The Ayan Restaurant turned into a cooking school Friday morning, when Helen Judd of Council Grove met there with Karuur Haji to learn how to cook Somali food.
Judd, 86, and her late husband Charlie formerly owned and operated the Hays House Restaurant in Council Grove until they sold it to their nephew, Rick Paul.
Judd said that she’d sampled Somali fare soon after the restaurant opened, and quickly found it to her liking.
“I came as soon as I heard about it. … It tastes wonderful,” Judd said.
She brought in relatives and friends to enjoy the savory Somali food, and continued to eat there alone whenever the opportunity presented itself. She enjoys the ambiance.
“I’ve come here often enough,” Judd said. “I really think these are friendly people.”
Eventually, she and Haji developed a friendship.
“One day she came out and sat at the table with me and we talked,” Judd said.
Judd learned that Haji worked from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the cafe, then goes to classes to learn English after work.
When Tyson eliminated 1500 jobs by closing its slaughter shift and second shift processing, and quickly followed with an announcement that another 200 to 300 jobs would be cut, Judd realized that the Ayan likely would close, too, and her opportunity to learn from Haji would be limited.
“After I heard that so many (Somalis) are going to be moving, I thought I’d be a little more aggressive,” Judd said of her decision to ask Haji for a cooking lesson. “I just asked her if I could watch her. She was really nice about that.”
Haji agreed and told her to come in last Wednesday. A heavy snowstorm delayed the lesson until Friday, when Judd had time to come to Emporia and learn how to make her favorite dishes.
“I like the goat,” Judd said. “Sometimes it’s a little tough and I have too much to eat. I take it home and reheat it — simmer it in the red sauce and it’s really tender.”
The red sauce especially interested Judd, as well as other recipes for rice, “little chicken” and other dishes.
She followed Haji with a pad and pen and wrote down ingredients as the foods were assembled.
Haji cooks without concern for precise measurements, and seasons with an assortment of spices, depending on what she's preparing — fresh cilantro, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and curry are popular in Somali foods.
Haji’s brother, Ilyas H. Kahiye, a Tyson worker who also cooks at the Ayan, was busy making “small chicken” on Friday while she talked to Judd about the ingredients and preparation:
Marinate small pieces of chicken in a mixture of oil, cilantro, garlic, paprika, cumin and chicken base for 20 minutes to one hour. Cook it on a grill, then add fresh chopped tomato, green pepper slices and chopped onion and cook about two minutes.
Haji recommends serving it alongside basmati rice that has been cooked in chicken stock and seasoned with fresh cilantro, garlic, cardamom, a little grated carrot and a few raisins for color and just a touch of cinnamon.
Judd, with long-time restaurant experience, likely will have little trouble balancing the seasonings to re-create the dishes she was learning on Friday. Then she’ll pass the recipes on to her children, who also enjoy cooking all types of food.
“I’m going to work on it,” Judd said.
Weltha (anonymous) says...
YUM! I just had lunch now I'm hungry again.
February 13, 2008 at 2:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
peanutbutter (anonymous) says...
Somali food is wonderful, the goat is good, the rice is good, there is a chicken similar to bbq chicken that has a wonderful flavor. It's different, it's not chinese, it's not mexican, and it's not greasy.
February 13, 2008 at 3:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Casey (anonymous) says...
Where do you find goat to cook .I have never seen goat meat in any meat department in any grocery store ?
February 13, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Take a drive around the countryside someday Casey, there are alot of folks raising goats around Emporia now. Perhaps their market demand will drop now too.
February 13, 2008 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
playbook (anonymous) says...
I ate there and it was very Good!
February 13, 2008 at 10:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Casey, you can find goat at Reebles South. Just inquire with the butcher.
February 14, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
morethenenough (anonymous) says...
ewwwww
what does goat taste like...?
texture?
February 14, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
momus (anonymous) says...
More,
It's a lot like lamb. Realy rich and more marbled. While we are on the subject, did you know that most goats have to be shipped several hundred miles away (east coast) for slaughter? With increasing ethnic demands in the mid-west, a small operation could do quite well offering a specialty goat/lamb processing facility. Just food for thought.
February 14, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
morethenenough (anonymous) says...
Thanks momus :)
Interesting!
February 14, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )