Episode 4 - Fruit Love Letters
The Subtly Essential Ingredient for Equatorial Chefs
“Your tangy earthbound pulp, a portal to biological brilliance.”
Tamarind is a key ingredient to the wheelhouse of many equatorial chefs. This week, Jessamine gathers in conversation Sam Fore of Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites in Lexington, Kentucky; Parnass Savang of Talat Market in Atlanta, Georgia; and Maricela Vega of Chico, also in Atlanta. All three chefs are combining their familiar homeland foods—from Sri Lanka, Thailand and Mexico—with their current surroundings in the American South. Despite using the same fruit, the different ways tamarind manifests in their unique recipes is a fascinating testament to their ingenuity.
In this episode of Fruit Love Letters, Jessamine chats with:
Sam Fore, chef & owner of Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites in Lexington, Kentucky
Parnass Savang, chef and co-owner of Talat Market in Atlanta, Georgia
Maricela Vega, chef and owner of Chico, a company that makes nixtamal products based in Atlanta, Georgia
Episode highlights:
Amalgamation of Sri Lankan and Southern influences
Sam Fore reflects on how Sri Lankan immigrants adapted to the American southern landscape while keeping its cultural ties
While discussing the many uses of tamarind across cultures, and Sam states her favorite ways to utilize tamarind in her cooking, from seeni sambol to grilled cheeses
Sam shares the process of making seeni sambol and how to incorporate tamarind in other dishes
Tamarind and Thai Cuisine
Parnass Savang discusses his appreciation of cooking Thai food and his journey of opening his own restaurant.
Fresh ingredients from scratch and local produce from farmers
Parnass explains the usage of sour tamarind in Thai cooking, in dishes such as, papaya salad and Masaman curry
Tamarind leaves, immature green tamarind can be used as a relish
Parnass and Jessamine share an excitement to see more tamarind products in the Atlanta region and markets
Masa and Tamarind
Learn about Maricela Vega and her company, Chico, and their work with co-ops in Mexico and local farms in Georgia to make their masa based products
Maricela laments on how tamarind can be difficult to source at times in Atlanta, but is excited to cook with it when she can.
Maricela shares her recent beet salsa recipe featuring tamarind, and she reflects on her favorite way of enjoying tamarind; drinking ponche.
Personal Usage of Tamarind
Jessamine shares her favorite way to use tamarind: Tamarind Cayenne Honey which can be used on grilled corn, salmon, a fried egg, and more.
Recipe
Seeni Sambol
Ingredients
3 tablespoons canola oil
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ large red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons (about 1¾ cups)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
Directions
Heat canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and cover until you hear them sputter.
Uncover and add curry leaves and red pepper flakes. Allow them to sizzle in the mustard oil, then stir in onion, salt, and black pepper.
Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Stir in tamarind concentrate until combined and drop to low heat.
Continue to cook for 30-40 minutes or until desired caramelization is reached.
Guests
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Samantha Fore
Samantha Fore is a first generation Sri Lankan-American from Lexington, Kentucky. She started her pop up restaurant in 2016, after traditional Sri Lankan brunches in her home outgrew her dining room. Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites™ pop up menus include Sam's spin on Southern classics and riffs on her mother's time-tested recipes. Tuk Tuk is one of the few representations of Sri Lankan cuisine in the United States and reflects Sam’s Sri Lankan upbringing in the American South. Her work has been featured in Food & Wine, Taste of the South and Fine Cooking magazines. She was selected as one of Southern Living magazine’s 2020 Cooks of the Year and was named as one of Plate Magazine’s 2018 Chefs to Watch. She also serves as Director of Technology for the LEE Initiative.
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Parnass Savang
Talat Market is located in the Summerhill neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. They grew from a pop up to a brick and mortar restaurant because of the amazing support of their community.
Co-owners Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter cook using Thai technique and featuring local Georgia ingredients.
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Maricela Vega
Maricela Vega is a chef and owner of Chico, a company that makes nixtamal products based in Atlanta, Georgia.