Missionary in the Kitchen

The life of a missionary doesn’t just circle around our ministries, in the field, or taking part in God’s work to deliver justice in our mission sites. Being a missionary also means taking care of ourselves and discovering what other gifts with which God has blessed us. We are not just called to be in the field or church – sometimes, we are also called to be in the kitchen. Yes, a missionary in the kitchen.

As missionaries, especially missionaries in the GMF program, being away from our home context can also mean being away from our comfort foods. That favourite soup that your mom cooks for you, that pie your aunt bakes, or even just the ice cream or snack that you buy on the street one block from your house, they will all be missed. There will be no one to cook our meal for us, like it used to back home. Being assigned to a different country, especially another continent, even if you know how to cook, you won’t find familiar ingredients you used back home. You’re privileged if you’re assigned to a community where you have housemates who can cook or where the community eats together. If you are in a different mission site, though, you’ll be living in a flat all by yourself. Eating out can be an option, but it’ll be expensive and it won’t suit the principle of simple living. Eating out could also result in feelings of oppression in your community, especially if it is something not everyone can afford. In these times, you’ll find yourself in the kitchen, trying to survive and satisfy your hunger and cravings.

Hence, I created these simple tips for your meal planning when you find yourself to be a Missionary in the Kitchen:

1. Nutrition and balanced diet should be your priority. Remember your Go, Grow, and Glow foods back from primary or elementary health class. They all make sense!
2. Time and practicality is the key. Plan for meals that can be prepared as quickly as possible, yet can last a while.
3. Believe in yourself! Okay, this may be your first time living on your own or cooking for yourself but you can do it! I’m sure once in a while, you’ve seen how your mom or your dad prepares your food. Plus, you can download recipes and just follow the instructions.
4. Be brave and don’t forget to experiment. Be resourceful! If you can’t find the exact ingredients, find an alternative one, even a cheaper replacement, or just do without some of it.
5. Plan for leftovers (if you have a fridge). It’s hard to cook a meal with a portion of single servings so prepare meals you can still eat the next day.
6. Recycle leftovers. You can mix and match leftovers with other leftovers and you’ll be surprised what you can create. Like that spicy chicken you had for dinner and that plain pasta you had this morning, they can make a good lunch.
7. Stay safe! When you think the food is no longer good for consumption, don’t eat it. Don’t risk having an upset stomach or even food poisoning just because you don’t want to throw away food/leftovers. This is why you need to carefully plan your meal and need to keep them in clean storage.
8. Lastly, of course, bless and share your blessings. Invite friends once in a while to join you for a meal and bless it with a prayer.

To start off your mission in the kitchen, here are some of the recipe’s I’ve created/experimented in my first month of service here in Zambia, as well as other contributions from my fellow GMFs across the globe.

“Ginger Fried Chicken with Buttered Veggies”

By: Adrian Mendoza

1. Marinate your chicken with ginger cuts, pepper, salt, soy-sauce, and some herbs overnight
2. Fry your chicken and set it aside to stir the oil
3. Sautè onions in small amount of oil and add a bit of butter and salt until mid-brown
4. Add carrots, potato and beans (these are all I have on my stock but you can add more veggies) and add more butter
5. Sautè for 3 mins and half teaspoon of sugar. Cover your pan and turn off the heat.
6. Plate your chicken and side with veggies to serve

* When you sautè your veggies, just add little amount of salt and nothing else. Since your chicken is already marinated with strong flavors, you’ll need your veggies natural taste and a bit of sweetness from butter and sugar to compliment it.

** Only half cook your veggies (especially since you’ll store the rest of the servings for the next days and you’ll re-heat them)

*** Marinate as much chicken as you can, as it also helps preserve them and you can just easily fry, or grill them

“Orange Buttered Tilapia”

By: Adrian Mendoza

1. Cut thawed tilapia fillets into bite size and put them in a bowl
2. Sprinkle with pepper, salt, oregano and garlic powder
3. Put butter and orange slices on top
4. Heat in the microwave for 4 minutes

*you could also add some ready-made mixed veggies for added health and color

 

“PATATES DOUCES A LA SAUCE TOMATE”

By: Dan M. CHAMS 

– Ingredients & amounts:

5 sweet potatoes,

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

2 tomatoes

½ onion,

½ small spoon of salt

Directions

You start first by peeling potatoes, after that you wash them and cut them into small pieces, then put them at a dry place (e.g. on a plate)

Secondly, cut tomatoes and onions into small pieces, put the 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan, and add tomatoes and onions then put the pan on fire 7 to 10 minutes (mix them while getting cooked – making a tomatoes’ sauce and you can add other spices that you have)

Finally, put potatoes into the pan, where there is your tomatoes sauce, add 3 glasses of water and salt then mix them and wait let them boil for 20 to 25 minutes.

“Pancake Puffs”

By: Victoria Stanford

Ingredients:

1 C flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C almond milk
2 Tbsp melted vegan butter
3 Tbsp maple syrup

Mix-In Ideas:

vegan chocolate chips
banana slices
berries
peanut butter
boca chick’n patties

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a bowl, mix together the almond milk, butter, and maple syrup. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk until combined.

Divide the batter amongst 12 muffins tins and add in whatever mix-ins you’d like. Bake for 12-14 minutes and enjoy!

You can use real milk and butter for this recipe as well!

Adrian Mendoza

Council of Churches in Zambia

Zambia, Africa

GMF International, Class of 2016-2018

#3022197

Tiradito: not sashimi, not ceviche

I love fish and seafood. Almost all my life I have lived on the coast of Peru, so I can always have fresh fish for lunch. My favorite dish is Ceviche, one of the most popular Peruvian dishes. This week I am in Piura, on the north coast of my country, and I am having plenty of fish everyday.

Have you ever tried sashimi? Do you like it? If so, you will probably enjoy the “Tiradito”, the Ceviche’s cousin but with Japanese influence. Fresh fish is cut in the same way as sashimi, but it is covered by a spicy sauce made of Peruvian chili: ají (a large and orange chili, similar in form to the jalapeño) or rocoto (it looks like red pepper, but it is extremely hot and delicious).

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 2 white fish fillets
• Juice of 4 limes
• 1 Peruvian chili (take the seeds out, boiled it and then mix it until it becomes a paste). You can replace the chili with ½ red pepper.
• 1 teaspoon of sliced chili pepper (optional)
• 1 grated garlic
• ½ teaspoon of grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon of oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Cut the fish into thin strips, like for sashimi. Put the strips in a cold plate. Sprinkle with salt.
• Mix the lime juice with the paste, chili pepper, garlic, ginger, oil, salt and pepper.
• Cover the fish with this juice.
• You can accompany it with boiled sweet potatoes, maize or fried cassava (previously boiled) and lettuce.

Bon appetit!

Colombian Torta de Pan

I normally had a problem throwing my old breads out because it’s hard to eat. I shared this guilty action to one of my co-workers and she told me how to make use of it, the second time around!

Torta de Pan (Bread cake)

Ingredients: (for 1 plate-full of old breads)

250ml soda (sprite, 7up, or local brands)

1 cup whole milk

1 T brown sugar

1 large egg

1 T butter

1 t butter for greasing the molder

1 t vanilla (optional)

1 t ground cinnamon (optional)

1 pack ground peanuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 375°F.

2. Combine and mix lightly milk and soda in a mixing bowl.

3. Soak old bread overnight or at least 8 hours or until bread is soft.

4. Mix thoroughly the mixture (it will look like a batter). And throw in the beaten egg, sugar, and butter, (vanilla, ground cinnamon, peanuts). You may use your hands to mix.

5. Pour into the greased molder (of your choice but I prefer the bread molder) and cook for 1 hour or until done.

6. Cool for 5-10 minutes before taking out from the molder.

7. Makes one loaf.

---

Joy Eva Bohol

Centro Popular para América Latina de Comunicación, Columbia

Mission Intern Class 2013
Advance # 3021829

Cold Kvass and Fresh-Baked Bread

When I was first introduced to kvass last fall, a number of friends tried to prepare me for what I was about to consume and yet none of their descriptions seemed all that appealing.  They assured me that nothing could beat a cold glass of the stuff on a hot summer day, but they warned me that it was like nothing that we drink in the US.

“It’s kind of like a flat, sweetened, non-alcoholic beer”

“Think of drinking a glass of liquefied bread”

“Don’t ask questions, just drink up!”

…and now almost 9 moths later, I have been converted.

For those of you who have never spent any time in Eastern Europe, kvass is a traditional beverage made from slightly fermented black bread that has been allowed to steep in a pot with raisins and other fruit for a day or two. After this bready concoction has been left to do its magic, it is then cooled in the fridge and enjoyed amongst friends to beat the summer heat.

Being the homebrewer that I am, I decided that I would try my hand at brewing up my own batch. I also decided that I’d take things a step further by baking my own Russian black bread to use as the a base for the beverage. Here are recipes for both:

 

Russian Style Black Bread (Makes 2 Rounds)

Ingredients

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• pinch sugar
• ½ cup warm water
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup molasses
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 3 cups medium rye flour
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bran
• 2 tbsp caraway seeds
• ½ tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp dried minced shallots 

1. In a small bowl, combine yeast and sugar with warm water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy (approx 10 min)

2. Heat 2 cups water, molasses, vinegar, butter, and chocolate until the butter and chocolate are melted. Set aside.

3. Combine whole wheat, rye, and all-purpose flours in a large bowl and set aside

4. In a large mixer with a paddle attachment combine 2 cups of mixed flour, bran, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, salt, and shallots. Slowly incorporate yeast mixture and chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Beat at high speed for three minutes. 

(Note: If you find yourself living in a small Moscow apartment without an electric mixer w/ paddle attachment, first give yourself an arm workout by vigorously mixing the ingredients by hand, and then knead the dough on a counter by hand – adding a bit of flour at a time –  until it is smooth and springy)

5. At low speed, add half a cup of remaining flour mixture at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl.

6. Scrape dough off the paddle, flour your work surface well, and knead to make a springy yet dense dough.

7. Form dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Turn once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size (1.5 – 2 hours).

8. Gently punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half and form into two rounds.  Cover loosely and with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size and puffy (about 45 minutes). Slash an X into the top of the round before baking.

9. Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until loaves are well browned.

(Note: If you find yourself living in a small Moscow apartment with an unreliable oven, repeat this process three or four times – each time burning the hell out of your bread – until you finally are able to tweak the cooking time to something that produces a loaf that is neither raw nor charred.)

10. Remove rounds from baking sheet and cool completely on a wire rack.

I can understand if you want to stop here and simply enjoy your homemade black bread with some salty butter and pickled fish, but if you are feeling adventurous now comes the fun part. Kvass!

Homebrewed Kvass

• 1 full loaf (or two rounds) homemade Russian black bread
• 1 ½ gallons boiling water
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 packages yeast
• ¼ cup raisins

• 1 large tea towel / cheesecloth
• butcher’s twine

 1. Place bread inside of tea towel and tie bundle securely with butcher’s twine. Place bundle in a very large pot and pour boiling water over it. Cover and let sit until water is lukewarm.

(Note: The longer you let the bread steep, the darker and more “bready” your kvass will turn out)

2. Remove bundle from pot and allow excess liquid to drip back into pot of steeped bread-water.

3. Add sugar and yeast, stir, and cover. Let mixture sit in a warm place for 10-12 hours.

4. Pour liquid in a large jar (approximately 1 gallon) and add raisins. Refrigerate liquid for 5 days, and then serve.

(Note: Some fermentation will take place, but not enough to raise the alcohol percentage higher than .5% . If you are using a glass jar for fermentation, make sure to release pressure at least once a day in order to prevent a blowout. If using a plastic jug, keep an eye on the mixture and release pressure if necessary)

So there you have it. After about a week of mixing, kneading, baking, steeping, brewing, and bottling, you too can enjoy a little bit of Russia  wherever you might be.

Chicken Curry from South Africa

This chicken curry was the winning recipe for the Food Fight event in support of Young Adult Missionaries for the South Carolina Annual Conference.

Chicken Curry
Serves: 6, Prep: 20min  ›  Cook: 45min  ›  Ready in: 1hr 5min

Ingredients
1 chicken, about 1.5kg, jointed into 6 pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder or paste
500ml chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Directions
Remove the skin from the chicken joints, if preferred, and season them with salt.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or flameproof casserole.  Add the chicken and brown it on all sides for 6–8 minutes over a medium heat. Remove and set aside.
Cook the onions in the pan for 5 minutes until golden brown, stirring regularly.
Add the garlic and curry powder or paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the stock, tomato purée, sugar and seasoning. Mix well and add the chicken.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender, turning the chicken pieces halfway through cooking.
Remove the chicken and place in a serving dish using a draining spoon.  Heat the sauce over a high heat for 2-3 minutes until reduced and thickened.  Take the pan off the heat and stir in the yogurt.  Check seasoning, then pour the sauce over the chicken.
Scatter the chopped coriander over top the chicken.

Make it your own!
*Add a finely diced eating apple and a handful of raisins 1-5 minutes before the end of cooking.
*Substitute cream for the yogurt.
*Serve with boiled rice or warm naan bread.

———————————————————————

Hillary Taylor
Branches, Miami, FL
MI Class 2012
Advance # 3021492

Tortilla Recipe or How I Climbed my Culinary Everest

Today, I want to talk about tortillas. I love them. As a person from the Western half of the US, I grew up eating them in a variety of dishes.

I strongly dislike corn tortillas. I have the feeling part of it is a textural thing: I hate how they tend to dissolve in enchiladas and how grainy they are. It also might be a culinary flexibility thing (This is something I highly prize in my ingredients, and is why I don’t buy cucumbers.): who (besides people with gluten intolerance) have corn tortilla burritos and quesadillas?!

But I also suspect my dislike is due to never having a fresh one straight off the conveyor belt. In my family, we get the prepackaged ones straight out of the plastic bag from my local big chain grocery store. Not ideal, I know. I reserve the right to change my opinion of these things after I go to Mexico and eat some fresh warm corn tortillas flavored with a healthy dollop of ambience and lard.

In my opinion flour tortillas are better than corn tortillas but they have one problem: they are not available in Brazil.

Le sigh.

This is the true injustice of the world. [dramatic swoon]

But, alas, I am a modern American girl who is willing to face her problems head on. I carpe all the diems and don’t take no for answer (unless we are talking about cliffs or burning buildings… then I’ll take no for an answer.)

One day, I craved tortillas and so I set to looking for a recipe. It can’t be that hard to make flour tortillas, right?

Wrong.

One ill-fated and magical summer I had an awful job (at Subway) and an awful apartment in the middle of Boston (Allston, Linden St.). I spent the summer working 6 days a week at a job whose only real perk was the free ‘food’ and free Starbucks. Half the money I made that summer went to rent. The other half went to cheap wine, savings, oatmeal, and delicious impulse buys at Trader Joe’s.

I think the fateful day was a rainy day and it was probably way past my lunch time. I only had whole wheat flour, butter, water, and baking soda. All of the recipes I looked at involved lard or corn or baking powder. My not-fully functioning pre-frontal cortex made the decision that I could just substitute lard with butter and baking powder with baking soda. And while we’re at it, my pre-frontal cortex whispered to me, why even use a recipe? You work in the restaurant business! You are practically Anthony Bourdain! Recipes are trying to keep you down. They are the man. Screw the man!

(I was living with a bunch of Anarchists. I blame the second-hand smoke — cigarette and otherwise.)

Needless to say, the resulting unpalatable mess turned me off of making my own tortillas for many years afterward. It became a culinary Everest of sorts. A challenge I was not willing to take on ever again, or rather, not willing until the craving struck in a place where it was impossible for me to get pre-made flour tortillas.

As you can hopefully tell from the above anecdote, I did not make this recipe up. I would not subject myself to that trauma again! This particular recipe has entered a heavy rotation in my house. It is extremely forgiving (if your measurements aren’t exact… no worries), keeps well in the fridge and is freaking DELICIOUS.

Homemade Flour Tortillas (via Foodess.com)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (Soy oil, Canola oil are ok substitutions. Don’t substitute olive oil.)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup warm water

1. Combine oil and water. Add to medium-ish bowl with flour and salt. Stir to combine.

2. Knead dough until smooth. (Original recipe says to knead for 3 minutes… My attention span is not long enough for this and I generally have other pots on the stove.)

3. Divide dough into 8-10 equal pieces, rolling each piece into a ball. Put in bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a plate. Refrigerate for 30 mins.

4. After your dough has rested it is time to roll out your tortillas. On a lightly floured surface roll out each ball to about 6-8 inches in diameter.

5. Cook in skillet or large flat-bottomed stock pot. (Don’t grease your pot/pan. Unless you really messed something up your dough will not stick… I promise.) Cook your tortilla over medium-high heat until preferred doness is achieved. About 30-60 seconds on each side.

6. Wrap finished warm tortillas in clean dish towel to keep warm. Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.

7. Enjoy not making my mistakes.

———————————————————————

Emma Kerr-Carpenter
Family Support Network; Billings, MT
MI Class 2012
Advance #3021508