Blog

Category: Beef

Area: Malaysian

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb Minced Beef
• 1 Onion
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tbs Chilli
• 1/2 Baguette
• To taste Salt
• To taste Pepper
• Top Mayonnaise

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Heat a pan or griddle with a little vegetable oil.
Pour the mixture onto the pan and place a piece of open-faced baguette on top.
Press on the bread with a spatula and grill for 2 minutes.
Turn the bread over to make it a little crispy.
Remove from pan and cut the bread into small portions.
Add mayonnaise and/or Sambal before cutting the sandwich (optional).

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Filipino

Ingredients:

• 6 Egg Plants
• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 1 tbs Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Salt
• To taste Red Pepper Flakes
• 4 Sticks Onions

Instructions:

. Prepare the eggplants for grilling by pricking them all over with a fork. This is so it won’t burst during the grilling process as the natural water in it heats up.
2. Grill the eggplants, turning them over frequently to ensure even cooking. Grill until the skins are dark brown, even black and the eggplant is soft when you touch it.
3. Soak the grilled eggplant in a bowl of water to cool it down. Peel the skin off the eggplant. Place the whole eggplants in a shallow dish (my mom actually cuts the eggplant into small, bite-sized pieces).
4. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the coconut milk or cream, lemon powder, salt and hot pepper. Mix until the lemon powder and salt dissolve. Taste, then adjust the amount of lemon powder, salt and hot pepper to your liking. Pour the mixture over the eggplant. Sprinkle the green onions over the eggplant and coconut milk. Stir gently to combine.

Category: Breakfast

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 50g Butter
• 1 chopped Onion
• 3 Pods Cardamom
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1 small Cinnamon Stick
• Sprigs of fresh Bay Leaf
• 450g Basmati Rice
• 1 Litre Chicken Stock
• 750g Smoked Haddock
• 3 Eggs
• 3 tblsp chopped Parsley
• 1 chopped Lemon

Instructions:

Melt 50g butter in a large saucepan (about 20cm across), add 1 finely chopped medium onion and cook gently over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.

Stir in 3 split cardamom pods, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 small cinnamon stick and 2 bay leaves, then cook for 1 minute.

Tip in 450g basmati rice and stir until it is all well coated in the spicy butter.

Pour in 1 litre chicken or fish stock, add ½ teaspoon salt and bring to the boil, stir once to release any rice from the bottom of the pan. Cover with a close-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low and leave to cook very gently for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring some water to the boil in a large shallow pan. Add 750g un-dyed smoked haddock fillet and simmer for 4 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Lift it out onto a plate and leave until cool enough to handle.

Hard-boil 3 eggs for 8 minutes.

Flake the fish, discarding any skin and bones. Drain the eggs, cool slightly, then peel and chop.


Uncover the rice and remove the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods if you wish to. Gently fork in the fish and the chopped eggs, cover again and return to the heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the fish has heated through.

Gently stir in almost all the 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and season with a little salt and black pepper to taste. Serve scattered with the remaining parsley and garnished with 1 lemon, cut into wedges.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Egyptian

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Broad Beans
• 1/3 cup Parsley
• Dash Olive Oil
• 3 Lemons
• 4 Garlic Clove
• Sprinking Cumin

Instructions:

As the cooking time varies depending on the quality and age of the beans, it is good to cook them in advance and to reheat them when you are ready to serve. Cook the drained beans in a fresh portion of unsalted water in a large saucepan with the lid on until tender, adding water to keep them covered, and salt when the beans have softened. They take 2–2 1/2 hours of gentle simmering. When the beans are soft, let the liquid reduce. It is usual to take out a ladle or two of the beans and to mash them with some of the cooking liquid, then stir this back into the beans. This is to thicken the sauce.
Serve the beans in soup bowls sprinkled with chopped parsley and accompanied by Arab bread.
Pass round the dressing ingredients for everyone to help themselves: a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil, the quartered lemons, salt and pepper, a little saucer with the crushed garlic, one with chili-pepper flakes, and one with ground cumin.
The beans are eaten gently crushed with the fork, so that they absorb the dressing.
Optional Garnishes
Peel hard-boiled eggs—1 per person—to cut up in the bowl with the beans.
Top the beans with a chopped cucumber-and-tomato salad and thinly sliced mild onions or scallions. Otherwise, pass round a good bunch of scallions and quartered tomatoes and cucumbers cut into sticks.
Serve with tahina cream sauce (page 65) or salad (page 67), with pickles and sliced onions soaked in vinegar for 30 minutes.
Another way of serving ful medames is smothered in a garlicky tomato sauce (see page 464).
In Syria and Lebanon, they eat ful medames with yogurt or feta cheese, olives, and small cucumbers.
Variations
A traditional way of thickening the sauce is to throw a handful of red lentils (1/4 cup) into the water at the start of the cooking.
In Iraq, large brown beans are used instead of the small Egyptian ones, in a dish called badkila, which is also sold for breakfast in the street.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 1 tbls Olive Oil
• 1 Onion
• 1 chopped Leek
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 4 tsp ground Cumin
• 2 tsp ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Cocoa
• 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 3 cups Water
• 3 chopped Carrots
• 1 1/2 cups Brown Lentils
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Small Squash
• 1 Cup Cashews
• 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Instructions:

Begin by roasting the squash. Slice it into thin crescents and drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with sea salt. I added a fresh little sage I had in the fridge, but it’s unnecessary. Roast the squash a 205 C (400 F) for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until soft and golden. Let cool and chop into cubes.
Meanwhile, rinse the lentils and cover them with water. Bring them to the boil then turn down to a simmer and let cook (uncovered) for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
While the lentils are cooking heat the 1 Tbsp. of oil on low in a medium pot. Add the onions and leeks and sauté for 5 or so minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic next along with the cumin and coriander, cooking for a few more minutes. Add the remaining spices – paprika, cinnamon, chilli, cocoa, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and oregano. Next add the can of tomatoes, the water or stock, and carrots. Let simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the veg is tender and the mixture has thickened up. You’ll need to check on the pot periodically for a stir and a top of of liquid if needed.
Add the lentils and chopped roasted squash. Let cook for 10 more minutes to heat through.
Serve with sliced jalapeno, lime wedges, cilantro, green onions, and cashew sour cream.

SIMPLE CASHEW SOUR CREAM

1 Cup Raw Unsalted Cashews
Pinch Sea Salt
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
Water

Bring some water to the boil, and use it to soak the cashews for at least four hours. Alternatively, you can use cold water and let the cashews soak overnight, but I’m forgetful/lazy, so often use the boil method which is much faster.
After the cashews have soaked, drain them and add to a high speed blender. Begin to puree, slowly adding about 1/2 cup fresh water, until a creamy consistency is reached. You may need to add less or more water to reach the desired consistency.
Add a pinch of sea salt and vinegar (or lemon juice).

Category: Seafood

Area: Jamaican

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds Red Snapper
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 clove peeled crushed Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Ginger
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 0.5 Red Pepper
• 0.5 Yellow Pepper
• 1 sliced Onion
• 1 chopped Carrots
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Allspice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Scotch Bonnet
• 1 Lime
• 3/4 cup Malt Vinegar
• pinch Pepper

Instructions:

Rinse fish; rub with lemon or lime, seasoned with salt and pepper or use your favorite seasoning. I used creole seasoning. Set aside or place in the oven to keep it warm until sauce is ready.

In large skillet heat oil over medium heat, until hot, add the fish, cook each side- for about 5-7 minutes until cooked through and crispy on both sides. Remove fish and set aside. Drain oil and leave about 2-3 tablespoons of oil
Add, bay leave, garlic and ginger, stir-fry for about a minute making sure the garlic does not burn
Then add onion, bell peppers, thyme, scotch bonnet, sugar, all spice-continue stirring for about 2-3 minutes. Add vinegar, mix an adjust salt and pepper according to preference. Let it simmer for about 2 more minutes.

Discard bay leave, thyme spring and serve over fish with a side of this bammy. You may make the sauce about 2 days in advance.

Category: Pasta

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 1 tblsp Olive Oil
• 2 Bacon
• 1 finely chopped Onion
• 1 Stick Celery
• 1 medium Carrots
• 2 cloves chopped Garlic
• 500g Minced Beef
• 1 tbls Tomato Puree
• 800g Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 tblsp Honey
• 500g Lasagne Sheets
• 400ml Creme Fraiche
• 125g Mozzarella Balls
• 50g Parmesan Cheese
• Topping Basil Leaves

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Use kitchen scissors to snip the bacon into small pieces, or use a sharp knife to chop it on a chopping board. Add the bacon to the pan and cook for just a few mins until starting to turn golden. Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 min, then tip in the mince and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for about 6 mins until browned all over.
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min, mixing in well with the beef and vegetables. Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Fill each can half full with water to rinse out any tomatoes left in the can, and add to the pan. Add the honey and season to taste. Simmer for 20 mins.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To assemble the lasagne, ladle a little of the ragu sauce into the bottom of the roasting tin or casserole dish, spreading the sauce all over the base. Place 2 sheets of lasagne on top of the sauce overlapping to make it fit, then repeat with more sauce and another layer of pasta. Repeat with a further 2 layers of sauce and pasta, finishing with a layer of pasta.
Put the crème fraîche in a bowl and mix with 2 tbsp water to loosen it and make a smooth pourable sauce. Pour this over the top of the pasta, then top with the mozzarella. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake for 25–30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve scattered with basil, if you like.

Category: Chicken

Area: Portuguese

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Chicken
• 3 chopped Red Chilli
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Coriander
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 2 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbs Oil
• 1 sliced Red Onions
• 2 Carrots
• 1 Beetroot
• 4 leaves Cabbage
• 2 tbs Mayonnaise
• 2 tbs Greek Yogurt
• 2 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds

Instructions:

STEP 1

Whizz together all of the marinade ingredients in a small food processor. Rub the marinade onto the chicken and leave for 1 hour at room temperature.

STEP 2

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the chicken in a roasting tray and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes. Rest under loose foil for 20 minutes. While the chicken is resting, mix together the slaw ingredients and season. Serve the chicken with slaw, fries and condiments.

Category: Beef

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 300g Puff Pastry
• Beaten Egg White
• Beaten Egg Yolks
• 2 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 70 ml Beef
• 200g Lamb Kidney
• 2 chopped Onions
• 30g Plain Flour
• 85 ml Beef Stock
• pinch Salt
• pinch Pepper
• Dash Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, and brown the beef all over. (You may need to do this in batches.) Set aside, then brown the kidneys on both sides in the same pan. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Return the beef to the pan, sprinkle flour over and coat the meat and onions
Add the stock to the pan, stir well and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer for 1½ hours without a lid. If the liquid evaporates too much, add more stock.
Remove from the heat. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and allow to cool completely. Place the cooked meat mixture into a pie dish.
Roll out the pastry to 5mm/¼in thick and 5cm/2in larger than the dish you are using.
Using a rolling pin, lift the pastry and place it over the top of the pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges with your fingers and thumb.
Brush the surface with the beaten egg mixture and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden-brown and puffed.
Serve with creamy mash and steamed vegetables to soak up the gravy.

Category: Side

Area: Croatian

Ingredients:

• 150g Mushrooms
• 50g Buckwheat
• 4 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 40g Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1tbsp Vegetable Stock Cube
• 50 ml Sour Cream
• Dash White Wine Vinegar
• Top Parsley

Instructions:

Chop the onion and garlic, slice the mushrooms and wash the buckwheat. Heat the oil and lightly sauté the onion. Add the mushrooms and the garlic and continue to sauté. Add the salt, vegetable seasoning, buckwheat and the bay leaf and cover with water. Simmer gently and just before it is completely cooked, add pepper, sour cream mixed with flour, the chopped parsley and vinegar to taste.