The following is an extended version of the piece that appears in our March 2021 issue.
Phirni is a saffron-tinted Bengali pudding. (Photo by Keya Wingfield)
In honor of Women’s History Month, we highlight women who have emigrated from countries around the world and now call Richmond home. Each one has traveled her own path, but they all rely on their native cuisines to connect them — and others — with their cultures. It might not be “history,” but it’s definitely “her-story.”
A Mother’s Touch
Mom’s Siam, 2811 W. Cary St.
This two-decade-old Thai eatery is helmed by owner Sukanya Pala-art. Comforting authentic specialties include drunken noodle, curry rolls and crispy bananas with ice cream.
Rosie Connolly’s Pub & Restaurant, 1548 E. Main St.
Located in Shockoe Bottom and rooted in tradition, this Irish pub has been rocking for the past 16 years. Must-orders: the British curry, sausage rolls and, of course, Irish whiskey.
Jamaica House, 416 W. Broad St.
Growing up in a small Jamaican village, chef-owner Carena Ives inherited recipes for oxtail and curried chicken from her mother. Debuting at its new location in late 2020, Jamaica House has brought island flavors to Richmond for more than 25 years.
Jamaica House's coco bread (Photo by Jay Paul)
In the Kitchen
Carrying on culinary traditions
Coco bread: A buttery, layered, lightly sweet Caribbean roll made with coconut milk, this Jamaica House specialty is perfect for snacking or stuffing with a beef patty.
Brown sauce: Made with tomatoes, molasses, dates, apples, tamarind and spices, this tangy classic Irish-English condiment is a favorite of Rosie Connolly’s Pub owner Helen Emerson.
Larb kai: A traditional Thai dish of ground chicken or beef seasoned with lime, mint, basil and ground red chiles, served with lettuce wraps or rice at Mom's Siam.
Phirni: The recipe for this fragrant cardamom- and rosewater-scented Indian rice and milk pudding has been passed down in my family. It’s served both warm and cold in earthenware.
Helen Emerson of Rosie Connolly’s Pub & Restaurant (Photo by Jay Paul)
Community Connections
Growing up in an Irish family in Liverpool, England, Helen Emerson moved to Richmond in 1985 at the age of 7. The owner of Rosie Connolly’s Pub & Restaurant, Emerson says she learned the art of “Irish-English” cuisine from her mother, inheriting an adoration for garlic, along with onions, curry powder and a familiar favorite, Worcestershire sauce. Calling on her Irish roots, she regularly cooks dishes such as scones, sausage rolls and shepherd’s pie for her daughter, Lexie. Emerson’s favorite? Lamb stew with red cabbage.
In 1985, Promila Kazi moved to Richmond from Dhaka, Bangladesh, at 23 years old. She did not speak a single word of English. While working at 7-Eleven, she came across an ad for a part-time teller at her local bank and, on a whim, applied. Thirty-five years later, she’s the senior service associate for M&T Bank, and her English has certainly improved. One area that needed no improvement was her mastery of Bengali cuisine, which relies heavily on spices such as dhaniya, cumin, chiles and holud. Kazi makes a very popular Bengali dessert called phirni, mentioned above, a type of pudding made with saffron and almonds. A mother of two, she regularly serves Bengali food to her family, including Bengali biryani, a medley of rice and spices that is usually accompanied by chicken, beef or shrimp. Along the way, Kazi has learned that coming from a different background can be an asset rather than a limitation. She also discovered that even though you may not speak the language, food is one thing that transcends language barriers.
Born in Laos’ capital city of Vientiane, Ana Douangdara moved to Richmond with her mother when she was 1. It was from her mother that she learned all about Laotian cuisine, its complex flavors and commonly used ingredients such as lemongrass, cilantro and ginger. One of her favorite dishes is a traditional Laotian staple known as mok pa — literally translated, it means “eating fish." Mok pa is a white fish steamed inside of a banana leaf, with fresh dill, galangal, onions, kefir leaves and chiles. Ana says Laotian people love to use dipping sauces heavily in their meals, especially jeow som (“sour sauce”), which tends to be on the spicier side. A member of the Richmond’s thriving Laotian community, Ana is happy to bring her native cuisine into the spotlight, as it tends to be overshadowed by its Southeast Asian counterparts such as Vietnamese and Thai food. Now married and the mother of two young daughters, Ana makes Laotian meals on a regular basis, in hopes of instilling love for the cuisine in her children. For that, passion is the key ingredient.
