RECIPE
March 21, 2016
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 13
Prince Harry visiting Nepal,
touring quake-hit areas
Continued from page 4
VERSATILE VEGETABLES. Spring Vegetable Pilau with Fennel and Asparagus is seen in Concord, New
Hampshire. The combination of rice packed with spiced fennel, onions, and garlic cooked slowly until soft and
finished with still-crisp asparagus and peas makes for a perfect spring dish. (AP Photo/J.M. Hirsch)
This spring, embrace vegetables,
but don’t overpower them
By Meera Sodha
The Associated Press
S
pring is nature’s fashion week.
After winter’s endless parade of
root vegetables, it feels as though
nature has pressed the big green button,
refreshing the new season’s offerings.
Being showcased right now is a new look
for your fridge, in a variety of greens.
At my local Sunday market in London,
on display are big leafy bunches of spinach,
pointed sweetheart cabbages, fennel with
thrusting green tops, and spring’s favorite
darling, the slender asparagus.
Even in the village where I grew up, the
fields have gone from empty to busy
overnight. Workers lob about with big
wooden crates of cut leeks, lettuces, and a
renewed sense of purpose. It is catching:
All I want to cook and eat is green,
something fresh, light, and colorful.
A favorite green supper of mine is a
beautiful spring pilau. Buttery rice packed
with spiced fennel, onions, and garlic
cooked slowly until soft and finished with a
last-minute
addition
of
still-crisp
asparagus and fava beans or peas. A
handful of fresh mint and a squeeze of
lemon juice is stirred in just before serving
to lift and unify all the flavors.
It’s a gentle dish. The key to spring
cooking is never to overpower the flavor of
the new vegetables. They’ve spent a long
time getting to the point where they’re
ready. So don’t hijack them with bigger,
bolder flavors or spices. A little cumin,
green chili, and garam masala are all they
need to help them sing.
This dish can be eaten by itself, though
adding a little yoghurt and mango pickle
won’t hurt. But for something a bit more
special, some spring lamb cutlets, flash
fried with salt, cumin, and chili, would
make wonderful sidekicks.
Editor’s note: Meera Sodha, an Indian food
expert and author of Made in India: Recipes
from an Indian Family Kitchen, lives in London.
Spring Vegetable Pilau with Fennel and Asparagus
Start to finish: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 green finger chilies, very thinly sliced
2 medium bulbs fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into one-inch pieces
9 ounces fresh or frozen peas or fresh fava beans (outer skins removed)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, dill, or cilantro
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Use whichever spring vegetables you have available. Green beans and spring
cabbage or leeks make for a wonderful pilau, too.
Set the rice in a mesh strainer and run under cool water until the water runs clear.
Transfer to a bowl, then add enough cool water to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Drain the rice, then add to the stock.
Return to a simmer, then cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a mesh strainer to
strain the rice, then set aside, covered with a kitchen towel.
In a larger skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and
cook for six to eight minutes, or until translucent and softened, but not browned.
Add the garlic and chilies, then cook for another two minutes. Add the fennel, stir to
mix, then add a couple tablespoons of water and cover. Cook for eight minutes, or
until soft. Add the asparagus, peas or fava beans, cumin, garam masala, and salt.
Stir and cover, then cook for another five minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Stir the herbs and rice into the vegetable mixture; you might need to delicately
break up the clumps of rice using your hands. Transfer to a serving dish and serve
with wedges of lemon on the side.
Nutrition information per serving: 330 calories (40 calories from fat, 12 percent of
total calories); 4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 640 mg
sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 9 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 11 g protein.
Patan — which Queen Elizabeth visited
about 30 years ago — hope Harry’s visit
will generate greater awareness about
rebuilding needs and bring in funds to
repair damage to many historic structures.
The Buddhist shrine that dates back
1,400 years was mostly spared by the
earthquake, but the adjoining monastery,
prayer house, and assembly halls were
damaged. Only plastic sheets keep the rain
off and the damaged areas are closed to the
public due to danger of collapse. Harry will
also negotiate a narrow alley alongside
brick and mud houses that are supported
by wooden beams.
Puspa Raj Bajracharya, who is on the
committee that takes care of the Golden
Temple, said they have sent requests and
proposals to the government, saying it was
getting dangerous for the devotees who
come to the temple, but have not received
any response. Repairs are estimated to
cost about 25 million rupees ($227,000),
but so far only a fraction of that has been
collected from private donors.
“His grandmother had visited the
temple in the 1980s when she came to
Nepal with her husband and now the
young prince is coming,” Bajracharya said.
“We hope when the prince comes to our
temple we will get the attention of the
world to come help us.”
Prince Harry is also travelling to
Bhaktapur, a historic town east of
Kathmandu that suffered even more
damage, and visiting a nearby temporary
camp for about 250 people made homeless
by the disaster, a quarter of whom are
children.
In Pokhara, a lakeside town that is a
base for trekkers in central Nepal, Harry
will meet several retired Gurkha soldiers
and their families.
The Gurkhas have served in the British
army for 200 years and have a reputation
for being brave, tenacious fighters.
HOPING FOR HELP. Britain’s Prince Harry at-
tends the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster
Abbey in London. Ordinary people hope the prince’s
visit to Nepal and tour of earthquake-hit areas draws
attention to the country’s struggle to recover from last
year’s disaster. Rebuilding is slow and tens of thou-
sands remain homeless. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wiggles-
worth)
Thousands of young Nepali men attempt
to pass the gruelling test to become a
Gurkha, but only a few get through.
Harry will honor those killed in battle
and spend a night with a local family.
For years, the Gurkhas fought for equal
pay and pension to their British
counterparts until a landmark 2008 court
ruling that ended most discriminatory
practices. Gurkha soldiers now receive
equal salary and pension, and their
families are allowed to settle in Britain.
However, those who retired before 2008
still get roughly one-third of the pension.
The Gurkhas are proud of their heritage
and identity, and Harry’s visit is a “big
event for us Gurkhas,” said Krishna
Kumar Ale, who served in the British army
between 1969 and 1998, when he retired as
a major. He recalled seeing the young
Harry during a visit to a military exercise
in Britain, and said Harry once had a
Gurkha orderly.
“He is a good friend of the Gurkhas,” he
said, “and has always been close with the
Gurkhas.”
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