ADVANCE UNCORRECTED PROOF / NOT FOR SALE
MY TWO SOUTHS
BLENDING THE FLAVORS OF INDIA INTO A SOUTHERN KITCHEN
MY TWO SOUTHS BLENDING THE FLAVORS OF INDIA INTO A SOUTHERN KITCHEN
On Sale: O C TO B ER 2016
ASHA GOMEZ with MARTHA HALL FOOSE
introduction I call my style of cuisine “two Souths cooking.” Its flavors and dishes are characterized and rooted in my deep affection for the resourcefulness and soulfulness of cooking in both my mother country India, in the far southern state of Kerala, and my chosen home in America’s southern, culinary-savvy city of Atlanta, Georgia.
T
his collection of recipes brings together the culinary roots of two special places where genuine hospitality and meaning are crucial ingredients. These two Souths are over nine thousand miles apart and would seem to be in separate universes. Surprisingly, I have found their shared aspects—a warm, humid climate, abundant produce varieties, expanses of rice acreage, and busy coastal communities along with a spirit of sharing, a gift for entertaining and storytelling, a talent for creating bounty out of an often modest pantry, and a sincere embrace of simplicity— blend easily in my South by South cuisine. These combined southern cultures, which value gathering family and friends around a festive table, and my abiding appreciation of the expressive capabilities of cherished foods are the touchstones of my cuisine. My family’s homestead was a bustling community of three houses surrounded by banana plants, papaya trees, and coconut palms located steps away from the Arabian Sea. In Kerala it is not uncommon for land to be distributed among siblings, who then build houses in close proximity to one another and enclose them with a common fence. My maternal grandmother’s name was
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Carmel, hence our covey of homes came to be known as Carmel Compound. Brought up among a passel of fourteen children, I was the first girl and, therefore, doted on by a loving assortment of aunts, uncles, cousins, and brothers, all of whom praised me for my polite manners and good grades as well as admonished me for stealing baskets of fruits and hopping fences. When I wasn’t climbing trees to sample their luscious edible treasures, I loved to spend time with my mother and three aunts in a kitchen set apart from the back of the house. Both tradition and innovation reigned in that kitchen. Under the tutelage of these loving women, I absorbed lessons in preparing traditional, coastal Keralan fare. Often charged with preparing the spices needed for a specific dish, I found the daily array of freshly roasted selections mesmerizing. I became fluent in the vocabulary of spices—their names, their flavors, and the feelings they evoked. Just as descriptive words enhance a story, I learned that black pepper, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, star anise, and mustard seeds can add expression to a dish and speak the flavors of a particular season of the year. INTRODUCTION
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quick tellicherry buttermilk biscuits I N K E R A L A , T H E N AT I V E B L A C K P E P P E R H A R V E S T C O M E S TO M A R K E T in late February each year. Although Tellicherry was the name of a fort the British East India Company manned off the Malabar Coast, the designation Tellicherry refers to the size of the peppercorn not the location of where the pepper vine grows. Peppercorns bigger than 4.25 mm are given this name, while those 4.75 mm and larger are called Tellicherry special extra bold. The boldness comes not from heat but from an alluring citrus-like character derived from leaving them on the vine longer. As the peppercorns grow larger, they lose some of their heat but develop more aroma. These are considered the best peppercorns in the world. The addition of my homeland’s national spice to a tender buttermilk biscuit warms my heart as well as my taste buds. The simple fact that these biscuits come together so quickly might have you underestimating the complex flavor of the black pepper and the buttermilk. Just because they are fast and easy doesn’t mean they aren’t complex. The biscuit dough can be made 30 minutes before baking, if you like. Do not let the dough sit for more than 30 minutes as it will become bitter and will not rise. These Tellicherry pepper–spiked biscuits are wonderful slathered with Tomato Clove Preserves (page 000). Split and filled with Eggs Bhurji (page 000), these biscuits make a wildly flavorful breakfast sandwich.
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QUICK TELLICHERRY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS 2 cups self-rising flour, sifted 1/2 teaspoon
fresh coarsely ground black peppercorns
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces, plus 2 tablespoons melted 3/4
cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour, for forming the biscuits Pinch of kosher salt
MAKES 8 BISCUITS
Heat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, mix the butter into the self-rising flour until it feels crumbly. Sprinkle the pepper over the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk and mix with a fork until a shaggy dough is formed. Dust your work surface with the all-purpose flour. Turn out the dough onto the floured spot and knead very briefly. Pat the dough into a ½ inch thickness. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut out eight biscuits, gently patting any scrap together, if needed. Place the biscuits in the prepared skillet with the sides touching (this will help them rise). Bake for 12 minutes, or until gloriously golden brown. Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle the salt over the buttered biscuit tops.
Notes: Double this recipe and stash eight of the biscuits in the freezer. You will have these hospitable bites ready for unexpected company.
fiery mango jam J A M I S O N E WAY W E U N I V E R S A L LY P R E S E R V E F R U I T S W H E N T H E Y A R E I N A B U N D A N C E . I am mad for mangoes. When mangoes are in season, I make batches and batches of this fruit spread. This jam is stupendous on toast or Rice Sopping Bread (page 000). I also like to spread it on a slice of Cardamom Cornbread (page 000) or Tellicherry Buttermilk Biscuits (page 000). It can change your whole bagel-and-cream-cheese game in the morning, too. MAKES 1 QUART
4 medium fresh mango, peeled, stoned, and cubed, or frozen mango, thawed (4 cups) Zest of 2 lemons 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 tablespoon
fresh ginger
peeled, finely chopped
4 Thai chiles, finely chopped 21/2 cups fine granulated raw sugar (see notes)
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Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over low heat, stirring often, taking care not to scorch, for 30 minutes. Using a spoon or spatula, drizzle a small bit of the jam on a cool plate. If the mixture is runny, continue to cook until thicker. If ready, the jam will appear glossy and thick. When the right consistency is reached, remove from the heat and pour the jam into a bowl to cool. Transfer to a storage container and cover. Store refrigerated for up to one month or process for canning.
Notes: Make a batch of this tropical jam omitting the pepper and use in Colonial Trifle (page 000). I like to use Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar for this and other recipes calling for granulated raw sugar.
INTRODUCTION
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masala lamb burgers with mint chutney G R O W I N G U P I N I N D I A , I enjoyed
eating lots of lamb and came to adore grilled, minced lamb in particular. These days, like most Americans, I know few things that are better than a great burger cooked over a flame. So, what better way to pay homage to the best of both countries’ grillers than with a lamb burger? Since lamb can be a bit strong tasting, diners new to eating lamb will find the masala blend of fresh mint and cilantro in this recipe mitigates some of lamb’s inherent gaminess. Dressed with Mint Chutney, these burgers offer a delicious alternative to Americans’ muchloved grilled beef burgers.
11/2 pounds ground lamb
1/2 teaspoon
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chickpea flour (see notes)
1/2
cup fresh mint, finely chopped
2 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon very finely chopped garlic 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely ground 2 teaspoons coriander powder
ginger powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt Vegetable oil for grill rack or pan 6 leaves Bibb lettuce 1 large tomato, cut into 6 slices 1 large red onion, cut into 6 slices 6 brioche buns, toasted MAKES 6 BURGERS
In a large bowl, mix the lamb, onion, mint, chiles, garlic, cumin, coriander, ginger, chickpea flour, and the salt with your hands until everything is combined. Heat a grill or grill pan. Brush the grill rack or pan with vegetable oil. Form 6 patties, about ¼ pound each. Grill over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness. An internal temperature of 160°F is considered medium rare. Serve on toasted brioche with lettuce, tomato, and red onion.
Notes: Chickpea flour, also known as garbanzo bean flour or besan, is made from either raw or roasted ground chickpeas. The raw variety is slightly bitter, while the roasted is more flavorful. It is gluten free and higher in protein than many other flours.
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ADVANCE UNCORRECTED PROOF / NOT FOR SALE MY T W O SO UT HS takes you on a culinary journey with Chef Asha Gomez, from her small village in the Kerala region of southern India to her celebrated restaurants in Atlanta, and on into your kitchen. Her singular recipes are rooted in her love of Deep-South cooking, as well as the Southern Indian flavors of her childhood home. These “Two Souths” that are close to her heart are thousands of miles apart, yet share similarities in traditions, seasonings, and most importantly, an abiding appreciation of food as both celebration and comfort. Here she shares more than 125 recipes, including:
Black Cardamom Smoked Pork Chop
N AT I O N A L M A R K E T I N G C A M PA I G N National Print Media
Vivid Tomato and Cheese Pie
Online Campaign to Food Blogs
Kerala Fried Chicken & Waffles
Inclusion in Holiday Gift Round-Ups
Three Spice Carrot Cake
Instagram and Pinterest Campaign
ASHA GOMEZ started the “Spice Route Supper Club” in 2010, and soon became a sensation in the Atlanta culinary scene. She opened Cardamom Hill in 2012, which was given a “Best New Restaurant” award from Bon Appétit, Southern Living, and the James Beard foundation. She was also named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, and has expanded to two other venues, The Third Space and Spice to Table.
Visit her at: spicetotable.com
facebook.com/chefashagomez
twitter.com/ashagomez
Instagram.com/ashagomez
facebook.com/thethirdspaceatl
facebook.com/spice2table
MARTHA HALL FOOSE’S cookbook titles include the James Beard Award-winning Screen Doors and Sweet Tea and The Southerly Course. She lives in the Mississippi Delta.
Publication Date: October 2016 Price: $35.00 in U.S.A. / $45.50 in CAN / £23.99 in U.K. 8 ½ x 8 ½ • 288 • hardcover ISBN 978-0-7624-5783-0 E-book ISBN 978-0-7624-5829-5 Subject Category: Cooking
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NOTE: This is an uncorrected proof.
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