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!

 

 

Cyprus

 Welcome to Cyprus!  This looks like a fun place to visit - maybe one day!  It has some history with Greek mythology, has some beautiful mountains, beaches and trees (at least from the pictures...).  According to Google, the population of Cyprus is 1.3 million people and the capital is Nicosia.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Magarına Bulli!

It is a chicken and pasta dish with cheese.  I didn't think there was much to this meal, and there really wasn't.  To go with the magarina bulli, we made Monugra, which is a fermented cauliflower.  Believe me, I had my doubts.  We had to start a week and a half ahead while making this meal, since the cauliflower needed time to ferment. When making the magarina bulli, the recipe made me laugh - you have to go read it - he did a great job!  Here's what I did:

MAGARINA BULLI

1 whole chicken
2 lemons
1/2 block of halloumi, grated
1 box gluten-free penne pasta

Chicken broth, to cook the pasta in
A handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped

A handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 onion, quartered
2 cloves of garlic
2 springs fresh rosemary
Salt, pepper, paprika, to taste
Glug of olive oil

1. Roughly chop a whole onion and two cloves of garlic. 
2. Place half of this into the cavity of the bird, filling it firmly. 
3. Slice the lemon in half and use that as a cork for the large hole. 
4. Place the remainder of the onion and garlic in the bottom of the roasting pan. 
5. Oil your bird then season with salt, pepper and paprika. 
6. Tuck the rosemary springs down by his legs or into the neck cavity. 
7. Put the chicken in an oven heated to 356 degrees for about an hour and fifteen minutes or until the juices run clear when you test the meat.
8. Allow the chicken to rest once it is taken out of the oven.
9. Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add pasta. 
10. Cook the pasta until tender, but not too soft.
11. Dish up your pasta, retaining the stock-infused cooking water, of which you should add a splash to each dish for flavor. 
12. Sprinkle the grated halloumi across the pasta and top with your carved chicken. 
13. Pile on your fresh mint and parsley and dress with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
14. Enjoy!

(Source:  Magarına Bulli)

MONUGRA

2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 C warm water
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 cauliflower

8 cups water
3 tbsp white mustard seeds

1/4 C red wine vinegar
Salt

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water.
2. Add remaining water, flour and 1 tsp of salt in a large glass mixing bowl. 
3. Stir until combined and smooth.
4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave for 3 days to ferment.
5. Cut cauliflower into florets.
6. Half fill a large pot with water and add 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil.
7. Add the cauliflower, return to a boil then take cauliflower out with a slotted spoon. 
8. Place immediately into a bowl of cold water and drain in colander. 
9. Separately, bring 8 cups of water to a boil.
10. Let the water cool a little then gradually pour in the fermented dough, stirring well to form a thin milky liquid.
11. Add red wine vinegar to liquid and stir.
12. Pound mustard seeds in a mortar just enough to crack them. 
13. Sprinkle a little in the base of a large sterilized glass jar.
14. Place some cauliflower florets in the jar and sprinkle more mustard seeds. 
15. Repeat till all the cauliflower and mustard seeds are used.
16. Pour milky liquid over contents, covering cauliflower completely. 
17. Cover with lid or plastic wrap.
18. Each day for 8 days, turn cauliflower with your hand while stirring the milky liquid.
19. When you serve, drizzle good quality olive oil and a dash of salt.

(Source: Monugra) 

The verdict?  There really wasn't anything special about this dish.  We enjoyed the mint in the pasta, but other than that, it was just pasta and chicken.  The penne were hard to eat as a whole - I think a smaller pasta would be better for this meal.  I was not a fan (at all) of the monugra.   It did not taste good at all.  Handsome Husband said he would eat it, but I would not recommend making it.  Not a hard dish to make, but nothing super about it either.

      

ME

Taste of Magarına Bulli (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 Magarına Bulli (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 Moungra (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 1

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 Moungra (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

 

We are trucking through these countries!  Join us next time in Croatia! 

 

Chile

 Welcome to Chile!  We did take a detour on our way to Guinea-Bissau, but we are back in South America, where we love the food!  Chile's highest mountain is over 22,000 feet tall, and is only the second-tallest mountain in South America!  It is the southern-most country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica (bucket list!).  It also has the highest volcano on earth.  Chile sounds like it's got a bit of everything, and a place to go visit!  According to Google, the population of Chile is 19.66 million people and the capital is Santiago.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Cazuela!

It is a stew with a little bit of everything.  Another source said that Curanto was the national dish. Curanto is almost like a Spanish paella without the rice.  What do you do when you find two recipes to make?  Make them both! So that's what we did.  It was great to share this meal with the whole family - there were lots of folks to help eat it all!  Here's what I did:

CAZUELA

4 short beef ribs
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 bell pepper, cut into quarters
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
One celery stalk, chopped

2 carrots, chopped
2 ears of corn, cut into thirds
6 small red potatoes, peeled
4 handfuls of rice
1 butternut squash, chunked
5-6 cups boiling water

1. Fry meat in the oil, brown all sides.
2. Add the onion, oregano, and cumin, and fry until brown.
3. Add all other ingredients, except for squash, and cover them with water.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bring to a boil then simmer for at least 1 hour, up to 2 hours.
6. Add the squash about 30 minutes before serving.
7. Serve hot and enjoy! 

(Source: Cazuela and Cazuela) 

CURANTO

2 tbsp avocado oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 lb gold potatoes, quartered
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 jalapeño, thickly sliced
1 tbsp garlic chopped
1 large Savoy cabbage leaves, torn off
2 chorizo sausages, cut in thirds
1 lb pork chops, chops cut in half
2 lbs clams
1 lb mussels
1 C white wine

1. Heat oil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Add chicken and cook until lightly brown.
3. Add potatoes, red peppers, onions, jalapeño pepper and half of garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes or until softened.
4. Cover tightly with cabbage leaves.
5. Add sausage and pork chops, and cover with more cabbage leaves.
6. Add clams, mussels and remaining garlic, pour wine over top and cover with a final layer of cabbage leaves.
7. Cover pot tightly with a lid.
8. Cook for about 40 minutes on medium heat, or until everything is cooked and steaming hot.
9. Remove pot from heat and put all the ingredients clams, mussels, sausage, chicken and pork on a platter.
10. Serve cabbage as well.
11. Enjoy! 

(Source: Curanto) 

 

The verdict?  Mixed reviews.  The Cazuela was pretty bland, and difficult to eat.  It is supposed to be eaten with your hands (which is really strange for a stew), but we found there wasn't much flavor to the dish.  It was  OK, just not anything great.  The Curanto was very good.  There were lots of different flavors, and we enjoyed all the different elements of the meal.  Although, I must admit, I did skip the clams and mussels...

 

      

 

ME

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

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

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

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Curanto (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

 

Join us next time (for real!) in Guinea-Bissau!