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Ugandan Curried Cabbage

Oct 9, 2024

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Bobotie (South African Curried Meat Casserole)

Bobotie (ba-booty) is a simple dish to make. Brown your meat and seasonings and place in a casserole dish, mix, and pour custard on top and bake! It is the ultimate comfort food. For this version of Bobotie I started with my friend Leora’s recipe and used that as my template. You’ll notice that I didn’t add raisins to my version as I thought the sweetness from the jam would be enough. And since the accompanying South African Yellow Rice had raisins in it I didn’t want to overdo the raisins!

Of note: I came up with a béchamel topping instead of the traditional egg custard topping because I was serving this meal to a friend who has an egg allergy. So I’ve included my alternate béchamel topping for anyone else out there who may have an egg allergy.

Recipe and photo credit: Linda McElroy

Oct 9, 2024

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South African Yellow Rice/Geelrys

Geelrys literally translates to “yellow rice.” This beautiful sunny dish of rice spiced with turmeric, cinnamon, and studded with raisins would be a lovely accompaniment for any meal, but it is especially welcome and the standard accompaniment to Bobotie. Basmati rice is preferred, but you can really use any type of white rice that you have in your pantry.

Recipe and photo credit: Linda McElroy

May 13, 2024

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Rwandan Brochettes

While the typical meat used in these brochettes would be goat, use what you like and what you can find. I was able to source some goat and was glad to try something new to me. In comparing it to lamb I would say it is less gamey. Beef, chicken, lamb, and pork will work. We’ll marinate the skewers for about an hour or so, and then use some of the reserved marinade for a dipping sauce for the fries. Since Pili Pili chiles aren’t available here, use whatever kind of chile/heat you are familiar with.

These are best grilled outdoors, but you can certainly put them under the broiler or bake them in your oven. Since you’ll have the oven on for the sweet potato fries anyway, that might be a good option.

Recipe and photo credit: Linda McElroy

Mar 12, 2024

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Ububobe (Stir-Fried Eggplant)

Recipe and photo credit: Linda McElroy

Inspired by The Rwanda Cookbook

Here is my take on a typical dish you’d find at the Rwandan table. This is an easy recipe to prep and cook, all in about 30 minutes! I recommend trying to find an eggplant no larger than 1 pound if possible, as they can be a bit spongy; and I don’t find it necessary to peel it. In fact, leaving the peel on adds a bit of color and helps the cubes of eggplant hold together. I used one large heirloom tomato that was very juicy. If your tomatoes are not as juicy, you may need to add a splash of water or broth in order to keep things from sticking to the pot.

As for the beans used in the recipe, I think small red beans would be a more traditional choice, but please feel free to use whatever you have on hand. And while I always like to use fresh cooked beans if I have them, canned work well for this dish. One heaping cup of dried beans is approximately the same amount as a 14-ounce can, somewhere just shy of 2 cups.

I’ve kept the seasoning simple here as Rwandans don’t tend to eat spicy food, and very often just salt and pepper are the only seasoning. Enjoy!

Nov 13, 2023

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Bangladeshi Masoor Dal Chorchori

Notes:

*Panch Phoran is a traditional Bangladeshi mix of 5 spices. You can make your Panch Phoran using this combination:
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon nigella seeds (also called black cumin or kalonji)
1 ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

**Sabji is any sauteed vegetable. I served with roasted cauliflower. I cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets and seasoned with garlic, ground cumin powder, red chili powder, and salt. Then I roasted it in the oven at 325F for about 30 minutes until golden brown and a little crispy.

 

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola V. Munyon

Sep 13, 2023

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Hariyali Chicken

Notes:

*While it wouldn’t quite be “hariyali chicken,” vegans can substitute tofu for the chicken and plant-based yogurt for the yogurt.

**Kashmiri mirchi powder is dried Kashmiri red chilies (mirchi = chili). It has a milder flavor profile (less heat) while being intensely red in color. It is used in Indian cuisine for a milder-tasting curry. You can substitute with paprika (not smoked) or cayenne if hard to procure.

 

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola V. Munyon

Jun 15, 2023

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Paneer Butter Masala

Notes:

*While it wouldn’t quite be “paneer butter,” vegans can substitute tofu for the paneer, nutmilk cream for the whipping cream, and vegan butter.

**Kashmiri mirchi powder is dried Kashmiri red chillies (mirchi = chili). It has a milder flavor profile (less heat) while being intensely red in color. It is used in Indian cuisine for a milder-tasting curry. You can substitute with paprika (not smoked) or cayenne, if hard to procure.

***You can add cooked green peas at this step to make this paneer mutter (peas) curry.

 

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola V. Munyon

Jun 2, 2022

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Indio Viejo

Notes: I added the words and phrases in italics to clarify parts of the original recipe lost in the translation. I used a slow cooker to stew the beef for easier shredding. I tested this recipe with chuck roast, but any less expensive cut will shred well. Stay away from expensive cuts of beef, which do not shred well and will therefore change the texture.

For the tortilla dough, I soaked 12 oz of shredded corn tortillas in a food processor with enough water to cover the pieces, for 1 hour before blending with the other ingredients. The achiote and bitter orange marinade can be found online or homemade if you cannot find them in a market near you.

Recipe and photo credit: Georgia Reader

Apr 8, 2020

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Besan Burfi “Chickpea Fudge”

Notes:

Ghee (Clarified butter)

Good quality butter, unsalted – 1 lb.

Melt butter in a heavy bottom pan over medium flame. Reduce heat to a simmer.

The milk solids will separate and float to the surface.

Skim the white milk solids off the surface. Continue to do this as they rise to the surface.

Once no more milk solids are rising to the surface, there will be some settling on the bottom. When the solids at the bottom turn golden brown and the butter oil is clear, you have clarified the butter.

Remove pan from heat and strain the ghee into a heat proof container.

Store in a glass container at room temperature (good for 3 months) or refrigerate for up to a year.

 

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola Munyon Email: vinola4dfw@gmail.com

Oct 14, 2019

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Pumpkin Custard

Cooking tips/notes: This recipe has all the goodness of traditional pumpkin pie, but without the stress of having to prepare a pie crust. Serve with sweetened whipped cream. For this recipe, you’ll need 6-ounce ramekins and a 9 x 13 cake pan.

Recipe and photo credit: Traci Barr

Aug 13, 2019

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Masoor Dal

Cooking tips/notes: Dal is a staple all over India. The word “dal” refers to both a large group of legumes and lentils (red, yellow, black, brown), as well as the dish that’s made with them. They’re often split, which significantly reduces their cooking time. Split yellow lentils would also work very well in this recipe.

Recipe and photo credit: Traci Barr

May 10, 2019

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Stewed Okra

Cooking tips/notes: In Kenya, okra is called mabenda. I am able to find the freshest okra in my local Indian grocery store. Even if you think you don’t like okra, this dish is worth trying. It’s an easy dish to make ahead and serve the next day.

Recipe and photo credit: Traci Barr

May 10, 2019

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Ground Lamb Kebabs

Cooking tips/notes: In Kenya, these kebabs are called kofta. Take a look at the photo that accompanies this recipe to get an idea about the shape of them. They’re really just meatballs, formed into a cigar shape. Made even smaller, they would be great to serve as an appetizer for a party. Metal skewers are preferable.

Recipe and photo credit: Traci Barr

May 10, 2019

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Collard Greens

Cooking tips/notes: This is my version of Sukuma Wiki. I like to make my greens with smoked paprika (instead of bacon) and vegetable stock. That way, the dish is vegan, but nobody will notice. If collards aren’t available, kale or turnip greens are a great substitute. Mustard greens are wonderful, too, However, keep in mind they have a much stronger bite.

Recipe and photo credit: Traci Barr

Feb 9, 2016

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Nicaraguan Ground Beef (Carne Enchorizada)

I stumbled across the blog “The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon,” (such a clever name) and found this Nicaraguan dish, Carne Enchorizada.

Jackie Larena-Lacayo, the author of the blog, has kindly given me permission to share her post and recipe with you. I have re-printed her recipe here, but if you go to her site you’ll see more detailed information and pictures about making the dish.

Feb 9, 2016

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Red Beans and Rice (Gallo Pinto)

If there is one meal that everyone in Nicaragua and Costa Rica eats, it’s gallo pinto. This hearty, healthy, and filling dish is your basic rice and beans. The beans in this case are red, and the color of the beans on the rice gives gallo pinto, or “painted rooster,” its name. It is often served with eggs for breakfast.

Feb 9, 2016

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Three-Milks Cake (Tres Leches Cake)

This cake is typically a homemade sponge cake with the milks poured on top of it. Since I know how busy we all are and sometimes just need an easy recipe to make, I’ve taken the liberty of using a yellow box cake mix for this recipe. No shame in this at all. In fact, I predict you won’t need to confess to anyone; all you need to say is that you made the cake!

Feb 9, 2016

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Nicaraguan Yuca and Cabbage Salad with Pork Cracklings (Vigoron)

Vigoron is a specialty of Granada. The story goes that when the city was hosting a group of athletes who were training for a baseball game an astute vendor touted the salad as vigoron, or “invigorating.” The salad caught on and the name stuck. Nowadays you will encounter street vendors serving up Vigorón in the plaza. It is a popular and filling Nicaraguan fast-food.

Aug 7, 2015

Recipes

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Aunt Sarah’s Rice and Cabbage

Sseko Designs is a fashion brand that seeks to hire women in Uganda to make sandals.  Through this endeavor they are able to earn money that will go directly towards their college education. Over 60 women have realized their dreams of going to university, and Sseko currently employs 50 women in Uganda from all walks of life. How cool is that!

It is common practice for employers to provide a noontime meal to all employees, and at Sseko Designs workshop Aunt Sarah’s Rice and Cabbage is a typical meal that everyone looks forward to all week.

Recipe contribution from Linda McElroy, adapted from: http://ssekodesigns.com/sseko-recipe-spotlight-aunt-sarahs-rice-and-cabbage/

Photo credit: with permission from Sseko Designs

Mar 8, 2015

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Pumpkin Soup (Soup Joumjou)

As New Year’s Day approaches everyone looks forward to Soup Jomjou (pronounced joo-moo); it is one of the most popular traditions in Haitian culture. Traditionally served on New Year’s Day, soup joumou is made with a type of squash called calabaza. The soup is prepared early in the day and is served all morning to family, friends and visitors as they wish each other a Happy New Year. But this soup is also served throughout the year on Sunday morning with bread.

It is said that the soup was once a delicacy reserved for white masters but forbidden to the slaves who cooked it. After Independence, Haitians began eating it to celebrate the world’s first and only successful slave revolution resulting in an independent nation.

The main and most important step of this soup is cooking the beef – it must be well spiced and marinated. Many people often marinate their meat and cook it the day before to save on time since the soup must be ready early in the morning. In fact, you can certainly make the soup a day or two ahead of time to suite your schedule. Because of the availability of other types of squash, it is now common for it to be made with butternut squash, and that’s good for us since we can almost always find that in our markets.

There are so many wonderful vegetables in this soup though – carrots, celery, cabbage, turnips, parsnips and potatoes – that I believe it can easily be turned into a vegetarian soup if you wish. Just skip the first step of cooking the meat and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

— Linda McElroy

Recipe contribution from Linda McElroy, adapted from and photo credit with permission from:

http://www.gemmasliving.com/soup-joumou-soupe-de-giraumon-or-pumpkin-soup/#comment-785

Mar 8, 2015

Recipes

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Haitian Spaghetti with Hotdogs (Tested)

Note from recipe curator Linda McElroy:

This recipes is courtesy of Gemma’s Kitchen Delights. Gemma grew up in Haiti and went to cooking school there, although her early and most formative education came from her Aunt Jeanne who introduced her to basic Haitian cooking. I contacted Gemma and asked her for a recommendation for an authentic recipe or a favorite. She told me that Haitian Spaghetti with Hotdogs is one of the most searched for and very authentic to Haitian cuisine. Gemma—you had me at hotdogs! There, I said it, don’t judge me! Haitian Spaghetti is made with spaghetti, hot dogs, tomato paste and spices. You can definitely substitute other types of meat for the hotdogs. Gemma suggests Italian sausage, chicken sausage, cut up ham or no meat at all for a vegetarian version. Use your fancy sausage if you like, I’m putting hotdogs in mine!

Recipe contribution from Linda McElroy, adapted from and photo credit with permission from:http://www.gemmasliving.com/haitian-spaghetti-2/

Sep 6, 2014

Recipes

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Festive Yellow Rice (Nasi Kuning)

Note: The leaves of the pandan plant are long and sword-like; they give a vanilla-like taste and fragrance to curries and rice dishes. They are available fresh and frozen and are usually found next to the frozen banana leaves in Asian markets. They will usually be labeled “bai toey,” as they are known in Thailand, the country from which they are most often imported.

Sep 6, 2014

Recipes

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Shrimp Sate (Sate Udang) (Tested)

 

  • Turmeric will stain your fingers yellow if you handle it and chop it, you may want to wear gloves.
  • Candlenuts are used to add body and thickness, and are not to be eaten raw, in fact if you eat any they can be mildly toxic. Once they are ground up and cooked they are harmless.
  • Indonesian shrimp paste comes in a block and is brown and quite pungent. Since the recipe only calls for 1 teaspoon feel free to omit if you don’t want to make this purchase.
  • You can use tamarind concentrate from a jar rather than soaking the pulp in water and straining it.

Tip – Freeze leftover coconut milk in ice cube trays and pop into a zip-lock bag for future use.

Sep 6, 2014

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Chicken and Green Bean Salad (Lawar)

Spice Paste for Chicken

Ingredients

7 shallots, peeled and chopped
12 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2″ kencur (can substitute ginger), peeled & chopped
1” galangal (or laos), peeled and chopped
5 candlenuts (can substitute 10 macadamia nuts)
fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped (or 2 teaspoons powder)
2 tablespoons chopped palm sugar, or brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 stalk lemongrass, outer leaves removed, lightly pounded, tied in a knot
1 salam leaf
5 bird’s eye chilies (or serrano chilies to taste), finely sliced

Notes on ingredients:

Kencur: Sometimes erroneously known as lesser galangal. Substitute ginger if you can not find this.

Galangal or laos: Member of the ginger family, has a very tough root that must be peeled before use. Substitute ginger if you can not find this.

Candlenuts: Used to add body and thickness and not to be eaten raw, in fact if you eat any they can be mildly toxic. Once they are ground up and cooked they are harmless. Substitute twice as many macadamia nuts.

Turmeric: will stain your fingers yellow if you handle it and chop it, you may want to wear gloves.

Salam leaves: Subtly flavored leaf from the cassis (cinnamon) family. If you cannot find obtain omit altogether.

Directions

Put shallots, garlic, kencur, galangal, candlenuts, turmeric and palm sugar into a food processor and grind coarsely. Heat oil and add the paste, as well as the lemongrass stalk, salam leaf and chilies. Fry all ingredients until mixture becomes fragrant, and no longer smells harsh and raw, stirring frequently, until the paste changes to a golden color. Remove lemongrass and salam, cool before using. Can be made one week ahead of time.

Jun 13, 2014

Recipes

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Tomato and White Bean Stew (Togola) Tested

Serve with crusty white bread, either torn into bits and stirred into the sauce, or serve the bread on the side for mopping up the delicious juices. If you serve the bread in the sauce (which I highly recommend) make sure you don’t add too much bread, as it will double or triple in volume once it absorbs the juices.

The Prove Platter: Read Linda McElroy’s take on this recipe 

Recipe and photo credit: Linda McElroy

Jun 13, 2014

Recipes

Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread

There is quite a flexible window of time for the fermentation period. If you think your timing will be such that the bread will be sitting out closer to 24 hours before you are able to bake then I recommend you only use 1/4 teaspoon of yeast. When you use more yeast the dough will be ready for final baking sooner.

This bread can be made one day ahead of time and it will still be fresh and delicious the next day as long as you don’t cut into it. Once cut, wrap loosely and it will keep for a few days. You can also make and freeze up to a week ahead of time.

If you don’t own a Dutch oven or covered pot that would work for this bread, there is a video showing how to make this bread using a simple skillet.

Recipe source: Sullivan Street Bakery

May 15, 2014

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Cabbage Salad (Kachumbali)

Mirian Kinuda, author of Taste of Tanzania blog says, “This is the one salad most Tanzanian kids know and love. Traditionally raw cabbage is used for this dish. However, I prefer to slightly fry the cabbage in a little olive oil first.”

Recipe source: Taste of Tanzania, cookbook

Recipe contribution from Linda McElroy.

Mar 29, 2014

Recipes

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Fried Zucchini, Bangla-Style

In Bangladesh they would use potol (pointed gourd) for this dish. Our zucchini are the closest available substitute for the potol.

The cooking technique here is shallow frying, which gives the slices of zucchini a wonderful crisped outer surface, leaving the center creamy and tender-textured. It’s delicious served hot or at room temperature.

Source: “Mangoes and Curry Leaves,” by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Mar 29, 2014

Recipes

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Beef and Onion Stew (Beef Bhoona)

Bhoona is a method of slow cooking spices and meat until tender. It is very well suited to beef. Use stewing beef and look for meat with some marbling, for that will give the best flavor and the most tender texture. Accompany with Khichri, a kind of easy pilaf of rice and dal. In a traditional Bangla-style meal, if you served plain rice with the beef bhoona, you would also serve a simple dal, as well as a green vegetable.

Source: Mangoes and Curry Leaves

Mar 29, 2014

Recipes

Bengali Five-Spice Mixture (Panch Phoron)

Nigella (also called black cumin) is a small black teardrop-shaped spice with an oniony flavor. It is used sparingly on naan (flatbread) and to flavor hot oil at the start of cooking. If you can’t find nigella (or any of the other seeds called for) in your area at an Indian or South Asian grocery they can be ordered online through Amazon.

You can either order the panch phoron blend, or the nigella seed alone.

Source: “Mangoes and Curry Leaves,” by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

 

Feb 9, 2014

Recipes

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Mountain Dal

In Nepal, rice and lentils rule. Dal bhat (rice and lentils) is eaten every day, several times a day, over and over! You can substitute red lentils for split mung (yellow) dal,w hich may be easier to find and will cook faster as well. If you use regular brown lentils you will need to cook them much longer in order to obtain the soupy consistency desired.

Adapted from: Mangoes and Curry Leaves by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

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