Originally appeared: March 2010.Accra, 2013, 6 a.m.: The scrawny Rooster strangles his voice and my sleep with his fuss.

In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over medium high heat until hot, then brown the pork in batches, about 6 minutes per batch.Transfer the pork to a platter as browned.. Add the onion, garlic and ginger to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the carrots, cabbage, bay leaves, Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, allspice, water and worcestershire.Add the pork and any accumulated juices back to the pot and cover.Simmer the stew until the pork is very tender, about 31/2 hours.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the scallions.Serve with cooked rice..

Originally appeared: March 2014.I am intensely protective over my red rice recipe.

Truthfully, no one knows how I make it and it's one of those things that took me years to get just right.John McCarthy, former Peace Corps Director, described Thais as “a relaxed people [that are] friendly, quick to smile, attractive with small features, adjustable, and are not rigid to strangers,” in an 1966 article in the Los Angeles Times by Ann Frank titled,.

Don’t Be Upset a Way of Life, Observes Peace Corps Veteran... Characterizations of Thai people, like that of McCarthy, pushed a static version of the culture that still affects Thai people today.

Often, non-Thai consumers expect Thai culture and cuisine to be friendly, so Thai Americans feel compelled to be friendly as a means of income.My family’s restaurant has felt the pressure to perform kindness out of the sake of maintaining historical ideations of "Thainess.".