Since I can’t count, and since I’m much closer now to the end of this sojourn than to the beginning, I thought it would be appropriate to recognize that, while I am hovering around the Day 114 mark, I only have a few weeks in Berlin to go. Three, to be precise, since I will be spending 9 days in Croatia and Bosnia. Alone. When was the last time I was alone for 9 days? I refer you back to the beginnings of this blog, dear reader. India 2008. It’s been a while.
That was a hot summer.
If you’re here for my food adventures, I might have to refer you to Lucy, who posted this masterfully edited video of me reading aloud from my journal. It might seem that the one thing that gives meaning to my life now is amusing my baby sister. But I was doing it for her own good–she neglects to note that she requested some food recommendations for Budapest, and I was merely responding.
I did cook recently. This is what I made:
Red Lentil Soup
1 large onion, finely chopped
100 g red lentils
50 g rice
1 liter water
1/2 T cumin
1/2 T coriander
Salt and pepper
lemon wedges
Slice the onion, cook over medium heat in a heavy pot in olive oil until dark brown and fragrant. Remove and set aside the onion, but do not wash the pot. Dump in the lentils, rice, water, and spices. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom, for 30-45 minutes, until thick and creamy. Add water if necessary to thin the soup. Serve with the onion on top and with lemon wedges.
-from a German version of Claudia Roden’s book Arabesque, which I found at the Neukölln library, where I write this now.
I’m also still working on the cookbook. Keep an eye out for new developments. It will come out soon.
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