lithiumseven

[lithiumseven]

Whenever Americans use Cryillic like. That. I just. Instantly shrivel up an cry

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can we please please please learn to differentiate between things that are good but devalued because of their association with women (caring for children, being compassionate), things that are neutral but seen negatively because of their association with women (the colour pink, having long hair), and things that are bad but associated with women because of misogyny (being materialistic, being stupid) because otherwise we’re gonna keep getting takes like “being gender nonconforming is anti feminist” and “not studying for your classes is feminist”

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paprika hendl (vegetarian version)

Reading the start of Dracula yet again via Dracula Daily gave me a craving for paprika hendl, as Jonathan Harker eats at the Hotel Royale in Klausenburgh. Paprika hendl is also known as chicken paprikash, or paprikás csirke.

I don't like touching or cooking chicken, and I prefer to eat plant-based or at least vegetarian, so I decided to make a vegetarian version. My paprika hendl is made with roasted cauliflower and pan-friend high-protein firm tofu. I served it with nokedli, which I also made, and some of the roasted cauliflower leaves, with a gherkin on the side. I personally prefer Polish-style dill cucumbers.

Vegan paprika hendl recipe

For the roasted cauliflower, I cut 1/2 a cauliflower head into florets, and retained the leaves. I tossed them in a mixture the same as the one for tofu in this recipe:

½ tsp fine sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

And then spread the florets and leaves out on a roasting tray, then put them in the oven at 200C for around 25m (I just kept checking until they were a bit charred). I added the roasted cauliflower to the paprikash at the same time as the tofu.

I also used dairy sour cream instead of vegan sour cream, and omitted the extra milk/mylk because I liked the consistency of the sauce as is.

Nokedli recipe

I didn't follow the vegan nokedli recipe, and used this egg recipe instead. Following the given measurements, my batter was quite runny, so I adjusted with a bit of extra flour, which I think was the right choice. The resting time is crucial! I was able to use a flat grater to shape the nokedli, and it was quite easy. The nokedli keeps in the fridge quite well, in an airtight container with a little oil tossed through to keep them from sticking.

So, go forth and enjoy some Hungarian fare like our good friend Jonathan Harker! It's warming, and filling, and nutritious, and comforting! Definitely a fave dish for me.

[lithiumseven]

In Leonard Wolf's Essential Dracula, there's a footnote with a recipe for Paprika Hendl as it would've been served to Jonathan Harker:

I wholeheartedly recommend modifying this recipe as it's very "grandma cooking" in the sense that it automatically assumes you know how to do certain Common Kitchen Techniques For Victorian Cooks (like, you know, just make flour dumplings with zero instructions) - so here's my best take on the recipe, below the cut:

PAPRIKA HENDL À LA ESSENTIAL DRACULA (makes 6 servings)

4 lbs young chicken

2 tablespoons fat (substitute: oil)

2 large onions, chopped

2 tablespoons Hungarian Paprika (I went with Sweet)

1/2 cup tomato juice

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sour cream

Cut chicken into serving sized portions

In a skillet, lightly brown onions in fat/oil

Blend in HALF the Hungarian Paprika into the skillet of sizzling oil & onions

To the skillet of spiced & browned onions, add the tomato juice and chicken, cover the skillet, and let simmer for ONE (1) WHOLE HOUR

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat flour into sour cream

After that 1 hour, remove chicken from skillet and set it aside on a plate, wrap in tin foil, and contain in oven/microwave to keep warm

In the still simmering sauce in the skillet, add the flour & sour cream mixture and add to the sauce with the remaining Paprika. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until well-blended

Pour half the skillet's sauce through a sieve or colander into a sauce boat - set aside sauce boat for serving later

Return chicken to skillet with still simmering sauce until fully warmed back up

Serve chicken on a warm platter, pouring the skillet's sauce over it and with the sauce boat on the side

Serve with flour dumplings

NOTES

1) Simmering 4 lbs of store-bought chicken breast in only 1/2 a cup of tomato juice for 1 WHOLE HOUR had me panicking and adding water and whatever canned tomatoes I could find just so I didn't burn the chicken (and the kitchen) as that was not nearly enough tomato juice to keep 4 lbs of chicken simmering for 60 solid minutes - so please modify at will, comparing with other recipes, etc.

2) The recipe calls for taking out the finished sauce and putting it through a "food mill" so I tried putting the sauce in a blender to try and turn the onions into sauce as well. DO NOT DO THAT. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES. It was a disastrous mess. That's why I modified the recipe above to just pour half the sauce through a colander into a sauce boat.

3) Oh, I'm just supposed to make flour dumplings from scratch?? I cobbled together a recipe off the internet in that long hour of simmering, the source of which has since strayed from thought and time (apologies) - so I would heartily recommend either buying store-bought flour dumplings or looking up a flour dumpling recipe ahead of time, as making them from scratch for the first time with a simmering skillet beside you is Quite Tricky

4) I added more Paprika than the recipe called for (gasp!) and honestly... I would recommend DOUBLING the Paprika in this recipe. My partner and I wanted more Paprika!! But we are fans of spiced meat actually tasting like spices and not a subtle "oh yeah I guess there's Paprika in there"

Even with all that improvising on an 125+ year old recipe with missing steps, it made for the most delicious comfort food. 14/10, would eat again with queer dreams

[lithiumseven]

Dracula Daily Prep: Gather Your Paprikash!

It's that time of year again. Even as we speak, Jonathan Harker has departed for Transylvania, and the unhallowed halls of Castle Dracula. And as he makes his way towards that foreboding country, he will encounter a singular, most enticing of dishes: Paprika Hendl, or as we might know it better, Chicken Paprikash!

This traditional Central European dish explodes in popularity each May as we all gather around our virtual mess hall to enjoy the spirit of this most influential of gothic novels. Perhaps you yourself are considering throwing together a pot this year? Well, if you are, let this be your guide.

So, first, let's discuss the most important of the ingredients here: authentic hungarian paprika. Now, the recipe I first used last year called only for Sweet Paprika, but I personally found that version to be a little bland. I'm remedying this by adding some Hot Paprika as well. However, this is just my personal experimentation. Hungarian Hot Paprika can in fact be very hot, so if you're not comfortable with anything too spicy, feel free to opt only for the Sweet Paprika.

(Both of these I had to order online.)

Next, is another very important addition. As youre gathering your basic cornerstones of cooking (namely yellow onion, roma tomato, and garlic for this recipe) you may find yourself passing up on something that could vastly improve your dish. I'm talking, of course, about Hungarian Wax Peppers. These peppers range in heat, from meak and mild to slightly hotter than you'd average jalapeño. As per instruction, you should only use one. But on my end, I found the single pepper to be a little underwhelming, and I had trouble picking out it's flavor. So, this year, I'll be using two of them.

I got these from Central Market, an upmarket gorcer on Westheimer. They're a cousin of HEB, and you can find one or two in every major city in Texas. If you're elsewhere, try an alternative like Whole Foods, or try to find a European or International food market in your area.

Next, let's talk chicken. You can't have Chicken Paprkiash without the chicken, after all.

You're going to want to go with dark meat cuts for this. Traditionally the dish would use a mix of legs and thighs. Personally, I suggest using only the thighs, which you'll want to get bone-in and skin-on. The thigh provides a flater surface for browning than the leg, as well as more meat.

(A note on food safety, raw chicken will usually only last 2-3 days in the fridge. So you'll want to grab that fairly close to the day you're actually cooking this. If not, you can do what I'll be doing, and sticking it in the freezer until about 24 hours before I start cooking.)

So, as you gather your meat, produce, and spice you're probably asking yourself, "what on Earth am I going to be eating this with?" And the answer to that is spaetzle! A popular dumpling present in lots of Central European cooking, this is exactly what you need to tie this all together.

Now, while you should be able to find some in the international isle of most major grocers, you might also have to visit an international food store, or perhaps something more upmarket. If none of these options work, then there are a variety of other side dishes that work just as well. Egg noodles are a very popular choice, and in my very American attempt last year, I found that mashed potatoes work especially well.

Now that you've got all these things together, you're very nearly done. All that's left is the thickener. Paprikash is thickened using a blend of flour, heavy whipping cream, and sour cream. We'll get onto preparing this mixture in my post on actually cooking the paprikash, but until then, acquiring them should be a cake walk at any place food items are sold.

Now that will conclude the actual grocery list for just the Paprikash itself, but I do have one more pointer on how to really liven up this meal. Now, if you're under 21 or if perhaps you take after our dear, depraved, beloathed Count

Then you can skip this next bit. As a wine professional myself, I find that a well paired glass can add a tremendous flare to nearly any already great dinner. In the case of something like Chicken Paprkiash, and keeping with the Central European theme, I could hardly think of a better match than a good German Pinot Noir, also known as a Spatburgunder. Pinot from Germany typically has a very light body and a refreshing acidity that plays very well with the rich and creamy sauce of Chicken Paprikash. The palate of earth and red fruit should always pair nicely with the smoke of the paprika, as well as being a general good partner for any chicken. I myself am going with this 2020 Rheingau from August Kesseler.

And with that, we are done! Hit those checkout isles and make sure to get home before dark. Terrible things have sway over the world once the sun has gone down. So if the crowd does keep you locked up until nightfall, make sure to graciously accept any crucifixes given to you by kindly, elderly grandmothers and inn keepers. But whatever you do, make sure to pop in on Friday, when I'll be sharing a step by step guide on taking these ingredients and turning them into a dinner that will make our good friend Jonathan go red as a fire truck!

Happy Dracula Week everybody!

[lithiumseven]

Looking forward to hearing from my dear friend Jonathan Harker again soon.

[lithiumseven]

What’s up babes, you know what’s on the menu today.

[lithiumseven]

Language is universal

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This is your reminder to Click for Palestine today!

And donate directly to UNRWA if you have the means!

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please don't ignore my story

Hi everyone ...😔

I am Maram Al-Nabulsi, I currently live in the completely destroyed 🏚🚀city of Gaza

, specifically Khan Younis.

Since the war on Gaza began on 10/7/2023, my family and my siblings - have been living in constant fear, crying and suffering because of shrapnel, shells and bullets. We have no food🥘🌯

, no electricity, no schools

, no cooking gas

, no homes🏚, no cleaning supplies, no clothes🧣🧥🧤

. Our house was completely destroyed

. My school was bombed, and my sister Nour's university was turned into rubble, which deprived us all of education. The war forced us to live in displacement centers, which are just tents that are not suitable for living

, especially in winter. Every day we live death, terror and panic a thousand times because of the continuous bombing of my city. The war has killed more than 50 of my relatives and neighbors. At the beginning of the war, we took refuge in my aunt's house, but it was also turned into rubble.

Imagine:

We have escaped imminent death more than 20 times,

and have been displaced between shelters more than 13 times. My brothers and I have suffered from many diseases due to malnutrition, and we need medicine constantly. If we stay in Gaza, we may lose our lives. Recently, we have been seriously considering leaving Gaza to a safe place. However, the travel costs are very high. We need more than 70 thousand dollars to leave Gaza. Due to the exorbitant prices, rampant unemployment, insecurity, the ongoing blockade, and the continuous bombing, we have lost all our money. How can we live in such insecurity💔🙏, with the constant bombing and shrapnel flying above us? My dear compassionate friends around the world, with your generous donations, even if small, you can save 5 people from imminent death, allowing us to start a life outside Gaza full of love, peace, and hope. Best regards from Gaza City....🍉🇵🇸

✅Verified by @gazavetters , my verified number on the list is (#431)💔🙏🏼

✅Verified by @beesandwatermelons - Line 207

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Please don't ignore my story💔🇵🇸

To our brothers, sisters, and loved ones, condolences, I write these words to you, and I am full of hope in your humanity and assistance. Because I am Mahmoud Ashour from Rafah, I spent my whole life working to build a decent life for me and my family, but after the occupation issued the eviction of the entire city of Rafah, we had no shelter and our lives were destroyed. Our home and store were destroyed, and our hopes and dreams were destroyed

We now live in a small tent that is not suitable for living in a tent. We need a new tent that costs 1,500 euros.

https://gofund.me/bca456db

@ibtisam @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vakarians-babe @7amaspayrollmanager @fairuzfakhira @fallahsart @sayruq @humanvoreture @kaapstadgirly @sar-soor @dimonds456-art @plomegranate @commissions4aid-international @nabulsi @stil-macher @soon-palestine @communitythings @palestinegenocide @vakarians-babe @ghost-and-a-half @7amaspayrollmanager @kaapstadgirly @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka @marnota @toughknit @flower-tea-fairies @the-stray-liger @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vivisection-gf @communistchameleon @troythecatfish @the-bastard-king @4ft10tvlandfangirl

My day begins with me and my children filling up water and standing in line to get bread

I need your help and your donation will save my children and my life and build our lives again🇵🇸🤲

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #366 )✅️

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Save our life !!❤️🥹

Hello again, I am Ahmed Mazen Hammad from Gaza, I live in war, fear and destruction, we have been living for almost a year now and we do not know how long, we have been displaced from our home more than 9 times,

every time I was displaced to another place I prayed that this would be the last, but then came the idea of ​​​​forced exit to search for safety where there is no safety, we got very tired and our bodies were exhausted, we no longer had the energy to continue, we lived hunger, thirst, cold and all the difficult conditions that humans cannot imagine,

We never imagined that a day would come when we would live all this, I lost my family and my childhood home, even my friends are no longer around, I was left alone!! I search for salvation from death, I fear death and I fear it and I fear losing my father, the idea is terrifying to leave your dreams and ambitions and the life you planned and depart from this world, we do not deny death but we do not want to live it now,

I had a beautiful life, suddenly I do not know how I lost my life, we live in a tent that can only accommodate 3 people, made of nylon that no human can bear, just standing in it for more than two minutes during the day is enough to melt you, in addition to insects, diseases and lack of privacy, imagine all this!! Can you live??

In addition, my father has a very serious illness, he had a stroke, liver disease and other things that I lost, and I also lost my mother a month ago. My father needs care due to chronic diseases and lack of treatment, and his condition is getting worse, and I am the only one who takes care of her, so I am really afraid of losing and I do not want to lose, because I lost a big part of my family, my home, my work and my entire previous life.

Look at my father 💔 Our life is very painful I fear losing my father and living alone

Things here are more difficult than you imagined, reality is painful 💔

We wake up every day to the smell of death, I have been surrounded by tanks and helicopters more than 4 times, each time I do not know how to survive? It seems that my death has not come yet

I do not want to die!! 🥺

Please help me save my life and get out of here, life is impossible

Your donation will save my life, it is the only way, hand in hand we can achieve the goal please

My father faced death and surgeries because of the diseases he committed. Please I cannot live without my father. He has been my refuge after the death of my mother. Please donate to me so that I can provide for my father’s needs so that he can stay by my side.🙏🏻

You will not be the reason for my father's death or anything bad to happen. Please donate to save my father. If every person who donates will help me provide for my father's needs and provide him with the necessary medicine.

Share my campaign 🙏

Donate to me please 🍉

Thank you all 🍉🇵🇸

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Amid war and unbearable conditions… my mother is pleading for your mercy 💔💔

We are living through unimaginable circumstances — an ongoing war, extreme poverty, and the constant absence of basic necessities.

My sick mother can no longer tolerate the smoke from burning wood for cooking or heating, but with no gas, we have no choice. That smoke is suffocating her lungs and worsening her health day by day.

The cost of a gas cylinder has reached $500 — an amount we simply cannot afford in this crisis.

I am helpless, and all I can do is appeal to your kind hearts.

Please help me provide gas for my mother.

Every moment without relief is another moment of pain for her, and it breaks my heart to see her suffer like this.

Your donation, no matter how small, could ease the pain of a woman who has nothing left but hope.

Please don’t hesitate — and help spread this message.

🔗Checked by @el-shab-hussein

Checked List (#7)

Donation link:

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Help Noor Rebuild Her Life and Care for Her Children

I am Noor, a mother of three children: Yamen (5 years old), Tala (11 years old), and Yara (9 years old). I once lived a simple life in Gaza, filled with love and hope, but the war took everything from us.

My husband has been missing since the start of the war, and I have no idea where he is or what happened to him. Our home, our safe haven, was completely destroyed in a bombing. I had no choice but to flee with my children, moving from one place to another, with nowhere to call home.

But the suffering didn’t stop there. I was severely injured in an airstrike, leaving me unable to move my right hand entirely. I’ve undergone two surgeries so far, but my hand remains lifeless. My leg was also severely injured and requires ongoing treatment. I am unable to do even the simplest things for my children, who look at me with eyes full of fear and hope.

Process reports

I traveled to Egypt, clinging to the hope of receiving the medical care I so desperately need. However, the cost of treatment is overwhelming. The surgeries, medications, and physical therapy are all essential, but I simply cannot afford them.

My children need me, and I need your help. I don’t want to give in to pain or despair, but I cannot do this alone. Every donation you make is a lifeline for my children to feel safe again and a ray of hope for me to regain my strength and stand by their side.

Please, help me. Give me the chance to recover, to care for my children, and to be the mother they so desperately need

The campaign has been checked by @90-ghost here

Donation Link

[lithiumseven]

Save our lives 🚨🚨

“Every day I lose my beautiful days… and I die in this war.” 😭💔

I'm not okay.

I don't sleep, I don't eat, I don't breathe like other people do.

I just count what's left of me... and wait.

Will I die today? 😭

Will a missile fall on me and end this pain once and for all?

Will I lose my son, still swimming in my belly, searching for a beating heart, a small dream, a chance to survive?

But I have nothing for him… no milk, no roof, no safety… only my fear. 💔

Yesterday, I saw in my dream a child reaching out his hand to me, saying, "Mom, save me."

I woke up screaming...

But no one heard me.💔

There's no room in my body for bullets, but war resides in my eyes, in my womb, in my silence, in every heartbeat I hear from inside my belly. Even hope no longer visits me, even prayer has become faint. 💔

Please...

Help me before I become another silence on this weary earth.

Help me before this child loses his mother... just as I lost everything.

Also, my husband is between life and death and I am helpless 💔

I am the wife of a man who was never just a husband… He was my support, my hope, and my everything in this cruel world. And today, as I write these words, my heart breaks for him as he battles his illness without medicine, without a hospital bed, and without even the reassurance of peace.

My husband has severe pneumonia, and hepatitis is eating away at his body day after day. His ability to breathe is no longer what it used to be, and his chest pain wakes him up terrified. As for me, all I can do is wipe away his sweat and hide my tears.😭

I watch my loved one wither away in front of me, and I don't have the money, the support, or even a safe place to rest my head. We count his breaths in prayer, hoping he'll hold on for another day... that someone will come... that someone will hear us. 💔😭

I appeal to those with compassionate hearts, those who have the ability to help, do not delay. A human life is in your hands, and my husband does not need much, just hope... just medicine... just a chance to live.

Share my campaign 🙏

Thank you 🤍

[lithiumseven]

Don't Skip please

This is Maryam, the little girl. What did she do to make her stomach so hungry? Please help us. Maryam doesn't know the taste of fruit or sweets because of the famine. She has no clothes left, nor does she have her room.