Sodexo Careers has been
celebrating Asian
Pacific American Heritage Month this month by sharing unique facts on our Facebook Page. We share these facts to lend insight into a
population of people who are so multiethnic and culturally diverse.
Asian and Pacific Islander Americans
represent many different countries and cultures of the world. This is a broad
term since they have varying practices when it comes to religion, language and customs.
According to U.S. Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and
Administrative Reporting, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders
refer to people who can trace their original background to the Far
East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific
Islands, including native Hawaiians.
As their ancestors arrived in the US,
they often moved into already established ethnic communities where common
language and culture made them feel at home, i.e. Chinatown, Koreatown, Little India. Today, these “enclaves” have become a
significant part of virtually every major city in America.
There are many ways to gain a better
understanding of culture like visiting museums, traveling and reading but I enjoy
celebrating culture the most through events
and food.
Here is one of my favorite Indian recipes to try in honor of Asian Pacific heritage.
Aloo Pakoras (Potato Fritters)
Pakoras
are a popular appetizer frequently encountered in Northern India and can be
made with potato, eggplant, spinach, cauliflower or Indian homemade cheese.
Ingredients
for the batter:
*1 cups gram flour
½ cup water (or as
needed)
Oil for frying
1 medium size
potatoes
1 medium size onion diced
Condiments:
*½ teaspoon cayenne
pepper (optional)
*½ teaspoon Garam
Masala (optional)
*1 teaspoon coriander
powder (optional)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
leaves
Salt to taste
* available at an
Indian grocery store
Sift gram flour and mix with water until it
becomes a smooth thick batter (consistency should be that of a cake batter).
Mix salt, cayenne pepper, and Garam Masala. Cover and let stand for 20-25
minutes. Heat the oil in a deep skillet or a wok, bringing the oil to a medium
heat. Add sliced potatoes and diced onions to the batter. Mix all ingredients
and drop spoonful of the mixture into the hot oil. Fry on medium heat turning
the pokoras so that all sides are cooked until golden brown in color. Remove
from oil and drain on paper towel or brown paper bag. Serve hot with mint
chutney or tomato sauce.
What recipe can you share to celebrate
the Asian Pacific American heritage?
