Tuesday, January 28, 2014
INDIA-Bhārata kē li'ē mērē sātha ā'ō!(Come with me to India!!!)
Although I cannot say exactly when my love for India began, I can say there will always be a special place in my heart for it. My friend since age 14, Shamim, was my first exposure to Indian culture. She was a first generation Indian, her parents immigrants from the Western State of Gujarat. I have very fond memories of spending evenings with Shamim and her sister Shirin playing trivial pursuit in their home while their sweet mother served us her famous Shami Kebabs and Biryani. I was instantly hooked! Once I tried the lovely fragrant food of India, almost everything else tasted bland. I had never been exposed to such unique flavors. Later as a software engineer at Verizon, I had the opportunity to work with many native Indians from all over the country. I was amazed at how much variety existed in Indian cuisine depending on the region.
For example, the northern states of India who were heavily influenced by the Moguls use meat far more than the majority vegetarian dishes of the south. They also use breads such as Naan, Chapatis, and Parathas in the North, while the south utilizes rice as their staple. The western state of Gujarat is known for its vegetarian daals(lentils), while the eastern state of Bengal's cuisine is famous for its fish, rice dishes as well as their sweets! I was so fortunate to learn first hand from my colleagues how to prepare authentic Indian Food. I will never forget what my dear friend Amit taught me about the "Holy Trinity" of Indian Food. Pyaj, Adarak, and Hari Mirch-Onion, Ginger, and Green Chiles. However, he said the most important ingredient when cooking Indian food is love. So true!
Today, India is the largest democracy with a population of over 1.2 Billion people. So where did all of these people come from? The first major immigration to India was by the Aryans, tall fair people who came from the Caspian Sea around 1500 B.C. They came through the Himalayas in seek of better pastures for their cattle. After many years, they became integrated with the Dravidians from the South, known for their smaller stature and darker features. Thus began the Indian people as we know it.
India has been influenced by many outside cultures as well. The Macedonian Conqueror and Explorer Alexander the Great arrived around 325 B.C. Hinduism was widely practiced in the land and later came Buddhism. In the first century St. Thomas himself brought Christianity as a missionary. In the 5th century, the Huns invaded, and in the 12th, the Mogul Emperors. In the 18th Century, the British arrived and became Colonial rulers. They raped, robbed, and pillaged their way through India for two hundred years. Currently 80% of India's population are Hindu, 14% Muslim, 2% Christian, 2% Sikh, 1% Buddhist, and 0.4% Jain.
1947 signaled the end of British rule when British India was divided into two states, India and Pakistan. The Punjab and Bengal were split between the two countries. This meant that millions of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs who had shared neighborhoods for generations, suddenly found themselves on the wrong side of the newly created borders.
As many celebrated independence, over 14 million people attempted to cross hastily drawn borders in what became the largest migration in history. Hindus and Sikhs fled to India, and Muslims to Pakistan. The Grand Trunk Road and the railway built alongside it, became the major routes along which millions of refugees travelled. They were also the scenes of some of the worst violence - in the Punjab alone, hundreds of thousands of people were murdered. Vast refugee camps sprung up along the road as people gathered together for protection, or found themselves homeless in a new country. Relations between India and Pakistan have remained tense ever since.
The Flag of India has three colors-Saffron, White, and Green. The saffron color represents courage and sacrifice; white – truth, peace and purity; green – prosperity; and the Ashok Chakra in the center of the flag represents the Laws of Dharma, righteousness.
There are so many festivals celebrated in India. From the Hindu Spring festival Holi-the festival of colors which celebrates good over evil, to the Muslim festival of Eid ul Fitr celebratory day that generates the deep devotion and surrender to Allah during Ramadan. It refers to the breaking of the month-long routine of fasting from sunrise to sunset. 'Eid' itself implies a 'festive' occasion that spreads joy and happiness all around.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Hungary-Dinner is Ready! Plus a Beautiful Hungarian Folk Dance
Our Hungarian Paprika Gravy, Pancakes Bokolgny Style, and Savory filling are ready! I have never attempted Eastern European Cooking of any kind. Purchasing the Hungarian ingredients was a completely new experience for me. The simmering Paprika Gravy filled the house with a sweet bouquet and the Veal & Chicken filling was a perfect savory accompaniment. I must say making the pancakes from scratch was a bit daunting at first. I am not so much a baker, more of a cook. They turned out pretty well though! Clean plates all around, so I say this was another successful meal!
Recipes:
Recipes:
Friday, January 24, 2014
HUNGARY-The Magyars
Prior to this week, my knowledge of Hungary was very limited. I knew the best paprika in the world came from Szeged Hungary, and that many Hungarians made vast contributions in the field of science. I also recall as a young girl studying dance in Maryland, members of our dance company had the opportunity to travel to Budapest. I remember their stories of how beautiful the city was with its great architecture, famed opera house, Danube river, and cultural museums.
What I did not know was that the people of Hungary are actually Magyars and are more closely related to the Finns and the Estonians than they are to any other ethnic group of Eastern Europe who are Slavic. When Rome fell during the fourth century, the Magyars were one of many groups who came to the region on the west banks of the Danube river from the western part of the Soviet Union. They intermingled with the Turks for over a thousand years and acquired many of their customs. They were known as great horseman. There are stories written of Hungarian children training to ride as soon as they are able to walk! They were also known as great javelin throwers and archers. The word Hungarian is actually derived from the Turkic words On-Ogurs which translates to "The People of 10 arrows."
Approximately 2 million Americans claim Hungarian ancestry. Many Hungarian-Americans are known for their contributions in the fields of atomic science, computers, mathematics, arts, philanthropy, and the film industry. Joseph Pulitzer was a great newspaper magnet who started the Pulitzer prize. He is also noted for first putting comics in the newspapers. We would not have the atom bomb if it not for Leo Szilard and Eugne Wigner, key members of the US team who developed the atom bomb. Edward Teller was the father of the hydrogen bomb, all Hungarian.
Another scientist with Hungarian roots was Theodor von Karman, known as the father of supersonic flight. Zolten Bay developed the radio telescope, and Dennis Gabor the holograph. Color television and long playing records were the inventions of Peter Goldmark. All of these scientists were born near the turn of the century in Budapest and they were all graduates of the rigorous Hungarian secondary school system.
Another scientist with Hungarian roots was Theodor von Karman, known as the father of supersonic flight. Zolten Bay developed the radio telescope, and Dennis Gabor the holograph. Color television and long playing records were the inventions of Peter Goldmark. All of these scientists were born near the turn of the century in Budapest and they were all graduates of the rigorous Hungarian secondary school system.
Two Hungarian-Americans left a major footprint on Hollywood-Adoph Zukor and William Fox. They were two of Hollywood's first film moguls. Other famous Hungarians are Tony Curtis, Bela Lugosi, Harry Houdini, and the Gabor sisters. Some of the greatest conductors of the world have Hungarian blood as well. George Szell, Eugene Ormandy, Antal Dorati, George Solti, and Fritz Reiner are among the most well known.
Hungary also has a very popular spa culture that has been present for over 2,000 years. Budapest is often called "The city of Baths". The Romans first introduced the spa during their reign and remains of their complexes are still seen in present day Hungary. This was revived after the Turkish invasion as well.
Budapest
has the richest supply of thermal water among the capitals of the world. Because of Hungary's geographical location, thermal water can be found with good
quality and in great quantities on over 80% of the country. There
are currently approximately 450 public baths in Hungary.
Tomorrow we will cook a traditional Hungarian Appetizer called Pancakes Bokolgny Style topped with rich Paprika Gravy. This dish consists of a crepe like pancake filled with a very savory combination of veal and chicken, covered in rich Paprika gravy and sour cream. Perfect for the cold weather we are experiencing even here in Texas!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Hawaii Dinner is Ready! Plus Fun Facts
Our Hawaiian dinner is ready! We made Ahi Tuna Poke with Fresh Ginger, Scallions, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, Cilantro, Sesame Seeds, and Macadamia Nuts. We served it with homemade Nori Chips(Baked Seaweed Sheets), Jasmine Rice, and finished with our Lomi Lomi Salmon. We prepared it with fresh tomatoes, white onions, and scallions. It was delicious! The flavors were so clean and fresh. I have never had Ahi Tuna prepared this way. The sweetness of the tuna with the spicy of the ginger and crunch of the macadamia nut was divine. The girls loved the Lomi Lomi Salmon. After baking our seaweed sheets we broke off pieces of the Nori and made chips topped with jasmine rice and Lomi Lomi salmon. It was so much fun discovering their love of new food! We liked two different recipes for the Ahi Tuna Poke, so we used a bit from both. Here are the recipes we used tonight.
Here are some fun facts we learned this week about Hawaii:
Hawaii is the only U.S.
state that grows coffee. Coffee plantations in Hawaii make up 6,200 acres. In
2003, 8.5 million pounds of coffee were produced.
Sugar is mainly produced on
Maui and Kauai, on altogether 70,000 acres. In 2002, 340,000 tons of raw sugar
were produced. One ton of water is needed to make a pound of sugar.
Hawaii produces about
320,000 tons of pineapple each year.
Hiram Fong of Hawaii was
the first Asian-American in the Unites States Senate. Fong is a descendant from
Chinese immigrants and was elected to the Senate in 1959.
Hawaii has the highest
population density in the United States.
In the 2000 census, more
than 20 percent of Hawaii’s population claimed multi-ethnic backgrounds, far
more than any other U.S. state.
Hawaii is the only U.S.
state whose majority of people are non-white.
Hawaii has its own time
zone. It’s called Hawaiian Standard Time. There is no daylight savings time in
Hawaii, which means that in summer, Hawaii is two hours behind the U.S. West
Coast, while in winter, Hawaii is three hours behind the U.S. West Coast.
The Hawaiian alphabet
consists of only twelve letters. The five vowels are A,E, I, O,U. And the seven
consonants are H,K,L,M,N,P,W.
Among all U.S. states,
Hawaii has the highest percentage of women in the workforce, about 63 percent
as of 2003.
More birds have become
extinct in Hawaii than in any other part of the world. A total of 26 species
died out and 27 more are endangered by changes in their natural habitats,
forest destruction, mongooses and man.
The Hawaiian Islands
National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Kauai is the world’s largest bird
sanctuary. It is home to many seabirds.
Hawaii had the oldest
newspaper west of the Rocky Mountains – the Sandwich Island Gazette, 1836-1839.
Hawaii has the highest
number of married couples living with others, mainly because Hawaii has the
lowest percentage of home ownership.
Hawaii has the highest life
expectancy in the United States. Life expectancy for males is 75, for females
80 years.
Hawaii has the fewest
overweight people in the United States. About 19.7 percent of Hawaii residents
are overweight, compared to about 30 percent on the mainland.
Hawaii has a unique way of
giving directions. To point people in the right path, local residents use
“makai,” which means toward to sea and “mauka,” meaning toward the mountains.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
HAWAII- Mahalo from the Aloha State
Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, Hiking Diamond head, partaking in our first Luau, touring the Dole Pineapple plantation, watching Genevieve take surf lessons from a near centenarian native, soaking up the sun on the famous North Shore. It is a trip I will never forget. A year later, I returned to Hawaii. This time 10 days in Maui and Kauai. I must say I favored the untouched raw natural beauty of Kauai and Maui to the congested tourist filled Honolulu. My favorite memory was kayaking in Kauai through the most serene waters and ending up in a beautiful waterfall. Pure nirvana.
The term "Native Hawaiian" refers to the people that arrived in Hawaii over 1,500 years ago from Tahiti and Polynesia. With only the stars to guide them, they sailed over 2000 miles in canoes to migrate to the islands. In 1778 Captain James Cook, native of England, sailed into Hawaii and had disastrous results. Traders and missionaries swarmed onto the Islands attacking many of the local customs and completely transformed and commercialized the economy with little regard for the natives.
In the last century sugar and pineapple plantations fueled Hawaii's economy bringing an influx of immigrants from all over the world. Many coming from Japan, Korea, The Philippines, China, Portugal, and Puerto Rico.
Although Hawaii is filled with sandy
beaches, blue-sky waters, amazing volcanoes, and
glorious sunsets, the beautiful natural environment is not all there is to
enjoy in this earth-bound paradise. The culture and tradition of Hawaii are
actually even more interesting. The graceful Hawaiian dances,
the meaningful and religious songs, and the various interesting art forms seem
to be created with only one purpose, and that is to serve as instruments
through which the beauty and the mystery of the place is expressed. I remember going to my first Luau and seeing young native Hawaiian ladies performing a traditional Hawaiian Hula. I was captivated by the gracefulness, poise, and elegance of the dance.
According to some, the hula represents the
spirit of Hawaii through graceful
movements and captivating music. The hula is a local dance deeply rooted to the religion of the natives. Hawaiians actually believe that the first hula was performed by a god or goddess. Because of this, the dance is considered more as a sacred ritual than as a form of entertainment. But through time, the hula became a part of celebrations and not just a spiritual performance or a form of worship. 
The cuisine of Hawaii is just as beautiful as the land. It is all about making use of the
fresh local delicacies such as fresh fish and citrus. We will cook traditional Poke(Raw Tuna with ginger, red chilies, scallions, soy, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds) and Lomi Lomi Salmon(Smoked Salmon with scallions, Onions, and Tomatoes). |
Thursday, January 9, 2014
GREECE-Dinner is Ready!!!
Our Greek Dinner is Ready! I never attempted Greek cuisine prior to this evening. I must say, I am hooked! The Spanakorizo sounded quite simple and not too exciting at first, but the flavors all came together so beautifully. The fluffy rice accented with the spinach, lemon, and olive oil was really delicious. The star of the show was definitely the Garides Saganaki however. The shrimp cooked in white wine, tomatoes, red chilies, ouzo, and then baked with feta, finished with lemon and herbs was fantastic! I had a loaf of baguette on the side to mop up all the wonderful sauce! We will definitely cook this amazing meal once again! The best part was the entire meal was purchased for only $12 and all ingredients were readily available at our local grocery store. Imagine a delicious gourmet meal that serves four and only takes about 30 minutes to prepare that costs a tad more than a McDonald's Extra Value Meal. Pretty amazing. We bid adieu to Greece for now, I cannot wait to experience this lovely country in person.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
GREECE-Famous Greeks, Fun Facts, and Recipes
Plato
(c.429-327 BC) - Brilliant student of
Socrates and later carried on his work. He gathered Socrates' ideas and wrote
them down in a book. Plato founded the world's first university. He wrote down
his teachings and people all over the world, even today, study the Greek
philosophers
Aristotle
(382-322 BC) - Discovered many things in
science and biology. He wrote books about physics, poetry, zoology, biology,
politics, governments, and more.
Archimedes
Archimedes
Mathematician and an
engineer. He designed a machine, called the Archimedean screw, which could make
water flow uphill. His design has been used for almost 2,000 years, to take
water from rivers to the fields. Archimedes was able to tell fool's gold from
real gold.
Pythagoras
Mathematician. Founded the Pythagorean theorem on right-angled triangles.
Alexander the Great
He was called 'the Great' because he
conquered more lands than anyone before him and became the overall ruler of
Greece.
Maria Callas
Greek
American Opera Singer. Known for her impressive vocal range, bel canto
technique, and dramatic abilities. Most notable performances Tosca and Norma.
Thank you to my dear friend and proud Spartan Kyriakos Marudas for sharing this Cultural Tradition from Greece:
Greek families celebrate the New Year by baking a sweet bread called tsoureki. A coin is inserted into one of the pieces and it's said that whoever gets the slice with the coin will have good luck for the entire year.
Fun Facts
No one in Greece can choose to not
vote. Voting is required by law for every citizen who is 18 or older.
The world’s third leading producer of
olives, the Greeks has cultivated olive trees since ancient times. Some olive
trees planted in the thirteenth century are still producing olives.
According to Greek mythology, Athena
and Poseidon agreed that whoever gave the city the best gift would become
guardian over the city. Though Poseidon gave the gift of water, Athena’s gift
of an olive tree was deemed by the other gods to be more valuable.
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Greece has zero navigable rivers
because of the mountainous terrain. Nearly 80% of Greece is mountainous
Approximately 98% of the people in
Greece are ethnic Greeks. Turks form the largest minority group. Other
minorities are Albanians, Macedonians, Bulgarians, Armenians, and gypsies.
Thousands of English words come from
the Greek language, sometimes via the Roman adaptation into Latin and then to
English. Common English words from Greek include “academy,” “apology,”
“marathon,” “siren,” “alphabet,” and “typhoon.”
In the 1950s, only about 30% of Greek
adults could read and write. Now, the literacy rate is more than 95%.
An old Greek legend says that when
God created the world, he sifted all the soil onto the earth through a
strainer. After every country had good soil, he tossed the stones left in the
strainer over his shoulder and created Greece.
Greece has more than 2,000 islands,
of which approximately 170 are populated. Greece’s largest island is
Crete (3,189 sq. miles) (8,260 sq. km.).
Over 40% of the population lives in
the capital Athens. Since becoming the capital of modern Greece, its population
has risen from 10,000 in 1834 to 3.6 million in 2001.
Continuously inhabited for over 7,000
years, Athens is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is also the birthplace
of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, political science, Western
literature, historiography, major mathematical principles, and Western theories
of tragedy and comedy.
Some scholars say that the Greek
civilization has been around for so long that it has had a chance to try nearly
every form of government.
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Greece enjoys more than 250 days of
sunshine—or 3,000 sunny hours—a year.
Currently, Greek men must serve from
one year to 18 months in any branch of the armed forces. The government spends
6% of the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the military.
Ancient Greece was not a single
country like modern Greece. Rather, it was made up of about 1,500 different
city-states or poleis (singular, polis). Each had its own laws
and army, and they often quarreled. Athens was the largest city-state.
Until the late 1990s, the greatest
threat to Greece was Turkey, as the two nations have had historical disputes
over Cyprus and other territory for decades. After coming to each other’s aid
after a devastating earthquake that hit both countries in 1999, their
relationship has improved.
Sources:http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/People/Main_Page/,http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/greece/famous.htm
Recipes:http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Shrimp-with-Tomatoes-and-Feta-Garides-Saganaki,
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spinach-and-rice-spanakorizo/
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