RECIPE / A.C.E.
December 4, 2017
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 13
Taiwanese crime thriller claims
three top Golden Horse awards
By Johnson Lai
The Associated Press
AIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese crime
thriller The Bold, The Corrupt, The
Beautiful claimed three top Golden
Horse movie awards, including best
feature film.
Veteran Hong Kong actress Kara Wei
said on stage that her best actress win for
the film fulfilled a wish. Her co-star,
14-year-old Vicky Chen, became the
youngest best supporting actress winner
for her role in the film by Taiwanese
director Yang Ya-che.
China’s Vivian Qu won the best director
award for the dark drama Angels Wear
White, which addresses the theme of child
sexual assault.
“I am really happy, because this movie
talks about social problems. And I think
nothing is more important than (that) this
movie reaches its audiences,” she said in
accepting the award at the ceremony.
China’s Tu Men credited luck for being
named best leading actor for his role as a
bankrupt businessman in the film Old
Beast.
Five Golden Horse awards, the Chinese-
language equivalent of the Oscars, went to
the black comedy, The Great Buddha.
Taiwanese director Huang Hsin-yao was
named best new director and the film was
also honored for best adapted screenplay,
T
PERFECT PILAF. A serving of Greek-style rice pilaf is seen with chicken in New York. Born as a side dish,
Greek-Style Rice Pilaf easily converts to main-dish status. Just top it off with a little sautéed shrimp or chicken
and call it a meal. (Sara Moulton via AP)
Basmati rice makes Greek-
Style Rice Pilaf special
By Sara Moulton
The Associated Press
ith the exception of ooey-gooey
potato concoctions, side dishes
rarely get any respect. Most of
us devote our love and attention to the
protein in the center of the plate and then
throw together some kind of vegetable
and/or starch as an afterthought. Here,
however, is a pilaf fully capable of stealing
the limelight from the usual star of the
show.
It’s basmati rice that makes Greek-Style
Rice Pilaf so special. An especially
aromatic grain used for centuries in India
and Pakistan, basmati doesn’t usually
show up in a Greek-styled pilaf. But I
prefer its naturally nutty taste to the
blandness of the usual varieties of
long-grain rice. (There’s a reason basmati
means fragrant in Hindi.) The seasonings,
of course, are also key: sautéed spinach
spiked with red pepper flakes, feta cheese,
olives, and dill.
To make sure the cooked grains end up
separate and fluffy — and to wash away
excess starch — I started by rinsing the
rice. This requires covering the rice in
several inches of cold water, stirring it in a
W
circular motion several times, dumping off
the water, and starting again with fresh
water. Repeat this process as often as it
takes for the water to become almost clear.
Cooking rice also requires some care. It
needs to be tightly sealed and cooked at a
bare simmer to achieve the right texture.
Place a wet paper towel under the lid to
ensure that no liquid can escape. Waiting
10 minutes after it’s cooked before fluffing
it up allows all the moisture to be
absorbed.
If you’re no fan of feta, just swap in
ricotta salata, a kind of aged ricotta. You’re
also welcome to lose the dill in favor of
oregano, basil, or mint. And if you don’t
like olives, just leave them out. Finally, if
you’d prefer a vegetarian version of this
dish, reach for vegetable broth instead of
chicken broth.
Born as a side dish, Greek-Style Rice
Pilaf easily converts to main-dish status.
Just top it off with a little sautéed shrimp
or chicken and call it a meal.
Editor’s note: Sara Moulton is host of
public television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.”
She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine
for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting
several Food Network shows, including “Cooking
Live.” Her latest cookbook is Home Cooking 101.
Greek-Style Rice Pilaf
Start to finish: 1 hour (30 minutes active)
Servings: 6
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear when drained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 ounces finely crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1 ounce chopped Mediterranean olives (heaping 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
In a medium saucepan, cook the onion in two tablespoons of the oil over
medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until it is golden, about eight minutes. Add
the rice and garlic; cook, stirring, for three minutes. Add the lemon zest and chicken
broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low, adjusting the
temperature to make sure the broth maintains a bare simmer. Cover the top of the
pot with a wet paper towel and a tight-fitting lid and cook, without stirring, for 17
minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
While the rice is simmering, cook the spinach. In a large skillet, heat one
tablespoon of the remaining oil over high heat, add half the spinach, and cook,
stirring until it is wilted. Add half the pepper flakes, then stir and transfer the
spinach to a bowl. Repeat the procedure with the remaining oil, spinach, and pepper
flakes and set aside.
When the rice is done and has rested for 10 minutes, add the feta, olives, and dill
and, using a fork, fluff the rice to separate the grains. Serve right away.
Nutrition information per serving: 259 calories (110 calories from fat); 12 g fat (3
g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 8 mg cholesterol; 211 mg sodium; 30 g carbohydrates; 1 g
fiber; 1 g sugar; 6 g protein.
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BEST LEADING ACTRESS. Hong Kong ac-
tress Kara Wai holds her award for best leading ac-
tress and poses for media at the 54th Golden Horse
Awards in Taipei, Taiwan. Wai won for the film The
Bold, The Corrupt, The Beautiful at this year’s awards,
the Chinese-language equivalent of the Oscars.
(AP Photo/Billy Dai)
best cinematography, best original film
score, and best original film song.
The black-and-white film about two peo-
ple who discover their boss’s dark secret
from a car dashboard camera’s footage
shows the struggles of the underclass and
exposes political corruption.
Sumo wrestler Harumafuji retires over assault allegations
Continued from page 8
claims against a yokozuna grand
champion, whose behavior in sports and
society is expected to be exemplary.
Harumafuji was accompanied by his
stablemaster, Isegahama, who made a
tearful apology and said Harumafuji, as a
yokozuna — the highest level in sumo —
must accept the consequences of actions.
Harumafuji allegedly struck compatriot
Takanoiwa with his palms, fists, and a
karaoke machine remote control at a
drinking party in late October, fracturing
his skull and causing other injuries.
“As a senior wrestler, I felt it was my
responsibility to teach him the proper
behavior,” Harumafuji said of the
encounter in October.
The 33-year-old Harumafuji reportedly
became aggravated when Takanoiwa
repeatedly checked his mobile phone while
the two were conversing.
The Japan Sumo Association (JSA),
which imposes strict rules on wrestlers, is
conducting an investigation, but Haruma-
fuji decided to retire ahead of the probe.
Born
Davaanyam
Byambadorj,
Harumafuji debuted in 2001 and has won
the championship nine times, with his
most recent victory at the autumn
tournament in September. He was
promoted to yokozuna in 2012.
Harumafuji’s retirement is the latest
scandal to rock the sumo world.
In 2011, the JSA decided to cancel the
Spring Grand Sumo Tournament after
revelations that 14 wrestlers were
involved with match-fixing.
In 2010, grand champion Asashoryu,
also of Mongolia, announced his retire-
ment following reports that he injured a
man while intoxicated.
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