The Emporia Gazette

November 21, 2009

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The 2008 ESU International Food Festival will be held this Saturday, starting at 4 p.m. Students from more than 15 organizations and 20 countries will be serving food from around the world on the Morse Hall lawn and the Hornets Nest, located on the lower level of the Memorial Union.

This festival has been running for over ten years. Each ESU student group is eligible to set up a booth. The organization chooses a menu, prepares the food, figures out the prices and sells until they run out. In the past, the French club has had crepes, the Black Student Association has done soul food, and the Koreans have served delicious bulgogi beef.

This year, confirmed participants include students from China, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia and Peru. Los Latinos, a consortium of Latin America students, will have several Central and South American dishes. The German club, Arabic Language and Culture Club, Sakura (the Japanese Student Organization) and many others will be there. Often, members wear traditional costumes and talk about their culture.

Kiwamu Otsuka is a member of Sakura, the ESU Japanese Student Association, and native of Kanagawa, Japan. The purpose of Sakura is to help Japanese students to adjust to life in the United States, and to promote the understanding of Japanese cultures in the university and surrounding communities.

Kiwamu says he loves the people here in Emporia. Things are much slower than Tokyo, of course, but he enjoys the things Tokyo does not have. Kiwamu’s favorite American food is steak. He says this recipe is very cheap in Japan, and it is often considered to be Japanese fast food. Kiwamu is majoring in Accounting at ESU.

BEEF BOWL RECIPE

4 cups steamed rice

1 lb. thinly sliced beef

1 onion

5 Tbsps. soy sauce

3 Tbsps. mirin (sweet rice wine)

2 Tbsps. sugar

1 tsp. sake

Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the onion. Put soy sauce, sugar, mirin and sake in a pan. Add onion slices and simmer for a few minutes. Add beef and simmer for a few minutes more. Serve hot steamed rice in a deep rice bowl and top with the beef, onions and their juices.

Members of the ESU Capoeira Club sent this wonderful iced coffee beverage. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art, created by slave games in Brazil. The game looks more like dancing, and can be accompanied by music, but was actually a way for slaves to learn martial arts, which was illegal at the time. Capoeira is a culturally-rich dance-fight game.

BRAZILIAN ICED

CHOCOLATE COFFEE COLA

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup hot coffee, double-strength

2 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola, chilled

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Melt the chocolate squares in the top of a double-boiler over hot water. Stir in the sugar. Gradually stir in hot coffee, mixing thoroughly. Add the milk and continue cooking until all particles of the chocolate are dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Pour into a jar, cover and chill.

When ready to serve, stir in the chilled Coca-Cola. Serve over ice cubes in tall glasses. If serving as a beverage, top with whipped cream. For a dessert, add a

scoop of vanilla ice cream. This recipe makes five cups.

BRAZILIAN CHICKEN

2 young frying-size chickens

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp. salt

Clean the chickens. Mix oil, garlic and salt together. Rub inside and out with 1/2 of the oil and garlic mixture. Let sit two hours. If you prefer, you can prepare chicken strips for kebabs instead.

Preheat your grill: either build a low fire or turn to a low heat. Place the chickens on the grill and roast slowly, basting with remaining oil mixture while cooking. This dish is traditionally served with yellow rice.

The Arabic Language Club offers an opportunity for the students to practice the Arabic language with native speakers who come from different Arab counties such as Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, etc.

They have a coffee hour activity that takes place every other Wednesday, and show Arabic speaking and culture-oriented movies that aim to broaden the students’ perspectives and enrich their knowledge about the Arab world and its people. Among the club’s community service activities is the teaching of Arabic to elementary and high school children in the neighboring cities.

These final recipes were supplied by members of this organization, and reflect the best of foods from the Middle East. Grab some flatbread and olive oil, and you’ll be ready to feast.

CHICKEN BIRYANI

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

4 small potatoes, peeled, halved

2 large onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced

1/2 tsp. each chili powder, turmeric, black pepper

1 tsp. each cumin, salt

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 Tbsp. plain yogurt

2 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into chunks

Rice:

2 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

1 pinch saffron

5 pods cardamom

3 whole cloves

1 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 lb. basmati rice

4 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 tsp. salt

In a large skillet, in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, fry potatoes until brown. Drain and reserve the potatoes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp. It may be necessary to add a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.

When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over very low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. There should only be a little very thick gravy left when chicken is finished cooking. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the gravy.

Meanwhile, wash rice well and drain in colander for at least 30 minutes. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil and fry the onions until they are golden. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices.

In a medium-size pot, heat the chicken stock and salt. When the mixture is hot, pour it over the rice and stir well. Add the chicken mixture and the potatoes; gently mix them into the rice. Bring to boil. Cover the saucepan tightly, turn heat to very low and steam for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid or stir while cooking. Spoon biryani onto a warm serving dish, and serve with flat bread, and maybe some chutneys.

This next dish is served all over the Middle East as a snack, a sandwich spread, a side dish or an ingredient in a larger meal. It’s delicious, easy to make, and tahini (ground sesame seeds) is readily available in the ethnic food aisles at our grocery stores.

HOMEMADE HUMMUS

1 can (16 oz.) chickpeas

1/4 cup liquid from the can of chickpeas

3 - 5 Tbsp. lemon juice, to taste

1 1/2 tsp. tahini

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3 to 5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus. Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate. For a spicier hummus, add a sliced red chile or a dash of cayenne pepper.

Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Add a little olive oil if it appears to be too dry.

Those are just a small sampling of what’s waiting for you this weekend at ESU. Enjoy the football game, and then treat your self to these culinary treats from ESU’s multicultural student organizations.

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