A frigid, impossible land covered in sparkling snow surrounds you, your little sister, made more annoying by the fact that she wasn't lying after all, is lost to you up ahead, and an intoxicating chorus of sleigh bells jangling with anticipation swiftly approaches, what other choice is there than to climb into the waiting, fur draped arms of an elegant lady cooing promises of castles and kingship and confections? Oh, poor Edmund, little did you know you'd get there eventually anyway (the castle and kingship and all, just in a different, better way). Edmund wasn't messing around when he asked the White Witch for Turkish delight. There was a time in Britain when this delectable treat was primarily enjoyed by the upper class (being a Mediterranean import), and I wonder if that wasn't the reason C. S. Lewis included it in this scene as something a greedy little boy, with delusions of grandeur, would demand and then devour in a gooey, sticky fingered fit of self-importance. "The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle on the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very centre and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious." -The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, chapter 4, "Turkish Delight" Skandar Keynes (Edmund in the 2005 "The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe" film) said "I have had Turkish delight, & it's nice." Nice until he had to eat several gallons of it while filming. The symbolism of Turkish delight in Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is of greed and manipulation and deceit, but even though its literary purpose isn't lost on us, we want to eat it because it's something from a wondrous fantasy world that we can actually get (or make!) in our own. Because seriously, who doesn't want a gooey sweet treat? And we know better than to fall prey to the White Witch's wiles, right? Minus the evil schemings, being cuddled up in warm fur with a steaming cup of hot chocolate and a tin of delicious confections hardly seems like something anyone would not want. Note: The recipe below is for basic Turkish delight, also known as lokum in many parts of the world. Rose water is a very common flavoring (that has a very nice scent), but you can put in any other water-based flavorings (not oils), up to two tablespoons, like grenadine or orange or lemon or mint, mix 'em up, or make up your own concoctions using tea bags or whatnot. Another very common ingredient in Turkish delight is crushed nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts. Simply add the crushed nuts at the same time as (or in lieu of) the flavoring (step 3 below). The White Witch's Turkish Delight (based on a recipe by Marcus Ranum) Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. Canola or Vegetable Oil 3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (about 1 lemon) 4 Cups Granulated Sugar 4 1/2 Cups Water 2 Cups + 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch 1 tsp. Cream of Tartar 1 Cup + 1 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar Flavoring & Coloring (optional) 1 Tbsp. Rose Water (for food, not your skin!) 1 Small Drop Pink Food Coloring Important Items: 9"x9" Silicone Baking Pan Silicone Spatula or Spoon Candy Thermometer Sifter or Fine Mesh Strainer Paper Bag or Cardboard Baked Goods Box Parchment Paper Directions: 1. Pour the 1 Tbsp of oil into your 9"x9" silicone baking pan & spread it around the bottom & sides using a paper towel. Set the pan aside. In a medium-large-ish pot mix the lemon juice, granulated sugar, & 1 1/2 cups of water. Place a candy thermometer on the side of the pot & turn the heat to medium-high, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula, spoon, or whisk. When the temperature on the thermometer reaches about 240°F, known as the soft ball stage, remove the pot from the heat (if you don't have a candy thermometer to tell, soft ball stage is reached when a drip of the sugar mixture stays in a ball shape when dropped into cold water). The mixture should be light amber in color & all of the sugar should be dissolved. 2. In a medium pot combine 1 cup of cornstarch & the rest of the water (3 cups). Add the cream of tartar & stir gently until no lumps remain & everything is dissolved. Turn on the heat to medium & stir constantly, bringing the mixture to a low boil. Pay close attention because this mixture changes quickly! When the mixture is sticky, creamy, & thick, but before it becomes a really thick paste, remove it from the heat (I think I let mine go a little too far). Stir it a bit more until it becomes nice & creamy & then immediately pour it into the pot with the sugar mixture. Stir until you get a smooth, creamy, thoroughly combined, light amber mixture. Put this pot back on medium heat & bring it to a low boil, stirring constantly, pressing out any lumps & scraping down the sides as you go. Continue stirring for about 40 minutes (yes, for realz. I recommend something soft under your feet & maybe a podcast to listen to). It's important to note that hot air pockets will develop under the mixture & bubble up & burst so be careful! To avoid the bubbles as well as to prevent burning on the bottom is why constant stirring is so important! As the time progresses the mixture will thicken & turn a slightly darker amber color. 3. Remove the mixture from the heat & thoroughly stir in your flavoring of choice & coloring (or omit one or both). Pour the mixture into the oiled silicone pan & spread it out & flatten it with a lightly oiled spatula or spoon (I actually used my oiled fingertips to get it level). Whisk the 1 Tbsp. cornstarch & 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar in a small bowl & sprinkle it over the mixture using a sifter or fine mesh strainer. Let the filled pan sit on the counter, uncovered, for several hours or over night (you can loosely drape a paper towel or napkin over it to keep the dust off). 4. In a medium bowl whisk together the rest of the cornstarch (1 cup) & the powdered sugar. Use some of this to powder a cutting surface. Carefully upturn the solidified delight onto the powdered surface, using a powder coated metal spatula to separate the delight from the silicone pan if needed. Using the mesh strainer or sifter, generously coat the exposed side of the delight. Powder a non-serrated knife & slice the delight in half horizontally using a single downward motion (no pulling or sawing). Re-powder your knife & slice both halves into 1/2" vertical strips. Carefully place these strips into the powder bowl & coat the newly exposed edges. Gently lay the powdered strips back onto the cutting surface & cut horizontally to create bite-sized cubes. Put these cubes into the powder bowl to coat & then scoop them into the sifter, over the bowl, & gently toss to get rid of the excess powder. To store, place the pieces in a non-airtight container such as a paper bag with a little extra powder in it or a cardboard box lined with parchment paper. Serve with decadent hot chocolate while riding in a sleigh. * For more Narnia food, check out my recipe for Scotch Eggs! *
These are my favorite Klance comics. Most of them will probably be from elentori, ikimaru and pretzellus bc I love their art :)
xxxxx
Looking to describe mouthwatering, or revolting, food in your novel? These tips + tools will help breath life into your story's atmosphere.
Today's "Avatar" food doesn't have a specific episode reference, but dumplings of various kinds have made their way into both ATLA and TLoK because of the heavy influence from Asian cultures. Dumplings is a food chosen initially from the Avatar Wikia's listing of Air Nomad food, and then solidified and expounded upon by the fact that the Air Nomad society takes much inspiration from the high altitude, spiritual culture of Tibet, where vegetarian momos (dumplings) are a common food. As you may recall, all Air Nomads, including Aang, were vegetarian because of their spiritual beliefs (as learned in ATLA s.1, ep.5). Also, just FYI, the existence of momo dumplings is not why Aang's winged lemur is named Momo, though it is a pretty awesome coincidence. No, he's named Momo because he stole a moon peach from Sokka (ATLA s.1, ep.3), and "momo" is the Japanese word for peach. Note: Below you'll find two momo filling recipes, one savory and one sweet. The sweet recipe is one I came up with based on the fact that Air Nomads often ate nuts and fruit and I thought Aang would appreciate something sweet. The ingredients are foods commonly used in Tibetan cooking. You'll also find below a few ways to cook momos such as steamed, fried, and in broth. There's also a tomato chutney/salsa recipe (tomato is commonly used with momos, but not necessarily in them). Also, you can totally add meat, but of course it will no longer be Air Nomad friendly. Simply substitute ground meat for the tofu and mushrooms in the savory recipe below (or, you know, keep the mushrooms). Air Nomad Vegetarian Momos (Dumplings) Ingredients: Dough 4 Cups White All-Purpose Flour 1 1/2 Cup (or more) Hot Water 1/4 tsp. Salt Savory Filling 2 Cups Pre-Shredded Coleslaw Cabbage Mix, pref. w/ carrots (found in salad section of grocery store) 1/2 Onion, chopped 1 pkg. (abt. 3.2 oz) Shiitake Mushrooms 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro 6 oz. Tofu 1/2 tsp. Fresh Ginger, grated 1 tsp. Minced Garlic 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce 1 Vegetable Bullion Cube dissolved in 1/4 Cup Hot Water Ground Pepper, to taste Sweet Filling 1 Cup Walnut Pieces 1/3 Cup Chopped Dates 1/3 Cup Raisins 6 oz. Tofu 1 Tbsp. Honey Dash of Allspice OR Ground Cloves, Nutmeg, & Cinnamon, to taste Tomato Chutney (optional) 5-6 Canned, Whole, Peeled Tomatoes (or simply get a large can of these tomatoes & pull out however many you want to use) 1/4 Cup (or less) Chopped Cilantro 1 tsp. Minced Garlic Chili Pepper or Red Pepper Paste OR deseeded hot peppers, to taste (optional) Important Items: Steamer or Rice Cooker with a steaming tray (if you want to steam the dumplings) Food Processor or Blender (optional) Rolling Pin Circle Cutter or Large Cup Directions: 1. In a large bowl combine the flour & salt. Pour in the hot water a little at a time, either kneading with your hands or with a dough hook attachment to a mixer (I used my stand mixer. I'm sure you could also use a bread machine). Keep adding water & mixing/kneading until you have an elastic dough that is no longer sticky (if you used a mixer, it's good to knead by hand for the last stretch to make sure it's the right consistency--like noodle dough & pizza dough). If the dough id too sticky, knead in a small amount of flour, if it's too dry, add water. You get the idea. The amounts of water to flour are general & depend on your climate. To keep the dough from drying out, put tit back in the bowl & cover it with a slightly damp towel or simply put the bowl upside down over the dough. 2. If making the savory filling, blend/process or chop very small, the cabbage, mushrooms, & cilantro & then put them in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl & combine with our hands. If making the sweet filling, process/blend/chop small the walnuts, dates, & raisins & then put them in a bowl & add the tofu, honey, & spices. Mix with your hands. Put the filling in the fridge until ready to use. (If you'll be steaming your dumplings, set up your steamer now & get the water on its way to a boil. Remember to keep an eye on your steamer water level so it doesn't run out & you burn the bottom of your pot!) 3. Separate the dough into manageable sections, like thirds, keeping the dough you're not working with under the bowl or towel, & roll it out on a lightly floured board to about 1/8 in. thickness. Use a circle cutter or cup rim, about the width of your palm or a little greater, & cut as many circles as you can, re-rolling the dough & cutting until there's no dough left. As you make circles, stack them (they should not be sticky, remember?) & cover them with an upturned bowl or slightly damp towel. Repeat this with all of the dough sections until all you have are a bunch of dough circles. 4. Bring your filling from the fridge & set it close to your work surface with the circles. Lay one circle at a time in front of you &, using either the rolling pin or your fingers, flatten & stretch out the edges of the dough circle even more (you want the edges to be thinner than the center). Next, place a tablespoon-sized amount of filling in the center of the circle. To close the dumpling, gather the edges in by pleating & flattening upward as you go around. As you pleat round & round the dough will close up like a little pouch. Once the opening is as small as you can get it, pinch it together & twist. Carefully break off any excess dough at the top. You can see in the pictures that I made a little circle at the top of my momos. This is common & a way to lessen dough thickness at the top (maybe). Using your thumb, index, & middle finger, carefully pinch the dough around the top until you get a raised circle (FYI, long fingernails are not so hot for this). Note: I made my dumplings round, but you can also make half moons by wetting the edges of the circle & then simply folding it in half & pleating/crimping the edges closed. I chose round so it would look more like the somewhat unique Tibetan momos. 5. To steam the dumplings, brush oil on your steamer tray & place the dumplings in, about 1/2 or a little less apart. Steam for about 10-12mins & then remove to a serving plate. Serve hot. To fry the dumplings, melt some butter (Tibetan's love butter, it's good against chapped lips) in a large pan (make sure it's a pan with a lid) & then add the dumplings. Fry top & bottom until browned & then pour in 1/4 cup or so of water & put the lip over the pan. Steam the dumplings in the pan for about 5 mins or until they are soft & cooked through. Serve hot. To make dumplings in tomato broth (using the savory dumplings of course), cook the dumplings like noodles in the juice from the can of whole tomatoes used for the chutney below + enough water with dissolved vegetable bullion cubes to create a thin, flavorful broth. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot. 6. (optional) To make a tomato chutney-that's-really-like-a-salsa to eat with the savory momos, process or blender-ize about 5-6 whole peeled tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, minced garlic, & add in whatever amount of spiciness you'd like by way of pepper paste or chopped hot peppers. The savory momos are also great with soy sauce or other dumpling/potsticker type dips. Note: For the sweet momos (which are also served hot), a drizzling of honey on top is very nice.
18 Fictional Self Help Book Titles That Might Be Better Than The Original - We share because we care. A resource for sharing the latest memes, jokes and real stuff about parenting, relationships, food, and recipes
“It’s the miraculous munchy born in Alola!” Even though Pokémon games don’t have the robust menu that most JRPGs boast nowadays, the few food items they DO have are just so …
Teaching historical fiction? Connect reading and writing activities for a powerful genre study. Then throw in a full-length novel.
oh no jons so clumsy he's gonna cook too much food all the time til martin lives in the archives
Psychotherapist Creates Hilariously Honest Self Help Books Based On His Observations At The Clinic - We share because we care. A resource for sharing the latest memes, jokes and real stuff about parenting, relationships, food, and recipes
Fancy Lad’s Snack Cakes! I got the wonderful Fallout cookbook for Christmas & today my friend @paladinlapdanse and I spend the afternoon baking this recipe. They didn’t come out perfect but they are...
18 Fictional Self Help Book Titles That Might Be Better Than The Original - We share because we care. A resource for sharing the latest memes, jokes and real stuff about parenting, relationships, food, and recipes
“‘We is now having a swiggle of this delicious frobscottle and you will see the happy result.’ The BFG shook the bottle vigorously. The pale green stuff
A good novel can transport us to other worlds – ones where there are fantastic characters, vivid landscapes and often some…
Hazelnuts taste similar to a cashew, giving the soup a sweet undertone of nutty flavor that plays perfectly with the tangy notes of parsnip. I can certainly see why this would be a favorite of the daughter you’ve trapped high up in your tower.
Along the lines of popcorn and nachos, flaming fire flakes are available in the Fire Nation and its territories at public events such as the Fire Days Festival in the Fire Nation Colonial Village (ATLA s.1, ep.16) and entertainment venues like the Ember Island Theater (ATLA s.3, ep.17). As per Fire Nation tastes, these flakes are seasoned with hot spices and served directly after roasting. Suggestion: If you'd like to gift these awesome, spicy flakes to someone, or simply store them for yourself, pour the finished flakes into glass canning jars with 2 piece screw on lids (the ring & disc kind). Print and cut out these Fire Nation symbols to place in between the lid pieces & there you go! Click here for the Fire Nation symbol cut-outs. Fire Nation Flaming Fire Flakes Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. Granulated White Sugar 1 Pkg. Taco Seasoning 1 tsp. Garlic Salt 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Ground Red Pepper Powder 4 Heaping Cups Plain Corn Flakes 4 Tbsp. Sesame Oil Directions: 1. Preheat your oven to 275 F. In a small bowl whisk together the 1st 4 ingredients until combined. Spice Note: Depending on how flaming you want your flakes, put either the 1/4 or 1/2 tsp. red pepper, or omit it all together if you're fine with taco seasoning level flames. 2. Pour the corn flakes into a large container with a lid & then pour on the sesame oil. Close the lid & toss well until the flakes are completely coated. Add the mix of dry ingredients, close the lid, & toss again until the seasoning is distributed evenly throughout the flakes. 3. Line a tray with parchment paper & pour the seasoned flakes onto the tray. Spread the flakes out evenly & bake for about 15 minutes. Serve warm. Serving Suggestions: Add 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds (black or white, or both) to the seasoning mix for added flavor, texture, & color. You could also mix the finished flakes with crumbled seaweed (especially if you can find kimchi flavored). It adds extra Asian flair & flavor, & the colors look really great together. Also, fire flakes are great as a snack but they're also great crushed & sprinkled on plain white rice! Click here for the Fire Nation symbol cut-outs. * Check out more food from the "World of Avatar"! *
What makes a great friend? Someone who is there for you when you need a person to listen to you ask thousands of questions during TV shows (I’m not saying this is me, but this is me.)? Someone who brings you chicken noodle soup when you’re sick? Or someone who doesn’t laugh when you trip over your own feet (Does this person exist?)? In Snicket’s second novel in the series All the Wrong Questions, Snicket would likely say a friend does these two things: 1) looks for you when you are missing, and 2) gives you a cinnamon roll fresh from the oven. I have to say, these are two fantastic qualities in a friend. In When Did You See Her Last?, Snicket is on the hunt for a missing girl, who turns out to be another missing girl, who he may or may not have a crush on. There are a lot of questions asked during the course of this book’s pages, and there are not enough answers. But what I do know is that if I’m lost, I’d like someone to look for me; I’d like a fresh cinnamon roll (or equivalent tasty treat) fresh from the oven; and I need to know why Fruity Pebbles leave that weird film on your teeth after you’ve eaten three bowls (Not that I’ve ever eaten three bowls…). “The sunlight streamed in through some big, clean windows. It smelled of cinnamon, a much better scent than what I had been smelling, and either Zada or Zora hurried to the oven and pulled out a tray of cinnamon rolls that made me ache for a proper breakfast. One of the aproned women put one on a plate for me while it was still steaming. Anyone who gives you a cinnamon roll fresh from the oven is a friend for life.” (Snicket, Lemony. “When Did You See Her Last?” Little, Brown and Company, New York: 2013, 24) Snicket’s Lemony Blueberry Sweet Rolls Serves: 12 rolls Difficulty Level: Average, Patience Required Ingredients For the Dough: 2 c whole milk ½ c sugar ½ c canola oil 1 pkg active dry yeast, 0.25 oz packets 4 c all-purpose flour ½ c (additional) all-purpose flour ½ tbsp (heaping) salt ½ tsp (scant) baking soda ½ tsp (heaping) baking powder For the Filling: 1 stick butter ½ c sugar 1 whole lemon, zested 1 c (heaping) fresh blueberries For the Glaze: ½ whole lemon, juiced 1 whole lemon, zested 1 ½ c powdered sugar 1 c whole milk, or as needed 1 dash salt 1 ½ tbsp melted butter How to Make For the Dough: Mix milk, ½ cup of sugar, and canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until very warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warmer than lukewarm but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the liquid, then add in 4 cups flour. Stir gently until totally combined. Mixture will be very wet and sticky. Cover with a tea towel, keep in a draft-free place, and allow to sit for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add in an additional ½ cup of flour, as well as the salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until combined. Refrigerate dough, covered, until you need it. (Refrigerating the dough helps make it easier to handle.) Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a large baking dish (or a couple of smaller dishes) generously. You could use a 9x13 or two 9-inch pie pans. Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted remove from heat. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle, about 30 inches wide by 10 inches deep. Roll as thin as possible! Drizzle melted butter over the dough, using your fingers to spread evenly. For the Filling: Using your fingers, mix sugar and lemon zest so that it’s a nice, light yellow sugar. Sprinkle it all over the butter. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the surface. Beginning at the side farthest from you, roll dough toward you until it’s in the shape of a tight log. Tuck as you go so the roll stays tight. Pinch the edges to seal the seam shut. With a sharp knife, slice into ½ thick thick rolls and lay the slices, cut side down, into the buttered baking dishes. Allow to rise for 20 minutes, then place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until deep golden brown on top. For the Glaze: Add lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered sugar, milk, and dash of salt in a bowl. Add melted butter and whisk together until smooth. Taste it and add more of whatever it needs. Remove rolls from oven, and drizzle the glaze all over the rolls. Be sure to get it all around the edges and covering the surface so they’ll be nice and gooey! Serve warm or at room temperature. Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman. Read my review of When Did You See Her Last? on Goodreads. All the Wrong Questions Series Book 1 — Snicket’s Chicken Pesto Pasta
As you know, we love talking about the intersection of food and culture, in all its wonderful (and sometimes bizarre) forms. Last week we looked at some of the greatest food still lifes in art history, and earlier this month, we were aglow in…
Christian Grey, Noah Calhoun, Jack, or Dominic?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to share our reality with our favorite fictional characters? With the power of modern technology and a huge passion for art, Samuel MB answers this question with his hilarious creations. Using Photoshop, the artist inserts well-known Disney characters into his photos, and honestly, it just looks like the guy is having the time of his life hanging out with his favorite characters.
Celebrate Jane Austen's bicentenary with this white soup recipe that was made for Mr. Bingley's Netherfield Ball.
Taki-san's entry photo on the left, cafe menu photo on the right. Image from "Final Fantasy" blog. Today I'm sharing a special dish in celebration of Square Enix's recent(ish) E3 announcement of the "Final Fantasy VII" remake for PS4! This recipe is inspired by the "Fat Chocobo Head Curry" (or "Debu Chocobo Heddo Kare" in Japanese) available at the "Final Fantasy XIV" themed "Eorzea Cafe" in Akihabara in Japan. The cafe held a menu item design contest and this curry was based on a winning entry by Taki-san (you can check out the winning entry post here on the N. Am. "Final Fantasy" blog). The full cafe menu can be viewed here. Chocobos are a race of large, flightless birds that appear throughout the "Final Fantasy" franchise (you can check out my chocobo marshmallow peeps here). Note: The recipe below is for making the curry and yellow rice from scratch, but you can also simplify it by buying curry cubes (I like the Vermont curry brand) and a bag of yellow/saffron rice (Mahatma brand is great). For the rice, simply omit the butter called for on the package directions as it might make the rice less able to stick together when forming the chocobo head, though I'm just guessing. Chocobo Head Curry Ingredients: Curry 2 Tbsp. Butter 1 Cup Thinly Julienned Onion 1/4 tsp. Salt 1/4 tsp. Minced Fresh Ginger 1/2 tsp. Minced Fresh Garlic 2 Tbsp. Flour 1 1/2 Tbsp. Curry Powder 1-2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper Powder (to taste) 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste 2 Cups Chilled Beef Stock 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce 1 Tbsp Peeled, Grated Apple (I used fuji) 1 Cup Quartered Small Potatoes (no need to peel) 1/2 Cup Sliced Mushrooms, cut in half (I used baby 'bellas) 1/4 Cup Finely Diced Carrots (I diced up precut carrot matchsticks) 1/3 Cup Cooked Corn (I used canned corn, drained) Yellow Rice 1 Cup Uncooked White Rice (I used long grain, but medium or short should be fine too) 1 3/4 Cup Chicken Stock 1/8 tsp. Ground Saffron (use a mortar & pestle to grind up a couple pinches of saffron threads) 1/4 Cup Very Hot Water 1/4 tsp. Salt Decoration Large Yellow Bell Pepper (I used a small sweet pepper b/c that's what I had, but bigger is more accurate) Small Sheet of Seaweed/Nori Provolone Cheese Slices Finely Chopped Fresh Chives or other fresh green herb (I used cilantro b/c that's what was available) Important Items: Immersion or Standing Blender (optional) Rice Cooker (optional) Plastic Wrap Small Scissors Little Star Cutter Directions: 1. Curry: In a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat, melt & lightly brown the butter. Stir in the onion & cook until tender & golden. Add the garlic & ginger & cook for a minute more. In a little bowl, whisk together the flour, curry powder, & cayenne. Add this to the pot & stir to incorporate & let cook, stirring, until browned. Next, stir in the tomato paste until well combined & cook for a minute or 2 more. Pour in the chilled broth along with the grated apple & stir until everything is smooth & mixed well. Bring the mixture to a boil & let cook until thickened. 2. Reduce the heat & either use an immersion blender to blend everything together or pour the mixture into a standing blender, blend, & then pour back into the pot (blending is optional, but it makes for a smoother sauce). Skim the top of the mixture with a slotted spoon or small strainer to remove any foam. Next, add the potato, carrot, & mushroom bits, cover, & simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes & carrots are tender. Turn off the heat & stir in the corn. 3. Rice: Combine the ground saffron with the hot water & let sit for several minutes until the water turns deep yellow/kinda orange. Put the rice in a large pot or the bowl of your rice cooker & run water into the pot from the sink, enough to cover the rice. Rub the rice with your hands until the water gets cloudy & then drain. Rinse, rub, & drain again. Pour the saffron water over the rice & then add the salt & chicken stock. If using a rice cooker, close the lid & cook. If cooking on the stove, bring the pot to a boil & then turn down to a simmer. Cover cook for about 20 minutes. Uncover & fluff with a fork (if the rice isn't cooked through, add a little more water, cover & cook a bit longer). Remove from heat & let the rice sit until cool enough to handle. Alternative: You can mix curry powder & chicken bullion powder with a little hot water to dissolve & then stir into already cooked white rice. The rice will become yellow, but paler than the saffron rice. 4. Assembling: Scoop about a cupful (or less if you're not that hungry!) of the cooked yellow rice onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Gather up the wrap & twist until the rice is squished into a ball. Squeeze the wrapped rice with your hands to make the ball tighter & then unwrap the plastic. Wet your finger tips & slightly flatten the ball to resemble the chocobo head (wetting your fingers again each time the rice begins to stick) & create a little point at the top of the head (or try to do this using the plastic wrap as much as possible, it's less potentially sticky that way). Lay the head on the plastic wrap & cut the yellow bell pepper near its curved bottom into 2 large beak shapes (remember, you'll want the beak to be larger than mine). Use your wet fingers to create an indentation on the center of the rice for the beak & then gently press the upper & lower beak pieces into place. 5. Scoop a generous ladleful or 2 of curry into a long curry dish, pushing all of the potato & mushrooms pieces to the right side. With wet fingers, place the chocobo head on the left side of the dish. Use your small scissors to cut 2 small, thin, curved strips from the seaweed sheet & place them on the chocobo head for the closed eyes. Using the small star cutter, cut out a few stars from the cheese slice & place the stars on top of the curry to the right of the chocobo head. Lastly, sprinkle a little of the finely chopped fresh chives over the curry & you're all done! This recipe makes enough for 2 servings or so, depending on the size of your dishes & how much you want to eat. The chocobo rice head would also be great in a bento! * Don't forget to take a peek at my Chocobo Peeps! * * For more video game curry, try my Tikka Mahala Curry from "Ni no Kuni". *
My guest today is Saliha Mahmood Ahmed Saliha was the winner of Masterchef last year in 2017 and she won whilst also working full time as a Junior Doctor – often turning up to film the show straight off the back of a night shift. In addition she also has a young son – so the whole thing was really
Inspired by The Duke and I, book one of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, this lamb with cream sauce needs no Whistledown commendation to shine.
Writing under lockdown during Coronavirus is challenging due to split focus and stress. Here are 7 positive ideas to inspire you.
There are seven main types of conflict in fiction. How can you weave these into your story to keep readers engaged and intrigued?
Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
I'm addicted to the figure skating anime "Yuri on Ice", y'all. It's got the sweetest romance on the planet! And so much feel-good-ness flowing through it that you can't help feeling great and hopeful after watching (along with craving the next episode so hard!). Food features heavily in the show, especially as symbolism. The first episode establishes the story and character-significance of the traditional Japanese comfort food katsudon, or pork cutlet bowl for the main character Japanese ice skater Yuri Katsuki, and in extension, for his new coach and prior ice skating legend Victor Nikiforov. Another character is introduced, also named Yuri, who is from Russia (same as Victor), and we learn that he loves the traditional Russian comfort food piroshki because his grandfather, whom he loved most in the world, makes them for him (in-fact, the first YOI episode is partially-titled "Easy as Pirozhki!!". In episode 8, after taking a bite of a piroshki his grandfather made him, this Yuri (Yuri Plisetsky) asks if his grandfather is familiar with katsudon, because Yuri tried it while visiting Japan and really liked it. In episode 9, Yuri's grandfather gives him another bag of homemade piroshki, and when Yuri P. (nicknamed Yurio in the series) bites into it he is beyond surprised. "Just try these." "There's pork cutlet, fried eggs, and white rice in here! What's with this pirozhki?!" "It's a pork cutlet bowl pirozhki! Eat them and do well in today's free skate, Yuratchka." –"Yuri!!! On Ice", episode 9 At the end of the episode, in a rare show of camaraderie, Yurio gives the rest of his precious katsudon piroshki to Yuri K., who is extremely touched by the sentiment. Although Yurio is the character that is shown with an attachment to piroshki, I like to think that it could also represent Victor, as he is also from Russia, and the fusion of it with katsudon can symbolize the bond of Yuri K. and Victor's deepening relationship. Of course, it also symbolizes Yuri and Yurio's growing friendship/respect ;). ("Vkusno" means "tasty" in Russian.😊) Note: I initially brainstormed katsudon sushi rolls (sans seaweed, of course) to be the filling for these piroshki (the egg, onion, & katsu pieces rolled up in the peas & rice), but upon implementation it proved to be too much rice to bite through combined with the dough of the piroshki, and also caused the piroshki to be hecka huge. You could still go this route by using less rice & flattening it more, but at that point it wouldn't be as stable a roll, and you may as well just layer it as directed below. If you did want to make filling bundles though, lay the ingredients on a large sheet of plastic wrap and roll it up tightly, then unwrap from the plastic. Also to note, I did bake a few of these, to see the difference, and I wasn't too keen on the texture of the bread from baking, BUT I did half bake, half deep fry a few and they were great! Haha, so random (I started baking some and after taking a bite of one I had just pulled out of the oven I was like, nope, gonna fry instead). If you want to bake them though, brush the wrapped up piroshki with an egg wash (beaten egg + 1 Tbsp. water) and bake at 375ºF for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. If you want to be crazy and experiment like I did, bake them for about 12 minutes and then fry them in oil for a few minutes until golden brown. Piroshki dough recipe adapted from Natasha's Kitchen. ** If you simply want to make Yuri K's katsudon (pork cutlet bowl), click here for the recipe! Yurio's Katsudon Pirozhki Ingredients: Piroshki Dough 1/2 Tbsp. Active Dry Yeast 1/2 Cup Water 1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp. Milk 1 tbsp. Oil 2 tsp. Sugar + pinch extra to sprinkle in yeast 2 tsp. Salt 2 1/4 Cup Flour Oil for Frying Tonkatsu ~ 1 lb. Pork Cutlets (~ 4 cutlets, fat trimmed off) Salt & Pepper ~1/3 Cup Flour 1 Egg, beaten ~1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs Oil for Frying (I use Canola) Katsudon 1 Cup Water 1 tsp. Dashi Powder 4 Tbsp. Aji Mirin 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp. Sugar 1 Large Onion, julienned ~8 Eggs ~2 Cups Cooked White Rice Frozen Peas Directions: 1. Piroshki Dough: Put the yeast in a large mixing bowl. Combine the water & milk & heat for about 45 seconds or so in the microwave to make it nice & warm. Pour this mixture over the yeast, sprinkle in a little sugar, & let sit for about 15 minutes to foam up. Add in the Tbsp. of oil, 2 tsp. sugar, salt, & flour. Mix on low with a dough hook until the dough comes together & is fully combined. 2. Dip your hands in flour & scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl so it's somewhat ball-ish in the center of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place for about an hour. (I turned my oven to "warm" for about a minute, then turned it off & closed the dough in there). Flour your hands again & scrape down the dough. Mix it on low speed again for about a minute & then cover it & rise it again in the same way for another hour. Prepare the filling during this time. 3. Tonkatsu part: In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring about 1" or so of canola oil to 350ºF. Rinse the pork & pat it dry with a paper towel. Score each piece a little with a sharp knife, & then sprinkle a little salt & pepper on both sides. Cut each cutlet in half along the length. Put the flour, beaten egg, & panko crumbs in seperate bowls. Dredge each piece of pork in flour, then dip in egg, & then coat well in panko. 4. Depending on the size of your pan, place a few breaded pork pieces in the oil at a time, making sure not to crowd (so, 2-3 pieces should be fine). Cook until deep golden brown & crispy, turning to evenly cook both sides, about 4-5 mins total (make sure the temperature in stable!). Remove the tonkatsu to a paper towel-lined wire rack. 5. Katsudon part: In a small pan, combine 1/4 cup of the dashi stock, 1 Tbsp. of mirin, 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce, & 1/2 Tbsp. sugar with about 1/4 of the cut onions, & bring to a boil so that the onions get tender, stirring occasionally. Cut each tonkatsu piece into a few horizontal strips, keeping the strips of each piece together (you don't need to cut them completely through like with regular katsudon, but it's not a big deal if you do). Place 2 of the cut tonkatsu into the pan & break an egg over each. Cover the pan with a lid & let cook until the eggs are set. Remove to a large plate. Repeat these steps (combining the sauce ingredients w/ onions, cutting the tonkatsu, cooking with egg) until each tonkatsu has egg & onion. If there is any sauce/liquid from the pan throughout the process, reserve it in a little measuring cup. 6. Making the Piroshki: Heat about 1 1/2" of oil in the heavy-bottomed pan to 350ºF (just add a little more oil to the pan you used earlier, after scooping out any panic crumbs). Heavily flour your hands & a flat work surface. Pull off about a palm-sized portion of dough & flatten it on the work surface, in the flour. Roll the dough to about 4 1/2" x 6" (doesn't need to be exact, but you want it flat, without being so thin that it tears). 7. Place about a Tbsp. worth of cooked rice down the center, staying away from the edges. Place a bunch of frozen peas on the rice (or you could do peas first & then rice), then lay on an egg & onion covered katsu piece (you want the katsu to be about 1 1/2" wide x about 3" - 3 1/2" long. If the piece is too big, just trim it & use the extra pieces for another piroshki). Put more onions & egg on if needed & put about another Tbsp. of rice on top with some more peas. If you have any reserve sauce/liquid, pour a little bit on. Draw up the edges of the dough & pinch them to close. Carefully pick up the piroshki & roll it in your hands to smooth it out & shape it basically like a potato. Repeat this process until all of the katsu et al has been bundled up in piroshki dough. 8. Lower a piroshki or two (depending on the size of your pan) into the hot oil & cook until a deep golden brown, turning to evenly cook both sides (keeping an eye on the oil temperature–you want it at 350ºF). Remove to a paper towel-lined rack & let cool until able to handle comfortably. Serve as is or with a little tonkatsu sauce on the side for dipping (mixed with a little spicy sauce if you prefer that!). * Catch "Yuri!!! On Ice" on Crunchyroll! *
Growing joy and abundance with a passionate pair of permaculturalists.
A bibliophile serves up some of the tastiest scenes in literature.
Indulge in the nostalgia with a captivating Sploosh recipe, a blend of caramelized onions and spiced peaches inspired by the beloved story of Holes.
BOOOOOOOO!
The early 20th-century writer not only depicted America’s newly advancing weight obsession, but was a witting observer of our national obsession as it unfolded during her four-decade writing career, writes Jean Fain.
