East Harlem is described as the area north
of what is now 59th Street. It was called "Muscoota" by the
Manhattan Indians. Muscoota means "flat place." This flat
place was good for growing food and this is why many of the Manhattan
Indians lived in this part of Manhattan. When the Dutch arrived and took
over the lower, southern part of the island -- "Nieuw
Amsterdam," they left the American Indians pretty much to
themselves in the northern part. One trader, Mynheer Hendrick de Forest
became the first European to set foot in Muscoota. He liked it
immediately. After a while, he built a house, planted some crops and
began living in Muscoota, all without asking the American Indians if he
could. Later on, other Dutch men and women followed suit and began to
move into Muscoota, too.
War broke out with the American Indians after Governor Keift
indiscriminately and arbitrarily sentenced some (Indians) to death. The
Manhattan Indians managed to kill all the settlers. The arrival of
Governor Peter Stuyvesant changed Muscoota forever. Governor Stuyvesant
built a town in Muscoota and named it "Nieuw Haarlem." With
the arrivals of the English in 1664 Nieuw Haarlem's name was changed to
"Harlem."
The cookbook, "Soul, Soy and Salsa," an East Harlem
cookbook by Elizabeth Calvert (text) and Yushi Nomura (visualization),
copyright 1979, was conceived the night Yushi cooked ton-katsu and
Elizabeth asked for the recipe. He disappeared for a few minutes and
returned with a clear sketch of the whole operation. It was admired by
everyone as a work of art, proved astonishingly easy to follow, and
everyone to thinking of collecting recipes of the wonderful dishes
enjoyed at Living Hope.
The Church of Living Hope has young people working in the community.
This collection of recipes is a tribute to East Harlem -- the
multi-ethnic community, surging with life and the good smells from many
kitchens. East Harlem is blessed with many splendid cooks in several
traditions (Soul, Latin, New York-International and Oriental). The
proceeds from the sale has contributed to the higher education of many
young people.
The East Harlem community is on the northeast part of the island of
Manhattan in New York City. Its boundaries lie from First Avenue to
Fifth Avenue and from East 96th Street to East 125th Street.
Ton-Katsu Pork Cutlet, Japanese Style
This is the dish that inspired this cookbook.
6 pork chops, boned or 3 pound roast, boned and sliced
Salt and pepper to season meat
1/3 cup (2/3 dl) flour
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups (6 dl) bread crumbs
Oil for deep frying
Sauce:
1/3 cup (2/3 dl) soy sauce
1/4 cu(½ dl) butter
1/2 cup (1 dl) catsup
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Crisp on the outside, juicy within, these cutlets resemble
Wienerschnitzel but, served with ton-katsu sauce, they have an Oriental
flavor all their own. If you use a roast, you will have leftover bones
and tidbits too small for cutlets. Pop them in a pot of simmering water;
add vegetables, and you have the makings of Yohiko's Pork Stew. Time 1
hour. Serves 6.
Emily’s Arroz Guisade
Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 4 to 6.
3 cups (6 dl) water or stock
2 cups (4 dl) rice
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup (1 dl) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Ramon's sofrito
1 can Gandules pigeon peas, drained or 1/2 pound, cooked and drained
1 can red kidney beans, drained or 1/2 pound, cooked and drained
Cook less than 30 minutes. This is a well-flavored, amber rice to
accompany spicy foods. If you want it for a main dish, add the gandules
or red beans, which complete the protein.
Chinese Fried Rice
Serves 4-6.
1 recipe plain or any leftover rice, cooked
2 medium carrots, cut in half lengthwise, in 1/8-inch slices
3 medium onions, chopped coarsely
1 green pepper, chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped fine
3 eggs
5 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoons soy sauce, poured in center of pan and allowed to burn
1 cup of pork or shrimp, chopped fine
Patrick’s Chicken Curry
Prep time: 40 minutes
3 tablespoons oil or butter
3 or 4 onions, sliced
3 pounds chicken
2 tablespoons salt
5 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 tablespoon cloves, whole
1/2 tablespoons thyme
5 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon rosemary
10 cardamom seeds, split or 1 teaspoon ground
Garnish: 1 small onion, sliced think, immersed in ice water for 10
minutes
Juice of 1/2 a lemon, squeezed over onion rings
Cook 30 minutes. Serve it plain or with rice. Serves 4-6.
Stirfried Shrimp
Time is 15 minutes. Serves 4.
1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and rinsed
1 small head of lettuce, broken apart
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 dl) water
