Quoting Michael Loo to Jim Weller <=-

Peachee Naib [and] Ravi

He is a family physician (GP)
She didn't work outside the home while they were here.

It has only been fairly
recently that the women have had the opportunity to
exert their intellectual clout, which they have done
in spades. The ones of my generation and previous have
of course generally found their fulfillment as
stay-ay-home moms and meddlesome grandmoms.

The wives of my generation were generally like that but not their
daughters who were raised here in Canada. One of our friend's
daughters (who Roslind once taught in high school) is Yellowknife's
director of planning and lands and also oversees the building
permit and inspections dept.

what do you use as a substitute for the now-degraded
Worcestershire?

It was HP that Heinz degraded so badly that I now make my own
knock-off version. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce as sold in
Canada is still made in England by Lea & Perrins Ltd. who remain
official purveyors to Queen Elizabeth, although it is imported and
distributed by Heinz Canada and it is still made with malt vinegar,
spirit vinegar, refiner's molasses, cane sugar, anchovies, tamarind
extract, onions, garlic and other spices as per the label. I do not
detect any change of taste.

I bartended for my parents' infrequent parties
also from a very young age.

As did I. I was also allowed minuscule portions of sherry which I
liked and scotch and gin which I was not fond of at the time but
developed a taste for later.

Zorbian beef or chicken
Yemenite, biryani
This recipe was originally in some kind of Arabic and
was clearly run through the Google Translate.

Here's a version of it from Somali where it is popular too, with
clearer instructions:

--MM

Zurbian Lamb

1/4 c vegetable oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
1 1/2 pound bone-in lamb shoulder in 2" cubes
2 tsp xawaash
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 tsp xawaash bouillon powder or
2 tsp xawaash spice mix +
2 tsp salt
2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
1 cup yogurt
2 cups boiling water
2 medium potatoes - quartered
2 cups basmati rice
12 cups water - for boiling the rice
3 tablespoons - for boiling the rice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 tsp saffron threads
1/4 cup hot water - for the saffron threads
3 tb browned butter
1 tsp orange blossom water

Zurbian or zurbiyan is a type of Biryani that is popular in Yemen,
other parts of the Arabian Peninsula as well as parts of Somalia.
Zurbian which is a variant of Hyderabadi biryani, is usually cooked
with lamb and potatoes but there are recipes that use chicken
instead of lamb.

Zurbian is considered as a special occasion rice dish that is
usually served in weddings, during the Eid, or when important guests
arrive. The rice is very aromatic due to the different spices used
in preparing it: saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander,
cloves, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and orange blossom water.
Just like there are so many different types of biryani, there also
different recipes for zurbian.

Not only does zurbian taste delicious, it is also very pleasing to
look at: the contrast between the plain white basmati rice, the
bright yellow colour of the saffron-tinged rice, and the pale
reddish colour of the stew-covered rice. To make the rice even more festive-looking, some like to add fried onions and toasted nuts.

Good zurbian is not dry and some of the tomato-yogurt stew should
remain at the bottom. The best meat to use is lamb shoulder as it is
more tender and tends to stay more moist. Zurbian is usually served
with a green salad and zhoug (a tomato-based green chili sauce).

Steps for preparing zurbian

Using medium heat, fry the onions in the oil for 3 minutes. Add the
garlic and ginger, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the meat and cook
for 3 more minutes.

Add the xawaash spice mix, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, black
pepper and xawaash bouillon powder. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add
the tomatoes and stir well, then cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add
the yogurt and stir well until combined. Add the hot water and stir
well, then cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add the
potatoes and stir, then cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

Grind the saffron threads then add cup hot water and stir well.
Boil 3 litres of water and add 3 tablespoons salt. Wash the rice and
add to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then drain. Add
the fresh cilantro to the meat and stir well. Add the rice to cover
the meat and even the top (do not stir the rice into the stew).

Add the saffron mixture, browned butter and orange blossom water.
Cover and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes.

Leila & Abdullahi

Abdullahi Kassim and Leila Adde are owners of the Xawaash restaurant in Rexdale, Ontario

From xawaash.com

---

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Xawaash Spice
Categories: Somalian, Spice, Mix
Yield: 4 servings

For the Xawaash Spice Mix
1/2 (3") cinnamon stick, broken
Into 1/2" pieces
1/4 c Coriander seeds
1/4 c Cumin seeds
1 tb Black peppercorns
2 ts Cardamom pods
1/2 ts Whole cloves
1 tb Ground turmeric

Make the Xawaash Spice Mix: Toast cinnamon, coriander seeds, cumin
seeds, peppercorns, cardamom, and cloves in a small skillet over
medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned and aromatic, 2–3
minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Grind cinnamon
mixture in spice mill or with mortar and pestle until finely ground.
Sift through a fine-mesh sieve back into bowl, then regrind any
coarse spices. Stir in turmeric and transfer to an airtight jar.

Do Ahead: Xawaash spice mix can be made 2 months ahead. Store in an
airtight container at room temperature, or freeze up