Food, Culture, and Oppression

I heard a program on the radio this morning that made me think.  It was a food program, Splendid Table,  The topic was Cala, an African treat brought to Louisiana by slaves.  Cala are rice cakes.  More rice is consumed by the people of Louisiana than in any other part of the world outside of Asia (at least according to the program). 

But what held my attention was not the recipe for the Cala, but the story of oppression and a way out.  Louisiana, unlike many of the southern states in the United States, had 3 classes of people with distinct rules for each.  The classes were: the whites, the free coloreds, and the slaves.  The rules for the slaves included a rule that every slave had to be given one day off each week.  Many of the slaves spent their day off manning street booths that sold things like Cala.  The second related rule was that if a slave asked the master for his price and had the money to pay the price, the master had to free him.  A freed slave joined the freed colored class which allowed him to own land, open a business, and send his children to college. Cala turned out to be the source of freedom for some of the slaves.  Now Cala is appearing on the menus of upscale restaurants.

Food, and changes in food, are a huge part of culture.  Rice is also the staple food in Korea.  Traditionally white rice has been considered the food of the rich while unpolished brown rice has been the food of the poor.  During the Japanese occupation during the first half of the 20th century, much of the rice was taken by the Japanese, leaving little or none for the poor Korean farmers.  The farmers learned that sweet potatoes could be stored in caves for long periods of time.  Gradually sweet potatoes gained a larger share of the diet. 

After the Korean War there was more rice, but it was still difficult for the poor to provide enough to feed their families so the rice was mixed with fillers.  As a child I loved the rice mixed with beans, barley, chestnuts, and other fillers; but pure white rice was still recognized as the preferable offering for guests.  When I was in college and supporting myself on a very limited income, rice with fillers was the core of my diet.  It was filling, tasty, nutritious, and affordable.

Now the tide has turned.  Korea has joined the ranks of the health conscious affluent nations.  My morning rice bowl when I returned to Korea recently was filled with brown rice with fillers, not because of poverty, but because of the health benefits of the whole grain rice with added fiber.  The mixed rice is no longer a symbol of poverty and oppression.  Like the Cala, it is a stylish addition to the diet of the affluent.

The ingredients for Cala include:

• leftover rice (about 2 cups)
• flour (about 6 tablespoons)
• sugar (about 3-4 tablespoons)
• baking powder (about 3 teaspoons)
• I would probably add a pinch of salt to make the baking powder rise better
• 2 eggs to make it all stick together
• a little vanilla

the batter is dropped into hot oil by tablespoons or small balls and deep fried until it is golden brown on both sides (it will flip over in the oil by itself)

after frying the Cala can be dipped or rolled in powdered sugar.

the outside rice is crispy while the inside of the Cala is soft and breadlike

This recipe reminds me of the hush puppies my grandmother used to make in North Carolina.  Hush puppies also have a slave connection.  The story is that these corn-based pop-overs were cooked outside.  The smell of the delicious treats caused the hounds to howl.  To quiet them down, the slaves doing the cooking would throw them a morsel and say "Hush puppy!"

My mother used to make hush puppies as a treat in Korea.  They are a basic corn bread recipe, but can have parsley, onions, hot peppers, or other seasonings added for extra flavor.  The batter is spooned into hot oil and deep fried creating a crispy treat that is particularly good with fish or barbeque served with cole slaw.  Another inexpensive southern treat.