In Salalah, we see them everywhere, doing the crappiest jobs imaginable. The ones none of the rest of us will do. They are our laborers. And that's what we call them. Laborers. They are largely nameless and faceless. I don't mean to get all deep on y'all, but ain't it the truth? Many of them are Bangladeshis, or Bengali as we call them. A Bengali man will work for almost nothing, and send most of it home to feed his family. I first encountered, in a direct way, a Bengali not long after I moved here in 2012. He stood behind my building in Hafa, looking woebegone. I paid him no mind. I'd been told Bengalis are dangerous, that they steal and knife people. Honestly, they ARE responsible for a lot of crime in the Middle East. Many come here on purchased visas for fictitious jobs, and then have to work to eat and send money home. But I am as likely to discuss the purchased visa issue as I am to put my hand in a box of rapid rats. This is a CAKE blog, remember?
Anywhooo, Mohammed started speaking to me. He seemed earnest. I suffer from terminal American politeness (really we are polite..loud....but polite). I went and fetched an Omani gentleman from the coffee shop and asked him to interpret. Turns out Mohammed wanted to clean my house. No way man! He accepted my negative and started to walk away, head low, with an obsequious shuffle. I felt bad. Real bad. He looked hungry with his little plastic bag of cleaning supplies. I relented and said he could wash my car. Happy days!
Two years later, he cleans my house twice a week. He comes in when I am not home too. He has never, ever stolen a thing from me. He is a kind, gentle soul who "not have good life," as he put it.
Once, early on, I felt quite ill when he came to clean. He cleaned very quietly, then crept in and put a cup of tea next to me on my table, and crept out. This gesture touched me immeasurably. My daughter gripes that he is a crap cleaner, and he did need a lot of supervision at the start. Bengalis don't clean houses back in their home countries...that is women's work. I pay him 40 rial a month to clean my place twice a week. I've been told that is way too much money. To me, it is fair.
I think sometimes God, or karma, or whatever, puts someone in your path that you are meant to keep fed or cared for in some way. I have needed care and money and stuff at certain times in my life, and someone was there to make sure I had those things. According to the Prophet (pbuh) all Muslims are brothers. Right? I don't live in a kumbaya world (don't ask) so I can't feel all mushy about the whole dang human race, but I can pay one cleaner a reasonable rate, and part with some food now and then so he and his flat mates eat that night. Honestly, he breaks my heart.
Anywhooo, Mohammed started speaking to me. He seemed earnest. I suffer from terminal American politeness (really we are polite..loud....but polite). I went and fetched an Omani gentleman from the coffee shop and asked him to interpret. Turns out Mohammed wanted to clean my house. No way man! He accepted my negative and started to walk away, head low, with an obsequious shuffle. I felt bad. Real bad. He looked hungry with his little plastic bag of cleaning supplies. I relented and said he could wash my car. Happy days!
Two years later, he cleans my house twice a week. He comes in when I am not home too. He has never, ever stolen a thing from me. He is a kind, gentle soul who "not have good life," as he put it.
Once, early on, I felt quite ill when he came to clean. He cleaned very quietly, then crept in and put a cup of tea next to me on my table, and crept out. This gesture touched me immeasurably. My daughter gripes that he is a crap cleaner, and he did need a lot of supervision at the start. Bengalis don't clean houses back in their home countries...that is women's work. I pay him 40 rial a month to clean my place twice a week. I've been told that is way too much money. To me, it is fair.
I think sometimes God, or karma, or whatever, puts someone in your path that you are meant to keep fed or cared for in some way. I have needed care and money and stuff at certain times in my life, and someone was there to make sure I had those things. According to the Prophet (pbuh) all Muslims are brothers. Right? I don't live in a kumbaya world (don't ask) so I can't feel all mushy about the whole dang human race, but I can pay one cleaner a reasonable rate, and part with some food now and then so he and his flat mates eat that night. Honestly, he breaks my heart.
Mohammed. Cleaner dude and egg fetcher. He treated himself to this snazzy shirt after I paid him his moola for November. Wow I wish my tablet wasn't total rubbish at taking snaps.
Today's cake cost as much as a cleaning, so I wouldn't make it again but for a special occasion. Or if someone paid me to. Ya know? German chocolate cake isn't GERMAN. It's named after some guy named German who invented a particular kind of dark chocolate. Well guess what? Can't find it in Salalah. I made this with Hersheys semi sweet bits.
As shown in the cookbook. I will point out the recipe is for a 2 layer cake. Not three. Thank goodness.
Bugger. I promise tomorrow I will TRY and work on presentation. And ask my husband to use his mobile to take better pics. I think if I pay more attention to buttering and flouring the sides, it will come out of the pan crisper. I think it will be gosh darn tasty though!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup(s) boiling water
4 ounce(s)
German's Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cup(s)
all-purpose flour1/4 cup(s) cocoa
1 teaspoon(s)
baking soda
1 teaspoon(s)
salt
2 cup(s)
sugar1 cup(s) (2 sticks) unsalted
butter, softened
4 large
eggs, separated
1 teaspoon(s)
vanilla
1 cup(s)
buttermilk
Make batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small
brush, lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with softened butter or vegetable-oil
cooking spray. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. In a medium
heat-proof bowl, pour boiling water over German's Chocolate. Stir until smooth
and set aside. In another medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and
salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat
sugar and butter until very light, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a
time, until well incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low and add chocolate
mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture by thirds, alternating with buttermilk
and ending with dry ingredients. Thoroughly clean mixer beaters. In a medium
bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir a half
cup beaten whites into batter. Fold remaining whites into batter.
Bake cake: Divide batter equally between pans and spread
evenly. Bake on middle rack of oven until a tester inserted in center of each
cake layer comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack for
15 minutes. Use a knife to loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto wire
rack to cool completely.
Finish cake: Place 1 layer on a cake plate and top with 1/3
of our Coconut-Pecan Filling. Repeat with second and third layers and remaining
filling. Serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Coconut Pecan Filling
1 cup(s)
sugar
1 can(s)
(12-ounce) evaporated milk
1/2 cup(s) unsalted
butter
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla
2 1/3 cup(s) (one
7-ounce package) flaked coconut (I used the fresh grated coconut found here)
1 1/2 cup(s) chopped pecans (nope..can’t find these. Use walnuts)
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter, egg
yolks, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until
thickened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in coconut and pecans. Transfer to a bowl and, stirring
occasionally, allow to cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.
I hate copying and pasting, but I really hate typing out recipes even more. But I will try, gentle reader. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, in my super dee dooper Bengali cleaned kitchen.
Love,
Felicia El Aid
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