FROM THE TABLE OF MY MEMORY

food, friends, travel

A memoir with recipes by Urmila Jithoo

Urmila Jithoo grew up in Durban but lived abroad for 22 years in the United States. During that period she orchestrated the catering at the Silver Palate, the gourmet food store in Manhattan. Back in South Africa and living in Cape Town she has written a memoir 'From The Table Of My Memory' in which she delves into the past with its warm remembrances of tantalising dishes, subtle flavours and thoughts on life and food, sharing her passion and nostalgia. 

Memories which have infused her recipes with joy, conveying Urmila's deep love of family, dear friends and the very special occasions they shared as well as the dishes they prepared. Among them her Mushrooms with Braised Basmati Rice, the special Vegetable Biriyani and the Semolina Halwa served at her wedding. 

In 'THUNDER THE HERALD OF WILD MUSHROOMS' Urmila recounts days spent in Natal where they could hardly wait for the early morning visits to the market to snap up the precious wild mushrooms from the fertile soil of the sugar plantations. In 'A TYPICAL INDIAN WEDDING' tells us about the fascinating weeks of preparation that took place before her wedding many years ago in the heart of the Indian community in Durban.

THUNDER THE HERALD OF WILD MUSHROOMS

The summer months in Durban were humid and hot. By late afternoon, foreshadowing some respite from the heat, the sky would suddenly turn quite dark. As if coming from a great distance, there would be long rolls of thunder, beckoning the lightening to follow. Just as suddenly as it had become dark, the heavens would open to let loose a torrential downpour. The heavy rain would choke the overflowing, gurgling gutters with water, while the thirsty soil soaked it up like a sponge. 

Within ten or fifteen minutes all was still and calm again. The sun would appear, beaming brightly, as the damp ground gave forth a rich earthy smell. We had just experienced one of nature’s moods, one which would help to give birth to the precious wild mushrooms that would spring up everywhere, especially in the dark fertile soil of the sugar plantations. We could hardly wait for our early morning visit to the market to snap them up.

The mushrooms could have a stalk about 8 cm in diameter and 20 to 30 cm tall, with just as large a cap. About three of these would serve a family of six as a side dish with braised basmati rice.

Today, in much of Natal, those mushrooms are just a memory. My mother has to substitute with cultivated oyster mushrooms and I have been fortunate always to have plentiful supplies of cep, shiitake and cremini.

A word of caution: when you buy or consume wild mushrooms you must be absolutely certain that they are edible. Some species are lethal and several may cause serious gastric upset if incorrectly prepared. 

BRAISED MUSHROOMS

2 x 400 g (12 oz) packets oyster mushrooms
1 teaspoon chilli powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
4 tablespoons canola oil
5 cm (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 medium sliced onion
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon coriander powder
salt to taste
fresh coriander to garnish
(Serves 4)

Rinse the mushrooms well in a colander under running water until you are absolutely certain that there is no grit of sand left. Slice them into halves or quarters. Dry in a salad spinner or with a kitchen towel. Heat the oil and fry the cinnamon and sliced onion until golden-brown. Now add the mushrooms and the rest of the spices and lemon juice (except the garnish), and braise on high heat for about 10 minutes, then garnish with the fresh coriander and serve over braised aromatic basmati rice.

Note: Basmati rice is fine, long-grained and aromatic. If you have time, soaking the rice for at least an hour before cooking ensures longer, separate grains. Cooking this rice successfully can sometimes be tricky. Less water is used if the rice has been pre-soaked, and this rice cooks quicker than any other rice. (about 2 cups of rice with 2 ¾ cups boiling water will cook in 7 minutes.) The rice can be coloured with saffron, beet juice or turmeric. Onions and whole spices can be fried, then poured over the boiled rice to garnish. Many people like to boil their rice in a pot full of boiling water; when the rice is cooked, it is strained in a colander. Before you use this method of boiling rice, or even vegetables, think twice about all the dissolved nutrients that are being thrown out with the boiling water. When the cooking water is absorbed into the rice, it is more flavourful and nutritious.

BRAISED BASMATI RICE

2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons oil
1 small sliced onion
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
10 peppercorns
2 ¾ cups boiling water
salt to taste
(Serves 4)

Soak the rice for at least an hour, then drain. Heat the oil in a pot. Fry the onions and spices, until the onions just start turning golden. Now add the rice, stir gently and then add the boiling water. Bring the pot to the boil, then turn the heat down to very low and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until the water is absorbed, the rice is fluffy and the grains are separate. Do not open the lid or stir the rice while it is cooking. Use a fork to fluff up the rice before serving.

Note: The whole spices lend their aromatic flavour to the food that is being cooked. Most people pick out the whole spices and leave them aside while they eat. I particularly enjoy biting into the whole peppercorns. The burst of flavour in my mouth validates the reputation of peppercorns as the king of spice.

A TYPICAL INDIAN WEDDING

I can still remember the weeks of preparation that took place before my wedding many years ago. Hundreds of guests were served dinner at the reception following the traditional marriage ceremony. The family of aunts, cousins and grandmothers arrived days before to help sift through bags of rice and lentils. This hive of activity produced quantities of mango and vegetable pickles, preserving them in mustard oil, vinegar and spices. The female relatives also made tins of cookies and sweetmeats to serve to family and friends who visited the home during the days preceding the wedding.

Professional chefs were hired to cook the food that was served on the wedding day. The traditional menu included biriyani made with the finest vegetables, thick spilt-pea puree with dumplings, paper-thin lentil wafers, an assortment of pickles and salads and, finally, grainy semolina halwa for dessert.

The area where the ceremony was conducted was decorated with four posts. At each corner, gleaming brass pots were filled with healthy banana plants and coconuts to signify fertility. The bridal couple sat on a two-seated wedding char upholstered in a rich brocade. Into a large fire urn they added aromatic sandalwood and rice husks to punctuate each vow that sanctified the marriage. Brass oil lamps and garlands of marigolds completed the traditional setting.

For the garlands my father had bought out a farm of marigolds. At about five ‘o clock in the morning on the day before the wedding, my brothers and several cousins went to the farm to pluck the flowers while they were still dew-fresh. At home the womenfolk threaded the flowers into garlands, sprinkled them with water and stored them in a cool place for the next day.

A row of cast iron cauldrons stood on iron tripods over very hot coals. Logs of wood were burnt until they were glowing red. At various stages of cooking the biriyani and the semolina, the logs were juggled to adjust the cooking temperature. The skilled chefs worked capably in their outdoor kitchen. The vegetables were cooked through, and the separate long grains of rice were braised with cinnamon and cardamom and crisp rings of fried onions. The rich golden semolina, together with plump raisins and toasted almonds, was perfumed with crushed cardamom and an infusion of saffron, and was served as the traditional dessert.

Up until the 1960’s the custom was to serve the hundreds of guests their food on washed and dried banana leaves. After the main dish, the semolina dessert would be served on the same leaf. My friend Arnaldo, in New York, will not let me go near his banana plant, because I wax poetic about the flour of food served in this way! Suffice it to say that the banana plant is part of the interior design in his stylish apartment.

When I visited my family after being in America for many years, an uncle and aunt cooked a pot of curry on an open fire and served the food on banana leaves. I felt loved and pampered, since they had gone to all this trouble especially for me.

To this day, to eat delicate grains of steamed rice, and mildly spiced vegetables and cubes of marinaded roasted meat on a banana leaf with my fingers is high up on my list of dining pleasures. I’m reminded of a comment somebody once made about eating with one’s fingers. He said, ‘To eat with cutlery is like making love through an interpreter.’

Here is a short-cut method of preparing the biriyani, ideal to sere at a dinner party, and especially if you have vegetarian guests.

VEGETABLE BIRIYANI

1 cup flat black lentils
½ cup canola oil
1 large sliced onion
4 large peeled potatoes, cut into quarters
3 cups basmati or other long-grain white rice
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 can red beans, with the canning liquid rinsed off
1 cup coarsely chopped cabbage
1 cup tomato pulp
1 cup plain low-fat yoghurt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
10 cardamom pods
10 peppercorns
10 cloves 
½ cup saffron infusion (10 strands soaked in ½ cup boiling water) (optional)
½ cup cashew nuts for garnish
(Serves 6)

Soak the lentils for at least 2 hours, then boil them until almost cooked through. Keep aside. Fry the thinly sliced onion in the hot oil until golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Fry the potatoes in the same oil, just to brown then, then drain and keep aside. Soak the washed rice in cold water for at least 1 hour, then drain and keep aside.

Put the remaining ingredients (except the saffron and cashews) into a large bowl. Add half the fried onions. Mix well, then transfer the marinade to a large pot that will fit into the oven. Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F).

Place the fried potatoes and lentils over the vegetables, followed by the rice and remaining onions. Add 3 cups of boiling water and, after the pot comes to the boil, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes.

Serve on a platter and garnish with more fired onion rings and fried cashews. Accompany with diced apples (rinsed in 2 cups water with 2 teaspoons lemon added to prevent discolouration) mixed with smooth, low-fat yoghurt, a pinch of salt and chopped fresh mint. Also serve chutneys, pickles and toasted or fried popadoms.

SEMOLINA HALWA

Halwa in Indian cooking denotes sweetness, and is very different from the Middles Eastern halva, made from sesame seeds. This dish is ideal to serve if you’re looking for and egg-free dessert.

125 g butter
1 large stick cinnamon
4 tablespoons raisins or sultanas
½ cup silvered almonds
1 cup semolina
2 cups boiling water
sugar to sweeten (about ½ cup)
1 full teaspoon cardamom powder
½ cup desiccated coconut
(Serves 6)

Melt the butter with the cinnamon stick on medium heat. Add the raisins, almonds and semolina and fry for about 3 minutes. Add the coconut at this stage if you are using it. Dribble the boiling water in slowly, stirring at the same time. Take care not to scald yourself with the steam.

Now add the sugar, stir, and turn the heat down to very low. Cover the pot and leave for about 10 – 15 minutes, by which time, when you stir it with a fork, the semolina should be grainy and dry. Sprinkle over the cardamom for flavour. Serve in dessert bowls decorated with more almonds.

Photography by Sean Wilson with additional photography by Ilse Andrag and Urmila Jithoo 

FROM THE TABLE OF MY MEMORY 
By Urmila Jithoo
Published by Double Storey Books, a Juta company
For further information see Cook's Corner..