The Proven Platter – Morocco, June 2022
According to Oxford Languages and Merriam-Webster, a tagine is both a North African, slow-cooked stew and the special clay dish in which it is cooked. Beyond that, the ingredients can be up to you. Details
The Proven Platter—Nepal, November 2021
Momos are quintessentially Nepalese. These flavor-packed, bite-sized dumplings are so popular that they are sold by street food vendors and also feature prominently on menus of upscale restaurants in Nepal. Eaten as a snack, an appetizer, or made a complete meal of along with soup, momos are versatile. Traditionally, momos, like their cousin the gyoza, are steamed and consist of a flour-based wrapper with a minced meat filling that is spiced with aromatics. Chicken, goat, and buffalo meat are most commonly used fillings, however, modern takes on this traditional favorite also use vegetables, greens, and occasionally cheese. Details
The Proven Platter—Sierra Leone, September 2021
Jollof rice is to West African cuisine what barbeque is to the Southern states of the United States of America. Much like the never-ending food wars over Texas barbeque versus Carolina or Kansas barbeque there is much spirited debate and light-hearted cooking wars over Ghanaian Jollof versus Nigerian Jollof versus Sierra Leonean. Jollof is quintessentially West African and a dish that is a great one pot meal of sorts: vegetables, grain, and protein all in one dish (“of sorts” as it definitely takes more than one pot to make but comes together as one dish!). Thus, Jollof seemed like the natural choice to feature for Sierra Leone. Details
The Proven Platter – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The National dish of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Poulet à la Moambé (variously spelled as mwambe or nyembwe) is a rich, hearty chicken stew that seems like the perfect dish for a cold winter night. While the dish has influences of French cooking techniques in the manner in which it is prepared, it is entirely Central African in the ingredients and flavors used. Details
The Proven Platter – Kenya, June 2020
Rice cooked with meat and vegetables is eaten all around the world. Pilaf, or rice cooked in broth, is believed to have originated in Persia around 500 BC. By the time it reached Africa, it had become a blend of rice, warm African spices with various meats mixed in. In Kenya it became Pilau, a rice and meat dish with a familiar spice blend. Details
The Proven Platter – January 2020
While working on the recipe for this month’s Featured Grantee’s country, I took a moment to reflect on how much I have enjoyed being on the recipe team at Dining for Women. It has sparked the return of a world map to the wall of my kitchen, so I know where each country is geographically. It has also deepened my appreciation for the women of the world who manage to prepare delicious, nutritious meals for their loved ones no matter how scarce the resources at hand. Details
The Proven Platter – Peru, February 2018
Hello Diners!
Peruvian-style pollo a la brasa, or rotisserie chicken, is perhaps one of the most well-known Peruvian dishes here in the U.S. due to the many take-out joints around the country (depending on where you live!). It is also one of the most consumed dishes in Peru. A whole chicken is marinated overnight in a combination of garlic, herbs, soy and vinegar, and then roasted whole on a spit, often over a charcoal fire. The chicken is always served with creamy, mayonnaise-type sauces, typically bright with aji amarillo chile pepper. Very often it is accompanied by French fries and salad with ranch dressing. My kind of yum! Details
The Proven Platter, Myanmar – September 2017
Hello Diners!
We’re visiting Myanmar this month, formerly known as Burma, and I’ve got a delicious curry for you to try. Details
The Proven Platter, Guatemala June 2017
Hello Diners!
Our dining destination this month is the country of Guatemala. I always get pretty excited when we are visiting Latin American countries, as their cuisine is one of my favorites, a close second to Italian! Details
The Proven Platter – India
Hello Diners!
Welcome to India. We’ve traveled there before. Flavors from exotic spices perfume every dish. Garlic, ginger and chiles add heat. If you love Indian food but are intimidated by long lists of ingredients and techniques, well, I’ve got your back. I’ve taken my inspiration for our recipes this month from “Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick & Easy Indian Cooking” and “Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking.” Both of these books are devoted to recipes in the under 30 minutes or less category. You’ll need to purchase some spices (the bulk spice aisle is your friend here), but other than that most of the ingredients are commonly found. Details
The Proven Platter: Lemon Chicken (Yassa Poulet)
This recipe marinates in onions and lemon juice overnight and then grills up and is finished in a sweet-tart sauce. Dig into this Senegalese recipe. Details
The Proven Platter: Ugandan Luwombo
This month’s Proven Platter recipe is authentic Ugandan – chicken steamed in banana leaves (with a simple substitution if you can’t find the leaves).
The Proven Platter: Chicken and Green Bean Salad (Lawar)
The October 2014 Proven Platter recipe is Chicken and Green Bean Salad (Lawar) – one of Bali’s most famous dishes. It’s also a major effort so be prepared for a lot of work. But it’s worth the effort! Details
The Proven Platter: An Afghan summer barbeque
This month’s Proven Platter recipe is a Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebab. Recruit friends to bring along the rest of the recipes for a complete meal. Details