The cuisine of Burma, now known as Myanmar, is a delightful blending of Chinese and Indian. You may wonder, at first, how the spices of these very different foods will blend. Let me tell you...wonderfully! Bring on the ginger powder and masalas...there's a party in the kitchen! The special guest is beef and okra, Burmese style!
I began with some vegetable oil heating on medium heat. I chopped up a sweet onion and added this with a lot of minced garlic, some ginger powder, turmeric. hot Hungarian paprika, chili powder garam masala, sesame oil, cumin and chopped chives. Saute the spices until the neighbors pound on the front door, drooling like zombies to get in. Then, add a couple of cups of beef stock, some cubed beef and a cup of rice and trimmed okra. Bring to a boil. Then, simmer with the lid on the skillet. I let this simmer for about 20 minutes. Just long enough to board up the windows.
The result? Intestinal happiness! As usual feel free to experiment with how much spice you use. I tend to use a lot.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Western Africa
My next stop was to Burkina Faso. This is a Western African country. Rather than trying to come up with something specific to Burkina Faso, I decided to cook food that would represent Western Africa. There are differences between the countries; but, with enough similarity for me to find something I liked. I decided to make peanut soup.
While I prepared the rice, I diced 2 large onions, a green bell pepper and a red bell pepper. Also a large sweet potato was peeled, and diced. A couple inches of ginger root was peeled and sliced. I used a can of crushed tomatoes, with the juice. All of this was cooked with a little oil in a large soup pan. After 5 minutes, I added a couple tablespoons of crushed garlic. This was cooked for 5 more minutes. Then, I put in 4 cups of water.
The above was cooked for 25 minutes. Then, I added about 4 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter. You can put in more or less. I prefer more. While this was cooking, I threw in some salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper. I don't generally make exact measurements when cooking this type of food. personally, I like hot food; so, I put a lot in...stirred it...tasted it...and put more in. The amount you use is purely a matter of taste. About this time, the rice was done; so, I threw that in there too. If you want, you can throw in a cake of soft tofu and green onions. I did not. You will find that the more peanut butter you use, the thicker will be your soup. Mine ended up being a thick stew. In fact, I could have put on a plate instead of a bowl.
I ate this with lamb that was spiced hot, using salt, pepper, cayenne and minced garlic. I put about half a teaspoon of garlic on each lamb chop. This was broiled for about seven minutes. The inside was very red, and warm.
I love...love...LOVE the peanut soup. I think you will too.
While I prepared the rice, I diced 2 large onions, a green bell pepper and a red bell pepper. Also a large sweet potato was peeled, and diced. A couple inches of ginger root was peeled and sliced. I used a can of crushed tomatoes, with the juice. All of this was cooked with a little oil in a large soup pan. After 5 minutes, I added a couple tablespoons of crushed garlic. This was cooked for 5 more minutes. Then, I put in 4 cups of water.
The above was cooked for 25 minutes. Then, I added about 4 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter. You can put in more or less. I prefer more. While this was cooking, I threw in some salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper. I don't generally make exact measurements when cooking this type of food. personally, I like hot food; so, I put a lot in...stirred it...tasted it...and put more in. The amount you use is purely a matter of taste. About this time, the rice was done; so, I threw that in there too. If you want, you can throw in a cake of soft tofu and green onions. I did not. You will find that the more peanut butter you use, the thicker will be your soup. Mine ended up being a thick stew. In fact, I could have put on a plate instead of a bowl.
I ate this with lamb that was spiced hot, using salt, pepper, cayenne and minced garlic. I put about half a teaspoon of garlic on each lamb chop. This was broiled for about seven minutes. The inside was very red, and warm.
I love...love...LOVE the peanut soup. I think you will too.
Friday, June 22, 2012
BULGARIA
After being downed for a bit, I have finally made a new stop in my quest for World Domination. This week's stop was in Bulgaria. This Slavic Republic sits next to Romania; and, was one of the Gothic nations. Chock full of archeological treasures, Bulgarian cuisine is known for its rich salads, which hold a place of prominence at every table.
I decided to represent Bulgaria by making Gyuveche. This dish does not have any set ingrediants, other than some kind of meat, vegetables and Feta Cheese. This is a dish you make when you want to get rid of left overs. I used browned, lean ground beef for the meat. For the vegetables, I used tomatoes, mushrooms, a diced onion, whole black olives, and fresh parsley and basil. Of course, I topped this off with Feta cheese. I also added a thin layer of sharp cheddar cheese. The ingredients are layered, with the feta cheese going on top. After baking for about 20 minutes, in a preheated oven at 375, a whisked egg is added to the top, and cooked for about 5 more minutes. This will create a glaze. Two eggs would be good for a larger casserole. Mine was small.
The result is a nice meal, that doesn't cost much; and, there should be left overs. In fact, it is better the second time around. There are a couple of things I would have done differently. I would fry the onions before adding them. A lot of people cannot tolerate onions that are near raw. Frying them will make them palpable to just about anyone. I would have cooked it about 10 minutes longer, and covered it in foil, until the eggs were added. My result was good; but, the ingredients did not seem to exactly blend. Putting the leftovers in the fridge, and reheating it the next day took care of the problem. That's not to say my result was not good...but it could have been better.
If you decide to make this dish, experiment with the ingredients. This is your chance to get rid of some odds and ends in the fridge.
I decided to represent Bulgaria by making Gyuveche. This dish does not have any set ingrediants, other than some kind of meat, vegetables and Feta Cheese. This is a dish you make when you want to get rid of left overs. I used browned, lean ground beef for the meat. For the vegetables, I used tomatoes, mushrooms, a diced onion, whole black olives, and fresh parsley and basil. Of course, I topped this off with Feta cheese. I also added a thin layer of sharp cheddar cheese. The ingredients are layered, with the feta cheese going on top. After baking for about 20 minutes, in a preheated oven at 375, a whisked egg is added to the top, and cooked for about 5 more minutes. This will create a glaze. Two eggs would be good for a larger casserole. Mine was small.
The result is a nice meal, that doesn't cost much; and, there should be left overs. In fact, it is better the second time around. There are a couple of things I would have done differently. I would fry the onions before adding them. A lot of people cannot tolerate onions that are near raw. Frying them will make them palpable to just about anyone. I would have cooked it about 10 minutes longer, and covered it in foil, until the eggs were added. My result was good; but, the ingredients did not seem to exactly blend. Putting the leftovers in the fridge, and reheating it the next day took care of the problem. That's not to say my result was not good...but it could have been better.
If you decide to make this dish, experiment with the ingredients. This is your chance to get rid of some odds and ends in the fridge.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
HEART FRIENDLY
Lately, I have been focusing on meals that are more heart friendly. The meals I have been making are actually pretty healthy; but, hey, we're not getting any younger you know.
Basically, I have been cutting down on that amount of salt that I use, along with using less butter.
I have discovered this, while shopping with a semi-vegan friend: http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/product/original-buttery-spread/. It has a nice, slightly nutty flavor. I use it in place of butter for sauteing. I will admit that I still put a little butter in the mix when making shrimp scampi...but even small improvements help.
I have also begun using Skim Plus milk and Half and Half.
Basically, I have been cutting down on that amount of salt that I use, along with using less butter.
I have discovered this, while shopping with a semi-vegan friend: http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/product/original-buttery-spread/. It has a nice, slightly nutty flavor. I use it in place of butter for sauteing. I will admit that I still put a little butter in the mix when making shrimp scampi...but even small improvements help.
I have also begun using Skim Plus milk and Half and Half.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
BRUNEIAN CHICKEN
Brunei is a Southeast Asian sovereign state on the island of Borneo. It shares Borneo with Indonesia and Malaysia. Brunei is predominantly Muslim. This, and it neighboring countries gives Brunei an interesting cuisine. I have learned that they can do crazy things with a chicken and coconut milk.
I went with a Bruneian chicken recipe, based on a dish called "Beriani". I started with a pound of chicken thighs. I ground together a clove of garlic, a 2 inch piece of ginger, 2 Serrano peppers, seeds included, a tablespoon of poppy seeds, 10 cashew nuts and 10 almonds. In a skillet, I heated some ghee. You can find ghee at an Indian market. You can also use olive oil, or vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, fry up 5 cloves, a 2 inch piece of Cinnamon and a cup of sliced shallots. In goes the chicken, a little salt, and a teaspoon of curry powder. Stir this up, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.
Here comes the fun part...I put a can of coconut milk in a pot, and added a little more than a cup of basmati rice. Add in a little salt. I can't describe how good rice is when it cooked in coconut milk. Heat until the rice absorbs the coconut milk. After a little bit, I added just a little bit of water. The coconut milk is a little thick, and needed to be thinned out a bit. Then, I put the rice in the skillet with the chicken, and simmered it for about fifteen minutes.
This is a very tasty meal. To make it VERY tasty, add larger amounts of the spices.
I went with a Bruneian chicken recipe, based on a dish called "Beriani". I started with a pound of chicken thighs. I ground together a clove of garlic, a 2 inch piece of ginger, 2 Serrano peppers, seeds included, a tablespoon of poppy seeds, 10 cashew nuts and 10 almonds. In a skillet, I heated some ghee. You can find ghee at an Indian market. You can also use olive oil, or vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, fry up 5 cloves, a 2 inch piece of Cinnamon and a cup of sliced shallots. In goes the chicken, a little salt, and a teaspoon of curry powder. Stir this up, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.
Here comes the fun part...I put a can of coconut milk in a pot, and added a little more than a cup of basmati rice. Add in a little salt. I can't describe how good rice is when it cooked in coconut milk. Heat until the rice absorbs the coconut milk. After a little bit, I added just a little bit of water. The coconut milk is a little thick, and needed to be thinned out a bit. Then, I put the rice in the skillet with the chicken, and simmered it for about fifteen minutes.
This is a very tasty meal. To make it VERY tasty, add larger amounts of the spices.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
BRAZILIAN SHRIMP STEW
The dish I prepared to represent Brazil is shrimp stew. I upped the cayenne and coconut milk factors, creating a dish that, after a little cilantro was added, could have just as easily been found on a Thai menu.
I have finally come to the point where I view recipes as suggestions, as opposed to strict instructions. This view would not work with baking...which may be why baking has never appealed to me. This particular recipe was not my first attempt at making a Brazilian dish. The others were rather bland; so, I decided to take a Brazilian dish, and pop up the volume by adding three times the cayenne.
I thawed out a pound of raw shrimp and removed the tails. In a bowl, I mixed some black pepper, salt, garlic and lemon juice. I rolled the shrimp around in this, and let it set while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. In olive oil,I sauteed one medium onion chopped and a green bell pepper chopped, for about eight minutes. I then poured in the cayenne...about a teaspoon and a half...maybe a little bit more. A little chopped cilantro followed. Stir this up and cook for a minute or two. Then, I added a can of diced tomatoes, juice and all. I let this simmer for about ten minutes. I added a can of coconut milk and boiled; then, added the shrimp. This was alowed to boil for about five minutes. On the side, I was preparing some basmati rice. After the rice came to a boil, I added some cayenne, and a little coconut milk. I have found that it is a good idea to introduce a little of the spices you use in a dish to the rice. Put a little garlic in there too. Now, get a bowl, put in some rice, and spoon some of the shrimp stew on top of the rice. The result is pure wonderfulness!
This recipe belongs on my personal list of favorite dishes. It is both hot, and a little sweet. It could work equally well as a Spanish dish; or, as an Asian side, served with a broiled whole fish, spiced up.
I have finally come to the point where I view recipes as suggestions, as opposed to strict instructions. This view would not work with baking...which may be why baking has never appealed to me. This particular recipe was not my first attempt at making a Brazilian dish. The others were rather bland; so, I decided to take a Brazilian dish, and pop up the volume by adding three times the cayenne.
I thawed out a pound of raw shrimp and removed the tails. In a bowl, I mixed some black pepper, salt, garlic and lemon juice. I rolled the shrimp around in this, and let it set while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. In olive oil,I sauteed one medium onion chopped and a green bell pepper chopped, for about eight minutes. I then poured in the cayenne...about a teaspoon and a half...maybe a little bit more. A little chopped cilantro followed. Stir this up and cook for a minute or two. Then, I added a can of diced tomatoes, juice and all. I let this simmer for about ten minutes. I added a can of coconut milk and boiled; then, added the shrimp. This was alowed to boil for about five minutes. On the side, I was preparing some basmati rice. After the rice came to a boil, I added some cayenne, and a little coconut milk. I have found that it is a good idea to introduce a little of the spices you use in a dish to the rice. Put a little garlic in there too. Now, get a bowl, put in some rice, and spoon some of the shrimp stew on top of the rice. The result is pure wonderfulness!
This recipe belongs on my personal list of favorite dishes. It is both hot, and a little sweet. It could work equally well as a Spanish dish; or, as an Asian side, served with a broiled whole fish, spiced up.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
BOTSWANA BEEF
As I travel through Africa, I feel like Livingstone, who has stumbled upon a secret known by few. The secret is this...African food rocks! Along with Korean and Indian, African food is met with anticipation in my house. The spices are out of this world. If you take the earthiness of Indian spices, and combine it with the heat of Korean food, you have a pretty good idea of what African food is like. Yes, there are examples of bland food; but, seriously...do you really expect me to go there?
To represent Botswana, I made a beef marinade, with eye of round steak; and, added a side of okra and tomatoes. Here is what I did...
To make the marinade, I sacrificed a dark beer. In a bowl, the beer was combined with olive oil, soy sauce, crushed garlic, grated ginger root, 2 sliced Serrano peppers, hot paprika, ground black pepper, and coriander seeds. After whisking together, I added four eye round steaks in a gallon size zip lock bag, and poured the marinade in. I put this in the fridge for six hours.
Six hours later, I heated a skillet on high, and poured the steak and marinade in. I boiled the steaks for a few minutes and removed. Then, I added a little corn starch to the marinade, and reduced it to a nice, thick sauce. This was spooned onto the steaks.
For the side dish, I trimmed and sliced a pound and a half of okra, then ran it under hot water for a few minutes. I used my cast iron skillet, heated to moderate high, and heated some vegetable oil in it. Once hot, I sauteed a medium onion, roughly chopped, for about three minutes.I then added two large, ripe tomatoes, diced, juice and all. In went a Serrano pepper, with some holes cut in with a fork, and the whole was boiled for 5 minutes. Now was time to add the okra, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Take out the chili, add salt and pepper, and enjoy.
I have made this meal a few times, and it has become one of my wife's favorites.
To represent Botswana, I made a beef marinade, with eye of round steak; and, added a side of okra and tomatoes. Here is what I did...
To make the marinade, I sacrificed a dark beer. In a bowl, the beer was combined with olive oil, soy sauce, crushed garlic, grated ginger root, 2 sliced Serrano peppers, hot paprika, ground black pepper, and coriander seeds. After whisking together, I added four eye round steaks in a gallon size zip lock bag, and poured the marinade in. I put this in the fridge for six hours.
Six hours later, I heated a skillet on high, and poured the steak and marinade in. I boiled the steaks for a few minutes and removed. Then, I added a little corn starch to the marinade, and reduced it to a nice, thick sauce. This was spooned onto the steaks.
For the side dish, I trimmed and sliced a pound and a half of okra, then ran it under hot water for a few minutes. I used my cast iron skillet, heated to moderate high, and heated some vegetable oil in it. Once hot, I sauteed a medium onion, roughly chopped, for about three minutes.I then added two large, ripe tomatoes, diced, juice and all. In went a Serrano pepper, with some holes cut in with a fork, and the whole was boiled for 5 minutes. Now was time to add the okra, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Take out the chili, add salt and pepper, and enjoy.
I have made this meal a few times, and it has become one of my wife's favorites.
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