Indonesian Boiled Sweet Potatoes and Plantains: Kolak Pisang Ubi

"Scientifically," sweet potatoes and yams are not the same, but in every day terminology, especially in the United States, the terms yams and sweet potatoes are interchangeable. Why? Well, true sweet potatoes are thought to have come from the "New World" (what is now Peru), and yams were brought to the "New World" from Africa by slaves. The thing was, not all Africans brought to the New World had yams, but they found that sweet potatoes were similar to their yams, and the term was applied to the sweet potatoes in the New World. 

Pandan leaves are blade-like leaves from a tropical plant, and they are 1 to 2 feet in length (they have to be cut or folded in order to add them to recipes). Pandan leaves are used in cooking and sometimes in medications in the Philippines and southern Asia. They are available in Asian stores and they aren't all that expensive, and they can be frozen (or kept frozen, as they might well be sold that way). If you don't want to look for pandan leaves, you can skip using them in the recipe. It won't be quite the same, but it also won't bring about an attempt to end the world, but head to a bomb shelter, just in case. What's that siren?

This is a sweet dish, but you can certainly use less sugar, if you so desire.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pound sweet potatoes or yams, peeled

2 ripe plantains (black peel), peeled

1 pandan leaf

6 tablespoons coconut sugar (or 5 tablespoons brown sugar)

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup coconut milk

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon salt

Cut both the sweet potatoes and plantains into pieces of about 1/2 to 1 inch. To a pan, add the water, coconut milk, pandan leaf, sliced ginger, cinnamon stick and salt over medium heat. Bring to a boil, add the sugar and stir well to dissolve. Add the sweet potato and plantain pieces, adjust heat to maintain a steady simmer, cook until sweet potatoes and plantains are tender.

WORD HISTORY:

Crop-The ultimate origin of this word is a bit shaky, but it "seems" to go back to the Indo European root "ger," which had the notion "twist, bend," with a figurative use for "crawl." If true, this would make "crop" related to "group" and to "cripple," both from the Germanic roots of English. Old Germanic had "kruppaz," meaning "a mass of something pressed/compressed together; thus, a cluster;" thus also more specifically, "a pouch in the lower part of the neck of many bird species (part of their digestive system)." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "cropp," meaning "the pouch in a bird's neck," but also, "a sprout (not including the root), the top of plants in a rounded shape," later applied more and more about grain plants, which then progressed to "the collective production of grain in a growing season;" thus the expanded modern meaning in the mid 1500s for specific fruits, vegetables and grains produced in a season (example: "The tomato crop in parts of the U.S. was limited by bad weather in the spring"), which later expanded into non food products (example: "The crop of evening television shows is pathetic," and, "The crop of college football players ready to turn professional this year is a pretty good one"), but also for hair, circa 1800 (example: "The young actor's thick crop of blond hair gave him a chance to play many roles of northern Europeans"). The Old English form then became "croppa," then "croppe" (with the 'e' usually pronounced as 'eh/ah'), before the modern form "crop." The upper part of plants meaning led to the usage of "crop" for a "whip," then especially for a short type of whip used for horseback riding. The verb form came from the noun around 1200 and simply meant "to cut off the tops of plants," which then led to more generalized usage, but especially "to cut off the top of an animal's ear" (seemingly the late 1500s) and later into photography "to crop a photo." The expression "crop up" (likely replaced in some cases in modern English by "pop up") apparently comes from the notion of a sprout coming up through the soil, and then later used in mining jargon in England in the 1600s in reference to "layers of rocks or ore becoming visible through the soil." Forms in other Germanic languages: German has "Kropf" meaning goiter, craw part of the digestive system of many birds, (rare) head of cabbage (from the idea of "round growth"), Low German has "Kropp," craw part of the digestive system of many birds, goiter, Dutch "krop," goiter, head of lettuce, also used at times for fruit or vegetable harvest, riding whip, Danish "krop" meaning "body" (in senses of for live creatures, flesh, carcass, parts of devices like planes or vehicles, insect abdomen), Icelandic "kroppur" meaning "body," Norwegian "kropp" meaning "body," Swedish "kropp" also meaning "body." Note: Old French borrowed the word from Germanic ("seemingly" from Old Norse, but perhaps from Frankish?) giving modern French "coupe," meaning "the back quarters of a horse, the hips, the buttocks." 

Turmeric & Spice Milk: Golden Milk

As you likely already know, heating milk can be difficult, as it often sticks or even burns, and then cleaning the pan is not the least bit fun, unless you have some sort of self-hatred complex. I probably looked at 15 recipes for this drink, and many recommended using a heavy bottomed pan, as well as stirring constantly. Some cooks suggest that you add a small amount of water to the empty heavy bottomed pan, before adding the milk, and to heat the milk over low heat.

Some suggest this milk before bedtime to help you sleep, but I drank some a little while ago and I experienced no such ... zzzz, zzzz, zzz

 

Ingredients (2 servings or 3 small servings):

 

2 cups milk (or almond milk)

2 inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1 inch piece peeled fresh turmeric, grated (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)

2 inch cinnamon stick

2 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons honey

 

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, heat all of the ingredients, except the honey and the butter, over low heat, stirring or whisking constantly. When the milk is steaming, but not boiling, remove it from the heat and cover it; let it steep for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and honey, stir until the butter is melted and the honey is dissolved, and both are distributed through the milk. Strain into cups or into heat-proof glasses. You can sprinkle a little ground cinnamon, ground cardamom or ground turmeric on top.

 

I put a little ground cardamon on top ...

WORD HISTORY:

Cue-There is more than one word in English of this spelling, but this is the noun most commonly used in acting, and meaning, "a signal by words or action by one actor that another actor is to appear or perform in some way." This word is actually a bit of a mystery, although one explanation seems to make sense; that is, it is the phonetic spelling of the letter "Q" (mid 1500s?) from the Latin adverb "quando," which means "when," as the letter "Q" was often written on the scripts of performers to indicate when they were to appear, and/or, speak. "Quando" is related to quite a number of words, like "quote" (initially a verb), a Latin word borrowed from French, but with Latin influence, and to a number of "question words" like "when," "where," "who," "what," all from the Germanic roots of English, but related to the Latin word via the Indo European root "kwi/kwo." The verb form "cue" meaning "to give someone a prompt or signal to perform" is from the 1920s. (Note: The other forms of "cue" are not related.)      

Jamaican Ginger Tea

Fresh ginger gives this a good flavor and some bite. Ginger is common in Jamaica, as is this herbal tea, which contains no tea leaves.

 

Ingredients (2 servings or 3 smaller servings):

 

4 to 5 inch piece of peeled ginger, grated or cut into piece and then crushed

1 lime, washed then quartered (if you prefer lemon, use 1/2 lemon)

2 1/4 cups water

2 to 3 tablespoons honey or to taste

 

Bring the water to a boil over medium heat with the ginger. Boil for 12 minutes, turn off the heat, add the lime, cover the pan and let the mixture steep for 5 minutes (the tea should be sort of a cloudy 'yellowish' or light "brownish" color). Add the sweetener and stir, strain the tea into cups or glasses (or you can sweeten individual servings to taste).

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Bourn/Burn-Note: "burn" is the form used in Northern England, while "bourn(e)" is used in Southern England. These forms are related to "braise," a word borrowed from French, which had it from Germanic, to "brew," "burn" (the fire-related verb and noun) and "broth," all words from the Germanic roots of English, and it is distantly related to "fervor," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English from French. "Bourn(e)/burn" goes back to Indo European "bhreuh," meaning "to boil;" thus also, "to seethe, to cook, to bubble." This gave Old Germanic "brunnon," meaning "spring" (water bubbling up from the ground); thus also, "well, stream, creek." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "burna" (also "brunna") meaning "stream, creek, brook," which later became "burne," then "bourn" (sometimes also spelled "bourne"), but also "burn," matching the spelling of its more famous relative having to do with fire. The change of places of the 'r' and the vowel sound is called "metasthesis," a not uncommon occurrence, and it also took place with this specific case in some of the other Germanic languages (see Germanic relatives of "bourn/burn" below). Not in overwhelming usage in recent times, especially in American English, but it is present in place names like Kilburn and Middlebourne. Relatives in the other Germanic languages: German has both "Brunnen" (spring, well) and "Born" (same meaning, but seldom heard in every day speech, rather more literary, and it is likely a borrowing from Low German), Low German "Born" (spring, well), Dutch "bron" (spring, well), West Frisian "boarne" (spring, well), Danish "brønd" (well), Norwegian "brønn" (well, and they also have "brunn" as a spelling), Icelandic "brunnur" (well, spring), Swedish "brunn" (well).    

The Golden Girls Episode: The Days & Nights of Sophia Petrillo

"The Golden Girls" was a comedy series set in Miami, Florida (it wasn't filmed in Miami) and originally telecast on the NBC network from 1985 through 1992. The basic gist of the show is that four women, 3 widowed and 1 divorced, share a house together and develop such a strong family-like friendship, they deal with and overcome their differing personality conflicts, as they support each other in life's challenges, including that of aging.

 

This episode first aired in October 1988 on NBC.

 

Episode Cast: 

 

Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo

Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak 

Betty White as Rose Nylund

Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux 

Frances Bay as Claire

Nick DeMauro as the store clerk

David Selburg as the store manager

Allen Bloomfield as Abe

Ellen Albertini Dow as Mrs. Leonard 

The Dixie Belles as the band members

Don Kokko Burnaby as Sam

Marian Wells as Wanda

  

As Dorothy, Rose and Blanche spend the day at home trying to decide what to do for the day, they initially decide to do some home chores. As Sophia comes into the kitchen, she tells them she's going to do what she does every day, she's going out to buy a nectarine. This seemingly simple, meaningless and unexciting task leaves the others wondering if Sophia is fully able to appreciate life at her age (when this episode was done, Sophia was in her early 80s). After Sophia leaves, the girls find a box of cookies they didn't know they had, and they delay doing the chores to enjoy their newly found treat.

 

Sophia goes to the supermarket to buy a nectarine, but she helps her elderly friend Claire get a refund for a lamb chop by arguing against the store's no refund policy. In the process, Sophia gets a good deal on a nectarine for herself; but not only that, she gets Claire to pay for the nectarine. After this, Sophia heads to the boardwalk where she directs a band of elderly women who play jazz to raise money for charity. When the band slacks off, the donations drop, so Sophia cracks the whip and the band's tempo increases, as do the donations from the gathering audience. Sophia then goes to the local hospital where she helps as a volunteer. One of the patients is a boy named Sam, who is convinced he will soon die from HIV infection, which he contracted from a blood transfusion. (Note: While HIV in not actually mentioned, the scene implies that is why Sam is in the hospital.) Sophia encourages Sam to stay hopeful, as she believes there will be a cure and she gives him the nectarine.

Back at the house, the girls eat the cookies, then order a pizza, then watch "Jeopardy" on television. They've been so "busy," they never change out of their night clothes. Sophia comes home and thinks the girls have simply gotten ready for bed. When they ask Sophia why she's been gone all day, she replies, "I bought a nectarine."  

 

Photo is of the 2006 Buena Vista Home Entertainment & Touchstone Television Fourth Season Set

WORD HISTORY:

Dragoon-This word was originally used for "a mounted infantryman equipped with a short musket, who often rode to a battle site, but usually dismounted to fight." The word comes from French "dragon," "the fire breathing lizard." The name was applied to the musket from the idea of it "breathing fire like a dragon;" remember, with the old muskets, the gunpowder ignited and flashed when the musket was fired. For the history of  'dragon,' here is the link:  https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2020/03/herbal-syrups-tarragon.html

Creamy, Strong Chai: Karak Chai

Here in the U.S., when we hear the word "chai," we think of tea prepared with some sort of spice component. The thing is, on the Indian Subcontinent, the word "chai" simply means "tea." This chai is different from what most people would think of as "regular" chai; that is, "spiced tea" (masala chai) on the Indian Subcontinent, or at your local cafe down the street,* as it is a stronger brew of tea (with higher caffeine content), which is the actual meaning of "karak chai" (also "kadak"), "strong tea." It is common in India, Pakistan, the Gulf region of the Middle East (brought there by Indian immigrants), especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, but there are variations in recipes. This tea uses a rather high proportion of whole milk or evaporated milk, which makes it thick and creamy, and it tends to be modestly flavored by some spices, but it is cooked for a somewhat longer time. "Karak chai" is generally something of a tan color up to something more of a brown or an orangish brown color. Some add a few saffron threads, but this addition is far more common in the Gulf region of the Middle East. 

 

Ingredients (4 servings):

 

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) water

5 teaspoons black tea

4 or 5 teaspoons sugar 

1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

3 whole cloves

1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick

4 crushed cardamom pods

2 slightly crushed whole peppercorns  

(optional) good pinch of saffron threads

Add the water to a pot/pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to maintain a steady gentle simmer. Add the cloves, crushed cardamom, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, sliced ginger,  and, if using, saffron threads; simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tea and stir and keep stirring at a light, steady pace as the tea simmers; about another 3 minutes. Add the milk and sugar, stir further to mix and to dissolve the sugar. When the tea is heated again, strain it into individual cups. Note: This tea is supposed to be sweet, but you can add sugar to the pan in some basic amount, but then have the sugar bowl nearby for those who like their chai sweeter. 

 

 

* For "chai," here is the link:  https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2016/08/chai-pronounced-like-cheye.html

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Mere-There are noun forms of the same spelling, but this is the adjective (and the derived adverb, "merely"), and the noun forms are unrelated to the adjective. The origin of this word is uncertain, but it seems to go back to Indo European "merh-o,"^ which meant "remaining (the same);" thus, "pure, unaltered." This gave Latin "merus" (via Italic "mero"), meaning "unaltered, unmixed, pure;" thus also, "real."^^ This gave Latin-based Old French "mier," also meaning "pure;" thus also, "total, complete," and English borrowed the word in the latter part of the 1300s, initially with the meaning "pure, clear (of sound), unaltered," and then "absolute, sheer;" thus, "simply, only." The adverb "merely" developed in the mid 1400s meaning "of nothing more, only, solely."     

^ Some believe "mere" goes back to Indo European "mer," meaning "gleaming, shining," but I'm not convinced.

 

^^ See "Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages" (Volume 7 of the Leiden Indo-European Etymological Series, by Michiel de Vaan, Brill (Publishing), Leiden (Netherlands), Boston (U.S.), 2008.