Australian PM announces China visit hours before leaving for US
Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he will visit China in early November, making the announcement Sunday hours before he was to fly to the United States to meet with President Joe Biden.
Albanese also said China agreed late Saturday to review the crippling tariffs it levied on Australian wine that have effectively blocked trade with the winemakers’ biggest export market since 2020.
Albanese will become the first Australian prime minister to visit China in seven years when he travels to Beijing and Shanghai on Nov 4-7.
“It’s in Australia’s interest to have good relations with China, and certainly my focus in the coming days will be very much on the visit to the United States,” Albanese told reporters at Australian Parliament House.
“With Australia’s closest partner, talking about the future of our alliance, the future which has been upgraded by the AUKUS arrangements, a future based upon our common values, our commitment to democracy, and our commitment to the international rule of law and stable order throughout the globe,” Albanese added, using the acronym for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Under the trilateral pact, the US and Britain will cooperate to provide Australia with a fleet of submarines powered by US nuclear technology to counter a more assertive China.
Albanese said he will meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing and then attend the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.
The visit to China and a potential breakthrough in the wine dispute mark a further repair in relations since Albanese’s center-left Labor Party won elections last year after nine years of conservative government in Australia.
China has agreed to review its tariffs on Australian wine over five months, Albanese's office said. In return, Australia has suspended its complaint against its free trade partner to the World Trade Organization.
A similar dispute resolution plan led to China removing tariffs from Australian barley.
Albanese said reopening the Chinese wine market would be worth more than $631m to exporters.
“We’re very confident that this will result in once again Australian wine, a great product, being able to go to China free of the tariffs which have been imposed by China,” Albanese said.
“It is important that we stabilize our relationship with China. That is in the interests of Australia and China, and it is indeed in the interests of the world that we have stable relations and that is what this visit will represent,” he added.
The visit will come near the 50th anniversary of Labor Party leader Gough Whitlam becoming the first Australian prime minister to visit the People's Republic of China in 1973.
Albanese accepted an invitation weeks ago to visit China this year, but finding suitable dates had been challenging.
Albanese is visiting Washington to meet with Biden this week and will return to the United States after his China trip to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ forum in San Francisco on Nov 15-17.
It will be the ninth time Biden has met with Albanese as prime minister. The first meeting was in Tokyo hours after Albanese was sworn in as government leader in May last year for a leaders' summit of the Quad strategic partnership that also includes Japan and India.
As well as the AUKUS deal, the leaders will also seek more cooperation on clean energy, critical minerals and climate change.
Albanese’s department announced Friday that it decided after an investigation not to cancel a Chinese company’s 99-year lease on the strategically important Darwin Port despite US concerns that foreign control could be used to spy on its military forces.
Some security analysts interpreted the decision to let Shandong Landbridge Group keep the lease signed in 2015 and long criticized Albanese as a concession to China ahead of his visit.
China’s release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei this month after she spent three years in detention in Beijing on espionage allegations was widely seen as a concession to Australia.
Albanese said the breakthrough on wine “has not been transactional,” meaning Australia did not make any corresponding concessions to Chinese demands.
“We’ll continue to put our case on matters that are in Australia’s national interest,” he said.
“I’ve said very consistently: We’ll cooperate with China where we can, we’ll disagree where we must, and we’ll engage in our national interest, and that’s precisely what we’re doing,” he added.
AP
Preparing ‘pakku masu’
When I was a teenager, I visited my relatives in the hilly region of Kaski during the festive season of Tihar. For brunch, I was served a special dish called pakku meat with rice. I was quite surprised and couldn’t help but ask my aunt, “Did someone in the village make the dish for Tihar?” My aunt explained that the pakku meat had been prepared during the Dashain festival and saved for the occasion of Tihar. I felt privileged to be enjoying the delicious flavors of pakku that had been made about 20 days earlier.
In the past, many middle-class families would traditionally sacrifice a goat during Dashain, but they often couldn’t consume all of it within a few days. Meat was a rare and valuable commodity back then, so they came up with a way to cook the goat meat in fat and preserve it. This culinary tradition was born out of necessity, allowing Nepali families to make their meat last and savor its succulent taste for an extended period. The cold climate of the Nepali hills was also ideal for preserving meat, especially when it was cooked in a mixture of fat, mustard oil, and ghee. The generous use of fat, in my opinion, was the main ingredient that helped preserve the meat until winter.
In contrast to the Indian tradition, our celebration of Navaratri, the nine days of worshiping Shakti or the goddess, involves a lot of meat, alcohol, and food. We celebrate it for more than 10 days, and the most authentic food of Dashain is pakku, the slow-cooked meat in fat.
Pakku meat is a beloved dish that graces Nepali dinner tables during this special season. It’s not just a meal; it represents the heart of Nepali culinary heritage and the skill of preserving flavors.
Pakku meat, a slow-cooked goat dish, plays a pivotal role during Dashain. The preparation of this delectable treat is a labor of love, blending time-tested methods with a unique selection of spices. At the heart of pakku meat’s distinctive flavor lies the secret ingredient: pakku masala. This special spice blend is more than just a seasoning; it’s the soul of the dish, composed of a variety of spices like coriander, bay leaves, fenugreek seeds, dry ginger, garlic, cardamom, cumin, cloves, long pepper, and many more. Each spice contributes to the rich and authentic Nepali flavor that defines pakku masu.
To create pakku meat, one must start with the right ingredients, particularly goat leg pieces, preferably from a young goat. The meat is then marinated with mustard oil, a blend of spices, and aromatic ginger and garlic. The slow-cooking process, often executed in a heavy-bottomed pot or a pressure cooker, allows the flavors to blend. No water is added to the pot, and onions or tomatoes are conspicuously absent during the cooking process. This extended cooking time yields tender, flavorful meat, eagerly anticipated by Nepali people during Dashain.
One notable aspect of pakku meat is the quantity in which it is prepared. This generous serving size is perfect for hosting extended family and guests who come together to celebrate Dashain. As the dish is reheated and served, its flavors deepen, creating a taste that evolves. The more you reheat it, the darker, richer, and more tender it becomes.
For many Nepali individuals living far from their homeland during Dashain, preparing pakku meat is a way to reconnect with their roots. It’s a journey back home, a method to honor cherished traditions, and a means of sharing a piece of Nepal with their loved ones, no matter where they are in the world.
Pakku meat, with its rich flavors and cultural significance, exemplifies how food can be a source of celebration, connection, and nostalgia. If you’ve never had the pleasure of savoring goat meat or are interested in exploring the diverse facets of Nepali cuisine, don’t hesitate to give pakku meat a try. It’s not just a dish; it’s a part of Nepali tradition and a flavorful celebration of Dashain. It’s worth noting that every family has its unique way of preparing Pakku, and the following is one particular recipe that I hold dear.
Ingredients
Two kg goat meat
Five gm (two tsp) cumin powder
Three gm (1.5 tsp) chili powder
Four gm (two tsp) turmeric powder
Four gm (1.5 tsp) garam masala
16 gm (one tbsp) garlic paste
12 gm (one tbsp) ginger paste
Four bay leaves
Four cloves
Two gm black peppercorns
Two cinnamon sticks
Four black cardamoms
120 ml (eight tbsp) pure mustard oil
120 ml (eight tbsp) ghee (brown butter)
20 gm salt
Method
Begin by marinating the larger pieces of goat meat with mustard oil, garlic, ginger, salt, garam masala powder, cumin powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, and ghee. Allow the meat to marinate for at least four to five hours
Once the marination is complete, place all the marinated meat in a clay pot, ensuring that the lid is tightly sealed. Some cooks add a layer of flour dough around the top to seal it and ensure an airtight vessel. Let the pot simmer over low heat for another four hours.
This recipe is incredibly straightforward, emphasizing the importance of good-quality meat and the use of high-quality ingredients. However, the true magic lies in the cooking technique employed.
Pakku meat is at its best when cooked over an open-fire stove, though this may prove challenging in a city setting. For urban dwellers, a kasaudi (a traditional wood-burning stove) is your best bet to achieve the perfect result. In the lack of these options, a pressure cooker or even a rice cooker can be used. In the case of the latter, simply place all the ingredients in the rice cooker and switch it on. Keep in mind that you may need to use a bit more oil and ghee for the rice cooker preparation.
The author is a UK-based R&D chef
ACC U-19 Premier Cup: Nepal enters final
Kathmandu: Nepal has secured its spot in the final of the ACC U-19 Premier Cup Cricket Tournament. In the semi-final match held in Malaysia, Nepal defeated Japan by 144 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
With its entry into the final, Nepal has qualified to compete in the U-19 Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan.
The match was affected by rain when Nepal had scored 140 runs with the loss of two wickets in 25 overs. As the rain continued to delay the game, the stipulated 50 overs were reduced to 22, with a target of 187 runs set for Japan to win. In response, Japan managed to score only 43 runs in 11.5 overs, losing all their wickets.
None of Japan’s players, apart from Shotaro Hiratsuka (15) and Kiefer Yamamoto (13), could reach a double-digit score.
Nepal’s Hemant Dhami and Dipesh Kandel took three wickets each, while Subash Bhandari took two, and Akash Chand took one wicket.
Deepak Bohora was the top scorer for Nepal, amassing 79 runs with 10 boundaries and two sixes in 70 balls.
Similarly, Deepak and Akash Tripathi partnered for 93 runs for the second wicket, with Akash contributing 35 runs, while Arjun Kumal made 10 runs and Dev Khanal scored eight.
Nepal will face the UAE in the final on Oct 24. The UAE reached the final by defeating Singapore in another semi-final match.
Phulpati celebrations organized in Tundikhel (With Photos)
Kathmandu: The ‘Phulpati Badhai’, feu de joie, was organized at the Nepal Army Pavilion in Tundikhel, Kathmandu, on Saturday afternoon. This day marks the seventh day of the ongoing 10-day Dashain festival.
President Ramchandra Paudel, who holds the constitutional role of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Nepal Army, graced the event as the chief guest. On this occasion, the Nepal Army showcased a parade.
A military chopper that flew over the army pavilion displayed a banner that read ‘Phupati Badhai Ceremony 2080 BS’ and showered flowers. The army band played patriotic songs as well as various other tunes.
Furthermore, various army troops performed drills and marched past.
Vice-President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chief Justice Bishwambhar Shrestha, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Purna Bahadur Khadka, among others, witnessed the parade.
The Phulpati Badhai is a unique and distinguished program that upholds religion, culture, and tradition. It is a long-standing tradition of the Nepali Army to observe the Phulpati Badhai with great fervor.
On this day, a palanquin containing the Jamara (barley shoots) and Phulpati—an assortment of flowers, leaves, and fruits from different auspicious parts—is brought into Hanumandhoka Durbar in Kathmandu from Gorkha Durbar.
