I am about to make another batch of this delicious mustard. I was surprised to find that I haven’t posted this recipe yet as it is one of my favorites. The cream cheese helps to preserve the pungency of the mustard, making a delicious condiment which is also a probiotic if made with home-made cream cheese as shown in this quick video.

Amounts are variable and according to personal taste. Warning! I like my mustard so pungent it clears out my sinuses with every taste, so you may want to start with less ground mustard and add more tasting it to decide how you like it as you go.

• 1T – 2T ground mustard (I like to use Colemans)
• 1/2 c (or more) home-made cream cheese
• 1 small handful dates (soaked in hot water and mashed)
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1t ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 t ground cloves
• 1t ground fenugreek seeds
• 1t apple cider vinegar
• salt

Method: Put the mustard powder in little water and mix it around, let it sit about 5 minutes. Boil some water and pour over dates, cover and let sit about 5 minutes, then mash them up to a puree.

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Now here is a great alternative for cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, especially if you like the flavors of Asia this is modeled on Sally Fallon’s raisin chutney recipe in Nourishing Traditions.

• 1 lb (500g) fresh dates (pitted)
• 1 lb (500g) fresh cranberries
• 1 t red chili flakes
• 1/2 head garlic, crushed
• 2 T coriander seeds
• 1 T cumin seeds
• 1 T anise seeds
• 1 T fenugreek seeds
• 5 black peppercorns
• 2 inches ginger, grated
• 2 t sea salt
• 1/4 c whey
• 1/2 c water

Method: Cook cranberries with water until soft. Add dates and mash. Peel and pound ginger and garlic in a morter and pestle. Place the spices in a pan and dry roast until the aroma rises from the pan. Process until well ground.

Mix the date and cranberries with the spices, ginger and garlic, add the salt and whey. Place in jars, pour in enough whey to cover the top of the chutney. Let stand about 2 days in a warm spot in your kitchen. Transfer to fridge and eat within 2 months.

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Method: Wash, peel and cut beets into ½ inch slices. Cook and drain. Add one cup of honey for each cup of beets and cook until thick.

Flavor with ginger root and serve cold with nuts.

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People all over the world make preserved lemons. They generally leave the jar in the hot sun for a couple of days for the best flavor.

• 6 lemons (thick skins) organic
• 6 T sea salt
• Juice of 3 lemons or more

Method: Wash and scrub lemons. Cut each lemon in quarters but not right through, so that the pieces are still attached at the stem end. Stuff each lemon with plenty of salt.

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A common favorite. I have found these pickles from Morocco to Myanmar. In Asia they often leave out the beet, but I like the pink color that results from the beet juices.

• 1 large daikon radish
• 1 small beet, raw, peeled and cut in slices
• 3-4 garlic cloves, cut into slices
• 1 T whey
• 2 ½ T sea salt
• 1t or more chili powder (optional)
• water as necessary to cover

Method: Peel the daikon, cut in half or quarters. Put them in a bowl with the salt sprinkled over and mixed up. Place in jars, interspersed with slices of garlic and beets. Press down. Add the whey and add water to cover. Place the lid on and let sit in a warm place for two days. Place in refrigerator. Will keep for weeks.

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Adapted from Favorite Recipes of the Lower Cape Fear (Wilmington, North Carolina)

• 1 lg grapefruit
• 2 oranges
• 1 lemon
• 12 oz raisins
• 2 lb prunes
• 2 tart apples
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 lg onions
• 2 lb brown sugar
• 1 qt vinegar
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1 T allspice
• 1 T nutmeg
• 1 T ground cloves

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Charoset A traditional Passover relish.

Makes about 4-5 cups

This is an ancient, wise and delicious food that every age group loves:

• ½ c dried cranberries or cherries, chopped
• ½ c dried apricots, chopped
• ½ c raisins
• ½ c dates, chopped
• 2/3 c mixed nuts, chopped
• 2 large red apples unpeeled, cored, and grated
• 1 large green apple, unpeeled, cored, and grated
• 1c organic grape juice
• ½ t almond extract
• 1 ½ t. ground cinnamon
• 1 pod vanilla bean, scraped (optional)

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This recipe will make about two weeks worth of balachaung for about 4 people, using it as a condiment. Usually I make this if I know I am going to be too busy to cook the next coming weeks, or if I am broke. This way I can simply cook up some rice and have a simple nutritious meal with rice and balachaung and maybe some steamed veggies or an avocado for good measure. This is actually the vegetarian version of a condiment that is served at nearly every meal in Myanmar. Usually balachaung contains powdered dried shrimp.

Recipe: 2 whole bulbs of garlic, thinly sliced. More or less can be used according to taste. Enough oil to fry the garlic and a ½ teaspoon of turmeric. Fry the garlic in oil to crispy, be careful not to burn it. Take it out of the oil a little before you think it is golden enough as it will continue cooking once out of the oil for a little while.

But be careful not to take it out too early too as it will just be soggy. This garlic can also be a tasty topping to salads or other dishes. Keep the turmeric oil for adding to salads.

About six onions, thinly sliced. Enough oil to deep fry the onions. Add turmeric to the oil while heating.

Fry the onions to golden brown in the oil. Strain and keep the oil, some of which will be used for frying the ginger and peanuts. Follow the advice given above and beware of either burning or under-cooking the onions. This results in a delicious and sweet flavor. The fried onions can also be used as a topping to other dishes or a tasty addition to salads.

• 2-3 inches of ginger. Peel (save peels for tea). Pound the ginger into a pulp
• 3-4 cups peanuts chopped, pounded or put through a food processor
• Red chili powder to taste

Heat the oil from the fried onions. Add a pinch more turmeric if you like and chili powder according to taste.

As it is a condiment for rice you can make it hotter and saltier than you might normally. This will compensate for the blander flavor of rice.

Add the ginger and let it cook briefly. Add the peanuts. Keep stirring while they get lightly toasted. Be sure to keep stirring or the peanuts will burn.

Add the fish sauce (or salt for vegetarians) after you have turned off the flame.

Let the ginger and peanut mixture cool before adding to it the fried garlic and onions. This will help to retain the crispy texture of the garlic and onions. Once it is all mixed up bottle it up so it will retain it’s crispy-ness.

I like to mix this in with salad for an easy flavor boost, or try it with green beans.

About: Peanut Balachaung is a condiment served with rice and curry all around Myanmar. Different areas make it differently and hotter or milder according to taste. Generally balachaung is made with powdered dried shrimp. This is a tasty side dish for rice and can also be used as an topping over lightly blanched beans or broccoli, or even salads. It also provides complimentary protein to rice from the peanuts and other anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties with the ginger, garlic, turmeric and chili powder. This treat takes a while to prepare, with all the cutting and pounding which can be sped up with use of a food-processor. Although I prefer to do it by hand. I generally use either extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil when making this. Since the onions and garlic are being fried in the oil it is important to use an oil that will withstand heating. Also it is important to add turmeric to the oil which also helps to prevent oxidization.

In the demo video I actually put in too little oil when cooking the onions. This actually backfired on me and the onions soaked up too much oil while cooking. Instead of coming out crispy, they became soggy. Therefore, it is better to use more oil to deep fry the garlic and onions.

The left-over oil can be used again for other cooking with addition of turmeric as an anti-oxidant. Sesame oil is also a great anti-oxidant which can be added to frying oil as well.

The Burmese like to use the garlic and turmeric infused oil in their famous hand-tossed salads. This is a simple, effective way to get a nice garlic flavor into the salads without the pungent smell of fresh garlic, which some people find detestable, although personally I prefer it to many of the stinky perfumes and deoderants that are all the rage these days.

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