Monaco

 Welcome to Monaco!  In 2014, 30% of the population were millionaires!  Monaco's defense is the responsibility of France, and Casino Monte Carlo was established in 1863.  If you are a native of Monaco, you are not allowed to gamble at the Monte Carlo!  Fascinating.  There ae so many interesting facts about this country - it was great to research!  You'll have to look it up yourself for more.  According to Google, the population is 38,000 people and the capital is Monaco (it is a city-state and has no designated capital city).  Their national dish is...

Barbajuan!

It is a greens and cheese filled crispy pastry.  Which, if you make gluten free, is not easy.  So, because I am a glutton for punishment, I decided to look for a dessert to make too.  I found something called Fraise Millefeuille, which is a strawberries and cream dessert.  It was said to be Prince Albert's favorite dessert.  What could possibly go wrong with strawberries and cream?!  Here's what we did:

BARBAJUAN

Pastry

1 2/3 C gluten free flour

Pinch of salt

3 tbsp + 1 tsp avocado oil

1 egg, separated

3 tbsp + 1 tsp water

Oil, for frying

Filling

1 tbsp avocado oil

1/4 C finely chopped onion

1/4 C finely chopped leek (white part only)

2 Swiss chard leaves (green parts only), shredded and chopped

2 C chopped fresh spinach

Pinch of dried oregano, crumbled

1/4 C ricotta cheese

1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg yolk, beaten

1. For the pastry
2. 1.  In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, avocado oil, and the egg white.  
3. 2.  Add just enough water to bring the pastry together as a firm dough.
4. 3.  Turn this out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
5. 4.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. For the filling
7. 5.  Heat the avocado oil in a shallow pan over medium heat and add the onion and leek and fry until golden.
8. 6.  Add the chard, spinach and oregano and fry until the chard is tender.
9. 7.  Transfer the contents of the skillet to a bowl and then mix in the cheeses and the egg yolk from the pastry.
10. 8.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
11. Putting it together
12. 9.  Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about 2mm thick.
13. 10. Use a large cup and cut into as many rounds as you can.
14. 11. Gather the scraps, re-roll out and cut again. You should end up with about 20 circles.
15. 12. Place 1 tsp of the filling in the center of each pastry round and brush the edges with water.
16. 13. Fold the dough over to form a semi-circle and press the edges with the ends of a fork to seal.
17. 14. As you complete each pastry, transfer to a baking tray lined with foil.
18. To Cook
19. 15. Pour oil into a deep pan and heat to fry.
20. 16. Working in batches, add the pasties to the oil and fry until brown and crisp.
21. 17. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towels using a slotted spoon.
22. 18. Enjoy!

(Source: Barbajuan)

FRAISE MILLEFEUILLE

2 C milk

3/4 C sugar

4 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 tbsp corn flour

1/4 C butter

2/3 C whipping cream

Other needed ingredients

1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

3 gluten free puff pastry sheets

1/2 C white frosting recipe follows:

White Frosting

1 C milk

1/4 C gluten free flour

1 C butter

1 C white sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

1. 1.  Add vanilla to a pot along with the milk and 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar. 
2. 2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. 
3. 3.  Meanwhile, beat together the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl. 
4. 4.  Whisk corn flour into egg mixture. 
5. 5.  Remove milk from heat and add the egg mixture, whisking constantly and return to low heat. 
6. 6.  Cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes. 
7. 7.  Pour mixture into a bowl and add the butter one small cube at a time. 
8. 8.  When butter has been incorporated, set aside to cool. Stir occasionally so mixture cools and thickens evenly.
9. 9.  Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. 
10. 10. Roll out puff pastry into three sheets. 
11. 11.  Layer with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill for at least thirty minutes. 
12. 12. Layer each pastry sheet on parchment paper and set on baking trays. 
13. 13. Place in oven and bake for thirty-five minutes. 
14. 14. When pastry rises and turns golden, remove from oven. 
15. 15. Set a plate on top of each pastry sheet and set aside to cool.
16. 16. In the small saucepan containing the milk mixture, add flour. 
17. 17. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. 
18. 18. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 
19. 19. When milk mixture is cool, add butter, sugar and vanilla. 
20. 20. Beat with an electric mixer for ten to twelve minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl occasionally. 
21. 21. Refrigerate frosting about thirty minutes before using.
22. 22. After pastries have cooled, spread frosting on smoothest side of each pastry sheet. 
23. 23. Place in a preheated 425-degrees F oven. 
24. 24. Bake for about four minutes, or until lightly caramelized. 
25. 25. Allow the pastry to cool, then proceed to assemble the cake. 
26. 26. Whip the cream and fold through the custard mix.
27. 27. Place a sheet of pastry on a serving plate and add layer of cream. 
28. 28. Add a layer of strawberries. 
29. 29. Repeat layering until three sheets of pastry have been assembled. 
30. 30. Slice and enjoy!

(Source: Fraise Millefeuille)

The verdict?  This was a hard one.  The barbajuan did not turn out well at all.  The pastry was hard and very bland.  I didn't add xanthan gum, which would have helped.  I also probably didn't roll it out thin enough.  The pastry filling was tasty, and there wasn't a lot of it leftover, like there usually is with fillings.  I think the filling would have been a tasty pasta topping or a lasagna filling!  The fraise millefeuille was a disappointment too.  The puff pastry sheets worked great, but the icing never caramelized and the custard did not set in a way that we could add it to the cake.  It was incredibly runny.  So, we didn't add that part to the cake, and instead just added whipped cream and strawberries.  It was very tasty - we enjoyed it!  It was strange to put flour in the frosting, but it ended up working just fine!  We turned the custard mixture into ice cream the next night.  It was good, but the corn flour gave it a bit of a gritty taste.  So, my thought is that if we made it again as ice cream, leave out the corn flour!  Overall, we were disappointed in this country's meal, but it wasn't a total loss!

    

ME

Taste of Barbajuan (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 Barbajuan (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

ME

Taste of Fraise Millefeuille (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

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Fraise Millefeuille (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

Join us next time in Guiena!

Grenada

 Welcome to Grenada!  A neighbor to our last country, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Grenada is another country in the Caribbean.  It is known as the "Island of Spice", and exports many spices.  It is the second largest producer of Nutmeg (second to Indonesia!).  Grenada is also home to the first underwater sculpture museum - interesting!  According to Google, Grenada has a population of 117,000 people and the capital is St. George.  Their national dish is...

Oil Down!

Sounds appetizing, right?  I have to admit, I wasn't too excited to try this meal.  I found a couple other dishes to make too: Nutmeg Chicken and Nutmeg Ice Cream!  Since I had leftover breadfruit from St. Vincent and Grenadines, and Oil Down has breadfruit, I figured why not.  We did this country over two days, and I'm glad we did!  The ice cream took a little bit of planning ahead, but the chicken and Oil Down were quick, easy meals.  Here's what I did:

OIL DOWN

1 breadfruit

1 whole hot green pepper (I used Ancho)

1 tsp thyme

1/2 oz saffron

2 tbsp curry powder

12 oz salted meat (I used spam)

6 C coconut milk

4 C spinach

Salt, to taste

1. 1. Cut the breadfruit into slices about 1 1/2 inches thick
2. 2. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and place them in the bottom of a large pot
3. 3. Arrange the breadfruit over the meat
4. 4. Add the seasonings and coconut milk
5. 5. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil
6. 6. Add spinach to the pot.
7. 7. Cook until the breadfruit is tender and the liquid has mostly absorbed (about 30 minutes)
8. 8. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Oil Down)

NUTMEG CHICKEN

Nutmeg syrup

1/3 C sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 C gluten free soy sauce

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp chili flakes

1 C water

1/2 tbsp tapioca starch

Chicken

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 lb chicken thighs

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1. 1. Place the chicken in a medium sized bowl and season with the poultry seasoning, salt, thyme and back pepper, and set aside
2. 2. Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and chili flakes in a saucepan
3. 3. Mix the gluten free soy sauce, maple syrup, water and tapioca starch together then pour it into the saucepan
4. 4. Bring the saucepan to a boil, and reduce to a simmer while stirring for 5 minutes; then set aside
5. 5. Meanwhile heat the oil on medium heat
6. 6. Proceed to sauté the garlic and onion until soft and translucent
7. 7. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and proceed to cook the chicken until just white (it won't be cooked all the way.  Also, make sure there is no water or liquid in the pan before the next step)
8. 8. Pour the nutmeg syrup all over the chicken and bring to a rolling boil
9. 9. Reduce the flame to medium-low, cover the pan with lid and occasionally baste the chicken throughout the 20-25 minute cooking time
10. 10. If you are left with excess liquid and want the syrup to adhere to the chicken increase heat to high and allow the liquid to evaporate and stick to the chicken (be careful not to burn the chicken)
11. 11. Enjoy with rice!

(Source: Nutmeg Chicken)

NUTMEG ICE CREAM

1 1/2 C milk

1 1/2 C heavy cream

3 eggs

3/4 C sugar

1 tbsp fresh nutmeg; grated (about 1 whole nutmeg)

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1. 1. In a saucepan bring the milk and the cream to almost boiling - do not let it boil - then turn off the heat
2. 2. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla
3. 3. Whisk 1/2 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, and whisk that mixture into the remaining milk mixture
4. 4. Cook the custard over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it registers 175 F on a candy thermometer
5. 5. Transfer the custard to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir it until it is cold
6. 6. Freeze the custard in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions
7. 7. Enjoy

(Source: Nutmeg Ice Cream)

The verdict?  So many thoughts on this one.  Let's start with Oil Down.  I didn't think this meal was anything special at first.  It was OK to eat, but nothing to write home about.  But then we hit the sauce.  The sauce was GOOD.  It was delicious on the breadfruit.  We didn't taste the spam in the dish at all.  If I were to make it again, I would cut the breadfruit into smaller, bite-sized pieces, and make more sauce (double the recipe, except for the breadfruit, spinach, and salt meat).  The more we ate the dish, the better we liked it.  The nutmeg chicken was delicious.  I didn't know what to expect with it, but it was so good.  It was a warming meal - like something you would eat in the fall or winter.  When I make it again, I won't put as much sugar in - I would probably only do half the sugar it calls for.  I would also chunk the meat instead of leaving it whole.  The ice cream was interesting.  It really reminded me of the Christmas cookies that my sister makes each Christmas - it was good!  Rich, but good.  

 

ME

Taste of Oil Down (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 Oil Down (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

ME

Taste of Nutmeg Chicken (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): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Nutmeg Chicken (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 8

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

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

ME

Taste of Nutmeg Ice Cream (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 Nutmeg Ice Cream (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 enjoyed Grenada!  Join us next time in a mystery country!

Algeria

 Welcome to Algeria!  Algeria is the largest country in Africa, and the tenth-largest country in the world!  It is also home to the Sahara Desert, which covers 4/5 of the land mass of Algeria!  Their national animal is the Fennec fox, which is the smallest fox in the world, but has 6-inch ears!  They are pretty cute!  According to Google, the population of Algeria is 47.74 million people and the capital is Algiers.  Their national dish is...

Couscous!

I'm seeing a theme with African nations...Their national dish is usually something to do with cornmeal and water, peanuts, stew, or couscous!  Sadly, I couldn't eat the couscous, but Handsome Husband could!  To go along with the couscous, I made a chicken stew and Maaqouda, which is like a potato dumpling.  In looking at the recipes, it didn't look like it would take us much time to cook.  But there were a lot of things I was keeping track of!  Here's what I did:

ALGERIAN CHICKEN COUSCOUS

1 C couscous

4 chicken thighs

2 potatoes, quartered

1 carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes, liquid included

Small bunch parsley, chopped

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp saffron

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp avocado oil

1. Place a large pot on medium heat and melt butter. 
2. Add chicken, chopped onion, saffron, ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper to the pot.
3. Cook to brown the chicken and mix everything together.
4. Add the tomatoes and parsley to the pot. 
5. Cover with hot water and cook for 10 min.
6. Place the couscous in a shallow dish and add 1/2 tsp of salt and 1tbsp of avocado oil. 
7. Mix it with your fingers. You want to make sure all the grains are nicely coated. 
8. Transfer potatoes and carrots into the pot with chicken and boil for another 20 min or until cooked.
9. Cook the couscous in a separate pot according to the directions (mine said to boil water, put the couscous in the water, and let it stand for 5 minutes). 
10. Serve couscous in a deep-dish plate, add chicken and veggies on top. Pour as much sauce as you like. 
11. Enjoy!

(Source: Algerian Chicken Couscous)

MAAQOUDA

1 lb potatoes

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp gluten free breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cumin

Gluten free flour (for coating)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Oil for frying

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender.
2. When the potatoes are cooked, drain and mash them. 
3. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, cumin, turmeric, parsley, beaten egg, salt and pepper. 
4. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients. If the mixture is too firm, add some breadcrumbs.
5. Shape 2-inch diameter patties.
6. In a large saucepan, heat enough oil for deep frying to 350F.
7. Drench maaqouda in flour to cover both sides. 
8. Remove excess flour and deep fry on one side, then the other. 
9. Drain on paper towels and serve with freshly squeezed lemon.
10. Enjoy!

(Source: Maaqouda)

The verdict?  Well, first of all, I forgot to take a picture - oops! The chicken stew needed salt - I would double it next time.  The flavors and spices were similar to those of Morocco; this makes sense, since Algeria borders Morocco!  It smelled amazing as it was cooking.  I thought that it would be tricky to cut the chicken while it was in the stew, but it just shredded beautifully.  We ate the stew and chicken with some homemade bread - delicious!  The maaqiudas were really good as well, and it wasn't as labor-intensive as several other frying recipes have been.  I don't think it needed the flour coating - I think it would have been fine with no coating.  They had really good flavor, and were tasty with the lemon squeezed on them!  Handsome Husband will have to tell you about the couscous.

The couscous was quite tasty, and very fluffy.  I was surprised by the light texture of it, even after it had soaked up some of the sauce... and the couscous and sauce was a great combination, they blended very well. It also made a great base for the chicken and veggies.

ME

Taste of Algerian Chicken Couscous (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 Algerian Chicken Couscous (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 Maaqouda (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 Maaqouda (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

Join us next time in Indonesia! 

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!

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!  

 

 

Senegal

 Welcome to Senegal!  When I was living in Alaska, our church had a strong connection with Senegal, and I loved the stories coming from that country.  So to do the national dish made me so happy!  Senegal is the most western point in Africa, and surrounds Gambia on three sides.  According to Google, the population of Senegal is 18.5 million people and the capital is Dakar.  Their national dish is....

 

 

Thiéboudienne!

Senegal has a strong French influence, and I'm not sure I could pronounce this dish.  It is fish and veggies and rice.  It looked so pretty in the pictures, and we looked forward to making it.  Trouble was we couldn't find a whole white fish.  So, we used fillets.  If you want to make a true Thiéboudienne, find a whole white fish.  Here's what we did:

 THIEBOUDIENNE

1 1/2 lbs white, firm-fleshed fish
1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 C parsley and basil, chopped

1 C green onions, chopped

5 cloves garlic

1 habanero pepper
1/2 lb potatoes 

1/2 lb cassava

1 onion, chopped
1 lb vegetables (carrots, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, eggplant, etc.)
1/2 small head cabbage
1/2 lb okra

15 oz tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp bouillon powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 oz smoked fish (I used salmon)
3 C chicken broth
1 1/2 C uncooked short-grain rice

1. Wash the fish carefully, drain, and pat dry with paper towels or a clean towel. 
2. Score or slit the fish 4-5 times on a slant across each side. 
3. Rub the fish with lemon, salt it, and set aside.
4. In a food processor or blender, puree chopped parsley and basil, green onions, garlic, and habanero pepper.
5. Douse fish in one portion of the parsley marinade, making sure that both sides are coated with the marinade, including the inside of the slashes. 
6. Let the fish sit covered in the refrigerator as you prepare the vegetables for the dish.
7. Wash and peel the potatoes and cassava and cut them into large chunks. 
8. Clean vegetables, cabbage, and okra, and cut them into large chunks.
9. Heat a Dutch oven or a wide heavy saucepan until hot; add 1 cup of oil, swirl and heat for a few seconds, then lower in the fish and fry until fish is brown, around 3 minutes. 
10. Turn the fish around and brown it for two minutes on the other side. 
11. Remove the fish and set aside.
12. Add the chopped onions to the oil, and cook for about 2 minutes. 
13. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and 2 tbsp of the fish marinade. 
14. Let it cook for about 8 minutes.
15. Add bouillon and pepper to taste. 
16. Let it simmer for about five minutes. 
17. Add in the smoked fish and cook for another 5 minutes.
18. Add 3 cups of water, then the cassava and potatoes. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, followed by adding the vegetables, cabbage, and okra. 
19. Simmer for about 3 minutes.
20. Add the fried fish and let it simmer with the vegetables for about 3 minutes. 
21. Carefully remove the fish and vegetables and set them aside, leaving the tomato sauce in the pot.
22. While the vegetables are cooking, wash your rice. 
23. Add two tablespoons of oil and the washed rice to a new pot.
24. Stir the rice for 1-2 minutes until fully coated in oil. 
25. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and close with the lid to prevent the steam from escaping.
26. Let the rice steam for 5 minutes.
27. Add the steamed rice to the tomato sauce in the dutch oven, and 1-2 cups of water as needed. 
28. Adjust seasonings to taste, then cover and cook on very low heat on the stove top, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or a little more, or until the rice is cooked, has absorbed the water, and is tender.
29. When the rice is ready, serve it warm with the reserved vegetables and fish.
30. Enjoy!

(Source: Thieboudienne)

 

The verdict?  It wasn't bad!  The marinade on the fish was really good - we may use it again!  The veggies and rice had a strong smoked fish flavor, which was a bit odd.  The veggies weren't cooked through, which made the cassava, potatoes and carrots strange to eat. However when eaten all together, the dish was good!  My Dad loved the leftovers - ate them right up! 

 

 

 

ME

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

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

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

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

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

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

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

 

Join us in the Maldives next!  Hopefully you will join us! 

 

 

Vanuatu

 Welcome to Vanuatu!  The pictures of this country look amazing...and hot...It looks incredible.  Vanuatu is located in the South Pacific, and is a country made of 83 different islands.  There is a lot of volcanic activity in these islands, great snorkeling, and what looks to be a relaxing destination.  According to Google, the population of Vanuatu is 327,777 people and the capital is Port Vila.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Lap Lap!

Lap Lap is a meal that is made in banana leaves and steamed.  It has many different types (chicken, veggie, fish, etc) and is full of veggies.  To go with the lap lap, I made coconut sweet potato soup with spicy shrimp and mango ice cream. We invited some Fantastic Friends for a meal, and had a great time.  Here's what I did:

LAP LAP

Lap Lap 

2 large banana leaves
3 cups coconut milk

2 cassava roots, peeled and grated

2 taro roots, peeled and grated
4 plantains, peeled and grated
Salt to taste

2 C spinach

 

Chicken

1 large banana leaf 

8 chicken thighs
Juice of 1 lime
Avocado oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1.5 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds
1 jalapeño
2 cloves garlic

Sauce

5 cloves garlic
2 tbsp thinly sliced ginger
Juice and zest of 2 small limes
1 tbsp flour
200 ml coconut milk
2 spring onion, finely sliced
Salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 356 F.
2. Lay one banana leaf in a casserole dish.
3. Cover banana leaf and casserole dish with grated cassava root, taro root, and plantains (keep them in separate piles) and pour 100ml of coconut milk over the piles. 
4. Season heavily with salt and pepper. 
5. Place the spinach on top of the cassava, taro and plantains.
6. Pour 100ml of coconut milk over everything again, and cover with another banana leaf and cover with foil.
7. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl.
8. Grind spices in a mortar & pestle then add chili and garlic and grind together to form paste.
9. Add lime juice and oil to the paste then pour over and coat chicken pieces completely (I had to use my hands to mix the chicken and the marinade).
10. Place chicken in a roasting dish, on top of a banana leaf.
11. Put both the lap lap and chicken in the oven to roast for 40 minutes. 
12. After 40 minutes remove the foil and top banana leaf off the lap lap and roast for a further 20 minutes.
13. Remove the chicken when it is cooked through.
14. To make the sauce, place a tablespoon of oil in a pan with the ginger and garlic over a low heat.
15. Cook for several minutes then add the flour to form a paste and cook for a few more minutes.
16. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and zest and spring onions and cook for 10 minutes over a low heat.
17. Season with salt and pepper.
18. To serve, dish up a little bit of everything, and put the sauce over the chicken.
19. Enjoy!

(Source: Lap Lap and Lap Lap)

 

COCONUT SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH SPICY SHRIMP

Spice Mix
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp coriander
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

For The Soup
1 tsp avocado oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 C chicken broth

3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

13 1/2-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh spinach, for garnish

1 1/2 lb shrimp

1. Mix spices in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. 
3. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until translucent. 
4. Add sweet potatoes and broth, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. 
5. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
6. Puree the soup using an immersion blender. 
7. Once the soup is pureed and in the pot, add the coconut milk, lime juice, salt and cayenne. 
8. Stir to combine. 
9. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
10. Set aside, covered, while you cook the shrimp.
11. Put shrimp in a mixing bowl, pour the spice on top and toss to coat. 
12. Skewer the shrimp on to kabobs.
13. Grill over high heat for 2 minutes per side.
14. Heat the soup gently, if need be, until it's hot. 
15. Ladle soup into shallow bowls. 
16. Place 3-4 shrimp in each bowl and add a small pile of shredded spinach to the center of each bowl. 
17. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Coconut Sweet Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp) 

 

MANGO ICE CREAM

2 C mango pulp

6 oz mango, diced

1 1/2 C sugar

1 C milk

1 1/2 C evaporated milk

4 eggs

3 tbsp lime juice

1. Place the mixing drum of your ice cream maker in the freezer until ready to make the ice cream. 
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add milk, evaporated milk, and lime juice until well combined.
4. Slowly fold in the mango pulp and diced mango. 
5. Refrigerate overnight.
6. About 40 minutes before you are ready for your ice cream, put the ice cream mixture into the frozen drum of the ice cream maker.
7. Follow the instructions for your ice cream maker and make the ice cream.
8. Enjoy!

 (Source: Mango Ice Cream)

 

The verdict?  This meal was OK.  I had higher hopes for it.  The lap lap was very bland - we found ourselves salting it quite a bit.  We also found that parts of it were cooked very well and had a lot of flavor from the coconut milk, and other parts of it were very dry.  I think If I were to make it again, I would add more coconut milk.  The chicken was interesting.  Again, it didn't really have very much flavor.  The sauce on the chicken didn't seem to fit.  I wouldn't bother making the sauce.  The soup was very good, but eating it on a warm day seemed wrong.  It had really good flavor!  The shrimp was spicy, but fit really nicely with the coconut and sweet potato flavors.  The ice cream was very good.  I think in the future, having a creamy mango ice cream would be better than the pulp and diced mangoes that make it a very chunky ice cream, but the flavors were very good.

 

      

 

 

ME

Taste of Lap Lap (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 Lap Lap (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

 

ME

Taste of Coconut Sweet Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 3

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

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Coconut Sweet Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp (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): 6

 

ME

Taste of Mango Ice Cream (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 Mango Ice Cream (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

 

Stay tuned for Senegal, our next country!

 

 

Ghana

 Welcome to Ghana!  My Courageous Coworker currently has an exchange student from Ghana, so I thought it would be fun to make this meal.  Then, come to find out, that my massage therapist's wife is from Ghana!  So we spent my 90 minute massage talking about food - I left hungry...Haha!  According to Google, the population of Ghana is 33.79 million people and the capital is Accra.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Fufu!

Sound familiar?  However, in looking at recipes, this fufu was different from other fufu's that I have made.  To go with the fufu I made peanut soup.  We've also had peanut soup before (thank you Africa!) and I remember it being so strange to make, but actually very good.  Fufu is an interesting thing, as you eat it with your hands and dip it in the soup.  Who doesn't like eating soup with their hands?!  Anyway, this was a simple meal - here's what I did:

FUFU

4 un-ripened plantains
1 lb cassava
1 1/2 C + 3Tbsp water, divided

1. Peel the plantain and cut it into cubes. 
2. Peel and scrape the cassava, de-string it and also cut into cubes.
3. Place the cassava and plantain into the blender.
4. Add 1 1/2 C water and blend the ingredients into a smooth paste.
5. Heat the paste in a saucepan over medium heat. 
6. Stir constantly with a wooden spatula for 8 to 10 minutes to remove any lumps.
7. Add 3 tbsp of water to the mixture.
8. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a lid and steam for another 8 to 10 minutes.
9. Increase the heat to medium setting and stir. The fufu might look too soft, but it will become firmer as it cools down.
10. Transfer the fufu into a bowl and sprinkle one teaspoon of water on the surface to prevent forming a film. Let it cool completely.
11. Enjoy with stew!

(Source: Fufu) 

 

PEANUT SOUP

1 chicken, deconstructed
1 tbsp of peanut oil
3 sprigs of thyme
2 onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 habanero pepper, chopped
Juice of  half a lemon
1 C of smooth peanut butter
1 small can of tomato paste
2 C chicken stock
1-2 C water

Salt

1. Chop chicken into large chunks. 
2. Heat a large frying pan to medium high. 
3. Place thyme in a big pot. 
4. Quarter and slice one of the onions.
5. Add a tablespoon of oil to the frying pan and fry the chicken, skin side only, until the skin is golden and crispy.  
6. Once skin is golden and crispy, add to the big pot with the thyme. 
7. When all the chicken has been fried, add and fry the sliced onion. 
8. Add the onion to the pot. 
9. Add 1 C of the stock, bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
10. Chop up the other onion roughly and blend with the ginger, garlic, habanero, lemon juice and the rest of the stock. 
11. Add this to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
12. Add the peanut butter, tomato purée and 1 C of water and simmer for 40 minutes.
13. Serve with fufu and enjoy!

(Source: Peanut Soup) 

 

The verdict?  This was good!  I didn't think I was going to like the fufu, because I don't like plantains.  But I really couldn't taste the plantains, and the fufu helped mellow out the spice of the soup.  It was quite spicy!  I've always thought that peanut butter and chicken are such an odd combination, but it really does work.  I've always enjoyed it when I eat it.  The soup was spicy, so if you don't have fufu to eat with it, I would make some rice to help mellow it out.  Overall, though, a very good dish!

 

      

 

ME

Taste of Fufu (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 Fufu (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

 

ME

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

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 5

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

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

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

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 4

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

 

Join us next time in Vanuatu!

 

 

East Timor or Timore-Leste

 Welcome to East Timor or Timor-Leste!  I've seen these two names interchanged on many different sites.  One map says "East Timor" and the other says "Timor-Leste" so I don't know what the actual name of the country is!  Admittedly, I don't know anything about this country (considering this whole time I was sure it was part of Africa...) so I had to do some research. This country has strong Portuguese roots and has a history of turmoil.  If you want to read more, I found information here.  According to Google, the population is 1.38 million people and the capital is Dili. Their national dish is...

 

 

Ikan Pepes!

It is fish in a curry sauce.  To go with ikan pepes, we made Batar Da'an, which is a corn/lental/squash dish.  This was all served over rice.  As I was preparing the meal, I had my doubts about the curry sauce - it had some unique flavor profiles added!  But, up for an adventure, we set off to make the meal.  Here's what we did:

IKAN PEPES

2 lb rock fish fillets (if you can find a whole fish, even better)
Banana leaves

Curry paste
1 tbsp tamarind pulp, soaked 5 minutes
2 tbsp warm water
6 aneheim peppers, chopped
1 stem lemongrass, only the inner part of the bottom, thinly sliced
5 macadamia nuts
1 small ripe tomato
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried shrimp paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 C loosely packed basil leaves

Fish marinade:
1 lime sliced in half
1 teaspoon salt

1. Marinate the fish with salt and lime rubbed into the surface.
2. Grind all of the curry ingredients in a processor till they are smooth (about 2 minutes).
3. Place about 1/3 of the curry in the bottom of the sheet of banana leaf.
4. Place the first filet on the curry sauce on the banana leaf.
5. Rub about 1/3 of the curry onto the fish.
6. Place second filet on top. 
7. Ladle the remaining 1/3 of the curry over the fish and seal up the banana leaf “packet”.
8. Use string as necessary to seal the packet.
9. Steam for 20 minutes.
10. Unwrap the packet and serve over rice with chopped basil.

(Source: Ikan Pepes) 

 

BATAR DA'AN

1 lb corn (fresh or frozen)
⅔ lb dried mung beans
2 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
4 C water
2 onions, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. The night before, soak the mung beans in water for at least 10 hours.
2. Drain the mung beans.
3. Boil them for 10 to 15 minutes in a large amount of water.
4. Meanwhile, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 6-8 minutes in a separate pan.
5. Add water, squash, beans and corn to the onion and garlic.
6. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and the liquid is reduced to a minimum.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice.

(Source: Batar Da'an) 

 

The verdict?  I was not a fan of the fish. The curry sauce had too many strange flavors that were competing for my taste buds.  I think the combination of the shrimp paste and the tamarind did me in.  The fish itself was good, but I did not care for the way it was  prepared.  The batar da'an was OK - it wasn't anything special.  However, the more I ate it, the more I enjoyed it.  The meal itself felt very carb-heavy with nothing fresh to balance it.  I'm sure there are plenty of recipes that could rectify that though... Overall, not my favorite meal, but not terrible!

 

 

 

ME

Taste of Ikan Pepes (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

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

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

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

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

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

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

 

ME

Taste of Batar Da'an (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 Batar Da'an (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

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

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

 

Thanks for joining us!  Next time we visit Bahrain!