Chile, Watermelon and Impending Deadlines

I am leaving for Brazil and the US in 8 days. I just realized yesterday how soon my departure date is and how much I have to get done in terms of work before getting on the plane. I am kind of freaking out, to be completely honest, but I have faith that I'll be able to pull it together. Before leaving I have to finish the text of a business plan for our banana client, who is undertaking a US$ 10 million expansion project for which we hope to obtain funding from the IFC. I also have to complete a translation job for the artisan support NGO that was the focus of the strategic planning workshops I facilitated last month. The banana project is super challenging and takes a lot of time; the translation gig is tedious and also, unfortunately, takes a lot of time. I don't know how it will work out, especially since I haven't even started to think about packing my suitcases.

Meh. This is all my fault, really. Once again I procrastinated my way through the last 3 weeks when I could have - should have - been working on the banana project. With every single project I take on, I come to the exact same conclusion. I need to work on my time management skills, tackle the work earlier, not underestimate the effort the job will require, and stop putting everything off until mañana. I'm getting somewhat better, but I still end up stressing myself out to no end trying to play catch-up in the final weeks before a deadline.

Maybe one day I'll just accept that this is my work style, that despite the rush at the end and the stress that comes along with the crunch, I still produce a top-quality final product. Then again, maybe I'll stumble across some magical fountain of self-discipline and never have to worry about this again. Ha!

In other news, both Rico and I have headcolds. I think it's the changing of the seasons and all the freaking rain we've been getting lately. Also, I have a pretty reliable track record of getting sick right before a trip. I don't ever feel that anxious about upcoming travel, but apparently something happens in my body that I don't consciously recognize, and that prefers to manifest itself as a cold, ear ache, strep throat or nausea.

The solution? Lots of vitamin C, liquids and spicy foods. Yesterday Rico and I made fresh watermelon juice with the first and only such melon we've ever seen in Mozambique. The lady on the corner who we usually buy our fruits and veggies from had the big, fat watermelon in the middle of her produce stand. We immediately snatched it up for the fair price of US $6 (!).

Today I am making green chile stew to fulfill the spicy food quota. I'm using the last of the canned Hatch green chile that I brought back from New Mexico last year, just in time for me to restock during my upcoming trip. I love green chile stew. For me, it is the perfect comfort food. The only thing missing will be homemade tortillas because, after having turned out over 6 dozen of them in the last 2 weeks for various dinner parties, I am all tortilla-ed out. I suppose we'll have to make do with some fresh rolls from the padaria around the corner.

Edited to include recipe for Green Chile Stew and Tortillas:
(hope you enjoy, Safiya!)

But first, a disclaimer of sorts. When I cook, I tend not to measure or follow recipes, except when I'm doing some serious baking. Therefore everything here is an approximation - please adjust according to your taste.

Green Chile Stew

- 1 large onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tomato, seeded and peeled
- 4 potatoes (the golden-skinned kind that are good for boiling, not the baking type)
- 500g cubed pork, beef or chicken (or omit to make vegetarian)
- 6 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 cup New Mexico green chile (fresh is best, but canned works too)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- salt and black pepper to taste
- olive oil
- 1 large stew pot with lid

Dice the onion and the garlic, sautee in olive oil until caramelized.
Add the cubed meat and stir until browned.
Dice the tomato, add to pot.
Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes, add to pot.
Pour in broth - add more if necessary so that all of the ingredients are fully covered.
Add oregano, black pepper and bay leaves.
Bring to a simmer and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes on low heat.
Add diced green chile.
Cook for another 10 - 20 minutes, or until meat is extremely tender.
Add salt to taste.

New Mexico green chile is the essential ingredient in this dish. You can order it online from several specialty food retailers. If you can't get your hands on some authentic chile, you could substitute other types of large, hot peppers (poblano peppers, ancho chiles, etc.) but it won't have the right flavor or consistency. You could possibly use roasted green bell peppers if you are really desperate, but I would call that sacrilege!

You can easily make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the meat and the chicken broth. I have a friend that makes a veggie green chile stew and adds mushrooms and pieces of mango(!) and has an avocado on the top. Sounds strange, but it turns out very delicious.

Flour Tortillas

- 4 cups flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp fat (can be vegetable oil, butter or lard)
- 24 tbsp liquid (can be milk or water - 6 tbsp per cup of flour)
- griddle or thick-bottomed frying pan

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt.
Mix in fat. (I like to use 2 tbsp or oil and 2 tbsp of cold butter cut in like you would for pastry dough)
No matter what kind of fat you use, the consistency once you are done mixing with the flour should be like coarse cornmeal. Add more fat if necessary to get this texture.
Slowly add liquid, stirring as you go. (I prefer to use milk)
Once the dough starts to form a ball, start mixing with your hands. Add more flour or liquid as necessary to get a soft dough that doesn't stick to your hands. (don't knead dough, just make a big ball and test consistency)
Tear off small portions of dough and use your hands to roll into golf ball-sized balls. Put balls on waxed paper, cover with cheesecloth, and let sit for 10 minutes.
On a floured surface, use rolling pin to roll out each ball into a thin circle.
Heat the griddle or frying pan on medium-low heat.
Put the first tortilla on the pan to cook (no greasing necessary).
Let the first side cook until bubbles form, about 1 - 2 minutes.
Flip the tortilla with a spatula and cook the other side for about a minute.
Adjust heat as necessary.
The ideal tortilla is slightly burned at the places where the bubbles rise up, but still soft enough to roll.

Enjoy!!