The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle (20 page)

Loco moco is a popular dish on the Hawaiian islands. It’s the ultimate breakfast meal prior to a big workday, consisting of rice, a hamburger patty, fried eggs, and brown gravy. It takes a couple tries to get the timing right so that the rice, hamburgers, gravy, and eggs are all ready at the same time, but once you have the method down, it’ll quickly become a breakfast staple.

SERVES:
2
PREP TIME:
5 MINUTES, PLUS TIME TO PREP THE RICE
COOKING TIME:
20 MINUTES

1/2 LB. GROUND BEEF

1 TSP. COCONUT OIL

2 CUPS BEEF BROTH (
SEE HERE
)

1 TSP. BLACK PEPPER

2 TBSP. ARROWROOT STARCH OR POTATO STARCH

2 CUPS COOKED WHITE RICE (
SEE HERE
) OR CAULIFLOWER RICE (
SEE HERE
)

2 EGGS

1. Form the ground beef into 2 patties. Warm the coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the patties and pan-fry until cooked through, 3 minutes per side. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the broth and pepper, then bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. In a small bowl, combine the starch and a little water to create a slurry. Slowly pour it into the broth, stirring as it thickens.

3. Place a scoop of rice on each plate, then add a hamburger patty. Fry 2 eggs and place 1 egg on each patty, then cover with gravy.

Beef Rendang

Rendang is a dry curry that originated among the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra and later spread throughout Indonesia and Malaysia. Its age is unknown, but historians have traced its origin as far back as 500 years.

There are three recognized forms of rendang in Minangkabau culture, each depending on the cooking time: a pale, lightly cooked curry known as gulai; a browned but still liquid curry called kalio; and a rich, dry, dark brown dish called rendang, the version prepared in this recipe. In other countries, most notably Malaysia and the Netherlands, the rendang most often served is closer to kalio.

While its extended cooking time can be a test of patience, it’s well worth the wait; the aroma and overwhelming richness of rendang are unforgettable.

SERVES:
4
PREP TIME:
30 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
2-3 HOURS

SPICE PASTE:

1 RED BELL PEPPER, STEM AND SEEDS REMOVED, COARSELY CHOPPED

5 SHALLOTS, QUARTERED

4 CLOVES GARLIC

1" GALANGAL, PEELED AND COARSELY CHOPPED

1" GINGER, PEELED AND COARSELY CHOPPED

6 MACADAMIA NUTS (RAW PREFERRED)

1 BIRD’S EYE CHILE, SEEDS AND RIBS REMOVED

2 TSP. SEA SALT

1/2 TSP. GROUND CLOVES

1/2 TSP. GROUND NUTMEG

1 TBSP. COCONUT OIL

2 1/2 LBS. CHUCK, CUT INTO 1 1/2" CHUNKS

4 STALKS LEMONGRASS, CUT INTO 3" PIECES

1 (14 OZ.) CAN COCONUT MILK

1 CINNAMON STICK

7 KAFFIR LIME LEAVES (FRESH PREFERRED; DRIED AVAILABLE ONLINE)

1 BAY LEAF

1. Combine the spice paste ingredients in a blender and blend into a fine paste, adding a little water if it gets too thick to purée.

2. In a large, shallow skillet, warm the coconut oil on medium heat for 1 minute, then add the blended spice paste; simmer until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and carefully stir until well combined.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every 10-15 minutes to prevent scorching, until the liquid has evaporated, the beef fat is rendered, and oil appears on the surface. It should take 2-3 hours. Reduce the heat to low if the sauce simmers too rapidly and appears to be boiling rather than simmering. The curry should have a slightly dry and oily texture. Serve with basmati rice steamed in 1/4 cup coconut milk and 1 tsp. turmeric (
see here
).

Pho

Pho, often considered the national dish of Vietnam, is a rice noodle soup that uses a beef bone broth. It’s hard to describe the basic yet complex taste that comes from this unique mix of broth, beef, spices, and herbs. The dish emerged from Hanoi in the early 20th century and was brought to the United States in the 1970s by refugees after the fall of Saigon. The inclusion of beef in the dish reflects its French influence; prior to French colonialism, cows in Vietnam were used mainly for labor and not as a food source.

This is a time-consuming recipe, but it’s worth every moment spent on it. Some Asian markets sell tea bags pre-filled with the whole spices, which is very convenient.

SERVES:
6
PREP TIME:
10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
7 HOURS

4 WHOLE STAR ANISE

4 GREEN CARDAMOM PODS

1 BLACK CARDAMOM POD

2 CINNAMON STICKS

1 TSP. CORIANDER SEEDS

1/4 TSP. FENNEL SEEDS

1/4 TSP. WHOLE CLOVES

3 LBS. OXTAIL AND KNUCKLE BONES

1 LARGE ONION, PEELED

1" GINGER, PEELED

2 LBS. BEEF BRISKET OR EYE OF ROUND ROAST

1 PARSNIP

2 TBSP. FISH SAUCE

1 TBSP. SEA SALT

16 OZ. RICE NOODLES

1 LARGE HANDFUL FRESH CILANTRO, COARSELY CHOPPED

4 GREEN ONIONS, FINELY CHOPPED

1 ONION, THINLY SLICED

1 LARGE HANDFUL THAI BASIL LEAVES

2 LIMES, CUT INTO WEDGES

2 JALAPEÑO PEPPERS, SLICED INTO RINGS

1. In a saucepan, toast the spices on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Over an open flame or under a broiler, roast the onion and ginger until charred, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

2. Boil the oxtail and knuckle bones in a large stockpot filled with water for 8 minutes, then drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Clean the stockpot, then return the bones to the pot. Add enough cold water to cover the bones by at least 1", about 4 quarts. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the toasted spices, onion, ginger, brisket, parsnip, fish sauce, and salt. Simmer for 11/2 hours, then remove the brisket with tongs and submerge in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to keep it from drying out. Put the brisket on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

3. Continue to gently simmer the broth, adjusting the heat and adding water as needed, until the oxtail meat separates from its bones without resistance, about 4 more hours. Near the end of simmering, soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. When they are ready, remove the oxtail and knuckle bones with tongs and set aside to cool, then strain the broth and discard any solids. Return the broth to the stockpot and bring to a simmer, adding salt to taste.

4. Slice the brisket into thin slices and pick out the meat and soft cartilage from the oxtail and knuckle bones. If desired, reserve the bones for making stock. Bring a large pot of water to boil and dip the rice noodles in the boiling water for 30 seconds; remove, strain, and rinse with cold water, then distribute into individual bowls. Distribute the beef pieces among the bowls, then garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, and onion slices. Ladle the simmering broth into each bowl and serve with Thai basil leaves, lime wedges, and jalapeño slices.

Sukuma Wiki

Collard greens are very versatile and have been in use for at least 2,000 years; the ancient Greeks cultivated them along with kale. Sukuma wiki is the Swahili name for collard greens; it literally translates to “push/stretch the week.” As the name implies, collards are available year-round in East Africa and are used to stretch out meals to last all week.

In the culinary world, sukuma wiki is a common name for a Kenyan dish of braised collard greens, usually prepared with ground meat, tomatoes, and onions. I love this dish because it’s a breeze to put together and an easy way to put something that tastes slightly exotic on the table on short notice. Make sure to prep your ingredients ahead of time, as this dish comes together quickly.

SERVES:
4
PREP TIME:
10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
20 MINUTES

1 TBSP. OLIVE OIL

1/2 WHITE ONION, COARSELY CHOPPED

2 CLOVES GARLIC, CHOPPED

1 JALAPEÑO PEPPER, SEEDED AND CHOPPED

1 LB. GROUND BEEF OR LAMB

1/2 TSP. BLACK PEPPER

1/2 TSP. GROUND CINNAMON

1/2 TSP. GROUND GINGER

1/2 TSP. GROUND FENNEL SEEDS

1/2 TSP. TURMERIC

1 TSP. SEA SALT

1 TSP. GROUND CUMIN

1 TSP. GROUND CORIANDER

1 BUNCH COLLARD GREENS (ABOUT 8 LEAVES), STEMS REMOVED, SLICED INTO 1" STRIPS

1 LARGE HANDFUL (12-15) CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES, QUARTERED

1 TSP. LEMON JUICE

1. Warm the olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, then add the onion. Sauté the onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and jalapeño and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and seasonings and cook until only slightly pink, about 6 minutes; stir frequently so the ground beef doesn’t clump.

2. Add the collard greens and tomatoes and sauté until the collard greens are wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir everything gently as it cooks, being careful not to mush the tomatoes. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.