What is the What by Dave Eggers

Hosted by Anne, discussion led by Christie.

Recipes from Anne:
This is the original recipe for the falafel. I don’t know what broken beans are, so I just used chickpeas. I also didn’t use the full amount of herbs and left out the green onion (I thought one small onion was enough.)

TAMAYYA- Green Hamburgers
Green hamburgers are healthy vegetable patties packed with fresh greens and dried beans. The Tamaaya, or Falafel as it is called in the Middle East and Sudan, is stuffed into pockets of bread along with salad, foul, fried eggplant, potatoes, tahina salad or just by itself. This sandwich may be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Bought at the Tamaaya Stand, it is wrapped in paper and eaten as one walks down the street.
Ingredients
• 2 cups broken beans (foul madshoosh)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dill
• 1 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (1 small onion)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 - 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp dry coriander powder
• chili powder (optional)
• sesame seeds
• oil for frying
Method
1. Place the beans in a large bowl of water and rinse several times until the water is clear. Fill the bowl with at least 6 cups of water, cover and allow them to soak for 2 to 3 days.
2. Wash the greens and dry well, this makes them easier to chop. Remove the tough parts of the stem and then finely chop the leaves and the remaining delicate stems. Measure the greens after they are chopped, but do not pack them down into the cup.
3. Wash the green onions and chop both the white onion part and the green stem.
4. Chop the onion and garlic.
5. Drain the beans and grind very fine. If you are grinding the beans in a food processor, turn the machine on empty and slowly drop through the tube onto the moving blade. Place the beans in a bowl and set aside.
6. Add the greens, onions and garlic to the processor, blend well.
7. Add the mashed beans to the processor and process until the mixture looks green.
8. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the spices and baking soda, mix everything until well blended.
9. Cover the bowl and let sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better so the flavors blend. If you do not cook all the batter, cover and store in the refrigerator.
10. Heat a medium saute pan, when hot add 1/2 inch of oil and heat until it is hot, lower the heat slightly.
11. To shape the patties, take a large soup spoon and fill the bowl of the spoon with some of the batter, pressing it firmly into the spoon. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and then push it off the spoon into the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until it has turned brown. Turn the patties over and cook again 2 to 3 minutes or until brown. Remove from the oil to a paper towel to drain.
12. Don't let the oil get too hot or the crust will get too crisp or if the oil cools down too much, the patties will soak up too much oil.


Peanut and Squash Soup
1 ½ tsp olive oil
4 cups cubed butternut squash
1 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp minced garlic
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground coriander
4 cups chicken broth
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp crushed red pepper
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat
Add squash and next five ingredients (through coriander)
Saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender
Add broth, peanut butter, tomato paste, and pepper, stirring to combine
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until squash is tender
Sprinkle with cilantro


CREME CARAMELA- Sudanese Caramel Custard
8 eggs
1 quart milk
1 cup sugar – divided
1 oz butter, melted
1 Tbs vanilla extract

Beat eggs, milk and ½ cup sugar until frothy.
Add butter and vanilla extract.
In 1 ½ quart star shaped aluminum cake pan, melt ½ cup sugar and burn to caramel stage (I just used a round layer cake pan, and cheated with store-bought caramel) .
Rotate pan to spread caramel all around sides.
Pour egg mixture into cake pan (using the layer cake pan, I didn’t use the full amount of the custard to fill the pan).
Cover the pan with aluminum foil that has been buttered on the underside
Place pan in a water bath.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, test with a knife, when it comes out clean the custard is done.
Chill completely.
Turn out onto a platter.


Book related add ons:
Some links I found about the book and related topics:

http://www.valentinoachakdeng.org/
http://www.valentinoachakdeng.org/readers_guide.php


Eggers Blends Fact, Fiction of Sudanese 'Lost Boys'
(9 minute interview with Dave Eggers and Valentino Achak Deng on NPR's All Things Considered 11/1/2006. Spoiler Alert: there's a bit of a spoiler at the end of this interview. If you want to avoid it, stop listening when Eggers stops talking, before the interviewer does her conclusion.)

John Garang: A Conversation on Sudan
(37 min Interview with Scott Simon on Weekend Edition 2/12/2005)