Episode 18: Frankly, We Have a Lot to Ketchup On (with Latif Nasser)

Our holiday episode this year is a Christmas special. Samin is making puns and courting controversy (don't let a Chicagoan hear how she eats a hot dog). And Hrishi’s making a weird sandwich, and trying to recreate a treat he sampled in London. Featuring listeners’ questions, plus a conversation about an ancient fish sauce between Samin and our friend and co-host of Radiolab, Latif Nasser.

Listen to the Radiolab episode about Pompeii here.

For a transcript of this episode, click here.

Food ideas discussed in this episode:

Giardiniera

• Two of Samin's favorites are made by Caruso's and Kitchen Garden Farm

• And here's a great recipe if you want to try making some yourself. 

And here's some follow-up reading on regional hot dog variations across the country. 

Hrishi's Totally Insane Sandwich

I leave it to you, my friends, to figure this one out, because I refuse to write a recipe for a kale, peanut butter, and avocado sandwich.

• But, apparently, someone out there has made this concoction before

Roasting Duck

Before roasting a duck, it's best to render out as much fat as possible by steaming it first. This recipe from our queen, Nigella Lawson, walks you through the process. And this page explains why the two steps are necessary for achieving the crispiest skin possible. 

Sweet Potatoes

Samin wrote a column about Carla Lalli's perfect steamed sweet potatoes with tahini butter. Try the recipe with Japanese sweet potatoes, which are also called satsuma-imo. 

Green Sauces Galore:

• Chimichurri

• Fanny Singer's Salsa Verde

• Carla Lalli's Magic Green Sauce

• Samin's Fried Sage Salsa Verde

• Cheeseboard Collective's Papi Chulo Sauce

Vegan Ranch:

• Try this recipe for Vegan Ranch from Superiority Burger

Sabudana:

Here is Samin's column on Hrishi's family recipe for Sabudana Khichdi, a tapioca dish from Maharashtra. (as discussed in episode 8). 

Cardamom Buns:

Hrishi had a stupendous cardamom bun in London at Buns from Home, which reminded Samin of Lussekatter, the Swedish saffron and cardamom rolls traditionally made for Santa Lucia day (December 13th). But, since Hrishi's buns were laminated (don't ask), Samin suggests trying the tangzhong method next time you make cinnamon or cardamom buns. If you've never made milk bread, here are a few great starter recipes:

• King Arthur's Japanese Milk Bread

• Eric Kim's Maple Milk Bread

• Julia Moskin's Milk Bread

• And, here are Claire Saffitz's fabulous milk bread dinner rolls.

And here are some bun recipes using the method:

• Milk Bread Cinnamon Buns

• Milk Bread Swedish Cardamom Buns

• Black Sesame and Cardamom Milk Buns

Garum, etc. 

Find out more about the history of Garum (as well as the recipe that Samin and Latif roughly followed) here. If you want to skip the making and just buy some garum, Samin likes this one. Or, try colatura di alici, the modern iteration, which is a little lighter in flavor — this one from Gustiamo is fantastic. 

Rice Krispies Treats

King Arthur Baking's method for adding dry milk powder to browning butter is genius. Try their recipe for brown butter Rice Krispies Treats and you won't be disappointed. 

Alternatively, Eric Kim's RKTs with black sesame are also stellar.