Pakistani Sodas To Add To Your Collection

If you were amused by my April post about foreign sodas, then check out Columbia Halal Meat for another frontier -- Pakistani sodas.

These are mass-produced sodas, the Cokes and Pepsis of foreign countries shipped here to tickle some homesick taste buds or to provide an exotic option if you're new to the brands.

Columbia Halal Meat sells Apple Sidra, Bubble Up, Pakola Orange, and others in 1.5 liter bottles.  They join the Mexican, Indian, Turkish and Japanese sodas that I posted about in April.

Deep Frozen Cocktail Samosas At Indian Markets

Your real fear at an Indian restaurant is that they'll think you don't like spicy food and just omit the spices that bring all the flavor.

Take samosas, for example.  Bad fillings make samosas as useless as a cheap egg roll.  But aimed at an authentic market, Indian food brings spice in a complex way -- more than the simple heat of a hot pepper, it's a spice mix that may warm your mouth but zings instead of just stinging.

The Deep brand samosas bring that authentic favor right to your freezer. These are convenience food.  Three bucks for 50 bite-sized samosas that give you the healthy taste of lentils and the healthy spice aimed at people who know Indian food.  They're really delicious, and they hold their own with most frozen food -- although they're not going to beat takeout from House of India.  I ate them as weeknight dinners.  You could easily serve them up as party appetizers.

Don't deep fry them.  You can put a film of oil in a frying pan and saute the frozen samosas until they're crisp on the outside and heated all the way through.

I bought the Deep samosas at Columbia Halal Meat, a nice Pakistani market on Rte 108 near the Costco in Elkridge.  I think that I have seen the brand -- and assume they have the samosas -- at other Indian markets, including Eastern Bazar or Apna Bazar in Laurel or Food Cravings or Desi Bazaar in Columbia.

Pakistani Hot Pepper Gummis at Columbia Halal

Hot pepper gummy bears could be an absolute joke, but the Chili Mili candies are actually more delicious than I expected.

I bought two bags -- 25 cents each -- at Columbia Halal Meat on Rte 108 figuring that they'd be humorous.  But I have bought a dozen since then because they're pretty good.  They're spicy.  Spicy enough that the heat builds over even a little bag.

These are along the line of the super mango lollipop from El Patio Market or the candies at Mexican places like Lily's Mexican Market that mix salty, spicy and sweet.  If anything, the Chili Mili gummies are more mainstream than, say, tamarind maracas.  These are candies, nothing artisenal.  Gummies on the stiff side, and the sweet, hot flavor building as you eat each one.  Maybe not kid-friendly, but great fun for anyone who likes sugar and spice and everything nice.

DeDe Basil Seed Soda: The Absolute Craziest Soft Drink That You'll Actually Think Is Delicious

Would you drink a soda that tastes like banana but looks like it's home to a herd of paramecium?

No, laughs Mrs. HowChow.  But she's missing out.

The grocers at Columbia Halal Meat sell a Thai soft drink made with basil seeds and honey.  The seeds float in a cloud -- each about half-inch apart.

The drink, made by DeDe, tastes fruity and sweet.  Certainly honey.  Maybe banana.  The seeds don't really taste like anything.  They have the texture of tapioca in bubble tea or maybe a softer feel of pomegranite seeds.  Overall, it's refreshing and fun, certainly unique.

Apparently, the basil seeds are natural and a traditional Thai ingredient.  They swell in the soda.  Safe, fun and definitely not a protozoa in the bottle.

(Update:  Look for DeDe soda in the Asian groceries like Family Market in Columbia, Lotte in Ellicott City or H Mart in Catonsville.  I don't recommend the similar soda that comes in a can.  Not that I have any expertise in basil seed soda, but I didn't like the taste as much.)

One warning.  You may need a bottle opener to pop the DeDe cap.  There is a metal ring that should open the top, but I am only one for three.  Twice, the metal tore off, and I used a bottle opener instead.

Grilling Week At The Halal Butcher: Lamb Kabobs Are Delicious, Even If I Can't ID The Cut Of Meat

In the short history of HowChow, the single greatest introduction to local food has been the halal butcher -- first Caezar International, then Columbia Halal Meat, and now Nazar Market.

Beyond the religious imprint for Muslims, the butchers open new opportunities to anyone who wants goat or lamb.  Ironically, the hardest part for me has been figuring out how to talk meat.  There are some language issues when the butcher was born in Turkey or Pakistan, but the real problem is that I was born in a world where meat comes wrapped in plastic.  I barely know how to order steaks, so I'm at a loss about what to do with a lamb shoulder.  Actually, I'm not sure that I had a lamb shoulder.

Let Steven Raichlen start you off.  All week, I'm posting about Raichlen's Planet Barbecue because the new cookbook's recipes offer gateways into Howard County's ethnic shopping.  Lamb kabobs should be your gateway into the halal butchers.  With one problem that I'll explain below, Raichlen gives you a hamburger alternative -- a ground meat patty flavored with parsley, onion, coriander and cumin.  The skills are nothing harder than forming a burger.  The flavors are new, but still accessible.  And you get to grill with long flat skewers that you can call "my swords."

Halal "Rice Crispies" At Columbia Halal Meat

The rice crispy treat is a holy dessert in the HowChow family. Mrs. HowChow doesn't like cake, so we cut a giant rice and marshmallow treat in the midst of our wedding reception.

Columbia Halal Meat in Elkridge specializes in, well, halal meat, but they have a pretty good rice crispy treat for sale at the cash register under the brand Halal Crispy Treats -- 59 cents each, two for a dollar.

Most pre-packaged treats are failures, either too sweet or a soft texture that misses the original. Mrs. HowChow loved Starbucks' version, but someone messed with that recipe about a year ago. In our taste test, we split on the Halal Crispy Treat. I thought it was good -- noticeably less sweet than the official supermarket Rice Crispie Treats and a definite snack options. Mrs. HowChow wants her told Starbucks treat back. She thought the Halal Crispy Treat still had a chemical taste common to prepackaged versions. (They're all still better than the Cheerios and Tang bars that my healthy mother served in decades past.)

If you're looking for more-traditional baked goods, check out my post about the best bakeries in Howard County.

Columbia Halal Meat in Elkridge

Howard County's butchers have added a spiritual flavor with Columbia Halal Meat that has opened on Rte 108 and stands out for lamb, goat and some other cuts perfect for winter cooking.

Columbia Halal Meat is actually just across the line in Elkridge, but it's worth crossing Rte 108 if you want halal meat or if you're just looking for cuts like the lamb shoulder that I purchased over the weekend.

Columbia Halal Meat is a small Indian grocery store with rice, spices, boxed meals and other items that you can get at any of Howard County's Indian grocery stores like Food Cravings and Desi Market in Columbia and Eastern Bazar or Apna Bazar in Laurel.

As the name promises, Columbia Halal's claim to fame is the small halal butcher in the back. Obviously, the meat is crucial for Muslims who follow the religious rules. But it's an asset for anyone who wants to step outside the supermarket meat section. First, Columbia Halal sells cuts -- like whole lamb shoulders and whole goats -- that you can't just pick up in a plastic tray. Second, the butchers at Columbia Halal handle your order personally.

They're running a bandsaw right in view, and they'll cut your order however you want.

Clearly, not the spot for vegetarians (although I did see Mango Grove flyers next to the cash registers). But it's a resource for people who want that special attention. I bought a lamb shoulder. Initially, I couldn't find the "shoulder" on their list of cuts. I'm such a child of the supermarkets that the butcher had to point out that "leg" and "shoulder" mean the same thing on a sheep. It's not like sheep have arms.

Overall, it's a nice store. A good resources for the basic Indian ingredients if you live near Rte 108. The butchers let me stand around for a while probably because I didn't look their regular customers, but they were happy to help once I explained what I needed. They sell chicken, beef, goat and lamb. Next time, I need to ask if they grind their own beef in the store. I'm looking for a source for hamburger that didn't come from a factory, and Columbia Halal might just be my partner to grill.

For other butchers, check out my post about meat markets in Howard County. The other local option for Halal meat is the Ceazar International Market in Elkridge near Rte 100 and U.S. 1. I haven't looked for meat there in months, but they advertise on their Web site that they have bulked up the offerings.

Columbia Halal Meat

6520 Old Waterlook Road #J

Elkridge, MD 21075

410-799-1910

NEAR: This is in the shopping center next to the Food Lion on Rte 108 near Rte 175. Turn into the Food Lion from Rte 108 and turn curve left into the shopping center that also includes a Chinese restaurant and a