Category Archives: Food

Farm Fruit and Toasted Passionfruit Seeds.

May 31, 2015 Munchkin 1 Comment

Happy Sunday to you all!! We have some more fruit on our farm; luckily this time, there is an abundance so we can share with the birdies, pacas, dogs and guinea-pigs.

The mulberries are giving plenty of fruit. There is one particular tree which is half hidden in the shade of a huge African oil palm so the birdies have not spotted this one. This year, we will be able to make mulberry Elixir (liqueur).

This is wax-apple; we are into the second year of fruiting and it is producing so much. They are related to the Molly (Malay) apple but these fruits are crunchy in texture like apples. The guinea-pigs really love these ones!

The passionfruit are just starting to bear. I like to combine the pulp of this with the Mayan passionfruit (Kun Batz) to make juice. I find the Mayan variety is sweeter so that it helps to balance the acidity of this type.

With all the passionfruit juice making, I have ended up with a whole lot of seeds. As an experiment, I tried toasting them on a skillet in a similar manner to pumpkin seeds. They actually turned out to be a very tasty snack/condiment; as you toast them, the residual passionfruit pulp around the seeds caramelises to add a unique sweetness. I used the toasted seeds as a condiment on soup which worked a treat. The crunchy texture gives an extra bite to a meal:

Also, we had some as an accompaniment to cassava hash browns and steamed young pumpkin. They added an extra “sweet and sour” flavour to the dish.

Toasted Passiflora Seeds with Cassava Hash Browns.

I would definitely recommend the toasting of passionfruit seeds. It just requires 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat on a skillet. Make sure to stir it around to stop it from initially sticking. You will know when it is done when the pulp caramelises around the seeds. It is so versatile that you can choose to eat it with sweet or savoury foods.

Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday night!

Belize, Farming, Food

Let’s Make Noodles!

May 30, 2015 Munchkin

If you are thinking of fun things to do at home, why not make noodles? It is a great, short and satisfying project especially when you can directly benefit from it straight afterwards. Can also be a romantic thing to do together if you are so inclined to spend every waking hour together (like Munchkin and Gnome).

So, this is what we did:

We took:

2 cups of wheat flour

2 cups of rice flour

and added about 1 and 1/3 cups of water to make a dough. We Kneaded it until it was smooth and uniform in consistency:

Next, we rolled it out on a board. We used a wine bottle because it worked well and I have never seen a rolling pin for sale in Punta Gorda.

Next, we cut the the sheet of dough into strips. This is a really neat way of doing it…you take a piece of card or wood and you cut against it to get even strips. We picked this idea up from watching a Japanese Anime in which the characters were making noodles.

The cut noodles were transferred onto a clean dish cloth and sprinkled with flour to stop them from sticking:

With the quantities of flour, we were able to make 4 dough sheets in total. This amount of noodles serves 4 very hungry people or 8 conservative eaters.

At this point, you can dry them to keep or freeze them fresh. The wet noodles can be kept in the fridge for 48 hours.

To cook, place noodles in pot of boiling water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until done. Then, serve it with anything your heart desires…pasta sauce, stir fry, whatever you want.

We then had a hearty meal of noodles cooked with char sui and tomatoes. Delicious and simple:

These noodles can be varied according to flour types, thickness of rolling out and size of strips. By varying these parameters, you can achieve different tasting noodles with varying textures and degrees of bite. We cut our noodles quite thickly so ended up with a chewy bite from the rice flour.

Belize, Farming, Food, Our Products, Plants

Mayan Passion Fruit Juice.

May 28, 2015 Munchkin

The Mayan Passion Fruit (Ketchi name is Kun Batz) is still in season. It is a vine which voluntarily grows around cultivated trees and it can also exist in the rainforest of Belize.

They have beautiful flowers so can they also be grown as an ornamental:

The fruit can be eaten green like a vegetable (like cho-cho or zucchini).

If you let it ripen, you can eat the fruit pulp like a passion fruit.

The seeds and the pulp are edible and can be eaten alone or mixed with yoghurt or ice-cream. Today, I sifted out the seeds to get the pulp and the juice:

I used a total of eight fruit and towards the end, added a cup of water to the remaining seeds to try to extract the last of the pulp. I was able to make a quart of juice from this method. When I tasted it I felt that it was sweet enough that no sugar was required. Compare this with normal passion fruit which is quite acidic which requires sweetening in order to enhance the taste. This is Kun Batz juice with a sprig of mint:

The Kun Batz juice is divine!! The taste of the juice is a combination of pineapple, banana and canteloupe melon with mild exotic hints of passion fruit. It is unique in that it has a mildly sour taste but it is sweet enough that no sugar is needed.

I have a whole lot of fresh seeds to sell so check out The Apothecary. To my knowledge, nobody is cultivating this bush fruit so if you are into rare and exotic plants, then this a definitely one to add to the list!

Planting Instructions:

Passiflora seeds have a hard shell so pr-treat the seeds before planting; Soak the seeds for 24-48 hours in warm to the touch water, just prior to planting. Once pretreated, plant seeds 1/2-1″ deep in moist, sterile soil. Keep soil temperature consistent at about 70-85F. Cool soils will significantly delay seed germination time.

Estimated germination time under optimal conditions: 6 weeks to 6 months.

Plant spacing for this vine is 10 feet (3 metres) apart and can grow to about 20 feet tall. Will start fruiting in about 12 months.

Belize, Food

Shopping in Punta Gorda.

May 27, 2015 Munchkin

We often get used to our surroundings so that we do not even consider that normal, everyday things can be viewed as a unique experience or an opportunity for creativity. I often talk about my Wednesdays in Punta Gorda but I have not realised until now that it is a perfect opportunity to show you our world of Toledo, Belize.

The town market is busiest on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The market stalls are located all the way down Front Street. Most stalls contain the usual stuff like onions, carrots, sweet peppers, cilantro and tomatoes. The usual fruits are papayas, pineapples, limes and whatever is in season. Mamey sapote are in season right now; these two specimens have not ripened yet but I will be sure to post a tasting once they are ready to eat.

There is actually not a whole lot of variety from stall to stall but if you take some time to look, there are some interesting things.

If you care to walk all the way to the end of the stalls, which is about 100 yards, you will come across the smaller vendors. These are usually Mayans from far away villages who bring a couple of pig tail buckets to sell of anything that they can find in their backyard, forest or village. This is where you find more unusual foods.

Here, I found a lady selling young pumpkins. These can be cooked and eaten like zucchini (or courgettes, if you are European).

I also found a jar of ground, toasted pumpkin seeds:

And, this is what we had for lunch. Steamed young pumpkin seasoned with the pumpkin seed condiment. This is an example for taking some very simple ingredients to make something delicious and fresh.

Steamed Pumpkin with Pumpkin Seed Condiment.

Oh, last but not least. A visit to the ubiquitous Chinese store affords some opportunity for giggles if you take the time to peruse over flayed meat. This is what I found next to the Dak…looking for a Bra?!!!

Bra’s Luncheon Meat comes in Chicken and Pork flavours from Brazil, of course. Check out the serving suggestions…don’t they make you salivate with anticipation?

Belize, Farming, Food, Mushrooms, Plants

Fruits in Season.

May 18, 2015 Munchkin

Hi There! Just something short and sweet…pictures from the farm. We find that the farm just keeps on producing and doing its own thing. Even although we have taken a few days from farm work it doesn’t stop it all from growing up…aagghhh…the bush and the grass are all coming back with the rains! Anyway, here are some things that make us feel that it is all worth it in the end.

Mulberry is in season; you would naturally consider this as a temperate fruit but it actually grows in Belize very well. The yields are very high…the only thing is that you have to pick them early morning before all the birds get them.

The bees are polinating the African oil palm. Again, this is a favourite with wild animals so you have to grab them while you can. The palm nuts are actually really nice boiled in soups and stews. Oh, and another thing, the dog likes them too. So much competition…we don’t mind sharing but the problem is that the rest of the other critters have no concept of leaving a few behind for us!

This is a nice specimen of wild mushroom. They are Lepiota sp. unfortunately, not edible.

These yellow fruit are called abiu. They have a clear, whitish pulp with some similarity to the texture of persimmon. A tasty fruit which can only be picked once there is a tinge of yellow on the outer shell. The birds seem to be able to eat them green so we tend to lose a lot of them to our little friends. Here is a nice picture of two surprisingly intact specimens:

It is mango season and the trees in Toledo are totally loaded. We are lamenting over this because when we initially started planting fruit trees on our farm, ten years ago, we were so excited about planting weird and exotic trees that we completely overlooked the common back-yard mango. So, now we have no mangoes on our farm and they are actually our favourite fruit. We are making up for it this year by planting seedlings but it is going to be quite a wait to have our own farm-fresh mango…about 5 years! Here is a picture of mangoes on a tree (not on our farm).

Oh, and this is an unusual fruit called velvet apple. They are furry red balls with a yellow/orange pulp which we have actually never tasted before. They have a very nice peachy smell to them. This picture was taken from a friend’s farm; they look like Christmas decorations:

Hope you enjoy the pictures. Now is the time to stuff yourself silly with mangoes until July…then it will be avocado season! Lots of wonderful fruit to look forward to.

Belize, Food

Brown Rice, Pineapple and Ginger Casserole.

May 15, 2015 Munchkin

I am writing early today because it is thundery and blustery outside and I don’t know how long the Internet will hold up today (touch wood). Today I am posting a recipe for a warming and exotic vegetarian dish made with fresh pineapple and ginger.

This slow cook casserole allows the spiciness of the ginger to complement the sweet taste of the pineapple and the brown rice absorbs all the flavours really well. A dish recommended for stormy days like this one…feels like the Flood Flies might be coming out tonight!

Check out my recipe Brown Rice, Pineapple and Ginger Casserole in Belize Wild Recipes.

Belize, Farming, Fermentation, Food, Our Products, Soap

Munchkin and Gnome are Still Here!

May 14, 2015 Munchkin

Yes we are still here!! A few people have been wondering what has happened to us so I would to reassure everyone that we are absolutely fine. It is transition time from dry to wet season at the moment and with this change, brings early morning rains. As a few of you will know from our previous posts, this has really messed up our farm routine. So, instead of staying at home and feeling sorry for ourselves, we have rearranged our whole farm routine to fit with the weather change. Changing things around a bit isn’t so bad actually as it makes life a bit less predictable.

From our observation, the rains start around 7am and then by 11am, the sun starts coming out…this is horrible because the atmosphere is heavy with humidity and you can’t sweat to cool down. Anyway, by about 3pm, the ground has nicely dried up again and so we have moved our farm work to late afternoon. Gnome is still able to clean up and continue with the brush-mowing while I keep up with maintenance. This work then runs into animal feeding time and so by the time I get into the house, I don’t feel like writing a chronicle of the day. Just to change the routine a bit, we have been going to bed even earlier…about 7pm because we have both been in the mood for reading before sleeping. I am reading Mark Twain and Gnome is reading C.S. Lewis (the lesser known science fiction novels). We both like to read the Classics though I have caught Gnome on occasion reading trashy novels…he just laughs and calls me a literary snob!

Munchkin and Gnome are still doing their stuff…

We made another batch of Chocolate Artisan Soap:

We also prepared Chinese Fermented Black Beans; Needs to get more smelly and fermented…we will give it 12 months to do its thing:

Gnome is making brown rice koji for brewing and miso-making:

And here is a Toledo Firefly…you usually just see a mass of green lights in the dark:

And the cat is up to his usual tricks again, running after lizards in the house. The is a savvy lizard hiding on Gnome’s foot…this one got away:

Slinky on Gnome's Foot. — Slinky on Gnome’s Foot.

Ok everyone, have a good night and hopefully I can be more organised with writing the daily posts!

Belize, Food, Medical Related, Plants

Asafoetida Chilli Sauce Recipe.

May 11, 2015 Munchkin

This recipe which contains asafoetida, doubles up as a home remedy and a tasty condiment.

Asafoetida is a resin obtained from the tap-root of several species of Ferula. It is mostly used in Middle-eastern and Indian cuisine. It contributes a strongly pungent taste to food and can be compared to a combination of garlic and onions. It makes a very unique tasting chilli sauce and asafoetida has the added health benefits:

1) Digestive aid.

2) Anti-flatulent.

3) Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial.

4) Traditional remedy for asthma and bronchitis. Can also be used for coughs and colds.

5) In Aryuvedic medicine; it is used to balance the Kapha constitution which has a watery/phlegmatic tendency. Also, it can balance the airy qualities of the Vata constitution which requires grounding.

I have put the Asafoetida Chilli Sauce recipe in Belize Wild Recipes and Home Remedies.

The recipe also contains:

Tomatoes:

Habanero Peppers:

Cilantro (Coriander):

For international readers asafoetida can be purchased from health-food stores and Indian supermarkets. For those in Belize, asafoetida can be bought from The Apothecary.

Amusing, Belize, Food, Saving Money

How Do You Eat Your Dak?

May 10, 2015 Munchkin

The last few days, early morning rains have wreaked havoc on the plans of mice and men (and Gnome and Munchkin). So, what can mere mortals do under these circumstances when they are thwarted by the elements?

Munchkin rummaged around in the kitchen and came up with something tasty.

Dak Chopped Ham. — Dak “Chopped Ham.” Literally in Greek.

We ate Dak.

Dak is the Belize version of the familiar tinned chopped ham that you see on all supermarket shelves. I have no social qualms about broadcasting the fact that I eat this preserved flayed pork meat on occasion, as I grew up in a Chinese household where this food was seen as a legitimate food item. We used to steam it with rice and eat it with fresh green vegetables. Gnome, on the other hand, tells me that many other cultures do not deem this as a proper food. It is a food that might lurk in the back of somebody’s cupboard but most certainly, the harbouring of such an item should never be professed. It is eaten alone…in hushed tones with the lights dimmed down. Ooooh…sounds like fun…a secret society of underground Dak eaters!

Nobody is willing to openly admit that they eat Dak but those cases stacked in the back of Chinese supermarkets that we all see must be going into somebody’s belly! There are times of the year when there is not a single tin to be found on the shelf and everyone is hanging out for the Dak shipment.

So, today we ate Dak chopped ham cooked in onions, tomatoes and Italian herbs with cassava hash browns. Munch away quietly with dimmed lights:

We also had a nice dipping sauce which is so easy to make:

Munchkin’s Dango Dip:

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp soya sauce

Mix well and use as a dip.

You may have already surmised from the name “Dak” that this is Danish in origin. There is also a Chinese version available in Belize called Zwan; the label is written only in Chinese and to be honest, I am a bit wary of it! The name Zwan does not somehow hit the spot and cause me to salivate with hunger. This one definitely has to be hidden in the dark depths of the kitchen cupboard away from prying eyes!

A few years back, I tasted some Belizean food which incorporated this chopped ham. I was at a hospital medical meeting and we were given a buffet of sandwiches for lunch. All the sandwiches were one variety…they were white slices of bread with a filling of margarine and a whiff of pig. At the time, I didn’t say anything and just politely ate the food with no questions asked. The Belizeans were chomping happily away while the Nigerian medical staff had very dubious looks on their faces. Sometime afterwards, I enquired into the nature of these sandwiches whilst I was in the company of well-seasoned ex-pats (they had been around for about 20 years) and they explained that these were called “ham sandwiches” or even “Dak sandwiches.” The filling is made by pulverising the piece of chopped ham into a paste. Margarine is then spread on white soft bread and on top of this, a smear of Dak paste. Therefore, one tin of Dak (200g or 1/2lb) can go a long way and can economically feed a whole party of hungry people. Talk about Homeopathic Ham!

So there you go. How do you eat your Dak? Don’t be shy…we can form a secret society for eaters of forbidden Dak!

Belize, Food

Friday Fry-Jacks with Miso Dip.

May 8, 2015 Munchkin

Today started off with grey skies and heavy rains hence, we were at a bit of a loss on the farm. So, we came up with a great idea to go into town, on a whim, to buy some fry-jacks for breakfast. For those of you who are not familiar with this Belizean breakfast fare, it is half or quarter circular shaped piece of flat dough which is deep-fried in cooking oil. It has a lot of baking soda in it to make it puff up as it cooks; some people preferentially place a slit in the dough so that it deflates after it poofs up. It is usually served in the morning with re-fried beans, pork, beef or chicken. We bought the fry-jacks as a take-out so that we could take them home to Munchkinise them…that’s what I do best!! It was actually quite funny because I had not bought fry-jacks for ten years and so I was still working with old prices. When I walked into the eating place, I asked, “can I have a dollar fry-jacks, please?” The lady gave me a bewildered look at said that there was no such thing as a dala fry-jack and a portion cost $2.50. Oh my, we do sometimes live in a time warp because we don’t keep current with eating out prices.

Back home, I stuck the fry-jacks in the oven, on low heat, to keep them warm. And, then I made:

Munchkin’s Miso Dip

1 tbsp miso

2 tbsp honey

6 bird chilli peppers, chopped finely (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and use as a dip.

This miso dipping sauce is not just for fry-jacks. It is also great for french fries, corn tortillas and all manner of snacky foods. If you want to a bit healthier, carrot or celery sticks will also do the trick. The dip is sweet and savoury at the same time with a definite umami quality; the hot chilli adds a kick to it!

We had a lovely breakfast:

(picture missing)

Can you believe it!!! The picture was corrupted and could not be down-loaded! We only realised it after pigging out on all the fry-jacks!

As a consolation, here is another picture of us eating:

You know what this means…we are going to have another fry-jack day so that we can get a picture. When I told Gnome, he had no objections to repeating the binge again.

I do not actually have a recipe for fry-jacks because I have tried a couple of Internet recipes which don’t seem to have the correct ingredient portions. I think that the regular person on the street who knows how to cook fry-jacks does not Blog! One day, I will get it right and if I do, I will surely post up the recipe for all you fried-dough fans!

Casa Mascia Apothecary

Category Archives: Food

Farm Fruit and Toasted Passionfruit Seeds.

Let’s Make Noodles!

Mayan Passion Fruit Juice.

Shopping in Punta Gorda.

Fruits in Season.

Brown Rice, Pineapple and Ginger Casserole.

Munchkin and Gnome are Still Here!

How Do You Eat Your Dak?

Friday Fry-Jacks with Miso Dip.

Everything Handmade in Belize.