Worldwide Flavors Close to Home

Local mother embraces food that fuels a sense of wanderlust

Working mom Kristen Kravitz escapes Columbus for a handful of hours on Wednesday evenings, but not in the way you might expect.

A year and a half ago, Kravitz merged her passions for cooking and travel by creating World Cultures Wednesday – a weekly celebration of foreign flavors and flair – with her eldest daughter. By way of cuisine, Westerville Public Library books and Spotify playlists, the duo transform their one-on-one time into an opportunity for adventure.

Kravitz says the practice was born directly from her then second-grader’s overflowing curiosity.

“She’s got a globe in her room that she loves to look at,” Kravitz says. “So we sat down together with the globe, and she made a list of the countries that she was interested in learning more about.”

Almost every Wednesday, the mother and daughter immerse themselves in a different international location; from Brazil to China, Japan to Mexico, no place is out of their imaginative bounds.

“It’s definitely been a really good vehicle for being able to talk a little bit about the news, what’s going on in the world, politics around countries, especially those that were colonized in the past,” Kravitz says. “It’s also helped us have more thoughtful conversations about world politics, you know, at an age-appropriate level.”

As a vice president of supply chain at Abercrombie & Fitch, Kravitz’s professional life can be hectic, so picking up takeout makes life a little easier and supports our central Ohio business owners.

“I’ve lived in Columbus for about six years,” Kravitz says. “I did not realize the breadth of how many international restaurants we have available to us.”

Mini Ethiopian Coffee House and Carry Out, Nazareth Restaurant & Deli and Sushiko are just a few of the spots the Kravitz family has visited – expanding their culinary acumen to Ethiopia, Israel and Japan.

Between bites, Kravitz frequently shares anecdotes of her time spent abroad with her older daughter, who attends Westerville City Schools. She hopes her younger daughter, currently 5 years old, will want to participate in similar conversations one day.

“It’s been a great way to really humanize the places that I’ve been to,” Kravitz says. “It’s not just learning about it via books, but also being able to tell stories of the people that I’ve met.”

Sri Lankan dal with coconut and lime kale is a simple and earthy recipe Kravitz whipped up for a recent installment of World Cultures Wednesday.

Lucy Lawler is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com

Sri Lankan Dal with Coconut and Lime Kale

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 1 lb. red lentils

• 3 green cardamom pods

• 3 tbsp. coconut oil

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3 whole cloves

• 2 small white onions, thinly sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, crushed

• ¾ inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tbsp.)

• 2 green finger chiles or Serrano chiles, stemmed and finely sliced

• Scant ½ tsp. ground turmeric

• 1 large bunch kale (about 9 oz.)

• ½ tsp. mustard seeds

• 2 tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut

• 2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 lime, juiced

• 7 oz. (¾ cup plus 2 tbsp.) canned coconut milk

• Yogurt, for serving

• Rice, for serving

Using a strainer and cold water, rinse the lentils and place them in a bowl for later.

Heat 2 tbsp. of the coconut oil in a big cooking pot over medium heat. After breaking open the cardamom pods with a knife, add them to the pot along with the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Allow ingredients to fry for a minute before adding the onions. Gently stir at regular intervals for 10 minutes. When the onions are softened and brown in color, add the garlic, ginger and green chiles in and stir-fry for up to two minutes.

Once done, set aside 1⁄3 of the blend, but don’t remove the cinnamon stick.

After draining the lentils, add them to the pot. Concurrently, add the turmeric and 4¼ cups of hot water. Bring the pot to a boil on high heat, then let the mixture simmer for 20-25 minutes on low heat; stir frequently, or until the lentils are softened and slightly smooth.

Chop off the kale stems and cut the leaves into thin ribbons. In a lidded frying pan, warm up 1 tbsp. of the coconut oil before adding the mustard seeds. Wait for them to begin popping, then add the 1⁄3 onion blend and fry for one or two minutes. Add in the kale, the shredded coconut and the ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir-fry for one minute, adding in ¼ cup of hot water when finished. Steam the kale until it’s wilted by leaving the pan’s lid on for around two minutes. Stir in the lime juice at your own pace.

Simmer the lentils with the coconut milk and the leftover salt for five additional minutes. Extract the pot from the burner, disposing of the cinnamon stick and any remaining cardamom pods. Using a ladle, serve up the dal and distribute the kale evenly atop all bowls. Yogurt and rice can be served as sides to round out the meal.