Friday Letter - 05.25.2012

5/25/12

Dear RiverRun Families,

On Tuesday we were able to cook again. This time we had the luxury of a great kitchen under the guidance of Anita, a member of Agudat, and both Fatima and her mother Amina, or GoGo (grandmother) as the children called her. Once again cooking with the children is a great experience and an important part of the RiverRun curriculum. The recipes we used were authentic African dishes from different countries. The children all tried everything and each child had a favorite. I am including the recipes. Ask your child what they liked and this will allow you to make these dishes at home.

Vegetarian Course-Amhari Mesir Wat (Ethiopian Lentil Bowl)
120g red lentils
2 large onions
1 garlic clove
120 ml oil
3 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground ginger
2 tsp Berbere spice (garahm masala) or we used allspice
salt
720 ml water

We did not use lentils, instead we used kidney beans. Since I used kidney bean I halved the water. This dish was well received.

Heat oil and fry the onions for about 8 minutes, or until golden. Add the tomato puree and the paprika, mix to combine. Pour half the water then add garlic ginger berbere spice and salt. Stir well to combine then add the remaining water, stir more and bring the mixture to a boil. Then let simmer for 25 minutes until the gravy thickens some or until lentils are soft.

Sadza -this is a staple food for many African countries. It goes by many names (Nisma, Ugali, Oshifima, Mealie-meal or putu. In our country we call it corn mush. This was great to mix with the beans or any other saucy food. The kids liked this so much GoGo ran in to make a second batch.

1 1/4 cups white cornmeal
1 cup water or milk (we had it with water)

Heat a cup of water to boiling in a medium size saucepan. Gradually add ¾ cup of the cornmeal to the milk or just use water, stir briskly to make a smooth paste. Add the mixture to the boiling water and continue to stir. Cook for 4 or 5minutes while adding the remaining cornmeal. When the mixture begins to pull away form the sides of the post and stick together, remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Zimbabwe Greens (Kalia's favorite)
1 large bunch of collard greens (we used spinach)
240 ml water
1 large tomato, cored and chopped
5 spring (green) onions sliced
3 tbsp (we used a bit more) of peanut butter (groundnuts as called in Africa)
salt and pepper to taste

Finely shred the greens; discard any tough stems. Place in a saucepan and pour the water over the top. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender. Drain the greens (reserve the liquid) and return the greens to the medium heat. Dissolve the peanut butter in 180 ml of the cooking liquid and add to the greens. Heat until the greens are a creamy consistency then taste and adjust the seasoning.

Egyptian salad
Tomatoes
Cheese
beans
hard boiled eggs
boiled potato
sour cream or yogurt
salt & pepper to taste

I kind of did my own thing with these ingredients. I used Mozzarella cheese and kidney beans, but I think black eyed peas or green peas would have been better.

Tiger Nut Sweets
chopped dates
cinnamon
chopped walnuts
honey
ground almonds

Blend dates with a little water, add cinnamon and chopped walnuts to taste. Shape into balls, coat with honey and ground almonds.

We also had a yucca/cassava dessert. I do not have the recipe, you will have to contact Fatima. From memory we peeled the yucca (bought at Hannaford) chopped it up and boiled it to tender. It was boiled a second time in milk with some sugar and ghee or melted butter. It was awesome. Not too sweet!

We had Rooibos Tea from South Africa too.

We were stuffed and could not eat anymore. We had some plantains, which we ate on Wednesday. The brand they tried was Maduritos, which is all natural. (You can read and understand all the ingredients). We had three flavors sweet, spicy and salty. The spicy flavor was a big hit.

The school play and concert is coming along; the children are looking forward to amazing you with their many talents. Part of the costume making required cutting a pattern into fabric and sewing it up. Debbie has brought in her sewing machine and the children have been able to sew their own costumes. What a great skill to be introduced to.

Within the next few weeks I was considering have a biking session for physical education since we are required to teach helmet and bike safety. Please e-mail the class and tell me if you would be open to bringing your children's bikes and helmets to school for a week.

The Silver Graphics fundraiser products are in! (You should have received your merchandise this week in your child's backpack.) Special thanks goes out to Kathy Lahn and Kate Schofield for coordinating this fundraiser and to the RiverRun families who participated. We raised $227 for RiverRun's general fund and many of you will be able to enjoy your child's artwork on T-shirts and other products for years to come.

Dates to remember:
May 28 Memorial Day-no school
June 1-3 Taconic State Campground
June 5 Concert/Play (evening) 6:00
June 13 Portfolio Day (during afternoon school day)

Have a great long weekend. Let's hope for some dry days!
Amy and Debbie