1 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor Prediction of iHeartRadio. I'm Annie Reason. 2 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 2: And I'm Lauren vocal Baum, and today we have an 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 2: episode for you about rendog. 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, any reason. This was on your mind, Lauren. 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 2: H It has been on our list for a very 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 2: long time, and I was kind of looking at the 7 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 2: list and I was going, I want to eat that 8 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: right now. So why don't I make the craving worse 9 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 2: by reading about it for three days straight? 10 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: Yep, yep, As is the way of things that one 11 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: that list. I need to update it. There's a lot 12 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: of things that the list is very long listeners and 13 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: I have been slacking and I do keep all of 14 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: the ideas, but we need to we need to wrangle 15 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: the list. 16 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's I mean right, there's like hundreds of entries 17 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 2: in this spreadsheet, and there's it definitely has some duplicates 18 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 2: in there. There's some it's we have not we have 19 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 2: not been good list curators. 20 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: No, and I'm good at list so this is a 21 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: real pailing on my part. I will say, I don't remember. 22 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 1: I don't remember seeing this on the list. What is 23 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: probably more likely as I saw it and I didn't 24 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: know what it was so I just. 25 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: Your brain start of skipped over it. 26 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: Yeah right. But when I was doing this research, I 27 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: immediately was like, no, I'm getting this, and we kind 28 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: of had to delay this recording and I was like, great, 29 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: I'll get some before we record. And I did delicious. 30 00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I loved it. I ate off it for 31 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: three days, even though it was like not that big, 32 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: but it's quite filling. Oh absolutely, yeah. Yeah, Oh it 33 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: was very very good. I was going to get the 34 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: chicken version, but everything I said was like the B 35 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: version is the one you should get. So that's what 36 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: it did. Yeah, and it was amazing. 37 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 2: Okay, did you can? 38 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: I can? 39 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: I ask what what Atlanta restaurant you found this at? 40 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:26,239 Speaker 2: Do you remember the name? 41 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: I don't, but I remember vaguely the name. Okay, it 42 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: was like I think it was Top Spice, Okay, sure, yeah, yeah, yeah, 43 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: because they Honestly, I found four places that had it 44 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: and a take of this what you will, but Top 45 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: Spice had a lunch option and it was way cheaper 46 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: than everything else. And it was still not cheap, I 47 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: will say, but it had a lunch option that was 48 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: cheaper and I wasn't looking to like get a whole 49 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: meal to share with people. 50 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: You just wanted your unit of rendom. 51 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it fed me for three days, right. 52 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, So it's okay, So they're gonna they're 53 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 2: like a thaie Malaysian restaurant. So so I wonder, I 54 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: wonder if you had a more Indonesian uh slanted version, 55 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 2: if like, like I want to, I want I need 56 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 2: to compare notes across multiple Rendom experiences. 57 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: Now, okay, I'm into it. You know, I struggled to 58 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: describe taste, but I was keeping it in mind when 59 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: I was eating and I was like, okay, what's going 60 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: on here? But you've had it? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. 61 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 2: There are a number of Malaysian and or Indonesian restaurants 62 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 2: around Atlanta that I really love and uh that I 63 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 2: don't get out to that often anymore, partially because I 64 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 2: used to live on the corner of Beuford Highway and 65 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 2: that is, if you are familiar with Atlanta, that is 66 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: where many of our Asian subculture restaurants opened up. 67 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: So yes, yes, well it was delicious. And I told Lauren, 68 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: it's always nice when we get a topic where I'm 69 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: like immediately okay, for research, I must try this. 70 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 2: Dish right, purely for research, purely, purely, purely. 71 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: Well. I guess that brings us to our question. I 72 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: guess it does. Rendong What is it? 73 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 2: Well? Rendowng is a category of dishes or a method 74 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 2: of cooking in which a main ingredient is cooked low 75 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: and slow with coconut milk and pungent herbs and spices 76 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 2: until the liquid has been reduced and or absorbed in Thai, 77 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 2: giving you a richly stewed main ingredient in this like thick, flavorful, 78 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 2: reddish brown to brownish black kind of paste of a sauce. 79 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 2: The main ingredient is traditionally beef, but can be anything 80 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 2: that stands up to this kind of low and slow cooking. Chicken, oysters, 81 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 2: different kinds of fish, vegetarian options like jackfruit, or various greens, 82 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 2: all of those are popular. It's usually served with rice 83 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 2: and some vegetable side dishes. And yeah, it's just it's 84 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: it's rich and warming and like satiny, usually with a 85 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 2: little bit of like saucy grit from the cooked down 86 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 2: coconut gravy sort of stuff with sweet tart spicy notes 87 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 2: from ingredients like ginger and lemon, grass, and chili peppers, 88 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: and like all kinds of nutty, buttery, roasty, toasty flavors 89 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 2: from the cooking process. It's like it's like starting with 90 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 2: just a really nice coconut curry and then evolving it, 91 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 2: like a pokemon, into something that's related but also very different. 92 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: It's like it's like reducing an entire delicious stew into 93 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 2: just a single hunk of stuff. 94 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: M Yes, yeah, because that's good. 95 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 2: That is what it is. 96 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, And gonna love that Pokemon reference. 97 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 2: So we are morally obligated to catch all of them. 98 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 2: It is true, all right. So so those spices are 99 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: going to be doing a lot a lot of the 100 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 2: work and eventually flavoring this and the herbs and spices 101 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 2: used can vary, but some common ones include yes, chili peppers, 102 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 2: some ball, which is a chili sauce, ginger, gallingel or 103 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 2: gold galand galanngal galangel still don't know how other humans 104 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 2: say it right in lemon, grass, aliums like shallots, garlic 105 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 2: and or onions, bay leaves, lime leaves, turmeric and or 106 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 2: turmeric leaves, nutmeg, cori under cuman palm, sugar, grated coconut meat, 107 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 2: toasted coconut. I've also seen cinnamon and cloves, star annis, 108 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 2: cardamom tamar and sour mangoestein other sour fruits. Yeah, and again, 109 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: the term ren dung can refer to both the finished 110 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 2: dish and the cooking method used to get there. What 111 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 2: you're what you're looking to do is take the sauce 112 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 2: that you're cooking that main ingredient in through three distinct stages. 113 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 2: The first is called gulai, and this is the thin 114 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 2: kind of soupy mixture that you're just getting started with. 115 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 2: You cook that down into what's called coglio, which is 116 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: a thicker sauce akin to to a nice curry. 117 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: But right. 118 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 2: What makes this dish special is that you then continue 119 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: cooking it until the coconut milk actually breaks and the 120 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 2: fats in it separate out from the solids. So it's 121 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 2: like making browned butter, but with coconut milk instead of 122 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 2: you know, butter. So you're sauteing all of the good 123 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 2: stuff in your sauce, the herbs and spices and all 124 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 2: of those flavorful coconut solids in that coconut oil, and 125 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 2: all of that is infusing into the main ingredient. And 126 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 2: mixing with any juices that the main ingredient is giving 127 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,119 Speaker 2: off as it cooks. You have to stir it constantly 128 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 2: at this stage. From what I understand, Uh, you're employing 129 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 2: both caramelization and the maiar reaction. And yeah, you wind 130 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 2: up with just like a deeply browned, thick paste type 131 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 2: sauce and a very tender main ingredient fall apart meat, 132 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 2: just absolutely silky veedge. This is usually served either family 133 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 2: style or individually plated with a rice, various side dishes 134 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:07,439 Speaker 2: and condiments like some ball And because the whole process 135 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 2: takes a few hours and like a lot of vigilance, 136 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 2: it is traditionally a celebration dish. There are all kinds 137 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 2: of variations, from what herbs and spices you use, to 138 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 2: exactly how dark the sauce is, to how much you 139 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: let the main ingredient dry out in the pan. Some 140 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: people prefer like an almost crisp on the outside beef rendong. 141 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 2: Some people like it a little bit stewier. Yeah, it 142 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 2: is a dish that has been localized in a lot 143 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: of places around the Malay Archipelago where it's from, you know, 144 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 2: like like localized from city to neighborhood to household level, 145 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 2: like people have preferences. It is one of those lovely 146 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 2: family dishes that you know, whatever you grew up with 147 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 2: is probably the high that you are still chasing. 148 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I read that. I read a quote that was 149 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: like the one you think is the right one is 150 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: the one your mom made. Oh yeah. 151 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 2: There are also a lot of riffs on the dish, 152 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 2: both both locally and out in the wider world. Like 153 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 2: you want some Rendong lasagna, Rendong sliders, Rendong tacos, I do, sure? 154 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 2: Why not? 155 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: Absolutely? Wow? What about the nutrition? 156 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 2: Oh, that depends. I cannot tell you that it depends 157 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: on what goes into it, but I will say that 158 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 2: it's a popular enough dish that there are actually kind 159 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 2: of a lot of nutritional science studies that have been 160 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 2: done recently into like how different preparations affect both palatability 161 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 2: and bioavailable nutrients. So more research is being done. 162 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 1: Huh, you're welcome, yes, because we're definitely later role in that. 163 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: I'll send you things are away, and definitely we have 164 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: a couple numbers for you, A couple yeah. Yes. A 165 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: CNN poll out of twenty seventeen that received about thirty 166 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: five thousand votes named rendong number one on a list 167 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: of the world's fifty most popular food. Yeah. 168 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, this was a Facebook pole, so you know, like 169 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 2: maybe not the most scientific, but still impressive. Impressive. 170 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. 171 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: Indonesia's Record Museum has recognized the largest dish of rendong 172 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 2: as having been created in twenty sixteen. A group of 173 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 2: chefs cooked down over six hundred kilos of beef that's 174 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 2: about thirteen hundred pounds for over twenty four hours. They 175 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 2: also have a record for the largest rendong cooking demo, 176 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 2: which had one thousand participants and took place in twenty eighteen. 177 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,679 Speaker 2: I also do understand that there's a Rendong festival in 178 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 2: Padung in Indonesia every year, but I couldn't find out 179 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 2: that much about it. I think it's a cooking competition. 180 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,319 Speaker 2: I think there are hundreds of participants every year. Y'all. 181 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:11,199 Speaker 2: Y'all are going to have to. 182 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: Write in You're gonna have to Yeah, this is important, 183 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: very much. It is, along with any recipes, images. 184 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, personal stories about it. 185 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, oh indeed. But in the meantime, there is quite 186 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: the history to get over. 187 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 2: Oh there is, and we are going to get into 188 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 2: that as soon as we get back from a quick 189 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 2: break for a word from our sponsors. 190 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: They we're back, Thank you sponsors, Yes, thank you. Okay. 191 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 1: So the written record around Rendon is pretty sparse until 192 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: fairly recently, when a lot of people have been writing 193 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: a lot of very fascinating details stuff. Oh yeah, but 194 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 1: there is a lot going on here, so bear with us. 195 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: This is kind of a twisty turney outline. Also, yeah, yeah, 196 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: but experts believe this dish originated in West Sumatra, Indonesia 197 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: by the Mignankabau people, a culmination of influences ranging from India, Islam, 198 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: and Portuguese. Other things too, but those are the three 199 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:31,080 Speaker 1: big ones. There are some really great resources that dug 200 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: into this, and we're going to break it down a 201 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: bit here, but just know that there's like there's a 202 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: really layered history. Oh yeah, yeah, yes, and some things 203 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:48,439 Speaker 1: I read subscribe strictly to one theory, some a mixture 204 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 1: of all three, some a mixture of two, like a 205 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: mixing match. Yeah, yeah, and right. 206 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 2: The reason that there aren't a lot of written records 207 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 2: until relatively recently is partially that the Monong people were 208 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 2: mostly using oral history, yes, as their record keeping for 209 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 2: a very long time, so yes. 210 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: And then just general historical terminology, etymology confusion, oh yeah, yep. 211 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: But okay, let's break down those three things briefly, because again, 212 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: if you want to learn more, you actually can, and 213 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: it's very interesting and very exciting. That's not always the 214 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: case for these but all right, let's start with India. 215 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 1: One popular theory ties the history of Rendong closely to 216 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: Indian curries. As early as the second century CE, traders 217 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: from India were journeying to the Indonesian islands in hopes 218 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: of finding minerals like tin and gold. Due to their 219 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 1: strategic location between China and India, these islands became a 220 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: popular hub between the spice trade of these two countries. 221 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: This is when a lot of spices involved in Rendong 222 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: were probably introduced to West Sumatra, like ginger, turmeric, chili. 223 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: These roots led to a blend of influences in the region, Arab, Chinese, Indian, 224 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: and European. The thinking goes that the Menong people adapted 225 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 1: curries from India to their taste, ingredients and cuisines, with 226 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: all of these other influences mixed in. One of the 227 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: first known believed references to Rendong traces back to the 228 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: eighth century CE out of West Sumatra, though some speculate 229 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: it was present, Yes, in oral history as far back 230 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: as the fourth century CE, and outsiders observed similarities to 231 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: Indian cuisine in this dish by at least the eighteenth century, 232 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: So there's that. As for the potential influence of Islam 233 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: in this dish, a couple of sources linked the Islamic 234 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: mission movement in the area during the sixteenth and seventeenth 235 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: centuries and the push for helal meats to the origins 236 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: and evolutions of rendong. This is part of a long 237 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: history of meat cooking and consumption in that region. 238 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a little bit complicated, but researchers think that 239 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 2: before the spread of Islam in the region, consumption of 240 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: the traditional water buffalo or chicken would have been even 241 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 2: more of a special occasion. Like prior to that influence, 242 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: those animals would have been used for farm work and 243 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 2: egg production rather than for eating. 244 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, and actually it's a fascinating history of just 245 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: consumption of meat and got me thinking when I was 246 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: reading about how it. Yeah. Yeah, one of the first 247 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: written instances of the word rendong to refer to this 248 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: dish comes from a sixteenth century Islam influenced Malay manuscript. 249 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, the manuscripting question was this Malay adaptation of a 250 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:05,959 Speaker 2: Persian classical literary text. So it's again showing that like 251 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 2: although maybe no one local had been writing about it 252 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,719 Speaker 2: before then, this process and this dish were already well 253 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 2: known at this time. And that was all the way 254 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 2: over in Malacca, like across the whole island of Sumatra 255 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,880 Speaker 2: in the Malacca Strait from the Manangkabao region, though notably 256 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 2: Malacca would have been like a center of business for 257 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 2: traveling Manong traders who did use river routes to cross 258 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 2: Sumatra and reach the sea for centuries before roads were 259 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 2: built there. But that brings us too the Portuguese element. Yes, 260 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 2: the Portuguese controlled Malacca from fifteen to eleven to sixteen 261 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 2: forty one, which many believe also impacted this dish. The 262 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 2: Portuguese influence in the area includes words adopted in the 263 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 2: Malay language in the realm of cooking. There's actually also 264 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 2: a very detailed out of this that you can look into. 265 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, and people arguing about whether or not that 266 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 1: actually means what we think it made, which I do love, 267 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 1: but yes. One of the biggest things that the Portuguese 268 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: may have blended to this dish was their techniques and 269 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,719 Speaker 1: preferences in preserving meat by cooking it for a long time, 270 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: a technique adapted by people in the region. They also 271 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: probably introduced chili peppers. I actually couldn't nail that down 272 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: completely and I was sort of surprised by it. But 273 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: probably yeah, yeah, but okay. So those are some of 274 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: the theories influences going on. At first. The meat in 275 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 1: this dish was primarily water buffalo, which was an important 276 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: animal and the ming Nankbou culture. Water buffalo is a 277 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: tougher type of meat than something like beef, so to 278 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: soften it and make it tastier, the meat would be 279 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 1: braised in coconut milk, seasoned with spices, and then cooked 280 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 1: low and slow for seven hours. Higher temperatures would toughen 281 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: the meat and curdle the milk. So you don't want that, nope. No. 282 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: The coconut trees lined the streets in West Sumatra, and 283 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: as the region became more and more involved in the 284 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: spice trade, indigenous folks would plant spices outside of their home. 285 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 1: So it stands the reason that those ingredients were relatively 286 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: easy to come by once the meat was done. Basically, yes, 287 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 1: this sort of dry curry. It was often wrapped in 288 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 1: plantain or banana leaves for transport, and the dishes said 289 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: to be representative of the Mgnankabal philosophy of patients in 290 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: the cooking wisdom setting the fire and choosing the ingredients, 291 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: and persistence or sincerity with the stirring. Because it was 292 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: time consuming to make, it was usually reserved for special occasions. 293 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,360 Speaker 1: On top of that, at the time, yeah, meat conception 294 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: was not very high amongst the mcnon peoples, so it 295 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: was by no means a daily thing. Yeah. Yes, And 296 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: the fact that it could last on long journeys made 297 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 1: it a popular travel food. So it spread throughout the 298 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: region as people migrated, and as with many dishes that 299 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: we talk about, that meant regional variants popped up based 300 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: on ingredients and tastes. Yeah. Another reason for the spread 301 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: of this dish has to do with a unique practice 302 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: of the Manokaboo people called Marintau or voluntary migration, and 303 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: this tradition of wandering is thought to be in part 304 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: due to their matrilineal culture where men were considered guests 305 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 1: in their wives' homes. Therefore, ancestral land was passed down 306 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: to women not men. Because of this, many men and 307 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 1: some women would travel with the hopes of getting more 308 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: experienced and economic opportunities. They travel via water on foot 309 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: to nearby places like Singapore or Malaysia, and they brought 310 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,680 Speaker 1: the food of their homes with them, including the easily 311 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 1: transportable rendung. I also found a source. I was having 312 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 1: trouble wrapping my head around this, but said that they 313 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: would write home and ask for it to be sent 314 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: to them. Yeah. 315 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, I couldn't quite suss out what that. 316 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 1: I was like. 317 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 2: But how would you ship it if you're not? 318 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: Okay? Sure? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was very curious about it. 319 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: But a professor of history at the University of Adolas 320 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: and Sumato named Gusti Anan has written a lot about 321 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: all of this. He was a great source and Anan 322 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,200 Speaker 1: is a big proponent that Indian curry had a big 323 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: influence on Rundong too, and points out that one word 324 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,439 Speaker 1: the Monong people use for one of the states of 325 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: cooking of this dish resembles curry. 326 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. 327 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: Yes. Because of established trade roots in the region with India. 328 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,400 Speaker 1: This dish made it over to that country, and once 329 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,160 Speaker 1: the British established a presence there, it made its way 330 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: to the UK. 331 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,439 Speaker 2: The dish also spread further west to the Arabian Peninsula, 332 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 2: with a Westumatran Muslims making pilgrimages to Mecca. 333 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,439 Speaker 1: Written accounts of Rendung and its variations started popping up 334 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: in nineteenth century European newspapers and travel journals. According to 335 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: one of these accounts, the paste used to season chicken 336 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: rin Dung included spices like pounded chili, turmeric, white cuman 337 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: seed and coriander seed, fried with sliced onion and a 338 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 1: little bit of water. Sounds really good to me. Chicken 339 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: was then added, followed by coconut milk and cooking for 340 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: a long time. Get the dish. Another version included garlic, 341 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: ore ginger and war ginger. I would say, others a 342 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: sour juice of some sort, others fish. So already there 343 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: were all these variations. Yeah, yeah. 344 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 2: The dish really began spreading though in the nineteen hundreds, 345 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 2: as more Manang immigrants began leaving home and opening foodstalls 346 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 2: throughout what was at that time the Dutch East Indies. 347 00:22:55,400 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 2: Recipes for rendung appeared in Manang women's periodicals in the 348 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 2: nineteen teens, and cookbook authors working in other local languages 349 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 2: and in Dutch started publishing recipes too. 350 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: Yes, but during World War Two, meat shortages slowed down 351 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: the production of rendong in West Sumatra. 352 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 2: Though interestingly, a Dutch military food service cookbook from nineteen 353 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 2: forty listed a recipe for Padang style rendong made with beef. 354 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: Huh yeah, well, jumping way ahead to our social media 355 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: controversy of the episode, Oh good well, a master Chef 356 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: Uk Judge sparked outrage in twenty eighteen when he commented 357 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: that the Malaysian contestants rendon was not crispy enough. And yes, 358 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:50,920 Speaker 1: it is not crispy at all. No no, no, no nope. 359 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: At the same time, the comment did call some establishment 360 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia to create a krispy version. 361 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, oh yeah. Folks from all of those three 362 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 2: nations and also Brunne all piled on. 363 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 1: It was yeah, yep, oh yeah. Here's a quote from 364 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: the BBC The trendy light box sign at Singapore's Indie Cinema. 365 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: The projector read justice for Chicken Rendong in April this year, 366 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: echoing the hashtags that were blowing up on social media 367 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: at the time, hashtag crispy Rendong and hashtag Rendong gate, 368 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: uniting maul Nations and Indonesians who were utterly outraged at 369 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: a diplomatic controversy whom h well, it didn't in there. 370 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: Another show on the show made it worse by posting 371 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: to social media, maybe Rendong is Indonesian and what many 372 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: saw as an attempt to get Indonesians and Malaysians to 373 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: fight each other basically inflamed the situation. Yeah, because there 374 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: have been tensions between these places, but they for sure 375 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: came together. 376 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 2: Oh this, Oh yes, as it turns out as a 377 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 2: home style meals are the thing that can really pull 378 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 2: people together. He also ended that tweet with namaste, like 379 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 2: oh my heck, Like what a what an interesting human person? 380 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, yeah, Like a lot of people got in 381 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 1: on this. One actress with Manang Ancestry argued she kind 382 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: of jokingly did this, or at least that was her vibe. 383 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: She was like, it's not from Indonesia or Malaysia, but 384 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: West Sumatra and the Manong people. Yeah. 385 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:39,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, she was like, I'm sorry, it's from neither thank you, 386 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 2: thank you. It was a whole thing, okay that In 387 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen, the local government in West Sumatra announced that 388 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 2: it was going to propose rendong for inclusion in UNESCO's 389 00:25:56,040 --> 00:26:00,400 Speaker 2: World Heritage List. I think they succeeded. In twenty two one, 390 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 2: UNESCO's website was like kind of down today, so I 391 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 2: couldn't I couldn't double check that, but yes, I think 392 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 2: that it is registered there, and I think it's registered 393 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 2: as having come together from the cultural heritage of Padang. 394 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 2: Then in twenty twenty, at the Dubai twenty twenty Expo, 395 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 2: Indonesia's government announced their Indonesia Spice Up the World initiative, 396 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 2: which is promoting local cuisine and economic opportunities on the 397 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:32,880 Speaker 2: global stage, and rendong is one of the five specialties 398 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 2: being highlighted. Just for example. This initiative managed to set 399 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 2: up the first European rendong factory in Bulgaria this year 400 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three. 401 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: It was a three. 402 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 2: Million dollar investment meant to eventually produce some thirty metric 403 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 2: tons of rendong a month for distribution throughout Europe and 404 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 2: the Middle East. 405 00:26:55,119 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: Who wow. As the dish has spread around the world, 406 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: and grown in popularity. There have been all kinds of 407 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: additions and preparations, some of which you mentioned, Lauren, that 408 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: many would argue or not Rendonald I raised my hands. 409 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 2: Oh yeah right, it's one of those. We're backing away slowly. 410 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:22,400 Speaker 2: We would never, we would never tell you, We would 411 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,399 Speaker 2: not want to. We would not if we could. 412 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 1: Uh yeah. There. 413 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 2: There was a really cute quote in one of the 414 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:33,919 Speaker 2: articles about Crispy Rendong gate on on BBC dot com. 415 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 2: The quote was from this proprietor of an Indonesian restaurant 416 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 2: in Singapore. He was all, like, some people come and 417 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 2: they ask for curry sauce with it. I tell them, 418 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 2: if you want curry sauce, you can go to McDonald's. 419 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:54,400 Speaker 1: There's something you gotta respect about that. Like, no, yeah, 420 00:27:54,480 --> 00:28:03,120 Speaker 1: I know that's not how it served. Sorry, yeah, yeah, 421 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,199 Speaker 1: I think that was in the same article that was like, 422 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: you're never on the top of your what you had 423 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: growing up essentially, Yes, that's the one. Well, it was delicious. 424 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 1: I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it, but 425 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: I there's so much more obviously that I could try. Yeah, 426 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: in this space. Yep again, Yes, thoughts recipes recommendations. Oh yes, 427 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 1: please let us know. But I think that's what we 428 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: have to say about Rendong for now. It is. 429 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 2: We do have some listener mill prepared already for you, though, 430 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 2: and we are going to get into that as soon 431 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 2: as we get back from one more quick break for 432 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 2: a word from our sponsors. 433 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you, sponsors, Yes, thank you, and 434 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: we're back with Li. It was so warming, That's what 435 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: I really thought about it. 436 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, like a big old hug hug a meat. 437 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, because it was like it wasn't that it 438 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: was spicy, but it was warming. It was so good. 439 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: I immediately sent Lauren a message and was like, oh no, 440 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: this is delicious. It was like Friday or Saturday night. 441 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 1: I get this random message from Anny. Yeah. It was great, 442 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: so good. So I was so happy. Yeah, yeah, all right, 443 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: Carolina wrote, I was excited to hear your dragon fruit episode. 444 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: I loved this crazy fruit. I get craving sports sometimes. 445 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 1: When I was living in Utah, it wasn't easy to 446 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: find and I could only find the white flesh variety. 447 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: I'm currently living in Taiwan, where every fruit market has 448 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: it year round, and red dragon fruit, which has a 449 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 1: stronger flavor is far more common. The magenta color of 450 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 1: the juice doesn't get altered by going through digestion, so 451 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: eating red dragon fruit can result in an uncommonly startling 452 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 1: trip to the bathroom if you don't have a good 453 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: memory for what you've recently consumed. Oh that is good 454 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: to know. Yeah, it's good to know. I do. I've 455 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 1: had that experience. 456 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 2: Beats any number of times so so, but still right, 457 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 2: important safety tip. 458 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,719 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I had a friend who had She loved 459 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: watermelon so much. I don't think watermelon is common to 460 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: do that, but she loved it so much. Oh it would, 461 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 1: But I did see. I didn't buy one, but I 462 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: did see some dragon fruit at the store when I 463 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: was there yesterday, and I thought about it. I think 464 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna wait for whenever we have our dinner a 465 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: special occasion or sent. 466 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. 467 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 1: Sare but I am excited. It does look good, it does. 468 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 2: They're real pretty yep, Bart wrote Bart from Ireland back 469 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 2: with another Christmas related comment. I always seem to email 470 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 2: around the holidays for some reason. Lots of good food 471 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 2: memories associated with the season. 472 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: I guess. 473 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 2: Listening to your show this week on Chinese five spice. 474 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,239 Speaker 2: Two things struck me. Firstly, I'm so used to it 475 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:31,400 Speaker 2: being ubiquitous that I was shocked to hear it's a 476 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 2: recent arrival to our Western pantries. Secondly, you asked about recipes, 477 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 2: and what immediately struck me is that it's one of 478 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 2: those rare ingredients I use in dessert and dinner. I 479 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,320 Speaker 2: prefer to do this with tender stem broccoli, but it 480 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 2: works with any green veg. Really, toss it in some 481 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:49,640 Speaker 2: sesame oil, a little soy sauce, sprinkling of dark brown 482 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 2: sugar and a dash of Chinese five spice roast four 483 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 2: fifteen to twenty minutes and you have a fantastic side 484 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 2: for any Asian dish. Being here in Ireland, one of 485 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 2: the Christmas treats I love is the dried fruit mix 486 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 2: that briefly appears on our shelves each year. It's intended 487 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 2: for use in traditional Christmas cakes, but I use it 488 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 2: in fruit based desserts instead. As well as your usual 489 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 2: mix of currants and raisins of all sizes and colors, 490 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 2: it includes dried cherries and some wonderfully exotic additions like 491 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 2: dates and preserved citrus peels. One of my favorite uses 492 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 2: for this mix is stuffed baked apples. Start by hollowing 493 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,480 Speaker 2: out a tart for an apple like a Granny Smith 494 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:28,479 Speaker 2: by going halfway down with a cora and then scooping 495 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 2: out the bits with a melon boller. Then score a 496 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 2: line around the equator so it can expand as it bakes. Next, 497 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 2: stuff it with a mix of chopped dried fruit, maple syrup, 498 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 2: dark soft brown sugar, and slices of your choice. Optionally, 499 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 2: add a dash of vanilla and or almond extract. Then 500 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 2: bake it low for about forty minutes and top with 501 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 2: cream or Greek yogurt. This works with any dried fruit 502 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 2: and any warming spices, so for Halloween I love to 503 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 2: use dried cranberries and pumpkin spice. But at Christmas, the 504 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 2: very best variant is Christmas cake fruit mix with Chinese 505 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:05,600 Speaker 2: five spice. By pure chance, I'm opening this year's bag 506 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 2: of Christmas cake fruit mix to make this very recipe 507 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 2: with Sunday Dinner tonight. Thanks for many years a thoughtful, informative, 508 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 2: and above all fun listening pleasure, You folks rock have 509 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,880 Speaker 2: a wonderful holiday season and a healthy, tasty, and prosperous 510 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four. 511 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 1: You too, Oh thank you? Yeah, Oh heck, that sounds 512 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: really good. Definitely really good. 513 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 2: I feel like that's specific, Like Christmas cake, dried fruit 514 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,560 Speaker 2: mix is something that I am aware of existing, but 515 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 2: I don't feel like we really get it in America. 516 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 2: I don't think that it shows up. I think it's 517 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:46,840 Speaker 2: kind of like a specialty item you kind of have 518 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:47,400 Speaker 2: to track down. 519 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think so, And I feel like we talked 520 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 1: about that in our the Fruitcake episode, the Much Mind Fruitcake, 521 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 1: which is experiencing a little bit of a comeback. But yeah, 522 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: it's true like this, this sounds so good to me, 523 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: but it's not like anything I have tried personally. 524 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean you could you could make you I mean, 525 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,319 Speaker 2: with a decent, you know, bulk good section. You could 526 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 2: make your own dry fruit mix. 527 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: And that's true. You know this is true. It can 528 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: be done. 529 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 2: You would have a lot of it at that juncture probably, 530 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,360 Speaker 2: But yes. 531 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:31,279 Speaker 1: You know what this reminds me of. It reminds me 532 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: of when we did our episode on cranberries and I 533 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 1: got it my head that I'm going to make my 534 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 1: own homemade cranberry sauce. Turns out your own homemade cranberry 535 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,920 Speaker 1: sauce makes a ton. But it was delicious and I 536 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:47,440 Speaker 1: loved doing it, but I stopped doing it because it 537 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: just made so much. 538 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 2: It depends on how much you want to consume. And 539 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:55,319 Speaker 2: like I mean, even like a single bag of cranberries 540 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,359 Speaker 2: kind of makes a lot of sauce. I mean again, 541 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:58,800 Speaker 2: it depends on how much you want to consume. 542 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:02,399 Speaker 1: So yeah, true, but I feel like if I made this, 543 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:06,439 Speaker 1: it would be me eating it and to get other 544 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: people to get on board, and they probably would, but 545 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: they wouldn't eat that much. With my cranberry sauce, which 546 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 1: I think was delicious, everybody was like, I'll try cheese, 547 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 1: but this sounds really good to me. 548 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that that Vege recipes sounds terrific as well. 549 00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, it does. I feel like I don't. 550 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:27,879 Speaker 1: I don't. 551 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 2: I feel like I shy away from from five spice 552 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:33,600 Speaker 2: in the kitchen, but maybe maybe I should. It's I 553 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 2: think that really like the idea of just having a 554 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 2: light hand with it is what I need. I needed 555 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 2: to hear, so yeah. 556 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:42,480 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, And like I said, I did purchase some, 557 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:48,360 Speaker 1: so I am looking for skees okay, But also, you know, 558 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:51,359 Speaker 1: I feel like we have enough recipes now we can 559 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,839 Speaker 1: make a Savor cookbook. We never would because the work 560 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:57,279 Speaker 1: and time and crediting all of you. But we could 561 00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 1: do it. We could do it. We could do it. 562 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 2: I mean you know, yeah, yeah, I mean we could. 563 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 2: We could also, I mean, man Ben Bolan has been 564 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 2: threatening to get us a cookbook deal. 565 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:14,480 Speaker 1: Oh well, I love it. I just love because I 566 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:16,279 Speaker 1: know some of you have written in like I made 567 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:19,839 Speaker 1: this person's recipe, and oh that's so cool. That's just 568 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:24,399 Speaker 1: it's just cool to hear real people's recipes and then 569 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:27,240 Speaker 1: hearing other people make them. So thank you for taking 570 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 1: the time. Yes always, yes, yes, yes. Thanks to both 571 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:34,840 Speaker 1: of these listeners for writing in. If you would like 572 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 1: to write to as, you can our emails Hello at 573 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:38,240 Speaker 1: savorpod dot com. 574 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 2: We're also on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, 575 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 2: and Instagram at saver pod and we do hope to 576 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,319 Speaker 2: hear from you. Savor is production of iHeartRadio. For more 577 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 2: podcasts from my Heart Radio, you can visit the iHeartRadio app, 578 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:53,320 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 579 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 2: Thanks as always to our super producers Dylan Fagan and 580 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:58,719 Speaker 2: Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, and we hope 581 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 2: that lots more good things are coming your way.