Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and The... (46 page)

Makes about 2 cups

1½ pounds small fish, including heads, cut up

3 tablespoons sea salt

2 cups filtered water

2 cloves garlic, mashed

2 bay leaves, crumbled

1 teaspoon peppercorns

several pieces lemon rind

1 tablespoon tamarind paste (available in African markets), optional

2 tablespoons whey
Whey and Cream Cheese

Toss fish pieces in salt and place in a wide-mouth, quart-sized mason jar. Press down with a wooden pounder or meat hammer. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over fish. Add additional water to cover fish thoroughly. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for about 3 days. Transfer to refrigerator for several weeks. Drain liquid through a strainer and store fish sauce in the refrigerator.

Certain things, like Gorgonzola cheese or hoppy ale, don't necessarily surrender their full charms on first taste. With repeated samplings, though, their complex multilayered flavors finally reveal themselves. Fermented fish definitely belongs on the same list. . .probably the most accessible of the many fermented fish seasonings of Southeast Asia is fish sauce. This thin brown liquid is made by packing anchovies or other small fish in salt and allowing them to ferment for three months or more, drawing off the liquid as it seeps out.

While this may seem faintly repulsive, it is actually a part of the European culinary heritage. In classical Rome, one of the most popular condiments was a sauce called
garum
, made in an almost identical fashion, except that the innards of larger fish were added to ferment along with the anchovies. . .. Fish sauce serves much the same function in Southeast Asian cooking as salt does in Western cuisines, and the Vietnamese mode of cooking with it provides the best model for American tastes. It adds a depth of flavor and intensifies the tastes of other ingredients but does not stand out as an ingredient in itself. Once added to stew, condiment or salad, it ceases to taste of fish and instead serves to round out the many other bold flavors that are typical of the region's cuisine. John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger
The New York Times

SHRIMP BUTTER

Makes about 1 cup

about 2 cups tiny cooked shrimp, drained, reserved from making
shrimp stock

¼ cup butter, softened

Shrimp butter is an excellent thickener for fish sauces and bisques.

Place shrimp in a tea towel and squeeze thoroughly to remove all liquid. Process shrimp in a food processor to form a coarse paste. Add butter and process until well blended. To store, place 2-tablespoon amounts in small crocks and refrigerate, or in small zip-lock bags and freeze.

One of the most overlooked elements of traditional diets, especially in Asia and Africa, is the frequent use of shrimp, usually in the form of dried shrimp added to soups, stews and vegetable dishes or as a spicy fermented paste or sauce. The value of shrimp derives from the fact that it is a rich source of vitamin D—shrimp contains at least eight times more vitamin D than liver! Daily use of concentrated shrimp paste ensures the inhabitants of Africa and Asia a healthy daily dose of vitamin D, thereby protecting them from osteoporosis and vitamin-D related ailments, such as multiple sclerosis and colon cancer.

One objection against shrimp consumption is that, as the shrimp is a scavenger, shrimp meat is likely to carry toxins. According to the naturopath Jack Tips, toxins are quickly eliminated from shrimp's tissue, and shrimp protein is particularly easy to digest.

American consumption of shrimp has increased threefold during the last fifteen years. Much of the shrimp consumed in the U.S. is imported from Thailand, Ecuador and Mexico. About half of the shrimp on the American market is farm raised. SWF

FERMENTED SHRIMP PASTE

Makes 3 cups

about 3 cups tiny cooked shrimp, drained, reserved from making
shrimp stock

6 ounces dried red chile peppers, hot or mild

4 cups water,
fish stock
or
shrimp stock
, or a combination

1 heaping tablespoon sea salt

2 tablespoons whey
Whey and Cream Cheese

Remove stems and seeds from peppers. (Use rubber gloves for this procedure.) Boil the chiles in water or stock, uncovered, stirring occasionally until liquid is almost evaporated. Using a slotted spoon, place chiles in a food mill (see
A Word on Equipment
) and process to remove skins and produce a puree. Place shrimp in a tea towel and squeeze thoroughly to remove all liquid. Place shrimp, chile puree, salt and whey in a food processor and process until smooth. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar, cover tightly and leave at room temperature about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. Use as a spicy condiment with meat or fish.

COCONUT MILK

Makes 1½ cups

2 coconuts

Using an ice pick, poke two holes in soft spots at the end of the coconuts and allow the coconut water to drain out. Place in a 350 degree oven until the coconuts crack. Use a hammer to split them open. Separate coconut meat from the shell using a sharp knife. Remove dark outer layer and dice white coconut meat into quarter-inch pieces. Place coconut meat in food processor and process until well broken up. Add 1 cup warm water and process until fluffy.

Line a strainer with a kitchen towel and place processed coconut meat in the strainer. Drain coconut milk into a glass container, squeezing out all liquid with the back of a wooden spoon or with your hands. Use immediately or refrigerate and use within 2 days.

You may also use canned whole coconut milk (see
About Coconut Products
), which is one of the few canned products we recommend.

Products of the coconut form a dietary staple in many nations, particularly Southeast Asia, the tropical regions of Latin America and East Africa. Marco Polo referred to the coconut as the "Indian nut." Vasco de Gama used the word "coquos" in his
Rotiero
(1498-99) and Pigafetta, the official chronicler of the Magellan expedition to the Philippines, used the Italian form of "coche" (plural "coca") around 1522.

The coconut is relatively low in protein compared to other nuts and seeds. It provides calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iodine and many trace minerals. The coconut contains up to 60 percent fat, and this fat is 92 percent saturated. But this is no reason to avoid coconut products. The principle fatty acid in coconut milk, lauric acid, is a medium-chain 12-carbon saturated fatty acid that has potent antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
In vitro
it will inactivate the HIV virus as well as the measles virus, herpes simplex virus-1, vesicular stomatitis virus, visna virus and cytomegalovirus. Coconut oil is our best source of lauric acid and is now being used to treat both AIDS and candida because of its antipathogenic effects in the gut. When absorbed, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil give quick energy. Because coconut oil is so highly saturated, it is highly resistant to rancidity.

The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil strengthen the immune system. Perhaps this is the reason that Thailand, where coconut holds a prominent place in the national cuisine, has the lowest cancer rate of the fifty countries surveyed by the National Cancer Institute.

Coconut oil is a good substitute for hydrogenated oils. Is this why we hear so much adverse publicity about the coconut? SWF

DRIED SWEETENED COCONUT MEAT

Makes 3 cups

coconut meat remaining from making coconut milk

¼ cup maple syrup

This makes an excellent topping for curry, and it is delicious in oatmeal. We also call for coconut meat in several dessert and cookie recipes. Mix coconut meat with maple syrup, spread on an oiled pan and bake at 150 degrees, turning occasionally, for about 12 hours or until well dried.

Coconut oil—and whole coconut products that contain coconut oil—are nature's best source of lauric acid, an essential saturated fatty acid that enhances the immune system and protects us against viruses, yeasts, parasites and other pathogens in the gut. Coconut can be added to the diet in a variety of ways.

  
Coconut Oil:
Use coconut oil in cookie recipes and other baked goods. Coconut oil blended with crispy nuts makes a delicious
nut butter
. It can also be used for sauteing, provided it is not subjected to temperatures that are too high. Buy only food-grade coconut oil and avoid any coconut oil that has been hydrogenated. In some parts of the world, coconut oil is extracted from coconuts that have been dried over fires, giving it a smoky odor and taste. The highest quality coconut oil tastes like coconut. It is, a white semisolid in cool weather and a creamy-colored oil in hot weather.

  
Creamed Coconut:
Found in the refrigerated section of Asian and Indian markets and in some health food stores, creamed coconut is made of finely ground fresh coconut meat with all of its valuable oil. The hard white blocks melt when added to broth, soups, sauces and curries. This is a wonderful product that imparts a rich texture and true coconut taste to both main dishes and desserts. See
Sources
for a wholesaler that can provide creamed coconut to your favorite store.

  
Canned Whole Coconut Milk:
A good substitute for creamed coconut, you may make this yourself (
Coconut Milk
) or buy canned whole coconut milk, which can be found in most supermarkets. Look for a brand that contains no additives and be sure to buy
whole
, not
lite
. Add to broth, soups, sauces, curries, smoothies and blender drinks; or use in preparing beans, rice and other grain dishes.

  
Desiccated Coconut Meat:
Unsweetened desiccated coconut meat is available in many health food stores. Use as a topping and in desserts. Finely ground coconut will be easier to digest and will give up its content of lauric acid for assimilation more easily than coarsely shredded coconut. Avoid the coconut meat sold in supermarkets—it is loaded with sugar.

AIDS patients and others with compromised immune system function should consume 20 to 25 grams of lauric acid per day. Approximately 12 grams of lauric acid are contained in 2 tablespoons coconut oil or 3 tablespoons creamed coconut; 10 grams of lauric acid are contained in ½ cup canned whole coconut milk or ½ cup desiccated coconut meat.