Episode 15: Starch Nemesis (with Waffles & Mochi)
Hello again! We’ve climbed out of our cave and here we are, blinking bewilderedly in the light of the bright sun, trying to remember how to make this podcast. Join us as we slice up a veritable fruit salad of questions, including one about raisins from our new puppet friends Waffles & Mochi. They’re the titular characters of the new Netflix kids show that just came out. Samin is in the show, too, so you should go watch it as soon as you’re done listening to this!
For a transcript of this episode, click here.
Special thanks to the wonderful Michelle Zamora, puppeteer extraordinaire and voice of Waffles!
Food ideas discussed in this episode:
Lara Lee’s Crispy Soy and Ginger Roast Potatoes are SO GOOD!!! Please make them!
Preparing a large rutabaga
Peel. Remove and discard any fibrous parts. Roast with oil and salt, or cook and mash with brown butter, salt, and parmesan cheese. Or try it with a sizzle of Szechuan peppercorns, ginger, and garlic in sesame oil, and drizzle on top.
Ham with maraschino cherries
Put maraschino cherries onto the outside of your ham with toothpicks. Roast the ham. Perfect for your Retro Easter?!
Pineapple upside down cake with maraschino cherries
Make a pineapple upside down cake, with maraschino cherries inside each pineapple ring. Samin is partial to David Lebovitz’s Upside Down-Cake recipe and method, but here are some other good-looking ones, too: Smitten Kitchen, TKTK
Maraschino surprise cookies [ link ]
Preserved lemon
Flay lemons by scoring them with a lengthwise X, then peeling back the rind to make a tulip shape (leave the bottom connected). Pack the area around the flesh with salt and put the lemons into a jar. Pack with lemon juice and salt until there is no air. Work out any air bubbles. Seal airtight and put in a dark place at room temperature for 3 weeks. Rinse off the salt and remove the lemon juice and lemon flesh. Keep the preserved rinds.
Preserved lemon meringue pie
Make a lemon meringue pie, adding tiny pieces of preserved lemon rind to the meringue
Shakshuka
(Triple if feeding a family of nine!)
Marcella Hazan Tomato Sauce [ link ]
Keshmesh Polo
If you want to go full raisin, no lentil, try this version.
Adas Polo
Here’s a traditional version of adas polo or you can try Samin’s one pot version with chicken.
Illustration by Mamie Rheingold