Aloha… this weeks Belly starts with tales of exotic spices from around the globe.

Take a trip from your kitchen to just about anywhere in the world by adding a pinch of this and a pinch of that…

Adding various herbs and spices to your food can literally ‘spice up your life’ by not only tantalising your taste buds but also treating your troubles with very little effort on your behalf. Learning which countries use which particular herbs and spices to create traditional and favorite dishes is a fascinating journey as we travel the globe without having to go any further than the kitchen…

SPICES are the buds, bark, roots, berries and seeds and HERBS are the leaves of plants, so when we use corriander leaf for example, we refer to it as a herb, but when we use corriander seed, we say we are using spice.

Australia’s best known spice man Ian “Herbie” Hemphill has a list of 20 from which he says you can create just about any dish from around the globe. These global essentials can be used in a variety of dishes, so build a spice rack or refill the missing gaps with any or all of the following –

• CorianderCumin
• Black Peppercorns
• Cinnamon and Cassai
• Cloves
• Chilli
• Ginger
• Cardamon
• Paprika
• Star Anaise
• Tumeric
• Allspice (a milder version of Cloves)
• Fennel (seeds)
• Nutmeg
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Caraway seeds
• Fenugreek seeds
• Saffron
• Vanilla

 

A short rundown on countries and their spices –

INDIAN

One of the worlds top producers of spice and because of it’s size, the range canvary from chilli heat to aromatics.

Corriander seed, Tumeric, Cinnamon, Cumin, Mustard seed, Fenugreek, Ginger, Pepper, Chilli, Nutmeg, Clove, Cardamon, Tamarind, Saffron.

MORROCAN

The ports of this North African country have been used for centuries as an avenue for spices from across the globe. Think aromatic, slow cooked stews.

Corriander seed, Tumeric, Paprika (sweet), Cumin, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Black pepper, Chilli, Saffron (Beware fake Saffron which can be passed off by using the stamen of the crocus flower and not it’s stigma. It can also be created by using corn silk or plastic and dyed with the dangerous chemical tartrazine. Test by disolving in water. If the colour runs it is probably not saffron.)

MIDDLE EASTERN

Typified by dry spice mixes such as dukkah, Middle Eastern food is also about marinated meats cooked on a shish. For you meat eaters out there… think lamb skewers.

Paprika, Corriander seed, Sumac, Parsley, Thyme, Cumin, Cassia (from South East Asia and China. Has a stronger, sharper taste than cinnamon) Pomegranates (seed or molasses), Black Pepper, Cloves, Cardamon, Mastic, Mahlab

MALAY/SINGAPORE

Divided by a peninsula, Malays prefer curry powder in coconut milk mixed with lemongrass, galangal, chilli paste and tumeric. The Singaporeans borrow some Maklay ingredients but tend towards Chinese styly spices including pepper.

Corriander (seed and leaf), Fennel seed, Cinnamon and Cassia, Tumeric, Lemongrass, Candlenut, Cumin, Ginger, Pepper, Galangal, Cardamon, Tamarind, Chilli, Star Anaise

THAI

The king of aromatics. This is all about greenery and freshness and the particular predominance of each spice, depending on the dish, with a fresh hit of chilli.

Corriander leaf, Kaffir Lime, Lemongrass, Chilli (red and green), Tumeric, Garlic, Galangal, Cloves, Thai Cardamon (similar to normal cardamon but rounder and almost white)

CHINESE/VIETNAMESE

Similar to India, because if it’s size it is difficult to pin down a typicaldish. It varies from the chilli and Szechuan pepper in the north to cassia and star anaise in the south. For Vietnam, you can’t beat the soup dish Pho for it’s trademark spices.

Star Anaise, Fennel seed, Corriander (leaf and seed), Dill (Vietnam – leaves), Cassia, Ginger, Szechuan pepper, Black pepper, Chilli, Cloves

MEXICAN

Smoky flavours dominate this cuisine because of it’s use of chillies – which are native to Mexico – including ancho, pasilla, mulato and chipotle.

Paprika, Cumin, Corriander (leaf), Oregano, Cinnamon, Chilli, Epazote (hard to find in Australia), Anatto (seeds)

Source: Spice Notes and Recipes, Macmillan (2000), $59.95, by Ian Hemphill. Available from Herbies.com.au

Next, the lovely Lilith swayed in with talk of Cancerians this month in ‘Cooking with the Stars’

LILITH’S COOKING WITH THE STARS

Cancer: Crabs in the kitchen

This month we’re wishing happy birthday to our favourite Cancerian masterchefs like Sydney’s Neil Perry, co-owner of Rockpool, Blue Water Grill and Spice Temple who apparently has a food brand sold under his name, which
you’ll soon be able to check out at locally loathed Woolies.

Cancerians tend to be obsessed with family and food and as chefs they’re strongly influenced by foods they ate as children. Crabs adore home cooked meals, love comfort food and traditional recipes like Mum used to make, and
are quite likely to still have her recipes. Food equals love to Cancers: a well stocked pantry makes them feel secure and a lot of their cooking pleasure comes from nurturing their loved ones and sharing meals with friends.

Cancerian chef Roy Yamaguchi, Hawaii’s first-ever James Beard Award winner, though born and raised in Tokyo, so vividly remembered the fish and lobster cooked fresh from the ocean on childhood visits to his grandparents on Maui, that he grew up to champion Hawaiian regional cuisine and develop his own style of Hawaiian Fusion food combining asian flavors, fresh local seafood, sushi and his signature Hawaiian martini made with, no prize for guessing, pineapple juice.  Sounds dreadful, though the pineapple wine from the Volcano Winery on the Big Island’s quite nice ­ the Hawaiians call it a party in the mouth. There are now 32 Roy’s restaurants in the U.S., Hawaii, Japan and Guam.

In traditional astrology Cancer’s ruled by the Moon, and they do seem to favor pale pearly foods: rice, potato, dairy and mayonnaise.  They also seriously appreciate their cheeses and are probably responsible for the
kids story about the Moon being made of cheese – which does contain the cell salt Calcium fluoride which helps soothe their sensitive digestions. But as you can imagine when comfort food marries dairy and produces
bechamels, creamy sauces, fondue and cheesecake we’re talking serious kilojoules ­ though its probably not worth your friendship to mention the Cancerian swear word, cholesterol… a major component of the splendidly rich, politically incorrect dishes of the popular British cooking series the Two Fat Ladies, famous for zooming round the countryside with their ample personages squeezed into a motorbike and sidecar – the Canceria half of this excessive pair was Clarissa Dickson-Wright, or to give her herfull title Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson-Wright.

Speaking of excess and politically incorrect Cancerian superchefs, my favorite is gonzo cowboy of the American food scene Anthony Bourdain, author of notorious best seller Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, which he followed up with A Cook’s Tour recounting his bizarre taste travels, written in conjunction with his award winning tv series of culinary adventures: No Reservations.  After his third book The Nasty Bits, his fourth and latest, which came out this year, is Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook.

Bourdain’s the Hunter Thompson of food journalism, a 30-year veteran of professional kitchens and a personal life that reads like a cocktail of cocaine, cannabis, methaqualone, LSD, secobarbital, tuinal, amphetamine, codeine, heroin and honey-soaked psilocybin mushrooms used to sweeten tea ­ naturally we’re not recommending you try this at home kiddies.  Infamous for his sarcastic comments about vegans, vegetarians and fellow chefs ­ Anthonycalled Californian restauranter Alice Waters “Pol Pot in a muumuu” and made playing Billy Joel or Abba in his kitchen grounds for instant dismissal.

Why is he so popular?  Because he’s outrageous, funny and fearless – a great advocate of using all parts of an animal once its killed, and champion of the quality and deliciousness of street food in developing countries as compared to American fast food chains. Though he’s eaten sheep testicles in Morocco, ant  eggs in Mexico, raw seal eyeballs with Inuit eskimos and a whole cobra in Vietnam, Bourdain still maintains the most disgusting thing he ever ate was a Chicken McNugget.

Being the cardinal water sign Cancerians chefs often specialize in seafood, like the only female chef in France to hold three Michelin stars Cancerian Anne-Sophie Pic, one of whose signature dishes is sea bass steamed over
wakame kelp, served with oyster bonbons, cucumber chutney and vodka and lemon butter sauce ­ how good does that sound?

If you’re DIYing the sumptuous sea feast at home, it might be easier to try a creamy lobster bisque, caviar-topped oysters, scallops in champagne, a truffled lobster or salmon steamed in seaweed with a home made, lemon
myrtle-infused olive oil and egg mayo.  Or a slithery seductive manicotti stuffed with a trio of cheeses – ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan.

by Lilith

…and we finished with a giggle at what some people classify as a game –  “Danger: Cheese on a Roll”… and we’re not talking bread!

This is the amusing yet serious story of a bunch of enthusiasts that find running down an extremely steep hill after a round block of cheese travelling at around 100 miles per hour…… fun. I think the picture says it all. If you are interested in more you can google Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling and have a giggle.

We also gave you a delicious recipe for a Ginger and Dark Treacle Steamed Pudding…

ooooh, please excuse me while i drool a little… this recipe is on it’s way i promise, i’m just giving you enough time to work up a real appetite!

sister Rasela