Big Bend Eats
By Carolyn Brown Zniewski
I
landed in the Big Bend Regional
Medical Center last winter with both
the flu and pneumonia. I stayed
about 11 days so I got to know many of
the folks who work there. I got great care
from everyone, from the aides, thera-
pists, and maintenance workers to the
doctors and nurses. It was quite an inter-
national community, bringing together
local people whose families have been in
Big Bend for generations and medical
personnel originally from Brazil, India
and the Philippines.
After I went home, Agave Home
Health came for several weeks. I collect-
ed recipes from some of the staff at the
hospital and at Agave. This collection of
international recipes will make a great
dinner menu, or pick one to try.
Thanks to the very fine crew of medical
personnel that makes up our local com-
munity of healthcare: the medical cen-
ter, doctors and dentist offices, clinics
and home care in Big Bend. I tip my hat
to you all. Thanks for being here for us.
DELICIOUS ICE TEA
Lupe Tavarez - Big Bend
1 ½ quarts water
8-10 Guanabana leaves
¼ - ½ cup honey
Bring about 4-6 cups water to a boil.
Remove from heat. Add a handful of
guanabana leaves and let steep about 10
minutes until it is a deep golden color.
Stir in ¼ - ½ cup local honey.
Refrigerate until cool. Delicious any-
time.
“I like to take it to work with me on
a hot day in a water bottle. I think of it
as a ‘Fountain of Youth’.”
LUMPIANG SHANGHAI
Spring Rolls
Maris Imallin Aguilar - China
1 lb. ground pork
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
½ cup grated carrots
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
25 spring roll wrappers
3 to 6 cups cooking oil (depends
on pan size)
Combine all the ingredients with the
pork starting with the onion, carrots,
green onions, salt, ground black pepper,
soy sauce, sweet pickle relish and 1 raw
egg. Mix well. Wrap about 1 to 1½
Tablespoons of the mixture in a spring
roll wrapper. (This should make 25
spring rolls.) Cover rolls to keep them
from drying out. Using either a deep
fryer or a large frying pan, heat the oil to
medium high, 375°. Deep-fry the
lumpiang, a few at a time, for 10 to 12
minutes. Remove from fryer and drain
on paper towels. Transfer to a serving
plate. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.
“This is how I usually cook this dish.
Share and Enjoy!”
CILANTRO RICE
Amy Struthers - India
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and
soaked 30 minutes
2 Tablespoons diced garlic
1 bay leaf
3 whole cloves
4-5 black peppercorns
1/2 stick cinnamon
3 whole green cardamom seeds
1 thinly sliced onion
Pinch of turmeric
1 potato, peeled and diced
½ cup frozen peas
Salt as required
Cilantro Paste:
½ cup cilantro
Green chilies to taste
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 Tablespoons grated coconut
(unsweetened)
3-4 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
2-4 Tablespoons water
Blend well to make a paste.
Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a large pan
over medium heat. Add garlic, bay leaf,
cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon
and cardamom. Sauté until spices are
fragrant. Add onion and sauté until
onion is golden. Lower heat and add
cilantro paste and a pinch of turmeric,
stirring. Add potatoes, peas, any other
vegetables you like (diced carrot is
good), mix well, cover pan and cook
another 15 minutes or so until potatoes
are done. Add drained, uncooked rice,
sauté for a minute or two, add 2 cups
water and ½ teaspoon salt, stir well.
Cover and cook about 15 or 20 minutes
until rice is done. Check to make sure
there is enough water for the rice.
“This is good served with Raita. A
favorite.”
LECHE FLAN
Rheena Mae V. Ruiz - Philippines &
Mexico
1 can sweetened condensed milk
12 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup white sugar
Preheat oven to 350°. Separate the
yolks from the whites. Place the egg
yolks in a big bowl, then beat them. Add
condensed milk and mix thoroughly
until completely combined. Add vanilla.
Put the flan mold/Llanera on top of the
stove on low heat. (if not available, use
8-9” round pan). Put the granulated
white sugar in the Llanera mold, mixing
constantly until sugar turns into liquid
(caramel, light brown). Spread the
caramel evenly to sides of the Llanera
mold. Let cool until sugar hardens. Pour
the yolk and milk mixture into the
mold. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake
at 350’ for 45-60 minutes until center is
barely firm. Refrigerate for at least 2
hours before serving. Just before serving,
loosen sides, place a large plate over flan;
quickly flip so mold is upside down.
Remove mold.
“Here is my Leche Flan recipe. I
know you’ll love this. Enjoy!”
Cenizo
Third Quarter 2018
17