Uppama, 7 Psychopaths and Taking the Rest in a Hammock Circa the 1975
On Tuesday I caught a premier for 7 Psychopaths (pretty ridiculous/bloody movie, I enjoyed it immensely). One of the psychopaths is created when his daughter is murdered and he decides to follow the murderer around. He follows him through 15 years in the penitentiary. He follows him out of the joint to his home. He follows him to his new home (as he relocates to escape the father). He continues to trail him until, well, you’ll have to see for yourself. I immediately knew what the murderer was feeling as I connected it to the Farina in my pantry. I bought it a while back for a recipe and it has been creeping behind me ever since. When I went to St. Pete Beach, it was there. On my trip to Mexico, it hitched a ride in my carry-on. Many Christmases in Pennsylvania have come and gone and that farina has been there for each. It has helped celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, births and deaths, through thick and thicker it has been there. This week (before seeing the movie) I decided that I had had enough of that farina. It was time for it to go. I was going to cook that entire box.
During my research I stumbled upon a recipe for Farina with Vegetables (Uppama) from All Easy Recipes. It sounded interesting enough. I made it, with a few slight adjustments, and then sat down to a nice steaming bowl. I took a bite and my face immediately fell. There was one huge f***ing problem. Th Uppama was so damn good that I knew I would be stopping on my way home from the work the next day to buy another box of Farina. So much for ridding myself of it.
Farina, psychopath number 1 in my kitchen.
Farina With Vegetables (Uppama) (adapted slightly from alleasyrecipes.com)
(printable version)
-1/4 cup peanut oil
-1 Tbsp Moong Dal
-1 tsp yellow mustard seed
-1/2 an onion, finely chopped
-2 thai chilis, seeds removed, fine dice
-1 cup farina
-1 tomato, finely chopped
-15 baby carrots, diced
-1 bunch green scallions, small dice
-3 cups water
-salt
1. In a dutch oven, heat the peanut oil until a haze begins to form. Add the dal and stir constantly for forty five seconds. Pour the mustard seeds in and stir until the oil begins to sputter (be careful not to burn).
2. Add the onion and chilis and stir continuously while pouring the Farina in using a slow stream. Fry the farina for five minutes, stirring about every minute. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the carrots, scallions, water and salt and stir to combine. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat as low as possible and cover the dutch oven. Cook for 10 minutes until the Farina is thick.
3. Add any seasonings you desire. Serve at once. Have a counselor on hand if you are prone to addiction.
Hammock has been creating their brand of atmospheric, southern ambient, shoegaze since 2005. As a senior band, these guys have long ago past most of their firsts. But October 2nd marks them heading into uncharted territory. The band’s fifth LP, Departure Songs, will be released and it is the band’s first double album. The new single from the album, “(Tonight) We Burn Like Stars That Never Die,” is featured below:
We’ve been following the 1975 for a few months thanks to their acclaimed EP Facedown. The band has followed that release with an even darker affair. The single, entitled “Sex”, explores the disappointment one feels when meeting missus or mister right only to find they have a lover they aren’t willing to leave. You can do what Sam Rockwell does in 7 Psychopaths and, well, you’ll have to see it or you can right an anthemic, fist pumping fight song. 1975 did the latter. Check it:
And what is a discussion of sex (hey, how did we get here from farina) without copulating puppets. You heard me right, puppets that roll around in the hay. The Rest took their single “Hey! For Horses” and made it happen. I used to only dream of such things, now I see it right in front of me. It is even more magical than I imagined:
Jacqueline says:
That sounds tasty TB
Tender Branson says:
Thanks, I thoroughly enjoyed it.