bad

I have been having such a topsy turvy week. It started with an unpleasant email from a student which is always upsetting. I’ve been trying to thicken my skin for the past 34 years, but more often than not the pokes and prods still leave a mark. My mood from here seemed to plummet and has only surfaced for a few brief moments. One of these happy moments included an interview with The Locavore Edition. I love what they’re doing on their website and earlier this year I was able to get my hands on The Field Guide to Victorian Produce that they loving compiled. They are about to get to work on a field guide for New South Wales and I would be so chuffed to get a chance to work on this with them. Cross your fingers everyone! But apart from the lovely time spent chatting to the girls there, a nice dinner with the bestie and a night of Mexican with my cousin, I haven’t felt like my happy self (even though looking back on those 3 events, I shouldn’t really be complaining). A week like this would usually put me in the mood to open a bottle of wine and order in some comfort food like Indian or Thai. But this week, I decided to cook my own comfort food.

The week prior (a much cheerier week) I had some sweet corn daal from the little organic cafe downstairs of where I work. It was so amazing and such a simple dish I decided to attempt it myself.

Sweet Corn Daal

500g of sweetcorn kernels or 4 cobs

350ml water

100g butter

Salt & Pepper for seasoning

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

2″ ginger, chopped

Small brown onion finely diced

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 whole green chillies

1 bunch of fresh coriander

3 tbs of rice bran oil

Peel the silks and the strings off the corn cobs and shave off their kernels with a sharp knife using a downward action (stand the cobs on their end into a large bowl to do this)

Boil the kernels in 350ml of water for 10 minutes.

Scoop the kernels into a blender with a slotted spoon and pulse until the mix is roughly blended and the husks have been removed.

Return the corn back to the pan of water and cook for a further 15 minutes. If it becomes too sludgy add a little water.

Fry the onions in the oil in a separate pan until translucent.

Add the mustard seeds and as soon as they start popping add the cumin, garlic and ginger.

Fry the mix making sure the onion is coated in the whole spices and the ginger and garlic are starting to crisp up.

Add the whole chillies and cook until their skin bloats.

Empty all the ingredients into a bowl and cover to capture the aroma.

Just before serving, stir the onion, butter and spice mix into the hot sweetcorn.

Add chopped fresh coriander and serve with rice. Top with more coriander and slivered almonds for extra crunch.

Thanks to this daal, I was able to have a happy night. And who wouldn’t feel happy looking at that gorgeous golden yellow?

I am a Naturopath and generally don’t condone the consumption of fast food, but with the major role it plays in our society, it’s almost unavoidable. For the pure purpose of education, I promised to at least try some typical American fast food and report back to my students. This is a promise I categorically regretted after my visit to White Castle.

In the hit movie ‘Harold & Kumar go to White Castle’ this burger joint attained world famous recognition. It was the central objective of two college stoners with the munchies. After seeing an add for the restaurant, the two embark on a journey to obtain some White Castle sliders. It was this movie that prompted me to pause and sample this infamous fare.

It was the smell that hit me first. I hadn’t even opened the bag when a funk I can only describe as a wet fish, smacked me in the nose. The actual slider (for those of you not abreast with burger terminology, is a small hamburger) looked like it had been sitting in a warmer for the last 3 days. It tasted like it had been there for longer still..

The typical bright yellow American cheese was the first recognisable component of this ‘so-called’ burger. The onions had a sharp, fetid smell that still lingers in my nostrils a day later. The meat was something else all together. It was sporting a greyish-brown tone that I would rather not see in a meat I’m about to consume. But, I did. All for the sake of education 😉

The taste reflected the odorous impression I had first arrived at. The bun was typically fluffy, yet sweet and greasy all at the same time. The taste however, was barely edible. I pressed on. The faint suggestion of rancid meat and noxious onions wasn’t enough to stop me from finishing this pocket-sized burger.

For the first hour or so following, aside from the lingering after-taste, I felt fine. It was later in the afternoon the stomach cramps kicked in and I knew then, my trip to White Castle was not a happy ever after Hollywood movie.