I had the immense pleasure to do my anthropological doctoral research in West Sumatra where I lived in a small (but important) farming community for several years. Typically rendang is made with water buffalo meat, but beef is also widely used. Some non-Minankabau cooks have made it with chicken, although we never encountered this variation in Sumatra. The cooking process turns the white coconut cream into an oily, but relatively dry dish. Cooking the dish for a much shorter period of time creates another fine, but more liquid dish known as kalio, which has a distinctly different (and milder) taste. In West Sumatra, rendang is more commonly cooked without beans, but some cooks there do add small white beans, and we think it's a nice touch. Many recipes call for the use of rehydrated red chilies to add spiciness, but it is more authentic and easier to use sambal olek, which now can be found in most grocery stores here in San Diego. Most rendang is very mild; other versions are spicier but chilies should not be the primary taste you experience. We like it spicier than what is typical, but overdoing the "sambal" will mask the other great flavors.

About the ingredients:

The Minangkabau are devout Muslims but also hold the distinction of being the largest matrilineal society in the world. In matrilineal cultures, family groups (lineages) are comprised of men and women who are exclusively related to each other through females. Matrilineal is not to be confused with matriarchy (rule by women), but Minangkabau women have great informal power in Minangkabau culture. Many important decisions require consensus from all adult members of the lineages. While formal positions of power are overwhelmingly male, such leaders cannot make decisions without full consent from the senior women of the matrilineal. Even though the Minangkabau language does not mark gender (which is true of several languages), gender role differentiation exists. What is different in Minangkabau society is the high value placed on women's roles; they are generally not seen as subservient to male roles or prerogatives. The fact that the Minangkabau are devoutly Muslim and have a matrilineal family system that contributes to female autonomy and power is more of a mystery to outsiders than it is to the Minangkabau themselves. Rendang plays an important role in ceremonial foods and can be bought at nearly all Nasi Padang restaurants. Water buffalo (kabau) and beef (sapi) are relatively expensive in West Sumatra, so it is considered a special food that is not generally eaten as everyday food.

Ingredients:

Main Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs (cut into cubes)
• 1/2 cup of white beans
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 cups coconut cream
• 1 stalk of lemongrass, either pounded or deeply scored with a knife
• 2 tablespoons of tamarind sauce
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

• 5 shallots
• 1 inch piece of galangal
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 2 - 5 Tablespoons of Sambal Olek

Preparation:

1. Soak the dried white beans in water over night.
2. Chop the spices and blend them in a food processor until smooth.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a large wok, add the spice paste and fry until aromatic.
4. Add Coconut cream, beef, lemongrass, tamarind sauce, and kaffir lime leaves and bring to boil.
5. Turn heat down to a simmer.
6. Simmer the rendang stirring frequently for 3/4 hour.
7. Test the sauce for sweetness and saltiness but remember that by the time the dish finishes cooking the flavors will intensify (so don't overdo the sugar or salt).
8. Add the hydrated white beans and continue to cook and stir until the Rendang becomes dark brown and oily.

Serving:

Serve with white Jasmine rice. The rice must be somewhat sticky. The traditional way to eat rendang is with your fingers. Serve the rendang and rice side by side on a plate. For each individual bite, mix some rice with some of the rendang with your fingers and then bring your fingers to your mouth. It takes a tiny bit of practice, the mouthful of rice and rendang is held with the ends of your index, middle, ring fingers and your thumb. After bringing the food to you mouth, use your thumb to push the food into your mouth. It takes a bit of practice but once you figure it out your enjoyment of rendang will be heightened considerably. Green beans, or Chinese long green beans (which is what they have in Sumatra) go well with rendang. Like many dishes, rendang tastes even better a day later and keeps very well. It is one of the dishes that Minangkabau take along when they are traveling as it keeps well even without refrigeration.

Recipe by T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photos by S. Johnston-O'Neill

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Escabeche with Cauliflower and Hearty Bread

In Spanish, Escabeche refers to an acid (and oil) marinade. Protein, either in fish, meat or eggs, can be "cooked" by prolonged contact with acids such as vinegar, lime or lemon juice. The technique involved in preparing this dish has a remarkable history that dates back to the oldest cookbook ever found—a set of clay tablets from Babylon dating to 1700 BC. The recent book by Stanford Linguist, Dan Jurafsky, The Language of Food: A Linguist Reads the Menu, lays out this history in lovely detail.

Originally a method applied to beef or lamb, the original form of the dish grew to become the signature dish of the Persian Empire of Koshrau Anushirvan, who ruled the Sasanian empire from 531 to 579 AD. Known as sikbäj. Jurafsky notes, "Sikbäj must have been amazingly delicious because it was the favorite of kings and concubines for at least 300 years…" Eventually it became a method for preparing fish, and the 13th century Egyptian cookbook "The Treasury of Useful Advice for the Composition of a Varied Table" contains a recipe for fish dredged in flour, fried and then infused with marinade of of vinegar, honey and spices.

Given sikbäj's resistance to spoilage (among other things, vinegar kills many microbes), it became a favorite of sailors who set out on long voyages. Acidic marinades also denature proteins, changing them to look like and have the texture of having been cooked. This effect is more pronounced with fish and eggs, but somewhat less so with meat. When applied to meat, it does soften the proteins somewhat allowing for a greater penetration of flavorings.ates back to the oldest cookbook ever found

>A curious thing happened, however, when the recipe landed on the shores of Christian communities in what is now Italy and France. Unlike Muslim areas such as Spain and the Middle East; fish, not meat, became the basis for the dish. Jurafsky suggests that in Medieval Christian Europe perhaps as many as one third of all days were fasting (actually abstinence) days that proscribed the consumption of meat, but not fish.

The history of the ancient technique extends all the way to modern day English "fish and chips." The process of battering, frying and preserving fish is presented in a 1796 British cookbook under the heading of "The Jew's Ways of Preserving Salmon and Other Fish." The description ends with "they will keep good a twelvemonth, and are to be eat cold with oil and vinegar: they will go to the East Indies."

>At least until 1846 when the first Jewish cookbook was published in English, a distinction was made between English fried fish that was served warm and Jewish fried fish that was eaten cold. Around that same time in England, deep fried potatoes were paired with battered and fried fish, and the English fish and chips was born. The first literary mention of "chips" is to be found in Dickens' Tale of Two Cities, published in 1859. While "fish and chips" is considered to be a solidly English custom, records indicate that the first fish and chips shop was opened by the Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant, Joseph Malin, in the early 1860's. While sikbäj was most closely associated with the cuisine of kings, fish and chips first gained popularity in the English working class. In the 19th century, seasoning Jewish fried fish with vinegar was prevalent; and today malt vinegar is considered by many Brits an absolute must. The concept behind the dish also traveled eastward. When Jesuit priests visited Japan in the mid to late 1500's, records indicate that they introduced the technique that evolved into the modern day tempura.

Jurofsky ends his chapter on this culinary cultural history with the following observation:

This family of dishes that are claimed by many nations as cultural treasures (ceviche in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, fish and chips in Britain, tempura in Japan, escabeche in Spain, aspic in France) were prefigured by the ancient Ishtar worshippers of Babylon, invented by the Zoroastrian Persians, perfected by the Muslim Arabs, adapted by the Christians, fused with Moche dishes by the Peruvians and brought to Asia by the Portuguese and to England by the Jews.

Escabeche is now found throughout the Spanish-speaking world in one form or another. Many different kinds of fish can be used in escobeche, depending on what is available locally. So in Cuba, the firm white flesh of sawfish (sierra) is popular while in Spain, oily fish like sardines (sardinas) or mackerel (caballa) are more common. Some versions don't use a marinade per se but instead use a cooked acidic sauce (such as a sofrito) poured over the cooked fish. As the vinegar or citrus juice cuts through the oiliness of some fish, escabeche can even be enjoyed by people who generally don't care for such fish. Although the fish is fried or grilled, escabeche is normally served at room temperature or chilled. While most contemporary versions of escabeche are savory and acidic, in the Philippines, the standard recipe calls for the addition of sugar, creating a dish also known as "Sweet and Sour Fish." While this might be a recent innovation, it should be recalled that the 13th century Egyptian recipe mentioned above was also sweetened with honey. The Mexican or Peruvian ceviche is rooted in the same history, but forgoes any frying or grilling allowing the acidic marinade to "cook" the seafood.

It should be noted that many recipes for escabeche reverse the order of cooking and marinating so that the fish is first marinated and then cooked. In deference to the illustrious history of this dish, our recipe calls for breading and frying the fish first and then marinating it for many hours or even days. No two escabeche recipes are the same, so feel free to experiment to your hearts content!

Ingredients:

1. Slice the peppers, removing the seeds and inner membranes.
2. Slice the shallots and garlic thinly.
3. Juice enough limes to make 1/2 cup.
4. Mix flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
5. Dredge fish fillets in flour.
6. Fry fish (a batch at a time) in the light olive oil for about 3 to 5 minutes on medium high until lightly browned. (Cooking time depends on thickness of and type of fish, but don't overcook!)
7. Transfer fried fish to glass storage bowl that can be tightly covered.
8. In the remaining oil in the frying pan, saute shallots, Jalapeños, peppers and garlic for 2 minutes on medium heat.
9. Remove pan from heat.
10. Mix in the remaining ingredients (virgin olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, capers, some more salt and pepper) in the pan with the cooked peppers, onion and garlic.
11. Cover the cooked fish with the sauce from the pan (moving the fillets around or layering them with the marinade to get full coverage).
12. Cover and refrigerate the escabeche anywhere from several hours to several days (the more the merrier!).
13. Serve cold, garnish with fresh cilantro and a hearty bread (good for sopping up extra sauce!).

Buen provecho!

Recipe by T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photo by Shari Johnston-O'Neill

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Iranian Pomegranate Soup, in Farsi (Ash Anar), is a very hearty soup suitable for a cold winter's evening meal. It has a delightful mixture of tastes that remain very distinct when eaten. Different parts of your mouth might experience very different tastes; sweet, sour and savory. This makes for an unusual, but very pleasant experience. Traditionally lamb is used for the meatballs, but beef can be substituted. Vegetarians can substitute red beets for the meat.

In most of the world, pomegranates are eaten as fruits or juiced. Pomegranates originally came from what is now Armenia and Iran. They were an extremely popular trade item on the Silk Road and were brought to the Americas with the first Europeans. In the Middle-East, pomegranate juice and pomegranate molasses are used in soups and rice dishes. One example of this use is Khoresht Fesenjan stew which is an essential part of most Iranian weddings. The stew consists mainly of ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses (or syrup), saffron, and cinnamon. Fesenjan has a rather ancient heritage. Ash Anar, the recipe for this month, is a bit more savory and contains spiced meatballs and soup greens. Pomegranate molasses can be purchased at the Balboa International Market or any other Middle-Eastern grocery. One can also purchase dried mint there.

Soups (ash) are very popular in Iran, so much so that cooks are known as ashpaz (lit. "maker of soups"). The recipe also calls for pomegranate seeds for a garnish. The trick to removing the seeds from the pomegranate fruit is to score the outer skin several times and then break open the pomegranate in a large bowl of water and nudge the seeds out with your fingers. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the inedible white fiber will float to the top. Another method is to cut the pomegranate in half (perpendicular to the stem), place the half cut side down on the palm of your hand, whack the top with a heavy spoon, and nearly all the seeds will be dislodged into your hand. Please note that this recipe calls for browned onions (really caramelized), part of which go into the soup and part which goes into the meatballs. We use brown lentils (because we had them), but other kinds of lentils can be used if you adjust the cooking times so that the total simmering matches what is required for the lentil being used (as this varies considerably). Basmati rice is used, but other kinds can be substituted.

Ingredients:

Soup Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large or 2 medium sized onions, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped or pressed
• 1 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 cup of chopped parsley
• 1 cup of chopped spinach
• 2 sticks of cinnamon (or 1/2 teaspoon of powder)
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup of brown lentils
• 3/4 cup of Basmati rice
• 1/2 cup of pomegranate molasses
• 1 pomegranate
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 teaspoons of black pepper

Meatball Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground meat (beef or lamb)
• 2 teaspoons of tarragon
• 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 2 whole eggs beaten
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley

Mint Sauce Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cupped dried crushed mint

Preparation:

1. In a large pot (see picture) on medium heat, brown onions in the olive oil stirring constantly. Please note that this might take at least 10 minutes; the goal is not to burn the onions and to let them caramelize a bit.
2. When the onions are close to brown, remove 3 tablespoons of the onions and put them in the bowl you will use to make the meatballs.
3. Add garlic to pot and cook an additional minute or until garlic is very slightly brown, stirring constantly (garlic burns quickly).
4. Clean and rinse lentils.
5. Add lentils and cinnamon, turmeric, salt and pepper.
6. Turn up heat and bring to a boil.
7. Turn down heat and simmer soup for 30 minutes.
8. Mix all the meatball ingredients and shape into walnut sized balls.
9. After the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, gently stir in the pomegranate molasses, rice, meatballs, cilantro, parsley and spinach.
10. Turn up heat until the soup boils and then lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes more.
11. Prepare mint sauce by mixing the dried mint and oil and heating in a small pot.
12. When soup is done, serve in individual bowls, drizzle a tablespoon of the mint sauce on top, and festoon with 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds.
13. Serve with pita or other middle-eastern flat bread.

بفرماييد (befarma'id)!

Recipe by Thomas Johnston-O'Neill
Photo by Shari Johnston-O'Neill

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Swedish Meatballs (Svenska Köttbullar are a perfect dish to enjoy during the cold and rain-drenched days of normally sunny San Diego. The meatballs should be light and slightly springy in texture.

The tradition of eating meatballs in Sweden can be traced to the 1700's. Recipes for "Köttbullar" can be found in cook books from 1800's, and each family develops their own variations on the dish.
The Swedes are worldwide known for their meatballs but can't take credit for the invention. It is believed that King Karl XII, who reigned during the late 1700's‚ brought the dish back from one of his journeys in Turkey. The Turkish meatballs can be found in many different variations, but it may be that the original meatballs came from Persia.

Almost everyone that has visited IKEA has at least once tried the meatballs with potato‚ brown sauce and lingonberry jam, judging from the fact that they are the number one food that is bought at IKEA. Now they even sell vegan meatballs. However, if you make them yourself, you will find that they will taste even better!

Ingredients:

• 4 slices fresh white bread
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion finely chopped onion
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Several parsley sprigs chopped (for garnish)

Preparation:

1. Sauté onions in butter until they turn translucent.
2. Break up the bread into small piece and add to mixing bowl with milk and eggs.
3. Add ground pork, ground beef, onions, pepper, allspice, nutmeg and salt to the mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (if using a Kitchen-Aid type mixer it will be a lot easier).
4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
5. Using a kitchen scale, make meatballs by rolling in your palms one ounce of the mixture, arranging the meatballs on a cooking sheet
6. Cook for 25 minutes
7. Turn oven down to 200 degrees.
8. Heat olive oil in large skillet to medium high.
9. Working in batches, brown the meatballs slightly.
10. Return the meatballs to the oven to keep them warm.
11. Turn skillet down to medium.
12. Add flour to pan and mixing it well with the leftover pan drippings.
13. brown the roux (flour and drippings)until it turns a light brown.
14. A little at a time, whisk in the beef broth breaking up any clumps.
15. While whisking, gently bring to a boil.
16. Whisk in the heavy cream.
17. Stirring frequently, cook the gravy for about 5 more minutes.
18. Put the meatballs in a serving bowl and cover with gravy.
19. Serve with a small dish of Lingonberry jam. (Available at IKEA!)

Additional notes: These are great for parties, as the meatballs are easy to pick up with toothpicks. Swedish meatballs are often served with boiled or mashed potatoes. Our favorite way to serve them, however, is over German egg noodles with a green vegetable or salad.

Intro by Josefin Hultén
Recipe by T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photo by Shari Johnston-O'Neill

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