Singapre

 Welcome to Singapore!  This is a country that, when I think of it, I think something like the jungles of Thailand, not the infrastructure of Abu Dabi!  But Singapore has lots of high-rises and is a huge city.  Singapore is the only island-city-state in the world: this means the whole country is basically just one big city, without a capital. It is one of only three surviving city-states in the world. The other two are Monaco and Vatican City. It is home to the largest indoor waterfall in the world, and the pictures are stunning.  It's in one of the airports, so maybe a trip to Singapore is in the cards?  There are several more things about Singapore that I could add here, but I think maybe we should just go and see for ourselves...  According to Google, the population of Singapore is 5.3 million people and the capital is Singapore (see above for the explanation :-) ).  Their national dish is...

Hainanese Chicken and Rice!

It looked simple enough...but there were lots of little steps to this meal.  And who doesn't love chicken and rice? It's a classic!  To go along with the Hainanese chicken and rice, we made Mango Sago, which is like a mango tapioca pudding-like dish.  Here's what we did:

HAINANESE CHICKEN AND RICE

For the Chicken

1 whole chicken

1/4 C salt for exfoliating (the salt is for cleaning the chicken, this is not consumed)

4 inch section of fresh ginger peeled and cut into 1/4'' slices

4 cloves garlic

2 stalks green onion cut into 1" sections (both green and white parts)

1 tbsp sesame oil

For the Rice

2 tbsp avocado oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 shallot, minced

1 inch section of ginger, finely minced

2 C rice

2 C reserved chicken poaching broth

1/2 tsp sesame oil

For the Chili Sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp reserved chicken poaching broth

2 tsp sugar

4 tbsp sriracha chili sauce

4 cloves garlic

1 inch section of ginger, peeled

For the Ginger Garlic Sauce

4 tbsp avocado oil

2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp rice vinegar

COOK THE CHICKEN: 

1. Boil a large pot of water. 
2. Clean the chicken by exfoliating with kosher or coarse salt. Rinse chicken well, inside and outside.
3. When water is at a hard boil, add the chicken. 
4. Return to hard boil, let scum come to the surface. 
5. Boil for 5 minutes. Discard all the water, including the scum.
6. Refill pot with clean water to cover the chicken by 1-inch, and add in the garlic, green onion and ginger. 
7. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then immediately turn the heat to low to keep a simmer.
8. Cook for about 30 minutes more.
9. The chicken is done when it reaches 160 degrees.  The chicken will continue to cook to 165F during rest.
10. When the chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner.
11. Immediately lift and transfer the chicken into a bath of ice water to cool. The quick cooling will stop the cooking process, keeping the meat soft and tender. 
12. After cooling, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and rub the sesame oil all over the chicken. This will help prevent the chicken from drying out.

SEASON SOUP: 

1. Discard the garlic, ginger and green onion. Season the soup with salt to taste.

COOK THE RICE: 

1. In a pot, heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil over medium-high heat. 
2. When hot, add the ginger, shallots and the garlic and fry until your kitchen smells like heaven. 
3. Add in the uncooked rice and stir to coat, cook for an additional minute. 
4. Add the sesame oil, mix well.
5. Add 2 cups of your reserved poaching broth and bring to a boil. 
6. Immediately turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat and let sit (with lid still on) for 5-10 minutes more.
8. While the rice is cooking, make the sauces and carve the chicken for serving.

MAKE SAUCES: 

1. To make the chili sauce: Blend your chili sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth and bright red.
2. To make the ginger garlic sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the cooking oil until very hot, when you start seeing wisps of smoke. 
3. Turn off heat. 
4. Immediately add garlic and ginger and let it sizzle for a few seconds. 
5. Once it settles, stir in salt and vinegar.
6. Serve all together and enjoy!

(Source: Hainanese Chicken and Rice)

MANGO SAGO

1 large ripe mango

1/4 C Sago pearls, medium size

1/2 C condensed milk

1 tbsp sugar

1 C milk

1. Cook the sago pearls according to the package directions, until they turn transparent and gets cooked.
2. Drain the cooked sago pearls and wash again under the running water, this removes additional starch.
3. Peel and chop mango into small pieces.
4. Reserve 1/4 cup of pieces for usage later.
5. Boil milk until it is reduced to half and cool the milk.
6. Grind the cooled milk, mango pieces, condensed milk and sugar to a smooth puree in a blender. 
7. Now mix the pureed mango mixture with the cooked and washed sago pearls to a uniform mixture.
8. The consistency should be slightly thick.
9. Add reserved mango pieces, mix, and pour into individual bowls and garnish with few mango pieces and chill it for 2-3 hrs.
10. Enjoy!

(Source: Mango Sago)

The verdict?  This dish was a bit underwhelming.  We expected a lot more flavor, with this meal being from Singapore.  But it wasn't exciting at all.  It tasted like plain chicken and rice.  However, the garlic ginger sauce was delicious.  We put that on everything, and it helped make it better.  We were not impressed with the mango sago either.  The flavors were strange: it tasted like an artificially sweet mango.  Then you add the textures of the sago pearls, and it was just off.  We ended up throwing it out.  I wonder if you liked tapioca pudding if you would like this.  Overall, underwhelming dish.  

 

ME

Taste of Hainanese Chicken and Rice (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Hainanese Chicken and Rice (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

ME

Taste of Mango Sago (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Mango Sago (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Another country in the books!  Join us next time as we eat in Cameroon!

Slovenia

 Welcome to Slovenia!  I've heard this is an amazingly beautiful country, so naturally it is on my list of countries to visit.  More than half of the country is forest, which makes Slovenia one of the greenest countries in the world.  Apparently people in Slovenia love wine, and it is said that there is a vineyard for every 70 people in Slovenia!  According to Google, the population is about two million people, and the capital is Ljubljana.  Their national dish is...

Štruklji and Veal!

It is a dumpling-like meal served along veal.  I was fresh out of veal, but thanks to Handsome Husband, we substituted elk meat.  I read that buckwheat Štruklji was the traditional way to make it, so that's what I did.  I made two different types of Štruklji - one traditional, and one dessert.  This meal was pretty straightforward. Sorry that the measurements are wonky...hopefully you have a kitchen scale.  Here's what I did:

ŠTRUKLJI  AND  VEAL

Veal Steak

Elk Steak

Dough

200 g of buckwheat flour 

100 g of gluten free flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum 

1 tbsp of sour cream 

Salt to taste

300 ml of boiled water

1 tbsp oil

Filling

400 g of cottage cheese

180 g of sour cream 

2 eggs

salt to taste

3 tbsp gluten free bread crumbs

1. Drain any excess water out of cottage cheese and sour cream first. 
2. Once drained, put the drained cottage cheese and sour cream into a large bowl, add all the other filling ingredients, and mix well. 
3. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes to thicken.
4. Slowly pour boiled water over the dry ingredients for the dough and mix with a wooden spoon well so that everything gets wet. 
5. Set aside to cool down. 
6. Make the dough by adding sour cream and oil and mix with your hands.
7. The dough should be soft but must not stick to your hands. 
8. When finished spread oil all over the dough and wrap it in foil to rest for a few minutes.
9. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick.
10. Spread the filling over 2/3 of the dough. 
11. Roll the dough into a roll and cut the long roll in half.
12. Wrap the rolls in parchment paper and tie the sides.
13. Put the rolls into salted boiling water; 2/3 of the roll will be submerged. 
14. Cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes. 
15. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let them sit in the water for an additional 10 minutes. 
16. Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove on medium-high heat.
17. Add the elk and whatever spices you like and cook until medium rare.
18. Unwrap the rolls, slice into sections and serve warm with the meat!

(Source: Štruklji)

ŠTRUKLJI APPLE DUMPLINGS

2 red apples

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

50 g caster sugar

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp raisins

1 large sheet of gluten free puff pastry

260 g cottage cheese

1 egg

Icing sugar, to serve

1.  Peel and core the apples, and cut the flesh into fairly small dice. 
2. Add to a small saucepan with the lemon juice, sugar, spices and raisins and cook for around 5 minutes over a medium heat, until fairly soft.
3. Meanwhile, roll out the puff pastry until it is about 12x14 inches and about 1/8 inch thick.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese and egg, and mix well.
5. Spread the cottage cheese mixture over one half of the pastry, and top with the apple mixture.
6. Starting from one of the short ends of the rectangle (choose the end that you covered with filling), tightly roll the pastry. 
7. Wrap the pastry roll tightly in parchment paper, and tie the ends with string.
8. Place the roll in a large pot of water (it will float), and bring to a boil. 
9. Cook for around 30 minutes, then drain. 
10. When the roll is cool enough to handle, cut the string, and unwrap the parchment paper. 
11. Cut the štruklji into slices, and serve topped with a sprinkle of icing sugar.
12. Enjoy!

(Source: Štruklji Apple Dumplings)

The verdict?  I did not care for the Štruklji at all.  The elk was great!  But neither version of the Štruklji was good. The texture was very doughy (which is what it was supposed to be) and the cottage cheese added a texture and taste that I didn't care for at all.  I did like the taste of the buckwheat - it had a very earthy taste.  But the texture did it in for me.  The apple dumpling Štruklji didn't have much flavor, even with the apples and spices.  However, Handsome Husband liked it and thought the flavors were great.  To each their own, I guess!

     

ME

Taste of Štruklji and Veal (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Štruklji and Veal (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

ME

Taste of Štruklji Apple Dumplings (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Štruklji Apple Dumplings (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Join us in Singapore next time!

Venezuela

 Welcome to Venezuela!  With everything going on in the news, I thought this may be an appropriate time to make their national dish.  So, we took a detour from Slovenia and went here instead!  Venezuela is home to the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, which is Angel Falls (and it looks stunning!).  It is home to the world's largest rodent, the capybara, and has more land dedicated to conservatorship than any other country.  According to Google, the population is 28.5 million people and the capital is Caracas.  Their national dish is...

Pabellón Criollo!

It's a rice and beans meal with some meat.  To go with Pabellón Criollo, we made Chicha, which is similar to Horchata.  Let me tell you, this meal took some time to prep and had a lot of different components!  I had to read and re-read the recipes to get things figured out and then time everything out to make it.  I also made fried plantains to go with it, as I read that this is a common addition to the meal.  Here's what I did:

PABELLON CRILLO

Black Beans

1 small package of black beans

6 C water

2 bay leaves

Sofrito

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp  paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded Beef 

4 lb flank steak

6 C water

1 onion, cut in quarters

1 carrot, chopped

1 bell pepper

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of parsley

Salt, to taste

Sauce of The Beef 

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

14 oz can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tbsp curry

1 tsp paprika

Meat broth (left from boiling the beef)

Chili flakes, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large container, wash the beans very well under running water and discard any beans that float.
2. Put the black beans in a large pot, add the water and the bay leaves, and cook over medium heat for 1 hour and a half or until you see that the beans are soft. 
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sofrito. 
4. Put the sofrito ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed and the consistency of salsa.
5. Place this sauce in a pot with a lid and cook for about fifteen minutes over low heat.
6. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. When the beans have softened, add the sofrito to the beans and cook over low heat for about 30 more minutes so that the broth thickens a bit, add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Place the meat in a large pot.
9. Add the pieces of onion, carrot, celery, the chopped peppers and the bunches of cilantro and parsley to the pot with the meat.
10. Cover with water, cover the pot and cook for 2 hours over medium heat, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. 
11. Remove the meat from the pot and let it rest for about 5 minutes before shredding it. 
12. With the help of two forks, shred the still hot meat into thin and long strands.
13. In a frying pan, brown the onion and garlic in avocado oil until they are translucent.
14. Add cumin, curry, paprika and stir.
15. Add a little of the meat broth.
16. Add the shredded meat, the bell peppers, and the chopped tomato, and mix all the ingredients. 
17. If you see that the meat is a bit dry, add more broth.
18. Let cook covered and over low heat for about 15 minutes so that all the flavors mingle. 
19. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste.
20. Serve with white rice and fried plantains, and enjoy!

(Source: Pabellón Criollo)

CHICHA

1/2 C rice

3 C water

1 C milk

1/2 can condensed milk

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Soak the rice in 1 cup of water from 2 to 12 hours.
2. Rinse the rice and cook it in a pot with 3 cups of water. 
3. Cook it for 40 minutes with the cinnamon stick until the rice is extremely soggy and can’t absorb more water. 
4. Let it chill and remove the cinnamon stick.
5. Blend the rice, milk, condensed milk, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg. 
6. Blend on high speed for 5 minutes. You can add more milk if you feel that the chicha is too thick.
7. Top with extra sweetened condensed milk and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Chicha)

The verdict?  It was OK.  This is one of very few South American dishes that we didn't just love.  The meat was quite chewy, which made it hard and unpleasant to eat.  The flavors were good, but the texture not so much.   I think it would have been better if the meat was barbequed or cooked another way.  Boiling it didn't make it great.  I used the extra meat broth to make the rice - this was a good move!  It was delicious!  I couldn't eat the beans, so Handsome Husband will have to speak to the beans.  I wasn't a fan of the chicha - I don't think that I blended it long enough.  It was quite grainy.  All in all, the meal was OK, but not one we plan to repeat.

The beans -- they were beans. Nothing special and pretty bland, which was disappointing after sampling the sofrita and really liking the vibrant flavors. But even plain beans always manage to be at least a little bit good, so they still get a decent rating.

ME

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 3

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 3

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Another South American country down!  Join us next time (for real) in Slovenia!

Mali

 Welcome to Mali!  Or maybe not, as US citizens are no longer permitted to go to Mali!  Mali is home to the largest mud-brick building in existence - it looks amazing!  Every April, residents reconstruct the walls of this building (a mosque) with mud during a festival.  Mali also houses part of the Sahara Desert.  According to Google, the population of Mali is 21.99 million people and the capital is Bamako.  Their national dish is...

Tiguadege Na!

Literally translated it means, "meat in peanut butter".  It is a peanut butter stew.  Seems to be a theme of Africa...To go with the Tiguadege Na, we just ate rice.  A very simple meal!  Here's what I did:

TIGUADEGE NA

1 lb chicken thighs, in large chunks

1 onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

4 tbsp peanut butter

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

2 tbsp avocado oil

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped

1 large sweet potato, chopped

1 green cabbage, shredded

1 green pepper, diced

1 jalepeno, minced

Chicken stock, enough to cover ingredients (I used about 8 cups)

Pepper and salt, to taste

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and fry the chicken until slightly browned.
2. Set aside and fry the onions, garlic, celery, and bell pepper in the same pot.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, chili, and peanut butter.
4. Cook for a few minutes and then add the chicken stock and chicken pieces.
5. Allow to boil for about 10 minutes then add your veggies, salt and pepper
6. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until veggies and potatoes are tender.
7. Serve with rice, and enjoy!

(Source: Tiguadege Na)

The verdict?  This stew was very much like many of the other peanut butter soups or peanut butter chicken dishes we have had.  However, we really liked the addition of a sweet potato to the dish.  It brought a sweetness that worked very well with the rest of the stew.  If you make this, know that it makes A LOT of stew, and you will probably have leftovers!  All in all, a very pleasant and yummy dish!

ME

Taste of Tiguadege Na (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 2

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Tiguadege Na (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Join us next time in Venezuela!

Paraguay

 Welcome to Paraguay!  We thought it was a good time to do another South American country, and boy were we right!  Well, kinda right.  Some interesting facts about Paraguay: there is a dam called Itaipu Dam that borders Brazil.  This dam produces almost all the power for Paraguay and is owned by both Paraguay and Brazil.  Also, the flag of Paraguay is the only country to have a double-sided flag!  According to Google, the population of Paraguay is around 7 million people, and the capital is Asunción, Their national dish is...

Sopa Paraguaya!

It literally translates to the Soup of Paraguay.  However, the dish is not soup at all! It is actually a cornbread!  That didn't stop us from making soup though...To go with sopa paraguaya, we made Paraguayan Dumpling Soup.  While I was reading recipes from Paraguay, many of them talked about how people of Paraguay use cassava or corn in some form for almost every meal.  Well, we had corn as part of both our dishes!  Here's what we did:

SOPA PARAGUAYA

8 oz corn flour

2 large onions, sliced thinly

4 tbsp avocado oil, divided

4 eggs, yolks and whites separated

1 tsp salt

10 oz. mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 C milk

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small skillet, heat two tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. 
3. Add two sliced onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk four egg yolks with 10 oz cheese and a teaspoon of salt. 
6. Mix in the sautéed onions and one cup of milk. 
7. Add corn flour and whisk until incorporated. 
8. Pour in the remaining milk and mix with a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary.
9. In a separate bowl, beat the four egg whites on high speed until foamy and stiff peak forms. 
10. Fold into the cornmeal mixture.
11. Grease a 9" non-stick round or square baking dish. 
12. Pour in the mixture and bake until golden brown, for 30-35 minutes. 
13. Let cool and slice into wedges or squares.
14. Enjoy!

(Source: Sopa Paraguaya)

PARAGUAYAN DUMPLING SOUP

Dumplings

1/3 C yellow cornmeal

1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C gluten free flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of black pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp minced scallions, white portion only

2 tbsp oil

Soup

2 tbsp oil

1 lb stew meat

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

8 C beef broth, plus as needed

1 onion, finely chopped

4 small carrots, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

1 bay leaf

3 whole cloves

2 or 3 crushed saffron threads

1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

1. Make the dumplings: Combine the cornmeal, Parmesan, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, egg, scallions, and oil in a mixing bowl. 
2. Cover the batter and let it rest at least 45 minutes and up to 3 hours before shaping and cooking the dumplings.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. 
4. Season the stew meat with salt and pepper and add it to the hot oil. 
5. Sear the beef on all sides, turning as necessary, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
6. Add the broth and simmer over low heat until the beef is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. 
7. Remove the beef to a plate and let cool. 
8. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and reserve.
9. Return the soup pot to medium-high heat. 
10. Add the remaining oil and heat over medium-high heat. 
11. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
12. Add the strained broth to the soup pot along with additional broth, if needed, to make 8 cups.
13.  Bring the broth to a simmer and add the bay leaf, cloves, and saffron threads. 
14. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the broth is flavorful, 30 minutes.
15. Trim the cooled beef and cut it into medium dice. 
16. Return the beef to the soup. 
17. To form the dumplings, pinch off small pieces of dough (about 1 teaspoon) and roll them into balls. 
18. Add the dumplings to the soup and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. 
19. Serve immediately in warmed soup bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
20. Enjoy!

(Source: Paraguayan Dumpling Soup)

The verdict?  The soup was really good.  It was a hearty, filling soup.  It was very much like a traditional beef stew, but for some reason had a bit more flavor. The dumplings in the soup were interesting - they were good to start off, but then they just fell apart, and then the texture was a bit odd.  But overall, it was really good!  The sopa paraguaya wasn't great.  That could be because the power went out halfway through cooking, but it tasted more like an egg bake than cornbread.  The flavor profiles were good, but it was just too dense and eggy. Not one we would like to make again.

   

ME

Taste of Sopa Paraguaya (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Sopa Paraguaya (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

ME

Taste of Paraguayan Dumpling Soup (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Paraguayan Dumpling Soup (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Hope you had fun in Paraguay!  Join us next time in Mali!

Georgia

 Welcome to Georgia!  In looking up facts about Georgia, there are many fascinating facts, and the pictures are beautiful!  Facts like it is home to the worlds deepest cave, Veryovkina Cave, which is over 7,000 feet deep! Handsome Husband wants to go into the cave...I do not... Georgia is said to be the second-oldest country to adopt Christianity as it's official religion, second to Armenia.  According to Google, the population is 3.6 million people and the capital is Tbilisi.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Khachapuri!

It is a cheese bread, served with an egg and butter on top.  To go with the Khachapuri, I made Khinkali, which is a Georgian dumpling.  This meal wasn't super difficult to make (OK, the dumplings were tricky...), but took a while.  I had to figure out a different way to make the bread for the Khachapuri, so I went with pizza dough (that was the closest I could find to the ingredients in the original recipe). Here's what I did:

KHACHAPURI

7 g active dried yeast

15 g sugar

340 g warm water, divided

18 g psyllium husk

140 g tapioca starch

120 g millet flour

40 g sorghum flour

8 g salt

3 tbsp avocado oil

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 C Muenster cheese, shredded

1 C Provolone cheese, shredded

1 C Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 C feta cheese, crumbled
3 Eggs

1. In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar, and 160 g warm water.  Set aside for 10-15 minutes, until frothy.
2. In a small separate bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and 180g warm water until a gel is formed.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, and salt.  
4. Add the yeast mixture, psyllium gel, 1 tbsp avocado oil, and apple cider vinegar.
5. Using a stand mixer with the dough hook, knead dough until smooth, about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer the bread to a lightly oiled surface and form into a smooth ball.
7. Rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
8. Divide the risen dough into 2 pieces and shape into a tight ball.
9. Place dough balls on a lightly millet-floured surface and cover with a tea towel and prove for 45 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 
11. In the meantime, combine the cheeses in a bowl and set aside.
12. Roll the dough into an oval shape.
13. Place 1/2 of the cheese in the center of each loaf, leaving about 1/2 inch around the outside.
14. Pinch the ends together and fold the outside of the bread over, leaving the center exposed.
15. Twist each end once.
16. Whisk 1 egg, forming an egg wash. Brush the egg wash onto the dough around the edge of both loaves.
17. Place the bread on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
18. After 15 minutes, crack an egg into the center of each loaf and bake for another 5 - 6 minutes. The white should be almost set and the yolk should be runny.
19. Remove from the oven and top each loaf with 1 tablespoon of butter.
20. Serve warm.
21. To eat, mix the egg yolk into the cheese mixture, being sure to scoop some of the cheese from under the crust.
22. Rip the bread into chunks and dip inside the cheese mixture. Enjoy!

(Source: Kahachapuri and Pizza Dough) 

KHINKALI

Dumplings 

1/3 C sour cream 

1/4 C milk

1 egg

1 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 C brown rice flour

1/4 C cornstarch

1/4 C tapioca starch

2 tbsp potato starch

2 tbsp sweet rice flour

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

 

Filling

1 lb ground pork
1/4 C onion, finely minced
1 garlic clove, minced into a paste with salt
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp fenugreek

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp caraway seeds, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 C beef broth

 

Cooking the Dumplings

Water

4 bay leaves

Generous amount of salt 

 

Serving
Fresh pepper

Pepper flakes

Sour cream 

1. Combine all filling ingredients except the broth in a bowl. 
2. Add broth to the mixture a little at a time and mix with a fork to help it absorb. Set aside.
3. Place the sour cream, egg, milk, and oil into a food processor and mix until completely smooth.
4. Place all dry dumpling ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.  
5. Run the mixer to combine the dry ingredients.
6. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the wet ingredients until the dough has come together and is not too sticky.
7. Place the dough on a large, lightly-floured piece of plastic wrap, and cover with a second piece of plastic wrap.
8. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick. 
9. Using a round cutter, cut the dough into 2-1/2 inch circles. 
10. Roll each disc out into a larger circle, approximately 4 inches in diameter. Roll the edges of the dough to be a bit thinner than the center.
11. Place a tablespoon of filling into the center of each piece of circle. 
12. Crimp or pleat the dough's edge and twist to create a stem to form a dumpling.
13. Put each dumpling on a floured sheet pan and cover with a towel until ready to cook. 
14. When you're about to start your last batch, start boiling a large pot of water with the bay leaves.
15. When the water is boiling and your dumplings are ready to go into the pot, salt the water generously. 
16. Gently lift each khinkali by their bottoms and put them in the boiling water.
17. Cook your khinkali in batches of 6 or 9, depending on how large your pot is.
18. After adding the dumplings to the boiling water, gently use a wooden spoon to ensure they're not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
19. Cook each batch for 8 minutes. Adjust the heat if necessary to ensure a rolling, but not violent boil.
20. Remove the dumplings and set on a plate.
21. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper. If you want a little more heat, you can also serve with crushed red pepper flake. If you want even more deliciousness, serve with crème fraîche or sour cream.
22. Enjoy!

(Source: Khinkali and Dumplings) 

The verdict?  The khachapuri was delicious.  Handsome Husband described it as a cheese pizza with really good cheese.  The egg was tricky to keep on the bread, which made for some laughs.  The cheese was also not as melty as I thought it would be, so it was hard to dip the bread in.  But the pieces that we had with the cheese and egg were delicious.  The dumplings.  Oh, the dumplings.  I didn't get a picture of them, but you're not missing much.  They reminded us greatly of pel meni's.  There was so much dough and so little filling.  I didn't get any "soup" in mine, which was a bit disappointing.  But the filling was good, just LOTS left over!  The recipe for the dumplings said it yielded 7 dumplings - haha!  Needless to say, we have to find another use for the ground pork mixture - we're thinking stuffed peppers?  But, overall, the taste was delicious for this meal overall.

 

ME

Taste of Khachapuri (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Khachapuri (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

 

ME

Taste of Khinkali (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Khinkali (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

Hope you join us next time in Paraguay!  

 

 

Germany

Welcome to Germany!  I've been wanting to do Germany in October, but the last four years haven't allowed me to do that.  This time, we barely made it!  Germany is a bucket list country, and I think that may be the truth for many people.  The country looks beautiful, and the history is fascinating.  According to Google, the population of Germany is 84 million people and the capital is Berlin.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Sauerbraten!

It literally means "sour meat". Sounds appetizing, right?  Along with the sauerbraten, we made Kartoffelpuffer, which is a German potato pancake, Rotkohl, which is a red cabbage slaw, and a German apple cake with streusel topping.  This meal took a while (2 weeks!) to get ready, so if you're going to make it, plan ahead!  Here's what we did:

SAUERBRATEN

Marinade

2 onions, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

1 large leek, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

4 tsp gin

6 whole cloves

10 peppercorns, cracked

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 C red wine

1 1/2 C red wine vinegar

1 C beef broth

 

Roast

3-4 lb pot roast

2 tbsp avocado oil

10 gluten free gingersnap cookies, crushed

1. In a large pot, combine all of the marinade ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, boil for 10 minutes, then cool completely.
3.  Put the pot roast in a freezer bag and pour in the cooled marinade to marinate for 10 days.
4. Remove the roast from the marinade and pat dry using paper towels.
5. Do not discard the marinade!  Keep it for later.
6. In a dutch oven, heat oil over high heat.
7. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides until it is browned, then pour the marinade into the dutch oven with the meat.
8. Bring the liquids to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer.
9. Simmer for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
10. Remove the meat from the dutch oven and set it aside to rest.
11. Meanwhile, strain the marinade, discarding the solids and reserving the liquids.
12. Return the liquids to the dutch oven. 
13. Add the crushed gingersnap cookies to the reserved liquid.
14. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the gravy has thickened.
15. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
16. Slice the sauerbrauten into thin slices and serve with the hot gravy.
17. Enjoy!

(Source: Sauerbraten)

KARTOFFELPUFFER

2 1/2 lbs gold potatoes, peeled and very finely grated (raw)

1 onion, very finely grated

2 eggs

1/2 C gluten free flour (or more if needed)

1 tsp salt (more to taste)

Oil, for frying

1. Thoroughly remove the liquid in the grated potatoes by putting them in a tea towel and wringing out the liquid.
2.  Place the drained grated potatoes in a medium-sized bowl with the grated onions, eggs, flour and salt.
3. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together into a tacky mixture.
4. Heat a few tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat and place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the mixture in the hot pan and flatten into pancakes.
5. Fry on both sides for 3-5 minutes, until they are golden.
6. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Kartoffelpuffer)

ROTKOHL

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

1 head red cabbage, sliced very thin

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 C apple juice

1 tbsp sugar

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

1 tsp gin

1/2 tsp salt

1. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and apples and saute for 7-10 minutes, until soft.
3. Add the cabbage to the onions and apples, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 1 hour until cabbage is soft.
6. Serve warm or cold.
7. Enjoy!

(Source: Rotkohl)

GERMAN APPLE CAKE WITH STRUESEL TOPPING

Shortbread Crust

175 g gluten free flour

50 g sugar

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp salt

145 g butter, cubed and chilled

 

Apple Filling

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

3/4 C unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp cinnamon

 

Streusel Topping

1 C gluten free flour

1/2 C cold butter, cubed

1/2 C sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
3. Add the flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine.
4. Add the butter and pulse until fully incorporated and you get a mixture of smaller breadcrumb-like pieces.
5. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and press to compact it into an even layer.
6. Put it in the fridge until later.
7. In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, and applesauce.
8. Spoon the apple filling in an even layer over the shortbread dough that was in the fridge.
9. In another large bowl, cut the butter into the flour and sugar using a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
10. Squeeze handfuls of streusel topping together to create larger clumps, then sprinkle the streusel over the apple filling.
11. Bake for 45 minutes until lightly golden brown on on top and the apples are soft.
12. Cool completely, and then cut into squares and serve cold.
13. Enjoy!

(Source: German Apple Cake with Streusel Topping and Shortbread Crust)

The verdict?  This was a favorite, for sure. Handsome Husband declared that the gravy for the sauerbraten was the best brown gravy he had ever had!  We will be doing this roast again.  The original recipe called for juniper berries instead of gin, so I will try those next time.  I just couldn't find them in time.  I also couldn't find gluten free gingersnap cookies, so I also made those on my own.  We did have to plan ahead in order to marinate it for 10 days, but I think it was worth it.  That meat was so tender!  I subbed the juniper berries for gin in the rotkohl as well, and it worked well.  I liked the rotkohl, but didn't care for the mushy apples in it.  The textures were strange together.  The kartoffelpuffer were not anything special - typical potato pancake, but they were very good with the gravy.  It almost gave it an apple taste.  We were disappointed in the apple cake.  Usually apples, cinnamon and sugar go great together, but it just wasn't great.  That said, we were compelled to eat it.  Go figure!  We ended up tossing the leftovers.  The sauerbraten was the winner of this meal!

 

 

ME

Taste of Sauerbraten (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Sauerbraten (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 10

 

ME

Taste of Kartoffelpuffer (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kartoffelpuffer (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

ME

Taste of Rotkohl (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Rotkohl (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

ME

Taste of German apple cake with streusel topping (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of German apple cake with streusel topping (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

Join us next time in Georgia!