Defying Gravity

Some Broadway musicals may be fluffy brainless stories about tap dancing but a lot of them really have solid storylines that dissect serious issues. Romance aside, a myriad of musicals have tackled the war in Vietnam, prostitution, poverty, AIDS, relationships, and rebelling against society…

I’m listening to the soundtrack of Wicked, one of my favorite musicals, and I felt like I just had to blog about it. For those not in the know, Wicked is a story about the life of the Wicked Witch of the West, aka Elphaba. It’s a twist on the character, who in The Wizard of Oz is depicted as the ugly green-skinned witch who was the wizard’s enemy and who is the epitome of all evil… A green Maleficent (from Sleeping Beauty), if you will.

Gregory Maguire wrote the novel Wicked, the unofficial prequel to The Wizard of Oz. The book was such a hit that it was turned into a musical, which won a lot of Tony Awards (Broadway’s Oscars). I haven’t had the honor of watching the play but I’ve seen the song “Defying Gravity” performed during the Tony Awards a couple of years ago, shown in Star World. Seriously, that song is so good. It gave me goose bumps just watching Idina Menzel (Elphaba) and Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda) perform.

The lyrics of the song are literally awe-some. If you think Elphaba was a mean old green witch, think again. She was a misunderstood brilliant beautiful woman, whose only fault was that she was born with green skin and loved animals. She was more brilliant and had more magic than the Wizard (who if you remember was a fake). She also had a big heart – she became more misunderstood and was considered a witch when she defied the norm and publicly denounced the wizard. She was an accidental animal rights activist: if I remember the story correctly, the wizard tricked her into performing some magic and before she knew it, she turned monkeys into winged monkeys. She also found out that the wizard was conducting experiments on other animals! In the fantastic city of Oz, non-human animals could talk English, were just as intelligent as humans and were treated as citizens of society.

Everyone in Oz was so in awe of the wizard and never knew the truth… When Elphaba found out (that the wizard was a fake, kidnapped animals and performed cruel tests on them), she knew she couldn’t be part of that society anymore. She freed the monkeys who ended up living with her and helped her out… She wasn’t causing destruction in the city as what everyone thought, she was freeing the animals. Such a powerful story!

Anyway, here are the awesome lyrics. They really mirror the passion I feel about veganism and animals. Once you learn the truth, you really can’t turn your back on it, no matter how inconvenient, how “radical”, and how unpopular. Elphaba knew that by becoming a non-conformist she would be considered the evil one.

By the way, if you were curious… Her sister, Nessa Rose, was the real wicked witch who in The Wizard of Oz had a house fall on her. When Boq her boyfriend broke up with her, she put a curse on him… Elphaba tried to save him and ended up turning him into the Tin Man. Elphaba’s lover, Fiyero, was being set on fire by Nessa Rose (I think, can’t remember) and Elphaba had to turn him into a Scarecrow to save him… I forgot what happened to the Lion.

“Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap

It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you can't pull me down...

I'm through accepting limits
'Cuz someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But til I try, I'll never know
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love - I guess I have lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost

So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky
As someone told me lately -
Everyone deserves the chance to fly
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me -

Tell them how I
Am defying gravity!
I'm flying high
Defying gravity!
And soon I'll match them in renown
And nobody in all of Oz
No wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!"

Accidental Companion Animal

On March 30, a 7- to 10-day old kitten was found by my sister in the empty lot across our house. She heard it crying from her bedroom window which overlooks our street. I suppose its cries were so strong and so persistent that she couldn't do anything but investigate. She found it alone, near the trash, being pecked on by a bird. The poor innocent thing was abandoned by its mother then became prey to an animal that was even smaller than it was!

Long story short, my younger brother (who's vegan too) and I made a decision without even thinking of the consequences: we had to adopt this abandoned kitty and give it a loving home. That Sunday night we camped out in our sala and kept the cat company. Now, a month later, Lucky (the name I christened him with) is still with us.

Needless to say, this cat has turned our lives upside down, and not in an unpleasant way. The first 2 weeks were tough --- my 3 brothers and I had to take shifts taking care of Lucky at night; my shift was usually 5-7am, before I'd leave for work. A kitten is very much like a human baby --- it need to be fed constantly; it needs to be burped; it needs a mommy to help it poop and pee (we moisten a cotton ball and massage its butt); it needs to cuddle to fall asleep. The list goes on.

It was tough for us as we are not pet-people. In my case, I've never wanted a personal pet (my sister has 2 dogs but I do not consider them my pets). Back in grade school I used to have 3 chicks and a rabbit (not at the same time). One chick got sick and died, and that pretty much scarred me for life. Two chicks grew to a ripe old age and became full-grown chickens. Our family dog Nana found them frolicking in our garden one afternoon and decided to have them for merienda and left the remnants of their beaks and adidas for me to see. I don't remember what happened to my rabbit Fluffy; I remember it got pregnant and had pups but abandoned them (we kids played with the pups too much and rabbits don't like humans touching they're babies; they turn cannibal or abandon them) so they died. I don't know if Fluffy escaped or if she died. I'm glad I don't know what happened. With my history of dying pets I never craved the love of a pet, or a more politically correct name, "companion animal". I hated that feeling of witnessing a death of an animal that was supposed to be under my care.

A lot of those "I don't want pets" feelings ran through my head when we adopted Lucky. For one thing I didn't have time to entertain and take care of another animal. For another, I didn't want this cat to die on me. But my young vegan brother was smart; he knew that we couldn't just abandon this cat for our own convenience. Not taking care of Lucky was almost like going against the principles of Veganism, and I couldn't just not take him in while preaching the gospel of compassion for animals.

I gotta say... I never understood the bond some humans have with their companion animals until I had one myself. My brothers and I are so blessed to have Lucky. Despite the smelly poop we love him so much, and before you think I'm a wishy-washy veggie, let me leave you with a thought: humans were given stewardship over creation but we've pretty much screwed nature up. Animals can be admirable beings for a number of reasons: they can be fiercely loyal and lovable; they are never plastic and always honest, always showing what they truly feel; if they must kill, they do so with a purpose -- for food and nourishment, and never for sport or for the sake of it. They are such simple creatures and are so happy with the little affection you have to offer them and a little bit of floor to sleep on.

They can be so trustful too -- one time I had to cut Lucky's claws and he allowed me to hold his little paw, nary a struggle or a meow of protest. He just silently watched me cut his claws, staring oh so intently at the nail clipper I was using. He completely trusted me not to hurt him, and my heart ached for all the animals in the world that have been victims to human abuse.

For those thinking of getting pets... May I suggest that you adopt a stray cat or dog instead of giving your money to backyard breeders and pet shops. There are so many animals that need tender loving care. Don't choose a purebreed over an askal or puskal for purity of blood's sake.

Vegan on a Desert Island

Being vegan in Manila can be a small challenge, but not unbeatable. A handful of restaurants have vegan food; there's always a yaya to prep the tofu and cook the beans; one can easily whip up a meal in the most basic of kitchens. In addition, grocery stores are at our fingertips for fresh produce.

Not so on a remote island in the Philippines. I spent Holy Week in Tingloy Island, a 45 minute banca ride from Bauan Port in Batangas. Batangas may seem city-ish enough for some but let me tell you, Tingloy Island most certainly is not. I don't mean to talk mean about one of the most beautiful islands I've been to, but I'm gonna be honest with you. It's just one of the many islands that are still pretty rural. Sporadic electricity. No cars. A handful of bicycles and motorcycles. Not all houses have fridges. Definitely no grocery stores.

The only stores around are sari-sari stores which sell pre-packaged food in small quantities - junk food, packaged baked goods, soft drinks, and small cans of processed meat and fish. The only fresh produce you'll find would be root crops (camote, camoteng kahoy, gabi) and the occasional eggplant, kalabasa, onion, garlic, and tomato. Most homes have a small garden plot in which coconut trees, papaya trees, and banana plants grow. Batanguenos in Tingloy usually have de lata meat (corned beef, meat loaf, etc.) with rice and egg in the morning together with a cuppa Nescafe coffee. For snacks, there's the junk food or pre-packed cookies / cupcakes from the store. For lunch and dinner, there's freshly caught seafood, sometimes fried, with rice.

I had to bring with me my own box of food. For those who think it's such a hassle to be vegan on an island, let me tell you, this was necessary even for the 10 omnivore girls I was with. The contents of the box was tricky to plan. The food had to be able to last a whole week with no refrigeration in the humid tropical heat. I had to bring fruits and vegetables. The food had to be low-maintenance in cooking -- I had 15-30 minutes of cooking time. And, the food had to be in individual servings so as not to leave extra that would have had to be refrigerated.

What I packed:

• Cereal - Kashi Go Lean
• Homemade granola - easier to make than you think
• Individual boxes of soy milk
• Roasted peanuts
• Canned chickpeas (the only local canned beans in the country)
• Dried lentils
• Individual sachets of tomato sauce
• Garlic and onions
• Low-maintenance veggies: carrots and camote / sweet potatoes
• Fruits: bananas, oranges, and apples
• Dried basil leaves and ground cumin
• Bottle of vegetable oil
• Green tea

• 1 plastic container - to store food for the trek
• Small colander
• Chopping board
• Knife for chopping
• Peeler
• Can opener - unnecessary as the house we stayed in had one already

Luckily, the other group of girls brought with them a tub of peanut butter and some bread. Other food they brought that I was able to eat: Oreos, spaghetti noodles, and bananas.

Breakfast was usually: a banana, a few tablespoonfuls of peanut butter, a handful of granola, and a cuppa green tea. One morning there was suman. Another morning, when we ran out of bananas, I made a fantastic sandwich: 2 slices of whole-wheat bread, peanut butter, and a couple of (thin) slices of apple. Yum!

We usually had lunch away from home so I had to bring my own lunch.

Day 1: I had a sandwich which I brought from Manila - whole-wheat pita bread, slices of seitan / fake meat, roast eggplant, and bell pepper slices with a pesto and balsamic vinegar dressing

Day 2: cereal with soymilk and peanuts

Day 3: cereal with soymilk again

Day 4: food by Nanay Mely - rice with cabbage and tomatoes and atchara

Day 5: food given to us by Nanay Carmen - rice with a sour soupy salad of cabbage, tomatoes, and kalabasa

Day 6: same as Day 5

Day 7: spent in Manila

Merienda / mid-afternoon snack was usually an apple with a handful of peanuts and the occasional bread.

While lunch wasn't the best meal of the day for me, I made it up with my dinner as I had access to a small kitchen. While the omnivores ate well for lunch, I have to say that I ate better for dinner.

Day 1: sandwich from Manila

Day 2: Mexican chili - chickpeas, tomato sauce, garlic and onions, cumin, chili sauce

Day 3: Italian lentil stew - lentils, tomato sauce, garlic and onions, basil

Day 4: Moroccan chickpeas - chickpeas, onions, cumin - with spaghetti

Day 5: no dinner as I was stuffed on merienda of cereal, apple, and peanut butter on fruit salad

Day 6: Thai curry - chickpeas, eggplant, tomatoes (bought from the sari sari store), garlic, fresh coconut milk (from one of the coconut trees in the yard), fresh tamarind pulp (from tamarind pods foraged during one of the hikes), chili sauce

Day 7: spent in Manila

The great thing about knowing how to cook your own food is sharing it with others, even though they may be suspicious of vegan food. For the vegans out there, don't be scared to go to a remote island! Always prepare before hand and bring the food you need.

For the omnivore girls I spent Holy Week with -- I hope I got you thinking about the animals and about how going veg can still be delicious.

Romancing Cinnamon

Ever since I've turned veg (October 8 of 07) I've not only been spending time experimenting in the kitchen (basil cream sauce with silken tofu?! tofu in cake?! Not only do I venture into the realm of weird cooking, the results turn out quite delicious!), I've been overdosing on listening to vegan podcasts. I'm loving Vegan Freak Radio for cow-hugging anarchist-ish angry commentary and Vegetarian Food for Thought for cow-hugging food-related discussion. I also like watching vegan cooking shows like Vegan A Go-Go and Delicious TV. I've listened to a few episodes of Vegan Cooking School and Let's Get Baked and they're pretty good too (this is how obsessed I am with cooking and veganism -- I listen to the podcasts while doing the actual cooking).

Vegan A Go-Go and Vegan Cooking School both had episodes on a Moroccan Stew-type dish that really inspired me to have a go at it. I'm quite lazy at taking notes of recipes though -- I prefer reading the recipe or listening to the episode and then try to remember it while in the middle of cooking. Maybe I'm just testing myself without being aware of it... Anyway, I remembered hearing the words cumin, cinnamon, and cilantro though and I was curious enough to cook this. I've never tried cinnamon in a savory dish and if you're the same, you should try it.

Moroccan Stew with Cinnamon

South Asia actually uses cinnamon a lot in its cooking repertoire, usually as one of the ingredients in curry powder. The cinnamon-y taste doesn't shine in curry though, so I encourage that you experiment with this spice. This recipe that I discovered (for we never really create recipes, we simply find out pleasantly different ways of combining foods -- and surely there are a million different ways) uses curry powder, cumin, cilantro, and cinnamon as the main flavoring ingredients. 

Why Morocco? Try smelling the spices and not think about traveling to some far-off palm tree-lined oasis in the middle of a desert. The complexity of the curry, the smoky earthiness of the cumin, the warm citrus-y cilantro, the sweet woodsy cinnamon... Are you still with me?

Now you can play around with your plant protein of choice -- you can go the tofu way but even for me that's too experimental. Legumes go well with these spices and they're more traditional too. The great thing with legumes is that they're practically flavorless, leaving you, the cook, to come up with your own flavor combinations. Perhaps this is why legumes in stew / soup-type dishes taste so good. You can eat this dish straight after cooking, or let it sit in the fridge for a day or two to really develop the flavors.

I know pinto beans are uncommon in South Asian cooking, but those were what I had on hand. You can use whatever bean you have -- chickpeas, kidney beans, canellinni beans... Have a ball.

Another pleasant surprise (apart from the cinnamon in a savory dish discovery) was: [1] using pinto beans and lentils together and [2] using tomato pulp. The reason I added lentils was because I didn't have enough pinto beans to balance out the amount of the tomato pulp. A few days ago I roasted up some fresh tomatoes but took out the seeds and the juice beforehand. It felt like such a shame to throw away the pulp so I set it aside, knowing well enough that I'd have to find a clever way of using it without looking cheap (or in Filipino, "koripot" -- which I am in real life). 

If you look at the picture of the dish closely (or open it up in another window to really zoom in) you'll see the different play of shapes: the tiny tomato seeds, the medium-sized lentils, and the larger-sized pinto beans. It's art appreciation in action in the kitchen. Now you know what to do when you've got tomato pulp sitting around! The dish will work with regular fresh or canned tomatoes too, if you don't like eating tomato pulp. For me, finding ways of utilizing (usually) unwanted food is probably the epitome of being a domestic goddess.

Oh and another thing, cinnamon with tomatoes just seem to work. Perhaps it's the sweetness of the tomatoes?

olive oil

5 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup cooked pinto beans or any large-sized beans (kidney, canellinni, lima, chickpeas would work)

1/4 cup rinsed uncooked lentils or split peas

1 1/2 cups tomato pulp, diced fresh tomatoes, or canned tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

handful of cilantro leaves and stems, roughly chopped

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. When warm, throw in the garlic and toss around in the oil. Add in the 3 spices and cook until an amazingly delicious smell wafts across your kitchen.

2. Add in the beans and lentils and stir the mixture until the spices are incorporated into the legumes.

3. Pour in the tomato pulp and stir once more. When the mixture starts to boil, turn down the heat to low and simmer for at least 25 minutes (to fully cook the lentils) or as long as 2 hours (the longer it cooks, the better the flavors develop). If it's looking a bit dry, thin it out with some water.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want some zing, throw in a pinch or two of dried chili flakes.

5. Fold in the chopped cilantro and turn off the heat.

Makes 2-3 servings.

You can go through several directions with this recipe. Perfect accompaniments include crusty bread, a steaming bowl of rice, even a bowl of pasta noodles.

Some of you may be concerned about cooking the lentils in the tomato pulp as acidity can get in the way of softening the lentils' skin. This shouldn't be a problem though. Lentils cook quite easily in any liquid medium. It's cooking dried beans in an acidic liquid that you should worry about...

When eating this dish, I recommend you close your eyes and think of what far-off place you wish you were in, instead of... here.