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Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

“Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance,” said Epicurus.
 
After celebrating a tradition-rich Nowouz which is the Persian New Year marked by the first day of spring, my family celebrated Passover. Over the same weekend some celebrated Easter, some seezdah-bedar, some weekly Sunday suppers- and many other traditions continued around the word. Though the observers and rituals may have been different, the common denominator was a festive meal.
 

At Basil & Roses we call it “Breaking Bread together In Style.” But no matter what your style, customs or origin story- when we gather to enjoy a meal, we are unified in engaging in a tradition as old as humanity—one which transcends national borders and cultural divides.  I wrote about the magic of gathering around the fire, and how we gather around the hearth and our tables to pay homage to the gift of generosity we’ve received in our lifetime. Today, I am wondering, how to expand that circle further.

As I reflect on my own experiences, I realize what a privilege it was to grow up in a home with many gatherings. My parents were extraordinary hosts who believed in the art of bringing people together and creating memories.  Indeed much bread has been broken under the roof of their loving home.

Today, the long dining table in my family home has a magical aura about it. It is as if, the collective energy of the all the people who have shared a meal around this table has penetrated the wooden top, permeates the room and gives back a little bit of that joy to every newcomer. That energy gives the dining room the fragrance of light happiness, gently perfumed by the memory of the scent of the 68,000 estimated onions chopped in its adjacent kitchen over the past twenty two years.

It is that magic which I want to spread with this essay and with my cooking. It is undoubtedly special to share a meal with those dear to us. Wouldn’t be nice if we extended that offer to others we have the opportunity to get to know better? I’m not suggesting inviting strangers off the street into our homes, but maybe we can expand our reach and open our tables to those we don’t know as well. To those with different political points of view, different religious beliefs, different lifestyles. Though not an easy task, perhaps while we’re breaking bread together, we can learn to listen to each other, break barriers and build bridges to ultimately learn from one another.

Our society seems more segmented than ever today. But when we break bread together, somehow we are equal. Through the ingredients of the meal, we share a common connection to the the earth and sun which worked to create sustenance for us. There are organizations all over the US doing great work with their own “breaking bread, breaking barriers” projects supporting refugee communities. Community meals are sponsored by Churches, Mosques and Synagogues everywhere. Community restaurants like Soul Kitchen in NJ, are offering locally sourced ingredients along with dignity for those in need.

“The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual of family and community, from the mere animal biology to an act of culture.” says Michael Pollan.

Eating delicious food is an indulgence. But there can also be great satisfaction with sharing your food with others.  Whether you break bread with two people or your entire community, try reaching out. You may be surprised how many people are interested in your traditions. Consider the potential of the connections you can create with this small effort. We live in a world in which there are 7,000 estimated languages spoken, but there is one that is universal and that is food! Let’s start the dialogue… or simply, invite those neighbors which we never got to know, over for dinner one night next week.

“In the shade of the lemon grove I break off a hunch of bread, sprinkle it with the delicious fruity olive oil, empty my glass of sour white Capri wine; and remember that Norman Douglas once wrote that whoever has helped us to a larger understanding is entitled to our gratitude for all time.” A beautiful quote from Elizabeth David- a soulful food visionary of the 1950’s.

What is the moral of the story here?

Eat well and eat together.

Below I share with you photos of the gorgeous dishes our generous hosts prepared for us this past Passover. Once again, I was grateful for meeting new faces at these tables, and the indulgences inspired but family, tradition and love.

Hope to see you at a table soon and break break together in style!

 

 

Green Garden Herb Basmati Rice with Dill, Cilantro, Rosemary & Chive and an unexpected trip home

Green Garden Herb Basmati Rice with Dill, Cilantro, Rosemary & Chive and an unexpected trip home

Thanks everyone for the feedback on this recipe! Many of you asked for instructions on how to make our fragrant basmati rice without a rice cooker. We gave it a go and the results were equally wonderful with delicious tahdig (crunchy bottom) to boot!

The recipe utilizes the same ingredients as the rice cooker version. Here, I used a nonstick standard pot. Instructions are below. Feel free to share your results and happy cooking!

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Green Garden Herb Basmati Rice with Dill, Cilantro, Rosemary & Chive (and an unexpected trip home)

Green Garden Herb Basmati Rice with Dill, Cilantro, Rosemary & Chive (and an unexpected trip home)

Rice is the ultimate comfort food. It has been farmed by people for over 10,000 years.

In the Hindi language “Bas” means “aroma” and “Mati” means “full of.” Growing up in a Persian family, that beautifully fragrant and earthy aroma  is part of the essential scents of home. The cue of happiness and an eternal symbol of family dinners, celebrations and tradition.

Cooking traditional Persian rice (with crunchy tahdig of course) is truly an art form. For how to create a saffron scented masterpiece check out Persian Mama’s recipe here. For a simpler approach, I use a rice cooker. Not all rice cookers can deliver the crunchy golden goodness, however. Generally the Pars Brand rice cookers do the trick.

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In this rendition, I highlight garden herbs using dill, mint, chive and rosemary for an aromatic rice dish guaranteed to feed the soul (nousheh jan...). But really you can use any herbs that you like.

On a recent trip to Philadelphia, we ate at one of the best restaurants on the scene in recent years: Zahav. Here Chef Michael Solomonov beautifully highlights modern Israeli cuisine. I was inspired by his vision, the story behind his culinary ventures and the flavors of the wonderful meal we had that October eve in the city of brotherly love. The menu excited my senses and my palate was dancing, curiously processing the familiar and the new. A colorful melody of flavors, humble, deeply flavorful food that was simply delicious.

What resonated the most were the familiar flavors of  my childhood home found in smoky eggplant, coriander, warm bread, the grilled meats and tangy pomegranate. But most notably-  in the herbed basmati rice. The Al’Haesh dishes (grilled over coals) are served with a side of basmati rice that was not only delicious, but momentarily took me home. This humble side dish became the center of what all the other plates harmoniously danced around. This beautiful little pot of rice had the power to transform me to another place and time. To the familiar places where we feel safe, comforted and loved. To where I remember being happy. To the quiet corners of memory,  to our mother’s cooking and the taste of my grandmother’s love in an old kitchen in Isfahan. Maya Angelou  says “I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.” I found myself at home in this beautiful experience, and I hope you do too by trying my basmati rice recipe.

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Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 cups fresh chives, roughly chopped
Handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
Handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
1-2  tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 2 teaspoons finely ground sea salt)

Directions:
Soak rice in cold water for 20-30 minutes.

Rinse rice with water, gently agitating with fingertips. Do this multiple times (3-4) until water runs clear.

Place rice in rice cooker.

Add enough water to cover 1″ above rice (about 2.5 cups).

Add olive oil, onion, all herbs, salt + pepper.

Mix ingredients and turn on rice cooker. Continue to mix ingredients couple of more times in the first 3-4 minutes if cooking so all ingredients are evenly spread throughout.

Let rice cooker do its magic!

Cook rice for approximately 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until the indicator lets you know the cooking is completed. Timing can vary depending on the size and model.

That’s it! In about an hour you’ll have golden curst!

Once cooking is finished, unplug rice cooker.

Wearing oven mitts, place a platter larger than the rice cooker bowl over the bowl insert.

Lift bowl out and quickly and confidently flip the bowl and platter together.

Lift off the bowl slowly to reveal the Tahdig on top.
(Valiantly demonstrated by my cousin Payam, here).

Serve immediately: Tahdig loses crunch if it sits too long.

If you don’t have a rice cooker, see here for instructions on how to cook in a regular pot.

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Musical Inspiration:

The Idan Raichel Project

http://idanraichelproject.com/en/