Pop Some Seeds and Get Cooking!

Long before everyone aspired to be a gourmet chef and cooking programs were all the rage, it wasn’t so easy to get good advice about what to cook and how to do it. Of course, the posh papers had their Sunday supplements with glossy accounts of exotic meals first tasted in far-off places like Mykonos, Sicily, and the South of France. They always looked tempting but included all kinds of pricey ingredients not available at the corner shop in Clapham Junction.

And then came the craze for home-made Indian food and for that there was a superb cook – Wendy Hewing – on hand with all kinds of expertise. First, just pop some seeds, she would say. The seeds being an aromatic mix of anise, cumin, cloves, cardamom, nigella, fenugreek and fennel. Plus the ones to pop:  The little cannonballs of black mustard. And every time I make a curry – which is quite often – I hear those words: “Pop some seeds”. And so I do.

Just Three Words

I was reminded of that in another context this week while reading Mark Bittman’s Heated where Kerry Conan has a “3 Words” feature with headings like Make Hot Sauce, Swap in Berries, Smash your Chickpeas, and Add Pickle Juice. All short articles about simple steps to make and transform dishes. 

And of course, that set me off with 3-word cooking injunctions from things that I make. On the list is  “Rinse your Leeks” – also connected with Wendy. I once served her sautéed leeks topped with mashed potatoes – an old favorite and quite delicious stand-by. But the leeks were not adequately cleaned. In typical fashion, she dubbed it True Grit Pie.

So when you have that curry almost ready, pop some more seeds for this 3-Words Raita to go with.

Meanwhile – below left – are some more of those 3-word culinary injunctions. They’re written out in shadorma. The first line has three syllables, then 5, 3, 3, 7. 5. It’s a totally bogus literary form, but fun to play with.

3-Word Cooking

Pop some seeds
Melt an anchovy
Clear the fridge
Rinse your leeks
Light the coals, drain the pasta
Add smoked paprika

Soak your beans
And add pickle juice
Eat your greens
Grow your own
Marinade the tofu and
Simmer the liquid.

Chop the herbs
Blister the onions
Sear the meat
Wilt the kale
And check the temperature
Toss until coated

Add red wine
Simmer to reduce
Scrape the pot
Salt to taste
And cook stirring frequently
Test for tenderness

Zest a lime
Heat the olive oil
Grind the spice
Rinse the rice
Season the meat, salt to taste
And slather the sauce.

Make your stock
Fold the wantons and
Crimp the crust
Whip the cream
Add the vanilla extract
Strain the strawberries.

Spread the paste
Smash the potatoes
Shred the chard
Toss the greens
And drizzle with olive oil
Spritz with balsamic

Trim the sprouts
Squeeze the lemon and
Chop the thyme
Grate the cheese
Add brown sugar and fish sauce
And blend until smooth.

Mash the peas
Combine with parsley
Drop of oil
Splash of cream
Hasselback the kielbasa
Plaster with mustard

It’s now time
Put the kettle on
Brew some tea
Take a nap
Pour the gin and squeeze the lime
Almost dinner time.