Text 16425, 89 rader
Skriven 2007-06-07 11:13:54 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Dave Sacerdote
Ärende: BIRD NEST 477 70607
===========================
 -=> Quoting Dave Sacerdote to Glen Jamieson <=-

 JW> Most hot spices grow in hot climates. Many herbs prefer temperate
 JW> climes. And neither grow naturally in the arctic. Traditional diets
 JW> evolved around that. 
 
 GJ> That is logical, but leads to the question, why don't hot 
 GJ> spices grow in temperate climates?   (Actually, that reasoning 
 GJ> is faulty, as hot chilies grow perfectly well outside in the 
 GJ> garden in my temperate, Mediterranean climate.)  

 DS> The question that should be asked is "Why didn't hot spices
 DS> evolve in temperate climates?"  It's true that hot chiles grow
 DS> just fine in temperate zones - I've grown some pretty damn fine
 DS> habaneros - but they're not native to New England.

Which of course leads to the converse, "Why did hot spices evolve in
tropical climates?", and, "Why did hot spices evolve?"   Perhaps the
reply to the latter question is that it would give protection from most
mammals, who don't move around much, while the bright red colour would
attract birds, which, being non-sensitive to capsaicin, would spread
the seeds much further.

Do you happen to know whether chili seeds remain viable after passing
through the digestive systems of those few mammals capable of ingesting
them?   (Tomato seeds do.)
 
 GJ> In Arctic, or sub-Arctic climes where hardly anything grows, 
 GJ> you would be seriously spice-deprived.

 DS> Exactly what Jim said, explaining why aboriginal Arctic people
 DS> use berries and fermentation products as seasoning, yes?

Yes.  Those poor, deprived, but not depraved souls!

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Larp
 Categories: Beef, Thai, Pad, Tnt
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      1 lb Fresh Ground Beef
           Mint Leaves
      3    Cloves Garlic
      1 tb Shallot - Chopped
      1 ts Coriander Seeds - Ground
      1 ts Ground Hot Chili Peppers *
      1 tb Ground Toasted Rice **
      1 tb Scallion - chopped
      2 tb Lime Juice
      1 ts Salt
      1 tb Fish Sauce
           Fresh Raw Vegetables.
 
  * Adjust the amount of ground hot chili pepper to taste.  Serve extra
  on the side to be added to the dish as needed.
  
  ** Make toasted rice by browning RAW rice in a hot dry wok or frying
  pan, and then ground coarsely in a blender, OR an acceptable
  substitute is to brown a commercial "cream of rice" in a hot dry
  pan/wok.
  
  Wrap the shallot and garlic in aluminum foil and roast on the stove
  for approx. 2 minutes per side till the content is scorched.  Remove
  the content from the foil, mash together well (with mortar & pestle,
  if available) and set aside.
  
  Lightly cook the ground beef in a dry pan/wok until the pink is just
  gone, and place in a bowl.  Let cool for a few minutes.  Add fish
  sauce, salt, lime juice, and mix well.  Add the mashed
  garlic/shallot, ground coriander seed, toasted rice, ground hot
  chili, chopped scallion, and lightly toss together with a fork. Serve
  on a bed of lettuce leaves and garnish with mint leaves.
  
  This dish should be served with fresh raw assorted vegetables such as:
  chunks of "yard-long bean", nappa leaves (select the more tender inner
  leaves), lettuce leaves (Romaine and other leave lettuces are
  excellent), celery, and so on.
  
  Translated and commented by: Padej Gajajiva From: "Cooking Thai Food
  in American Kitchen" by Malulee Pinsuvana.
 
MMMMM
 

___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

--- FLAME v2.0/b
 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)