Global Recipe Project

The traditional dishes I could find for Kazakhstan almost always call for horse meat.  I didn't have any.  I also didn't know where I could find any. So, instead I opted for another dish quite popular in Central Asia--the dumpling. Tonight was manty with mint sauce. Although my recipe source was not completely authentic, I checked it back with multiple other manty (manti) sources and they were all similar.  The recipe I followed was from Food.com . However, I cut the salt quantity in half and used fresh mint. Of all the dishes I've made so far, this one by far brings the biggest smile to my face.  Although time consuming, it was a completely satisfying experience. Making dough, preparing filling and then steaming the final product was all very creative and somewhat therapeutic. I had some leftover dough in the freezer from Russian night and thus made some Kazakh Pierogis.  They were amazing. Additionally, that mint sauce is so simple and versatile. I for...

Coconut Chicken Curry? Yes, please. I've never been good at curries.  Mine are always too dry or too mushy.  I have not mastered the art of the curry sauce until tonight.  This dish is simple and amazing. I followed the recipe from MalaysiaFood.net which can be found  here. The recipe calls for Malaysian meat curry powder which I didn't have, could not find and could not order.  Therefore, I made my own concoction using: 10 whole cloves 10 whole black peppercorns 4 whole cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick (about 2-inches/5 cm) 4 whole dried red chilies 4 tbsp coriander seeds 2 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp turmeric  Essentially, you toast all ingredient then grind them to a powder.   Rating: Easy 8.5 out of 10. The flavors were lovely and the consistency of the sauce was delightful.  The only drawback was the small bits of spices that didn't thoroughly grind in the mortar.  Next time I will invest in a coffee grinder and ...

I was so tempted to make the traditional Bryndzove Halusky but since we can't get the bryndza cheese here in the southern California desert --and I'm a huge cheese head and would find it sacrilegious to make a cheese dish improperly--I'm opting for a couple of simple dishes.  Lentil Privarok and Uhorkovy Salat are on the menu tonight.

Tony has this amazing ability to pull the most appropriate country at the most appropriate time....amazing that it's St. Patrick's Day and Ireland was pulled from the jar... Although most folks are having corned beef and cabbage we're not. We've been enjoying the beef and cabbage this since Monday and we're going to another Irish party on Sunday where we'll be able to indulge again in the salty/briny goodness. So, instead I'm making the Irish favorite, calcannon . It's so familiar in Southern Irish homes that there's even songs about calcannon. Seriously. Calcannon is a mashed potato/cabbage dish. I'm serving it tonight alongside grilled sausage and of course Guinness. Calcannon 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced 1 small onion-chopped 4 tbsp butter 1/2 head savoy cabbage-chopped 1/4 cup milk salt and pepper Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the potatoes and cook until tender. Drain them in a colander and then return to the pot ...

Back to Africa tonight for Potjiekos and Oshifima . Lamb stew with porridge. I'm usually pretty enthusiastic whenever a recipe calls for lamb and tonight was no exception.  Lamb, tomato paste, tons of spices and raisins...how can that be bad? Of course I'm not replicating the recipe exactly --Potjiekos is cooked outside in a cast iron, three-legged pot over an open flame.  (I'm pretty sure there are city codes preventing me from this so instead I'm cooking in a dutch oven on the stove.)

Although we're having home-made pizzas and a green salad for dinner, on the dessert menu is Farturas . Essentially they're the Portuguese version of Churros and are enjoyed as snacks or crispy desserts. Farturas 1 cup water 8 tablespoons butter   2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup flour 4 eggs Grated peel of 1/2 of a lemon Sugar/cinnamon mixture for sprinkling frying oil  1.    In a one-quart pot, combine the water, butter, grated citrus peel and sugar.   Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.    2.   When the water is boiling, using a wooden spoon at the ready, dump the flour all at once into the boiling water and stir as fast as you can until the batter is pulling away from the sides of the pot, almost forming a ball of batter.   Shut the heat and remove the pan. 3.   Allow the batter to cool slightly for about one minute while still in the pot.   Beat in one egg at a time into the batter, beating well after eac...

Having Vatican City a part of this project means I get Italian food twice.  Tonight was Polpette with spaghetti.  More traditionally known as spaghetti and meatballs. It is unfortunate that most Italian food has a reputation for being basic and unrefined. I think that is a result of the plethora of Olive Gardens and other establishments that liters the American restaurant scene.  Whenever I've eaten in Italy there was no mistaking the meal for anything served with the bottomless salads and bread sticks. Polpette Polpette Rating: "Solid 8.5" --said Tony.  "The presentation is fantastic and the flavors are so fresh.  Nothing like a traditional meatball from the freezer section of a grocery store."