Blog

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Toor dal
• 2-1/2 cups Water
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 3 tbs Ghee
• 1 cup Chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 1 tbs chopped Green Chilli
• 2 tsp shredded Ginger
• 2 tbs Cilantro
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Garam Masala

Instructions:

Wash and soak toor dal in approx. 3 cups of water, for at least one hours. Dal will be double in volume after soaking. Drain the water.
Cook dal with 2-1/2 cups water and add salt, turmeric, on medium high heat, until soft in texture (approximately 30 mins) it should be like thick soup.
In a frying pan, heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. After the seeds crack, add bay leaves, green chili, ginger and chili powder. Stir for a few seconds.
Add tomatoes, salt and sugar stir and cook until tomatoes are tender and mushy.
Add cilantro and garam masala cook for about one minute.
Pour the seasoning over dal mix it well and cook for another minute.
Serve with Naan.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 350g Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbs Sugar
• 1 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Water
• 450g Rhubarb
• 450g Strawberries
• 3 tbs Cornstarch
• 150g Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbs Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbs Milk
• Spinkling Sugar

Instructions:

Pie Crust: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse

meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim any overhanging pastry to an edge of 1/2 inch (1.5 cm). Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, while you make the filling.

Remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 13 inch (30 cm) circle. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into about 3/4 inch (2 cm) strips. Place the strips of pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling: Place the cut strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and ground cinnamon.

Remove the chilled pie crust from the fridge. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture over the bottom of the pastry crust. Add the remaining sugar mixture to the strawberries and rhubarb and gently toss to combine. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle the fruit with about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and dot with 2 tablespoons of butter.

Remove the lattice pastry from the refrigerator and, starting at the center with the longest strips and working outwards, place half the strips, spacing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on top of the filling. (Use the shortest pastry strips at the outer edges.) Then, gently fold back, about halfway, every other strip of pastry. Take another strip of pastry and place it perpendicular on top of the first strips of pastry. Unfold the bottom strips of pastry and then fold back the strips that weren't folded back the first time. Lay another strip of pastry perpendicular on top of the filling and then continue with the remaining strips. Trim the edges of the pastry strips, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Seal the edges of the pastry strips by folding them under the bottom pastry crust and flute the edges of the pastry. Brush the lattice pastry with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Put a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil, on the oven rack (to catch any spills.)

Place the pie plate on the hot baking sheet and bake the pie for about 35 minutes and then, if the edges of the pie are browning too much, cover with a foil ring. Continue to bake the pie for about another 10 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown color and the fruit juices begin to bubble.

Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for several hours. Serve at room temperature with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Reheat before serving. This pie can be frozen.

Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1/4 ounce Yeast
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/3 cup Shortening
• 5 drops Flour
• Sprinking Canola Oil
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Vanilla
• 6 tablespoons Boiling Water
• 1/3 cup Butter

Instructions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2-quart bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise until double, 50-60 minutes. (Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched.) Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 350°. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surface); drain. Dip the doughnuts into creamy glaze set on rack.

Glaze:
Heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Category: Breakfast

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 4 Eggs
• 2 tbs White Wine Vinegar
• 2 English Muffins
• To serve Butter
• 8 slices Smoked Salmon
• 2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
• 3 Yolkes Egg
• 125g Unsalted Butter

Instructions:

First make the Hollandaise sauce. Put the lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk with a balloon whisk until light and frothy. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until mixture thickens. Gradually add the butter, whisking constantly until thick – if it looks like it might be splitting, then whisk off the heat for a few mins. Season and keep warm.

To poach the eggs, bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the vinegar. Lower the heat so that the water is simmering gently. Stir the water so you have a slight whirlpool, then slide in the eggs one by one. Cook each for about 4 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Lightly toast and butter the muffins, then put a couple of slices of salmon on each half. Top each with an egg, spoon over some Hollandaise and garnish with chopped chives.

Category: Beef

Area: Croatian

Ingredients:

• 500g Beef
• 2 chopped Onions
• 2 chopped Carrots
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 200ml Red Wine
• 2 Litres Water
• 3 tbs Mustard
• 1tbsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tbs Vegetable Oil

Instructions:

Clean the meat from the veins if there are some and cut it into smaller pieces, 3 × 3 cm. Marinate the meat in the mustard and spices and let it sit in the refrigerator for one hour
Heat one tablespoon of pork fat or vegetable oil in a pot and fry the meat on all sides until it gets browned. Once the meat is cooked, transfer it to a plate and add another tablespoon of fat to the pot
Cut the onions very fine, peel the carrots and shred it using a grater. Cook the onions and carrots over low heat for 15 minutes. You can salt the vegetables a little to make them soften faster
Once the vegetables have browned and become slightly mushy, add the meat and bay leaves and garlic. Pour over with wine and simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Now is the right time to add 2/3 the amount of liquid
Cover the pot and cook over low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally. After the first hour, pour over the rest of the water or stock and cook for another 30-45 minutes
Allow the stew to cool slightly and serve it with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and few slices of fresh hot pepper if you like to spice it up a bit
Slice ​​some fresh bread, season the salad and simply enjoying these wonderful flavors

Category: Beef

Area: Filipino

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Beef
• 1 Beef Stock Concentrate
• 8 ounces Tomato Puree
• 3 cups Water
• 6 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 tbs White Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbs Pepper
• 4 Bay Leaf
• 1/2 Lemon
• 2 tbs Tomato Sauce
• 3 tbs Butter
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1 chopped Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic

Instructions:

0. Combine beef, crushed peppercorn, soy sauce, vinegar, dried bay leaves, lemon, and tomato sauce. Mix well. Marinate beef for at least 30 minutes.
1. Put the marinated beef in a cooking pot along with remaining marinade. Add water. Let boil.
2. Add Knorr Beef Cube. Stir. Cover the pot and cook for 40 minutes in low heat.
3. Turn the beef over. Add tomato paste. Continue cooking until beef tenderizes. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the potato until it browns. Turn over and continue frying the opposite side. Remove from the pan and place on a clean plate. Do the same with the carrots.
5. Save 3 tablespoons of cooking oil from the pan where the potato was fried. Saute onion and garlic until onion softens.
6. Pour-in the sauce from the beef stew. Let boil. Add the beef. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add butter and let it melt. Continue cooking until the sauce reduces to half.

Category: Dessert

Area: Polish

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Butter
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 cups Flour
• 1 Jar Jam

Instructions:

In a medium bowl mix egg yolks, philly cheese and baking powder using a hand held mixer. Carefully start adding the flour. When the mixture will not be mixing well, and will look like wood chips, put away the blending mixer and using your hands knead the dough.
Create a roll and cover in foil and freeze for 15 minutes. At this time preheat the oven to 375.
Take the dough out and separate into two. Roll and cut out 3 inch trangles.
Make as many as you can and on centre of each put a small spoon of jam. Roll them into a croissant shape.
Place the croissants onto a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
Repeat with the rest of the dough.
When you take them out, put aside and sprinkle with powdered sugar on top.
This makes about 3 batches of 20 cookies each.
Total count about 60 cookies.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 350g Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbs Sugar
• 1 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Water
• 450g Rhubarb
• 450g Strawberries
• 3 tbs Cornstarch
• 150g Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbs Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbs Milk
• Spinkling Sugar

Instructions:

Pie Crust: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse

meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim any overhanging pastry to an edge of 1/2 inch (1.5 cm). Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, while you make the filling.

Remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 13 inch (30 cm) circle. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into about 3/4 inch (2 cm) strips. Place the strips of pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling: Place the cut strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and ground cinnamon.

Remove the chilled pie crust from the fridge. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture over the bottom of the pastry crust. Add the remaining sugar mixture to the strawberries and rhubarb and gently toss to combine. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle the fruit with about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and dot with 2 tablespoons of butter.

Remove the lattice pastry from the refrigerator and, starting at the center with the longest strips and working outwards, place half the strips, spacing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on top of the filling. (Use the shortest pastry strips at the outer edges.) Then, gently fold back, about halfway, every other strip of pastry. Take another strip of pastry and place it perpendicular on top of the first strips of pastry. Unfold the bottom strips of pastry and then fold back the strips that weren't folded back the first time. Lay another strip of pastry perpendicular on top of the filling and then continue with the remaining strips. Trim the edges of the pastry strips, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Seal the edges of the pastry strips by folding them under the bottom pastry crust and flute the edges of the pastry. Brush the lattice pastry with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Put a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil, on the oven rack (to catch any spills.)

Place the pie plate on the hot baking sheet and bake the pie for about 35 minutes and then, if the edges of the pie are browning too much, cover with a foil ring. Continue to bake the pie for about another 10 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown color and the fruit juices begin to bubble.

Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for several hours. Serve at room temperature with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Reheat before serving. This pie can be frozen.

Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 Egg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, and egg.
Scoop out a spoonful of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the cookie balls onto a nonstick baking sheet.
For extra decoration and to make them cook more evenly, flatten the cookie balls by pressing a fork down on top of them, then press it down again at a 90º angle to make a criss-cross pattern.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.
Remove from baking sheet and cool.
Enjoy!

Category: Side

Area: Japanese

Ingredients:

• 300g Sushi Rice
• 1 tbs Mirin
• Garnish Pickle Juice
• Garnish Spring Onions

Instructions:

STEP 1
Rinsing and soaking your rice is key to achieving the perfect texture. Measure the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water, then use your fingers to massage the grains of rice – the water will become cloudy. Drain and rinse again with fresh water. Repeat five more times until the water stays clear.

STEP 2
Tip the rinsed rice into a saucepan with 400ml water, or 200ml dashi and 200ml water, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a low simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid with a steam hole and cook for 15 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for another 15 mins, then stir through the mirin. Remove the lid and give it a good stir. Serve with any or all of the optional toppings.