I wore three-inch gold stilettos to see Mumiy Troll at Webster Hall, and I was still underdressed. By a factor of three or four. It’s not that American girls don’t want to look hot for their favourite band, but their pre-show preening tends to aim for a sort of calculated dishevelment. Russian girls, on the other hand, are channeling Melania Trump on her wedding night. Except most them are better-looking than Melania Trump. I don’t know how they do it, but they do. Things I actually saw on Thursday night: short-sleeve white mink, elbow-length black satin gloves, at least three cocktail dresses covered entirely in sequins, and a woman who had painted her face to look like a leopard. A biologically-correct one, that is, not a cartoon.
All of which brought me right back to graduation day at the Nevsky Institute of Language and Culture in St Petersburg, where I studied in 2004 (though, as an exchange student, I was exempt from the ceremony I am about to describe). Nothing so dowdy as black robes and caps for female graduands in Russia–tradition dictates that you take to the podium in a ballgown. Not a little black dress, or even a tea-length formal affair, but a floor-length, sequined sheath with a deep-vee neckline, the back plunging as close to the tailbone as you dare. I’m surprised they don’t print the diplomas on sashes.
It was too cold and wet for a trip to Brighton Beach, where I like to sit outdoors in the summer drinking Baltika beer and requesting Cheburashka songs from the accordionist, so, to appease my raging nostalgia, I made borscht. And to go with the borscht, pork and cilantro pelmeni (little Siberian dumplings), and a sour-sweet-fiery dish of carrots that the Russians call “Korean-style”.
The dumplings are thinner and more delicate than the original Siberian versions, because they’re made with Chinese wrappers. The filling has a nutty bite of sesame oil to it, too, and so I served them with soy sauce in addition to the traditional sour cream. The spicy carrots are marinated in red wine vinegar instead of the powerfully astringent white vinegar they use in Russia, which I prefer to reserve for household cleaning (works wonders in my pet rabbit’s cage).
Served with hot borscht, the dumplings and sharp salad did wonders for my melancholy. I could have chilled us a carafe of vodka, too. Given the previous night’s excesses, though, I thought better of it.
Pork and Cilantro Pelmeni–makes 50
INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb ground pork
5 tbs minced cilantro leaves, 2 tbs reserved for garnish
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1 packet round dumpling wrappers (usually 50 to a pack)
cold water, for sealing
METHOD
In a large bowl, combine pork, cilantro, sesame oil, corn starch and seasoning. Mix well.
Working with one wrapper at a time, lay wrapper flat on a plate and place 1 tsp pork filling in the very centre. Using pastry brush or finger, moisten half the edge of the wrapper and fold in half, forming a half-moon shape, to seal. Either leave as is or form into frills for a prettier presentation.
To cook, boil a pot of water and boil the dumplings in small batches for three to four minutes, until skins are translucent and filling is cooked through.
Serve sprinkled with cilantro leaves, and with a choice of condiments: soy sauce, sour cream, or a mixture of sour cream and chili sauce.
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Korean Carrot Salad–Serves 3 as an appetiser or 6 as a side-dish
INGREDIENTS
3 large carrots, cut in matchsticks
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp Asian chili paste
2 tsp granulated sugar
minced cilantro
METHOD
Place carrot matchsticks in large bowl. Combine vinegar, sesame oil, chili paste and sugar in smaller bowl, and pour over carrots. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Cover and chill for at least one hour.
Serve sprinkled with minced cilantro.
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