian Rice Bread

Fu Fu

Ginger Beer

Najiba - Afghanistan

Kitcheree Rice

Pilau

Najiba's Kebabs

Kofta Nakhod

Chalow

Mantu

Elephant's Ears

Rosewater Pudding

Elda – Brazil

Feijoada

Chicken Cotoletta

Formaggio A'ova

Chicory or Lettuce Soup

Pasta with Chicken

Tomato Sauce

Crostelli

#  Introduction

Every week a group of women from all over the world gather around a kitchen stove to share cooking experiences and the stories of their homelands. For all of our diversity, there is a bond between us which is impossible to explain. So much of what we share is familiar as there is a lot about food preparation that is universal. But there are always new ideas, recipes and techniques to learn and to inspire us to share yet another dish which originated in homes in Afghanistan, Brazil, Vietnam, Liberia, Iraq, El Salvador, Iran or Sudan.

The recipes included in this book are recipes that have been passed down from mothers to daughters and rarely written. The women cook as their mothers cooked and so bring a taste of their homelands to the table for their families. The heartening familiarity of the food from their past is strengthening in the face of the many challenges that face refugees attempting to make a life in a new country.

The fundamental nature of food sharing between women from diverse backgrounds has broken down barriers of language, culture, war and history. This book is the story of eight women who have fled their homelands and who have brought with them the food of their ancestors and culture.

# Farangeez - Iran

Lily-of-the-Valley, myrtle leaves, rose water, myrrh and saffron are just some of the fragrances of the ancient nation of Persia, as Iran was known prior to 1935. Floral motifs designed centuries ago adorn Persian rugs with pomegranates, flowers and arabesques, palms and tendrils all woven in silk in beguiling loveliness. These images of natural beauty in colours matched to precious jewels have been captured by artisans and tribesmen from eons ago and are a point of reference and pride for 21st century Iranians.

The perfumes and aromas from distant times surround Farangeez and her family in suburban Australia. The rugs on the floor of her home are a constant touchstone with the past, and the kitchen shelves laden with jars of rose petals, quince jam, sugar cubes flavoured with ginger or cardamom, dried lemons, and homemade vinegar are as familiar to her children as they were to her forebears hundreds of years ago.

Farengeez was born in a village called Spring in Western Iran. Her family is Baha'i, a minority group in Iran, which meant that isolation from Muslim neighbours' was a way of life. She had only six years of school, and despite wanting to continue her education, was kept at home to help her mother. Her memories of childhood revolve around the preparation of meals and visits to the market which marked the rhythm of her day.

The walled garden around her house created the boundary of her life and so it was an extraordinary adventure when her mother told her to pack a bag and go with her to the city for 2 days, to attend a religious celebration. She was seventeen and very excited by the prospect of the journey.

Her life was to change forever when during the course of the celebrations she was introduced to a man who had accompanied her uncle. She was told he was to be her husband. Although this tradition of arranged marriage was routine it did not lessen the shock of knowing that this stranger would be her partner for life.

After living for several years in Iraqh, the city her husband was from, the family moved to Sanandaj, the capital of Iran's Kurdistan province, where they were to stay for twenty nine years. During this time her life remained anchored in the house, particularly the kitchen, where a cooked lunch and dinner were part of each day.

Farangeez remembers with pain the Iraq-Iran war when her family experienced 8 years of bombing. "Living underground" was how she explained it. Their home was a three story building, with a shop on the ground floor, bedrooms in the middle, and living area on the top. Her fear turned to anger towards the end of the war, and while her family would camp in the dug-out shelter, she would sit upstairs, declaring she would rather die in her home than in a hole. This determination and strength is evident in the way in which she has established her family and home in Perth, enduring the feelings of dislocation and loss around leaving behind one of her daughters and 4 grandchildren, who remain in Kurdistan.

Food and its preparation are central to the Iranian ethos of welcoming and providing refreshment for all who enter a home. A bowl of fresh herbs is always within reach to pick from and enjoy, and the aromas of spices such as cardamom are constantly present. The dish her family begs her to make most often is Khorma Subzi, the preparation of which will take most of the day. The stellar element is dried lemon, the rush of bitter sour complementing the depth of richness in the sauce. The first time I tasted this dish I was challenged to identify the various dimensions of flavours of the lush green sauce. Mint, fenugreek and spinach are just some of them and Farangeez shares this ancient recipe.

Although happy to be in Australia enjoying freedom that was denied her in Iran and Kurdistan, Farangeez regrets the loss of some traditions that so enhanced her life growing up. Persian cultural life is peppered with rituals, the most significant and celebrated being those which signalled the change of seasons, such as that of the winter solstice on 21st December, called Shab-e-Yaldaa.

Farangeez remembers how in childhood times, preparation for this occasion began in autumn when honey melon was cut up and the skins pulped and placed in a very large jar. This was covered with hot water, and the top sealed with salts and water, and stored away until the special night of Shab-e-Yaldaa.

She chuckled as she shared the age-old superstition that if you were in a bad mood when you put the melon and water in the jar the vinegar would be good, sharp and piquant. However, if you were laughing and happy at the time, the result would be sweet and too much like wine.

Shab-e-Yaldaa is the longest night of the year and the hours are spent with family and friends sharing memories and dreams. Farangeez remembers sitting with the family very excited at the prospect of being allowed to stay up with the adults throughout the night, listening to the stories being told. Her father brought out a special book on this occasion, and each person would in turn be asked to think of something significant they would like to happen in the coming year. A story would be read from the book, and amazingly, to a small child's ears, there would be a special message in the story for each person.

Astrology has been part of Persian life for millennia, and was first inaugurated in ancient Babylonia, a part of the Persian Empire. The integration of natural rhythms into life cycles underpins the cultural history of Iran, especially true in ancient Persia when people organized their lives around the procession of equinoxes.

Once the stories had been told on the occasion of the winter solstice, ritual food would be shared, including the pickled honey dew, with pomegranates and nuts. The name given to the night, Shab-e Yaldaa (or Shab-e Chelleh) means birthday or 'rebirth of the sun', the focus being on the lengthening of the days and the springtime to come.

The Iranian New Year, Narooz, is celebrated on the first day of spring. As the old year closes and the new begins, the husband and wife exchange gifts, often money, sometimes as little as a dollar in value. The husband may keep it with him in his pocket, and Farangeez recalls her father keeping her mother's token with him always throughout the year ahead.

This special day meant new clothes for all, and tradition dictates that children give their parents a gift of rose water. Farangeez tells of the large extended family visiting their home, and she and her brothers and sisters welcoming them with a sprinkle of rose water on their arrival. Roses feature strongly Persian culture, and the ancient Persians even made wine from rose petals. Floral waters made from rose petals and orange blossoms are used all over the Middle East, found in both sweet and savory dishes. The addition of flower water to Persian meat dishes lends them a subtlety which is fundamental to the cuisine.

Crushed rose petals when combined with cumin, cardamom and cinnamon create an exotic dimension when used in various meat-based dishes. The mix is called arieh and will always found in an Iranian pantry.

Rose petals are strewn throughout Persian cuisine, and Farangeez stores them in a large jar in the fridge. She maintains that only Iranian roses will do and uses imported petals from Tehran. Heavily perfumed old fashioned roses would probably suffice, but the connection with her home adds to the comfort and familiarity with the foods that she prepares.

Flowers and herbs and their aromas have been woven through Persian life since ancient times. There are mentions of incenses, perfumes and sweet bouquets in the earliest texts. Cultivating plants and fragrant flowers was widespread in Persia. Lily-of-the-Valley which was peculiar to a province of ancient Persia is seen in many images from thousands of years past, and was central to the perfume industry which was popular among Persians living then.

Poems and verse from millennia ago tell of saffron and myrrh being burnt to scent air. Saffron is the most expensive and prized of spices, and used to be thought of as an aphrodisiac. It is made from the golden stigmas of blue crocus flowers, which must be harvested at dawn on the morning they appear in order to prevent damage from the elements. Hand picking is the only method possible, and as over 200,000 flowers must be gathered to produce a kilogram of saffron, it is no wonder this spice is so costly. Farangeez soaks saffron filaments in water and scatters it over white rice dishes to create a rich jewelled effect.

Herbs were similarly valued in Persian cuisine and culture. History tells of a magnificent reception for the King of Mazandaran, who ruled his province in the 6th century. On his arrival for the commencement of celebrations, many tons of sweet basil, flowers and violets were thrown, and myrrh was burnt.

A shallow bowl brimming with fresh herbs is central to Farangeez's kitchen. Called Sabzi Khordan the herbs are enjoyed in various combinations including tarragon, chives and dill, mint, marjoram, fenugreek, basil and parsley. Eaten with sliced radish, feta cheese and Persian flat bread it is the perfect appetizer, cleansing the palate in anticipation of the delights to follow. This dish is a simple and an instant connection with the garden, as the herbs are left with stalks, looking freshly plucked and irresistible. Farangeez's herbs are the focus of her garden, with chilli, capsicum and eggplant just some of the vegetables she grows for the table.

The influence of India and beyond can be tasted in many Iranian dishes, and is evidence of the Silk Road which linked countries through the spread of ideas and cultural traditions. Trade along the ancient route meant that some foods could be found as part of many cultures, with variations being developed over centuries according to local tastes and the availability of various ingredients.

Iranian cuisine is based on fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Preserving and pickling ensures that vegetables could be used beyond their season, and jars of pickles line the pantry shelves in Farangeez's kitchen. A dish of pickled vegetables, torshi, accompanies most meals, and the sourness and texture perfectly match meat and rice dishes.

Farangeez makes her own vinegar, and has many large jars steeping with dried grapes in various

stages of development. She makes her own yoghurt which is incorporated into most meals. Hot Turkish style bread and jam are eaten for breakfast, and the choices of jams seem endless with apple, carrot and walnut, pumpkin and quince just some that sit on her shelves. She offers me plump and delicious sultanas, quite superior to any sultana I have previously tasted, and not surprisingly I find that she has produced them herself, by placing trays of her home grown grapes on the top of her pergola and leaving them for eight days to dry naturally in the sun. She explains that this is quicker than in Iran, where the process takes fifteen days.

Persian rice is acclaimed by many as being the ultimate rice experience. Simply served with butter and garnished with saffron it is an accompaniment rather than the staple food of other cuisines. The techniques handed down through hundreds of years have refined the cooking process which results in a dish delicious in aroma and texture with each grain of rice separate and the whole light and fluffy. Farangeez uses basmati rice which she finds most closely resembles the Persian rice known as sadr.

Kebabs, or barbequed meat, are the foods best known beyond Iran, and their variety seems limited only by the chef's inclination. While chatting about the various methods used to skewer meat, from leaf-shaped fillets of finely sliced lamb or beef, to cubes of anything you fancy, I learn that the secret of maintaining the ball of minced meat on the skewer without it falling apart while cooking, is to increase its 'stickiness' by massaging the meat over a very low heat, until it can hold its shape.

All foods are deemed either hot or cold, these descriptions making it simple to mix and match ingredients in order to achieve balance. It is believed that hot tempers and bad humour can be alleviated through the consumption of cold food. Farangeez's daughter explained that if she gives her baby too much yoghurt in a day, she will balance it with a date, or perhaps some honey, which is "hot". This constant attention to balance is believed to prevent stomach ache, and general physical upset. If one is feeling lethargic it could mean that too many cold foods have been consumed, and something hot will counteract the effect.

Some hot and cold descriptions are obvious, such as curry being hot. However grapes are deemed hot, but plums cold. Mangoes are hot and garlic is cold. The list of hot and cold can appear quite arbitrary, but hot foods are generally rich in carbohydrate and calories, while cold food is light and non-fattening.

The Iranian cook has an infallible knowledge of the category of every food, and brings this to bear when cooking each meal. This holistic approach to food means that the issue of health is ever present. Rice being cold is the perfect balance to lamb, and is why it is usually served as an accompaniment. Wheat is cold, so bread will often accompany beef which is hot. This balance of hot and cold has been fundamental to Persian cooking for fifteen hundred years, underpinning the superiority of the cuisine of this ancient culture.

A visit to a local specialty shop is a small step back in time for Farangeez as the hessian bags of beans, the dried lemons and the bottles of rose water on the shelf beside the saffron are reminiscent of what she has left behind. As her three-year-old granddaughter helps her make biscuits by deftly sprinkling the poppy seed on top, she is connected also to the future, keeping alive the traditions and rituals of her ancient culture.

## Chelow Kebab

While the finished result looks very simple, and the ingredients could not be less complex, there is some effort required to achieve the desired taste and appearance. The mince holds together to form meat balls which cling to a skewer by kneading, or massaging the warmed mince for some time – 'until the arms ache.' A food processor can make this task simple, but for an authentic result, the working of the meat creates the traditional texture.

The pan which Farangeez uses to just warm the meat resembles a biscuit tray on small legs which stand over a very low heat on the stove. The mince is kneaded on over the heat until it is sticky and ready. The meat should cool to room temperature and the other ingredients added. Salt must be added late in the process, as it will cause the meat to fall off the skewers if it is incorporated into the mince during the kneading process. The skewers should be at least 2 cm wide to hold the meat over the flame.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 onion

  * 1 kg minced lamb (shoulder lamb works best, as it contains the correct proportion of fat)

  * Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  * Mince the onion, or grate, and remove all the juice from it by squeezing through a clean tea towel.

  * Combine the ingredients, and form into balls about the size of a golf ball.

  * Pack each ball around one end of a skewer to form a sausage shape, so that the meat cooks through easily, and cook on barbecue grill or over an open flame.

Serve with rice and garnishes, or with flat bread which can be used to roll up the meat, with sauces of choice.

## Vegetable Kukoo

This delicious Iranian version of an omelette, or frittata, is defined by the quantity of herbs and green vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 cup dill

  * 1 cup parsley

  * 1 cup coriander

  * ½ bunch fenungreek or tarragon

  * 1 cup chopped spring onions or chives

  * 1 bunch spinach

  * 6 beaten eggs

  * ½ teaspoon baking powder

  * ½ teaspoon turmeric

  * Pepper and salt to taste

  * Oil for frying

METHOD

  * Finely chop the herbs and vegetables.

  * Beat the eggs until well combined.

  * Combine all ingredients.

  * Heat oil in large fry pan, and carefully pour in the egg mixture.

  * When underside is cooked, carefully turn to continue to cook the other side until firm when touched.

This omelette is best eaten at room temperature.

## Gheimeh Badenjan – Eggplant and Split pea Bake

Farangeez combines several elements to create this family favourite, by adding chicken to the eggplant and split peas. It is a successful dish without the meat, and works well with lamb instead of chicken.

The quantities are not important, it is the consistency and texture which decides the success of the dish. Dishes are deemed 'mature' when the balance is correct, and the sauce is neither too thin nor too thick. If the sauce needs to be thickened it is achieved through longer cooking without a lid to reduce the sauce. No thickening agent is used, and it is believed that flavours are intensified if the dish is prepared the day before.

As with all dishes, the balance between 'hot' and 'cold' ingredients is considered in order to ensure the well-being of the diners.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 eggplant cut into large cubes

  * 1 cup split peas or yellow lentils

  * 3 tablespoons oil

  * 1 onion chopped finely

  * 6 chicken pieces

  * 1 kg tomatoes skinned and diced, or 1 large can of tomatoes

METHOD

  * Sprinkle salt over the eggplant pieces and leave for several hours until the bitter juices have been removed. Rinse and pat dry with paper towel.

  * Soak the split peas for at least one hour.

  * Heat oil in large pan, and fry the eggplant until browned, and then remove from pan and set aside.

  * If necessary, add a little more oil, then add the onion to the pan and cook until they become translucent.

  * Add the chicken piece to the pan and brown by cooking for a few minutes on each side.

  * Cover the pan and reduce the heat, simmering in order to develop the juices.

  * In separate pan, cook the tomatoes over a low heat for around 40 minutes to develop a thick sauce.

  * Add the drained split peas and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Taste to check that the split peas are still firm and not mushy.

  * In a casserole dish first layer the eggplant, then the chicken and onion mix, and finish with the tomatoes and split peas.

  * Cook in hot oven until the ingredients bubble, reduce the temperature to 180 degrees, and continue to cook until the oil comes to the surface, about 1 ½ hours.

Serve with rice and flat bread.

## Gormeh Sabzi

In Iran when shopping for this classic dish, one need only ask the man at the markets for the Ghormeh Sabzi greens, and he would provide the bunch of herbs without further inquiry. It is a classic Persian meal, and I am told, one that tastes different according to the cook, despite the use of the same ingredients. The theory is that depending on your attitude, the affection for those you are cooking for, the mood you are in and so forth, the result will vary accordingly.

Lamb is the meat required for this dish, but the cut can vary according to taste. Lamb shanks are regarded as being an excellent choice.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 cup dried red kidney beans (Canned will do)

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 1 onion chopped finely

  * 3 cloves garlic chopped finely

  * 4 lamb shanks – 1 per person

  * 1 cup water

  * 1 cup parsley, chopped finely

  * 1 cup fresh mint, chopped finely

  * 1 cup garlic chives, chopped finely

  * 2 bunches spinach, chopped finely

  * 2 bunches fenungreek if available, chopped finely or 2 tablespoons dried fenungreek

  * Dried lemons according to taste, but usually 2 per person.

METHOD

  * If using dried kidney beans soak for 1 hour in plenty of water, then drain.

  * Heat oil in pan, and add the onion and garlic, cooking until are softened.

  * Add the shanks and brown for a few minutes.

  * If using dried kidney beans, add to the pan with the water, and continue to cook for an hour or so, with lid on. If using canned beans, add water and cook the shanks for 45 minutes, before adding the beans, as the beans will be too mushy if cooked for too long. Cook for 15 minutes.

  * While the lamb is cooking, add a little oil to another pan, and fry the chopped herbs and greens until they wilt, and then add them to the lamb, about half way through the cooking time.

  * Puncture the dried lemons several times with a fork to allow the liquid to permeate, and drop them into the pot along with the herbs.

  * When the lamb is tender, and the liquid has incorporated the addition of the herbs and lemons, put the Ghormeh Sabzi into a casserole, and cook in a preheated 180 degree C oven for a further 30 minutes or so, until the oil rises to the surface. This shows that the dish as 'matured' and ready to enjoy.

Ghormah Sabzi is served with Persian Rice, accompanied by pickles, breads and salad.

## Persian Rice

The quality of the rice and its selection is fundamental to the success of the finished dish according to Farangeez. Mature rice is best, 'young' rice is simply not good enough. A rice merchant's reputation rises and falls on the accuracy of his grading of the sacks of rice he is selling. Farangeez finds the rice in Australia very unpredictable, resulting in various degrees of success because of the 'lucky dip' element in purchasing rice here.

Basmati rice is regarded as safe, in that nothing much can go wrong, whereas jasmine rice can be sticky if cooked overlong. Farangeez uses a combination of both, and always soaks the rice in water for at least an hour, sometimes the whole day.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 cups rice

  * 2 litres water

  * 1 tablespoon salt

  * 4 tablespoons oil

  * 2 potatoes sliced thinly

  * ½ teaspoon saffron threads

METHOD

When rice is ready to cook, drain the soaking water from the rice. Pour 2 litres water into a large saucepan, add the salt, bring to a fast boil and add the rice. Cook for about 3 minutes before testing. It is not possible to be exact as the cooking time depends on so many elements, such as the quality of the rice, the quantity being cooked, the size of the saucepan, the age of the rice etc.

  * Test the rice by chewing a grain. It is ready when it is tender on the outside, but still firm on the inside.

  * Drain the rice and run some warm water over it for a few seconds.

  * Lightly stir the rice in the colander in order to remove all moisture, and to keep the grains separated.

  * Pour some oil into the saucepan, enough to only just film the base, and when it is heated, add sliced potatoes and layer them over the bottom of the pan. Pieces of pitta bread work well also. Some Iranian cooks place an uncooked dough mixture on the base. Using potatoes results in a crunchy, golden topping, and this is the most popular base.

  * Carefully spoon the rice on top of the potatoes, and then cover the pot with a lid which has been wrapped in a clean tea towel. This will absorb the moisture, and is fundamental to a fluffy rice result. The heat should be high for a few minutes to create steam, and then lowered to a simmer for about 10 minutes. At this point test for readiness. If the rice is not soft enough it is said to be 'too alive'. If the rice is too alive, add a spoonful of water with a little melted butter to create more steam, and continue cooking for a few more minutes.

  * Soak some saffron threads in a little hot water. Remove about a cup of rice from the saucepan and stir through the yellow liquid to make a garnish.

  * To serve, carefully spoon the rice onto a platter, forming a mound in the centre. Sprinkle the top with the golden saffron garnish.

  * The delicious crunchy potatoes can be added to the top of the rice, or served as a side dish.

## Persian Koftah – Beef and Rissoles

The split peas in this meatballs and tomato dish extend a bit of mince to a meal which could feed 10 people! However, it needs to be planned as the split peas and the rice need to be soaked for several hours before using.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 cup split peas, soaked in water for several hours

  * 1 cup rice, soaked in water for an hour or so

  * 1 kg minced beef

  * 1 large onion chopped finely

  * 4 eggs

  * Oil for frying

  * 2 cans of diced tomatoes

  * 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped finely

  * 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped finely

  * 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped finely

  * 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  * Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  * Drain the rice and the peas and, in a large bowl, combine with the meat, onion, 2 eggs, herbs and seasonings. Mix well and form into flat patties.

  * Beat the remaining 2 eggs, and coat each meat patties before frying.

  * Heat the oil in a large pan, add the patties in batches and cook until golden, but not necessarily cooked through.

  * Combine the tomatoes and tomato paste.

  * Place the koftah into a casserole dish, and cover with the tomato mixture.

  * Cook in a preheated 180 degree C oven for an hour or so. The koftah absorb the tomato sauce, and it may be necessary to add a little water during the cooking.

Serve with flat bread and salad.

## Sabzi Khordan

This simple dish is part of every meal and illustrates what is so alluring about Iranian cuisine. Quality and freshness are fundamentals of all ingredients. Fresh herbs are used in abundance, and in combinations and varieties which render them a perfect addition.

Sabzi Khordan is a stand- alone collection of fresh herbs. They are simply washed and placed in a bowl, piled high and invitingly, to be plucked and eaten. Mint and tarragon are usually included with anything else that is growing or available fresh.

A separate platter of feta cheese, spring onions, radishes if they are available, and fresh flat bread on the side is all that is required to make a perfect start to a meal, or a snack to settle a hungry stomach. You can feel it doing you good.

## Yoghurt

The equipment required to make perfect yoghurt is already in your cupboard, according to Farangeez. Many implements, thermometers and containers can be purchased in order to create homemade yoghurt, but all that is required is a blanket, an old overcoat, or something similar! The Middle-Eastern climate is perfect for curdling milk left in the heat which is how it is believed it was discovered. Creating the right artificial environment is a matter of applying constant warmth.

METHOD

  * Place 3 litres of full cream milk into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or so.

  * Turn off the heat and test for readiness by dipping your finger into the milk after a few minutes, when it has cooled only very slightly. It must not be burning hot, nor cool.

  * Drop 5 or 6 spoons of yoghurt into the milk in different places, around the sides of the pot, in the middle etc.

  * Place the lid on the pot and wrap it in a blanket, and leave in a warm place for about 12 hours – overnight is the usual practice for Farangeez. In Iran the wrapped pot is placed near the source of warmth such as the fire, or in some cases women will put the oven into a very, very slow oven to maintain a warm environment.

  * Take a look at this point, but don't be tempted to keep checking, as yoghurt prefers to be left alone to 'sleep' according to Farangeez.

  * When it is clotted, put the pot into the fridge overnight, undisturbed.

  * It should be firm when it is ready and 'broken' and stored in containers for use.

  * Hold back the 6 spoonful's required to start the next batch. This keeps the household permanently supplied with delicious yoghurt for use in savoury and sweet dishes.

## Norzorq

These biscuits are both delicious in taste and appearance. Norzorq means 'thin' and that is the key to success with the finished result.

INGREDIENTS

  * Pastry

  * 1 kg self raising flour

  * 1 ½ cups castor sugar

  * 1 cup yoghurt

  * 1 cup oil

  * 4 eggs

  * Sprinkle

  * ½ cup finely crushed walnuts

  * ½ cup finely crushed almonds

  * 2 teaspoon cardamom

  * 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  * 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  * To finish

  * 1 egg yolk beaten

  * ¼ cup poppy seeds

METHOD

  * Sift the flour into a bowl.

  * Add the sugar, yoghurt, oil and beaten eggs, and mix. The dough should be soft enough to handle, but not sticky on the fingers. Adjust the flour if necessary to achieve this texture.

  * Cut the dough into pieces, the size of a tennis ball, and then roll out onto a floured surface as thin as you can manage.

  * Mix together all the 'sprinkle' ingredients, sprinkle onto the dough, and roll up the dough very tightly to enclose the mixture..

  * Brush the finished roll with the beaten egg yolk, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

  * Cut into rounds required for biscuits and place on a biscuit tray.

  * Cook in a preheated moderate oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack and store in air tight container.

# Bakhita - Sudan

Khartoum sits at the convergence of the Blue and the White Nile Rivers and, with North Khartoum and Omdurman, forms a trio of cities within close range of each other. The image of an elephant's trunk or khutum gives its name to the city, because of its location on a narrow spit of land between the two rivers.

The mighty Nile and its tributaries are considered the life blood of this country in its passage from the south to the north. The vastness of Sudan sees the river pass through dramatically contrasting landscapes. The Republic of Sudan is the largest country in Africa, and has a varied climate and diverse landscapes, from desert in the north, where it borders Egypt, to lush grasslands and savanna in the central region, and rain forests and mountains at its southern reaches which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Bakhita from South Sudan is a vibrant, energetic force central to the group of women who gather together to cook and share their culinary secrets. Her innate style, her flashing grin and lively participation means that any day lights up when she is present. She and her mother and children are the only people of the Zande tribe living here, and while it is a proud achievement that she has made this new start with her family, it means also a degree of aloneness as she has no one of the heart to share the challenges she faces.

Rhythm and music is the backdrop of her life. Returning from a picnic we recently enjoyed, she stirred a bus load of sleepy women into clapping and lustily singing unknown lyrics to a compelling, rhythmic beat, and it seemed as natural to her as a snooze did to the rest of us.

Proud of her background, Bakhita tells of the Zande people in the past being known as 'the people who possess much land." As warriors living in a region around the northern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Zande people migrated to a region in south Sudan called Yambio. On any day, the sound of drums is a constant backdrop. The 'gu-gu' is a traditional drum which is hewn from a large tree. More than just an instrument, it is the means of transmitting information. Messages are relayed through the drum's beat and these days they are usually about weddings and funerals, parties and church services, serving the purpose of a community newsletter.

The Zande tribe is one of around six hundred groups in South Sudan and with the colonisation of the Sudan by the English, the Italians and the French; its cuisine is a blending of Africa and Europe. While the northerners are mainly Arabic and Muslim, people in the south are mostly Christian.

Historically the south has been exploited by the north and there is a general antipathy between the two groups. However, despite yawning differences historically, geographically and spiritually, one characteristic is common to all Sudanese - the generous hospitality extended to any visitors.

On arrival, a guest is immediately offered a refreshing fruit drink called abre, a symbolic gesture of welcome after a long journey.

Coffee is widely enjoyed and the coffee beans are prepared in a uniquely Sudanese manner. A special pot is used called a jebena Sudanese to roast the coffee beans. A beautifully crafted pot, it is suspended over charcoal slowly heating the beans until the aroma reaches an intensity that signals readiness. After soaking the coffee beans, they are then ground with a combination of spices which includes cloves. A special grass sieve ensures that all the granules are removed as it is poured into thimble-style glasses. This ritual is central to the Sudanese hospitality, and repeated throughout the country. If tea is preferred, an added combination of cinnamon and cloves creates a special bouquet.

Hospitality is warmly and generously offered to guests, despite the deprivation suffered by most of the population. Though has abundant natural resources and a climate suited to agriculture- many believe it could be the 'breadbasket of Africa- the reality is widespread famine due to civil war and drought. For decades Bakhita and her fellow Sudanese have experienced fighting and brutality which have scarred the country and caused indescribable hardship. Tens of thousands of Sudanese are living in refugee camps because of the fear of violence, hopeful of the opportunity to move to other places where they believe they can make a future for themselves and provide for their families.

Bakhita spent most of her life in Tambura in south Sudan, where her father was a teacher and headmaster of a school. He was a fluent Arabic speaker, and because of this the family was repatriated to Khartoum where her father worked as an interpreter. Eventually they returned to the South where Bakhita and her brothers and sisters were fully educated, and lived a life of relative peace.

For all of her adult life however, conflict between north and south Sudan and civil wars between rival groups have been the background of her daily existence. Bakhita married a store owner. After some years, her husband felt that he could be of greater service as a teacher, and so Bakhita maintained the business, taking on the role of proprietor. Her eyes sparkle as she recalls the trading that took place and how she bought coffee, chili, oil and other commodities from South Africa and the Congo and sold it in Sudan She is naturally entrepreneurial, and looks forward to the day she can start a business in Australia.

Over time, her husband became involved in the injustices inflicted on the South Sudanese and he joined the rebel army, becoming a Commander actively involved in the cause of his people. He died for his beliefs, and Bakhita is very affected by his loss.

After the trauma of losing her husband, she and her remaining family escaped the troubles by moving to Uganda and seeking protection from the United Nations. The refugee camp in which they were housed was a place of relative peace and calm, and they lived a quiet life, growing fruit and maize and all the vegetables they required. In the three years of camp life not a drop of rain fell, and water for her crops was carried from the local stream. Just before she left for Australia the rain finally came, and she laughed as she remembered everyone thinking it must have been the mayor's fault.

Bakhita's mother is a wonderful cook, and Bakhita remembers her carefully measuring ingredients for everything she made. This is unusual as most African cooking is relaxed when it comes to quantities, two hands together measuring a cup, and one hand a half. Her mother recalls how rare it was to have an onion to add to the pot, and how such a luxury was greatly appreciated. Onions were only occasionally available in the city, and were the prized purchase on the odd visits made by family or friends. In recent times, aid agencies have made onions available for cultivation, and the subsequent enhancement to the taste of traditional savoury dishes has been really appreciated.

Along with sugar cane, dates, peanuts and sesame, cassava is widely cultivated throughout the Sudan and Uganda where the grasslands and rain forests provide the perfect growing environment.

Legend has it that cassava, or manioc, was brought to the Sudan by a wise king named Samba Mikepe. Before he became king he travelled widely and it is believed, as far as South America, where he learned of the crop called Manioc. Many years later during his reign, a plague of locusts descended on the land and destroyed all the crops, plunging the nation into despair. Remembering the vegetable he had discovered on his journeying, he encouraged his people to cultivate Manioc, and it grew in abundance.

This connection between Africa and South America has been re-ignited today in the women's Monday kitchen Women from South America and Africa have astounded each other with the realization that this vegetable is a link, with its widely different uses, resulting in very different tastes and treats.

Cassava is respected because when all other crops fail, manioc or cassava, can be relied on as a food source, just as King Samba realized, and it can be stored in the ground for several seasons where it can be 'banked' to be used in future lean years.

Dried beans, particularly broad beans are grown and used extensively in traditional dishes. Called fava beans, they are a staple for many Sudanese. They are boiled and often pureed and used as paste-like dips. Also popular are eay beans, lentils and red kidney beans which are used in stews and soups

Another common vegetable is koodra or molokhia, which is used with meat dishes. Bakhita discreetly explains that one must not over indulge, as in large quantities it will flush out the system!

Sorghum grows plentifully and naturally in the savannah region of Sudan, and has been consumed since ancient times. Every part of the plant is utilized, with the leaves and stems used for animal fodder and the roots for fuel. When the grain is pounded to a fine powder it is used for making cakes and bread, but it is most common as a polenta-like meal to soak up gravies and sauces.

Breakfast is a savoury meal, usually fava beans that have been soaked and mashed into a thick, porridge-like texture. Fenugreek, spinach, sesame seeds, and the spices Bakhita calls giffa, being a blend of cumin, cinnamon and coriander, are also threaded through the variety of dishes her family enjoy. For Bakhita, the increasing availability in Australia of ingredients from Sudan staves off homesickness, as the familiar aromas and meals provide the link with her people, so vital in these early stages of life in her new country.

## Spinach and Peanuts

Peanuts are used extensively in Sudanese cuisine, and as a paste add dimension to sauces in colour and texture.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 tablespoon oil

  * 2 onions chopped finely

  * 2 cloves garlic chopped finely

  * 500 g beef, cut into cubes

  * 1 sweet potato cut into cubes

  * 2 cups beef stock

  * 2 tomatoes quartered

  * 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  * 4 tablespoons peanut butter

  * 2 bunches spinach, washed and drained

METHOD

  * Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions and cook until they begin to turn golden.

  * Add the garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes, and then add the meat.

  * Brown the meat to seal the juices, then add the sweet potato.

  * Just cover the meat with the stock and cook over a low heat with the lid off in order to reduce the liquid by half.

  * Add the tomatoes and peanut butter and stir until combined.

  * Cook the spinach separately by heating in a saucepan, without adding water, and when it begins to wilt, drain well. Squeeze out all possible liquid.

  * Add the spinach to the pot of meat and vegetables, and stir through.

Serve with sorghum, couscous or noodles.

SORGHUM

Sorghum is readily available at specialty shop, and is usually purchased in bulk. Its powdery texture and snowy whiteness when combined with water results in a rubbery, spongy, densely white substance perfect for soaking up gravies and sauces.

  * Combine 1 cup of water with 2 cups of sorghum in a bowl.

  * Once blended into a thin paste, pour into a saucepan over low heat

  * The mixture will start to pull together quickly, so constant and vigorous stirring is necessary to stop it from forming lumps or sticking to the bottom of the pan.

  * Add more sorghum and stir until a very dense texture is achieved.

Tip onto a plate and cut into wedges to serve.

## Beef Molokhia

Molokhia is cooked extensively in Africa and is regarded as a staple in Egypt where it originated. Readily available in frozen form, molokhia has a glutinous texture when defrosted. However, when it is incorporated into a meat sauce it is rendered into speckles of green, losing its viscosity and emerging as the key to the dense earthy flavour so enjoyable about this dish.

Adding the crushed garlic just before serving increases the flavour, but more importantly according to Bakhita, garlic aids digestion when it is only very lightly cooked.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 kg shin beef

  * 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 1 cup of water

  * 1 tablespoon oil

  * 1 onion chopped finely

  * 3 cloves garlic minced or chopped finely

  * 1 packet molokhia

METHOD

  * Place the beef, beef stock, oil and onion in a large saucepan and cook, covered, on low heat for several hours until the meat falls away from the bone.

  * Remove the lid and turn the heat up in order to reduce the sauce. Continue cooking for 30 minutes or so.

  * Add the molokhia and continue to cook for a further 20 minutes.

  * Just before serving add the garlic and stir through thoroughly.

Serve with rice or noodles.

## Mullah Bamyah – Beef Stew with Okra

Mullah is the name of any stew-like dish and okra provides the distinctive taste of this recipe. Long and slow cooking is the key to the lushness of the sauce. The gravy is thickened by reduction simmering the stew uncovered, a technique common to many countries. simmering the stew uncovered.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 tablespoon oil

  * 1 onion, chopped finely

  * 500 g beef cubed

  * 1 large red chili cut in half

  * 2 tomatoes diced

  * 1 large stock cube

  * 1 clove garlic chopped finely

  * 3 cloves garlic ground to a paste

  * 200 gr frozen okra

METHOD

  * Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and cook until golden and aromatic.

  * Add the meat and cook until browned, before adding one third of the minced garlic.

  * Add the chilli, diced tomatoes and stock cube and reduce heat to simmer.

  * Continue to cook, uncovered, on a very low heat, and as the liquid reduces and thickens, add ½ cup of water to keep it fluid.

  * Continue cooking for 1 ½ hours or so, and when the meat is very tender and the sauce thick, add the okra and the remaining garlic and gently incorporate into the sauce. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

Sorghum is the perfect side dish to soak up the gravy.

## Fool Medemma – Sudanese Breakfast Dish

This is the breakfasts Bakhita remembers fondly, and occasionally makes for her family.

In Sudan, breakfast is always savoury and the most substantial meal of the day, as it is meant to set you up for the day ahead. The Fava beans (broad beans) used by Bakhita are canned and readily available at specialty shops, and labelled 'Cortas'. In Sudan, the beans would be soaked for hours, cooked until very soft and mushy, and then drained, ready for use.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 can Fava beans

  * 2 tomatoes, diced

  * 1 green capsicum, diced

  * ½ red onion diced

  * 125 gr feta cheese, chopped into cubes

  * 1 tablespoon oil

  * 6 hard-boiled eggs

METHOD

  * Drain the beans and then mash and heat over a low heat.

  * When the texture is paste-like and heated through, remove from heat and place in a bowl.

  * Add all other ingredients except the eggs, and stir to combine.

  * Peel the eggs and slice. Layer the eggs on the top of the bean mixture.

  * This dish is eaten with flat bread.

## Chicken and Peanut Soup

INGREDIENTS

  * 6 whole chicken legs

  * 4 cups water

  * 1 onion chopped

  * 4 cloves garlic finely chopped

  * 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled

  * 1 chilli cut in half

  * 2 teaspoons dried fennel

  * 1 cup smooth peanut butter

METHOD

  * Put the chicken, water, onion, garlic, chili and stock cube and cook for 1 ½ hours.

  * Remove the chicken from the soup, and sprinkle it with the fennel.

  * Place the chicken on an oven rack and bake in a medium oven for 1 hour until very crunchy.

  * Stir the peanut butter into the soup to combine well.

To serve, place a piece of chicken into a bowl, and pour soup over.

## Mullah Pumpkin – Pumpkin Stew

Long, slow cooking is the key to this stew, and the pumpkin which is added at the very beginning of the cooking process remains intact, not collapsing into the liquid within 30 minutes as expected. Bakhita took considerable time to pare the chunks into rounded egg-size shapes, explaining that this was why they stayed in shape. (It's a technique that can also be used for sweet potato.)

Keep the trimmed bits of the pumpkin to cook also.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 tablespoon oil

  * 1 onion, chopped finely

  * 500g diced beef

  * 2 garlic cloves chopped finely

  * 2 tomatoes diced

  * 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 1 cup of water

  * 1 kilo pumpkin cut into egg-size shapes

  * 2 garlic cloves minced

METHOD

  * In a saucepan, heat the oil, add the onion and cook until it begins to turn colour.

  * Add the meat and brown on all sides.

  * Add the chopped garlic, tomatoes and the pumpkin trimmings resulting from the paring.

  * Add the beef stock cubes and stir to combine.

  * Add the pumpkin shapes to the pan and cook uncovered for an hour.

  * Replenish the sauce with a little water as it reduces. It should just cover the meat and vegetables.

  * When the meat is tender and just before serving, stir the crushed garlic through the sauce.

Serve with sorghum and flat bread to soak up the sauces.

## Peanut and Spinach Bake

Peanuts feature in many forms in Sudanese cooking. They are called 'ground nuts' in Sudan, and grow easily. They are a nutritious addition to many dishes and an added dimension to texture and taste. Bakhita made this delicious side dish using the resources at hand which makes it very easy to prepare. In Sudan, with no aluminium foil or ovens, the mix would be steamed over a fire in a special utensil. Using commercial peanut butter also takes the time out of the preparation, and Bakhita believes it to be a very satisfactory substitute to the traditional pounding and grinding process.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 bunches of spinach

  * 1 cup water

  * 1 cup smooth peanut butter

METHOD

  * Wash the spinach thoroughly and drain. Chop into small pieces.

  * Add the water to the peanut butter in a bowl, and stir to make it smooth.

  * Add the peanut butter to the spinach and mix until well combined.

  * Line a baking tray with aluminium foil, and place the spinach mix in the middle.

  * Fold over the foil and seal well to avoid the spinach mix drying out in the cooking process.

Place in a medium oven and bake for 30 minutes.

## Tamayya – Energy Snack

This is the food which travellers would take with them when embarking on a long walk. It is very economical. This recipe made over 40 falafel-like balls. The cost is in time to prepare, as it is important to remove every trace of skin from the beans, which is a long and laborious task. However, in a traditional setting, many hands and lots of gossip makes the task less onerous.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 cups eay beans

  * ½ red onion chopped finely

  * 1 chili or to taste finely chopped

  * 2 cloves garlic minced

  * 1 tablespoon spice - Bakhita used allspice, but any of choice would do

  * 2 teaspoons salt

  * 1 tablespoon oil

  * Oil to fry

METHOD

  * Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight. Drain off water and remove all skins by rubbing them between your hands.

  * When all trace of skin is removed, puree in food processor with all other ingredients until paste-like. If not using processor a mortar and pestle should be used until a paste is formed.

  * Form the paste into small sausage shapes.

  * Heat oil in pan and fry until golden brown.

# Ines – El Salvador

According to Central American legend, the world began when maize fell like golden rain after the sun exploded. Corn was at the epicentre of the cultural life of this region, with the Mayan people who occupied it until around the 9th century, believed that the first humans were formed from maize.

For Ines, who is a master cook of traditional El Salvadorian cuisine, corn underpins many of the dishes she cooks and is central to the recipes in her repertoire.

In El Salvador, two other 'C-foods' figure prominently – chocolate and coffee- and are threaded through the ancient history of this country. For decades, political and social upheaval in El Salvador has meant that growing up was a life of uncertainty and fear. The pain and fear caused by the indiscriminate killing of thousands of El Salvadorians touched the lives of everyone, and many left the country seeking peace and security. Ines and her husband and two small daughters left the city of San Salvador ten years ago. Since arriving in Australia they have increased their family with the addition of two sons, and now feel settled in their country of choice.

Cooking and the sharing of food around the table or 'sombremesa', are fundamental to an El Salvadoran. A small community has made their home here and together they celebrate the rituals and occasions significant to the culture they left behind. Everyone brings food to share, and the feast is always a culinary reminder of life at home. The traditional dishes prepared by Ines take hours to cook and assemble. However she says that the rapturous response from her family and friends when she cooks makes their requests impossible to refuse.

Ines tells me that her husband's favourites are papusas, which takes much of her day to prepare. He enjoys them so much and eats with such gusto that she cannot deny him, despite the effort required. The ultimate 'comfort food', papusas are made from ground corn formed into thin dough patties that are moulded and filled with a cheesy vegetable combination and then flattened and fried on a griddle. The aroma of the cooking process would whet the most jaded of palates. Topped with salsa, they are delicious.

When Ines cooked papusa for us all, the sounds and sighs of appreciation were all that could be heard as we relished the grainy texture and savoury crustiness combined with the gooey cheesy filling.

Tamale, also made from corn is another of the family favourites and a recipe handed down to Ines through generation. As with all of the Monday women cooks, she has learnt her techniques from an early age assisting her mother in the kitchen.

Cassava, known as yucca, is used in abundance. Originating in the Americas, yucca forms the basis of many dishes. Cut into wedges and simply fried, they are a taste apart as the starchy texture turns crunchy. Cassava chips dunked into tomato salsa are a delicious El Salvadoran snack-food.

Lots of the food preparation involves kneading and shaping, which requires much time or many hands. When we saw Ines creating the papusa everyone rolled up their sleeves and proceeded to assist in making the required shapes, naturally forming a production line of neatly finished patties ready for the final cooking. Many of the women said that this was so familiar to them and of the lives they had left behind. The communal nature of preparation of food and the time that it takes is the opportunity for women to gossip and share jokes and deepen relationships.

The Spanish influence is apparent in much of the cuisine of El Salvador, and the conquest by Spain's Hernando Cortez in the early sixteenth century changed forever much of the culture that had existed for thousands of years. So abundant was the region that the Pipile and Lancas peoples who were the indigenous inhabitants at the time of the Spanish arrival called it "the country of happiness." Fertile soil from the 25 dormant volcanoes dotted throughout this small country meant food in abundance, particularly maize.

A garden of maize had stretched from Mexico to Peru until relatively recent times. Maize was an integral part of the myths and rites of passage of those ancient Central and South American civilizations, and was considered the life-blood of the culture and the sacred symbol of the sun. It was called "sun-gold" and the Aztecs viewed the sun as the driving life-force of their existence. Plentiful food allowed for the development of sophisticated civilizations rich in rituals and traditions such as celebrations of life, love, food and death.

Tomatoes are also central to the cooking of this region and are there in most of what Ines cooks. The fragrant, rich salsa that accompanies so many dishes is always prepared first, left to simmer quietly in the background as she then sets about chopping and preparing the dish of the day.

Tomatoes grew as weeds in the ancient maize fields and were eventually appreciated and cultivated by the Aztec people who developed many varieties. They called them tomatl meaning 'round and plump'. Like its cousin the potato, also a native of the Andes, the tomato was introduced to Europe by the Spanish Conquistadors. For centuries both Europeans and Northern Americans viewed the tomato with suspicion, and its botanical name Lycopersicon, meaning "wolf peach" didn't help its cause.

As a result of colonization since the sixteenth century, El Salvador is culturally an amalgam of Indian and Spanish influences. The feasts and celebrations that mark the calendar resonate with the results of this blended folklore. Ines told me of the Fiesta Rosa, an occasion widely celebrated to mark the passage to womanhood of 15-year-old girls. Everyone wears their best, and the girls dress in a gown of pink and are the focus of the feasting and festivities.

At the birth of a baby, the infant's good health and fortune are marked with a gift of chocolate, traditionally regarded as a food of the Gods. When Cortez arrived in search of treasure in Central America, mountains of gold was what he had in mind. The people, realizing it was treasure he wanted, showed him the Cachnqutl tree, the bearer of cocoa. One can only imagine the disappointment for the Spaniards! For the Aztecs though, the cocoa pod was so highly prized that this was surely what the 'God' from across the sea was seeking.

The cultivation and trading of cacao had been occurring for thousands of years. Ancient Mayan plantations and gardens flourished along the Pacific coastal region, now Guatemala and El Salvador. The original chocolate drink was made from roasting the cocoa pods, crushing them and mixing with boiling water. Twigs and sticks were used to stir it, and legend has it that the "choc-choc-choc" sound was the origin of the name of the food we have universally come to love. Chili, honey, musk, or sometimes ambergris was added to the concoction, a mix not palatable to the European palate of the 16th century. In order to improve its appeal, missionary nuns in the region added vanilla, sugar and cream and the rest is history.

Although so highly regarded for her papusa, it is the special soup made only by Ines, and only on request, that she is most renowned for. Within her community it is this dish that sets her apart. She sighs as she explains that it takes the best part of two days to prepare, and so reckons it is only once or twice a year that she will produce it, life being busy enough. The legend of the soup developed its own momentum for me before I tasted it.

As on so many occasions when we cooked together and experienced the ease and familiarity with which the women approached the cooking of traditional foods, I realized that their slow-food preparation and traditional methods would soon disappear as the convenience of fast food and take-away seduced the next generation. A sense of privilege is present so often at our cooking sessions, and the other local women and I often exchange raised eyebrows of "wow"!

In her gifts of food for family and friends, Ines has followed traditions laid down generations ago, when the celebration and enjoyment of the bounties of the fertile land marked the rituals of life. Her warmth and generosity makes it easy to imagine her central role in both physically and spiritually nourishing those she loves.

Ines shares the recipes of her history, assuring us all that the effort is well worth it.

## Papusas

This is El Salvadorians most cherished food, and the simplicity of the recipe belies the delicious result. Eaten straight from the skillet and accompanied by thick tomato salsa and salads, they are a delectable snack or serious food, depending on when you stop eating!

The roasted corn aroma which wafts through the kitchen is the signal of what is to come, and whets the appetite no matter what the time of day!

The filling can vary according to taste. Cheese combines well with everything, such as finely chopped tomato, re-fried beans, finely diced ham, chopped herbs, garlic, chilli etc.

INGREDIENTS

  * 4 cups corn meal (called Masa Lista it is readily available at specialty food stores)

  * 1 zucchini grated

  * 1 cup cheese grated

  * Pepper and salt to taste

  * Oil for frying

METHOD

  * Combine the cornmeal with water according to directions and mix together to form a dough.

  * Take small pieces of dough, and make balls the size of a golf-ball, and then flatten between the palms of your hands to form a thin patty.

  * Combine the zucchini, cheese and seasonings.

  * Place a spoonful of the cheese mixture into the middle of the patty, and then close it over to form a ball. Flatten it again, as thin as possible without the filling being lost.

  * Heat the oil in a pan or skillet until very hot, and cook the papusas for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Serve immediately accompanied by tomato salsa.

## Tomato Salsa

The simplicity of the sauce belies the delicious depth of flavour. The key to Ines' salsa is the time she allows the onions to cook, and then the completed sauce to simmer. She is particular about the quality of the tomatoes she uses, but when unavailable, substitutes canned for fresh, rather than use the unseasonal, tasteless variety.

INGREDIENTS

  * 4 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped finely

  * 2 Tablespoons olive oil

  * 1 onion chopped finely

  * 1 green capsicum, chopped finely

  * Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  * To skin the tomatoes, place them into a bowl, and cover with very hot water. After 5 minutes or so, remove and cut a small cross into the top of the tomatoes. The skin will peel off easily.

  * Heat the oil in a frypan, and add the onions.

  * Reduce heat and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  * Add the capsicum and tomatoes, and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes or so, adding a little water as the sauce reduces.

  * Add seasonings to taste.

Ines usually keeps salsa refrigerated to use at short notice if necessary.

## Crab Perpitas

The crabs are cooked in their shells and this is the key to the dense and delectable essence of this dish. There is only one way to tackle the completed dish, so put cutlery aside and bring out bowls of water for fingers, and lots of paper towels!

The perpitas (sunflower seeds) need to be pulverized, and a vitamiser is the only way to achieve the texture required.

INGREDIENTS

  * 6 crabs

  * 2 tablespoons butter

  * 2 tomatoes, diced

  * 1 sweet green paprika

  * ½ large mild chilli (or to taste)

  * 2 garlic cloves

  * 1 cup perpitas (sunflower seeds)

  * 2 cups water

METHOD

  * Prepare the crabs by removing the top hard shell only, leaving all else intact. Wash thoroughly.

  * In a large pan melt the butter and add the crabs, cooking until they change colour.

  * In a vitamiser blend together the tomatoes, paprika, chilli and garlic and perpitas with 1 cup of water.

  * Add this salsa to the crabs in the pan and simmer, uncovered until the liquid reduces by half, and season to taste.

Serve with crusty bread to mop up the sauce, and over rice to stretch it further.

## Easter Fish Dish

Salted fish is a Mediterranean staple of iconic significance through the season of Lent when meat is forbidden and moderation of diet demanded. Baccala, or salted cod, is a legacy of the Spanish conquistadors and today is still the ritual meal for Good Friday in El Salvador. This simple, subtle dish – special but not rich, is perfect for a day of moderate intake such as required of Good Friday, yet ritualized as an annual dish, very much part of the cultural calendar.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 kg salted cod called Baccala, available from Continental delicatessens

  * 3 eggs, separated

  * Oil for frying

  * 1 onion, chopped finely

  * 1 can chickpeas, drained

  * 2 tomatoes, skinned and diced

  * Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  * In order to remove the salt and restore the texture to the fish, salted cod needs to be soaked in water which is changed twice daily for three days. When the water is clear and not salty, remove the fish, pat dry, and remove the skin with a very sharp knife. Cut into serving portions.

  * Beat the egg whites until stiff, and then add the yolks, stirring through until completely combined.

  * Dunk the fish pieces into the batter.

  * Heat the oil in a large pan, and add the fish, and cook until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

  * Pour the leftover frothy egg batter into a separate pan and add the onion, tomatoes and water. Cook for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.

  * Add chickpeas and cook for 5 minutes.

  * Add the fish to the sauce and simmer for a few minutes, adjusting seasonings as required.

Serve with rice.

## Holy Thursday Pumpkin and Cinnamon Syrup

A traditional dish for the Thursday before Easter, this simple dessert is a delicious combination of flavours. The pumpkin is cooked with the skin on which works to hold it together.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 pumpkin chopped into serving pieces with skin retained

  * Water to cover

  * 1 cup palm sugar

  * 3 cinnamon sticks

METHOD

  * Place all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer for 45 minutes or until a syrup has developed.

  * Cool and remove the pumpkin skins.

Serve with cream.

##  Quesadilla

Sesame seeds are sprinkled over this El Salvadorian specialty and finishes if off perfectly. Enjoyed as an afternoon or morning snack, it is standard throughout the country, with many variations according to taste.

INGREDIENTS

  * 6 eggs

  * ¾ cup sugar

  * 2 cups of cheese such as ricotta or very finely grated cheddar

  * 1 cup sour cream

  * ½ cup plain flour

  * 1 teaspoon baking powder

  * 1 cup milk

  * ½ cup unsalted butter melted

  * 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

METHOD

  * Pre-heat oven to 200 c.

  * Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper.

  * Beat the eggs until frothy and gradually add the sugar, beating until well combined.

  * Add the cheese and sour cream, and mix through very well.

  * In another bowl, combine the sifted flour and baking powder.

  * Add the sifted flour alternately with the milk to the egg mixture, and stir until well combined.

  * Stir in the melted butter.

  * Pour into prepared cake tin and sprinkle with sesame seeds

  * Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce temperature to 160 and continue for 25 minutes, or until it is cooked through when tested with a skewer.

  * Remove and cool on a rack.

Best enjoyed while warm and excellent when sliced and spread with butter!

## Fish Soup

Any fish can be used in this hearty soup which serves as a meal in a bowl. The quantities and varieties of vegetables are flexible according to taste and availability. Ines insists it is the fish head that is the secret of the depth of flavour in this appetizing dish.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 tablespoons butter or oil

  * 2 chopped onions

  * 1 green capsicum chopped

  * 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  * 2 tomatoes diced

  * 4 cups water

  * 1 fish head washed thoroughly

  * Additional seafood of choice such as shell fish and fillets of fish, squid, etc

  * 3 eggs well beaten

  * Pepper and salt to taste

METHOD

  * Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onions and cook until just turning golden..

  * Add the capsicum and garlic, continuing to cook over a low heat for 10 minutes or so.

  * Add the tomatoes and 4 cups water, together with the fish head and other seafood, and continue cooking on a low heat for an hour or so.

  * Remove the fish head, and stir into the soup the beaten eggs. When the egg rises to the surface it is ready.

  * Adjust seasonings and serve with bread

## Empanada

Every morning Ines makes these scrumptious fritters for one of her daughters, who declares them to be her absolute favourite. Having tasted them warm and sprinkled with icing sugar, accompanied by a black coffee, I entirely agree. Plump and delicious, these custard-centred dumplings are not too sweet, and are totally addictive. It is not possible to stop at just one!

Green bananas are better than ripe ones and plantains better still if available.

INGREDIENTS

  * 6 green bananas, peeled

  * 3 tablespoons corn flour

  * 2 cups milk

  * 1 egg

  * 1 tablespoon vanilla essence

  * 2 tablespoons sugar

  * 2 cinnamon sticks

  * Oil for frying

METHOD

  * Place the bananas in a saucepan of water and bring to the boil, and cook until the bananas are easily penetrated with a fork – only a few minutes should be sufficient.

  * Drain and mash the bananas.

  * Add 1 tablespoon corn flour and mix through.

  * Refrigerate the mixture for an hour or so as this will make the handling of the empanada easier when assembling.

  * Beat together the milk, 2 tablespoons corn flour, egg, vanilla and sugar until well combined.

  * Pour this mixture into a saucepan, and add the cinnamon sticks. Bring to the boil slowly, stirring constantly. You are aiming for a very thick custard texture. When the mix begins to 'plop', continue stirring vigorously for a minute or two longer.

  * Take two flat surfaces such as the base of two plates, place a square of plastic on one surface and place on it a dollop of banana mix, and cover with another square of plastic. (Ines has found that cling film does not work. She uses a cut up plastic bag which she washes and re-uses). Press the two plates together to form a very thin patty.

  * Onto one side of the patty, drop a teaspoon size dollop of custard mix, and then fold to form a dumpling.

  * Heat the oil in a saucepan until very hot, and cook the dumplings until browned.

  * Drain the dumplings on a paper towel, and sprinkle with icing sugar.

These are best eaten warm.

## Sunday Breakfast of Refried Beans and Eggs

Any Sunday morning sees Ines and her family enjoying this family favourite.

INGREDIENTS

  * 250 gr dried red beans

  * 2 onions, chopped coarsely

  * 1 onion, quartered

  * Eggs (as many as required)

  * tomato salsa

  * ½ cup sour cream

  * Fresh mint finely chopped (optional)

  * Oil for frying

METHOD

  * Soak the beans for at least an hour. Cook in plenty of water for an hour until soft.

  * Drain the beans and blend in food processor with 2 onions until a paste is formed.

  * In frypan, heat oil and add 1 onion which has been quartered, and cook until the onion is browned. Remove the onion (it's for flavouring the oil only).

  * Add a large spoonful of the bean mix and cook until browned and crunchy.

  * Fry the eggs in a little oil, and drain on kitchen paper.

Assemble the dish by placing the beans on a plate, topped with the fried egg, a spoonful of tomato salsa, a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle a little of the fresh mint to finish off.

## Horchata

Ines remembers this drink being enjoyed everywhere by everyone in El Salvador, and she makes it throughout the summer for her family. It is so nourishing it could well be a replacement meal, but is so deliciously unusual and refreshing, that it is tempting to drink it all day.

Trying to identify the ingredients is a challenge to even the most sophisticated of palates, the roasted combination of nuts and rice proving complex and complimentary.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 cup rice

  * 3 cinnamon sticks

  * 1 cup peanuts

  * 1 cup sesame seeds

  * 1 cup perpitas (sunflower seeds)

  * 2 cups water

  * 3 teaspoons vanilla essence

  * 1 litre full cream milk

  * Sugar to taste

METHOD

  * Dry fry rice in a frying pan with the cinnamon sticks, until just changing colour, and remove immediately.

  * Repeat with peanuts, then sesame seeds and the perpitas. Do not be tempted to cook them all together, as they each take their own time to just begin to turn golden.

  * Place all ingredients into a vitamiser or blender, add the water and pulverize until a thin paste results.

  * Drain the mixture through a cloth such as a clean linen tea towel, squeezing out all of the liquid.

  * Decant into a jug and add the milk, the vanilla and sugar and lots of ice cubes.

# Loan - Vietnam

According to many, Vietnam resembles a bamboo pole with a basket of rice at each end. The long skinny nature of its geography means extended borders and coastlines, with thousands of kilometres fringed by the sea. Not surprisingly the harvests of the ocean are the bedrock of the cuisine, with an extensive variety of crops that are grown in the lush soils providing the ingredients for the extensive repertoire of the Vietnamese kitchen.

An ancient layer of Indian culture is embedded in Vietnam, along with the influence and cross-fertilization of culinary practices from the countries to the west along the Silk Road to middle Asia. The result is the diverse and delectable cuisine which is unique to Vietnam. Add to this the 16th century colonization of Vietnam by the French and the mix becomes a gourmand's delight.

Loan has lived in Australia for over half her lifetime, but the story of her journey, and the pain and dislocation suffered by her family is as familiar to her as if it were yesterday. The connection with her past, her mother and father and the rituals of life on a farm in South Vietnam are maintained in the food she prepares for her two small children.

Our visit to a Vietnamese supermarket provided all that she needed to recreate a dish enjoyed for celebrations: cassava dumplings filled with subtle combinations of minced pork, prawns, water chestnuts and fungus. The fact that a large Vietnamese population is now settled and enjoying life here means that the wide range of specialty products is easily accessible.

The boxes of durian paw- paw, pineapple and guavas stacked along the aisles of the supermarket evoke memories for Loan of the abundance of fruits and vegetables once grown on the family estate in South Vietnam, which consisted of many thousands of acres. To ride the boundary of the property would take the best part of the day, and the family's businesses also included fishing boats, shops and restaurants.

Loan's maternal grandparents lived on the farm, and her early childhood felt safe and secure. Then the political turmoil began which was to lead to the upheaval of every facet of life as she had known it. Loan, at the age of five witnessed the death of her mother. More and more land was confiscated until it became unsustainable for survival. Additionally all assets were seized, and in a short time, the family was reduced to eking out an existence as best they could. Loan and her sister lived with her grandparents and uncles and aunts on a small boat tied up in the harbour. The conditions were damp and crowded, but the leaky, patched up boat was to be home to the family for years. Her father sought work from a neighbouring fishing boat, but tragically, only two years after the death of her mother, Loan lost her father to an accident at sea.

When she was fourteen, the escape which the family had been hoping for became possible. In preparation for the first opportunity to escape, Loan's aunts and uncles had been saving a supply of goods and food in a cache buried on the beach.

When the conditions were auspicious, the escape was executed with precision and daring. Loan was woken in the middle of the night, having no knowledge of the planned flight. She describes her fear at being bundled onto the waiting boat, terrified at the prospect of a voyage in the open sea on a substandard vessel.

The journey was a nightmare for Loan and her relatives, lasting several days and nights in huge seas. She tells of the relief of reaching dry land and the safe haven of Australia. After the initial processing period, the family was housed and life began to take on a degree of normality. However, the relief of being safe and secure was always overshadowed by the knowledge that her sister and grandparents remained at risk in Vietnam.

In her early years in Australia Loan's priority was to save enough to sponsor her sister to join her. While she was still in high school she worked at every job possible, saving almost all she earned until she was able to organize her sister's escape from Vietnam. For Loan, being reunited with her sister was her ultimate achievement.

The family's colourful story continued, as her grandmother, alone after the death of her husband decided to move to California. Within a short time of arriving there she had fully embraced the Buddhist religion, eventually becoming a Buddhist nun. With shaved head and saffron robes which now define her new life, Loan's grandmother leads a life unimaginable in the days that she was wife and mother and the joint overseer of a vast estate in Vietnam.

Today this eighty-six-old- woman continues to be an inspiration of strength and determination for Loan. Her current mission is to focus attention and direct funds to the re-building of much needed bridges in Vietnam. To this end she raises money from the wealthy in America returning every year to Vietnam to ensure the on-going building process continues. Loan is in regular contact with her grandmother, and feels a very special connection from this formidable woman. She must address her as 'Phuc-dai" which means 'helpful to everyone' (not just grand-daughters, as Loan acknowledges with a smile.)

Loan has always worked in paid employment, and for many years has sewn garments as an out-worker for a manufacturer. Her days are spent assembling shirts and skirts. The numbers of items she produces in any twenty-four-hour period is extraordinary, but she never complains at the monotony of her job. She appreciates the flexibility of working from home, as she can be fully involved in her two children's school lives, collecting them each afternoon to bring them home. As a single mother the responsibility is total, and she is keen for her children to have the home life she feels was denied her in her turbulent childhood.

Loan tries to involve the children in the kitchen in ways which will encourage them to cook with flair as they grow up. One of their favourite kitchen occupations is to fill jelly moulds with colourful liquids which set to make a sweet after-school snack. As with everything she makes, Loan is mindful of colour and visual appearance being fundamental in the enjoyment of food as she believes it is the first stage of the culinary process.

For Loan, cooking in the style of her mother and her mother's mother is as natural as if she were living in her country of birth. While she introduces her children to western cooking occasionally, they prefer as she does the healthy and traditional Vietnamese cuisine of her childhood. The cooking style of the Vietnamese while diverse in range is usually linked by a starch. While rice is fundamental to almost any meal, in the north of Vietnam, noodles are more popular. Soups are enjoyed at most meals, and unlike other cuisines, all foods are served at once, with no first, second or main course sequence. The combination of fresh, perfectly rounded lettuce cups containing savoury hot meats and sauces is definitive of the cuisine, combining crisp, raw vegetable with contrasting texture sensations.

Rice and variations on the theme seem endless when Loan begins to explain the various ways of cooking it, and the multiple varieties available for specific dishes. In Vietnam the growing, harvesting and selling of rice is at the heart of the economy. The varieties of rice are numerous, each with specific texture, aroma and shades of colour

In the Vietnamese kitchen, rice is a diverse ingredient which can be turned into something other than the usual. Rice noodle salad is delicately interlaced with fine strips of egg and sesame, and fragile squares of rice paper are used to wrap spring rolls. Watching Nuhy and Anh who are constant participants in Monday's group create their unique fresh spring rolls is to observe the accumulated experience of generations. Despite the best of efforts by several very willing tasters to identify the subtle flavours of the completed spring rolls, there was a dimension which remained a mystery. We discovered that it was ground dried rice that provided the unidentified nutty taste, which is achieved by dry frying raw rice until it starts to turn golden. It is then pounded with mortar and pestle until is resembles a fine brown powder, and added into mixtures for won tons and spring rolls. In the course of our multicultural cooking experiences, we found that ground dry roasted rice is used in El Salvadorian cuisine, where it is also appreciated as the element which provides a depth of flavour to a popular drink.

Rice vinegar and rice wine will always be found on the pantry shelf in a Vietnamese kitchen as will banh hoi or angel hair noodles which are made from rice. They are the thinnest noodles available, and are incorporated into noodles dishes and soups as well as fresh spring rolls.

Every cuisine has its comfort food, the dish that is craved when flagging spirits are in need of renewal. We often discussed this topic as we chopped and grated and pounded the various ingredients in preparation for the dishes we cooked. The Vietnamese women were unanimous in nominating Pho, or beef soup as their favourite. The assembling of the soup is a ceremony in itself. It begins with a bowl of steaming stock to which each cook adds their own selection of herbs and spices. Always a hint of ginger and star anise will be added to the stock, and then rice noodles. Sliced green vegetables and slivers of beef are then added. Bowls of the freshest of fresh bean sprouts, limes or lemons for squeezing, coriander leaves, and perhaps some mint stand in the middle of the table so the flavours can be adjusted according to individual needs. Small dishes containing garlic sauce, chilli sauce, and the mandatory fish sauce stand by, all to be added with relish and dash by the diner. All of this is swirled and mixed with chopsticks, and the result is an irresistible aroma and bowl of colour which beckons to be enjoyed.

Loan is a creative cook, and many of her dishes are her interpretation of classic combinations. She prepares vegetables with energy and chops herbs with such rapid movements that they are reduced to tiny particles in just minutes. All this is achieved while she stands on her toes, her chopping board too high for her.

I discovered that the parallel in Vietnamese cooking to the olive oil so central to Mediterranean cuisine is fish sauce. The distinctive character of Vietnamese fish sauce is very different to that of other Asian cuisines, with marginal differences in the flavour apparent only to the most knowledgeable of consumers. The vast coastline and river systems of Vietnam means the creation of different tinges of flavour can be achieved according to the fish used and the salt that is added, and local manufacturers guard these details jealously. The process involves salting fish, and leaving it for many months to ferment. The accumulated liquid is drained from the fish, re-poured into the fish barrels, and left again. This process cans recur many times in order to heighten the saltiness of the sauce and improve its appeal to the master palate. The value increases according to the clarity of the liquid and the length of the aging process.

Premium-grade sauce is achieved from the first draining, with subsequent additions of fresh water to the fish producing less intensity of flavour and a lighter colour. It is the equivalent to soya sauce on the table, and is used as a dipping sauce for all manner of dishes, combined with garlic, sometimes sugar, vinegar, chilli, and lime juice.

Shopping and cooking with the women has been a significant learning experience for me, adding considerably to my cooking knowledge. Tagging along as we probed the Asian supermarkets and specialty shops of butchers and fishmongers, spice shops and vegetable markets has reminded me of how fortunate Australia is to be enriched by such an abundance of foods and knowledge from ancient cultures. There are treasures galore in tiny shops tucked into the corners of shopping centres, or located up previously undiscovered laneways. Food knowledge is wide-ranging and deep, with quality of produce always the primary consideration.

In one excursion with Loan I learned that just any rice is not good enough. As we trawled around her local Vietnamese store she asked the proprietor whether the rice was old or new. Loan explained that new rice is white and will be gluggy when cooked. Old rice is infinitely more desirable and is defined as anything over six months. To the experienced cook it can be identified by its translucent colour and particular texture. The day that we were shopping, Loan was disappointed to hear that the rice was neither old nor new according to the proprietor. With a shrug Loan indicated this was not good enough and that we would be purchasing our rice elsewhere.

Like all good cooks Loan has a remedy or correction for most problems, and she tells me that it is possible to separate rice when it sticks, by beating a raw egg and mixing through it.

The use of pounded cassava by Loan to produce perfectly round dumplings

is of great interest to the cooks from El Salvador and the Horn of Africa. Here was the staple ingredient of their countries used in yet another way. Used by cooks from so many countries, cassava can be found in the freezer alongside a vast array of other exotic foods, such as the purple yam, taro and molokhia.

The good fortune in having such choice available illustrates the enrichment to Australian cultural life of the diverse foods and rituals of newly arrived people.

## Spaghetti Salad with Coconut Dressing

Loan created this salad which she enjoys on hot days. Loan uses tubular spaghetti, although rice noodles would be perfect also. The pork mixture can be made in advance and stored, to be used in other dishes. It is good for spring rolls, and the filling for cassava dumplings.

For the coconut cream sauce

  * 1 tin coconut cream

  * 1 tablespoon tapioca flour (or corn flour)

  * 1 teaspoon salt

  * 1 dessertspoon sugar

  * ½ teaspoon vanilla crystals

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir constantly until thickened and just coming to the boil. Remove from heat and cool. (Loan says the salt is important for digestion)

For the garlic-chilli sauce

  * 4 cloves garlic chopped very finely

  * 2 red chillies, or according to taste chopped very finely

  * 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  * 6 tablespoon fish sauce

  * 4 tablespoons sugar

  * Combine all of the ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Adjust the lemon juice and sugar to taste.

For the pork mixture

  * 150 g pork skin (available from Chinese butcher)

  * 250 g pork fillet sliced finely

  * 4 tablespoon fish sauce

  * 1 tablespoon sugar

  * ½ cup rice

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 3 cloves garlic finely sliced

  * 1 packet tubular spaghetti or noodles of choice

METHOD

  * The pork skin is sold finely shredded, and the fillet of pork should be cut just as finely.

  * Combine the fish sauce and sugar in a dish, and add the finely cut pork fillet to marinade for at least one hour.

  * Wash the pork skin and place in a saucepan of water and bring it to the boil. Drain.

  * Pat the pork skin dry with paper towel, making sure all moisture has been removed.

  * Heat a fry pan, and dry roast the rice over a low heat until it turns golden.

  * Using mortar and pestle, pound the rice until it resembles a powder.

  * In a frypan, heat the oil and add the thinly sliced garlic and fry until it is crisp and brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

  * Remove pork from marinade and fry in the oil until golden brown.

  * In a bowl, combine the pork skin, browned pork fillet, rice powder, and garlic and mix through thoroughly.

  * Cook the spaghetti is plenty of salted water, and drain.

To assemble the salad

  * 3 spring onions finely chopped and fried until brown

  * 1 cucumber cut into thin strips along the length, with seeds removed.

  * A handful of mint leaves

  * Chopped roasted peanuts to garnish

  * Scatter the cucumber strips and mint leaves on a plate.

  * Place the spaghetti over the cucumber and mint, and cover with the garlic-chilli sauce.

  * On top of this spoon the pork mixture and then spring onions which have been fried until browned and then top with the coconut sauce.

Finish the dish by sprinkling peanuts to garnish.

## Golden Fish Soup

There is nothing remotely fishy about this Loan-named soup. The fish shaped wontons, worked by nimble fingers, give the name to this dish. Such detail is typical of the finesse and delicate touch of many dishes. Also distinctive are the blend of colour and texture and the myriad flavours of salty, sweet, hot and spicy so redolent of Vietnamese cuisine. Who would believe there is a touch of custard powder in this delicious soup? It adds a subtle dimension to the enigmatic combination of ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 chicken

  * ½ cup dried black fungi mushrooms (available in Asian supermarkets)

  * 2 tablespoon cooking oil

  * 500 gr minced pork.

  * 2 medium onions, finely chopped

  * 1 small packet angel hair vermicelli

  * 1 tablespoon sesame oil

  * 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

  * 1 ½ tablespoons custard powder

  * 3 tablespoons sugar

  * 2 tablespoon salt

  * 1 packet wonton wrappers

  * 1 egg, beaten

  * 3 bird's eye chilies, finely chopped

  * 4 spring onions, finely chopped

  * 1 small tin water chestnuts, finely chopped

  * 3 tablespoon soya sauce

  * Juice of 1 lemon

  * 1 onion finely chopped and fried in oil until very browned and crunchy

  * 3 cloves garlic finely sliced and fried until browned and crunchy

  * 1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

METHOD

  * Simmer the chicken in plenty of seasoned water until well cooked, and meat is falling from the bones. Drain and set the stock aside.

  * Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and slice finely.

  * Heat the oil in a frypan, and cook the minced pork until browned.

  * In a bowl, mix together the pork, mushrooms, onions, vermicelli, sesame oil, oyster sauce, custard powder, sugar and salt.

  * Take a wonton wrapper, and drop a teaspoon of the pork mixture into the centre.

  * Dip a finger the edges of the wonton so that it will stick when wrapped, and shape into fishes, or little parcels if preferred.

  * Heat the stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Drop the filled wontons into the stock and simmer until they rise to the surface.

  * Add the rest of the ingredients to the soup, stir to combine, and serve.

## Fresh Spring Rolls

Loan recommends using square rice paper for making these popular morsels, and finds that 16cm works best.

  * Spring Rolls

  * Rice paper wrappers

  * 1 packet angel hair vermicelli noodles, soaked in hot water and drained

  * Fresh mint leaves

  * Pork mix (as used in spaghetti salad)

  * Cooked king prawns, cut into thin strips along the length

  * Lettuce

  * Cucumber cut into thin strips

  * Sauce

  * 1 tablespoon soya bean paste (available by the tin in Asian supermarkets)

  * Garlic Chilli sauce (as for spaghetti salad)

METHOD

  * Pour hot water into a suitable container, and dip the rice paper into it briefly. This just releases the starch and make the skins easy to work with.

  * Layer some of the noodles on to the rice paper first. This prevents the paper tearing as it is rolled.

  * Lay a mint leaf or two on top, then a little of the pork mix, a small piece of lettuce and a strip of cucumber.

  * Place some prawn strips at the end of the paper, so that when the paper is rolled, the prawn will be visible through the skin. A neat roll is achieve by rolling twice, then tucking in the ends, and rolling again, incorporating the prawn at the end.

  * To make the sauce, thin the soya paste with a little water, and then combine well with the garlic-chilli sauce.

Serve the sauce on the side for dipping the spring rolls.

## Fish Cakes

INGREDIENTS

  * 500 g firm white fish such as snapper cut into pieces

  * ¼ cup finely chopped lemon grass stalk

  * 1 tablespoon fish sauce

  * 1 bird's eye chilli, chopped finely

  * 1 teaspoon salt

  * 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

  * ½ teaspoon tamarind powder

  * ½ cup fresh coriander chopped finely

  * 3 tablespoon oil

  * Lettuce of your choice, shredded

  * ½ cup coriander, chopped finely

  * Lemon wedges

  * Garlic-chilli sauce (as for spaghetti salad)

METHOD

  * Place the fish, lemon grass, fish sauce, chilli, salt, garlic and tamarind in a food processor.

  * Only just combine, so that the mixture is not reduced to a paste and then shape it into patties.

  * Heat the oil in a frypan and fry the fish cake until cooked.

  * Drain on paper towel.

Place the fish cakes on a platter of shredded lettuce and sprinkle with chopped coriander. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve the garlic-chilli sauce in a small bowl on the side.

## Sweet and Sour Soup

The clear, clean, slightly acidic taste of the tamarind stock perfectly off-sets the other ingredients of this wonderful soup which really is a meal in a bowl.

  * Soup base

  * 1 packet Knorr tamarind soup

  * 2 litres of water

  * 1 cup fresh bamboo shoots

  * 2 tomatoes chopped

  * 1 teaspoon salt

  * 2 teaspoon sugar

  * 500 gr banana prawns

  * 1 packet frozen baby octopus

  * 2 sticks bac ha

(All of the above readily available from Asian Supermarket)

METHOD

  * In a large saucepan combine all of the ingredients and simmer while the fish is being prepared.

Fish addition

6 spring onions, white part only, keeping aside the green tips for garnish

  * 3 red chillies

  * 2 whole fish, gutted and scaled

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 6 cloves garlic sliced into fine slivers

  * 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  * 3 tablespoon fish sauce

  * ½ cup fresh coriander chopped

METHOD

  * Pound the spring onions and chilli to a paste in mortar and pestle.

  * Rub the skin of the fish with salt to clean it thoroughly and wash off with water.

  * Cut slits about 3 cm apart along the side of the fish.

  * Heat the oil in a large frypan and add the garlic slivers, cooking until they turn brown.

  * Place the fish on top of the browned garlic, and after a minute or so, carefully turn the fish over.

  * Sprinkle the sugar over the fish, and then the chilli and spring onion paste.

  * Add the fish sauce, and cover the pan for a few minutes to complete the cooking.

To serve, remove the fish to the serving platter, and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle coriander into the soup and any other garnishes if desired (such as fried, crunch onion.) Add pieces of fish to the soup as required during the course of the meal.

## Tapioca Dessert

This dessert was made for a special occasion, and everyone noted the tapioca/cassava connection. Served at room temperature it has an interesting texture and subtle flavour. The key to success is pre-heating the oven to very hot.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 eggs

  * 1 cup sugar

  * 1 can coconut milk

  * 250 gr tapioca powder

  * 2 tablespoons baking powder

METHOD

  * Beat the eggs well and add the sugar and coconut milk and continue until well combined.

  * Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.

  * Sieve the tapioca powder and baking powder into the mixture, stirring well to combine.

  * Grease a casserole dish, and pour into it the coconut mix.

  * Place in a very hot oven for 10 minutes, and then reduce to 180 degrees, and continue cooking for 50 minutes or until cooked when tested.

## Bean Quencher

Loan makes this drink occasionally, especially when it is very hot and her children have lost their appetite. It is a very satisfactory meal replacement, as well as being delicious.

INGREDIENTS

  * 200 gr dried Adzuki beans

  * 1 cup sugar, or according to taste

  * ½ cup grated fresh coconut

  * Crushed ice

METHOD

  * Soak the beans in water for several hours until they are very soft.

  * Drain the beans and place in a saucepan with water to cover until beans expand in size – about an hour. Keep an eye on the water level, and add as necessary to keep the mixture liquid.

  * Add the sugar at the end of the cooking time (otherwise the beans stay hard).

  * Cool and puree in food processor, and serve with lots of crushed ice, and grated coconut.

## Fun Jellies

Loan makes these with the children and gives them the choice of the colours and shapes to create the jellies. Agar, from seaweed, is the setting agent and is available from Asian supermarkets, as are the shapes, and the food dyes.

INGREDIENTS

  * 3 cups water

  * 1 ½ cups sugar

  * 1 packet Agar-Agar powder

  * Food dye

METHOD

  * Dissolve the sugar in the water over a medium heat.

  * Add the agar powder, and stir until well combined.

  * Cool the mixture and divide into 3 bowls.

  * Add colour of choice to each bowl. (Pandan green is especially nice, reminiscent of dainty cakes from the Vietnamese baker.)

  * Pour the jelly into moulds and refrigerate to set.

These quantities make very firm jellies, easy for children to handle and eat with fingers. Adjust the agar powder according to taste.

# Samira and Hanan - Iraq

Baghdad is a place which brings to mind such contrasting images. Through the illustrated books of childhood it was known mainly as the scene of stories from Arabian Nights, with images of courtly princes, sumptuous shimmering fabrics and curly-toed slippers, incense and brilliant starry skies.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Baghdad is a city in turmoil with the ancient, the new and recent past entwined in an unknown future. However, the mighty Tigris River remains constant, as do the spirit and rituals of the people who live there and those who have had to leave.

With Iraq in chaos and the return to normality but a dream for most Iraqi people there are many refugees from that country in Australia who are distressed about the uncertainty of their future.

Hanan and her family have been living here for several years and are gradually establishing routines and rhythms in tune with the seasons and culture of their new home. The horrors of their journey are unspeakable. Focusing on the calm and peace they crave with their family of five children and developing a hub of familiar patterns are providing the reparation for soul and spirit they so desire.

Samira and her family are, like Hanan's, gradually adjusting to a life so different from that which they left behind. They are only recently arrived in Australia, and so the challenges are daily and constant, but Samira's resilience and calm will see them through. For both Samira and Hanan, some solace is found in maintaining for their families the rituals and foods of their past life.

Hanan has planted herbs in pots by the entry to her house which are plucked and rubbed over hands as you pass. A lush crop of broad beans is similar to the garden Hanan left behind in Iraq. Broad beans have been gathered in their wild state for thousands of years in the Middle East; their nutritional value and the ease of collecting them meant that they were one of the first foods to be stored and dried. Sacks of dried beans in the local specialty shop are indicative of the large quantities that are purchased and used liberally in soups and with rice and meat dishes.

Delicately etched glasses and saucers similar to Hanan had in Baghdad were found in a market nearby, and serving tea from these is part of a ritual which normalizes life in the suburbs of Australia.

Samira's recipes include Palestinian favourites that she cooks for her husband, whose family moved from there to Iraq. The influence of a Palestinian background echoes in her preparation of mezze, or finger food, so enjoyed in that country.

For Hanan, Samira and their families, the Islamic faith is central to their lives. Food, its preparation, the rituals around which it is prepared and the communal, family nature of the sharing of it are all at the heart of Islamic culture.

Iraqi cuisine is an amalgamation and fusion of foods of the Middle Eastern region, with an ancient history over thousands of years. The desert foods of bread, milk and dates, with occasional meat has combined with the agricultural regions of Iraq where cucumber, leeks, chicory, onions, garlic, palm hearts, lemons and pomegranates are just some of the fruits and vegetables being farmed in this land of loamy soil and sunny climate. That Christian believed the Garden of Eden was located in Iraq is testament to the lushness of the soil.

Pomegranates are used in many dishes and Hanan makes a family favourite combining them with chicken. In Middle Eastern legend, pomegranates are linked with fertility and to marriage. In times past, Arab brides would crush a pomegranate in their bridal tent in order to bestow blessings of fertility. So significant is the pomegranate, considered by many to be sacred, that some scholars believe them to be the original forbidden fruit.

The traditions of this extensive range of produce and the spreading of Islam meant the growth of a vibrant food culture fifteen hundred years ago. After the death of Mohammad in the seventh century, wars were waged and an empire was established. Baghdad was at the centre of cultural and political power as Islam spread across North Africa, Spain, parts of southern Italy, Arabia, Syria, Armenia, Iraq, Persia and Afghanistan.

A 'golden age' of Islamic cuisine emerged from the ninth century, and stories abound of sumptuous feasts of foods quite beyond imagination. Cooking became an art form. The rich and famous were on a constant search for the latest sensation with which to impress their rivals. Culinary literature was considered the height of sophistication, with the cultural elite dabbling in poetry and song about the pleasures of the table.

Subtle combinations of foods were prized, and Caliphs commissioned people to invent dishes and events. The caliphs' banquets in Baghdad were famous beyond Iraq for their display and scale of choice. The preparation of the food and the lavish garnishes are the stuff of legend.

For many of the elite the aspiration to the status of connoisseur was their life's ambition. The prosperity of the age meant that the acquisition of new foods from distant corners of the empire was not only possible but desirable. Prestige was attached to the discovery of new taste experiences, and a flourishing trade brought an exotic range of food to the tables of the affluent such as spices from China, India and Africa, hazelnuts and honey from Russia, cheese from Crete, coffee from Arabia and dates from Iraq. Food was highly decorated, with fruits cut to intricate patterns and spices and berries used to strew over rice dishes to imitate the colours of jewels. Vegetables were stuffed with delicacies, miniature pastries and pies delicately detailed, leaves twirled around meats and secured with extravagant artistry.

Complex dishes were highly regarded, with combinations of spices and herbs such as lavender, mint and bay lifting subtle blends to new levels of enjoyment for the gourmand. Flavours from Persia - fenugreek, rose buds and petals - were blended throughout the prestigious banquets, and cooks travelled extraordinary distances to acquire new skills.

Throughout this golden age of food, the Koran was respected and the rules as set out by Mohammad were abided by. No pork appeared in any of the menus, no wine was consumed, and the requirements of Ramadan were kept.

With such a culinary history stretching back for centuries, food preparation and the sharing of it around the table are central to contemporary Iraqi. The traditional dishes Hanan has shared with us are deftly prepared with skill and precision. The ingenuity she uses to achieve perfectly detailed dishes has provided us all with inspiration and new ideas. Her Baklava is a fusion of textures with the blending of whole pistachios and more than 30 layers of wispy syrup-drenched pastry resulting in a luscious treat.

Yoghurt has a central place in both Hanan's and Samira's cooking, and they make litres of it weekly. Called the "milk of Persia" yoghurt is used throughout all cuisines of the Middle East and Afghanistan. The domestication of the mountain goat is thought to have marked the beginning of its creation over eight thousand years ago. Its uses are extraordinarily wide ranging, and include medicinal purposes, where it is used with garlic as a cure for malaria and an antidote for many other complaints. Plain live yoghurt is used for stomach upsets, and is also believed to slow the metabolism for those who are tense and highly strung - useful indeed for insomnia. In biblical legend, Abraham was told that eating yoghurt was the secret of longevity, and he reputedly lived to be a hundred and seventy five years old. Combine these benefits with culinary appeal, and the litres each week consumed by Arab families is understandable.

In the kitchen the inclusion of yoghurt in a range of foods is endless. It is used to tenderize meat if it is suspected of being tough and as cooling summer soups. Yoghurt is the basis of savoury dips when combined with dill and mountain thyme and as a cooking sauce to simmer lamb and onions to create a velvety zest quite delectable to unfamiliar palates.

Throughout the year the ritual of dining is observed and platters and dishes of food are placed in the centre of the table or floor so everyone can help themselves. Meal times are shared experiences and all family members assemble around the table. The dishing-up of individual serves by the cook is not familiar, and the contemporary extension of this in Australian life, with people sitting television-bound, with meals on the lap and eyes glued to the screen seems an unfortunate contrast to the interactive meals of Arabic families.

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar sees the celebration of Ramadan, the month-long fast observed by adults and when strictly adhered to, children over the age of twelve. It is a time of spiritual renewal, with fasting seen as an opportunity to be constantly mindful of the needs of others, of purifying one's behaviour, and of doing good deeds.

The fast lasts until the end of daylight, and with the calendar month occurring during the Australian summer, this means a longer abstinence for those living down-under. When the fast is over a special 'break-fast' meal is held, called iftar, which generally starts with sweet drinks and dates high in sugar content which provide an immediate surge of much needed energy. Following this meal, people socialize and visit their neighbours and extended family, and a main meal is shared. In Australia this is not always geographically possible, though the meal that is shared with the family is a hearty one, consisting of rice and meat dishes swathed in gravies and sometimes kebabs and salads.

After the month of fasting the feasting begins with Eid al- Fitr. The lunchtime meal is central to the feast, and includes all family members coming together dressed in their best to share the abundance of the table, exchange gifts and enjoy the meal which is prepared by various family members. Other practices on this special occasion include thanking God by distributing food and money among the poor, and offering special prayers. For this special feast, Hanan prepare dishes which are particular favourites of their families, some of which they share with us.

The second major day of celebration is Eid ul-Adha which takes place between the eighth and the thirteenth days of the last month of the lunar calendar, Dhu al-Hijja. This is the time that devout Muslims aspire to make a trip to Mecca. It is time of special food, which for Hanan and Samira and their families must include lamb that has been grilled, barbequed or fried in kebab form. This acknowledges the sacrificing of the sheep, when in the past a portion would be taken for the family and the rest given to needy people.

Observing these celebratory rituals is vital to these families which have left behind them all that is familiar. Finding the ingredients needed to create the dishes of Baghdad in a local Arab shop has meant the continuing memories of life that is past.

Hanan shares with us the recipes she has brought with her in her head. Handed down from generations from the distant past they are treasured as something no-one can take from her.

Samira's recipes combine her ancient Iraqi past and those of her husband's Palestinian family, likewise part of their history for time uncountable. The mezze dishes provide a range of tastes and textures including pickles, tabouleh and delicious morsels such as turkiyah and ba'dones.

Finding English names for special dishes has been a source of much mirth, but we settled on 'Fisherman's Hat' as a reasonable translation for the little shapes created for a dish she makes on special occasions, and central to the feast we enjoyed recently.

The hospitality, generosity and warmth of the people from Iraq are overwhelming, and no more so than in our gatherings and picnics. Samira and Hanan always arrive with baskets brimming and the efforts involved never seem to be too onerous.

Food for twenty people can be produced from a very modest outlay, and the rice-stuffed vegetables are perfect for any occasion. The array of pickles and dips are forever present on the pantry shelf so that delicious morsels are on hand when visitors call.

What is missed by the women is the ebb and flow of people, family and friends coming at all times of the day, unannounced, and always welcome. Refreshments appear without fuss and seemingly without effort, as the visitors are honoured as valued guests. Long conversations unfold and time is endless to give to the guest.

Samira's culinary skills are always eagerly anticipated whenever we gather for picnics as her range of dishes seems endless. Her dolmades are delicious, the variety only limited to the number of vegetables available. All vegetables, no matter how bland, are transformed into a succulent pouch for her rice stuffing. When these are baked in the oven, the result is perfect for finger food and matches our climate perfectly.

Hanan and Samira's generosity in sharing with us some of their recipes means that the legacy of Palestinian and Iraqi cuisine reaches the southern hemisphere, direct from their Baghdad kitchens.

## Fisherman's Hats

This recipe was passed on to Samira from her Palestinian mother-in-law, for whom Samira has much affection. She first made the 'hats' too big, as they grew bigger in the sauce. Her husband had to remind her that they were not as he remembered them, and over time she has come to replicate those of her teacher.

For Samira, the discovery of frozen puff pastry is a boon, as the preparation of the pastry took extra time which now in Australia she finds eludes her. Life here is dictated by schedules and timetables to a degree that takes much adjusting to, and this shortcut is welcome.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 packet frozen puff pastry

  * Oil for frying

  * 500g minced beef

  * 3 eggs

  * 2 teaspoon dried oregano

  * 500 gr natural yoghurt

  * 2 chicken stock cubes, crumbled

  * Pepper and salt to taste

METHOD

  * Let the pastry defrost while preparing the meat.

  * Heat the oil in a pan and fry the mince until it is browned.

  * Remove from heat, and when cooled, add 2 beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon of the oregano, and stir well to combine.

  * Using the top of a spice jar, cut discs from the puff pastry.

  * Work each disc with fingers to thin it out and make a little larger, and then place a small dollop of mince in the centre.

  * Fold the disc in half so that you have a half circle, and seal with wet fingers.

  * Join the two ends by slightly overlapping and sealing with wet finger. This creates the 'hats'.

  * In a bowl, combine the yoghurt and a beaten egg.

  * Pour the mixture into a pan and heat gently. Stirring constantly, bring it 'quietly' to just boiling point, and add stock cubes, the rest of the oregano and seasonings.

Carefully place the 'hats' into the simmering yoghurt sauce and cook for 15 minutes or so and serve.

## Kabuli Rice – Lamb Rice with Pistachios

The textures and taste of this traditional rice dish make it a special one with Samira's family. It is important to dry fry the spices in order to develop the flavours, and she says it will set up the aromas to whet any appetite.

INGREDIENTS

  * 3 cups basmati rice

  * ½ cup of pistachios

  * 6 lamb chops

  * 1 onion, quartered

  * 1 tomato, diced

  * 3 tablespoons oil

  * ½ cup sultanas

  * 2 carrots, grated

  * 2 teaspoon cumin

  * 2 teaspoons cardamom powder

  * ½ cup slivered almonds

METHOD

  * Soak the rice in water for an hour before using.

  * Remove skins from pistachios by soaking in boiling water for 5 minutes, which will allow the skins to slip off.

  * Add the cumin and cardamom to a small frypan over low heat and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat as spices can easily burn. Set aside for later.

  * In a large saucepan, place the lamb chops, onion and tomato and cover with water. On a low heat cook until the chops are tender.

  * Heat the oil in a pan, and add the carrots and sultanas, and cook for about 10 minutes until the sultanas are plump. Remove them from the oil.

  * Add the carrots to the pan and cook for a few minutes until they are soft.

  * When the lamb is cooked, remove it from the pan and keep the stock.

  * Place the lamb in an oven tray and sprinkle with the combined cumin and cardamom powder.

  * Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 170 degrees C to complete the cooking.

  * Drain the rice and cook in plenty of salted water until it is almost cooked – it should be firm when you squeeze a grain to test.

  * Drain the rice, and return to the saucepan.

  * Pour over the rice the lamb stock and the oil from the carrots.

  * Place a tea towel over the pot and cover with a lid, and cook for a further 15 minutes or so until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

To serve the dish, place half of the rice on a large platter. Put the lamb chops on top of the rice and then cover the lamb with the remainder of the rice. Garnish the rice with the carrots placing them around the edge of the rice, and then layer the sultanas above the carrots, then the pistachios, and then the almonds until the entire dish is decorated. Serve with a salad made of finely chopped tomatoes, parsley, coriander, chilli, finely chopped red onion and cucumber.

## Shorbat - Green Dumpling Soup

Hanan says this is a special soup made for visitors, and the green dumplings make it a stunning colour. The lemon in the soup is a perfect foil for the dumplings which are an extraordinary green with fresh herbs and broad beans. Starch from the rice holds the dumplings together as they cook in the soup, growing larger with the absorption of the liquid, so this needs to be considered when making this delicious soup.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 cups of rice

  * 5 cloves garlic

  * 1 cup fresh coriander

  * 1 cup fresh mint

  * 2 red onions

  * 500 gr broad beans, shelled, and the skins removed. (Frozen broad beans work well if fresh is not available)

  * Pepper and salt to taste

  * 250 g beef, minced

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 1 tablespoon dried dill

  * 1 tablespoon mixed spices, such as cardamom, dried coriander and cumin.

  * 1 teaspoon turmeric

  * Juice of 1 lemon

  * 4 cups water

METHOD

  * In a food processor combine the rice, garlic, herbs, 1 red onion, broad beans and seasonings and mince. Processes until the ingredients are pureed.

  * Finely chop the remaining onion.

  * Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and fry the finely chopped onion and cook until it starts to change colour.

  * Add the dried spices, lemon juice and water.

  * Make small balls from the pureed mixture and drop into the simmering liquid.

  * Cook for 30 minutes or so, adjusting seasoning to the soup as required. More lemon juice can be added according to taste.

## Shorbat Rumman – Pomegranate Soup

Pomegranates grown in Iraq are ruby red with seeds to match, and are found in most kitchens in the Middle East. They are used in many dishes for their distinctive dimension of flavour, and the seed added to salads for colour and texture.

Hanan's soup is vegetarian but lamb can be added at the beginning of the cooking process for a more substantial meal. Use lamb shanks or similar and brown meat with the onion, and proceed as for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

  * ½ cup rice

  * ½ cup split peas

  * 2 tablespoon oil

  * 1 large onion, finely chopped

  * 8 cups water

  * 1 cup pomegranate juice (see Chicken in Pomegranate Sauce)

  * 1 tablespoon sugar

  * ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

  * ½ cup fresh mint finely, chopped

  * Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  * Soak rice and split peas in a bowl of water for at least an hour. Drain.

  * Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry onions until golden and aromatic.

  * Add the water and rice and split peas and bring to the boil.

  * Reduce heat and simmer for one hour or so until the split peas are soft.

  * Add pomegranate juice, sugar, seasonings and herbs, and continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Serve with flat bread.

## Rice and Potato Coquettes

These are perfect for picnics, and are best served at room temperature so that the flavours and textures meld.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1kg potatoes, peeled and cooked

  * 2 eggs

  * Salt and pepper to taste

  * 3 tablespoons flour

  * 1 large onion, chopped finely

  * 2 cups cooked rice

  * ½ cup parsley, chopped finely

  * ½ cup coriander, chopped finely

  * ½ teaspoon allspice

  * Oil for frying

METHOD

  * Mash potatoes and add 1 beaten egg, salt, pepper and 1 ½ tablespoons of the flour.

  * Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until golden, and then add the rice, herbs and allspice

  * Stir while cooking to combine ingredients and then remove from heat to cool.

  * When cool, make a ball with the potato mix and indent with your thumb to make a hollow, put in a spoonful of rice mixture and then reshape the potato around the rice to seal.

  * Beat the remaining egg and dip the balls into the egg and then into the flour.

  * Heat oil in a pan, and fry the potato balls until browned.

Additions can be made to the rice mixture such as minced meat which has been fried, raisins, chickpeas, finely chopped tomatoes.

## Chicken Biryani

This dish has its origins in India, and it has found its way throughout the Middle East. In Baghdad spice merchants sell their own carefully guarded Baharat spice mix used in biryani, and Samira had always purchased hers from a particular market. For the purposes of the recipe, she contacted a friend who on her behalf found the spice seller, and told him of the need for the spice mix ingredients. He was delighted that it would be used in Australia, and happily parted with his special Baharat biryani. Powdered damask rose is part of the mix, and could be left out because of the difficulty of obtaining it. However for an authentic result should be added. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon in total of the spice mix but it is easier to mix a quantity and store what is not used.

Basting the chicken with yoghurt results in a golden, crunchy skin.

  * Baharat Biryani Mix

  * 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

  * 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

  * 6 green cardamom pods

  * 1 teaspoon chilli powder

  * ½ stick cinnamon

  * ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

  * 1 tablespoon cumin

  * 2 teaspoon cloves

  * 1 tablespoon damask rose petals

Grind all to a powder, and store in sealed jar for further use. It will keep for 2 months.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 cups rice, soaked for at least 1 hour, then drained

  * 1 large chicken

  * Oil for frying

  * 2 potatoes, diced

  * ½ cup sultanas

  * ½ cup almonds

  * ½ cup peanuts

  * 1 cup yoghurt

METHOD

  * Place the chicken in a large saucepan of water, and simmer for 40 minutes or so.

  * Remove chicken from liquid, retaining the stock to cook the rice.

  * Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and add the rice and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.

  * Add 1 tablespoon of the spice mix and stir through, before adding enough chicken stock to cover the rice by 2 fingers.

  * Put the lid on saucepan and continue to cook until liquid is absorbed.

  * In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil and fry potatoes until browned. Remove and set aside.

  * Add the sultanas to the heated oil and cook for 10 minutes or so until they are plump. Remove and set aside.

  * Fry the almonds until browned, remove, and then fry the peanuts in heated oil, and remove when browned.

  * When the rice is cooked, add the potatoes, sultanas, almonds and peanuts and mix until well combined

  * Stuff the chicken cavity with the rice mixture, and secure it with skewers, or thread.

  * Rub the chicken with a little salt and cover with yoghurt.

  * Place in a medium oven and cook until chicken is browned.

Samira serves this with a salad made of very finely chopped parsley, basil, tomatoes and spring onions.

## Faisinjan – Chicken in Pomegranate Sauce

Hanan made this dish often when she lived in Iraq because of the availability of pomegranates which were cheap and abundant in the markets. There is a canned alternative of pomegranate syrup available at specialty shops.

If using fresh pomegranates, remove the seeds of 4 pomegranates and put them in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil, remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain through a sieve lined with a cloth squeezing the seeds to extract as much of the juice as possible. If using canned pomegranate syrup, add the juice of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon of sugar, and top up with water to make 2 cups of liquid.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 6 chicken pieces

  * 1 medium onion, chopped finely

  * 1 cup almonds or walnuts

  * 2 cups of pomegranate juice

  * Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  * Heat the oil in a pan and brown the chicken pieces.

  * Remove chicken, and add onion and fry until aromatic.

  * Add the almonds or walnuts to the onion and continue cooking for a few minutes until the nuts start to turn golden.

  * Return the chicken pieces to the pan, and stir to combine with the onion and nuts.

  * Stir in the pomegranate juice and continue to simmer for one hour or so, until chicken is well cooked.

  * Season according to taste.

This dish is very decorative when served over rice on a large platter. If using fresh pomegranate, use some of the seeds and a few walnuts to scatter over the top to garnish.

## Lamb and Currant Kebabs in Yoghurt

The kebabs can be baked in the oven reducing the oil content of the dish. The yoghurt sauce is a side dish to spoon over the lamb when serving.

Lamb is the most common meat used in the Middle East, although beef can be substituted if required.

INGREDIENTS

  * 500 g minced lamb

  * 1 onion, chopped finely

  * 5 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

  * ¼ teaspoon allspice

  * ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  * 1 teaspoon dried mint

  * 1 egg beaten

  * 1 ½ tablespoon currants

  * Salt and pepper to taste

  * 500 gr thick natural yoghurt

  * 1 cup fresh mint, chopped finely

METHOD

  * In a bowl combine the lamb, onion, half the minced garlic, allspice, cinnamon, dried mint, half the beaten egg, currants and seasonings.

  * Form the mixture into golf ball sizes, and place on an oven rack.

  * Pre heat oven to 200 degrees, place the kebabs in the oven and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes. Check them for readiness at 10 minutes, turning if necessary.

  * In a bowl, combine the yoghurt, fresh mint, the rest of the minced garlic, pepper and salt.

Serve the kebabs at room temperature with flatbreads, and the yoghurt sauce spooned over the top, or as a side dish.

## Shahkam Asheh – Rice Stuffed Vegetables

This outstanding dish seems very complicate, but in fact, while time consuming, is very simple and so economical. Hanan cooks this once a week for a very appreciative family, with everyone having a particular favourite. Any vegetable can be used, and the number of vegetables depends on the numbers being fed.

INGREDIENTS

  * 4 onions

  * 2 carrots

  * 2 potatoes

  * 2 tomatoes

  * 2 capsicums

  * 2 zucchinis

  * Rice stuffing

  * 2 cups rice

  * 1 cup split peas

  * 500 g minced beef

  * 2 chillies (or according to taste) crushed in a mortar

  * 3 cloves garlic chopped finely

  * Juice of 2 limes

  * 1 teaspoon turmeric

  * 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  * ½ cup oil

  * 1 teaspoon dried mint

  * 1 cup parsley, chopped finely

  * 1 cup coriander, chopped finely

  * Sauce

  * 1 tablespoon tamarind

  * 1 cup water

  * 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  * Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

  * Soak the rice and split peas in water for at least an hour, overnight if possible.

  * Peel 3 of the onions, and 'core' only the top quarter. Cut a thin wedge out of the length of the onions in order to make the layers easy to pull apart.

  * Put the onions into a saucepan of cold water and bring to boil, turning heat off when water starts to bubble. Leave the onions to stand in the heated water until ready for use. They need to be cooked only just enough to allow the onion layers to be easily wrapped around the rice stuffing.

  * Peel the carrots and potatoes. Slice the top off them, as well as the tomatoes, capsicums and zucchinis, keeping the tops aside. Hollow out the centre of each vegetable as much as possible. Keep the scooped out bits of the vegetables in a bowl.

  * In a large bowl combine the drained rice and split peas, and the rest of the rice stuffing ingredients and mix thoroughly

  * Stuff the mixture into the hollowed vegetables, leaving space at the top to allow the rice to expand during cooking. Wedge the sliced top back into the stuffed vegetables to act as plugs during cooking.

  * Drain off the onions, and pull apart the layers, and place some rice mixture in the middle of the layer, rolling it to keep secure.

  * Pierce each vegetable with a sharp knife to allow the liquid to be absorbed by the rice.

  * Cover the base of a very large pot with the trimmings of the cored vegetables, and the remaining onion, roughly chopped. This layer prevents the stuffed vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pan while cooking, and also adds dimension to the stock.

  * Wedge the stuffed vegetables side by side so that the tops are kept upright. Layer the onions on top.

  * To make the stock, put the tamarind into the water, and work it with fingers massaging to loosen the lump.

  * Strain the tamarind, and add the tomato paste and seasonings, and pour over the vegetables.

  * Place lid on pot and simmer for an hour.

Carefully remove the fragile cooked vegetables with two very large spoons, arranging them on a platter. The finished dish is very attractive, and the quantity of food which results is amazing.

## Baklava

There is baklava, and then there is Hanan's baklava. The touch of rosewater adds a subtle dimension, and the cardamom works perfectly to offset the sweetness of the sugar syrup.

INGREDIENTS

  * 250 g butter

  * 1 kg filo pastry

  * 500 g shelled pistachios lightly chopped

  * 1 cup sugar

  * 1 tablespoon rosewater

  * 1 teaspoon cardamom

  * 1½ cups water

  * Pinch of citric acid

METHOD

  * Melt the butter and brush onto 15 sheets of filo pastry, layer by layer in a suitable baking tray.

  * Blend the pistachio nuts with 1 tablespoon sugar, the rosewater and cardamom.

  * Spoon the nut mixture evenly over the pastry.

  * Layer 15 more layers of filo pastry which have been brushed with melted butter over the nut mixture.

  * At this stage put the tray into the freezer if you have time for 20 minutes or so, as this ensures neat, easy cutting.

  * Cut into lozenge shapes by cutting from top left corner to lower right, and then repeat for other direction, or squares.

  * Cook in moderate oven at 160 degrees C until golden.

  * Make sugar syrup with water, sugar and citric acid by combining and heating in small saucepan until boiling and combined.

  * Pour the hot syrup over the baklava immediately it is removed from the oven.

Cool in the tin and store in airtight container.

## Bas bous Goz – Semolina Pudding with Coconut

Along with Baklava, this is well loved dessert in Hanan's family, and she uses the same technique for cutting the hot cake into lozenge shapes, and pouring the syrup over it as quickly as possible while still hot from the oven.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 cup sugar

  * 2 cups semolina

  * 2/3 cups shredded coconut

  * ½ cup self raising flour

  * 2 tablespoons butter

  * ½ cup milk

  * 2 teaspoons rosewater

  * Syrup

  * 1 ½ cups sugar

  * ½ cup water

  * 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

METHOD

  * In a bowl combine the sugar, semolina, coconut and flour.

  * Melt the butter and pour over the semolina mixture with the milk and rosewater.

  * Stir thoroughly until it is well mixed.

  * Butter a large baking dish, and then pour the mixture in, and push down with fingers to create a dense, flattened result.

  * Bake in preheated moderate oven, 160 degrees, for 30 – 40 minutes until cooked.

  * In a saucepan combine the syrup ingredients, and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, or until the syrup is slightly thickened.

  * Remove the pudding from oven and immediately cut into shapes using a very sharp knife.

  * Pour the hot syrup over the pudding.

Delicious when eaten warm as a dessert, or can be served later as cake.

# Esther - Liberia

There is an obvious similarity between the red, white and blue Liberian flag, with its one star and horizontal stripes, and that of the United States. And like Old Glory, Liberia's star and stripes area symbol of a nation's proud beginnings.

Liberia, in West Africa, was established as a homeland for liberated American slaves, and was to signify the liberty to be enjoyed by those who had endured, or whose families had been forced from Africa. The United States President at the time, James Monroe, gave his name to the capital Monrovia so that the links have been evident since the very beginning of the African republic.

The lone star of the Liberian flag is a powerful symbol, a reminder that Liberia was the first independent republic on the continent of Africa. There are eleven horizontal stripes, one for each of the people who signed the Liberian Declaration of Independence and its constitution.

Freed American slaves established the colony in 1822, when a small and determined group was encouraged to re-settle there. It was declared a republic on 26 July 1847, a day commemorated with celebrations ever since, a tradition also upheld among the Australian Liberian community.

With Guinea to the north and wedged between Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast along the Atlantic Ocean in West Africa, Liberia is richly endowed with natural resources.

Esther, who grew up in the capital, has strong memories of its waterfront market. It was an endless source of fascination, always colourful, noisy and abundantly stocked with fruits and vegetables. Dried meats and fish hung alongside displays of coconut, ginger, plaintains, okra, sweet potatoes and cassava. Rice, the staple food, would be stacked in bags awaiting the discerning cook to check its quality, along with locally grown coffee, palm oil and nuts, red hot peppers and spices of every variety imaginable.

For a country with such an auspicious beginning, and a climate suited to agriculture, the poverty and war weariness of the people of Liberia at the beginning of the twenty first century is appalling. Wracked by civil war and political instability, the country is economically fragile, though Esther remembers a peaceful and happy childhood as one of nine children whose forebears had lived in Liberia for generations. Food was abundant, life was constant and hopes were high for the future. She enjoyed a good education and planned a career in the hospitality industry.

Rice and its central role in the Liberian diet have been identified as one of the major causes for the conflicts and riots which have caused the country to descend into poverty and violence. The Liberian people have always preferred imported rice, called "pusava', to the inferior, gritty local product. Because the local rice was dried on mats outdoors, a certain amount of grit and stones were bundled up in the packaging process. In a bid to encourage Liberia beyond subsistence farming, economic reforms resulted in an increase in the price of imported rice in 1979. 'Rice riots' broke out and rival political forces emerged, resulting in a military coup and the execution of the President. By 1990 there was a civil war, and it is believed that over ten per cent of the population was killed.

Many more people fled the country. Political insecurity and the danger of day-to-day life there mean Liberia is economically and politically unstable – life expectancy of Liberians is only forty two years.

Esther's family was almost wiped out in the war. Esther and her two children managed to escape the mayhem by pretending to visit relatives in the country. They moved from village to village, staying long enough to allay suspicion before moving on, closer to the border. Boy soldiers and militia created a terrifying and unpredictable environment. Eventually, Esther and her children slipped over the border into Guinea, where they made their way to the Masanta Refugee Camp.

Esther describes the relief of reaching the camp and of feeling that she had at last found a refuge for herself and her daughters. However, it soon became obvious that they were far from safe, and after only three days, assisted by a woman and her family who had befriended them, they made their way to the Guinea capital and the grounds of the Liberian Embassy. There they joined an enormous crowd waiting for protection, with thousands of people sleeping in whatever space they could find, even the streets.

Eventually, told there was no chance of protection and that they should all return to their villages, most people gave up and left. But Esther and a few others remained, determined to leave the turmoil and find security through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Her determination was rewarded with a successful application for re-settlement in Australia and after two years, she is beginning to feel settled and part of the community. For Esther, the journey from her troubled homeland has given her renewed hope and optimism for the future. With her two children now aged 7 and 15 settled into their school and Esther attending classes in English and Computer Studies, a normal routine is developing.

The American imprint on Liberia is manifested in many ways. Despite the fact that less than five per cent of Liberians can claim to be descendants of the slaves who first settled there, and the rest are indigenous Africans, Esther says Liberia is significantly different from its neighbouring countries, and that the heritage of American influence is obvious, not just in its currency -dollars- but also in its cuisine. For example, corn meal, the West African staple, is actually an import from the time of the return of the slaves, when cooking in America's Deep South was developing.

Esther is a very accomplished cook - in Liberia she worked for three years in the hospitality industry, at the Hotel Africa in Monrovia. She was the first of the Monday group to introduce us to the wonders of dried fish, though as she explained the process of preserving fish with neither salt nor refrigeration, there was some scepticism among the assembled cooks.

The next week Esther brought fish that she had dried in the oven over three weeks previously, and which had been kept since then in the pantry, without refrigeration. Everyone who tasted the flaky white snapper was most impressed with the depth of flavour and the chewy texture. As Esther reminded us, refrigeration is not available to most Liberians, and this method is a means of preserving as old as time itself.

As we swapped stories and knowledge about cultural traditions we discovered once again what an important vegetable cassava is to the world. Liberian recipes use the tuber and leaves extensively.

Women from El Salvador, Vietnam, Sudan, Brazil and India may call it by different names, but all have recipes for it. Mandioca in Portugal, yucca in Spain, manioc in South America, and tapioca in India and the new world – cassava has worked its way into the cuisine of cultures world-wide.

In Africa, processed cassava has various names according to its usage in Africa. It is called fu fu in thick soupy form, attieke and chickwangu as flour, and when it is sun-dried lafun. It can be boiled, fried, grated and pounded. It can be sieved into soup, made into chips, and the leaves chopped and fried.

Thanks to carbon dating, it appears that cassava was first grown in Venezuela near the Colombian border around 800 B.C. and it was introduced to Asia Minor in the seventeenth century.

Cassava is available in Australia only in frozen form, so I was curious to know what this multi-purpose vegetable looks like. Large dark green leaves are divided into seven leaflets by reddish veins. Rich in protein, the leaves are extensively used in Liberian coo instance ground in a mortar and pestle with onions and peppers, and added to meat and fish to create a delicious dish eaten with rice.

The roots are the most valuable part of the plant and grow in clusters of six to eight at the stem base. Some roots grow up to one metre in length, although half of that size is more common. The snowy white interior of the tuber is firmer than potato with far higher starch content. Cassava can be stored in the ground for several seasons, thereby serving as a reserve food when other crops fail. It feeds approximately five hundred million people a day and it is therefore clear why it is the ultimate crop of the future.

Though the leaves, the stems and tuber roots are all suitable for the table, there is an extraordinary toxic element to this most accommodating of vegetables. The bark of the root is laden with cyanide and was used to tip poison arrows in ancient cultures of South America. Careful and thorough preparation is required before it is 'diner friendly'. One can't help but wonder about the process of discovery for the first people who decided to taste it.

There is a coastal flavour to Liberian cuisine, with fish and other seafood being central to many of the most popular dishes. As well as rice in many variations, the other Liberian essential is Cayenne pepper. Esther has tempered the fiery nature of Liberian food and is aware of the need for moderation for our less acquainted palates. The pepper dimension began as a necessity to preserve meat and fish in the hot, humid climate and soon became indispensable for adding the characteristic fire to the cooking.

When I asked Esther to name the festive dish cooked for a special occasion, she named Fufu without any hesitation. Sometimes called Pepper Soup, it is the definitive meal of the Liberian cuisine, and is made from 'rotten' cassava which Esther explains is made by washing the cassava and leaving it in a container for 5 days in order to make it sour. To let it rot even more, leave it longer! If you use the powdered cassava available at local Asian supermarkets, lime juice is added to achieve the right degree of sourness.

The cassava is pounded, soaked in water and then put through a fine sieve to remove all traces of the tuber, leaving the starchy stock. A separate soup is made from shrimps, crabs, meat, vegetables of any choice, and the cassava added to make the delicious Fu Fu, every Liberian enjoys.

Country Chicken is a dish enjoyed throughout Liberia and the sweet and tender meat of home-reared chickens is something Esther misses. For special occasions goat or sheep is cooked - as with chickens, in Liberia they are kept in a compound near the house.

Red Palm oil is another common ingredient in many of the delicious dishes created by Esther. The oil comes from the Makinto Palms of Ghana. After the oil is processed, the chaff which remains is used to make soap, widely applied for shampoo, washing clothes and bathing.

Liberian meals are based around rice, lots of greens, pepper, seafood and meat. African food is relatively easy to prepare, the key to the thick sauces and gravies is long, slow cooking. Liberian food cannot be overcooked. One large pot and plenty of time is all that is required to produce a feast. You can be flexible about quantity and for the meat content anything will do, depending on availability. Beef will do, but so would porcupine and squirrel if available as in Liberia, where dried meats of various kinds are laid out in markets ready for purchase.

Molokhia, a densely green, glutinous leaf is used in many dishes throughout West Africa, however 'careless greens' are just as popular, so called because they grow anywhere. Spinach is used and potato greens, the leafy part of the vegetable which is thrown out by many other cultures but so enjoyed by Liberians. Okra is found in many dishes, its texture appreciated as a thickening agent, and chilli and cayenne pepper are included every time.

Often accompanying all of this is ginger beer, with the delicious and refreshing addition of cloves. Freshly squeezed limes complete the drink, and it is modified according to taste by adding pineapple.

There is one dish which is enjoyed universally by all Liberians. Esther laughs as she tells me that on any Saturday in any house or restaurant in Liberia you would find Dried Rice being served. The name does not provoke excitement, but the recipe is a delicious combination of all the ingredients Liberians love, resulting is a serious comfort food adored by all. According to Esther no matter if you are in Texas or Perth, expatriate Liberians would follow the tradition of Dried Rice on Saturday without exception. It's a tradition that gives her much comfort. She says she feels a sense of communion with fellow Liberians wherever they may be, and with family left behind in Africa, she and her daughters sit down to enjoy their midday meal. Being so far from all that is familiar and from so many friends and family, Esther is keen to maintain this ritual and to keep the spirit of her past alive, now and in the future.

## Palava Sauce

Palava sauce is a dish made with molokhia, a leafy deeply green vegetable with origins in Egypt. It is readily available at Asian supermarkets and specialty shops in frozen form.

Red palm oil is the key ingredient and is also available at Asian supermarkets.

INGREDIENTS

  * 8 cups water

  * 2 beef stock cubes crumbled

  * 1 chicken cut into pieces

  * 300 – 500 gr dried fish – all bones removed

  * 1 onion chopped

  * 1 red chili chopped finely

  * 1 cup red palm oil

  * 1 packet frozen molokhia

(Spinach can be substituted, using 2 bunches of fresh spinach washed and drained)

METHOD

  * Place the water, stock cubes, chicken pieces, and dried fish into a large saucepan.

  * Bring to the boil and then reduce heat and simmer without a lid in order to reduce the liquid.

  * Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours to ensure that the meats are tender, replenishing the water as necessary.

  * In a mortar and pestle, pound chilli and onion to a paste.

  * Add the chilli paste to the meat stew and continue to cook for 10 minutes or so.

  * Add the red palm oil and molokhia, and stir into the mixture until well combined.

  * Continue to cook for 15 minutes or so, until thick gravy is achieved.

Serve with rice or fu fu.

## Jollof Rice

This is a popular African dish and varies according to region and availability of ingredients. Meat for this dish includes bacon and ham. All should be cut into dice. Quantities are entirely variable and depend on how many you plan to feed.

INGREDIENTS

  * 3 tablespoons oil

  * I kg meat and fish of choice, such as pork, chicken, prawns, etc

  * 1 onion chopped finely

  * 1 red chilli finely chopped (or according to taste)

  * 4 tomatoes, skinned and diced

  * 4 tablespoon tomato paste

  * 2 cups water

  * pepper and salt to taste

  * 3 cups cooked rice, drained.

METHOD

  * In a large pan, heat the oil and fry the meats and fish until slightly browned. Set aside.

  * Fry the onion in the pan, add chili and cook for a few minutes until aromatic.

  * Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings to the onion and chilli. Stir to combine.

  * Add the water and continue to cook for 30 minutes uncovered in order to reduce the liquid.

  * Add the rice and then any sauce which has developed from the meats and seafood.

  * Platter the rice and layer the meat and fish on top.

Serve garnished with fresh herbs if required.

## Dried Fish and Dried Chicken

This method of drying defies all long- held views on the preservation of fish and chicken. Refrigeration is the key to keeping these foods fresh and safe to eat. However, African people have devised a method which pre-dates electricity and refrigeration. Despite repeated expressions of doubt as to the viability of the method, we have all tasted and enjoyed fish and chicken preserved this way and can testify to its effectiveness and the intensity of flavour which results. Esther uses snapper but any fish will do.

Method

  * Clean the fish thoroughly and then rub a little salt into the skin.

  * Put the fish on a rack in a medium oven and leave for 15 minutes.

  * Turn the oven off, leaving the fish in place. The next day, repeat the process and again the next day also.

  * The fish is now ready, and can be stored in the pantry ready to be used in dishes for the next week or more.

The same process can be used for chicken and other meats.

## Liberian Cornbread

The cornbread cake reveals the American influence on some Liberian cuisine, although the work 'cornbread' could be misleading, as it is a dessert cake worthy of any afternoon tea table.

INGREDIENTS

  * 125g butter or margarine

  * ½ cup sugar

  * 2 cups cornmeal

  * 1 ½ cups self-raising flour

  * ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

  * ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  * 1 teaspoon baking powder

  * 2 eggs

  * 1 cup milk

METHOD

  * Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

  * Grease a loaf tin with a little butter until light and fluffy.

  * Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl.

  * Whisk the eggs, add to the creamed butter mixture and stir until completely combined.

  * Gradually add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, and beat until fluffy and light.

  * Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a rack.

## Liberian Rice Bread

This is a dense and delicious banana cake, and it is tempting to call it that. However, it is called rice bread in Liberia where, as in America, the word bread is used to describe a loaf-shaped cake. The fresh ginger gives a perky additional dimension to the bananas and nutmeg, making this a cake well worth the baking.

INGREDIENTS

  * 3 cups rice flour

  * ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  * ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

  * 1 cup sugar

  * 7 overripe bananas

  * ¾ cup vegetable oil

  * 3 eggs

  * 1 cup milk

  * 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

METHOD

  * Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C

  * Grease a loaf tin with a little oil.

  * Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl.

  * Mash bananas and stir into the dry ingredients

  * Add all remaining ingredients and beat until light.

  * Transfer the mixture to the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly before turning out of the tin and onto a rack.

## Fu Fu

This is the bedrock of African foods and is made from Cassava as in Liberia, or yams or maize as in other countries of the region. It is a thick porridge-like food which is eaten at any time of day. In some parts of Africa it is shaped into balls for dunking into sauces and gravies, or shaped like a spoon by forming a ball and indenting it with the thumb in order to transfer food to the mouth. The fu fu preparation is interwoven into the rhythm of the household where it sits fermenting in the corner, waiting to be sour enough for use.

METHOD

  * Begin the process by cleaning a quantity of cassava and leaving it in a bucket of cold water which is sealed with a lid.

  * After four days, check to see whether the souring process is underway. Then check periodically until it is soft and deemed ready.

  * Remove the cassava from the water, drained and pounded in a mortar and pestle.

  * Strain to remove any lumps, place in a pot and cover with water. Cook over low heat covered, for several hours – at least three.

  * Remove from the heat and leave overnight, dropping a lime into the mixture to ensure sourness.

  * Drain off the liquid and cook over very low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. When fu fu looks like thick porridge, it is ready.

Fu Fu can be used as a base for several dishes, to which is added seafood, meat or eggplant, which is used extensively in Liberia.

## Ginger Beer

As in most African cooking, quantities are flexible, and can be adjusted to taste. This is a delicious drink, thirst quenching and with a lingering aftertaste of limes and spice, which makes it almost addictive.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 -2 cups sugar

  * 2 cups water

  * 1 large piece of ginger, peeled and cut into chunks

  * 1 tablespoon ground cloves

  * Juice of 4 limes

METHOD

  * Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan, and heat until the sugar is dissolved.

  * Place the ginger and cloves in a food processor with the lime juice, and process until pulpy.

  * Remove from processor, and macerate the pulp in a little hot water, to extract as much of the flavour as possible. Work the pulp with the back of a spoon to release the juice.

  * Add the pulp to the hot sugar syrup and stir to mix well.

  * Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a jug.

  * When cool add the lime juice, and adjust sugar according to taste.

To serve, dilute with water according to taste. Crushed ice and sliced limes finish off this thirst quencher.

# Najiba - Afghanistan

Herat in Afghanistan, the city Najiba and her family fled, has not always been the place of deprivation and fear that it is today. In the sixteenth century it was celebrated for its cultural life and educated populace, its art and architecture, and was called the Florence of Asia.

Herat's origins as an oasis on the bustling caravan route from Persia to China meant that

a prosperous bazaar evolved where goods from all along the Silk Route were traded. Pepper from India, spices from Persia and silk from China were just some of the sought after commodities which were bought and sold in Herat. Glass was highly regarded, and the minerals particular to the Herat region rendered the locally produced glass a distinctive pale blue. The unique quality of Herat glass was known throughout the world, and was prized for its beautiful colour. It is still manufactured today.

Because of its strategic position Herat has been destroyed numerous times by vanquishing hordes, and occupied by various conquerors such as Alexander the Great and Ghangis Khan. This long history of invasion and conflict has continued into the 21st century, and the people of this region have developed resilience and strength which enable them to overcome seemingly impossible hardships.

For all of the women in our group who come from Afghanistan, fear and anxiety has been a constant backdrop to their lives. A trip to the market during the time of the Taliban was a dangerous excursion. Repression is the norm for any female in Herat. Afghan women now living in Australia may have started their journey for refuge from different regions of that vast country, but now they are here they feel part of a sisterhood, connected by the duress fear they all suffered.

Najiba and her family have lived in Australia for three years. Her two daughters have just returned from school as we sit to share a coffee, and they happily recount the day's happenings as they tuck into a plate of biscuits. Najiba tells me that when she looks around her at the home she and her husband have created, and the security of her children's lives, the trauma and difficulty of her family's flight from Afghanistan have been worth the anguish. Najiba communicates her happiness at hearing about the experiences her children now enjoy and accept as normal, and struggles to explain how different this is to their lives in Herat. Her fifteen year old daughter had never been to school until three years ago, and now she is an active and involved member of the school community, managing all of her chosen subjects and excelling in many.

Najiba's earliest memories are of her sisters and her sitting cross-legged and hunched over a carpet they were making. They would sit all day knotting and cutting woolen strands. Other children would come and work also, some as young as five. Their day would begin at dawn with tea, yoghurt and sometimes bread, but never in sufficient quantities to stave the hunger pangs. Her outstanding impression of her childhood is of constantly being hungry.

Although the family had a tandoor oven, the wood to fire it was expensive and its use was kept to a minimum. Her mother would make bread every three days, and Najiba recalls it being a backbreaking job. Her mother and sister had to cart water for cooking and drinking from a well every day. Backache is something she has lived with since those early years, a constant reminder of the way she spent her childhood.

Najiba's youngest daughter's approaching birthday is a cause for much excitement. A little party was planned, complete with cake and candles. Najiba tells me she intends to make special biscuits for her to share with her classmates as is the custom at the school. The contrast to her experience as a child could not have been greater. Najiba doesn't even know the date or year of her birth; such events were not marked or celebrated.

When asked about happy memories, Najiba just shrugged and said it was something she didn't know about. Life was hard, and for girls harder still. She remembers her father taking her brothers to the one cinema in the city. Najiba and her sisters were always excluded, and they had to rely on the goodwill of the boys to tell them what they saw. Occasionally, the males of the family would visit friends, and even traveled to Kabul while the female family members had to stay at home, vicariously enjoying the experience through the reports by the men.

In Najiba's experience there are no records of events which commemorate a childhood, and her life as a child is a blur of work and unhappiness. However, the occasion she can clearly recall is the time she became the focus of attention when some unknown women visited her house and gave her presents. She was fourteen or so she recalls, and the unexpected nature of the visit, and the receiving of gifts was extraordinary. But her pleasure very quickly turned to anxiety during the course of this visit when she was told that she was to be married immediately to a distant relation two years her senior. Najiba recalls the shock she felt at the prospect and of pleading with her mother to forbid it, knowing only too well that it would do her no good. Women had no influence over such matters, all decisions being decided by the male members of the family.

After the modest wedding ceremony Najiba moved in with her husband's family. The tiny house was home to twenty people as her husband had seven brothers and sisters. Custom demanded that sons brought their wife to live in their parent's house. As children were born, and if it were viable, the son would eventually find a house for his family. For Najiba, arriving into such a large household in such confined circumstances was arduous. She was immediately relegated to cook and clean for the household. Life was hard, and pleasures were few.

One pleasure for all women however was bathing at the communal bath-house. It was a place to relax and enjoy the company of other women, to gossip and share the news of the day. Bath houses have been part of the traditional life of Afghan women for centuries, and the one place that they could indulge themselves.

However even this simple existence was to take a turn for the worse when the Taliban came to power in 1994. They forbad the use of bath-houses, declaring that women could only be in one of two places, the home or the graveyard. For Najiba the heartache was only beginning, as her father and her husband were taken away and tortured. After many months they returned, but suffered the results of their imprisonment permanently, the constant reminder of the Taliban regime.

Because of her husband's detention and torture their extended families pooled all of their resources to enable Najiba and her four children to seek escape, fearful that he would be the target of further attention from the Taliban. According to Najiba the journey to Pakistan through dangerous countryside for the family of six was a terrifying experience, but was nothing compared to the ordeal they were yet to face. The refugee camp was a place of fear with no-one safe from the threat of violence or abuse. Determined to protect their children, Najiba and her husband sought any means to escape and found someone who promised to get them to a safer place.

The family had never seen the ocean, nor a boat, and had no notion of the open sea. With nothing to prepare them for the trauma of such a journey, the family was hustled on to an ancient vessel along with hundreds of others. Najiba is haunted by the memories of that day, so fearful of losing her children as they were swept along by the rush and hysteria of hundreds of people desperate to get to the boat at the end of a pier. The journey was beyond her emotional ability to describe. There were with no toilets, insufficient water to drink and none to wash with. People were wedged together, sitting upright for days and nights. Many were sick, many crying with fear, and all terrified by the unknown, and whether they would survive until dawn.

Reaching the safety of dry land seemed a miracle. Australia meant solid ground and an end to the rolling, pitching boat. However, the difficulties were to continue when the family was placed in detention. They were released after fourteen months, and with support from the community have been gradually building a life in their new home. They forged strong friendships with those who shared their journey and today Najiba lives only a few hundred metres from her dear friend Perwin, whom she met in the detention centre. Perwin also comes from Herat and their shared background and similar story strengthens both women as they provide the anchor for their families in Australia.

Afghan food is nourishing and although traditional methods of preparation are time consuming, quite simple. Long, slow cooking underpins many of the meat dishes, tenderizing the toughest of ingredients. The meat is usually lamb, though camel is said to be delicious and cheap. Beef is substituted in Australia for many of the dishes.

Afghanistan being such a vast country, with many different ethnic groupings in different regions is as diverse as countries in Europe, so there are endless variations to many of the dishes. Cooking rice in Iraq or Iran is similar to that in Afghanistan, but the additions to the rice vary from place to place. The perfectly separated granules, the fluffy texture, and the method of achieving it which includes a tea towel are the result of cooks, as always, sharing knowledge of what works for them, on tricks and tips and experience.

Despite the privations of life in Herat over past generations with the accompanying difficulties and often despair, one constant is the hospitality and generosity shown to any who appear at the door. No matter how straightened the circumstances, or how simple the offering, there is always food and drink for a visitor. In Najiba's experience, it was amazing to see her mother creating a delicious treat using just two eggs and sugar syrup.

Watching the creation of this dish was extraordinary with hands waving quickly back and forth over a pan of hot oil, flinging from fingers the beaten eggs in a steady stream. Before my eyes grew a golden tapestry of the finest threads which built up to a fabric folded and folded again, to create a visually stunning masterpiece. A little sugar syrup or honey is drizzled over it, and it is eaten while warm. It defies belief that such a simple dish could be so delicious. Taking just four minutes to make, it could be whipped up while the guests were settling themselves into a comfortable position. With this would be served a simple drink of rose water, which was water fresh from the well, into which some pink dye and rose essence was dropped.

Dishes such as Mantu would traditionally take the best part of a day to prepare. Little parcels of spicy minced lamb are steamed, covered in a yoghurt sauce, and then sprinkled with fresh herbs.

It is through the changes among the women around the stove on Mondays that many short cuts and ideas have evolved. The women from Afghanistan noted the Vietnamese ladies making wontons from the combination of meat and wonton wrappers which were bought in a packet from the supermarket. Noting the similarity, the wonton skins were used in the creation of the Mantu, reducing the process considerably. This 'cross-fertilisation' of ideas has been one of the highlights of the cooking experience in the group and has created unexpected connections between diverse food cultures.

In much the same way, this ancient route has found its way to the Southern Hemisphere through the flight of so many people to a safer place. Life in Australia has been greatly enriched by the heritage of generations of Afghan people, and their recipes are just part of our multicultural society's gain.

## Kitcheree Rice

This is a speciality of Herat and has been enjoyed by Najiba and her husband's family for generations.

INGREDIENTS

  * 4 cups rice

  * 1 cup lentils

  * 1 kg beef cut into cubes

  * 2 onions, 1 cut into quarters and the other chopped finely

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 2 teaspoons curry powder

  * 2 red chillies, chopped finely (or to taste)

  * 1 teaspoon black peppercorns pounded to a powder in mortar and pestle

  * Salt to taste

METHOD

  * Soak the rice in water for a minimum of 2 hours, and then drain.

  * Wash the lentils and drain.

  * Place the meat and quartered onion into a saucepan and just cover with water.

  * Cook over a low heat for an hour or so, until the meat is very tender.

  * Remove the meat, keeping the stock aside to cook the rice.

  * In a large pot, heat the oil and add the finely chopped onion until it starts to become translucent. Add the lentils, stir well to combine, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

  * Add the strained stock, and stir well to combine. The rice needs to be covered with liquid to the depth of a finger, so if there is insufficient stock, add water to make up the required quantity.

  * Add the curry powder, chillies, pepper and salt.

  * Cook for 20 minutes or so until the rice has absorbed the water and is nearly cooked.

  * Place a clean tea towel over the top of the saucepan and cover with the lid, and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes until the rice is light and fluffy.

Serve with the meat on the side, or mixed through the rice dish.

## Pilau

In the kitchen at the detention centre where she worked from time to time, Najiba learnt that adding a handful of broken, uncooked vermicelli or similar thin noodles to this traditional family dish towards the of the cooking process gave it another texture which complemented the vegetables and rice.

Many of the women at Monday's cooking sessions hold vegetables in their hands when chopping and slicing. To watch Najiba as she prepares the vegetables for this dish reveals a skill which has been honed over decades. Holding a carrot in one hand, she cuts the top off to create a flat surface. She then cuts vertically in fine lines across the width in one direction, and then repeats to create small squares. She then cuts through the width of the carrot, producing perfectly tiny cubes of carrot. All this is done with a speed and precision which appears effortless and remarkable!

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 kg basmati rice

  * 1 kg lamb, cut into cubes

  * 1 onion, chopped into pieces

  * 3 teaspoons salt

  * ½ cup oil

  * 2 carrots, cut into small dice

  * 1 cup sultanas

  * 1 cup unsalted cashews

  * 2 potatoes thinly sliced

  * 3 cardamom pods

  * ½ cup broken vermicelli

METHOD

  * Wash the rice thoroughly, and then soak for 2 hours.

  * Put the lamb and chopped onion into a saucepan, just covering it with water, and simmer for at least an hour, until the meat is very tender. Drain the meat and keep the stock aside to use with the rice.

  * Boil the rice in salted water until almost cooked – for around 5 to 8 minutes (cooking time will vary according to the age and type of rice.) Stir the rice often during cooking to keep the grains separated. Test for readiness by chewing a granule of rice, and if it is soft on the outside, but firm inside, it is ready to be drained.

  * Heat half the oil in a frypan and cook the carrots until soft, and remove.

  * Repeat with the sultanas and then the cashews, which are cooked until they are golden brown.

  * Into the bottom of a very large saucepan layer the sliced potatoes to form a bed, and then spoon the rice on top. Add the cardamom pods and the noodles if you are using them.

  * Pour 1 cup of the reserved stock over the rice and then trickle the remaining oil so that it can reach the potatoes at the base.

  * Place a clean tea towel over the top of the saucepan and cover with the lid. Cook over very low heat for about 20 minutes or so. Don't be tempted to lift the lid before the dish is ready. Najiba demonstrated listening to the sound of the cooking which was a gentle 'hish'. If there is no sound, turn the heat up slightly. Steam will begin to emerge from the edge of the lid and this indicates that things are progressing nicely!

  * Another method is to wet the finger and touch the side of the pot. If the fingerprint disappears immediately, the rice is deemed to be steaming according to plan. Reduce the heat.

  * When the rice is cooked, toss through the carrots, sultanas and cashews, and spoon onto a large platter.

  * Finish with the crunchy potatoes from the bottom of the pan which will have turned golden and crunchy, and which everyone will 'bags'! The meat can be served on the side, or tossed through the rice with the other additions.

## Najiba's Kebabs

These kebabs are a family favourite and Samira, Najiba's daughter claims these are the one thing she can make. Her busy school life means that she is not at her mother's elbow learning the methods of Afghan cooking, and it easy to see how quickly the traditional food of a country can be overtaken by the convenience of fast food.

INGREDIENTS

  * 3 medium potatoes, grated

  * 3 onions, grated

  * 500 g beef or lamb, minced

  * 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

  * 2 red chillies, chopped finely

  * Salt and pepper

  * 1 teaspoon cardamom

  * 1 egg

  * 1 cup fresh herbs, chopped finely (coriander, parsley, tarragon, mint, or whatever is available)

  * 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  * ½ cup oil for frying

METHOD

  * Rinse the grated potatoes in cold water and squeeze out all of the moisture.

  * Squeeze all the moisture from the grated onions.

  * Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.

  * Form the mixture into a leaf shape and flatten.

  * Heat the oil in a large pan, and cook the kebabs in batches.

Serve with rice (any of the juices and oil left from cooking the kebabs should be incorporated into the rice to enhance the flavour).

## Kofta Nakhod

This is a simple but delicious dish given a depth of flavour by the addition of split peas. The pounded black pepper and cloves adds a fiery touch, and needs to be adjusted to taste. Najiba always uses a mortar and pestle to achieve the correct texture for the pepper. A pepper mill could be substituted.

INGREDIENTS

  * ¼ cup split peas

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 3 onions grated and squeezed to remove liquid

  * 3 Tablespoon tomato paste

  * 2 cups water

  * 1 kg beef minced

  * 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

  * 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  * 2 teaspoons black peppercorns, pounded in mortar and pestle to a powder

  * salt to taste

METHOD

  * Soak the split peas in water for at least 1 hour before using.

  * In a large frypan, heat the oil and add half of the grated onion and cook until the onions begin to change colour.

  * Add the tomato paste and water, cover with a lid and cook over a very low heat, for 30 minutes or so.

  * While the sauce is cooking, combine the minced beef with the garlic, coriander, pepper, salt and the rest of the remaining onion in a large bowl.

  * Form the mixture into small balls and add them to the sauce in the frypan.

  * Drain the split peas and scatter them into the sauce with the meatballs.

  * Continue to cook over a low heat, uncovered, for 30 – 40 minutes until the sauce reduces and intensifies in flavour. It may be necessary to add a little more water as required, as the split peas begin to cook.

## Chalow

This hearty stew has many variations, and is a simple, satisfying dish. The key to its success is very long and very slow cooking, which results in the meat falling apart with tenderness. Meat is very cheap is Afghanistan, and this could be cooked with camel, which Najiba assures me is very delicious. However, her meat of choice is lamb, and she uses tomato paste, or chopped tomatoes to add to the flavour.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 kilo lamb or beef cut into cubes

  * 2 onions grated

  * 2 cloves garlic chopped finely

  * 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  * Salt to taste

  * 1 teaspoon cumin

  * 1 teaspoon turmeric

  * 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  * 5 cloves garlic sliced into slivers

  * Chopped spinach (optional)

METHOD

  * Put the meat, half the onion and the garlic into a saucepan and cover with water. Cook on low heat for at least an hour or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

  * Transfer the meat to an ovenproof dish with the remaining ingredients, and cook in a preheated 160 degree C oven for a further 30 minutes.

  * Chopped spinach can be added at this stage if required.

Serve with rice and flat bread to soak up the sauce.

## Mantu

This dish is served on a platter in a sumptuous arrangement of layers, with the scattering of fresh mint leaves and a little of the minced lamb to garnish completing it perfectly. Cooked throughout Afghanistan, it is modified according to region. This version is from Kabul and is her signature dish, keenly anticipated by everyone who has tasted it.

INGREDIENTS

  * 3 tablespoon oil

  * 1 large onion, chopped finely

  * 2 cloves garlic grated or minced

  * 1 kilo minced lamb

  * 1 teaspoon black pepper

  * Salt to taste

  * 1 tablespoon coriander

  * 2 red chillies, chopped finely

  * 1 packet wonton wrappers (available from Asian supermarkets)

  * 500 gr natural yoghurt

  * 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated

  * 1 bunch of fresh mint

METHOD

  * Heat the oil in a frypan and add the onions, cooking until they begin to turn colour.

  * Add the garlic and meat and mix thoroughly to break it into a finely minced texture, and cook until the meat is browned.

  * Add the seasonings, coriander and chilli, and continue to cook for 20 minutes adding only enough water, if any, to prevent the meat from sticking.

  * Remove from the heat, allow the meat mixture to cool a little, and place a teaspoon of it into the centre of a wonton wrapper..

  * Fold the wonton wrapper to create a dumpling (mantu) by taking the two opposite corners and sealing them with wet fingers. Then repeat with the other corners, creating a neat parcel. Fill all the wonton wrappers, and keep any remaining lamb warm.

  * Place the mantu into a steamer, and cook for 30 minutes or so.

  * Combine the yoghurt and garlic to make a sauce.

To assemble the dish, pour most of the yoghurt sauce onto a large platter and cover with the meat parcels, piling them on top of each other to create a mound. The remaining sauce can be spooned over the lot, and then garnish with the remaining lamb, and top with the mint leaves.

## Elephant's Ears

Made the traditional way, with pastry rolled out to paper-thin, these biscuits are definitely special occasion fare. The pastry takes hours to prepare, and they disappear in minutes. However, through the sharing of recipes and ideas, we soon realized a pasta machine was the perfect tool for rolling the pastry quickly and consistently thin.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 eggs

  * 2 dessertspoons oil

  * 2 dessertspoons natural yoghurt

  * 1 teaspoon rosewater

  * 2 cups plain flour

  * 1 dessertspoon icing sugar

  * ½ teaspoon powered cardamom

  * ½ teaspoon baking powder

  * Oil for deep frying the pastries

METHOD

  * Beat the eggs well until combined and add the oil, yoghurt, rosewater and mix through.

  * Add the sifted dry ingredients and stir through the egg mix.

  * Using your hands, form the dough into 8 balls. The dough needs to be pliable, so adjust by adding more yoghurt or flour as required.

  * Divide the dough into 8 balls.

  * Using a pasta machine, roll the balls out into the thinnest pastry possible and cut into 10cm lengths. The pastry should be a rectangle shape.

  * Pinch together one end of the rectangle, so that it resembles and elephant's ear.

  * Heat the oil until smoking hot, and place the 'ears' gently into the pan. As they become golden, turn carefully.

  * Remove and drain on paper, and sprinkle with sifted icing sugar.

This quantity makes around 40 biscuits. They keep in a sealed container for several days.

## Rosewater Pudding

The gracious hospitality of Afghan people is renowned, and no matter how little there is to eat, food and refreshment is always immediately produced for a visitor. On a hot day Najiba always served a drink coloured pink with food dye, and flavoured with rose water to any guest who appeared. Cardamom tea is also welcome refreshment, cardamom being popular for both sweet and savoury creations.

Rosewater is the basis of this simple dessert, the hint of roses creating a subtle touch. This is a favourite at Ramadan at the end of the day of fasting. The sugar provides the lift, and the soft texture of the pudding is a welcome form of nourishment.

INGREDIENTS

  * 1 cup sugar

  * 1 cup cornflour

  * 1 cup milk

  * 1 tablespoon rosewater

METHOD

  * Mix together the sugar and cornflour.

  * Add the milk and stir well avoiding lumps to develop.

  * Heat the mixture over a low heat, stirring constantly until it boils. Continue to cook until it thickens.

  * Pour into a serving bowl and add the rosewater when it has cooled.

  * Chill before serving.

# Elda – Brazil

Think of Brazil and it ignites images of tropical flowers and fabulous fruits, the mighty Amazon and noisy jungles. People are passionate and lively and the celebration of the Carnaval is legendary for its pageantry and joyful abandon. Colours are vibrant and music is rhythmic and intoxicating. Portuguese colonists, native Indian people, slaves transported from Africa to work the coffee plantations and European migration have resulted in a unique blend of cultures and cuisines.

Rio de Janeiro is the city where Elda grew up and its influence is apparent in her enthusiastic involvement in everything that happens in the group.

A natural cook, Elda incorporates recipes from her Italian heritage with the food of Brazil in her cooking repertoire. She is quick to embrace the new ideas and food practices we are learning from each other and enjoys the connections which result from sharing recipes with women from such faraway countries as Afghanistan, who cuisine was a totally fresh discovery for her.

Elda's time in Rio de Janeiro ended when her father decided that emigration to Australia was the best hope for his family of nine. This was not the first major disruption in her young life, as they had moved from Italy to Brazil when she was only five. Then, her father found work on a coffee plantation and Elda's first memories of their new life was of the wealthy Contessa who owned it. There were 30 or so families housed on the plantation, and according to Elda, their entire life revolved around the coffee crop. The working day was long and the pay very poor for a man supporting a large family.

The exploitation of people working in the coffee plantations of Brazil has a long history. It is a labour- intensive industry, and the legendary quality of Brazilian coffee and its importance to the economy has meant that continuing production is vital. Coffee bean exports accounts for half the revenue of the country, and this is the one industry which has survived the numerous economic crises.

The increasing global demand for coffee guarantees its continuing priority in agriculture.

Introduced from Guiana in the early 1700's, coffee is inextricably linked to the slave industry which helped form the culture and society of today's Brazil. The abolition of slavery in 1850 meant that the fazendas or farmers were faced with a critical lack of workers and instead had to rely on unskilled and desperate men to replace the free workforce they had lost.

For Elda's father working on the coffee plantation was not what he had had hoped for. The pay was meagre and working conditions appalling. He could see no opportunity to improve his income and provide a future for his children. Despite the free housing granted to the labourers, he believed that a move to Rio would make available the work, pay and conditions he required. He found employment at the Singer Sewing Machine Company in the city, and stayed for years on the factory floor.

Despite the fact that her married life began in Australia, and her children were all born here, Elda traces the influences on her cooking as originating with her mother in Rio. Her formative years around the stove at her mother's apron strings using local produce and methods of cooking have formed the basis of her kitchen practices. This childhood involvement in kitchen habits and rituals and the assimilation of recipes and techniques is a common experience of all of the women in the Monday group who are from countries with ancient cultures.

Brazilian cuisine, like its history, is diverse and colourful. Native crops such as beans and cassava, are combined with chilli (called pimenta-de-cheiro from the Amazon), various meats, poultry and often pumpkin, resulting in vibrant and delicious dishes.

Cassava, or manioc as it is called in Brazil, is threaded through many of the traditional dishes. Elda tells of manioc being a staple of people's diet in South America. One of her earliest childhood memories is of running to her friend's house to collect her for the walk to school and of having to wait while the family tucked into their breakfast of manioc with butter and eggs. Elda remembers them eating with such gusto, and this simple meal always appearing to be tantalizing and delicious as she waited for them to finish.

Elda makes cassava crisps by shaving the tuber into the thinnest slivers and then deep frying. Sprinkled with salt they are a delicious alternative to potato chips, and excellent when used with dips. Elda tells me that many years ago she and her husband owned a food store which sold a range of foods she cooked. The cassava chips were so popular she was never able to keep up the supply.

Elda has grown the manioc tuber successfully in her garden, and has persuaded her brother who farms in Queensland to cultivate it. She is disappointed that he only uses it to feed the pigs, as she feels it would have such a ready market to the increasing numbers of people cooking it every day in Australia. It is only available in frozen form which surprises her, given how easily it grows.

She also makes a custardy dessert made from orange juice, wine and manioc, which is set in trays and cut into squares, and is delicious with a strong black coffee. The range of dishes created from cassava appears endless, and it doesn't stop in the kitchen. Elda remembers starched napkins, shirt collars and dresses being stiffened with the paste of ground manioc. Alcohol can be produced from the tuber, and in early times it was the task of the women and children to chew the manioc until their saliva began the fermentation process from which a beer was created.

Elda recalls a very special food which was enjoyed on only the best of occasions. A duck would be cooked very slowly and very long in order to soften its stringy meat, the local birds being of the tough variety. The duck would be simmered in a large pot of water, to which had been added onions, garlic and herbs. The lid would be removed and the duck would bubble away until all of the liquid had disappeared, save for the oily residue that only a duck could produce. It was then removed from the pot, placed in a hot oven and basted with the oil. Again the cooking would continue, seemingly for ages, and eventually the crispy, delectable duck would be hauled from the oven to be enjoyed as part of a feast which would include all sorts of salads and vegetables.

Elda's girlhood memories served her well when she worked in a restaurant in her younger days, where her boned and stuffed quail would be the dish demanded by visiting opera singers, familiar with the Italian method of cooking the tiny birds and serving them with polenta.

Memories of the fresh food of the markets of Rio have stayed with Elda, and her great joy now is to harvest from her small garden an astonishing variety of produce. She grows enough olives to keep her supplied for the year. She soaks them in water for about a week, changing the water daily and finishing them off in garlic- infused oil.

She plants her peas, beans, lettuce and tomatoes under the loquat trees, with garlic and onion around the corn to keep the bugs away. Herbs grow in abundance, with more than enough parsley, dill, oregano, basil, mint and chives for all of her requirements. Coriander grows prolifically for her throughout the year, but she has no use for it, claiming it a taste and smell she simply cannot abide. This amazed many of the women who regard coriander as the king of herbs. They have benefited from Elda's garden with bunches of coriander a regular and much appreciated contribution to our kitchen.

Lupins were a little-known food which Elda has introduced to the group. She grows them from seeds which she plants in June ready for harvesting in December. Elda uses the blue flowered variety called Andean Lupins which have been used by the people from the Andes for centuries. Traditionally they are pounded to gruel to feed to babies, and are also ground to flour from which noodles and breads are made. They are an extremely nutritious bean, containing fifty per cent protein, and rich in essential amino acids, and a good source of calcium and iron. These are all good reasons to enjoy them according to Elda, though she prepares them mainly as a snack food. After harvesting, the beans are removed from the shell and doused in water for two days. They are then simmered in fresh water for twenty minutes and drained. The lupins are then kept in water which is changed daily, and tasted every few days for texture. Slightly crunchy is perfect, and when she reckons they are ready, Elda places them in jars of salted water, ready for an occasion to enjoy them, which is whenever anyone comes to enjoy a beer and a chat. As an afterthought I am told to remember only to use the blue flowers, the white being suitable only for animal feed.

Grapes are another crop grown by Elda and she makes a delicious biscuity concoction called Cajonetti Diove. She traces this back to her Italian influence as she remembers her mother talking about these being made for special occasions. The biscuit pastry made with white wine is tissue thin and crisp, and encases a grape jam that includes lemon, cinnamon and walnuts. These are her family's favorite, and no matter how many she makes, there is never one left over, although she recently kept aside in a sealed tin enough for us all to enjoy.

Elda's Brazilian childhood is echoed in a cuisine that is built around beans of many varieties. The national dish is the bean feast called Feijoada completa. It is the culmination of the various strands of Brazilian culture having its origins in Africa. Slave ships brought the basic bean stew to South America and the Portuguese colonist's added sausage. The Indians added the toasted manioc flour, called farifa, and further variations developed, reflecting regional specialties and the local produce.

Food and its preparation has always been part of Elda's life. Various appliances and gadgets are at close hand for the making of her special dishes, but none is more precious than the utensil made for her by her father over fifty years ago. Two long beaten iron prongs, each attached to a small disc, are joined by a rusty hinge – rather like a jaffle iron, but flattened. She calls it a cangele, meaning 'gate' She feels her father is with her in spirit whenever she creates the mini sweet pastry 'sandwiches' filled with vanilla custard. A spoonful of batter made with flour, sugar and egg is dropped onto one of the discs which has been heated over a gas flame. The'gates' are closed and then held over heat until the pastry cooks to a golden casing, which is then filled and sprinkled with sugar.

This simple utensil could so easily be mistaken for junk. To anyone else it looks like something of no value and it certainly bears no resemblance to a modern appliance. However, it evokes the slow and inclusive nature of much traditional cooking. Food, its preparation, the methods and rituals of cooking, and enjoying the results around the table are central to the cultural life of so many of the women. It becomes increasingly evident that for all of the wonders of convenient, fast food, much of the pleasure in creating and sharing has been lost along the way.

The tomato sauce she cooks is simple - just onions, garlic, green capsicum and tomatoes, but the taste is memorable. The key is fresh ingredients and very slow cooking for 40 minutes or so, reducing and then adding a little water, further intensifying the essence of the sauce. Having the time to spend over just a sauce is not possible for most of us today, and it's only when we experience food cooked in a truly traditional ways that we realise the compromises we so often have to make around the modern table.

## Feijoada

This nourishing bean-feast is flexible in the extreme regarding the ingredients added to the basic recipe. Eaten everywhere in Brazil at all times of the day, it is an iconic dish guaranteed to make any Brazilian home sick.

INGREDIENTS

  * 4 cups dried brown beans

  * 2 tablespoons oil

  * 2 onions, chopped finely

  * 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

  * 1 green capsicum diced

  * 4 tomatoes diced

  * 1 cup parsley, chopped finely

  * 3 slices bacon chopped into medium pieces

  * 500 g chicken (thighs are best) cut into pieces

  * 500g beef, cut into cubes

  * 4 Italian style sausages cut into pieces

  * 1 bacon bone or ham bones

  * 2 bay leaves

  * 8 cups of water

  * 500g pumpkin diced

  * 500g green beans cut into pieces

  * ¼ cup cabbage finely shredded

  * 2 potatoes diced

  * 2 green bananas or plantains cut into pieces

  * Pepper and salt to taste

METHOD

  * Soak the beans in plenty of water for several hours, or overnight if possible.

  * Heat the oil in a very large pot and fry the onion and garlic until aromatic.

  * Add the bacon and continue to fry for a few minutes, and then add the capsicum, tomatoes, parsley, meats, bacon bone, bay leaf and water.

  * Drain the beans and add to the pot.

  * Cover and simmer for several hours, stirring occasionally to keep things moving.

  * Remove the bone from the pot, and add the rest of the ingredients, and cook for a further 20 minutes or so, or until the vegetables are soft.

## Chicken Cotoletta

This is a favourite of one of Elda's sons, and she often makes a green bean dish to accompany it, by combining cooked stringless beans, chopped tomatoes, finely chopped garlic, torn basil leaves, and drizzling with olive oil. The chicken is better if prepared an hour or so before cooking and refrigerated.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 chicken breasts, skin removed

  * ½ cup plain flour

  * 2 eggs beaten

  * 1 cup breadcrumbs

  * 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  * ½ Tablespoon parmesan or romano cheese grated finely

  * 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

  * ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped

  * Pepper and salt to taste

  * ½ cup oil

METHOD

  * Cut the chicken into pieces, and flatten with a mallet into thin steaks.

  * In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, oregano, cheese, garlic, parsley and seasonings.

  * Place the flour on a plate, and the beaten eggs in a dish.

  * Dip the chicken pieces into the flour, then the beaten eggs, and then the breadcrumb mixture.

  * Heat the oil and cook the chicken until golden brown, for a few minutes on each side.

Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

## Formaggio A'ova

Given the simplicity of the ingredients of this dish, the lushness of the result is a surprise. Elda's mother made this regularly for her family. It was always anticipated with enthusiasm and devoured with gusto by her seven children!

INGREDIENTS

  * 4 cups breadcrumbs made with stale white bread

  * 1 ½ cups Romano cheese finely grated

  * 2 eggs well beaten

  * Salt and Pepper to taste

  * Elda's tomato sauce

METHOD

  * In a bowl combine the breadcrumbs and cheese and seasoning.

  * Add the beaten eggs and stir until combined.

  * Form the mixture into small egg shapes

  * Make the tomato sauce according to the recipe, adding 2 cups of water.

  * Place the 'eggs' into the sauce and cook for 20 minutes.

Additional Romano cheese can be scattered over the dish when completed.

## Chicory or Lettuce Soup

Elda substituted lettuce for chicory when preparing this soup and it was delectable. Lettuce is always the standby when chicory is unavailable, and it is added to the pot just minutes before serving. The savoury depth of flavour is achieved through the long, slow cooking of the stock containing the mini-meat balls which are studded with cheese. During the cooking the cheese leaches into the stock and adds dimension to a luscious result.

INGREDIENTS

  * 500g beef mince

  * ½ cup cheddar cheese finely grated

  * 2 tablespoon Parmesan or Romano Cheese finely grated

  * 1 cup fresh herbs of choice, finely chopped (Elda used basil and parsley)

  * 3 eggs, 2 beaten together and 1 separately

  * 3 tablespoons oil

  * 6 cups chicken stock (or substitute water and 3 chicken stock cubes)

  * Pepper and salt to taste

  * 1 ice-berg lettuce or 1 bunch chicory

METHOD

  * Combine the mince, cheese, herbs, 1 beaten egg and the seasonings.

  * Form the mixture into balls as small as manageable – marble size is perfect.

  * Heat the oil in a pan and brown the balls for 10 minutes or so.

  * Heat the stock in a large saucepan, and when the balls are browned, drop them into the stock.

  * Simmer for 1 hour or so with the lid off the pot. As the liquid reduces, add a cup or more of water to replenish.

  * At the end of the cooking time, add the lettuce, cook for only 2 or 3 minutes.

  * Beat the 2 remaining eggs well, and while stirring constantly, add to the soup.

  * Continue cooking for a further minute or so and serve with crusty bread.

* If using chicory, wash it well, and boil the chicory in water for 20 minutes in order to reduce the bitterness. Drain and keep aside, and when the meat balls are cooked after an hour add the chicory and cook for a further 20 minutes, before adding the eggs at the end.

## Pasta with Chicken

Elda uses a much-loved pasta machine bought in 1963 which has been in faithful service ever since. She recalls her mother making pasta using a long rolling pin and laboriously working the pasta for hours to achieve the thin elastic texture necessary for making this ravioli-style dish she makes regularly by request.

INGREDIENTS

  * Pasta

  * 2 cups plain flour

  * 2 eggs

  * Pinch salt

  * Water as needed

  * 1 tablespoon of oil

METHOD

  * Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and add the eggs.

  * With fingers mix the eggs through the flour, adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes away in a ball from the sides of the bowl.

  * Add the oil, and knead the dough for 5 – 10 minutes. Alternate kneading with flattening the dough on the sides of the bowl and gently 'punching' it. When the dough is pliable and workable, divide it into 4 balls.

  * Flatten the balls to enable the dough to be passed through a widest setting on a pasta machine.

  * Run the dough through the machine, and then fold it over, and repeat.

  * Set the rollers to the thinnest width, and roll out dough.

  * Drape the rolled dough over a clean tea towel on the back of a chair while the process is repeated with the rest of the pasta.

  * Cut the strips into approximately 5cm wide ribbons of pasta.

  * Cut the 'ribbons' at 5cm to create a square suitable for the filling.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN FILLING

  * 400 g skinless chicken breast

  * 3 cloves garlic

  * 1 cup mixed fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, coriander.

  * ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

  * 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

  * 1 tablespoon beaten egg

  * Pepper and salt to taste

  * 3 tablespoon oil

METHOD

  * Heat oil in pan and briefly fry the chicken breasts for about 4 minutes.

  * Remove from pan and combine with all other ingredients in a food processor.

  * Process until the mixture is well blended.

To assemble the dish

  * Place a teaspoon of chicken mixture into the centre of the pasta square, and using fingertips dipped into water, seal the pasta closed into a half moon shape.

  * In a large saucepan, bring 2 litres of water to the boil. When the water is vigorously boiling, drop into it the pasta parcels, about 10 at a time.

  * Cook for about 5 minutes, maintaining the boil. The pasta will bob up to the surface as they are cooked.

  * Remove from the water, draining well, and serve on a platter. Spoon over tomato sauce and finish off with grated cheese.

## Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS

  * 4 tomatoes, peeled and diced (canned tomatoes work well)

  * 1 tablespoon oil

  * 1 onion, chopped finely

  * 2 cloves garlic, crushed

  * 1 green capsicum, chopped finely

METHOD

  * Heat oil in pan and add the onions and cook for several minutes.

  * Add the chopped garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring to prevent the garlic from browning too quickly.

  * Add the chopped capsicum and continue cooking for 10 minutes over a low heat.

  * Add the chopped tomatoes, which have been peeled by placing in a bowl of very hot water for 5 minutes until skin blisters.

  * Continue cooking over a very low heat for 30 minutes at least, adding a little water as the sauce reduces.

When sauce is of required consistency remove from heat and add pepper and salt to taste.

##  Crostelli

The Silk Road across the Middle East and Central Asia has resulted in a sort of cross-cultural influence in many recipes. Najiba in her village in Herat in Afghanistan makes 'Elephant Ears' biscuits, which Elda recognizes as being very similar to her Crostelli. But she adds vermouth, a very European touch, and aniseed, which also changes the result.

Aniseed is a common ingredient in Elda's cooking repertoire, for example she sprinkles it over fish towards the end of the frying process to enrich and enhance the flavor, or added to fish soup. She often makes a tea with aniseed, which she says is a perfect solution for an upset stomach. Used in her pastries, it tickles the palate with its subtle nuance.

INGREDIENTS

  * 2 cups plain flour

  * ½ cup self raising flour

  * 1 egg

  * ½ cup white vermouth

  * ½ cup finely grated lemon rind

  * 1 teaspoon aniseed

  * Oil for frying

METHOD

  * Sift the flour into a bowl.

  * Beat the egg and add to the flour except the oil.

  * Mix until well combined, and then knead for 5 minutes.

  * Roll out the dough as thinly as possible, or use a pasta machine to achieve a perfect result.

  * Using a fluted cutter, cut into strips around 4 cm wide and 10 cm long, and twist.

  * Heat the oil, carefully place the pastries into the pan, and cook until they start to turn golden, turning as required.

  * Remove and place on kitchen paper to drain.

  * Dust with icing sugar to serve.

They will last for up to a week in an airtight container.

******

You have now reached the end of this book. We thank you for taking the time to read and hope that you have enjoyed many feasts with your friends from following these recipes.
