courtesy of Madame Chu
Josey Chu and her line of Madame Chu condiments: sambal nyonya, satay peanut and ginger garlic.
Overture Center’s International Festival is one of Madison’s great community events. Dance and musical performances from local groups celebrate global culture in over 30 performances, all free. In the lobby area to Overture Hall, there’s also a world food court of sorts. The food’s not free, but it’s always worthwhile.
This year’s festival, on Feb. 23, will be Sunil Gopal’s 11th year serving his homemade Indian food at the International Festival. Gopal, who used to operate the food cart Spice Yatra on the Square, now sticks to this one big event. He does all the cooking: “It’s a one-man show, that’s what I like about it” — although his family does help him with order-taking and serving at the event. Gopal mostly makes his own spice mixes, although he does rely on one certain commercial garam masala blend.
“I like the fact that it’s a community feeling,” says Gopal. “People look forward to the dishes every year.” Gopal will be serving his signature kadai chicken, chicken saag, vegetable curry, chana masala (a vegan dish made with chickpeas), and paneer matar (homemade cheese and pea curry). None has the same blend of spices, so they also work well in a sampler plate, which Gopal also offers.
Josey Chu will be a new vendor at the festival this year. Chu, who was born in Singapore, makes the Madame Chu line of condiments sold at the Willy Street Co-op, SuperCharge! Foods, Hy-Vee-Whitney Way and Orange Tree Imports. Chu will be selling and handing out samples of her condiments (sambal nyonya, satay peanut and ginger garlic), all typical of Singapore cuisine. The sambal is different from India’s, she explains, made from dehydrated, then rehydrated and fried chilies; the satay peanut lacks coconut milk so it’s different from Thai.
Chu’s own culture is Peranakan, a group that migrated from China through Thailand, soaking up culinary influences along the way.
Chu will also be selling Singapore-style pineapple tarts, made with a rich, cookie-like dough and filled with slow-cooked pineapple jam, “though it’s not quite jam,” says Chu. The pineapple is infused with whole cloves, cinnamon and brown sugar. It’s a celebratory food that shows up for holidays in Singapore such as Chinese New Year or the end of Ramadan. “The crust melts in your mouth, and it’s a goodly amount of pineapple,” says Chu, who is excited about introducing Madison to the cuisine of Singapore, which is not easy to find in the U.S.
The Rolling Pin Bakery will be bringing a taste of Russia. Dumplings will be stuffed with a mix of pork and beef, and piroshki will be stuffed with either a savory caramelized onion or a sweet cherry filling. Rolling Pin will also bring meringues and cookies.
This year the Hmong caterer La Joe Bla will be vending as well. Mai Vang says they will be serving vegan and non-vegan egg rolls, bubble drinks, specialty rice and Asian salad. The focus is on healthy and organic ingredients, says Vang. La Joe Bla is headed for a spot in the Madison Public Market when it opens in 2021.
Other food vendors include the Italian Workmen’s Club, the Polish American Heritage club, Buraka, Jamerica and Cafe Costa Rica.
The International Festival runs from 10 am-5 pm Feb. 23 at the Overture Center.
