India Lassi, A Tasty Drink

In India, it is believed all people must coexist with the land and animals. Yogurt, coming from cows, is thought to be a perfect food that sustains the mind and composes the soul.

Ingredients
Low fat yogurt
Very cold water
Sugar
Salt
3 ice cubes
5 cardamon pods, husked and crushed (use mortar and pestle or coffee grinder or use ground cardamon)
6 sprigs of fresh mint

Equipment
Blender
4 glasses
spoon

Instructions
Put all ingredients (except mint and cardamom) in blender. Blend on high speed until ice is crushed and liquid is very frothy (about 30 seconds). Pour into 4 10-ounce glasses. Sprinkles of cardamom and mint on top are optional.

This is good with spicy dishes to counteract the hot. If you pour it into one glass then into the serving glass, this Indian “milk shake’ will get a foamy head.

Chinese Tea Eggs

These look like psychedelic eggs when they are done and taste good too!

Ingredients
12 eggs
Water
Soy Sauce
Black Tea

Equipment
Cup measurement
Big pot to boil eggs
Stove to boil eggs

Instructions
Boil eggs in 4 cups of water (be sure you don’t fill the pot with eggs). When eggs are done (wait a bit for them to cool), put 2 bags of black tea and a little less than one cup of soy sauce into the pot with the eggs. Hold one egg in your hand and rap it lightly on all sides against a hard surface so that cracks appear, but the shell doesn’t fall off. Return the egg to the pot. Do this with all 12 eggs. Bring to boil the sauce and eggs. Let sit for a day. Take eggs, peel (it will look cool- psychedelic), and eat.
And that’s all!

West Indian Easy Bakes

I had these as a kid but my grandmother would make the dough from scratch. My mom figured out a shortcut and they are still delicious!

Ingredients
Pillsbury biscuits (any kind)
Canola oil to cover 2 inches of frying pan

Equipment
Stove
Tongs
Paper towels
Serving dish

Instructions
Put oil in pan and heat. When hot, fry biscuits in oil until lightly brown. Drain on paper towels. Put on serving dish. May sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Yum!

African Coconut Candy

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 lime
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 shelled Coconut

Equipment
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Knife
Stove
Pot
Spoon
Greased dish

Instructions
Cut the coconut into very thin, tiny rice-size pieces. Boil water and sugar. Add 2 teaspoons of lime juice to water. When mixture starts to get like syrup, add coconut, reduce heat and stir. Stir until mixture is sticky. Put mixture on greased dish and let cool. Break into small pieces. while candy is still warm, mold it into small cones. Cool and serve.

African cooking terms:
Garden egg is eggplant
Akimbo is butter
Brees are rice
Groundnuts are peanuts (the name showing that the nuts come from the soil or ground)
Ponkie is pumpkin
Wot means sauce
Efo is spinach

Jewish Apple-Honey Cupcakes

(makes 18 cupcakes)
Honey is an important image for Jews. In the old days, they were searching for “the land of milk and honey.” Honey represented hope for a sweet future.

Ingredients
1/4 cup honey
2/3 cups chopped walnuts
1/4 ground cloves
1/4 vegetable oil
1/2 allspice
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups grated apples
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Equipment
Muffin tins
Paper muffin cups
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon
Mixing Bowls
Oven

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oil with honey, add eggs. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix apples with nuts and remaining spices. Add a little bit of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, then add a little of the apple mixture. Keep combining mixtures until all are together. Fill paper muffin cups 2/3 full and place in muffin pans. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool and serve.

Italian Biscuit Tortoni

(serves 12)
I used to get Tortonis at a local ice cream store when I visited my grandma. It was so good. I don’t like cherries but somehow mixed in with the Tortoni, I loved them.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup drained, chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
1 cup almond macaroon or vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (24 cookies)
2 tablespoons dry sherry or rum

Equipment
Electric mixer
Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
12 small dessert dishes
Freezer
Spatula

Instructions
Beat heavy cream and sugar in chilled bowl until it forms peaks. Put aside 1/4 cup cookie crumbs. Gently fold remaining remaining ingredients into whipped cream. Divide mixture into dessert dishes. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Freeze about 4 hours.

Native American Shuswap Bannock

Ingredients
1 cup wild blueberries
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups all purpose flour
1/1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder

Equipment
Oven
Pie plate
Bowl
Spoon

Instructions
Mix dry ingredients together and quickly add water as you continue to stir. Spread on pie plate and bake in oven at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.