This weeks stop is in Cambodia. Nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodian food is known as Khmer cuisine. This is one of the world's oldest cuisines. Khmer food is very uncomplicated. It relies on food that is both fresh and local. Like other Asian cuisines, Khmer cuisine relies on rice as a staple food. The use of spices is minimal.
To represent Cambodia, I chose to prepare Khmer beef, and Poat Dot, or, Cambodian Grilled Corn. I had some thinly sliced beef that I purchased from a Korean grocer. It was perfect for this recipe. If you use a whole piece of beef eye round, you may want to put it in the freezer for a bit. This will make it easier to slice thinly. Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, using medium high heat. Brown the beef for no more than a minute.
Peel and thinly slice an Asian pear. Add this to the skillet, along with six sliced scallions, five cloves of minced garlic, four tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of agave syrup, two tablespoons of homemade curry powder (recipe to follow), and dry chili flakes. Stir fry for two to three minutes.
If you choose, you can serve this over rice.
Homemade Curry Powder:
Combine the following in a small grinder, and grind for one to two minutes:
4-5 tsp Ground Coriander
2 tsp Turmeric
1-2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp Ground Cardamon
1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick
1/4 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Burundi...Beef and Greens in Peanut sauce
It's been a while; but I continue my trip around the world through my own TARDIS...my kitchen. This week, I found myself once again in Africa. This time, in the country of Burundi. The dish I chose is as simple as it is delicious.
Beef and greens in peanut sauce is part soul food, part Thai, and 100 % African. You can use any type of greens you choose...collards, kale, turnip greens, or something else along those lines. I chose kale.I boiled the greens for about 20 minutes, after taking off the stems and any tough veins. You may want to shred the larger leaves.
In a large saucepan, heat some vegetable oil, and brown the meat. Add the greens, a couple of table spoons of smooth peanut butter, and some hot sauce.
The meat and greens are simplicity itself. Add to this the peanut butter earthy sweetness, and the heat from the hot sauce, and you have a taste treat without having to fly to the Mother land.
INGREDIANTS:
1 lb. Beef Cubes
1 large bunch of Greens
2 Tbs Smooth Peanut Butter
2 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
Beef and greens in peanut sauce is part soul food, part Thai, and 100 % African. You can use any type of greens you choose...collards, kale, turnip greens, or something else along those lines. I chose kale.I boiled the greens for about 20 minutes, after taking off the stems and any tough veins. You may want to shred the larger leaves.
In a large saucepan, heat some vegetable oil, and brown the meat. Add the greens, a couple of table spoons of smooth peanut butter, and some hot sauce.
The meat and greens are simplicity itself. Add to this the peanut butter earthy sweetness, and the heat from the hot sauce, and you have a taste treat without having to fly to the Mother land.
INGREDIANTS:
1 lb. Beef Cubes
1 large bunch of Greens
2 Tbs Smooth Peanut Butter
2 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
Monday, August 6, 2012
Indian Shepherd's Pie
The other day, I decided that I did not want to go to the store, so I
scrounged around to see what I had on hand. There was a pound of lean ground
beef that I had purchased, meaning to make Korean burgers. A day later, this
did not appeal to me. I also had some spinach and potatoes, along with my
various spices. I decided that I would experiment and make an Indian version of
shepherd's pie. I liked the result. My Hen was not as thrilled. I cheated and
used instant mashed potatoes, and used too much water. The result was soupy.
Begin by boiling the potatoes, for mashing. I am constantly making the mistake of not letting the potatoes boil long enough. Do not do this. You can't mash a hard potato. Let the potatoes boil a bit before you begin to prepare the rest of the food. Once the potatoes have been mashed, set them aside. In a skillet heated on medium heat, add some oil. I used vegetable oil. I should have used ghee; but alas, I could not find it. Olive oil can also be used. Once the oil is hot, add a chopped onion, some minced garlic, and your spices. I used cumin, turmeric and garam masala. I like a lot of spice. Using a spatula, mix the spices with the onion and garlic. Then, add the lean ground beef. You can also use beef or lamb cubes. Once the meat has been browned, add the spinach. Okra would also be nice. Add the mashed potatoes to the skillet, and mix well. Add spices as needed and desired. I try not to use a lot of salt; but, many will want to add sea salt. If you feel the need for pepper, you can add that...but I like to let the other spices speak for themselves. You may also want to put the meat mixture in a casserole dish, and top with the mashed potatoes, making for a more traditional look.
The above is not the exact recipe I used; but, represents the improvements I will make the next time. I should have made real mashed potatoes. I mixed some tandoori masala into the meat, and was less than thrilled with the result.
You can be as simple, or as complicated as you want with this dish. I chose simple. You can add yogurt, ginger, celery, tomatoes, lentils...the list goes on. Also, other spices and herbs can be added, such as paprika, basil, oregano or thyme. Cheese can also be added. This is a great recipe for using those odds and ends you have in the refrigerator.
I think you will enjoy this Indian touch to a much enjoyed dish. Namaste!
Begin by boiling the potatoes, for mashing. I am constantly making the mistake of not letting the potatoes boil long enough. Do not do this. You can't mash a hard potato. Let the potatoes boil a bit before you begin to prepare the rest of the food. Once the potatoes have been mashed, set them aside. In a skillet heated on medium heat, add some oil. I used vegetable oil. I should have used ghee; but alas, I could not find it. Olive oil can also be used. Once the oil is hot, add a chopped onion, some minced garlic, and your spices. I used cumin, turmeric and garam masala. I like a lot of spice. Using a spatula, mix the spices with the onion and garlic. Then, add the lean ground beef. You can also use beef or lamb cubes. Once the meat has been browned, add the spinach. Okra would also be nice. Add the mashed potatoes to the skillet, and mix well. Add spices as needed and desired. I try not to use a lot of salt; but, many will want to add sea salt. If you feel the need for pepper, you can add that...but I like to let the other spices speak for themselves. You may also want to put the meat mixture in a casserole dish, and top with the mashed potatoes, making for a more traditional look.
The above is not the exact recipe I used; but, represents the improvements I will make the next time. I should have made real mashed potatoes. I mixed some tandoori masala into the meat, and was less than thrilled with the result.
You can be as simple, or as complicated as you want with this dish. I chose simple. You can add yogurt, ginger, celery, tomatoes, lentils...the list goes on. Also, other spices and herbs can be added, such as paprika, basil, oregano or thyme. Cheese can also be added. This is a great recipe for using those odds and ends you have in the refrigerator.
I think you will enjoy this Indian touch to a much enjoyed dish. Namaste!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
BURMA
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.
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 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.
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