The World Cookbook The Greatest Recipes From Around The Globe

The World Cookbook
The Greatest Recipes from around the Globe, Revised

Edition
Jeanne Jacob
Michael Ashkenazi
Copyright © 2014 ABC-CLIO, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the
publisher.
The publisher has done its best to make sure the instructions and/or recipes in this book are correct.
However, users should apply judgment and experience when preparing recipes, especially parents and
teachers working with young people. The publisher accepts no responsibility for the outcome of any recipe
included in this volume and assumes no liability for, and is released by readers from, any injury or damage
resulting from the strict adherence to, or deviation from, the directions and/or recipes herein. The publisher
is not responsible for any reader’s specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision, nor
for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book. All yields are approximations.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jacob, Jeanne.
[World cookbook for students]
The world cookbook : the greatest recipes from around the globe / Jeanne Jacob and Michael Ashkenazi.
— Revised edition.
volumes cm
ISBN 978-1-61069-468-1 (hardback : acid-free paper) — ISBN 978-1-61069-469-8 (ebook) 1.
International cooking. 2. Food habits. I. Ashkenazi, Michael. II. Jacob, Jeanne. World cookbook for
students. III. Title.
TX725.A1J23 2014
641.59—dc23 2013024026
ISBN: 978-1-61069-468-1
EISBN: 978-1-61069-469-8
18 17 16 15 14 12345
This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an eBook.

Visit www.abc-clio.com for details.
Greenwood
An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC
ABC-CLIO, LLC
130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911
Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911
This book is printed on acid-free paper

Manufactured in the United States of America
Illustrations by Jeanne Jacob and Ma´ayan Ashkenazi
THE WORLD COOKBOOK
THE WORLD COOKBOOK
THE GREATEST RECIPES FROM AROUND THE

GLOBE, REVISED EDITION
Volume 1–4
A–Z
Jeanne Jacob and Michael Ashkenazi

GREENWOOD
AN IMPRINT OF ABC-CLIO, LLC
Santa Barbara, • California Colorado • Oxford, England
To Violeta Jacob Bulao, for her creativity in the kitchen and for teaching Jeanne
how to cook and to be curious about exotic food and
to the memory of Shunzō Okuyama and Gilli Asseo (March 1953–21 July 2013),
companions along our culinary odyssey.
Contents
List of Countries and Regions

List of Recipes by Region
List of Sidebars by Country
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
VOLUME 1 A–D
AFGHANISTAN
Potato and Meat Packets (Boulanee)
Chicken and Chickpea Stew with Rice (Nakhod Chalau, also Chelo
Nachodo)
Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce (Bouranee Baunjan, also Burani Bonjon)
Rose-Water Custard (Firnee)
Fudge (Sheer Payra)
Milk-Rice Pudding (Shir Berenj, also Sheer Birinj)
Lemon and Rose-Water Syrup (Sharbat E-Bomya)
ALBANIA
Tirana Fergese with Peppers (Fërgesë e Tiranës me Piperka)
Bean Soup (Jahni me Fasule)
Chicken with Walnuts (Pulë me Arra)
Fried Meatballs (Qofte të Fërguara)
Cookies in Syrup (Sheqerpare)
Apple Cake with Nuts and Raisins (Kek me Mollë, also Arra dhe
Rrush të Thatë)
Butter-Yogurt Cookies (Kurabie)
ALGERIA
Cucumber Salad (Salatat Khiyar)
Eggplant Spread
Chickpea Soup with Cumin (Hummus bi’l-Kammun)
Algerian Couscous Stew
Algerian Meatballs (Kofte)
Sweet Lamb for Ramadan (El Hamlahlou)
Cauliflower with Harissa Sauce
Hot Chili Sauce (Harissa)
Algerian Charlotte
Almond Pastries (Makrout El Louz)
Butter Cookies (Ghraiba)
ANDORRA
Tomato Bread (Pa amb Tomàquet)
Codfish and Vegetable (Esgueixada)
Cabbage and Potatoes (Trinxat)
Cream Roll (Braç de Gitano)
Cheese and Hazelnut Biscuits (Galetes de Formatge i Avellanes)
Apple Fritters (Bunyols de Poma)
ANGOLA
Rice Soup (Sopa do Arroz)
Manioc Puree (Pirão)
Chicken Stew (Muamba de Galinha)
Fish with Vegetables (Peixe Cocido com Verduras)
Angolan Grilled Pork (Costeleta de Porco à Angolana)
Coconut Dessert (Cocada Angolana)
Coconut Custard (Cocada Amarela)
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Pineapple Chicken Soup
Dumplins
Pepper Pot
Cornmeal Balls or Loaf (Fungee)
Curried Chicken Salad
Baked Bananas
Papaya Pie
Key Lime Mousse
ARGENTINA
Gramajo Omelet
Golf Sauce (Salsa Golf)
Stuffed Rolled Beef (Matambre)
Potato and Corn Pie (Pastel de Papa con Elote)
Crepes with Milk Fudge (Panqueques de Dulce de Leche)
Milk Fudge (Dulce de Leche)
Milk Fudge–Filled Cookies (Alfajores)
Argentinian Linzertorte (Pasta Frola)
ARMENIA
Fried Cheese Turnovers (Dabgadz Banir Boerag)
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (Tutumi Gud)
Sautéed Lamb (Kalajosh)
Peanut Butter–Stuffed Wheat Balls (Baki Koufta)
Armenian Pilaf (Prinzov Pilaf)
New Year Pudding (Anushabur)
Anise-Flavored Butter Cookies (Kourabia)
AUSTRALIA
Fruit Cordial
Gingered Snow Peas
Kurrajong Muffins
Pumpkin Soup
Aussie Burger
Rice Salad
Damper
Lamingtons
Pavlova
Vanilla Slice
Macadamia Rocky Road
AUSTRIA
Bacon Dumplings (Speckknoedel)
Paprika Cheese Spread (Liptauer)
The Kaiser’s Hunting Vittles (Kaisers Jagdproviant)
Mish-Mash (Hoppel Poppel)
Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelknoedel)
Vanilla Cookies (Vanille Kipferl)
Apple Pancake (Apfelschmarrn)
Jam-Filled Cookies (Linzeraugen, also Spitzbuben)
AZERBAIJAN
Flavored Rice (Plov)
Yogurt and Green Soup (Dovga)
Dumpling Soup (Dyushbara)
Fat Mutton Kebab (Lyulya Kebab)
Stuffed Pancakes (Kutaby)
Fruit Pilaf (Shirin Pilau)
Rose-Petal Drink (Ovshala)
Azeri Baklava (Paxlava, also Pakhlava)
Walnut Rose-Water Cookies (Gülablı Qovut)
BAHAMAS
Groundnut Soup
Crab ’n Rice
Orange and Coriander Pork
Creamy Baked Cabbage
Carrot Pudding
Coconut Bars
Banana Custard
BAHRAIN
Lentils, Macaroni, and Rice (Koshari)
Shrimp Balls (Chebeh Rubyan)
Sweet Rice (Mulhammar)
Eggplant Salad (Uukkous Al-Badinjan)
Bahrain Cheesecake (Kunafa)
Candied Sesame (Semsemiya)
BANGLADESH
Fish in Mustard Sauce (Sorse Bata Diya Maach)
Chicken Jalfrezi
Chicken Kebabs (Reshmi Kabab)
Mixed Vegetables (Masala Subzi)
Apple Halwa
Sweetened Yogurt (Mishti Doi)
Sweet Cheese and Nut Dessert (Chennar Payesh)
Coconut Cream Balls (Narkel Naru)
BARBADOS
Pickled Fish
Green Sauce
Jug-Jug
Banana and Sweet Potato Casserole
Pineapple Orange Sherbet
Black Cake
Tamarind Balls
THE BASQUES
Bilbao Fried Vegetables (Pisto a la Bilbaina)
Leek and Potato Soup (Porrusalda)
Stewed Salt Cod (Bacalao a la Biscaina)
Almond Drink or Sauce (Intxaursalsa)
Sweet Apple Soufflés
Basque Pie or Gâteau Basque (Euskal Bixkotxa)
Custard Cream Filling or Crème Patissière (Pastel-Krema)
BELARUS
Country Salad
Turnip Soup (Borshch)
Meat and Sausage Stew (Machanka)
Fried Meatballs (Bitotski)
Potato Balls (Komes)
Cranberry Dessert (Kisiel)
Belarusian Tea (Chai)
Christmas Barley Porridge (Kuccia)
Sweet Cheese-Filled Pancakes (Blincyki-Viercyki)
BELGIUM
“French” Fries (Pommes Frites) with Mayonnaise
Flemish-Style Pork Chops (Côtes de Porc à la Flamande)
Cream of Watercress Soup (Potage au Cresson)
Eggs and Leeks (Hachis de Poireaux)
Fried Fish Balls (Beignets de Poissons)
Ghent Cheesecake (Plattekaastarte)
Rice Pie (Rijsttaart)
Almond Shortbread (Pain d’Amandes)
BELIZE
Chicken and Pork Stew (Chimole)
Johnnycakes
Rice and Beans
Corn Parcels (Ducunu, also Dukunu)
Potato Pound
Cassava Pone
Coconut Bread
BENIN
Red Paste (Pâte Rouge)
Cooked Greens (Calalu)
Pureed Peas
Greens with Seafood and Sesame (Gboman)
Dahomey Fish Stew
Fritters
Peanut Sauce
Peanut Rice Candy (Kanyah)
Coconut Peanut Candy (Kashata)
BERMUDA
Bermuda Fish Chowder
Banana Meatloaf
Bermudian Puree
Stuffed Bermuda Onions
Pawpaw (Papaya) Flan
Baked Bananas
Raisin Buns
BHUTAN
Pork Noodles (Fing)
Bhutanese Salsa (Eze, also Esay)
Minced Chicken (Jasha Maroo)
Potatoes in Cheese Sauce (Kewa Datshi)
Buckwheat Dumplings (Hapai Hantue)
Mushrooms in Cheese Sauce (Shamu Datshi)
Fried Spiced Doughnuts (Sel Roti, also Shel Roti)
BOLIVIA
Baked Corn and Cheese (Humintas)
Bolivian Steak (Silpancho)
Spicy Pork and Egg Stew (Fritanga)
Spicy Sauce (Llajua)
Baked Custard (Leche Asada)
Coconut Macaroons (Cocadas)
Cinnamon Sherbet (Helado de Canela)
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Sausage and Beans (Grah)
Beg’s Soup
Meat Sauce Banja Luka Style (Banja Luka Chevap)
Poached Apples (Tufahije)
Cheese Pastry (Pita Sirnica)
BOTSWANA
Pounded Meat (Seswaa)
Cooked Greens
Tomato Loofah
Mopane Worms
Tomato and Onion Relish
Fried Locust (Tinjiya)
Sorghum Porridge (Ting)
Doughnuts (Magwinya, Vetkoek)
BRAZIL
Bean Fritters (Acarajé)
Chicken in Nut Sauce (Vatapá de Galinha)
Mineira-Style Greens (Couve à Mineira)
Coconut Custard (Quindim)
Chocolate Truffles (Brigadeiros)
Sweet Coconut Balls (Beijinhos de Coco)
BRUNEI
Vegetable Curry (Sayur Lodeh)
Chicken Stew with Toasted Coconut (Serunding Padang)
Rice with Coconut Milk (Nasi Lemak)
Spicy Anchovies (Sambal Ikan Bilis)
Coconut Cassava Cake (Getuk Lindri)
Corn and Pandan Coconut Pudding (Kuih Tako Tajung)
BULGARIA
Bean Puree (Papula)
Okra Salad (Bamia Saladi)
Mixed Stew (Papazyaniya)
Sweet Vermicelli Noodles (Kadaif)
Cheese Pastries (Banitsa sas Sirene)
Apple and Walnut Banitsa
BURKINA FASO
Fish Stew with Vegetables (Maan Nezim Nzedo)
Spiced Meatballs
Bean Cakes
Lemon Porridge
Mango Chutney
Peanut Balls
BURUNDI
Plantains and Beans
Fried Beans (Ibiharage)
Bean Soup (Soup d’Haricot)
Chicken-Flavored Wheat (Boko Boko)
Anise Bread (Pain Anisette)
Braised Amaranth Greens (Lenga Lenga)
CAMBODIA
Pumpkin and Pork Meatball Soup (Samlor La Pov Sach Chrouk)
Grilled Sesame Chicken (Sach Moan Ang La Ngor)
Coconut Fish Curry Parcels (Amok Trei)
Vegetarian Pancakes (Num Ta Leng Sap)
Sweet Dipping Sauce (Tirk Sa-Ieu Chu P’em)
Jackfruit Muffins (Num Tnor)
Bananas in Coconut Cream (Kuay Namuan)
Fried Banana Rolls (Chek Chien)
CAMEROON
Chicken for the Boss (Poulet Directeur Général)
Manioc Leaf Puree (Kpwem)
Fried Fish in Peanut Sauce
Bean Cake (Haricot Koki)
Fish Stew with Rice
Meat Turnovers (Pili-Pili)
Cassava Banana Fritters
CANADA
Pork Buns
Inuit Fry Bread (Assaleeak)
Grandfathers (Grandpères)
Potatoes and Cheese with Gravy (Poutine)
Tuna à la King
Meat Pie (Tourtière)
Pea Soup
Nanaimo Bar
Sugar Pie (Tarte au Sucre)
Butter Tart
CAPE VERDE
Fish Soup (Caldo de Peixe)
Stewed Meat and Vegetables (Carne Gizado)
Thick Chicken Rice Soup (Canja)
Ground Corn with Vegetables and Meat (Supida de Xerem)
Rich Cachupa (Cachupa Rica)
Coconut Candy (Leite Coco)
Honey Cake (Bolo de Mel)
Cheese Custard (Pudim de Queijo)
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

African Spinach (Spinach à l’Afrique)
Egusi Sauce
Greens and Rice (Riz Vert)
Banana Staple (Foutou Banane)
Mashed Yams (Foutou)
Sweet Rice Porridge (Bouiller)
Central African Pili-Pili
Beef in Melon Seed Sauce (Kanda)
CHAD
Hot Breakfast Cereal (La Bouillie)
Squash with Peanuts
Sweet Potato Salad
Meat and Okra Sauce
Cooked Okra (Daraba)
Southern Chad Peanut Sauce
Fruit Juice (Jus de Fruit)
Millet Snack
Zucchini with Peanuts
Spiced Hibiscus Tea or Juice (Karkanji)
CHECHNYA
Beef and Potato Salad (Vainakh Saladi)
Small Meat Pies (Chuda)
Pumpkin Tarts (Khingalsh)
Nettle-Stuffed Pancakes (Kholtmash)
Steamed Mutton Stew (Adzhabsanda)
Cottage Cheese–Stuffed Pancakes (Chepalgash)
Boiled Meat and Noodles (Zhizhig Galnash)
CHILE
Shrimp Soup (Chupe de Camarones)
Beef and Corn Casserole (Pastel de Choclo)
Avocado Salad (Salada de Palta)
Chilean Hot Pepper Sauce (Pebre)
Nut and Orange Pie (Postre de Nueces y Naranja)
Powdered Cookies (Empolvados)
Russian Pudding (Macho Ruso)
CHINA
Hot Pot (Huoguo)
Tomato and Egg Soup (Xi Hong Shi Ji Dan Tang)
Smoked Chicken Beijing Style (Xun Ji)
Sesame Chicken Salad (Bang Bang Ji)
Ma Po’s Bean Curd (Ma Bo Dou Fu)
Dry Cooked Green Beans (Kan Pien Ssu Chi Tou)
Steamed Buns with Barbecued Pork Filling (Cha Shao Pao, Cha Siu
Bao)
Barbecued or Roast Pork (Cha Shao)
Crisp-Soft Noodles with Pork and Vegetables (Liang Mian Huang)
Diced Chicken with Walnuts (Tao Ren Ji Ding)
Paper-Wrapped Chicken (Ji Bao Ji)
Sweet Potatoes in Syrup
Stir-Fried Chinese Cabbage
Sweet Peanuts
Fruit-Filled Watermelon (Shi Jin Guo Pin)
Steamed Sponge Cake (Ma La Kao)
Hong Kong–Style Egg Tarts (Găng Shì Dàn Tă)
COLOMBIA
Poached Egg Soup (Changua con Huevo)
Chicken and Potato Stew (Ajiaco de Pollo)
Cornmeal Bread (Arepa de Huevo)
Fried Green Plantains (Patacones)
Corn and Cinnamon Pudding (Natilla Santafereña)
Guava-Flavored Bread Pudding (Torta de Mojicón)
COMOROS
Cassava Greens and Fish (Mataba au Poisson)
Coconut Rice (Riz Coco)
Plantain Stew (Leme Tsolola)
Rice and Fish (Riz Poisson)
Tomato Relish (Rougaille)
Fried Plantain Fish Fritters (Banane-Poisson Panné)
Pepper Sauce (Poutou)
Coconut Bread (Mkatra Foutra)
Rice Flour Treats (Ladu)
Coconut Punch (Punch Coco)
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF (CONGO KINSHASA; FORMERLY ZAIRE)

Fish and Pepper Sauce in Palm Oil (Capitaine à Pili-Pili)
Fish in Banana Leaf (Liboké de Poisson)
Mbika with Meat
Mushroom and Lemon Sauce (Sauce aux Champignons et Citron)
Wild Spinach in Palm Oil and Peanuts (Fumbwa Elambanina
Mafutaya Nguba)
Green Papaya Jam
Peanut Cream
Banana Condiment
CONGO, REPUBLIC OF (CONGO BRAZZAVILLE)
Cassava Leaves (Saka-Saka)
Cassava Leaves and Beans (Saka Madesu)
Fish and Kale (Mbisi Ye Kalou Na Loso)
Meat in Banana Leaf Wrapping (Liboké de Viande)
Fried Chicken with Peanut Butter Sauce
Pineapple-Lettuce Salad
COOK ISLANDS
Breakfast Papaya
Fermented Fish Relish (Mitiore)
Poke and Cassava
Marinated Flying Fish (Ika Mata)
Breadfruit Stew (Tiopu Kuru)
Cooked Taro Leaves (Rukau)
Mango Poke
Papaya Salad with Papaya Dressing
COSTA RICA
Rice and Beans (Gallo Pinto)
Potato Slices (Gallitos de Papa)
Coconut Chicken (Pollo en Coco)
Cabbage, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad (Ensalada)
Fried Plantain (Patacones)
Corn Cake (Pastel de Maíz)
Filled Cassava Fritters (Enyucados)
Sweet Cassava Coconut Cake (Enyucado Dulce)
CÔTE D’IVOIRE (IVORY COAST)

Abidjan-Style Avocado Soup (Soupe d’Avocat Abidjanaise)
Fried Chicken with Peanut Butter Sauce (Poulet à la N’gatietro)
Chicken and Eggplant (Kedjenou)
Cassava and Plantain Mash (Foutou)
Fish and Fufu (Sauce Claire et Fufu)
Yams with Tomatoes
Fried Plantains (Aloko)
Pineapple Boats
Bananas in Cinnamon
CROATIA
Pancakes with Cottage Cheese (Palacinke sa Sirom)
Eggplant Dip (Ajvar)
Potato Soup Zagorje Style (Zagorska Juha od Krumpira)
Cod Fish Salad (Bakalar)
Dalmatian Fritters (Franjki, also Krostule, Hrostule, Krustule)
Sweet Layer Cake (Gibanica)
CUBA
Corn Soup (Sopa de Maíz)
Papaya, Pepper, and Avocado Salad (Ensalada Mixta)
Red Beans (Frijoles)
Pork Chops (Chuletas)
Lemon-Anise Flan (Flan de Limón)
Guava Pie (Pastel de Guayaba)
Cocoyam-Cassava Fritters (Buñuelos de Malanga y Yuca)
CYPRUS
Chard Rice (Seskoulorizo)
Stuffed Grape Leaves (Koupepia)
Oven-Baked Lamb (Kleftiko)
Fried Liver (Sikotaki Afelia)
Cinnamon and Honey Fritters (Loukoumades)
Almond Shortbread (Kourabiethes)
Citrus-and Honey-Dipped Walnut Cookies (Melomakarona)
CZECH REPUBLIC
Cold Blueberry Soup (Boruvkova Polevka Studena)
Kohlrabi with Eggs and Ham (Brukve s Vejci a Sunkou)
Sandwiches (Chlebicky)
Bean Goulash with Beef (Fazolovy Gulas s Hovezim Masem)
Chicken Cooked in Paprika (Chicken Paprikash)
Fruit Pies (Kolaches)
Vanilla Almond Crescents (Vanilkove Rohlicky)
Raspberry Bars (Malina Cukroví)
DENMARK
Fish Pudding (Fiskebudding)
Green Pea Soup (Grønærtesuppe)
Flour Dumplings (Melboller)
Danish-Style Hamburgers (Dansk Bøf med Løg)
Farmgirl’s Potatoes (Bondepiges Kartofler)
Open-Faced Sandwiches (Smørrebrød)
Sweet Pretzels (Sukkerkringler)
Caramel-Topped Bread (Brunsviger)
DJIBOUTI
Mutton Soup (Fah-Fah)
Flavored Rice (Skoudeh Karis)
Fish in Sauce (Marake Kaloune)
Baked Fish (Poisson Pané au Four)
Spice Pancakes (Ambabour)
Sweet Fritters
DOMINICA
Stew (Sancoche)
Curried Green Figs
Avocado Drink
Smothered Chicken
Dumplings or Bakes
Carrot and Christophene Casserole
Banana Cake
Banana Mixed Fruit and Nut Cake
Chocolate-Coated Bananas
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Mashed Plantains or Cassava (Mangú)
Scrambled Eggs Dominican Style (Revoltillo de Huevos)
Steak and Onions (Filete Encebollado)
Dreamy Orange Juice (Morir Soñando)
Potato Salad Russian Style (Ensalada Rusa)
Cassava Fritters (Arepitas de Yuca)
Cornmeal Bread (Arepa)
VOLUME 2 E–K
EAST TIMOR
Chili Relish (Aimanas)
Cooked Greens (Kangkong)
Cooked Maize and Beans (Batar Da’an)
Fish Packets (Ikan Saboko)
Meat Stew (Kaldeirada)
Coconut Pudding (Pudim de Coco)
ECUADOR
Red Pepper and Chickpea Salad (Ensalada)
Shrimp Coconut Soup (Chupe de Camarones con Coco)
Pork Stew (Seco de Chancho)
Cornmeal Omelet (Mote Pillo)
Apple Rings (Rosquitas de Manzana)
Cassava Rolls (Pan de Yuca)
Spiced Sweet Squash (Dulce de Calabaza)
EGYPT
Fava Bean Stew (Ful Medames)
Vegetable Patties (Ta’amiya)
Meat Omelet (Eggah)
Pigeon (Kolbasti)
Baked Rice with Chicken Livers (Tagin Orz)
Shortbread Biscuits (Grabie)
Ali’s Mom (Umm ’Ali)
Mixed Dried Fruit and Nut Compote (Khushaf)
Semolina Cake (Basbousa)
EL SALVADOR
Garlic Sausage Soup (Sopa de Chorizo)
Chicken Tomato Stew (Pollo Entomatado)
Pickled Cabbage (Curtido)
Cheese Cake (Quesadilla)
Savory Pastries (Pupusa)
Jam-Filled Pastry (Semita)
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Cooked Greens (Maffi Hakko)
Millet Porridge (Fura Gero)
Cooked Okra (Sauce Gombo)
Fish in Tomato Sauce (Peixe ao Tomate)
Fried Plantain (Loco)
Yam and Shrimp Stew
ERITREA
Fermented Pancake (Injera)
Spice Mix (Eritrean Berberé)
Herb Butter (Tegele Setesmi)
Peanut Sauce (Tsebhi Shiro)
Lentil Stew (Tsebhi Birsen)
Spicy Chicken (Tsebhi Derho)
Sweet Bread (Hembesha)
Sautéed Greens (Hamli)
Hot Sauce (Awase)
ESTONIA
Beef and Cabbage (Hakkliha Ja Kapsa Pajatoit)
Cucumber and Sour Cream Salad (Agurkai Su Rukcscia Grietne)
Jellied Veal or Pork (Sult)
Fried Potato Patties (Bulviu Maltiniai)
Red Cabbage with Sour Cream Sauce (Porskinti Raudoni Kapustai)
Fried Herring in Onion Sauce (Silke Cepts ar Sipoli Merce)
Raspberry Pastries (Aleksander Torte)
Cookie Cake (Köige Parem Küpsisetort)
ETHIOPIA
Spice Mix (Ethiopian Berberé)
Spiced Legumes (Metin Shuro)
Spicy Chicken Stew (Doro-Wot)
Vegetable Stew (Aleecha)
Ground Beef with Peppers (Retfo)
Honey Yeast Bread (Yemarina Yewotet Dabo)
Nutmeg-Flavored Potatoes and Vegetables (Yataklete Kilkil)
Chickpea Snacks (Dabo Kolo)
FIJI
Chicken and Squash Soup
Fresh Fish (Kokoda)
Baked Fish with Plantain
Baked Pineapple and Sweet Potato
Sweet Potato Bread
Cassava Pudding (Vakalolo)
Ginger Fish
Coconut Fish Soup
Fried Bread (Faraoa Funpana)
Cassava Balls (Topoi)
FINLAND
Oven Porridge (Uunipuuro)
Kainuu Fish Soup (Kainuulainen Kalakeitto)
Salmon in Dill Sauce (Lohi Tilli-Kastikkeessa)
Mushroom Salad (Suomalainen Sienisalaatti)
Carrot Bake (Porkkana-Laattikko)
Meatballs (Lihapullat)
Lingonberry Dessert (Marjakiisseli)
Blueberry Tart (Mustikkapiirakka)
Sweet Buns (Pikkupullat)
Apple Cake (Omenapiirakka)
Chocolate Squares (Mokkapalat)
FRANCE
Mushrooms in Garlic (Champignons à l’Ail)
“Good Woman” Vegetable Soup (Potage Bonne Femme)
Baked Eggs (Oeufs Mornay)
Flemish Beef in Beer Casserole (Boeuf Flamande)
Ham with Cream Sauce (Jambon à la Crème)
Lyon-Style Potatoes (Pommes Lyonnais)
Braised Vegetables from Provence (Ratatouille)
Nice-Style Fish and Fresh Vegetable Salad (Salade Niçoise)
Onion Tart (Tarte à l’Oignon)
Buckwheat Savory Crepes from Brittany (Galettes Complètes)
Egg, Cheese, and Ham Sandwich (Croque Monsieur)
Three-Flavor Baked Custard (Petits Pots de Crème)
Sugar Tart (Galette au Sucre)
Pear Flan (Clafoutis aux Poires)
GABON
Okra Sauce (Dongo-Dongo)
Chicken in Palm Butter Sauce (Poulet Moambé)
Chicken in Nuts (Poulet au Gnemboue)
Barbecue (Coupé-Coupé)
Stuffed Crabs (Crabes Farcis)
Coconut Flan (Flans de Coco)
THE GAMBIA
Okra Soup (Supakanja)
Stuffed Fish Benachin (Benachin Ruff)
Groundnut Stew (Domoda)
Banana and Coconut Beef Stew
One-Pot Fish (Benachin)
Greens with Peanuts (Pla’sas)
Stewed Mangoes
Sweet Peanut Butter–Juice Couscous Pudding (Lakh)
Sweet Couscous and Sour Cream Pudding (Chakery)
GEORGIA
Kidney Beans in Plum Sauce (Lobio Tkemalit)
Dumplings (Khinkali)
Liver with Pomegranate Juice (Ghvidzli)
Apple Preserves (Samotkhis Vashlis Muraba)
Grape-and-Walnut Candies (Chuchkella)
Hot Relish (Adzhika)
Plum Sauce (Tkemali)
Herb Mix (Khmeli-Suneli)
Walnut Pastry (Pakhlava)
Walnut-Honey Brittle (Gozinaki)
GERMANY
White Bean Soup (Weisse Bohnensuppe)
Herring Salad (Heringsalat)
Warm Potato Salad (Warmer Kartoffelsalat)
Green Eggs (Grüner Eier)
Asparagus in White Sauce (Spargel in Weisser Sosse)
Stewed Red Cabbage (Gedunsteter Rotkohl)
Roast Chicken Stew (Braunes Geflügelragout)
Apple Pancakes (Apfelpfannkuchen)
Strawberry Soup with Dumplings (Buchteln mit Erdbeersuppe)
GHANA
Plantain Cakes (Tatale)
Spinach Stew (Palava Sauce)
Crab Sauce (Fante Kotokyim)
Beef and Mushroom Stew (Fante Mbire Flowee)
Hot Pepper Sauce (Shitor Din)
Festive Yam Dish (Oto)
Eggs with Gari (Gari Foto)
Spicy Fried Plantains (Kelewele)
Cinnamon Bananas
Banana Peanut Cake
Tamarind Ginger Drink (Puha)
Tigernut Pudding (Atangbe Milkyi, also Atadwe Milkyi)
Plantain Fritters (Kaklo)
Plantain Cake
GREECE
Stuffed Tomatoes (Domates Yemistes)
Baked Vegetables (Lathera Lachanika)
Chicken Casserole (Kotopoulo Sto Fourno)
Eggs and Tomatoes (Avga Matia me Saltsa Domatas)
Meatballs with Lemon Sauce (Keftedes me Avgolemono Saltsa)
Twisted Loaf and Rolls (Koulouria to Koulourakia)
Jam Layer Cookies (Biscota Thipla me Marmelada)
Semolina and Citrus Syrup Cake (Revani)
Walnut Syrup Cake (Karidopita)
GRENADA
Oil-Down
Cinnamon Fried Bananas
Roast Pork
Corn and Black Bean Salad
West Indies Plum Pudding
Codfish and Egg Salad (Salt-Fish Souse)
Bakes
Spice and Lime Cake
GUAM
Relish (Finadene)
Coconut Milk with Rice (Alaguan)
Chunky Eggrolls (Lumpia)
Eggplant in Coconut Milk
Lime-Flavored Meat (Kelaguen)
Ham and Chickpeas (Hamon Yan Gatbansos)
Spam Fried Rice
Microwave Mochi
Custard Cream Cake (Latiya)
Sweet Potato Fritters (Madoya Kamuti)
GUATEMALA
Chocolate-Coffee Drink (Champurrado)
Radish Salad (Salada de Rábano)
Potato and Green Bean Salad (Iguashte)
Chicken in Green Sauce (Jocón)
Warm Fruit Salad (Ponche de Frutas)
Rolled Cookies (Champurradas)
Sweet Plantains in Mole Sauce (Mole de Plátano)
GUINEA
Chicken in Cumin Sauce
Meat Stew (Kansiyé)
Jollof Rice (Guinean Version)
Fish and Greens
Okra and Greens (Ngumbo)
Chicken Yétissé (Yétissé de Poulet)
Okra Rice
GUINEA BISSAU
Peas and Meat
Avocados with Tuna (Abacate com Atum)
Manioc Fries (Mandioca Frita)
Pickled Fish (Peixe Escabeche)
Chicken Hot Pot (Chabéu de Galinha)
Spicy Chicken Stew (Cafriela de Frango)
Cassava in Syrup (Mandioca em Calda de Açúcar)
GUYANA
Cream of Avocado Soup
Tropical Seafood Salad
Cook-Up Rice
Garlic Pork
Callaloo Fritters
Coconut Ice Cream
Mango Pepper Sauce
Steamed Coconut and Cornmeal Parcels (Kanki)
Cassava Pone
HAITI
Plantain Puree (Bouillie de Banane et Plantain)
Pumpkin Soup (Soup Joumou, also Soupe Giraumon)
Meat and Eggplant Skewers
Fried Plantains (Bananes Pesées)
Fruit Cocktail Jelly (Blanc Manger)
Oven-Fried Glazed Pork (Grillots)
Mixed Vegetable Pickles (Pikliz)
HONDURAS
Banana Porridge (Letu)
Milk and Cinnamon Rice (Arroz con Leche)
Chicken Stewed in Coconut Milk (Tapado de Pollo)
Plantain Turnovers (Tortas de Plátano)
Date and Nut Cake (Queque de Datiles con Nueces)
Sweet Plantain Turnovers (Empanadas de Plátano)
Crazy Corncobs (Elotes Locos)
HUNGARY
Peasant’s Salad from Bugac (Bugaci Paraszt-saláta)
Chilled Sour Cherry Soup (Hideg Meggyleves)
Highwaymen’s Dumpling Soup (Mecseki Betyárgombócleves)
Stuffed Chicken (Töltött Csirke)
Tomato and Sweet Pepper Sauce (Lecsó)
Walnut Bread for Christmas (Diós Kalács)
Cold Peach Soup (Hideg Öszibarackleves)
Poppy-Seed Muffins (Bögrés Mákos Muffin)
ICELAND
Egg Soup (Eggjamjólk)
Lamb Stew (Kjötsúpa)
Lamb Pâté (Lambakæfa)
Icelandic Fish Balls (Fiskibollur)
Caramelized Potatoes (Brúnadthar Kartöflur)
Wedded Bliss Cake (Hjónabandssæla)
Rhubarb Jam (Rabarbarasulta)
Red Fruit Pudding (Rauðgrautur)
Easter Doughnuts (Ástarbollur)
INDIA
Spice Mix (Garam Masala)
Spiced Scrambled Egg (Ekuri)
Spiced Skewered Meat (Tikka Kebab)
Chicken Curry (Rasedaar Murghi Taangen)
Vegetables in Coconut Sauce (Aviyal)
Cauliflower and Potatoes (Gobi Aloo)
Mango Ice Cream (Aam ki Kulfi, also Aam Kulfi)
Yogurt Sharbat (Meethi Sharbat)
Carrot Halva
Rice Flake Pudding (Aval Payasam)
Milk Fudge (Doodh Peda)
INDONESIA
Spinach or Watercress Soup (Sop Bayam Jahe)
Fried Chili and Tomato Sauce (Sambal Tomat Tumis)
Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng)
Spicy Meat and Coconut Burger (Rempah)
Chicken Stew (Opor Ayam)
Vegetables and Bean Curd in Black Bean Sauce (Sayur Taucho)
Pork Stewed in Sweet Soy Sauce (Be Celeng Base Manis)
Fried Beef Dumplings (Pangsit)
Coconut-Filled Pancake Rolls (Dadar Gulung)
Mixed Fruit Drink (Es Teler)
Pandan Cake (Kue Pandan)
Grilled Plantain Coconut Parcels (Lompong Pisang)
IRAN
White Rice (Chelo Safeed)
Eggplant Stew (Khoresht-e Badenjan)
Stuffed Fish (Mahi Sefeed)
Barley Soup (Ash-E Jow)
Lamb and Spinach Stew (Khorescht-e Esfanaj)
Sweet Paste (Halva)
Honey-Glazed Puffs (Baamieh, also Zoolbiah)
Almond Turnovers (Qotaab, also Quttab)
IRAQ
Pomegranate Soup (Shorbat Rumman)
Plain Rice (Timman)
“Judge’s Tongue”: Eggplant-Wrapped Meat (Lissan el Quadi)
Rice and Eggplant Casserole (Chalabis Re’id Magloube)
Semolina and Syrup Dessert (Ma’mounia)
Cardamom Cookies (Hajji Badah)
Date-and Nut-Filled Pastries (Kleicha)
IRELAND
Irish Stew
Boiled Smoked Pork and Cabbage
Colcannon
Cod Cobbler
Potato Pie Dessert
Apple and Barley Cream Pudding
Apple Scones
ISRAEL
Cucumber Salad (Salat Melafefonim)
Jerusalem-Style Mixed Grill (Meorav Yerushalmi)
Chicken with Jerusalem Artichokes (Of Bekharshaf Yerushalmi)
Meat Baked in Sesame Sauce (Siniya)
“Binder” for Passover (Haroset)
Stuffed Eggplant (Hatzilim Memula’im)
Fruit Soup (Marak Perot)
Cheesecake (Ugat Gvina)
Orange Nut Cake (Ugat Tapuzim ve Egozim)
ITALY
Marinated Zucchini (Concia)
Tuscan Bean Soup (Zuppa Fagioli alla Toscana)
Fettuccine with Butter and Cream (Fettuccine al Burro)
Basic Corn Mush (Polenta)
Seasoned Cutlets (Piccata)
Deviled Chicken (Pollo alla Diavolo)
Coffee Ice Cream (Gelato di Caffe)
Iced Tea (Té Freddo con Granita)
Ricotta Cheesecake
Roasted Pears (Pere Cotte al Forno)
JAMAICA
Festival
Corned Beef Scotch Eggs
Jamaica Ginger and Apple Drink
Jerk Burger
Jerk Seasoning
Coffee Ice Cream
Blue Draws or Drawers
Toto
JAPAN
Rice Omelet (Omuraisu)
Beef and Rice Bowl (Gyūdon, also Gyūniku Donburi)
Cabbage Pickle (Kyabetsu no Tsukemono)
Savory Custard Soup (Chawan Mushi)
Pearl Onions in Walnut Miso Salad Dressing (Kotamanegi no Kurumi
Miso Ae)
Grilled Skewered Chicken (Yakitori)
Fruit Ice (Kōri)
Cheesecake (Chīzu Kēki)
Green Tea Ice Cream (Matcha Aisu Kurīmu)
Sweetbean-Filled Rice Cakes (Daifuku Mochi)
JORDAN
Fried Tomatoes (Bandoora Maqliya Ma’ thoom)
Country-Style Beans (Fassouliah al Balad)
Meat and Rice Dish (Mansaf)
Meat and Eggplant Platter (Makhlubbi)
Sweet Cheese Pastry (Kunafa)
Semolina Syrup Cake (Hareesa)
Coffee (Qahwa)
KAZAKHSTAN
Radish Salad (Shalgam)
Noodles with Meat Sauce (Kespe)
Stuffed Dumplings (Manty)
Steamed Carrot Roll (Zhuta)
Flavored Rice (Plov, also Pilav)
Sweet Fritters (Domalak Baursak)
Kazakh Cereal Bar (Zhent)
Kazakh Tea (Chai)
Honey-Glazed Fritters (Shek Shek, also Chak Chak)
Pancakes (Kuimak)
KENYA
Corn and Beans Mash (Githeri)
Corn, Peas, and Potato Staple (Irio)
Bean Stew
Cooling Relish (Saladi)
Pea Beans or Pigeon Peas (M’baazi)
Barbecued Meat (Nyama Choma)
Mango Ice Cream
Rice Pancakes
Sweet Yogurt and Mango (Pudding Ya Maziwa Lala)
KIRIBATI
Corned Beef Stew
Ice Pops
Green Coconut with Palm Molasses (Poi)
Samoan Poi
Taro in Coconut Cream
KOREA
Barbecued Short Ribs (Kalbi-gui, also Galbi-gui)
Noodles and Beef (Chapjae, also Japchae)
Vegetable and Beef Rice Bowl (Bibimbap)
Vinegar and Hot Pepper Sauce (Chojang)
Cucumber Salad (Oi Namul)
Three-Color Dumplings (Samsaekchuak)
Sweet Filled Pancakes (Hoddeok, also Hotteok)
Sweet Potato Doughnuts (Goguma Doughnuts)
KOSOVO
Mixed Vegetables (Turli Perimesh)
Kosovo Salad (Salada)
Red Pepper Relish (Hajvar)
Minced Meat Kebabs (Kofta)
Prizren-Style Flat Bread (Pitalke, also Samuni)
Mutton and Cranberry Beans (Mish Deleje me Barbunja)
Stuffed Peppers (Speca të Mbushura)
Puffed Pastry Snacks (Lokuma)
Fruit Balls (Kurore)
KURDISTAN
Chickpea Salad
Okra and Stuffed Bulgur (Kubbeh Bamya, also Kibbeh Bamya)
Pine Nut–Stuffed Bulgur Dumplings (Kubbeh Mahsh, also Kibbeh
Mahshi)
Pumpkin in Syrup (Shirini)
Kurdish Tea (Chai Kurdi)
Sweet Fritters (Lukmeqazi)
Nut Pastries (Koliche)
KUWAIT
Chicken on Rice (Mechbous)
Shrimp Stew (Murabyan)
Black-Eyed Peas in Tomato Broth
Tea (Chai)
Tahina and Date Syrup Dip (Dibis wa’ Rashi)
Sponge Cake
Sweet Fritters (Luqaimat)
Butter Cookies (Ghuraiba)
KYRGYZSTAN
Mutton-on-the-Bone (Beshbarmak)
Noodle Soup (Kesme)
Mutton Soup (Shorpo)
Kyrgyz Tea (Atkanchay)
Baked Beef
Fritters (Borsok)
VOLUME 3 L–R
LAOS
Sticky Rice (Khao Niao, also Khao Neow)
Fish with Coconut Milk (Sousi Pa)
Stir-Fried Chicken (Aioan Chua Noeung Phset Kretni)
Green Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Houng)
Vegetable Stew (Or Phak)
Sticky Rice and Mango (Khao Niao Mak Muang)
Sticky Rice and Banana Parcels (Khao Tom Mad)
LATVIA
Sauerkraut Soup (Skâbu Kâpostu Zupa)
Potato Salad (Rasols)
Potato and Carrot Pies (Sklandu Rausi)
Pea Patties
Sweet Porridge (Buberts)
Cranberry Pudding (Biguzis)
Alexander Torte
LEBANON
Home-Style Egg Dip (Tahinat el Beid)
Parsley and Cracked Wheat Salad (Tabouleh)
Toasted Bread Salad (Fattoush)
Stuffed Cabbage (Malfuf Mahshi bi Zayt)
Date-Stuffed Cookies (Ma’amoul Btamr)
Custard Pudding (Muhallabieh)
LESOTHO
Stir-Fried Vegetables (Chakalaka)
Stewed Cabbage and Potatoes
Braised Mashed Vegetables (Moroko)
Curried Meat
Peanut Bread
Fat Cakes (Makuenea)
LIBERIA
Chicken Peanut Soup
Liberian Jollof Rice
Monrovia Greens
Cassava Cake
Liberian Cake
Pumpkin or Squash Cake
Plantain Upside-Down Spice Cake
LIBYA
Libyan Lamb Soup (Shorba)
Libyan-Style Couscous Stew (Couscous b’Lahm)
Stuffed Grape Leaves (Abrak)
Stuffed Onions (Basal Mahshi)
Date Sweet (Halwa d’Tmar)
Dried Fruit Compote (Khoshaf)
Clove-Flavored Butter Cookies (Ghraiba)
LIECHTENSTEIN
Beef Soup with Liver Dumplings (Leber Knödelsuppe)
Meatball Sandwich (Frikadellen Brötchen)
Chestnut Pudding (Kastanienauflauf)
Pre-Lenten Fritters (Funkaküechli)
Apple Rings (Öpfelküechli)
LITHUANIA
Zeppelins or Stuffed Dumplings (Cepelinai)
Pork Cooked in Buttermilk (Rûgusiame Piene Virta Kiauliena)
Mushrooms in a Blanket (Kepti Grybai Tedthloje)
Herring in Sour Cream (Grietinîje Virta Silkê)
Onions Stuffed with Beets (Burokëliais Ádaryti Svogûnai)
Soft Gingerbread (Minkštas Meduolis)
Poppy-Seed Cookies (Aguonų Sausainiai)
LUXEMBOURG
Green Bean Soup (Bou’neschlupp)
Fried Moselle Fish (Friture de la Moselle)
Ham in Hay (Haam am Hée)
Buckwheat Dumplings (Staerzelen)
Potato Fritters (Gromperekichelcher)
Plum Tart (Quetscheflued)
Apple Dumplings (Äppelklatzen)
Fritters (Verwurrelt Gedanken)
MACEDONIA
Cucumber Salad (Tarator)
Eggplant Salad (Pindzhur)
Meatballs (Kjoftinja)
Stuffed Peppers (Polneti Piperki)
Rice Pudding (Sutlijash)
Fruit Compote (Kompot)
Poppy-Seed Cake
MADAGASCAR
Beef Soup with Greens (Romazava)
Stewed Pork and Cassava Leaves (Ravitoto sy Henakisoa)
Chicken with Garlic and Ginger (Akoho sy Sakamalao)
Shredded Beef (Varenga)
Rice and Vegetables (Vary Amin’anana)
Tomato and Green Onion Relish (Lasary Voatabia)
Hot Pepper Sauce (Sakay)
Fruit Salad (Salady Voankazo)
Cassava Fritters (Mofo Mangahazo)
Coconut Rice Cakes (Mokary)
MALAWI
Cornmeal Porridge (Nsima, also Ufa)
Cabbage in Peanut Sauce (Kutendela)
Chicken Curry (Nkhuku Ya Sabola)
Fish and Plantains
Malawi Curry Powder
Sweet Potato Biscuits (Mbatata)
Peanut Puffs (Mtedza)
Banana Fritters (Zitumbuwa)
MALAYSIA
Fried Noodles with Seafood (Char Kuay Teow, also Char Kuoi Teow)
Mixed Fruit Salad (Rojak Buah)
Red-Cooked Chicken (Ayam Masak Merah)
Meat Pastries (Murtabak, also Murtaba, Martaba)
Sweet Coconut Rice Balls (Onde Onde)
Tapioca Coconut Cake (Kueh Bengka Ubi)
Curry Puffs
MALDIVES
Gourd Relish (Chichandaa Satani)
Deep-Fried Fish (Theluli Mas)
Onion Flat Bread (Fiyaa Roshi)
Flavored Rice (Kaliyaa Birinjee)
Beef Curry (Geri Riha)
Potato Curry (Kukulhu Bis Riha)
Fish and Potato Croquettes (Cutlus)
Custard Cream Sweet (Bis Haluvaa)
Banana Coconut Fritters (Dhonkeyo Kajuru)
Cassava Coconut Cake (Dhandialuvi Boakiba)
MALI
Rice and Black-Eyed Peas (Mo Dunguri)
Porridge (To) with Two Sauces
Hibiscus Juice or Tea (Bissap)
Fish Stew (Lakh-Lalo)
Songhay Date and Meat Stew with Dumplings
Sweet Millet Fritters (Maasa)
Peanut Biscuits (Kulikuli)
Sweet Mango Omelet
MALTA
Spicy Bean Mash (Bigilla)
Fish Soup (Aljotta)
Stuffed Eggplant (Bringiel Mimli)
Meatloaf (Pulpettun)
Easter Cookies (Figolli)
Apricot Cake (Kejk tal-Berquq)
Almond Spice Cookies (Kwareżimal)
MARSHALL ISLANDS
Dried Fish
Crab and Potato Cakes
Macadamia Nut Pie
Breadfruit Chips (Jekaka)
Baked Vegetables in Coconut Cream
MAURITANIA
Stuffed Leg of Lamb (Mechoui)
Pepper Steak
Chicken and Chickpeas (Chaj)
Nomad-Style Lamb
Couscous
Date Cake
MAURITIUS
Choko Salad (Salade Chou Chou)
Chili Cakes (Gâteaux Piments)
Curry Sauce
Chicken Stew (Daube de Poulet)
Pancakes (Faratas)
Cold Jelly Drink (Alooda Glacée)
Raspberry Cakes (Napolitaines)
Chickpea Almond Balls (Ladous)
MEXICO
Hot Sandwiches (Pambazos)
Avocado, Orange, and Radish Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate con
Naranja y Rábanos)
Oaxacan-Style Lentils (Lentejas Oaxaqueñas)
Beef Roulades with Green Mole (Bistec Relleno con Mole Verde)
Banana and Nut Dessert (Torta de Plátanos y Nueces)
Coconut Macaroon Squares (Cocada Horneada)
Aunt Cirita’s Baked Plantains (Plátanos Tía Cirita)
MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF

Barbecued Chicken
Sweet Potato Tops Salad
Vegetable Curry with Mackerel
Yam Puree in Coconut Cream (Koapnoair Koakihr)
Taro and Coconut Balls (Utoar)
Tropical Fruit Salad
Mango and Passion Fruit Milkshake
MOLDOVA
Chicken in Aspic (Racituri de Pui)
Moldavian Burgers (Parjoale Moldovenesti)
Fried Pepper Salad (Salata de Ardei Prajiti)
New Potatoes (Cartofi Noi)
Cheese-Filled Buns (Placinte Poale’n Brau, also Placinte cu Poale in
Briu)
Dumplings (Coltunasi)
MONACO
Fried Dumplings (Barbaguian, also Barba-juan)
Stuffed Vegetables with Tuna and Sardines (Petits Farcis Thon et
Sardines)
Chickpea Cakes (Socca)
Olive Oil–Caper Paste (Tapenade)
Almond and Melon Pie (Galapian)
Sweet Almond-Topped Bread (Fougasse Monegasque)
Swiss Chard Pie (Tourte de Blette)
MONGOLIA
Fried Meat Pies (Khoorshoor, also Huurshuur)
Mutton Soup (Guriltai Shul)
Steamed Meat-Filled Dumplings (Buuz)
Milk Tea (Suutei Tsai)
Milk Tea with Toasted Millet
Baked Lamb (Khorkhog, also Horhog)
Deep-Fried Fritters (Boortsog)
MONTENEGRO
Vegetable Spread (Pindzur)
Pashtrovic-Style Macaroni (Pashtrovski Makaruli)
Balchic-Style Baked Meat (Balshica Tava)
Potato Porridge (Mocani Kacamak)
Stuffed Kale (Japraci)
Fried Dumplings (Malisorske Priganice)
Herb and Vegetable Pastry (Zeljanica)
Cherry Baklava
MOROCCO
Tomatoes and Eggs (Chakchouka)
Braised Chicken with Olives (Tajine)
Couscous Marrakech
Chicken with Chickpeas (Gdra)
Almond Croissants (Kab el Ghzal)
Orange and Almond Cake (Meskouta)
Almond Cookies (Ghoriba)
MOZAMBIQUE
Green Bean Soup (Sopa de Feijao Verde)
Clam and Peanut Stew (Matata)
Hot Pepper Sauce, Mozambique Version (PiriPiri)
Chicken Zambezia (Galinha à Zambeziana)
Papaya and Egg Pudding (Ovos Moles de Papaia)
Avocado Pudding (Sobremesa de Abacate)
Bananas in Coconut Cream (Bananas com Leite Condensado)
MYANMAR (BURMA)
Ginger Salad (Gin Thoke)
Wheat Noodles in Coconut Chicken Soup (Ohn-no-Kauk-swey)
Gourd Fritters (Boothee Kyaw)
Shrimp Paste Relish (Balachaung, also Ngapi Kyaw)
Coconut Semolina Cake (Sanwin Makin)
Tapioca Coconut Drink (Mont Let Saung, also Moh Let Saung)
NAMIBIA
Stiff Porridge Staple (Oshifima)
Black-Eyed Peas (Oshingali)
Butternut Squash Soup (Botterskorsie Sop)
Veldt Bread
Green Corn Pudding
NAURU
Mixed Fries
Grilled Ibija or Milkfish
Fried Chicken
Long Beans and Squash in Coconut Cream
NEPAL
Mint Chutney (Babari Ko Achaar)
Chicken Curry (Bhutuwa)
Black Lentil Fritters (Bara, also Badha)
Chickpea-Flour Cookies (Besan Burfi)
Vegetable Noodles (Thukpa)
Cheese Sweets (Peda)
Nuts in Sweet Yogurt (Gulio Dahi)
Mixed Citrus Fruit Salad (Ameelo Saandhehko)
THE NETHERLANDS
Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts (Spruitjes met Kastanjes)
Green Pea Soup (Erwten Soep)
Meat Croquettes (Kroket)
Chocolate Hail (Hagelslag)
Beans with Apples and Pork (Bruine Bonen met Appels en Spek)
Cinnamon-Ginger Cookies (Speculaas)
Custard Pudding (Vla)
Mini-Pancakes (Poffertjes)
Custard Crumble Pie (Kruimelvlaai)
NEW CALEDONIA
Prawns in Coconut Cream (Crevettes en Coco)
Pineapple Fishballs
Breadfruit and Fish
Papaya Fish Soup
Breadfruit and Beef
Stuffed Papaya
Boiled Yam
Breadfruit Fritters
Guava Pies (Boulette de Goyave)
Cassava Coconut Steamed Cakes (Mwata)
Squash Caramel Pudding (Gâteau de Citrouille)
NEW ZEALAND
Asparagus Soup
Baked Fish Steaks
White Fish Fritters
Sea Urchin (Kina) Pie
Meatloaf
Ginger Beer
Banana Sandwiches
ANZAC Biscuits
Kiwi Cream
Pavlova
Louise Cake
NICARAGUA
Bean Soup (Sopa de Frijoles)
Young Corn and Cheese Dumplings (Yoltamales)
Grilled Steak (Carne Asada)
Pineapple and Rice Drink (Horchata con Piña)
Candied Mango (Almíbar de Mango)
Corn Cheese Cake (Perrerreque)
Three-Milk Cake (Pastel Tres Leches)
NIGER
Lamb Gumbo with Wheat Dumplings (Bondo Gumbo)
Beef and Vegetable Stew (Tigadigué de Boeuf)
Kopto Sauce
Fruit Salad
Baobab Juice
NIGERIA
Plantain and Crayfish (Kekefia)
Afang Soup
Prawns with Coconut and Bulgur
Groundnut Chop
Nigerian Kebabs (Suya)
Bean Pudding (Moimoi or Moin Moin)
Millet Balls in Yogurt (Fura da Nono)
Plantain Pudding (Ukwaka)
Nutmeg Fritters (Chin Chin)
NORWAY
Fishballs (Fiskeboller)
Pickled Herring (Sursild)
Meldal Soup (Meldalsodd)
Pot Roast (Slottsstek)
Potato Dumplings (Klubb)
Flour Dumplings
Creamed Rice
Mother Monsen’s Cakes (Mor Monsen Kaker)
Apple Almond Cake (Eple-Mandel Kake)
OMAN
Lamb and Date Stew
Fish with Rice (Mezroota)
Sweet Vermicelli (Swayweih)
Sweet Porridge (Khabeesa)
Earth Oven Roast (Shuwa, also Tanour)
Semolina Coconut Syrup Cake (Juz al Hind)
Coconut Macaroons (Chaklama)
Tea (Chai)
PAKISTAN
Meatballs (Koftay)
Spiced Braised Meat (Nihari)
Stir-Fried Spicy Chicken (Jalfraizi)
Eggplant in Yogurt Sauce (Bengan ka Bhurta)
Potato Cutlets (Aloo Tiki)
Milk Balls (Ras Goolay, also Rasgula)
Bread Pudding (Shahi Tukda)
PALAU
Squash and Coconut Cream Soup
Taro Leaf Soup in Coconut Milk (Demok)
Taro Patties
Steamed Clams
Soursop Smoothie
PALESTINE
Grilled Vegetable Paste (Mafghoussa)
Wild Mallows (Khubbeizeh)
Eggplant with Tahina (M’tabbal)
Chicken in Sumac (Musakhan)
Jerusalem Cheese Vermicelli Dessert (Kadayif al Khouds)
Sweet Crescents (Qataieyf)
PANAMA
Papaya-Pineapple Drink (Chicha de Papaya con Piña)
Rice and Chicken (Arroz con Pollo)
Chicken and Vegetable Stew (Sancocho)
Cassava Fritters (Carimañolas)
Candied Plantain (Tentación)
Sighs (Súspiros)
Papaya Coconut Preserve (Cabanga)
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Baked Sweet Potato
Sago Dumpling with Fish
Chicken Pot
Kokoda Fish
Bully Beef and Rice Casserole
Yam Patties
Banana Pancakes
Banana Sago Dumplings (Saksak)
Sago, Plantain, and Coconut Bread
Breadfruit Scones
PARAGUAY
Corn-Cheese Bread (Sopa Paraguaya)
Chickpea and Spinach Soup (Potaje de Garbanzo con Acelga)
Meat-Cassava Patties (Payagua Mascada)
Squash Mash (Kiveve)
Orange Custard (Flan de Naranja)
Honey Orange Bread (Pan de Miel con Naranja)
Cassava Pies (Pasteles de Mandioca)
PERU
Bean Fritters (Tacu Tacu)
Pork and Potato Stew (Carapulcra)
Lima Potato Salad (Causa Limeña)
Stuffed Bell Peppers (Rocoto Relleno)
Caramel Sauce and Fruit (Natillas Piuranas)
Sweet Potato Dessert (Camotillo)
Soursop Fruit Porridge (Champús de Guanábana)
PHILIPPINES
Sour Soup (Sinigang)
Fresh Egg Rolls (Fresh Lumpia)
Philippine Beefsteak (Bistek)
Savory Fritters (Ukoy)
Rice Cake (Bibingka)
Coconut Cream Custard (Leche Flan sa Gatâ)
Fruit Salad
POLAND
Cabbage with Apples (Kapusta z Jablkamy)
Cooked Beets (Cwikla)
Fish Casserole (Potravwa Zapiekana)
Meatballs with Sour Cream (Klopsk w Smietanie)
Wigilia Fruit Compote (Kompot w Spirytusie)
Christmas Porridge (Kutia Wigilijna)
Strawberry Dessert (Kisiel Truskawkowy)
Apple Cake (Placek z Jablka)
PORTUGAL
Kale Soup (Caldo Verde)
Roasted Bell Peppers (Pimentos Assados)
Onion and Tomato Relish (Sebolada)
Chicken and Rice (Frango com Arroz)
Codfish Burgers (Bolas de Bacalhau)
Pork Bits (Vinho d’Alhos)
Rice Pudding (Arroz Doce)
Orange and Lemon Muffins (Queques de Laranja e Limão)
Almond Tart (Tarte de Amêndoa)
QATAR
Minced Meat Grill (Kafta ’al Seekh)
Cumin Potatoes (Batata b’Kamun)
Ginger Pickle (Achaar)
Dates in Butter Sauce (Al Rangina)
Cheese Pudding (Esh Asaraya)
Bread Pudding (Umm Ali)
ROMANIA
Dried Bean Salad (Salata de Fasole Boabe)
Cottage Cheese with Dill (Urda cu Marar)
Green Bean Soup (Bors de Fasole Verde)
Fried Zucchini with Sour Cream (Dovlecei Prajiti cu Smantana)
Rolled Meatloaf Stuffed with Macaroni (Rulada de Carne Tocata
Umpluta cu Macaroane)
Cornmeal Pudding (Budinca de Malai Dulce)
Spice Cookies (Turtă Dulce)
Cheese Squares (Alivenci)
RUSSIA
Buckwheat Pancakes (Blinis)
Pickled Mushrooms (Marinovannye Griby)
Cabbage Soup (Schchi)
Fish Cakes with Mustard Sauce (Bitki s Zapravkoi Gorchichnoi)
Buckwheat Groats with Mushrooms and Onions (Grechnevaya Kasha)
Easter Cheese Cake with Candied Fruit and Nuts (Paskha)
Apple Cake (Yablochnaya Sharlotka)
Cheese Patties (Sirniki)
RWANDA
Cassava Leaves and Eggplant (Isombe)
Beef Stew
Chicken and Vegetable Stew (Igisafuriya)
Fried Plantains (Mizuzu)
Sweet Potato Pudding (Ibijumba)
Bean Stew (Ibishyimbo)
VOLUME 4 S–Z
SAMOA
Raw Fish in Coconut Cream (Oka I’a)
Corned Beef Packages (Luau Pisupo)
Baked Coconut Milk (Luau Palusami)
Cooked Bananas (Fa’alifu Fa’I)
Samoan Cookies (Masi Samoa, also Keke Faasaina)
Steamed Cinnamon Cake (Puligi)
Pineapple Pie (Paifala)
SAN MARINO
Croquettes (Crocchette)
Pork in Milk (Maiale al Latte)
Cornmeal Cake (Bustrengo)
Easter Bread (Pagnotta)
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE

Sweet Potato Soufflé (Soufflé de Batata Doce)
Sweet Potato Omelet (Omeleta com Batata Doce)
Banana Puree (Angu de Banana)
Creole Rice (Arroz Crioulo)
Fish Stew (Calulu de Peixe)
Fried Papaya (Mamão Frito)
Orange-Lemon Biscuits (Biscoitos de Laranja e Limão)
Banana Cake (Bolo de Banana)
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Rice (Aroz Saudi)
Roast Stuffed Kid or Lamb (Kharoof Mahshi)
Bread with Meat (Aish Bel-Lahm)
Wheat Soup (Shorobat al-Jereesh)
Meat Pies (Samboosak al Saudi)
Sweet Dumplings (Looqemat)
Filled Pastries (Bayd al Qata)
SENEGAL
Senegalese Milk Drink (Sow)
White Fish on Black-Eyed Peas Appetizer (L’Assiette des Assiettes)
Peanut and Meat Stew (Mafé)
Fish Balls (Boulettes)
Barbecued Chicken with Lemon and Onions (Poulet Yassa à la
Casamance)
Festive Dish for New Year (Le Thiéré Bassi)
Fish Pies (Pastels)
Sweet Porridge (Ngalakh)
Fritters (Beignets)
SERBIA
Eggplant Relish (Ayvar)
Baked Beans (Prebranac)
Thick Chicken Soup with Kaymak
Meat Patties (Fashir)
Meat and Vegetable Casserole (Musaka)
Cooked Peppers (Paprikas)
Sponge Cake (Ledene Kocke)
Cheese Pastry (Gibanica)
SEYCHELLES
Fish Stew (Bouillon de Poisson)
Seychelles Fish Curry (Cari de Poisson)
Pork Curry (Cari de Porc)
Flavored Rice (Pulao)
Grilled Fish
Tuna in Turmeric and Coconut Milk (Thon au Safran)
Spice Mix (Massalé)
Plantains in Coconut Milk (La Daube de Banane Plantain)
Sweet Potato Dessert (La Daube Patate)
Passion-Fruit Custard (Crème de Maracuja)
Ginger Bananas
SIERRA LEONE
Fish Packets (Abala)
Bean Fritters (Binch Akara)
Groundnut Stew
Corned Beef Cakes
Prawn Palava
Black-Eyed Bean Pastries (Oleleh)
Peanut Squares (Kanya)
Sweet Banana Rice Fritters (Rice Akara)
SINGAPORE
Chicken Rice (Hainan Ji Fan)
Steamed Fish Cake (Otak-Otak)
Coconut Rice (Nasi Lemak)
Sweet Potato Porridge (Bubur Chacha)
Fried Noodles (Mee Goreng)
Peanut Pancake (Ban Jian Kway)
Coconut Rice Crepes (Apom)
Shaved Ice Dessert (Ice Kacang)
SLOVAKIA
Potato Soup (Zemiakova Polievka)
Drop Noodles and Cabbage (Haluski Kapusta)
Sausage Casserole (Oravska Pochutka)
Creamed Pumpkin (Tekvicovy Privarok)
Potato Casserole (Bryndzove Halusky)
Pork Stew (Segedinsky Gulas)
Christmas Rice Pudding (Koch)
Fruit Dumplings (Ovocné Knedličky)
Meringue Pastries (Laskonsky)
SLOVENIA
Potato Soup (Prechganka)
Barley Gruel with Smoked Pork (Krasci)
Deep-Fried Chicken (Pohana Pichka)
Dandelion Salad
Buckwheat Balls (Ubrnenik)
Cake Roll (Koroški Šarkelj)
Fruit Ravioli (Sadni Zhlikrofi)
Nut-and Raisin-Filled Dumplings (Kobariški Štruklji)
Cheese Dumplings (Širovi Štruklji)
SOLOMON ISLANDS
Fish in Coconut
Cassava Pudding
Taro Steamed Pudding
Steamed Corned Beef and Sweet Potato Packets
Noodles and Shellfish
SOMALIA
Veal with Tomato Topping (Huris Hilib)
Chicken Suqaar
Meat Pies (Sambusa)
Spiced Meat and Rice (Bariis Isku Dhex-Karis)
Spiced Mangoes
Papaya Rings
Coconut Squares (Qumbe Macaan)
Rice Cake (Mkate wa Maashara)
SOUTH AFRICA
Corn Bread (Mielie Brood)
Yellow Rice (Geelrys)
Sorrel Soup
Minced Meat Casserole (Bobotie)
Marinated Skewered Meat (Sosaties)
Cape Malay Pickled Fish
Koeksisters
Milk Tart (Melktert)
Krakelinge
SOUTH SUDAN
Goat and Greens
Jute Greens (Molokhiya)
Green Beans in Groundnut Sauce
Cassava Fritters (Tamiya)
SPAIN
Eggplant, Potato, and Pepper Casserole (Tumbet)
Galician Vegetable and Sausage Stew (Caldo Gallego)
Fisherman’s Rice (Arrosejat)
Meat Stew with Capers (Picadillo con Alcaparras)
Potatoes with Tomato-Chili Sauce (Patatas Bravas)
Char-Grilled Vegetables (Escalivada)
Tiger Nut Drink (Horchata de Chufa)
Pork with Prunes and Orange Juice (Llom amb Prunes i Suc de
Taronja)
Lentil Salad (Amanida de Llenties)
Potato Loaf (Braç de Puré)
Fritters with Chocolate (Churros con Chocolate)
Baked Apples (Pomes al Forn)
Cantabrian Cheesecake (Quesada Pasiega)
St James’s Cake (Tarta de Santiago)
SRI LANKA
Coconut Sambol (Pol Sambol)
Milk Rice (Kiribath)
Cutlets (Cutlus)
Eggplant Curry (Brinjal Pahi)
Egg Curry
Coconut Custard (Wattalappam)
Yogurt and Treacle (Kiri Pani)
Love Cake
Coconut-Filled Crepe Rolls (Wellawahum)
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

Rice ’n Peas
Stewed Salt Fish
Fried Plantains
Seasoned Breadfruit
Goat Water (Stew)
Coconut Dumplings (Droppers)
Bread Pudding
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

Stuffed Cucumbers
Pea Soup
Dumplings
Codfish Cakes
Honey-Baked Plantain Rolls
Arrowroot Cakes
Steamed Pastries (Doucana, also Dukanna)
SUDAN
Yogurt and Cucumber Salad (Salatet Zabady bil Ajur)
Peanut Soup (Shorba)
Spicy Relish (Shata)
Jute Mallow Soup (Molokhiya)
Stuffed Tomato (Bandoura Machschi)
Preacher’s Okra (Mullah Bamyah)
Meatballs (Koftah)
Sorghum Crepes (Kisra)
Cinnamon Tea
Butter-Date Pancakes (Goraasa be Samna)
Fenugreek Porridge (Madeeda Hilbe)
SURINAME
Peanut Soup (Pinda Soep)
Fried Bean Balls (Phulauri)
Mango Chutney
Pan-Fried Flat Bread (Roti)
Lentil Stew (Dhal)
Coconut Milk Jelly (Gelatin a la Ponche Crema)
Coconut Cassava Cake (Bojo)
Coconut Drink (Dawet)
SWAZILAND
Beef, Cabbage, and Samp Stew (Sidlwadlwa)
Sugar Bean Porridge (Sishwala)
Maize Bread (Mealie Bread)
Avocado, Radish, Peanut, and Ginger Salad (Slaai)
Pumpkin Soup
Samp and Beans with Nuts
Spinach Porridge (Isijabane)
Carrot and Green Bean Soup (Indlangala)
Cornmeal Pancakes
Banana and Corn Casserole
Queen Mary Pudding
SWEDEN
Fermented North Baltic Herring (Surströmming)
Salted Herring (Inlagd Sill)
Potato and Anchovy Casserole or Jansson’s Temptation (Jansson’s
Frestelse)
Swedish Beef Stew (Kalops)
Meat Dumplings (Palt)
Ginger Snaps (Pepparkakor)
Butter Cookies (Smör Kakor)
Berry Dessert (Barkram)
SWITZERLAND
Engadine-Style Barley Soup (Engadiner Gerstensuppe)
Meat in Cream Sauce (Geschnetzeltes)
Graubuenden-Style Fried Potatoes (Maluns la Lai)
Vaud Leek and Potatoes (Papet Vaudois)
Alpine Macaroni (Aelplermagrone)
Bernese Hazelnut Cookies (Berner Haselnussleckerli)
Basel-Style Spice Cookies (Basler Läckerli)
Plum Tart (Tarte aux Pruneaux Genevois)
SYRIA
Pita Bread (Khubz)
Barley Broth (Tirbiyali)
Syrian Spice Blend (Baharat)
Rice with Meat and Fava Beans (Fuul Ma‘ruz)
Eggplant with Tahina (Batlijan biTahina)
Walnut Syrup Pastry (Batlawa)
Apricot Pudding (Qamar El-Deen)
Filled Pancakes (Atayef)
TAHITI
Marinated Raw Fish (E’ia Ota, also Poisson Cru)
Papaya Soup (Soupe de Papaya)
Mashed Breadfruit (Uru)
Chicken with Limes (Poulet avec les Limettes)
Pork in Coconut Milk (Porc au Lait de Coco)
Taro Dessert (Po’e Tarua)
Coconut Bread (Pain Coco)
Corned Beef (Punu Pua Toro)
Sweet Potato Cream (Crème ‘Umara)
TAIWAN
Beef Noodle Soup (Niurou Mian, also Gu Bah Mi)
Chafing Dish Tofu (Tie Ban Dou Fu)
Three-Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
Fried Rice (Chao Fan)
Pineapple Tarts (Feng Li Su)
Sweet Bean Curd (Dou Hua)
Sweet Red Bean Soup (Hong Dou Tang)
TAJIKISTAN
Onion-Flavored Flat Bread (Non)
Flavored Rice (Oshi Plov, also Osh Palov)
Noodles with Melted Cheese and Fresh Vegetable Sauce (Qurutob)
Mutton and Vegetable Stew (Mastoba)
Tajik Salty Milk Tea (Chai)
Tomatoes, Sour Cream, and Bread (Shakarov)
Soft Pudding (Nishallo)
Halva (Khalvo)
TANZANIA
Rice Pancakes (Vitumbua)
Pigeon Peas in Coconut Milk (Mbaazi wa Nazi)
Cooked Bananas (Ndizi na Nyama)
Coconut Fish Curry (Samaki wa Nazi)
Meat and Bulgur (Boko-Boko)
Plantain and Beef Stew (Mtori)
Rice and Lentils (Mseto)
Squash and Yam Futari
Vegetable Relish (Kachumbali)
Sweet Red Beans (Maharagwe)
Sweet Balls in Vanilla Syrup (Kaimati)
Fruit Pudding
THAILAND
Chicken Curry (Gaeng Gari Gai)
Chiang Mai–Style Curry Noodles (Kao Soi)
Hot and Sour Soup with Prawns (Tom Yam Goong)
Vegetables in Coconut Milk (Paak Tom Kati)
Water Chestnut Rubies (Tab Tim Grob)
Durian Sticky Rice (Khao Niao Thurian)
Layered Pandan Cake (Khanom Chan Bitua)
TIBET
Barley Flour Paste (Tsampa)
Butter Tea (Po Cha, also Bo Cha)
Cheese Soup (Churu)
Tibetan Curry Spice Mix (Garam Masala)
Steamed Filled Dumplings (Momo)
Mixed Vegetable Stew (Shamday, also Shamdhe)
Potato Stew (Xiangzhai)
Pickled Radish (Sonlabu)
New Year Sweet Saffron Rice (Dresi, also Dresil)
TOGO
Cassava and Egg (Gari Foto)
Groundnut Stew with Chicken
Seafood, Beef, and Vegetable Sauce
Roast Chicken with Djenkoumé (Poulet Djenkoumé)
Grilled Plantain
Cooking Blend (N’toutou)
Fried Yam (Koliko)
Sweet Cassava Dessert (Gari Dossi)
Ginger Juice (Jus de Gingembre)
TONGA
Corned Beef Packets (Lu Pulu)
Marinated Fish (‘Ota ’Ika)
Taro in Coconut Sauce (Faikakai Topai)
Baked Coconut Shells (To’okutu)
Papaya Coconut Sweet (Faka-ovaka)
Watermelon Drink (’Otai)
Steamed Cake (Puteni)
Cooked Bananas (Vai Siaine)
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Coconut Bake
Orange Rice
Stewed Chicken
Banana Nut Pudding
Latterday Saints
Bananas and Mango in Coconut Milk
Sorrel Jelly
Sweet Paime
TUNISIA
Semolina Cereal (Farka)
Tunisian Salad (Slata Tunisia)
Braised Beef and Olives (Mirket Zeitun)
Lamb and Quince Stew (Mirket al Safarjal)
Governor’s Chakchouka (Chakchoukat al Pekha)
Pepper Sauce (Harissa)
Almond and Sesame Pastries (Samsa)
Sweet Couscous (Masfout)
Date Cookies (Makhroudh)
TURKEY
Dill and Yogurt Soup (Yayla Çorbasi)
Stuffed Eggplant (Imam Bayildi)
Meatballs Stuffed with Nuts, Fruit, and Spices (Icli Kofte)
Sweet Fritters (Lokma)
Fruit Ice (Sharbatee Gulab)
Walnut-Sesame Rolls (Cevizli Tahinli Açma)
Orange Semolina Cake (Portakalli Revani)
TURKMENISTAN
Flavored Rice (Palav, also Plov)
Meat Pie (Ishlekly, also Ishlekli)
Fried Soup (Shorba)
Boiled Soup (Chektyrma)
Potato Salad
Eggplant Stacks (Badamjan Gatlamasy)
Stuffed Bread (Gyzzyrma Gutap)
Glazed Fritters (Shakshak, also Chakchak)
Strained Yogurt (Süzme)
Summer Yogurt Drink (Çal)
Rice Pudding (Süýtli Tüwi)
TYROL
Tyrolean Soup (Tiroler Suppe)
Potato Grosti (Grosti da Patac)
Crisp Flatbread (Schüttelbrot, also Pane de Segale Duro)
Poppy-Seed Doughnuts (Crafons, also Krapfen)
Apricot Dumplings (Marillenknödel)
UGANDA
Breakfast Porridge (Obungi Bwa Kalo)
Vegetable Casserole
Chicken Stew
Groundnut Sauce
Spinach and Simsim
Matoke I (Plain)
Matoke II (Fancy)
Royal Steamed Packets (Oluwombo)
Fish Packet (Samakhi Lowumbo)
Coconut-Peanut Brittle (Kashata)
Simsim Candies
THE UIGHURS
Flavored Rice (Polo)
Boiled Meat Dumplings (Chuchura, also Ququra)
Pancake (Nang)
Deep-Fried Dough Twists (Sanzi)
Big Chicken Plate (Da Pan Ji)
Xinjiang Spice Mix
Pumpkin or Squash Sweet (Kawa)
Iced Lemon Yogurt (Durap, also Dogh)
UKRAINE
Noodle and Cottage Cheese Casserole (Lokshyna, Zapechena z Syrom)
Hussar Roast (Gusars’ka Pechenja)
Stewed Chicken (Chakhokhbili)
Barley Soup (Krupnyk)
Christmas Wheat Porridge (Kutia, also Kutya)
Stuffed Dumplings (Varenyky)
Dried Fruit Compote (Uzvar)
Semolina Porridge (Mannaya Kasha)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Yeast Pancakes (Khameer)
Festive Rice (Al Koodhy)
Truffle Stew (Yakhnit el Kama)
Yogurt Potatoes (Batata bil Laban)
Date Sweet (Rangina)
Sweet Rice (Muhammar)
Ginger Milk (Zanjabil ma Haleeb)
UNITED KINGDOM
Glamorgan Sausages (Selsig Morgannwg)
Scotch Eggs
Chicken Tikka Masala
Coronation Chicken
Sausage and Apple Cottage Pie
Sausages in Batter (Toad-in-the-Hole)
Irish Apple and Parsnip Soup
Welsh Leek Broth (Cawl Cennin)
Steak and Kidney Pudding
Lancashire Hotpot
Welsh Plum Tart (Tarten Eirin)
Eve’s Pudding
Boiled Pudding (Spotted Dog, Spotted Dick)
Deep-Fried Mars Bars (Scotland)
Irish Fraughan Cake
Scottish Berry Cream (Cranachan)
Eton Mess
Lemon Syllabub
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Sour Milk Pancakes
Relish
Cheese Meatloaf
Fried Chicken
Collard Greens
Boston Baked Beans
Blue Corn Cornbread
Fry Bread
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Chocolate Fudge Upside-Down Cake
Butter Pecan Praline Ice Cream
Fudge Brownies
URUGUAY
Sausage Stew (Chorizos en Cazuela)
Stuffed Beef Roll (Fiambre)
Sweet Corn and Bell Pepper Casserole (Tarta de Morrón)
Uruguayan Marinated Chicken (Pollo en Escabeche)
Potato Stew (Puchero)
Baked Fruits with Nut Topping (Gratin de Frutas)
Honey Muffins (Bizcochitos de Miel)
Fried Cake (Torta Frita)
UZBEKISTAN
Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Lazzat Salat)
Cabbage Soup (Karam Shurva)
Flavored Rice (Palov)
“Sausage” Kebab (Liula Kebab)
Tart Kebab Sauce
Cold Grain Soup (Guja)
Quince Pilaf (Behili Palov)
Apricot-Seed Brittle (Magiz Kholva)
Sweet Porridge (Kholvaitar)
Yogurt Drink (Airon)
VANUATU
Peanut Salad
Fish Salad
Pork-Stuffed Taro
Coconut Milk Bake (Lap Lap)
Fried Squash Patties
Tropical Fruit Sherbet
Banana and Peanut Butter Biscuits
VENEZUELA
Cheese Sticks (Tequeños)
Corn Pancakes (Cachapas de Jojoto)
Chicken Soup (Hervido de Galina)
Black Roast (Asado Negro)
Avocado Relish (Guasacaca)
Black Bean Stew (Caraotas Negras)
Small Anise Arepas (Arepitas de Anis)
Coconut Milk Layered Cake (Bienmesabe)
Raw Sugar Limeade or Lemonade (Limonada con Panela)
VIETNAM
Vietnamese Crepes (Banh Xeo)
Garlic Fish Sauce (Nuoc Mam Cham)
Hue Rice (Com Huong Giang)
Caramel-Simmered Pork Ribs (Suon Kho)
Caramel Sauce (Nuoc Mau)
Rainbow Drink (Chè Ba Mau)
Coconut Caramel Flan (Banh Dua Ca Ra Men)
Sweet Corn Pudding (Chè Băp)
Sweet Cassava Soup (Chè Săn Nóng)
YEMEN
Crisp Savory Pancakes (Mellawach)
Sana’a Meat Stew (Saltah)
Hawayij (Yemeni Spice Mix)
Chicken Soup (Shurba Dejaj)
Honey Cake (Bint al Sahn)
Ginger Coffee (Qishr)
Bulgur Porridge (Sherba Harish Beydha)
Banana Pudding (Malikia)
ZAMBIA
Green Mealie Loaf
Okra Soup
Meat and Corn Pie (Mealie Tart)
Fish Stew
Cassava and Groundnuts
Greens in Peanut Sauce (Ifisashi)
Fried Plantains
Honey Bars (Uchibar)
Fritters (Vitumbuwa)
ZANZIBAR
Coconut Fish (Samaki wa Nazi)
Fish Croquettes (Samaki wa Kusonga)
Zanzibar Pilau
Ground Beef Curry (Mchuzi wa Kima)
Coconut Rice (Wali wa Nazi)
Fruit and Coconut Drink (Maji ya Matunda na Nazi)
Cashew Nut and Sweet Potato Cakes
Hot Ginger Drink (Tangawizi)
Banana Custard (N’dizi na Kasted)
Coconut Rice Fritters (Vitumbua)
ZIMBABWE
Fermented Millet Porridge (Amboli)
Corn-Groundnut Porridge (Mutakura)
Chicken in Peanut Sauce (Huku ne Dovi)
Cooked Greens Zimbabwe Style
Pumpkin with Peanut Sauce (Nhopi Dovi)
Nhopi Dovi with Cornmeal (Sadza)
Squash and Apple Soup
Fruit Custard
Papaya Candy (Mapopo)
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
List of Countries and Regions
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
The Basques
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chechnya
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo Kinshasa; formerly Zaire)
Congo, Republic of (Congo Brazzaville)
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea
Kosovo
Kurdistan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States of
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
The Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tahiti
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tibet
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tyrol
Uganda
The Uighurs
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zanzibar
Zimbabwe
List of Recipes by Region
AFRICA
ALGERIA
Eggplant Spread
Algerian Charlotte
ANGOLA
BENIN
Pureed Peas
Dahomey Fish Stew
Fritters
Peanut Sauce
BOTSWANA
Cooked Greens
Tomato Loofah
Mopane Worms
BURKINA FASO
Spiced Meatballs
Bean Cakes
Lemon Porridge
Mango Chutney
Peanut Balls
BURUNDI
Plantains and Beans
CAMEROON
Fish Stew with Rice
CAPE VERDE

Egusi Sauce
CHAD
Squash with Peanuts
Sweet Potato Salad
Meat and Okra Sauce
Millet Snack
COMOROS
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF (CONGO KINSHASA; fORMERLY

ZAIRE)
Fish in Banana Leaf (Liboké de Poisson) Mbika with Meat
Mafutaya Nguba)
Green Papaya Jam
Peanut Cream
Banana Condiment
CONGO, REPUBLIC OF (CONGO BRAZZAVILLE)

CÔTE D’IVOIRE
Yams with Tomatoes
Pineapple Boats
Bananas in Cinnamon
DJIBOUTI
Sweet Fritters
EGYPT
Meat Omelet (Eggah)
Pigeon (Kolbasti)
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Fish in Tomato Sauce (Peixe a Tomate)
Yam and Shrimp Stew
ERITREA
Hot Sauce (Awase)
ETHIOPIA
GABON
THE GAMBIA
Stewed Mangoes
GHANA
Cinnamon Bananas
Banana Peanut Cake
Tigernut Pudding (Atangbe Milkyi, also Atadwe Milk)
Plantain Cake
GUINEA
Fish and Greens
Okra Rice
GUINEA BISSAU
Peas and Meat
KENYA
Bean Stew
Mango Ice Cream
Rice Pancakes
LESOTHO
Curried Meat
Peanut Bread
LIBERIA
Chicken Peanut Soup
Monrovia Greens
Cassava Cake
Liberian Cake
LIBYA
MADAGASCAR
MALAWI
Fish and Plantains
Malawi Curry Powder
MALI
Sweet Mango Omelet
MAURITANIA
Pepper Steak
Nomad-Style Lamb
Couscous
Date Cake
MAURITIUS
Curry Sauce
Pancakes (Faratas)
MOROCCO
Couscous Marrakech
MOZAMBIQUE
NAMIBIA
Veldt Bread
Green Corn Pudding
NIGER
Kopto Sauce
Fruit Salad
Baobab Juice
NIGERIA
Afang Soup
Prawn Meat with Coconut and Bulgur
Groundnut Chop
Bean Pudding (Moimoi)
RWANDA
Beef Stew
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE

SENEGAL
Casamance)
Fish Pies (Pastels)
Fritters (Beignets)
SEYCHELLES
Grilled Fish
Passionfruit Custard (Crème de Maracuja)
Ginger Bananas
SIERRA LEONE
Groundnut Stew
Corned Beef Cakes
Prawn Palava
SOMALIA
Chicken Suqaar
Meat Pies (Sambusa)
Spiced Mangoes
Papaya Rings
SOUTH AFRICA
Sorrel Soup
Koeksisters
Krakelinge
SOUTH SUDAN
Goat and Greens
SUDAN
Meatballs (Koftah)
Cinnamon Tea
SWAZILAND
Pumpkin Soup
Cornmeal Pancakes
Queen Mary Pudding
TANZANIA
Fruit Pudding
TOGO
Grilled Plantain
Fried Yam (Koliko)
TUNISIA
UGANDA
Vegetable Casserole
Chicken Stew
Groundnut Sauce
Spinach and Simsim
Matoke I (Plain)
Matoke II (Fancy)
Simsim Candies
ZAMBIA
Green Mealie Loaf
Okra Soup
Fish Stew
Fried Plantains
ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar Pilau
ZIMBABWE
Fruit Custard
ASIA
AFGHANISTAN
Chicken and Chickpea Stew with Rice (Nakhod Chalau, also Chelo
Nachodo)
Fudge (Sheer Payra)
BANGLADESH
Chicken Jalfrezi
Apple Halwa
BHUTAN
Pork Noodles (Fing)
BRUNEI
CAMBODIA
CHINA
Hot Pot (Huoguo)
Steamed Buns with Barbecued Pork Filling (Cha Shao Pao, Cha Siu
Bao)
Sweet Peanuts
EAST TIMOR
INDIA
Mango Ice Cream (Aam ki Kulfi)
Carrot Halva
INDONESIA
JAPAN
Pearl Onions in Walnut Miso Salad Dressing (Kotamanegi no Kurumi
Miso Ae)
Fruit Ice (Kōri)
KAZAKHSTAN
Kazakh Tea (Chai)
Pancakes (Kuimak)
KOREA
KYRGYZSTAN
Noodle Soup (Kesme)
Baked Beef
Fritters (Borsok)
LAOS
Stir-Fried Chicken (Aioan Chua Noeung Phset Kretni)
MALAYSIA
Curry Puffs
MALDIVES
MONGOLIA
MYANMAR (BURMA)
NEPAL
PAKISTAN
Meatballs (Koftay)
Eggplant in Yogurt Sauce (Benjan ka Bhurta)
PHILIPPINES
Fruit Salad
SINGAPORE
SRI LANKA
Cutlets (Cutlus)
Egg Curry
Love Cake
TAIWAN
TAJIKISTAN
Halva (Khalvo)
THAILAND
TIBET
Cheese Soup (Churu)
TURKMENISTAN
Fried Soup (Shorba)
Potato Salad
THE UIGHURS
Pancake (Nang)
Xinjiang Spice Mix
Iced Lemon Yogurt (Durap, also Dogh)
UZBEKISTAN
Tart Kebab Sauce
VIETNAM
Sweet Corn Pudding (Chè Baăp)
Sweet Cassava Soup (Chè Saăn Nóng)
THE CARIBBEAN AND NORTH AMERICA
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Dumplins
Pepper Pot
Baked Bananas
Papaya Pie
Key Lime Mousse
BAHAMAS
Groundnut Soup
Crab ’n Rice
Carrot Pudding
Coconut Bars
Banana Custard
BARBADOS
Pickled Fish
Green Sauce
Jug-Jug
Black Cake
Tamarind Balls
BELIZE
Johnnycakes
Rice and Beans
Potato Pound
Cassava Pone
Coconut Bread
BERMUDA
Banana Meatloaf
Bermudian Puree
Baked Bananas
Raisin Buns
CANADA
Pork Buns
Tuna à la King
Pea Soup
Nanaimo Bar
Butter Tart
COSTA RICA
CUBA
DOMINICA
Stew (Sancoche)
Curried Green Figs
Avocado Drink
Smothered Chicken
Dumplings or Bakes
Banana Cake
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
EL SALVADOR
GRENADA
Oil-Down
Roast Pork
Bakes
Spice and Lime Cake
GUATEMALA
HAITI
HONDURAS
JAMAICA
Festival
Jerk Burger
Jerk Seasoning
Coffee Ice Cream
Toto
MEXICO
Naranja y Rábanos)
Beef Roullades with Green Mole (Bistec Relleno con Mole Verde)
NICARAGUA
PANAMA
Sighs (Súspiros)
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

Rice ’n Peas
Stewed Salt Fish
Fried Plantains
Seasoned Breadfruit
Goat Water (Stew)
Bread Pudding
ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

Stuffed Cucumbers
Pea Soup
Dumplings
Codfish Cakes
Arrowroot Cakes
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Coconut Bake
Orange Rice
Stewed Chicken
Banana Nut Pudding
Latterday Saints
Sorrel Jelly
Sweet Paime
Sour Milk Pancakes
Relish
Cheese Meatloaf
Fried Chicken
Collard Greens
Boston Baked Beans
Blue Corn Cornbread
Fry Bread
Fudge Brownies
EUROPE
ALBANIA
Rrush të Thatë)
ANDORRA
ARMENIA
AUSTRIA
AZERBAIJAN
THE BASQUES
BELARUS
Country Salad
BELGIUM
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Beg’s Soup
BULGARIA
Bean Puree (Papula)
CHECHNYA
CROATIA
CYPRUS
CZECH REPUBLIC
DENMARK
ESTONIA
FINLAND
FRANCE
GEORGIA
GERMANY
GREECE
Stuffed Tomatoes (Domates Yemistess)
Twisted Loaf and Rolls (Kouloura to Koulourakia)
HUNGARY
ICELAND
IRELAND
Irish Stew
Colcannon
Cod Cobbler
Potato Pie Dessert
Apple Scones
ITALY
Ricotta Cheesecake
KOSOVO
LATVIA
Pea Patties
Alexander Torte
LIECHTENSTEIN
LITHUANIA
LUXEMBOURG
MACEDONIA
Poppy-Seed Cake
MALTA
Fish Soup (Aljotta)
MOLDOVA
Cheese-Filled Buns (Placinte Poale’n Brau, also Placinte cu Poale in
Briu)
MONACO
Sardines)
MONTENEGRO
Cherry Baklava
THE NETHERLANDS
NORWAY
Flour Dumplings
Creamed Rice
POLAND
PORTUGAL
ROMANIA
Fried Zucchini with Sour Cream (Dovlecei Prajiti cu Smintina)
RUSSIA
SAN MARINO
SERBIA
SLOVAKIA
Pumpkin (Tekvicovy Privarok)
SLOVENIA
Dandelion Salad
SPAIN
Taronja)
St. James’s Cake (Tarta de Santiago)
SWEDEN
Potato and Anchovy Casserole or Jansson’s Temptation (Jansson’s
Frestelse)
SWITZERLAND
TYROL
UKRAINE
UNITED KINGDOM
Scotch Eggs
Coronation Chicken
Lancashire Hotpot
Eve’s Pudding
Irish Fraughan Cake
Eton Mess
Lemon Syllabub
THE MIDDLE EAST
BAHRAIN
IRAN
Sweet Paste (Halva)
IRAQ
Plain Rice (Timman)
ISRAEL
JORDAN
Coffee (Qahwa)
KURDISTAN
Chickpea Salad
Mahshi)
KUWAIT
Tea (Chai)
Sponge Cake
LEBANON
OMAN
Lamb and Date Stew
Tea (Chai)
PALESTINE
QATAR
SAUDI ARABIA
SYRIA
Pita Bread (Khubz)
TURKEY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

YEMEN
OCEANIA
AUSTRALIA
Fruit Cordial
Gingered Snow Peas
Kurrajong Muffins
Pumpkin Soup
Aussie Burger
Rice Salad
Damper
Lamingtons
Pavlova
Vanilla Slice
COOK ISLANDS
Breakfast Papaya
Poke and Cassava
Mango Poke
FIJI
Fresh Fish (Kokoda)
Sweet Potato Bread
Ginger Fish
Coconut Fish Soup
GUAM
Relish (Finadene)
Spam Fried Rice
Microwave Mochi
KIRIBATI
Corned Beef Stew
Ice Pops
Samoan Poi
MARSHALL ISLANDS
Dried Fish
Macadamia Nut Pie
MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF

Barbecued Chicken
NAURU
Mixed Fries
Fried Chicken
NEW CALEDONIA
Pineapple Fishballs
Breadfruit and Fish
Papaya Fish Soup
Breadfruit and Beef
Stuffed Papaya
Boiled Yam
Breadfruit Fritters
NEW ZEALAND
Asparagus Soup
Baked Fish Steaks
White Fish Fritters
Meatloaf
Ginger Beer
Banana Sandwiches
ANZAC Biscuits
Kiwi Cream
Pavlova
Louise Cake
PALAU
Taro Patties
Steamed Clams
Soursop Smoothie
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Baked Sweet Potato
Chicken Pot
Kokoda Fish
Yam Patties
Banana Pancakes
Breadfruit Scones
SAMOA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
Fish in Coconut
Cassava Pudding
TAHITI
Sweet Potato Cream (Crème ’Umara)
TONGA
Marinated Fish (‘Ota ‘Ika)
Watermelon Drink (‘Otai)
VANUATU
Peanut Salad
Fish Salad
Pork-Stuffed Taro
SOUTH AMERICA
ARGENTINA
Gramajo Omelet
BOLIVIA
BRAZIL
CHILE
COLOMBIA
ECUADOR
GUYANA
Cook-up Rice
Garlic Pork
Callaloo Fritters
Coconut Ice Cream
Mango Pepper Sauce
Cassava Pone
PARAGUAY
PERU
SURINAME
Mango Chutney
Lentil Stew (Dhal)
URUGUAY
VENEZUELA
List of Sidebars by Country
INTRODUCTION
Eating Utensils and Customs
Algeria
Couscous, the North African Staple
ARGENTINA
Dulce de Leche
BAHAMAS
Conch
BOSTWANA
Edible Insects and Other Land Invertebrates
BURKINA FASO
African Hot Sauces
BURUNDI
African Traditional Cooking Methods

Groundnuts and Peanuts in Africa
CHINA
Bean Curd
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF

Wrapped Foods
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Asado
ECUADOR
Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batata)
ERITREA
Teff
ETHIOPIA
Coffee Ritual
FIJI
Plantains and Bananas
FRANCE
European Table-Setting Traditions
GERMANY
Cakes
GHANA
African Staple (Baton de Manioc, Chikwangue, Fufu, Fulde or
Funge, Nsima, Sadze, Ugali)
GUYANA
Cassava/Yuca/Manioc
INDIA
Religion and Food Prohibitions
Ghee, Making and Using
INDONESIA
“Central-Bowl” and “Individual-Bowl” Rice Cultures
IRAN
Rice (Oryza spp.)
JAMAICA
Poisonous Foods
JAPAN
East Asian Table Settings
KAZAKHSTAN
Pilaf(s)
KOREA
Kimchee
LAOS
Glutinous (Sticky) Rice in Asia
LATVIA
Kvass
LEBANON
Tahina in Middle Eastern Cooking
MADAGASCAR
Bananas (Musa spp.)
MALAYSIA
“Hot” and “Cold” Foods
MALI
African Teas
MARSHALL ISLANDS
Kava
MEXICO
Maize (Zea mais)
Mole Sauces
MYANMAR (BURMA)
Preparing Banana, Taro, or Cabbage Leaves as Wrappers
NEW ZEALAND
Polynesian Earth Oven (Umu, Hangi)
NIGERIA
African Traditional Seasonings
OMAN
Dates
PAKISTAN
Spice Mixtures
PANAMA
Cassava/Yuca in the Americas
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Food and Gender
Sago
PARAGUAY
Yerba Mate
PERU
Potatoes
POLAND
Pickles
RUSSIA
Food and Class: Cooking and Cuisine
SAUDI ARABIA
Ramadan
Eating with Hands
SLOVENIA
Buckwheat
SYRIA
Wheat (Triticum spp.)
TAHITI
Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk
TAJIKISTAN
Halva
TONGA
Pawpaw and Papaya
TURKEY
Yogurt and Yogurt Drinks and Products
UGANDA
African Beer

Food Taboos
UZBEKISTAN
Mutton: The Meat of Choice in the Middle East and Central Asia
VIETNAM
Fish Sauce
Preface
The objective of this book is to introduce readers, in particular U.S. students, to

contemporary foodstuffs, ways of eating, and typical cookery in every country in
the world. With a few exceptions, we have tried to provide some insight into all
nation-states (and some nationalities without states) existing today: 205 in all,
including newly independent Kosovo and South Sudan. A brief introduction of
each country’s history, geographic conditions, and ethnic and/or religious
composition provides a rationale for the types of foodstuffs eaten and the ways
of preparing and eating those items.
Approximately eight (in some cases more) recipes are provided per country
or group, totaling over sixteen hundred. There are over four hundred new recipes
in this revised edition of the work. The reader whose interest is piqued by one or
another of the cuisines introduced here is urged to access other resources, some
of which are noted in the bibliography, to deepen and widen this initial
acquaintanceship.
Another objective is to allow a certain degree of comparison between
different food cultures. Several variants are offered of some common dishes—
for example, flavored/fried rice, stuffed vegetables, pasta, filled dumplings, and
baklava pastry—that can be found in more than one culture. This will allow you
to see how the same dish has been modified to suit different conditions. Readers
with an additional interest in languages and history will be able to see the
commonality of certain dishes such as filled dumplings in Mongolia, Central
Asia, and Eastern Europe.
We have deliberately left out some of the more prominent and well-known
“national dishes” in favor of less-well-known (in the United States, at least)
dishes that are nonetheless popular in their countries of origin. We were also
advised to avoid recipes that (a) require special ingredients unavailable in the
United States, (b) may not be suited to American taste, and (c) are too
complicated.
Of course, none of these principles can be strictly observed: the entire point
of national cuisines is that they make use of local resources, and many of these
are not, or cannot be, exported. Wherever possible, however, we have made
suggestions for substitutions. These might offend the purist: they certainly will
change the flavor of the dish concerned. However, substitution at least gives you
an opportunity to try the cooking method indicated and to taste a shadow of the
real thing.
Naturally, there are, in most cases, more than a few recipes that fit even our
restrictive criteria. When choosing a recipe, we relied primarily on the criteria
mentioned, but when faced with a multitude of recipes for the same dish, and
even more, when we had to choose between different dishes, all of which would
have fit, we adopted a simple scientific principle: whether we ourselves liked the
dish in question! And, on occasion, we have indulged ourselves. Rather than
choosing “the most representative” dish in any country, we selected one that we
knew and had enjoyed ourselves. We hope you will enjoy them as well. We have
also, where necessary, simplified recipes to make them accessible to the target
audience. Because simplification can be at the cost of authenticity, we apologize
in advance to purists.
COOKING, PREPARATION, AND RECIPES

Some general principles of food preparation are worth noting, and they apply, on
the whole, throughout human cooking.
Every human society indulges in some form of cooking. In no society is all
food eaten untreated. Treatment forms are a fairly restricted set. There are only
so many ways to apply heat to food or to change its chemical composition. Many
societies—because of their local ecology, or for historical or technological
reasons—tend to focus on or use one or another technique extensively.
Obviously, the more sophisticated the technology available in a society and the
wealthier the society, the more options there are. For example, simpler societies
tend to use roasting, boiling, fermenting, treating in acidic liquids, and baking in
embers or an earth oven exclusively, whereas technologically sophisticated
societies have a range of cooking equipment, from barbecue grills to freezers
and microwave ovens.
In addition to cooking through the application of heat, there are a number of
other ways of modifying foodstuffs to alter their flavor, texture, or preservation
qualities. Marinating in an acidic liquid is a common way—in the form of
Osaka-style sushi, ceviche, or cucumber pickles—to preserve and change the
flavor of food. Salting and smoking, largely used with fish and seafood, are also
extensively applied to meat to make sausages, bacon, and ham. Fermentation of
fish, legumes, milk, fruits, and grains with fungi not only preserves these foods
but also changes them into completely different foodstuffs: fish sauce, soy sauce,
tofu, yogurt, cheese, wine, rum, beer, and so on. One or another of these
techniques, and often several, are used to provide unique flavors and textures to
different foodstuffs throughout the world.
One thing to keep in mind is that recipes are not formulae; they are
guidelines. With the exception of some forms of cooking, such as baking, where
certain chemical processes must take place in a certain order, most dishes—
including the most treasured national dishes—are subject to individual
interpretation and variation. Every cook is convinced that his or her way of
preparing a particular local or national dish is also the most authentic. And that
is indeed the case. Authenticity is also becoming more difficult to contain, given
the contemporary realities of international travel, modern media, and individual
creativity. Authenticity lies not in the specific directions for preparation, but in
the ways in which ingredients are addressed, the social circumstances in which
the food is served, the ambience, and the company that consumes it.
HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED

We have tried to present a picture of as many countries (and some proto-
countries) as possible, which was not an easy task. Culinary information on
some places is scant. In other places, the cooking is no different from that of
their neighbors. Countries appear in alphabetical order. Several ethnic groups
that have unique cooking cultures have been included as well, without prejudice
to legal or international issues.
Certain cooking ingredients or foods are cross-border phenomena. They are
cooked and consumed in more than one country. We have indicated such foods,
for example, the African porridge staple, in text sidebars and referred to the
sidebars from time to time in the text.
Entries have approximately eight recipes per country. The number is greater
for the “great cuisines” of the world—France, China, India, and others—and
fewer for those countries for which we were unable to obtain recipes or find
accessible sources, or where the recipes are very much the same as those of their
neighbors. Each entry is preceded by a brief summary of culinary information
about that country, including location, physical features that affect food choices,
available foodstuffs, characteristic dishes, and styles of eating.
The recipes in each country are roughly organized in the form of an
appetizer, soup, main dish, festival dish, and dessert and/or snack. We have also
made efforts to include at least one vegetarian dish in each national entry.
However, in many countries, the order of dishes in a meal may be very different
than the one Americans are used to: in some countries, no sweet may be served
at the end of the meal or all appetizers may come together with the main dish.
For some countries it was not possible to follow this, in particular for those
cuisines in which the order of food, the idea of a meal, or the sources of food are
different from familiar American ones. In theory, at least, you should be able to
cook an ordinary full meal plus at least one celebration dish based on the recipes
provided.
SERVING SIZES
The recipes are designed for four people (with average appetites, and assuming
that there will be other dishes consumed). On the whole, the quantities given in
the recipes translate to roughly a half pound of meat, fish, chicken, or vegetables
per person per dish. Obviously, if cooking for a smaller or larger or a more
weight-conscious group, you will have to modify accordingly.
We are mindful that people’s concepts of spiciness and seasoning differ.
“To taste” in this book means adjust the seasoning, chilies, and sugar to fit your
preference; otherwise, you may well find the dish inedible.
ADVICE ON PREPARATION
Many recipes included in this book use fresh chili pepper. While its use is
generally optional, there are some dishes where its absence would misrepresent
the original dish. When preparing fresh chili peppers, please take the utmost
precaution: use kitchen gloves when handling the seeds and cut flesh. Do not put
the chilies or anything that has touched them to the eyes or face. If this happens,
have someone assist you (especially if your own hands have touched the chili) to
rinse the affected part thoroughly and immediately with cold water.
In the preparation of dough for dumplings or pastry, as well as for
chopping, mashing, and pureeing large quantities of ingredients, we have
suggested the use of a food processor for ease, speed, and convenience. Students
who wish to prepare dough by hand are advised to follow instructions given in
other cookbooks. Use a sieve, potato masher, or food mill to puree or mash by
hand, and use a sharp knife for chopping.
TRANSLITERATION AND SPELLING

We have tried to be consistent about spelling within any country entry. However,
many dishes with the same name are pronounced (and, when the country
concerned uses Roman characters, often spelled) differently from one area to
another. For example, the Persian word for rice dish—pilaf—has mutated into
plov, pulao, palov, and many other variations, depending on the country
concerned. We have kept to the most common spelling used in the literature
about that country rather than seeking for uniformity across borders.
Acknowledgments
We wish to thank friends, family, and many others whose support with
information and materials for the first edition was immensely useful for this
revised edition.
Additional recipes and background information for this edition were
provided by Princess Mawuena Amuzu and her mother Suzan Dede Amuzu
(Ghana), Christof Koegler (Germany), André Wenger (Kuwait and United Arab
Emirates), Peter Wolanski (Rwanda and Congo), and Tambam Beri (Cameroon).
Discussions with Hanna Liese on the food culture of Germany and neighboring
countries shed light on the culinary influences from the former Austro-
Hungarian Empire. Luise Heitmann-von Franqué elaborated on her family’s
green sauce (Germany). Reference to the first edition on Sasha Martin’s website
(http://www.globaltraveladventures.com/) and feedback about recipes are very
much appreciated.
Introduction
This revised edition of the original World Cookbook has several aims. The first
is to provide additional dishes—over four hundred, in fact—with particular
emphasis on sweets and snacks in the form of cakes, pastries, and other types of
confectionery. The second is to call attention to the changes brought about in the
language of food through the dissemination of culturally valued dishes to
different cultures and environments. The third is to alert readers of the gradual
loss of many traditional foods, foodstuffs, and flavorings through displacement
by global commercial trends. And finally, this edition has also been an
opportunity for us to streamline procedures for some recipes in the previous
edition.
In many countries, dessert as a separate sweet course after a meal is not a
standard offering. In many cases, fresh fruit, of which there is a great variety
ripening throughout the year in tropical and subtropical countries, is more than
sufficient to end a meal. Faced with an array of luscious fruits such as mangoes,
mangosteens, feijoa, and pineapples, as well as the many varieties of locally
grown or gathered wild berries that do not make it to market or are hardly known
outside of their immediate habitats, we cannot but agree. In today’s health-
conscious environment, fresh fruits are always welcome as desserts and snacks,
because they provide more than just their taste and colorful appearance but
function in many health-enhancing ways as well with their inbuilt antioxidants.
This does not mean, however, that in these food cultures where fresh fruits
are the most obvious choices for dessert or snacks, sweet dishes as such do not
exist. To the contrary, various preparations in the form of pastries, cookies, or
cakes are eaten as snacks at various times of the day, usually accompanied by a
hot or cold drink. Often the drink itself is a snack (the cereal-based milk drinks
in Latin America come to mind). Sweets are also prepared for special occasions,
including religious or secular festivals, as well as for gift giving. Savory snacks
are also included among these confections, as there are food cultures where salty
dishes for eating between main meals are the norm. Where fruits are eaten as
snacks, they are normally consumed as is, and most fruits when properly ripe
certainly need no other embellishment. In some food cultures certain fruits are
eaten underripe, the interplay of sour and sweet being a taste preference, and
here there may be a gender-oriented divide, with women in the main preferring
this paradoxical taste sensation. These fruits, such as mangoes, usually of the
type that become fibrous when ripe and so are preferably eaten before the fibers
develop, are sliced and sprinkled with salt or fermented shrimp paste in
Southeast Asia. Certain berries are eaten with sugar and a dusting of dried hot
chili flakes in the Yucatan in Mexico. A similar practice of eating fruits with hot
chili sauce is known in Thailand. When there is a glut of fruits that cannot be
consumed fresh immediately, or that have passed their prime for being eaten
fresh, these are elaborated into fruit-filled dumplings or incorporated into batter
for oven-baked cakes and stove-top cooked pancakes or fried in oil as fritters.
Or, as in many Eastern European countries, the fruits are stewed, pureed, and
eaten as a sweet soup, with or without cream or milk, for a snack, dessert, or
light meal, often accompanied by sweet rolls. In this context, the concept of what
constitutes a snack or a meal in a particular food culture becomes relevant. What
in the United States may pass for a main meal dish, such as spaghetti, would be
considered as a snack in other food cultures, such as many Asian cultures, where
steamed, unflavored white rice is the defining centerpiece of a main meal.
Conversely, where rice is not a staple, it features in certain European countries
as a sweet filling inside a pie crust, a throwback to a much earlier historical
tradition when rice, imported from distant Asian countries into Europe, was
considered a great luxury.
In the course of surveying the diversity of sweet and savory confectionery
and snacks throughout the world, what we found most remarkable is the infinite
inventiveness in this genre of cooking, given the common ingredients of
carbohydrate in the form of flour or paste, some type of fat, a binder in the form
of egg (or often without), and perhaps a leavening agent or fermentation process.
Confectionery is an indulgence, simply put, and here, culinary imagination has
soared. Cakes, pastries, and cookies are not the stuff of daily life: for many
people in developing countries, sugar-rich and fat-rich foods are luxuries that are
seldom eaten or prepared, other than during celebrations, festivals, or other
special occasions. First developed for royal or aristocratic palates and wealthy
households that could afford the expense, these rich sweets were whimsical
treats created by professional cooks. The names of some, for example, “bread for
the sultan’s harem,” understatedly disguise the nature and objective of these
specially created delicacies. In some countries, the making of certain kinds of
pastries and other confectionery was the exclusive domain of Catholic nuns or
monks, some of whom may have come from wealthy families themselves. The
making and preparation of certain special pastries were usually kept a secret (and
still are) to protect the livelihoods of their makers, and in most cases, they are
beyond the skill and means of most households, as they require appropriate tools
and equipment (ovens, baking pans, diverse cooking molds), adequate space and,
more important, plenty of time to practice and perfect the making of these
dainties. This is precisely the niche occupied by bakers and patisserie makers
today in developed and developing countries, as well as the purveyors of street
foods and creators of traditional indigenous snacks throughout the world. We
believe that amateur cooks and students of worldwide cookery are not incapable
of reproducing some of these confections, as more often than not the difference
between a professional and a dedicated amateur (supported with the appropriate
kitchen equipment) is the speed with which a dish is achieved and, need we add,
the ability to reproduce the same successful result over and over again.
Methods of cooking range from baking in ovens (usually gas or electric
powered, or charcoal and wood fired) or earth ovens, steaming in an oven (with
a bain-marie) or in a double boiler, boiling, frying, grilling, or a combination of
these. Before refined white sugar became more widely and inexpensively
available, the traditional sweeteners used were honey, palm sugar, palm toddy
(the sap from coconut and other palms before it starts to ferment), and maple and
other tree syrups (birch, for instance). These continue to be used today, lending
their characteristic flavors and colors. Dried and fresh fruits also contribute
natural sweetness: dates, dried apricots, raisins, or, as in traditional Pacific
Islands cookery, dried pandanus fruit paste or molasses from boiled-down palm
toddy. In general, finely ground cereal or other carbohydrates or legumes (or a
mixture of these) in flour form are used as the base of these confections, ranging
from wheat, rice (both regular and glutinous types), and cornmeal (yellow and
white) to cornstarch, potato, chickpea, and so on. Alternatively, the carbohydrate
is in the form of a paste or mash, and this is true of most confections based on
tubers and corms, such as cassava, taro, and sweet potato.
Sweets, when made for special occasions, are also a means of display, and
as such provide a platform for lavish use of luxurious, nutritionally rich, and
pricey ingredients: butter, cream, nuts, eggs, spices, vanilla, and the distilled
essences of various perfumed flowers. Saffron, the world’s most expensive
spice, features in many sweets, historically of Persian court origin, that have
spread far and wide. Where the price of saffron is beyond reach, the tradition of
coloring sweets with saffron’s yellowish-orange hue is continued using other
plant-based coloring or chemical food dyes. The use of fat in the form of butter,
cream, and other dairy products such as white cheese curds, yogurt, and sour
cream is echoed in countries without a dairy tradition by the use of coconut
cream and coconut (or other palm) oil, or through fat-rich pastes such as almond,
peanut (botanically a legume), and other nuts. Additional richness, both
gustatory and nutritional, is supplied by legumes, such as beans, chickpeas, and
lentils, in the form of sweetened beans or bean pastes (using sweetened
chickpeas or navy beans, or red beans, such as adzuki, for example) or finely
ground as flour and mixed in the batters used to make diverse pan-cooked cakes
and confections (such as those made in India and other countries where Indian
food culture has been disseminated). The emphasis on richness can be
overwhelming: in traditional Spanish and Portuguese confectionery, it is not
unusual to find as many as twelve or more egg yolks to be used for a custard or
other confection. Rose water, orange-blossom water, kewra water (from
pandanus flowers), “four sides” (from Tetrapleura tetraptera, an African
chocolate-colored seed pod) and diverse flowers contribute their scents and
flavors. Leaves used to enclose pastries and cakes, such as banana, palm, or
pandanus, as well as cherry leaves in Japan or lemon leaves in Spain, also impart
their own distinct and subtle aromas. Where the leaves are used in plaited or
woven form, or, as in some Southeast Asian examples, where bamboo culms are
used whole, to cook and enclose these traditional rice-based sweets, there is an
additional visual and textural aesthetic pleasure to be had in these indigenous
forms of packaging and presentation.
We have selected representative sweets and snacks that may be possible for
students to recreate on their own, or preferably with the guidance of an
instructor. The first edition was originally intended for use in a cookery
classroom, where equipment such as stand or hand-held mixers, food processors,
and blenders are standard fixtures. However, in most instances, the procedures
described can be achieved with hand tools, such as a mortar and pestle or whisk,
or, failing those, a knife, cutting board, a bowl or two, a fork, and a spoon. With
ingenuity, one can find substitutes for tools with whatever is at hand: a bottle can
serve as a rolling pin, a glass as a cookie cutter, and a wooden mallet (or washed
and cleaned hammer, in a pinch) can be used for pounding nuts fine (with, for
example, the nuts enclosed in several layers of plastic or paper bag). In this
edition, we address “students” in the wider sense: everyone who is interested in
learning about the foods and food culture of other countries and would like to
attempt to make some of these dishes herself or himself.
As much as possible, we have simplified procedures and reduced the
amounts of sugar, butter, and eggs called for. Traditionalists may raise some
objections to the shortcuts, as well as the more ergonomic steps we have
substituted, but our objective is to encourage everyone to try to make these
themselves in as simple as manner as possible. We also offer alternatives for
ingredients that are difficult to come by outside of their home countries.
Another aim of this revised edition is to call attention to the changes
brought about in the language of food through the dissemination of certain
dishes to different cultures and environments. Take the case of kurabiye, the
Middle Eastern butter cookie or shortbread, in all its diverse orthographic forms:
gurabie, ghourabiye, ghrabie, and kourambiedes are just a few. In Turkish,
kurabiye is the generic word for cookies of any type, whereas the original
Persian qurabiye is said to include almonds and butter. Each country has adapted
the original recipe and substituted a nut that was more commonly available (or
more luxurious), whether it was walnut, cashew, or pistachio, and its own
preferred scented flavoring, from saffron, rose water, or orange-blossom water to
anise seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, or other locally preferred spice. Other
changes involve not only the ingredients but also the form and texture of the dish
involved. Take the case of palacinta (also placinte), which in many Eastern
European countries is normally a pancake with a filling of white cheese or
cottage cheese, either savory or sweet. It has evolved in Moldova into a yeast-
raised bun with a cottage-cheese filling which is then baked. The original
concept of a pancake filled with cottage cheese has been extended to a different
kind of pastry cooked in a different manner but still retaining the original name
and a similar cheese filling. Within these volumes, the student will find many
other interesting examples of similar changes in form, and not only content (i.e.,
the ingredients)—the inevitable result when food and culinary ideas travel across
historical and spatial boundaries.
Yet another aim is to include in the “Foodstuffs” and “Typical Dishes”
sections those indigenous foods that are neglected or are fast disappearing. As an
example, traditional seasonings, once made from plant or animal products, are
being replaced by chemical-based industrially packaged flavorings usually in the
form of cubes or single-use packets. Various trends contribute to the loss of
traditional foodstuffs and foodways. Urbanization and the expansion of housing
and industrial areas lead to the loss of forests and wild spaces and other habitats
where indigenous foodstuffs were traditionally found, or of farms where they
used to be grown. Economic development and other work opportunities in urban
areas entice people to leave rural areas, leading to the abandonment of once-
traditional ways of livelihood, such as farming and wild-food hunting, gathering,
and processing. Busy working people may prefer the convenience of instant
foodstuffs, such as packaged chemical seasonings, that lighten the burden of and
eliminate the guesswork involved in food preparation (especially for amateur
and not-so-enthusiastic cooks). Globalization and international trade policies
bring in imported foods that have more cachet among educated professionals and
the aspirational middle class. Additionally, access to world trends through
electronic communication and other visual media is making pasta, pizza, and
burgers the universally preferred foods among the young, for whom traditional
indigenous snacks do not qualify as cool. And not the least, the extreme effects
of climate change through droughts, flooding, and violent hurricanes and
typhoons are having a great impact on the availability of wild and domesticated
traditional foodstuffs and their continued existence.
Hearteningly enough, there is encouraging evidence in many places of a
reversal of this somewhat worrying trend toward a universal uniformity of
foodstuffs. The Slow Food movement is encouraging a return to traditional
seasonings in Africa, for instance. In Nauru, for example, the collapse of its
mining industry, which led to major unemployment, has stimulated a return to
traditional ways of food gathering and foraging from the sea and to the
introduction of growing food plants in the very limited arable area available, as
imported foodstuffs are no longer easily affordable. In countries where
multinational fast-food chains have become ubiquitous, a localization of the pan-
global menu has taken place, or local fast-food chains have arisen to compete
quite successfully by adapting the efficient ergonomic methods of preparation
but offering locally acceptable and preferred food items or adaptations of the
multinational dishes. In the case of pizza, for example, toppings in the United
Kingdom offer the very popular chicken tikka masala, a dish invented by the
migrant Indian population, which has become part of English contemporary food
culture. Breakfast offerings from a multinational burger chain in the Philippines
have conceded to local food customs and serve garlic-scented rice (shaped in
rectangles and wrapped in foil) with “native” sausages (meat patties shaped and
flavored like local fare). In Japan, a variation on spaghetti can come served with
green shiso (Perilla frutescens), a surrogate for Italian basil, and, as shiso in
Japanese food culture is often combined with pickled plum (more accurately, a
Japanese apricot) paste (umeboshi), that is often included too.
EATING UTENSILS AND CUSTOMS

One of the most basic human activities—eating—is hedged with ritual
regulations. These vary from one society to another and can be signifiers of
membership in a particular society or in a particular class or ethnic group in
any society. There are three major “families” of eating utensils, but many
variations within each group. Each utensil family also enforces certain
physical (and thus cooking) requirements for food preparation.
Hands
The most ancient and common form of utensil is one’s hands. Hands are
used as major eating utensils throughout Africa (both sub-Saharan and
Saharan), Central Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific islands.
Even the use of one’s hands as a utensil is wrapped about with rules.
Observing those rules indicates the person eating is cultured (and thus a
valued member of society). Breaking them is a sign of immaturity,
boorishness, or lack of culture. Virtually all Muslim societies insist that one
eat with the right hand only, as the left is considered unclean. Using any
more than one’s fingers (that is, digging into a central dish with the palm of
one’s hand) is considered gauche in most societies. Fingers are usually used
to bring both the staple—rice, couscous, fufu, nsima, or whatever is used—
and side dishes to the mouth. Since in many societies side dishes are thick
potages, it is permissible in those societies to dip a handful of the starch
into sauce and bring it to the mouth.
Spoons
Even in societies that use the hands as utensils, certain dishes such as soups
are eaten with spoons, which are also the earliest eating utensils we know
of. They can be made of horn, clay, wood, porcelain, or whatever material
is available. Spoons are used extensively in Central Asia, and Russian and
Central European peasants often owned highly decorated personal spoons,
which they carried with them as a prized possession.
Chopsticks and Bowls
Chinese people before the fifth century BCE used a variety of implements
for eating: hands, knives and spoons, and chopsticks. The philosophical and
social ferment of the Spring and Autumn period in China (eighth to fifth
centuries BCE) focused on “proper” behavior, which included dining. The
major source of Chinese social thought, the philosopher Kǒng Fūzĭ, known
in the West as Confucius, declared that the use of chopsticks was
mandatory for civilized eating, since the custom of laying bare knives on
the table was an incitement to violence. Chopsticks and personal bowls (see
below) have thus characterized Chinese dining since at least the early
dynastic period. Spoons may be used for more liquid dishes such as soups
or breakfast congee (porridge). Chinese dining customs spread to
neighboring Sinitic cultures (Japan, Korea, Vietnam) and became
“naturalized” there with some variation (e.g., in Japan soup bowls are raised
to lips, in China soup is brought to the mouth by spoon, and in Korea bowls
are not raised at all). The use of chopsticks also forced certain cooking
practices, for example, slightly sticky rice (to keep rice together on
chopsticks), food cut small, and so on.
Knife and Fork

The serving fork is an ancient implement and forks have been uncovered
from Ancient Egyptian remains. They are mentioned as utensils used in
temple worship in the Bible. They were intermittently popular in various
cultures in the Middle East. Ancient Europeans, however, ate with their
hands. By the medieval period it was common to eat with a knife by one’s
side to cut joints of meat and cooked vegetables which were served in a
wooden trencher or even in a slab of hollowed out bread. By the sixteenth
century forks were used by most aristocratic diners, and the use gradually
percolated downward.
Like the ancient Chinese, Europeans of the Middle Ages were faced
with the problem of quarrels erupting during dinner, which could become
deadly with the use of table knives. Thus in the seventeenth century, the
round-edged dining knife we are familiar with today, became the utensil of
choice, together with the fork and spoon. The knife and fork combination
did not become common in the United States until the nineteenth century.
European and U.S. use of forks differ. In European custom, fork and knife
are held in the left and right hand respectively throughout eating a dish,
with the fork in the left hand bringing the food to the mouth. In the United
States, food is cut with knife in the right hand and fork in the left. The knife
is laid down, the fork transferred to the right hand, and the food is brought
to the mouth.
The use of knife and fork also affected the composition of foods eaten.
Large pieces—steaks, roasts, whole fish, whole potatoes, vegetables—are
easily dealt with by knife and fork, so the treatment of foods in Europe, as a
rule, differs from that in Sinitic cultures.
Another modern development is the promotion of better information about

food worldwide, specifically, communication through the use of the Internet as a
platform for personal journals, otherwise known as blogs. The phenomenon of
food blogging is bringing about a pan-global awareness of local foodstuffs and
foodways. With more affordable global travel as well as work-related travel,
many people are sampling the culinary delights of the exotic places they visit
and recording these in still photographs and videos for everyone’s viewing
pleasure online. Many global migrants, nostalgic for the foods they once enjoyed
in their home countries, seek to recreate those dishes that remind them of home
in their adopted homelands, and they too share the results online. Many bloggers
are also prompted to write about and present their family’s recipes for the benefit
of their children and posterity. There are also those who maintain blogs because
of the dearth of reliable information online on their own region’s or country’s
recipes. Over the past few years, since the publication of the first edition of this
book, there has developed a massive surge of interest in cooking and eating food
from all over the world, as evidenced by the many blogs devoted to cooking a
dish from all the world’s countries in alphabetical order and photographing the
appearance and evaluating the taste of the results. Travelers, food historians,
cooking enthusiasts and professionals, and people from all walks of life in all
parts of the world are sharing online the foods they encounter or are currently
studying or in the process of creating, thus facilitating the exchange of
information about contemporary and traditional recipes and foodways. These
blogs and their visual presentation in photographs and videos are bringing the
foodstuffs, foodways, and eating and cooking customs of distant countries very
closely to our lives in a manner unheard of prior to the development of the
Internet. As enthusiasts adapt some of these dishes to the more easily available
foodstuffs of their environment, the adapted dishes acquire their own personal or
family connection, and this adapted version may then in time become, for the
partakers of that particular dish, the established or “authentic” version. Through
the Internet, we are able to witness the almost instantaneous dissemination of
and changes to foodways and food ideas without the interfering barriers of
geography and—thanks to often woefully inadequate online translations—
language.
The last aim of this revised edition is to streamline the making of certain
dishes. We hope that the work has benefitted from the revisions and additions in
this edition, and we shall endeavor to continue to contribute in our own way to
the ongoing pleasurable and infinitely fascinating discourse in different media
about food and food culture throughout the world.
A
Afghanistan
Although landlocked, Afghanistan’s strategic position in Central Asia, linking
the Far East and the West, has made it vulnerable to invasion by the Greeks,
Mongols, Persians, British, Russians, and, more recently, Americans (in 2001).
Afghanistan achieved democratic elections in 2004.
Afghanistan being a largely mountainous desert with cold winters and hot
summers, water from melting snows makes possible the cultivation of wheat and
other cereals, fruits, sugar beets, and sugarcane. Cotton is also grown for the
edible oil obtained from its seeds, and sheep and other livestock are raised.
Afghan foods and cooking have been influenced by Islam (both Shi’a and
Sunni), various ethnic groups in the country (Pashtun, Tajik, Baluch, Uzbek,
Kazakh, etc.), and neighboring countries in Central Asia (including Iran and
India) as well as in the Far East.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: flat wheat breads (nan, chapati), rice.
• The preferred meat is lamb. Goat, beef, water buffalo, camel, poultry,
and game are also eaten, but not pork. Only freshwater fish, such as
trout, carp, and catfish, are consumed.
• Dairy products: yogurt (fresh and dried), clotted cream (qymak).
• Vegetables: pumpkin, squash, loofah gourd, giant radish, eggplant,
cauliflower, cucumber, chickpea, kidney bean, pea.
• Fruits: apricot, cherry, grape, mulberry (also dried), quince, plum,
melon, watermelon, pomegranate, almond, pistachio, pine nuts.
• Seasonings: fresh cilantro, mint, dill, saffron, turmeric, anise,
asafetida, four-spice mix (char masala), which includes cassia (a
variety of cinnamon), cloves, cumin, and black cardamom.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice dishes: pilau, chalau. Yellow rice with lamb, carrots, and raisins
(qabili pilau) is regarded as the national dish.
• Kebabs: skewered lamb, mutton, or beef cubes; ground meat rolls.
• Noodles and filled pasta: noodles with meatball-yogurt sauce (aush);
pasta filled with chives in meat sauce (ashak); fried, filled pasta
(boulanee); layered wide noodles (like lasagna) with meat, chives, and
yogurt sauce (lakhchak).
• Burani: braised vegetables in yogurt sauce.
• Drinks: tea (black or green) at every meal, flavored with cardamom,
not usually drunk with milk.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two to three meals a day.
• Traditionally, sitting on the floor on cushions. A central platter of
rice is shared, eaten with the fingers of the right hand only or scooped
up with a piece of flat bread. Each diner has a side dish of vegetables
or stew. Pickles, chutney, and fresh flat bread (nan) accompany the
food. In modern and urban settings, food is served on tables; cutlery is
used, but knives are not used much. Large parties are served buffet
style.
Rice pilau being cooked over an open fire, Afghanistan. (Maxim Tupikov/Dreamstime.com)
• No special order for serving food. Main dishes, side dishes, and
desserts are all brought to the table at the same time, although desserts
are eaten last.
• Breakfast: baked potatoes or corn on the cob; porridge of barley or
wheat (haleem) flavored with cinnamon, butter or clarified butter, and
sugar; boiled curd (homemade white cheese); tea.
• Lunch: in rural areas, lunch is not traditionally eaten, but dried fruits
and nuts are munched on. An urban lunch usually consists of flavored
rice, a stew with vegetables (qorma) and some meat or beans, or a
vegetable side dish (burani), pickles, chutney, and nan. Dessert is
seasonal fresh fruit (grapes, peaches, melon, watermelon, plums,
pomegranates, or citrus varieties).
• Evening meal: similar to lunch.
• Street snacks: kebabs, fried fritters (jelabi, pakaura), boiled
chickpeas, potatoes, beans, eggs eaten with vinegar, dried fruits
(raisins) and nuts in syrup.
• Eating out at tea houses (chaikana) to meet with friends is common
for men.
These fried pastries are quite similar to wontons. There are two types: the most
popular one is stuffed with local chives called gandana; the other is stuffed with
mashed potato. Both are served at birthdays or other family celebrations with
drinks. In the recipe below, the meat used in the filling can be left out and the
amount of mashed potato increased to a total of three cups. This is best eaten as
soon as it is made, though it is also good cold.
1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
4 green onions (green leaves only), chopped
1 cup mashed potatoes
vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 package square wonton wrappers
Add 1/2 tsp salt, cayenne pepper (if using), cilantro, and green onions
to mashed potatoes and mix well.
Heat 2 TBS oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Brown beef with pepper, salt, and ground coriander.
Mix ground beef with mashed potatoes. Let cool.
Take a wonton wrapper and place a spoonful of filling in the middle.
Wet edges of the wrapper with a little water. Fold over into a triangle.
Cross over points of triangle and press to seal.
Flatten with your hand.
Heat 1/2 inch oil in skillet and fry boulanee in batches until brown on
both sides, for about 4–5 minutes. Fry only a few at a time. Do not let
them touch one another.
Serve with hot mint tea.
Chicken and Chickpea Stew with Rice (Nakhod Chalau, also

Chelo Nachodo)
Two types of rice are used in Afghan rice dishes: long grain for savory
combinations with meat and/or vegetables (pilau and chalau) and short grain for
desserts or elaborate savory rice dishes called bata and shola. This is a family
dish served at midday or in the evening. Stew and rice are served separately. Eat
with pickles, chutney, and nan.
3 cups water
4 portions chicken legs, skin discarded
12-ounce can chickpeas
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery and its leaves, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced diagonally
1/2 pound zucchini, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
Bring water to a boil in a nonaluminum saucepan.

Add chicken pieces, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Skim the
top during cooking.
Add chickpeas, onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, salt, pepper, and cumin.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add cilantro, dill, and lemon juice. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Prepare rice (see rice recipe below).
Serve individual helpings of rice and ladle stew over it, ensuring
everyone has some of the crisp rice from the bottom.
Rice
4 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups raw rice, well rinsed
1/4 cup ghee (or skimmed melted butter)
In a covered saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil.
Add rice and cook uncovered over moderate heat for 5 minutes.
Drain rice in colander and rinse with cold water.
Return rice to pot and pour ghee over rice.
Cover pot and cook over very low heat for 1/2 hour. Rice should
develop a crisp bottom layer.
Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce (Bouranee Baunjan, also Burani

Bonjon)
This vegetable side dish is very popular. Squash or zucchini can be used instead
of eggplant.
3 medium eggplants
1/4 cup oil
2 large onions, sliced
3 green bell peppers, seeded, sliced in rings
3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 tsp hot chili powder (optional)
1/4 cup water
2 cups natural full-fat yogurt, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt
Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.

Spread on a tray and sprinkle liberally with salt.
Leave for 30 minutes, then rinse and dry well with paper towels.
Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet. Fry eggplant in a single layer
until light brown on each side. Drain on paper towels.
Repeat with remaining slices. Add more oil as necessary (the
eggplants use up a lot of oil).
In a covered saucepan, fry onions gently till translucent. Remove to a
plate.
Place a layer of eggplant in the pan. Top with alternating layers of
onion, green pepper, and tomato. Season each layer with salt and a bit
of chili powder.
Repeat layering using remaining ingredients.
Add water, cover, and simmer gently for 35–45 minutes.
Combine yogurt with garlic and salt to taste.
Spread half of this mixture on the base of serving dish.
Top with vegetables, lifting eggplant gently to keep slices intact.
Leave juices in the pan.
Top with the rest of the yogurt and drizzle with the remaining
vegetable juices (not the oil).
Serve with flat bread.

Sweet confections like this are made only for special occasions such as weddings
or the end of the Ramadan fast. Instead of cornstarch, rice flour is often used.
2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar
4 TBS cornstarch
2 tsp rose water
1 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped
In a saucepan, mix milk, sugar, cornstarch, rose water, and cardamom

until smooth.
Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Cool slightly, and pour into four shallow glass bowls or serving dishes.
Refrigerate and serve, sprinkled with finely chopped pistachios.
Fudge (Sheer Payra)

This sweet is served with tea at family celebrations, such as an engagement or
the birth of a baby.
2/3 cup milk

2 cups sugar
2 TBS light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS butter
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Heat milk, sugar, corn syrup, and salt over medium heat, up to 240°F,
until sugar dissolves. Stir occasionally.
Take care not to let it boil over. Remove from heat.
Add butter. Cool mixture to 120°F without stirring.
Add cardamom and beat vigorously until candy is thick and no longer
glossy.
Quickly stir in nuts.
Spread mixture onto a buttered 9 × 13 inch pan.
Let stand until firm. Cut into squares or diamonds with a greased,
sharp knife.

This rice pudding is common in Afghanistan and neighboring countries, with
many variations, and is most likely of Persian origin. The original Persian dish
(sholla or sholleh) may have been introduced in the thirteenth century. It is a
versatile dish that can be eaten warm or cold, flavored with either sugar or salt,
and served as a snack or dessert. Traditionally cooked on the stove top, it can be
baked for convenience. Both methods are presented here. The amount of milk
given for cooking is approximate, as rice can absorb more or less liquid,
depending on where it was grown or how long it has been stored. Add more milk
as needed. The consistency should be neither too liquid nor too dry. Although
called “pudding,” its consistency is more like that of rice porridge.
Stove-top method (approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour)

1 cup short grain or pudding rice, washed and drained
1 1/2 cups water
2–2 1/2 cups milk (full fat or skim), or equal quantities of milk and
half-and-half
1/2 cup sugar or 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp rose water
1/4 tsp ground green cardamom seeds (optional)
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pistachio nuts or almonds for garnish
1/2 cup to 1 cup raisins or sultanas for garnish
additional milk or half-and-half, sugar to taste
Add the rice and water to a heavy-bottomed pan and cook covered
over medium heat.
As soon as the water boils, decrease heat to the lowest point so that the
rice just simmers.
Continue cooking until all the water is absorbed, about 15–20 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups milk and sugar or salt.
Continue cooking at low heat for another 25 minutes or more, until the
pudding is thickened and the rice is very tender.
Stir the pudding from time to time to ensure that it is not sticking to
the pan.
Add the rest of the milk if the pudding looks dry.
Stir in the rose water and/or cardamom in the final 5 minutes of
cooking.
Serve the pudding in a deep platter or shallow bowl.
Garnish with chopped nuts and/or raisins.
The pudding may be eaten as soon as it is made, or cold.
Add more milk or sugar at the table, if preferred.
Oven method (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours)

The ingredients are the same as above, except that water is not used.
Use a total of 4 cups milk, or equal quantities of milk and half-and-
half.
Butter a deep rectangular baking or ovenproof dish (approximately 10
× 6 × 4 inches).
Preheat the oven at 285°F.
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients above, except for the garnishes.
Place the mixture into the buttered baking dish. Cover tightly with foil.
After 1 hour, check the pudding. Stir and check that the rice is tender
and there is sufficient liquid. Add more milk, if necessary.
Bake for another 1/2 hour or until done.
Serve as above, garnished with chopped nuts and/or raisins.

Sharbat does not mean “sherbet” here, but a fruit-based drink.
5–6 large unwaxed (organic) lemons

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup rose water
Unsprayed (organic) rose petals for garnish
Wash the lemons well and finely grate the zest. Set aside, covered.
Squeeze the juice from the lemons and set aside, covered.
In a nonaluminum pan, bring the sugar and water to a gentle boil over
medium heat until sugar has completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool to lukewarm, about 15–20
minutes.
Add the grated zest and juice.
Stir and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about 15
minutes.
Strain and stir in the rose water.
Chill, add cold water to taste, and serve in a pitcher with ice cubes.
Garnish with rose petals, if desired.
For individual servings, use 2 TBS lemon and rose-water syrup and
top up with water.
Albania
Albania has been an independent country since World War I. It was formerly
under Byzantine and Ottoman Turkish rule, then under a Communist
dictatorship until the end of the twentieth century. Most of the country is
mountainous with a temperate climate—cool to cold in the winter and hot in the
summer. Wheat and barley, vegetables, and orchard fruits are raised on small
plots.
Albanians are divided into two main ancestral tribes: Ghegs from the north
and Tosks from the south. Approximately 70 percent of Albanians practice
Islam, eschewing pork and pork products but relaxing the usual prohibitions
against alcohol. The cuisine is highly seasoned and greatly influenced by
Turkish, Balkan, and Italian cuisines. The traditional Albanian diet is largely
vegetarian, with vegetable ingredients featuring in most dishes. Meat is a major
feature inland and fish along the Adriatic coast.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: bread (made of corn, wheat, rye, oats, or barley, depending
on region), pasta. Unleavened, pancake-shaped corn bread and
cornmeal-based pastry (ballokume) or thick porridge (maza) are eaten
in rural areas.
• Fish and seafood along the coast and cities; dairy products in the
mountains, which include milk from goats and ewes made into kos
(yogurt); many varieties of cheese.
• Favored meats are lamb, mutton, rabbit, chicken, beef. Liver is
considered a delicacy.
• Vegetables: cucumber, onion, pepper, eggplant, zucchini, okra,
squash (kungull), potatoes, and tomato.
• Fruits: orange, lemon, fig, grape, wild berry, walnut, almond, pine
nut, hazelnut, and other nuts.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, mint, basil,
rosemary, parsley, cinnamon, cloves, crushed or chopped nuts with
garlic and oil, nuts and raisins in sauces. Olive oil and butter for
cooking and flavoring.
• Drinks: kos (yogurt); boza (fermented maize and wheat drink);
buttermilk; tea with mint and sugar; coffee; grape juice, sugar, and
mustard (dukagjin); wild berry wine (hardic); sauerkraut juice (orme)
drunk as an appetizer; mulberry-flavored brandy (raki).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Salad of finely minced fresh cucumbers, walnuts, and garlic
(terituar).
• Soups: rice flavored with lemon, sometimes containing chicken or
chicken livers (corba); soup with rice, flavored with freshly beaten
eggs and lemon juice (supa ves limua); cold yogurt and cucumber soup
for summer (tarator); other cold soups of pureed or chopped fruit or
vegetables.
• Main dishes: diverse pasta dishes (makaronash); vegetables (e.g.,
peppers, tomatoes, zucchini) stuffed with rice and pine nuts (and
sometimes ground lamb), seasoned with mint or cinnamon and oven
baked (dolma me vaj); battered squash pieces, deep fried and served
with a garlic yogurt sauce (kungull me kos); a kind of pizza with well-
seasoned vegetables, topped with cheese (lakruar); baked layered
vegetables and meat (moussaka); rice pilaf with vegetables, meat, nuts,
and raisins, flavored with cinnamon; lamb meatballs with mint and
cinnamon (qofte me mente).
Hazelnuts.
• Sweets and snacks: very sweet and rich desserts made with nuts and
syrup, such as bakllava, a thin, layered pastry filled with walnuts and
doused with syrup; almond cake, cut into diamond shapes (ematur);
small cakes of cornstarch and syrup, flavored with lemon (pelte);
sponge cake in spiced syrup (revani me kos).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day, the main meal is lunch; similar to most Western
and European styles in urban areas. In remote rural areas, all meals are
usually the same fare (kos, white cheese, and corn bread or polenta
[maza]).
• In this male-dominated society, men are served first and treated with
great deference and respect. In rural communities, the host (or senior
male) always breaks the bread first and then shares it with all at the
table. Only then is any other food placed on the table. In other areas, it
is customary to bring all foods to the table, where they are shared by
all the diners, usually following appetizers (meze).
• Snacks: the late afternoon tea or coffee break may include sweet
pastries, nuts, and fresh local fruits or a multilayered crepe “bread”
(flija, pronounced “fleeya”), usually eaten with yogurt, cheese, honey
or jam, and vegetable pickles.
• Men spend a great deal of their free time in coffeehouses, drinking,
talking, and eating snacks, which may be pastries or bits of grilled
meat on skewers, or small salads.

This dish from the capital, Tirana, is served as an appetizer or on its own with
bread.
3 TBS virgin olive oil

1/2 pound green and red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 pound tomatoes, peeled (by plunging them into boiling water for 1
minute) and chopped, or equivalent, canned
1/4 pound butter
1 TBS flour
1/2 pound feta cheese
salt, black pepper, and chili powder to taste
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté peppers for 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, sauté for another 3 minutes, and place in a 9 × 13 inch
baking dish.
In the same skillet, melt butter. Stir in flour, cheese, and seasoning.
Pour over vegetables in baking dish and mix thoroughly.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until bubbling hot.
Serve immediately with flat bread.

Bean soups are in great demand, especially during Albanian winters, which are
cold and wet.
2 cups dry white (navy) beans

water to cover plus 3 cups hot water
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
2 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS chopped parsley
1 TBS chopped mint
salt and chili powder to taste
In an uncovered saucepan, cook the beans with water to cover for 5

minutes.
Rinse beans and discard water.
Place beans with 3 cups hot water in a covered saucepan, and simmer
briskly for 15 minutes.
In a skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until golden.
Add 2 TBS bean liquid from the pot and tomato paste, parsley, salt,
and chili.
Cook for 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir into the beans.
Add chopped mint, cover and simmer for 2 hours on very low heat (or
use pressure cooker for 30 minutes).
Serve hot.

Flavoring with walnuts, both the nut and the unripe green fruit, is common
throughout the Balkans. Serve this for a main meal with rice or plain boiled
noodles.
4 TBS butter
4 pieces chicken breasts, quarters, or legs
2 TBS flour
1 cup chicken stock (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water)
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 TBS vinegar
1 cup walnut meats, broken
salt, pepper to taste
Melt 2 TBS butter in a large skillet. Brown chicken pieces. Set aside.
Add flour and the remaining butter, stirring constantly until brown.
Add stock gradually, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Add garlic, vinegar, walnut meats, salt, and pepper.
Add chicken and simmer until tender, for about 30–45 minutes.
Spoon sauce over chicken pieces.

These are served with rice or bread for a main meal.
2 pounds ground meat (lamb, beef, or chicken)

1 slice stale bread, crumbled, or 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 TBS chopped feta cheese
1 onion, minced
salt, chili pepper to taste
2 TBS crushed dried mint leaves
1 cup flour
oil for deep frying
Combine thoroughly meat, bread, cheese, onion, salt, chili, and mint.
Form into 1-inch balls. Roll in flour.
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350°F.
Fry meatballs without crowding until light brown.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with yogurt sauce (see recipe below).
Yogurt sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp crushed garlic
3 TBS dried, or 1 TBS fresh, mint
salt to taste
In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.

Chill before serving.
This rich butter cookie soaked in syrup is served as a snack or sweet with small
cups of Turkish coffee, with a glass of cold water on the side.
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 to 3 whole cloves
In a food processor, mix 1 cup sugar, butter, yolks, flour, and baking
powder until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove the dough and knead for 3 minutes.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into
2-inch rounds.
Place on greased baking sheets and bake at 350°F until pale golden
(about 15–20 minutes).
Remove the cookies from oven; let cool on a rack.
Meanwhile, bring remaining sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan.
Cook to softball stage (234–240°F).
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and cloves.
Pour this hot syrup over cookies. Let rest for 1 hour to absorb the
syrup and serve at room temperature.
Rrush të Thatë)
The apples of the Korça region in southeastern Albania are famous. This is a
classic apple cake, usually enjoyed in the morning for a snack with coffee or tea.
1/4 cup raisins

3–4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced or thinly sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Put raisins in a small bowl with warm water to cover.
Mix the lemon juice with the apples to deter browning.
Sift the flour; mix with baking soda and salt.
In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until very light.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated.
Add the flour mixture in two parts, alternately with the milk in two
parts.
Blend the mixture thoroughly after each addition.
Drain the raisins thoroughly, squeezing all of the excess water.
Fold in the raisins, walnuts, and apples to the batter.
Bake in a buttered and floured round springform pan for 45–50
minutes or until it tests done.
Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

These butter-yogurt cookies are traditional treats, eaten with tea or coffee. You
may substitute one-half cup of the flour with finely grated almonds or other nuts.
Makes 20–25 cookies.
2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 2 TBS sugar
2 eggs
1 TBS vanilla and/or grated rind of 1 large lemon
1/4–1/2 cup thick yogurt
1 egg yolk, beaten
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a bowl, sift the flour; combine with the baking powder, baking soda,
and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until very light.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and yogurt; blend until well mixed.
Stir in the flour mixture to make a soft dough. Chill for 2 hours.
Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls and place them evenly spaced
on the prepared baking sheet.
Brush the balls with the egg yolk. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Bake for 10–15 minutes.
Do not allow the cookies to turn brown.
Algeria
This North African country is on the shores of the Mediterranean. The second-
largest country in Africa, Algeria was a French colony for a century until 1962.
Algeria is mostly desert (the Sahara), with a hot, humid climate along the coastal
plain, where cereals, vegetables, and fruits are grown and livestock are raised.
Muslims constitute a majority of the population and belong mainly to two
cultural groups: Kabyles, who are Berber-speaking highlanders, descendants of
the original Numidian population; and Arabs.
Algerian cuisine shows traces of French influence, and food customs are
shared with neighboring Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: couscous of wheat or millet (in the south), rice, wheat
breads. Hard durum wheat is commonly used for making couscous.
Barley is also used.
• Meat: preferred meat is mutton. Also consumed are beef (in the
north), camel (in the south), and goat (everywhere).
• Fish and some seafood along the lengthy coastline.
• Milk (goat, sheep, and cow) and products such as soft cheeses and
yogurt, which may be eaten savory or sweet.
• Vegetables: tomato, onion, garlic, pepper (both hot and sweet),
eggplant, beans, and other pulses.
• Fruits: grapes, plums, dates, pomegranates, figs, olives.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Couscous with a meat or fish stew, as well as sweet couscous.
• Rice is eaten on special occasions, usually with a meat or fish dish.
• Festive foods include sweets made with honey, dates, and almonds.
Fresh salads with lemon juice and olive oil; a variety of cooked salads or
small side dishes of cooked vegetables.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are standard. Almost all meals end with coffee.
• Traditional dining is on the floor, with diners helping themselves
from common dishes with their hands. Spoons are used for soups. Due
to a long French presence, European-style dining is common in the
cities, whose residents have adopted many French customs.
• Breakfast: flat bread (kesra) or pancake (baghrir) of semolina with
buttermilk and tea, or baguette with butter, jam, or olive oil and coffee.
• Lunch: light meal, usually salads, yogurt, eggs.
• Dinner: rice or couscous, vegetable and meat dishes. May be
preceded by salads and/or soup and followed by fruit.
• Snacks are eaten at all hours.
• The coffee shop is the center of male social life. Pastries, grilled
meats, and cups of coffee and tea, often flavored with mint or herbs,
are always available.
A braised stew of lamb or chicken with vegetables served with couscous, made in a tajine. (Laurent
Renault/Dreamstime.com)

Salads are served as appetizers or as accompaniments to the main dish.
2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly

sliced
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut in strips lengthwise
1/2 cup green olive flesh, chopped
2 TBS fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
5 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tsp paprika
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
5 tsp vinegar
salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
Toss the cucumbers in a salad bowl with green pepper, olives, and
mint.
Stir in the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper, toss
again, and serve.
Eggplant Spread
This appetizer is eaten with flat bread (pita), or as an accompaniment to a main
dish.
2 eggplants, about 2 pounds total weight

5 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3–4 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS parsley, minced
lemon and tomato wedges for garnish
salt to taste
Discard eggplant stems.

Cut the eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
Lightly brush a baking sheet with oil.
Lay eggplant over it in a single layer and brush with oil.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, turning occasionally, until light golden.
In a food processor, puree eggplant with garlic, paprika, cayenne, and
salt until smooth.
In a large skillet, heat 1 TBS oil over low heat.
Fry pureed eggplant mixture slowly, stirring frequently, for about 15
minutes or until all moisture has evaporated.
Add lemon juice, and cook for 1 more minute.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Place eggplant in a bowl, garnished with parsley, lemon and tomato
wedges.
Serve at room temperature.

Serve this soup as a first course for a heavy meal or for a light meal with salads
and flat bread.
3 cups canned chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp freshly ground cumin seeds
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp harissa (hot chili paste, available at stores that sell Middle
Eastern foods)
1 TBS tomato paste
4 cups water
3 TBS fresh mint leaves, chopped
Skin the chickpeas by squeezing each bean lightly. Reserve 1/2 cup.
In a blender or food processor, puree chickpeas until smooth. Set
aside.
Heat oil over low heat in a covered saucepan.
Sauté garlic until it just turns golden. Stir in cumin, paprika, harissa,
tomato paste, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add water and bring to a boil.
Add pureed chickpeas and cook for 15 minutes or until heated through.
Add whole chickpeas.
Serve hot, sprinkled with mint.

Algerian stews tend to be French-inspired and use European vegetables such as
carrots, runner beans, and peas. Couscous (see sidebar “Couscous, the North
African Staple,” below) as a stew and staple is ubiquitous all over northern
Africa. Serve the stew over the steamed cereal (equally and confusingly called
couscous) for a main meal. A bowl of hot, spicy chili sauce (harissa) is usually
served alongside for diners to help themselves.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
3–4 whole cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
3 green zucchini, cut into 3-inch chunks
3 yellow zucchini, cut into 3-inch chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
4 medium potatoes, skins on, quartered
2 red or green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and quartered
water to cover
1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion over medium heat
until translucent.
Add all the spices and tomato paste, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.
Stir in the stock and bring to a boil.
Add all the vegetables except the chickpeas. Add water to cover.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
Add chickpeas 5–8 minutes before removing from heat.
To serve, place a mound of prepared couscous cereal on individual
plates.
Spoon stew over the couscous.

Meatballs are a popular dish, often served as appetizers or as a main dish,
accompanied by a vegetable salad or cooked vegetables.
2 slices dry bread

1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground beef (substitute turkey or chicken)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried dill
4 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
oil or fat for deep frying
Soak bread in milk until soft.

Mix thoroughly all ingredients except the oil.
Shape into 1-inch balls.
Fry a few at a time in deep oil at 370°F until balls are golden brown.
Serve hot.
COUSCOUS, THE NORTH AFRICAN STAPLE

Couscous is to northern Africa as the stiff porridge (ugali, fufu, baton de
manioc; see sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505) is to southern, eastern, and
central Africa. Basically, couscous is a hard grain ground to a rough meal,
which is then steamed over water and eaten with a stew. The most common
variety is made of durum wheat, but in Algeria it is also made from barley
and other grains, and in Mauritania and Chad, of millet.
Couscous is usually cooked in a couscousiere. This is a double pot,
with the upper pot pierced by fine holes to allow the steam to enter without
losing the grains. The lower pot is used to cook a stew. A colander can be
substituted. If the holes are too large, line with cheesecloth.
1 cup couscous
3 cups boiling water, or a simmering stew
Moisten the grain with a sprinkling of water in a bowl, and allow to
swell for 30 minutes. If still dry, add another sprinkling. The grains
should be moist and swollen, but no water should accumulate in the
bottom of the bowl.
Place in the upper half of couscousiere once stew (or hot water) is
steaming.
Break up the grains periodically. Traditional cooks do it by hand
though we suggest that you use a fork, as the grains are very hot.
Add 1 tsp of olive oil as you break up the grains the first time.
Make sure there are no lumps every time you examine it (about once
every 10 minutes). The grains will swell and double in size, becoming
fluffy and light.
To serve, place in a dish (or individual bowls; there are local variations
in the choice) and pour the stew over the grains.

This dish is served in the evening after the daytime fast during Ramadan, the
month of fasting, and is cooked without salt to prevent thirst. The quince used in
this dish is a fruit that ripens in fall and adds a distinctive perfume. Substitute a
firm, unripe pear or tart eating apple if quince is not available.
3 TBS butter
1 pound lamb, cubed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
12 dried prunes, pits removed, soaked in water to soften and drained
1 quince (pear or apple), peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
2 TBS white seedless raisins
2 TBS whole blanched almonds
2 TBS orange-blossom water
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Brown meat lightly for 5 minutes.
Stir in cinnamon, water, and sugar.
Simmer until meat is tender (approximately 45 minutes).
Add prunes, quince, raisins, and almonds.
Simmer for 15–20 minutes until quince is tender.
Remove pan from heat. Stir in orange-blossom water.
Serve at room temperature with rice.

Serve this either as an appetizer for a large meal or with rice to accompany a
meat dish.
1 cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

salted water to cover
2 TBS olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned or fresh chopped tomatoes
1 tsp each salt, black pepper, and paprika
1/4 tsp harissa sauce (see next recipe)
Cook cauliflower in boiling salted water until tender but still crisp.
Drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Fry garlic until just lightly
golden.
Stir in tomatoes, salt, pepper, paprika, and harissa.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add cauliflower to the sauce, stirring well until heated through, for
about 5–7 minutes.
If sauce is too thick, add a little water.
Serve hot or cold.

This North African condiment keeps well in the refrigerator if covered with a bit
of olive oil. Serve it with couscous, grilled fish or meat, eggs, or as an alternative
to commercial hot chili sauce.
1 red bell pepper with stalk intact
4 ounces fresh red hot chili peppers
4 fat cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp sweet paprika
salt to taste
1 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS white or wine vinegar
3 TBS olive oil
Always wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers. Avoid contact
with the eyes or nostrils, as the chilies contain a powerful irritant.
Broil, roast (at 400°F), or grill on a barbecue or on a grid directly over
a low flame on a gas stove the whole bell pepper until skin is blistered
and blackened in spots and the flesh is very soft. Leaving the stalk
makes the pepper easier to handle. Allow about 40–45 minutes in the
oven, 20–30 minutes on an open flame.
Let cool, then peel and discard the core, seeds, and stalk. Set aside.
Slice chilies lengthwise; using a teaspoon, scrape off seeds. (If a hotter
sauce is desired, keep the seeds.)
Chop the chilies and transfer to a food processor or blender to blend
until smooth with a pinch of salt, garlic, and the spices.
Add the roasted pepper and blend until smooth.
Take a mere drop to taste and correct the seasoning, adding a bit more
salt to balance the vinegar if needed.
Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator. Topped up with a tablespoon
or two of olive oil to seal out the air, the harissa will keep for several
weeks.
Algerian Charlotte
This sweet, popular in urban Algeria, owes its roots to a mix of French
techniques and local produce.
juice of 1 orange
1 1/2 cups water
3 TBS honey
1 TBS gelatin
1 cup dates, pitted and quartered
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped almonds
2 TBS sliced almonds
2 chopped dates
grated rind of 1/2 orange
Blend orange juice, water, and honey in a saucepan over low heat.
Sprinkle gelatin over the mixture, stir until dissolved.
Add quartered dates.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool.
Strain mixture through a fine sieve and reserve.
Whip cream to soft peaks.
Add almonds to sieved mixture. Gently fold into cream.
Spoon into a serving dish.
Decorate with sliced almonds, chopped dates, and grated rind.
Refrigerate for 2 or more hours before serving.

These are much-loved pastries, often served on Eid, the feast that marks the end
of Ramadan. Makrout means “diamond-shaped” or “lozenge-shaped.” Makrout
el louz are traditionally white, but the confectioners’ sugar can be delicately
colored pink with a drop or two of red food coloring, if desired. Instead of
orange-blossom water, vanilla extract may be used to flavor the syrup. This is
not to be confused with the other famous makrout, a semolina pastry filled with
a date or almond-paste filling. Makes about 20–25 pastries.
Almond dough
3 cups ground almonds
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
grated rind of 2 large lemons and/or 1 TBS vanilla essence
cornstarch or powdered sugar for sprinkling
Orange-blossom syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp orange-blossom water
Coating
1–2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a large bowl, mix the dough ingredients to a soft but firm dough—it
should not be dry or wet. (Add more ground almonds or an egg yolk to
adjust the consistency.)
Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll out into cylinders 1 inch thick.
Slice the cylinders on the diagonal to get diamond-shaped pieces 1
inch long.
Place evenly spaced on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
Bake for 10–15 minutes; do not allow the pastries to brown.
Let the pastries cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Prepare the syrup: in a small pan, mix water and sugar.
Simmer gently over low heat until sugar is completely dissolved, about
5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in orange-blossom water.
Gently dip the cooled pastries, a few at a time, into the syrup.
Transfer them to a tray filled with confectioners’ sugar; roll the
pastries in the sugar.
Repeat until all the pastries have been dipped and rolled.
Roll the pastries once more into the confectioners’ sugar, patting
gently to ensure that all surfaces are covered.
Place each finished pastry on decorative paper cases for serving.

These buttery cookies are one of the three classic traditional Algerian pastries:
the others are baklava and makrout. No celebration is without these beloved
pastries, especially during Eid, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan. The
basic dough can be varied with diverse garnishes and flavorings: almonds,
pistachios, pine seeds, cocoa, lemon rind, vanilla, orange-blossom water, or rose
water.
1 cup ghee or clarified butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS vanilla or grated rind of 1 large lemon
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
powdered sugar

In a large bowl, cream the ghee and powdered sugar until very light.
Add the vanilla.
Mix in the flour for a soft but firm dough; chill for 2 hours.
Roll the dough into small balls, and press lightly with the back of a
fork.
Alternatively roll out and use cookie molds for shaping. Keep the rest
of dough refrigerated while working.
Place shaped cookies on a buttered and floured baking sheet. Garnish
with a nut or leave plain.
Bake at once for 10–15 minutes. Do not allow the cookies to brown.
Let cool on the sheet for 15 minutes.
Remove to a rack to continue cooling.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Andorra
One of the smallest countries in the world (fifteen by fifteen miles,

approximately two and a half times the size of Washington, D.C.), Andorra is
located in the eastern Pyrenees between France and Spain, completely
landlocked. The country is mountainous, with high alpine meadows and little
arable land. Andorran culture is a mix of Spanish, Catalan, and French cultures
(the heads of state, by law, are the French president and a Catalan bishop).
Andorrans pride themselves on their pasturage and the good meat raised on
them. Andorran cuisine resembles Catalan but has strong French influence.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat bread and buns, potatoes.
• Meat, particularly of veal and lamb, which are raised in the high
Pyrenean pastures. Preserved meats such as pork sausage
(llonganissa), lamb haggis (girella), blood sausage (botifarra), and
ham (all parts, blood, tripe, and other innards, are used), as well as
game (deer, wild boar, partridge, other wild birds), are consumed.
• Salmon, codfish, other fish; seafood (squid, clams, cuttlefish, etc.)
transported from the Spanish coast.
• Many cheeses (made using cardoon as coagulant) and dairy products.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, wine, olive oil, pepper, tomato, sweet
pepper, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Meat dishes: pork or hare stewed in wine, wild boar stew, lamb
chops seared on a hot slate (a heated piece of oiled stone); roast or
grilled wild boar, pork, lamb.
• Poultry: duck stewed with plums and pine nuts; partridge in
vinaigrette.
• Cheeses from cow’s, goat’s, and sheep’s milk: fermented cheese
(formatge de tupi) preserved in distilled alcohol (aguardiente).
• Thick soups/stews of beans, vegetables, and meat: escudella, vianda.
• Fish dishes: river trout cooked on a hot slate; trout stuffed with ham
and fried.
• Barbecue: lamb, poultry, pork, fish, and vegetables cooked on a piece
of oiled, heated slate.
• Vegetable dishes: green cabbage, bacon, and potatoes (trinxat);
dandelion-leaf salad; roasted vegetables (escalibada, also spelled
escalivada).
• Sweets: egg and honey (ous i mel), grape must and cottage cheese
(mostillo i el brossat), mousses, crepes, sweet roll (braç de gitano),
unleavened cake laced with moscatel wine and brandy (coca
masegada).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals and snacks daily.
• Place settings are standard European.
• Breakfast: coffee, roll or bread, jam or cheese, butter.
• Lunch: main meal, consisting of three to four courses—soup (sopa);
salad (amanida); sausages, hams, other preserved meats (embotits);
poultry or fish dish (this course constitutes the main part of the meal);
and dessert, fruits, and cheese.
• Evening meals, often small, savory dishes (tapas), are eaten with the
whole family in attendance if possible.
• Snacks similar to Catalan tapas are eaten at midmorning, in mid-
afternoon, or early in the evening. These include bread rubbed with
tomato and oil (pa amb tomàquet) and Andorran “pizza”—a crust
covered with tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables (coca samfaina).
• Drinks: fruit juice, milk, coffee, wine, sherry.

This is a popular snack throughout the northeastern Iberian peninsula, though
claimed as a Catalonian original. As for all simple foods, quality tells. The
fresher the bread and the riper the tomato, the better. The following recipe is for
one serving. Multiply as necessary.
1 slice fresh crusty bread

1/2 garlic clove
1/2 very ripe, very fresh tomato, cut along the equator
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Rub bread with garlic clove. Discard garlic.

Rub bread with tomato, crushing juice onto bread. Discard remaining
tomato.
Dribble oil on tomato, and season.

Landlocked Andorra gets supplies of fresh fish and seafood from the Spanish
Mediterranean coast. Salted cod (bacalao) has always been part of the Spanish
and neighboring countries’ larder. This dish is served for a light meal.
2/3 pound salted cod (bacalao, available from stores that sell Hispanic
foods)
1 whole eggplant, stalk intact
2 whole red bell peppers, stalks intact
2 tomatoes, quartered
4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
2 TBS wine vinegar
Soak cod in water for 24 hours, refrigerated; change the water at least
twice.
Cut the cod into 3-inch pieces. Refrigerate.
Grill eggplant until very soft and peppers until blistered.
Slit eggplant, remove pulp, and chop roughly.
Core and seed peppers, then slice into quarters.
In a bowl, mix grilled vegetables with the cod, tomatoes, and eggs.
Make a dressing with the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Pour over vegetables and cod.
Serve cold.

This is a popular dish for a light meal and can be served with bread or salt
herring.
1 small cabbage, quartered and cored

2 medium potatoes, peeled
1 tsp oil
3 strips fatty bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Boil cabbage and potatoes in salted water until well done and very
tender.
Drain. Chop roughly.
In a shallow, wide saucepan, heat oil over low heat.
Fry bacon slowly, frequently turning until almost crisp.
Add garlic. Fry until translucent and bacon becomes quite crusty.
Stir in vegetables and raise heat, cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
Serve immediately.

This is a popular dessert and snack to go with coffee. The name translates as
“gypsy arm” from the chocolate, which gives the roll its “tanned” color.
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 ounce butter
Whisk egg yolks and sugar until light; mix in flour and salt.
Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into egg yolk and flour mixture.
Put batter into lightly buttered Swiss roll pan.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25–30 minutes or until golden.
Cool slightly, then roll up in a clean, sugar-sprinkled cloth, kitchen
towel, or plastic film (the sugar keeps the cake from sticking to the
cloth). Set the wrapped roll aside to cool.
Filling
1 cup whipping cream
4 TBS apricot or peach jam
3 TBS or more sugar for sprinkling
3 TBS powdered cocoa
1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds or other nuts
Whip cream to soft peaks. Gently fold in jam.

Unroll cake and spread evenly with cream filling.
Reroll in cloth or plastic film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Sprinkle with sugar, dust with sieved cocoa, and then sprinkle with
nuts.
To serve, cut crosswise into neat slices.

These are savory biscuits for snacks, popular throughout the region.
1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup grated cheese (any kind from cow’s, ewe’s, or goat’s milk)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
Mix well the butter, cheese, egg, and salt.

Gradually blend in the flour, then hazelnuts.
Form into a roll about 2 inches in diameter; wrap in plastic wrap and
chill for 1 or 2 hours.
Slice roll into 1/2-inch-wide coins; space evenly on buttered baking
sheet.
Bake for 10–15 minutes or until just golden.
The baked galetes are then typically grilled for 2–3 minutes, but this
step can be omitted.

Apples and quinces are typical fruits in the mountains of northern Spain, and
they feature in many desserts.
3–4 firm eating apples (or 2–3 quinces), peeled, cored, and sliced into
1/3-inch rings
2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup sweet wine (or orange or lemon juice)
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
oil for deep frying
4 TBS butter, melted
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (mix 4 TBS sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon)
In a bowl, mix the apple rings with sugar and wine or juice; let rest for
30 minutes.
Mix batter: sift flour, baking soda, and salt; blend in egg and cold
milk, and the juice from soaking the apples.
Dip apple rings in batter; fry a few at a time at 360°F until golden;
drain and keep warm.
To serve: drizzle with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Angola
A southern African country on the Atlantic Coast between Congo and Namibia,
Angola was a Portuguese colony from 1575 until independence in 1975, and
then it suffered a post-independence civil war (1975–2000). Due to heavy
mining during the war years, much agricultural land is dangerous and unusable.
Hence Angola imports much of its food. Coastal areas are hot and humid, and
some tropical cash and subsistence crops such as maize, sorghum, and manioc
are grown.
The population comprises three large ethnic groups and several minorities.
Angolan cooking combines African and Portuguese elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: stiff cassava porridge (funge).
• Many foods are flavored with piripiri (or pili-pili), a Portuguese-
influenced pepper sauce.
• Portuguese elements such as olive oil are now part of the cuisine.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews of meat, chicken or fish, and vegetables, often flavored with
palm oil.
• Portuguese-style soups of meat and vegetables.
• Fish, chicken, or meat cooked with coconut.
STYLES OF EATING
• People eat three times a day when they can afford it. Many poor
households eat only two meals a day.
• Generally, family eating is communal, with diners helping
themselves to porridge and stew from pots placed at the center of the
table. In most rural homesteads, food is served on a mat on the floor,
though urban and middle-class homes generally eat European style,
with standard European table settings.
• Breakfast consists of leftovers from the previous day or cassava
porridge and coffee.
• Lunch: cooked cassava with sauce/stew of vegetables, with or
without meat.
• Evening meal: two to three courses (as affordable). Soup or
appetizer, main dish, sweet.

This is a popular soup that can be served as a first course for a heavy meal, or for
a light meal with a vegetable dish.
1 pound stewing beef, cubed

8 cups water
1 onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked rice
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Bring the beef and water to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer until beef is tender (about 50 minutes–1
hour).
Stir in onion, rice, salt, and mint.
Simmer for 20–25 minutes until rice is tender.
Serve hot in bowls.

This is a slightly more elaborate form of funge, the standard African stiff
porridge (see Ghana entry for sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505). This is served
with stews, soups or any meat, fish, or poultry dish. Brazilian toasted manioc
flour, called farofa (available from specialty stores), can be substituted, making
the toasting process unnecessary.
2 cups coarsely ground manioc (cassava, yuca, available at stores that

sell South American foods)
4 cups fish stock (or 2 cubes fish stock dissolved in 4 cups warm
water)
Heat oven to 350°F.

Spread manioc flour on baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes,
shaking the pan occasionally so as not to let it burn.
Bring stock to boil and pour manioc in a steady stream, stirring
constantly with a whisk.
Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until fairly stiff.

A variation of this stew can be found in Congo and other southwestern African
countries. Muamba means a sauce flavored with red palm oil and chopped chili
pepper, and sometimes with ground peanuts.
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 chicken quarters
1 cup red palm oil (or 1 cup equal amounts of palm oil and vegetable
oil)
3 onions, chopped
1 whole hot chili pepper (if you prefer a spicier dish, chop the chili and
include the seeds)
1 squash or small sweet pumpkin (about 1 pound), seeded, peeled, and
cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup canned palm soup base (if available) or soup stock
12–24 small, tender okra, washed, ends removed, and sliced crosswise,
1/4 inch thick
Make a marinade of the lemon juice, half the garlic, salt, and chili
powder.
Rub thoroughly on chicken, and let marinate for 1 hour.
Heat oil in a deep skillet or a Dutch oven.
Brown chicken lightly on all sides.
Add onion, remaining garlic, chili pepper, and tomato.
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 1/2 hour, stirring
occasionally, until the chicken is nearly done.
Add squash and cook for 15 minutes or until tender but not mashed.
Add palm soup base (or stock) and okra.
Simmer for 5 minutes until okra is tender.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve with funge (see Ghana entry for sidebar “African Staple,” p.
505).

Serve this dish with funge for a main meal.
4 garlic cloves
salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
4 fillets of any firm-fleshed white fish
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and quartered
1 small cabbage, quartered
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 2 cups hot water)
1 onion, sliced finely
1–2 TBS olive oil
Puree garlic, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor.

Rub the fish with the mixture. Set aside.
Bring to a boil the vegetables (except onion) and stock over medium
heat.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are done.
Add fish; top with onions in one layer.
Simmer covered until fish is done, for 10–15 minutes.
Remove fish carefully and place on serving dish.
Surround with the vegetables.
Drizzle all with olive oil.

Serve this dish with pirão for a main meal, accompanied by a vegetable dish.
1 tsp ground red chili pepper

2 TBS butter
4 pork chops
1 TBS olive oil
salt to taste
Mix well chili pepper with butter. Set aside.

Rub chops with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
Let the chops marinate for 30 minutes, preferably longer.
Broil or grill the chops.
Brush with chili-butter mixture on both sides several times.
Serve hot.

This is a popular sweet made using local fruit.
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 whole cloves
4 cups grated coconut
1 1/2 cups milk
2 TBS cinnamon
Heat water, sugar, and cloves over medium heat.

Cook to softball stage (234–240°F).
Discard cloves.
Add grated coconut and milk; bring to a light simmer.
Pour into a covered container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Scoop into individual dessert bowls.
Serve sprinkled with cinnamon.

This very rich dessert, quite similar to the one above, borrows its method of
cooking from Angola’s Portuguese colonial past. To get the intense yellow color
(amarela) for which this delicacy is named, use free-range organic eggs. A much
sweeter cocada can be made, if desired, using 1 cup condensed milk instead of
the half milk–half condensed milk version below. Low-fat condensed and skim
milk can also be used.
1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup milk
2 cloves or 1 tsp cinnamon
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 TBS butter (optional)
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, blend the coconut,

condensed milk and milk with cloves.
When the mixture starts to simmer, decrease the heat to lowest point.
Add the egg yolks, while constantly stirring for about 5 minutes more
or until the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat. Take out the cloves and stir in butter and/or
vanilla, if using.
Spoon into individual dishes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the
cinnamon, if using.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda, located in the eastern Caribbean, has a tropical climate
with a mostly flat volcanic terrain ideal for pineapples (its most famous product),
bananas (called figs here), other fruits, vegetables, and livestock. In a country of
three islands (the other is Redonda) surrounded by sea, fish and shellfish are
major food items. A British colony until independence in 1981, it remains part of
the British Commonwealth and retains many British features, such as afternoon
tea with sandwiches and sweet pastries.
A majority of Antiguans are of African descent, with a minority having

European origins. Antiguan cooking reflects these ethnic groups, and it also has
been influenced by neighboring islands’ cooking. East Indian and Chinese
spicing and styles of preparation also have been blended in.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, corn, beans.
• Conch, shrimps, other shellfish; fresh and preserved fish; chicken,
pork, beef, preserved meats (salted pork, corned beef).
• Vegetables: okra, sweet potato, eddo (taro tuber) leaves, spinach,
pumpkin, squash.
• Fruits: mango, papaya, banana, coconut, black pineapple (Antigua’s
pride).
• Seasonings: thyme, ginger, hot pepper, chives, citrus, curry powder,
and a hot table condiment of crabmeat, hot peppers, and lime or lemon
juice.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice and beans is the most common dish; the next most common is
cornmeal (fungee).
• Grilled fish or seafood, pork or chicken dressed with spicy sauce.
• Soups/stews of meat and vegetables: pepper pot.
• Seafood dishes: curry conch.
• East Indian–influenced curried chicken salad.
• European-style baked goods, sandwiches.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals daily and snacks.
• Most families eat together in the evening at home.
• Breakfast: traditional—porridge or reheated fungee (cornmeal bread)
with sweet or savory accompaniments, either fruit jam or boiled or
fried fish; modern—egg dishes, such as crab omelet; fresh fruits and
juice; cereal; coffee.
• Lunch and dinner: similar offerings of rice and beans, fungee, pepper
pot, or grilled fish or meat. Working people eat sandwiches or a light
meal at midday.
Conch.
• Savory or sweet snacks at midmorning or mid-afternoon, which may

be conch sandwich, fritters of cornmeal and vegetables or salted fish,
pineapple cake, banana ice cream, or coconut chocolate cake.

Antigua is home to the black pineapple, a small, sweet pineapple with dark
green, almost black, peel. This dish features just one of the many uses Antiguans
have for their beloved fruit.
4 chicken legs, skinned

1 onion, chopped
3 cups water
2 cups fresh pineapple juice
1 cup diced fresh or canned (unsweetened) pineapple
1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
In a saucepan, put chicken legs, onion, water, one cup pineapple juice,
salt, and pepper. Simmer for 25–35 minutes or until chicken is tender.
Take out the chicken, dice meat, and return to broth.
Add the remaining cup of pineapple juice.
Check seasoning.
To serve, add diced fresh pineapple and thyme. Serve with dumplins
(see the next recipe).
Dumplins
There is no spelling mistake here: dumplins are spelled without a “g” in Antigua
and most of the Caribbean. Dumplins are a traditional accompaniment to soup as
well as the main dish. When fried, they are called “bakes.”
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup ice water
Blend flour, salt, and baking powder.

Rub in butter until it resembles coarse meal.
Sprinkle water to make a dough.
Knead until soft and smooth.
Shape into balls, flatten, and drop into boiling salted water. Let boil for
5–10 minutes.
Boiling for 20 minutes results in a waxy dumplin, which some
Antiguans prefer.
Pepper Pot
This uses bacon and meat cubes instead of the traditional pig’s snout, oxtail, or
pig’s feet. Serve as a main course with dumplins or fungee (see the next recipe).
2/3 pound bacon, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1 pound pork or beef, cubed
1/2 pound corned beef, cubed
3 TBS tomato puree
1 small butternut squash, cubed
2 cups water
2 eggplants, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen spinach
4 eddo (taro) leaves (optional)
8 okra, topped and tailed (optional)
1/2 cup chives
1/4 cup fresh thyme (or 1 TBS dried)
In a saucepan, slowly cook bacon over low heat until it releases some
fat.
Stir in onions and fry until soft.
Add meat, and season with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides, for
about 10 minutes.
Stir in tomato puree, squash, and water.
Cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes until meat is tender.
Taste and correct seasoning, if needed (the bacon and corned beef are
salty).
Add eggplants, peas, spinach, eddo leaves (if using) and okra.
Simmer for 15–20 minutes until eggplant is tender but not mushy.
Stir in herbs.
Serve immediately.

This cornmeal “bread” is usually made into balls. It is served hot as an
accompaniment to stews and soups, fried or stewed fish, or any eggplant dish.
Leftover fungee is pressed into a loaf pan and either lightly toasted or eaten cold
for breakfast, usually spread with mango or other tropical fruit jam. The name
derives from West Africa, where funge is a stiff, staple porridge.
3 cups water
salt to taste
3 okra, cut into 1/2-inch rings
2 cups cornmeal
4 TBS butter
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add okra, cook until done, for
Take out 2 cups of water from the pan (leave okra in the water).
Reduce heat.
Dribble in cornmeal to the remaining simmering water.
Stir with a whisk to avoid forming lumps.
Add a bit more water if necessary, but the mixture should be very
thick.
When mixture comes away from the bottom of the pan, turn off heat.
Turn out fungee into a bowl and stir in butter, mixing well.
Using a soup spoon, form into balls.
Keep hot and serve immediately.
(Alternatively, butter a loaf pan and pour in fungee. Level the surface.
Cut into thick slices and serve as “bread.”)

The East Indian influence is evident in the curry powder used in this dish. This
makes a light main dish for a midday or evening meal, or it can be used as a
sandwich filling.
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, diced

3 TBS grated coconut
1/2 cup seedless sultana raisins
1 fresh pineapple, cubed
3 TBS mango chutney
1 TBS curry powder
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup mayonnaise
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
In a bowl, mix chicken, salt, and pepper.

Reserve 1 TBS each of coconut and raisins for garnish.
Mix in remaining coconut and raisins, pineapple, and chutney.
Add curry powder and lemon juice to mayonnaise (put half the juice
first, taste, and then add more if you wish).
On a serving dish or bowl, lay a bed of lettuce, and place the chicken
mixture on it.
Pour curried mayonnaise over it.
Garnish with coconut and raisins.
Baked Bananas
Bananas, being one of Antigua’s main fruit crops, feature in many dishes. They
are used when unripe (green), as a vegetable, or when ripe, as dessert. Baked
bananas is a popular dessert throughout the Caribbean and is often served alight
with local rum.
4 bananas, sliced lengthwise

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Lay banana slices in a casserole dish.

Melt sugar in butter and milk in a pan over medium heat.
Pour over bananas. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes.
Serve at once.
Papaya Pie
Papaya paired with lime makes for a classic Antigua and Barbudan pie. The
amount of sugar can be adjusted, depending on the sweetness of the papaya.
9-inch prebaked pie crust

2 cups very ripe papaya pulp, coarsely mashed
2 TBS lime juice
fresh grated rind of 1 lime
4 TBS sugar (or more, as needed)
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Have the pie crust ready.
In a large bowl, combine the papaya and lime juice and rind.
Taste the mixture, and add sugar, 1 TBS at a time, tasting as you mix.
Fold the egg whites gently and fill the pie crust.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until done.
Serve with coconut ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Key Lime Mousse

This dessert can be made with common limes or lemons. Key limes are about a
third the size of common limes. This mixture can also be made into ice cream:
put the chilled mixture directly into an ice cream maker (and follow
manufacturer’s directions).
1/2 of a 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup fresh key lime juice (increase to1/2 cup if you like it tarter)
fresh grated rind of 2–3 (unwaxed or organic) key limes, or 1 lime
1 cup double cream, whipped to stiff peaks
1 lime, sliced thinly
In a large bowl, mix the condensed milk, juice, and rind.

Fold in the cream; divide among 4 serving dishes, and chill for 4 hours
or overnight.
Serve garnished with thin slices of fresh key lime.
Argentina
Argentina, a Spanish colony from the sixteenth century until independence in

1816, is three times the size of Texas and occupies most of the southern tip of
South America. The mostly temperate climate and the vast pasture lands
(pampas) and plateaus enable the production of beef, dairy products, and grains.
A wide range of fruits, especially grapes, are cultivated for local use and export,
making Argentina a world-class wine producer.
Over 97 percent of Argentineans are of European descent, mainly Spanish,
Italian, German, and Welsh; a small minority is Amerindian.
While traditional Argentinean food is Spanish influenced, more than one in
three Argentineans have Italian blood, and Italian-style food is now
predominantly eaten.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple is beef, eaten by urban Argentineans at every meal; white
maize for northwest Amerindian Argentineans; cassava for northeast
Amerindian Argentineans.
• Pork, chicken, sausages; cheese; limited fish/seafood.
• Corn, cassava, potato, rice, bread, and pasta are common
accompaniments.
• Pumpkin, squash, corn on the cob, tomato, cucumber, quince, peach.
• Seasonings: not very spicy; onions, garlic, black pepper, thyme,
oregano; table sauces are chimichurri (hot pepper, tomato, and onion)
and salsa golf (golf sauce), made of ketchup and mayonnaise.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The national dish is a mixed barbecue (asado) of steak, ribs, and
sausage, especially for family gatherings.
• Italian-style dishes: pizza, pasta, fried cutlets (milanesa), ravioli, beef

with tuna mayonnaise (vitelo tonato).
• Spanish-style rice-based dishes, savory pastries (empanada), and
hearty stews (puchero or carbonada).
• Spanish-style taste combination of sweet and savory in stews of fruit
and meat; dessert of cheese with jam.
• Sweets: Spanish-style, made of eggs and milk. These include
caramelized milk fudge (dulce de leche) in desserts and pastries,
especially in cookies called alfajores; Italian-style rich ice creams;
Welsh-style tea cakes; German-style whipped cream and butter cakes.
Argentinian barbeque featuring beef asado. (Claus Mikosch/Dreamstime.com)
• Drinks: fresh fruit juice and milkshake, strong coffee, chocolate (a

chocolate bar served in steamed milk is a popular drink), yerba mate
tea; wine is commonly drunk with meals.
STYLES OF EATING
• Four meals and snacks daily (varies by region).
• Breakfast: rolls or croissants; jam (often dulce de leche); strong
coffee with milk; or yerba mate, a tea brewed from leaves of a
hollylike plant in a decorative container and drunk through a silver
straw. Yerba mate is drunk plain without milk or sugar.
• Midmorning snack: strong, black coffee with sweet or savory pastry
(empanada).
• Lunch: big meal of two or more courses plus dessert. Offices close
between noon and 3:00 p.m. to provide a two-hour break. Courses for
an urban meal include appetizers of cold cuts, olives, or cheese; a main
course of steak with fried or mashed potatoes with a tomato and onion
salad; and a dessert of fresh fruit, custard, milk fudge, or cheese with
preserved fruit. Wine is the usual drink for adults, fruit juices or soft
drinks for children.
• Late afternoon: heavy snack of tea/coffee with sweet cakes, savory
sandwiches, or nibbles of cheese, ham, olives, or peanuts.
• Dinner, eaten late at 10:00 p.m., is the largest meal of the day. It
consists of two to three courses plus dessert, often featuring beef. This
is similar to lunch, but heavier.
• A typical regional meal would start with appetizers of savory pastry
or steamed maize wrapped in cornhusks, called tamales or humitas.
The main dish would be a stew with pumpkins and corn or meat
grilled over charcoal. Dessert is fresh fruit or corn grits called
mazamorra with milk, or cheese with preserved fruit.
• Argentineans eat out often as a family, usually for pizza, pasta, and
other Italian-style dishes. Cafés in major cities are not just for drinking
and eating, but also for social, business, and cultural (political, artistic,
and literary) meetings. Patagonia has a big Welsh community, and
Welsh tearooms are a regional specialty. Plentiful bakeries and pastry
shops attest to the national sweet tooth.
Gramajo Omelet
Because dinner is taken very late, most people eat a late afternoon snack after
work, almost a meal in itself. In cities, these are commonly eaten in cafés, and
may be sandwiches of steak, steak and cheese, or toasted cheese and ham;
savory pastries; sausage rolls; or an omelet with crisp potato straws and ham
(Gramajo omelet). Yerba mate tea, coffee, fruit juice, or wine are drunk with this
snack. The Gramajo omelet is claimed to be the only truly original Argentinean
dish, and it is served with salsa golf.
5 ounces ham, cut into strips

1 cup cooking oil
3 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into julienne strips, washed, drained,
and dried
6 eggs, beaten
parsley, minced
Brown ham lightly in 1 TBS cooking oil in a frying pan over medium
heat.
Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Add rest of the cooking oil to the pan and fry potatoes until crisp.
Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Pour out excess oil from pan, leaving just a thin film.
Season eggs to taste with salt and pepper. Add parsley and ham.
Pour into the hot pan, stirring as for scrambled eggs.
When set but still moist, remove from heat.
Stir in the potatoes.
Serve at once, with salsa golf (see the recipe following), if desired.

This is a common table sauce served with all kinds of fried meats or fish, but
especially with the Gramajo omelet (see the previous recipe).
1 cup mayonnaise
juice of one medium lemon
2 TBS ketchup
1 tsp prepared mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
In a bowl, mix mayonnaise with lemon juice.

Stir in ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Serve with fish, seafood, chicken, or omelets.

Matambre means “hunger killer,” and this dish is usually eaten hot as a main
course for lunch or dinner. Cold slices are often eaten with sandwiches.
1 piece (1 1/2–2 pounds) boneless round steak, 1/2 inch thick

1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 green chili, chopped (optional)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup bread crumbs
4 slices ham
1 carrot, peeled and cut into strips
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters
2 TBS vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1 tsp vinegar
1 bay leaf
Trim fat from beef. Pound to about 1/4 inch thick.

Sprinkle beef with salt, oregano, and pepper.
Sprinkle with tomatoes, chilies, onion, garlic, and bread crumbs.
Lay ham slices over the beef.
Arrange carrots and egg pieces down the center of ham.
Carefully roll up beef around ham, vegetable, and egg filling.
Fasten with metal skewers or tie with string.
Warm oil slowly in a Dutch oven or a deep ovenproof pan until hot.
Put in beef roll and brown all over. Drain fat.
Add water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf.
Cover and bake at 325°F until beef is tender, for about 1 1/2–2 hours.
Remove skewers/string.
Cut beef roll into 1-inch slices.
Serve hot with meat juices and potato and corn pie (see the next
recipe), or cold in a bread roll as a snack.

Corn and potatoes are native American vegetables that have been cultivated for
thousands of years and are often cooked together with or without cheese. This
casserole frequently accompanies a main meat dish, such as the stuffed beef roll
above, for lunch or dinner.
4 potatoes, boiled and peeled

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
salt to taste
2 cups fresh, canned, or frozen (thawed) sweet corn kernels, drained
Mash potatoes with milk and 1/4 cup butter.

Stir in the garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Put the mixture into a 9 × 13
inch baking pan.
Melt remaining butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add corn and cook for about 5 minutes.
Take off heat and puree in a blender until creamy.
Pour over potato.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Serve with stuffed rolled steak.

This is a well-loved dessert or accompaniment to coffee. Milk fudge (dulce de
leche) is the most characteristic sweet of Argentina as well as other South
American countries, eaten as jam for breakfast, spread on rolls or croissants, or
used as fillings in cakes and cookies.
2 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups milk
2 eggs
milk fudge (bought or homemade, see the next recipe)
butter
Mix flour, milk, and eggs in a blender.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat.
Melt a pat of butter.
Pour a thin layer of crepe batter, swirling the pan quickly to spread it.
When the crepe starts to brown at the edges, flip and cook for a minute
or so more.
Remove from pan and spread with milk fudge.
Roll and serve hot as dessert.
DULCE DE LECHE
Dulce de leche is usually a sweet spread made from milk boiled with sugar
or the lengthy simmering of condensed milk. It is popular throughout Latin
America, particularly in the southern cone of South America, and is used in
Portugal, Spain, and France. Dulce de leche has a caramel-like flavor,
though it is not produced by caramelization but by the Maillard reaction, a
chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar in the
presence of heat.
Dulce de leche is used as a spread on bread, a sweetener, a flavor for
ice cream, and as a filling for cakes and confections. It also comes in a
more solid form, somewhat like fudge. It is the most popular sweet
flavoring in Argentinean cuisine.

This rich and creamy sweet is a favorite spread on bread or toast for breakfast as
well as a filling for various cakes and pastry. There are several ways of making
this confection now popularized throughout the world. All involve slow cooking
for 2–3 hours. One quite risky method involves cooking the unopened can of
condensed milk completely submerged in boiling water in a pressure cooker for
1 hour. The easiest and fastest way is to buy it readymade in stores that sell
Hispanic foods and large supermarkets. The recipe below is given for very
patient cooks as it takes 3 hours.
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
Fill the bottom pan of a double boiler half way with hot water; bring to
a boil.
Pour condensed milk into the top pan, cover, and set over the bottom
pan.
Let water boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and cook for
about 3 hours or until milk is very thick and brown.
Check the water level in the bottom pan frequently and replenish with
hot water as needed.
Cool milk fudge and put into a covered jar. It can be kept for weeks in
the refrigerator. Spread on bread or toast for breakfast, or as a filling
for cakes.

Alfajores are butter cookie “sandwiches” filled with milk fudge (dulce de leche).
They are scrumptious and eaten at every excuse. Have the dulce de leche
prepared (as above) or buy it readymade. Ring the cookies with garnishes of
chopped nuts, powdered sugar, grated coconut, or chocolate sprinkles.
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
4 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1 cup dulce de leche
Garnish: chopped nut or chocolate sprinkles
In a bowl, cream sugar, butter, and salt until very light.

Mix in the zest, if using.
Mix in the egg yolks and stir in the flour to make a soft dough; divide
into 2 and chill, covered, for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out 2-inch disks.
Place cookies evenly spaced on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15–20 minutes. Do not allow the cookies to color.
When cool, spread one cookie with dulce de leche and top with
another.
Roll the edges in chopped nuts or chocolate sprinkles.

This local version of Linzertorte is made with ground almonds, and is also
popular in neighboring Uruguay and Paraguay, often eaten with coffee, tea, or
mate. Its origin is Italian cooking culture, where the almond crust dough (Italian
pasta frolla) is used to make filled pastries. Unlike the original Linzertorte filled
with raspberry or apricot jam, the Argentinian filling is typically quince jam
(membrillo) or the ever-popular dulce de leche. The filling can also feature
guava jam or sweet potato spread (dulce de batata). Any very good quality (high
proportion of fruit to sugar) fruit jam or conserve can serve as a filling. Some
cooks brush the hot pie lattice with honey and sprinkle grated coconut for decor.
Have ready 2 1/2–3 cups dulce de leche or a fruit preserve (quince or

guava)
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup finely ground almonds
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
egg wash: 1 egg yolk, beaten, mixed with 1 TBS water
Powdered sugar for sprinkling
In a bowl, sift the flour; combine with baking powder and almonds.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt until very light. Add
vanilla and lemon zest.
Mix in the eggs and then the flour mixture to form a soft dough; chill
for 2 hours.
Divide the dough into 2 parts, one about 2/3 and the other 1/3. Roll out
the larger piece enough to cover the bottom and sides of a pie plate or
baking dish, with a bit extra for the overhang.
Spread generously with dulce de leche (recipe above) or with fruit
preserve; chill.
Roll out the smaller piece of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut equal
strips, about 1 inch wide, using a decorative pastry cutter, or leave
straight-edged.
Cover the filled pie with the pastry strips laid as a lattice. Lightly brush
the strips at the edge of the pie plate with egg wash; press to seal the
edges of the top and bottom pastry. Bake for 30–40 minutes or until
light golden.
To serve, top up the hollow spaces with more filling.
Armenia
A landlocked country in the southern Caucasus, between Turkey and Azerbaijan,

Armenia is the oldest Christian country in the world. It had been ruled by the
Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Egyptians, Ottoman Turks (for four centuries), and
Russians until 1991. Much of the country is mountainous, with cold winters and
hot summers, enabling intensive grape cultivation.
The majority of people are Armenian, with minorities of Kurds, Azeris,

Georgians, and Russians. Armenian cuisine reflects its history, with Turkish,
Persian, and Middle Eastern elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, flat wheat breads, cracked wheat (bulgur).
• Bread is unleavened pideh or lavash made of wheat.
• Vegetables: leek, green bean, squash, okra, eggplant, salad greens,
cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage; fresh or
dried wild herbs in salads; beans; chickpeas (the favorite) and other
pulses.
• Lamb, chicken (preferred), beef, goat, game birds (pigeon, duck,
quail, goose); eggs; fish; oysters, mussels.
• Citrus fruits, plum, apricot, peach, grape, melon, quince, apple (fresh
and dried); pistachios, almonds, walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts.
• Dairy products: milk of ewe, goat, and cow cultured as buttermilk or
yogurt; many fresh, hard, soft, and aged cheeses.
• Seasonings: garlic, onions; fresh and dried herbs, nuts, sesame seeds;
vinegar, pepper; cloves, saffron, cinnamon, and other spices; egg-and-
lemon-juice sauce; clarified butter (ghee); wine; fresh cream, olive oil
for cooking and salads.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Breads: lavash—unleavened thin sheets of wheat flour, sprinkled
with sesame seeds; pideh—yeast-leavened, crisp-crusted round wheat
bread or long loaves, sprinkled with sesame seeds.
• National dish: pilaf of bulgur and minced lamb or chicken flavored
with butter, cinnamon, and pepper, simmered in broth (keshkegh).
• Bulgur is a ubiquitous ingredient: in soups, as a side dish for meats,
mixed with chopped vegetables in a salad, mixed with ground meat in
meatballs. A typical dish is broth-cooked bulgur with shredded
chicken, cooked for hours and then beaten to the consistency of
smooth paste. This dish is called hariseh, a variation on the original
Arabian savory wheat and mutton pudding known as “harees,” not to
be confused with the hot chili sauce called harissa.
• Cheese appetizers, toppings.
• Nut sauces and fillings for baked goods.
• Rice dishes: pilafs with meat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts; saffron
pilaf—rice flavored with rose water and saffron for weddings.
• Salted dried beef, flavored with fenugreek (basterma).
• Vegetable dishes: pickles; salad; olives and nuts in olive oil and
lemon juice or vinegar (yaz salata), vegetable stew (kchuch); oven-
baked casserole of layered fried eggplant, ground beef or lamb, and
tomatoes (patlijan moussaka); slow-simmered stew of mixed
vegetables and meats flavored with tomatoes, salt, pepper, and mint
(tureli ghuvedge). Stuffed vegetables: rice-stuffed grape leaves
flavored with browned onions and allspice, served cold (asma-yaprak
dolma); mixed stuffed vegetables (sweet pepper, tomatoes, zucchini,
eggplant) (echmiadzinskaya dolma); baked meat-stuffed eggplant
(sumpoog letzvadz), served hot or cold. Fresh salads are an important
part of many one-dish meals.
• Stews of meat and vegetables: chickpea puree flavored with meat,
stock, and onions (nohond basti); sliced leeks cooked with beef or
lamb in an egg-lemon sauce (prassa basdi); beef or lamb stew flavored
with garlic, vinegar, and hot peppers (pacha terbiehli).
• Soups: rice and lemon (printz abour), lentil and lemon (vousp
abour).
• Meat dishes: meatballs “tartare”—raw beef and fine bulgur (keyma
koufta); meatballs with bulgur in tomato sauce (kharpout koufta).
Grilled meat dishes: skewered shish kebab; beef or lamb cubes
marinated in olive oil and cumin seed (kimionlou), served on flat
bread.
• Fish baked in garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, and lemon (baluck plaid).
• Desserts and sweets: usually fruit and cheeses. Sweet preserves of
fruits or vegetables (anoush); multilayered pastry filled with nuts and
doused with spiced syrup (baklava); small, sweet, sesame-sprinkled
rolls (choerek); sesame spiral cookies (simit); shredded crisp wheat
with nuts and syrup (tell khadayif); candied nuts.
STYLES OF EATING
• Table service and manners are of secondary importance.
• Breakfast: cheese, olives, and bread with unsweetened coffee (soorj).
• Midday meal: hot vegetable or vegetable and meat casserole.
• Dinner: in the evening, between seven and eight o’clock, brandy
aperitif (raki); nibbles of cheeses and various types of olives (black,
green spiced, salted, etc.); salad or soup; roasted meat, fish, or poultry,
with vegetables (cooked and cold); rice or bulgur pilaf; wine or sour
milk (leban) or yogurt; dessert of fresh or dried fruits, nuts, and
cheeses. Coffee may end a special dinner.
• Snacks: nuts or seeds (toasted and salted sunflower, pumpkin,
watermelon); pastries, coffee or wine; leban and fruit.
• Drinks: raki (brandy) as an aperitif; red and white wines usually
accompany meals for all ages; yogurt and sour milk (leban) usually
part of lunch or refreshing snack drink.

These are eaten as snacks with coffee.
3 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
oil for deep frying
Mix all dough ingredients together and knead.

Divide into two balls, cover, and set aside for 1/2 hour.
On a floured surface, roll out each ball 1/8 inch thick.
Cut out 4-inch disks of dough.
Place 1 TBS filling (see recipe below) in the center of each disk.
Fold other half over and seal edges well with moistened fingers.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Heat oil and fry turnovers, a few at a time, until golden brown on both
sides. Serve hot.
Cheese filling
1 pound strong yellow cheese, preferably two different kinds, grated
roughly
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 tsp red pepper
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

This recipe is one way of using pumpkin or squash seeds that are normally
discarded when cooking with these vegetables. Toasted pumpkin or squash seeds
are a popular snack in Armenia and neighboring countries.
1 pound fresh, large, plump raw pumpkin or squash seeds (freshly

taken from the vegetable)
4 cups water
1/4 cup salt
Bring seeds to a boil in salted water.

Simmer for 30 minutes. Drain.
Spread seeds on an ungreased cookie sheet
Bake in a preheated 300°F oven, stirring occasionally, for about 1
hour, until seeds are dry and lightly toasted.
Store in airtight container.

Lamb is the favorite meat. This is served for a main meal with salads and a
cooked vegetable.
4 TBS olive oil

1 pound boneless lamb (or other meat), cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, mashed (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
6–8 slices bread, cubed
1/2 cup yogurt
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; sauté meat briefly until lightly
browned.
Stir in onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Reduce heat to a minimum, and cook, covered, until tender, about 40–
50 minutes.
Add bread cubes, stirring until browned.
Serve warm over rice.
Spoon yogurt over meat.

This is a common Lent dish in most of Armenia. For the Armenian church (one
of the oldest Christian churches; Armenia was the first country to convert to
Christianity), Easter is the major festival of the year, and Lent is taken seriously.
Filling
6 medium onions, minced
1/3 cup water
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 TBS fresh basil, chopped
1 pound peanut butter
1/4 cup tahina (sesame seed paste, undiluted)
Put onions and water in a saucepan; cook over medium heat until
onions are soft.
Strain onions and set aside to cool, reserving water for koufta mixture.
Mix well parsley, basil, peanut butter, and tahina into cooled onions.
Koufta balls
1/2 cup semolina
2 cups fine bulgur
1 cup water
2 quarts boiling water mixed with 2 tsp salt for cooking
Blend chickpeas in a blender or a food processor.

Add semolina, bulgur, salt, pepper, reserved onion water, and 1 cup
water.
Set aside for 30 minutes for grains to absorb the moisture.
Remove mixture from processor.
Knead with wet hands until mixture holds together firmly (about 12–
15 minutes).
Form a ball from a handful of the mixture (about the size of a small
egg).
Press your thumb into the ball to make a cavity, leaving a wall about
1/4 inch thick.
Place a spoonful of filling into the cavity.
Close the cavity by gently pushing the sides together.
Be sure the filling is completely sealed. Smooth the surface of the
koufta.
Continue with remaining mixture.
Bring water and salt to a boil.
Gently slide 6 kouftas into boiling water, return water to a boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer kouftas for 10 minutes or until they rise to
the surface. Remove them carefully and continue cooking the rest.
Make sure not to break the shells, or the filling will spill into the water.
Cool to room temperature and serve.

Pilaf is a Persian dish of rice cooked with meat and vegetables, and it has now
spread worldwide.
1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup vermicelli noodles, crumbled
1 cup rice
3 cups chicken broth (or 1 1/2 cubes chicken bouillon dissolved in 3
cups hot water)
2 TBS butter
1 heaping TBS mixed slivered almonds and pine nuts
Heat butter in a heavy skillet over low heat.

Brown vermicelli until golden (watch carefully as noodles burn
easily).
Stir in rice until well coated with butter.
Add broth and seasoning; bring to a boil.
Stir once, then simmer for 15–20 minutes until broth is absorbed and
rice is soft.
Let rice sit for about 20 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, heat butter in a separate pan; brown nuts for about 30
seconds, stirring constantly.
Scatter over rice before serving.

The Armenian New Year is celebrated in spring.
1 cup whole-grain hulled wheat (available from health food stores)

6 cups cold water
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS blanched slivered almonds and 1/4 cup walnut halves to garnish
Rinse wheat until it runs clear. Drain.

Add wheat to cold water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat. Cover tightly and cook over lowest heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Check the wheat at this point: all the water should be absorbed and the
wheat soft.
If dry and not yet cooked, sprinkle about 1/4 cup boiling water over
wheat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes more.
If any water remains, cover and cook 5 more minutes or until
absorbed.
Mix in sugar, vanilla, salt, walnuts, and raisins.
Transfer to a deep serving dish.
Sprinkle with nuts.
Serve cold.

These butter cookies are usually made for Christmas and other celebrations. The
anise flavoring makes them distinctively Armenian. Kourabia are often enjoyed
with tea. If anise extract is difficult to find, a tablespoon of anise seeds finely
ground can be used. Otherwise use a teaspoon vanilla extract or the grated zest
of one lemon.
3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp anise extract
1 egg
2 cups flour
powdered sugar for sprinkling
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt until very light.
Mix in anise and egg.
Stir in flour to form a soft dough.
Divide into 2 cylinders, 1 1/2 inches in diameter; chill for 1 hour.
Cut cylinders diagonally into 1/2-inch slices to make diamond-shaped
cookies. Alternatively, cut straight down and, with lightly floured
fingers, roll the sliced pieces into balls.
Place evenly spaced on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown.
Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack.
Australia
Australia is a large continental country (the only country that comprises a whole
continent) in the South Pacific, between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean,
and is only slightly smaller than the lower forty-eight states of the United States
combined. The climate is generally arid to semiarid: temperate along the coast
and in the south and the east. Tropical swamps and plains occupy the north,
while the center of the continent is a low plateau desert.
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about forty
thousand years ago. Europeans—Dutch and British—began exploration in the
seventeenth century. In the eighteenth century, Australia was formally claimed
for Great Britain. Six colonies became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Some aboriginal settlers in certain regions follow their own customs, living a
seminomadic existence based partly on hunting and gathering. Later settlers
came from all over the world, most notably from Ireland and the United
Kingdom, Southern Europe (Italy and the Balkans), Polynesia, and, more
recently, China, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.
The most common foods in the country are based on English tastes
modified by locally available products. In the past fifty years or so, the
introduction of food patterns and choices from Southeast and South Asia has
yielded a world-famous “fusion” cuisine, based on a mix of British-and Asian-
type recipes with specifically local products.
Australians pride themselves on “bush tucker,” food derived from foraging
in the country’s extensive wild places. Few of these foods are raised
commercially, though Australian scientists and food enthusiasts are starting to
market these products and others. Bush tucker includes vegetable products,
sources of proteins as well as spices, a variety of crustaceans and arthropods, and
of course the meat of larger animals such as kangaroos and saltwater crocodiles
and fish like the barramundi.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: bread, potatoes, rice, pasta (depending on ethnicity).
• Wheat, barley, fruit, cattle, sheep, poultry, and sugarcane are grown
and exported in large quantities.
• High consumption of mutton, lamb, beef, and exotics such as
kangaroo.
• Vegetables: all European and most Asian kitchen vegetables.
• Dairy products: milk is consumed in great quantities. Ice cream,
cheese, and cream are also consumed.
• Fish: marine fish, including tuna, various jacks; local river fish.
• Bush tucker: wattleseed (bush seeds tasting like a mix of chocolate
and coffee); Illawara plums (which resemble cashews in that the stone
grows outside the berry); yabbies (a freshwater crayfish); muntharies
(a berry tasting like raspberries and apples); Kakadu plums (a sharp-
flavored plum with the highest vitamin C content of any fruit known);
pepperberry (a very strong, peppery berry from Tasmania); lemon
aspen (a small fruit with an intense citrusy taste); akudjura (sweet-
savory berry tasting like a tamarillo/caramel mix); and witjuties
(edible, nutty-flavored grubs).
• Fruits: tropical fruits and temperate fruits, including bananas,
coconuts, apples, peaches, grapes (table and wine).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Barbecued meat (steaks, skewered meats, hot dogs) and seafood,
notably shrimp.
• Various carbohydrate-rich dishes, including potatoes (chips, boiled,
mashed), pasta and other noodles, rice, breads, and rolls.
• Vegetable salads as appetizers and fruit salads as dessert.
• Cakes and pastries such as pavlova (meringue baskets) and
lamingtons (iced cake pieces); damper (bread baked in the ashes of a
fire).
STYLES OF EATING
• Place settings and dining are European standard.
• Australians are famous for barbecues, which are possible in most
parts of the country throughout the year.
• Breakfast tends to be substantial, with eggs, steak or sausages, toast,
sometimes baked beans or chips; Vegemite (a vegetable-based salty
spread) on toast.
• Lunch, except for Sundays, may be less substantial, consisting of
sandwiches and a drink, sometimes eaten on the run.
• Supper, sometimes called “tea,” tends to be heavy, with meat and
potatoes or other starchy foods, salads, an appetizer, and a substantial
dessert.
• Many people stop for “elevenses” (an old English custom), a break
around 11:00 a.m. (hence the name) or any time during midmorning
for tea and cake, and in the afternoon (tea, sandwiches, and cakes).
• Tea, very strong, milky, and sweet, is drunk at all hours. Beer and
fruit juices and excellent local wines are drunk with meals or on their
own.
Fruit Cordial
Cold fruit punch can be a refreshing drink at any time of the day in Australia’s
hot climate.
1 pint boiling water

1 cup sugar
1 tsp tartaric acid
1 tsp citric acid
juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
juice and grated rind of 1 orange
Pour boiling water over sugar, tartaric acid, and citric acid in a large
heatproof bowl. Cool.
Add lemon and orange juices. Refrigerate.
To serve, dilute with iced water or club soda to taste.
Gingered Snow Peas

Snow peas, also called sugar peas, refer to edible bean pods. Snow peas and
ginger are both introductions from Asia that have become a part of Australian
cuisine. These peas would normally accompany a meat dish.
3/4 cup chicken stock

1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp ginger, shredded
3/4 pound snow peas
1/2 cup spring onions, with white part, sliced 1 inch long
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 TBS soy sauce
Boil chicken stock and garlic until reduced to 1/4 cup.

Remove garlic.
Place stock, ginger, and vegetables in a wok.
Cook on high heat, with continuous vigorous stirring, for 3 minutes.
Add soy sauce and remove from heat.
Serve with steamed rice.
Kurrajong Muffins
Kurrajong muffins are made from wild native parsnips or yams. Kurrajong flour
gives a peanut buttery taste. Serve with sour cream.
1 cup self-rising flour

1/4 cup kurrajong flour (or substitute whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
1 TBS macadamia oil (or substitute peanut oil)
1 cup parsnips, peeled and grated (or substitute carrots)
1/2 cup peanuts, shelled, skinned, and briefly toasted, ground to a
rough powder (not paste)
In a food processor, mix flours, baking powder, milk, honey, and oil to
form a soft dough.
Blend in parsnips and peanuts.
Spoon into a greased muffin pan.
Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes or until done.
Serve warm or cold.
Pumpkin Soup
Serve this as a first course to a heavy meal or for a light meal with bread and
salad.
2 cups vegetable stock (or 1 cube vegetable bouillon dissolved in 2

cups warm water)
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup cream
Bring vegetable stock to a boil.

Add pumpkin, onion, and garlic.
Simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Cool slightly. Puree in a blender until smooth.
Reheat soup. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Serve with cream.
Aussie Burger
Australia is justifiably proud of its beef, and this hamburger combines local beef
with vegetables and fruit.
4 hamburger buns
4 leaves lettuce
4 beef hamburgers, each 1/4 pound, fried
8 slices bacon, fried crisp
4 slices yellow cheese
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1 large tomato, sliced thin
4 slices pickled beetroot, sliced thin
4 canned pineapple rings
4 eggs, fried sunny side up
tomato ketchup
Cut hamburger buns in half.

Distribute all ingredients equally on the bottom halves, in the order
given, starting with lettuce and ending with egg.
Cover with upper half.
Grill and heat through.
Serve immediately. Pass the ketchup.
Rice Salad
This salad combines Asian and Western elements. Serve with any main dish.
3 cups cooked long-grain rice

1/4 cup sweet young peas
1 small can sweet corn
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 TBS mayonnaise
1 TBS allspice powder
1 TBS fresh cilantro, minced
Combine rice and vegetables in a bowl.

Mix soy sauce, mayonnaise, allspice, and cilantro.
Mix thoroughly into rice mixture.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Serve cold.
Damper
Damper is the bush bread of Australia. Drovers (cowboys) baked damper buried
in the hot ashes of campfires. To many Australians, damper represents the spirit
of the frontier.

1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
butter
extra flour for dusting
In a food processor, mix flour, salt, and milk until it forms a dough.
Butter a 10-inch round baking pan (traditionally, a sealed, round,
Dutch oven–like “camp oven” would be used) and dust with flour.
Place dough in the pan. Cut a cross on the top surface to stop the bread
surface from cracking during baking.
Seal baking pan tightly with foil and bake in the hot ashes of your
campfire for about 30 minutes (or bake uncovered in preheated 425°F
kitchen oven for 20–30 minutes or until it tests done).
Eat with a cup of strong tea, sweetened with sugar and milk.
? Did you know?
With globalization, more and more countries are adopting the American
custom of celebrating with a cake, lit candles, and the song “Happy
Birthday to You” (in the local language as well as in English).
Lamingtons
These cakes are essential for every Australian school fete and for children’s
birthday parties.
1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup boiling water
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups grated coconut
Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.

Gradually add eggs, mixing well.
Add flour and milk alternately, stirring after each addition.
Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
Spread batter in buttered 9 × 12 inch baking pan.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35 minutes.
Remove from baking tray and cool on wire rack.
Meanwhile, melt butter in boiling water.
Sift confectioners’ sugar with cocoa.
Stir in butter/water mixture and 1 tsp vanilla for a thin icing.
Cut cooled cake into 30 squares.
Dip each square in icing, roll in coconut, and leave to dry on a wire
rack.
Pavlova
Australia’s favorite cake was invented in its current form in New Zealand,
though the name was first used in Australia for a similar confection. The name
derives from a visit by the famous Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, to Australia.
Both New Zealand and Australia claim this delight for their own.
4 egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 tsp cream of tartar (or 1 tsp lemon juice)
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipped cream
2 cups mixed fresh (preferably exotic tropical) prepared fruit
(pineapple, strawberries, kiwifruit, or mango, sliced into bite-sized
pieces; passion fruit pulp and seeds; physalis or Cape gooseberry,
husked but kept whole)
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper
(invert paper to use). Place on cookie sheet.
Beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt at high speed until
soft peaks form.
Beat in sugar gradually, 1 or 2 TBS at a time, until stiff peaks form.
Spoon the mixture within the marked circle to create a meringue
“nest,” mounding higher around the edge to create a depression for the
filling.
Bake in preheated oven at 250°F for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours until crisp on
the outside, golden in color, and firm to the touch.
Leave in oven, turn off heat, and allow to cool with the door open.
Spread whipped cream in the center of meringue shell.
Top with fresh fruit.
Chill until serving time.
Vanilla Slice
This is a classic pastry—a favorite childhood treat.
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/4 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean or 1 TBS vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lay parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Have ready a loaf or other narrow rectangular pan, about 8 × 4 inches.
Lay parchment paper on it with a generous overhang. This makes it
easier to lift out the pastry for serving.
Lightly sprinkle the parchment paper on the baking sheet with flour.
Lay the thawed puff pastry on it; prick all over with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven. With a clean dish towel,
gently press over the pastry to reduce puffiness.
Decrease oven heat to 350°F. Bake pastry for 20 more minutes or until
golden brown.
Remove from oven; press gently again with tea towel. Set aside to
cool.
Vanilla custard filling

In a small bowl, sift cornstarch into the egg yolks; mix thoroughly.
With the tip of a knife, scrape off the seeds from the split vanilla bean.
Place vanilla seeds and bean pod into a heavy-bottomed pan.
Add milk, and over medium heat, warm milk and vanilla until mixture
starts to simmer.
Remove pod. Add sugar and salt, and continue simmering until sugar
dissolves.
Reduce heat to lowest point. Slowly add the cornstarch-egg mixture
into the milk, while whisking.
Keep stirring until the custard begins to set.
Remove from heat. If using vanilla extract, stir it in.
Cut the cooled puff pastry in two, to fit the prepared loaf pan.
Lay one half on the bottom of the pan; spoon custard filling while still
hot.
Lay the other half, flat side up. Allow to cool at room temperature,
then refrigerate overnight.
To serve, lift out of pan.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into slices.

The macadamia tree is native to Australia: its nuts are the mainstays of bush
tucker, or the traditional, wild-gathered food of Australian aborigines. Most
people associate it with Hawaii because of the better-known chocolate-covered
macadamias made there. The macadamia is now grown commercially in many
countries, such as South Africa, Israel, Malawi, and Brazil, but Australia is the
world’s largest producer.
1/2–2/3 cup macadamia nut halves

1 cup mini marshmallows
2/3 cup candied small fruits: cherries, cranberries, blueberries
3 cups good quality milk or dark chocolate candy bars, diced
Butter a 9 × 5 inch pan.

Spread pan evenly with nuts, marshmallows, and fruits.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler; pour over nut mixture.
Allow to cool. Cut into pieces with a hot, sharp knife.
Austria
Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe and the heir of the Austro-
Hungarian Empire, which ruled most of Central Europe for centuries. Much of
the country is mountainous, with deep, fertile valleys. The cool, temperate
climate enables a range of crops and cattle to be raised for milk, meat, and
cheese.
The cuisine is diverse, sophisticated, and rich, reflecting the ethnic mix and
the regions of the former empire, with Germanic, Slovenian, Hungarian, and
Turkish elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples include potatoes, dumplings, bread, and noodles.
• Breads of all kinds, dark and light, rolls; buns made with every
combination of wheat and rye flours, sweet and soured dough.
• Meat: veal and pork predominate; venison and other game, chicken;
goose, eggs, preserved meats, including smoked and dried sausages,
bacon (speck), ham.
• Dairy products: milk (drunk hot), buttermilk; cream (notably
whipped for topping desserts and coffee), sour cream; soft spreading
white cheese (quark) and other cheeses.
• Fish: trout, carp, eel, catfish, perch.
• Vegetables: cabbage, beet, carrot, pepper, wild and cultivated
mushrooms.
• Fruits: plum, grape (for eating and for making wine), apple, pear,
strawberry, wild cranberry.
• Seasonings: paprika, caraway seeds, fennel, onion, garlic, dill,
parsley, other herbs, chocolate, vanilla; citrus rind; wine; sour cream,
sweet cream, butter, lard.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Typical Austrian dishes vary depending on location and ecology.
• Boiling, frying, and roasting are common.
• Meat dishes: boiled beef (tafelspitz); roast suckling pig; crumbed,
fried, and baked chicken (Wiener backhendle); scallops of veal, egged,
crumbed, and crisply fried (Wiener schnitzel, the most famous
Viennese specialty).
Coating a raw veal cutlet in breadcrumbs to make Wiener schnitzel. (Carmen Steiner/Dreamstime.com)
• Stews of meat and vegetables: cubed veal in Hungarian-influenced

paprika-onion sauce, occasionally with potatoes and carrots
(goulasch).
• Cheese dishes: cheese-stuffed pasta (kasnudel).
• Dumplings, savory and sweet: Tyrolean bacon-filled (speckknoedel),
tiny dumplings (spaetzli), apricot-stuffed dumplings
(marillenknoedel).
• Soups: mixed meats in herbs with sweet and sour cream (saure
suppe).
• Desserts, often topped with whipped cream: strudel (apple or other
fruit rolled in a pastry layer), rich pancake served with applesauce
(kaiserschmarren), rolled pancakes filled with preserves
(palatschinken), filled doughnuts (krapfen).
• Cakes: many-layered sponge cake with chocolate filling and caramel
glaze (dobostorte), nut pie with raspberry preserve (Linzertorte,
claimed to be named after the town Linz or a baker named Linzer),
chocolate cake (Sachertorte).
• Snacks: chocolates, candy, pastries, sweet coffee; sweet wine
• Drinks: coffee in many varieties (flavored with chocolate, vanilla, or
served with cream or whipped cream); white/red wine; beer.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day; breaks for coffee and cake at midmorning, mid-
afternoon, and at night. Bread is present in some form at every meal
and often is part of snacks as well.
• European place settings.
• Formality is the norm, even in family meals.
• Breakfast: many types of plain or sweet rolls; preserves; hot milk,
tea, or coffee.
• Midmorning snacks (around 10:00 a.m.): a small bowl of hot soup or
a sausage with bread and pickles washed down with a beer.
• Lunch: soup (always; otherwise it is not considered a meal); meat or
chicken; bread, dumplings, or noodles; green salad; cheese, fresh fruit,
or compote.
• Mid-afternoon snacks: cake or pastry and coffee.
• Evening meal: same as lunch.
• Night snacks: sandwiches, salad, coffee.
• Street snacks: wurstel (sausage), pastries.
• Coffee drinking and serving is an art, and spending some time every
day at a café is a social necessity for many.

Dumplings are a major item in the Austrian diet. These are a typical Tyrolean
peasant dish, filling and simple.
6 slices bacon, diced

8 slices stale white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup cream or half-and-half
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 TBS unsalted butter
1/2 cup onions, finely sliced
1 TBS flour
1/2 pound sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
Dry fry bacon until crisp and brown. Remove from heat and pat dry
with paper towel.
Brown bread cubes in bacon fat until golden, and place in a bowl.
Pour cream on bread and let stand until the cream is absorbed.
Gently blend in bacon, flour, baking powder, caraway seeds, thyme,
pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, and egg yolk. Let the mixture rest 30 minutes.
Mold mixture into 1 1/4–inch balls. (Add a little more cream to bind if
a bit dry.)
To cook dumplings: bring at least 3 inches of salted water to a simmer
in a large pot.
Slip the dumplings gently into the simmering water (the water must
not boil or the dumplings will be tough). Allow to cook for 10 minutes
(test one to see if it is done).
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a sauce pan, melt the butter and sauté
the onions until softened.
Gradually stir in sauerkraut.
Cover and cook until the sauerkraut is heated through and the flour has
lost its raw taste.
Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the dumplings with parsley and serve hot with the sauerkraut.

There are many variants of Liptauer. The three central ingredients are topfen or
quark (a white spreading cheese between cottage cheese and cream cheese in
texture but blander), paprika, and chives. Serve as a spread on bread for a light
meal or snack.
2 cups low-fat cream cheese (quark/topfen or cottage cheese, drained

and blended till smooth)
1/2 small onion, minced
4 TBS fresh chives, snipped fine
1 tsp sweet paprika
salt to taste
Optional (any or all of the following):
1/8 tsp ground caraway seeds

1 tsp anchovy paste
1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper
15 medium capers, drained, minced
1 pickled gherkin, minced
Combine cheese with other main ingredients and mix well.

Blend optional ingredients in food processor; add to cheese mixture.
Mix thoroughly.
Refrigerate in a covered container for at least 30 minutes.
Serve on rye bread.

Most of the kaisers (Austrian emperors) were fond of hunting, and this royal
snack is now a common food.
1 loaf French bread (batard or short baguette, about 12–15 inches

long; if you can only get a long baguette, cut in half to use)
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, whites and yolks separated
4 TBS softened butter
2/3 cup cottage cheese
1 TBS mustard
1 TBS anchovy paste
3/4 pound smoked ham, diced
3/4 pound roast pork, chicken, or turkey diced
3/4 pound strong yellow cheese, diced
3 ounces pickled gherkins, chopped
2 TBS snipped chives
Cut off a slice from one end of the batard or baguette, and hollow out
the middle of the loaf, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, using a long
bread knife. Leave the “walls” intact. Wrap the hollowed out bread in
plastic wrap to keep from drying out.
Dice the removed bread and place in a food processor bowl.
Finely chop egg whites.
To the food processor bowl, add egg yolks, butter, cottage cheese, salt,
pepper, mustard, and anchovy paste, and blend until smooth.
Transfer the processed mixture to a bowl and stir in the ham, roast
pork, yellow cheese, gherkins, and chives. Mix thoroughly.
Fill the hollowed-out loaf with the mixture and use the handle of a
wooden spoon to compact the filling firmly.
Butter the end slice well and replace, wrap the loaf tightly in foil, and
refrigerate for 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Slice the loaf with a sharp knife into 1-inch pieces to serve.

Thrifty Austrian housewives try to ensure that leftovers are consumed. Serve for
a light meal with potato dumplings.
4 TBS butter
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup cooked potatoes, diced
1 cup cooked (or leftover) lean pork, turkey, chicken, or any other
cooked meat
5 eggs
2 TBS cream or milk
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
4 sprigs dill
Melt butter over low to moderate heat.

Sauté onions until soft.
Stir in potatoes and pork, sauté for 2–3 minutes.
Beat eggs with cream, dill, salt, and pepper.
Pour egg mixture over potatoes, meat, and onions.
Cover, reduce heat, and cook for about 5 minutes or until eggs are set.
Place under a hot grill for a few seconds to brown the top.
Transfer to a warmed plate.
Garnish with dill and cut into wedges.
Serve immediately.

These dumplings are popularly served with any main dish.
2 TBS butter, softened

1 egg, beaten
2 ounces semolina
1 pound potatoes, cooked, peeled, and mashed
flour, as needed
salt to taste
2 quarts (or more) salted water, enough to a fill deep pot to the top
In a food processor, blend the butter, egg, semolina, salt, potatoes, and
just enough flour to make a firm dough.
Remove and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring salted water to a simmer.
Form dough into balls the size of tennis balls; boil for 10 minutes (do
not let the water boil or the dumplings will be tough).
Drain and serve with any meat dish.

These shortbread cookies are a favorite for coffee.
2/3 cup butter, diced

1 cup flour
1/3 cup ground almonds
2 egg yolks
vanilla extract
In a food processor, mix butter, flour, almonds, egg yolks, and half the
sugar, just until the mixture forms a ball. (Mixing any longer will
toughen the dough.)
Remove the dough, knead briefly, and chill for 1/2 hour.
Form into a roll, about 1 inch thick.
Cut into 1/2-inch-thick disks. Roll each disk 2 inches wide.
Form the kipferl: roll up each disk from one edge, then twist each
corner around to form a crescent, like a miniature French croissant.
Bake at 350°F for 10–20 minutes. Do not let them brown.
Mix the remaining powdered sugar with vanilla.
Gently roll baked kipferl in sugar mixture while still hot. Be careful as
kipferl tends to crumble.

The famous kaiserschmarrn (also spelled kaiserschmarren) are very rich
pancakes, torn into pieces for serving, drizzled with butter, sugar, and raisins.
This is a baked variant with apples. Applesauce, or raspberry, plum, or apricot
jam is often served on the side.
2 large or 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

3 TBS raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS lemon juice
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup cream
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS butter
For serving: 2 TBS sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or as desired)
2 TBS butter, diced

raspberry or plum jam
Mix the apple slices, raisins, cinnamon, and lemon juice; set aside.
In a bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff.
In another bowl, cream the yolks and half of the sugar until very light.
Mix in the flour and salt; mix in the apples and raisins.
Gently fold in the beaten egg whites, taking care not to release the
incorporated air.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in an ovenproof skillet or baking
dish; carefully spoon in the apple mixture; do not smooth the top.
Place skillet in the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes or until done.
With two forks, quickly tear the pancake into irregular pieces about 3–
4 inches in size.
Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the butter.
Serve at once; diners help themselves to jam.

These jam-filled cookies from Vienna are made of a rich butter base and
raspberry or apricot jam. The upper cookie is made with three equidistant holes
for linzeraugen (Linzer eyes), or with a smiley face for spitzbuben. About 1
dozen 2-inch cookies.
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
raspberry, strawberry, or apricot jam
powdered sugar
In a food processor, mix butter, flour, sugar, egg, lemon zest, and
vanilla until they form a soft dough.
Chill for 2 hours for ease of handling.
Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut out circles with a cookie cutter.
Take half of the circles, and cut out three small circles. Alternatively,
cut out 2 eyes and a crescent-shaped mouth.
Spread 1 tsp of the chosen jam on the uncut circles; cover the jam with
the cut-out pieces.
Place evenly spaced on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
Bake for 10–15 minutes or until just starting to color at the edges.
Let cool on the tray for 10 minutes; finish cooling on a rack.
Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar.
Azerbaijan
A former Soviet republic sandwiched between Iran in the south and Armenia,
Georgia, and the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan is on the historic Silk Road linking
eastern and western Asia. The terrain varies from coastal plain to rugged
mountains and wide, fertile valleys. The climate is cool in the mountains and
hotter in the coastal plain, ideal for a wide range of Mediterranean-type crops.
The population comprises mostly Azeris (who speak a language that mixes
Turkish and Persian) and minorities of Armenians, Georgians, and other ethnic
groups. The population is largely nondogmatic Muslims. Azerbaijanis are noted
for being long lived (many live to be over one hundred years old), which is
attributed to their healthy diet of yogurt, apricots, and fresh foods.
Azerbaijani cuisine is rich and diverse, influenced by Greek, Arabian,
Persian, Turkish, and Russian elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, bulgur (cracked wheat), breads (flat and leavened).
• Meat, particularly lamb, with plenty of fat preferred (all parts,
including innards and trotters); also pork, beef, chicken, fish.
• Vegetables: pumpkin, squash, other gourds, cabbage, eggplant,
cucumber, carrot, chili/sweet pepper, potato, tomato, pickled
vegetables, vine leaves.
• Fruits: grape, cherry, quince, fig, melon, watermelon, apricot,
pomegranate, mulberry, walnuts, chestnuts, other nuts.
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, tomato, chili, pepper, yogurt, mint,
parsley, dill, cilantro, tarragon, basil, saffron, cumin, coriander, fennel,
caraway, many other spices; pomegranate syrup, barberry, sumakh
(sour purple berries), Russian-influenced mayonnaise; grape vinegar,
garlic sauce.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Most characteristic dish is dolma—rice-and-meat-stuffed vegetables
(eggplant, grape leaves, cabbage), fruit (quince, apple), fish, and big
pieces of meat.
• Plov (flavored rice, or pilaf) with meat, fruits, almonds, sesame
seeds; the rice is cooked separately from the rest of the ingredients.
• Home-baked breads: in rural villages, housewives take prepared
dough to be baked in public bakeries. Common breads are thin flat
breads (lavash) and round flat breads (churek).
• Variety meats: beef liver roll (fried chopped liver mixed with nuts,
rolled up, chilled, then sliced); calf’s foot or pig’s trotter jelly
(cholodets); fried beef brain; chicken stuffed with rice and garlic
mayonnaise mixture.
• Stolichnay salat: chunks of sausage, potatoes, eggs, and chicken in a
mayonnaise sauce.
• Thick soups made of fatty lamb flavored with garlic, cherry plum,
saffron, yogurt, and greens (dovga); pea with meatballs (kyufta
boshbaz).
• Drinks: tea; wine; fruit juices—grape and mulberry (dosha),
pomegranate (narsharib), mixed fruits with saffron and honey
(sharbat); water; ayran (salted drinking yogurt).
Fennel.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals and snacks daily. Tea is drunk at any time of the day,
sometimes with sweet or savory pastries.
• Due to lengthy Soviet influence, Azeris generally set the table
European style.
• No major distinction between meals, though only one meal a day
may include a heavy meat dish. Otherwise Azeris eat as much meat as
possible.
• Formal meal for guests has several courses, beginning and ending
with black tea. Served with tea are lavash and various sweet preserves
—cherries, mulberry, quince. Next comes the rice dish (plov). In
between comes more tea. Then comes grilled meat (shashlyk) or, along
the coast, fish (sturgeon, salmon, herring). A thick soup follows,
usually of yogurt and greens, believed to ease digestion of fatty foods.
Dessert is usually a sweet drink of mixed fruit juices with basil seeds,
saffron, and honey, called sharbat.
• Men often eat at teahouses and restaurants, or during hunting and
fishing trips, with their friends.

This is one of the hundreds of local variations on Persian pilaf. Serve before a
meat course.
4 cups rice
16 cups water
1 heaping tsp salt
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup onion, minced
2 pounds mutton or lamb, cubed, or a mix of mutton or lamb and beef,
turkey, or chicken (the aroma of the mutton or lamb is critical to the
dish)
1 cup stock
2/3 cup prunes, pitted and chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
1 pound frozen brioche or croissant dough, defrosted
1/2 cup toasted almonds or walnuts
Soak rice in water and salt for 3 hours at least (overnight is best).
Place in a pot and bring to a boil.
Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes until half done. Remove, drain, and
reserve.
Heat 1/4 cup butter. Sauté the onions until golden. Remove and drain.
Next, quickly brown the meat on all sides.
Add stock, fried onions, prunes, cinnamon, and cloves; simmer until
tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the rice: in a heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid,
or a Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup butter over low heat.
Spread the brioche dough evenly to cover the bottom of the saucepan.
Add the rice. Cook, covered, for 1–1 1/2 hours.
From time to time, open the rice pot, stir in some of the remaining
melted butter and saffron water, until all has been incorporated into the
rice.
Mound the rice on a warmed platter. Adorn with pieces of mutton,
prunes, and nuts, and serve.

Not only are peas an essential dish for New Year, but this soup is also popularly
served after a fatty meat dish. It is believed that the yogurt and greens aid
digestion.
2 cups fresh peas (or dried split peas soaked in hot water for 4 hours)
2 cups yogurt
4 TBS flour
1 cup onions, minced
1 pound spinach, chopped
2/3 cup cress, or other fine greens, chopped
2/3 cup Florence fennel (finocchio), chopped
1/4 cup butter (optional)
Simmer peas until half done (2–3 minutes for fresh peas, 30 minutes
for dried). Set aside.
Whip the yogurt with the flour. In a saucepan, bring the yogurt mixture
to a boil, then simmer, stirring slowly for 5 minutes.
Add reserved peas and onions; bring to a boil.
Add spinach, cress, and fennel; simmer for 3–5 minutes. Do not stir.
Remove from heat, and allow to stand for 1 or 2 minutes, uncovered.
Stir in butter for a richer taste, if desired.
Serve hot after a meat dish, or as part of the New Year meal.

A hearty soup that is often eaten by men, in particular, for breakfast before
working the fields or going out to fish or hunt. A time-saving and convenient
alternative to making the dumpling dough is to use readymade square wonton
wrappers.
Stock
4 pounds mutton or beef bones, cracked
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, quartered
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
3 quarts water
Place all ingredients in a large pot.

Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, on low heat for 1–2 hours.
Skim froth from the surface if necessary.
Serve hot with dumplings.
Dumplings
1/2 pound flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup water
In a food processor, mix flour, eggs, and water to a stiff dough. Add
more water if necessary.
Remove dough. Knead on floured board for 10 minutes until smooth
and elastic. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Roll out dough quite thinly. Cut into squares of 2 inches.
Place 1 tsp filling in the middle of each dough square.
Fold over to make a triangle.
Bring the bottom corners of the triangle up to form a single peak.
Pinch together to seal.
Place in simmering stock for 5–10 minutes or until done.
Dyushbara can be made very small so that four or five can be spooned
at one time.
To eat, dip into a sauce of wine vinegar with minced garlic.
Dumpling stuffing
1 pound ground mutton (or beef, turkey, or chicken)
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced (or fresh mint)
Mix all ingredients; let sit for 10 minutes.

This is possibly the most commonly eaten dish in the country. The mutton tail
fat keeps the kebabs moist. If using beef, make sure it is not too lean. Serve as
the main dish for dinner.
1 pound ground mutton (beef, turkey, or chicken)

1 ounce mutton fat, preferably from tail (substitute 1 TBS oil if using
turkey or chicken)
3 stalks spring onions, minced
4 TBS fresh parsley, minced
4 TBS fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 large ripe tomato, sliced finely
1/4 tsp sumac (powdered purple sumac berries, from stores that sell
Middle Eastern foods) or lemon juice with salt to taste
Blend mutton, fat, onions, parsley, basil, flour, salt, and pepper in a
food processor or large bowl until very smooth.
Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.
Shape into small sausages. Mold around metal skewers.
Grill over hot charcoal (or under a hot grill).
In a small bowl, toss onion and tomato slices with sumac.
Unskewer kebabs into flat bread; surround with tomatoes and onions.

Kutaby are eaten for breakfast and snacks. Alternative fillings include ground
mutton with onions, lavashana, and dried pomegranate seeds, or wild greens.
Stuffing
1 TBS oil for greasing
1/4 cup spring onions, minced
2/3 cup spinach, chopped
2/3 cup sorrel, chopped (if unavailable, use more spinach plus 2 TBS
lemon juice)
3 TBS mixed fresh cilantro and dill, minced
1 TBS lavashana (dried sour plum paste), chopped finely (or lemon
juice) salt and pepper to taste
Lightly oil a heavy frying pan.

Cook the onions for a minute. Add all other ingredients, stirring
(without any added oil) until well wilted. Remove from heat.
Add lavashana.
Season to taste.
Pancakes
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup water
beaten egg or water for sealing
1/4 cup warm ghee for sauce
1/2 cup matsoni (a fermented milk native to the Caucasus, available
from stores that sell Russian foods; or substitute a thick, sour yogurt or
thick buttermilk) for dipping.
In a food processor, mix flour, salt, butter, egg, and water to make a
soft dough.
Remove dough. Knead on a floured surface for 10–15 minutes or until
dough is shiny and elastic. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Roll out 1/8 inch thick. Cut out disks, about 6–9 inches in diameter.
Place filling on one half of the disk.
Fold to form a crescent. Seal edges with a bit of beaten egg.
Place kutaby on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Brush lightly with ghee.
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for about 25–30 minutes or until
golden.
Arrange in a warmed dish and serve.
If desired, pour remaining warm ghee over kutaby.
Pass a bowl of matsoni for dipping.

Sweet rice dishes, such as this, are traditionally eaten on Novruz (the Azeri New
Year).
1/2 pound rice

1 quart water
4 TBS ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried plums (prunes), pitted
2/3 cup sugar
Boil rice in water, uncovered, until half cooked, for about 10 minutes.
Drain rice, reserving the water.
Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
Add raisins, apricots, prunes, and sugar, cooking for 5 minutes, stirring
constantly.
Add rice and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water.
Reduce heat to lowest possible, cover tightly, and simmer until rice is
done, for about 20–25 minutes.
Let pilau rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Heap on a warm plate.
Serve surrounded by the kazmag (fried/seared crust from the bottom of
the pan), considered a delicacy, so ensure everyone gets a piece.

Roses are not just decorative but also popularly eaten in the Caucasus or Iran.
Historically, they have an important place in literature, poetry, gardening, and,
inevitably, cookery.
5 cups water
petals from 3 full-bloomed scented roses (make sure they have not
been chemically sprayed; old roses such as damask and bourbon are
best)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
3 TBS (or more) sugar
Boil the water. Add the rose petals and lemon juice.
Turn off heat at once, cover, and let stand for 6–10 hours.
Drain into a pitcher and discard petals.
Add sugar to rose water and stir to dissolve (add a bit more sugar, if
needed).
Serve chilled.
Azeri-style baklava is made with walnuts or almonds; the top of the pastry is a
bright red-orange from saffron, or saffron-flavored syrup. With saffron being the
world’s most expensive spice, its use in this recipe is optional. Paxlava is
traditionally made in a big round baking tray. Choose the finest phyllo dough
you can find (at least 40 sheets to the pound), and use cold syrup to pour over the
hot pastry. These points assure the best-quality paxlava.
16 ounces frozen or fresh phyllo dough (at least 40 sheets)

1 cup melted butter
16 ounces ground walnuts
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground coriander
walnut halves for decor
Saffron water (optional): with a pestle, crush until powdered 20–25

saffron threads in a ceramic mortar. (Add 1 tsp sugar to aid crushing if
desired.)
Steep saffron in 1/2–2/3 cup hot water until the liquid turns yellowish
orange. Set aside.
Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
saffron water

Prepare the saffron wash, if using.
Prepare the syrup by simmering the water, sugar, lemon juice and
saffron water at medium heat, for 15 minutes or until thickened. Allow
to cool.
Thaw the frozen phyllo dough beforehand.
Mix thoroughly the walnuts, cardamom, and coriander.
Butter a large rectangular or round baking pan.
Cover the bottom with two layers of phyllo, overlapping with extra
sheets as necessary.
Brush with butter. Keep the other phyllo sheets covered so that they do
not dry out during preparation.
Lay altogether 8 sheets for the bottom crust, buttering every second
sheet.
Sprinkle 2/3 of the walnut-spice mixture evenly over the pastry.
Top with 8 sheets of pastry, buttering every second sheet as before.
Sprinkle with the rest of the walnut-spice mixture.
Cover with 8 sheets of phyllo, again buttering every second sheet as
before.
Cut through the pastry, all the way to the bottom, and divide it into
small squares or diamonds.
Press a walnut half in the middle of each piece.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden.
Pour the thoroughly cooled syrup over the hot pastry, making sure it
gets in between the slices.
Let paxlava cool thoroughly for 3–4 hours before serving.

These cookies are usually made for celebrations, such as the Novruz spring
festival. Saffron is also traditionally used to flavor these cookies, but it is
omitted here.
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rose water
1 1/2 cups bulgur
2/3 cup walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground coriander (optional)
In a pan, simmer the sugar and water over medium heat until
thickened, about 15–20 minutes. When cool, stir in the rose water.
Place the bulgur in an ungreased baking tray in the oven, and toast for
15–20 minutes, or until fragrant.
Stir the bulgur a few times for even toasting. Do not let the bulgur
darken.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
In the same baking tray, place the walnuts, and toast for 15–20 minutes
or until fragrant. Place the hot walnuts onto a clean dry kitchen towel
and rub off the skins. (The rubbing-off step may be omitted.)
Put the bulgur, walnuts, cinnamon, and coriander into a food
processor, and process until finely chopped. Remove 1/3 cup of the
bulgur-nut mixture and set aside.
Add half of the rose-water syrup to the bulgur-nut mixture in the
processor, and blend.
Add only enough syrup to make a pliable dough from the bulgur-nut
mixture.
Coat your palms with the reserved bulgur-nut mixture and form
walnut-sized balls from the dough.
Serve with tea or coffee.
B
Bahamas
The Bahamas are a Caribbean island chain southeast of Florida, formerly a
British colony until independence. It remains part of the British Commonwealth.
The mostly flat terrain and tropical climate enable some raising of fruits,
vegetables, and poultry, but most food is imported. The coasts give access to fish
and seafood, including crayfish, which, together with salt, is a major item of
export.
Bahamians are predominantly of West African descent, with some of

European and East Asian origin. As in other Caribbean islands, Bahamian
cooking incorporates elements from African, East Indian, European, and
neighboring Caribbean cuisines.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, peas, fish, seafood.
• Common fish and shellfish: conch (see sidebar “Conch,” p. 87), rock
lobster (actually crayfish, as it is clawless), octopus, shrimp, crab, red
snapper, grouper, mackerel, whiting.
• Meat: pork, chicken, beef.
• Fruits: tropical fruits, including breadfruit, coconuts, bananas.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes, green onion, thyme, salt,
black pepper, sweet pepper, paprika, curry powder, smoked bacon or
ham.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fish or seafood, especially conch, crab, crawfish, and shrimp,
prepared in various ways: baked, boiled, fried, grilled, or steamed.
Added to salads, soups, and stews. Grilled or baked fish (red snapper,
grouper, or others) are prepared with garlic, onions, tomatoes, thyme,
and lemon juice or lime juice.
• Pig’s feet, oxtail, or pig’s head made into “souse,” a spiced,
preserved meat of British origin eaten throughout the Caribbean.
• Pea soups with smoked bacon or ham.
• Johnnycake (cornmeal bread).
• Peas ’n rice, a one-dish meal of rice with pigeon peas, tomato, and
bacon.
• Curried banana.
• British-influenced sweets and desserts using local fruits: guava duff
(pastry-wrapped whole guavas baked with meringue and butter sauce),
coconut macaroon biscuits, orange cake, banana muffins, banana layer
cake.
• Drinks: fresh coconut juice, lime juice. Locally made rum is added to
native fruit juices for cocktails.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: traditionally, homemade cornmeal bread (johnnycake)
with boiled or stewed fish, or corned beef, accompanied by grits.
Nowadays, cornflakes and coffee, or fast-food joint pancakes or eggs
and bacon. Coffee.
• The national dish of peas and rice, spelled peas ’n rice, is commonly
eaten, at least once a day. Standard accompaniments are macaroni and
cheese, potato salad, and coleslaw (often all together). Peas ’n rice
may also come with steamed or fried seafood or fish.
• Traditional weekend brunch is influenced by American southern
cooking: fish ’n [sic] grits is boiled fish served with grits.
CONCH
Conch (pronounced konk) is ubiquitous throughout the Caribbean and is a
large seashell whose fresh meat is “cooked” with lime juice and spices;
deep fried (called “cracked conch”); steamed; or added to stews, chowders,
salads, or fritters.
Groundnut Soup
Serve this as a first course. If served with rice, this soup makes a main course for
a midday or evening meal. Zucchini or other vegetable may be substituted for
the eggplant, depending on what is in season. Bahamians call eggplants “garden
eggs.”
4 chicken legs
6 cups water
2 TBS peanut butter
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 small eggplant, diced
4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, quartered
In a saucepan, simmer chicken in water with salt and pepper until

tender, for about 25–40 minutes.
Remove chicken, discard skin, and dice or shred meat.
Stir in peanut butter to the broth; add vegetables and chicken.
Simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Just before serving, garnish with egg slices.
Crab ’n Rice
This dish is usually served at midday or in the evening. This is a variation on the
popular peas ’n rice and uses crabs, which are very common in the Bahamas.
This version uses the more economical imitation “crab legs” (available in most
supermarkets).
3 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
5 TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika
4 cups water
2 cups rice
2 cups canned pigeon peas
24 pieces preformed “crab legs” (or 4 whole fresh crabs)
If using fresh crab, separate bodies from shell, scoop out coral from
the shell into a bowl. Quarter the bodies and crack the legs. Set aside.
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; fry the onion and sweet
pepper until soft.
Stir in tomato paste, crab coral (if using fresh crab), salt, pepper,
thyme, and paprika.
Add water, cover, and bring to a boil.
Add rice, peas, and crab legs (and bodies, if using). Bring to a boil.
Check seasoning.
Reduce heat to simmer until water has evaporated, about 20–25
minutes.
The original main ingredient of this dish is wild boar or oxtail. Serve with rice
and creamy baked cabbage (see the next recipe) for an evening main meal.
3 TBS butter
2 onions, sliced finely
2 pounds pork cubes
salt, black pepper
2 TBS tomato puree
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp orange rind, finely grated
10 coriander seeds, crushed, or 1 TBS ground coriander
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onions until soft.
Stir in pork, salt, pepper, tomato puree, orange juice, rind, and
coriander.
Simmer, covered, until tender, for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Serve hot.

Cabbage is a commonly eaten vegetable in the Bahamas and throughout the
Caribbean. Serve this with a meat or fish dish.
1 cabbage, shredded
4 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 stalks green onions, minced
1 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
Bring to a boil 6 cups of water in a big pot.

Add cabbage. When the water reboils, turn off heat. Drain cabbage.
Set aside.
Prepare sauce: melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Whisk in flour continuously until all the butter has been absorbed.
Add milk, continuing to whisk the mixture.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Add more milk if necessary to make a smooth, thick sauce.
Remove from heat and mix with the cabbage.
Butter a casserole dish, and put in cabbage mixture.
Sprinkle with green onions, nutmeg, and cheese.
Bake at 325°F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Carrot Pudding
This dessert is typical of the baked puddings handed down from British colonial
times.
2/3 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup milk mixed with 1 TBS lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
1/2 cup grated carrots, packed
1/2 cup cream for serving

In a mixer, cream butter, sugar, egg, and spices.
Blend flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed butter mixture in 3
portions, alternating with milk.
Fold in raisins and carrots.
Turn into buttered 9 × 9 × 2 pan or baking dish.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until done.
Serve warm, drizzled with cream.
Coconut Bars
Together with banana, pineapple, and guava, coconut is a frequent feature in
Bahamian desserts and sweets.
1/2 cup butter

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBS flour
2 cups grated fresh or frozen coconut
1/2 cup almond flakes

In a bowl, mix the butter, salt, sugar, and flour.
Spread evenly on a buttered and floured 12 × 8 baking pan.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Mix the remaining ingredients and spread over the baked pastry layer.
Bake for a further 20–25 minutes.
Allow to cool and cut into bars.
Banana Custard
Bananas are a frequent feature of many dessert dishes.
4 ripe (but not too ripe) bananas, mashed

grated zest and juice from 1 large lime
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup coconut cream)

In a bowl, mix the bananas, 2 TBS sugar, and lime zest and juice. Stir
in the eggs and milk.
Pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish.
Place the baking dish into a larger pan. Fill with hot water to reach the
middle of the baking dish.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until only a small portion in the middle
remains unset. Turn off the oven; leave custard in the oven to finish
cooking.
Bahrain
Bahrain is a small island kingdom in the Persian Gulf with a history of Greek,
Portuguese, and British rule until independence in 1971. Mostly consisting of
rolling dunes and flats with some rocky outcroppings, it has mild and pleasant
winters with very hot, humid summers. Aside from dates and a few tropical
fruits and vegetables, very few crops are grown. Hence most food has to be
imported.
Being a Muslim nation, Eid-al-Adha (Abraham’s Sacrifice), Eid-al-Fitr

(End of Ramadan), and Muharram (New Year) are celebrated.
Bahrain cuisine is similar to that of other Middle Eastern countries. Sailors
from Bahrain have sailed to India as well as other countries of the eastern
Middle East, so the cuisine is influenced by these places. Migrant workers from
the Indian subcontinent have also influenced local food preferences.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, breads of wheat flour, noodles.
• Fish and seafood of all kinds; eggs, dairy products.
• Preferred meats are lamb and camel calf, chicken. Pork is not eaten
by Muslims, and beef is not traditionally eaten.
• Fruits: dates, banana, citrus, mango, pomegranate; imported fruits
such as grapes, apples.
• Vegetables: potato, beans, lentils, and other legumes; peppers,
eggplant, tomato, cucumber.
• Seasonings: spices (cumin, coriander, pepper), garlic, onion, cilantro.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Flavored rice dishes similar to pilafs: spicy lamb or fish with rice
(machbous, considered the most typical Bahraini dish), fish with rice
in tomato sauce (sayadiaya).
• Grilled dishes: skewered chicken in yogurt or tomato sauce (shish
tahouk).
• Baked dishes: sweet pastries (um ali).
STYLES OF EATING
• Western dining with individual place settings and cutlery is common
when eating out.
• Traditional meals are eaten with the entire family sitting around a
common dish of rice and meat or vegetables, eating with the right hand
only. Male and female guests eat separately.
• Breakfast: usually bread and a hot drink (tea or coffee), with soft
cheese or yogurt. Modern breakfasts tend to include cereals.
• Lunch: main meal, consisting of three courses—appetizers of cooked
vegetables or raw salads (meze); main dish of meat or fish with rice
and more salads; sweet, coffee/tea.
• Snacks: meat-, cheese-, vegetable-, or sweet-filled pastries
(sambousa); falafel; shawarma; kebab eaten with flat bread.
• Ramadan (Muslim month of fasting) foods tend to be sweet and salt
free (to deter thirst). These are eaten in the evening.
• Many restaurants to suit all pockets in the capital city, serve all types
of international food, including pizza and other fast food (burgers, beef
hot dogs).
• Coffee is the most popular drink, consumed black with or without
sugar. International bottled drinks are also popular.

This main meal is eaten with the fingers (of the right hand only) from a common
dish. Koshari is popular throughout the Middle East as a fast food.
4 TBS oil, plus oil for frying

water as needed
1 1/2 cups brown lentils, washed, soaked in boiling water to cover,
drained
salt
2 cups hot (freshly made or reheated) cooked macaroni
2 cups hot (freshly made or reheated) cooked rice
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 TBS white vinegar
6 ounces tomato paste
2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1 cup (or more) water
Heat 3 TBS oil and sauté onions until brown. Drain on paper towels.
Set aside.
In a saucepan, boil lentils in water to cover until tender but not mushy,
for about 15–20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1 TBS oil in a saucepan; sauté garlic for 1–2 minutes until
fragrant.
Stir in vinegar, tomato paste, salt to taste, cumin, cayenne, and 1 cup
water.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until
thickened.
Add a bit more water if needed.
Meanwhile, assemble the koshari: in a serving dish or platter, place a
layer of rice.
Top with a layer of lentils, followed by a layer of macaroni.
Pour the tomato sauce over, and garnish with fried onions.

These shrimp balls accompanied by a spicy tamarind and tomato sauce are
served as an appetizer, or as an accompaniment to rice. White fish fillet may be
used instead of shrimp.
2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and drained

3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup rice flour
4 TBS ghee (clarified oil, available from stores that sell Indian and
Middle Eastern foods; or substitute melted, cooled butter)
2 onions, chopped finely
2 tsp baharat powder (a spice blend available in stores that sell Middle
Eastern foods; or mix 1/2 tsp paprika and 1/4 tsp each nutmeg, black
pepper, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and a pinch of cardamom)
2 TBS grated lemon rind
1 2-inch piece tamarind (or juice of 1/2 lemon)
2 cups warm water
1 cup fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar
In a food processor, process the shrimp to a paste with cilantro,

turmeric, salt, and rice flour. Transfer to a covered dish and refrigerate
until needed.
Heat the ghee. Sauté onion until translucent. Reserve one half of the
onions for later use in the sauce.
To prepare the spiced onion filling: to the remaining onions in the pan,
stir in 1 tsp baharat and lemon rind. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from
heat and reserve.
Soak tamarind in 1 cup warm water for 15 minutes. Remove seeds by
squeezing pulp with fingers. Pass the tamarind through a sieve,
pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the juices. Discard the
solids.
To prepare the sauce: in a saucepan, add the reserved fried onions.
Stir in the tamarind liquid, the remaining 1 cup warm water, 1 tsp
baharat, tomatoes, chili powder, and sugar.
Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the shrimp balls.
Moisten your hands with water to prevent the paste from sticking to
them.
Take 1 TBS of the shrimp mixture and form into a ball.
Make a cavity with your thumb in the center, and fill with 1 tsp of the
spiced onion filling.
Firmly press the shrimp paste around the filling to seal well.
Repeat with the rest of the ingredients, and remember to moisten your
hands with water before rolling.
Slip the shrimp balls into the simmering sauce.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.
Serve with sweet rice (mulhammar; see the following recipe).

This is not a dessert (which traditionally was rarely eaten as such) but a main
dish. This is also served during the fasting month of Ramadan, in which case,
omit the salt. (Salt stimulates thirst and thus is not recommended when
abstaining from not only food but also drink during daylight hours).
1/4 tsp saffron threads

3 cardamom pods, cracked
2 TBS rose water
2 cups basmati rice
6 cups water
1 TBS salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup ghee (or melted, cooled butter)
Mix saffron, rose water, and cardamom in a small bowl. Set aside.
Rinse rice until water runs clear.
In a saucepan, bring to a boil the water and salt.
Add rice. Boil uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain.
Return rice to pan; stir in sugar and ghee.
Sprinkle rose water and spice mixture on top of the rice.
Poke 3 or 5 holes in the rice to allow it to breathe.
Cover pan with a clean kitchen towel; replace lid tightly.
Return to cook over lowest heat possible, for about 20 minutes, until
rice is tender.
Serve with prawn balls or meat.

Serve this vegetable dish as an appetizer (meze), to be eaten with flat bread or to
accompany rice for a main meal.
2 medium eggplants, whole, with stalks intact

4 large cloves garlic, crushed
salt to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp hot chili pepper
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 TBS lemon juice (optional)
2 TBS fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

Pierce the eggplants lightly with fork, and bake for 30 minutes, until
soft and slightly charred.
Remove from oven, slit the eggplants lengthwise, and scoop out all the
flesh.
In food processor, blend until smooth the eggplant flesh, garlic, salt,
olive oil, chili pepper, paprika, and lemon juice (if using).
Serve chilled or at room temperature, sprinkled with parsley.

Kunafa has many variations; it is basically a cheesecake with a “crust” of phyllo
dough (called kataifi), shredded to resemble vermicelli. In Bahrain the pastry is
red-orange. The traditional filling is salty white cheese from goat’s or ewe’s
milk, desalted through several changes of water. This is a simpler uncolored
version, using frozen kataifi, assuming fresh is unavailable.
2/3 cup sugar

1 cup water
2 TBS lemon juice
2 tsp orange-blossom water or rose water
1 package (16 ounces) frozen kataifi dough (shredded phyllo, available
from stores that sell Middle Eastern foods), thawed
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional), blanched almonds, or pistachios
Prepare the sugar syrup: in a pan over medium heat, simmer sugar,
water, and lemon juice until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
When cool, stir in half of the orange-blossom water. Set aside.
Spread the kataifi on a shallow tray; pour melted butter over and mix
thoroughly to cover every strand. This step is more efficiently done
with the fingers.
In a 9-inch pie pan or rectangular 9 × 13 inch baking pan, press half
the kataifi.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
Mix cheese with remaining orange-blossom water; spread over the
baked kataifi layer.
With kitchen scissors, cut the rest of kataifi over the filling.
Bake for 20–25 more minutes until golden.
Pour the cooled orange-blossom syrup over the hot pastry.
Allow to cool thoroughly, then slice into squares to serve.

These sesame candies are popular in Bahrain and throughout the Middle East.
2 cups sesame seeds, washed, drained, and thoroughly dried

1 tsp rose water
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 TBS lemon juice
Butter for greasing the pan
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow 8 × 8 inch square pan.

Place sesame seeds on a baking tray and toast for 15 minutes or until
fragrant, stirring a few times for even toasting. Mix the rose water into
the sesame seeds.
Prepare the syrup: simmer sugar, water, and lemon juice over medium
heat to softball stage (240°F).
With a wooden spoon, stir in the sesame seeds into the syrup; spread
immediately on the prepared pan, pressing down with the wooden
spoon to level the surface.
Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then cut into small squares.
Let cool thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.
Bangladesh
Before India’s independence in 1948, Bangladesh constituted half of the former

Indian state of Bengal. Then it remained a part of Pakistan, until becoming an
independent nation in 1971. It shares India’s history of Persian, Arab, Mongol,
and British rule. Tropical Bangladesh is mostly flat plains with low hills. The
Chittagong Hills in the east are covered by jungles and are deeply gullied.
Although it suffers from severe annual floods and droughts, Bangladesh
produces a range of tropical crops as well as beef and poultry. Fish and shellfish
are harvested from the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladeshis are predominantly Muslims, and so pork is not eaten.

Influenced as India is by Arab and Persian use of many spices, however,
Bangladeshi cuisine differs in its preference for fish and seafood, and a balance
of spices, especially its five-spice mixture called panch foran (also ponch foron).
Bangladeshis are renowned for their love of good food, particularly rich sweets,
a legacy from Mogul (Mongol) rule.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, fish (hilsa, a herring relative, is the preferred fish).
• Beef, chicken, seafood, lamb, goat, dairy products (yogurt, white
cheese).
• Bitter gourd (korola), pumpkin, eggplant, green mango, green
banana, green papaya, sponge gourd, long beans, okra, lentils,
chickpeas.
• Mango, banana, myrobalan plum, melon, watermelon.
• Seasonings: panch foran—anise, cumin, fenugreek, black mustard,
tiny coriander (chotaswaz, which is different from regular coriander);
crisp-fried onion flakes (tarka); garam masala (a blend of coriander,
cumin, cassia, cloves, cardamom, anise, mace, bay leaves, wild onion
seeds, and chili). Sour taste (tok) in cooked food is desirable, which is
obtained by using tamarind paste, green mango, or citrus juice.
TYPICAL DISHES
• More than meat or poultry, fish and seafood form a major part of the
daily diet. Freshwater fish, such as golden carp, eel, catfish, hilsa (a
fatty fish); sea fish such as pomfret; and shellfish such as squid and
shrimp are plentiful. Curries such as kalia, jol, bhoona, and korma
(names refer to consistency and flavoring, ranging from soupy to dry)
are common; thus there is fish kalia, fish jol, beef bhoona, and ground
meat korma.
• Roasts: skewered spiced beef, chicken, or fish (kabab).
• Vegetable dishes: mashed vegetables (bhoortha), fritters and fried
cutlets (bhaji), curried vegetables with bitter melon (shukto).
• Sweets: based on cream cheese (chhana) soaked in syrup, such as
rosgolla, rasmolai, sandesh, gulab jamun; sweet rice, spices, and rose
water (shirberanj); spiced cream, honey, and nuts with vermicelli
(shir-e-faluda).
STYLE OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks (for those who can afford it).
• Breakfast: bread, omelet or fried egg, and tea with milk in urban
areas; and kachuri (kedgeree of rice and lentils), flat pan-baked breads
(paratha), and sweet “doughnut” balls of chickpea flour (bundia) in
rural areas. On Fridays (the Muslim day of rest), a leisurely, traditional
breakfast, consisting of freshly made flat bread, chili and onion
omelet, meat or fish curry, sweet halva, and tea.
• Lunch: rice, lentils, vegetables, and fish curry. Dishes are planned so
that all tastes are represented, starting with bitter, salty, sweet, and
sour.
• Dinner: same as lunch, but heavier; also includes dessert. Dessert is
usually of two kinds: sour-sweet and sweet.
• Snacks: fried savory pastries filled with vegetables (shingara,
samosa, pitha); vegetable fritters (bhaji, pakora); sweet spiral fritters
(jalebi).

Fish are often made into quick-boiled curries called jhol and kalia, or seasoned
with mustard paste as in this recipe. Serve with rice and side dishes of lentils,
vegetables, pickles, or chutney for lunch or dinner.
salt as needed
1/4 cup (or more) mustard oil or vegetable oil for frying
2 trout (about 1 pound each), cut crosswise into steaks
1 tsp nigella seeds (optional)
2 TBS prepared mustard
1 green chili, minced (or 1 green bell pepper, diced)
1 cup water
Mix 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp oil, and turmeric powder.

Rub over and inside fish, and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
In a skillet, heat about 1/4 cup oil (or just enough for shallow frying)
over medium heat.
Fry the fish, covered (to prevent splattering), until brown on both
sides. Set aside.
In a wok, heat 2 TBS oil.
Stir in nigella seeds (if using), mustard, and chili or bell pepper.
Add 1 cup water and let boil.
Add the fried fish, cover, and simmer for about 5–8 minutes until
heated through.
Stir in cilantro and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Chicken Jalfrezi
This spicy chicken stir-fried dish is quick and simple to make. Turkey, beef, or
other meat can be used instead of chicken; the resulting dish would be named
turkey jalfrezi or beef jalfrezi, accordingly. Serve with rice and vegetables,
lentils, or pickles for lunch or dinner.
3 TBS oil
2 onions (1 finely chopped, 1 thinly sliced)
1/2-inch piece ginger, grated
1 1/2 pound boneless chicken, cubed
2 cups mixed vegetables, diced or cut into 1-inch pieces (any
combination of red bell pepper, cauliflower, green beans, carrot)
4 green chilies, finely chopped (or 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped)
salt to taste
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tomato, sliced
Heat oil over medium heat in a large frying pan or wok.

Fry chopped onions, garlic, and ginger until the onions are soft and
golden.
Add chicken, sliced onions, mixed vegetables, chilies or bell pepper,
turmeric, and salt.
Increase heat to medium high.
Stir fry for about 10 minutes until chicken and vegetables are tender.
Add yogurt and tomato. Fry for two more minutes.
Serve with flat breads or rice.

Kebabs are a popular lunch or evening dish. Serve with a vegetable dish, such as
masala subzi (see the recipe following), and rice.
1 pound minced chicken meat

2 medium onions, sliced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala (spice mix available from stores that sell Indian
foods)
1 egg, beaten
salt to taste
1 lemon, sliced; 3 stalks spring onions, sliced, for garnish
Blend together all ingredients, except for the garnish, in a food

processor.
Mold mixture into small sausages around metal skewers, two per
skewer.
Grill over charcoal fire or under hot grill until cooked.
Garnish with sliced spring onions and lemon, and serve.

Vegetables are an important part of Bangladeshi cooking, and care is taken to
balance colors and textures. Serve this dish with rice or flat bread for a light
lunch, or as an accompaniment to meat or fish at the evening meal.
3 TBS oil
1 tsp whole cloves
1 cup carrot, cubed
1 cup tomatoes, cubed
1/2 cup long beans or green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup zucchini, cubed
1 onion, finely minced
1 TBS ginger, grated
salt to taste
1/2 cup water
Heat 1 TBS oil over medium heat in a wok.

Stir in the cloves and fry for about 30 seconds.
Turn off heat, remove cloves, and crush fine with a mortar and pestle.
Alternatively, put into a small plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Set aside.
In the same wok, sauté carrots, long beans, and zucchini for about 2–3
minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add 2 TBS oil to wok; heat over medium heat.
Stir in onion, ginger, garlic, and turmeric; fry until softened, about 5
minutes.
Add tomatoes, beans, zucchini, salt, and water to onion mixture.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are
tender, for about 20 minutes. There should be enough water to have a
gravy. If not, add a bit of water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle clove powder above, cover, and cook for another minute.
Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Apple Halwa
Halwa is a popular sweet, most often made with carrots and decorated with
edible silver or gold leaf. Toasted pistachios or walnuts can also be used for
garnish. Halwa can be served with vanilla ice cream.
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith, or other tart, crisp apple, grated
3 tsp sugar
juice of 1 lemon
2-inch cinnamon stick
6 cloves
8 TBS condensed milk
2 TBS seedless raisins
2 TBS butter
1 TBS vanilla extract
almond slivers to decorate
Sprinkle apple with sugar and lemon juice immediately upon grating to
prevent browning. Mix well.
Heat ghee over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.
Add cinnamon and cloves, and after 30 seconds, add the apples.
Increase heat to high, stirring the apple mixture continually for 10
minutes.
Stir in condensed milk and raisins; continue cooking for a further 8–10
minutes, stirring the whole time, scraping bottom and sides of the pan.
When all the liquids have been absorbed, turn off heat.
Stir in butter and vanilla.
Serve hot, garnished with almonds.

This simple dessert is often eaten at breakfast or as a quick snack. With the
addition of 1 cup chilled water and without the nuts, it also makes a refreshing
drink with a meal.
2 cups unflavored yogurt

2–3 TBS honey or light corn syrup
5–8 saffron strands (optional)
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
4 TBS chopped pistachio or cashew nuts for garnish
Blend all the ingredients together.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or more to allow saffron (if using) to flavor the
mixture.
Pour into four glass bowls.
Sprinkle over with nutmeg and nuts.

Most Bengali sweets are made of thickened milk or white cheese. This is no
exception. Traditional chennar payesh is made in the home from milk curdled
with lemon juice, resulting in cottage cheese. This simplified version uses
readymade ricotta or cottage cheese. If using the latter, drain thoroughly in a
sieve, covered and refrigerated, and blend in a food processor until smooth.
1 cup cream or milk

20 strands saffron or 1 tsp rose water (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
1/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
In a saucepan, warm the cream, saffron, and sugar over medium heat
until the sugar is dissolved, 5–10 minutes.
Pass mixture through a sieve; set aside the saffron strands for garnish.
Mix the cream mixture with the cheese, cardamom, and rose water (if
using).
Chill thoroughly.
To serve, divide into serving dishes. Garnish with saffron and nuts.

Narkel naru are traditional sweets eaten during pujas (festivals), especially
during Navratri, the Nine Nights Festival.
3 cups fresh or frozen grated coconut

1/4–1/2 cup evaporated (unsweetened) milk or double cream
If using frozen coconut, thaw before using.

Mix thoroughly the coconut, condensed milk, and cardamom; the
mixture should hold its shape when a small amount is shaped in the
hands. Add evaporated milk or cream, as needed.
Form mixture into walnut-sized balls. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Barbados
Barbados is a fairly flat, tropical island, the most easterly of the Caribbean
islands, and was first settled by the British in 1627 to grow sugarcane. It became
independent in 1966. The tropical climate enables vegetables to be extensively
grown, but sugar, molasses, and rum (distilled sugarcane juice) remain the major
products.
Barbadians, also known as Bajans, are mostly of African descent, with a

minority of European, Asian, or mixed origin. Barbados retains many features of
its British past in its cuisine, and also has elements of African,
Spanish/Portuguese (from neighboring islands), East Indian, and Chinese
cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Fish and seafood: conch, spiny lobster (crayfish), grouper, snapper,
mackerel, flying fish, wahoo (large mackerel-type fish), salt fish (dried
cod), smoked herring, and land crabs.
• Meat and poultry: goat, pork, chicken, beef, corned beef, salt pork.
• Vegetables: plantain, green banana, pawpaw (papaya), mango, sweet
potato, squash, pumpkin, okra, cabbage, eggplant, beans, and other
pulses.
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, tomato, thyme, black pepper, cinnamon,
allspice, nutmeg, coconut cream, vanilla, ginger, and turmeric.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Typical dishes are pickled fish, banana and sweet potato casserole,
black (blood) pudding, chicken breast in papers, jug-jug (oats and
lentils), and conkie (both sweet and savory).
• Roast pork or ham, meat and vegetable stews, fried and cured flying
fish or dolphin.
• Cream soups.
• Dessert: British-style steamed sweet puddings, bread and butter
pudding, lime meringue pie, cassava pie, coconut sweet bread, ginger-
flavored cakes, and cookies.
• Beverages include juices from mauby and sorrel, lemonade,
nonalcoholic malt drinks, ginger beer (which is nonalcoholic). Rum
and beer are made locally.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper) and snacks.
• Breakfast is fresh tropical fruit or juice, banana bread, tropical fruit
jam, fried flying fish and hash brown potatoes; tea, coffee, or milk to
drink.
• Lunch can be bought from roadside stands: macaroni pie, souse,
cabbage and bacon salad or burger, eaten with fried plantain or
breadfruit.
• Afternoon tea, including milky English tea, cakes, and pastries, is an
important meal and social event.
• Major meal is in the evening, often of several courses. It may include
fish or meat, accompanied by two or more of the following: peas and
rice, fried plantains, sweet potatoes, fried green bananas, potato salad
or macaroni, and cheese. Orange cake or coconut pie for dessert. A
hot, sweet pudding (dessert) is usually served after Saturday night
dinner, a reminder of Barbados’s British past.
Whaoo.
Pickled Fish
Serve this as a first course or as a light midday dish with fried bananas or fried
sweet or regular potatoes.
2 pounds white fish fillets, deboned

1 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
juice of 1 lemon or lime
7 cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp dry mustard (or 1 TBS prepared)
3 bay leaves
2 onions, chopped
salt
black pepper
1 romaine lettuce
First make sure that there are no bones left in the fish.
In a heatproof glass pan, place fish and all the ingredients except
lettuce.
Bring to a boil over low heat; simmer covered for 10–15 minutes.
Turn off heat and let cool.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight before serving.
Discard herbs and spices, but retain onions.
To serve, spoon pickled fish over lettuce.
Dress with green sauce (see the next recipe).
Green Sauce
This is usually served with pickled fish.
1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup yogurt or milk with 1 TBS lime or lemon juice
1 TBS watercress or parsley, finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon or lime
1–3 drops hot pepper sauce (optional)
Mix all ingredients together. Serve cold.
Jug-Jug
This is a traditional Christmas dish that can be served as a main dish for the
evening meal. Accompaniments would be peas and rice and fried plantains. It is
said that the origin of this dish is the Scottish haggis—a boiled sheep’s stomach
“sausage” of liver and kidney with oatmeal and seasonings.
2 cups dried peas or lentils

1/2 pound corned beef
1/2 pound bacon or salt pork
2 cups water
1 onion, chopped
3 chives, chopped
1/2 cup rolled oats, ground
2 TBS butter
In a saucepan, boil peas and meat in water until tender, for about 45
minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup water.
Puree in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
Return to the pan the reserved water. Add onion, chives, salt, and
pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in oatmeal and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in pureed meat and pea mixture; cook until everything is piping
hot.
Top with butter before serving.

This is a good accompaniment for roast chicken, meat, or fried fish.
3 sweet potatoes
1 tsp salt
3 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 cup butter, diced, divided into 3 portions
2 bananas, sliced crosswise
1/4 cup sugar
juice of 2 oranges
Put sweet potatoes into boiling water and cook for 5–7 minutes.
Remove from water and let cool.
Peel and cut into 1/4-inch-thick round slices.
Butter a deep 8 × 8 inch baking dish.
Place potatoes in a single layer.
Scatter 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp orange rind, and 1/3 of the butter over
potatoes.
Cover with a layer of bananas. Scatter salt, rind, and butter over
bananas.
Continue layering potatoes and bananas.
Top with sugar and the remaining butter.
Pour orange juice around the sides of the baking dish, being careful
not to dislodge the butter and sugar.
Bake at 325°F for 30–40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Serve piping hot.

This is a common, refreshing dessert.
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup canned unsweetened pineapple, chopped
1 cup orange sections, without the white membrane, sliced
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1 orange
Make milk syrup: in a small pan, dissolve sugar in the milk over low
heat. Chill.
Reserve a few pineapple pieces for garnish.
Mix fruits and juices together; chill for at least 1 hour.
Put into the bowl of an automatic ice cream maker. Prepare sherbet
according to machine instructions.
(Alternatively, put mixture into a shallow tray to freeze the edges,
about 1 1/2–2 hours.)
Remove from freezer and with a hand mixer or fork, beat mixture well.
Return to freezer and allow to freeze overnight. Serve garnished with
pineapple pieces.
Black Cake
This dark fruit cake is traditional for Christmas and weddings. Every Caribbean
country and every family have their own unique recipe. It is made several weeks
or months before to allow the cake to mellow, aided by frequent dousings of rum
(or wine). The alcohol serves to preserve the cake. The recipe below uses orange
or grape juice instead. “Browning” is a coloring agent; substitute very dark
(blackstrap) molasses.
2 1/2 pounds mixed dried fruits (raisins, prunes, cherries, chopped

nuts, candied citrus peel)
1 cup orange or grape juice
1 TBS cinnamon
1/2 TBS nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup water
1 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS vanilla
1 TBS (or more) browning or blackstrap molasses
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup orange or grape juice
At least two days before baking, mince all the fruits, and soak with the
juice and spices.
Store in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
On the day of baking, simmer the fruit mixture and 1/2 cup of water in
a saucepan over low heat. This step reduces cooking time and the
possibility of the cake burning.
Cream the butter and sugar until very light; stir in salt, vanilla,
browning.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Blend in thoroughly the flour and baking powder.
Place mixture into a buttered loaf pan lined with 2 layers of
parchment. Cover with foil.
After 30 minutes, reduce heat to 275°F. Continue baking for 1 hour.
Remove the cake from the oven, prick all over with a skewer, and
slowly pour as much orange or grape juice as it will absorb.
Allow to cool thoroughly, then wrap tightly in foil and let stand to
mature for a day or two.
Slice neatly to serve.
Tamarind Balls
These are a favorite Bajan sweet. Tamarind trees grow all over Barbados: their
fruits are brown pods, with brittle shells that splinter and break readily. The
sweet-sour flesh is eaten fresh, picked with the fingers straight off the shell. The
seeds are discarded. The process of separating the flesh from the seeds by hand
is quite laborious; simplify this by buying tamarind paste from Asian food shops.
1 cup tamarind paste (without seeds)

1/2 cup (or more) sugar
dried hot pepper flakes (optional)
additional sugar for rolling
In a bowl, mix thoroughly the tamarind and sugar; taste and add more
sugar if needed.
Roll into 1-inch balls. Roll in a mix of hot pepper flakes and sugar or
just sugar.
These sweets keep well in an airtight container.
The Basques
The Basque country is spread over both sides of the Atlantic border of Spain and
France. The seven provinces (four in Spain, three in France) that make up the
region are rugged and cool, and except for a few areas such as the Araba and
Gipuzkoa river valleys, the soil is not conducive to agriculture. Hence, the sea is
a major source of traditional food.
The Basques claim to be descendants of the original people of Europe, and
they share many cultural commonalities with Celtic Welsh and Scots.
Traditionally, sheep herding and fishing were the main occupations, and the food
reflects this. With many French and Mediterranean elements, Basque cuisine is
famous for its diversity. It relies on top-quality materials with simple but well-
flavored sauces and is considered among Spain’s most innovative regional
cuisines.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: beans, potatoes, fresh and dried cod, lamb/mutton.
• Bonito tuna, hake, sea bream, many types of fish; seafood (squid,
octopus, shrimps, etc.).
• Beef, pork, wild game (hare, venison, boar), chicken, other poultry
(duck, pigeon, quail).
• Vegetables: broad beans, other beans (white haricot, black, red),
green beans, pea, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, leek, chard, cardoon,
spinach, wild mushrooms (many types), truffles.
• Fruits: apples, pears, grapes, cherry, chestnut, walnut, almond.
• Dairy: many types of cheeses, milk, soured milk, notably from sheep.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, tomato, red sweet pepper, herbs (parsley,
thyme, oregano, rosemary), bay leaf, olive oil.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Vegetable dishes: chard leaves stuffed with ham and cheese,
Victorian-style broad beans, potatoes with green sauce, beans with
quail, fried peppers.
• Meat dishes: grilled ox steak or lamb, braised or stewed
lamb/mutton, roast pork.
• Soups: the most characteristic Basque dish is marmitako, a soup
made of bonito tuna and potato.
• Fish/seafood: prepared in various ways, with potatoes, seethed in
milk; cod in garlic sauce or with red peppers and tomatoes; squid in its
own ink with tomatoes and onions (txipirones en su tinta).
Contemporary—sea bass with green pepper, baby eel salad.
• Desserts: clotted cream (cuajada), nut tarts, baked apples or pears.
STYLES OF EATING
• Table settings, depending on class and environment, are European
standard.
• Breakfast: light meal of coffee and pastry (or fritters called txurros),
as in much of Southern Europe.
• Dinner: a substantial meal of three courses, served around mid-
afternoon (2:00–3:30 p.m.), consisting of an appetizer or soup; main
meat, chicken, or fish dish with salad or vegetables; dessert; coffee.
Wine drunk with meals.
• Supper is light, usually pintxos (tapas) or soup, bread and cheese or
preserved meats such as sausage, bacon, or ham (txistorra).
• Snacks: fritters (txurros), open-faced sandwiches (montaditos), fried
squid or potatoes (fritos), pizza. Pintxos—little savories (Spanish
tapas)—are eaten as snacks or appetizers with wine and cider.
A typical type of pintxo (tapa), from San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain. (Álvaro Germán
Vilela/Dreamstime.com)
• Drinks: local sparkling white/red wine (txocoli), apple cider (hard,

i.e., alcoholic), other wines.
• Basque gastronomic societies, exclusivist associations of men who
would not cook at home, meet regularly to cook and discuss good food
and drink.

Eat this as an appetizer (pintxo) or as a light meal with buttered toast or with
fried bread.
1/2 cup (or more) olive oil

3 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced
3 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
3 zucchini, peeled and diced
3 potatoes, diced
5 eggs, well beaten
In a heavy skillet, heat 4 TBS olive oil over medium heat.
Stir in onion, peppers, and a pinch of salt; fry gently until softened but
not brown, stirring occasionally.
Stir in tomatoes and zucchini, cover, and continue simmering until
tender.
In a separate pan, shallow fry potatoes in remaining olive oil over
medium heat until slightly crisp, but still moist. Drain. (Use more oil if
necessary.)
Add potatoes to simmering vegetable mixture.
Stir in beaten eggs, salt, and pepper to taste.
Cover, stirring occasionally, and continue to cook until eggs are set.
Serve immediately.

This is the standard and most typical Basque soup. Usually made on weekends,
it may be eaten throughout the week.
2 TBS olive oil

6 medium leeks, white parts only, chopped
1/2 pound sausage (chorizo, available at major supermarkets and stores
that sell Hispanic foods)
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt, white pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 TBS flour
5 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 TBS fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups bread cubes
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan.

Add leeks and sausage. Sauté until leeks are softened.
Add potatoes, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic, and flour.
Stir thoroughly until flour is incorporated.
Reduce heat to low.
Stir in chicken stock and bay leaves.
Cover and simmer for 25–35 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in parsley just before serving.
Serve in individual bowls, topped with bread cubes.

Salt cod is the foundation of Basque economy, along with lamb. It is much
esteemed, and there are hundreds of ways of preparing it. The most famous
variety is al pil pil, in a garlic-flavored jelly, which is claimed to be very
difficult to achieve at the first attempt. The recipe below is an easier one. Serve
with potatoes or rice as a main dish, or as an appetizer on its own.
Basque fishermen may have been the first Europeans to arrive off the coast
of North America, when they discovered the cod banks off Nova Scotia in the
fourteenth or fifteenth century.
2 pounds salt cod, soaked overnight in water (changing water at least 3

times), drained
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced very fine
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into strips
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup parsley, finely minced
Discard cod skin and bones; cut into 2-inch pieces.

Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet.
Sauté onions till light golden. Stir in garlic and peppers, fry for 1
minute.
Stir in tomato paste and water.
Cover and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes.
Add cod and simmer for 25–30 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.
Add parsley.
Serve with boiled potatoes.
This can be served in a tall glass or cup as a hot or cold drink, and eaten with a
sweet pastry. Or it can be chilled, in a bowl, for dessert. This can also be made
with walnuts.
2 1/2 cups almonds, preferably freshly shelled, skins removed

6 cups milk
6 TBS sugar, or to taste
Rind of 1 lemon, optional (only the yellow part)
1 cinnamon stick
In a blender or food processor, grind almonds with 2 cups milk until

very fine.
Gradually blend in sugar and the remaining milk.
In a saucepan, simmer almond mixture with rind (if using) and
cinnamon for 1 hour over lowest heat possible.
Turn off heat; discard cinnamon and rind.
Taste and add more sugar, if desired.
Serve hot, or refrigerate for at least 1 hour, covered.
Intxaursalsa and ice cream

4–8 scoops ice cream (any flavor)
4 cups chilled almond sauce (intxaursalsa)
2 cups fresh strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, or other berries
mint leaves, toasted flaked almonds, chocolate shavings (choose any
two for garnish)
Place ice cream in glass dessert bowls.

Surround with almond sauce.
Distribute fruit over ice cream.
Garnish as you please.

Apples of many varieties grow well in the Basque country’s cool climate. Most
apples are made into apple cider, a popular alcoholic drink. These sweet omelets
from Donostia are served as snacks in the afternoon or as dessert after a main
meal. These are also good made with pears.
4 TBS butter or margarine, melted

4 TBS firm-packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 apples, Granny Smith or similar tart/sweet, peeled, cored, and thinly
sliced into wedges
6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup cream
pinch of salt
pinch of baking powder
4 fresh lemon wedges
4 tsp raspberry or other fruit jam
Butter thoroughly four small baking dishes (about 5 inches in

diameter).
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon; distribute among baking dishes.
Arrange apple wedges over the sugar and cinnamon.
Whip egg whites until stiff. Set aside.
Blend well the egg yolks, cream, salt, and baking powder.
Fold yolk mixture carefully into the egg whites.
Gently spoon batter over apples.
Bake in preheated oven at 400°F for 20–25 minutes or until golden
brown and test done.
Lightly squeeze a lemon over each soufflé, and keep the lemon on the
side as garnish.
Top with 1 tsp jam.
Serve hot in the baking dishes.

This confection is more commonly known as gâteau Basque, even in English.
The name translates as Basque cake, though it is more of a pie normally filled
with cherry preserve or custard cream. Some enthusiasts combine both, though
the result, to the Basques, is akin to gilding the lily.
1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1 cup ground almonds
2 cups sour or black cherry preserves (best quality)
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a food processor, process sugar, butter, and almond extract until
light and creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time; add flour mixture and almonds.
Process until mixture combines into a dough.
Chill dough for 2 hours.
Divide dough into 2 parts: the larger part about 2/3 of the dough.
Roll this out on a floured surface; cover the bottom and up the sides of
a 9-inch pie pan or flan dish. Fill with the preserves.
Roll out the smaller piece: enough to cover the pie pan with an
overhang of about 1 inch.
Crimp bottom and top crust together.
Lightly score the top crust with a fork in a zigzag pattern, or as
desired; poke a few holes to deter cracking.
Bake for 35–45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
Let cool completely before serving.

This filling is often used instead of cherry preserves for the gâteau Basque
above.
2 cups milk
1 3-inch stick cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs or 4 egg yolks
1/4 cup flour
pinch salt
grated rind of 1 lemon or 1 orange
In a pan over low heat, warm the milk with cinnamon until it starts to
simmer at the edges.
Turn off heat and leave cinnamon to infuse for 15–20 minutes.
In a thick-bottomed pan, blend the sugar, eggs, flour, and salt.
Slowly whisk in the warm milk, stirring constantly until there are no
lumps.
Cook at very low heat, stirring until mixture thickens and starts to
throw off a bubble or two.
Turn off heat at once, continuing to stir to deter a crust forming.
Mix in grated rind. Leave to cool completely before using.
Belarus
This Eastern European country was originally settled by the Slavs and was later
invaded by Mongols and Turks, part of a Lithuanian empire, and a Soviet
satellite country until independence in 1991. Belarus (the name means “White
Russia” and was often historically called “Little Russia,” though originally
named “Lita”) has a culture that is similar to Russian culture in most respects. It
still maintains tieswith “Big Russia.” The terrain is mostly flat, and with a cool,
temperate climate, cold-hardy grains and sugar beets are grown.
The population comprises mostly Belarusians, with a minority of Russian,

Polish, Ukrainian, and other ethnic groups. Belarusian cuisine has elements of
Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Tartar, and Russian cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: sour black rye bread, potatoes, buckwheat, oats, barley.
• Beef, mutton, pork, chicken, goose, other poultry, freshwater fish,
eggs, dairy products (cheese, sour cream), sausages (smoked, blood).
• Beans, peas, other legumes, cabbage, carrots, beets, turnips,
mushrooms.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, pepper, vinegar, sour cream, dill, parsley,
caraway. Cooking fat is lard.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Potato dishes: the most characteristic foodstuff is potato pancakes
draniki (commonly known elsewhere as [Jewish] latkes or German
reibekuchen), which are served plain or filled with various meats.
Entire restaurant menus are devoted to potato dishes.
• Soups: beet and cabbage soups (borshch), cold sour beet soup
(haladnik, also khaladnik), sauerkraut soup with mushrooms.
• Many types of salads of beets, cabbage, and other vegetables with
eggs and sour cream are used as appetizers or as dishes for light meals.
• Italian-influenced dishes: sausages and preserved meats (salceson),
lasagna-type pasta casserole (lazanski).
• Meat dishes: meat and sausage dip or gravy (machanka), beef strips
stuffed with vegetables (zrazy), meat-filled dumplings (kalduny).
• Bean puree (kamy), buckwheat pancakes (blini), stuffed cabbage
(halubtsy) are some typical dishes.
• Desserts: cakes, fruit pies (apple, berry), fruit compotes.
• Drinks: birch juice (locally tapped from birch trees), kvass, sour
milk, herb teas, coffee, beer, rye vodka, rye and honey drink.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditionally, families ate two meals a day together; in modern
Belarus, people eat three meals a day, all of which are heavy on starch
and fats.
• Traditional tableware were individual spoons and bowls, often with a
shared knife. Modern table settings are European standard.
• Thick soup stews often serve as the first and main dish; Belarusians
like these to be thick and relatively smooth, almost porridge-like.
• Breakfast: kasha (porridge) of rye or buckwheat, eaten with salt, or in
poorer households, honey.
• Lunch: light meal of potatoes or bread with cheese or sausage;
sandwich of rye bread with cheese or sausage.
• Evening meals: a more substantial meal of three courses, including
appetizers or soups, bread or potatoes, pork or fish if available, cooked
vegetables (peas, cabbage, carrot, black radish), fruit.
• Snacks: potato or buckwheat pancakes, sausages, cottage cheese.
• Restaurants, bars, and cafés serve international dishes and fast food
(Chinese, Japanese, Continental, American) in the capital city.
Country Salad
Serve this as an appetizer before a meal or as a light meal on its own with fried
potatoes or rye bread, and slices of cheese or sausage.
4 beetroots, boiled, peeled, and shredded

1 onion, sliced very fine
4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, chopped finely
1/2 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
salt to taste

Serve in a bowl.

This soup is commonly served as a first course for a main meal. Serve with
slices of sour black rye bread.
3 TBS lard or margarine

1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
5 turnips, peeled and diced
5 TBS tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
2 TBS vinegar
salt, black pepper to taste
5 cups beef bouillon
2 beetroots, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup sour cream
Heat fat in a heavy saucepan. Fry onion until golden.

Add carrot, potatoes, turnips, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, salt, and
pepper.
Pour in stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat.
Simmer until turnips and potatoes are soft (about 20–25 minutes).
Stir in beets; simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve hot in soup bowls.
Add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl.

Serve this stew with potato pancakes or boiled potatoes for a main meal.
3 TBS lard or oil

2 onions, chopped
1 pound boneless pork, diced
1 pound smoked pork sausage, diced
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups water
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cups sour cream
In a heavy saucepan, heat the lard over medium heat.

Fry the onions until golden brown. Reserve.
Brown the pork and sausage in the remaining fat (add more if
necessary).
Stir in flour, mixing it thoroughly with the fat.
Gradually add water, stirring well to avoid lumps.
Add reserved onions, celery, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
Simmer until meat is tender, for about 25–30 minutes.
Stir in sour cream.
Serve immediately.

This is a common main dish.
1 pound mincemeat (pork or beef)

1 onion, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter
Mix meat, onions, seasoning, and egg.

Shape into long patties, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Heat butter in a heavy pan until froth subsides.
Fry bitotski in butter until well done.
Serve hot with potatoes or noodles.

Serve these with any meat dish or on their own with a salad for a light meal.
1/2 pound salted pork (available from stores that sell Eastern European
foods and some Italian stores) or fatty bacon, diced
2 onions, finely chopped
4 medium potatoes, boiled, skinned, and mashed
salt to taste
Heat pork fat in a heavy skillet, stirring occasionally.

When fat starts turning golden, add onions.
Sauté until golden and fat becomes light brown.
Turn off heat. Add onions and crisped fat to potatoes. (Leave melted
fat in skillet.)
Mix well; taste and add salt if needed (the salt pork or bacon may
provide enough seasoning).
Shape mixture into walnut-sized balls.
Heat fat in skillet; when hot, add potato balls and fry until brown on all
sides.
Serve at once.

Berries, mostly collected from the wild, are a traditional part of the Belarusian
diet. They are an important source of vitamins. Raspberries, blueberries,
gooseberries, or strawberries can be substituted for cranberries.
1/2 pound cranberries, rinsed and pureed in blender

4 cups water
6 TBS sugar
3 TBS cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water
In a stainless steel pan, bring to a simmer pureed berries, water, and

sugar.
Stir in cornstarch slurry.
Continue to simmer until thickened.
Taste and add more sugar if needed.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Pour into individual glass bowls.
Serve with sour cream.

Another product of the forests is this herbal tea. All ingredients are available
from natural food stores.
1 quart boiling water, cooled for 1–2 minutes

1 tsp heather, dried
1 tsp St. John’s wort, dried
1 tsp mint
Place all herbs in a china teapot.

Pour in water.
Cover, and let brew for 5 minutes.
Drink hot, sweetened with sugar, honey, or berry jam.

This is a traditional Christmas morning dish.
2 cups coarse barley, washed and drained

salt to taste
5 cups boiling water
1/2 cup butter
Put barley in a pot with salt.

Pour boiling water over it; simmer until thickened, and most of the
water has been absorbed.
Stir in half of the butter.
Transfer to a buttered 8 × 8 inch baking dish.
Spread remaining butter on top.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25–30 minutes or until all water is
absorbed and the top is golden brown.
Season with more butter if desired.

These pancakes rolled around a sweet cottage cheese filling are a well-loved
dessert or snack. The pancakes are fried just on one side then filled and baked.
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
butter or oil, or a mixture, for cooking
In a blender, combine all ingredients except the butter.

Blend until smooth. The batter should be thick but still pourable from
the blender jar.
If not, add a bit more milk.
Over medium heat, warm a thick-bottomed frying pan or skillet.
Melt 1 TBS of butter and pour a small amount of batter; quickly tilt the
pan to spread the batter into a cake 4–5 inches in diameter.
When the edges are set and golden, remove the cake, and set aside on a
plate.
Continue cooking the rest of the batter, stacking the cooked cakes.
Cottage cheese filling

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese, well drained
2 egg yolks
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-to 9-inch rectangular baking dish.

Mix well cottage cheese, yolks, sugar, and vanilla.
Place 2 TBS of filling in the middle of the cooked side of the pancake.
Roll and place seam side down on the baking dish. Continue with the
rest of the cakes.
Spoon sour cream and melted butter over the cakes.
Sprinkle with sugar; bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
Serve piping hot, with more sour cream if desired.
Belgium
A Western European country sandwiched between France and the Netherlands

on the North Sea, Belgium has been invaded by the Romans, Vikings, Spanish,
Austrians, Dutch, and Germans. Most of the country is a lowlying plain, and
with the temperate climate, many kinds of vegetables, fruits, and livestock are
raised for local use and export.
The population comprises Dutch-speaking Flamand/Flemish and French-
speaking Walloons. Flemish food is similar to that of the neighboring
Netherlands. Walloon food resembles that of northern France. Contemporary
Belgian cuisine has elements of northern French, Dutch, and German cooking,
with its own long tradition of fine and sophisticated eating. As well as being the
real historical source of “French” fries, Belgium has more gourmet-rated
restaurants than France.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: potato, bread.
• Fish (herring, other North Sea fish), seafood (especially mussels) of
many kinds; also imported fish and shellfish.
• Meats: beef, veal, pork, chicken, duck, goose, other poultry, eggs,
game (rabbit, hare, venison, boar, pheasant). Preserved meats such as
sausages, hams, bacon, and pâté are also eaten.
• Barley (most go to make Belgium’s varied and excellent beers;
unsurprisingly, beer is the country’s favorite drink).
• Leeks, endive (famous Belgian vegetable), carrot, cabbage.
• Dairy: milk, cream, more than three hundred types of cheese.
• Cherry, pear, apple, chestnut, strawberry. (Cherries and berries go
into the making of fruit-flavored naturally fermented beers.)
TYPICAL DISHES
• Potato dishes: boiled, mashed, fried, or baked potatoes; leek and
potato mash (stoemp aux poireaux).
Endive. (Josep Maria Peñalver/Dreamstime.com)
• Mussel dishes: in wine, with parsley butter, baked with cheese

topping (gratiné).
• Waterzooi: characteristic Belgian dish of boiled meat, chicken, or
fish with vegetables.
• Stews of meat and vegetables cooked with beer or wine
(carbonnade), rabbit with prunes and beer, beef bourguignon.
• Cold meat dishes: rabbit, chicken, and veal terrine in aspic
(potjesvlees), liver pastes (pâté).
• Fish dishes: eel in green sauce; freshwater fish in vinegar-flavored
aspic (à l’escavèche).
• Baked foods: cakes, fruit tarts, rolls, croissants, waffles, cookies.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and many snacks.
• Place settings and the order of the meal is standard European.
• Breakfast: Continental style (coffee, bread, jam/butter), or bread,
cheese, cold cuts, coffee.
• Lunch: bread, slices of sausage, ham, cheese, beer. Or much heavier
with three courses, like dinner.
• Dinner: three or more courses—appetizer, soup, main dish, dessert,
cheese, coffee. Dessert is usually waffles with whipped cream and
fruits, mousses, ice cream, cakes, fruit tarts.
• Snacks: savory and sweet, eaten at any time. Common street foods
include pommes frites (French fries) dipped in mayonnaise, curry, or
Bearnaise sauce. Other snacks are chocolates, biscuits, sweet pastries,
cakes, cheese or sausage/ham sandwiches.
• Drinks: fruit juices, milk, coffee, tea, chocolate, many types of beer
(some flavored with cherry and other berries), many types of wine.

Contrary to popular opinion (and name), French fries are a Belgian invention,
and one still gets the best pommes frites in Belgium. They are available freshly
made from street stalls and are normally served with mayonnaise. In the recipe
below, the type of potato used will affect the cooking time, texture, and flavor of
the dish.
Fries
2 pounds potatoes peeled, sliced into finger-long strips 1/2 inch thick
oil for deep frying
Rinse potatoes in fresh cold water. Dry well on paper towels.

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 320°F. Put in just a handful of fries. (Frying
too many cools the oil, leading to soggy fries.)
Fry for 4–8 minutes, depending on the type of potato.
Stir regularly to prevent sticking.
Drain on paper towels and pat dry of excess oil.
Set aside for at least 1/2 hour.
Heat oil to 375°F. Again fry the potatoes for 2 minutes until crisp and
golden brown.
The fries should be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Serve with salt and homemade mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
1 tsp sharp mustard
pepper and salt to taste
sugar to taste (optional)
1 cup olive oil (or light vegetable oil)
3 TBS vinegar or lemon juice to taste
All ingredients should be at room temperature.

In a food processor, blend until smooth the egg yolk, mustard, pepper,
salt, sugar (if desired), and half the olive oil.
With the processor running, gradually add the lemon juice and blend
until smooth.
Next gradually add the remaining olive oil and blend until thoroughly
incorporated.
Store in the refrigerator.
(Unlike commercial mayonnaise, this will not keep well.)

This is from the north of Belgium, as reflected by the generous use of butter.
Serve this with boiled potatoes and other vegetables for dinner.
4 pork chops, each about 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick

2 ounces butter
2 TBS lemon juice
4 crushed juniper berries
rosemary sprig
5 sprigs parsley, chopped
4 large, tart eating apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 ounce butter, melted
Season chops with salt and pepper.

Heat butter in a heavy pan; brown chops gently on both sides.
Place meat in a shallow casserole.
Sprinkle with lemon juice, parsley, juniper berries, rosemary, salt, and
pepper.
Cover with apple slices; drizzle with melted butter.
Cover and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30–35 minutes or until
chops are done but still moist.
Serve immediately.

This is a traditional soup from Limbourg, a town in Walloon Belgium. Serve as a
first course with bread and butter.

1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
1 ounce butter
1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
2 bunches watercress, chopped
3 pints chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
Sauté onion and leek in butter in a large saucepan for 2–3 minutes.
Add potatoes, watercress, and stock.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes.
Cool slightly, then blend until smooth.
Return soup to saucepan. Season.
Add cream; cook for another 3 minutes.
Serve hot.

Leeks are great favorites and feature in many dishes, such as this appetizer or
salad. Serve this with crisp crackers or bread.
2 TBS olive oil

2 pounds leeks, white part only, rinsed, dried, and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 eggs, hard boiled, peeled, and chopped
1 TBS mayonnaise
1 TBS French mustard
1 TBS capers
Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Sauté leeks gently for about 8–10 minutes
until softened.
Place in a shallow dish. Dress with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cool.
Mix eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, and capers.
Spread egg mixture over leeks; chill for at least 2 hours.

This dish is from Brussels, the capital. Serve as an appetizer or with a salad,
bread, or potatoes as a light meal.
Fish balls
1 pound cooked fish fillet, deboned and deskinned
1 pound potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed
2 TBS chopped chervil
2 TBS chopped chives
2 egg yolks
oil for deep frying
Mix together all ingredients except oil.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the mixture between floured hands into large marble-sized balls.
Place balls on a flat plate or tray.
In a deep fryer or frying pan, heat about 3 inches of oil to 350°F.
Dip each ball in batter and slip into hot oil. Fry until golden.
Fry only a few at a time so that the temperature of the oil does not go
down.
When brown and crisp, remove and drain on paper towels.
Serve with mayonnaise.
Batter
1/3 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 TBS olive oil
3/4 cup soda water (or 1/4 tsp baking soda dissolved in 3/4 cup water)
whites of 2 eggs, beaten to stiff peaks
Blend thoroughly flour, salt, oil, and soda water.

Cover and leave at room temperature until required.
Just before batter is to be used, fold in egg whites.

Ghent is a famous Flemish town that was an important mercantile center in the
Middle Ages.
Crust
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water, lukewarm
3/4 cup milk, lukewarm
1 pinch salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup applesauce
In a food processor bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water; let
stand at room temperature for 10–15 minutes until frothy.
Add the milk, egg, salt, butter, and flour, processing only until the
mixture forms a ball.
Remove the dough, and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Cover with a damp towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled in size
(about 1 hour).
Butter a 10-inch round springform pan.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to fit the bottom and sides
of the pan.
Ease the dough into the pan, and spread the applesauce at the bottom.
Spoon the cheese filling over the applesauce.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 50 minutes or until golden.
Leave to cool in the oven with the door open.
Filling
2 eggs, separated
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup macaroons, crushed
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup almonds, ground
1/4 cup vanilla sugar (or 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp vanilla
extract)
Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside.

In a food processor, mix egg yolks and cottage cheese until smooth.
Add macaroons, sugar, almonds, and vanilla sugar.
Gently fold in beaten egg whites.

This rice pie is most famously made in Verviers but is also made in other
regions. The traditional pastry was made with yeast. Some versions place a layer
of prune or other fruit preserve under the rice pudding–and–custard filling.
Honey can also be used instead of sugar.
1 unbaked 9-inch pie pastry

1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 eggs or 4 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 TBS grated lemon rind
Roll out pastry to cover a pie or tart pan.

Crimp the top edges of the pastry if using a pie pan, or cut flush to the
rim if using a tart pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, place the cooked rice, milk, and
sugar; simmer until milk is completely absorbed, stirring frequently to
prevent sticking. Set aside and let cool for 15–20 minutes.
Stir in cream, eggs, salt, vanilla, and lemon rind to cooled rice mixture;
spoon into prepared pastry.
Bake for 25–35 minutes or until the filling is set and golden. Allow to
cool thoroughly before serving.
Garnish with powdered sugar if desired.

These crisp almond cookies are a traditional Brussels accompaniment to coffee
or other hot drink. About 25–30 cookies.
2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk or water
1 TBS vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup roughly chopped or sliced almonds
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a food processor or large bowl, mix the butter, milk, vanilla,
cinnamon, almonds, sugar, and the flour mixture to a soft dough.
With floured hands, shape dough into a roll or loaf, about 3 inches in
diameter.
Wrap in parchment paper, place in a plastic bag, and chill overnight.
Slice dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; place evenly spaced
on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet
immediately; finish cooling on rack.
Belize
Belize, a colony of Spain and then Britain until independence in 1981, lies south
of Mexico on the Caribbean Sea. Its subtropical flat terrain and low mountains
are ideal for bananas (the country’s major exports) and other tropical fruits and
vegetables. Fish and shrimp are harvested from the coast.
There are several ethnic groups—Maya, Garifuna (mixed African and
Amerindian), East Indian, Chinese, North American, and European—but more
than half of Belizeans are mixed European or Creole. The cuisine combines
elements from Spanish, British, African, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian, and
other Caribbean islands’ cuisines.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, corn, cassava, potatoes
• Chicken, fish, seafood (conch, spiny lobster, shark), pork, gibnut (a
relative of the guinea pig), turkey, wild game
• Plantains, beans, peas, cabbage, squash, cucumber
• Fruits: banana, citrus, mangoes, coconut, other exotic tropical fruits
• Seasonings: garlic, basil, black pepper, paprika, hot pepper sauce,
ginger, curry
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice and beans are most commonly eaten, served with fried or
stewed chicken, fish or pork, with side dishes of potato salad or
coleslaw and fried plantain.
• Creole-style fish cooked in coconut milk (seré) with rice, or similar
dish, Garifuna-style, served with grated plantain (hudut).
• Spanish-style chicken or pork in stews and soups (chimole, relleno)
or marinated in vinegar (escabeche).
• East Indian–style curried split peas.

• Mexican-influenced dishes: fried corn tortilla with beans and cheese;
corn and chicken stuffed pastry (tamales); fried corn pastry filled with
beans, fish, or meat and served with an onion sauce (panadas).
• Caribbean-style conch salad, conch soup, and boil-up (seafood,
pigtail, and vegetable stew).
• African-style cassava-based (bambam) and corn-based dishes
(dukunu, steamed corn parcels with/without meat).
• Stir-fried vegetables and rice constitute typical Chinese-Belizean
meals.
• Desserts: coconut-based pie, cake, ice cream, fudge, trifle; coconut
and ginger sweets (tablayta, cut-o-brute); cassava or sweet potato
puddings.
• Beverages: carbonated drinks, fresh juices of guava and other
tropical fruits, coconut water (juice from young coconut).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day plus snacks.
• Breakfast: fry jacks (flat bread) or johnnycakes (soft round biscuits),
fried beans with sausage and/or eggs; butter or cheese on hot
johnnycake; coffee.
• Lunch and dinner: Two to three courses, including rice and beans
with stewed or fried chicken, fish, or pork; side dishes of potato salad
or coleslaw, fried plantain; coconut-or other fruit-based sweet.
• Morning and evening meals for Mayan Belizeans: corn or flour
tortillas, eggs or beans with coffee or chocolate. Lunch is chicken
broth (caldo) with fresh tortillas.
• Snacks and “fast foods” sold at street stalls: tacos with shredded
chicken, onions, cabbage, and coriander leaves; turnovers with ground
beef (garnaches); chicken or beef barbeque served on hot flour
tortillas.

This Spanish-style dish is originally colored red with annatto seeds (also called
achiote), and flavored with a herb called epazote, or Mexican oregano. It is
served either for lunch or for dinner with rice or tortillas.
1 pound chicken meat, cubed

pepper, salt to taste
1 pound ground pork
2 TBS paprika
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
3 TBS oil
2 TBS oregano, preferably fresh
1 onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tomatoes (peeled)
1/4 cup vinegar
2 TBS cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Mix chicken with pepper and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.
Mix pork with paprika, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves.
Heat a skillet over medium heat, and when hot, dry fry the pork (i.e.,
without any oil) for 15–20 minutes, until it changes color. Remove and
set aside.
Add oil to skillet; brown chicken for about 5–7 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a covered saucepan. Add pork, oregano, onion,
garlic, bay leaves, tomato, vinegar, salt, and water.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat, simmer until meat
is tender, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Blend cornstarch with water; stir into stew. Stir until thickened.
Continue simmering for 10 minutes.
Serve hot with white rice, or rice and beans, or fresh corn tortilla.
Johnnycakes
Originally called “journey cakes,” these quick breads are made all over the
Caribbean with many variations. They are often eaten piping hot with cheese for
breakfast.
2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening or butter, melted
1/2 cup coconut milk
about 2 TBS melted shortening for brushing
In a food processor, blend the flour, baking powder, salt, and
shortening.
Gradually add coconut milk and process only until mixture forms a
ball.
Remove dough and knead until smooth; roll out onto a floured surface
into 16 small balls.
Press the balls to flatten slightly and prick tops with a fork.
Brush with melted shortening or butter.
Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 15–20 minutes or until done.
Slice and butter while hot.
Serve immediately.
Rice and Beans

This dish is eaten at least once a day by Belizeans, with their favorite meat
dishes, such as stuffed baked chicken, stewed chicken (called “stew chicken”
here), stewed fish (called “stew fish”), fried fish, or meatballs. There is an
important distinction between this dish and “beans and rice.” The latter has the
beans cooked separately from the rice, and served side by side in a dish. The
usual accompaniments are potato salad or coleslaw and fried plantain.
2 cups canned kidney beans

1 onion, sliced
3 strips bacon, diced
2 cups rice, washed and drained
1 cup thick coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Put all ingredients in a Dutch oven or a thick stewing pan. Bring to a

boil over medium heat.
Lower heat and simmer, covered, until all liquid is absorbed.
While cooking, stir gently to mix ingredients.
Serve hot with a main dish.
Originally an African dish brought over by plantation slave workers, ducunu is
eaten in many variations all over the Caribbean. This savory version is served in
Belize with any meat dish.
1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels, defrosted, drained

1 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS baking powder
2 cups cornmeal
8 squares of aluminum foil, 10 × 10 inches
kitchen twine
In a food processor, puree corn, onion, bell pepper, and coconut milk.
Add butter, pepper, thyme, salt, baking powder, and cornmeal.
Remove mixture and divide into roughly 8 portions.
Spoon a portion in the center of a foil sheet.
Wrap securely by folding two opposite sides into a seam, then folding
the two remaining sides over.
Secure with kitchen twine. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil 4 cups of water in a big pot.
Add wrapped parcels.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Drain the parcels.
Serve in the foil, each diner unwrapping the ducunu at the table.
Potato Pound
This sweet potato dessert is also known as potato pone.
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and grated

1 tsp nutmeg
3 TBS fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups evaporated or coconut milk
In a large bowl, mix well all ingredients.

Pour into a buttered 2-quart baking dish.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 50–60 minutes or until done.
Cassava Pone
This is a cake that combines Belizean popular products—coconut and cassava.
Substitute frozen grated coconut (unsweetened) and frozen cassava if fresh
ingredients are unavailable. Cassava is also called yuca (and sometimes labeled
“yucca”), and fresh tubers can be found in shops that sell Latin American and
Asian foods.
2 cups grated cassava, packed

1 1/2 cups grated coconut
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
extra butter for greasing pan

In a bowl, mix thoroughly all ingredients except cinnamon.
Spoon mixture into a buttered 9-inch pie pan or baking dish.
Bake for 25–35 minutes or until golden and firm.
Remove cassava pone from the oven; sprinkle with cinnamon.
Let cool thoroughly before cutting into slices.
Coconut Bread
Coconut bread is a favorite snack, usually eaten with jam, jelly, and/or cheese.

1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup grated fresh coconut
1/4 cup raisins
extra butter for greasing
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch loaf pan.

Sift flour and salt.
In a food processor or large bowl, mix thoroughly the butter, egg,
coconut milk, vanilla, and sugar.
Blend in the flour mixture, coconut, and raisins, and turn mixture into
prepared pan.
Bake for 40 minutes until golden or until it tests done.
Benin
Formerly known as Dahomey, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Benin

was a powerful West African kingdom. It was a French colony until
independence in 1960. The climate is hot and humid in the south and semiarid in
the north. The population comprises over fifty ethnic groups.
North and south Benin cooking are basic and center on different preferred
staples: corn in the south and yams in the north. Both are eaten with peanut-or
tomato-based sauces.
FOODSTUFFS
• Sorghum, cassava, yams, maize, and peanuts are major subsistence
crops.
• Meat: goat, chicken, guinea fowl, and beef; some “bush meat”
(anything caught in the bush or forests).
• Fish: river and marine fish (along the coast), both fresh (at source)
and dried, salted, or smoked; shellfish, snails, eels, and frogs.
Important source of protein for the south.
• A tofu-like cheese, called wangash or wagassi, is a common protein
source in the north.
• Vegetables: greens such as gnembue, cabbage, beans and other
legumes, peanuts, hot peppers.
• Fruits: tropical fruits (mango, papaya, pineapple).
TYPICAL DISHES
• A special occasion stew, ago glain, from shellfish, tomatoes, onions,
and hot sauce.
• Meat grilled on skewers is a very common dish, as are yams and
plantains, either boiled or fried as “chips.”
• Cooked greens such as calalu (taro leaves) and gnembue.
• Akassa: cornmeal wrapped in leaves and cooked.
• Lamounou dessi: a sauce from fresh and smoked fish, vegetables, and
chili peppers.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditionally, people ate two meals a day, in the morning and at
night, with snacks of leftovers in between. In modern times, it is
common to eat three meals a day if possible.
• In the past decades, Western utensils and European table settings
have become commonplace.
• As in many other areas, families eat together on a mat on the floor,
with central pots holding the food, from which diners help themselves
with their right hand only.
• Breakfast may be leftover pâte (stiff porridge) or couscous from the
night before.
• Lunch is usually a lighter meal since most people are at work.
• The evening meal is eaten by most families together and consists of a
starchy dish and as many side dishes as can be afforded.
• Snacks of peanuts, fries, and fruit are eaten during the day.
Man eating fish and rice with peppersauce, Benin, West Africa. (Peeter Viisimaa/iStockphoto.com)

This dish is a variation on the standard maize, cassava, or yam porridge, which is
unsurprisingly called white paste (pâte blanche). Pâte rouge is served for the
main meal.
2 1/2 cups water

1 cup onions, finely minced
2 TBS tomato paste
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 bouillon cube, crushed
Sauté the onions in a heavy pot until golden.

Add tomato paste and stir.
Add water and bring to a rolling boil.
Dissolve bouillon cube in some of the boiling water and mix into the
boiling ingredients.
With the stock boiling, add cornmeal in a steady stream, stirring it
vigorously with a wire whisk until all the lumps are dissolved and it
starts to thicken.
Pour the pâte into a greased bowl and let cool.
Serve with a sauce or stew or on its own.

This dish of cooked green vegetables (or something like it) may well be the
origin of the dish called callaloo in the Caribbean. In Benin, it is customary to
use taro leaves.
palm oil (or any cooking oil)

1 pound meat (meat, poultry, or fish in any combination), cut into bite-
sized pieces
1 pound greens: any strong greens, such as kale, collard greens,
spinach, or taro leaves, stems removed, parboiled, drained
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
1 cup dried shrimp or prawns
1 cup okra, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 hot chili pepper, cleaned and chopped
salt, pepper, red pepper or cayenne (to taste)
Heat oil in a large pot.

Fry meat and onions until meat is browned.
Add all the remaining ingredients and enough water to partially cover.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer on very low heat for 2 hours or more.
Serve with rice or pâte de manioc.
Pureed Peas
This is a common side dish for any meal.
1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter
Pour boiling water over the peas, enough to cover by 2 inches, and
soak overnight.
Drain the peas and slip off outer skin by squeezing between fingers.
Simmer peas in water to cover for about 15 minutes in a covered pot.
Season.
Continue simmering until the peas are tender and most of the water is
absorbed (an additional 5 minutes). If any liquid remains, drain it off.
Put peas in food processor or blender (traditionally, a mortar and
pestle) and puree.
Return to pot and heat thoroughly over low heat while beating in the
butter with a wooden spoon. Serve at once.

This dish is often made by a girl who wants to attract a boy’s attention. By
offering him this dish she declares her love.
1/2 cup palm oil

2 large onions, chopped roughly into cubes
1/2 pound fresh tomatoes, chopped
salt and black pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 whole green (bell) pepper, cored and seeded
1 cube chicken stock, crushed
1 pound smoked fish, whole or fillets
1/2 pound crabmeat
1/2 pound smoked meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 pound fresh shrimp or prawns, shelled
1/2 cup crushed sesame (or 1/3 cup tahina sauce)
1/2 pound gboman (a West African green) or fresh or frozen
(defrosted) spinach, chopped
Heat half of the oil in a large pan.

Add onions and fry until golden.
Slice tomatoes and add them to the onions. Add tomato paste.
Stir fry for roughly 5 minutes.
Add salt and pepper, crushed garlic, half the remaining onions, green
pepper, and the stock cube. Simmer until thickened and green pepper
is tender.
Meanwhile in a separate pan, heat the remaining oil and lightly brown
the smoked fish. Remove from heat.
Add fish, crabmeat, smoked meat, and shrimp to sauce and let simmer
for about 7–10 minutes or until the shrimp are almost done.
Stir in the sesame seeds and greens carefully so as not to break the
fish. Leave to simmer until greens are done, about 5–7 minutes.
Serve with cassava or yam fufu.
Dahomey Fish Stew

This is a favorite dish in communities along rivers or the sea. In inland
communities, vegetables are flavored with dried fish.
1/4 cup flour for dredging

2 cleaned firm-fleshed fish, 1–2 pounds each, cut into 2-inch slices
1/4 cup palm oil (or mixed palm and vegetable oil)
2 onions, finely minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fish or chicken stock
cayenne pepper to taste
Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Dredge the fish in the flour mixture.
Heat enough oil for shallow frying in a deep frying pan.
Fry the fish, turning it until it is golden brown on both sides. Remove,
drain, and set aside.
Drain off the oil, leaving just 2 TBS to fry the onions until light
golden.
Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes.
Add the stock.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Return the fish to the pan.
Season with cayenne to taste.
Simmer for 20–30 minutes.
Serve with fufu or rice.
Fritters
Fritters are popular street snacks.
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
4 ounces butter
4 TBS water
1 TBS vegetable oil
oil for frying
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Sift flour and salt in a mixing bowl then cut in the butter until the
mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
Add half the water and knead, adding more water and the oil until the
dough holds together when pressed.
Place dough on a floured board and knead gently eight to ten times.
Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut into strips about 2 inches long, or into triangles or circles.
Fry in 1 inch of oil in a heavy frying pan at 375°F, turning once, until
lightly browned on both sides (8–10 minutes).
Drain fritters on paper towels.
Dust with a mixture of sugar and spice.
Peanut Sauce
As in many countries of Africa, a peanut sauce accompanies many dishes and,
among the poor, may be the only relish for the staple dish of fulde or fufu.
1 TBS oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp chili pepper or cayenne powder
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups water (or more depending on the density of the peanut
butter you are using)
1 cube beef bouillon (equivalent to 1 heaping tsp soup powder)
3/4 cup natural (unsweetened) peanut butter
Heat oil and sauté onions until light golden.

Add tomato paste, chili pepper, and salt, and sauté for a few minutes.
Add water and bring to a light boil.
Crush in bouillon cube.
In a separate bowl, stir some of the stock into the peanut butter until it
is liquid and smooth. Add to simmering stock.
Simmer for 15 minutes or until thick to your taste. Stir frequently to
ensure the thick sauce does not burn.
Serve on rice or fulde or pâte rouge.

Kanyah was made originally in Sierra Leone, but has become a popular sweet in
Benin. This makes about 25–30 pieces. If the syrup is cooked beyond the pale
gold stage, the candy will be much harder.
oil for greasing

1/4 cup rice
2 1/4 cups skinless peanuts
1 cup sugar
2 TBS lemon juice or vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
Oil thoroughly a shallow pan, at least 8 x 10 inches, or a baking sheet.

In an ungreased heavy-bottomed frying pan, toast the rice over
medium heat, about 3–5 minutes or until fragrant. Stir frequently to
prevent burning.
Remove rice, and toast peanuts in a similar manner, until fragrant.
In a food processor, blend the rice and peanuts until finely ground.
In the same pan used to toast the peanuts and rice, cook sugar, lemon
juice, water, and salt without stirring, until thickened and a pale golden
color (to softball stage), about 10–15 minutes.
With a wooden spoon, stir in the rice and peanut mixture.
Immediately turn out the mixture onto the prepared pan. Be careful not
to burn yourself with the hot candy mixture.
Level the top with an oiled rolling pin or wooden spoon.
While warm, cut the candy into small squares or lozenges. Let stand
until completely cooled, then store in an airtight tin.

Kashata is another popular sweet, which can be made solely with coconut or
peanut, or as here, with both. This makes about 25–30 pieces. As with peanut
rice candy (above), if the syrup is cooked beyond the pale gold stage, the candy
will be harder.
oil for greasing

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 TBS lemon juice or vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 cup moist grated coconut
1 cup skinless peanuts (toasted in a heavy pan as in the previous
recipe)
Oil thoroughly a shallow pan, at least 8 x 10 inches, or a baking sheet.

Prepare a pale golden syrup: over medium heat, cook the sugar, water,
lemon juice, and salt without stirring for 10–15 minutes.
Stir in the cinnamon, coconut, and peanuts; quickly turn out onto
prepared pan.
Level the top with an oiled rolling pin or spoon.
While warm, cut the candy into small squares or lozenges.
Store in a covered tin.
Bermuda
Bermuda, an island group and a British colony since 1609, is a self-governing

British territory. It has a hilly terrain and narrow coastal strip in some places.
Only 20 percent of the land is arable, but it yields a range of subtropical
vegetables and fruits. The coasts yield fish and shellfish.
Over 70 percent of Bermudians are of African descent or mixed
descendants of Africans and Caribbean islanders; others are of European
extraction. There is a small Portuguese community. Bermudian cuisine is British
style with some African, Caribbean, and Portuguese elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Fish—local wahoo (large game fish), rockfish, grouper, snapper,
shark; imported salt cod; shellfish—mussels, spiny lobster, conch.
• Vegetables: potato, sweet potato, cassava, Bermuda onion, hot
pepper.
• Local fruits: loquat, Surinam cherry, strawberry, citrus, papaya.
• Beef, pork, chicken; meat and many food products mostly imported
from the United States.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Mostly fish or shellfish, steamed, baked, broiled, fried, grilled, or
made into chowder (sprinkled with Bermudian specialty hot pepper
and sherry sauce).
• English-style stews, baked goods.
• Caribbean-style rice-and-beans (hoppin’ John) and johnnycake.
• Portuguese-style red bean soup.
• Wahoo steaks, grilled or fried, topped with almonds and banana.
• Shark hash or fritters, served as appetizer.
• Salted codfish, made into cakes, served in a white bun with
mayonnaise or boiled.
• Mussel pie, stew, or fritters.
• Cassava pie for Christmas dinner, now served as a special side dish.
• Sweet potato pudding, a popular lunch or dinner side dish.
• Bermuda onion dishes: pie, stuffed, casserole, or soup.
• Desserts: local fruits (loquats, guavas, bananas, Surinam cherries)
served fresh with thick cream; baked in rum and brown sugar; or made
into jams, jellies, pies, sherbets, or liqueur as ingredients for desserts.
• Beverages: tea, ginger beer (not a true beer), rum, ale.
Eating Styles
• European table settings and order of courses.
• Breakfast is scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, or pancakes with
coffee or tea. Traditional Sunday breakfast or brunch is boiled salt cod
with boiled potatoes, onions, banana or avocado slices, with hard-
boiled egg and tomato sauce.
• Lunch is usually hamburger and fries, or fish and chips, often eaten
at a pub.
• British-style afternoon tea of scones and strawberry jam, usually
from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
• Dinner, the heaviest meal, has two to three courses, starting with
soup and followed by a main dish with meat or fish, with side dishes
of vegetables, potatoes or rice or bread, and finally, dessert.

This is considered the representative Bermudian dish, usually made with whole
rockfish or snapper fish heads to make a gelatinous stock. It is served for lunch
with crusty bread and butter or as a first course for dinner. At the table, sherry
peppers—hot bird’s eye peppers pickled in sherry—and dark Bermudian rum are
traditionally sprinkled over the soup.
2 leeks
1 onion
10 stalks parsley
2 carrots
3 celery stalks
2 cloves garlic
3 TBS olive oil
2 pounds fresh white fish fillets (boneless)
2 TBS curry powder
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
5 TBS tomato paste
3 TBS ketchup
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 green bell peppers, quartered
2 red bell peppers, quartered
1 small green papaya, cubed (optional)
2 potatoes, cubed
6 cups water or fish stock
hot pepper sauce (optional)
In a food processor, finely chop (not puree) leeks, onion, parsley,
carrots, celery, and garlic.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat; stir fry chopped
vegetables until soft.
Stir in fish and cook for 5 minutes.
Add curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, ketchup,
tomatoes, papaya, potatoes, water or fish stock, salt, and pepper.
Simmer slowly for 1 hour; while cooking, break fish into small bits.
Serve with a sprinkle of hot pepper sauce.
Banana Meatloaf
Bananas are a Bermudian export and find their way into savory and sweet
dishes. This meatloaf is a popular family dinner dish, served with pumpkin puree
and mashed potatoes.
1 pound ground beef

1 semiripe, firm banana, mashed with juice of 1/2 lemon
1 small bell pepper, red or green, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
3 TBS ketchup
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
6 strips bacon
Mix well all ingredients except bacon in a bowl.

Line the bottom of a 9 × 13 inch baking pan with three bacon slices.
Pack in meat mixture.
Cover with remaining bacon, tucking in the ends to cover the meat.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour or until done.
Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
Bermudian Puree
Pumpkin is a commonly eaten vegetable throughout the Caribbean and South
America. Here the puree is made British style with cream and butter. Serve with
banana meatloaf or stuffed Bermudian onions for dinner.
2 cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed

2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1 cup white bread, without crust, cubed
3 TBS butter
1/2 cup fresh cream
In a large saucepan, simmer pumpkin with milk and salt until tender,
Fry bread cubes in 2 TBS butter.
Add fried bread to pumpkin mixture; continue simmering for 5
minutes.
Remove from heat. Cool slightly.
In a food processor or blender, puree pumpkin mixture (without the
cooking liquid). Strain and keep hot.
To serve, stir in cream and the remaining butter.

Bermuda onions are noted for their sweet and mild flavor and are a major export
item. Bermudians refer to themselves as Bermuda onions. Serve this as a light
supper or lunch dish with bread and butter or mashed potatoes, or as a side dish
for dinner.
4 onions, peeled
4 TBS butter
3 ounces fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
6 ounces chicken breast, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 sprig parsley, minced
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Prepare onions for stuffing: cut off the pointed tops. Cook in boiling
salted water for five minutes. Drain and let cool.
Carefully take out the middle and chop roughly, leaving the outside
layers whole. Set aside.
In a skillet, melt 3 TBS butter. Stir in the chopped onions, mushrooms,
and chicken, and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Fill onion shells with stuffing; place on a 9 × 13 inch baking dish.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and remaining butter, melted.
Pour stock around the onions.
Bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes, basting frequently with stock.
Before serving, spoon baking juices over the onions.

Papaya, or pawpaw, as it is called in Bermuda, is a common vegetable and fruit.
Flan or custard, when made with green papaya, is served as a savory side dish at
lunch or dinner. Made with ripe fruit as in the recipe below, it is served with
cream for dessert.
1 small, ripe papaya, cubed

2 eggs
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg, preferably freshly grated (plus extra for garnish)
1 tsp butter (for greasing)
4 custard cups
1/4 cup half-and-half (optional)
In a food processor or blender, puree the papaya.

Add eggs, cream, milk, sugar, and nutmeg, mixing thoroughly.
Strain papaya mixture into buttered cups, filling them two-thirds up.
Set cups onto a baking tray with an inch of warm water.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35 minutes or until done.
To serve, let cups cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Run a knife around the edge
of each cup and unmold.
Serve sprinkled with freshly grated nutmeg, drizzled with light cream.
Baked Bananas
Bananas feature frequently in Bermudian desserts, often flavored with the
excellent local rum.
4 medium ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
4 TBS butter, diced
grated zest and juice of 2 limes or lemons
4 TBS brown sugar
4 TBS rum (optional) or rum flavoring
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving

Into a baking dish, place the bananas in an even layer.
Spread over them the butter, lime zest and juice, sugar, and rum.
Place under a hot grill for another 2–3 minutes until syrup is bubbly
and caramelized.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Raisin Buns
This is a quick, nonyeast version of the raisin buns usually served with codfish
cakes.

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2–1 cup milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
For glazing
3–5 TBS milk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a baking sheet.

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a food processor or large bowl, blend the flour mixture with the
sugar, raisins, egg, cinnamon, and just enough milk to form a stiff
dough (you may not need the entire cup of milk).
With floured hands, shape dough into 4-inch round buns; brush with
egg yolk thinned with 1–2 TBS of milk.
Place evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10–15 minutes until golden.
Combine powdered sugar with milk. Brush two intersecting lines (a
cross) over the warm buns.
Bhutan
Bhutan is a small, landlocked Himalayan kingdom between India and Tibet that
has never been colonized by the West. Until a few decades ago, the country was
virtually closed to foreigners. Bhutanese are mostly of Tibetan or Nepalese
descent and predominantly Buddhist, but they are not strict vegetarians.
Bhutan’s climate ranges from extremely cold in the snow-covered
mountains to temperate in the center and tropical in the southern plains.
Although only 8 percent of the land is available for cultivation, several crops are
raised. These include barley, buckwheat, and other cold-tolerant cereals;
temperate vegetables (Brassica or cabbage family), apples, pears, and other
temperate and subtropical fruits (quince, persimmon). Tropical crops (such as
spices cardamom, chili, and lemongrass), citrus fruits, jackfruit, and rice are
raised in the south. Yaks, cows, and chickens are also raised.
Bhutanese cooking shares many culinary features with neighboring Nepal,
India, and Tibet.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: white polished rice (ja chum), Bhutanese native red rice
(eue), chili (used as a vegetable), barley, finger millet, wheat flour,
buckwheat, yak cheese, pickled/fermented vegetables.
• Pork, beef, chicken, yak meat and hard cheese (chugo), dried meat,
eggs, fish imported from India.
• Potato, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, turnip leaves, radish; squash;
wild vegetables such as mushrooms, fern fronds, bamboo shoots, and
edible orchids. Fermented bamboo shoots mesu (from Dendrocalamus
sikkimensis, D. Hamiltonii, and Bambusa tulda); fermented soybeans
(kinema).
• Citrus fruits, bananas, apples, pears, plums, wild strawberries.
• Seasonings: mustard oil; chili pepper; esay (also spelled eze), a sauce
of chilies, onion, and cilantro; Sichuan pepper; perilla seeds; ginger;
mint; coriander seeds and leaves; lemongrass; fennel; cinnamon;
cloves; cardamom; long pepper; saffron; juniper berries.
• Drinks: buttered tea (suja), fruit juices in south, local brew from
cereals (ara).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Chili and cheese curry (ema datshi)—half chili, half cheese—is the
fiery national staple side dish served at (almost) every meal.
• Vegetables in cheese or curry sauce: fern fronds, eggplants, wild
mushrooms, asparagus.
• Tibetan-style steamed dumplings (momo) of meat or cheese are most
popular.
• Soups or stews of meat and vegetables (tshoem), curried meat and
vegetables (pa).
• Noodles or filled pasta of wheat or buckwheat in soup, keptan (stove-
top “baked” flat wheat bread).
• Rice-based special sweets (not desserts, but eaten at rituals) include
white rice, butter, sugar, sultanas, and saffron (desi); sweet fried rice
with butter.
• Snacks: potato chips, sweet spiced rice fritters (sel or shel roti in
southern Bhutan).
• After meals, betel nut, lime paste, and wild pepper leaf are chewed
by adults.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks; large helpings of rice and chilies at
every meal. Rice and chili with a bit of vegetable are rolled into a ball
between the fingers and eaten.
• Breakfast: rice, potato or vegetable curry, chilies; buckwheat or other
cereal porridge; buttered sweet tea (suja) is the usual drink.
• Lunch: light meal of chili cheese curry (ema datshi), fried Indian flat
bread (paratha), and red rice. Side dishes of green chili salad and red
chili paste (eze), or noodles; dumplings.
• Dinner: main meal, consisting of red rice or white rice, pork or beef
and vegetable stew, and chili cheese curry in western Bhutan. Hindu
Bhutanese do not eat beef but eat rice and curry dishes similar to
Nepalese or Indian curries.
• Dessert is usually fresh fruit: watermelon, mango, papaya, banana.
Pork Noodles (Fing)
Chili peppers are a favorite ingredient in Bhutanese cuisine. They add zest to a
mellow pork and noodle combination. Sweet bell pepper is substituted in the
recipe given here. Let each diner add eze (Bhutanese salsa) at the table.
1 small package bean thread or cellophane noodles (about 8 ounces)

3 TBS butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 pound boneless pork, diced
1/3 cup water
3 green chili peppers, or 1 green bell pepper cored, seeded, and cut
into thin strips
Soften bean threads in a bowl of boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Drain and cut into 6-inch-long pieces.
Melt butter in a saucepan.
Stir in onion and fry until softened.
Add tomato, pork, and water.
Simmer over low heat until just tender, for 20–25 minutes.
Add noodles and chili or bell pepper.
Season to taste.
Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Serve hot.

Although most dishes already use plenty of chilies, Bhutanese love to add more
sting at the table with this sauce and, additionally, a raw salad of chilies with
salt.
1 onion, chopped
3 green chilies (or more, as desired), cored and seeded (see note below
about handling chilies)
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS salt
Use rubber gloves to prepare the chilies. Avoid contact with the eyes
and nostrils as chilies contain a powerful irritant.
In a blender or food processor, put all the ingredients and process until
smooth. Be careful when opening the blender or processor jar. Turn
your face away so as not to get the fumes into your eyes.
Keep in the refrigerator in a covered container for about 2 weeks.

This stew is served with white or red rice, accompanied by ema datshi, or
vegetables in cheese sauce, for the main meal in the evening.
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, diced

2 TBS oil
1 cup water
3 green chilies or 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced finely
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro for garnish, chopped
Simmer chicken in oil and water to cover, for about 20–25 minutes
until tender.
Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Simmer over low heat until the tomato and onion have turned into a
thick sauce. Add more water if the stew gets too dry.
Serve over rice garnished with fresh coriander.

Potatoes were introduced into the Himalayan kingdoms in the nineteenth century
and removed, to a large degree, the fear of famine. They have become
immensely popular, appearing at almost every meal in various guises. Potatoes
are also made into chips, which are popular snacks. Potatoes in cheese sauce is
served as a main dish to go with rice at lunch, or with other dishes at the evening
meal. Instead of potatoes, other vegetables such as eggplant, pumpkin, or okra
are also used.
1 TBS oil
1/4 cup red or other onion, chopped
4 potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup cheese, cubed (any mild cheese)
1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
Heat oil over medium heat in a covered saucepan.

Stir in onions and sauté until translucent.
Add potatoes, water, and salt. Cook covered until potatoes are tender.
Add cheese and chili powder and stir once.
Add up to 1/4 cup (not more, because this dish should be fairly dry)
boiling water if the potatoes start sticking to the pan.
Serve at once.

Buckwheat, which grows in rough terrain, was a major staple in Bhutan until the
introduction of the potato. Buckwheat is often made into pancakes, noodles, and
porridge. This dish is served as a main dish at the evening meal.
Filling
1 pound bok choy, quartered
3 TBS poppy seeds
1/4 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 small red or other onion, quartered
1/2 cup crumbled or grated cheese
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 ounces ghee (or melted butter)
Blanch bok choy in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze
dry.
Grind poppy seeds and Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar or food
processor.
Add garlic and ginger, then onion, into a food processor and chop until
fine.
Add the bok choy, poppy-seed mixture, cheese, chili powder, salt, and
ghee; process until combined but not pureed, about 10 seconds.
Dumplings
2 cups wheat flour
1 cup buckwheat flour (if not available, substitute wheat flour)
1 cup water
flour, for dusting
Mix flours and water in a food processor.

Mix only until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove dough and knead well for 10 minutes until smooth.
Buckwheat dough is always very heavy and stiff. Form into a ball and
let rest for at least 30 minutes, covered by a moist towel.
Knead again briefly, and divide the dough into 4 portions.
Take one portion, and cover the rest with a damp towel to keep moist.
Between floured sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper, roll out the
dough 1/8 inch thick, dusting with extra flour to prevent sticking (a
pasta machine would be very useful for this).
Cut the rolled out dough into 2 × 4 inch rectangles.
Fill each rectangle with 1 tsp of the filling.
Brush the edges lightly with water and fold the rectangles over to
make squares, pressing the edges to seal them well.
Place filled dumplings on a floured tray while rolling out the rest of
the dough portions.
Drop dumplings a few at a time in plenty of simmering water. Let
cook for 7–8 minutes after they float.
Drain and transfer to individual serving plates.
Serve at once.

Among the frequently eaten vegetables are mushrooms, young fern fronds,
asparagus, and giant white radish. Any of these vegetables may be substituted
for the mushrooms. Nutty flavored brown rice can accompany this dish, though
in Bhutan it would be red rice, a cold-hardy rainfed variety. An additional side
dish would be a fiery-hot red pepper condiment. Sweet pepper is used to evoke
the scent (but not the fire) of very hot peppers.
3 TBS oil
1 cup green onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups mushrooms (champignon or oyster), sliced
1/4 cup water
1 bell pepper, finely chopped, or 2 hot peppers, chopped (optional)
1 cup feta cheese, cubed
1/4 cup blue cheese, cubed (optional)
In a large frying pan or wok, heat the oil at medium heat.

Stir fry the onions and garlic until softened and fragrant.
Add the mushrooms; stir fry for 5 minutes and add water.
Lower heat and cover pan to allow mushrooms to cook for another 10
minutes.
Stir in green pepper and allow to cook another 5 minutes.
Stir in cheese.
Serve with brown rice.

Sel roti are rice flour–based pastries traditionally eaten at festivals in Bhutan and
neighboring countries Nepal and Sikkim, though they are now widely consumed
for snacks, breakfast, and other occasions. There are many variants, using
different proportions of rice flour to wheat flour with the addition of unripe
banana or honey, and a different mix of spices. Makes 8–10 “doughnuts.”
2 cups rice flour

1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (whole)
1/8 tsp cloves (optional)
1 TBS fresh grated coconut (optional)
1/4 cup butter or ghee, melted
3/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk
Oil for deep frying
In a large bowl, combine the rice and wheat flour, sugar, baking
powder and soda, spices, and coconut (if using).
Slowly whisk in the butter and yogurt, ensuring there are no lumps, for
a thick batter.
Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 2–4 hours or overnight.
Before frying, mix the batter and add more yogurt if needed, to get a
slow pouring consistency, like thick pancake batter.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Drop about 1/4 cup of
batter in a circular motion to make a circle; make sure to join the two
ends of batter together.
With a turner, submerge the sel roti under the oil, to make it puff up.
Cook until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels; eat while hot. Serve with tea or other hot or
cold drink.
Bolivia
Bolivia is a landlocked country in the Andean highlands of South America. Its

climate is varied: cold and semiarid in the Andes Mountains and highland
plateau, tropical in the lowland Amazon plains. The Andes are the original home
of the potato, with over three hundred varieties grown.
Bolivians are mostly Indian or mixed Indian-European, with only 15
percent European. Bolivian cuisine is a mix of Amerindian and Spanish
elements. Bolivia and neighboring Peru and Ecuador share common foods, such
as the potato and corn, and a hot peppery cuisine. There are distinct differences
between Bolivian highland and lowland cuisines: highland cooking is peppery
hot, often featuring corn and cheese. Lowland food comes with cooked banana
and cassava.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: potato (many varieties and colors), white corn, beans, rice,
cassava, plantain, and quinoa, a highland grain often added to soups
and stews.
• Chicken, turkey, guinea pig, rabbit; beef in the south, where cow’s
tongue is a specialty. Dried meat, called charque (the origin of the
word “jerky”), is often used in stews. Wild game meat is eaten in the
tropical jungle areas.
• Fish: freshwater fish (eaten near the two lakes Titicaca and Poopu).
• Fruits: avocado, custard apple, prickly pear, banana, mango.
TYPICAL DISHES
• A typical snack is salteña, a larger version of the empanada found all
over South America. Salteñas are considered typically Bolivian: filled
with beef or chicken, vegetables, olives, raisins, and egg, they are a
complete meal.
• Substantial stews are common, accompanied by two or more of these
staples—potatoes (fried or boiled), cassava, corn on the cob, and fried
banana.
• Potatoes, boiled or fried, fresh or freeze dried, are ubiquitous. Freeze-
dried potatoes are unique to Bolivia and neighbors Peru and Ecuador.
They are often found with fresh potatoes in the same dish.
• Corn is often made into steamed pastries wrapped in cornhusks.
• Bread, sometimes made of rice flour, is often sweet, topped with
cheese.
• Fresh peanuts, pureed smooth, are often made into soup with milk.
• A vegetarian dish enjoyed throughout Bolivia but originating in the
capital is plato paceño (La Paz dish): hot corn on the cob, draped with
melting white cheese, accompanied by boiled potatoes and broad
beans.
• Desserts include coconut sweets, ice cream, sweet pastries, and
fritters.
• In the highlands, warm drinks such as tea made from mate (see
Paraguay entry for sidebar “Yerba Mate,” p. 1064) or ground purple
corn (api) are popular. Api is served with plenty of cinnamon or cloves
and lemon. Cold drinks are often made from fresh fruits, though
soaked dried peaches make a unique juice. Drinks are also made of
ground roasted peanuts or ground white corn and cinnamon. Fruit
shakes are made with banana, strawberry, peach, mango, and melon.
Cassava or corn are often fermented into a drink called chicha. In the
countryside, chicha is not always alcoholic, and a white flag outside
houses indicates chicha for sale.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast is usually a sweet, purple corn-based drink called api and a
cheese-filled pastry or fried dough balls.
• Lunch is an important meal. People try to eat at home with their
families and take long lunch breaks. It usually begins with soup,
followed by a main course.
• In the afternoon, people have tea or coffee with a meat-or cheese-
filled pastry.
• Most families eat a light evening meal, such as soup with baked corn
and cheese.

This is a simple version of the original steamed pastry wrapped in cornhusks.
Adventurous cooks may wish to replicate the original by wrapping the batter
securely in individual foil squares and steaming over a double boiler. Serve as a
first course with soup or as a snack.
10-ounce package frozen corn, thawed and drained

1/4 cup skimmed milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp anise seeds
2 eggs, beaten
4 generous slices cheese, Swiss or mozzarella
1/2 tsp paprika
Humintas (Vladir/iStockphoto.com)
Spray a 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a blender or food processor, puree the thawed corn and milk until
smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, sugar, baking powder,
salt, anise seeds, and cinnamon.
Add beaten eggs and the pureed corn, mixing well.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Top with cheese and sprinkle
with paprika.
Bake for 40–45 minutes or until done. Cool for 10 minutes before
cutting into squares.
Serve with a meat dish such as silpancho (see the next recipe).

This makes a good main course to follow humintas. Have ready some cooked
white rice as accompaniment.
4 round beef steaks
salt
pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup cooking oil
Garnish
4 medium potatoes, cut into strips
4 firm, not too ripe bananas, sliced
cooking oil for deep frying
4 eggs
salt
pepper
Sauce
1/2 large tomato, chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 chili, deseeded, minced
4 TBS olive oil
2 TBS wine vinegar
salt
First prepare the garnish: heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep frying
pan over medium heat and fry the potatoes until crisp. Drain and set
aside.
Fry the bananas until golden brown. Drain and set aside. Pour out the
oil, leaving just a film.
Fry the eggs sunny side up, taking care not to pierce the yolk.
Season with salt and pepper. Drain, set aside, and keep warm.
Next prepare the sauce by mixing well all ingredients in a bowl.
Pound and then season the steaks with salt and pepper.
Dip into beaten egg, then coat liberally with bread crumbs.
Heat oil over medium heat in a frying pan and fry steaks until golden.
Drain and keep warm until ready to serve.
Place each steak over a serving of cooked white rice. Arrange fried
potatoes, bananas, and a fried egg alongside.
Spoon sauce around the egg. Serve at once.

This hearty stew is popular, served with boiled sweet corn on the cob (or
kernels) and boiled potatoes in a deep plate. Add a spicy sauce at the table, as
Bolivians do.
4 thick pork chops (with bone)

1 1/2 cups water
3 TBS oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 TBS mint, minced
1 TBS crumbled oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
2 eggs, beaten (optional; for garnish)
Parboil the chops in a pot with water for about 10 minutes. Drain, but
reserve the broth.
Heat oil in a frying pan and stir fry all the other ingredients, adding
them in the order as listed.
Add the pork and the reserved broth, adding water to make 2 cups if
needed. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Just before serving, quickly stir in the green onions and the eggs and
turn off the heat.

This table condiment is customarily made with plum-sized hot chili peppers
called locoto in Bolivia (rocoto elsewhere) and an herb called “killi” by the
Quechua Indians. This unusual herb, also called quilquiña (Porophyllum
ruderale) and said to taste like arugula, cilantro, basil, and rue combined, is part
of the Quechua daily diet.
5 ripe tomatoes, sliced

2 green chili peppers, without seeds
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 TBS fresh basil leaves
1 TBS fresh cilantro
5–6 arugula leaves
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1 TBS olive oil
Blend all ingredients for a few seconds in a blender or food processor

to get a very rough puree.
Serve with everything.

This rich custard is popular throughout the country as a dessert.
6 whole eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup granulated sugar
ground cinnamon (optional)
Blend the eggs, sugar, and milk until well mixed.

Pour mixture into a baking pan 1 1/2 to 2 quarts.
Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.
Let cool.
Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon before serving.

Cocadas are small sweet “cookies” made of coconut, often eaten for dessert or
snacks. If only dried grated (desiccated) coconut is available, mix it with 1 cup
warm milk and let stand for 15–20 minutes until the milk is completely absorbed
before using. About 24–30 macaroons.
3 cups moist grated coconut

1 egg, beaten

Mix thoroughly the coconut, condensed milk, almond extract, and egg.
Spoon walnut-sized portions of the coconut mixture, spaced well apart,
on a buttered baking sheet or shallow baking pan.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and just starting to brown at the
edges.
Leave to cool on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes.
Transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

This sherbet is a frequent snack or sweet. Use 2 sticks of cinnamon if you wish a
more intense flavor.
2 1/2 cups water

1 cup sugar
1–2 sticks (3–4 inches long) cinnamon
2 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS cold water
2 TBS lemon juice
Prepare a cinnamon flavored syrup: over medium heat, simmer the

water, sugar, and cinnamon until slightly reduced, about 10–15
minutes.
Mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry; stir well into cinnamon
syrup.
When the cinnamon syrup–cornstarch mixture has turned transparent,
turn off heat.
Let mixture cool to room temperature; remove cinnamon.
Chill the mixture; freeze in an ice-cream freezer (and follow
manufacturer’s instructions).
Otherwise, put mixture into an ice-cube tray (without the cube
dividers) covered with foil.
Allow to freeze to a slush; stir thoroughly every 30 minutes, 3 to 4
times. Then allow to freeze thoroughly. Transfer from freezer to the
refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.
Formerly a part of Yugoslavia, now a UN protectorate on the eastern shore of

the Adriatic Sea, the country, about the size of West Virginia, is mountainous,
bisected by wide, well-watered plains and valleys. Summers vary from hot to
cold and winters from mild to cold, depending on altitude, enabling Bosnian
farmers to raise wheat, maize, fruits, vegetables, and livestock.
About half the population are Bosniak Muslims, the other half Serbo-Croat
Christians. A great deal of tension exists between the different ethnic groups,
which led to a destructive civil war in the 1990s.
The food, in common with much of the former Yugoslavia, is heavily
influenced by Turkish cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat bread, noodles, rice.
• Potato, peppers, tomato, cucumber, beans and other pulses.
• Grape, plum, apricot, pear, apple.
• Mutton, lamb (preferred), beef, pork (most Bosniaks are not strict
Muslims), chicken, ducks, eggs, dairy products, sausages, preserved
meats.
• Fish/seafood from the Adriatic: shrimp, shellfish, octopus.
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, paprika, pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Flat breads: pita-like somun, soft lepinja; polenta-like cornmeal mush
called pura.
• Meat dishes: grilled kebab, sausage (cevapcici, also cevapi), burger-
like meat patties (pleskavica).
• Festive foods: lamb on a spit (janjetina), sweet butter bread

(pogaca).
• Meat and vegetable dishes: casserole of ground beef and potato or
eggplant (musaka), layered meat and vegetables (Bosanski lonac),
lamb stewed with spinach and onions.
• Turkish-style pastry (burek) filled with potato (krompirusa), spinach
(zeljanica) or cheese (sirnica).
• Soups: bean; chicken, or veal with okra (begova corba).
• Vegetables stuffed with meat and rice: pepper or zucchini (dolma),
stuffed grape or cabbage leaves (sarma).
• Side dishes of pickled cabbage; simple salads of tomato and onion.
Yogurt often comes with meals.
• Desserts: fruit, rolled pancakes with sweet cream cheese filling, apple
pie (jabukovaca) or other fruit-based cakes, nut-and-honey pastry
(baklava).
• Drinks: fruit juices, including juniper berries, rose petals,
elderflower; strong sweet coffee; yogurt drink; bottled carbonated
drinks; local wine and millet beer (boza); homemade brandy (rakija)
of plum, cherry, apple, or pear.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people eat three meals a day, lunchtime being the most
substantial, usually consisting of two or three courses.
• Breakfast: bread with jam or honey, soft white cheese, and hot tea,
coffee, or milk to drink.
• Lunch: soup, meat or fish main dish, rice or potatoes or cornmeal
mush, braised vegetables, fresh vegetable salad (summer) or pickled
cabbage (winter), dessert.
• Supper: very light; leftovers from lunch or bread or potatoes or
cornmeal mush, soft white cheese and/or cold cuts.
• Snacks are eaten at any time of the day. Cakes and savory snacks are
both popular, most often washed down by thick, black, sweet coffee.
• People tend to eat out often, and cafés are a major socializing place,
particularly for men.

Beans, peas, and other legumes are most commonly eaten. This dish is served for
a midday or evening meal.
3 TBS vegetable oil

2 cans white beans, drained
2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes, chopped
5 shallots, finely sliced (or substitute 1 onion)
1 pound spicy sausage (chorizo or kabanos, available at stores that sell
Hispanic or Mediterranean foods)
Heat oil in a heavy skillet.

Sauté shallots until tender. Add garlic and cook till fragrant.
Add beans, tomatoes, parsley, and sausages; simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve hot with crusty bread.
Beg’s Soup
A beg was a Turkish provincial governor. Serve this soup as a first course for
dinner or for a light meal with rice, boiled potatoes, or bread.
4 pieces chicken quarters or legs

6 cups water
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
12 young okra, tops removed (do not slice okra unless you want a
glutinous dish)
1/4 cup cooked rice
4 eggs
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup sour cream
Simmer meat, water, carrots, celery, parsley, salt, and pepper, until
chicken is tender, about 45–50 minutes.
Add okra and rice, simmer for 10 minutes.
Crack eggs one at a time, next to each other, over the soup.
Do not stir. Let yolks solidify, about 5–8 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Serve hot.
Pass lemon juice and sour cream for diners to help themselves.

Banja Luka is a town is central Bosnia. Serve this dish with rice for a midday or
evening meal.
3 TBS butter
2 pounds ground meat (beef or pork)
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups water
5 TBS tomato paste
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
Heat butter in a saucepan. Add meat and stir fry briefly over high heat.
Stir in onion, carrots, and parsley, fry for 2 minutes.
Add water, tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer until meat is cooked and sauce thick.
Stir in red peppers, simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve immediately.

This is a popular dessert, eaten well chilled. Variations on the traditional filling
include mixing chopped raisins and/or chocolate with chopped (not ground) nuts
and baking the apples with the filling in place, surrounded by syrup. Use eating
apples that retain their shape during baking; cooking apples will collapse to a
mush.
4 eating apples
1–2 cups water
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1 cup finely ground walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts
1 tsp cinnamon;
1/2 cup sour cream or thick yogurt
whipped cream, chopped nuts for garnish
Peel the apples; core them with a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon to get a
large cavity for the filling.
Be careful to keep the apples whole and intact.
Place apples in a bowl with the water and lemon rind and juice to
prevent browning.
In a baking dish, place the cored apples.
Add the lemon water from soaking the apples; add more water to
completely cover the apples.
Sprinkle apples with 1/2 cup sugar. Cover with a plate or lid to keep
apples submerged.
Bake for 25–30 minutes or until tender but still intact.
While apples are baking, mix a filling of 1/2 cup sugar, walnuts,
cinnamon, and sour cream.
Place apples in individual serving dishes; fill the cores with the filling
and ladle cooking liquid around the apple.
Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Cheese-filled phyllo-wrapped pastries can be found throughout the Balkans. Pita
sirnica is a popular snack, traditionally shaped in a large coil.
2 cups cottage cheese

1/4 cup thick cream or sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
16 ounces (about 32 sheets) phyllo dough
1/2 cup (or more) oil or melted butter for greasing
1 cup cornmeal
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 × 12 inch baking dish.

Prepare the filling: mix cottage cheese, cream, eggs, and salt.
Lay two sheets of phyllo dough on a clean tea towel; brush with oil or
butter. Cover unused phyllo with a towel to prevent drying.
Place 2–3 TBS of filling, close to the edge of the long side of the
phyllo; sprinkle 1–2 tsp of cornmeal alongside.
Roll dough over to cover the filling, lifting the tea towel with your
fingers to facilitate rolling.
Place filled roll seam side down on the baking dish; repeat with the
rest of the dough and filling. Lightly brush the rolls with oil.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until pastry is golden.
Botswana
A large southern African country, entirely landlocked, Botswana is slightly

smaller than Texas. Much of the country is scrubland, with the edges of the
Kalahari Desert in the southwest. It has spectacular wildlife due partly to the
Okavango Swamp, an area that is fed by annual rains.
A British protectorate until 1966 under the name Bechuanaland, Botswana
has been a success story, fueled partly by sensible use of diamonds, its major
natural resource.
The majority of the population are Tswana—largely cattle herders and

farmers—and Herero and San (Bushman) constitute a small part. The diet is
similar to that of neighboring South Africa and Zimbabwe. Sorghum, maize,
beans, and meat (for those who can afford it) dominate the cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: maize or sorghum, in the form of stiff porridge, is the basis of
every meal.
• Pumpkin, squash, cucumber, tomato, various greens, cabbage, beans.
• Fruit: some orchard fruit, watermelon, melon, baobab fruit.
• Meat: eaten at special occasions, as Tswana are reluctant to slaughter
their cattle. Beef, goat, and chicken are also consumed.
• A variety of foods collected from the wild and considered great
delicacies, most notably, mopane worms.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The staple is a stiff cornmeal porridge variously called sadza or
nsima (see Ghana entry for sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505), which is
eaten traditionally by hand, dipped into a stew or sauce.
• Meat stews.
Baobab fruit. (David Reed/Corbis)
• Cooked pumpkin.
• Drinks: English tea, with sugar and milk; rooibos tea (bush tea);
bottled fruit juices; bottled carbonated drinks; beer, both homebrewed
and commercial.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day for those who can afford it.
• Most families in urban areas eat around a table, following modified
European table settings. In the countryside, people eat sitting on a mat
around a common dish of staple and side dishes.
• Snacks such as chips, peanuts, or mopane worms are sold on the
streets.

When affordable, meat dishes such as this are usually served with the staple fufu
for a main meal.
1 pound beef (any boneless cut)

water to cover
Place meat, onion, and seasoning in a pot.

Cover with water and simmer for about 2 hours until soft, skimming
froth from time to time.
Drain liquid thoroughly in a colander and reserve.
Pound the meat with the flat side of a meat mallet until flaky.
Simmer and reduce liquid. Thicken with a spoonful of flour to make a
gravy.
Serve with fufu (see Ghana entry for sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505)
and thickened gravy.
Cooked Greens
This is a frequently made side dish.
1 pound spinach, washed and finely chopped

2 tomatoes, sliced finely
1 bell pepper, sliced finely
1/2 cup water
2 tsp oil
Put the spinach, onions, tomatoes, and pepper into a pot.

Add water and oil.
Flavor with salt and pepper.
Cook covered for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
Serve over fufu or rice.
Tomato Loofah
The loofah is an edible vegetable of the gourd family. Mature specimens are
dried and seeded, and the fibrous “skeleton” is used when bathing. The young
loofah has a tough angled skin and soft flesh, tasting somewhat like cucumber, a
related gourd. It can be found at grocers selling Asian foods. Serve for a midday
or evening meal with a meat dish and bogobe (see Ghana entry for sidebar
“African Staple,” p. 505).
3 TBS vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped
1 heaped TBS fresh ginger, grated
2 pounds small, green loofahs, peeled and sliced thin (or substitute
zucchini)
1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
salt to taste
1 cup water
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
Heat oil, and sauté half the onions until translucent.

Add ginger and garlic; stir fry for 3 minutes.
Add loofahs, remaining onion, tomatoes, and salt.
Reduce heat; simmer until loofahs are tender, for about 5–7 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and sugar; cook for a further 2 minutes.
Serve hot.
Mopane Worms
The most famous of Botswanan wild foods is the caterpillar of the emperor moth
(Imbrasia or Gonimbrasia belina), which grows on the mopane tree. It is a
protein-rich delicacy eaten as a relish or a snack. Also available dried and
canned in hot sauce or tomato sauce, mopane worms (actually, caterpillars) are
gathered in season from trees in the wild by most households (see sidebar
“Edible Insects and Other Land Invertebrates,” p. 174).
1 pound dried mopane worms

salt to taste
Wash the dried caterpillars thoroughly.

Rehydrate by soaking in water until soft, or overnight in the
refrigerator.
Steam, or cook with salted water for 10 minutes.
Serve with tomato and onion relish (recipe to follow).
(Alternatively, shallow fry the drained and dried caterpillars until
golden brown and stir into tomato and onion relish).

Serve this with mopane worms or fried locust.
3 TBS oil
2 large tomatoes or 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
chili sauce to taste (optional)
Heat oil and sauté onion until softened.

Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until thickened.
Stir in chili sauce if using.
Serve hot or cold.

As in most countries afflicted by locusts, this agricultural pest has been made
into a delicacy; they are particularly important if other sources of food have been
consumed by the insect swarms.
1 pound locusts (or substitute small shrimp)

water to cover
oil for frying
Remove the wings and hind legs of the locusts (leave shrimp whole,
removing legs if desired).
Simmer in a little water until softened, for about 5–8 minutes.
Drain and pat dry.
Add salt and pepper.
Heat oil in pan. Fry locusts until brown and crisp.
Serve with sadza (corn porridge; see Ghana entry for sidebar “African
Staple,” p. 505).
EDIBLE INSECTS AND OTHER LAND INVERTEBRATES

Insects, arthropods (spiders), and other land invertebrates are eaten in most
areas of the world. They are rarely a staple and often considered a delicacy.
The most prominent of those are locusts (eaten throughout Africa and the
Middle East), which are often the only thing people have to eat when fields
are attacked by those pests. Other insect delicacies include white ants in
Sudan, spiders in South America (eaten by forest tribes), silkworm pupae in
Korea (sold from street barrows), grubs in Australia (bush tucker), and
beetles in Thailand. In the previous century, starvation forced many
Cambodians to eat tarantula-like spiders, which have now become a famous
rural delicacy.

Sweetened fermented porridge called ting, or motogo-wa-ting, is often served for
breakfast. Unsweetened and unfermented sorghum cereal is bogobe, and it
accompanies main meals. Adding yeast is not traditional but approximates the
fermented flavor of ting. It can be omitted and instead lemon juice added at the
table for each diner to use according to his or her own taste.
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups sorghum meal or cornmeal
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups water plus extra
1/4 cup sugar
milk, buttermilk, or yogurt and sugar to serve
In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in warm water; set aside
until frothy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, place the sorghum meal; mix 1/2 cup or more water to
make a uniform paste. Stir in the yeast mixture.
Over medium heat, bring the rest of the water to a boil.
Slowly add in the sorghum paste, stirring all the while to prevent
lumps forming.
Lower the heat, and continue cooking until porridge is thick, about 10–
15 minutes.
Add more water if porridge is too thick.
Serve with milk or buttermilk or yogurt and sugar.
Magwinya are fried dough balls filled with savory or sweet fillings for snacks.
This recipe calls for a sweet filling with honey or jam. Marula jam or jelly, if
available, would be an excellent filling (marula fruits are native to the region).
The nearest substitute would be redcurrant jam or jelly.

1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 TBS melted butter
1/2 cup honey or fruit jam
Oil for frying
In a large bowl, combine flour with salt. Mix in egg, sugar, milk,
butter. With greased or lightly floured fingers, shape dough into
walnut-sized balls.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep fryer to 360°F, and fry a few balls
at a time until golden.
Drain on paper towels. Slit and fill with honey or jam.
Brazil
Brazil, the largest and the most populous country in South America, is almost as
big as the United States. It was a Portuguese colony until independence in 1822.
Its climate is mostly tropical; the south is temperate. Brazil’s terrain and climate
favor the production of coffee, a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and cattle. It is
the world’s biggest producer of coffee.
Brazilians are mostly Europeans (descendants of Portuguese, Spanish,
Italian, and German settlers) with minorities of Afro-American, Japanese,
Amerindians, and other ethnic groups. Brazilian food is rich and diverse, mixing
Portuguese, Moorish, other European, African, and Amerindian influences. The
Minas Gerais region is famed for its chefs and distinctive cooking, called
Mineira style.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat bread, rice, corn, cassava (as manioc flour), beans.
• Vegetables: kale, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, peppers, cassava,
beans, and peanuts.
• Soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, peanuts, citrus fruits.
• Meat: beef, chicken, pork, and in the jungle, various hunted animals.
Sundried meat, charque (jerky), is an important source of protein in
northeast Brazil.
• Fish: sea fish caught in the Atlantic, riverine fish from the Amazon
and its tributaries.
• Manioc, the flour made from the cassava tuber, is used in many
ways. Toasted manioc is an essential table condiment. Mixed with
palm oil, the bright yellow meal produced (farofa) is served in a bowl
and spooned by each diner over meat, poultry, or vegetables. Manioc
is also used as a thickener for stews or in cakes.
• Brazil nuts, which grow wild, are often used in sweets and cakes.
• Portuguese food items such as dried cod, dried shrimp, olives,
almonds, garlic, and onions are typically added to Brazilian dishes.
• German and Italian settlers in southeast Brazil contributed assorted

cheeses and preserved meats (sausage, salami) to Brazilian food.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Brazil’s national dish is feijoada completa, a bean dish with assorted
preserved meats. Many restaurants feature it for Saturday lunch.
Jerked beef, smoked sausage, smoked tongue, salt pork, spices, herbs,
and vegetables are slowly cooked with the beans. Accompaniments are
kale and orange slices, and for adults, sugarcane-based alcoholic
drinks.
• The staple of rice and beans is commonly eaten with steak or
chicken.
• Regional cooking differs. The northeast (Bahia region) reflects
African preferences for red palm oil (dende), okra, plantains, hot
peppers, and coconut. The southeast has more Portuguese, European,
and Moorish elements, seen in cuzcuz paulista.
• African-influenced dishes: okra, shrimp, and pepper stew (caruru);
bean and dried shrimp fritters (acarajé); chicken or seafood stew with
coconut, dried shrimps, and palm oil (vatapá).
Feijoada, the national dish of Brazil, is a typical Brazilian dish made with black beans and several kinds of
meat, mainly pork. (iStockPhoto.com)
• Meat dishes: beef, widely eaten as steaks or skewered with other

meats in a mixed grill called churrasco. In the southeast, pork features
in roast suckling pig and crisp cracklings of pork skin.
• Fish from the Amazon, including the feared piranha and its
vegetarian relatives, are broiled, baked, or grilled, served with lemon
or bananas and coconut milk.
• Snacks: toasted sandwiches filled with steak in the south; in the
north, filled with tomato, ham, and cheese.
• Desserts are very rich, based on eggs and milk, reflecting their
Portuguese heritage. These include quindim (coconut custard); sweet
egg threads; Romeu e Julieta, fresh cheese and sweet guava paste from
classic dessert of quince paste and cheese in Portugal and Spain (the
same combination is widely eaten throughout South America with
hard or soft white cheese); sherbets and ice creams from exotic fruits.
• Drinks: juices (with or without milk) from various exotic fruits,
berries, and palm fruits. Guaraná, a soft drink made with the juice of a
caffeine-rich Amazonian fruit; beer; cachaça, pinga, and aguardente,
potent drinks distilled from sugarcane.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast tends to be simple: milky coffee and a pastry or fried
bread, or leftovers.
• Lunch is light and can be a snack of sandwiches or fried pies; it can
be a slightly more substantial meal.
• Dinner may be lengthy, multicourse (appetizers, soup, main dish and
vegetables, dessert), with juices and beer, and ending with coffee.

Beans are a major component of Brazilian food and may be eaten at all meals.
This dish reflects an African influence, showing a similarity to a dish called
accra.
2 cups canned kidney beans, drained

1 onion, chopped
1 chili pepper
salt
black pepper
oil for deep frying
20 pieces dried shrimp
Puree the beans, onion, chili, salt, and pepper in a food processor.
Form into 20 small balls, pressing a dried shrimp partly into the center
of each. (You should still see the shrimp.)
Heat oil over medium heat; fry balls in small batches until golden.
Drain and keep warm.
Serve hot as a first course, or as a snack.

Chicken is commonly served for dinner. Serve this with a green salad and white
boiled rice.
4 large chicken pieces (quarters or legs)

juice of two limes or lemons
1 tsp salt
Sauce
1 cup chicken stock or water

1/2 cup dried shrimp
1/2 cup chopped almonds or cashews
2 cans coconut cream
1 cup fresh, white bread crumbs
6 TBS olive oil
2 onions, chopped (separate into 2 portions)
1 bunch spring onions, chopped (separate into 2 portions)
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 small fresh red chilies (leave stalk intact, i.e. just wash and use
whole)
2 TBS tomato paste
4 TBS palm oil (optional)
4 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
Marinade the chicken with garlic, lime (or lemon) juice, and salt. Set
aside.
In a blender or food processor, process the chicken stock, shrimp, nuts,
1 can coconut milk, and bread crumbs until smooth. Set aside.
In a stewing pan, heat 3 TBS olive oil.
Stir fry one portion of the onion and spring onions until soft, about 10
minutes.
Add tomatoes and chilies, stirring for 5 minutes.
Add chicken, tomato paste, chicken stock or water; simmer for 30–35
minutes until chicken is tender.
Transfer chicken to a dish and let cool.
Skin and bone chicken, chop meat coarsely; set aside.
Sieve chicken broth; set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat remaining olive oil; stir fry
remaining onions until soft.
Stir in processed mixture and broth from cooking the chicken.
Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring frequently until thick.
Stir in the remaining coconut milk, palm oil (if using), and the
chopped chicken.
Simmer until heated through.
Garnish with the herbs.

This vegetable dish is a traditional accompaniment to feijoada and other dishes
from the northeastern region of Minas Gerais. The original recipe is for kale, a
green leafy relative of cabbage. Spinach or cabbage make good substitutes.
3 TBS pure olive oil

1 medium onion, minced
2 strips smoked bacon, sliced finely (optional)
1 head green cabbage, leaves shredded (or 3 cups frozen spinach,
thawed and drained)
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Stir fry the onion and garlic until softened, for about 10 minutes.
Stir in bacon.
Add cabbage or spinach; stir fry for 15 minutes (or less for the
spinach) so that the leaves have softened but still retain their green
color.
Add salt and pepper. (If using bacon, salt may not be needed.)
Serve hot.

Custards, derived from Portuguese originals, are common desserts.
1 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup sugar
2 TBS butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Butter a 9 × 9 inch glass baking dish; sugar the inside (similar to
flouring a baking pan, only using sugar).
Pour the blended mixture into the prepared dish.
Put the dish into a large baking tray.
Pour 1 inch of very hot water into the large tray.
Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until dark brown.
Replenish with boiling water as necessary to ensure the tray does not
dry out.

Brigadeiros are sweets that no Brazilian party or celebration would be without.
They are usually cooked on the stove; this recipe is for a microwave (650–800
watts).
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

7–9 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 TBS butter
additional butter for rolling
chocolate sprinkles, chopped nuts, rainbow colored sprinkles for decor
paper cases
Put all the ingredients into a microwavable bowl and mix until smooth.
Microwave for 1 minute on medium heat. Take out of microwave and
stir thoroughly.
Repeat 5–7 times more (depending on strength of the microwave),
until the mixture is very thick.
It is done when a spoon leaves a deep trail through the mixture and the
bottom of the bowl is visible.
Allow to cool, then chill thoroughly for 1 hour or more.
With buttered hands, shape a tablespoonful of the mixture into a ball.
Roll the ball in sprinkles or nuts to cover and place on paper cases.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

These coconut balls are often paired with chocolate truffles (see recipe above).
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup unsweetened grated coconut
1 TBS butter
additional butter, grated coconut for rolling
paper cases
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat, cook milk, coconut,

and butter about 15–20 minutes or until very thick.
When the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, it is done.
Allow to cool, then chill thoroughly for 1 hour or more.
With buttered hands, shape a tablespoonful of the mixture into a ball.
Roll the ball in coconut; place on paper cases.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Brunei
Brunei was a very powerful kingdom on the island of Kalimantan, bordering

Malaysia and Indonesia, that became a British protectorate in 1888. It became
independent in 1984. Due to extensive petroleum and natural gas resources,
Brunei is extremely prosperous, and Bruneians have one of the highest per capita
GDPs in the developing world, entitling them to a free university education,
medical care, and subsidized rice.
Brunei has hot, humid coastal plains and a few mountains, where rice,
tropical fruits, and vegetables, as well as water buffalo and chicken, are raised.
Bruneians are predominantly Malay, with a minority being Chinese, Indians, and
aboriginals such as the Iban (Dayak), who were famous headhunters. Malay
Bruneians are predominantly Muslim and thus eat no pork. Bruneian food is
spicy and aromatic, very similar to Malaysian food: an amalgam of Indian,
Chinese, and Indonesian cooking styles.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are rice, vegetables, fish, seafood.
• Chicken, beef, water buffalo.
• Squash, long beans, eggplant, various green leafy vegetables, petai
(pungent bean), young fern shoots.
• Banana, papaya, pineapple, watermelon; exotic tropical fruits such as
durian, rambutan (similar to the lychee), and Brunei cherry (asam aur-
aur, a juicy, slightly tart red-yellow berry).
• Seasonings: coconut, chilies, many spices (cinnamon, fennel, cumin,
coriander, turmeric, etc.), screw-pine leaf (pandan), hot chili–based
condiment (sambal), salted fish paste (belachan).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Ambuyat: sago paste dipped in fish curry and sour fruit sauce
• Curried stews of beef, chicken, and fish, called rendang.
• Soups of chicken, beef, or fish with vegetables, called soto.
• Rice dishes: coconut rice (nasi lemak), fried rice (nasi goreng).
• Vegetables: curried vegetables (sayur lodeh), ulam (mixed vegetable
and herb salad).
• Chinese-influenced noodles: fried noodles (mee goreng), soup
noodles (laksa).
• Indian-style dishes: roti prata—fried flat bread served with lentils
and chili pepper sauce (sambal) or fish/chicken curry.
Dried anchovies.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three main meals a day and snacks.
• According to Muslim custom, only the right hand is used for eating
and passing food.
• Breakfast: rice porridge, rice with curry, noodles (laksa), flat breads
(roti), toast, tea or coffee.
• Lunch: rice and side dish of vegetables, fish, or meat; noodles; meat-
filled pastry (murtabak).
• Dinner: rice and two to three side dishes of soup, vegetables, fish or
meat, all served at the same time. Dessert of fresh fruit or rich
coconut-based sweet.
• Snacks: spicy noodles, flat breads, sweet or savory pastries.
• Food in all public eating places is prepared according to Muslim food
rules; all eating places have to be certified as serving halal food.

Vegetable dishes are most often served with fish or seafood added for flavor.
Any vegetable in season can be used instead, ensuring a balance of textures and
colors. This dish is traditionally served with pressed rice cubes (lontong). With
plain rice, it makes a quick, light lunch or a side dish for the evening main meal.
Dried and fresh shrimp, as well as belachan (pressed salted fish paste, an
original Malay flavoring), give this vegetable dish added flavor. Dried shrimp
and belachan can be bought at stores that sell Asian foods. Anchovy paste can
be substituted for belachan.
3 TBS oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced thinly
2 TBS dried shrimp, soaked in water and pounded (optional)
1 cup fresh small or medium shrimp, shelled
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 green cabbage, sliced into 2-inch pieces
15 French beans, sliced into 2-inch pieces
2 carrots or turnips, cut into strips
1 block firm soy bean curd, cubed
salt to taste
Spice mix (rempah)

15 whole cashew nuts
10 shallots or 1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp chili powder (optional)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 TBS belachan or anchovy paste
In a food processor or blender, process the spice mix, adding 2 TBS oil
if necessary, until smooth.
Heat 1 TBS oil over medium heat in a saucepan, and fry the spice mix
until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
Stir in ginger slices and dried shrimp (if using), and cook for about 2–3
minutes.
Add coconut milk and water, mixing well. Bring to a boil.
Stir in vegetables, fresh shrimp, bean curd, and salt; simmer for about
10 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked but still crisp.

Although fish and seafood are most preferred, chicken is the second most
commonly eaten white meat. This dish is served at the main meal in the evening,
accompanied by white rice, cooked or raw vegetables, chili sauce, and other
vegetable relishes or condiments (sambal).
4 large chicken portions, legs or quarters

1 cup water
1 2-inch piece ginger, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 TBS cooking oil
1/4 cup ground coconut, ground finely in food processor or blender
2 cups coconut milk
1 pandan (screw-pine) leaf (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Spice mix
1 1/2 onions, finely chopped
1 2-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
1 2-inch piece galangal root, finely chopped (optional)
1 dried red chili, reconstituted in warm water (optional)
2 fresh chilies (optional)
In a covered saucepan, simmer chicken with water, ginger, garlic, and

onion until tender, for about 20–25 minutes. Set aside. When cool
enough to handle, remove skin or retain, according to preference.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat and dry fry the ground coconut
until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add cooking oil to skillet and fry all the spice-mix items over medium
heat until fragrant.
Stir in coconut milk, ground coconut, pandan leaf (if using), chicken,
salt, and sugar (if using).
Serve at once.
? Did you know?

Rice is still the world’s most frequently eaten food, being eaten three or
more times a day in many places in Asia.

A very popular breakfast or lunch dish, not only in Brunei but also throughout
neighboring countries such as Malaysia, nasi lemak is traditionally served with
spicy anchovies (see the next recipe), or shrimp or chicken curry, accompanied
by sliced cucumbers and hard-boiled or scrambled eggs.
2 cups rice
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups coconut milk
2 pandan (screw-pine) leaves, tied into a knot (optional)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed
Rinse rice, soak in water for 1 hour. Drain.

In a heavy covered saucepan, place rice, coconut milk, salt, ginger
root, and pandan leaves.
Let come to a boil, cover, then lower heat to just simmer for about 15–
20 minutes.
Fluff up with a fork.
(Alternatively, place all the ingredients in an automatic [electric] rice
cooker and follow manufacturer’s instructions for cooking, as for plain
rice.)

There are many variants of this spicy condiment, the main ingredient of which is
dried anchovies. This sambal is the traditional accompaniment to coconut rice
(nasi lemak), along with sliced cucumbers, fried salted peanuts, and half a hard-
boiled egg (occasionally an omelet). The combination is a favorite for breakfast
or lunch. Dried anchovies can be bought at stores that sell Asian foods.
4–5 shallots, chopped

4 dried chilies, rehydrated and seeded (optional)
3 candlenuts or 15 cashew nuts
2 TBS oil
1 cup dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
1 large onion, sliced finely
1 stalk lemon grass, pounded with rolling pin
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
Puree shallots, garlic, chilies (if using), and nuts until smooth in a food
processor or blender. Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry anchovies till crisp for
about 1 minute (be careful as they burn easily). Set aside.
Add 1 TBS more oil if needed; sauté pureed spices until fragrant.
Stir in onion, lemon grass, lime juice, water, salt, and sugar (if using).
Cook for about 5–8 minutes, until gravy thickens.
Stir in anchovies and cook until warmed through.

Coconut-based sweets are popular desserts and snacks, served with tea or coffee.
Cassava is available at major U.S. supermarkets, especially those that stock
Hispanic food items. Usually labeled “yuca” (and sometimes mislabeled
“yucca”), cassava is sold fresh and sometimes frozen. Sweet potatoes can be
used if cassava is unavailable, though reduce the amount of sugar to two-thirds
cup (the taste and texture will not be the same, however).
Bright red and green food colors are traditional for this sweet. Colors
can be omitted or else toned down to pale colors.
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 pound cassava root, peeled, rough fibers removed and cubed
1/2 cup grated coconut, frozen or fresh preferred. (If only dry, grated
coconut is available, refresh by mixing thoroughly with 1/4 cup warm
milk before using.)
1/2 tsp salt
red and green food coloring (optional though traditional; omit if using
sweet potatoes)
ring mold (about 5 cups capacity, or 8 1/2 × 2 1/2 inches)
Place sugar, water, salt, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium
heat and bring to a boil.
When sugar is dissolved, turn off heat. Set aside to cool.
Steam cassava until soft. Mash while still hot.
If using food colors, divide mashed cassava into three portions.
Likewise divide syrup into three portions.
Add 2–3 drops red food color to one portion of syrup or until desired
intensity of color is reached. Repeat for green.
Pour colored syrups over the cassava portions and blend each well. Do
the same for the uncolored syrup.
Spread each portion carefully and evenly into the mold, starting with
green at the bottom, uncolored in the middle, and red on top.
Try to make the layers straight and ensure the colors do not mix for an
attractive finish.
Chill for 1 hour.
Unmold onto a serving plate and sprinkle with grated coconut.
Kuih are diverse sweets made of coconut milk and various bases (rice, cassava,
corn), with flavors from screw-pine leaf (pandan) or fruits (durian, cempedak
[wild jackfruit]). Kuih tako tajung are normally steamed in a square container
made of fresh pandan leaves, which impart their distinctive scent. If you have
access to the fresh leaves, lay a piece at the bottom of the ramekins. These
sweets have two layers: the bottom one of corn flavored with pandan, the top has
a rich coconut cream layer. Have ready a steamer or double boiler.
For bottom layer

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups water
1/2 cup cream of corn or sweet corn kernels
1/4 tsp pandan essence
For topping
2 cups thick coconut cream
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine cornstarch, sugar, and water,

stirring well to avoid lumps.
Stir in the corn and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or
until mixture thickens.
Set aside to cool; stir in the pandan essence.
Prepare a steamer or double boiler.
Mix the topping: in a bowl, mix thoroughly the coconut cream,
cornstarch, and salt.
Divide the cooled corn mixture among 4 ramekins or heatproof cups.
Spoon the coconut cream mixture over the corn layer.
Place cups in the steamer and steam over boiling water for 20–25
minutes or until the top layer is set. Allow to cool thoroughly. These
can be served well chilled.
Serve directly in the ramekins.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a southeastern European country on the shores of the Black Sea

slightly larger than Tennessee. The country is partly mountainous, with wide and
well-watered valleys, and a moderate continental climate suited to
Mediterranean-type crops.
The population constitutes largely Bulgarians, with some Turkish,
Romanian, and Hungarian minorities. There is a heritage of Balkan and Turkish
cuisine, emphasizing lamb, breads, and cooked vegetables.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: noodles, potatoes, rice, corn bread.
• Meats: mutton, pork, and beef; chicken and duck; sweetbreads,
brains, and other innards meat are considered a delicacy.
• Vegetables: cabbage, onions, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and most
other European vegetables.
• Fruits: cherries, grapes (for table and for wine), peaches, apricots,
and plums.
• Dairy: milk, butter, cheeses (both hard and soft); yogurts and cream
(sweet and sour).
• Fish: some marine fish; freshwater fish such as carp.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Shopska salata: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onion covered
with grated white cheese.
• Sarmi: cabbage leaf–wrapped rice parcels. Other stuffed vegetables
such as peppers, tomatoes, and onions stuffed with mixtures of
vegetables, rice, and beans.
• Tarator: cold cucumber and garlic soup.
• Musaka: layered potatoes and minced meat baked with a layer of
yogurt and eggs.
• Kebabtse: skewered, spiced minced meat.
• Guvets: a meatless stew of vegetables such as potatoes, beans,
peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, okra.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day with snacks of coffee and pastry.
• Standard European table settings.
• Breakfast: pancakes, sandwiches, banitsa (layered puff pastry with
cheese, butter, and yogurt that is baked in the oven for 30–40 minutes).
• Midday meal: salad (almost universal), a soup or a tarator in summer
as an appetizer. The main dish might be meat and potatoes or
vegetables. Desserts might include pancakes with honey and nuts or a
chocolate cake.
• The evening meal tends to be similar to the midday meal with fewer
dishes.
• The structure of a celebratory meal is different and depends on the
occasion. If it is a birthday party, there is always a cake; if it is a
funeral, there is always boiled wheat, and for christening, there is a
fresh loaf.
• On Christmas there must be an odd number of meatless dishes,
including nuts, apples, garlic, dried fruit, and so on. Sarmi and dried
peppers filled with beans are eaten on Christmas night.
• For New Year’s Day, roast pig or turkey is the usual dish.
• Easter cakes together with colored eggs and roasted lamb are the
main Easter dishes. For St. George’s Day (St. George is the patron
saint of Bulgaria), which is a major holiday in Bulgaria, households
generally serve roast lamb with rice, baked slowly in an oven.
• Snacks, eaten at midmorning and in the afternoon, may include a
sandwich, a bun, or a piece of pizza.
• Coffee is the most common drink, usually drunk with sweet pastries
or a spoonful of rose-petal jam and a glass of water. Food is often
accompanied by rakia, an alcoholic, brandy-like drink.
Bean Puree (Papula)

Beans are an important component of the diet. Serve with hot corn bread and
fried fish, pickled peppers or green tomatoes, or sauerkraut.
1/2 pound canned white beans, well drained

4 TBS vegetable oil
salt, pepper, and hot paprika to taste
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
Put beans in a blender or food processor to chop coarsely.

Heat oil over low heat. Add garlic and paprika. Stir fry briefly.
Stir into pureed beans. Add salt and pepper.
Form a cone of beans on a serving dish.
Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Okra, originally from Africa, has become incorporated in the cuisine via the
Ottoman Empire.
1 pound tender, young okra

water and 1 tsp salt for cooking okra
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup oil
2 firm tomatoes, sliced horizontally
Trim only a thin slice off the stem end of the okra (otherwise the okra
will release its gelatinous juices).
Place okra into boiling salted water; cook briefly, about 3 minutes.
Drain and cool. Arrange in serving dish.
Mix lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper.
Pour dressing over okra; sprinkle with parsley.
Garnish with tomatoes.

A warming dish for a cold winter’s night.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 pound meat with fat (beef, lamb, or pork), cubed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup celery root, peeled and cubed, or celery
1 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
10 ounces fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
1 cup hot water
3/4 pound pearl onions, peeled
1 ounce flour
Heat oil in a thick saucepan; brown meat quickly on all sides.

Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cover, and sweat vegetables.
Stir in paprika, bay leaf, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
Add hot water, cover, and simmer until meat is half cooked, about 30
minutes.
Add pearl onions and garlic.
Mix flour with 1 TBS cold water to make paste. Stir into stew.
Add more warm water if needed, cover pot tightly.
Simmer until all is tender.
To serve, sprinkle with parsley.
Serve with potatoes or corn bread.

This is a Balkan version of a famous traditional Turkish confection. Serve with
coffee as a snack or after dinner.
1 cup melted butter

1 large packet (1 pound) fine vermicelli noodles, soaked in water for
about 5 minutes, then drained
10 ounces walnut or almond meats, crushed coarsely
4 ounces seedless raisins
Butter a 9 × 13 inch baking dish.

Place a layer of noodles, drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with
nuts and raisins.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients, ending with a noodle layer.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and pour syrup over noodles (see recipe below).
Bake 15 minutes more.
Leave to stand for one day to allow syrup to be absorbed.
Cut into squares, and arrange on a big plate.
Garnish with lemons from syrup. Serve.
Syrup
2 cups sugar
4 cups water
1 large lemon, sliced thinly
5 drops vanilla extract
In a pan, put the sugar, water, and lemons over low heat.
Gently simmer until sugar is dissolved but do not stir.
Turn off heat; stir in vanilla.

Banitsa (also spelled banitza) were traditionally eaten for breakfast,
accompanied by yogurt. They are now usually eaten as snacks. There are many
fillings, savory or sweet, but the most popular is cheese. Banitsa are filled with
good luck wishes (wrapped in foil) or charms when eaten during Christmas or
New Year.
2 cups white cheese, such as Bulgarian sirene or feta

3 eggs
1/2 cup (or more) butter, melted (for the filling and greasing)
1 cup yogurt
1 package (about 16 ounces) phyllo pastry
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup water or milk

Blend well the cheese, 2 eggs, half the butter, and yogurt.
With the remaining butter, grease a round baking dish, and lay two
sheets of phyllo, adding more to cover the entire bottom. Brush phyllo
with melted butter. (Cover the rest of the phyllo pastry with a kitchen
towel to prevent drying.)
Spoon a layer of the filling evenly over the phyllo.
Lay another 2 sheets of phyllo; brush with butter and cover with a
layer of filling.
Continue until all the filling has been used; leave 2–4 sheets of phyllo
for the top layer.
Cut through the layers into squares, about 3 x 3 inches.
Mix well the remaining egg with baking soda and water; pour over the
pastry, ensuring all surfaces are moistened.
Bake for 40–50 minutes or until golden.

Apple banitsa are called shtrudel, while walnut-filled ones are banitsa saralia.
Another sweet filling combines pumpkin and walnut. This filling combines the
first two.
3 apples, peeled, cored, and roughly grated

2 TBS lemon juice
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 package (about 1 pound) phyllo pastry
Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 × 13 inch baking dish.

In a bowl, blend well the apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Mix in walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and breadcrumbs.
On a clean kitchen towel, lay 2 sheets of phyllo and brush with melted
butter; lay another 2 sheets and brush with butter.
Place 3–5 spoonfuls of the apple-walnut mixture along the long edge
of the phyllo, close to the edge.
Roll over the phyllo to cover the filling, lifting the towel with your
fingers to facilitate rolling.
Place the filled roll seam side down on the baking dish.
Repeat with the rest of the phyllo and filling; brush rolls with butter.
Burkina Faso
A landlocked country in central Africa, Burkina Faso was a French colony called
Upper Volta until 1960. The climate is tropical, and much of the country is
rolling plains or savanna on which subsistence farmers raise sorghum, other
grains, and livestock.
It is populated by many ethnic groups, the largest of which are the Mossi.
The cooking is simple and based on staple grains eaten with peanut-and chili-
based sauces.
FOODSTUFFS
• Sorghum, millet, and maize are the most common foodstuffs,
supplemented by beans and occasionally meat and fish.
• Peanuts, especially in paste form (like unsweetened peanut butter),
and chilies are used extensively for sauces and flavorings. Tigue digue
nan is peanut paste sauce.
• Sumbala is a traditional condiment fermented from the beans of a
leguminous tree called néré (Parkia biglobosa).
• Fresh, dried, or smoked fish from the rivers.
• Tree grape (Lannea microcarpa), eaten as fresh fruits or dried
“raisins” and boiled and made into drinks.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stiff porridge eaten as a staple by most people for the main meals.
• Sauces and stews.
• Grilled meats on skewers, as well as various fried snacks, are popular
street foods.
• Croua croua are fried pastry rings made of well-drained peanut
paste.
STYLES OF EATING
• Many people in rural areas eat only two meals a day, in the morning
and after work, sometimes consuming some wrapped leftovers or fruits
in between. Three meals a day are consumed by those who can afford
them (poverty is rife).
• Meals are consumed by the family sitting around a common pot of
stew or relishes.
• Hot sauces and fruit chutneys are common accompaniments to meals.
• Breakfast is usually stiff porridge, either sweetened or with a savory
sauce.
• Lunch and supper are more substantial, with many families gathering
around a pot of staple on a mat on the floor (in traditional areas) or
eating European style (in the cities).

The Niger River and its tributaries provide small freshwater fish. Often dried and
smoked, they are eaten fresh near the rivers.
2 TBS palm oil or vegetable oil

4 cups (or more) of water
1 cup tomato sauce
salt to taste
1 pound firm-fleshed freshwater fish (catfish, for example), each cut
into four pieces
1/2 pound okra, stems removed and pods cut in halves
2 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 small cabbage, sliced finely
1/2 pound French beans, sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 cup rice
In a saucepan, bring to boil the oil, tomato sauce, water, onion, pepper,
and salt.
Add fish, vegetables, and rice.
Simmer for 20–25 minutes until rice is tender.
Add extra water during cooking if necessary to ensure good gravy.
To serve: mound rice in the middle of a wide serving dish or
individual plates. Surround with the fish and vegetables.
Spiced Meatballs
The Mossi people were famous warriors, and while expanding their empire they
came into contact with many other ethnic groups in central and northern Africa.
These spiced meatballs may well have been influenced by North African kebabs.
3 TBS peanut oil

1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp garlic, finely minced
1 tsp chili flakes
l tsp ground coriander
2 pounds ground meat (lamb preferable), chopped roughly
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup stale bread crumbs
Heat oil and sauté onions until translucent, then add all spices and stir
thoroughly.
Mix meat with salt and onion and spice mixture.
Blend briefly with eggs in a food processor just until eggs are
incorporated.
Form into 1-inch balls and roll in bread crumbs (about 30 balls).
Chill for 1 hour.
Fry a few at a time in deep fat at 375°F until brown. Drain.
Serve with hot pepper sauce (see sidebar “African Hot Sauces”).
AFRICAN HOT SAUCES

In many places in the world, hot sauces are a necessary condiment for all
meals. Across most of western and southern Africa, the hot sauces are a
variation on a sauce introduced by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century
called pili-pili (also piripiri).
Warning: Always be careful when cooking with hot peppers! Use
kitchen gloves when handling them. Wash your hands carefully afterward.
Never touch your eyes while working with chilies.
African Hot Sauce

This is an all-purpose hot sauce found throughout central Africa.
1 dozen chili peppers, cored and seeded

1 small green bell pepper, cored and seeded
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion
2 cans tomato paste
4 TBS vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried cayenne pepper flakes (optional)
Grind hot peppers, green pepper, garlic, and onion using a mortar and
pestle (or use food processor).
Combine with all other ingredients in an enamel or steel (not
aluminum) pot.
Simmer for 1–2 hours.
Add cayenne pepper if you need a hotter sauce. Put in jars and
refrigerate. Serve with everything.
Pili-Pili (Piripiri) Sauce

This is an easy-to-make hot sauce prepared using chilies and garlic. There
are numerous varieties of this sauce, both homemade and commercial.
6 chili peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped (or with seeds for
hotter sauce)
juice of 1 lemon
1 small bunch parsley, minced fine
2 TBS vegetable oil
a pinch of salt
Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Cook in a hot skillet for 3–5 minutes.
Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.
Serve with everything.
Bean Cakes
Beans are an important element of the diet, particularly for those who cannot
afford meat.
12-ounce can black-eyed peas (or 3/4 pound black-eyed peas soaked
overnight then simmered in salted water for 20–30 minutes), drained.
1/2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 egg
flour for dredging
oil for frying
In a blender or food processer, blend the peas, onion, carrots, egg, salt,
and pepper until smooth.
Remove mixture and shape into 2-inch-long patties.
Dredge each patty in flour.
Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a heavy frying pan.
Shallow fry patties until brown on both sides. Add oil if necessary.
Drain and serve as a snack or as breakfast.
Lemon Porridge
This is a slight variation on the standard stiff porridge staple of much of Africa.
The sour taste was originally achieved by fermenting the millet batter, but lemon
or lime flavoring is commonly used today.
2 cups millet flour (or fine white cornmeal)

4 cups cold water
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup water
Gradually whisk flour with cold water, mixing well to avoid lumps.
Add the lemon juice and let the batter stand for 15 minutes.
Bring water to a boil in a 2-quart pot.
Pour in the millet batter gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon until
it is smooth.
Reduce heat and cook, stirring, until the porridge bubbles thickly. It
should be as stiff as bread dough, about 5 minutes after the porridge
starts to boil.
Pour into a greased 2-quart mold or loaf pans and let stand until set,
about 30 minutes. Unmold and serve with stew.
Mango Chutney
Flavored chutneys such as this are used to add flavor to the bland staple.
2 large, green mangoes, peeled and pits removed

1/3 cup vinegar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup seedless raisins
1/3 cup water
1 lemon, sliced
1/2 orange, sliced
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, grated (or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger)
1/8 tsp powdered chili
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 2 limes
juice of 1/2 lemon
In a (nonreactive) nonaluminum pot, simmer gently the mangoes,

vinegar, sugar, and raisins until tender, about 15 minutes.
Add all the rest of the ingredients except the juices.
Simmer until well blended (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
Add the juices.
Serve as relish with any meal.
Store remainders in the refrigerator in airtight jars.
Peanut Balls
These snacks are usually made from well-drained tigue digue or peanut paste
(the local, unsweetened peanut butter). Traditionally, these balls would be made
with toasted corn flour or millet flour and flavored with hot pepper flakes.
1 cup ground cornflakes or plain granola
1 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
sugar, to taste
1/2 cup powdered sugar or grated coconut
hot pepper flakes (optional)
In a blender, place the cornflakes and blend until finely ground.

Mix thoroughly with peanut butter.
Taste, and add more sugar if desired.
With oiled or buttered palms, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls.
Roll in powdered sugar or grated coconut (with pepper flakes, if
desired).
Burundi
Burundi is a landlocked mountainous country on the edge of the African Rift

Valley, formerly a Belgian colony. The climate is tropical to cool, enabling
subsistence farmers to raise staple crops such as sorghum, cassava, maize, and
beans. Cattle and goats supply small amounts of meat and milk. There are plenty
of freshwater fish from rivers and from Lake Tanganyika. Burundi is still
suffering from the effects of a civil war (1993–2005) that disrupted food supplies
and farming.
The country is densely populated, the population split among Tutsi—

mainly cattle herders and subsistence farmers—Hutu, who are mainly
subsistence farmers, and Batwa pygmies, who are mainly potters.
Burundian food uses spices (turmeric, cumin, hot chilies) for certain dishes,
reflecting an Arabian influence, and there are some Belgian-influenced baked
goods (see sidebar “African Traditional Cooking Methods,” below).
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: cornmeal, cassava, and, more recently, rice and beans,
particularly red kidney beans. Most people eat beans at least once a
day.
• Common foods are bananas, plantains, sweet potatoes, cassava, peas,
and maize.
• Dried meat preserved in butter, chicken, goat, dried and fresh lake
fish.
• Cassava leaves, amaranth greens (lenga lenga), indigenous potatoes
(inumpu, Solenostemon rotundifolius, and S. esculentus), African
eggplants (intoré), leeks, cabbage, green beans, tomatoes, avocado.
• Fruits: bananas, pineapple, quince, papaya, pomegranate, guava,
mango.
• Many families can afford meat only a few times a month. Some raise
cattle, sheep, and goats. Those who own cattle regard them as a status
symbol and are reluctant to kill them for meat.
• Seasonings: onion, leek, pepper, palm oil, hot sauce from red chili
peppers (pili-pili).
AFRICAN TRADITIONAL COOKING METHODS

Pottery has been practiced in Africa for millennia, and it serves as the basis
for most cooking. Pots are often made either by specialized castes or by
groups of professional potters, or by women as part of their monthly round.
Most pots are burned on an open fire at low temperatures and are thus fairly
fragile.
The traditional African pot, used almost all over sub-Saharan Africa, is
made with three legs at the bottom, so it can be balanced over an open fire.
Most cooking is done in such a pot, the dimensions and precise shape of
which vary depending on the local tradition and the size of the family. A
well-equipped traditional kitchen will have several such pots. They are used
for cooking the staple—often a stiff porridge—as well as the stews or
sauces that go with the porridge. They are also used for steaming banana
leaf–wrapped packets of food, another traditional way of cooking in Africa.
Similar pots, now being replaced by plastic containers, as well as
calabashes (dried gourds), were used to bring water from wells or streams.
All cooking at home is done by women. In the many polygynous
households on the continent, each wife cooks for herself and her children,
sending food in turn to the shared husband. The provision of wood and
water for cooking may require up to six hours of work a day for many
households. This is done almost exclusively by women and girls.
The hearth itself is usually in the open air, fueled by wood or brush
collected from the surrounding countryside (which leads to problems of
deforestation). In some places, instead of a legged pot, three hearthstones
are used to support a round-bottomed pot.
An important cooking implement found in many African households is
a wooden mortar and pestle. The pestle is a long, heavy pole, which is used
to pound maize or other grain into a meal that can be used for making the
staple porridge.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Meals consist of bean stews or soups, usually eaten with maize or
sorghum porridge.
• Urwarwa (homemade banana beer) and impeke (homemade sorghum
beer) are drunk during special celebrations or sometimes as part of a
meal.
• Few sweets or desserts with meals.
• Snacks include groundnuts, sugarcane, and fruits.
STYLES OF EATING
• Food is generally eaten by families from shared pots, using spoons
and plates for the stews or sauces.
• Wealthier urban families tend to eat following European-standard
table settings.
• When close friends or family members meet, they often drink impeke
through straws from a single large container as a symbol of unity.
Plantains and Beans

Plantains and bananas constitute much of the Burundian carbohydrate intake.
Beans are served at any meal.
2 cups canned red kidney beans (or dried, soaked overnight in water,
drained, and boiled in water to cover for about 30–40 minutes or until
tender), drained
2 TBS palm oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 plantains (or substitute green bananas), peeled and chopped
1/4 tsp salt
chili pepper to taste
4 cups water
In a saucepan, heat oil and brown the onions.

Add beans, plantains, salt, and chili pepper and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add water and simmer until plantains are cooked and there is just a bit
of liquid (about a cup) left in the pan.
Serve hot with rice or sorghum porridge.

Beans serve as a major source of protein for many Burundians.
2 cups dried or canned navy beans

2 pints water
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
1 dried chili pepper
Soak the dried beans in water overnight and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or
until tender; drain and reserve (if using canned, skip this step).
Heat oil in a saucepan. Sauté onions until translucent.
Add garlic and cook until onions are soft.
Stir in beans, salt, and chili pepper and simmer for 10 minutes or until
heated through.

This is a popular soup for a midday or evening meal.
2/3 cup dried lima beans

2/3 cup dried white beans
2/3 cup dried pinto beans
6 cups water (two sets)
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped finely
2/3 cup green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 TBS fresh basil, chopped
salt and crushed chili pepper to taste
1/2 cup raw peanuts, ground rough (or 1/4 cup chunky natural peanut
butter)
Combine beans and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes; cover
and remove from heat. Let beans soak for 2 hours or overnight. Drain
and discard water.
Add another 6 cups water to beans. Return to a boil and cook over low
heat for 1 hour or until tender.
In a separate pan, heat oil, then sauté onions until translucent. Stir in
bell pepper, celery, and parsley, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add sautéed vegetables, broth, basil, cumin, salt, and chili pepper to
beans.
Simmer, covered, until very tender (about 1 1/2 hours).
Ten minutes before serving, stir in the ground peanuts and cook for 10
minutes more.
Adjust seasoning and add a bit more water if too thick.
Serve hot as a main course or as a starter.

This is the Burundian version of a favorite East African food called harees,
whose origins are in Arabia. It is meant to be sweet, but you may adjust the
sweetness to your own preference.
3 cups whole or half-ground wheat (bulgur)

3 chicken breasts
water, as needed
2 onions, minced
2 tsp salt
6 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
3 cleaned chicken gizzards or 6 chicken hearts, diced
1 small onion, sliced finely
3 TBS turmeric powder
3 TBS sugar
Soak bulgur in water to cover for 3 hours.

In a saucepan, place the bulgur, chicken breasts, minced onion, 1 tsp
salt, and the soaking water (if any) topped up to total 3 cups of water.
Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add more water if needed.
Remove the chicken breasts, shred, and return to bulgur with half of
the ghee. Simmer until the mixture has thickened to a paste. The
consistency should be thick but still pourable, like porridge. Add hot
water if necessary.
Meanwhile in a separate pot, prepare the spicy, sweet and savory
sauce. Simmer 1 tsp salt, chicken gizzards, turmeric, 2 cups of water,
and sugar for 30–40 minutes or until the gizzards are tender. Reserve.
In a frying pan, heat the remaining ghee and fry the sliced onion until
caramelized.
Serve boko boko hot, topping each serving with caramelized onions
and the sauce.
Flavored breads such as this were introduced by Belgian colonizers in the
twentieth century.
2 tsp dry yeast

1 1/2 TBS sugar
1/3 cup warm water
3 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3 TBS vegetable oil plus extra for oiling
2 TBS anise seed powder
1 egg yolk, beaten well
Dissolve the yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar in warm water. Leave in a warm
place until frothy, about 10 minutes.
Transfer yeast mixture to a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour and mix until
smooth. Leave for about 30 minutes or until doubled in volume.
Add the remaining flour and the rest of the ingredients except the egg
yolk, and mix thoroughly.
If mixture seems dry, add enough warm water to make a soft dough.
Knead for 10 minutes on floured surface until smooth and elastic.
Rub the dough with 1/2 TBS oil, cover with a damp towel, and leave
to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough. Knead lightly, divide into 6, and shape into
balls.
Set balls well apart on an oiled baking sheet, cover with a damp towel,
and leave to rise, about 30 minutes.
Brush the tops with egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water and bake in oven
for 15–20 minutes until golden and they sound hollow when tapped.
Serve hot or at room temperature as a snack.

Amaranth greens (lenga lenga) are one of the most widely grown vegetables in
Burundi. They are usually cooked flavored with onions and tomatoes, and often
with meat or fish.
2 pounds fresh green amaranth leaves (or kale, collards, mustard

leaves, chard, or other green vegetable)
2–3 TBS oil (palm oil preferable)
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
dash of pili-pili or other hot pepper sauce (optional, or add at the table)
1/2 pound lean meat (goat, chicken, or beef), sliced into small cubes
1 cup water, or vegetable or beef stock
1 cup cooked kidney or navy beans (from a can is fine)
Pick through the amaranth, discarding any discolored leaves and

leaving only the most tender stems; soak in plenty of water to remove
any remaining sand or soil.
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and fry the onion and
garlic until softened, about 2–3 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and pili-pili; reduce heat and simmer,
covered, until tomatoes have softened. Add the meat, stir briefly to
mix with the tomato mixture.
Stir in the water, cover, and allow to simmer until meat is tender, about
20–25 minutes.
Add the amaranth and beans, cook for 8–10 minutes or until leaves are
tender.
Serve with mashed cassava or potato, or with a cornmeal paste.
C
Cambodia
Before becoming part of French colonial Indochina in 1887, Cambodia was part
of the powerful Angkor empire, which extended over present-day Vietnam and
Thailand. In 1953, Cambodia became an independent monarchy. From 1975
until 1998, the country suffered terrible hardship from the Communist Khmer
Rouge, a Vietnamese invasion, and a civil war. The Khmer Rouge were ousted
in 1999 and the constitutional monarchy restored. With its tropical plains and
mountains, Cambodia grows rice, maize, vegetables, and sugarcane, its most
important commercial crop being rubber.
Cambodians are mostly Khmer with a minority comprising Vietnamese,

Chinese, and indigenous ethnic groups. Cambodian cooking is influenced by
Indian and Chinese cuisines. Although there are similarities to Vietnamese and
Thai cooking in the use of aromatic herbs and sweet-sour spicy flavors, hot
chilies are used with a lighter touch.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice is a staple.
• Fish/shellfish are preferred.
• Bread is widely eaten: baguette (banh mi, from French colonial
influence), naan (from Indian influence), fried bread sticks (chaquay,
from Chinese influence).
• Pork, chicken, beef, organ meats.
• Green leafy vegetables, long beans, squash, banana flowers, and
unripe fruits used as vegetables (papaya, mango, jackfruit, pineapple).
• Banana, mango, papaya, various exotic tropical fruits such as dragon
fruit (a cactus), durian, lychee, rambutan (lychee relative),
mangosteen.
• Seasonings: lemon grass, lime, tamarind, fish sauce (tuk trey), salted
fish paste (prahoc), fermented fish paste (pha-ak), coconut milk.
Pounded spices and herbs called kroeung are specified for each dish.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Savory and sweet rice dishes: kralan—glutinous (sticky) rice cooked
in hollow bamboo with coconut milk, stuffed rice cakes with beans
and meat (ansam chrouk).
• Sour soups of fish or meat and vegetables flavored with lemon grass,
lime rind, or tamarind.
• Chinese-influenced stir-fried meat, poultry or fish with vegetables.
• Grilled meat, poultry or fish dishes.
• Fried spiced fish, meat, or chicken.
• Fish, in popular dishes such as dt’ray chorm hoy (steamed fish),
dt’ray aing (grilled fish), and sumlar mjew groueng dt’ray
(Cambodian fish soup with herbs).
• Sweets: rice-and coconut milk–based puddings and cakes.
• Drinks: international and local carbonated bottled soft drinks, fresh
sugarcane juice, milkshakes with local fruit (dteuk krolok), hot or iced
coffee, Chinese-style tea commonly drunk with meals. Beer is locally
brewed.
Cambodian family eats a lunch of traditional dishes on the floor of the family’s apartment in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, 1991. (Bohemian Nomad Picturemakers/Corbis)
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks.
• Rice eaten at every meal; soup, fish eaten twice or more daily.
• Breakfast: rice porridge (bor-bo) accompanied by fried bread stick
pieces (chaquay) or rice noodles in soup. Chinese tea or coffee with
sweetened condensed milk.
• Lunch: boiled rice with soup of vegetables and small quantity of fish,
shellfish, or meat.
• Dinner: the main meal. Boiled rice with soup of vegetables and bits
of meat or fish. One or two more side dishes of grilled or fried fish,
pork, or chicken with or without vegetables. All dishes are brought to
the table at the same time.
• Snacks from street stalls or markets: baguette filled with sardines or
shredded pork and salad or pickled carrots/radishes, fried noodles,
various meat and vegetable soups, rice with banana or pork cooked in
a bamboo tube, sweet rice and coconut confections.
Soups are eaten as starters or, with the addition of noodles, as the main dish for
lunch or evening meals.
Meatballs
1/2 pound ground pork
1 TBS fish sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 TBS sugar
1 stalk green onion, minced
Soup
4 cups water
2 cups pumpkin or squash cubes
2 TBS fish sauce
1/2 TBS sugar
2 stalks green onions, chopped
dash of black pepper
Prepare meatballs: in a bowl, mix ground pork with fish sauce, salt,
sugar, black pepper, and green onion.
Roll with moistened hands into tiny balls. Set aside.
Prepare soup: bring water to a boil in a saucepan and drop pork
meatballs into boiling water.
When meatballs are done, add pumpkin. Simmer until done, for about
15–20 minutes.
Season with fish sauce and sugar.
Sprinkle with green onion and black pepper.
Serve hot with rice.

Chicken is the second most popular protein, after fish. This dish is served as an
accompaniment to rice and soup at the evening meal.
2–3 cloves garlic, minced

3 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS oyster sauce (optional)
1 TBS sesame oil
1/2 TBS light brown sugar
4 pieces chicken breasts
2 TBS sesame seeds
In a covered container, blend garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame

oil, sugar, and black pepper.
Marinate chicken for 4 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Turn over
chicken occasionally.
Grill at medium heat.
While chicken grills, dry fry sesame seeds in heavy skillet over low
heat, for about 5–7 minutes. Sesame seeds are done when they start
jumping and are aromatic.
Sprinkle chicken with roasted sesame seeds.
Serve hot.

This steamed fish dish is truly representative of the Cambodian way of blending
aromatic herbs and spices and is often recommended as the one dish to try. As
each amok trei is unwrapped at the table, all the spicy, sweet, and aromatic
scents are released. This goes well with hot rice and soup for an evening meal.

1 red onion, chopped
2-inch piece fresh galangal root, grated (available from grocers that
sell Asian foods), or ginger
1 lemon grass stem (just the white part, not green leaves), chopped
1 tsp cayenne powder (or to taste) or paprika
2 TBS fish sauce
1 TBS sugar
4-ounce can coconut milk
8 large cabbage leaves (Savoy or other strong-leafed variety)
1 pound white fish fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt to taste
8 sheets foil, 10 × 10 inches
In a blender or food processor, puree garlic, onion, galangal, lemon

grass, turmeric, paprika, fish sauce, sugar, and coconut milk.
In a covered saucepan, heat the coconut-spice mixture and simmer for
about 10 minutes until thick, stirring occasionally.
Cut out the thick central rib of the cabbage leaves, and let the leaves
soak in a bowl of boiling water to wilt.
In a bowl, place the fish and salt them lightly; mix in thoroughly half
of the hot coconut-spice sauce.
Divide fish mixture into eight portions.
Place fish mixture in the center of each leaf and fold the edges over to
form parcels. To ensure better coverage, wrap again in foil, sealing
tightly.
Steam parcels for 1 hour in a perforated double boiler. Alternatively,
in a large, deep covered saucepan, place a colander or rack over (not
in) boiling water. Place the parcels on colander to steam.
About 10 minutes before parcels are done, gently reheat the remaining
sauce.
Place a central bowl of remaining sauce for each diner to pour over
each parcel as it is opened.

These pancakes are eaten at any time and are a great favorite at home and as
street snacks.
Batter
1 cup rice flour
2 TBS cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 TBS vegetable oil
In a blender, blend rice flour, cornstarch, water, coconut milk, sugar,

salt, and turmeric until smooth. Add spring onion. Set aside.
Heat a nonstick 8-to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat.
When the frying pan is hot, grease it with a folded paper towel dipped
in oil (do not use a plastic-bristled pastry brush!).
Pour a 5-inch circle of batter in frying pan, tilting pan from side to side
to spread the batter.
When bubbles appear on the pancake, spoon out a portion of the filling
in the center.
Cover pan for a few seconds until the pancake bottom is golden
brown.
Fold over the pancake to make a half-moon shape.
Remove with a flat spatula and place on a plate. Keep warm in the
oven while the rest is being cooked.
Repeat for remainder of batter. There should be enough for 8–10
cakes.
Filling
1/2 cup green mung beans
2 cups water
1 block firm tofu, mashed
1 cup jicama, peeled and diced (or substitute water chestnuts)
2 TBS mushroom or soy sauce
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 cups bean sprouts
Boil mung beans in 2 cups water until tender, about 25–30 minutes.
Mix well tofu with cooked mung beans, jicama, and mushroom sauce.
In a skillet or wok, heat oil over medium heat.
Sauté tofu mixture for a couple of minutes; add bean sprouts.
Stir fry for about 3 minutes. Do not overcook bean sprouts; they
should still be crunchy. Set aside.
To serve
large Romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed, drained, and wiped dry
1 medium cucumber, sliced into julienne strips
1 large bunch fresh mint leaves or royal (Thai) basil, rinsed and
drained
3 TBS fish sauce for dipping (or sweet dipping sauce; see the recipe
following)
Take a lettuce leaf in your hand; place a pancake, cucumber strips, and
a sprig of mint/basil and roll.
Dip roll into sauce.
Bite into roll, taking care not to drip down your sleeve.

This is a favorite for dipping pancake wraps.
1/4 cup hot water

1 TBS dark soy sauce
1 TBS fresh lime juice
1 1/2 to 2 TBS sugar (to taste)
1/2 tsp chili paste or sauce (optional)
1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed
Mix well the hot water, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste.
Top with peanuts before serving.
This sweet uses ripe jackfruit, an aromatic fruit beloved throughout Cambodia
and all of Southeast Asia. Serve as dessert or as a snack with tea or coffee.
2 eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped fresh, canned, or frozen ripe jackfruit (Note: canned
jackfruit is usually sweetened; if using, halve the amount of sugar.)

Grease muffin pan with cooking oil or spray.
In a blender or food processor, mix all ingredients, except fruit, until
smooth.
Stir in the fruit.
Pour batter into muffin pan, filling the cups about two-thirds full.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until muffins test done.
Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before taking them out.

This is one of many sweets combining local fruits and coconut cream. The
traditional way of making this is over a stove: first cooking the coconut cream
and sugar till thickened, then adding the bananas.
4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced crosswise in 4–5 pieces

4 TBS brown sugar

Place bananas in a baking dish; pour over coconut cream and sprinkle
with sugar.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until cream is thickened and bananas are
very tender.
Serve warm or chilled.

These crisp rolls are a contemporary sweet, often served with vanilla (or other
flavor) ice cream for dessert in restaurants.
4 sheets round or square spring roll wrappers

2 bananas, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
4 TBS sugar
oil for frying
powdered sugar for serving
ice cream
Take a spring roll wrapper; place one banana slice close to the edge.
Sprinkle with 1 TBS sugar.
Roll the wrapper over the banana to cover.
Fold over the left and right edges of the wrapper toward the middle,
covering the banana on all sides.
Continue rolling to the end of the wrapper; seal the wrapper edge with
moistened fingers.
Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep fryer to 360°F. Fry the rolls, a
few a time, until golden.
Serve with scoops of ice cream; sprinkle rolls with powdered sugar if
desired.
Cameroon
Cameroon, a western African country between Nigeria and the Republic of

Congo, with a coast on the Bight of Biafra, was formed in 1961, unusually, by
the union of French and British colonies of the same name. With a varied
topography from plains to mountains, and a tropical climate along the coastline,
coffee and cocoa are grown for export, as well as a range of subsistence staples.
The population is composed of various ethnic groups. The cuisine combines

indigenous elements with some French and British influence.
FOODSTUFFS
• In addition to the staples—sorghum and maize—people eat many
forest products, including game and vegetables.
• Virtually all animals caught are eaten, including field mice
(considered a delicacy), snakes, and monkeys.
• Vegetables include greens, cassava leaves, peanuts, eggplants.
• Flavorings: palm nut paste, dried shrimps and fish, smoked fish and
meat, messep (wild basil), njansan (seeds of Ricinodendron heudelotii
for savory sauces), esesè (dried pod of the aidan tree, Tetrapleura
tetraptera, flavoring for cookies and jams), mbongo for meat dishes
(seeds of Aframomum citratum, the atzoh plant, related to grains of
paradise or Aframomum melegueta).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews with chicken or meat.
• Steamed or roasted food in leaf packets is common, for example,
Nnam owondo—peanut paste and fresh crayfish, smoked fish, dried
shrimps, or smoked meat steamed in banana leaves. The same
ingredients without wrapping in leaves and steaming go into the dish
called essankana.
• Mashed plantain (Ntouba ekon)
• Vegetable stews: for example, sanga (black nightshade leaves), corn,
and palm nut paste
STYLES OF EATING
• When possible, people eat three meals a day, and often buy or make
small snacks in between, with fried foods and peanuts predominating.
• Breakfasts may be leftovers from the night before or a light porridge.
• Lunch for urban people is more substantial.
• Evening meals are usually eaten by families together, sitting on a mat
on the floor and sharing pots of the staple and side dishes: stews and
roasted meats. Men may eat alone or with one (rarely more) of their
wives (if they have several).
• Some meals, particularly in cafés, roadside stands, and restaurants,
are eaten with European settings.

Usually called poulet DG, pronounced “day-zje,” this is considered a lavish dish
fit for a boss. Serve with baton de manioc (called miondo in Cameroon; see
Ghana entry for sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505) or rice, and fried plantains.
1/4 cup palm oil (or any vegetable oil)

1 bouillon cube, crushed to powder
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 TBS parsley
a handful of thin French green beans, ends trimmed, left whole
2–3 bell peppers (any color), cored, seeded, and chopped
1 chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces
1 onion, chopped
Mix half of the oil with seasoning, bouillon cube, ginger, garlic,
carrots, beans, and peppers in a bowl.
Add pieces of chicken, stir well, and marinate for 3 hours.
Heat remaining oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions
and fry until translucent.
Add chicken and fry over high heat until lightly browned. Add
remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat.
Simmer, uncovered, stirring regularly, until chicken is done and liquid
partly evaporated, leaving some sauce. Add some warm water by the
tablespoon if the pot becomes dry before the chicken is done.

Serve kpwem as a side dish with a meat stew and staple.
2–3 pounds of cassava (manioc) leaves, stems removed, rinsed and

drained, torn into pieces (substitute kale or spinach)
6 cups water
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
salt to taste
3 cups canned palm soup base or canned palm nut pulp (available from
stores that sell African foods)
1 hot chili pepper, seeded and chopped
3 TBS natural peanut butter
Crush the cassava leaves (or other greens) with a mortar and pestle, or
process roughly in food processor.
Bring water to a low boil in a large cooking pot. Add the onion, garlic,
ginger, and salt. Simmer for a few minutes.
Stir in the crushed greens, palm soup base, and chili pepper. Reduce
heat and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, blend peanut butter and some of the stock to a thin
paste. Add to the simmering stock. Simmer for another 10 minutes or
until the greens are tender.
Serve hot with miondo (baton de manioc) or rice.

Fish are a highly prized food. Sea fish are traded inland in dried and smoked
form, and river fish are caught wherever possible.
vegetable oil for frying

1 whole fish (any firm, white-fleshed, medium-sized fish, about 2
pounds), washed, patted dry, and cut into serving-size pieces (reserve
the head)
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS palm or other oil
1/2 cup smoked or dried shrimp or prawns (available from stores that
sell African and Asian foods)
1 tsp cilantro, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 onion, finely sliced
2 chili peppers, whole
1 cup natural peanut butter
Heat oil in a skillet.

Rub the fish with half the garlic and let rest for 10 minutes. Fry the
fish on both sides until done. Drain on paper towels and reserve.
Drain off the frying oil from the skillet and wipe it clean with paper
towels.
Heat the skillet over low heat with 2 TBS palm oil. Fry the onion until
golden. Stir in the rest of the garlic and chili peppers, and fry until
light golden (be careful, as garlic burns quickly).
Add the fried fish, and set aside until needed.
Prepare the shrimp stock: grind half the dried shrimp together with the
cilantro, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a blender or food
processor (or mortar and pestle).
In a saucepan place 3 cups of water and stir in the dried shrimp
mixture and fish head. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Discard fish
head.
At this point, you may strain the stock or choose to retain the flavorful
solids to add body to the sauce.
Prepare the peanut sauce: add 3–4 TBS hot stock to peanut butter; mix
well to a smooth slurry. Add slurry to the rest of the stock in the pan,
and stir until smooth.
Simmer until thickened. Add a little more peanut butter if not thick
enough.
Stir in the reserved fish and onions and remaining dried shrimp to the
simmering peanut sauce.
Simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir and check
occasionally to see that the sauce is not burning. If the sauce has
thickened too much, add a bit more water. Serve fish and sauce over
rice or miondo.
The cooked chili peppers can be served together with the fish as a
garnish, or discarded as desired.
Steaming or baking food in banana leaves is a traditional way of cooking in
Cameroon.
2 cups dry cowpeas (black-eyed peas), kidney beans, or white beans

1/4 cup (or more) water
1/4 cup palm oil
1 bell pepper (any color), cored, seeded, and chopped rough
1 small chili pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped (optional)
salt to taste
aluminum foil (or banana leaves, passed quickly over a low flame to
make them supple) cut into 10 × 10 inch sheets
string for wrapping
Wash and pick through the cowpeas.

Place them in a large pot, cover with boiling water, and soak
overnight.
After soaking, rub to remove the skins, then rinse and drain.
Grind the cowpeas into a thick paste in a food processor, adding water
a bit at a time to form a smooth paste.
Warm oil in a skillet. Fry the sweet and chili peppers until soft. Add
with the oil to the bean paste.
Add salt to taste and mix well.
Lay 4 TBS of the bean mixture in the middle of the foil sheet. Fold
over in a burrito fold to completely enclose the beans. Tie with kitchen
string.
Stack packets in the top compartment of a steamer or couscousiere.
Steam packets over (not in) boiling water for about 1 hour or until
done (remove one to test).
Eat hot with rice or miondo, or cold as a snack.
Fish Stew with Rice

Fish are prized and prepared fresh or salted, dried, and smoked for preservation.
This stew is often made for lunch or dinner.
1 small onion, sliced
5 TBS oil
3 TBS tomato paste
2 1/2 pounds fish fillet, cut in large pieces
3 cups water
2 tsp salt
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 pound cabbage, shredded
2 small sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 pound okra, stem ends removed
1 pound cooked (hot) rice
Fry onion in hot oil in a saucepan until translucent (do not brown).
Add tomato paste and fish.
Cover and cook over low heat for 1/2 hour.
Add water, salt, and vegetables to fish mixture. Cook gently for 1
hour.
Serve stew ladled over rice.

Pili-pili, the name of these small meat pies in Cameroon, is also, rather
confusingly, the name for a hot sauce elsewhere in Africa. These turnovers are
usually deep fried, but they can be baked.
Tomato sauce
2 TBS olive oil
4 very ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
Filling
2 TBS oil
3/4 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, or pork)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 stalks green onions, finely chopped
1–2 hot chili peppers (optional), finely chopped
1 tsp freshly grated black pepper
salt to taste
Pastry
Prepared unbaked shortcrust pastry for a 10-inch pie
Prepare the tomato sauce: in a saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil
and fry the onion and garlic until softened.
Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper; reduce heat to lowest temperature
and simmer, covered, until tomatoes have cooked down to a thick
mush, about 20 minutes.
Prepare the filling: in a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat oil and
briefly fry the meat, onion, and garlic until meat has changed color and
mixture is aromatic, about 3–5 minutes.
Stir in the parsley, green onions, chili peppers, black pepper, and salt.
Turn off heat at once and let mixture cool.
On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 1/8 inch; cut out 4-inch
disks.
Place 1–2 TBS of filling in the center of the pastry; fold pastry over,
press down the edges and crimp tight with a fork. Place pastries evenly
spaced on prepared pan.
Serve hot with the tomato sauce.

These fritters are normally served as a savory snack, but they also can be eaten
as a sweet snack.
1 whole cassava, about 1 pound, peeled, fibrous core removed

2 large ripe bananas, about 3/4 pound, mashed
1 tsp salt
oil for deep frying
Grind the cassava or pound to a mash (in a food processor, mortar and
pestle, or very fine grater) without adding any water.
In a large bowl, mix well the cassava, bananas, and salt to a thick but
pourable batter.
Heat oil in a deep fryer (to 375°F).
With a soup ladle or large spoon, scoop batter into the oil. The oil must
be sufficiently hot that the fritters come up immediately; otherwise,
they tend to stick to the pan. Fry only a few pieces at a time.
Lower heat to 360°F, to allow the fritters in the pan to cook through
without burning. Fry until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Turn up the heat again to 375°F for the next batch of fritters, lowering
to 360°F once they have all surfaced.
Serve plain or with a hot peppery or tomato sauce, or sprinkle with
powdered sugar for a sweet snack.
Canada
The second largest country in the world (after Russia), Canada is slightly bigger
than the United States. Originally peopled by Native Americans and Inuit,
Canada was colonized by the French and the British and became self-governing
in 1867. It remains in the British Commonwealth. The climate ranges from
subarctic and arctic in the north to temperate in the south. On the southeastern
and western plains (prairies), wheat, barley, fruits, and vegetables are grown
extensively for local use and export. Cattle are raised for meat and dairy
products. Along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts, fish and seafood are plentiful.
Canadians are predominantly of British, French, and other European

descent, with a minority of Native Americans and settlers from Asia, Africa, and
other countries.
Canadian cuisine is primarily influenced by British and French methods of
cooking and uses available native ingredients. Like the United States, Canada
has assimilated elements from the cuisines of immigrants (Italian, German, other
European, Chinese) and imports foods from all over the world.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: potato, bread, noodles.
• Meats: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lobster, scallops, seal blubber,
Arctic char (a fish), buffalo (bison), caribou, elk, salmon.
• Vegetables: potatoes, turnips (rutabaga), cabbage, carrots, beans,
fiddlehead fern greens, wild rice, maize.
• Fruits: apples, pears, peaches, berries (cranberry, Saskatoon berry,
bakeapple/cloudberry, blueberries).
• Seasonings/flavorings: pepper, sage, thyme, onion; maple syrup.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Hearty soups and stews of meat and vegetables: pea soup, beef stew,
rabbit and other game stew.
• Roast, grilled meats (beef, venison, bison) and poultry (duck, goose,
turkey, chicken).
• Tourtière (meat pie) and tarte au sucre (sugar pie) in Quebec; cod
tongues and seal flipper pie in Newfoundland; sweet pies (apple and
other fruit, pumpkin).
• The biggest family meals are on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Turkey is usually served with cranberries and stuffing. At
Thanksgiving the traditional dessert is pumpkin pie; at Christmas
many people serve Christmas cake.
STYLES OF EATING
• Daily family meals around a table are becoming rarer.
• Breakfast: pancakes, eggs, bacon, hot cereal; cold cereal, toast or
muffin with coffee or tea.
• Lunch: a light meal of soup, sandwich or salad, pizza or pasta.
• Dinner: also called supper. The largest meal, eaten early in the
evening.
Fiddleheads.
• At least one daily meal of meat, potatoes, and vegetable(s).

• Ready-prepared meals (fresh or frozen) are bought from
supermarkets and warmed in the oven or microwave.
• Fast food (pizza, hamburger, fried chicken), take-home and delivered
foods, and international cuisines available.
Pork Buns
This savory bread is a classic from Newfoundland, together with damper dog,
bangbelly, figgy duff, and other interestingly named, quickly made breads that
use salt pork or dried fruits. The original recipe used salt pork instead of bacon.
This would be eaten as an accompaniment to afternoon tea.
6 strips fatty bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup lukewarm water
flour for rolling out

Grease a cookie sheet with butter or margarine.
In a dry skillet at low heat, cook the bacon till brown and crisp. Set
aside to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, blend the flour and baking powder.
Make a hollow in the middle of the flour mixture; pour in the bacon
together with the fat, scraping all the bits from the skillet.
Add lukewarm water and mix into a dough.
Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut the dough with a floured round cookie cutter.
Place cut buns on the greased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the buns test done.

The Inuit (Eskimo) live in the far north and traditionally ate seal, caribou, wild
salmon, and wild berries. Most food, such as cod, were eaten raw or preserved.
Modern transportation has changed the traditional diet. This dish is the Inuit
version of doughnuts, eaten as a snack.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

pinch of salt
3/4–1 cup water
oil for frying
1/4 cup sugar mixed with 2 TBS cinnamon
melted butter for dipping (optional)
In a bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt.

Stir in water, mixing well to get a thick batter.
In a heavy skillet, heat an inch or more of oil to 350°F.
Spoon batter into the oil, a few at a time so as not to crowd the pan.
Fry until brown all over. Drain on paper towels.
Dust heavily with the cinnamon sugar.
Alternatively, dip the fried puffs in melted butter, then sprinkle with
sugar.
Serve immediately.
This very old recipe was handed down from one French Canadian generation to
the next. It is usually eaten for dessert or breakfast.
2 cups cake flour

1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS butter
3/4 cup milk
2 cups maple syrup
2 cups water
In a bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt.

Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles oatmeal.
Stir in milk, mixing well.
In a covered saucepan, combine maple syrup with water and bring to a
boil.
Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot maple syrup.
Cover and let simmer for 25 minutes.
Serve very hot, pouring over them the syrup in which they were
cooked.

This homely snack, originally from Quebec, puts together comforting fried
potatoes, meaty gravy, and melting cheese. The potatoes are fried from scratch
in lard for authenticity. Several variations of this dish include the Italian
variation, which uses spaghetti sauce. A similar dish called disco fries, which
consists of French fries topped with gravy and cheese, is popular in the
northeastern United States.
2 1/2 cups squeaky cheese (very fresh cheese or substitute white

cheddar or Monterey Jack), diced
2 cups lard or oil
5 firm-boiling potatoes, peeled, cut into thick, chunky sticks, rinsed
and patted dry
2 cups prepared very thick beef or chicken gravy, kept hot
4 bowls
Into each bowl, place 1/3 cup cheese. Set aside.

In a deep skillet, heat the lard or oil at medium heat.
Fry the potatoes until brown.
Distribute the hot potatoes over the cheese in the bowls.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Pour hot gravy over the cheese.
Serve at once.
Tuna à la King
This is a very simple and quick-cooking sauce that can be served over noodles,
baked potatoes, or rice for lunch or light supper.
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1/2 tsp dried thyme or marjoram
1 can (13 ounces) evaporated milk
2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) solid tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables, thawed and drained
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.

Whisk in flour and thyme or marjoram, stirring for 2 minutes.
Whisk in gradually the evaporated milk, stirring until slightly
thickened.
Add tuna, peas, and salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for 5–7 minutes or until piping hot.
Stir in lemon juice.
Garnish with parsley.

There are many variations of this classic Christmas pie, popular throughout
French Canada. Made with pork or just beef, sometimes with wild game, or
flavored with allspice instead of cloves and cinnamon, with or without onions,
each family makes its own slightly different. Eaten with a salad, it makes a light
meal for lunch or supper.
1 1/4 pounds ground pork

3/4 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
prepared pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie
In a small, covered saucepan, place all the ingredients except the

pastry.
Cook at low heat for about 1 hour, until meat is tender. Set aside to
cool.
Place the bottom crust on a pie plate.
Stir the meat mixture and spoon evenly onto the crust.
Place top crust over the meat mixture.
Seal the crust edges tightly with a fork.
Slash the top crust in several places to let out steam.
Bake at 350°F until light brown, about 25–30 minutes.
Pea Soup
Hearty, warming soups are commonly eaten during the long winters. This soup
is most likely of British origin and is served with corn bread and butter for lunch
or supper.
1 cup dried whole yellow peas, rinsed

1/4 pound salt pork (or 4 strips bacon)
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 stalks chopped parsley or 1 tsp dried sage
Place the peas in a bowl.

Pour boiling water over the peas and let stand for 1 hour.
Simmer the salt pork in 1 cup water for 5 minutes to reduce its
saltiness. Discard the water. (There is no need to boil the bacon.)
In a covered saucepan, put peas, and soaking water, onion, carrot,
celery, salt pork or bacon, and parsley or sage. Simmer at low heat for
45 minutes or until peas are tender.
Add salt (taste first, as the salt pork or bacon is salty) and pepper to
taste.
Serve hot.
Nanaimo Bar
Originally from the town of Nanaimo in British Columbia, this three-layer
chocolate dessert is very popular throughout Canada and is almost always found
at buffets in the western provinces.
Bottom layer
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 TBS cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter, sugar, and cocoa.
Stir in the egg and cook until thick.
Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts.
Press firmly into an ungreased 8 × 8 inch pan.
Second layer
1/2 cup butter
2 TBS and 2 tsp cream
2 TBS vanilla custard powder
Mix butter, cream, custard powder, and confectioners’ sugar together

well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.
Third layer
4 squares semisweet chocolate (1 ounce each)
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool.

While still liquid, pour over the second layer and chill in the
refrigerator.
To serve, slice into bars.

This pie is a traditional Quebec specialty.
2 cups brown sugar (or half brown, half maple sugar)

1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
14-ounce can (unsweetened) evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
9-inch pie crust, unbaked

In a bowl, blend thoroughly sugar, flour, and salt.
Stir in milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Pour mixture into the pie crust.
Bake for 5 minutes, then lower heat to 350°F.
Bake for 30–35 minutes or until filling is set at the edges but still
quivery in the center.
Set aside to cool. Chill well and serve with whipped cream.
Butter Tart
This popular confection is said to originate from northern Ontario. There are
many variants for the filling—with maple or corn syrup, with or without
walnuts, raisins or currants—and the consistency (runny or firm).
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening or lard (butter will not give the required flakiness)
2–3 TBS chilled water
1/3 cup soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (Canadian)
2 TBS cream
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained
In a bowl, mix flour and salt; quickly cut in the shortening and bind
the mixture with only enough of the water as needed.
Form the dough into a ball, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
Mix the rest of the ingredients for the filling, except the raisins.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface the chilled dough, about 1/4 inch
thick.
Cut out four 5-inch circles; fit pastry into muffin tins.
Divide raisins evenly among the pastry; fill 2/3 full with filling.
Bake for 15 minutes for runny tarts, 20–25 minutes for firm tarts.
Let tarts rest in the baking pan for 10 minutes; remove tarts to finish
cooling on a rack.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a cluster of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, off Guinea-Bissau. The
tropical islands are rocky with some areas fertile for cultivation. The islands
were uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century
and served as entrepôts for the slave trade. Independent since 1975, the islands’
economy is based on fishing, labor migration, and tourism.
Most Cape Verdeans come from mixed African-Portuguese origins, and the
cuisine and culture reflect this fusion.
FOODSTUFFS
• Enslaved Africans brought knowledge of growing and cooking
tropical crops. The Portuguese brought livestock. They used Cape
Verde for feeding the crews of their sailing ships and as an
experimental station for growing foods from the Americas, such as
corn, hot peppers, pumpkins, peanuts, and cassava. They also brought
sugar, bananas, mangoes, papayas, and other tropical crops from Asia.
• National food preferences, reflected in ritual foods, include an
affection for dried corn, either whole kernels (hominy/samp) or ground
to various degrees of fineness.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The national dish, cachupa, is a stew of hominy and beans with fish
or meat. It means home to Cape Verdeans everywhere.
• Xerem, dried corn pounded in mortar to the fineness of rice, is the
staple of feasts. Kuskus, ground finer still and steamed in a distinctive
ceramic pot called a binde, is a special treat served hot with butter and
milk (kuskus ku leite) or molasses (kuskus ku mel).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are the norm, though people at work are likely to
eat a small lunch, reserving the main meal for the evening.
• Tables are set European style, with individual plates or bowls and
spoons, and knives and forks where possible.

Unsurprisingly, seafood and fish form a central part of the Cape Verdean diet.
This dish has Portuguese origins.
3 pounds fresh, whole, cleaned sea fish (your choice), cut into 2-inch
pieces.
3 TBS palm oil or other oil
2 bay leaves (1 crushed to a powder)
4 scallions, chopped
l green bell pepper, chopped
l red bell pepper, chopped
4 cups water
6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup squash, yam, cassava, or green banana, cubed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Rub fish with half the minced garlic, 1 TBS oil, powdered bay leaf,
salt, and pepper; let rest for about 15 minutes.
Heat remaining 2 TBS oil in a large pot and gently sauté onions,
remaining garlic, tomatoes, scallions, and sweet peppers, for 5 minutes
or until softened.
Add fish, remaining bay leaf, and water.
Cover and bring to a gentle boil.
Add both types of potatoes, squash, and parsley (add water if
insufficient to cover).
Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20–25
minutes. Season to taste.
Serve hot.

Meat is generally too expensive for most Verdeans to afford often. When it is
available, it is made into a stew to feed a family. Serve this with plain corn grits
or hominy.
1 pound cubed meat (pork or beef)

1 bay leaf
1 tsp hot paprika
1/4 cup palm or vegetable oil
2 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound manioc root, peeled and cubed
1 medium white yam, peeled and cubed
1 green banana, peeled and cubed
water to cover
Marinate meat overnight with the bay leaf, paprika, salt, and pepper.
In a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, heat the oil. Add the meat,
marinade, and onions and braise on low heat until medium done, about
30 minutes.
Add the vegetables to meat and cover with water.
Simmer at low heat until vegetables are cooked, about 20–25 minutes.
Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

This thick soup is served on special family events and during New Year’s
celebrations. Chickens are kept in the yard, and the meat can be rather tough.
1/2 chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces

2 TBS vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf or 1 tsp dried sage
1 TBS paprika
3 cups short-grain white rice
4 cups chicken stock (or 2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 4 cups
hot water)
In a blender or food processor, process the oil, garlic, bay leaf, and
paprika to a paste. Rub all over chicken and let stand for 30 minutes or
more for the flavors to be absorbed.
Heat oil and sauté onions in a heavy pot until softened.
Stir in tomatoes and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add chicken pieces and stock. Bring to boil.
Add rice and stir occasionally.
Simmer for approximately 30–35 minutes, until fairly thick but not dry
(add stock if necessary).

Xerem, a kind of grits, is a staple for most meals. This is a one-dish meal.
1 pound dry beans (or equivalent canned)

1/2 pound salted pork fat (or fat bacon), diced
1 1/2 pounds pork, cubed
1/4 cup vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 pounds xerem (coarse ground maize)
2 large onions, quartered
3 1/2 cups water
1 butternut squash or pumpkin (about 1 1/2 pounds), unpeeled, seeded
and cubed
10 kale leaves, cut into strips, blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes
and drained
1/2 cup olive oil
Soak dry beans overnight in water; drain and simmer with salt pork in
water to cover for about 40 minutes until half cooked. Drain. (Omit
this step if using canned.)
Marinate pork overnight in covered container in the refrigerator with
salt and pepper, garlic, vinegar, and 1 bay leaf.
Two hours before cooking, mix ground maize with quartered onion
and enough water (about 1/2 cup) to moisten the meal.
Reserve the onions soaked with the maize until needed; simmer the
ground maize in water to cover until half done.
In a large pot (Dutch oven or heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid),
spread a layer of squash at the bottom, peel side down.
Next, spread the pork and marinade, with garlic and bay leaves, kale,
beans, onions, and finally the ground maize.
Sprinkle between each layer salt and pepper.
Add 1/2 cup oil and 3 cups water.
Seal pot firmly with aluminum foil and cover with the lid (or use
pressure cooker following manufacturer’s instructions).
Cook very gently and slowly on low flame for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve hot.

Cachupa is the unofficial national dish of Cape Verde. In poorer households it is
made of whatever items can be found, and meat is rarely one of them. Instead,
fish or a small piece of sausage may be substituted. The following recipe is for
the cachupa of the wealthy. Cachupa is served on Sundays and for feasts and
birthdays.
1/2 pound dried navy beans

water, as needed
4 cups corn grits
2 onions, cubed
2 TBS olive oil
2 bay leaves
salt and hot paprika to taste
1/2 pound beef, cubed (or equal amounts of chicken thighs or large
pieces of firm-fleshed fish)
1/2 pound pork spareribs
1/2 pound bacon or fat pork, diced
4 sausages (Portuguese dried chouriço sausage or Spanish chorizo)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 pound Savoy cabbage, cut into large pieces
1/2 pound green bananas, peeled and cubed (optional)
1/2 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (optional)
1/2 pound manioc (yuca, cassava), peeled and cubed (optional)
1/2 pound tomatoes, chopped
Pour boiling water over beans and soak overnight.

Simmer beans and grits for 1/2 hour in a large, heavy pot with water to
barely cover, and with 1 onion, garlic, 1 TBS oil, 1 bay leaf, and a
pinch of salt until water is absorbed, and beans are half done.
Gently simmer the beef, pork, bacon, and sausages with 1 onion,
garlic, 1 TBS oil, 1 bay leaf, paprika, and salt for about 1 hour or until
tender.
Add meats and their liquid to grits and beans, and simmer.
Add potatoes, cabbage, and other vegetables and simmer until all is
tender, about 35–45 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cachupa stand for 10 minutes.
Adjust seasoning and serve with a hot pepper sauce, if desired.

This candy is a common snack.
1/4 cup sugar (or substitute molasses or dark corn syrup)

1/4 cup water
1 pound fresh coconut, grated
1 pound sugar
1 ounce butter to grease cookie sheet
grated rind of 2 lemons
Prepare caramel by carefully browning 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy-

bottomed pan over very gentle heat. When the sugar starts to melt,
move or tilt the pan (but do not stir or sugar will crystallize) so that the
sugar melts evenly. Be careful not to burn the sugar (alternatively, use
1/4 cup molasses). When the sugar syrup is a dark amber or medium
brown, it is done.
Carefully add the water (be careful as the caramel will sputter), and
simmer until the caramel is dissolved.
Add coconut and sugar, and cook over low heat to softball stage (234–
240°F).
Remove from heat.
Add rind and mix thoroughly with a buttered wooden spoon for about
5 minutes, then spread onto a buttered cookie sheet.
Cut out into squares or diamonds.
Allow to harden before serving.

Originating from Portugal, this cake is served during afternoon breaks.

1 cup honey
2 eggs, separated
2 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Melt butter, add honey and mix well.
Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each.
Combine flour, baking powder, and lemon rind.
Beat egg whites into stiff peaks.
Alternate adding flour and egg whites to the butter mixture, mixing
thoroughly but lightly after each addition. Fold in almonds.
Butter a 2-quart baking pan.
Pour batter into pan and bake for 1 hour or until done.
Cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with coffee at mid-afternoon.

This rich custard pudding is based on cream cheese and milk and is a popular
sweet or snack.
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water
1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup milk or light cream
4 eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
In a pan over medium heat, simmer sugar and water, unstirred, till
sugar dissolves.
Continue simmering at low heat until the syrup begins to caramelize to
a rich golden brown.
Remove from heat at once; pour into a buttered round 8-inch baking
dish, tilting the dish to allow syrup to cover the bottom.
In a bowl, mix well the other ingredients; pour into baking dish.
Set baking dish in a bain-marie or a larger pan with water halfway up
the baking dish.
Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes or until firm at the edges but
still quivery in the center.
Allow to cool in the pan; refrigerate overnight before unmolding from
baking dish.
This landlocked central African country about the size of Texas was formerly a
French colony. With a flat, rolling plain and tropical climate, cassava and other
staples, fruits, vegetables, and livestock are raised. Diamonds, uranium, gold,
and oil are the country’s most important resources, but the country remains one
of the poorest in Africa. There are over eighty ethnic groups within its border,
including Baya, Banda, Fulani, and migrants from Sudan.
Baka woman pounds cassava into flour using a mortar, Central African Republic. (Sergey
Uryadnikov/Dreamstime.com)
The cuisine, like that of other central African countries, is based on mashed
staples or stiff porridge eaten with vegetables or meat sauces. There are some
French dishes.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: gozo (cassava-flour paste), foutou (mashed plantain and
cassava), fufu (fermented cassava), rice.
• Beef and chicken, bush meat, insects (cicada, grasshopper).
• In Bangui, on the river, a prized food is grilled capitaine fish.
• Yam, maize, beans and other legumes; okra, spinach, and other green
vegetables.
• Banana, plantain, oranges, pineapple, sesame seeds.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews and sauces based on peanuts accompany the staple in almost
all meals. Cooked greens with peanuts are eaten frequently.
• Pili-pili sauce (hot pepper condiment)
• Grilled meats (beef, pork).
• A favorite porridge is bouiller, made of rice, peanut butter, and sugar.
• Ginger beer is the beverage of choice for many people; palm wine,
banana wine.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals a day are common, though three meals a day are
gradually taking over.
• Families eat together around a mat on the floor, sharing the staple,
usually gozo, formed into a large ball. Diners take small balls from the
common ball to scoop peanut-based sauces and vegetable stews.
• Street snacks, often of peanuts, sweet potatoes, or millet, fried or
baked; or grilled or roasted meat are available.

Spinach (or other greens) are commonly cooked with peanuts (called groundnuts
in Africa).
2 TBS oil
2 onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 pound spinach (fresh or frozen), chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 ounces natural peanut butter
Heat oil and sauté onions until soft.

Add tomatoes and green pepper, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
Add spinach, water, and seasoning. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Take 1/4 cup liquid from the spinach mixture and blend with the
peanut butter.
Add peanut butter to spinach mixture. Mix well and cook for 10
minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Serve over rice or to accompany fufu.
Egusi Sauce
This sauce, common throughout central Africa, is served over boiled vegetables
or rice, or grilled chicken, fish, or meat. Egusi (also called agusi, agushi, or
egushi) is the flour ground from seeds of Citrullus lanatus (a melon) or other
gourds (relatives of pumpkins and squashes) and can be found in grocery stores
selling African foods. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), available from health food stores
and major supermarkets, can be substituted.
2 TBS palm oil (or any cooking oil)

1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1/2 cup canned tomatoes)
1 hot chili pepper, cleaned and chopped
salt and red chili pepper to taste
2 cups egusi, roasted and ground very fine
Combine all ingredients except egusi in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for several minutes.
Stir in egusi. Add just enough water to make a thin sauce.
Simmer for several more minutes until heated through.
Serve over boiled rice, yams, or plantains, or grilled chicken, fish, or
meat.
Rice has become a sought-after luxury food in households that can afford it.
2 cups rice
7 1/2 cups water
1 pound fresh spinach, washed, trimmed, and finely chopped
2 tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
1 cup cooked chicken (or mutton or other meat), cubed
red chili or cayenne powder to taste
Mix all ingredients except seasonings in a large, heavy, lidded pot.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir, cover tightly, and reduce heat to
lowest.
Cook for about 30 minutes, until rice is tender.
Season with red chili, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Serve hot.

This and the following recipe are variations on the staple meal, usually eaten in
the evening by the entire family.
3 cups water
3 plantains (or 4 very green bananas), peeled and chopped
4 ounces smoked meat (or smoked lean bacon), chopped
1 ounce ghee (clarified butter)
Lightly season water with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Add plantains and the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer gently until the plantains are tender.
Drain off all water and puree solids in a blender, or mash.
Serve hot or warm with fish or meat.
Yams may substitute for plantains or green bananas as the staple in a meal.
1 pound true yams (yuca, not sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into
chunks
4 cups water
salt, pepper, and flaked red pepper to taste
Place yams in a pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook until soft,
about 20–30 minutes. Drain and discard water
Pound yams with a mortar into a glutinous paste (or use food
processor).
Season well and serve with any meat dish.
GROUNDNUTS AND PEANUTS IN AFRICA

The Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) was a common crop all over
the drier belt of central Africa. In terms of nutrition, it is similar to the
peanut, though it yields less oil. It is a complete food and formed the food
base for many farming communities throughout Africa. Like the peanut, it
grows underground, and it can be eaten raw when fresh or underripe. It has
largely been supplanted by the cultivated peanut largely because of the
peanut’s greater oil content (which makes it more valued as a cash crop)
and because cultivars of the peanut have greater yields, whereas there are
no cultivars (only local races) of the groundnut. Today “groundnut” means
peanut throughout much of Africa, though scientific and food interest in the
Bambara groundnut is growing.

This porridge is a common sweet snack, available from street vendors.
2 cups rice
4 cups water
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
Boil rice in water, uncovered, until still chewy (about 10 minutes).

Mix a few TBS of the rice liquid with the peanut butter to make a
slurry.
Add peanut butter and sugar to taste to rice (add more boiling water if
necessary; porridge should have plenty of liquid).
Stir and mix well. Cover with lid, and simmer on very low heat for 5–
10 minutes until rice is soft.
Serve as a snack.

This hot sauce is a ubiquitous condiment. See note on handling hot peppers in
the preface (“Advice on Preparation,” p. cxx).
3 TBS oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
cumin (seeds or ground)
1/2 cup finely chopped habanero or other hot peppers
1/4–1/2 cup additional oil
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat.

Fry the onions and salt, stirring frequently, until caramelized.
Off the heat, mix in the cumin and peppers (keep eyes away from the
rising fumes).
Pour sauce into a sterilized bottle; top up with more oil to cover.
Store refrigerated.

Egusi, the seeds of a melon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus), make a rich and
flavorful sauce for these beef meatballs.
1 pound ground beef

1 hot pepper (optional) or 1 small sweet red or green bell pepper,
finely chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
egusi sauce (above)
Blend well the beef, chopped onion and garlic, pepper, salt, and egg.
Roll into small balls; drop into simmering egusi sauce.
Adjust seasoning and add more water to prevent sticking.
Serve with mashed yams (foutou) or plantain (foutou banane).
Chad
This landlocked central African country was a former colony of France. The
tropical southern lowland produces grains, fruit (papaya, pineapples), and
vegetables (peppers, peanuts, beans, tomatoes, squash) in small farms. The north
is largely desert, part of the Sahara, where drought-resistant crops such as
sorghum and millet are grown and cattle are raised. Occasional drought and
desertification in the north contribute to tensions in the country.
The north is largely Muslim. The southern people are largely Christian or
animists. French and Arab elements modify the common central African dishes.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, sorghum, or millet porridge; squash, peanuts.
• Meat: goat, sheep, beef; fish from the Niger River; chicken and
ducks, particularly in the south.
• Seasonings: chopped dried shrimps (madjanga), red palm oil, onions,
tomatoes.
• Chopped okra is used to thicken stews; kanwa (montmorillonite clay,
also called natron) is used to soften beans during cooking
TYPICAL DISHES
• The basis of much cooking in the north is flavoring with, and even
cooking in, butter or yogurt. Northerners also eat far more meat than
southerners, and far less fish. Dishes include grilled meats, rice cooked
with butter, and varieties of couscous.
• In the south, peanuts fulfill the same role as butter in the north. Stews
of squash or greens, fish cooked with okra, and sweet potato chips are
some of the dishes. Snacks include various fries from millet or sweet
potatoes.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals, the heaviest in the evening, with a midday snack are
common in the north. In the south, people eat three meals a day
whenever possible.
• Dining in the north is similar to Arab culture: men and women eat
separately, men before the women, all eating with their right hands out
of a common dish. In the south, people sit on mats around separate
common dishes of the staple (rice, sorghum, or millet porridge) and
one or more side dishes. The whole family normally eats together.
• Snacks, often fried nibbles bought from food stands, are commonly
eaten at any time of day.
This is a common breakfast dish. Feel free to fit the recipe to your own taste: it
varies from one household to another.
1 quart water
1 cup ground rice or semolina
1 cup lukewarm water
3 TBS flour (wheat, millet, or maize)
1/2 cup yogurt
sugar to taste
1 cup whole milk
Boil the water. Dribble the rice or semolina into water in a steady
stream, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.
Combine peanut butter and flour, mix with just enough lukewarm
water to make a smooth slurry, and add to pot.
Add yogurt and sugar to taste. Remove from heat.
Add milk to thin porridge in the pot or let each diner add milk at the
table.
Allow a few minutes to settle, then serve for breakfast.
Squash with Peanuts

Squash and peanuts are staples in the south. This dish is eaten as a side dish with
a millet staple.
2–3 pounds squash, peeled and cubed

water, as needed
1 TBS cooking oil
3 cups shelled roasted peanuts, crushed
salt to taste
1 tsp unrefined sugar
Cook squash in boiling water to cover until soft but still whole. Drain
and discard water.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add squash. Cook until
completely soft (about 5 minutes), stirring often (squash pieces can be
broken up).
Stir in peanuts, salt, and sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve hot.
Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet potatoes, introduced from the Americas, have become a major item of the
diet. This salad accompanies the main dish for midday or evening meals.
3 large sweet potatoes

1/2 medium onion, chopped
lemon juice
peanut oil
2 medium firm tomatoes, sliced thin
Boil sweet potatoes in their skins until tender (about 20–30 minutes).
Cool, peel, and slice. Add chopped onion.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and oil. Season to taste.
Garnish with tomato slices. Chill and serve.
Meat and Okra Sauce

This sauce can accompany any staple for the main meal.
2 pounds beef or lamb, cubed

1 TBS cooking oil
1 tsp salt
5 ounces fresh or frozen okra, trimmed
Brown meat in oil.

Add onion and cook until golden; stir in garlic.
Add salt and tomato paste diluted with an equal amount of water.
Cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until meat is tender.
Add boiling water if needed so that there is some sauce.
Add okra 30 minutes before the end of the cooking period.
Serve with boiled rice.
Note: The smaller you cut the okra, the more glutinous the stew will
be. Keeping the okra whole reduces stickiness.

Okra can be used as thickener for other vegetables or as part of a vegetable dish.
Vegetable dish
2 cup vegetables of your choice: tomatoes, sweet potatoes, greens,
diced or chopped
1 cup of fresh okra sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 cup water
1 bouillon cube, crumbled
In a saucepan, place vegetables with okra and water and gently cook
until vegetables are tender, about 15–20 minutes.
Add the bouillon cube and peanut butter and mix well with the
vegetables.
Test and adjust seasoning (the bouillon may provide enough salt).
Thickener
1 cup sauce (meat or vegetable)
1 TBS dried okra (available from most stores that sell African and
Middle Eastern food items)
1 cup boiling water
Heat the sauce in a saucepan.
Add dried okra, stirring well.
Adjust to desired thickness by adding boiling water if desired. Add to
cooked vegetables.

Just as yogurt characterizes many northern Chadian dishes, as most people are
involved in livestock rearing, so does the peanut characterize much of southern
Chad cooking.
5 TBS oil
2 pounds beef cubes, 1 inch or smaller, dredged in flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS chili powder
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and chili pepper to taste
6 cups water
Heat 3 TBS of oil in a large, heavy saucepan.

Brown beef cubes.
Add the nutmeg, chili powder, onions, garlic, tomato paste, salt, chili
pepper, and water.
Simmer until the meat is tender, about 35–45 minutes.
Half an hour before serving, heat the peanut butter and 2 TBS of oil
over medium heat in a separate pan. Remove from heat.
Add peanut butter mixture slowly to beef stew and simmer over low
heat for 20 minutes.
Serve over rice.

Any common tropical fruit is used in this drink. These fruit juices are drunk as
snacks during the day or provided to guests.
3 ice cubes
1 large mango (or 1 1/2 cups of pulp of your favorite fruit; orange,
pineapple, guava, and papaya are the most common fruits used in
Chad), peeled, pitted, and cubed
2 cups milk
3 TBS sugar
Crush ice in a blender

Add mango or other fruit, milk, sugar, and cardamom; blend well.
Serve immediately.
Millet Snack
The Ouaddai area, east of the country, is arid and suited to millet crops. This
snack is eaten at any time of day.
2 cups millet flour

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup peanut oil
1 egg, beaten
vegetable oil for deep frying
Combine the millet and wheat flours and the sugar.

Gradually warm the cup of peanut oil and pour it onto the flour
mixture.
Add the egg and mix well until the mixture forms a firm dough.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
Roll out on a lightly floured board to about 1/5 inch thick.
Cut the dough into ribbonlike strips with a pastry cutter.
Heat oil for deep frying to about 300°F.
Fry the strips to golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot,
warm, or cold.
These snacks are best eaten on the day they are made.
This is a variation of the squash dish above. Peanuts are appreciated not only for
nutrition but also for their crunchy texture.
2 TBS oil
3 zucchini or summer squash, cubed or sliced into coins
2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
salt
pepper
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Stir in the onion; fry until softened.
Add zucchini and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes.
Stir in peanuts and seasonings. Cook another 5 minutes.

The lovely pink color of this drink comes from dried hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus
sabdariffa). If not available, use hibiscus herbal tea bags.
1 cup dried hibiscus flowers (from health food stores), or 8 hibiscus

tea bags
2 TBS grated fresh ginger and/or 3 sticks cinnamon (each 4 inches
long)
8 cups water
honey or sugar
Steep hibiscus, ginger, and cinnamon for 10–15 minutes, until flavors
have infused.
Add honey or sugar to taste.
Serve hot as a tea or chilled as a refreshing juice.
Chechnya
Though a member of the Russian Federation, Chechnya has been in rebellion for
independence for more than a decade. The north is a rolling plain, the south a
series of mountains leading up to the Caucasus range. The climate is continental
—hot summers and cold winters—enabling a range of grains, fruits, vegetables,
sheep, and pigs to be raised.
The population is largely Muslim with minorities of Christian Russian and
highland Jews. Food choices are similar to those of North Caucasus, though
there is a marked Russian influence in the foodstuffs used and some of the
dishes.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are meat (preferably mutton) and wheat or other grains.
• Potatoes are common, as are varieties of cabbage, beets, pumpkins,
and orchard fruits. Wild greens such as nettles are collected in season,
as are mushrooms from the southern mountain slopes.
• Mutton and, for non-Muslims, pork are available meats.
• Garlic and herbs (dill, parsley, green onions) are typical condiments.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Zhizhig galnash—stewed mutton and beef with handmade noodles—
eaten with a garlicky sauce.
• Chepalgash are pancakes stuffed with cottage cheese and herbs.
• Major delicacies are sheep innards, and a great favorite and staple are
stuffed pancakes of various sorts.
• Salads, with beets, potatoes, and preserved meat.
STYLES OF EATING
• When possible, most people eat three meals a day, the heavier one
often at midday.
• Given centuries of Russian influence, dining rules follow those of
European Russia. Table settings are European.
• Snacks are common. A range of snacks, particularly savory meat or
vegetable pies/tarts, are normally served to guests, together with hot
tea.

Salads, often relying heavily on beets or meat, accompany most meals.
8 ounces boiled beef, chopped
8 ounces boiled potatoes, chopped
1 ounce freshly picked, young green peas (or frozen, thawed, and
parboiled)
1 ounce pickled dill cucumber
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
1 cup sour cream
In a bowl, mix well the beef, potatoes, peas, cucumber, salt, and
pepper.
Arrange the egg quarters on top.
Serve with sour cream.

These meat pies are served as snacks, often to guests.
8 ounces mutton or lamb (or other meat), minced

1 onion, minced
10 ounces flour
1/2 cup kefir, or substitute equal amounts of water and yogurt, or
buttermilk
3 ounces butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 TBS oil
2 TBS melted butter
Mix well the meat, onion, salt, and pepper. Set aside until needed.
In a food processor, blend salt (a pinch), flour, kefir, butter, and baking
soda just until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove dough and knead for 10 minutes until shiny and elastic.
Divide dough into 12 pieces. With floured hands, shape into balls.
Roll out balls onto a floured surface into about 1/2-inch-thick disks.
Put about 1 1/2–2 TBS of the reserved minced meat mixture on each
disk, leaving about a 1/4-inch margin around the edge.
Place another disk on top to cover. Seal the edges well with your
fingers or the tines of a fork.
Brush the top surface of each cake with oil and pierce a single hole
about the width of a pencil on the top crust.
Place on a greased cookie sheet, then bake in a 450°F oven until brown
on top (5–10 minutes).
Remove from oven and pour melted butter into the hole on each
chuda.
Serve with tea as a snack, hot or cold.

Vegetarian tarts are a common snack.
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 pounds wheat flour
2 cups kefir, or substitute equal amounts of water and yogurt, or
buttermilk, warm
3/4 cup hot water
5 ounces butter, melted
Sift salt and baking soda with the flour.

Pour in kefir gradually while mixing with wooden spoon to make
dough.
Knead dough for 10 minutes until soft.
Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
Put filling on half of one round and fold over the other half to form a
crescent.
Press the edges well to seal with the fingers or a fork, and bake them in
an oven at 375°F for 15–20 minutes.
Using tongs, dip the pastries quickly in hot water and brush with
melted butter.
Serve with extra melted butter to dip.
Filling
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin flesh, unpeeled, cubed
water
1 TBS oil
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 ounces sugar
Place pumpkin cubes in a microwaveable container.

Add 1/4 cup water. Partly cover and microwave in an 800-watt oven
for 15–20 minutes or until pumpkin is very tender.
Scoop out pulp from the peel and reserve. Discard peels.
Meanwhile, fry the onion in oil until softened.
Add to the reserved pumpkin with salt and sugar, and mash together
thoroughly.

As in many Eastern European countries, wild greens and fruits supplement the
diet (or in the case of the affluent, satisfy nostalgia). In Chechnya, nettle
pancakes are part of the tradition of gathering wild foods. Nettles can be
collected in the spring, provided they have not been sprayed. They must be
handled using thick rubber gloves, as they sting if handled or brushed against.
1 pound cornmeal
3 ounces wheat flour
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup sour cream for serving
Mix cornmeal and flour in a bowl.

Gradually add warm water to make dough (add water as needed).
Knead for 5–10 minutes to form a smooth, elastic dough.
Divide dough into 8 portions.
Roll each portion into a 1/8-inch-thick disk.
Put filling on one disk, cover with another; press edges well together
to seal.
Place each kholtmash into salted boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
Drain.
Serve topped with sour cream.
Filling
3 ounces mutton fat or beef suet, chopped into small cubes (or
substitute lard)
3 ounces young stinging nettle leaves, rinsed and finely chopped (or
chopped fresh or frozen spinach, thawed)
2 ounces green onion, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
Warm fat slightly in a saucepan.

Add all other ingredients. Mix well.
Divide into 8 portions.

Mutton, preferably fat mutton, is the most highly desired meat. This stew is
served for winter meals, together with dark bread.
1 pound potatoes, cubed

1/2 pound carrots, cut in julienne strips 2 tomatoes, sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced into rings
3 ounces garlic, peeled, whole
1 pound mutton
1/4 pound mutton fat, preferably from sheep’s tail
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Layer potatoes and carrots in the top pan of a double boiler or a

heatproof bowl.
Next, spread a layer of sliced tomatoes, onions, peppers, and whole
garlic cloves.
Finally, spread a layer of sheep’s fat and meat.
Between layers, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cilantro.
Make sure the top layer is at least 2 inches below the rim of the bowl
or pan.
Place over the bottom pan of the double boiler, or in a larger pot. (If
using a heatproof bowl, fill the outer pot with water only midway up
the sides of the bowl, so as not to get the boiling water splashing in.
Cover securely with aluminum foil.)
Cover the top pan of the double boiler, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and gently simmer for 1 1/2 hours (and up to 4 hours for
better flavor).
Replenish with more boiling water as needed.
Serve at once.

This is often eaten for breakfast or for a light evening meal. Stuffed pancakes
appear in many meals.
1 pound wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups yogurt
2 1/2 ounces butter
Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.

Gradually add yogurt, stirring constantly to make a soft but firm
dough.
Knead dough for 5 minutes; let rest covered for 20–30 minutes.
Roll out to round disks 1/2 inch thick. Place filling in center of each
piece of dough, gather the edges together, and press to seal well.
Roll each filled cake carefully so as to not expose the filling, until it is
about 1/4 inch thick.
Cook in an ungreased griddle on both sides, about 5–7 minutes per
side.
Brush both sides with a moist tea towel to soften the chepalgash and to
remove burnt bits.
Brush each side with butter, then stack cakes on top of each other.
Cut stack into quarters and serve with melted butter.
Filling
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, green onions)
Blend well all ingredients.

Zhizhig galnash is considered the national dish: boiled mutton or a mix of
mutton and beef accompanied by hand-rolled pasta and a garlic-and-herb sauce.
1 pound mutton, cubed

1/2 tsp salt
Noodles (galnash)
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1–2 eggs
Sauce
8 large cloves garlic, grated
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated pepper
1 cup boiled potatoes, mashed to a puree
1 cup finely chopped mixed herbs (dill, flat-leaf parsley, green onions)
2 cups hot meat broth
In a large pot, put to boil the meat, salt, and enough water to cover.
Turn down heat as soon as water boils; skim off surface scum.
Simmer for 30 minutes or until meat is tender.
Prepare the noodles: in a food processor, mix noodle ingredients to a
firm dough.
Knead for 5 minutes and let rest for 30.
On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle; cut
into slices about 1 1/2–2 inches wide.
Further cut into strips 1/2 inch wide; roll each strip into short noodles,
about 2–2 1/2 inches long, with tapered ends.
Leave noodles to air dry in one layer.
Prepare the sauce: put garlic, seasonings, potatoes, and herbs in a small
pot.
Add 2 cups or more of the broth from the meat. Keep the sauce at a
low simmer.
Take out meat and place on a serving plate. Keep warm.
In the pot in which meat was boiled, let broth come to a rolling boil.
Add noodles; when they rise to the surface, they are done.
Place noodles in a heated bowl. Serve everything piping hot.
Chile
Chile, a Spanish colony until independence in 1818, is a narrow country in

western South America facing the South Pacific Ocean. Its terrain ranges from
arid desert in the north to a fertile central valley with a Mediterranean climate,
ideal for abundant cultivation of fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, and grain. Chile’s
produce is widely exported, including fine wines.
Chileans are mostly European or mixed European-Amerindian (mestizos),
with a minority of Japanese immigrant settlers.
Chilean cuisine is rich and diverse, most noted for its use of all types of
seafood and fish. Spanish, Japanese, and German (from immigrant settlers)
elements are evident. Chile also has many dishes similar to those of neighboring
Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
FOODSTUFFS
• Potatoes, maize, beans, and bread are staples. Wheat and oats, beans,
corn, and garlic are other common foodstuffs.
• Beef, poultry, pork, and sheep are raised.
• The long coastline yields fish and seafood that is exported
worldwide. Fish and seafood commonly eaten in Chile include salmon,
sea bass, congrio (Genypterus chilensis, often mistranslated as “conger
eel,” but it is not an eel), abalone, clams, mussels, crab, lobsters, squid,
octopus, and scallops. Unusual items are sea urchin, seaweed, and sea
squirt (resembling a purple hand grenade). Dried seaweed is used as a
flavoring agent.
• Fruit: apples, pears, peaches, grapes, raspberry, other berries.
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, chili pepper, spices, herbs. Pebre is a
popular hot table sauce.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Spanish-influenced stews: chicken with potatoes and green peppers
(cazuela de ave); southern stew of beef, eggs, and potatoes
(valdiviano).
• Corn dishes: beef or chicken corn casserole (pastel de choclo); bean
and corn chowder (porotos granatos); mashed corn pastries (humitas),
baked in cornhusks, a summer favorite; sweet corn flan topped with
caramel.
• Grilled meats: asado or parillada.
Sea urchin.
• Fish and shellfish soups or stews: caldillo or chupe. Seafood dishes

include baked/grilled crab, clams as appetizers; fresh fish/shellfish
marinated in lemon, onions, and chili (ceviche). Seaweed dried into a
cake (similar to Japanese nori or Welsh laverbread) is sprinkled onto
some soups or stews.
• Pan amasado, a wood-fired, oven-baked bread, is a regional treat.
• Vegetable dishes: avocado, tomato, and heart of palm sandwich; fried
pancakes of pumpkin and flour (sopaipillas, a rainy day treat).
• Empanadas (savory turnovers) are popularly served as a first course
for meals and for festival and celebration treats. A unique Chilean
filling is simply onions and chili pepper. Cheese or seafood fillings are
also typical.
• Drinks: juices of raspberry or exotic fruits; local and international
bottled carbonated drinks; yerba mate, a high-caffeine tea from the
leaves of a hollylike shrub; apple juice (chicha fresca). (Chicha in
Chile is usually a three-day-fermented grape juice, boiled and bottled
with honey. Other South American countries make chicha from
different fruits and it may or may not be fermented).
STYLES OF EATING
• Chileans usually eat four meals a day, beginning with a light
breakfast of toast with a well-sugared cup of tea or coffee.
• Lunch, the day’s main meal, is from about 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Most
people take a longer lunch break to enjoy a three-course meal, usually
starting with soup or other appetizers, bread or rolls; main course of
fish or meat; and dessert of fruit salad, flan, or sweet pastry.
• Between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., Chileans have snacks called onces
(elevens), bread or roll, or a sandwich or savory pastry, plus tea or
coffee.
• Dinner is eaten late, usually between 9:00 p.m. and midnight.
• Snacks: from street kiosks, convenience stores, or delis. Cafés, called
fuentes de soda (soda fountains), or schoperías (from German schop,
meaning “draft beer”) also serve sandwiches and savory pastries. The
most popular snack is el completo, a hot dog with everything—
mayonnaise, ketchup, guacamole, and tomatoes; toasted cheese
sandwiches come with steak or ham, with fresh vegetables.
• Drink/dessert: mote con huesillos is a summer juice cum dessert of
soaked dried peaches, husked wheat, and cinnamon, traditionally
mixed in a clay pot and served very cold.
• Desserts: German-style kuchen, which are cream-filled pastries with
fresh raspberries, apricots, or other fruits and nuts; Spanish-type
pastries called alfajores, spread with milk jam (dulce de leche); chilled
rice pudding with milk, sugar, and cinnamon; fruit salad with apples,
peaches, bananas, oranges, or exotic fruits.
• Many restaurants, bars, and cafés offer European (Italian, German,
French, etc.), Asian (Japanese, Chinese, Thai, etc.) cuisines and
American fast food in cities.

The long Chilean coastline means that fresh seafood is readily available and
features heavily in the cuisine.
2 cups water
1 cup white wine
1 pound fresh shrimp with shells (peel shells and set aside separately
from shrimp meat)
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 TBS olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes dipped in boiling water for 30 seconds, peeled and chopped
2 TBS tomato paste
2 TBS chopped fresh thyme
2 TBS chopped fresh oregano
fresh thyme, oregano to garnish
In a large nonaluminum saucepan, put water, white wine, shrimp

shells, celery, and carrots.
Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off heat. Strain the shells and vegetables, pressing well to extract
flavors. Set the broth aside.
Warm olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir fry onion
and bell pepper for 5 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and oregano.
Add reserved broth and bring to a simmer.
Stir in shrimp meat and simmer for 3 minutes or until pink.
Season to taste and ladle into bowls.
Add garnish and serve immediately with rolls or crusty bread, as a first
course for a meal or as a light evening dish.

This casserole is served as a main dish.
3 TBS olive oil

1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried powdered oregano
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
2 hard-boiled eggs, each cut into 8 wedges
12 pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
Heat oil over medium heat. Stir fry onion until softened.
Stir in garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Add beef and cook until brown. Place meat in buttered casserole. Press
egg slices, raisins, and olives into meat.
Spread the topping and sprinkle with paprika and sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 30–45 minutes or until browned.
Serve hot (with an avocado salad and pebre or other peppery sauce if
desired).
Topping
5 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 cup milk
salt
pepper
4 TBS butter
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp confectioners’ sugar
In blender, puree corn with 1 cup milk to a thick paste. Season with
salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat butter in a frying pan; stir fry onion until soft.
Stir in corn mixture until warmed through. Remove from heat and
spoon over meat.

Salads accompany many meals.
juice of 1 lemon
2 avocados, diced
1 sweet onion, sliced into rings
2 large firm tomatoes, skinned and diced
olive oil
fresh cilantro (optional)
In a bowl, mix lemon juice gently with the avocados so that they do
not discolor.
Add the onions and tomatoes. Mix in the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Garnish with cilantro.

Pebre is a common table condiment.

1–2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 TBS finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 TBS finely chopped fresh parsley
1–6 fresh, hot green chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 TBS olive oil
1 TBS lemon juice
salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and allow to sit at room

temperature for at least 1 hour. Serve with any vegetable or meat dish.

This pie is a common dessert served in many households.
Base
1 cup ground nuts (almonds, walnuts, or other)
3 TBS sugar
6 TBS melted butter
Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice (unsieved)
4 TBS cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 egg yolks
2 TBS butter
1 pound oranges, cut up into segments, without the peel and pith
4 TBS orange marmalade, diluted with 2 TBS orange juice and sieved
Mix the base ingredients and press onto the bottom and sides of a 9-
inch pie pan. Set aside.
In a pan, mix sugar, orange juice, and cornstarch diluted in water.
Cook to thicken over medium heat.
Turn off heat and quickly stir in yolks and butter, mixing well. Let
cool and spoon over nut base.
Arrange orange segments in concentric circles. Top with diluted
marmalade.
Put under a hot grill to glaze for a few minutes.
Serve cold.

This is a popular Chilean sweet, based on a filling of milk jam (dulce de leche).
It is quite similar to Argentinian alfajores. This recipe has half the amount of
sugar in traditional recipes.
1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 cup dulce de leche (from shops selling Latin American foods)
colored sprinkles, grated coconut for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet with
buttered and floured parchment paper.
Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
Whip egg whites to soft peaks; add 1/4 cup sugar gradually and whip
until stiff but not dry.
In a large bowl, cream yolks with remaining sugar until light; mix in
well the flour mixture.
Fold in egg whites thoroughly but gently.
Take spoonfuls of the mixture to make 2-inch cookies, spaced 2 inches
apart on the parchment.
Bake for 5 minutes or until golden. Let cookies cool on a rack.
Meanwhile, blend well the dulce de leche with butter.
Take one cookie, spread with 1 TBS of filling; top with another
cookie.
Sprinkle powdered sugar to completely cover the cookies.
The sides of the cookies may be rolled in sprinkles or coconut, if
desired.

Macho ruso is a classic Chilean dessert, here made more conveniently in
individual glass dishes or wine glasses.
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream (half-and-half)
2 sticks cinnamon (each 4 inches)
2 TBS sugar
4 TBS cornstarch
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water
grated rind of 1 orange
honey and fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries) or good quality fruit
conserve for serving
Chill 4 glasses or bowls for 1 hour before using.

In a pan, put milk, cream, cinnamon, and sugar; leave to infuse over
low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Make a slurry with the cornstarch, flour, and water; stir into the milk
infusion.
Increase heat to medium; cook until mixture starts to boil. Away from
the heat, stir in orange rind.
Pour mixture through a sieve into the bowls. Set aside to cool
completely.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Serve with berries and honey.
China
China, with a population of more than 1 billion, is the most populous country on
earth. Although in area it is the fourth largest, much of the country’s land is not
arable due to high mountains and subarctic or desert conditions. Conditions
north of the Yellow River are cooler and favor the production of millet, wheat,
and particularly sorghum, which is the traditional grain since prehistoric times.
In the south, subtropical to tropical conditions favor the growing of rice, which
has become the standard staple throughout China.
One of the world’s oldest enduring civilizations, China has strongly

influenced the cultures of Korea, Japan, and most of East and Southeast Asia. Its
population is predominantly Han Chinese, with many large and small ethnic
groups: Mongol, Tatar, Manchu, Uighur, Lao, Miao, and so on, with their own
languages and cultures. There are vestiges of Taoist, Buddhist, and polytheistic
practices, and practicing Muslims and Christians.
Chinese cuisine is one of the two greatest in the world (the other is French).
Recipes recorded centuries ago are still being made today. Frequent famines and
limited agricultural land have engendered an appreciation of food at all levels of
society, resourcefulness, and lack of waste in using food ingredients. Although
there are many styles of cooking and thousands of recipes, these can be
classified into four main regional cuisines: north, inland or western, coast or
eastern, and southern, all of them differentiated by climate, foodstuffs, and
seasonings. What all share is the ideal that a meal should offer a range of tastes
—sweet, salty, sour, pungent, or bitter—and that methods of preparation be
varied (fried, roasted, steamed, braised, etc.). Flavors, colors, and textures are
expected to balance, and there is an underlying belief in the intrinsic medicinal
and health-giving properties of food.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat noodles, bread, or sorghum in the north (Beijing,
Shandong, Honan, including Mongolia, Sinjiang, Manchuria). Rice is
less frequently eaten. In the west (Sichuan, Yunnan), east (Fukien,
Shanghai), and south (Guangdong), rice.
• Meat and protein: in the north, mainly mutton, goat, yak, horse;
countrywide, pork, beef, chicken, duck, carp, dried and fresh fish or
shellfish, other seafood and exotica; mainly south, sea cucumber,
shark’s fin, jellyfish, snake, bird’s nest; soybean products.
• Apples, Asian pears, bananas, citrus, melon, plums, pomegranate,
tropical fruit (lychee, mango), walnuts, almonds, melons.
• Potatoes, pumpkin, cabbage and its relatives (broccoli, cauliflower,
flowering cabbage), mustard leaves and roots, bamboo shoot, peanut,
radish, water chestnut, winter melon, bitter melon, garlic chives,
gourds, fungi, bean sprouts.
• Seasonings: ginger, garlic, green onions, fermented soybean paste,
soy sauce, oyster sauce, chilies (mainly west, especially Sichuan),
Sichuan pepper.
• Drinks: tea, alcoholic drinks brewed from kaoliang (sorghum), wine,
fruit juice, bottled carbonated drinks, mineral water.
TYPICAL DISHES
• North: meat, wheat or maize breads, subtle seasoning (though
Shandong uses lots of garlic, green onions, and chives), Beijing roast
duck, tea-smoked chicken, mutton or goat soup (quan yang tang), hot
pot, meat-filled dumplings (shui jiao or jiao zi).
• West: hot, spicy dishes, such as Sichuan roast duck, spicy vegetable
pickles, Ma-Po’s bean curd.
• East: braising or red cooking in the region’s excellent soy sauce;
sophisticated, cosmopolitan dishes from Shanghai; bird’s nest soup;
seafood in gravy; red-cooked pork or chicken.
• South: subtly flavored seafood and chicken, stir fries, steamed dishes,
shark’s fin soup, barbecued/roast pork, dim sum (tiny dumplings and
appetizers).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals daily and snacks.
• Main meals eaten as a family. All side dishes are placed at the same
time in the middle of the table for diners to help themselves. Each
diner must be sure others have had their share.
• Each diner uses chopsticks, a bowl for the staple and another bowl
for soup, and, occasionally, individual plates for side dishes.
• Rice is eaten by bringing one’s bowl to the mouth to scoop rice in
with chopsticks.
• Breakfast: in the north, wheat noodles (mian tiao) or steamed bread
(man tou) with egg soup, maize porridge, tea; elsewhere, rice porridge
or noodles, fried bread sticks, tea.
• Lunch: quick meals of noodles with/without soup (with vegetables,
bits of meat or poultry); in the north, wheat noodles or flat bread; in
the south, rice noodles or plain rice.
• Dinner: countrywide, rice, two to four side dishes (soup; stir-fried
vegetables; roast, fried, or stir-fried meat; poultry or fish); in the north,
more frequently, steamed bread or wheat noodles than rice.
• Snacks: in the north, round flat bread (huo shao) with salty vegetable
pickle (xian cai); in the south, bite-sized savory or sweet pastry (dim
sum); countrywide, noodles with or without soup.
• Families eat out often. For banquets on special occasions, dishes are
served one after the other, and wine and beer are consumed during the
meal. Rice and soup come only in the end.
Hot Pot (Huoguo)

This is a cold-weather dish widely eaten in Shandong and elsewhere in northern
China. It is cooked at the table in a traditional chafing pot. Use a fondue set,
electric wok, or frying pan, or a heatproof casserole over a flat tabletop burner
(butane-fueled, available at stores that sell Asian supplies). Skinless chicken
breast or pork may be used instead of beef or lamb, but all meat used must be
sliced very thinly so that they cook immediately. Because each diner is actively
involved in the cooking, this is a very convivial dish. If diners are not very
comfortable using chopsticks, use fondue forks or a ladle for scooping out
ingredients from the cooking pot onto each bowl. This dish makes a complete
evening meal and is usually eaten with plain steamed buns (man tou), or sesame-
and green onion–flavored buns.
6 cups any soup stock, boiling hot

1 1/2 pounds lamb or beef, sliced paper thin into pieces 1 1/2 by 3
inches
1 Chinese cabbage (bok choy), cut into 3-inch pieces
2–3 bunches fresh spinach or flowering cabbage (choy sum), cut into
3-inch-long pieces
2 cups bean vermicelli (also called cellophane noodle), softened in
warm water for 15 minutes, cut into 6-to 8-inch lengths
2 blocks firm bean curd, cubed
Dipping sauce
(The quantities given below for the sauce ingredients may vary, depending on
each diner’s taste.)
4 TBS green onion, chopped

4 TBS sesame seed paste (available from shops that sell Asian foods)
or tahina (from Middle Eastern or health food stores)
4 or more TBS vinegar
2 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS fermented bean curd or dark miso
2 tsp rice wine or sherry (optional)
First prepare the sauce. Mix all sauce ingredients thoroughly in a bowl.
Taste, adding more or less vinegar or sugar as desired.
Transfer to four individual sauce bowls.
(Alternatively, place all ingredients in separate bowls at the table. Each
diner can mix his/her own sauce, choosing from among the given
ingredients as desired.)
Arrange the prepared meat, vegetables, and other ingredients in
separate dishes or in separate groups in one large dish on the table.
Carefully place enough stock to come about 2/3 of the way up the
fondue pot or wok.
Set the appropriate heat source at medium to high heat.
When the stock boils, each diner takes a slice of meat and dips it into
the pot until just done, then dips the meat into sauce and eats.
After a few helpings of meat, put in the vegetables and bean curd,
similarly dipping them into the sauce before eating.
Finally, put in the noodles; allow to cook briefly, then serve with the
soup.
The stock must boil or simmer continuously.

This is a very simple and quickly made dish from Shandong (northern China)
served with wheat noodles, steamed bread (man tou), or flat bread (huo shao)
usually for breakfast or a light lunch or as a snack.
2 TBS oil
3 tomatoes, chopped
5 cups any soup stock
salt to taste
4 eggs, beaten
3 stalks green onion or garlic chives, chopped
4 stalks fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
In a saucepan or wok, heat oil over medium heat.

Stir in onion and fry until softened, for about 3–5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and stir fry until soft.
Add soup stock and salt; cover and bring to a boil.
Stir in eggs.
When eggs are done, turn off heat.
Sprinkle with green onion and cilantro (if using).

This aromatic and delicious dish is as well loved as roast duck, the most famous
Beijing dish. It can be eaten hot or cold. Serve with hot rice for an evening meal
with soup or stir-fried vegetables. Instead of a whole chicken, separate portions
such as backs or whole legs may be used.
2 TBS whole Sichuan pepper

2 TBS salt
1 small, tender chicken, about 2 pounds, cleaned and wiped dry
1 green onion
3 slices fresh ginger
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick, 1 inch long
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup black tea leaves
2 TBS sesame oil
3 sprigs fresh cilantro for garnish
large sheet of foil
Over low heat, dry fry the Sichuan pepper and salt in a skillet for 1–3
minutes, until aromatic.
Crush this mixture coarsely and rub all over chicken, inside and out.
Place in a covered container and refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight.
In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil.
Add green onion, ginger, anise, cinnamon, and soy sauce; simmer for
10 minutes.
Add chicken; let simmer for 10 minutes. Make sure chicken is
completely immersed.
Take chicken off and let cool.
In a metal roasting pan, lay a large sheet of foil, enough to generously
overhang sides of pan. Place sugar, flour, and tea leaves on foil.
Put the roasting pan over low heat, until the sugar and tea mixture
starts to scorch and copiously smoke. It is this smoke that will flavor
the chicken. (If you have a smoke alarm, it may be best to do this step
outdoors on a barbecue).
Place chicken on roasting rack over the smoking tea leaf mixture.
Bring foil over chicken and fold to seal.
Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Unwrap chicken, brush with sesame oil, turn over, and return to oven,
uncovered.
Bake for another 10–15 minutes or until brown.
Brush with sesame oil and cut into 2-inch portions, leaving drumsticks
and wings whole.
Arrange on a serving plate, roughly following the shape of a whole
chicken.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.

This chicken and vegetable salad comes from western China, where chilies are
liberally used. The sesame-seed dressing combined with ginger and garlic is very
distinctive. The original dish called for green bean sheets, but here cucumber is
used. Alternatively, use parboiled bamboo shoots, celery, carrots, lettuce, or a
mixture of salad leaves of your choice. Serve as a refreshing summer dish for
lunch on its own, or with chilled rice or wheat noodles.
1 TBS sesame seeds

1 pound whole boneless chicken breasts
6 cups water
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into julienne strips
Bake sesame seeds in a single layer on a roasting pan in preheated

350°F oven for 5–8 minutes or until golden. Set aside.
Put chicken and water in a covered saucepan; slowly bring to a boil
over medium heat.
Remove from heat and let cool in the pan.
Drain, shred into julienne strips, and reserve until needed.
Meanwhile, prepare salad dressing.
Place cucumber in serving bowl, place chicken on top.
Pour dressing over and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Dressing
2 TBS sesame seed paste (tahina)
3 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS vinegar
1 tsp hot pepper oil or chili sauce (optional)
1 TBS sesame oil
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
In a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.
BEAN CURD
Bean curd (doufu [Mandarin] or tofu [Japanese]) is a soy bean derivative of
Chinese origin. It is made by curdling “soy milk” made by soaking,
grinding, boiling, and straining soybeans. Curdling is done by introducing
gypsum (calcium sulfate) or some other coagulant to the fresh soy milk
(somewhat like making cheese with rennet). The curds may then be drained
lightly, through muslin or silk cloth in a mold (to produce the brick shape
familiar in most supermarkets), pressed to extract most liquid, or dried in a
number of ways.
There are many hundreds of varieties of tofu, the differences
depending on the coagulant, degree and fashion of pressing, and the drying
process. Fresh curds normally have a high moisture content, which gives
them a soft texture somewhat like custard (and can be eaten sweet or
savory). Drier curds are firmer, the driest versions somewhat the texture of
a white cheese, such as feta. Bean curds can be fermented or infected by an
edible bacillus, somewhat like aged cheeses. Freeze-dried tofu, notably the
koyadofu from the Mount Koya monastery in Japan are popular journey
foods, as they keep well. A variety of bean curd called fupi in China and
yuba in Japan is made by boiling soy milk and skimming the thin skin that
rises. This is then eaten as is, dried, or folded and cut into various shapes. It
is also used to wrap foods for additional preparation, such as steaming, or
for aesthetic presentation. Fried bean curd is a common addition to many
dishes.
The plasticity and wide variety of bean curd make it an essential
element in Buddhist cooking (in which meat is forbidden), with various
methods used to flavor, color, and shape tofu into meat substitutes.

This is another western Chinese specialty, normally peppery hot from chili oil
and hot bean paste, the signature flavorings of Sichuan. The dish also uses
soybean curd, one of the numerous products made from the versatile soybean.
Bean curd (tofu) comes in two types: firm (or silk) or soft and velvety, and
it makes a good contrast with the texture of meat. If you leave out the meat for a
vegetarian meal, you may prefer to use firm tofu. Serve with plain white rice and
a side dish of stir-fried vegetables or soup.
3 TBS peanut oil

1/4 pound ground pork or beef
2 TBS dark bean paste (dark miso)
2 TBS soy sauce
3/4 cup soup stock
4 blocks bean curd (sold as tofu at Asian groceries or major
supermarkets), diced
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp cold water
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot chili oil or chili sauce (optional)
1 TBS green onion, chopped
1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
In a wok or large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Stir fry pork until
brown.
Stir in garlic, bean paste, soy sauce, stock, and bean curd; cook for 5
minutes.
Mix cornstarch with water, and stir into meat mixture until thickened.
Turn off heat; stir in sesame oil, hot oil (if using), green onion, and
Sichuan pepper.
Serve hot.

This is often cooked as a side dish in various parts of the country. The same
sauce and process can be used with bean sprouts, bok choy, or other vegetables.
1 pound fresh green beans, washed, drained, trimmed, and cut into 2-
inch lengths
1 TBS water
2 TBS fermented black beans (available canned from stores that sell
Asian foods)
2 TBS soy sauce
1/4 cup cold water
1 TBS cornstarch
Steam (or microwave beans with 2 TBS water) until just tender.
Reserve 1 TBS water from beans.
Drain and rinse immediately in cold water.
Mix black beans, soy sauce, water, and cornstarch until very smooth.
Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add water from beans and the
cooked beans.
When beans are heated through, add the sauce.
Stir constantly to coat the beans.
Serve with hot cooked rice as soon as the sauce has thickened.
Steamed Buns with Barbecued Pork Filling (Cha Shao Pao, Cha
Siu Bao)
Although steamed buns (man tou) and dumplings are most commonly eaten in
northern China, these food items have been perfected in the south, where they
are no longer the staple. In Guangdong, steamed buns and dumplings are stuffed
with choice bits of pork, seafood, chicken, and vegetables, artfully wrapped in
the thinnest, often frilled, pastry, showcasing the colorful items within. These
savory-and sweet-steamed pastries are included in the category of food called
dim sum (literally “touch the heart”) in Cantonese.
There are restaurants that serve only dim sum, where it is possible to eat it
not just for snacks but also as a complete meal. Hot trolleys filled with assorted
dim sum in small bamboo steamer baskets circle the dining room, and diners
choose directly from the trolley or from a menu. Most dim sum dishes are
steamed and wrapped in pastry, but they also include fried noodles, savory rice
cakes, soups, and single servings of braised or stewed meat or seafood. There are
also sweet dim sum: custard tarts, almond jelly with fruit, or sweet bean-filled
pastries. Common to all is their bite-sized proportion (normally three or four in
one serving) and exquisite mix of textures and flavors. Tea goes perfectly with
dim sum.
Stuffing
2 TBS oil
1 green onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1/2 pound barbecued or roast pork, diced
2 TBS light soy sauce
2 TBS oyster sauce
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS cornstarch, dissolved in 2 TBS water
Basket of steamed buns, China. Filled with either meat, seafood or vegetables, steamed dumplings
resembling buns or small pastries are typically a northern dish. (iStockPhoto.com)
Heat oil in a wok. Stir fry green onion and garlic for 30 seconds.
Add pork. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and
sugar.
Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir quickly until pork is glazed.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool.
Basic steamed bun dough

This dough can be formed into buns without a filling, and can be used as man
tou to accompany the hot pot recipe above.
1 package dried yeast

1 TBS sugar
4 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS sesame oil
Dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water. Set in a warm place for 5
minutes until frothy.
Add 1 cup flour, mix thoroughly, and cover with a damp, clean towel.
Let rise for 1 hour, until bubbles appear.
Add sugar and vegetable oil to boiling water. Stir well to dissolve
sugar. Cool until lukewarm. Pour into yeast mixture, and add
remaining flour.
Knead dough on lightly floured board for 10 minutes or until smooth
and glossy.
Put into a large, greased bowl in a warm place. Cover with a damp,
clean kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled, for about 2 hours.
Proceed as follows.
On a floured board, knead dough for 1 minute and roll into one long,
2-inch diameter cylinder.
Slice the cylinder crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
With a rolling pin, flatten each piece into 3-inch rounds.
Place 2 TBS of filling in the center of each round.
Gather dough up around the filling in loose folds. Bring folds up to top
of bun and twist securely and firmly.
Place each bun on 2-inch square of plain paper or aluminum foil on
steamer tray. Cover with a damp towel.
Let rise for 1 hour in a warm place, until dough springs back when
touched with a finger.
Remove the towel and steam buns over briskly boiling water for 10
minutes.
To eat: dip into sauce of 1 TBS soy sauce, 1/2 TBS vinegar, 1 tsp
Chinese or other sharp mustard, and 1/2 tsp sesame oil.

Of all meats, pork is most commonly used in China, except by the Muslims in
northern China. The pig is so respected that the Chinese ideograph for “home” is
a combination of those used for “roof” and “pig.”
This dish is a southern (Cantonese) specialty and is eaten hot or cold. It
keeps well and is also used in fried rice or noodles and other dishes, such as in
the steamed dumplings above. It is eaten with rice and side dishes of vegetables
or soup for lunch or dinner, and is also good with rice porridge (congee) for a
midmorning or mid-afternoon snack. Barbecued pork may be dipped into a sauce
of vinegar, soy sauce, and mustard. An alternative to red food coloring is using 2
tsp of red bean curd, in which case reduce the soy sauce to 2 TBS.
1 1/4 pounds lean pork, loin or shoulder
Marinade
2 green onions, minced
5 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS rice wine or sherry (optional)
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS hoisin sauce
dash of red food coloring
Syrup
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 TBS sugar, honey, or corn syrup
1/2 TBS hot water
Slice pork into strips 8 × 1 1/2 inches; lightly slash the surface (for
faster absorption of flavors).
Mix the marinade ingredients, adding enough food color to tint meat a
pale red.
Marinate pork refrigerated in a covered container for at least 3 but no
more than 6 hours.
Turn pork occasionally.
Place pork on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 10 minutes; baste
with marinade.
Roast for a further 7–10 minutes. The pork must not be over-roasted or
it will be dry.
Remove from oven and immediately brush with syrup ingredients
mixed together.
To serve, slice thinly, arranged on a serving dish.
Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.
? Did you know?

Sweet and sour pork is the most widely known Chinese dish worldwide. It
is believed to have originated in Guangdong (Canton), where the
combination of sweet and sour flavors is traditionally used for fish dishes.
Using a sweet and sour sauce for pork is a modern invention, believed to
have been brought to America by Chinese immigrants in the nineteenth
century. Traditional recipes for achieving a sweet and sour combination of
flavors relied on rice vinegar, preserved plums or other fruit, and sugar,
depending on the particular region. The use of ketchup (or red food
coloring) and Worcestershire sauce in modern recipes is not traditional to
Cantonese or other regional Chinese cuisine. Sweet and sour sauces in
China are not as aggressively flavored or as glaringly colored as they are in
restaurants that serve Chinese food elsewhere.
Crisp-Soft Noodles with Pork and Vegetables (Liang Mian

Huang)
Noodles have an important place in Chinese cuisine, and a recent archaeological
find dates them to before 3000 BCE. The story that noodles were brought to
Europe by Marco Polo in the thirteenth century is probably not true, since there
is evidence of noodles in Italy well before that date.
Noodles of all types, wheat or rice, are eaten at all times, with or without
soup. You can substitute chicken or deep-fried tofu for the pork. This makes a
light lunch dish or a snack.
8 cups water
1 pound fresh noodles (or 3/4 pound dried)
5 TBS peanut oil
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1/2 tsp green onion, chopped
1/3 pound lean pork, cut into thin strips
2 cups Chinese cabbage, shredded
2 TBS chopped green onion for garnish
Seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine or sherry (optional)
3 TBS chicken stock
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Mix seasoning ingredients; set aside.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
Drop in noodles; bring back to boil. Add 1/2 cup cold water; boil for 4
minutes. (If using dried noodles, boil in the same way until done al
dente.)
Drain noodles. Set aside.
Heat wok over high heat. Add 3 TBS oil.
Fry noodles on one side until crisp at the edges. Turn and fry the other
side until crisp. Place on serving dish.
Return wok to heat with remaining oil.
Stir fry ginger and green onion for 1 minute.
Add pork and cabbage, stir fry for 4 minutes.
Add seasoning; cook for about 2 minutes.
Pour over noodles.
Garnish with chopped green onion.

After seafood and fish, chicken is the most esteemed by the southern Chinese,
especially the Cantonese. This is a classic dish, served as a side dish with rice for
lunch or dinner. Cashew nuts can be substituted for walnuts. Deep frying ensures
quick cooking, while the use of egg white and cornstarch marinade (a method
known as velveting) preserves moistness and results in a silken texture.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes

1 cup walnuts or cashew nuts
about 4 cups peanut oil
3 slices fresh ginger
1 green onion, sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper, cut into similar sized cubes as chicken
Marinade
1 egg white, beaten
1 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS soy sauce
Seasoning
2 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS rice wine (optional)
1/2 TBS vinegar
1/2 TBS cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Mix chicken thoroughly with marinade ingredients. Set aside for 30

minutes.
Roast nuts in a 350°F oven for 5–10 minutes. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix thoroughly all seasoning ingredients. Set aside.
In a wok, heat enough peanut oil for deep frying to medium hot.
Deep fry chicken for 1 minute.
Remove and drain on paper towels.
Pour off all oil from wok; add 2 TBS fresh oil.
Heat oil at high heat; stir in ginger and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add green onion, stir fry for a few seconds.
Stir in green pepper. Then stir in chicken and seasoning sauce; fry
until thickened and heated thoroughly. Finally, stir in walnuts.
Serve at once.

This is a specialty of eastern China. Enclosing the chicken with aromatic
mushrooms, ham, and cilantro and quick cooking at high heat preserves the
intrinsic flavors of each item, which are released only when the parcels are
opened. This is an elegant dish suitable for a celebration. As a side dish for a
family evening meal, serve with rice and vegetables or soup.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 12 pieces

3 dried shiitake mushrooms
1/4 pound ham
12 sheets cellophane or wax paper, 10 x 10 inches
2 TBS sesame oil
12 stalks fresh cilantro
oil for deep frying
5 stalks fresh cilantro, 3 small red radishes, or 1 tomato for garnish
Marinade
3 TBS soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Mix thoroughly the marinade ingredients and place in a bowl with the
chicken. Set aside for 1 hour.
Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Remove stalk;
slice into quarters.
Slice ham to the size of the cut mushrooms.
Place 1 sheet of cellophane on a flat plate; brush with sesame oil.
Lay in the center one piece each of cilantro, mushroom, chicken, and
ham.
Fold over one corner of the paper over the filling, creating a triangle.
To seal the triangle, lay it so that the base is closest to you (the apex
will be pointing away from you).
Fold over the right-hand corner of the triangle until its tip reaches
roughly the midpoint of the opposite edge.
Fold over the other corner likewise; this creates an origami cuplike
parcel.
Fold down the apex of the triangle and insert it into the pocket created
by the topmost flap.
This way of folding ensures the parcel does not open during frying.
Heat oil to medium hot in a wok.
Fry the parcels, a few at a time, for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
When all have been fried, return all and fry again for 1 1/2 minutes.
Drain parcels on paper towels.
Place on serving platter and serve 3 parcels per person.
Garnish platter with fresh cilantro and red radish or tomato slices.

This is usually eaten in western China as a side dish, not dessert. In some places
it is made with white potatoes.
2 cups or more oil for deep frying

1 pound sweet potatoes (or waxy white potatoes), peeled and cut into
2-inch cubes
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp honey or corn syrup
2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 TBS water
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds (black or white)
2 ounces haw or plum jelly, diced
Slowly heat oil in a wok over medium heat (350°F) and deep fry sweet
potatoes until golden, a few at a time. Do not crowd the pan. Drain and
set aside.
Pour off the oil.
Add water and sugar; stir until completely dissolved.
Stir in honey and cornstarch; cook until thickened.
Stir in sweet potatoes, sesame oil and seeds, ensuring even coating of
syrup. Serve at once, topped with diced jelly.

Green, leafy vegetables on their own—stir fried, as in this dish, or steamed—are
highly appreciated in Cantonese cooking as the region excels in growing
vegetables. Other vegetables, such as snow peas, spinach, broccoli, or even
romaine lettuce, may be substituted for cabbage. Alternatively, leave out the
cornstarch and serve with 2 TBS of oyster sauce poured at random over the
vegetables.
3 TBS oil
1 tsp salt
1 pound Chinese cabbage, sliced into 2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 TBS water
In a wok or a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

Add garlic and stir fry until pale brown.
Add salt and cabbage; stir fry quickly for 1 minute.
Add sherry, sugar, and cornstarch mixture.
Stir thoroughly until thickened.
Serve hot.
Sweet Peanuts
Peanuts are raised extensively for making oil in the south and central regions.
They are also used in making snacks.
1 pound peanuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 TBS peanut oil
5 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water to make a slurry
Dry fry the peanuts in a wok until very crisp. Remove and reserve.
In the wok, add the sugar and water to make a thin syrup.
When the syrup starts to boil, stir in the peanuts, peanut oil, and
cornstarch slurry. Continue to cook until peanuts are well coated with
the thickened syrup.
Remove from heat, drop by teaspoonfuls well apart on an oiled or
buttered cookie sheet, and allow to cool.

Chinese desserts are usually fresh fruits or sweet porridges of beans or nuts such
as walnuts, almonds, or gingko. A watermelon shell lends itself to being carved
and decorated, in much the same way that winter melons are carved with
dragons or phoenixes when used for soup. Substitute other fruits in season for
any of the fruits given in the recipe below.
1 small watermelon, with stalk intact if possible

8-ounce can lychees, drained
8-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
8-ounce can kumquats, drained
2 cups green grapes, peeled, halved, and seeded
2 Asian pears, peeled, cored, and diced
2 crisp apples, peeled, cored, and diced
2 yellow peaches, peeled, stoned, and diced
Cut off a third of the watermelon, leaving a decorative scalloped or

toothed edge if desired. Keep the cut-off part with stalk for a lid.
Scoop out the flesh in bite-sized cubes and discard seeds.
Mix watermelon cubes with rest of the ingredients, including canned
syrup, in a large bowl.
Pour fruit mixture into watermelon shell; replace lid.
Chill for 2 hours or more before serving.

Cakes are not eaten as desserts, particularly after a multicourse meal. They are
more likely eaten as snacks with tea, or in connection with a festival.
4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1/2 TBS water
2 tsp baking powder, dissolved in 1 TBS water
3 TBS lard or butter, at room temperature
3 TBS peanut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
In a mixer, beat egg whites until stiff.

Add sugar in 3 portions, mixing well.
Add yolks and milk, mixing well.
Fold in flour; let stand for 4–6 hours.
Stir in dissolved baking soda and baking powder into flour mixture.
Mix in lard and oil lightly but thoroughly.
Pour into greased 8-inch round or square cake pan.
Place in steamer to steam for about 20 minutes. (Steamer can be rigged
from a wok with a cover. Set the cake pan on a rack or sturdy bowl in
the wok. Carefully pour hot water into the wok. Water should not
touch the cake pan.)
The cake is done when it springs back when touched.
Unmold cake after 5 minutes.
Cut into 2-inch squares or diamonds and serve warm with tea.
These rich custard tarts are the most popular offerings at dim sum places: always
the first to be sold out. About 12 small tarts.
1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
12 small cupcake paper cases
In a food processor, process flour, butter, sugar, egg, and salt, just until
they come together. Smooth dough into a ball, wrap, and chill for 1
hour.
Prepare the filling: in a bowl, blend well the egg yolks, milk, and
vanilla, taking care not to raise any air bubbles.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan (or 3-inch tart pans) with
cupcake cases.
On a floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out
pastry shells using a cupcake paper case as a template.
Place pastry shells into muffin pan and fill 2/3 full with filling; skim
off all bubbles.
Bake for 25–30 minutes or until custard is set at the edges but a small
quivery spot remains in the center.
Leave tarts in the oven with the door open; chill well before serving.
Colombia
Colombia, the fourth largest country in South America, was a Spanish colony
until 1830. The topography varies, from temperate alpine mountains (the Andean
mountains extend the length of the country) to tropical Caribbean and Pacific
coasts. Tropical crops such as rice, fruits, and vegetables are grown, and the cool
highlands grow world-famous Colombian coffee.
Colombia’s population is a diverse ethnic mix of Amerindians, Europeans,
and Africans. Colombian food has Spanish elements and influences from its
many ethnic groups. There are great regional differences, and in different areas
of the country people pride themselves on their typical variations of national
foods.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: beans, rice, corn, potatoes, plantains.
• Corn is eaten on the cob or ground into cornmeal and fried, baked, or
steamed for assorted breads, pastries, and tortillas. Corn tortillas are
wrapped around a filling for tamales or wrapped around an egg and
fried to make egg-stuffed pancakes. In the coastal areas, banana leaves
are used for the same purpose. They also impart a subtle flavor.
• Many Colombian fruits are unknown in North America, including
several kinds of passion fruit and cactus fruit, and the ice cream bean.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, pepper, spices, herbs. Hogao is a
distinctive Colombian flavoring of fried onions, tomatoes, and a
marigold-like herb, guascas (Galinsoga parviflora), used especially for
ajiaco stew.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The national dish is bandeja paisa, a tray of typical dishes, usually
two or three kinds of grilled, fried, or roast meat; sausage; fried egg
with staples such as beans, rice, fried green or ripe plantain; salad; and
cornmeal fritters. Mini paisa are available for less hearty appetites.
• Cornmeal bread (arepa) is served with almost every meal. Different
regions have their own ways of making it: bland (for example, in Cali)
or flavored (in Bogotá).
• Stews or soups of meat and vegetables: chicken with sweet corn,
capers, cream and avocado (ajiaco de pollo); beef, pork, or fish with
yams and cassava (sancocho).
• Fish and seafood, as well as rice, cooked in coconut cream are
coastal specialties. Pescado encurtido is fish “cooked” in lemon juice,
Colombia’s version of Peruvian or Chilean ceviche.
Bandeja paisa, a traditional dish consisting of egg, sausage, rice, fried plantain, and black beans. (Olaf
Speier/Dreamstime.com)
• Tender breaded flank steak, the specialty of the capital city Bogotá, is
a celebration dish.
• Boiled potatoes topped with a tomato and cheese sauce (papas
choreadas) are a traditional accompaniment to steak dishes.
• Roast guinea pig is a favorite in the Andean highlands.
• Hot (drinking) chocolate with cheese (santafereño) is popular around
Bogotá, eaten with buttered corn cakes or fried green plantains and
sprinkled with salt.
• Typical drinks: milk and yogurt. Drinks from local fruits or creamed
cereals, such as corn milkshake (mazamorra) and oatmeal (avena) are
typical. Champus is fruit juice made of corn, lemon, pineapple, or
other fruit, usually mora (similar to blueberry).
STYLES OF EATING
• European table settings and order of courses.
• Breakfast is substantial: eggs scrambled with tomatoes and onions,
chocolate or coffee, juice, fried bananas, calentao (butter-fried rice
with assorted meats, beans, or vegetables). The crisp rice layer
produced is much fought-over.
• The main meal is eaten between noon and 2:00 p.m. It usually
consists of soup or other appetizer, main course, and a drink or dessert.
The main course is beef, chicken, or fish, served with rice, red beans,
vegetables, fried plantains, or salad.
• The evening meal is eaten early, around 7:00 p.m., with courses
similar to the midday meal, but in smaller proportions.
• Snacks sold at roadside stalls include eggs scrambled with onions
and tomatoes (the nation’s favorite); boiled corn on the cob; cornmeal
fritters; fried empanadas made of cornmeal dough, filled with cheese
or meat or, uniquely Colombian, egg; cheese-flavored breads; banana
leaf–wrapped pastries filled with meat and vegetables (tamales). The
ones from Tolima are famous.
• Desserts and sweets: Spanish-type, of eggs and milk—thin crepes
(obleas) filled with milk jam, corn and cinnamon pudding (natilla),
curds in syrup, rice pudding with coconut milk, wine-flavored and
meringue-topped coconut custard pastries, guava-jelly-filled pastries.
• Drinks: tinto is a tiny cup of black coffee, drunk at all hours
(Colombian coffee is mild). Many hot drinks are made of natural,
unrefined sugar and boiling water (e.g., agua de panela), flavored with
cheese, lime juice, or cinnamon. Bottled carbonated drinks; beer, rum,
sugarcane spirits (aguardiente), sometimes aniseed flavored.

This soup is an appetizer for the midday meal.
3 cups chicken or beef broth

3 cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
In a saucepan, bring broth, milk, salt, and pepper to a boil.

Break the eggs one at a time into a small bowl; slide each egg into the
boiling water, being careful not to break the yolk.
Cover pan; let boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat.
To serve, distribute into each soup bowl 1 tsp of green onions and
cilantro; gently place egg over.
Ladle broth over egg.
Serve as an appetizer with crusty bread and butter or a maize roll.

This rich stew is common in rural areas for the midday meal.
4 chicken legs
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 quarts water
20 small (about 2 inches in diameter) salad or new potatoes, peeled or
well scrubbed
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 corncobs, each sliced into 4 pieces
1 cup frozen peas
4 ripe avocados
1 small jar preserved capers, drained
1/2 cup thick cream
20 leaves fresh basil (or, if available, the marigold-like herb guascas,
Galinsoga parviflora)
Place chicken legs, cubed potatoes, water, salt, and pepper into a large
saucepan and bring to a boil. Add half of the basil leaves or guascas.
Turn down heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours until potatoes and
chicken have fallen apart, thickening the broth.
Add new potatoes, boneless chicken, corncobs, and rest of the guascas
(if using).
Simmer for 15 minutes or until done. Add peas and simmer for another
5 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Slice avocadoes into cubes. (Do this just before serving to prevent
browning.)
To serve, distribute all items evenly among diners.
Garnish each serving with a teaspoonful of capers, a tablespoonful of
cream, avocado, and the remaining basil leaves (if not using guascas).

This bread is a common side dish, served with almost every meal. There are
many variations on this basic recipe that add onions, tomatoes, and sweet
peppers.
1 1/2 cups cornmeal, yellow or white (or masa harina), coarsely

ground
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 quarts water
2 eggs, beaten
Combine cornmeal, salt, oil, and water; bring to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer until thick. Turn off heat.
Spoon half the batter into a 9 × 9 inch buttered baking pan.
Pour eggs over. Add remaining batter.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until golden.

These fried plantains are best eaten fresh. Serve for breakfast, with fried eggs or
scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onion (pericos) or serve as a side dish for
lunch or supper. They are excellent when topped with thin slices of feta or a
similar white cheese (Mexican, etc.).
4 green plantains (yellow or yellow-green ones will not give the

desired result)
cooking oil
salt
To peel plantain, cut off each end. Slit the skin along one side, without
cutting into the plantain itself. Pry off peel. Slice each into 4 or 5
pieces.
Heat 1 inch cooking oil on medium heat until hot.
Fry plantains a few at a time, turning them over, until the pieces are
pale gold.
Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
Lay fried plantains between two sheets of wax paper.
Compress them gently to about 1/4 inch thick.
Reheat oil. Refry plantains until golden brown.
Drain on fresh paper towels. Sprinkle with salt; serve at once.

Dishes labeled Santafereño in Colombia come from Bogotá or its environs and
often have milk or cheese as an ingredient.
2 cups milk
2/3 cup natural, unrefined sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
2/3 cup cornstarch
powdered cinnamon
1 cup sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Put 1 cup milk, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan.

In a bowl, dissolve cornstarch with remaining milk; add to saucepan.
Stir constantly over low heat until sugar has melted and mixture is
thick.
Turn off heat.
Spoon into glass dessert dishes; sprinkle cinnamon over.
Chill 1 hour or more. Garnish with cream if desired.

The original recipe for this Bogotá specialty calls for sweet rolls called
mojicones. The small rolls are split and filled with guava paste, for a uniquely
Colombian bread pudding. Guava and quince paste are available at shops that
sell Latino foods; otherwise use any good quality fruit preserve (60 percent
whole fruit).
6 moist sweet rolls or buns (about cupcake size)

4 TBS butter
1 cup guava paste or quince paste (membrillo)
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream (half-and-half)
4 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Split and butter the rolls. Divide the fruit paste into 6 portions and
sandwich between 2 roll halves.
Lay filled rolls in a baking dish.
Prepare custard: mix thoroughly the remaining ingredients; pour over
rolls, making sure to moisten the tops.
Set aside for 15–20 minutes to allow rolls to absorb moisture. Preheat
oven to 350°F.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until custard is set and top is golden.
Serve warm.
Comoros
Three islands (a fourth, Mayetta or Mayotte, is a département of France) and

several islets in the Northern Mozambique Channel (between Mozambique and
Madagascar) form the Union of the Comoros, an independent state. Formed by
volcanic activity, the islands are rocky with steep mountains and hills and have a
mild tropical climate with a wet season (December–April) and a dryer season
(May–November).
The islands were first settled from Africa, and by Malagasy people who had
settled in Madagascar from Southeast Asia. In the eighth century, Islam
gradually spread through the islands, brought by Arab traders. In the fourteenth
century, the islands were raided, and later settled, by other people from
Madagascar. By the mid-nineteenth century, the islands had become a French
colony, achieving independence (except the island of Mayotte, which voted to
become a part of France) in 1975. Each of the islands has its own dialect of a
language that is a mix of Swahili and Arabic. Most people speak Arabic as well,
and the language for official transactions is French.
Most Comorans are matrilineal, that is, they reckon descent through women
and women own their own houses and land. Nevertheless, women are
responsible for domestic tasks such as cooking and working garden plots, while
men engage in trading, fishing, and cash crops. A formal wedding—a grand
marriage—is a major and expensive event that only the rich can afford, since the
entire neighborhood or village must be feasted. Muslim festivals are also
celebrated with feasts and gifts of food.
High population density and a high birthrate mean that the islands struggle
to feed the populace. Many basic foods (e.g., rice) are imported. Most of the
population engages in subsistence farming. Major cash crops are vanilla,
coconut, and ylang-ylang flower essence. Different islands and regions have
their own specialties, though there are commonalities. The complex ethnic origin
of many Comorans means that the cuisine borrows from African, Arab,
Southeast Asian, Malagasy, French, and Indian cuisines.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice (largely imported) is the staple of the daily diet, along with
cassava and other root vegetables, plantains, fresh and dried fish, and
milk from grated coconuts.
• Meat is eaten at every meal if possible. Pork is forbidden since most
of the populace are Muslims. Beef and goat are most common.
• Fruits include papaya, pineapple, avocados, bananas, limes and
oranges.
• Vegetables: peppers, maize, chilies, tomatoes, cassava and other
greens, beans.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Typical Comoros meals are based preferably on rice and meat,
though the poor often substitute other starches such as corn or cassava.
• Plain daily meals include chapattis, stews such as maharagwe (red
bean and coconut stew), and curries. Soups, including beef soup, lentil
soup, and fish soups, are common. Households consume a large
number and variety of pickles.
• Food is seasoned with local spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves,
coriander, nutmeg and vanilla.
• Festival dishes include baked or grilled beef or goat served with
white rice in a yogurt sauce, a porridge made of sago, langouste à la
vanille (lobster simmered in vanilla sauce), dishes with fish and with
poultry, and large cakes of Arabian peninsula origin.
• French cuisine and imported beverages are common.
STYLES OF EATING
• Food is traditionally eaten with the right hand or with a spoon from a
central dish or tray, as in many Muslim societies.
• Breakfast may be nothing more than supu, a light, oily beef soup, or
chapattis, or bread with tea.
• Lunch and dinner are similar: rice and meat if possible, or else
cassava, yams, beans, greens, and fish cooked in a stew.
• Tea is commonly drunk during the day and at meals, often spiced
with lemongrass or ginger; Arab bitter coffee is drunk with cardamom
throughout the day.

Cassava, though originating in the Americas, is common throughout Africa, and
grows well in poor soils, which are found in some places on the Comoros.
oil for frying

1/2 pound boneless sea fish (tuna, bonito, swordfish, whatever is
available) fillets
salt to taste
1 hot chili, chopped
1 onion, minced
1 pound young cassava leaves, very finely shredded (or substitute any
tender green of your choice: collards, kale with ribs removed, spinach)
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup water
Heat the oil in a pan and brown the fish well.

Remove fish from oil, drain on paper towels or rack.
Place salt, chili, onion, and garlic in a mortar and pound to a smooth
paste. Add greens and pound until well blended (alternatively, use a
food processor or blender, taking care to do it in two steps, greens
last).
Pour half of the coconut cream and water into a saucepan. Add the
pounded greens mixture. Slowly bring to a boil over low heat (higher
heat will curdle the coconut cream). Simmer covered for 20–25
minutes or until the greens are almost done, stirring occasionally to
make sure the coconut cream is not sticking to the pan.
Flake the fish in bite-sized pieces and add to the cooking greens.
Simmer for an additional 5–10 minutes until the fish are heated
through. Stir in the remaining coconut cream in the final minutes of
cooking.
Serve hot over rice or cooked cassava.

Rice is the most desired staple in the Comoros, though only a small amount is
grown. This simple dish is the centerpiece for many poor families.
2 cups long grain rice

2 cups coconut milk (or half coconut cream, half water)
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Place in pot with a heavy
cover.
Add coconut milk until liquid is one finger width (about 1 1/2 inches)
above the rice.
Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to minimum and allow to steam
until rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed (about 15–20
minutes). Do not open the pot during the cooking. Turn off heat and
allow the rice to rest additional 10 minutes.
Serve hot with fish, meat, stew or any side dish.
This commonly eaten stew usually has a mixture of any meat and any seafood. It
is similar to stews from the African coast.
1/2 cup oil (or more, as needed)

1 pound sea fish, scaled, cleaned and cut into serving-size portions,
patted dry
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 pound goat, mutton, or beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
3 onions, finely minced
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 green plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups coconut milk
1/4 tsp cardamom
Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Season the fish with some salt and cayenne. Brown the fish on all
sides, frying only a few pieces at a time without crowding the pan.
Remove the fish and drain on paper towels or a rack.
Add oil to the pan if needed, and briefly brown the meat on all sides.
Remove meat and reserve together with the fish.
Place onions in the pan (adding about 1 TBS or so of oil if needed) and
stir fry until softened.
Add tomatoes, fry for a minute until mixture is well moistened. Add
plantains, fish and meat, and pour the coconut milk over.
Bring to a light boil. Season to taste and reduce heat to lowest
possible.
Simmer for 25–35 minutes or until plantains are tender. Add more
coconut milk or water if too dry.
Serve hot over plain white rice.

Rice, which is the preferred staple in the Comoros, has a long history of being
eaten and appreciated. It may have been introduced either by the Malagasy from
Madagascar or by the Arabs.
1/4 cup (or more as needed) oil
1 1/4 pound any sea fish, cleaned, scaled, and cut in serving-sized
portions, patted dry
1/2 cup onions, finely minced
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 TBS turmeric
1/4 TBS fenugreek powder
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh or defrosted frozen corn kernels
2 cups white rice, cooked
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Brown the fish pieces, a few at a time; drain on paper towels or a rack
and set aside.
To the remaining oil in the pan (add a bit more if necessary), add
onions and garlic.
Stir fry until fragrant.
Add spices and the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir until the mixture is
fragrant, then add the water.
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
Add rice and corn, stirring well to separate the rice grains. Allow to
simmer uncovered 10 minutes until most liquid has been absorbed, but
stew is not dry. Turn off heat.
Stir in coriander leaves and fish. Serve immediately with a relish.

One of the many relishes and pickles that are commonly eaten together with
almost all meals in the Comoros.
3 fully ripe large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 chives or the green part of green onions, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely minced
salt, pepper, and cayenne powder to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice or to taste
Mince the tomatoes fine with a cleaver (or puree in a food processor).
Mix in chives and onion.
Add lemon juice and season to taste with the salt, pepper, and cayenne
(most Comorans prefer it quite hot).
Serve with any savory dish. Can be kept refrigerated for a week in a
sealed jar.

This is a dish that is usually eaten as a snack.
1 pound peeled green plantains

1 egg, beaten
flour as needed
1/2 pound cooked, seasoned fish or seafood, or smoked or salted fish,
carefully deboned
oil for frying
Boil the plantains in plenty of water, for 20–30 minutes or until soft
enough to mash.
Drain and mash plantains.
Mix in egg and bread crumbs to make a pliable dough. Add more
bread crumbs or flour if the dough is too moist or drippy.
With floured hands, take about 2 TBS of the plantain mixture on your
hand, flatten it, and place a tablespoon or so of the fish in the center.
Enclose the fish with the plantain dough, sealing all openings, to make
a thick, flattened fritter. Repeat with the rest of the fish and dough.
Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a deep frying pan or skillet over medium heat.
Slip fritters gently into the hot oil, frying a few at a time. Once fritters
are golden brown on one side, turn them over, then remove and drain
on paper towels.
Serve hot with poutou sauce.

A pepper sauce that is commonly eaten as a relish with meat or fish or a
carbohydrate dish. This recipe makes about 1 cup. More can be made and
refrigerated in a clean sealed jar.
1 medium-sized fresh, hot (to your taste) red chili, chopped (seeds
removed for milder heat if desired)
1 medium fresh ripe tomato, chopped
1/2 unwaxed lemon, seeds removed, peel and pith chopped, juice
included
1 clove garlic, peeled, chopped
salt to taste
Place all ingredients in large mortar (or in a food processor) and blend
or mash together to make a thick paste.
Adjust seasoning, adding more salt or lemon, as desired.
Place in a clean, sealed jar and allow flavors to blend about 24 hours.
Serve with any savory dish.

The islands lack much of a dairy industry, so this type of bread, probably
brought by Omani traders or immigrants, is made with coconut cream instead.
The bread would normally be made in a special carved wooden bread mold,
which indicates its Arabian peninsula origins, where molded breads are still
made today.
2 tsp active dry yeast

1 TBS of sugar
4 TBS lukewarm water
2 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coconut cream
ghee for pan
1 TBS toasted white sesame seeds
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water and set aside
until frothy, about 10 minutes.
Then blend in the remaining flour, egg, and salt.
Add the coconut cream and mix well to form a dough. Knead until
smooth and elastic, about 3–5 minutes.
Cover the bowl and allow dough to rise 1 hour or until doubled in
volume.
With floured hands, divide into 8 pieces and form into balls.
Traditionally, one would press each ball into a greased wooden mold
with a carved cavity, which gives the top of the bread dough a
decorative appearance. Otherwise, flatten each ball with your fingers
and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Heat a heavy griddle or ovenproof pan over medium heat and grease
lightly with ghee. Heat the oven to 375°F.
When the griddle is hot, place as many of the flattened dough cakes as
will fit. Scatter sesame seeds on the top of each cake.
Place the griddle with cakes in oven. Bake without opening the oven
for 5–7 minutes or until just beginning to color. Remove from oven
and allow to cool slightly on a rack.
Eat hot or cold with a soup or a stew and relish.

This treat is a sweet of Indian origin which is common throughout the islands.
1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated coconut
2/3 cup ghee or melted butter
1 1/4 cups coarsely ground raw rice
1/4 cup coconut cream or regular milk (as needed)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder (or preferably, freshly crushed seeds of 5–6
cardamom pods)
Mix together the sugar, pepper, and coconut and reserve.

Melt the ghee in a skillet or heavy bottomed frying pan, add the rice
and cook over a very low flame, stirring continuously until it is well
cooked and aromatic, about 20–25 minutes. (Depending on how
“fresh” the rice is, i.e., how much time it has been stored from
harvesting, this step may take more time.)
Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
Remove from the fire and pour onto a bowl.
Stir in well the reserved sugar-pepper-coconut mixture. With buttered
hands, take a tablespoonful or so of the mixture and try to shape it into
a ball. If it is too crumbly and falls apart, add the coconut cream.
Transfer the mixture into a buttered 9-inch baking pan or heatproof
pan, level the surface.
Dry in a warm oven (about 150°F) for 1–2 hours (or leave overnight
inside a turned-off oven after it has been used for baking), then cut into
eight portions.
Serve as a snack.

This punch is a drink made with the plentiful local vanilla crop. Comoros,
together with neighboring Madagascar and Réunion islands, produce more than
three-quarters of the world’s vanilla.
4 cups coconut milk (or 2 cups coconut cream diluted with 2 cups
water)
juice and grated zest of 2 limes
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder or to taste
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg or to taste
1 cup crushed ice
1 pod vanilla, slit lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved; the
halved pod further slit lengthwise in half and reserved (you should
have 4 long vanilla pod sticks)
4 TBS honey (or more to taste) or sugar
Place all ingredients, including the vanilla seeds and except the
quartered vanilla pod, in a blender or shaker. Blend well or shake
vigorously.
Divide into four tall glasses, placing one of the vanilla pod sticks in
each.
Serve at once.
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo Kinshasa;
formerly Zaire)
The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the two nations called Congo and
is not to be confused with the Republic of Congo (see next entry). A Belgian
colony for almost a century, Congo attained independence in 1960, which was
followed by a lengthy civil war. It is one of the largest—approximately one-
fourth the size of the United States—and potentially richest countries in central
Africa. Mismanagement, imperialist greed, and civil war have decimated the
population and evaporated the country’s wealth. Bordered by the Republic of
Congo (the two capitals are across the Congo River from one another), South
Sudan, Uganda, and Angola, the country is almost landlocked, with one access
to sea along the Congo River estuary.
Most of the country is savanna, and the climate is tropical, ideal for
subsistence farming of millet and other grains, fruits, and vegetables, and raising
goats, cows, and chickens.
The population numbering around sixty million is composed of numerous
ethnic groups speaking more than seven hundred different and often mutually
incomprehensible languages.
Congo cooking is based on staple porridge eaten with vegetable-based
sauces with fish or meat.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: millet, sorghum, manioc, maize, and bananas, though they
vary from place to place.
• Tropical fruits and vegetables.
• Meat consumption varies. Domestic meats—goat and beef—are
available in the cities. In the countryside, bush meat (wild animals) is
consumed avidly. Chicken is often available. Fish from the many
streams and from the Congo River are often eaten, notably the
capitaine (Nile perch).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews are eaten along with the local staple.
• Fish cooked in stews or baked in banana-leaf packets.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are eaten when possible.
• Traditional and rural families eat together on a mat on the floor,
around a shared pot of staple with as many side dishes as can be
afforded.
• Breakfast usually consists of porridge or, in the cities, baked goods.
• The midday meal and the evening meal can be more substantial,
though for many the midday meal is little more than a snack.
• Snacks include fried plantains and sweet potatoes or peanuts sold by
street vendors at most hours.
• Drinks include both homemade and commercial beers, various sodas,
and, increasingly, bottled water.

Capitaine is a common name of the Nile perch, a large, tasty freshwater fish
common in rivers in central Africa.
1 cup palm oil

1 hot chili pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped (or left whole for
milder heat)
2 pounds filleted fish (Nile perch or other white-fleshed fish)
Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook the onions and chili pepper until
softened.
Cook fish in the onion and pepper mixture for a few minutes, then turn
it over. Continue to cook until fish flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Serve hot with baton de manioc or other starchy foods.

Liboké is a Lingala (one of Congo’s many languages) word for the practice of
cooking foods wrapped in leaves (more commonly banana or plantain) over
coals (see sidebar “Wrapped Foods,” p. 297).
1 TBS oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tomato, chopped and crushed (or equivalent canned crushed
tomatoes)
3 okra, stems removed, chopped
a bunch of sorrel leaves
1 cube soup stock, crushed (or 1 tsp stock powder)
2 pounds freshwater fish cut into fillets, steaks, or pieces
4 aluminum foil sheets for wrapping, 10 × 10 inches
Mix oil, onion, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, and vegetables. Flavor with
stock powder and mix thoroughly.
Add the fish and let marinate for 15 minutes.
Place a piece of fish and some of the marinade and some of the
vegetables in foil, then fold over at least three times to completely
enclose the fish.
Cook the packets over an outdoor grill, over medium heat, or in a
medium oven or steamer. Turn the packets after 10 minutes if using a
grill.
After 20 minutes test a packet to check that the fish is cooked; if it
flakes easily and the flesh is opaque, it is done. If not, continue
cooking; however do not overcook the fish or they will be dry.
Serve the packets with some baton de manioc or fufu.
WRAPPED FOODS
Wrapping foods in leaves or clay and baking them in the oven or the ashes
is one of the oldest forms of human cooking. It has two advantages: the
wrapping material is cheap and easily available in places where this form
originated (Africa, tropical America, Asia, Oceania) and it preserves much
of the flavor and substance of the food.
The most common wrapping material are large leaves: banana and taro
leaves are the best known. Thick clay is sometimes used as well, which
hardens and then is broken to access the food.
In addition to baking, wrapped foods are commonly steamed, the
leaves contributing to the flavor of the dish. In China, food is wrapped in a
special cellophane for frying, which preserves the volatile flavors released
during cooking within the sealed package.
Mbika with Meat
Mbika (also called egushi) is a kind of gourd common in West and central Africa
whose seeds are commonly eaten. Dried, toasted, and hulled seeds of other
gourds and squashes are used as well. You can substitute shelled pumpkin seeds
(pepitas) available from health food stores and major supermarkets. Toast the
seeds by placing on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes in a moderate oven, or dry fry
(without oil) in a frying pan. These mbika packets, like liboké, are usually
cooked wrapped in banana leaves.
1 pound stewing meat, chopped or diced

1 onion, chopped
2 chili peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 cup mbika, shells removed (or substitute pumpkin seeds), briefly
roasted
1 TBS palm oil (optional)
4 aluminum foil sheets for wrapping, 10 x 10 inches
Brown meat, onion, and chili in an oiled skillet until the meat is well
browned.
Combine mbika, bouillon cube, salt, pepper, and oil in a food
processor or blender and grind to a thick paste, adding a bit of water if
needed.
Add water as necessary until a thick paste is obtained.
Place one-fourth of the meat mixture in foil and fold over to
completely enclose the meat at least three times, to look somewhat like
a burrito.
Cook the packets over an outdoor grill over medium heat, or in an
oven.
Turn after 15 minutes, if using a grill.
Check if cooked after 30 minutes.
Serve with baton de manioc or fufu.

This dish is usually made from forest mushrooms collected in the wild. Oyster or
shiitake mushrooms may be substituted.
4 TBS vegetable oil (or mix 2 TBS each oil and clarified butter for
richer flavor)
1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and chopped into small pieces
juice of 1 lemon
salt, pepper
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Add mushrooms and stir fry until they are tender.
Add lemon juice and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer.
Serve over rice, baton de manioc, or fufu.

Mafutaya Nguba)
Fumbwa (Gnetum africanum; also called koko) is an edible green found wild
throughout tropical Africa. It is available in some groceries that sell African
foods and elsewhere, fresh, dried, or canned.
2 pounds fumbwa (substitute spinach, collards, kale), cleaned, hard

stems removed, finely shredded
water to cover
1 cup peanuts ground fine (or 1/2 cup natural peanut butter)
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or equivalent canned crushed
tomato)
1 piece (about 4 ounces) dried, salted, or smoked fish (cleaned of
bones and skin, presoaked in water, and rinsed—bacalau or smoked
mackerel is a good substitute), shredded
2 TBS red palm oil
If using fumbwa: parboil, uncovered, in plenty of water until tender.

If using fresh spinach, parboil 5 minutes; if using collards or kale,
about 10 minutes.
In a saucepan, place the parboiled greens and 1 cup parboiling liquid;
add tomatoes, onion, and dried fish.
Take another cup of the parboiling liquid; combine with ground
peanuts or peanut butter to a smooth paste.
Stir the peanut paste and palm oil into the greens, and simmer gently
for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with fufu or baton de manioc.
Green Papaya Jam

This preserve is often used to top a snack of fried bread or cassava roll.
3 cups sugar
3 cups water
3 cups green papaya, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp vanilla
juice of 1 lemon
Heat sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved for a light
syrup.
Add papaya and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and lemon juice.
Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Serve with bread or as snack topping.
Peanut Cream
This is a simple, eggless peanut mousse.
1/2 cup sugar

1 TBS unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups cream
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 TBS vanilla
Blend sugar and gelatin.

In a pan over medium heat, cook sugar mixture and cream until hot but
not boiling.
Stir continuously until gelatin and sugar are dissolved; remove from
heat.
Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
Pour into 4 individual glass bowls; chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
Top each with a tsp of green papaya jam (above), if desired.
Banana Condiment
Very ripe bananas or plantains can also be used for this chutney-like condiment.
4 bananas or 2 plantains, diced

2 large lemons, seeded and chopped
2 hot peppers, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 TBS grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
Place everything in a heavy-bottomed pan; simmer over medium heat

until fruits are soft and tender, about 15–20 minutes.
Spoon into a sterilized jar; allow to ripen in the refrigerator for 2 days
before using.
Serve with stews.
One of two neighboring central African countries with the same name, the
Republic of Congo is situated north of the Congo River (the other, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, is to the south). It is a former
French colony. The climate is tropical. Most of the northeast, away from the
capital Brazzaville, is rural, and people live on subsistence farming. Farms raise
manioc, peanuts, and yams, as well as a few animals for meat. Fish are highly
prized, and there are some attempts to raise them commercially in ponds.
The population comprises numerous ethnic groups speaking a variety of

languages. The cuisine is influenced by French elements but remains essentially
central African.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: millet, sorghum, manioc, maize, and bananas, though they
vary from place to place.
• Meat consumption varies. Domestic meats—goat and beef—are
available in the cities. In the countryside, bush meat (wild animals) is
consumed avidly.
• Greens, including the leaves of cassava and various forest greens and
mushrooms, are a mainstay of the diet.
• Most tropical fruits and vegetables grow well in the Congo.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews are eaten along with the local staple.
• Fish cooked in stews or baked in banana-leaf packets.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are eaten when possible.
• Traditional and rural families eat together on a mat on the floor
around a shared pot of staple with as many side dishes as can be
afforded.
• Breakfast usually consists of porridge or, in the cities, baked goods.
• The midday meal and the evening meal can be more substantial,
though for many the midday meal is little more than a snack.
• Snacks include fried plantains and sweet potatoes or peanuts sold by
street vendors at most hours.
• Drinks include both homemade and commercial beers, various sodas,
and fruit juices.

Saka-Saka (also mpondu) is the local word for cassava leaves.
2 pounds cassava greens (or substitute kale, collards, turnip greens, or

spinach), stems removed, cleaned, and cut or torn into pieces
boiling water, as needed
3 TBS palm oil or moambé sauce (or substitute other vegetable oil)
1 onion, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 eggplant, peeled, cubed, rinsed, and salted
salt or baking soda, to taste
1 piece (about 3 ounces) dried, salted, or smoked fish (or 1 can
anchovies)
Puree the greens in a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor,

adding water as needed to facilitate the process.
Place greens in saucepan, add boiling water to cover, and cook,
uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes for spinach, 10 for kale, and
longer for cassava leaves.
Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
simmer. Do not stir.
Simmer until water is mostly gone and the greens are cooked to a pulp.
Serve as a side dish with a chicken, meat, or fish main course and with
baton de manioc or rice.

This dish is popular in the lower Congo River region, around the capital.
1 pound dried white beans (or 4 cups canned)

1 pound cassava greens (or substitute kale, collards, turnip greens, or
spinach), stems removed, cleaned, rinsed, and cut or torn into shreds,
then crushed in a mortar and pestle (or food processor)
5 TBS palm oil (or substitute any vegetable oil)
1 onion, chopped
1 small eggplant, chopped
salt, or baking soda, to taste
Soak the beans overnight in cold water. (Omit the following five steps
if using canned beans.)
Drain, rinse, and drain again.
Cover the beans with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover
and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat half of the oil in a skillet and fry the onions and green
pepper for 5 minutes. Add eggplant. Add this mixture to beans.
In a separate pot, boil greens for a few minutes with remaining oil and
water to cover, then reduce heat and cook until greens are tender,
stirring occasionally (cooking time varies depending on type of greens;
cassava leaves may need up to 1 hour or more).
Combine beans and greens in a large pot. Season to taste.
Simmer over low heat for an additional 15–30 minutes.
Serve with baton de manioc, rice, or boiled yam.

The Congo River yields many kinds of fish. The most loved is the capitaine or
Nile perch, which has firm, white flesh.
3 TBS oil
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
1/4 level tsp black pepper
1/2 level tsp paprika
3/4 pound spinach, kale or other greens, shredded
1/2 pint water
1 pound fish, cut into strips (any white-fleshed fish you prefer)
salt to taste
Heat oil. Add onions and peppers and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add black pepper, paprika, kale, and water. Cover and simmer for 5–
10 minutes.
Add fish. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until fish is tender and
flaky.
Serve as a main course with yams or sweet potatoes.

This is a Congolese variation on a common favorite of central and western
Africa. It is eaten as a main dish.
2 cups peanuts, roasted, shelled, skinned, and crushed (or 1 cup natural
peanut butter)
water, as needed
1 pound stewing beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 aluminum foil sheets (or banana leaves) for wrapping, 10 x 10 inches
2 onions, chopped
1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
Place the peanuts in a saucepan, add water to partially cover them, and
bring to a slow boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until tender, stirring often.
Add meat and continue to simmer until all the water is evaporated (30
minutes or so).
Sprinkle salt and pepper directly onto the foil. (If using banana leaves,
remove the central rib, warm up over a low flame or in a low oven to
make them supple.)
Lay the meat and peanut mixture, onions, and chili pepper on the foil.
Moisten the meat with water.
Fold the foil over the mixture and wrap securely, sealing well. (Secure
with kitchen twine or toothpicks if using banana leaves)
Steam the packets by placing them on a rack over boiling water in a
large, covered pot, or cook them on an outdoor grill or in an oven on
medium heat. Turn them after 15 minutes.
After about 30 minutes test one packet to check. If the meat is not
tender, continue cooking.

Chickens are commonly raised in house yards. Peanut sauce is common
throughout Africa, as here, for a main dish.
2 TBS oil
1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
1/2 pint water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 ounces shelled peanuts, crushed into paste (or 1/4 cup natural peanut
butter)
Heat oil in a heavy pan and quickly brown the chicken pieces.
Add tomato paste, water, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the peanut paste, mixing well until thoroughly incorporated.
Simmer for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally or until chicken is
tender.
This salad is an unusual combination and unique to West Africa.
1/2 very ripe pineapple, cubed

1/2 head lettuce (Iceberg or similar), shredded
1/4 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lemon
salt, pepper (optional)
In a bowl, mix well all the ingredients.

Serve well chilled.
Cook Islands
This is a nation of fifteen islands in the heart of the South Pacific, between
Tonga to the west and the Society Islands to the east, spread over an area the size
of India, with a population of fourteen thousand. There are two main island
groups; one in the south, composed of some tall volcanic islands, and the other
in the north, comprising six true atolls. The climate is tropical, tempered by
cooling winds.
The population is Polynesian and speaks a Polynesian language unique to
the islands. Traditional cooking was simple, based on staples such as breadfruit
or taro, and locally caught fish baked or cooked over open fires. Contemporary
cooking is much influenced by Western imported foods (mostly canned) and
ways of cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Coconuts, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, taro, pork, and fish and seafood
are the basis of the cuisine.
• Papaya, bananas, limes, and some other tropical fruit are also
consumed in large quantities.
• Onions were introduced to the islands by Europeans.
• Renga (turmeric) may be local or may have been introduced by
traders and is now used in many dishes. Salt is produced by
evaporation from seawater. As a result, Cook Islands’ dishes tend to be
bland, the flavor produced by natural flavors and fermentation.
• Canned fish, onions, and corned and canned beef (called “bully
beef”) have also become firm favorites.
• Taro, both the corm and the leaves, are eaten, sometimes as a form of
poi, sometimes cooked whole. The leaves serve as a vegetable.
• Tai monomono and tai oporo are condiments prepared from coconut
water or milk mixed with lemon or lime, onion, seawater, and hot chili
peppers and allowed to ferment.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Raw fish marinated in lime juice, dressed with coconut milk (ika
mata).
• Seafood dishes: curried octopus, crab fermented in coconut milk.
• Steamed, boiled, or baked (in an underground oven) taro roots,
bananas, or sweet potatoes.
• Papaya in savory or sweet dishes: baked whole papaya stuffed with
rice and seafood or chicken, papaya slices in curry mayonnaise,
papaya pudding (papaya poke).
Taro.
• Pink potato salad (the color comes from beetroot).

• Pudding (poke) made of mango, banana, or pumpkin.
• Breadfruit or taro slices in coconut milk wrapped in taro leaves and
baked in an underground oven.
• Festive foods (seafood, fish, pork, chicken, root and other vegetables
or fruit) are usually wrapped with coconut milk in taro leaf parcels and
baked for several hours in an underground oven. Men take charge of
festive cooking.
STYLES OF EATING
• In most households, modified European dining is common, though it
depends to a large extent on the occasion. In more traditional feats,
people eat with their hands from a spread leaf plate.
• Breakfast consists of fruit or cooked starch (taro or bananas).
• Lunch and dinner tend to be more substantial, consisting of several
dishes, usually a starchy dish, together with fresh, baked, or fermented
fish.
Breakfast Papaya
Papayas, which grow to a large size and are very sweet, often serve as a
breakfast dish.
1 large ripe papaya

juice of 1 lime
1 cup fresh grated coconut
Cut papaya in half, lengthwise. Scrape out seeds (these can be

discarded, though in the Cook Islands they are used as a seasoning).
Sprinkle with lime juice. Fill the cavity with coconut.
Serve for breakfast, scooping out flesh and coconut with a spoon.

Fermented shellfish are used to extend the food supply and are eaten as a relish
or sauce with yams or bananas.
2 cups fresh small crabs, washed of sand

1 fresh coconut, grated
2 cups cooked shellfish (clams, mussels, or your choice), diced
1 onion, finely diced
Place crabs in a muslin cloth and mash with a kitchen mallet, taking
care to reserve the juices.
Place grated coconut in a bowl.
Squeeze crabs onto coconut, extracting as much juice as possible. Mix
well.
Cover and leave overnight, refrigerated.
Add diced shellfish and onion.
Allow to stand for 1 more hour for flavors to penetrate.
Serve as appetizer.
Poke and Cassava

Serve this as an accompaniment to meat dishes. Poke (pronounced po-kay) is a
pudding made of cassava mixed with one or two fruits or sweet vegetables, such
as bananas, papaya, mango, or pumpkin. Although the common banana at
supermarkets, the Cavendish, can be used for poke, try to get some of the
sweeter, thin-skinned Southeast Asian varieties, if possible.
4 overripe bananas (the riper the better, so bruised bananas are fine),
peeled and roughly chopped
water to cover
2 cups cassava flour
2 cups coconut milk
Place bananas with water to cover in a pot and simmer for 30 minutes–
1 hour until pulped and completely soft (color will change to pink or
purple).
Leave to cool thoroughly (the pulp can be frozen for use another day).
Combine cassava flour with 1 cup banana pulp. Mix well with your
hands and knead to a solid mass that comes away from your hands and
the side of the bowl (or mix in a food processor).
Place in a greased 8 × 10 inch baking dish and bake at 350°F for 30
minutes–1 hour. Check after 30 minutes with a toothpick. If it comes
away clean, it is ready. The texture should be dry but wobbly.
Warm coconut milk until almost bubbling.
Drop spoonfuls of baked mixture into hot coconut milk.
Serve warm with roast or baked pork or fish.

Fish are a central part of the diet, and this ceviche-style fish is cooked by the
action of acid and salt. It is eaten for any meal.
1 pound fresh flying fish, deboned fillet (or substitute any fresh white-
fleshed sea fish)
juice of 1 lime
salt
Place fillets in a serving dish.

Score to expose the flesh.
Pour lime juice over fillets, then rub with salt. Turn them over and
repeat the process for the other side.
Set aside for 2–4 hours in a cool place. When done, flesh will be
white.
Do not over-marinate.
Serve with coconut cream and baked taro, sweet potato, breadfruit, or
boiled green bananas.

Breadfruit is the fruit of Artocarpus altilis, or breadfruit tree, native to the
Pacific islands, the size of a large cantaloupe with a rough, thick skin covered in
small, hexagonal disks. Some types of breadfruit (there are over 150 varieties)
when cooked are bland and starchy, tasting of potatoes or bread to its first
European tasters, hence the name. It can be boiled, steamed, baked, roasted, or
preserved by fermenting or drying and has served as a source of food for
Polynesian islanders for centuries.
1 firm ripe breadfruit (available from many stores that sell Asian
foods), peeled, rinsed, and sliced into 1-inch cubes
2 quarts salted water (clean sea water is traditional)
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely minced
1 pound cooked pork or chicken meat, diced
2 cups coconut milk
Bring breadfruit to a boil in salted water to cover. Simmer over low

heat for 15 minutes, making sure it does not dry out (add water if
necessary).
Meanwhile, heat oil and sauté onion till translucent.
Add meat and chicken stock to onions.
Add this mixture to breadfruit and stir in before breadfruit chunks
disintegrate.
Add coconut milk. Heat thoroughly but do not boil.
Serve hot.

Cooked taro leaves were one of the major sources of greens in traditional Cook
Islands, now supplemented by many imported tastes and foodstuffs.
2 pounds taro leaves, central rib cut out (substitute cabbage, Chinese
cabbage, or other greens), shredded
1 cup coconut milk
1 large onion, finely minced
salt to taste
4 sheets of aluminum foil, 12 x 12 inches
Divide taro leaves into four portions.

Place in the center of the foil sheet.
Mix coconut milk with salt and onions.
Pour 1/4 of the coconut mixture over the leaves, ensuring it does not
drip off.
Fold the foil to wrap the taro and coconut mixture. Ensure that the
ends are sealed well.
Place wrapped packets in a baking dish.
Bake in an earth oven (or preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes or
more). Test for doneness by removing a packet to check if leaves are
tender. Serve hot with extra coconut cream and cooked root vegetables
of your choice.
Mango Poke
Diverse fruits, such as mango, banana, and pineapple, are made into poke and
served as a snack or sweet. Serve the poke warm or chilled, with warm coconut
cream.
2 cups ripe mango, diced or pureed

1 cup cornstarch
2 cups coconut cream
brown sugar to taste

Mix mango and cornstarch with 1 cup coconut cream; spoon into a
buttered muffin pan.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until set; allow to cool in the pan.
In a pan over low heat, cook remaining coconut cream with sugar to
taste, until reduced and quite thick.
To serve, remove mango poke from pan and place on individual plates.
Spoon over the sweet coconut cream.

Papaya fruit and seeds are the main feature of this savory salad. The seeds make
a rather peppery seasoning. The fruit must be close to ripe, already sweet but still
firm with a crunchy texture. Young green coconut flesh is translucent and tender.
Dressing
1 cup thick coconut cream
juice and grated rind of 2 lemons or limes
salt, mustard to taste
1–2 TBS crushed papaya seeds
Salad
1 medium, barely ripe papaya, cubed
2 cups watercress, in bite-sized lengths, or 1/2 head lettuce, shredded
1 cup young coconut flesh, sliced in strips
In a small bowl, blend dressing ingredients. Place the fruits and

vegetables in a serving bowl. Pour over the dressing and mix well.
Chill well before serving.
Costa Rica
A small Central American country just north of Panama, Costa Rica was a
Spanish colony until independence in 1821. It is the only country in the world
without a standing army, and its environmentally friendly policies rank it among
the world’s greenest countries. The climate is tropical, with a cooler spine of
hills running down the center of the country, ideal for bananas and coffee (major
exports), other fruits, vegetables, and beef. The Caribbean and Pacific coasts
yield fish and seafood (which are mostly exported).
Most Costa Ricans are mixed descendants of Spanish and other European
colonists. A small number are of Amerindian, Chinese, or African descent.
The cuisine combines Spanish, Caribbean, and Amerindian elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, beans, corn.
• Meat: chicken, beef, fish (sea bass, marlin, tuna, snapper), shellfish
(shrimp, lobster, clams).
• Vegetables: cabbage, squash, cassava, pumpkin, chayote (a pear-
shaped gourd also called christophene), dasheen (a taro-like tuber),
hearts of palm, plantain, avocado, itabo (flowers of Yucca
guatemalensis).
• Fruits: bananas, pineapple, guava, other tropical fruit such as
pejibaye nut (Bactris gasipaes), cashew fruit, mamones (known as
guinep throughout the Caribbean).
• Seasoning: garlic, onion, bay leaf, black pepper, thyme, rosemary,
paprika, coriander, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, annatto seeds, salsa Lizano
or Worcestershire sauce, catsup, mayonnaise.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The national dish is gallo pinto (literally “spotted rooster”): rice and
black beans, usually eaten with cabbage salad, fried plantains, and
meat or chicken. Avocado or egg may be included.
• Spanish-style rice-based dishes with chicken or fish, stews and
soups, pastries filled with cheese, chicken, beans, potatoes or meat
(empanadas, arreglados, enchiladas), milk-based sweets.
• Olla de carne, stew of meat, squash, corn, cassava, potatoes, and
chayote (christophene).
• Salad with heart of palm (palmitos).
• Enyucados: fritters of mashed cassava with fillings of meat, cheese,
tuna.
• Sopa negra: puree of beans with hard-boiled egg and vegetables.
• South American–influenced seafood or fish salad—sea bass,
shrimps, or clams—marinated in lemon, onion, garlic, and red bell
peppers.
• Corn-based dishes such as pancakes (chorreados) served with sour
cream; steamed pastries (tamales) with meat usually served at
Christmas; corn bread; corn pudding.
• Spanish-style pastries filled with cheese, chicken, beans, potatoes or
meat (empanadas, arreglados, enchiladas).
• Milk-based sweets.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day plus snacks.
• Breakfast is usually rice and beans, with eggs cooked to taste, with
corn tortillas and sour cream.
• Lunch can be rice and beans, with chicken or meat in a sauce,
accompanied by salad, fried plantain, or mashed potato. This
combination is called casado (married) and is served throughout the
country.
• Dinner may be a soup, stew, or a rice-based dish. Dessert is usually a
milk-based sweet such as a cream custard or preserved fruit.
• Snacks are assorted stuffed pastries filled with cheese, meat, or
chicken (empanadas or arreglados) or cornmeal tortillas with chicken
and vegetables, accompanied by sweet drinks, such as sugarcane juice
or milkshakes, or coffee.
• Beverages: coffee; juices called refrescos of tamarind, guava,
pineapple, papaya, coconut; milkshakes made with toasted cereal
grains (pinolillo, horchata); sugarcane juice or cane syrup and water
(agua refresca).

This variation of the national dish comes from Limón province. Rice and beans
is a dish eaten at least once, if not more, a day: at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Some “Ticans,” as the Costa Ricans refer to themselves, eat this at every meal.
Stewed or fried chicken, a salad, and fried plantain are the usual
accompaniments, for which recipes also follow.
4 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped finely
5 stalks thyme (1 1/2 TBS, dried)
5 cloves garlic
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
8-ounce can black beans, drained
1 whole hot red pepper (optional)
2 TBS paprika
2 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat vegetable oil over

medium heat.
Sauté the onion, thyme, garlic, and peppers, until softened.
Stir in rice, beans, hot pepper (if using), paprika, coconut milk, and
water.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat until rice is done,
To serve, heap on an individual plate. Place a piece of chicken (see
recipe “Coconut Chicken”) beside rice. Surround with cabbage salad
and fried plantain (recipes follow).

This is a typical side dish for a midday or evening family meal, or, more
commonly, a snack served on or with corn tortillas.
3 TBS vegetable oil

3 potatoes, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp paprika
4 corn tortillas
2 tsp chopped cilantro
1 cup sour cream, optional
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the finely chopped
garlic and sauté until light brown.
Add potatoes, salt, sugar, and paprika.
Cover the pan and cook at low heat for about 20 minutes until the
potatoes are tender. Add a little water as needed to keep the potatoes
from sticking.
To serve: warm the corn tortillas in a low oven (200°F) for 5–7
minutes.
Place the potatoes on individual plates next to a tortilla. Garnish with
chopped coriander and a spoonful of sour cream.

Pork or other meat as well as fish can be used instead of chicken for this dish
(with the name changed accordingly), as an accompaniment to rice and beans. It
is served for a midday or evening meal.
4 large chicken pieces, quarters or legs

3 TBS oil
4 TBS sugar
2 8-ounce cans coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth or water
Marinade
peel from 2 limes, grated
juice from 2 limes
1/4 cup tomato juice
1 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped, or 1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red pepper sauce (optional)
In a shallow, nonmetallic dish, mix marinade and liberally coat

chicken pieces. Let chicken marinate for 8 hours or overnight, turning
occasionally.
Drain chicken, reserve marinade.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, and when dark
brown, add chicken pieces one at a time, coating each in dark caramel.
Transfer chicken to a stewing pot; stir in coconut milk, marinade, and
broth.
Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until gravy is thickened and
chicken is tender, about 35–45 minutes.
Stir occasionally and check that the gravy is not sticking to the pot.
Keep warm until ready to serve.

This dish is eaten as a starter for most main meals.
1/2 small cabbage, chopped

1 cucumber, cubed
3 tomatoes, cubed
2 limes
2 TBS cilantro, chopped
salt, pepper
Squeeze the juice of two limes, mix with cilantro, salt, and pepper to
taste.
Stir into prepared vegetables and mix well.

These are the equivalent of French fries, eaten as an accompaniment to rice and
beans or other main dish, or on their own as a snack.
2 ripe plantains (skins must be black or almost black)

oil for frying
Peel plantains and cut diagonally into 1/8-inch slices.

In a frying pan, heat over medium heat enough oil (about 1/8 inch
deep) to shallow fry the plantains.
Fry the plantain slices a few at a time until golden brown on both
sides.
Drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper
over plantains just before serving.
This simple cake is a very popular dessert that makes use of plentiful and
popular corn.
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted and drained

Cream the butter and sugar until light. Mix in well the eggs, one at a
time. Beat in flour, then corn.
Put into a greased and floured 9 × 13 inch baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until cake tests done.

Enyucados are popular snacks, eaten at any time during the day, with savory
fillings of meat or fish, or a sweet filling of coconut and cheese (see below).
1 1/2 pounds cassava, peeled, cut into slices, and boiled till tender
1/2 cup butter
3 stalks green onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 TBS cilantro, chopped (optional)
1 cup cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack), diced
1/2 cup flour or cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
oil for deep frying
Mash the cassava till no lumps remain.

Mix well with the butter, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and season with
salt and pepper.
Take 2 TBS of the mashed cassava and with floured hands shape it
into a walnut-sized ball.
Create an opening in the center and fill with about a tsp or more of
cheese; press to close.
Roll the filled ball in flour; then dip into beaten egg, seasoned with salt
and pepper. Coat with breadcrumbs.
Fry a few at a time at 360°F in a deep fryer until golden.
Drain on paper towels; serve warm.

This cassava cake is a popular accompaniment to coffee.
1 1/2 pounds cassava, peeled, sliced, boiled till tender, and mashed
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup coconut cream
1 tsp ground anise
1/4 cup cream
4 TBS brown sugar

In a bowl, mix well the mashed cassava, sugar, butter, cream cheese,
coconut cream, and anise.
Put into a buttered baking dish; top with cream and sprinkle with
sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes or until set and golden.
Serve warm or cold.
Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Côte d’Ivoire is a West African country, a former colony of France. It was a

stable and relatively prosperous country for years until a civil war erupted in the
1990s. The country prides itself on its French heritage. Much of the country is
covered by forests, except inland, where it is mostly savanna. The climate is
tropical, and cassava, maize, other staples, fruit and vegetables are raised.
Fishing is prominent along the coast.
The population is composed of a number of ethnic groups, some of which

sprawl over the borders with neighboring countries.
The traditional diet in Cote d’Ivoire is very similar to that of neighboring
countries in its reliance on grains and tubers. The cooking centers on staples
such as cassava or sorghum, eaten with peanut-or vegetable-based sauces, with
or without meat or fish.
FOODSTUFFS
• Cassava is the main staple. Sorghum is sometimes eaten further
inland.
• Sweet potatoes, maize, and beans are used to make side dishes.
• A variety of small fish are eaten smoked or fresh (near the coast).
• Chicken and beef are common meats, though outside the reach of
many Ivorians.
• Many kinds of tropical fruits are raised, including pineapples, which
are exported. Bananas and plantains, both sweet and nonsweet
varieties, avocados, and many other fruit and vegetables are eaten.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Kedjenou: chicken made with vegetables in a mild sauce.
• Attiéké (grated cassava) is a popular side dish.
• Aloco (ripe bananas in palm oil, spiced with steamed onions and chili
and eaten alone or with grilled fish) is a popular street dish.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals a day plus snacks in the countryside. Three meals a day
plus snacks in the towns and among the wealthy.
• Breakfast: cassava or maize porridge; rolls and coffee among urban
dwellers.
• Lunch: a light snack for many, often some fried plantains, fruit, tea or
coffee a dish of stiff porridge, or baton de manioc with sauce, such as
peanut sauce.
• Supper: a main meal of baton de manioc or fufu with side dishes of
meat stews, greens, fish, or other vegetables or other sources of
protein.
• Snacks: fried peanut or sweet potato snacks, fruits.
• Open-air restaurants called maquis are popular places to socialize and
eat in company. Maquis often serve braised chicken, fish cooked in
onions and tomatoes, served with attiéké (steamed grated cassava), and
chicken.

Avocados—softball-sized, green or black skinned with soft yellow flesh—are
commonly found throughout Africa. This dish owes a great deal to French
influence and is more of a restaurant dish than a common household recipe.
Urban Ivorians eat out a great deal, and this soup is in great demand.
2 very ripe avocados, skin and pit removed

6 cups (or more) cold chicken or vegetable stock
juice from 2 limes
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2–3 drops (or more) chili sauce (Tabasco or similar)
4 slices of lime to garnish
In a blender or food processor, put the avocado, stock, lime juice,

yogurt, chili sauce, and seasoning, and puree until smooth. Add a bit
more stock if the consistency is too thick.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
When ready to serve, spoon into bowls, top each with a thin lime slice,
and sprinkle a bit of chili sauce if desired over each portion.

This is a side dish for the main meal, often available in roadside restaurants.
1 chicken (about 2 pounds), cut up

3 TBS cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 TBS tomato paste
salt to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
3/4 pint water
1 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
Brown chicken in hot oil in a heavy saucepan.

Add onion, tomato, tomato paste, salt, paprika, and bay leaf.
Cover and cook over low heat for 5–10 minutes.
Add water and simmer until chicken is nearly tender, about 20–25
minutes. Remove from heat.
Cream peanut butter in a mixing bowl and add enough of the hot
chicken stock to make a light, creamy, smooth sauce.
Add sauce to pan and stir well.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or until chicken is
tender.
Serve with attiéké (steamed grated cassava).

Kedjenou is a popular dish in maquis (open-air restaurants) throughout Côte
d’Ivoire. This is usually cooked in a wide-mouthed earthenware jar called
canari, over coals.
4 large chicken portions (quarters, breasts, or legs)

1 large eggplant cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large onions, chopped finely
1 fresh red or green chili pepper, cored, seeded, and shredded thin
2 cups fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
2 TBS fresh ginger root, grated
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
Place all ingredients in an ovenproof, sealable casserole dish with a

well-fitted lid.
Seal casserole dish with aluminum foil to be airtight.
Place the casserole dish in the middle of a moderate oven (350°F) and
bake for about 1 hour and a half.
Do not open the oven or the casserole during cooking.
Serve with yams, baton de manioc, or rice.

This mash is one form of staple carbohydrate food that mixes two of the major
sources of food in the country: cassava and plantains.
2 1/2 cups of manioc (cassava, yuca), peeled and cut into large chunks
5 plantains, (or green, hard bananas) peeled
water
salt to taste
Boil manioc and plantains until soft with water to cover in a large
covered pan, about 20–25 minutes or until very soft. Drain, reserving
the liquid.
In a food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle, blend the plantains,
manioc, and salt to a thick puree or paste, of similar consistency to
mashed potato. If needed, add a little water from the pot.
Roll into plum-sized balls, and serve with a vegetable, peanut, meat, or
fish sauce.

This is a coastal dish eaten for the evening meal.
1 large eggplant, cubed

1 whole fish, scaled and gutted, cut into 4 portions
1 onion, chopped
2 hot chili peppers, whole
1 cup fresh or canned chopped tomatoes, drained
1/2 pound okra, stems removed, whole or chopped (see note at end of
recipe)
salt to taste
4 plantains, peeled and sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 cup red palm oil or other vegetable oil
Place all ingredients in the order given in a saucepan with 1 TBS palm
oil. Add water to come to an inch under the plantains.
Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, about 20–25 minutes or until
plantains are tender.
Remove the plantains, and puree in a food processor with the
remaining palm oil to make fufu.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Gently reheat the sauce if
necessary.
Place fufu in individual serving plates, and ladle hot sauce and fish on
top.
Note: The smaller the okra pieces, the more glutinous the stew.
Yams with Tomatoes

Several varieties of yams (true yams, not sweet potatoes) (sold as ñame in
groceries that specialize in Latin American foods and as yamaimo in Japanese
specialty groceries) are eaten as side dishes or as snacks.
1/2 cup palm oil or other oil

2 onions cut into rings
2 TBS tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds yam, peeled and cubed
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
water to cover
salt to taste
Heat oil in a saucepan, and sauté onions until translucent.

Stir in tomato paste and sauté another 2 minutes.
Add yams, peppers, water, and salt.
Simmer for 20–25 minutes or until yams are soft. Adjust seasoning.
Serve on their own or with a meat dish.

Fried plantains are a common street snack that are also eaten as a side dish, most
commonly with fried fish.
4 plantains (or green bananas), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
oil for deep frying
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep-frying pan.

Fry plantain or banana pieces, a few at a time, until reddish-brown.
Remove and drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve immediately with grilled fish or other main dish.
Pineapple Boats
Fresh, sweet pineapples feature frequently in desserts.
1 large ripe whole pineapple, washed
Top and tail the pineapple: remove the crown of leaves and cut about
an inch or so from the bottom. Leave the peel as it is.
Quarter the pineapple lengthwise. The core may be sliced off, but it
may be left on if sufficiently sweet.
Slice crosswise through the pineapple flesh at 1-inch intervals. For
easier eating, a separate shallow cut lengthwise at the bottom of the
slices may be done, taking care not to dislodge the pieces.
Serve the pineapple well chilled and provide a knife and fork for
diners.
Bananas in Cinnamon
This is a popular dessert or snack.

4 firm ripe bananas, sliced lengthwise
1/4–1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 TBS butter or half butter, half oil
2 tsp cinnamon
4 TBS brown sugar
Put the lemon rind and juice in a shallow container.
Lay the bananas in the juice, turning to coat all surfaces. Leave to
macerate for 20–30 minutes.
Coat bananas with breadcrumbs.
In a frying pan, heat butter at medium heat.
Put bananas to fry until golden; drain on paper towels.
To serve: sprinkle with cinnamon mixed with sugar.
Croatia
Croatia is a relatively newly independent Balkan country on the shores of the

Adriatic Sea, slightly smaller than West Virginia. The country is largely
mountainous though bisected by some wide plains, and much of it is forested. It
has a long coastline with many sheltered bays, and fish and seafood are
common. The climate is cool, cold in winter, except for along the coast, where
the winter is mild.
Croatia was a part of the Ottoman Empire and, later, the Austro-Hungarian
Empire, then a part of Yugoslavia.
The food is generally Balkan, heavily influenced by Turkish cooking and
food names, Italian, Mediterranean, and Austro-Hungarian foods.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are a mix of potatoes and flour dishes and rice. People eat a
variety of breads (bread is almost always on the table).
• Pork and lamb are favorite meats.
• Fish and seafood are great favorites along the coast.
• Diverse dairy products: sour cream, cottage cheese; cow’s, goat’s,
and sheep’s cheeses.
• Fruit, particularly soft fruit such as plums, apricots, and grapes, are
eaten and go to making wine and liquors.
• Various vegetables are prepared for stews, relishes, and pickles,
which accompany most meals.
• Mushrooms (porcini, oyster), truffles.
• Pepper, paprika, garlic, rosemary, sage, oregano, bay leaf, cinnamon,
nutmeg.
Dalmatian woman displays the fish she grilled for lunch, Seget Vranjica, Dalmatia, Croatia. Grilled fish are
a common, healthy and delicious local dish grilled over a brick oven fire of grape vine wood. Homemade
olive oil is drizzled over the fish which is served very simply, with bread and salad. (Ian Shive/Aurora
Photos/Corbis)
TYPICAL DISHES
• Pancakes (palacinke) and strudel (strukli) with savory and sweet
fillings.
• Flat bread (mlinci).
• Hearty vegetable soups and stews, particularly in the winter.
• Bell pepper or eggplant relishes (ajvar).
• Blitva s krumpirom: Swiss chard and potato.
• Roast and grilled meats, particularly pork.
• Pasta, pizza with rich cream and cheese sauces.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day plus snacks are usually eaten.
• Place settings are European standard.
• Breakfast: bread and jam with coffee, or stuffed pancakes.
• Lunch: the heavy meal of the day, usually several courses including a
salad, soup, main dish of meat or fish, and a sweet, very often washed
down by wine for all.
• Dinner: a light meal of pancakes, bread with vegetable dips, or
similar to breakfast.
• Snacks: served with coffee; may be sweet or savory.

Pancakes are eaten either for breakfast or the evening meal.
3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, beaten
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS cooking oil
Filling
1/2 cup cottage cheese (drained)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS raisins
grated rind from 1/2 lemon

Place the flour in a bowl, make a well in the center, and swiftly mix in
the milk and water, 1 egg, and salt. Do not overbeat; batter can have
lumps.
Mix all ingredients of filling together and set aside.
Slowly heat a 5-inch heavy frying pan over medium heat.
Pour about 1/4 cup batter, swirling the batter to spread evenly.
Cook until just set and slightly colored on the bottom, then turn over to
cook the other side. The pancakes do not need to brown.
Repeat with the remaining batter.
Place cooked pancake on a plate.
Spread filling, roll up, and place seam side down in an 8 × 12 inch
baking pan.
Repeat with the rest of the pancakes.
Mix remaining beaten egg, sour cream, and sugar, and pour over the
rolled pancakes.
Bake 25 minutes at 350°F until sour cream is bubbling and flecked
golden brown.
Serve with hot coffee.

Eaten with most meals as an appetizer, ajvar is usually scooped out with flat
bread.
1 large eggplant, pricked several times with a fork

3 bell peppers, red, yellow or green
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
Grill or roast (at 400°F) eggplants and bell peppers at high heat,
turning them to char evenly all over.
Let cool and peel off skin from the peppers. Remove cores and scrape
out all the seeds.
Slit the eggplants at midpoint, and scoop out all flesh with a spoon.
Discard stem and skin.
In a food processor, roughly puree the vegetables together with the
garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and oil (the result should not be too
smooth).
Gradually stir in as much of the oil as the vegetables will absorb.
Mix well.
Mound on a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

This thick soup is eaten at midday, usually in cold weather.
2 TBS butter
3 strips smoked bacon, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 pounds potato, peeled and cubed
1 sprig marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 TBS flour
2 pints (or more) water
1 cup sour cream
salt, pepper, vinegar to taste
Heat butter in a thick pot and sauté the sliced bacon and onion until
translucent.
Stir in paprika, potatoes, marjoram, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and flour.
Add water to cover by 1 inch.
Simmer gently until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes
Let cool for 10 minutes, then puree in a food processor until smooth.
Return to pot and heat.
Stir in sour cream, parsley, garlic, and vinegar to taste.
Serve piping hot.

This dish is traditionally served on Christmas Eve.
2 pounds of dried salted cod

6 medium-sized firm potatoes, boiled, skinned, and cubed
extra-virgin olive oil
The day before, rinse cod and soak in cold water overnight, changing
the water at least twice.
Simmer in water to cover until soft.
Flake, removing all bones and skin, and place in a bowl.
Add potatoes, garlic, seasoning, and oil.
Toss evenly to coat.
Serve warm.

The Dalmatian area is the coast of Croatia. Krostule are eaten either for dessert
or as a snack.
1 cup flour
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS sour cream
a few drops rum flavoring
vanilla sugar to taste
oil for deep frying
Place flour, egg yolks, salt, sugar, sour cream, and rum flavor in a food
processor and mix just until it forms a dough.
Remove and knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and set aside for 30
minutes.
Roll out the pastry 1/8 inch thick.
Cut into strips with a fluted pastry cutter.
Heat oil to moderate heat, and fry fritters a few at a time.
Remove, and drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle fritters with vanilla sugar while hot.
Serve immediately.

This layer cake is a specialty of the region of Medimurje, well known for its
dairy products. The cake features four fillings: cheese, poppy seed, apple, and
nuts. It is quite similar to one made in the neighboring country of Slovenia,
though the Slovenian version (gibanica in the Prekmurian style) has eight layers.
The recipe that follows is an adaptation of classic Medimurska gibanica. The
order of fillings varies with each cook, but the general guideline is to alternate
the light-colored fillings (cheese and walnut) with the darker ones of poppy seed
and apple. The amount of fillings also varies, with some versions made with a
thicker layer of apple and walnut, and a thinner layer of poppy seeds. Feel free to
increase the amount of your favorite filling.
Pastry
1/2 pound phyllo pastry, fresh or frozen and thawed
1/2 cup butter melted in heated 1/4 cup milk
Poppy-seed filling
1 cup ground poppy seeds
3/4 cup boiling milk
4 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBS rum or rum flavoring
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
Combine the poppy seeds, milk, sugar, vanilla, rum, and lemon rind.
Gently fold in the egg whites. Set aside.
Cheese filling
8 ounces cottage cheese or cream cheese
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBS lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup raisins
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Combine the cheese, yolks, vanilla, lemon rind, salt, and raisins and
mix well. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks; gradually add the sugar,
continuing to beat to stiff but still glossy peaks. Set aside.
Walnut filling
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Combine the nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Apple filling
1 pound apples, peeled, cored, and grated
1/4 cup raisins
2 TBS powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Combine apples, raisins, sugar, and cinnamon, and let stand until the
apple juices run.
Topping
3 cups sour cream mixed well with 2 well-beaten egg yolks, 1 beaten
egg white, and 2 TBS sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Cover the
unused phyllo pastry under a clean kitchen towel to prevent drying.
Lay 3 sheets of phyllo in the baking pan. Brush thoroughly with the
buttermilk mixture.
Spread the poppy-seed filling evenly over the phyllo pastry.
Lay 3 sheets of phyllo, brush with buttermilk mixture, and spread the
cheese filling evenly.
walnut filling evenly.
apple filling evenly. Pour all the apple juices over the apples.
Lay the top layer of 3 sheets of phyllo, brush with buttermilk mixture,
and pour all the remaining buttermilk mixture over.
Bake for 30 minutes, then remove cake from oven and quickly pour
over the sour cream topping. Return cake to oven and continue baking
until topping is golden, about 15 minutes more.
Let cake cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 4 hours or
overnight.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares to serve.
Cuba
Cuba, the largest island country in the Caribbean, was a Spanish colony until
independence in 1898. It is one of a few remaining Communist countries. Its
tropical climate and varied terrain are ideal for cultivating sugarcane, citrus
fruits, and coffee (its major exports) and raising livestock for meat. Since the
collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba’s main trading partner, the Cuban export
economy has suffered, and there is widespread shortage of many food items.
Many Cubans have taken to raising their own food crops, and there is a
flourishing culture of urban agriculture, centering on organic production.
Cubans are mostly mixed European descendants of colonists or African
plantation workers. Traditional Cuban food is called comida criolla (creole
cooking) and is Spanish style with African and Caribbean influences.
Dalmatian woman displays the fish she grilled for lunch, Seget Vranjica, Dalmatia, Croatia. Grilled fish are
a common, healthy and delicious local dish grilled over a brick oven fire of grape vine wood. Homemade
olive oil is drizzled over the fish which is served very simply, with bread and salad. (Ian Shive/Aurora
Photos/Corbis)
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, cassava, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn are the
traditional staples, often mixed together. (Shortages affect availability
of most food items.)
• Meat: pork, chicken, eggs, beef, goat, wild game.
• Fish: tuna, red snapper, swordfish; seafood: spiny lobster, shrimp.
• Vegetables: beans, tomatoes, lettuce, squash, chayote (also called
christophene), taro plant leaves, beets, cabbage.
• Fruit: banana, orange, guava, papaya, other tropical fruits such as
soursop (guanábana), custard apple, zapote.
• Seasoning: onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, black pepper,
cumin, orange or other citrus juice, cinnamon, aniseed.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Most typical dish: roast pork with rice and beans, served with boiled
cassava or fried plantain and a garlic sauce (mojo criollo).
• Spanish-style stews and soups (e.g., ajiaco, guisado), roast meat,
fried pork, or breaded chicken cutlets, and milk-and egg-rich sweets.
Traditional Cuban feast of roast suckling pig (lechón asado), complete with signature Cuban rice and beans
(congrí), yuca con mojo, malanga, and a variety of side items. (Ted Henken)
• Caribbean-style rice and bean dishes: congrí (rice and kidney beans),
rice and black beans (moros y cristianos, “Moors and Christians”).
• African-style fufu made from boiled and mashed green bananas,
sometimes served with crumbled crisp pork rind.
• Fresh vegetable salads feature tomato and cucumber with avocado,
bell pepper, chayote, cabbage, beets, corn kernels.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast is light: bread roll with fried, boiled, or scrambled eggs and
milky coffee.
• Lunch: light snacks, usually corn fritters, Spanish-style omelet
(tortilla), pasta salad or pizza; or vegetable and meat stew with bread,
rice, and toasted cornmeal; rice and beans or other rice-based meal.
• The main meal is eaten in the evening, usually 2–3 courses, of fried
chicken or pork chop or cutlet, with rice and beans, fried plantain,
boiled and mashed green banana or cassava, and a simple salad of
tomatoes with cucumber or other fresh vegetable.
• Snacks (bocaditos) eaten at street stalls, bars, or bought off vendors:
ham and cheese sandwich, savory pastries; morsels of pork or chicken
in garlic sauce, pizza, Spanish-style omelets, hot fried plantain chips
(mariquitas), cinnamon-and aniseed-flavored doughnuts.
• Common desserts are ripe local fruit, sweet guava or mango paste
eaten with cheese, fried bananas, vanilla-or rum-flavored custard,
sweet fritters (churros), ice cream flavored with local fruits, including
guava, coconut, passion fruit.
• Beverages: coffee, sugarcane juice, fresh tropical fruit (guava,
mango) in juices or milkshakes. Cuban rum is world-famous and made
into cocktails with lime juice (e.g., daiquiri and mojito).
• Restaurants, bars, and cafés serve a limited range of local food in the
capital and major towns. Hotels catering to tourists serve a wider
selection of foods. Some private houses serve homecooked, full-course
meals, payable only in U.S. currency.
Corn soup is a popular feature at main meals.
3 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted and drained

1 cup light cream
salt, freshly ground white pepper
2 eggs
Puree corn in blender or food processor with the chicken stock.

Into a saucepan, pour puree and stir in cream.
Simmer over low heat, stirring from time to time, for 5–7 minutes.
Sieve the mixture, return it to the saucepan, season with salt and
pepper, and continue simmering.
Add a bit of water if the soup becomes very thick.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly and stir in 1/2 cup of soup.
Stir in the egg mixture into the soup pot, and keep stirring for 1 or 2
minutes.
To serve, garnish with chopped parsley.

Salads dressed with oil, vinegar, and salt usually accompany a meat-rich meal or
rice and beans.
romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 ripe papaya, cubed
1 large or 2 small, ripe avocados, cubed
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
Dressing
3 TBS olive oil
juice of 2 fresh limes
salt to taste
1 TBS finely chopped cilantro
In a bowl, mix the dressing ingredients and toss in the vegetables.

Chill until ready to serve.

Beans and rice is the most popular meal combination, and most Cubans eat it at
least once a day, along with a meat or chicken dish. This dish is eaten for lunch
or dinner.
3 TBS olive oil

1 medium-sized green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 TBS red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
salt, freshly ground black pepper
14-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 bay leaf
Prepare the sofrito: in a stewing pot, heat oil over low heat; stir in
bacon, garlic, onion, and medium-sized bell pepper. Cook for 8–10
minutes, stirring from time to time, until vegetables are soft. Stir in
tomato sauce, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook until
thickened, about 8–10 minutes.
Add the beans, large green pepper, and bay leaf, and cook over
medium heat for 30 minutes more until thick. Discard bay leaf and
serve with white rice.
These pork chops, marinated in a characteristic garlic sauce (mojo criollo), are
popular for the main evening meal. Accompaniments are rice and beans, fried
plantain or fried green banana or fried sweet potatoes, and a vegetable salad.
8 center-cut pork chops, about 4 ounces each

4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup orange juice
juice from one lime and one lemon
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pure Spanish olive oil
1/2 cup dry sherry (optional)
3 TBS oil
Season the chops with salt and pepper.

Puree the garlic, oregano, and cumin with the citrus juices.
Put the chops in a nonreactive bowl, pour the spiced citrus juice over,
and cover with the sliced onions. Cover and refrigerate 2–3 hours or
overnight.
Remove the chops from the marinade; pat dry with paper towels.
Reserve the marinade.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown chops on both
sides. Add the marinade and onions. Cover, and cook until chops are
tender, about 15–20 minutes. Serve with beans and rice.

This is a rich and creamy Spanish-style custard, which is often served for
dessert.
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp aniseed
1 cinnamon stick
2 eggs
4 large egg yolks
1/8 tsp salt
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Make caramel: in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir sugar
and water until sugar dissolves. Allow it to boil for about 10 minutes
without stirring until syrup turns a deep amber color. Quickly pour
caramel into a 2 quart baking dish or casserole. Immediately tilt the
dish to evenly coat the bottom. Set aside.
Put whole milk, aniseed, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel in a medium
saucepan. Simmer over low heat about 5 minutes. Cover and let stand
to allow the flavors to infuse the milk, about 30 minutes.
Preheat to 350°F.
Mix eggs and yolks, vanilla, salt, and condensed milk well in a large
bowl.
Stir in gradually the infused milk, whisking well to blend. Strain the
egg mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Set the baking dish into a tray in the middle of the oven.
Pour hot water into the tray, enough to come halfway up the sides of
the baking dish.
Bake flan until center is gently set, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Take flan out of the oven and cool on a rack.
Cover and chill overnight.
To serve, run a knife around the edge of the flan to loosen.
Put a flat serving plate over the top of the baking dish.
Keeping one hand under the baking dish and the other hand over the
serving plate, swiftly invert the baking dish over the serving plate (all
the while keeping plate and dish together).
The flan should slip off easily into the serving plate. Lift off the baking
dish.
Store in the refrigerator.
This pie is often eaten for snacks or dessert. If guava preserve is not available,
use another type of tropical fruit conserve, such as pineapple or quince
(membrillo).
1 unbaked, preferably unsweetened 9-inch shortcrust pastry shell

2 cups guava preserve (sold as mermelada de guayaba in Latin food
shops)

Place pie crust in baking dish.
Fill with guava preserve; bake for 30–40 minutes or until crust is
golden.

Malanga are the corms of Xanthosoma plants and related to the taro: both grow
underground and are widely eaten in Asia, South America, and the Caribbean.
They are sometimes known as tannia, tannier, or cocoyams (because they are
grown under coconut trees). Cassava often has stringy or woody fibers in the
middle: discard these.
2 pounds of cocoyams and cassava (equal quantities or 2/3 cocoyam,

1/3 cassava, or vice versa), peeled and cubed
1 egg
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground anise seeds or 1 tsp vanilla
additional flour
oil for deep frying
Boil the cocoyams and cassava with water to cover until tender but not
mushy.
Mash them and mix with the remaining ingredients to a nonsticky
dough. Add a bit more flour if dough sticks to your fingers.
Form into golf ball–sized balls, ovals, rings, or, as traditionally made,
into figure eights.
Fry at 360°F until golden; drain on paper towels. Serve with cinnamon
syrup.
Cinnamon syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 TBS lemon juice
3-inch stick cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
At medium heat, simmer sugar, water, lemon juice and cinnamon until
thickened, about 15–20 minutes.
When cool, stir in vanilla.
Cyprus
Cyprus is an island nation tucked into the northeast corner of the Mediterranean
Sea. Settled by a mixture of Greeks and Phoenician-related peoples in
prehistory, the island was largely Greek until occupied by the Ottoman Empire
in the fifteenth century. After World War I, it became a British dominion until
independence in the 1960s.
Rolling valleys and mountains with hot summers and mild winters enable
olives, wheat, and Mediterranean-type fruits and vegetables to flourish. Sheep
are the most common livestock. Cheese and other milk products, fish from the
sea, and wheat products are the basic food sources.
Its population is divided (in all senses) between Turkish (Muslim) and
Greek (Christian) Cypriots. The food is heavily influenced by Greek and Turkish
cultures, with an additional flavor of the nearby Levant.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: bread, rice, noodles.
• Meat: mutton, fish and other seafood, chicken, pork (not for
Muslims), sausages, eggs, cheese (halloumi, feta) and other dairy
products.
• Vegetables: particularly tomatoes, green beans, peppers, eggplant,
zucchini fruits and flowers, legumes, molehiya or molohiya (jute)
leaves. Pickled vegetables, olives, caper fruits and leaves (gappar).
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, tomato, herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme,
oregano, bay leaf, parsley), lemon, spices (cinnamon, pepper,
coriander, etc.). Olive oil as cooking medium and condiment.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Kleftiko (baked lamb) is the most popular festive dish.
• Meat dishes: grilled skewered lamb, pork, or chicken (souvlakia);
pork stewed in wine and coriander; rabbit or beef stewed with wine
vinegar and spices (stiphado).
• Seafood dishes: octopus or squid in red wine, grilled whole fish such
as red mullet or sea bass, crisp-fried calamari (squid).
• Vegetable dishes: braised eggplant; stuffed grape leaves; potatoes in
olive oil and parsley; moussaka (eggplant and meat casserole); salad of
seasonal vegetables with feta cheese, olives, and herbs; cucumber with
mint-flavored yogurt (talatouri).
• Sweet pastries made with honey, syrup, and nuts: pastellaki (made of
peanuts, sesame, and honey syrup), doughnuts in honey syrup
(loukoumades). Triangular pastries stuffed with cracked wheat,
pumpkin, and raisins (kolokoti) are a popular snack in cafés.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day, with snacks. The major meal, usually eaten in the
evening, includes a meat dish and a sweet dessert.
• Forks, spoons, and individual settings are the preferred way of
eating, though very often pieces of flat bread are used to scoop up
morsels, particularly those from meze.
• Families eat together when possible, particularly on feast days and
Sundays (for Christians) or Fridays (for Muslims).
• Breakfast: eggs, pies, bread, cheese jam, coffee.
• Lunch: meze, fish, salads, bread; sometimes a soup.
• Main meals begin with meze: three, six, or twelve small dishes that
serve as appetizers, including olives, beans, pickles, and small fish
dishes eaten with pide (flat bread).
• Salads, both raw and cooked, are very common with almost all
meals.
• Pickles—olives and various vegetables in brine or vinegar—
accompany most meals.
• Supper: a soup, salads, a meat main dish (which is usually served
with the salads), potatoes or rice, or noodles, fruit or a sweet.
• Snacks: pastries are eaten during the day with thick coffee and a
glass of water.
• Virtually all meals end with small cups of black, sweet coffee.
• Dining out is popular, and men tend to spend many hours at a local
coffee shop, talking, drinking coffee, and eating pastry.

Greens and rice are often served for lunch or to accompany a meat dish in the
evening.
8 large chard leaves, ribs and stems removed (substitute kale or collard
greens)
4 TBS olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cups rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
2 TBS parsley, chopped
1 pint water
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
plain yogurt and crusty bread, to serve
Tear chard leaves into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until softened.
Stir in all other ingredients except chard.
Bring to a boil and stir in the chard.
Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the rice is
tender.
Remove from the heat and let stand, undisturbed, for 5–10 minutes.
Fluff up the rice with a fork and place on individual plates.
Serve with yogurt and bread.

This dish is a Cypriot version of a Greek favorite.
3 TBS olive oil

1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground meat, a mix of lamb, pork, or beef
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup rice
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 can or 3/4 pound grape leaves (available from stores that sell Middle
Eastern or Greek foods), rinsed
1/2 cup hot water
Heat oil over medium heat and fry onion until softened. Stir in the
meat and cook until it changes color.
Stir in red wine and rice, and cook for 1–2 minutes.
Remove from heat, and transfer into a bowl.
Add lemon juice, more onion, parsley, mint, tomato, salt and pepper.
Mix thoroughly.
To wrap the leaves: on a cutting board or flat plate, lay a whole grape
leaf, shiny side down, with its stem closest to you (snip off any
remaining stems and set aside any torn leaves for lining the cooking
pan).
Place 1 TBS of filling roughly in the middle of the leaf.
Fold over the stem edge, then the sides to enclose the stuffing, and roll
firmly. Secure with toothpick if necessary.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Line the base of a heavy pot with a few torn leaves.
Arrange the koupepia close together in layers. Add another layer of
leaves on top (or substitute cabbage leaves).
Pour in hot water and drizzle olive oil over all.
Place an inverted plate on the rolls to keep them from shifting during
cooking.
Cover pot tightly and cook gently over low heat for 30–45 minutes.
At the end of cooking, take one to test. If the rice is still not tender,
cook a further 5–8 minutes, adding a little water to the pot if
necessary.
Let koupepia cool slightly, then serve warm, drizzled with more lemon
juice and olive oil, if desired. They are even better eaten cold the
following day.

Baked lamb is a favorite celebratory dish.
4 pounds of lamb with bone, cut into large pieces

4 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
Place lamb in an ovenproof dish with a tight lid.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and insert the bay leaves among the meat
pieces.
Reduce heat to 275°F and cook for 1 1/2–2 hours until meat is very
tender and coming off the bone.
Serve over rice.

This is a favorite appetizer or main dish.
1/2 cup flour

1 pound liver (lamb or calf, or substitute chicken breast) cut in strips
1/2 inch thick by 2 inches wide.
4 TBS vegetable oil
4 TBS red wine
3 tsp crushed coriander seeds
Season the flour with salt and pepper.

Just before cooking, toss liver strips in flour to coat evenly.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Swiftly fry each piece of meat for about 1 minute on each side until
browned but still pink in the middle. Remove and drain on paper
towels.
Stir in wine and vinegar to the pan and bring to a boil.
Return the meat to the pan and sprinkle with coriander.
Simmer just until meat is warmed through. (Overcooking will make
the liver tough.)
Serve immediately with rice or fresh bread.

This is a common snack available from street vendors.
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 ounce dried yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 tsp sugar
8 TBS warmed honey
2 tsp cinnamon
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in dried yeast.
Gradually add warm water, stirring well. The mixture should be very
thick.
Cover batter with a towel, and leave in a warm place for 3 hours, until
doubled in size.
Heat the oil until very hot but not smoking.
Take a teaspoonful of dough and use another to push the dough into
the hot oil.
Cook only a few fritters at a time.
Fry until golden on both sides (about 1 minute). Drain on paper towels.
Distribute fritters among 4 plates.
Pour 1 TBS of warmed honey on the side of each plate and sprinkle
with cinnamon.
Eat warm, dunking each mouthful into the cinnamon honey.

These are popular cookies to eat with coffee.
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar
In a food processor, process butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, flour, baking
powder, salt, and ground almonds just until they come together.
Shape dough into a ball, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and chill for 1
hour.
Divide into 2. On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a
cylinder about 1 inch thick.
Cut into 2-inch lengths and shape into crescents.
Place evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet; bake for 10
minutes or until bottom edges are just starting to color.
Transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Sprinkle with orange-blossom water and dredge with powdered sugar.
Store in a covered container.

Together with kourabiethes (recipe above), melomakarona are traditional
Christmas treats in Cyprus. Some families add a quarter cup of brandy to the
dough. Others stuff the melomakarona with dates.
2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup corn or other neutral-flavored oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice from 1 orange
grated peel from 1 lemon
To finish
1 cup ground walnuts
Syrup
1 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
peel from 1 orange
peel and juice from 1 lemon
1 stick cinnamon, 4–5 inches long
Sift flour, baking soda and powder.

Cream butter, oil, and sugar until very light.
Mix in yolk, spices, and juice. Add flour mixture for a soft but
workable (not sticky) dough.
Shape dough into egg-sized ovals. Flatten slightly and place evenly
spaced on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown; cool on racks.
Prepare syrup: over medium heat, simmer honey, sugar, citrus peels,
lemon juice, and cinnamon until thickened, 25–30 minutes.
Dip cookies in hot syrup, letting each side soak for 10 seconds.
Transfer dipped cookies to cupcake cases. Top with a sprinkling of
walnuts.
Store in an airtight container.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked Central European country created by the

mutually agreed-upon breakup of Czechoslovakia. The Czech area had been
under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for centuries. It later was an
independent country before becoming a part of the Soviet empire. It is
sandwiched between Magyar, Germanic, and Slavic cultures, and its culture has
influences from all three. The climate is continental, with hot summers and cold
winters, hence wheat and potatoes, grapes and apricots are grown. Cows are
raised for milk and other dairy products.
The population is largely Slavic. The cuisine is influenced by Austro-

Hungarian cooking, by neighboring German influences, and by a Slavic heritage.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are wheat flour products and potatoes.
• Pork, beef, and carp are preferred meats.
• Vegetables include many of the cabbage family: cabbage,
cauliflower, kohlrabi.
• Fruit, particularly plums and apricots, are grown, as well as grapes
for consumption and wine.
• Dairy products, including milk, cheeses, butter, and sour cream.
• Fruit features in many recipes, particularly berries, apples, pears, and
apricots.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Hungarian-influenced soups (goulash soup) and stews (paprikash) of
meat and vegetables.
• Noodle dishes.
• Fruit soups.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks are usually eaten. The heaviest meal is
normally at midday.
• Table settings are standard European.
• Breakfast is often an array of breads or rolls, with sausages or
preserved meats, washed down by coffee or milk.
• The main meal is usually composed of three courses, an appetizer
which is often a soup, a main course, usually meat with potatoes or
noodles, and a sweet.
• The evening meal is usually soup or soup and sandwiches with
coffee served afterward.
• Drinks are often fruit juices, carbonated bottled drinks, wine, beer,
coffee.

Cold fruit soups garnished with sour cream are a common meal starter in the
summer.
1 cup blueberries (or any summer berries)

1/8 tsp salt
cinnamon and sugar to taste
3 cups water
3 TBS flour
1 1/2 cups sour cream
lemon juice to taste
Add blueberries, salt, cinnamon, and sugar to water.

Bring to a boil.
Stir flour slowly into 1 cup sour cream until smooth, and gradually add
to soup.
Continue simmering for 5–10 minutes.
Allow to cool. Add lemon juice to taste (in summer it is traditional to
have a sharper flavor).
Serve chilled garnished with dollops from the remaining sour cream.

Kohlrabi, a cousin of the cabbage, grows as a round bulb above ground with leaf
stalks sprouting from its sides. This serves as a common supper dish.
1/2 cup butter

6 kohlrabis (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, and cut in julienne strips
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 cup stock
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 pound ham, chopped finely
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan and fry onions until softened.

Add kohlrabis, salt, pepper, and the caraway seeds.
Add half the stock, and simmer briefly, adding just enough stock to
keep moist, if needed. The dish must not be soupy.
When the kohlrabis are tender, add beaten eggs and ham.
Cover saucepan and continue to simmer until eggs are set.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve with potatoes or toast.
Sandwiches are eaten as a light meal or snack, often accompanied by local beer.
Cheese and celery filling

1 1/2 ounces butter
1 1/2 ounces yellow cheese, grated
4 tsp celery, grated or finely minced
salt to taste
1 tart apple, peeled, cored and sliced very thin
8 slices white bread
Cream together butter, cheese, celery, and salt.

Spread bread slices with mixture.
Garnish each sandwich with a slice of apple.
Cream cheese and radish filling

12 radishes, 8 finely minced, 4 cut into halves
8 ounces cream cheese
salt to taste
8 slices white bread
4 parsley sprigs
Mix chopped radish with cream cheese and salt.

Spread on slices of bread.
Put half a radish on each sandwich with the red skin on top, secure
with toothpick if desired.
Garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Originally a Hungarian dish, this goulash has been adapted to Czech tastes and is
served for lunch.
4 TBS lard
1/2 cup flour
3–4 cups water
3 cups canned navy or pinto beans, with bean liquid
2 TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp paprika
Heat lard in heavy pot and fry onion until golden brown.
Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper, and dust with flour.
Stir in meat to onions and brown on all sides.
Add water to the bean liquid to make up 6 cups in all. Add to meat,
and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes or until meat is very
tender.
Add beans, tomato paste, and paprika. Cook for another 5–10 minutes.
If the soup is too thick, add just a bit of water. This soup should be
fairly thick.
Serve with bread.

A dish with Hungarian origins, this is served with potatoes or noodles as a main
dish.
1 TBS lard or vegetable oil

1 chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into skinless serving pieces
1 1/2 cups water, enough to cover chicken
1 pint sour cream
2 TBS flour
1/2 tsp paprika
salt to taste
Heat lard over medium heat, and brown chicken on all sides in a heavy
saucepan.
Add onion, stir and cook for 2–3 minutes, then add water to barely
cover chicken.
Cover and simmer gently over low heat until chicken is tender, about
30–40 minutes.
Add water if necessary.
When chicken is tender, remove from heat. Take chicken from pan and
set aside, but keep warm.
In a food processor, blend sour cream and flour together until smooth.
Add some hot chicken gravy to sour cream mixture and blend until
smooth.
Pour blended sour cream mixture into the saucepan and mix well.
Season sauce with paprika and salt.
Bring sour cream mixture to a simmer and allow gravy to thicken.
Return chicken to the pan, and cook until heated through.
Serve with boiled potatoes or noodles.

These pies are a popular dessert or snack that make use of the plentiful local
fruit.
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp salt
2 TBS dry yeast
6 cups flour
3 cups filling
Scald milk. Add sugar, egg, butter, and salt, and beat thoroughly.
Remove from heat and cool mixture to body temperature and pour into
large bowl.
Sprinkle yeast over the warm milk mixture. Leave in a warm place for
15 minutes until bubbles form.
Gradually mix in flour and knead to a very soft dough. Cover with a
damp towel, and leave in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in
size, about 1 hour.
Shape dough into golf ball–sized balls.
Place on greased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Cover again with damp
cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free place until volume doubles, about
1 hour.
Make a cavity in the center of each roll with your thumb.
Fill each with filling and bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, until
golden on top.
Filling
1/2 pound dried apricots
hot water to cover
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp butter
Cover apricots with hot water and simmer for 20 minutes, until tender.
Drain and process until smooth in a blender or food processor with
sugar and lemon juice.
Transfer to a pan, add butter and simmer until butter melts.
Pastry chef makes kolache, a traditional Czech fruit pie. (Johnny Devil/Dreamstime.com)

These rich cookies and raspberry bars (recipe following) are among many made
especially as traditional Vánoční cukroví, or Christmas sweets. Makes about 30
crescents.

2 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup powdered almonds or hazelnuts
powdered sugar
Cream butter, sugar, and salt until very light. Blend in vanilla.
Mix in well the flour and nuts to form a workable dough.
Take 2 TBS of dough, roll into a 1/2-inch-thick cylinder.
Taper the ends and shape the cylinder into a crescent.
Place evenly spaced on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes or until just starting to color.
Immediately roll in powdered sugar.
Reroll in powdered sugar when completely cool.

These bars can be made with other fruit fillings: cherry, strawberry, blackberry,
or blueberry.
1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs, separated
2 TBS sugar
1 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup finely ground almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts
1 tsp vanilla
Sift salt, baking powder, and flour.

Cream butter and sugar until very light.
Blend in thoroughly the egg yolks, then the flour mixture.
Press dough onto a buttered 8 × 12 inch baking pan; bake for 10
minutes.
Spread jam over the pastry.
Whip egg whites to soft peaks; add powdered sugar gradually and
whip to stiff peaks.
Fold in nuts and vanilla into whipped egg whites; spread over the jam.
Lower oven temperature to 275°F; bake pastry in the middle rack for
30 minutes.
Do not open the oven during and after baking the meringue; wait until
it is completely cooled down.
Turn off oven, and let the pastry cool in the oven with the door ajar
(about 4 hours).
Cut into bars or squares to serve.
D
Denmark
Denmark is a northern European Nordic country, mainly consisting of a
peninsula and an island between the Baltic Sea and North Sea. Denmark also
oversees the external affairs of the Faroe Islands and of Greenland, whose
population is composed mainly of Inuits. A maritime power during the first
millennium CE, Denmark ruled over Norway and parts of both Britain and
Ireland.
The climate is cool, and the terrain is largely rolling hills.

Danish food is similar to that of its neighbors Norway and Sweden, with an
emphasis on good-quality fish and dairy products simply prepared and flavored.
FOODSTUFFS
• Pork is the favorite meat; all parts are used. Blood and offal used in
soups and sausages. Beef, chicken, other poultry, and eggs are
consumed.
• Fish such as herring, shrimp, eel, salmon, trout, mackerel, flat fish,
cod (fresh, dried, or salted) are consumed.
• Milk, buttermilk, cream, butter, a variety of cheeses.
• Potatoes, red (preferred) or green cabbage, string beans, carrots,
white asparagus, cauliflower, onions, kale, mushrooms; pickled
cucumber, beet.
• Apples, lingonberries.
• Seasonings: cream, butter, mustard, horseradish, dill, onions, leeks;
poppy seeds and caraway seeds on breads or rolls. For baked goods,
cardamom, saffron, and toasted almonds are used.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The most famous Danish dish is the smørrebrød (literally “bread and
butter”): an open sandwich topped with different toppings.
• Salted meat and fish, dried or smoked foods are favorites.
• Soups: yellow pea soup (gule aerter), a traditional soup made from
stale rye crusts and beer (ollebrod). Buttermilk soup
(kaernemaelkskoldskal) is a cold summer soup of whipped raw eggs
and chilled buttermilk, lemon flavored.
• Bread and pastries: rye bread, pancakes (pandekager) with
lingonberry preserves or ice cream, apple cakes dusted with cinnamon
or icing sugar (aebleskiver).
• Meat: frikadeller (meatballs of minced veal and pork) are added to
almost every smørrebrød and eaten at least once a day.
• Egg dishes: baked custard (aeggestand), bacon and egg omelet
(flaeskeaeggekage).
• Dessert: sweetened fresh berries in fresh cream (rodgrod med flode).
• Festive dishes: lutefisk (traditional Christmas Eve dish made from
lye-cured cod served with mustard sauce); special Christmas
smørrebrød with cold and hot dishes of fish, meat, breads of every
kind, cheeses, cream-filled cakes, crispy cookies; rich rice pudding
hiding a lucky almond, served everywhere in Scandinavian countries
on Christmas Eve (risengrod).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks are normally eaten by most people.
• Table settings are European standard and usually formal and elegant
with an eye to style.
• Smørrebrød makings are served as a buffet for people to help
themselves. Sandwiches are usually eaten in a strict order, starting
with fish (herring), then meats and eggs, and ending with sweet
toppings. Smørrebrød may be eaten leisurely for dinner, taking long
stretches of time, along with company, particularly on long summer
evenings.
• Breakfast: usually early, before work and school at 8:00 a.m.—a
variety of yogurts, bread, muesli, cheeses, stewed fruit. In the winter,
oat or other porridge might be served.
• Lunch: light meal of soup, sandwiches, beer. Or smørrebrød buffet.
• Dinner (if eaten out): two-or three-course meal of meat and potatoes
or poached fish with sauce and potatoes or soup and dessert; or a
multicourse meal including appetizers (salted or smoked foods), one or
two hot dishes, and fruit and pastries with coffee.
• Snacks: pastries, cakes, crisp cookies with coffee; cheeses with
bread. Fruit juices, carbonated bottled drinks.
• Many meals are accompanied by or followed by coffee. Buttermilk
and beer are also common drinks at meals. Akvavit (liquor distilled
from potatoes or grain) and bottled carbonated soft drinks are also
consumed.
• Eating out is very common, particularly for lunch and for dinner in
the summer time.

Fish are eaten in many forms, both as an appetizer and as a central dish. This
light pudding, almost a soufflé, is eaten as an appetizer.
2 pounds skinless fish fillets (cod, halibut, or other sea fish), finely
minced
1 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream, whipped until stiff
4 egg whites, beaten until stiff
butter to grease mold
Add salt to fish and mix well.
Fold in cream, then egg whites, mixing well after each addition.
Generously butter a baking dish or casserole, large enough to
accommodate the fish mixture just halfway up the sides.
Gently pour mix into dish and smooth the top. Set it in a pan and pour
enough boiling water to come 3/4 of the way up the sides of the dish.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour or more, until the pudding
tests done (insert a wooden skewer in the middle, and if it comes out
dry, the pudding is done).
Let pudding rest for 10 minutes. Pour off any liquid in the baking dish.
Run a knife to loosen the pudding all around, and invert onto a
warmed serving dish.

This soup showcases the young tender peas of summer. This may serve as an
appetizer or as a main dish for lunch.
1 pound new green peas in the pod (or substitute frozen shelled peas)
5 cups water (or vegetable stock)
1 cup fresh dill, minced
5–6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced (reserve 4 tsp for garnish)
1 onion, chopped
4 large potatoes, diced
1/2 pound carrots, diced
2 TBS butter
1 TBS flour
salt to taste
4 tsp butter
Shell the peas and boil the shells with the herbs and onion until
reduced by 1/4, about 20–25 minutes. Reserve the peas. (If using
frozen peas, use vegetable stock.) Process or blend the shells, pass
through a fine sieve, and return to the pan.
Bring stock to a boil, and add potatoes and carrots. Simmer until
vegetables are tender, about 15–20 minutes. Add the reserved peas (or
frozen peas) in the final 5 minutes of cooking.
Rub butter into flour with your fingers until thoroughly combined. Stir
into the soup. Season to taste and remove from heat once soup is
thickened.
Serve hot garnished with parsley, a pat of butter (if desired), and flour
dumplings (recipe follows).

Dumplings are used to make a midday soup heartier.
3 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
2 eggs, separated, whites beaten to stiff peaks
salt to taste
powdered cardamom
boiling salted water
Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan. Sprinkle with flour and
combine until butter is completely absorbed.
Gradually add boiling water, stirring with a wooden spoon until
mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan.
Let cool for 2–3 minutes, then stir in yolks, salt, and cardamom and
lastly the egg whites. Form into tiny balls about fingernail size.
Slip a few at a time into boiling water and cook, keeping water lightly
simmering, for 5–7 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place in soup.

This is a main dish, often eaten on summer evenings.

1 onion, peeled and cut into rings, 1/2 inch thick
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup beef bouillon
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
4 TBS flour
2 TBS butter
Heat half the butter and sauté onions until softened. Take out and
reserve.
Divide the meat into four portions and shape lightly into patties.
Dredge patties with half the flour.
Heat remaining butter in the same pan on medium heat.
Quickly brown the patties on both sides, reduce heat, and cook until
done but still moist.
Transfer patties to a rimmed serving dish; scatter onions over. Keep
warm.
Add bouillon to the pan, and adjust seasoning.
Rub remaining flour with butter, stir into the bouillon and cook only
until thickened.
Pour gravy over patties and serve with potatoes, cooked beets, and
currant jelly, or serve as a smørrebrød (open-faced sandwich) with a
crisply fried egg on top.

Potatoes are a major source of carbohydrates and are eaten with almost every
meal.
4 cups grated potato

2 eggs, beaten
salt and white pepper to taste
oil for deep frying
Mix potato, onion, and eggs. Season to taste.

Shape into balls about golf-ball size.
In a deep fryer, heat oil to 350°F.
Fry balls a few a time, taking care they do not touch, until golden
brown.
Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

These “garnished breads” (not a true sandwich, since they are open) are one of
the great pleasures of Danish kitchen. Eaten as a snack, as drinking food, or even
as a full meal, there are hundreds of different topping variations.
Smoked herring with egg (røget sild med æg)

2 fillets smoked herrings, about 1/2 pound
4 large onion rings, about 1/4 inch thick
1 lightly cooked egg yolk (poached or fried) per sandwich
4 slices buttered bread
Cut each fillet in half, and place one piece on each slice of bread
Lay an onion ring on the fish and place the egg yolk inside the onion
ring.
Mashed anchovies (ansjos-smørecreme)

3–4 pieces whole salted anchovies, mashed (or 2 TBS anchovy paste)
2 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped
1 tsp onion, minced
4 slices dark rye bread
strips of pimiento (preserved red bell pepper) or fresh red bell pepper
Mix first three ingredients together well.

Spread on bread and garnish with strips of pimiento.
Chicken spread 1 (smørecreme af hakket kyllingebrød)

1 cup cooked chicken, minced roughly
1/3 cup crushed canned pineapple, drained
3 TBS mayonnaise
Mix all ingredients and spread on 4 slices of bread.

1 cup cooked chicken, minced roughly
1 cup toasted almonds, slivered
1 tsp onion, grated
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Mix all ingredients and spread on 4 slices of bread.

1 cup cooked chicken, finely minced
2 tsp cooked bacon, cubed finely
1 TBS lemon juice
4 drops Tabasco sauce
Mix all ingredients and spread on 4 slices of buttered bread.
Chive butter (purløgsmør)

1/2 cup soft butter creamed
1/4 cup chives, finely minced
4 drops Worcestershire sauce
Mix chives with the butter and sauce. Spread on bread.

These sugary butter cookies are traditional for Christmas. Makes about 25
pretzels.
1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup thick cream
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp water
sugar for sprinkling
Sift the flour and baking powder.

In a bowl or food processor, blend well the flour mixture, butter,
cream, and 1 yolk just until they come together.
Danish sukkerkringler (sugar pretzels). (FoodPhotography E./the food passionates/Corbis)
Shape into a ball, cover, and chill for 1–2 hours.

Divide dough into 2. Keep the other half covered while working.
Roll dough into a 1/2-inch-diameter cylinder. Cut into 6-inch-long
rods.
Take the two ends and fold them toward the middle of the rod, forming
a pretzel shape or a horizontal letter B.
Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing them
evenly spaced.
Make an egg wash with the remaining egg yolk, beaten and thinned
with 1 TBS of water.
Lightly brush the tops of the pretzels, particularly the joints, pressing
them lightly together to bond.
Sprinkle the pretzels generously with sugar.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or just until the cookies begin to color.
Transfer to a rack to cool. When completely cooled, store in an airtight
tin.

This simple yeast bread is widely enjoyed with coffee. It is also known
affectionately as “poor man’s birthday cake” and often made for children’s
birthdays, as it lends itself to being decorated with sweets, flags, and birthday
party favors. It is said to come from Hans Christian Andersen’s birthplace, the
island of Fyn.
2 TBS sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 cake compressed yeast, or 1 1/8 tsp or 1/2 packet of active dry or
instant active dry yeast
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
additional 1/4 cup flour
Topping glaze
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
Prepare dough: in a small bowl, stir the sugar into the milk; stir in the
yeast and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Sift the flour and salt.
In a large bowl or food processor, put the yeast mixture; then blend in
the egg and butter.
Add the flour mixture and mix just until it comes together into a
dough. With floured hands, gather the dough into a ball: it should be
soft but no longer sticky.
If the dough is sticky, mix in up to 2 TBS flour.
On a floured surface or in the bowl, knead dough until smooth for 10
minutes until elastic.
Let rest covered for 30 minutes in a warm place.
Roll out dough to cover a buttered large baking tray, at least 13 × 9
inches, preferably larger.
Let pastry rise for 20 minutes; create large indentations (not all the
way through as to make holes down to the bottom) with your fingers
throughout the dough.
Make the holes fairly large, about 2 inches wide, as these are meant to
hold in the sweet topping glaze.
Prepare topping: at low heat, warm the sugar and butter in a small pan
until the sugar is dissolved; do not allow to boil. Whisk the syrup until
sugar is incorporated into the butter.
Pour hot topping very slowly all over the pastry, allowing it to settle
and puddle into the holes.
Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the pastry tests done and the glaze is a
caramelized brown.
Let cool slightly; cut into squares and serve warm.
Djibouti
Djibouti is a tiny former French colony on the Horn of Africa, slightly smaller
than Massachusetts. On the shores of the Red Sea, it is sandwiched between
Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. The climate is very hot, dry inland, and more
humid, though without rain, along the coast.
The population is made up of two major ethnic groups: the Afars, largely
nomadic camel herders speaking a language similar to Ethiopian, and the Issas,
who are a Somali-speaking group of sedentary people.
Eid-al-Fitr is the festival that ends the fasting month of Ramadan in the
Muslim calendar. Most Djiboutians are Muslims, and after the last day of
fasting, they retire to a large family feast in celebration. Those who can afford it
serve numerous dishes to the table, while others try to enrich the table to the best
of their abilities.
The cuisine shares elements with Ethiopian and Somalian cuisines. For
example, Ethiopian injera and Somalian anjero are quite similar to the Djibouti
staple pancake, canjeero; all are served on woven baskets with assorted meat
stews as accompaniments. A French influence in the cuisine is very strong.
FOODSTUFFS
• Mutton is the favorite meat, and many mutton dishes feature in local
cuisine.
• Rice is imported, but as all over the Middle East and North Africa, it
has become a major staple.
• The Red Sea abounds with fish, and fish features in the cuisine of the
sedentary Issas, less so for the Afars.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Baked and grilled mutton.
• Canjeero or laxoox, pancakes of fermented batter, are the common
staple.
• Fish are eaten grilled, baked, or in stews.
STYLES OF EATING
• Though three-times-a-day eating is common in urban areas, nomads
tend to eat only twice a day, with a light breakfast of sour milk mixed
with flour or some bread.
• Men and women eat separately, usually out of a common dish or
sometimes a small wickerwork raised tray (mesob).
• Evening meals are generally eaten by the family in common. On the
mesob will be a large serving dish on which are arranged one or two
sourdough pancakes and several rolled-up or folded ones. On the
spread-out pancakes are small amounts of sauce, stewed vegetables,
whole chili peppers, meat, or fish. Each diner takes a bit of sourdough
pancake, dips it into the meat or stew, and brings the food to the mouth
with the right hand only.
This starter soup is usually cooked when guests arrive and is drunk out of
glasses. The meat and potatoes may be served separately.
1 pound stewing mutton, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 pound potatoes diced
1/4 cabbage, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced, or hot green chili
pepper, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup cilantro, minced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
salt to taste
Place meat and vegetables in a saucepan with water to cover.

Add cilantro, garlic, and salt and simmer for 20 minutes more or until
the meat and vegetables are tender.

Meat cooked in rice (harees) is popular throughout Arab-influenced areas of
eastern Africa. This version is served as the main meal, sometimes layered over
sourdough pancakes.
3 TBS oil
2 onions, chopped
1 pound mutton cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup rice
Fry the onions in the oil at medium heat until golden and set aside.
Quickly brown the meat on all sides, add tomatoes and onions, and
cook for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in spices, garlic, and water, and allow to simmer, covered, for 45
minutes.
When the meat is tender, stir in the rice, salt and pepper, and allow to
simmer, covered tightly, on the lowest possible heat for 20–25
minutes. (Do not open the pot at any time while cooking the rice.)
Remove from heat and allow to rest for another 10–15 minutes.
Serve as the main dish for the main meal.

Fish is an important resource for urban Djiboutians. This dish would be served
together with rice as a main meal.
1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch disks
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 eggplant, cut into cubes
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 TBS tamarind syrup (available from stores that sell Asian foods)
1 1/2 pounds any fish cut into bite-sized pieces
Heat oil over medium-high heat and stir fry potatoes until slightly
browned. Drain, place in an ovenproof casserole, and set aside.
In same oil, stir fry the onions until golden brown.
Stir in the peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes, and fry for 5–7 minutes,
until softened.
Stir in the tamarind syrup, garlic, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
Pour the vegetables and sauce over the potatoes in the casserole,
mixing in some water if the sauce is too thick.
Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, and place over the vegetables.
Bake, covered for 10 minutes, then uncovered for an additional 5–10
minutes. (Do not overcook the fish.)
Sprinkle with parsley and serve with rice.

Possibly from an adapted French recipe, this dish is served in restaurants.
1 pound fish fillets

2 eggs beaten with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
butter for greasing
1/4 cup flour
Liberally butter an ovenproof dish.

Dry fillets with a paper towel.
Dip in beaten egg mixture, coating liberally.
Roll fillets in flour until well coated, then place in buttered dish.
Gently pour in remaining egg.
Cook in a low oven (280°F) for 20–30 minutes or until fish flakes
easily.
Serve hot.

Ambabour is a yellow pancake or crepe, commonly eaten for breakfast and
accompanied by a yogurt dip and coffee or tea. Ambabour are also eaten in
Somalia. The dough is traditionally fermented for a sour flavor, prepared a day
or two before the pancakes are needed. Some households ferment the ambabour
for a few days for a more sour result.
1 pound flour
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast (traditionally, a household would keep some of the
ambabour back from the previous making to leaven the next batch)
1 TBS sugar
1 egg, beaten
up to 2 cups water
oil for cooking
To serve
1 cup melted butter or ghee
1 cup sugar or honey
1 cup plain yogurt
Evening before
Mix the flour, spices, and salt in a bowl; add yeast, sugar, and the egg.
Gradually add the water to get a smooth, thick but pourable batter (you
may not need all 2 cups).
Cover bowl and place in a warm, humid place until the following day.
On the day
Taste the batter, and add more salt, if desired.
Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Oil the surface lightly.
Put about 1/4 cup of batter in the middle of the pan, then tilt pan to
allow batter to spread.
When the outer edge of the cake is brown, and the top is full of
bubbles, turn the cake over.
Cook the other side until golden.
Drizzle with butter, sprinkle with sugar or spoon some honey over it,
and roll.
Place on a serving plate seam side down and keep warm. Continue
cooking the rest of the batter.
Serve warm with more sugar or honey and yogurt at the table. Eat with
tea or coffee.
Sweet Fritters
These fritters are akin to doughnuts. They are popularly eaten for breakfast,
snacks, as well as celebrations, such as after Ramadan.
2/3 cup sugar

1 1/4 TBS instant yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp cloves
2 TBS melted butter or ghee
oil for frying
powdered sugar
In a small bowl, mix well the sugar, yeast, and water; leave for 10
minutes or until foamy.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and spices; put into a large bowl or
mixer bowl with dough hook.
Add the yeast mixture; blend till smooth; add the butter, mixing
everything well to form a dough.
Take the dough out onto a floured surface; knead for 10–15 minutes
until smooth and elastic.
Let dough rise until doubled, about 2 hours in a warm place.
Take 2 TBS of dough and form into balls or ovals.
Alternatively, roll out dough 1/2 inch thick; cut into 2 × 1 inch
rectangles or 2-inch squares.
Score a shallow cross on the rectangles or squares.
Deep fry at 360°F until golden, turning fritters frequently for even
coloring.
Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve
warm with tea.
Dominica
An island state in the Caribbean, formerly a French possession, it became a

British colony, becoming independent in 1978. It has kept its lush and natural
vegetation, and it is said that it is the only Caribbean island that Christopher
Columbus would recognize today.
The population comprises black, mixed, European, and a small Carib

minority descended from the pre-Columbian inhabitants. The topography is
rocky and mountainous, with a tropical climate. A range of tubers, fruits, and
vegetables are grown.
The cuisine combines elements from creole, other Caribbean, and British
cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Fish, shellfish such as prawns and crayfish, pork, goat, chicken.
• Wild game such as agouti, maniou or opossum, mountain chicken (a
wild frog called crapaud).
• Tubers such as dasheen (Colocasia esculenta), tannia, yam, and
sweet potato; breadfruit, avocado, christophene (also known as cho-
cho); cabbage, spinach, dasheen leaves.
• Mango, grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, banana, plantain.
• Sugar, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, citrus, coconuts, bananas, and bay leaf
are major crops.
• Seasonings: various herbs such as thyme, parsley, celery, chives,
sage, sweet and hot peppers, ginger root, bay leaves, allspice, cloves,
cinnamon.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The most representative dishes are sancoche and braff: stews of
salted meat or fish and vegetables.
• Drolt or mess is a goat or cow head cooked at the beach or by the
river for celebrations.
• Dasheen croquette: a fritter of grated taro tuber, widely grown
throughout the Caribbean.
• Souse is usually pig’s feet in a gravy of hot peppers, thyme, parsley
and other herbs. The same gravy can flavor lambi (conch), lobster, and
shrimps in a dish called gros sauce.
• Curried goat is goat stew lightly flavored with curry powder.
• Callaloo soup is made of the dasheen leaves and/or spinach, flavored
with herbs, smoked ham bone and crabs, and eaten with bakes (fried
dumplings).
• Crab back: crabmeat flavored with herbs and spices, sometimes
combined with black pudding and stuffed back into the crab shell,
covered with bread crumbs and baked, or dusted with spiced flour and
fried.
• Juices are made from tropical fruits (mango, banana, papaya) as well
as vegetables such as pumpkin, beets, and carrots blended with
condensed milk and served cold with ice.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day, with snacks.
• Breakfast: local fresh fruits or fruit juice, fried flying fish, and bakes
(actually fried bread) or porridge or green banana cooked in spiced
milk. Locally grown coffee to drink.
Christophene (also chayote). (Jennifer Pitiquen/Dreamstime.com)
• Lunch: light meal of vegetable soup (popularly pumpkin or dasheen)

with dumplings or Indian-influenced (via Trinidad) roti stuffed with a
sauce of curry-flavored seafood (conch, crab, or shrimp) or meat (beef,
chicken, or goat).
• Dinner: more substantial 2–3 course meal of freshly caught fish or
meat (often smoked wild game), fried, roasted, or stewed, with side
dishes of root and green vegetables. Dessert of fresh tropical fruit or
tropical fruit-based ice cream (guava, coconut, or soursop).
• Snacks: fruits, fruit juice, coffee with sweet or savory pastries.
• Drinks: local tropical fruit juice, locally brewed beer, coffee, tea,
bottled soft drinks.
Stew (Sancoche)
This stew is commonly eaten during the noon or evening meal. Note the
spelling, which is similar to sancocho, a stew of Spanish origin. This dish is
often served with boiled “ground” provisions: the term used in the Caribbean for
sweet or regular potatoes and other root vegetables, such as dasheen or tannia.
Boiled sweet (ripe) and green plantains or green bananas are also a good
accompaniment.
There is no one way of making sancoche as each family innovates with
what is on hand. Some cooks will flavor it with a teaspoon of curry powder
instead of thyme. Others will leave out the sweet peppers and substitute hot
peppers. Ground provisions may be cooked in the stew adding their unique
flavors and colors, with vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, okra, or dasheen
leaves added toward the end. Salt pork may also be used with the salted fish.
Whatever its variations, sancoche is aromatic and richly flavored.
If dumplings and ground provisions are added to sancoche and fresh fish is
used, omitting the coconut milk, what you get is the Dominican delicacy called
braff (broth).
1 pound dried salted codfish (also commonly called salt cod or

bacalao in groceries that specialize in or carry Latin American foods)
3 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
3–4 sprigs or 3 TBS fresh thyme
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
about 1 cup fresh or evaporated milk
3 eggs
Soak salted cod to remove some of salt (preferably overnight in the

refrigerator and change the water at least twice) or simmer for 10
minutes in four cups of water. Drain.
Shred the codfish, discarding any bones or skin.
In a saucepan heat the oil and soften the onion and minced garlic.
Stir in the codfish, thyme and peppers, cooking for about 5 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk, and let it slowly come to a boil. Watch
carefully and stir occasionally so that the coconut milk does not burn.
Add milk (not much) to thin the sauce if it is too thick.
Crack eggs directly into the pot to cook.
Curried Green Figs

“Green figs” or simply “figs,” in Dominica, as in other Caribbean islands, are
not the well-known Mediterranean fruit but refer to green bananas, which are
treated as vegetables. They are different from green plantains, and both can often
be seen gracing the same dish, for example, sancoche or braff.
Diced green bananas can also appear as a porridge for breakfast, cooked in
milk until soft and flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and brown sugar.
The original recipe for curried green figs included salted codfish, which is
omitted here because this dish is intended to be served as a side dish with the
sancoche above (which already has salted cod). However, if you wish to make
this as a main dish, stir in 1 cup shredded presoaked codfish (see preparation in
the sancoche recipe) together with the green bananas. Serve this easy vegetable
dish with roti (West Indian pan bread) or plain boiled rice.
1 pound green figs (green bananas)

2 TBS oil
1 onion, sliced
2 TBS curry powder
2 cup coconut milk
Peel bananas and cut crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick.
In a saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic until softened. Stir in
curry powder.
Add bananas and stir well. Pour in coconut milk, add salt and pepper
to taste.
Reduce heat and simmer until bananas are tender.
To serve, garnish with parsley.
Avocado Drink
This refreshing juice presents two of Dominica’s most common products. Other
popular juices combine condensed milk with local fruit or even vegetables (such
as pumpkin, beets, carrots), additionally flavored with almond or vanilla extract
and/or sometimes sprinkled with nutmeg.
3 avocados, halved and peeled, pit discarded

3 1/2 cups grapefruit juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
ice
Puree in a blender or food processor the avocados, juice, and sugar.

Chill. Stir in vanilla and pour over ice into glasses for a pre-dinner
drink or as a dessert.
Smothered Chicken
Many Dominican households in the countryside raise their own chickens, which
are often cooked flavored with spices and coconut milk. The vinegar also helped
to preserve the dish in the days before refrigeration. This is served for a main
meal.
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
4 whole chicken legs or quarters
1/4 cups flour
oil for frying
2 large onions, finely chopped
3 cups coconut milk
Mix vinegar, 1 tsp curry powder, grated ginger, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper
and rub all over chicken. Marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the
refrigerator.
Mix flour with remaining curry powder.
Wipe chicken dry and roll in flour. Quickly brown in hot oil.
Drain chicken on paper towels. (The chicken does not need to be
completely cooked at this point.)
Lay chicken in a 10 × 10 inch baking dish. Top with onions and
coconut milk.
Bake for 30–45 minutes or until chicken is done.
Serve with mashed potatoes or plantains.
Dumplings or Bakes
Dumplings (note that other Caribbean islands also spell this word without a g)
go with everything from fried chicken and fish to ackee and salt fish and are
often added to stews and soups, like sancoche. When fried, dumplings are called
“bakes” and are eaten for breakfast, often served with fried flying fish. Bakes
stuffed with tuna are a delicacy.
1 1/2 cups flour

1 TBS margarine or shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup (more or less) water
oil for frying
Mix flour with margarine, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, and
enough water into a stiff dough. Knead well for 10 minutes. Let rest 5–
10 minutes under a moist towel.
Bakes
Prepare a frying pan with 1/4 cup of oil and heat under a low fire.
Shape pieces of dough into small balls. Flatten the balls to a small
pancake.
Place three or four bakes on the frying pan and cook slowly until each
side is slightly golden.
Dumplings
Boil 4–5 cups of water in a pan. Add 1 tsp salt.
Put the balls one at a time into the boiling water.
Allow dumplings to cook 5–10 minutes after they float.
Cook for a total of 20 minutes for a waxy dumpling.

Christophene is a tropical vegetable widely grown in the Caribbean. It is related
to the cucumber and is known variously as cho-cho, chayote, or vegetable pear.
The fruit grows on a vine and looks like a large, pale green pear with occasional
prickles. At the core is a large, flat, soft seed, also edible. The pale green flesh is
crisp and subtly flavored, like a dense-textured cucumber. It is eaten raw in
salads, or it can be boiled, baked, or stir fried. The christophene fruit itself can
be planted straight into the ground and shoots will grow out from the top. The
young shoots are also edible.
This colorful casserole with its alternating layers of orange carrot and pale
green christophene makes a special side dish to serve at a celebration meal. As a
main dish for a light meal at noon or evening, it can be served with a cucumber
and tomato salad or coleslaw and some boiled ground provisions (sweet potatoes
or dasheen tubers).
1 cup coarsely grated carrot

1 cup coarsely grated christophene or zucchini
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 ounces grated mild cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
1 TBS butter or margarine
additional grated cheese for topping, 4 TBS
additional bread crumbs for topping, 4 TBS
additional butter or margarine for topping, 2 TBS
1 clove garlic, minced or nutmeg, 1/2 tsp
Put carrot and christophene separately into two bowls.

Into each bowl, add 1 egg and 1/2 of all the remaining ingredients.
Mix well.
Grease a 1 1/2–quart casserole dish with butter.
Spoon four alternating layers of grated carrot and christophene into the
dish.
Mix topping bread crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle all over top layer.
Cut the remaining butter into small dices. Sprinkle over topping.
Sprinkle minced garlic or nutmeg.
Bake for 40–50 minutes or until done and topping is crisp and golden.
Banana Cake
Bananas and citrus fruits are plentiful and eaten fresh for dessert or snacks.
When bananas are overripe, they are made into cakes flavored with nutmeg or
allspice—frequently used spices in Dominica—and tangy lemon and orange
rind. Warm or cold, this aromatic banana cake can be served for dessert or a
snack.
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter or 3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp nutmeg or allspice
grated rind of one lemon
grated rind of one orange
2 eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 TBS cold water
4 TBS sugar

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Cream well the sugar, butter, citrus rind, eggs, buttermilk, and
bananas.
Thoroughly mix the flour mixture into the creamed bananas.
Pour into a greased 9 × 13 inch baking pan.
Sprinkle water and sugar over the top.
Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes or until cake tests done.

This banana fruit cake is an elaborate version of banana cake. The candied fruits
are coated with flour to deter their sinking to the bottom of the cake.
1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
grated rind and juice of 1 lime or lemon
2 large or 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp mace or nutmeg, or 1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup evaporated milk, half-and-half, cream, or coconut cream
1/4 cup candied pineapple, cubed, dusted with 2 TBS flour
1/4 cup candied cherries, sliced into quarters, or raisins, dusted with 2
TBS flour
1/4 cup grated unsweetened coconut
1 cup chopped peanuts, cashews, almonds, or other nuts

Butter a loaf pan, line bottom and sides with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; beat in eggs
and lime rind and juice.
Mix in well bananas, vanilla, and mace.
Add alternately the flour mixture and the milk in two parts, beating
well after each addition.
Fold in the fruits.
Spoon batter into a 9-inch round cake pan or 9 × 5 inch loaf pan.
Mix coconut and peanuts; distribute evenly, pressing slightly into the
batter.
Bake for 30 minutes or until cake is golden and tests done.
This banana dessert or snack is very simply made. The chocolate is melted in the
microwave (directions are for a 650-watt microwave). White chocolate can also
be used to coat half the bananas if desired, melting it in the same manner as the
dark chocolate.
4 firm ripe medium bananas

juice of 1 lemon
1 cup (8 ounces) milk or semisweet chocolate, chopped or cut into
roughly even small pieces
1 cup chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, pecans, or peanuts)
8 popsicle sticks or sturdy skewers
Slice bananas in half crosswise; coat well with lemon juice to deter
browning.
Insert the sticks at the blunt end of the bananas.
Chill or freeze bananas for 1 hour.
Put the chocolate in a heat-resistant glass or mug, covered with plastic
wrap.
Microwave on 50 percent power or at reheat setting for 30 seconds.
Take out and stir. If not completely melted, microwave another 30
seconds more. Do not microwave longer or at stronger power: the high
sugar content of the chocolate will scorch.
Alternatively, use the traditional double-boiler method to melt
chocolate. Place chocolate in a heat-resistant glass or mug inside a pan
or bowl over another large pan with simmering water. Stir chocolate
until it melts. Do not leave chocolate over simmering water for too
long: it may become grainy.
Place nuts on a shallow plate.
Hold one banana by the stick; dip into melted chocolate, and roll in the
nuts to completely cover.
Place coated banana on a parchment-lined tray or plate.
Chill thoroughly before serving.
Dominican Republic
Located southeast of Florida, the Dominican Republic shares the second largest
island in the Caribbean (Hispaniola) with Haiti. Once colonized by France and
Spain, it achieved independence in 1865. The highest peak in the Caribbean,
Pico Duarte, lies here, and the “Dominican Alps,” as the central mountain range
is often called, with its cool pine forests and clear rivers, where strawberries and
other cool-climate crops are cultivated, are an unexpected feature. In its
lowlands, fertile valleys grow tropical crops such as sugarcane and coffee, which
are major exports.
The population is a mixture of those of Iberian and African descent.

Dominican cooking reflects links with Spain, Africa, and neighboring Caribbean
countries.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: yams, cassava, rice, and plantains.
• Seafood, chicken, goat, beef, eggs, dairy products.
• Vegetables: cabbage, yams, plantains, beans, potatoes, corn.
• Tropical fruits: banana (guineo), papaya (lechoza), sweet sop, custard
apples, star apple, pineapple, tamarind, passion fruit, and the unusual
mamey apple.
• Bread: casabe, a flat and round bread made of cassava flour is a
traditional Caribbean Indian food still widely eaten.
• Drinks: Coffee, beer, and rum (local products), tropical fruit juices
with or without condensed milk (e.g., passion fruit, called chinola
here, or mamey apple), carbonated soft drinks, mixed fruit
nonalcoholic punch.
• Seasonings: onions, garlic, tomatoes, hot pepper, coriander leaf.
Sofrito is a table relish made of chopped-up herbs, onions, celery, and
hot and sweet peppers: the combinations vary with each family.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews of Spanish origin: sancocho, made from seven kinds of meat,
for example, goat, pork, tripe, oxtail, chicken, rabbit, or pigeon. It is
served with avocado, wild rice, cassava or plantains, and is prepared
differently by region. Tripe stewed in tomato and garlic (mondongo) is
traditional for Sunday lunch.
• One-pot rice dishes: asopao is thick, flavorful, and soupy with bits of
chicken or seafood; locrio is less soupy but similarly based on seafood
or chicken and vegetables.
• Roast goat (chivo asado): marinated in rum and spices for tenderness
and served with flat round cassava bread (casabe) (see sidebar
“Asado,” p. 378).
• Conch (lambi) cooked with tomato and garlic as a stew or marinated
in vinaigrette.
• Mashed plantain with pork crackling and garlic (mofongo) is a
common side dish for lunch or supper, often offered as a snack at
street stalls. Snacks include
• Turnovers filled with beef, chicken, or cheese (pastelitos,
empanadas).
• Cracked wheat and meat patties (quipes: Dominican adaptations
of similar Middle Eastern patties called kibbeh).
• Johnnycakes (yaniqueques): fried corn bread.
• Crackling of pork skin or chicken pieces (chicharones).
• Local hamburger sandwiches (chimichurri, not to be confused
with the Argentinian sauce or marinade of the same name).
• Plantains: green, twice-fried stamped tostones; ripe and fried are
called fritos maduros.
• Baked whole sweet potatoes.
• Desserts: sweet porridge of beans, coconut milk, sweet potatoes,
raisins, cassava, and cinnamon; creamy rice or corn puddings
(majarete); caramel custard and tropical fruit flans (e.g., pineapple);
sherbet of tropical fruits, such as mamey.
ASADO
Asado is beef cooked on open grills stoked by natural wood charcoals.
Diners can specify a specific cut of beef or a platter of various cuts called
parrillada. There are many small grill restaurants, or parrillas, that
specialize in this type of cuisine.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: traditionally mangú (mash) or boiled cassava with
scrambled eggs and sautéed onions. Accompaniments: slices of deep-
fried Dominican cheese (white and salty), deep-fried salami, hot cocoa
drink, or coffee with milk. In cities: bread, jam, and coffee.
• Lunch: most people go home to eat lunch, the heaviest meal of the
day. The national dish is la bandera, assembled from separately
cooked rice, beans, savory chicken or meat (sometimes seafood), and
salad. The usual drink is cold water. A sweet of fresh fruit or juice may
follow or just a cup of coffee (un cafecito).
• Snacks: eaten midmorning or mid-afternoon and bought at street
stalls, corner stores (colmados), or markets.
• The evening meal (la cena): served late, usually after 8:00 p.m., often
with similar dishes as breakfast.
• Milk-and egg-based desserts or corn and tropical fruit puddings are
often prepared.

Mangú is the most representative Dominican dish eaten for breakfast or supper,
served with scrambled eggs or deep-fried salami slices or salty white cheese,
usually topped with sautéed red onions. Although most frequently made with
plantains, mangú is occasionally made from root crops, such as yuca (cassava),
yautia (taro) or ñame (Dioscorea yam).
4 unripe plantains (or cassava), peeled and sliced into 2-inch pieces
2 cups water
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS vinegar
4 TBS butter
1 cup cold water
salt
Boil the plantains in 2 cups water with 1 tsp salt until very tender,
While plantains are boiling, heat the oil in a skillet. Stir in onions,
frying until soft. Add 1/4 tsp salt and vinegar. Set aside.
Drain the plantains and mash well. Add butter and water, mixing well
until very smooth. Top with onions and flavored vinegar.

This simple but tasty dish is served with cassava mash (mangú) for breakfast or
supper.
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup ham, diced
5 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vinegar
salt to taste
Heat oil in skillet. Stir in vegetables and ham, cooking until vegetables
are tender.
Add eggs, stirring frequently until set but still moist. Add vinegar and
salt to taste.
Serve hot.

This way of preparation makes for a very tender steak full of flavor from the
herb, garlic, and onions. The steaks are traditionally accompanied by white rice,
a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, sweet peppers, and other seasonal
vegetables, plus a side dish of stewed beans.
4 pieces round steak

juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
salt to taste
1/2 tsp of oregano
2 TBS of oil
1/2 tsp of mashed garlic
4 small red onion sliced in strips
1/4 cup water
Rub steaks all over with lemon juice; marinate for 2 hours or overnight
refrigerated.
Remove steaks, reserving marinade.
Sprinkle steaks with pepper, salt, and oregano.
In a skillet, heat the oil until hot.
Quickly sear the steaks on both sides (they should not be completely
done) and set aside.
Add water to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping the pan. Add marinade,
garlic, and onions.
Check seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if desired.
Simmer at low heat for 2–3 minutes. Return the steaks to the pan and
cook further as desired or until warmed through.
To serve, ladle pan juices around steaks.

This orange drink literally means “to die dreaming.” Serve after a meal or at any
time as a refreshing drink. Dominicans like their juice very sweet, but you may
wish to omit the sugar. The original recipes calls for evaporated milk, a canned
product that keeps better in the tropics. As its name suggests, evaporated milk is
milk with its water content reduced (or evaporated), and thus it is thicker and
possesses a higher fat content than fresh milk. The fresh equivalent is cream or
half-and-half (half cream, half milk). If you use fresh cream, make sure to scald
it first to avoid curdling.
2 TBS sugar
2 cups evaporated milk, scalded cream, or half-and-half, cooled
3 cups orange juice
4 tall glasses or water goblets (to hold 8 ounces)
ice cubes (optional)
Stir the sugar into the milk until dissolved, and chill.
Chill each glass in the freezer until frosted.
Place ice cubes into glasses and pour milk halfway into each glass.
Add orange juice, stirring constantly.
Serve at once.

“Russian salad” is a favorite in Dominica as well as in other Latin American
countries (with several variations). It is served on special occasions and is a
traditional side dish for Christmas dinner, served with roast meat (usually pork
or goat) or poultry.
1 pound whole salad potatoes

3 carrots
4 eggs, hard-boiled: 3 chopped, 1 sliced into rings (for garnish)
1 cup frozen sweet corn, defrosted and parboiled
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted and parboiled
1 red apple, diced
1 medium sweet red onion, half chopped finely and half sliced finely
(for garnish)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt to taste
Boil potatoes and carrots until tender but not too soft, about 15–30
minutes (depending on size of potatoes).
Peel, dice, and place in a large bowl.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients and season.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
To serve, mound on a serving dish and garnish with onion and egg
slices.

Cassava, Manihot esculenta, also known as yuca (or sometimes yucca), is an
esteemed vegetable in the Dominican Republic as well as other Latin American
countries. These fritters are often served as a side dish and sometimes served as
a snack. Frozen cassava or yuca can be found in shops that sell Asian or Latino
foods.
1 pound frozen grated cassava, thawed and squeezed dry

1 egg
1/2 tsp whole anise seeds, or 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
1 TBS milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 TBS sugar
oil for deep frying
In a bowl, mix the cassava, egg, anise, milk, salt, and sugar.
The mixture must not be watery: drain excess liquid or add one more
egg, if necessary.
Heat oil in deep fryer to 360°F.
Take a slightly heaping spoonful of the mixture, pat firmly to shape: it
must not be thick.
With another spoon, ease the fritter gently into the oil.
Fry only a few at a time to avoid lowering the oil temperature.
Fry until golden on all sides; drain on paper towels.
Serve hot.

Note the similarity of the name of this sweet pudding-like cake made of
cornmeal, arepa, and the diminutive arepita (in other words, little arepa), made
of cassava. The difference is that while arepitas are savory, arepas in the
Dominican Republic are usually served as dessert, often with coffee.
2 cups cornmeal
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups evaporated milk
2–4 cinnamon sticks, or 1 tsp cinnamon
4 TBS butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup raisins, sprinkled with 2 TBS flour
Butter a 9-inch, deep baking pan (with capacity for 8 cups).

In a large bowl, mix well the cornmeal, salt, and sugar.
In a large pan over medium heat, warm the evaporated milk, coconut
cream, and cinnamon sticks.
Simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat to allow the cinnamon to
infuse.
Remove the cinnamon sticks, if using. Stir in the butter and turn off
heat; let cool slightly.
Ladle some of the warm milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture,
stirring well to prevent lumps.
Keep adding the milk mixture gradually, stirring the while.
Pour the cornmeal mixture into the large pan used to warm the milk
mixture.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, until very
thick, about 10–15 minutes.
Turn off heat; allow cornmeal mixture to cool for 20 minutes.
Stir in egg and raisins; pour cornmeal mixture into baking pan.
Bake for 45–50 minutes or until cake tests done.
Serve warm.
E
East Timor
The eastern half of the island of Timor, at the extreme east of the Indonesian
archipelago, East Timor is the second predominantly Christian country in Asia
(after the Philippines). The island is populated by many small groups originating
during prehistoric and historic times from Papua and Melanesia, Indonesia, and
the Malay peninsula. Most of these groups settled in isolation in one of the
narrow mountain valleys and retained their languages and customs. Colonized
by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century for the plentiful sandalwood on the
island, it remained a Portuguese colony until 1975, when it was invaded and
occupied by the Indonesian army. An Indonesian province until 1999, it finally
gained its independence.
The cuisine varies from one ethnic group to the other. There are strong
influences from Portuguese and Indonesian cooking practices. Timor does not
produce enough food for its populace, and malnourishment is a persistent
problem. The agricultural potential is large. The island produces tropical fruits
(mangoes, pineapples, coconuts, hog plum) and vegetables (tomatoes,
cucumbers, squash, maize, yams), and the seas yield many kinds of tropical fish.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice (mainly imported), cassava, yams, and other root crops.
• Goat, chicken, pork, some beef. Fresh sea fish.
• Onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, cassava, yams, maize.
• Bananas, pineapple, mango, hog plum.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Goat or chicken cooked in palm oil.
• Greens cooked in peanut sauce or palm oil.
• Salted dried fish in sauces and stews.
• Fresh and fermented milk.
• Portuguese influence is evident in the use of imported olive oil, paõ
(bread), and other baked goods, and in Portuguese names for many
dishes.
• Drinks: tea, bottled water, beer (locally made and imported), coffee.
Palm toddy, which is sweet-sour and mildly alcoholic in the morning
right after being tapped and harshly alcoholic by late afternoon. Fresh
coconut juice and fruit juices.
STYLES OF EATING
• Rural families eat on a mat on the floor, sharing central plates of side
dishes such as cooked vegetables, with individual plates of staple.
Traditionally food is eaten with the hands, but most urban people eat
with spoons.
• Breakfast: boiled yams or cassava with a spicy relish; urban families
often eat some form of Portuguese-inspired baked goods (paõ) with
milky coffee.
• Lunch and dinner: rice or cassava or yams with one or more side
dishes and spicy relish, fruit or dessert, coconut juice or tea or soda
drinks.
• Fruit or street snacks during the day.
• In Dili and other towns, beachside vendors sell freshly caught fish
grilled on the spot and green coconut juice drunk with a straw out of
the nut. This is a common and cheap treat for many families in the
evening.

Traditional food—rice, cooked cassava, yams—tends to be very bland. Aimanas
serves as a “staple pusher” to increase appetite and give an added fillip. It (or, in
some places, Portuguese piripiri or some other chili relish) is served with almost
every meal.
1/2 cup whole red chilies (Thai bird’s eye are fine)
2 shallots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 TBS Thai basil, minced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
juice and rind of one or two limes, about 1 TBS juice
1 TBS olive oil
salt to taste
Using a heavy mortar and pestle (or blender), pound the chilies, then
add the rest of the ingredients in no particular order. Add more oil if
needed for a smooth paste.
Store in airtight jar in the refrigerator for one week. Serve with any
Timorese dish.

Timor has a large population of Filipino workers and migrants, and they have
influenced the cuisine as well.
2 TBS olive oil

2 shallots, chopped
1/2-inch piece ginger, sliced and shredded
2 bird’s eye chili peppers (chopped for hotter flavor if desired)
2 pounds kangkong (water convolvulus, Ipomoea aquatica, available
fresh from groceries that sell Asian foods), washed, drained
2 TBS water
1 TBS kecap manis (Indonesian soy sauce: it has a characteristic flavor
different from Chinese soy sauce)
Heat oil in wok. Add shallots and stir fry until translucent. Add garlic,
ginger, chilies. Stir fry until fragrant.
Add kangkong, water, and kecap manis. Cook 1 minute or until
kangkong has barely wilted.
Serve as a side dish with rice.

This simple staple is consumed by many Timorese households.
2 cups fresh, frozen, or dried corn (maize) kernels

1/2 cup red kidney beans (if canned, use as is; if dry, previously
soaked overnight in water and a pinch of baking soda, then rinsed in
fresh water)
1 cup any squash or pumpkin flesh, peeled, cubed
salt to taste
In a saucepan, mix corn and beans and cook, covered, over low heat
until beans and corn are soft.
Add squash and 1/4 tsp salt. Simmer another 20 minutes. Check
squash for softness. If not, cook an additional 5–10 minutes. Adjust
seasoning.
Serve with fish or meat and chili relish on the side.

Timor’s waters yield many kinds of fish. Goatfish, jacks, small tunny, and
sardines are commonly available direct from the fishermen, who work in small
dugouts close to shore, partly for fear of marine crocodiles.
1 whole sea fish (about 2 pounds), gutted, cleaned, and scaled

1 TBS tamarind pulp blended with 1 tsp salt
1 tomato, chopped
1 shallot or small red onion, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass
1 small red hot chili, whole
fresh banana leaf sufficient to wrap fish, or substitute large sheet of
aluminum foil
Spice paste
2 shallots, cubed
1-inch knob ginger, grated
2 small chilies, minced
4 pieces kemiri (candlenuts, available from stores that sell Asian
foods), crushed
1/2 TBS tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS water
Make 3 diagonal slashes on each side of the fish. Rub tamarind and
salt paste into slashes and interior of fish. Allow to rest 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make spice paste by crushing all ingredients well (adding
water only if necessary for a paste-like consistency) in a heavy mortar
and pestle until well blended (or use a blender).
Rinse fish of excess tamarind and salt. Pat dry. Coat with spice paste
on both sides.
Place fish in banana leaf or aluminum foil. Top with tomato, onion,
lemon grass, and chili.
Wrap parcel tightly. Steam over boiling water until done, or bake
under coals for 15–30 minutes. Alternatively, bake in the oven at
350°F, checking on doneness after 15 minutes.

Often a party dish for special occasions, the name of this stew is Portuguese.
2 TBS oil
1 1/2 pounds mutton or beef in 2-inch cubes
1 red onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
2–4 (depending on taste) small red Thai chilies (chopped for hotter
flavor if desired)
2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 large potatoes or equivalent yams or cassava, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 cup stale beer
oil for frying
salt to taste
Heat oil over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pan and quickly
brown meat all over. Remove and reserve.
Add more oil if necessary. Add onions and fry until translucent.
Add bell pepper and chilies and cook until slightly soft.
Return meat to pot. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, and peppercorns. Cover
pot and cook for 5 minutes.
Add potatoes, carrot, beer, and additional water to cover if necessary.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes or
until potatoes are soft. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve with rice or baked yams and chili relish (see recipe, p. 384).

A Timorese variation on Portuguese (and worldwide) pudim or custard pudding.
1/2 cup sugar

3 TBS cornstarch
1 cup milk
1 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut
Prepare the caramel: in a saucepan over low heat, melt the sugar until
dark golden brown. Be careful not to burn the caramel or it will be
bitter. Remove from heat and immediately pour into a mold or pudding
basin. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl, mix to a slurry the cornstarch and 4 TBS milk.
Combine the coconut cream and milk in a saucepan, add sugar and
simmer over very low heat.
When the coconut-milk mixture begins to boil, whisk in the cornstarch
slurry, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
Pour over the caramel in the mold, and allow to cool, then place in the
refrigerator. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To serve, remove chilled mold from the refrigerator, run a thin knife
along the sides of the pudding to loosen it.
Place a serving plate over the top of the mold, flip it carefully upside
down to allow pudding to unmold directly onto the plate. Garnish with
grated coconut.
Ecuador
Ecuador is in northwestern South America, right on the Equator (hence its

name). A Spanish colony until 1830, its western coast faces the Pacific Ocean,
providing plentiful fish and shrimp. Tropical fruits flourish in the hot and humid
coastal plains, while cool higher elevations favor coffee cultivation and sheep
and cattle raising.
The majority of the population are of mixed Amerindian-European-African
descent. About a quarter are Amerindian.
Ecuador shares with neighbors Colombia and Peru many dishes, mostly
adapted from Spanish originals using local ingredients.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, beans, corn, potatoes, plantains, and yuca (cassava);
two or more of these appear at the same meal.
• A major exporter of bananas, Ecuador grows many kinds, including
yellow, red, and miniatures.
• Quinoa is a nutritious highland grain frequently used, especially in
soup.
• Seasonings: a distinctive herb called chillangua with a stronger scent
than coriander leaf, a hot sauce called aji (a table condiment used like
ketchup).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Potato cheese patties (llapingachos).
• Fish or seafood cooked in coconut milk.
• Goat or mutton stew.
• Substantial vegetable soups with cassava, corn on the cob, potatoes,

and other vegetables.
• Sebiche (Ecuadorian spelling), different from Peruvian-style as fish
or seafood are blanched in boiling water.
• Locro: soup of potato, cheese, corn, and avocado. Yaguar locro is
made with blood sausage.
• Deep-fried or roast pork, accompanied by corn hominy.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast is typically bread, butter, and jam with coffee, and juice;
some have soup and cornmeal fritters for breakfast. A petrolero
breakfast includes meat.
• Most important meal is lunch with 2–3 or more courses, beginning
with an appetizer or soup. French fries and fried green bananas or
plantains (patacones) are commonly eaten at main meals.
• Evening meal is similar to lunch.
• Various sweet and savory snacks accompany coffee during the day.
• Many indigenous groups live in the Oriente region and on special
occasions will serve game such as roast wild boar or guinea pig. After
the guinea pig is eaten, it is customary to remove a tiny bone from its
ear. The bone is put into a drink and guests try to swallow it. The one
who succeeds gets to make a wish.
• Snacks: mashed baked plantain balls flavored with cheese and
cilantro, traditionally served with coffee; sweet or savory corn pastries
steamed in maize leaves (called humitas or humintas) or banana leaves
(quimbolitos), Chinese-style fried rice, fried corn tortillas filled with
meat (empanadas), sweet-corn pancakes, baked cheese-flavored balls
in syrup, cinnamon-flavored rice pudding served cold (also served as
dessert).
• Desserts: usually with exotic fruits and coconut, figs with cheese,
caramel roll (a sweet omelet rolled around a fruit filling), tarts filled
with local fruits, fruit preserves, ice cream of exotic fruits (guava,
papaya).
• Beverages: hot or cold drinks made of cream of corn (finely ground
corn), flavored with cinnamon; thick, strong coffee; fruit juices of
single fruit—papaya, mango, pineapple, berries, custard apple, passion
fruit, or blends, served with meals. Herbs from the Amazon and
highlands are made into healthy teas. Blue corn juiced with various
fruits and health-giving herbs.

Salads accompany most main meals.
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzos)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced
Vinaigrette dressing
3 TBS olive oil
1 TBS lemon juice
In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients. Mix well the vinaigrette
ingredients and stir into the salad.

This is a dish from the lowland coastal areas served as an appetizer for the main
meal.
3 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cups water
1 fish stock cube, crumbled
1 cup coconut milk
1 pound fresh shrimp
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 TBS cilantro chopped
2 TBS popcorn (plain unflavored)
Heat oil over medium heat in saucepan. Stir fry onion until soft.
Stir in garlic. Add water and stock cube. Let it come to a boil then
lower heat; simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk, shrimp, and sweet pepper.
When shrimps have turned pink, turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice.
Garnish with cilantro and popcorn. Serve immediately.
This is a common midday meal, particularly among farmers.
2 TBS oil (preferably olive)

1 1/2 pounds pork cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 red chili, seeded, minced
2 TBS minced cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
12-ounce can or bottle of beer
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
hot cooked rice
Heat oil over medium heat in stewing pan. Fry pork until browned,
about 15–20 minutes. Take out pork; set aside.
Stir fry onion until softened. Add garlic, tomatoes, chili, cilantro, salt,
cumin, and oregano. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Stir in pork and beer. Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and
simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in red pepper. Simmer uncovered until
pork is tender and sauce thickened, about 15 minutes.
Serve over rice with side dishes of French fries and vegetable salad.

Cornmeal omelets are eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
1 TBS butter
3 eggs, beaten
salt to taste
1 cup cooked cornmeal
2 TBS grated hard white cheese or cheddar
Melt butter over medium heat in frying pan. Stir fry onion until soft.
Stir in eggs, salt, and cornmeal, mixing well.
Turn down heat and leave to cook until done but still moist.
Turn off heat. Divide into four servings and garnish with cheese.

Apple rings are served as a common dessert.
1 cup milk
2 eggs
3 spoonfuls of sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
4 ounces self-rising flour or 4 ounces flour and 1/2 TBS baking
powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 very firm apples, preferably Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut
into thick rings
oil for deep frying
confectioners’ sugar
Blend first six ingredients to make a light batter. Keep chilled.

Wipe the apple rings dry on paper towels.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep fryer to medium hot.
Dip apple rings one at a time into the batter and fry a few at a time.
Turn them over for uniform browning.
Drain on paper towels; keep warm in low oven. Serve hot, dusted with
confectioners’ sugar.

These rolls, made with cassava (yuca, Manihot esculenta), are a popular
breakfast food.
1 1/4 cups cassava or yuca flour (from stores that sell Latino foods)
1 cup dry farmers’ cheese or mozzarella, grated
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1–2 TBS milk (as needed)
In a large bowl, mix well all the ingredients to form a dough.

Test that the dough is sufficiently moist by forming a small ball. Add
milk if necessary.
Form walnut-sized balls; place evenly spaced on a parchment-lined
baking sheet.
Bake for 8–10 minutes: not any longer.
Immediately place under grill to color for 3 minutes.
Serve warm.
Cassava rolls (pan de yuca). (Carla Zagni/Dreamstime.com)
SWEET POTATOES (IPOMOEA BATATA)

Originating in northern South America, these tubers have spread throughout
the Americas, the Pacific, Africa, and mainland Asia. In many areas of
Asia, where they were introduced after the sixteenth century, such as Nepal,
sweet potatoes became an important famine food. Poorer families in
southern Japan and China consumed sweet potatoes when rice crops failed
in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and sweet potatoes have
since become naturalized into local cuisine. The sweet potato was
introduced from South America into Polynesia well before European
expansion, possibly by Polynesian mariners who crossed the Pacific Ocean.
In the United States, candied sweet potatoes (mistakenly called yams)
are a common dish for Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are baked in earth
ovens or steamed, mashed or served whole, and made into pies in the
southern United States. In much of the rest of the world, sweet potatoes are
a daily starchy staple. In addition to the starchy root, the young shoots and
greens are eaten as well.

A simple dessert from butternut squash or other dense-fleshed winter squash,
such as kabocha (green-skinned, orange-fleshed squash). The squash peel is left
on to help keep the squash’s shape during cooking. The spiced squash can be
served immediately with farmers’ cheese or a not-too-salty feta, but it is better
the following day after having fully rested in the spiced syrup. If dark brown
sugar is unavailable, use a total of 3/4 cup light brown sugar.

1/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks, or 1 tsp cinnamon
3 whole cloves, or 1/8 tsp cloves
2 allspice berries, or 1/8 tsp allspice
2 1/2 cups water
1 pound squash, unpeeled, sliced into crescents or 4 large pieces
In a heavy-bottomed pan, put the light and dark brown sugar,

cinnamon, cloves, and allspice with the water.
Add the squash pieces; add more water to cover if necessary.
Cook covered over gentle heat until a skewer pierces the squash easily,
Take out the squash, and set aside.
Increase heat to medium high. Continue cooking the spiced syrup,
uncovered, until it is reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.
Return the squash to the pan, turning to coat the pieces with syrup on
all sides.
Turn down heat to low; let squash cook for another 5–10 minutes
longer to absorb the syrup.
Serve warm, or reheated the next day, with syrup spooned over and
cinnamon sticks for garnish.
Egypt
Egypt has one of the world’s earliest civilizations, with a culinary history going
back at least three thousand years. It is located at the junction between Africa
and Asia. Largely a desert country, Egypt’s glory is the Nile, which allows
intensive agriculture along its length and whose annual rising would flood, and
thus enrich, agricultural fields (now restrained by the Aswan Dam in the Upper
Nile). With the exception of the narrow Nile river valley, much of the country is
a desert. The climate is hot and dry, except in coastal areas and the Nile valley,
where it is hot and moist. The Nile delta is the traditional breadbasket of Egypt
(and formerly, of the entire Mediterranean basin).
The Egyptian people are a mix of original inhabitants, Arabs, and Nubian
(now Sudan) stock. Most are Muslims, though a significant Coptic Christian
minority (who claim to be the direct descendants of pre-Arab Egyptians) also
exists. Lengthy periods of independence were interspersed with foreign
occupation, most notably (and lengthy) was the Greek and Roman period and,
later, Ottoman Turkish rule.
As a consequence, Egyptian cuisine is highly sophisticated and blends
many traditions. Poor people in the countryside still consume food that was
eaten in Egypt in the days of the Pharaohs. Urban dwellers eat foods whose
origins may be found in Turkey, Arabia, or Europe. Beer and risen crusty bread
are credited to ancient Egyptian brewers and bakers. Many other dishes that we
know of from grave goods and ancient writings have survived the millennia:
round yeast breads, cakes with honey and dates, ta’amiya (deep-fried bean
patties), and ful (slow-simmered beans).
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: corn, wheat, barley, rice, sorghum, and millet are the cereal
crops produced in Egypt. The fellaheen’s (peasant’s) staples are bread,
onions, legumes, and copious drinks of very sweet tea. Their main
source of protein, other than grains and legumes, is mish (ripened
white cheese).
• Bread is the most important staple for all classes and the poorer the
family, the greater the ratio of bread consumed to other foods. Wheat
breads are considered the finest. Bettawa is yeast-leavened and baked
in a fourteen-inch flat circle. Rural staple is unleavened corn millet or
sorghum (depending upon area) breads flavored with fenugreek.
• Legumes: very important for the diet, include ful (broad beans),
lentils, chickpeas, horse beans, lima beans.
• Fish and seafood: buri (gray mullet), fresh or salted into fessikh;
bass; sole; gilthead bream; swordfish; shrimp; eel.
• Rice, bulgur (cracked wheat), farik (green wheat), and couscous form
the main ingredients of many festive dishes and are often used as
stuffing (well seasoned) for meats, poultry, including pigeons, and
vegetables.
• Oils from peanuts (ful sudani) and sesame seeds and butter, usually
in the form of clarified butter (samna), are preferred.
• Fruits and nuts: guavas, figs, dates, peaches, pears, citrus, apricots,
apples, loquats, cherries, nectarines, plums, and quinces; hazelnuts,
almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts. Lesser crops of olives,
bananas, pomegranates, grapes, and mangoes.
• Vegetables: onions and leeks (dating from ancient Egypt and
mentioned in the Bible as Egyptian delights); tomatoes; okra, potato,
eggplant, cauliflower, cabbage, and spinach; wild and cultivated leafy
vegetables; tender seeds and leaves of chickpeas and broad beans;
molokhiya (young jute mallow leaves); radishes, carrots; lettuce;
cucumbers. Pickled vegetables: carrots, turnips, radishes, tomatoes,
cucumbers, sweet peppers. Okra and mollokhiya are dried and used in
soups and stews.
• Dairy: milk (cow and buffalo, some goat) is rarely used except in
cooking; yogurt; mish (ripened white cheese), sometimes eaten
seasoned with red peppers and fenugreek. A dried paste of soured milk
blended with flour, salt and chilies (kishk) is cooked with water and
eaten as the evening meal at rural tables with corn bread, onions, and
sweet tea.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Beans and pulses: dried beans are covered with water and allowed to
sprout, then cooked (ful nabit); brown lentils and onions are cooked
with rice and served with yogurt and crunchy fried onions (megadara);
ful medames, simmered seasoned beans served with olive oil and
lemon juice; ta’amiya, fried bean patties served with spicy-hot sauces.
• Meat dishes: stew of meat, onions, tomatoes, and okra (bamieh
bilahmeh); lima bean and beef stew (bissara); beef stew with greens
(dfina); Egyptian-style meatballs with egg-lemon sauce (kotelat);
baked casserole of meat and vegetables with the meat in the center and
the vegetables arranged all around, seasoned with onions, garlic, and
tomato juice (saniet batatis); casserole of ground meats and sliced
vegetables and tomatoes arranged in layers (torley).
• Soups: jute leaf (mollokhiya) soup, Turkish or Balkan egg-and-lemon
clear soup (shourba).
• Fish cooked in a blend of seasonings and spices with water, until dry,
and served chilled with lemon wedges (sayadia).
• Rice dishes: Bedouin lamb and rice (mansaf) served over whole
wheat bread sheets called shrak; rice cooked in broth with minced
giblets, butter, and pine nuts (ruz damyat); pasta, rice, and lentils
topped with spicy tomato sauce and flecks of crisp browned onions
(kushari).
• Vegetable dishes: vegetables (e.g., eggplants, zucchini, peppers)
stuffed with savory rice and meat mixtures (mehshi).
• Festive dishes: layered bread, rice, and meats in garlic-flavored broth
(fetah); chicken stuffed with flavored bulgur, or rice, poached, baked
brown, then roasted inside a lamb (ferakh bel burgul).
• Sweets and confectionery: cookies of sweetened semolina filled with
nuts and perfumed with rose or orange water (ma’amoul); crisp pastry
rolls filled with nuts and raisins (boughasha); sweet couscous
sprinkled with samna, peanuts, currants, and sugar; honey-and-nut
pastries made with phyllo dough. Umm ’Ali (Ali’s Mom) is a classical
Egyptian dessert of crisp pastry baked with fruit and whipped cream.
• Drinks: sweetened coffee (in the towns), sweet tea (countryside).
Water is traditionally served with meals. Soft drinks, carbonated
beverages, and drinks made with prepared fruit syrups and plain water
are used frequently. Nonalcoholic beer flavored with anise (erkesous);
tamarind (tamarhindi) drink; shaier, made from roasted barley; soubya
drink, made from fermented rice; lubki, ginger tea drunk hot or cold;
hibiscus tea.
• Flavor principles: food tends to be well seasoned. Garlic and onions
with tomato paste, fenugreek, sesame, coriander, mint, cumin,
cinnamon, butter, honey, syrups; rose water or orange-blossom water.
Sweet foods, including drinks, tend to be very sweet.
STYLES OF EATING
• In traditional dining, diners seat themselves informally on layered
carpets while platters of food are placed on low wooden tables within
easy reach. Food is traditionally eaten with the fingers of the right
hand only or scooped up with flat bread. Soups are drunk from glasses
or, in urban homes, eaten with a spoon. Bowls filled with lemon water
are passed between courses for washing the fingers. All foods are
served simultaneously. Great difference between foods of upper and
lower classes. Upper classes eat more meat, have many more dishes,
and tend to eat at a table. Sheer quantity is important to hospitality,
special dinners might have a score of dishes.
• Breakfast: ful, bread, olives, mish, and sweet tea or coffee; fruits may
be eaten in season accompanying the bread and tea.
• Lunch: a repeat of breakfast, perhaps with added vegetables.
• Dinner: thick soup; olives with fresh onions and bread; a meat dish,
if possible; a legume dish, stuffed vegetables; sweet tea; fruit; coffee.
• Snacks: ful medames, ta’amiya, sweet confections, fresh fruit, toasted
nuts, peanuts, and crispy seeds. Carbonated drinks, fruit mixtures,
coffee, and tea. Sugar-coated nuts and confections made from ground
nuts, sesame seeds, and sugar (halwa).

“Breakfast for the rich, three times a day for the poor” goes an Egyptian saying.
Not only is ful eaten at home, but food stands dispense it to hungry passers-by
from bubbling copper pots at all hours of the day. The name derives from the
Arabic word for “beans” and the Coptic word for “buried,” indicating the beans
were traditionally buried in a sealed pot under the embers of the cooking fire,
ready for the morning’s breakfast. This cooking practice is mentioned in the
Talmud, indicating the recipe is at least two thousand years old.
1 pound dried fava beans (or a 16-ounce can cooked fava beans)
1 cup water
1 1/2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp cumin powder
salt, pepper, and red chili pepper to taste
juice of 2 lemons
3 TBS parsley, minced for garnish
Pour boiling water over dried beans. Leave to soak for 2 hours at least,
or preferably overnight.
Discard the water, then peel beans. (The tough sheathing of the beans
is edible, and many people leave them on, which doubles the cooking
time. However, some people develop allergies, which can be avoided
by peeling.)
Fry the onions until brown in 1 TBS oil.
Add tomatoes, parsley, spices, and seasoning. Cook for a few seconds
while stirring. Add beans and enough water to almost cover.
Simmer for at least 1 hour (or 2 hours if beans are unpeeled—
traditionally, pot is left on very low heat overnight for best flavor) in a
sealed pot on lowest heat. Make sure the pot is not opened during
cooking.
Mash before serving.
Place on individual plates and flatten on the plate to make a basin.
Drizzle good virgin olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle with
parsley.
Garnish, according to taste (and pocket) with hard-boiled egg, tahina
sauce, ta’amiya, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, pickles, and olives
Eat by scooping up beans with fresh pita bread.

Ta’amiya, also called falaafil in Alexandria, is one of the most popular street
foods in the Middle East. It may be served as part of a main meal in the evening
or eaten as a snack.
2 cups broken broad beans/fava (ful madshoosh) or a mix of ful and

chickpeas (garbanzos)
1/2 cup parsley, minced (if using food processor, herbs need only
rough chopping)
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/4 cup dill, minced
1 cup green onions (with the white part), minced
1/2 cup onion, minced
2 TBS garlic, minced
1/2 tsp baking soda
oil for deep frying
lightly toasted sesame seeds
Two days before
Place the beans in a large bowl of water and rinse several times until
the water is clear. Fill the bowl with at least 6 cups of water, cover and
allow to soak for two days.
On the day
Drain the beans and grind very fine. If using a food processor, start
with a bit of water in the processor bowl, then gradually add beans
through the tube onto the moving blade. Transfer the beans to a bowl
and set aside.
Process the herbs, onions, and garlic until smooth.
Return the beans to the processor and blend thoroughly with the herbs.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the spices and baking soda, mix
well.
Cover the bowl and let sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer the
better, so the flavors blend.
Heat the oil to a medium heat (about 280°F).
To shape the patties, take a large soupspoon and fill the bowl of the
spoon with some of the mixture, pressing it firmly into the spoon
(piston-shaped ta’amiya-making gadgets can be found in some Middle
Eastern stores).
Push the batter off the spoon into the hot oil. Fry several patties at a
time but do not crowd the pan.
Fry for 2–3 minutes or until patties turn golden brown. Turn the patties
over and cook again for 2–3 minutes or until brown on other side.
Remove from the oil to paper towels or wire rack to drain.
Scatter some sesame seeds on each patty.
Eat in a pocket of pita bread with a salad, add to ful medames, or eat
on their own as a snack.
Meat Omelet (Eggah)

Unlike a Western fluffy omelet, eggah is a firm “cake” and is very slowly and
gently cooked until completely cooked through. Eggah is also made with
vegetables such as zucchini or eggplant, lamb, or other meat, and is equally good
hot or cold (it makes a good picnic food).
4 TBS clarified butter or olive oil

3/4 pound cooked chicken or turkey, chopped finely or shredded
2 TBS flour
6 eggs, beaten
1 small clove garlic, minced
Heat 2 TBS butter in a heavy pan, and brown the chicken and onion.
Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
Add the flour to the chicken and onion mixture.
Add and mix in thoroughly the beaten eggs, garlic, parsley, salt, and
pepper.
Heat remaining butter in the same pan. Pour in egg mixture.
Cook covered over low heat until browned underneath, about 20–30
minutes.
Brown under a hot grill for a few minutes.
Serve hot or cold, sliced into wedges or squares.
Pigeon (Kolbasti)
Pigeons are a traditional dish in Egypt, and most farmsteads, and even many
urban households, will raise pigeons for the pot.
3 pigeons (or substitute Cornish game hens) split along the backbone
1 tsp salt
1/4 level tsp pepper
3 TBS olive oil
juice from 1 small lemon
1/2 onion, finely minced and squeezed for juice
Pound each piece of bird flat with a kitchen mallet or the side of your
cleaver.
Rub birds all over with the salt, pepper, oil, and lemon and onion
juices.
Sprinkle lightly with cumin. Let birds stand for at least 30 minutes.
Grill (preferably over hot coals in a barbecue) for 10–12 minutes or
until just done (do not overcook as they will become dry).
Serve with rice and a salad.

Rice is a preferred staple, and the richness of the chicken livers adds to the dish,
which is served as a central dish in the major meal of the day.
4 TBS (or more) olive oil

1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound chicken livers, patted dry with paper towels
3/4 pound rice
3/4 pint chicken broth or 1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 3/4 pint
water
salt to taste
Heat half the oil over medium heat in a heavy pan. Sauté onion until
golden. Transfer onion to a baking dish, and set aside.
Fry the livers in the same pan, adding more oil if needed. Sprinkle
with pepper, reduce heat, and cook, covered, until brown, about 10–15
minutes.
Transfer livers to baking dish.
In the same frying pan over medium heat, quickly fry the rice until
each grain is well coated in oil.
Stir in stock and salt, and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat.
Add rice and stock to the liver and onions in the baking dish. Mix well.
Cover and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 350°F or until
rice is tender.
Serve as main dish.
These are eaten as snacks together with water or tea or coffee. Makes about 36.
1/2 pound unsalted butter

5 ounces confectioners’ sugar
1/2 pound plain flour or ground almonds
hazelnuts, pistachios, or pine nuts, chopped
Cream the butter until light. Add the sugar gradually and cream
thoroughly.
Gently mix in the flour to make a soft dough. (If too soft, add just a bit
more flour.)
Roll the dough about 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
Cut into 3-inch strips, sprinkle with chopped nuts, and place well
spaced on baking sheets. (An alternative is to make cherry-sized balls,
press the bottom flat on the baking sheet and decorate with a whole
pistachio, hazelnut, or pine nut pressed in the middle.)
Bake for about 25 minutes in a slow oven at 300°F.
The biscuits must not color at all. Leave to cool thoroughly on the
baking sheets.

Who Ali’s mom was, no one seems to know for sure. This, however, is
considered the classic Egyptian dessert, with many individual and local
variations.
1 package (about 10 ounces) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
2 TBS sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream, whipped
Place puff pastry flat on a baking sheet and bake until brown and
puffy.
Allow pastry to cool. Break into bite-sized pieces and place in a
buttered 10 × 12 inch baking dish. Mix in nuts, raisins, and coconut.
Combine sugar and milk in a small pot, and bring to a boil. Pour over
the pastry, nuts, and raisins. Top with the cream.
Bake for 25 minutes at 400°F, until top is browned (if not brown by
that time, broil under grill for 1–2 minutes.)
Remove from oven, allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with
coffee or tea.

Khushaf is a popular breakfast dish eaten during Ramadan. While traditionally
only locally available fruits and nuts were used, such as apricots, prunes, raisins,
almonds, pistachios, and pine nuts, you can be flexible in the mix and
proportions used. The classic khushaf was macerated (soaked) in water flavored
with rose water or orange-blossom water or a puree of dried apricots and water.
12 dried apricot halves, diced

1/2 cup dried mango, papaya, or pineapple, cubed
4–6 whole dried figs, stems removed, quartered
1/2 cup prunes, pitted and diced
1 cup raisins or dried berries: cranberries, blueberries, or cherries
(preferably unsweetened), or a mix
1/4 cup grated or flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts (almond, cashew, pecan, walnut, or peanut)
2 cups juice (orange, apricot, apple, mango, or strawberry)
2 cups milk, or coconut cream
In a covered container, place all fruits with your chosen fruit juice.
Let macerate at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Distribute among serving bowls, and serve with milk or coconut
cream.
Semolina is a coarse-or fine-grained flour made from the same hard wheat
(durum) used to make pasta.
Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
rind (in large pieces) and juice of 1 lemon
1 TBS orange-blossom water or rose water
Cake
2 cups semolina
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup thick yogurt or sour cream
15–20 whole almonds, blanched and skinned
First prepare the syrup as it needs to be cold when poured over the hot
cake.
In a pan over medium heat, put sugar, water, lemon rind and juice to
boil.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes, until thickened.
Allow to cool to room temperature; remove lemon rind; stir in orange-
blossom water.
If you cannot find orange-blossom water, add the rind of 1 more lemon
while cooking the syrup. Refrigerate, covered.
Butter a 9-inch round or 9 × 12 inch rectangular baking pan.
In a bowl, mix well the semolina, sugar, flour, and baking powder.
Stir in the vanilla, eggs, butter, and yogurt, mixing well after each
addition.
The mixture should not be too wet.
Press mixture evenly on the baking pan; let rest for 20 minutes.
Score the mixture into squares or diagonally into diamonds.
Place an almond in the middle of each square.
Bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden, and top springs back when
pressed.
Remove cake from the oven, and pour cold syrup all over.
Let cool, then serve.
El Salvador
El Salvador is a Central American country bordered by Honduras and

Guatemala. The country is tropical, and most tropical fruits and vegetables are
raised and consumed, including bananas and pineapples that are raised for
export.
The country was occupied by the Spanish between the sixteenth and
nineteenth centuries. After independence, it was ruled by a succession of
dictators and military governments, though this has recently become more
democratic. Most of the population are of mixed Spanish and Amerindian
ancestry, with a mix of descendants of African slaves.
The food combines Spanish, Amerindian, and African elements with local
variations.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice, beans, corn, plantains, potatoes, cassava.
• Chicken, pork, beef, fish, and shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster), dairy
products (cheese, cream).
• Cabbage, pumpkin, zucchini, chayote (a pear-shaped gourd); unusual
vegetables: date palm blossom (pacaya, especially eaten on All Saints’
Day and during Holy Week); the flowers of izote (Yucca
elephantipes), the national flower.
• Fruits: mango, watermelon, Salvadoran plums (jocote), yellow
cherries (nance).
• Seasonings: flower buds of loroco vine; cumin, oregano, thyme,
cinnamon, allspice, pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Staples: rice, beans, corn tortillas (round, flat bread) and tamales
(corn dumplings wrapped in banana leaves).
• Pupusa is the most distinctive Salvadoran dish: a soft corn or wheat
tortilla stuffed with fresh white cheese, pork crackling, beans, carrots,
cream, and other fillings. A local flower called loroco usually
accompanies the cheese filling. This is eaten with pickled cabbage
(curtido) and a tomato sauce (salsa roja).
Maria Jose Santos prepares pupusas at San Salvador’s central market November 8, 2007 (see recipe). (Jose
Cabezas/AFP/Getty Images)
• Roast chicken (pollo dorado) or roast meat, usually beef (carne

asada).
• Spanish-style stews of chicken or meat with vegetables (pollo or
carne encebollado) or of tripe and internal meats (fritada).
• Fish and seafood stew with lobster, crab, shrimp (mariscada).
• Spanish-style savory-filled, crescent-shaped pastry (pastel): eaten for
special occasions and gatherings such as weddings, funerals, parties.
• Desserts: milk-based custard (flan), sweetened popcorn (alboroto),
sweet cornmeal drink with cinnamon-flavored cassava or plantain
fritters (chilate con nuegados).
• Drinks: coffee, hot chocolate, fresh tropical fruit juices with or
without milk (licuados and refrescos). Cinnamon-flavored milk and
barley or rice drinks (horchata and cebada). Locally brewed beer and
rum.
STYLES OF EATING
• Salvadorans eat three meals a day and snacks.
• Breakfast in rural areas: eggs with tomato sauce, fried green plantain,
fried beans and rice (casamiento), white cheese or cream, coffee, and
corn flour tortillas.
• Lunch is the largest meal of the day. The menu may include soup,
rice, and beans, steak or chicken, salad, and tropical fruits such as
mangoes or watermelon.
• Dinner is similar to lunch though with smaller portions or fewer
dishes: usually beans and rice, a meat or seafood dish and fruit.
• Snacks: pupusa, other savory pastries such as pastel or empanada,
fried green plantains.

This soup is usually eaten with warm tortillas, with slices of lemon and, for those
who like added spiciness, fresh hot pepper. A glass of cinnamon-flavored
horchata (milk and barley or corn drink) is another popular accompaniment.
1 TBS oil
2 medium garlic sausages (chorizo or other spicy sausage), thinly
sliced crosswise
1 onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
6 cups water
beef or chicken stock cube
3 eggs, beaten
2 TBS chopped cilantro or parsley
1 lemon, cut into eight pieces
Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the sausage with the onion and
tomato until the vegetables are soft.
Add water and the stock cube.
When the water boils, check the seasoning (as the sausage and stock
cube are salty), adding salt, if needed, and pepper.
Stir in beaten eggs and turn off heat.
To serve, garnish with coriander leaf or parsley.
Diners help themselves to slices of lemon to squeeze into the soup.
This flavorful and aromatic chicken stew is eaten for lunch or supper, as an
accompaniment to rice and beans. Pickled cabbage and carrots (curtido) or a
fresh tomato and onion salad flavored with mint (chirimol) is usually served
alongside.
4 large chicken pieces, quarters or legs

1 tsp salt
lemon juice
1 tsp achiote paste or paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup oil for frying
5 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
Rub chicken thoroughly with salt and lemon juice.

In a bowl, combine achiote, cumin, oregano, garlic, and vinegar.
Coat chicken pieces well with the marinade, and set aside for 2 hours
or overnight, covered in the refrigerator.
Drain the chicken pieces, wipe dry with paper towels, and fry until
browned. Pour off the oil.
Place 2 pieces of chicken at the bottom of the pan, add half of the
onions and half of the tomatoes. Top with remaining chicken, onions,
and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until tender.

This pickled slaw is an accompaniment to pupusas and other fried dishes.
1 small head cabbage, shredded

1 small red onion, sliced finely
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin circles
1 tsp minced garlic
3/4 cup white vinegar
salt and black pepper
Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Place in a covered container and

refrigerate overnight, stirring once or twice.
Use the following day.
This will keep for about a week stored in the refrigerator.

This cheese cake or bread with its intriguing sweet and savory taste is typically
served for Sunday dessert and is also served with coffee. There are many
variations on this cake; some substituting salty white cheese for the sour cream.
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
5 TBS sesame seeds

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light.
Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.
Combine flour with baking powder. Blend into butter mixture.
Stir in sour cream and cheese.
Spread mixture on a greased 1-quart baking dish. Top with sesame
seeds.
Bake for 40–60 minutes or until it tests done.

This is a common snack for between meals, accompanied by curtido.
2 TBS oil
1/2 pound ground turkey, chicken, pork, or beef
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 small tomato, chopped finely
1 cup firm white cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour (or preferably masa harina, prepared cornmeal)
water, about 2 cups
1–2 TBS vegetable oil
Filling
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over high heat and sauté the turkey,
onion, and garlic until cooked through.
Lower heat and add the tomato and cumin.
Cook, stirring occasionally until all liquid has evaporated.
Take off heat and cool. Stir in cheese and salt.
Pupusa wrapper
Mix flour and water in a large mixing bowl to a soft dough.
Divide dough into 8 pieces; roll each into a ball.
Make a cavity in the center of the ball and fill with a spoonful of the
filling mixture. Close the cavity by pressing the dough edges firmly
together.
On a lightly floured surface or between a sheet of plastic wrap,
carefully roll out the filled balls with a rolling pin until they are 1/2
inch thick.
To cook, heat a flat, heavy-bottom skillet until it is very hot.
Rub a little oil over the surface.
Place the pupusas and cook each side for 4–5 minutes until browned.
Serve at once.

This is a popular pastry filled with pineapple jam or preserve (in which case it is
called semita de piña) or with guava paste (semita de guayaba), eaten with a cup
of coffee or a glass of milk as a snack, or on its own for dessert.
Dough
1 TBS yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
Filling
3/4 cup pineapple jam or guava paste
lemon juice to taste (optional)
Egg wash
1 egg yolk, beaten, mixed with 2 TBS water
2 TBS sugar (optional)
In a small bowl, mix the yeast, 1 TBS of the sugar, and warm water,
until dissolved.
In a large bowl, mix well the two types of flour, the rest of the sugar,
salt, butter, and two eggs.
Add the yeast mixture and blend well to form a dough. Knead lightly
until smooth.
Divide pastry into 2 parts, one roughly 3/4 and the other 1/4 of the
dough. Then divide the larger piece further into 2.
Keep unused pastry covered to prevent drying.
On a lightly floured 14 × 14 inch piece of parchment, roll out one of
the larger pieces to a rectangle 1/4 inch thick, 9 inches wide, and 12
inches long.
Using the excess parchment as handles, transfer the pastry sheet to a
baking sheet.
Brush lightly with butter.
Mix your chosen fruit filling with lemon juice to temper the sweetness,
if desired.
Spread pastry with your chosen fruit filling.
Roll out the remaining large piece of pastry to the same size as the
first.
Place over the filling; crimp the two edges of pastry together with a
fork to keep the filling from escaping.
Brush lightly the top of the pastry with the egg yolk mixed with water
(egg wash).
Divide the last piece of pastry into 10 equal pieces.
Roll out each piece to thin ropes long enough to span the width of the
pastry diagonally.
Lay five of these diagonally, equally spaced over the top pastry.
Lay the remaining five to cross over the previous five, for a crisscross
lattice.
Brush the crisscrossed pieces with egg wash to fix them in place.
Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
Bake for 30–40 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
Cool for 15 minutes, then carefully slice into squares.
Equatorial Guinea
A West African country on the eastern shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Equatorial
Guinea was once a Portuguese colony. It includes the mainland and a few islands
in the Atlantic. Unequal distribution of wealth and other problems brought about
a lengthy civil war after independence, which further weakened the country. It is
largely covered by forests on the mainland. The climate is tropical, and staples
such as cassava and yams are raised.
The country is populated by many ethnic groups but dominated by the

Fang, who are also the most numerous group.
The cooking is based on staple porridge eaten with vegetable-based sauces
with or without meat or fish.
FOODSTUFFS
• The chief staple is gari, a flour made from cassava. Plantains and
yams are a common mainstay, and they have the advantage that their
leaves can serve as both cooking and eating utensils.
• The forest also provides meat—small animals (e.g., porcupine),
snails, insects, mushrooms, and greens.
• The mainland Fang people have traditionally relied on the meat of
hunted forest animals and on river crayfish and other crustaceans.
• Vegetables: cassava leaves, bitalif (bitter leaf), cocoyam leaves.
• Duck and chicken are prepared for special occasions.
• Fruits: guava, tangerine, pineapple, melon, papaya, coconut, banana,
mango, (including the African bush mango, Irvingia gabonensis),
butterfruit (Dactryodes edulis), which has flesh and flavor similar to
avocado.
• Fish, river crayfish and other crustaceans.
• Flavorings: hot peppers, Guinea pepper (Afromomum melegueta),
pumpkin seeds, palm nut paste, peanut paste.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The Fang cook gari into a thick porridge and eat it with a spicy sauce
made from a variety of local ingredients such as crushed gourd seeds,
leaves, and insects.
• In the cities, beef and chicken are prepared on skewers, cooked over
an open fire, and served with rice and spicy sauce.
• Greens are cooked with peanut sauce, with, if possible, meat, fish, or
crustaceans.
• Chicken stewed with peanut sauce.
• Soups: pepe soup (fish or meat flavored with hot peppers, tomatoes,
and messep leaves (wild basil)).
• Fish coated with pumpkin seeds, wrapped in leaves, and grilled.
• Millet beer, palm wine, sugarcane juice, and osang (a local tea) are
common local drinks.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people try to eat three times a day, but in reality, poorer
sections of the population rarely eat more than twice: in the morning
and evening.
• Snacks such as peanuts are often eaten, as well as forest products
ranging from fruits through to the leaves of wild yams.

Forest people tend to exploit every available food source, and the Guineans are
no exception. Virtually any kind of strong greens will do for this dish. Sweet
potato leaves are available from groceries that specialize in Southeast Asian
foods.
1/2 cup palm oil or vegetable oil

1 pound sweet potato leaves (or other greens such as kale, spinach),
chopped finely
water to cover
1 cube soup stock (beef or vegetable)
1/2 cup dried, pounded meat (or substitute cooked beef, pounded well
with a meat mallet)
salt and chili or cayenne pepper, to taste
Heat the oil. Sauté the onion until translucent.

Add leaves to the pot a handful at a time, stirring and letting each
handful cook down before adding the next.
Pour in enough water (1–2 cups) to just cover the leaves.
Stir in crushed stock cube and meat. Bring to a boil.
Taste and add salt, if needed, chili or cayenne.
Reduce heat and simmer until leaves are tender, stirring often, about
5–10 minutes (about 20 minutes for kale).
Serve over rice or gari.

This dish is eaten as a staple by people in the dryer inland areas.
5 ounces millet flour (available from major supermarkets and specialty
or health food stores)
1 tsp fresh grated or powdered ginger
2 cups (or more) water
1 cup milk
1 cinnamon stick
sugar to taste
Combine millet flour, salt, pepper, and ginger in a bowl.

Gradually stir in 1 cup water to make a smooth, lump-free paste,
adding a bit more if needed.
Knead to a smooth paste. Add water if necessary.
Combine 1 cup water with the milk in a saucepan, and heat just until
bubbles form on the sides.
Slowly add the scalded milk mixture to the millet paste, stirring
constantly until smoothly incorporated.
Transfer the millet and milk mixture to the saucepan. Add cinnamon.
Simmer, stirring constantly, until thick.
Add salt and sugar to taste.
Serve for breakfast or supper.

This dish, or something like it from the west coast of Africa, may have been the
ancestor of the Louisiana gumbo. It is served as a sauce for the staple in a main
meal.

4 cups okra, diced
water, as needed
1 stock cube, crushed
1 TBS curry powder
salt, pepper, and chili pepper to taste
Heat oil over medium heat and sauté onions until softened.
Add chili pepper to taste, stir. Do not allow pepper to burn.
Stir in okra and add water to cover.
Stir in stock cube, curry powder, salt, and pepper.
Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Serve over gari.

Judging by its name, this dish is of Portuguese origin. Fish, stuffed with onions
and peppers and fried, are popular along the coast.
1 whole fish (1/2 pound per serving), scaled and cleaned (head and tail
left intact)
2 onions, chopped
1/4 cup oil
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
Sprinkle salt and pepper inside the fish, and stuff the cavity with 1/4 of
the onions.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a frying pan, and gently brown the
fish on both sides (about 5 minutes on each side).
Remove fish and set aside. Pour off oil, leaving about 2 TBS in the
pan.
Stir in onions and fry until softened.
Add tomatoes, peppers, and chili, and simmer, covered, for 10
minutes.
Add fish, basting well with the vegetable sauce, and simmer, covered,
for 10 or more minutes or until done and fish flakes easily.
Serve with baton de manioc/chikwangue or fufu and piripiri sauce on
the side.

Fried plantains are eaten at any time of the day, including as breakfast or as a
snack.
5 TBS palm oil or vegetable oil

3 plantains (or 4 very green bananas), peeled and cut into 1-inch
chunks
1 cube soup stock, chicken or beef, crumbled
In a frying pan, heat 2 TBS oil over medium heat and sauté onions
until golden. Remove and reserve.
Add remaining oil, and when hot, sauté plantains until brown, about 15
minutes.
Add reserved onions and sprinkle with crumbled soup stock.
Serve on its own or with any meat or fish dish.
Yam and Shrimp Stew

This dish is made throughout West Africa with a variety of root vegetables and
dried or smoked fish or seafood. This stew features cassava (yuca) and
cocoyams with dried shrimps. The cassava, cocoyams, and shrimps can be
bought at stores that sell Asian or Latino foods. Smoked fish can be substituted
for the shrimps. This dish would be served with a hot chili sauce (pili-pili).
2 TBS peanut or other oil

1 cup dried shrimp, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water 15 minutes before
use and drained; reserve soaking liquid
1 cup ripe tomatoes, chopped, or 1 can (8 ounces) canned tomatoes
1/4 tsp salt
2 red chili peppers, seeded and chopped, or 1/4 cup red bell pepper,
chopped
2 cups cassava, peeled, woody core removed, and cubed
2 cups cocoyams, peeled and cubed
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, warm the oil.

Stir in the onion, and sauté until softened.
Stir in the dried shrimp; fry for 2–3 minutes; add the tomatoes,
peppers, and salt.
Cover the pan and let the tomatoes and peppers soften for 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp-soaking water and the rest of the vegetables.
Add water to come up slightly below the top of the vegetables.
Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the vegetables are
tender.
Taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Serve with fufu or other staple.
Eritrea
Eritrea is a largely desert country on the shores of the Red Sea between Ethiopia
and Sudan. For the most part, the climate is hot and dry. The countryside tends
to be harsh, with rocky mountains rising out of dry plains. On and off part of the
Ethiopian empire, it later became an Italian colony, then a part of Ethiopia, from
which it became independent after a protracted war. Eritrean language and
customs are very similar to those of their Ethiopian neighbors.
Parts of Eritrea are very fertile and produce good crops of cereals,
vegetables, and fruit. Fish are caught in the Red Sea, though few Eritreans
actually eat fish; most fish are exported.
Most Eritreans are Coptic Christians, though a very large minority are
Muslims. Neither eat pork. The great festivals of the year are Easter for the
Christians and Eid-al-Fitr for the Muslims. When neighbors from different
religious communities participate in festivals—a wedding, a birth—the host will
provide those from the other community with the raw materials for them to
prepare the food according to their religious strictures.
FOODSTUFFS
• Teff (Eragrostis tef) is the most desired grain. Sorghum and wheat
are also eaten as a substitute.
• Lentils and chickpeas are very important.
• The preferred meat is beef. Pork is not eaten (or very rarely eaten).
Chicken and other poultry, raised by many households, are eaten.
• Milk products, notably butter, buttermilk, and soft cheeses are a
mainstay. Herbed butter is used as a flavoring agent.
• Eritrean foods tend to be very peppery, and Eritreans consume vast
amounts of chili peppers.
• Berberé (a spice mix), chili powder, and other spices are used to
spice almost all dishes.
TEFF
The major staple of the Amharic, Tigrean, and Eritrean people in the Horn
of Africa, teff (Eragrostis tef) is a highland grain related to millets. It is one
of the smallest grains in the world, one grain measuring only about 1/32 of
an inch in diameter. Approximately 150 grains equal the size of a kernel of
wheat. Highly nutritious, teff has excellent amino acid composition and
lysine levels. One cup of cooked teff contains 100 percent of the USRDA
iron requirements. Teff is also high in protein and fiber and is a rich source
of boron, copper, phosphorus, and zinc. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, teff is
ground into flour, fermented, and made into injera, a kind of pancake that is
the local staple. Teff is also eaten as porridge and more rarely as an
ingredient of homebrewed beer.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The two staples are sarekitcha, which is a very thin, baked,
unleavened wheat bread, and injera, a spongy pancake made from teff
(see sidebar “Teff”), wheat and/or barley, maize, or sorghum.
• Zigni, long-simmered stews made from whatever is available (meat
or fish, vegetables or a combination of the two).
• Tsebhi or qkoolewaa is a meat sauté prepared with lamb or beef,
fresh tomatoes, and hot peppers.
• Shiro, chickpea porridge, is made in many different ways and serves
as the meat of the poor, with their injera.
• Alitcha birsen, a lentil curry.
• Beer (called suwa and made of barley), mead (honey beer called
mies), and zebib, a locally made anise-flavored liquor similar to ouzo.
Tea and particularly coffee, always served highly sweetened, are drunk
at every social occasion. Local fruit juices are very popular in the large
cities.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals a day are common: breakfast and an evening meal.
• Before eating, one of the women of the household will bring a basin
of water to wash the hands. Most food is served on a communal
basketwork raised tray called a mesob. Several diners share one mesob.
Several layers of injera are put on the mesob and the stew poured into
the middle. Diners break off bits of injera and scoop up the stew. Only
the right hand is used, and licking one’s fingers or even touching them
to one’s lips are considered impolite.
• Breakfast is generally lighter than dinner and often is little more than
some injera and coffee.
• Lunch is often a snack, or some leftovers from breakfast.
• Coffee breaks are very important during the day, and coffee service
(buna) is a major social ritual (see Ethiopia entry for sidebar “Coffee
Ritual,” p. 432).

This is an Eritrean recipe for injera. It can be used for Ethiopian meals as well.
7 ounces teff flour (or 2 ounces fine cornmeal and 5 ounces self-rising
flour)
1/2 cup soda water (seltzer, or dissolve 1 tsp baking soda in 1/2 cup
water)
1 tsp salt
vegetable oil
Three days before

Mix flour with water and let stand in a bowl, covered with a damp,
clean dishtowel, at room temperature until it bubbles and has turned
sour. This may take as long as three days. The fermenting mixture
should be the consistency of pancake batter.
On the day
Add soda water and stir in salt.
Lightly oil a 10-inch frying pan or rimless crepe pan. Heat to medium
heat.
Pour 1/2 cup batter onto pan and tilt pan to spread the batter. Injera
should be thicker than a crepe but thinner than a pancake when cooked
(it will puff up a bit as it cooks).
Cover pan and cook until holes form in the cake, the top is dry, and the
edges lift from the pan.
Remove and let cool.
To serve the injera: place 2–3 layers of injera onto a flat plate or tray
and lay on a mesob or basketwork tray. On the side, place the
remaining injera, folded into quarters or rolled up. Arrange spoonfuls
of the accompanying stew or other dishes on the spread out injera.

This is a spice mixture that is essential for most Eritrean cooking. The
proportions of each spice will vary with each family.
5 dried chili peppers, crumbled
2 cloves
1 TBS sweet or hot paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/4 tsp fenugreek seed
1/4 tsp coriander seed
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp cardamom seeds (scraped from the pod)
1/8 tsp dried ginger powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp whole allspice
Put all the ingredients except the salt in a frying pan and heat for about
2 minutes, stirring constantly until aromatic. Be careful not to scorch
the spices.
Remove from heat immediately and stir in the salt.
Process in a food processor until all are finely ground and well
blended.
The berberé will keep in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for several
months.

This clarified butter is used to cook and flavor spicy dishes. Like ghee, tegele
setesmi will keep for several months without refrigeration.
1/2 pound unsalted butter

1/2 cup water
2 small onions, very finely sliced
2 tsp ginger, grated
Combine the butter and water in a frying pan over low heat until the
butter melts.
Add the other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes, until the mixture
stops frothing and the butter is clear.
Do not stir the mixture.
Sieve the butter and allow to cool down in a well-sealed jar.
Use on injera or for cooking.

Tsebhi means “sauce,” and chicken and beef are the most popular sauces.
However, for most Eritreans these are reserved for special occasions, and peanut
or other vegetable-based sauces are daily accompaniments to injera.
1 pound raw, dry peanuts, shelled and skins removed

1/2 cup butter or clarified butter
2 TBS tomato paste
2 small onions, chopped
2 tsp berberé
In a food processor, grind peanuts into flour (be careful not to grind
into peanut butter).
Put the other ingredients into a saucepan with 2 cups of water and
bring to a boil.
Simmer for 30 minutes until thickened.
Serve on injera.

Though Eritreans adore beef and other meats, most cannot afford them and so
must substitute other forms of protein, such as lentils.
2 TBS clarified butter or oil

1 large onion, minced
2 tsp berberé
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup red lentils, washed and drained
2 cups (or more) boiling water
Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until light
golden.
Add the berberé and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in the cumin, cardamom, and garlic, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the salt, pepper, lentils, and boiling water.
Cover the pan and simmer for about 20–30 minutes or until lentils are
tender but not mushy.
Add about 1/4 cup more boiling water during the cooking if the lentils
have absorbed most of the water and are still not done.
Serve on injera.

Chicken often substitutes for beef in many households as part of the main meal.
You may use 1 1/2 pounds beef or lamb (shredded or ground) instead of the
chicken, in which case this dish is called tsebhi zegni or tsebhi sega.
4 large portions chicken

2 TBS lemon juice
2 onions, chopped
1/4 cup berberé
1/4 cup tegele setesmi (herb butter)
2 TBS tomato paste
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
4 hard-boiled eggs (shelled)
Rub the chicken pieces with the lemon juice and salt and leave to
marinate for 30 minutes.
Over low heat, dry fry the onions in a frying pan (add 1 TBS water if
needed to prevent burning)
When the onions are done, add the berberé and heat until warm, about
2 minutes.
Add the tegele setesmi and fry the mixture, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and pepper and simmer
for 20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
Add the chicken and some water if necessary if the sauce is too thick.
Simmer for 20–25 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the eggs and simmer until
warmed.
Serve on injera.

This is a bread traditionally made for special occasions, now often served during
a coffee break.
1 ounce fresh yeast

1 cup lukewarm milk
2 ounces sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cumin powder
1 pound flour
1/2 cup butter, melted, plus extra for brushing
1 tsp salt
4 ounces seedless raisins, soaked in water to moisten
Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and sugar in a food processor bowl.
Add the eggs and cumin and mix well.
Add the flour, butter, and salt. Process just until mixture forms a
dough.
Remove dough and knead the mixture for 10 minutes on a lightly
floured surface.
Knead in raisins for about 1 minute.
Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise in a
warm place until doubled in size.
Punch down, knead for about 5 minutes, and fit into a buttered 12-inch
round springform baking pan.
Allow the dough to rise again until doubled.
Make some decorative patterns with a fork or knife on the dough.
Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven.
Turn over and bake for another 5 minutes.
Remove bread from the baking pan and brush the top with melted
butter.
Serve warm or cold in wedges.

While meat dishes are usually served when hosting guests, most everyday dishes
are based on vegetables, especially greens.
2 TBS oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds kale, collards, Swiss chard, or Savoy cabbage, finely
sliced or shredded
salt to taste
1 hot chili pepper, seeded and finely sliced
In a pan over medium heat, warm the oil.

Stir in the onions and fry until softened; add garlic.
Cook until aromatic; stir in the vegetables.
Cover the pan, lower the heat, and cook vegetables until tender, about
10–15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper; add chili pepper and cook for 2 minutes
more.
Serve hot with injera and with awase (hot sauce; see recipe below) if
desired.
Hot Sauce (Awase)

Awase sauce is used to season dishes while cooking, and it also is present at the
table for diners to help themselves.
2 TBS berberé spice mix (see Spice Mix recipe above)

4 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 TBS water
1 tsp salt
2 TBS red wine (optional)
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp powdered ginger
Seeds from 4 cardamom pods, ground fine
Mix all the ingredients; allow to infuse for 30 minutes before using.
Estonia
Estonia, one of the three small Baltic republics that until recently were part of
the Soviet empire, is about one and a half times the size of New Hampshire. The
climate is cool to cold in the winter. Much of the country is flat and covered with
forests and small lakes.
Most of the population is Estonian, speaking a language similar to but
distinct from Lithuanian and Latvian. There is a substantial Russian minority in
the country.
The diet of people in Estonia is similar to that of neighboring Latvia and

Lithuania. Due to long Russian domination, Russian foods and cooking styles
have entered the cuisine as well.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rye, barley, and potatoes are staples.
• Pork is the favored meat.
• Fish, particularly herring, is very important.
• Forest products, including honey, berries, and various mushrooms,
are traditional favorites.
• Butter and milk products are used as well.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Black, leavened rye bread is a traditional staple and is eaten with
most meals.
• The main dish in a common Estonian’s meal is potatoes. The main
course can be a variety of meats like beef, pork, chicken, sausage, or
fish. Estonians have somewhat of a sweet tooth and enjoy sweets,
especially chocolate.
• Beer and small-beer (kvass) have been the traditional beverages for
all occasions.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are eaten.
• Modern dining is European standard.
• Breakfast is usually some form of porridge, often savory, eaten with
whatever else is available, for example, eggs or cheese. Tea, coffee, or
milk to drink.
• Lunch can be very heavy, including soup, a meat dish, potatoes or
cabbage, and a sweet.
• Dinner is much like the midday meal but often is much lighter with
only one dish.
• Snacks are eaten, often washed down with plentiful hot tea
sweetened with sugar, honey, or jam.

Beef and cabbage are mainstays of the diet along with potatoes. This dish would
be served for lunch.
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

2 TBS butter
1 medium cabbage, cut into large strips
1 onion, sliced into rings
3 carrots, peeled and sliced in rounds
2 potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 cups beef stock
salt, paprika, and marjoram to taste
Brown the beef quickly in butter.

Alternate layers of vegetables with the beef in a heavy pot.
Sprinkle each layer with salt, paprika, and marjoram.
Pour the beef stock over the vegetables.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve with boiled potatoes.

Salads are eaten with all main meals, and cucumber with sour cream is
particularly relished in the summer.
4 small cucumbers (or gherkins), peeled, halved, seeded, and sliced 1/2
inch thick
1 TBS coarse salt
3 tsp white vinegar
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, whites and yolks separated
1 tsp mustard
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp sugar
4 large lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 TBS fresh dill, minced finely
Combine cucumber slices, salt, and 1/2 tsp vinegar, and toss until
cucumber is well moistened. Marinate at room temperature for 20
minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Return to clean bowl.
Cut egg whites into strips and stir into cucumber.
Prepare the dressing: mash egg yolks in a separate bowl and combine
with mustard, sour cream, remaining vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Pour dressing over cucumbers and toss gently so as not to break the
egg whites. Season to taste.
Place lettuce leaves on small individual plates, and arrange salad on
top. Sprinkle with dill. Serve chilled.

This is the national dish of Estonia, usually served during celebrations and at
Christmas.
1 pound shoulder of veal cut into 2-inch pieces (or substitute pork)
1 pound fresh pig’s knuckles, cracked (see note at end of recipe)
1 large onion, whole and unpeeled
2 large carrots, scraped and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 quarts cold water
4 whole black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
6 TBS salt
6 tsp garlic, chopped finely
In a heavy casserole, combine the veal, pig’s knuckles, onion, carrot,

and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim foam and scum as
they rise to the top.
Add peppercorns and bay leaves, reduce heat to low, and simmer
partially covered for about 3 hours (until veal is tender enough to be
easily pierced with a fork).
Transfer veal and pig’s knuckles to a plate.
Strain the cooking stock into a bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
Skim off and discard the surface fat.
Pour the stock into a small pan and boil briskly, reducing to 4 cups.
When the veal and pig’s knuckles are cool, trim off the fat and bones
and discard.
Cut meat into 1/4-inch pieces.
Arrange the carrot slices in concentric circles in the bottom of a 2-
quart mold at least 3 inches deep.
Sprinkle the carrots evenly with the stock. Add the stock tsp by tsp
until the carrots are half submerged but not floating in the liquid.
Carefully place the mold in the refrigerator without dislodging the
design and chill until the stock has firmly jelled (1 hour or more).
Stir meat, salt, and garlic into remaining stock and taste for seasoning.
Pour the entire mixture into the chilled mold.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until the stock is firm.
To remove from its mold, run a knife around the inside edges of the
jellied veal.
Dip the bottom of the mold briefly in hot water, then invert a flat
serving dish on top. Holding the mold and plate firmly together, turn
them over.
The jellied veal should slide out easily.
Traditionally, sult is served as a first course or on the zakuska table.
Note: If you cannot get pig’s knuckles, substitute 1 TBS strong gelatin
and change recipe as follows: Follow instructions omitting pig’s
knuckles. After reducing the stock, add gelatin and melt carefully into
hot but not boiling stock.

These fried potato patties are served with festive foods, such as sult.
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed

2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp salt
4 TBS (or more) of butter for frying
In a food processor, combine mashed potatoes, eggs, flour, and salt

until smooth and firm enough to shape (if not, beat in more flour, one
TBS at a time).
Remove potato mixture to a well-floured surface, and pat into a 1-
inch-thick rectangle.
With a sharp knife, cut the dough diagonally into lozenges (diamonds)
2 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches long.
With a fork, score the top of each lozenge with wavy lines.
Melt 2 TBS butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet over high heat.
Brown the patties gently on both sides.
Transfer patties to a warmed serving platter and keep warm while
frying the rest of the patties.
Red Cabbage with Sour Cream Sauce (Porskinti Raudoni

Kapustai)
This is a popular side dish to accompany meat or poultry for the major meal.
1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, cored and coarsely shredded

1/4 cup onions, coarsely chopped
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 TBS tomato paste
1 1/2 cup cold water
salt to taste
6 TBS butter, cut into small pieces
3 TBS lemon juice, strained
1 TBS sour cream
Combine cabbage, onions, and garlic in a casserole.

Mix tomato paste and water, and stir into the cabbage.
Add salt and butter.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender (30–45
minutes).
Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice, sour cream, and correct
seasoning.
Serve with a meat dish.

Herring is an important item of diet and can be eaten with any meal.
4 fillets of schmaltz herring (available from most Jewish delis, or

substitute pickled herring), patted dry with paper towels
1/2 cup flour
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS butter
6 TBS onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp flour
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Coat herring fillets well with flour on both sides. Shake off excess.
In a heavy 12-inch pan, heat oil over high heat.
Brown herrings gently on both sides, and transfer to a serving plate.
Cover loosely with foil and keep warm.
Prepare the sauce: in the same pan, melt butter over moderate heat.
Sauté the chopped onions until softened.
Reduce heat, and stir in the flour, mustard, sour cream, salt, and black
pepper, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning.
Spread a layer of sauce on a serving plate and top with the herring.

Named for the Tsar Alexander of Russia, this pastry is eaten as a snack or for
dessert.
1/2 pound butter, chilled and diced

3 1/2 cups flour
1 TBS sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups raspberry jam or preserve (with lots of fruit)
In a food processor, process butter, flour, sugar, and eggs just until
they form a dough.
Remove the dough, wrap in a food bag, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, puree jam.
Pass through a fine sieve and cook over medium heat for 3–5 minutes
until thickened. Set aside.
Divide chilled dough in two and shape each half into a rectangle.
Roll each half between two sheets of lightly floured wax paper into a
rectangle approximately 10 × 15 inches.
Butter and flour 2 large cookie sheets.
Peel off the top sheet of wax paper and use the bottom one to lift each
pastry rectangle onto a cookie sheet. Discard wax paper.
Bake each pastry separately for 10 minutes or until golden.
Meanwhile, prepare icing.
Remove pastry from oven. Spread evenly with raspberry puree.
Slide second pastry gently onto raspberry-covered layer.
Cover the top pastry with icing, cool, then carefully slice into 1 × 2
inch rectangles.
White lemon icing

1/4 cup cold water
1 tsp of lemon juice
Mix the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a thin paste.

Spread smoothly over the top layer of pastry and allow the cake to
cool to room temperature before serving.
Cut into bars to smooth.

This cake is a classic children’s cake, a regular feature for birthday parties. This
will make four layers of cookie cake.
2 cups cream cheese
1 cup half-and-half
2 TBS honey or sugar (or more)
40 pieces rectangular or square cookies, chocolate or vanilla flavored
Chocolate glaze
1 cup dark or milk chocolate chips
2 TBS butter
1–2 TBS thick cream
Garnish
fresh small berries (strawberries, blueberries) or colored sprinkles
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or foil, generously enough to

extend beyond the dish. This will be used to lift the finished cake.
Prepare the filling: blend the cream cheese with 1/3 cup half-and-half
and honey to get a spreading consistency; add more honey to your
taste.
Spread a very thin layer of filling in the pan; this is to anchor the first
row of cookies.
Dip 10 cookies in 2/3 cup of the half-and-half.
Lay the dipped cookies in 2 rows of 5 cookies.
Spread cookies evenly with about a quarter of the remaining filling.
Repeat dipping 10 cookies, laying them on top of the filling until all
the cookies and filling are used up.
The topmost layer consists only of the filling; chill for 2 hours to allow
it to set.
To glaze: in a small pan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with the
butter and cream.
Mix well and spoon over the chilled cake.
Garnish with sprinkles (if using) while icing is still soft.
Chill the cake overnight before serving. Cut into squares or rectangles
to serve, garnished with fresh berries.
Ethiopia
The only country in Africa that was never really colonized (barring a short
Italian occupation in the middle of the twentieth century), Ethiopia boasts a
lengthy imperial history. It is landlocked, bordered by Djibouti, Somalia, Eritrea,
Sudan, South Sudan, and Kenya. Most of the country is a heavily populated
highland with deep gullies between different areas. The south is more humid.
The country is home to many ethnic groups. The two major groups are
those speaking Amharic-related languages (a subset of Southern Semitic,
including Amharic, Tigréan, Tigrinya, and Eritrean) and those speaking Oromo-
related languages, including the many varieties of Oromo and Galla, and Somali.
There are also significant representations of other groups.
Most Ethiopians are Christians and members of the Coptic Church. There is
a significant Muslim population, as well as various African ethnic religions,
particularly in the south of the country.
FOODSTUFFS
• The most prominent foodstuff is the small-grained teff (Eragrostis
tef), a relative of the millet, which is unique to Ethiopia and
neighboring countries.
• Meat, particularly beef, either cooked or raw is the most desired
food. Other meats include chicken, and in the south of the country,
fish.
• Butter and cheese are eaten both in plain form and flavored with
herbs.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Injera, a spongy, pancake-like bread made from fermenting teff into a
thick batter then cooking it on a griddle. This is the same as Eritrean
injera, though there are some regional variations (see Eritrea entry for
recipe).
Injera bakes on banana leaves, Ethiopia. (Helena Lovincic/iStockphoto.com)
• Stews (wot) or other dishes are ladled onto the injera, which is used
to scoop up the food.
• A favorite celebration dish is raw beef, the fresher the better, and
cows are sometimes slaughtered right in front of the guests in order to
provide the freshest beef. At the very least kitfo—raw minced beef—
will be offered as a conclusion to the feast.
• Chilies flavor almost every dish. Ethiopian food is almost always
highly spiced and very hot. Ethiopian flavoring principles include chili
peppers, garlic, and cinnamon.
STYLES OF EATING
• People traditionally eat twice a day with snacks.
• Diners generally eat around a mesob, a wickerwork raised tray with a
domed wicker cover to protect from flies. The mesob is covered with
several 12-to 14-inch injera pancakes. Stews and other foods are
ladled onto the injera when the diners are ready. Diners tear off bits of
injera and roll them into a half-pipe with which they scoop up the stew
of their choice.
• In the family, men and women eat together (children may be fed
later) though a man may be served with his male guests before the
household as a whole eats.
• Breakfast is usually coffee and some fried bread or leftovers from the
previous evening.
• Lunch for working people is usually skimpy, though in towns it
might be the main meal.
• The evening meal almost always includes injera, meat if possible, or
a vegetable stew for the injera if meat is not available.
• Food is washed down with tej (mead, or honey wine) or talla (thick
homebrewed barley beer). Coffee is drunk at all times of the day.
Called buna (boona), it is always served in threes, with long gaps
between servings to allow for lengthy conversations. It is served black
with sugar.
COFFEE RITUAL
The coffee bean originated in the Ethiopian highlands, though besides
legends, there is little knowledge of how coffee was domesticated.
Originally the fruit, and then the bean, were chewed for the caffeine effect.
Later it was discovered that the dried, toasted seed could be ground and
brewed into the coffee we know today. There are several subspecies of
coffee, though only two—arabica and robusta—are widely grown and
traded commercially outside the Horn of Africa.
Preparing and drinking coffee is a major institution throughout the
Middle East and northern Africa. In the Horn of Africa, where it originates,
coffee, called bun (pronounced boon) or buna, is almost always drunk in
three sequential cups offered to guests with pauses in between. Special
rules, which vary from one group to another, apply: it must be (or must not
be) prepared by a woman, the water must be fresh (or kept overnight), and
so on. Coffee making is something of an art, and its preparation—selecting
the beans, toasting them in a special pan, pounding them, boiling the water,
infusing the coffee—is often a public spectacle.
In the Middle East and northern Africa, the roasted, pounded beans are
poured into a special pot called a jebena. Water is added to it, and the
coffee brought to a boil over a brazier. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, it is
considered shameful to let the coffee boil over. In other areas such as
Libya, the coffee is allowed to froth up several times (without, of course,
spilling) before it is considered fit to drink. Turkish and Ethiopian coffee
are served sweetened with sugar. Most Arabian drinkers, drinking from
tiny, elaborate porcelain cups (finjal), drink the coffee bitter.
It is considered proper to compliment the service, the aroma and taste
of the coffee, and the water from which it has been made. In Turkey, the
Levant, and many Arab countries, coffee is almost always accompanied by
sweet pastries, and in the Horn of Africa by popcorn or some similar snack.

Berberé is an Ethiopian spice mixture that is the flavoring foundation of
Ethiopian cuisine. It is made by combining roughly equal amounts of spices with
a much larger amount of hot red (chili) pepper. Fenugreek and very hot red
pepper are essential to berberé. The other spices vary according to choice. It is
made as a dry spice mix, in which case no oil or fresh ingredients are used, or for
immediate use with fresh shallots, garlic, and oil.

2 TBS mixed cayenne pepper and dried red chili pepper powder
1/8 tsp allspice powder
1/4 tsp black pepper, crushed
1/16 tsp (or two pinches) cinnamon powder
1/16 tsp (or two pinches) cloves powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 TBS salt
1/2 tsp ginger, fresh (peeled and grated)
1 TBS shallots, finely minced
1 1/2 TBS vegetable oil
Toast the dried spices for a few minutes in a heavy skillet or wok over
medium heat. Stir continuously to avoid scorching. Remove from heat
and allow to cool.
Combine the salt, fresh ginger, shallots, garlic, and oil.
Process in a food processor.
Use immediately or store for a few days in a tightly sealed container in
the refrigerator (dry berberé can be stored for longer).
Use in any Ethiopian recipe for meat or vegetables.

This mixture is used in vegetable stews as a flavoring and as a thickener. The
proportions vary according to personal taste. Throughout Ethiopia you can see
spread mats with the ingredients drying on them. You can make this in a large
quantity as it stores well, like berberé.
1 cup dried peas, rinsed

1/4 cup lentils, rinsed
1/4 cup chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed
1/4 cup pinto beans, rinsed
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and shredded
1/6 cup fresh ginger
1/6 cup garlic, minced
1/4 cup red shallots, minced
1/3 tsp rue
1/3 tsp savory
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1 TBS fresh basil
1 cardamom pod
1/2 tsp cloves
1/3 tsp black cumin seeds
1/8 cup salt
1/3 tsp cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba L., sometimes available from
specialty spice shops; or substitute white pepper)
Blanch all legumes in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain.

Parch the legumes separately in an oven, then dry in sunlight in a dry
breeze for two days (or, if you have a convection oven, leave open a
crack and keep on lowest heat) until thoroughly parched.
When thoroughly dry, grind separately, then mix flours together.
Mix red pepper, ginger, garlic, red shallots, rue, and savory, and dry
outside in the sun, or use dry equivalents.
Mix legumes with salt, dried herbs, and spices.
Process the whole mixture in a food processor until finely ground.
May be kept indefinitely in a good dry place in a sealed jar.
To use, mix a cupful into a vegetable or meat stew.

This stew is a common main dish for the evening meal.
4 large chicken pieces (quarters or legs)

juice of 1 lemon
1 level tsp salt
2 ounces butter
3 large onions, chopped
2 TBS chili powder
2 TBS tomato paste
4 TBS water
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, and pierced lightly on the surface with a
fork
In a saucepan, place chicken pieces, lemon juice, and salt with boiling
water.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and
strain stock into a bowl.
In the same saucepan, melt butter and lightly brown onions.
Stir in 1 pint of the hot chicken stock, chili powder, and tomato paste.
Add ginger, pepper, another 1 pint hot stock, and the chicken pieces.
Gently simmer until chicken is tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
Add hard-boiled eggs and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes
before serving.
Serve with injera.

Most Ethiopians rarely get to eat meat, except during special occasions, and
must eat their injera with vegetable stews.
1 cabbage, cut into eighths

1/2 cup tegele setesmi (herb butter, see under Eritrea entry)
1 TBS berberé
1/4 cup water
4 carrots, peeled and cut in half
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup cauliflower, broken into florets
salt to taste
Boil the cabbage until soft. Drain.

Heat tegele setesmi in separate pan and fry onions until softened.
Stir in berberé and cook for 1 minute.
Add 1/4 cup water, and bring to a boil.
Add carrots and potatoes, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15
minutes.
Add cauliflower and cabbage, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Taste and correct seasoning.
Serve on injera.

Beef is the most highly desired meat for most Ethiopians, though given the high
level of poverty, it is not often enjoyed by all. Kitfo (spiced, minced raw beef) is
often served as dessert, after all other dishes. Retfo, which is cooked, makes a
reasonable substitute.
1 1/2 ounces butter

1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 dried chili pepper, crushed
1 1/2 tsp salt
cooked rice
Heat butter over medium heat, then sauté onion and green pepper until
both are softened.
Stir in beef and cook for about 3 minutes.
Mix chilies with salt and pepper, and add to meat mixture. Stir in well.
Continue cooking until meat is brown.
Serve with rice for a main meal.

This is often eaten as a snack with cups of hot tea or coffee.
1 package or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1/8 tsp sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup honey
1 TBS coriander powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp powdered cloves
1 tsp salt
1 cup lukewarm milk
6 TBS unsalted butter, melted
Sprinkle yeast over warm water and sugar. Let it stand for 3 minutes,
then stir to dissolve. Set the bowl in a warm place for about 5 minutes.
In a food processor bowl, combine egg, honey, coriander, cinnamon,
cloves, and salt, mixing until smooth.
Blend in the yeast mixture, milk, and 5 TBS of the melted butter.
Add the flour and process until the mixture forms a dough.
Remove dough and knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes
or until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel
and let sit in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours.
Grease a cookie sheet with the remaining butter.
Punch down the dough and knead it again for a few minutes.
Shape the dough into a round, and place it on the greased sheet.
Meanwhile, let the bread rise again until it has doubled in size.
Bake the bread for 1 hour or until the top is crusty and golden.

These mixed vegetables are a good side dish to accompany a meat stew.
3 TBS butter or ghee

2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp clove powder
1/2 cup water
2 cups baby potatoes, sliced in half
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup carrots, sliced into coins
In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the butter.

Stir in onions and fry until softened; add garlic and spices.
Add water, and salt and pepper to taste.
When water boils, add potatoes.
Cover and let cook for 10 minutes.
Add broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots; cook for 10 minutes more or
until vegetables are tender but still firm.

Dabo kolo is a crunchy, spicy snack that looks like peanuts and is eaten with
drinks between meals.
1 cup chickpea (garbanzo) flour

1 cup wheat flour (all-purpose unbleached or whole wheat) or teff flour
2 TBS berberé spice mix
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
In a food processor bowl, combine and mix all dry ingredients.

Blend in the butter, then slowly add the water to form a firm dough.
Remove the dough and knead it on a lightly floured surface for 10
minutes until smooth.
Let the dough rest in a cool place, covered with a damp towel, for 10
minutes.
Divide the dough into fist-sized pieces and roll these into long sticks
1/2 inch thick.
Cut rolls into 1/2-inch pieces.
Slowly heat a heavy, ungreased skillet.
Place enough of the uncooked dabo kolo in the skillet to loosely cover
the bottom.
Cook over medium heat, stirring periodically, until lightly browned on
all sides. Alternatively, arrange on a buttered and floured baking sheet.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Store in dry, airtight containers. Serve as a snack with coffee or juice.
F
Fiji
Fiji consists of over three hundred mountainous islands situated in the South
Pacific and scattered over about two hundred thousand square miles. The climate
is warm and moist with little temperature fluctuation throughout the seasons.
Many of the islands are rocky, of volcanic origin, while others are coral atolls.
A multicultural society of mainly Melanesians and Polynesians, there are
large numbers of descendants of Indian (Hindu and Moslem) and Chinese
settlers brought in by the colonial power (Britain) to work the sugarcane and
fruit plantations.
Fijian cuisine is an example of fusion cooking: a mixture of Melanesian,

Polynesian, Indian, Chinese, and Western cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples include breadfruit, yam, cassava, taro tubers (dalo) and
leaves (rourou), and for some of the population, rice.
• Coconut is used in many forms, and coconut milk is part of many
dishes.
• Fish and seafood are very important, including tuna and bonito,
flying fish, reef fish such as parrotfish, octopus, shellfish.
• Beef, pork and poultry are eaten, as well as imports such as corned
beef. Hindu Indians abstain from beef and Moslem Indians, from pork.
• Fruits, including guava, mango, bananas, and pineapple are popular
in both sweet and savory dishes.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Traditional cooking methods included steaming in an earthen oven
called a lovo, which was often used to cook whole pigs, chickens,
seafood, and root vegetables such as taro.
• Indian-style dishes: roti, curried stews.
• Chinese-style dishes: noodles; stir-fried meat, chicken, or fish and
vegetables
• Major flavoring principles include lime and coconut. Garlic, ginger,
turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, cumin, soy sauce, curry powder, and
chilies are often used to flavor modern dishes.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditionally, people ate two main meals a day, a very early breakfast
and a late afternoon heavier meal. Working people and urban people
now eat three meals a day and snacks where possible.
• Extended families (including cousins and close relatives), and often
entire Fijian clans, eat together, men first and women later. In rural
areas, food is set on a mat on the floor (shoes are not worn inside the
house) and all eat surrounding the food. Most Indians also sit on the
floor.
• Traditionally, food was set on banana leaves and eaten with the
fingers. Nowadays, Western tableware (plates, knives, forks, and
spoons) is used by urbanites and the middle-class, who also sit on
chairs and tables, but for feasts and large gatherings, banana leaves
and fingers are still used.
• A typical Fijian main course consists of a dish of cooked fish or
meat, boiled taro leaves, and cassava or taro as carbohydrate.
• There is little difference between the meals in terms of composition.
The main meal may be during the day, with breakfast often the lightest
meal, either leftovers or a drink and a piece of fruit.
• Drinks include coconut water, fruit juices, water, and tea and coffee.
The most important traditional drink is kava, a drink made from the
leaves of a bush (Piper methysticum) related to the black pepper,
which is a relaxant and is mildly intoxicating. In the past it was
reserved for chiefs and important men; now it is drunk in family and
clan ceremonies and to welcome guests.

This is a hearty soup normally served with slices of baked breadfruit or cooked
taro root and greens.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped
2 large chicken breasts, diced
4 cups water
2 TBS lime juice
salt to taste
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin, peeled and cubed
Heat the oil in a large pot. Sauté onions until softened.

Add chicken and stir fry over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add water, lime juice and salt, and bring to a boil.
Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, and coconut milk; cover and simmer for
15–20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
Remove from heat and serve hot.
Fresh Fish (Kokoda)

Fish is central to the Fijian diet. Like many other island cultures, Fijians often
cook fish through the work of an acid, rather than by heat, thus retaining both
texture and freshness.
4 absolutely fresh boneless and skinless fish fillets (intended expressly

for sashimi), cut in bite-sized pieces
juice of 3 large limes
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 onion, minced
1 green chili, cored, seeded and finely minced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
lettuce leaves to serve
Place fish into glass bowl with lime juice and salt. Mix well. Cover,
refrigerate, and leave to marinate for 1 hour.
Remove from refrigerator, add coconut milk, onion, and chili, and mix
well.
Serve over lettuce leaves on individual plates, garnished with
tomatoes.

This dish would traditionally be cooked in an underground oven and served as
the main meal. If using foil, you may place the fish and vegetables on a large
blanched cabbage leaf to simulate a banana leaf (see sidebar “Plantains and
Bananas”).
4 large fish steaks (any fresh fish)

1 onion, sliced
4 ripe plantains (available from major supermarkets and stores that sell
Asian, Caribbean, and African foods; or use unripe bananas), peeled
and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick disks
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 green chilies, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
salt to taste
4 banana leaves for wrapping (or 4 pieces aluminum foil, 10 × 10
inches)
Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil banana leaves (or foil)
Place one piece of fish in the center of a banana leaf.
Take a fourth of the sliced onions, plantains, tomatoes, and chilies, and
arrange around the fish. Season.
Pour 1/4 cup of coconut milk over the fish and vegetables, taking care
not to let it run over.
Fold the banana leaf into a parcel, sealing well. Repeat with the
remaining ingredients.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the fish and vegetables are cooked.
Serve immediately.
PLANTAINS AND BANANAS

Plantains and bananas are the fruit of a plant of the family Musaceae, not a
true tree. Generally speaking, plantains refer to members of the family that
are bland and usually eaten cooked. They quite often have small hard seeds
running down the length of the fruit’s central core. Bananas refer to those
members of the family that are usually eaten raw, as they tend to be
sweeter. Plantains and bananas grow in a belt from about the latitude of
Florida to that of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. They are popular as
snacks and for the making of beer, and in some countries (e.g., Uganda)
they serve as the major staple. Banana and plantain blossoms are also part
of the cuisine, either raw or cooked, in Southeast Asia (Laos and the
Philippines in particular).
In addition to the edible fruit and flowers, the leaves of the plantain
and banana are widely used for cooking (as wrappings for steaming and
baking foods; see liboké) and, when green, as plates (in southern India and
Southeast Asia).

Sweet potatoes—kumara—arrived in Oceania from America in prehistoric
times, though how they crossed the Pacific is a bit of a mystery. On many
islands they constitute the staff of life, and dried, served as travel food for the
far-reaching explorations of Polynesian and Melanesian sailors. The cheese is a
recent addition, brought by the influx of tourists and other non-islanders.
2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and thickly sliced

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced thin
4 TBS freshly grated coconut
4 TBS green onions, chopped
grated cheese or a commercial cheese sauce (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an ovenproof casserole.

Arrange sweet potato, pineapple, coconut, and green onions in layers
in the dish, seasoning each layer.
Place layer of cheese on top, if desired.
Bake for about 30 minutes.
Serve hot.
Sweet Potato Bread

This bread is eaten as a breakfast dish or a snack.
3/4 cup sweet potato, peeled and coarsely grated

1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a loaf pan.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Pour into pan.
Bake for about 40 minutes. Test with toothpick for doneness:
toothpick should come out dry.
Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack.
Cut into slices to serve.

Cassava was introduced by European colonial administrators in an attempt to
provide cheap food for plantation workers. In this Indo-Fijian dish the two
traditions mix. This is served these days as dessert.
1 1/2 pounds fresh cassava, peeled and grated

3 ounces fresh, grated coconut (or desiccated coconut “refreshed” with
1 TBS hot water)
1 cup sugar
4 cloves, lightly crushed
4 large banana leaves or four 12 × 12 inch squares heavy baking
aluminum foil
Mix all ingredients except leaves thoroughly.

Divide the mixture into four and place each portion in the center of a
leaf.
Wrap securely into parcels and steam for 40 minutes.
Alternatively, bake in a preheated moderate oven (350°F) for 30–40
minutes.
Serve hot.
Ginger Fish
This is one of many diverse ways of cooking fish. This is a main dish to be eaten
with rice, plantains, or another root vegetable.

2–2 1/2 pounds firm white-fleshed fish, such as grouper or snapper,
whole
2 TBS oil
3 TBS soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine or white wine
3 TBS oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 TBS sugar
fresh cilantro for garnish
Rub the rind and juice of the lemon all over the fish, especially the
insides; chill covered for 1 hour.
Rub the fish thoroughly with oil; place in a foil-lined baking tray.
Blend the soy sauce, wine, oil, garlic, ginger, and sugar.
Brush or pour half of the sauce mixture over the fish.
Bake for 15 minutes; brush or pour the rest of the sauce.
Continue baking until fish is done and flakes easily.
Coconut Fish Soup

This soup makes an excellent light lunch or a first course for dinner.
2 pounds whole fish (snapper or grouper), in 4 large slices

4 cups water
1 onion, sliced
2 TBS fresh ginger root
1 chili pepper
1 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 stalks green onions, chopped finely
4 stalks cilantro, sliced
1 lemon, sliced into rings
In a large pot, over medium heat, simmer the fish, water, onion,
ginger, chili pepper, salt, and lemon juice.
Skim the surface occasionally.
Continue simmering until fish flesh is opaque.
Strain contents; discard the skin and bones, and set aside chunks of
fish flesh.
Return soup and fish flesh to pan; heat to simmering and add coconut
cream.
Do not allow to boil.
Serve garnished with the green onions, coriander, and lemons.
Rotuma is politically a part of Fiji, but it has distinctly different traditions and
language. Rotumans are Polynesians mixed with the descendants of European
mutineers and missionaries. They speak a distinct Rotuman Polynesian
language. Only a minority of Rotumans still live on the island; most live on
other Fijian islands or overseas. This bread is a common breakfast dish. It is best
eaten on the same day it is made and while still warm.
4 cups flour
1 ounce dried yeast
4 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
2 TBS butter
warm water for mixing
oil for deep frying
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor.

Blend in just enough warm water to form a soft dough.
Remove dough and knead for 10–15 minutes.
Rub lightly with oil. Let stand in a lightly floured bowl, covered by
damp towel, in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down, then roll out on a well-floured surface to 1/2 inch
thick.
Cut into diamond shapes and let stand for a few minutes in a warm
place.
Heat oil to about 370°F.
Deep fry dough a few pieces at a time until golden brown on both
sides. Drain on paper towel.
Eat warm, dipped in coconut milk or papaya jam.

Topoi can be eaten as either a porridge for breakfast or a dessert.
3 cups cassava (yuca), grated

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut (or 1/2 cup desiccated coconut refreshed
with 2–4 TBS warm water or milk)
1 cup coconut milk
boiling water to cover
Mix 2 cups of the cassava with sugar and coconut. Form into balls 1 to
1 1/2 inches wide. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Slip carefully into boiling water. Cover and simmer gently 15 minutes.
Remove from water, drain, and reserve.
Add remaining cassava to pot. Cook stirring constantly until liquid
thickens to porridge-like consistency.
Add coconut milk. Return balls to pot to warm through.
Serve hot or cold.
Finland
Often called “Land of a Thousand Lakes” or, in Finnish, Suomi, which means
“marshland,” Finland, is slightly smaller than Montana. It is bordered on one
side by Russia, and the other side is a Baltic coastline of bays, inlets, and islands.
Over 60 percent of the country lies north of the Arctic Circle. The land is heavily
forested and dotted with lakes. The climate is very cold in winter.
Farming and fishing yield meat, arctic berries, milk, and fish such as
herring from the Baltic, as well as sweet-water fish from lakes and rivers.
The population, largely Finnish, speak a language similar to Estonian. A
minority of Finland’s people are Swedish-speaking Saami, a nomadic, reindeer-
herding people (they are more commonly known as Lapps but prefer to be called
“Sami” or “Saami”) who live north of the Arctic Circle in Finland, Sweden, and
Norway.
Traditionally, Finnish food was quite limited because of the harsh
environment. Although contemporary food is influenced by European (Germany,
Sweden, France, Italy) and American food trends, Finnish cooking is
characterized by simplicity, less fat (because of an awareness of healthy eating),
and the use of fresh, natural ingredients of high quality.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: flour (rye, barley, and wheat) made into breads and porridge,
potatoes.
• Vegetables: cabbage, carrot, peas, green beans, cucumber, salad
vegetables, mushrooms (cultivated and wild).
• Dairy products: cheeses, sour cream, butter, milk.
• Meat: reindeer (for Saami people in particular), beef, pork, chicken,
other poultry, eggs; preserved meats: sausages (many kinds—blood,
onion, raisin), ham, smoked reindeer.
• Fish: all kinds—salmon, salmon-trout, cod, herring, fresh, smoked;

seafood of all kinds (especially crayfish, a seasonal treat in August).
• Seasonings: dill, sour cream, cream, pepper, paprika, parsley,
cardamom for cakes and pastries.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Breads: rye crisp bread with a hole in the middle (long-keeping
traditional bread).
• In the summer the favorite dish are small crayfish, which are boiled
and consumed with ice-cold vodka.
• Salmon dishes: grilled, fried, baked.
• Sami dishes: reindeer stew, dumplings, cloudberry dessert.
Poronkäristys, a thin sauce with a lot of very thin slices of reindeer meat, eaten with mashed potatoes and
lingonberries, common in the south of Finland. (Shutterstock)
• Fish pie: perch, vendace, or other fish and pork baked in a rye crust
(kalakukko).
• Oven bake: baked casseroles of meat or vegetables and cheese with
pasta.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks are common. Most meals are
substantial to help against the cold.
• European place settings.
• Rye bread eaten with most meals.
• Breakfast usually consists of porridge either salted or sweetened with
honey.
• Lunch tends to be the heavy meal of the day: soup or an appetizer,
meat and potatoes with vegetables, and a dessert.
• The evening meal is often simpler, except for the summer, when it
may be eaten outside in company. Bread, soup, and other items are
common.
• Bilberry tarts are commonly made and available in most cafés to be
eaten with coffee or tea.
• Milk (fresh and buttermilk) is drunk to accompany meals by many.
Other popular drinks include coffee, and a variety of alcoholic drinks.
Traditional drinks include mead and ale.
? Did you know?

The most coffee is drunk in Scandinavian countries (Finland, Norway,
Iceland, Denmark). The average Finnish person is said to drink 4–5 mugs
(not cups) of coffee a day.

Porridge was the major staple of southern Finland (as in much of the Baltic) until
the twentieth century. Cold-hardy barley was a more common crop than wheat.
Oven porridge can be served for breakfast or as dessert.
1 cup barley
1 pint water
3 pints milk
1 tsp salt
butter for greasing
Butter a baking dish and combine all the ingredients in it.

Bake the porridge for 4–5 hours at 270°F.
Serve with milk or honey.

This soup is a warming appetizer for a main meal or, with rye bread, a hearty
midday meal in itself.
3 pints water or fish stock

2 onions, chopped
5 allspice berries
salt to taste
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound fish fillets (salmon, whitefish, pike, perch), cut into bite-sized
pieces
1 tsp dill, minced
1 tsp chives, minced
1 tsp parsley, minced
Garnish
melted butter
1 cup onions, minced
1 cup fresh dill, minced
Place onions and allspice in water or stock and bring to boil.

Cook until onions are soft.
Remove onions and allspice and discard.
Add potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the fish and continue to cook for a few minutes until the fish is
done. Add herbs and adjust seasoning.
Serve the soup with melted butter, chopped raw onions, and fresh
minced dill for each person to add to the soup, and with sliced rye
bread.
This is a dish often made in the summer for a main meal. It is served with boiled
new potatoes and a green vegetable.
4 salmon fillets
1 TBS oil
1 tsp crushed peppercorns
2/3 cucumber, diced
1 TBS chopped fresh dill
juice of 1/2 lemon
2/3 cup cream
2 TBS butter
chopped fresh dill for garnish
Brush salmon with oil; sprinkle with peppercorns, pressing them into
the flesh.
Grill for 5 minutes on each side, until just cooked.
Make sauce: heat cucumber, dill, lemon juice, and cream to a simmer.
Add butter and seasoning. Turn off heat.
Pour sauce over salmon and garnish with dill.

This is traditionally made with salted mushrooms. If you use salted mushrooms,
be sure to soak them to get rid of excess salt before preparing. Wild mushrooms
are still gathered usually in the fall and salted or dried for later use.
1 cup cream
1–2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups salted mushrooms (available in some specialty shops, or
substitute fresh champignon, oyster, or other mushroom), chopped
Blend cream and lemon juice, and season well to your taste (if using
salted mushrooms, omit the salt).
Stir in mushrooms and onions.
Serve with meat, fowl, or fish.

This is a traditional Christmas dish, served to accompany baked ham on
Christmas Day. Other accompaniments are turnip bake and beetroot salad.
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups pudding or short-grain rice
2 cups milk
2 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled, cooked, and grated
2 eggs, beaten
salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
2 TBS bread crumbs
2 TBS butter, diced
Bring water and pudding rice to a boil.

Cook until all the water has been absorbed.
Add milk; simmer until rice is cooked.
Combine carrots, eggs, and seasonings with the cooked rice.
Transfer to a buttered 8 × 10 inch baking dish.
Top with bread crumbs and butter.
Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes or until browned.
Meat—pork or beef—features as often as fish in main meals, often as meatballs.
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 TBS water
1/2 cup cream
1 pound ground beef
1 TBS oil
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp pepper
oil for frying
2 TBS water
pan juices (for gravy)
2 TBS butter (for gravy)
2 TBS flour (for gravy)
1/2 cup cream
Soak bread crumbs in water and add cream. Let stand until crumbs are
well moistened.
Sauté onion in oil in a frying pan until softened.
Add onion, egg, and seasonings to meat and mix well.
Wet hands and shape the mixture into 2-inch balls.
Heat more oil in pan. Fry meatballs on all sides 4–6 at a time, until
golden and cooked throughout. Remove meatballs and drain. Keep
warm.
Add water and deglaze pan. Transfer pan juices to a small bowl.
Melt butter in pan and brown the flour lightly, stirring continuously.
Add the deglazed juices stirring all the time.
Add the cream and check seasonings.
Pour gravy over meatballs.
Serve with potatoes and grated carrots, dill pickles, and a lingonberry
jam relish.

The vast variety of northern berries—lingonberries, cloudberries, European
cranberries, bilberries—have been traditionally gathered from the wild.
1 cup lingonberries (fresh or frozen strawberries, bilberries,

redcurrants, raspberries, or huckleberries can be used instead)
1 quart sweetened berry juice
4 TBS cornstarch
sugar, as needed
Place the berries in a serving dish.

Heat the juice in a nonaluminum pan. Stir some of the warm juice into
the cornstarch and make a slurry. Add the slurry to the hot juice and
bring to a boil, stirring all the time.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the thickened juice over
the berries. Sprinkle a little sugar on top.
Serve with milk and eat hot or cold.

Berries abound in Finland, often gathered from the wild. Bilberries, which are
wild blueberries, are often used for this tart. Adding cardamom to sweet pastries
and cakes is typically Finnish.
Pastry
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp ground cardamom seeds
Filling
4 cups blueberries (bilberries, huckleberries preferred)
1 cup sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 TBS cornstarch
Mix butter, egg, milk, flour, and cardamom to make a dough.

Let stand for 1 hour, refrigerated.
Roll out thinly on a wax paper lined 8 × 10 inch baking pan.
Mix blueberries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
Spread over dough, leaving a 1-inch margin.
Roll up margins to form a rim.
Bake in preheated 375°F oven 30 minutes, until crust is golden.
Serve warm or cold with coffee.

Sweet buns are often eaten for breakfast.
1 tsp yeast
1 pint milk, lukewarm
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar plus 1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
1 TBS powdered cardamom
2 pounds flour
5 ounces butter, softened
In a food processor bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Allow
to sit for 5 minutes.
Stir in 1 egg, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and cardamom. Process with the flour
to make a dough.
Remove the dough and knead on a floured surface until smooth and
elastic.
Add the butter and knead the dough until it comes off your hands.
Place in bowl and cover with damp towel.
Leave in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size.
Place on a floured board and divide the dough into 12 portions.
Shape into small round buns and place well apart on a buttered and
floured cookie sheet.
Leave in a warm place until well risen, about 1 hour.
Brush the risen buns with remaining egg and sprinkle with remaining
sugar.
Bake the buns in preheated oven at 420°F for 8–10 minutes.
Cool covered with a cloth or towel.
Omenapiirakka translates to “apple pie,” though this is more like an apple cake.
Serve with milk or a hot drink for a snack. Makes about 8 servings.
4 apples
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-to 10-inch springform or round cake

pan and line with parchment. If apples are organic, leave them
unpeeled; core and slice thinly.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light.
Mix in the eggs, then the flour: the mixture should be a firm cake
dough.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, pushing it up the sides.
Arrange the apple slices on the dough, starting from the center in
concentric circles, so that they appear like a huge flower.
Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the cake tests done.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

These cakes are as popular with children and grown-ups alike as brownies in the
United States, with one difference: mokkapalat are flavored with cocoa and
coffee, hence the name mokka (mocha). If you wish, replace half of the cocoa in
the icing with instant coffee powder.

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
Icing
4 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
toppings: colored sprinkles or grated coconut

Line a 9 × 13 inch baking pan with parchment.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cocoa.
In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar until very light.
Add and mix well the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the
milk in two parts.
Swiftly stir in the vanilla, then the butter, mixing only until just
combined.
Pour mixture into baking pan; bake for 15–20 minutes or until cake
tests done.
While cake is baking, mix the icing ingredients.
Let cake cool for 5 minutes, then spread evenly with icing.
Press gently chosen topping on the icing.
Leave to cool completely, overnight is best. Cut into squares to serve.
France
Centrally located in Western Europe, running from Germany and the Low
Countries in the north to Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, and Italy in the south,
and from the Atlantic in the west to the Alps in the east, France enjoys a number
of temperate climatic areas. The south (Provence) is Mediterranean and warm;
the Alps and the Jura mountain areas are colder. The rest of the country lies in
between these climatic conditions.
French cuisine has been the standard for Western cuisine for centuries, and
French culinary tradition—ranging from place settings through the order of
meals to the choice of drinks—still dominates Western food cultures.
There are two large cooking traditions in France: one based on the cooking
fats used (olive oil, butter, goose or duck fat, lard, or walnut oil) and the other
based on the use of garlic, onion, or shallots for flavoring. Thus traditionally, the
north (northwest Normandy, Brittany, Touraine; northeast Alsace-Lorraine and
Franche-Comté) cooks with butter; the southeast (Languedoc, Provence) cooks
with olive oil; the southwest (Gascony, Béarn, Guyenne) cooks with goose or
duck fat; and the east (Lyon, Savoy) and extreme north (Picardy, Champagne)
cook with pork fat (lard). Walnut oil is also much used in the southwest and
central regions. Garlic is the natural partner of olive oil in Provençal cooking in
the southeast, whereas shallots typify the cooking of Touraine and Bordeaux in
the west. Almost everywhere else, the onion (and to a lesser extent, the leek) is
more widely used.
However, this rough division is rent by multiple lines of its own. Each
region is noted for specific dishes and styles of cooking that capitalize on the
quality ingredients produced in that specific environment. The cooking of the
extreme north (Picardy and Champagne close to the Belgian border) and
northeast (Alsace and Lorraine near Germany) is based on pork, cabbage,
potatoes, sausages, beer (as grapes do not grow well there), and sauerkraut, all of
which are typical of its neighbors’ preferences as well, and well suited to a cold
climate. Presalé lamb (“preflavored” by the salty marsh grass on which they
graze), fish, and seafood from the Atlantic Coast (such as sole, lobster, mussels,
oysters, and scallops), and apples which are made into Calvados brandy are the
pride of northwest Normandy.
The cooking of southeast Provence, based on tomatoes, eggplants, and fish

and seafood from the Mediterranean coast, is more in keeping with a hot climate.
Likewise based on robust flavors, the cuisine of southwestern Gascony and
Bearn, and that of neighboring Languedoc, share characteristics with
neighboring northern Spain and echo the flavors of Basque and Catalan cooking.
The wine producing regions, Burgundy and Bordeaux, are noted for classic
dishes given their distinctive flavor by the region’s quality wine: boeuf à la
bourgignonne (beef stewed in red wine) and sauce bordelaise (red wine sauce).
The great dishes and best produce from all of these regions have found their way
to the best restaurants of Paris (and elsewhere in and outside France), where they
have been refined yet further to produce elaborate grande or haute cuisine,
characterized by complex sauces and methods of preparation. At the opposite
end is well-prepared daily home cooking of good quality (cuisine bourgeoise) or
good, down-to-earth cooking (cuisine bonne femme).
The initial stimulus of Italian cooking has traditionally been credited with
the emergence of French cuisine after the Middle Ages, but several recently
discovered sixteenth century cookbooks are now promoting a different view.
The French court—the most luxurious court in Europe between the sixteenth and
eighteenth centuries—developed many dishes and styles of cooking and
encouraged the rise of professional cooks. After the French Revolution in the
late eighteenth century, French chefs (and the aristocrats who had benefited and
learned from them) spread as exiles throughout Europe and heavily influenced
most European cuisines.
French cooking has evolved over the centuries from reliance on exotic
products and eye-catching sculptured dishes, through a period of heavy
formalization and the creation of complex dishes reliant on heavy sauces, to the
modern period with greater reliance on fresh produce, lighter dishes, and greater
appreciation of provincial cuisine. Many historical French chefs are world
renowned, and their recipes are reproduced and served to this day.
FOODSTUFFS
• French cooking incorporates virtually any food product to be found
throughout Europe.
• The choice of meats is extensive, and the preference for a particular
meat depends on the area. Pork and beef are favorites in the northern
part of the country. Chicken is a famous delicacy in Alsace. In the
south, different varieties of beef and also lamb are served. Duck,
turkey, and other birds such as snipe and woodcock are on the menu in
season. Virtually all parts of the animal are eaten, including pig’s ears,
internal organs, brain, and so on. Much meat is eaten fresh, and other
quantities go toward the making of hundreds of varieties of sausages
and preserved meats such as hams.
• The French enjoy proximity to two seas—the Mediterranean and the
Atlantic—from which they obtain an enormous variety of seafood,
notably along the coasts, where fresh seafood can be purchased and
prepared as soon as it is unloaded from the boats. Oysters, a variety of
clams, mussels, sea snails, and other mollusks, as well as lobster and
shrimp, are in demand, some eaten raw, others cooked. Fish in demand
include breams, mullets, cod, mackerel, and other sea fish. Eels and
sweet-water fish such as trout are raised in ponds and streams or
caught in estuaries.
• Carbohydrates include wheat products, from which many different
crusty breads are made, potatoes, topinambours (Jerusalem artichoke),
rice, and various pasta. Bread is by far the most common carbohydrate.
The French also make an enormous variety of other baked foods. Buns
and rolls are eaten by all, and different areas of the country have their
own specialties. Cakes, biscuits, and cookies, both locally made by
small patisserie and commercially by large-scale bakeries, can be
found throughout the country.
• Vegetables, in fresh or cooked form, include carrots, onions, garlic,
potatoes, cabbage, olives, a variety of green leaves, artichokes, and
asparagus.
• Fruits include apples and pears from Normandy and Brittany,
peaches and plums, grapes (both for eating and for wine), berries of
various sorts, and, more recently, tropical and exotic fruits such as
kiwi fruit and bananas.
• France has an extensive dairy industry. The country produces many
varieties of cheeses (which allegedly prompted one French president to
remark that “it is impossible to govern a people who disagree over 246
varieties of cheese”), the number ranging from two hundred to one
thousand, depending on whether only the major ones are counted or
minor regional variations as well. Milk is used for coffee. Heavy and
lighter creams are used for sauces, as well as for ice cream, cream
desserts, and cake fillings.
• Eggs are used on their own in the form of simple omelets and for
making sauces, for binding other foodstuffs together, and as elements
in major dishes. Hens’ eggs are most common, but French markets
also supply duck, goose, and quail eggs.
• France has also proven an ideal setting for growing grapevines, and
as a consequence it has the most elaborate viticulture in the world,
with many varieties of wine produced throughout the country. Some of
these wines are extremely rare, and as a consequence, expensive.
Notwithstanding the popularity (and commercial success) of wine
industries in other countries (e.g., California, Chile, Australia, Italy),
French tastes and selection, as well as traditional names and varieties,
dominate the market. Wines—both red (usually drunk with darker and
heavier dishes) and white (usually drunk with fish and paler meats,
lighter dishes)—are made throughout the country, both famous
appelation controllé (wines from a particular named area) and simple
country wines made by farmers for local consumption.
• Wines, carbonated water, and beer are the most common drinks to
accompany meals. Smaller children are given heavily diluted wine as
part of a family meal. Coffee is drunk heavily milked for breakfast and
at different times during the day, sometimes with pastry.
TYPICAL DISHES
• There are a vast number of French typical regional dishes, some of
which are so renowned outside their region that they feature in French
restaurants worldwide and have become haute cuisine (refined dishes
served in specialty restaurants). It would need a large book to cite even
a fraction of them all. These dishes include the regions of extreme
northern Picardy, Flanders, Artois, and Champagne’s pickled herring
(harengs saurs), leek and cream tart (flamiche), tripe sausages
(andouillettes), and boiled or stewed meats and vegetables (hochepot
or potée). For the northwest, Brittany’s eel stew (matelote d’anguilles)
and crêpes, Touraine’s potted pork (rillette), Normandy’s sole in
cream sauce (sole à la deauvillaise) and chicken in cream, and
Calvados’ apple brandy (poulet Valée d’Auge). For the northeast,
Strasbourg’s pâté de foie gras with truffles, Lorraine’s bacon tart
(quiche Lorraine), and Alsace’s sauerkraut and sausages (choucroute
garnie). For central France, Burgundy’s wine-stewed beef (boeuf à la
Bourguignonne) and ham in cream sauce (jambon à la crème),
Bourbonnais’ roast pork with red cabbage and chestnuts (roti de porc
à la Bourbonnaise) and cherry batter cake (clafoutis aux cerises
noires). For the southwest, Gascony’s vegetable soup (garbure); Dax’s
almond and hazelnut cake (dacquoise), and stuffed dishes from
Périgord. For the southeast, Languedoc’s bean and meat casserole
(cassoulet), salt cod spread (brandade), and saffron-flavored soup (le
mourtayrol); Provence’s fish soup (bouillabaisse); and Nice’s anchovy
and onion tart (pissaladière) and garlic mayonnaise (aioli). The Île de
France region in central France (which includes Paris and Orleans) is
the home of haute or grande cuisine, where restaurants have refined
and continue to refine the best regional dishes.
• French cooking is classified not only by region or province but also
by whether the dish is considered haute cuisine (high cuisine that was
served in restaurants and, originally, to royalty) or cuisine bourgeoise
or cuisine bonne femme (family or everyday cooking).
• Many dishes are characterized by the presence of a flavoring sauce.
These are often thickened by flour or eggs, and in the north of the
country, by cream. Sauces often incorporate local wines in their
makeup.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people eat three meals a day and snacks, stopping at
midmorning for a bite, and in late afternoon for a bite and a drink.
• European place settings, including forks, spoons, and knives for
different courses originated in France (see sidebar “European Table-
Setting Traditions,” p. 461).
• Breakfast: a large cup or bowl of milky coffee and a slice of fresh
bread, or croissants (flaky butter rolls), or brioche rolls.
• Lunch: for some, the major meal of the day, which can include an
appetizer of fresh vegetables in dressing, a soup of the season. A main
course of cooked meat, a carbohydrate, and some cooked vegetables.
Dessert follows, sometimes fresh fruit of the season, sometimes a
cooked dessert such as a sweet.
• Evening: evening meals can be light for some people, but are more
often elaborate dinners, both in the household and, most notably, in
company. A full meal can consists of an appetizer (hors d’oeuvres) of
savory pastry, bits of fish or meat, or vegetables. This is followed by a
soup. Fish with some accompaniment follows. Then comes the main
meat dish served with cooked vegetables and a carbohydrate. A fresh,
simple (commonly green) salad, flavored lightly by a vinaigrette
(lemon juice or vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper, perhaps mustard)
follows, to cleanse the palate. Then come some cheeses and fresh fruit.
Some meals may end here or continue with a finale of a cooked or
baked sweet. Small dishes of sweet or sour confections may be served
between courses to refresh the palate in preparation for the next
course.
• Wine or beer (depending on region and occasion) is matched to the
dish. Often the same wine used in cooking the main dish will be used
for drinking as well (which also includes the cheese course). A
sparkling wine (only that from the Champagne region may rightfully
claim the name) may be served with the hors d’oeuvres, and eaux de
vie (distilled fruit liqueurs) may be served after the meal.
• As the birthplace of the restaurant, France has an enormous range of
eating places—from neighborhood bistros and simple country eateries
to famed chef’s establishments (top-rated with three Michelin stars).
Eating out and, more important, eating well is very much part of
everyday life.
• Restaurants serving international food—Chinese, Japanese, Thai—
and offering the cuisines of former French colonies (Vietnamese,
Laotian) are plentiful in major cities.
EUROPEAN TABLE-SETTING TRADITIONS

Forks, knives, and spoons are used all over the world. But the table
arrangements that are most common today—called “standard European
table settings” here—originated in Europe during the heyday of French
culture between the Middle Ages and the Enlightenment. The normal
arrangement is for diners to eat seated at a table, all plates and utensils
arrayed before them.
In formal dining there is supposed to be a separate set of utensils for
every dish and its related foods, for example, meat, a starch, and vegetables
that come together, as well as separate plates and glasses for each type of
food. Food is brought to the table and served, one remove at a time. Once
finished, the food and its associated utensils are removed to be replaced by
another. The normal setting consists of various arrangements of knives,
forks, and spoons of various sizes (and sometimes specialized shapes).
These are arranged with the main plate in the center, knives on the right,
forks on the left, dessert utensils towards the center of the table, and soup
spoons to the right of knives. The order of use is from the outside inward,
then those at the top. Utensils were generally of metal coated with
nonreactive silver (hence the name “silverware” for cutlery). Plates were
generally of china or glass (in previous centuries they were of pewter,
silver, or gold for those who could afford it). Most food is brought to the
mouth using utensils only. In modern dining, this has been curtailed to one
or two of each type of utensil.
There are a number of other major table-setting traditions. All table
settings depend on what is considered appropriate for the culture concerned,
and they are dependent, at least in part, on available technologies.

This dish is served as an appetizer, before the main dish.
2 ounces butter
2 ounces water
1/2 pound small, closed white mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed.
Melt butter in the water in a small pan.

Add garlic. Simmer briefly until garlic becomes fragrant.
Stir in mushrooms.
Simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Serve hot.

This classic soup is often made at home.
2 ounces butter
1 large leek, white part only, shredded
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
water to cover
3–4 TBS cream
Melt butter in a heavy pot. Fry the leek gently.

Add carrot and potato. Season.
Add water to cover. Simmer for at least 45 minutes until all the
vegetables are very soft.
Puree the soup in a blender.
Before serving, stir in cream.
Serve sprinkled with parsley.

These eggs can be served as a light supper with bread and salad.
2 ounces butter
2 TBS flour
4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and sliced into quarters
3/4 pint milk, slowly warmed up with 1 bay leaf, 1 slice onion, and 3
peppercorns
8 ounces yellow cheese, grated (not processed cheese!)
1 ounce grated parmesan cheese
Melt butter in a pan. Add flour, stirring to form a paste. Reduce heat to
minimum.
Discard bay leaf, onion, and peppercorns, and stir in milk gradually to
flour paste, a bit at a time, mixing well until absorbed before adding
more.
Stir constantly all around the pan so that the sauce does not stick to the
bottom or sides.
Season and allow to thicken slightly. If too thick, add more milk.
Remove from heat.
Add grated cheese. Stir once, then allow cheese to melt and dissolve
(if you stir too much, cheese will become stringy and sauce will
curdle).
Arrange eggs on an oval, ovenproof dish.
Pour cheese sauce over eggs. Sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake at 425°F for 10–20 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbly
and slightly colored.
Serve hot.

This dish is a part of the country cooking tradition and is served as a main meal
in many households in northern France.
1 TBS vegetable oil

1 pound stewing beef, cut into small pieces
2 onions, chopped
1 TBS flour
1 bottle beer or equivalent stock
1 bouquet garni: 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, and 1 sprig parsley, tied
together with kitchen twine
Heat oil in heavy cast-iron casserole. Sear meat, browning it well.

Turn down the heat and simmer the onion and garlic gently with the
meat.
Stir flour into juices at bottom of casserole and mix to a paste, then
add the beer or stock, stirring rapidly as it thickens. Adjust the liquid
with water if necessary so that the meat is covered.
Season to taste. Add the bouquet garni.
Cover and simmer gently for at least 1 hour, stirring and checking the
liquid level occasionally so that it does not dry out.
Serve with potatoes, removing bouquet garni before serving.

This is a simple dish commonly made in Burgundy, usually served for a family
meal.
6 shallots, minced
5 juniper berries, crushed
5 TBS white wine vinegar
2 ounces butter
2 ounces flour
1 cup hot beef or chicken stock (or 1 stock cube dissolved in 1 cup hot
water)
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup cream
1 tsp butter
8 slices cooked ham
4 TBS breadcrumbs
Gently simmer the shallots and juniper berries in the wine vinegar
until the vinegar has evaporated. Set aside.
Prepare the sauce: melt the butter and stir in the flour.
Allow the flour to brown slightly, then gradually pour in the stock,
stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
When the stock has been absorbed, stir in the wine, shallot, and juniper
mixture and season.
Cook gently until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Slowly stir in the cream and 1 tsp butter.
Place ham in one layer in a baking dish.
Pour the sauce over the ham and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Bake in a 425°F oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly colored.
? Did you know?

To get the skeptical French peasants to eat potatoes, Antoine-Augustin
Parmentier, a nutritionist, planted a strongly walled, heavily guarded garden
with potatoes, then instructed the guards to allow themselves to be bribed
so that people could “steal” the vegetables supposedly reserved for the king.
He is honored with a dish called “Potatoes Parmentier.”

Potatoes, introduced during the seventeenth century, gradually became popular.
These can be served as a dish on their own.
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into very thin disks

4 ounces butter, diced.
1 cup minced parsley
On a buttered shallow baking dish, arrange alternating layers of

potatoes and chopped onion, sprinkling with salt and pepper, diced
butter, and parsley between layers.
Reserve some butter and parsley for topping.
Bake at 300°F for about 1 1/2 hours or until the potatoes are tender.

This is another Provençal dish that has become popular nationwide and thus has
many variations.
1 large eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 TBS olive oil
1 large white onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rings
3 bell peppers (1 each red, green, yellow) cored and sliced into 1/2-
inch rings
2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 sprigs fresh thyme or oregano
1 TBS (or more) tomato paste
1 tsp (or more) sugar
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Ratatouille, traditional French braised summer vegetables (see recipe). (Shutterstock)
Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt. Let them stand for about 20 minutes
to sweat out some of their bitterness. Rinse off the brown liquid and
pat slices dry with paper towels.
In a lidded, heavy saucepan, heat olive oil.
Gently cook onions and garlic in the oil for a minute or two.
Add bell peppers, eggplant, and zucchini.
Top with chopped tomatoes, thyme, and seasoning.
Turn heat down to the minimum.
Cover and simmer very gently for about 45 minutes or until vegetables
are very tender.
Check seasoning, and add tomato paste to sharpen the flavor, or sugar
to tone down too much tartness.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Serve with crusty French bread and olives.

This classic Provençal dish is popular throughout the country for a light meal on
its own or as an appetizer.
2 small heads of crisp lettuce (Bibb or Boston), torn or shredded
2 ripe, fresh tomatoes, quartered, or 8 cherry tomatoes.
1 cup thin cucumber slices
1 cup quickly blanched (crisp-tender) whole green beans, trimmed
handful of black olives
4 boiled new, waxy potatoes, cubed and cooled
4 slices grilled fresh tuna steaks (or one large can tuna chunks,
drained)
4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, cut in quarters (or eight quail eggs)
8 anchovies
Dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Arrange lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, olives, and

potatoes in a wide bowl.
Top with tuna, eggs, and anchovies.
Mix all dressing ingredients and drizzle over salad.
Serve on a hot day, with crusty French bread if desired.

This is a quiche-type dish from Alsace, in northern France. It is eaten as a light
lunch or supper.
Dough
5 ounces flour
2 1/2 ounces butter
1 egg, beaten
2–3 TBS water
Filling
4 ounces butter
1 1/2 pounds onions, sliced finely
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 pint cream
In a food processor, mix flour, butter, egg, and just enough water to
make a pliable dough.
Remove dough and chill for 1/2 hour.
Meanwhile, make the filling:
Heat butter in a pan, and cook onions gently until golden. Remove
from heat and allow to cool.
Beat eggs and cream together, add to onions, and season.
Cool the onions then add in the egg mixture. Season.
Roll out the pastry about 1/8 inch or thinner, and line a 10-inch pie
plate or tart dish.
Fill the pastry with the onion and cream mixture.
Bake in a medium-hot oven (about 350°F) for about 40 minutes or
until done.
Serve hot.

In Breton tradition, galettes are always made with buckwheat and are savory,
while crêpes are sweet and made of wheat flour. Galettes can serve as a small
meal or as a snack.
8 ounces buckwheat flour

pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 pint cold water
1 1/2 ounces of melted butter plus extra for greasing
1/2 cup TBS crème fraiche or sour cream
4 eggs
In a blender or food processor, mix the buckwheat flour, salt, eggs,
cold water, and butter until smooth. Let the batter rest for two hours.
Heat a heavy cast-iron galette pan, without a rim (or a heavy iron or
nonstick pan with a low rim).
Grease with a paper towel dipped in liquid butter.
Pour 1/4 of the batter, and tilt pan to spread as thinly as possible.
When it is just cooked through, heap 1/4 of the filling in the center of
the galette.
Make a slight depression on the filling and place 1 tsp (or more if
desired) of crème fraiche.
Break an egg over the crème fraiche and allow it to briefly warm
through.
Enclose the filling by flipping two opposite sides of the gallette over
the other two, to form a square. Turn over carefully and immediately
slide onto a warmed plate.
Serve with a green salad and more of the crème fraiche.
Filling
Fillings are a matter of choice (ham, sausage, cheese, etc). To be true complètes,
however:
2 cups mixed, finely sliced, or shredded ham and/or cheese

2 tomatoes, finely sliced
1 small onion, finely sliced
Divide the above ingredients into 4, and use as directed for filling the
crepes.

This is a traditional light meal throughout France. Working people often have
this at lunch, as it is quick and filling.
8 slices good, white bread, crusts trimmed

1 cup shredded good, sharp, yellow cheese (Monterey Jack,
Emmenthal, or similar)
4 slices smoked ham
2 eggs, well beaten and slightly thinned with water or milk, in a large
flat soup plate.
oil or butter for frying.
Make sandwiches of 2 slices of bread with cheese and ham spread

evenly inside.
Heat fat in a heavy frying pan.
Dip each sandwich in beaten egg on both sides.
Fry gently until the outside is golden brown and the cheese inside
melts.
Serve warm.

This is an elaborate dessert. Individual custard cups or ramekins (twelve
altogether) are preferred for preparing this dish, though it is possible to make in
three round baking dishes. Normally, a baked custard such as this is eaten from
the ramekin rather than being served out.
1 1/3 pints milk

5 ounces sugar
few drops vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee
2 TBS cocoa powder
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
12 small custard cups or ramekins or 3 1-pint round baking dishes

Scald milk and sugar. Remove from heat and set aside.
Put the instant coffee, the cocoa powder, and a few drops of vanilla in
separate heatproof bowls.
Combine eggs and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk to blend.
Whisk in the hot milk.
Strain and divide the mixture equally between the three bowls.
Whisk each bowl separately, rinsing whisk between times.
Fill 4 of the ramekins with the coffee mixture, 4 with chocolate, and
the remaining 4 with vanilla. (Or fill 3 larger round baking dishes.)
Line the bottom of a large baking pan with wax paper.
Set the 12 ramekins (or three baking dishes) in the pan well apart.
Pour hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the
ramekins.
Reduce the oven heat to 375°F and bake for about 20 minutes (about
25 minutes for the larger dishes). (There may be a one-inch circle of
liquid custard in the middle, but this will solidify as the custard cools.)
Leave the custard to cool in the baking pan in the oven, with the door
open, then refrigerate.
Serve chilled, topped with a spoonful of whipped cream if desired.

Sugar tart is a specialty of the northern French region of the Ardennes, where
sugar beets are a major crop. It is also known as tarte au sucre Ardennaise.
1/2 cup milk, lukewarm

4 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cake compressed fresh yeast or 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
Topping
3/4 cup dark or light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream
2–3 TBS butter, diced
Put the milk into a large bowl, and stir in well the sugar, salt, and
yeast.
Set aside until the yeast mixture is frothy.
Mix in well the flour, egg, and butter and knead the dough until it is
smooth and elastic.
Let rest covered in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or more, until doubled
in volume.
Butter a 10-inch cake pan or pie pan; press the risen dough to cover the
bottom of the pan.
Let the dough rise for 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the oven to
350°F.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the dough.
Mix the eggs and cream; pour gently over the sugar; sprinkle diced
butter over the cream mixture.
Bake for 25–30 minutes or until tart is golden.
Serve warm.

Clafoutis (also spelled clafouti in English) is a classic dessert from the Limousin
region in central France, where it is traditionally made with cherries abundantly
grown there. Other berry fruits, plums, or apples can also be used.
2–3 large ripe aromatic pears, peeled, cored, and sliced lengthwise or
cubed
3 TBS sugar
3 TBS lemon juice (or white wine or pear liqueur)
To grease the baking dish

1–2 TBS butter
2–3 TBS sugar
Batter
2 TBS butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp powdered mace or 1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 TBS flour
1 cup cream
1/4 tsp salt
In a bowl, place the pears and mix with sugar and lemon juice; leave at
room temperature, covered, for 1–2 hours to macerate.
Grease a baking dish with butter; sprinkle sugar evenly to coat the
bottom and sides of the baking dish.
Prepare the batter: heat butter in a pan over medium heat until it starts
to turn golden brown but no longer (or it will turn bitter). Set this
butter, called beurre noisette, aside.
In a large mixer or food processor bowl, blend the eggs, sugar, vanilla,
flour, cream, salt, and beurre noisette until just mixed, about 1 minute
at top speed.
Place pears on baking dish; pour batter over and bake for 45 minutes
until set and golden.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.
G
Gabon
Gabon is a West African country on the shores of the Atlantic, slightly smaller
than Colorado. It borders Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo,
and the Gulf of Guinea.
Gabon is tropical and is largely covered by forests. Containing one of the
largest remaining forests in Africa, Gabon has a huge variety of wildlife in its
seas and hinterland. The climate is tropical and very humid.
There are a number of ethnic groups in the country, the most populous
being the Fang.
Cocoa, coffee, and fish are raised for export. As in other West African
countries, food is based on a manioc (cassava) staple eaten with stewed or
mashed vegetables, with fish or meat, usually game.
FOODSTUFFS
• Cassava (yuca) is the most common crop for food. This is turned into
a dry flour, which can then be baked or made into a porridge.
• Forest products, including greens, mushrooms, nuts, some kinds of
fruits, and particularly “bush meat”—game animals of all sorts—are
taken from the extensive forests.
• All kinds of meat are eaten, including monkey, pangolin, squirrels,
rats, and birds of all sorts. Households raise goats and cattle, as well as
chickens for consumption.
• Tropical fruits are raised, including pineapples, mango, and,
particularly, several varieties of bananas.
• Vegetables include a variety of yams (both domesticated and wild),
okra, greens, sweet potatoes, and, notably, peanuts and chilies, which
are used in sauces.
TYPICAL DISHES
• As in much of West Africa, the staple is baton de manioc (steamed
cassava flour), which is served with a variety of vegetable, fish, and
meat sauces and stews.
• Various sandwiches of baguettes, often filled with shaved or sliced
meat and a sauce, are common as a midday meals.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people try to eat three meals a day, though that depends on their
occupation and resources available to them.
• Gabonese traditional families normally eat together on a mat on the
floor, sharing food from a common pot.
• Breakfast is normally a stiff porridge with leftovers from the
previous day’s dinner, washed down with coffee or tea.
• Meals may be preceded by a soup, but for most households, a thick
soup is more likely to be the main side dish, together with a thick
porridge staple or baton de manioc.
• The midday meal is lighter and may consist of little more than a
snack or of a meal like the evening meal.
• The evening meal is the main one of the day, consisting of the staple,
usually baton de manioc, and one or more side dishes or sauces, into
which the baton is dipped or which is poured on the baton. Meat or
fish is eaten once a day, usually for the evening meal.
• Snacks are consumed at any time of the day.
• In the towns, restaurants and cafés serve European style with knife,
fork, and spoon, and individual dishes.

This sauce is served with baton de manioc or rice for the main meal. The size of
the okra pieces affects the consistency of this dish: the smaller the pieces, the
more glutinous the result.
1 TBS oil
2 bouillon cubes
20 okra, trimmed and chopped or sliced into 1-inch rings
2 hot chili peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped finely
8 ounces dried, smoked fish, cleaned and rinsed (or 1/2 pound stewing
meat, cubed)
4 cups water
Heat oil in a saucepan.

Sauté onions until golden. Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
Crumble stock cubes and add together with okra and peppers. Cook for
2–3 minutes.
Add water, cover, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and add fish (or meat) and the tomato paste.
Simmer until the okra and fish are tender.
Add water if the soup is too thick.
Serve with manioc.

Chickens are raised by most households, and cooking in palm butter provides a
red color and nutty flavor.

8 chicken drumsticks
1 large ripe tomato, chopped (or 1 small can tomatoes, drained)
12 okras, chopped
1 chili pepper, chopped
salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
2 cups moambé/nyembwe sauce (palm butter) or canned palm soup
base (available from stores that sell African foods)
1 cup water
Heat oil in a saucepan and quickly brown the chicken on all sides.
Remove, drain, and reserve.
In the same pan, fry onions until soft. Add tomatoes, okra, garlic, and
chili.
Return chicken to the pan, reduce heat; and add salt and spices.
Add moambé sauce or canned palm soup base and one cup water.
Cover and simmer gently until everything is tender (30–45 minutes),
stirring often.
The red palm oil tends to separate from the sauce. Some people
remove some or most of this red oil before serving; otherwise, give a
final stir before serving.

The palm fruits traditionally used for this dish are forest products that are not
exported fresh but can be bought canned (as palm soup base, cream of palm
soup, or sauce graine from stores that sell African foods). Almonds, hazelnuts,
or macadamia nuts can be used as substitutes. Some variants of this recipe use
smoked chicken. Serve this with baton de manioc for a main meal.
6 ounces almonds, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts

3/4 pint water
1 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
3 onions, sliced thinly
2-pound chicken, cut in serving pieces
Pulverize nuts with mortar and pestle and mix with the water, or put
nuts in blender or food processor with the water to make a paste.
Place the nut mixture in a saucepan.
Stir in the peppers, salt, garlic, and green onions. Mix ingredients well.
Place pieces of chicken in the nut mixture. Cover and cook over very
low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Check often and stir, and add water if necessary.
Coupé-coupé, enclosed in a French baguette to make a sandwich, is often found
in urban areas and sold to workers for lunch. The barbecued meat is frequently
added to a main meal.
1 cup stock (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water)

1 TBS palm oil
juice of 1 lime
1 pound beef, round steak or London broil
Mix stock, cayenne, oil, and lime juice to make a marinade.

Pour marinade over meat in a glass container. Let meat marinate for at
least half an hour in a cool place.
Cook meat over a slow charcoal fire (or under a medium grill). The
object is to cook the meat slowly. Cool down the charcoal from time to
time by spraying it lightly with water.
Baste meat every 10 minutes with more marinade.
Remove meat from fire, slice thinly, and serve in baguettes with a
thick pepper or peanut sauce.
This French-influenced dish comes from the coastal area around Mayumba,
facing the Atlantic Ocean.
4 whole fresh crabs, each about 1 pound in weight, scrubbed and

cleaned
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 TBS butter or cooking oil
4–5 stalks green onions, finely chopped, or 1/2 cup chives, finely
chopped
1/4 cup cream
2 TBS sharp prepared mustard
1 egg, beaten
Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce (optional)
1/4 cup Gruyère or Parmesan cheese, grated
Fill a pot, large enough to take the 4 crabs, with 1/2 cup water, the
garlic, and peppercorns, and bring to a boil.
Put in the crabs, cover the pot, and cook until they turn red, about 10–
15 minutes. Turn off the heat; let the crabs come to room temperature
in the covered pot. Reserve the garlic cloves for later use.
A less traditional, more humane method: soak the cleaned crabs in
hand-hot (not boiling) water to cover before putting them into the
boiling water to cook.
Separate the shell from the body; with the tip of a knife, scrape out all
the bits of crab meat inside the shell and place in a bowl.
From the body of the crab, discard the gills (also called dead man’s
fingers).
Using your fingers or knife, tease out the white crab meat from the
body, including any yellow semiliquid or solid red “fat” lying
uppermost, and add these to the bowl.
In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the butter and fry the onions
until softened, about 2–3 minutes.
Stir in the crab meat and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Turn off the
heat and let cool.
Finely chop the drained garlic cloves; add to crab mixture.
Stir in the cream, mustard, egg, and bread crumbs. Season with salt,
pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
Spoon the crab mixture into the shells.
Sprinkle with cheese; place under hot grill for 5 or more minutes or
until golden.
Serve at once.

Coconuts feature in many desserts. This flan is a French-influenced coconut
custard.

4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
1 cup grated fresh or frozen coconut, unsweetened
In a bowl, mix the coconut cream, eggs, 4 TBS brown sugar, vanilla,
and 1/2 cup grated coconut.
Divide into 4 custard cups or small baking dishes.
Place cups into a bain-marie or a deep baking tray with hot water to
midlevel of the cups.
Bake at 325°F for 15–20 minutes or until the custard sides are set, with
only a small wobbly circle at the center. Let cups cool in the oven,
with the door left open.
To serve: mix the remaining brown sugar with the rest of the grated
coconut and spoon over the custard.
Grill for 2–3 minutes or until just caramelized; serve warm.
The Gambia
The Gambia is a narrow strip of ground on both sides of the Gambia River and is
entirely surrounded by Senegal.
The climate is tropical and the terrain consists of the littoral and flood plain
of the Gambia River, enabling subsistence raising of rice and other staples,
vegetables, fruits, goats, and chickens.
There are several ethnic groups, including Mandinka, Wollof, and Creoles
(mixed Afro-European). Most of the population is Muslim. Gambian food
focuses on fish caught along the Gambia River—as main ingredients and as
flavoring—either salted, smoked, or fermented. There are common dishes with
Senegal and Sierra Leone, and elements borrowed from Arabian and creole
cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice (a luxury), millet, sorghum, and cassava are the principal crops
and serve as the main ingredients of meals. Cassava has been adopted
from neighboring Sierra Leone, yams from Nigeria. Wheat flour, made
into fufu, is a creole import.
• Fish and other marine life from the river are major food items. These
include mollusks, crayfish, and frogs.
• Meat is in great demand. The most common meats are goat, chicken,
and beef.
• Vegetables include eggplant, pumpkin, tomato, locust bean, black-
eyed bean, other legumes, cabbage, okra, baobab fruit (also called
monkey bread) and leaves (fresh and dried), sorrel, tomato.
• Banana, mango, lime, and tamarind are consumed.
• Garlic, onion, green onions (locally called Mandinka onions because
they are grown in their gardens), black pepper, turmeric, hot peppers
(big, small), basil (pat menger), bay leaf, fermented sesame seed paste
(ogiri), fermented locust bean (locos), fermented snails (yate), smoked
fish, palm nut oil, soda (lubi), stock cubes, peanuts are used for
seasoning.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Groundnut stew and other stews are eaten as side dishes along with
the cooked carbohydrate staple.
• Stews of fish, chicken, or meat (beef or goat) with vegetables:
benachin.
• Creole-influenced soups with meat and vegetables.
STYLES OF EATING
• People eat three meals a day, when possible.
• Families eat together sitting on a mat around a bowl of the staple and
some side dishes, which are shared. Creoles eat with European table
settings.
• Breakfast: sweet rice and peanut porridge (churah gerteh) or millet
(coos) porridge served with sour milk; or bread and coffee.
• Midday meal: soup of meat and vegetables, flavored with peanuts
and hibiscus flower buds (shackpa plasas soup); or steamed fish;
boiled rice; sautéed eggplant or pumpkin; wheat flour or cassava fufu;
or other staple. Dessert of mango cream or stewed mangoes.
• Dinner: The evening meal is light, with a soup, such as peanut-
flavored bean soup (bassi nyebe salteh), accompanied by fermented
millet (cherreh).
• In the towns, there are large numbers of small cafés and restaurants
that serve European-style food.
Gambian family shares a meal of benachin. (Neils Photography)

Soups can be eaten liquid from a bowl or made more thick and glutinous as a
sauce to be poured over the staple.
1/2 cup palm oil (or substitute any vegetable oil)

1/2 pound stewing beef, cut into cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 hot chili pepper (whole for less spicy, chopped for spicy dish)
5 cups water
1 smoked or dried fish, cleaned, rinsed in water, bones removed,
broken into bite-sized pieces
1 fresh fish, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pound greens (spinach, collards, kale, or turnip greens), stems
removed, cleaned, washed, and shredded
15 okra, stem ends removed and cut into coins (when using okra,
remember that the more finely it is cut, the more glutinous the soup)
Heat about 1/4 of the oil in a saucepan. Brown meat. Add the onion
and peppers and fry for another 1–2 minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
simmer for 1–2 hours, until all is tender.
When soup has reduced to your liking, stir in additional palm oil (if
desired) and simmer for another 10–20 minutes.
Serve with rice.

This benachin is the most typical Gambian dish. Serve for a midday meal.
4 whole small fish (about 2 pounds total weight), heads and tails
removed, scaled, and cleaned
juice of 2 limes
1 cup oil
1 onion, chopped
10 cups water
1 eggplant, cubed
1 pound pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
5 tender okras, thinly trimmed at the stem end only
1 bitter tomato (Solanum aethiopicum or substitute 2 tomatillos,
available from stores that sell Latino foods and major supermarkets)
(optional)
2 TBS tomato paste
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 bay leaves
2 cups uncooked rice, washed and drained
2 green bell peppers, seeded and quartered
Stuffing
1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled
1/2 cup chives, chopped
Rub fish well inside and out with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Leave to
marinate for 20 minutes.
Mix the stuffing ingredients thoroughly. Stuff into the fish cavity (the
belly).
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; shallow fry the fish lightly. Set
aside.
In a saucepan, heat 3 TBS of the oil used for frying.
Sauté the onion until golden; stir in tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and black
pepper.
Simmer, covered, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Add fish, eggplant, pumpkin, okra, bitter tomato (if using), tomato
paste, bouillon cubes, and bay leaves.
Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Turn off heat. Remove fish and vegetables to a covered dish to keep
warm.
Measure remaining liquid in saucepan. Add enough water to make 5
cups.
Bring to a boil and correct seasoning.
Add rice and bell peppers.
Cover, and simmer 20–25 minutes until rice is done.
To serve, mound rice on individual plates.
Arrange fish and vegetables on top of each mound.
Serve immediately.
Peanuts, imported by the Portuguese into Africa, are as important in The Gambia
as in the rest of West Africa.
1 TBS vegetable oil

1 pound stewing meat (beef, pork, or turkey), cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes (or 1 can tomatoes, drained), chopped
1 eggplant, cubed
1 hot chili pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup natural peanut butter
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Brown the meat, and add onions.
Add all the remaining ingredients except peanut butter.
Add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until everything is done (20 minutes
or so).
Dissolve peanut butter in a cup of the stock, then add to pan and stir.
Continue to simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Adjust seasoning. Skim off excess oil from surface of the stew, if
desired.
Serve with plain rice.

This is a stew from the coast which may be eaten for lunch.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup water
2 cups coconut milk
5 firm, unripe bananas, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound cowpeas, washed and soaked overnight
6 green or French beans, washed
Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook onions until translucent.

Add the tomatoes and cook until soft (about 5 minutes).
Stir in the meat and water, cover and simmer until meat is almost
tender, about 45 minutes (Add a bit more water if needed.)
Add the coconut milk, and bring to a boil.
Add the banana, peas, and beans.
Reduce the heat and simmer until bananas and peas are cooked (soft
but not mushy; about 15 minutes).
Serve hot over rice, baton de manioc, or fufu.

This is a less elaborate version of benachin. Serve for a main meal.
1 cup vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped
2 pounds fresh fish fillets
1 butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed
1 hot chili pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can chopped tomatoes, drained)
1 TBS tomato paste
3 cups water
2 cups rice, rinsed
2–3 ounces dried smoked fish
Heat the oil in a large pot. Fry the onions for a minute over high heat.
Add garlic and fish, and fry for a few minutes on each side, then
remove the fish and set aside.
Add the squash to the onion mixture and cook for a few minutes,
stirring often.
Add the peppers and cook for a few more minutes.
Stir in the bay leaf, bouillon cube, tomatoes, tomato paste, and water,
and bring to a boil.
Stir in the rice and dried fish.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until everything is tender, about 20–
25 minutes.
Check seasoning (the bouillon cube is salted), and add seasoning if
necessary.
Serve hot.

This is a vegetarian side dish that may be served for either dinner or lunch, with
or without a meat dish. Sorrel, a sour-tasting vegetable (if available), would be
the original greens used in this dish.
1 TBS palm or peanut oil

1 medium bell pepper, seeded and chopped finely
1 medium tomato, chopped finely
16 ounces fresh sorrel or spinach, chopped finely
1/4 cup water
salt and cayenne to taste
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Heat oil and sauté onions until translucent.

Add pepper and sauté until soft.
Add tomato, spinach, peanut butter, and water and simmer lightly (add
some water if needed to keep moist).
Season, add nutmeg, and cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve with rice and a meat dish.
Stewed Mangoes
This is a popular dessert and snack. Serve with custard sauce.
2 large, firm, semiripe mangoes, peeled and diced

4 TBS sugar
1 cup water
pinch of salt
Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until mangoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Let cool.
Taste, and add more sugar if necessary.
Custard sauce
4 TBS sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
In the top pan of a double boiler, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
Place over boiling water in the bottom pan.
Continue to whisk until thick.
Remove from heat and let cool.

Lakh (also known as ngallax in other West African countries) is a sweet porridge
or pudding, traditionally made with the juice of the baobab fruit. The baobab
(Adansonia digitata) is a magnificent and versatile indigenous African tree,
whose young leaves are often cooked as vegetables. The couscous originally
used for lakh is made from millet. Wheat couscous is used in this recipe.
2 cups baobab fruit juice or other tropical fruit juice: passion fruit,
tamarind, or pineapple
2 cups smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar (or more to taste)
2 cups instant couscous
4 TBS butter
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp powdered nutmeg, mace, or cinnamon
Prepare the fruit and peanut-butter sauce: mix the juice, peanut butter,
sugar, vanilla, and orange-blossom water until smooth.
Taste and add more sugar, if needed.
Prepare the couscous: place it in a heatproof bowl or pan; pour over 4
cups boiling water (or the amount given in the package) and cover.
When the couscous has fully absorbed the water (about 5–10 minutes),
stir in the butter.
Divide couscous into 4 glass dessert dishes; level the surface.
Spoon the fruit–peanut butter sauce over the couscous.
Sprinkle with raisins and nutmeg; serve at once, with additional sugar
if desired.

Chakery (also called caakiri or tiakry) is another widely prepared West African
sweet pudding, based on couscous. Unlike lakh (above), its flavoring is based on
sour cream or yogurt. As a garnish, brilliantly colored pomegranate seeds would
be stunning.
2 cups instant couscous

2 TBS butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cream
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg, mace, or cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup tropical fruits of your choice: pomegranate kernels, orange or
mandarin orange segments, diced pineapple, or passion fruit
4 sprigs fresh mint (optional)
Prepare the couscous as above, or according to the package.

Stir in the butter and salt.
Spoon couscous into 4 glass dessert dishes; level the surface.
Mix the cream, yogurt, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and raisins; spoon over
couscous.
Garnish with chosen fruits and mint. Add more sugar at the table if
desired.
Georgia
Georgia is a mountainous country in the southern Caucasus, bordered by the

Russian Federation, Chechnya, and Azerbaijan. It was once part of the Russian,
and later Soviet, empire, and is now an independent state. There are broad,
fertile valleys between the mountains. The Black Sea coast is temperate, whereas
the inland areas are cooler. A range of crops—wheat, grapes and other
Mediterranean-type fruits, and vegetables are grown; cows are raised for milk
and meat; pigs and hens are also raised.
Georgians, who speak a unique Caucasian language with its own ancient
script, comprise most of the population. There also are large minorities of
Armenians, Azeris, and Ossetians. While Georgians are mostly Eastern
Orthodox Christians, there are minority Muslims and Jews who do not eat pork.
Georgian cuisine is rich and diverse, with wide-ranging influence on the

cuisine of neighboring countries. This includes the country’s former imperial
overlord, Russia, whose cuisine has borrowed numerous dishes, particularly
sauces with hot peppers, pickles, and Georgian wine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Georgians eat a variety of starchy foods, including rice, noodles, and
potatoes.
• The countryside is very fertile, producing a variety of fruits and
vegetables. These include onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes
cucumbers, and potatoes.
• Major fruits include plums of many varieties and a large number of
grape varieties, some of them unique to Georgia. Pomegranates,
peaches, and apricots are also raised and eaten either fresh or dried.
• The favorite foods are meat—lamb, goat, beef, chicken—including
both the muscle meat and the innards.
• Georgia is a major producer of wines and fruit brandies, which are
exported throughout Eastern Europe.
TYPICAL DISHES
• A favorite dish at all main meals is meat grilled on skewers, in
various forms: as chunks, minced meat balls, or sausage-like rolls.
These are served with a plum (tkemali) or chili (adzhika) sauce or
condiment.
• Salads of cooked vegetables with walnuts and herbs (mkhali).
• Meat cooked with fruit.
• Khinkali (filled dumplings) can be eaten at any meal.
• Many dishes are flavored with chili, a special herb mix (khmeli
suneli) or fruit sauces or dips, which add a piquancy.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people eat three meals a day, with snacks in between times.
• The main meal is often very elaborate and can extend from midday
until well into the evening.
• Georgians often eat outdoors during the summer, and that serves as a
major form of socializing with both men and women.
• Georgians are famous for a complicated feasting etiquette. The table
is led by a tamada (toastmaster), who proposes traditional toasts. Each
toast is repeated by table members before drinking. Every feast is
accompanied by numerous toasts: to the guests, the host, friends,
ladies, family members, relatives, the mother land, those who passed
away, and so on. If one wants to leave the table (particularly men), one
must first ask the tamada for permission to propose a toast to the host
family.

This is the classical starter to any feast or meal with guests.
1/2 pound kidney beans

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup tkemali sauce (recipe given below in Georgia entry)
fresh cilantro, trimmed
Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. The next day, drain and
rinse them.
Place in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Add 1/2 tsp of salt.
Bring the water to boil and simmer until beans are tender, about 1
hour. Drain.
While the beans are still warm, mash them.
Stir in the tkemali and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve at room temperature, garnished with cilantro.
Khinkalis have a variety of fillings: meat, cheese, or greens. They are served hot,
with coarsely ground black pepper for dipping. Grasp the doughy top, where the
pleats all meet, with the fingers to hold on to the hot dumplings, then discard this
“handle.”
Dough
4 cups wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups of warm water
large pot of boiling salted water
Filling
1 pound of mixed ground beef and pork, or lamb
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp of ground caraway seed
3 small onions, peeled and finely minced
1/2 cup beef bouillon
Combine the flour, salt, and warm water in a bowl to make a firm
dough.
Knead for 15 minutes, then let it sit, covered, for 30–40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare filling.
Mix the ground meats, spices, onions, and bouillon, and knead the
mixture thoroughly with your hands.
Divide the dough into twenty-five pieces.
On a floured board, roll each piece out to a 6-inch disk.
Place about 2 TBS of filling in the center of each disk.
Fold the edges of the dough disk up, pinching together in as many
pleats as you can and moving in one direction around the dumpling,
ensuring each fold of dough overlaps, sealing in the filling.
Holding the dumpling firmly in one hand, twist the pleats together at
the center to seal, breaking off the excess dough at the top.
Slide the dumplings four or five at a time into the boiling salt water,
and cook for 12–15 minutes.
Serve hot with a plate of freshly ground black pepper for dipping.
All parts of animals are used and liked. This dish would serve as part of a feast.
3 TBS cilantro, finely minced

1/2 cup of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
2 TBS butter
1 pound fresh calf’s liver, cut in four slices (substitute four thin slices
of boneless veal, chicken breast, or tender beef)
Mix cilantro, salt, and pepper with pomegranate juice.

Heat butter in pan until foaming stops. Fry liver quickly in butter.
When liver is done, transfer it to a warm serving dish.
Add the pomegranate juice to the fat remaining in the pan. Reduce
slightly.
Pour the sauce over the liver and serve at once.

This is a sweet served to temper hot sauce or used as a snack.
1 pound apples
boiling water to cover
2 1/4 cup sugar
2 cups water
Leaving stems intact, pierce the apples all over with a thin skewer and
place in a pot. Cover with boiling water and put a plate on top to keep
the apples submerged. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a heavy saucepan combine the sugar
and water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Transfer the apples to the boiling syrup and stir for a minute to coat
them. Be careful of the hot syrup.
Reduce heat and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and
increase the heat to medium high.
Cook rapidly, turning the apples occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes
more, until the fruit is tender but still retains its shape.
Serve with adzhika.

This candy is sold on the streets, and also made at home. Chuchkella is popular
all over the Caucasus.
18–20 whole walnut meats

2 pounds red or black seedless grapes
1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 TBS cold water
1 piece 12-inch-long fine cooking string
Tie a knot at the end of the cooking string.

Thread the string onto a heavy needle.
Thread walnuts one by one onto the string.
Remove needle and tie ends of string together to make a “necklace” of
walnuts.
Puree the grapes in a blender at high speed, until they liquefy.
Strain through cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a 2-quart saucepan;
discard skins and must.
Bring the puree to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
Boil briskly, uncovered, for about 15–20 minutes or until the puree has
cooked down to one cup.
Add starch-water mixture; stirring constantly, cook for another minute
or two, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon heavily. Set
aside.
Hold the string and dip the walnuts into the sauce, coating them
thoroughly.
Hang the loop in a dry breeze (or before a fan), placing a plate to catch
drips.
When the nuts have dried and are no longer sticky to the touch, warm
remaining juice to lukewarm and dip the walnuts again. Dry as before.
Repeat dipping and drying process two or three more times, until the
nuts are completely coated and there is no longer any separation
between them.
When ready to serve, cut the chuchkella crosswise and serve with cold
water or coffee (avoid the string if possible).
Chuchkella can be kept for a long time in a dry, cool place.

Adzhika is a fiery Georgian condiment, which has become popular throughout
Russia and many of the former Soviet countries.
1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 cup hot red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup peeled garlic
1/4 cup coriander seeds
2 tsp dried herb mix (khmeli-suneli)
1 cup of broken walnut meats
Grind ingredients together in mortar or food processor.

Add walnuts a few at a time, just enough to get a smooth spreading
cream.
Store in a covered jar refrigerated. Topped with a tablespoon or two of
olive oil, it will keep for a few weeks.

Tkemali is the universal condiment in Georgia. It can be used on meat,
vegetables, or to flavor soups and stews.
1 1/2 pounds tart, firm, semiripe plums, pitted and halved

1/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic peeled, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp coriander seed powder
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBS fresh mint, minced finely
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced finely
Boil plums in water until soft.

Mash or puree in food processor.
Transfer to a clean pot and simmer for 3 minutes.
In the same food processor bowl used for the plums, process garlic and
salt to a fine paste. Add coriander, fennel, and pepper, and process
until smooth.
Add spice-garlic mixture to plum puree and simmer, stirring
constantly, for 5 minutes or until thickened.
Stir in mint and cilantro.
Store in a jar in the refrigerator, covered with 1 or more TBS of olive
oil to keep out the air, tkemali will keep for a few weeks.

This mix is essential to many Georgian dishes. Like most herbal mixes, it varies
from one household to another, so feel free to experiment. If you intend to store
it for any length of time (the mix will keep for two months if stored in a dry
sealed container), use well dried, not fresh, herbs. Use in sauces or rub into
roasts.

2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp mint
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp dried pot-marigold petals
Grind all ingredients in a mortar, or use a food processor set to “high”

in short bursts.
Store in a sealed container.

This variant of baklava features a soft sour cream dough instead of the crisp
phyllo pastry used in other countries.
Dough
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg yolk
1 cup sour cream
Filling
1 cup walnuts
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
butter for greasing
1 egg yolk, beaten and thinned with 1–2 TBS water
3 TBS honey
25–30 walnut halves for garnish (optional)
Prepare the dough: in a large bowl or food processor, mix the dough
ingredients just until they come together (the dough will be soft).
Smooth the dough and divide into 3 parts: 2 of equal size and 1 just
slightly bigger. Wrap well and chill for 1–2 hours.
Make the filling: finely chop the walnuts by hand and mix with the
sugar. Alternatively, process walnuts together with the sugar in a food
processor. (Do not overprocess walnuts or process without the sugar;
the result will be walnut butter.)
Beat the egg whites to very soft peaks.
Grease a 15 × 12 inch (or larger) shallow baking tray or cookie sheet.
Roll out one of the smaller pieces of dough to a 1/4-inch-thick
rectangle.
Place on the baking tray and lightly brush with some of the whipped
egg whites.
Spread half of the filling evenly on the first dough layer, leaving a 1-
inch margin on all sides.
Roll out the other small piece of dough to the same size as the first and
place over the filled first layer.
Brush with the egg whites and spread the remaining filling.
Roll out the last piece of dough, large enough to enclose all the edges
of the previous two layers. Place over the filled second layer.
With a sharp knife, cut the top layer into serving-sized squares or
lozenges (diamonds).
Garnish each square with half a walnut; brush all with the egg yolk
wash.
Place pakhlava into a cold oven. Turn temperature to 400°F.
Once the temperature is reached, bake for 25–30 minutes or until
golden.
Remove from oven, brush with honey and rebake for 5 minutes.
Let cool at room temperature; slice through to the bottom layers and
serve with tea or coffee.

Walnuts and honey, two local products, feature in this confection, which is
traditional for Orthodox Christmas (celebrated on January 7) and New Year’s
Day (on January 1).
2 cups walnuts
1 cup honey
cooking oil (corn or sunflower) for greasing

Place walnuts on an ungreased cookie sheet; toast for 10 minutes and
coarsely chop.
Prepare a surface to receive the hot brittle: pour about a tablespoon of
cooking oil and spread it evenly with a paper towel on a cookie sheet
or marble countertop.
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, bring the honey to a boil.
Stir in the walnuts; cook for about 8 minutes or until caramelized but
not too thick.
Do not let the mixture burn.
Immediately pour the hot walnut mixture onto the oiled cookie sheet.
Take extreme care when handling the hot syrupy mixture.
Level the surface quickly with an oiled spatula (or with an oiled folded
sheet of foil held in your hand protected by a thick oven mitt).
Score the surface with an oiled spatula or knife into small squares or
diamonds.
Let cool thoroughly before cutting through.
Germany
A Western European country whose topography is varied and includes both

plains and mountainous areas, Germany has a temperate continental climate—
cold winters and hot summers—enabling the large-scale commercial production
of grains, fruits, vegetables, and livestock.
The population is predominantly German, with a minority of Turks and
Eastern Europeans, most of whom came to work in Germany during the 1960s
and 1970s.
Typical German cuisine is hearty, as befits a cold country, and centered on
good-quality items such as meat, cheese, and potatoes (in the north) or noodles
(south). Each region has preserved its own culinary tradition, based on local
products. Seasonality of foods is particularly important: during the asparagus
season, huge quantities of that vegetable are consumed, as are plum tarts during
the plum season, federweisse (new wine) during the grape harvest, and new beer
in October.
? Did you know?

Celebrating a birthday with a cake is a Western European tradition,
believed to originate in Germany. The first birthday cake recipe appears in
an American cookbook published in 1866, and birthday parties with an iced
cake, candles, and ice cream became the middle-class norm in nineteenth-
century United States. The song “Happy Birthday to You” was popularized
there in 1910.
FOODSTUFFS
• Potatoes, wheat and rye breads, noodles, and dumplings are the
major staples. Most German localities have their own style of breads,
rolls, and cakes.
• Preferred meats are pork and beef. Chicken, duck, and geese
(particularly during Christmas) are also used extensively. All parts of
the animal are eaten, and some regional foods are based on specific
parts of the animal such as liver. Germans had learned the art of
making sausages from the Romans, and now they are consumed in
huge quantities, with each area having its own specialty.
• Fish, notably herring (pickled and fresh), mackerel (fresh and
smoked), and salmon are popular. Eels from ponds and the sea are also
eaten.
• The German milk industry supplies a large variety of cheeses (with
the exception of those from Alpine areas and Bavaria, these are usually
soft cream cheese “quark” types). Cream, particularly whipped cream,
is almost essential for any German dessert. Milk, buttermilk, and a
variety of yogurts are eaten. Fruit yogurts are particularly loved for
breakfast.
• Vegetables include potatoes, carrots, cabbages, asparagus, beans and
other legumes, mushrooms, and turnips (including the leaves, much
esteemed in the Rhine region). Much is eaten fresh; the rest may be
cooked, or some, such as cabbage, go into making pickles, which may
be sweet or savory. Many vegetables are now imported from overseas
or other countries of the European Union.
• In addition to a variety of imported fruits, German farmers raise
apples, pears, plums, berries, and, famously, grapes. Some of the
grapes are table varieties, but most are for making wines, particularly
white wines and red wines along the Rhine and its tributaries.
• Germans tend to like sweetened dishes, so pickles and some savory
dishes are prepared with a bit of sugar.
• Seasonings: caraway, chervil, dill, juniper berries, summer savory,
pepper, woodruff, vinegar, sour cream, wine, and beer.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Salads, often of fresh and pickled vegetables (beets, gherkins) mixed
with bits of smoked fish or meat.
• Pork, as breaded cutlets (schnitzel), roast, braised or boiled, in stews,
fresh or marinated in vinegar (sauerbraten). Most often served either
with boiled, fried, or mashed potatoes with gravy and pickled cabbage
(sauerkraut).
• Hearty soups (including goulash, mushroom, peas, lentils, or cheese)
and stews of meat and vegetables (eintopf).
• Dumplings (kloesse or knoedel) of flour or potato and meat or
poultry, liver, or bacon.
• Seasonal dishes: in spring, white asparagus tips in cream sauce; in
the fall, wild mushrooms or game.
• Boiled or grilled preserved meats: bacon, ham, and many local and
regional sausages. Sausages in crusty buns, with mustard, ketchup, and
mayonnaise are available from street barrows.
• Turkish and other immigrants have introduced Middle Eastern and
Asian accents to German foods. Street foods such as kebabs are
popular snacks.
• Cream-filled cakes and assorted rich pastries.
• The most popular drink by far is beer. This is followed by coffee and
wine. Coffee is drunk along with cakes as snacks. Popular soft drinks
include mixtures of fruit juice and soda water (schorle). A common
method is to mix apple (or some other fruit juice) with soda water for a
carbonated drink. Beer is often mixed with bottled drinks for a shandy
(radler is with carbonated lemon). In Berlin, a light beer called
Berlinerweisse is often flavored with woodruff or raspberry syrup.
Children drink milk, juice, and carbonated bottled drinks. In winter,
mulled wine with spices (gluhwein) is popular.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people eat three meals a day and a number of snacks.
• Table settings are European standard. German meals tend to be
formal, even within the household. Permission is needed to leave the
table before others.
• Breakfast: a mix of cereals and dried fruits (muesli) together with
plain or flavored yogurts. A variety of breads or rolls. Sausages,
cheese, ham, and eggs may be served as well. Coffee, milk, or fruit
juice are normally drunk.
• Lunch: for urban working people, usually a simple meal of a bowl of
thick, hearty soup with bread and butter, or a sandwich with sausage or
cheese. Traditionally lunch was the main meal, with several courses,
beginning with appetizer, soup, meat, cooked vegetables, and dessert.
• Evening meal: light meal of bread, butter, cheese or ham, vegetable
salad, sweet yogurt, and/or fruit.
• On weekends, especially with the whole family or guests, lunch is the
main meal and will include an appetizer, soup, main dish of meat with
vegetables, and dessert of cooked fruit with whipped cream, cake, or
other sweet dish. Lunch and dinner are washed down with wine, beer,
milk, or soft drinks, depending on the area, age, and personal choice.
• Many people stop for at least two snacks during the day. These often
consist of a cream cake and a cup of coffee, served either at home or in
one of the many cafés, or a sausage (bratwurst) in a crusty roll with
curry sauce (currywurst) or mustard from a roadside stand.

This is often a lunchtime staple, available across the country. Summer savory is
the traditional herb for bean soup and is aptly called bohnenkraut (bean herb).
1/2 pound dry white (navy) beans

3 pints of water
1 ham bone or hock, smoked (or 5 ounces smoked ham, diced)
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks parsley, chopped
2 TBS fresh summer savory, or 1 tsp dried
Soak beans overnight in water to cover. Drain, rinse, and put in a large
pot with the ham and water.
Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
Stir in onions, garlic, celery, parsley, savory, salt, and pepper.
Simmer uncovered for 30–45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Dice the meat from the ham, and stir in. Discard the bone.
Serve hot with bread and butter.

This is a very individualistic salad whose ingredients vary from one place to
another. Feel free to experiment, but make sure to balance sweet and sour
ingredients.
Herring salad. (Yana Kabangu/Dreamstime.com)
1/2 pound pickled herring, drained and cut into bite-sized pieces
(reserve 4 TBS of the liquid)
1 medium tart apple, cored, peeled, diced
1 medium sweet red onion, chopped finely
1 sweet-sour pickled gherkin, chopped finely
1 hard-boiled egg, shelled, chopped
2 medium waxy potatoes, boiled in their jackets, sliced 1/4-inch-thick
disks
8-ounce can of beets, drained and diced
1 TBS mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup yogurt
1 TBS fresh dill, minced finely
1–2 TBS lemon juice
In a bowl, combine herring, apple, onion, gherkins, egg, potatoes, and

beet.
Mix a dressing with mustard, sour cream, yogurt, dill, lemon juice,
salt, pepper, and reserved herring liquid.
Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Serve with fresh bread and butter.

A classic German salad main dish for a light meal or a side dish for a heavier
one.
4 slices bacon
1 tsp flour
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 TBS vinegar
4 medium waxy potatoes, boiled in jackets then skinned and sliced in
1/8-inch pieces
Pan fry bacon slowly until crisp and drain on paper towels. Crumble
and set aside.
Sauté onion in bacon fat until golden brown.
Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seeds, and pepper. Cook over low heat,
stirring until smooth.
Stir in water and vinegar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly to prevent
lumps.
Gently stir in the potatoes and bacon. Turn off heat.
Cover and serve warm.

These eggs (with apologies to Dr. Seuss) are served as an appetizer, or
sometimes as a breakfast dish, but it can also be the main dish for a light meal.
German grocers sell mixed herbs in posies for green sauce, usually including
parsley, dill, chives, borage, lemon balm, sorrel, and French tarragon.
3 TBS whipping cream

1/2 cup sour cream
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup parsley, chopped finely
1/4 cup dill, chopped finely
1/4 cup chives, chopped finely
Plus any of the following herbs: 1–2 borage leaves, 1–2 French
tarragon stalks, 2–3 sorrel leaves, 5–7 lemon balm leaves
5 eggs, hard-boiled, shelled
Whip cream and thoroughly blend into sour cream, lemon juice, salt,
pepper, and sugar.
Reserve some herbs for garnish, and stir the rest into the cream
mixture.
Finely chop 1 egg and blend into cream mixture.
Slice rest of the eggs in quarters or halves.
On a serving dish, spread the green sauce.
Arrange the eggs over.
Sprinkle with reserved herbs and serve.

Asparagus is incredibly popular throughout Germany in season, and every
household and restaurant serves some variation on this dish. Fat, blanched
asparagus (sunlight is excluded to keep them white) are preferred.
1 1/2 pounds white asparagus (or 2 cans, drained)

3 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
2 TBS white wine or lemon juice
1/4 cup light cream
1/4 cup smoked ham or Canadian bacon, diced
pinch nutmeg, freshly grated preferred
1/4 tsp salt
8 small sprigs chervil or parsley
If using fresh asparagus, lightly peel the stalks from just below the tips
downward using a potato peeler. Slide into briskly boiling salted water
and cook until tender but still crisp. Drain and set aside.
Heat butter over low heat in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in flour until
well blended.
Gradually add wine or lemon juice, blending well until smooth.
Add cream, ham, and seasoning, stirring until thickened.
When the sauce starts to bubble around the edges, gently stir in
asparagus, taking care not to mush them.
Cook just until the asparagus are heated through. Do not let sauce
come to a boil.
Serve on warmed plates as a first course, garnished with 2 sprigs of
chervil each.

Cabbage is much loved in Germany, especially in the form of pickled sauerkraut.
The red variety is often used in salads or stewed to accompany roast meats or
poultry.
3 TBS vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, core discarded, finely shredded
1/3 cup bouillon (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1/3 cup water)
2/3 cup white wine vinegar or white wine
Heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until golden.
Stir in the cabbage, salt, pepper, bouillon, and wine vinegar.
Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, until cabbage is tender, about
15–20 minutes.
Serve with a meat course.
Stews such as this are often served for the main meal.
2 pounds roast chicken

4 TBS butter
1 onion, chopped
4 TBS flour
2 slices lemon, including peel
2–3 bay leaves, fresh if possible
2 tsp white wine vinegar or white wine
Remove the meat, light and dark, from the roast chicken (you can keep
the bones and skin to make soup), keeping the meat in large chunks,
and reserve.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in onions and cook until softened. Remove the onion and set aside.
Stir flour into the remaining butter and cook until lightly colored.
Whisk in the stock, a little at a time, only adding more when the liquid
has been thoroughly absorbed to prevent lumps.
Add the rest of the stock, lemon, bay leaves, reserved onion, salt,
pepper, and vinegar. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally,
then strain, pressing down the solids.
Gently stir in chicken pieces and cook until completely heated
through.
Serve with roast, mashed, or fried potatoes.
CAKES
Cakes are a form of sweet, leavened bread invented in Europe and
popularized all over the world. Cakes come in several general varieties:
yeast based and baking powder based are the two major types. The yeast or
baking powder is to make the cake dough rise during the baking, making it
airy and lighter than it would be otherwise. A similar effect can be created
using whipped egg whites, which creates cakes such as angel food cake.
Cheesecakes are heavier cakes without leavening.
Early Mediterranean civilizations—the Greeks, Egyptians, and
Romans—created sweet breads enriched with honey and butter, though
there was little difference between these and breads. Cake baking as an art
came into its own during the Renaissance, notably in Spain where cakes
based on eggs, whipped egg whites, butter, and sugar became popular.
The custom of celebrating special events such as birthdays and
weddings with a cake probably emerged in Northern Europe in the
eighteenth century. Birthday cakes decorated with candles were common in
Germany about that time, and multilayer cakes, often for display, were part
of celebrations in the French court. Candlelit birthday cakes spread to the
United States with German immigrants and were popularized by large
baking supplies companies, among others: in the United States, unlike parts
of Europe, ovens were domestic, not communal, and thus home cake baking
became a major market. Cheap sugar and flavorings such as chocolate and
vanilla helped in popularizing cake baking in the home.
There are thousands of cake recipes, from simple tea cakes to elaborate
celebratory cakes incorporating preserved fruit, cream fillings, and
complicated icings and decorations. Even the most elaborate cakes can be
made at home, though commercial cake making is an exacting professional
process.
Other culture areas of the world have originated sweet pastries of
various sorts. In the Middle East, layers of buttered phyllo-type pastry,
fruit, and nuts are baked then soaked in honey or syrup. In South Asia, a
variety of flours, including rice, gram, beans and other materials, are made
into balls or elaborate shapes and colors, fried in oil, then soaked in syrup.
In Southeast Asia glutinous rice is colored and flavored then steamed or
baked. In East Asia rice or wheat flours are made into buns, stuffed with
preserved fruit or sweet beans, and steamed or baked. However, none of
these confections use the principle of leavening, and they can only broadly
be characterized as cakes.
Western (leavened) cakes have now become common throughout the
world, with cake bakeries found in virtually all countries. Countries that
have been colonies tend to follow the practices of former colonial masters.
One can now buy wedding or birthday cakes in Ghana, Mozambique,
Nepal, Colombia, Indonesia, and everywhere in between. In Japan, in
which Christians constitute a tiny minority, Christmas cakes with white
icing, red strawberries, and “Merry Christmas” piping are sold on every
corner in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The middle classes in all
societies that celebrate birthdays tend to do so with birthday cakes and
candles, a practice borrowed from the United States and Europe.

This dish combines two German favorites. Pancakes of various sorts, often
topped with whipped cream, are favorite desserts and snacks. Eating apples (in
Germany, the most common are crisp Elstar or Jonagold) are used to keep their
shape during cooking.
2/3 cup flour

2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs, large, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups apple, peeled and sliced thinly
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 TBS sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp cinnamon
In a blender or food processor, mix until smooth the flour, sugar, salt,
eggs, and milk. Set aside.
Sauté apples in 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat for 5–7 minutes.
Set aside, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
Heat butter over low heat in a heavy, deep skillet.
Ladle in a little less than 1/4 the batter.
When firm pocks rise to the surface, place 1/4 of the apples on top.
Ladle a bit more batter, cover, and cook until set.
Flip over and allow to cook, uncovered, until lightly browned. Remove
and keep warm.
Repeat for the rest of the batter.
Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.
Buchteln (buchtel, sing.) are soft, sweet yeast rolls popular in southern Germany
(Bavaria) and Austria. The accompanying strawberry soup is sweet; it is popular
for a light summer lunch or first course, and as an afternoon snack. Makes about
25 2-inch rolls.
Strawberry soup
4 pounds ripe sweet strawberries
2–3 TBS sugar, or to taste
1 cup heavy cream or milk for serving
Dumplings
1/2 packet (about 1 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
3 cups flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
In a large bowl or food processor, place all the ingredients and mix to
a soft dough.
Knead well, place into an oiled bowl, and let rise for 1 hour.
Pinch off plum-sized pieces and form into balls with oiled fingers.
Place evenly spaced on a greased baking tray or cookie sheet.
Bake for 10–15 minutes until pale golden. Keep warm.
While the dough is rising, prepare the soup: wash and hull the
strawberries.
Blend to a puree and chill well before serving.
To serve: place strawberry soup in shallow, preferably white, bowls.
Pour cream in a nice pattern for garnish.
Diners break rolls into bite-sized pieces to soak briefly into the soup.
Ghana
Ghana is a West African country formerly known as the Gold Coast. A British
colony until 1957, it was the first African colony to attain its independence after
World War II. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, between Togo and Côte d’Ivoire,
the country is warm and relatively benign along the coast, enabling numerous
tropical fruits and vegetables to be raised. Ghana is also a world leader in
growing and exporting cocoa.
The population comprises numerous ethnic groups, the largest of which is

the Akan. Until the conquest by Britain, many of these groups were organized
into complex kingdoms whose rituals are still remnant today, notably among the
Ashanti, one of the largest groups.
Ghanaian cooking is based on stiff porridge staples eaten with peanut-based
sauces.
FOODSTUFFS
• Millet, sorghum, and cassava are the principal crops and serve as the
main ingredients of meals. Common staples are banku and kenkey (see
sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505), fermented versions of the stiff
porridge-like staple eaten all over sub-Saharan Africa.
• The most common meats are goat, chicken, and beef, when available.
• Fish and other marine life are taken from the rivers as well as the sea.
Dried salted small fish are important flavoring ingredients for most
cooked dishes.
• A variety of vegetables are raised, including tomatoes, eggplants,
peppers (sweet and hot varieties), and okra. Greens, such as taro leaves
(called kontomire) and various mushrooms gathered from the wild are
prized. Peanuts are used for flavoring and on their own.
• Fruits are raised by farmers for local consumption and for export.
The three most important crops are cocoa, plantains and other bananas,
and coffee.
• Drinks include cocoa, coffee, fruit juices, and beer—both
commercial and homebrewed—from traditional grains or bananas.
• Seasonings: palm oil and palm butter, ground peanuts, shitor din
(chili table condiment), dried or smoked fish and shrimp.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Groundnut and other stews are eaten as side dishes along with the
cooked carbohydrate staple.
• The staple porridge is first fermented, giving it a characteristic sour
flavor.
• Fish and seafood are baked, fried, or stewed with vegetables such as
okra or taro leaves.
STYLES OF EATING
• People try to eat three meals a day.
some side dishes, which are shared. Many men are polygynous. In
such a case, each wife cooks for herself and her children and in
rotation for the shared husband. The food is brought to the husband’s
house by the wife’s child.
• Breakfast usually consists of a porridge, fried bread, or the leftovers
from the evening meal.
• The midday meal depends on the individual’s occupation and
resources.
• The evening meal is composed of a staple and a sauce of vegetables
and meat, often flavored with dried fish.
• Eating out is common. Cafés and restaurants usually serve European
style.
AFRICAN STAPLE (BATON DE MANIOC, CHIKWANGUE,

FUFU, FULDE OR FUNGE, NSIMA, SADZE, UGALI)
Throughout most of Africa, the staple is a stiff porridge made from a local
grain or starch: sorghum, maize, millet, or manioc (cassava, yuca). This
may be eaten from a bowl with a spoon, with a stew or other vegetable or
meat dish, or, commonly, with the fingers, in which case the porridge is
made to be much stiffer. A diner takes a few fingers of the stiff porridge,
flattens it lightly with the thumb, and scoops up the sauce provided.
The standard recipe is as given below.

1 cup finely ground grain, such as cornmeal
4 cups water or strained stock
Bring liquid to boil.
Pour in meal in a fine stream while stirring with a whisk.
Lower heat and stir with a wooden spoon until desired consistency is
reached.
What follows are some national/regional variations.
Banku and Kenkey

These are two staples from western Africa, served with a soup or stew or
sauce. They are particularly popular in Ghana. Both are usually made from
ground corn (maize), though banku can also be made from a mixture of
maize and grated cassava.
Making banku or kenkey involves letting the maize (or maize and
cassava tuber) ferment before cooking. Banku is cooked in a pot. Kenkey is
partially cooked, then wrapped in banana leaves, maize or cornhusks, or
foil, and steamed.
6–8 cups corn (maize) flour or cornmeal (ground corn or ground

maize) cornmeal for tortillas is perfect; you can substitute equal parts
corn flour and grated cassava to make banku)
banana leaves, or maize or cornhusks, or aluminum foil to wrap kenkey
(the leaves or husks may be available at groceries that sell African,
Asian, or Latino food)
1 TBS vinegar, for souring
Combine corn flour (or corn flour and grated cassava) with enough
warm water to just dampen.
Mix well.
Cover the container with a clean cloth and set in a warm place, such as
a warmed oven (unlit), or on top of the refrigerator, for 2–3 days.
Fermentation may take longer than 2 days, especially in cool climates.
When properly fermented, it should have a slightly sour aroma like
rising bread dough.
Alternatively, prepare the corn flour as described above, and let it
ferment for about 6 hours. Then mix 1 TBS of vinegar into the wet
corn flour.
Once the fermented dough is ready, prepare banku or kenkey.
Banku
Knead the fermented dough with your hands until it is thoroughly
mixed and slightly stiff.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a large pot.
Slowly add the fermented dough.
Cook for 20 minutes or more, stirring constantly and vigorously. The
banku should become thick and stiff. Add water if it becomes too dry.
Divide the banku into serving sizes and roll with hands into a ball for
each diner.
Serve hot or at room temperature with a sauce.
Kenkey
Knead the fermented dough until it is thoroughly mixed and slightly
stiffened; divide the dough into two equal parts.
In a large pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Slowly add one part of
the fermented dough. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly
and vigorously.
Remove from heat. This half of the dough is called the aflata.
Combine the aflata with the remaining uncooked dough. Mix well.
Divide the aflata-dough mixture into serving-sized pieces.
Wrap the pieces tightly in banana leaf, maize husks, or foil. Wrap like
burrito coverings and seal tightly with cooking string.
Place the packets on a wire rack above water in a large pot.
Bring to a boil and steam for 1–3 hours, depending on packet size and
thickness.
Serve at room temperature with any West African sauce or stew.
Baton de Manioc/Chikwangue (Cassava “Sticks”)

The cassava plant (Manihot esculenta) was brought to Africa by European
traders in the sixteenth century. In the American tropics it was called
manioc or yuca. Cassava tubers are made into baton de manioc and other
similar foods called (depending on location and local language) bobolo,
chicouangue/chickwangue, kwanga, mboung, mintumba, miondo, or
placali. These are the staple over much of central Africa. A similar dish of
steamed bananas (matoke) is made in eastern Africa.
2 pounds cassava (yuca) tubers

banana leaves, or sheets of aluminum foil
Soak the cassava tubers in a tub for 3 days or longer.

Peel the tubers, cut into chunks, and wash them, changing water
several times to remove the bitterness of some roots.
Use a mortar and pestle to pound the tubers into a thick, smooth paste.
Fold a mass of the cassava, about fist sized, into the leaves, fold them
into packets, and tie them closed. The packages should be like long
sausages, 2 inches in diameter and 12 inches long.
Place packets in a large steamer over boiling water.
Cover tightly and steam for 4–8 hours.
The finished baton de manioc should be very thick and solid.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with any central African soup,
stew, or sauce. Cooked baton de manioc will keep for several days, if
kept in the wrapper in a cool, dry place.
Bogobe
Bogobe is a stiff sorghum porridge from Botswana.
10 ounces dehulled, coarsely ground sorghum meal

1 quart water
Boil the water.

Add sorghum meal to the boiling water, stirring frequently.
Cook for 20–30 minutes, stirring frequently, until porridge reaches
desired stiffness.
Fufu
Fufu is the southern and West African version of the stiff porridge eaten
everywhere in Africa.
1 pound yams (Dioscorea species, not sweet potatoes)

1/2 pint water
Boil the yams until they are soft, and then place in a wooden mortar.
Pound the yam with a wooden pestle until it has the consistency of
baker’s dough. While this is being done water should be sprinkled onto
the yam at regular intervals. Water also needs to be applied to the end
of the pestle to keep the yam from sticking.
When the fufu is ready, place a cup of the mixture into a wet bowl and
shake until it forms itself into a smooth ball.
Serve on a large platter with a soup or stew.
Gari
Popular in West Africa, gari/gali is made from cassava. Today, many
people in (and out of) Africa use packaged, commercially manufactured
gari, which is sold in shops and markets. It only needs to be moistened to
be ready for consumption.
Cassava tubers are cleaned, peeled, and soaked in water.

Grate tubers and pack mass into a clean cotton sack.
Top with weights to squeeze out the liquid and allow partial
fermentation for 2–3 days. Spread gari out to dry in the sun.
Dry fry in a shallow pan or wok until it is completely cooked and free
of moisture.
The finished gari can be stored until needed.
Ugali
Eastern Africa’s ugali (southern Africa’s nsima and sadza) is usually made
from maize (corn), which was brought from the Americas to Africa by
Europeans; before that it was made from millet.
1 quart water
1 tsp salt
1 cup white cornmeal (tortilla meal is perfect)
Boil water rapidly then add salt.

Stir cornmeal into the boiling water gradually.
Simmer while stirring constantly. Serve in porridge consistency as
breakfast dish, or cook longer so it can be rolled into a ball for other
meals.

These cakes are generally served as appetizers or snacks and are best eaten while
hot and fresh.
2 overripe, medium plantains (black and soft)

1 small onion, minced finely
1–2 ounces self-rising flour
1 tsp palm oil
oil for deep frying
Peel and mash the plantains until smooth.

Mix with onion, flour, palm oil, salt, and chili pepper.
Let rest for 20 minutes.
Heat enough oil for deep frying in a pan.
Drop a few spoonfuls at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden
brown; do not crowd the pan.
Drain on paper towels and keep hot while frying the rest.

Palava comes from the word “palaver,” but in West Africa the word means
trouble. Perhaps the name was applied because the original recipe’s multiple
steps needed several pots. The following recipe is much simplified. This is often
made just with beans or pumpkin seeds to eat with a staple. It may also
accompany a meat dish. Palm oil imparts a red color to food, and, if desired,
turmeric (yellow) or paprika (red) can be added to give the same effect.
4 TBS palm or peanut oil

2 tsp turmeric or paprika (if not using palm oil)
1 onion, chopped
1 pound meat, chicken, or dried or smoked fish, cut into bite-sized
pieces, or 4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
salt to taste
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 red chili pepper, seeded and chopped (or 3 drops hot chili sauce)
(optional)
1 cup water
1 pound spinach (substitute kale or other greens), chopped
1 cup cooked kidney or other beans, drained (or 1 cup pumpkin seeds,
blended to a smooth paste with 1 cup water)
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. (Stir in paprika)
Stir in onion and fry until softened, then stir in tomatoes and cook for
5 minutes.
Add meat, fish, or eggs, salt, nutmeg, and water.
Simmer for 20–30 minutes (10 minutes for eggs) or until meat is
tender.
Gently stir in spinach and beans or pumpkin seed paste.
Taste and correct seasoning, and add a bit of water if too thick.
Simmer for 5–7 minutes until spinach is cooked but still green.
Serve over banku or kenkey (see sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505).

Ghana has a long coastline and many rivers. Fish and seafood, including small
crustaceans, are a major source of protein for many people.
2 TBS palm oil, other vegetable oil, or butter

1 onion, chopped
1 pound crab or lobster meat, fresh, frozen, or canned, cut in bite-sized
pieces (or substitute imitation crab legs)
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 level tsp white pepper
1/2 level tsp salt
1/4 pint water
Heat oil over medium heat, and cook onion and tomatoes over low
heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in crab or lobster meat, ginger, pepper, salt, and water.
Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes.
Serve over banku or kenkey (see sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505).

This is commonly served for the main meal as a sauce with the staple. The
mushrooms are usually gathered from the wild.
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms (champignon, oyster, shiitake, or forest
mushrooms), larger mushrooms quartered, buttons kept whole
1 1/2 pounds stewing beef, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6–8 TBS flour
4 TBS vegetable oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 cups water
Dredge mushrooms and meat with a mixture of salt, pepper, and flour.
Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown meat quickly on all sides.
Remove meat from oil and add onions and tomatoes to same oil. Cook
until onions are golden brown.
Add remainder of seasoned flour to onions and stir until mixed.
Add water slowly, stirring to produce a smooth sauce (you may need
more, or less, than the 2 cups).
Add mushrooms and meat, and stir until well mixed.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding extra water if needed during
cooking.
Serve with rice or banku.

This condiment is served with many Ghanaian dishes and helps define Ghanaian
cooking. Sometimes it is used as an ingredient in a dish.
2 cups vegetable oil

4 TBS tomato paste
1 chicken stock cube
1 cup dried shrimp left whole
5 TBS dried shrimp (ground in a blender or food processor)
1–2 dried chili peppers, seeded (ground with shrimp in blender)
salt to taste
Heat oil over medium heat. Fry onion until softened.

Stir in ginger, tomato paste, and crumbled stock cube.
Lower heat; stir in dried whole and powdered shrimp with chili.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring well. Turn off heat and leave to cool.
Store in a covered jar, refrigerated.
Topped with 1–2 TBS of vegetable oil, the sauce will keep for several
months.
Serve with anything as a table condiment, or use during cooking.

This dish is served by the Akan people on almost all special occasions: to
celebrate births, mourn deaths, and approach the spirits, who, generally
speaking, do not like spiced or seasoned foods.
1 yam about 2 pounds (true yam—Dioscorea, not sweet potato)

6 eggs
1/2 cup palm oil (substitute other vegetable oil plus 1 tsp turmeric or
paprika)
salt to taste
1 small onion, very finely minced, and red pepper to taste (optional)
Peel and wash yam. Cut into 2-inch cubes.

Place yam and eggs into a pot, and cover with lightly salted water.
Boil until yam is tender and eggs hard-boiled (about 10–15 minutes).
Remove yams from water, peel, and mash until smooth.
Add salt and palm oil to yam mash, and mix well (you may mix in the
onion and red pepper if spirits are not invited).
Peel the eggs and slice into quarters.
Mound mashed yams on a serving dish, surrounded by egg slices.

This dish is served for breakfast or lunch, accompanied by shitor din (chili
sauce). Gari is cassava paste.
2 cups gari (see sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505) (substitute instant

mashed potato powder)
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup cooking oil (preferably palm oil or peanut oil)
1/2 cup fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
6 eggs, beaten
Prepare gari. Place it in a bowl. Sprinkle with water to evenly moisten

it (it may not be necessary to use all the water), while stirring with a
fork. Cover with a clean cloth and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Fry onion until soft. Add tomatoes and cook for a
few more minutes until well blended.
Stir in the eggs, and cook until done but still moist.
Fold in prepared gari.
Remove from heat. Season to taste.
Serve immediately with shitor din or tomato ketchup with a few drops
of chili sauce (if desired).

This snack is a popular street food eaten any time of day.

1/2 tsp cayenne or red pepper
1 tsp salt
2 TBS water
4–6 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks (or substitute
green, unripe, eating bananas).
oil for deep frying
Mix well the ginger, pepper, salt, and water.

In a bowl, place the plantain cubes, and stir in the spice mixture to
coat.
Let stand for 15–20 minutes.
Heat enough oil for deep frying to 350°F.
Fry plantains a few at a time until golden brown on both sides. Do not
crowd the pan. Drain on paper towel or on a rack, keep in warmed
oven until all the plantains are fried.
Serve immediately.
Cinnamon Bananas
Though desserts are not commonly eaten, Ghanaians do like sweet foods, which
are eaten between meals.
1 tsp flour
1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon
4 small ripe bananas, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS peanut oil
Mix flour and cinnamon and coat the banana pieces.

Dip into salted beaten egg, and then into bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a baking pan, and when faintly smoking, carefully put
in the bananas (take care not to get splattered with the hot oil). Baste
well.
Bake in a moderate oven (350°F) for 20 minutes or until brown and
soft.
Banana Peanut Cake

Bananas and peanuts (more commonly called groundnuts in Ghana) are popular
local products that feature in this cake.

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup (about 2) ripe bananas, mashed
3 TBS plain yogurt or buttermilk
2/3 cup peanuts, unsalted, finely chopped

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until very light.
Add eggs, then stir in the bananas and the yogurt.
Blend in the flour mixture; then fold in the peanuts.
Spoon into a buttered 9 × 5 × 3 loaf pan or 9-inch round cake pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes (loaf pan) or 30 minutes (cake pan), or until
the cake tests done.
Serve warm or cold.

This is a very popular drink, served well chilled. Make sure to use unsalted
tamarind concentrate. The traditional recipe uses masoro, also known as Ashanti
pepper or false cubeb pepper (Piper guineense); the alternative used here is
black pepper.
1/2 tsp whole Ashanti or false cubeb pepper or black peppercorns

1 tsp whole cloves
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 pound (4 ounces) tamarind concentrate, seedless and unsalted
2–3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
In an ungreased griddle over low heat, dry fry the pepper until
aromatic, about 3–5 minutes.
In a mortar (or food processor), pound (or process) the pepper with the
cloves until finely powdered. Set aside.
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot; stir in the sugar until dissolved.
Turn off heat.
Stir in the tamarind concentrate, use a wooden spoon to thoroughly
mix in the tamarind, and allow to steep at room temperature for 30
minutes to 1 hour.
Take a cupful of the tamarind-sugar mixture and place in a bowl; add
the spices and ginger and leave to infuse, covered, for 30 minutes to 1
hour.
Strain the spice-ginger mixture, discard the spices, and return the spicy
liquid to the big pot.
Strain the contents of the big pot, before using.
The tamarind-spice-ginger mixture can now be used as a concentrate
for mixing with chilled soda water or plain water for a refreshing
drink.
Use half tamarind-ginger mix to half water, or in your own preferred
proportion.
Store in capped bottles in the refrigerator and use within a few days.

This pudding is a popular snack that can be eaten at any time of day.
1 pound fresh tiger nuts

1 cup rice
sugar to taste
milk for serving
In a bowl, soak tiger nuts and rice with water to cover overnight.
In a blender, processor, or mortar, grind the tiger nuts and rice mixture
and 1 cup of the soaking water to a smooth paste.
Stir in 2 cups of water and strain through a very fine sieve or
cheesecloth.
A little water may be added to the lees to extract as much flavor as
possible.
Pour the mixture into a heavy-bottomed pan and add sugar to taste.
Turn on heat to medium and immediately begin stirring. (Stirring
should only be done in one direction; clockwise or anticlockwise. If
changed, mixture will not thicken.)
Keep stirring till it thickens to the consistency of very thick cream.
Remove from heat and ladle into serving bowls.
The pudding can be served hot or cold with milk. (The pudding will
thicken further when refrigerated.)
Refrigerated and tightly covered, the pudding can last up to a week.

These fritters are usually eaten on their own for a snack or light meal, or, most
often, to accompany a spicy bean sauce made with black-eyed beans. Kaklo
fritters together with spicy bean sauce and palm oil constitute a very popular
dish called red-red, which is a very filling and nourishing meal beloved by blue-
collar workers and schoolchildren as it provides sustaining energy throughout
the day.
4 pieces very ripe plantain (black skin) or banana

1 small onion chopped
4 TBS water (or more, as needed)
1–1 1/2 cups rice flour
1 tsp salt
oil (preferably palm oil) for frying
In a bowl or food processor, mash or blend the plantain and chopped

onions with the water, sufficient to make a very thick paste.
Gradually mix in the rice flour and salt to a very thick, almost
doughlike batter.
Over medium heat, lightly coat a heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet
with oil.
When hot, ladle about 1/3–1/2 cup of the batter into the pan and spread
it. Cover and let cook for 1–2 minutes, until the bottom edges are
brown.
Turn fritter over and cook uncovered until golden brown.
A little oil may be dripped around the pan to keep the bottom greased.
Serve while warm.
Plantain Cake
This savory cake, which is different from the recipe for plantain cakes (above),
can also be made with bananas.
1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp of salt
6 pieces ripe plantain, mashed
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp of mixed dried herbs (basil, chives) or 1/4 cup fresh
1/4 cup oil or melted butter plus extra for greasing
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts for serving
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a large rectangular (at least 5 × 10 × 13

inches) or round baking pan.
In a bowl, combine and sieve the flour, baking powder and soda, and
salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl or food processor, blend well the plantain, ginger,
onion, nutmeg, mixed herbs, oil, and egg yolks.
Gradually add the flour mixture and mix to a thick batter.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50–60 minutes or until golden
and cake tester comes out dry.
Let pan cool for at least 20 minutes on a rack. Slice into squares and
serve with peanuts. This cake is also good cold.
Greece
Greece is comprised of a peninsula and several archipelagoes in the

Mediterranean in southern Europe. The countryside is dry Mediterranean with
rocky hills and fertile valleys. The climate is warm in the winter, hot in the
summer, and crops are drought-resistant olives, apricots, figs, and other typically
Mediterranean produce.
Originating in Ancient Greece, modern Greek cuisine has been heavily

influenced by Turkey, which ruled Greece for four centuries. Most Greeks
belong to the Greek Orthodox Church, and its festivals are celebrated with
special foods for the season.
FOODSTUFFS
• Greek food is characterized by four main foodstuffs: lamb or mutton,
fish and seafood, wheat products, and olive products.
• Lamb, mutton, young kid, and pork are the preferred meats. Greek
lamb, naturally flavored by grazing on rosemary and other herbs, is
famous.
• Greece produces a variety of breads, ranging from flat breads like
pita, through to elaborate creations made for weddings and Easter.
Barley is sometimes used, but wheat is more common and is also eaten
in the form of pasta.
• Greece produces many dairy products from cow and ewe’s milk
(preferred). This includes a variety of thick yogurts, cheese, including
the well-known feta cheese, and other products.
• Greek farmers raise a variety of subtropical fruits and vegetables.
Vegetables include tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peppers (mainly
sweet), zucchini, eggplant, onions, and garlic.
• Fruits include particularly figs and grapes, as well as plums, peaches,
and soft fruits.
TYPICAL DISHES
• For everyday meals, lamb is braised and stewed in casseroles with
assorted vegetables, and skewered or broiled. Pork, beef, and game are
marinated, grilled, and baked. Chicken is broiled or braised.
• Street foods such as souvlaki (lamb or pork mince grilled on a
vertical spit) and falafel, eaten in pita are very common.
• Dolmades (stuffed vegetables—grape leaves, tomatoes, potatoes) are
served as an appetizer or as a meze.
• Eggs cooked with tomatoes make a breakfast or light meal.
• Chopped eggplant with tomatoes and onions.
• Stuffed baked breast of lamb.
• Spanakopita (spinach and cheese pie).
• Drinks include resin-flavored wine, beer, soda water, and a variety of
soda pops.
STYLES OF EATING
• Place settings are a variation of European standard.
• Families often eat together, most notably in the evening.
• Many Greek meals, and most informal snacks, are served as a meze:
a selection of small dishes of appetizers including stuffed vegetables,
sauces, cooked vegetables, olives, and preserved meats.
• Wine, most often pine resin–flavored retsina, is commonly drunk
with meals by all. Very sweet, strong coffee is popularly served in
small cups with a sweet pastry and a glass of soda water.

In common with much of the Levant, Greek cuisine glories in numerous stuffed
and baked vegetables.
4 large tomatoes
2/3 cup cooked rice
2 TBS onion, chopped
1 TBS raisins, soaked in warm water to rehydrate
4 TBS fresh mint, minced (reserve 2 TBS for garnish)
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
Cut tops off tomatoes, reserving the tops. Scoop out flesh.
Chop tomato flesh, discarding the seeds. Combine with rice, onion,
raisins, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Greek stuffed tomatoes. (Paul Cowan/Dreamstime.com)
Sprinkle a bit of salt and sugar into the tomato shells.

Stuff tomato shells with rice mixture and arrange in an ovenproof
casserole. Pour oil over tomatoes. Replace lids on tomatoes.
Cover and bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes.
Sprinkle with reserved mint.
Serve as a starter or as part of a meze.

These vegetables are often served as appetizers or as an accompaniment to a
fish, chicken, or meat main dish.
1 large onion, cut in 1/4-inch rings

4 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4-inch disks
3 medium potatoes, cut in 1/4-inch disks
3 large tomatoes, cut in 1/4-inch disks, or a 14-ounce can whole
tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup chopped parsley
2 TBS oregano, fresh, minced
Layer onions loosely on the bottom of a heavy baking tray.

Follow with a layer of zucchini and potatoes. Top with a layer of
tomatoes, garlic, and parsley. Season each layer with salt and pepper
as it is laid down.
Drizzle oil over top. Vegetables should be well coated; do not hesitate
to add more olive oil if necessary.
Bake for 1 hour, or until vegetables are very tender at 370°F. Remove
from oven and sprinkle with oregano. Allow to rest for 10 minutes
before serving.

This casserole is often served as a main dish.
4 chicken quarters or legs

5 potatoes, peeled and cut in thick strips (like French fries)
1 garlic bulb, cloves peeled and left whole
juice of 3 lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 TBS oregano
1/2 cup water
Place chicken in a shallow baking tray.

Arrange potatoes around chicken. Scatter whole garlic cloves around
chicken and potatoes.
Mix lemon juice and olive oil, and beat in oregano. Pour evenly over
dish.
Add water and season. Cover loosely with foil.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until
tops of chicken are lightly browned.
Turn chicken, stir potatoes. Return to oven for about 15–20 minutes.
Dish is done when both sides of chicken are lightly browned and when
pierced, juices run clear, and the potatoes are soft.
Remove from oven, sprinkle additional fresh oregano if desired, and
drizzle olive oil.
Serve with crusty bread.

This dish can be served for breakfast or a light evening meal.
5 TBS olive oil

1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped, juice removed (or 2 cans
chopped tomatoes, drained)
4 eggs
1 TBS parsley, minced finely
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add tomatoes and salt and
cook, mashing the pulp, until thickened.
Break eggs into a dish. Season, and ease gently into the pan, taking
care not to break the yolks.
When cooked—yolks should be slightly runny—serve with the sauce
in which they were cooked, garnish with parsley.
Serve immediately with fried potatoes or crusty bread.

In Greek cuisine, the lemon is a prime source of flavoring, particularly for meat
and fish dishes. This is served as a main dish for dinner.
1 pound ground beef

1 heaping TBS rice, uncooked
1 heaping TBS parsley, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
cold water, as needed
3 cups beef bouillon (or 1 1/2 cubes dissolved in 3 cups hot water)
1 TBS olive oil
2 eggs
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1 TBS parsley, chopped (for sauce)
Combine beef, onion, rice, parsley, salt, and pepper with 1/4 cup
water. Shape mixture into balls 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter.
Bring to a boil the bouillon and olive oil in a large pot.
Slip meatballs, one by one, into the boiling liquid.
Return to boiling. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat eggs with 2 TBS cold water on top of a double boiler,
over hot water, until mixture is fluffy.
Slowly ladle 1/4 cup hot bouillon from pot onto egg, beating
constantly and adding only a bit of liquid at a time.
Stir in lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
Season.
Remove from heat; let stand over hot water 5 minutes before serving.
Remove meatballs with slotted spoon to serving dish.
Ladle sauce over meatballs. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serve with plain boiled rice.

Bread plays a major part in the diet in Greece, and is eaten with most meals.
These are traditional at Easter. The larger koulouria loaf is often twisted around
a red Easter egg.
2 TBS dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water
3 TBS sugar (6 TBS if making koulourakia)
2 cups milk
3 TBS butter
3/4 tsp salt
7 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
1 egg yolk, well beaten
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Dissolve yeast in warm water sprinkled with a pinch of sugar. Set

aside. Scald milk. Add sugar, butter, and salt. Let milk mixture cool to
body temperature.
In a food processor, put flour, milk mixture, yeast, and egg and mix
just until it forms a dough.
Remove dough and knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and
elastic.
Grease a bowl, place dough, cover with damp towel. Let rise in a
warm place to rise until doubled (about 4 hours).
Punch down dough. Knead briefly.
If making a large koulouria loaf, divide dough into three.
On a lightly floured surface, roll and shape each into a long stick about
10–12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
Join the sticks together at one end by firmly pressing and braid.
Shape the braided loaf into a circle and place on a greased 10-inch-
diameter round baking pan.
Firmly seal the join with beaten egg yolk.
Brush the top of the loaf with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with
sesame seeds.
To make the smaller koulourakia (the suffix akia means “small”) rolls,
divide dough into six.
On a lightly floured surface, roll and shape into sticks about 6 inches
long.
Take each stick and form into a ring, or bend in half and twist the two
strands around each other to braid.
Seal the join with beaten egg yolk.
Brush the surface of the koulourakia with beaten egg yolk, and scatter
sesame seeds over.
Place the koulourakia well apart on a greased baking tray.
Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled.
Bake in the middle of a preheated oven at 375°F for 20–30 minutes or
until just lightly golden, but not browned.
Remove from oven; allow to cool for 10 minutes, and remove from
pan to continue cooling on a rack.

These cookies are eaten as a snack and often served for birthdays and other
joyous occasions.
4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
2 cups apricot jam
Beat egg yolks with sugar and vanilla extract.

In a food processor, place flour, baking powder, yolk mixture, and
melted butter.
Gently process into a soft dough by adding the milk gradually. Stop
processing as soon as the mixture comes together.
Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Butter a cookie sheet.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch-thick
rectangle.
Cut into 1-inch rounds and place evenly spaced on cookie sheet.
Beat egg whites and brush over cookies.
Bake in preheated 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the cookie sheet and cool on a rack.
When completely cold, spoon 1/2 tsp jam onto half the cookies and top
with the others.

This semolina and citrus syrup cake has many variants throughout Greece and
countries farther est, as far as Georgia and Armenia, where the semolina is
replaced by walnuts and/or almonds. It can also be spelled ravani or ravane. As
with karidopita, revani can be served with whipped cream or a dollop of sour
cream.

1 cup fine semolina or farina
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk or plain yogurt
Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 orange
fine strips of rind from 1 orange and/or 2 TBS flaked almonds for
garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F; butter a 9-inch square or round cake pan (not
springform); set aside.
Combine flour, semolina, and baking powder and soda; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with salt to soft peaks; set
aside.
In a large bowl or mixer (using the same beaters used for the whites),
cream the butter and sugar until very light.
Blend in the vanilla and lemon rind; then the egg yolks, followed by
half of the flour mixture.
Blend in the milk, then the rest of the flour mixture.
By hand, fold in the egg whites; pour into pan and bake for 35–45
minutes or until golden and tests done.
Meanwhile, prepare syrup: combine water, sugar, and citrus juices and
rind in a pan.
Heat to boiling over medium heat; simmer for 10 minutes or until
thickened.
Let syrup cool and pour over hot cake as in karidopita below; reserve
orange rind.
Garnish with orange rind and/or almonds and chill thoroughly before
serving.

As with revani (above), this is a much loved cake doused with syrup after
baking. The original recipe uses brandy, which is replaced here with orange
juice. Serve with whipped cream.

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and clove powder
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts for garnish
Syrup
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
Preheat oven to 350°F; butter an 8-inch square or round baking pan

(not springform).
Combine the flour, baking soda, and spices; set aside.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light.
Blend in the eggs, then the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk.
At this stage, stop using the mixer (if using) and fold in the walnuts,
breadcrumbs, and, lastly, the orange juice, mixing only until all is
combined, but no more.
Pour mixture into baking pan; bake for 25–30 minutes or until cake is
golden and tests done.
While cake is baking, prepare syrup.
Combine the sugar, water, and citrus juices in a small pan.
At medium heat, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5–10 minutes or until
thickened to a pourable syrup.
Turn off heat; stir in the citrus rinds and allow to cool.
Remove cake from the oven, prick the top with a skewer, and pour the
citrus syrup slowly all over. Repeat until syrup is all absorbed. Garnish
with chopped walnuts.
Cool thoroughly then chill before serving.
Grenada
Located between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Grenada consists of
three islands—Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique—that became
independent in 1974 but remain within the British Commonwealth. Grenada’s
culture mixes British, African, East Indian, and French influences from its
history as a French and then British colony. This influence is reflected in
Grenadan cooking. Grenadans are predominantly of African origin, and although
English is the official language, a French patois (dialect) is also spoken.
Nutmeg and mace (the nutmeg kernel’s lacy covering) are Grenada’s
foremost products, earning it the name “Isle of Spice.” Other tropical fruits and
vegetables flourish in the rich volcanic soil, notably cocoa.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: beans, rice, yams, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, and cassava.
• Fruits and vegetables: mango, pumpkin, squash, dasheen or callaloo
(taro root and leaves), leafy greens (munga), christophene, eggplant
(melongene), dessert banana (fig banana or bluggo), plantain, peas,
coconut, passion fruit. Other fresh and processed fruits and vegetables,
including juices, imported from the United States.
• Breadfruit is used in many ways: as a vegetable like potato and as a
cereal (made into flour); in addition, the flower is eaten with sugar.
• Goat, fish, and seafood such as conch (lambi), crab, shrimp, sea
urchin, roe, marlin, tuna, barracuda, king fish.
• Game such as armadillo, iguana, and turtle meat and eggs are eaten.
• Some meat (pork, beef) and poultry products are imported from the
United States.
• Seasonings: various spices, hot peppers, herbs (thyme, chives, bay
leaf).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Oil-down: a stew of breadfruit and various vegetables, salted meat,
and/or chicken in coconut milk with spices.
• One-pot rice dishes: red beans and rice, pigeon peas and rice.
• Soups are popular: callaloo soup, breadfruit soup. Fish or seafood are
made into soup (fish broth, lambi waters) or stews (curried conch) or
fried. Meat and chicken stews with vegetables (cowheel soup, curry
goat, pig souse).
• Coo-coo (savory corn or breadfruit pudding).
• Celebrations on the beach or cook-ups feature soups or stews,
barbecued meats.
• Snacks: roti (pan-baked quick bread of East Indian origin) filled with
vegetable or meat curry, breadfruit chips, fried bananas or plantains,
tamarind (tambran) balls, roast corn.
• Sweets: ice cream made from tropical fruits.
• Drinks: sea moss (made with seaweed, milk, nutmeg and lime),
tropical fruit milkshakes, bois bande (made of tree bark).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals and snacks.
• Grenadans traditionally eat most meals at home.
• Breakfast: fried bread (bakes) with fish cakes made of salt cod or
titiri (tiny sea fish) or fried jacks (a popular fish), and bush tea (from
black sage leaves).
• Lunch: callaloo soup, roti with curry sauce or stew-fish, dessert of
avocado or nutmeg ice cream.
• Dinner: same as lunch.
• Weekend brunch: black pudding and salt-fish souse, which are eaten
with johnny bakes.
Oil-Down
This robust meat and vegetable stew, pronounced “oil dung,” is the national
dish, extremely popular at local cook-ups or barbecue parties on the beach. The
name comes from the dish being cooked down until all the liquid is absorbed,
leaving a very thick sauce. It is usually served with a cabbage salad or a puree of
okra, locally called “ochro slush.”
1/2 pound salt pork or unsmoked back bacon

1 sprig each celery, parsley, thyme, chopped
2 green onions or 10 chives, chopped
1 whole hot pepper (optional)
2 cups water
1 large breadfruit, cored and cut into 6–8 sections; or 5 large potatoes,
quartered
2 medium carrots chopped
1/2 pound corn dumplings (follows this recipe)
2–4 cups coconut milk
2 TBS turmeric or curry powder
8–10 young dasheen leaves or 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and
drained
Soak salted pork in water and refrigerate overnight to get rid of excess
salt. Drain and discard water.
In a heavy stewing pot, simmer meat with onions, herbs, hot pepper,
and water for about 15 minutes.
Add breadfruit, carrots, dumplings, coconut milk, turmeric, and
dasheen leaves (if spinach is substituted, add during the last 5 minutes
of cooking).
Cook covered over medium heat till all the water is absorbed and the
vegetables are tender but not mushy.
Stir occasionally and check that the stew is not sticking to the bottom
of the pot.
Corn dumplings
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
water
In a bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, and salt with a little water to make a
stiff dough.
Knead lightly and roll into balls or cylinders. Drop into boiling salted
water or as directed in the oil-down recipe above, and cook for about
15 minutes.

This dish is served as a dessert or a snack.
4 semiripe bananas
5 TBS cinnamon and sugar (mixed)
3 TBS butter
Slice banana in half lengthwise.

Gently heat butter in a skillet and fry banana slices on both sides until
slightly brown.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while frying.
Serve warm with ice cream or cream.
Roast Pork
This pork dish can be served hot with rice and beans and a vegetable salad, or
warm with a cold bean salad (see the following recipe).
1 onion, chopped
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp allspice
3/4 tsp powdered ginger
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork
Sauce
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
1/4 cup minced onion
3 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS minced fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp allspice
Garnish
lettuce leaves
2 avocados, pitted and sliced crosswise, drizzled with lemon juice to
prevent browning
minced fresh parsley
Combine onions, bay leaves, salt, allspice, ginger, and pepper in a

bowl. Rub mixture thoroughly into pork and leave to marinate for 1
hour or overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Set pork on rack in roasting pan.
Roast pork for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until done.
To make the sauce: in a saucepan, combine all the ingredients and
simmer until slightly thickened, for about 15 minutes.
To serve: Line dish with lettuce. Slice pork into serving portions.
Alternate pork and avocado slices. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve sauce
alongside, to be drizzled by each diner over pork and avocado.

A salad served to accompany a meat or other main dish.
2 cups frozen corn, thawed, drained

8-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
2 tomatoes, seeded, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of one lime
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Chill until
ready to serve.

The recipe originates with British mariners, for whom plum pudding was a
traditional luxury. In Grenada it was adapted to local taste and conditions.
Traditionally, this pudding was made with beef suet (here, butter is used) and
three kinds of alcohol: rum, wine, and brandy. The dried fruits would be soaked
in 1/2 cup to 1 cup rum for a week. Here, they are soaked in orange juice instead.
Half a cup each of wine and brandy would be added to the batter before baking,
and just before serving, more brandy would be poured over the pudding and lit
up as it was brought to the table. This recipe is alcohol-free.
1/2 pound raisins

1/2 pound currants
4 ounces candied orange or lemon peel (or both), chopped
1/2 pound stale bread, cubed
1/2 pint milk
1 cup butter
4 ounces brown sugar
3 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1/8 tsp each nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves
In a covered dish, put raisins, currants, peel, and orange juice and
refrigerate for 2–3 days.
Soak bread in warmed milk for 10 minutes to soften.
Cream butter and brown sugar thoroughly. Add eggs and mix well.
Stir in prepared fruit with soaking liquid, orange juice, and spices.
Turn into a greased 2-quart baking dish with tight-fitting cover
(otherwise, cover with foil securely fastened around dish so that
moisture cannot get in).
Place the baking dish into a larger baking pan in the middle shelf of
the oven.
Pour boiling water into the pan, two-thirds of the way up the baking
dish. Check that there is always water in the pan: add more hot water
as necessary.
Bake for 1 hour or until cake tests done (a skewer stuck in the middle
should come out dry).
“Souse” is the generic Caribbean term for meat or fish marinated in a spicy
dressing of lime or other citrus juice, oil, and colorful vegetables. The most
commonly used meats are pig’s feet or cow’s heel or tongue; when fish is used,
it is usually salted bacalao or codfish. Souse is popularly eaten for weekend
breakfast.
1 1/2 pounds dried salt cod, preferably boneless

4 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 cup each finely sliced green and red sweet pepper
grated rind and juice of 4 limes
salt to taste
1 habanero pepper, sliced finely, seeds removed (if milder flavor is
desired)
2 green onions, finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 firm tomatoes, diced
additional parsley and thyme leaves
chopped sweet or hot peppers for garnish
Soak the cod overnight in cold water to partially desalt it, changing the
water at least twice. There is no need to completely desalt the fish;
otherwise its unique flavor will be lost.
The following morning, using your fingers, check the cod for any
bones and remove them with pincers; discard the skin. Flake the flesh
with your fingers, or dice.
Put eggs into a pan with water to cover at medium heat; bring to a boil.
Immediately turn off heat and leave eggs in the pan, covered, for 5–6
minutes (no more); remove eggs to a bowl with cold water; leave to
cool thoroughly. The yolks will turn out to be just set. For firmer hard-
boiled eggs, leave in the hot water for 8–10 minutes.
In a large pan, heat the oil at medium heat; gently fry the onion and
garlic for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Mix in well the flaked fish; cook
for 3–5 minutes more.
Add the carrot and sweet peppers; cook until just heated through. Turn
off heat.
Mix in a large bowl the lime rind and juice, salt, habanero, green
onions, and herbs. Mix in gently the fish-vegetable mixture. Taste and
add more salt or lime juice if needed; chill thoroughly.
Shell the eggs and slice into halves or quarters. Scatter over the fish-
vegetable mix.
Sprinkle with tomatoes; garnish with herbs and chopped pepper.
Serve with bakes (see below).
Bakes
“Bakes” is a misnomer, as these quick breads or pancakes are actually deep
fried. They are commonly served for breakfast and usually accompany salt-fish
souse.

2 TBS butter (or margarine), softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2–2/3 cup milk
up to 1/4 cup water
oil for deep frying
In a food processor or large bowl, mix the flour, butter, salt, sugar,
eggs, and milk for a soft dough. Add just enough water, if necessary.
Knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
Pinch off golf ball–sized balls and roll into 1/4-inch-thick circles.
Deep fry a few bakes at a time in hot oil until golden; drain on paper
towels.
Serve at once.
Spice and Lime Cake
Grenada is also known as the Isle of Spice—and for good reason, as it is the
world’s second largest producer of nutmeg and mace (the nutmeg’s red lacy aril
covering) after Indonesia. Other spices, such as allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and
ginger, are abundantly grown and exported. This cake is often split into layers
and filled with local fruits. If desired, whip 1 cup cream and mix with 1 cup
cooked or canned diced pineapple as filling. Fresh pineapple contains an
enzyme, bromelain, that curdles fresh milk or cream.

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1/3 cup milk
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp nutmeg, or 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp mace
1/4 tsp each cinnamon and cloves
3 eggs
powdered sugar for garnish
Butter a 9-inch round baking pan. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Combine the lime juice and milk (the mixture is intended to curdle);
set aside.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugar until very light.
Blend in spices and lime rind; followed by eggs.
Mix in flour mixture, then the milk mixture.
Place in baking pan and bake for 30–40 minutes or until golden and
tests done.
Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool
thoroughly.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
Guam
Guam is an island in the western Pacific Ocean, an unincorporated territory of

the United States. It is just over two hundred square miles, or less than three-
quarters of the area of New York City. It is part of the Mariana Islands, which
are located within the greater island group of Micronesia, together with several
national entities: the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau, and the
Marshall Islands (see separate entries). Colonized by Spain from the mid-
seventeenth century, then ceded to the United States in 1898, Guam’s population
comprises indigenous Chamorros (Malay-Polynesians), Filipinos, Americans,
and other Asians. The official languages are Chamorro and English. Most
Guamanians, or Chamorros, as they prefer to be called, are Catholic.
The climate is tropical marine, modified by monsoons and constantly
exposed to typhoons and earthquakes. The economy relies on international
tourism, U.S. military bases, and local businesses. Traditional Chamorro cooking
is a blend of Pacific Island ingredients heavily influenced by Mexican elements,
as a result of being a stopping point along the Philippines-Mexico trade route for
three hundred years. Chinese, Philippine, Japanese, and other Asian, as well as
American influences, are evident in the cuisine in Guam.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice (including glutinous), fish and other marine foodstuffs,
root vegetables.
• Meat: pork, chicken, dugong.
• Fish: tuna is the most commonly eaten fish all over Micronesia, often
raw; giant clams, sea cucumber, reef fish, shellfish, dolphin fish (mahi-
mahi), lobsters, mangrove crabs, giant clams (Tridacna), sea
cucumber, eels, shrimp, catfish, turtle, and coconut crab.
• Vegetables: taro of various types, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, cassava,
yams, arrowroot starch, eggplants.
• Fruit: coconut, pandanus fruit, papaya, bananas, tangerines, pumpkin,
plantain.
• Imported foods: rice, bread, beer, canned mackerel, Spam and corned
beef, cheese and other dairy products, ice cream.
• Sap of the toddy palm, karewe, is used in many ways; as syrup or
molasses (called te kamaimai) extracted from boiled karewe, it is
usually eaten with rice. Diluted with water it becomes a drink called te
katete. Fermented for three days, te karewe becomes te kaokioli (sour
toddy, an alcoholic drink). Te kamaimai mixed with grated coconut
and coconut cream makes a sweet called kati ni ben.
• Drinks: sweet toddy (te karewe), a drink made from the roots of
pepper shrubs (kava/sakau), fermented coconut sap (tuba), canned soft
drinks.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Finadene is a specialty of Guam and the Marianas, a spicy sauce
made of chili peppers, onions, and vinegar or lemon is almost always
on the table.
• Carbohydrates and vegetable dishes: corn soup (elotes), breadfruit
cooked in taro leaves, coconut porridge, sliced boiled taro, baked
breadfruit (um mas), steamed taro (kutak), fried bananas (bonelos aga),
red rice (glutinous red made rice with achuete seeds (Bixa orellana),
fried coconut-flavored breakfast tortillas (titiyas).
• Fish and other seafood cooked in coconut milk (kadon guihan), raw
fish served with coconut curry sauce, raw fish with lime juice,
fermented fish, grilled fish (tininu guihan).
• Meat dishes: beef steak; kelaguen, almost the signature dish on the
islands, is a method of preparing minced chicken (or other meat) with
lemon juice, onions, shredded coconut meat, and the hot chili sauce
called finadene. Kelaguen manok is with minced chicken, kelaguen
binadu with venison, kelaguen guihan with fish, and kelaguen katne
with beef. Chicken stewed with tomatoes and onions (estufao); pork,
shrimp, and vegetables in pastry wrapping (lumpia); roast suckling
pig; sukiyaki with papaya and meat (adapted from Japanese original);
dried beef or fish (tinala katne or tinala guihan).
• Sweets: grated coconut boiled in syrup (ahn), bananas simmered in
coconut milk (saibok), custard and sponge cake dessert with cinnamon
(latiya), papaya turnover (pastit), steamed rice cake (potu), fried rice
cake (bibinka), coconut candy (bukayo). Fafa, chopped taro root
served in sweet coconut sauce, is prepared only by certain families;
tapioca mixed with pi and dried coconut and covered with sweetened
coconut milk. Deep-fried yam with syrup (bonelos dago); sweet
coconut and rice pudding (kalamai); boiled pandan fruit wafers spread
with coconut cream (te roro); young taro stems boiled, peeled, and
mixed with sugar and coconut milk (elang); banana and soft taro or
breadfruit cooked with coconut milk (ainpat); cinnamon-and-coconut-
flavored sponge cake in milky custard (lanpiyos); mango turnovers.
• Imported foods: Filipino and Japanese dishes are commonly served
in restaurants; Asian foods, such as sukiyaki, soba, lumpia, and various
Chinese dishes; tuna sashimi is available all over Micronesia; hot dog
in croissants; American fast foods such as cheeseburgers, tacos, and
pizza.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditionally, two meals a day and snacks (or sometimes even one: a
meal without a staple is considered a snack). Most households today
eat three meals a day and plenty of snacks.
• Breakfast: fruit (mango, papaya) and rice, preserved fish, spicy
condiment. Many households today have large breakfasts: fried rice,
eggs, and sausage. In some households, pancakes or French toast with
te kamaimai (toddy syrup).
• Lunch: rice with a fish or meat dish.
• Evening meal: rice with several dishes of fish, meat, and cooked
vegetables, and a sweet dessert.
• Snacks: sweet cakes or other confectionery, hot or cold drinks.
Relish (Finadene)
Finadene (pronounced fin-ah-dén-ee) is a salty, spicy, sour condiment found on
every table. Use on anything, including as an ingredient in marinades.
10–12 hot chili peppers, cored, seeded, and minced finely

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped onions
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend to desired consistency.

Serve with all savory dishes.

Rice has become a desired foodstuff all over Micronesia, supplanting the
traditional staples of root vegetables (sweet potato, taro).
1 cup rice
3 cups water
1 cup coconut cream
Bring water to a boil.

Add rice and cook until soft (the result should be a thick gruel; if there
is insufficient water, add boiling water, a little at a time, to reach
porridge consistency).
Add coconut cream and bring to a simmer.
Serve as main dish.

Eggroll in its many variations are popular throughout Asia and have been
adopted in Guam, brought by Filipino settlers. The meat can be omitted for a
vegetarian version.
1 pound pork (or any other meat: chicken, fish, shrimp, beef), cut into
thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
1 tsp grated ginger
salt and chili pepper
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 pound squash, peeled, cut into strips
1 stalk celery, sliced thin
12 lumpia or spring-roll wrappers (available from stores that sell Asian
foods and some supermarkets)
oil for frying
Combine pork, pepper, tomato paste, onions, and ginger. Season with
salt and chili pepper to taste and cover. Allow to infuse for 1 hour.
Heat oil in a wok. Stir fry the pork and vegetable mixture over high
heat until meat has changed color (5–10 minutes depending on meat
used).
Reduce heat. Add squash and celery, and continue cooking until
squash and celery are firm-tender, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from
heat and divide into twelve portions.
Place a portion onto the bottom half of a wrapper. Fold over bottom
once to cover the filling, then bring the sides together toward the
middle. Finish by snugly rolling up into an oblong package. Moisten
the ends with a bit of water to seal.
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a frying pan.
Fry lumpia two or three at a time, ensuring they do not touch, until
golden brown on both sides.
Serve as a side dish, or snack or appetizer with a dipping sauce of soy
sauce and lemon juice or with finadene sauce.

Eggplants were introduced from Southeast Asia and are a major food item in
Guam.
3 medium eggplants
2 cups coconut milk
salt to taste
juice of 4 limes
2 chili peppers, cored, seeded, and shredded
Grill eggplant until skin blackens and fruit sags.

Remove from heat, drop into very cold water.
Lay on board and slice open, then remove pulp with a spoon (if some
skin comes along, that is fine). Chop flesh.
Mix chilies, eggplant, lime juice, onions, and salt to taste. Mix in
coconut milk.
Serve as salad or appetizer with coconut-flavored or corn tortillas.

This is the signature dish of Guam, perhaps more than any other. Any kind of
meat or fish can be used, ideally raw. The kelaguen is identified by the meat
used, for example, beef kelaguen or chicken kelaguen. Serve as a main dish.
1 pound good, fat-free steak, sliced thin into bite-sized pieces, or

1 pound grilled chicken meat, cooled, boneless, or
1 pound canned corned beef, chopped roughly, or
1 pound fish meat, either fresh raw, or cooked, deboned and flaked
1 tsp salt
juice of 4 limes
1 medium onion, sliced very thin
4 spring onions, sliced thin
4 red chili peppers, cored, seeded, and shredded (or any balance of hot
and small sweet peppers)
Place meat in a bowl with salt.

Mix very thoroughly, then add remaining ingredients.
Allow to marinate for 45 minutes.
Serve with titiyas (tortillas) or over hot rice.

This is a Guamanian main dish usually served with rice.

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cubed
2 small green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cubed
1 pound cooked ham (canned is fine), chopped
3 cups canned chickpeas (garbanzos), drained (some liquid reserved)
Heat oil and sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and stir for 1
minute.
Add peppers and cook, stirring.
Add ham and cook for 1 minute.
Add chickpeas and enough liquid to ensure there is some gravy (but
not a soup).
Allow to cook until chickpeas are hot. Season to taste.
Serve with rice, taro, breadfruit, or any other starch and finadene
relish.
Spam Fried Rice

Throughout the Pacific Islands (including the U.S. state of Hawaii), canned
corned beef or luncheon meat (such as Spam) is no longer used just as an
alternative to fresh meat but as a distinct ingredient on its own.
1 onion, minced finely

1 TBS oil
1 can Spam or other canned corned beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups freshly cooked rice
soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a wok.

Sauté onions until golden.
Add meat and brown lightly.
Add rice and cook until warmed through.
Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
Serve hot.
Microwave Mochi
A popular dessert that mixes Japanese festive food (mochi, sticky rice) with
island coconut.
2 cups mochikō (sticky or glutinous rice flour, available in stores that

sell Asian foods)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 can coconut cream and water to equal 2 1/4 cups liquid
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 cup freshly grated coconut
Whisk all ingredients together.

Pour into a casserole or other microwavable container. Cover, leaving
room for steam to escape. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then
checking and repeating every half minute until mochi is done. It will
be very sticky.
Turn mochi onto a board or work surface sprinkled with cornstarch or
potato flour.
Slice into cubes and roll in cornstarch to keep from sticking.
Alternatively, with cornstarch-coated fingers, shape into ovals and coat
with sesame seeds and grated coconut.
Serve warm or allow to cool thoroughly as dessert or snack.

Latiya is a very popular dessert and a must-have for special occasions. The name
comes from the Spanish natilla (cream).
1 prepared pound or sponge cake (1 pound), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Custard topping
4 TBS cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (12 oz can)
2 eggs
4 TBS butter
1 TBS or more cinnamon, for sprinkling
Line a buttered, 3-inch-deep 10 × 13 inch glass or ceramic dish with

the cake slices. Overlap the slices to fit, if necessary. Cover with cling
film and refrigerate.
In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Gradually
whisk in the water and evaporated milk until mixture is smooth.
Turn on the heat to medium. Keep whisking continuously until the
mixture starts to boil.
Reduce heat to lowest temperature. Stir in the eggs, butter, and vanilla
until fully incorporated. As soon as mixture thickens, turn off the heat.
Do not overcook or the custard may curdle.
Spread the hot custard over the cake; let cool to room temperature,
sprinkle with cinnamon and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or
overnight.
Slice into squares to serve.

These fritters are a popular snack.
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced

crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1 cup flour
4 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup milk
oil for frying
additional sugar for sprinkling
In a bowl, soak the sweet potato slices in cold water for 20–30
minutes. Drain and wipe thoroughly with paper towels. Slice into
strips similar in size to French fries.
Prepare the batter: combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt,
and sugar.
Blend in the egg; gradually add milk, a little at a time, to get a thick
pancake-like batter. Add a bit more flour or milk, if too runny or too
thick.
Stir sweet potato strips into the batter.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 4–5 TBS of oil. When the oil
begins to shimmer, drop spoonfuls of the strips, 2 or 3 at a time; do not
crowd the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium or lower, and let the
fritters fry until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with more sugar to serve.
Guatemala
Guatemala, the largest country in Central America, is a former Spanish colony

that became independent in 1821. Two-thirds mountainous, its fertile, hot, humid
plains on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts produce cattle, sugar, coffee, and
tropical fruits. Its northern rainforests yield chewing gum.
Over half its people are Amerindian (Maya), with a vibrant culture and
some adopted European customs. The other half are descendants of Europeans,
mainly Hispanic, and Africans. Guatemalan food blends Spanish, Amerindian,
and European influences.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: beans and corn, usually grown on family land.
• Meat: fish and seafood, beef, chicken, pork.
• Vegetables: Pumpkin, avocado, tomato, radish, hot chili, and bell
pepper.
• Fruits: banana, plantain, pineapple, mango, Spanish plum (jocote),
mamey apple (mammea Americana).
• Seasonings: cilantro, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds are often
used for sauces.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Beans in various forms: in soup, as fried-bean paste, cooked with
rice, or in stews.
• Corn: ground into cornmeal and grilled to make tortillas, best cooked
traditionally on a metal sheet (comale) over a fire or made into
steamed dumplings (tamales).
• Tamales: bits of chicken, pork, corn paste, or potatoes steamed in
banana leaves.
• Rice dishes: chicken-rice dish with onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers,
and seasonal vegetables (arroz con pollo chapina).
• Spanish-style sweets: egg-rich custard (flan), rice cakes, honey

crisps, sugared figs, fried dumplings coated with honey (bunuelos),
ripe plantains with chocolate sauce, honey-cinnamon syrups, or with
orange juice and whipped cream.
• Drinks: fruit juices; beer, rum and wine are brewed locally. A punch
made from milk, egg yolks and rum (rompopo), horchata de arroz
(cinnamon-flavored sweet rice drink).
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: porridge or tortillas with beans, eggs, fried plantain, and a
cup of coffee or chocolate-coffee.
• Lunch: a large meal with soup, meat or chicken, rice, vegetables and
salad; dessert of sweets or fruit.
• Evening: light meal similar to breakfast or leftovers from the midday
meal or sweet bread and a hot drink; dessert of sweets or fruit.
• Snacks: midmorning and/or mid-afternoon, hot drink with sweet
pastry or tamales (steamed dumpling of cornmeal filled with
vegetables, meat, or cheese).
Making traditional corn tortillas, Guatemala. (Steve Burger/iStockPhoto.com)

The flavors of locally grown cocoa, coffee, and cinnamon are well blended in
this soothing hot drink, usually served at breakfast but also drunk in between
meals with a snack.
4 TBS cocoa
4 TBS sugar
2 TBS cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 TBS cinnamon
2 cups milk
2 TBS butter
2 cups freshly brewed coffee
1 tsp vanilla
additional cinnamon for garnish
In a saucepan, combine cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon.

Slowly add the milk, blending it well into the dry ingredients so that
lumps do not form.
Heat the milk and cocoa mixture gently over low heat until small
bubbles rise around the sides of the pan. Do not allow to boil.
Quickly stir in the butter, coffee, and vanilla.
Turn off the heat.
To serve, pour into cups and sprinkle cinnamon over. Diners may add
more sugar if they wish.

Salads are commonly served along with a main dish.
15 small red radishes, trimmed and sliced thinly

10 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
salt to taste
juice of 1/2 small orange
juice of 1/2 small lemon
In a bowl, combine radishes with remaining ingredients. Chill for 30
minutes and serve with a meat or chicken dish, or with rice and beans.

The tomatillo is commonly used in Guatemala, but tomatoes can be substituted
in this recipe.
1 cup squash seeds

1 TBS oil
1 cup tomatillos, husked and sliced, or green tomatoes, chopped
salt to taste
2 cups frozen sliced green beans, thawed, drained
1 pound potatoes, peeled, cubed, and boiled
In a skillet, dry fry the squash seeds over low heat for about 10
minutes until lightly browned. Set aside.
In the same skillet, add oil and lightly fry the garlic.
Process the squash seeds and garlic with the tomatillos or green
tomatoes until smooth. Add a bit of water if the sauce is too thick.
Season with salt to taste.
Boil 3 cups of salted water. Add green beans and briefly cook, about 3
minutes.
Immediately drain green beans and plunge into cold water to stop
further cooking.
Toss the potatoes and green beans with the sauce.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or more before serving.

This well-flavored stew is eaten at noon or evening. Serve with rice and/or fresh
hot tortillas, with radish salad or other vegetable salad.
4 pieces chicken legs or quarters

2 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tortillas, torn into pieces
3 TBS squash seeds
1 cup cilantro, packed
1 cup sliced green onions, green part only
1/2 cup sliced tomatillos or green tomatoes
1 green chili pepper (optional)
2 TBS corn oil
In a covered saucepan, cook the chicken with the water and salt for
about 15 minutes.
When cool, discard the chicken skins but keep the broth and soak the
tortillas in it.
In a skillet, dry fry the squash seeds and sesame seeds over low heat
until lightly colored, about 10 minutes.
To prepare sauce: process to a smooth paste the squash and sesame
seeds, cilantro, green onions, tomatillos, hot chili pepper, the soaked
tortillas and 1 cup of broth. Set aside.
In a skillet, heat the corn oil over moderate heat and brown the chicken
pieces for about 5 minutes.
Add the green sauce and any remaining broth.
Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich.

Guatemala’s fruits are combined in this dessert. Other seasonal fruits can be
substituted.
2/3 cup sugar

3 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 small fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed
1 cup raisins
1 cup pitted prunes or dried apricots, cubed
2 small apples, peeled and cubed
1 firm semiripe papaya, peeled and cubed
In a saucepan, simmer the sugar, water, and cinnamon for about 10
minutes.
Add all the fruits and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Serve warm.

Not to be confused with the breakfast chocolate-coffee drink called
champurrado, champurradas are very popular cookies, normally dipped into hot
chocolate, but they can also be eaten on their own. Makes about 35 cookies.
1/2 cup whole-meal flour

1/2 cup fine white cornmeal (masa harina)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
sesame seeds for garnish
Combine flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until very light; add eggs,
blending well.
Blend in the flour mixture; chill dough, covered, for 2 hours.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface 1/4 inch thick and cut out
circles or ovals.
Score a pattern on cookie tops with a fork.
Alternatively, shape into walnut-sized balls; flatten with the bottom of
a drinking glass.
Place evenly spaced on a buttered cookie sheet; garnish cookies with
sesame seeds pressed in gently.
Bake for 8–12 minutes or until golden; remove and cool on wire racks.
Mole is a chocolate-and squash seed–based sauce, which accompanies turkey or
chicken in Mexican cooking. In Guatemala however, mole more usually refers to
a sweet version with plantains, often served for dessert. Mole de plátano is
uniquely Guatemalan.
3 ripe plantains
oil for deep frying
1/4 cup green squash seeds (pepitoria)
2-inch cinnamon stick, broken
1 dried guaque chili pepper, or 1 guajillo chili pepper, or any chili
pepper
5 very ripe large tomatoes, chopped
2 champurrada cookies, crumbled (see recipe above, or any type of
cookie)
4 seedless prunes, chopped
2 TBS achiote oil (optional; see note at end of recipe), or corn oil
1/2 cup good quality unsweetened dark chocolate, or 1/2 cup cocoa
powder and 1/4 cup butter
2 TBS sugar, or more to taste
salt
sesame seeds for garnish
Slice each plantain diagonally crosswise into 4 equal lengths; deep fry
until golden and drain well, wiping off all excess oil.
Over medium heat, dry fry the sesame seeds in a griddle for 4–6
minutes until aromatic. Set aside.
Add the squash seeds, cinnamon, and chili pepper to the griddle; dry
fry similarly until aromatic.
Reserve 2 tsp of the sesame seeds for garnish; put all the dry-fried
ingredients in a mortar, blender, or food processor; pound or process to
a fine paste. If necessary, add a teaspoon or so of oil to facilitate
processing.
Add the tomatoes, cookies, and prunes; continue blending or pounding
until all is smooth.
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, warm the achiote oil (see
below) and stir in the blended mixture.
When it starts to simmer, stir in the chocolate, sugar, and salt; taste and
add more sugar if desired.
Add the fried plantains and continue to simmer until mole is as thick
as gravy and plantains are heated through. Add a bit of water if too
thick.
Serve sprinkled with reserved sesame seeds.
Note: Over low heat, warm 1/4 cup corn or sunflower oil with 2 tsp
achiote seeds in a small pan until the oil is hot but not boiling. Stir
often. Turn off heat. When oil is cool, place in a small bottle. Kept
tightly covered, the red-orange oil will keep for months in the
refrigerator.
Guinea
This West African country on the Atlantic Coast is a former French colony.
Mostly flat on the coast, mountainous inland with a tropical climate, rice, and
other staples, fruits, vegetables are raised for local consumption.
There are three large ethnic groups—the Peuhl, Malinke, and Soussou—
and several smaller ones. The majority of the population are Muslims (thus pork
is not eaten). Local cuisine is influenced by North African and French elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice, cassava, and bananas are the principal crops, and serve as the
main ingredients of meals.
• The most common meats are goat, chicken, and beef. Pork is usually
unavailable.
• Fish and other marine life are taken from the rivers and from the sea.
Dried salted small fish are an important flavoring ingredient for most
cooked dishes.
• A variety of vegetables are raised, including tomatoes, eggplants,
peppers (sweet and hot varieties), and okra. Peanuts are used for
flavoring and on their own.
• Fruit are raised by farmers for local consumption. These include
avocados, bananas, pineapples, and other tropical fruit.
• Palm oil and palm butter are important ingredients.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Jollof rice is common throughout West Africa.
• Baton de manioc (steamed packages of cassava flour) are a common
staple. Rice is for more luxurious or special dining.
• Groundnut and other stews are eaten as side dishes along with the
cooked carbohydrate staple.
• Ngumbo (cooked okra) is commonly eaten for any meal.
• Drinks include water, tea, coffee, and a variety of local fruit juices
and soda pops.
STYLES OF EATING
some side dishes, which are shared.
• Breakfast usually consists of a porridge, or fried bread, or the
leftovers from the evening meal.
• The midday meal depends on the individual’s occupation and
resources.
• The evening meal is composed of a staple, and a sauce of vegetables
and meat, often flavored with dried fish.
style.

Cumin, a commonly used spice in Africa, was originally brought by Arab
traders. This dish may well have originally used guinea fowl, native to Guinean
forests. Unlike chicken, guinea fowl have dark flesh. This stew is eaten for a
main meal.
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
Combine onion, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, garlic, cumin, salt,

and cayenne in a saucepan. Stir to mix well.
Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally.
Add chicken, cover, and simmer for 1/2 hour or more, stirring
occasionally, until chicken is tender. Add a little water if the sauce
becomes too thick.
Serve with fufu, chikwangue (see Ghana entry for the sidebar “African
Staple,” p. 505), or rice.

This is another main meal stew whose ingredients vary, depending on what is
available.
3 TBS oil
1 pound beef or kid, cubed, or 4 chicken legs
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp thyme
3 TBS parsley, very finely minced
1 whole clove, crushed
3 cups water
3 TBS smooth natural peanut butter
Heat oil in a heavy pan and brown meat.

Add onion, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, parsley, and clove.
Combine tomato paste with 2 cups water; add to seasoned meat and
mix well.
Dilute peanut butter with remaining water and add to mixture.
Simmer for 30–45 minutes or until meat is tender.
Serve hot over fufu or rice.

This is a very popular and common West African dish. Guinean cooks are in
great demand throughout West Africa because of this dish (which is claimed to
be the “national dish” in several localities).
2 cups water
4 chicken legs or quarters
2 cans (about 2 pounds) chopped tomatoes
salt to taste
1 cup uncooked rice
1 large onion, sliced
3 cups cabbage, shredded
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and quartered (or 1 package
frozen sliced green beans, defrosted and drained)
Put water, chicken, tomatoes, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan.

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in rice, onion, cabbage, green beans, cinnamon, and cayenne
pepper.
Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to lowest.
Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and the rice is cooked,
Serve as a main meal.
Fish and Greens

Any kind of fish or greens will work for this dish, which is served with the
staple.
1/3 cup palm oil (or substitute other vegetable oil)

1 fish, about 2 pounds cut into serving-sized pieces (wiped dry to
prevent splattering during frying)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup water
1 pound spinach, cleaned (or collards or kale, blanched), chopped
Heat oil in a deep saucepan and fry the fish until golden. Set aside.
Drain off oil, leaving just 2 TBS.
Stir in the garlic and onion; and cook until softened.
Add water, tomatoes, spinach, salt, and chili pepper to taste
Simmer for 5–7 minutes or until spinach is done but still green.
Serve the greens with fish, baton de manioc, fufu, or rice.

Okra was domesticated in prehistoric times in Africa. It is a common staple
throughout Africa. Keep in mind that the smaller you cut the pods, the more
glutinous the end result. The word “okra” comes from West Africa, whereas
“gumbo” is said to derive from kingombo, the word for okra in one of the Bantu
languages, and quite likely from the Guinean as well.
2 TBS of palm oil (or other vegetable oil)

1 onion, chopped
1 cup water
1 pound greens (cassava leaves, kale, collards, or spinach), stems
removed and shredded
20 okra pods, trimmed and left whole or, for a glutinous result, sliced
into rings
2 cups palm butter or nyembwe sauce, or canned palm soup base
(available from stores that sell African foods, or substitute 1/2 cup
smooth, natural peanut butter)
2 chili peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped (optional)
salt to taste
Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.

Sauté onions until softened.
Add greens, okra, palm butter, chilies, and salt to taste.
Cook until all is tender, between 8–15 minutes (depending on the
greens used, spinach and cabbage cooking the fastest) stirring often.
Add a bit of hot water if sauce becomes too thick.
Serve on baton de manioc.

Yétissé is a Guinean method of cooking meat, such as chicken or goat, or fish,
and is served with okra rice. Those unaccustomed to okra’s slippery consistency
may prefer to leave it whole (which diminishes the slipperyness), or in larger
pieces. Alternatively, use tender green peas or sugar pea pods instead of okra to
mix with the rice.
2 TBS oil
4 portions chicken pieces (legs or quarters)
4 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
2 eggplants, peeled and quartered lengthwise
1 hot chili pepper, finely sliced, seeds removed if milder flavor is
desired
5 large ripe tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups canned whole plum or
pureed tomatoes
2 carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1-inch lengths
1 pound cassava, peeled, fibrous core removed, and cubed
1 cup fish stock
salt, pepper
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil and
quickly brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken and set
aside.
There should be enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan; if not, add a
bit more. (The eggplants need sufficient oil to fry properly.)
Stir in the onions, eggplants, garlic, ginger, and chili; lower the heat
and fry gently, covered, until eggplants are soft; remove the eggplants,
mash the flesh, and return to the pan.
Add the tomatoes, carrots, cassava, fish stock, salt, and pepper and
bring to a boil.
Add the chicken pieces, lower the heat, and simmer until chicken and
vegetables are tender and sauce is thickened, about 35–45 minutes.
Twenty minutes before the chicken is ready, prepare the okra rice
(recipe follows).
Serve the chicken surrounded by vegetables, sauce, and okra rice.
Okra Rice
This rice dish is a classic accompaniment to yétissé dishes. Keeping the okra
whole or in larger pieces reduces the glutinous consistency of the dish. Cooking
rice in an automatic rice cooker simplifies its preparation.

2 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt
1 pound whole young okra, trimmed and left whole, halved or sliced in
rings crosswise
In an automatic rice cooker, place the rice, 2 1/2 cups of water, and
salt. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for use. Alternatively, place
rice, salt, and water in a heavy-bottomed pan and over high heat, bring
to a boil.
Immediately lower heat to low, and let rice simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Turn off heat and allow rice to continue cooking in the residual heat.
Boil 2 cups of water in a large pot; put the okra and cook for 5 minutes
until tender, but not mushy.
Drain the okra and fold gently into the rice. Use a cup to mold the
okra-rice for serving.
Serve at once with chicken or other type of yétissé.
Guinea Bissau
Guinea Bissau is a former Portuguese colony situated in West Africa. A tropical

climate and a geography that consists mainly of lowland plains enable rice and
other tropical crops to be grown.
There are a number of ethnic groups in the country. About half the
population are Muslims (thus eschewing pork). Guinea Bissau food combines
Portuguese elements with those of its neighbors.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: yam, cassava, taro, plantain, rice (preferred), peanuts.
• Vegetables, including greens, eggplants, peppers (sweet and hot
varieties), beans, and okra.
• More common sources of protein are freshwater and sea fish and
other marine life. Dried salted fish are an important flavoring
ingredient for most cooked dishes.
• Dairy products such as curds and whey are eaten in some regions.
• Meat such as goat, mutton, beef are available, but tough. Chicken is
also consumed. Virtually all meat is eaten by non-Muslims.
• Fruits include cashews, avocado, coconut, bananas, and other tropical
fruits.
• Seasonings: ground peanuts, chili pepper, guinea pepper, dried fish.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews are eaten as side dishes along with rice. They may consist of
vegetables alone, or may be prepared with meat, fish, or chicken.
• Fried and cooked cassava (in the form of chips or cakes) are eaten as
snacks.
• Escabeche (pickled fish) is common along the coast.
STYLES OF EATING
some side dishes, which are shared.
• Breakfast usually consists of a porridge, or fried bread, or leftovers
from the evening meal. The midday meal depends on the individual’s
occupation and resources. The evening meal is composed of a staple
and one or more stews of vegetables and meat.
style. Portuguese pastries are often served in cafés along with coffee
and local drinks.
Peas and Meat

This hearty soup, almost a meal in itself, is eaten with rice or mashed yam, taro,
plantain, or cassava for a main meal.
1 pound mutton, beef, or turkey, cut into small cubes
1 cup bacon, diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound dried pigeon peas (or substitute black-eyed or split peas),
soaked overnight and drained
1/4 cup rice
Bring meat, bacon, onion, celery, potato, carrots, bay leaf, and 4 cups
water to boil in a covered saucepan.
Lower the heat and simmer slowly for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
Add the peas and rice together with 2 cups water
Season to taste.
Cover and simmer on lowest heat for 20–30 minutes or until peas are
tender.
If the soup is too thick, add more water, however, soup should be
almost as thick as a porridge.

Avocados, of American origin, grow in much of Africa. The most common
avocados are very large: at least 1 pound in weight. As in much of Africa,
evaporated milk is valued for its flavor and consistency, not as a substitute for
milk.
2 large, ripe, hard-shelled avocados

12-ounce can tuna, drained
2 cup freshly grated coconut (or desiccated coconut revived with hot
water, see Tahiti entry for sidebar “Coconut Cream and Coconut
Milk,” p. 1325)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
3 TBS fresh tomato, skinned and chopped finely
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lemons, quartered
Cut avocados in half lengthwise and discard the pit. Keep the shells.
Carefully remove the pulp, cube, and place in a bowl.
Add tuna, coconut (reserving one-half cup), evaporated milk, and
tomatoes.
Season, mix carefully not to mash avocados, and chill.
Stuff avocado shells, sprinkle with remaining coconut and serve with
lemon quarters.

These fries are a common snack sold in street stalls in many towns.
2 pounds manioc (cassava, yuca), peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
1 tsp salt
water to cover
Place manioc in pot with water to cover. Season.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Drain and cool.
Cut each manioc piece into 8 wedges, removing and discarding the
center woody core.
Heat 1-inch palm oil in heavy skillet.
Deep fry manioc chips to a light golden color.
Serve as snack.

In Guinea Bissau, fish are collected from the many estuaries and swamps as well
as from the flooded rice fields. The dish can also be made traditionally with
frogs’ legs.
4 fresh white fish fillets, about 6 ounces each
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
2 TBS butter
2 TBS oil
For sauce
2 TBS butter
2 onions, thinly sliced
juice of 1 lemon
Marinate fish in lemon juice and salt for 20 minutes.

Heat butter and oil together, and fry fish until golden on both sides.
Keep warm.
Prepare the sauce: melt butter in a saucepan.
Stir in onions and sauté until softened. Add lemon juice.
Turn sauce off the heat and pour over fish.
Serve with manioc fries and a green salad.

This is a Guinean adaptation of a common Portuguese dish served at the main
meal.
2 pounds chicken pieces

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup red palm oil
1/2 pound okra, stem ends removed, cut in half
1/4 pound tomatillos, dehusked and sliced (or green tomatoes, sliced)
juice of 1 lemon
water to cover
Season chicken with salt, chili pepper, and onions and marinate for 30
minutes.
Place chicken in a large skillet and add water to barely cover. Simmer
till chicken is done, 20 minutes.
Add palm oil, okra, and tomatillos. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, and add lemon juice.
Serve with rice or cassava.

Classic cafriela requires a generous hand with hot chilies (at least five per whole
chicken). This recipe only uses one, but adventurous cooks may wish to add
more. Serve with rice.
4 portions chicken pieces (legs or quarters)

1 tsp salt
juice of 3 limes
2 onions, finely sliced
3 TBS olive oil
1 hot chili, finely sliced
Rub the chicken all over with salt, garlic, and lime juice; place onions
under and around chicken, cover and leave to marinate 1 hour or
overnight, refrigerated.
Before cooking, remove about half of the onions and reserve.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 TBS oil, add
the chicken, onions, juices from the marinade, and chili; simmer,
covered, adding a bit of water if needed, until almost done, about 25–
30 minutes.
Remove the chicken, keep warm, and set aside.
Reduce the remaining liquid in the pan, add 1 TBS of oil, and simmer
the reserved onions 15–20 minutes or until tender.
Taste and add more lemon juice or chilies, if desired.
Place chicken under a grill for about 10 minutes or until browned;
serve with the sauce.
This is a quick and simple dessert or snack from commonly available cassava.
Use young and tender cassava for this dish; choose fairly slender ones.
1 1/2 pounds whole young cassava, peeled, fibrous core removed, and
cut into 8 equal lengths
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
In a saucepan over medium heat, place the cassava pieces with 2 cups
of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15–20 minutes or until tender.
Drain cassava and set aside.
To the remaining water in the pan, add the sugar and simmer until
thickened and golden, about 10–15 minutes.
Add cassava to the syrup, turning them to coat all with syrup. Turn off
heat when cassava is heated through.
Guyana
Guyana is just above the Equator on the northeast end of South America. Its
tropical coastal plain and savanna favor the production of sugar, rice, and other
tropical crops. Livestock, such as cows, pigs, and poultry are raised. Guyana’s
North Atlantic coast provides fish and shrimp.
Guyana was not colonized by Spain or Portugal but by France, Holland, and
Britain, becoming independent in 1966. Guyanese cuisine thus reflects this
historical mix and the traditions of its varied ethnic groups: mostly East Indian
and African (who were brought to work the plantations), Creole, Amerindian,
Chinese, English, Portuguese, and North American. The original dishes are
adapted to local taste with available ingredients.
FOODSTUFFS
• dRice, cassava, yam, and potatoes are staples.
• Poultry and the plentiful crab, shrimp, and fish are popular.
Traditionally, Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork.
Wild meat, such as iguana lizard or watrash (a kind of rodent), are
often eaten in the interior regions, especially in pepper pots.
• Tropical vegetables and fruits such as sweet potatoes, okra,
eggplants, mangoes, papayas, citrus fruits are much used, as is
coconut.
Cassava. (Adisa/Dreamstime.com)
CASSAVA/YUCA/MANIOC
Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a starchy root originating in tropical South
America, where it has been a staple for Amazonian people for millennia.
Brought to West Africa in the seventeenth century, cassava spread
throughout the continent, becoming a major staple for many people. The
plant is extremely adaptable to many soil and climatic conditions and can
thus be found everywhere from semiarid to tropical growing areas. Natural
cassava root contains high quantities of a cyanide precursor and is thus
poisonous unless processed (by grating and squeezing out the poisonous
juice or by thorough cooking), though newer varieties have been developed
that are “sweet,” that is, with lower quantities of the cyanide precursor,
though these still require thorough cooking.
In Africa, cassava greens—the new shoots and leaves—are used as a
green vegetable, cooked with groundnuts (peanuts), meat and fish, and
eaten with root starch. Cassava root starch in many forms—boiled after
peeling, pounded and dried, grated and fermented—is the major source of
food for a large percentage of Africa’s population. Cassava is consumed in
Brazil in the form of cassava flour, which is made into baked goods, stews,
and porridges. In Southeast Asia and South Asia, including southern China,
cassava starch is used for the making of pies, cakes and sweet desserts.
Notwithstanding the toxicity, the juice of bitter cassava is boiled down into
a sauce called cassareep, which is available in bottled form in some
Caribbean stores in the United States. Cassareep, which is bittersweet and
has antiseptic properties, is used as the major flavoring agent in Guyanese
pepper pot stew.
Guyanese Pepper Pot

The original recipe is intended to serve a family for months or more (the
longest on record is about one century). Provided more cassareep is
introduced each time more meat is added, and the mixture is brought to the
boil for at least five minutes each day, it can be kept for quite a long time.
2–3 pigs’ feet, cleaned

1 pound pork, cubed
2 chili peppers
1/2 cup cassareep (available from some stores selling Caribbean
foods)
1 4-inch piece cinnamon stick
1 heaping TBS unrefined sugar (dark brown sugar or palm sugar)
water
Boil pigs’ feet in plenty of water, skimming off the froth, until feet are
half cooked. Then drain, keeping feet in pot.
Add all other ingredients, with water to barely cover.
Simmer over low heat until meat is done. Adjust seasoning if
necessary.
Serve (ideally the following day, to allow the flavors to blend) over
rice or boiled manioc, with a side dish of cooked greens.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Guyana is the home of the pepper pot, an Amerindian original and
the national dish, traditionally served at Christmas. It consists of mixed
meats, peppers, and herbs stewed in bitter cassava juice and mixed
spices (cassareep).
• Cassareep is a thick, dark, boiled-down cassava juice seasoned with
cinnamon, cloves, and other spices—this is what gives pepper pot its
distinctive flavor, rather than the pepper itself—and served as a meat
preservative in the days before refrigeration. The traditional pepper pot
was kept going all year round, various meats being added to the pot
with more cassareep.
• Fish, chicken, and seafood curries eaten with flat bread (roti), and
other East Indian dishes.
• Rijstaffel (literally, “rice table”), several small Indonesian dishes with
rice, a Dutch legacy.
• Garlic pork, a Portuguese dish, usually prepared during the
Christmas season. With eggs and toast, this constitutes a special
breakfast treat in some households.
STYLES OF EATING
• Guyanese prepare three full meals every day.
• Breakfast usually consists of homemade bread with eggs, cheese,
butter, and tea or coffee.
• Lunch is usually rice and beans, eaten with vegetables, fish, chicken,
or meat.
• The evening meal is similar to lunch, though more substantial, with
rice, roti, or root vegetables such as cassavas and yams. Other
vegetables, meat, or seafood are also eaten.
• Snacks include coconut bread, a sweet loaf with coconut and raisins;
toasted cassava bread eaten with butter; cassava pone, baked sweet
cassava and coconut milk; assorted savory vegetable and spiced fritters
(from East Indian cuisine). Spiced chickpeas are eaten like peanuts.
• Sweets include black cake, a rich dark fruit cake made of mixed dried
fruits of Scottish origin; Chinese bean cakes, sweetened mashed black
or red beans baked in pastry; coconut and rice pudding, sweet rice
cooked in coconut cream flavored with cinnamon or other spices.
• Beverages include fresh cow’s milk, which may be part of the
morning or evening meal; mauby juice, made from the bark of a
Caribbean tree; sorrel juice, from the flowers of red or Jamaican
sorrel, a relative of the hibiscus (see Mali for sidebar “African Teas,”
p. 847); ginger beer or ginger cordial, brewed from fresh ginger root,
citrus juices, and sugar. Juices of guava, mango, and other tropical
fruits are very popular. Rum is used in fruit punches and cocktails.

This soup is served as an appetizer for lunch or dinner.
3 avocados, cubed
3 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cups milk
Puree avocados with water and stock cube in food processor.

Strain avocado mixture over a saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil
over gentle heat.
Stir in milk. Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.
Remove from heat. Garnish with bell peppers.
Salads accompany most major meals.
juice of 4 limes
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS mayonnaise
1 cup cooked shrimp or fresh crabmeat, flaked or 8 crab sticks
(imitation crab legs), sliced
1 avocado, cubed and drizzled with lime or lemon juice to stop
browning
1 red grapefruit, cut into segments
lettuce leaves for serving
Mix well the lime juice, oil, mayonnaise, and seasonings.

Stir in gently seafood and avocado. Chill covered for 30 minutes or
more before serving.
Serve on lettuce, garnished with grapefruit slices.
Cook-Up Rice
This substantial dish is served for the evening meal.

2 TBS soy sauce
3 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked rice, washed and drained
2 cups black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
2 cups of water
1 can coconut milk
1 chicken stock cube
5 sprigs fresh thyme
6 okras, lightly trimmed, kept whole
2 green onions, chopped
Season chicken with salt, pepper, and soy sauce.

Heat oil over medium heat in a stewing pot; brown chicken all over,
for about 10 minutes.
Take out the chicken and set aside.
Add onion and garlic to pot; stir fry until softened.
Stir in rice. Add chicken and soaked peas.
Stir in water, coconut milk, stock cube, and thyme, mixing well.
Cover pot and when it comes to a boil, reduce heat to lowest setting
and simmer for about 15–20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Turn
off heat. Add okras.
Just before serving, garnish with green onions.
Serve with callaloo fritters and mango pepper sauce (recipe follows
the garlic pork recipe below).
Garlic Pork
Garlic pork is often a main meat dish for the evening.

1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped (or kept whole for less
heat)
2 TBS crumbled dried thyme
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups vinegar
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, thickly sliced
In a large covered container, mix the garlic, pepper, thyme, salt, and
sugar with 1 cup of the vinegar.
Rinse each slice of pork in the remaining vinegar and discard vinegar.
Marinate pork in garlic mixture for two days in the refrigerator,
turning them so that all pieces are evenly flavored.
Drain pork slices. Place in a single layer in baking dish and bake for
35–40 minutes in medium hot 350°F oven.
Serve with rice.
Callaloo Fritters
Callaloo in Guyana refers to the leaves of the taro plant (in other countries,
callaloo is the name given to another type of green vegetable). You may
substitute spinach.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1/2 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 cups taro leaves (or fresh, or frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
dry), finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
vegetable oil for deep-frying
Heat 2 TBS oil and stir fry onion until soft.

Add tomato, stir fry 5 minutes.
Add greens, salt, pepper, and cook for 5–10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Mix flour and egg into well-drained greens.
Heat 1/2 inch oil over medium heat in a deep-frying pan.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the vegetable mixture into the hot oil. Turn
over to brown evenly. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot for a snack.
Coconut Ice Cream

Coconuts are common throughout the Caribbean, and this ice cream is a popular
dessert or snack.
8-ounce can evaporated milk

8-ounce can condensed milk
1/4 cup cornstarch or custard powder
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk
Heat the evaporated and condensed milk in a pan over medium heat.
Mix cornstarch to a paste with water. Add to the milk and keep stirring
continuously till it thickens.
Add coconut milk, and turn off heat. Let mixture cool.
Chill 1 hour or overnight.
Put into ice-cream maker and churn according to instructions.
If an ice-cream maker is not available, freeze the mixture for 2 hours
or until the edges start to freeze. Beat with a mixer for 5 minutes and
return to the freezer for 2 hours.
Beat once more and freeze until solid, for 3 hours or overnight.
Mango Pepper Sauce

This is a relish that can accompany any savory dish.
1 unripe mango, peeled and chopped

1 red chili (preferably wiri-wiri, or Scotch bonnet), minced
2 tsp salt
juice of 1 large lemon
Mix all ingredients together.

Chill, covered, at least 30 minutes before using.

Kanki is a traditional West African dish (note kenkey from Ghana) widely eaten
during Guyanese Emancipation Day (August 1), which commemorates the
abolition of slavery in Guyana. Chopped plantains or shredded pumpkin are
often included and may replace a part of the cornmeal.
4 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened grated coconut, or grated flesh

from 1 large fresh coconut
1 pound fine yellow cornmeal (not masa harina)
2 cups milk or coconut cream
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white or brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
about 15–20 foil sheets, each 8 × 8 inches, or similar size banana
leaves for wrapping
kitchen twine for tying
In a large bowl, mix well all the ingredients; the mixture should be
firm, neither too runny nor too stiff. Add a bit more cornmeal or milk,
if needed.
If using banana leaves, pass briefly over a flame or hot water to make
them pliable. Wipe before using.
Take 2 TBS of coconut mixture, place in the center of foil or banana
leaf.
Enclose the mix loosely (the mix will expand during cooking) but
neatly, folding over the foil ends to securely enclose the mix. Make
sure there are no holes. Tie with kitchen twine if using banana leaf.
In a large pot over medium heat, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
Place parcels gently into boiling water; let cook for 25–30 minutes.
Drain thoroughly and cool before serving.
Cassava Pone
This dessert or snack uses widely available products such as cassava and
coconut.
4 cups fresh or frozen grated coconut, thawed

4 cups fresh or frozen grated cassava (thawed), or 3 medium young
cassava, peeled, fibrous core removed, and grated
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp black pepper or 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup milk (if needed)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch square or 12 × 9 inch

baking pan.
In a large bowl mix well all the ingredients. Add milk if mixture seems
dry. It should be fairly moist but not runny.
Spoon into prepared pan; bake for 30 minutes or until set.
If the top is still pale, increase heat to 375°F and bake a further 5
minutes or until top is golden.
Allow to cool thoroughly and serve.
H
Haiti
Haiti, a former French colony, was in 1804 the second nation to become
independent in the Americas (the first being the United States). It shares the
Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Though mainly
rough and mountainous, its climate favors cultivation of coffee and other tropical
crops. However, deforestation and poor soil management have led to poor
harvests, and as a consequence, much of the country’s food is imported from the
United States or the Dominican Republic. A major earthquake in 2010
devastated the country, leaving many people homeless. Reconstruction is
proceeding slowly with foreign aid, but people still face shortages of food and
other necessities.
Haitian cooking incorporates the original foods of the African slaves

brought by French colonialists with elements from French and other Caribbean
cooking, using local spices, herbs, and other foodstuffs.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, corn, beans, cassava.
• Meat: chicken, pork, guinea fowl, beef, turkey, lamb, goat, fish, and
seafood (particularly conch or lambi), eggs.
• Vegetables: pumpkin, squash, potato, okra, sweet potato, cabbage,
sweet and hot peppers, black mushrooms (djon djon), eggplant,
peanuts, cashews.
• Fruits: pineapple, mango, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime.
• Seasonings: ground spices (a mix of garlic, sweet peppers, onions,
coriander, and parsley prepared by each family); hot pepper sauce
called ti malice.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice dishes: with beans, called riz et pois, is eaten daily; with black
mushrooms (djon djon, unique to Haiti). Served with chicken or pork
and fried plantain (banane pesée), the meal resembles neighboring
Dominican Republic’s national dish bandera (the flag).
• Cornmeal with beans (mais moulu).
• Poultry or meat is often marinated in sour orange, a local fruit, whose
juice tastes like a mix of orange and lemon, with herbs and spices, then
stewed or fried. Tassot is marinated and fried goat or turkey; grillot is
marinated and fried pork.
• Sweets: mango pie, fresh coconut ice cream, cashew nuts, tropical
fruits.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people try to eat three meals a day.
• Breakfast: cornmeal pudding; boiled, fried, or mashed plantain;
cassava bread; coffee.
• Lunch: rice and beans, stew.
• Dinner: rice and beans or cornmeal pudding; chicken or other meat;
sweet potato pudding.
Haitian man eats rice and beans in Gros Mon, Haiti. (Ramin Talaie/Corbis)
• Snacks, eaten at any time: bean fritters (accras), conch or lobster

fritters, roast corn on the cob.

Plantain puree is often served for breakfast or the evening meal.
1 green plantain, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 ripe banana
1 cup water
14-ounce can coconut milk (reserve 1/3 cup for serving)
1 star anise
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
peel of 1 lime or lemon, grated
In a blender or food processor, puree the plantain, banana and 1 cup
water.
Pour puree into a saucepan, stir in evaporated milk and coconut milk,
vanilla, star anise, and sugar.
Gently bring mixture to a boil over low heat.
Let cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring often so that mixture does not
stick.
When thick as oatmeal, turn off heat.
To serve: sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and lime rind; pour a bit of
coconut milk, as desired.

This is a dish created in 1804 and represents Haitian defiance of the French
colonial government, which had forbidden slaves to eat pumpkin. It is
customarily eaten on New Year’s Day to bring luck; the following day celebrates
Haitian independence. Eat as a first course for a heavy meal, or as a main course
with bread or boiled plantains for a light meal.
1 pound corned beef (not canned) or beef stewing meat, cubed

5 cups water
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin, peeled, diced
2 turnips, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 sprigs parsley
3 sprigs thyme
1 cup milk
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS butter
3/4 cup raw rice, washed, or small pasta shapes
salt and pepper
2–4 tsp butter
In a saucepan, cover beef with water and simmer covered over low
heat for 30–40 minutes or until tender.
Add pumpkin, turnips, celery, onion, parsley, thyme, and 2 cloves
garlic.
Simmer until pumpkin is tender (15–20 minutes).
Discard parsley and thyme.
In food processor, puree vegetables with 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
Return to saucepan and heat through.
Add milk, nutmeg, butter, and rice; cook until rice is tender (15–20
minutes).
Season with salt and pepper, and mix in remaining garlic.
Serve hot with a little butter in each bowl.

This is usually made with goat, one of Haiti’s most commonly available meats.
Pork or lamb or chicken can be substituted. Serve this for a midday or evening
meal with rice and peas or mashed plantain.
1 pound boneless pork or lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 onions, peeled and quartered
1 eggplant, cut into 24 cubes
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
1 1/2 cups sour orange juice or a mixture of orange and lemon juices
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. On each

skewer, place alternately 3 pieces of meat, 3 pieces of onion, and 3
pieces of eggplant.
In a rectangular, covered container, at least 8 inches long, combine the
thyme, parsley, garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper (if using), citrus juice,
olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Add the skewered meat, and refrigerate overnight, turning the skewers
several times to marinate evenly.
Grill skewers over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes or until done.

Twice-fried and pressed plantains are served throughout the Caribbean, but each
island prepares and flavors it differently. This Haitian version presoaks the
plantains in brine before cooking. Serve as a snack, or as a side dish for a
midday or evening meal with meat or with rice and peas.
1 tsp salt
4 cups water
4 green plantains, sliced into 3/4-inch disks
vegetable oil
Make a brine with the salt and water, and soak the plantains in it for 1
hour.
Drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels (this step is important so
that the plantains do not splatter oil during frying).
In a deep skillet, pour enough oil to come up to 1/2 inch up the sides of
the pan.
Heat the oil at medium heat.
Fry the plantains until lightly colored, a few at a time, so as not to
lower the oil temperature.
Take out the fried plantains, and flatten them by pounding or pressing
on them with a steak mallet or wooden spoon until half as thick.
Refry until golden brown and crusty.

Fruit cocktail jelly is a very popular dessert throughout Haiti.
3 packets powdered gelatin

2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk
1 12-ounce can coconut milk
1 12-ounce can fruit cocktail
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
rind of one lime, grated
sugar to taste
Dissolve the gelatin in 3/4 cup warm water.

In a saucepan, heat the evaporated milk and coconut milk slowly.
Stir in the gelatin until completely dissolved. Turn off heat when
bubbles appear on sides of pan.
Drain fruit cocktail; add to milk mixture.
Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and lime rind. Mix well and add sugar to
taste, as desired.
Pour fruit mixture into a bowl or 1 1/2 quart mold.
Refrigerate for 24 hours.
To serve, unmold onto a serving dish or scoop into individual bowls.

This is a typical main dish served with hot sauce (sos ti malice), pickles, and
fried plantains (bananes pesées). The original recipe calls for sour orange, here
replaced by orange and lime.
2 pounds pork shoulder, cubed

3 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
juice and grated rind of 1 large orange
juice and grated rind of 2 limes
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Scotch bonnet pepper or other hot chili pepper, chopped (optional)
3 TBS oil
In a large bowl, mix the pork with all the ingredients except for the oil.
Cover and allow to marinate refrigerated 4 hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 375°F; place pork and marinate in a roasting pan, cover
with foil, and bake for 1 hour or until pork is tender.
Take out pork and set aside; leave the oven on.
Transfer juices from the roasting pan to a saucepan and set aside.
Add oil to the roasting pan and return it to the oven; when oil is very
hot, add the pork, spread it evenly in the pan; let it fry in the roasting
pan for 15–20 minutes or until brown. Stir occasionally.
Reduce the juices in the saucepan over medium heat until thickened;
add to pork.
Serve hot.

These vinegar pickles are almost always present at the table, an accompaniment
to everyday dishes.

1/2 cabbage, core removed and finely shredded
1 red or white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Scotch bonnet peppers, or other chili peppers
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 tsp salt
3 cups vinegar
1/2 cup lemon juice
Place vegetables and hot peppers into a scrupulously clean quart-sized

jar; sprinkle with spices and salt.
Pour in the vinegar and lemon juice to fully cover the vegetables;
refrigerate, tightly closed, for 48 hours before using.
Keep refrigerated and use within a few days.
Honduras
Honduras is the second largest country in Central America. Formerly a Spanish

colony, it gained independence in 1821. It is mostly mountainous, with a
subtropical lowland and temperate mountain climate, ideal for coffee, one of its
major exports, and other tropical fruits. Its Caribbean and Pacific coasts provide
shrimp and lobster for export.
Hondurans are mostly of European or mixed Spanish-Amerindian descent,

with a minority being descendants of Mayans and mixed Afro-Caribbeans called
Garifuna. This mixed heritage accounts for the various influences in Honduran
cooking: Spanish, Caribbean, and African.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples include corn, beans, rice, plantains, and cassava.
• Fruits and vegetables: pumpkin, sweet and hot peppers, chayote
(christophene), cabbage, sweet potatoes, pineapple, eggplant. Most
people grow their own vegetables.
• Pork, chicken, game (turtle), and more rarely, beef.
• Milk products, including white cheese and sour cream, and eggs.
• Seasonings: Two types of cilantro are in use. Cumin, achiote (a
natural red food dye and flavoring), and oregano are used to flavor
many dishes.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Steamed savory dumplings: corn and meat (tamales, montucas); rice,
meat and vegetables (nacatamales).
• Rice dishes: with beans, with chicken, with milk.
• Stews with meat and vegetables (guizado) or with added coconut
milk (tapado). Coconut milk is frequently added to stews and soups.
• Charcoal-grilled steaks (churrasco) or skewered meats (pinchos)
eaten with plantain or potato chips, salad, pickled vegetables
(encurtido).
• Conch soup (sopa de caracol) with coconut milk and vegetables.
• Sweets and cakes of coconut and bananas.
• Snacks: fried plantain chips (tajaditas); cheese-, bean-, and cream
cheese–filled tortillas (baleadas); sliced green mangoes sprinkled with
salt and cumin; Honduran fondue (anafre): refried beans or soft cheese
served in a clay pot atop a clay burner with glowing coals. Soft fluffy
tortillas are dipped into the hot beans or melted cheese.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three main meals a day and snacks.
• Breakfast: fried beans, eggs, cheese, sour cream, fried bananas,
coffee.
• Lunch: soup, salad, rice, tortillas, meat, cheese, followed by a sweet.
• Supper: lighter meal than lunch, with similar foods as breakfast or
lunch leftovers.
• Honduran drinks include coffee, which is drunk by adults and even
children with every meal and between meals. Drinks (horchata) made
of milk, rice or other cereal, nuts or seeds; milk and fruit blends
(licuado); fruit and water blends (fresco). Chicha is a homemade brew
made from pineapple peel. Beer, rum, and other spirits (aguardiente)
are locally brewed.

This is a Garifuna specialty, often eaten for breakfast or as a snack. The Garifuna
community trace their descent to escaped black slaves intermarrying with
Amerindians. This recipe and others that use bananas in imaginative ways are
typical of traditional Garifuna cooking with roots that go back to Africa.
4 ripe bananas
3 cups coconut milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon
brown or white sugar to taste
Grill bananas (or boil in their skin, with enough water to cover, for
about 7–10 minutes).
Peel the bananas and lightly mash the flesh.
In a saucepan, put the mashed bananas and stir in 2 1/2 cups coconut
milk. (Reserve 1/2 cup coconut milk.)
Heat gently and cook until the mixture thickens like oatmeal, stirring
often so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat.
Serve in individual bowls, sprinkled with nutmeg or cinnamon. Pour a
bit of coconut milk. Add sugar if desired.

This rice dish is often served at Christmas. It can be eaten hot or cold. Serve it
with stewed chicken (see next recipe) and fried plantains.
4 cups milk
2 cinnamon sticks or 1 TBS powdered cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
In a heavy, covered saucepan, gently warm the milk and cinnamon,

over low heat, for 10–15 minutes to infuse the milk with the spice.
Stir in the rice and salt, if using, and continue cooking for 45 minutes
on low, until rice is cooked and all the milk is absorbed.

This dish is similar to stewed chicken dishes served all over Central America.
However, the coconut milk, various spices, and orange coloring from the achiote
make this typically Honduran. Achiote paste is available in stores that sell
Hispanic foods or in the Hispanic food sections of major supermarkets. If you
cannot find it, use paprika instead. Serve this with plain or cinnamon-flavored
rice or soft flour tortillas for lunch or dinner, with fried plantains and a salad of
tomatoes, sweet peppers, and cucumbers.

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
2 TBS cooking oil
2 TBS sugar
1 chili pepper, seeded, chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS achiote paste or paprika
1/2–1 cup water or stock
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 cups coconut milk
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and cumin, rubbing the spices in
well. Let rest for about 30 minutes.
In a thick-bottomed, large saucepan over low to medium heat, heat the
oil and sugar until caramelized (turned into a very dark syrup).
Add chicken to saucepan, turning the pieces all over to get evenly
colored.
Add garlic, onion, and achiote or paprika and stir.
Add 1/2 cup water, cover the pan, and turn down the heat to let the
chicken gently simmer for about 15 minutes. If the water is absorbed
before this time, add the rest of the water so that the chicken does not
stick to the pan.
Add bell peppers and coconut milk, stirring well.
Continue to simmer until the sauce is thick, checking and stirring
occasionally to see that the bottom is not burning.
Serve hot.

This is a simple but popular snack combining two most commonly eaten items.
Eat with sour cream or a salty, firm, white cheese (quesillo).
3 ripe plantains or bananas

3 TBS flour
4 TBS butter
2/3 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup cooked kidney beans
In a saucepan, cook the plantains in their skins in enough boiling water

to cover for 10–15 minutes or until soft. Peel and set aside. If using
bananas, there is no need to cook them first.
In a food processor, process the plantains or bananas with flour and
butter to a smooth paste. Set aside.
In a skillet, heat 1 TBS of oil and when hot, fry the beans for 5
minutes. Set aside to cool.
Heat 2 TBS of oil in the same skillet, and fry spoonfuls of the plantain
or banana paste, spreading it around with a fork to form a small
pancake.
While the pancake is cooking, place a teaspoonful of fried beans in the
middle and fold up the pancake to form a crescent, covering the bean
filling.
Fry both sides of the turnover for around 3 minutes on each side or
until golden brown. Continue with remaining ingredients.

This is a popular and well-loved cake, particularly made during Christmas.
Cashews are more readily available in Honduras but any other nut will be just as
tasty. Serve this for dessert or with coffee as a snack.
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups chopped, pitted dates
2 cups finely chopped nuts (cashews, pecans, or walnuts)

Line a 9 × 12 × 2 inch pan with waxed paper; grease paper and sides of
the pan.
In a bowl, blend flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Stir in the
vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time; cream well after each addition.
Add flour mixture in 3 or 4 portions; beat until smooth after each.
Mix in the dates and nuts.
Pour the batter into prepared pan.
Let the cake cool in the pan. When completely cold, cut into squares
and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

This is a sweet empanada: in contrast to the usual savory ones with meat and/or
vegetable fillings (see above recipe), this is filled with custard cream. These are
good as a snack or dessert.
2 cups milk
pinch salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
3 egg yolks, beaten
3 half-ripe plantains
pinch salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
oil for shallow frying
Make the custard cream: in a saucepan over medium heat, scald the
milk (heat it until just before it boils). Turn off heat; mix in salt and
sugar.
In a separate heavy-bottomed pan, mix well the cornstarch and egg
yolks using a whisk. Gradually add the milk mixture, blending
thoroughly before adding more milk.
When all the milk has been incorporated, put the pan over very low
heat.
Continue to whisk until the custard is thickened and small bubbles
start to form. Turn off heat and stir in vanilla.
Allow custard to cool thoroughly, stirring occasionally to prevent a
crust forming.
Make the plantain “pastry”: in a large pot with enough water to cover,
place the whole unpeeled plantains and bring to a boil. Halve the
plantains if they are too long for the pot.
Let simmer for 10–15 minutes or until plantains are soft. Test if a
skewer pierces them easily.
Drain the plantains, peel, and mash until smooth with a fork, or in a
food processor.
Season with salt and cinnamon; allow to cool.
Form walnut-sized balls from the mash; create a cavity and fill with a
tsp of custard cream.
Close the cavity well. You may shape the ball further into a half-moon,
if you wish.
Fry on both sides at medium temperature until golden; drain on paper
towels.
Serve warm or cold, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

This Honduran snack or accompaniment to barbecues presents unusual
flavorings for boiled or grilled corn on the cob. Similar recipes are found in
other Latin American countries.
4 tender cobs of corn

4 metal or robust wooden skewers, or sheets of foil
4 TBS butter, softened, or mayonnaise
1 cup grated cheese (Monterey Jack or Parmesan)
hot pepper sauce (optional)
Pierce each cob through lengthwise with a skewer. The skewer makes
it more convenient to hold the hot cob. Coat with butter or
mayonnaise; sprinkle with cheese.
Grill on all sides, or alternatively wrap in foil and place on a barbecue.
Serve hot with hot pepper sauce.
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in central Europe, settled by nomadic Magyars.

It came under Turkish rule, then became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Flat and fertile with a temperate climate, rich crops of wheat, fruit (cherries and
grapes in particular), and sweet peppers that are made into paprika, Hungary’s
foremost spice, are grown.
Hungarian cuisine has been influenced by Turkish, central and western
European, and Austrian cuisines.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: potatoes, assorted breads and rolls, wheat noodles, paprika.
• Favorite meats are beef, veal, mutton, and pork. Chicken and goose
(especially liver).
• Freshwater fish such as carp and pike perch are in great demand.
• Cabbage, green bell pepper, celeriac, parsnip, marrow, cucumber,
cauliflower, tomato, carrot, assorted mushrooms, asparagus, peas,
green beans, and other legumes.
• Hungarian farmers raise cherries (morello and sweet), plums, grapes
(that go into quality Hungarian wine), apricots, quinces, pears,
strawberries, and other berries such as red currants and raspberries.
• Pickles of cucumber with or without dill, green bell pepper,
vegetable marrow (overgrown zucchini), mushroom, or mixed
vegetables; sweet preserves and jams of morello cherry, apples,
apricot, plum, quince, rose hip, green walnut, strawberry, red currant,
and other berries.
• Seasonings include hot and sweet paprika, caraway, onion, tomato,
garlic, dill, sour cream, bay leaf, parsley, marjoram, thyme. A common
sauce called lecsó is made of stewed tomato, onion, green bell pepper,
paprika, and bacon. Lard or goose fat used for cooking, giving the
characteristic taste.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Gulyasleves (goulash soup), a thick soup with meat and hot paprika,
is the most typical Hungarian dish.
• Stews (porkolt) of meat, seasoned liberally with paprika.
• Paprikash: thick spicy meat or vegetable dishes with sour cream.
• Pasta dishes.
• Turkish-influenced dishes: cabbage stuffed with meat; thin, layered
pastry filled with fruit and nuts (rétes, Hungarian strudel).
• Dumplings, either to accompany a meat dish or in soup, are eaten in
various forms.
• Pancakes and other wheat dishes are highly esteemed, as are cakes,
which are often made in layers.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are commonly eaten. Snacks, particularly coffee
and cake, are eaten in the late afternoon.
• Table settings are European standard, and, due to the influence of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, often formal.
• Breakfast may be pancakes, or fresh bread or rolls, eaten with cheese,
or preserved meats, such as bacon, ham, or sausage. Milk (hot or cold),
hot chocolate, coffee or tea to drink.
• Lunch and dinner tend to be substantial, usually composed of at least
three dishes: an appetizer of salad or soup, a main dish of meat and
vegetables, and a dessert.
• Many Hungarian meals start with a hot (and spicy) soup such as the
famous gulyas. This is often followed by pasta with cottage cheese and
sour cream. A heavy meat dish follows, usually accompanied by
cooked vegetables. Stewed or baked fruit eaten with cream end the
meal.
• Wine is drunk with most meals, and the Hungarians have adopted the
Austrian habit of drinking coffee for snacks and during breaks.

This salad often serves as an appetizer in main meals.
4 green bell peppers, cut into thin slices

2 tomatoes, quartered and thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, sliced into thin slices
1 onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 TBS salad oil
3 TBS white wine vinegar
salt to taste
6 ounces salted hard white cheese (feta or kaskaval), grated
1 bunch parsley, chopped
Mix vegetables in a bowl.

Whisk salad oil, vinegar, salt, and cheese. Pour over the vegetables.
Cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.
Garnish with chopped parsley.
Serve as a first course.
As in many central European countries, cold fruit soup is a summer appetizer.
Cherries, widely grown, are popularly used.
2 1/2 pints water

6 ounces sugar
pinch of salt
grated peel of half a lemon
1 pound sour (morello) cherries, pitted
1 TBS flour
1/4 cup sour cream
Boil water, sugar, salt, lemon peel, and cinnamon for 5 minutes in a
large enamel or steel pot.
Add cherries to the boiling water and simmer 4–5 minutes.
Blend flour and sour cream into a slurry with a ladle of hot cherry
juice. Add slurry to soup and boil until it thickens.
Leave to cool, serve chilled.

Hungarian cowboys (csikós) are among the most skilled in the world, and
unsurprisingly, cowboys and highwaymen are popular folklore figures. The
dumplings may be an echo of central Asian manti, which derive from Chinese
mantou. Dumpling soup is served for lunch or dinner in the colder season.
3 TBS lard or oil

2 cups chopped onions
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup Hamburg parsley (parsley root, or substitute leaf parsley), finely
chopped
1 cup celeriac, chopped (or substitute celery)
1 TBS flour
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 quart stock made of 1 quart hot water and 2 cubes bouillon
8 dumplings
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg yolk, beaten
Heat lard over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Sauté onions until
golden. Reserve half a cup for stuffing the dumplings.
Stir in carrot, parsley root, and celeriac, and cook until softened.
Sprinkle with flour; add thyme and stock.
Season to taste, and simmer for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare dumplings (recipe follows below).
Stir in dumplings.
Just before serving, in a small bowl, blend sour cream and egg yolk;
gradually blend in a cup of hot soup. Stir sour cream mixture into soup
and turn off heat.
Dumplings
4 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed
2 TBS lard, goose fat, or bacon drippings
2 TBS flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup browned chopped onion (reserved from soup recipe)
1 cup ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey
Prepare dough by mixing in a food processor the mashed potatoes, 1

TBS lard, flour, egg, and salt.
Divide into 8 portions and roll out to 1/2-inch disks on a lightly
floured surface. Cover with a cloth or towel to keep moist while
preparing filling.
To make the filling: melt remaining 1 TBS lard in a frying pan. Add
chosen meat and fry until browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in reserved fried onions. Season and mix thoroughly.
To stuff dumplings: place 1 TBS of filling in the center of each disk.
Fold over and shape into half-moons, pressing edges to seal with a
fork or fingers.
Slip dumplings gently into the simmering soup.
Cook for 20–30 minutes or until the filling is done.
Serve 2 dumplings per person in a large soup bowl, and ladle soup and
vegetables over.

Stuffed foods may owe their origin to Turkish or central Asian influences.
Stuffed chicken is a main dish. Serve with mashed or sautéed potatoes.
1 whole chicken, about 2 pounds

1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
3 strips smoked fatty bacon, fried crisp and crumbled, fat reserved
2 slices dry bread
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup parsley, minced
1 tsp marjoram
salt to taste
1/2 tsp white or black pepper
3 TBS lard, chicken fat, or cooking oil
Loosen the area around the chicken’s breast and legs by gently
pushing your fingers between the chicken skin and flesh at the
openings at the neck and bottom. Be careful not to tear the skin.
Lightly salt the chicken cavity and under the skin.
Sauté the mushrooms in bacon fat. Set aside.
Soak bread in milk, tear up into small pieces, and add to mushrooms,
bacon, egg, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper to make the stuffing. Blend
well.
Spread some stuffing evenly under the chicken skin in the area around
the breast and legs.
Shape the stuffed areas so that the chicken is nicely rounded.
Put the remaining stuffing in the chicken cavity.
Heat lard, chicken fat, or oil until hot in a roasting pan, and carefully
(so as to not be splashed by the hot fat) brown chicken all over.
Place chicken, breast side down, on a rack in the pan.
Place in a preheated 350°F oven for about 1 hour, basting frequently
with the drippings.
Turn the chicken over when browned, after about 30 minutes.
After an hour, check the chicken. To tell if chicken is done: the leg
joint should move freely, and juices run clear (not bloody) when a
knife is stuck in.
If chicken is getting too brown before it is done, cover loosely with
foil.
If necessary, bake another 8–10 minutes.
Let chicken rest for 15–20 minutes to settle the stuffing before carving.

Lecsó is the foundation of many Hungarian dishes such as vegetable and meat
stews, or on its own. Slices of garlic or other spicy sausage, leftover roast meat,
or fried chicken may also be added to make a more substantial dish.
4 strips fatty bacon, diced

1 TBS lard or cooking oil
1 tsp paprika
1 pound tomatoes, peeled and quartered
2 pounds green bell peppers, cored and cut into strips
salt to taste
Fry bacon in lard or oil until golden, then add onion and fry until
softened.
Stir in paprika.
Add tomatoes, peppers, and salt.
Simmer, covered, for 10–15 minutes.
Uncover and continue to simmer until tender and thickened.
Serve hot with rice, noodles, or potatoes.
This rich bread is the centerpiece, along with the roast, of the Christmas dinner,
and is the pride of most housewives.
1 ounce yeast
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pound flour
1/2 pound butter
pinch of salt
1 ounce sugar
3 egg yolks
walnut filling
Sprinkle yeast over the sour cream and place in a warm place until
dissolved, about 10 minutes.
In a food processor, mix yeast mixture, flour, butter, salt, sugar, and 2
egg yolks until they form a dough.
Remove from processor, knead on a lightly floured surface until
smooth and elastic.
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for about 45
minutes or until doubled.
Divide dough into two.
On a floured cheesecloth, roll out one dough ball to a 1/3-inch-thick
rectangle.
Spread half of the filling to within an inch of both edges.
Roll up firmly like a jelly roll and place seam side down on a greased
and floured baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
Brush rolls twice with remaining beaten egg yolk.
Prick with a fork in a pattern of waves or flowers.
Bake in the middle of the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes; turn down
heat to 325°F and continue baking until rolls are golden brown, about
10 minutes.
Let cool on a cake rack. To serve, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
Walnut filling
2/3 pound sugar
1/2 cup water
12 ounces walnuts, rough ground
12 ounces almonds, rough ground
3 apples, grated
grated peel from 1 lemon
2 TBS apricot jam or diced quince cheese (a sweet paste formed into
blocks, available from most shops that sell Central European foods,
and from shops that sell Portuguese and South American foods as
marmelada)
Bring sugar and water to a boil for 5 minutes to make a light syrup.
Add walnuts and almonds.
Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Cold sweet soups from fresh ripe fruits feature as refreshing summer desserts or
first courses in many Western European countries. This is best made with very
ripe peaches or apricots.
15-ounce can sliced peaches in natural juice, or 8 large very ripe

peaches
3 cups natural yogurt
1 cup cream or half-and-half
sugar to taste
juice from 1–2 lemons
1/4 tsp ground mace or nutmeg
Dice one or two peach slices and reserve for garnish; keep cold.
In a blender, put the peaches, yogurt, and cream, and puree.
Taste; add sugar and lemon juice as needed. The soup should not be
overly sweet: it needs a good balance of tartness and sweetness.
Serve well-chilled, sprinkled with mace and diced peaches.

Poppy seeds are a common ingredient in many Eastern European pastries. Serve
this very popular poppy-seed muffin with coffee or other drink, or cold milk.
Makes about 20 muffins.
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup thick natural yogurt or sour cream
1 cup ground poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a muffin pan, or place cupcake liners in

the pan.
Combine flour, baking powder and soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light;
mix in cinnamon, rind, and vanilla.
Blend in well the eggs, then the flour mixture, followed by yogurt.
Fold in the poppy seeds; spoon into pan, filling cups only half full.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden and muffins test done.
I
Iceland
Populated by the descendants of Scandinavian seafarers, this island nation was
under Norwegian then Danish rule until independence in 1944. The climate is
cold, though modified by the Gulf Stream. The landscape is rocky, punctuated
by volcanoes, glaciers, and hot springs. The many hot springs are used today to
warm the cities and hothouses. Agriculture has always been an uncertain pursuit
in Iceland due to the cold and the harsh winters. Farmers raise cold-resistant
crops such as rye and barley and vegetables such as cabbages and turnips. The
sea has always been a major source of food (Iceland went to war in the last
century to protect its fishing areas).
Icelandic traditional foods focused on preserving through salting or

fermentation locally available foodstuffs, resulting in certain dishes that are akin
to Inuit food (whale blubber, fermented seal). Contemporary technology such as
refrigerators and transportation enable a wider range of foods to be eaten, either
imported or tasted during travel, and modern foods are prepared using methods,
spices, and herbs from other cuisines such as Western European, American,
Mediterranean, and Asian.
FOODSTUFFS
• Bread, potatoes, fish (many types, both sea and freshwater), and
seafood (many types) are the staples.
• Mutton, horsemeat, and fish are favorite meats.
• Wild foods such as reindeer, goose, ptarmigan, puffin, whale, seal.
• Rhubarb, bilberries (wild blueberries), and other berries.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Salted, smoked, pickled, fermented fish such as salmon, herring, cod,
shark, ray.
• Soups of lamb, other meat, or fish and vegetables (carrot, potato,
leek).
Rhubarb.
• Fried dishes: fishballs, fishcakes, chicken.

• Rhubarb dishes: porridge, jam, soup.
• Roast lamb for special occasions, such as Christmas.
• Rye bread, flat bread, leaf bread (fried thin bread for Christmas).
• Cakes and sweets: rice pudding, curds (skyr) with berries in syrup,
mandarin cheesecake, carnival buns (similar to choux à la crème or
cream puffs).
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people eat three meals a day, more in the winter.
• Breakfast is usually based on porridge or some grain, together with a
warm drink.
• Lunch may be light—often little more than sandwich or some soup.
• Dinners tend to be substantial family affairs, based on a meat or fish
dish with potatoes, cabbage, or other greens. Starters may be soup or
pickled fish, or eggs.
• Sunday dinner is typically roast meat, usually lamb, with caramelized
or mashed potatoes, rhubarb jam, and peas or other vegetables. Dessert
is usually ice cream.
• Drinks: carbonated drinks, fruit juices, milk, coffee, tea, beer, wine,
mead, ale, potato-based caraway-flavored alcohol (brennivín), other
liquor.

Unexpectedly for its name, this is actually a sweet, eaten as a snack on a cold
day or as dessert.
2 eggs
2 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS flour
5 cups milk
2 TBS seedless raisins, soaked in hot water
Using a blender or food processor, beat eggs with sugar until frothy.
Add flour and 1 cup cold milk.
Scald remaining milk. Add raisins (discard the water).
When the milk starts to boil, turn off heat.
Pour hot milk slowly into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking
constantly.
Return mix to saucepan and cook on lowest heat for 10 minutes,
stirring constantly.
Stir in vanilla. Sprinkle sugar on top and serve immediately.

Lamb stew is a very traditional Icelandic dish, with many variations. Feel free to
vary as you see fit. Serve with rye bread.
1 quart water
1 pound lamb or mutton, cut into bite sizes
1/2 cup rolled oats or uncooked rice
1 onion, cubed
1/4 pound white cabbage, cut in chunks
2 carrots, diced
1/2 turnip, cubed
1 fat leek, coarse green removed, finely sliced
Bring water to boil. Add meat. Lower heat to medium and cook meat
for about 2–3 minutes, skimming off froth. Season. Turn down heat
and continue simmering for 30 minutes.
Add oats or rice. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in all the vegetables, and simmer for 25–35 minutes or until
vegetables are tender. Check the seasoning.
Serve with a small pitcher of milk or cream for each person to add.
Best if made the day before eating, chilled, and the surface fat
skimmed off, then reheated.

Premodern Iceland was a poor society, and leftovers were always utilized. This
pâté is intended to use up meat scraps, usually mutton.
2 pounds lamb or mutton meat on the bone (neck, shank, or breast) or

leftover roast meat
1 cup water
1/2–1/4 suet (beef, mutton, or pork lard)
1 onion, quartered
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp allspice, ground
1/2 tsp cloves, ground
Cook meat in water with suet, onions, and salt until tender.
Take meat off the bones; discard the bones. Skim the fat from the
liquid and reserve both.
In a food processor, process meat, onion, fat, and spices until just
coarsely ground.
Add a bit of cooking liquid if necessary to make the pâté easier to
spread.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Spread on fresh bread for a snack or cut into neat squares and serve as
an appetizer.

Fish, particularly cod, provides an alternate form of protein for the Icelanders.
These fish balls are usually eaten with melted butter or cocktail sauce.
1 pound fillet of white fish (cod or haddock are traditional, but any
white fleshed fillet will do), skinless and boneless
1 medium onion
5 ounces flour
2 ounces cornstarch or potato flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1–2 TBS milk
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
Grind fish fillet with onion in food processor.

Add all dry ingredients, eggs, and milk to bind if necessary, just
enough to make a firm paste. (Add a bit more cornstarch if necessary.)
Form golf-ball–sized balls.
Heat oil in a frying pan to about 1/2 inch deep.
Fry balls gently until golden brown.
Serve with potatoes.

This dish is frequently served with a meat dish.
2 ounces sugar
2 ounces butter
2 pounds cooked waxy potatoes, skinned and cooled, cut into 2-inch
pieces
Melt sugar slowly over low heat in a large skillet or saucepan.

When it starts to caramelize, add butter and mix well.
Add potatoes, stirring or shaking the pan to coat them evenly.
Serve hot.

This cake is often served at teatime.
1/2 pound oatmeal

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, well packed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/2 cup rhubarb jam, or pitted stewed prunes, soaked, pitted, and finely
minced

Place the dry ingredients and the butter into a food processor and
process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add the egg and process just until the mixture forms a dough.
Press 3/4 of the dough into a 10-inch pie plate, reserving rest for
topping. Spread dough with the jam.
Crumble rest of the dough over the cake.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is nicely browned.

This is a very popular sweet, often served as a relish with roast meats. Choose
the reddest stalks of rhubarb you can find: they give the best color. Otherwise
you may have to cheat and use beet or food coloring. Use only 1/2 cup sugar for
a tarter result; this will also make for shorter keeping time, so keep refrigerated
and use up as soon as possible. (Directions are for an 800-watt microwave.)
1 pound rhubarb, stalks only, chopped

1/2–3/4 pound sugar
a few drops red food coloring (optional)
In a bowl, mix rhubarb and sugar. Set aside for 5 hours or overnight.
Transfer to a microwaveable container (2 1/2 pints capacity).
Microwave for 5 minutes. Stir.
Repeat microwaving and stirring 3–4 times or until thickened.
Add food coloring if desired.

Red fruits made into pudding are common everyday desserts in Iceland and
elsewhere in Northern Europe (Denmark as rødgrød, Germany as rote grütze),
as well as in Russia (as kissel). Serve with cream, whipped or unwhipped, or
custard sauce.
4 cups natural (100%) cranberry, raspberry, or other red fruit juice or

sieved fruit pulp
1/2 cup cornstarch, diluted in 1 cup cold water to make a smooth slurry
sugar to taste
additional water
1 cup cream for serving
In a saucepan over medium heat, put the juice and bring to a boil.
Slowly add the cornstarch slurry, stirring the while to avoid lumps.
Add more water as needed: the consistency should be that of a light
cream soup.
Add sugar to taste, and turn off heat.
Add cream or sugar at the table.

These doughnuts are dropped from a spoon to fry and have a more rock-like
shape. As a snack with coffee or other hot drink, or cold milk, they are best eaten
as soon as they are made, or at least on the same day. Makes about 20
doughnuts.
2 TBS butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
oil for deep frying
cinnamon sugar: 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until very light; beat in
eggs, then vanilla and nutmeg.
Blend in flour, then milk, and raisins, if using; mix only until smooth
and thick.
Drop by spoonfuls and deep fry at 360°F until golden; drain on paper
towels.
Roll in cinnamon sugar and serve.
India
Over a third the size of the United States, making it the world’s seventh largest
country by area, India has a very ancient civilization. It is the birthplace of four
major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Arabs, Turks,
Greeks, Persians, Mongols, British, French, and Portuguese have all colonized
India or parts of it, until independence from British rule in 1947. Both
topography and climate vary from wide plains and deserts to high cool
mountains. Overall, most of the country is tropical.
Among other foods, India is the source of sugarcane, mangoes, and
turmeric. Rice, wheat, pulses, sugar, tea (possibly the world’s finest), and coffee
are major crops. India’s cuisine is complex and rich, influenced by Arab,
Persian, and Turkish cuisines, and is based on a sophisticated use of spices.
Widespread vegetarianism has its roots in Hinduism and the belief in
nonviolence toward all living things. Food in India—or to be more precise, what
may or may not be eaten—is determined by religion (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist,
Jain, Christian), region (north/south, rural/urban), caste, and socio-economic
status (see sidebar “Religion and Food Prohibitions,” p. 596).
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples:
• North: flat breads, generically called roti (pan-baked chapati
and phulka, fried puri, baked naan) made of various cereals—
wheat, corn, barley—or mixed with pulses: chickpeas, lentils.
• South: boiled rice, lentils.
• West, center: sorghum, millet.
• Meat:
• Muslims eat lamb, chicken, and fish, but not pork.
• Hindus are mostly (there are exceptions) strict vegetarians; even

eggs are not allowed for higher castes (Brahmins), though dairy
products are eaten. Lower castes in the Hindu socioreligious
system eat fish and some meat freely. Even Brahmins (the highest
caste) have regional exceptions: along the coasts, some Brahmins
eat fish, and in Kashmir (in northern India), some eat lamb, wild
boar, wild birds, and fish, but not chicken, beef, or pork. Hindus
regard the cow as sacred, and so do not eat beef. Kashmiri Hindus
consider both pigs and chickens dirty. Hindu food rules are
classified into strict satwick (only vegetables and fruit; but no
onions, garlic, mushrooms) and relaxed rajsik (all foods except
beef).
• Christians (Syrian Christians, Anglo-Indians) eat pork and all
other meat.
• Jains eat only vegetables that grow above ground, in their belief
that uprooting underground vegetables kills ground-living
creatures.
• Rural areas are mostly vegetarian, because meat is expensive.
• Dairy: milk products used extensively throughout include buttermilk,
cottage cheese of cow or buffalo milk (paneer), thickened milk
(khoya), clarified butter (ghee).
• Fruits: temperate fruits and nuts in the north (apples, apricots, pears,
almonds); tropical fruits in the south: tamarind (used widely in Tamil
cooking), mango, banana, pomegranate, jackfruit, coconut, cashew,
almond, pistachio.
• Vegetables: bitter melon, drumstick beans (long, beanlike fruits
growing on a tree), giant mooli radish, chickpeas, eggplant, okra,
lentils, snake gourd, leafy greens, squash.
• Drinks: fresh fruit juice (sharbat); mixed fruit juice with ginger, salt,
and sugar (falsa); sweet or salty yogurt or buttermilk drinks with fruits
or cucumber (lassi); milky sweet spiced tea; milky sweet coffee;
coconut water.
• Seasonings: garam masala spice mix, panch poran (Bengali five-
spice mix), herbs and hot peppers used for curries (not curry powder).
Northern spicing is generally milder than southern, except for Bengali,
which is exceptionally hot.
RELIGION AND FOOD PROHIBITIONS

A number of world religions have proscriptions about food, which
sometimes strongly determine the foods available in a country. This is
particularly true in countries where one religion or another is dominant, and
where that religion has strong proscriptions.
Islam
Islam prohibits the consumption of pork and dog. Other meats are
permitted, provided the animals are slaughtered according to ritual rules.
Alcohol is generally forbidden, though different schools of Islamic thought
allow certain kinds (e.g., beer but not wine, which is specifically prohibited
in the Koran).
Hinduism
Hinduism generally prohibits the consumption of meat as impure.
Vegetables, particularly pulses (beans), and milk are considered purer than
other foods. Hindu society is divided into castes; the uppermost Brahmin
caste maintains their purity by only eating pure foods. Lower castes tend to
eat less pure things, and the lowest eat meat when possible. Cooked food
cannot be offered from a lower caste to a higher one for fear of pollution.
Cattle are sacred to Brahma, one of Hinduism’s central deities, and as a
consequence, Hindus are completely forbidden to eat beef.
Buddhism and Jainism

Buddhism, and a related religion Jainism, generally forbid the taking of life
(Jains with greater severity). In theory, Buddhists are not supposed to eat
meat or fish. This is modified in Buddhist thinking by pragmatism and
certain provisions in the religion. In addition, different Buddhist sects view
this prohibition with lesser or greater severity. Nevertheless, in countries
with Buddhist majority, much of the cuisine is devoted to vegetarian dishes.
Judaism
Jewish law restricts meats eaten to those beasts that have cloven hoofs and
chew their cud, those birds that have a crop and fly, and those fish that have
scales and fins. All other animals and insects are considered unclean, except
locusts (which would have been the only edible food during a locust
infestation). Beasts and birds must be slaughtered according to ritual
practice.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Tandoori chicken, kebab.
• Lentil soups with or without meat: dal (also spelled dhal)
• Thick curried stews of meat, poultry, or vegetables: beef korma,
murgh musallam.
• Flavored rice dishes: pulao (also spelled pulau) with nuts and raisins.
• Vegetable creations: pakoras (onion or potato fritters), samosa (fried
or baked pastry filled with vegetables).
• Sweets: jalebis (fritters in syrup), kulfi (various flavors of ice cream:
pistachio, mango), gulab jamun (milk-powder dumplings in spiced
syrup).
• Pickles (specialty of the desert regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat, due
to traditional lack of fresh vegetables and fruits).
• Snacks: chickpea curry eaten with fried flat bread (north). Masala
dosa: potato and vegetable curry wrapped in a crispy rice pancake
(south).
Woman makes chapattis (unleavened bread) over an open fire in rural India. The pan is called a tava.
(Rashmi Gill)
• Street finger food: puri, deep-fried wheat bread. When stuffed with
lentils, called daal kachori; when accompanied by puffed rice,
chickpea puffs, and vegetables with a sweet-sour-spicy sauce, called
bhel puri. Bhajis, pakoras: deep-fried vegetable fritters.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks (for those who can afford it).
• Food is eaten with the right hand only, even for the left-handed.
Soupy dishes are scooped with flat bread. Strictly no sharing of food
from one thali (brass tray) to another, to ensure the purity of the food.
• No distinction is made between courses, and all food is brought at the
same time, including dessert, in individual thalis (brass tray and
dishes) or on a banana leaf in the south.
• The north has a cooler climate, particularly in the higher elevations,
and heavier dishes are eaten. Due to Muslim and Mughal influence,
more meat is also eaten.
• The south has a hot climate: lighter meals, mainly vegetables, rice at
every meal.
• Bombay (or Mumbai) food combines northern and southern dishes.
• Food in Goa shows Portuguese colonial influence; in Pondicherry,
French influence.
• Bengalis eat a lot of fish with rice and are fond of milk sweets.
• Breakfast: rice cakes or flat breads, chutney, lentils, vegetables with
buttermilk or curds, tea or coffee. Alternatively, leftovers from
evening meal.
• Lunch: flat bread and/or rice with at least two side dishes often from
among the following: meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables; lentils;
pickles; sambar (relish or condiment); dairy items such as raita
(yogurt condiment with chopped vegetables), curds/yogurt, or a sweet
or savory yogurt drink (lassi).
• Evening meal is the main meal: usually similar to lunch but with
more side dishes.
• After meals, a traditional breath-freshener of betel nut (paan) is
chewed with various flavorings, along with lime to release the flavor.
Its use is decreasing among young urbanites.
• Snacks include tea at 5:00 p.m. in the north (a residue of British rule)
and coffee in south.
• Major cities have American fast food (pizza, burgers) and
international restaurants (Chinese, Italian, Japanese, and other major
cuisines.)
GHEE, MAKING AND USING

Clarified butter (ghee) is used as a cooking medium and flavoring agent
throughout the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. After butter is
churned, the milk solids within the fat go bad fairly quickly. They also burn
at low temperatures, making butter a poor cooking oil. Ghee was developed
to counter these issues. It is made by heating butter from cow’s milk over a
low fire. Once the butter melts, heat is raised gradually until the water boils
off. The butter is then allowed to cool. The semifluid, clear butterfat is
poured off and stored as ghee. In the Middle East it is poured over rice as a
flavoring; in parts of India it is the major cooking oil.

This spice mix is used both during cooking and as a last-minute addition to a
dish. Curry powder as such is not used; instead, each cook mixes several spices,
expertly blending their flavors to achieve the desired result. Some cooks,
depending on the region, will omit the black peppercorns or add turmeric. There
are also wet masalas, such as those used in Madras, which are steeped in oil and
vinegar.
4 3-inch cinnamon sticks

2 TBS cumin seeds
2 TBS coriander seeds
1 TBS cardamom pods, shelled
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 whole nutmeg
Dry roast all of the spices, except nutmeg, in a heavy skillet over
medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid
burning. Cool.
Grate nutmeg and mix in.
Transfer spices to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Store in an airtight jar.

This simple dish reflects a Persian influence in the delicate blending of spices.
Serve with fresh tomato slices and cilantro. This is also commonly eaten with
fried banana and sliced green mango. Eat with easily available pita as a
substitute for traditional Indian unleavened flat bread (paratha) for breakfast,
snack, or as a side dish at lunch or dinner.
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS ghee or butter
3 TBS cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
Garnish
1 hot chili pepper, minced (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin
cilantro leaves
2 tomatoes, sliced
Blend the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed in a bowl.
Set aside.
In a heavy skillet, heat ghee or butter over medium heat.
Stir in ginger and onion, cooking until just softened.
Stir in cilantro, turmeric, and then the egg mixture.
Lower the heat and cover the skillet.
Stir the eggs occasionally and cook until the eggs are done but still
moist.
Turn off the heat.
Transfer to a warmed serving dish, sprinkle with chili pepper (if using)
and cumin, and garnish with cilantro and sliced tomatoes.

This is a northern Indian dish that shows its relationship to central Asian and
Muslim cuisines. Serve as a side dish with flat bread and/or flavored rice
(pulau), or as a snack on flat bread.
Kebabs like this are commonly eaten in the north, most frequently grilled
on a skewer but also fried as small cutlets called shami kebab. This is served
with a cream and nut sauce (sas) of saffron, pistachios, almonds, cardamom,
milk, cream, and ghee.
A recent street food introduced in Kolkata (Calcutta) but now available in
other cities is kebabs rolled into griddle-fried bread, called kathi rolls.
1 ounce yellow lentils

2 cups water
1 pound ground lamb (or substitute other ground meat)
1 bay leaf, pulverized in blender or mortar and pestle
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garam masala spice mix
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 cup cilantro leaf, chopped
fresh bread crumbs
Place lentils and water to cook over medium heat until lentils are very
soft.
Mix thoroughly meat, onion, cardamom, bay leaf, ginger, pepper,
garlic, paprika, garam masala, and salt in a bowl.
Mix in lentils.
Heat ghee over medium heat in a wok.
Add the meat-lentil mixture and stir fry until browned. Do not allow to
dry.
Refrigerate in a covered container for 2 hours.
Stir in egg yolk and cilantro.
Take a spoonful of the mixture and form into a patty. It should hold its
shape. If not, mix in up to 3 TBS flour.
Form into 1 × 3 inch rolls.
Roll each in bread crumbs.
Thread onto flat skewers and grill over charcoal to make seekh kebabs
(seekh means “skewer”).
Alternatively, shape into oval cutlets and deep fry to make shami
kebabs.

This is a main dish served for the midday or evening meal (see Pakistan for
sidebar on “Spice Mixtures,” p. 102).

1 tsp ground cumin
3 cardamom pods
4 cloves
4 black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup chopped fresh or canned chopped tomatoes, drained
juice from 1 lemon
1 red chili pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
8 chicken legs
salt to taste
1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup hot water
1 tsp garam masala
In a saucepan, heat ghee over medium heat.

Stir in onion, garlic, cumin, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns, and
sauté until the onion is softened.
Stir in ginger, turmeric, tomatoes, half the lemon juice, chili pepper,
chicken, and salt.
Cover pan, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Mix yogurt and hot water. Stir into chicken mixture. Sprinkle with 1
TBS cilantro.
Simmer for another 20–30 minutes or until chicken is tender.
To serve, transfer into a heated serving dish and sprinkle with garam
masala, remaining cilantro and lemon juice.

The use of coconut oil in this dish is typical of southern Indian cooking. Ghee is
not used as extensively as in the north. Aviyal is eaten at lunch or in the evening,
during the main meal. It is served with plain and/or flavored rice. Other
accompaniments are lentils and leafy vegetables, a mango oil pickle or chutney,
and one or two fried lentil crisps (pappadums). Other vegetables used in aviyal
are eggplant, bitter gourd, drumstick beans, potato, jackfruit seeds, green mango,
or tender coconut slices.
3 TBS coconut or other vegetable oil

1/4 tsp black mustard seeds (if not available, use regular mustard seed)
1/4 cup water
2 8-ounce cans coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cubed
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cubed
1 carrot, peeled and cubed
1 cauliflower, separated into small (about 1 × 1 inch) florets
4 green onions, cut into 2-inch-long pieces
1 green chili pepper (optional)
3 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
Heat the oil over medium heat.

Stir in mustard seeds, ginger, and garlic, and fry for 30 seconds.
Stir in onion and cook until golden.
Stir in coriander powder, turmeric, water, coconut milk, and salt.
Let it come to a boil.
Add vegetables and stir. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15–20
minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Check occasionally and stir to make sure that the coconut milk is not
burning.
Add up to 1/4 cup water if necessary, only pouring a little at a time.
The dish is meant to be thick, not soupy.
Take off the heat. Stir in cilantro and check the seasoning, adding
more salt if necessary. Cover and let stand for a few minutes.
Transfer into a heated serving dish.

This vegetable curry is served as a side dish at lunch or dinner. Peas (1 cup) may
be added if desired, or carrots may be substituted for the cauliflower.

1 tsp mustard seeds
2 bay leaves
2 cardamom pods
3 cloves
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 medium potatoes, quartered
1 large cauliflower, cut into florets, washed and drained
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 cup water
salt to taste
Garnish
1 tsp garam masala
3 TBS chopped cilantro
In a saucepan, heat the ghee over medium heat.

Add mustard seeds and let pop (about 30 seconds), stirring constantly.
Add bay leaves, cardamom, and cloves. Cook, stirring, until fragrant
(another 30 seconds).
Stir in coriander and cumin.
Add potatoes and cauliflower and fry, stirring constantly, for 2
minutes.
Add turmeric, water, and salt, and bring to a boil.
Cover, lower heat, and cook for 20–30 minutes until potatoes are
tender.
To serve, garnish with garam masala and cilantro.

As far back as the sixteenth century, ice cream was already a regular sweet in the
Mughal imperial courts. It was flavored with mangoes and other fruits and nuts,
especially pistachios. This is a contemporary recipe.
1 can condensed milk

12 ounces whipped cream
12-ounce can mango pulp
In a blender or food processor, mix all ingredients until smooth.

Transfer to an ice-cream freezer and follow the manufacturer’s
instructions.
Alternatively, pour into a covered plastic container and freeze for 3
hours.
Remove from freezer and beat thoroughly with fork or electric mixer.
For a finer texture repeat the freezing and beating step once or twice
more.
Transfer into small individual bowls. Let freeze another 1–2 hours
until solid.

Sharbat refers to a cold drink, often made with fresh fruits or yogurt. Serve this
during lunch or dinner.
2 cups plain yogurt

4 TBS sugar
1 TBS vanilla
2 cups cold water
1 cup crushed ice
1/2 cup flaked toasted almonds
In a blender, mix the yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and water until smooth.
Distribute the ice into four glasses.
Pour the sharbat into the glasses.
Garnish with almonds.
Carrot Halva
Halva is a Persian word meaning “a sweet,” and the word (though possibly not
the dish) was imported to India through many centuries of contact between the
two civilizations. The original recipe called for fresh milk and sugar cooked for
3–4 hours until thickened. Condensed milk achieves the same result in less time.
Serve this with milky tea.
1 pound carrots (4–5), grated

1 1/2 cup ground almonds
seeds of 5 cardamom pods, crushed with a rolling pin
1/3 cup pistachio nuts or almonds, chopped
Microwave the carrots in a covered dish for 5–7 minutes until very
tender. Drain.
In a saucepan, pour in the condensed milk.
Stir in cooked carrots, almonds, and ghee.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until dry and the mass no
longer sticks to the sides of the pan, about 10–15 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the cardamom.
Transfer to a serving dish, mounding it in the center.
Garnish with nuts.
Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Rice flakes are a convenience food eaten throughout southern India and
Southeast Asia; they are popularly eaten for breakfast or snacks and fill the same
role that instant cereals, such as cornflakes, do in the United States. Aval is its
southern Indian (Tamil) name, and poha, its Hindi name. Payasam is a southern
Indian term for rice pudding, often served for dessert or during a meal. It is also
eaten during festivals, auspicious events such as weddings and at the end of
Ramadan for Muslims. There are countless variations: made with glutinous rice
instead of flakes, raw brown sugar (jaggery) instead of white sugar, or yogurt or
coconut cream instead of milk. All versions feature nuts and dried fruits, and
sometimes saffron threads.

1 cup mixed unsalted nut meats (cashews, pistachios, blanched
almonds) and raisins
1/2 cup rice flakes
2 cups milk or coconut cream
1 cup cream or coconut cream
seeds from 2–3 cardamom pods, pounded fine, or 1/4 tsp ground
cardamom
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, melt half the ghee or

butter; fry the nuts until aromatic. Set aside.
Melt the remaining ghee and fry the rice flakes until they turn light
golden.
Stir in the milk and sugar, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10–15
minutes or until rice is tender and milk has thickened. Taste and add
more sugar, if desired.
Let cool slightly, stir in cream, then divide into individual dishes.
Sprinkle with cardamom, nuts and raisins.

These sweets feature in celebrations, such as Diwali, or for gift giving to
neighbors and relatives during auspicious occasions. The traditional method
involved hours of reducing milk until thick. This is a more convenient, time-
saving method. (Directions for an 800-watt microwave.)

1 3/4 cups powdered milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp powdered cardamom or seeds from 4 green cardamom pods,
finely ground
10–12 saffron threads, soaked in 2 TBS warm milk, and finely crushed
20 pieces unsalted nuts (pistachios, cashews, or blanched almonds),
halved or slivered
In a microwaveable shallow bowl, mix until smooth the butter,

powdered milk, condensed milk, and salt; microwave, covered, at full
power for 1 minute.
Mix well so that the parts on the outer edges are moved to the center.
Microwave at full power for 1 minute.
Stir well, add the cardamom and saffron, and microwave again for 1
minute.
By now the mixture should resemble a pliable dough; microwave
another half minute more until it reaches this consistency, but no more.
Let milk dough cool just enough to handle. When cooled thoroughly, it
will crack while rolling. Add a bit of warm milk and stir in well if
dough cracks.
With buttered hands, shape dough into grape-sized or slightly larger
balls; press nut slivers for decor. Alternatively, flatten them slightly;
adorn in the middle with nuts.
The fudge will keep for 2–3 days in an airtight container.
Serve with hot tea or cold milk.
Indonesia
Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago—over seventeen thousand islands of

which six thousand are inhabited and four (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and
Java) are among the largest in the world—and the fourth most populous country.
For over three hundred years a Dutch colony (and partly Portuguese, in East
Timor), Indonesia proclaimed independence in 1945. Located on the equator
ranging along the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, Indonesia has hot, humid
coastal lowlands where rice, maize, and other tropical crops are grown, and
milder interior highlands suited to coffee and livestock raising. With its
petroleum and natural gas resources, it is a member of the oil cartel OPEC.
Over three hundred languages are spoken in Indonesia’s multiethnic society
of mostly Javanese, Chinese, and other groups of Malay-Polynesian and Papuan
ethnic stock. Islam, often mixed with Hindu-Buddhism, adat (traditional custom
and law), and animism, is the predominant religion: Indonesia has the world’s
largest Muslim population. The island of Bali is predominantly Hindu; the
Papuan residents of the island of Irian Jaya are mainly Christian and animist.
Indonesian cuisine is rich and complex, characterized by sophisticated use of
spices from Arab and Indian cultures via Islam, fiery-hot chili seasoning (for
which the Padang region is nationally famous), aromatic herbs, and coconut
milk, as well as Chinese and European influences.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are rice, corn (maize) in eastern Java, other root crops
(cassava, sweet potato).
• Poultry, beef, pork (not for Muslims but Hindus and other groups),
eggs.
• Vegetables: soybean, leafy vegetables, eggplant, unripe papaya and
jackfruit, squash, eggplant, breadfruit.
• Fruits: banana (hundreds of varieties), mango, durian, and other
exotic tropical fruit such as snakefruit (salak, which has a brown
snakeskin patterned shell), custard apple, star fruit.
• Seasonings: peanut sauce, trasi and blachan (fish or shrimp paste),
sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), ginger relatives (galangal and kencur),
chilies, coriander, garlic, cinnamon, coconut.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fried rice (nasi goreng).
• Soups of meat and vegetables called soto or sop; spicy chicken or
beef broth (bakso) with fish or meat; rice porridge with chicken (bubur
ayam), often eaten with cah-weh (fried Chinese bread stick).
• Spicy stews of poultry, beef or fish and vegetables, with or without
coconut milk. The terms rendang and semur refer to the stewing
process, and are followed by the main ingredient term such as beef or
chicken (daging, ayam).
• Grilled or barbecued meats or fish on skewers (sate, also satay) with
spicy peanut sauce.
• Vegetable dishes: salad with peanut sauce (gado gado), stewed
vegetables in coconut milk (sayur lodeh).
• Fermented soybean products: tempeh (fermented whole bean slabs),
soy sauce (called kecap, pronounced “ketchup”), soybean curd (taho).
• Sweets: rice pastries made with coconut milk.
• Drinks: kopi Bali (Balinese coffee) is like Turkish coffee, dark and
thick; fresh fruit juices (coconut, passion fruit, durian, papaya); mixed
fruit and tapioca juices (cendol, es campur); brem (rice wine); toeak
(Balinese palm-juice beer).
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditional families eat on a mat set on the floor or around a table.
Rice and side dishes—mainly vegetable based, with some meat if
affordable—are placed in the center.
• Household members normally eat when they can, so rice and side
dishes are cooked once a day, and everyone helps themselves. Diners
eat with right hands only or with a spoon.
• Breakfast: just sweet coffee or substantial meal of fried rice with egg
and iced tea.
• Lunch: heaviest meal of the day: rice with several side dishes of
soup, vegetables, meat or fish, dessert.
• Dinner: same as lunch but lighter; often lunch leftovers, dessert.
• Desserts: mainly fruits or fermented sweet rice or cassava (tapé).
• Snacks, often from street stalls: noodles, skewered dishes (satay),
banana fritters (pisang goreng), fried dumplings (pangsit).

Soups are not served as a separate course but as part of the main meal as a side
dish, especially if it is thick and includes many ingredients. There are several
terms for soup: soto, almost a complete meal in itself; sop, a light, thin broth;
and bakso, a spicy broth. The most popular soup is chicken (soto ayam). The
following soup uses green vegetables common in the West; in Indonesia native
leafy vegetables would of course be used. The chicken can be left out or
substituted for other meat or fish, if desired. Serve as a side dish with rice and a
fish or meat course.
2 TBS oil
2 tsp peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
1 cup boneless chicken breast, diced
2 cups fresh spinach or watercress, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 tsp cornstarch
1 TBS water
1 TBS soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar
In a covered saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

Stir fry ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in peanut butter, mixing well, then add chicken stock.
Bring to a boil; and stir in chicken.
Return to a boil and stir in chosen greens.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients and stir thoroughly into the soup.
Simmer for another 2 minutes.
Serve hot.

An Indonesian meal would be incomplete without an accompaniment of fiercely
hot chili sauce (sambal). Traditionally these sauces were made by pounding in a
mortar and pestle. A blender or food processor makes it easy to recreate this
sauce. The amount of chili in this recipe has been considerably toned down to
suit American tastes. Omit the chili and let diners add a drop or two of any
pepper sauce, if desired, at the table. Serve in a small bowl (see sidebar
“‘Central-Bowl’ and ‘Individual-Bowl’ Rice Cultures”).
Trasi and blachan are characteristic flavorings made of highly salted (for
preservation) tiny fish or shrimp. Blachan (also belachan) comes in block form
and is sliced and often fried or roasted before using. Similar fish or seafood
sauces are used in Malaysia, Singapore, and other parts of Southeast Asia.
1 cup very ripe tomatoes

1 small fresh or dried chili (or substitute 2 drops of hot sauce)
1 clove garlic
1 TBS fresh grated ginger
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt or anchovy sauce or salted shrimp paste (trasi or blachan)
2 tsp lime or lemon juice
3 TBS oil
Place all ingredients except oil into a food processor or blender and
puree until smooth.
Heat oil over medium heat in a wok.
Stir in pureed ingredients and cook for about 10 minutes, until thick.
Serve at once. This keeps well for about 2 weeks, refrigerated in a
closed jar.
“CENTRAL-BOWL” AND “INDIVIDUAL-BOWL” RICE

CULTURES
In the cultures of eastern Asia, where rice is the major staple, two distinct
styles of consuming rice have emerged. The most common (in terms of
population) are individual bowl cultures. In these, each diner has an
individual bowl of rice from which they eat. Side dishes—cooked
vegetables, fish, and meat—are most often served in plates which everyone
shares. This is most common in China. In central rice bowl cultures, each
diner has individual dishes of vegetables, meat or fish. The rice (or
sometimes some other) staple is placed in a tray or basin in the middle for
all to share. These cultural practices are separated geographically (though
the line is gradually being erased in the modern world): a line running
roughly from Taiwanese aborigines through Southern China and midway
through Indochina separated central-bowl cultures to the south from
individual-bowl cultures to the north.
This is a quick meal made from leftover rice, often served for breakfast or any
other time. It is also the most well-known Indonesian dish, often served together
with another famous national specialty: saté or skewered barbecued meats. Fried
rice is most often served with eggs, as shreds of omelet mixed into the fried rice
itself, or sunny side up as a garnish (known as mata sapi or “cow’s eyes”). Thin
cucumber slices can grace the sides of the dish, as well as fried shallots and
shrimp crackers (krupuk). Serve with es teh manis (sweet iced tea) or coffee.
2 TBS oil
4 eggs, well beaten
1 TBS peanut oil
8 shallots or 1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 or 2 red chili peppers, cored and seeded, chopped finely (optional)
2 cups cooked boneless chicken, meat (leftover roast or fried meat or
sausage), diced
4 portions white cooked rice
1 TBS dark (kecap manis or Chinese) soy sauce
Garnish per serving

3–4 thin cucumber slices
2 fried bananas (sliced in half lengthwise)
Heat oil in a wok or wide, heavy frying pan.

Pour in egg and season lightly with salt and pepper. Brown on one
side, then turn over and cook until omelet is cooked through.
Remove from pan and shred. Set aside.
Add peanut oil to wok and heat over high heat. Stir in shallots, garlic,
red chili pepper, and green onions and fry for 1 minute.
Reduce heat and fry for an additional minute until vegetables are soft.
Stir in chosen meat and cook for 1 minute.
Add omelet shreds (reserve a bit for garnish), rice, and soy sauce.
Cook, stirring, until rice is heated through, about 5–10 minutes. Taste
and correct seasoning, if necessary.
Serve garnished with thinly sliced cucumbers, omelet shreds, and
slices of fried banana.

This dish is usually made with beef or tender young goat meat, but ground
chicken, turkey, or pork may be used as well. Serve this with rice, soup, and
vegetables for lunch or dinner.
1 pound ground beef or lamb

1 1/4 cups desiccated coconut, refreshed with 1/4 cup warm milk for
15 minutes
1/2 tsp powdered coriander
1/4 tsp powdered cumin
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup flour
2 TBS (or more) oil
In a bowl, blend thoroughly the meat, coconut, garlic, spices, egg, and
seasoning.
Divide mixture into 12 portions; shape into patties.
Dust patties with flour on both sides.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Place patties in skillet, a few at a time.
Shallow fry for 5–7 minutes on each side.
Keep warm until all the patties are cooked.
Serve hot.

The coconut milk in this dish is typical of Javanese dishes. This is served as a
main dish with rice, accompanied by vegetables and soup.
4 shallots, or 1 small onion, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled, sliced
5 candlenuts (kemiri, available from stores that sell Asian foods);
substitute 10 whole cashew or 5 macadamia nuts
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
4 TBS vegetable oil
1 tender chicken, cut into serving pieces, or 4 large portions (quarters
or legs)
4 bay leaves
1 stalk lemongrass or 1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 pint coconut milk
1 pint water
In a food processor or blender, process to a paste the shallots, garlic,

ginger, nuts, coriander, turmeric, and cumin.
Heat oil in a large wok over medium heat. Stir fry spice paste for 2
minutes, taking care not to burn it.
Stir in 1 cup water. Add chicken, bay leaves, and lemongrass.
Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk; simmer gently for another 20–30 minutes, adding
water if necessary to keep sauce from becoming too thick. Stir
occasionally and adjust heat to prevent coconut milk from burning.
Serve on white rice. Remove lemongrass before serving.

This dish uses three types of soybean products: tofu and fermented black beans,
which are originally Chinese, and tempeh, which is an Indonesian original.
Tempeh is made of whole soybeans fermented until it develops a white skin
similar to that on soft French cheeses such as Camembert or Brie. Tempeh is
sold refrigerated or frozen in health food stores as well as in major supermarkets
and some groceries that sell Asian foods; defrost the night before using. If
tempeh is unavailable, increase tofu to 3 pieces. Tofu is also sold already fried.
Galangal (or laos) is a root related to ginger with a more citrusy scent.
Increase the amount of ginger if galangal is unavailable. Salam leaves (Eugenia
polyantha, also known as Indonesian bay leaf, though the taste is dissimilar) may
be hard to obtain; they can be omitted. The fermented black beans are already
salty. Check the seasoning before serving and add salt if needed.
oil (enough for deep frying)

2 blocks firm bean curd (tofu), diced
8-ounce pack tempeh, diced
2 TBS galangal, grated
4 salam leaves (optional)
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
1–2 green chilies, cored, seeded, cut into rings (optional)
1 pound green beans, trimmed
2–3 TBS canned fermented black beans (taucho, also called salted
soybeans)
Deep fry tofu and tempeh in a wok or large skillet until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Pour off all but 2–3 TBS oil.
Stir fry onion and garlic; when softened add ginger, galangal, salam
leaves, lemongrass, and chilies (if using).
Increase heat to high and stir in green beans, stir fry for 5 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk and reduce heat to low.
Stir in black beans, tofu, tempeh and tomatoes; simmer for 10 more
minutes or until tofu and tempeh are heated through.
Serve hot.

Although most Indonesians are Muslims and thus shun pork, on the island of
Bali, where most are Hindus, pork is widely eaten. In fact, the Balinese favorite
is spit-roasted suckling pig (babi guling), often sold in piles of mixed crisp
crackling, juicy meat chunks and assorted innards, to be eaten with rice and
spicy sauce.
This sweet hot and spicy pork dish is often served on festive occasions. In
rural areas (without supermarkets), it is the custom to slaughter a whole pig to
provide meat for the huge number of expected guests. The various portions are
made into several dishes. The original recipe called for 6–10 chilies; an
alternative is to leave out the chilies and pass a hot chili sauce at the table for
diners to help themselves.
To serve this at lunch or dinner, accompany with plain white or fried rice,
soup, and a vegetable dish.
2 TBS coconut oil or other oil

5 shallots, or 1 medium onion, sliced
1 pound boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 TBS sweet soy sauce (kecap manis, or substitute dark Chinese soy
sauce)
2 TBS soy sauce
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 bird’s eye chilies, left whole (optional)
Heat oil in a wok or a heavy saucepan, over medium heat.

Stir fry shallots and garlic for 2 minutes or until lightly colored.
Stir in pork and ginger; raise heat to high and continue to fry for 2
more minutes.
Add both types of soy sauce and pepper; sauté for 1 minute.
Pour in chicken stock and chilies (if using); lower heat and simmer for
about 1 hour or until tender.
There should be very little sauce left: the meat will be a glistening dark
brown. If the meat dries out before it is tender, add a bit of chicken
stock.
These small, crisp, wonton-like snacks are sold by street vendors all over
Indonesia and reflect the influence of Chinese settlers. Substitute ground chicken
meat or pork, as desired. Serve as an appetizer or snack with drinks. Or, as a side
dish for a main meal, serve with rice, soup, and vegetables.
2 TBS oil
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, minced finely
2 green onions, minced finely
40 wonton wrappers (available from stores that sell Asian foods and
major supermarkets), about 3-inch squares
white of 1 egg, beaten lightly
oil for deep frying
Heat oil over high heat in a wok and thoroughly brown the meat, about
5–7 minutes.
Transfer meat to a bowl.
Clean and dry the wok. Add oil for deep frying; warm gradually to
350°F.
Add both types of onions to meat; mix well, and season.
Take a wonton wrapper and put 1 tsp of meat mixture in the lower half
of each wrapper.
Roll up the wrapper like a thick cigarette.
Moisten ends with egg white and crimp to seal.
Fry a few at a time in hot oil; drain and serve immediately.

These coconut-filled sweets are eaten as dessert or snack. They are ideally made
with unrefined brown sugar from Java with its molasses-like aroma and fresh
grated coconut. Serve with hot or iced tea or coffee.
Filling
1 cup freshly grated coconut (substitute desiccated coconut, refreshed
by soaking with 1/4 cup warm milk for 20 minutes)
5 TBS dark brown sugar
1 TBS granulated sugar
3-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half
pinch of salt
Mix coconut, both types of sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Dry fry the mixture in a wok or large skillet over low heat, stirring
continuously for about 5 minutes or until mixture is dry.
Remove cinnamon stick; set mixture aside.
Pancake batter
1/2 cup rice or all purpose wheat flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cups coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 to 3 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 egg
vegetable oil
In a blender or food processor, blend the rice flour, cornstarch, coconut

milk, salt, food coloring (if using), and egg until smooth.
Lightly oil an 8-inch skillet and heat over medium heat.
Pour about 3 TBS of batter into hot skillet. Tilt pan to spread batter
into a thin layer.
Let cook for 1 minute; turn over and cook for another minute. Remove
and keep warm.
Repeat until all the batter is used up.
To make rolls, lay a pancake on a plate.
Place 2 TBS of coconut filling on the edge of the pancake nearest to
you.
Fold over once; then fold over the left and the right sides, and fold
over once more. Press lightly to evenly distribute filling.
Mixed fruits in milk and shaved ice make refreshing desserts and popular
snacks. Serve in glass or ceramic bowls. If coconut milk is available, pour a bit
in addition to the condensed milk or cream.
1 ripe avocado, diced

8 segments fresh or canned jackfruit, diced
1 cup young coconut meat, fresh or canned (sold in cans in Asian
stores), diced
1 cup sugar palm fruit (sold in cans in Asian stores), increase coconut
if not available
shaved ice
8-ounce can condensed milk or thick cream
sugar (if using cream)
Distribute ingredients among four bowls.

Top with shaved ice.
Transfer condensed milk or cream into a serving bowl or jug.
Pass condensed milk or cream and sugar for diners to help themselves.

Kue means “cake” and refers to traditional steamed rice cakes as well as baked
ones made of wheat flour. Pandan flavoring is much loved throughout Southeast
Asia and can be sourced from stores that sell Asian foods. Pandan refers to the
scented leaves of Pandanus odoratissimus, which impart a warm and fresh
green-rice scent and color to cakes. Serve this cake for a snack with hot ginger
tea or other hot drink, or a cold drink, such as milk or juice.
2 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
2/3 tsp pandan extract, or more for a deeper color
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 cup coconut cream
Preheat oven to 350°F. Have ready a 10-inch tube cake or springform

pan.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In another bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar, gradually adding
4 TBS sugar, just to stiff and glossy but no more or cake will be dry.
Using the same beaters, beat the yolks with remaining sugar until very
light and creamy.
Blend in well the pandan extract, then flour mixture, followed by the
oil and coconut cream.
By hand, gently but thoroughly fold in the egg whites; bake in the
ungreased tube pan for 50–60 minutes or until cake tests done. Set pan
lower than the middle rack of the oven.
Set the cake pan upside down to cool thoroughly before unmolding.

These sweets are a traditional sweet snack, cooked over a charcoal fire. Serve
with a hot drink, such as ginger tea or coffee, or cool juice or milk. If using
tapioca pearls, blend to a fine powder in a food processor or blender.
2 pieces ripe plantains, or 3–4 ripe bananas

1/2 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
3–4 cups grated fresh or frozen unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup tapioca pearls, or cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Banana leaves, each 10 × 10 inches, passed through a hot flame or
boiling water to render them pliable, or foil sheets for wrapping
2 TBS oil or butter, if using foil
Toothpicks or wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes, if
using banana leaves
Mash well the plantains, sugar, and salt; stir in 3 cups coconut and the
tapioca to a firm, slightly moist (not runny) mixture.
Add more coconut if mixture is too wet, or a bit of water if too dry.
Put 2 heaping spoonfuls onto the center of a banana leaf.
Wrap mixture into a long, narrow parcel: fold the leaf at least twice
around the mixture, so that there are two layers of wrapping.
Leave top and bottom open: these are pierced with a toothpick to
close.
If using foil, grease the surface before wrapping the mixture; use at
least two layers of foil.
Grill over hot coals for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway through or
until banana leaves are scorched and mixture is solidified.
Alternatively, put under a medium-hot grill for 15–20 minutes.
Serve warm or cold.
Iran
The easternmost of the Middle Eastern countries and the largest, Iran has been at
various times an independent kingdom, center of an empire, or occupied by
others (Greeks, Arabs, Turkmen, Mongols). The country is largely composed of
high plateau deserts with hot summers and cool or cold (in the mountains)
winters. Wheat, rice, fish (from the Caspian), fruit (notably pomegranates,
apricots, melons), and nuts (notably pistachios) are produced.
The Iranian population is composed largely of Persians, with significant

Turkmen, Kurdish, and other minorities. Most of the population is Shi’ite
Muslims, and other religions are either barely tolerated or forbidden.
Iranian cuisine has a lengthy history and has influenced others more than
being influenced itself, though Turkish and Indian influences can be found.
Though Iran was once famous for its wines, wine is currently forbidden, as is
pork. Iran also has a lengthy history of cookbooks and food writing, much of
which has been preserved since the Middle Ages.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: Iranian cuisine prides itself on its rice dishes, and some say
there is a rice dish for every day of the year.
• Meat: preferred meats are lamb and beef.
• Fruits: pomegranates, figs, grapes, apricots, watermelon (which is
also dried), melons. Tamarind (literally “Indian date”) is used for
flavoring.
• Vegetables: carrots, onions, and garlic, beans and other pulses,
tomatoes, peppers.
• Flavoring principles are complex and include pomegranate, saffron,
rose water, and fruits.
• Currently a rigidly Islamic country, wine and liquor are formally
forbidden.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Pilaf, rice cooked with finely chopped fruit, vegetables, and/or meat
is eaten at any time and has many variants outside Iran.
• Rich stews often flavored with pomegranate juice and seeds.
• Various stuffed fish, meat, and vegetables.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are eaten, with snacks. The major meal of the day
is in the evening.
• Families generally eat together, sitting on a carpet on the floor with
shared dishes in the center.
• Traditionally, foods are eaten with the right hand. Spoons, knives,
and forks are becoming common as well.
• Iranians love eating outside, particularly during Now Ruz, the
Persian new year in the spring, when families go to eat out among the
new blossoms.
• Tea accompanies most meals and is drunk constantly during the day.
Iranian man barbecues chicken in a park on Sizdeh Bedar, the last day of Now Ruz, the Persian New Year,
celebrated in spring. It is believed to be bad luck to stay indoors on Sizdeh Bedar. (AP Photo)

This recipe is one of the simplest ways to make rice Iranian style.
3 cups white long grain (Basmati-type) rice.

6 cups water
4 TBS of cooking oil.
3–4 medium-sized potatoes or onions sliced into 1/4-inch disks.
4 ounces water
salt to taste
Soak the rice for a few hours in hot water to cover and some salt
before cooking.
Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium-sized pot.
Add the rice (and the water it was soaking in) and let it cook for about
7–10 minutes after it returns to a boil
Check the rice: when the rice is half-crunchy and half-soft, remove and
drain in colander or sieve.
Rinse briefly under the faucet.
Put oil and 4 ounces water in a heavy-bottomed pot, lay the salted
potato or onion slices at the bottom of the pot, then pile up the rice
loosely on the vegetables.
With the handle of a wooden spoon, make 5 holes, 1 in the center and
4 around it so that the rice can breathe during the cooking process.
Cover with a tight lid.
Cook for a couple of minutes on high heat. When the rice starts to
steam, change heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes.
Lower heat to medium low, sprinkle some cooking oil on rice to stop it
from drying, and let it cook for another 10 minutes until rice is soft.
Traditionally, the rice is served covered by a layer of rice dyed with
saffron (yellow) or beet juice (purple).
Serve on its own or with meat dish.
RICE (ORYZA SPP.)

Rice is the most important and widespread grain for human consumption
(maize, though grown more extensively, is largely used for industrial
purposes and as animal feed). Two major species emerged independently.
In Africa, African rice (Oryza glaberrima) originates in West Africa and is
still a major crop in some countries such as Guinea Bissau. Oryza sativa
was domesticated from a single origin in the Pearl River valley in China
around ten thousand years ago, from whence it spread throughout southern
China and Southeast Asia. It was imported into India and then Persia in
historical times. There are numerous cultivars ranging in color from white
to red and black. Rice is normally identified as short or long grain, and as
dry or sticky (also called glutinous). Most consumption is of drier varieties,
with sticky (high amylopectin) rice used for confectionery such as Japanese
mochi (pounded rice dough).
There are two common methods for preparing rice. In the absorption
method, common throughout East, Central, and Southeast Asia, rice is
slowly simmered, in a sealed pot with water to cover until all the water is
absorbed and the rice is cooked. In the rapid-boil system common in Iran
and the Middle East, rice (either lightly fried in oil or not) is rapidly boiled
in a large quantity of water, which is then discarded, and the rice allowed to
finish, off the fire, in a sealed pot. Rice is generally cooked unflavored in
East Asian cooking and flavored in the form of a pilaf in other cuisines.
Rice (Absorption Method)

2 cups rice (short or long grain)
water
In a bowl, place rice and add cold water to cover.

With your fingers, rub rice in the water to dislodge dust or starch
particles. The water will turn cloudy. Drain the water, keeping rice in
the bowl.
Add more fresh cold water and repeat until the water is clear. (This
rice-rinsing water is used for braising certain vegetables, such as icicle
radish [daikon] in Japanese cooking, or as the stock for sour fish soup
[sinigang] in Philippine cooking. Otherwise the water is saved and
poured over plants in the garden in Japan, an excellent way to recycle
water.)
Place rice in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add water so that from the surface
of the rice to the surface of the water there is a distance of about one
finger. (Lay your hand, palm down, on the rice to measure; the water
should cover your hand. This is the Japanese way of measurement.
The Philippine way of measuring is by standing your hand vertically
over the rice. The water should come up to the middle of the second
joint of your middle finger. Both measurements are more or less equal.
Water for cooking older rice may need a bit more, depending on the
variety of rice.)
Cover and turn on the heat to medium high.
Once the rice is boiling, bring the heat to medium low for 5 minutes.
Then reduce to the lowest temperature and continue cooking until all
the water is absorbed, about 10 more minutes.
If, when you open the lid, the rice is still not soft, seal again and allow
to rest, off the fire, for an additional 5–10 minutes. It is considered best
not to open the lid at all during cooking.
Note that this method of cooking rice does not use any salt or oil. The
result is of a mass of cereal whose grains stick together (for Japanese-
type slightly sticky rice) when picked up with chopsticks or of grains
that are fairly loose but not individually separate (for non-Japanese-
type rice).
Rice (Rapid Boil Method)

2 cups long-grain rice
water
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS oil (or up to 4 TBS, if desired)
Bring rice to a boil in 4–5 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt until half cooked,
about 10 minutes. Drain.
Heat 2 TBS oil in heavy-bottomed pot. Toss rice in the hot oil. Drizzle
the rest of the oil over the rice.
Cover the pot (preferably a heavy lid) and place on lowest heat for 40
minutes.
Check rice for doneness, or leave on heat for another 10 minutes.
If you want tadig (the crust at the bottom of the pot, considered a
delicacy by all rice-eating cultures, though not called by the same
name), leave pot on the heat for a total of one hour.
Note: Some prefer to put a clean, dry kitchen cloth beneath the lid to
absorb any moisture that might drip back onto the rice and affect the
desired consistency. The result of this method is separate grains.
Variations on this method include a layer of thick onion and/or potato
slices fried in the oil, over which the rice cooks. The crisped, charred
onions and potatoes are also served underneath or sprinkled over to
decorate the rice.

Eggplant is an important vegetable in Iranian cuisine, eaten frequently. Serve
with white rice.
2 eggplants
1/2 cup oil
2 onions, chopped
1 pound boneless leg of lamb, turkey, or beef, sliced into 1-inch cubes
3 tsp tomato paste
1 cup of fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
2/3 cup unripe grapes (or substitute ripe but firm ones)
juice of 1 lemon
3 TBS parsley (flat leaf, preferably), minced, for garnish
Peel the eggplant and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Lay them on a
cutting board or tray, sprinkle with salt, and leave for 20 minutes.
Wash off the brown drops that accumulate, and wipe dry with paper
towels.
Shallow fry in hot oil until golden brown on both sides (eggplants love
oil, and you may need to add some more). Set aside to drain on paper
towels.
Fry the onions in 2 TBS oil (top up or use any remaining oil from
frying the eggplants) until golden brown. Add the turmeric, salt,
pepper, and meat, and stir fry until the meat has changed color.
Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, grapes, lemon juice, and, if necessary,
water to cover.
Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add the eggplant and, if needed, a little more water.
Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or more or until meat is tender.
To serve, ladle the meat and sauce in the middle of a warmed serving
dish. Surround with eggplant slices, and sprinkle with minced parsley.

This is a traditional Now Ruz (New Year’s Day) dish.
1 package of dried tamarind paste (preferably seedless, available from

shops that sell Asian foods)
1 cup warm water
4 TBS oil
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, red or green, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
2 red chili peppers, left whole (optional)
2 cups fresh parsley, minced
1 whole white-fleshed fish (about 2 pounds), gutted and cleaned, head
and tail left on
If using seedless tamarind paste, slice into smaller pieces, add warm
water, puree in a food processor, and strain through a fine sieve. If
using tamarind paste with seeds, place in a bowl, pour warm water
over, and rub paste with your fingers to separate the seeds from the
pulp. Discard seeds and sieve the pulp, pressing to extract all the
juices. Set aside.
Heat 2 TBS oil in a frying pan. Stir fry the onion, garlic, and bell and
chili peppers.
Add parsley and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Fry for a few
more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat oven to 350°F. Place the fish in an ovenproof or ceramic baking
dish (that will also be used for serving at the table).
Mix a third of the tamarind puree with the vegetable mixture and stuff
into the fish cavity.
Season the remaining tamarind puree with salt and pepper, mix with
remaining 2 TBS oil, and pour over the fish.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1/2 hour.
Remove foil to let the fish brown.
Bake for another 1/2 hour or less, just until fish is nicely browned and
flakes easily.
Serve with rice.

Barley soup is often used to break the fast in the evening during Ramadan, the
month of fasting.
2 TBS oil
1 cup barley
1/2 cup green or red lentils
1 cup cooked chickpeas or kidney beans
6 cups water
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
3 TBS mint, minced
Heat oil and fry onion until softened.

Add barley, lentils, chickpeas, water, parsley, and turmeric, and gently
bring to a boil.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in mint.
Serve with feta cheese and salad.

Lamb is a favorite dish, and this stew would be served for the evening meal with
rice.
1/2 cup olive oil

2 pounds stewing lamb (or mutton) with bones, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1 cup beef stock (or 1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 1 cup warm
water)
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 pound fresh (or frozen, defrosted) spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
2 TBS fresh dill, minced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
3 TBS fresh parsley, minced
2 TBS fresh mint, minced
Heat 2 TBS oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and brown the meat
and onions.
Season with the turmeric, salt, and pepper.
Add the stock and lemon juice.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Dry-fry the spinach, celery, and leek in a heavy pan over low heat,
When the vegetables are softened, stir in the remaining oil and fry for
5 minutes.
Add to the meat with dill, and simmer gently for 40–45 minutes or
until meat is tender (about 40 minutes).
Stir in peas, parsley, and mint, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Sweet Paste (Halva)

In Sufi (a meditative Islamic sect originating in Persia) thought, halva represents
the bounty of God. Halva is eaten as a snack or to conclude a meal.
8 ounces oil
12 ounces flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup rose water
8 ounces sugar
Garnish
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds mixed with 1/4 cup finely chopped
pistachios, or
1 TBS powdered sugar mixed with
1 TBS powdered cinnamon
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Gradually pour in the flour, stirring constantly until the mixture is
smooth and golden brown. Set aside.
Make a syrup by mixing the water, rose water, and sugar in a separate
pot. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Stir the syrup into the flour, mix well, and cook for a few minutes over
medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly
for 10–15 minutes.
Transfer the paste into a lightly oiled 2 1/2–3 pint capacity jelly mold.
To serve, unmold and sprinkle with chosen garnish.

These light pastries are classically fried and then dipped into a syrup of honey
flavored with rose water and lemon. The pastry is made similar to the method for
making cream puffs. Baamieh (not to be confused with baamia or okra) are
eaten for dessert or as a snack, with a hot drink like coffee or tea.
Syrup
1 cup honey or sugar
1/2 cup water
rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 TBS rose water
Pastry
1 cup water
5 TBS butter
1 cup flour
3 eggs at room temperature
oil for deep frying
Make the syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil the
honey, water, and lemon juice. Reduce heat and simmer until syrup is
thickened, about 5–8 minutes; let cool then add rind and rose water.
Set aside.
Make the pastry: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and
butter to a boil; add flour all at once. Immediately stir with a wooden
spoon until smooth, stirring just until paste no longer sticks to the
spoon.
Allow to cool thoroughly, then add eggs, beating well after each, until
thoroughly incorporated.
Place dough into a pastry bag fitted with a decorating tip; alternatively,
a tightly closing freezer bag, with a small bit snipped off at one corner.
Heat oil to 360°F; drop 1-inch (or slightly longer) pieces of dough, a
few at a time.
Fry until golden on all sides.
Drain on paper towels; let warm puffs soak in cold syrup for 5
minutes, then drain on a rack or colander.

The specialty of Yazd, qotaab are sweet almond-filled pastries, in contrast to
those from other places, which are filled with meat or cheese. These turnovers
are eaten for dessert or a snack with coffee or tea.
Pastry
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 TBS sugar
3 TBS warm water
1/2 cup thick, plain yogurt
2 egg yolks, beaten
Filling
2 egg whites, beaten
1 tsp cardamom, or seeds from 8–10 cardamom pods, finely ground
(optional)
cardamom sugar: 1/2 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp
cardamom or seeds from 4–5 cardamom pods, finely ground
In a large bowl or food processor, combine flour, salt, baking powder,

and soda; set aside.
In a smaller bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water; set aside
until foamy, 3–5 minutes.
Blend in well the yeast mixture into the flour mixture; mix in the
yogurt, butter, and yolks just until all come together.
Take dough with floured hands; knead briefly until smooth, place in a
greased bowl, covered, and let rest for 1 hour.
On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness; cut out 4-
inch disks.
Place 2 TBS of filling in the center of the disk, moisten edges of dough
with water, and crimp with a fork (or with your fingers in a rope
pattern) to seal firmly.
Place qotaab evenly spaced on prepared baking sheet; bake for 20–25
minutes or until golden.
Sprinkle with cardamom sugar; when completely cool, store in an
airtight tin.
Iraq
At times divided among local kingdoms, part or center of an empire, Iraq has
also been occupied by various foreign powers. Desert makes up most of its
territory, and the two great rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, create a well-
watered, wide stretch of arable land. With mild winters and hot summers,
various Mediterranean-type crops are grown.
The population comprises Arabs, Persians, and Kurds, with mixtures of

smaller ethnic groups such as Assyrians. Muslims (Arab and Kurdish Sunnis and
Arab Shi’ites) constitute a majority of the population.
Iraq has one of the world’s most ancient cuisines, recorded since the days of
the Sumerian kingdoms, about five thousand years ago.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are rice and wheat.
• The preferred meats in Iraq are lamb, beef, goat, mutton, and poultry
(pork is not eaten). Fish are caught in the Tigris and the Euphrates
(though the catch has declined due to overuse of the waters and
damming) and in the canals.
• Vegetables include onions and garlic, beans and peas, various greens,
eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cucumbers.
• Fruit include melons and watermelons, figs, pomegranates, and many
varieties of dates, some of them world famous and major exports.
Grapes are grown in the north.
• Milk products include soft cheeses, yogurts, and butter.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Popular main courses include skewered chunks of grilled meat,
roasted and stuffed lamb, and kibbe, which is minced meat with nuts,
raisins, and spices.
• Labaneh, a soft cheese made by draining natural yogurt, is eaten with
olive oil and is also used in cooking.
• Pastries are very sweet and often include dates.
• The most widely consumed drinks in Iraq are black, bitter coffee
(essential for hospitality) and sweet, milkless tea.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and plentiful snacks are consumed by all urbanites
and many villagers. Most meals are accompanied by flat rounds of
bread.
• Families generally prefer to eat the morning and evening meals
together. Individual settings are common among townspeople, while
villagers tend to share a central dish, eating only with the right hand.
• Breakfast: bread, vegetables, or a salad, olive oil, cheese (usually
labaneh) pastry washed down with tea or sometimes milk or yogurt.
• Lunch: a variety of salads; grilled meat on a skewer, or fish or
chicken; tomatoes and other vegetables; fruit.
• Dinner: similar to lunch, but often more elaborate.

This is an unusual, refreshingly sour, soup for a hot evening.
4 cups water
1/2 pound lamb (turkey, beef, or chicken) on the bone
1/4 cup yellow split peas
2 beets, peeled and diced (preferably with tops chopped fine)
1/4 cup rice
1/2 bunch scallions (green and white parts), sliced
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS lime juice
1/4 cup parsley
1 TBS pomegranate concentrate (available from stores that sell Middle
Eastern and South Asian foods and sometimes labeled “Pomegranate
molasses”)
1/4 cup cilantro, finely minced
1 cup spinach, finely chopped
1 TBS dried mint, crumbled, mixed with 1/4 TBS each cinnamon and
freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Bring water, meat, split peas, and onion to a boil in a large pot; skim
froth if necessary.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for an hour or until meat is tender.
Add the beets and rice and cook for another 30–40 minutes.
Remove meat. Discard bone and fat. Shred the meat and return to the
pot with scallions, sugar, half of the lime juice, parsley, and
pomegranate concentrate.
Just before serving, bring to a boil and stir in beet tops (if using) and
spinach.
Remove from heat.
Stir in cilantro, more lime juice, if needed, seasonings, and garnish.
Serve hot in bowls.
Plain Rice (Timman)

Plain white rice is the center of all major meals and is served with a variety of
meat or vegetable dishes.
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, washed and drained

2 TBS olive oil
plenty of water
Place rice in a large pot with water to cover by 3–4 inches.

Bring to boil and cook for no more than 5 minutes. It should be
slightly soft on the outside.
Remove from heat and drain rice thoroughly in a colander.
Return the pot to the heat. Add oil and stir in rice.
Cover with well-fitting lid.
Cook on lowest heat for 20 minutes or until fluffy.
The crisp, slightly burned, layer at the bottom is considered a delicacy.

This is served as a main dish in the evening or as an element in a feast. Eggplant
is a ubiquitous vegetable, appearing in various guises at every meal.
2 large eggplants
about 1 cup vegetable oil (if frying eggplant; less if oven roasting)
salt
3–4 medium tomatoes, sliced crosswise, 1/4 inch thick
Stuffing
2 pounds ground meat
1 medium onion, finely minced
1 tsp salt
Sauce
2 TBS vegetable oil
3 cups fresh or canned chopped tomato
1 cup tomato puree or paste
1 cup stock
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Trim the top and bottom of the eggplants. Cut lengthwise into 1/8-
inch-thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and leave on a tray for about 15–
20 minutes.
Rinse off the accumulated brown juice and pat eggplants dry with
paper towels.
Heat about 2 TBS oil in a frying pan and brown the eggplants on both
sides, a few at a time. Add more oil as needed (the eggplants will
absorb a lot of oil).
Drain eggplant slices on paper towels. (Low-fat alternative: place
eggplant slices on baking sheets and brush with oil. Bake in the oven
at 350°F for approximately 20–30 minutes until brown but not crisp,
turning the eggplant halfway.)
Now prepare the stuffing. Mix together the meat, onion, salt, and
pepper.
Form into small sausage shapes, about 2/3–1 inch thick and 2 inches
long.
Place stuffing at one end of an eggplant slice and roll up. Secure with a
toothpick.
Place rolls in a large baking dish; spread tomato slices and any
remaining unstuffed eggplant slices on top.
Next prepare the sauce. Heat oil and sauté the chopped onions until
soft.
Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, stock, lemon juice, salt,
pepper, and turmeric.
Pour sauce over the rolls in the baking dish, cover tightly with
aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour at 350°F.

Eggplants grow well in the desert climate and are considered the poor man’s
meat. This layered casserole, usually without or with very little meat, would be
the main dish for many poor families.
1 cup long-grain rice

2 cups water
2 eggplants, trimmed and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
salt as needed
1/2 cup oil
1/2 pound lamb (turkey, chicken, or beef) cubed or ground (omit for
vegetarian version)
1/2 cup tomato sauce or paste
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods, whole
Clean, wash, and soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve
until needed.
Meanwhile, lightly sprinkle salt on eggplant slices. After 20 minutes,
rinse off the brown liquid and pat dry with paper towels.
Heat half the oil in a heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Sauté
eggplants until light brown on both sides.
Remove, drain on paper towels and set aside.
In the same pan, sauté onions until soft (add about 1–2 TBS oil if
needed). Remove and set aside. (There is no need to wash the pan in
between sautéeing the different ingredients.)
Add the remaining oil and sauté the meat until it has changed color.
Remove and set aside.
Simmer together the tomato sauce, water, salt, cinnamon, and
cardamom pods for 10 minutes.
Add rice and simmer for 10 more minutes (the rice will not be
completely cooked).
Now for final assembly: arrange a layer of eggplants at the bottom of
the saucepan. Next lay the onions, then the meat. Finally pour over all
the tomato and rice mixture.
Cover and gently simmer on very low heat for 30 minutes. Let rest for
10 minutes before serving.
To serve: with a knife, cut through the casserole and make sure each
portion has all the layers.

This dessert was first recorded in an Arabic cookbook in the ninth century,
though it may well be much older.
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sweet butter
1 cup semolina
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Make the syrup: bring to a boil the water, sugar, and lemon juice.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes more until slightly
thickened.
In another saucepan, melt butter and add semolina. Stir until semolina
is lightly fried, then add the syrup. Let mixture simmer for about 3
minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
Spoon ma’mounia into individual serving bowls, top with cream
(unwhipped), and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Iraqis love sweets, and these cookies are eaten as snacks at any time of the day.
2 cups flour
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups ground almonds
1/2 TBS rose water
6 dozen whole skinned hazelnuts, pistachios, or almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease several large baking sheets.

Sift together flour, cardamom, salt, and baking powder.
Beat the sugar and eggs until light and creamy. Stir in the flour
mixture, then the ground almonds.
With hands moistened with rose water, form the dough into 1-inch
balls. (Add more ground almonds or flour if too soft to shape.)
Place balls on the prepared baking sheets and press to flatten slightly.
Press a whole almond into the center of each cookie.
Bake until just lightly golden, for about 10–15 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.

Kleicha are traditional filled cookies made for festive occasions and are
considered the Iraqi national cookie. They are eaten as snacks at all times of day,
with or without a hot drink like tea or coffee.
Pastry
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cold water
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and

cardamom.
Rub in the butter until well incorporated into the flour.
Sprinkle with water, and gather mixture into a ball; knead until smooth
and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Alternatively, put all into a food processor and process just until
everything comes together.
Remove and knead and rest as given above.
While dough is resting, make the fillings.
With floured or oiled fingers, take walnut-sized balls of dough, make a
cavity and fill with a teaspoonful of either of the fillings below.
Close the cavity firmly; leave shaped as a ball for the date filling, and
shape further into crescents for the nuts (or any variation of shape
desired).
Place evenly spaced on a parchment-lined cookie sheet; bake at 350°F
for 25–30 minutes or until golden.
Date filling
1/3 cup finely chopped pitted dates, or date paste
2 TBS butter
2 TBS water, or more as needed
1 tsp rose water
In a saucepan over low heat, put dates, butter, and water; simmer until
dates are soft.
Mash to a smooth paste; cool thoroughly and stir in rose water.
Nut filling
1/3 cup finely ground almonds or walnuts
2 TBS butter, melted, or 1 egg white, beaten, and 1 TBS butter, melted
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp rose water or seeds from 2 cardamom pods, finely crushed
In a bowl, mix well all the ingredients.
Egg wash (optional)

1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tsp water
Combine yolk and water; brush on filled pastries before baking.

Ireland
An island in the Atlantic directly west of Great Britain, Ireland is about the size
of West Virginia. The country’s climate is cool and very damp with a high
annual rainfall. The topography is mainly rolling hills, with a few rugged
mountains and plenty of tarns and lakes.
Ireland was conquered by the English in the fifteenth century and was a part
of the British Empire until it regained independence (except for six northern
counties, which elected to remain part of Great Britain) in the twentieth century
under the name Eire.
Irish cooking has many commonalities with that of neighboring Britain:
based on meat and potatoes and flavored mildly with a few herbs.
FOODSTUFFS
• Potatoes, cabbage and other greens, and pork are the basics of Irish
food. Potatoes were so important to the Irish diet that a blight in the
mid-nineteenth century caused a massive famine.
• Favored meats are pork and beef.
• Milk products, including notably milk, butter, and cheese.
• Fish (cod, mackerel, skate, herring) and a variety of seafood (shrimp
and prawns, oysters, mussels), both farmed and wild.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Boiled or simmered cabbage with some flavoring (bacon, lard, fried
onions).
• Cooked potatoes and cabbage.
• Fried or boiled eggs eaten with boiled potatoes.
• Sausages and chips are consumed by most people.

• Fish, notably herring and mackerel, often boiled and eaten with
boiled potatoes.
• Beer, milky tea, and a local brew called poteen (pronounced po-
cheen).
STYLES OF EATING
• Settings are European standard, though they are often much less
formal in the countryside.
• Breakfasts vary from extensive fry-ups of sausages, eggs, and fresh
bread to simple slices of bread with jam or lard, washed down by
milky tea.
• Lunch can be heavier or lighter, depending partly on the season and
partly on the individual. They may include a soup or stew with bread.
• The main meal of the day is in the evening.
• Snacks include chips (French fries) and a variety of sweet cakes and
cookies.
Irish Stew
This stew makes a substantial main dish.
4–5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 1/2 pounds boneless stewing lamb (substitute beef or pork)
2 large onions, cut into eighths
2 fat stalks celery, sliced into 1-inch-long pieces
2 turnips, cubed
1 1/2 cups meat stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 bay leaf
Alternately layer the ingredients in a buttered casserole or baking dish

with a cover, beginning and ending with potatoes.
Season each layer well with salt and pepper.
Pour in the stock and add thyme or bay leaf. Cover with a piece of
buttered foil, then the lid.
Bake in a slow oven, at 300°F for about 2 hours.
Discard thyme or bay leaf, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

This dish is served very commonly among working-class people for a main
meal. The original recipe uses a large, whole piece of bacon.
2 1/2–3 pounds of smoked picnic shoulder, ham shank, or corned beef

brisket
1 onion, peeled and studded with 6 whole cloves
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
water as needed
1 medium-sized cabbage, cut into quarters
butter, salt, and pepper to taste
Place the meat, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a heavy
saucepan. Add water just to cover and slowly bring to a boil.
Skim any scum that floats to the surface.
Cover and simmer for 1 1/2–2 hours or until tender. Remove meat and
keep warm.
Bring the broth in the pan to a boil. Add cabbage and cook for about
15 minutes, or until tender but not mushy.
Remove the cabbage, drain, and season with butter, salt, and pepper.
Slice the meat into serving portions. Serve with cabbage, boiled
potatoes, sharp mustard, or hot (not sweetened) prepared horseradish
sauce (available at specialty shops).
Colcannon
This is a traditional dish for Halloween night. Serve with a meat main dish or
sometimes on its own.
4 cups kale or cabbage, core and tough ribs removed, shredded (or half
kale, half cabbage)
2 cups boiling salted water
2 small leeks, white parts only, chopped
1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
1 pound potatoes, peeled, quartered, boiled, and mashed
1/4 tsp mace
Boil kale in boiling salted water until tender but not too soft, about 5–8
minutes.
In a saucepan, simmer leeks in half-and-half for about 10 minutes.
Add potatoes, mace, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Simmer until
potatoes are heated through. Stir in reserved kale and mix thoroughly.
Remove from heat.
To serve: mound the mixture in a warm serving dish or four dishes.
Press in to make a well in the center. Pour in butter and serve at once.
Cod Cobbler
Fish, including cod, are quite often baked or steamed. This dish would be for an
evening meal.
1 1/2 pounds skinless fillets of cod

2 ounces butter
2 ounces flour
1 pint milk (plus extra for brushing over scones)
3 1/2 ounces grated cheese
scones (recipe follows; or substitute 4 English muffins, split in half)

Place cod fillets in the bottom of a round or oval oven dish.
Over low heat, melt butter in a heavy saucepan, sprinkle flour over,
and mix well until flour is golden.
Slowly add milk, stirring constantly and adding more only when the
previous amount has been fully incorporated.
When sauce is fairly liquid, add rest of milk and stir.
Add cheese, stirring as little as possible. Allow cheese to melt.
Pour sauce over fish.
Cover the surface of the fish and sauce with scone dough rounds (or
English muffins, crust side down).
Glaze them with a little milk, and sprinkle some more grated cheese
over them.
Bake for about 20–25 minutes or until the scones are golden brown.
Scones
8 ounces flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2 ounces butter
2 ounces grated strong cheese (mature Cheddar)
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk
Combine flour with baking powder and salt.

Rub butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Mix in grated cheese, egg yolk, and enough milk to make a dough.
Knead lightly and briefly.
Roll dough out on a floured surface 1/2 inch thick and cut into small
rounds with a cookie cutter.
Potato Pie Dessert

Potatoes are so important in the Irish diet that they are also used for dessert.
1/4 pound butter, melted

1 TBS grated almonds
1 tsp orange extract
3/4 pound sugar
6 eggs, separated and beaten separately (yolks until lemon colored, the
whites until stiff)
1/2 pound boiled potatoes, mashed
Line a buttered and floured cake pan with buttered wax paper.
Add almonds, orange extract, sugar, and egg yolks to potatoes. Mix
thoroughly. Gently fold in egg whites.
Pour batter into pan. Bake at 375°F for 40–45 minutes until light
brown.

This is a traditional dessert, often made with apples that have gone soft and are
past their prime for eating fresh.
4 large tart-sweet apples (Northern Spy, Gravenstein, or similar),

peeled, cored, and cubed
1/4 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup cream
In a saucepan, mix apples with the lemon juice, barley, sugar, and
water; bring to a boil, then simmer until barley is very soft and apples
have cooked to a mush, about 20–25 minutes.
Puree the barley-apple mixture with a stick blender, food processor, or
blender, or pass the mixture through a sieve.
Stir in lemon rind; taste and add more sugar if needed. Chill well.
Whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
To serve: place alternating layers of apple-barley puree and cream in
individual glasses or glass dessert bowls.
Apple Scones
Scones regularly feature during teatime in Ireland. Unlike individually shaped
scones, these are traditionally baked as an entire cake in a pan, then cut into
squares for serving. They can also be baked in a muffin tin, if desired. Eat as
soon as baked: split and spread with butter and/or jam, accompanied by cups of
hot tea. About 12 scones.

1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 large tart-sweet apple, peeled, cored, and diced or grated
3 TBS sugar

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar; rub in butter
until well mixed.
Blend in eggs and diced apples; pour into a buttered 9 × 9 inch pan or
into a paper-lined muffin tin.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or 15–20 minutes (muffin tin), or until golden
and scones test done.
Spread at once with butter and sprinkle with regular (not powdered)
sugar.
Serve immediately.
Israel
This is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean. The climate is
Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers, and the country raises a
great variety of temperate, desert, and even tropical fruits and vegetables.
Agricultural products and technologies are a major export item.
Majority of the population is Jewish, with substantial Muslim and Christian
minorities. Much of the Jewish population are immigrants or children of
immigrants from all over the world, so the cuisine tends to be eclectic, with
strong Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and European overtones.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are rice, bread, pastas, and potatoes, depending on preference
and on personal or parental origin.
• Most temperate and many tropical fruits, vegetables, and herbs are
raised for local consumption and export.
• Fruit: common fruit such as citrus, tomatoes, Asian persimmons,
avocados, bananas, cherries, apples, plums, pomegranates, grapes, and
olives, along with some exotics such as dragon fruit and lychees.
• Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, lettuce, radish.
Both cooked and raw vegetables are a major item of diet.
• Chicken and turkey are the most common meats, due largely to the
high prices of other meats. Grilled meat is extremely popular as it is in
the rest of the Middle East. Pork is not supposed to be consumed by
Jews or Muslims, but in practice nonreligious members of both
religions do consume pork.
• Milk products: cheeses, many types copied from European hard-
cheese originals, as well as soft white cheeses, yogurts, and sour milk
of various types.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fresh salads and fresh fruit are extremely popular. Probably the
favorite meal starter is hummus (chickpea paste) flavored with tahina
(sesame seed sauce) and scooped with a pita (flat or pocket bread).
• Street foods, particularly falafel and shawarma (Turkish-style grilled
meats) in pocket breads are extremely popular snacks.
• All three major religions have special foods for their main holidays.
Virtually all Jewish holidays have ritually required foods. Id-al-Fitr for
Muslims requires roast meat, as does Easter for Christians. The Druze
(a secretive offshoot of Shi’a Islam) eat special grain mixes and roasts
during Nebi Shueib, their main festival.
STYLES OF EATING
• Various styles of eating, due largely to different ethnic origins and
current lifestyles. In the cities, European place settings with
individuals eating from their own plates using fork, knife, and spoon
are almost universal. Nomadic Bedouin Israelis and Ethiopian Israelis
help themselves from a shared central dish.
Stuffed eggplant. (Denio Rigacci/Dreamstime.com)
• Kibbutz (collective settlement) members serve themselves cafeteria

style from a wide variety of salads. Families tend to eat together
(except in kibbutzim, where people tend to eat with their age-mates).
The main meal is often at noon, particularly for those from a European
background.
• Most meals include a fresh vegetable salad, and olives and pickles
are almost always on the table.
• Separation between milk and meat required by Jewish ritual law
means that in many Jewish households main meals (whether lunch or
dinner) are based on meat, whereas all others are often milk-based,
with cheeses and yogurts.
• Breakfast: fresh vegetables, eggs, bread or toast, olives, smoked or
canned fish. Coffee or, more rarely, tea. Milk and juices.
• Lunch (for some, the main meal of the day; for others, a lighter
meal): a salad and a main dish of meat, chicken, or fish with rice,
potatoes, pasta, or bread. Fruit or a cooked dessert. Meals often end
with coffee.
• Supper (for some, this is the main meal of the day; for others, it is a
lighter meal): similar to breakfast, but possibly more elaborate.
• Snacks include both Middle Eastern pastries such as baklava (layers
of phyllo pastry and nuts drenched in syrup) and kataif (cheese-stuffed
vermicelli). Western pastries such as cheesecake and doughnuts are
consumed with coffee. Fruit may be eaten at any time during the day.
• Coffee and, to a lesser extent, tea; beer and wines; orange juice and
soft drinks are the most popular drinks.

Most meals in Israel include a salad of some sort, and arguments about how to
make the perfect salad are commonplace.
4 small cucumbers (about 5 inches), washed and sliced thinly

1 onion, sliced thinly
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 TBS fresh dill
Combine cucumbers and onion.

Boil sugar, water, vinegar, and dill.
Cool.
Pour over salad, stir well, and chill.

This is a specialty of Jewish Jerusalem. It emerged as a street delicacy about 30
years ago.
3 TBS oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1/2 pound chicken innards: hearts, spleen, liver
1/2 pound chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
finely sliced fresh vegetables of your choice (tomatoes, sweet peppers,
cucumbers) for garnish
finely sliced mixed pickles of your choice (cucumbers, sauerkraut,
pickled peppers, radishes, carrots) for garnish
1 TBS tahina sauce per person
1 good pita bread per person, top slit to make a pocket and kept warm
In a heavy skillet, heat oil and stir fry the onions until translucent.
Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
Add innards and cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
Add all spices and condiments and mix well.
Add breast meat, and cook while stirring until meat is done, for about
5 more minutes.
Remove from heat.
Place a helping of meat inside the pita pocket. Add vegetables of
choice, and pickles. Pour tahina sauce on top.
Eat warm.

Though “Jerusalem” artichokes have nothing to do with the city (the word is a
corruption of the Italian girasole, meaning sunflower), these tubers are very
popular throughout the country.
1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1/2 pound Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced into bite-sized
chunks
10 saffron threads, soaked in 1 TBS water or, preferably, white wine
for 5 minutes
water as needed
a handful of fresh basil leaves
2 ounces pine nuts, toasted lightly
In a large, heavy saucepan, mix lemon juice and olive oil.

Add the garlic halves, chicken, Jerusalem artichokes, and saffron.
Add water just to the tops of the chicken, cover, and bring to a boil
over moderate heat.
Add seasoning and gently simmer for about 1 hour or until chicken is
tender.
Add basil, check seasoning, and remove from heat.
Garnish with pine nuts.
Serve with cooked rice.

This is a popular dish in most Arab-Israeli towns and villages.
1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, or lamb)

1 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 tsp fresh dill
1/2 cup parsley
2 TBS pine nuts
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup tahina (sesame sauce)
1 cup water
Mix well the beef, cumin, coriander, mint, dill, parsley, pine nuts, salt,
and pepper.
Set aside.
In a blender, add 1/4 of the lemon juice to the raw tahina and mix
well.
The sauce will thicken almost immediately, becoming almost like
plaster, and its color will darken.
Gradually add more lemon juice, keeping the blender running.
If thicker than the consistency of yogurt when the juice is all done, add
water while blending. Add garlic.
Place a layer of the meat mixture in individual baking dishes, or shape
the mixture into 4 large meat patties and place in a casserole or baking
dish.
Pour prepared tahina over the meat.
Bake until meat is cooked and the surface is brown (about 30 minutes).
Baste the meat with the tahina sauce several times during baking.
Serve over rice.

This dish is an important ritual element during the Seder (Passover feast). It
represents the mortar that the Hebrew slaves used for building in ancient Egypt.
Contemporary Israeli Jewish traditions are mixed, so two of the many versions
used in homes across the country are presented here.
Moroccan haroset
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup walnut or pecan meats
juice of 1 orange
grated coconut
Mince nuts and dates together in a manual meat grinder using a fine
blade.
Moisten the nuts and date mixture with orange juice. Form into small
balls, about 3/4 inch in diameter.
Roll in coconut.
Pile balls on a small serving plate.
European haroset
1 dessert apple (sweet or tangy)
1/2 cup walnut or pecan meats
1 TBS cinnamon
1/4 cup sweet red wine
Quickly and roughly blend apples and nuts in a food processor.

Blend in raisins, cinnamon, and enough wine for a sticky but firm
consistency.
Mound on a serving dish or bowl.
Serve haroset on its own with matza (unleavened bread) or as relish
with any savory dish.

As in much of the Middle East, eggplants serve to replace meat in times of
dearth. This dish may be served as the main dish or as a side dish in a meat meal.
2 medium eggplants
5 TBS oil
3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
chopped mint to taste
juice of 1 lemon
Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, leaving the stalk intact, if wished.

Scoop out pulp leaving a shell about 1/2 inch thick.
Prepare the stuffing: cube pulp roughly.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Fry onion until translucent. Add eggplant
cubes. Cook until soft, about 8–10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add tomatoes, rice, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and
mint, and mix well.
To assemble: fill the eggplant shells with the stuffing.
Pour 2 TBS oil into a heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid and place
the stuffed eggplants.
Cook on the lowest heat possible until the shells are soft, about 30–40
minutes. Alternatively, in a greased baking dish with 2 TBS oil, cover
tightly with foil, and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for about 45–60
minutes.
Remove from heat and drizzle with lemon juice.
Allow to rest for about 10 minutes and serve.

This dish is eaten as dessert. It betrays its Eastern European origin but has been
modified in Israel to use local fruit.
1 cup sour red cherries, pitted, halved

1 cup firm peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1 cup plums, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 cup cooking apples, grated
1 cup sugar
6 cups water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBS cornstarch mixed in 3 TBS water (optional)
1 cup sour cream (optional)
fresh sweet cherries, pitted, for garnish
Combine fruit, sugar, water, lemon juice, spices, and salt.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until
fruits are tender.
Discard cinnamon and cloves.
Blend mixture roughly in a food processor so that there are plenty of
chunky bits (alternatively, leave fruits whole).
For thicker consistency, mix cornstarch and water and stir into fruit
soup.
Reheat and cook, stirring until slightly thickened.
Chill thoroughly. Adjust taste with lemon juice or sugar.
Serve in chilled compote glasses with dollops of sour cream topped
with a cherry.

Dairy products of all kinds prominently feature in foods celebrating Shavuot, the
festival commemorating the Giving of the Torah. Cheesecake is a very popular
dessert during the festival and throughout the year. This is a crustless cake.

1 cup thick sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 TBS flour
topping: 1 cup thick sour cream
2 TBS sugar

In a large bowl, mix well the cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, sugar,
lemon rind and juice, vanilla, and flour.
Pour into a buttered and floured 8-inch round baking dish; bake for 30
minutes or until golden. The cake may crack, but do not worry as this
is as expected and will not affect the cake.
Turn off the oven, leaving the door open; let the cake rest while you
mix the topping.
Mix well the sour cream and sugar; spread over cake (still in the oven).
Let the topping solidify in the residual oven heat. When the cake has
cooled down, remove from the oven, chill well and store refrigerated.

This flavorful cake is made all year round but also qualifies for Passover,
because it does not contain wheat flour and leavening (which are not allowed to
be eaten during the seven-day festival).
3/4 pound organic oranges (about 2, unwaxed, with thin skins)

3 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup ground almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts
In a pressure cooker, put washed oranges with 1 cup water, and cook
for 20 minutes (timing once pressure is reached, and cooker starts
hissing). Let cooker cool for 15 minutes, then release the pressure
valve. Do not open the cooker or release the clamps until all hissing
has stopped; or follow manufacturer’s instructions for your pressure
cooker.
Alternative method: place oranges in a saucepan half-filled with water;
bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes then replace
the water. Bring to a boil again, and simmer for another 30 minutes or
until a skewer goes through the oranges easily and oranges are very
soft and their rinds are tender.
Discard the pips, and blend or mash the oranges, skin, pulp, and all.
There should be about 1 to 1 1/4 cups of mashed orange.
In a bowl whip egg whites to soft peaks; set aside.
In a larger bowl, mix well the mashed orange, yolks, sugar, salt, and
almonds.
Fold in the egg whites until just incorporated; spoon gently (so as not
to deflate the whites) into a parchment-lined 7-inch cake pan.
Bake for 35–45 minutes or until cake is golden and tests done.
Italy
Italy, a country in Southern Europe, was settled by Greeks, Etruscans, Celts,

Romans, and Byzantines and comprised city-states fought over by Spain and
France until its unification in 1871. A varied climate enables a range of crops to
be grown, particularly in the fertile Po River Valley, despite the predominantly
mountainous terrain.
The history of cuisine in Italy goes back to the Roman age. Some of the
earliest cookbook writers—Apicius, for example—came from Rome. A lengthy
imperial and colonial history means that Rome, and subsequently Italy,
developed a complex and rich cuisine, some of it retained even through the Dark
Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire. Italian cuisine influenced French
cuisine early in the latter’s development.
Italian cooking is far more varied than the pizza, spaghetti, and osso buco
that many tend to think of. The topography has isolated certain regions but has
also created distinctive cuisines: Roman, Tuscan, Apulian, Venetian, and many
more. In the south (south of Rome, that is), sauces and cooking are more
Mediterranean style, with olive oil and tomatoes predominating. In the north,
there is greater influence from neighboring French cuisines, and butter and rice
are major constituents. In Emiglia-Romana, renowned as the gastronomic center
of Italy, dishes are cooked with pork fat (lard), or all three (olive oil, butter, and
lard in its major city, Bologna). Other regions are also influenced by neighboring
German or Austrian elements. Various pastas, sauces, wines, and specialties
based on local produce characterize each region.
FOODSTUFFS
• Generally speaking, Italian foodstuffs consist of Mediterranean
products, and there is a noted preference for only the freshest
ingredients to be used.
• Staples include cornmeal (in the south), rice (in the north), and many
local forms of wheat pasta in all areas, predominantly flat, ribbon
shapes in the north and tubular ones in the south.
• Favorite meats are beef (particularly veal) and pork. All parts of the
animal are used. Much meat goes into the preparation of salted hams
(the prosciutto of Parma is world famous) and sausages (salame and
luganeghe) of various sorts and other preserved meats (such as
pancetta or bacon). Chicken, duck, squab, and other birds are eaten as
well.
• Fish and seafood are in great demand. Mediterranean fish such as
mullet, grouper, and tuna, as well as sardines, are eaten fresh. Octopus,
squid, shrimp, and a variety of shellfish are often eaten as antipasto
(starters).
• Fruit include citrus fruit, melons and watermelons, apples, pears,
peaches, strawberries, and figs. Grapes are also eaten as well as used
for preparing the many wines and liqueurs that Italy is famous for.
Olives are grown throughout Italy, some for pickling, others for
making olive oil.
• Vegetables include tomatoes (fresh and dried), potatoes, lettuce,
arugula, and other greens, beans (signature foods in Tuscan cuisine),
squashes such as zucchini, artichokes, onions, and garlic.
• Milk products include cream and particularly a great variety of soft
cheeses (such as mozzarella from buffalo milk, ricotta, provolone,
veined gorgonzola, and mascarpone) and hard ones—generically
called grana from their grainy texture (such as pecorino from sheep’s
milk and Parma’s famous parmesan).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Pizza, originating from southern Italy, is the most widespread food in
the world. The original pizza Napolitana (created to celebrate the visit
of the Italian queen to Naples) is a simple dish of baked dough topped
with basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella di buffala cheese, the colors
representing the Italian flag.
• Pasta, dough made from hard durum wheat in various shapes, is a
classic dish served as a first course. Different areas have their own
preferred shapes, and new shapes such as radiatori are created from
time to time. Pasta is served as a separate course with various sauces,
ranging from plain butter and cream in the north to seafood in the
south.
• Rice features in many northern dishes, where risotto—rice cooked
while stirring in wine and simmering stock a cupful at a time—is a
common main dish or first course.
Forming gnocchi (potato dumplings) with a fork. (iStockphoto.com)
• A variety of soups are prepared regionally, including the famous

zuppa di fagioli (bean soup) from Tuscany, Rome’s egg and cheese
soup (stracciatella), and Ravenna’s fish chowder (brodetto).
• Italian bakers make a wide variety of pastries and breads, and most
areas have their special breads. Some of these, such as those on the
island of Sardinia, are filled with ham or cheeses, while others are
plain. Cakes and cookies are made throughout the country, ranging
from simple sugared almond cookies in Sicily to elaborate sponge
cake, sugar, and coffee creations in Venice, in particular tiramisu, its
most famous dessert.
• In the northwest, typical dishes are rich in butter and cream or
cheese, the products of a flourishing dairy and cattle industry, such as
Lombardy’s chicken in cream (penne pollo e crema) or polenta with
butter and cheese (polenta taragna); the Piedmont’s famed white
truffles in a fondue of local Fontina cheese (fonduta con tartufi
bianchi) or little dumplings layered with Fontina cheese and topped
with butter (gnocchi alla bava); and Milan’s signature dish of risotto
with saffron, Parmesan, white wine, and butter (risotto milanese),
often accompanied by wine-braised veal shank (osso buco), another
regional specialty. Seafood and fish are the specialties of the Ligurian
coast, in particular Genoa’s fish stew (burrida), as well as an Easter
pie of ricotta, eggs, and spinach (torta pasqualina).
• Northeast Italy’s Emiglia-Romana region is renowned for its rich
cuisine (often compared to France’s Burgundy) derived from its
quality beef and dairy products, vegetables, and wheat. The most
world renowned of its dishes is its spaghetti sauce (ragú bolognese),
which accompanies local pasta tagliatelle, meat-or cheese-stuffed
tortellini, and baked lasagne. Quality veal is rolled around a stuffing
of liver, local Parma ham, and onions (involtini alla cacciatora).
Typical Venetian dishes are thinly sliced calf’s liver with onions
(fegato alla veneziana) and salt cod dishes. The Austrian influence is
evident in the Trentino region’s typical dishes of sauerkraut, apple
strudel, goulash, and rye bread.
• Rome, at the center of Italy, integrates the cooking of north and south
but also has its own specialties: whole roast suckling pig (porchetta)
stuffed with herbs, cannelloni, egg ribbon pasta with butter and cheese
(fettucine al burro), and deep-fried young artichokes (carciofi alla
giudia), originally from Rome’s Jewish ghetto.
• Besides pizza and pasta from its wheat, southern Italy’s specialties
feature seafood from its coast in spaghetti with clams (vermicelli alla
vongole) and eggplants with Parmesan cheese (melanzane alla
parmigiana). Sicily’s cuscusu (fish soup with semolina) dates back to
historical Arab influence, and Sardinia’s meat pies (impanadas) and
bean soup (fabbada) reveal a Spanish origin.
• There are a wide variety of drinks. Wine (many regional varieties,
including sparkling wine) and mineral water are commonly consumed
by all during main meals (children receive highly diluted wine from an
early age during family meals). Beer is also popular. Coffee is drunk in
great quantities and in various forms by most adults during the day.
Tea is sometimes drunk, usually cold during the summer. Aperitifs,
flavored with wormwood (vermouth) or citrus (limoncello), and
distilled grape must (grappa) as an after-dinner drink, are also popular.
? Did you know?

Pasta and pizza are considered the most favorite foods of the younger
generation worldwide.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and many short stops for tiny cups of coffee are
the norm throughout Italy.
• Families generally eat together, or at least on weekends. Street foods
are popular as well.
• Breakfast: fresh bread or rolls, butter, and large cups of milky coffee.
• Midmorning: panini, or pastries of some kind, together with a cup or
two of espresso or some other coffee.
• A classic Italian meal consists of an antipasto, small plates of fresh or
preserved fish or meat or vegetables, often tangy, to stimulate appetite;
a pasta with some light sauce or soup (minestra, possibly a minestrone
with noodles); one or two main dishes (piatti) of meat, poultry, or fish;
and a cooked vegetable or salad of various fresh vegetables. This is
washed down by wine and mineral water. Most meals end with a
simple dessert of ice cream or sherbet, or, more commonly, cheese and
fruit, then a cup of coffee. This may be eaten at lunch but also likely in
the evening.
• Afternoon: a pastry and coffee.
• Evening meal: usually a lighter, simpler meal than lunch.
• Large and small cafés serve various styles of coffee and many kinds
of pastry during all hours of the day and in the evening.

This is a popular antipasto created in the ancient Jewish community of Rome to
whet the appetite.
4 medium zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
1 sprig basil, shredded
1 TBS wine vinegar
Trim the ends of the zucchini.

Cut each in half crosswise, then thinly slice the halves lengthwise.
Dry the slices on paper towels overnight or for several hours.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet until hazy.
Fry slices a few at a time in a single layer until golden. Drain.
Arrange in layers in a deep glass container, seasoning each layer with
small amounts of garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of vinegar.
Cover container and store in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.
Serve as antipasto.

Tuscany is famous for its bean dishes, spinach, and the many bay hedges that
adorn the countryside and cities and whose leaves flavor its food.
2 pounds white kidney beans (or 3 cans cooked kidney beans, drained)
4 ounces very lean bacon, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup celery, chopped finely
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 cups penne pasta
1 TBS parsley, finely minced
freshly grated Romano or Parmegiano cheese
Pour boiling water over dried beans and allow to soak overnight. Omit
if using canned beans. Drain before cooking.
Heat oil and sauté bacon until soft.
Add onion and celery and sauté, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
Add sage, salt, and pepper.
Add chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil.
Add beans, cover and simmer until beans are soft (if using canned
beans, simmer for 30 minutes).
Boil a large pot of fresh water, lightly salted. Add pasta, stir once.
Bring water to rolling boil again.
Boil uncovered until noodles are al dente (chewy but cooked
throughout).
Drain and add to soup. Remove from heat.
Stir in minced parsley.
Serve immediately with grated cheese for sprinkling.
? Did you know?

The first pizza restaurant was opened in New York in 1905 by Italian
immigrants.

This is a pasta recipe from northern Italy.
1 pound fresh fettuccine noodles

1/4 cup butter
1 cup cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Boil a large pot of fresh water, lightly salted. Add noodles. Stir once.
Bring water to rolling boil again. Boil uncovered until noodles are al
dente (chewy but cooked throughout).
In the meantime, melt butter in a large skillet until it foams. Add
cream. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes until slightly
thickened.
Season.
Remove ready noodles from water and drain well. Add noodles to
cream.
Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Toss noodles and sauce quickly over medium heat until sauce coats
noodles.
Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese.
Polenta is the staple of southern Italy.
5 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
Bring water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add salt and reduce heat.
Add cornmeal to water very slowly, streaming from ladle or your
hand. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon while adding cornmeal.
If necessary, stop adding cornmeal from time to time and beat mixture
vigorously.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 20–30 minutes.
Polenta is done when it comes away cleanly from the sides of the pot.
Pour onto a large platter.
Wet your hands and smooth out about 2 inches thick.
Cool until it solidifies.
Cut into slices, put in each plate, and pour over sauce of your choice or
eat with a meat dish.

This is often served as a main dish.
1 cup flour
4 cutlets (turkey or chicken breast, boneless lean veal, or pork)
6 TBS butter, plus 1 TBS extra for souce
juice of 1 lemon, sieved
Season flour with salt and pepper, and dredge cutlets with the mixture.
Heat butter in a large, heavy frying pan.
Gently cook the cutlets without crowding, turning over once, until
done. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm while the rest are
cooking.
Add 1 TBS butter and lemon juice to the hot pan.
Increase heat to reduce the liquid, stirring constantly. Correct the
seasoning.
Pour butter and lemon sauce over the cutlets.
Serve garnished with parsley.

This chicken is served as a main dish.
1 (2 pounds) whole chicken, quartered (or 4 chicken quarters)

1/2 cup olive oil
2 TBS hot pepper sauce of your choice or 1 tsp dried chili pepper
flakes
juice of 2 lemons
1 TBS black pepper
1 tsp salt
Place chicken cut side down in roasting pan.

Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over chicken and
marinate for 2 hours.
Grill on a medium hot charcoal barbecue (or under a grill), skin side to
heat, for 25 minutes.
Turn and cook for another 20 minutes until the juices run clear.
Baste continuously with remaining marinade.

The form of ice cream we eat today was invented in Italy, and Italian ice creams
have a worldwide reputation.
1/3 cup sugar

2 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
pinch of salt
4 TBS instant coffee powder
1 cup whipping cream, chilled
Beat sugar and egg yolks together until lemon yellow and very thick.
Slowly add milk, beating gently.
Stir in salt. Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler over, not
in, boiling water. Stir continuously for 10 minutes until custard is thick
enough to coat the spoon.
Remove top of double boiler and set in a large bowl of ice water.
Keep stirring for 2 minutes to avoid lumps.
Transfer to a bowl and add coffee, stirring well.
Cover and set in refrigerator to chill thoroughly.
Whip cream into soft peaks and stir into coffee custard.
Place bowl in freezer (or ice cream maker). Whisk custard every 5
minutes to break up ice. Serve when it reaches right consistency (or
use ice cream machine according to directions).

This is a very popular drink during summer in southern Italy.
2 good tea bags

1 cup boiling water
sugar to taste
3 cups cold water
4 TBS lemon or orange sherbet, or 2 popsicles, crushed in bowl
juice of 1 lemon
4 drops vanilla extract (optional)
Steep tea bags in boiling water to make a strong tea (remove before tea
becomes bitter and tannin floats to surface).
Add sugar and stir to dissolve.
Mix hot tea into cold water (not the reverse).
Add lemon juice and vanilla, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30
minutes.
To serve, place equivalent amounts of sherbet/popsicle in 4 glasses.
Pour in tea and serve.
Ricotta Cheesecake
Ricotta (literally “cooked again”), a low-fat (around 13–15 percent) cheese, is
made from heating whey, the liquid from drained cheese curds. Ricotta cheese is
a common ingredient in savory and sweet foods.

8 ounces ricotta cheese
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 TBS flour
1 cup thick sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted, or cream
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan or baking

dish.
In a large bowl or mixer, blend well the cheeses, sugar, eggs, lemon
rind and juice, vanilla, and flour.
Stir in the sour cream and butter until well incorporated; pour into
prepared pan.
Bake for 30–40 minutes; turn off heat and leave cake in the oven for 1
hour, with the door ajar.
Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating.
Serve with whipped cream and hot coffee or tea, or cold milk.

This is a dessert from aromatic ripe pears, originally baked in sweet wine
(Marsala or similar). Serve with whipped or unwhipped cream, or without.
4 not-too-ripe, aromatic pears (Bosc, Concorde, or similar), cored,

halved lengthwise
rind and juice from 2 oranges
rind and juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
4 TBS butter, diced

In a baking dish, place pears. Combine citrus rinds and juices, honey,
and cinnamon.
Spoon citrus-honey mixture over pears; sprinkle with butter.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, turning pears halfway during cooking, or
until juices are caramelized and pears can be pierced easily with a
skewer.
J
Jamaica
Jamaica, the third largest Caribbean island, was first settled by Arawak Indians,
occupied by Spain, then colonized by Great Britain in 1655. It eventually gained
independence in 1962, though still remains within the British Commonwealth.
Sugar has traditionally been Jamaica’s major crop, with African, East Indian,
and Chinese laborers brought in to the plantations. Jamaica’s hot and humid
climate in the coastal plains is ideal for bananas and other tropical crops, the
temperate interior mountains are ideal for coffee, and the coasts yield fish and
seafood. Jamaican food is spicy and reflects its mixed culture with African,
Caribbean, East Indian, British, and Chinese influences.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, cornmeal, beans, cassava, plantain.
• Vegetables: yam, callaloo (leaves of Amaranthus viridis, also known
as Chinese spinach or Indian kale, and different from callaloo in the
eastern Caribbean, which refers to leaves of taro tubers), pumpkin,
sweet potatoes, okra, cabbage, sweet and hot peppers, christophene
(called cho-cho), avocado, breadfruit.
• Fruit: citrus, mango, pineapple, guava, star apple, jackfruit (related to
breadfruit but larger and aromatic), June or Spanish plum, naseberry
(also known as sapodilla or chico, Manilkara zapota, a small, brown,
heart-shaped fruit that tastes like cinnamon), unusual “Tinkin Toe”
(Hymenaea courbaril, also called “Stinking Toe,” an oblong-shaped,
foul-smelling fruit with very sweet flesh).
• Goat, chicken, preserved meats (salt pork, corned beef), fish, shrimp,
conch, crab, lobster.
• Seasonings: allspice, Scotch bonnet hot peppers, curry spices (from
the East Indian legacy), thyme, nutmeg, mace, jerk (a spice and herb
blend; see recipe below), fresh ginger, star anise (from the Chinese
influence).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Ackee and salt fish is the national dish, usually eaten at breakfast.
Ackee (Blighia sapida), the fruit of a West African tree, is poisonous
until ripe. Its yellow flesh has a nutty, delicate flavor like avocado and
is used as a vegetable (see sidebar “Poisonous Foods”). Salt fish is
usually salted cod.
A round flat bread called bammy is made from grated cassava. Here, it is topped with breaded grouper. (Rui
Dias Aidos/Dreamstime.com)
• Escovitch fish: fried fish marinated in vinegar, spices, and

vegetables.
• Jerked chicken or pork, curried chicken, souse (pickled pig’s
trotters), cowfoot soup.
• Curried goat (called “curry goat”), mannish water (goat soup), for
special occasions such as Sunday dinner, birthdays, and anniversaries.
• Rice and peas (usually kidney beans or, less often, gungo peas).
• Pan-fried breads: bakes (actually fried), bammies (made of grated
cassava), johnnycakes, coconut bake, hot pepper bread (sweet and
spicy).
• Snacks: fresh tropical fruits, roasted corn on the cob, pan-fried
breads, meat pies (patties).
• Sweets: tropical fruit ice creams (mango, soursop).
• Drinks: sky juice (shaved ice with flavored syrup), suck suck (cold,
fresh coconut juice, called “jelly” coconut because of the soft interior
meat), exotic fruit juices (tamarind, soursop, strawberry, and
cucumber), ginger beer, limeade, local bottled soft drinks (carbonated
grapefruit). Blue Mountain coffee, the world’s most expensive coffee,
is grown here and widely drunk. Rum and beer are also locally
brewed.
POISONOUS FOODS
A number of foods that humans eat are poisonous in their natural state and
require careful handling or processing to be made edible. The three most
prominent are akee, cassava, and fugu. Akee is the fruit of a tree (Blighia
sapida) originating in Africa and now common in the Caribbean. The aril
(fleshy pulp around the seeds) is edible when the fruit is ripe and has split
naturally. Unripe and overripe fruit are both poisonous, as is all the fruit
except the aril.
Cassava, a bush originating in tropical South America produces
cyanogenic glucosides in the edible tubers, which in some species needs to
be removed before the richly nutritious root can be consumed. (See sidebar
“Cassava/Yuca/Manioc,” p. 559.)
Fugu, one of several species of the puffer fish (Tetraodontidae sp.) are
eaten in Japan and some other Pacific islands. It is believed though not
scientifically proven that symbiotic Vibrio bacteria living within the puffer
fish are the source of the tetrodotoxin, one of the deadliest poisons.
Nonetheless, the flesh of the fugu is esteemed as a delicacy. Only specially
experienced and licensed cooks are allowed to prepare and serve fugu in
Japan.
How these various poisonous foods came to be eaten is something of a
puzzle. The answer may lie in the variation in poison concentrated in
specific specimens (which means that some people who ate these foods
survived to tell how good the foods tasted), and partly in the inherent
human desire for exotic and interesting things to eat.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast is substantial, with fresh fruits, bully beef with
johnnycakes (spicy corned beef hash and fried biscuits), cornmeal
porridge with fried or boiled plantains. On weekends, goat’s liver fried
with onions, served with bammies or boiled dumplings and yam.
Coffee, hot malted milk drinks (Milo, Horlicks), or chocolate to drink.
• Lunch is similar to dinner but lighter: fried chicken or grilled fish
with baked sweet potato or yam, boiled breadfruit or dumplings.
• Dinner is the heaviest meal and consists of three courses: jerked,
curried, or stewed chicken or shrimp, stewed pork or peas, served with
rice and peas, or pan-fried breads or baked sweet potato; salad (potato
salad or fancy coleslaw with pineapple and coconut); dessert of fresh
fruits or ice cream. Sunday meals are extra special, featuring drinks
such as sorrel (in season), carrot, or beet juice.
• Takeout meals (also called “buy and bring home”) at dinner once a
week, usually Friday: jerked chicken, pork, or sausage; fried chicken;
pizza; fried fish and festival (sweet cornmeal fritters); roast fish and
yam.
Festival
These deep-fried cornmeal fritters or dumplings, often sold at street stalls, are
usually eaten with fried fish or jerked meats as snacks.
1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 TBS sugar
1/2 cup salted butter
2/3–1 cup whole milk
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon,

salt, and sugar.
Rub the butter well into the flour mixture.
Add flavorings and just enough milk to the flour mixture to make a
pliable dough.
Knead lightly and divide into eight to ten portions.
Form into fat cigar or sausage shapes.
In a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat enough vegetable
oil for deep frying to 350°F
Fry just a few festivals at a time until golden brown. Drain on paper
towels to absorb excess oil. Serve hot.

This Jamaican version of a Scottish favorite originates, no doubt, from the
managers of traditional sugar plantations, many of whom were from Scotland.
The use of corned beef, salt pork, and salted cod was from historical necessity,
because before refrigeration, it was difficult to keep fresh food from spoiling.
Beef and cod are not local Jamaican ingredients, being imported from the United
States and Northern Europe. Even with modern refrigeration and transportation,
however, these preserved items remain popular, as their flavor and texture now
form an essential element of traditional Jamaican taste.
Serve this dish with coleslaw (the Jamaican version features pineapple
slices and shredded fresh coconut) or a tossed vegetable salad with pan-fried
bread as a light dish for lunch or as a snack.
12 ounces corned beef

3 stalks spring onions, chopped finely
3 stalks fresh thyme or parsley, minced
1 beaten egg
4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled
1 cup bread crumbs
flour for dusting
oil to deep fry (or bake in oven)
Mix the corned beef well with herbs, black pepper, and beaten egg.
Divide into four portions.
Dust your hands with flour and place one portion of the corned beef
mixture on your palm to make a patty.
Place 1 hard-boiled egg in the center of the patty and stretch the patty
to cover the egg completely.
Dip in bread crumbs, lay on a plate, and chill until ready to fry.
In a deep skillet, heat enough oil for deep frying to 350°F.
Fry the Scotch eggs until golden brown.
Cut across the middle of each Scotch egg and serve at once.

Apples are not locally grown in Jamaica, so this is one imaginative way of
making apple juice at home. Another popular homemade drink in Jamaica that
features ginger is ginger beer, which, contrary to its name, is not a true beer.
10 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
6 apples, washed, cored, and diced
1 cup grated fresh ginger
In a large stainless steel pan, bring water and sugar to a boil.

Add apples and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the apples are
tender.
Add ginger.
Set aside to cool.
Strain through a fine sieve or a cheesecloth.
Jerk Burger
Jerk seasoning, said to have been introduced by maroons (escaped African slaves
who established communities in the Jamaican mountains in the seventeenth
century) to preserve their food, has become very popular not only in Jamaica and
the Caribbean but also worldwide. The Jamaican method of jerking is to slowly
grill the well-marinated meat (chicken, pork, sometimes fish or sausages) over
coals from allspice wood, covering the entire grill with metal sheets, which at
the same time keeps the smoke in, imparts a smoky flavor to the meat, and
preserves its moistness. This variation teams up with a U.S. import—the burger
—which has become a popular snack. Serve this with festival fritters and potato
salad (another familiar food, but which may have sweet potatoes together with
regular potatoes in the Jamaican version).
2 TBS butter
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 pound ground fatty pork
1 tsp salt
jerk seasoning
3 spngs parsley, minced
young spinach leaves or lettuce leaves
mustard
8 red onion rings
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté onion and garlic
until soft, for about 3 minutes.
Stir in mushrooms, quickly frying until mushrooms have absorbed the
butter, for about 3 minutes.
Place the mushroom mixture in a large bowl, using a rubber scraper to
get all the pan juices.
Add meat, jerk seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well, cover
and let stand in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Shape the burgers into 4 large or 8 medium patties.
Grill or fry in a skillet over medium-high heat for 7–8 minutes on each
side or until done.
Serve on toasted crusty rolls with mustard, spinach or lettuce leaves,
and red onion rings.
Jerk Seasoning
Jerk seasoning has many variations, but the traditional elements are allspice,
thyme, hot pepper (preferably Jamaican Scotch bonnet), green onion, ginger,
cinnamon, and black pepper. The freshness of the ingredients is key.
3 TBS oil
3 stalks green onions
3 stalks fresh thyme (leaves only)
1 Scotch bonnet or other hot pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp allspice berries or ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp brown sugar
2 TBS malt or cane vinegar
In a blender or food processor, put the oil, then add the rest of the
ingredients. Process to a puree. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed jar
for one week.
Coffee Ice Cream

Rich ice cream flavored with Jamaica’s fruits, such as soursop or coconut, is the
most popular dessert. If you can get Blue Mountain coffee, that would make the
perfect Jamaican flavor for this cream. If not, any strong and freshly brewed
coffee will make just as good a result.
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup strong, freshly brewed coffee
2 cups double cream
1 TBS instant coffee
In a bowl, mix egg yolks and sugar till thick.

In a saucepan, mix coffee and cream and heat gently until bubbles
form around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat and set aside.
Spoon, little by little, about a quarter of the coffee-cream mixture into
the yolks, mixing well.
Pour the entire yolk and coffee mixture into the saucepan, to make a
rich coffee custard, which is the basis of the ice cream.
Cook the custard at low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden
spoon until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, for about 15
minutes.
Take care not to overcook the custard as it will curdle.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and instant coffee. Set aside to cool.
When the custard is completely cold, chill in the refrigerator for 3
hours or overnight.
Pour into an ice cream maker following manufacturer’s instructions.
If you do not have an ice cream maker, freeze the mixture in a covered
container for 2 1/2 hours or until the edges have started to freeze.
With an electric hand mixer, beat the frozen custard for about 5
minutes.
Return to the freezer and keep for another 2–3 hours. Beat again. Then
let freeze completely.

This classic Jamaican dessert or snack is so-named because the banana-leaf
wrapped sweets, once cooked, apparently resemble old-fashioned
undergarments. This recipe uses foil, however, for convenience. There are many
variations of this sweet, also called ducunu or ducunoo (whose origin is Africa),
made with just cornmeal and coconut or with a mixture of various island
produce (plantains, bananas, sweet potatoes).
1 1/2 cups green banana or plantain, grated
1 cup grated fresh or frozen unsweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups grated sweet potato
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup coconut cream
3/4 cup brown sugar
10 sheets 12 × 12 inch aluminum foil
In a large bowl, blend well all the ingredients.

Place about 1/3 cup of the mixture in the center of a foil sheet.
Wrap mixture loosely (the mixture will swell with cooking) but
securely into a parcel, folding the foil at least twice over the mixture.
Make sure to seal all openings so that water cannot enter.
Drop parcels into a large pot of boiling water. Set a plate face down
over the parcels to ensure they are submerged.
Reduce heat and let the parcels cook at a gentle simmer for 45 minutes
to 1 hour or until mixture is set. (Remove one parcel to test.)
Cool thoroughly before serving.
Toto
This coconut cake is a must-have during Emancipation Day (August 1), which
commemorates the abolition of slavery in the country. Its origin is said to be a
cake of molasses and coconut cooked by underfed slaves over charcoal embers.
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves (optional)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
grated rind of 1 lime
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk or coconut cream
2 cups grated fresh or frozen unsweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-or 10-inch springform pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
In a large bowl or mixer, blend butter with both sugars until very light
and creamy; stir in lime rind and vanilla, then eggs, beating well until
well mixed.
Add flour mixture, then milk. Fold in coconut until well incorporated.
Spoon into prepared pan; bake for 35–45 minutes or until golden and
cake tests done.
Japan
A mountainous island chain in East Asia, Japan is a constitutional monarchy and

a major economic power. The four major islands and the thousands of smaller
ones are largely volcanic, and there is limited agricultural area in the river
valleys. The climate ranges from subArctic (long winters with plenty of snow) in
Hokkaido to tropical in the Ryukyu Islands to the south.
Japan’s agro technology enables high yields of cereals, fruit, vegetables,
and livestock. Its fishing fleets range worldwide to supply the country’s high
demand for fresh fish and seafood, which are often consumed raw. Increased
meat, poultry, and dairy consumption is satisfied by imports, mainly from the
United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
The population is predominantly Japanese, with minorities of Koreans,
Chinese, and other Asians. Historically, Japan has been influenced by Korea and
China, and since the past century, by Europe and the United States. Many
Japanese dishes are adaptations to local foods and recipes that originated from
those places.
Japanese cuisine is sophisticated, emphasizing the freshness of ingredients
and their artistic presentation. It is also highly inventive and adaptive, and many
foreign foods are part of daily Japanese fare. Its prosperous urban population
enjoys eating out at the wide range of eating venues that provide food fitting all
budgets and tastes, from traditional Japanese, Chinese, Italian, and other ethnic
cuisines, and east-west fusion, to major international cuisines. Regional food
varies and, though influenced by city trends, continues to maintain traditions
(see sidebar “East Asian Table Settings,” p. 669).
FOODSTUFFS
• The staple is rice, though younger people sometimes substitute bread.
• Buckwheat and wheat noodles, bean noodles; Western-style bread.
• Fish and seafood of all kinds, including jellyfish, sea cucumber, and
sea squirt.
• Chicken, pork, and beef, much of it imported. For many, bean curd
(tofu) substitutes for meat, as it has traditionally.
• Vegetables include seaweed of many kinds, which are cultivated in
bays along the coast, giant radish (daikon), bamboo shoots, Chinese
cabbage, spinach, eggplant, cultivated mushrooms, dried gourds, wild
fungi, wild mountain vegetables (ferns), cucumbers, tomatoes.
• Fruit: Asian pear, apple, peach, melon, watermelon, loquat, grapes
(Japanese cultivars, small-berried and giant-berried varieties),
tangerines.
• Drinks: tea (both native green varieties and semismoked oolong from
China), coffee, fruit juices, health drinks, fermented milk drinks,
yogurt drinks.
• Seasonings: fermented soybean paste (miso), soy sauce, dried
seaweed and dried bonito for cooking stock, trefoil (mitsuba), red and
green shiso (Perilla frutescens), sansho (Zanthoxylum piperitum),
ginger.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fish and seafood dishes: sashimi (raw fish), sushi (vinegared rice and
raw fish), salt-grilled fish, tempura (batter-coated fried seafood and
vegetables).
• Soups and stews: miso soup; meat or poultry and vegetables.
• Table-cooked dishes: meat and vegetables simmered or grilled
(Korean style) on a tabletop cooker.
• Rice dishes: curry and rice (kare raisu), rice and meat bowl
(donburi), seafood or poultry rice soup (zosui), Chinese-style fried
rice.
• Noodle dishes: fried noodles (yakisoba), Chinese-style soup noodles
(ramen).
• Pickles: eggplant or gourd preserved in miso (soybean paste) or rice
wine lees or soy sauce.
• Sweets: traditional Japanese rice cakes made with glutinous rice,
Western-type cakes (especially cheese and chocolate), green tea–
flavored cake (fusion of Japanese flavor and Western baking
technique).
EAST ASIAN TABLE SETTINGS

Traditional table settings in East Asia are dependent on chopsticks,
invented in China. The use of chopsticks is common in all Chinese-
influenced societies as well (Japan, Korea, and to a lesser extent Vietnam
and Thailand). Confucius claimed that the use of chopsticks inhibited men
from fighting during meals, which seems to indicate that early Chinese ate
with their belt knives and possibly spoons.
East Asian table settings consist of a pair of chopsticks, a bowl for the
staple (normally rice today), bowls or dishes for other foods, and possibly a
spoon. The precise use of these utensils varies from culture to culture and
depends on the materials used. Chinese chopsticks tend to be long and
cylindrical, of bamboo, ivory, wood, or more recently, plastic. Japanese
chopsticks tend to be of wood or bamboo, and are shorter, with a taper
toward the point. Korea, a wood-poor country, traditionally makes metal
chopsticks. Bowls in China are traditionally ceramic, in Japan a mix of
lacquered wood and ceramics, and in Korea, metal.
Perhaps as a consequence, dining arrangements differ as well. In
China, each place setting includes chopsticks, a ceramic spoon, a rice bowl
and a dish for condiments/side dishes. The side dishes are placed in the
center of the table for diners to help themselves (and hopefully, not to let
them take more than their fair share). Soup is drunk from a bowl with a
spoon, the bowl may be raised to the mouth. Rice is eaten from the raised
bowl with the aid of chopsticks. In Japan each diner is provided with
chopsticks, a soup bowl and individual plates with side dishes. Soup is
drunk directly from the bowl. In Korea diners may have all food in front of
them or there may be a central plate of side dishes for all to share. Diners
eat with chopsticks in one hand and a spoon in the other. Hot metal bowls
and plates are not moved from the table.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three main meals and snacks daily.
• Breakfast: Western style, with toast, cooked egg, butter, coffee, fruit
juice. Japanese style, with rice, seaweed, raw egg, fermented beans
(nattō), grilled fish, miso soup, green tea.
• Lunch: rice and meat bowl (donburi); curry rice (a mild, thick curry
sauce with very little meat served over rice, eaten with Japanese-style
pickles); Western-style pasta (spaghetti with seafood or meat sauce;
doria, a casserole of rice and meat or seafood with cream sauce,
topped with grilled cheese); traditional lunchbox-type meal (obentō) of
rice, pickles, and small servings of fish or meat and vegetables; fresh
fruit for dessert.
• Dinner: usually rice, miso soup, pickles, and two to three side dishes
of raw or grilled fish, stewed or fried meat dish, and steamed vegetable
dish. Fresh fruit for dessert. Rarely sweet cake.
• Snacks: raw fruit or salty pickles with tea, sweet pastries with coffee,
rice cakes, rice ball soup, pizza, spaghetti, noodles.

This dish, frequently made at home, is a favorite of children of all ages and a
standard dish at small eateries and family restaurants for a light meal at anytime.
This is usually served with a clear consommé-type soup strewn with chopped
spring onions.
1 cup cooked rice per person

8 eggs, well beaten, lightly seasoned
8 TBS oil
salt to taste
tomato ketchup
For each serving, heat 1 TBS oil in a frying pan.

Stir fry 1 cup rice for about 2 minutes, until all rice grains have
separated and the rice has been coated with oil.
Add 1 TBS ketchup, and cook stirring well until all rice is coated.
Season with salt if necessary.
Remove from pan and mold into a long almond shape on a warmed
plate.
Heat an additional 2 TBS oil in the pan.
Pour in 1 quarter of the eggs, tilting the pan to ensure maximum
spread. Cook over medium heat until bottom is cooked. Turn omelet
over (with practice, you can do this by gently tapping on the frying pan
handle while it is tilted toward you).
When cooked, slide onto rice (if you have used the tapping method,
you will have a thick omelet “sausage”; slit this gently lengthwise,
about 1/2 inch the thickness through, and unfold the omelet to cover
the rice mound).
Garnish with a generous dollop of ketchup.
Repeat for the remaining rice and eggs.
Serve hot.
This is an easy, everyday dish, commonly offered in roadside diners and family
restaurants and also made at home for a quick meal. While beef is not a
traditional Japanese food ingredient (because of the Buddhist injunction against
taking the lives of animals for food), for several decades now, beef and pork
have become commonplace, and meat consumption has risen dramatically. This
dish is eaten at midday or in the evening, accompanied by pickled vegetables
and miso soup.
The thinner the meat, the faster it cooks, so if you cannot request a butcher
to cut it thinly, buy a solid chunk of meat, freeze it for about 1 hour, and slice it
against the grain, using a good, sharp knife.
4 servings hot, freshly cooked plain white rice, preferably short grain
3 TBS oil
1 pound thinly sliced strips of beef (round or London broil) or boneless
pork, 3 × 1 × 1/8 inches
2–3 TBS Japanese-style soy sauce
1/2 cup beef stock or hot water
1 block firm tofu (optional), cut into 16 cubes
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced diagonally
Warm four large, deep soup bowls by filling them up to two-thirds

with very hot water. Let stand while you prepare the meat.
Heat a wok over medium heat.
Add oil; stir in onions and fry until softened, for about 2–3 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-hot.
Add beef, briskly stirring so that all pieces are seared; fry for about 1–
2 minutes.
Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and stock; fry for about half a minute, mixing
the sauce well with the meat.
Stir in tofu and leek. Let cook for about 1 minute or until thoroughly
heated through. Turn off heat.
Quickly discard hot water and wipe the bowls dry.
Place roughly 1 1/4 cups hot rice into each bowl.
Distribute meat equally among the bowls, with an eye to neatness and
appearance: make sure the meat, leek, and tofu are side by side (not
obscured by another item) on the surface of the bowls.
Serve at once.

When rice is served in the home, pickles and miso soup are usually served with
it. These three items in themselves constitute a complete meal and used to be all
that most families ate in less prosperous times.
There are many types of pickles: each locality has its own specialty, and
each family will make its own variation. While the remembered taste of mom’s
apple pie is what makes Americans yearn for home, in Japan it is the taste of
homemade pickles.
There are long-term and quick pickles. The long-term ones are, as their
name implies, intended to last for months, if not a year. The quick ones are ready
in 2–3 hours or overnight. Most rural households used to make their own
pickles, vital where winters are long and snow covers the ground until spring.
Nowadays, very few bother to make their own for year-round use, but quick
pickles are still being made.
1 small head Chinese cabbage, as fresh as possible, about 1 pound

water
salt
ice-cold water
Remove the leaves from cabbage, keeping them whole.

Fill a large pot two-thirds full with water. Add 1 tsp salt and bring to
boil.
Add cabbage and blanch for 1 minute.
Transfer blanched cabbage to a large bowl half-filled with ice-cold
water. Leave cabbage to chill.
Meanwhile, prepare pickling brine in the proportion of 1 cup water to
1 tsp salt. (Prepare about 16 cups initially; you may need to prepare
more, depending on the size of the cabbage and the bowl. The cabbage
must be completely submerged in the brine.)
Boil the pickling brine and let cool.
Drain the cabbage and place in layers in a large bowl.
Pour cooled brine over.
Place a clean plate above, and top with a heavy can to weigh the
cabbage down so that all are completely covered by the brine. Cover
all with foil or plastic wrap.
Set aside for 2–3 hours.
Drain leaves; stack 3–5 leaves on top of one another.
Cut into neat bite-sized squares, leaving the stacks intact. Repeat until
all the leaves have been cut, keeping the squares as uniform as
possible.
For each diner, make up two stacks of pickled cabbage, each roughly 1
1/2 inches in height.
In four small, shallow bowls (preferably with a dark glaze), lay the
stacks on their side so that the layers face up.
Pass around some soy sauce for each diner to drizzle just a few drops
over the pickles, if desired.

This is an unusual soup: although on top it looks like a solid custard, it is not
sweet, and at the bottom, there is plenty of hot stock. This is usually served for
an evening meal, especially in the winter. The ingredients given here are the
most commonly used in Japan, but depending on the season or locale, other
items can be substituted. Instead of shrimp, a small piece of fish fillet may be
substituted, in which case omit the chicken breast. Or instead of ginkgo nuts, use
button mushrooms. Trefoil is a delicately aromatic herb; if not available,
substitute three matchstick-sized strips of lemon or lime rind.
1/2 cup chicken breast, diced

1 tsp Japanese-style soy sauce
1 tsp sake or mirin (sweet cooking wine) (optional)
4 small raw shrimp, briefly blanched in hot water until they turn pink
(about 30 seconds)
12 fresh ginkgo nuts, shelled and peeled (or substitute broad bean
kernels, peeled, or 24 green peas)
12 stalks trefoil (or substitute watercress or flat-leaf parsley, chopped)
2 1/2 cups, dashi or good chicken stock, degreased
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS mirin or sake (or 1 tsp sugar)
4 eggs, lightly beaten until just mixed
4 ceramic cups (teacups are fine, even better if they have no handles)
foil or plastic wrap, 4 sheets large enough to cover cups
Marinate chicken in soy sauce and sake or mirin for 15–20 minutes.
Drain and discard marinade.
Into the cups, place chicken, shrimp, and ginkgo nuts or substitutes.
To prepare custard, in a bowl, mix thoroughly dashi or stock with salt,
soy sauce, and mirin or sugar.
Slowly add eggs, mixing well without raising bubbles.
Strain egg mixture carefully into cups, leaving a 1/2-inch clear space
to the top.
Top with chopped greens; cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap, or
until custard is set.
Set cups in a steamer; steam over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Alternatively, arrange a grid inside a wok. Set cups on grid.
Pour hot water in wok well below the level of the grid and cups.
Cover wok and let water come to a gentle boil. Steam as directed
above.
Serve at once.
Pearl Onions in Walnut Miso Salad Dressing (Kotamanegi no

Kurumi Miso Ae)
This dressing comes from Yuzawa, Akita, in northern Japan. The original dish is
made with tiny wild onions. This is served in individual small bowls as an
accompaniment to meat or fish for an evening meal. Each serving is spooned
into the middle of the bowl and left as a mound; the top of the salad should not
be level.
3 cups small white onions

2 cups walnuts
2 TBS sake, or water
1/4 cup miso
1 walnut half per diner, or a small watercress sprig, for garnish
Parboil the onions for 2–3 minutes. Depending on size, you may need
to leave them longer. Take one, peel and taste; they should be cooked
through but not mushy.
Quickly dip into cold water and drain thoroughly.
Peel the onions: the skins should slip off easily.
In a blender or food processor, blend the nuts with sugar until ground
very finely.
Transfer nut mixture to a medium-sized bowl.
Mix in sake or water and miso; blend well to a thick paste. Check
seasoning. Add more sugar to balance the saltiness of the miso if
desired.
Keep dressing and onions refrigerated until ready to serve.
One hour or preferably less before serving, blend dressing with peeled
onions. (If mixed any earlier, moisture from the onions will seep
through and spoil the appearance of the dish.)
Mound the salad in individual bowls; place the garnish just below the
summit of the mound.

This is a very popular dish, often sold at outdoor kiosks during festivals but also
offered in restaurants specializing in grilled skewered meats and vegetables.
Cook this for an outdoor barbecue or, alternatively, cook under the broiler in
your oven. This method of grilling the ingredients separately at first, before
threading them through the skewers for the final grilling, ensures that every item
is done just right. Take care not to overcook the chicken; it should retain its
moistness. Serve as an appetizer with drinks, or as a side dish with rice,
vegetables, and miso soup.
2 pounds chicken thighs, deboned, skin left on, sliced into 2-inch
cubes
4 TBS soy sauce
4 TBS mirin (sweet rice liquor, available from specialty shops or
stores that sell Japanese foods), or 2 TBS sugar and 2 TBS water
2 leeks, white part only, sliced into 2-inch lengths
12 small sweet green peppers, left whole, including stalk, or 2 large
green bell peppers, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp sugar
bamboo skewers, soaked in water 1 hour before using
oil for greasing grill
Marinate chicken in soy sauce and mirin or sugar for 1 hour, turning
several times to marinate evenly.
Drain chicken; transfer to a bowl. Put marinade in a small pan, add
sugar (if you are using mirin; omit if sugar has been used already) and
boil till reduced by about half. Set aside.
Brush a grilling grid with oil; allow to heat up.
Place the leeks on the grid and grill at low medium heat until done, for
about 3–5 minutes, turning them to cook evenly.
Next grill the peppers for about 1–3 minutes; these do not need to be
turned.
Grill the chicken last of all, for about 3–4 minutes, turning them to
cook evenly.
When the ingredients have cooled down a bit, thread them alternately
on skewers: green pepper first, then chicken, then leek. Allow 2–3
skewers per person.
Brush the skewered items with the cooked marinade.
Grill for 1–3 minutes or until heated through. Do not be alarmed if the
chicken and vegetables get a few seared bits: to the contrary, these add
to the flavor.
Brush with marinade again.
Serve hot.
Fruit Ice (Kōri)

This very popular summer treat is eaten throughout Japan. Shops selling it
generally advertise with a blue, white, and red sign marked with the ideograph
for “ice.” Flavors depend on the customer’s choice, as do the garnishes. Any
kind of flavored fruit syrup is fine.
4 or more heaping cups shaved ice (if you do not have an ice shaver—
available from most stores that sell Asian foods—crush ice cubes in a
blender to a slush)
8 TBS or more flavored syrup (strawberry, raspberry, or melon)
Garnishes: a choice of canned orange or tangerine sections, apple
slices, halved strawberries, blueberries, watermelon wedges about 2
inches long, melon balls, sweet red beans (adzuki, sold in small cans at
Asian groceries and major supermarkets), or soft jelly bean candies
Place four glass bowls in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before

preparation.
Fill with shaved ice to make a mound.
Pour 2 TBS of your syrup of choice over the mound.
Garnish with fruit of your choice.
Serve with a dessert spoon.
? Did you know?

In countries with a Chinese cultural background (Taiwan, Korea, and Japan
included), traditionally, a person added a year to his or her age on New
Year’s Day. In Japanese tradition, significant years for children were the
third, fifth, and seventh years of age, celebrated on the festival
unsurprisingly called “7-5-3” (Shichigosan) by being dressed in elaborate
kimono, going to the neighborhood shrine, and receiving blessings with a
large packet of sweets.

Cheese is not part of traditional Japanese food culture, but in modern times
cheesecake has become a part of everyday eating: most coffee shops will have it
on the menu, and almost all bakeries and sweet shops up and down the country
carry it. It is eaten as a snack or dessert, and is drunk with either Japanese green
tea, Western tea, or freshly brewed coffee.
Cheesecake comes in several variations. “Rare” (rea) is the usual term for a
refrigerated gelatin cheesecake. Another variation is flavored with green tea
powder (the kind used for the traditional tea ceremony). The recipe given here is
for a baked Japanese-style cheesecake.
1 cup cream cheese

2 ounces butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup cake flour mixed with 1 TBS cornstarch
6 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp lemon rind, grated
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with wax paper, to
extend 1 1/2 inches above the pan. Lightly butter wax paper.
Melt cream cheese, butter, and cream in a double boiler over hot
water.
Remove and quickly cool the mixture by placing in an iced basin,
stirring well.
Mix in thoroughly flour, egg yolks, salt, lemon juice, and grated lemon
rind.
Using an electric mixer, gently beat egg whites and cream of tartar.
Gradually add sugar and beat to soft peaks.
Fold in one-third of the whisked egg white into cream cheese mixture.
Fold in remaining egg white thoroughly, but do not overmix.
Pour into prepared cake pan.
Place pan inside a bain-marie or a baking tray.
Pour boiling water halfway up the tray.
Bake in preheated 300°F oven for 1 1/2 hours or until set and golden
brown.
Leave in the oven with door ajar for an hour until cake cools.
Remove from oven, refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight), and
unmold.
Serve cold with Japanese or English tea.
Green tea or matcha ice cream has become a popular dessert recently. Green tea
powder is originally used in the tea ceremony, whisked in hot water to a frothy
aromatic drink.
4 TBS green tea powder (matcha)

2–4 TBS hot water
2/3 cup condensed milk
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups double cream
In a bowl, place the tea powder; whisk in 2 TBS hot water to get a
smooth paste.
Add more hot water, one teaspoonful at a time, to achieve this.
Whisk in well the condensed milk and salt into the tea paste.
Whip the cream to soft peaks; fold into the milk-tea mixture.
Transfer to an ice cream freezer, and follow directions for churning.
Alternatively, pour into a 4-cup plastic or metal covered container,
freeze for 2 hours, mix with a whisk or stick blender and return to the
freezer. Repeat whisking 2–3 more times, then allow to fully freeze.
Transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before
serving.
? Did you know?

Cakes, sweet buns, pastries, and other sweet offerings typically accompany
leisurely coffee and tea drinking for most people. In the Snow Country of
Japan, however, in the winter, green tea is accompanied by slices of salted
pickled vegetables.

As in most of Asia, Japanese traditional pastries are made of rice, both regular
and glutinous. Glutinous rice is also known as sweet rice, and when cooked, it
has a sticky or waxy and elastic consistency. The filling used here is a sweet
paste (known as ankō) made of small red beans called adzuki. For this recipe, the
paste includes whole adzuki for texture. Adzuki beans are also a feature of a
celebratory glutinous rice dish or shrine offering called sekihan.
Dough
1 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour (also called mochikō)
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
cornstarch for rolling the dough, about 1 1/2 cups
cupcake paper liners for serving
Filling
1/2 cup adzuki beans, soaked in cold water to cover at least 3 hours (or
overnight)
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
4 TBS sugar, or more to taste
Alternative filling: 1 cup canned sweetened adzuki beans, drained and

pureed to a paste, or sweet bean jam (ankō). These can be sourced
from Asian food stores.
Make the dough: combine glutinous rice flour, sugar, and salt in a
heatproof or glass bowl.
Gradually add milk and water to make a smooth paste; cover with
cling film and steam in a double boiler, or on a rack set over a wok
with boiling water, for 30 minutes or until dough is translucent.
Alternatively, microwave on high power (for 800-watt microwave) for
2 minutes; stir and repeat for 30 seconds each time, until dough is
translucent (a further 2 minutes). Adjust the timing to suit the capacity
of your own microwave. Allow to cool before handling with
cornstarch-dusted hands.
Meanwhile prepare filling: bring beans to a boil with water. Simmer
until al dente (slightly underdone), about 40–45 minutes. Reserve 3
TBS and set aside. Continue cooking the remaining beans until all the
liquid is absorbed and the beans are very tender, about 15–20 minutes
more. Drain and blend to a paste in a blender or food processor or
mash with a potato masher. (There are those who prefer a perfectly
smooth paste and those who prefer a rather lumpy one.)
Mix in salt and 2 TBS of sugar; taste, and add the rest of the sugar, if
desired. Stir in the reserved beans. Divide paste into 12 portions and
shape each into a ball.
Transfer dough to a work surface dusted with cornstarch. Knead until
smooth and divide into 12 portions.
Flatten with your fingers, or roll out dough to a 2 1/2-to 3-inch circle,
with the edges thinner than the center; place filling in the center; fold
over dough edges to seal, and tidy the surface of the mochi into a ball
or oval. Place on cornstarch-dusted cupcake liner.
Alternative rolling method: use the red bean paste as the outer
covering surrounding a ball of mochi. Use plastic film or disposable
gloves to make it easier if you decide to use this procedure. Best eaten
on the same day with green tea.
Jordan
The Kingdom of Jordan lies on the eastern bank of the Jordan River in the
Middle East. The country’s climate is desert hot with mild winters. The
northwestern plateau and the Jordan Valley beneath it are very fertile, enabling
the cultivation of vegetables, fruit, and wheat.
The population is largely Arab Muslim, divided between Bedouin and those
of settled descent. The cuisine reflects this division, featuring dishes from the
Bedouins’ nomadic culture and classical Middle Eastern culinary tradition.
FOODSTUFFS
• Flat breads (khubes saj), baked on a stone or an inverted iron bowl,
are the staple for many. Oven-baked breads (khubes tabun). Whole-
meal flat breads (shrak), soft or crisp, which are as thin as paper. Rice
and noodles are common in urban areas.
• Meat, particularly mutton and chicken, is eaten as often as possible.
• Milk products include fresh and soured milk, both from cows and
sheep. Milk is made into butter, thickened yogurt and dried yogurt
(labaneh and jameed), and soft cheeses.
• Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, beans, sesame,
eggplants. Many country people collect wild greens to add to the food.
• Fruit: apples, citrus, grapes, figs, pomegranates.
• Spices used include cumin, garlic, pepper, coriander, turmeric, ghee,
and sumac, dried ground purple berries with a tangy lemon flavor.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice dishes are common; particularly the nomad’s mansaf (rice and
lamb dish), which is served to guests.
Fava bean.
• Eggs, olives, white goat’s cheese, labaneh (strained yogurt), and

olive oil are the foods most commonly eaten at all times, by rich and
poor alike, usually with tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Fassouliah (beans) of various sorts eaten as a mash, garnished with
olive oil and scooped with flat breads.
• Many meals are composed of a single dish of meat, rice, and
vegetables, served on a large platter from which everyone eats.
• Ma’alak: lamb heart, lungs, liver, and innards, chopped and fried in
garlic, often eaten on Friday mornings by many families for breakfast.
• Musakhan: wraps of chicken and onions cooked with sour, purple
sumac spice.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks are eaten by most people, though
Bedouins traditionally eat only twice a day (and only once on long
journeys).
• In traditional homes, diners eat from a centrally-placed platter of rice,
meat, and flat bread, eating only with the three middle fingers of the
right hand.
• Meals are often preceded by soup, drunk from glasses.
• Breakfast: freshly baked bread dipped in olive oil or yogurt; fresh-cut
tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions. Washed down with sweet tea.
• Lunch: often skipped by Bedouins. Bean mash, a salad, boiled egg,
and flat breads are common, washed down by sweet tea. It can be
taken as a major meal in the form of a mansaf (a rice and lamb dish) if
guests arrive.
• Evening meal: for urban people, the main meal of the day, though for
many, a lighter meal. As main meal it will contain meat, if available,
and rice and vegetables, sometimes cooked together.
• Fruit may be consumed at any time during the day.
• Coffee, tea, and juices are consumed, as are a variety of local and
international sweet sodas. Coffee service can be elaborate in towns and
countryside alike.

This dish is served as an appetizer in many urban homes.
4 cloves garlic
1/2 small hot pepper, cored, seeded, and shredded
2 TBS oil
2 large, firm tomatoes, thickly sliced
Crush garlic with pepper, salt, and hot pepper.

Stir mixture into parsley and set aside.
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the tomato slices and
cook for about a minute on one side. Turn slices over and sprinkle
them with the garlic mixture.
Continue to cook for another minute, moving tomatoes gently with a
spatula to keep from sticking.
Turn slices again and cook until they are done but not disintegrating.
Slide the tomato slices onto a plate and serve immediately.

This dish may be eaten as a main or only dish for lunch in the countryside. It is
also served as an appetizer in urban homes. It is a Jordanian version of the
Egyptian ful medames.
1 cup dried small fava beans, rinsed

8 cups water
1 can cooked chickpeas, with liquid
1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium onions, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp oregano
Bring the fava beans and water to a boil in a large pot. Cover and cook
over medium heat for an hour and a half.
Add the potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan and sauté onions until golden.
Add garlic and cilantro and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the contents of the frying pan with the remaining ingredients to
the fava beans and bring to a boil.
Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
Serve hot.
Note: if you use large fava beans you may need to soak them for 24
hours. Peel before cooking by squeezing between your fingers.

A typical Bedouin (nomad) dish, this is prepared for weddings and other
celebrations, such as welcoming a guest.

1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup flaked almonds
2 large onions, cut into thick slices
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 pounds stewing lamb, sliced into cubes
water as needed
1 pound jameed (dried yogurt, or substitute 16 ounces plain yogurt,
strained)
2 TBS cornstarch dissolved in 4 TBS water
3–4 pieces of large, soft Middle Eastern flat bread (or 8 pita)
If you have no jameed (sometimes available from shops that sell

Middle Eastern foods), prepare the yogurt curd a day before by placing
yogurt into a fine kitchen sieve or cheesecloth and allowing whey to
drain. Reserve the whey and sieved curd separately.
Heat 2 TBS ghee in a frying pan and quickly fry pine nuts and
almonds until golden. Remove and set aside.
Add 2 TBS ghee to frying pan, and sauté onions until softened, about
5–7 minutes. Add turmeric, allspice, and cinnamon, and fry for 1–2
minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside.
In a covered saucepan, simmer lamb with water just to cover for about
30 minutes; season with salt and pepper, add the spiced onion mixture,
and continue to simmer until very tender, about 45–60 minutes more.
Meanwhile prepare the rice. Heat 1 TBS clarified butter in a heavy pot
with a tight-fitting lid.
Stir in the rice and add six cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook
on very low heat until rice is done, about 15–20 minutes. Stir in 2 TBS
ghee and let the rice rest undisturbed, covered, for about 15–20
minutes.
When the meat is done, transfer it to a covered ovenproof container
and mix well with jameed or drained yogurt. Keep warm in a low oven
until assembly.
To the broth in the saucepan, add the whey and cornstarch mixture and
allow to thicken over medium heat, stirring constantly. Set aside.
To assemble (work quickly so that lamb is hot when it gets to the
table): in a large, deep serving dish (a large enamel basin is often
used), place a layer of the flat breads so they protrude above the dish
rim and entirely cover the bottom.
Moisten the bread with some of the broth and whey mixture. (Place the
rest in a bowl or gravy boat for passing at the table.)
Place a pyramid of rice on the bread.
Arrange the meat on the rice. Decorate with pine nuts and almonds.
Mix remaining 1 TBS ghee with remaining whey and sprinkle over the
rice.
Eat warm, not hot, with all diners helping themselves from the dish.
Diners use only the right hand to make a small ball of rice and meat to
pop into the mouth: the fingers must not touch the lips (this takes some
practice).

This is a popular dish for a main meal, usually served with pita bread, thick
yogurt, and sliced cucumbers drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.
1 medium eggplant, sliced 1/8 inch thick

4 TBS olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch disks
1 pound lamb, cubed
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
salt to taste
water as needed
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 fresh, firm tomatoes, cut in wedges
2 lemons, cut in wedges
4–5 sprigs of parsley
1/4 cup toasted almonds
Salt eggplant and allow to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse, drain then pat
dry.
In a large, heavy saucepan heat 2 TBS olive oil. Fry eggplant until
golden. Remove and set aside. Fry carrots lightly in same pan. Remove
and add to eggplant.
Add the remaining oil to the saucepan. Brown meat quickly, then add
the onion and garlic and stir fry for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in spices, salt, pepper, and 2 cups water.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, until meat is
tender (30–45 minutes).
Boil 3 cups water in a separate pot. Remove from heat. Add rice and
turmeric. Stir once.
Cover and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set rice aside.
Drain the meat, reserving the broth.
In a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, place the meat in one layer.
Layer the fried vegetables over the meat.
Top with the soaked rice, carefully leveling it.
Add enough water to the reserved meat broth to make 4 cups. Slowly
pour over the rice (do not stir).
Place the saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil, and then reduce
heat to gently simmer, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed (about
15 minutes).
Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 15–20 minutes.
Invert saucepan (you may need help from another person with this) on
a large serving platter, at least 2–3 inches larger in diameter than the
saucepan.
Let stand for 10 minutes to let the contents slowly descend.
Carefully remove the pan so that rice mound retains its shape.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds.
Garnish with tomato and lemon wedges and parsley.

Kunafa, or knafeh, as it is also spelled, is a sweet popularly eaten in Jordan that
is also found throughout the Middle East. Serve with coffee or mint tea.
Syrup
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
Garnish
2 TBS butter or ghee
1 cup mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, sliced or chopped)
1/2 cup pitted dates, sliced, and/or raisins
Filling
1/4 cup yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp orange-blossom water, rose water, or vanilla extract
Pastry
1 pound kataifi (shredded phyllo dough from stores that sell Middle
Eastern foods)
1/2 cup butter or ghee, melted
Prepare syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar, water,

and lemon juice to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes
until thick. Let cool completely; stir in rind and orange-blossom water.
Set aside in a cool place or refrigerate.
Prepare garnish: in a frying pan, heat butter over medium heat; stir in
nuts and fry until aromatic, about 3–4 minutes. Turn off heat and stir
in dates. Set aside.
Prepare filling: blend well the cream cheese, yogurt, salt, rind, and
orange-blossom water.
In a large bowl, place the kataifi, drizzle with butter, and mix well,
ensuring each strand is coated with butter.
Place half of the kataifi in a buttered 9 × 12 inch baking dish and
spread the filling over; top with remaining kataifi and bake for 30–40
minutes, until golden.
Immediately pour cold syrup over hot pastry. Let cool completely.
To serve: invert pastry onto serving dish, cut into squares, and sprinkle
with garnish.

This cake is a much-loved classic Jordanian sweet, enjoyed with a cup of coffee
or mint tea. Variations can be found throughout the Middle East, where it may
go under the name basbousa.
Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
Pastry
2 cups semolina
2 TBS sugar
2 tsp orange-blossom water or rose water, or grated rind of 1 lemon
1 cup natural unsweetened yogurt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 TBS tahini (sesame paste), or butter
1/3 cup blanched almond halves for garnish
Prepare a light syrup by bringing sugar, water, salt, and lemon juice to
a boil in a small pan over medium heat.
Simmer for 2 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved; the syrup
does not need to thicken. Allow to cool, or refrigerate before using.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13-inch round baking dish with
tahini; set aside.
In a large bowl, mix well the butter, semolina, sugar, rind, and orange-
blossom water.
In another bowl, mix the yogurt, baking powder, and soda, and let rest
until frothy and doubled in volume, about 5 minutes; pour yogurt
mixture over the semolina and mix well.
Pat semolina mixture evenly into baking dish; cut the pastry into
individual serving–sized squares or diamonds.
Garnish each serving with an almond; bake for 35–45 minutes or until
golden.
Pour cold syrup over cake; let cool completely before serving,
accompanied by mint tea or coffee.
Coffee (Qahwa)
This coffee is consumed all over the Middle East and is nowhere more important
than among the nomads. The sound of the mortar and pestle means a guest has
arrived (see also the Ethiopia entry for the sidebar “Coffee Ritual,” p. 432).
2 TBS unroasted arabica-type coffee beans

3 cups water
4 cardamom pods
1–4 threads saffron (optional)
Toast the coffee beans rapidly in an iron wok until they brown slightly
and you can smell a strong coffee aroma. Be careful not to let them
burn.
Using a brass mortar and pestle, pound the beans thoroughly into as
fine a powder as you can manage.
Boil water in a pot.
Add coffee and bring to a boil over low heat.
Remove from heat as the coffee foams up.
Allow to settle for a minute.
Add cardamom to the pot (and saffron if desired).
Boil again once and serve.
Pour carefully into small coffee cups, trying to avoid sediment.
Allow a minute or two before drinking for the sediment to settle in the
cup. Do not stir.
K
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, the ninth largest country in the world, spans three time zones, from
the Caspian Sea to China. Once part of the Russian empire (from the eighteenth
century), then the USSR, Kazakhstan became independent in 1991. Kazakh
derives from Turkish and means “free or free-roaming,” referring to the nomadic
horseback lifestyle, and is related to the word “Cossack.” A third of the country
is desert and a fifth is mountainous. It has four seasons with very cold winters
and hot summers. Wheat, barley, rice, and other grains are widely grown,
making Kazakhstan one among the world’s largest grain exporters. Livestock is
raised for meat and dairy products. Kazakhstan’s coastline on the Caspian Sea
also provides fish.
The main ethnic groups are Kazakhs and Russians, with minorities of
Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Uighur, Germans, and Jews. Roughly half are Muslims and
the remainder Christians, mainly Russian Orthodox.
Kazakh cuisine is similar to other nomadic central and northern Asian foods
(Mongolian, Uzbek, Uighur) in its reliance on meat, fermented dairy products,
and flat breads. It is strongly influenced by Russian, Tatar, central, and
northeastern Asian (especially Korean) foods. In common with all nomadic
cultures, Kazakhs are very hospitable and generous with food, even to
unexpected guests.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple is bread; fried bread (baursak) and flat bread (non, also nan).
• Meat: lamb, horse, camel, poultry (chicken, goose, turkey, pheasant,
duck), fish (sturgeon, salmon, pike-perch, carp, bream), and fish roe
(caviar).
• Preserved meats: horsemeat sausages (kazy, shuzhuk).
• Dairy products: sour cream, butter, yogurt, cheese from goat’s,
cow’s, or horse’s milk, dried or fresh curds, fermented milk drinks
from yogurt, horse or camel milk.
• Onion, cabbage, eggplant, carrot, potato, greens, radish, cucumber,
tomato, pumpkin, peas. Preserved vegetables: sauerkraut, Korean-style
kimchee (spicy pickled cabbage).
• Apples (the fruit originate from the mountains near Alma Ata,
“Father of Apples,” now called Almaty, in southern Kazakhstan),
apricots, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, grapes (locally grown or
imported from neighboring countries).
• Seasonings: onion, black pepper corns, garlic, bay leaf, dill, parsley,
fennel, cilantro; tuzdyk, a special herb sauce with cilantro (kinza).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Besbarmak, diamond-shaped pasta eaten with thin slices of
horsemeat, mutton, or camel and vegetables. Besbarmak literally
means “five fingers,” because the dish is eaten with the fingers of the
right hand following Muslim eating tradition.
• Rice dishes: plov (pilaf) made with mutton, yellow turnip, and rice;
sweet plov made of dried apricots, raisins, and prunes.
• Naryn: sliced sausages served with cold noodles for special
occasions.
• Soups: fat-rich broth (sorpa), soup of internal organs.
• Grilled/roasted meats: brisket or leg of mutton marinated in vinegar,
salt, and pepper and roasted over coals; skewered mutton or other meat
(shashlyk) served with raw onion.
• Noodle dishes: layered pasta with spicy meat and vegetable gravy
(lagman); noodles with meat and vegetable sauce of black radish,
sweet pepper, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro, dill, or parsley (kespe).
• Meat pies: pastry stuffed with meat and onion or pumpkin, potato,
cabbage, mushrooms or nuts (samsa), deep fried with meat and onion
(chibureki).
• Savory dumplings (manty) steamed and filled with lamb, mutton,
horse, fish, or mixed with pumpkin or carrot; fried meat-filled
dumplings (beliashis).
• Sweet steamed pastry rolls (zhuta) filled with pumpkin or carrot and
sugar.
• Drinks: kumys (fermented mare’s milk drink), airan (yogurt drink
from horse’s milk), shubat (drink from camel’s milk). Salted milky tea
is the most common drink.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: millet porridge with sour cream, curd, or other dairy
product; salty milk tea; or nan with kumys (fermented milk drink).
• Lunch: nan, kumys, curds or cheese, and fruit in summer; salty milk
tea, noodles with soup and bits of meat in winter.
• Dinner: grilled meat with bread or plov; broth or soup; fruit; sweet.
• Snacks: savory or sweet pies (samsa, chibureki), fruits or nuts in
syrup, fried fritters.
• Feasts: guests (expected or unexpected) are entertained lavishly with
several courses, according to nomadic etiquette. First, fermented milk
drinks; then salty milk tea accompanied by dairy products, dried and
fresh fruit, fruit preserves, sweet fritters, cakes, other sweetmeats.
Appetizers follow, usually assorted sausages and dried meats eaten
with flat bread and salad. Next come boiled meats, eaten with pasta;
the broth served separately. Afterward come grilled marinated meats,
eaten with onion-flavored flat bread or fried bread. Sweetmeats and
fresh and dried fruits end the feast.
PILAF(S)
A dish of rice, fried quickly in hot oil, then cooked in stock with meat,
vegetables, and fruit. The dish may be of Persian or of Central Asian origin.
The word has numerous variants (pilav, plov, polow, pulao, and possibly
Spanish paella) and is common throughout the Persian-influenced world.
Pilaf is a very old dish and was served to Alexander the Great when he
conquered parts of modern-day Uzbekistan. The national variants on pilaf
are almost uncountable, and it is popular in the United States as “rice pilaf.”

This salad is eaten as an appetizer during feasts.
2 TBS vegetable oil

2 TBS vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1 pound radishes, peeled and sliced into thin strips
2 carrots, peeled and sliced in thin strips
2 bell peppers, and sliced in thin strips
1 onion, sliced in thin strips
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
Prepare dressing by mixing oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, and

cayenne.
Rub radishes and carrots with salt.
Reserve a bit of the peppers, radishes, and carrots for garnish.
Mix the remaining vegetables thoroughly. Pour on dressing and toss
lightly.
Garnish with reserved vegetables and serve.

This is a Kazakh staple. This particular recipe is tinged by Russian influences:
dill and carrots. You may opt to buy dried egg noodles and cook according to the
instructions instead of making your own from scratch, as the Kazakhs do. The
greens often include cilantro, called kinza in Kazakh.
Meat sauce
2 pounds mutton or beef, cubed
water to cover
4 large tomatoes, chopped, or 1 8-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 TBS melted fat (mutton fat preferred, or substitute butter)
2 bay leaves
2 cups katyk (goat’s milk yogurt, or any plain yogurt)
1/2 cup dill, finely minced (or a mix of dill, cilantro, and parsley)
Place meat with water, salt, and pepper in a covered saucepan and
bring to a boil.
Skim off scum and discard.
Reduce heat; simmer for 1 hour.
Add carrots, tomatoes, onion, fat, and bay leaves.
Season to taste.
Add noodles and cook until al dente.
Transfer to four bowls.
Place katyk and dill on the table for people to help themselves.
Serve very hot.
Egg noodles
1 pound flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
additional flour for rolling out
Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Add beaten eggs. Mix in water a little at
a time until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl.
Take dough out and knead on a floured board until shiny and elastic.
Let rest for 30–40 minutes, covered with a damp towel.
Roll out on a floured surface about 1/4 inch thick.
Slice into 1/2-inch-wide strips.
Allow to dry slightly, uncovered, until needed.

The term is similar to the Chinese mantou (steamed buns) and may well be
derived from the days the Kazakhs were a central part of the Mongol empire.
Manty are common throughout the Turkic-Mongol world, including, of course,
the Kazakhs. Grated carrot or pumpkin or a mixture of both is sometimes used
instead of meat. This is a special dish, made when there are many hands to help
wrap the dumplings.
1 1/2 pounds flour

1 tsp salt
3 cups water
1 TBS oil for oiling steamer
3 cups sour cream
Sift flour and salt into bowl.

Add water, a little at a time until you have a dough that comes away
from the side of the bowl (you may need to add water or flour to get it
right).
Knead in bowl for 5 minutes, then on a floured board until elastic and
shiny.
Return to floured bowl and allow to rest for 30–40 minutes.
Roll out about 1/8 inch thick.
Cut out pastry circles about 3 inches in diameter with a wide glass or
cookie cutter.
Place a teaspoonful of stuffing in the center of each pastry circle. Fold
up the edges to make a crescent. Crimp the edges firmly to seal.
Oil the top of a large steamer (metal or bamboo) to prevent sticking.
(Or alternatively use a metal rack over a saucepan of boiling water.)
Place the stuffed pastries slightly apart and steam over boiling water
for about 1/2 hour until done (test one to check).
Transfer to a serving plate; pour over sour cream before serving.
Stuffing
1 pound minced meat (mutton or beef, or substitute grated carrot)
1 pound pumpkin flesh, grated
1/2 pound mutton fat (preferably from tail, or substitute more fatty
meat or butter)
1 tsp salt
Mix meat, pumpkin, onions, fat, and salt thoroughly.

Carrots are a common vegetable easily grown in Kazakhstan. Here they are used
as a sweet stuffing.
1 1/2 pounds flour

1 tsp salt
1 1/2 pints water
1 egg white, beaten, for sealing rolls
1 tsp oil for oiling steamer
Sift flour and salt into bowl.

Add water, a little at a time until you have a dough that comes away
from the side of the bowl (you may need to add water or flour to get it
right).
Knead in bowl for 5 minutes, then on a floured board until elastic and
shiny.
Return to floured bowl and allow to rest for 30–40 minutes.
Roll out on floured board until 1/8 inch thick.
Cover evenly with stuffing.
Roll up lightly, as for a Swiss roll, so that the filling does not ooze out.
Seal edges together with water or a little beaten egg white.
Place in an oiled kaskan (steamer) and steam for 25–30 minutes.
Serve warm or cold, sliced crosswise.
Sweet stuffing
2 pounds carrot or pumpkin flesh, shredded
3 ounces butter
sugar to taste (the pumpkin and carrots may be sweet enough on their
own)
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add vegetables and stir well.
Cook over low heat until tender.
Add sugar to taste.

This is a Kazakh variation—one of many across Asia—of a Persian original
called pilaf (see sidebar “Pilaf[s],” p. 689).
2 TBS melted fat (mutton is recommended, or substitute butter)

1/2 pound mutton or chicken breast, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into julienne strips
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup dried apricots or apples, diced
Heat fat over medium heat in a covered heavy saucepan.

Sauté onion until golden.
Add meat and fry until slightly browned.
Add carrots; season, and cook for additional 5 minutes.
Pour rice over vegetables and meat without stirring.
Carefully add water without disturbing the rice; bring to a boil.
Pierce rice in several places with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Top with dried fruit, again without disturbing rice.
Reduce heat to lowest, cover, and simmer for about 30–35 minutes.
Remove from heat, and let rest for 15–20 minutes.
While serving, ensure each helping has some of all three layers.

These fried rolls are often eaten as snacks or served after meals as dessert.

1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
8 cups water
1/4–1/2 cup flour
oil for deep frying
1/2 cup sour cream
In a food processor, process cottage cheese until smooth.

Add flour, egg, butter, sugar, and salt to make a stiff dough.
Remove dough and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Roll it out into a cylinder about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut into 2-inch
slices.
Bring water to a simmer in a large pot.
Add fritters a few at a time, and cook for 2–3 minutes after they float.
Drain thoroughly.
Heat oil to 360°F.
Roll drained fritters in flour and slip into hot oil a few at a time. Fry to
a golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
To serve: arrange on serving dish, spoon sour cream over fritters, and
serve.
Zhent, often called Kazakh chocolate, makes a nutritious, energy-filled food for
journeys and at times of war. Though the end result bears no similarity in taste to
chocolate, it is comparable in sweetness, its provision of energy, and texture.
Irimshik, the dried curd that is one component, can be eaten on its own, much
like cheese. The original dish uses millet instead of oatmeal.
1 cup quick oatmeal flakes

3/4 cup irimshik (or substitute grated dry goat’s or sheep’s cheese or
Parmesan or other hard cheese)
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBS raisins
In a food processor or blender, process cereal and cheese until well

mixed.
Add butter and sugar, mixing well.
Stir in raisins.
Transfer to a flat tray to form a layer 1/2 inch thick, and allow to set
for 1 hour.
Cut into cubes with a sharp, heated knife.
Serve as a snack.
Kazakh Tea (Chai)

Salted milk tea is drunk all over Central Asia. Sweet fritters, jam, butter or sour
cream, curds, dried fruit, and other sweetmeats are served with tea. Often in
winter, pieces of curd or dried meat are dropped into the tea, making it more of a
reviving soup.
4 cups water
5 tsp loose black tea
4 cardamom pods
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 cups milk
sugar or honey to taste
salt
butter or sour cream
Combine water, tea, cardamom, and fennel seeds and simmer over low
heat for 3 minutes.
Add milk and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.
Strain tea into cups; add sugar or honey. Add salt, butter or sour cream
to taste.

This dessert is common to all Central Asian cuisines. The Kazakh name for it is
shek shek, but across the region, it is known as chak chak. Eat this with hot tea or
coffee.
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 TBS sour cream
2 TBS butter
oil and/or ghee for deep frying
1 cup dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
Syrup
1 cup honey
2 TBS sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
In a large bowl or food processor, mix flour, salt, eggs, sour cream,
and butter to a firm but pliable dough; knead until smooth for 5–8
minutes, then let rest for 1 hour.
On a floured surface, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick, slice into long
strips 2 inches wide.
Cut these further into strips 1/4 inch wide; the pieces will resemble fat
matchsticks.
Heat the oil to medium, and fry the sticks until golden a few at a time,
so as not to lower the temperature; drain.
Mix the apricots, almonds, and raisins with the pastry sticks.
Arrange large or individual serving–sized mounds of the pastry-fruit-
nut mix on parchment paper.
Make the syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil the
honey, sugar, and lemon juice.
Quickly drizzle the syrup over the pastry-fruit-nut mounds; let cool.
To serve: slice the mounds into bite-sized pieces.
Pancakes (Kuimak)
These pancakes are made for snacks or breakfast, with honey, sour cream, and/or
melted butter. An alternative to yeast is 2 tsp baking powder, and the batter can
then be cooked immediately without letting it rise.
2 cups flour
1 tsp instant active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
2 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
oil and/or ghee or butter for cooking
Mix the flour, yeast, milk, sugar, salt, and eggs to a thick but pourable
batter. Add more flour or milk if needed. Let stand in a warm place for
30 minutes–1 hour or until bubbly.
Heat a griddle over low-medium heat; put a tablespoonful of oil or
butter; when hot, put 1/4 cupful of batter. Cook for 3–5 minutes,
covered, until the top is bubbly and the bottom edges are golden.
Turn pancake over and cook, uncovered, for about 2–3 minutes.
Keep warm; serve with sour cream, honey, and/or melted butter.
Kenya
Kenya is an East African country, between Ethiopia and Somalia on the north
and Tanzania to the south, bordered on the west by the African Rift system. The
eastern coastline is hot and humid, while the north is largely desert scrub. The
rest of the country is largely a cool highland plateau. The Kenyan highlands are
a source of various agricultural products ranging from vegetables and herbs to
flowers. Much of the produce is exported to Europe and the Middle East.
Forty large ethnic groups and many more small ones make up the
population, but a common staple is ugali, a stiff porridge made from white
cornmeal (or, in some areas, sorghum or millet). Cooked to a thinner, gruel-like
consistency called uji, it is served for breakfast. There is a dark ugali made from
millet flour.
FOODSTUFFS
• Cornmeal, sorghum, millet are the main staples.
• Meat: goat and chicken are most common in the countryside. Beef
and game can be found in the cities.
• Fish: fresh fish and seafood on the coast. Dried and smoked fish are
used for flavoring in many households, depending on area.
• Milk and milk products are sold throughout the urban areas, less
commonly in the countryside. Some ethnic groups (Maasai, Turkana,
Massalit, Karomojong) who are cattle nomads subsist largely on milk
or a mixture of milk and blood extracted from living cattle.
• Vegetables: greens such as spinach, onions, wild mushrooms in some
areas.
• Fruit: plentiful tropical fruit; some local, some introduced. Mango,
pineapples, strawberries, and passion fruit have been introduced and
are now raised commercially for export and local consumption. Native
oranges, bananas, coconuts on the coast, baobab fruit are local fruits
that are available most of the year.
• Preserved imports, particularly condensed milk and corned beef,

have been incorporated into the cuisine.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Ugali, a stiff porridge from cornmeal or millet, or irio, a more
elaborate version, are the common staples.
• Grilled meat (nyama choma) is most popular in the cities and is made
from goat, beef, or whatever is available. Grilled chicken (mchuzi wa
kuku) is also very popular.
• M’baazi (cooked pea beans), which is sometimes an appetizer but
may also be a main dish.
• Samaki na nazi (fish and coconut) is eaten along the coast.
• Common beverages include maziwa ya kuganda (sour milk), ginger
beer, and sorrel tea. Many younger Kenyans drink large quantities of
soda.
STYLES OF EATING
• People eat three meals a day if they can afford it.
• Middle-class Kenyans tend to eat like their European counterparts,
and table settings include forks and spoons, glasses, and flat plates.
• In the countryside, traditional households eat around a shared dish of
the staple, which is enlivened by side dishes. Food is brought to the
table all at the same time, and people help themselves as they please.
Often, dining is not round a table but with diners seated together in
armchairs, plate on one’s lap.
• Breakfast consists of fresh or fried bread and coffee, and sometimes
eggs.
• Lunch and dinner tend to be similar: a staple with a stew of meat or
vegetables, sometimes more than one stew if the person can afford it.
• Sweet things are rarely eaten, except fruit in season or during special
occasions. Snacks of fruit sometimes supplement scant meals.

Githeri is a traditional staple for the Kikuyu people of Kenya.
1 cup dried whole kernel corn (maize: the kind for tortillas is best),
rinsed in cold water
1 cup dried beans (kidney, pinto, navy beans, or similar), soaked in
cold water for a few hours and drained
water to cover
salt to taste
Combine corn and beans.

Add enough cold water to cover.
Bring to a boil and cook over high heat for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Cook until almost dry; most of the water should be absorbed or
evaporated, and the corn and beans should be tender yet still intact, not
mushy.
Season to taste.
Serve hot with any dish.

This dish is a Kikuyu traditional staple, similar to but more elaborate than
githeri.
1 cup dried peas soaked overnight or 1 pound frozen peas

1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 cup dried corn (maize) kernels or 1 pound frozen corn
1/2 pound greens or spinach
1/4 cup water
1 medium onion, finely chopped and fried brown
Boil peas in water to cover until nearly tender, about 20–30 minutes.
Drain. (If using frozen peas, omit this step and merely add a few
tablespoons water.)
In a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, add the peas and all other
ingredients. There should be just enough moisture in the vegetables
themselves to enable them to steam cook. (If not, add 1/4 cup water.)
Season with salt and pepper, and simmer on lowest heat until tender,
about 20 minutes.
Mash with a potato masher until smooth and thick (or puree in blender
or food processor).
Serve hot with roasted or barbecued meat (to make nyamana irio) and
gravy.
Bean Stew
This dish might be served for any meal.
2 cups dried beans (any kind, although pigeon peas are most common)
1 1/2 pints boiling water
2 TBS oil
1 pound stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
1/2 pound kale or cabbage, tough ribs discarded, sliced into bite size
pieces
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tsp curry powder
salt to taste
1/2 pint boiling water
Add beans to boiling water in a large stewing pot.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 2 hours or overnight.
Drain, add water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for
20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan and brown the meat.
Add onion and fry until golden, stirring constantly.
Stir in meat and onion mixture and all other ingredients to the beans.
Add boiling water and simmer for 1 hour or until beans and meat are
tender.
Serve with ugali (see Ghana entry for the sidebar “African Staple,” p.
505) as main dish.

This salad relish is added to and mixed with hot spicy food a little at a time to
“cool” the spiciness of the dish and change its texture.
2 cups cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 cup scallions, sliced thinly
1/4 cup green bell pepper, and cut into fine strips
1 TBS lime juice
Toss ingredients together.

Serve in small individual bowls.

This is a standard side dish for many Kenyan families. You can substitute any
bean for the traditional pigeon pea.
1 cup dried beans, soaked overnight

1 quart boiling salted water
2 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped finely
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped finely
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or one whole chili pepper
1 cup coconut milk
Simmer beans for 1 hour in salted water until tender. Drain.

In a separate pot heat oil and sauté onions until brown. Add green
pepper and seasoning.
Add beans and coconut milk.
Simmer gently until sauce is thickened.
Correct the seasoning.
Serve hot or cold with ugali (see Ghana entry for the sidebar “African
Staple,” p. 505).

This is the favorite dining-out dish of most Kenyan families. Nairobi has
hundreds, perhaps thousands, of places that serve roast meat to avid customers.
2–3 pounds of any meat suitable for roasting (beef chuck ribs, rolled
ribs, rump, pork shoulder or leg)
juice of 1 lemon
about 1 TBS curry powder
about 1 TBS turmeric powder
about 1 TBS coriander powder
1 TBS chili powder
Combine garlic, lemon juice, and spices (to taste) in a large bowl. Mix
well.
Add meat and rub marinade all over. Allow to marinate at least 1 hour.
Grill meat over charcoal or broil in the oven. Use a meat thermometer
to check for doneness.
Serve with ugali or with irio.
Mango Ice Cream

Mangoes are a common fruit in season, and people consume huge amounts raw.
The pulp is available canned throughout Kenya and for export. Wealthier
households make this for dessert or for a snack.
4 or 5 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and mashed (about 2 cups)

2 TBS lemon rind, shredded or grated
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
Combine mashed mangoes, rind, condensed milk, and salt.

Whip cream with sugar until it stands in stiff peaks.
Fold the fruit mixture into the whipped cream.
Pour into freezer trays or an ice cream freezer and freeze. Break up ice
crystals after 1 hour and return to freezer for another hour. Beat the
frozen mango cream again to break up the crystals, and return to
freezer to freeze for 2 hours or until solid (or use ice cream churn,
following instructions).
Rice Pancakes
These pancakes are eaten for dessert or snacks.
2 1/2 cups rice flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut cream
4 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cardamom, or seeds from 4 cardamom pods, finely ground
2 1/2 tsp instant active dry yeast
oil or butter for frying
Mix all ingredients except the last two in a large bowl to a thick but
pourable batter. Add more flour or water, if needed.
Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour until bubbly.
Heat 1 TBS oil in a griddle over low medium heat; pour 1/4 cup of the
batter.
Cook for 3–5 minutes or until golden. Turn and cook the other side
until done.
Keep warm; sprinkle with more sugar, if desired, for serving.

This dessert may be served with fresh sliced or cubed mangoes or other tropical
fruits.
2 cups natural unsweetened yogurt

1 cup cream cheese
sugar to taste
1/4 cup almond flakes, cashews or pistachios for garnish
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, sliced or cubed, or other tropical fruit
(pineapple)
1/2 tsp nutmeg for sprinkling (optional)
In a blender or bowl, mix well the yogurt, cream cheese, sugar, and
cardamom.
Chill well.
Distribute the mangoes among four dessert plates or bowls; spoon the
yogurt mixture alongside.
Garnish with nuts and nutmeg.
Kiribati
A cluster of thirty-three coral atolls in the Pacific straddling the Equator,

formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati (pronounced keer-ree-bahss)
became independent in 1979 under the new name. The atolls are sandy, with
little arable land, and so edible plants are carefully gardened. The climate is
tropical, mediated by cool trade winds, which keeps the temperature comfortable
throughout most of the year. Kiribati has been strongly influenced by British,
missionary, and, more recently, Japanese food practices.
FOODSTUFFS
• Breadfruit (mai) and, more recently, rice are the common staples.
• The most valuable plant is the coconut, which provides food, drink,
and cooking oil, among other uses, followed by pandanus and taro.
Sweet potato, arrowroot, and gourds are widely cultivated; banana,
papaya, mango, lime, and jackfruit are grown only in some islands.
Ripe noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia) are eaten fresh.
• Fish and seafood are an important food resource. Marine foods
include tuna, porpoise, mullet, and other large fish from the deep sea
(shark), and coastal cockles, crayfish, lobster, octopus, giant clams, sea
urchin, giant sea conger eels, turtles, crabs, and squid. Milkfish are
today raised in ponds on some of the islands.
• Pork, chicken, sea birds.
• Ripe pandanus (screw pine, Pandanus tectorius) fruit (tou), made
into flour or pudding (te kabubu), paste (tuae) and other products made
from the dried fruit, are important food sources. The fruit rarely ripens
in other places, and it is perhaps the most unique Kiribati food
resource.
• Among the more northern islands, taro and a variety of tree figs are
cultivated.
• Due to the common occurrence of drought (and consequent famine),
the population has evolved methods of preserving as many foods as
possible—coconuts, pandanus fruit, taro, fish—by drying and
fermentation.
• Introduced foods include canned tuna and corned beef, evaporated
milk, and granulated sugar.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Palusami, a Samoan dish now widely popular: taro leaves and
seaweed in curry-flavored coconut cream sauce, eaten with pork or
chicken.
• Traditional puddings with taro: bekei (pounded taro boiled and mixed
with palm molasses and coconut cream), tangana (pounded taro
baked, mixed with palm molasses), buatoro (pounded or grated taro,
mixed with palm molasses and coconut cream, called te ran ben, and
wrapped in taro leaves and baked in an earth or underground oven).
• Pancakes, on their own or with jam.
• Raw tuna with rice and soy sauce; grilled fish; fish tempura; dried,
salted octopus eaten raw or grilled.
• Boiled breadfruit as a side dish, fried breadfruit chips.
• Pigs roasted in an earth oven.
• Imported instant noodles (usually chicken flavored), eaten as part of
a meal with rice and sometimes brought to celebratory meals as well.
• Imported corned beef, either fried or straight out of the can.
• The most common drink is palm toddy (karewe), the sap of the palm.
This can be concentrated into a syrup, te kamaimai, which is diluted
with water to make a sweet refreshing drink or fermented.
STYLES OF EATING
• If possible, people eat three times a day with snacks. Traditionally,
meals were eaten twice a day, with no fixed times for eating; though
breakfast was usually when fishermen had come back with a catch.
The second meal was toward evening, when the palm toddy was ready
for drinking. A midday meal was eaten by wealthier residents.
Midnight snacks or meals used to be customary.
• People eat loading their own plates from a common serving dish,
with little ceremony. Food is scarce in the islands and sharing food is
common.
• Breakfast: usually rice with soy sauce, washed down with coconut
toddy drink (te kamaimai).
• Lunch and dinner are no different in composition: rice or taro with
fish or some other protein, or whatever is available, preserves or
pickles.
• Snacks: dried sea worms, which are chewed like chewing gum;
potato or breadfruit crisps; Chinese dried plums; ice pops made from
powdered milk, mixed with coconut toddy or sugar and dyed bright
colors; pancakes (which may also be part of a main meal).
• On special occasions, pork, taro, fish, and other foods wrapped in
leaves and cooked for several hours in an earth oven are consumed.
Corned Beef Stew

As in many places in the world that have been exposed to European and
American foodways, corned beef has become a delicacy that is often made and
consumed at festivals and parties.
1 can corned beef
1 TBS oil
2 TBS tomato ketchup
soy sauce to taste
Break the corned beef up into small chunks.

Heat oil in a wok and stir fry the beef until warmed through and
slightly browned.
Add the ketchup, stirring constantly.
When the ketchup has been all absorbed, add soy sauce to taste.
Serve over rice.
Ice Pops
The climate makes cold foods very attractive, and the fairly recent introduction
of refrigeration means that some households can prepare a kids’ favorite, with a
local twist.
1 cup powdered milk

2 cups early (nonalcoholic) palm toddy (or 1 1/2 cups light sugar syrup
mixed with 1/2 cup coconut water), warmed (not boiled)
food dye of your choice
Dissolve milk powder in warm toddy.

Allow to cool.
Add food coloring if desired and mix well. Cool.
Freeze in ice tray.
Serve as a snack.

Local poi is made with the tender, translucent flesh from green coconuts,
mashed, and flavored with palm sap (karewe) or molasses (kamaimai) made
from boiled-down palm sap. This is eaten as a snack or dessert.
1/2 cup molasses, palm sugar, or dark brown sugar (for example,
jaggery, panocha, and raspadura are available at stores that sell Asian
or Latin American foods)
5 cups fresh green coconut meat, mashed or pureed
In a bowl, mix the molasses and coconut cream; if using jaggery,

panocha, or raspadura, pound finely before using. Stir in the green
coconut mash. Chill well before serving.
Alternatively, blend the molasses, coconut cream, and whole coconut
meat in a blender until smooth.
Samoan Poi
This Samoan version of poi has become a popular dessert in Kiribati; it is similar
to a banana milkshake. The classic version uses 2 fresh lime or lemon leaves to
impart a subtle citrus scent to the poi; the leaves are discarded before serving.
4–5 ripe bananas

grated rind and juice of 4 limes or 2 lemons
2 cups coconut milk
sugar to taste
slices of lime or lemon for garnish
In a blender, puree bananas, rind and juice, and coconut milk until
smooth. Add more coconut milk if the mixture is too thick to pour.
Taste and add sugar, if desired; chill well and mix thoroughly before
serving in dessert bowls or wide glasses with ice cubes.
Garnish with lime slices.

Taro, called babai in Kiribati, is a very commonly eaten tuber, used for both
savory and sweet dishes. This is another dessert or snack dish.
1 1/2 pounds taro root

1/2 cup sugar (can be brown sugar or molasses)
1 cup grated fresh or frozen unsweetened coconut for garnish
In a saucepan, put the whole unpeeled taro with water to cover and
bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes or until taro roots are
tender (when a skewer pierces through with ease).
Drain taro, peel, and cut into cubes; place in a baking dish.
Mix the coconut cream with sugar, and pour over the taro.
Bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes or until piping hot.
Garnish with grated coconut and serve.
Korea
Korea is located on a peninsula in East Asia between Japan and China. It was a
Japanese colony between 1911 and 1945 and subsequently suffered a devastating
civil war (complicated by a UN war with China). The climate is temperate:
warmer and subtropical in the south, cooler to cold in the north. The substrate of
the land is largely granite, and so is not all suitable for cultivation.
The population is almost homogeneously Korean, save for a tiny Chinese
minority. The country is divided into two political regimes. There is little
traditional, linguistic, or culinary difference between the two states except for
that imposed by differences of rule over the past half-century.
North Korea (north of the thirty-eighth parallel) is a poor, underdeveloped
state, controlled by a Communist dynasty. Although North Korea has been
unable to feed its population for decades, the South is a successful industrial
state whose farmers have been able, in recent years, to supply most food needs.
The traditional preferred staple is rice. North Korea tends to be cooler than
South Korea, so rice does not grow well, and the staple is sometimes barley and
sweet potatoes (when available).
Korean food is influenced by China through historical cultural exchanges
and, to a limited extent, by Japan. There are similarities to Mongolian food,
notably in the preference for meat, particularly grilled. However, Korean food is
distinguished by a liberal use of chili peppers, garlic, green onions, and sesame
oil.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, wheat noodles, soybean products.
• Barley, millet, buckwheat, maize, potato.
• Beef, pork, chicken, fish, seafood (clams, oysters, octopus).
• Vegetables: fresh and pickled Chinese cabbage, turnips, garlic,
cucumber, soybean (including sprouts), mung bean, red bean, dried or
fresh wild vegetables, mushrooms, ginkgo nuts, day lily buds, water
chestnut, eggplant, pumpkin, assorted gourds, sweet potato, assorted
seaweed.
• Fruits: persimmon, apple, Asian pear, plum, peach, citrus
(mandarins, clementines).
• Seasonings: chilies, garlic, green onions, sesame oil; soy sauce,
soybean paste (doenjang).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews (chige, also spelled jjigae) of meat or fish or soybean curd and
seasonal vegetables such as zucchini, spinach, carrots. The most
popular stew (doenjang jjigae) is flavored with soybean paste and is
claimed as the national dish. Barbecued meats, marinated in chilies,
garlic, green onions, and sesame oil, grilled at the table.
• Japanese-style dishes: noodles in soup (udong), seaweed rolls
(kimbap), raw fish.
• Chinese-style stir-fried dishes of meat and vegetables.
• Salads (namul) of soy bean sprouts and reconstituted wild vegetables.
• Drinks: Green tea, ginseng tea, rice wine (takju), rice liquor (soju),
coffee, bottled fruit and carbonated drinks. Ginseng tea is consumed
frequently for health.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three main meals daily, and snacks. North Koreans suffer from
hunger and malnutrition in many cases, and they rarely eat as much.
• Traditional meals are eaten with metal utensils (bowl, chopsticks, and
spoon). Unlike in China and Japan, the rice bowl is not raised to the
lips: rice is eaten with a spoon.
• Kimchee (peppery pickled vegetables), most commonly of Chinese
cabbage, accompany every meal.
• Breakfast: rice, pickles, soup of beef ribs or fish, ginseng or barley
tea; savory pancake with vegetables (pajyong); rice porridge (juk) with
egg, fish, or meat.
• Lunch: stew (jjigae) of meat or seafood or tubu (soybean curd) with
vegetables, pickles, rice, barley or ginseng tea.
• Dinner: grilled meat or fish, rice, pickles, seasoned vegetables
(namul), tea.
• Snacks: traditional cakes (deok) of rice flour, millet, and other grains
stuffed with red beans, persimmon, and other fruits for sweet types,
and made with garlic chives and egg for savory type; Western cakes
with coffee; street snacks of sausage (sundae), wheat noodles in
anchovy soup (guksu), or kimbap (rolls of rice and shredded
vegetables wrapped in seaweed, similar to Japanese sushi rolls, but not
quite so).
• There are many types of eating venues, from itinerant peddlers and
street stalls to Korean and international food restaurants, including
multinational fast food chains. Little dishes of assorted
accompaniments (banchan), for example, fresh shucked oysters, stir-
fried anchovies, garlic-chive fritters, and seasoned vegetables (namul),
come with restaurant meals, the number depending on the type (and
price) of food. Pickles are a subset of banchan.
Hand-mixing kimchee ingredients. (Steve Blose/iStockphoto.com)
KIMCHEE
Koreans pride themselves on their kimchee (pickles). Pickles are so
important for the Korean diet that there is a kimchee museum in Seoul,
celebrating the thousands of varieties. Kimchee is made from firm
vegetables—Chinese cabbage and various radishes are favorites—well
flavored with salt and chilies, and there are many local variants. Other
ingredients such as dried shrimp or fish are often added. In traditional
Korea, kimchee was made in late summer. The pickles were placed in large
(2–3 feet long) black glazed jars, which were well sealed and placed in an
area with constant light warmth. In many rural areas it was usual, until the
late 1970s, to see several kimchee jars half-buried in compost heaps in
every yard.

Kalbi-gui are marinated overnight, usually in sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic,
sugar, green onions, ginger, and other spices. Rice wine may be added for flavor
and as tenderizer. The marinated meat is cooked at the table on a metal grid over
a burner; traditionally, this was a clay burner with charcoal. Each diner picks a
piece of cooked beef with metal chopsticks and wraps it in a fresh lettuce leaf
together with a bit of rice, pickled or fresh vegetables, or any other garnish laid
out on little bowls on the table. If pork is used, the dish is called dwaeji kalbi-
gui. This dish is for an evening meal. Serve accompanied by plain rice, pickled
vegetables (kimchee), a vegetable salad (namul), and soup (see sidebar
“Kimchee,” above).
1 1/2 pounds beef or pork short ribs, sliced about 2–2 1/2 inches long
2 tsp water
2 tsp scallion, minced
3 tsp thick soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 TBS black bean paste
1 tsp sugar
1/2 TBS ginger, grated
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp sesame seed, toasted
1 tsp oil
Combine all ingredients and allow beef to marinate overnight,

refrigerated.
Broil over very hot charcoal or under very hot grill.
Serve with white rice and dipping sauce on the side.
Dipping sauce
chili sauce to taste
salt to taste
1 tsp sesame seed, toasted
1 tsp scallions, finely minced
1 tsp sesame oil
Combine all ingredients about 1 hour before use.

A dish commonly served at parties and special occasions, chapjae can be made
with any type of vegetable in season. Vegetables are fried separately in a small
amount of oil. Instead of ground beef, strips of beef, pork, or chicken can be
used.
3 TBS vegetable oil

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound cellophane noodles (available in stores that sell Asian foods
and the Asian aisles of major supermarkets), soaked in cold water for
10 minutes
boiling water to cover noodles
1/2 bunch spinach (about 1 cup when cooked)
6 shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried and soaked for 10 minutes in hot
water, woody stem end removed and discarded, chopped finely
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and cut into julienne strips
1 TBS sesame seeds
1 TBS sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 TBS brown sugar
Heat 1 TBS oil in a wok. Brown meat. Set aside.

Blanch noodles in boiling water for about 2–3 minutes. Rinse in cold
water immediately. Drain.
Blanch spinach quickly in boiling water. Plunge immediately in cold
water to keep color. Drain and chop roughly.
Heat remaining oil and stir fry mushrooms, onion, and carrots until
almost tender.
Stir in meat, spinach, and noodles, frying briefly.
Add sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot.

Bibimbap is a one-dish meal of rice mixed with assorted vegetables, usually
served with pickles and soup and a dollop of hot pepper sauce (chojang).
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips

2 zucchini, cut into julienne strips
2 cups soybean or mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, presoaked in hot water, drained, woody
stems discarded, and sliced
2 cups spinach, blanched, then plunged into cold water, drained
1 cup icicle radish (daikon), cut into julienne strips
4 cups cooked rice (this can be all white rice, or two-thirds rice cooked
with one-third barley)
1 pound beef, ground or thinly sliced
2 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
about 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
4 eggs
Put vegetables into separate bowls. Season with salt and cayenne
pepper to taste. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then drain and discard
excess liquid.
Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a bowl. Marinate meat for 5
minutes in this mixture.
Heat 1 TBS oil in a wok. Brown meat. Set aside.
Using 1 TBS oil each time, stir fry vegetables separately, except
spinach and radish. Set aside.
Divide hot cooked rice into four individual bowls.
Arrange vegetables and beef over the rice in wedges, leaving space in
the center for the egg.
Heat oil.
Fry eggs (sunny side up) to desired state; lightly season with salt.
Place egg in the center, surrounded by the vegetables.
Serve with vinegar and chojang (see following recipe).

Koreans adore the bite of strong hot peppers. Chojang is almost always present
on the table as a relish at any meal.
5 TBS hot soybean paste (kochujang, or substitute any hot soybean

paste, available from stores that sell Asian foods)
2 TBS brown rice vinegar (available also in Asian food stores)
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Adjust seasoning to your liking.
Serve with any one-bowl rice dish.

Namul are salads of fresh seasonal vegetables or reconstituted dried wild
vegetables such as fern fronds or bellflower roots, which are usual relishes for a
meal. They are flavored with salt or hot soybean paste (kochujang), toasted
sesame seeds, sesame oil, vinegar, green onions, and garlic.
3 cucumbers, each 4–5 inches long (Asian variety preferable), sliced

into thin rounds
1 TBS salt
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (to toast: dry fry in a skillet over low heat
until the seeds start to “jump”)
pinch of sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
Sprinkle salt over cucumber slices, mix well, and let stand for 30
minutes.
Place the cucumbers in a damp cloth and gently squeeze out liquid.
Discard liquid.
Toss with rest of ingredients, adding sesame oil last.

Red, green, and white are the Korean national colors. Three-color dumplings are
served during festivals and sometimes offered at temples. These sweet
dumplings are served as a snack with ginseng, green, or barley tea.
4 cups glutinous rice flour (available from stores that sell Asian foods)
1 TBS salt
20 dried Chinese dates (jujubes; available from stores that sell Chinese
foods, or substitute small dried dates), pitted and chopped finely
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp honey
1 or 2 drops food coloring (red, green), each dissolved separately in 1
TBS water
oil for deep frying
1/2 cup honey dissolved in equivalent hot water
Divide rice flour into three equal parts.

Add food coloring separately to two of the three parts and mix well.
Gradually add hot water and knead each of them into a smooth, elastic
dough.
Mix jujubes with 1 tsp honey and cinnamon to make the filling.
Shape the dough into dumplings about the size of a walnut.
Make a cavity in each ball. Insert 1/2 tsp of filling and seal well,
smoothing the dough over to seal the opening.
Heat oil to 340°F in a deep pot or a wok. Deep fry dumplings until
crisp and golden brown in color. Drain off excess oil on paper towels
or a rack.
While dumplings are hot, soak in honey-water and place in a pyramid
on a serving plate. Serve warm with tea.

Hoddeok are a popular street food and well-loved snack in South Korea. There
are many variations on the dough: a mix of wheat flour, glutinous rice flour,
and/or corn flour. The filling is based on nuts, sugar, and cinnamon, and may
feature peanuts, walnuts, almonds, as well as sesame seeds.

2 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup glutinous rice flour (mochikō)
flour or cornstarch for dusting
Filling
3 TBS nuts, finely chopped (your choice of peanuts, almonds, etc.)
2 tsp cinnamon, or more if preferred
1 egg white, well beaten (for binding the filling)
oil for frying
In a bowl, dissolve the yeast, sugar, and salt in the milk; set aside until
frothy.
In a larger bowl, mix well the egg yolk and both flours; stir in the yeast
mixture and mix to a very soft, sticky dough.
Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30 minutes
to 1 hour.
Make the filling: combine the sugar, nuts, cinnamon, and egg white;
set aside.
Deflate the dough gently, then divide into 8 pieces.
Roll these out on a floured surface, or flatten with floured fingers to a
3-inch circle.
Place about a tablespoon of filling in the center; pinch dough edges
together to enclose the filling and reshape the dough into a ball.
Over medium heat, heat 3–4 TBS oil in a griddle or heavy-bottomed
frying pan.
Place dough ball in hot oil and press on it with a spatula, resulting in a
rather thick pancake.
Cover the griddle and let cook for 2–3 minutes or until the edges are
brown and the top is puffy. Turn pancake over, press on it, and let
cook, uncovered, another 1–2 minutes more.
Serve piping hot.

Like the hoddeok pancakes above, these are made with glutinous rice flour; they
are also called goguma chabssal doughnuts.
1 sweet potato, about 1/2 pound or slightly less

1 cup glutinous rice flour (mochikō), available from stores that sell
Asian foods)
3 TBS flour
2 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup hot milk
oil for deep frying
cinnamon sugar: 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon
In a covered saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil the unpeeled
sweet potato with water to cover. Turn down heat and simmer for 15–
20 minutes or until tender. (When a skewer pierces through easily, the
sweet potato is done.)
Alternatively, place the unpeeled sweet potato with 2 TBS water in a
microwaveable container with cover. Cook at high power (650-watt
microwave) for 2 1/2–3 minutes or until soft.
Peel sweet potato, mash, and mix to a firm but pliable dough with the
flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda, and milk.
Add milk or flour to adjust the consistency, if needed.
With floured or greased hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls.
Deep fry a few at a time at medium heat until golden brown.
Drain balls on paper towels; roll into cinnamon sugar.
Serve at once or on the same day.
Kosovo
A region in the Balkans between Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and Macedonia,

Kosovo has been, historically and emotionally, the center of Serbian culture.
There are numerous sites important to Serb history and traditions, which for the
past two centuries have been settled by immigrants from Albanian areas.
Between the fourteenth and nineteenth century, Kosovo was an Ottoman
province. In the early twentieth century, Kosovo was incorporated into the
Kingdom of Serbia and, later, Yugoslavia. In 1999, after a civil war between the
majority Kosovars of Albanian origin and the minority Serbs (backed by Serbia),
Kosovo became a self-governing entity under UN authority. In 2008 the
Republic of Kosovo declared independence and was recognized by some UN
members but not all.
About 90 percent of the population are Kosovars of Albanian descent, about
8 percent are Serbs, and there are small minorities of Bosniaks, Turks, and
others. The economy is largely based on agriculture. Kosovo cooking has been
influenced by Roman, Byzantine, Turkish, Greek, and other Balkan cuisines.
Much of the population engages in agriculture.
Typical dishes are made of breads, rice, roasted meats (beef, dried beef,
mutton, and kid) and fowl, freshwater fish, and cooked vegetables such as
legumes. Sweet dishes are eaten often, with meals and as snacks. Bread and
stuffed baked goods both savory and sweet, and grilled meats characterize the
cuisine. The food has been influenced by Greek, Italian, Albanian, and other
Balkan cuisines. It shares many traditions and foods with other former Yugoslav
states such as Serbia, Bosnia, and Macedonia. A major influence is the food of
the Ottoman Empire, of which Kosovo was a part for centuries.
FOODSTUFFS
Most of the foodstuffs are typical of other Balkan areas:
• Breads in a number of formats, pies, rice, potatoes.
• Meat, mainly roasted or grilled, beef mutton and goat predominate.

Non-Muslims eat pork. A fairly recent addition are fish from rivers
and streams as well as imported from the Adriatic.
• Cabbages, carrots, and a great variety of beans and peas. Vegetables
are made into stews, spreads/relishes, and stuffed. Red peppers are
eaten on a regular basis.
• Milk products, including yogurt and kaymak (clotted cream), soft
white cheeses, and some smoked brined cheeses. Salty cheeses are
commonly eaten and may be offered as snacks as well.
• Grapes, apricots and plums, cherries, quinces, watermelon, and
berries. Fruit are eaten raw in season or preserved in jams and syrups.
• Wine (drunk by most, including Muslims), beer, tea, and thick
Turkish coffee are drunk throughout the day. Fruit syrups with
carbonated water are drunk throughout the summer. Juices made from
the brine of pickles such as cabbage are less popular than they have
been historically. A typical drink is boza, made of malted corn (maize)
and flour. Boza is very rich in vitamins and energy. It is consumed
throughout the year.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Baked goods, particularly various forms of burek (stuffed fine pastry
layers). Flija (layers of pastry brushed with cream and served with
kaymak), krelane puff pastry and other pie-like confections stuffed
with fruit or with vegetables such as spinach and cheese, mantija
(small burek, filled with meat).
• Vegetables are eaten fresh in salads during the season and pickled
into turšija (mixed pickles) for the lean winter months and eaten with
every meal. Prior to winter, many households prepare pickles from
summer and autumn vegetables, as well as pasterma (dried beef),
hajvar (hot or mild red pepper paste), pinxhur (paste made of
tomatoes, peppers, garlic, eggplants, salt, and oil), and other long-
lasting relishes.
• Main meals include burek of various kinds, grilled or baked meat
with vegetables, rice, stuffed vegetables sarma or japrak (vine or
cabbage leaves and particularly sweet bell peppers stuffed with meat
and rice).
• Grilled meat dishes such as raznjici (skewered meat), pljeskavica
(meat patties of beef and lamb), and cevapcici (spiced sausage-like
kebabs) are a common food for main meals as well as snacks and
street foods.
• Red peppers—both hot and sweet varieties—are a favorite vegetable
for all seasons. In the summer they are grilled over charcoal, and eaten
as is with a sprinkle of salt lemon juice, and olive oil. In the winter
peppers are stuffed and made into sarma. At all seasons, sweet or hot
hajvar is usually available at every meal.
• Desserts include pastries topped with vanilla or lemon icing, baklava
and other honey-or syrup-sweetened pastries of Greek or Turkish
origin.
• Drinks include strong sweet tea and coffee, watered rose petal syrup,
boza (lightly fermented corn drink), and lemonade. Wine, rakja (anise-
flavored spirit), and slivovica (plum brandy) are drunk with guests.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people try to eat three meals a day. The midday meal may be
cooked by people in the fields and eaten in common. Breakfast is eaten
at home, usually bread, cheese, pickles, and tea or coffee. The evening
meal, which may be bought readymade at a grill or market or prepared
at home, usually consists of a full array of meat, vegetables, legumes,
and staple such as rice.
• Table settings are European modified by family circumstances.
Cooking at home is the province of women, whereas men will grill
meat and cook for communal meals in the field during work.
• Snacks are a major part of the day, often sweet, and served with
coffee or tea. There are many cafés where people (largely men) take
breaks for a drink and a snack and talk.
• Festive meals always include a large variety and quantity of grilled
meats and baked goods.
• Qebabtores (kebab stalls) serve samun during the day: pocket breads
filled with cevapcici and salad, often taken home for a meal.

Vegetables are a major food item and make their appearance at every meal. In
the summer they are normally eaten fresh in a salad. In winter they are stewed or
stuffed.
4 TBS olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped
2/3 pound sweet bell peppers, mixed colors, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 pound zucchini, chopped roughly
1/3 pound eggplant, chopped roughly
1 cup ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 TBS flat-leaved parsley, minced
1 cup water
Heat a heavy, lidded pot with 1 TBS oil.
Stir fry onions until translucent. Remove onions and set aside in large
bowl.
Add 1 TBS oil to pot. When hot, add peppers and stir fry until they
start to blister, then add the zucchini. Stir fry until the vegetables are
slightly browned (they need not be cooked through). Remove and add
to onions.
Add remaining oil to pot, heat and stir fry eggplant, which will absorb
all the oil. Remove eggplant and add to onions.
Add tomatoes to the pot and allow to simmer briefly, then return the
rest of the fried vegetables to the pot.
Add water, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil. Immediately lower heat to minimum, cover, and allow
to cook until virtually all the liquid has been absorbed and the
vegetables are well mixed.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot on rice, bread, or with a meat dish.

Summers in Kosovo are hot, and vegetables and fruit are mainly served
uncooked on their own or in salads. The mixture of sweet, sour, and salty is
satisfying and refreshing in the heat. Do not oversalt, as the brined cheese and
olives provide plenty of saltiness.
2 oranges, peeled, pith removed, and sliced into 1/8-inch disks

1 lemon, peeled, all the white pith removed, sliced into disks then
quartered
1 handful drained, salt-preserved black olives (if the olives are dry
preserved, rinse briefly in cold water, then mix with 1 TBS virgin olive
oil)
1/2 cup brine-cured white cheese (available from shops that sell
Central European and Balkan foods)
1 small bunch of fresh mint leaves, stems discarded, finely minced, a
few leaves left whole for decoration
virgin olive oil
4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, sliced into rounds
Place oranges, lemon, olives, cheese, and mint in a large bowl.

Just before serving: season with salt and pepper, add oil to your taste.
Toss briefly, adjust seasoning. Decorate with slices of boiled egg and
reserved whole mint leaves. Serve immediately with fresh bread or as
a side dish to grilled meat.

Hajvar is a must on every dinner table. It is preserved over the winter to provide
flavor, and added to meats, stews, and soups. Some families make it wholly out
of hot red peppers, usually the Hungarian variety (paprika chilies, or use
Hungarian cherry peppers), others make it sweet, and many prefer something in
the middle. Hajvar is best made in large quantities and allowed to mature.
2 pounds red peppers (sweet bell, hot or any mix of these to your taste)
deep bowl of cold water
1–2 TBS salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
Place red peppers under a hot grill and char on all sides (be careful: the
peppers will be hot; it is best to use tongs). The skin should be
blistered in places, and charred all over.
Remove from grill and plunge into a bowl of very cold water.
When peppers are cool enough to be handled, remove papery skin,
core, and all seeds.
In a lidded pot, mash cooked peppers as fine as possible.
Add all other ingredients to the mashed peppers.
Cook over a low flame, covered, for about 2 hours. Check to ensure
the mash has not dried out from time to time, and add some water if
necessary. You want the end product to be a relatively smooth paste,
with a spreadable but not liquid consistency.
Place hajvar in a sterilized jar. Seal and allow to cool. Serve with
meat, vegetable, or rice dishes. It will keep in the refrigerator for
months.

Minced meat skewers, or kofta, are popular anywhere within Turkish or Persian
influence, roughly from the Balkans to South Asia. In Kosovo they are a popular
street food, normally sold in bread pockets. You can vary the proportions of beef
and mutton, but for authentic flavor both should be present. Ideally this should
be cooked over a hot charcoal fire.
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/4 tsp salt
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground mutton
2 medium onions, grated
1/2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika powder
2 TBS flat leaf parsley, finely minced
8 flat metal skewers, or bamboo skewers soaked in cold water for 30
minutes
4 fresh flat bread rounds—pita or pitalke (see below)—sliced open to
form a pocket
Finely sliced onions, hajvar, and salty white cheese if desired, for
garnish
Using a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic and salt together to make a
paste.
Place the meat, onions, paprika, parsley, and garlic mixture in a large
bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands until all ingredients are well
blended.
Shape meat into a sausage shape around the tip of each skewer,
shaping them by clenching your fist lightly but firmly.
Grill over a hot charcoal fire (or under a grill) until well done but still
juicy.
Remove from heat. Place kofta in a round of pitalke, grasp the kofta
enclosed in the pitalke, and withdraw the skewer. Repeat with a
second skewer.
Add finely sliced onions, and hajvar or cheese, salad, or whatever you
fancy. Eat hot.

Originating in antiquity, flat breads are common throughout the eastern
Mediterranean. The town of Prizren in Kosovo is famous for this style of bread,
which functions as a pocket to hold fillings such as kofta.

1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
plastic spray bottle with water

Heat a flat iron skillet or pizza stone in the oven.
Mix yeast, sugar, and water in a small bowl. Set aside until frothy.
In a large bowl, mix flour and salt, then mix in the yeast mixture. Add
water gradually to make a soft dough (you may not have to use all the
water).
Knead on a floured surface for 10–15 minutes or until smooth and
elastic.
Oil the dough, place into a bowl, and allow to rise, covered by a damp
cloth until doubled in volume.
Divide dough into four, roll each into a ball.
Allow balls to rise 10 minutes, covered by a damp cloth.
Flatten each ball with your palm.
Remove skillet from oven, quickly flour surface lightly, and place
dough rounds on skillet. Return to oven and bake until rounds brown
slightly and puff up.
Remove immediately. Eat warm or cool, with filling or to sop up
stews, scoop salad, and so on.
Hint: The ability of the dough to puff up depends on the right
moisture. You can use a spray bottle to lightly spray each disk before it
is placed in the oven. Make sure you do not open the oven door until
the breads have puffed up.

Beans are an important vegetable in Kosovo and are served in both summer and
winter. Particularly favored are barbunja (cranberry beans, borlotti) because of
their mild, almost chestnut flavor and keeping qualities. You can substitute other
kinds of meat such as beef or veal for the mutton.
2 pounds dried barbunja beans (available canned or dry from stores

that sell Balkan foods) or cranberry beans/borlotti (available from
Italian and specialty stores), soaked at least 6 hours, then drained.
Alternatively, 2 pounds fresh cranberry beans in their pods, topped and
tailed and cut in half
water to cover
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
1 pound mutton or lamb, cut into cubes
2 large onions, finely minced
6 very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped finely
water to cover
salt and paprika powder to taste
If using dried beans

Place in pot with plenty of water to cover and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a
rolling boil then lower heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes until
moderately soft (hard core remains). Drain and reserve.
If using fresh beans, proceed from this point

Heat oil in lidded pot.
Brown meat cubes on all sides, then add onions and cook while
stirring until onions are translucent.
Stir in half the tomatoes, salt, and paprika and cook about 3 minutes.
Add beans and water to barely cover.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until beans are soft and much of
the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir in remaining tomatoes and seasoning if desired, and cook covered
an additional 3 minutes.
Serve hot with rice or flat bread.

Stuffed vegetables, notably the beloved red peppers, are eaten cold during the
summers and hot during winter. You can omit the meat and substitute finely
minced vegetables (eggplant, celery, olives)
1/2 pound minced meat (mutton, beef, chicken, or a mixture)

1/4 pound spiced sausage meat, any sort
1 cup cooked rice
1 TBS flat leaf parsley, minced finely
2 TBS olive oil
1 onion, minced finely
salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
4 large bell peppers, any color (preferably with stems for easier
handling)
2 cups tomato flesh and juice (or canned chopped tomatoes)
Mix meat, sausage meat, garlic, rice, parsley, salt, and paprika until
well blended.
Heat oil in a heavy lidded casserole and fry onions to golden brown.
Add onions to meat mixture and reserve.
With a small knife cut around the rim of each pepper, removing the
cap and stem whole. Cut off and discard seed core and seeds. If
necessary, cut a thin layer off the bottom of the peppers to ensure they
will stand upright.
Stuff each pepper with the meat mixture, placing the “lid” back on (if
there is excess stuffing, reserve to one side).
Season the tomatoes to your taste, and pour about half into the
casserole.
Place the peppers upright in the casserole. Pour the remaining
tomatoes over the peppers.
Form excess stuffing into small balls with your palms, and place
around the peppers, making sure they are well coated with the liquid in
the casserole.
Bake, covered, at 350–375°F for 40–45 minutes. Remove lid and
allow to brown for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve hot, or allow to cool down and serve cold, with hajvar and
bread.

Lokum, meaning “morsel” in Turkish, normally refers to a soft sweet popular in
Turkey as a snack (known in Europe and the United States as Turkish delight).
In Kosovo, lokuma are a savory pastry snack usually served to male guests at
wedding parties and for other auspicious occasions. This recipe makes about 16
lokuma.
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup sparkling water
1 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
Beat together the egg, yogurt, sparkling water, and 1 tsp soda
bicarbonate.
Sift remaining baking soda, flour, and salt into a separate bowl.
Gradually add the egg mixture into the flour mixture to form a pliable
dough. Knead for 2 minutes until smooth.
Place dough on a floured surface and roll out about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut into 1 × 2 inch rectangles.
Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan.
Fry only a few lokuma at a time.
The lokuma should puff up. Fry until golden brown on both sides and
drain on a rack or paper towels.
Serve immediately.

These sweet tidbits are served on happy occasions, or as a snack with coffee or
tea.
2 cups honey
1/4 cup seedless raisins or dried apricots or prunes chopped to raisin
size
1/2 cup slivered almonds, crushed
3 eggs
2 TBS refined olive oil
1 cup plain flour
oil for deep frying
Warm honey at low heat with dried fruits, almonds, and lemon juice in
a pot until well blended. Keep cooking until slightly thickened. Set
aside.
Beat eggs with oil and rinds.
Blend in flour and mix to a soft dough. Knead with well-floured hands
until dough is shiny and elastic.
Roll dough out on a floured surface to a cylinder, then cut into 1-inch
pieces. Roll each piece to a small ball.
Heat oil and fry the balls, a few at a time until golden brown. Remove
immediately from oil and dry on a rack or paper towels.
Roll fried balls in the honey mixture until well coated. Allow to rest in
the honey mixture for a while, then remove and place in a single layer
on a buttered or oiled tray or large plate.
Serve cool with coffee or carbonated water.
Kurdistan
The Kurds are a Middle Eastern people who speak an Indo-Aryan language
related to Persian. Largely farmers and, to a lesser extent, nomads, some twenty-
five to forty million Kurds live at the conflux of the borders of Iran, Iraq, Syria,
and, in particular, Turkey, where they are the majority people in the eastern third
of the country. The area largely populated by Kurds is about seventy-four
thousand square miles, though the country is not a recognized national or
international entity.
Due to the Kurds’ intermingling with other populations, many of their

dishes are claimed by other countries (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, or Iran). The Kurds
identify certain dishes as typically theirs, though many of those are likely
adaptations or borrowings from their neighbors.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, bulgur (cracked wheat), flat breads baked on the sides
of a tabun (circular oven), vegetables, plain yogurt, cheese.
• Vegetables: squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant,
and greens.
• Fruit: watermelons, melons, figs, grapes, apricots, pomegranates.
• Flavoring: pepper, cumin, and garlic are common spices; hot peppers
are used sparingly.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Mezes (appetizers) and salads: marinated lamb liver fried in olive oil,
served with onions and parsley (ciger); chopped onion, tomatoes, red
peppers, cucumber, and mint (ezme); grilled eggplant with cultured
yogurt and garlic (alinazik); green beans with olive oil, tomatoes, and
onions (sholik); burghul and vegetables (kisir); lamb kidneys with feta
cheese, tomato paste (gurchuk); fried eggplant with green pepper, baby
marrow, and garlic yogurt (kizartma); eggplant stuffed with vegetables
served with salads (badiljane tijikiri); burgul with mushrooms (savare
kariya); lamb hearts stuffed with rice, meat, raisins, walnuts, and pine
nuts in a curried apricot sauce (giri-giri).
• Soups: rice and yogurt soup sprinkled with dried mint (yayla), meat-
stuffed bulgur dumplings in a sour soup (kubbeh khamoustah).
• Meat dishes: lamb cooked with spices, served with garlic yogurt
(haran), spicy lamb with green peppers and onion in a tomato and
garlic sauce wrapped in flat bread (serok), lamb with vegetables grilled
on skewers (sikh kebab), lamb ribs cooked with pickled onions
(yagni), sweet and sour chicken with herbs (zozan).
• The star of Kurdish cooking is kubbeh (also kibbeh). These bulgur
dumplings are made in many ways and are served in soups (red on the
basis of tomatoes, or green on the basis of sour herbs), on their own,
and with many different kinds of fillings. Kubbeh soup is a meal in
itself.
• Sweet dishes: dates and nuts rolled in phyllo pastry served with ice
cream or yogurt (hurma sarma), syrup-cooked pumpkin (sirini),
apricots stuffed with cream and almonds (kaysi dolma), baked rice
pudding flavored with sugar and cinnamon (sutlatch).
• Tea sweetened traditionally by a sugar cube held under the tongue.
STYLES OF EATING
• Kurds in the towns eat three meals a day and snacks. Country people
might eat only once or twice a day.
• Traditional dining is around dishes on a carpet, with everyone
helping themselves to what takes their fancy. All foods are served
together.
• Breakfast: bread, yogurt, or laban, tea or coffee.
• Lunch and dinner: main dishes such as kubbeh, salads, a sweet, tea or
coffee. For guests, the same meal will be made more elaborate with
several kinds of kubbeh, meat, rice, and whatever the household can
afford.
Chickpea Salad
This salad is served at any meal.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 TBS toasted cumin seeds
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBS fresh lime juice
2 cups canned chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained (or substitute
black beans, kidney beans, or white beans)
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds; cook just till fragrant.
Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender.
Add ginger, salt, pepper, cayenne, lime juice, tomato, and chickpeas,
and simmer for 5 minutes or until hot.
Serve salad hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.

Kubbeh appear in many forms. This dish would be served either as part of the
appetizers or as a main dish.

salt to taste
1 pound ground meat (mutton preferably, or beef)
1 TBS mixed cumin and cardamom powder
1 pound fine bulgur or semolina, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBS oil
1 TBS garlic, crushed
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 pound okra, cut for more glutinous consistency, whole for less
2 TBS tomato paste
1/2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice, strained
Make the filling: season onion with salt and let stand for 10 minutes.
Squeeze to remove excess juice. Add meat and spices.
Mix thoroughly with moistened hands or in a food processor.
Make the shells: place bulgur, flour, oil, and salt in a bowl. Knead the
mixture vigorously or pound in a mortar and pestle for about 15–20
minutes until pasty. Alternatively, blend in a food processor until
smooth.
Divide the mixture into twelve portions.
With moistened fingers, roll each into a lemon shape.
To fill the kubbeh: take one in the palm of your moistened left hand.
Create a long, narrow cavity in the kubbeh with one finger, while
turning the shell around with your left hand. Try not to pierce through
to the exterior, but if this happens, simply moisten a finger and smooth
out the crack.
Carefully push in 1 TBS of the meat mixture into the cavity. Seal the
cavity closed, and taper the ends gently.
Lay each kubbeh aside carefully.
Heat oil. Sauté garlic for 1 minute over low heat.
Add tomato and okra. Cook for 10–15 minutes until softened.
Add tomato paste and 1 cup water. Raise heat to medium and bring to
a boil.
Add lemon juice, sugar, and salt to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Keep the sauce simmering and carefully slip in the kubbeh.
Cover and gently simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Serve as main meal.

Mahshi)
Though claimed by many in the Middle East, this is considered by Kurds to be
their national dish. It is said that a Kurdish woman cannot be married until she
can prepare kibbeh properly. The end product must be firm, the exterior crisp but
not dry. Kibbeh can be served as the main dish or as appetizers.
2 cups bulgur (cracked wheat)

1 pound lamb, minced
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon powder
3 ounces pine nuts
Soak bulgur in cold water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out and mix
with meat, onion, spices, and seasonings.
Pound ingredients until thoroughly pasty (traditional), or run through a
food processor. The result should be a firm paste.
Wet both hands, then take a small lump of the mixture (about the size
of a medium egg) and form it around your forefinger to an even
thickness all over. The result should be the shape of a short sausage
(wet if necessary and smooth over all cracks).
Fill each shell loosely with about 1 tsp of pine nuts.
Smooth the ends to seal. Heat oil in a deep pan to moderate heat, then
carefully roll in two or three shells and fry for about 5 minutes until
browned and crisp all over. Do not cook more than two or three at a
time to avoid sticking and cracking.
Drain thoroughly and serve hot or cold with salad and yogurt.
Serve as appetizer in a meze or as main dish.

This dish is a frequently made sweet and served as a snack.
1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup water
1 pound pumpkin, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 cup chopped walnut meats
Simmer the sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved and
syrup is slightly thickened.
Add the pumpkin pieces and gently cook, without stirring, until the
syrup is almost completely absorbed and the pumpkin is tender, about
20–25 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure the pumpkin does not burn.
Arrange the cooked pumpkin on a plate and garnish with walnuts.
Serve with thick yogurt as a snack.

Like many Middle Eastern societies, the Kurds are very fond of sweet things,
accompanied by tea. Tea is an important part of hospitality.
1 TBS tea leaves

1 4-inch cinnamon stick
8 sugar cubes
Pour boiling water over tea and cinnamon in a teapot.

Steep for 5 minutes.
Pour into small glasses (or cups) about 1/2 cup in volume.
Place a sugar cube between your teeth.
Sip the hot tea through the sugar cube.
Repeat for the second glass.

These fritters are popular sweet snacks, eaten with tea or coffee.

1 TBS sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
oil for deep frying
Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
juice from 1 lemon
In a bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the water; set aside until frothy,
about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and lemon rind; mix in well the
yeast mixture, then the eggs to get a loose dough or very thick, sticky
batter.
Let dough stand, covered, until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes
to 1 hour.
Meanwhile prepare the syrup: in a saucepan, combine all ingredients
and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat and continue to simmer until thickened, about 10–15
minutes.
Let cool thoroughly before using.
Over medium heat, heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Scoop spoonfuls of dough with a spoon into the hot (about 360°F) oil;
do not crowd the pan.
Fry for 3–5 minutes or until the fritters are golden, turning them during
cooking.
Drain on paper towels; quickly dip the warm fritters into the syrup and
drain on a rack.
Eat at once or on the same day.

Like the lukmaqazi above, these pastries are a favorite sweet treat, eaten with a
hot or cold drink.
2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter, diced
1/4 cup cold water
1 egg yolk, well beaten, for egg-yolk wash
Filling
1/2 cup hazel or other nut (almond, walnut), chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg white, well beaten
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
Rub the butter well into the flour mixture; sprinkle with cold water and
gather mixture into a ball.
Knead briefly for about 5 minutes until dough is smooth; let rest,
covered, in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the filling: in a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
Take out a tsp of egg white and mix with 2 TBS water; set this egg-
white wash aside. Stir in the remaining egg white to the nut mix.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness; cut out 2
1/2-to 3-inch circles using a wide glass or pastry cutter.
Place about 1 TBS of filling in the center of the pastry; brush pastry
edges with the egg-white wash, seal firmly with the tines of a fork or
crimp into a decorative rope pattern.
Mix the egg yolk with 2 TBS water.
Place pastries on parchment-lined baking tray; brush filled pastries
with egg-yolk wash. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm or cold, dusted with powdered sugar if you wish.
Kuwait
Kuwait is a kingdom in the Middle East on the shores of the Persian Gulf,
sandwiched between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It is slightly smaller than New
Jersey. It has intensely hot and humid summers and short, cool winters. Much of
the land is flat and arid.
Kuwait being a Muslim nation, Eid-al-Adha (Abraham’s Sacrifice), Eid-al-
Fitr (End of Ramadan), and Muharram (Muslim New Year’s Day) are
celebrated. Kuwait enjoys a high standard of living due to the income from
petroleum. Virtually all foods are imported. Large numbers of non-Kuwaitis,
mainly from the Indian subcontinent, have brought an Indian influence to the
cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice, breads of wheat flour are the popular staples.
• Seafood of all kinds is very common.
• Preferred meats are lamb and camel calf.
• Dates are popular, both grown locally and imported from Iraq.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Deep-fried, baked, and mixed dishes of vegetables and meat cooked
with rice are popular.
• Mechbous, a spiced mixture of rice and chicken; seafood cooked with
rice; grilled fish.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and many snacks are currently eaten, though in the
past most people ate only in the morning and late afternoon.
Dried lime (loomi).
• Traditional meals are eaten by the entire family sitting around a

common dish of rice and meat or vegetables, eaten with the right hand
only. Western dining with individual place settings and cutlery is
common when eating out. Male and female guests eat separately.
• Breakfast: Western-style breakfasts including cereals and bread are
becoming popular. Older people still eat bread dipped in oil, with
coffee or tea.
• Lunch and dinner are similar, though the evening meal is likely to be
heavier. Often the main meal is a rice dish mixed with meat, chicken,
or fish.
• The evening meal during the month of fasting, Ramadan, tends to be
lavish, with many dishes served, particularly sweet foods.
• Coffee and tea are drunk throughout the day, often accompanied by
sweet pastries.

This is a characteristic dish for a main meal.
1 small whole chicken, cut into serving portions, rinsed and patted dry
salt
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods
3 whole cloves
5 black peppercorns, whole
3 cups short-grained rice
water as needed
flour as needed
Onion-spice topping (Hashu)

2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/4 cup seedless raisins, soaked in water, and drained
1/2 tsp ground loomi (dried lime, available from some stores that sell
Middle Eastern foods, or substitute grated lime rind)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
Tomato sauce (Duqqus)

2 TBS water
1 TBS tomato paste
Place chicken and spices in a stockpot with enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and continue to simmer uncovered over
medium heat until chicken is done but still firm (approximately 30
minutes). Remove and drain the chicken, reserving broth.
Chill broth and skim off congealed fat. Strain to remove spices and
other particles.
Prepare three cups of rice, with broth from the chicken topped up with
water to make 6 cups, if necessary. Add a pinch of salt.
While rice is cooking, prepare the onion topping.
Heat oil over medium heat in a frying pan and stir fry onions until
brown and almost caramelized. Stir in raisins and spices. Cook for 1
minute. Remove mixture from pan and set aside.
Make the tomato sauce: in the same frying pan, put chopped tomatoes,
water, garlic, tomato paste, salt, and pepper to simmer until tomatoes
are soft and the sauce well blended. Set aside.
Lightly dust the boiled, drained chicken with flour. Heat oil in a clean
frying pan and shallow fry the chicken over medium-high heat, turning
frequently, until brown and crispy.
When the rice is done, spread it on a serving platter. Sprinkle the onion
mixture over the rice and place the chicken on top. Place the tomato
sauce in a bowl on the table for diners to help themselves.

Fish and seafood are popular foods. This stew is served for a main meal.
Main dish
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp powdered coriander
2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp (medium size)
1 pound tomatoes, chopped roughly
1 tsp salt
4 cups water
4 cups short-grain rice, rinsed and drained
Topping
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp curry powder
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
grated peel of 1 loomi (dried lime, or substitute fresh grated lime rind)
1 clove garlic, mashed with 1 tsp ground coriander
1 pound peeled deveined shrimp
Heat oil over medium heat.

Add sliced onions and sauté until golden.
Add garlic, coriander, ginger, and pepper.
Stir in shrimp and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
Add tomato and cook for 10 minutes until softened.
Add salt and water, and bring to a boil.
Stir in rice.
Reduce heat and simmer covered until all the water is absorbed, about
15–20 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Now prepare the topping. Sauté onion in oil until golden.
Add the cardamom, black pepper, curry powder, turmeric, cloves,
cilantro, grated loomi, and garlic-coriander mixture. Mix well.
Add shrimp and sauté until cooked through (about 5 minutes).
To serve, mound the rice and shrimp mixture on a platter.
Layer the shrimp topping over the rice.

This is a side dish commonly eaten at lunchtime.

3 TBS olive oil
1/2 pound lamb, cut into small cubes (or minced meat)
1 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked in boiling water for at least an
hour, or overnight, drained (or use 2 cups canned)
4 stalks celery, sliced crosswise
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
6 cups water
1 tsp tomato paste
Sauté onion in olive oil on medium heat until translucent.

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Increase the heat and add the lamb and seasoning to taste. Sauté until
browned.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 30–45 minutes, until the meat and the peas are
tender.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve over rice.
Tea (Chai)
Hot, strong, sweet tea is drunk at any time of the day, and is an essential
component of any hospitality. It is often served in small, thick-walled glasses.
6 cups water
4 cinnamon sticks
5 TBS tea leaves or 5 tea bags
2 tsp sugar
In a small pot combine water and cinnamon.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10–15
minutes.
Remove the cinnamon sticks.
Stir in tea leaves and sugar.
Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Pour into small teacups (the traditional ones used are without handles)
and serve.

Traditionally, this dip would be eaten for breakfast. Nowadays it is served as an
appetizer.
1/2 cup date syrup (available from stores that sell Indian and Middle
Eastern foods, or puree pitted dates with 1/2 cup warm water in a food
processor)
1 TBS tahina
1 TBS fresh lemon juice, or to taste
Blend all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Serve as appetizer with flat bread.
Sponge Cake
This is a popular cake that may have been borrowed from the British. Served as
a snack with tea.
2 eggs
6 threads saffron, soaked in 1 tsp warm water for 5 minutes
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 TBS butter for greasing the pan
1 tsp sesame seeds
Beat eggs well in a large bowl.

Add saffron and gradually beat in sugar.
Sift flour, baking powder, and cardamom together.
Add to eggs and mix thoroughly.
Pour mixture into a well-buttered 8-inch baking pan.
Sprinkle sesame seeds.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes.

Variants of these syrup-drizzled fritters are made throughout the Middle East
and Central Asia. What distinguishes these Kuwaiti ones is the use of saffron
and cardamom. As saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, its use in this
recipe is optional.
10–12 strands saffron (optional)

seeds from 4–6 cardamom pods, finely crushed, or 1/2 tsp cardamom
2 cups flour
4 TBS cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (or 1 cup water and 1/4 cup yogurt; if using
yogurt, add 1/2 tsp baking soda to the flour mixture)
oil for frying
Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3–4 cardamom pods
2 TBS lemon juice
If using saffron, crush them finely in a mortar or bowl, place them in a

small bowl to soak in 2 TBS of hot water, 15–20 minutes before use.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and salt; set aside.
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water; set aside until
frothy, 10–15 minutes.
Stir in the yeast mixture, saffron water, and cardamom into the flour
mixture, to get a very thick batter. Add a bit more water or flour, if
necessary. Let stand, covered, in a warm place until doubled in
volume, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile prepare the syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring
the sugar, water, cardamom, and lemon juice to a boil. Reduce heat
and simmer for 3–5 minutes until syrup is thick. Set aside to cool
thoroughly before using.
In a frying pan over medium heat, heat 2 inches of oil to medium heat
(about 350°F). Test with a drop of batter: if it surfaces golden brown at
once, the oil is too hot.
Drop a few teaspoonfuls of batter into the oil, turn them to cook evenly
until golden, about 3–5 minutes. Do only a few at a time so as not to
reduce the temperature of the oil.
Drain on paper towels; dip quickly into the syrup and drain on a rack.
Serve immediately or on the same day.

Ghuraiba are rich cookies traditionally made for special occasions and religious
festivals. There are countless variations of this pastry throughout the Middle East
and neighboring Central Asian countries. The Kuwaiti variant is made with
cardamom.
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
powder
3/4 cup butter
2 egg yolks or 1 egg, well beaten
1 tsp rose water or orange-blossom water
1/3 cup blanched almond halves or pistachios, about 30–35 pieces

In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and cardamom.
In a larger bowl, cream sugar and butter until very light; blend in the
egg yolks and rose water.
Mix in the flour mixture; knead lightly for about 5 minutes until dough
is smooth; let rest covered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Pinch off walnut-sized balls, flatten them slightly with floured fingers,
and top with a nut.
Place evenly spaced on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until cookies are dry. The cookies should
remain pale.
Cool cookies on a rack. Store in an airtight container.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a large Central Asian country consisting mainly of wide steppes.

The northeast is a mass of rough mountain ranges. The climate is hot in the
summer (except in the higher altitudes) and very cold in the winter.
Kyrgyzstan is largely settled by the forty tribes of the Kyrgyz, a Turkic-
speaking people who also live in other countries of Central and East Asia. Most
are currently Muslims and are forbidden alcohol and pork.
The Kyrgyz traditionally being nomads, their favorite food is meat, and
their cooking is simple. Chinese and Western (Russian) influences are changing
the cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice, wheat noodles.
• Meat is primary, preferably fat-tailed sheep, horsemeat, and beef.
• Carrots and squashes, onions and garlic, chilies.
? Did you know?
The apple is not an American native fruit. It was brought by colonists in the
seventeenth century. The apple comes from the Tien Shan mountains in
Central Asia (bordering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and western China),
where the original ancestor trees (Malus sieversii) are found.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Paloo (rice pilaf), noodles, and manty (stuffed dumplings) are staples
for all meals.
• Beshbarmak, mutton-on-the-bone, is the classic Kyrgyz dish for
guests.
• Kesme (noodle soup) is eaten at any meal.
• Tea, both black and green, is the common drink.
Beshbarmak is a traditional dish in Kyrgyzstan (see recipe). (Radist/Dreamstime.com)

STYLES OF EATING
• Currently, three meals a day and snacks. Traditionally, the main
heavy meal of meat and dumplings was eaten in the evening.
• Traditional dining involves a central dish or pot from which everyone
is served in individual bowls. Diners sit on a ground cloth or carpet
around the pot. Spoons are provided, though solids such as meat are
eaten by hand. Men are served separately and first, women and
children later.
• Other meals are usually breads or noodles with whatever vegetables
are available, cheese, and a great deal of tea.
• Appreciation is expressed by burping loudly at the end of a meal.
Hosts like to see that guests eat a lot, and consider themselves insulted
if guests eat only small quantities.
Beshbarmak means “five fingers” in Kyrgyz. This dish is traditionally eaten with
the five fingers of the right hand, hence the name. This is a simple dish offered
to important guests. To recreate this dish for 4 diners, use 2–3 pounds stewing
lamb on the bone, 2 onions, 5 cloves garlic, and 2 pounds fresh noodles, and
follow the procedure given below.
1 fat-tailed sheep
salt to taste
4 large onions
1 garlic bulb, separated, cloves peeled
about 1/2–2/3 pound fresh flour noodles per person
Upon the guests’ arrival, a fat-tailed sheep is slaughtered. The sheep

carcass is skinned and cut up, then set to cook (cleaned small
intestines, liver, all the variety meats, and the head, are included) in a
large cauldron with salt, onions, garlic, and water to cover.
When the meat is tender, after about 1 hour or so, the noodles are
added to boil with the meat in the same stock.
To serve, the meat and noodles are placed in separate bowls and
placed on the ground (eating is customarily done sitting around the
ground cloth). Some of the meat is shredded to facilitate eating, and
mounded in a bowl.
The head, intestines, and other internal organs are brought on a
separate tray. The guest of honor is offered the eyes.
Noodles and broth are served to each diner in a bowl. Diners help
themselves to the meat, to be eaten with the noodles with the fingers.
The broth is sipped directly from the side of the bowl.
Noodle Soup (Kesme)

Kesme is the Kyrgyz national dish. The meat and fat are supposed to come from
the fat-tailed sheep common in the area.
2 ounces mutton fat (from tail preferably), cut into thin strips
1 1/2 pounds lamb or mutton, cut into strips
1/2 pound radish, cut into julienne strips
2 cubes beef bouillon dissolved in 4 cups hot water
5 ounces flour
2 eggs, beaten
5 ounces water
1 ounce garlic, minced
Heat the fat over low heat in a heavy covered pot to render the oil.
When sizzling, add the meat. Brown on all sides. Add onions and
radish and stir fry until softened.
Add tomato paste and bouillon; cover the pot and simmer for 30–45
minutes until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile, prepare a dough: blend the flour and eggs in a large bowl
or food processor.
Add water a little at a time, mixing until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove dough and knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until
shiny and elastic.
Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide.
Add noodles to simmering soup (add more stock if necessary). Cook
for 5 minutes.
Season to taste.
Place in tureen and sprinkle with garlic.
Serve hot.

This soup is served as a main dish with manty (dumplings).
1 pound stewing lamb

5 ounces mutton fat or butter
1/4 pound onion, sliced
1/2 pound tomatoes, chopped
6 cups water
1 pound potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup greens (green onions, shallots, parsley, cress, or spinach—as
desired), minced
Rub the meat thoroughly with salt and pepper.

Render the mutton fat over low heat in a heavy covered pot.
Brown seasoned meat in hot fat.
Add onion and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes over high heat.
Add water and potatoes. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or more, covered, until meat is
tender.
Serve in individual bowls, hot, garnishing each bowl with greens.

Atkanchay is normally served with flat bread. It is consumed after meals or at
any time during the day.
2 cups water
1 ounce tea leaves
2 cups milk
1 ounce butter
5 ounces sour cream
salt to taste
Boil the water and add tea. Simmer briefly.

Add milk, bring to a boil.
Add butter, salt, and sour cream. Stir and bring to a boil.
Strain into cups to serve.
Baked Beef
Though mutton is the favorite meat in Kyrgyzstan, beef is also consumed. This
dish betrays the influence of its Central Asian neighbors, as it is far more
complex than most nomadic dishes.
3 TBS butter
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 pound beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup yogurt
2 apples, diced
1 cup dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup jujubes (Chinese dates, available from store that sell Chinese
foods, or substitute dried dates), pitted and diced
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper

Heat butter in a heavy skillet. Sauté onion until translucent. Add green
pepper.
Brown beef and sauté until it changes color. Add yogurt, fruits, curry
powder, salt, and pepper; mix well.
Place in a large, deep casserole.
Bake for 45 minutes or until beef is tender.
Serve with steamed rice.
Fritters (Borsok)
Borsok are fritters that are indispensable pastries for special occasions. They are
an expected central feature gracing the table whenever guests have been invited,
ready to be enjoyed with jam, honey, butter, or the local variant of cream cheese
before the meal is served, as well as throughout the meal.

1 tsp sugar
4 TBS lukewarm water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
4 TBS milk
1 TBS oil or butter, melted
oil for frying
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar with the water; set aside
until frothy, about 10–15 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the salt and flour; stir in the yeast mixture,
egg, milk, and oil.
Mix well; knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth. Let rest,
covered, in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes to
1 hour.
With floured hands, take walnut-sized pieces of dough and roll into
balls. Alternatively, roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness
and cut out 1 × 2 inch pieces.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
Fry only a few borsok at a time, to avoid lowering the temperature of
the frying oil.
Drain on paper towels, and serve immediately, with jam, butter, honey
or cream cheese.
L
Laos
A small, landlocked Southeast Asian country, Laos was a French colony that
became independent in 1946. It is one of a few remaining Communist countries.
Mostly mountainous and thickly forested, arable land is scarce. The climate is
tropical, enabling sugarcane, rice, fruits, vegetables, and livestock to be raised.
Freshwater fish and crustaceans are a major food resource.
The population is predominantly Lao, who speak a language similar to
Thai. Minority ethnic groups include Hmong, Liao, Meo, and others. Most are
Buddhists who eschew excessive meat eating. Laotian cuisine is spice-and herb-
based, influenced by neighboring Thailand, China, and France. Presentation of
foods, with regard to color and texture, is very important. Laotian food is
distinguished from that of its neighbors (Vietnam and Thailand) by preference
for sticky, glutinous rice as the staple.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: sticky rice, fish, greens.
• Rice and bean noodles.
• Water buffalo and pork (internal organs, feet, and skin), chicken,
beef, eggs, wild game (python, deer, civet); preserved meat (meat and
blood sausage, cured meat).
• Assorted leafy vegetables, corn, cassava, various types of eggplant,
white radish, cucumber, sweet potato, greens (unripe) papaya, unripe
mango, bamboo shoots, banana blossom, mushrooms, riverweed—
freshwater “seaweed” called kaipen. Unusual vegetables such as rattan
shoots, taro leaf stalks, and morning glory shoots.
• Banana, citrus (tangerines), berries, peanuts, papaya, mango.
• Seasonings: galangal (a ginger relative), chunky freshwater fish
sauce (padek), mint, dill, chili, ginger flower bud, large-leaf cilantro.
Table condiments of hot chili, vinegar or lime juice, fish sauce, and
herbs.
• Drinks: beverages, including water, are not drunk during meals.
Locally grown tea and coffee are drunk at breaks; coffee is usually
instant with condensed milk and is drunk in a glass. When coffee is
finished, weak tea or water is drunk as a chaser; rice wine (lao hai),
pink rice wine (kao kham), rice liquor (laolao), fresh fruit juices,
bottled fruit drinks, carbonated fruit drinks, locally brewed beer.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Marinated meat and/or fish, sometimes raw, with assorted greens,
herbs, and spices (laap), is considered the national dish.
• Charcoal-grilled meat, duck or chicken.
• Dry, thick meat curries and stews (dry consistency because fingers
are used for eating).
• Water buffalo meat and skin in sausages, stews, and sauces.
• Raw or parboiled or steamed vegetables, bitter-and astringent-tasting
vegetables, such as marble-sized eggplant. Flavoring includes fish
sauce and various herbs and chilies.
• Banana leaf–wrapped and steamed dishes: meat or fish and herbs
(knap, also spelled kanab).
Lemon grass.
STYLES OF EATING
• In traditional dining, a basket of sticky rice is placed between diners.
Each diner uses the fingers of the right hand to take a small amount of
rice, to be dipped into sauce or the many small bowls of communal
dishes placed on the table (chopsticks are used for Vietnamese and
Chinese noodle dishes; fork and spoon for regular rice dishes). Edible
leaves (mint, lettuce) are also used to wrap morsels of rice, vegetables,
and meat, to be dipped into sauce, and eaten, leaves and all. It is
customary to defer to older people before eating: oldest persons take
the first bites, followed by others in descending order of age. After
this, everyone eats freely. It is considered impolite not to replace the
cover on the sticky rice basket.
• Breakfast: croissant or baguette dipped into coffee; rice porridge;
savory pancake with green herbs and vegetables from street stalls.
• Lunch: rice with typical side dishes such as fermented pork sausage
(som moo), green papaya salad, and marinated meat or fish (laap);
fresh fruit.
• Dinner: sticky rice and several dishes: soup, grilled dish, dipping
sauce, greens, stew or mixed dish (koy or laap), fresh fruit.
• Snacks: unripe mango eaten with vinegar and chilies, noodle soup
with greens (foe), French-influenced baguette sandwich with paté or
meatloaf and greens, Vietnamese-influenced spring rolls with greens
and herbs.

Khao Niao is the Laotian staple, served at all main meals (see sidebar “Glutinous
[Sticky] Rice in Asia,” below).
2 cups sticky rice (also called sweet or glutinous rice in Asian food
stores)
4 (or more) cups water for soaking rice
water for steaming
bamboo steamer (available at stores that sell Asian cooking supplies)
or double boiler and colander
cheesecloth or kitchen towel
Place rice in a bowl, add water to cover by 2–3 inches.

Soak for 2 hours or overnight. The longer the rice soaks, the better the
flavor.
Drain rice well; transfer to cheesecloth-lined steamer basket or
colander.
Boil water in a deep pot or double boiler. The water level must be well
below the bottom of the steamer. Boiling water must not touch the
rice.
Set steamer basket or colander over boiling water.
Cover rice and steam for 25 or more minutes until rice is tender.
Check boiling water level and replenish as necessary with boiling
water.
Transfer rice to a covered container, either a basket or serving bowl,
breaking up lumps.
Place a clean cheesecloth or kitchen towel between the lid and rice to
catch any condensed liquid. Remove cloth before serving.
Serve warm.
GLUTINOUS (STICKY) RICE IN ASIA
Rice varies extensively in the quantity of starch in the kernel. This is
exploited by farmers and cooks since different amounts of starch affect the
finished product in different ways. “Sticky” or glutinous rice refers to the
type of rice in which the kernel has high amounts of amylopectin (a
component of starch), which makes the kernels stick to one another. In Laos
and northeastern Thailand this type of rice, eaten by hand, is the major
staple. In these areas the quality of rice is assessed partly by the degree to
which it holds together to allow a diner to scoop sauces or other foods to
the mouth, using the rice ball as a scoop.
Glutinous rice is used in a wider geographical zone—from Southeast
Asia to China and Japan—to make pounded rice cakes. In this case, the
cooked rice grains are pounded to make a sticky, chewy doughlike
substance (similar in consistency to chewing gum), which is the basis for
many types of steamed or shaped cakes. Since the pounded glutinous rice
absorbs flavors and colors easily, it serves in a somewhat analogous role to
marzipan in Europe: to make interesting shapes or emulate fruit and other
food items.

This dish is served with rice for a main meal.
1 pound fish fillets (freshwater fish with firm flesh, e.g., trout, tilapia),
cut into serving pieces
1 large dried chili, stem and seeds removed, soaked in hot water for 10
minutes (optional)
5 cloves garlic
3 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1-inch piece fresh galangal (or l tsp dried galangal powder, also called
laos)
2 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced
1 cup thick coconut milk
1 1/2 cups diluted coconut milk (i.e., mixed with an equal quantity of
warm water)
1 TBS fish sauce (padek, stronger tasting than nuocmam or patis)
2 TBS peanuts, dry roasted and chopped
4 sprigs fresh basil
Blend in a food processor or blender chilies, garlic, kaffir lime leaves,

galangal, and lemon grass to a paste, with 1 TBS thick coconut milk.
Heat the remaining thick coconut milk in a saucepan for 10 minutes on
low heat.
Add the paste and cook, stirring constantly.
Add fish and turn carefully in sauce.
Add diluted coconut milk and fish sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add peanuts just before end of cooking.
Serve garnished with basil.
Stir-fried Chicken (Aioan Chua Noeung Phset Kretni)

Chicken and duck are as commonly eaten as fish. Charcoal-grilled chicken and
duck are often sold in the markets and street stalls for quick snacks or light
meals.
6 dried shiitake or other large Asian mushrooms, soaked in hot water

for 20 minutes
2 TBS oil
1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 small chicken, chopped into small pieces
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Squeeze mushrooms dry. Remove and discard stems, cut into quarters.
Reserve 1 cup of water from soaking, adding water to make 1 cup if
necessary.
Heat oil. Fry garlic and ginger for 10 seconds, stirring.
Add chicken and stir fry until light golden.
Add mushrooms, reserved water, and sugar.
Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with sticky rice.

This spicy salad is also eaten in Thailand, where it is called som tam. It is
commonly sold in markets and street stalls. There are many variations: a few
additions are ground raw rice, rice noodles, spices such as bay leaf–flavored
bark, herbs such as mint or dill, and bitter green shoots. This can be eaten on its
own as a snack, or with rice and other dishes for a midday or evening meal.
4 medium red and green serrano chilies (or to taste)

2 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 1/2 cups shredded green (unripe) papaya
1 cup green or string beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, blanched lightly,
then cooled immediately in a bowl of ice water
6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 TBS small dried shrimps (available from stores that sell Asian foods)
lettuce leaves
2 tsp peanuts, dry roasted, then roughly crushed
Pound chilies and garlic in a mortar to a coarse texture. Transfer to a

serving bowl.
Add papaya, green beans, and tomatoes and mix well.
Add dried shrimps, peanuts, and dressing and toss.
Serve immediately with lettuce leaves for wrapping, sticky rice, and a
meat dish.
Dressing
5 TBS lime juice
3 TBS padek fish sauce (or substitute other fish sauce, such as nuoc
mam or patis)
3 TBS sugar
4 TBS finely ground dried shrimps
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Green vegetables and herbs of all kinds are much appreciated and are perennial
accompaniments to a Laotian meal. This vegetable stew is adapted from one
using dried quail and an aromatic plant called sa-kahn. Serve this as a side dish,
accompanied by sticky rice and a meat dish.
2 cups beef jerky

1/2 pound pork spareribs
4 cups water
pinch of salt
5 small eggplants (about 4–5 inches long), stalk removed
5 pea-sized eggplants, stalk removed (available from grocers that sell
Asian foods)
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
1 green chili pepper (optional), left whole
I stalk lemon grass
2 bay leaves, fresh preferably
3 slender (about 1 inch in diameter) bamboo shoots, sliced into rings
1 stalk dill, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch sweet basil leaves
padek or similar fish sauce (nam pla, patis)
2 yard-long beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup crackling (crisp-fried pork skin) diced (sold at stores that sell
Hispanic and Asian foods as chicharron)
1 cup cilantro chopped
3 stalks green onions, chopped, for garnish
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1 cup fresh mint leaves, left whole or watercress, chopped
5 romaine lettuce leaves
Place jerky and ribs with water and salt to boil.

Simmer for 30–45 minutes until the stock is flavorful.
Add all vegetables and herbs except long beans and padek.
Simmer until eggplants are tender, about 15 minutes.
Take out the eggplants and chili (if using) and process to a puree.
Return the puree to the pot; add padek and long beans when the pot
returns to boil.
Simmer until long beans are done, about 10 minutes.
Add crackling and cilantro.
Adjust seasoning, adding more fish sauce or salt if necessary.
Serve garnished with green onions.
Eat with cucumber, mint or watercress, and lettuce.

Fresh fruits, such as banana, mango, or papaya, are usually eaten for dessert.
1 cup glutinous rice

1 1/4 cups coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp rice flour
2 ripe medium mangoes, peeled and sliced
Rinse the rice well and drain.

Place in rice cooker and add water according to instructions, or steam
according to recipe above.
Heat 1/2 cup of coconut milk on low heat, in a small saucepan.
Add sugar and 1/4 tsp salt and stir until dissolved.
Remove from heat and pour onto cooked rice. Stir to mix well and set
aside for about 15 minutes.
Now make topping sauce. Heat rest of coconut milk and add remaining
salt and rice flour.
Stir until the salt is dissolved and sauce is thick.
Place sliced mangoes on one side of a dessert dish for each person.
Place sticky rice on the other side.
Top rice with 1 or 2 TBS coconut topping sauce and serve.

These are popular snacks that are also presented as ritual offerings to Buddhist
temples during ceremonies.
2 cups glutinous rice (mochi rice, from stores that sell Asian foods)
2 1/2 cups thick coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 ripe bananas, sliced diagonally into 4 pieces each
4 TBS cooked black beans (canned black beans can be used)
8 sheets 12 × 12 inch banana leaves passed through a flame or hot
water to soften, or aluminum foil
kitchen twine for tying
Soak rice overnight in water to cover; drain, then put rice, coconut
milk, sugar, and salt in a rice cooker and follow directions for use.
Alternatively, put above rice mixture into a 9-inch baking dish, cover
with foil, and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30–45 minutes or until
all the liquid has been absorbed. Let rice cool.
Divide rice into 8 portions; place half of 1 portion in the middle of a
banana leaf, lay two banana slices over the rice, top with the remaining
portion of rice, and dot with some black beans.
Fold the banana leaf over the rice layers to make a parcel; tie with
twine to secure.
Place parcels to steam in a double boiler for 15–20 minutes.
Serve warm or cold with fresh fruit such as mangoes.
Latvia
This Baltic country between Estonia and Lithuania is largely flat; in some areas
it is swampy. The climate is cool and the country is covered with dense forests
that yield favored foodstuffs, including honey and berries.
The population is mostly Lets, who have lived in the area since well before
the arrival of the Scandinavian and Slavic tribes from the East in the Dark Ages.
For seven hundred years, Latvia was a colony of Germany, Poland, or Russia,
and only recently achieved renewed independence.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: barley, rye, and potatoes.
• Meat: pork, and to a lesser extent, duck and beef. In traditional
cuisine, the best parts of the animal were reserved for the Russian,
Polish, or German overlords, so the Latvians learned to make use of
and enjoy the less popular parts of the carcass.
• Fish: herring from the sea, and carp and salmon from the plentiful
rivers and streams.
• Vegetables: beans, cabbage, turnips.
• Fruits: berries and honey, from woods as well as harvested.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Porridges of barley and wheat.
• Many varieties of bread, particularly rye bread, which is the basis for
numerous recipes.
• Kvass, a drink made of rye bread and fruit juices. Vodka and beer are
also drunk, as is mead (honey wine). Coffee and particularly tea are
drunk between meals.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks when possible, notably in winter.
• Families eat together at least for the evening meal. Place settings are
European standard.
• Breakfast: porridge sweetened with honey, bread with cheese or ham
or pickled fish.
• Lunch, which is the main meal of the day, consists of soup, a meat
dish, potatoes, and a sweet.
• Supper is like lunch, but lighter, possibly without a meat dish.
KVASS
Kvass is the most common traditional drink throughout eastern and northern
Europe. It was made by most traditional households on a regular basis.
Basically it is an extension of bread, though there are a number of flavoring
variations. It is, in fact, a variation on the drink that most people consumed
throughout the Middle Ages and later. Kvass is also available as a bottled
soft drink at Russian and Baltic stores in some areas.
Latvian Gira
Gira is a form of kvass, which exploits a common ingredient in Latvian
cooking: honey.
1 pound rye bread

1 gallon hot water
1 ounce sugar
1 pound honey
1/2 ounce yeast
Slice bread and toast it brown. Place in large glass or stainless steel
bowl.
Pour water over bread and allow to rest for 6 hours, covered loosely.
Pour through a sieve.
Add sugar, half the honey, and yeast.
Place in a warm place for 24 hours.
Add the rest of honey and mix well.
Chill and consume immediately.
Romanian Cvas
This recipe is the most basic form of kvass, common throughout Eastern
Europe.
12 quarts boiling water

2 pounds rye bread, sliced thinly
1 ounce yeast
1 pound sugar
rind of half a lemon, whole
Dry the thinly sliced bread in the oven.

Add sugar to boiling water and pour on top of the dried bread in a 15-
quart glass jar. Add rind.
Cover with a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and let stand for 4–5 hours.
Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve.
Add the yeast dissolved in a little of the liquid. Mix, cover with a
napkin, and let stand for another 4–5 hours until the drink starts to
foam.
Strain a second time and chill. Serve immediately.
Russian Fruit Kvass

Russians drink large amounts of “standard” kvass made on a rye bread
basis. However, they also make fruit drinks, also called “kvass,” which are
quite different.
1 pound apples
2 ounces raisins
1 pound sugar
1/2 ounce yeast
1 gallon water, boiled
Rinse and core apples. Chop finely. Place in a large steel, enamel, or
ceramic bowl.
Add raisins and sugar and pour over hot water.
Allow to cool.
Add yeast and allow to stand in a warm spot for 12 hours.
Strain, discard must, and serve cold.
Mint Kvass
This is another Russian variation on kvass.
1 pound stale black rye bread

2 TBS active dry yeast
1 cup sugar
3 TBS fresh mint leaves
4 TBS raisins
6 quarts water

Place the bread in the oven for about 1 hour, until it is thoroughly dry.
Chop bread coarsely.
Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add bread.
Remove from heat, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and set
aside overnight.
Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into another large pot,
squeezing soaked bread to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
Sprinkle yeast and 1/4 tsp sugar over 1/2 cup lukewarm water.
Stir to dissolve the yeast completely. Set aside in a warm, draft-free
spot for about 10 minutes or until the mixture doubles in volume.
Stir the yeast mixture, remaining sugar, and the mint into the bread
liquid.
Cover with a towel, and set aside for 8 hours.
Strain the mixture again.
Bottle into 2 or 3 quart-sized bottles or a gallon jug to about 2/3 of the
way to the top.
Divide raisins among the bottles and cover the top of each bottle with
plastic wrap, secured with a rubber band.
Place in a cool, but not cold, spot overnight, or until the raisins have
risen to the top and the sediment has sunk to the bottom.
Carefully draw off the clear liquid and consume immediately.

This is a starter soup for the main meal.
1 pound sauerkraut
1/2 cup bacon, cubed
1 carrot, grated
water as needed
1 TBS flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 bunch dill, finely chopped
Put sauerkraut, bacon, onion, carrot, tomato paste, and seasoning in a

covered pot. Add water to cover.
Simmer until sauerkraut and bacon are soft, about 10 minutes.
Take 1 TBS stock from the pot and mix well into the flour in a small
bowl to make a slurry, then add to soup. Adjust seasoning and remove
from heat.
Add sour cream and dill before serving.

Salads are eaten as appetizers in large meals or with a meat dish.
6 potatoes, boiled in their jackets, then skinned and cut into large
chunks
6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and diced
3 medium dill pickles, diced
3 pickled beets, diced
1 apple, diced
Mix all ingredients.

Add dressing and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Dressing
3 TBS mayonnaise
2 TBS sour cream
3 tsp mustard
3 tsp vinegar
Blend all ingredients.

Rye was the traditional crop of Latvian peasants, as it is a cold-resistant, hardy
grain suitable for the climate. These vegetable-filled pies are eaten for the
evening meal.
2 cups rye flour

1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS butter
1/2 cup water
Mix flour and salt. Rub butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse
meal. Add water a little at a time to make a stiff dough. Knead for 10
minutes.
Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out
round disks about 8 inches in diameter.
Place them on greased cookie sheets.
Spread a heaping tablespoon of potato filling in the center of each disk
to within 1/2 inch of the edges.
Spread 1 tsp of cooked carrots on top.
Fold over the edges to form a crescent, crimp firmly with a fork or
fingers to seal.
Bake in a moderate oven (370°F) for 15–20 minutes or until the
pastries are golden brown.
Filling
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 tsp salt
4 TBS melted butter or cream
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 cup cooked grated carrots
Combine the eggs and salt. Mix half of the mixture with the potatoes,
half of the melted butter, and caraway seeds.
Mix the remaining egg mixture with the carrots and the rest of the
melted butter.
Use potato and carrot mixtures as directed.
Pea Patties
This is a side dish to accompany meat.
1/2 pound dried green peas, soaked overnight, boiled until soft, and
drained
3/4 cup mashed potatoes
2 TBS oil
4 TBS smoked bacon, cut into cubes
2 TBS hemp or parsley stalks, chopped finely
salt to taste
Mash peas with potatoes. Season.

Fry onion in the oil over medium heat until golden. Add bacon and stir
fry for an additional 2 minutes. Add hemp and fry additional 2
minutes.
Mix with peas and potatoes. Roll into walnut-size balls.
Serve as snack or for midday meal with buttermilk.

This porridge is served as a snack or dessert.
2 eggs, separated
5 TBS sugar
4 cups milk
3/4 cup semolina (cream of wheat)
Beat egg yolks with 3 TBS sugar and the vanilla until lemon colored.
Reserve.
Warm the milk over low heat in a pan, and slowly stir in semolina.
Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Keep hot but do not allow to boil.
Stir in about 2 TBS of the warm semolina to the egg yolk mixture.
Slowly add to the rest of the semolina, stirring constantly until the
mixture has thickened.
Remove from heat. Whip egg whites to soft-peaks. Add the remaining
sugar and continue to whip until stiff.
Fold into semolina mixture.
Serve in bowls.

Berries were traditionally gathered from the wild, though they are now raised
commercially This pudding is eaten as a dessert or a snack.
1 loaf fresh rye bread

3 cups cranberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
sugar as needed
Crumb rye bread into a glass bowl.

Boil cranberries with water until the skins have popped, about 5–8
minutes.
Strain, pressing down to extract all the juices.
Add honey to cranberry juice and mix well.
Pour honey and cranberry mixture over bread. Allow to stand for 30
minutes at least.
Whip the cream with 2 TBS sugar until stiff.
Serve the pudding with whipped cream, passing the sugar around for
diners to add, if desired.
Alexander Torte
This pastry is a popular dessert, of which many variants are made throughout the
Baltic region. Some are extremely elaborate and complex, befitting their
namesake, Tsar Alexander. This is a simple version, featuring 2 layers of sweet
pastry filled with raspberry preserves or jam, then topped with a lemon-flavored
icing.
Pastry
1/2 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
1 egg
Filling
1 1/2 cups good quality raspberry preserves or jam
1–2 TBS water
2–3 TBS butter, softened
Icing
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 TBS water, if needed
Make the pastry: in a bowl or food processor, blend butter, flour, salt,
sugar, and egg just until they come together. Knead briefly to a smooth
ball; let rest, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, refrigerated.
Prepare the filling: pass the preserves through a fine sieve (discard the
seeds), simmer over low heat with a tablespoon or so of water, if
needed, to make a spreadable puree. Set aside to cool.
Prepare the icing: combine the sugar, lemon rind, and juice; add water,
if needed, to make it spreadable.
Lightly flour 2 sheets of parchment, each about 12 inches square.
Divide dough into 2 equal parts; on one of the floured parchment
sheets, roll out the first dough to a 10-inch square. Roll out the other
piece of dough likewise.
Using the parchment edges as handles, transfer the dough to a cookie
or baking sheet.
Lightly prick the top of the pastries, bake for 30–40 minutes or until
golden.
Spread one pastry layer, while still warm, with soft butter, followed by
the raspberry puree.
Top with the other pastry layer; spread icing over the top pastry layer.
Let icing set completely, ideally overnight, before slicing into squares
and serving.
Lebanon
Lebanon, on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, has loaned its name to the
entire eastern coast of the Mediterranean—the Levant. It is bordered by Syria
and Israel. The country is bisected lengthwise by the Lebanon mountain range,
to the east of which lies the fertile Bekaa Valley. The climate is Mediterranean,
with mild winters and hot summers, enabling a wide range of crops to be grown.
The population is largely Arab, divided among numerous Christian and
Muslim sects, who engaged in a bitter civil war in the 1980s. Minorities of
Armenians and Greeks live there as well. With the exception of the prohibition
on pork among Muslims, there is little culinary difference between them. Much
of the Christian population is thoroughly Westernized, with close ties to France
and the United States in terms of food culture. Muslims tend to be more
traditional.
Lebanon’s sophisticated cuisine has influenced much of the Middle East.
Due to the country’s favorable position, its population has traded throughout the
Mediterranean Sea for millennia.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are rice, pasta, potatoes, and wheat dishes including breads
and cracked cooked wheat (bulgur).
• Meat: lamb is preferred; beef, chicken, and duck are also consumed.
Pork is eaten only by non-Muslims. Preserved meat (by smoking,
drying, salting) is an important item.
• Fish and seafood from the Mediterranean Sea, including jacks,
grouper, mullets, and shrimp.
• Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, beans, maize,
eggplant, squashes, sesame. Olives and pickles are an important item
of diet.
• Fruit: citrus, olives, plums, pears, apples, grapes, cherries.

• Flavorings include various spices, particularly cumin and coriander,
onions, garlic, various herbs, samna (ghee or clarified butter) and olive
oil.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Meze, a series of small dishes with salads, stuffed vegetables, and
small tidbits.
• Salads of fresh vegetables.
• Baba ganouj, eggplant mixed with sesame sauce.
• Shashlik, grilled skewered lamb.
• Tabouleh, parsley and cracked wheat salad.
• Stuffed vegetables.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are common.
• Families generally eat together, helping themselves from a central
dish (or eating European style with European place settings).
• As in most of the Middle East, breakfast can be skimpy: little more
than bread or a roll or croissant with coffee.
• Lunch: a meze and some grilled meat, eaten with flat bread.
• Supper: a rice or noodle or potato dish, or several, with cooked meat,
chicken, or fish.
• Lebanese have a sweet tooth, and many different kinds of pastries,
often sweetened with syrup or honey, are made and consumed.
• Drinks include coffee, which is drunk in small cups; tea; beer; fruit
juice; traditional and international soft drinks; wines and liquors,
particularly anise-flavored arak.
• Eating out is popular, often meze and grilled meats. Street foods such
as falafel are consumed in great quantities.

This is served as part of a meze to start a meal. “Home style” usually means the
ingredients do not need to be very smooth (see sidebar “Tahina in Middle
Eastern Cooking,”).
2 TBS sesame paste (tahina)

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
salt to taste
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and very finely chopped
paprika to taste
Put the sesame paste in a deep bowl.

Add lemon juice 1 tsp at a time (the quantity depends on how sour you
want it), blending the juice in carefully before adding more (the
mixture will first harden then gradually emulsify). (This can also be
done in a food processor.)
Add water also 1 tsp at a time, to get a light sauce.
Add garlic, parsley, salt, and egg.
Sprinkle with paprika to taste.
Serve with flat bread to scoop out as part of a meze.
TAHINA IN MIDDLE EASTERN COOKING

Ground sesame seeds form a thick oily mass known as tahina (also tahini),
which is used throughout the Middle East. Thinned with water and lemon
juice it forms a sauce that adds flavor to a number of dishes. It can be
scooped with flat bread and eaten as is, added to other dishes (e.g., chickpea
spread [hummus] or eggplants [m’tabal]) or used in cooking (e.g., siniyah).
In Turkey tahina is often served sweet for breakfast with grape jelly.
Tahina is also cooked with sugar to make a flaky confection called halva.
Tahina is made by grinding sesame seeds (hulled or unhulled,
depending on preference; the latter yields a slightly more bitter, richer
flavor), traditionally in marble grindstones. In Nablus, Palestine, a variety
of tahina is made by grinding cumin seeds, which is used largely for
cooking.

Serve this dish as part of meze or on its own before the main dish.
1/2 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)

1 1/2 cups parsley, chopped finely
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped finely
2 green onions, minced finely
salt to taste
6 TBS lemon juice
lettuce leaves
Soak the bulgur in water for about 2 hours, then wash and squeeze out.
Mix well bulgur, parsley, mint, onions, and tomato.
Add salt to taste, lemon juice, and olive oil and mix well.
Serve in a bowl lined with lettuce leaves.
Serve with lettuce leaf or flatbread to scoop out.

This may be served as part of a meze, though it is often served as a light meal.
3 pita breads (6 inches diameter), each cut into eight wedges

4 cups romaine lettuce leaves, cut into 1-inch strips
2 cups sliced cucumbers
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup red onion, quartered and sliced
3 medium, fully ripe tomatoes cut into wedges
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed, strained lemon juice
2 tsp mint leaves, dried, crushed

Place pita wedges on a shallow baking pan. Toast until crisp, turning
occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool.
In a large bowl, place lettuce, cucumber, cheese, onion, tomatoes, and
pita wedges.
Combine olive oil and lemon juice and season to taste,
Add parsley and mint and blend well with a fork. Pour over salad
mixture.
Toss until combined.
Serve as part of a meze.
Stuffed vegetables come in many variations in Lebanon. This would serve as the
main dish in a meal.
Rolls
24 cabbage leaves (outer leaves of Savoy cabbage are best, or Chinese
cabbage)
boiling water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried mint, crumbled
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
Stuffing
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup rice
1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped finely
Heat oil and fry onions for 2–3 minutes until golden.
Add the rice and stir for 5 minutes until well coated with oil.
Transfer onions and rice to a bowl, and mix well with the remaining
stuffing ingredients. Season a bit stronger than usual.
Prepare the leaves: place the cabbage in boiling water for 1–2 minutes
until limp.
Drain and cool the leaves in a colander.
Cut down level with the rest of the leaf the tough center rib, if
necessary, to make the leaf more flexible.
To assemble the stuffed vegetables: place a generous tablespoon of
stuffing on the base of each leaf, roll once, tuck in the sides, and roll
up to the end of the leaf. Repeat with remaining leaves.
Crush garlic with salt and blend in crumbled, crushed mint and lemon
juice.
Pack the rolls flap side down in layers in a heavy pot, sprinkling some
of the garlic-lemon mixture and olive oil between the layers.
Invert a plate over the topmost rolls to keep them from shifting during
cooking.
Add enough cold water to just cover rolls and put lid on firmly.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to lowest possible, and
simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Remove from heat and leave aside for 30 minutes.
Serve lukewarm or cold.

These cookies are served as snacks with coffee.
1 pound soft dates, pitted and chopped

1 1/2 cups water
8 ounces butter
1 pound flour
4 tsp orange-blossom water (available from shops that sell Middle
Eastern and Asian foods) diluted in 1/2 cup water
confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Prepare the filling: cook dates in water and mash. Remove from heat
and cool.
To make the pastry: cut butter into flour, then rub until mixture
resembles coarse meal. Mix in orange water to make a dough and
knead thoroughly for 5 minutes.
Allow dough to rest for 40 minutes, covered with a damp towel.
On a floured surface, roll dough out to a 1 1/2–inch cylinder, then cut
into 1-inch pieces.
Divide date mixture into same number of portions as the dough.
Take each dough piece and mold around your thumb to make a shell to
hold the filling.
Fill each ball with date filling, seal the dough, and reshape.
Ma’amoul are often decorated using a qalib (a wooden mold incised
with traditional patterns), or you can use a small fork to etch a pattern
that will hold the confectioners’ sugar to be sprinkled on them after
baking.
Warm the oven to 325°F.
Bake the ma’amoul on a buttered cookie sheet for about 15–20
minutes. They must not brown. They will still be soft but will firm up
upon cooling.
Remove from the oven and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Cool and
serve.

This is a popular sweet snack, often served with apricot or orange preserves or
sauce.
4 TBS cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 cup cream
1 1/2 cups milk
4 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Orange sauce
2 thin-skinned oranges (unwaxed)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
Prepare the custard: dissolve cornstarch in water; set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the
cream, milk, sugar, and salt to almost boiling.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry; continue stirring until cream mixture has
thickened, about 3–5 minutes. Do not let mixture boil.
Let custard cool, stirring occasionally to release the steam, then stir in
Divide into 4 dessert dishes, cover, and chill thoroughly.
Prepare the orange sauce: wash the oranges well and slice thinly (no
need to peel) into circles or crescents.
Put oranges with sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over
medium heat; bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until
syrup is very thick, about 20–30 minutes.
Let sauce cool thoroughly, then refrigerate.
To serve: place a dollop of orange sauce on top of the chilled custard.
Lesotho
Lesotho is a landlocked country surrounded by South Africa. Much of the nation

is composed of hilly highlands over thirteen hundred meters above sea level. The
climate is cold with snow in winter and hot and humid in summer.
The majority of people are of the Sotho nation, speaking the Sethotho
language. The traditional sources of food were farming and cattle raising. Cattle
are still very important, and every adult male owns as many head of cattle as he
can afford. Lesotho cooking is influenced by that of South Africa.
FOODSTUFFS
• Maize and sorghum are the main staples.
• Vegetables: pumpkins and squashes, beans, peppers, tomatoes,
cabbages, potatoes.
• Meat: Mutton and beef, though the latter is usually only eaten on
special occasions, so important is cattle ownership. Chickens and some
game.
• Milk and milk products, such as soured milk (similar to natural
yogurt or butter milk).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Sorghum porridge (ting), maize cooked into a stiff porridge (nsima).
• Stews of vegetables or meat: nyekoe (squash, beans, and sorghum
stew).
• Grilled meat.
• Steamed corn bread.
• Drinks include beer (homebrewed and commercial), fruit juice,
ginger beer, and milky tea.
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people eat three meals a day if they can afford it.
• Families usually share the pot of nsima, picking a ball of the porridge
and making a small scoop with the thumb to convey the stew to the
mouth.
• Urban people eat using European settings and cutlery.
• Meals are based on the staple papa or nsima, accompanied, if
possible, by a stew or sauce of vegetables.
• Breakfast: thin porridge of fermented sorghum, called ting, slightly
salted, and leftovers, with coffee or milky tea.
• Lunch and dinner tend to be similar: nsima with a meat or vegetable
dish, or both if one can afford it.

This dish is served as a side dish with the staple.
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
3 bell peppers, and chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
hot chilies to taste, seeded and minced
salt to taste
Heat oil and stir fry all ingredients at high heat for 4–5 minutes each,
starting with the onion, then the peppers, carrots, and finally the
tomatoes and chilies. Season.
Serve with nsima (maize porridge) or rice

This is another common side dish served with the staple.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 TBS curry powder
10 ounces potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
10 ounces white cabbage, shredded roughly
2 tomatoes, chopped roughly
Heat oil and sauté onion.

Add curry powder. Cook for a few moments, stirring constantly until
the mix is well blended.
Add potatoes and water to barely cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until
the potato is almost done (the exterior is done, but the center needs a
bit more cooking).
Add cabbage and cook until potatoes are completely tender.
Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from
heat.
Serve with any meat dish and nsima.
This dish is often made to accompany a meat dish or is served on its own.
1 pound spinach or similar greens, roughly chopped

1 pound potatoes, peeled, quartered, and soaked in cold water
3 cups chicken stock (or 2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 3 cups
warm water)
Place the greens in the bottom of a large pot.

Layer the potatoes over the greens.
Add stock to cover the vegetables by one inch (top up with water if
there is not enough stock). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover.
Cook for 25–30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add stock if
necessary to prevent the pot from getting dry.
When the potatoes and greens are fully cooked, mash them together
with a potato masher or in a food processor.
Serve hot.
Curried Meat
Many Sotho men work in the gold and diamond mines in South Africa, and they
brought back with them a taste for curry, a common South African flavoring.
3 TBS oil
1 pound stewing mutton or beef, cubed
1 TBS curry powder
2 cups water
1/2 pound cabbage, shredded roughly
salt to taste
1/2 pound squash, cubed
Heat oil in a heavy covered pot and fry the meat quickly until brown
on all sides.
Add water, cover, and slowly simmer the meat until tender, about 30–
45 minutes.
Stir in the curry powder, salt, and vegetables.
Cook the vegetables for 15–20 minutes until the squash is tender.
Serve with moroko and nsima.
Peanut Bread
As in much of Africa, peanuts are a major source of protein and flavoring. This
bread is a Sotho version of a bread common in much of southern Africa, eaten
for breakfast or as a snack.
1 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup dry milk powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg, well beaten
Combine dry ingredients.

Cut in the peanut butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (This
can be done in a food processor.)
Mix in milk and egg.
Turn mixture into a greased 8 × 10 inch pan.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 275°F.
Serve as a snack.

The name of these fritters is taken from the Afrikaans word vetkoek (literally “fat
cakes”). This is a popular snack. Sorghum is a traditional cereal crop in Lesotho
and other parts of South Africa. Sorghum flour is gluten free.
1 cup flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
oil for frying
sugar for garnish
Combine both flours and salt.

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in water and set aside until
frothy, about 10–15 minutes.
Stir in flour mixture and mix well to a very thick, sticky batter; let rest,
covered, in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes to
1 hour.
In a griddle or frying pan, heat over medium heat about 2 inches of oil.
Scoop a spoonful of batter and drop into the oil. Fry only 2–3 at a
time. Do not crowd the pan.
Turn fat cakes to brown on all sides; drain on paper towels. Cool
thoroughly and roll in sugar.
Best served immediately or on the same day.
Liberia
Liberia is a West African country on the Atlantic Coast of Africa, founded by

slaves freed from the United States in the early nineteenth century. The climate
is tropical, and the terrain is flat with rolling hills. Staples such as cassava, yams,
fruits, and vegetables are grown here.
The freed slaves settled on the coast, rarely paying any attention to the
interior, so there are major differences between the culture and cooking of the
descendants of former Americans in the coastal areas and the inland natives.
Cooking for some households is influenced by American elements, with the

majority similar to other West African styles: staples served with vegetable-or
peanut-based sauces, with or without meat or fish.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice is the preferred staple, eaten twice a day in any household that
can afford it. This is often restricted to wealthier, American-descended
households and along the coast.
• Cassava, taro, hot red peppers, sweet potatoes, yams, and green
bananas are common staples and appear in many dishes, particularly
those from upcountry, away from the coast.
• Vegetables: greens, eggplant, okra, peanuts, and ginger.
• Meat: goat, chicken, and sometimes beef.
• Fish: Marine fish are caught by coastal fishermen in small boats.
Rivers yield crustaceans, frogs, and river fish, some of which are dried
and smoked.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Check rice: a combination of rice and okra.
• Goat soup: the “national soup” served extensively, and almost always
features in formal occasions.
• Country chop: meats, fish, and greens fried in palm oil, Liberia’s
best-known dish.
• Jollof rice: rice cooked with meat and vegetables.
• Peanuts extensively used in both sweet and savory cooking.
• Rice bread with mashed bananas.
• American pastries—coconut pie, sweet-potato pie, and pumpkin pie
—are extremely popular.
• Drinks: fruit juices, carbonated bottled drinks; ginger beer, palm
wine, both drunk with meals.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are preferred, though, given the poverty in the
country, many people do without.
• In traditional African households, food is eaten with the fingers,
though European place settings are common in urban areas. All food is
brought to the table at once, and diners help themselves to whatsoever
they choose. Soup is served in small bowls; all other dishes are eaten
from the same plate.
• Breakfast is usually some form of porridge, or sometimes bread, with
coffee.
• Lunch and dinner are not differentiated, though only one of these is
likely to include meat or fish.
• Roadside restaurants called “cook shops” feature Jollof rice and
various stewed dishes.
Chicken Peanut Soup

This soup usually serves as a main dish.
1 chicken cut into serving pieces

1 TBS salt
5 pints cold water
3 tsp shelled, roasted, ground peanuts (or substitute natural
unsweetened peanut butter)
2 tsp tomato paste
1 sprig parsley, chopped
1 small potato, peeled and diced
Place chicken, salt, and water in a pot. Cover and bring slowly to boil.
Skim froth if necessary.
Simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Mix peanut butter with 1/4 pint chicken stock and add to the chicken.
Add remaining ingredients and cover.
Simmer gently for about 1 hour.

Like several other West African countries, Liberia claims Jollof rice for its own.
This is a popular, festive dish.
4 TBS oil
1/2 pound smoked ham, cubed
2 onions, sliced
1/4 tsp allspice powder
2 14-ounce cans chopped tomatoes
6 ounces tomato paste diluted with an equal volume of warm water
3/4 pint stock
1/4 pound French beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
8 ounces rice
1 tsp salt
Heat oil in a large stewing pan and brown chicken on all sides.
Add ham, onions, salt, pepper, and allspice.
Cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock. Mix well.
Add French beans. Cover and simmer until beans are tender (10
minutes or so).
In a separate pot, cook rice for 10 minutes in double the volume of
lightly salted water. Drain well.
Add rice to meat and vegetables and mix well.
Continue to simmer over lowest heat, covered and well sealed, for 10
minutes.
Remove from heat, and let rest undisturbed for 10–15 minutes.
Serve as main dish in a festive meal.
Monrovia Greens
Most meals are accompanied by some form of greens with the rice. Meat is less
likely.
2 pounds collard greens (or spinach or kale, removing hard stalk parts
of kale), washed and cut in small pieces
1/2 pound smoked salted fish, cut into 1-to 2-inch pieces (or substitute
smoked bacon)
salt, black pepper, chili pepper flakes to taste
1 quart water
2 pounds cabbage, cut into halves and then eight wedges
1 TBS palm oil
Combine greens, salted fish, onion, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and water
in a large pot.
Add cabbage and palm oil.
Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Strain before serving if water has not been completely absorbed.
Serve with a meat dish and rice.
Cassava Cake
Cassava is used in inland communities as a staple. In urban areas it is more
likely made into a cake as dessert or a snack.
1/2 pound cassava (yuca), peeled and grated

1/4 pint milk
1 egg, beaten
3 ounces butter
8 ounces sugar
2 1/2 ounces desiccated coconut
2 ounces flour
1/8 tsp salt
Mix cassava with milk, vanilla and egg, and allow to stand for 5
minutes.
Cream butter and sugar, and add cassava mixture and coconut. Mix
batter well.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to batter.
Turn batter into an oiled and floured 8-inch cake pan.
Bake for about 40 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven or until cake
tests done.
Remove from oven, cool, and cut into squares or bars.
Serve as a snack.
Liberian Cake
This is an American-influenced snack or dessert commonly made in coastal
Liberia.
1/2 cup corn syrup (or substitute molasses thinned with hot water)
1/4 cup milk
3 ounces butter
3 ounces sugar
1 tsp lemon rind, grated
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/3 cup seedless raisins, chopped
2 TBS shredded coconut
Mix syrup and milk and reserve.

Cream the butter, sugar, and lemon rind until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices, and
add to the egg mixture alternately with the mixture of milk and syrup
(start and end with dry ingredients).
Stir until smooth.
Stir in raisins and coconut.
Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 × 5 × 2 inch loaf pan.
Allow to cool, then turn out onto a cake rack.

This cake uses a common Liberian vegetable, pumpkin, most often cooked in
savory dishes, in a sweet cake. Squash may also be used.
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon or 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cooked pumpkin, mashed (or canned pumpkin)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square or round cake
pan or springform pan.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and soda, spices, and salt; set
aside.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugar until very light; add
eggs, beating well after each.
Mix in the pumpkin, then half of the flour mixture, milk, and the
remaining flour mixture.
Fold in the peanuts and/or raisins, if using.
Pour into the prepared pan; bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden and
tests done.
Let rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then unmold to complete cooling on
a cake rack.

This cake is also called a gingerbread cake, unsurprisingly, because of the ginger
and other mixed spices in it.
1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water
2 TBS butter
2 TBS lemon juice
2 cups ripe plantain or not too ripe banana, sliced 1/2 inch thick
diagonally or crosswise
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp powdered ginger (or 1 TBS fresh, grated)
1/2 tsp cinnamon, or more, if desired
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup honey
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt (or 1 cup milk and 1 TBS lemon juice or
vinegar)
Butter a 10-inch tube or square baking pan. Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar, water, butter, and lemon
juice to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about
3–5 minutes. Stir in plantain to evenly coat the slices. Turn off heat.
Arrange plantain slices and syrup on the bottom of the prepared baking
pan.
In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and spices;
set aside.
In a larger bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugar until very light; stir
in eggs, beating well after each.
Blend in the honey; followed by the flour mixture. Blend in the
buttermilk.
Pour batter over the plantains in the baking pan; bake for 50 minutes–1
hour or until cake is golden and tests done.
Libya
Libya is a mainly desert country on the southern shores of the Mediterranean

between Tunisia and Egypt. Except for a narrow coastal strip, the country is
largely part of the Sahara Desert, mostly flat plain and rolling hills. Because the
climate is hot and dry all year round, much food is imported, including staples
such as wheat and rice.
Most of the inland people were traditionally nomads, living off camels,
sheep, and dates. The coastal people had been urbanized since Roman times.
Since the discovery of oil in the mid-twentieth century, Libyans have become
predominantly urbanized. The population is virtually all Muslim Arab.
The cuisine is characteristic of Middle Eastern and Arab cookery, with
influences from Italian cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are barley, wheat bread, and rice. Couscous features in many
meals.
• Lamb is the favorite meat. Beef and chicken and, among nomads,
camel are also eaten. Pork is forbidden.
• Fish: Mediterranean fish along the coastline.
• Fruit: locally raised dates, citrus, grapes, olives.
• Vegetables: peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots.
• Dairy: milk and milk products including yogurt, soft cheeses, and
buttermilk.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Bazeen, a barley or barley-and-wheat-flour dough, formed into a
dome and served with stews of meat and vegetables.
• Fresh angel-hair pasta (rishta) with onion-based sauce (busla).
• Roasted or baked lamb and lamb soup are favorite dishes and are
served to guests when possible.
• Couscous and couscous stews, with Libyan twists.
• Stuffed vegetables, including cabbage, potatoes, onions, peppers,
tomatoes, and grape leaves (abrak).
• Pastries, often made of brik (puff pastry) and filled with dates,
almonds, or other nuts.
• Tea flavored with mint or desert thyme can be drunk at all hours.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are common on the coast. Further inland, nomads
tend to eat only twice a day.
• Families may eat together, sharing food from a common dish. The
traditional way of eating is with the right hand only, which is washed
before and after dining.
• Males and females generally eat separately (a gender separation is
maintained throughout life).
• Breakfast: Bread, yogurt, raw vegetables, coffee, cheese, a handful of
dates.
• Lunch. Usually light, a pocket bread with filling.
Libyan man grills lamb meat for the the Eid al-Adha feast outside his house in Sirte, Libya. (Joseph
Eid/AFP/Getty Images)
• Evening meal: heaviest of the day, with rice, couscous, a stew or

some roast meat, fish, vegetable salads, cooked vegetables. Soup is
often drunk from glasses, as a prelude to the main meal.
• As in many North African countries, coffee and sweetmeats of
various sorts, often sweetened with dates, are highly esteemed as
snacks and to entertain guests. Snacks are common in the many cafés
that also serve as centers for social life for men.
• Coffee preparation and serving is a major art, and, in traditional
nomad tribes, coffee was often prepared by specialists (see Ethiopia
entry for the sidebar “Coffee Ritual,” p. 432). A man’s adulthood is
determined, among some tribes, by his ability to pour coffee accurately
from an outstretched arm into a tiny coffee cup held low.

Lamb is a favorite meat in Libya, and many meals start with this soup.
4 TBS olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, lean cubed stewing lamb
1 onion, chopped
4 TBS tomato paste
salt, dried chili flakes to taste
1 1/2 pints water
6 ounces vermicelli noodles, uncooked
3 TBS chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
Heat oil in a deep pot and brown meat and onion for 5 minutes, stirring
frequently.
Add tomato paste, salt, chili flakes, and water.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender.
Add noodles, and additional water, if needed.
Cook, uncovered, until noodles are tender, for about 8–12 minutes.
Add mint and lemon juice just before serving.
Serve as a starter.

Couscous—steamed grain (see Algeria entry for the sidebar “Couscous”)—is the
common staple throughout North Africa.
1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound boneless, lean lamb, cubed
3 large onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 large tomato, cubed
chili flakes to taste
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
7 ounces canned chickpeas (garbanzos)
cooked couscous for four (see the Algeria entry for the sidebar
“Couscous,” p. 21)
Heat oil in the bottom half of a large couscousiere or heavy saucepan.

Brown the meat on all sides.
Add half of the onions and the tomato.
Continue cooking over low heat for 10 minutes.
Add chili, allspice, turmeric, salt, tomato paste, and water.
Cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes.
Add potatoes and the remaining onions.
Simmer for 20–25 minutes, adding more water, if needed.
Add the chickpeas with their liquid and simmer for 10 minutes or until
heated through.
Mound the cooked couscous in a large bowl or basin. Arrange the
meat and vegetables over the cereal, and ladle some broth over the
couscous.
Let the dish stand for 5 minutes to allow the grain to absorb the broth.
Serve some of the broth in a bowl for diners to add while eating, as
wished.

The grape leaves intended for stuffing are picked while young and tender, early
in the morning, and pickled in brine. They have been used in Mediterranean
cooking for centuries.
3/4 cup rice

boiling water as needed
1/2 cup minced lamb
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
40 prepared grape leaves (available in cans from Greek and Turkish
stores), softened in boiling water for 5–8 minutes, then drained
juice from 1 large lemon
Prepare the stuffing: add rice to 1/2 pint boiling water.

Boil for 5 minutes, drain, and place in a large bowl.
Add the lamb, onion, tomatoes, a quarter of the melted butter, salt,
pepper, and parsley to the rice. Mix well.
To assemble the stuffed leaves: place the leaf with its base nearest you
on a flat plate or chopping board. Place about a tablespoon of rice
stuffing on the base of the leaf. Snip off any remaining leaf stalk.
Fold the base over once to enclose the stuffing. Fold both sides over.
Roll the leaf securely from base to tip (rolls should be about 1/2 inch
by 2–3 inches).
Grease a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid with some of the butter
and place grape leaf rolls in the pan, loose edges down.
Pour over the remaining butter and lemon juice. Add boiling water to
just barely cover.
Place a small plate face down on the topmost leaves to prevent them
moving around while cooking.
Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 35–45 minutes.
Remove from heat and leave undisturbed for about 15–20 minutes in
the pan.
Serve hot or cold as appetizers.

Various forms of stuffed vegetables are one of the Middle East’s most common
foods, available in a variety found nowhere else. This Libyan version has
cousins all over the Levant.
4 large onions (approximately 1 1/2 pounds), peeled

1/2 pound ground lamb or mutton
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 ounces flour
1 TBS olive oil
8 ounces chopped tomatoes (or canned tomatoes)
1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder
1 bay leaf
Cut a thin disk from the base of each onion so they can stand upright
in a small heavy pot.
Cut a disk off the top, and remove the center (with a teaspoon or an
apple corer) to create a shell for stuffing, with a wall about 2–3 onion
layers thick.
Reserve the top disks (to be used as lids) and onion centers. Salt and
pepper the shells and set aside.
Finely mince the onion centers and mix with the meat, garlic, egg,
flour, and seasoning. Fill onion shells with the mixture. Top with the
reserved lids.
Heat oil in a pot small enough to hold all the onions upright.
Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, paprika, fenugreek, and bay leaf.
Let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place stuffed onions upright in the pot. Tuck in the bay leaf among the
onions. (Wedge the onions into place with small bowls if necessary.)
Baste onions with some tomato sauce.
Return to the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, covered.
Serve with rice.

Dates, fresh, dried, and cooked, have been a staple of Libyan life for centuries,
and various types of dates are hugely popular today.
10 ounces dates, stoned and chopped finely

4 ounces walnuts, chopped
4 ounces dried figs, chopped
1/4 tsp anise seed
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp orange-blossom water
In a bowl, mix thoroughly the dates, walnuts, figs, spices, honey, and
Pat into a 6 × 6 inch baking pan or glass dish and press lightly to level
the surface.
Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Cut with a sharp knife into small squares or lozenges and serve.

This refreshing salad made of dried fruits and nuts is traditionally eaten during
the fasting month of Ramadan, as an appetizer to gently break the day-long fast,
just prior to partaking the main meal after sundown.
2 1/2 cups dried fruits (apricots, apples, prunes, figs), diced

1/2 cup raisins
1 ripe banana
2 TBS lemon juice
Place dried fruits and raisins in a saucepan with 6 cups water.

Bring to a boil; turn off heat and allow to cool thoroughly before
refrigerating in a covered container.
Peel and slice banana into coins; coat with lemon juice to prevent
browning.
Stir bananas, nuts, and orange-blossom water into the chilled dried
fruit mixture.
Serve well chilled.

This butter cookie flavored with cloves is a Libyan variant of the butter-based
cookies made throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. These are made for
special occasions such as Eid-al-Fitr, as well as for serving with tea or coffee.
The amount of cloves used here is minimal, unlike the traditional recipes, which
suggest as much as a tablespoon.
2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt
4 cloves, finely crushed, or 1/4 tsp powdered cloves, or more if desired
1 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
almond or pistachio halves for garnish
In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cloves; set aside.

In a large bowl or food processor, cream butter and sugar until very
light; mix in the egg, vanilla, and then the flour mixture, until the
ingredients come together.
Shape into a ball, wrap, and chill for 1–2 hours.
With lightly floured hands, take walnut-sized pieces of dough and
shape each into a ball.
Depress the ball slightly between your palms; press an almond in the
center.
Place cookies evenly spaced on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10–12 minutes until the cookies are dry but still pale. Do not
let them brown.
Let cool; store in an airtight container.
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is a small, independent principality between Switzerland and

Austria that used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is mostly
mountainous, with a broad valley, and with cold winters and moderately warm
summers ideal for cows and milk production.
The population is German speaking. The cuisine is very similar to that of
the neighboring areas of Austria and Switzerland, with milk products very
important in the diet.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: cornmeal, semolina, potato, bread, hand-rolled or grated
pasta (knöpfli).
• Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, onions, mushrooms; pickled
cabbage (sauerkraut) frequently eaten; asparagus, wild mushrooms in
season.
• Apple, pear, chestnut, quince, berries (raspberry, strawberry,
blackberry).
• Meat, particularly beef, is eaten frequently; wild game (venison,
rabbit, boar), chicken, pork; preserved and smoked meats: sausage,
ham, bacon (speck).
• Milk products: butter, diverse cheeses, and cream.
• Flavoring and seasoning: onion, leek, garlic, black pepper, tomato
sauce, juniper, nutmeg, bay leaf, herbs (marjoram, thyme, parsley);
wine, butter, and bacon (speck).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Traditional: cornmeal porridge (ribel), braised sauerkraut flavored
with juniper (chruudspätzli); pasta, potatoes, and cheese (güschgle-
knöpfle); pasta and cheese (käsknöpfle, in the Triesenberger region
known as chääs-chnöpli) or pasta and sauerkraut (krautknöpfle).
• Hearty soups (e.g., barley soup) and stews (gulasch), vegetable
casseroles (e.g., chestnut, mushrooms).
• Baked and roasted meats.
• Sandwiches and various types of breads.
• Pastries similar to Austrian varieties (strudel with apple or cheese),
bread pudding.
• Wine and beer are common drinks during the meal. Milk is drunk by
most people.
STYLES OF EATING
• Table settings are European standard. Meals tend to be formal.
• Breakfast: muesli with flavored or unflavored yogurt; cheese and
cold cuts; various types of bread; coffee, milk, or cocoa.
• Lunch: light meal, often a meat sandwich or a bowl of soup with
bread and butter.
• Evening meal: usually a substantial meal of at least three dishes—an
appetizer; a main dish of meat, vegetables, and a carbohydrate such as
potatoes; and a dessert, often topped with cream.
• Many people stop at midmorning and mid-afternoon for a coffee and
pastry, often topped with whipped cream.

Liver is a common ingredient. Serve this as a light meal with bread and salad, or
as a first course.
2 TBS butter
1 onion, minced or grated
1/2 cup calf or chicken liver, minced or finely chopped
1 thick slice stale bread, soaked in water, then squeezed dry
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
6 cups well-flavored beef broth
3 TBS fresh parsley, minced, for garnish
Heat butter and sauté onion until golden.

Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
Add the liver, bread, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well.
Allow to rest 10 minutes refrigerated, covered with plastic film.
Shape mixture into marble-sized dumplings. (If the mixture is not firm
enough, add a bit of flour or bread crumbs.)
Bring the beef broth to a simmer in a large saucepan.
Slip dumplings in and allow to simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes
or until the liver is done.
Serve dumplings and soup in individual bowls, sprinkled with parsley.

This sandwich is a variation on the usual hamburger. Serve with sauerkraut or
pickled cucumber or pickled beet.
4 cooked meatballs, any type, or hamburgers, chopped

4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and chopped
2 tsp mustard
4 crusty buns, each sliced in half
Mix meatballs, eggs, and mustard and season to taste.

Spread on one half of a bun.
Top with the other half.

Chestnuts are plentiful in the autumn and are eaten roasted or plain boiled, as
well as baked into a pudding, as in this recipe.
18 ounces chestnuts, canned, unsweetened boiled whole

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
3 TBS toasted breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch baking dish.

Puree whole chestnuts in a blender.
In a bowl, cream butter with sugar until very light; beat in yolks, then
vanilla.
Mix in the chestnut puree, then fold in the egg whites.
Sprinkle the baking dish with breadcrumbs; spoon in the chestnut
mixture.

These fritters are a sweet snack, once made expressly for Fastnacht, celebrated
on the last Thursday before Lent, but now made at other times.
1 egg
1/4 cup cream
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
oil for deep frying
In a bowl, mix the egg, cream, salt, and flour to a soft dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/4-inch-thick rectangle; cut
into 2-inch squares.
Deep fry a few at a time over medium heat; drain and sprinkle with
sugar.
Serve warm.

This is a popular dessert, often served with a vanilla custard sauce and cinnamon
sugar.
2/3 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup apple juice
3 apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 TBS cornstarch
half oil, half butter for cooking
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling: 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp
cinnamon
In a large bowl, combine the flour with baking powder and soda and
salt.
Mix in the egg yolk, apple juice, and butter; beat the egg white to stiff
peaks, then fold into the batter.
Dust the apples with cornstarch, then dip into the batter.
In a griddle, heat oil and butter over medium heat, and shallow fry
apple rings, a few at a time, until golden.
Drain and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Lithuania
A Baltic country between Estonia and Russia, Lithuania is one of the three
Northern European countries (the others are Latvia and Estonia) speaking
distinct, singular languages but sharing a common culture and ecology. The
country is largely flat and is covered by forests. The climate is cool and damp,
colder in winter, and cold-resistant staple grains such as rye are grown.
The majority of the population is of Baltic origin, with a significant Russian

minority, a residue of the Russian empire, which ruled Lithuania for centuries.
The cuisine shares many elements with Russian and Estonian cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rye, oats, and barley are the major crops, supplemented in modern
times by wheat.
• Pork is the most important meat, and may be fresh, smoked, or
pickled in brine. Beef is also eaten.
• Fish from the Baltic and freshwater fish from the rivers are much
prized. Pickled and smoked herring are traditional winter foods.
• Cabbage, potatoes, peas, onions, mushrooms are common vegetables.
Wild greens and particularly mushrooms are a standard item of diet,
and Lithuanian forests and fields boast several hundred varieties of
wild mushrooms.
• Milk products, notably buttermilk, cream, and butter are part of many
dishes.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Dumplings, stuffed with meat or with berries.
• Herring, fresh and preserved, cooked in various ways.
• Soup is the main dinner and supper food and is traditionally eaten
every day.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day are common.
• Modern Lithuanians eat with standard European table settings.
• Breakfast: porridge (traditional), rye bread and butter, buttermilk, tea
or coffee.
• Lunch: heavy meal with soup, bread, and possibly a fish or meat dish
with potatoes or cabbage.
• Evening meal: similar to lunch; a soup may be the center, but without
a meat or fish dish.
• Drinks include kvass (a drink made of rye bread or berries, see
sidebar “Kvass,” p. 756), beer, and tea, drunk Russian style with a
cube of sugar held between the teeth; buttermilk; fruit juices.

Cepelinai are giant dumplings named for Zeppelin air ships. They are a
Lithuanian specialty, served as a main dish.
Lithuanian Zeppelin dumplings of potato stuffed with meat. (Epicture/iStockphoto.com)
Meat stuffing
2 TBS oil
3/4 cup onions, minced
8 ounces ground pork
Heat oil and fry onions until translucent.

Add pork and briefly fry until it changes color. Remove from heat.
Season with salt, pepper, and dill.
Knead mixture thoroughly and set aside until needed.
Dough
3 pounds raw potatoes, peeled, grated, and squeezed to expel liquid
2 pounds cooked mashed potatoes
4 tsp cornstarch or potato flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream for serving
1/2 cup crisp fried onions, 1/4 cup crisp bacon bits for garnish
In a large bowl, mix the raw and mashed potatoes, starch, and salt.
Knead thoroughly.
With moistened hands, take a fistful of the potato dough and press it
flat on your palm, 1/2 inch thick and 3/4 the length of your hand.
Place a walnut-sized piece of the stuffing in the center of the pressed
dough.
Bring the dough over the stuffing to fully enclose it. Add more dough
if necessary. Taper the sides.
The finished dumpling should be as big as your fist and shaped like a
lemon.
Slip the dumplings, a few at a time, into plenty of salted simmering
water and simmer for approximately 25 minutes, counting from when
they start floating.
Drain and keep warm while cooking the rest.
Serve covered with sour cream, fried onions, and hot bacon bits.

This stew is a popular main dish, usually served with boiled potatoes.
1 1/4 pounds boneless pork, cubed
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 onions, chopped
2 TBS butter
2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1/2 cup canned chopped tomatoes)
1 carrot, pared and finely sliced
3 celery stalks, finely sliced
2 leeks, white part only, finely sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and finely sliced
1 TBS flour
In a pan, place meat and stir in buttermilk. Add salt, bay leaf, and
garlic; cover pan and cook on low heat.
Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, fry onions in
butter until translucent.
Add tomatoes, carrot, celery, leeks, parsnip, and cook for 5 minutes,
Add meat and buttermilk mixture to the vegetables and simmer on low
heat for about 20–30 minutes, until meat is tender.
Adjust seasoning.
Mix 2 TBS of the cooking liquid with the flour until smooth. Pour the
flour mixture into the stew and cook, stirring, until the stew thickens.
Serve with boiled potatoes and sauerkraut.

Mushrooms, especially during the season, can be served at any meal.
1 pound fresh mushrooms

2 TBS flour
pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS bread crumbs
3 ounces butter
Clean mushrooms. Cut in half lengthwise and dust with salted flour.
Dip mushroom halves into egg and roll in bread crumbs.
Fry breaded mushrooms in hot butter.
Place fried mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven
at 250°F for about 10 minutes.
Serve as side dish, or with bread as a snack.

Baltic herring is a major mainstay for the winter, as most of the fishing catch is
salted or smoked. Fresh herring is consumed only so long as the fishing season
lasts and is a major seasonal delicacy.
4 fresh herring fillets

2 cups sour cream
pinch of pepper
1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
Cut herring into bite-sized pieces.

Pour sour cream into a heavy-bottomed frying pan and add herring and
pepper. Cook on low heat until sour cream thickens and turns yellow.
Arrange herring pieces on a serving dish, cover with sour cream and
sliced onion. Sprinkle with dill.
Serve with bread or hot potatoes as a snack or for a light lunch.

Vegetables can serve as the main dish, along with rye bread for supper, or as a
side dish for lunch.
4 large onions, peeled and trimmed (parboiled for 2 minutes before

being stuffed, if desired)
1 pickled beet, diced
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of sugar
4 TBS juice of pickled beets
Scoop out onion centers, leaving walls about three layers thick.
Chop onion centers and mix with beet, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Fill onions with beet mixture.
Place filled onions on a serving platter.
Pour beet juice over.
Serve with meat dishes.

This is a classic cake using a traditional sweetener, honey.
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup dark honey, or 2/3 cup honey and 2 TBS dark brown sugar
3 egg yolks
1 TBS grated orange rind
1 cup sour cream or yogurt
3 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter and line a 9-inch baking pan with
parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream butter, honey, yolks, and orange rind.
Mix in well half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, followed by
the rest of the flour mixture. Gently fold in the egg whites; spoon
batter into prepared baking pan.
Let cake cool thoroughly before unmolding.

Poppy seeds are a popular ingredient in pastries and savory breads in Lithuania.
A convenient alternative to preparing the poppy-seed paste is canned poppy-seed
filling (about 12 ounces). In most cases, prepared fillings are already sweetened;
if so, omit the sugar.
2 cups poppy seeds

1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment.

In a saucepan over medium heat, put poppy seeds and milk; simmer
for 5–8 minutes.
Place poppy seeds in food processor and grind to a paste; set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light; add eggs, lemon juice and rind,
then stir in poppy seed mixture.
Mix in flour mixture; drop teaspoonfuls of cookie dough evenly
spaced on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden. Cool on rack and sprinkle with
powdered sugar.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a small, landlocked country between Germany, France, and

Belgium. The country is partly mountain, partly lowland plain. The weather is
cool and often rainy.
The cuisine borrows from all neighboring countries and adds twists of its
own. Many dishes are flavored with or based on the fruits of local orchards:
plums, peaches, apples, grapes.
FOODSTUFFS
• Potatoes, grain dumplings, and fritters are favorite carbohydrates.
• Pork is the favorite meat. Beef and lamb are consumed, as well as
geese and chicken.
• Fish from the Moselle River as well as sea fish brought from the
other Low Countries.
• Vegetables: cabbage, carrots, peas and beans, asparagus, carrots,
endive.
• Fruit: Luxembourg’s orchards are famous for pears, plums, and
particularly grapes, many of which go into making the famous Moselle
wines.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Soups, including bean soup (bou’neschlupp) and nettle soup
(brennesselszop).
• Fish dishes, including the famous friture.
• Meat dishes: beef salad (feiersténgszalot), black pudding (treipen),
ham in hay, and pork in aspic (jhelli).
• Crisp carnival pastry (verwurrelt gedanken), plum tart
(quetscheflued).
STYLES OF EATING
• Most people eat three meals a day and snacks, stopping at
midmorning for a bite and in late afternoon for a bite and a drink.
• European place settings, including forks, spoons, and knives for

different courses. Dining can be formal.
• Breakfast: a large cup or bowl of milky coffee and a slice of fresh
bread, or rolls, cold cuts, cheese.
• Lunch: a relatively light meal, often a soup and a salad with bread.
• Evening meals: the major meal of the day, which can include an
appetizer, a soup, a main course of meat and a carbohydrate, and some
cooked vegetables. Dessert follows, which is fruit or a cooked dish,
often smothered in whipped cream.
• Snacks are often creamy cakes and coffee.

A soup such as this is often the main dish during lunch.
2 pounds green or wax beans or snap beans

1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 pound onion, diced
4 cups bouillon (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 4 cups water)
4 slices well-marbled bacon, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
Simmer vegetables in a pot with bouillon and pepper until soft, about
25 minutes. Add water if necessary.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, dry fry the bacon briefly.
Add bacon to vegetables.
When vegetables are done, remove from heat.
Adjust seasoning (salt may not be needed because of the bouillon and
bacon).
Add sour cream, stirring briefly so that the cream is in swirls.
It is traditional to add a sausage to each soup plate, if desired.

This is a typical dish of the Moselle region, which produces a famous white
wine. Friture are traditionally eaten with the fingers. Supply a bowl of fresh
lemon water for washing hands.
1/2 pound cleaned and scaled small freshwater fish (or fish fillets
sliced into strips) per person
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
5 ounces flour
oil for deep frying (traditionally, a mix of 1/4 pork fat and 3/4
vegetable oil)
a bunch of parsley
2 lemons, quartered
1 lemon squeezed into a large bowl of fresh water
Mix the fish and lemon juice, turning well in a large bowl.
Place fish in a second bowl and toss with salt and pepper.
Make sure the fish are well coated.
Place flour in a paper bag, add fish, close bag, and shake until well
coated.
Cook the fish by portion until golden brown. Drain on paper towels
and keep warm while preparing the rest.
Serve on a warmed plate and garnish with a lemon quarter and a sprig
of parsley.
Offer diners the bowl of lemon water after dining to cleanse their
hands.

This recipe comes from the very north of Luxembourg and is almost impossible
to replicate in an urban environment.
fresh, clean organic (not sprayed by any pesticide) hay

about 1 gallon water
2–3 pounds smoked ham in one piece
Take the largest pot you can find and fill one-third to one-half with
fresh hay.
Pour sufficient water so that it is half the depth of the hay.
Lay the ham directly on the hay making sure it does not touch the
water.
Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Allow to cook for 20 minutes per
pound. Check after 10 minutes, and add hay if necessary to keep the
ham out of water, or water if too much has evaporated.
Serve on a bed of hay with pommes frites and salad.
Buckwheat is cold hardy and can grow in barren soil, making it a commonly
raised grain in Northern Europe. This dish is typical of the Osling area.
1 quart salted water

1 pound buckwheat flour (available from health food stores and stores
that sell Japanese foods)
1 cup of hot lard or melted butter
1 pint cream or whole milk
6 ounces smoked bacon, cubed and lightly fried
Boil the water. As soon as it comes to a boil, sprinkle in the flour in a

steady stream.
Stir once and remove the doughy mass immediately (it will be quite
solid).
Dip a tablespoon in the hot fat, take a spoonful of the dough, and,
using another spoon, shape around dumpling. Place the dumplings
gently in a mound in a prewarmed bowl.
Pour cream or milk over the top of the mound and garnish with bacon.

This is served to accompany a meat dish or as a light meal on its own.
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated

1 bunch parsley
2 shallots
3 onions
4 eggs, beaten
2 TBS flour
4 eggs, beaten
oil for frying
Squeeze potatoes in a kitchen towel or cheesecloth to extract liquid.

Chop parsley, shallots, and onions together and mix with the potatoes.
Add flour and mix in.
Add the eggs.
Season to taste.
Heat about 1/4 inch of oil until moderately hot in a heavy frying pan.
Drop 1 heaping tablespoonful of the mixture and flatten out to about
1/4 inch thick. Repeat, cooking 2 to 3 at a time (depending on size of
frying pan). Fry until golden on both sides.
Serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

This is a dessert showcasing the diverse fruits, such as plums and pears, grown
on the famed orchards on the hills above the Moselle.
1/2 ounce dry yeast

3 TBS sugar
2 cups milk at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 pound flour
1–2 pounds Damson plums, cut in half, pits discarded
sugar for serving

Mix yeast, sugar, milk, salt, butter, and egg.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Mix into flour with a wooden spoon.
Knead flour on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a warm spot, covered with a damp towel, for 1 hour.
Spread the dough onto a 12-inch buttered pie pan.
Cover the dough closely with the plums in a circular or other pattern.
Bake until the pastry is golden on the edges.
Sprinkle with sugar before serving.
These apple pastries filled with cinnamon and baked in a crust are a popular
dessert or snack, often served with plain or whipped cream.
4 apples, peeled and cored

2 TBS lemon juice
2 tsp lemon rind
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pound prepared unbaked puff pastry or shortcrust pastry for a 10-
inch pie
1 egg white, beaten well
Egg wash
1 egg yolk, beaten with 2 TBS milk

Coat apples with lemon juice to prevent discoloring; cut off a thin slice
from the bottom to ensure apples stand upright.
Make the filling: mix the lemon rind, sugar, butter, and cinnamon; set
aside.
On a floured surface, roll out pastry to a 1/8-inch-thick sheet.
Divide into 4 squares; brush each pastry with egg white.
Place apple in the center of each pastry square; spoon filling into the
core cavity. Spread any leftover on and around the apples.
Bring the points of the pastry up and over the apple, and press all
edges together to fully enclose the apple. Moisten edges with a bit of
egg wash, if needed, to make them stick.
Place pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet; brush all over with
egg wash; make a couple of slits at the top of the pastry, so that steam
can escape during baking.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F; reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 30–
40 minutes or until apples can be pierced through with a skewer. If
pastry is browning too rapidly; cover with foil.
Serve warm.

These sweet fritters were traditionally made on the week before Lent.

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup cream
oil for deep frying
Combine flour and salt; set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until light; blend in eggs, beating well after
each.
Mix in half of the flour mixture; then the cream, followed by the rest
of the flour mixture.
Knead briefly until smooth and form into a ball: the dough will be soft.
Wrap and let rest in the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8 inch thick.
Cut into 4 × 1 inch strips; bring edges together and tie loosely into a
knot.
Deep fry a few at a time over medium heat until golden. Drain on
paper towels and sprinkle with sugar.
M
Macedonia
A landlocked Balkan country, Macedonia was part of the Turkish Ottoman
Empire from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries and subsequently part of
Yugoslavia until 1991 (the full name of the country is the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia). Macedonia is rugged and mountainous, with several
lakes, but its moderate climate is ideal for food crops such as wheat, grapes, and
olives.
The population is divided between Christian (Slavic) Macedonians and

Muslim Albanians. Macedonian cuisine is influenced by Turkish and Slavic
cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: bread, potatoes.
• Lamb/mutton (preferred), pork (not for Muslims), beef, poultry,
preserved meat (smoked), internal organs, dairy products (yogurt, sour
cream, cheese), chicken, eggs.
• Potatoes, olives, maize, beans, cabbage, tomato, chili pepper, beets,
cucumber, eggplant.
• Grapes, watermelon, apple, plum, cherry, quince.
• Seasonings: mint, parsley, paprika, bay leaf, garlic, oregano.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Meat dishes: grilled skewered lamb cubes (muchkalica) or meatballs
(kjebapchinja), lamb roasted with vegetables (pecheno jagne so zelka).
• Baked casseroles: mixed meat and vegetables (turli tarva); pork,
mushrooms, and wine (selsko meso); baked beans (tavche gravche).
• Fish dish: fried trout with lemon and sour cream (pastrmka).
• Vegetable dishes: pickles (turshija); stuffed peppers, cabbage, grape
leaves; Turkish-influenced eggplant casserole (musaka).
• Salads: cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions with feta cheese (shopska);
baked chopped eggplant, tomatoes, and bell peppers (pindzur).
• Turkish-influenced rich sweets: multilayered nut-filled pastry
drizzled in syrup (baklava).
• Drinks: coffee drunk black, thick, and sweet (Tursko kafe), bottled
local and international fruit drinks, local beer, local grape liquor called
rakija, and local wine.
STYLES OF EATING
• Meal times are long: food and drink are less important than company
and conversation.
• Breakfast: cheese-filled flaky pastry (burek), yogurt or coffee.
• Lunch (around 2:00 p.m.): Macedonian pizza (pastrmajlija—meat
and egg-topped pizza base without tomato sauce); grilled meats with
fried potatoes and shopska salad.
• Dinner (soon after 6:00 p.m.): lamb soup, roasted potatoes, stuffed
cabbage, beetroot and lettuce salad with horseradish and sour cream,
fresh fruit or sweet such as baklava.
• Snacks: sweet (walnut) or savory pastry (burek); homemade fruit jam
(slatko) of quince, grape, or cherry offered on teaspoon with water
when guests visit.
• Turkish coffee is served on most social occasions.
• Many bars and cafés for socializing; many eating places specialize in
traditional food such as buresk (savory pastries) or grilled meats.
• International fast food chains are located in shopping malls in towns;
Italian restaurants are opening up.

Tarator is a traditional appetizer, served with fresh bread and sharp white goat’s
or sheep’s cheese (sirenje).
2 cucumbers, washed and sliced thinly

1 TBS salt
2 cups plain yogurt
3 cloves garlic, crushed, then minced
1 ounce walnut meats, crushed
Place cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.

Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain.
In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, walnuts, and parsley.
Blend all ingredients together in a serving bowl.
Chill for 20–30 minutes before serving.

This is a traditional Macedonian starter, of which there are many variations. It is
also served with fresh bread and sirinje or brinza (another sharp white) cheese.
1 pound tomatoes, whole

3 green bell peppers, halved
1 large eggplant, stalk intact
3 TBS olive oil

Place tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant in a baking pan (peppers with
skin up).
Bake uncovered for about 40–50 minutes or until peppers are blistered
and eggplant and tomatoes collapse into themselves. Cool slightly.
Peel tomatoes and peppers. Make a slit in the eggplant and scoop out
all the flesh with a spoon (do not worry if some skin goes along with
it).
Chop together or put into food processor and mix with two or three
quick bursts.
Add salt and garlic and give it one more burst.
Before serving preheat oil slightly (5–10 seconds at low in the
microwave).
Place mixture in a serving bowl, pour oil and stir.
These Turkish-influenced meatballs are a common dish, more popularly made
with lamb. These are served with mashed or fried potatoes, along with a
vegetable dish or salad for a midday or evening meal. Sour cream is usually
served on the side.
1 pound ground beef (turkey, pork, or chicken)

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TBS fresh or 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 TBS fresh or 1/4 tsp dried mint
2 slices stale bread, crumbled
1/2 cup milk or water
1 egg, beaten
flour
vegetable oil
In a large bowl, mix meat, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and
mint.
In a small bowl let bread soften in milk or water for 10–15 minutes.
Stir egg and bread into meat mixture.
Knead mixture thoroughly; shape into walnut-sized balls.
Roll meatballs in flour; shake off excess.
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Fry meatballs without crowding, turning them to brown on all sides.
Keep fried meatballs warm in a low oven, absorbing excess oil on
paper towels.
Place all fried meatballs in a warmed covered serving dish.
Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetable dishes.

Peppers are widely grown, finding their way into salads and many vegetable
dishes. Serve these together with a meat dish and mashed or fried potatoes for
dinner.
5 green bell peppers (4 kept whole, 1 and finely chopped)

a large pot of boiling salted water
3 TBS butter
1 8-ounce can tomato puree
1/2 cup smoked lean bacon or ham
2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
Slice the top end (the stem end) off each whole pepper, leaving a
cylinder. Remove core and seeds; rinse.
In the pot of boiling water, parboil peppers for 5 minutes, remove and
drain.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter; sauté onion until
translucent.
Stir in garlic and chopped pepper; cook until pepper is soft.
Stir in tomato puree and smoked meat; season to taste with salt and
pepper.
Lower heat to lowest possible and simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn off heat; stir in bread crumbs (reserve 2 TBS for sprinkling) and
eggs.
Fill pepper shells with mixture.
Sprinkle tops with crumbs.
Bake in the oven at 350°F for 25–35 minutes or until stuffing is well
browned.

This is a Turkish-influenced sweet dessert served with the main meal.
4 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
rind of 1 lemon (cut, not grated)
1 stick cinnamon
4 cups water
pinch of salt
1/2 cup short-grain white rice, washed and drained
3 egg yolks, beaten until frothy, in a small bowl
1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup toasted almonds flakes for garnish
Slowly warm the milk, sugar, butter, lemon rind, and cinnamon to
blood heat. Set aside for half an hour.
Bring water to a boil in another pan.
Add salt and rice to water, reduce the heat to lowest possible; simmer
until rice is tender, for about 15 minutes.
Remove rice from heat. Drain.
Stir rice into milk mixture. Simmer uncovered over medium heat.
Stir rice frequently until thickened, for about 20 minutes.
Discard lemon rind and cinnamon.
Turn down the heat under the rice mixture to lowest possible.
Take 1/2 cup of the hot rice mixture and stir slowly into the yolks.
Pour the yolk and rice mixture into the rest of the pudding.
Stir continuously until the pudding thickens, about 5 minutes.
Turn off heat and let cool to room temperature.
Spoon pudding into glass or other pretty dessert bowls.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and toasted almonds and serve.

This compote, consisting of autumn fruits simmered in a spicy light syrup, is a
popular dessert. You can use any fruit in season, and serve with cream, whipped
or unwhipped, as well as custard. If you can get quince, leave it uncored: the
seeds and surrounding core will impart a beautiful red color to the syrup. Quince
will also provide a wonderful perfume.
8–12 prunes
2/3 cup raisins or sultanas
1/3 cup dried apricots
1 quince, peeled and cubed (optional)
1 stick cinnamon, or 1 tsp cinnamon
3–4 cloves
2 cups water
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and cubed
2 tart-sweet apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
2 TBS lemon juice
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring prunes, raisins, apricots,

quince, cinnamon, cloves, water, and sugar to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20–30 minutes.
Add pear and apples, and simmer for 5–10 minutes more, until tender
but still with their shape intact.
Take the fruits and spices out and keep warm in a bowl.
Cook the remaining syrup with lemon juice and rind until thickened,
Pour syrup over the fruits; serve warm or cold.
Poppy-Seed Cake
Poppy seeds are a popular ingredient for desserts, cakes, and as a topping for
breads. This is usually served with a hot or cold drink for a snack.
1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unflavored yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream (or milk plus 1
TBS lemon juice)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9 × 13 inch baking pan.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and poppy seeds.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugar until very light; beat
in eggs and vanilla.
Blend in the flour mixture, followed by yogurt.
Pour into prepared pan; bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden and
tests done.
Madagascar
An island nation with a unique ecology off the coast of southern Africa,
Madagascar was settled originally by people from Southeast Asia and, later,
Africa. From the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, Madagascar was a
protectorate of France. The climate is tropical along the coast and cooler toward
the central mountain range; the south is arid.
The population mostly consists of subsistence farmers raising many

varieties of rice, fruits, and vegetables. Madagascar is a major source for the
vanilla bean, and many dishes feature vanilla flavoring. The population is largely
Christian with a Muslim minority.
Malagasy cuisine has French, African, Indian, and Malay influences.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice (many types grown locally, including red, white, and
black varieties), zebu (beef).
• Pork, fish, seafood (mangrove crab, mussel, sea urchin, oyster,
shrimp, lobster), chicken, duck, turkey, eggs, wild game.
• Cassava, corn, taro, sweet potato, potato, beans (including the
unusual round Bambara beans).
• French-influenced baguette.
• Banana (many types), mango, coconut, oranges, pineapple, peanut,
lychee, peach, apricot, grape, passion fruit, star fruit, many tropical
fruits, strawberry.
• Seasonings: vanilla, ginger, garlic, clove, pepper, cinnamon (all
locally grown), coconut milk (for coastal dishes), curry powder. A
table condiment is sakay, a hot chili sauce (not used for cooking).
Woman grilling bananas for sale, along a roadside near Vohemar, Madagascar. (Wolfgang Kaehler/Corbis)
BANANAS (MUSA SPP.)

Bananas are the fruit of a herbaceous plant probably first domesticated in
New Guinea. From their original domestication, bananas spread to
Southeast and South Asia and Polynesia. The Malagasy migration from
Indonesia in the fourth to fifth centuries CE brought bananas to
Madagascar, and from there to East Africa. European colonial trade in the
seventeenth century introduced bananas to the Caribbean and tropical
America. In the United States and Europe, banana types are divided into
bananas, which are sweet and eaten raw, and plantains, which are nonsweet
and must be cooked. However, many banana types can be eaten raw or
cooked, as preferred. Bananas are a major staple in the highlands of East
Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi) and the Fe’i banana was an important
staple throughout Polynesia and Melanesia.
Bananas in the United States and the West are normally eaten raw.
However, banana fritters are a simple and popular dessert. In Polynesia and
Melanesia cooked bananas are boiled or baked in banana leaf wrappings. In
East Africa, matoke consists of bananas that have been steamed in banana
leaves, with or without a relish. Patacones are Latin American fried
plantains served with meat or fish for many meals. The flowers of plantains
and certain bananas (referred to as “the heart” or “banana hearts”) are eaten
as a vegetable throughout Southeast Asia. Some varieties of bananas are
dried and milled into flour. Dried bananas can also be eaten as is or glazed
with sugar for snacking.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Clear soups and stews of mostly green vegetables or legumes with a
little meat.
• French-influenced dishes: beef cooked in garlic or green onions as a
confit (potted or preserved meat), roast breast of duck, foie gras (goose
liver).
• Malay/Indonesian-influenced dishes of vegetables, fish, or seafood
cooked in coconut sauce.
• Poultry dishes: chicken clear soup (bouillon) flavored with ginger;
duck in vanilla and tomato sauce.
• Sundried meat or fish (kitoza).
• Seafood dishes: fried fish or small shrimps; French-influenced cream
sauce with lobster, shrimps.
• Indian-influenced dishes: side dishes or relishes (achard) of curry-
flavored vegetables.
STYLES OF EATING
• Food is served on a mat on the floor. In cities individual plates are
used; the eating utensil is a large spoon but no knives or forks are
used. There are no courses as such.
• Malagasy people eat light dishes (leafy vegetables, beans, and little
or lean beef) everyday; rich dishes (with pork, fatty beef, or coconut
cream) for weekends, celebrations, and holidays.
• Rice is eaten at all meals, but rice varies in consistency from soft to
dry, to complement accompanying dish. Dry dishes go with softer rice.
• Vegetables, in the form of salads, soups, and stews are almost always
served with one or another of the many varieties of rice.
• Breakfast: traditionally, soft-cooked rice and dried beef (kitoza). In
urban areas, baguette or other bread, butter, honey, jam, hot drinks
(coffee, tea, milk, chocolate). Recent trend is small sweet rice cakes
(mofogasy) with coffee.
• Lunch: rice, clear beef soup with greens (romazava), tomato and
green onion relish, curried mixed vegetables, mango or other fruit in
season.
• Dinner: rice, pork stew with cassava leaves (ravitoto), hot chili paste,
fruit salad or banana fritters.
• Snacks: sweet steamed rice and fruitcakes wrapped in banana leaves
(koba ravina), grilled skewered beef (masikita), Indian-style filled
pastries (samossa).
• Desserts: sweet fritters of banana or sweet potato, tropical fruit salad,
rice cakes.
• Drinks: citronella tea; burnt rice tea (ranovola or ranon’ampango);
tropical fruit juices; palm toddy; local beer, rum, and wine from local
fruits and grapes.

This is the national soup, whose name translates as “clear soup.” Ideally it is
made with seven kinds of greens, and among them must be a “hot” or “prickly”
vegetable (brède mafana), the Para cress of Brazilian origin (Spilanthes acmella
and Spilanthes oleracea), for which watercress is a poor substitute.
2 TBS oil
2 pounds stewing beef, cubed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced into julienne strips
1 tomato, diced
water
1 pound mixed green vegetables (watercress, spinach, Chinese
cabbage, chard, pea shoots, and Para cress if available), washed and
cut into 1-inch slices
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat oil and quickly sear the beef.
Add garlic, onion, ginger, and tomato; season with salt and pepper.
Add water to completely cover the meat.
Allow to boil for about 10 minutes, skimming continuously.
Lower the heat to lowest possible; cover and simmer for 1 hour or
until tender.
Add greens except for watercress; cook for another 10 minutes. Add
watercress just before serving to preserve its peppery flavor.
Serve with white rice, a tomato relish, and a hot pepper relish.

This is another national favorite. The African influence is evident in the use of
cassava leaves, for which spinach has been substituted here. Some South
American stores may carry frozen cassava leaves. Serve this with rice and side
dishes of tomato relish and other vegetables for dinner.
2 TBS oil
2 stalks fresh thyme
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder and belly, cubed
1 TBS tomato paste
water
1 pound frozen spinach, defrosted and pureed in blender
2 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
Heat oil over medium heat and fry the onion until translucent. Add
garlic and thyme and fry until fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl.
Add 1 more TBS oil if necessary. Increase heat and brown the meat in
the hot oil, stirring frequently for 4–5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste; continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add water to cover the meat; cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer for 45 minutes or until pork is very tender.
Stir in pureed spinach and coconut milk.
Serve with side dishes of tomato relish and other vegetables.

The combination of garlic and ginger in this dish is typical of Malagasy
flavoring. Serve with rice, accompanied by a soup or a vegetable dish for a
midday or evening meal.
8 large chicken drumsticks or 4 quarters, skin removed, flesh slashed

in several places
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp salt
oil
Rub ginger, garlic, and salt into the chicken.

Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer, refrigerated in a
covered container.
In a skillet over low heat, slowly heat enough oil for shallow-frying.
Fry chicken, covered, until done, about 45 minutes.
Turn chicken to cook all sides evenly.
Serve hot.
Cattle have a mystical value in Malagasy life, and the meat of the zebu, a type of
African cattle, is commonly eaten. Serve this Malagasy jerky with rice cooked
slightly soft and one or more vegetable dishes or relishes for an evening meal.
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef, cut in small pieces

2 TBS salt
1 onion, sliced
water to cover
In a large saucepan, place beef, salt, garlic, and onion.

Add water to cover meat.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours or until meat can be shredded with
a fork. Add more water if necessary during cooking period.
Shred meat and transfer to a 7 × 11 inch baking dish.
Bake in a 400°F oven for 1/2 hour or until meat is browned.
Serve with rice and a vegetable dish.

This dish makes a complete but light meal for lunch. It can be served
accompanied by another vegetable dish or relish.
2 TBS oil
1 tomato cut in 1/2-inch chunks
4 green onions, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound mustard greens, chopped
1/4 pound spinach, chopped
1/4 pound water cress, cut in small pieces
1 cup water
1/2 cup rice, uncooked
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
In a covered saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
Brown meat, stirring frequently.
Add tomato and green onions; reduce heat.
Stir in greens; cook until greens soften (5–10 minutes).
Add water, rice, salt, and pepper.
Cover pot and simmer on lowest heat until rice is thoroughly cooked
and all the liquid is absorbed, for about 20–25 minutes.
Adjust seasoning and serve hot.

This relish is a table accompaniment for soups or stews.
1/2 cup green onions, chopped finely

1 cup diced tomatoes
1 TBS water
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp chili flakes
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Divide into 4 bowls and serve with the main dish.

Although this sauce is a frequent table accompaniment to most dishes, Malagasy
food is not peppery hot, and this sauce is not used for cooking. The original
recipe for this sauce uses several kinds of chili peppers.
2 fresh red chili peppers, cored and seeded (or 5–7 drops prepared chili
sauce, e.g., Tabasco)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
5 (or more) TBS oil
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Process until pureed, adding more oil if needed.
Place in a small bowl as an accompaniment to dishes.

The range of many excellent fruits makes fruits and fruit salad the natural choice
for dessert. A Malagasy touch is the use of locally grown vanilla during
preparation and then again just before serving.
1 small fresh ripe pineapple, cut in 1-inch cubes

1 cup oranges, peeled, white parts discarded, and very thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh peeled or canned lychees
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS lemon juice
Combine all fruits in a bowl and mix well.

Bring sugar, water, salt, and lemon juice to a boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Add vanilla extract to the syrup.
Pour the piping hot syrup over the fruit.
Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Before serving, sprinkle some more vanilla extract on each serving.

This is a popular snack using the common ingredients coconut and cassava.
Serve with a hot or cold drink.
1 1/2 cups grated unsweetened cassava (fresh, or frozen and thawed)

1 1/2 cups grated unsweetened coconut (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
oil for frying
flour (if needed)
milk (if needed)
Place the cassava in a cheesecloth and squeeze out all liquid.

In a bowl, put the cassava, coconut, eggs, butter, sugar, salt, and
vanilla, and mix well. The mixture should be firm and slightly moist,
but not runny. Add a bit of flour or milk if necessary.
With lightly floured hands, shape walnut-sized balls from the mixture,
and flatten into patties.
In a griddle over medium heat, heat 3–4 TBS of oil and fry the patties
until golden brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve warm
or cold.

These small rice cakes are commonly eaten for breakfast, or a snack. Mokary are
traditionally cooked in a special round griddle with depressions (rather like a
round muffin pan) over a fire.

2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup thick coconut cream, or dairy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
oil for frying
grated coconut and powdered sugar for sprinkling
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water; set aside until frothy.
Mix well both flours, egg, butter, salt, coconut cream, sugar, and
coconut; stir in yeast mixture.
Heat 2–3 TBS of oil in a griddle over medium heat. Drop 2–3 tsp of
batter, well apart.
Cook covered until brown at the edges, about 3 minutes; turn over and
cook, uncovered, until done.
Serve warm with more grated coconut and powdered sugar if desired.
Malawi
Malawi is a long, narrow, landlocked country in southern Africa. The terrain is

rolling hills, dipping down toward Lake Malawi. In the high plateaus, the
climate is cool subtropical. Malawi was a British colony until the middle of the
twentieth century.
Malawians are predominantly of the Chewa ethnic group, with minorities of
Nyanja and Tumbuka. Although majority are Christian, 15 percent are Muslims,
largely in the north. Malawi cooking is simple and basic.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: cornmeal (nsima).
• Beef, goat, chicken, dried meat, and wild game, including birds.
• Freshwater fish from Lake Malawi (whitebait, called utaka and
usipa; lake salmon, butter fish), tilapia.
• Potatoes (both sweet and white), cassava, sorghum, millet.
• Beans (many types), peas (cowpea, pigeon pea, chickpea), tomato,
carrot, squash, cabbage, green vegetables (leaves of cassava, sweet
potato, bean, pea).
• Banana, plantain, mango.
• Seasonings: tomato, onion, ground peanuts, curry powder (Malawi
mix)
TYPICAL DISHES
• Banana soup, as a main dish or as dessert.
• Curry-flavored chicken or other meat with coconut milk.
• Yellow rice (rice cooked with turmeric and raisins).
• Peanut-based dishes, from soups, to stews, to cakes and other

pastries.
• Potato chips (street food bought from “chippie” stands).
• Garlic and ginger-flavored fried fish, usually made from various fish
caught in Lake Malawi, such as chambo (a tilapia-like species).
STYLES OF EATING
• One to three meals and snacks daily. (Note that meals without the
staple cornmeal paste, no matter how filling or heavy, are considered
snacks.)
• The staple, a thick cornmeal porridge (nsima) is eaten with a side
dish (ndiwo) of vegetables and/or fish, meat.
• Hands are ritually washed with soap before and after eating by
pouring water from a jug, oldest persons first. Other family members
go around to assist. Families eat together, usually sitting on the floor or
at a table. All share one common plate of cornmeal porridge (nsima)
and one bowl of side dish.
• A piece of nsima is taken with the fingers of the right hand. This is
slowly shaped with the same fingers and palm into a round ball. The
ball is dipped into the side dish and brought to the mouth.
• It is considered polite to eat slowly and contribute to the
conversation.
• Breakfast: thin cornmeal porridge with ground-up peanuts, tea.
• Lunch: nsima, green vegetable or pumpkin side dish.
• Dinner: nsima, fire-dried wild game or dried small fish.
• Drinks: tea; cornmeal drink commercially flavored with banana,
chocolate, or orange (mahewu) or homemade; ginger ale and other
international bottled drinks; homebrewed beer; local vodka and coffee
liqueur.
• Snacks (homemade or sold in streets): corn on the cob, fresh fruits,
cashew nuts.
• Western-style fast food such as burgers, pizza, and fried chicken are
available in cities.

Nsima is actually more of a thick paste and resembles very firm mashed potatoes
when served. It is usually eaten twice a day at lunch and dinner. During
shortages, or if unaffordable, nsima is eaten once a day: for dinner in the late
afternoon. A side dish (called ndiwo) of greens or other vegetables is the usual
accompaniment: pumpkin, pumpkin leaves, or other vegetables or meat. Small
dried fish from the lake, beef, goat, wild game, or, for a celebration, chicken (the
most expensive form of protein) can also be made into side dishes. It is usual for
most people to have just one side dish for everyday family meals.
2 cups white cornmeal

4 cups water
In a large saucepan, heat water until lukewarm.

Slowly trickle cornmeal (altogether about 2/3 cup) into the water,
stirring continuously with a wooden spoon to make sure lumps do not
form.
Bring to a boil, stirring continuously.
Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer gently for 3–5 minutes.
The mixture will thicken to look like a thin transparent porridge.
Sprinkle the remaining cornmeal, a spoonful at a time, stirring
continuously.
Keep stirring until the nsima is smooth and well cooked.
Let rest, covered, for 2–3 minutes.
Arrange nsima in three (or more) large mounds on a warmed serving
platter. Place in the middle of the table or on a cloth on the floor and
serve.

The usual vegetables made into a side dish are the top young leaves (shoots)
from cassava, squash, pumpkin, bean, or sweet potato plants. Greens gathered
from the wild (ferns, baobab leaves) are also commonly cooked. Other greens
such as collards, kale, spinach, or Chinese cabbage may be used. Kutendela is
peanut powder, here substituted by readily available peanut butter.
1 TBS oil
1 pound cabbage, shredded
1 cup water
1 cup peanut butter (unsweetened if possible), in a small bowl
1/4 cup warm water
salt to taste
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

Add tomato and fry for 2–3 minutes.
Add cabbage and 1 cup water, stirring well.
Lower heat.
Dilute peanut butter with warm water and stir well into cabbage (add a
bit water if necessary, but do not thin the peanut sauce; it should be
like thick gravy).
Taste the peanut sauce, adding salt if necessary.
Keep stirring until peanut sauce boils and cabbage is tender, for about
7–10 more minutes.
Place in one large or two small bowls.
Serve hot with nsima.

Chicken curry is a dish made for special occasions and eaten with rice.
4 portions chicken (back, leg, or breast), skin on, patted dry

1/2 tsp salt
3–4 TBS oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
5 large tomatoes, finely chopped, or 1 cup canned tomatoes
1/8 cup curry powder
1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped (if not using chili)
1 tsp dried thyme, or 1 TBS fresh thyme
4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Season chicken with salt and pepper; heat 3 TBS of oil in a skillet, and
briefly fry chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 6–8
minutes. The chicken does not need to cook completely; set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add 2 TBS of oil
remaining in the skillet; sauté the onions until softened; then add
tomatoes, curry powder, chili (or bell pepper), and thyme.
Simmer until tomatoes are tender, about 5–8 minutes; add chicken
pieces and potatoes.
Simmer for 30–45 minutes until chicken and potatoes are tender.
Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Fish and Plantains

Because of the presence of Lake Malawi, fish, fresh or dried, is commonly eaten.
4 fresh fish fillets (tilapia or trout), patted dry, or 1/2 pound dried fish
2 1/2 tsp curry powder (see recipe below)
1/2 tsp salt
3 semiripe plantains, peeled, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch slices
2–3 TBS oil
1 large onion, sliced into rings
5 large tomatoes, sliced crosswise
2 cups fish or vegetable stock
Dust fish with half of the curry powder and half of the salt; set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, place the oil.
Place a layer of plantain; over this lay the fish, then the onions and
tomatoes.
If there are plantains left, place these on top.
Sprinkle with rest of the curry powder and salt; add stock.
Cook over medium heat until the fish and vegetables are tender; about
20–30 minutes.
Malawi Curry Powder

The original curry mixture is extremely hot; this is a mild modified version.
1 2-inch stick cinnamon, crumbled

1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
5 whole cloves
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1 hot chili
1/2 tsp turmeric, powdered
In a skillet over low heat, combine all the spices except the chili and
turmeric; dry fry until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Do not allow to
scorch.
Pound in a mortar with the chili until fine, or grind in a food processor.
Mix with the turmeric.
Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.

These sweet snacks in between meals are most likely to be made in urban areas.
4 TBS butter
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
1 1/4 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In a small saucepan, melt butter in the milk.
Pour over sweet potato and mix thoroughly.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, and blend into sweet potato
mixture.
Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead lightly and roll out 1/2 inch
thick.
Cut out with a cookie cutter.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place biscuits without crowding; bake
for 15 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm or cold.

This is a common street food, sold from street stalls or by vendors in the cities.
1/2 cup butter

2 TBS sugar
3/4 cup finely chopped peanuts
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar.
Stir in peanuts, vanilla, and flour.
With floured hands, roll into large, marble-sized balls.
Place without crowding on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden.
Remove from oven and, while still hot, roll in powdered sugar.

Bananas are plentiful and often made into snacks.
3 ripe bananas, mashed

pinch salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup white cornmeal or flour
oil for frying
Mix bananas well with the salt, sugar, and cornmeal or flour.
Heat over medium heat about 2 inches of oil in a skillet.
Place 4–5 spoonfuls of the mixture to fry in the hot oil.
Turn over when golden brown, and fry for another 2–3 minutes more.
Repeat for rest of banana mix.
Drain on paper towels; serve hot or cold.
Malaysia
Malaysia, a constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia, was a British colony

until independence in 1957. Its coastal plains have a tropical and humid climate
that favor rice and coconut production while the milder temperatures in the hills
and mountains are ideal for tea. The coasts provide abundant fish and seafood.
The population is divided among Malays (about 40 percent), Chinese, and
Indians, mostly descendants of plantation workers brought in by colonial British.
Islam is the dominant religion; Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Christianity
are also practiced.
In general, peninsular Malaysian food is similar to Indonesian food in the
use of many spices, hot chilies, and coconut milk, but with more pronounced
Indian and Chinese elements. Mixed marriages between Chinese and Malays
resulted in a distinctive style of cooking called nyonya, combining Malay and
Chinese elements. This style of cooking is prevalent in neighboring Singapore as
well. The cooking in northern Malaysia (close to Thailand) reflects the fiery hot,
sweet, and sour tastes of Thai cuisine. Eastern Malaysian cooking in Sabah and
Sarawak on Borneo Island, that is, that of diverse indigenous ethnic groups
(Iban, Kenyah, Bidayoh, Penan, Kelabit, etc.), is different from the rest of
Malaysia.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, noodles.
• Indian-style flat breads (roti).
• Fish, seafood, chicken, pork (not for Muslims), beef (not for Hindus),
eggs.
• Long beans, eggplant, squash, okra, leafy greens, various gourds,
bitter melon, various types of Chinese cabbage, Chinese flowering
broccoli.
• Soybean products (tofu, soy sauce, fermented black beans).
• Seasoning: wide range of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander,
cumin, cardamom, star anise, turmeric, etc.), tamarind, hot chilies,
sambal belachan (chili and shrimp paste, an indispensable table
condiment).
• Drinks: rose-syrup drinks with milk or lemon; tea; coffee; fruit
juices; coconut water. Alcoholic drinks for non-Muslim indigenous
groups in Sabah and Sarawak—tapai (rice beer) and leheng (sweet
toddy).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Curried stews of chicken, meat, and vegetables with or without
coconut milk.
• Roast or grilled meats: roast suckling pig (for non-Muslims), roast
duck, charcoal-grilled skewered chicken pieces (satay) with spicy
peanut sauce.
• Soups of meat, seafood, and vegetables: pork and herb soup (bak kut
teh).
• Noodles with or without soup: spicy noodles with meat, fish, or
seafood, with or without coconut milk (laksa Penang); fried noodles
with seafood (char kuay teow).
• Fish and seafood: hot and sour fish (ikan asam pedas), chili-vinegar
marinated fish (acar kunyit ikan).
• Vegetable dishes: blanched vegetables with shrimp paste dressing
(lalap, pecal).
• Rice dishes: cooked in coconut milk (nasi lemak), with assorted
herbs and shredded fish (nasi ulam).
STYLES OF EATING
• Muslim Malaysians and Indians eat with their right hand or with a
fork and spoon. Chinese Malays use chopsticks or fork and spoon. The
spoon is used to convey food to the mouth while the fork pushes food
onto the spoon.
Chicken satay on the grill, Malaysia. (Kelvin Chuah/Dreamstime.com)

• Breakfast: rice porridge eaten with Chinese-style fried bread; noodles
with meat or fish and vegetables, usually eaten out.
• Lunch: noodles or filled roti (Indian flat breads) or satay with
compressed rice (ketupat), commonly from street stalls.
• Dinner: rice with two to three side dishes of soup, meat or fish, and a
vegetable dish; fresh fruit.
• Eating out, especially at hawker stalls (as mobile food stalls are
called) or small food shops, is very common. These shops specialize in
foods that are difficult to make at home because of elaborate
ingredients and techniques. Snacks such as noodles or sweet coconut
and rice cakes are also available here. Hawker stalls are set up at night
in empty parking lots and are open till very late.
Fried Noodles with Seafood (Char Kuay Teow, also Char Kuoi
Teow)
This dish is typical of Penang or northern peninsular Malaysia and combines
Chinese noodles and sausage with native Malay preference for fiery chilies.
Char kuay teow has spread throughout the entire country, as well as neighboring
Singapore (where it is known as fried meehon). The best are usually sold from
hawker stalls or small family-owned shops.
Hot chili is not incorporated into the noodles in this recipe, as in the
authentic dish. Rather, each diner may add a few drops of belachan and chili
sauce at the table, if desired. Any combination of seafood is fine, or use all squid
or clams. Serve as a snack, as the main dish for a light meal, or as one of several
side dishes for a heavier meal, either lunch or dinner.
1 pound dry flat rice noodles

2 TBS thick or dark soy sauce
3 TBS regular soy sauce
2 TBS water
salt and white pepper
3 TBS peanut oil
1 dried Chinese sausage (lap seong), sliced thinly, diagonally
2 cups fresh medium shrimp, shelled
2 cups fresh squid, cut into rings
2–3 eggs
1 cup fresh clams or cockles, shelled
3 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup fresh chives, sliced into 1-inch lengths
Put the noodles into a large bowl. Pour boiling water to cover and
leave to reconstitute for 3–5 minutes; they should still be firm as they
will be cooked further. Drain and set aside.
Prepare belachan and chili sauce (recipe follows), and set aside.
Mix the two types of soy sauce with water; set aside.
In a large wok or skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
Stir fry garlic until fragrant. Add sausage; stir fry for 1 minute.
Add shrimp and squid; stir fry until just opaque, no longer.
Add noodles and increase heat, mixing noodles and seafood well, for
Add 3–4 TBS of soy sauce mixture; stir fry for another 3 minutes.
Clear a space in the center of the wok, pushing noodles and seafood to
the sides.
Pour in 2 TBS oil to heat.
Break eggs into oil, season with salt and pepper; quickly scramble for
1–2 minutes.
Add clams, then the remaining soy sauce mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Increase heat as high as possible to allow noodles to get crisp, stir
frying for 5 minutes.
Add bean sprouts and chives; stir fry for 2 more minutes, just enough
to heat vegetables.
Remove from heat. Divide into 4 plates.
Pass belachan and chili sauce for diners to add as desired.
Belachan and chili sauce

2 TBS peanut oil
1 TBS belachan, fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 TBS water
chili sauce (optional)
Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet.

Stir in garlic and fry until fragrant.
Add belachan and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Stir in water; simmer for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in chili sauce to taste if desired.

The fruits and vegetables used in this salad can vary depending on what is in
season. Use underripe fruit: pears, peaches, and plums are fine substitutes for
papaya and star fruit. This is a dish that is also prepared in Indonesia and
Singapore. In Malaysia, an Indian variation of rojak is made with fritters and soy
bean curd, served with the same sweet-spicy sauce. Serve as a side dish. (See
sidebar “Hot and Cold Foods.”)
1 unripe mango, peeled, diced

1 grapefruit, pomelo, or 2 large oranges, segmented and sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, diced
1 jicama, peeled, diced
1 star fruit, thinly sliced crosswise
1 small medium-ripe papaya, peeled, diced
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced, squeezed with 2 TBS lemon
juice to deter browning
Place all prepared ingredients into a serving bowl. Cover and

refrigerate.
Pour dressing over the salad. Mix well before serving.
Spicy dressing
1 TBS trasi or shrimp paste (wrapped in foil and grilled under a hot
grill for 1–2, minutes until aromatic)
1 tsp fish sauce or anchovy sauce (alternatively, omit trasi and use
altogether 2 TBS fish sauce)
2 TBS brown sugar
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped coarsely (or substitute crunchy
peanut butter)
1 TBS tamarind pulp mixed into 2 TBS water (or 2 TBS lemon juice)
a few drops chili sauce
Prepare dressing by blending together all the ingredients until smooth.
“HOT” AND “COLD” FOODS

A common belief about foods, particularly prominent in Southeast and
South Asia, asserts that foods have an inherent spiritual heat. In order to
keep ourselves healthy, these foods must be balanced. Hot foods such as
chilies or meat must be balanced with cold foods such as mangoes or
certain types of greens. This underlying belief sometimes dictates the
choices of menus. It is particularly adhered to with people who are
considered vulnerable to health problems: pregnant women, the ill, young
children, and the elderly. Rice, in this system, is always healthy, as it is
completely neutral.

The name of this dish comes from its thick red gravy, authentically made with
many fresh red chilies, here substituted by sweet peppers. This is eaten with
plain rice or flat Indian-style bread, called roti, for lunch or dinner.
4 TBS oil
spice mixture (see below)
4 whole cloves
1 star anise
2 onions, quartered
2 large tomatoes, quartered
4 large chicken portions, backs or legs
1 cup water
3 red bell peppers, chopped finely
salt
sugar (optional)
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Stir fry spice mixture until fragrant.
Add cinnamon, cloves, and star anise; stir fry for 2 minutes.
Stir in onions, potatoes, tomato paste, and tomatoes; stir fry for 3–5
minutes.
Add chicken, mixing well; add water, cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour until chicken is tender and sauce is
very thick.
Stir occasionally and add a bit (no more than 1/4 cup at a time) of
water if the sauce gets too thick.
Ten minutes before the chicken is done, stir in bell peppers.
Taste and season with salt (and sugar if desired).
Serve hot.
Spice mixture
10 shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 red chili, cored and seeded (optional)
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced
2 TBS coriander
1 tsp cumin
Process all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

These fried meat pastries are common in Malaysia and are sold at mamak
(Muslim Indian) shops specializing in roti (flat bread). The pastries are also
common in neighboring Singapore, Indonesia, and even Thailand. Originally
Indian but adapted to Malay taste, these pastries are made with flair on large iron
griddles in street stalls. The ideal murtabak has a crisp pastry, which is chewy
and tender inside, enclosing spicy fillings of egg, chicken, or beef. These pastries
are eaten as a snack or appetizer, or as a quick lunch. Variations of this are also
eaten throughout India and the Middle East.
1 pound flour
3/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups water
4 or more TBS oil or ghee for frying
4 TBS cilantro for garnish
2–3 fresh chilies, seeded and sliced into rings (optional)
Sift flour into a bowl with salt, pepper, and baking powder.
Mix in eggs and add water to make dough.
Knead in bowl for 5 minutes, then on floured board for 10 minutes
until smooth and elastic.
Form into a ball, brush with oil, and leave in a bowl, covered with a
damp towel, overnight.
Divide dough into four equal portions.
Roll out very thinly on an oiled surface.
Spread each liberally with ghee. Fold over into compact balls.
Cover balls with a damp cloth. Set aside for 1/2 hour.
Roll out each ball into a thin rectangle.
Place filling evenly in the center of each piece. Pat lightly beaten egg
over meat.
Quickly bring corners of dough over, sides first, then top and bottom,
to seal into a square.
Heat 2 TBS oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Pan fry pastry one at a time till light brown on both sides.
Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and chilies (if using).
Filling
2 TBS oil
1 pound ground meat (mutton or beef)
3/4 tsp salt
2 onions, minced
Heat 1 TBS oil in a wok.

Stir in meat, 1/4 tsp turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt, frying until brown.
Add the remaining oil to the wok. Sauté onions until golden. Add the
remaining salt and turmeric powder.
Remove from heat; add to meat mixture.
Mix spice mixture thoroughly into the meat and onion mixture.
Spice mixture
seeds of 20 cardamom pods
l TBS aniseed
In a skillet, dry fry the spices for 3–5 minutes over medium heat, until
fragrant.
Process spices in a food processor or blender until finely ground.

Most desserts and snacks in Malaysia, as in all of Southeast Asia, are made of
coconut and glutinous rice, usually flavored with the sweet scent of pandan
(screw-pine leaf), which also imparts its green color, being a natural food dye.
The brown-sugar filling melts into a syrup during cooking, and “explodes” in the
mouth as the diner bites into the onde onde.
1 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour

pandan or screw-pine leaf flavoring (available from stores that sell
Asian foods; omit food coloring if using)
2–3 drops green food coloring
8 tsp dark brown sugar
1 cup fresh grated coconut (or substitute equivalent dry, grated
coconut moistened with 1/4 cup coconut milk), mixed with 1/4 tsp salt,
steamed over boiling water for 5 minutes
Mix rice flour with coconut milk, water, and pandan flavoring (or food
coloring) into a firm but elastic dough.
Shape rice dough into 1-inch balls (you should get about thirty).
Create a cavity by pushing a finger into the center of each ball and fill
with 1/4 tsp brown sugar.
Pinch to seal, then roll back into shape with the palms of your hands.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Slip balls into water only a few at a time. Do not crowd the pan. Keep
water at a steady but not vigorous boil.
When balls float to the surface, continue to let them cook for at least 2
more minutes (to make sure the sugar filling melts), then remove with
a slotted spoon and roll in grated coconut.
Serve warm or at room temperature as a snack or dessert.

Malaysians call cassava “tapioca,” and this sweet is a Nyonya (Chinese-Malay)
concoction. It is popular as a dessert or snack, ideally with Chinese tea or other
hot or cold drink.
1 pound grated cassava (fresh, or frozen and thawed), squeezed dry

1 cup coconut cream
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pandan flavoring (optional)
banana leaf (passed through heat or hot water to make it pliable) or
parchment
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch pie plate or 9 × 13 inch baking

dish with banana leaf or parchment and butter it.
Mix well the cassava, coconut cream, eggs, sugar, salt, and pandan
flavoring; pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 45–50 minutes or until firm. Let cool in the pan.
Slice into individual square pieces to serve.
Curry Puffs
Curry puffs are fried turnovers filled with curried potatoes and are popular
snacks in Malaysia as well as neighboring Singapore.
2 TBS oil
2 TBS curry powder
4 potatoes (waxy or salad type), parboiled for 10 minutes, peeled and
diced
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 red or green hot chili (optional), finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 prepared unbaked pie pastry dough
oil for deep frying
In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil over medium heat and fry onion and
garlic until softened.
Stir in curry powder and add potatoes, water, and salt; simmer for 15–
20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and sauce is thickened.
Stir in hot chili and peas; turn off heat and let mixture cool.
Divide pastry dough into 8 equal pieces; roll out each piece to a disk
1/8 inch thick.
Place 2 TBS of potato mixture in the center of the pastry; moisten
edges with water, and crimp to seal with your fingers or the tines of a
fork.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a skillet over medium heat; fry 3–4
pastries at a time until golden.
Serve warm or cold.
Maldives
The Maldives comprise more than one thousand lowlying islands in the Indian
Ocean. From the sixteenth to the nineteenth century, the islands came under
Portuguese, Dutch, and British control, eventually becoming independent in
1965. With a flat terrain and scarce land for cultivation, locally produced food
consists of fish, seafood, coconuts, and some fruits and vegetables; most food is
imported.
The Maldivian population originates from South India, Sri Lanka, and
Arabia, and are predominantly Muslim. The cuisine is very similar to those of
South India and Sri Lanka, centering on fish and seafood, flavored with curry
spices and coconut milk. There are elaborate dishes dating to a long-reigning
royal (sultanate) court.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, fish.
• Fish and seafood of all kinds: yellowfin tuna, lobster, crab, shrimps.
• Beef (not pork, because it is not allowed for Muslims), chicken eaten
on special occasions; eggs.
• Okra, eggplant, gourds, cassava, potato, tomato.
• Coconut, mango, papaya.
• Seasonings: chili pepper, coconut, range of curry spices (fennel,
cumin, coriander), curry leaf (Murraya koenigii), pandan (screw-pine
leaf); sambol and mallung are hot, spicy mixtures of fresh herbs,
chilies, and coconut table relishes.
Curry leaf. (Snow White Images/Dreamstime.com)
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fish dishes: deep-fried tuna and coconut balls (gula), fish curry, fish
soup.
• Beef curry.
• Rice-based dishes (biriyanee).
• Sweets: coconut and rice-based sweets.
• Drinks: fresh coconut milk, fresh fruit juices (mango, papaya,
pineapple), coconut toddy (raa), milky drinks (kiri sarbat).
• After-dinner chew: areca (betel) nut with pepper leaf, cloves, and
lime.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: rice pancakes (appa), sometimes with egg in the center;
stringhoppers (rice pancake batter forced out as noodles and steamed);
tea.
• Lunch: hoppers with lentil curry and spicy sauce (sambol), fresh fruit
for dessert.
• Dinner: rice, fish dish, vegetable curry, fresh mango or papaya for
dessert.
• Snacks: savory or sweet hoppers (miti kiri appa) made with coconut
cream and brown palm sugar (jaggery).

This fresh relish, using a common Maldivian vegetable, may be served as a salad
or as an accompaniment to fried fish (see the next recipe) for a midday or
evening meal. Excellent substitutes are zucchini or cucumber.

1 green chili pepper, minced (optional)
1/2 pound baby snake gourd (available from stores that sell Asian
foods), or 1, zucchini, peeled, sliced very finely
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
In a bowl, mix onion, chili, lime juice, and salt.

Stir in coconut milk.
Add gourd, mixing thoroughly.
Adjust seasoning, and let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving.

The original recipe for this dish uses fresh tuna. Substitute any sea fish in season,
such as mackerel, or a freshwater fish such as trout. This is served with rice and
a fresh vegetable relish for a midday or evening meal.
1 medium dried chili, cored and seeded, soaked 20 minutes in warm

water, then drained (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
2 curry leaves (Murraya koenigii, optional)
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
salt to taste
1 1/2 pounds fresh fish fillet
oil for deep frying
In a blender or food processor, blend the chili, onion, garlic, cumin,

curry leaves, peppercorns, and salt to a smooth paste.
Spread fish with the spice paste.
Keep refrigerated in a covered dish for 30 minutes.
In a frying pan, heat oil until hot.
Deep fry fish until crisp and golden brown.
Serve hot.

This flat bread is similar to those made all over India, but it has a distinctive
flavoring ingredient (onion-flavored water) incorporated into the dough. This is
best eaten as soon as made, as it does not keep well.
1 medium onion, finely sliced

1 1/4 cups warm (not hot) water
2 cups strong (bread) flour
salt to taste
1/2 cup coconut oil
flour for dusting
In a blender or food processor bowl, soak sliced onions in water for
half an hour.
Blend onions till finely chopped. Drain, reserve the onion water, and
keep solids aside.
Sift flour and salt into a bowl.
Add oil, a third of the onion water, and onion solids to make a dough,
adding more onion water as required.
On a floured surface, knead thoroughly for a smooth and elastic
dough.
Divide dough into twenty pieces; shape into balls.
Flour the work surface and roll each ball out to between 1/4 and 1/8
inch thick. Cover rolled out bread with moist towel to prevent drying
out.
Over medium heat, warm a thick-bottomed nonstick skillet or frying
pan until hot.
Cook the flat bread until lightly browned on both sides. Keep warm in
the oven while making the rest.
Serve hot with a fish curry, stew, or soup.

This dish is eaten during Ramadan (Muslim month of daylight fasting) for
breakfast. Traditionally, it was an offering sent to the rajah’s (king’s) court by
island chiefs (see India entry for sidebar “Ghee, Making and Using,” p. 598).

4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
3 ounces ghee (clarified butter)
2 sticks cinnamon, soaked in 1 TBS hot water
5 cardamom pods, soaked in 1 TBS hot water
1 tsp fennel seeds, soaked in 1 TBS hot water
2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
2 cups coconut milk, diluted with 2 cups warm water
2 curry leaves (Murraya koenigii, optional)
salt to taste
In a blender or food processor, blend to a paste the onions, ginger, and
half the garlic. Set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt ghee over medium heat. Add
water from soaking cinnamon, cardamom, and fennel seeds. Increase
heat and briskly stir until all the water has evaporated.
Stir in onion mixture, frying over high heat until onions are
translucent.
Stir in cinnamon, cardamom, and the remaining garlic.
Add rice and stir fry until rice is well coated with spices.
Stir in coconut milk, curry leaves, and salt to taste; bring to a boil.
Cover the pan, reduce heat to lowest and let simmer until rice is done,
for about 20–25 minutes.
Remove from heat. Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then stir up rice to
serve.

Beef is an imported item, usually served for a special occasion, such as a family
gathering. This is a mild curry that is served with rice, onion flat bread, and
vegetable relish for an evening meal.
2 TBS coconut oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 curry leaves (Murraya koenigii, available from stores that sell Indian
foods)
1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, and halved (optional)
2 pieces rampe (pandan) leaf (or substitute 3 drops pandan flavoring,
available from stores that sell Asian foods)
1 pound beef, cubed
1/2 cup coconut milk diluted with 1/2 cup warm water
salt to taste
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté onions until

translucent, then add garlic, curry leaves, chili and rampe leaf,
continuing to fry until onions are golden brown.
Add beef, coriander, dilute coconut milk, and salt to taste.
Simmer until the meat is tender, for about 45–60 minutes.
Add coconut milk, adjust seasoning, and remove from heat.

This curry is a popular and easy to make main dish.
2 TBS coconut oil

3/4 cup onions, sliced finely
3 garlic cloves, sliced finely
3 curry leaves (Murraya koenigii, available from stores that sell Indian
foods, optional)
1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, and halved (optional)
2 pieces rampe (pandan) leaf (or substitute 3 drops pandan flavoring;
both available from stores that sell Asian foods)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup coconut milk diluted with 1/2 cup warm water
3 TBS curry powder
salt to taste
4 eggs, hard-boiled and shelled
Heat oil. Sauté onions until translucent; add garlic, curry leaves, chili,
and rampe leaves, continuing to fry until onions are golden brown.
Add potatoes and brown lightly.
Add diluted coconut milk, curry powder, and salt to taste.
Simmer until potatoes are tender.
Add eggs and cook until sauce has thickened.
Add coconut milk, adjust seasoning, and remove from heat.

These are a British-influenced dish, served as a side dish with vegetables and
rice.
2 onions, sliced
2 small chili peppers, sliced, optional
salt to taste
juice of 2 limes
2 cans tuna flakes, drained
1 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
oil for deep frying
In a food processor or blender, finely chop onions, garlic, and chili

with salt.
Add lime juice and mix well. Add mashed potato, tuna, and pepper.
Add sufficient egg to make a stiff mass.
Mix ingredients thoroughly.
Divide mixture into 1/2-inch balls; roll in bread crumbs.
In a frying pan over medium heat, heat oil. Deep fry fish balls until
golden brown.
Serve hot.

This is a rich creamy sweet popular as dessert or snack, usually accompanied by
tea.
6 eggs
1 8-ounce can condensed milk
1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
Butter an 8 × 10 inch baking dish.

Beat eggs with condensed milk.
Pour into the top half of a double boiler and cook, stirring frequently,
over simmering water.
When thickened, add ghee, a tablespoonful at a time, stirring
continuously until the ghee is incorporated before adding more. Cook
until the mixture starts to separate from the sides of the pot.
Transfer the thick cream to the prepared dish and smooth the top.
When thoroughly cool, cut into rectangles or lozenges (diamond
shapes).
Refrigerate and serve cold.

These are very popular snacks, to be eaten with tea or other hot or cold drink.
3 large very ripe bananas

4 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup grated coconut (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
oil for frying
Mash the bananas with the sugar; set aside.

Combine the salt and flour in a bowl; stir in the egg, banana mixture,
and coconut to a thick mixture.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Drop spoonfuls of the mixture, two or three at a time, no more; fry
until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
Best eaten immediately or on the same day.

This is a traditional sweet or snack.
1 1/4 cups grated cassava (fresh, or frozen and thawed), squeezed dry
2 cups grated coconut (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp rose water or jasmine water
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 × 12 inch baking pan.

Blend together all ingredients, and pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25–35 minutes or until firm and golden.
Let cool completely, then slice into individual servings.
Mali
A large landlocked country in central Africa, Mali was a center of Islamic

learning for several centuries and famed for gold trading in the fourteenth
century. It is the location of the fabled city of Timbuktu. A French colony from
1883, it became independent in 1960.
The terrain is rolling arid plains and rugged mountains, 40 percent of which
is the Sahelian desert. In the subtropical and fertile south, rice, peanuts, and
other crops are grown; fish is harvested from the Niger River.
There are several ethnic groups; predominant are the Bambara, Mandinka,
Songhay, and Touareg. Most Malians are Muslim. Malian cuisine shows
influences from Islamic, French, North African, and neighboring Senegalese
cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: millet, corn, rice, sorghum, couscous, fonio (depending on
region).
• Beef, goat, sheep, chicken, fresh or preserved fish.
• Dairy products: yogurt, milk, butter (for Touareg ethnic group).
• Potato (white and sweet), yams, onion, cassava, beans, peas, tomato,
eggplant, okra, green leaves of the following: baobab, sweet potato,
bean, black plum or chocolate berry (Vitex doniana).
• Banana, orange, watermelon, papaya, tamarind, shea nut, baobab
fruit, mango, black plum fruit.
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, black pepper, ground peanut powder;
Songhay ethnic group also uses anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Millet or other grain porridge (to) or couscous, eaten with sauces of
peanuts, okra, or green vegetables and meat. Djouka (fonio, a
minuscule-grained cereal, with peanuts); bouilli (sweetened rice
gruel).
• Stews of vegetables (eggplant, onion, potato) with chicken or meat.
• Meat dishes: grilled goat or lamb, lamb in herb sauce (fakoye); meat
and baobab leaves in peanut sauce (naboulou); lamb, chicken, or beef
in tomato and peanut sauce (tigadèguèna)
• Senegalese-influenced chicken dishes: chicken and vegetable stew
(kedjennou), chicken with onions (yassa).
• Fish dishes: Nile perch with hot chili sauce, smoked fish in peanut
sauce.
STYLES OF EATING
• One to three meals (depending on availability and affordability) a
day.
• Food is eaten with the fingers of the right hand.
• Breakfast: thin porridge of soured staple grain (cornmeal, millet, or
sorghum) with or without peanut powder, with or without sugar (e.g.,
djouka or bouilli).
• The main meal is at midday.
• Lunch and dinner: staple paste (to) with or without vegetable sauce.
• Drinks: slightly fermented staple soaking water (maheu) with sugar;
red hibiscus juice (bissap); baobab fruit juice; watermelon juice;
ginger drink; sweet tea (served Arabic style in tiny cups after meals),
often flavored with mint; local millet beer (dolo).

This is adapted from a Songhay dish for an evening meal. Some Asian (East
Indian) stores carry packets of ready-fried onions: these are a convenient
substitute for frying the onion yourself. If using these, use only 2 TBS oil.
1/4 cup oil

3 onions, chopped (or 2 cups ready-fried)
two 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 dried red chili pepper, cored and seeded (optional)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups hot cooked rice

Fry onions until golden brown. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
In the same oil, fry garlic until fragrant.
Add beans, bouillon, peanut butter, pepper, and water.
Cover the pan, bring to a boil, incorporating the peanut butter well into
the liquid.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring to ensure the
peanut sauce does not burn. Add up to 1/4 cup water if needed.
Place 1/2 cup hot rice into each individual plate.
Sprinkle over a quarter of the fried onions.
Spoon some bean sauce alongside.
Serve hot.
Lunch and dinner are built around a staple cereal—cornmeal, millet, sorghum,
rice, or couscous—and served with a vegetable sauce, such as given below, or
the black-eyed pea sauce (see the previous recipe). If affordable, another sauce
with meat, fish, or poultry is served alongside. The sauce is usually thickened
with okra (also called “ladies’ fingers”), for which cornstarch is substituted here.
Although the cereal is conventionally called porridge, its consistency is more of
a thick paste.
Vegetable sauce
1 pound frozen spinach, defrosted and pureed in blender
2 medium onions, chopped coarsely
2 cups water
1 TBS cornstarch dissolved in 4 TBS water
Combine spinach, onions, bouillon, and water in a saucepan.

Reduce heat; simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Stir in cornstarch slurry 5 minutes before end of cooking.
Mix thoroughly. If too thick, add 1/4 cup water and continue cooking
for 1–2 more minutes.
Serve hot.
Meat sauce
2 TBS oil
1 pound beef, turkey, or chicken, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
water
2 cups okra, chopped
2 cups water
pinch of baking soda
In a saucepan, heat oil and fry meat for 2–3 minutes until it changes
color.
Stir in onion; fry until softened.
Stir in tomato paste, salt, pepper, and water to cover.
Reduce heat; simmer for 20–30 minutes until tender.
In a separate pan, bring to a boil the okra, water, and baking soda.
Reduce heat and simmer for 3–5 minutes until thick.
Stir into meat stew and simmer for another 2–3 minutes.
Serve hot.
Cornmeal porridge (To)

1 1/2 pints simmering water
2/3 cup cornmeal (white, preferably)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Into a pan of simmering water, slowly trickle the cornmeal and soda.
Add salt and cook until the mixture is thick, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
until very thick.
Place a portion of the porridge into each individual bowl.
Spoon vegetable sauce and meat sauce next to porridge, keeping them
apart.
Alternatively, serve sauces in communal bowls for diners to help
themselves.

This is a juice commonly drunk cold or hot as tea. Dried hibiscus flowers can be
found in natural food stores. Another substitute is red hibiscus tea bags.
1 cup dark red, dried hibiscus flowers (or 4 hibiscus tea bags)
4 sprigs fresh mint leaves
1 tsp vanilla
Into a heat-resistant pitcher or teapot, put flowers or tea bags.

Pour boiling water over and let steep for 10 minutes, covered.
Discard flowers or bags, pressing down on them well.
Stir in sugar, adjusting it to personal taste.
Serve hot as tea.
To serve as a cold drink, let cool to room temperature, then chill.
Just before serving, stir in vanilla.
Pour over ice cubes in tall glasses. Garnish with mint.

Dried salted fish are an important market item for communities along the Niger
River in the south of Mali. This stew is eaten as a side dish with millet,
cornmeal, or another staple grain for a midday or evening meal.
1 pound dried, salted small fish (available as dried anchovies in stores

that sell Asian foods)
water to cover
3 TBS vegetable oil
3 large onions, finely minced
1 fresh red chili pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
4 tomatoes, diced
15 okra pods, cooked whole until soft in salted water then drained
Soak fish for 30 minutes in warm water to cover; drain.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil.
Fry half the onions until golden. Set aside.
Fry chili and tomatoes for 2 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup water; add fish and simmer slowly for about 15 minutes.
In a food processor or blender, puree okra and the remaining onions;
add to the pan.
Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the fish is tender and the sauce
thickened.
Stir in the reserved onions.
Serve with boiled potatoes or paste from cornmeal, millet, or other
grain.
AFRICAN TEAS
African teas are variously known as jus de bissap, tsobo (Nigeria), karekare
(Sudan), Guinea sorrel, l’oseille de Guinée (Guinea), karkadé, karkaday
(North Africa and Egypt), and karkanji (Chad).
This is an immensely popular drink throughout western and central
Africa and Egypt. It is a tea made from the dried red flowers of Hibiscus
sabdariffa. The dried flowers are available in most markets and the tea is
sold by vendors. In Guinea, parts of Sudan, and parts of Egypt, it is
considered the national drink. The taste is pleasantly tart, somewhat like
mild cranberry juice. The tea itself is sometimes enhanced by adding other
flavorings. It can be drunk hot or cold.
2–3 cups dried hibiscus flowers (available from health-food stores and
stores that sell African foods)
2 quarts water
1–2 cups sugar
Optional flavorings
sprig of mint
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp orange-flower water
2–3 sticks of cinnamon
Briefly rinse the dried flowers in water.

Boil water.
As soon as the water begins to boil, pour it over a kettle or teapot with
the hibiscus flowers.
Let the flowers steep for 10 minutes then pour the water through a fine
strainer.
Stir in sugar to taste.
Add any other flavorings or combination of (if desired).
Serve hot, or allow to chill and serve over ice.
Cardamom Tea
This tea is popular in eastern Africa.
4 cups water
5 tsp tea leaves
1 cup milk
Heat the water to a near boil.

Place leaves in a teapot and add water. Steep as normal.
Pour the tea into cups and add to each cup a pinch of ground
cardamom, sugar or honey, and milk to taste.
East African Milk Tea (Chai)

Chai is the word for tea throughout the Middle East, western Asia, and
Swahili-speaking eastern Africa. There are many variants of serving tea.
This one is common throughout eastern Africa.
2 cups water
2 cups milk
5 tsp tea leaves
4 cardamom seeds
1 tsp dried ginger powder
sugar to taste
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Simmer for a few minutes.
Pour the tea through a strainer into a teapot and serve immediately.
Moroccan Mint Tea (Chai bi’Naana)
In Morocco and throughout the Moroccan diaspora, hot mint tea is served
as a refreshment at any hour of the day. It is always served in glass
tumblers.
2 TBS gunpowder (pellet) or other green tea

a full handful fresh mint
6 ounces lump sugar
Place mint and tea into a long-spouted teapot.

Pour in about 1/2 cup boiling water, rapidly swirl around to wash
leaves, then discard water.
Add sugar.
Add 2 cups boiling water and allow to steep for 5–6 minutes.
Pour into small thick-walled glasses (shot glasses are ideal).
Add another cup boiling water and more sugar for a second serving.
Add another cup boiling water, more sugar, and more mint if
necessary for a third serving.
The tea should be sweet and very minty.

Famed horsemen, the Songhay live in the southern and eastern parts of Mali.
Their usual meal, often eaten twice a day, is a hard ball of pounded millet placed
in a bowl, softened with water (or milk with a bit of sugar if available).
This dish is for a celebratory meal. For special occasions or when guests
arrive, a goat is slaughtered and cooked in this North African–influenced stew
perfumed with spices. Beef has been substituted in this recipe for goat or lamb.
2 pounds frozen bread roll dough,defrosted

3 TBS oil
2 pounds beef, cubed
6 onions, chopped
1 cup tomato paste
8 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, andchopped (or two 16-ounce cans
tomatoes)
10 dried dates, pitted, soaked in 1 cupwarm water for 20 minutes and
finely chopped
1 TBS anise seed
1 tsp cumin
1 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
With floured hands, tear off bits of dough to make dumplings the size
of golf balls.
Place dumplings well apart on a greased tray and cover with a moist
cloth; let rest for 1 hour.
In a thick-bottomed 5-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time; remove and set aside.
Fry onions until softened.
Add tomato paste, tomatoes, and dates, including soaking water.
Stir in and mix well the garlic, anise, cumin, cinnamon, bay leaves,
salt, and pepper.
Cook covered over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes.
Add 12 cups of water and meat. Continue to simmer for about 30
minutes.
Drop the dumplings into the simmering stew, leaving room for them to
expand. Do not stir them in.
Cover and cook for approximately 30 more minutes.
Take out the cooked dumplings and keep warm.
Continue to cook remaining dumplings.
If stew becomes too thick, add more water, tomatoes, spices, and
dates.
When all the dumplings are done, adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Put three or more dumplings on a plate. Spoon sauce and meat on the
side.
This sweet dish originates from the south of the country, where millet and
cassava are both staples. These fritters are commonly sold in the market or in the
street stalls freshly made, for snacks.
6 TBS milk
6 TBS cold water
1 TBS sugar
2 cups millet flour (available from health food stores)
2 cups brown rice flour (available from health food stores)
1 TBS baking powder
confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Combine milk and water in a pan.

Gently heat to body heat; transfer into a mixing bowl and stir in sugar
until dissolved.
Add yeast, keeping mixture warm until yeast is frothy.
In a large bowl, blend together both flours and baking powder.
Stir in yeast mixture; cover with damp towel and leave in warm draft-
free place to rise for 30–40 minutes.
Gently stir mixture to the consistency of thick pancake batter.
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 1/8 inch of oil over low
to medium heat.
Fry a few spoonfuls of the mixture at a time to golden brown.
Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Serve at once.

Peanuts are a ubiquitous food item, made into snacks and savory sauces. Like
these biscuits, sugared peanuts are a common snack sold in the streets.
3 1/2 cups smooth natural peanut butter

1/2 cup warm water
peanut oil for deep frying
salt to taste
Put peanut butter in a bowl.

Knead and squeeze to extract excess oil.
Add small amounts of warm water occasionally to help extract the oil.
Continue kneading and squeezing until most of the oil is extracted and
the result is a smooth paste.
Add extracted oil to frying oil.
Taste the peanut paste, and add salt, if desired (most peanut butter is
salted).
With floured hands mold the paste into small, flat patties.
In a thick-bottomed skillet over low heat, heat 1/8 inch of peanut oil.
Fry the patties to a golden brown.
Remove from heat; drain and cool.
These can be stored for about a week in an airtight container at room
temperature.
Sweet Mango Omelet

Mangoes are a seasonal treat, eaten fresh and cooked for desserts and snacks.
Other fruits can be made in the same way: bananas, pineapple, or papaya.
1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 firm ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed
3 TBS sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
4 eggs, separated
4 TBS milk
butter and/or oil for cooking
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.
In a saucepan over low heat, poach the mangoes in sugar and lemon
juice for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the egg yolks, flour mixture, and milk; stir in the
mangoes. The batter should be thick, like pancake batter. Add a bit
more flour, if necessary.
Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the batter.
In a skillet or griddle over medium heat, put 2 TBS of butter or 1 TBS
each of butter and oil.
When the butter is hot, place 1/2 cup of batter onto the heated pan,
cover, and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the bottom is golden. Turn the
omelet over and cook for 2 minutes more.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm, while cooking the rest of the
batter.
Serve at once.
Malta
The smallest country in the European Union, Malta is an archipelago with only
three inhabited islands. Its strategic location has made it occupied by
Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and French. In 1800 it became an English
protectorate, becoming independent in 1964, but it is still part of the British
Commonwealth.
The climate is Mediterranean: mild, rainy winters with hot, dry summers.
The terrain consists of low hills and cliffs with thin and rocky soil; some valleys
are terraced and farmed for wheat, fruits, vegetables, and livestock, but these
constitute only 20 percent of the country’s food. The sea is another important
food source, but the rest is imported. Maltese cuisine is influenced by nearby
Sicily (Italy) and North Africa.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: bread, pasta.
• Rabbit (preferred), pork, chicken, lamb, goat, horse, eggs, cheese
(locally made from goat’s and sheep’s milk).
• Potato, tomato, zucchini, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin,
squash, spinach.
• Cantaloupe, watermelon, grape, peach, nectarine, apricot,
pomegranate, medlar (red and yellow), plum, citrus (grapefruit,
tangerine, and orange).
• Seasonings: marjoram, mint, parsley, basil, garlic, pepper, tomato,
olive oil.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Oven-baked dishes: rice or pasta with meat and tomato sauce.
• Rabbit dishes: rabbit stewed in wine (fenkata), fried rabbit.
• Pasta dishes: meat-or cheese-filled handmade ravioli (ravjul).
• Pastry-enclosed dishes: cauliflower with sheep or goat cheese, fish
pie (lampuki), pasta and meat sauce covered with pastry (timpana).
• Stewed dishes: stuffed octopus, squid, and cuttlefish in spicy tomato
sauce; stuffed roast chicken.
• Soups: fish (aljotta), young broad bean (kusksu), baby zucchini
(qarabali).
• Vegetable dishes: stuffed eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and other
vegetables; mixed simmered vegetables (kapunata).
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: bread, goat or sheep cheese, olives, tomatoes, cooked egg,
coffee or tea.
• Lunch: crusty slices of bread rubbed with ripe tomatoes and olive oil
(hobz biz-zejt), topped with capers, olives, tuna, or anchovies or goat
or sheep cheese; or baked pasta dish.
• Dinner: first course of mixed or single vegetable soup (minestra)
with crusty bread (hobz), main course of rabbit stewed in wine
(fenkata) or stuffed eggplant served with fried potatoes and vegetable
salad, dessert of fresh fruit, coffee with sugared almonds.
• Snacks (to eat with coffee or tea at midmorning or mid-afternoon):
boat-shaped pastries filled with cheese or peas (pastizzi), date-filled
pastries (imqaret), treacle rings (qaghaq tal-ghasel).
• Drinks: orange, lemon, and other fruit juices, local and imported
wine, local and international beer, international bottled soft drinks.
• Many types of eating places serve international food in the cities.

This is a Turkish-influenced dip for the crusty rolls called hobz that accompany
most meals. It can be served for a snack or as a first course.
1 pound dried broad or navy beans (or one 16-ounce can)

salt to taste
2 TBS olive oil
2 sprigs parsley, finely minced
1 head of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, finely minced (optional)
1 TBS mixed fresh marjoram and mint, finely chopped
1 TBS lemon juice
garnishes: 1 TBS olive oil, 2 TBS
fresh parsley, minced
Soak beans overnight (or if using canned beans, drain, and skip first
two steps).
Put beans in a pot with water to cover.
Bring to a boil and simmer until beans are soft, for about 45 minutes to
1 hour.
Spicy bean mash (bigilla), a traditional Maltese dish (see recipe). (Shutterstock)
In a food processor or blender, puree beans with the remaining

ingredients.
Place in a serving bowl.
Make a depression in the center of the bean mash; drizzle in olive oil
and sprinkle with parsley.
Serve with bread.
Fish Soup (Aljotta)

Many Maltese meals include fish in one form or another. Fish soup is a common
way of preparing any medium-sized fish. This can be served with rice as a main
meal for lunch or as a first course for dinner.
2 TBS olive oil

2 onions, chopped
2 TBS fresh marjoram
4 peppercorns
1 tsp tomato paste
1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped roughly
4 cups fish stock (or 4 stock cubes in 4 cups boiling water)
1 pound white fish fillet (any type), sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 TBS fresh mint, 1 TBS fresh marjoram, finely chopped, for garnish

Stir in onions and fry until soft.
Stir in garlic, marjoram, peppercorns, and tomato paste; cook for 2
minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and fish stock; bring to a boil.
Add fish fillets, and return to a boil. Add seasoning.
Reduce heat; simmer for about 10 minutes until fish are done.
Ladle into soup bowls; sprinkle with herbs and serve hot.

The Turkish influence on Maltese cuisine is evident in this dish. Serve as a main
course after fish soup or as a first course for dinner.
2 large eggplants, halved lengthwise

1 large pot of boiling water
1 TBS butter
1/2 pound ground meat (beef, pork, or lamb, or a mixture)
1 tsp tomato paste
1 small tomato, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated mild yellow cheese
Parboil eggplants in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain.

Scoop out flesh, leaving a 1/2-inch shell. Reserve flesh.
Heat the butter in a pan and fry onion until translucent; stir in garlic
and meat.
When meat is lightly browned, stir in tomato paste, eggplant flesh,
tomato, parsley, and half the bread crumbs.
Cook until meat is done, about 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Stir in the egg, half the cheese, and seasoning; mix well.
Stuff eggplant shells with mixture.
Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and cheese.
Bake in 350°F oven for 40–45 minutes or until eggplant shells are soft
and tops are nicely browned.
There are many variations of this popular dish, commonly served with rice or
fried potatoes and a salad for a midday or evening meal.
1 large onion, grated

3 ounces soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup stock
2 eggs, beaten
2 TBS grated hard cheese such as Parmesan
1 tsp salt
2 pounds ground meat (beef or mix of pork and beef)
3 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, kept whole
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS tomato puree
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, combine onion, bread crumbs, half the stock, parsley,
eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper.
Add beef and mix thoroughly.
Lightly oil a large loaf pan.
Press half of the meat mixture in an even layer.
Lay hard-boiled eggs near the middle.
Cover eggs with the remaining beef mixture.
Smooth the surface of the meat; brush with oil.
Meanwhile, combine remaining stock, tomato puree, hot water, garlic,
sugar, salt, and pepper; pour over the meatloaf.
Bake for 40 minutes more until cooked through.
Baste occasionally with the tomato stock, adding a little hot water if
the sauce begins to scorch.
Leave meatloaf in pan to cool slightly, for about 10 minutes; pour off
sauce into a bowl or gravy dish.
Unmold meatloaf onto a platter and slice crosswise.
Spoon sauce over meat and serve.

The figolla (singular) is the equivalent of a chocolate Easter bunny or egg.
Figolli were traditionally made into symbolic shapes, but now they can be of any
shape. An almond filling is sandwiched in between two cookies.
1 pound flour
1/2 pound sugar
1 cup butter, diced
vanilla essence
2 eggs, beaten well
water
1/2 cup milk (for assembly)
decoration: pastel colored small icing tubes (pink, yellow, green,
white, etc.), candied almonds, miniature Easter eggs (candies)
In a food processor, prepare a soft dough with all the ingredients
except the milk.
Remove the dough and knead for 5 minutes on a floured surface until
glossy.
Roll the dough into a ball.
Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
On a floured surface, roll out the pastry dough to about 1/5 inch thick.
Cut out pairs of figures with a cookie cutter (lambs, chickens, eggs,
Easter symbols).
Spread 1 tsp of filling onto one figure in a pair; leave a margin of
about 1/2 inch all around.
Brush the margin with milk; lay the second figure over, pressing
gently to seal.
Brush tops with milk; place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake for 5 minutes at 400ºF.
Lower heat to 325°F and bake for about 10–15 minutes more until
lightly golden.
When cool, decorate with piped icing in pastel colors. It is traditional
to stick a miniature (candy) Easter egg on the decorated cookie.
Filling
1/2 pound plain marzipan, diced
1/2 cup rough chopped almonds
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS water
In a food processor, mix marzipan, chopped almonds, orange-blossom

water, lemon juice, and water to make a soft paste.
Add a bit more water if necessary.

This is an eggless, sugarless, and butterless fruit cake. Serve with hot tea or
coffee, or a cold drink for a snack.
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup dates, pitted and diced
1 cup apple juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.
Stir in dried fruits and almonds, apple juice, lemon rind, and vanilla.
Pour into the prepared pan, and bake for 35–45 minutes or until golden
and tests done.
Allow to cool in the pan.

These cookies, like the apricot cake above, have no butter or fat, though they do
have egg whites. These are eaten with tea or coffee, or a cold drink. Their name
—“forties”—suggests they are traditionally eaten throughout the forty days of
Lent.
1 cup finely ground almonds

1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff but still glossy peaks
Mix the almonds, sugar, flour, orange rind, and cloves.

Gently fold in the egg whites. The mixture should be moist and firm.
Add a little flour or water, if necessary.
With lightly floured hands, shape elongated ovals, 2–3 inches long on
a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Let stand at room temperature for 2–3
hours, or overnight.
Bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 20–25 minutes; the cookies will
still be soft (they will harden on cooling). Remove from the oven and
allow to cool.
Marshall Islands
An archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, comprising more than one thousand coral
islands, the Marshall Islands were under Spanish, German, Japanese, and
American control until independence in 1986. The climate is tropical, but the
soil is poor, largely coral sands, and yields breadfruit, pandanus, swamp taro,
and coconut. The sea is the main food source. Due to its importance to daily life
and its versatile uses, the pandanus is revered.
The population is predominantly Malay-Polynesian, with many mixed

Europeans (German, American) and Japanese. Traditional food was based on a
few locally available ingredients: pandanus, breadfruit, coconut, fish and other
marine foods. Because of fallout from nuclear testing from the 1940s to the
1970s, contamination affects food crops and marine life on some islands. So
modern food is mostly canned or frozen, imported from the United States,
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Taiwan.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, pandanus fruit, breadfruit, taro.
• Noodles (ramen).
• Tuna (yellowfin, albacore, skipjack, bigeye), marlin, mahi-mahi,
grouper, many varieties of open sea and coral fish; preserved fish—
canned sardines and tuna, tuna jerky; seafood (mangrove crabs,
octopus, shrimps, squid, giant clams, lobster), canned meat (Spam,
corned beef), chicken, pork, eggs.
• Squash, breadfruit (fresh and preserved), pumpkin, arrowroot, carrot,
peas, cabbage, green leaves (pumpkin, sweet potato), eggplant, beans.
• Banana (unripe and ripe, several varieties with different colored peel,
e.g., red), pandanus fruit (fresh and preserved), papaya (unripe and
ripe), coconut, mango, orange, canned fruit (peaches, pineapple, fruit
cocktail), macadamia nut, peanut, Marshallese fig (teberou, Ficus
tinctora)
• Juices from pandanus fruit, mango, orange, pineapple.
• Dried preserved foods, which keep for months or years: dried
pandanus paste (mokwan or jankoon), dried breadfruit (bwiro).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Traditional stews in coconut milk: pumpkin (banke kalel), breadfruit
(mā).
• Preserved pandanus and breadfruit (mokwan and bwiro) were
traditional survival and voyage foods: mokwan was eaten as is or
steeped in water and drunk as juice.
• Traditional dishes with pandanus fruit: chips (jekaka); dried
pandanus paste, fresh coconut and fish or turtle meat (mokwan duul);
sweet baked pudding from pandanus pulp, coconut cream, and sugar
(peru).
• Traditional dishes with taro: cooked with breadfruit, bananas, or nuts
in grated coconut (wuden); flavored with coconut, wrapped in taro
leaves, and baked (jebwater); grated and mixed with coconut oil and
coconut sap (totaimon).
• Traditional dishes with breadfruit: boiled, roasted, steamed, fried, or
baked in an underground oven (um), made into soup. Also preserved
by fermentation or dried as chips.
• American-influenced dishes: potato salad, coleslaw, doughnut,
pancake, fried chicken.
• Chinese-influenced dishes: fried vegetable roll.
• Japanese-influenced dishes: rice (introduced during World War II),
raw tuna (sashimi), instant noodles (ramen).
STYLES OF EATING
• The traditional diet was a boiled or steamed staple (breadfruit, yam,
or taro) served with freshly caught fish or seafood, roasted or stewed,
or vegetables, usually pumpkin fruit or leaves, flavored with coconut
milk. This diet is still observed in some islands far from urban and
Western conveniences.
• Everyday meals are based on rice topped with a meat or fish dish
(usually with no other accompaniment).
• Breakfast: urban—store-bought doughnuts/pancakes or packaged
breakfast cereal, milk, coffee.
• Lunch: rice, corned beef hash.
• Dinner: rice, fried chicken or fried fish.
• Snack: traditional—mashed banana or taro and coconut balls
(jukjuk), fresh pandanus fruit, banana; contemporary—ice cream,
candy, cookies, cheeseburger, pizza, French fries, or hotdog with
carbonated bottled drink.
• Drinks: coconut water, coconut toddy (fresh and fermented), bottled
soft drinks, kava.
• Celebration meals (e.g., birthday) include sashimi served with
mayonnaise, vegetable rolls, fried chicken, lobster, shrimps, potato
salad, coleslaw, fruit salad, and traditional pumpkin stewed in coconut
milk.
• Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian/Sri Lankan, and Western fast food
(burgers, pizza, pasta) are available in restaurants or cafés in the
capital city.
KAVA
In the South Pacific, the preparation and consumption of kava is an
important social occasion that requires respect and ritual. Kava is used to
evoke sociability. It is also used as a means to spiritual inspiration. It is
made from the roots of a vine related to black pepper (Piper methysticum).
It is consumed over much of Polynesia and Micronesia. Kava was
traditionally a chief’s drink, used in ceremonies before or after important
decisions. On some islands, women were forbidden kava; on others, it was
drunk by all.
Kava looks like muddy brown water, and the taste for it is acquired.
Often it is drunk while holding a piece of sugarcane in the mouth. It slightly
numbs mouth and palate.
The pulpy root is washed and cut, then grated or pounded
(traditionally, it was chewed, then spat out by boys, young men, or young
women to break up the fibers) into a pulp. The juice is then squeezed out
through a coconut fiber sieve and drunk.
Nowadays, dried kava powder is also available commercially.
Dried Fish
This Japanese-influenced dish is served for a midday or evening meal over rice.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 pound fish fillet, parboiled, skinned, and flaked (or substitute 2 cans
tuna in brine, well drained)
1 packet furikake with nori (a Japanese seaweed-based seasoning sold
in packets in Asian food stores)
Heat oil over low heat in a wok or frying pan.

Add garlic and stir fry until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add fish; raise heat to medium-high. Stir constantly to dry the fish, for
When the fish is dry, remove from heat.
Add 2 TBS furikake and mix.
Serve over rice.

The original recipe calls for coconut crab and breadfruit, which would be
difficult to obtain outside the country. The substitutes are regular or imitation
crab and potatoes. Grated coconut is added to replicate the flavor of the coconut
crab’s favorite food (i.e., coconuts, which subsequently flavor the meat and fat
of the crab). Serve with coleslaw and rice for dinner.
1/4 cup bacon, diced

2/3 pound imitation or real crabmeat (fresh or canned), diced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, chopped
2/3 cup boiled potatoes, diced
2 tsp mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 1/4 cups bread crumbs
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
oil for frying
In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until it starts to brown.

Drain off the fat, leaving just a film.
Stir in crab, onion, garlic, and pepper; fry until vegetables are
softened.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
Let cool slightly; add potatoes, green onions, mustard, salt, and
pepper.
Mix well; stir in mayonnaise, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, and grated
coconut.
Chill for 1 hour or more.
Divide mixture into eight; shape into patties.
Dip into the beaten eggs, then into flour, into the eggs again, and
finally cover with the remaining bread crumbs.
Fry in medium-hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain on
paper towels.
Serve hot.
Macadamia Nut Pie

Macadamia nuts are not native to the Marshall Islands but are popularly made
into confections for special occasions, such as a birthday.

frozen readymade pastry for a 10-inch single crust pie, defrosted
4 large eggs
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
5 TBS coconut milk, plus extra for serving
Mix butter and coconut well and press onto the bottom and sides of the
unbaked crust.
In a large bowl, blend well the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and
salt.
Stir in macadamia nuts; pour into pie shell.
Reduce temperature to 325°F; continue baking for about 30 minutes
until top is golden brown and filling is set. (Stick a toothpick or skewer
in the middle; if it comes out clean, the pie is done.)
Take pie out of oven, and set aside on a rack to cool.
For coconut-cream topping: in a well-chilled bowl, whip cream to soft
peaks.
Pour in coconut milk a little at a time; stop whipping when all the
coconut milk has been mixed. Spread over cooled pie.
Slice pie into wedges. Pass coconut milk for diners to help themselves.

The breadfruit is very versatile: when unripe, it is used as a vegetable, and when
ripe and sweet, it is used for desserts and snacks. If fortunate enough to have a
fresh breadfruit, you may try making it into chips. These store well in an airtight
container.
1 breadfruit, underripe
3 TBS salt
3 cups water (or more to cover fruit while soaking)
oil for deep frying
Peel off the skin and the white spongy flesh immediately next to it.
The usable breadfruit flesh starts below the sponge, where the fruit
flesh is differentiated into segments.
Cut the flesh into quarters or eighths; soak, covered in brine, for 20–30
minutes to remove any traces of latex. (The seeds, if any, are edible
and can be boiled until tender to be eaten like nuts.)
Rinse the breadfruit sections thoroughly and wipe dry. Slice thinly
crosswise, into fanlike pieces.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a skillet over medium heat; fry a few pieces at a
time until golden on all sides.
Drain on paper towels. When completely cool, store in an airtight tin.

Traditional baking was done in an underground oven called um. Various foods
(breadfruit, squash, taro, sweet potato) were placed in taro leaves, drizzled with
coconut cream, wrapped securely, and placed in the um for several hours until
tender (see New Zealand entry for sidebar “Polynesian Earth Oven,” p. 976).
2–3 pieces sweet potato or taro (about 1 1/2 pounds), cubed

2 cups coconut cream plus more for serving
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 12 × 12 inch sheets of foil

In a bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, coconut cream, and sugar.
Distribute among the four sheets of foil; fold over edges of foil to wrap
securely into parcels.
Place parcels on a baking sheet. Bake for 30–45 minutes or until sweet
potatoes are tender; serve hot, with more coconut cream if desired.
Mauritania
Mauritania is a large country in northwestern Africa, most which is the barren

Sahara Desert. Historically part of a vast Arab Berber empire, which stretched
toward Spain and Portugal from the eleventh century, Mauritania became a
French colony in 1814 and gained independence in 1960.
The terrain is mostly flat; its climate is hot, dry, and dusty. The southern
region, where most Mauritanians live, is watered by the Senegal River. Coastal
fishing is a major resource of food (though heavily depleted by foreign fishing).
Livestock (tended by the mostly nomadic population), dates, and cereal grains
(sorghum, millet) are raised.
Mauritanians are divided between Arab Berbers to the north and black
Africans to the south. The cuisine is influenced by neighboring North African
(Algeria, Morocco) and sub-Saharan African (Senegalese) elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: couscous, rice.
• Camel, lamb, goat, beef, sea fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products
(camel, goat, sheep milk, yogurt, cheese).
• Potato, carrot, parsnip, sweet pepper, beans, cowpeas, chickpeas,
lettuce.
• Dates, figs, watermelon, cantaloupe.
• Seasonings: cumin, coriander, pepper, mint.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stewed camel meat over rice, couscous, or spaghetti.
• Breads: French-style baguette and rolls, flat bread.
• Grilled and dried fish.
• Senegalese-style dishes: rice and fish stew (tieboudienne, also spelled
ceebujenn), fish balls, chicken yassa (stew with onions).
• Salads of seasonal vegetables, usually tomatoes and cucumbers.
• French fried potatoes served with most dishes, including sandwiches.
STYLES OF EATING
• One to three meals a day and snacks (food shortages are common).
• Before eating, hands are washed with water from a pitcher and soap.
At home, food is eaten from a common dish set on the floor on a cloth,
using the right hand only. Men and women generally eat separately.
• Breakfast: baguette or roll, coffee or tea.
• Lunch: rice and fish (ceebujenn), vegetable salad, fried potatoes.
• Dinner: pasta with camel meat, vegetable salad, fried potatoes,
watermelon or other seasonal fruit, sweet mint tea.
• Snacks: sweet fritters, grilled skewered meat, nuts.
• Drinks: camel’s milk (zrig), sweet mint tea, yogurt, and fruit shake
(chakri). Alcoholic drinks are frowned upon by Muslims.
• Western-style fast foods (pizza, hamburger) and Mexican, Chinese,
and Senegalese food are available in restaurants in the capital.

Next to camel, the most common meat eaten in Mauritania is lamb. The
Moroccan original mechoui is roast lamb flavored with paprika; this Mauritanian
version includes a stuffing of assorted dried fruits. This would be served for a
celebration.
1 leg of lamb, boned, about 4 pounds Stuffing
2 ounces raisins
2 ounces pitted dates, chopped
2 ounces dried figs, chopped
1 cup uncooked rice
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cup stock or bouillon (or 1 1/2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 3 cup
warm water)
In a saucepan, combine all the stuffing ingredients with 2 cups stock

Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is almost
done.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 325°F.
Put the stuffing into the cavity in the lamb. Secure firmly with skewers
or kitchen string.
(Any remaining stuffing can be placed in a greased baking pan,
covered with foil, and baked at the same time in a lower shelf in the
oven.)
Place the stuffed leg on a rack in a shallow roasting pan; put remaining
stock into the pan.
Roast the lamb for 2 1/2–3 hours in the center of the oven. This results
in a slightly pink center. Calculate roasting time per pound of meat and
stuffing at 25 minutes, plus an extra 25 minutes for medium done. (For
well done, roast at 30 minutes per pound, plus an extra 30 minutes.)
Baste the lamb occasionally with the remaining stock and meat juices
while roasting.
Let rest for 10 minutes before carving to let the meat settle. Serve
surrounded with the rice stuffing.
Pepper Steak
This is common in the south of the country as a luxury dish.

1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced finely (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1/4 tsp chili or cayenne powder
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, cut in strips
4 beef steaks, cut in strips
1 cube beef stock, crushed
1/4 cup water
2 TBS cornstarch, dissolved in 3 TBS water
Heat oil in a pan and add salt, pepper, garlic, and chili.
Sauté the green peppers for 2 minutes.
Add strips of steak and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add crushed stock cube.
Remove the meat and bell peppers from the pan and keep warm.
Mix the coconut milk and water. Add to the gravy remaining in the
pan and bring to a boil.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry, and simmer over low heat until smooth
and thickened.
Return the steak and peppers to the pan briefly to heat through.
Serve with rice.
Chickpeas and other legumes are commonly eaten, made into stews, for a
1/4 cup butter

4 large portions chicken, legs or quarters
2 large onions, sliced into rings
1 8-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup water
Heat the butter in a saucepan.

Stir in chicken and onions, frying until chicken is browned and onions
soft.
Add chickpeas, salt, and pepper.
Cook on high heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add water, cover; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 25–30
minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with flat bread (pita) and fried potatoes.
Nomad-Style Lamb
Grilled skewers of lamb are a common snack food.
2 TBS oil
2 TBS mustard
1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, and shredded
1 tsp salt
1 bunch thyme
1 pound lamb, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 eggplant, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 green bell peppers, cored and seeded, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 large semiripe tomatoes, cut into eighths
2 large onions, cut into eighths
Mix a marinade of oil, mustard, chili, salt, and thyme.
Marinate the meat for 1 hour or more.
Thread meat and vegetables alternately onto four skewers.
Grill over hot coals or under a broiler until meat is done but still pink
in the middle.
Scatter some cayenne powder and additional salt to taste.
Serve with flat bread (pita).
Couscous
Couscous is eaten all over North Africa. This version is a festive dish, with
Mauritanian characteristic fruit additions.
Stew
2–3 TBS vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless stewing lamb (chicken, beef, or turkey), cut into 1-
inch cubes
2 onions, chopped
3 turnips, peeled and chopped
3 small potatoes, quartered
1 cup cabbage, chopped coarsely
1 cup pumpkin, chopped
In a large, deep, covered saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat, and
quickly brown the meat.
Push the meat to one side, reduce heat and fry the onions and garlic
until golden.
Add vegetables, stirring for 2–3 minutes.
Add seasoning and enough water to cover vegetables, and simmer,
covered, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked, about
45–60 minutes.
Couscous
2 cups couscous
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup raisins
8 ounces cooked chickpeas
Prepare the couscous by sprinkling with about 1 cup of cold water to

moisten.
Work the water into the couscous with the fingers so that lumps do not
form.
Mix in the dates, raisins, and chickpeas, place in a colander and steam
for 30 minutes over the simmering stew or over boiling water in a
separate pan (see Algeria entry for the sidebar “Couscous,” p. 21).
Transfer the couscous to a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cold
water and work into the couscous as before, breaking apart any lumps.
Stir in the butter and mix into the couscous.
Return couscous to the colander and steam for another 30 minutes.
To serve: place a mound of couscous on individual plates and surround
with the stew, ensuring that everyone gets an equal share of meat and a
variety of vegetables.
Date Cake
Dates are usually eaten on their own for snacks, but they also feature in baked
sweets. Serve with hot tea or coffee.
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup honey
2 cups pitted dates, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 × 13 inch pan with parchment.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and spices; set aside.
Beat eggs until very light; stir in vanilla and honey.
Mix in the flour mixture, followed by the dates.
Pour into prepared pan; bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden and
tests done.
Let cool completely in the pan before slicing.
Mauritius
A small island in the Indian Ocean noted for being the home of the now extinct
dodo bird, Mauritius was a Dutch, French, and then British colony until
independence in 1968 and still remains part of the British Commonwealth. The
terrain consists of a coastal plain and central plateau, with a warm subtropical
climate tempered by trade winds, ideal for a wide range of tropical crops such as
sugarcane (a major export).
The multicultural Mauritians are mostly of Indian descent (whose forebears

were brought in for the colonial plantations), with minorities of African,
European, Chinese, and mixed Creoles. The cuisine reflects this multiethnic mix.
Though many of the islanders are Hindus, meat is eaten by most.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, French baguette, Indian flat breads.
• Chicken, beef (not for Hindus), pork (not for Muslims), fish, seafood
(giant prawns), wild game (boar, venison).
• Potato, maize, tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, gourds, carrot, lettuce,
eggplant, cabbage.
• Banana, pineapple, coconut, mango.
• Seasonings: tomato, ginger, garlic, chilies, curry spices, Chinese
cooking spices, French cooking herbs/spices, olive oil.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Creole rougaille (spicy tomato sauce).
• Indian-style dishes: curries of meat, lentils; pickled vegetable relish
(achard).
• Chinese-style dishes: roast pork, sweet-sour vegetable stir-fry dishes,
noodles, spring roll.
• English-style dishes: bacon and eggs.
• French-style dishes: bean casserole (cassoulet), braised meat (daube),
cream-based desserts, confectionery.
STYLES OF EATING
• Normal urban table settings are European standard (with knife, fork,
spoon); in rural villages people eat with spoon and fork on individual
plates, or with the fingers of the right hand.
• Breakfast: French pastries or baguette with butter, jam, coffee, or
tropical fruits.
• Lunch: Indian-style curry with rice, French-style custard for dessert.
• Dinner: Chinese-style red braised pork with rice.
• Snacks/mid-afternoon tea (holdover from British rule): lentil-stuffed
pastry (dholl with puri) eaten with Creole tomato sauce, vegetable-
filled pastries (samossa), fruits, sweet French pastries, peanuts.
• Drinks: tamarind, mango and other fruit juices, yogurt-based drinks,
alooda (milk drink), coffee, tea.
• Fast food (fried chicken, pizza, burger) outlets are there in the
capital.

Choko, chou chou, or chayote (Sechium edule) is a member of the gourd family
and can be eaten fresh or cooked. Serve this as side dish with any main dish for
the midday or evening meal.
3 chokos (chayote, available from groceries that sell Asian and

Hispanic foods)
1/4 tsp salt
water, as needed
1 TBS white vinegar
1 TBS garlic, freshly crushed
1 medium onion, sliced finely
1 green chili, cored, seeded, and shredded (optional)
Place the chokos into salted boiling water.

Boil for about 5–7 minutes, until just crisp-tender.
Remove and immediately place into cold water to cool.
Peel and halve the chokos.
Slice lengthwise.
The soft seeds may be included, if desired, or separated and eaten on
their own, lightly salted.
Mix a dressing with vinegar, oil, garlic, onion, chili, salt, and pepper.
Pour dressing over the choko slices.
Mix together just before serving.

These Indian-style fritters are common snacks, eaten with hot bread and butter or
on their own.
1 cup split peas
2 green or red chilies, cored, seeded, and shredded
2 TBS green onions, chopped finely
salt to taste
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, lightly crushed
oil for deep frying
Rinse peas, soak in water overnight, and drain.

Take half the peas and grind finely in a blender.
Grind the second batch roughly.
Mix thoroughly the remaining ingredients with the ground peas.
Add a little bit of water if needed for a stiff mixture.
Shape mixture into large marbles.
Heat oil and deep fry a few at a time until golden.
Serve hot with fresh bread or on their own as a snack.
Curry Sauce
This sauce is frequently served with gâteaux piments, above.
2 TBS oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
3 curry leaves
1 red chili pepper, cored and finely chopped (optional)
5 stalks cilantro
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil; fry the onion, garlic, and
ginger until softened, about 2–3 minutes.
Stir in the spices and cook for 1–2 minutes; add water and salt, reduce
heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in thyme, curry leaves, and chili pepper, if using. Cook for 1–2
minutes. Turn off heat.
With a stick blender or food processor, puree the mixture.
Alternatively pass through a sieve.
To serve: spoon over gâteaux piments and garnish with chopped
cilantro.

This stew is a blend of Indian and French influences. Serve with faratas (flaky
flat bread) or rice, with a side dish of lentils, for midday or evening.
3 TBS oil
2 onions, chopped
2 pounds chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 TBS thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
16-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 TBS cilantro, finely minced
1 TBS cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Heat oil in a deep thick-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.

Stir in onions, garlic, and ginger; fry until the onions are soft.
Add chicken, cloves, cinnamon, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook for 5–8
minutes, stirring well.
Stir in tomatoes and minced cilantro; reduce heat and let simmer for 1
hour or until chicken is tender.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro.
Pancakes (Faratas)
These flaky flat breads are widely made and eaten to soak up the gravy from
curries and stews. The flakiness is achieved by brushing melted butter several
times into the folded dough.
2 cups sifted white flour

1 tsp salt
1/2 cup plus 2 TBS water
3 TBS (or more) ghee or melted butter
In a bowl, mix flour with salt and half the water into a dough.
Knead well for 20 minutes, adding the remaining water a little at a
time to get a smooth, elastic dough.
Sprinkle with 1–2 TBS water; cover with a moist towel. Set aside for
20–30 minutes.
Divide dough evenly into six balls.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into a 6-inch disk.
Lightly brush a little ghee or melted butter on each disk; fold over into
a semicircle.
Brush more ghee over the top; fold again.
Lightly and gently roll out again to make a disk but do not roll out to
the edges to keep the air in, and not as thin as previously. Brush with
more ghee.
Heat an iron griddle slowly until very hot.
Place farata on hot griddle to cook for 2–3 seconds.
Turn over and brush the cooked side with melted butter.
Cook for a further 2–3 seconds or until farata is light golden on both
sides.
Serve hot with grilled meats.

Cold drinks are very welcome in a hot and humid climate. This is a popular
drink. An alternative to the agar agar strips is firmly set gelatin of any fruit
flavor, diced. Canned sweet basil drinks can be found in Asian food stores.
These can be substituted for the syrup and seeds called for in the recipe.
2 TBS sweet basil seeds (available at stores that sell Thai foods),
optional
1 cup agar agar strips chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (agar agar or
seaweed gelatin strips are available from Asian food shops)
3 cups water
4 TBS sugar
1 quart very cold milk
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
food color, red or green, optional
4 tall drinking glasses, chilled in the refrigerator about 20 minutes
before serving
2 cups crushed ice
Soak basil seeds and chopped agar-agar strips in water to cover

overnight.
Make a light syrup by combining water and sugar over low heat until
sugar is dissolved; cool.
Mix thoroughly syrup, milk, vanilla or almond essence, a drop of
chosen food color (for a very pale tint); chill thoroughly for at least 30
minutes.
Into each chilled glass, place 3–4 TBS of basil seeds and softened agar
agar strips.
Pour over chilled milk mixture.
Top with crushed ice and serve.

These French-influenced tiny cakes filled with raspberry jam and covered in
pink icing are popular and served with coffee or tea.
2/3 cup butter

1 cup sifted white flour
1/4 cup good quality raspberry jam
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 drops red food color
3 TBS cold water
Rub butter into flour to make a soft dough. (Add a little more butter if
needed to achieve this.)
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut out 2-inch-diameter rounds.
Reroll trimmings and repeat.
Place dough rounds on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F until done, but not brown, for about
10–15 minutes.
When cool, spread jam over half of the biscuit rounds; cover with
remaining half.
Mix confectioners’ sugar, food color, and about 3 TBS cold water to
make a glaze of flowing consistency. (Add a bit more water if needed.)
Set sandwiched cakes on a grid placed over waxed paper to catch
drips.
Spoon glaze over cakes to coat evenly.
Set aside to cool.

These sweets are of Indian origin and are a popular snack, eaten with a hot or
cold drink.
1 1/4 cups chickpea flour (besan flour, from stores that sell Indian
foods)
2/3 cup butter or ghee
1/2 cup coarsely chopped or slivered almonds
3 TBS raisins (optional)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
In a heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat, dry fry chickpea flour until
aromatic, around 4–5 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet, add 2 TBS butter and stir in almonds and raisins.
Cook the almonds and raisins for 2–3 minutes just until they begin to
turn golden. Turn off heat. Remove about 3 TBS of the almond-raisin
mixture and set aside for garnish.
To the remaining almonds and raisins in the skillet, add the rest of the
butter, sugar, nutmeg, coconut, and the chickpea flour.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 10–15 minutes, until mixture is thickened
and golden. Do not allow to scorch or turn dark.
Allow to cool slightly; with buttered hands, roll into walnut-sized
balls. Lightly press reserved almonds and raisins for garnish.
Cool thoroughly before serving.
Mexico
Directly south of the United States, Mexico covers a wide area, almost three
times that of Texas. With cold mountain ranges and high plateaus but warm
coastal lowlands, Mexico has a varied climate suited to both temperate and
tropical crops: coffee, sugar, corn, citrus fruits.
For three hundred years a Spanish colony, Mexico became independent in
1810. The Spanish legacy is still evident in the predominantly mixed (mestizo)
Spanish-Amerindian population, Catholicism, language, culture, and food.
Mexican cooking displays a rich mix of native Amerindian (Maya, Aztec)

royal and popular cuisines, Spanish, and French elements (from a brief period of
French rule in the 1860s).
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: corn, beans, wheat, rice.
• Wheat tortilla in the north, corn tortilla elsewhere.
• Pork, beef, chicken, turkey, beef, fish and shellfish, red snapper,
turtle, game, edible insects.
• Vegetables and fruits: chili peppers, tomato, cactus pads (nopales),
jicama (a sweet, crisp tuber eaten raw), avocado, sweet pepper,
pumpkin, squash, chayote, melon, grapes, citrus fruits, nuts.
• Seasonings: combined use of many types of fresh or dried chilies
(not all hot) in the same dish, for example, ancho (large, wide, brown),
tepin (small, cranberry-like, hot), serrano (small, green, hot); spice and
herb mixes (cilantro, epazote [goosefoot, Dysphania ambrosioides],
and hierba santa [root-beer flavored leaf, Piper auritum]); achiote
paste (herb/spice mix colored with red seeds of achiote plant, Bixa
orellana); dark chocolate in savory stews; cinnamon; cumin; oregano;
cloves; vanilla.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Spanish-style stews of meat, vegetables, and fruit (mancha manteles,
caldillo).
• Mole, the national dish: rich, spicy, herby stew with nuts or
pumpkin/sesame seeds (many regional variants). Mole sauce can be
green, red, black (with chocolate), or yellow.
Filling corn husks with meat and cornmeal for tamales. (Peregrina/iStockphoto.com)
• Spit-roasted meat (barbacoa—the original barbecue, asado): goat,

lamb, venison, suckling pig.
• Steamed leaf-wrapped dumplings (tamales) of corn, meat, and
vegetables.
• Stuffed fried chili peppers with nuts (chiles en nogada).
• Sweets: Spanish-style egg-rich custards and flans; cakes of fruits,
nuts, coconut; fruit pastes (quince, guava).
• Drinks: aguas frescas (fruit juices, often with flowers and edible
seeds, such as chia—the gelatinous seed of a sage relative; agua de
jamaica, a drink made from dried Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers),
chocolate, coffee, locally brewed beer, tequila (spirit from maguey
cactus).
MAIZE (ZEA MAIS)

Originating from a grass called teosinte, maize (Zea mais), or as it is called
in the United States, corn, has been cultivated in Meso-America for about
six thousand years. Genetic studies show that maize was developed from a
single cultivar. By the time of the European conquest of Mexico, there were
already several hundred varieties for all types of climates. In the mid-
fifteenth century it was brought to Europe. First cultivated as a decorative
plant, it soon became a staple food in the northern Mediterranean. At the
same time maize plants were brought to Africa, where it rapidly spread,
displacing many native grains such as millet. Maize was brought to East
Asia, probably directly from Mexico by the trade with the Philippines.
In Africa, Romania, parts of Italy, and of course its birthplace in what
is now Latin America and the southern United States, maize has become a
major staple, eaten at almost every meal.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m., hot chocolate or coffee with
refried beans, porridge. Tortilla or crusty roll, eggs (omelet, fried or
scrambled). Around 11:00 a.m., for upper class; brunch-like meal.
• Lunch (comida): between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. Many offices close for
lunch. This is the heaviest meal, with as many as five to seven courses,
featuring soup, main course, salad, and sweet. Rice and pasta dishes
are considered a “dry soup” course and are served separately. Families
eat together.
• A late afternoon snack or early evening meal, merienda, eaten
between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., consists of a savory dish or hot sandwich
or sweet breads with coffee.
• Supper is eaten between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m., usually a light entrée
or dessert with coffee or tea.
• Snacks: tortillas stuffed with cheese, bean, or meat fillings (tacos,
quesadillas, burritos, carnitas); hot sandwiches (pambazos); nanches
(Byrsonima crassifolia, yellow, tart, plum-sized fruit) eaten with chili
sauce, salt, and lime; steamed green chickpeas in the pod; shaved ice
and fruit syrup (raspado); crisp pork skin (chicharron); ripe plantains
with condensed milk; sweet cakes, biscuits, and candy increasingly
eaten by young children.
• Comida corrida (lunch on the run) is a multicourse meal complete
with fresh fruit drink served at all eating places during lunch for office
workers. Street stalls and vendors sell various snacks in see-through
plastic cups.
Pambazos—bread rolls filled with chicken or cheese and served with a hot sauce
—are a common street food in Puebla and Veracruz, in central-eastern Mexico.
This can be served as a snack or, with a salad or soup, as a light meal.
4 bread rolls
3 cups cooked chicken meat, shredded
1 onion (slice 1/2 onion thinly into rings and reserve the other half for
sauce)
1 avocado, sliced lengthwise
Split the rolls and distribute the chicken evenly among them.
Spoon the hot sauce over the chicken.
Garnish with avocado and onion slices.
Sauce
2 TBS oil
1/2 onion, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 guajillo chili pepper, seeded (optional, available from grocers that
sell Hispanic foods, or substitute red chili pepper)
1/4 tsp cumin
pinch of cloves
pinch of allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp oregano
salt to taste
1/4 cup water
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, and
cook until soft.
Stir in the tomatoes, spices, and water; cover and simmer until thick
for 10–15 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Pass through a sieve before using.
Naranja y Rábanos)
Avocados and oranges are common and often used in both sweet and savory
dishes. The radishes add a brilliant contrasting color.
1 large or 3 small avocados, cubed

2 oranges, peeled, segmented, and white membranes removed
5–6 radishes, sliced into circles
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thinly
juice of one lime
juice of half an orange
1/4 cup olive oil
Place the vegetables in a bowl.

Mix the citrus juices, olive oil, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Pour over the vegetables and mix well.
Chill for 30 minutes and serve.

In Oaxaca, southern Mexico, this dish is traditional during Lent as it contains no
meat. The deft use of fruit is typical of cooking in this part of Mexico.
2 cups lentils
5 cups water
1 head garlic (about 10 cloves), minced
1 onion, chopped
2 TBS oil
2 unripe plantains, cubed
1 small fresh pineapple, peeled, cubed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
salt to taste
Bring the lentils, water, half the garlic, and half the onion to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 20–30 minutes, until lentils are tender but still
firm.
Add salt to taste. Set aside.
Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan and sauté the remaining
onions and garlic until soft.
Stir in plantains, pineapple, and tomatoes, and cook until the plantains
are soft, about 10–15 minutes.
Stir in the spices, lentils, and about half of the liquid in which the
lentils were cooked.
Continue cooking until thick, adding more liquid as necessary.
Serve with fried slices of plantain if desired.
The idea of this dish is to use the ham and vegetables as a colorful stuffing,
rolling the meat over the stuffing to enclose it. Serve this as a main course for
lunch, with plenty of soft tortillas to mop up the flavorful sauce, and a salad (see
sidebar “Mole Sauces,” p. 884).
Beef roulades
1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced beef
1/4 pound raw smoked bacon or ham, or a mix of both, sliced into thin
strips
1 potato, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound string beans, cut lengthwise into thin strips
salt and pepper
Spread each piece of beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Lay strips of bacon, ham, potatoes, and green beans in a line along the
edge of the meat closest to you.
Taking hold of the edge of the meat, fold over the stuffing to enclose
it, continuing to roll tightly until all the stuffing is covered. Secure
ends of the meat with toothpicks. Set aside.
Mole
1/4 cup roasted green pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup roasted sesame seeds
1 serrano chili (optional)
4–5 tomatillos or green tomatoes
5 stalks cilantro
3 stalks epazote (substitute parsley or thyme)
1/4 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1–2 TBS olive oil
salt to taste
In a food processor, blend the seeds, chili, tomatillos, spices, and herbs
with 1/2 cup chicken stock until smooth. Set aside.
In a saucepan, heat olive oil and add the blended ingredients. Add salt
to taste.
Stir in the rest of the chicken stock.
Put the rolled beef slices into the sauce and cover, simmering for 30–
45 minutes or until the vegetables in the stuffing are tender.

This rich dessert showcases fruits and nuts in season. Mangoes, plums, or apples
can be used instead of the bananas. Serve with cream, whipped or poured, if
desired.
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water
juice of 1 lime or lemon
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
6 bananas, sliced, divided into three portions
2 cups chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans, divided into three
portions
In a small saucepan, make a light syrup by boiling sugar, water, and

lime or lemon juice until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
In a bowl, cream the butter until light.
Beat in eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each.
Pour in the still-warm syrup slowly over the butter mixture, mixing
well.
In a buttered 8-inch square baking dish, place a layer of bananas.
Sprinkle with one portion of the nuts and pour a third of the syrup
mixture over.
Continue with the remaining bananas, nuts, and syrup mixture.
Bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes or until done.
MOLE SAUCES
Among the sauces originating in Mexico, the most commonly known is
mole poblano (mole from Puebla), which features bitter chocolate and
smoked chili peppers. Many pre-Columbian Mexican dishes were,
apparently, prepared with mole sauces. The current form of mole poblano
de guajolote was refined by nuns in the seventeenth century, though its
origins are much earlier. There are many other mole sauces originating
from other areas of Mexico.

This recipe is adapted from a classical sweet made in San Cristobal de las Casas,
a city in the Chiapas highlands of southeastern Mexico. Serve as a dessert or
snack with a hot or cold drink.
4 cups grated coconut, fresh, or frozen and thawed

1 14-ounce can condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 × 13 inch pan with buttered

parchment.
Mix well the coconut, condensed milk, yolks, salt, and vanilla.
Pour mixture onto prepared pan; level the surface and sprinkle with
cinnamon.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden and set.
When cool, cut into squares.

This dish is adapted from a traditional recipe for a dessert or snack from the
Chiapas highlands. Serve with a hot or cold drink.
4 TBS (or more) butter for frying

4 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch coins
4 egg yolks
2 cups cream
4 TBS sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch pie plate or baking dish.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 TBS butter and briefly fry the
plantain slices until just golden. Do not allow them to brown.
Place the fried plantains in the prepared pie plate.
Mix well the egg yolks, cream, sugar, and vanilla; pour carefully over
the plantains.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 10–15 minutes or until the cream
is set.
Serve warm or cold.
Sometimes simply called Micronesia or FSM, this country comprises four

Pacific island groups: Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. (The shorter name
“Micronesia” is confusing as it also refers to a wider geographical region that
includes four other independent countries and three U.S. territories.) With a
tropical climate year round but variable terrain (some islands are volcanic, others
are coral atolls with thin soil cover), only a few food crops can grow: breadfruit,
taro, and coconut. The sea and recent food imports are major food sources.
Traditional cuisine was based on local ingredients. Modern cuisine is
influenced by food from the United States, Japan, other Asian countries (China,
Thailand, Korea), and nearby islands, especially Guam and Hawaii.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: breadfruit, swamp taro and other varieties of taro (sweet
potato, cassava, yam (Dioscorea). Pounded breadfruit (kon), preserved
breadfruit, pounded taro, sweet taro, banana, and tapioca.
Contemporary: rice, bread, potatoes.
• Fish (tuna, grouper, snapper—reef and open sea fish), shellfish
(clam, octopus, crayfish, shrimp), dried salted fish, sea cucumber.
Mangrove crabs.
• Meat: pork, beef, goat, chicken, duck, eggs. Contemporary: canned
meat (corned beef, Spam), canned fish (tuna, mackerel, sardines),
frozen turkey, lamb, other meats, tuna jerky; macadamia nuts.
• Plantain, green vegetables (leaves of taro, sweet potato, pumpkin),
pumpkin, tomato, eggplant. Contemporary: lettuce, potato.
• Coconut, mango, papaya, banana, citrus, cacao (source of chocolate),
guava, local nuts. Contemporary: canned fruits (peach, cocktail),
orange.
• Seasonings: black pepper (locally grown), onion, garlic, ginger,
lime/lemon, coconut milk.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fried freshwater eel (in Kosrae); fermented breadfruit dish (furoh);
pounded soft taro topped with syrup or coconut cream (fafa); local
starches such as taro, banana, breads, and yams chopped and cooked
with sweetened coconut cream (ainpat); fried bananas (tempura style)
and coconut; sushi; grated tapioca mixed with pounded ripened banana
and baked overnight (pihlohlo).
• Oppot is a traditional Chuukese specialty, made by filling a pit with
alternating layers of ripe breadfruit and banana leaves, covering it with
rocks, and allowing it to ferment for months, even years, before eating.
Breadfruit. (Wouter Roesems/Dreamstime.com)
• Stewed vegetables with coconut milk.

• Baked vegetables with coconut milk wrapped in taro leaves.
• Baked pork (in underground oven).
• Corned beef and Spam dishes with or without vegetables.
• American-style fast food (burger, pizza, spaghetti, macaroni).
• Japanese-style dishes: raw tuna (sashimi), sushi.
• Canned tuna or mackerel with or without vegetables.
• Chinese-style dishes: spring roll, fried noodles with vegetables.
• American-style baked goods (cakes, cookies, doughnuts).
STYLES OF EATING
• Rural families eat more traditional type menu of local staple and
locally caught fish or raised chicken/meat. Urban families eat more
canned and Western-type processed food.
• Breakfast: bread, cereal, rice, egg, canned meat, juice.
• Lunch: U.S.-style fast food (sandwich, pizza, pasta); rice, canned or
fresh fried or grilled fish.
• Dinner: rice, corned beef with cabbage, fresh fruit.
• Betel nut (buw) is chewed after meals on some islands, notably Yap.
• Snacks: U.S.-style snacks of cookies, candy; traditional fritters.
Barbecued Chicken
Chickens are commonly raised in backyards in rural areas. There are many
variations of this dish, typically eaten with rice or other boiled staple (breadfruit,
taro, or sweet potato). A potato or macaroni salad may accompany it for guests.
4 chicken quarters or other large portions (bones and skin intact)

juice of 3 lemons
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup soy sauce
Marinate chicken in lemon juice for 15 minutes.

Combine coconut milk, soy sauce, onion, and garlic; stir into
marinating chicken.
Cover and refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight.
Grill chicken over hot charcoal or under electric grill for about 40
minutes, turning frequently to avoid burning.
Brush chicken several times with the marinade during cooking.
Serve at once.

This is a dish from Pohnpei. Serve this as a side dish to go with rice and chicken,
meat, or fish for a midday or evening meal.
2 pounds sweet potato tops (young leaves), trimmed and washed (or
substitute young spinach or watercress)
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Blanch greens for 1–2 minutes in plenty of boiling water.
Drop into cold water to arrest cooking; drain well.
Mix lemon juice, salt, and mayonnaise.
Stir into greens; chill for 20–30 minutes.

This is a dish from Chuuk. Serve as a main dish with rice for a midday meal or
as a side dish to go with a meat or chicken main dish for dinner.
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
2 TBS curry powder
2 cups water
1 can mackerel (in oil or brine)
3 cups eggplant, cubed
1 red chili pepper, cored, seeded, and minced (optional)
3 cups frozen sliced green beans, defrosted

Stir in onion and fry until soft.
Stir in curry powder.
Add water and mackerel; bring to a boil.
Stir in eggplant and chili pepper.
Cook for 5 minutes; add green beans.
Cook for 3 minutes more or until beans are done but still green.

True yams (not sweet potatoes, but the genus Dioscorea) are a much-appreciated
food item on Pohnpei. This is intended as a savory dish. If a sweet dish is
preferred, add sugar to taste.
1 1/2 pounds yam (Dioscorea), peeled and cubed

1/4 tsp salt
14 × 14 inch sheet of banana leaf or several lettuce leaves, washed and
dried
In a saucepan over medium heat, boil the yam with water to cover,
about 20–30 minutes or until tender.
Drain and set aside 2/3 cup or 4–5 cubes of yam.
Mash the rest with a potato ricer, or pass the yams through a sieve.
Stir in salt and coconut cream. Cut the remaining cubes into smaller
pieces; stir into the yam-coconut cream mixture.
Serve warm or cold on a banana leaf.

This dish is made originally with swamp taro, which is not easily available
outside the South Pacific, and thus regular taro (Colocasia) is used here. Utoar is
the name given to this dish in Pohnpei; on Chuuk it is called puna, and on
Kosrae it is called kuhlamihs.
4 pieces taro, about 1 1/2 pounds

1 cup coconut cream
1 cup fresh young coconut meat, diced
4 TBS brown sugar
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut for garnish
In a saucepan over medium heat, boil the taro with water to cover for
20–30 minutes or until very tender. If a skewer pierces through easily,
the taro is done.
Peel the taro, and mash to a smooth paste.
Mix well with the remaining ingredients; shape into walnut-sized or
slightly larger balls.
To serve: garnish with grated fresh coconut, if desired.

This exotic salad from Yap is served for dessert or as a snack. Feel free to use
just a few from the list or substitute any fruit in season.
2 ripe mangoes, diced
1 small ripe papaya, diced
1 small ripe pineapple, diced
juice of 1 lime or lemon
2 ripe bananas, diced
2 passion fruits, seeds and juice
1 orange, segmented
1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
2 cups watermelon or cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch cubes
Mix all fruits in a bowl.

Chill well for about 30 minutes or longer.

This milkshake is a cool drink from Yap served as a snack.
3 cups ripe mango puree

15 passion fruits, seeds and juice (or substitute 1 cup passion fruit
juice)
4 cups water
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
Blend all the ingredients. Chill for 30 minutes or more.

Moldova
Moldova is a small, landlocked country in Eastern Europe that was once part of
the Ottoman-Turkish Empire and Romania and annexed by the Soviet Union in
1945 until independence in 1991. Its fertile soil between two rivers and
temperate climate of warm summers and mild winters make it a supplier of
fruits, vegetables, and meat to its neighbors.
Moldovans are the majority, with minority groups of Ukrainians, Russians,

Romanians, and Bulgarians. Moldovan cuisine reflects the meld of these groups,
as well as Greek, Jewish, Turkish, and German elements, and is noted for its
preference for sour cream and sour soups.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: cornmeal (mamaliga) cooked in various consistencies—from
porridge to a stiffer mixture—cut into wedges and eaten like bread.
• Pork, mutton, beef, poultry, sheep’s cheese, smoked preserved meat
or goose (pastrama).
• Eggplant, zucchini, sweet pepper, tomato, green beans, cabbage.
• Apple, quince, plum, grape, apricot, cherry, walnuts.
• Wine is very important, sometimes as substitute for drinking water.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Sour soups (ciorba) are considered the national favorite.
• Greek-influenced sweet and savory pastries with a variety of fillings
(placinte, vertuta).
• Turkish-influenced preference for mutton.
• Grilled meat dishes: fennel-flavored grilled beef rolls (mititei), meat
patties (parjoale).
• Hard, white cheese made from ewe’s milk (brinza).
• Meat stews: tocana (pork stew) served with fruit relishes.
• Chicken dishes: jellied chicken.
• Vegetable dishes: Turkish-influenced stuffed cabbage (sarmale),
stewed mixed vegetables with meat (ghiveci), assorted pickles.
• Soups: Cutia (a wheaten soup with honey).
• Turkish-influenced rich sweets of honey, nuts: halvah (alvitsa),
nougat.
• Preserved fruits in syrup: quince, apricot, plum, cherries, green
walnuts.
STYLES OF EATING
• Brinza (cheese) and mamaliga (flat cake from cornmeal) are common
centerpieces on a table.
• Meat is often served with fruit relishes.
• Breakfast: bread or cornmeal mush (mamaliga), sheep’s cheese, egg,
coffee.
• Lunch: chicken sour soup, cheese, milk, cream, corn mush.
• Dinner: chicken in jelly, baked fish, mamaliga, wine.
• Drinks: elderflower cordial (socata), wine (over 100 local varieties),
fruit brandies, fruit juices, bottled carbonated drinks.
• There are plenty of small restaurants and coffee shops, as well as
international fast food outlets in towns and in the capital.

This dish is considered a delicacy and is often served at home or during
celebrations, as a first course or as a cold main dish after soup.
1 chicken cut into serving pieces

water to cover
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into chunks
2 bay leaves
5 cloves of garlic (3 left whole, 2 finely minced)
5 black peppercorns
2/3 tsp salt
1 packet unflavored gelatin
Put chicken to simmer in a pot with just enough water to cover.

Skim foam when it comes to a boil.
Add vegetables, bay leaves, whole garlic cloves, peppercorns, and salt.
Gently simmer for 1 hour until chicken is tender but not falling apart.
Take out chicken; set aside to allow to cool.
Discard vegetables and strain broth through a fine sieve or
cheesecloth.
Dissolve gelatin in 1 cup warm broth; stir into remaining broth.
Debone chicken and discard skin, keeping the flesh in large chunks.
Arrange chicken pieces in a glass casserole dish.
Stir in minced garlic to the broth, and heighten seasoning to
compensate for a slight loss of flavor when chilled.
Pour broth over chicken.
Cover with plastic film and refrigerate overnight to gel.
Serve each chicken piece with a generous helping of the jelly.

These burgers, like mititei, are commonly eaten for dinner. Popular
accompaniments are mashed potatoes, a fried pepper salad, and pickled
cucumbers or peppers.
1 TBS lard
1 pound ground meat (mixed beef and pork)
1 egg, beaten
2 slices white bread, torn and soaked in 1/4 cup milk for 20 minutes
3 TBS each parsley and dill, chopped
salt, pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
lard for frying
In a skillet, melt lard over medium heat; fry 2/3 of the chopped onions
until softened.
Remove from heat and stir into ground meat with egg, bread, herbs,
salt, pepper, and the remaining raw onion. Mix thoroughly.
With moistened hands, shape into burger-sized patties.
Coat patties with bread crumbs; chill for 20–30 minutes.
Fry in shallow fat until golden brown on both sides.
Serve hot.

This is a favorite salad to accompany meat or chicken dishes.
3 TBS oil
6 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut in long, narrow (1/8-inch)
strips
3 onions, chopped
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat; sauté peppers until soft. Set
aside.
Fry onions until softened in the remaining oil, adding more if needed.
Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper; simmer until
thick, for about 15 minutes.
Mix peppers with onion and tomato mixture.
Serve cold.

Serve this as a side dish with meat or vegetable dishes for lunch or dinner.

2 TBS oil
1/2 tsp flour
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 TBS tomato paste
salt to taste
1 3/4 pounds new potatoes (the size of golf balls), peeled, left whole
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
Fry chopped onion until softened in oil over medium heat.

Sprinkle with flour and blend thoroughly.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt; stir well.
Add potatoes, parsley, and dill; simmer covered over low heat until
tender.
Serve hot.
Cheese-Filled Buns (Placinte Poale’n Brau, also Placinte cu Poale

in Briu)
These are popularly eaten as snacks to go with coffee or tea. For good results, all
ingredients for the dough must be at room temperature.
1 ounce yeast
1 TBS sugar
1 cup milk
2 pounds flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 TBS oil
1 TBS melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
confectioners’ sugar
Mix yeast with sugar, 2 TBS warm milk, and 2 TBS flour in a large
bowl.
Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 10 minutes.
Add eggs, remaining milk, oil, butter, and salt to the risen starter.
Blend in flour to make a soft dough.
Cover and let rise until doubled in size in a warm place.
When the dough has risen, roll out to 1/4 inch thick.
Cut out pastry squares measuring 8–10 inches.
Place spoonfuls of filling in the center. Fold pastry over the filling.
Press edges firmly to seal.
Place on a lightly greased and floured baking sheet, 1–2 inches apart.
Let rise for 15–20 minutes; brush with egg wash and bake at 350°F for
25–35 minutes or until lightly golden.
Sprinkle generously with icing sugar. Serve warm.
Filling
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 eggs
2 TBS sugar
pinch of salt
In a food processor, mix all ingredients until smooth.

Coltunasi are dumplings which have savory or sweet fillings. The recipe below
gives the basic dumpling dough, and two fillings: cheese and sour cherry. For
convenience, wonton wrappers or fresh lasagna dough may be used for the
pastry.
Dough
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup thick yogurt
Mix all the ingredients to a soft dough; let rest, covered, for 30
minutes to 1 hour.
Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 3-inch squares. Cover
unworked pieces of dough to prevent drying out.
Fill half of the pastries with savory cheese filling; the remaining half
with cherry filling.
Place 2 tsp filling in the center of the pastry square; bring two opposite
edges together, forming a triangle. Crimp edges with the tines of a fork
to seal well.
An alternative folding method: form the triangle as above. With one
point of the triangle facing you, bring the two opposite points together
to join the one facing you. Crimp to seal; if necessary, moisten with a
bit of water.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the savory
dumplings to cook first.
When the water reboils, reduce heat and let dumplings simmer for 8–
10 minutes or until done.
Scoop them out; drain briefly, and place onto warmed (for the savory
ones) shallow bowls or plates.
Refrigerate the drained sweet dumplings, covered, until needed.
To serve the savory dumplings: garnish with chopped dill, parsley, or
green onions.
To serve the sweet dumplings: place 3 TBS of cherry syrup in a bowl,
add 3 dumplings, and pass around sour cream and sugar for diners to
help themselves.
Cheese filling for coltunasi cu brinza

2/3 cup feta, or other salty white farmer’s cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS chopped dill, parsley, or green onions for garnish
In a bowl, combine the feta and egg to a smooth paste. Spread 2 tsp on
each pastry square.
Sour cherry filling for coltunasi cu visine

1 1/2 cups sour cherries in light syrup, drained well (canned or
bottled), pitted and halved; reserve 1 cup of the syrup
1 tsp cornstarch
2 TBS cold water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
sugar for serving
Make a cornstarch slurry by dissolving the cornstarch in the water; set

aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the syrup with 3 TBS sugar
Stir in the cornstarch slurry, stirring the syrup mixture until it thickens.
Turn off heat. Chill cherry syrup until needed.
Mix the drained cherries with 3 TBS sugar; take 2 tsp to fill a pastry
square.
Monaco
A Mediterranean constitutional monarchy and city-state, Monaco is roughly the

size of New York’s Central Park and is the world’s second smallest independent
country. Monaco has been under Saracen (Arab), Spanish, and Italian rule over
the centuries, and since 1951 it has had a special alliance with France.
Native Monegasques are a minority in their own country, together with
Italians and other nationalities; the French make up half of Monaco’s population.
Monaco’s cuisine reflects its history and its place in the Mediterranean: it has a
lot in common with robust Italian and neighboring Niçoise cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat, potato.
• Lamb (preferred), fish (bass, sole, snapper), seafood (scallop, shrimp,
crayfish, mussel), beef, chicken, dairy products (sheep’s and goat’s
cheese), dried salted codfish.
• Chard, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, lettuce, carrots, potatoes,
mushrooms, cabbage, zucchini, artichokes, asparagus, preserved
olives.
• Apricot, cherry, grape, melon, berries, fig, date, lemon, orange, pear,
and apple.
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, fennel, olive oil, anchovy paste, herbs
(thyme, sage, basil, marjoram, rosemary), saffron.
• Table sauces: chili and garlic mayonnaise (rouille); aoili (garlic
mayonnaise).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Breads: fougasse (herb-flavored roll), baguette, crusty rolls.
• Potatoes, fried or boiled, are served with most dishes.
• Vegetable dishes: Swiss chard (blette) features often in vegetable
pies (tourta de blea), stuffings for pasta (cannelloni de blette), and
fried ravioli (barbagiuan).
• Chickpea flour pancakes and patties (socca)
• Dried salted cod dishes: estocaficada (also stocafi), codfish in tomato
sauce.
• Sweet pastries flavored with orange flower water, nuts, and honey.
STYLES OF EATING
• European table settings.
• Breakfast: bread, jam, butter, milky coffee, juice.
• Lunch: two or three courses—first course of soup or vegetable
appetizer eaten with bread and butter; second course of fish or lamb or
poultry accompanied by potatoes or rice, a vegetable side dish; pastry
or other sweet.
• There are many restaurants, bars, and cafes providing all types of
international and local food.

The name of these fried stuffed dumplings means “Uncle Jean” in Monegasque.
They are usually made in the mountains beyond Monaco and Nice and are also
called borsoutou, depending on the type of filling. This recipe is for the
Monegasque version using Swiss chard (blette), a very popular green vegetable.
Other fillings, such as pumpkin, are also used. For convenience, use round
wonton wrappers or fresh lasagna sheets. These can be served as a first course or
a main course for a light meal.
Wrappers
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 to 1 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 egg
In a food processor, combine all the wrapper ingredients to make a

dough.
On a floured surface, knead well for 20–30 minutes.
Let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour covered with a moist towel.
Roll out to 1/8 inch and cut out 3-inch diameter circles.
Cover wrappers with moist towel until ready to use.
Put a spoonful of filling in the center, cover with another wrapper.
Moisten edges with water and seal firmly.
Deep fry dumplings in medium-hot oil until golden brown on each
side.
Serve hot.
Filling
2 TBS olive oil
2 cups finely chopped leek, white part only
4 salted anchovies in oil, finely chopped
3 cups squeezed, parboiled Swiss chard or spinach, chopped finely
1/4 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten
pepper, salt
Heat oil in a big frying pan; fry leeks, covered, over low heat, until
very soft, about 10 minutes.
Add anchovies, crushing them into the oil and leeks.
Stir in chard or spinach, raise heat to medium, and fry for another 3–5
minutes.
Off the heat add rice, cheese, eggs, and pepper.
The anchovies and cheese are quite salty, so taste first to see if salt is
needed.

Sardines)
This vegetable dish can be a first course for a meal or a light dish for lunch.
2 quarts water
1 TBS salt
12 small red (sweet) onions
3 zucchini, each about 8 inches long, cut into 2-inch sections
12 plum tomatoes, roughly same sizeas onions
2 TBS olive oil
1 small can tuna, drained
3 TBS lemon juice
2 cans sardines, drained
1/3 cup sour cream
1 small jar pickled red bell peppers, drained, finely chopped
2 cups arugula, washed and drained
Boil water and salt.
Parboil onions and zucchini for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Cut a thin slice off the tops of the tomatoes; hollow out and reserve
pulp.
Take out inner rings from onions; reserve.
Take out center flesh from zucchini sections, leaving one end intact
and a 1/4-inch wall; reserve flesh.
Stuff vegetables with the fillings.
Place on baking dish; drizzle with remaining olive oil and put under
hot grill for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Arrange vegetables on a bed of arugula on individual plates.
Serve at once.
Tuna filling: finely chop the reserved pulp and flesh of the tomatoes,
onions, and zucchini.
Mix thoroughly with flaked tuna, half of olive oil, and lemon juice.
Sardine filling: crush sardines, mix with sour cream and sweet
peppers.

Socca are savory cakes sold all around the markets of Monaco and neighboring
Nice, freshly made and eaten piping hot as afternoon snacks.
2 cups water
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups chickpea flour (available from stores that sell Middle
Eastern or Indian foods)
1/4 cup plus 2 TBS olive oil
Preheat oven to 425°F. Preheat broiler.

Place water and salt in a large bowl. Dribble in chickpea flour,
whisking constantly until well mixed.
Stir in olive oil; let mixture stand for about 30 minutes.
Grease a heavy skillet with 2 TBS olive oil; pour in batter. Place under
broiler for 2–4 minutes, until the batter is slightly blistered.
Remove and place in the oven; bake for 2–5 minutes, until cake is
firm.
Remove from oven; cut into squares or wedges.
Serve with finely chopped tomatoes, or a salad, and fresh bread.

Olives grow all over the southern Mediterranean coast of Europe, and the wild
caper bush, with its magnificent blooms, can be found there as well. The paste is
served with fresh bread as a snack or appetizer.
2 cans pitted black olives, drained and chopped finely

2 TBS capers, drained, finely minced
3 small dill pickles, finely minced
olive oil from 1 tin of anchovies
3 tins anchovies (in olive oil), chopped finely
2 TBS lemon juice
Mix olives, capers, and pickles well. Add olive oil and mix well.
Add anchovies.
Add lemon juice and blend well with all other ingredients.
Cover and leave at room temperature for several hours prior to serving.
Store any remainders in a covered container in the refrigerator; topped
with 1 or 2 TBS of oil to keep out the air, this spread will keep for a
month.
Serve on toasted or fresh French bread.

This Monegasque almond pie is originally made with candied melon slices and
glazed with lavender flower honey. Serve as dessert or with coffee or tea as a
snack.
Pastry
1/4 cup plus 1 TBS confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup grated almonds
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp orange-blossom water or grated orange rind
1 egg
In a food processor, process all ingredients just until they hold

together.
Take out and smooth the pastry into a ball, patting with lightly floured
fingers for 1–2 minutes.
Place in a plastic bag and let rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
On a floured surface, roll out pastry to fit a 10-inch pie plate or tart
pan.
If using a pie plate, crimp edges decoratively; for a tart pan, smooth
top edge of pastry.
Prick pastry, setting a sheet of foil and some baking weights to keep
pastry from puffing up.
Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes; remove foil and weights.
Lower heat to 350°F and bake for another 5–8 minutes or until golden.
Let cool slightly.
Place fruit evenly on pastry.
Spread almond filling over, and decorate with “flowers” made of
candied cherry slices.
Bake at 375°F for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown.
Mix water and honey to spreading consistency.
Brush honey glaze over pie while still warm.
Almond filling
4 egg whites
3 TBS sugar
3/4 cup finely ground almonds
1/4 cup sugar
Beat the egg whites to soft peaks.

Add sugar gradually and beat till stiff.
Blend together ground almonds and sugar; fold gently into egg whites.
Fruit filling and decoration

1 1/2 cups fresh cantaloupe, sliced into 1/4 × 2 inch pieces
5–7 candied cherries, sliced
Honey glaze
3 TBS cup water boiling water
2 TBS honey

Fougasse is the French equivalent of the Italian focaccia, and this sweet bread is
traditional Christmas fare. The version given here uses frozen bread dough for
convenience.
1/8 cup cornmeal

1 pound frozen bread dough, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
inside a plastic bag (so as not to dry out)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp whole aniseed
1 cup almond flakes
2 TBS orange-blossom water
about 1/4 cup powdered sugar for sprinkling
1/4 cup each red and white edible cake confetti sprinkles or dragées
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle cornmeal on a 12 × 15 inch baking

sheet.
Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out to an uneven (this is
intentional) rectangle 1/2 inch thick.
Lay the dough on the baking sheet; with floured hands, make several
indentations with your palm throughout the dough.
Brush dough with butter, letting it pool in the indentations; sprinkle
with sugar, aniseed, and almonds.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or just until golden. Immediately brush with
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and confetti sprinkles.
When cool, cut into squares to serve.

Swiss chard is a winter green vegetable that is used much like spinach. This pie,
with its combination of sweet raisins and pastry with a savory filling, is
characteristic of Provençal cooking. In the original recipe, the raisins are
simmered in rum; this recipe uses lemon juice.
2 pounds fresh Swiss chard

4 TBS sultanas or golden raisins
2 TBS lemon juice
4 TBS pine nuts
2 eggs, beaten
1 prepared sweet crust pastry dough, enough for a 9-to 10-inch double-
crust pie butter
2 tart-sweet apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
1 egg yolk, beaten
Wash the chard very well of any sand or soil (usually among the leaf
folds) and cut off the ribs.
In a large pot over medium heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
Drop in the chard leaves, stir them around, and cook for 15 minutes;
immediately take them out and plunge into very cold water.
Squeeze out all water from the leaves and coarsely chop them.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 13-inch tart pan or baking dish.
Place raisins and lemon juice in a covered microwaveable dish;
microwave on the “reheat” setting for 30 seconds.
In a large bowl, mix the chard, raisins, pine nuts, powdered sugar,
eggs, and lemon rind.
Divide the pastry dough into 2 unequal pieces: a larger one using about
2/3 of the dough, and a smaller one using 1/3 of the dough.
Roll out the larger one to cover the bottom and sides of the tart pan;
spoon the chard mixture over the bottom crust.
Lay the apple slices over the chard; roll out the smaller dough, place
over the apples and over the sides of the tart pan.
Crimp the edges with the tines of a fork, or with your fingers.
Make a few slits on the top crust for steam to escape; brush all over
with the egg yolk.
Allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.
Serve at once.
Mongolia
Landlocked Mongolia is the sixth largest country in Asia and the eighteenth
largest in the world. In the thirteenth century, the most famous Mongol ruler,
Genghis Khan, founded an empire that spanned Central Europe and East Asia.
Mongolia later came under Chinese and Russian satellite control, becoming self-
governing in 1990.
Mongolia comprises vast open grasslands, inhospitable mountain ranges,
and desert, with about 10 percent of the land forested. Long, very cold winters
and short, very hot summers; the seasonal nomadic lifestyle; and water and soil
conditions deter large-scale agriculture.
Besides the majority Mongol ethnic group, there are Kazakhs, Uighur,
Tibetans, and other minorities. Most are nomads or semisettled, herding goats,
sheep, horses, camels, and cattle. A minority are Muslim, but most are
polytheistic Buddhists.
Wheat and a limited range of fruit and vegetables are grown in some
regions. A few semisettled Mongolians grow carrots, potatoes, or onions for
home use. Mongolians who live near lakes supplement their mostly dairy diet
with fish, but the majority of Mongolians do not eat fish as a rule.
Although influenced by Russia and China, Mongolian cooking is typical of
other nomadic-style cooking, being simple and based predominantly on dairy
products and rice, flat bread, or noodles, supplemented rarely by dried strips of
meat. Among the rural Mongolians with herds, animals are only slaughtered for
fresh meat on special occasions.
Traditional families live in gers (round felt-wrapped yurts), and cooking
methods are those possible within the ger or, when the family is on the move, on
outdoor fires. Mongolians practice nomadic hospitality and offer unexpected
guests shelter and meals.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: fresh and dried meat (goat, sheep, camel); dairy products—
fresh milk, clotted cream (urum), fermented milk products such as
yogurt, cottage cheese (aarts), dry curd cheese (aaruulth, also spelled
aaruul); rice, fried dough fritters.
• Homemade wheat noodles, commercial (imported) pasta.
• Fresh and dried meat of camel, yak, reindeer, wild horse, other wild
animals. Russian cans of meat, salmon, and crabmeat available in
capital markets.
• Vegetables not widely eaten, and limited to onion, potato, carrot; in
cities and towns also beets, cabbage, cucumber, tomato, cauliflower,
usually imported from China; commercial pickled vegetables (Korean-
, Chinese-, or Japanese-style, imported).
• Canned, usually imported, fruit; in capital city tangerine, banana,
plum, peach can be bought fresh.
• Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic; rarely, wild chives.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Roasted or baked meats: barbecue or shish kebab (shorlog), baked
mutton (khorkhog).
• Soup: mutton soup with noodles (guriltai shul), Russian-style
borscht in the capital.
• Fried meat pastries (khoorshoor).
• Russian-influenced salads of carrots or beets with cabbage, seasoned
with garlic and mayonnaise or oil and vinegar, served with restaurant
meals in the capital.
• Steamed dumplings with mutton or beef (buuz).
• Drinks: tea (made from hard-pressed blocks of Russian or Chinese
tea leaves and stems) with milk and salt, drunk during meals and all
other times; vodka; fermented horse milk (airag); local bottled citrus
drinks; carbonated drinks (international brands); Western beer.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: boiled mutton or goat meat, wheat noodles; wheat bread
with yogurt or cheese; salty milk tea.
• Lunch: dairy products such as dry curd cheese (aaruulth) and other
hard cheeses; flat bread for summer and autumn; salty milk tea; in
winter and spring, meat soup with noodles, potatoes, or carrots. No
dessert.
• Dinner: similar to lunch; no dessert.
• Snacks: deep-fried dough fritters or, occasionally, store-bought
biscuits with salty milk tea.
• In the capital city Ulaanbaatar, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and
Western-style restaurants offer pizza, chicken, and fish, mainly for
tourists, which Mongolians (those who can afford them) are able to
sample.

These fried pastries, like the large meat-filled dumplings called buuz, are made
for special occasions. They are also sold as snacks at open-air food stalls during
the summer festival of naadam.
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water to mix
oil for deep frying
Mix ingredients together in a bowl and knead into a dough (add more
water or flour as necessary to achieve smooth consistency). Remove
onto floured board and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Divide into 16 pieces and roll each into a thick ball.
Make each ball into a circle 4 inches wide, thicker in the middle than
at the edges. Place 2 TBS of filling onto one half of each circle,
leaving the margin clear of filling.
Fold the other side over, forming a crescent. Seal edges tightly with a
fork or crimp into a “braided” edge.
Repeat with the rest of filling and dough.
Heat enough oil, about 4 inches deep, in a wok for deep frying, making
sure oil is well below rim.
Fry 3 or 4 pies at a time, each side for 2 minutes, until they are golden
and the meat is cooked. Eat dipped in soy sauce.
Filling
1 pound fat minced meat (mutton preferred or substitute beef, chicken,
or turkey)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 onion, chopped
1 TBS water to mix
In a food processor, mix the filling ingredients together into a firm

paste.

This soup is the most common everyday dish eaten by nomadic and semisettled
families in the Gobi Desert, who live in the traditional huts called ger. Noodles
are always made from freshly kneaded dough stretched into very thin, tortilla-
like pancakes to be toasted briefly on a metal sheet over the ger fireplace. Once
cooked, the pancakes are chopped into the desired sizes and dropped into the
soup. For convenience, commercially prepared noodles are used in this recipe.
2 TBS mutton fat (or substitute vegetable oil)
1 pound fat mutton, goat or beef, cut into thin strips
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
3 turnips, peeled and diced
2 onions, diced
8 cups stock (or 8 bouillon cubes dissolved in 8 cups hot water)
1 packet flat egg noodles
salt to taste
Heat the fat in a large wok and quickly brown the meat.
Add stock and simmer, covered, until meat is almost tender, about 20
minutes.
Add vegetables and simmer until almost done, about 20 minutes.
Add stock. Simmer until vegetables are almost soft.
Add noodles and salt and continue simmering until noodles are ready.
Serve in individual bowls.

These steamed savory dumplings are made for special occasions. Buuz are
similar to meat-filled dumplings (bao or pao) commonly eaten in northern China
and are most likely to have originated in Mongolia. Smaller dumplings are called
bansh, which are steamed or fried or boiled in soups.
10 ounces minced meat (fat mutton preferred, or beef)

1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup onion, finely minced
2 tsp salt
Mix flours. Add water a little at a time to make a dough. Knead well to
make a shiny, elastic dough.
Roll dough on floured board to 1/8-inch thickness.
Cut dough into 4-inch disks.
Mix meat, onions, ghee, ginger, and salt.
Put a disk of dough in your palm. Place 1 TBS of filling in the middle.
Cup the disk and pleat or gather edges toward the center, crimping
them to incline toward the middle. The tops of these dumplings are left
open (similar to Chinese siumai dumplings). The dumplings are set
upright on the steamer. Steam over water about 20 minutes or until
done.
Eat with mutton soup or on its own, washed down with salted buttered
tea.

Tea is the customary drink, usually seasoned with a bit of salt. Often, biscuits
(store bought) can be crumbled into the tea for a snack.
4 cups water
5 tsp green or black tea leaves
1/3 cup milk, or more to taste
In a saucepan or kettle over medium heat, bring the water to a boil; stir
in salt and tea leaves.
When the water reboils, add the milk; let the water come to another
boil. Turn off heat.
Pour the tea through a strainer into cups.

Toasted millet can be added to milk tea for a light meal.
2–3 TBS butter or ghee

1/4 cup millet
1 TBS flour
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the butter; stir in the millet and
flour.
Cook millet for about 2–3 minutes or until aromatic.
Add the millet together with the tea leaves, and continue cooking as in
milk tea above.

Sheep or lamb are slaughtered to mark the arrival of a guest. Traditionally, this
dish was made with a whole sheep or lamb chopped up, and with no other
seasoning other than salt and onions. The following recipe has been adjusted to
smaller servings and a modern kitchen.
2 pounds lamb on the bone, cut in serving pieces

1 pound onions, chopped coarsely
2–3 garlic cloves, or to taste, minced
1 inch or more fresh ginger root, orto taste
salt to taste
dried chili to taste, cored, seeded, and minced
1 thick, ovenproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid
several handfuls smooth pebbles, about 2–3 inches in diameter,
washed thoroughly
Mix meat, onions, garlic, and ginger; season with salt and chili.
Heat oven to maximum, and place pebbles inside. Heat for 1/2 hour.
Place a layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of the casserole.
Using tongs, carefully transfer hot pebbles in a layer over the meat.
Repeat with a layer of meat, then pebbles, until meat is all used up. Be
very careful while transferring the hot pebbles not to touch or drop
them.
Cover casserole and seal tightly with foil.
Leave for 3 hours inside turned-off oven.
Unwrap casserole and discard pebbles. Serve meat and broth over rice.

Boortsog are eaten instead of bread for most meals, as they keep well for almost
a month. They are popular as snacks with salted milky tea and are taken along
during long trips. The frying oil normally used is leftover fat from cooking meat,
giving boortsog a distinctive aroma much appreciated by Mongolians. Substitute
any vegetable oil.
pinch of salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
warm water
2 cups flour
oil for deep frying
powdered sugar
Dissolve salt, sugar, and butter in warm water.

Mix in flour and knead well and thoroughly into a smooth, soft, and
elastic dough.
The kneading process is very important: the dough must be kneaded
until no air remains.
Cut the dough to check if the dough is sufficiently kneaded: it must be
smooth and soft throughout, with no holes or air bubbles.
Let the dough rest, covered with a moist cloth, after kneading for about
15–20 minutes.
Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.
Cut dough into strips 2 inches wide.
Cut out into 2-inch squares or small triangles with a sharp knife.
In the middle of each piece, make two shallow cuts. This is to let any
remaining air out, as well as for decor.
Heat oil over medium heat. Fry boortsog in small batches until golden
brown.
Drain on paper towels or a rack until cool.
Dust with powdered sugar for a snack, or leave plain, to be eaten with
jam, butter, or cheese.
Montenegro
A relatively new country in the Balkans on the Adriatic Sea coast, Montenegro
was part of the former Yugoslav Republic. The country has a largely
mountainous terrain with a temperate climate. The people are largely
Montenegrin with small Croatian, Serbian, and Albanian minorities.
The cuisine is strongly influenced by the Turks, who controlled the area for
centuries.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are a mix of potatoes and flour dishes. People eat a variety of
breads (bread is almost always on the table), noodles, and rice.
• Pork and lamb are favorite meats.
• Fish and seafood are great favorites along the coast.
• Fruit, particularly soft fruit such as plums, apricots, and grapes, are
eaten and go to making wine and liquors.
• Various forms of cooked vegetables are prepared for stews, relishes,
and pickles, which accompany most meals. Vegetables include carrots,
eggplant, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, beans.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Pancakes with both savory and sweet fillings.
• Vegetable dishes, including spreads (pindzur) and stews (gyvetch).
• Sweet pepper or eggplant relishes.
• Roast meats, particularly pork and mutton.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day plus snacks are usually eaten.
• Place settings are European standard.
• Breakfast: Bread and jam with coffee, or dumplings.
• Lunch: The heaviest meal of the day, usually with several courses,
including a salad, soup, main dish of meat or fish, and a sweet, very
often washed down by wine for all.
• Dinner: a light meal of pancakes, bread with vegetable dips; or
similar to breakfast.
• Snacks, sweet or savory, are served with coffee.

Pindzur has many variations and is popular as a salad all over the Balkans.
1 pound large sweet red bell peppers (or preferably sweet paprika
peppers)
1/2 pound unripe tomatoes
1/2 pound eggplants
1/2 cup oil
salt to taste
Dry fry the peppers until well blistered in a heavy skillet over medium
heat.
Bake the tomatoes and eggplants in a moderate oven for about 45
minutes or until soft.
Peel the peppers and tomatoes. Remove pepper cores and any seeds
remaining. Slit the eggplants and remove the pulp.
Chop all the vegetables fine by hand or in a blender or food processor.
Heat 2 TBS oil in the skillet.
Add vegetables, then pour in remaining oil gradually, stirring all the
time.
Cook until all oil is absorbed.
Add garlic; mix and season to taste.
Place into a serving bowl and cool well before serving.
Serve with grilled meat or warm corn bread.

This is a simple peasant dish that blends Italian and Greek influences.
1 pound whole-wheat macaroni

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup salty ewe’s cheese (brinza or feta), cut into small cubes
Boil noodles in salted water till tender but still firm, about 8 minutes.
Strain and discard water.
Toss with olive oil, seasoning, and cheese.
Serve hot or cold.

Balchic is a small town famous for its veal.
2 pounds boneless veal (or substitute pork, chicken, or turkey), cut into
stewing pieces
1/4 pound carrots
1/4 pound onions
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
2 TBS butter
3 eggs
pinch of salt
1 cup sour cream
2 cups milk
3 TBS parsley for garnish
Simmer the meat with the carrots, onions, parsley, bay leaf, and salt
for 20–30 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Grease a heavy ovenproof pan or casserole dish with butter, and place
the meat mixture in it.
Meanwhile make the topping: beat together the eggs, pinch of salt,
cream, and milk.
Pour evenly over the meat mixture and bake until golden brown, about
15 minutes.
Remove from oven, and serve in bowls garnished with fresh parsley.

Kacamak derives from the Turkish term kajmak (clotted cream), which in
Montenegro became the name of a porridge-like dish.
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed

water to cover
salt to taste
4 TBS cornmeal
4 TBS heavy cream
1/4 pound crumbled (not grated) semihard cheese
1 cup yogurt for serving
Boil potatoes in salted water until almost done, about 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with cornmeal, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes,
Pour off any remaining water.
Remove pot from heat and mash the potato and cornmeal mixture until
smooth.
In another pot heat the cream and cheese until hot but not completely
melted.
Pour the cream and cheese mixture over the mashed mixture; stir
thoroughly.
Serve hot topped with yogurt.

Stuffed dishes are common throughout the Levant and the Balkans and are often
eaten as the main dish.
2 pounds large kale leaves (or collards, Savoy, or Chinese cabbage),

tough ribs trimmed flat
2–3 TBS oil
1 pound ground beef, veal, turkey, or chicken
3 ounces rice, rinsed and well drained
juice of 1 lemon
yogurt for serving
Blanch the leaves in boiling salted water to soften for a couple of

minutes. (If using cabbage, blanch the entire head and detach the
leaves as they soften.)
Remove leaves and plunge into cold water to arrest cooking. Drain and
set aside until needed.
Meanwhile prepare the stuffing. In a frying pan, heat oil and fry onions
until golden.
Add meat and fry for about 10 minutes or until the meat has changed
color.
Stir in the rice and fry for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and
parsley then mix thoroughly.
Remove from heat and let the stuffing cool.
Sort through the leaves and reserve the best ones for stuffing. Set aside
any imperfect ones for lining the cooking pan.
To wrap the rolls: lay a whole leaf face up on a large plate or chopping
board (the base closest to you and the top away from you).
Place about 1–2 TBS of the filling (depending on the size of the leaf
and number of leaves) on the base of the leaf. Roll the base of the leaf
over and away from you to enclose the filling once.
Bring the left side of the leaf snugly across the filling, then the right.
Proceed to roll tightly from the base until the leaf completely encloses
the filling.
Fasten the ends with a toothpick, if needed. Line the bottom of a
heavy-bottomed saucepan with a layer of spare leaves.
Pack the rolls, open side down, neatly and tightly in one layer. Lay
another layer on top, until all the rolls are in.
Gently (to avoid dislodging the rolls) pour lightly salted hot water
mixed with lemon juice, to a level just slightly below the topmost rolls.
Lay more leaves on top, and place a small plate face down to keep the
rolls from floating.
Gently simmer at very low heat for 2 hours.
Allow to cool down in the pan for at least 30 minutes before serving.
These also taste good, if not better, the day after, when they have
mellowed.
Refrigerate once they have cooled down to room temperature.
Serve topped with yogurt.

These dumplings are served for dessert or as a snack, and, like most fried sweets,
they are best eaten freshly made.
1 pound flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 TBS butter, diced
1 cup water
hot water and 1 tsp salt, as needed
4 TBS butter or olive oil
1/2 cup honey
Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Rub in the diced butter until
the mixture is like coarse meal.
Stir in water to make a dough.
Knead for 10 minutes or more until smooth and elastic.
Divide into 8 portions and shape into balls.
In a large pot, bring salted water to a simmer. Drop the balls in, one at
a time.
Allow them to cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, from the time
they start to float.
Remove the balls, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.
Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan.
Place a few balls to fry gently. Press on the balls lightly to flatten them
so that they fry evenly. When brown underneath, turn and cook until
brown.
Drain on a rack and keep warm while frying the rest.
Serve at once with honey.

Zeljanica is the generic name for pastries made of layers of phyllo dough
enclosing diverse fillings of cream and cheese; some feature herbs and greens, as
in this recipe. These are popular as snacks or for a light meal, to be eaten with
hot or cold drinks.
Filling
4 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cream
2 cups cottage cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/2 pound frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of all
moisture
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 TBS fresh thyme or sage, finely chopped
Pastry
1 pound prepared phyllo dough
1/2 cup butter, or 1/4 cup oil plus 1/4 cup butter
Prepare the filling: mix well the eggs, milk, sour cream, cream, cottage
cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Chop the spinach and mix in.
Butter a large baking tray (about 13 x 15 inches); place half of the
phyllo dough on it. Cover the unused pastry with a clean moist kitchen
towel to prevent drying.
Brush every other sheet with butter; pour the filling, and sprinkle with
the herbs.
Cover with the remaining phyllo dough, adding two sheets at a time
and buttering every other sheet; brush the topmost sheet with butter.
Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F; reduce heat to 350°F and continue
baking for 25–30 more minutes or until pastry is golden.
Serve at once.
Cherry Baklava
Much like the zeljanica above, this pastry is based on phyllo dough, but the
thinner kind, and this pastry has a sweet filling of cherries. The traditional recipe
uses fresh cherries in season, quickly poached in a light syrup. Substitute other
berries or seasonal fruits, if desired, such as blueberries or apricots.
1 pound prepared phyllo dough for baklava (the thin type; keep
covered under a moist towel until ready to use)
Filling
4 cups drained morello cherries in light syrup, pitted and halved;
reserve the syrup
1 cup walnuts or almonds, finely ground
2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
3 eggs
2 cups cream
3 TBS flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
Prepare the filling: mix the cherries, nuts, lemon juice, vanilla,
cinnamon, eggs, cream, flour, and salt.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 12 × 15 inch baking tray.
Place half of the phyllo dough on the bottom of the tray; brush every
other sheet with butter.
Keep the rest of the phyllo covered to prevent drying.
Spread the filling and level the top; cover with the remaining phyllo,
buttering every second sheet.
Cut through the pastry, into squares or diamonds.
Brush butter on the topmost phyllo sheet; bake for 10 minutes at
400°F.
Reduce heat to 350°F; bake for 25–30 minutes more or until golden.
Cover with foil if pastry is browning too rapidly.
Simmer the reserved syrup with sugar until thickened. When cool,
pour over the hot pastry.
Allow pastry to cool to room temperature.
Serve with a hot or cold drink.
Morocco
Morocco is a North African country at the extreme northwest of the continent,

opposite Spain. Wide coastal plains and craggy mountains with temperate to hot
climate are ideal for Mediterranean-type fruits and vegetables, and for raising
sheep.
The population comprises Muslim Arabs and Berbers. The former relations
with Arab Andalusia in Spain (many refugees of the Reconquista settled in
Morocco), extensive trade ties with the Muslim Mediterranean and Turkey, and
with sub-Saharan Africa, as well as French colonial influence have combined to
create a unique and sophisticated cuisine. The existence of a royal court for
many centuries has also contributed greatly to the variety and sophistication of
the cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are rice, flat bread traditionally baked in a common village or
neighborhood oven, and wheat couscous (steamed semolina; see
sidebar “Couscous,” p. 21).
• Lamb is the preferred meat. Fish, chicken, pigeon, and beef are also
used extensively. Eggs are a common dish for all classes.
• Vegetables: hot and sweet peppers, carrots, onions, garlic,
cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, olives, beans.
• Fruits: grapes, figs, pomegranates, dates, plums.
• Moroccan cuisine is highly spiced. Flavorings are very distinctive
and include hot chilies, cinnamon (for both savory and sweet dishes),
saffron, turmeric, and fresh mint.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Chakchouka (eggs cooked in a vegetable stew).
• Tajine, a slow, simmered stew with meat and vegetables, comes in
many forms.
Man cooks traditional Moroccan tajine. (Owen Franken/Corbis)

• Couscous and stew flavored with saffron.
• Charcoal-grilled or fried fish; shad is a popular fish.
• Chicken dishes: stewed with olives; with chickpeas; with almonds
and saffron (tajine t’faia); in a sweet-savory pie (bastilla, also
bisteeya).
• Skewered grilled meats (kebabs, also called brochettes).
• Vegetables (peppers, grape leaves, eggplants) stuffed with rice, or a
mixture of rice and meat.
• Eggplant dishes: as a salad after roasting, fried, baked, stewed.
• Lentils, beans, and chickpea dishes, especially in harira, a soup eaten
in the evening during the Ramadan fast.
• Rich honey-drenched sweets with nuts.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and extensive snacks.
• Food is generally eaten from a central dish or tray on a carpet on the
floor, with diners helping themselves by hand or with a spoon.
Families eat together, but when entertaining, males and females
generally eat separately.
• Meals may consist of numerous courses and small side dishes. The
centerpiece of a meal is often couscous and a stew, though other dishes
may feature before and after.
• The evening meal is usually made of several courses, often featuring
meat. Other meals tend to be less elaborate and based largely on
vegetables.
• Formal meals often end with some form of sweet, usually sweetened
with honey or syrup and often containing dates or other fruit.
• The favorite and most common drink is tea. This is heavily
sweetened and strongly laced with fresh mint. Tea is drunk at all hours
of the day and serves to close many meals. Coffee is also drunk
extensively, usually very sweet and black.

This is a popular dish for any meal, especially breakfast and supper.
3 TBS oil
3 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
2 large green peppers, chopped
1 small chili, cored, seeded, and minced
1 TBS vinegar
1 level tsp salt
4 eggs
1 green bell pepper, grilled, skinned, cored, seeded, and cut into thin
strips
Heat oil and cook onions in a 10-inch frying pan until golden brown.
Add all the ingredients except the eggs and pepper strips. Simmer until
the vegetables are reduced to pulp, about 20 minutes.
Make four indentations in the vegetables and carefully break an egg
into each one.
Cover the frying pan and cook over low heat until eggs are well set
(some people scramble the eggs lightly in the vegetables).
Garnish each serving with strips of green pepper.

Long-simmering stews are a feature of Moroccan cuisine and are served with
either bread, with which the stew is scooped up, or couscous. This is a typically
Moroccan delicacy.
1 1/2 ounces butter

1 chicken, cut into serving pieces (or about 2 pounds turkey pieces
with bone)
1/2 pint water
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp powdered chili pepper
6 ounces pitted whole green olives
2 TBS lemon juice or 1/4 cup thin slices of pickled lemon (available in
shops that sell Middle Eastern groceries)
2 TBS flour mixed with 2 TBS water
Heat butter until frothing subsides, in a large saucepan. Quickly brown

the chicken.
Add water, onions, ginger, paprika, pepper, and parsley to browned
meat. Mix well.
Add olives to meat shortly before removing from heat.
Place meat with olives on a heated serving dish and sprinkle with
lemon juice.
Thicken remaining liquid with flour and water paste (add water, if
necessary, to make up to 1 cup gravy).
Cook for 3 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly or until the flour
has lost its raw taste.
Pour sauce over meat and olives.
Couscous Marrakech
Couscous is the Moroccan national dish and is almost always made there of
semolina flour. This version is from the ancient imperial city of Marrakech.
Couscous
(Or see the Algeria entry for the sidebar “Couscous,” p. 21, for general couscous
instructions.)
2 cups couscous (available in most supermarkets)

1 cup cold water
pinch of salt
1–2 TBS olive oil
Moisten couscous by sprinkling with water in a large bowl.

Stir well with a fork or fingers, breaking up all lumps. Allow to stand
for 10 minutes to swell.
Place couscous in a cheesecloth-lined colander or the top portion of a
couscousiere.
Place the colander over the stew pan, and steam for 30 minutes,
uncovered.
Break up the mass every 10 minutes with a fork.
Remove the couscous and transfer to a large bowl.
Sprinkle more water over the couscous, salt, and olive oil.
Stir thoroughly with a fork or fingers. Return couscous to the colander
and steam for another 30 minutes or until tender.
Stew
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups onions, chopped coarsely
2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb (or beef) cut in 1-inch cubes
1 chicken, cut into small pieces
1 pound carrots (or half carrots, half turnips), peeled and cut in 1-inch
pieces
1/2 tsp (20 threads) saffron or powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
2 quarts water
1 pound fresh tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp chili flakes or cayenne
1/4 tsp powdered cinnamon
1 pound yellow squash, peeled and cut in 2-inch slices
12 ounces string beans
14 ounces canned chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
1/2 pound black seedless raisins
Heat oil in the bottom of a couscousiere and sauté onions until soft.
Add the meat, chicken, carrots, saffron, salt, pepper, and water, and
simmer for 45 minutes.
Fit the top pan of the couscousiere (or the colander) with the couscous
grains over the stew; allow stew to simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients to stew, and correct seasoning.
Cook for about 20–25 minutes or until vegetables are soft but still
separate and not mushy.
To serve: mound the couscous on a large, round serving platter.
Make a large crater in the center.
Arrange meat and vegetables in the center. Pour some of the sauce
over all, placing the remaining sauce on the table for diners to add if
they so wish.
Garnish with minced parsley.
This is traditionally served to follow the main roasted meat dish.

Chickpeas are a favorite legume and are often combined with meat or poultry for
main meals.
3 TBS butter
20 threads saffron or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
3 medium onions, finely chopped
4–6 serving pieces of chicken
1 14-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzos)
water to cover
1 pound uncooked rice, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup cilantro
1 large bunch parsley
juice of 1 lemon
Melt butter in a deep pan.

Stir in the saffron, salt, pepper, and 1 onion.
Add chicken and chickpeas. Cover with water and simmer for 30
minutes.
Place rice in a clean muslin bag. Tie the bag securely and add to the
pan. The rice should be completely immersed in the cooking liquid.
Remove the bag of rice after 15–20 minutes and keep warm in a low
oven.
To the saucepan, add cilantro, parsley, and the remaining onions.
Continue cooking until chicken is tender, another 20–25 minutes.
Serve chicken in the center of a large dish; surround with the rice and
chickpeas. Pour some sauce over the chicken, and put the rest in a
sauce boat or bowl to be placed at the table for diners to help
themselves.
Drizzle lemon juice over the entire dish.

These pastries are shaped like gazelle horns, hence their Moroccan name, gazelle
horns. Marzipan was invented by the Moors of Andalusia, and when they were
expelled from Spain in the fifteenth century, they brought the art with them to
add to Moroccan cuisine.
1 pound flour
about 5 ounces butter, melted
water
1/4 tsp orange-blossom water or rose water
1/2 pound marzipan, diced

In a food processor, blend flour, 2 ounces melted butter, and water just
until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove dough and knead on a floured surface for 10–15 minutes until
elastic. Put the dough into a covered container and allow to rest for 30
minutes in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile prepare the almond filling: in the food processor, blend the
marzipan, orange-blossom water, and butter until well mixed and
marzipan is softened. Set aside until needed.
Divide the dough into 3 portions. Roll out on a lightly floured surface
1/8 inch thick.
Cut into 6-inch-wide strips with a sharp knife.
Cut the strips on the diagonal, creating triangles about 3 inches wide at
the base.
While working, cover the pastries with a moist cloth to prevent drying.
To assemble the pastries:
Brush melted butter on the pastry triangle.
Take about 1 TBS of almond filling, press lightly but quickly to
flatten, and lay on the base of the triangle.
Roll up the pastry and filling together, starting from the base of the
triangle, and ending at the apex.
Pinch the two ends up to form the gazelle’s horns.
Prick the pastry in several places with a pin to avoid bubbling while
baking.
Cover rolled up horns with a moist towel and continue with remaining
pastry and filling.
Place horns on a buttered baking sheet; bake for about 15 minutes or
until very faintly golden.
Serve with coffee or mint tea.

When oranges ripen in the winter, this cake is often made for a sweet snack, to
be eaten with hot mint tea or coffee.
Almond sugar for sprinkling

2 TBS sugar
Batter
2 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp orange-blossom water
grated rind from 1 orange
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 TBS lemon juice
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a tube-shaped baking pan or springform

pan and sprinkle with the almonds mixed with sugar.
Prepare the batter: combine flour with baking powder and soda, salt,
and ground almonds; set aside.
Beat eggs with sugar until very thick; mix in well the honey, oil,
orange-blossom water, and orange rind.
Blend in half the flour mixture, then the orange and lemon juice, and
the remaining flour mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan; bake for 30–40 minutes or until golden
and cake tests done.
Let cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes; unmold and continue cooling
on a rack.

There are countless variations of these delectable cookies, often made for special
occasions and gift giving.
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
grated rind from 2 lemons
1/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling

Beat the egg whites until stiff but still glossy.
In a large bowl, combine the almonds, flour, baking powder, salt,
cinnamon, sugar, lemon rind, and butter.
Fold in the egg whites and mix to a firm but supple dough.
Add flour or melted butter, 1 tsp at a time, if dough is too runny or too
firm.
With buttered fingers, form dough into 1-inch balls.
Place evenly spaced on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10–15 minutes
or until just starting to turn color. The cookies are intentionally pale.
Mozambique
Mozambique is a Southeast African country along the Indian Ocean opposite

Madagascar. Its coastline is two thousand miles long, making fish and seafood
very popular. The coastal plain is wide and tropical, drier in the south and well
watered to the north. The northwest of the country on the border with Zimbabwe
is mountainous and cooler.
A former colony of Portugal (until 1975), Mozambique suffered a

devastating twenty-year civil war after independence. Some agricultural areas
are still mined, making life difficult for the population, most of whom are
subsistence farmers.
The population is composed of many local groups who speak different
languages. The common language is Portuguese. About half the population are
Christians, less than one-fourth Muslims, and the rest belong to indigenous
religions.
The Portuguese influence on cooking is very palpable, particularly in the
large cities along the coast. Inland, the food is more like the rest of southern and
eastern Africa.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: maize and cassava millet in the form of stiff porridge. In the
cities, wheat breads are popular. Rice for those who can afford it.
• Meat: chicken is the most common meat. Beef and goat, pork.
• Fish: a variety of coastal fish. In inland areas, riverine fish, both fresh
and dried. Seafood, including camarao (prawns) and lulas (squid).
• Vegetables: onions, carrots, cabbage, pumpkin and squashes,
peppers, beans.
• Fruits: coconuts, bananas, mangoes, papaya, tree-tomato, a variety of
nondomesticated forest fruit.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Soups (sopa) of meat and vegetables.
• Rice cooked with seafood.
• Grilled meats; freshly caught, grilled fish are very popular.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks preferred.
• Families generally eat together. Traditional rural families sit on a mat
around a common pot, and urban families eat European style with
European place settings. Dishes are served together on the table, for
diners to help themselves.
• Breakfast: bread, rolls, or toast with milky coffee.
• Lunch: three dishes, including an appetizer, a main dish of meat fowl
or fish, and a dessert such as an egg custard (pudin).
• Supper: usually eaten fairly late and consists of several dishes, which
might include a soup, fish or seafood, meat, rice, and a dessert.
• Coffee and tea, and many kinds of fruit drinks are popular.

This dish is served as a starter.
3 cups water
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 cups fresh string or French beans, cut across in thin slices (or one
pack cleaned, finely sliced green beans)
Bring water to a boil in a large pot.

Add onions, potatoes, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Purée in food mill or blender. Add water if necessary to make a thin
puree.
Return to pot and add string beans.
Simmer for about 10 minutes until beans are tender.
Serve hot.

Mozambique’s long coastline has made seafood a major source of protein for the
country’s population. The clams in this recipe can be replaced by any shellfish.

1 TBS vegetable oil
2 cups fresh or canned clams, chopped
3/4 cup peanuts, ground finely (or 1/2 cup natural peanut butter)
1 tomato, chopped finely
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 pound fresh, young pumpkin leaves (or substitute spinach leaves)
Sauté onions in oil until translucent.

Add clams, peanuts, tomato, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
Add greens.
Cover tightly and serve as soon as leaves have wilted (about 2–3
minutes).
Serve over rice.

The long period of Portuguese occupation was fertile for both Portugal and its
colonies in terms of food. This is the Mozambican version of a common Afro-
Portuguese sauce. The sauce is placed on the table in every restaurant and
virtually every home.
4 TBS lemon juice

4 TBS olive oil
4 TBS coarsely ground red pepper or chili flakes
1 TBS salt
1 tsp crushed garlic or garlic powder
Combine all ingredients in a small glass bowl.

Serve over meat, fish, and vegetable dishes.

Zambezia province in the country’s northeast provides Mozambique’s most
luscious recipes, often flavored with coconut milk.
4–6 serving portions of chicken

1/2 cup piripiri sauce
Marinate the chicken pieces in piripiri sauce in the refrigerator for at
least 3 hours.
Add butter to the marinade before cooking, and turn chicken pieces to
thoroughly coat them with the marinade.
Broil the chicken, or grill over charcoal fire.
Cook for 10–15 minutes on each side, over medium coals, basting
several times with the sauce.
Serve with rice.

Huge papayas are sold from barrows throughout the large cities, and many
households in the city and in the countryside have a papaya tree.
1 medium-sized ripe papaya

1/2 cup lime juice (from about 3–4 limes, or substitute 3 lemons),
strained
1/2 cup water
4 cloves, whole
1 medium cinnamon stick
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp grated rind from limes
1 tsp powdered cinnamon for garnish
2 cups sugar
Peel, seed, and coarsely chop the papaya.

Squeeze the lemons or limes to obtain 1/2 cup of strained juice.
Puree papaya, citrus juice, and water in a blender or food processor
until smooth.
Place puree in a stainless steel (not aluminum) pan.
Mix in sugar thoroughly.
Add cloves and cinnamon.
Bring to a quick boil, stirring constantly.
Cook until the mixture reaches thread stage (about 230–234°F).
Remove the pan from heat and discard the cloves and cinnamon.
Beat the egg yolks vigorously in a deep heatproof bowl until lemon
yellow in color.
Pour the hot mixture into the egg yolks in a thin, steady stream, while
continuing to beat constantly (or use a hand mixer).
Continue beating the mixture until it is smooth and thickened.
Place mixture into four dessert bowls and cool.
Chill and serve, dusted with lime rind and cinnamon, if desired.

When avocados are in season, they are made into quick desserts or snacks like
this.
2 ripe avocados, peeled, sliced into large dice

grated rind and juice of 4 tangerines
4 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
In a bowl, place the avocados and stir gently to coat with the tangerine
rind and two tablespoons of the tangerine juice. Divide among 4
dessert bowls, cover, and chill.
Place half of the avocados, the rest of the juice and sugar in a blender
or food processor, and puree until smooth.
Add a bit more tangerine juice, if too thick.
Pour over the avocados and dust with cinnamon.
Serve well chilled.

This is a popular dessert or snack, to be eaten with a hot or cold drink.
grated rind and juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon

4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced on the diagonal, 1/4 inch thick
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup grated coconut, fresh (or frozen and thawed)

Combine the lime juice and rind with the bananas. Place bananas in a
buttered 8 × 10 inch baking dish.
Combine the cinnamon, yolks, and condensed milk; pour over the
bananas.
Whip the egg whites to soft peaks; gradually add sugar and continue to
whip until egg whites are stiff but still glossy.
Fold in the grated coconut; spread over the banana mixture.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until meringue is golden.
Myanmar (Burma)
Myanmar, covering the northwestern part of Indochina on the Bay of Bengal,

was a part of Britain’s Indian empire until independence in 1948. The climate is
tropical, with the Irrawaddy River drainage forming a huge, well-watered plain
ideal for growing rice. The highlands are lush, covered by tropical vegetation.
Tropical lowlands produce rice, corn, fruits, and vegetables; the highlands
produce tea.
The country is peopled by over a hundred ethnic groups, predominantly

Burmans; endogenous Shan, Karen, Naga, and other minorities; and Chinese and
Indian immigrants.
Food in Myanmar is influenced by neighbors India and China and tends to
include spicy hot curries; the Burmese pride themselves on their ability to eat hot
foods.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: rice, vegetables, fish.
• Sea and freshwater (from Irrawaddy River and tributaries) fish,
seafood (oyster, shrimp, clam).
• Chicken, duck, goat, pork, wild game (quail, squirrel, deer), soybean
products (tofu).
• Core (heart) of the banana plant, bamboo shoot, beans, potato,
cabbage, corn, green vegetables (such as roselle leaves), wild
mushrooms.
• Pineapple, papaya, mango, melon, banana, orange, mangosteen,
avocado, highland strawberries, peanuts, sesame, sugarcane, coconut.
• Seasonings: curry spices, cilantro, and other herbs, pressed shrimp
and fish paste (ngapi).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Indian-influenced curries: very spicy, well-reduced stews of goat,
pork, beef, duck, chicken, and fish or seafood.
• Chinese-influenced noodles: rice noodles in fish soup (mohingar),
wheat noodles in coconut chicken soup (ohn-no-kauk-swey).
• Soups: sour soup (of fish or seafood, flavored with citrus juice,
tamarind, or roselle leaves with bamboo shoots), sweet soup with
mushrooms.
• Vegetable dishes: green tea leaf salad (let phet thoke), ginger salad
(gin thoke), fried gourd or banana, stir-fried bean sprouts with bean
curd.
• Sweets: steamed or fried confections of rice, semolina, or sago with
coconut and palm sugar, often wrapped in banana leaves, such as the
cone-shaped monpetok (hidden treasure).
• Drinks: strong sugary tea with milk, sugarcane juice.
PREPARING BANANA, TARO, OR CABBAGE LEAVES
AS WRAPPERS
Warm the leaves for half a minute in a pot of boiling water. This makes
them easier to fold.
Remove the center rib of each banana leaf by cutting it off. This
creates two long sheets which can be cut to desired lengths. Cabbage, taro,
and lotus leaves can be treated the same way, except they need not be cut
into rectangles.
Keep in mind that some of the wrappers (taro leaf and cabbage) are
edible, whereas others (banana leaf and lotus leaf) are not, and must be
discarded.
In a pinch, you can substitute 10 × 10 inch squares of aluminum foil
for the inedible leaves, though you ought to keep in mind that the leaves not
only provide a container but also add specific flavors to the dish, which
aluminum foil will not. Line the foil with one or two lettuce or cabbage
leaves, if desired, to evoke and approximate flavor.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: rice noodles in fish soup (mohingar, also spelled moat hin
har); fried rice and peas; steamed sticky rice with deep-fried
vegetables; sweet and savory rice cakes; nan pya (Indian-style flat
bread); plain green tea, sweet, milky tea, or coffee. Many have
breakfast at cafes.
• Lunch and dinner are very similar: Rice, curried meat, fish, or
poultry, stir-fried vegetables or parboiled vegetables, sour soup of fish
or vegetables, and fish or shrimp paste relish. Or for a light lunch,
noodles in soup. Meals often end with savory offerings, such as a salad
of green tea leaf or ginger, or sui gi mok, a cream of wheat cake with
poppy seeds. A traditional after-meal treat was an astringent betel nut
chew, made of ground betel palm nut mixed with lime powder,
tobacco, or mint, wrapped in pepper leaf and chewed like gum. Betel
chewers end up with orange-reddish teeth.
Burmese breakfast at a cafe in Mawlamyine, Myanmar. (Joel Carillet/iStockPhoto.com)
• Snacks: Batter-fried gourd (boothee-kyaw), sweet and savory

steamed or fried rice cakes, vegetable salads, noodles in soup.

This is one of two typical salads served after a meal or eaten at any time as a
snack. The other is pickled green tea leaf salad. Both are similarly flavored with
peanuts, chilies, dried shrimp, and other condiments. These two salads are eaten
throughout the country and served everywhere—at street stalls, markets, and
restaurants.

1/4 cup cooked lentils, broad beans, or chickpeas
1 banana, sliced into rings
1/4 cup green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup peanuts, shelled
1 green chili pepper, seeded and sliced into rings
1/4 cup dried ground shrimp (available in Asian and specialty food
markets)
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup sliced pickled ginger (sushi relish, available in stores that sell
Japanese foods)
corn or other oil for frying
Fry garlic over low heat in 1 TBS of corn oil until just golden brown.
Set aside.
Fry separately lentils, banana, green pepper, and peanuts in 1–2 TBS
oil at medium to high heat for about 2–3 minutes. Set aside.
Assemble salad in individual bowls: arrange the fried lentils, banana,
green pepper, and peanuts next to each other.
Sprinkle with garlic, chili, shrimp, sesame seeds, and ginger.
Each diner adds dressing at the table, and mixes (or not, as desired)
everything before eating.
Dressing
3 TBS fish sauce (available in specialty markets and stores that sell
Asian foods)
4 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice
4 TBS corn oil
Whisk sauce ingredients; drizzle over vegetables.

This dish is second only to rice noodles in fish soup (mohingar) as the most
typical dish for eating at any time: breakfast, snack, or as an accompaniment to
lunch or dinner. Mohingar is often claimed to be the national dish. Both are
served everywhere, from cafes and street stalls to restaurants, and of course
made at home. Slices of onion, fried rice crackers, fresh lemon juice, roasted
chili powder, and all sorts of garnishes are added at the table.
4 large portions chicken, quarters or legs

8 cups water
5 TBS fish sauce (nuoc mam or patis)
3 TBS vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 TBS or less chili flakes (optional)
1/4 cup thick coconut milk
1 or 2 chicken stock cubes (optional)
2 onions, quartered
3 pounds fresh Chinese egg noodles (or dried, soaked 10 minutes in
cold water, then simmered for 2 minutes in boiling water and drained)
Garnishes
3 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and sliced
1 onion, sliced fine
chili flakes
cilantro, chopped
Simmer chicken and fish sauce in water for 15–20 minutes.

Remove chicken with slotted spoon, reserving stock. Let chicken cool.
Shred meat and discard bones. Set aside.
Heat 1 TBS oil and salt. Add chili flakes and fry for 1 minute on low
heat.
Add coconut milk and reserved chicken stock, mixing well.
Add chicken stock cubes if necessary to make a well-flavored stock.
Add quartered onions and simmer for 30 minutes or more, until
needed.
To assemble: just before serving, heat 2 TBS oil in a wok. Stir fry
noodles for about 5–8 minutes.
Distribute noodles into four soup bowls.
Add the shredded chicken meat to the simmering soup and allow to
heat through.
Ladle hot soup into the bowls, making sure each diner gets some
shredded chicken.
Place garnishes in separate small bowls.
Each diner takes garnishes to add as desired.

This dish is a common accompaniment to rice or wheat noodle soups and can
also be made with bananas. The fritters are dipped into a hot and sour shrimp
paste relish (see the next recipe). These are also commonly served after meals as
a savory dessert.
3 TBS rice flour

1 TBS sticky rice flour (also called glutinous rice flour, and packets
are sometimes labeled mochikō in Japanese and Asian food stores)
2 TBS or less water
2–3 TBS cornstarch
4 zucchini or firm, semiripe banana, quartered lengthwise and sliced
into 3-to 4-inch pieces, wiped dry
oil for deep frying
Mix the two flours with enough water to make a thick batter.
Dust the zucchini with cornstarch. (A fast, easy way to do this is to put
cornstarch in a paper or plastic bag with the zucchini and shake
thoroughly.)
Heat enough oil at medium heat to about 350°F for deep frying in a
thick-bottomed pan or wok.
Dip zucchini into batter and fry a few at a time so as not to lower the
heat of the oil.
Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with wheat noodle soup (see the
previous recipe) with a dollop of shrimp paste relish.

No meal in Myanmar is complete without some form of fish sauce. The simplest
is a mix of fish sauce, fresh citrus juice, and slices of chili. The dish given here is
a more elaborate version, consisting of fried shrimp paste with pounded dried
shrimps, crushed garlic and onions, and chilies. This relish is also eaten with
bread as a sandwich. Another variation is roasted shrimp paste with sesame oil
and a squeeze of lime, frequently eaten with leftover rice or at regular meals.
These sauces or relishes are also used to flavor quickly boiled green vegetables
served as a salad accompaniment to main meals. Although only 1 chili is used in
this recipe, most relishes would use 10 or more for a really fiery sauce.
2 TBS oil
4 TBS shrimp paste in block form (also available as belachan or
blachan from stores that sell Indonesian or Malaysian foods), diced
2 TBS dried shrimps
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 green chili, seeded, minced (or add more, as desired)
1 tsp sesame oil
2 TBS fresh lime or lemon juice
In a wok or frying pan, heat oil at medium heat.

Add shrimp paste, stirring frequently and mashing the cubes into the
oil.
Stir in shrimps, garlic, onions, and chili.
Fry until the onions and garlic are aromatic. Turn off heat.
Mix in sesame oil and citrus juice.
Adjust seasoning, adding more lime or lemon juice as desired.
Kept in a covered jar and topped with a covering of hot oil, this will
keep for a week refrigerated.

This is a popular sweet snack, with many variations, including raisins and/or
nuts, and topped with sesame or poppy seeds.
1 cup semolina flour

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs, separated
seeds from 3 cardamom pods, finely crushed
4 TBS poppy seeds
1/2 cup coconut cream for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 × 10 inch baking pan.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, put the semolina and gradually add the
coconut cream, stirring with a wooden spoon continually to prevent
lumps.
Stir in sugar and salt. Turn on the cooker to medium heat, and bring
the mixture to a boil, stirring all the while.
Reduce heat and stir in the butter. Continue to cook until mixture
thickens and the spoon leaves a track through the mixture. Turn off
heat.
Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes, then stir in egg yolks, beating well
after each.
Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into mixture.
Spoon gently into prepared pan so as not to lose the incorporated air in
the egg whites; gently level the surface.
Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the poppy seeds over the cake.
Bake 5–10 minutes more or until golden.
Allow to cool completely, preferably overnight.
Cut into squares and serve, drizzled with coconut cream if desired.
This iced coconut drink has many variations across Southeast Asia. The drink
may include tapioca pearls or sago balls, shredded young coconut, sweet red
beans, pandan-flavored sweet rice “noodles,” cubes of agar jelly, or glutinous
rice balls.
1 cup sago (also called tapioca) pearls; larger ones are called bubble
tapioca
water as needed
1/2 cup raw palm sugar, dark brown sugar, or jaggery, grated or
crushed
3 cups coconut cream diluted with 1 cup water, chilled
3–4 ice cubes per glass
wide straws, long-handled spoon
If using bubble tapioca, cook following directions on the package, as it

cooks for a shorter time than regular sago or tapioca pearls.
Soak the tapioca pearls in enough water to cover for 30 minutes to 1
hour; drain.
In a saucepan over medium heat, put the tapioca in water, cover, and
bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Let tapioca cool in the pan.
When tapioca pearls are transparent, they are done. If not, bring the
pot to a boil again, turn off heat, and allow tapioca to cool in the
covered pot. Drain and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare palm sugar syrup: put sugar and water in a microwaveable
bowl with cover. Microwave at full power (650–800 watts) for 1
minute; take out bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Microwave
again for 30 seconds or until sugar is completely dissolved. Let syrup
cool.
Assemble the drink: distribute ice cubes among 4 tall glasses. Spoon in
tapioca pearls and 1/3 cup (or more to taste) of the palm syrup.
Pour coconut cream gradually onto an upturned spoon, so as not to
disturb the syrup.
Drink through a straw and scoop out tapioca pearls with the spoon.
N
Namibia
Namibia is a sparsely populated, largely desert country located in southern
Africa, between South Africa and Angola. The climate is hot and the terrain is
mostly desert-like plateau.
The population comprises the Ovambo ethnic group, Bushmen, and some
Europeans, mainly Germans, descendants of colonizers in the late nineteenth
century.
Most of the population are subsistence farmers, raising millet, sorghum, and
livestock. Much food is imported as Namibia grows insufficient food to its
needs. Fishing is done along the coast, though much of the Namibia coast is a
protected nature reserve.
The Germans left some of their traces in the cuisine, but most of Namibian
cooking centers on a staple of stiff porridge eaten with vegetable sauces.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are maize, cassava, and millet. A stiff porridge called
oshifima, made of maize or cassava, is the basis of most meals.
• Beef, mutton, and venison are the favorite meats. The San (Bushmen)
eat small game and other wild food from the desert (wild lizards,
ostrich eggs).
• Vegetables: tomato, squash, pumpkin, beans, wild vegetables, and
nuts such as mongongo. Wild cacti for the San.
• Fruit: watermelon and melon, grapes, wild fruit; imported kiwi,
pineapple, citrus fruits.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews (potjie) or soups of meat with vegetables such as squash, green
beans, tomatoes, and spinach accompany most meals and are eaten
with oshifima. Mealie soup is made of cornmeal.
• South African foods such as rusk, milk tart (melktert), and jerky
(biltong) can be found here, particularly in the capital city of
Windhoek.
• Cakes (strudel), breads, and preserved meats such as sausage
(Landjager) and smoked meat (Rauchfleisch) of German origin in the
towns and some of the countryside.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day in the towns, two in poorer areas. Desert people
such as the Bushmen eat one main meal during the day and subsist the
rest of the time on snacks, sometimes eaten when food is collected.
• The traditional way of dining is to share a bowl of staple (oshifima)
and a stew. Pieces of the porridge are torn off the mass in the bowl and
formed with the fingers of the right hand into a small ball. This ball is
dipped into the sauce and brought to the mouth.
• Braai, an outdoor cookout of South African origin, is a popular
social event.
• Drinks include beer, both commercial and home brewed, tea, coffee,
and, in the cities, soft drinks. Oshikundu is millet beer brewed by the
Ovambo ethnic group.
This is the staple for most of Namibia’s population. It is prepared either with
cornmeal or with cassava, depending on the local produce. These two starches
may also be mixed and cooked together.
1 1/2 cups white cornmeal or grated dried cassava (yuca or manioc)

meal
2 cups water (or 1 cup water and 1 cup milk)
Heat water to boiling.

Gradually, in a steady stream, add 1/2 cup of the meal to the boiling
liquid, whisking briskly and continuously with a wooden spoon.
When all the meal has been absorbed into the liquid, add another 1/2
cup in the same fashion, stirring constantly. Repeat with remainder of
meal.
Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
When mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pot, remove
from heat.
Place oshifima in a lightly greased bowl.
When sufficiently cooled, shape it into a ball with damp or oiled
hands, turning it in the bowl to smooth it. Serve immediately.
To eat in the traditional manner, tear off a piece of oshifima with your
right hand and make an indentation in it with your thumb. Use this
hollow to scoop up stew or sauce from a communal bowl.

This is a common side dish eaten with oshifima.
4 cups fresh or dried black-eyed peas

1 tsp salt
1 chili pepper, crushed, or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Soak dried peas in boiling water for about 1 hour; fresh peas do not
need soaking.
Rub peas between your palms to remove skins. Discard skins and drain
water. (This step can be omitted.)
Place peas in a pot with water to barely cover. Add salt and chili.
Simmer until tender (15 minutes approximately, more if peas are
older).
Serve, along with the cooking liquid, over oshifima.

Squash and pumpkins grow well in Namibia and are common ingredients in
soups and other dishes.
2 TBS oil
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups milk
4 cups water
1 cup sour cream (optional)
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté the onion until
softened.
Add the potatoes and squash, salt and pepper, stir for about 2–3
minutes, then add the milk and water.
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat, and allow to simmer for
30–40 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
Puree the vegetables with a stick blender, or in a blender.
Serve hot with sour cream.
Veldt Bread
The early European settlers developed this spicy substitute for the breads they
were familiar with. This has become a national specialty. Veldt is the southern
African name for the vast, brushy plains that cover much of the landscape.
1 pound whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp allspice
3 TBS butter
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp butter to grease baking pan

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices in a bowl.
Rub butter into the mix until it resembles coarse meal.
Combine milk and egg, and add to the flour mixture.
Mix together into a stiff dough, and knead in bowl for 5 minutes. (The
above steps can be done in a food processor.)
Turn out to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth
and elastic.
Ease the dough into a buttered and floured large (about 5 x 10 inches)
loaf pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. The finished loaf should sound hollow when
tapped. If not, bake for an additional 10 minutes or until it tests done.
Turn onto a rack to cool.
Green Corn Pudding

Young fresh corn is usually made into sweet or savory puddings. The following
is a sweet one that can be served for dessert.
2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from the cobs

2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch baking dish.
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and pour into prepared dish.
Serve warm.
Nauru
Nauru is a raised limestone island in Micronesia: at just eight square miles, it is

the world’s smallest republic. Colonized by Germany in the nineteenth century,
then administered by the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand through
a trusteeship, then occupied by the Japanese during World War II, Nauru finally
gained independence in 1968. Its phosphate resources were mined extensively
from 1906 until (almost total) depletion in 2000. Mining royalties paid for all
household needs, including imported food and water, until the industry
collapsed. Mining of the central plateau, called Topside, has left behind a barren
wasteland and 80 percent loss of arable land, on what once were forests of
indigenous vegetation, largely Pandanus, Calophyllum inophyllum, and Pisonia
grandis, former nesting sites for migratory birds. Unreliable rainfall because of
the El Niño cycle makes drought a usual phenomenon. There are no surface
freshwater supplies, and drinking water, which used to be imported, is supplied
through a desalination plant.
Nauru’s population comprises a mix of Micronesians, Polynesians, and
other Pacific islanders, with a minority of Europeans and Chinese. The
languages spoken are Nauruan and English, the official languages. Most people
are Christian Protestants and Catholics, with some adherents of the indigenous
religion.
Traditional food ways were roughly similar to those of other Micronesian
islands, based on fish and other marine products, coconuts, pandanus, and a few
indigenous fruits. In contrast to other Pacific Islands, very few food plants grew
on Nauru, other than coconut and pandanus. Prior to World War II, Nauruans
were unfamiliar with growing even sweet potatoes. Widespread wealth from
mining made Western imported foodstuffs (canned, convenience foods, and fast
foods) available to all, and traditional food culture, which had few attractions
beyond coconuts and dried pandanus, has been supplanted by Western fat-and
sugar-rich processed canned foods. Over 40 percent of marine and other wildlife
has been destroyed, due to phosphate-containing run-off from inland soils. Lack
of arable land for agriculture also severely limits the country’s local food
resources. There is no commercial-scale agriculture. Almost all food is imported,
with the exception of fish and seafood from small-scale artisanal fishing,
migratory bird net catching, and a few kitchen gardens, where pigs, chickens,
and ducks are raised for home consumption. The lion’s share of food imports
consists of beer (227 tons in 2010), rice, processed meat products, and sugar. At
the bottom are fruits and vegetables (3 tons in 2010). With the current high rate
of unemployment, there seems to be a trend of returning to traditional foods,
obtained through daily hunting and gathering activities: fishing and foraging
whatever is edible in the sea (by all, including children), net catching of noddy
birds (Anous stolidus), and subsistence farming of some root crops and
vegetables in home gardens.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice (imported), breadfruit, coconut, sweet potato (Ipomoea
batatas), and other root crops (taro, Colocasia esculenta; tannia,
Xanthosoma sagittifolium; cassava, Manihot esculenta).
• Tuna (various species), pond-raised milkfish (ibija), shellfish and
other seafood (octopus), sea cucumbers, sea weeds.
• Migratory noddy birds (Anous species), once eaten only on special
occasions, are caught daily with net traps; backyard-raised chicken,
ducks, pigs. Imported: canned meats (corned beef, Spam).
• Vegetables (locally grown): greens locally known as “spinach”
(Abelmoschus manihot, Amaranthus species), Chinese cabbage,
drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera) leaves and pods, bitter gourd
(Momordica charantia) leaves and fruits, long beans (Vigna
sesquipedalis). Imported: tomato.
• Fruits: papaya, banana, plantain, guava, mango, mountain apple
(Syzygium malaccense), soursop (Annona muricata), Pacific almond
(Terminalia catappa), Calophyllum inophyllum fruit, Guettarda
speciosa fruit, breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), soursop (Annona
muricata), lime and other citrus species, pandanus fruit (fresh and
preserved as edongo paste), vi (Spondias dulcis), noni (Morinda
citrifolia). Imported: apple, orange, banana, canned fruits.
• Drinks: imported beer, soda drinks, instant coffee, iced coffee,
fermented coconut toddy (demangi), local fruit juices.
• Flavorings: onion, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, soy sauce, ketchup,
mayonnaise.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Plain cooked rice, fried eggs, slices of spam; fried, grilled, dried fish.
• Western-style foods: fried potatoes, fried chicken, burgers, pizza.
• Chinese-style foods: fried noodles, stir-fried mixed meat and
vegetable dishes.
• Traditional foods: grilled or raw fish and other seafood; vegetables
cooked in coconut cream; mixed fish or meat and vegetables wrapped
in taro or banana leaves, dressed with coconut cream, and steamed or
cooked in an earth oven.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditional foods for the majority: boiled root crops (sweet potato,
taro, or cassava) or plantain with or without fish (fried or grilled dried
fish) for breakfast; main meal at noon of fresh grilled or fried fish or at
night of fried or boiled noddy bird. Snacks of fresh fruit or boiled or
fried root crops.
• Western-style fried and convenience foods for those who are
employed and can afford them.
• Eating out: very limited choice, only Chinese restaurants.
Mixed Fries
Sweet potatoes, taro, and cassava are grown in some home gardens.
1 sweet potato, 2 pieces of taro, 1 cassava (altogether 1 1/4 pounds),

peeled and sliced into chip-like strips and wiped dry
oil for frying
salt and pepper
ketchup
In a deep frying pan, heat 2 inches of oil.

Fry the vegetables separately, in several batches.
Drain on paper towels. Diners season the chips with salt and pepper,
and eat with ketchup as desired.

Ibija or milkfish are taken as fingerlings from the sea and raised to maturity in
brackish water ponds.
1 whole milkfish (available frozen from Asian shops), scaled, gills and
entrails removed
1 cup sliced onions
1 TBS soy sauce
grated rind and juice of 1 lime
1 lime, sliced into quarters
Make 3 evenly spaced shallow incisions on the milkfish’s body on

each side; rub thoroughly inside and out with the ginger, onions, soy
sauce, and lime rind and juice, and leave to marinade for 30 minutes.
Place the fish resting on a bed of onions on a baking dish, spoon the
marinade over, and broil for 10 minutes on each side or until fish
flakes easily and is golden brown.
To serve: slice the fish into individual serving pieces, place on a plate
and garnish with lime.
Fried Chicken
The most common fowl eaten is the noddy bird, actually two species of
migratory terns that fly over long distances in the Pacific Ocean. They used to
nest in the forests of tomano (Calophyllum inophyllum) and other trees on
Topside, the central plateau, until open cast mining took over and the trees were
cut down. Noddy birds are hunted daily at dusk with nets and taped bird cries,
and thus mainly eaten for an evening meal, but are being depleted. Noddy birds
apparently taste of fish and chicken together.
4 pieces of chicken, 2 pounds

juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp salt or 1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 TBS grated ginger
3 TBS cornstarch
oil for frying
Marinade the chicken in the lime juice, salt, pepper, and ginger for 30
minutes to 1 hour.
Put the cornstarch into a paper bag or plastic bag. Place one piece of
chicken at a time and shake to coat with cornstarch.
Heat 3/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat; fry chicken to
golden brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels. Serve with rice.

These vegetables are some of those being grown locally. This is a side dish with
a meat or fish dish, or on its own with rice or other root vegetable.
3 TBS oil
1 pound squash (butternut or kabocha), peeled and sliced into 1-inch
squares 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 pound long beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup coconut cream
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté the onion and
Stir in the squash, salt, pepper, and water; bring to a boil, then stir in
the beans.
Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about
15 minutes.
Stir in coconut cream, simmer for another 2–3 minutes until cream is
hot.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Serve at once with rice, or boiled sweet potato or taro, sliced into
cubes.

There are quite a few local fruits that are eaten on their own as snacks or mixed
into a salad for dessert. However, the quantity is limited as a result of
environmental degradation caused by mining activities.
1 mango, sliced into small cubes

2 bananas, sliced into coins
1 guava, deseeded and sliced into eighths
2 cups soursop nectar (available as guanábana in stores that sell
Spanish foods)
2 cups green coconut, sliced into thin strips, or canned young coconut
(unsweetened preferred)
Mix all the fruits together in a large bowl, cover, and chill for 2 hours.
Nepal
Nepal is a mountainous kingdom between China and India. The country can be
divided topographically into three strips running the entire length of the country.
The south is a flat tropical plain favoring rice cultivation called the Terai. The
central strip is hilly and mountainous, bisected by fertile valleys called the
Madhesh. It includes a long, wide fertile valley, the Valley of Kathmandu, which
is also the center of political life. The northern Himal strip is colder and
mountainous and fertile only along the river beds, where cold-resistant barley,
sweet potato, and buckwheat are grown.
The population includes many minorities and subgroups, many of whom
immigrated throughout history from India, Tibet, Afghanistan, and southwestern
China. Most Nepalese are Hindus (and thus nominally beef-abstaining). During
the monarchic period (until 2008), the country defined itself as the only
officially Hindu monarchy in the world. A large minority of the population are
Buddhists (the Buddha himself was born in the Terai). As in India, people are
born into a caste which defines their ritual status and food restrictions, though
boundaries of caste are looser than in India.
Nepalese food is heavily influenced by India, as seen in vegetable curries,
and by Tibet as seen by momo.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples (depending on region): rice (south), barley, buckwheat, corn,
lentils; sweet potatoes in the high mountains.
• Chicken, turkey, pork, mutton, goat, water buffalo, dried meat.
• Eggplant, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, white radish root and leaf,
mustard greens, bamboo shoot, various gourds, tomato, legumes (pea,
bean), cabbage, cauliflower; salted/fermented dried vegetables
(gundruk).
• Banana, mango, papaya, jackfruit, watermelon, guava, custard apple,
lychee.
• Yak dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and milk.
• Seasonings: curry spices, green chili, cilantro, garlic bulb and leaf.
TYPICAL DISHES
• National dish is daal bhaat—boiled rice (bhaat) with thin lentil sauce
(daal) and curried vegetables (tarkaari)—served with vegetable pickle
(achaar).
• Indian-influenced spicy curries of vegetables or meat (mainly for
wedding feasts and celebrations).
• Vegetable soups: sour pickled vegetables, bamboo shoots, bean
sprouts.
• Chinese/Tibetan-style steamed or fried meat-filled dumplings
(momo), noodles and vegetables (thukpa).
• Charcoal-grilled meats: fresh mutton, chicken, duck, buffalo, wild
boar; or dried meat.
• Indian-style flat breads (roti) and vegetable-filled pastries (samosa).
• Indian-style milk-based sweets; flour-or semolina-based confections.
• Drinks: salty or sweet yogurt or buttermilk (lassi), Tibetan-style salty
buttered milk tea, beer, homebrewed wine and liquor from rice, millet,
and other grains.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two main meals and snacks daily.
• Early light breakfast: a cup of milk tea and a bowl of puffed rice
(chiura) with yoghurt.
Daal bhaat, rice with lentil sauce served at almost all meals in Nepal. (L. Lenin/Dreamstime.com)
• Brunch, 7:00 to 10:00 a.m.: rice, lentil sauce, curried vegetables,

pickle, salty buttered or milky tea. In non-rice-growing areas,
buckwheat pancakes, eaten with radish pickle, or peanut butter and
jam, and drunk with and dunked into salty buttered tea; barley and
dried cheese in tea; potato pancakes with yak butter.
• Dinner, shortly after sunset, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.: rice and lentil sauce
(daal bhaat), curried vegetables, pickle.
• Snacks: bread, dried cheese (chhurpi), lentil fritters, pounded rice
(chiura) with yogurt, Indian-style flat breads, curried potatoes or other
vegetables; drunk with sweet milky ginger tea or buttered tea.

Achaar (also spelled achar) is a spicy table condiment eaten at most meals.
Other vegetables used for chutney are unripe mango and tomatoes. This can be
kept refrigerated for up to 1 week in a covered container. Serve at room
temperature with fried and steamed snacks and all Nepalese dishes.
2 cups young fresh mint sprigs and leaves, washed and sorted, rotten
or dry leaves discarded
1 fresh green chili (or to taste)
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
2 TBS fresh lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup plain yogurt (or 4 TBS water)
salt to taste
Place all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and process
until smooth.
Once blended, transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Beef is forbidden to Nepalese Hindus, and Buddhists are supposed to abstain
from meat entirely. However, chicken, turkey, wild boar, goat (mutton), and
buffalo are usually made into curries or stir fries. Some meat is also dried. This
is eaten with rice, lentil sauce, and vegetables for an evening meal.
4 portions chicken breast (or 1 pound turkey or pork), cut into 1-inch
pieces
5 TBS mustard oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 tsp turmeric
1 TBS cumin powder
3 fresh red chilies, minced
salt to taste
5 cloves
5 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, shredded or grated
1 cup spring onions, cut in 1-inch slices
Combine chicken, 1 TBS mustard oil, turmeric, cumin, chili, salt, and
pepper. Toss well to coat thoroughly.
Heat 4 TBS mustard oil in a pan. Stir fry fenugreek till it darkens, but
avoid burning.
Add cloves and fry for 15 seconds.
Add chicken and brown pieces, turning several times initially to coat
with spices.
Add garlic and ginger.
Stir fry over medium heat until cooked. Add 1–2 TBS water if a bit
dry.
Add spring onions and cinnamon, cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve with curried vegetables and rice.

Lentils of all colors—red, green, black—are commonly eaten in thin soupy
sauces or made into fritters. This dish is quite similar to another of black lentils,
called wo, the difference being that these bara are shaped like flat doughnuts
with a hole in the middle. They are eaten dipped into mint achaar for a snack or
as an additional dish to a main meal of rice and lentil sauce.
1 cup black or green lentils
1/4 tsp asafetida (hing), optional
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
Soak black lentils in water overnight or until the black seed coating
slips off easily.
Remove the coating by rinsing in water. Discard skins and water.
Place into a food processor or blender bowl and grind into a paste with
just a minimum amount of water.
Add spices and salt to the ground lentils and mix well.
Heat enough oil for deep frying over medium heat in a thick-bottomed
pan.
Shape fritters into 3-to 4-inch-diameter doughnuts with a hole in the
middle.
Carefully lower into medium hot (350°F) oil and fry until golden
brown on both sides.
Serve hot.

Chickpeas are a common source of protein in Nepal. To make them into flour,
the peas are split, roasted, and milled into a light yellow meal called besan or
gram flour. The flour is often used for thickening stews or making sweet or
savory pastries. These snacks are eaten in between meals and drunk with salty
buttered tea.
1 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1/4 tsp powdered cardamom
1 cup chickpea flour (available from stores that sell Indian foods, also
health food shops)
1/4 cup powdered almonds or walnuts
1 cup sugar
Melt ghee over low heat in a wok; add cardamom and flour.
Stir fry until flour is golden brown and fragrant. Stir in nuts. Remove
from heat.
Stir in sugar and mix thoroughly.
Spread flour mixture in a small (about 8 × 8 inch) baking pan in a firm
layer about 1/2 inch thick. Cool, then cut into diamond shapes.
Serve as a snack with tea.

Besides momo, which are steamed meat-filled dumplings, another Tibetan-style
dish popular in Nepal are noodles in a vegetable sauce.
1 pound egg noodles

2 TBS mustard oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 fresh chilies (or to taste)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into julienne strips (or substitute 3 cups
frozen vegetables for carrots, beans, and broccoli)
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 broccoli, separated into florets
4 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup broth or stock (or 1/2 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 1 cup
hot water)
1/2 tsp ajwain (lovage seeds; or substitute celery seeds)
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound spinach, washed and cut into pieces, or frozen spinach,
thawed
4 TBS chopped cilantro for garnish
Cook noodles in boiling salted water until half cooked (a bit more
underdone than al dente as they will be cooked further). Drain and
rinse.
In a saucepan or large wok over medium heat, heat mustard oil.
Add onions, fry until light brown.
Add cumin powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger, and chilies. Stir well for a
minute or so.
Add carrots, beans, and broccoli (or mixed vegetables), and stir fry for
5–6 minutes.
Add tomatoes, soy sauce, yogurt, broth, lovage seeds, bay leaf, salt,
and pepper to the vegetables and cook until vegetables are tender but
still crisp.
Add noodles and cook for 3 more minutes; add spinach, cook for 1–2
more minutes.

Nepalese desserts are based on either milk or flour and show an Indian influence.
This cheese sweet is a much-simplified version of a traditional offering to Hindu
gods and is also a famous dessert. The original recipe calls for the whole milk to
be boiled down until very thick and would take over 2 hours. Peda or dudh peda
are very rich and eaten with tea.

4 TBS sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp powdered cardamom (if not available, take seeds from whole
green cardamom pods and crush finely)
2 cups cream cheese, ricotta, or mascarpone, drained and blended in a
food processor or blender until smooth
12 pistachio nuts, peeled to reveal green color, and halved
Put ghee or butter, sugar, lemon juice, and cardamom in a pan.

Heat at low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Stir in cream cheese, stirring continuously until thickened, for about 10
minutes.
Let cool.
Take small portions and roll into walnut-sized balls.
Flatten the top slightly and place on a serving dish.
Decorate each with half a pistachio.
Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Plain unflavored thick yogurt on its own is usually eaten for dessert. However
there are also many sweet dishes based on yogurt.
4 cups natural, thick, unflavored yogurt

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews), finely chopped
1/4 cup grated fresh coconut
seeds from 4 cardamom pods, finely crushed
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, sugar, mixed nuts, coconut, and cardamom.
Chill, covered, for 1–2 hours.
Divide into 4 serving bowls; garnish with pistachios and nutmeg.

This is a winter fruit salad, as citrus fruits ripen during that time. It is usually
made from the citrus fruit offerings of a festival known as Brothers Day.
1 pomelo or 2 Jaffa sweeties

1 pink or red grapefruit
1 yellow grapefruit
2 navel oranges
Yogurt dressing
2 cups natural, thick, unflavored yogurt
1 cup sugar
1 cup sesame seeds, finely ground
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cloves, finely ground
seeds of 4 cardamom pods, finely ground
Optional
1/2 tsp hot chili flakes
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, fried in 2 TBS mustard oil
1/4 tsp asafetida powder
Peel the fruits and remove the seeds and all the white pith surrounding
the fruit segments.
Slice the segments into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing, including the optional spices,
if desired.
Toss fruit with dressing and serve.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands is a Western European country on the North Sea. The Dutch
have traditionally lived near the sea, reclaiming parts to make more land for
agriculture. The country is a flat lowland (hence its name, which literally means
“the lowlands”; “Holland” is the name of two of its provinces). The country is
cold in the winter and temperate in the summer. Dutch farmers grow a great
variety of temperate vegetables and fruits under glass, and Dutch farming is
world renowned.
The population is predominantly of Dutch extraction with minorities of
people originating from Morocco, Indonesia, Guyana, and other former Dutch
colonies.
Dutch traditional cuisine tends to be bland, often smothered with gravy.
However, contemporary cooking shows major influences from the former
colonial empire: Indonesia, South America, and the Caribbean, including current
possessions such as Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles.
FOODSTUFFS
• Consumption of dairy products is extremely high, which may
account for the tall average height of Dutch people. Butter, cream,
cheese, and yogurts are consumed in many meals. The Dutch make
and consume famous cheeses such as Gouda and Edam.
• Meat: beef is a favored meat, particularly veal; chicken, duck, and
pork are also preferred.
• Fish: one of the mainstays of Dutch cuisine is fish. Mussels and other
seafood; eels are eaten.
• Vegetables: Dutch gardeners are famous throughout Europe, and
luscious looking vegetables—cabbage, pepper, beans, tomato,
cucumber—are available everywhere.
• Fruit: wide variety of fruit available, including imports from tropical
countries.
TYPICAL DISHES
• A typical Dutch delicacy is raw fillets of herring, tail attached,
garnished with chopped raw onions.
• Rijstafel has become a Dutch specialty, though based on a Dutch
interpretation of the Indonesian table: many savory dishes eaten with
rice.
• Brodjes (sandwiches) with a variety of fillings, including haring
(fresh herring fillets and onions).
• Pommes frites (French fries) available from street barrows and served
with mayonnaise.
• The Dutch have a sweet tooth, and eating sweets and cakes is
common. Poffertjes (tiny pancakes) and pancakes (often served with
whipped cream and ginger in syrup) with hot chocolate to drink (the
Dutch were the first to process chocolate into cocoa powder) are very
popular in cafés and at home.
Mini pancakes (poffertjes), prepared on a typical hot plate. (Paul Hakimata/Dreamstime.com)
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and plenty of snacks.
• Table settings are European standard.
• Meals can be formal: washing hands before eating, being on time to
the table, and starting to eat at the same moment as everyone else is
important. It is impolite to begin eating before others. A parent or host
often indicates when to eat, usually by saying eet smakelijk
(pronounced ATE smahk-A-lick), which literally means “eat
deliciously.” One does not leave the table until everyone has finished
eating.
• Breakfast: a variety of breads, cold cuts, cheeses, and butter; milky
coffee.
• Other meals are light and often consist of bread, cold cuts, cheese,
and salad.
• Dinner (around 6:00 p.m.) is the main meal for most people, but
some rural families and older people retain the tradition of eating the
main meal at midday.
• Coffee, cocoa, and milk are popular drinks. Beer is drunk along with
wine during the evening meal.

A vegetable appetizer is common for the main meal. This dish can be served
with any meat dish or on its own.
1 pound raw or canned chestnuts

4 ounces seedless raisins, rinsed, soaked in boiling water to cover, and
dried
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, limp outer leaves discarded
salt to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated preferably)
Check chestnuts for quality by immersing in water. Discard those that

float.
With the point of a sharp knife, cut a cross into the flat side of the
chestnuts.
Boil chestnuts for about 40 minutes in water to cover.
Drain and rinse. Peel off the hard shell and inner coating; cut in half.
(A faster option is to buy canned peeled chestnuts and warm up.)
Place chestnuts in a large serving bowl. Stir in the raisins.
Boil the Brussels sprouts for about 10 minutes in salted water; drain
and add to the chestnuts.
Combine the salt, butter, and nutmeg, and mix well with the nuts,
raisins, and Brussels sprouts.

A thick soup, affectionately called snert, is well suited for the cold, damp Dutch
winters. Presumably the same sort of soup is being enjoyed by the peasants in
Breughel’s famous paintings. A slice of (or even a whole) sausage can be added
to make a complete meal for lunch or supper.
2 1/2 cups dried green split peas

1 pork hock or 2 pounds spare ribs
2 bay leaves
1 TBS salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp marjoram
2 quarts water
2 leeks, white part only, chopped roughly
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup lovage leaves, finely chopped (about 1 pound) whole smoked
sausage, cubed
Soak the dried peas overnight or at least 2 hours in cold water to cover,
and drain.
In a large pot, bring the peas, pork, bay leaves, salt, pepper, marjoram,
and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and gently simmer for 1 1/2 to
2 hours.
Add leeks, celery, and potato to the soup and simmer for another 3/4
hour until tender.
Remove bay leaves and pork hock or ribs, and slice meat into pieces.
Add meat and chopped lovage leaves to soup. (If the soup gets too
thick, you may add a bit more water, but this is meant to be a very
thick soup.)
Simmer for another 20 minutes.
Adjust seasoning and add sausage.
Serve at once.

Meat and potato croquets are one of the most common dishes for the main meal.
2 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken stock (or 1 cube chicken bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup
hot water)
2 cups lean, cooked chicken or ground meat
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp finely chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS water
1/2 cup flour seasoned with a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper or
nutmeg
1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs
oil for deep frying
Heat butter in a saucepan. Add flour and cook over low heat, stirring
constantly until light golden.
Stir in only a little bit of milk at a time, alternating with the chicken
stock, adding more only when the previous bit has been thoroughly
absorbed. (The objective is to make a very thick white sauce.)
Add the chicken or ground meat, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce,
and parsley, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and cool.
Shape into cylinders 1 1/4 inches thick and 3 1/2 inches long. Chill in
the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (for ease of handling).
Combine the egg with 1–2 TBS water.
Coat the cylinders with seasoned flour, then dip into the egg mixture,
and finally coat with bread crumbs. Chill again for at least 30 minutes,
Heat oil in a deep frying pan to moderate heat.
Fry the croquettes, a few at a time so as not to lower the oil
temperature, to a golden brown.
Serve at once.

Considering that the Dutch invented the process of turning chocolate into cocoa
powder (also known as Dutch process chocolate) and thus making it more
convenient for other uses than for drinking, it is not surprising to find it turning
up on a sandwich. Hagelslag is a typical Dutch sandwich topping. The Dutch eat
about 30 million pounds of it per year on about 850 million slices of bread.
8 slices of bread
1/4 cup or 8 pats butter
8 TBS milk chocolate sprinkles
Butter each bread slice lightly.

Sprinkle 1–2 TBS chocolate sprinkles evenly on top (many Dutch
would use more).
Eat as a snack or as a light meal with milk.
Beans with Apples and Pork (Bruine Bonen met Appels en Spek
Beans and pork are typical common foods enlivened by apples. Serve as a main
dish.
1 pound dried or 2 pounds canned brown or navy beans

3/4 pound fresh boneless fatty pork or bacon strips, diced
salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste
2 large onions, diced
4 Granny Smith or other firm tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into
rings
5 ounces molasses (substitute dark corn syrup or honey)
crusty whole-grain, rye, or other brown bread
Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. (Omit the next step if
using canned beans.)
Drain, and bring to a boil the beans and fresh water to cover. Reduce
heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
Rub the pork with salt, pepper, and cinnamon (if using bacon, omit the
salt). Dry fry slowly in a hot skillet until the fat runs. Remove from
pan and reserve.
In the fat rendered from the pork or bacon (add up to 2 TBS oil if not
enough to cover the bottom of the skillet) sauté the onions until golden
brown.
About 5 minutes before the beans are ready, add the apple rings. (If
using canned beans, warm the beans and apples together in a saucepan
until heated through.)
Distribute the beans and apples into soup bowls (with just a bit of the
cooking liquid). Top with pork and fried onions.
Serve the molasses on the side for diners to help themselves. Eat with
thick slices of hearty bread.

These special, decorated cookies are traditionally eaten, and given, during the
Feast of St. Nicholas (the original Santa Claus) on December 5–6.
4 cups flour
2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
about 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup candied fruit peel
butter for greasing

In a mixer or food processor, mix together the first 10 ingredients (i.e.,
all except the milk, almonds, and fruit peel).
Add only enough milk to the mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide
dough into two portions. Shape the dough into cylinders about 12
inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Place in food bags and
refrigerate for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, slice the dough cylinders into disks 1/4
inch thick.
Press the almonds and candied peel on top in decorative patterns.
Place on buttered cookie sheets. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until
light golden.

This pudding is the most common dessert, and it comes in many different
flavors. Serve hot or cold, with berries, fruit slices, chopped nuts, or drizzled
with chocolate syrup.
1 quart milk (for a richer vla, use half-and-half)

2 ounces cornstarch
3 ounces sugar
In a saucepan, scald the milk and remove from heat.

In a bowl, mix the cornstarch with the sugar and 4 TBS of the scalded
milk until smooth. (Make sure there are no lumps.)
Add the cornstarch mix to the milk in the saucepan, constantly stirring.
Return the saucepan to low hear, and allow to simmer for 3 minutes,
whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat.
Keep whisking every 5 minutes until the vla is lukewarm.
Vanilla flavor
Add 1 tsp vanilla extract to the cornstarch mix.
Chocolate flavor
Melt 4–6 cubes cooking chocolate in the hot milk before adding the
cornstarch mix.
Caramel flavor
Heat 5 ounces sugar in a small pan until golden brown. (Do not use the
3 ounces sugar of the basic recipe.)
Remove from heat, add 2 TBS cold water, then add to the hot milk.
Stir until the caramel is dissolved.
Coffee flavor
Mix 1 tsp instant coffee powder into the cornstarch mixture.
These are a popular cold-weather snack, usually eaten with butter and sugar or
honey, or occasionally sweet ginger (gember) syrup. Home diners often drizzle
fresh lemon juice over the butter and sugar. The classic recipe is made with yeast
and buckwheat flour (buckwheat being a more winter-hardy crop than wheat) on
a special cast-iron skillet with indentations, much like a round, very robust
muffin pan.
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups self-rising flour, or 2 cups flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
butter or oil for greasing the skillet
powdered sugar, butter, sugar, honey, or 1 lemon (sliced in half) for
serving
ginger jelly or preserve (optional)
Beat the eggs until fluffy and stir in milk; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt; whisk in the egg
mixture until just combined. Do not overbeat.
Slowly heat a skillet over medium heat; brush with butter or a mix of
butter and oil, and drop a tablespoonful (these pancakes are meant to
be tiny) of batter for each poffertje. Cook no more than 2 or 3 well
spaced on the same skillet, so as not to lower the temperature. Cover
the skillet.
After 2 minutes or so, when the top of the pancakes are bubbly and the
bottom edges are golden, turn them over; cook for another 1–2 minutes
more, uncovered.
Keep warm. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar; diners add butter
and honey or sugar; or squeeze a few drops of lemon juice or add a
teaspoonful of ginger jelly directly onto the poffertjes.

The southern Netherlands region of Limburg is renowned for its rich cuisine,
particularly for its pies, called vlaai, which come with diverse fillings.
Contemporary vlaaien feature nontraditional fillings, such as brownie and
tiramisu. The classic vlaai crust is a yeast-based butter pastry. Crumble (kruimel)
is often used to top Dutch and German cakes and pies.
1 prepared unbaked shortcrust pastry for a 9-inch single crust pie
Pastry cream
4 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 TBS flour
4 egg yolks or 2 eggs
1 1/2 cups hot milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBS butter (optional)
Topping
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Prepare the pastry cream: in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low

heat, whisk the sugar, salt, flour, and yolks to combine. Gradually
whisk in the milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Keep stirring until the mixture starts to bubble. Taste the custard and if
you cannot detect a raw flour taste, it is done. Turn off the heat.
Let cool slightly, then stir in vanilla and butter; chill the custard.
Prepare the crumble topping: in a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt,
and cinnamon. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse
meal. Keep chilled until ready to use.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to fit a 9-inch pie pan
or tart pan.
Crimp the edge of the crust into a scallop pattern with your fingers or
simply with the tines of a fork. Prick the pastry all over with a fork.
Pour in the custard and cover with the crumble topping.
Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 20–
25 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm.
New Caledonia
New Caledonia comprises a French administrative region of islands in the South

Pacific, east of Australia. The climate is tropical. Much of the islands are
covered by jungle or tropical growth.
The population is largely composed of Melanesians (about 40 percent) and
Europeans (slightly less), with Polynesians, Indonesians, and other minorities.
The cuisine is mainly southern Pacific–oriented, with staples such as taro,
breadfruit, bananas, and particularly coconut. A strong French influence is also
reflected in the cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Yams, sweet potato, breadfruit, taro are the traditional starches.
Potatoes and rice have been added in modern times.
• Meat: pork and chicken predominate.
• Fish and seafood: along the coastal areas, fish and seafood (clams,
crustaceans) are an important element of diet.
• Fruit: coconut is of greatest importance; plus pineapple, bananas,
papaya, guava, and other tropical fruits.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Breadfruit cooked with fish; breadfruit fritters.
• Papaya fish soup.
• Boiled yams.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditional families would eat one meal a day. Any meal without the
traditional staple was considered a snack. In some of the local
societies, men ate apart in a special men’s house, where they spent
most of their time. Most people ate bits of fruit and vegetables and
roasted meat in the forest whenever they could.
Taro Leaf.
• Modern dining practices are heavily affected by French custom.

Families eat together using European settings and course order. People
in the towns follow European traditions of three meals a day and
snacks.
• Table settings in Westernized households are European standard.
• Breakfast: traditional—boiled breadfruit, yam, cassava, or taro with
coconut milk. Urban/contemporary—bread or a roll, jam, milky
coffee.
• Lunch: traditional, usually eaten in mid-to late afternoon—fish; yam,
breadfruit, taro root, or other staple; greens such as taro or squash
leaves; fruit. Urban/contemporary—eaten around noon, may be a light
meal, perhaps Western style, a sandwich or pasta, salad.
• Dinner: traditional (customarily not eaten). Urban/contemporary may
be heavier than lunch, usually includes fish or meat, starch, salad, and
fruit or other dessert.
• Drinks: coconut juice and fresh fruit juice; contemporary—bottled
juice and soda drinks.

Traditionally, this would be made in the half-shells of the coconuts from which
the cream is extracted, then baked in an earth oven. In the absence of coconut
halves, use small ovenproof individual pots.
1 pound prawns or large shrimp (unpeeled is best, but shelled prawns

can do)
1 green papaya
salt to taste
aluminum foil or banana leaves and kitchen string for wrapping
Plunge prawns into boiling water for 3 minutes (depending on size: do

not overcook). Strain and reserve cooking water. Shell and remove
heads from prawns. Chop flesh.
Mix coconut cream with 1 cup water from cooking the prawns.
Cut papaya in half. Peel and seed, retaining 4 or 5 seeds. Cut flesh into
small pieces and rinse.
Crush seeds in mortar or blender.
Mix papaya, prawns, and coconut cream mix. Season with papaya
seeds and salt.
Divide into individual pots, or half-coconut shells if available.
Wrap each pot in foil (or with banana leaf and kitchen string).
Bake for 1 hour in an earth oven (or about 30 minutes in a regular
oven at 350°F) and serve.
Diners unwrap the pots at the table.
Pineapple Fishballs
Fishballs are served as a side dish with the staple for lunch or dinner.
1 1/2 pounds fish meat (any firm fish), chopped or minced

1/2 cup plus 1 TBS cornstarch
oil for deep frying
1 small unripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and cut into strips
1/2 cup pineapple, cut into small chunks
1 small head Chinese cabbage, sliced into strips
2 TBS soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
salt to taste
Mix the fish with 1/2 cup cornstarch and shape into walnut-sized balls.
Heat enough oil for deep frying in a wok.
Fry the fish balls a few at a time until golden. Remove, drain, and
reserve.
Pour out the oil from the wok, leaving just 2 TBS.
Heat the 2 TBS oil and stir fry onions until translucent.
Add papaya and pineapple, and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage, first the thicker (stalk) pieces; after 2–3 minutes, add
the leaves.
Stir fry for 2 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix to a slurry the remaining cornstarch, soy sauce,
water, and ginger.
Add cornstarch slurry to vegetables, stirring continuously until
vegetables are well coated and liquid is bubbling.
Add fish balls and stir gently. Correct seasoning and add salt if needed.
Remove from heat.
Serve at once with cooked taro, yams, breadfruit, or rice.
Breadfruit and Fish

This dish combines locally available items and is served on its own at midday or
as part of a multicourse dinner.
2 cups breadfruit (substitute taro root or cassava), peeled and cubed

1 cup cooked fresh fish (or canned tuna), diced or flaked
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
2 cups prepared salad vegetables of your choice (lettuce, carrots, bell
peppers, tomatoes, watercress)
1/2 cup lime juice
Cook breadfruit in boiling water until soft but not mushy, about 15
minutes (or bake, wrapped in foil, in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes).
Combine with the remaining ingredients.
Drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss
together gently.
Papaya Fish Soup

This is a commonly made side dish for lunch or dinner.
1 pound whole fish, scaled, gutted, and cut into large pieces
4 cups water
2 cups green papaya, coarsely grated
1 TBS soy sauce
1 cup coconut milk
In a pot, bring the fish, salt, pepper, and water to a boil; reduce heat
and simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Remove fish, allow to cool for 10 minutes, and remove bones (and
skin, if desired).
Return fish flesh to stock.
Add grated papaya and soy sauce, then simmer until tender (about 10
minutes).
Add coconut milk.
Adjust the seasoning and simmer until coconut milk is heated through.
Remove from heat and serve at once.
Breadfruit and Beef

This is a one-dish meal, often served for lunch or dinner.
1/2 cup flour

salt to taste
1 pound beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 TBS cooking oil
water as needed
1 cup dried breadfruit, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, or fresh
(substitute taro or cassava), diced
1 cup squash, diced
2 cups young taro leaves (tough ribs removed, shredded) or other
green leafy vegetable such as spinach or Chinese cabbage
Season the flour with salt and sprinkle over the meat.
Heat oil in a wok and brown meat quickly on all sides.
Add onion and stir fry until golden.
Add water to barely cover. Cover and simmer until meat is tender (20–
30 minutes).
Add breadfruit, squash, and greens.
Cook for 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust
seasoning.
Serve hot with rice, if desired.
Stuffed Papaya
This dish, like all stuffed dishes, involves a bit of effort, but the result is worth it.
It may be served for lunch or dinner, accompanied by boiled taro, yam, or
cassava roots.
1 medium half-ripe papaya

3 TBS oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
3/4 cup cooked ground meat
3/4 cup cooked rice
1 egg, beaten
salt to taste
Cut out the stalk end of the papaya to expose the cavity. Scoop out
papaya seeds with a spoon. Crush or blend a few seeds in a blender
and reserve. (The seeds are peppery and somewhat astringent, so taste
first before using.)
Sprinkle salt into the papaya “cylinder”; set aside with the stalk end
until needed.
Heat 1 TBS oil and sauté the onion until golden. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, mix thoroughly the onion, meat, and rice, egg, and salt. Stir
in ground papaya seeds, if using.
Stuff the mixture into the papaya. Attach the stalk end with toothpicks
or bamboo skewers.
Brush the papaya with oil. Bake in an earth oven (or in a 350°F oven
until papaya is soft, for about 30–60 minutes, depending on the size of
the fruit). Let the papaya rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
To serve, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices.
Boiled Yam
This is a common breakfast dish popular all over the island, particularly in the
interior.
2 pounds yams (true yams, Dioscorea species, available from stores

that sell Asian or Hispanic foods, not sweet potatoes), peeled and
cubed
pinch salt
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 pound taro leaves (substitute spinach, cabbage, or Chinese
cabbage)
sugar to taste
Place yams and salt in a covered saucepan.

Fill the pot with coconut milk to barely cover (if needed, add some
water).
Place the taro leaves in one layer over the yams.
Cover and simmer for 30–45 minutes at low heat until yams are
tender.
Serve hot. Pass the sugar for diners to add at the table, if they wish.
Breadfruit Fritters
These are eaten as a side dish or snack.
1 cup cooked (boiled or baked) mature breadfruit, mashed to a paste

1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk powder
1 TBS onion, finely chopped
salt to taste
2 TBS (or more) water
oil for deep frying
Mix thoroughly the breadfruit, egg, milk powder, onion, and salt.
Add just enough water to make a thick batter.
In a deep frying pan, heat the oil to moderate heat.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter without crowding the pan.
Fry until golden brown on both sides.
Serve hot.

This elaborate confection is served for dessert or as a snack.
8 ripe but firm guavas (red or white or a mixture), medium-sized

(about 2–2 1/2 inches in diameter)
juice of 1 lime
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
1/4–1/3 cup ice water
water or beaten egg white for sealing pastry
Wash and trim guavas and cut in half crosswise.

With a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, carefully scoop out the pulp and
seeds, leaving the walls of the guava halves intact (don’t worry if some
tear).
Mash the pulp and seeds, then pass through a sieve. Discard the seeds.
Mix the pulp with lime juice, melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Set
aside.
Sift flour with baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Rub butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually
add just enough water to make a firm dough.
Divide dough into four portions.
On a floured surface, roll each portion into a 6-inch square.
Place 1 guava half, cut side up, in the center of the pastry square. Fill
the hollow with 1 TBS of the guava pulp mixture and sprinkle with
cinnamon.
Top with another guava half, also hollow side up, and fill with guava
mixture as well. Moisten the edges of the pastry with water or egg
white.
Bring two opposite corners up over the fruit, overlapping and pressing
together. Bring up the other two corners in the same way.
Firmly pinch the open edges to seal. Prick the pastry with a fork once
or twice.
Place in a buttered muffin pan.
Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F
and bake for about 15 more minutes or until pies are golden.
Transfer to a cake rack to cool to lukewarm.
Serve plain or with coconut milk, if desired.
These cassava cakes are traditional snacks, originally steamed in banana-leaf
parcels. You may wish to put slices of banana in the middle of the cassava mix
before wrapping and steaming as directed.
1 1/2 pounds cassava, peeled, central fibers removed, grated and

squeezed of all moisture, or 4 cups grated cassava (fresh or frozen and
thawed)
1/2 cup brown or white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
cornstarch or flour (2 TBS)
8 sheets of foil (8 × 10 inches)
coconut cream and brown sugar, for serving
Combine the cassava, sugar, salt, and coconut cream into a moist but
firm mixture. Add more coconut cream or water if too dry; a few
teaspoonfuls of cornstarch or flour, if too moist.
Divide the mixture into 8 portions: spoon a portion onto the center of a
foil sheet, and wrap securely into a narrow rectangular parcel.
Place parcels on the top compartment of a double boiler or over a
steamer with boiling water.
Steam for 30–45 minutes.
Serve warm or cold, drizzled with coconut cream, and sprinkled with
sugar, if desired.

Squash grows well in New Caledonia and features not only in savory dishes but
also in sweet cakes and puddings.
Caramel
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Batter
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cooked and mashed squash or pumpkin
4 eggs, beaten well
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
Butter a 9-or 10-inch baking pan.

Prepare the caramel: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and
water to a boil. Reduce heat to lowest possible; simmer (without
stirring) until syrup thickens and turns golden brown. Watch carefully
at this point: keep pan on the heat only until the syrup starts turning
just a bit darker. Immediately take the pan off the heat. Quickly swirl
the pan and empty caramel syrup onto the bottom of the baking pan.
Combine flour, baking powder and soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the squash, lemon rind and juice, eggs, sugar,
butter, milk, and vanilla.
Blend in the flour mixture.
Pour mixture onto prepared pan; bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until
skewer inserted in the pudding comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan. Refrigerate overnight before unmolding.
Serve with coconut cream or whipped cream, if desired.
New Zealand
New Zealand comprises two large islands southeast of Australia. The islands are
volcanic, with wide fertile valleys. The climate is temperate to cold, and icy in
the mountains. New Zealand farmers are known worldwide for their innovative
crops. In addition to grains, vegetables, and fruit (some consumed locally, some
for export), sheep are raised, which outnumber humans about 4 to 1.
The population is composed of Maoris—Polynesians who settled the
islands in the sixth to eighth centuries—and Europeans, largely British settlers
who arrived beginning in the nineteenth century.
Maori culture has enriched New Zealand cooking substantially. The Maori
use the Polynesian earth oven for cooking on festive occasions, and this has
entered non-Maori cooking as well. In addition, they have introduced other New
Zealanders to numerous forms of seafood, some of them unique to the islands.
FOODSTUFFS
• There is no standard staple: wheat products, rice, potatoes are
consumed according to choice.
• Mutton is a common meat. Also beef, chicken, duck, and venison.
• Fish and seafood: a large variety of fish unique to southern waters;
exceptional seafood, including varieties of clams (including the
famous toheroa, Paphies ventricosa, which almost went extinct from
overharvesting), mussels, and sea urchins.
• Vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes (kumara), pumpkin, carrots,
peas and beans, cabbages, tomatoes, wild greens.
• Fruit: wide variety of fruit, including the world-famous kiwifruit,
grapes (for the table and winemaking), orchard fruit, berries of various
kinds. New Zealand horticulture is famous for improving subtropical
fruits, such as the kiwifruit (originally from China) and more recently
the feijoa or pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana, originally from
Brazil).
• Dairy: a large dairy industry provides butter, cream, milk, and other
dairy products used for direct consumption and cooking.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Baked, grilled, or stewed mutton and lamb.
• Vegetable and meat soups start many meals.
• Hamburgers, steaks, and other grilled meats are eaten at home or
outside.
• Traditional hangi (earth oven–cooked) foods from the Maori
tradition, on special occasions, include meat, fish, starches, and
vegetables (see sidebar “Polynesian Earth Oven”).
• New Zealanders have a sweet tooth, and have developed a number of
desserts and cakes (whose origin they often dispute with their
Australian neighbors).
• Tea with milk; coffee; soft drinks; and fruit juices are commonly
served with meals or in between times. Beer and wine are common
drinks.
STYLES OF EATING
• With the exception of traditional dining among Maori (and some
Polynesian immigrants), dining styles are British.
• Breakfast can be substantial: eggs, meat, potatoes, and bread.
• Lunch and dinner can be substantial affairs of meat, carbohydrates,
and cooked vegetables. These are usually served in courses with an
appetizer, soup, meat and vegetable dish, and a dessert.
POLYNESIAN EARTH OVEN (UMU, HANGI)

Cooking in an earth oven is probably one of the earliest cooking forms
known to humankind. It uses a relatively small amount of fuel to cook a
relatively large amount of food, most nutrients are well preserved, the
technology needed is simple, and it is a social activity that all can
participate in. In Oceania, this form of cooking has been retained as a
central cooking method long after it disappeared in most other areas. This is
due partly to the lack of alternatives (ceramics, metals, and glass were not
available) and partly to the social and symbolic importance it was given.
Earth oven cooking is retained in all Oceanian areas in one form or another.
A pit is dug into the earth. A fire is lit, and when it is burning well,
large stones (about the size of two fists held together to the size of a human
head) are piled on the burning fuel. When the fire dies down (after 2 hours
or so), a layer of some damp material (traditionally, large, soaked leaves) is
laid on the stones and packets of food, wrapped in more leaves, are laid on
top. Another layer of leaves follows, and the pit is then covered by earth
and sealed well.
The pit is opened after 4–6 hours, depending on the size and amount of
food.
In most societies in Oceania, the food is not strongly flavored, and a
variety of foods—fish, meat, seafood, taro, yams, bananas, and so on—are
placed to cook in the earth oven.
In modern versions, the leaf layer has been replaced by well-soaked,
clean hessian sacking, and the food parcels are often placed in metal mesh
baskets for convenience. It is important that there be plenty of steam, that
the steam be able to circulate, and that it be well sealed inside the earth;
else, the food will not cook.
Stones also have to be chosen carefully so they do not crack. Volcanic
rocks are preferred. It is also important that the burn be under the rocks,
otherwise they will not heat properly: rocks embedded in ash are more
likely to be insulated from the fire.
Placing the food in the correct order is crucial as everything will be
cooking at the same time: large meat chunks are placed at the bottom;
smaller fish and fowl and root vegetables (sweet potatoes, yams, and, more
recently, potatoes) above that; and puddings and such in the upper layers.
Cooked food kept in the resealed earth oven will keep fresh for several
days.
Asparagus Soup
The similarities of climate meant that the early British settlers brought with them
many of their favorite foods. Soup is often served as an appetizer.
1 pound asparagus, washed, tender tips cut off and reserved

4 cups milk
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Boil the asparagus stalks in plenty of water until tender. Remove and
reserve.
Add tips to the same water and boil until tender (they will be ready in
less time than the stalks). Remove from heat and drain. Reserve.
Mash (or puree in a food processor) the stalks with a few tablespoons
of milk. Pass through a sieve and reserve.
Make a white sauce: in a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour
until completely absorbed.
Add the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly to prevent lumps,
until the mixture is creamy. Add the rest of the milk, whisking well
until smooth.
Stir in the sieved asparagus. Season with salt and pepper, and bring to
a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tips and serve as a first course.
Baked Fish Steaks

Fish, often served as a main dish for lunch or dinner, play an important part in
the diet.
4 (weighing about 1/2 pound each) fish steaks (grouper, jack, or

salmon)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 ounces butter
Place fish in one layer in a covered container or tray.

Pour milk over the fish. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.
Drain and discard milk.
Season the fish with salt and pepper, then sprinkle fish with bread
crumbs.
Lay fish in a large (about 10 × 13 inch) buttered baking dish.
Melt remaining butter and pour over fish.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 20–25 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Do
not overcook.
Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.
White Fish Fritters
Fish fritters are served as an appetizer or as a main dish for a light meal.
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup very cold milk
1/2 cup firm white fish fillet, cut in thin strips
oil for deep frying
lemon wedges for garnish
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Mix well with the egg and sufficient milk to make a smooth batter.
In a deep frying pan, heat about 1/2 inch of oil to moderate heat.
Dip pieces of fish in batter and deep fry a few pieces at a time until
golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges and mashed
potatoes.

Kina, a variety of sea urchin, were an important food source for the Maori.
These are three-inch spiny balls. The “roe” (actually the gonads, the edible part)
is found in five “fingers” within the fragile shell. It is gathered at low tide, or by
divers, and has a sweet, fresh sea taste.
2 cups fresh kina (or substitute equivalent preserved sea urchin “roe,”
often available at stores that sell Japanese foods)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 strips bacon, chopped
Place alternate layers of kina and bread crumbs into a buttered

ovenproof dish, finishing with a layer of bread crumbs.
Cover with chopped bacon.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until crumbs and bacon are crisp.
Serve as a first course, or as a light main dish with a salad and
potatoes.
Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a traditional main dish for midday or evening meals, served with
baked potatoes and salad.
1 pound lean minced meat (beef preferred)

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp dried marjoram, crushed
3 TBS tomato sauce
butter for greasing

Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Place in a buttered 4 × 10 inch loaf pan, smoothing the surface.
Bake for 1 hour or until done.
Let stand for about 10 minutes to allow the meat and juices to settle
before serving.
Cut in thick slices. Serve the juices in a sauce boat or bowl to pass
around at the table.
Serve with mashed potatoes.
Ginger Beer
This drink was popularized by English settlers, though it probably originated in
either Africa or the Caribbean.
1/2 tsp sugar

2 TBS warm water
1/4 tsp dried yeast
3 pints water
rind of 2 lemons, grated
1 cup sugar
1 TBS dried ginger powder or 2-inch knob of fresh ginger, grated (use
up to 4 inches if stronger flavor is desired)
juice of 2 lemons
In a bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Add yeast and stir.

Set in a warm place until frothy, about 10 minutes.
Boil 1 cup water and add the rind, 1 cup sugar, and ginger.
Allow to soak for 10 minutes.
Strain into 2-quart bottle or jug. Add the remaining water, yeast
mixture, and lemon juice.
Chill, lightly covered, overnight in the refrigerator.
Serve cold.
Banana Sandwiches
These sandwiches are a common snack or even a small meal popular in many
households.
8 slices fresh bread (whole meal or white)

1/4 cup butter
4 ripe bananas, sliced into thin disks or ovals
Spread butter on bread slices.

Place banana on one buttered slice.
Cover with the other slice.
Eat with tea, milk, or ginger beer.
ANZAC Biscuits
ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It is not quite
clear whether the first ANZAC biscuits were baked in World War I or World
War II to be sent to soldiers at the front. As in the case of pavlova (see Australia
entry, p. 64), controversy exists as to whether these biscuits were invented in
Australia or New Zealand. Without the coconut, these are quite similar in taste to
the English bar cookies called flapjacks.
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 TBS golden syrup (substitute corn syrup)

Combine flour, oats, coconut, sugar, and baking powder.
Melt butter and add golden syrup.
Stir over low heat until syrup has melted.
Add butter mixture to dry ingredients, mixing until smooth.
Roll mixture into about 30–35 walnut-sized balls.
Place on greased baking tray and flatten slightly.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned.
Kiwi Cream
In New Zealand, kiwifruit are known as Chinese gooseberries. The fruit is
originally from China, where it grows in the wild. New Zealand farmers
developed the larger eating varieties familiar today and, as a marketing gimmick,
labeled them “kiwi fruit,” inasmuch as New Zealanders are often known by the
name of that rare bird.
2 eggs, separated
1/8 tsp salt
1 TBS cornstarch
1 cup milk, scalded
3 ounces sugar
1 cup kiwifruit pulp (heated for 1–2 minutes to avoid curdling cream
and milk)
1/2 cup sweet cream, whipped
Beat egg yolks until light and lemon colored.

Add salt, cornstarch, and vanilla.
Stir in milk gradually, while cooking over (not in) boiling water in a
double boiler until mixture thickens.
Stir in half the sugar.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar gradually
while beating, and continue to beat until stiff.
Mix the cooled yolk mixture and kiwifruit pulp.
Lightly but thoroughly fold in the egg whites and whipped cream.
Spoon the mixture into a serving bowl and chill for 4 hours or
overnight.
Serve cold.
Pavlova
Since New Zealand and Australia both claim pavlova as their own, it would be
unfair not to give space to a Kiwi (i.e., New Zealander) version. To make a
successful meringue, there must be no trace of yolk in the egg whites or they will
not whip properly. Nor should there be any fat in the bowl or mixer blades used.
The acid (lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar) ensures that the meringue
stays stable.
Meringue
6 ounces sugar, preferably superfine
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
Filling
1 1/2 cups cream
3/4 pound of mixed fruits, peeled and sliced: kiwi, mango,
strawberries, passion fruit (pulp and seeds only), blueberries, and so
forth
powdered sugar
First, a note about the egg whites: they must come from very fresh
eggs, separated from the yolks while still cold from the refrigerator,
and left at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before using. They
should have no trace of yolk.
Lightly oil a baking sheet and line with parchment. Preheat oven to
300°F.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl or a mixer, whip egg whites until very frothy; stir in
the lemon juice and vanilla.
Continue to whip to soft peaks; add the sugar-cornstarch mixture,
about 1 ounce at a time, and continue to mix at increased speed until
the sugar is completely incorporated.
Whip until stiff peaks form, or only the tips droop slightly, when the
mixer blades are lifted.
Place 2–3 spoonfuls of meringue on the parchment, and swirl around
to make an 8-inch circle.
Spoon more meringue all around the circle to create a nest. Using a
toothpick or skewer, create swirly patterns of waves on the nest, lifting
the toothpick to make sharp peaks (these will bake to a darker color).
Place sheet in the middle rack of the oven, and immediately reduce
heat to 220°F. Bake undisturbed for 1 hour; turn off heat, leave the
oven door ajar, and let the meringue cool in the oven for 4 hours or
overnight.
When completely cool, remove meringue from the parchment and
place on a serving plate.
Just before serving, whip cream and place inside the meringue nest.
Surround with fruits sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Louise Cake
This cake is supposedly named to commemorate the wedding of the English
princess, Louise, the best-looking of Queen Victoria’s daughters and an
accomplished sculptress, in 1871. It is a classic New Zealand sweet.
Pastry
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 egg yolks
Filling
1/2–2/3 cup good quality raspberry preserves, sieved to remove seeds
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9 × 12 inch pan with parchment, with

sufficient overhang to lift the baked cake afterward.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugar until very light; stir in
vanilla, then the yolks one by one, beating well after each.
Blend in the flour mixture to make a soft dough; press into the
prepared pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, and remove from oven. Reduce heat to 300°F.
Spread pastry generously with the preserves.
In a bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks; add sugar gradually and
whip until stiff but still glossy.
Fold in half of the coconut; spread over the raspberry layer and
sprinkle over the remaining coconut.
Place the pan in the lower rack of the oven, and bake for 25–30
minutes or until the meringue is crisp and golden. If the cake does not
feel crisp, leave it to cool in the oven with the door ajar.
When cool, slice into squares to serve.
Nicaragua
The largest country in Central America, Nicaragua was a Spanish colony for
three centuries. The Caribbean coast was briefly occupied by Britain, but
Nicaragua became independent in 1821. Nicaragua’s tropical lowlands and
cooler highlands are ideal for raising coffee, bananas, and sugarcane as well as
livestock.
Spanish culture and language are predominant among the mixed European-
Amerindians, who make up about 90 percent of the population. There is also a
minority of Miskito Amerindians, Garifuna (mixed Afro-Caribbean), and
English-speaking Creoles. Nicaraguan cuisine reflects this mix of cultures and
history.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: corn, rice, beans, plantain. Corn is versatile, as a flour for
flat bread, as a vegetable, and as a cold drink.
• Chicken, pork, beef, fish, white cheese and sour cream, pork/beef
internal organs, turtle eggs.
• Cabbage, zucchini (pipian), baby corn, taro (quequisque), cassava,
pumpkin, squash, sweet pepper.
• Mango, pineapple, Spanish plum (jocote), citrus.
• Seasoning: bitter orange, mint, achiote (annatto, Bixa orellana),
oregano, cilantro.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice and beans (gallo pinto) is the national dish.
• Nacatamal—a steamed dumpling of corn, pork, rice, potato, onion,
tomato, and green pepper—for weekends or festive occasions such as
parties.
Frying sliced plantains. (Chad Zuber/Dreamstime.com)
• Fritanga, an assembly of rice and beans (gallo pinto) with various

accompanying dishes: charbroiled beef; a cabbage, tomato, and onion
salad dressed with vinegar (made from bananas); fried green plantain
(tajadas) or fried ripe plantain (maduros fritos); pork sausage; boiled
cassava; white cheese or blood pudding (moronga). Sliced green
onions or fresh cilantro are also common accompaniments.
• Vigorón: a dish of boiled cassava with crisp pork rind, topped with
cabbage salad.
• On the Caribbean coast: turtle meat or fish and pork with vegetables
(rondon, from the Caribbean English “rundown”); rice and beans
cooked in coconut oil.
• Substantial soups and stews of meat with vegetables.
• Yoltamal: a tender corn tamale mixed with milk and cheese, wrapped
in cornhusks.
• Snacks: rosquillas (cheese and corn biscuits); soft white cheese in a
corn tortilla, topped with sour cream and pickled onions; fried
plantains with a piece of cheese.
• Sweets: corn and cheese cake (perrerreque), corn crackers with
cinnamon-sugar topping (viejitas), three-milk cake (tres leches), sweet
corn and cheese cake soaked in rum and cinnamon (pio quinto).
• Drinks: fresh fruit juice, juices from cooked cereal (horchata).
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: usually at 6:00 or 7:00 a.m.; gallo pinto, fried plantain,
tortilla, coffee.
• Lunch: the main meal of the day, eaten between 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.,
often followed by a siesta. Rural families eat lunch together, but many
urban families do not. Rice and beans, tortillas, meat or chicken, fresh
fruit.
• Supper: usually between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.; a light meal, usually
rice and beans, soup or stew, fresh fruit.
• Snacks: eaten at midmorning or mid-afternoon.

Beans with rice are the mainstay of the daily diet, being eaten at least once a day,
if not more. Many people have rice and beans at every meal. Beans are also
pureed as a sauce or served as a soup made with sour cream and eggs. This soup
is usually eaten with rice, tortillas, and fried plantain.
3 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
12-ounce can kidney beans or black beans, drained
4 cups chicken or beef broth
1 1/2 cups sour cream or buttermilk (reserve 1/2 cup for garnish)
1 tsp vinegar (optional)
2 eggs, beaten
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until softened.
Stir in the rest of the vegetables, beans, and broth.
Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for about 15 minutes
or until the peppers are tender.
Stir in the sour cream and add salt, pepper, and vinegar (if using).
Stir in the beaten eggs.
When the eggs are done, turn off the heat.
Garnish with green onions and a spoonful of sour cream. Hand out the
rest of the sour cream for diners to add at the table.

These corn and cheese dumplings are eagerly anticipated for a snack or an
appetizer during the corn-growing season, as they are made from young, sweet,
and tender ears. Yoltamales are also delicious made with more easily available
frozen sweet corn kernels. Nicaraguan white cheese has no real American
counterpart, but ricotta or cream cheese is a passable substitute. Even if you are
using foil for ease of wrapping, if you have access to fresh cornhusks, lay one or
two inside the foil to impart an authentic flavor and scent.
10 young, fresh ears of corn with husks (or 2 cups frozen sweet corn
kernels, thawed and drained thoroughly)
1 pound fresh white cheese (ricotta or cream cheese, or a mixture of
both)
1/2 cup sugar
salt
1/8–1/2 cup milk
aluminum foil, 8 pieces, each measuring 6 × 6 inches (if fresh
cornhusks are not available)
If using fresh corn, remove the husks carefully, taking care not to tear
them, as they will be used for wrapping the dumplings.
Wash and dry the husks thoroughly. Set aside.
Scrape the kernels off the ears.
In a blender or food processor, blend together the corn kernels, cheese,
salt, sugar, and 1/8 cup milk to a thick mixture. If the mixture is too
thick, add a bit more milk, but do not let it get watery.
For each yoltamal, take 2 (or more, if necessary) whole, wide pieces of
cornhusks to form a cross.
At the center of the crossed husks, place 1/2 cup of the corn-cheese
mixture.
Fold over two opposite sides. Fold the remaining opposite sides over
the previously folded ones. Form a neat and secure parcel. Fasten the
ends with toothpicks.
Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
(Alternatively, use foil for wrapping: bring two opposite sides together
and fold over the filling to seal the opening within the fold. Do the
same for the two remaining sides. Repeat until all the mixture is
wrapped.)
In a large covered saucepan or steamer, bring to a boil about 4 cups of
water. (The boiling water must not reach the dumplings.)
Put leftover husks (if using) at the bottom of a grid or the inner pan of
the steamer.
Place the wrapped dumplings over the husks or at the bottom of the
inner steamer pan.
Let steam for 1 hour, adding more boiling water if necessary to keep
the water level up. Turn off the heat.
Let the dumplings cool in the pan.
Take out and serve.

Roast meat or chicken is a popular accompaniment to the daily staple of rice and
beans, particularly in the national dish, fritanga.
1/4 cup oil

1 cup juice of bitter oranges, or a mix of orange and lime juice
1 tsp cumin (optional)
1 TBS fresh cilantro (optional)
salt to taste
4 steaks, beef round or London broil (substitute pork, turkey, or
chicken breast)
In a stainless steel or glass bowl, mix the oil, onions, citrus juice,
cumin, and cilantro (if using), salt, and pepper.
Add meat; cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight, refrigerated.
Prepare an outdoor grill, preferably with mesquite charcoal.
Take the meat from the marinade and grill over hot coals until well
browned, for about 5–7 minutes. (Alternatively, pan fry in a hot skillet
to the desired degree of doneness.)
Turn the meat over and grill on the other side until cooked as desired.
Slice meat into thin strips across the grain.
Serve alongside rice and beans.

This drink is just one of many interesting Nicaraguan creations combining
cereals and readily available fruits. Other typical drinks are cornmeal and cocoa
(tiste); green plantain, milk, and coconut water (wabul, typical of the Caribbean
coast); ginger and sorrel drinks (also from the Caribbean coast); and purple corn
(pozole). This is an excellent way of using what is normally thrown away after
using a fresh pineapple for a fruit salad.
peel and core from 1 fresh, very ripe pineapple, washed

1/2 cup uncooked white rice
water
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
ice cubes and pineapple slices for garnish
In a saucepan, place the pineapple peels and core. Add enough water
to cover.
Over medium heat, bring to a boil.
Lower heat and let simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Stir in the rice, and keep simmering until the rice grains split, for about
20 minutes.
Let cool.
Strain through a fine sieve.
Measure the strained liquid, and add twice the amount of water.
Add sugar to taste.
Chill well before serving. Add ice cubes and garnish with a fresh slice
of pineapple, if desired.

Mixed candied fruit, usually of mango, pineapple, and other tropical fruits,
called almíbar, or candied Spanish plums with milk and sugar (cusnaca) are
traditional for Christmas. They may be served together with other sweets, such
as milk and cocoa fudge (leche burras). Cold fruit and cereal drinks are popular
accompaniments.
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
2 semiripe, firm mangos, peeled and cubed
1 pat butter
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, dissolve the sugar in water.

Add cinnamon and cloves and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir in the mangoes. When the mixture comes back to the boil, add the
butter to keep the mixture from boiling over, and stir constantly.. Turn
the heat down to the lowest possible, so that the syrup does not burn,
but still continues to bubble.
Skim off any foam that rises.
When the syrup is very thick, after about 5 or more minutes of
continuous boiling, turn off the heat.
Let mangoes cool in the syrup. Serve as a dessert or sweet snack.

There are many variations on this sweet: some are dense and pudding-like, while
others are more cakey. The consistency varies, depending on whether dry corn
meal or moist sweet corn is used.
1 1/2 cups fine white cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups crumbly white cheese, or Monterey Jack, grated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cream, or milk plus 1 TBS butter
1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
Optional topping
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup crumbly cheese (e.g., Monterey Jack, grated)
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10 × 12 inch baking dish.

Combine cornmeal, baking soda, and salt; blend in all the remaining
ingredients.
Pour into the prepared baking dish; bake for 30–40 minutes or until
cake is golden and tests done.
Let cool thoroughly before cutting into squares.
If using topping: combine all ingredients. After 30 minutes of baking,
spread topping over cake; continue baking until topping is
caramelized.
Slice into squares and serve as a snack or dessert.

This is considered the supreme cake by Nicaraguans, who often simply call it el
tres leches, or “the three milks.”
1 cup cake flour

1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
Milk topping
1 cup cream
7 ounces condensed sweetened milk
6 ounces evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
Frosting
1 cup cream
2 TBS powdered sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch pan (preferably springform)

and line with parchment.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl or mixer, beat the egg yolks until very light; mix in the
vanilla and half of the sugar; continue beating until the sugar is
dissolved.
Mix in the milk, then gradually add the flour mixture.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks; slowly add the
rest of the sugar and continue to whip until stiff but still glossy. Fold
them into the batter.
Spoon onto prepared pan, and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until cake is
golden and tests done; let cake cool thoroughly.
Prepare the milk topping: in a saucepan over medium heat, combine
the ingredients except vanilla; bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, and
stir in the vanilla.
Prick the cake all over with a skewer, and pour the warm topping
slowly, letting the cake absorb the flow before continuing. Refrigerate
at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight to allow the topping to be fully
absorbed.
Just before serving, whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla.
Spread neatly over cake.
Niger
Niger, a landlocked central African country, is one of the poorest countries in the
world. A thin strip in the south is fertile tropical savanna, while the rest of the
country is largely hot and dry desert. Desertification and drought are common
phenomena. About 90 percent of the population are engaged in subsistence
agriculture, based on a mix of dry farming and nomadic livestock raising; others
are nomadic traders, fishers, and artisans engaged in diverse crafts. Products
include cotton, cereals, legumes, beef, mutton, and cheese.
The population comprises several ethnic groups: Hausa (the majority at 50

percent), Songhai, Tuareg, Kanuri, Peul, and Arab. Most are Muslims. Typical
dishes and staples vary according to ethnic group and region: in the north, lamb,
yogurt, and rice feature prominently; in the south, millet is more widely used.
Cooking combines common elements with other North African and central
African culinary traditions, with French influence.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: cassava, millet, sorghum, fonio (Digitaria exilis or D.
iburua), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, or niébé), cassava, peanuts.
• Mutton is in high demand throughout most of the country; beef,
game (antelope, muskrat, guinea fowl, and other wild birds); dried
beef (kilichi), plain, salted, or spiced.
• Fish are available from the Niger River in the south.
• Vegetables: cabbage, squashes and pumpkin, tomatoes, peppers,
onions, beans, okra. Green vegetables, generically called kopto: much
valued are leaves of Moringa oleifera (variably called zogala gandi,
foubey, windibudu); young shoots of baobab, squash, gourds.
• Fruit: mango, melon, watermelon.
• Milk (ewe milk in the north, cow milk in the south), soured milks
(buttermilk, yogurt), cheeses (tchoukou) from diverse milk (cow,
camel, goat, sheep).
• Drinks: fresh and fermented milk (buttermilk, yogurt), millet flour–
based drink (boule), eghajira (the Tuaregs’ millet drink with dates and
goat’s cheese), baobab juice (reconstituted from dried fruit pulp),
bissap juice (from dried Hibiscus sabdariffa), homebrewed beer, tea.
• Flavorings: peanut paste, bouillon cubes, tomato concentrate, pepper
condiment (tchita), spices (ginger), hot pepper (tonko).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Bondo gumbo: a stew of lamb, okra, and peppers, served with a kind
of wheat dumpling; tukasu (also tuvasu), a celebratory dish of lamb
and various vegetables, served with wheat dumplings; tigadigué,
peanut paste–based stew.
• Adaptations from neighboring countries: thiebou dieune (rice and
fish) and yassa (chicken and rice) from Senegal, aloco (fried plantains)
and attchieke (fried fish and cassava) from the Ivory Coast; Jollof rice.
• Roast and spitted meat, especially for celebrations such as weddings.
• Stiff porridge with stew (to, also called kourba kourba), eaten with
leafy vegetable stew; socoro or fufu (pounded balls of boiled
Dioscorea yam).
• Sweets or snacks: fankassou (fritters or pancakes), kuli kuli (fried
spiced peanut paste), chakeri (couscous with fruits, spices, and cream)
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals a day and snacks. Europeanized families tend to eat three
meals a day.
• Families eat on a mat on the floor, surrounding a common bowl of
staple and other bowls of as many side dishes as they can afford.
Dining is with the right hand only. In the north in particular, men and
women eat separately.
• Most meals are composed of the local staple: wheat dumplings, stiff
porridge, served with a stew of vegetables, and, if available, meat.
• Drinks: sweet tea, sometimes infused with mint or wild sage; coffee;
hibiscus tea; ginger beer; home-and commercially brewed beers.

A one-dish meal commonly served for the main meal of the day.
2 TBS vegetable oil

2 pounds lean stewing lamb, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 level TBS flour
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
1 pound fresh okra, cut into thin rounds (the finer the okra is cut, the
more glutinous the stew)
Heat oil in a saucepan and brown lamb.

Add onion and flour to meat.
Mix well and cook until flour is lightly browned.
Add tomato paste, peppers, salt, and water.
Simmer for 1–1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
Add okra and continue simmering until okra is cooked, about 5–8
minutes.
Serve in a deep dish with whole-wheat dumplings.
Whole-wheat dumplings
4 1/2 ounces whole-wheat flour
about 1/2 cup water
boiling water with 1 tsp salt
Mix flour and water to a paste and steam, covered, in the top of a
double boiler for 30 minutes.
Mix well with a wooden spoon. Using a large soup spoon, remove
portions of dough, about walnut size, roll them to approximate ball
shape, and slide carefully into a pot of the boiling salted water.
Cook for 10 minutes after the balls float to the surface.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.

This stew would be eaten for the main meal with steamed millet or sorghum
couscous as the cereal or with mounds of stiff millet porridge or pounded yam.
2–3 TBS oil

1 pound stewing beef, sliced in small cubes
3 cloves garlic
3 large tomatoes, chopped or 2–3 TBS concentrated tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
1 chili pepper (optional)
2 cups water
2/3 cup peanut paste, or unsweetened peanut butter
1 cup pumpkin or squash, peeled and cubed
1 small cassava, peeled, fibrous core removed, and cubed
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 turnips or carrots, peeled and cubed
1/4 green cabbage, core removed, sliced finely
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and quickly brown the beef
on all sides. Take out the beef and set aside.
In the same pan, sauté the onions and garlic until softened, then add
the tomatoes, salt, and chili pepper, if using. Simmer for 3–5 minutes
until tomatoes are softened (if using tomato paste, proceed
immediately to next step); add water, increase heat and bring to a boil.
Stir in peanut paste and mix well until smooth.
Add the pumpkin, cassava, sweet potato, and turnips. Reduce heat
when the pan comes to a boil.
Simmer for 20–25 minutes until vegetables are tender but still firm.
Add the green cabbage, and cook for 10 minutes more.
Taste and add more salt, as needed. Serve hot with mounds of to
(millet porridge) or yam.
Kopto Sauce
Kopto is the generic term for green vegetables, although it has come to mean the
leaves of Moringa oleifera for the Songhai ethnic group, who particularly relish
it. The leaves are known to have phytopharmaceutical qualities. The moringa is a
legume, whose long fruits are also known in South and Southeast Asia as the
drumstick vegetable.
1/2–1 cup water

1/4 cup peanut paste or unsweetened peanut butter
3 tomatoes, finely chopped, or 2 TBS concentrated tomato paste
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 pounds Moringa oleifera leaves, stripped from their stalks
(available fresh or frozen at shops that sell Asian foods)
In a saucepan over medium heat, put the water and whisk in the peanut
paste until incorporated.
Stir in the onion, tomatoes, and salt; cover and allow to simmer until
vegetables are soft, about 8–10 minutes.
If the sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup more water, and bring to a
boil.
Stir in the leaves, bring to a boil, and turn off heat.
Taste and add more salt, if needed. Serve with mounds of millet
porridge (to) or pounded yam (socoro).
Fruit Salad
Desserts are not usually eaten, except in the cities, where French influence is
common, but many people enjoy a salad as a snack.
1 melon (any type), peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 ripe but firm avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup orange juice or thick fruit juice or nectar of your choice
Mix all ingredients except pepper. Chill well until ready to serve.
Provide pepper for diners to season on their own.
Baobab Juice
This juice is a popular drink, made from the baobab (Adansonia digitata), an
indigenous African tree.
4 ounces powdered baobab fruit pulp (available from natural product

shops or online)
4 cups water
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp vanilla
In a blender or large bowl, place the baobab powder; slowly whisk in 2

cups of water until all is moistened. Set aside to infuse for about 20
minutes.
Meanwhile, dissolve the sugar in 1 cup hot water; stir in the mint
leaves, cover, and allow to infuse. When mint syrup has cooled down,
stir in the vanilla.
With a wooden spoon, press the baobab mixture through a fine sieve
into a large bowl. Reserve the pulp.
Place the reserved pulp back into the blender or bowl, add 2 cups of
water, and stir well; sieve mixture and add to the first batch of juice.
Discard the pulp.
Discard the mint leaves and stir in the mint syrup to the baobab juice.
Chill well.
To serve: dilute with cold water if juice is too thick; add more sugar or
honey if needed, pour over ice cubes, and garnish with fresh mint
leaves, if desired.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a West African country on the Gulf of Guinea. The climate varies
from tropical in the south to arid in the north. The south is a well-watered coastal
plain with swamps at the massive Niger River delta area. The center is largely a
plateau, shading to plains in the north. Farmers raise both subsistence (millet,
maize, sorghum, cassava, livestock) and cash (cocoa, palm oil) crops.
Africa’s most populous country (over 120 million people), Nigeria is

divided into many ethnic groups and religions, predominantly the Hausa,
Yoruba, Fulani, and Igbo. About half are Muslims, the rest Christians and
followers of indigenous religions.
Cooking is basic, focusing on staples that vary from one ethnic group to
another but are usually some variation of the standard African staple (see Ghana
entry for the sidebar “African Staple,” p. 505). These are eaten with a sauce or
stew, usually of vegetables, flavored with groundnuts (peanuts).
Northeast and northwest diets are meat and dairy based; other regional diets
are more plant-based. Roasting, steaming, fermentation, and boiling are main
preparation methods.
FOODSTUFFS
• Cassava, maize, millet, fonio (Digitaria exilis, D. iburua), and
sorghum are staples, depending on area. Rice is eaten by those who
can afford it. Sesame seeds, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), pigeon pea,
mung bean.
• Meat: goat, mutton, beef (mainly in the north), chicken; some wild
meats.
• Fish: river fish from the Niger River and its tributaries. Sea fish
including mullet, parrotfish; seafood including crayfish, squid,
shellfish along the coast.
• Vegetables: peppers, onions, peanuts, beans and other pulses,
squashes and pumpkin. Greens: leaves of Gnetum africanum, G.
bucholzianum (okok); waterleaf (Talinum triangulare); young cassava
leaves; baobab leaves. Many leaves are gathered from the wild.
• Seeds: egusi, irere (melon seeds), bush mango seeds (ogbono,
Irvingia species), African breadfruit seeds (Terculia africana).
• Fruit: bananas and plantains; coconut along the coast, citrus, coffee,
and cocoa.
• Flavorings: various fermented seasonings, for example, ogiri, a
sweetener from melon (Citrullus lanatus) seeds; dawadawa from
locust bean Parkia species; ugba from oilnut (Ricinodendron
heudelotii). Commercial bouillon cubes.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Staple porridge from cassava (yellow and white gari, fermented into
akpu paste) or couscous variants (millet, sorghum) in the north.
• Groundnut chop, a common dish for entertaining guests, of meat
stewed with vegetables, served on rice with many little side dishes of
raw and cooked vegetables.
• African breadfruit, Jollof rice, benne (sesame) seed soup.
• Eru—a delicacy made with leaves of Gnetum africanum (okok) and
waterleaf (Talinum triangulare)
• Street foods and snacks: bole and fish with bitterleaf (ezuzi) greens;
moin moin (black-eyed pea and pepper pudding), akara (cowpea
fritters); okpa (bambara nut); kwili kwili (peanut fritters); toasted
breadfruit seeds, chin chin (fritters); fried balls of Citrullus lanatus
seeds (robo); aadun (savory corn pâté); suya (spicy barbecue).
• Afang soup or stew, made of local greens, served over the staple.
• Grilled meat—goat, beef, chicken—served with bread or rice.
• Drinks: beer is very common. Fermented black plum fruits (Vitex
grandiflora); fermented milk (nono), local and international soft
drinks; fruit juices (baobab, hibiscus [zobo or bissap], tamarind);
ginger drink; tea (English and North African style); black coffee.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day whenever possible, and snacks.
• Families normally eat together around a series of common dishes, on
a mat or carpet on the floor.
• Breakfast: thin porridge or bread or toast with coffee or tea
(depending on area).
• Lunch: stew or soup, with carbohydrate, fruit.
• Supper: same as lunch. One or both of the midday and evening meals
will have a meat or fish dish if possible.
• Most households have only one side dish (most often vegetables) at
any meal, but the ideal is several such dishes, including meat and fish.
• Snacks include small twists of paper containing boiled and peppered
peanuts bought from street vendors, elaborate teas at the restaurants
and cafés in the cities.
AFRICAN TRADITIONAL SEASONINGS

Many contemporary recipes for savory dishes from Africa include bouillon
cubes as an ingredient. Industrially manufactured bouillon cubes have
largely supplanted the traditional flavorings that give African regional
foods their distinctive character, taste, and aroma. Indigenous flavorings are
made of locally available plant or animal foodstuffs, collected and
processed in general by women and children through drying, smoking,
fermentation, or other methods. These indigenous flavorings have
additional functions: besides improving texture and flavor, fermenting the
raw foodstuffs deters spoilage and releases health-enhancing compounds,
such as amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals (zinc,
phosphorus, calcium, iron), thus increasing their nutritional value. Some
fermentation agents release metabolites that protect against toxic
microorganisms in the raw foodstuffs and also degrade antinutritive
compounds such as phytic acid.
Plant-Based Seasonings
Local names Where produced or used Plant source, type, common name
Processing Uses
method
Part used
bikalga, datou, Niger, Mali, Hibiscus sabdariffa, seeds boiled, on its own; mixed
furundu, ganyiri- Sudan, Burkina perennial, roselle fermented with netétou in
kolgo, dawadawa- Faso, and dried Mali; accelerates
botso, mbuja, Cameroon, fermentation of
yanyaku Benin Parkia biglobosa
in Benin.
dawadawa, Nigeria, Parkia biglobosa, neré, seeds boiled, seasoning (with
daddawa, iru, Guinea, leguminous tree, African fermented, okra for soumbala
netétou, susu kenda, Burkina Faso, locust bean; Acacia formed into sauce)
soumbala/soumbara, Mali, Senegal, nilotica, leguminous tree; balls and
sonru Benin, Cajanus cajan, legume crop sundried or
throughout (also used for dawadawa in formed into
francophone Nigeria) irregular
West Africa pieces
dika, ogbono Cameroon, Irvingia gabonensis, bush seed dried seed, seasoning,
Nigeria mango kernels cake or thickener, oil
paste;
pressing
(for oil)
ese, prekese, esese, Ghana, Tetrapleura tetraptera, flowers, fruit pod is broken or ground
osakirisa, oshosho Cameroon leguminous tree, Aidan fruit dried and pods used as
tree, Four-Sides pod, roasted; aromatic agent for
seeds seeds are savory and sweet
fermented, dishes (chocolate,
dried, and cookies); sauces
powdered (e.g., mbongo
sauce)
njansang, essang, Cameroon, Ricinodendron heudelotii seeds fruits are spicy/peppery
essesang, iboume Angola, boiled or flavoring;
isol, gobo; Democratic dry roasted, thickener; sauce
munguella; bofeko; Republic of shelled, and (akpi sauce in
wawa; okhuen Congo, Ghana, seeds dried Côte d’Ivoire);
Nigeria, Côte and ground
d’Ivoire into powder
shea Northern Benin Vitellaria paradoxa, shea dried oil cooking fat
butter tree fruit extraction
kernels
ogiri Nigeria Citrullus vulgaris; C. seeds boiled, seasoning
lannatus; wild fermented,
(water)melon or wild gourd smoked,
mashed to a
paste and
sundried
oso, owoh Nigeria Cathormion altissimum, seeds boiled and seasoning
leguminous tree. fermented
ogiri-igbo Nigeria Ricinus communis, seeds boiled, seasoning
perennial, castor oil plant fermented,
mashed to a
paste,
wrapped in
leaves
ugba, ukpaka Nigeria Pentaclethra macrophylla, seeds boiled and seasoning
African oil bean fermented
ogiri-nwan Nigeria Telfairia occicentale, fluted seeds boiled and seasoning
pumpkin fermented
ogiri-saro, ogiri Sierra Leone Sesamum indicum, sesame seeds boiled, seasoning
nsiko seed fermented,
smoked
okpei, also ogiri- Nigeria Prosopis africana, legume boiled and seasoning
okpei fermented
maari, fura de nunu, Nigeria Adansonia digitata, baobab seeds boiled and seasoning
daddawa higgi tree fermented
otiru, dawadawa Nigeria, West Sphenostylis sternocarpa, seeds boiled and seasoning
Africa legume, African yam bean fermented
owoh Nigeria Gossypium hirsutum, seeds boiled and seasoning
cotton plant fermented
Freshwater and Marine Animal-Based Seasonings
Local Where Source, common name Processing method Uses

names produced or
used
adjuevan, Côte d’Ivoire various: tuna, Spanish dried, salted, with or seasoning
adjonfa, mackerel without
gyagawere fermentation
bonome, Ghana various: catfish, ray, fermented, dried, smoked fish as seasonings
momone, triggerfish, Engraulis smoked for soups, stews; grilled and
koobi, kako, encrasicolus, anchovies added as flavoring to cereal
ewule mash
dagaa Uganda cyprinids from Lake fermented, unsalted seasoning
Victoria
djegue, Mali tilapia, various fermented, unsalted, seasoning
djadan dried, smoked
fessiekh, Sudan various: Nile perch, tilapia, fermented, salted, seasoning for dishes, mixed
kejeick, Alestes species dried (fessiekh not with tomatoes for sauce
terkeen, dried, mindeshi is a
mindeshi paste)
guedge/geej Senegal various: mackerel, sea fermented, salted, seasoning
bream, skate dried
guedge The Gambia shad, sea snails dried, fermented, seasoning
smoked
lanhouin Benin, Togo Pseudotolithus fermented paste seasoning
senegalensis, cassava fish;
Scomboromerus tritor,
Spanish mackerel
ndagala Burundi Stolothrissa tanganicae, dried, no salt seasoning
Limnothrissa miodon
salanga Chad Alestes species, Nile perch fermented, unsalted seasoning
sali Senegal, dense-fleshed fish (white fermented, salted seasoning
Burkina Faso, carp, grosse dorade)
Togo, Congo,
Gabon
tambajang Senegal bonito fermented, salted, seasoning
dried
yeet Senegal marine mollusks fermented, dried seasoning

This is a main dish served along the Niger River.
2 unripe plantains, peeled and chopped (available at stores that sell

Hispanic foods and major supermarkets, or substitute green bananas)
1 tomato, chopped
2 bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
5-ounce piece smoked fish, skinned and deboned
1 pound crayfish or peeled shrimp/prawns
1 stock cube, crushed
1/2 cup palm oil (available from African stores)
Place plantains in a pot. Cover barely with water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add tomato, peppers, and smoked fish and simmer for 5–10 minutes,
until vegetables are softened.
Add crayfish, stock cube, and oil. Season to taste.
Simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the liquid is thick.
Serve hot, over staple.
Afang Soup
A soup made from afang (also called ukazi: Gnetum africanum, a type of green
usually gathered from the forest) leaves, with meat, seafood, and palm oil is
from southern coastal Nigeria, near the border with Cameroon, which is a major
center of the palm oil industry. Periwinkles are sea snails popular in Africa and
in some places in Europe, but virtually ignored in the United States. Substitute
your preferred shellfish.
2 cups stock (or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 2 cups hot water)

1 pound stewing beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 hot chili pepper, left whole (for mild soup) or chopped (for spicy
soup)
water as needed
salt to taste
3 pounds periwinkles (sea snails) or any shellfish, such as mussels
2 TBS lime juice
About 4 ounces dried fish, skin and bones removed, soaked and rinsed
in hot water (dried codfish slices are available in stores that sell
Caribbean and Hispanic foods; smaller whole dried fish, from Asian
stores)
2 pounds afang leaves (or substitute any other greens: kale or collard),
cleaned, stems removed, and torn into pieces or shredded
1 cup dried shrimps, crushed (available in Asian stores)
1 cup red palm oil (or canned palm soup base, available from stores
that sell African and Brazilian foods)
1 pound spinach, cleaned, stems removed, and torn into pieces or
shredded
Heat stock in a heavy pot to a simmer.

Add meat. Increase the heat to high and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Add onion and chili pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, bring a few cups of lightly salted water
to a boil.
Place the shellfish in the boiling water. Cover and cook for 2 or 3
minutes, or until the shells open. Remove and drain.
Remove the shellfish from their shells. If using periwinkles, you will
need a thick needle; discard the hard foot and shells.
Rinse the shellfish in cool water.
Drain, sprinkle with lime juice, and reserve.
Add the dried fish, afang leaves, dried shrimp, palm oil, and salt (taste
first if needed as the stock cube and dried fish are salty) to the
simmering beef.
Add more stock or water as needed to keep soup liquid.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the greens are almost tender.
Add the snails and spinach, and simmer for 3–5 minutes until spinach
has wilted.
Serve with fufu, or boiled mashed yams.

Both river and sea fish can be used for this recipe, or you can substitute imitation
crab or other meat.
2 cups coconut milk

2 TBS onion, minced
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili pepper
10 ounces prawns, crabmeat, fish, beef, or chicken, cut into bite-sized
pieces
6 ounces bulgur (cracked wheat)
Combine coconut milk, onion, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and prawns in a

pot.
Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Stir bulgur into the mixture and simmer for 15 minutes or more or
until prawns and bulgur are done.
Serve as main meal over cassava or millet porridge, or rice.
Groundnut Chop
This is a classic dish throughout western Africa, served often to guests. It allows
for many variations in the side dishes served, depending on the ingredients
available. These may include fresh or canned fruit, cooked vegetables, beans, or
whatever else is in season (see below).
2 TBS vegetable oil

2 onions, roughly chopped
1 chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 cups stock
3 TBS ground peanuts, or 2 TBS natural peanut butter
1 medium eggplant, roughly chopped
1 hard-boiled egg per person, peeled
1 serving cooked rice per person
Heat oil and fry the onions until translucent.

Add chicken and brown lightly on all sides.
Add tomatoes and stock; bring to a boil and simmer for 1/2 hour.
Mix peanuts with some of the stock, and add the peanut mixture to the
pot.
Once the stock has thickened, add eggplant. Simmer for 10 minutes or
until tender.
Add eggs and cook an additional 5 minutes or until heated through.
Ladle stew over rice in individual soup bowls.
Place side dishes in the center of the table for diners to help
themselves.
Any or all of the following may be used as side dishes:

sliced raw ripe pineapple
sliced ripe papaya
roasted whole peanuts
sliced orange
fried onions
sliced raw onions
sliced tomato
sliced fresh bananas
sliced fried bananas
grated coconut
grated fresh ginger
finely shredded hot red and green chilies

This is eaten as a main dish with the staple, or as a snack from street stands.
1 cup roasted skinless peanuts

1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 pounds beef, chicken, or other meat, cut into bite-size pieces
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
2 green or red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
Crush the peanuts into a fine powder (in mortar, or use a food
processor; be careful not to grind them into a paste).
Stir all spices into the peanut powder, mixing well.
Divide the peanut-spice mix between two bowls.
Roll the meat in one bowl of the peanut-spice mix, making sure the
meat is completely coated. Allow meat to marinate for 1 hour.
Skewer the meat on metal skewers alternating with onion, tomato, and
bell pepper chunks.
Broil under oven grill, or grill over hot coals, until meat is done.
Serve immediately with the second bowl of peanut-spice mix to
sprinkle on. (Do not use the mix that came into contact with the raw
meat.)

Beans substitute for meat in most families. This would be served for any meal,
including breakfast, with the staple.
2 cups dried black-eyed peas (cowpeas) or some other bean

1 TBS palm oil (or substitute vegetable oil)
1 TBS dried shrimp powder
1 tomato, peeled and chopped (or similar amount of canned tomatoes)
1 onion, chopped
oil for greasing
4 banana leaves and kitchen string for wrapping (or substitute 10 × 10
inch aluminum foil)
Cover black-eyed peas with boiling water and soak overnight.

Remove skins by rubbing, and discard. Drain.
Mash the peas in a food processor. Slowly add enough water to form a
smooth, thick paste. Add oil and blend.
Combine the dried shrimp, tomato, onion, and seasonings together and
mix well.
Add the mixture to the black-eyed peas and mix thoroughly.
Grease the banana leaves (or foil). Place 2 TBS of mixture in each
banana leaf/foil square. Fold over several times to make a sealed
rectangular packet. (Use string to close the banana leaf packets.)
Steam packets above boiling water for 30 minutes.
Check one for doneness with a toothpick or a sharp knife. The pudding
should have firmed up but still be moist, not gooey.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

This is a snack that can also be eaten as dessert from northeastern Nigeria.
1 pound millet flour (available from health food or specialty stores)

1/2 TBS mixed spices (powdered cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg)
1/2 cup cold water
2–4 TBS wheat flour
1 cup yogurt
Blend millet flour and spice mix.

Add sufficient water to make a firm paste. Knead for 10 minutes, or
place in food processor and process to a firm dough.
Allow dough to rest, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into eight parts, and form each part into a ball.
Roll each ball in wheat flour to avoid sticking.
Place, well separated, into an oiled steamer and steam for 15 minutes.
Serve in individual plates, ladling yogurt and honey on top.

This pudding can be eaten at any time of day as a snack, or as part of breakfast
or lunch. Ukwaka are traditionally wrapped and steamed in banana leaf.
2 very ripe to overripe plantains (or large bananas), mashed to a puree

3 TBS finely chopped onion
1 fresh hot chili (optional), finely chopped, or 1/4 tsp freshly ground
black pepper
1 cup water
1/2 cup polenta or very fine white cornmeal
1 TBS dried shrimps (from shops that sell Asian foods), finely ground
4 sheets, 10 × 10 inches, banana leaf (from stores that sell Asian
foods), passed through hot water to make them pliable, or aluminum
foil
Kitchen twine for tying
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients until well blended.
Divide mixture into 4; spoon onto the center of the banana leaf.
Enclose mixture securely, folding the edges of the leaf around it like a
rectangular parcel. Bind with twine. Aluminum foil is the simpler
option.
Place wrapped parcels to steam in a double boiler, or over a rack
placed over a large pan of boiling water and covered.
Steam for 30–45 minutes. Let ukwaka cool slightly, then serve warm
or at room temperature.

Chin chin are well-loved fritters eaten as snacks.
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
oil for frying
powdered sugar, or a mix of 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 cup granulated
In a large bowl, mix well the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and
sugar.
Stir in the egg, milk, and butter to make a soft dough. Let rest,
covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch-thick
rectangle.
Slice dough crosswise and then lengthwise to make 1-inch squares.
Cover squares with a clean kitchen towel to prevent drying.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat up oil to 3/4-inch depth.
Fry a few fritters at a time, turning them to evenly color. Drain on
paper towels.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar or nutmeg sugar. Serve at once, or on
the same day.
Norway
Until a century ago, Norway was ruled by Sweden. Currently a constitutional

monarchy, it enjoys a high standard of living due to oil revenues and even
distribution of wealth by a welfare state system. The country is mountainous,
and much of the interior is heavily forested. With a cool, temperate climate,
farmers raise vegetables, cold-hardy grains (barley, rye, and wheat), and dairy
animals. Norwegian food resembles that of Sweden and Denmark, characterized
by a high consumption of dairy products and marine products, including cod,
herring, and whale.
FOODSTUFFS
• Various grains (barley, oats, wheat, and rye predominating) for
making breads, cakes, and porridge, which until the modern era was
the major staple.
• Various forms of bread, notably lefse, a flat crisp or soft bread of
wheat, oats, or rye. Soft lefse often contain cream.
• Dairy: cow and ewe milk, butter and cheeses, notably a sweet goat’s
cheese called gjetost.
• Meat: beef, pork, mutton, chicken; venison (moose, elk, and
reindeer) in the north are common items of diet.
• Fish is crucial to much of the diet. Herring, cod, and particularly
mackerel in the summer; crayfish; salmon (laks), both cooked and
smoked.
• Vegetables: potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions.
• Fruit: apples, cherries, berries.
• Seasonings: dill, sour cream, pepper, mustard, allspice, bay leaf,
cardamom (in baked goods), curry powder (contemporary).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Pizza. Norwegians are the world’s champion pizza eaters. The
population of 4.6 million people ate fifty million pizzas in 2004.
• Lutefisk, cooked, spiced codfish (the favorite pre-Christmas dish);
spekemat, cooked pork or lamb meat accompanied by sour cream;
smalahove, boiled sheep’s head.
• Meat cakes, lamb and cabbage stew, potato dumplings, dried mutton
ribs, and fresh cod.
• Kvitsøyball (mackerel cakes) and Kristiansundball (saithe cakes),
fried mackerel.
• Moltekrem, cloudberries with whipped cream and rosemary
flavoring; ginger snaps, doughnuts, cones and other traditional cakes
and cookies for Christmas; rice cream with red fruit sauce for
Christmas dinner dessert.
Cloudberry.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: gjetost and pickled herring with lefse.
• Lunch: often little more than a snack. Many people eat sandwiches
with eggs, cheese, vegetables, or preserved meat of some sort.
• Dinner: major meal of the day, with appetizer, main dish of fish
(meat is eaten less), carbohydrates and vegetables, and a dessert.
• Cakes and cookies, as well as snacks of cheese and hard lefse are
eaten at midmorning and mid-afternoon.
• Drinks include milk and coffee. Many meals are washed down with
fresh or sour milk. Norwegians as a whole tend to drink little alcohol.
? Did you know?

The most pizza eaten per capita was recorded in Norway in 2004—almost
12 pounds of pizza per capita.
This is a standard everyday meal more popular than meat. There are different
styles depending on the region. It is normally served on a shell-shaped pastry,
either bought or homemade, surrounded with cold peeled shrimps and cooked
asparagus.
1 pound any firm white fish (cod, pollock)

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
3 TBS flour
salt to taste
3 cups fish stock (or 3 cubes fish stock dissolved in 3 cups hot water),
for cooking
garnish: 1 cup peeled small cooked shrimp, 1 cup boiled asparagus tips
(optional)
for serving: 4 vol-au-vent shells or shell-shaped pastry (optional)
Mix all ingredients except stock in a food processor until smooth.

Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Bring the fish stock to a simmer.
Prepare the balls. With hands moistened in water, take one large
spoonful of the mix and roll between your palms to shape into cherry-
sized balls.
Slide each ball into the simmering stock. Cook only a few at a time for
The balls are done when they are firm. Remove and drain.
Serve with curry-flavored sauce in a pastry shell with shrimps and
asparagus, if desired.
Accompanying side dishes can be cooked vegetables or fried or
roasted potatoes.
Sauce
stock from cooking fish balls
2 ounces butter
2 ounces flour
Strain the stock.

Heat butter in a pot. Sprinkle with flour and stir constantly while the
roux cooks to pale gold.
Add stock, 1 TBS at a time until a thick sauce forms, whisking
constantly. Add the rest of the stock, while continuing to whisk.
Remove from fire and stir in curry powder.
Pour over fishballs.

This is a traditional dish always served on Christmas breakfast.
4 whole salted herrings (available from delicatessens)

3 large onions, sliced into thin rings
1 TBS peppercorns
1 TBS mustard seeds
8 cloves
5 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 cup 7 percent vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups cold water
Soak the herrings in water for 1–2 hours, rinse, fillet, pat dry, and cut
in 1/2-inch strips.
In a covered nonreactive container, mix the onions and spices with the
herring.
Mix the vinegar, sugar, and cold water, and stir until the sugar has
dissolved.
Cover the herring with the vinegar marinade and leave for at least 1
day.
Serve, along with the onion rings, with rye bread or Swedish crackers
to make open sandwiches.

Sodd is a specialty of Trøndelag (southern Norway). It is always made with
several different kinds of meat.
2 pounds mixed, boneless meat (beef, pork, and mutton), cut into bite-
sized pieces
3 pints water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp peppercorns
1-inch piece fresh or dried ginger root
1 tsp chopped onion
2 cups carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups turnips, peeled and diced
2 cups cabbage, diced
1/2 pound ground meat (chicken, turkey, or pork) seasoned with salt,
pepper, or
nutmeg, as desired, for meatballs
Simmer the meat in water, salt, peppercorns, and ginger until tender
(60–90 minutes).
Remove meat and arrange on a serving dish. Strain stock and return to
pot.
Add vegetables to stock and simmer until tender.
Meantime, form the ground meat into marble-sized balls and simmer
in the stock with the vegetables for about 5 minutes.
Pour some of the cooking liquid over the meat. Serve with boiled
potatoes and flat bread, accompanied by the soup and meatballs.

This roast would normally be made from venison (moose or elk), but it can also
be made from beef or other meat.
2 TBS butter
2 TBS vegetable oil
4 pounds beef (round, rump, or chuck roast)
2 sliced onions
3 TBS flour
3 TBS dark molasses
4 TBS white vinegar
2 cups beef stock (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups water)
1 tsp whole peppercorns
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half

In a heavy 6-quart iron pot or ovenproof casserole, melt butter and oil.
When the foam subsides, add meat and brown on all sides.
Remove the meat and reserve.
Add onions to the pot and sauté until golden.
Remove the pot from heat; add flour and stir to mix thoroughly with
the fat.
Pour in the molasses, vinegar, stock, peppercorns, and black pepper.
Return the meat to the pot, and add stock.
Place the pot in the center of the oven. Bake at very low heat so that
the liquid barely simmers, for about 3 hours or until the meat is tender.
Transfer meat to a warmed serving dish, discard any bones, and cover
lightly with foil to keep warm.
Skim any surface fat from the cooking stock.
Stir in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Slice the meat and serve with potato dumplings, boiled carrots and
peas, and the gravy.

Potatoes are a major source of carbohydrates. Together with barley, they have
been staples of the Norwegian diet for centuries. These potato dumplings are a
typical countryside dish which would have been eaten frequently by the poor
before Norway’s modern prosperity.
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and grated

1/2 pound barley flour
1/2 pound boiled potatoes, peeled and mashed
salt to taste
3 quarts boiling salted water
Mix grated potato with flour immediately before the potatoes oxidize
(turn brown).
Mix with mashed potato and season.
With moistened hands, roll the potato mixture into balls.
Drop a few at a time into simmering salted water in a wide pot, and
cook for approximately 30 minutes. Do not crowd the dumplings.
Drain and keep warm while cooking the remaining balls.
Flour Dumplings
These dumplings are a simple dessert.

1 1/2 TBS sugar
4 ounces flour
2 eggs, beaten
pinch of nutmeg
Bring the cream and sugar to a boil.

Add flour and cook stirring until the mixture comes away from the
edges of the pan.
Remove the pan from heat and add eggs a little at a time, mixing well
until fully absorbed.
Add nutmeg to taste.
Shape into small dumplings.
Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes at least or until needed.
Creamed Rice
This dish is often served as a dessert at Christmas dinner.
2 1/2 cups milk

1 cup risotto or short-grain rice, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup cream
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
cooked red berries or jam
Heat milk and pour in rice in a steady stream.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until rice is soft, about 15–20
minutes.
Whip cream with sugar and vanilla sugar.
Remove porridge from heat and mix gently but thoroughly with cream.
Serve with cooked red berries (cranberry, strawberry, or other) or jam.

This is a classic pastry made for Christmas, and, at other times, is also a frequent
accompaniment to coffee.
2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped almonds or almond flakes
1/2 cup currants or raisins
Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 × 8 inch baking pan with parchment.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; mix in well
the cardamom and eggs, beating well after each added egg.
Blend in the flour mixture; transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
Smooth the surface and sprinkle with almonds and currants, pressing
them down lightly.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden and cake tests done.
Let cake cool completely in pan. Slice into small squares or diamonds
to serve.

This cake is a well-loved dessert. Choose eating apples, not cooking ones, for
this, so that the slices retain their shape.
4 apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

2 TBS sugar
4 TBS water
2 TBS butter, diced (optional)
Topping
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup almonds, finely ground
In a microwaveable bowl, place apples and stir in sugar and water;
microwave on full power (650–800 watts) for 2 minutes, until apples
are slightly softened.
Place apples and syrup on one layer in a 9-inch baking dish; dot with
butter.
In a medium bowl, beat the yolks well and stir in the almonds.
In another bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks, gradually add the
sugar, continuing to whip until the mixture is stiff but still glossy.
Fold egg white mixture into the yolk and almond mixture.
Spoon over the apples; bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden.
Allow to cool on cake rack. Serve.
O
Oman
A small country on the eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula, Oman is a dry,
hot desert. Dates are the most widely grown crop. For many centuries, Oman
controlled large swathes of the eastern African coast, where they traded for
slaves, ivory, and gold. The people and cuisine reflect this maritime and trade
history; Omani cuisine reflects more Asian influences than other Middle Eastern
cuisines.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice and breads of wheat flour are the popular staples.
• Meat: camel is preferred above all; goat, lamb, beef also consumed.
• Seafood of all kinds is very common along the coast.
• Fruit: many varieties of dates, both rutub (fresh) and dried (sih), are
eaten, fresh preferred, at almost every meal. Mangoes are consumed in
great quantities; also apples, oranges, bananas.
• Dairy: sehman, fresh butter clarified by boiling with flour and spices
(cumin, coriander); laban (buttermilk). The preferred drink is camel
milk, drunk fresh with sugar and wild thyme.
• Spices are used liberally: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper,
onions, garlic, ginger, and dried lime.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice dishes include plain steamed rice flavored with ghee, and
elaborate biryanis and pilafs: ruz al mudhroub, a dish of rice with fried
fish and maqdeed (dried meat); arisia, lamb cooked with rice;
mekboos, boiled meat with rice pilaf.
• Muqalab, tripe and duck flavored with ground and crushed spices;
skewered meats (kebabs); mukalai, meat stew spiced with garlic and
black pepper and served over paper-thin dry bread; dijajkhasoosi
(stewed chicken); ras ghanam mahalby, boiled head of goat with fresh
soup and flat bread.
• During Ramadan: sakhanka, a thick sweet soup made of wheat, date
molasses, and milk; fatta, a meat and vegetable dish mixed with
unleavened bread (khubz rakhal).
• Shuwa or tanour: a special dish for Eid-al-Fitr at the end of
Ramadan, which a whole community shares. Meat (sometimes a whole
cow or goat) is marinated in spices (cardamom, cumin, cloves,
cinnamon, garlic, pepper, and dried lime) and date paste. Wrapped in
banana leaves and sacking, it is buried in a pit oven lined with hot
charcoal, and allowed to cook for 48 hours.
• A variety of vegetable and meat soups of lentils, lamb, chicken.
• Salads made from fresh vegetables, grilled eggplant, tuna, dried fish,
and greens.
• Many kinds of breads: plain, and flavored with sesame, wild thyme
and garlic, dates.
• Samboosa, small vegetable and meat pies; loqamatt, small doughnuts
dipped in honey.
• Halwa, made from sugar and spices and flavored with sesame seeds
or almonds.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals a day and plenty of snacks is standard, but more and more
people are eating three times a day.
• Soups (drunk from glass tumblers) and a main course—vegetable
curry; barbecued, grilled, curried meats, chicken, and fish—with salad
and bread make up the main meal.
• Breakfast: bread dipped in laban (buttermilk) or sometimes a full
meal with rice. Every breakfast and almost all other meals include
dates, laban, and loqamatt.
Lamb and Date Stew

Dates are so important that they feature in most meals and many dishes (see
sidebar “Dates,” below).
1 tsp crushed dried red pepper

1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
2 pounds boneless leg of lamb (or beef), cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups beef stock (or 1 1/2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 3 cups hot
water)
1 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS cold water
1 cup of pitted dates
cooked white rice for 4
1/4 cup of toasted slivered almonds (optional)
In a mixing bowl combine the spices and salt.

Coat meat with the seasoning mixture.
In a large, heavy skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Quickly
brown the meat.
Add onions and garlic, and stir to combine. Pour the stock over all.
Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on the lowest heat for a couple of
hours or until the meat is tender. Skim fat from the surface.
Stir cornstarch into cold water; add to meat in the pan and stir.
Add dates and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for another 15
minutes or till mixture is slightly thick.
Serve hot over white rice, and garnish with toasted almonds.
DATES
Dates are the fruit of a palm, Phoenix dactylifera, originating in the Middle
East. The fruit—cylindrical in shape, about 1–3 inches long in colors
ranging from yellow to deep brown—ripens in four stages. There are three
general types of dates: moist, semidry, and dry, which vary in their sugar
content and properties. The moist varieties do not travel well and the best
types are rarely seen outside their native habitats.
Dates are eaten raw or cooked. Dried dates can be preserved for
lengthy periods as long as they are protected from pests, and as a result
have been a major storage crop in the Middle East. As the yield is high, and
the energy content of the fruit excellent, they have served as a staple for
Middle Eastern nomads, who in some cases subsist largely on dates and the
product of their herds.
Omani mashed dates (temir) (Eric Nathan/arabianEye/Corbis)

In Oman, a special local dried fish called o’al is used, but this is rarely available
in the United States.
1/2 pound dried fish (substitute dried codfish, available in stores that
sell Hispanic foods, or 1 can of tuna, drained)
4 cups onions, thinly sliced
3 rounded TBS of salt
2 TBS melted butter
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
1 TBS ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper powder
1 TBS slightly crushed za’atar (wild hyssop) leaves (or substitute
oregano)
cooked white rice for 4
Soak the fish in fresh water for 1 hour. (If using tuna, skip this step.)
Replace the water and simmer with turmeric powder until tender.
Drain. Flake fish flesh and discard bones (or mix flaked tuna meat
with turmeric). Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.
Place onions in a bowl, salt well, and mix thoroughly.
Place the bowl outside in direct sunlight on a hot day and leave for at
least an hour. (Or parch in a low oven on a cookie sheet for 1 hour.)
Wash the onions thoroughly in fresh water, squeezing them gently.
Drain. Repeat twice.
Add fish and the rest of the ingredients to the onions.
Season to taste.
Serve immediately over hot cooked white rice.

This noodle dish is popular for breakfast.
1/2 cup onion, finely minced

4 TBS butter
3 eggs
2 cups of dry, uncooked swayweih noodles (available from stores that
sell Middle Eastern foods, or substitute very fine Italian vermicelli,
broken into 2-inch pieces)
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup sugar
1 TBS cardamom powder
6 saffron threads, soaked in 1 tsp water for 5 minutes
In a large frying pan, sauté onion in 2 TBS butter until light brown.
Remove from the pan and reserve.
Scramble eggs in the sauté pan, stirring constantly. Remove from heat
and reserve.
In a separate saucepan, bring water to boil and add the vermicelli.
Cook until the vermicelli is al dente. (Be careful as it cooks very
quickly.)
Remove from heat and run quickly under cold water. Drain.
To the eggs in the pan, add coconut, sugar, cardamom, saffron,
reserved onions, the remaining butter, and the vermicelli.
Return to medium-low heat and cook while stirring for 2–3 minutes
until heated through.
Serve warm.

This porridge is served with coffee or tea as a snack.
3/4 cup khabeesa (farina, cream of wheat)

5 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 TBS butter
2 TBS rose water
10 saffron threads
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat immediately to the lowest possible and simmer for 10
minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve warm in individual bowls.

This is a special dish for the Eid-al-Fitr festival, celebrating the end of the
month-long feast of Ramadan. The celebration often involves the whole
community.
2 pounds roasting meat (beef, mutton, lamb) with bone
1 TBS cumin powder
1 TBS powdered cloves
5 garlic cloves, crushed and minced fine
1 tsp chili pepper
1 tsp dried lime powder (available from stores that sell Middle Eastern
foods, or substitute equivalent grated lime rind)
1/2 cup date paste (available from stores that sell Middle Eastern
foods, sometimes called date jam)
6 banana leaves (substitute white or Savoy cabbage or collards)
1 clean, new Hessian sack (or substitute lidded, thick Dutch oven)
Prepare an earth oven (see New Zealand entry for the sidebar
“Polynesian Earth Oven,” p. 976) or a Dutch oven.
Mix all spices, garlic, and date paste thoroughly.
Rub spice mixture into meat, being careful to cover all parts.
Allow meat to marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight in refrigerator.
Wrap meat in several layers of banana leaves. Secure leaves with
kitchen string.
Moisten sack lightly. Place leaf-wrapped meat in sack.
Place in earth oven, cover, and allow to bake for 24 hours.
Alternatively, place roast in Dutch oven, seal, and bake for 12 hours at
275°F.
Serve hot with a rice dish and flat bread.

Sweets are often enjoyed with tea, and are a regular feature during festivals and
special occasions.
Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3–4 cloves, or 1 stick cinnamon, broken into small pieces (optional)
Cake
1/2 cup fine semolina or cream of wheat (khabeesa)
1 cup flour
2 TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups grated coconut, fresh or frozen and thawed
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 × 10 inch baking pan.

Prepare the syrup: in a microwaveable bowl with cover, put sugar,
water, and cloves. Microwave on low for 2 minutes, until sugar is
dissolved. Set aside to allow cloves to infuse, and allow to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the semolina, flour, baking powder, and
salt; set aside.
In a larger bowl, beat the eggs until very light, mix in sugar, milk, and
vanilla, beating well.
Blend in the flour mixture and mix until all is incorporated.
Fold in the coconut. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and bake for 30–
Pierce the cake in several places with a skewer or fork, and pour the
syrup slowly over it.
Allow to cool completely, then slice into small squares to serve.

Coconuts are a popular feature in Omani desserts. Coconut palms are extensively
planted in the Dhofar region.
4 cups grated coconut, fresh or frozen and thawed

1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
grated rind of 1 lemon (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
14-ounce can condensed sweetened milk
Heat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the coconut, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon rind,
salt, and baking powder.
Stir in the condensed milk and butter, and mix well.
Drop by spoonfuls spaced evenly apart on the parchment; bake for 15–
20 minutes or until just starting to color at the bottom edges.
Let cool in the oven, with the door ajar. Serve with tea or coffee.
Tea (Chai)
In most Omani homes, a cup of tea is essential for breakfast and is always served
to guests.
4 cups water
4 TBS sugar
4 TBS tea leaves or 4 tea bags
1 TBS powdered ginger
3/4 cup unsweetened evaporated milk
Boil water with sugar and tea over high heat for 2–3 minutes.
Add the ginger and milk.
Bring to a boil again.
Immediately remove from heat before tea boils over.
Strain into cups and serve.
P
Pakistan
Pakistan, a South Asian country between India, Iran, and Afghanistan, comprises
most of the Muslim provinces that had belonged to British (colonial) India.
Broad plains and mountains in the east, rising to the Himalayas in the north,
grow a range of temperate and tropical crops.
Several ethnic groups—Sindi, Pathan, Baluch, Punjabis, and many more—
make up the population. Most are farmers; some, in the southwestern deserts, are
nomads. Pakistani food is similar to northern Indian food, though the Afghan
and Iranian influence is far greater. Pork is not eaten and alcohol is forbidden, as
virtually the entire population is Muslim.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, flat breads (many types generically called nan).
• Lamb, goat, beef, dairy products (yogurt, curd cheese).
• Eggplant, pumpkin, okra, bitter melon, gourds, benas, tomatoes,
cucumbers, onions.
• Apricot, peach, plum, apple, melon, grape, banana, mango.
• Seasonings: curry spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric), garam masala
spice mix, chili pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Grilled or barbecued meats (kebab).
• Stews or curries of meat and vegetables (aloo gosht is stewed meat
and potatoes).
• Sweets: milk based, flour based, and fruit or nut based.
• Drinks: sweet lassi (yogurt drink) with mango; salty lassi with
cucumber.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: nihari (stewed beef) or eggs, flat bread (nan or paratha),
mango, milky sweet tea; puri (fried flat bread), curried potato or
chickpeas, sweet semolina porridge with yogurt.
• Lunch: rice or flat bread, meat and vegetable curry, sweet or salty
lassi.
• Dinner: rice or flat bread, grilled lamb kebabs, vegetable curry, ras
goolay.
• Snacks: vegetable fritters, flat bread, sweet pastries.
SPICE MIXTURES
Spice mixtures are used in cuisines across the world. They are structured to
enhance the qualities of any spice by the addition of others, to soften
accents, and to provide more complex flavors. They also, in the modern
world, make it easier on the cook. Some well-known spice mixtures are
baharat (Turkey and the Persian Gulf), berberé (Horn of Africa), five spice
powder (China), curry powder (South Africa and the United Kingdom,
other Indian-influenced cuisines), garam masala (India), jerk (Jamaica),
khmeli-suneli (Georgia and Georgian-influenced areas such as the former
USSR), quatre épices (France), ras el hanout (Morocco), shichimi
togarashi (Japan), and za’atar (Levant). These often contain either pepper
or chili powder, or both, and various aromatic spices peculiar to the area.
There are numerous local, regional, and home variants on basic themes.
Spice mixtures are used in the preparation of sauces, as condiments on
their own, to flavor dishes such as roasts and stews. Quite often specific
spice mixtures are considered culinary secrets and their precise makeup not
disclosed to outsiders. Some characteristic spice mixture bases include
cinnamon-chili-coriander (Morocco); turmeric-cumin-fenugreek (India);
chili–mountain ash (China, Japan, Tibet); allspice-chili (Caribbean).
Meatballs (Koftay)
These meatballs are popularly made at home as well as sold at street or market
stalls. Serve with rice, chutney, and a salad for an evening meal.
Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala spice mix
1 onion, minced
1 slice bread, soaked in 1/4 cup milk or water to soften
1 TBS yogurt

Shape into walnut-sized balls. Refrigerate while making the sauce.
Sauce
3 TBS oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup yogurt
2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; fry onion until golden
brown.
Remove from oil and set aside.
Stir the salt, turmeric, coriander, and ginger into the pan.
Add yogurt and water; let come to a boil.
Crumble fried onions into boiling sauce.
Add meatballs, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until done, about 25–
30 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Nihari is a dish that requires long, slow cooking for best flavor. It is much
appreciated for dinner but also welcomed at breakfast, when it is eaten with flat
bread. A special kind of flat bread called sheer mal, which is slightly sweet with
a waffle-like lattice design, is considered the best accompaniment for nihari.
Other accompaniments are sliced lemons and fried onions. The large amount of
oil is necessary for the right consistency. Ingredients such as the gram flour and
green cardamom pods are available from stores that sell Indian or South Asian
foods.
1 cup oil
2 onions, finely sliced
2 pounds goat meat or beef, cubed
5 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks, each about 1 inch long
5 cardamom pods
1 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste
2/3 cup plain yogurt, drained overnight
3 cups water
2 tsp flour
2 tsp gram flour
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cardamom seeds or cardamom powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
green chilies, ginger, and cilantro to garnish
Heat half the oil in a heavy saucepan; fry half the onions until dark
golden.
Add meat, rest of the onions, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, and
cardamom pods.
When the meat mixture has absorbed all the liquid (from the onions),
add coriander, red chilies, salt, and turmeric powder.
Add garlic and grated ginger to cooking meat and stir in well.
Add drained yogurt and stir. Cook until well absorbed. Add the water
and simmer for 1 hour or more until the meat is tender.
Remove meat from the pan and set aside. Strain the broth and reserve.
Clean the pan used for cooking the meat, and heat the remaining oil.
Make a paste by sprinkling the flour and gram flour over the oil,
stirring constantly. Add a few tablespoons of the broth one tablespoon
at a time, whisking or stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed.
Add the rest of the broth, then the meat. Season to taste with garam
masala, cardamom, and nutmeg; add salt if necessary.
Cook for 8–10 minutes, until gravy is thickened to your liking,
Remove from heat and serve with a garnish of fresh thinly sliced green
chilies, ginger, and cilantro.
Serve with nan.

This dish has a relatively recent history but has become a very popular dish for
lunch or dinner. Serve with rice.
5 TBS oil
2 large onions (1 chopped, 1 sliced finely)
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
4 large tomatoes (2 finely chopped, 2 sliced into wedges)
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cubed
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into eighths
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into eighths
1/4 tsp garam masala spice mix
salt to taste
Heat 3 TBS oil at medium heat in a wok.

Stir fry chopped onions until softened.
Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriander, frying for a few minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes; stir, cover wok and cook until tomatoes have
softened.
Stir in chicken, mixing thoroughly; add salt to taste.
Let chicken cook for 10–15 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, prepare accompanying vegetables.
Heat 2 TBS oil in another pan over medium-high heat.
Briskly stir fry sliced onions, tomatoes, and peppers.
Sprinkle garam masala and a little salt over vegetables.
Do not overcook vegetables; turn off heat.
Quickly stir vegetables into chicken. Mix thoroughly.
Serve at once over rice.
Eggplants are a common vegetable. Here they are roasted for a smoky flavor.
Serve this dish with rice and a meat curry.
2 large whole eggplants, including stalks

4 TBS oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
1 cup yogurt
1 green chili, cored, seeded, shredded (optional)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
juice from 1 lime or 1/2 lemon
salt to taste
In a hot oven (400°F), roast the whole eggplants on a cookie sheet for
about 30–45 minutes until the skins wrinkle and eggplant collapses in
on itself.
When slightly cooled, slice eggplant lengthwise and scoop out flesh
with a spoon. Chop flesh.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok over low heat.
Stir in cumin, chili powder, and turmeric, frying for a few seconds.
Add onions and stir fry until softened.
Stir in eggplant. Increase heat to medium high and fry for a few
minutes.
Add yogurt (and green chili if desired) and continue stir frying until
the mixture is dry.
Turn off heat.
Stir in mint leaves and citrus juice, and adjust seasoning.
Serve warm over rice or with nan.

Aloo tiki are spiced cutlets for a snack or appetizer. Serve with a hot or cold
drink.
4–5 potatoes, about 1–1 1/2 pounds, boiled, peeled, and coarsely
mashed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 red chili pepper, finely chopped
(optional)
1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste
2–3 stalks green onion, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
4 TBS sweet peas, fresh, or frozen and thawed (optional)
4 TBS cornstarch
oil for frying
In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, cumin, pepper if using, salt,

onion, cilantro, and sweet peas.
With cornstarch-dusted hands, shape mixture into plum-sized balls and
flatten slightly into ovals about 1 inch thick. Finely coat cutlets with a
sprinkling of cornstarch.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2–3 TBS of oil (there should
be just a thin film on the pan).
Fry 2–3 cutlets at a time, till golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Rich and sweet milk-based confections are popular as snacks and desserts. The
traditional method of making this dish is with whole milk boiled until reduced to
the consistency of molasses. After meals, a betel nut with a tobacco paste
mixture called pan is traditionally chewed.
2 cups ricotta, blended till smooth in blender or food processor (or

mascarpone)
2 TBS rice flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 or more cups water
1/2 cup pistachios, peeled and chopped, for garnish
Place ricotta or mascarpone in a colander or sieve, lined with a clean

cheesecloth. Set inside a bowl to drain and place in the refrigerator for
about 2 hours.
Mix rice flour well into drained cheese.
Roll cheese mixture into 1-to 2-inch balls. Place in the refrigerator to
chill.
Fill a pot with about 3 inches water.
Add sugar and simmer to make a light syrup.
When syrup boils, gently slip in cheese balls.
Cook only a few at a time, so that they do not stick.
Keep syrup just simmering.
If syrup becomes too thick, add a bit of hot water.
Let balls simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Serve cold with some syrup poured on top. Sprinkle each serving with
chopped pistachios.

Shahi tukda, also called shahi tukra, is a very popular dessert traditionally
featuring bread, thick cream, cardamom, saffron, and nuts. This much-modified
version uses toasted instead of fried bread and cinnamon to replace pricey
saffron.
8 slices sandwich or loaf bread, crusts removed and sliced diagonally

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste
1 cup milk
seeds of 2–4 cardamom pods, finely crushed, or 1/4 tsp cardamom
powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cream
additional 2 TBS butter, diced, for sprinkling (optional)
3 TBS light brown sugar for sprinkling (optional)
4 TBS slivered or chopped unsalted nuts: blanched almonds or
cashews
Toast the bread till golden; butter them on both sides, sprinkle with
cinnamon, and place in one layer in the prepared pan.
In a microwaveable bowl with cover, place the milk and crushed
cardamom seeds. Microwave on high (650 watts) for 1 minute; pour
over bread and let soak completely.
In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cream and pour over the bread.
Sprinkle with butter and brown sugar, if using, and the nuts; bake for
15–20 minutes or until golden.
Serve hot.
Palau
Palau is an island country comprised of over three hundred islands, of which

nine are inhabited, totaling 189 square miles in Micronesia (not to be confused
with the country called Federated States of Micronesia). It has a maritime
tropical climate. Colonized by Spain and Germany in the late nineteenth century,
it was annexed by Japan in the early twentieth century but gained its
independence in 1994. It has a special agreement with the United States for its
defense, and its official currency is the U.S. dollar. Palauans are a mix of
Micronesians, Melanesians, and Austronesians, with minorities of Japanese and
Filipinos. The official languages are Palauan, English, and several island
languages. Most are Christians; some are believers in a syncretic Christian-
indigenous religion.
Palauan cooking reflects its multicultural population: the underlying
traditional South Pacific ways of cooking locally available foodstuffs are
influenced by introductions from Japanese, Philippine, American, and other food
cultures. Subsistence farming in home gardens and fishing alone cannot supply
all of the country’s food demands, and there is a great reliance on imported
processed foods, which are shipped mainly from Guam and the United States.
FOODSTUFFS
• As with other Pacific Island food cultures, traditional staples are
coconut, fish and other sea food, and root vegetables, such as true taro
(Colocasia esculenta), giant swamp taro (Cyrtosperma chamissionis),
yam (Dioscorea species), cassava, and sweet potato.
• Fruits comprise a diverse variety: mango, papaya, guava, jackfruit,
breadfruit, star fruit, dragon fruit, passion fruit, mangosteen, rambutan,
soursop, watermelon.
• Beans, eggplant, squash, cucumber are grown in home gardens.
• As an island nation, fish and seafood feature prominently in daily
foods, as well as pork, chicken, and other meats. Local wildlife, such
as pigeons are also eaten; the fruit bat has become such a tourist
culinary attraction that it is now an endangered species.
• Fish and sea food: rabbitfish, unicorn fish, parrotfish are the
preferred species; skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna; milkfish (farm-
raised); mackerel; mud or mangrove crab (Scylla serrata); giant clam
(Tridacna derasa); eel; and other reef fish; sea turtle is prized for its
meat, but more so for its valuable shell.
• Flavorings: onion, garlic, ginger, titiml (hog plum; Spondias pinnata)
leaves.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Charcoal-grilled fish and shellfish; sea turtle or fish cooked in
coconut cream; Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), a highly
regarded fish, simmered in a woven basket; land crab in coconut cream
(ukaeb); fish soup flavored with titiml leaves (beldaki); boiled
stingray.
• Rice and pork; fruitbat soup with or without coconut milk; pumpkin
soup with coconut milk; beef steamed in titiml leaves.
• Vegetable dishes: sautéed kangkum (water spinach); fried papaya,
diverse root and other vegetables cooked in coconut cream.
• Drinks: coconut water, fruit juices, bottled soft drinks, fermented
palm toddy, imported beer.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditionally, two meals a day and snacks throughout the day.
Contemporary meals in urban areas are more time-bound, especially
for those employed in offices and business.
• Breakfast: rice or bread, preserved or dried fish, fresh fruit.
• Lunch: rice or other starchy vegetable (sweet potato, taro), fish or
vegetable dish in coconut cream.
• Dinner: rice or other starchy vegetable, fish or meat and/or
vegetables.
• Snacks: fresh fruits, steamed or roasted sweet potato or taro or
banana with coconut cream, fried sweet potato or banana.

Squash is a locally grown vegetable, often cooked in braised or stir-fried dishes
or soups.
1 pound squash, butternut, or kabocha type, peeled, seeds removed,

and cubed
2 TBS oil
2 TBS finely grated ginger
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth, or water
1 cup coconut cream or half-and-half
2–3 stalks green onion, finely chopped for garnish
In a microwaveable dish, microwave squash with 1/4 cup water,

covered, for 2 minutes at full power.
Take out and pierce with a fork; if it can be easily pierced through, it is
sufficiently tender. Microwave for another 1 or more minutes, as
needed, until done. Mash the squash with a fork or potato masher.
ginger until aromatic and softened, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the squash, salt, pepper, and the broth; bring to a boil, then
lower heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the coconut cream and simmer another 5 minutes more.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To serve: garnish with green onion.

Taro is a popular ingredient in many dishes, both savory and sweet. Its leaves
and stalks are widely used as green vegetables. Cooking fresh taro leaves in a
pressure cooker may shorten the time to tenderize them. The original recipe uses
real crab meat and stock made from the crab shells.
1 pound fresh or 1/2 pound dried taro leaves (available at stores that
sell Asian foods); substitute kale or spinach, sliced into bite-sized
pieces
2 TBS oil
2 TBS freshly grated ginger
2 cups shellfish, fish, or vegetable stock, or water
1/2 tsp salt
12 sticks imitation crab legs
In a saucepan over medium heat, place the taro leaves with water to
cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, or until
tender. Set aside.
If using a pressure cooker, follow manufacturer’s directions. These
directions are for a pressure cooker with a pressure valve and a steam
vent. Place the taro leaves with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over
medium heat. Set the pressure valve over the steam vent; reduce heat
to low, so that the cooker hisses only occasionally. Set timer to 30
minutes. Turn off heat, do not remove pressure valve until cooker is
completely cool. Place cooker under cold water to rapidly cool down.
After 10 minutes, lift out pressure valve and wait until all the steam is
released.
ginger until softened.
Stir in the tender taro leaves, stock, and coconut cream, and bring to a
boil.
Reduce heat to low, simmer for 10–15 minutes until soup is slightly
thickened.
Taste and season as needed.
To serve, place 2 crab legs per soup bowl, top with hot soup.
Taro Patties
This is a popular accompaniment to meat or fish dishes, or a savory snack on its
own. Purple-fleshed taro is the preferred type, but any kind will do. Sweet
potatoes or cassava may replace taro.
4 medium taro, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and grated (use plastic
disposable gloves when handling the taro; the skin and raw flesh may
cause itching in some people)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
In a bowl, mix all the ingredients and form into plum-sized balls.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat 3–4 TBS of oil.
Place 2–3 balls, widely spaced in the pan; press down to slightly
flatten the patties.
Fry until golden on both sides; drain on paper towels.
Serve warm.
Steamed Clams
All kinds of fish and shellfish regularly feature on Palau tables. The giant clam,
Tridacna species, is a highly sought after shellfish, but smaller ones are also
very much appreciated. Titiml leaves are used in many Palau dishes for their
aromatic sour flavor, replaced in this recipe by basil. Titiml fruits (called
mombins or hog plums) are sweet and sour, made into popular drinks, and are
also eaten fresh.
2 pounds clams in their shell

grated rind and juice of 1 lime
3–5 stalks fresh titiml leaves, or substitute Thai, holy, or other type of
basil leaves
1 lemon, sliced into eighths
Before cooking, soak clams in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes

to draw out any sand. Discard clams whose shells are open: they are no
longer fresh.
In the upper pan of a double boiler, place clams with lime rind and half
of the basil leaves.
Over medium heat, bring 4 cups of water in the lower pan and bring to
a boil.
Let clams steam until the shells open, and their flesh is opaque.
To serve: distribute clams into soup bowls, together with any liquid
expressed during steaming and drizzle with lime juice. Scatter the
remaining fresh basil leaves over.
Have additional bowls ready for the shells, as well as bowls of lemon
slices and water for washing the fingers.
Soursop Smoothie
Soursops, Annona reticulata, with their distinctive perfume and tangy-sweet
white flesh, are very popular for juices and ice cream. If you cannot find fresh
soursop, canned soursop nectar is usually available at stores selling Asian and
Hispanic foods. They are called guanábana (Spanish) or guyabano or
guayabano (Philippine). To choose a ripe soursop: the skin should yield easily to
the touch and its scent should be quite perceptible.
1 1/2 pounds ripe soursop fruit
2–4 cups cold water
honey or sugar, as needed
Cut the soursop into quarters. Remove the peel, core, and seeds. Place
the flesh into a blender. Add enough water to start the blender, and
blend until smooth. It may be sweet enough as it is, but add honey or
sugar, if you wish. Serve with ice cubes, if desired.
Palestine
Palestine is a country comprising the West Bank, a hilly area between Israel and
the Jordan Valley, and the Gaza Strip, a noncontiguous narrow strip of land
along the Mediterranean Sea. The climate is hot and dry in the mountainous
areas (though cool in winter), hot and humid on the coast. A large variety of
vegetables and fruit are grown. Citrus fruit thrive on the coastal strip. Wheat
products, rice, vegetables, and fruit make up the major food sources. Lamb,
chicken, eggs, pickled olives, and other vegetables are important foods as well.
Long occupation by Israel and disputes over territory have negatively affected
the region’s agriculture and economic and social stability.
The population is largely Arab Muslim, but there also is a dwindling
Christian minority.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are largely wheat products (breads and pastas). Rice is
imported and eaten for special occasions.
• Favorite meats are lamb and chicken, and beef.
• Fish, including bonito, shark, mullet, and bream from the
Mediterranean.
• Vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, garlic, beans,
pumpkins, and zucchini are very common and feature in most meals;
wild greens.
• Fruit: grapes, figs, pomegranates, dates, olives, apples, strawberries.
• Dairy: milk (cow, ewe, and goat) and various milk products such as
yogurt, laban (thickened yogurt), samna (clarified butter) are
important.
• Pastries are very sweet, often made with nuts and cheese fillings.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Salads and vegetables: m’tabbal (eggplant and tahina), falafel (fried
chickpea patties), hummus bi tahina (chickpea and sesame dip),
banadoora maqliya ma’ thoom (fried tomatoes), olives.
• Breads: pita (pocket bread), marquq (thin flat bread), shrak (whole-
wheat thin griddle bread), ka’ak (pretzels).
Freshly fried falafel, Ramallah, Palestine. (Joel Carillet/iStockPhoto.com)
• Main dishes: musakhan (chicken layered with bread, onions, and

pine nuts), fakhdet kharouf bel furun (roast leg of lamb), kefta (spiced
meatballs), maqluba (rice and eggplant casserole), mafghoussa
(mashed roast vegetables), mjaddara (rice and lentils).
• Snacks: fotookh (cheese-filled dumplings), frikeh (green wheat).
• Desserts and pastries: eish es-saraya (custard with pistachios), knaffe
(shredded wheat with fruits and nuts), katayef (cheesecake).
• Flavor principals include spice mixes of cumin, coriander, a purple
lemony spice called sumac, garlic, and onions. Olive oil, sesame sauce
(tahina), and samna (ghee, or clarified butter) are used as flavors.
• Coffee and tea are popular drinks, both drunk sweet and without
milk. Local and international soft drinks are very popular.
STYLES OF EATING
• Families generally prefer to eat the morning and evening meals
together. Individual settings are common among townspeople, while
villagers tend to share a central dish, often eaten with the right hand.
Breakfast: bread and dips (olive oil, hummus, laban); coffee or tea.
• Lunch: bread and salads (m’tabal, falafel, hummus bi tahina); a meat
dish if possible; fruit; coffee.
• Evening meals: heavier meal with meat and rice dish; salads, soup in
winter; dessert or fruit; coffee.
• Street vendors sell tamarhindi (tamarind drink, sour and slightly
musty) and suss (a licorice-flavored drink). Coffee is the most
important drink, drunk at all hours of the day, at home and in coffee
shops, often with a sweet pastry.
• Eating out as a family treat, and by men in cafés, is a common
feature of life.

Vegetables of all sorts accompany every meal. This dish can serve as the main
dish for a light meal, or will accompany a meat dish in a heavier meal.
2 medium zucchini
1 hot green pepper, cored and seeded
1 onion
3 ripe tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt to taste
Split the zucchini lengthwise, and cut the pepper and onion in half.
Keep the tomatoes whole.
Place all the vegetables under the grill (or on the barbecue) until
softened; do not worry if they are slightly charred (this adds to the
flavor).
Peel the tomatoes, and mash (or puree in a blender or food processor)
all the ingredients with the garlic, oil, and salt.
Eat on pita as a snack, or as sauce for barbecued meat, or a dip.

Mallows (Malva sylvestris) grow wild in the Middle East and Europe and have
now spread to North America. They produce a small (1/4-inch) green fruit that is
edible as well, and is often used as a bread substitute (khubz in the plant name
khubbeizeh means “bread”) In this recipe, the fresh shoots are used.
1 pound tender khubbeizeh leaves (or substitute spinach, chard, or

kale)
1 TBS oil for frying
salt to taste
Remove and discard bottom half of stalks if tough. Cut the remaining
portions into 3-inch-long pieces, including leaves and fruit.
Heat oil in a lidded pan. Sauté onion until golden.
Add khubbeizeh. Stir on medium heat.
Add salt and cover the pot. Reduce heat. Cook for 5–10 minutes,
Serve with mafghoussa and bread.

This dish is often eaten as an appetizer or as a salad with flat bread.
2 large eggplants
1/4 cup tahina (sesame sauce)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup unflavored yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
olive oil
parsley, chopped finely for garnish
paprika for garnish
Wash and dry the eggplants without removing stems. Prick all over
with fork.
Grill under high heat or over a naked flame. Holding the stems with
tongs, turn occasionally till the skin is charred all over and the fruit has
collapsed. Cool.
Meanwhile, mix the tahina with lemon juice, stirring continuously
while adding 2 tsp water or more as necessary to obtain a creamy
paste. Add yogurt and garlic, mixing well.
Slit the eggplants lengthwise with a sharp knife. Drain brown juice, if
any, and discard. Scoop flesh out with a spoon. Some burnt skin with
the pulp adds to the smoky flavor.
Mash pulp, add seasoning and tahina mixture, mixing well.
Spread the resulting creamy paste on a wide plate; with the back of a
spoon, make a circular groove all round.
Decorate the edges with parsley and sprinklings of paprika.
Pour some olive oil into the groove just before serving.

This is a typical, perhaps the most typical, Palestinian dish (though Jordanians
argue it is theirs originally).
1 cup vegetable oil

6 large onions (1 minced fine, 4 chopped roughly, 1 finely sliced)
1 chicken, cut into 4–6 pieces
1 TBS allspice
water to cover
2 bay leaves
4 cardamom pods
1 piece flat bread (pita) per person
1 TBS or more sumac (purple powdered dried fruit of the sumac bush;
has a pleasant lemony flavor), available from shops that sell Middle
Eastern foods
Heat 2–3 TBS oil and fry the minced onion until golden.
Add chicken and more oil if needed and brown slightly, adding
allspice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Cover with water, add bay leaves and cardamom, and cook until
tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile in a separate pan, deep fry the chopped onions in
remaining oil until golden. Remove, drain, and reserve.
Remove the chicken from the broth and place in an ovenproof dish.
Mix well with the sliced onion and 1 TBS of oil from frying the
onions, and season with salt, pepper, and sumac.
Grill or broil in the oven until brown but still moist.
Spread the fried onions (with some oil) evenly on bread.
Arrange chicken over the onions. Sprinkle with more sumac.
On a serving dish serve hot with yogurt and salad.

This dish is considered the specialty of Old Jerusalem, though its origins are
probably Turkish. Kataifi is shredded phyllo pastry that resembles vermicelli or
shredded wheat.
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup seedless golden raisins
1/2 cup water
1 pound light cream cheese or fresh goat cheese, drained in
cheesecloth-lined colander
1/2 pound kataifi shredded pastry (available from stores that sell
Middle Eastern foods)
Warm oven to 350°F.

Put sugar, water, and lemon juice into a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set syrup aside to cool.
In a separate saucepan, warm the raisins and lemon rind in the 1/2 cup
water and let stand for a few minutes for raisins to plump. Coarsely
chop raisins and set aside. Reserve the liquid.
Beat or whisk drained cheese. Stir in raisins, adding some of the raisin
liquid to make a soft and easily spreadable mix.
Loosen kataifi shreds in a large bowl. Toss gently with melted butter,
ensuring each strand is evenly coated.
Arrange half of the coated pastry in the bottom of a 9 × 12 inch baking
dish and top with cheese mixture.
Place remaining kataifi evenly over top, pressing them lightly into
cheese mixture.
Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another
30 minutes or until kadayif is crisp and golden.
Drizzle with sugar syrup.
Serve warm with glasses of cold water and coffee.

Qataieyf (notwithstanding the similar sounding kataif above) are yeast-raised
pancakes, filled with nuts or cream cheese, fried or baked, and served with
aromatic syrup. They are popular snacks eaten with hot tea flavored with mint or
wild sage, or with coffee. In Syria they are traditionally fried; in Palestine they
are baked.

1 TBS sugar
3 TBS warm water
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water, or more, as needed
oil for frying
2 TBS melted butter for brushing
Fillings
1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pine nuts)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 TBS sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese or farmer’s cheese
3 TBS sugar
2 tsp grated lemon rind, or 1/2 tsp orange-blossom water
Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp orange-blossom water, or grated rind from 1 lemon
Prepare the batter: in a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the
warm water; let stand until frothy.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in
the yeast mixture until well blended.
Whisk in the water and mix well to a thick batter. Let stand for 30
minutes to 1 hour, covered, until doubled in volume.
Brush 1 TBS of oil on a skillet and heat over medium heat.
Place 1/4 cup of batter and cook, covered, for 2–3 minutes, until the
top is dry and full of bubbles. The bottom does not need to be golden.
There is no need to turn the pancake over; only one side is cooked, as
the pancakes will be cooked further. Proceed with the rest of the batter.
Cover the cooked pancakes with a towel while making the rest, so that
they do not dry out.
Make the syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in
water and lemon juice. Simmer until syrup is slightly thickened; turn
off heat and stir in orange-blossom water or rind. Let cool.
Place the cakes in one layer on a tray to cool; meanwhile heat the oven
to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Mix ingredients for the fillings in small bowls.
Take a pancake with the fried side outward. Fill with 1 tsp or so of
filling, fold over making a crescent and press edges firmly to seal.
Repeat with the rest of the pancakes.
Lightly brush the cakes on both sides with butter and place on
prepared baking sheet.
Serve warm, drizzled with syrup.
Panama
Panama is strategically located in the narrowest part of Central America, with

coasts on the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. A Spanish colony for three
centuries and then part of Colombia, it gained independence in 1903 as a result
of the desire on the part of the United States to construct the Panama Canal.
Tropical climate along the coastal plains and cooler mountains helps in the
production of bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables, and livestock.
Plentiful fish and seafood are exported.
Panamanian food reflects its mixed culture that combines Spanish and other
European, native Amerindian, East Indian, Chinese, and Afro-Caribbean
influences. Despite being strongly influenced by Spanish and North American
culture (particularly in fast food), Panama still has indigenous Amerindian
minorities, such as the Embera and Cuna, who maintain their traditional way of
life. While Spanish is the official language, creole English is spoken by the
Afro-Caribbean minority.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, beans, plantain, cassava.
• Pork, chicken, turkey, sea bass (corvina), red snapper (pargo rojo),
lobster, king fish, shrimp, cheese, eggs.
• Corn, pumpkin, cabbage, yam, sweet potato, taro.
• Banana, pineapple, mango.
• Seasonings: cilantro and culantro (a large leaf–type coriander),
achiote (natural red food coloring), chombo chili pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice dishes: chicken and rice (arroz con pollo) is one of the two
national dishes. Rice and pigeon peas (arroz con guandu) is a common
side dish at lunch or dinner.
• Spanish-style substantial soups and stews of meat and vegetables
(e.g., sancocho, also regarded as the national dish).
• Marinated sea bass (ceviche de corvina) or other sea food, in lime
juice and onions.
• Caribbean dishes: pig’s trotters flavored with lime and chilies (saos,
from “souse”), stewed fish and vegetables in coconut milk (fufu), roast
wild game (e.g., agouti, here called conejo pintado).
• Snacks: fried cassava and meat rolls (carimañolas), savory turnovers
(empanadas), steamed corn dumplings (tamales), fried plantains
(patacones), hamburgers, hot dogs.
• Drinks: coffee; sweet carbonated drinks (sodas); cold fresh tropical
fruit juices (called chichas; in other parts of Panama, chicha refers to
fermented drinks); mango, pineapple, and other tropical fruit
milkshakes often made with ice cream (batidas); fresh coconut juice
drunk directly from the green “nut” with a straw (pipas). Beer and rum
are locally brewed.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: a combination of fried foods (fritura), including sausages,
eggs, green plantains, corn tortillas (smaller and thicker than elsewhere
in Central America), and doughnuts (hojaldres); coffee.
Achiote flowers. (Katie Smith/Dreamstime.com)
• Lunch: heaviest meal of the day, consisting of sancocho or other

substantial meat dish, rice, beans, and fruit.
• Supper: light meal of soup and bread, fruit.
• Snacks are eaten in the midmorning or mid-afternoon.

Fresh tropical fruit juices are commonly drunk with meals. You may substitute
ripe mango or fresh pineapple for the papaya.
1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 cup pineapple juice
juice from 1 large lemon or 2 limes
1 cup peach or apricot nectar
2 cups ginger ale (or a carbonated lime or lemon drink)
ice cubes
Blend fruits and juices in a blender or food processor.

Add ginger ale or other carbonated drink, and mix well.
Pour into individual glasses with ice cubes.
Serve very cold.

This is ubiquitous all over Panama and is considered a national dish. The
Spanish colonial legacy has made this a common dish throughout all of Latin
America, but each country’s rice and chicken dish is distinctive. This
Panamanian dish features olives, capers, and green peas and is often served as a
main dish with fried plantains and tortillas for lunch.
4 large chicken portions (quarter, leg, or breast)

1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
salt to taste
water as needed
2 TBS oil
1 tsp achiote spice (or substitute 1 TBS paprika, 2 cloves minced
garlic, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 TBS vinegar)
2 carrots, diced
1/2 cup whole pitted green olives
2 TBS capers (optional)
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
cilantro, chopped for garnish
Place chicken with half the onion, half the bell pepper, salt, and 3 cups
water in a covered saucepan.
Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes until chicken is tender. Set
aside to cool.
Drain chicken, reserving the broth, and shred meat. Set aside.
Strain the broth and add water to make 4 cups. Set aside.
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat oil with achiote spice or
substitute.
Stir in remaining onion and bell pepper and cook until softened.
Stir in rice, carrots, olives, capers, raisins, Worcestershire sauce, salt,
and the 4 cups of broth. Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to lowest setting and continue cooking until rice is done,
for about 20–25 minutes. When the rice is done, stir in peas and
chicken. Let rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

This is another very commonly eaten dish, rivaling rice and chicken as the
national dish. A meal in itself with starchy root vegetables, sancocho is
commonly eaten at midday as a main dish with rice and fried plantains. Serve
also with tortillas, or rice and beans.
4 large chicken portions (quarters or legs)

1 onion, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
water as needed
1 pound true yams (ñame), peeled and chunked (available in stores that
sell Hispanic foods, or substitute potatoes)
1 fresh young corn on the cob, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)
salt to taste
Into a covered saucepan, put chicken, onion, cilantro, oregano, green

pepper, and 4 cups water.
Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken is almost
done.
Add salt to taste and stir in ñame. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in corn for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Also called enyucados, these savory fritters are a common snack, sold in the
streets. They can also serve as an appetizer for lunch or as a light meal with a
salad for supper (see sidebar “Cassava/Yuca in the Americas”).
1 pound cassava or potatoes, peeled and boiled

2 TBS oil
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato, finely chopped
salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce (optional) to taste
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
oil for deep frying
Mash the cassava (or potatoes), discarding any hard cores. Set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil and brown the beef.
Stir in the pepper, onion, tomato, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
Cook, covered, at low heat until all the vegetables are very tender and
the tomato juices have been absorbed by the meat.
Turn off heat, and stir in the egg.
With moistened hands, take 2 TBS of mashed cassava and shape into a
ball.
Press the ball flat into an oval.
Place 1 TBS of meat mixture in the center and enclose it with the
mashed cassava. Shape into a 3-to 4-inch roll.
Heat at medium heat enough oil for deep frying (about 2–3 inches) in a
deep skillet.
Fry the fritters a few at a time to keep the oil at an even temperature.
Serve warm.
CASSAVA/YUCA IN THE AMERICAS

Cassava, a crop that originated in tropical America, has become an
important starch crop all over the tropics. The wild starchy root has been
collected by tropical American people since prehistory. In the wild, the
cassava root and the leaves often have a high concentration of cyanide, a
deadly poison (in the form of cyanogenic glucosides). This is traditionally
extracted by grating the raw root, rinsing it to get rid of the poison, and
drying the solids. Modern varieties of cassava have less of this substance
which is eliminated by cooking. Cassava is particularly important because it
normally has high yields in the tropics, is well resistant to pests, provides
more energy than any other root crop per acre, and both the tubers and the
leaves can be eaten. It was brought to Africa by the Portuguese who wanted
a cheap, nutritious food for the slaves they were purchasing in West Africa.

Plantains are a versatile and common food item, used both while green and when
ripe. Although this dish is sweet, it is actually intended as an accompaniment to
a main courses. However, it can make a simple but tempting dessert or snack, as
its name implies.
2 TBS butter or margarine

2 TBS oil
2 large ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
In a large skillet, melt butter and oil at medium-high heat.

Add plantains, a few at a time, and fry until brown, turning over to
brown all sides. Add more oil and butter as needed.
Set aside the fried plantains.
When all the plantains have been fried, return them to the skillet.
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a separate pot and cook until the
sugar is dissolved and has turned a light caramel color.
Pour the light syrup over the plantains in the skillet.
Place on medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the syrup
has caramelized, for about 15 minutes. Take care that the caramel does
not burn.
Immediately turn off heat.
Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.
Serve warm.
Sighs (Súspiros)
Súspiros are very light cookies, hence their name. These are classic Panamanian
cookies made of cornstarch or tapioca flour.
1 1/2 cups cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
2 TBS butter
cornstarch for sprinkling
Sift cornstarch into a large bowl and combine with cinnamon and salt;
set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy; stir in sugar and
vanilla, and beat until sugar is completely dissolved.
Rub butter well into the cornstarch mixture; add the egg mixture and
blend all to a soft dough.
Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour, covered.
Take small balls of the dough; on a surface lightly sprinkled with
cornstarch, roll to 5-inch lengths.
Bring the ends of the rolls together, twist into spirals, and pinch the
ends to seal.
Place evenly spaced on the prepared pan; bake for 15–20 minutes or
until pale golden.

Cabanga is another classic Panamanian sweet, which unusually uses green
unripe papaya. It is cooked with honey and traditionally wrapped in dried corn
husks. Be careful not to burn yourself while handling the very hot honey and
fruit mixture.
2 cups honey, or 1 cup honey and 1/2 cup sugar

1 small green papaya, peeled, seeded, grated, and squeezed, about 2
cups (packed)
2 cups grated coconut, fresh, or frozen and thawed
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
dried cornhusks, or cupcake liners, cellophane, and narrow ribbon for
wrapping
Butter a 10 × 12 inch shallow heatproof tray.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, put the honey and
bring to a boil.
With a wooden spoon, stir in the papaya, coconut, and salt; reduce heat
to low and continue cooking until mixture is thickened and the spoon
leaves a track when traced along the bottom of the pan. Mix in the
vanilla.
With great care, turn out mixture onto prepared tray; level using a
spatula then cut into pieces 1 × 4 inches long.
Allow to cool slightly, then wrap in cornhusks, or place on cupcake
liners and enclose in cellophane and tie with ribbon.
Serve cool as a snack.
Papua New Guinea
An island nation in Oceania, on the eastern half of the island of New Guinea,
Papua New Guinea was controlled by Germany and the United Kingdom from
1885 and administered by Australia until independence in 1975. The island has a
warm tropical climate throughout, favoring cultivation of coconuts and sweet
potatoes. The cooler highlands raise coffee and tea. The coastline is lined with
coconut and other palms such as sago. Rain during the rainy season can be
constant. The islands are mostly covered by tropical jungle.
There are over six hundred ethnic groups, some only recently developed
beyond stone-age technology: Papuan, Melanesian, Micronesian, and
Polynesian. Papua New Guineans grow a range of fruits and vegetables in home
gardens. Pigs are significant in all local cultures: as food, for rituals, and as gifts,
where pigs are exchanged between powerful leaders or between villages. World
War II introduced many to Western and manufactured foods for the first time, in
the form of military rations dropped by cargo planes. Spices and breads were
introduced by Australians. Some dishes are influenced by neighboring
Polynesian and Melanesian islands.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples (depending on region): taro, various yams (Dioscorea
species), cassava, sweet potato, sago; rice (not traditional) now widely
eaten as staple.
• Meat: beef, pork, chicken, wild game (turtle, wild cassowary, tree
kangaroo, snake), corned beef (called bully beef).
A man prepares loaves of sago, using shredded sago palm (in front) and water from a trough (right).
(Michele Westmorland/Science Faction/Corbis)
• Fish (tuna, perch, various fish), seafood (clams, shrimp, crab,

lobster).
• Many kinds of edible greens, collectively called kumu, grown in back
gardens, bought or collected from the wild: aibika (Abelmoschus
manihot) leaves (also called hibiscus leaves), oka fern, Indian spinach,
pumpkin tips (shoots), sweet potato shoots, taro leaves, water spinach.
Pit pit, also called Papua New Guinean asparagus, is the unopened
flower bud of Saccharum edule; it is highly valued. Also, Chinese
cabbage, cucumber, cabbage, potato, wild mushrooms, unripe
breadfruit, winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) tubers and
pods.
• Coconut, avocado, papaya, mango, ripe breadfruit, citrus (pomelo,
tangerines, lemon), exotic tropical fruits (rambutan, star fruit, custard
apple), peanuts, pandanus fruit, okari (Terminalia kaernbachi) nuts.
• Western-style breads, rolls, cakes.
• Seasonings: coconut milk, salt, lemon leaves (traditional); curry
powder, chili, tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, oregano, basil, other herbs.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Cooking and ingredients vary by region: foods are categorized as
staples, main dishes (abus: yams, sweet potatoes, sago), and edible
greens (kumu). In some communities, only two of these categories may
be cooked together in the same pot; others are less strict and cook all
three together. This restriction does not apply to earth-oven cookery.
• Contemporary dishes use curry powder, herbs, and other spices.
• Meat, poultry, fish, turtle, seafood, and/or vegetables stewed in
coconut cream, mud clam with tender fern leaves from Milne Bay
(typical of coastal cooking, now spread to highlands).
• Charcoal-grilled pork, chicken, wild game.
• Fish and seafood “cooked” in lemon juice (kokoda).
• Mumu (earth oven) dishes: vegetables (sweet potatoes, taro, yams,
cassava, greens), chicken and/or pork are slowly baked for hours in a
big hole dug in the ground, lined with heated rocks and banana leaves,
into which food is arranged in layers. Thick coconut cream is lavishly
poured over all. Oven is sealed with banana leaves and soil. Now,
huge discarded fuel drums cleaned and used as ovens to bake scones
and rolls for retail sales; electric/gas ovens and stoves are also now
used at home with metal pots and pans.
• Hibiscus (aibika, Abelmoschus manihot) leaves, various greens (wild
and cultivated), and flower buds (e.g., pit pit, Saccharum edule)
cooked in coconut milk for vegetable stews.
• Drinks: water, coconut milk, tea, coffee, cocoa, lemonade, fresh fruit
juices, homebrewed palm, and banana wine, imported Australian beer,
international bottled soft drinks.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditionally, two meals daily and snacks. In most communities, any
meal without the staple is considered a snack.
• Western-style eating with utensils now becoming common.
• In some communities, men and women live, cook, and eat separately.
Women and young children eat in their own houses. Men live and eat
in all-male dormitories, getting cooked food from their mothers or
wives. Food is eaten with the fingers, from a common pot.
• Breakfast: light meal, of boiled or roasted sweet potatoes, yams, or
cassava; or leftovers from evening meal.
• Lunch: not traditionally eaten; light sandwiches or snack items such
as pies are now eaten in towns.
• Dinner: main, heavy meal of rice or other staple root, fish or beef
(chicken and pork are more expensive), green vegetables in coconut
cream.
• Snacks: baked goods in larger towns, ripe fruits, nuts.
• In the capital city, Port Moresby, Australian/Western-style foods and
other foreign (Japanese) foods are served in hotels, bars, and
restaurants.
FOOD AND GENDER

The preparation and consumption of food are often determined by gender.
In most societies, domestic cooking is done by women, almost never by
men. Professionally, chefs in restaurants are more frequently men than
women, and the pricier the restaurant or more prestigious the affair, the
more likely the cook is to be a man. Most domestic outdoor barbecuing in
North America, for example, is done by men. So much so that the image of
Dad flipping burgers and grilling steaks is almost synonymous with
barbecues. In Israeli kibbutzim, one of the most aggressively egalitarian
societies in the world, some 80 percent of all family barbecues are
nonetheless cooked by men.
Food purchasing is another area of gender differentiation. In most
societies kitchen shopping is done by women. In the Middle East, though
all other domestic shopping is normally done by women, the purchase of
meat for the family is often a male prerogative.
Finally, food consumption is also gendered. In many societies around
the world meal choice is the prerogative of the male head of household. In
some societies such as in Melanesia, certain foods are forbidden to women,
or, in reverse, forbidden to men or at least frowned on. In Japan, for
example, cooked meat innards—liver, sweetbreads, kidneys—are
considered a male food, while sweet foods such as rice and sweet bean-
paste confections are considered female foods and many men will not touch
them.
Baked Sweet Potato

This dish is eaten at most meals.
3 cups cooked mashed sweet potato

3 TBS finely sliced onions
1 TBS milk
3 eggs, separated
Mix mashed potato with 3 TBS butter, onion, milk, cinnamon, salt,
and pepper.
Beat the yolks and add to potato mixture.
Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the potato mixture.
Place the mixture in a greased baking dish set in a larger pan with
warm water.
Brush the top of the mixture with remaining butter.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 30–40 minutes or until nicely browned.
Serve hot.

This is a traditional dish from the Central District. It was served to elders as a
mark of respect (see sidebar “Sago,” below).
1 firm white-fleshed fish, scaled, head removed, cut in half
1 onion, chopped
1 lemon, rind grated, and its juice
2-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped
1 chili
water to cover
1 cup sago pearls (tapioca)
2 cups coconut milk
salt to taste
Place the fish, chopped onion, ginger, chili, and water in a pot and
bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and continue simmering until fish is cooked but still firm,
for about 10–15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
Remove bones, cut up fish into serving pieces, and set aside. Do not
discard fish stock.
Place sago into a large mixing bowl. Break up any large lumps with
your fingers.
Add 1 cup coconut cream to the sago and mix until well blended.
Form sago-coconut mixture into walnut-sized balls.
Bring reserved fish stock to a boil.
Drop sago-coconut balls into the boiling stock. Reduce heat and
simmer for 10–15 minutes. (Sago becomes gluey if cooked for a long
time. Many prefer this, so cook longer if desired.) Remove cooked
balls and keep warm.
Add lemon juice, rind, and the remaining coconut milk to the
simmering stock.
Season with salt to taste.
Serve sago balls in a bowl with the soup, with the fish on a separate
plate.
SAGO
Sago palms (mainly Metroxylon sagu; M. salomonense) are swamp-resident
palms growing to about 90 feet. They flower once and then die after setting
fruit. They have been a staple starch source for lowland residents in Papua
and Melanesia for millennia.
Before the flower buds grow, exhausting the food stored in the trunk,
the trunks are cut (at between seven and fifteen years, depending on
species) and the outer layer removed. The inside pith is then scraped and
ground, then rinsed in a trap which gradually eliminates the woody
elements while capturing the starch. The starch is dried and can be used as
flour, mash, or porridge. One mature trunk can yield as much as six
hundred pounds of starch. Sago starch is also made into small pearl-like
globules, which are sold in U.S. markets as tapioca pearls (which,
confusingly, is also the name of a similar-looking and tasting product made
from cassava).
Chicken Pot
This dish is intended for a main course for an evening meal, to be served with
boiled potatoes or rice. Alternatively, the coconut cream can be diluted with
water to make enough soup for four, and the vegetables and meat can be served
as a separate course.
2–3 TBS oil

4 large portions chicken, quarters, breasts, or legs
1 tsp curry powder
salt to taste
3 cups coconut milk
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 fresh corn cobs, cut into 2-inch pieces (or 2 cups corn kernels)
2 cups pumpkin tips (tender young leaves) or Chinese cabbage, sliced
into 2-inch pieces
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

Brown the chicken pieces a few at a time, about 5 or more minutes on
each side. Set aside.
Fry the green onions briefly in the remaining oil.
Stir in curry powder and salt.
Pour in coconut milk and mix well.
Return chicken to the pan.
Add sweet potatoes and corn cobs or kernels.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally and
checking that the bottom is not burning.
During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add pumpkin tips or cabbage.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot.
Kokoda Fish
The form of cooking used in this recipe is also known as ceviche in South
America and is a common method for cooking fish and seafood in Papua New
Guinea, Fiji, and other Pacific Islands. The chemical action of the acid in the
citrus juice “cooks” the fish.
1 cup lime juice

1 pound very fresh (sashimi quality) skinless fish fillets, cut into 1/2-
inch cubes
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
1 cucumber, sliced thinly
1 firm tomato, sliced thinly
Pour juice over fish and mix well in a glass bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, turning from time to time with a
wooden spoon.
Remove fish. Drain and discard juice.
Mix garlic with coconut milk.
Divide fish into four bowls and pour the coconut milk over the fish.
Garnish with eggs, onion, cucumber, and tomato slices.
Serve with baked breadfruit and baked bananas.
Papuans were introduced to bully beef (canned corned beef) from the packed
rations of soldiers during World War II. Lemon rind is used as a substitute for
lemon leaf, a traditional flavoring. Serve with watercress or spinach parboiled or
stir-fried with ginger, garlic, and salt for an evening meal.
3 cups plain cooked rice

8-ounce can corned beef, chopped
5 tomatoes, chopped
2 cups coconut milk
salt to taste
In the bottom of an 8 × 8 inch baking dish, spread half the rice evenly.
Mix corned beef and tomatoes; spoon over rice.
Sprinkle half of the lemon rind over.
Pour in 1 cup coconut milk.
Add a final layer of rice.
Sprinkle the remaining lemon rind, then the rest of the coconut milk.
Sprinkle salt to taste, if desired (the corned beef is salty enough, so salt
may not be necessary).
Bake at 375°F until hot and bubbling, for about 25–30 minutes.
Yam Patties
Various root crops—yams, sweet potato, taro, and tree starches such as
sago/tapioca—are eaten on the islands. This recipe can use any of those. This is
served with roast meat or fish, and green vegetables.
3 cups boiled yam (true yam, Dioscorea; or a mix of sweet potato,

taro, cassava, or sago), cooled and mashed
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp onion, grated
2 tsp parsley, chopped finely
1/4 cup flour
4 TBS vegetable oil
Mix mashed yam with egg, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper.
With moistened hands, form into eight patties.
Roll each patty in flour.
Heat the oil over medium heat, and fry the patties, without crowding
the pan, till golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot.
Banana Pancakes
Western-style baked goods such as rolls, bread, cakes, and scones were
introduced by Australians and are now commonly eaten, either made at home or
bought from snack shops.

1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
2 TBS honey
2 ounces butter, melted, plus more for greasing skillet
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 ripe banana and honey for garnish
Sift flour and baking soda together.

In a blender or food processor, combine milk, honey, and melted
butter.
Add flour and blend until smooth.
Add mashed bananas and mix thoroughly.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat.
Grease with a film of butter.
Pour 2–3 spoonfuls of the mixture onto the hot skillet.
When bubbles start to appear in the batter, flip over and cook the other
side.
Repeat until all the batter is finished. Keep the finished pancakes warm
while the rest are being made.
Garnish with a few slices of banana and a drizzle of honey and serve.
These dumplings are served as snacks or as a side dish with a main meal.
2 cups sago or tapioca pearls

8 sheets of aluminum foil, 10 × 10 inches
water for boiling
2 cups coconut milk
Combine the sago or tapioca and mashed bananas into a stiff mixture,
adding more sago or tapioca if necessary.
Place 3 heaping spoonfuls of the mixture in the middle of the foil
squares.
To get rectangular dumplings: wrap the mixture securely by bringing
together the top and bottom edges, folding together several times.
Fold the left and right sides separately several times, sealing securely
so that water will not get into the sealed package.
Place a big pot of water to boil.
Drop the wrapped dumplings into boiling water; let boil for 15–20
minutes.
Take the boiled wrapped dumplings out of the water and let cool for
5–10 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
In another pot wide enough to take all the dumplings, heat the coconut
milk.
Unwrap the dumplings and put into the simmering coconut milk.
Let cook for about 10 minutes, until heated through.

A “bread” consisting of sago, coconut, banana, and breadfruit used to be
traditionally made in the Sepik region. Elsewhere the elongated fruit of
Pandanus conoideus, called marita, was an added ingredient. This bread is an
adaptation. If you are fortunate enough to have a ripe breadfruit, add 1 cup diced
breadfruit flesh.
1/2 cup sago pearls soaked for 1 hour in 1 cup water

1 ripe plantain or 2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 cup grated coconut, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 cup flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 TBS coconut oil or melted butter
1 egg, beaten
coconut cream for brushing
Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 × 10 inch baking pan with parchment.

Mix all the ingredients until well blended to a firm but pliable dough.
Add a bit more flour or coconut cream, if needed, to get this
consistency.
Knead dough briefly until smooth, then pat into prepared pan. Brush
with some coconut cream.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden and bread tests done.
Serve warm.
Breadfruit Scones
Scones, as well as the method for baking them in an oil-drum oven, are
introductions from Australia. Substitute ripe plantain or banana for the
breadfruit.
1 cup ripe breadfruit pulp, mashed

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS coconut oil, or melted butter
1 egg, beaten

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients to a firm, pliable dough. Add
more flour or coconut cream as needed to get this consistency.
On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle.
Cut out circles with a glass or cookie cutter. Place scones evenly
spaced on prepared pan.
Serve with butter and jam or honey, if desired.
Paraguay
A landlocked South American country, Paraguay is surrounded by Argentina,

Bolivia, and Brazil. Paraguay has a temperate climate east of the Paraguay River
and a semiarid one to the west of it. Its fertile plains favor the production of
sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, cassava, fruits, vegetables, pork, poultry, and
eggs. Grasslands support cattle raising and milk products. Paraguay is the
original home of yerba mate and grows most of what is drunk throughout South
America.
A Spanish colony until independence in 1811, Paraguay’s population is
made up of people of Amerindian and Spanish descent, as well as German and
Italian settlers, who have influenced the local cuisine with pasta and osso buco.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples are maize and cassava (manioc). Almost all meals will have
one or both of these in some form.
• Fish: surubi, dorado, and freshwater shrimp from the Amazon and
other rivers; rhea (an ostrich relative) and its eggs are distinctive food
items.
• Hearts of palm are an exotic item in salads.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Cheese and corn are common combinations: cornmeal and cheese in
a cake-like bread (sopa paraguaya); cornmeal-cheese dumplings in
soup, with or without meat; corn kernels and cheese baked in a
casserole; a common bread called chipá, baked or fried from cornmeal
or cassava flour and cheese.
• Stews of meat chunks, corn on the cob, zucchini, and cassava (locro)
are popular.
• Grilled assorted meats (pork, beef, lamb), sausages, poultry and fish,
accompanied by cassava or corn breads, salad, vegetables, and pasta
are popular.
• Drinks: chilled fresh sugarcane juice. Yerba mate is a common hot
drink. In summer, it is chilled and mixed with other herbs to make a
stimulating and refreshing drink called tereré, which also has
medicinal qualities. Tereré is often shared as a sign of friendship. The
container that is passed around is called guampa, usually made of cow
horn and adorned with silver. A metal straw is used to prevent leaves
from being drunk. Guarana is a caffeine-rich soft drink originally
from Brazil.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day.
• Breakfast: sopa paraguaya and coffee or mate.
Yerba mate equipment: guampa (container) and metal straw.
• Lunch: locro, bread, beer or juice, coffee.

• Evening meals: carne asada (mixed grilled meats), pasta, salad.

This bread is a very common food that may appear at any meal and is necessary
for some to feel that they have really eaten. Contrary to its local name, it is not a
soup.

1 cup cornmeal
2 TBS butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
8-ounce can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese

Stir boiling water into cornmeal in a large bowl; continue stirring until
smooth.
Blend in butter and egg yolks.
Stir in remaining ingredients except egg whites.
Beat egg whites just until soft peaks form, and fold into batter. Pour
into a greased 2-quart casserole. Bake until a knife inserted near the
center comes out clean (for 45–50 minutes).

This soup is commonly eaten for lunch or supper.
2 TBS olive oil

1 onion, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
paprika, salt, and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped (or 2 cups fresh,
chopped)
2 TBS lemon juice
Heat oil over medium heat in a stewing pot.

Stir fry onion and garlic until softened.
Stir in chickpeas, tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Add 6 cups water; cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat.
Take out tomato peels and bay leaf and discard.
Reserve 2 TBS whole chickpeas for garnish, and puree the remainder
with the stewed vegetables and broth in a food processor or blender.
Return pureed mixture to saucepan.
Stir in spinach and lemon juice.
Correct seasoning and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and the reserved whole chickpeas before serving.
YERBA MATE
Yerba mate is a very popular hot drink in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay,
and other Latin American countries. To enjoy it, one needs yerba, mate, and
a bombilla. Yerba refers to the leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, a plant
endemic to subtropical South America. Mate is the container, usually a
gourd or wooden cup, in which the yerba is placed. The bombilla is a metal
straw used to drink the tea, and it prevents the leaves from being drunk.
Yerba mate can either be drunk alone or with a group of friends, with the
mate being passed around for sharing. Novice drinkers may find yerba mate
bitter, but after a few attempts the drink can become quite addicting. Yerba
leaves are high in caffeine and medicinal values and are claimed to be
excellent for digestion.

This is a quick nourishing dish utilizing a common Amerindian staple.
2 TBS olive oil

2 cups ground beef
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
2 cups cooked mashed cassava or potato
2 TBS cornstarch
4 TBS oil
In a frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil and stir fry the onion
until soft.
Add garlic, and then beef, stirring until meat has changed color.
Season with salt and cumin.
Turn off heat.
Mix the mashed cassava or potato and cornstarch well with the meat
mixture.
Form into patties and shallow fry a few at a time in hot oil until golden
brown.

This squash dish can be served as a side dish for meat.
1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

2 cups water
2 TBS olive oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 TBS sugar
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 pound white farmer’s cheese (or other soft, crumbly cheese)
Boil squash in water till tender, for about 10–15 minutes (or
microwave on high for 3–5 minutes with the water, covered, until
tender). Drain squash and reserve the water.
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and brown the onion.
Add squash, milk, salt, sugar, and the reserved water from cooking the
squash.
Gradually stir in cornmeal a little at a time, continuing to stir for 10
minutes or until done.
Turn off heat and stir in cheese.
Serve as a side dish with barbecued or roast meat or with meat patties
(see the previous recipe).

This custard is a variation on a common favorite South American dessert.
4 egg yolks
3 TBS sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
grated rind from 4 oranges
2 cups hot milk
2 TBS butter
4 oranges
4 TBS sugar (if desired)
cinnamon to taste
Mix egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and grated rind in a pan. Stir in hot
milk.
Put pan over low heat. Continue to stir until mixture thickens, for
Take off heat. Stir in butter so that skin does not form on the custard.
Occasionally stir while the custard is cooling.
Peel the oranges and separate into sections. Place in a bowl.
Sprinkle with sugar, if using. Sprinkle cinnamon over the oranges.
Spoon custard over oranges.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1/2 hour or more.
To serve, dust with a bit more cinnamon.

Despite being called bread, this is a sweet cake. Serve with a hot or cold drink.

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup honey
1 egg, well beaten
6 TBS fresh orange juice
1/4 cup chopped cashews, peanuts, or almonds
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and honey until very light; stir in orange
rind and egg.
Add flour mixture and blend well; stir in orange juice to make a
smooth batter.
Quickly fold in the nuts; transfer batter to the prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake is golden and tests done.
Cool thoroughly in pan before unmolding.

These pies are a popular savory snack, as well as a dish for a light meal.
Pastry
2 cups cassava, boiled and mashed
1 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 TBS oil
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 tsp salt
Filling
2 TBS oil
1 cup ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, etc.), or cottage cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
oil for brushing
Prepare the pastry: in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients to a

pliable dough. Let rest 30 minutes, covered.
Meanwhile prepare the filling: in a saucepan over medium heat, heat
the oil and sauté the onions, until softened.
Add the meat and fry, stirring constantly, until meat has changed color,
Turn off the heat, add salt and pepper. Let cool slightly, then mix in
the egg.
If using cheese: add it to the fried onions, after taking them off the
heat. There is no need to cook the cheese. Add the rest of the
ingredients as above.
On a surface sprinkled with fine cornmeal, roll out the dough to a 1/4-
inch-thick rectangle.
Cut out 4-inch circles; fill each pastry with 2 tsp of filling; moisten the
pastry edges slightly with water and press. Crimp with a fork or your
fingers to seal the pastry.
Place pies evenly spaced on the prepared pan. Lightly brush with oil
and bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden.
Peru
Peru is the third largest country in South America and faces the South Pacific.
Because of its varied terrain from lowland coastal plains to Andean highlands,
Peru’s climate ranges from tropical east of the Andes mountains to very cold in
the mountains. The ocean is chilled by a current that makes the waters very
fertile, with masses of anchovy-like fish, flying fish, bonito, and tuna. The jungle
provides many varieties of fish, small game, river turtles, fruits, and nuts.
Like other South American countries, Peru was a Spanish colony until
independence in 1824. Peru’s ethnic mix consists of Amerindians, mixed
Spanish-Amerindians, Europeans, Japanese, and other groups. The ancient
Peruvians worshipped the sun, so yellow is a favorite food color, imparted
through palillo, a common cooking ingredient.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: the Andes are home to many varieties of potato and other
unique food crops like the oca tuber and grain-like quinoa.
• Meat: cuy (guinea pig), lamb, pork, and beef, as well as dried meat
(charqui) are eaten, especially for celebrations; chicken and turkey.
• Fish: sea fish and seafood (crustaceans and shellfish).
• Vegetables: sweet potatoes, maize, rice, and plantains, depending on
locality and particularly altitude. Also tomatoes, cucumbers, Lima
beans, hot peppers.
• Fruit: lowland and tropical fruit including papaya, melons, coconut,
star fruit, grapes, oranges, sugarcane, pineapples, peanuts.
• Dairy: cheese from both cows and sheep.
POTATOES
A starchy tuber originating in the Andes, the potato (Solanum tuberosum) is
one of the most versatile food crops in the world. There are thousands of
varieties of potato, all belonging to the same Solanum species. These
varieties differ in color, consistency, shape, size, and adaptability to
particular climates from the Andes to dry tropical lowlands. Andean
farmers also developed ways to preserve potatoes by freeze drying in the
form of chuño (freeze-dried potato flour) and papa seco (dried potato),
which were traded to the lowlands and coast for maize and fish. Potatoes
were introduced into Europe by the Spanish, who brought only one cultivar
which spread throughout Europe. Initially there was resistance to accepting
the potato as a food (perhaps due to its relationship to the poisonous
nightshade plant). However, the resistance was overcome due to successive
waves of famine because of poor weather and wars, which the potato,
buried in the ground as it was, was able to resist better than traditional
grassy cereal crops. By the end of the nineteenth century, the potato had
become emblematic of most European cuisines to the point that in the
English world it is often known as the “Irish” potato. Potatoes also spread
to Asia in two waves. The first introduced by the Spanish through their
colonies in East and Southeast Asia. The second wave arose from the fast
food industry, as fried potatoes (a.k.a. “French” fries) became a common
food around the world.
Potatoes lend themselves to many forms of cooking. They can be dried
and milled into flour which can be used to supplement wheat flour, boiled,
roasted, baked, and served on their own, with a glaze, or mixed with other
vegetables or root crops. One of the most popular ways to prepare potatoes,
which has become a universal favorite is by slicing and frying (French fries
or potato chips). Potatoes are still a major staple for many people, notably
in northeastern Europe, Ireland, and Latin America.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Typical foods vary by region: usually, Spanish stews using local
ingredients; traditional Amerindian dishes; Italian-style pasta;
Japanese ways with seafood; and Chinese-style stir-fried foods.
• In the countryside, people chiefly eat potatoes, beans, corn, cassava,
squash made into stews or soups with barley, wheat, and cheese. Most
upper-and middle-class families in urban Peru eat meat, fish, poultry,
vegetables, and cereal products. Rice, potatoes, bread, fruit juices, and
bottled drinks accompany most meals.
• A national favorite is grilled beef hearts with garlic, peppers, cumin,
and vinegar.
• Stews feature chicken, pork, beef, or fish, served with rice, potatoes,
onions, tomatoes, and hot peppers.
• Typical coastal dishes: marinated fresh or fried fish and seafood, fish
or shellfish soups or stews, with or without seaweed and rice.
• Northern favorites: roast lamb or baby goat with rice, spicy creamed
chicken or duck, savory corn or rice pastries with meat wrapped in
palm or banana leaves (juanes).
• For celebrations, the Amerindian traditional clambake (pachamanca)
—featuring forty ingredients, usually three kinds of meat (pork, lamb,
chicken, or guinea pig), fruits, and vegetables (2 kinds of potato,
beans, other tubers, banana, carrots)—is prepared. It is eaten with a
sauce called qapchi made of herbs, lemon, seaweed, and cheese.
• Desserts and sweets: Spanish-influenced custards; purple corn
pudding with spices and dried fruits—a typical Lima drink/dessert;
deep-fried cassava and sweet potatoes, anise-flavored and served hot
with powdered sugar; cassava flour fritters in honey; local fruit ice
cream, with eggfruit (Pouteria lucuma), custard apple, quince, passion
fruit, and soursop; tejas (roof tiles), made of dried lemon, figs, or
pecans, served with caramelized milk sauce; King Kong sweet—layers
of various sweets, including caramelized milk; cinnamon-flavored
cakes filled with caramelized milk fudge.
• Flavorings include several kinds of hot pepper, including rocoto (a
large bell pepper), annatto seeds for flavor and red color, and a
marigold-like herb.
• Drinks include local Inca Cola, herbal teas (especially yerba mate),
purple corn and fruit juice. Wine and other alcoholic drinks are made
from grapes, cassava juice, sugarcane, cherries.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: eggs, bread, fruit, coffee.
• Lunch is the main meal, usually with three or more courses.
• Dinner is taken around 8:00 p.m.
• Snacks are eaten in between times. Afternoon snack of open
sandwiches around 5:00 p.m.

Serve with Creole sauce (see recipe below, p. 1073) as a first course or snack.
Large tacu tacu are commonly served with steak or roast meat in restaurants.
1 can cooked kidney or navy beans, drained
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup cooked rice
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
oil for frying
Mash or puree beans in a food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle.

Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet, and fry bacon until browned. Pour off all but
2 TBS fat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft.
Stir in beans, rice, and spices. Check seasoning, as the bacon may
make salt unnecessary.
Cook until heated through. Remove from heat and let cool.
Take 2 TBS at a time of the cool mixture and shape with moistened
hands into a patty.
Roll in bread crumbs. Chill for 30 minutes.
Pour 1 inch of oil in a skillet, and heat over medium heat.
Fry the tacu tacu until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper
towels.
Keep warm in a low oven until serving.
Best eaten hot.

This main meal stew is traditionally made with freeze-dried potatoes, a
traditional food in the Andes. A bit of port wine is added by some cooks just
before serving.
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork, cubed

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBS ground cumin
1 TBS paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 TBS oil
4 potatoes, peeled and sliced into eighths
1/2 cup toasted peanuts
3 crackers
4 cubes dark semisweet chocolate (optional)
Marinate meat in garlic, pepper, vinegar, cumin, paprika, chili, and salt
for 3 hours or overnight. Drain meat and reserve marinade.
Heat oil in a skillet and brown potatoes. Set aside.
Brown meat in the skillet, and drain meat chunks on paper towels to
absorb excess oil.
Pour off oil in skillet, leaving only a thin film. Pour in marinade and
cook briskly for 2 minutes.
Into a heavy stewing pot, put potatoes, meat, and marinade.
Add stock, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1
hour or until tender.
Just before serving, grind the toasted peanuts roughly in a food
processor with crackers and stir into stew. Stir in chocolate, if using.
Serve with white rice.

This is traditionally served with fried fish as appetizer or as a first course for a
main meal, or for a light supper. Potatoes used in the original recipe are yellow
or blue.
4 large potatoes
juice of 4 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 hard-boiled egg, cut into thin rounds
lettuce leaves
12 (or more, if desired) black or green olives, without pits, sliced
crosswise
fresh or frozen sweet corn, thawed and drained
1 avocado, cubed and sprinkled with lime juice to deter browning
4 slices of white cheese or feta cheese
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, for about 25–30 minutes.
Drain, peel, and mash while still hot.
Season immediately with salt, pepper, lime juice (reserve 2 TBS for
marinating avocado), and oil, mixing well. Let cool.
Take portions of mashed potato and form into plum-sized balls,
flattening them on top.
Place each on a serving plate and drizzle with creole sauce.
To serve, garnish each mashed potato ball with a slice of egg.
Surround with lettuce, olives, corn kernels, avocado, and pieces of
fresh cheese.
Creole sauce
1 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
juice of 2 limes
juice of 1 orange
2 TBS olive oil
parsley or cilantro, chopped
3 or more drops hot pepper sauce (optional)
Place onions in a bowl; add salt, pepper, citrus juices, olive oil, parsley
or cilantro, and hot pepper sauce, if using. Mix well.

The original recipe from Arequipa uses very hot bell peppers called rocoto. This
dish is served as a first course for a main meal, or as a main dish at supper.
4 red or yellow bell peppers

2 TBS olive oil
1/4 pound lean ground beef
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground oregano
1 TBS natural unsalted peanut butter
salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (plus extra 1/3 cup for topping and
garnish)
1/2 cup half-and-half or evaporated milk
Slice off the top of each pepper for a “lid,” with the stalk as a
“handle.” With a teaspoon, carefully remove the pepper seeds and
white pith. Rinse peppers and tops. Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and stir
fry until soft.
Stir in beef, chili powder, and oregano and cook until the meat changes
color.
Add peanut butter, cream cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and gently mix in the grated cheese and egg.
Stuff the peppers and arrange in a baking dish.
Pour about 2 TBS half-and-half into each, sprinkle with cheese, and
cover with the sliced-off tops.
Place any remaining stuffing and cream on the baking dish around the
peppers.
Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
Serve with boiled or fried potatoes.
Arrange extra cooked stuffing on a plate and sprinkle with additional
grated cheese if desired.
The traditional ingredient of this caramelized custard sauce is fresh goat’s milk.
Long, watchful cooking ensures the fullest caramel flavor possible. A less time-
consuming method is to buy a jar of dulce de leche, found in Hispanic food
sections in large supermarkets or in specialty stores. This sauce is good with any
fruit you wish to serve.

2 cups milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 ripe bananas, sliced and mixed with juice of 1 lemon to prevent
discoloring
2 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup toasted walnuts or almonds, chopped
Heat evaporated milk, milk, and baking soda to boiling in a pan.

Turn off heat and set aside.
Caramelize brown sugar and water in a thick-bottomed pan such as a
Dutch oven, over low heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
Add milk mixture.
Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until
mixture is very thick and golden brown, for about 1 hour. Let cool.
When cold, pour into serving dish and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
Serve over sliced fruit. Garnish with toasted nuts.

This sweet dish is very popularly used as a filling for pies or shaped into
individual “candies.” There are many variations of making this sweet; one uses
wine instead of the orange juice.
2/3 cup sugar

juice and grated rind of 1 large orange
2 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 egg yolks, well beaten
1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
cupcake paper liners
colored sprinkles for garnish (optional)
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar and orange juice to a
boil.
Reduce heat and simmer to a thick syrup. Add the mashed potatoes
and blend until thoroughly incorporated.
Add egg yolks, and continue cooking at low heat until the mixture
solidifies.
Away from the heat, stir in the cinnamon and orange rind.
With buttered hands, shape the mixture into round-tipped small
rectangles, like mini eclairs, or plum-sized balls. Place on cupcake
liners.
Dust with powdered sugar; garnish with sprinkles, if desired.
To make camotillo candies: after shaping the camotillo paste into
mini-eclairs, coat them on both sides with a wash of 3/4 cup powdered
sugar and 2 TBS lemon or orange juice. Lay camotillos on a
parchment-lined baking sheet, evenly spaced. Bake at 300°F for 1 hour
or until the sugar coating is dry. Leave candies to cool in the oven with
the door ajar. Store in airtight tins.

This porridge is more like a warm fruit salad, from its mix of different tropical
fruits. Serve for breakfast or as a snack or light meal. If soursop fruit is not
available, canned soursop juice or nectar can be more easily found in stores that
sell Asian and Latino foods.
2/3 cup hominy (mote)

2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 quince, peeled, cored, and diced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 cup fresh pineapple pieces
4 cloves
3-inch piece cinnamon stick
4 cups water
1 ripe aromatic soursop, about 1 pound, peeled, sliced into bite-sized
pieces, seeds removed, or
1 large can (16 ounces) soursop juice, preferably unsweetened
fresh lemon for squeezing
honey or sugar, cinnamon for serving
Soak the hominy and cornmeal with 2/3 cup water each, 5–10 minutes
before using.
In a saucepan, place the fruits, cloves, cinnamon, and water, and bring
to a boil.
Add hominy and cornmeal, and cook, stirring constantly, for 15–20
minutes or until porridge is thick.
Turn off heat.
Serve porridge in individual bowls, topped with soursop pieces or
juice. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Pass around the lemon for squeezing over the soursop (contrary to its
name, it is very sweet).
Diners help themselves to honey or sugar, if desired.
Philippines
The Philippines, one of the only two Christian countries in Southeast Asia (the
other is East Timor), comprises over seven thousand islands, not all habitable
and mostly mountainous. For more than three centuries it was a Spanish, then an
American, colony, becoming fully independent in 1946. The hot and humid
plains produce rice, tropical fruits, and vegetables, livestock, and poultry. The
coasts provide fish and seafood.
Filipinos consist of several ethnic groups, predominantly Tagalog, Cebuano
and Ilocano, Chinese, East Indian, and other groups. Philippine cooking is
heavily influenced by Spain, South China, and the United States.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, fish, vegetables.
• Freshwater and sea fish (farmed milkfish esteemed), seafood, pork
(including blood, innards, skin), chicken, beef, wild game.
• Eggplant, squash, various greens (sweet potato shoots, bitter melon
shoots), bitter melon, okra, long beans, cabbage, Chinese cabbage,
carrot, cauliflower, potato, corn, banana blossom, unripe papaya.
• Banana, coconut, pineapple, citrus (tangerine, mandarin, pomelo),
mango, jackfruit, yellow lanzones (Lansium domesticum) berries,
purple duhat (Syzygium cumini) berries, star apple, star fruit,
strawberries (in the highlands); cashew nut, pili nut (Canarium
ovatum); imported fruits such as apple, Asian pear, grapes, navel
orange.
• Seasonings: garlic, pepper, tomato, onion, bay leaf, annatto seeds,
oregano, cinnamon, vanilla, anise, cilantro, native lemon (calamansi),
fish sauce (patis), fish/shrimp paste (bagoong, alamang), soy sauce;
table condiments, including banana ketchup; vinegar, garlic, and/or
chili; fish sauce and native lemon.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fish and seafood dishes: sour soup (sinigang); marinated raw oysters
(kilawin); marinated fried fish (escabeche).
• Pork dishes: vinegar and garlic stewed pork (adobo) is the national
dish; roast pig (lechon); blood stew or pudding (depending on region,
dinuguan); barbecue.
• Spanish-influenced stews/soups of meat and/or vegetables: estofado,
pochero. Spanish-influenced meat/poultry dishes: stuffed pork roll
(embutido), stuffed beef roll (morcon), stuffed chicken (chicken
relleno).
• Chinese-influenced dishes: eggrolls, fried noodles (pancit), noodles
with soup (mami), meat-filled steamed buns and savory filled
dumplings (siopao and dim sum).
Adobo, a favorite Filipino dish of pork or chicken seasoned with garlic, black pepper, bayleaf, soy sauce,
and vinegar. (Mike Alquinto/epa/Corbis)
• American-style fast food, pasta, and salads: hamburger, hotdog, tuna

fish sandwich, pizza, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, potato salad.
(Although originally Italian, pizza and spaghetti were introduced by
Americans and are thus American adaptations.)
• Sweets: rice and coconut confections, American-style cakes,
Spanish-style custards (leche flan) and rich egg-or milk-based candies
(yema, tocino del cielo, pastillas), Chinese-style pastries (bean-filled
moon cakes).
• Drinks: native lemon (calamansi) juice, soursop and other tropical
fruit juices, coffee, tea, chocolate, locally brewed palm wine (tuba),
rice wine (tapuy), locally brewed beer, locally distilled rum, bottled
soda drinks.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditional meals (especially fish and seafood) eaten with fingers;
fork and spoon also used. Table knives rarely used at home; used for
Western-style meals and American-style steaks. Families, usually
several generations, eat dinner together.
• Breakfast: bread rolls (pan de sal), butter, guava or coconut jam,
boiled or fried eggs; chocolate-flavored rice porridge (champorado);
garlic-flavored fried rice, sausage (longganisa), salted (preserved)
duck egg. Coffee, fruit juice.
• Lunch: noodles with or without soup, meat and vegetable spring roll
(fresh lumpia), pizza, pasta, American-style ham or cheese sandwich,
rice with side dish of fish or meat and vegetable, fresh fruit.
• Dinner: rice, soup, fish or meat dish, vegetable dish; fresh/cooked
fruit or dessert (coconut ice cream, custard).
• Snacks: coffee, tea, fruit juice, cold cola or other soft drink with
Western-style cake or rice cake; fried banana or sweet potato;
sandwiches; unripe mango dipped in salt or fish/shrimp paste; ripe
tropical fruits; boiled fertilized duck egg (balut); fried (pancit) or soup
noodles (mami); steamed buns (siopao).
• Filipinos love to eat and eat out frequently at many types of eating
venues—itinerant peddlers, street stalls, markets, specialized
restaurants, and international fast food chains (in larger cities).

This soup is commonly made with fish, especially farmed milkfish, which is
plentiful, or large shrimps. It is also made with pork ribs. For flavoring, any kind
of sour fruit can be used, typically native lemons (calamansi), but specially
prized are tamarind flower buds and tender young leaves, unripe and ripe
guavas, or slices of star fruit, for their distinctive aromas. In rural communities,
sinigang is made with the morning’s catch and served for lunch with plain
cooked rice and sometimes with fried fish dipped into a table condiment of fish
sauce and lemon (calamansi), or soy sauce and lemon. Trout substitutes for the
original milkfish, which has a similar delicate flavor and texture. Some stores
now stock frozen milkfish. Watercress is a substitute for kangkong or water
spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) traditionally used.
4 cups water (preferably from rinsing rice; see note below) or fish
stock
1 pound milkfish or fresh whole trout, scaled and cleaned, sliced
crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces (including head and tail for stock)
3 TBS fish sauce (patis)
juice of 1 or more lemons
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into eighths
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into eighths
1 ripe guava, quartered, optional
2 cups kangkong stalks and leaves (available in shops that sell Asian
foods) or watercress
In a covered saucepan, put to boil the water or stock with fish head and
tail, tomatoes, onion, and fish sauce.
Add lemon juice, bell peppers, fish slices, and guava, if using.
Adjust seasoning, adding more lemon juice and/or fish sauce as
desired.
When the soup returns to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for another
5–7 minutes or until the fish is just done. Add kangkong or watercress
and cook uncovered until soup returns to the boil. Turn off heat.
Serve at once into individual bowls.
Note: Rice is washed and rinsed until the water is clear. Use water
from the second washing.

Fresh lumpia, as opposed to regular lumpia (i.e., fried egg rolls with a crisp
wrapper), are enclosed in soft, crepe-like wrappers and eaten with a garlicky
soy-based sauce. This delicacy is usually made by specialty restaurants. An
excellent first course, it is also often served at buffets to celebrate birthdays or
other special occasions.

1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup oil
1/2 pound boiled boneless pork, diced
1/2 cup fresh shrimp
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup string beans, finely sliced
1 medium carrot, in strips
1 pound heart of palm, in strips or water chestnuts, sliced
12 lumpia wrappers (see below)
12–24 romaine lettuce leaves
bunch chives (or roughly 15 spring onions, split in half lengthwise)
Sauté garlic and onion in oil; add meat, shrimp, and chickpeas.
Add beans, carrot, palm heart, cabbage, and seasoning; cook
uncovered until just tender but still crisp. Drain and set aside.
Line wrapper with 1–2 lettuce leaves and 2–3 stalks of chives or spring
onions. The leaves should protrude from one end of the wrapper.
Place 2 TBS of filling at the center of wrapper. Fold the near edge of
the wrapper over the filling, fold over one side, leaving the side with
leaves unfolded, and continue rolling.
If not to be eaten immediately, refrigerate and cover with cling film to
keep wrappers moist.
Serve with 2 TBS of brown sauce spooned across the lumpia.
Place remaining brown sauce in a bowl for diners to help themselves at
the table.
Soft lumpia wrappers

(Makes about 12 thin crepes.)
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup cornstarch
pinch salt
oil spray
Separate eggs. Beat whites till stiff. Beat in yolks gently.

Dissolve cornstarch in water, add salt, and mix in well with eggs.
Coat frying pan with oil spray. Place at medium heat.
Pour about 2 TBS of mixture into the medium-hot pan. Tilt pan,
quickly spreading mixture thinly to about 6–8 inches diameter.
When the edges curl up, carefully remove crepe from pan. Do not turn
over. The crepe should not brown; it is intentionally pale.
Fold into quarters and set on a plate; cover with a towel to keep from
drying out.
Repeat with remaining mixture.
Brown sauce
2 TBS oil
2 TBS finely minced garlic
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBS soy sauce
1 cup water or broth
1 tsp salt
2 TBS cornstarch
3 TBS water
Heat oil in a frying pan and slowly brown garlic. Set aside.
Combine the next four ingredients, add to pan, and bring to a boil.
Mix cornstarch with water, stir into boiling sauce until it thickens.
Remove from heat.
Top with garlic.

This Filipino-style beefsteak is very popular with all ages. Most Filipinos like
their steaks well done. Since the meat is marinated until tender, most Filipinos
do not usually eat this with a table knife; a spoon fulfills the same function.
Serve with rice and garnish with lemons and fried onions for a dinner dish,
accompanied by a vegetable dish and soup.
1 1/2 pounds beef, London broil or round steak, roughly 5 × 5 inch

portions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 TBS soy sauce
ground black pepper to taste
4 TBS (or more) oil
2 onions, cut into rings
lemon quarters for serving
Marinate beef in lemon juice, soy sauce, and pepper for 30 minutes or
longer. Reserve the marinade.
Drain meat and quickly shallow fry in hot oil to desired doneness.
Keep warm.
Add more oil to pan if needed; fry onions until soft and golden.
Set aside half the onions for garnish.
Add marinade to onions in the pan; heat to boiling.
Adjust seasoning: it should be quite tart and lemony.
Diners squeeze additional lemon juice over steaks, and may add soy
sauce at the table.
Serve steaks topped with onions and drizzled with the lemony sauce.

These fritters are a typical afternoon snack, available freshly fried at roadside
stands or else peddled around city neighborhoods. They are eaten dipped in
vinegar and garlic sauce. Filipinos like to drink very cold carbonated cola or
other soft drinks with snacks like this. This can also be served as a first course
for a meal.
6 TBS cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 egg whites, beaten stiff
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup cooked and shelled shrimp
oil for frying
Mix cornstarch and seasoning and fold egg whites gently into
cornstarch mixture.
Fold in bean sprouts and shrimp.
Heat 3 TBS oil in a wide skillet; drop 2 TBS of the mixture per fritter,
keeping them well apart.
Fry only 2 or 3 at a time.
Press on the fritters to flatten them and fry until crisp and golden on
both sides.
Lay on paper towels to absorb oil.
Serve with vinegar and garlic sauce as a dip or to be sprinkled over
fritters just before eating.
Vinegar and garlic sauce

1/2 cup vinegar
1 TBS minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 red or green chili, sliced (retain seeds for hotter sauce), optional
Mix all ingredients in a sauce container or bottle; let stand for 20

minutes or longer.
Sauce will keep for a month in the refrigerator; good over grilled,
roast, or fried dishes.

Bibingka is a generic term for various kinds of rice cakes, often eaten as snack or
dessert. Each region has its own version. The bibingka typical of Manila and
nearby provinces in southeastern Luzon is made of rice flour, baked in a round
clay pan lined with banana leaves, topped with mild and salty white cheese made
from water buffalo milk, and eaten with freshly grated coconut. This variant is a
dense layer cake from northern Luzon, usually eaten with a cold carbonated
drink or a hot drink (tea with lemon or coffee).
3 cups coconut milk

2 cups glutinous rice
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp anise seeds
butter or oil for greasing
Place the first three ingredients in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce heat immediately to a minimum.
Gently simmer until all liquid is absorbed (about 10 minutes). Remove
from heat.
Stir in brown sugar until evenly distributed. Spread in a greased 8 × 10
inch baking pan.
Mix thoroughly the remaining coconut milk, sugar, and anise; pour
over rice.
Bake for 20–30 minutes at 350°F until nicely browned. Let cool.
Cut into bars or squares to serve.

Leche flan is the quintessential Philippine dessert, without which no celebration
is complete. Its name comes from the Spanish flan de leche. There are many
variations of this dessert, one of which uses coconut cream, as below.
Caramel
4 TBS palm sugar or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
Custard
4 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
grated rind of 1 lime
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups coconut cream
Prepare the caramel: in a small saucepan over low heat, dissolve the
sugar in the water.
Let simmer until syrup is thickened and dark golden brown. Be careful
not to cook any longer or the caramel will burn and have a bitter
flavor. Pour the caramel carefully onto 4 ramekins or heatproof dishes.
Quickly tilt the ramekins to coat the bottom and partially up the sides.
In a large bowl, gently whisk the egg yolks, salt, lime rind, and vanilla;
try not to raise any bubbles.
Stir in the coconut cream and milk; pour gently through a sieve to fill
the ramekins up to 2/3 full.
Set the ramekins, covered with foil, on a doubled kitchen towel placed
in a deep roasting pan.
Fill tray with hot (not boiling water) to halfway up the sides of the
ramekins.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove ramekins from tray, continuing cooling
them at room temperature. When completely cool, chill for 2 hours if
serving in the ramekins, or overnight if you wish to unmold them to
serve.
Drizzle with coconut cream or regular cream, if desired.
Fruit Salad
Despite the diversity of tropical fruits in the country, this fruit salad uses canned
ingredients. Fruit salad is another celebratory dessert, a standard offering at
festive occasions. The fruit preserves are available in shops that sell Asian fruits.

1/2 cup evaporated milk or fresh cream
2 cups canned regular fruit cocktail (with pears, grapes, and cherries),
drained well
1/3 cup each of tropical fruit preserves: shredded coconut sport
(macapuno), palm fruit (kaong), coconut curd (nata de coco) or
pineapple curd (nata de piña)
fresh cherries or grapes for garnish, ifdesired
In a large bowl, mix well the condensed and evaporated milk and the
cream cheese. Taste and add more cream cheese or milk if too sweet.
Note that the preserved fruits are usually packed in heavy syrup.
Blend in the fruits and preserves; cover the bowl and chill 4 hours or
overnight.
Garnish with cherries to serve.
Poland
Poland is a Central European country between Germany and Russia. Much of

the country is a rolling plain, gradually rising from the Baltic Sea toward the
southeast. The climate is cool, and large areas of the country are covered with
forests. Agriculture is a major occupation. Rye and barley, potatoes and sugar
beets are raised, as well as hogs, and in southern parts of the country, beef and
mutton.
Most Poles are observant Catholics, and Catholic festivals, notably
Christmas, play a large part in the cuisine. Wigilia (literally “vigil,” waiting for
the baby Christ to be born) is the name of the traditional twelve-course
Christmas dinner. Another festival is Dozynki, a harvest festival where bread
from the new harvest is eaten in rural areas.
Polish cooking has borrowed from many traditions, including French,
Russian, Jewish (until World War II, over a third of the population was Jewish),
Tatar, Hungarian, and Lithuanian.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: potatoes, wheat, rye, barley. No meal is complete without
rye, wheat, or barley bread on the table.
• Meat: pork is the nationally preferred meat, though chicken, goose,
duck, and beef are also popular.
• Fish: eel, herring from the Baltic, and carp, pike, perch, sturgeon
from ponds and rivers.
• Mushrooms from the forests, for sauces and dishes, are very common
in season.
• Vegetables: cabbage, beets, onions, carrots.
• Very popular ingredients which appear in virtually every dish are
sauerkraut, vegetables, fruit, and fresh or dried mushrooms.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Soups: Barszcz, or red beet soup, served with stuffed dumplings;
zurek, fermented rye soup; chlodnik, a cold beet and vegetables in sour
milk soup, which is available only in the summer. Some other soups
are occasionally available, and these include grzybowa (wild
mushroom), ogórkowa (pickle), and kapusniak (cabbage).
• Appetizers include smoked salmon (losos wedzony), smoked eel
(wegorz wedzony), herring (sledz) in various forms, salmon, caviar,
and cold cuts and sausages. Hot appetizers are also popular, and these
include pan-fried mushrooms, tripe, and snails. Kielbasa (sausage),
golabki (cabbage rolls), stuffed eggs, mushrooms in sour cream.
• Salads: surówka, which consists of grated winter vegetables like
cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, leeks, and apples; mizeria, sliced raw
cucumbers in sour cream or sour milk.
• Main dishes with meat: boneless pork chops (kotlet schabowy) or
pork loin (pieczen), which is usually served with a sauce such as sos
mysliwski (sweet sauce with raisins and honey) or sos grzybowy with
wild mushrooms. Hunter’s stew (bigos), with meat and cabbage. Duck
filled with apples, rubbed with marjoram, and roasted in the oven,
basted often with water and red wine. Chicken stuffed with liver, rye
bread, egg, butter, spices, and parsley springs, and roasted in the oven.
• Fish: boiled, fried, roasted, fried in bread crumbs, and served with
stuffing, sauces, and accompaniments. Carp, the traditional Christmas
dish, is especially popular and comes in different varieties: in aspic,
fried or served in grey Polish sauce with raisins and almonds (Jewish-
style carp).
• Dessert and pastries include apple cakes (szarlotka), cheesecake
(sernik), and poppy-seed rolls (makowiec). There are also layer cakes,
apple tarts, cream cakes, and doughnuts, and both sweet and savory
pierogi (dumplings). Desserts like poppy-seed cake, crullers, royal
mazurek (a cherry pie), saffron babas, and buckwheat-and-raisin
pudding.
• Seasonal dishes like Christmas barszcz (borsch) with pierogi, which
also is served at Easter.
• Drinks: kvass, mead, fruit juices, tea, coffee, milk, bottled soda
drinks.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day, eaten rather early, and snacks.
• Breakfast: porridge, baked goods, bread, cold meats, eggs; nalestniki
(filled crepes). Tea, milk, or coffee.
• The main meal of the day is at midday or early in the afternoon and
normally consists of soup, a main course almost always with meat or
fish, and dessert.
• Evening: light meal of salad, boiled potatoes, stuffed vegetables.

This is a vegetable dish to accompany the main meat dish.
1 medium cabbage, core and tough ribs discarded, shredded
boiling water as needed
3 strips bacon, cubed and fried
3 tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced
2 TBS tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
Cover cabbage and onion with boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Drain.
Place bacon slices in the bottom of a pot. Add cabbage mixture,
apples, and tomato paste.
Add sugar and simmer until tender, for about 20 minutes. Season.
Serve with any meat dish.

These beets are eaten as pickles for the midday or evening meal, with fish, meat,
or eggs (see sidebar “Pickles”).
3 cups beets, freshly boiled or canned, sliced

1 TBS fresh horseradish, grated (or use about 4 tsp prepared
horseradish)
1/2 tsp caraway seed
2 cups vinegar
1 TBS brown sugar
2 tsp salt
Layer beets in a glass or earthenware bowl, sprinkling each layer with

horseradish and caraway.
Boil vinegar with sugar and salt for 2 minutes. Pour over beets.
Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Eat with a meat course.
PICKLES
Pickles are vegetables (and sometimes fruit) that have been treated with an
agent to retard spoilage. They are an essential foodstuff in all agricultural
societies that have seasonal variations in food availability. All societies face
the same problem: the need to provide sufficient calories and
minerals/vitamins on a daily basis. During harvest seasons this is not a
problem, but during dearth seasons (winter, extended dry season) this is
difficult. Agricultural societies have practiced pickling for millennia, and
pickles have become an important food in such societies (other preservation
methods, such as freezing, drying, smoking, etc. are also practiced in most
societies).
There are two types of pickling: short and long. Short pickles are
intended for short term (a few days) preservation and are made more for
reasons of flavor than long-term preservation. In short-term pickles
vegetables—onions, carrots, cucumbers, peppers—and sometimes fruit
(lemons, cherries, green mango, green papaya) are treated with salt, brine,
or vinegar. Spices or herbs may be added to change their flavor. Short
pickles are an essential component in many cuisines, such as in Japan.
Basically short pickles are a way of adding interest to otherwise bland foods
such as boiled rice or potatoes.
Long pickles are intended for consumption over a longer period: a
season or a year. Vegetables ranging from cabbage to Chinese artichoke
(Stachys affinis)—effectively most vegetables—are fermented lightly in a
brine solution or vinegar, and then flavored with herbs, spices, vinegar,
wine, or other flavorings. The fermentation, properly done, kills off harmful
bacteria, and preserves the nutritious value and taste of the pickle. If kept
well sealed at a fixed temperature pickles can last the entire winter in harsh
environments. Thus both northern Europeans and northeastern Asian
societies were deeply dependent on pickled cabbage (sauerkraut and its
variations in northern Europe, kimchee and similar cabbage pickles in
Korea and Manchuria) to supply vitamin C and other nutrients. In Europe
pickles such as cabbage and cucumbers picked in the summer were kept in
large barrels. In Korea kimchee is kept in large sealed jars. In rural areas
these jars were buried in horse manure to preserve an even temperature.
In East Asia the most common pickles include Chinese cabbage,
radishes, and gourds, as well as other vegetables. These may be dry pickled
in salt or rice bran or pickled in rice-wine lees, brine, miso (fermented
soybeans), or vinegar. In most East Asian countries, pickles and rice
constitute the basic foodstuffs for the poor. In South and Southeast Asia,
pickles (achar) are generally hotly spiced with chilies, salt, garlic, and
herbs. In Southeast Asia in particular, small fish and shrimp are also
pickled. In the Middle East, mekhalel or torchi (from the Turkish turçu) are
commonly made by housewives out of lemons, turnips, cucumbers,
cabbage, radish, green tomatoes, and unripe apricots and almonds in brine
or vinegar with a mixture of spices that differs from one country to the next
and from one household to another. Olives (which always need processing)
are pickled throughout Mediterranean countries in a number of ways and
constitute a major type of pickle, available in some cuisines with every
meal. In northern and eastern Europe pickled cucumbers, cabbage, and
turnips are made, either sour or sweet-sour. U.S. pickling traditions evolved
largely from European cuisines and include Polish cucumber pickles (dill,
or “kosher” pickles and sweet pickles), sauerkraut, and, in the North and
Northwest, relishes of cucumbers or sweet peppers, an American variation
of the eighteenth-century British piccalilli, which in turn originates from
Indian achars.

The main meal may have a fish dish such as this. This fish casserole features two
layers of fish, eggs, and vegetables with a cream sauce.
oil or lard for greasing casserole

3 boiled potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 cups cooked fish, deboned and diced
1 cup cauliflower, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
1 TBS flour
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
3 TBS bread crumbs
2 TBS parmesan cheese
2 TBS butter
Grease a casserole. Arrange in a layer half of the potato slices, fish,
cauliflower, and eggs.
Season well with salt and pepper.
Blend flour into sour cream. Stir in water and spoon half of this
mixture over the first layer of potatoes, vegetables, eggs, and fish. Add
the remaining potatoes, fish, cauliflower, and eggs, and sprinkle with
salt and pepper. Pour over the remaining sour cream mixture.
Mix bread crumbs, cheese, and butter. Sprinkle over casserole.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown.

These meatballs are a favorite main dish.
2 slices stale bread, crust removed

1/3 cup milk
4 TBS butter
1 small onion, minced fine
Meatballs with white sauce served with potatoes and salad. (Papkin/iStockphoto.com)
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs, separated
1 TBS fresh dill, minced fine
1/2 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
flour, as needed
1/4 cup butter
1/4 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3/4 cup sour cream
Soak bread in milk.

Heat 2 TBS butter in a frying pan. Sauté onion until soft.
Combine onion with meat, lightly beaten egg yolks, bread mixture,
dill, tarragon, salt, and pepper.
Beat 2 egg whites to soft peaks; fold into meat mixture.
With moistened hands, form small balls (about walnut size) of the
meat mixture and coat with flour.
Heat 1/4 cup butter in a wide frying pan; when foam subsides, add
meatballs and brown on all sides.
In another pan, sauté mushrooms in 2 TBS butter.
Add mushrooms to meatballs and stir in sour cream, coating the
meatballs.
Simmer the mixture, partially covered, over low heat for 30 minutes.
Stir occasionally. Season and serve with potatoes and salad.

Wigilia is the main celebratory meal of the year, composed of at least twelve
dishes of various local products.
4 cups water
1 pound mixed dried fruit (pears, figs, apricots, apples)
5 ounces pitted prunes
8 ounces pitted sweet cherries
2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into rings
2 ounces cranberries
8 ounces sugar
1 lemon, sliced
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, rind grated and reserved, peeled, sectioned, and all white
membrane discarded
4 ounces grapes, or pitted plums
Combine water, mixed dried fruits, prunes, and raisins in a large pot.
Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add cherries, apples, and cranberries.
Stir in sugar, lemon, and spices.
Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add orange sections and grapes.
Bring just to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
Stir in the orange rind, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes.
Serve with Christmas porridge.

This is an essential component of the Wigilia meal. It may also be eaten for
breakfast on other occasions.
1 cup cracked wheat

2 cups hot water
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1 cup honey
2 cups water
Soak wheat in hot water for 30 minutes.

Bring to a boil with the salt and cook covered until tender.
Mix in poppy seeds.
Cook honey with remaining 2 cups of water for 20 minutes.
Cool and pour over wheat and poppy seed mixture.
Serve in individual bowls. Eat with Wigilia fruit compote.

Kisiel is a sweet fruit “soup” that can be eaten as a light meal during the summer
or for dessert. Other fruits may be used, such as raspberries or red currants.
3 heaping TBS cornstarch

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar, or more to taste
1 cup water
1 1/2 pounds sweet ripe strawberries, hulled and crushed
cream or milk for serving
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to a smooth slurry; set
aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in water and bring
to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until the
syrup is thickened. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
Transfer the thickened syrup to a large bowl; add strawberries and
blend well. Alternatively divide among individual glass dessert dishes.
Chill for 2 hours or more.
Serve with cream or milk, or half-and-half.

This apple cake is a classic dessert with many variations: each family makes it
differently.
4 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into eighths

grated rind and juice from 1 lemon
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBS cold butter, diced
Heat oven to 400°F. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch square pan.
In a bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon; set
aside.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.
In a larger bowl, cream sugar and butter until very light; beat in well
the eggs, vanilla, lemon rind, and sour cream.
Add the flour mixture and blend well to a smooth batter; transfer batter
to the prepared pan.
Distribute apple slices in rows on the batter; dot with diced butter.
Bake for 20–30 minutes or until golden and cake tests done.
Dust with powdered sugar to serve.
Portugal
On the southwestern coast of the Iberian peninsula facing the Atlantic, Portugal
was a world power in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, leading the European
exploration of Asia and the coast of Africa. The centuries-long Portuguese
empire is responsible for spreading throughout the world many food plants and
items from their original homes in Asia, the Americas, and Africa: Indian and
Indonesian spices and cooking methods, exotic fruits and nuts, salted codfish.
The country is mostly mountainous with a temperate climate, and a range of
Mediterranean-type crops are grown: olives, grapes, wheat and other grains.
Cows, sheep, and other livestock are raised for milk and cheese; fish and seafood
are caught from the coast.
The population is largely Iberian, with several minority communities from
Portugal’s former colonies: Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, East Timor, and
Brazil. The expatriate and colonial communities introduce tropical and exotic
cooking forms to the urban diet. Regional foods have kept their distinctive
differences. Portuguese cuisine is rich and diverse, with commonalities with
Spanish cuisine, but is also distinct.
FOODSTUFFS
• Potatoes and wheat are the main staples. Maize is also often eaten.
• Fish and seafood are very important items of the diet, notably dried,
salted codfish (bacalhau), which almost defines Portuguese cooking.
Grouper, mullet, halibut, sardines. Crustaceans such as camarão
(shrimp) and other seafood, including lulas (squid).
• Meat: pork, beef, chicken. Mutton and goat in mountain areas. Many
areas produce dried sausages and preserved meats, such as linguiça,
chouriço, lombo enguitado.
• Vegetables: potatoes, peppers (both sweet and hot), tomatoes, onions,
and garlic.
• Fruit: apples, pears, plums, grapes, both for wine and for the table.
Olives and olive oil. Imported tropical fruit. Honey is an important
ingredient appearing in desserts and cakes such as bolo de mel.
• Dairy: milk products, including a large variety of hard and soft
cheeses, the most famous of which come from the Tras os Montes
region in the northeast.
• Flavoring principals include olive oil; tomatoes; and a variety of
spice mixes including piripiri, a chili sauce that has spread from
Portugal across Africa (or as some sources say, vice versa); curry, and
ginger.
• Portuguese desserts are heavily influenced by Moorish flavors. Egg
custard tarts (pastéis de nata) and almond confectionaries, as well as
many other confections are bought at neighborhood pastelarias, some
of which are world famous.
Codfish.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Grilling, particularly roast suckling pig (leitão) and piripiri–
marinated chicken; simmering in broth; and casseroling are common
cooking methods. The Portuguese (much like the Catalans and the
Chinese) combine meat and seafood in the same dish, such as pork
cooked with mussels.
• Fried little fish in a very delicate and crisp light batter (joaquizinhos
fritos) could very well have been one of the antecedents of Japanese
tempura.
• Soups: caldo verde (kale soup); canja de galinha (chicken soup);
sopa do mar (seafood soup).
• Meat: cozido (stew); migas con entrecosto (spareribs cooked with
bread); bitoque (fried beefsteak with an egg on top).
• Snacks: conquilhas á Algarvia (clams in cilantro); lulas recheadas
(stuffed squid); bolas de bacalhau (fried salt-dried codfish balls,
possibly the most loved snack).
• Pastries abound, sold in neighborhood pastelarias: leite crème
(custard), arroz doce (sweet rice), pudim de mel (honey pudding), bolo
de mel (honey cake), pudim de laranja (orange cake).
• Tropical fruit drinks, coffee, and excellent local wines are the
favored drinks for all ages. Coffee is served after meals, or for breaks,
together with one of the vast varieties of pastries.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and plenty of snacks.
• Place settings are standard European.
• Breakfast: breads, cheeses, cold cuts. Coffee or hot chocolate.
• The main meal of the day is lunch. Appetizer; soup; meat or fish (or
mixed) main dish with potatoes, rice or noodles; dessert.
• Evening meal may be like lunch but simpler and without a meat dish.
• Many snacks are eaten during the day, either purchased from street
vendors or at small pastelarias or bars. Savory and sweet snacks might
come instead of a sit-down meal in the evening.
• Wine, mineral water, beer, or fruit juices are commonly drunk with
meals.

A very traditional peasant soup originating from the north but now popular all
over the country. There are many regional variations.
1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 pound of garlicky smoked sausage such as chouriço, or linguiça,
sliced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thick
6 cups water
1/2 pound kale, tough ribs removed, finely shredded
salt to taste
Heat oil and sauté onion until translucent. Add sausage and cook for
an additional minute. Set aside.
Cook potatoes in water until quite soft. Mash into the water.
Add kale to the potatoes and water. Simmer for 5–10 minutes or until
the kale is tender.
Add the sausage, onions, and their oil.
Cook until heated through. Do not overcook. Season to taste.
Serve as a first course or as a light meal with crusty bread or rolls.

Grilled or roasted vegetables are served as savory snacks or appetizers.
4 large bell peppers
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
2–3 TBS wine vinegar
Wash and dry peppers.

Grill under or on a hot flame, turning often so that they scorch on all
sides.
Remove from heat and dip into very cold water. Peel off papery skin.
Slit open, remove stem and all seeds, and slice into thin, long strips.
Mix dressing ingredients, and pour over peppers.
Serve as a salad. Any leftovers will keep in a closed jar in the
refrigerator for about a week.

This can be served to flavor many dishes, including cozido (stew).
3 TBS vegetable oil

1 large onion, cut into thin rings
4 medium tomatoes, skinned and chopped roughly
1–3 chili peppers (depending on preferred heat), cored, shredded finely
salt to taste
1 TBS vinegar
Heat oil over medium heat in a deep pan.

Sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and tomatoes and stir well.
Add chilies. Cook for 5–10 minutes until tomatoes are softened.
Add remaining ingredients.
Serve with fried fish, chicken and rice, or meat, and boiled potatoes.

This rice dish is often served at lunch.
1/2 chicken, cut into serving pieces

4 cups water
1 onion, sliced
2 TBS butter
2 bay leaves
1/2 can tomato paste
1 TBS cumin powder
salt to taste
1 cup rice, rinsed and drained
In a heavy covered pot, place all ingredients except rice to gently stew.
Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until chicken is tender.
Raise heat to bring stew to a boil. Add the rice and reduce heat to
lowest.
Simmer, covered, until rice is done, about 20–25 minutes, and most of
the liquid has evaporated.
This popular snack is available at almost any bar or pastelaria. It exemplifies,
perhaps more than anything else, the Portuguese dependence on the sea, and
most notably on the cod.
1/2 pound dried salt cod (bacalhau)

2 cups water
1 bay leaf
3 cups potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed
1 TBS parsley
2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
about 1 cup cornmeal
The day before, wash salt cod and soak in cold water overnight,
changing the water at least twice.
Drain and discard water. The cod should feel soft. Discard any bones
and skin.
In a saucepan, bring water, onion, and bay leaf to a simmer. After 5
minutes, add the fish. Ensure the water covers the fish. As soon as it
has resimmered, cover and remove from heat (salt cod toughens
quickly). Let cool briefly.
Drain the fish and pound in a mortar to separate the flesh into fine
shreds (or, though quicker but not with the same result, in a food
processor).
Add mashed potatoes, seasoning, parsley, and half the eggs.
(Add some cornmeal if the mixture is too moist.)
Shape cod mixture into oval patties about 1 inch thick, and 3 × 2
inches, or small lemon-sized and shaped balls. Coat patties with
cornmeal.
On moderate heat, heat enough oil for deep frying in a frying pan.
Fry a few at a time until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Serve warm or cold as a snack at any time of the day.
This can serve as a main dish eaten with French fries and a salad.
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 pounds lean, boneless pork, cut into 2-inch cubes
Mash salt, garlic, pepper, and cumin together in a bowl.

Add water, vinegar, and sugar and mix together well.
Add pork and mix until all meat is moistened.
Cover and marinate for 6 hours or overnight.
Just before cooking, remove and drain the pork; discard the marinade.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot.
Add the pork and gently cook on very low heat, turning meat
constantly, for about 25 minutes. The pork will be golden brown and
quite crisp.
Serve as a main dish or appetizer.

This pudding is a very common dessert, with regional variations.
3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
4 cups milk
4 cups water
pinch of salt
1 cup short-grain (risotto) rice
1/2 cup butter
1 TBS (or more) lemon juice
ground cinnamon
Beat egg whites until stiff, and set aside in the refrigerator.
Beat 1/2 cup sugar with yolks and vanilla.
In a heavy saucepan, bring milk, water, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and
salt to a boil.
Reduce heat immediately and slowly add rice and butter, stirring
constantly.
Cook on low heat until all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked, about
20 minutes. Add more hot milk if necessary and continue cooking if
rice is not done.
Remove from heat.
Add 2 TBS hot rice to the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Add to the
rice in the pan.
Fold in egg whites, lemon rind, and lemon juice to taste.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Serve as dessert.

These miniature muffins are often served for breakfast, or eaten as a snack with
coffee.
1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 TBS orange juice
2 TBS lemon juice
Heat oven to 375°F. Line mini-muffin pans with cupcake liners. If

mini-muffin pans are not available, use regular muffin pans.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder and
soda; set aside.
In a large bowl, rub the orange and lemon rind with sugar; add the
butter and cream until very light.
Beat in the eggs; add half of the flour mixture and blend well.
Mix in well the milk and citrus juices, and the remaining flour mixture.
Fill pans 2/3 full; bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm.

Almond tarts are a specialty of Albufeira, which, like the rest of the Algarve
region, is noted for its almond trees.
Pastry
1 1/2 cups flour
4 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg and 1 yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
Topping
2 cups almond slivers
1/2 cup cream
1 cup sugar
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Rub in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal; blend in the
egg, yolk, and vanilla to form a pliable dough. Pat into a 9-inch tart
pan, prick pastry all over with a fork and bake for 15 minutes or until
golden.
While pastry is baking, mix the topping ingredients.
Spread over hot pastry and return the tart to the oven to continue
baking 10 minutes more or until topping is caramelized.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Q
Qatar
A small peninsula sticking out of the Arabian peninsula into the Persian Gulf. At
one hundred by thirty miles, it is one of the smaller Arab states. The land is
rolling desert and rocky hills. The climate is hot and muggy except for the
winter, which is warmly comfortable.
The population is a mix of Sunni and Shi’a Arabs. Cuisine is heavily
influenced by the Indian subcontinent (ships from Qatar have traded with India
for millennia). As Muslims, Qataris do not eat pork.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice and breads of wheat flour are the popular staples.
• Meat: camel, particularly camel calf; mutton; beef.
• Fish and seafood: shrimp and some varieties of shellfish.
• Vegetables: pumpkins, squash, gourds, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions,
eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower.
• Fruit: dates, melons.
• Dairy: camel’s and ewe’s milk, drunk fresh, as buttermilk, or made
into butter, yogurt, or cheese.
• Flavoring principals include samna (ghee, or clarified butter),
turmeric, and onions.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Deep-fried, baked, and mixed dishes of vegetables and meat cooked
with rice are popular.
• Grilled meat, either kafta (meatballs) or chunks of meat, cooked on
spits.
• Kharees (rice cooked with shredded meat and doused with ghee).
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals a day and snacks are gradually being replaced by three
meals a day.
only. Male and female guests eat separately. Western dining with
individual place settings and cutlery is becoming common when eating
out.
• Breakfast: breads, butter/samna, fruit, particularly dates. Coffee or
buttermilk.
• Lunch: salad or fresh vegetables; dips with flat breads; rice dishes
such as biryani; samboosa (filled baked or fried pies).
• Dinner: rice cooked with meat; fish dish; salads; fruit; coffee.
• Snacks: fruit; sweet pastries with coffee.
• Coffee is drunk after meals and at breaks throughout the day.
Buttermilk and water, fruit juices, and international soft drinks are
drunk with meals.

A main dish almost always includes meat, and grilled spitted meat is a great
favorite.
1 pound ground lamb (turkey, chicken, or beef)
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 cup parsley, freshly chopped
1 tsp salt
metal skewers
1 head lettuce, shredded (for serving)
2 tomatoes, chopped (for serving)
1/2 cup yogurt (for serving)
cucumber, chopped (for serving)
4 large flat breads (for serving)
Combine the first nine ingredients.

With moistened hands, roll into balls (kafta) about the size of an egg.
Thread a skewer through each meatball and mold the mixture into a
long sausage shape along the skewer.
Grill over charcoal or broil gently, careful not to overcook so the meat
will stay moist.
Keep cooked meat warm in a low oven.
When all the meat has been cooked, take a skewer in one hand, and in
the other a piece of flat bread to wrap around the meat. Use the bread
to push the meat off the skewers and onto a plate.
To assemble: diners each take a flat bread and lay it on a plate.
Lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers are arranged in a row in the middle,
then the kafta alongside. Yogurt is ladled over all, and the bread is
rolled around the meat and vegetables. The bread roll is eaten with the
fingers.

Flavored potatoes may be served alongside meat, or on their own as a main dish
for lunch.
1 pound potatoes
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Boil potatoes until they can be pierced by a fork but are still firm. Peel
when cool and cut into chunks.
Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add cumin seed and stir for 10 seconds, until
fragrant (be careful to avoid burning).
Add onion and sauté on low heat until translucent.
Add remaining spices and salt and stir for a few seconds.
Add potato chunks and stir to coat with spices and onions.
Keep cooking until potatoes are heated through.
Add lemon juice and serve immediately.

Both this dish’s name and ingredients indicate that it is a borrowing from India.
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

2 TBS vegetable oil
1 green chili, finely minced
2 TBS tamarind juice or lemon juice
1 tsp jaggery (palm sugar; available in large molded cones from stores
that sell Indian foods) to taste (must be crumbled from the cone), or
substitute packed brown sugar
Fry ginger in 1 TBS oil till golden. Set aside.

Heat remaining oil. Fry onion till brown. Add chili and garlic and fry
for about 1 minute.
Reduce heat. Add ginger, then tamarind and jaggery. Mix well.
Use as a condiment. Topped with oil and refrigerated, this condiment
will keep for a few weeks.

Dates are a traditional staple. Now they are served in many meals as dessert or
sweet and are also eaten as snacks. This is very sweet, so serve with bitter coffee
or a glass of cold water.
3/4 pound whole dates, pits removed

3/4 cup butter
2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 TBS confectioners’ sugar (optional) or juice from 1 orange or 1
lemon
Place the dates in four individual serving bowls.

Heat the butter over medium heat until it starts foaming.
Reduce heat and add cinnamon and flour.
Mix and stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes a
soft paste.
Pour the sauce evenly over the dates. Allow to cool.
Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Alternatively, spoon over orange
or lemon juice.

Esh Asaraya (or Aysh al Saraya) means “bread of the sultan’s harem,” and it is a
very rich bread pudding with creamy cheese. An alternative to making your own
caramel syrup is purchasing a bottle, though the taste will not be the same.
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
8 pieces of toasted crustless white sandwich bread, broken into fine
crumbs
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
Make caramel syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil

the sugar, water, and lemon juice. Simmer until the syrup thickens and
turns golden brown. Turn off the heat at once. (The hot syrup will
continue cooking in the hot pan and will turn a darker color. Do not let
the syrup scorch or it will turn bitter.)
Place the saucepan in the sink and slowly add 1 cup of boiling water.
Be careful not to get your face too close to the steam arising from the
pan.
Add the bread crumbs to the saucepan, and over low heat, let them
absorb all of the syrup. Allow to cool, then stir in the lemon rind,
divide among 4 glass dessert dishes, and refrigerate.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and blend well with the cream cheese.
Stir in the orange-blossom water.
Divide cream cheese mixture among the dishes, sprinkle with
pistachios and almonds, and chill for 1 hour or more before serving.

This dessert has many variations throughout the Middle East.
1 pound frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 cups mixed chopped nuts, your choice among almonds, walnuts,
hazelnuts, or pistachios
1 cup coconut flakes or chips, unsweetened (optional)
1 cup sultana raisins
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
1 tsp rose water, orange-blossom water, or vanilla
Heat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Butter an 8-
inch baking dish.
Separate the sheets of pastry and place them on the prepared sheet.
Take out the baked pastry, but leave the oven on.
Into the prepared baking dish, break pastry into random pieces.
Add nuts, coconut, and sultanas, and mix well.
In a saucepan over medium heat, stir in half the sugar and all of the
milk, and bring to a boil.
Let the milk-sugar mixture cool slightly, then pour over the pastry
mixture.
Whip cream to soft peaks, gradually add the remaining sugar, and
continue whipping till stiff.
Spread cream over the pastry mixture and bake for 15 minutes or until
golden.
R
Romania
Romania, an Eastern European country on the Black Sea, was ruled by the
Ottoman Empire for many centuries. About a third of the country is arable and
the climate temperate to cool, enabling maize and wheat, a range of fruits and
vegetables, and pigs, cows, and other livestock to be raised.
The population comprises Romanians, as well as ethnic Hungarians and
Germans.
Romanian cuisine is diverse, with pronounced Turkish, Greek, Slavic, and
French influences. Romania has borders with Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary,
Serbia, and Bulgaria, all of which have affected, and in turn been affected by,
Romanian cuisine. Dishes such as sarmale, mousaka, baklava, saraigli, mititei,
halva, and rahat are clearly Turkish in origin.
Meat is very popular, and Romanian meat and meat products are prized in
neighboring countries.
FOODSTUFFS
• Maize, wheat, barley, wheat, potatoes, pasta.
• Meat: pork, beef, chicken, duck, goose, turkey, venison, also variety
meats (innards). Preserved meats include sausages, pastrama (dried
meat), corned beef, smoked hams.
• Fish: fresh water fish (carp, trout, pike), and seawater fish such as
salmon, cod, herring (mostly imported), sprats.
• Vegetables: beans, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, peppers, squashes,
and zucchini; pickles.
• Fruit: grapes, plums, apples, pears, apricots, berries of various sorts;
unripe green walnuts.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The common staple is mamaliga (cornmeal mush or porridge).
• Meat is an important component of any meal, and Romanian meat
grills and meat are famous throughout the region. Beef with various
vegetables; pork in various combinations with vegetables; lamb and
mutton; stew with onions and garlic is traditional; minced meats;
sarmale (vegetables, such as peppers, stuffed with meat and rice);
variety meats; roasts (lamb and mutton, traditionally at Christmas
time); duck with baked apples.
Mititei, Romanian grilled ground meat rolls made from a spiced mixture of beef, lamb, and pork.
(Ciaobucarest/Dreamstime.com)
• Jellied pork is traditionally eaten on holidays.

• Salads (salata) are typically eaten with the main dish, boiled, baked,
or breaded; eggplant salad; sweet pepper salad; potatoes with eggs and
cottage cheese.
• Appetizers: savory puddings (budinca) and soufflés.
• Soups (supa): vegetable soups; meat (beef and poultry); sour soups
(ciorba) of meat, vegetables, and fish.
• Vegetables lightly sautéed in butter; pasta; omelets and scrambled
eggs; fish dishes.
• Layered cakes; cold fruit desserts; walnut bread is traditional at
Christmas; strudels and pies; sweet puddings, particularly rice
puddings.
• Preserves (quince, rose petal, green walnuts) and jams (marmelades:
sour cherries, carrots).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day (almost all very heavy).
• Place settings are European standard in the cities and more informal
in the remoter countryside, usually consisting of only a spoon and
bowl.
• A typical Romanian menu will tend to include several appetizers,
soups, a main dish, and dessert, many dishes slathered with sauces or
cream.
• Drinks: fruit juices, locally made wine (Romania is among the top
ten world producers), locally brewed beer, bottled fruit drinks and soda
drinks, fruit and herb brandies (plum, apricot, cherry, caraway seed).

This is a commonly eaten salad or appetizer.
1/2 pound dried beans, soaked overnight and drained

2–3 TBS vinegar
2 TBS oil
Boil the beans in water until soft. Drain and cool.

Mix with chopped onion.
Add vinegar, seasoning, and oil. Toss well.

Dairy products are commonly teamed with dill and other herbs.
1/2 pound cottage cheese

2 ounces butter
salt to taste
3 spring onions (green part only), minced
Mix cheese with butter and salt to make a paste.

Add dill and mix well.
Garnish with onions.
Spread on bread as a snack.
A soup using a common vegetable, topped with cream and dill, served as a first
course.
1 TBS butter
1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely
1 parsley root (also called Hamburg parsley, substitute with 1/2 cup
leaf parsley), peeled and chopped finely
1 tsp flour
2 quarts water
10 ounces green beans, chopped into 1-inch lengths
1 pound tomatoes, skinned and chopped
salt to taste
1/4 cup mixed parsley and dill, chopped finely
1/2 cup sour cream
Heat butter in a heavy pot. Sauté onion. When golden, add root
vegetables.
Sprinkle vegetables with flour and mix thoroughly.
Slowly add water, while stirring, and the beans.
Simmer on lowest heat until the beans are tender, about 30–40
minutes.
Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt.
Add parsley and dill.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream in each plate.

This can be served as a vegetable side dish or an appetizer.
6 medium zucchini, sliced finely and patted dry with paper towels
1 TBS flour
2 TBS lard or oil
1 TBS lemon juice
salt to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp butter, melted
1 tsp flour
1 tsp dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
Dredge zucchini with flour.

Heat lard in a pan and fry zucchini a few at a time until golden. Add
more lard if necessary, heating well before adding vegetables.
Arrange in a casserole dish and drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle
lightly with salt.
Mix sour cream with butter, flour, and salt.
Pour over zucchini.
Sprinkle with dill.
Bake for 20 minutes in a 350°F oven.
Serve hot, sprinkled with more dill.

This is a main dish often served accompanied by cooked vegetables such as
zucchini or green beans.
2 pounds ground beef

2 onions, chopped fine
1 bread slice, crust off, crumbled, soaked in 1 TBS water, then
squeezed dry
5 ounces bacon, chopped fine
1 TBS chopped parsley and dill
2 eggs, beaten separately
7 ounces macaroni
ground black pepper
lard or oil for greasing
1 TBS bread crumbs
green lettuce or 2 boiled red beets, sliced, for garnish
Mix meat with onions, bread, bacon, salt, and pepper.
Mix in parsley and dill and 1 egg. Set aside.
Boil the macaroni in salt water until al dente.
Rinse with cold water and drain.
Mix macaroni with most of remaining egg (leave about 2 TBS for
glazing later), pepper, and butter.
Lay a large sheet of foil or plastic wrap (about 20 inches long) on your
working surface or table. Spread the meat mixture on the foil in a 1/2-
inch-thick rectangle, its length three times its width.
Lay the macaroni in the middle of the meat mixture leaving a wide
margin.
Roll meat up using the foil, to completely enclose the macaroni with
the meat.
Place the rolled meatloaf on a greased baking sheet. Discard foil.
Brush with remaining egg, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake in 350°F oven for 40–60 minutes or until done.
Cut into 2-inch slices, garnish with green lettuce or beets, and serve
with a red beet salad or sautéed carrots.

Cornmeal is an important staple, more popularly eaten in the form of a bland
form of cornpone (mamaliga). It can also be made into a sweet cake, as here,
which is eaten as dessert or a snack.
3 cups cornmeal
1 cup white flour
4 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
pinch baking soda
4 TBS oil
3 cups club soda
2 ounces rahat lokum (Turkish delight), any flavor, cut into 1/4-inch
cubes
butter and flour for the pan
vanilla sugar
Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and oil in a bowl.
Add club soda a little at a time, stirring and ensuring liquid is absorbed
before adding more.
After all club soda has been used up, or the cornmeal is the
consistency of porridge, let sit for 10–15 minutes.
Mix in the rahat lokum.
Butter and flour a 9 × 13 inch baking pan.
Pour in cornmeal mixture, leveling the top.
Bake at 350°F until deep golden.
Sprinkle with vanilla sugar.
Allow to cool.
Cut into squares and serve with coffee.

These are cookies that most families seem to always have at hand, ready to serve
to unexpected guests.
1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
4 TBS honey
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,

nutmeg, and cloves.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; blend in egg,
honey, and ginger.
Add the flour mixture and blend well to make a soft dough.
Knead briefly with buttered or very lightly floured fingers: try not to
use too much flour while kneading.
Let rest, wrapped well with plastic film, overnight in the refrigerator.
Divide dough in two; cover the unused half with a moist towel.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the other half of the dough as
thinly as possible, then cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
Bake at 350°F on parchment lined cookie sheets, no more than 8
minutes.
Let cookies cool on the parchment, as they are very soft but will firm
up when cool. Repeat with second half of dough.

Alivenci, also known as alivencile, are commonly eaten for a light meal or snack,
and even for dessert. The classic dish is made with sheep’s cheese, but in a
pinch, any cheese, including Monterey Jack, will do. If using cottage cheese, use
a blender or food processor or pass through a sieve to break down the curds.
3 egg whites
3/4 cup white farmer’s cheese (sheep’s or goat’s cheese preferably but
cow’s milk cheese is fine), feta, or cottage cheese
1/4 cup sour cream, yogurt, or cream
3 egg yolks
2 TBS fine yellow cornmeal
2 TBS flour
1/4 tsp salt (optional, as cheese may be quite salty)
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks; set aside.
In a large bowl, blend the cheese and sour cream until smooth; stir in
the yolks and mix well.
Mix in the cornmeal, flour, and salt.
Gently fold in the egg whites; spoon onto prepared pan and bake for
20–25 minutes, or until pale golden.
Serve at once, sliced into squares, topped with sour cream or lightly
whipped cream. For dessert, add a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
Russia
Russia is the largest country in the world. West of the Urals, the land is
characteristically flat or rolling hills, fertile and well watered. East of the Urals
sprawls arctic and flat Siberia. Farther south are the Karakorum mountain
ranges. Generally the climate is cold, with hot summers in the southern regions,
and subzero winters.
Numerous republics and autonomous areas make up the modern Russian
Federation. However, in terms of cuisine, several specific areas interpenetrate
one another: Russian cuisine predominates from the shores of the Baltic, through
Moscow and St. Petersburg, and ranges from the food of peasants to that of
emperors.
Along the Volga River, cuisines are heavily influenced by Tatar forms of
cooking and eating. North Caucasus cuisines such as Ossetian and Ingush
predominate from the northern Caucasus to the Black Sea. Finno-Ugric people,
including Finns and Samoyeds, have a distinct cuisine in north European Russia.
Finally, the frigid tundras, where Tungus and other circumpolar people live,
have foods similar to their distant relatives, the Inuit and the North American
Athabascan peoples.
Given the cold climate, hearty carbohydrate foods, often cooked in lard or
fat, predominate in the lives of ordinary people.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: barley, wheat, buckwheat, and various other grains; potatoes.
• Meat: pork and chicken are most common; also duck, beef.
• Fish: herring, both fresh and pickled; salmon, fresh and smoked;
sturgeon, usually smoked; caviar from the Volga River and the
Caspian Sea.
• Dairy: milk; sour milk; yogurt; sour cream, which garnishes many
dishes including main dishes and soups; cheeses.
• Vegetables: cabbages, beets, potatoes, beans, and peas. Wild
vegetables, including mushrooms.
• Fruit: apples and pears, plums, melons from Asian Russia. Wild
berries and nuts.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Kasha (buckwheat porridge) has been the staple for centuries; pirogi
(stuffed meat pies); blini (pancakes topped with caviar and sour
cream). Soups such as schchi (cabbage soup) and borscht (hot or cold
vegetable soup).
• Popular main dishes include pelmeni (stuffed pasta) with sour cream;
bifstroganov (beef cooked in sour cream sauce and served over
noodles).
• Tea—hot, milkless, and sweetened sometimes by jam—is a major
drink, though many people have a fondness for strong drinks, notably
vodka made from potatoes, and beer. Kvass, a drink made from bread,
is also popular (see Latvia entry for the sidebar “Kvass,” p. 756).
STYLES OF EATING
• Table settings are mostly European standard, but local variations are
common.
• Breakfast: bread and butter and jam, kasha (buckwheat porridge)
with sour cream and cheese, tea or milk.
• Lunch: Main meal of the day, consisting of soup with black bread;
zakuski (appetizers); meat or fish main dish with cooked vegetables;
dessert.
Blinis (pancakes) for sale outside the Moscow Kremlin (see recipe). (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)
• Dinner: salads, cooked vegetables or zakuski, tea.

• Snacks: A variety of zakuski are served to guests—blini (pancakes),
pickled fish, hard-boiled eggs, cold meats, caviar, and other small
finger foods. A zakuski table is the center of hospitality in Russian
homes and is always served with plenty of hot tea and vodka.

Buckwheat is more cold resistant than wheat and is therefore an important
staple. It is commonly prepared as groats (kasha) or, when ground into flour, as
pancakes and also eaten as an appetizer (see sidebar “Food and Class: Cooking
and Cuisine,” below).

pinch of sugar
1 1/2 tsp active yeast
1 cup kasha (buckwheat) flour (available from stores that sell Russian
foods or health food stores, or from Japanese food stores as soba flour)
2 cups lukewarm milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 pound butter, melted and cooled
2 cups sour cream
3 egg whites
1 pound sliced smoked trout, mackerel, salmon, or herring fillets
Mix lukewarm water, a pinch of sugar and the yeast. Set in a warm
place for 10 minutes, until the mixture is frothy.
In a large bowl, combine half the buckwheat and all the white flour.
Make a hollow in the center and pour in 1 cup milk and the yeast
mixture.
With a wooden spoon, slowly stir the flour into the liquid ingredients,
then beat vigorously until the mixture is smooth.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel; set aside in a warm, draft-free spot
for 3 hours, until the mixture almost doubles in volume.
Stir the batter thoroughly, and beat in the remaining buckwheat flour.
Cover the mixture with a damp towel and let rest in a warm place for
another 2 hours.
Stir the batter and gradually beat in egg yolks, salt, sugar, 3 TBS
melted butter, 3 TBS sour cream, and the remaining milk.
Beat egg whites in a large bowl until stiff.
Fold the egg whites gently but thoroughly into the batter.
Cover with a towel, and let the batter rest in the warm place for 30
minutes.
Lightly coat the bottom of a 10-to 12-inch skillet with melted butter.
Set pan over high heat. Pour in about 3 TBS of the batter for each
pancake.
Fry only a few at a time (depending on the size of your frying pan).
Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until bubbly, brush the top with butter, turn
over and cook another 2 minutes or until golden brown.
Keep pancakes warm in oven while making the rest.
Spread each blini hot with melted butter and a slice of smoked fish,
then top with sour cream.
FOOD AND CLASS: COOKING AND CUISINE

Every human society cooks at least some of its food. In societies in which
there is a great surplus of food, two features appear: cuisine and class
differentiation. Social classes that can afford to do so spend much of their
resources on elaborating food preparation (“cooking”) into a recognized art
form involving cooking, which we call “cuisine.” Subsistence societies
across the world cook their food as cheaply and as fast as possible to save
on fuel and working effort, and they do not have access to imported spices
or ingredients.

This is another common zakuski dish, based on the wild mushrooms collected in
the fall from Russia’s many forests.
1/2 cup wine vinegar

1 whole clove
1/4 cup cold water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 pound small, fresh mushrooms (champignon or any other you
fancy), wiped clean
2 TBS vegetable oil
In an enameled or stainless-steel saucepan, combine vinegar, clove,

water, peppercorns, bay leaf, salt, and crushed garlic.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Add mushrooms and reduce the heat to
low.
Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring the mushrooms
occasionally, then cool to room temperature.
Remove the garlic from the marinade.
Pour the entire contents of the pan into a covered container or jar.
Pour vegetable oil on top to keep out the air, and cover the jar tightly.
Keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 week before eating.
Serve the pickled mushrooms as a zakuski or with meat or fish.

Hearty soups are important in Russia’s cold winters. Schchi may be the main
meal of the day, served with plenty of black rye bread. The traditional method of
preparing stock is given below, but to save time, use bouillon cubes or canned
stock.
Stock
2 pounds beef short ribs
4 quarts water
2 stalks celery
6 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 TBS salt
In a heavy pot, bring beef and water to a boil over high heat.
Skim off any foam that rises.
Add celery, parsley, bay leaves, onion, carrots, and salt, and reduce
heat to low.
Simmer for 1–1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender but not falling apart.
Remove meat from pot, dice, and reserve.
Reduce stock for another 4 hours on low heat.
Strain the stock through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, discarding the
vegetables.
Chill for 1–2 hours or ideally overnight, then skim off as much fat as
possible.
Alternatively, use 3 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 6 cups water, or
use 6 cups prepared beef stock.
Assembly
2 TBS butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 small white cabbage, quartered, cored, coarsely shredded
4 potatoes, diced
1 celery root (celeriac, or substitute 2 stalks celery), peeled and sliced
into matchstick strips (julienned)
1 parsley root (Hamburg parsley, or substitute 1 parsnip), peeled and
julienned
1 cup fresh or canned, chopped tomatoes
Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onions, reduce heat, and
cook until translucent.
Stir in cabbage, potatoes, and celery and parsley roots.
Cover pot, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Add meat stock, reserved diced beef, and tomatoes.
Simmer for another 15 minutes, then season.
Serve hot with rye bread.
These fish cakes may serve as a main dish or as part of a zakuski table.
Sauce
2 TBS prepared medium hot mustard
2 TBS lemon juice
4 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 cup fresh dill, finely minced
1 sweet gherkin, chopped
In a blender, combine mustard, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and oil until
smooth.
Pour into a covered container and add remaining ingredients.
Refrigerate.
Cakes
4 slices bread
1 cup milk
2 pounds cod or other white-fleshed fish fillet, skinned and finely
ground
1 egg, well beaten
1/4 cup fresh dill, minced
salt to taste
2 tsp white pepper
flour
about 1/4 cup butter
about 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Soak bread in milk for about 10 minutes.

Squeeze gently to remove excess milk; in a large bowl mix thoroughly
with the fish, egg, onion, dill, salt, and pepper.
With floured hands, shape into patties about 1/2 inch thick.
Melt 2 TBS butter with 2 TBS oil in a heavy pan over medium heat.
Fry only a few of the fish cakes at a time until golden brown on both
sides.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven while the rest are
being prepared.
Add more butter and oil to the pan, as needed.
Serve hot, spooning sauce over each cake.
Buckwheat Groats with Mushrooms and Onions (Grechnevaya

Kasha)
Hardy buckwheat grain, potatoes, and cabbages were common traditional daily
fare. This dish is usually eaten on its own.
1 cup coarse buckwheat groats (available from health food stores and
stores that sell Russian foods).
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 to 3 cups boiling water
2 cups onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped (traditionally, these would
be wild forest mushrooms. Or substitute brown champignon, oyster
mushrooms, or even fresh shiitake)
Dry fry buckwheat in an ungreased heavy lidded pan and cook over
low heat, stirring constantly, until the buckwheat is lightly toasted.
Take care not to burn them.
Stir in salt, 2 TBS butter, and 2 cups boiling water.
Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for
about 20 minutes.
If the buckwheat is not yet tender, stir in 1 more cup of boiling water;
cook covered for 10 minutes more or until the water is absorbed and
the grains have swelled up.
Remove from heat, uncover, and let the buckwheat stand for about 10
minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 2 TBS butter over medium heat.
Add onions and cook until golden.
Stir into the buckwheat.
Heat remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat.
Add mushrooms, salt, and black pepper and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes.
Increase heat, continuing to stir briskly, until all the liquid has been
absorbed.
Add mushrooms to the buckwheat and onions and mix thoroughly.
Adjust seasoning. Serve at once.

This cheesecake is traditionally the centerpiece of Russian Orthodox Easter
celebrations together with kulich, the main Easter cake made of nuts and raisins.
1 pound large-curd cottage cheese

1/4 cup chopped candied fruit and glacé orange peel
1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
1/4 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted, for garnish
1/4 cup candied fruit and glacé citrus peel, for garnish
Drain the cottage cheese in a cheesecloth-lined colander, cover with

plastic wrap, and place a heavy weight (such as a 1-pound can) on top.
Let the cheese drain for 2 or 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Combine candied fruits and vanilla in a covered container and leave
overnight.
In a food processor or blender, process the cheese until fine and
smooth.
Blend in the softened butter, and set the mixture aside.
Make a rich custard: heat the cream over low heat in a pan until small
bubbles appear on the sides. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar together until thick.
While continuing to beat, slowly add the hot cream; return the mixture
to the pan.
Stirring constantly, gently cook on very low heat, or over (not in) hot
water, until the mixture thickens. Do not allow the mixture to boil, or it
may curdle.
Remove from heat. Stir in the candied fruit and immediately cool the
pan in a large bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes.
When the custard is completely cooled, mix gently but thoroughly into
the cheese mixture; stir in the chopped almonds.
To form the cake, a tall mold is customary, but a sieve or colander will
do, lined with clean cheesecloth. Set a large bowl underneath to catch
the drippings.
Pour in the mixture and fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the top.
Set a weight on top of the cheesecloth and chill in the refrigerator
overnight, until the cake is firm.
Unfold the cheesecloth and invert the cheese mixture on a serving
dish.
Remove cheesecloth and decorate the cake with almonds and candied
fruit.

Each family has its own version of this popular fruit-based cake. You may
substitute any fruit in season, such as apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums, or
pears.
4 tart-sweet eating apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and sliced finely

1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS brown or dark brown sugar (optional)
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar, cream or sour cream for serving
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch tube pan or
springform pan.
Combine apple slices with lemon rind, juice, and brown sugar if using,
and layer them in the pan.
Beat the egg yolks and vanilla until very light and slowly mix in the
sugar.
Add the flour and salt and blend well.
Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, and fold into the batter.
Pour batter over apples, making sure the topmost layer of apples is
moistened. Press the apples down slightly into the batter.
Let cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes; unmold and continue cooling
on a rack.
To serve: dust with powdered sugar, and top slices with lightly
whipped cream or sour cream (slightly sweetened, if desired).

These easy to make patties are eaten for breakfast, a snack, or light meal. Serve
with jam, honey and butter or sour cream, or as some families do, drizzled with
sweetened condensed milk.
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese, well drained, or white farmer’s cheese

1 egg plus 1 yolk, well beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
additional flour plus about 1/4 cup milk (optional)
butter and/or oil for frying
In a food processor or large bowl, blend the cottage cheese or pass

through a sieve to break down the curds. Mash, if using farmer’s
cheese.
Add the egg and yolk, mixing them in well, then the flour and salt for
a firm, moist (but not runny) dough. Add more flour or a bit of milk, if
needed.
Shape the dough into 8 patties.
Heat 2–3 TBS of butter, or a mix of butter and oil, over medium heat;
fry patties until golden brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.
Rwanda
This small, landlocked eastern African country is largely characterized by rolling

hills and uplands. The climate is temperate to cool.
The population comprises predominantly the Hutu ethnic group; the rest are
Tutsi. Ethnic tensions between the two groups have led to a series of civil wars
and a massacre in 1994 in which more than eight hundred thousand Tutsi and
Hutu were killed by extremist Hutu.
The cooking is simple and basic, centered on porridge staples eaten with
vegetable sauces. Influences of Belgian cooking (very good fried potatoes, even
in rural areas) are evident.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: sweet potato, cassava, beans, peas, millet, potato in the
South, and fruits.
• Meat: chicken and beef are preferred (but beef is rarely available and
chicken is very expensive); goat. Rural Rwandans rarely eat meat.
Some families have cattle, but since cattle are considered a status
symbol, people seldom slaughter them except in exceptional
circumstances.
• Vegetables: leafy greens, potato, eggplant, squash.
• Fish from the lakes, and, more recently, tilapia raised on fish farms.
• Dairy: goat and cow milk, soured milks in the countryside.
• Fruit: bananas and plantains, mangoes, avocados, papaya, guavas.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Mounds of umutsima (cassava and maize paste), ubugali (cassava
paste) are served at most meals.
• Vegetable dishes: isombe (cassava leaves with eggplant and spinach),
igitoki (eggplant and plantain stew), ibishyimbo (kidney beans with
sunflower seeds), fried potatoes.
• Meat dishes: zingalo, a tripe stew; igisafuriya, a meat and vegetable
stew, usually of rabbit or goat.
• Fried freshwater (lake) fish.
• Matoke (cooked plantain) and mizuzu (fried plantains) are common
side dishes.
• Drinks: tea, very milky and very sweet; beer. Local wines from
pineapple, passion fruit, and other local fruits.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: sweet potatoes and porridge (a mixture of sorghum, corn,
and millet), mixed with milk. Urban people have bread and tea.
• Lunch and dinner: boiled beans, bananas, sweet potatoes, or cassava.
• Evening meal is the heaviest and may include goat or rabbit or, on
rare occasions, chicken or beef.
• Snacks: fruits, roasted corn, barbecued meat.
• Beer is a favorite drink for men, and a way to exchange services.
Much of the beer consumed is homemade from sorghum (ikigage) or
bananas (urwarwa) or a mix of both. Traditionally, homebrewed beer
is drunk through straws from a common large container (often a
recycled cooking oil can).

This dish is often made to accompany the staple porridge.
2 pounds young cassava leaves, washed and chopped (or substitute

spinach, Swiss chard, kale, or collard greens)
2 spring onions, chopped
2 medium eggplants, cut into chunks
1 pound spinach, washed and chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
3 TBS palm oil
3 TBS natural (unsweetened) peanut butter
Boil cassava leaves in water until tender.

Add onions, eggplants, spinach, and green peppers.
Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add palm oil. Mix a few TBS of the cooking liquid with the peanut
butter in a small bowl until diluted. Add diluted peanut butter to
cooking greens and stir in well.
Serve with umutsima.
Beef Stew
Meat, especially beef, is a rarity for the majority of Rwandans and is usually
served only on special occasions or when guests are expected. The most
commonly available meat is rabbit.
2 TBS oil
1 pound stewing beef (or rabbit), cut in 1-inch cubes
3 plantains (or green bananas if plantains are not available), peeled and
cut into quarters, drizzled lightly with lemon juice to prevent browning
3 TBS tomato paste
salt and hot chili powder to taste
water as needed
Heat oil and brown meat and onions in a heavy pot.

Add plantains, reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add tomato paste and season to taste.
Cover mixture with water and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, or until
meat is tender.
Add extra water if needed during cooking.
Serve with cooked beans and ubugali.

Igisafuriya is an entire meal in a pot, as its name (which means “cooking pot”)
suggests. It is considered the Rwandan national dish, and can be made of goat or
chicken, but these days most usually of rabbit with whatever vegetables are on
hand. The original recipe includes a few pieces of dried fish for an authentic
flavor. Substitute 1 TBS dried shrimps or pulverized dried anchovies if desired.
Another alternative in a pinch is fish bouillon or dashi powder used in Japanese
cuisine. Dried shrimps and dried anchovies, as well as dashi powder, are
available in stores that sell Asian foods.
3 TBS peanut oil

4 portions of chicken (legs, quarters)
1 leek, sliced finely
2 stalks celery, diced or 1 cup flat parsley, chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored and quartered
1 TBS dried fish (anchovies) or dried shrimps, powdered (or dashi
powder)
2 TBS tomato paste
4 allspice berries, or 1/2 tsp allspice powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups chicken broth or water
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, ground finely
1 bunch imbogeli greens (Amaranthus dubius), or substitute kale or
spinach
2 green plantains, each sliced into 4 pieces crosswise
5 garden eggs (African small round eggplants), or small Asian
eggplants, stalks removed, kept whole
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat; brown the chicken
pieces briefly on all sides. Set chicken aside.
In the remaining oil in the pan, stir in the onions and garlic and sauté
until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Mix in the leek, celery, bell peppers, dried fish, tomatoes and tomato
paste, spices, and salt.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tomatoes are soft, about 5–8
minutes.
Add broth and let pan come to a boil.
Stir in roast peanuts, then place in layers the chicken pieces, plantains,
garden eggs, and the greens.
Reduce heat to minimum, cover, and let simmer until the chicken and
vegetables are tender, about 30–40 minutes.
Serve with a mound of ubugali or umutsima.

This is a common snack sold by street vendors in urban areas.
oil for deep frying

2 large semiripe plantains or 4 unripe bananas, peeled and cut into 1/2-
inch disks
1/4 cup sugar
Heat oil for deep frying in a deep pot.
Slide plantains, a few at a time, into the pot and fry until golden brown
on both sides.
Scatter some sugar on top. Serve hot or cold.

This pudding is eaten as a snack or dessert. Directions are for a 650–800 watt
microwave.
3 sweet potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup water
2 cups yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
seeds of 4 cardamom pods, or 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
2 TBS butter
milk for serving
In a microwaveable bowl with cover, place the sweet potatoes with

water.
Microwave at high power, covered, for 1–2 minutes or until potatoes
are tender; discard water and mash the potatoes.
Mix in the yogurt and sugar and blend well; microwave at half power
for 30 seconds and stir.
Microwave again for 30 seconds each time until the sugar and yogurt
are fully absorbed.
Stir in the butter and cardamom. Serve hot with milk, if desired.

This stew is a popular vegetable dish for the midday or evening meal.
3 TBS oil
3 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup hulled sunflower, squash, or pumpkin seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
2 cups kidney, borlotti, or other cooked beans
1 TBS each of: paprika powder, fresh oregano, fresh basil
2 TBS miso (fermented soya paste)
To serve: 4 TBS chopped parsley, 3–4 chopped shallots, and 1 finely
chopped garlic clove
garlic until aromatic and softened.
Reduce heat, stir in tomatoes and sunflower seeds, and cayenne, if
using, and simmer until tomatoes are softened.
Stir in the beans, paprika, and oregano; simmer for 15–20 minutes; add
the miso and 2 cups of water.
Simmer for another 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in basil.
Serve hot. Diners help themselves to parsley, shallots, and garlic to
mix into the beans.
S
Samoa
Samoa comprises two relatively large islands, Upolu and Savaii (which account
for approximately 96 percent of the total land area), and eight smaller islands.
The islands are volcanic and are dominated by rugged mountain ranges; coral
reefs and lagoons surround the islands. The climate is tropical, moderated by
cooling trade winds that keep the temperature comfortable for most of the year.
The population is largely Polynesian, with some Chinese, European, and
East Indian immigrants. Traditional diet relied heavily on starches such as taro
and breadfruit, and on coconuts and fish, but has been modified by introductions
from European cuisine (including items such as canned corned beef), and
Chinese and Indian foods. The cornerstone of social life, including food, is the
clan, which controls land and fishing rights and within which food is often
shared. Many Samoans have relocated to New Zealand and the United States,
and have, as a consequence, affected and modified the diet, bringing in a demand
for sweet foods (cookies and cakes) and drinks (sodas, coffee).
FOODSTUFFS
• Starches: breadfruit, taro, sweet potatoes; more recently, wheat
bread, cakes, and cookies.
• Meat: pork is the favorite meat. Also chicken, corned beef, wild
game such as pigeons, duck, and bats.
• Fish: flying fish, tuna, reef fish such as parrot fish and grouper,
octopus, squid, and other cephalopods, clams, oysters, and crustaceans.
• Vegetables: cassava and taro leaves.
• Fruit: coconut, both young and mature; bananas; native oranges and
limes.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Chicken baked in banana leaves (taisi moa) in an earth oven.
• Grilled foods: char-grilled chicken (moa tunupau), wild pigeon (lupe
tunuvilivili), flying fox (pea tunuvilivili), pig (puaa tunuvilivili).
• Octopus in coconut cream (faiai fee), grilled fish in coconut cream
(vaisu), and coconut and fish soup (sua ia).
• Introduced foods such as sapasui (chop suey).
STYLES OF EATING
• People in traditional households eat together on a mat around the
dishes and bowls of food, eating with their fingers. Urban households
tend to eat at a table in modified European settings.
• Breakfast may be leftovers from previous day; poi; or, increasingly,
bread or rolls, sometimes fried.
• Main meal is in the afternoon, consisting of starch; salad, fresh or
pickled, or grilled fish or seafood; meat or chicken if available.
• Evening meal is a lighter one.
• Important events are celebrated by traditional feasts of food—taro,
yams, bananas, fish, meat—cooked in an umu (earth oven) and shared
by an entire extended family or clan.

Like most Oceanian islanders, Samoans are heavily dependent on fresh fish.
These are often eaten raw. Make sure you use only very fresh fish for this dish.
1 1/2 pounds fish meat, any firm fish (of sashimi quality) such as tuna,
snapper, jack, boned and skinned, cut into bite-sized slices (or
substitute surimi mock crab)
Making coconut cream using the traditional Samoan taualaga to wring the liquid out of the
grated coconut. (Lisa In Glasses/iStockphoto.com)
1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup crabmeat, flaked
1/2 cup cucumber, shredded
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Serve as an appetizer or side dish with boiled taro or yam.

As in many places in the world, corned beef or other canned meat introduced by
European traders have become favored foodstuffs in their own right and have
been incorporated into local cuisines. This is traditionally baked in an umu (earth
oven).
1 can corned beef (pisupo)

1 cup onions, chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 young taro leaves
butter or oil for greasing, as needed
4 large (10 × 10 inch) banana leaf or foil squares
Mix pisupo, onions, and black pepper well.

Select 3 taro leaves of different sizes. Place the largest on the palm of
your cupped hand.
Layer the other two in gradated size (if you have no taro leaves, use
greased individual ramekins or custard cups).
Fill leaf layer with 1/4 of the corned beef mixture. Fold securely.
Repeat for remaining mixture and leaves.
Wrap leaves in aluminum foil sheets to make well-sealed packages.
Bake in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes.
Serve with baked coconut milk (see the next recipe).

This is a side dish served with grilled fish or meat.
2 cups thick coconut milk

2 onions, grated
salt to taste
water as needed
12 young taro leaves
4 large (10 × 10 inch) banana leaves or foil sheets
Place coconut milk in a deep casserole dish. Bake at low heat until
golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and raise oven heat to 420°F.
Break up the cream and add onion, salt, and some water, if necessary,
to make a well-blended doughy mixture, mixing well.
Select 3 taro leaves of different sizes. Place the largest on the palm of
your cupped hand.
Layer the other two in gradated size (if you have no taro leaves, use
greased individual ramekins or custard cups). Gather and pleat the
leaves to form a cone.
Fill the cone with 1/4 of the mixture. Cup the leaves gently to enclose
the mixture.
Place the cupped leaves inside a seared banana leaf or aluminum foil
sheet to seal. Keep the sealed leaf packages upright so that the mixture
does not leak out.
Repeat for the remaining coconut mixture and taro leaves.
Place upright on a baking dish and bake in a 350°F oven for about 30
minutes.
Serve with a fish dish, pisupo, or cooked breadfruit.

These bananas can be served as a side dish with meat or fish.
4 large green bananas, peeled

water as needed
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup onion, chopped
salt to taste
Place bananas in a pot with water to barely cover.

Bring water to a boil, simmer until bananas are tender, about 15
minutes.
Drain and discard water.
In a saucepan, place bananas, and mix in coconut milk, onion, and salt.
Over low heat, simmer until coconut milk has thickened.

Samoans were introduced to sweet cookies and other sweet foods by
missionaries, visitors, and returning emigrants.
8 ounces butter or margarine

2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
5 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 pounds flour
oil or butter for greasing

Cream butter with sugar until light.
Add eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla. Mix well.
Sift baking powder and flour, then add to egg mixture. Mix
thoroughly, then knead for 5 minutes in bowl, adding flour if
necessary to achieve a pliable dough.
Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into squares
or lozenges.
Alternatively, take spoonfuls of dough and roll into walnut-sized balls.
Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet, well separated.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until pale gold.

This cake is a variation on a classic and popular cake, most likely introduced by
missionaries.
Caramel syrup
1/3 cup dark brown sugar or palm sugar
Batter
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup evaporated milk or coconut cream
Butter an 8-inch square pan.

In a saucepan over low heat, dissolve dark brown sugar in coconut
cream; set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,
nutmeg, and cloves.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; beat in egg and
mix well. Stir in vanilla.
Add half of flour mixture, blend well with milk and caramel syrup.
Mix in the rest of the flour mixture.
Pour mixture into prepared pan; cover tightly with foil.
Steam in a double boiler for 1–1 1/2 hours or until tester comes out
dry.
Alternatively, place cake pan (covered with foil) on a folded kitchen
towel inside a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot (not boiling)
water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake at 350°F for
40–45 minutes or until done.
This pineapple pie is a variation on a classic sweet and snack.
Filling
1/2 cup milk or coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS cornstarch
4 TBS syrup from crushed pineapple
2 eggs
2 cups crushed pineapple, well drained
Pastry
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
3/4 cup butter
6 TBS coconut cream
Make the filling ahead of time to allow it to cool completely.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine milk, sugar, cornstarch, and the
pineapple syrup, and stir constantly until thickened.
Stir in the eggs and mix them in well, then the pineapple. Cook for
another 1 or 2 minutes until filling is very thick. Let cool.
Prepare the pastry: in a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Rub
in the butter until evenly distributed.
Sprinkle on the coconut cream and gather the mixture intµo a ball. Pat
briefly to smooth the dough.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 2 unequal portions,
one 2/3 and the other 1/3.
Roll out the larger dough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie
pan, with an overhang.
Pour the filling into the prepared pastry.
Roll out the remaining dough to cover; crimp the edges with a fork or
your fingers, moistening with a bit of water to seal, and trim any
excess.
Slash or prick the top pastry in several places to allow steam to escape
during baking; bake for 10 minutes at 375°F, then reduce heat to 350
and bake for 20–25 minutes or until pie is golden.
Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar, if desired.
San Marino
One of the smallest countries in Europe (and the world), San Marino occupies a
mountain top (Mount Titano) and some surrounding fields in the Apennine
Mountains, completely surrounded by Italy. It is the last remnant of the many
city-states that dotted the Italian landscape during the Renaissance period.
Food is largely similar to that of surrounding Emilia Romagna, but the San
Marinese are fiercely proud of their independence and heritage, so their foods
are declared to be “San Marinese.”
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples include rice, wheat pasta, potatoes.
• Favorite meats are beef (particularly veal) and pork. Chicken and
other poultry.
• Vegetables include tomatoes (fresh and dried), potatoes, lettuce,
arugula, beans, zucchini, artichokes, onions, and garlic.
• Fruit include citrus fruit, melons and watermelons, apples, pears and
peaches, strawberries and figs, grapes.
• Milk products include soft cheeses and butter.
• Flavor principals include tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and bay leaves.
Butter and olive oil, traditionally lard.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Croquettes (crocchette), pork cooked in milk, cornmeal cake
(bustrengo), braised beef heart, cheese puddings.
• Pasta is often eaten, doused with butter or cream sauces.
• A variety of soups.
• A variety of pastries and breads.
• Wine and mineral water are commonly drunk by all during main
meals. Coffee is drunk in great quantities and in various forms, by
most adults during the day.
STYLES OF EATING
• Families generally eat together, at least on weekends.
• Breakfast: fresh bread or rolls, butter, and large cups of milky coffee.
• Lunch: a main meal, which usually consists of several courses
finished by dessert and cheese. This is washed down by wine and
mineral water.
• Evening meal: usually a multicourse meal.
• Many short breaks for tiny cups of coffee are the norm.
• Cafés serve coffee and many kinds of pastry during all hours of the
day and in the evening.
This makes a quick meal for the evening or a snack during the day.
2 potatoes, boiled, skinned, and mashed

1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS parsley
2 ounces fresh or frozen, thawed, and drained spinach, chopped
2 ounces mortadella cheese, chopped
2 ounces Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, grated
6 slices white bread, crusts removed, soaked in 1 cup milk, then
squeezed
3 eggs, beaten
4 TBS flour
1 cup bread crumbs
oil for frying
Mix mashed potatoes with nutmeg, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Mix in onions, spinach, cheeses, bread, and 1 egg.
Form mixture into 1 × 2 inch rolls and roll each in flour, then the
remaining eggs, then in bread crumbs. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour
before frying.
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan.
Fry the croquettes, a few at a time, until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels, and keep warm while preparing the rest.
Serve at once.

This pork dish is popular for a main meal.
3 ounces lean ham, chopped

2 pounds ground pork
4 TBS olive oil
4 cups milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 sprigs (each about 6 inches long) rosemary
2 ounces butter
2 TBS flour
Mix ham and pork. Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
Form into a single large patty.
Heat olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan, then fry patty on one side
until golden underneath.
Reduce heat, and add milk, cinnamon, and rosemary.
Place uncovered in a hot (400°F) oven.
Bake for around 40 minutes uncovered, turning often.
After 40 minutes, check meat. When the juices run clear, remove from
oven. If not, bake for another 5–10 minutes. Remove meat from pan
and keep warm.
Make a gravy from the pan juices: heat butter in a separate pan.
Sprinkle flour, mixing constantly to absorb the butter. Cook until flour
is light brown.
Add the pan juices, 1 TBS at a time, continuing to whisk briskly, until
a thick sauce is formed. Add the remaining juices.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until fairly
thick.
Slice the meatloaf. Discard rosemary. Pour sauce over meat and serve.

Traditionally, this cake was cooked in the fireplace in a covered copper pan
heaped with coals.
1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup honey
2 cups milk
1/2 cup dried figs, diced
1 pound firm apples, peeled, cored, and diced
olive oil or butter for greasing
Preheat oven to 320°F. Grease a 9-inch baking dish with olive oil.
In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, and bread crumbs.
Make a hollow in the center, and add eggs, oil, honey, and milk.
Mix well until smooth.
Add the raisins, figs, apples, and lemon and orange rinds.
Transfer batter to the prepared baking dish.
Bake at 320°F for 50–60 minutes until top is golden.
Allow to cool on a rack, slice into squares, and serve.

Pagnotta is a sweet bread traditionally eaten in San Marino during Easter. It
resembles a panettone (a yeast bread with candied citrus rind and raisins made
originally in Milan, but popularly eaten during Christmas in Southern and
Central Italy and other parts of the world where Italians have migrated).
Pagnotta is traditionally made with lard; however this version uses butter. It is
not very sweet; to add texture and as a variation, you may wish to add 1/2 to 1
cup of slivered or flaked nuts to the dough. Serve with hot coffee or other hot or
cold drink.
Starter
1 cake fresh yeast or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 TBS sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup flour
Dough
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg plus 1 yolk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp anise seeds, whole or chopped, or 1 tsp anisette (anise-flavored
liqueur)
1 3/4 cups flour
4 TBS candied lemon or orange peel
1 cup raisins
To finish
4 TBS sugar
Prepare the starter: in a bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water
and flour. Set aside in a warm place until frothy.
In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter until very light; mix in well
the egg, yolk, salt, lemon rind, and anise.
Add the flour, lemon peel, and raisins and mix well; make a well in the
center of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast mixture.
Blend well until all is thoroughly incorporated, and form into a ball.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until elastic and smooth, about 15
minutes.
Oil the dough, place in a bowl, and let rise, covered, in a warm place
for 1 1/2–2 hours or until almost doubled.
Divide the dough into two and shape into 2 round loaves; place into
greased 6-inch cake pans and let rise for 1/2 hour.
When the loaves have risen, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with
sugar.
Bake for 20–30 minutes or until golden brown and tester comes out
clean.
São Tomé and Príncipe is a group of two small and several smaller islands in the
Gulf of Guinea, near the coast of West Africa. The terrain is mountainous and
volcanic, and the climate is hot and humid. Farmers raise beans, coconuts,
cocoa, spices, sweet potatoes, poultry, and fruit.
Like many islands on the West Coast of Africa, it had been a Portuguese
colony, and, as a consequence, a mix of West African and Portuguese cuisines
became the local style. The population are descendants of African slaves brought
to cultivate sugarcane and tobacco. Many foods reveal Portuguese influence
either in the ingredients (olive oil and European herbs) or in the preparation
methods. Soufflés and sweet cakes are very common.
FOODSTUFFS
• The staple is sweet potato. Bananas and plantains are a major source
of energy. Maize and cassava are also eaten.
• Meat: goat and chicken.
• Fish: marine fish from the surroundings seas; shellfish and snails.
• Vegetables: cabbages, beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, cassava leaves
and shoots, onions and chilies, peanuts as snacks and flavoring.
• Fruit: coconuts, mangoes, guavas, bananas, papaya.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Sweet potato and eggs cooked into soufflés.
• Flavored rice (arroz crioulo) cooked with fish or meat.
• Drinks: coffee, coconut water, soft drinks.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditional rural families eat around pots of shared food on a mat.
Urban families eat around a table, with fork and spoon.
• Breakfast: leftovers, or bread or rolls, or cold baked potatoes washed
down with coffee.
• Lunch: main meal of the day, with a meat or fish dish.
• Evening meal: similar to lunch, with or without a meat dish,
depending on resources.
• Snacks: street vendors or bakeries prepare local versions of
Portuguese baked goods.

This soufflé is a common side dish served with meat.
2 pounds sweet potatoes

2 eggs, separated
Place potatoes in water to cover and cook for 20 minutes or until

tender. Drain and let cool.
Peel potatoes and mash with egg yolks. Season to taste.
Beat egg whites into peaks and fold into batter.
Butter an ovenproof 2-quart casserole and spoon in the mixture.
Cool to room temperature and serve with roasted meat.

This omelet is a common supper dish eaten by many households.
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
Beat eggs, add milk, garlic, and sweet potatoes. Season to taste and
mix well.
Heat oil in a pan. Add potato mixture.
Stir, then cook covered for 10 minutes on low heat until brown on
underside.
Place under a grill for a further 2 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve hot.

Bananas are a major staple, and most households cultivate both bananas and
plantains as a matter of course.
4 green bananas (unpeeled)

juice of 1/2 lemon
Place unpeeled bananas in a large pot.

Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes or until
soft.
Remove from water and cool.
Peel and mash with fork to a puree.
Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Serve with fish or meat.

Rice is imported as a luxury, a taste the São Toméans received from the
Portuguese.
1 tsp salt
3 cups water
2 cups rice
1/2 cup fish or clam broth
1/2 pound cooked flaked or diced meat (chicken, turkey, beef or pork;
leftovers are fine)
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, bring to a boil the salt,

water, rice, onion, and carrots.
Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is al
dente.
Turn off heat, add butter, stir until melted, and let cool.
Refrigerate overnight for flavors to develop.
When ready to serve, heat fish broth, add rice mixture and flaked
meats. Add salt and pepper, mix well and cook over low heat until all
liquid has been absorbed.

Calulu is traditionally served for feasts and special days.
2 pounds fillets of firm-fleshed fish (grouper, jack)

1 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
1 onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
10 ounces greens (young pumpkin leaves, spinach, kale)
1 large tomato
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
8 okra pods, stems removed, pods left whole
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup palm or olive oil
4 TBS flour
1–2 sprigs basil for garnish
Season fish with salt and lemon, set aside for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
Place chopped onions, garlic, eggplant, greens (see note below),
tomato, peppers, okra, and bay leaf in a heavy pot.
Pour oil over all, cover and bring to a boil.
Stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 5 minutes.
Add fish and enough water to cover.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fish is done, for about 20
minutes.
Mix flour with 1 TBS of the broth, then add to pot.
Stir well, simmering for 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
Garnish with basil.
Serve with angu de banana.
Note: If using spinach, add leaves just before fish is done.

This papaya can be served as a side dish with meat or, sprinkled liberally with
icing sugar, as a snack or dessert.
1 large papaya (not too ripe), peeled, halved, seeds removed and
discarded
1 egg, beaten
3 TBS bread crumbs
Cut papaya into 3 × 2 inch slices 1/4 inch thick.

Dip slices into beaten egg and then in bread crumbs.
Heat enough oil for shallow frying over medium heat, and fry the
papaya slices until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm while frying the rest.
Serve hot.

These are popular biscuits for snacks, accompanied by hot or cold drinks.
2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until very light; add yolks
and citrus rinds, blend well.
Stir in the orange juice; mix in well the flour mixture and form into a
ball. Wrap the dough and chill for 1 hour.
With lightly floured or buttered hands, take small balls and flatten
them slightly. Lay them evenly spaced on the prepared pan. Bake for
10–12 minutes, or just until they are starting to color at the bottom
edges.
Lift the parchment from the baking sheet. Let cookies finish cooling,
still on the parchment, on a rack.
When cookies are completely cool, dust with powdered sugar.

This cake is meant to be unmolded to show off caramel-drenched bananas. The
caramel syrup is extremely hot, so take care when handling it.
Caramel
6 TBS butter
2/3 cup sugar
Batter
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
2 TBS milk
4 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
4 firm, ripe bananas, cut on the diagonal in 1/2-inch-thick slices
Lightly butter an 8-inch round or square cake pan 3 inches deep.

In a saucepan, melt butter with sugar. When the syrup turns golden
brown, turn off the heat.
Carefully pour the hot syrup onto the prepared pan, swirling the pan to
let it spread evenly. Set aside to cool.
Mix the batter: in a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; add yolks and
beat in well. Stir in the milk.
Add the flour mixture, blend well, then gently fold in the egg whites.
Place the banana slices nicely in overlapping layers on the cooled
caramel.
Spoon batter over the bananas, taking care not to dislodge them.
Bake for 40 minutes–1 hour or until tester comes out clean.
Saudi Arabia
A large desert kingdom with plenty of oil fields, Saudi Arabia enjoys a high
standard of living. The climate is harsh and dry with great temperature extremes
between night and day. The southern mountainous areas are a bit cooler. Though
agriculture is not commonly practiced outside the Asir area in the south,
supermarkets and shops provide imported fresh produce and food. Food, except
for when entertaining guests, or during the festivities of the month of Ramadan,
tends to be simple.
Saudi Arabia is a strictly Muslim country, which frowns on the practice of
other religions. The major festival is Eid-al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan. The
purchase or drinking of alcohol is strictly forbidden and severely punished.
RAMADAN
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, starts with the
appearance of the first crescent moon. From that time on, for one month,
Muslims do not eat or drink during the daytime. People bless one another
with “Ramadan Mubarak!” (Blessed Ramadan!).
During Ramadan, Muslims eat an early morning meal before
daybreak, called suhoor. Traditionally, this meal includes a porridge of
barley and some dates, recommended by the Prophet Muhammad, and no
salt, to limit the need for water during the day. After nightfall, a snack is
eaten before evening prayers, and then a full meal, iftar, which is more
substantive and often includes stews and sweet dishes.
The end of Ramadan is marked by the Concluding Festival (Eid-al-
Fitr), which in many places includes music and singing. Ramadan is
celebrated by Muslims all over the world, and not unnaturally, the specific
foods differ according to location.
FOODSTUFFS
• Meat, particularly lamb and camel, and wheat and rice dishes are the
main staples.
• Wild meats, including antelope, rabbits, bustards, quail.
• Various greens collected from the wild in the winter and spring,
including hyssop, mallows, and manna.
• Vegetable salads of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers.
• Thickened yogurt and soft cheeses.
• Pocket breads and flat breads (khubz).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Grilled meats, of camel, mutton, and goat, are highly popular as
snacks and as main dishes.
• A common dish is a mansaf: rice mounded on flat bread, with meat
and ghee or sauce poured over the rice.
• Rice cooked with meat and dried fruit (aroz Saudi); stuffed grilled
lamb, kid, or camel calf; stuffed pies (samboosak); vegetable and meat
soups (shorba); fresh vegetable salads; eggplant and yogurt mash.
STYLES OF EATING
• Family dining tends to be less formal, with men and women of the
same family sometimes eating together. In traditional households, the
main dish(es) are brought in and served either on a low table or on a
mat, with everyone sharing from the dishes which are placed in the
center. Food is eaten from a common dish or bowl, using the three
middle fingers of the right hand only or scoops of flat bread. When
there are guests, males eat separately and before women, who get the
men’s leftovers.
• Breakfast is simple: flat bread with yogurt and/or cheese, olives or
other pickles.
• Lunch is the main meal, with appetizers (meze), soup, salad, or
pickled vegetables (olives, turnips, etc.), flat bread, a meat dish,
usually skewered meat or kebabs served with tomatoes, onions and
other vegetables, fruit and coffee to finish the meal.
• The evening meal is a light meal, unless there are guests.
• Coffee (black and bitter) and tea (very sweet) are popular drinks, as
is water, particularly that from specific wells or water sources.
Imported fruit juices and international soda drinks are in high demand.
• In restaurants in major cities, international cooking (French, Italian,
Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Indian, etc.) can be found, including
American fast food.
EATING WITH HANDS

Eating with one’s hand or hands is a proper way of eating in some cultures
in the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and some areas of Southeast Asia. Like
any other kind of dining, eating using one’s hands has cultural rules
attached. In virtually all Muslim countries, one eats from shared and
individual dishes using one’s right hand only: a religious proscription
forbids the use of the left. In some cultures (e.g., among Bedouins) only the
tips of the fingers are to be used. In virtually all such cultures, licking one’s
hand or fingers, or plunging the whole of the hand into a shared dish, is
forbidden. In all such cultures some means is made available to wash hands
before and after the meal.

This is a one-dish meal, usually served on a large central platter, for several
diners to share for dinner (see sidebar “Eating with Hands”).
2 TBS butter
1 pound lean meat (lamb, preferably), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS garlic, crushed
2 TBS tomato paste
3 cups rice, soaked in water for 15 minutes, then drained
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup almonds, toasted
1/4 cup pine nuts
Heat 1 TBS butter in a stewing pot. Brown meat on all sides and
season.
Add water, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour, until meat is tender.
Remove from pot.
In a frying pan, heat the remaining butter. Stir fry onion and garlic till
golden.
Add onion and garlic to meat and broth; add tomato paste and bring to
a boil.
Stir in rice and raisins.
Reduce heat to lowest, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Let rice rest
covered, undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Turn rice into serving bowl and garnish with almonds and pine nuts.
Serve with plain yogurt and mixed green salad.

The Saudi national dish, often made with camel calf instead of lamb, and served
at most major events. It is given here together with a chicken version
(ingredients in parentheses).
3 1/2 tsp (1 tsp) salt

1/2 tsp (2 pinches) coarsely ground black pepper
2 TBS (1 tsp) cilantro, minced
1 tsp (1/4 tsp) candied ginger, minced
2 cups (1 small) onion, minced
5-pound whole kid or lamb (or a 2-pound chicken), rinsed inside and
out
4 cups (1 cup) cooked rice
2 cups (1/4 cup) pistachio nuts, chopped
1/2 cup (2 TBS) almonds, chopped
1 1/2 cups (2 TBS) sultana raisins
1 cup (2 TBS) ghee or melted butter
Mix the salt, pepper, cilantro, and ginger with a quarter of the onion.
Rub the lamb or chicken inside and out with this mixture.
Mix rice with nuts, raisins, and the remaining onions.
Stuff the cavity of the lamb or chicken with rice mixture. Sew the
opening shut or seal with small metal skewers or toothpicks.
Place meat on a grid in a large enough baking pan.
Brush ghee over it and roast in a 300°F oven until meat is very tender
and well browned, about 4 1/2 hours for the lamb, 2 hours for the
chicken. Baste frequently with pan drippings.
Serve whole or cut into serving-size pieces, on a large warmed dish on
a layer of flat breads, for diners to help themselves with their right
hands.

This is a kind of Saudi pizza, eaten as a snack or as part of a quick meal during
the day.
1 TBS yeast
1/2 cup warm water
4 cups flour
3 eggs, well beaten
3 TBS vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mixed ground black pepper and cumin
3 TBS oil to grease tray
1 TBS poppy seeds
Dissolve yeast in water and set aside in a warm place until frothy.
Put flour in a large bowl, make a hollow in the center, and add eggs,
oil, yeast mixture, salt, and spices.
Mix well, adding water a little at a time until you have a firm dough.
Grease a large tray with oil and put dough on it, covered with a damp
cloth. Let dough rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.
On a floured surface, roll out into circles about 6–8 inches in diameter,
and about 1/4–1/3 inch thick.
Spread with the meat topping, leaving about an inch margin all around.
Sprinkle with poppy seeds, and place in a 350°F oven for half an hour
or until bread is baked.
Meat topping
3/4 pound ground beef or lamb
2 black peppercorns
2 tsp salt
1/2 pound leeks, white part only, finely chopped
6 TBS tahina (sesame sauce)
juice of 1/2 lemon
6 TBS water
In a saucepan simmer ground beef, onion, peppercorns, and salt over

medium heat, until meat is cooked. Set aside until cool; discard
peppercorns.
Spread leeks on a paper towel to absorb excess water. Add leeks to
ground meat mixture.
Mix tahina with lemon juice, a little water, and ground black pepper
using an egg beater or mixer, adding water gradually until it is a
smooth, thick cream. Add to leek and meat mixture, mixing
thoroughly.

This soup serves as a fast-breaker for Ramadan, the month of fasting.
2 TBS olive oil

3/4 pound chicken, beef or lamb, cut into bite-sized cubes
5 cups water
2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes, blended to a puree
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (reserve 1/2 tsp for garnish)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)
Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry onions until translucent.

Add meat and fry until brown on all sides.
Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until
meat is tender.
Add tomatoes, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and bulgur.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30
minutes, until the bulgur is tender.
Pour soup into a tureen, sprinkle with cinnamon.
Serve as a starter after the Ramadan fast.

These meat pies are a feature all round the Middle East. They are eaten as snacks
in the afternoon or for a quick meal at any time. This recipe is the Saudi version.
3 cups flour
1 tsp mixed fennel seed and poppy seed
salt to taste
1/2 tsp yeast
3 TBS oil
1 cup water
2 onions, grated
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 tsp cumin powder
oil for deep frying
Make the dough: put flour in a deep bowl.

Add mixed seeds, salt, and yeast.
Mix in oil and blend thoroughly into the flour mixture with your
fingers or a mixer using a dough hook.
Add water a little at a time, mixing thoroughly until mixture forms a
dough.
On a floured surface, knead dough for 10 minutes until smooth and
elastic.
Divide dough into 12 pieces, lay on an oiled tray, cover with a moist
cloth, and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to rise.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat oil in a frying pan. Sauté onions
until translucent.
Add meat, salt to taste, pepper, and cumin, stirring over medium heat
until meat is browned. Set aside and cool.
To assemble pastries: roll out each piece of dough into very thin (about
1/8-inch) circles.
Place 2 TBS of filling on one-half of each pastry circle.
Fold the other half over the filling, making a crescent. Seal edges with
a fork or fingers, pressing down well. Repeat with remaining pastry
and filling.
Heat the oil in a deep pan and deep fry a few samboosak at a time until
brown on both sides.
Serve hot.

These dumplings are served with coffee or tea.
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup yogurt
1/2 cup warm water
2 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
oil for frying
Mix flour, salt, yogurt and sufficient water to make a thick batter.
Leave aside, covered, for 6 hours.
Mix yeast with sugar and warm water; leave in a warm place to rise for
10 minutes.
Add yeast to the batter and mix well. Let rest for 3 hours until doubled
in volume.
Heat oil in a deep pan.
With two spoons, shape batter into little balls, about 1 1/2 inches in
diameter, and slip 3 or 4 at a time into the oil.
Fry until golden brown.
Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
Soak in syrup and serve hot.
Aml al sheera (Syrup)

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
juice of half a lemon
1 TBS rose water
In a pan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil, skimming
the froth.
Add lemon juice and leave to simmer for 10 minutes; remove from
heat.
Add rose water.

Pastries of all kinds are made for the festival of Eid, especially for gift-giving.
Bayd al qata are usually eaten with spiced coffee or mint tea. These will make
about 25–30 cookies.
Pastry
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
powder
Nut filling
1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
3 TBS powdered sugar or regular sugar
1/3 tsp rose water
1 TBS melted butter or ghee
powder (optional)
Date filling
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
2 TBS orange juice (or more, if needed)
1/4 tsp orange-blossom water (optional)
Prepare the pastry: in a medium bowl, combine flour and baking

powder.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; blend in eggs
and cardamom.
Add the flour mixture and blend well to form a dough; let rest,
covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes–1 hour.
Meanwhile prepare the fillings: in a small bowl, mix the ingredients
for the nut filling; set aside.
Place the dates and orange juice in a microwaveable container.
Microwave, covered, on half-power for 1 minute. Mash the dates well,
adding more orange juice if needed, to make a spreadable paste. Add
rind and orange-blossom water and set aside.
With buttered or lightly floured fingers, pinch off small pieces of
dough about 1-inch in diameter, roll into balls, flatten slightly, and fill
with a teaspoonful of filling.
Bring the edges of the pastry together to close; roll gently between
your fingers to tidy up the surface. With a pair of decorative tweezers,
take up little pinches of the pastry, without exposing the filling. These
little niches will hold powdered sugar, which will be sprinkled on
when the baked cookies are cool.
Choose a different pattern to distinguish the nut-filled ones from the
date-filled ones.
Lay filled pastries evenly spaced on the prepared pan. Bake for 12–15
minutes; the pastries are meant to remain pale.
Let pastries cool thoroughly on a rack, then sprinkle with powdered
sugar. Store in an airtight container.
Senegal
A West African country completely surrounding The Gambia, Senegal was a

former colony of France. Rolling plains and a tropical climate enable subsistence
farming of millet, rice, and other cereals, as well as vegetables, cattle, and
poultry.
The population comprises the Wolof ethnic group and several other groups.
A majority of the population is Muslim, so pork and alcohol are formally
forbidden.
The cuisine focuses largely on fish and is strongly influenced by European,

Lebanese, and Asian cooking in the cities. Senegalese food has also influenced
neighboring countries’ cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Millet is the traditional staple food crop in the countryside outside the
river valleys. Millet couscous is also a great favorite. Maize-based
couscous is the staple in the south. Rice has become the main starch
under French influence, though the Senegalese prefer broken rice to
whole grains.
• Meat: goat or mutton; chicken is considered a luxury by many;
guinea fowl.
• Fish: dorado, tuna, bonito, sardines, grouper (often used for ceebu
jen, the national dish), mullet.
• Vegetables: carrots, cabbages, turnips, cassava and cassava leaves,
okra, eggplant, peanuts.
• Fruit: mangoes, grapefruit, papaya, oranges, corossols (soursop),
guava, watermelon, mandarin, passion fruit, mad (Saba senegalensis, a
local fruit containing large seeds wrapped in a pulp), cayor cherry
(Aphania senegalesis), jujube, néré pod (Parkia biglobosa), wild
dates, bouyé (baobab fruit, also called monkey fist), imported bananas
and pineapples.
• Bread, like rice, introduced by the French during the colonial period,
is extremely popular, particularly in urban areas, but is expensive for
most Senegalese since wheat must be imported.
• Oil is considered important, and oily dishes desirable, as a sign of
well being and wealth. Flavorings: stock cubes, smoked or dried fish
and snails (sometimes called “Senegalese cheese”) for special
occasions and guests, nététou (fermented grains from the néré tree),
tamarind, beuc (sorrel leaf sauce), diwu (fermented ghee).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Fish dishes: the national dish is ceebu jen, fish and rice simmered in
tomato sauce, spices, and vegetables; kaldou, a dish originating in the
Casamance area, is a lemon-flavored sauce made with fish, eaten with
rice; poisson à la saint-louisianian is baked stuffed mullet flavored
with parsley, bay leaf, coriander, and tomatoes.
• Popular cooking styles are mafé, a thick peanut sauce enriched with
whatever meat is handy; thiou, characterized by a light sauce prepared
with palm oil and enriched with vegetables; and yassa (rice, onions,
and meat or fish).
• The city of Saint Louis’s specialties include fish and rice; poulet
yassa (chicken); and Saint Louis hamburger (a hollowed-out bakery
roll topped with a meat patty, fried egg, French fries, lettuce, tomato
ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise and hot chili sauce). Poulet yassa,
originally from the Casamance area, has pieces of chicken (or fish or
pork) filled with a spiced stuffing (bay leaf, garlic, peeled onions),
marinated in lemon juice and mustard, and cooked with lots of onions.
It is served with white rice.
Dorado (gilt head bream). (Julija Sapic/Dreamstime.com)
• Rice dishes: ceebu yapp, beef and rice served with onion sauce on the
side; ceebu ketiakh, rice cooked with smoked fish; supukanj, rice with
okra sauce, palm oil, and vegetables.
• Bassi sallete is a rich sauce with peanut paste; couscous mboum is a
thick sauce with cabbage, peanut paste, and fresh or smoked fish. Most
of the time meat is long simmered, but street vendors and dibiterie
(stalls) sell skewers of beef and lamb grilled over charcoal.
• Snacks: gnama-gnama, roasted peanuts and cashews; pastels, small
fritters filled with fish and vegetables, served with onion and tomato
sauce; acra, millet or wheat fritters; niébé, bean fritters; fruit (green
mango cut in slices, sprinkled with salt and spices that vendors sell
during a short period of the year); avocado with concentrated milk and
sugar.
• Lebanese fast food is popular for eating out: fatayers (meat-filled
fritters), shawarma (wraps of grilled meat, French fries, tomatoes,
onions, and a sesame based sauce), and other specialties.
Drinks: international sodas; local drinks include bissap (Hibiscus

sabdariffa) juice, tamarind juice, and ginger drink sold by street vendors; fruit
juices. Tea and coffee.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day for those who can afford them. The poverty of
many families in urban and rural areas does not always allow the
preparation of even two varied meals per day.
• Food is eaten in common from a central dish or bowl, with diners
helping themselves with the three fingers of the right hand only.
• Rice will be served at lunch and millet at dinner for those who can
afford it, both with seasonal spices and vegetables and/or fish, when
available.
• Millet-based couscous, slightly soured, is eaten in the evenings and
mornings. Mashed cooked millet grains (araw) eaten with sour milk
(lakh) and a peanut-based sauce; bouyé (baobab fruit).

In Senegal, this drink is made by letting fresh cow’s milk sit at room temperature
to sour, then mixing it with lots of sugar and ice.
• 4 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• sugar to taste
• 1 TBS vanilla extract
• 12 or more ice cubes
• ice cubes for glasses
Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well.
Place additional ice cubes in 4 glasses, pour the drink, and serve.

L’Assiette des Assiettes means “the dish of dishes.” This dish features as a starter
in every good city restaurant. The sauce can be varied according to taste.
For dressing
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1 1/2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup onion, minced finely
For each person dining

2 lettuce leaves
3 TBS cooked black-eyed peas
3 square pieces cooked firm-fleshed fish (haddock or halibut or cod),
about 1/3 pound
2 tomato slices
3 cucumber slices
1–2 pieces heart of palm (or substitute celery or cold white asparagus)
1/2 hard-boiled egg, sliced into quarters
Combine and mix well the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit
for at least 1/2 hour.
On a dinner plate, arrange a bed of lettuce leaves. Pile cooked black-
eyed peas in the center. Place pieces of fish on the peas. Surround with
tomato, cucumber, heart of palm, and slices of egg.
Dress with 2 to 3 TBS of dressing.
Serve chilled as a starter.
Mafé is a style of stew that can be prepared with a variety of ingredients,
provided the sauce is thick and is based on peanuts.
2 TBS peanut oil

1 large onion, chopped finely
1 pound stewing meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup natural (unsweetened) peanut butter
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups hot water
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Sauté onion over medium heat until
translucent.
Add meat and brown on all sides.
Mix peanut butter with cold water in a bowl, whisk until absorbed and
pour over meat.
Dilute tomato paste with half the hot water. Add to stew, and stir well.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until
meat is tender. Add more warm water if necessary, but sauce should be
thick.
Remove thyme and bay leaves.
Serve hot over white rice or millet couscous.

Senegal has a long coastline, and fish are eaten regularly in many households.
Like most other Senegalese dishes, the important part is the sauce, which will be
served over a staple such as rice. The fish balls are a luxury.
Fish balls
2 heaped TBS parsley, minced
2 slices white bread, crusts removed, diced
1 pound cod or haddock fillets (or any other white-fleshed fish)
1 onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
oil for deep frying
Mince garlic, parsley, tomato, bread, fish, and onion together in a food
processor.
Add salt and pepper to taste, blending all ingredients well.
Form mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Deep fry until golden.
Sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
2 TBS tomato paste
1/2 pint water
1 level tsp salt
1 TBS vinegar
Fry onion in 2 TBS of the oil left from frying fish balls.
Add tomato paste, 4 TBS water, and seasoning, mixing well.
Add remaining water and cook until thick.
Stir in vinegar and fish balls, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve with rice.

Casamance)
This is a classical dish from the Casamance region, whose cooking is famous
throughout Senegal and surrounding regions.
1/2 lemon
1 chicken, cut in half along the spine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup palm oil
3/4 pound onions, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp peppercorns, crushed
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 pint chicken stock
4 TBS fresh parsley, minced to garnish

Rub lemon thoroughly into each half chicken.
Place chicken halves side by side on a roasting pan.
Mix a marinade of lemon juice, mustard, oil, onions, parsley,
peppercorns, salt, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Pour over chicken
and marinate for 30 minutes.
Drain off marinade and reserve.
Roast or broil chicken (or grill over charcoal) until brown on all sides
and almost half done.
Put marinade mixture to simmer in a pan for no longer than 5 minutes,
stirring constantly to keep onions from browning.
Pour marinade over chicken, and stir in chicken stock.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven until onions are light
golden.
Place a helping of rice or couscous on four plates.
Cut each chicken half in two, and place over rice.
Top with pan juices and garnish with parsley.
The Tamxarit festival—marking the end of the Muslim year and the anniversary
of the death of the prophet Mohammed—is celebrated by reversals of roles.
Girls dress as boys and boys as girls. This is a day to treat oneself to heavy,
strong-tasting foods like thiéré bassi, which, like the end of the year, mix savory
and sweet.
Millet couscous
(See Algeria entry for the sidebar “Couscous,” p. 21.)
1 pound millet couscous (araw or karaw, available from stores that sell
African foods or specialty stores) or wheat couscous
1 to 2 cups warm water
2 TBS melted butter
1 ounce lalo (powder made from dried ground baobab leaves,
available from African food specialty stores, no substitute; omit if
unavailable)
8 ounces dates, pitted and cut into quarters
3 ounces cooked haricot beans
2 ounces dried prunes, pitted and cut into quarters
Moisten the grains with some warm water, sprinkling water to ensure
it is all absorbed. Once all the grains are moist, break up the lumps
with your fingers.
Steam the grains over boiling water for 10 minutes in a couscousiere
or in a cheesecloth-lined colander over boiling water.
Add butter and break up the grains using a fork.
Add lalo and 2 TBS boiling water and mix it all together
Steam for another 10 minutes. The grains should be soft and slightly
puffy.
Break up the grains again with a fork; add the dates, beans, raisins, and
prunes and mix well. Cover the pan to keep warm.
Sauce
2 pounds stewing lamb (or turkey, chicken, or beef), cubed
1 onion, sliced
1 cup spring onions, sliced
1 large leek, sliced
3 TBS parsley
1 tsp coriander seed
1 sprig thyme
2 cloves garlic
2 TBS peanut oil
1/4 pound merguez sausage (or other spicy, dry sausage such as
chorizo), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
2 bay leaves
hot water as needed
1/2 cabbage, quartered
1 turnip, peeled and cubed
1 manioc (yuca), peeled and cubed
1 small squash, seeded and cubed
3–4 large tomatoes, chopped roughly
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped roughly
1 TBS sugar
2 cups stock (or 2 stock cubes dissolved in 2 cups hot water)
Season stewing meat with salt and pepper.

Put onions, spring onions, leeks, parsley, coriander, thyme, and garlic
in a food processor or chop finely by hand. Do not let them turn into a
purée.
Heat oil in a stewing pot. Fry the merguez for 5–10 minutes, then
remove, drain, and reserve. Brown the rest of the meat in the hot oil,
turning regularly, then remove, drain, and reserve.
Add onion and herb mixture to the pot, reduce heat, add bay leaves,
and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
Add tomato paste and 1 cup hot water.
Season with salt and pepper, then leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
Add stock and bring to a boil. Add the meat and all the vegetables.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30–45 minutes or until the meat
and vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat, add merguez and sugar, stir gently, then cover the
pot and leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
To serve
Place the couscous in a large dish.
Separate the meat and vegetables and pile on another dish.
Pour the sauce carefully over the couscous so it is well moistened but
not liquid.
Serve couscous with meat and vegetables on the side.
Traditionally, when most of the couscous has been eaten, fresh milk is
poured on it: thiéré bassi is the only dish in Senegal that combines
meat and milk (savory and sweet) to indicate the confusion at the end
of the year.
When the dish is empty, it is turned over to stop malicious spirits from
seeing its bareness and to signify that the year has ended.
Fish Pies (Pastels)

Pastels, or fried fish pies, are a well-loved snack food. This is a baked variant,
with a choice of all butter or all oil or a mixed butter-oil pastry. The amount of
oil needed depends on the type of flour used; start with the minimum.
Pastry
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, or 3–5 TBS oil; or 4 TBS butter plus 2–3 TBS oil
Filling
2 TBS oil
1 cup white fish fillet (hake, pollock, haddock, or similar), about 1/2–
3/4 pound, diced
1 hot chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs (parsley, coriander leaves, chives, or
basil), any three
Prepare pastry: in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, stir in egg
and butter, and mix all until they come together to a dough. Knead
briefly to form a smooth ball. The dough must be soft and pliable;
sprinkle a bit of cold water or flour, if necessary. Let dough rest, well
covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: in a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add
the onion and garlic, stirring until both are softened and aromatic,
about 2 minutes.
Stir in the fish and cook until half done, about 10 minutes; turn off
heat.
Add chili and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool
completely before using.
On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll out each
piece to a disk 1/8 inch thick and about 4 inches in diameter.
Place a tablespoon or more of filling in the center; fold dough to
enclose the filling. Moisten the edges with a bit of water and press.
Crimp with a fork or your fingers to seal the edges.
Place filled pastries evenly spaced on the prepared pan. Bake for 20–
Serve hot as is, or with a spicy chili sauce.

This porridge can be served as a dessert or a snack.
2 cups of bouyé (baobab fruit, available from health food shops or

online) for fruit juice (or substitute tamarind pulp, available from
stores that sell Asian foods)
2 cups warm (not boiling) water
2 cups millet couscous (karaw, available from stores that sell African
products) or wheat couscous
2 to 3 cups warm water
4 cups warm (not boiling) water
2/3 cup natural peanut butter (smooth, unsweetened)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp orange-flower water
pinch of grated nutmeg or cinnamon
sugar to serve
Place the baobab fruit (or tamarind) in a glass bowl with warm water.
Leave to soak for 2–4 hours.
Separate pulp from the seeds by kneading with the fingers or breaking
apart with a wooden spoon. Stir and mash vigorously until the water
becomes an opaque tan liquid.
Strain liquid through a cheesecloth and refrigerate; discard pulp.
Place the couscous in a bowl, and sprinkle with some warm water just
to moisten. (Water should not stand at the bottom of the bowl.). Once
all the grains are moist, break up the lumps with your fingers.
Steam the grains over boiling water for 10 minutes in a couscousiere
or in a cheesecloth-lined covered colander over boiling water.
Break up the grains using a fork.
Add butter and mix thoroughly, breaking up all lumps with a fork.
Steam for another 10 minutes. The grains should be soft and slightly
puffy. Break up the grains again with a fork. Set aside.
Slowly add juice to peanut butter and mix thoroughly.
Add sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and orange water. Mix well.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Immediately before serving mix the couscous, cold fruit juice and
peanut butter sauce, and raisins.
Serve in individual bowls and eat immediately.
Diners help themselves to more sugar at the table, if desired.
Fritters (Beignets)
These fritters are sold as snacks by street vendors.
4 ounces plain flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, well beaten
1/4 pint milk
2 drops orange extract or grated rind from 1 orange
oil for deep frying
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Mix the egg, milk, vanilla, and orange extract. Stir into the flour
mixture until smooth.
Heat oil to 375°F.
Drop mixture by spoonfuls, a few at a time, into the oil, and fry to a
deep golden brown. Drain and serve as a snack.
Serbia
A western Balkan country, Serbia was an Ottoman province until it came under
the sway of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and then became an independent
kingdom. Later it became the major component of Yugoslavia, which lasted
until the end of the twentieth century, when the federation broke up in civil war.
The country is hilly in the west, with the wide Danube River plain to the
east. The climate is temperate to cool, enabling wheat, apricots and similar fruits
to be raised. Pigs and sheep are raised as well.
The majority of the population are ethnic Serbs, though there are large
minorities of Hungarians, Bulgarians, and Albanians.
Serbian food emphasizes meat (particularly pork, of which the Serbs are
very proud), potatoes, and dairy products. The cuisine is similar to that of other
Balkan countries and is also influenced by neighboring Bulgaria and Hungary.
Many of these foods have a Turkish origin. Cuisine varies regionally, showing
the influence of ethnic groups and local crops. In the north, Hungarian dishes
like goulash are popular, while the Turks left Serbians with a taste for kebabs.
FOODSTUFFS
• Wheat breads, pasta, potatoes are the major staples. Bread is always
on the table.
• Meat: pork, in particular, and lamb and veal are preferred.
• Inland fish such as carp are eaten, and there is an import trade in
marine fish from the Adriatic. Fish is used in chowders and is grilled
and fried.
• Vegetables: cabbage, beans, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, peppers,
tomatoes, potatoes.
• Fruit: plums and apricots, grapes, melons, apples.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Serbian food includes soups, salads, roasted and stewed meats,
seasoned fresh and pickled vegetables, bean dishes, cheese dishes,
sausages and prosciutto, sweets and preserves, layer cakes, fresh
breads. Bread and salads are served with appetizers and main courses.
Breads include pogaca and proja (corn bread) and many varieties of
wheat bread. Salads are made from a variety of fresh and pickled
vegetables such as beans, cucumbers, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and
sauerkraut. Fruit and nuts are used in desserts, strudels, pancakes, and
pastries.
• Main dishes: grilled pork cutlets baked with spiced stewed peppers,
zucchini, tomatoes, and rice (duvec); pastry made from thin layers,
eggs, and feta cheese (gibanica). Grilled meats are extremely popular,
such as mesano meso, a mixed grill of pork cutlet, liver sausage, and
minced meat patties with onions; minced meat patties sprinkled with
spices and grilled (pljeskavica). Musaka (layers of potatoes or
eggplant, minced meat and cheese, a variation on a Greek dish);
pasulj, beans cooked with vegetables and sometimes ribs; roast meat
in sauerkraut (podvarak). Many dishes are made of vegetables stuffed
with meat and rice, such as stuffed peppers (punjene paprika), cabbage
or vine leaves (sarma).
• Lighter dishes, which may be a part of the main meal or the main
dish in a lesser meal, include ayvar, a relish made of roast red peppers,
eggplant, and garlic; cavepi (Serbian sausage), which are eaten as
appetizers; kajmak, a cream and butter spread; baked beans
(prebranac).
• Cevapcici (small rolls of mixed minced meat), eaten with plain
onions and warm flat bread wraps are usually served at barbecues or at
parties.
• Desserts may include fresh local fruit or sweet pastries, or slatko
(literary “sweet”): sweet preserves, one or two spoonfuls of which are
served accompanied by a glass of water and which are also served as
snacks at home.
• Snacks: burek, a pastry layered with cheese or meat; baklava, sweet
layered flaky pastry with nuts.
• Drinks: coffee (almost always turska kafa, black coffee); local juices
and wine (which many Serbians like drinking with meals); beer and
brandies, including plum brandy (sljivovica) and grape brandy (lozova
rakija), which are popular, often homemade, and in which every
household head takes great pride.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast is an early heavy meal: pastries such as burek (layered
flaky pastry and cheese or meat) or krompirusa (layered pastry of
potatoes), or bread are served with butter, jam, yogurt, sour cream, and
cheese. Bacon, sausages, eggs, and kajmak (a thickened spreading
milk product). Tea, milk, or strong Turkish coffee in small cups are
also consumed.
• Lunch is the main meal of the day, eaten, if possible, with the whole
family, between 2 and 4 p.m., with varied appetizers, soup, main dish,
and dessert.
• Evening meal: a lighter, late meal, often consisting of dishes similar
to those consumed at breakfast.
• Snacks include savory and sweet pastries, eaten with a small cup of
black coffee; and fruit conserves eaten with a spoon and a glass of cold
water.

Ayvar is a salad/relish popular all over former Yugoslavia’s constituent states
and has many variations. It is always based on sweet peppers.
2 eggplants
3 bell peppers
1/2 cup oil
1 TBS lemon juice
Roast eggplant and peppers in oven (370°F) until peel is charred and
vegetables have collapsed, about 40–45 minutes. Let eggplant cool.
Drop peppers into very cold water.
Slit the eggplant lengthwise and remove flesh with a spoon (don’t
worry if some peel gets included).
Peel skins off peppers, pull out core and discard seeds.
Chop eggplants and peppers together.
Heat half the oil. Sauté onion until light golden.
Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
Transfer onion and garlic into a bowl; add eggplant and peppers.
Slowly add the remaining oil, while stirring.
Mix in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with grilled meat and bean dishes.

This is a classic and very ancient dish in Serbia, eaten at lunch or supper.
1 pound white beans, soaked overnight in cold water and drained

water as needed
1 cup vegetable oil
2 pounds onions, sliced finely
1/4 tsp hot paprika
1 bay leaf
1 small dried hot pepper
Simmer beans in water to cover until tender (do not overcook, as they
must remain whole). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of liquid.
Heat 2 TBS oil. Sauté onions until light golden.
Add salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaf, and hot pepper, and mix well.
In an oiled casserole dish, layer the beans and onions, starting and
ending with beans.
Pour the remaining oil and reserved 1/2 cup of liquid over the beans.
Bake in a preheated 370°F oven for 45 minutes or until all the water
has evaporated.
Serve with a meat dish, paprikas (see recipe below), and salads.

Kaymak (clotted cream) is used as a thickener, a flavoring, and on its own for
both sweet and savory dishes. Its origins are probably in central Asia, from
whence it was brought to the Balkans by the Turks.
2 ounces lard
1 chicken, jointed into pieces
2 cups kaymak (or substitute double or clotted cream)
1/2 tsp paprika
2 TBS flour
2 pints lukewarm water
1/2 bunch parsley, minced
Heat lard. Fry chicken pieces until brown on all sides. Remove and set
aside.
Add onions to hot lard. Cook slowly until soft.
Mix kaymak with paprika and add to onions. Stir in flour until well
blended.
Add lukewarm water, chicken, and season to taste.
Simmer until chicken is tender, about 40–45 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Serve with rice.

Grilled and baked meats are common as both snacks and main dishes.
1 pound ground pork (or mix of beef and pork, turkey or chicken)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 TBS dried parsley
1 TBS paprika
1 TBS caraway seed
2 eggs, beaten (1 for coating)
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs (for coating)
oil for frying

Mix meat with bread crumbs, parsley, paprika, seasoning, caraway
seed, and 1 egg.
Blend well and shape into hamburger-sized patties.
Dip each meat patty into remaining egg, then into bread crumbs,
coating both sides.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Lightly fry each patty on both sides, then
transfer to a large greased baking dish.
Bake patties, covered, for approximately 30–45 minutes.
Serve with rice, bread, and pickles.
Though considered typically Serbian, this is evidence of the Greek influence on
Serbian cooking.
2 TBS oil
1 large onion, sliced finely
1 pound ground meat
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 tsp salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and sauté until golden brown.
Add meat and seasoning, and stir fry until meat is browned. Remove
from heat.
Sprinkle salt over potato slices and mix well.
Oil a 2-quart casserole, and alternately layer the potatoes and meat,
beginning and ending with potatoes.
Mix eggs and milk. Pour mixture over potatoes and meat.
Bake in a preheated 370°F oven for about 40 minutes or until the
potatoes test done: potatoes should be easily pierced by a skewer and
browned on top.
Serve with paprikas (see next recipe).

This Hungarian-influenced dish is served as a relish for the main meal, or as a
dish for a lighter meal in the evening.
1 pound fresh or canned chopped tomatoes

2 cups tomato puree
1 pepperoni or chorizo sausage, sliced
4 frankfurter sausages, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
1/2 white onion, sliced
2 cups water
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
In a heavy saucepan, simmer all ingredients, covered, for 1 hour,

Taste and adjust seasoning, and serve as a relish with meat dish,
potatoes, or rice.

Cakes are served for dessert and as snacks in the afternoon with coffee.
4 eggs, separated
2 TBS cocoa
13 TBS sugar
1 pint milk
4 TBS flour
8 ounces sugar
1 cup water for syrup
a few drops rose water or orange-blossom water
Prepare the sponge cake: mix well the egg yolks, cocoa, and baking
powder.
Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 4 TBS sugar, until egg
whites stand in stiff peaks.
Fold gently but thoroughly into egg yolk mixture.
Grease a round 10-inch baking pan, spoon in the batter, and bake until
golden in a 350°F oven, approximately 30 minutes..
Let cool, then chill for about 1 hour, covered, in the refrigerator while
the custard topping is prepared.
Heat the milk until bubbles form on the sides of the pan.
Combine 4 TBS flour and 9 TBS sugar.
Add a few spoonfuls of hot milk to the flour and sugar mix. Make a
slurry, adding milk as necessary and whisking to keep lumps from
forming.
Return slurry to rest of the milk. Stir in vanilla.
Cook on very low heat, whisking all the time, until very thick.
Allow to cool.
Make a syrup: heat remaining sugar and water until sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil, and simmer until slightly thickened. Flavor with rose
water or orange-blossom water.
Pour hot syrup over sponge cake. Return to refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Cover with cooled custard cream.
Serve with Turkish coffee.

This is a savory version of gibanica, for which there are as many versions as
there are Serbian cooks, and each insists on his or her version as the only
authentic one. This recipe has been adapted to ingredients most readily available.
The addition of oil is a matter of authenticity: local cooks insist on it, but there is
sufficient fat content in the dairy products used, that it can be omitted.
Filling
3 1/2 cups of 2, preferably 3, of the following: feta, cream cheese, sour
cream or yogurt, cottage cheese, white crumbly farmer’s cheese
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup oil (optional)
Pastry
1 pound unbaked phyllo pastry, fresh or frozen and thawed, preferably
the thick type
2 TBS butter, melted, for greasing
Topping
1 egg, beaten
4 TBS yogurt or sour cream
2 TBS oil (optional)
Prepare the filling: in a large bowl, blend well the 2 or 3 dairy products
selected with the eggs, salt, baking soda, and oil (if using).
Butter a 9 × 13 inch baking pan; line the bottom and up the sides,
including a generous overhang, with two layers of phyllo. Brush the
topmost sheet with melted butter.
Reserve the same amount of sheets for covering the gibanica at the
end. Cover the unused phyllo sheets with a moist kitchen towel while
working, to prevent drying.
Take a phyllo sheet and briefly submerge it into the filling to moisten.
Loosely crumple into a ball and place it on the first layer of phyllo.
Take another sheet and repeat, placing the crumpled moistened ball of
phyllo next to the first, and so on until there is no more space to insert
another (if necessary, lay them on top) and all the phyllo sheets and/or
filling are completely used up. Pour any remaining filling over the
crumpled balls.
Tuck in the overhanging sheets and lay the reserved phyllo sheets over
all.
Mix the topping ingredients and pour over all, making sure to moisten
the topmost sheets.
Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes; lower the heat to 350°F and bake for
40–50 minutes or until pastry is burnished a rich reddish brown.
Let stand for 15–20 minutes and slice into squares. Gibanica is
traditionally eaten with a glass of buttermilk or yogurt to drink.
Seychelles
Seychelles, a former French colony, comprises a group of islands northeast of

Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean. The climate is tropical and humid. Mahé and
some other major islands are volcanic and rocky. The rest of the islands are
lowlying coral atolls.
Farmers raise coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava,
bananas, and poultry. There is a lively fishery industry, including tuna for
export.
The first settlers arrived in the Seychelles during the eighteenth century.
The population today is a mix of African, Indian, European, and Chinese
immigrants, whose influences make for a blended cuisine. Vanilla, ginger, and
garlic were adopted from Madagascar and Reunion. Indian merchants and
settlers added masalas (spice blends) and pulaos (flavored rice), which are now
part of the local culinary tradition.
Cooking and eating traditions thus vary between the different groups. The
Creoles tend to eat with modified European place settings. Their cuisine relies
heavily on fish and seafood, rice, vegetables, and fruit. Those of Indian and
Chinese origin often continue their traditions. Seafood, for instance, can be
served grilled with a butter sauce (French) or in a coconut milk cari sauce
(Indian), or stir-fried in the Chinese manner.
FOODSTUFFS
• Long-grain rice is the staple in most meals.
• Pork and chicken are the common meats; other meats must be
imported.
• Fish and seafood, a major source of food, include snapper, tuna,
kingfish, reef fish such as parrot fish, prawns, octopus, and squid.
• Vegetables: peppers, eggplant, calabashes, chou chou or chayote.
• Fruits: coconut (coconut cream is used in many dishes), papaya,
bananas, mangoes, avocados, jackfruit, grapefruit, guavas, lychees,
pineapples, melons, limes, passion fruit, star fruit, rose apple (jamalac,
Syzygium samarangense). Breadfruit is a major food source prepared
in similar ways to the potato (mashed, fried as chips, or roasted).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Coconut curries, chauve-souris (flying fox, fruitbat), salade de
palmiste (heart of palm salad), la daube (mash, made from bananas,
breadfruit, yams, cassavas).
• Seafood: octopus curried in fresh coconut cream; prawns curried in a
sweet sauce or grilled in garlic butter; smoked sailfish (a common
appetizer).
• Chutneys (chatini) made from marinated tropical fruit, cucumber,
cabbage, and pumpkins, and vinegar accompany most cari.
• Snacks: samosa, of which tuna samosa is the most popular; coconut
nougat; spiced beancakes (gato piman).
• Desserts: local fruits (banana, plantain, cassava, cooked in coconut
milk); sweet potatoes in honey; pineapple cooked in wine.
• Common drinks include tropical fruit juices often mixed with
coconut milk, tea, coffee, and lemongrass (Citronella) tea, which is
drunk either hot or cold; coconut toddy (kalou).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks, usually fruit.
• Table settings vary from European standard, to Indian thali (brass
tray), to eating with the fingers, depending on preference.
• Breakfast is continental, with bread (baguette), butter, jam; cassava
cakes or rice; and coffee or tea.
• Lunch: light meal of bread or staple and salad.
• The main meal of the day is eaten in the evening: salad or soup, main
dish of fish or meat and a carbohydrate, and dessert.

Fish are a major component of the diet, and fish soup can appear at midday or in
the evening, as either a starter or a main dish.
4 medium fish fillets

juice of 1 lemon
butter
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp mixed nutmeg and cinnamon
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed
Place the fish in an ovenproof casserole. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Season and dot with butter.
Heat oil in a pan. Sauté onions until dark golden.
Mix tomato paste and spices with onion. Cook for a minute. Divide
into four and spoon over each fish.
Pile potatoes on top of fish. Cover with water.
Place casserole, covered, in a 350°F oven for 25–30 minutes or until
fish flakes easily and potatoes are tender.
Serve with rice or cooked yams.

Indian immigrants brought to work the plantations brought with them a tradition
of curries, which they adapted to local conditions.
1 2-pound fish (snapper, jack, or parrotfish, or the like), cut into bite-
sized pieces
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 TBS massalé (mixed spice powder; see recipe below p. 1178)
3 TBS tamarind juice
1 TBS thyme
1/2 tsp anise
1 pint fish stock (or 2 cubes fish bouillon dissolved in 2 cups warm
water)
Season fish with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy pan and fry onions until golden.
Stir in the massalé and turmeric and fry lightly.
Add the fish and all other ingredients.
Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10–15 minutes until the fish
flakes easily. Do not overcook.
Serve with rice.

Pork was introduced by European settlers, and was adapted by being cooked in a
curry. Served with a starch such as rice, this curry dish would feature in the main
meal of the day.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped
1 TBS massalé (mixed spice powder; see recipe below)
1 pound pork meat, cut in small cubes
1 cup boiling water
5 curry leaves (available in stores that sell Indian foods)
1 large potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
Heat oil and brown the onion.

Add massalé and turmeric powder.
Fry, stirring constantly, over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the
mixture, as it will make it bitter.
Season meat with salt and pepper, and add to onion and spice mixture.
Brown meat on all sides.
Add the boiling water.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Reduce heat.
Add garlic, ginger, curry leaves, and potato. Mix well.
Cover and simmer on low heat for 15–20 minutes until the sauce has
thickened, and meat and potatoes are cooked.
Serve with white rice.

Pulaos (originating from Iranian pilaf) were introduced into Seychelles’ local
cuisine by Indian merchants and settlers. They are a very common quick food,
often using rice left over from the previous day.
4 TBS vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten
1 pound cooked meat, cubed into 1/4 cubes
2 sausages (chorizo or Chinese sausage, or other dry, spicy sausage),
sliced thin
1 tsp massalé (mixed spice powder; see recipe below)
2 cups boiled rice
Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Add the eggs and cook until set on both sides. Remove.
Fold over several times, slice crosswise to shred, and then chop finely.
Reserve.
In the same pan, heat the remaining oil. Add onions and fry until
golden.
Add meat and sausages, and stir fry over high heat until slightly crisp.
Add massalé. Stir fry for an additional 2 minutes or so, keeping spices
from burning.
Lower heat. Mix the rice and chopped eggs into the fried meat.
Allow rice to warm through.
Serve immediately, with a relish or pickles.
Grilled Fish
Tropical fish—snapper, jacks, reef fish such as parrotfish, and grouper—are a
major source of protein for the islanders.

1 whole large fish (preferably snapper or parrotfish), cleaned, and
sides gashed 3–4 times
1 TBS soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 TBS massalé (mixed spice powder; see recipe below)
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced thinly crosswise
Rub salt and pepper into the cuts in the fish.
Mix ketchup, soy sauce, 1 tsp oil, and massalé to a paste.
With a spoon, rub the paste into the cuts in the fish.
Place the fish on a grid on a baking tray.
Cover with onions and tomatoes, and drizzle over any remaining oil.
Broil the fish under a moderate grill, and cook for 10 minutes or until
done on one side. Turn over, baste the fish with the pan juices, and
cook for another 10 minutes or until it flakes easily.

In the Seychelles, the word safran is used for turmeric, not for true saffron.
Several varieties of tuna are caught in the waters off the islands.
3 TBS vegetable oil

1 pound fresh tuna (or other meaty fish such as bonito), cut into large
cubes
2 cups coconut milk
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 TBS fresh grated ginger
1 to 3 chilies, cored, seeded, and shredded
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 curry leaves
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Quickly but gently
brown fish on all sides. Remove fish and reserve. Drain off the oil
from the pan and wipe clean with paper towels.
Add coconut milk, turmeric, onion, garlic, ginger, and chili, and
Add tuna and season with salt, cardamom, and curry leaves.
Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Stir in grated coconut.
Uncover and cook for a few minutes more until the sauce becomes
thick and creamy.
Serve with long-grain rice, chutneys, and vegetable achaars.

This spice mix is a Seychelles variant on Indian massala, which was brought to
the islands by Gujarati traders who settled in the Seychelles. It is now an almost
essential flavor component of many dishes.

2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cardamom pods
1 tsp cloves
small cinnamon stick
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp grated nutmeg
Dry roast the whole spices in a hot wok until lightly colored. Make
sure to stir constantly and not let the spices burn, which they do very
easily.
Set aside to cool.
Add chili and nutmeg.
Grind all ingredients finely in a mortar (or food processor).
Store in an airtight jar in a cool place (the refrigerator is fine). The
mixture will keep well for 2 months or more.

This is commonly served as a snack or dessert with coffee or tea.
4 cinnamon sticks
4 ripe plantains (or substitute ripe bananas), peeled, cut lengthwise and
then in half
4 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 vanilla pod, cut lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved (or 2 tsp
vanilla extract)
1 tsp nutmeg powder
1 pint coconut milk
Place cinnamon at the bottom of a heavy saucepan (the heavier the

pan, the less likely to burn).
Layer plantains, cut side up, on the cinnamon.
Sprinkle with sugar, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg.
Pour coconut milk to cover the plantains.
Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered,
for 25–30 minutes. Plantains should be soft, with plenty of thick
creamy coconut sauce.

This sweet is a popular dessert or snack.
1 pound sweet potato, peeled, washed, cut in small pieces

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of nutmeg
Place the sweet potatoes in a pan with coconut milk, sugar, salt,
vanilla, and nutmeg.
Simmer on medium heat until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature and serve for dessert.

This dessert is a contemporary one, combining plentiful passion fruits and a
custard. Depending on the sweetness of the passion fruit, you may wish to add
more sugar. Taste the mixture before adding the eggs.
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened fresh passion fruit or canned nectar
3 eggs plus 1 yolk, beaten
cream and pulp from 4 fresh passion fruits to garnish

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk well. Divide mixture
into 4 ramekins and cover with foil.
Place dishes on an improvised bain-marie: a doubled kitchen towel set
on a roasting pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 20 minutes or until just set. Cool outside the bain-marie, then
refrigerate for 1 hour or more.
Serve with softly whipped cream and fresh passion-fruit pulp on the
side.
Ginger Bananas
Ginger is a popular flavoring for desserts that feature tropical fruit, with the most
common being bananas.
2 TBS butter
4–6 TBS ginger syrup or honey
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon or lime
4 firm, ripe bananas, halved lengthwise
4 TBS chopped roasted unsalted nuts (cashew or almond)
2 TBS candied ginger, diced
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter and stir in the
fresh ginger, ginger syrup, and lemon juice.
Add the bananas and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the syrup is
thickened. Turn the bananas halfway during cooking.
Transfer to 4 serving dishes; garnish with the nuts and candied ginger.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a West African country on the Atlantic, between Guinea and
Liberia. The previous decade has been marked by a savage civil war that is only
now dying down. The terrain varies from mangrove swamps to plateaus and
hills. The climate is tropical, enabling subsistence farming of rice, the main
staple; other staple crops; vegetables; fruits; and, in particular, cacao and coffee,
important cash crops for export. Poultry and cattle are raised. Fish are harvested
from the sea and inland rivers.
Established by freed slaves from British colonies in the Americas, Sierra

Leone’s population is a mix of various tribes and various dialects. About 10
percent are the descendants of the freed slaves (Creoles); the rest are a mix of
African tribes.
Cooking is based on a staple porridge, eaten with peanut-or vegetable-based
sauces, with or without meat.
FOODSTUFFS
• Cassava, maize, millet, sorghum are the major staples. The Mende
people in southeast Sierra Leone eat rice as the main staple food.
• Meat: chicken, goat, beef, and canned meat.
• Fish are an important food in coastal areas.
• Vegetables: pulses and beans, sweet potatoes, peanuts, onions,
tomatoes.
• Green leaves: crain crain (Corchorus olitorius, more widely known
as moloheya); Amaranth; Moringa oleifera; sweet potato; jakato
(Solanum aethiopicum).
• Fruit: citrus fruit, plantain, mango, pineapple, sweet detar (Detarium
senegalense), African star apple (Chrysophyllum sp.); gingerbread
plum fruit including nutlike seed (Neocarya macrophylla).
• Flavorings: palm oil, hot chili peppers, ogiri (fermented sesame
seeds), sounbare or kainda (fermented Parkia biglobosa seeds).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Palm nut (banga) soup; steamed packets with fish (abala) or black-
eyed peas (oleleh); sardine omelets; bean fritters (binch akara);
groundnut stew; corned beef.
• Snacks and sweets: seasonal fruits; rice-flour balls (foorah); roasted
peanuts; candied peanuts (kanya); fried plantain chips (fry-fry) from
street traders; steamed leaf-wrapped pastries (oleleh, agidih).
• International soft drinks; juices from local fruits, including tamarind,
sweet detar, and gingerbread plum; palm toddy (poyo); ginger drink
with kola nut.
Eating Styles
• Two meals a day (morning and evening) for most of the population,
three times a day in the cities; and snacks.
• Most families eat together around a shared pot of staple and side
dishes, eaten with the hands. In the towns, modified European settings.
• Most meals include a dish of the staple, and one or more side dishes,
usually a sauce with or without meat, and perhaps fritters or something
similar. The evening meal may be elaborate with a meat dish.
• Snacks can be bought from street vendors.
• Drinks include tea and coffee, fruit juices, international soft drinks.

This is a Mende recipe using the common African style of cooking food in leaf
packets.
1 large onion, minced finely

1 small bell pepper, cored and seeded
1/4 cup palm oil
salt to taste
1/2 cup smoked fish, deskinned, deboned, and flaked
4 banana leaves (or substitute 10-inch square aluminum foil sheets),
well greased with palm oil
kitchen string if using banana leaves
Put onion, bell pepper, rice flour, palm oil, salt and enough water in a
blender or food processor and process to a thick paste.
Transfer to a bowl, add fish, mix well.
Divide mixture into four, and place one portion onto each well-greased
banana leaf or aluminum foil. Seal the banana leaves with kitchen
string: fold the foil firmly to secure.
Steam over boiling water for about 1 hour until the mixture is done.
Open one packet to test.
Serve as main dish with bean fritters.

This can be served as a side dish with any meal.
1 pound black-eyed peas or cowpeas, soaked for 2 hours or overnight
in cold water and drained
water as needed
2 tsp salt
1 small onion, chopped very fine
1 tsp chili flakes
oil for deep frying
Place beans in a blender or food processor with a cup of water, salt,

onion, and chili. Process to a very thick paste.
Heat about 3 inches of oil in a deep frying pan until moderately hot.
Drop spoonfuls of the bean mixture, a few at a time, into oil.
Fry until golden brown on both sides.
Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve hot as a snack or side dish.
Groundnut Stew
Peanuts, called groundnuts, are a major crop in Sierra Leone and are used for
flavoring and thickening stews.
1 pound stewing meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 tsp bouillon powder (or 1 cube bouillon, crushed)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 large bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped fine
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup warm water
salt to taste
Season meat with bouillon powder. Mix well. Allow to stand for 3
hours.
In a heavy saucepan, heat half the oil and brown meat on all sides.
Add water and simmer until tender. Remove meat and broth and
reserve.
In the same pan, heat remaining oil. Sauté bell pepper and onion
together until soft. Add tomatoes and stir fry briskly.
Mix peanut butter with the meat broth to a thin paste and add to the
pan.
Stir in the meat and season to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes over lowest
heat possible.
Serve with rice, boiled yam, cassava, and green vegetables.
Corned Beef Cakes

Corned beef is selected for its own qualities, not as a poor substitute for fresh
beef as it is in the United States. This is common in the cities for any meal, with
rice or cassava staple.
1 pound potatoes or Dioscorea yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and

cubed
salted water for boiling
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBS parsley, chopped finely
14-to 16-ounce can corned beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 cups bread crumbs for coating
oil for deep frying
Boil potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain and mash.

Add salt and pepper, cayenne, parsley, onion, and corned beef and mix
well.
Combine half the beaten eggs with milk. Add just enough to the
corned beef mixture to moisten it. Mix well.
With moistened hands, shape mixture into patties.
Dip into remaining beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs.
Fry in hot oil until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Prawn Palava
Prawns and crabs are plentiful and collected from the estuaries and swampy
areas that characterize much of Sierra Leone’s coastline.
2 TBS oil
1/4 cup flaked smoked fish
1 pint water
2 TBS natural unsweetened peanut butter
1 pound spinach, fresh or frozen, chopped fine
1 pound fresh or frozen peeled raw prawns or large shrimp

Add onion and cook until translucent. Add tomatoes, increase heat,
and cook for 5 minutes, stirring briskly. Add the smoked fish.
Reduce heat to moderate and add half the water; allow to simmer for 5
minutes.
Dilute peanut butter with some of the warm broth, then add peanut
mixture to the pan.
Stir well and allow to cook, bubbling gently, for 8–10 minutes, stirring
constantly.
Add remaining water, salt and chili.
Stir spinach and prawns into sauce and allow to cook on moderate heat
until sauce is thick, and prawns are done, about 15–20 minutes.
Serve with boiled yams or rice.

Oleleh are very popular and nutritious steamed snacks. It may be a bit difficult to
skin the beans once they have fully absorbed the water and become swollen; the
easiest is to skin them when they have just started to absorb some water and the
skins are still wrinkled. It is not a must to skin them however, and you may opt
to leave the skins on.
1 1/2 cups uncooked black-eyed beans, presoaked and skins removed

1 red chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp flaked dried fish (anchovy, bacalao, or similar available from
stores that sell Asian, Hispanic, or African foods) (optional)
8 or more pieces of 10 × 10 inch foil sheets
In a blender or food processor, place the beans, oil, onions, chili, and
salt, and process to a smooth puree.
Add a bit more oil or water, if necessary.
Transfer the puree to a bowl. Debone the dried fish and stir in.
Wrap 2–3 heaping tablespoonfuls in foil; close securely and steam in a
double boiler for 20–30 minutes or until firm.
Alternatively, divide mixture into ramekins, cover with foil, and bake
in a bain-marie at 350°F for 20–30 minutes.

These squares are a common street snack sold by vendors.
1 cup peanuts, shells and skins removed, roasted

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
Using a mortar and pestle, a rolling pin, or something similar, put the
peanuts into a plastic or paper bag, and pound them into small pieces,
taking care not to crush them into a paste. (Alternatively use a food
processor or blender.)
Parch (dry fry) the rice flour in a dry wok over low heat, stirring
continuously, until it becomes lightly golden. Be careful not to scorch
the flour as it may turn bitter.
Combine the crushed peanuts and rice flour. Crush and grind them
together or pulse them in a food processor or blender, to a powder.
Add sugar and blend or process until the mixture begins to clump
together.
Press the mixture into an 8 × 10 inch rectangular pan.
Allow to cool slightly, then cut with a sharp knife into diamond
shapes. If the mixture crumbles when sliced, return to processor and
process further.
Serve immediately, or store in airtight containers.

These popular snacks are also known as rice akarakuru.
2 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1/2–2/3 cup rice flour
oil for frying
Mix the mashed bananas with 1/2 cup of the rice flour to get a very
thick batter. Add more rice flour as needed.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 inch of oil to 350°F.
Carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil; take care not to
crowd the pan.
Turn the fritters to evenly color on both sides. Drain on paper towels
and sprinkle with sugar. Serve hot for breakfast or a snack.
Singapore
Singapore is a small, wealthy city-state at the southern tip of the Malay

peninsula. Already a Malay trading center in the fourteenth century, Singapore
came under British colonial rule in 1826. It was then briefly a part of Malaysia
and finally became fully independent in 1965.
Singaporeans include Chinese, Indians, and Malays, with no group forming
an absolute majority. With a tropical climate and only 5 percent available land
for agriculture, Singapore practices intensive agro-technology to produce
tropical fruits, vegetables, and poultry, as well as fish from offshore fish farms,
but it still imports 80–90 percent of its food. Singaporean cuisine is similar to
Malaysian and has been influenced by Indonesian, Indian, and southern Chinese
cooking but retains its own definite character. As in Malaysia, nyonya cooking—
a distinctive Malay-Chinese style—is practiced, and fierce chili sauce (sambal
belachan) is spooned at the table into most dishes. Singaporeans love to eat well;
the country has a reputation as a food paradise.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, noodles.
• Indian-style flat breads (roti canai) and steamed breads (appam).
• Fish, seafood, chicken, pork (not for Muslims), beef (not for Hindus),
eggs.
• Long beans, eggplant, squash, okra, leafy greens, various gourds,
bitter melon, various types of Chinese cabbage, Chinese flowering
broccoli.
• Soybean products (tofu, soy sauce, fermented black beans).
• Seasoning: wide range of spices and herbs, hot chilies; sambal
belachan (chili and shrimp paste, an indispensable table condiment);
coconut milk.
• Drinks: tea, coconut juice, sugarcane juice, rose-water syrup drinks,
commercial soft drinks.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Soups: pork and herbs (bak kut teh), stuffed tofu (yong tao foo).
• Noodle dishes: many styles (laksa, Hokkien, Teochew, Thai, etc.),
fried or with soup, served with side dish of hot chili sauce.
• Curried beef or chicken, fish-head curry.
• Grilled skewered meats (satay), served with spicy peanut sauce.
• Seafood dishes: chili crab, steamed fish.
• Snacks: savory radish cake, sweet coconut–based rice pastries,
Indian-style rice and lentil pancakes, noodles.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three main meals plus snacks daily.
• Many meals are eaten out because of low price, good quality,
plentiful variety, and vast numbers of eating places, from hawker stalls
(mobile food stalls) and small family-run shops to elegant restaurants.
Hawker stalls are open from sundown until early morning.
• Breakfast, typically eaten from hawker stalls or street shops—Indian-
style rice pancakes (appam) served with fresh grated coconut;
Chinese-style rice porridge (chok) eaten with sausage, bits of chicken
or pork and fried Chinese bread (you tiow); Indian-style flat bread
(roti) with curried lentil sauce. Tea, coffee. Also Western-style toast
with butter and jam; American-style boxed cereals and milk for
children.
• Lunch, typically eaten out—noodles with or without soup, rice with
skewer-grilled meat (satay), chicken rice.
• Dinner, mostly eaten out at several hawker stalls, or substantial meal
of rice, soup, and several side dishes (usually one more than the
number of diners).
• Snacks are eaten in the midmorning, mid-afternoon, and also very
late after dinner. Savory or sweet rice pastries, noodles, Chinese-style
steamed buns with assorted savory fillings, Indian-style flat breads
with fillings or sauce (roti).

This Hainanese dish is possibly the most popular lunch or snack dish in
Singapore. There are shops that specialize just in this one dish, each with its own
variation, and die-hard fans are prepared to wait in line if the shop is full.
4 large portions chicken (legs including thighs, or quarters), about 2–3

pounds
3 stalks spring onion, sliced into 2-inch lengths
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced thinly
salt
10 cups water
2 TBS oil
2-inch piece cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
1 star anise
2 cups rice
6 cups chicken broth
2 pandan leaves (or 2 drops pandan flavoring) (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
Takeout Hainan Ji fan. (Joanne Zh/Dreamstime.com)
Garnish per person

3–4 cucumber slices
2 TBS cilantro
1 tomato, quartered
1 lettuce leaf, shredded
1 slice pineapple (optional)
First prepare the chicken: in a covered saucepan, place chicken, spring

onion, ginger, salt, and water.
Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to allow chicken to
simmer for 20–30 minutes or until tender.
Allow to cool in the pan; remove the chicken, debone and cut the flesh
into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Reserve the broth for cooking the rice and soup.
Prepare the rice. In a heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid, heat oil at
medium heat.
Stir fry grated ginger and garlic for 1 minute.
Add cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and rice; stir fry for 1–2 minutes.
Pour in 4 cups reserved chicken broth left from cooking the chicken.
Add the pandan leaves tied into a knot and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce
heat to very low, cover, and let simmer on lowest heat for 15–20
minutes or until rice is done.
To assemble the dish: distribute rice into 4 bowls.
Top with chicken slices and surround with garnishes.
Heat the remaining broth to boiling: there should be about 6 cups. Add
more water and seasoning, if needed.
Ladle soup over chicken and rice; serve at once.
Alternatively, serve broth in a separate bowl, garnished with cilantro,
and the remaining garnishes in another bowl to accompany the rice
(three bowls in all per diner). Eat the chicken and garnishes with
chopsticks and use a spoon for the rice and soup.

This traditional Malay delicacy, wrapped in long, thin parcels of banana leaf, is
made of minced fish, spices, lemon grass, and thick coconut cream slowly
barbecued over glowing coals.
Otak-otak is eaten throughout Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia as a
snack between meals or as an accompaniment to nasi lemak (coconut rice),
together with other seafood dishes. And, of course, with the hot chili sauce
(sambal belachan). Individual foil-wrapped parcels of otak-otak can be cooked
over glowing coals in a barbecue. The recipe below is an oven-baked adaptation.
Serve hot or cold as a snack, or as part of a meal with rice and other side dishes.
1 pound white fish fillets (make sure there are no bones)

2 TBS vegetable oil
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
5 kaffir lime leaves, central vein removed and shredded (or rind from 1
lime, grated)
5–6 Savoy cabbage leaves
foil for wrapping pan
Spice mix
4 candlenuts (kemiri nuts, Aleurites moluccana, or 10 whole cashew
nuts)
20 dried chilies (reduce as desired)
1/2 tsp powdered turmeric
1 stalk lemon grass, sliced into 1/2-inch lengths
2 square inches by 1/4-inch-thick piece of shrimp paste (belachan)
10 shallots or 1 small onion
Process fish fillets in a food processor until finely minced. Transfer to

a container; set aside.
Soak candlenuts (if using) in warm water till softened, for about 30
minutes. Remove and drain.
In the same food processor container used for fish, place the
candlenuts and other ingredients for the spice mix ingredients and
process to a paste.
Heat wok over medium heat, add oil, and stir in spice paste. Fry for 5
minutes until the mixture is fragrant.
Stir in the coconut milk, and keep stirring well until just before it boils.
Remove from heat and cool.
To the spiced coconut milk, add the egg, ground fish flesh, salt, sugar,
and lime leaves. Mix thoroughly and chill in the refrigerator until
needed.
Place cabbage leaves in a large bowl. Pour boiling water to cover and
let soften for 5 minutes. Remove cabbage leaves and cool.
Grease an 8-inch loaf pan; lay 2 or 3 cabbage leaves to cover the
bottom and overlap the sides of the pan.
Pack the fish mixture into the pan, over the cabbage.
Use the remaining leaves to fold over the fish. Wrap the loaf pan in a
large sheet of foil.
Set the wrapped pan within a roasting pan filled with hot water
midway up the loaf pan.
Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes or until it tests done with a bamboo
skewer.
Leave to settle for 10 minutes before serving.
Cut into 1-inch-thick slices and serve with rice.

This dish is commonly eaten throughout Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia and
is popular for snacks, breakfast, and for other meals. It is usually accompanied
by scrambled or hard-boiled egg, cucumber slices, fried dried anchovies, or other
seafood dishes. Hot chili sauce is always added at the table. Nyonya-style nasi
lemak comes with fried chicken wings as well. While cooking the rice, do not at
any time open the lid.
1 cup long-grain rice (preferably Basmati), rinsed and well drained

4 pandan leaves or 2 drops pandan essence (omit if unavailable)
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised
2 inches fresh ginger, sliced into thin disks
1 tsp salt
Place rice into a heavy pan with tight-fitting lid.
Add coconut milk, pandan leaves tied into a knot, lemon grass, ginger,
and salt. Stir.
Cover and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat immediately to lowest possible.
Let simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to rest undisturbed in the pan (do not
open the lid) for an additional 10–15 minutes before serving.
To serve, discard leaves and ginger. Mound rice on plates or bowls.
Serve accompaniments in bowls for diners to help themselves.

This sweet coconut milk–based porridge has many variants throughout Southeast
Asia. It is welcomed as a snack, at midmorning or in the mid-afternoon, or as a
dessert.
3/4 pound taro roots or semiripe plantain, peeled and cubed

3/4 pound sweet potato, peeled and cubed
4 pandan leaves, knotted or 4 drops pandan essence (available from
stores that sell Asian foods, omit if unavailable)
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1/4 tsp salt
2 cans coconut milk
Boil taro, sweet potatoes, and pandan leaves in just enough water to
cover. Reduce heat and cook until the roots are tender, 20–30 minutes.
Stir in sugar and salt.
When sugar is dissolved, stir in coconut milk.
Remove from heat immediately. Discard the leaves.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Although its name (mee is Chinese for “noodles”) makes one think that the
origin of this dish is Chinese, mee goreng is actually a Muslim Indian dish. It is
often eaten as a snack or a light lunch.
3 TBS oil
1 pound ground beef or mutton
3 medium potatoes, boiled and diced
1/2 cabbage, finely shredded
1 pound cooked thick yellow noodles (or udon, Japanese fat wheat
noodles), drained
2 cups bean sprouts
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup tomato paste, diluted in 1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili sauce (optional)
Heat a wok over medium heat.

Add 2 TBS oil and stir fry onion for 1–2 minutes.
Stir in beef, frying until it has changed color.
Increase heat to high; stir in tomatoes, potatoes, and cabbage; fry for
2–3 minutes.
Add noodles and bean sprouts; stir fry for 2–3 minutes.
Clear a space in the middle of the wok; add 1 TBS oil.
When oil is hot, pour in eggs, stirring to scramble them, then mix well
with the other ingredients in the wok.
Stir in diluted tomato paste, salt, sugar, and chili sauce.
Mix thoroughly with the other ingredients in the wok.
Remove from heat and serve at once into bowls or plates. Eat with
chopsticks or a fork.

This is a common breakfast dish or snack in Singapore and Malaysia, most often
sold by street hawkers to people in a hurry for work.
5 TBS raw peanuts, skinless
1 tsp sugar
1 egg, beaten lightly
2 TBS sugar (or to taste)
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups milk
butter for pan cooking
Heat wok. Add peanuts and dry roast without burning until crisp and
fragrant. Remove from pan. Crush or chop roughly with 1 tsp sugar in
a blender or food processor. Transfer to a container; set aside.
In the same blender or food processor container, add egg, sugar, salt,
milk, butter, and flour and blend till smooth.
Leave to rest for 1 hour or more.
Heat a 10-to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat and add a pat of
butter.
Pour 1/4 of the batter onto the pan, tilting from side to side to spread
the batter.
Cook, covered, until bubbles form on top of the pancake.
Flip over.
Immediately scatter 1/4 of the peanut mix on the pancake.
Fold in half, and remove from heat.
Serve hot.

Apom are an Indian specialty (where they are known as appam) that have
become a typical Singaporean snack, eaten with both savory and sweet
accompaniments.
1/4 tsp instant active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar
2 TBS warm water
3/4–1 cup coconut cream
1 TBS cooked white rice
1 tsp salt
ghee or oil, or a mixture for frying
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup freshly grated coconut
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand
until frothy.
In a blender, put the rice flour, coconut cream, cooked rice, and salt
and blend to a smooth batter.
Stir in the yeast mixture; transfer to a covered container and let stand
at room temperature overnight.
Before cooking, stir the batter to incorporate air: it should have the
consistency of a thin crêpe batter. Add a bit more water if needed.
Coat a wok with a thin film of ghee (using a paper towel or oil brush),
and heat the wok over low-medium heat.
Place two or three spoonfuls of batter and quickly tilt the wok to
distribute the batter up the sides. Cover the work.
The middle part of the crêpe will tend to be thicker. Adjust the
temperature so that the crêpe does not brown too quickly.
After 1–2 minutes, the outer edges will start separating from the wok.
Use a thin spatula to release the apom.
There is no need to turn it over; it is done.
Serve at once with brown sugar and freshly grated coconut, if you
wish a sweet snack. Eat with your choice of a curry sauce, for a savory
snack.

Ice kacang is a very popular snack, especially during very hot days. There are
many variations of this shaved ice snack all over Southeast and East Asia.
Brown and red syrup

1 cup dark brown or palm sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3–5 fresh pandan leaves, tied in a knot, or 1 tsp pandan flavoring
3–5 drops red food dye (optional)
1/3 cup cooked sweet red beans (canned adzuki beans in syrup)
1/3 cup cooked sweet corn kernels or creamed corn
1/3 cup grass jelly (canned in syrup), diced
1/3 cup sugar palm fruits (canned or bottled in syrup)
1/3 cup mixed tropical fruits in syrup (canned, optional)
4–6 cups finely shaved ice (prepared from ice cubes using a blender or
ice shaver)
Prepare the syrup: in a microwaveable container, combine sugar,

water, and pandan leaves (if using flavoring, add to syrup);
microwave, covered, at high power for 1–1 1/2 minutes until the sugar
is completely dissolved. Divide the syrup into 2 containers (if dyeing).
Stir in the food dye to one container; let both cool completely, then
refrigerate until ready to use.
Chill the rest of the ingredients (except the ice) and 4 serving dishes at
least 1 hour before using.
To assemble: distribute ice among the serving dishes.
Top the ice with spoonfuls of red beans, corn, grass jelly, and tropical
fruits.
Drizzle red or brown syrup, or both; pass around the evaporated and
condensed milk.
Eat at once.
Slovakia
Slovakia, a Central European country, lies between Poland and Austria.

Formerly the eastern half of Czechoslovakia, the two nations decided to separate
amicably after the fall of the Soviet empire. Largely hilly and mountainous, the
country has been an industrial and mining center for a century. The climate is
cool with cold winters.
The population is mostly Slovak, with small ethnic groups of Roma
(gypsies) and Hungarians. The cuisine combines elements of Hungarian, Slavic,
Turkish, and Russian cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Potatoes, wheat flour, cow and sheep cheese, cabbage, onions and
garlic are the bases of the traditional food. Rice is widely eaten.
• Pork is the favorite meat, often cooked with fruit from the many
orchards. Other meats include beef, chicken, and freshwater fish.
Hams, bacon, and sausages are common ways of preserving meat.
• Vegetables: beans, maize, lentils, cabbages.
• Fruit: apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, grapes, and
imported fruit such as oranges, kiwi, banana.
• Cheeses, some smoked, such as ostiepok, parenica, korbacik.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Dumplings filled with sheep’s cheese topped with bacon (bryndzove
halusky) is often regarded as the national dish.
• Soups: sour cabbage soup with smoked pork sausage, mushrooms,
and plums for Christmas (also served at weddings); garlic-chicken
soup; tripe soup.
• Fish dishes: Hungarian-style hot paprika and fish soup.
• Pork dishes: Hungarian-style pork goulash, fried pork steak.
• Vegetable dishes: peppers stuffed with meat and rice cooked in
tomato sauce, vegetable soup, mushroom soup. Potato dishes: mashed,
baked potatoes; French fries (hranolky), boiled; croquettes.
• Rice often served flavored with curry (kari) or peas or mushrooms.
Halusky dumplings (see recipe). (iStockPhoto.com)
• Snacks: codfish salad sandwich with mayonnaise and vegetables

(treska), originally from the Bratislava region; crepes; dumplings.
• Desserts: most popular ones are crepes (palacinky) with jam,
farmer’s cheese and raisins (s tvarohom a hrozienkami), ice cream
with chocolate sauce, sweet noodles with poppy seeds, stewed fruit
(kompoty).
• Pastries: apple-filled flaky pastry, strudla; cakes; cookies.
• Drinks: fruit juices, carbonated bottled drinks, coffee, tea, beer, wine
(vino); mulled wine in winter. Nonalcoholic young wine (burciak) is
drunk in early September for harvest festivals.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day, and plenty of snacks. Most meals tend to be
hearty. Dining out is common.
• Table settings are European standard.
• Bread is very important and always present on the table. Most people
eat bread for breakfast and with the evening meal. Bread differs from
region to region.
• Blueberry and cranberry preserves and pickled wild mushrooms are
served with meals.
• Breakfast: tends to be hearty, with fresh fruit, cheeses, eggs, sausage
slices, and warm, freshly baked breads. Largely eaten with coffee or
milk.
• Lunch: the main meal of the day, with warm and cold appetizers of
cheese, ham, smoked sausage; fish soup with paprika; pork goulash;
side dishes of dumplings with vegetables; dessert of crepes with jam.
Salads (of mixed or single vegetables—cabbage, tomato, cucumber)
often accompany the main dish.
• Evening meal: soup; fried dishes, usually mushrooms, cauliflower,
cheese; fruit compote.
• Alcohol is an integral part of dining in Slovakia. Most meals start
with a shot of slivovica, a brandy made of plums, or borovicka, a
juniper berry brandy. Wines are drunk with the main meals.

Many types of soups are made, combining vegetables with local smoked meats.
This is served as a first course or as a light meal on its own with bread and a
salad.
2 TBS dried mushrooms, softened in boiling water for 30 minutes, and

chopped
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 strips smoked bacon, chopped
1/4 tsp marjoram
5 cups water
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped finely
1/4 cup flour
1 cup sour cream
1 egg yolk
chopped parsley
Bring the mushrooms, potatoes, bacon, caraway, and marjoram to a

boil in the water.
Meanwhile, heat butter over medium heat. Fry onion until golden. Add
garlic and fry one more minute. Remove from butter and add to soup.
Gradually sprinkle flour onto hot butter, stirring constantly to make a
roux.
Add some of the liquid stock, 1 TBS at a time, to thin the roux.
Add roux to the soup, stirring constantly, until thickened. Turn off
heat.
Cool the soup and pour into a blender or food processor. Blend until
smooth and return to the pan until heated through. Season with salt and
pepper.
Combine the egg yolk and sour cream.
Remove soup from heat. Stir in the egg-cream mixture.
Garnish with parsley and serve at once.

More than any other dish, this is considered a classical Slovak dish that
expatriates remember with nostalgia.
1/2 pound butter

2 onions, roughly chopped
1 small cabbage, core discarded, shredded
Heat butter until foam subsides. Sauté onions in butter until

translucent.
Add garlic and fry for 1 more minute.
Add cabbage. Cook until well browned, stirring constantly.
Season to taste.
Mix in noodles and cook for an additional minute until noodles are
warmed through.
Noodles
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
water to moisten
Mix all ingredients thoroughly with wooden spoon to form a thin

fluffy dough.
Boil a large pot of salted water.
Using a teaspoon dipped in water, drop small quantities (about 1/2 tsp)
of dough into boiling water. Dough should puff up and rise to the top
(if it falls apart, mix in some more flour to the dough). Ensure you do
not drop so many that they stick together.
Allow 5 minutes for the noodles to cook thoroughly, then remove
noodles from water with a slotted spoon.
Repeat, dipping spoon into cold water between dough bits, until all
dough is gone.

This dish is from the Orava region, served for a midday or evening meal.
2 TBS oil
1 large onion, sliced fine
1 TBS sugar
3 juniper berries
1/2 pound sauerkraut
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed, boiled until tender
1/2 pound spiced or garlic sausage (e.g., kielbasa), chopped
Heat oil and fry onion until brown. Stir in the sugar and cook until
caramelized.
Add seasoning, cumin, and juniper berries.
Stir in the sauerkraut and simmer until tender. Reserve.
Place the cooked potatoes in a layer in a deep baking dish. Top with
the sausages and lastly the sauerkraut mixture.
Bake in a 360°F oven until lightly browned on top.
Serve warm.

Serve this pumpkin dish as an accompaniment to sausages and boiled potatoes
for an evening meal.
2 TBS oil
salt to taste
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 pounds pumpkin, peeled and grated
1/2–1 cup water
1 1/2 cups cream
2 ounces flour
1 heaping TBS dill, finely chopped
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté onions until light
brown. Stir in salt and paprika.
Lower heat; add pumpkin and simmer until pumpkin is tender. Add
just enough water to ensure the mixture does not burn.
Mix cream with flour and dill. Add mixture to the tender pumpkin, and
bring to a boil.
Add vinegar, sugar, and more salt (if needed) to give a sweet/sour
dish.

This is considered as the national dish by most Slovaks.
1 TBS butter
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and grated
2 eggs
1 cup whole-wheat flour
salt to taste
boiling salted water
1 cup brinza (or substitute feta or any other hard, salted ewe cheese),
rinsed of brine and crumbled
Heat butter until frothy and fry bacon until crisp. Drain and reserve
with some of the fat.
Mix potatoes with eggs, flour, and salt to make a soft, pliable dough
(add a little cold water if needed).
With floured hands, shape into walnut-sized dumplings and toss them
into rapidly boiling salted water.
When they float, remove and drain, and, while still hot, toss with the
cheese.
Place in a casserole, and top with the bacon and fat.
Bake in a hot oven (400°F) or under a grill for 2–3 minutes until
warmed through and cheese is slightly melted.
Serve hot.

This Hungarian-style dish is served for the midday meal.
2 TBS oil
1 pound boneless pork, cut into cubes
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 cups stock (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups hot water)
1 pound sauerkraut
1 cup cream
salt to taste
Heat oil in a pot and sauté onion until brown.

Add pork, brown quickly, then add spices and half the stock.
Let simmer for 15 minutes, until the meat is half tender, then add
sauerkraut.
Let simmer another 10–15 minutes or until the meat is completely
tender; add cream and let cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add and blend in the rest of the stock.
Taste and add salt if needed.
Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with potato dumplings.

This pudding is a rich variant of the Christmas cereal porridge that is usually
served.
2 pints milk
8 ounces short-grain rice, rinsed and drained
4 ounces butter
2 ounces sugar
pinch of salt
4 eggs, separated
butter for greasing
Put the milk and rice in a heavy saucepan over low heat; simmer
gently until the rice has absorbed all the milk, about 15–20 minutes.
Cool.
Cream butter, sugar, salt, lemon rind, and egg yolks, until light and
creamy.
Beat egg whites to stiff peaks.
Mix cooked rice into creamed butter mixture and fold in egg whites
and raisins.
Gently spoon mixture into a buttered casserole dish.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes at 320°F until golden.

These dumplings can be made with any fruits in season, such as apples or pears,
but the most popularly used are apricots and plums.
8 apricots or plums, washed well, dried, and left whole, or halved and
pitted
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBS butter
1 egg, beaten
3 TBS milk
Filling (optional)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Topping
1/3 cup butter
4 TBS bread crumbs (or panko, from major supermarkets and stores
that sell Asian foods)
4 TBS (or more, if desired) sugar
If you wish, you may fill the hollows of the halved apricots with a
filling. Mix the butter, sugar, and cinnamon and place a teaspoonful or
more in the cavity; put the two halves of fruit together, ready for
wrapping with dough.
Prepare the dough: in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt; rub in
the butter until well mixed.
Stir in the egg and milk; blend all into a soft pliable dough. Chill,
covered, for 30 minutes–1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch-thick
rectangle.
Cut out 3-inch squares. Cover unworked dough with a moist kitchen
towel to prevent it drying out.
Place an apricot in the middle of the pastry square; gather up the edges
to fully enclose the fruit and form a ball.
Repeat with the rest of the fruit.
Prepare the topping: in a frying pan over medium heat, melt butter and
add the breadcrumbs, stirring constantly until they are golden brown.
Away from the heat, stir in the sugar.
In a large saucepan, bring to a boil 2 quarts of water; drop the
dumplings, reduce heat to a simmer and let dumplings cook until they
float to the surface, about 10–15 minutes.
Drain dumplings and serve sprinkled generously with the topping.

These rich pastries are a well-loved classic treat. The traditional way of making
this is with the Italian meringue method, that is, beating the egg whites over hot
water. The procedure used here simplifies the process of meringue-making.
Makes about 10–12 sandwiched cookies.
1 cup powdered or confectioners’ sugar

2/3 cup finely ground walnuts or almonds, or other nut
2 egg whites at room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional, to keep meringues stable)
5 TBS granulated sugar
Filling
1/2 cup cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 TBS butter, diced
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar and nuts.
In a larger bowl, place the egg whites and cream of tartar; whip to soft
peaks.
Start adding the granulated sugar gradually until the egg whites form
stiff peaks.
Gently fold in the powdered sugar-nut mixture until thoroughly
incorporated; place into a piping bag with a plain round tip smaller
than 1/2 inch.
Pipe 1-inch rounds or slightly larger ovals (the classic shape), spaced
about 3 inches apart (the meringues will spread), directly onto the
parchment. Take baking sheet with both hands and rap sharply on the
counter to let any air bubbles out.
Heat oven to 350°F. Place baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven;
immediately turn down heat to 300°F. Bake for 15–17 minutes or until
set. Do not allow meringues to color. Let cool, still on the parchment,
on a rack.
Prepare the filling: in a microwaveable container with cover, heat the
cream to just under boiling point (about 1 minute or less at 650 watts).
Stir and set aside.
Make the caramel cream: in a shallow saucepan over medium heat,
melt the sugar until it turns dark golden brown and gives off a caramel
aroma. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the warm cream. Be careful of
the hot steam rising from the pan. Turn heat off, stir in vanilla and
butter, and let caramel cream cool thoroughly. Chill before use.
Assemble the laskonsky: release the cooled meringues carefully from
the parchment.
Spread about a tablespoonful of filling on the bottom side of the
meringue; top with another, right side up.
Let laskonsky stand for a few hours or overnight, to allow the flavors
to meld and properly mellow before eating. Serve with a hot or cold
drink.
Slovenia
A western Balkan country, Slovenia was formerly a part of Yugoslavia. The

terrain is varied—from mountainous and rocky to coastal plains. The climate
ranges from cold to temperate, enabling wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables, and
livestock to be raised.
Slovenia borders on four states (Hungary, Italy, Austria, and Croatia) with
established and distinct national cuisines, and Slovenians have borrowed and
adapted culinary specialties from each.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: maize, wheat, potatoes, barley, buckwheat, millet.
• Pork, mutton, goat, beef, chicken, goose, duck, turkey, eggs.
Sausages and preserved meats include krvavice (blood sausages),
pechenice (frying sausages), chelodec (similar to Scottish haggis), and
prchut (ham).
• Freshwater fish (carp, trout); salted, dried, or smoked fish.
• Milk, butter, cheese, cream.
• Cabbage, lettuce, onion, potato, beans, broad beans, lentils, chicory,
cucumber, pumpkin, eggplant, regrad wild lettuce (gathered in early
spring), wild mushrooms (gathered in the fall). Pickled vegetables,
particularly turnip (kisla repa) and cabbage (kislo zelje).
• Apple, grape, pear, plum, chestnut, walnut, hazelnut. Wild berries:
strawberry, blackberry, blueberry.
• Seasonings: marjoram, mint, melissa, sage, thyme, bay leaf, pepper,
cinnamon; bacon, lard, dripping.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Bread (white and black) from wheat, rye, barley, corn, or a mixture
of these is eaten with every meal.
• Soups: in some areas soups were so important that they were eaten as
the main dish for every meal, with two soups on special events.
Chtajerska, sour soup of veal, offal, and sour cream. Prechganka,
potato and beef soup. Many soups are thickened with millet or
buckwheat meal, or cream and sour milk. Stews (obara) of meat,
potatoes, herbs, and buckwheat.
• Fish dishes: eel in wine, grilled cuttlefish, stuffed calamari, prawns in
wine, fish soup. Istrian stockfish (bakalar) for special days, Christmas,
and Good Friday, pounded until tender, dressed with olive oil and
garlic, and served with polenta or boiled potatoes.
• Meat dishes: bograch, with its origins in Hungarian goulash;
pogacha (savory pie), filled with crackling, bacon, or bacon and
onions.
• Blinci, broken unleavened round bread, moistened and served with
melted butter and fried onions, is served traditionally in some places
on Christmas Eve.
• Pastries: many-layered cakes with as many as nine layers of different
fillings (apples, cheese curd, poppy seed, walnuts, etc.), topped with
cream and egg yolks (gibanice); a festive molded cake, potica, with
various fillings (nuts, cocoa/chocolate, crackling [crisp fried pork
skin], crumbled bacon, dried fruit, honey, mint, tarragon), sold by
bakeries and patisseries.
Melissa.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day and snacks, particularly in winter.
• Settings today are European standard. Traditional farming families
sat around a large bowl or pot with shared food from which the whole
family ate, into which were dipped wooden spoons.
• Bread is always on the table.
• Breakfast: Porridge (mochnik) or gruel (kacha); polenta with cottage
cheese.
• Lunch: Chganci, the national dish, made of boiled buckwheat flour,
covered with hot lard and crackling; roast goose; pickled turnips;
sweet or fruit.
• Supper: polenta, potato and beef soup, preserved meats, pickled
cabbage, sweet or fruit.
• Snacks: chunka (ham), baked in bread; blinci (flat breads); ocvirki
(crackling).
• Drinks: fruit juices, carbonated bottled drinks, beer, wine, coffee, tea.

This is often eaten for both lunch and supper.
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thick French fries

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
2 TBS parsley, minced finely
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
2 quarts water
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1/2 cup sour cream
In a stewing pot, simmer the potatoes, carrot, parsley, tomato,

caraway, garlic, salt, and bay leaf in water until tender, about 25–30
minutes.
In a frying pan, sweat onion in butter. Add flour and cook, stirring
until light brown.
Add a ladleful of the water in which potatoes and other vegetables
were simmered and cook, stirring until smooth.
Stir flour mixture into the potatoes, and cook for a couple more
minutes to take the raw taste from the flour. Remove bay leaf.
Blend ladleful of soup with sour cream and add mixture to soup.
Serve at once.

This dish is often made with little or no meat. As in many other peasant dishes, a
little bit of meat was stretched as far as possible. This was often eaten for most
meals.
1/2 pound barley

1/2 pound dried beans (pinto or navy)
water as needed
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound smoked pork or bacon, cubed
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup parsley, minced fine
2 cloves garlic
1 tomato, chopped
In a large stewing pot, soak barley and beans together overnight in

water to cover.
The following day, add water if necessary so that beans and barley are
covered and simmer with bay leaf for 20 minutes.
Add pork, carrot, potatoes, and parsley. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add
enough water for a gruel-like consistency.
Add salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, then add tomatoes
and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve with coarse rye bread.
Originally an Austrian dish, this was adopted by Slovenians.
2 cups lard or vegetable oil

1 TBS thyme
1 chicken, cut into serving pieces, washed, and patted dry
2 TBS milk
3 eggs
1 cup flour
5 TBS dry bread crumbs
Heat lard or oil in a deep frying pan to 370°F.

Mix salt, pepper, and thyme and rub over chicken.
Beat milk and eggs to a froth.
Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, dip in egg mixture, then roll in
bread crumbs.
Deep fry the pieces for 15–20 minutes until golden brown.
Drain. Serve hot with salad and pickles.
Dandelion Salad
Wild greens were, for many, a major mainstay. They were also traditionally a
welcome treat in the spring, after months of eating only pickled vegetables,
before cultivated vegetables could be gathered. Wild greens, along with
mushrooms and berries, are still gathered. Make sure if you are collecting
dandelion shoots that they have not been sprayed with pesticide or other
chemicals.
10 ounces dandelion shoots, washed and drained (or use other strong-
flavored greens such as arugula)
2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled, and diced (preferably freshly
cooked and kept warm)
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 TBS salad oil
vinegar to taste
salt to taste
Spread greens in a salad bowl.

Add potatoes and egg.
Sprinkle with garlic.
Mix oil, vinegar, and salt. Pour over salad and toss well.
Serve with fresh rye bread.

Buckwheat, a cold-hardy grain, was the staple of most communities in Central
and Eastern Europe (see sidebar “Buckwheat,” below).
2 TBS butter
1 pound buckwheat flour (available from stores that sell Russian foods
and from Japanese stores as soba flour)
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
salt to taste
Heat butter over medium heat. When foam subsides, sprinkle in flour
and stir to incorporate into butter.
Scald milk and cream in a separate pan. Add salt.
Pour milk slowly over flour, stirring rapidly. Allow to cook until
relatively stiff and then allow to cool.
With moistened hands, form 1-inch diameter balls from the mixture.
Place on a plate and serve mounded with cottage cheese.
BUCKWHEAT
Buckwheat is an ancient cultivated grain (not a cereal grass but an annual
plant: Fagopyrum esculentum) originating in southwestern Asia. It has been
cultivated for around four thousand years. In East Asia it is mainly used for
noodles (soba). In Eastern Europe, due to the plant’s preference for cooler
climate and poorer soil it was a major food crop in the northern Balkans and
in Slavic countries, where it is usually consumed as kasha (porridge). It is
also used commonly for savory pancakes—blinis in Russia and galette in
Brittany. It has a pleasant, nutty, and slightly bitter flavor. In Eastern
Europe it is associated with peasants and the peasant life as the major food
source.

Stuffed rolls are common Slovenian dishes, either savory or, as in this case,
filled with dried fruit and eaten as dessert. This raisin cake is from Carinthia.
1 ounce yeast
1 pound flour
3 ounces sugar
1 1/2 cups milk (at room temperature
4 ounces butter
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon powder mixed with 4 ounces sugar
1 egg, beaten
Mix yeast with two tsp flour, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/4 cup milk. Leave in a
warm, draft-free place for about 10 minutes until frothy.
Beat butter with egg yolks and the remaining sugar until smooth.
Add flour, remaining milk, and salt and mix thoroughly.
Add the yeast mixture.
Mix well, then knead thoroughly on a floured surface for 10 minutes
until elastic.
Return to an oiled bowl and place, covered by a damp towel, in a
warm, draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
Place dough on a floured surface and roll out to a thickness of 1/2 inch
or less. Sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Roll up and place in a lightly greased 12-inch loaf pan.
Allow the dough to rise again in the pan.
Brush top with beaten egg.
Bake in a medium hot oven (375°F) for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until
golden brown.
Allow to cool, then cut into slices to serve.

Borrowed and adapted from Italian originals, this dish is served as dessert.
Dough
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp oil
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 tsp salt
few drops water
1 egg white, well beaten with 2 TBS water, for bonding ravioli
Place flour in a large bowl; make a hollow in the center and in it put
the oil, egg, egg white, and salt. Mix well and gather into a ball,
adding water if needed. Alternatively, use a food processor and
process only until mixture forms a ball.
Knead the dough thoroughly on a floured surface until shiny and
elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow
to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Divide dough into four portions.
On a floured surface, roll out one portion into a rectangular shape, as
thin as possible.
Cover this with a damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out while
rolling out the rest.
Roll out the other portion, as much as possible matching the previous
one in shape.
Fill the first rolled out pastry sheet with tablespoons of filling every
two inches.
Using a pastry brush or a finger generously dipped in the egg white
and water, mark out a grid of horizontal and vertical lines on the
pastry, enclosing the distributed filling.
Place the second rolled out pastry sheet over the first, and press firmly
around each filling and along the grid.
With a pastry wheel, ravioli cutter, or knife, cut the pastry sheet into
squares along the grid.
Place the filled and cut out zhlikrofi on wax paper. Cover with a damp
towel.
Roll out, fill, and cut the remaining dough portions in the same
manner.
Drop the zhlikrofi into 10 pints of boiling salted water, reduce heat,
and let zhlikrofi simmer for 8–10 minutes or until done.
Drain well and place on a plate; dress with sour cream and cinnamon
sugar; or melted butter, toasted breadcrumbs, and cinnamon sugar.
Filling
3/4 pound mixed dried fruits: apples, pears, seedless raisins, figs
1/2 cup butter
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBS cinnamon
Soak the dried fruits in warm water for 1 hour, then drain them and
chop them finely.
In a frying pan, melt the butter over low heat, add bread crumbs and
fry until golden. Remove from heat.
Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and chopped fruits, and mix thoroughly.
Cinnamon sugar
1 TBS cinnamon powder
1/4 cup sugar
Mix well the cinnamon and sugar.

Dumplings filled with nuts and raisins made in the town of Kobarid are very
famous and have sparked a food festival featuring this culinary specialty. Each
family has its own variation of this famous dessert.
Dough
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
Filling
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup raisins or sultanas
2 TBS lemon juice
2/3 cup ground walnuts or almonds, finely ground
1/4 cup milk, warm
1 TBS cocoa (optional)
1 tsp vanilla or rum flavoring
1 egg, beaten (optional, for binding)
Topping
1/4 cup reserved fried breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp (or more) cinnamon
2 TBS chopped walnuts or other nuts (optional)
Prepare the dough: in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt; stir in
the butter and egg, and blend well.
Carefully add the boiling water, let cool slightly, and then gather all
into a soft pliable dough. Add more water or flour, if needed. Knead
briefly until smooth. Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Make the filling: in a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter and
stir in breadcrumbs, frying until they are golden. Reserve half for the
topping.
In a medium bowl, soak the raisins in lemon juice and rind at least 15
minutes; in another bowl, soak the nuts in the warm milk.
In a larger bowl, combine the fried breadcrumbs, raisins, nuts, soaking
liquids, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and the egg.
Make the pastries: on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a
1/8-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out 4-inch disks.
Spoon 1 TBS or so of filling in the center of a disk. Fold dough over to
enclose the filling. Moisten edges with a bit of water and crimp with a
fork to seal.
Stand the pastry with its crimped edge uppermost. Place a finger to
press in the middle of the crimped edge, creating two arches. (This is a
local crimping design.) Continue with the rest of the dough.
Mix the topping: add the cinnamon and nuts to the reserved fried
breadcrumbs.
In a large shallow saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a gentle boil,
ladle in the dumplings, and reduce heat to let dumplings just simmer
for about 10–15 minutes. When they rise to the surface, they are done.
Drain and serve sprinkled generously with topping.

These dumplings are filled with cottage cheese and are shaped and made
differently from the nut and raisin ones above. The dumplings start out as a
strudel: a very thin sheet of dough spread with filling and rolled with the aid of a
tablecloth.
Filling
2 cups cottage cheese, well-drained, farmer’s cheese or cream cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 tsp salt
Dough
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp vinegar
1/3 cup warm water
Topping
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
2 TBS melted butter for greasing
Make the filling: blend the cottage cheese until smooth or pass through
a sieve. Add sour cream, egg, and salt; set aside.
Prepare the dough: in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Incorporate the butter, egg, and vinegar. Add water and make a soft,
pliable dough. Sprinkle on a bit of warm water or flour if needed.
Knead lightly until smooth. Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Have ready the melted butter and a large sheet of foil to enclose the
rolled pastry.
Cover your work surface with a clean dry tablecloth and sprinkle it
lightly with flour; roll out the dough as thinly as possible. (It is
possible to roll the pastry to cover quite a large area.)
Drop spoonfuls of filling all over the dough, except for a bare border
left on all the edges.
Start rolling the dough to enclose the filling, with the aid of the
tablecloth.
With both hands, grasp the tablecloth nearest the dough, and as you lift
the tablecloth, coax the dough to continue rolling forward, away from
you. Using the tablecloth prevents the thin dough from tearing.
Slice the rolled pastry (the strudel) in 2 or 3 pieces for convenience in
cooking.
Place each strudel on a buttered sheet of foil, large enough to envelop
the roll twice.
Seal and secure all openings on the foil wrapping to make sure that no
water can enter.
Place as many wrapped rolls as will fit in a large pot of boiling water.
Reduce heat, and allow to gently simmer for 40–50 minutes. Remove
rolls from the water, drain well, and leave to cool slightly while
preparing the topping.
In a frying pan, melt the butter and fry breadcrumbs until golden. Stir
in the sugar. Transfer fried crumbs to a bowl.
Unwrap the strudel, slice crosswise into 2-inch pieces, sprinkle with
fried topping and serve at once.

The concept for this unique layer cake, considered the Slovenian national dish,
originates from the region of Prekmurje. Prekmurska Gibanica (Prekmurian
sweet layer cake) features eight layers of pastry with alternating fillings of apple,
cheese, poppy seed, and walnut. The name of the pastry is protected and can
only be given to those that are actually made in Prekmurje. The recipe below is
an adaptation. Savory fillings for other gibanica may include cabbage, Swiss
chard, and, most popularly, cheese. A similar layer cake with the same fillings,
but in four layers, is made in Croatia.
16-ounce package phyllo pastry

Poppy-seed filling
1 cup ground poppy seeds, simmered for 3 minutes with:
2 TBS sugar and 3/4 cup cream
Cheese filling
1/2 cup raisins, plumped in warm water (or 2 TBS rum) at least 30
minutes before use, drained and mixed with:
1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese (drained)
1/4–1/2 cup sour cream (just enough to get a spreading consistency)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Walnut filling
1 cup ground walnuts, mixed with:
2 TBS sugar
1/4–1/2 cup cream
Apple filling
5 large apples, peeled, cored, and grated, mixed with:
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup sugar
Sour cream topping

1 cup sour cream, mixed with:
2 eggs, beaten
3 TBS sugar
Prepare a buttered rectangular 8-inch square baking dish or a round 8-

inch springform pan.
Prepare the fillings. Preheat oven to 325°F. Reserve 2–4 sheets of
phyllo for the topmost layer. Keep these and the rest of the unworked
phyllo sheets under a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.
Place 3 sheets of phyllo in the baking dish; fold in or cut off the excess
dough; brush the top sheet with melted butter.
Place another 2 phyllo sheets, brush with butter, and place half the
poppy-seed filling.
Continue to alternate layers of 2 phyllo sheets, of which only the top is
brushed with butter with layers of half of the cheese, walnut, and apple
fillings, in that order.
To finish: lay 3 sheets of phyllo, fold in or cut off all overhanging
dough; brush with butter.
Spread sour cream topping. Pierce the cake several times through to
the bottom with a skewer.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until top is golden. Reduce heat to
300°F after 20 minutes, if cake is browning too fast. Serve when
completely cold, sprinkled with powdered sugar, if desired.
Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands are a group of some one thousand islands in the South
Pacific, east of Papua New Guinea and north of Vanuatu. The islands have been
populated for millennia by people largely of Melanesian descent, with some
Micronesians and Polynesians. The islands were discovered by Spain in the
sixteenth century and became a British protectorate in the late nineteenth
century. The nation achieved independence in 1978 as a constitutional kingdom.
Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state. The capital, Honiara, is located on the
island of Guadalcanal, which was the site of fierce battles during World War II.
Solomon Islanders speak some seventy languages, of Melanesian, Polynesian,
and Micronesian families, in addition to English and Pijin. Kastom (traditional
culture) varies from one island to another and within the larger islands.
Tropical climate, many islands, and variable soil fertility due to the
presence of volcanoes means that while virtually all tropical products are
possible, there is an unequal distribution of availability within and between the
islands. The large number of different cultures means that there is no single
“typical” food culture. Instead, every area has developed a cooking style that
suits local products and materials. There is also a lively trade between coastal
communities that gift upland communities with fish in return for sweet potatoes
and other highland foods.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: yams (different types), taro, kumara (sweet potatoes),
bananas, beans, cassava, sago, rice.
• Fish and marine products—squid, giant clams, including seaweeds.
• Beef, pork (important celebratory and feast food), corned beef.
• Green pepper, eggplant, beans (winged bean, snake bean most
common), onion, cucumber, cabbage (native and European), green
leaves and shoots of domestic and wild plants.
• Coconut, breadfruit, papaya, papaya, pineapple, guava, starfruit
(carambola), bananas, Annoceae fruits (soursop, annona), rose apple.
• Drinks: juices from tropical fruits, fermented coconut toddy, bottled
international soft drinks.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Dishes are generally plain and not heavily spiced. Most meals consist
of plentiful starch (whatever is in season or preferred on a particular
island or locality), cooked greens, with marine fish prominent in
coastal communities, and yams and sweet potatoes more common
inland and in the highlands.
• Poi from taro.
• Barbecued and baked fish and meat (especially roast pig) when
available.
• Savory puddings, fried taro, or cassava eaten with fish.
• Rice is a luxury which few people can afford on a regular basis.
• Noodles (introduced by Chinese immigrants).
• Dessert and snacks: fresh fruits.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditionally two meals a day. Snacking on wild fruit or garden fruit
or vegetables is common during the day but not considered a “meal”
unless a cooked starch is included.
• Meals are a central part of Solomon Islands life. Tables (or mats in
traditional homes) are decorated with flowers at every meal. Diners are
served in strict order (guests if any, older men, younger men and
women, children).
• Gifts of food, particularly fish from coastal people visiting the
highlands, and sweet potatoes from highland visitors to the lowlands,
are expected.
• For festivals, pikpik (roasted or baked pig) is served without
vegetable accompaniment.
Fish in Coconut
Fish and coconut are major food sources and often cooked together. Larger fish,
such as tuna and jacks, are cut up for stews. You can use pieces of any large fish
for this dish. Native cabbage, unlike Western varieties, is a leafy vegetable that
is slightly slimy when cooked. You can substitute some mucilaginous vegetable
such as molokhiya (young jute), which is also sometimes eaten in the Solomons,
for part or all of the cabbage, for a more authentic taste.
2 cups coconut milk

1 pound fish steaks or boneless flesh of any marine fish
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 pound cabbage, or mix of cabbage, ribs removed, and molokhiya if
desired (available from some stores that sell Middle Eastern or Indian
foods) shredded
salt to taste
Heat the coconut milk in a heavy pot to a simmer.

Add fish and spring onions and keep simmering lightly.
When fish is halfway done (depends on size of chunks and type of
fish), add cabbage mix. Cook until cabbage is soft.
Season to taste (Solomon Islanders use very little salt in general, none
in most dishes).
Cassava Pudding
“Pudding” in most Solomon Islands cooking is a way of preparing a savory
staple, usually taro, cassava, yams, or sweet potatoes.
1 pound cassava or taro, peeled, washed, and cubed

water as needed
2 cups coconut milk
salt to taste
1 medium or two small fish, grilled or baked, per person
Bring the cassava to a boil with water to cover, reduce heat and
simmer for 25–30 minutes or until soft.
Drain, then mash with coconut milk and salt.
Place into a casserole and bake at 375°F until crust is golden brown.
Serve with grilled or baked fish.

This is a different taro pudding, which probably antedates both cassava and
cooking pots on the Solomons, and was probably originally baked in an earth
oven, but is now steamed.
1 pound taro, cassava, or sweet potato, peeled and grated

salt to taste
12 young large taro leaves (available from shops selling Asian foods),
washed and wiped dry, or cabbage leaves
4 sheets of 12 × 12 inch aluminum foil
water for boiling
Mix the taro with the coconut cream and season with salt.
Place 3 taro leaves crisscrossing each other. Place 1/4 of the taro
mixture in the center of the topmost leaf. Fold the rest of the leaves
over to enclose the taro mixture.
Wrap the taro package securely inside foil and seal.
Bring water to a boil in a double boiler or steamer.
Steam the packages in the top part of the double boiler over boiling
water for 45–60 minutes or until the mixture is firm and leaves are
tender. Open one package to test.
Taro leaves are edible. Serve with grilled, baked, or stewed fish.

Corned beef, obviously not native to the islands, has become a luxury staple
throughout much of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean, appreciated on its
own, not as a substitute for fresh beef. This would normally be made in an earth
oven, but it can be made at home in a steamer over boiling water.
4 sheets of 10 × 10 inch aluminum foil

1 cup coconut cream
2 cups sweet potato, peeled and grated, divided into 4 equal portions
1 can corned beef, meat cubed and divided into 4 equal portions
In the middle of one sheet of aluminum foil, place 2 TBS coconut

cream.
Place a layer of sweet potato, then one portion of corned beef.
Top with another layer of sweet potato, and finally some more cream.
Fold the aluminum foil neatly to secure.
Steam over boiling water in a steamer or double boiler for 45–60
minutes, adding boiling water as necessary.
Check one packet to see if cooked through. If not, steam for an
additional 10–20 minutes.
Serve for a main meal.

Noodles such as lo mein were introduced by Chinese traders who settled in the
Solomons. This is an urban food unavailable outside main cities.
4 cups water or as directed on the noodle package
1-inch knob fresh ginger, grated or sliced into julienne strips
1 large package (about 1 pound) dried Chinese egg noodles or 4
packages instant noodles
2 chili peppers, sliced finely
soy sauce to taste
2 pounds clams, mussels, or other shellfish in the shell, soaked in cold
water for 1 hour before cooking (to eliminate sand)
4–5 stalks green onions, sliced finely, for garnish
2 tsp fresh grated ginger to serve
Boil the water with the onion and ginger. Add the noodles and reduce
heat to let the noodles simmer until al dente.
Add soy sauce (or if using instant noodles, the accompanying
seasoning mix), chilies, and shellfish (add water if noodles are a bit
dry or if you wish to have more sauce).
Allow to cook, covered, for 3–5 minutes more until the shells have
opened.
Sprinkle with green onions and grated ginger. Serve hot.
Somalia
Somalia, at the extreme northeast of Africa, was under French, British, and
Italian colonial rule until the 1960s. The terrain varies from scrubby plains and
desert to mountains, with a hot and arid climate. The major cash crop are
bananas, raised in the south with tropical subsistence crops. The north relies on
dates and nomadic herding of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels. Coastal fishing is
an additional food source.
The population is largely Somali, with minorities of Bantu-and Arab-
speaking groups. Somalis are virtually all Sunni Muslims.
The cuisine has elements of Arab, Middle Eastern, and Italian cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• For northern rural Somalis, milk is the staple (camel herders may
drink up to two gallons a day). Corn, millet, sorghum, beans, fruit, and
vegetables are the staples in the south.
• Imported rice.
• Camel meat, particularly the fat of the hump (gol), is in high demand,
but since camels are used for transportation, these are not often
available. Goat, sheep, or lamb are other favorites.
• Dairy: cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s, and camel’s milk; butter; clarified
butter (ghee); yogurt; camel’s milk cheese (jinow).
• Banana, orange, coconut, mango, date.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Breads (canjeelo and muufo) and porridge (soor) made of sorghum,
millet, or maize. Bread rolls (rooti) and flat breads (sabaayad).
• Beans usually served with butter or mixed with corn.
• Roasted goat is a delicacy.

• Sauces and stews with onions, garlic, tomatoes, hot spices,
vegetables, or meat.
• Sambusa, pies filled with meat, eaten during Ramadan for breaking
the fast.
• Drinks: tea, usually flavored with cinnamon or cardamom.
STYLES OF EATING
• Somali dining tends to be a hurried and almost informal affair.
People assemble, eat, and leave without much fuss, sharing food from
a common dish, which they take with the right hand only.
• Breakfast: a flat bread called canjeelo (similar to Ethiopian injera) or
laxoo (pronounced “la-khu”), or a porridge made of millet or
cornmeal. Sometimes, thinly sliced fried liver with onions.
• Midday: the main meal, consisting of rice or noodles (Italian pasta)
with sauce and sometimes meat.
• The evening meal is light, usually including bread, yogurt, beans,
muufo (patties made of oats or corn).

The original dish is made with camel calf, a preferred meat in Somalia. In the
absence of camel, veal or turkey is a good substitute. The main dish is a local
version of an Arab dish eaten throughout the coast of Africa and Arabia, called
harees.
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced

2 potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 TBS oil
1 pound veal or turkey, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 TBS fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp very finely minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 large tomato, sliced
Boil green pepper and potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover until
potatoes are almost done, about 15 minutes. Mash together and set
aside.
Heat oil and fry onion until translucent.
Add meat and brown on all sides. Remove from heat.
Stir in potato mixture, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Place in a buttered 9 × 13 inch baking dish. Top with slices of tomato.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20–30 minutes in a preheated
325°F oven.
Serve hot over rice.
Chicken Suqaar
This is one of Somalia’s favorite dishes, and but for the fractiousness that
characterizes modern Somalia, it probably would be declared the national dish.
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cube chicken stock, crumbled
1 cup water
1 pound cooked chicken meat, diced
Heat oil and sauté the onion until softened.

Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in carrots and pepper, and fry
for 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock and water; simmer for 5 minutes.
Add cilantro and chicken and simmer until heated through, about 5
minutes.
Meat Pies (Sambusa)

A Somali variation on a dish that is popular throughout the Middle East.
Sambusa are eaten in Somalia to break the Ramadan fast in the evenings.
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS butter
1 cup water
2 TBS ghee or vegetable oil
1 leek, chopped
2 pounds ground beef (substitute turkey or chicken or lamb)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
oil for deep frying
In a food processor, mix flour, salt, butter, and water until the mixture
comes together in a ball.
Remove and knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes or until dough
is elastic.
Rub with 1/4 tsp oil; set aside for at least 30 minutes in a warm draft
free place, covered with a damp kitchen towel.
Roll out one portion into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick.
Butter the surface, fold over twice to form a square, and reroll to about
1/8 inch thick, or as thin as you can.
Cut into 4 × 4 inch squares. Repeat for the other dough portion. Cover
the cut-out pastry squares with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying
out.
Prepare the filling: heat ghee in a large pan over medium heat. Add
leek, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onions are translucent.
Add meat and cook for 10 minutes, or until about halfway done.
Season with cumin, cardamom, salt, and pepper. Mix well, and
continue cooking until beef has browned. Turn off heat and let mixture
cool for 10 minutes.
Place 2–3 TBS of meat mixture in the middle of each pastry square.
Fold corners to form a triangle.
Seal with a paste mixed from the flour and water.
Continue to fill the remaining dough squares in the same way.
Heat oil to 365°F in a deep fryer or a heavy frying pan.
Fry sambusa a few at a time until golden brown.
Serve hot as a snack.
This is a baked dish made with layers of spiced meat and rice. A festive dish, it
combines two favorites: meat and flavored rice.

salt to taste
2 tsp cardamom powder
1 pound ground meat (beef, lamb, chicken, turkey)
5 cups lightly salted water
3 cardamom pods
2 onions, minced fine
5 cloves garlic, pounded into a paste
2 cups water
2 tomatoes, chopped
salt to taste
2 TBS fresh mint leaves, minced
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
about 20 threads saffron, dissolved in 2 TBS warm milk
Mix the yogurt, salt and 1/2 tsp cardamom powder, and blend
thoroughly with the meat. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Boil rice in salted boiling water with cardamom pods until rice is
almost cooked, for about 15 minutes.
Strain the rice and cardamom and set aside.
Prepare the spiced meat: heat 2 TBS ghee in a heavy pot. Sauté the
onions and cilantro until the onions are light golden.
Stir in ginger, garlic paste, and meat; cook on high heat for 10–15
minutes.
Stir in coriander, cumin, and water.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is almost
done and water has been absorbed.
Add chopped tomatoes, salt, the remaining cardamom powder, and 1
TBS mint. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat.
In a 9 × 13 inch baking dish, spread half of the meat in one layer.
Top with half of the rice.
Sprinkle cloves, cinnamon, saffron and milk, and the remaining mint.
Sprinkle with 2 TBS ghee.
Repeat with the remaining meat, rice, spices and herbs, and remaining
2 TBS ghee.
Cover tightly with foil.
Spiced Mangoes
These mangoes are served for dessert after a main meal or as a snack.
6 firm ripe mangoes

1 can coconut milk
2–3 TBS sugar
Peel the mangoes.

Slice downward (but not through) on either side of the pit, separating
the “cheeks,” but keep the mango intact.
Put mangoes into a saucepan with the coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon,
and coriander.
Cover and simmer on lowest heat until sauce thickens. Stir
occasionally and check that the coconut milk is not burning.
Separate the slices and chill for 1 hour or more before serving.
Papaya Rings
These rings are a popular dessert or snack.
1 green (unripe) papaya
1 can coconut milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS sugar
Peel the papaya and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch thick rings. Discard
seeds.
Carefully cut each ring into spaghetti-like spirals, starting at the outer
edge and going round and round to the center.
Place strands of papaya into pan and cover with coconut milk.
Add coriander, cinnamon, and sugar, and simmer for 5 minutes more.
Serve chilled.

These coconut sweets are very popular, especially during the Eid festival. If you
choose to use dulce de leche, the resulting qumbe is brown; with the condensed
milk, it will be white.
2 TBS butter, melted, plus more for greasing

2 1/2 cups grated coconut, fresh or frozen and thawed
14-ounce container dulce de leche, available at stores that sell Latin
American foods and major supermarkets (or a 14-ounce can sweetened
condensed milk)
1 egg, well beaten
Seeds from 4–5 cardamom pods, finely crushed, or 1/4 tsp cardamom
powder (or more if desired)
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup coconut flakes for rolling
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix well all the ingredients, except the coconut flakes.
Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
Level the surface and bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden and set.
Let cool on a rack; cut into squares and roll in coconut flakes. Store in
an airtight container.

This cake is eaten on its own as a snack, or as a rich bread with a main dish. The
recipe below is adapted for convenience. The skillet or wok to be used must be
ovenproof, that is, no wooden handles or lid parts.
Starter
1/2 TBS instant active dry yeast
1 TBS sugar
1/3 cup warm water
2 TBS fine semolina (cream of wheat)
Syrup
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup hot water
Batter
1/2 tsp salt
seeds from 3–4 cardamom pods, finely crushed
1 egg, well beaten
1/4 cup water
1 TBS oil for brushing
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water, and stir in
the semolina. Set aside until frothy.
Prepare the syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar
in hot water and let boil until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Set
aside to cool completely.
Make the batter: in a large bowl, combine the rice flour, salt, baking
powder, and cardamom; blend in the egg and water.
Stir in the yeast mixture. Cover the batter and let rise for 3 hours or
overnight.
Just before cooking, stir in the cooled syrup: the batter will be very
runny.
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add oil
and swirl pan or wipe with a paper towel to coat the entire surface.
When the oil is very hot, pour in the batter. Immediately reduce heat to
low; cook for 1 minute.
Transfer the skillet to the oven, cover, and bake for 15 minutes or until
tester comes out clean.
Cut into portions for serving.
South Africa
South Africa is at the southernmost tip of Africa. It was originally settled by

Hottentots and Khoisians (Bushmen) and, from the sixteenth century onward, by
Bantu tribes and Dutch, British, and French settlers. Topography varies, and
climate ranges from temperate to subtropical, except in the Karoo and Kalahari
deserts. With very fertile land, a range of grains (chiefly maize, wheat), fruit, and
vegetables are raised for local consumption and export.
The population comprises predominantly Bantu groups (including Zulu,

Sotho, Ndebele) and minorities of South Asians and Malays (descendants of
colonial workers brought in during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries),
Europeans, and Bushmen.
South African cuisine blends all these influences. Native African cuisine is
largely vegetable stews, maize (mealie) meal porridge, and roasted meats. Dutch
immigrants (Boers) introduced barbecued meats, one-pot stews, and baked
goods. The English, dominant in South Africa during the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries, introduced sauces, tea (as a drink and as a meal), and other
foods. Cape Malays—descendants of slaves and workers brought by the Dutch
—introduced Southeast Asian ways of cooking adapted to South Africa,
including sambals, spices, and preserved fish. Indians, brought initially as
workers during the nineteenth century, brought curries and other Indian foods.
Other European immigrants, such as Huguenot French and Portuguese,
introduced dishes such as piripiri chicken and baked goods, now considered
authentically South African. The long period of apartheid (when these groups
were legally separated) means that the real blending of these traditions started
only in the past two decades.
FOODSTUFFS
• Rice, breads: mealie (corn) bread and fried corn bread (vetkoek), flat
breads such as naan, French loaves.
• Meat: beef, mutton, pork, chicken, guinea fowl. Biltong—dried meat
strips similar to jerky—are eaten as is or cooked.
• Seafood: many varieties of fish and shellfish. Two local specialties
are rock lobster and a meaty fish called snoek (Thyrsites atun). Also
crayfish and salt cod.
• Dairy: milk, cheeses, yogurt, buttermilk, butter.
• Vegetables: tomato, potato, green beans, cabbage, mealie (maize),
sorghum, pumpkin and squash, beans and other legumes.
• Fruits: naartjes (small native citrus), peach, mango, citrus, apricot,
grape, pomegranate, apple, pear, quince, and melon.
• Seasonings: Indian, Malay, and Portuguese spices and condiments,
such as atjar and blatjang, which are made with local fruits cooked
with garlic, hot chili peppers, onions, and often curry powder; piripiri
(Portuguese chili sauce); curry powder.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Cold buttermilk soup with cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Salads and side dishes: cold potato salad; bean salad; mixed green
salads; and carrot, beetroot, and pasta salads.
• Meat grilled on an open fire (braaivleis or, more commonly, braai);
spiced minced liver wrapped in caul fat (skilpadjies, or “little
tortoises”); salted ribs; boerewors (farmer’s sausage) spiced with
coriander. Meat/poultry: Boer chicken pot pie with hard-boiled egg
and ham; curried ground beef or lamb with nuts and fruits, topped with
custard (bobotie); braised chicken with green chili peppers.
• Fish and seafood: braised or curried crayfish, Cape Malay pickled
snoek, souffléd rock lobster with lemon butter, salt cod with potatoes
and tomatoes (gesmoorde vis), salt cod with hot chili peppers.
• Stews (bredie) of meat and/or vegetables; meat, onions, and
vegetables, simmered in wine and stock in a cast iron pot (potjiekos);
green bean, cabbage, pumpkin, and tomato stew.
• Indian-and Malay-derived dishes: yellow rice with raisins (geelrys);
curries served with carrot or cucumber sambals, atjar (pickles), or
blatjang (chutney); fish and rice (Cape kedgeree); skewered meats
(sosaties); meat patties (Cape Malay frikkadels).
• Desserts: cakes, pies, custards—custard and cinnamon pie (melktert),
tangerine and ginger custard (chipolata), coconut pie (klappertert).
Pastries and baked goods: twice-baked sweet cakes (similar to biscotti;
beskuit or rusk), typically served with coffee in the morning;
cardamom and coconut cookies (caramongscraps); braided pastry
crullers in syrup (koeksisters); cookies dusted with sugar and chopped
nuts (krakelinge); Dutch spice and wine cookies (soetkoekies).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals a day for most people, though there are great differences
in timing and way of dining in different ethnic communities. A mix of
African, South and Southeast Asian, and European cuisines is common
and many people eat a variety at any meal.
• Europeanized households generally dine using standard European
place settings. Traditional African households dine around a mat or a
table on which are placed pots with the staple porridge (variously
called nsima, sadza, etc.) and a sauce. Diners take a handful of the
staple, form it into a ball, make a depression in the ball, and dip into
sauce or stew and eat. Malay and Indian communities sometimes eat
with bowls and a variety of small side dishes.
• Breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, toast, smoked salmon
and trout, corn fritters, eggs Benedict, flapjack stacks, European-style
pastries and coffee, toast and preserves, porridge and cream. African
households might have a meal based on porridge with a sauce. Indian
and Cape Malay households might have rice with side dishes.
• Lunch: one-or two-course meal for most. Sometimes sandwiches or
soup.
• Evening meal: supper, or tea, or dinner. Usually the main meal of the
day with several courses.
• Snacks: fruit, ice cream, cookies, sandwiches, a shaving of biltong.
Many people stop for tea break—a cup of English tea, sandwiches
and/or cakes—in the late afternoon. For some people this is extended
and elaborated into the evening meal. Sunday high tea, with savory
canapés, sandwiches, and gâteaux, together with lots of milky tea is an
institution for those who can afford it.
• Drinks served with meals: native corn beer called mechow; wines;
tropical fruit drinks, similar to smoothies; lager beer; rooibos tea (also
called “bush tea,” now drunk worldwide); carbonated bottled drinks.
Coffee after meals.

This steamed corn bread is a favorite of the Zulu peoples of the KwaZulu-Natal
Province.
2 cups cornmeal
2 TBS sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
cold water
Mix all the ingredients together with enough water to form a stiff
dough.
Set aside for 15 minutes
Place the mixture in a greased loaf pan. (Traditionally, a 1-quart can
[recycled from canned vegetables] is used, producing a tall, round
loaf.)
Steam over (not in) boiling water for 1 1/2 hours or until done.
Cool, remove from pan, slice, and serve.

This is a South African version of pilaf, either imported by Indian or Malay
laborers and adopted by most South Africans as their own, with a Boer name, or
brought by Dutch East India sailors from Indonesia. It is usually accompanied by
a meat or fish dish.

2 TBS butter
1 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS turmeric
1 tsp salt
3 TBS raisins
Place rice with the remaining ingredients in a heavy covered pot.

Bring rapidly to a boil and stir once.
Reduce heat to lowest possible; simmer, covered, until rice is tender,
for 25–30 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. If rice is not done, or
there is water in the bottom, return to lowest heat for another 5
minutes.
Serve hot.
Sorrel Soup
A sour-tasting herb that grows wild throughout Africa and Europe, sorrel is rich
in vitamin C. Serve this soup with corn bread and butter.
1 pound sorrel, washed (or substitute spinach and 1/4 cup lemon juice)
8 cups beef or vegetable stock
2 TBS chopped fresh chives
Soak sorrel in salted water for 15 minutes.

Drain and chop finely.
Heat stock in a heavy pot. Add sorrel, onion, and potatoes.
Cook, covered, over low heat for 30–45 minutes.
Stir in herbs. Taste, and add salt and pepper.
Serve hot.

This is a dish from the descendants of Dutch settlers—the Boers—who have a
great influence on South African cuisine. This is served for lunch or dinner, with
rice and a vegetable dish.
1 onion, chopped
2 TBS butter
1 slice white bread
1/2 pint milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 pound ground beef
1–1 1/2 tsp curry powder
juice of 1 lemon
12 almonds, chopped
8 dried apricots, soaked and chopped
1/2 cup chutney, chopped
Sauté onion in butter until golden brown. Remove from heat.

Soak bread in milk; squeeze dry. Add eggs to milk.
Mix meat, bread, onion, curry powder, lemon juice, almonds, apricots,
chutney, salt, and pepper.
Add half the egg mixture and blend well.
Place in a buttered 9 × 13 inch baking dish or casserole, or four
individual ramekins.
Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven.
Pour the remaining egg mixture over the meat in the casserole.
Return to oven; continue baking until egg sets, for about 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Barbecues, or braai, are very popular forms of eating out or entertaining at
home. Sosaties are a regular feature. Sosaties originate from the cooking of the
Cape Malays. The word combines “sauce” and “satay,” meaning “skewered
meat.”
2 cups vinegar
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 dried apricot halves, diced
1 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 leg of lamb or pork shoulder, about 2 1/2 pounds, cubed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 pound salt pork or fatty bacon, cubed
2 TBS cornstarch
4 TBS cold water
Boil vinegar, onion, apricots, curry powder, salt, sugar, and water for 3
minutes.
Cool and pour over meat in a deep covered container. Sprinkle with
pepper. Add extra water if meat is not covered completely. Marinate
refrigerated for 1 day at least.
Remove meat and drain. Reserve marinade.
Skewer meat and salt pork alternately on 12 skewers.
Grill over red-hot coals (or under hot grill) until meat is done.
Meantime bring marinade to a boil.
Stir in cornstarch blended with water; cook until marinade thickens
into a sauce.
Serve sosaties with sauce and yellow rice.

The Cape Malays are the descendants of slaves and contract workers from the
Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia and elsewhere brought to work in the Cape
Province during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. They still maintain
much of their traditional culture, blended with African, Indian, and European
influences. This dish is served as an appetizer or main dish for a light meal.
1 pound snoek (or substitute bonito, tuna, or jack), cleaned, scaled, and
filleted, skin left on
coarse salt, as needed
3 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 peppercorns
2 cloves
2 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin powder
oil, as needed, for frying
Sprinkle coarse salt on both sides of the fish fillet and let stand in a
glass bowl for 20–25 minutes.
Rinse fish thoroughly under running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
Cut fish into serving portions leaving the skin attached.
Heat oil in a frying pan; fry fish on both sides, skin side first, until
cooked through.
Place remaining ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil, stirring until
sugar dissolves.
Simmer for approximately 10 minutes until onions are cooked but still
firm.
Place a layer of fish in a glass serving dish. Ladle a generous helping
of the marinade on the fish to cover. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with
another layer of fish and more marinade and salt making sure each
layer of fish is covered by marinade, until all ingredients are used up.
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate 2 hours before serving.
Serve cold with rice.
Koeksisters
This dessert originates from the Boer settlers.
Syrup (to be made the night before)

1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 tsp cream of tartar
Bring sugar, water, and cream of tartar to a boil.

Simmer to light syrup stage, for 5–8 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature.
Add vanilla and orange rind. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
Dough
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour
6 TBS milk
6 TBS butter
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
oil for deep frying
Process all ingredients for the dough except oil in a food processor just
until the mixture comes together into a ball.
Remove dough and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour.
Roll out dough to a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick.
Cut into strips measuring 4 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Make two equally spaced cuts lengthwise along each strip, but not to
the end, so as to get 3 pieces attached to each strip of dough.
Braid the 3 pieces, pressing the cut ends together firmly.
Heat oil in a deep pan.
Deep fry koeksisters in oil until golden.
Take half the syrup out of the refrigerator, leaving the remainder to
keep cold.
Dip hot koeksisters into cold syrup for a few seconds. The warmer the
koeksisters and the colder the syrup, the crisper the end result.
The syrup will gradually warm up, so when it does, return one batch of
syrup to refrigerator and use the other.
Serve as dessert, or with tea.

Melktert is the classic South African dessert. Some recipes call for puff pastry or
folding in stiffly beaten egg whites into the custard before baking. This recipe
simplifies the process.
9-inch baked shortcrust pie shell, cooled
Filling
1 1/4 TBS cornstarch
2 1/4 TBS flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups milk
4 egg yolks
2 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more, as desired)
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk cornstarch, flour, salt, and sugar

with 1/4 cup of the milk.
In a bowl, beat egg yolks well until fluffy; stir into the flour mixture.
In a microwaveable bowl with cover, scald the rest of the milk (heat to
boiling point); whisk into the egg-cornstarch mixture.
Turn on the heat under the saucepan to low-medium, and continue
whisking the mixture until very thick.
Stir in butter; let cool for 15 minutes, then stir in vanilla. Set aside to
cool completely, stirring occasionally to deter a crust forming.
Pour into baked pie crust and chill for 1 hour or more.
Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.
Krakelinge
Krakelinge are classic butter cookies often served at teatime.
1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds

In a bowl, sift flour and baking powder.
In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; stir in egg.
Blend in the flour mixture to a soft, pliable dough. Wrap and chill for
30 minutes to 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out to a 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
Shape cookies using a pretzel cookie mold.
Alternatively, take 1 1/2–inch balls and roll out to long rods. Loop the
pastry into a figure 8 or a pretzel shape (a horizontal B).
Place cookies evenly spaced on the prepared pan; brush with egg yolk
and sprinkle with sugar and almonds.
Bake for 10–12 minutes or until just turning color on the bottom
edges. Do not allow cookies to color.
Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container.
South Sudan
South Sudan is the world’s newest nation, achieving independence from Sudan
in July 2011. The southern part of the country is covered by dense, tropical
brush. The center and north are a harsh savanna flooded during the rainy season
(March–September) and baked dry during the dry season. The Nile River runs
from south to north and provides fish and some transportation. The population
comprises some four hundred different linguistic and cultural groups, which can
be roughly divided into transhumant pastoralists living mainly off their cattle
and swidden farmers mainly living off slash-and-burn agriculture.
The population is very poor and mostly illiterate outside the towns. Food
tends to be very simple, based on cassava (flour and greens), sorghum, maize,
and local fruit. Meat and milk are provided by goats and cows. Pastoralists raise
large numbers of cattle, some of which are slaughtered for festive occasions. The
Equatoria region of the country has a plenitude of fruit and vegetables: mango,
pineapple, jackfruit, bananas, tomatoes, peppers, and okra are common.
However, the poor state of the roads means these may be unavailable or very
expensive away from the farming areas.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: cassava flour, sorghum, corn meal, palm oil, green beans.
• Goat, chicken, some beef; fresh or dried fish from the Nile or raised
in ponds.
• Okra, peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, cassava greens.
• Bananas, pineapple, mango in season.
• Palm oil is a major cooking medium and seasoning.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Goat or chicken cooked in palm oil.
• Greens cooked in peanut sauce or palm oil.
• Salted dried fish in sauces and stews.
• Fresh and fermented milk.
• Drinks: tea, bottled water, beer (locally made and imported).
STYLES OF EATING
• One or two meals a day, more for those who can afford it, and
snacks.
• Rural families eat on a mat on the floor. Men eat before women. All
food is brought to the mat at the same time in large tubs or pots and
diners help themselves onto individual plates. Spoons are the major
utensils.
• Breakfast: mandazi or tamiya or baked bread with sweet tea.
• Lunch: ugali (stiff porridge of cassava), with a sauce, usually one of
cooked greens, and for those who can afford it, a meat or fish dish.
• Fruit or street snacks during the day.
Goat and Greens
Goat meat is the most commonly available meat.
1–1 1/2 pounds greens (cassava tops, collard, kale, spinach), cleaned,
tough ribs and stems removed, chopped finely
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound goat meat, bone in, chopped into small portions (inclusion of
the bones makes for a better flavor but hands-on eating)
1 cup palm oil
1/2 tsp berberé spice mix (available from stores that sell African
foods, or see recipe from Eritrea and Ethiopia entries)
1 TBS cumin
2 cups stock or water
salt to taste
Heat all oil and sauté onions until translucent.

Add spices, stir well, then quickly add meat and brown all over.
Add stock or water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook 30–45 minutes or
until meat is soft (goat meat tends to be tough!).
Lower heat, and add greens, and more water or stock if necessary.
Cook covered over medium heat until greens are tender.
Serve over rice, ugali, or matoke.

The young leaves of the jute (Corchorus olitorius) plant are a popular green in
Egypt and have made their way to Sudan and hence to South Sudan. They
produce a slippery, mucilaginous dish, similar to the effect produced by okra.
2 TBS palm oil

1 pound stewing beef, chopped finely, or ground beef
3 cups water
1 ripe tomato, chopped finely
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 pound molokhiya (available fresh or frozen from stores that sell
1 bouillon cube/TBS beef stock powder
salt to taste
Heat oil and cook onions until translucent.

Add meat, water, salt, and tomatoes and simmer, removing froth, until
water has decreased by half.
Add garlic and molokhiya and mix well.
Crush bouillon cube and add to pot, mixing well.
Cook until greens are soft. Taste and add salt if needed.
Serve hot over rice, ugali, or matoke.

As in many African cuisines, groundnuts or peanuts are a popular addition to
South Sudanese stews to give flavor, aroma, and body to vegetable dishes. They
are also a valuable food element to most people who cannot afford meat, as
groundnuts provide minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients.
1 pound green beans (snap, French, or whatever you have available),

cleaned, trimmed, and cut into 2-inch lengths
water
2 TBS palm oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 small hot chili
2 small tomatoes
2 cups pounded groundnuts (peanuts) peeled or 1 1/2 cups
unsweetened peanut butter
1 cube bouillon
salt to taste
Boil beans in plenty of water until tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.
Heat oil over medium heat and fry onions until translucent.
Add garlic and chili and fry another minute.
Add tomatoes and salt, and fry, stirring until tomatoes are soft. If
mixture is a bit dry, add some of reserved water from cooking the
beans.
Mix pounded peanuts with about 1 cup of the water to make a thin
paste. Add the paste to the cooking onions and mix well. Stir in the
crumbled bouillon cube.
Cook over low heat until sauce is well rounded and consistency is
thick and sticks to the spoon. Adjust seasoning.
Mix in beans and cook until heated through.
Serve hot over rice, ugali, or matoke.

This South Sudanese fritter is a variation on Egyptian ta’amiya, more commonly
known elsewhere as falafel. However, it is not made of beans, but cassava, the
southern staple. If available, use palm oil as it imparts a reddish color to the
fritters. Serve as a snack or sweet with tea.
1 cup cassava flour (yuca, available from Latin American/Brazilian or

African stores)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup water
vegetable oil for deep frying (preferably palm oil, or peanut oil mixed
with palm oil)
1/4 cup honey
Blend cassava flour with egg; add water gradually to make a stiff
paste. (It may not be necessary to use all the water).
With lightly floured hands, form into sausage shapes, about 1 inch
thick and 4 inches long.
Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
Heat enough oil for deep frying to about 350°F.
Slide a few fritters gently into oil, taking care not to crowd the pan.
Turn frequently to brown all round.
Drain on paper towels or on a rack. Serve hot.
Pass a bowl of honey for dipping.
Spain
Settled by Celts, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, and Berbers from

North Africa until the Spanish reconquest of the region in 1491, Spain had a vast
empire from the sixteenth to the late nineteenth centuries, with colonies spread
throughout the globe. With five mountain ranges and some desert-like areas, the
landscape is varied. The climate also varies—from temperate in the north
through desert in the center to subtropical in the south—and with 30 percent of
the land being arable, grains, fruits, vegetables, and livestock are raised. The
population comprises a mix of Mediterranean and northern European peoples,
with a small minority from North Africa and former Spanish colonies.
Spanish cuisine is sophisticated and robust, greatly influenced by Moorish

(North African) traditions and enriched by the fruits and vegetables introduced
from its South American colonies. Without these foods from the New World—
potato, tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, pumpkin, corn, among many others—
French, Italian, Irish, African, North American, and in fact every country’s
cuisine would look completely different.
Spanish cooking varies according to each region’s ecology and history. In
the south, Andalusian cuisine is most strongly influenced by Moorish elements.
The northwest (Navarra, Aragon, Murcia) is the least influenced by Moorish
cooking. The north is Basque country, with its own rich cooking tradition,
fostered by gastronomic societies. Catalan cooking in the northeast is influenced
by southern France and Italy.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat, barley, corn. potato, rice, bread.
• Fish (of all kinds, fresh and dried), seafood (of all kinds), pork, beef,
chicken and other poultry, eggs, dairy products (many types of cheese
from cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s milk), sausages, entrails (tripe, various
internal organs).
• Eggplant, zucchini, spinach, cabbage, caper, pickled olives,
chickpeas and other legumes, asparagus, artichoke, cardoon,
mushrooms.
• Grape, citrus (orange, lemon, lime), apple, apricot, pear, peach,
nectarine, melon, watermelon, cherimoya, mango, loquat, strawberries,
almond, pine nut, other nuts.
• Seasonings: garlic, onion, tomato, olive oil, smoked paprika
(pimentón), bay leaf, saffron (Spain is a major producer), cinnamon,
vanilla, pepper, oregano, thyme, other herbs.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Soups and stews of meat and vegetables: variously called puchero,
olla, cazuela, escudela, depending on region.
• Rice dishes: rice with seafood, chicken, sausages, and vegetables
(paella), rice with squid cooked in its ink (arroz negro).
• Moorish-influenced dishes of meat and vegetables cooked with fruit
and nuts: chicken with prunes, almonds, and pine nuts; pork with
prunes and orange juice.
• Catalan dishes: combined “sea and mountain” (mar i muntanya)
cooking, that is, meat or chicken cooked with fish or seafood; ground
almond and hazelnut dressing for a fish salad (xatonada).
• Andalusian dishes: cold soup (gazpacho); fried, lightly battered fish
(pescaito); fish baked in salt.
• Basque dishes: dried cod in spicy sauce (bacalao en pil pil), stuffed
spider crab, roast stuffed bell peppers.
• Castilla (includes Madrid) dishes: roast pig; roast lamb; roast
vegetables; stew of vegetables, chickpeas, and meat (cocido).
• Bean dishes: ham and bean stew (fabada asturiana), chickpeas and
tripe stew (callos con garbanzos).
• Rich sweets of nuts, eggs, and milk: yemas (egg yolks and milk),
crema catalana (crème caramel).
STYLES OF EATING
• Place settings are European.
• Regional culinary associations have branches throughout major
cities, where a full meal (three or more courses) of typical regional
dishes is served at midday.
• Breakfast: usually light, with coffee, bread with jam or butter, cheese
or sausage.
• Lunch: main meal, of three to four courses, eaten between noon and
2:00 p.m., with lunch break of two hours. Most go home to eat and
only return to work from 4:00 p.m. Bean soup or appetizer of sliced
sausage/ham; main dish of fish, meat, or chicken (arroz negro); salad
or other vegetable dish (escalivada); dessert (crema catalana); white
or red wine (children get water mixed with wine); coffee.
• Evening meal: eaten very late, no earlier than 9:00 or 10:00 p.m.
Usually, tapas—small servings of cooked vegetables, meat, beans,
fish, and other foods—washed down with wine or beer; pasta or rice-
based dish.
• Snacks: midmorning, mid-afternoon, and early evening. Families
may go out around 4:00 p.m. for merienda (snack) of churros (fritters)
dipped in thick chocolate, open-faced sandwiches of crusty bread and
Serrano ham or sausage or cheese, Catalonian bread rubbed with olive
oil and very ripe tomato (pa amb tomàquet).
• Drinks: fruit juices, wine, sherry, beer, horchata (see recipe below, p.
1246), cava (sparkling wine).

This is a popular dish from Mallorca in the Balearic Islands using local
vegetables. Eat this with crusty bread as a light lunch or as an accompaniment to
a main dish.
1 cup olive oil

1 pound potatoes, sliced crosswise, 1/4 inch thick
1 large eggplant (1 pound), sliced crosswise, 1/2 inch thick
4 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and quartered
1 pound ripe fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or equivalent canned
salt, freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
In a wide skillet, heat oil over low-medium heat.

Slowly fry potatoes until tender and crisp at the edges, for about 20
minutes.
Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper; keep warm in a 9
× 13 inch baking dish in a low oven.
Increase heat to medium. Fry eggplant on both sides, for about 15
minutes.
Drain on paper towels, place over potatoes, and sprinkle with salt and
pepper.
Fry peppers until tender, for about 5–10 minutes.
Drain on paper towels, place over eggplant, and sprinkle with salt and
pepper.
Drain off most of the frying oil, leaving just 3 TBS.
Fry garlic until pale gold; add tomatoes.
Simmer for 30 minutes until thickened.
Pour the tomato sauce over the fried vegetables in the baking dish.
Drizzle with 2 TBS of extra-virgin olive oil.
Increase oven to 350°F; bake for 20 minutes or until piping hot.
Serve immediately.

Galicia (or Galiza, as preferred) in northwest Spain was only briefly occupied by
the Moors but rapidly reconquered; hence, it has a unique culture, language
(more closely related to Portuguese than modern Spanish), and cuisine, primarily
based on fish and shellfish from the coast. The other typical Galician dish is
empanada, savory pies filled with meat or fish, brought to South America by
Galician immigrants (the Spanish in certain areas of South America were all
called “Gallegos”).
This soup uses a Galician vegetable called grelos, commonly

translated into English as “turnip tops,” but are more closely related to
the cabbage family (Brassica campestris). Substitute kale, cabbage, or
spinach. Serve this robust soup with crusty bread as a first course or
light lunch.
2 TBS olive oil

4 cups stock (or 2 cubes bouillon dissolved in equivalent water)
1 cup potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or canned
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
1 cup hard sausage (chorizo), sliced (available from major
supermarkets and stores that sell Hispanic foods)
1/2 cup drained canned chickpeas (garbanzos)
1 cup chopped kale, cabbage, or spinach
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until onion is
translucent; add stock and bring to a boil.
Stir in potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and bay leaf; cover and simmer
until vegetables are tender.
Add remaining ingredients; cook until kale is tender, for about 10
minutes.
Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.
Season to taste and serve immediately.

This simple rice dish is from the fishing town of Calafell, just south of Barcelona
on Spain’s northeast coast. This is usually made with whatever fish is caught,
and best eaten for midday with a garlic sauce called alioli.
4 TBS olive oil

5 cloves garlic
2 TBS smoked paprika
1 slice of white bread, diced
5 potatoes, cut into French fry–size strips (about 3 × 1/2 inches)
1 pound fish fillet, sliced into 3-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups fish stock
salt
1/2 cup rice or fine vermicelli, snapped into 1-inch lengths
1 small onion, chopped finely
In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 TBS olive oil; fry garlic and paprika until
garlic is pale gold.
Stir in diced bread; fry until lightly crisped. Turn off heat.
Transfer garlic and bread mixture to a blender or food processor.
Add 1 cup broth; blend until smooth. Set aside.
Return the saucepan to fire; add the garlic-bread mixture and potatoes.
Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, for about 20–25
minutes. (Add a bit more stock if necessary.)
Ten minutes before the potatoes are ready, add fish, sprinkled with a
little salt. Set aside when done.
In another heavy saucepan, heat 2 TBS oil over medium heat.
Stir in rice or vermicelli and onion, frying until golden.
Stir in 1 1/4 cups fish broth (the amount needed may be more or less,
depending on the type of rice used).
Reduce heat to lowest possible, and simmer until rice or vermicelli is
done, about 15–20 minutes. (Add more broth if necessary.)
On individual plates, spoon next to each other a portion each of
potatoes, fish, and rice.
Serve immediately.

This stew is served with rice for a main meal, accompanied by a salad or
preceded by a soup.
2 TBS olive oil

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (substitute pork, chicken, or turkey)
1 ripe tomato, peeled and seeded, then chopped finely
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup capers, drained
12 green olives, pitted, sliced into rings
1 TBS wine vinegar
2 TBS tomato paste
1/4 cup water or stock
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
salt to taste
hot pepper sauce to taste
In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat; brown meat
thoroughly.
Stir in onion, tomato, green pepper, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and
capers; cover and cook until onion is softened, for about 10 minutes.
Stir in olives, vinegar, tomato paste, water, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and 2–
3 drops hot pepper sauce.
Cover and simmer for 30–40 minutes until most of the liquid is
absorbed.
Serve hot.

This dish is often served with other small, savory dishes (tapas), such as slices of
dry sausage, sheep’s cheese, air-dried Serrano ham, or garlic-fried clams, to eat
with wine, sherry, or other drinks as an early evening or late afternoon snack
before or instead of dinner.
3 TBS olive oil

1 onion, chopped
1 dried chili pepper, crumbled
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
2 TBS Spanish (smoked) paprika (pimentón)
2 TBS flour
1 cup chicken stock (or 1 cube chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup hot
water)
3/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; stir in onion and fry
until translucent.
Stir in garlic and fry for 1 minute.
Stir in chili, tomato, and paprika; cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the flour, then add stock a spoonful at a time, stirring well after
each addition.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until mixture is
thickened.
Take off heat; cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor and puree
until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a deep, heavy frying pan over medium heat, heat 3/4 cup oil.
Fry potatoes until golden brown, stirring occasionally, for about 20–25
minutes.
Bring tomato sauce to a simmer; ladle over potatoes.
Serve on their own, as part of appetizers (tapas), or with a meat dish
for lunch or dinner.

This is a Catalonian dish to be eaten on its own, or as an accompaniment to fish,
pasta, rice, or poultry. Escalivada means “roasted or grilled over embers” in the
Catalan language. The essence of this dish lies in the quality and freshness of the
vegetables: it is intended to be prepared and eaten the same day.
2 medium eggplants
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
2 tomatoes
2 medium zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBS vinegar
Pierce eggplants a few times with a fork.

Grill (over charcoal or under kitchen grill) eggplants and peppers,
turning from time to time to blister and char the skin (about 20
minutes).
Remove from heat; set aside to cool.
Peel the eggplants. Tear the flesh into long strips.
Peel the papery skin off the peppers; discard core and seeds. Tear flesh
into strips.
Score the top skin of the tomatoes with a cross. Grill tomatoes and
zucchini for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred. Place to
bake in a preheated 375°F oven until softened, about 30–40 minutes.
Allow to cool, then peel tomatoes and quarter. Leave the zucchini
unpeeled; slice in half crosswise, then cut lengthwise into quarters.
Arrange vegetables on a platter around the tomatoes.
Mix parsley, oil, vinegar, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle over vegetables.
Serve while warm as a side dish or with other tapas.

Chufa (tiger nuts: tubers of the yellow nut sedge, Cyperus esculentus) are tiny
tuberous roots originally from Egypt and known in antiquity. Brought by the
Arabs to Spain, they have been popular since. They taste somewhat like
almonds. In the United States they grow as a weed. Horchata is a very popular
and refreshing summer drink in the region of Valencia in northeast Spain.
3 cups chufa (or substitute raw, unsalted almonds)

1 cup cinnamon-flavored light syrup (1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1 cup
boiling water, mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon, cooled)
Clean chufa very well; soak in plenty of cold water overnight.

Rinse in clean water, repeating until water is completely clear; drain.
In a food processor, blend chufa with 2 cups water until smooth.
Transfer to a covered container and add 1 cup water.
Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.
Squeeze remaining solids to extract all liquid.
Stir in syrup. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Serve cold.
Taronja)
This is a popular family dinner dish in Catalonia. Serve with a salad and bread to
sop up the juices. You may prefer to use pitted prunes, but the original recipe
calls for whole ones for diners to hold in their fingers to savor the last bits of
prune.
4 prunes with pits
1/2 cup water
2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 large onions, sliced into crescents
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick steaks
2 cups fresh orange juice with pulp
1 TBS cornstarch
Simmer prunes in water for 2 minutes to soften (or microwave for 1

minute at 600 watts). Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; fry onions until
softened.
Sprinkle cornstarch over onions; mix well.
Place pork over onions, turning when they change color.
Stir in orange juice, prunes, salt, and pepper.
Leave to simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens.
Do not cook beyond this as the pork will toughen.
Serve immediately.

This salad is a northern Spanish dish that uses up various bits of vegetables, so
use any other vegetables to substitute for those given. It is usually eaten on its
own for a light meal and can be eaten chilled or at room temperature.
1 cup brown lentils, soaked overnight in cold water and drained

1 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
2 strips smoked bacon, diced
3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
3 TBS vinegar
4 tomatoes, cubed
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 cup cooked sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup cooked green or white asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 large lettuce leaves
2 eggs, hard-boiled, quartered
Bring lentils to a boil with salt in 3 cups water.

Simmer for 10–15 minutes, or just until tender but not mushy. They
must keep their shape. Set aside.
Heat oil and fry onion until softened; stir in bacon, and cook for 3–5
minutes until done.
Turn off heat and set aside.
Mix the extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper for salad
dressing.
Place lentils, onion and bacon, and all vegetables, except for lettuce, in
a large salad bowl.
Pour dressing over salad; mix thoroughly but gently.
Put 2 leaves of lettuce in each salad plate. Add 2 egg quarters.
Serve.

This is a Catalonian potato salad with an interesting presentation. Mashed
potatoes form the “crust” for filling vegetables, which are bound with
mayonnaise. All are then rolled together to form a loaf. After chilling, the loaf is
cut crosswise, each slice revealing the colorful filling. Serve this as a first course
before a grilled or roast meat main dish, or as a light lunch.
1 can tuna fish in oil

3 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped
1 cup green olives, pitted, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced (or canned roasted pepper
in oil, diced)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt, pepper, prepared mustard to taste
4 cups mashed potatoes
clean, dry kitchen towel
kitchen plastic wrap
additional mayonnaise for coating
olives, quartered eggs, red pepper strips, and lettuce leaves for garnish
In a bowl, mix tuna, eggs, olives, and red pepper with mayonnaise.
(Add a bit more mayonnaise if insufficient to bind mixture.)
Season with salt, pepper, and mustard.
Place a towel on a flat surface.
Lay a large sheet, about 12 x 20 inches, of plastic wrap on the towel.
On the plastic wrap, spread the mashed potatoes in an even rectangle
about 1 inch thick.
Leave a clear margin of 2 inches to the edge of the plastic wrap.
Place the mayonnaise-vegetable mixture to run across the middle of
the rectangle.
With the aid of the towel, roll the mashed potato to cover the filling
completely.
Shape the roll evenly.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Uncover the loaf on a bed of lettuce set on a serving tray.
Coat with a light layer of mayonnaise (you may wish to draw patterns
on it).
Decorate loaf with olives, egg slices, and red pepper strips.
Cut crosswise into slices.

At 4:00 p.m., after siesta, families in most Spanish towns will go out to a local
café and order churros con chocolate for merienda (snack). The crisp fritters are
dipped into a bowl of thick, hot chocolate.
Churros
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
3 eggs, well beaten
confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
Bring water, butter, and salt to a rolling boil in a pot.

Stir in flour; reduce heat.
Stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball (about 1 minute); remove
from heat.
Churros con chocolate (Logia/123RF).
Let cool for 10 minutes then thoroughly beat in the eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition. (Use an electric mixer, if desired).
Spoon mixture into a cake-decorating tube with large star tip.
Heat 2 inches oil in a pan to 360°F.
Squeeze 4-inch strips of dough into hot oil.
Fry 3 or 4 at a time until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side,
turning once. Drain on paper towels.
Place in a napkin-lined basket or tray.
Sprinkle with icing sugar, if desired.
Chocolate for dunking
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups milk
4 TBS sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
In a saucepan, blend chocolate, half the milk, and sugar over low heat,
stirring, until chocolate melts.
Dissolve cornstarch in the remaining milk; whisk into chocolate
mixture.
Simmer, whisking constantly, until chocolate is thickened (about 5
minutes; add 1 tsp more cornstarch dissolved in 2 TBS milk, if not
thickened by then).
Remove from heat; whisk smooth.
Pour into small, warmed cups.
Sprinkle cinnamon over chocolate, if desired.
Serve hot with fresh, hot churros.
Dip churro into chocolate before each bite; sip chocolate when
churros are all finished.

This dish is traditionally served with Christmas dinner in Catalonia.
4 apples, Golden Delicious or other eating apple

8 TBS sugar
4 tsp cognac (substitute vanilla or 4 cinnamon sticks, each 1 inch long)
Core the apples from the stem end but leave unpeeled.
Prick through the cavity to the flesh in several places, without piercing
through the peel.
Place 2 TBS sugar in each cavity. (Place cinnamon stick, if using.)
Place on a baking tray, and bake in preheated 350°F oven for about
20–30 minutes, or before they collapse.
The apples must be tender, and the syrup still liquid.
Just before taking them out of the oven, place a few drops of cognac or
vanilla in each cavity.
Serve warm or cold.

Quesada pasiega is said to be a specialty of the town of Vega de Pas in the milk-
rich region of Cantabria. There are many variants of this cheesecake, some richer
or leaner (with no cheese or curds at all, only milk) than others. The word
quesada is derived from queso, meaning “cheese.”
1/2 cup ricotta, mashed, or cottage cheese, well drained

1/2 cup sour cream or natural thick unflavored yogurt
1 cup cream
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
5 TBS flour
2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
1/2 tsp or more cinnamon for sprinkling (optional)
good quality jam or jelly, such as quince (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch springform or baking pan.

In a food processor or large bowl, blend until smooth the ricotta, sour
cream, cream, yolks, sugar, lemon rind and juice, vanilla, salt, and
flour.
If mixing by hand and using cottage cheese, pass it through a fine
sieve to break down the curds before mixing with the other
ingredients.
Gently fold in the egg whites (by hand, if using processor). Spoon into
the prepared pan.
Bake for 35–40 minutes. The cake will still be quivery at this point,
but will solidify further.
Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar. Let the cake rest
inside for 30–45 minutes longer.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool on a rack.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. To serve,
sprinkle with cinnamon or a thin layer of quince or other jam.

This is a popular cake, originally from the town of Santiago de Compostela, a
world-renowned pilgrimage site in Galicia.
3 cups finely ground almonds

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform or cake pan.

In a medium bowl, combine almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until very light; blend in the
citrus rinds and yolks one by one, beating well after each.
Whip the egg whites to firm peaks; gently fold into batter.
Spoon into prepared pan, and bake for 40–45 minutes or until cake is
golden and tester comes out clean.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, an island nation south of India, is populated largely by a Sinhalese

(Buddhist) majority and a Tamil (Hindu) minority, with smaller Christian and
Muslim communities. The Portuguese conquered both Sinhalese and Tamil
kingdoms and turned the island into a colony, which later came under Dutch
then British control until independence in 1948. Although the coasts are tropical,
most of Sri Lanka is hilly or mountainous with thick forests, ideal for growing
tea, its major export. Sri Lankan cooking is spicy and hot, with Indian,
Portuguese, Dutch, and Malay influences.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, vegetables, curry spices.
• Chicken, beef, marine fish (tuna, bonito), freshwater fish (tilapia),
seafood (crab, shrimps, squid).
• Eggplant, bitter melon, various gourds, pumpkin, cucumber,
cabbage, beans.
• Bananas (of many colors and types, called “plantain” locally),
pineapple, mango, papaya, passion fruit, exotic tropical fruit (durian,
mangosteen, rambutan).
• Seasonings: over forty spices; herbs (curry leaf, pandan leaf);
Maldive fish (umbalakade), processed bonito similar to Japan’s
katsuobushi, pounded or ground for flavoring and thickening curries
and relishes.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Curries of vegetables, fish, chicken or other meat, distinguished by
color: white (with coconut milk), red (with fiery chilies), black or dark
brown (with roasted curry powder).
• Dutch-influenced meatballs (frikkadel), steamed rice and meat
wrapped in banana leaf (lamprais).
• Malay-influenced dishes: savory steamed rice and coconut rolls
(pittu), coconut custard (wattalappam).
• Indian-influenced dishes: flat bread (roti), hoppers (appas: rice-flour
pancakes).
• Drinks: king coconut (thambili) and young coconut (kurumba) juice;
wood apple (a local hard-shelled fruit, Aegle marmelos) and other
fresh fruit juices; fruit cordials; bottled carbonated drinks,
nonalcoholic ginger beer; tea with sugar and milk, coffee; local and
imported beer; locally brewed palm toddy and liquor (arrack).
STYLES OF EATING
• All items brought to the table at the same time in serving dishes.
Diner puts rice on an individual plate, and chooses items from side
dishes to surround the rice. With the fingers of the right hand, rice is
mixed with other items on the plate, formed into a bite-sized ball, and
brought to the mouth.
• Breakfast: rice, curried vegetables, egg hopper (pancakes with egg in
the middle), string hopper (steamed “noodle” cakes), tea, coffee.
• Lunch: rice, curried vegetables, fresh fruit or sweet.
• Dinner: rice; fish, beef, or chicken curry; two kinds of vegetables;
fried crispy papadam (lentil-based thin fritter); salad of green herbs
and coconut (mallum or mallung); hot relish (sambol); fresh fruit or
sweet.
• Snacks are called “short eats” and are often bought from street stalls:
Chinese rolls (fried pancakes with meat, fish, or vegetable filling), fish
cutlets, pastries, hot dogs, hamburgers, shredded flat bread stir-fried
with egg, meat, and vegetables (kottu roti).
• Sweets: buffalo yogurt and treacle (kiri pana), confections made of
treacle and/or coconut cream and cashew nuts (kevum, kalu dodol).

Coconut sambol is a typical hot relish eaten throughout the country, usually
made at home, in snack stalls, and in elegant restaurants. This relish is served
with most meals. Without the coconut and garlic, this relish is called lunu miris
and is served with string hoppers or curry for breakfast.
1 cup dessicated coconut, soaked in 1/4 cup hot water for 10 minutes,
or 1 1/4 cups freshly grated coconut
juice of 1 small lemon or lime
1/4 cup ground Maldive fish (or substitute Japanese katsuobushi flakes
or powder)
pinch of pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
In a blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients.

Adjust seasoning as desired.
Serve in a bowl.
This delicacy is served with bananas for breakfast or at teatime and is drunk with
milk tea or plain tea (tea without milk, but with sugar and sometimes a slice of
crushed fresh ginger).
2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup water
4 cups dessicated coconut
pinch of salt
2 cups short-grain white rice
3 cups water
2 cups coconut milk
2 tsp salt
Prepare coconut treacle mix: put brown sugar and water into a pan;
bring to a boil.
Add coconut, mix well, and turn off heat. Mix in salt and cloves. Set
aside.
Put rice and water into a pan and bring to a boil.
Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk and salt.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes more, until coconut milk has been
absorbed.
Let cool slightly but not completely. Once rice is cold, it will be too
sticky to handle.
On an 8 × 8 inch baking dish, spread half the rice evenly (at least 1/2
inch thick).
Spread coconut treacle mix over the rice.
Cover with remaining rice.
Cut into 2-inch blocks.
Serve warm or cold.
Cutlets (Cutlus)
These English-influenced cutlets are a popular snack or side dish for lunch or
dinner. Serve with rice, a vegetable curry, and a hot relish.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 green chili, seeded, chopped
1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
1 pandan leaf (optional, or a few drops pandan flavoring)
2 cans flaked light tuna, drained
4 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
oil for deep frying
Coating
2 eggs, beaten
lightly toasted bread crumbs, ground
Heat oil over medium heat in a frying pan; stir in onion and fry until
lightly browned.
Add ginger, garlic, chili, curry leaves, pandan leaf (if using pandan
flavoring, add at a later stage), and cinnamon; fry for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in tuna, salt, pepper, and cardamom powder.
Turn off heat; discard cinnamon stick (add pandan flavoring if using).
Mix in potatoes. Let cool.
Shape mixture into 4 thick oval cutlets.
Dip cutlets into beaten eggs; then into bread crumbs.
Deep fry in hot oil until light brown.
Serve hot.

Eggplants are a popular ingredient for curry.
about 1/2 cup oil

1 eggplant (approximately 1 pound), washed and cut into 1/2-inch
cubes
2 TBS lime juice
1 TBS tamarind paste (available from stores that sell South Asian
foods)
1/4 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
Eggplant curry served with rice. (Shintaro Koga/123RF)

1 tsp red chili powder
1/4 TBS cumin seeds, crushed
2–3 curry leaves (available from stores that sell South Asian foods)
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup water
salt to taste
pinch of sugar (optional)
Heat 3 TBS of oil in frying pan until quite hot: the surface should give
off a slight shimmer.
Add eggplant in small batches, and fry to a light golden brown. Add a
bit more oil before adding subsequent batches, as the eggplants tend to
absorb oil.
Remove cooked eggplants and drain on paper towels.
In a small bowl, mix lime juice and tamarind paste until smooth.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, dry fry the coriander,
turmeric, cinnamon, chili, and cumin, stirring constantly for a few
minutes or until aromatic. Turn off the heat.
Stir in the lime juice-tamarind mixture, ginger, onion and garlic, curry
leaves, coconut cream, and water.
Turn on the heat to medium, and let the mixture come to a boil.
Stir in the eggplants; reduce the heat at once and allow to gently
simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the eggplants are heated through.
Taste, and add salt and sugar.
Serve warm at once over freshly cooked long-grain rice.
This is also good cold.
Egg Curry
This curry is usually accompanied by rice and a hot relish for breakfast or a light
lunch.
oil for deep frying

4 hard-boiled eggs, shelled, left whole
1 small onion, sliced
1 small green chili, cored, seeded, and sliced (optional)
1 medium fresh tomato, chopped (or 1/2 cup canned tomatoes)
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp paprika
4 curry leaves and 4 pandan leaves (leaves available frozen from stores
that sell Asian foods, or substitute 2 drops pandan flavoring)
salt to taste
Heat oil over medium heat; deep fry eggs till light brown.
Drain eggs.
In a saucepan, place all other ingredients except coconut milk.
Add water to cover the contents halfway.
Bring to a simmer for 3 minutes; add eggs. Simmer for 5 minutes
more.
Add coconut milk; simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot or cold.

Together with buffalo curds and treacle (kiri pani), this is a commonly eaten
dessert. Wattalappam is said to be of Malay origin. Instead of dried raisins and
cashews, slices of fresh tropical fruit such as mango or papaya can be used.
2 cups coconut milk

6 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
pinch of powdered cardamom or cloves
1/4 cup raisins, washed and drained
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
In a blender or food processor blend till smooth the coconut milk,

eggs, brown sugar, and cardamom.
Pour into a buttered 8 × 8 inch baking dish or into 4 custard cups.
Set baking dish into a baking tray half filled with hot water.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35–40 minutes for the large dish,
20–25 minutes for the cups.
When cool, sprinkle with raisins and cashews.

This traditional dessert is common in rural areas where the ingredients are easily
available.
8 ounces jaggery sugar, grated (palm sugar available from stores that
sell Indian foods), or brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 pint yogurt (best from buffalo milk, but substitute good Greek
sheep’s or goat’s yogurt), drained for 1/2 hour
Slowly bring jaggery and water to a boil until jaggery is dissolved.

Reduce, stirring, to a thick syrup. Let cool.
Pour syrup over yogurt before serving.
Love Cake
Love cake is thought to be a Portuguese original, adapted to the Sri Lankan
penchant for spices. No one knows quite how it came by its name. It is a special
cake made for birthdays and all festive occasions. The candied pumpkin (puhul
dosi) that is a unique ingredient in this cake is not actually a pumpkin, but an ash
gourd (Benincasa hispida). It is a bland-tasting vegetable, most frequently used
in curries. When candied, it is crisp, with a very white exterior and almost
transparent interior, and exceedingly sweet. Puhul dosi may be found in stores
that sell Asian foods; otherwise substitute candied winter melon (a similar white
and crisp candied vegetable), also found in stores that sell Chinese or other
Asian foods. In a pinch, use any candied fruit, such as papaya or pineapple, or,
though not traditional, cherries.
1 1/2 cups unsalted cashews

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup semolina (cream of wheat)
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup butter
3 TBS honey
grated rind of 2 limes or 1 lemon
1 tsp rose water
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
5–6 pods cardamom seeds, finely crushed, or 1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup candied Sri Lankan pumpkin (puhul dosi), or candied winter
melon, or candied pineapple, coarsely chopped
powdered sugar for garnish
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with lightly
buttered parchment.
In a food processor or mortar and pestle, place cashews and half of the
sugar; process or pound till finely chopped to a coarse meal. Do not
overprocess, or cashews will turn into cashew nut butter. Mix in by
hand the semolina.
In a small bowl, whip the egg whites to firm peaks and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with the remaining half of the sugar
until very light.
Add the honey and egg yolks, and mix well until very light and frothy;
stir in the lime rind, rose water, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, and
salt.
Add the cashew-sugar-semolina mixture in two batches, mixing well
after each addition.
Stir in the candied pumpkin.
Gently fold in the egg whites, mixing only until no more streaks of
white are seen.
Gently spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes at 300°F; reduce heat to 250°F and bake for a
further 30 minutes. When tested with a toothpick, the cake will still be
moist in the center, and this is as it should be.
Leave the cake to rest in the oven with the door ajar for another 30
minutes.
Take out the cake from the oven and set on a rack to cool. When
completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar and slice into small
squares.

These rolled crepes with a sweet coconut filling are a popular teatime treat.
Coconut filling
1/2 cup palm sugar (jaggery), crumbled, or dark brown sugar
4 TBS water
1/4 tsp ground cardamom or cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups freshly grated coconut
Crepe batter
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 TBS sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
oil for frying
Prepare the filling: in a microwaveable bowl with cover, place the

sugar and water. Microwave at medium heat for 1 minute. Stir the
mixture, and continue to microwave at 30-second intervals until the
sugar is completely dissolved.
Stir in cardamom, salt, pepper, and coconut.
Prepare the batter: in a bowl, whisk the eggs with salt and sugar until
light and very frothy.
Add half of the flour and mix in well. Then whisk in the milk,
followed by the remaining flour and turmeric.
Let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Over medium heat, heat a heavy skillet and brush with oil.
When the oil is quite hot, pour in about 1/8 cup or 2 TBS of batter and
quickly tilt the pan to spread the batter very thinly.
Cook for 1 minute or until golden, then flip the crepe over to cook the
other side.
Stack crepes on a plate covered with a clean kitchen towel to keep
warm.
Fill a crepe with 2 TBS of filling and roll. Place seam side down on a
serving plate.
Continue rolling until all the crepes and filling are finished.
Serve at once with lots of tea.
St. Kitts and Nevis
A federal union of two of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean, originally

settled by the Amerind Kalinago people, St. Kitts and Nevis was colonized by
Europeans in the sixteenth century and remained a British colony until
independence in 1983. The two islands are volcanic in origin, with coastal plains
and steep central mountains. Water is plentiful, though the country is subject to
hurricanes. The population (about forty-five thousand people) is predominantly
of African stock, with various mixed, European, and Asian minorities.
Both islands are volcanic with a layer of rich soil. Tropical and some
subtropical vegetation grow well. Many families maintain small gardens for
produce, though most food is sourced from local general stores. There is also the
sea with plentiful fish and seafood such as conch and spiny lobster. Goat meat is
common, with some addition of pork and beef.
The style of cooking is much like other West Indian cuisines, with
influences from African, British, East Indian, and other Asian cuisines, as well
as the influx of introduced dishes from inhabitants who live overseas but visit
family frequently.
FOODSTUFFS
• Cassavas, yams, pumpkins, cabbages, carrots, okra, onions,
pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.
• Bananas, coconut, avocados, breadfruit, gineps (Melicoccus
bijugatus, also called Spanish lime or mamoncillo), mangoes, soursop,
and grapefruit.
• Goat meat and some beef, pork, and chicken.
• Seafood: spiny lobster, conch, crab, fish including mahi-mahi,
marlin, barracuda, and reef fish.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Many dishes are variations on food available elsewhere in the
Caribbean Islands. More Kittitians and Nevisians live abroad than in
the islands, so new foods are relatively easily absorbed into local
custom.
• The national dish is claimed to be salt fish with plantains and
breadfruit.
• Goat water (stew) of goat, droppers (dumplings), breadfruit, and
papaya in tomato sauce.
• Pelau, also known as “cook-up,” is a rice dish that owes its origin to
Indian immigrants and ultimately to Persia. It has been modified to
local taste and available produce and includes rice, chicken, pork, salt
fish, vegetables, and pigeon peas.
• Black pudding—a British dish originally, but much spicier on the
islands—and souse (stewed pigs’ feet).
• Roti (thin pastry filled with meat, curried potatoes, chickpeas)
introduced by Indians or from neighboring islands is a common snack
and street food.
• Conkies, African-derived packets of cornmeal, pumpkin, and coconut
wrapped in banana leaves and boiled.
• Condiments and sauces such as sofrito (tomato, cilantro, and pepper
mix), adobo (salt, onion, garlic, and ground black pepper mix), and
chutneys are borrowed from other islands and have been incorporated
into the cooking methods and cuisine.
• Sweets tend to be simply made, sometimes with nothing more than
fruit, like tamarind or guava, and sugar. However, there is also a
legacy of British cakes and biscuits for afternoon tea.
• Drinks include coffee and tea served during the day, beer, fresh fruit
juices, including sarsaparilla, which has a connotation of an
aphrodisiac.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: rice and beans, or salt fish and johnny cakes, tea, juice,
and fruit.
• Lunch: stews, rice, fresh fish.
• Supper: Same as lunch but often more substantial.
• Snacks at any time, of fruit, cakes. Five o’clock tea with biscuits or
cake.
• European utensils and place settings for more prosperous families,
whereas poorer families might do with spoons and soup plates.
• During Carnival and on New Year’s Day, it is common to serve rice
and pigeon peas along with roast pork.
Rice ’n Peas
Rice ’n Peas is a staple dish eaten by many on an almost daily basis.
1/2 pound pigeon peas (available from shops that sell Caribbean and
African foods, dried or canned)
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup ham or salt pork, cut into small cubes
2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
salt and pepper
2 cups rice
3 cups water
If using dried peas: soak peas in cold water for six hours or overnight.
Rinse and drain. One hour before cooking the dish, bring the peas to a
boil with 1/4 tsp salt and cook until soft. Rinse and drain. If using
canned peas, merely drain.
Using a heavy pot with a well-fitting lid, prepare a sofrito by heating
the oil, then stir frying the onions until translucent. Stir in garlic and
fry briefly until aromatic. Stir in the pork and peppers and cook until
peppers are softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The sofrito
should be slightly saltier than you like, to account for the rice.
Add rice and sufficient water to cover by 1/2 inch.
Cover. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to lowest and
allow to cook for 15–20 minutes. Do not open lid while cooking.
Remove from heat. Allow rice to rest 10–15 minutes.
Fluff rice with a fork and serve hot on its own, or with grilled fresh
fish and a mango chutney.
Stewed Salt Fish

Stewed salt fish is a popular meal, said to be the national dish served with
plantains and breadfruit. Two of the ingredients—salt fish (usually cod) and
breadfruit—did not originate on the islands but were adopted from the outside,
making it a proper Caribbean blend. The salt fish is very salty and hard and
needs soaking before use. Salt fish or dried, salted cod can be sourced from
shops that sell Caribbean or Mediterranean foods.
1 pound salt fish or bacalao (dried, salted cod)

water for soaking and boiling
4 TBS vegetable oil
3 medium onions, finely minced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 pound tomatoes, chopped
salt and black pepper or chili flakes to taste
Soak salt fish overnight in fresh water. Rinse, then place in a pot with
plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15
minutes. Discard water and cool fish.
Flake fish with your fingers, removing and discarding bones and skin.
Heat oil in a large heavy pan.
Make a sofrito by stir frying onions until translucent. Add garlic and
peppers and cook briefly until aromatic. Stir in tomatoes and simmer
for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until all ingredients are well
blended.
Add flaked fish and blend in carefully. Allow to warm through. Season
if necessary.
Place salt fish on a plate and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serve hot with fried plantains, droppers, and breadfruit.
Fried Plantains
2 medium plantains, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 TBS fresh ginger, grated
1 small onion, minced finely
salt to taste
oil for frying
Place plantains in bowl. Mix in the other ingredients except the oil and
toss until plantain pieces are well coated.
Heat oil and fry plantains a few at a time until dark golden brown.
Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or a rack.
Serve hot with any fish, meat, or vegetable dish.
Seasoned Breadfruit
Breadfruit is a commonly used ingredient cooked in various ways, savory and
sweet.
2 TBS oil
6 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup meat stock, or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
2 TBS parsley, minced fine
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
3 cups breadfruit, peeled, seeded if necessary, and chopped
Heat oil over medium heat. Stir fry onions until translucent.
Stir in garlic and fry an additional minute or two until aromatic.
Add peppers and cook until soft.
Add stock, parsley, and thyme.
Lower heat and allow to cook an additional minute.
Stir in breadfruit, and cook until breadfruit is tender.
Season to taste.
Serve warm with salt fish or other fish or meat dish.
Goat Water (Stew)

Goat water is common throughout the Caribbean. It is considered especially
beneficial for men’s health. It is normally served as a holiday dish, for birthings,
house raisings, and weddings. In St. Kitts and Nevis it is made with coconut
“droppers” (dumplings). Since this is considered a man’s dish, it is often made
very spicy hot.
1 1/2 pounds stewing goat meat (or mutton or lamb, which will be
softer), bone in, cut into chunks
1 cup flour
4 TBS vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
4–5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1–4 hot chili peppers (scotch bonnet preferred) depending on your
tolerance, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 tsp allspice
2 cups beef broth or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups hot water
8 droppers (see recipe below)
Dredge the meat in a bit of the flour.

Heat the oil in a heavy casserole or pot, then brown the meat on all
sides. Drain and set aside.
Add more oil if necessary, then stir fry the onions until well browned.
Add the garlic and stir fry until aromatic.
Add the remaining flour and cook over low heat, stirring, until the
flour is golden.
Blend the stock into the flour.
Stir in tomatoes, chilies, celery, allspice, and meat.
Cook over low heat for 1–2 hours until meat is soft (mature goat meat
needs long cooking).
Slip droppers gently into the stock and cook until droppers are heated
through.
Serve hot.
Note: You can cook the droppers in the goat water by adding 1 cup
stock then following the dropper recipe, substituting the goat water for
the salt water cooking. In this case, allow another 20–30 minutes
cooking time from when droppers are put into the goat water.

Droppers are eaten for breakfast or as a starch at other times, and are a
component of goat water.
1/2 cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen and thawed)

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
large pot of salted water at rolling boil or pot of goat water (see above)
Mix coconut, flour, salt, and oil in a bowl and gradually add water to
make a pliable dough.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until elastic.
Roll dough into a cylinder 1 1/2 inches in diameter and cut dough into
eight equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
Allow balls to rest 5 minutes while water is brought to a gentle boil.
Slide gently into boiling liquid, then lower heat to a simmer until
droppers float to the surface.
Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is one of the most common English puddings, and it was given a
local twist by cooks on the islands, exploiting both locally made sugar and
coconut instead of the original European ingredients. Regular (dairy) milk or
half-and-half can be used instead of coconut milk, if not readily available. If
using desiccated coconut for the topping, rehydrate with a few tablespoons of
warm water or milk 20 minutes before using.
4 slices white bread, crusts removed

1/2 cup (or more if desired) seedless raisins
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup coconut milk
For topping
1/2 cup grated coconut (preferably fresh but frozen or dessicated is
fine)

Butter a medium casserole. Sprinkle half the raisins and place the
bread in a fish-scale pattern, so that one slightly overlaps the other.
Sprinkle the rest of the raisins over the bread.
In a bowl, cream sugar and eggs, then add cinnamon and vanilla.
Gradually beat in the coconut milk.
Pour mixture over the bread and allow to soak for 20–30 minutes until
well absorbed.
Sprinkle the topping over and bake for 35–40 minutes, until bubbling
and golden brown on top.
Serve with a sweet sauce or ice cream and eat hot or cold.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines are thirty-two Caribbean islands and cays,
formerly a French colony but captured by Britain in 1783. Although independent
since 1979, the country remains part of the British Commonwealth. The islands’
tropical climate and mountainous terrain, mostly volcanic, are ideal for spices
and tropical crops, foremost of which is arrowroot. Arrowroot starch thickens
sauces, and most of the world’s supply is grown here. Cattle, sheep, pigs, and
goats are raised. There is a heavy reliance on fish and seafood. Pilot whales or
“blackfish” are a local delicacy.
St. Vincentians claim descent from Afro-Caribbeans, British and other
Europeans, East Indians, and Carib Amerindians, and their cuisine reflects this
multiethnic culture.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, pigeon pea, “ground provisions” (arrowroot, eddoes,
carrots, yams) and “tree provisions” (breadfruit, bananas, plantains).
• Fish (tri-tri, similar to whitebait, mahi-mahi, flying fish, and
particularly jack), shellfish (especially conch), chicken, lamb, goat,
pork, preserved meats and fish (bacon, salt cod, salted mackerel).
• Bananas, various taro tubers (eddo, tannia, dasheen), breadfruit,
squash, pumpkin, christophene.
• Seasonings: thyme (three types—regular, small leaf, and broad leaf),
chives, curry powder, turmeric, hot pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The national dish is fried jackfish and roast breadfruit.
• Peas and rice, using green pigeon peas, are a common food.
• Ground provisions (root vegetables) and leafy greens, with or

without coconut milk or cream.
• Fish dishes: bulljau or billjau—salted cod or other fish, hot pepper
and coconut oil.
• Breadfruit dishes: breadfruit puffs, breadfruit cheese pies
• Madongo dumplings: dumplings made of arrowroot flour, sugar,
nutmeg, and coconut.
• Curried goat or lamb.
• Conch souse—the meat of this shellfish marinated in lime juice,
onions, and herbs.
• Fried plantains, boiled christophene.
• Sweets: cakes and pies with breadfruit, coconut, sweet potato,
cinnamon, nutmeg; guava and other native fruit jellies.
• Drinks: sorrel (juice from Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers), ginger beer,
tumale (a drink fermented from cassava), bush tea (from local herbs).
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: bakes (actually pan-fried bread) with butter, fried fresh
fish, boiled plantain, coffee, or bush tea.
• Lunch: lightest meal, bakes with soup or vegetable dish.
• Supper: heavy meal after the heat of day usually with three courses—
soup or appetizer, meat or fish, and sweet.
• Snacks, eaten in midmorning or mid-afternoon: sweet pastries or
savory fritters with sorrel tea or other drink.
Stuffed Cucumbers
Cucumbers are prepared in various ways, both raw and cooked. This dish makes
an attractive and tasty first course for a heavy meal or a main course for a light
one, especially on hot days.
1 cucumber
1/2 cup smoked ham, diced
1/2 tsp grated onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3–5 chives, chopped
Cut off the ends of the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, and scrape off
core and seeds. Set aside.
In a bowl, blend well the egg, ham, onion, mayonnaise, salt, and
pepper.
Stuff cucumber with egg and ham mixture. Put slices back together
into a “whole” cucumber.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill.
To serve, slice crosswise and garnish with chives.
Pea Soup
Pigeon peas tolerate hot and humid growing conditions better than the regular
green pea, thus their popularity in the Caribbean. The original recipe calls for
fresh green pigeon peas, which may not be easily available, and frozen pigeon
peas (source from stores that sell Caribbean or Hispanic foods) or in a pinch,
frozen green peas can be used. This substantial soup is a meal on its own,
usually served for lunch or supper, with or without dumplings.
3 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks fresh thyme, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 pound stewing beef or boneless pork, cubed
1 cup pumpkin, diced
2 cups shelled fresh green (or frozen and thawed) pigeon peas (or
frozen green peas, thawed)
6 cups water
1 cup tannia, taro, or potatoes, peeled and diced
1 green plantain, diced (optional)
dumplings (see the next recipe)
1 TBS butter
fresh thyme and chives for garnish
In a covered saucepan, heat oil; stir in the onion, celery, thyme, and
carrot, cooking until softened.
Add meat and pumpkin, cooking until the meat is browned.
Stir in pigeon peas. (If you use green peas, add them later.)
Add water, tannia (or potatoes), plantain, salt, and pepper; cover and
bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; let simmer for 25–30 minutes or until vegetables are
tender.
Meanwhile prepare the dumplings.
During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add dumplings and butter.
Taste, adding more seasoning if needed.
If using green peas, add them five minutes before the end of cooking.
Serve garnished with chopped thyme and chives.
Dumplings
Dumplings are made all over the Caribbean, but with many variations. The
dumplings, if fried, are called “bakes,” and St. Vincentian dumplings differ by
having a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg.
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
In a bowl, combine all ingredients to make a fairly stiff dough.

Shape into balls, logs, or oval bite-sized portions.
Drop into boiling soup, lower heat, and cook for 10 minutes.
Alternatively, fry in hot oil until golden brown.
Codfish Cakes
Salting, drying, and smoking fish and meat were traditional ways of preserving
foods. Despite refrigeration and better transportation, these food items are still
valued for their intrinsic flavor and texture.
1/2 pound salt cod

1 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
5 chives, chopped
2 sprigs fresh marjoram, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper (or hot pepper sauce)
1/2 cup flour
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
oil for frying
Soak fish in a bowl of water overnight, refrigerated.

Drain, remove skin and bones, and mince or shred flesh.
Stir in onion, bell pepper, chives, marjoram, thyme, black pepper,
flour, egg, and milk to a soft dropping consistency. Add more milk if
necessary.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat some oil for shallow frying.
Drop the mixture by spoonfuls into hot oil and brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
Note: A stiffer mixture can be rolled between floured hands into small
balls and deep fried.

These are popular as snacks. Made with tiny sausages inside each roll, they
make excellent appetizers.
4 ripe but firm plantains (or 4 semiripe bananas)

2 TBS margarine or butter
juice from 1 lime or 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup honey

In a covered saucepan, boil plantains or bananas in their skins for 10
minutes.
Peel and cut into lengthwise strips (about 5 strips to each plantain, 4 to
a banana).
Roll each strip up and fasten with a toothpick.
Fit all into a buttered 12 × 8 inch baking dish.
Make lime-honey glaze: in an 800-watt microwave, melt margarine for
30 seconds.
Stir in lime juice and honey.
Brush glaze generously over rolls.
Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 325°F oven. Brush again with
remaining glaze.
Bake for 10–15 minutes more or until golden brown.
Serve hot.
Arrowroot Cakes
Arrowroot is a major crop in St. Vincent. The arrowroot is the underground
tuber from the plant Maranta arundinacea. It is dried and pounded into a
brilliantly white flour. Among its many uses is as a thickener for sauces and
puddings and as a substitute for wheat flour for those with gluten allergies. It
also was once used to draw out the toxin from poison arrow wounds, thus its
name.
1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups arrowroot starch (available from some health food stores and
stores that sell West Indian foods)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut cream or milk
1 tsp lime juice
grated rind of 1 lime (optional)
Heat oven to 300°F, and lightly grease a muffin pan.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,
and arrowroot; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until very light.
Stir in eggs, coconut cream, and lime juice and rind, and mix well.
Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing well after each until
smooth.
Fill the muffin pan 2/3 full.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until light brown.

This is a Caribbean mix of West African cooking technique with New World
ingredients.
2 cocoyams or taros (available from stores that sell African and

Caribbean foods), peeled and grated
1 1/2 cups fresh grated coconut
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mace
banana leaves, 10 × 10 inch squares and blanched in hot water to
soften, or aluminum foil
kitchen twine
coconut cream for serving
In a bowl, mix cocoyam, coconut, and sweet potatoes.

Stir in the sugar, salt, and mace, and mix well.
Place 1/2 cup of the cocoyam–coconut–sweet potato mixture in the
middle of a banana leaf or aluminum foil sheet.
Fold securely into a packet to enclose the filling. Tie each doucana
snugly with kitchen twine if using banana leaf. If using foil, ensure
that all edges are tightly sealed.
Steam over medium heat in the top part of a double boiler, or on a rack
over boiling water in a large pot, for 40–50 minutes. Test one to check
for doneness.
Remove from heat and serve with additional coconut cream to taste.
Sudan
Sudan is the largest country in Africa, with flat desert terrain in the north and
scrubland in the south. The Nile River bisects the country from southeast to
northwest. The Blue Nile from the Ethiopian highlands joins the White Nile
from South Sudan at Khartoum, the capital, providing rich watered agricultural
lands on both sides of the river. Sudan was ruled jointly by Egypt and the United
Kingdom until independence in 1956. There had been repeated civil wars
between the Muslim north and the non-Muslim south even before independence.
In 2011, following a referendum, South Sudan split from Sudan.
Cultivation of staples and fruit is possible in the watered lands relatively
close to the Nile; rice is grown in the center with water from the Nile River. The
population comprises many ethnic groups, including those of Arab and Egyptian
descent, Fur, Masalit, and Nilotics in the south. Sudanese cooking is heavily
influenced by Egyptian, nomad Arab, and African elements. Sudanese food
closely resembles that of neighboring Egypt.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice and breads, millet, and sorghum.
• Lamb, chicken, fish (from Nile, fresh, salted, smoked), wild game,
beef; milk, yogurt, white feta-like cheese (jibna); eggs.
• Pumpkin and other gourds, beans and other legumes, cucumber,
tomato, green vegetables (spinach, cabbage, wild greens, molokhiya
[tender leaves of Corchorus olitorius]), okra, eggplant.
• Banana, mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, and other citrus fruits.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, chili pepper, lemon, black pepper,
cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Staples: flat breads (khubz, kisra, goraasa, injera), thick porridge
(millet, sorghum, cornmeal).
• Mashed bean dishes: paste (fuul medames); fritters (tamiya).
• Grilled or fried lamb meatballs, beef.
• Stews of vegetables (okra, beans, wild greens). Stews of meat or
chicken and vegetables: beef and potato stew (dama be potaatas); beef
stew with wheat flat bread (goraasa be dama).
• Vegetables stuffed with meat and rice.
• Rich sweets: custard (crème caramel); layered pastries soaked in
syrup (baseema, similar to Egyptian baklawa).
STYLES OF EATING
• One to three meals and snacks daily.
• Eating habits differ by region and ethnic group. Most in the north and
west eat Arab (Egyptian) style: around a common dish served on a low
table, people eating with the fingers of their right hand only, men
eating separately from women and young children. Accompanying
stews or sauces are served on individual plates or smaller bowls and
eaten either with the fingers or spoons. For guests, meals often include
several dishes. All dishes are served simultaneously.
• Breakfast: millet porridge or flat bread (kisra/khubz/goraasa), fried
bread, beans (fuul medames), coffee/tea.
• Lunch: thick porridge or flat bread, appetizers (yogurt and cucumber
salad, eggplant salad), stuffed tomato, spicy relish, fresh fruit, coffee,
custard (crème caramel).
• Evening meal: light, with thick porridge or flat bread; beans or other
cooked vegetable stew/sauce with or without meat; fresh fruit;
coffee/tea.
• Hot relish (shata) is made available to those who want it.
• Dessert is usually fresh fruit. A sweet or pastry is usually served with
coffee. Arab, Egyptian, Turkish-style sweets and pastry in the north.
• Snacks: seasonal fresh fruit (banana, mango, orange, etc.), flat bread
(khubz, kisra, goraasa), tamiya.
• Drinks: coffee is the most common drink, served immediately to
guests (see Ethiopia entry for the sidebar “Coffee Ritual,” p. 432).
Coffee is roasted or dry fried before use. It is ground immediately;
brewed with spices such as cardamom, ginger, or cloves; then served
in small cups. It is also served at the end of a meal. Sweet tea, hibiscus
flower tea (karkadeyh or karekare from dried Hibiscus sabdariffa),
fruit juices, beer, bottled soft drinks.

This is a salad from northern Sudan, usually served as an appetizer or as an
accompaniment to a main meat, chicken, or fish dish.
2 large cucumbers, peeled and diced

2 cups yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
8 large lettuce leaves
Combine cucumber with yogurt, salt, garlic, and pepper.

Serve on lettuce leaves.

This soup is originally made from meaty beef or lamb bones. Variations on this
soup include adding cooked rice, carrots, cabbage, or other seasonal vegetables
during the final fifteen minutes of cooking.
1/2 pound lean ground beef (or substitute chicken or turkey)

5 cups beef broth
1 onion, chopped
6 peppercorns
1 tsp salt
1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches long
2 cardamom pods
juice of 1/2 lemon
Bring to a boil the meat, broth, onion, garlic, peppercorns, salt,

cinnamon, and cardamom.
Reduce heat, simmering for 30 minutes.
Discard peppercorns, cinnamon, and cardamom.
Blend until smooth the peanut butter and 4 TBS stock from the
cooking meat; add to soup.
Simmer for 3 minutes until soup thickens. Turn off heat.
Stir in lemon juice just before serving.

This table condiment is often served with main dishes for diners to help
themselves.
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
2/3 tsp salt (or to taste)
Combine all ingredients; set aside for 30 minutes.

Serve in small bowls at the table.

Molokhiya are the young shoots of the jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius), a plant
also grown for its fiber. They are available fresh, frozen, and sometimes dried, in
stores that sell African or Middle Eastern foods. They give a silky smooth,
slippery consistency to soups and stews, hence are also called “bush okra,” and
are widely used in Egypt, Sudan, and elsewhere. Serve this as a soup,
accompanied by rice or bread.
1 pound dried (or 2 pounds fresh or frozen) molokhiya, leaves only

2 cups chicken or beef stock
1 1/2 TBS butter
3 TBS tomato paste
juice of 1/2 lemon
Add molokhiya to stock; simmer at very low heat, stirring only once.
In a skillet over low heat, melt butter.
Fry garlic, stirring until light golden (about 1 minute).
Stir in coriander and tomato paste; fry for 1 minute.
Add garlic and tomato mixture to molokhiya; stir slowly.
Simmer for 5 minutes, or until leaves are tender. Adjust seasoning to
taste. Add more stock or water to thin the broth, if desired.
Serve with a dash or more of lemon juice.

Stuffed vegetables are a popular dish made all over the Middle East. The
variation given here is made in northern Sudan and is similar to Egyptian
versions. This is served as an appetizer or as a main dish with other side dishes.
2 TBS oil
1 pound ground beef (substitute chicken or turkey or lamb)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBS dill, minced
1/2 cup cooked rice
4 large firm tomatoes
2 TBS butter
Sauce
2/3 cup water or stock
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a handful of green olives and tomato slices, for garnish
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil; sauté meat until lightly browned.

Stir in garlic; sauté for 1 minute.
Stir in salt, pepper, dill, and rice; mix well. Remove from heat.
Prepare the tomato shells: from the stem end of each tomato, cut a thin
“lid” but do not sever it completely. Leave a “hinge” of attached flesh.
Scoop out the pulp with a teaspoon, leaving a shell.
Chop the pulp and reserve.
Fill tomato with beef-rice mixture; close the tomato lid.
In the same saucepan, melt butter until hot; roll tomatoes gently until
they glisten. (Ensure tomato lid stays closed.)
Add all ingredients for sauce except the garnish; stir in reserved
tomato pulp and any remaining filling.
Simmer gently over low flame for 20–30 minutes. Adjust seasoning of
the sauce.
Transfer tomatoes carefully to a deep serving dish; ladle remaining
sauce and filling above them.
Surround with raw tomato slices and green olives.

Serve this dish hot with rice for a light meal or cold as an appetizer.
1 pound ground beef (substitute turkey, chicken, or lamb)

1 whole chili pepper (optional)
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 pounds okra, trimmed but left whole
2 cups finely chopped ripe tomatoes, fresh or canned
Mix meat with minced garlic; season with salt, pepper, chili pepper,
and cinnamon. Set aside.
Heat oil and lightly fry okra. Remove from heat and divide into two
portions.
Arrange a single layer of okra in a heavy pot.
Cover with a layer of seasoned meat.
Top with another layer of okra.
Pour tomatoes over okra.
Sprinkle tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper; simmer over very low
heat for 30 minutes, until tomato juices have been absorbed.
Serve hot or cold.
Meatballs (Koftah)
This is a popular dish, commonly made for the main meal. Authentically, this is
prepared by passing all ingredients together twice through a meat grinder. The
method given here is quicker and more convenient. Serve with rice or bread and
side dishes of cooked vegetables or salads.
2 pounds ground beef (substitute lamb, turkey, or chicken)
1 slice soft white bread, crust removed, soaked in 1/4 cup water and
squeezed of excess water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
metal skewers or oil for frying
In a food processor, process all ingredients together until very smooth.

Form into sausage shapes, about 3/4 inch thick and 2–3 inches long
Skewer and grill over hot coals, or shallow-fry in medium hot oil until
brown all over.

These thin crepes are eaten like bread, served with stews, spicy relish (shata), or
even with a simple sauce of water, salt, and chilies. For an authentic flavor, use
unroasted sesame oil, that is, not Chinese sesame oil (which is roasted). These
are best eaten freshly made.
1 1/2 cups sorghum flour (available from health-or organic-food

stores)
1 cup water
unroasted sesame oil or other vegetable oil
1/8 cup (or more water)
In a blender or mixer, mix the sorghum flour and 1 cup water to a thick
paste.
Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 12–24 hours to ferment.
Just before cooking, dilute to a thinner batter (but not too thin), by
adding 1/8 cup water.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat; lightly brush with oil.
Pour 1/3 cup batter in the middle of the skillet; quickly spread to a
very thin (translucent), even layer using a wooden or heatproof
spatula.
As soon as the edges begin to dry and lift up, in about 1 minute, loosen
the crepe all around with a thin or flexible spatula or turner.
Carefully peel off the crepe; set aside on a plate and keep warm,
covered with a clean, dry towel.
Continue cooking the rest of the batter, oiling the skillet each time.
Serve immediately.
Cinnamon Tea
Sudanese drink a lot of tea, usually with a sugar cube held between the front
teeth. Tiny sips of tea are taken through the cube. Eventually, the cube dissolves.
It takes long practice to achieve this dexterity; it is acceptable to place the cube
into the teacup.
4 cups water
5 tsp loose tea leaves (1 tsp per cup plus 1 tsp for the teapot)
4 cinnamon sticks (each about 1 inch long)
4 sugar cubes
Bring water to a boil; turn off heat, let stand for 1–2 minutes.
Place tea leaves in a warm teapot. Add hot water.
Allow to infuse until very strong, for about 3–5 minutes.
Place 1 cinnamon stick in each teacup.
Pour hot tea over cinnamon.
Pass sugar cubes in a bowl.

This is a street snack, often made and eaten at home as well.
1 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup water
1/4 cup dried or fresh dates, stoned and chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup samna (clarified butter or ghee), melted
additional butter for serving
In a bowl, combine and sift flour with baking powder and salt.
Slowly whisk in egg and water to make a thick pourable batter.
Stir in dates.
Grease a griddle or frying pan with some of the ghee, and heat over
medium heat.
Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle. Tilt the pan to spread the
batter and cover.
After 2 minutes or so, when the top of the pancake is full of bubbles
and looks dry, and the bottom edges are golden, flip over and cook,
uncovered, for a minute or so more.
Drizzle the pancake with melted butter or ghee, then generously
sprinkle with sugar.
Stack finished cakes on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to
keep warm.
Eat at once with plenty of tea.

This porridge is a common dessert, flavored with fenugreek, a spice that
produces the characteristic “curry” scent. Fenugreek seeds add a barely
perceptible bitter aftertaste but are considered a remedy against illnesses,
including diabetes.
1 tsp baking soda

1 cup water
1/2 cup of clarified butter or vegetable oil
2 TBS fenugreek (hilbe) seeds
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
boiling water
In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in 1 cup water; set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, warm the butter, then add fenugreek
seeds, stirring for 1–2 minutes until aromatic.
Carefully (the hot butter will hiss) add the baking soda and water
mixture and salt; stir, cover, and simmer for 20–30 minutes or until
fenugreek is softened. Stir in milk and sugar.
Gradually whisk in flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add more
water if needed.
Continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the porridge is thick.
Pour into individual bowls and serve.
Suriname
The smallest independent country in South America, Suriname was a Dutch

colony until independence in 1975. Suriname’s northern terrain is arable
lowland, and with the tropical climate, rice, fruits and vegetables, and livestock
are raised. The coast and rivers yield fish and shellfish. The population
comprises many ethnic groups: East Indians, mixed, Indonesian, African,
Chinese, Amerindian, European, and American. The East Indians (called
Hindustanis) and the Indonesians (called Javanese) descend from colonial
plantation workers brought in by the Dutch. Surinamese cuisine is thus a rich
meld of the diverse cuisines of these groups, using locally available ingredients.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, cassava, plantain, potato, corn.
• Fish, seafood, beef, pork, chicken and other poultry, eggs, dairy
products, wild game.
• Cabbage, green beans (called kouseband), endive-like amsoy, lentils
and other legumes, sweet potato, okra, callaloo greens, pomtayer or
tayer (Xanthosoma sagittifolius, an aroid tuber related to taro).
• Banana, pineapple, coconut, mango, papaya, exotic palm nuts
(orange awarra and brown maripa), peanut, other nuts.
• Seasonings: East Indian curry spices (turmeric, fenugreek, coriander,
cumin, etc.), Indonesian spices and herbs, Chinese spices and herbs,
coconut milk, peanuts or peanut butter, dried fish/shrimp, and several
hot chili peppers (including one named Madame Jeannette). Chinese
soy sauce, Indonesian soy sauce (ketjap).
TYPICAL DISHES
• One-dish meals: rice, chicken or beef or fish stewed with beans and
other vegetables (moksi meti).
• Pomtayer or pom, a celebratory dish for birthdays and special
occasions, is made of chicken and Xanthosoma sagittifolia tubers,
flavored with citrus juice, tomatoes, and spices.
• Indonesian-style spicy meat and vegetable stews.
• Creole-style (mixed African-European) style chicken pie with
vegetables (pastei); peanut soup with plantain dumplings or plantain
noodles.
• African-style okra and cassava soup; chicken and pureed tayer
casserole; beans and meat with rice.
• East Indian–style curries of vegetables, pulses, fish/seafood, or meat.
• Chinese-influenced chow-mein, fried rice, vegetable stir-fries.
• Coconut-based desserts.
• Beverages: soft drinks, coconut and other fresh fruit juices, local rice
beer; ginger beer (not a beer but a ginger-lemon drink).
Woman trims a cassava cake with a leaf as it cooks upon a griddle, Bigi Poika, Suriname, 1991. (Nicole
Duplaix/Corbis)
STYLES OF EATING
• Three main meals and snacks eaten daily, with main meal at midday.
• Foods and the styles of eating vary depending on the ethnic group.
• Breakfast: urban style—bread, butter, jam, coffee; traditional style—
rice or flat bread, egg, lentils, coffee.
• Lunch: Indonesian-style main meal of spicy meat and vegetable stew,
plain or fried rice, mixed vegetable salad (gado-gado) with peanut
dressing, skewered meat with spicy peanut sauce (satay), dessert of
fresh fruit. Fried banana is a common accompaniment to Indonesian-
style dishes.
• Supper: mixed African-Creole and East Indian–style light meal of
peanut soup or lentil stew, flat bread (roti), mango chutney, fruit.
• With meals, drinks are usually a soft drink, or a fruit drink made by
diluting fruit syrups.
• Snacks: Indonesian-style noodles; East Indian flat bread (roti) with
curried potatoes, chicken, and vegetables; savory pastries filled with
potatoes and peas (samosa); fried chickpea or lentil balls (phulauri).
• Shaved ice with various fruit syrup flavors, bought from street stalls.
• Many types of restaurants, bars, and cafés serve a range of local
foods and international fast foods.

A commonly prepared soup, this is usually served African-Creole style with
plantain noodles (called tom-tom).
4 cups water or vegetable stock (can be made with 2 vegetable

bouillon cubes)
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3 TBS oil
2 cups chicken breast, diced
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
2 TBS celery, finely chopped (or cilantro)
In a stewing pan, bring stock to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer.

In a bowl, put peanut butter and carefully whisk in 1/2 cup hot stock,
mixing well. Set aside.
Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet. Sauté onions until golden
brown. Take out half of onions and set aside for garnish.
Stir chicken, salt, and pepper into onions in the skillet, frying for 5
minutes. Turn off heat.
Add chicken, onion, and peanut butter mixture to simmering stock;
cook until chicken is done, for about 10–15 minutes.
Check seasoning.
Garnish with green pepper, celery or cilantro, and fried onions.

An East Indian–style dish made with any kind of bean, pea, or lentil, this snack
is best eaten warm, dipped in a sweet-sour mango chutney. It can also be a first
course.
1 cup yellow split peas

1 onion, chopped
3 gloves garlic, crushed
salt to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
oil for frying
Soak the yellow split peas in water overnight.

In a food processor, process to a paste the peas with onion, garlic, salt,
and cayenne.
Dry fry the cumin seeds in a hot skillet for 1 minute; cover the skillet
to prevent cumin seeds from jumping about.
Add cumin to the processed peas and mix well.
Form mixture into walnut-sized balls.
Heat oil till medium hot; deep fry the phulauri until golden brown.
Serve at once with mango chutney.
Mango Chutney
This sweet-sour chutney can be served with any Surinamese East Indian–style
fried or curried dish.
1 green or semiripe mango, peeled and cubed

1 tsp salt
3 TBS mint, chopped
1 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
Blend or process all the ingredients to a rough puree.

Serve in small bowls for diners to help themselves.

This bread is eaten hot with lentils, vegetables, or curries for lunch or dinner.
Traditionally, this is made with clarified butter (ghee).
2 cups whole-meal flour

1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 TBS melted butter or ghee
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water
2 TBS or more butter or ghee for frying and brushing on cooked roti
In a food processor, mix flour, baking powder, butter, salt, and water
just until it forms a ball. If the dough is not soft enough, add a bit more
warm water.
Remove dough; knead until soft and pliable.
Set aside for 30 minutes, covered with a moist towel.
Divide dough into 8 pieces; roll out each piece onto a floured surface
to about 6 inches in diameter.
Melt a little butter; quickly swirl to coat the surface.
Place roti, cooking each side for 1 1/2 minutes, or until small bubbles
appear and roti is golden brown.
Remove from pan, brush with a little butter.
Keep warm in a low oven until all have been cooked.
Serve at once.
Lentil Stew (Dhal)
This popular East Indian–style stew can be made with any kind of bean, pea, or
lentil, and can be eaten at lunch or dinner or as a sauce with pan-fried bread.
5 TBS butter
1 cup red or green lentils, washed and drained
1 tsp curry powder
1 TBS dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 cups water
1 firm (preferably unripe) mango, diced
1 tsp cumin powder
3 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
Heat 3 TBS butter in a saucepan; fry half the onions and half the garlic
until golden brown.
Stir in lentils, turmeric, curry powder, thyme, bay leaf, water, salt, and
pepper.
Simmer for 20 minutes; add mango and cook for another 15 minutes;
keep hot.
Heat remaining 2 TBS butter in skillet; fry remaining onion and garlic
with cumin until golden brown.
Pour over lentils.
Serve hot, garnished with cilantro.

This is a commonly served dessert. As accompaniment, substitute any fruit in
season: orange, kiwi fruit, banana.
2 envelopes or 5 tsp unflavored gelatin

1 cup whole milk
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 cup condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1 ripe mango, cubed
1 red grapefruit, sectioned and all white pith discarded
Put gelatin to soften in a bowl of cold water for approximately 5

minutes.
In a saucepan, combine milk, coconut milk, and condensed milk; heat
until just hot. Do not let it boil, or it will curdle.
Remove from heat; gradually stir in half a cup of the hot milk mixture
into the egg yolks, then stir them in to the milk mixture. This step
tempers the egg yolks and reduces the chance of them curdling upon
being added to the hot milk mixture.
Stir gelatin into milk and egg mixture.
Strain through a sieve into a 1-quart mold.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
Unmold and surround with mango cubes and grapefruit sections.

This cake, like many of Suriname’s desserts, features coconut paired with
diverse and plentiful root crops, such as cassava. Eat with a cold drink of tropical
fruits scented with lemongrass, like dawet below, or hot tea or coffee.
1 large coconut, grated, or 2 cups grated coconut

4 medium cassava (yuca, manioc) tubers, peeled and grated
(approximately 2 cups)
3 eggs
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp salt
2 TBS butter, diced

Mix coconut and cassava.
Whisk until thick the eggs, vanilla, and sugar.
Melt the butter and blend into the coconut-cassava mix.
Add the coconut milk, salt, raisins, and cinnamon and blend well.
Pour into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle top with diced butter.
Bake for 1 hour or until exterior is golden brown and interior is firm
but still moist.

This refreshing drink was brought to Suriname by Javanese settlers and modified
to suit. Dawet is normally very sweet, so feel free to substitute more water or
coconut milk for some of the sugar. The 1 tsp of salt tempers the sweetness of
the syrup and enhances the coconut flavor. Reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp if preferred.
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
3–4 stalks lemongrass, cut into 2-inch lengths and pounded
2 cups coconut milk
1 tsp salt
ice cubes (3–4 per serving)
1/2 cup holy basil seeds soaked in 1 cup water (optional)
Bring to a boil the sugar, water, and lemon grass. Reduce heat and
simmer for 15 minutes or until well infused with the lemongrass.
Strain and remove the lemongrass.
Add syrup to coconut milk. Stir in salt.
Pour into a blender or food processor, add ice cubes, and blend to a
slush.
Stir in holy basil seeds and drink at once.
Note: Dawet should be thick and gelatinous. This can be accomplished
in one of three ways: using holy basil seeds as above, or mixing a
slurry of 2 TBS cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, simmering it until
thickened and stirring it into the syrup. Dawet is very variable, and
other flavorings include cola, pandan, and jackfruit instead of lemon
grass.
Swaziland
Swaziland is a landlocked country in southern Africa that was a British

protectorate from 1902 until independence in 1968. Mostly mountainous with a
hot to subtropical climate, sugar is a major export crop, and fruits, vegetables,
and livestock are raised. The population is predominantly Swazi with minorities
of Zulu, Europeans, and Mozambican refugees. Traditional Swazi cooking was
simple and mainly based on milk and sorghum. A disease among local cattle
seriously affected milk supply and led to the adoption of other food sources,
such as cornmeal.
FOODSTUFFS
• Sorghum (traditional), corn (contemporary).
• Rice, bread, scones, pasta.
• Beef, goat, lamb, wild game, chicken, eggs, milk (fresh, sour),
canned fish, canned corned beef, canned sausages.
• Potato (white and sweet), beans and other legumes, cabbage, spinach,
tomato, beetroot, wild greens.
• Citrus (grapefruit, pomelo), pineapple, peanut, sugarcane, canned
fruit.
• Seasonings: onion, peanut, chilies.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Traditional staple: sorghum porridge eaten with sour milk (emasi).
• Contemporary staple: stiff cornmeal porridge (liphalishi) eaten with
vegetable stew or relish (umshibo), or with a meat, chicken, or fish
stew (sithulo). Cornmeal bread, cornmeal “rice” (cornmeal milled to
rice-grain size).
• Vegetable dishes: stews of pumpkin, beans, or greens with samp
(hominy, or dried pounded corn), with or without crushed or ground
peanuts.
• Meat dishes: grilled goat, mutton, or beef; roast, fried, or stewed
chicken; stews of meat and vegetables—tripe and potato (ulusu
namazambane), beef and cabbage (sidlwadlwa).
• Drinks: fresh or sour milk, homebrewed beer (not considered a drink
but a food), bottled soft drinks.
STYLES OF EATING
• Traditional meals: two a day, at midmorning and at sunset.
Midmorning meal was informal, with different age groups and genders
eating separately at different times.
• Main meal was in the evening, eaten together by all age and gender
groups. Families try to eat together. Hands are washed before eating.
The head of the household and adult males are always served first, but
the first spoonful is set aside. It is believed that if the first spoonful is
eaten by the household head, he would be among the first to die in
battle. Adult women and children are served next; the last to be served
is the preparer of the meal.
• Porridge is eaten in individual wooden bowls or enamel plates; side
dish served in a smaller bowl. Fingers of the right hand are used to
mold porridge into balls to be dipped into side dish and eaten.
• Sometimes spoons and teaspoons are used for very runny foods.
• Contemporary meals: breakfast between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. (after
children have left for school); lunch (main meal) after children come
back from school (2:00 p.m.); supper between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.
• Breakfast: soft sour porridge with sugar (or vegetable relish); or
bread, peanut butter/margarine, jam. Eggs when available. Tea/coffee.
• Lunch: cornmeal porridge and vegetable stew (also called relish).
• Supper: light meal of tea, bread, scones, or dumplings; or leftovers
from lunch.
• Sunday dinner (midday): Westernized meal, with rice; fried, roasted,
or stewed chicken; salad; cooked pumpkin or mashed potato and
cabbage; dessert of jelly or canned fruit with custard.
• Snacks in between meals: sugarcane, boiled beans, wild fruit, roasted
peanuts, fermented porridge (amahewu), tea, soft drinks, bread, potato
chips, sweets (chocolate, candy).
• Portuguese and Italian food are available in restaurants in the capital
(mainly for tourists).

This stew is served for the main meal with a green vegetable dish, such as
spinach porridge. The traditional sidlwadlwa is a rich meat stew.
1 1/2 cups samp (hominy or dried pounded corn)

3 cups water
2 TBS oil
2 pounds boneless beef, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup beef stock or water
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup peanut butter
Soak samp overnight in cold water; drain and cover with fresh water.
Simmer in a saucepan for 1 hour or until soft.
In another covered saucepan, heat oil and brown beef on all sides.
Stir in tomatoes, stock, salt, and pepper.
Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until beef is tender.
Stir in cabbage and peanut butter; mix well and simmer for 5–8
minutes or until cabbage is done.
Add a bit more stock or water if sauce is too thick.
Stir in the samp.
Serve hot.

Regular white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are known as sugar beans in
Swaziland. This porridge is served for breakfast. The traditional way is to soak
the dried beans overnight and simmer them for an hour until softened. This
recipe is a convenient alternative.
4 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups canned white (navy) or kidney beans, drained
In a saucepan, bring to a simmer the water and salt.

Slowly add cornmeal, mixing well with a wooden spoon.
Cook for 15–20 minutes until thickened.
Stir in beans, and simmer until heated through.
Serve at once.

Maize or corn, introduced by Europeans, has become the major staple of almost
all Southern African peoples, supplanting the sorghum traditionally eaten in
Swaziland. Serve this with any meal or at snack time.
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup milk
In a food processor or large bowl, blend until smooth the eggs, flour,
baking powder, salt, cornmeal, and milk.
Set aside for 5 minutes.
Pour into a lightly buttered loaf pan or a 9 × 13 inch baking pan.
Reduce heat to 375°F and bake for another 10 minutes or until it tests
done.
Serve warm or cold.

This salad is typically served with a roast or fried chicken dish for Sunday dinner
for Christian Swazis.
2 TBS lemon juice

1 tsp salt
2 large ripe avocados, peeled carefully, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 red radishes, finely sliced
1/2 cup toasted peanuts, chopped, for garnish
Mix well lemon juice, ginger, and salt.

Pour over vegetables to coat thoroughly.
Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with peanuts.
Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkins and squashes are very important in the Swazi diet. The pumpkins and
other newly harvested crops feature during the royal Incwala ceremony: before
the king has partaken of the first fruits, no one may eat of the new harvest.
2 TBS butter
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 fresh red chili, cored, seeded, and shredded (optional)
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Heat butter in a heavy saucepan; fry onion until soft.

Add potatoes, pumpkin, salt, and pepper; fry for 1–2 minutes.
Add chili, if using.
Stir in stock, cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, simmer until vegetables are soft, for about 20–30
minutes.
Remove from heat; mash vegetables with a potato masher (or in a
blender).
Reheat and serve immediately.

“Samp” is another word for hominy or dried corn. It is made of the hard kernels
from corncobs left to dry on the stalk before being harvested, a traditional way
of preservation. The kernels are traditionally pounded in a mortar and pestle
before being soaked overnight and then boiled to be soft enough to eat. Samp
eaten together with beans is a highly nutritious food combination. This recipe is
a faster and more convenient method of cooking this traditional dish.
1 cup canned hominy

1 cup canned kidney, pinto, or other beans
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chicken or beef stock
1 cup roasted peanuts (ground) or natural unsweetened peanut butter
1/2 cup skim milk powder
4 tsp butter
In a covered saucepan, bring the hominy, beans, onion, and stock to a
boil.
Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in salt, pepper, peanuts or peanut butter, mixing thoroughly.
Simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Stir in milk powder and butter, or pass around separately for diners to
serve themselves.
Serve hot.

Green vegetables, whether gathered from the wild or from cultivated plants, are
a traditional relish or sauce eaten with the stiff porridge staple. Diced pumpkin
can be substituted for spinach. Serve with milk for lunch.
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

1 onion, minced
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups water
2 cups cornmeal
Bring to a simmer the spinach, onion, salt, and water.

Slowly add the cornmeal, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently until cooked through.
Adjust seasoning and serve.

Serve this with rice, cornmeal, or corn bread as a side dish for lunch or as a first
course for Sunday dinner.
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened natural peanut butter
4 cups water
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
Heat oil; fry onion until soft.

Stir in carrots and fry for 2–3 minutes.
Add peanut butter, salt, and pepper.
Add water gradually, stirring well until peanut butter is well mixed.
Simmer for 15 minutes; add beans.
Simmer for another 5–8 minutes or until beans are heated through.
Serve immediately.
Cornmeal Pancakes
Serve these pancakes for breakfast or as a snack with fresh or sour milk (yogurt)
to drink.
4 cups water
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
frying oil
confectioners’ or granulated sugar
In a saucepan, bring the water to a simmer; slowly trickle in cornmeal

while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.
Continue to stir until cornmeal is thick, for about 15–20 minutes.
Stir in sugar; set aside to cool.
In a blender or food processor, blend eggs, flour, and the cooled
cornmeal to a smooth batter, the consistency of cream. If necessary,
add a bit of water or milk to achieve this consistency.
When hot, place just a film of oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter and allow it to
spread.
Cook until golden brown on both sides. Keep pancake warm while
making the rest.
Serve warm, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.

This dish features two popular staples and is eaten as a side dish with mealie
bread or porridge for a main meal, or on its own for a light meal or snack.
4 medium ripe bananas, peeled and halved crosswise

1 TBS oil
2 tsp cornstarch
1 TBS water
2 cups sweet corn (maize) kernels
salt, pepper, chili pepper to taste

Place the bananas in a 9 × 13 inch baking dish.
Baste bananas with oil and bake until light brown. Remove from oven.
Lower oven temperature to 325°F.
Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Stir in the sweet corn.
Pour the sweet corn mixture over the bananas. Season to taste.
Bake 15 minutes or until heated through and sauce is thickened. Serve
hot.
Queen Mary Pudding

This is a popular festive dish originating with the British, who controlled
Swaziland for a century. This was traditionally steamed in a classic English
pudding basin (a deep ceramic bowl with a rim), but for convenience, any
baking dish will do.
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
pinch of salt
3/4 cup dark corn syrup or molasses
1 tsp baking powder
aluminum foil
1/2 cup dark corn syrup or molasses for serving
2 cups prepared vanilla custard for serving
1 cup evaporated milk (unsweetened) or cream for serving
In a bowl, beat eggs and milk together.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into another, larger bowl.
Rub butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
In a saucepan over low heat, gently warm the syrup just until it
liquefies. Stir into the butter and flour mixture.
Add the eggs and milk and mix well. Pour batter into a well-greased 8-
inch-diameter and 6-inch-deep traditional pudding basin or a baking
dish.
Cover with a generous sheet of foil, taking care to leave pleats for the
pudding to expand. Secure the edges of the foil to the baking dish so
that no steam can enter.
Place a trivet or an upside-down bowl in the bottom of a large pot.
Place the baking dish on the trivet, and fill pot with hot water until
halfway up the basin. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil.
Boil until pudding has risen, about 90 minutes, taking care to maintain
the level of water by adding boiling water from time to time.
Carefully open the foil cover (the baking dish will be very hot) and test
for doneness with wooden skewer. The inside should be moist but not
wet or sticky.
Using oven gloves, carefully remove the baking dish from the pot. Set
on a rack to cool slightly.
Invert onto a deep serving plate or large shallow bowl.
Warm the corn syrup or molasses and pour over the pudding.
Pass around vanilla custard and evaporated milk or cream for diners to
help themselves.
Sweden
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy renowned as a welfare state. With a terrain

of rolling plains, a cold, temperate climate (the north is subArctic), and less than
10 percent arable land, agriculture is not a major industry; nevertheless, wheat,
other cold-hardy cereals, and livestock are raised. The population comprises
Swedes, Finns, and Saami (Lapp) with Norwegian, Danish, and other European
minority groups (Yugoslavs, Greeks, and Turks). Swedish cuisine centers on
simple and local ingredients (fish, seafood, dairy products, peas, potatoes) eaten
and prepared in celebration of their seasonality.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: potato, wheat, rye, barley, oats.
• Fish, lamb, beef, pork, veal, chicken, eggs, dairy products (cheese,
cream), preserved meats (sausages, ham, bacon).
• Peas, carrot, lettuce.
• Seasonings: dill, juniper, parsley, mustard, cardamom (for sweet
pastries).
? Did you know?

The most widely used culinary herb by volume in Europe, the Middle East,
and America is parsley. It is mostly found in behind-the-scenes preparation,
in stocks and soups as well as in commercial products such as bouillon
cubes. However, a recent survey of California restaurant chefs put sweet
basil as their most purchased herb, followed by thyme and cilantro (tied in
second place).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Hard bread (knäckebröd/hårt bröd), eaten with every meal.
• Herring dishes: fried, fermented, marinated/pickled with herbs,
mustard, berries. Salmon dishes: smoked or marinated with dill
(gravad lax).
• Crayfish: feasted on throughout August.
• Meatballs (köttbullar).
• Vegetable dishes: stuffed cabbage, creamed cauliflower, potato and
anchovy casserole (Janssons frestelse).
• Sweets: baked apples, dried fruit cream, lacy meringue cake
(spettekaka), cinnamon rolls (kanelbullar), sweet Easter bun with
whipped cream and marzipan (semla).
STYLES OF EATING
• Smörgåsbord: a buffet of many kinds of cold and hot dishes (fish,
meat, vegetables, salads) to be eaten as appetizers or as a complete
meal.
• Breakfast: pancakes, beef hash (pytt i panna), coffee, milk.
• Lunch: salmon, creamed potatoes, salad, dessert.
• Dinner: yellow pea soup on Thursdays, served with cheese,
hardbread. Dessert: pancakes with lingonberry jam and whipped
cream, milk to drink.
• Coffee break (fika) at midmorning and mid-afternoon: coffee or tea
with a cinnamon roll (kanelbulle, sing.; kanelbullar, pl.) or other sweet
pastry. Coffee parties (kafferep) feature at least seven kinds of
homemade pastries.
• Drinks: apple juice, soft drinks, milk, brown lemonade (julmust),
beer, apple/pear cider, fruit beverage (saft). Swedes drink a lot of
coffee. They are the world’s second highest drinkers of coffee per
capita.
• Swedes often eat out for lunch. Foreign food such as Mexican, Thai,
and Chinese are popularly eaten. American fast-food chains are
present in big cities. Pizzerias are common, though pizza is made
Swedish style, with seafood and a salad on top. Many Swedes are
vegetarians, so a vegetarian menu in common in restaurants.
Fjaderholmarnas Christmas smörgåsbord, Sweden, 1996. (Bo Zaunders/Corbis)

A Swedish delicacy, this herring dish is banned from the United States as “unfit
for human consumption” (notwithstanding the fact that the Swedes enjoy it
happily every year). North Baltic herring, which live in relatively less saline
waters, are caught in the spring, fermented in a special process, and canned. The
cans are frozen to slow further fermentation. In case you should be fortunate
enough to access a can, here is a recipe. Otherwise, read for edification.
1 can surströmming
2 slices Swedish buttered dry rye bread per person
1 medium hot, freshly boiled potato per person (or several small new
potatoes)
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
milk, sour milk, or beer
Remove can from freezer 48 hours before eating.

With all diners surrounding the can, cover the can with a kitchen
towel. Open with a can opener, the entire operation covered with
kitchen towel. At the first bite of the can opener, all present are
expected to take a deep breath, to immunize the nasal passages.
Serve 1 filet per person with hot potato, a few slices of onion, 2 slices
buttered bread, and lots to drink!

This herring dish is a common appetizer as well as snack. It can also serve as the
main dish for a light meal with a salad. Accompany with buttered bread.
4 filets of salted herring

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
5 tsp allspice
1 bay leaf
1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
dill sprigs, 1-inch pieces
Soak herring in cold water overnight; drain and set aside.

In a bowl, mix dressing of sugar, vinegar, water, allspice, bay leaf, and
onion.
Pour over herring; refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Slice herring into 1/2-inch slices.
Spoon dressing over; garnish with onion and dill.
Potato and Anchovy Casserole or Jansson’s Temptation

(Jansson’s Frestelse)
This was purportedly named for a popular Swedish film of 1929 or for a
Swedish opera singer of the nineteenth century, Pelle Janzon, who was also a
famous cook. This is usually found on smorgasbords, especially during the
Christmas season. It is also served as a late night snack, called vickning, with
pickled beets. The Swedish “anchovies” used for the authentic dish are actually
sprats, pickled in salt, sugar, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, sandalwood, and
other spices). Add a bit of sugar, cinnamon, powdered ginger, and other spices to
suit your taste if using true anchovy fillets.
1 onion, sliced
4 TBS butter
5 large potatoes, peeled and cut as shoestring potatoes
1 small can anchovy filets, chopped roughly (reserve liquid),
preferably Swedish sweet pickled
1 1/4 cups cream
3 TBS bread crumbs
In a skillet over medium heat, sauté onion lightly in 2 TBS butter;

remove from heat.
Into a buttered 8 × 8 inch baking dish, alternately layer potatoes,
onion, and anchovies; starting and ending with potatoes.
Blend anchovy liquid with half the cream and pour over potatoes.
Dot with remaining butter; sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake in a preheated 390°F oven for about 20 minutes.
Pour in remaining cream; bake for 30 minutes more or until potatoes
are tender.

Serve this for dinner with potatoes (plain or casseroled), pickled beets, and
tossed salad.
3 TBS butter
1 1/2 pounds boneless stewing beef, cubed
3 TBS flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
10 whole allspice berries
2 cups water
Heat butter in a heavy saucepan; brown meat well on all sides.

Sprinkle with flour and salt, stirring well.
Add onions, bay leaf, allspice, and water.
Cover and simmer till tender, for 1 1/2–2 hours.
Meatballs are a common dish for dinner, often served with seasonal berries made
into a tart-sweet sauce. This recipe makes an interesting variant on the usual
meatballs.
2 boiled potatoes, peeled and mashed

6 finely grated potatoes
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1/2 pound ground meat, formed into marble-sized balls
6 pints simmering water, lightly salted
2 TBS butter, melted, mixed with
1 TBS prepared mustard and
1/4 cup lingonberry or cranberry preserve for serving
4 stalks chives, chopped, for garnish
In a food processor, mix all ingredients except meat to make a dough.

Take a handful of dough; shape into an even patty.
Wrap around meatball and seal to form a round ball.
Continue with remaining dough and meatballs.
Gently lower balls into simmering water.
Continue to simmer for about 30–40 minutes or until meat filling is
done.
Serve hot, topped with a sauce of melted butter, mustard, and
lingonberry or cranberry preserve. Garnish with chives.

These spice-laden cookies are a traditional Christmas treat. To give them a more
intense taste, do as the Swedes do: grind or pound the cloves and cardamom
from whole seeds.
1 1/2 cups hot sugar syrup (1/2 cup brown sugar dissolved in 1 cup
boiling water)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 TBS dry ground ginger
1 TBS cinnamon
1 tsp cloves, preferably ground from whole cloves
1 tsp cardamom, preferably freshly crushed seeds
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
3/4 cup whipping cream
In a mixer, blend thoroughly the syrup, sugar, spices, and butter; let
cool slightly.
Dissolve baking soda in 1 TBS water; blend together with half the
flour. Blend in syrup mixture.
Whip cream to soft peaks; gradually blend into batter, a little at a time.
Cover dough; let rest overnight refrigerated.
Stir in remaining flour to make a firm dough.
Knead on a floured surface; roll out to 1/8 inch and cut out using
desired cookie shapes.
Place well apart on a greased and floured cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven just until slightly golden, for about 5–
6 minutes.
Loosen cookies immediately upon removing from the oven; let cool
completely on a rack.

There are probably as many variations on butter cookies as there are cooks in
Sweden. You may replace the walnuts with almonds and the vanilla with almond
extract.
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 TBS cream
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raspberry or cloudberry conserve, or halved candied cherries

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until smooth and very
light.
Add egg yolk, cream, and vanilla, and mix well.
Sift flour and baking powder together, then add to the butter-egg
mixture, mixing well.
Mix in one half of the nuts. Gather mixture and smooth into a ball,
wrap, and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Spread remaining nuts onto a plate.
On a lightly floured surface, form half of the dough into logs about 1
inch thick. Cut into 3-inch-long pieces, and roll each piece in the nuts.
Place the rolls evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
From the remaining half of dough, with lightly floured fingers, pinch
off small balls (just over 1 inch in diameter). Place these evenly spaced
about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Flatten each ball slightly and make a small depression in the middle.
Place a drop of the conserve or a cherry half in each depression. Brush
with lightly beaten egg white.
Bake at 350°F about 20 minutes or until done.

In the summer Swedish woods and bogs yield many types of berries, which are
eaten fresh or turned into jams and preserves. Blackberries “björnbär” (Rubus
fruticosus), cranberries “tranbär” (Vaccinium oxycoccus and Vaccinium
microcarpus), lingonberries “lingon” (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), raspberries
“hallon” (Rubus idaeus), Swedish blueberries/bilberries “blåbär” (Vaccinium
myrtillus) and above all, cloudberries “hjortron” (Rubus chamaemorus) can be
collected freely in all forests and bogs, including those privately owned, under
an ancient Swedish law called Allemansrätten (People’s Rights) still valid today.
These fruits were of enormous importance as sources of vitamin C in the cold,
dark northern winters.
3 cups rinsed blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries, or

cloudberries (mixing berries is fine)
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar (if using lingonberries, which are sour, a bit more; if
cloudberries, which are very sweet, somewhat less)
1 TBS cornstarch
4 TBS cold water
1 cup whipped cream (or more, if wished)
Select a few perfect berries for garnish and reserve.

Put berries, water, and sugar into a nonaluminum sauce pan over low
heat.
Stir gently occasionally until sugar has totally melted (you can break
some of the berries to add flavor, otherwise leave them whole), and
bring to a gentle simmer.
Dissolve the cornstarch in water, and stir in to the simmering berries.
Taste and adjust the sweetness by adding sugar if necessary.
Once the mixture thickens, remove from heat. Let stand until
completely cool, then refrigerate.
Divide into serving bowls, and top with whipped cream and decorate
with reserved berries.
Switzerland
Switzerland was established by three cantons as a defensive alliance in 1291.

Neighboring cantons joined at later stages. Largely mountainous with broad
central valleys, the temperate climate of cold winters and cool to warm summers
enables production of cereals, vegetables, and fruit, as well as raising of
livestock for quality cheese and varied dairy products. The western end of the
country is largely populated by French speakers, and food is influenced by that
of eastern France. The center and eastern parts speak a German dialect, and the
food is influenced by neighboring Germany and Austria. Another ethnic group
of Romansch speakers lives in the Tyrol (see separate entry).
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat, potato.
• Beef, pork, chicken and other poultry, eggs, dairy products (cream
and cheese of many kinds), many kinds of sausages, air-dried hams
and other preserved meats, freshwater fish.
• Corn, Swiss chard, carrot, cabbage, lettuce, tomato, onion, shallots,
mushrooms.
• Apple, grape, pear, apricot, peaches, cherry, blueberry, elderberry,
and other berries.
• Seasonings: herbs, leek, onion, garlic, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon,
cream, butter.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Cheese-based and cream-based dishes: fondue, raclette, quiche,
whole small baked cheese (tomme) served on salad, fried cheese on
bread (malakoff).
• Vegetable dishes: braised Swiss chard; casseroles and soufflés of
cheese with eggplant, green beans, or asparagus; cheese-stuffed
mushrooms. Potato dishes: grated potato cake (rosti); purée of leek
and potato (papet vaudois); many regional soups of potato with
cheese, sausages, or smoked meat.
Boletus mushroom. (Volodymyr Byrdyak/Dreamstime.com)
• Italian-style dishes: blueberry risotto with boletus mushrooms, pizza,

chicken cacciatore, Alpine farmer’s macaroni (aelplermagronen).
• Meat dishes: roast lamb stuffed with Swiss chard and feta, table-
grilled steak with flavored butter, veal in cream and mushroom sauce.
STYLES OF EATING
• Table settings are standard European.
• Breakfast: muesli, porridge or bread, butter, jam, several cheeses,
ham or sausage, eggs, fruit juice, fresh or cooked fruit, coffee.
• Lunch: light meal of pasta, pizza, quiche with salad, coffee.
• Dinner: can be a light meal, with bread, butter, cheese, or preserved
meats (ham, sausage); or a heavy meal of three to four courses,
including appetizer or soup; meat, chicken, or fish main dish;
vegetable side dish; potato or rice or noodle side dish (depending on
region); dessert or fruit; selection of cheeses.
• Desserts: apple tart, chocolate cake, ice cream, fruit compote (peach,
apricot, or apple simmered with a bit of sugar), berry-filled cookies.
• Snacks: Ovaltine powder sprinkled on buttered bread; crepes filled
with custard, nuts, or fruits; pizza; pasta; fried potatoes (pommes
frites); sweet pastries (carrot cake, apricot flan).
• Drinks: apple and other fruit juices, apple cider (alcoholic), wine, hot
chocolate malted drink (Ovaltine), milk, milk coffee; honey and wine
(acqua di miele alla Luganese).
• The Swiss eat out often.

This hearty winter soup is from the Engadine Valley, a Romansch-speaking area
in southeastern Switzerland. The valley is famous for its ski runs and cold
winters, to which the soup is a perfect complement.
8 ounces ham or smoked tongue, diced

8 ounces stewing beef, cubed
5 ounces barley
2 ounces green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
4 cups water
1 small cabbage, shredded
8 ounces potatoes, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 TBS flour
3 TBS cream
Bring ham, beef, barley, and beans to a boil in the water.

Simmer for 1 hour, partially covered.
Add cabbage and potatoes and simmer for 1 hour. Season.
Blend flour and cream. Add to soup for thickening, stirring well.
Bring to a boil once more, and serve.

This is a specialty of Zurich, usually made with veal.
1 1/2 pounds veal filets, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or 1/2-inch slices of
beef or pork)
1/2 ounce flour
2 ounces butter
1/4 cup stock
3 TBS cream
Sprinkle meat with flour.

Heat butter in a pan. When foaming stops, fry onion until golden.
Add meat. Fry over high heat, turning constantly.
After about a minute (veal and pork will be whitish, beef lightly
browned), pour in stock and season.
Cook for another 2 minutes. Add cream at the last minute and stir
once.
Serve with plain rice or French fries.

This regional specialty from Graubuenden takes advantage of plentiful butter. It
used to be made for the evening meal without sausages or bacon, just served
with applesauce or other stewed fruit (apricot, peach) for children. For adults,
this was served with milk coffee.
4 large floury potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total weight), cooked in

their skins, cooled (preferably at least overnight), peeled, and roughly
crumbled
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups butter
2 dry sausages, diced (or 1 cup lean smoked bacon, diced, or dry-cured
ham)
4 TBS any mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, chives), minced
(optional)
Sprinkle potatoes with flour and salt; toss together lightly.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Once butter is
very hot and frothing has subsided, stir in potato-flour mixture.
Increase heat to medium-high.
Keep stirring the mixture for about 30 minutes, gradually adding more
and more butter, leaving about 3 TBS in reserve.
When crusty browned bits have formed, stir in sausages or bacon.
Cook until sausages are heated through.
Scatter the remaining butter to form little pools on top.
Sprinkle with herbs if desired.
Serve at the table in the pan.

This is a specialty from the Lake Geneva region, customarily served with local
sausage, which is boiled together with the potatoes used in the dish. Serve for a
1/4 cup fatty bacon, diced

3 fat leeks (about 1 1/2 pounds total weight), white part only, quartered
lengthwise, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup beef stock (increase to 1/2 cup if not using wine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
3 large waxy boiled potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup cream
2 TBS vinegar
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat bacon until fat has
melted.
Stir in leeks and onion; fry until softened.
Stir in stock, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and white wine (if using).
Add potatoes; cover and simmer until potatoes are heated through, for
about 15 minutes.
Pour cream; sprinkle with vinegar.
Serve immediately.

This popular dish is served with a green salad and dried apple slices for a light
meal.
1/2 cup butter

2 onions, sliced
6 cups milk
1 TBS salt
2 cups macaroni (preferably straight)
1 1/2 cups cheese (preferably Swiss, or any mild yellow cheese),
grated or diced
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Heat butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan; stir in onions, fry
until softened.
Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Set aside, including fat.
Bring to a boil the milk and salt. Add potatoes, reduce heat and
Return to a boil; add macaroni. Reduce heat, simmer until al dente,
Pour noodles and potatoes into a warmed serving bowl.
Mix in cheese and pepper thoroughly.
Top with onion-butter mixture.

Although traditional for Christmas, these cookies can be served at any time for a
snack with milk or coffee, or as dessert.
3/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted, skins removed, and finely ground in food
processor
3/4 cup ground toasted almonds
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup mixed candied citrus peel, minced
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS apricot jam
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
In a food processor, blend thoroughly all ingredients. (Dough will be

soft.)
Remove, wrap in plastic film, and leave at room temperature
overnight.
Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick on a sugar-sprinkled surface.
Cut out to desired shapes with a cookie cutter.
Place without crowding on a buttered and floured baking sheet.
Set aside to dry at room temperature, for at least 2 hours.
Bake in a preheated 300°F oven until golden, for about 20–25 minutes.
Loosen cookies immediately upon removing from oven.
Cool on baking sheet for 5–7 minutes before transferring to a wire rack
to cool completely.
Store in airtight container until needed.

The European tradition of baking cakes and cookies redolent with spices started
in the kitchens of richly endowed monasteries and nunneries sometime in the
eleventh century, when Asian spices began to arrive in Europe. Spice cookies in
Switzerland, however, can be traced from recorded recipes to have been first
made in the seventeenth century. Läckerli (or sometimes also lekkerli or leckerli)
comes from the German lekker, meaning “delicious.” Although these are
designated as Basel specialties, they are made throughout the country. Läckerli
are traditionally enjoyed with a glass of red wine, though would also go very
well with hot coffee or tea, or a cold nonalcoholic drink. The classic glaze is
made with cherry liqueur or kirsch. Makes about 40 cookies.
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup honey
1 cup sugar
1 cup mixed candied orange and lemon peel, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
Glaze
1 tsp each almond essence and cherry flavoring, dissolved in 3 TBS
water (or more, if needed)
Butter and flour a baking sheet.

Combine in a large bowl the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, flour, baking
powder, and baking soda.
In a saucepan over low heat, warm the honey and sugar, stirring until
sugar dissolves.
Remove pan from the heat: stir in the vanilla, orange and lemon peel,
lemon rind, and almonds until all are well coated with honey-sugar
syrup.
Gradually stir in the syrup-nuts-peel mixture into the flour mixture,
and mix well to a fairly stiff and smooth dough. Let mixture cool for
about 10 minutes.
Roll dough to a 1/4-inch thick rectangle, and place on the prepared
baking sheet. Let stand for a few hours or overnight.
Preheat over to 325°F.
Place baking sheet in the oven, and immediately reduce temperature to
300°F.
Bake 15–20 minutes, or until firm but not dry.
Meanwhile prepare the glaze: mix the almond essence and cherry
flavoring with water and powdered sugar. Add a teaspoon or so more
water if necessary.
Slice the cookie rectangle into smaller rectangles of 2 inches by 1 1/2
inches, but do not separate them.
Brush the glaze onto the entire cookie surface.
Let stand until completely cooled and glaze hardens. Separate the
cookies, store in a plastic bag inside an airtight container.

This plum tart is from Geneva, at the western end of the country, and it is
historically a fasting cake. That is, a cake meant to be eaten instead of lunch on
the designated day of the fast. There used to be a number of fasting days
observed in Switzerland throughout the year for religious reasons. Few observe
the fast nowadays, but the customary eating of plum tarts remains, and in
Geneva, it happens on the Thursday after the first Sunday in September every
year. Other cantons have it on a different day. The day itself is called Jeûne
Genevois, jeûne meaning “fast.” The plums for use in this tart are the oval-
shaped ones, often called prune plums, which are usually in season until late
September/October.
For a 12-inch pie dish
Pastry
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
Filling
1 tsp (or more, as desired) cinnamon
1 1/2 pounds fresh blue plums (Prunus domestica), also called Italian
prune or damson plums, washed, pitted, and sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp (or more, as desired) cinnamon
3 TBS flaked or slivered almonds, for garnish
Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-inch-diameter tart pan or baking

dish.
Cream butter and sugar until very light; mix the egg in well, then
almonds, cinnamon, salt, and flour to form a pliable dough.
Wrap well and refrigerate for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick. Place on
the prepared pan.
Prick the rolled-out crust lightly with a fork.
Mix ground almonds with the cinnamon and scatter on the crust.
Layer prunes, cut side up, on the crust, partially overlapping.
Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Scatter over the flaked or slivered
almonds.
Bake for 30–35 minutes or until prunes are cooked through and crust is
golden.
Allow to cool slightly and serve warm (or cold), with a scoop or two
of vanilla ice cream, and drink with coffee, tea, or a cold drink.
Syria
Syria is an ancient country whose history includes Greek, Roman, Mongolian,

Turkish, and French rule until independence in 1946. Its capital, Damascus, is
considered among the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities. Mostly desert
and semiarid mountains, the Mediterranean climate of hot summers and mild
winters along the coastal plains enables wheat, fruit, vegetables, and livestock to
be raised. Syrians are predominantly Arabs, with minorities of Kurds,
Armenians, and other ethnic groups. Most Syrians are Muslim and thus eschew
pork and alcohol. Syrian cuisine is varied and rich, influenced by Turkish,
Persian, Armenian, Greek, and Arabian elements. There is a certain amount of
competition between the cities of Haleb (Aleppo) and Damascus as to who has
the best cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat made into bread, cracked wheat (bulgur), rice, maize,
barley.
• Lamb, beef, fish, seafood, chicken, eggs, dairy products (cow’s and
sheep’s milk, white cheese, yogurt).
• Potato, olives, chickpeas and other legumes, eggplant, pumpkin and
other gourds, cucumber, tomato, capers.
• Apricot, cherry, melon, grapes, oranges, apples, watermelon, almond,
pistachio.
• Seasonings: herbs (parsley, marjoram, thyme, sage, mint), garlic,
spices (paprika, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.), spice blend
(baharat), lemon, olive oil, sumac (purple sour berries of Rhus
coriaria), mahlab (pit of the black cherry, Prunus mahaleb).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Meat and bulgur balls (kibbeh) of many types; a specialty is grilled
kibbeh in a quince and meat stew. Meatballs (kofta) with sour cherries.
• Grilled sliced meats, lamb or mutton and chicken, on vertical rotating
spits (shawarma).
• Flat breads: pita, markouk (thin, translucent bread, called lavash in
Lebanon).
• Vegetables stuffed with rice and meat: warich eynab (grape leaves),
cousa (zucchini).
• Pickles: marinated eggplant (makdoush), olives, capers.
• Stews of meat, with or without fruit (usually quince or apricot) and
vegetables: (beans) fassouli.
• Dishes made with yogurt.
• Rich sweets (specialties of Aleppo and Damascus) of nuts, syrup, and
butter: round balls stuffed with crushed almonds, flavored with rose
water in a white syrup (karabij); batlawa with cherries; nut-filled
shortbread pastries (ma’moul); Turkish-style jellied lemon candy
(jorbilbil).
WHEAT (TRITICUM SPP.)

Originally from the Levant, wheat was the most important staple of the
ancient Roman world, and it remained important throughout Europe to the
modern age. The Romans developed an elaborate commerce in wheat from
Egypt, which was considered the empire’s breadbasket. Wheat was eaten as
bread and in the form of porridge. Wheat is currently grown throughout the
world, with the major producers, including the United States and Canada,
the European Union, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Australia, spread
throughout the world. Consumption of wheat is growing, notably in East
Asia where in some countries (e.g., China and Japan), it is substituting for
rice in some meals, notably breakfast (in the form of bread, usually toast, or
pancakes).
Wheat is consumed in the form of breads leavened (most European-
style breads) and unleavened (e.g., Middle Eastern pita and lavash), baked
and steamed (e.g., Chinese mantou), as cakes, cookies and biscuits,
dumplings (e.g., Turkish manti and German dampfnudeln), couscous,
bulgur, cracked wheat, and as green wheat (Middle Eastern frikkeh). It is
formed into noodles in both European and European-related cuisines (e.g.,
spaghetti) and in East Asia (lo-mein and udon). Noodles have the advantage
that one can dry them and keep them in storage for some time.
STYLES OF EATING
• Families try to eat together, especially for Thursday evening meal.
There is no separation of men and women as in other Arab countries.
Food is eaten with the fingers of the right hand; on formal occasions,
Western utensils (knife, fork, spoon) may be used. Good manners
require a guest to decline an offer of food or drink twice before
accepting. However, refusing an offer completely is impolite.
• Guests are almost always offered a meze composed of many small
plates—hummus paste, batlijan bitahina eggplants, salads and pickles
—eaten with flat bread.
• Breakfast is eaten very early and consists of flat bread, olives, white
cheese, sliced tomatoes or cucumber; may include tomato soup, beans
(fuul), or feteh, a mix of fuul and hummus; sweet dark coffee.
• Lunch: usually consists of four courses, served around 2:00 p.m.—
appetizers (meze) of hummus, beans, eggplant salad, pickles, and so
on, eaten with flat bread; grilled or stewed meat (lamb preferred;
chicken or fish) accompanied by salads and rice; hot coffee/tea; fruits
or ice cream and/or sweet pastry.
• Evening meal: usually light, served very late, around 10:00 p.m.;
similar to breakfast; sometimes eaten out.
• Snacks: grilled lamb, more commonly chicken in a pita with cut-up
vegetables (shawarma); grilled skewered cubed meat or meatballs
(kebab); falafel; bulgur and meatballs (kibbeh).
• Drinks: yogurt drink (ayran), tamarind drink (tamarhindi), mulberry
juice (tut shami), pomegranate juice, licorice water (suss), very sweet
Turkish coffee, very sweet tea. Arak, an anise-flavored liqueur, is
mixed with water and commonly drunk by men with meze (despite
alcohol injunction).
• Restaurants and coffee houses serve mainly Syrian dishes. A few
places (not international chains) serve pizza or burgers, but these are
prepared Syrian style. Families eat out in large groups. In between
courses at restaurants, men often smoke a water pipe with flavored
tobacco (nargila or sheesha).
Pita Bread (Khubz)

Pita bread commonly eaten as part of the meze (appetizers) and, throughout the
meal, is used to dip into hummus or to scoop sauces and stews. It is also used for
various snacks, filled with shawarma or falafel with sliced vegetables and
pickles.
1/2 ounce active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar
8 cups plain flour
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS oil for oiling baking sheet
Sprinkle yeast and sugar into 1/4 cup lukewarm water.

Set aside in a warm place until frothy, for about 10 minutes.
In a food processor, blend flour, yeast mixture, remaining water, salt,
and 2 TBS oil just until the mixture forms a ball. The dough should be
soft; add a bit more water to achieve this consistency if necessary.
Remove dough and knead on a floured surface until smooth and shiny
(about 15 minutes).
Rub remaining oil over dough; place in a bowl, cover with a moist
cloth, and set in a warm place to rise until doubled (about 2 hours).
Punch down dough. Knead again for 5 minutes.
Divide into 8 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball.
Flatten each ball with floury hands (or roll on floured board) into
patties about 1/4 inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
Place on floured board, cover with floured cloth, and place in a warm
spot to rise again to double their size (30 minutes).
Lightly oil a baking sheet, place in the lowest part of the oven, and
preheat about 10 minutes before baking.
Place bread on baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart.
Bake for 5–10 minutes or until well puffed up and light brown.
Remove from oven; wrap in a clean dry cloth.
Serve warm with any dish, or cut a slit along one side to fill with
falafel, meat, or other filling.

This soup is traditional for breaking the fast in the evening during the month of
Ramadan, when Muslims are commanded to fast during the day.
4 cups beef or chicken broth

4 TBS barley flour
1 egg
In a saucepan, heat the broth to lukewarm.

Mix barley flour, lemon, and egg, and add to warm broth, whisking
constantly until broth comes to a boil.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately in individual bowls.

This blend is one type (there are many regional and personal variations) used for
seasoning meat pies, kofta, and stews.
1 TBS Near East or Aleppo pepper (or substitute 2 tsp sweet paprika
and 1 tsp hot paprika)
1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly; place in a sealed jar. Use as

desired.
Will keep up to 3 months.

Fresh broad (fava) beans are a favorite. This may be served as a light meal.
1/4 cup butter

1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground meat (lamb or beef)
1 pound fresh or frozen broad (fava) beans, shelled
1 cup long-grain white rice, washed and drained
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped finely
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Sauté onion with allspice, salt, and pepper until golden brown.
Add meat; cook until brown.
Stir in beans, rice, and water. Bring to a boil.
Cover well and cook on lowest heat for 30 minutes or until rice is
tender but not mushy and water has evaporated.
Ladle into serving dish and sprinkle with cilantro.
Serve with plain yogurt and pita bread.

The eggplant is a much-loved vegetable for which there are many recipes. This
is served as an appetizer with pita bread, or as a salad to accompany a main
course.
1/4 cup oil

1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
juice of 3 lemons
1/4 cup tahina paste thinned with 2 TBS water
2 tsp salt
radishes and olives for garnish
Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet.

Slowly fry eggplant until golden brown and soft all over; drain on
paper towels.
In a food processor, blend thoroughly eggplant, lemon juice, garlic,
onion, tahina, parsley, and salt.
Transfer to a bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Serve cold, garnished with sliced radishes and olives.

This pastry is a Syrian interpretation of the well-known Middle Eastern sweet
baklava. One of Syria’s major crops is sugar beets, and most of it goes into the
making of intensely sweet pastries. Unlike those made elsewhere, which include
honey, Syrian batlawa uses only sugar syrup.
Pastry
1/2 package phyllo pastry
3/4 pound walnuts, ground
1/2 pound melted butter, cooled
Butter the bottom of a 9 × 13 inch pan.

Lay one sheet of phyllo, folded in half; brush with butter.
Lay two more phyllo sheets; brush with butter.
Continue until almost 2/3 of the sheets are used.
Spread an even layer of walnuts, stopping about 1/2 inch from the
edge of the pastry.
Cover with more phyllo/butter layers until phyllo is used up.
Spread top layer with butter.
With a sharp knife, cut batlawa into diamonds or squares in the pan.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25–30 minutes or until golden
brown. Let cool.
Pour syrup over batlawa.
Let stand for a few hours or overnight for batlawa to completely
absorb the syrup.
Syrup (make a day ahead)

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
juice of half a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
In a heavy saucepan, slowly bring all the ingredients to a boil.

Reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes or until softball stage (234–
238°F).
Discard cinnamon stick before using.
This pudding is made with the famed apricots of Damascus. Qamar el-deen, or
dried apricot sheets, sometimes called “fruit leather,” are available at stores that
sell Middle Eastern foods and health/organic food stores. Serve with whipped
cream or custard if desired.
1 pound qamar el-deen (dried apricot) sheets

2 cups hot water
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup cornstarch
sugar to taste
4 dessert bowls, preferably glass
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted almonds, walnuts, or pistachios
Soak apricot sheets in hot water for 2–3 hours or overnight; puree in a
blender or food processor.
Stir cold water into cornstarch, mixing well until smooth; blend with
pureed apricot.
Pour this mixture into a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden
spoon.
Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring
constantly to prevent lumps.
Taste to see if sugar is needed, and add accordingly.
Chill well.
Place half of the nuts into dessert bowls; spoon apricot mixture over
nuts.
Top with remaining nuts.

These pancakes are available throughout Syria (indeed, the Levant) but are a
particular favorite in Aleppo.
Rose syrup (Shira)

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp rose water
Batter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
water
oil for frying
Filling
2/3 cup fresh ricotta or cream cheese, mashed with a fork
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
Make shira (rose syrup) by simmering sugar and water until thickened
in a small saucepan over low heat, then adding rose water. Chill well
(the colder the syrup, the better the final result). Excess syrup will last
refrigerated in a closed jar for 2 weeks.
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.
Mix in sugar and salt.
Mix in egg, and enough water to make a pancake-like but still
pourable batter. A few lumps are fine, so do not over mix.
Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat and oil
lightly.
Ladle about 2 TBS or 1/8 cup of batter onto the hot pan. It will spread
to about 3 1/2 inches, so leave sufficient room in the pan.
Repeat for as many spoonfuls as there is room, taking care the
pancakes do not touch.
Remove cakes as soon as bubbles form (and the surface is mostly dry)
and lay in a single layer on a flat surface or tray. Cover the finished
cakes with a clean kitchen towel so that they do not dry out.
When all the cakes have been made, fill them. Place 1 tsp cream
cheese in the center of the pancake, fold in half, and press and pinch
the edges to seal, using your fingers.
Add oil to frying pan to about 1/2–3/4 inches and heat to medium heat.
Fry filled cakes, a few at a time until golden brown.
While hot douse with very cold rose syrup (the hotter the cake, the
colder the syrup, the crisper the end result).
Roll one side of each cake in crushed pistachios and serve with hot
mint tea or coffee.
T
Tahiti
Located in the Pacific Ocean, Tahiti is the best known and largest of the Society
Islands, an archipelago of over one hundred islands known as French Polynesia.
First visited by the British, and made a French protectorate in the 1880s, it
remains a French overseas possession (pays outre-mer), and Tahitians are
French citizens. Fertile volcanic soil and a tropical climate are ideal for raising a
wide range of fruits, vegetables, and livestock. The sea is another source of food.
Foodstuffs are also imported from France, the United States, and neighboring
countries. Tahitians are predominantly Polynesian; there is a tiny minority
consisting of Europeans (French mostly), mixed, and Chinese. Tahitian cuisine,
like other cuisines in Oceania, was traditionally based on the earth oven and
natural foods. Contemporary Tahitian food is a blend of European (mainly
French), Asian, and traditional styles, but ma’a Tahiti (traditional Tahitian food)
remains very popular.
FOODSTUFFS
• Yams, rice, cassava, breadfruit, taro.
• Fish and seafood (over three hundred kinds caught from open sea and
coral reefs), pork, beef, chicken, eggs.
• Potato, pumpkin (including leaves) and other gourds, eggplant,
cabbage and other greens (taro leaves or fafa, amaranth).
• Banana (many kinds), coconut, pineapple, mango, papaya, pandan
fruit, orange, watermelon, pomelo, rambutan (lychee relative),
Tahitian chestnut (Inocarpus edulis), candle nut, peanut, other nuts.
• Seasonings: lime and lemon juice, coconut milk, fermented fish
sauce (fafaru)
• Tahiti produces the world’s choicest vanilla, introduced by the
French in the nineteenth century, and vanilla is used to flavor both
savory and sweet dishes.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Poisson cru is raw fish marinated in lime juice and dressed with
coconut cream, often served as an appetizer or salad.
• Coconut milk is used extensively for cooking savory (pork, chicken,
fish, vegetables) and sweet dishes (fruits). Chicken stewed in coconut
milk with taro leaves.
• Roast or grilled meats: pork, chicken, fish; French-influenced steak.
• French-influenced dishes: fried potatoes (frites), mangoes in red
wine.
• French-influenced confectionery: baguette, croissant, pastries, cakes.
STYLES OF EATING
• Style of eating varies with type of food: traditional Tahitian food is
eaten with fingers, Chinese food with chopsticks, Western food with
knife and fork.
• When dining with a family, it is considered impolite to refuse an
offer of food, but leaving some food on the plate shows that the diner
is more than satisfied.
• Breakfast: croissant or other bread, fruit juice or coffee, jam, butter,
fresh pineapple, coconut or other fruit; sweet fritters (firi firi) on
weekends.
• Lunch: the main meal, consisting of cassava, sweet potato, taro (or
other staple); roast pork, chicken, or grilled fish as main dish; pumpkin
or other cooked vegetable; fresh mixed fruit salad (pineapple, avocado,
melon, orange) or dessert of po’e (mashed fruit baked in coconut
milk).
• Evening meal is light, except for special occasions or when eating
out: soup, bread, boiled cassava or sweet potato, fresh fruits.
• Snacks: French-style pastries, such as croissants and cakes; coconut-
cream biscuits (kato); to be eaten with Tahitian-style coffee (coffee,
pure vanilla essence, and coconut cream); Tahitian chestnuts.
• On special occasions people have a traditional feast (tama’ara’a),
with many foods (pork, chicken, fish, seafood, vegetables) wrapped in
taro leaves and flavored with coconut milk, all baked all day long in an
underground oven called ahima’a (see New Zealand entry for the
sidebar “Polynesian Earth Oven,” p. 976). Food is then served on
banana leaves and eaten with fingers.
• Restaurants, bars, and cafés in the capital city serve French, Chinese,
other Western and Asian, and traditional local foods.
• Roulottes are mobile kitchens on trucks that set up in the evening in
the capital city: cooked on the spot are grilled meats and fish, steak,
and French fries (frites), French crêpes, Chinese food, pizza, and other
foods.

Any marine fish or seafood can be used for this dish, but it has to be absolutely
fresh (sashimi quality). Prepare the dish as quickly as possible so that the lime
juice does not penetrate the flesh too deeply.
1 pound very fresh fish (halibut, tuna, bonito, grouper, jack), cut into
thin strips
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and julienned
1/2 cup red bell peppers, cored, seeded and finely shredded
Place fish and lime juice in a glass bowl.

Season with salt and pepper; mix to coat the fish well.
Leave to marinate for a few minutes.
Add remaining ingredients. Mix well and adjust the seasoning.
Serve immediately.

This is a light soup that can be served for the evening meal with coconut bread.
2 TBS oil
1 1/2 pounds green (unripe) papaya, peeled, seeded, and diced
6 cups stock (chicken, pork, any meat, or vegetable) or water
Heat oil over medium heat; sauté onion until translucent.

Add ginger; fry for 2 minutes.
Stir in papaya, seasoning, and stock; cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes or until papaya is tender.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot or chilled.

Breadfruit—the fruit of a tree related to the jackfruit—is a staple food in
Oceania. There are many varieties, some of which are edible raw and some only
when cooked. During British colonial rule, the transportation of breadfruit
seedlings to feed African slave plantation workers in the Caribbean was the
cause of the mutiny on the ship Bounty. Uru is served with any meat or fish dish.
5 cups water with 1 tsp salt

1 1/2 pounds ripe breadfruit, peeled, and cubed
1 TBS vegetable oil
3 TBS coconut milk
Bring salted water to a boil.

Add breadfruit and cook for about 10–15 minutes or until tender. Set
aside.
Heat oil over medium heat in a frying pan; sauté onion until brown.
Set aside.
Drain breadfruit; place in a large bowl and mash with coconut milk.
Stir in onion, and season to taste.
Serve hot.

This popular dish is often served for a main meal. Serve with a cooked vegetable
dish, fried sweet potatoes, or boiled cassava.
• juice and grated rind of 2 limes

• salt, white pepper
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 large boneless chicken breasts, each cut into 4 pieces
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 TBS cornstarch, mixed with 4 TBS water
• 1 cup cream or coconut milk
• 1 lime, thinly sliced for garnish
Prepare a marinade of half the lime juice, rind, salt, pepper, and thyme.
Place chicken in a shallow covered container; pour marinade over
chicken, stirring to coat all pieces.
Marinate for 2 hours refrigerated, turning chicken several times.
Remove and drain chicken, reserving marinade.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
In a saucepan, heat oil and butter; cook chicken briefly on all sides.
Add reserved marinade and stock; simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove chicken and keep warm.
Cook sauce over high heat until reduced by one-third.
Reduce heat; add the remaining lime juice, and sugar and cornstarch
mixture; whisk until thickened.
Stir in cream; return chicken to pan and stir to mix well.
Do not allow to boil. Adjust seasoning.
Garnish the serving dish with lime slices and serve.

Serve this popular dish with plain cooked rice, boiled sweet potatoes or bananas,
and a cooked green vegetable for lunch.
2 pounds boneless pork, cubed

3 sprigs thyme
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 TBS oil
2 cups coconut milk
1 TBS sugar
Blend pork, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes in a covered container, refrigerated.
Brown pork on all sides.
Stir in rest of marinade, coconut milk, and sugar; simmer slowly for 1
hour or until very tender.
Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot.
COCONUT CREAM AND COCONUT MILK

Coconut cream and coconut milk are important thickeners and flavor
ingredients in many cuisines around the world. The coconut produces three
different kinds of liquid, which are used for different purposes:
Coconut Water
Coconut water is the semisweet slightly acidic liquid or “juice” inside a
fresh green coconut. Older coconuts have a stronger-tasting liquid. The
water of young coconuts is served as a refreshing drink, along with the
jelly-like pulp. It may be sweetened with sugarcane juice or sharpened with
lime juice. It is not used in cooking.
Coconut Cream (Thick)

Coconut cream can be bought in cans from many major supermarkets and
most stores that sell Asian foods. To make coconut cream at home, you
need one or more fresh coconuts (make sure they are not moldy). Mature
coconuts are normally sold in their brown shells. Green, unripe, young
coconuts are usually sold with their thick husks intact, with or without the
green shiny exocarp or peel.
Pierce a mature (well-ripened) coconut and extract the liquid. (The

liquid can be drunk on its own as juice or with a bit of sugar or lemon
or lime juice added. Sometimes the juice of mature coconuts can be a
little off or musty smelling; in that case, they are not good for
drinking.)
Split the coconut in half.
Grate the flesh away from the coconut shell. (There are several devices
to do this, depending on the country. One or another may be available
at your neighborhood Asian foods store.)
Place a clean cheesecloth or kitchen towel in a heatproof bowl. Add
the grated coconut, cover with very hot water (about 2–3 cups) to
completely cover, and allow to steep for 5–8 minutes or until the
cheesecloth can be handled without scalding one’s fingers.
Gather the ends of the cloth to fully enclose the grated coconut and
squeeze tight to express all the liquid from the mass.
This first pressing or extraction is coconut cream.
Do not discard the solids, as they are used for the second and third
extractions of “coconut milk.”
Coconut Milk (Thin)

If using fresh coconut, first extract the coconut cream as above.
Using the same method as described above, add 2 cups very hot, not
boiling, water to the solids from the first pressing, still inside the
cheesecloth placed in a heatproof bowl.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes to steep, then squeeze tightly to express as
much of the liquid as possible. This is the second pressing, and this
resulting liquid is considered coconut milk.
Depending on the maturity of the coconut and the quality of its flesh, it
may be possible to do a third pressing.
If using canned unsweetened coconut milk, the topmost layer can be
skimmed off for use as very rich coconut “cream.” Shake the can
before opening to mix the contents to get a “homogenized” result. Use
the contents as coconut cream, or dilute with the same amount of
warm water to make thin coconut milk.

Po’e is a dessert often served after meals. It can be made from taro, banana,
pumpkin, or sweet potato. It is different from Hawaiian poi, which is fermented
and eaten as a savory dish. Tahitian po’e is traditionally wrapped in banana leaf
and baked: the banana leaf imparts a subtle aroma. Given here is a contemporary
method.
2 large taro corms or sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total)

2 cups fresh or canned pineapple, drained and shredded
2 cups cassava (tapioca) flour, or cornstarch
3 cups coconut milk
sugar for serving
butter for greasing pan
Cook taro or sweet potato unpeeled in enough water to cover, for

about 15–25 minutes or until tender.
Drain, peel, and mash.
Blend in pineapple, tapioca flour, sugar, and vanilla.
Spread the po’e mixture in a buttered 8 × 8 inch baking dish.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour or until golden brown.
Immediately pour 2 cups of coconut milk over.
Slice po’e and place on a serving dish or on individual plates.
Pass around remaining coconut cream and sugar for diners to spoon
over.
Serve warm.

This bread is a French-Tahitian hybrid. Serve for breakfast with mango, guava,
or coconut jam.
2 TBS yeast
2 cups flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar, heaping
butter for greasing baking pan
flour for dusting baking pan
In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast and 1 TBS flour into warm water; set
aside for 10 minutes until frothy.
In a food processor, blend salt, sugar, yeast mixture, and the remaining
flour. Slowly add the coconut milk until well mixed. The dough will
be quite runny.
Transfer dough to a lightly buttered bowl; cover with a clean, damp
towel and let rest for 4 hours in a warm place.
Place dough into a buttered and floured 9 × 13 × 2 inch baking pan.
Let rise for 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until it tests done.
Unmold and allow to cool.

Since the nineteenth century, salt (and later corned) beef has been an exotic
foreign addition to the cuisines of many Polynesian and Southeast Asian
societies. Canned corned beef is now a regular item in the cuisine.
1 1/2 pounds young taro leaves (or substitute 1 small white cabbage),
stalks and ribs removed, and sliced finely
14-ounce can corned beef
3 TBS oil
1 large red or yellow onion, minced
3–4 TBS tomato puree, optional
1/2 cup water
Blanch the taro leaves in plenty of boiling water. Drain and lay aside.
Open the can, place the corned beef in a bowl, and break up with a
fork.
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Fry onion and
Stir in corned beef and fry for 3–5 minutes. Add tomato puree, water,
and the taro leaves.
Cover the pan, reduce heat, and simmer until the taro leaves are tender,
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with mashed breadfruit
(uru).
Sweet potatoes and coconut cream are a popular combination for sweets and
snacks.
1 pound sweet potatoes

1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise, seeds extracted, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
sugar to taste
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk at room temperature
Wash the sweet potatoes and bake at 350°F in the oven, or boil in
plenty of water until well cooked (35 minutes). A faster way of
cooking is to place the sweet potatoes in a microwaveable bowl with
cover. Microwave at full power for 2–4 minutes, check for doneness
with a skewer: potatoes are done if the skewer pierces through easily.
Peel, then mash sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl together with
the vanilla and salt.
Whisk in the coconut cream, a little at a time, to get a smooth puree.
Taste, and add sugar, as desired. The sweet potatoes may be
sufficiently sweet without any added sugar.
Chill in individual bowls and serve.
Taiwan
Located east of mainland China, Taiwan has a thriving modern economy. It was
occupied by Japan from 1895 to 1945 and in 1949 saw the migration of two
million nationalist Chinese from mainland China. Although subtropical in the
lowlands, the northern mountains are cool in summer and snowy in winter. The
original Taiwanese comprised several Austronesian ethnic groups, who are now
a small minority. The current population is largely made up of Hakka,
Fukienese, and other Chinese ethnic groups who have migrated since the
seventeenth century. Taiwanese cuisine reflects the influence of these various
groups and preserves classic cooking lost in the mainland, combined and
developed with local foods. There is also a strong Japanese influence due to
years of Japanese occupation, long business ties, and geographical proximity.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, soybean products.
• Pork, lamb, beef; duck, chicken, other poultry; many kinds of fish
(flying fish for aboriginal Taiwanese), seafood (clams, oysters, shrimp,
sea cucumber, jelly fish), snails, frogs.
• Western and Chinese cabbage, flowering broccoli, cauliflower,
various greens, corn, bamboo shoot, bean sprouts, mushrooms, wild
fungus, water chestnut, pickled vegetables (especially mustard tuber,
za tsai).
• Pineapple, melon, Asian pear, papaya, various tropical fruits,
strawberry, citrus; also imported fruits (apples, peaches, grapes).
• Seasoning: soy sauce, sesame oil, dried or fermented shrimp/fish,
oyster sauce, fermented beans and bean paste, Taiwanese basil (called
nine-story tower, widely used), ginger, green onions, garlic, star anise,
Sichuan pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Poultry: boiled salted duck, roast duck, marinated duck smoked over
tea leaves, chicken stewed in Chinese herbs, “drunken” chicken
(steamed in wine).
• Meat: beef entrails soup, mutton or lamb stewed with Chinese
angelica, sausages (da chang), meatball-stuffed dumplings (ba wan,
also called rou yuan).
• Hot pots (many types): meat, poultry, fish, bean curd, and vegetables
cooked at the table and dipped in sauce.
• Fish and seafood: Japanese-influenced sushi, sashimi, miso-grilled
fish, tempura (batter-fried fish and seafood); oyster omelet; raw
oysters and clams.
• Rice and noodle dishes: beef noodles in soup; mutton or lamb
noodles; fried noodles with oysters and squid; Hakka-style noodles
with salty pickled vegetables.
• “Stinky” tofu (fermented and fried bean curd).
STYLES OF EATING
• Eating follows the Chinese standard: individual bowls of rice, eaten
with chopsticks, and several communally shared side dishes from
which diners help themselves with their own chopsticks.
• In general, side dishes for home eating preferably should include one
dish of cooked or pickled vegetables, one of meat or poultry, and one
of fish or seafood, each prepared in a different method (fried, stewed,
steamed, or roasted). Banquets have a large number and variety of side
dishes, often including several kinds of soup.
Taiwanese traditional snack of stinky tofu. (Chiayiwangworks/Dreamstime.com)
• Breakfast: rice and sweet potato porridge (congee) eaten with

Chinese sausage, Japanese-style radish pickle (takuan), or salted duck
egg; sandwiches (ham and cucumber, fried egg); tea, coffee.
• Lunch: rice, side dishes of poultry or fish and vegetables; noodles or
other snack foods (steamed dumplings); fresh fruit or sweet.
• Dinner: rice, side dishes of soup, meat, poultry or fish, and
vegetables, of varied cooking styles; fresh fruit or sweet.
• Snacks (from street stalls, small diners, specialized eateries,
international fast-food chains in cities): savory or sweet dumplings
(dim sum) with tea; noodles with or without soup; gratin (baked
noodles or rice with meat or vegetables topped with cheese); Japanese-
influenced flavored shaved ice with sweet bean and fruit toppings;
American fast foods (hot dog, hamburger); Italian pizza, pasta;
aboriginal millet cake; pineapple-based pastries.
• Dessert: sliced fresh mango (or strawberries in season) or grass jelly
on sweetened shaved ice; sweet bean soup (tian tang) with dumplings
or dried longans; bean jelly and soft-boiled peanuts in syrup.
• Drinks: locally grown tea; Hakka tea (leicha: ground popped rice and
nuts in tea); locally brewed beer; papaya, star fruit, and other tropical
fruit juices and milkshakes; rice and fruit wines (especially sour plum);
liquor (from millet, sorghum, and other grains); bubble tea (sweet,
cold tea with tapioca balls and fruit flavorings).

Although beef is not widely eaten—especially in Taiwan’s rural communities, as
cows are working animals—this soup is one of the common foods and is almost
a complete meal in itself, with a good serving of meat to complement the
noodles. Originating from a northern Chinese dish of wheat noodles and clear
beef broth, the most commonly served is the peppery-hot Sichuan style with a
dark brown broth, though most young Taiwanese prefer it less fiery. This soup
can be found everywhere: at street stalls or night markets. When served in
elegant hotels and restaurants, the beef is often prime tenderloin. This dish is
also a specialty of some Chinese Moslem restaurants who pride themselves on
their choice of good-tasting, free-range beef. The beef used for this dish must not
have been frozen beforehand.
5 cups water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup Chinese rice wine or medium-dry sherry (optional)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, crushed
10 stalks green onions, white parts smashed with the flat side of a large
knife and green parts chopped
10 fresh cilantro stems plus 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
sprigs (with leaves)
2 pieces Asian dried tangerine peel, 2 inches long (available from
stores that sell Chinese foods or substitute a strip of orange or other
citrus rind)
4 whole star anise
1/4 tsp dried, hot red pepper flakes
2 1/2 pounds fresh meaty beef short ribs
1 3/4 cups chicken broth, fat skimmed off
10 ounces dried Chinese wheat noodles or linguine
1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
4 TBS Chinese pickled mustard greens
a 4-inch-long fresh red chili (optional), thinly sliced into rings
cheesecloth
In a 5-quart pot, bring to a boil water, soy sauce, rice wine (if using),
brown sugar, ginger, white parts of green onions, garlic, cilantro
stems, tangerine peel, star anise, and red pepper flakes.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add short ribs; cover and gently simmer until meat is very tender but
not falling apart, about 1 1/2–2 hours. Let meat stand in cooking
liquid, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Discard bones and membranes; cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-
thick slices. Set aside.
Line a sieve with cheesecloth; pour beef broth into a 3-quart saucepan.
Discard solids.
Chill beef broth to solidify fat; skim fat and discard.
Add chicken broth and meat to the beef broth; reheat over low heat.
Meanwhile, cook noodles in a 6-to 8-quart pot of unsalted boiling
water to al dente stage.
Drain noodles; divide among 4 large soup bowls.
Ladle broth over noodles; top with meat, remaining green onions, bean
sprouts, pickled mustard greens, cilantro sprigs, and red chili rings (if
using).
Note: Pickled mustard greens are a common Chinese condiment
available from most stores that sell Chinese foods and have a mild
peppery flavor and crunchy texture.
Hot pot dishes are commonly eaten, especially during the winter. They range
from the very spicy Sichuan type to the less fiery Taiwanese version. The hot pot
is usually cooked at the table, on a traditional charcoal brazier, or in iron or
fireproof ceramic vessels on modern tabletop gas burners. A fondue set is a good
substitute. Various dips of soy sauce and/or thick sesame paste with cilantro are
used for additional flavor to the hot foods before eating. As an appetizer, pickled
vegetables can be eaten while waiting for the broth to boil at the table. Rice is
not normally eaten with this.
3 TBS oil
1/2 pound extra-firm tofu, sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces
1 cup unsmoked bacon, sliced into thin strips
2 leeks, white part only, cut into 2-inch lengths
8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes,
sliced
2 cups fresh spinach, cut into 3-inch lengths
2 cups glass or cellophane noodles, soaked for 30 minutes in water, cut
into 6-inch lengths
Cooking broth
1 cup chicken stock
1 TBS soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp miso
pepper to taste
1/2 TBS sesame oil
Dipping sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
3 TBS rice or white vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
5 stalks fresh cilantro, chopped
Utensils
4 small bowls for sauce
4 small rice bowls or small soup bowls for eating
4 pairs chopsticks
4 chopstick rests (optional)
4 soup spoons (Chinese ceramic ones, preferably)
serving ladle(s) (one perforated, if possible)
Heat a wok at medium heat; add oil.

Lightly brown tofu slices; remove and drain on paper towels.
Next, fry the bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain. (Do not
clean wok; it will be used further.)
At the bottom of your cooking or chafing dish, place leeks in one
layer.
Place tofu over leeks; spread bacon over tofu.
Add mushrooms.
Now prepare the cooking broth. In the wok, bring to a boil chicken
broth, soy sauce, sugar, miso, and pepper.
Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Off the heat, mix in sesame oil. Pour over the ingredients in cooking or
chafing dish.
Arrange spinach and noodles on a plate; bring to the table.
Mix all ingredients for dipping sauce; divide into 4 small bowls; set
before each diner, alongside chopsticks.
Have ready ladle(s) for scooping food from chafing dish.
Light a burner at the table. Set cooking dish on top of burner. When
broth returns to the boil, it is time to eat. Reduce heat so that the broth
just simmers.
Diners transfer to their eating bowl no more than a few items (do not
fill the bowl) with the ladle or their own chopsticks.
Using chopsticks, each diner dips one item into sauce and eats.
Spinach can be added little by little to the simmering broth by each
diner as eating proceeds.
Take spinach as soon as it has wilted: do not overcook.
When all items have been eaten, add noodles to absorb the by-now-
well-flavored broth.
Let noodles cook for 2–3 minutes or until well heated through.
Diners help themselves to noodles.

This simple dish is typical of most Taiwanese home cooking. “Three-cup” refers
to one each of the flavorings used: sesame oil, rice wine, and soy sauce. This
recipe reduces the amounts of these flavorings considerably though still
following the original proportions. The amounts of garlic and ginger must be
followed to give the desired flavor. This is best eaten with plain rice and steamed
or braised vegetables.
1/2 cup sesame oil

4 portions tender, young chicken, backs or legs, chopped (with the
bone) into 2-inch pieces
10 slices ginger
1/2 cup rice wine or mirin (Japanese cooking wine; or substitute water
or chicken broth and 2 TBS sugar, but the taste will not be as good)
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 stalks fresh basil, chopped
Heat 3 TBS sesame oil in a heavy saucepan; put chicken to brown on

all sides, without crowding. Set browned chicken aside.
Add garlic and ginger, frying for 2–3 minutes.
Return chicken to pan; add the remaining sesame oil, rice wine, and
soy sauce. Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to as low as possible; simmer for 20–25 minutes, turning
chicken in the sauce.
Turn off heat; stir in the basil.
Serve hot.

This Taiwanese version of fried rice takes advantage of local pineapples. Serve
this dish with a soup for a light lunch or snack.
5 TBS peanut oil (or other vegetable oil)

1/2 cup Chinese sausage, diced (available from stores that sell Chinese
foods)
1/2 cup sugar pea pods
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced finely
1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned, drained)
4 cups cooked rice (cooked preferably 2–4 hours before)
1/4 cup finely shredded preserved pork (also called pork floss,
available from stores that sell Chinese foods)
3 TBS green onions, chopped, for garnish
Heat a wok over low heat; add 1 TBS oil and fry sausage for about 2–3
minutes. Remove, drain, and set aside.
Increase heat to medium and stir fry pea pods and carrots in the same
oil for about 1–2 minutes. Set aside.
Add remaining oil to wok. Quickly stir fry green onions and garlic
until fragrant.
Add pineapple, sausage, pea pods, and carrots. Stir fry quickly over
high heat.
Add rice; stir thoroughly to mix. Add seasoning to taste.
Remove from heat; pack rice firmly into a small bowl, and unmold on
individual plates.
Sprinkle with shredded pork and green onions.
Serve hot.

Pineapples grow well in Taiwan and are commonly used in cakes and pastries.
The Hokkien (Taiwanese dialect) name for pineapple, ong lai, has the same
sound as “prosperity come,” and thus is another reason why celebrations feature
pineapples in sweets and, as seen in the fried rice recipe above, in savory dishes.
This recipe uses pure pineapple filling, in contrast to commercial fillings, which
are mostly winter or spaghetti melon.
Filling
1 pineapple, not too ripe, about 2 pounds
1 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
1 TBS cornstarch
Peel pineapple, taking care to remove thoroughly all the dark spiny
bits and eyes.
Rinse and chop finely. (Best do this manually: a food processor results
in a stringy puree.)
Drain off as much of the juice as possible (use it for drinking).
Put the chopped pineapple and sugar into a microwaveable container.
Cover with paper towels and microwave on high for about 10 minutes.
Stir the mixture, and microwave for another 10 minutes until very
thick and solidified. This step can also be done on the stove top:
simmer pineapple and sugar in a saucepan until syrup is very thick.
Adjust sugar to taste; stir in cornstarch.
Let cool in a covered container.
Pastry
1 cup plain flour, sifted
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg yolk
In a food processor, blend flour with cornstarch, salt, and sugar.

Add butter and egg yolk; process just until it forms a ball.
With lightly floured hands, take out dough and knead lightly.
On a floured surface, roll out to about 1/8 inch thick.
Using plain, round cookie cutters about 3 inches in diameter, cut out
circles for bottom crusts; use slightly smaller cutters for top crusts. (Or
you may choose to have open tarts.)
Line ungreased muffin tins with crust.
Spoon filling to fill about 2/3 of the crust.
Lay the top crust and crimp, if using. For open tarts, crimp the edges
of the crust with a fork.
Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 15–18 minutes or until a pale
golden brown.
Let tarts cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing them
with a flat spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.

This is a very soft, sweet version of tofu (fresh soy bean curd) commonly eaten
as dessert.
1 tsp gelatin powder

4 cups fresh soy milk
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
Prepare the tofu curd: soak gelatin in soy milk in a saucepan. Whisk
gelatin gently until it dissolves in the soy milk.
Turn on the heat to low and warm the mixture slowly, stirring
constantly to avoid clotting or a skin forming.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat, place in a bowl
and allow to cool thoroughly, then refrigerate.
Prepare the caramel: place the sugar in a sauce pan with 1 cup water
over low heat. Heat carefully without stirring, until mixture thickens
and turns a dark golden brown. Immediately remove from heat. Cool
immediately by placing the pan in the sink (with about an inch of
water) to arrest further cooking, otherwise caramel may scorch.
Be careful of the sputtering hot water and steam from the sink.
When the steaming has stopped, add the remaining cup of water.
Return the pan to the stove and heat over medium heat until the
caramelized sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and chill.
To serve, neatly scoop the curd using a spoon. Alternatively, cut curd
into dice.
Place servings in individual bowls, and surround bean curd with as
much syrup as desired.

Popular all over East Asia, this soup is particularly favored in Taiwan, where it
is supposed to “strengthen the blood.” It can also be eaten over shaved ice as a
summer dessert.
3/4 cup dry red adzuki beans

4 cups water
1/3 cup sugar
Wash the beans well and soak in plenty of cold water overnight.
Drain the beans.
In a sauce pan, bring the water and beans to a boil, then simmer
uncovered until beans are tender, about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Add sugar, stir well, and simmer for 2–3 additional minutes or until
the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add more sugar to taste.
Serve warm in individual bowls in winter.
Pour 1/4 cup cold milk and 1 cup beans over individual bowls of
shaved ice in summer.
Tajikistan
Tajikistan in Central Asia was under intermittent Russian rule beginning in the
1860s and became independent in 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Although semiarid polar conditions prevail in the highest peaks, hot summers
and mild winters in the lowlands enable production of grains, fruits and
vegetables, and livestock on very minimal (5–6 percent) arable land. The
population comprises predominantly Muslim Tajiks, who speak a language
related to Persian, along with Uzbeks, Russians, and other ethnic minorities.
Food in Tajikistan is influenced by Persian, Arab, Mongol, and Turkish culinary
traditions.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: wheat, rice, barley.
• Mutton, goat, chicken, egg, dairy products (yogurt, curd, or white
cheese), freshwater fish, wild game (rabbit, quail).
• Corn, potato, carrot, cabbage, beans, radish, turnip, bell pepper,
eggplant.
• Melon, grapes, apricot, apple, cherry, plum, quince, fig.
• Seasonings: black and red pepper (powdered chili), fenugreek, black
cumin, barberry (used for its sour flavor), sesame seeds, coriander,
herbs (dill, parsley, coriander leaf), yogurt/sour milk.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Persian-influenced rice: one-dish mixture of rice with mutton, dried
fruit, and vegetables (plov, also palov or osh).
• Qurutob, a dish made of liquefied dried cheese, pastry, and fried
vegetables. It is considered the national dish.
• Thick soups or stews of meat and vegetables: mutton with chickpeas

and vegetables (shurpa), meat and peas (nakhudshurak).
• Grilled/roast lamb or mutton, goat (shashlyk).
• Noodle dish: laghmon (also spelled lagmon), the second national dish
—fresh pasta with a sauce of tomatoes and other vegetables (bell
pepper, potato, carrot, cabbage, garlic, radish), topped with sour milk
or yogurt.
• Sweets: shak-shak (honey-glazed fritters stacked into pyramids or
round cakes), pachlava (layers of honey-drenched pastry with nuts),
sumalak (sweet brown porridge of malted, i.e., sprouted, wheat and
nuts eaten on the spring festival Navruz).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three main meals and snacks.
• Breakfast: Salty milk tea with or without butter, flat bread (non),
yogurt or cheese curd.
• Lunch: flat bread, stew of meat and vegetables, salad of tomatoes
and/or cucumbers, fresh fruit or sweet confection.
• Evening meal: pasta with tomato sauce (laghmon); Chinese-
influenced steamed meat-filled dumplings (mantu); fresh fruit or sweet
confection.
• Snacks: baked meat-filled pies or pastries (triangle-or pillow-
shaped), called sambusu or sambusai; fresh fruits and nuts (grapes,
melon, walnuts, almonds).
• Drinks: tea—both red (regular black tea) and green, yogurt-based
drinks, fresh fruit juices, bottled soft drinks, local and imported wine,
vodka. (Tajiks are predominantly Muslim, so alcohol is discouraged.)

The most commonly eaten flat bread is non. It can be plain or flavored with a
sprinkling of nigella, poppy seeds, or onion. These breads are served with every
meal, and are used to bring food to the mouth or for dipping into sauces. Non are
of various shapes and sizes, ranging from the standard 6–8 inches with rounded
rims, the centers stamped with various designs, to huge plate-sized chaputti, now
only made in rural areas. These breads are best eaten fresh, as they become dry
very quickly. Dry non are often dunked in or crumbled into hot tea to refresh
them. To make them keep longer, sometimes oil is brushed over the surface once
they are taken out of the clay oven (tanur).
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm (not hot) water
1 TBS dry yeast
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup water
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 TBS salt
2 cups unbleached flour
4 TBS shallots, chopped finely
1 tsp salt
Dissolve sugar in warm water. Add yeast and stir. Allow to rest 10
minutes until frothy.
In a pot, heat yogurt and water to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
Stir yogurt mixture into yeast mixture.
Add whole-wheat flour a cup at a time, stirring in one direction only.
Stir for 1 minute to activate the gluten. Let this spongy mixture stand,
covered, for 1 hour.
Sprinkle 1 TBS salt over sponge.
Stir in unbleached flour a cup at a time, until dough is too stiff to stir.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 10 minutes or until
smooth and elastic.
Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl; cover with a damp towel. Let
rise in a draft-free place until doubled in volume (about 2 hours).
Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface.
Divide into 8 equal pieces.
Roll each piece out to a 6-inch circle.
Using the bottom of a small glass, stamp a 2-inch-diameter circle at
the center of the disk, without piercing it.
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp shallots, a pinch of salt, and a little water into the
circle thus formed. Transfer 2–3 prepared disks to lightly oiled cookie
sheets.
Bake for approximately 5 minutes or until light golden.
Remove from oven; cool on a rack.
Stack and wrap loosely in a kitchen towel.
Repeat for remaining dough.
Eat warm.

Plov is the national dish, prepared for weddings and other special occasions and
on the eve before Friday (the Muslim sabbath), that is, for supper on Thursday.
Although it is a rice dish, to be properly regarded as plov, it must have lamb or
mutton. The other requirements are carrots and onions. Raisins or other dried
fruits such as quinces, figs, or apricots, as well as peas, chicken, fish, eggs, and
nuts may be added according to personal or regional taste. Plov is a communal
dish, and a platter is shared among several people. It is always eaten with the
hands. Communal eating etiquette demands that the diners only take rice and
meat from the portion directly in front of them: helping oneself to choice bits all
over the platter is frowned upon.
The oil used to prepare plov is traditionally mutton fat, although cotton
oil, a major byproduct of Tajikistan’s most significant agricultural
crop, is now commonly used. By tradition, women prepare plov for
family meals; however, specialist male plov chefs prepare the huge
quantities needed for hundreds of guests at weddings and feasts. Serve
plov with a salad of chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with a yogurt
and herb dressing and flat bread. Green or black tea is drunk after
eating.
1/2 cup vegetable oil or liquid mutton fat

2 pounds mutton or lamb ribs with bone, or 1 1/2 pounds boneless
mutton or lamb, cubed (or beef short ribs or chicken legs)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thick strips
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
In a large heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

Stir in onions and meat, frying for about 3–4 minutes until onions are
softened.
Add carrots, salt, and cumin; fry for about 5 minutes.
Gently, to avoid oil spatters, add boiling water.
Add rice and stir; let boil for 20 minutes, uncovered.
Stir rice, scraping the bottom thoroughly and mixing well; level the
surface.
Turn down heat to lowest possible; add raisins on the surface of the
rice.
Cook until done, about 10 minutes.
Turn off heat; cover well and leave rice to rest for 10–15 minutes.
Mix rice well then mound up on a big serving plate.
Arrange pieces of meat on the surface of the rice, placing meat with
bones (if using) upright on the rice.
This dish is sometimes considered the national dish of Tajikistan. It could be
thought of as a Tajik version of pasta salad. It is based on a flaky flat “bread”
consisting of baked spiraled wheat noodles, called fatir or patyr ravghani,
moistened with a cheese dressing and topped with fried and fresh onions,
tomatoes, herbs, and other vegetables. The cheese dressing is made with qurut
(also spelled kurt), a dried, white, hard cheese common throughout Central Asia,
dissolved in water. A thick natural-flavored yoghurt is sometimes used as a
substitute. The dish is eaten communally, that is, served in a huge ceramic bowl,
surrounded by diners, who eat from the central bowl with the fingers of their
right hands only.
Dough for fatir or patyr ravghani (flaky noodle “bread”)

• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1–1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup melted butter
Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Slowly add water, whisking
constantly, until you form a soft dough. Add a bit more water, if
necessary to achieve this consistency.
Knead well until smooth and elastic. Divide in half, roll into balls, and
allow the dough to rest, well wrapped, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Roll out one ball on a lightly floured surface about 1/8 inch thick or
less. Cover the other dough ball with a clean kitchen towel to prevent
drying.
With a pastry brush, paint the dough liberally with the melted butter.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour a baking sheet.
Prepare a pastry “snail”: cut dough into long 1-inch-wide strips.
Using a wooden chopstick or metal skewer as a “spool,” roll one strip
tightly around it to make the first small snail.
Place this snail at one end of another dough strip, and wind that tightly
around the first snail, making a larger snail.
Proceed winding the rest of the other dough strips in a similar manner,
until you have made a very large spiral of dough strips. If it becomes
too large and unwieldy, make 2 smaller spirals.
Lay the snail on the prepared baking sheet, with the spiral facing
upward. Release the chopstick without disturbing the spiral.
With a lightly floured rolling pin or palms, gently flatten the spiral
from the center moving outward. Do not flatten completely, as the
individual spirals will be released after baking. The result is a large
dough circle with a spiral pattern; brush with more butter.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.
Repeat the procedure for the second dough ball.
While the noodle spirals are baking, prepare the dressing.
Qurutob dressing
The dressing consists of cheese (qurut) diluted in water (ob) and
vegetables (fried and fresh onions, vegetables, and herbs). Prepare the
vegetables first.
Vegetable garnish
1 sweet (red) onion, chopped or finely sliced, soaked in cold water for
15 minutes and drained, or 1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped
4 fresh ripe medium tomatoes, sliced or diced
1 cup mixed chopped flat-leaf parsley and cilantro
Sliced bell pepper, sliced champignon mushrooms, or any other fresh
vegetables of your choice
Qurut sauce
Qurut is unlikely to be easily available, so an acceptable substitute is a
yogurt sauce with some blue (or similar veined) cheese and an aged
cheese like parmesan, to approximate the taste and, more important,
scent of qurut. However, should you be fortunate enough to source
some qurut (a similar dried strong and aged cheese might be available
in stores that sell Middle Eastern Turkish or Tibetan/Mongolian
foods), the procedure follows.
1 cup qurut (dried cheese) balls, crumbled
1 or more cups hot water
Place qurut pieces into hot water and melt over very low heat, stirring
continuously. The result should resemble fairly thick cream.
Remove from heat and reserve. If too thick, add a bit more hot water.
Keep warm.
Yogurt sauce
1 1/2 cups thick, plain unflavored Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup any blue or similar strong-smelling cheese, crumbled
2 TBS any aged hard cheese, such as Parmesan, grated
1/4 cup water
salt to taste
Place yogurt in a saucepan with water. Simmer over low heat, stirring
constantly to avoid lumps, until warmed through. Stir in blue cheese
and parmesan. Taste, and add salt if needed.
Fried onions
3–5 TBS oil
2 onions, chopped finely or sliced into fine rings
salt to taste
Heat oil, stir in onions and salt, and fry until light golden throughout.
Add more oil, if needed.
Keep hot.
Assembly
Unravel the spiraled noodles from the “bread” and cut or break them
into smaller pieces. Place noodles in a large shallow bowl with sloping
sides or a flat serving plate (a woklike ceramic bowl is traditionally
used).
Immediately pour the hot qurutob (yogurt sauce) onto the noodles.
Follow with the hot fried onions including their oil. The oil should be
so hot that it will sizzle upon hitting the dressing.
Neatly lay the fresh onions and arrange the other vegetable garnishes
on top.
Eat with the right hand, everyone eating from the central bowl or plate
or helping themselves from it to smaller, individual bowls.

This is a dish often made for an evening meal and served accompanied by flat
bread. The green herb and yogurt sauce is a frequent addition to other dishes,
such as steamed dumplings (mantu).
2 TBS oil
2 pounds ground mutton or beef
2 onions, chopped
2 turnips, peeled and chopped
5 tomatoes, diced, or 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup rice, washed and drained
1/2 cup boiled potatoes, mashed
1/2 tsp cumin or coriander
Green herb and yogurt sauce

1 cup yogurt
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1 TBS vegetable oil
black or red (chili) pepper to taste
salt to taste
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
Add meat; fry until the meat changes color.
Stir in onions, carrots, and turnips, frying for 3–5 minutes until onions
are softened. Add more oil if needed.
Stir in tomatoes. Add boiling water, rice, mashed potatoes, salt,
pepper, and cumin, stirring well.
Cover and let cook, covered over low heat, for 15–20 minutes or until
rice is done.
Mix all items for green herb and yogurt sauce; stir into stew or place in
a bowl and pass around the table separately.

This tea is the most common drink in the country, consumed at breakfast, after
meals, and at any time during the day.
2 cups water
1 tsp tea leaves
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups milk
1 TBS butter
In a saucepan, bring to a boil the water, tea, and salt.

Reduce heat; add milk. Do not cover.
Heat only until the mixture comes to a boil. Turn heat off at once (or
the mixture will overflow).
Add black pepper or butter as desired.
Distribute tea among 4 cups or mugs.

This dish is commonly eaten for breakfast, washed down with salty milk tea.

1 cup mint, chopped
5 tomatoes, diced
2 cups sour cream
4 pieces freshly baked flat bread (see recipe above, p. 1340), cubed
Place onions in a large bowl. Pour on boiling water and let cool.
Stir in green onions, mint, tomatoes, sour cream, and salt.
Adjust seasoning as desired.
Stir in bread.
Distribute among 4 cereal bowls.
Drizzle a bit of vegetable or olive oil and, if desired, a pinch of chili
pepper.

This dish is often eaten during Ramadan to break the fast in the evening.
1 cup water plus 1 cup sugar for syrup

2 TBS cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1 cup water
4 egg whites, beaten to soft peak stage
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Prepare a sugar syrup by heating sugar and water until sugar dissolves,
then boiling lightly until slightly thickened. Cool.
Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, then heat, stirring constantly.
Add egg whites one or two TBS at a time to the hot cornstarch
mixture. Beat mixture with a whisk until well incorporated before
adding next egg whites.
Keep beating while adding the sugar syrup gradually to the mix.
When the mix has reached soft-peak stage, add rest of ingredients, mix
well.
Nishallo can be eaten on its own, though the traditional method is to
dip pieces of flat bread into the nishallo and eat them.
Halva (Khalvo)
This is a typical sweet made all over the country, especially for Muslim holidays
and feasts. Like other desserts such as shak-shak (fritters glazed with honey),
khalvo is served with green or black tea (see sidebar “Halva”). In a meal, it
would be served as an appetizer or during the meal.
1 cup vegetable oil (Tajiks, however, prefer mutton fat) or melted

butter
1 cup flour
warm sugar syrup (1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup water, heated just until
sugar is completely dissolved)
1–2 cups rose water
1 cup pistachios, finely chopped
1 cup almonds, finely chopped
In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat until hazy.
Stir in flour; reduce heat and keep stirring continuously until the flour
turns golden, thickens, and begins to give off a fragrant aroma.
Turn off heat and let flour cool slightly.
Meanwhile, mix warm sugar syrup and 1 cup rose water.
Add to flour, adding remaining rose water if not enough to bind the
flour.
The resulting mixture must hold its shape if compressed. If not, cook
over low heat for 2–3 minutes, taking care not to burn the mixture.
Press mixture into an 8 × 8 inch baking pan.
Scatter the chopped pistachios and almonds on top. Let cool
completely.
Cut into squares or diamonds and serve.
HALVA
In the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the Near East, notably Turkey,
Iran, Greece, and the Levant, halva refers usually to a crisp, flaky
confection made of ground sesame paste (tahina) cooked in sugar.
Pistachios, chocolate, or other foods may be added. It is commonly served
in Turkey at memorial feasts to the dead. In Sufi (a widespread mystic sect
of Islam) thought, halva represents the knowledge, love, and bounty of
God, and sharing halva has religious implications. Halva was introduced to
the United States by Jewish immigrants and was, for a time, considered a
quintessentially “Jewish” food. In southern India, halva, or alvaa, refers to
a sweetmeat made from semolina and dried fruit or grated carrots, drenched
in syrup.
Tanzania
Tanzania is an East African country that lies on the Indian Ocean. A German
colony beginning in the 1880s, it became a British trust territory in 1919 and
remained so until independence in 1961 (in 1964, Zanzibar [see separate entry]
merged with Tanganyika to become Tanzania). The hot and humid coastal plain
with cool inland plateau and high mountains (the most famous is the snow-
covered Mount Kilimanjaro) favor the raising of coffee, fruits, vegetables, and
livestock. Tanzanians comprise 140-odd tribal groups, divided roughly among
those of Bantu and those of Nilotic (e.g., the Maasai) origin; there is a minority
of East Indians and smaller minorities of Europeans and Arabs. Tanzanian
cuisine is spicy and shows influences of East Indian cooking in the use of curry
powder, and Kenyan influence in grilling meat.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: maize, cassava, plantain, yam, millet, sorghum.
• Goat, beef, chicken, duck, fish, eggs.
• Potato (white and sweet), beans and other legumes, cabbage, green
vegetables (leaves of cassava, amaranth, spinach).
• Banana, papaya, mango, avocado, cashew nuts.
• Seasonings: onion, chili pepper, curry powder, coconut milk.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Staple is ugali, a stiff porridge made of maize, cassava, millet, or
sorghum (depending on locality).
• Curried stews of beans or peas, usually with chilies.
• Vegetable stews with coconut milk, with or without meat or fish.
• Grilled meats (nyama choma, influenced by neighboring Kenya):

usually goat, nyama n’gombe (beef), nyama kuku (chicken, more
popular with tourists).
• Rice and beans.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two to three meals and snacks daily.
• Most people in traditional households dine on the floor on a mat,
sharing a central dish of ugali with side dishes into which the ugali is
dipped. Alternatively, each diner will have a bowl of ugali flavored
with a sauce or stew, eaten with a spoon or fingers. If eaten with the
fingers, ugali is rolled into a ball with the three fingers of the right
hand, dipped into the sauce, and then conveyed to the mouth.
• Daily meals comprise ugali eaten with a sauce or stew, commonly of
vegetables, less commonly (because expensive) of meats. Or rice and
beans.
• Breakfast: ugali and sauce, or rice and beans, banana, sweet milky
tea (chai); urban—bread, hard-boiled egg, chai.
• Tea breaks at midmorning and mid-afternoon consist of sweet milky
tea, fresh fruit (banana usually), perhaps a hard-boiled egg.
Plantain and banana.
• Lunch: rice or ugali, beans, cooked cabbage or other green vegetable

(spinach, cassava leaves), fresh banana. Occasionally meat.
• Dinner: rice or ugali, beans, cooked green vegetable, fresh orange or
papaya. Occasionally meat.
• Dessert: most frequently, fresh fruit.
• Snacks (sold on streets or homemade): sweet fritters (mandazi), hard-
boiled egg, grilled corn on the cob, French fries (here called “chipped
potatoes”), fresh fruit (papaya, banana, or mango), grilled meats.
• Drinks: fruit squash (syrup), sweet avocado drink, sweet milky tea
(chai maziwa), carbonated bottled drinks, local Western-type beer,
homebrewed banana beer, gin (konyagi), and in some regions,
fermented juice (pombe).

These pancakes are accompaniments for meat stews or grilled meats. They are
sometimes served for breakfast.
2 tsp yeast
1 TBS sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup rice flour
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cardamom powder, or seeds of 3 cardamom pods, crushed
2 cups coconut milk
oil for frying
confectioners’ or ordinary sugar for dusting
Stir yeast and sugar into warm water; keep in a warm place until
frothy, for about 10 minutes.
In a food processor or large bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients,
except the oil.
Add yeast mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add more water as necessary to achieve the consistency of thick
cream.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat; lightly brush with oil.
Pour in half a cup of batter.
Cook on one side until bubbles rise. Flip over and cook until golden on
both sides.
Serve hot or cold.
For breakfast dust with a bit of sugar if desired.

This vegetable dish is eaten with cornmeal porridge (ugali) or rice, almost daily.
It may be accompanied by chapatti, boiled bananas, or cassava for lunch or
supper. Occasionally, the dish may have a bit of meat added.
1 pound dried pigeon peas (or black-eyed peas, cowpeas, navy beans),
cleaned, soaked overnight, and drained (substitute 2 16-ounce cans any
beans)
2 cups coconut milk
water as needed
2 TBS oil
2 onions, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned
salt to taste
Combine peas with just enough water to cover in a large pot.

Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat.
Simmer until the peas are almost tender and most of the water is
absorbed, about 20 minutes. (Omit above steps if using canned beans.)
Stir in 1/2 cup coconut milk.
Continue to simmer (add more water as necessary to ensure sauce is
liquid).
Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Fry the onions and bell pepper until softened.
Stir in spices and salt; fry for 1 minute.
Stir spice mixture into peas with liquid; continue to simmer until peas
are tender (add water as necessary so peas do not dry out, but liquid is
gradually absorbed).
Stir in remaining coconut milk; simmer on lowest possible heat for 5–
10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve at once.

These bananas are served as a side dish with any main course, but particularly
with roast or grilled meats.
8 green bananas or plantains, peeled and cut into disks

2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup coconut milk
2 TBS butter
1/2 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until bananas are
tender.
Serve hot.

This curry is commonly made along the coast and on neighboring Zanzibar. The
coconut milk reflects a South Asian (Indian) influence. This is served as a main
dish for lunch or supper.
2 pounds firm fish, cleaned, whole or fillet (porgy, snapper, or similar)

4 TBS flour seasoned with 1/2 tsp salt
oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS curry powder
2 TBS tomato paste
1 or 2 red chilies (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups coconut milk
1/4 cup water
Clean and rinse fish; make two slashes on the thickest part of the body
if using whole fish. Wipe dry.
Dust fish with seasoned flour.
Heat enough oil in a wide saucepan to shallow-fry the fish.
Fry until golden brown on both sides. Set aside and keep warm.
Take out all but a thin film of oil; fry onion until softened.
Stir in garlic; fry for 1 minute.
Stir in curry powder, tomato paste, chilies, and lemon juice. Cook for
1–2 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk and water; slowly bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; add fish.
Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, carefully turning fish halfway, until
sauce is thick and fish is heated through. (Stir occasionally so that
sauce does not stick.)
Serve hot with boiled or fried rice.

Boko-boko is an East African variant of harees, an Arab dish. It is most popular
among Swahili people of Arab ancestry. Serve for dinner with a vegetable side
dish. The original dish is made with boneless pieces of mutton or lamb.
3 cups bulgur (cracked wheat)

6 cups (or more) water to cover bulgur
8 chicken legs including thighs (or about 1 pound mutton, cut in
cubes)
10 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup crisp fried onions (available at stores that sell Asian or Indian
foods)
Rinse bulgur, place in a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 3
hours or overnight. Drain.
Put chicken with water in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Skim
froth.
Reduce heat; add spices, salt, and pepper; cover and let simmer for 30
minutes.
Turn off heat.
Remove bones from meat, shred meat finely and return to pan; discard
bones.
Stir in bulgur, cover tightly (adding a weight to cover if necessary),
and reduce heat to lowest possible.
Cook for 2 hours. The bulgur should be tender; if not, add a cup of
boiling water and continue cooking until bulgur is completely tender.
Stir thoroughly; taste and adjust seasoning.
Cover tightly and simmer for another 15–20 minutes.
Stir in ghee thoroughly with a wooden spoon to make a smooth
porridge.
Sprinkle lemon juice over boko-boko.
Garnish with fried onions.

This stew is a main dish for dinner. Serve with ugali and boiled cassava.

1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, and minced (optional)
2 TBS cooking oil
2 pounds stewing beef, cubed (or 3 pounds short ribs)
4 cups beef stock (or 4 bouillon cubes dissolved in 4 cups hot water)
4 almost-ripe plantains or semiripe bananas, peeled and chunked
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
2 onions, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
Mix garlic and chili into a paste and rub onto the meat. Marinate for 1
hour or more, refrigerated.
Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven; brown the meat thoroughly on
all sides.
Add stock, cover, and reduce heat.
Simmer for 40–50 minutes or until meat is tender. Replenish water if
needed.
Add plantains, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes.
Continue to simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.
Remove meat, discard bones (if using ribs), and cut up or shred into
small pieces; season with salt, pepper, and coconut milk.
Keep warm until ready to serve.
Mash vegetables well or leave as is, if preferred, and correct
seasoning.
Serve hot.

This dish is usually made with green lentils, but red lentils make a prettier dish.
Serve with any curry dish, especially fish or seafood.
2 1/2 cups red or green lentils

4 cups coconut milk
3 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
Soak lentils overnight in enough water to cover.

Rinse and drain.
Blend lentils with rice in a heavy saucepan with a well-fitting lid.
Stir in thoroughly 3 cups coconut milk, water, and salt.
Cover and slowly bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to lowest possible; cover well and simmer until all the
liquid is absorbed and lentils and rice are tender, for about 15–20
minutes.
Stir in remaining coconut milk; let simmer for another 2–3 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Keep warm in a low oven for 15–20 minutes before serving.

This dish reflects the East Indian influence in Tanzanian cuisine with the use of
spices such as cloves and cinnamon together with coconut cream.
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped coarsely
1/2 tsp cinnamon
salt to taste
1 cup water
1 pound squash, peeled, sliced into large dice
1/2 pound yam, peeled, sliced into large dice
1 cup coconut cream
hot chili pepper flakes or powder (optional)
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir fry onions until soft.
Add cloves, cinnamon, salt, and stir until fragrant (approximately 1
minute).
Add water, squash, and yams.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to lowest possible and simmer covered for
15–20 minutes or until vegetables are firm-tender.
Stir in coconut cream.
Uncover the pan, and continue simmering until vegetables are soft and
sauce is thick.
Stir occasionally to ensure vegetables and coconut cream are not
sticking to the pan.
Adjust seasoning and add chili if desired.
Serve hot with ugali and a meat dish.

Kachumbali is a relish often served with barbecued meat as well as fish dishes.
Add a few (or more) drops chili sauce or 1 minced green chili pepper for an
authentic spiciness.
2 red onions, finely chopped

4 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into julienne strips
1 carrot, sliced into julienne strips
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced into julienne strips
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a covered container.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Serve with any savory dish.

These sweet beans can be eaten as a snack or as part of a meal. You may
substitute sweet prepared beans in cans or bottles, or red adzuki or white beans
available from health food stores and stores that sell Asian foods, for
convenience. The original recipe calls for 1 fresh minced chili. Serve this with
chapatti or other flat bread.
2 cups dry red beans or kidney beans, soaked in water overnight (or
canned beans)
4 cups water
2 cups coconut milk
2–4 TBS sugar (omit if using presweetened beans)
pinch of salt
Rinse and drain soaked beans; discard water.

Bring to a boil with 4 cups water in a large pot.
Reduce heat; simmer until beans are nearly tender. (Omit the above
steps if using canned beans.)
Add coconut milk, sugar, cardamom, and salt.
Cover and simmer until tender but not mushy, stirring occasionally.
Serve warm or cold.

These balls reflect an Indian influence as they resemble gulab jamun, a popular
Indian sweet. Serve these with milk tea for a snack or dessert.
2 cups flour
1/4 cup unflavored yogurt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup milk
oil for deep frying
In a food processor, mix all the ingredients just until the dough comes
together.
Let dough rest, covered, refrigerated for 30 minutes.
Slowly heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy frying pan.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
Slide a few into medium-hot oil, then reduce heat so that balls do not
brown too quickly.
Fry balls until golden brown, turning them to cook evenly.
Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
Drop into cool syrup.
Place in individual bowls or on a large plate with the syrup.
Syrup
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
Heat sugar and water over medium heat until sugar is completely
dissolved.
Let cool; stir in vanilla.
Fruit Pudding
Fresh fruits and their juices are often preferred for dessert or snacks.
5 TBS cornstarch
1/2 cup water
5 TBS lemon juice
4 cups any tropical fruit juice (guava, papaya, pineapple juice, or
banana nectar).
pinch salt
sugar to taste
To serve: 2 ripe bananas, sliced into coins, drizzled with 2 TBS lemon
juice to prevent browning; or 2 ripe guavas, or star fruit (carambola)
sliced crosswise.
1 cup whipped cream or 4 scoops of vanilla ice cream
Dissolve cornstarch in water and lemon juice in a nonaluminum

(nonreactive) sauce pan.
Mix in chosen juice and salt, and gently simmer over low heat, stirring
constantly until thickened, about 5–8 minutes.
Add sugar to taste.
Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature, transfer to a pitcher
or other container, and refrigerate.
Serve in individual bowls garnished with sliced fruits and whipped
cream or ice cream if desired.
Thailand
Since the thirteenth century, Thailand has been a unified kingdom and single
culture. Historically it has been greatly influenced by China and India. Although
some provinces were lost to British rule, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian
country not to have been colonized by Europe. Only 30 percent of the land,
mostly in the central area, is arable; the rest is mountainous. With a tropical
climate, rice, fruit, vegetables, and livestock are raised.
Thailand’s population is predominantly ethnic Thai and Lao, with minority
Chinese, Malays, indigenous hill tribes, and Vietnamese refugees. Most Thais
are Buddhists, who profess to eating little meat. Thai Muslims (mostly living in
the south) refrain from pork and alcohol. There are also Sikhs and Hindus, who
adhere to their own food proscriptions.
Thai cuisine combines Chinese and Indian influences and is spicy, hot, and
herbal. Cuisines differ according to region and ethnic group: the northern region
is Lao influenced, the southern is more fiercely hot, and the central is influenced
by royal court taste (a blending of hot, sweet, savory, salty, and bitter flavors)
and an aesthetic style of decoratively carved vegetables and fruits. The central
region’s cooking also borrows ideas from the rest of the country.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, fish sauce, fish and seafood, vegetables.
• Pork (not for Muslims), beef, preserved meats (salted meat,
sausages), wild game, fish, seafood, chicken, duck, eggs.
• Bamboo shoot, eggplant, bitter melon, water spinach, bean sprouts,
winged bean, baby corn, mushrooms, green vegetables.
• Mango, papaya, banana, exotic tropical fruit (lychee, rambutan,
durian, jackfruit).
• Seasonings: curry spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin, basil etc.), fish
sauce, Thai basil, cilantro, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaf, ginger.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Curries of chicken, beef, or fish and seafood: green, red, yellow, or
Massaman (Muslim).
• Sour and spicy soups of seafood, fish, or chicken.
• Noodles with or without soup, with chicken, seafood, soybean curd,
and vegetables: pad thai, kao soi, guaitiao.
• Malay-influenced skewered grilled meat (satay).
• Marinated and grilled chicken (gai yang).
• Fresh vegetable dishes: Lao-influenced sour salad with meat (larb),
unripe papaya salad.
• A wide range of traditional sweets (khanom wan Thai) eaten as
snacks and for festivals. Some khanom derive from recipes from the
fourteenth century and are deeply influenced by Buddhism.
• Drinks: fruit juices, iced condensed milk with red fruit syrup (num
yen), pandanus and other fruit-flavored drinks, coconut water, basil
seed drink, locally brewed beer, bottled soft drinks, iced tea, coffee.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three (often more) meals and snacks daily.
• Northern meals are eaten from individual trays, glutinous rice in a
basket and side dishes in small bowls around it.
• Central Thai family meals were traditionally shared from a central
plate. Nowadays, individual place settings with spoons and forks are
common. The spoon conveys food to the mouth; the fork pushes food
onto the spoon.
• Breakfast: rice soup (congee), fried dough stick. Coffee or tea.
• Lunch: noodles, one-dish meal of chicken curry and rice or fried
meat and rice.
• Dinner: Central Thai—rice, sour spicy soup (tom yam goong), fried
or roast meat, curried vegetable, steamed shrimps, water to drink.
North—glutinous or sticky rice; chili soup; grilled pork, beef, or
chicken; steamed vegetables with savory flavoring, that is, no sweet or
sour tastes. Seafood not commonly eaten because of the distance from
the sea. Water to drink.
• Snacks (mostly eaten at street or hawker stalls or bought to take
home): savory pancakes (khanom buang) stuffed with various fillings
such as coconut and dried shrimp, coconut mini-cupcakes (khanom
krok), noodles, sweet rice cakes, savory steamed fish in banana leaf
(hor mok), fresh ripe or unripe fruit (the latter eaten with fish sauce
and chili pepper).
• There are many types of eating venues, from street hawkers to
elegant restaurants.

The traditional way of making curry is by pounding thoroughly all the spices and
herbs together in a mortar and pestle. Most families today use commercial
yellow curry paste to shorten this process. This dish is served with rice for a one-
dish midday meal, or with vegetables and other side dishes for dinner.
2 cups coconut milk

2 TBS Thai yellow curry paste (available from stores that sell Asian
foods)
4 portions chicken thighs and legs (about 3 pounds) or quarters
4 TBS fish sauce (nampla)
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
4 TBS roasted, skinned, ground peanuts
5–7 stalks Thai basil
1/2 tsp ground red chili pepper (or to taste)
In a heavy, covered saucepan, bring the coconut milk to a boil over

medium heat.
Stir in the curry paste, mixing well.
Add chicken and potatoes; cover the pan.
When the mixture returns to a boil, add stock, fish sauce, sugar, and
salt.
Simmer for 30–40 minutes until chicken and potatoes are tender.
Ten minutes before the end of cooking, add bell peppers, peanuts,
basil, and chili.

This dish is from northern Thailand, where Chinese (use of noodles and
chopsticks) and other non-Thai influences are strong. A snack or light lunch
dish, this is usually eaten using chopsticks and has become popular throughout
the country.
2 cups coconut milk

2 TBS phom kari (Thai yellow curry powder, available from stores
that sell Asian foods, or substitute ordinary curry powder)
2 TBS red curry paste (if not available, substitute yellow curry powder
plus 2 tsp paprika)
3 TBS chopped garlic
4 cups stock
5 TBS nampla (fish sauce)
pinch of sugar
1 pound ground pork
3 quarts water
2 pounds fresh bamee noodles (These are medium flat yellow egg
noodles, available at stores that sell Asian foods. If fresh is
unavailable, soak 4 portions of dried egg noodles [4 ounces each] in
water for 15 minutes. Drain.)
juice of 1 lime
Garnish
4 TBS green onions
5 shallots or 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 TBS Thai pickled cabbage (phak kaat dong; or substitute Chinese
pickled mustard leaves, otherwise omit)
1 lime, cut into wedges
Prepare the sauce: in a heavy saucepan, mix coconut milk and curry
pastes over medium heat; cook until fragrant, and oil separates, stirring
frequently.
Stir in garlic and increase heat to high.
Stir in stock, turmeric, fish sauce, and sugar; cook until sauce thickens
slightly.
Stir in pork and cook thoroughly; adjust seasoning and keep hot.
Prepare the noodles: put water to boil in a large pot.
Put 1 portion of noodles (1/4 pound) in a strainer or colander.
Into boiling water, dip noodles for 10 seconds (until thoroughly heated
through), drain well, and transfer to a deep soup bowl. Dried noodles
may need more time for cooking till al dente.
Repeat for remaining noodles.
Pour sauce over noodles.
Add garnishes as desired; squeeze lime juice into sauce and eat.

This is a classic dish that brings together the characteristic herbal flavors of Thai
cooking. Although customarily served at the same time as other dishes with rice
for an evening meal, this can also be served as a soup on its own.
6 cups water
3-inch-knob galangal (a ginger relative; if not available, substitute
ginger)
1 TBS nam prik pao (dipping sauce, a mix of chilies and fermented
shrimp, available from stores that sell Asian foods; omit if
unavailable)
1/2 cup tamarind flesh (available in block form from stores that sell
Asian foods), diced
3 stalks lemon grass, sliced into 3-inch pieces and pounded, coarse
leaves discarded
1 tomato, sliced into wedges
8 large champignon mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1/2 pound fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice from 2 limes
5 TBS nampla (fish sauce), or to taste
5–7 stalks fresh Thai basil leaves
1/2 tsp ground red chili, or to taste
In a pot, bring to a boil the water, galangal, nam prik pao, tamarind, and
lemon grass.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, then add onion, tomato,
mushrooms, and shrimp.
When the shrimp have turned color (after 2–3 minutes), turn off heat.
Transfer soup to tureen or large serving bowl.
Mix lime juice and fish sauce; stir into soup.
Garnish with basil and green onions.
Season to taste with added fish sauce and red chili.
Serve hot.

Thai cooking uses many varieties of eggplants: there are the usual slender ones,
about 6–8 inches long; round ones the size of cherry tomatoes; and even smaller
ones called makheua phuang, which resemble crunchy garden peas. These tiny
eggplants are rather bitter, so substitute tender garden peas, raw. If you can only
get frozen peas, use them defrosted without further cooking.
The original recipe also calls for yard-long beans (here substituted
with Western green beans) and swamp cabbage or water spinach
(Ipomoea aquatica, for which spinach has been substituted). Stores
selling Asian foods usually stock these vegetables. Serve this together
with a meat dish and rice for dinner.
1 cup coconut milk

1 tsp sugar
1 TBS kaffir lime leaves (or 1 tsp lime rind), shredded
2 TBS red onions, minced
1 TBS green peppercorns or 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup pea-sized Thai eggplants (or fresh, large garden peas; or frozen
peas, defrosted)
1 cup green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths (or yard-long beans)
1 cup mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup spinach, shredded (or water spinach, stalks and leaves, sliced
into 1-inch lengths)
1 cup Chinese cabbage, shredded
1 TBS bird’s-eye chilies, sliced fine (optional)
In a pan over low heat, bring to a simmer coconut milk, sugar, soy
sauce, and lime leaves.
Add onions and pepper; continue to gently simmer for 1–2 minutes
until fragrant.
Add vegetables, and increase heat to medium.
When mixture boils, lower heat and simmer gently until just cooked,
for about 5–7 minutes. (If using yard-long beans and Thai eggplants,
they will need slightly longer cooking time. Add those first and cook
until half-done, about 10–15 minutes.)
If using defrosted frozen peas, stir in only as soon as heat is turned off.
Serve with rice.

The fanciful name of this dessert comes from the color imparted by beetroot.
Other desserts are based on sticky rice or coconut.
1 cup water chestnuts, diced

1 beetroot, chopped and soaked in 2 cups water to obtain color (or 3–4
drops red food dye, dissolved in sufficient water to cover chestnuts)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup jasmine-essence water (available from stores that sell Asian
foods)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 quart or more water for boiling
1 quart very cold water
crushed ice
Soak water chestnuts in beet water or red food coloring.

Meanwhile, make a light syrup by boiling sugar and jasmine essence
water just until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate when it has cooled to
room temperature.
Drain water chestnuts, then dredge in flour, making sure all are well
coated.
Bring a quart of water to a boil; add water chestnuts.
Simmer briskly until they float. Immediately scoop out with slotted
spoon, drain, and plunge into cold water.
Divide water chestnuts among 4 small glass or dessert bowls.
Divide syrup and coconut milk among the 4 dishes.
Add ice and serve at once.

Durian is a pungent-smelling fruit (some new varieties apparently have been
developed which are milder) beloved of many Southeast Asians, especially
Thais. Whole fresh fruits can sometimes be found in season in Asian shops;
however, you would be advised to buy chilled ready-dressed fruit segments
which are easier to deal with. If you cannot find (or are intimidated by) durian,
use two large ripe (preferably Ataulfo, also called Manila) mangoes instead, one
half mango in thick slices per person, which then changes the name of this dish
to Khao Niao Ma Muang.
Sticky rice
1 cup glutinous or sticky rice (available from stores that sell Asian
foods)
water
2 1/4 cups coconut cream
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
8 pieces fresh durian segments, deseeded
toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Wash the glutinous rice, place in a bowl, and soak in water to cover for
10–30 minutes.
Drain the water, place bowl in a steamer (the top part of a double
boiler is fine), and steam over (not in) boiling water for 30–35 minutes
or until tender but slightly chewy (al dente).
Turn off the heat, leave the bowl in the steamer with the lid closed.
Prepare the coconut cream: in a microwaveable bowl, place coconut
cream, salt, and sugar. Microwave on medium power for 2 minutes or
until the sugar has completely dissolved. (This step can be done in a
saucepan on a stove.)
Reserve 1 cup of the coconut cream mixture for serving.
Mix in well the rest of the coconut cream mixture into the steamed
rice. Cover with cling film and leave the rice in the closed steamer to
fully absorb the mixture, about 20–30 minutes.
Scoop the rice and place neatly on 4 serving bowls or plates.
Place 2 segments of fresh durian next to the rice. Spoon over the
reserved coconut cream.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
(Alternative microwave method for cooking sticky rice: place the
soaked rice in a microwaveable bowl.
Add water to just cover the rice [all rice grains should be submerged].
Cover with cling film, and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir
thoroughly, repeat at 2 minute increments until the rice is al dente.)

This is a popular dessert with great visual appeal.
15–20 freshly gathered white scented jasmine flowers, cleaned by

brushing off any adhering dirt (do not rinse or soak or scent will be
lost, best picked in the early morning before the sun is up)
2 cups distilled (or boiled for 5 minutes and cooled) water
5 fresh pandan leaves, washed and wiped dry, cut into small pieces, or
1/4 tsp pandan essence
2 cups water
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
1 TBS cornstarch
2 cups freshly grated coconut for garnish
Prepare the jasmine-flavored water: soak the jasmine flowers in the

distilled water in a bowl overnight, covered with cling film. Set aside.
Prepare the pandan flavoring and coloring: place the leaves with 1 cup
water in a blender to liquidize. Filter the green liquid through
cheesecloth or a fine sieve, squeeze all the liquid from the pulp. Set
aside the green pandan-flavored water. Discard the pulp.
Make the syrup: in a saucepan, heat the remaining water with the
sugar, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool.
Mix well the syrup, jasmine-flavored water and the coconut cream.
Combine the flours and salt together in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in
the syrup mixture, avoiding lumps, to get a smooth batter.
Divide the batter into two pitchers. In one pitcher place a few drops of
the pandan-flavored water, just enough to turn it a pale green. In the
other, place all the remaining pandan water. To make up for the
increased liquid in this darker green batter (in proportion to its flour
content), take out 1/4 cup and mix well with the cornstarch to a smooth
slurry. Add the slurry to the rest of the darker green batter.
Pour a 1/8-inch layer of the pale green batter into an oiled square or
round pan that fits inside a steamer.
Steam for 4–6 minutes or until barely set.
Wipe the steamer lid each time before adding more batter.
Pour in a layer of the darker green, and steam likewise, until barely set.
Repeat until all the batter is used, making sure the topmost layer is
darker green.
Steam for a further 25–30 minutes until all layers are completely
cooked through. Allow to cool in the steamer.
Then remove cake and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Cut into
small diamonds or squares. Garnish with shredded coconut if desired.
Tibet
Currently governed by China, traditional Tibet was ruled by a system of large

lamaseries (monasteries) that controlled religious and secular life. The senior-
most lama is the Dalai Lama, from Lhasa, now in exile in India. Located with
most of the Himalayan mountains in the world’s highest region, Tibet is mostly
very cold and dry. With limited arable land, traditional crops were cold-resistant
cereals such as wheat and barley and some root vegetables. Nowadays, more
fruits and vegetables are being grown in greenhouses or are imported from
neighboring China. In the southern and eastern regions, some temperate and
subtropical crops are grown. Tibetans are originally nomadic and herded
livestock or farmed.
The population is predominantly ethnic Tibetans, with several minority
groups including Mongols, Menga, Hui, and immigrant Han Chinese. Although
Tibetans are largely Buddhist, there are some Muslim communities. Since
Buddhism forbids needless killing, Tibetan monasteries developed a vegetarian
cuisine, and many dishes have meat and nonmeat variations. However, Tibetans
eat yak, mutton, beef, and goat, with a preference for larger over smaller animals
to limit the number of lives lost to feed the same number of people. The most
common dish is tsampa, a porridge of barley flour and buttered tea. In addition,
traditional Tibetan cuisine is based on flat bread or noodles (rice in the south and
east), dairy products, mutton, and a minimal number of vegetables, similar to the
cuisine of Mongolia, but Indian-influenced curries and Chinese-influenced
dishes are now eaten.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: flat bread, noodles, tea, barley, wheat, rice, corn, millet,
buckwheat, sorghum.
• Beef, mutton, goat, yak, wild game, dried meat (beef, mutton),
sausages (blood, liver, meat); yogurt, cheese, buttermilk; in the past
few decades under the influence of Han Chinese, there has been a
limited use of imported foods (seafood, chicken, duck, pork, eggs,
fish).
• Potato, giant radish (daikon), turnip, pea, watercress, bamboo shoot,

green vegetables, wild vegetables (mushrooms, ferns, young plant
shoots); modern: cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, tomato, cabbage.
• Melon, grapes, citrus, apple, pear, apricot, walnut, gooseberry,
various berries, banana.
• Seasonings: chili, onion, garlic, emma (a type of Sichuan pepper),
sesame oil, curry spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric), tsal (a table
condiment of chopped tomatoes, coriander, green onions, and garlic).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Flat bread (many types, depending on region), steamed bread (ting
mo).
• Curried stews of vegetables with or without meat: shamday (also
spelled shamdhe).
• Soups: cheese (churu), sheep blood.
• Stir-fried meat with vegetables: khatsa.
• Filled dumplings with or without meat: momo (steamed), kothe
(fried).
• Noodle dishes with vegetables and meat: thentuk (pulled noodles
with vegetables), thukpa (noodles with soup), gutse ritu (handmade
pasta in lamb broth and cheese).
• Grilled, roasted or barbecued meat: fresh or dried mutton or beef,
sausages, innards (tripe).
Tibetan women preparing tsampa. (Zzvet/Dreamstime.com)
• Vegetable dishes: stir-fried vegetables and mushrooms (tzel sesha),

vegetables rolled in crepe (phing alla).
• Drinks: buttered tea, milk tea, locally brewed barley wine and beer
(chang), soft drinks (in towns, cities), imported international beer.
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals and snacks daily (or whenever hungry, more during
busy working season).
• People eat from individual bowls, often with fingers and spoons.
• Breakfast: tea, roasted barley flour (tsampa or zanba), milk curds.
• Lunch: tsampa, sour milk, meat broth or meat; stew or soup.
• Supper: porridge, noodles, curried vegetables with or without meat.
• Snacks: sweet fritters, buttered tea.
• Desserts: cheese-or yogurt-based sweets: bhaktsa makhu, sweet
cannelloni rolled in brown sugar with grated cheese; rice pudding with
raisins and yogurt (dresi); fresh sliced fruit.
• Tea is drunk all the time: morning, noon, evening, before bed.
• With the spread of tourism, cities have cafés and restaurants serving
Western-style food (hamburger, hot dog, pizza, pasta) and Chinese-
style food (Sichuan or Guangdong style).

Tsampa (also spelled zanba) is the staple of Tibetan nomads. It is used as a trail
food, and many nomads will carry a bag with a lump of tsampa and another of
aged yak butter or curd. There are two main ways of preparing and eating the
tsampa. One is to make a tsampa paste or dough with butter tea; the other is to
make a porridge (actually a thick soup) with beef or mutton and vegetables such
as radish or turnip. The tsampa porridge is then known as tu-pa (also tubo) and
can be eaten at any meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
2 cups roasted barley flour (quickly roast barley grains in a wok until
fragrant, then process or blend as fine as possible in a blender or food
processor)
4 cups butter tea
In a bowl, put barley flour and gradually stir in tea to make a thick
paste.
The paste must be thick enough to be scooped to the mouth with two
fingers.

In the harsh environment of Tibet, meals and dishes are intended to supply quick
energy and warmth; none more so than the ever-present tea, which, because it is
salty, is more akin to a soup. Tibetan tea comes in compressed blocks or bricks,
a bit of which is crumbled off to boil for several hours as a tea “concentrate,” to
which boiled water is added when preparing tea for drinking. Ordinary black tea
leaves or tea bags are fine to use. The quantity given is for 4 generous mugs of
tea.
8 cups water
4 TBS black tea leaves or 5 tea bags
1 cup half-and-half, or full-fat milk
3 TBS butter
1/3 tsp salt (or to taste)
In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat.

Turn down heat to lowest possible until water is just simmering.
Add tea and bring water slowly back to the boil.
Let boil for 2–3 minutes; turn off heat.
Strain tea leaves or take out tea bags.
Stir in butter, half-and-half or milk, and salt.
Whisk the mixture briskly (or, alternatively, transfer to a blender or
food processor and blend for 2–3 minutes).
Serve at once or use to make tsampa paste (see recipe above).
Cheese Soup (Churu)

This soup is popularly eaten with tsampa for breakfast. The blue cheese
substitutes for well-flavored local cheese. If desired, any highly flavored cheese
can be substituted, such as parmesan. Cheese soup can also be eaten with bread.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 pound ground beef or chicken (or other meat)
1 red chili, cored, seeded, finely chopped (optional)
4 TBS blue cheese
6 cups water
1/3 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup water to a slurry
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

Stir in onion and fry until brown.
Add Sichuan pepper, paprika, garlic, ginger, and beef; stir fry until
meat is brown.
Add chili if using.
Reduce heat to lowest possible; stir in cheese until melted.
Add tomato and water; let come to a boil.
Stir in cornstarch slurry; cook until mixture thickens.
Serve hot.

Tibetan garam masala mixes tend to be sweeter than their Indian and Nepali
counterparts. These spice mixes are often used to perfume the air as incense, an
important part of Lamaist Buddhist rituals.
1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1/4 tsp black cardamom seeds, crushed (discard pods, use only inner
black seeds; omit if unavailable)
1/4 tsp green cardamom seeds, crushed (discard pods, use only inner
black seeds)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp freshly grated black pepper
In a skillet over low heat, slowly dry-roast coriander, cumin,

cinnamon, and cloves for 2–3 minutes or until aromatic, stirring
constantly.
Put together with remaining spices in a food processor or blender;
process in quick bursts until finely ground.
Store in a well-sealed jar for use.

Momos are a staple in Tibet, usually filled with yak meat for those who can
afford it, or mushrooms and soybean curd or other vegetables for vegetarians.
Any kind of minced meat—beef, chicken, or turkey—can be substituted.
Lamaseries (monasteries) tend to serve only vegetarian stuffing. To eat, hold a
momo by the crown and dip into a soy-based sauce or tomato-based tsal sauce
(see recipe below). When fried, these dumplings are called kothe. Momos are
eaten during family gatherings and other social occasions, as one needs many
hands to help wrap the dumplings. They are now also served at all times in
restaurants that cater to foreign visitors.
3 cups flour
3/4–1 cup water
In a bowl, place flour; gradually stir in water to make a dough (you

may not need more than 3/4 cup water).
Knead for 20–30 minutes (the longer, the better) until smooth and
elastic.
Form into a ball. Let rest, covered with a moist towel for at least 30
minutes.
Divide dough into 12 pieces; continue to cover with a damp towel
those not being worked on.
On a floured surface, roll each piece out into a 1/8-inch-thick disk.
Place a disk on the palm of your hand.
Place a spoonful of filling in the middle of the disk.
Bring edges firmly together over the filling to form a crescent or half-
moon.
You can further seal the seam by crimping with a fork. This ensures
none of the filling leaks out during steaming. (Or you can decorate the
sealed seam with pleats. Starting from one pointed tip of the crescent,
make 4–6 pleats, crimping and folding until you reach the other
pointed tip.)
Place finished momos on a floured tray or wax paper and cover with a
damp towel.
Repeat with the rest of the dough pieces.
Lightly oil a bamboo or metal steamer and place momos, leaving a 1/2-
inch space around each to avoid crowding.
Steam for 30 minutes or until filling is completely cooked (test one to
be sure).
Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce.
Meat filling
1 pound ground meat (beef, chicken, or turkey)
1/2 head small cabbage, cored and shredded (or omit and increase
meat to 1 1/4 pounds)
1/2 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients well, and allow to rest for 30 minutes for flavors to
develop.
Cabbage filling
2 TBS butter
1 1/2 pounds Chinese cabbage, chopped
3 green onions, chopped finely
1 block firm soybean curd (tofu), cubed
Heat butter over low heat in a wok; stir fry cabbage for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in thoroughly green onions, ginger, and garlic.
Carefully mix in bean curd.
Season to taste.
Potato, mushroom, and cheese filling

1 pound potatoes, peeled and shredded
3 TBS melted butter
1 cup shiitake or other mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 20
minutes (if dry) and chopped finely
1 cup grated hard cheese (parmesan)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
salt, paprika, and black pepper, to taste
Mix all ingredients well.
Dipping sauce
1 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS chili oil
Combine all ingredients.
Tomato dipping sauce (Tsal)

1 tomato, quartered
1/2 cup cilantro
3 green onions, white and green parts
salt and chili oil to taste
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until finely

chopped.
This stew uses a mix of locally available meat (here beef substitutes for the more
common yak meat), cold-hardy root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnips),
Indian spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin), and Chinese ingredients (sesame oil,
seaweed). Serve with plain white rice or flat or steamed bread for an evening
meal.
3 TBS vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound stewing beef, cubed (or 2 blocks firm soybean curd [for
vegetarians], cubed)
2 carrots, or 2 turnips, peeled and cubed
1 small packet (about 4 ounces) glass or cellophane noodles, soaked in
cold water for 20 minutes, drained and cut into 4-inch lengths
1/2 cup dried seaweed, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes, drained
(or substitute a 12-inch piece of wakame, dried Japanese seaweed,
soaked in cold water for 20 minutes and cut into 1–inch pieces,
available from stores that sell Asian foods; omit if unavailable)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tomato, chopped
In a deep saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; stir in onion, garlic,
and ginger and fry until onion is soft.
Stir in turmeric, cumin, coriander, and salt.
Add meat, potatoes, carrots or turnips; stir thoroughly.
Add 2 cups water, cover, and let come to a boil.
Reduce heat to the lowest possible and simmer for 30–40 minutes until
meat and vegetables are tender.
Add noodles and seaweed; let simmer for 5 minutes.
Adjust seasoning to taste; stir in sesame oil and tomato.
Serve hot.

Potatoes introduced in the nineteenth century grow easily in the higher altitudes
and have become a Tibetan staple. The most important holiday in the Tibetan
calendar is Losar, New Year’s Day on the lunar calendar (around February).
This dish is a traditional delicacy prepared for Losar.
4 cups waxy potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes

2 TBS oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, rinsed and dried
3 TBS grated or finely minced ginger
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 dried whole chili pepper
water
salt to taste
Cook potatoes in a saucepan with plenty of water until they are almost
fully cooked (center will offer resistance to a wooden skewer). Drain.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry onions until softened.
Add garlic and all powdered/grated spices and stir fry until fragrant.
Stir in tomatoes and chili pepper. If too dry, add water.
Season (salt was traditionally scarce in Tibet so most Tibetan foods
use salt sparingly).
Simmer until thick and flavorful, add water, if required (30–40
minutes). Mix well.
Add potatoes and stir well.
Reduce the heat to low and cook covered until potatoes are soft.
Serve hot with sonlabu (recipe follows) on the side.
Pickles provide flavor for otherwise bland foods and accompany virtually every
meal.
1 medium daikon radish, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, peeled and sliced

into thin slices
5 small red radishes, sliced thinly
1 inch piece fresh ginger sliced thickly
1 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns (emma)
2 TBS salt
4 medium red whole chili peppers
1 cup vinegar
2 cups water
clean, tall glass preserving jar (about 2-quart capacity) or lidded plastic
container
Mix radishes together in a bowl with salt and allow to draw out liquid
for 1 hour.
Drain radishes reserving the brine.
Mix water with vinegar and brine.
Place a layer of radishes, then some chili, peppercorns, and ginger in
your pickling jar or container. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.
Pour in the pickling solution to cover. Shake to ensure bubbles float
free and there is no air in the jar. Seal jar and refrigerate.
Sonlabu should be ready in 3 days.
Serve on the side with any savory dish.
If you make sure not to contaminate the jar (e.g., use a separate utensil
to withdraw the radishes) the pickling solution can be used again, as in
Tibetan households.

This pudding is a popular dessert using what used to be a luxury item for the
majority of Tibetans. Rice was grown only in the south and southeast or eaten
elsewhere by aristocrats and monks. In Tibet, pieces of the roots of cultivated
drolma, Argentina anserina (known in North America as silverweed), are typical
additions to this rice pudding. A substitute is diced, cooked (not too soft) sweet
potato. Dresi or dresil is typically eaten on happy occasions such as New Year’s
Day and weddings.
1/4 cup diced drolma (or sweet potato)

3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup rice, washed and drained
1/2 tsp saffron, soaked in some of the milk, warmed, for 15 minutes
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black cardamom (or substitute other cardamom)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sultanas, or seedless California raisins
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream for serving
Boil drolma (or sweet potato) in plenty of water until soft but not
mushy. Drain and set aside.
Bring milk and 1 tsp of the sugar to a boil in a large heavy pot. Stir
constantly so the milk does not boil over.
Add rice, saffron, salt, and cardamom and simmer over low heat,
stirring frequently, for around 40 minutes or until rice is very soft.
Stir in drolma (or sweet potato), butter and raisins and mix well.
Serve hot in individual bowls with garnish of dried fruit and dollops of
yogurt or sour cream, if desired.
Togo
Togo is a West African country on the Gulf of Guinea. Explored by the

Portuguese, Togo became a German, then a French colony until independence in
1960. The topography is rolling savanna and coastal plains with a tropical
climate for raising coffee, fruits, vegetables, and livestock. The population
comprises mainly Ewe and Kabyé, along with several smaller ethnic groups.
Togolese cuisine has been influenced by France, as well as neighboring Ghana
and Benin. German influence is evident in local beers. Togolese cooks are
famous throughout the region.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: yam, cornmeal, cassava, corn, rice, millet, sorghum.
• Chicken, fish, beef, wild game.
• Beans, taro, pumpkin, okra, eggplant.
• Banana, mango, coconut, oranges.
• Seasonings: tomato, onion, peanut, chili peppers, palm nut oil.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stiff porridge (fufu, pâte) of yam, cornmeal, or a mix of tubers and
grains.
• Smoked goat meat.
• Stews or sauces with meat: chicken, goat, beef, blood, wild game.
• Green vegetable sauces/stews: baobab, spinach, okra (soupe de
gombo).
• Portuguese-influenced bean stew: fechouada.
• Peanut-flavored sauces/stews.
• Bean fritters: abobo.

• Ghanaian-influenced rice and black-eyed peas (beans) with palm nut
oil: watchi.
STYLES OF EATING
• Families usually eat together. The fingers of the right hand are used.
• Breakfast: cornmeal/yam porridge (pâte), white bean sauce; urban—
baguette, omelet, tea.
• Lunch: pâte, green vegetable (baobab leaf) sauce.
• Dinner: pâte, peanut sauce with a bit of chicken, banana.
• Snacks: fritters, corn on the cob, roasted peanuts, grilled skewered
meats, snails.
• Sweets: banana fritters (klako), fruit yogurts, ice cream.
• Drinks: fruit juices, coffee, tea, German-style beers and ales, locally
brewed millet beer (tchoukoutou), bottled carbonated drinks.

This dish is a variant of a Ghanaian recipe of the same name. It is often served
for breakfast or supper.
2 TBS oil
2 onions, chopped
1 large peeled tomato, chopped finely
1 1/4 TBS tomato paste
salt, pepper
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup water
2 cups gari (fermented cassava flour, available from stores that sell
African foods, or substitute toasted cassava flour, available from stores
that sell Brazilian foods)
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat; fry onions until softened.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.
Reduce heat; add 2 beaten eggs.
Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring until eggs are done. Set aside.
Place gari in a large bowl, and slowly add water, stirring well.
Blend egg sauce with the dampened gari.
Make an omelet: to the remaining eggs, add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the eggs and cook until set and golden underneath.
Turn over and cook the other side until pale golden.
Place omelet over gari and sauce.
Serve hot.

This stew is served with cornmeal or yam porridge for dinner. Mashed white or
sweet potato (or a mixture) would make a good substitute for the yam porridge.
This dish can be made without chicken, in which case add another onion or two,
as well as a couple more bell peppers.
4 chicken quarters or legs (about 3 pounds)

2 TBS vegetable oil
2 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cups hot water
1 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; brown chicken all over.
Add onion. Stir fry until softened.
Stir in tomatoes; fry, stirring until softened.
Add water and bring to a simmer. Take 2–3 TBS of the hot liquid and
blend in a small bowl with peanut butter and tomato paste until
smooth. Return peanut butter mixture to pan and stir in.
Reduce heat; add chicken pieces and bouillon cube.
Simmer until chicken is tender, 40–50 minutes.
Stir gently from time to time to prevent sticking. Add a bit of water if
sauce is too thick.
Ten minutes before chicken is ready, stir in bell peppers.
Serve hot.

Most sauces or side dishes served with cornmeal or yam porridge are based on
vegetables, particularly greens, and beans or other legumes. This sauce can be
made solely with spinach, in which case increase the quantity of spinach to six
cups. Alternatives to spinach are cabbage, white or navy beans, black-eyed peas,
or kidney beans. Meat is not an everyday addition to side dishes, but is reserved
for special occasions or when there are guests. For southern Togolese,
combining seafood and meat with vegetables is a common cooking method.
Serve this for dinner with fried sweet potatoes, cornmeal porridge, or rice.
3 TBS cooking oil, preferably peanut

1 pound beef, cut into small cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 pound prawns, cooked, shelled and deveined
1/2 pound crabmeat (canned, fresh or imitation crab legs)
4 tomatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cups frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, squeezed lightly to extract
moisture, or 4 cups fresh spinach
1 onion, sliced
Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan; brown meat.

Stir in onions and fry until softened, for about 10 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, and water; cover and simmer until meat is tender,
Add prawns, crab, tomatoes, and red pepper.
Stir in flour mixture.
Add spinach, ginger, and sliced onion.
Cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes or until onion and spinach are
tender. The prawns must not be overcooked or they will be dry.
Serve immediately.

This dish is for dinner. Djenkoumé refers to a mix of cornmeal, tomato, and red
palm oil. The chicken should be accompanied by a green salad and fried sweet
potatoes prepared in the same manner as French fries.
1 cube bouillon
5 TBS oil, preferably palm oil
4 large chicken portions with bone (about 2–3 pounds)
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
3 TBS tomato paste
2 cups cornmeal
1 tomato, quartered, for garnish
1 small onion, sliced thinly, for garnish
Crush bouillon cube and mix with onions, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper,
and 2 TBS oil.
Rub half of the spice mixture all over chicken; set aside for 20
minutes.
Put chicken to roast in a preheated 375°F oven for 30–45 minutes or
until golden brown.
Meanwhile prepare the tomato sauce.
In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 TBS oil over medium heat.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and remaining half of the spice mixture;
simmer for 15 minutes or until thick.
Set aside half of this tomato sauce.
Prepare the djenkoumé: mix remaining tomato sauce with chicken
stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle cornmeal onto simmering sauce; cook, stirring constantly
until thickened, for about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat; spoon into 4 ramekins, lightly oiled with
remaining oil.
Place roast chicken in 4 warmed plates; unmold 1 ramekin of
cornmeal-tomato “cake” alongside each piece of chicken.
Spoon reserved tomato sauce beside chicken.
Garnish with slices of tomato and onion.
Serve immediately.
Grilled Plantain
Grilled plantains are a popular street food that are also good with any meal. This
dish can be made on a barbecue.
4 plantains (or green bananas), peeled and cut into chunks

bamboo skewers, soaked for 20 minutes in water
salt to taste
Thread several plantain chunks through the round sides onto two
parallel bamboo skewers (this configuration helps in turning them over
during grilling).
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grill until tender over a charcoal fire (or broil for 6–8 minutes under
grill), turning as one side browns.
Serve hot with n’toutou sauce (recipe follows).

This is used as a flavoring or sauce for many Togolese dishes, as well as a
marinade for fish and fowl.
1 onion, grated
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 TBS fresh ginger root, grated
1 tsp salt
Mix all the ingredients together.

Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
Use with any savory recipe.
Fried Yam (Koliko)

Yams are a regular staple for many locals.
• oil for frying

• 1 pound yams, peeled, washed, and sliced into 1/2 inch thick disks
• 1 TBS n’toutou
• salt to taste
Heat about 1/4 inch or more oil in a deep pan.

Mix yam pieces with n’toutou.
Place yam pieces in oil and fry until crisp on the outside and tender
inside.
Season with salt, if needed.
Serve hot on their own or with a meat or fish dish.

This dish is a conveniently made dessert and snack from the plentiful local
ingredients.
2 cups gari (or substitute toasted cassava flour from Brazilian stores)
1 cup (or more) milk
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey (or more to taste)
1 1/2 cups chopped roasted peanuts or grated coconut, or a mix of both
Place 1/2 cup gari per person into dessert bowls.

Add enough milk to cover.
Add 2 TBS sugar or honey.
Sprinkle nuts or coconut, or both.

This ginger and pineapple juice is a popular, refreshing drink.
1/4 pound fresh ginger, grated (keep the juice)

2 cups pineapple juice
sugar to taste
Place grated ginger with any expressed liquid in a heatproof bowl.

Pour boiling water over and allow to steep, covered, for 1 hour.
Pour ginger juice through cheesecloth-lined sieve. Squeeze the
cheesecloth well to extract as much juice as possible. Discard solids.
Chill, preferably overnight.
Mix in cold pineapple juice, and add sugar if desired.
Serve cold.
Tonga
Tonga is an archipelago of 170 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, 36 of which

are inhabited, formerly known as the “Friendly Islands.” The only monarchy in
the Pacific, originally settled by the Polynesian-speaking Lapita people and
explored by the Dutch and British (Captain Cook), Tonga was a British
protectorate from 1900 until independence in 1970. Only 25 percent of the land
is arable, but with a tropical climate, a range of crops are grown, most notably
vanilla. The majority of the people are Polynesian, with a few Europeans and
Chinese. Traditional Tongan cooking involved roasting over a fire or baking in
an underground oven.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: taro, yam, cassava, sweet potato, plantain, breadfruit;
contemporary: macaroni, potato, instant noodles (saimin).
• Fish, seafood, pork, chicken, beef, eggs; contemporary: canned
corned beef, frozen mutton, turkey.
• Pumpkin and other gourds, tomato, bell pepper, carrot, spinach,
cabbage, avocado, onion.
• Lemon, lime, papaya, mango, pineapple, watermelon, orange, guava,
coconut, nuts, passion fruit, grapefruit.
• Seasonings: tomato, onion, coconut milk, pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Roast pig on a spit for special occasions.
• Taro-or banana-leaf-wrapped dishes, baked in an earth oven (umu):
lu pulu (corned beef packets).
• Stews of fish or meat in coconut milk.

• Vegetables usually boiled, steamed, or baked, often with coconut
cream.
• Sweets cooked in coconut milk.
STYLES OF EATING
• Two meals a day (breakfast and evening meal) and snacks.
• Families eat meals together. On the outer islands, diners sit on woven
mats to eat; urban families use dining tables. People traditionally ate
with fingers but now use knives and forks. Conversation is kept to a
minimum during meals.
• When there are guests, they usually eat with a few selected family
members; children eat separately. Guests are served first; the person
who prepared the meal eats last. Standing while eating and drinking is
not encouraged.
• Traditional meals were based on fresh, local foods. Contemporary
foods include imported convenience items: canned or frozen
vegetables, meat (corned beef, frozen greasy mutton, and turkey flaps,
i.e., off-cuts), fish (tuna, sardines, mackerel); white bread.
• Breakfast: yam, taro, sweet potato; urban: white bread, cereal.
• Dinner: yam or other staple, pork or chicken cooked with coconut
cream, baked pumpkin or sliced vegetables.
Passion fruit.
• Drinks: fresh fruit juice, carbonated bottled drinks, fresh coconut.

Kava (brewed from Piper methysticum, a pepper relative) is drunk
ritually by men and only rarely by women.
• Chinese, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, and American
fast food available in restaurants, bars, and cafés for tourists. Popular
ones include fried chicken, hot dogs, pizza, pasta, barbecue.

Canned corned beef is a convenient source of meat that does not need
refrigeration and is ready to cook, hence its widespread popularity throughout
the Pacific Islands. Serve with steamed taro, sliced vegetables (cucumber,
tomato, carrots), and a watermelon drink for a midday or evening meal. The
same method can be used with minced meat (preferably mutton), in which case it
is called lu sipi.
4 aluminum foil squares, 12 × 12 inches
12 young taro leaves (or substitute Chinese or regular cabbage leaves)
1 can corned beef, cubed
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup coconut milk
On a sheet of foil, lay 3 taro leaves crisscrossing each other at their

centers.
Spoon 1/4 of the corned beef cubes into the center of the leaves.
Sprinkle 1/4 of the onion and tomatoes over it.
Pour 1/4 of the coconut milk over. Fold leaves gently over to enclose.
(The idea is to hold in the liquid coconut milk so do not squeeze when
enclosing the mixture.)
Fold the foil over the leaves to secure. Place foil packets upright in a
baking pan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour, until taro leaves are tender.
Open one packet to check that the taro leaves are done. If not, continue
baking for another 15–20 minutes more.
Serve at once.
Marinated Fish (‘Ota ’Ika)

This Tongan version of sashimi takes advantage of the excellent fish around the
archipelago.
1 1/2 pounds very fresh (sashimi quality) snapper, tuna, or salmon, cut
into bite-sized cubes
juice of 4 lemons
3 cups coconut milk
juice of 1 lemon
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tomato, diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
lettuce leaves for serving
Place fish in a covered container; marinate with lemon juice for 1 1/2
hours, refrigerated.
Drain fish, add coconut milk and lemon juice.
Stir in vegetables, salt, and pepper.
Serve well chilled on lettuce leaves.

This dish is a popular snack that can also be made with cassava, breadfruit, or
yam.
1 1/2 pounds taro or sweet potatoes (substitute cassava, breadfruit, or

yam)
2 cups sugar
2 cups coconut milk
ripe papaya, pureed (or substitute papaya nectar)
Boil tubers in their skin until tender, for about 40–60 minutes.
Peel and cube. Set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, caramelize sugar to golden brown stage.
Carefully add coconut milk (there will be splattering), stirring
constantly.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes or until thick.
Pour over cubed tubers.
Serve warm or cold.
Drizzle with papaya puree or nectar if desired.

This dish is traditionally served in the shell to accompany any meat or fish dish
for lunch or dinner. It is also served as a snack with coffee.
2 cups coconut milk

4 cups grated coconut (fresh, or frozen and defrosted)
1/2 cup flour (or more)
4 half coconut shells (optional)
4 banana leaves or sheets aluminum foil, 10 × 10 inches
Mix coconut milk, grated coconut, and flour for a stiff dough, adding
more flour if needed.
Take one portion and form into small (1-inch) balls; place balls into
coconut half-shells or one large baking dish. Repeat with the
remaining portions. Keep other portions under a moist kitchen towel to
keep them from drying out.
Cover securely with foil.
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until done.

There are several methods of making this traditional sweet. In one method, the
papaya is kept whole, and seeds removed through one end. The cavity is then
filled with coconut milk, and the papaya is baked for hours in an underground
oven. Given below is a contemporary and more convenient, but equally
flavorsome, method. (See also sidebar “Pawpaw and Papaya”).
2 medium firm ripe papayas, peeled, seeded, and cubed

2 cans coconut milk
Into a lidded baking dish or casserole dish, place papaya and coconut
milk.
Cover with lid (or with aluminum foil).
Bake in a 375°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until papaya is very
tender.
Serve warm or cold.
PAWPAW AND PAPAYA

Two fruits, pawpaw and papaya, are often confused in literature and
popular usage. Pawpaw is the fruit of a native North American plant,
Asimina triloba, a member of the Annonaceae family of mainly tropical
plants. The fruit can grow up to six inches long and is roughly sausage
shaped with a pale green coat that turns to yellow or brown when ripe.
Inside a thick rind are a multitude of small seeds set in a sweetish pulp.
Pawpaws are rarely raised commercially.
Papaya (Carica papaya) is the fruit of a tropical tree with large
spreading palm-shaped leaves. The fruit is a large oval, roughly soccer
ball–shaped, with a green to yellowish orange coat, depending on the
variety. The flesh varies from white when unripe to deep orange when fully
ripe and in the cavity is a mass of small black seeds, which are sometimes
used as a pepper substitute. The unripe papaya is also used as a vegetable,
valued for cooking with tough meats, because of the meat-tenderizing
quality of its papain content. There is no botanical relationship between the
two fruits.
Watermelon Drink (’Otai)

This very popular drink is served with any meal. Watermelons were introduced
to the islands by missionaries or traders and do very well in the local climate.
Instead of watermelon, mango or other fruit can be used.
1/2 watermelon
1 pineapple, grated (or 1 large can crushed pineapple in light syrup,
well drained)
1 cup coconut milk
sugar to taste
Grate watermelon flesh into a bowl; discard seeds.

Add pineapple and coconut milk.
Adjust sweetness, or dilute with water to taste.
Serve chilled.

This cake is a popular snack.
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
Prepare a caramel syrup: place 1 cup of the sugar over low heat to melt
and caramelize in a heavy saucepan.
Once sugar is evenly melted and has turned dark golden brown,
carefully (there will be a lot of steam released) add water gradually
while stirring. Once all the water has been added, increase heat to
medium and let syrup boil down (to half the quantity of initial water)
to a thick (but not too thick) syrup. Allow to cool.
Prepare the batter: combine the syrup with evaporated milk, oil, eggs,
coconut cream, and vanilla and set aside.
Sift and combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a large
bowl. Mix in remaining sugar.
Gradually whisk in the syrup mixture, stirring constantly until smooth.
Pour batter into a greased 2-inch-deep 9-inch round or square pan.
Steam for an hour in a double boiler or until a wooden skewer comes
away clean.
Serve hot or cold.

This is a favorite sweet snack.
1 cup coconut milk

1 cup water
4 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup coconut milk for serving
In a pan, simmer coconut milk and water.
Add bananas; simmer for 5–10 minutes.
Serve warm, drizzled over with more coconut milk if desired.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost Caribbean islands. Spanish, French,
Dutch, and British colonial rules ended with the islands gaining independence
from the United Kingdom in 1962. The tropical plains and low mountains with
forests and woodlands are suitable for growing sugar, cocoa, coffee, and citrus
fruits. Africans, East Indians, and Chinese were brought in to work the colonial
plantations, and, later, settlers from Syria, Lebanon, and European countries
arrived. Trinidadians (also Trinbagonians) today reflect this rich multiethnic
history in their culture, languages (English, Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese),
and food. More than any other Caribbean island, Trinidadian cooking has
embraced East Indian specialties such as curries.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, peas, plantain. Rice is imported, as are many other food
items, for example, fresh and corned beef, salt cod, wheat flour,
temperate fruit (apples).
• Fish (cascadura, a freshwater fish), shellfish (shrimp, mangrove
oysters, crab), pork, chicken, goat, salted and smoked meats and fish.
• Pumpkin, squash, callaloo, plantain, long bean (bodi), eggplant,
christophene.
• Banana, pineapple, citrus, coconut, local tropical fruit: star apple
(caimite), pommerac (maple or Otaheite apple: Syzygium malaccense),
five fingers (carambola or star fruit).
• Seasonings: thyme, tarragon, rosemary, basil, chandon beni (large-
leaf coriander); curry powder, turmeric; Chinese five-spice powder,
ginger; soy sauce.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Rice dishes: peas and rice (using split peas); pelau (rice cooked with
East Indian curry powder and spices with coconut milk) with pigeon
peas, chicken or beef; okra rice.
• Stuffed breadfruit: baked breadfruit with ham, beef, or pork filling.
• Roast meats or chicken: roast pork with herbs and lemon (especially
for Christmas).
• Fish and seafood dishes: fried fish with coconut sauce; mackerel and
dumplings; crab back (stuffed crab).
• East Indian dishes: curried stews of meats or seafood; spiced
vegetable fritters.
• Chinese-style dishes: chop suey, fried rice, roast chicken or pork
(char siu) with Chinese spices.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: traditionally substantial—porridge, various quick breads
or boiled cassava with butter, and local fruit jellies, jams, fresh fruit.
Also bul jol, black pudding, accra fritters.
• Lunch: traditionally eaten at home with family, but now changing.
Fast food or snack-type foods, for example, salt-fish fritters or roti and
curry. American hot dogs, hamburgers; pizza, pasta.
• Dinner: substantial meal of three courses, usually stewed or roast
chicken or meat; side dishes of peas and rice, green figs (unripe
bananas), fried plantain, cassava pie or eddo (taro) in cream sauce;
dessert of fresh fruit or sweet.
• Sweets: stewed guavas, East Indian gulab jamun, tropical fruit ice
cream (sour sop, peanut, passion fruit).
• Snacks, for tea breaks in the midmorning or mid-afternoon: shark and
bake (fried shark and pan-fried bread), sweet bread, buss-up-shut-roti
(“bust-up-shirt,” or torn flat bread) and curry, phulouri (fried dumpling
with mango sauce), pickled June plums (pommes cythere: Spondias
dulcis).
• Drinks: sorrel, mawby (also morbi), tangerine and other fruit juice,
ginger beer.
Coconut Bake
This quick bread is commonly served for breakfast, eaten with butter and/or
guava jelly, accompanied by bul jol (flaked codfish and vegetable salad) or
tomato choka (tomatoes cooked in onions and garlic).
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS brown sugar
1 cup coconut, grated
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup lard or shortening
2 eggs, beaten
2–3 TBS milk (or as necessary)

Butter a baking sheet.
In a bowl, blend flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and coconut.
Rub in butter and lard.
Add the eggs and mix to a stiff dough, adding milk if needed.
Knead lightly for 5 minutes until dough is smooth.
Let rest for 20 minutes.
Shape into a large loaf. Alternatively, divide into plum-sized rolls and
shape into buns. Place on baking sheet; bake for 40–45 minutes for the
loaf, 20–25 minutes for the small buns or until they test done.
Orange Rice
This aromatic rice dish is usually served with a meat or chicken dish for lunch or
dinner.
4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

2 TBS butter
2 TBS sugar
grated rind from 2 oranges
In a saucepan, bring orange juice to a boil.

Stir in butter, sugar, and rice.
Cover and lower heat to let rice simmer for about 20 minutes.
Stir in the orange rind.
Serve hot.
Stewed Chicken
This dish with its herbs and soy sauce shows the French and Chinese elements in
Trinidadian cooking. Serve with orange rice (see the previous recipe) and
coleslaw with pineapple for lunch or dinner.
4 large chicken portions (legs or quarters, about 2–3 pounds)

2 cups water
1 TBS salt
4 TBS vinegar (or juice of 1 lime)
1 onion, chopped
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs parsley
4 bell peppers, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp rosemary
soy sauce (optional) to taste
juice of 1 lime
3 TBS oil
2 TBS sugar
First wash the chicken: this is standard procedure for dealing with
chicken throughout the islands: in a bowl large enough to hold chicken
pieces, place water, salt, and vinegar or lime juice.
Rub chicken all over to get the “washing water” into every surface.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Set aside.
In the same bowl (now cleaned), place chicken, onion, herbs,
vegetables, garlic, salt, pepper, soy sauce (if using), and lime juice.
Allow to marinate for 2 hours or overnight, refrigerated.
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
Stir in sugar; let it caramelize to a dark brown color.
Carefully add the chicken pieces, turning them around so that each
side is colored by the caramel, for about 10 minutes.
Add marinade and vegetables.
Cover and let simmer for 1 hour or until tender.
Serve hot.
Banana Nut Pudding

This sweet from Tobago is usually served with coconut milk or whipped cream
after lunch or dinner. Its preparation is similar to English bread and butter
pudding, but its ingredients are more sumptuous.
4 slices bread, 1/2 inch thick, crusts removed, buttered, and diced
1/2 cup almonds, pecans, or other nuts, chopped
4 bananas, sliced into disks
1/4 cup brown sugar
grated rind from 1 lemon or 2 limes
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 × 8 inch baking dish.

Place half of the bread in a layer at the bottom of the baking dish.
Sprinkle with half of the nuts.
Put all the bananas, half the sugar, and citrus rind.
Cover with remaining bread and nuts.
Beat eggs with milk and the remaining sugar.
Pour over the bread.
Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until set.
Latterday Saints
How this Trinidadian citrus fruit dessert came by its unusual name is a puzzle.
No one knows for certain.
2 grapefruit, halved
2 oranges, halved
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 TBS butter
Carefully remove grapefruit pulp, cutting in between the membranes.

Remove white membranes. Keep shells intact.
Do the same for the oranges.
Mix grapefruit and orange pulp.
Fill the grapefruit shells with pulp.
Mix brown sugar and butter, and sprinkle over fruit.
Top fruit with the sugar-butter mixture.
Put under a slow grill until sugar-butter mixture caramelizes.
Eat while warm.
This is a well-loved dessert with many variations of the fruits used. Instead of
mango, papaya or pineapple can be substituted, or whatever fruit is in season.
Take care not to let the coconut cream boil too long, as it will curdle. Bring only
to a gentle simmer, enough to dissolve the sugar. Alternatively, place all (except
for the nutmeg) in a microwave-proof bowl with a cover, and microwave at
medium power for 1 or 2 minutes, or just until the sugar is dissolved.
1 cup coconut milk

1 firm ripe banana, cubed
1 cup firm mango flesh (for those who like some sourness, an unripe
mango can be used) cut into bite-sized cubes
sugar to taste
pinch salt
grated nutmeg
Place all ingredients except nutmeg in a heavy-bottomed pot over low

heat.
Bring to a gentle simmer briefly (bananas should still be firm).
Remove from heat, pour into bowls, and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.
Sorrel Jelly
Sorrel in Trinidad and Tobago refers not to the sour green leaves also called
sorrel sometimes used in salads in other countries, but rather to Hibiscus
sabdariffa, a tropical plant related to the ornamental hibiscus. The dried calyces
are used for hot and cold drinks and other sweets. It is more widely known
elsewhere as the principal ingredient in hibiscus tea.
1/4 cup dried sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces)

1 1/2 cups water
1 large apple cored and sliced
1 TBS gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1/2–1 cup sugar
1 cup coconut cream for serving
In a saucepan bring sorrel, water, and apple to a boil, then reduce heat
and gently simmer for 15 minutes.
Drain through a cheesecloth over a large sieve. If you wish to have a
clear, transparent jelly, do not squeeze the cheesecloth. Squeezing the
cloth will lead to a cloudy jelly. Discard the solids.
Have ready a 1-quart jelly mold or serving dish, rinsed with cold water
(but not dried).
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir the gelatin powder into the cold
water, allow to soak, and set aside.
Measure the extracted juice: there should be 1 1/2–1 3/4 cups. Add
water if needed. Reheat the liquid in a saucepan. Stir in the soaked
gelatin. Add 1/2 cup sugar and check if more is needed. Bring to a
simmer until sugar and gelatin are completely dissolved. Turn off heat.
Pour mixture into the wet mold. Let stand at room temperature until
completely cool, then chill for at least 4 hours.
Unmold and serve cold with coconut cream.
Sweet Paime
This steamed sweet, pronounced “pay-me,” is traditionally made and eaten
during Christmas. Cassava flour can be used instead of cornmeal.
2 cups fine cornmeal

2 cups pumpkin or squash, grated
2 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut (or frozen and thawed)
1 cup raisins
1 cup brown sugar
1–1 1/2 cups (or more) evaporated milk or coconut cream
2 TBS ghee or melted butter
banana leaves or aluminum foil cut into 10 × 10 inch squares
kitchen twine for tying (if using banana leaves)
3–4 cups water
Prepare the filling: mix cornmeal, squash, pepper, nutmeg, coconut,
raisins, sugar, and vanilla together.
Add milk to make a moist dough; add more milk if needed.
Prepare the wrapping: soften banana leaves by passing over a flame or
soaking in boiling water for a few minutes.
Dry leaves, then grease with ghee.
Place 2 tablespoonfuls of the mixture in each square, then fold over to
make a tight package and tie securely with kitchen twine.
If using aluminum foil, grease sheets with ghee, fill with the mixture,
then fold securely.
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil, slip in the packages
carefully, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 1 hour.
Remove one package to test if done, then remove all the paime from
heat, and drain thoroughly.
Serve hot or cold.
Tunisia
Tunisia is a North African country on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Settled by Berbers, Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, and Turks, it became a French
protectorate in 1881 and remained so until independence in 1956. Just under half
the land is desert, but with cooler northern mountains and a Mediterranean
climate, wheat, fruits, vegetables, and livestock are raised. The population is
almost wholly Arab. Being a Muslim country, pork is not raised. Tunisian
cuisine combines influences from Berber, Arab, French, Turkish, Jewish, and
Mediterranean cooking. Although many elements are common with neighboring
Algerian and Moroccan cuisine, Tunisian cooking is distinguishable from both.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: semolina (hard wheat) couscous, barley, rice.
• Fish (fresh tuna, mullet, snapper), seafood (shrimp, squid, octopus),
chicken, lamb, beef, dried lamb, spicy sausages (osben, merguez),
dairy products, eggs.
• Tomato, pepper (hot and sweet), olive, carrot, chickpea and other
legumes, pumpkin and other gourds, cabbage, cardoon, artichoke.
• Dates, melon, citrus, grapes, apple, watermelon, almond and other
nuts.
• Seasonings: various spices, herbs (mint, parsley). Spice mixes such
as ras el hanut: pepper, rosebuds, cinnamon bark, cloves; tabil:
coriander seed, caraway, red pepper, garlic flakes; hrus: preserved
onion, chili pepper, rose petals, cinnamon; gâlat dagga: grains of
paradise, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg. Table condiment
also used for cooking: harissa.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Couscous with chicken, fish, or osben, a spicy tripe sausage.
Grilled/baked fish, served in spicy sauce.
• Grilled/baked meat dishes: lamb, meatballs (kuftaqa).
• Meat, chicken or fish, and vegetable stew (tajine).
• Egg dishes: ojja (scrambled eggs with tomatoes, sausage, and
brains); tastira (grilled peppers with finely chopped tomato, onions,
and garlic, served with a poached egg).
• Vegetable dishes: soups, salads of fresh or grilled vegetables,
mloukhia (stew of young jute [corchans olitorios] leaves).
• Snacks: savory pastries (brik, stuffed with eggs, vegetables); sweet
pastries: mesfouf (sweet couscous with raisins, dates), bouza (hazelnut
and sesame cream), makhroudh (date-stuffed honey cakes), baklawa
(almond and honey pastry).
• Drinks: most common are sweet mint tea, often served with pine
kernels; Turkish-style coffee; freshly squeezed juice (orange, lemon);
bottled carbonated drinks; palm wine (lagmi); anisette (anise liqueur
mixed with water); grape wine.
STYLES OF EATING
• All food generally brought to the table (or, in traditional households,
a mat on the floor) simultaneously. Diners help themselves from the
staple and the meat or fish dishes.
• Breakfast: bread dipped into chickpea puree, harissa, olive oil or
spice mixtures; or semolina cereal with dates and nuts (farka);
coffee/tea. French-style breakfast: croissant/baguette, sausage, cheese,
coffee, orange juice, fruit yogurt.
Dates at the market on the island of Djerba, Tunisia. (Irina Drazowa-fischer/Dreamstime.com)
• Lunch: baguette sandwich with tuna or egg and vegetables. Or a full

meal of egg-or vegetable-filled pastry (brik), salad of grilled peppers
and tomatoes (slata mechouia), fish soup (maraq sfaxiya), fresh fruit.
• Dinner: various appetizers (kemia), including olives, slices of
sausage, salad of fresh or grilled vegetables; chickpea soup (lablabi);
grilled shoulder of lamb; couscous or rice; fresh fruit salad; Turkish
coffee or mint tea.
• Sweets are rarely eaten at the end of the meal. Usual desserts are fruit
or fruit salad.

This cereal is a traditional dish eaten for breakfast.
2 cups couscous (about 1 pound)

2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted mixed nuts (walnut, almond, hazelnut,
pistachio, or pine nut)
1 cup pitted dates, pitted and chopped roughly
2 cups milk, hot or cold
additional sugar
Place couscous in a large bowl.

Bring water, sugar, and oil to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve
sugar.
Pour mixture over couscous; mix thoroughly.
Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Fluff with fork to separate the grains. Stir in nuts and dates.
Transfer mixture to a 13 × 9 × 2 inch baking dish.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven until hot, about 20 minutes.
Spoon into bowls and serve.
Pass around hot (or cold) milk and sugar.

A salad of seasonal fresh vegetables often appears as part of the appetizers
(kemia) before a formal meal or as an accompaniment to a simple evening meal
with bread and olives and grilled fish.
1 cucumber, sliced finely

salt
2 firm tomatoes, sliced finely
1 small onion, sliced into rings
3 red radishes, sliced finely
1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
lettuce
Sprinkle cucumber with salt; let stand for 20 minutes. Drain.

Arrange vegetables and egg on lettuce in a large salad bowl or on
individual salad plates.
Pour dressing over salad.
Dressing
4 TBS olive oil
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp paprika
Blend all ingredients with an egg whisk or in a blender.

This stew, which uses plentiful local olives, is served for the evening meal with
couscous.
2 TBS oil
1 1/2 pounds beef, cubed
1/2 cup water
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
4 ounces pitted green olives, sliced into rings
Heat oil and brown beef cubes.

Remove meat; set aside.
Add water and loosen the browned bits in pan.
Stir in tomatoes, parsley, garlic, pepper, and salt; simmer for 5
minutes.
Stir in meat and simmer for 30 minutes or until almost tender.
Add olives; continue to simmer for 15 minutes or more or until beef is
very tender.
The sauce should be quite thick.
Serve hot.

This sweet stew can be made with prunes or dried apricots instead of quince.
Dried rose petals are traditionally used as a flavoring. This particular
combination of lamb and fruit appears to derive its provenance from Persian
cuisine via the Ottoman Turks.
1 1/4 pounds boneless lamb, cubed (or substitute chicken or beef)

1 tsp dried and ground rose petals (or 1/4 tsp rose water, available
from stores that sell Middle Eastern foods)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds quince, peeled, cored, and cubed (or substitute hard,
unripe pears)
3–4 cups water
1 cup sugar
salt to taste
Toss lamb with cinnamon, rose petals (or rose water), and salt.
Heat olive oil in a casserole over medium-high heat; brown lamb, for
about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add quince, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low; stir in sugar, cover, and cook until the lamb is
very tender and the quince soft, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season
to taste.
Serve with rice.

Unlike Moroccan chakchouka, which always combines eggs and vegetables, this
Tunisian dish omits the eggs. Serve with flat bread, couscous, or rice for a
midday meal.
2 TBS olive oil

1/2 pound merguez (or chorizo, or other paprika-flavored sausage), cut
in bite-sized pieces
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1 pint water
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut in rings
In a saucepan, heat oil; sauté onion and sausages until lightly browned.
Stir in eggplant, salt, water, tomatoes, and bell pepper.
Cover and simmer for 20–30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Serve with bread and harissa.

This is a common pepper sauce all over North Africa. It is not to be confused
with harees, an Arabian and East African dish of meat and rice. In Tunisia,
harissa accompanies almost all savory dishes.
2 TBS caraway seed, ground

1/2 cup chili flakes
1/4 cup cumin powder
2 TBS salt
1 or 2 drops vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth.

Let stand at least 1 hour before using.
Store leftover sauce refrigerated in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Serve with any savory dish.

Also known as “cigars,” these are a well-loved snack, usually eaten while
drinking coffee.
1 1/4 cups water

1 TBS lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
2–3 drops orange-blossom water
1 1/2 cups blanched almonds, lightly toasted and ground (or equivalent
commercial ground almonds)
1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange rind
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
about 4 ounces phyllo pastry
butter, melted (about 1/2 cup)
lightly toasted sesame seeds
In a saucepan, heat water, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup sugar, until
dissolved to a light syrup.
Turn off heat; add orange-blossom water. Cool.
Mix ground almonds, orange rind, cinnamon, and the remaining sugar
together. Reserve for filling.
Take 1 sheet of phyllo pastry; brush with butter. (Keep other sheets
covered with a clean moist towel to keep from drying.)
Cut buttered phyllo into 3 strips lengthwise.
Place a small spoonful of filling at the bottom of each strip.
Fold sides over the filling; roll pastry up along the length.
Seal the cigar by brushing the inner pastry tip with butter.
Brush the outside of rolled cigar with butter; place on baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining pastry and filling, keeping cigars from
touching.
Bake cigars in a preheated 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes or until crisp
and golden.
Remove from oven.
While hot, dip pastries a few at a time into the syrup.
Leave for 3 minutes so cigars absorb the syrup.
Transfer to a plate; sprinkle generously with sesame seeds.
Serve at room temperature with coffee.

Couscous is a popular cereal eaten all over North Africa. This is a sweet
variation normally eaten as a snack.
1 pound fine semolina (cream of wheat)

1 cup hot water
1/4 cup blanched almond halves or slivers
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup seedless raisins soaked for 10 minutes in warm water, then
drained
sugar to taste
1/2 cup seedless green and/or black grapes, washed and drained
In a heatproof bowl, soak the semolina in hot water, mix well, and
allow to rest for 5 minutes. Break up lumps with fingers or a fork.
Place the semolina in a double boiler or couscousiere and steam over
boiling water for 10 minutes.
Gradually add half the butter, stirring with a fork.
Steam for an additional ten minutes, then add remaining butter.
Steam for an additional 5–10 minutes if necessary, making sure to use
a fork from time to time to break up any lumps.
Meanwhile toast the almonds: in a dry skillet over low heat, place the
almonds and stir for 3–5 minutes until pale golden and aromatic. Turn
off heat and add the pine nuts. Keep the almonds and pine nuts in the
skillet until needed.
Remove the steamed semolina to a serving bowl.
Mix in well the raisins, almonds, and pine nuts.
Sprinkle with sugar and garnish with the grapes.

These cookies are much-loved sweets, often made for special occasions and gift-
giving, such as the Eid festival. They are eaten for snacks, normally with coffee
or tea.
2 pounds very fine semolina (cream of wheat)

1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup warm ghee or melted butter
1/4 tsp saffron, pulverized and soaked in 1 TBS of the warm ghee
(optional)
warm water as needed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and pounded into a paste (or ready-prepared
date paste, available at stores that sell Middle Eastern foods)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp orange-blossom water (optional)
oil for deep frying
Prepare the dough: in a large bowl, mix the semolina with salt and
baking soda.
Gradually whisk in the ghee and saffron, mixing rapidly. The dough
should be firm but moist (not dripping). If too dry, add a bit of warm
water.
Once the dough is smooth, allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend cinnamon and orange rind and juice into date paste,
working to make a smooth mixture.
With buttered fingers, take walnut-sized balls of the date mixture and
roll into 4-to 5-inch sausages the thickness of your little finger. Set
aside.
Prepare a light sugar syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the
honey, sugar, and water to a boil. Stir to dissolve the honey and sugar,
then turn off heat and let the syrup cool. Once the syrup is at room
temperature, stir in the orange-blossom water, cover, and refrigerate.
Assemble the pastries: divide the dough into as many pieces as the
date sausages. With buttered fingers, roll out each dough piece on your
palms (or on a buttered flat plate), then roll around each date sausage
to completely cover it. Seal firmly all around.
With your palm, flatten each roll slightly, then cut on the diagonal into
1-inch-long pieces. Place them separately on a buttered or oiled plate
or tray.
Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry makhroudh a few at a time to
golden brown. Remove, drain briefly, and drop into cold syrup. The
colder the syrup and the hotter the makhroudh roll, the crisper the end
product. Remove, drain, and serve. Can be kept in a sealed container
for two weeks.
Turkey
A secular Muslim, though not Arab, republic, Turkey was established in 1923
from the remains of the Ottoman Empire, which controlled the region from the
thirteenth to the twentieth century. With its Mediterranean temperate climate,
and terrain of high plateaus and rolling hills ideal for raising wheat and other
grains, fruits, vegetables, and livestock, Turkey is self-sufficient in food and is a
major exporter. Most of the population is Turkish, but there is a significant
Kurdish minority. Turkish cuisine is elaborate and sophisticated, drawing from
Levantine, Persian, central Asian, and European cuisines. It has left its imprint
on the cuisines of the Middle East and the Balkans. Many Middle Eastern
recipes owe their origin to Turkish originals, and vice versa.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, flat breads, pasta.
• Lamb, beef, fish, seafood, chicken, eggs, dairy products.
• Eggplant, zucchini, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, pickled olives,
pickled grape leaves (used for stuffing).
• Fig, grape, apricot, watermelon, cantaloupe, apple, orange, rose
petals (for jam).
• Seasonings: mint, dill, cumin, garlic, onion, yogurt, olive oil.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Grilled meats: doner kebab, shish kebab. Grilled seafood and fish.
• Meat-filled dumplings called manti, an echo (via the Mongol and
Turkish empires) of the Chinese mantou and central Asian manty.
• Pickles: olives; cucumber; assorted vegetables.
• Vegetable dishes: stuffed eggplant (dolma), grape leaves, peppers.
• Rice dishes: pilaf with meat or vegetables and spices.
• Yogurt-based dishes: soup; sauce for fried vegetables or filled
dumplings (manti).
• Flat breads: round sesame buns (simit), pita (pide), flat sheet bread
(yufka), which is dried and keeps indefinitely.
• Sweets include cakes sweetened with honey or syrup: multilayered
pastry interleaved with nuts (baklava); syrup-glazed fritters (tulumba).
STYLES OF EATING
• Dining is usually European style, with knife, fork, and spoon, though
people in the traditional hinterland may still share from a single dish.
• Breakfast: bread (usually simit—round sesame-topped pretzel),
olives, white cheese, jam, egg; or cheese-or meat-stuffed pastry
(pogaça, borek); tea/coffee.
• Lunch: soup, pilaf, salad, fresh fruit, tea.
• Dinner: Most meals start with meze, appetizers of pickled olives or
stuffed grape leaves, followed by soup. Skewered meat, salad, dessert,
tea.
• Snacks: sweet pastry (baklava), stuffed savory pastry.
• Drinks: Turkish coffee and tea are famous. Fruit juices, especially
grape; ayran (yogurt drink). Winter drinks: hot wild orchid drink
(salep), hot wheat or millet drink (boza).

Each region makes this yogurt soup differently. Yayla means meadow, and thus
implies flavoring with herbs, such as mint or dill. To thicken the soup, rice,
barley or bulgur (cracked wheat), or chickpeas are added.
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 TBS fresh mint or dill, chopped
Melt butter over medium heat; fry onion until soft.

Stir in flour, mixing well. Gradually add stock, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil; add chickpeas and rice.
Bring to a boil again; reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes.
Whisk yogurt in a bowl; slowly stir into the soup.
Let soup heat through. Do not let it boil or yogurt will curdle.
Garnish with mint or dill and ladle into bowls.
Serve at once.
YOGURT AND YOGURT DRINKS AND PRODUCTS

Yogurt, a word derived from Turkish, is a generic word for the many
controlled-fermentation products of milk. Yogurt is a major foodstuff in all
sheep and cattle-breeding societies. Drinking raw milk has a number of
disadvantages: it spoils quickly, it is difficult to transport, and may be
difficult to digest for adults who stop making the enzyme lactase in their
bodies. Heating the milk and infecting it with a bacillus (most commonly
Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus) acidifies the milk and provides
chemical changes that allow better storage. Yogurt can be further processed
by adding vegetables or fruit (e.g., Indian dahi and lassi), mixing with fruit
compotes or honey, thickening by straining (e.g., Middle Eastern labane),
or even drying (e.g., Central Asian Turkish tarhana yogurt soup mix). On
its own or flavored, yogurt is a common side dish in all Iranian meals.
Keffir is popular throughout the Russian Federation and the former
Soviet Union as a refreshing drink. It is mildly sour, and since it is
fermented with a mix of lactobacillus and yeast, it has an effervescence and
is mildly alcoholic. Keffir is drunk throughout the day.
Airag and kumiss, popular in Mongolia and Kazakhstan, are yogurt
drinks produced by the use of lactobacillus and a cultured yeast. Both are
made from mare or camel milk. Both are offered guests, and drunk at social
gatherings in the evenings.
Once excess water is expelled from yogurt, by suspending the yogurt
overnight in a cheesecloth bag or even a simple sieve, it forms a thicker,
cream-cheese consistency product called labaneh in the Middle East. This
can be further fermented into mish, a soft cheese particularly popular in
Egypt, and aged into a brown, crumbly deep-scented cheese called al-rish.
Labaneh, mish, and al-rish are eaten for breakfast with olive oil and bread.
Some yogurt types are dried and used as journey foods. Called qurut in
Central Asia (Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan) and chhurpi in Tibet,
where it is made from yak (or more properly, dri, since yak refers to the
male only) milk. Qurut has a texture and appearance not unlike worn
spongy bone, and it can be hydrated to liquid form, or chewed for lengthy
periods. It will last for some years in a dry cool environment. A dried soup
mix of yogurt, cereal, and vegetables called tarhana is widely used in
Turkey to make winter soups. In Greece, a similar yogurt and vegetable
soup mix using a different form of cereal is called trahana.
A great number of yogurt types are found in the Indian subcontinent
(Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan). These include drinks such as
lassi, which is yogurt that has been beaten with water, and added fruit pulp
(mango, banana) into sweet lassi, or with water, salt and a vegetable such as
cucumber, into salty lassi. A very common use for yogurt throughout the
subcontinent is paneer, a soft curd cheese, which is made by curdling milk
with yogurt and/or an acid, expressing the whey, and aging the curds for
anything between three and forty-eight hours (depending on region) into a
soft cheese which is eaten with bread or biscuits, cooked in curries, or
mixed with sugar for sweets.
Yogurt and yogurt products have become worldwide favorites, in
many cases introduced by immigrants (e.g., yogurt was introduced to the
United States by an Armenian immigrant to New England) and popularized
by international food companies. The most popular yogurts sold worldwide
are flavored yogurts, notably those flavored with fruit and sugar.

Imam bayildi literally means, “the imam fainted.” As one legend goes, a certain
imam (Muslim religious leader), after observing a holy day and ending a long
fast, was so taken with the delicious aroma of this dish that he fainted away.
Another legend is that he fainted upon learning the amount of oil that went into
his favorite dish. This may be served at lunch or dinner, depending on
accompaniments.
2 large eggplants, each weighing about 1 pound

3 TBS olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup parsley, chopped finely
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups water or tomato juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Slice each eggplant in half.

With a teaspoon, scoop out pulp from the middle, leaving a 1/4-inch
wall all around.
Sprinkle salt over eggplant shells; let drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and
pat dry.
Chop eggplant pulp and reserve.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat; stir in onions and garlic; fry
until onions are soft.
Stir in eggplant pulp and peppers, frying for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
Simmer for 5 minutes; remove from heat.
Stir in parsley and lemon juice; adjust seasoning.
Place eggplant shells side by side in a baking pan.
Fill each with eggplant mixture.
Pour water or tomato juice around eggplants. Drizzle olive oil on
eggplants.
Cover with foil.
Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 30–45 minutes or until eggplants are
tender.
Serve hot or cold.

These meatballs, originally made with lamb, are a popular dish for dinner. They
can also be served fried. Serve these with a pilaf and side dishes of vegetables.
1 cup fine bulgur (cracked wheat, available at groceries that sell

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 pound ground fatty beef
1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup parsley, chopped, for garnish
Soak bulgur in water for 30 minutes.
Place bulgur in a food processor. Add meat, almonds, parsley, salt, and
pepper; process until mixture is a smooth paste. Add a bit more water
if necessary.
Mold the mixture into egg-sized ovals.
Take a meatball, make a cavity in the middle with a teaspoon handle.
Place 1 tsp of stuffing in the cavity and squeeze meat to seal.
Repeat with the remaining balls and stuffing.
Bring the stock to a simmer in a shallow saucepan.
Slide in meatballs and simmer, covered, for 25–35 minutes, or until
done.
Turn balls to ensure even cooking.
Distribute meatballs among warmed plates.
Spoon some stock over; sprinkle with parsley.
Stuffing
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
Heat 1 TBS oil in a skillet over low heat; stir in pine nuts and sauté till
just golden (be careful, they burn easily). Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, heat 1 TBS oil; increase heat to medium and sauté
onions until soft.
Stir in raisins and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Stir in paprika and cumin; add pine nuts and blend well.

These fritters are typical of Turkish sweets that are soaked in honey or syrup.
Like doughnuts, they are best eaten when fresh.
1 ounce yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup water
oil for frying
1/2 cup crushed pistachio nuts or toasted almonds
Dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of flour. Leave in a warm

place until frothy, about 10 minutes.
Blend flour, yeast, butter, and salt.
Gradually add water, until the mixture forms a dough.
Knead lightly for 5 minutes on a floured surface.
Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic film, and leave in a warm,
draft-free place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in volume.
Divide dough into walnut-sized pieces; refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
Carefully slip dough balls into oil, just a few at a time so as not to
lower the oil temperature.
When the balls are puffed up and golden, remove and drain on paper
towels.
Continue frying the rest of the balls.
Drop fried balls into the syrup.
Leave for 10–15 minutes to absorb the syrup.
Place on a serving dish, sprinkle with nuts, and serve at once.
Syrup
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 TBS lemon juice
Simmer all ingredients until thickened, for about 10 minutes.

Rose petals are a traditional flavoring that may have originated in Iran but
certainly were spread by Ottoman Turks to the corners of their far-flung empire.
They are very popular in Morocco, Tunisia, and Eastern Europe as well as
Turkey.
3/4 cup rose petal jam

1/4 cup water
3 cups canned pineapple, drained and shredded
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 TBS rose water
candied rose petals for garnish (optional)
In a saucepan, heat jam with water and strain well; let cool.
Add pineapple, lemon juice, and rose water.
Mix well and transfer to an ice cream maker; follow instructions for
making a sherbet.
Alternatively, transfer mixture to ice trays.
Cover with foil and freeze until thick but not solid, about 3/4–1 hour
(depends on your freezer and depth of ice tray).
Remove from freezer, break up ice, and pour into individual dessert
glasses.
Return to freezer and let freeze.
About 15 minutes before serving, transfer glasses to refrigerator.
Garnish with candied rose petals.

These rolls are just one of the many delicacies from the rich Turkish pastry
repertoire. Often served for breakfast, these rolls are to be eaten with hot coffee
or tea or at any time for a snack.
For the dough

1 TBS sugar
1 1/2 cups warm milk
3 cups flour plus more for working the pastry
1 tsp salt
Filling
1 cup of tahini (sesame paste, available from stores that sell Middle
Eastern foods and some health food shops)
2 cups chopped walnuts
Glaze
1 egg, beaten
toasted sesame seeds, white or black, or a mixture
Prepare the dough: combine the yeast and sugar into 1/4 cup warm
milk and set aside in a warm place until frothy (about 10 minutes).
In a large, deep bowl place the oil and the rest of the warm milk. Stir
in the yeast mixture.
Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing well to a firm but very pliable
consistency. Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface until dough is
very smooth and as soft as an earlobe (this is the original description
used by Turkish bakers to illustrate the consistency of this dough).
Cover dough with a clean damp kitchen towel and allow to rise in a
warm place for 1 hour or until almost doubled in volume.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the filling: whisk the tahini paste with the
butter until very smooth. Stir in the walnuts and sugar.
Punch the dough down. Divide dough into plum-sized (about 2 1/2–3
inches in diameter) balls. You may get about 6–8.
Heat oven to 325°F. Butter a large baking sheet or cookie sheet.
Take a dough ball and roll out on a lightly floured surface to about a
1/8 inch thick pastry disk (it will be irregular in shape).
Spread the filling generously on the pastry, leaving the edges free of
filling.
Roll the filled pastry disk into a cylinder. Pinch any open edges to seal
in the filling.
With one hand, take one end of the cylinder, and using the other hand,
twist the pastry cylinder, making as many twists as you can.
Curl the twisted pastry cylinder into a spiral. (The spiraling may cause
the rolls to open at the seams during baking, but this is fine.)
Pinch the end of the spiral firmly to keep it in place. Place the spirals
in the prepared baking tray with plenty of space in between.
Let the spirals rise for 20–30 minutes until almost doubled.
Bake for 10 minutes or until beginning to color.
Remove tray from oven, brush over with the beaten egg and scatter
sesame seeds on top.
Raise heat to 350°F and bake for another 5–8 minutes or until spirals
are golden brown. Remove, then allow to continue cooling on a rack.
Serve warm or cold.

This sweet cake is often served during the iftar meal, which ends the day’s
fasting during Ramadan. Portakalli refers to oranges, and suggests that oranges
were brought into Turkey via Portugal, though this is historically doubtful.
1 cup flour
1 cup semolina
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup yogurt
Syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

In a medium bowl, combine flour, semolina, baking powder, baking
soda, and salt.
In a larger bowl, beat the egg with sugar until very light and creamy.
Stir in the butter, olive oil, yoghurt, and half of the orange rind.
Reserve half of the orange rind for the syrup.
Whisk in the flour and semolina mixture, then add the orange juice.
Mix well into a smooth batter.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until golden and a wooden skewer comes
out dry.
Meanwhile prepare the syrup: in a saucepan over medium heat,
simmer the sugar, water, and orange juice, until sugar is completely
dissolved. Remove from fire, allow to cool and add lemon juice and
rind and reserved orange rind. Let syrup cool to room temperature,
then refrigerate until ready to use.
Remove cake from the oven. Pierce cake in several places with a
skewer. Immediately pour cold syrup over the hot cake.
Allow to rest in the pan for four hours, then cut into small squares or
diamonds and serve.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is a lightly populated Central Asian country on the shores of the

Caspian Sea. Conquered by Russia in the late nineteenth century, it was a part of
the Soviet Union until it broke up in 1991. Although it has plentiful oil and
natural gas resources, the country is underdeveloped. The terrain is subtropical
desert (the famous Garagum Desert fills most of the country) with hot summers
and cold winters: wheat and other cereals, olives, and oil seeds are grown. The
rest of the country is rolling steppe and highlands, where sheep, camels, and
horses are raised. Most of the population are Muslim Turkmen, with Uzbek and
Russian minorities. Nomadism and stock breeding are still prevalent, although
many have settled in irrigated land around the Amur Darya River. Turkmen
cuisine is similar to that of other nomadic neighbors, with minimal Russian
influence. Mutton is highly prized.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: mutton, dairy products, wheat, millet, other cereals.
• Camel, domesticated and wild goat, beef, fish (sturgeon, gray mullet
from Caspian Sea), dried and smoked meat and fish, sausage.
• Pumpkin, gourd, eggplant, olive, carrot, bell pepper, cabbage,
tomato, potato, spinach, legumes.
• Melon, grape, apricot, pomegranate, dried fruit (especially melon),
pistachio, hazelnut.
• Dairy products: fermented skimmed camel’s milk (chal), sour cream
(agaran), clotted cream (gaymak), fresh white cheese (suzme), smoked
cheese (peynir).
• Seasonings: pomegranate juice, black pepper, red chili pepper, mint,
parsley. Turkmens use less spices and chilies than their neighbors.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Flavored rice and meat: palav (plov).
• Grilled or roasted meats (mutton and goat preferred; horses are
highly prized for riding, thus not commonly eaten as in neighboring
countries); less often fish.
Pomegranate.
• Soups and stews of meat and vegetables: dograma.

• Flat breads: churek (called nan or non in neighboring countries),
flaky gatlama.
• Vegetables: salads of charcoal-grilled eggplants or bell peppers, rice
and meat-stuffed grape leaves or other vegetables (doloma), pumpkin-
stuffed steamed dumplings (manti).
STYLES OF EATING
• Families eat on a floor cloth around a central dish, from which diners
help themselves with their hands. Male guests eat with the household
males, and women and children eat separately from men.
• Breakfast: millet or cracked wheat porridge, yogurt and/or curds,
watermelon or other fruit jam, green tea.
• Lunch: flat bread with curds or cheese, rice with stewed or grilled
mutton with vegetables, fresh fruits or sweet confections with green
tea.
• Dinner: similar to lunch.
• Snacks: steamed or baked savory (meat-filled) pastries (fichi),
vegetable-filled pastries (somsa), sugar-glazed nuts with tea.

Also called ash, this is the main dish in many Turkmen meals. The name comes
from the Iranian word pilaf. Rice is imported but is in high demand as an energy-
giving food on the steppes. The dish is meant to be quite oily. The traditional
mark of a good Turkmen palav is that the mutton fat should run down your arms
while eating. Health consciousness has made contemporary palavs less rich,
using sunflower oil instead of mutton fat and other meats instead of mutton.
Reduce oil to 2 TBS if desired.
1/4 cup oil

1 pound fatty beef or preferably mutton, cubed
5–6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
5 carrots, peeled and roughly shredded (using a large-holed grater)
2 cups rice
3 cups water
Heat oil in a heavy, lidded pot over medium heat. Add meat and garlic
cloves.
Cook, stirring, until the meat browns, about 10 minutes.
Add onions and salt. Cook until onions are soft. Add carrots and stir
well.
Add rice and water to meat mixture. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Lower heat immediately, cover lid and seal well, and cook on lowest
heat for 15–20 minutes.
Remove from fire and allow to rest, without opening lid, for a further
10 minutes.
Serve hot.

This is a popular dish often eaten as a snack or for a light midday meal. Local
mushrooms are sometimes added. Add 1 cup sliced white mushrooms if desired.
Serve this hot with green tea.
2 cups flour
3 TBS butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBS sour cream
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 pound ground lamb or beef
2 onions, diced
1 TBS (or more) melted butter
In a large bowl, mix well the flour, butter, salt, baking powder, sour
cream, milk, and egg until mixture forms a ball.
Knead for 15 minutes on a floured surface until elastic and shiny; let
rest for 20–30 minutes, covered with a damp cloth.
Mix meat, onions, and tomatoes in a separate bowl and season to taste.
Divide dough into 2 unequal portions, about 2/3 and 1/3.
On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough out into a 1/4-inch-
thick disk. The smaller amount of dough should be about 2 inches
smaller than the larger.
Place larger circle of dough on a greased cookie sheet.
Spread meat mixture evenly over dough, leaving a clear surface 1 inch
away from the rim.
Place smaller dough circle on top of meat mixture.
Raise rim of larger dough circle and fold over the upper one.
Pinch or crimp edges together in one direction, sealing well. Brush
with melted butter.
Prick a few holes in a decorative pattern on the upper crust, being
careful not to pierce through to the bottom.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush more butter onto baked pie crust if desired.
Fried Soup (Shorba)

Turkmens distinguish between “fried” soups (the meat and other ingredients are
first fried, then simmered) and boiled soups (no frying). Tomatoes and potatoes
are foreign introductions to traditional Turkmen cooking, but these are now
commonly used in many dishes. Soup is served with flat bread.
2 TBS oil
1 pound lamb, cubed
2 onions, sliced
2 tomatoes, cubed
2 cups pumpkin flesh, cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
Heat oil and brown lamb in a saucepan. Add vegetables and salt.
Reduce heat to lowest possible and simmer for 10 minutes
Add boiling water and paprika.
Simmer until the lamb is tender, about 45 minutes. Correct seasoning.
Serve in individual soup bowls ensuring everyone has some meat.

This “boiled” soup is served with flat bread.
6 cups water
1 pound lamb, shank, or other cut with bone, or beef
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
salt to taste
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp saffron dissolved in 1 TBS water
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1 TBS parsley, finely chopped
Boil water in a saucepan. Add lamb and bring to a boil. Skim froth.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour until the meat is so
tender that it almost falls off the bones.
Add onions and tomatoes; simmer for 15 minutes. Add spinach and
garlic; simmer for 5 minutes.
Season with salt, paprika, and saffron. Mix well, cover, let stand for 15
minutes.
Divide among 4 deep and large soup bowls; garnish with herbs.
Potato Salad
The Russian occupation of Turkmenistan for nearly a century introduced
mayonnaise and potato, and their combination as a salad. This salad has become
a commonly eaten dish in markets and homes, accompanying more traditional
dishes such as rice and grilled skewered meats.
2 cups boiled potatoes, sliced

1 cup pickled cucumber, sliced into thin strips
1 carrot, sliced into thin strips
1 cup green peas, parboiled
2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups cooked beef, sliced into 1 × 2 inch strips
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced lengthwise, for garnish
Dressing
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 onion, minced
Into a large serving bowl, place all vegetables and meat.

In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients then pour into the serving
bowl.
Toss salad gently but thoroughly. Top with eggs.
Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes and serve chilled.

This dish is one of countless ways of preparing a popular vegetable.
1 large eggplant, cut crosswise into slices about 1/4–1/3 inch thick
(ensure you have an even number of slices)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or more, as needed)
Salad
1 large ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 TBS fresh dill, finely minced
1 TBS fresh parsley, finely minced
pinch of salt
Sour cream dressing

4 TBS sour cream
3 TBS yogurt or milk
pinch of dried mint
pinch of red pepper flakes
Place eggplant slices on a rack (such as a cake rack) on a tray, sprinkle

with salt, and leave them at room temperature for about 20–30
minutes. Rinse off the accumulated brown juices and wipe slices dry
with paper towels.
Heat 2 TBS of oil over medium heat in heavy-bottomed frying pan.
Fry the eggplant slices on each side until brown and insides are soft
(eggplants require a great deal of oil, so you may need to add more).
Drain on paper towels, and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, combine all the vegetables, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and
salt to taste in a bowl, and mix the salad well.
Mix the dressing: combine the sour cream, yogurt, dried mint, and
pepper flakes in a small bowl.
Place half of the fried eggplant slices on a serving plate. Cover with a
layer of salad, ensuring each eggplant disk is covered.
Lay neatly the remaining half of the eggplant slices.
Spoon over each eggplant slice some of the sour cream dressing. Serve
at once.
This bread is one of the favorite snack breads, normally sold by vendors in carts
at markets and on the streets.
Dough
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBS liquid mutton fat or ghee or melted butter
warm water, as needed
Filling
1 pound mutton (or other meat), minced
1 onion, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
oil for frying
Prepare the dough: sift flour and salt together into a bowl. Whisk in the
fat, and then gradually add warm water to make a soft but firm dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and pliable.
Divide dough into 8 equal parts and roll into balls. Allow to rest for 30
minutes to 1 hour under a moist kitchen towel.
Prepare the filling: in a bowl, mix the mutton, onion, cumin, salt, and
black pepper until smooth.
To assemble the rolls: on a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough
ball to a 1/4-inch-thick disk.
Place 1/8 of the meat mixture in the center of the pastry disk.
Fold the pastry disk over to enclose the filling, forming a crescent.
Press the edges of the pastry and crimp to seal securely with the
fingers or a fork. Repeat for the remaining dough balls.
Heat about 1/2 inch of oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet.
Fry just a few gutap at a time to golden brown on both sides. Serve
warm or cold.
These fritters are a ubiquitous sweet and snack, best eaten with hot tea.
2 eggs
1 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
oil for deep frying
1 cup slivered almonds or halved hazelnuts
Glaze
1 1/2 cups honey
4 tsp sugar
Mix eggs, sugar, butter, salt, milk, and flour in a deep bowl until the
Knead for 10–15 minutes on a floured surface; set aside for 30–40
minutes, covered with a damp cloth. Roll out dough into a rectangle
1/4 inch thick.
Cut lengthwise into strips 1 inch wide; cut strips crosswise into smaller
pieces, about 2 inches long.
Fry pastry pieces in medium-hot oil (350°F) for 5–7 minutes or until
pale golden brown. Drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Prepare glaze: cook honey and sugar at low heat until hard-ball stage
(250–265°F).
Dip fritters a few at a time into syrup, coating each thoroughly.
Shape into a mound or pyramid on a large, flat buttered plate.
Sprinkle with nuts.

Strained yogurt, similar to the Middle Eastern labaneh, is a common ingredient
in Turkmen cooking. It can be spread on bread, or used in cooking.
2 cups thick natural flavored yogurt
Place yogurt in cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow to drain overnight in

the refrigerator or other cool place. (The drained liquid, which is whey,
can be used for cooking.)
Transfer the drained yogurt to a bowl. The süzme can be eaten as is,
spread on bread, for breakfast or snack. You may wish to stir in some
salt and/or fresh herbs to taste. It can also be used to make a drink
called çal (see recipe below).

This drink is made using strained yogurt. Instead of water, you can also use soda
(carbonated) water.
1 cup süzme (drained yogurt)

1 cup cold water
salt to taste
2 cups crushed ice
1 small fresh cucumber (optional), finely minced or grated
1 TBS minced dill (optional)
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced (optional)
Place the drained yogurt, cold water, salt to taste, and ice in blender
and blend for a few seconds until smooth.
Add grated cucumber, dill, and garlic, and blend briefly.
Serve immediately.

This pudding is eaten as a snack during cold days or as a dessert after a main
meal.
4 cups milk
1 cup rice
1/2 cup butter
4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat, bring the milk to a

boil. Stir in the rice.
Reduce heat and simmer the rice until almost done (about 10 minutes).
Stir in butter and continue simmering until the rice is tender.
Stir in sugar until completely dissolved.
Serve hot or cold in individual bowls garnished with pistachios.
Tyrol
The Tyrol area, once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (and an almost
independent country), sprawls on the high mountains across Italy (Trentino and
South Tyrol) and Austria (Tyrol). The area is mountainous, with steep-sided
valleys and a cool Alpine climate. The high altitude and pure environment yield
quality meat, milk products, and wine. The population comprises primarily
Germans and Italians, with a minority group of Ladins, who speak an almost
forgotten Romansch language called Ladin (a language derived from vulgar
Latin). Tyrolean food is robust and blends German, Italian, and Hungarian
elements.
FOODSTUFFS
• Bread, noodles, dumplings (of buckwheat, rye, and wheat flour).
• Beef, pork; venison, boar, hare, other wild game; chicken, pheasant,
quail, innards (tripe, liver); preserved meats (ham, sausage, bacon);
cheese, sour cream, and other dairy products.
• Potato, cabbage, carrot, turnip, celeriac, tomato, porcini and other
mushrooms, pickled vegetables (sauerkraut).
• Apple, pear, plum, apricot, cherry, bilberries, chestnut, almond, other
nuts.
• Seasonings: garlic, herbs (parsley, sage, marjoram, basil, chives,
rosemary, etc.), cinnamon, nutmeg, juniper berries, bacon. Fruit
mustard made of mandarin oranges.
• Drinks: barley water (orzata), fruit juices, coffee, wine, beer,
schnapps (fruit liqueur).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Soups: pea, barley, tripe, wine.
• Roast/grilled dishes: stuffed chicken, marinated hare. Preserved
meats: blood and chestnut sausage, beef marinated in juniper berries.
• Potato dishes: pan-fried onion, meat, and potato (gröstl); meat-or

potato-filled dumplings (schlipfkrapfen).
• Dumplings (knödel, canederli): ham-, liver-, fruit-, or cheese-stuffed.
• Meat and vegetable stews: golasc (goulash); lamb seared and braised
in red wine.
STYLES OF EATING
• Bread, well-matured bacon (speck), and wine are always served first
at celebrations and as appetizers.
• Breakfast: muesli, yogurt, homemade jams, cheese, farmer’s ham and
bacon; coffee.
• Lunch: savory cheese-filled dumplings (knödel), salad, apple fritters,
coffee.
• Dinner: pea soup, potato fritters, seared and braised lamb, poppy-
seed doughnuts, stewed apple, plum liqueur (schnapps).
• Snacks: doughnuts; fritters (kiachle); pancakes; slices of cheese,
well-aged bacon, sausage, pickles, and bread with wine (brettljause).
• Desserts: apple strudel, apple fritters, doughnuts.

Meals often begin with this kind of warming soup.
1/4 cup split yellow peas

4 cups ham stock, skimmed of fat
2 TBS butter
1 onion, minced
1 TBS flour
1 celeriac root or 2 stalks celery, peeled and diced
2 potatoes, diced
1 TBS (or more, as desired) sour cream per person for garnish
Soak peas overnight in water; drain.

In a saucepan, simmer peas, stock, and thyme, for 40 minutes to 1 hour
or until peas are tender.
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion until soft. Stir in
flour, mixing well.
Stir in celeriac and potatoes, cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir the potato
mixture into peas.
Simmer for another 20–30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Season with salt and pepper; discard thyme.
Ladle into bowls with a dollop of sour cream.
These potato fritters are a common accompaniment to main dishes.
3 potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed

1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
oil for deep frying
Mix potatoes, flour, eggs, salt, and oil in a bowl or food processor until
Remove dough, knead and roll out to 1/4 inch thick on a floured
surface.
Cut into 4-×-2-inch strips.
Deep fry in hot oil; drain on paper towels.
Serve hot.

This local bread is intended to last for days for mountaineers and shepherds. The
name Schüttelbrot means “shaken bread.” Traditionally, each piece of bread was
shaped by being shaken (after the dough had risen) in a round tray. This recipe
omits this and instead rolls out the dough to shape them.
Starter
1 tsp fresh or active dry yeast
1/2 cup rye flour
In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in water. Add the flour and mix well.
Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm draft-free place for at
least 1 hour.
Dough
1 cup rye flour
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp fresh (or active dry) yeast dissolved in 2 cups of lukewarm water
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp mixed caraway, fennel, cumin, or fenugreek seeds (your choice
of 2 or 3 types of spices)
In a large bowl, stir in the starter with the rye and regular flour, yeast,
salt, and spices. Mix well to a smooth dough.
Form into a ball covered with cling film and let rest for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, divide into
5–6 pieces.
Shape into balls. Dust each ball with flour and allow to rise until
almost doubled in volume.
Gently roll out each ball to about 6–7 inches in diameter (or place on a
floured tray and shake in a circular motion to stretch it out: this takes
practice!).
Place loaves evenly spaced on a floured cookie sheet at 375°F for 10
minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F, and bake for another
8–10 minutes or until the breads are crisp all the way through and
golden.
Cool on a rack. Store or eat immediately with butter, cheese, and
sausage, or on their own.

Doughnuts of all kinds are served as dessert or snack. Krapfen (the German
word) or crafon (the Italian Tyrolese word) are usually eaten in the weeks
preceding Lent. These are from the Val Gardena region.
1 ounce yeast
1 cup (or more) warm milk
2 pounds flour, sifted
3 egg yolks
rind of 1 lemon, grated
oil for frying
Sprinkle yeast over milk; leave for 15 minutes in a warm place until
frothy.
Blend flour, yeast mixture, egg yolks, butter, and lemon rind, until the
mixture forms a soft dough.
Add a bit more warm milk if it seems dry.
Place dough in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place until
doubled in volume.
Turn dough onto a floured board; punch down and knead quickly and
divide into 8 pieces.
Roll out into balls; flatten balls out to disks about 1 inch thick.
With a very sharp, thin-bladed knife, make a slit on one curved wall of
each disk (make sure not to pierce through the whole disk).
Place a spoonful of filling inside the slit; seal top flap securely to
bottom.
Heat oil to 360°F.
Fry disks until well puffed up and golden brown.
Serve warm or cold.
Filling
4 TBS poppy seeds
2 TBS sugar
2 TBS honey
1 egg yolk, beaten
Mix all ingredients thoroughly, adding water to moisten if necessary.

Marillen or apricots are a well-loved summer fruit, and are popularly
incorporated into desserts.
Dough
4 egg yolks
2 cups cream cheese or cottage cheese, well-drained
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
pinch salt
1 cup plain flour
Filling
8 ripe apricots, washed and wiped dry
8 tsp marzipan
Garnish
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 TBS sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
powdered sugar
Prepare the dough: in bowl, mix well the egg yolks, cheese, vanilla,
lemon rind, and salt.
Blend in the flour and mix thoroughly to make a smooth soft dough.
Form into a ball, and allow to rest, covered with cling film, for about 1
hour in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: slit each apricot along the seam,
without completely separating both halves of the apricot if possible,
and remove the stone. Fill the cavity with marzipan. Bring the two
halves of the apricots together to close and set aside.
Prepare the garnish: in a skillet or frying pan over low heat, heat the
butter and stir in the breadcrumbs until they are golden, about 3
minutes. Turn off the heat.
Mix in the sugar and cinnamon. Transfer mixture into a bowl.
To assemble the pastries: divide the dough into eight; shape each piece
into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball to a 1/8-inch-thick
pastry disk.
Place a filled apricot in the center of a pastry disk.
Fold dough over the apricot to completely enclose, and pinch to seal
all openings securely. Roll gently to smooth the surface of the pastries.
In a large saucepan, bring to a boil 4 cups of water and a pinch of salt.
Add the dumplings all at once, and reduce the heat to allow them to
gently simmer.
Remove the dumplings after about 15–20 minutes and drain.
Sprinkle with the garnish and powdered sugar and serve at once.
U
Uganda
Uganda is a landlocked central African country on the western shore of Lake
Victoria. A British protectorate until independence in 1962, it sits on a plateau,
which moderates the tropical climate, making ideal conditions for growing
coffee, its foremost crop. Uganda is among the world’s top ten exporters of
coffee. The population comprises several ethnic groups, Acholi, Baganda,
Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole, and Basoga among them. There used to be an East
Asian minority in the country, but most of them were driven out by the Ugandan
government in the late twentieth century. Early kingdoms, such as Buganda, did
much to influence the cuisine. Ugandan food is based on plentiful bananas and
beef, with elements borrowed from East Indian cuisine.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: green banana (matoke), sorghum, cassava, millet, rice.
• Beef, pork, goat (also called mutton), chicken, wild game.
• Freshwater fish (fresh and dried) from lakes: Nile trout, tilapia.
Smoked and dried fish from Lake Victoria and from the Nile are
important flavoring ingredients throughout the region.
• Potato, plantain, sweet potato, soybeans and other legumes, tomato,
sesame seed.
• Banana (many kinds), pineapple, mango, papaya, avocado, guava.
• Seasonings: ground peanut powder, sesame seed paste, curry powder,
onion, tomato, pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Meat stews.
• Roast/grilled meats (nyama choma): chicken, skewered goat.
• Beef, chicken, or peanuts steamed in banana leaves (luombo).
• Fish dishes: fried, steamed.
• Groundnut (peanut) stew or sauce.
• Indian-style dishes: flat breads (chapatti, naan), curried stews,
pastries (sambusa).
• Millet bread (oburo).
STYLES OF EATING
• Most families eat on a mat on the floor, sharing side dishes or stew,
which is ladled onto the staple matoke.
• Staples, usually steamed and mashed green banana (matoke), or
cassava, sweet potato, or yams, are eaten with chicken or meat stew,
peanut sauce, and beans or peas.
• Breakfast: porridge, fruit, tea/coffee.
• Lunch: matoke (green banana) or other staple, peanut sauce, bean or
vegetable stew.
• Dinner: matoke or other staple, beef or chicken stew, steamed peanut
parcels (luombo), peanut sauce, fresh fruit.
• Snacks: Indian-style chapatti (flat bread), Indian-style sambusa
(meat-or vegetable-filled fried pastry), doughnut-like fritters
(mandazi).
• Drinks: fruit juices, bottled carbonated drinks, coffee, tea, local
banana beer (pombe), millet-based alcohol (waraqi) (see sidebar
“African Beer”).
• Restaurants, bars, and cafés in the capital serve Indian, Italian,
Ethiopian, Chinese, and Thai dishes and fast food (burger, steak, fried
chicken, pizza) from South African/Zimbabwe chains.

Preparation of porridge differs by region and ethnic group. Sorghum, millet, or
other grains, or a mix of cornmeal and cassava flour, are roasted, with or without
germination and fermentation (these two latter steps increase the vitamin and
nutrient content) before using. The chosen cereal is simmered for 15–20 minutes
with water or other liquids, such as sour milk or juice. The original recipe calls
for banana juice, for which orange has been substituted here. Sugar, milk, or
mashed bananas may be added according to personal preferences.
1 cup millet flour (available from health food or specialty stores)

3–4 cups orange juice
sugar
4 TBS sesame paste (tahina)
1 cup milk
2 bananas, pureed with juice of 1 lemon or mashed on their own
In a saucepan, blend flour with orange juice.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer.
Stir constantly until thickened to desired consistency, for about 10–15
minutes.
Take off heat.
Ladle into individual bowls and serve.
Pass around sugar, sesame paste, milk, and banana puree for diners to
stir into their bowl.
AFRICAN BEER
Homebrewed beer is a very important part of traditional African diet, and
there are records of people living on nothing but this low-alcohol beer. Beer
is also brewed for many parties and festivals, to thank neighbors for help at
harvest time or for putting up a house, and to smooth social relations. The
beer is often very thick and must be drunk through a straw, and since it has
no hops, it is not bitter and will not keep for more than a few days.
Millet Beer from Central Africa (Dolo)

Millet, which is a hardy crop that survives in relatively parched conditions,
is the basis for beers in Central Africa. Red or white millet is soaked in
water. The grain is spread over dried straw or plastic to germinate for three
days while kept wet. The malt is subsequently dried in the sun. The dried
malt is then pounded in a mortar, then placed in a pot with water, and
simmered for half a day on a low heat. The liquid is allowed to cool, yeast
is added from the previous dolo brewing (though nowadays, commercial
yeast might be used). The beer is allowed to ferment overnight, then drunk
early in the morning. As the day progresses, the dolo gets stronger.
Banana Beer from East Africa

Banana beer is made from bananas, mixed with a cereal flour (often
sorghum flour) and fermented to an orange, alcoholic beverage. It is sweet
and slightly hazy with a shelf life of only a few days. There are many
variations in how the beer is made. The bananas used for making the beer
are not the sweet kind familiar from U.S. stores but a special, harder fruit
somewhat like plantains. Sometimes more than one kind of banana is used,
to balance the flavors. The cereal is necessary as a starter for the yeast
which otherwise cannot digest the bananastarches.
A modern variation, that tastes somewhat like the original, is prepared
as follows.
2 pounds ripe bananas, peeled and roughly chopped

2 quarts cold water
juice of 1 lime
Place bananas in a blender in batches, with plenty of water, and blend

to a thin gruel.
Add lime juice.
Place juice in a covered container in a cool place for 6 hours to allow
the flavor to penetrate.
Pour through a fine-meshed kitchen sieve to clarify.
Drink cold.
Ginger Beer
Ginger beer may be diluted with water or extra sugar, or ginger may be
added to obtain desired taste. It is popular throughout Africa as a refreshing
drink and is often made at home. The following recipe makes about two and
a half gallons.
1 pound fresh ginger, grated (to grate ginger, keep in freezer for 24
hours, then grate on any fine grater)
peels of 4 fresh pineapples (use pineapple flesh for some other dish)
2 gallons boiling water
2 tsp yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup lukewarm water
3 1/2 cups brown unrefined sugar
Place ginger and pineapple in a large stainless steel pot or heatproof

glass bowl.
Pour boiling water and cool to lukewarm.
Add yeast.
Allow to stand overnight, covered (a few layers of clean kitchen towel
are best), but not sealed.
Add sugar the following day.
Chill and strain. Bottle tightly and refrigerate.
Serve within a day.
Vegetable Casserole
There are many variations on this dish. Substitute given vegetables with what is
in season. Serve this as a side dish for a midday or evening meal.
2 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1 eggplant, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound fresh spinach, chopped (or 10-ounces frozen spinach,
defrosted) or any other greens available
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir fry onions until
soft.
Add vegetables, except spinach, in the order given, frying each for 2–3
minutes.
Add salt and pepper.
Cover pan, reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in spinach; simmer for 2–3 minutes or until heated through.
Serve immediately.
Chicken Stew
Serve this with the staple for dinner.
2 TBS oil
4 large chicken portions (quarters, legs and thighs)
2 onions, cubed
3 tomatoes, cut into eighths
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Add chicken and brown on all sides, for about 10 minutes.
Stir in onions, tomatoes, potatoes, salt, pepper, and just enough water
to cover.
Cover pan; simmer until chicken is tender, for about 45 minutes to 1
hour. Adjust seasoning.
Groundnut Sauce
Groundnuts are what non-Africans call peanuts. Variations on this hot sauce
appear all over Africa using peanuts, ground peanuts, or natural peanut butter.
The most common use of this sauce is to spread it over fried chicken or fish. It is
frequently served over matoke, plain white rice or boiled sweet or white
potatoes. It can be made without the dried fish (usually Nile perch), which gives
a pungent odor and distinctive flavor. Small pieces of smoked fish (mackerel or
herring) can also be added for additional flavor, or substituted for the cayenne.
This sauce can be made in advance and warmed up before serving.
2 tsp peanut oil

2 onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 pound dried fish, such as salt cod
2 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp curry powder
1 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1 cup (or more) water or stock
Soak salt cod overnight in cold water. Change the water at least twice
during that time. Drain and pat dry. Flake roughly, discarding skin and
bones.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
Fry onions until brown, for about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes; cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
Add fish, cayenne, curry powder, and peanut butter.
Stir in just enough water or stock for a thick but not runny consistency,
mixing well. Season to taste.
Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring often to avoid sticking.
Add more water or correct seasoning if necessary.
Spinach and Simsim

Sesame seeds, called simsim in Arabic and Swahili, were introduced by the
Arabs and have become a major crop throughout northeastern Africa. They are
often used in paste form (an Arab influence) and added to enrich and flavor
vegetable stews. Serve this as a side dish for midday or evening meals.
2 TBS butter
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, or about 1
pound fresh spinach, sorted and rinsed
3–4 TBS water or stock salt, pepper to taste juice of 1/2 lemon
In a skillet, dry fry sesame seeds, stirring constantly, until golden (they
will start jumping around). Remove immediately from skillet so they
don’t burn. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
Stir in green onion and fry for 2–3 minutes.
Add spinach, stir frying for 2–3 minutes.
Add water or stock.
Season with salt and pepper; simmer for 2–3 minutes more until liquid
boils.
Turn off heat.
Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and lemon juice over spinach.
Matoke I (Plain)
Matoke (or Mato’oke) is the national staple. It is usually made from a variety of
nonsweet banana. Substitute green Cavendish bananas (the variety most often
commercially available) or plantains. Matoke is most often steamed in banana
leaf.
6 green bananas or semiripe plantains, peeled and left whole

salt to taste
Lightly salt bananas and place in a microwaveable container.

Microwave according to directions until very soft, usually 3–5 minutes
on high for an 800-watt unit.
Mash. Keep warm until needed.
Matoke II (Fancy)
2 pounds green bananas or ripe plantains, peeled and cubed
juice of 1 lemon
oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
2–3 tomatoes, chopped (or canned tomatoes, drained)
1 chili pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
salt, coriander, cayenne or red pepper (to taste)
1 cup beef stock
Sprinkle bananas with lemon juice; set aside.

Fry onion, tomatoes, green pepper, hot pepper, and garlic together.
Stir in spices and seasoning.
Pour in stock; cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; add bananas; simmer until tender.
Serve hot with meat, vegetable, or fish stew.

This dish is an adaptation of a classic dish of royal dinners and is popular
nowadays throughout Uganda, especially at holiday time. It was invented in the
nineteenth century by the king of Buganda’s chef and originally wrapped in
banana leaves.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 pound any combination of two or more of beef, chicken, goat, pork,
deboned smoked fish, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 onions, chopped roughly
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 TBS tomato paste
1 cup stock (beef, chicken, or vegetable) salt, pepper to taste
2 cups natural peanut butter
1/4 pound mushrooms, quartered
2 bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered
6-×-12-inch sheets of aluminum foil or banana leaves of equivalent
size
Heat oil over medium heat; brown meat on all sides. Set aside.
In the same oil, sauté onion until soft.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, seasoning, and peanut butter.
Blend well.
If necessary, add a bit of water to make a smooth, but not runny, sauce.
Let sauce heat thoroughly.
Divide meat, mushrooms, and sauce into six portions.
Take a sheet of foil; place a portion of meat, mushrooms, and bell
pepper in the center.
Spoon a portion of the sauce over. Fold foil securely, to ensure no
sauce leaks out.
Make similar packets of the remaining portions.
Steam packets over boiling water for an hour. Replenish water as
necessary.
Serve over plain matoke.

Steaming in a banana leaf is a simple and common way of preparing Lake
Victoria fish.
1 or 2 whole freshwater fish (size dependent on your steamer), scaled,

gutted, and cleaned
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
salt to taste
1 TBS fresh chili pepper, shredded
1 or 2 10-×-10-inch green banana leaves for wrapping (or equivalent
aluminum foil or baking paper)
Place fish on leaf wrapper.

Mix onions, tomatoes, salt, and chili in a bowl, then layer evenly on
fish.
Fold wrapper over to make a tight oblong package.
Place in steamer above boiling water and steam until fish is cooked (30
minutes for larger fish, less for smaller).
Eat with plain matoke.

Street traders are a common feature of life in Uganda, selling everything from
live chickens to simple snacks, which are made on the spot. This and the
following recipe for simsim cookies are popular street foods all over Uganda.
2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh grated coconut (or 2 cups dried grated coconut moistened
with a few tablespoons of milk or water)
1 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or cardamom
pinch of salt
1/2 cup wheat flour (optional)
In a skillet over medium heat, melt sugar until it just begins to

caramelize.
Reduce heat; quickly stir in all other ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
Into a lightly buttered 8-×-8-inch baking pan, press mixture evenly.
Cut into squares or diamonds while still warm.
Let cool and then serve.
Simsim Candies
These sesame candies are popular treats for snacks.
1 cup white sesame seeds

1 cup sugar
oil for greasing
Oil a large (at least 12-×-10-inch) baking tray or cookie sheet.

In a heavy skillet over low heat, heat the sesame seeds and sugar
together without stirring until the sugar liquefies. Shake the skillet to
distribute the seeds evenly, if necessary.
As soon as sugar has liquefied, pour the sesame-sugar mixture into the
prepared pan, patting the surface level with an oiled wooden spoon.
Allow to cool slightly; while still warm, slice into small squares. (It
will be difficult to cut them once the mixture has completely cooled.)
Remove the squares to a rack or other oiled surface to cool completely.
The candies will keep well in an airtight container.
The Uighurs
The Uighurs (Uyghurs) are a Muslim nomadic people related to the Mongols.
Although they live mainly in Xinjiang Province in China, their culture is
completely different from the majority Han Chinese, and they have more in
common with other nomadic groups such as the Kazakhs and the Uzbeks, who
live in central Asia. Their cooking has been influenced by Mongol, Turkish,
Persian, and Chinese cooking, synthesizing elements from West and East.
Uighur cuisine, like cuisines in northern China and Central Asia, is based
predominantly on mutton (pork is not eaten by Muslim Uighurs).
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: mutton, wheat, rice.
• Beef, horse, camel, chicken and other poultry (quail), dried meats,
sausages, dairy products (yogurt, curd).
• Carrots, onions, sweet peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, eggplants,
pumpkin (very limited variety).
• Melon, grapes, pomegranate, fig, quince, apple, strawberry, walnut,
almond.
• Seasonings: black pepper, cumin, coriander (seed and leaf), red chili
pepper.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Handmade wheat noodles with meat and vegetables, with or without
soup.
• Salads of raw and cooked vegetables.
• Roast/grilled mutton, goat.
• Meat-filled dumplings: steamed (manty), boiled (chuchura), baked
(samsa).
Young Uighur man preparing the staple bread nang at the market in Kuqa in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang
Uighur Autonomous Region, China. (Lo Mak/Redlink/Corbis)
• Clay-oven baked and steamed breads (non, nan, nang), with or

without meat filling.
• Sweets: ice cream (from camel or other milk), yogurt with fruit syrup
on shaved ice.
• Drinks: black and green tea with salt or sugar, butter, sour cream;
rosehip tea; fermented dairy drinks (airan, koumys); fruit wines
(pomegranate, quince, fig, berries).
STYLES OF EATING
• Meals are eaten with the fingers of the right hand only.
• Breakfast: flat bread, salty milk tea, curd or yogurt.
• Lunch: dumplings, kebab and flat bread, noodles.
• Dinner: soup, laghman noodles with vegetable sauce, polo, flavored
rice.
• Snacks: meat-filled dumplings, noodles with or without soup, fresh
or dried fruits with tea, boiled or roasted corn on the cob.

Among the Uighurs, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Tajiks, and other nomadic Central
Asians, flavored rice is commonly made with mutton, carrots, raisins (or other
dried fruit), and onions. A small amount of one or two of the following, not all,
may be added, as the flavor is not meant to be spicy or overpowering—garlic,
cumin, barberry, or coriander. While names vary from pilaf and plov to polo, all
come from a similar linguistic root. Methods of cooking may also differ. Some
cook the meat separately from the rice and vegetables, only adding meat toward
the end of cooking or during serving. The traditional method of cooking is with
rendered mutton fat, the crisp crackling that results enhancing the texture of the
dish. Nowadays, locally produced cottonseed oil or sunflower oil are more
commonly used. This recipe has reduced the quantity of oil usually called for.
The dish is typically eaten with the fingers; thus in Xinjiang its Chinese
name is zhua fan (claw or “finger” rice). Serve with flat bread and a simple salad
of sliced cucumber and tomatoes.
1/2 cup oil

2 pounds lamb or mutton with bone preferred (or substitute chicken
legs or thighs or beef ribs)
5 carrots, peeled and sliced into thick strips
2 onions, chopped
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups rice
boiling water
1 cup seedless raisins or apricots halves, washed and drained
Heat a wok or heavy covered saucepan over medium heat till very hot;
add oil.
Add meat and brown on all sides; remove and set aside.
Stir in onions, carrots, and garlic; fry for 2–3 minutes.
Turn down heat. Add 1/2 cup cold water, cover, and let simmer for 10
minutes.
Stir in rice; add boiling water to cover the rice by about 1 1/2 inches.
Place meat on top of rice. Add raisins.
Cover and let simmer for 30–40 minutes, until rice is tender. Turn off
heat.
Place rice in a mound at the center of an individual plate.
Arrange one or more pieces of meat against the rice.
Serve with the following salad.
Salad
1 cucumber, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
salt to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

These meat dumplings resemble wontons, except that these are made with
mutton or lamb, not pork. They are commonly eaten for a midday or evening
meal, or as a snack.
2 cups flour
1 cup water
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups beef or chicken broth
In a bowl, mix flour, water, egg, and salt into a pliable dough.
Knead for 10–15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Let rest for 20–30 minutes or longer, covered with a damp towel.
On a floured surface, roll out dough into a log about 2 inches in
diameter.
Cut log crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.
Roll out each slice into a circle, about 4 inches in diameter; keep the
middle slightly thicker than the edges.
Place a teaspoonful of filling in the center of each circle.
Fold the edges of the circle together, forming a crescent.
Bring the two pointed ends of the crescent together and seal tightly.
You will end up with a vaguely doughnut-shaped dumpling.
Repeat for the remaining dough and filling.
In a large pot, boil 10 cups water and 1 tsp salt.
Slip 5–8 dumplings into boiling water, depending on the diameter of
the pot; do not crowd them.
Let dumplings cook for about 5–7 minutes after floating to the surface.
Distribute cooked dumplings among individual bowls.
Heat beef broth to boiling; ladle over dumplings; add a dollop of
yogurt.
Garnish with green onions.
Filling
1 pound ground lamb, mutton, or beef
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 TBS water
Mix thoroughly all the ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
Pancake (Nang)
Nang is an Uighur staple, one among the more than forty types of bread
commonly eaten.
1/2 cup plain flour

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sorghum flour (available from health food or specialty stores)
4 green onions, green part only, minced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste
1 TBS toasted sesame seeds
butter to grease pan
Mix all ingredients except butter to a thick batter.

Heat a thin film of butter in a heavy frying pan on medium heat.
Pour a layer of batter, about 1/8 inch thick, into the pan.
Cook until bubbles form.
Turn cake over and fry until the edges are crisp.
Serve with grilled or fried mutton, or a salad.

Sanzi are a favorite snack, sold by street vendors almost everywhere. During
festivals, every Uighur family makes sanzi to treat guests.
1 cup flour
1 tsp Sichuan pepper (or, more properly, 1 TBS juice from fresh
Sichuan pepper berries if available)
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
water as needed
oil for deep frying
Mix flour, pepper, oil, salt, and enough water to form a pliable dough.
Knead dough for 5 minutes in bowl, then 15 minutes on a floured
board until it is smooth and elastic. Let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour,
covered with a damp cloth or towel.
Divide dough into 12 pieces.
Take each piece of dough and roll it into a very thin stick, about the
thickness of a pencil.
Fold the stick in half, and twist the two pieces together into a braid.
Heat oil to 370°F.
Fry a few twists in oil until golden. Do not crowd the pan.
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with black or green tea.
Note: Sichuan pepper is derived from the fruit of several species of
mountain or prickly ash (Zanthoxylum piperitum, Z. simulans, and
other relatives) and is unrelated to either black pepper or chilies. The
fresh berries of the small tree are squeezed to extract a juice, which is
used in cooking in western China, but is probably unavailable
elsewhere. You can substitute dried Sichuan peppercorns, available at
all stores that sell Chinese foods.

This is a fairly new Uighur dish, invented recently, it is said, to satisfy the
appetites of long-distance truck drivers.
ready-cooked flat Chinese (or other) wheat noodles, al dente, sufficient

for 4 persons
3 TBS peanut oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
1/4 TBS Xinjiang spice mix (recipe follows)
2 star anise
1 (or more to taste) fresh hot chili pepper
1 cup leek (white part only) or 2 stalks green onions, sliced into fine
shreds
3 TBS fresh finely shredded ginger
4 portions (about 1 1/2 pounds) of parboiled chicken (back, breast, or
legs), cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch disks
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 TBS soy sauce
1 cup chicken stock or water
2 TBS Hsaoxing wine
1 tsp sugar
thickening: 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
Have the noodles hot and ready to serve as soon as the sauce is done.
Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add salt,
spices, chili pepper, leek, ginger, and garlic; stir fry until fragrant (1–2
minutes).
Stir in the chicken and briefly brown on all sides.
Stir in the potatoes and tomatoes, then the soy sauce, chicken stock,
wine, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer
until chicken and potatoes are cooked.
Stir in the thickening (the cornstarch will make the sauce cloudy);
cook, stirring constantly until the cloudiness disappears (a few
seconds).
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more soy sauce if needed.
To serve: place drained hot noodles in individual serving plates.
Neatly arrange chicken and vegetables on noodles, then pour
remaining sauce over all.
Xinjiang Spice Mix

As in many cuisines, Uighur cuisine uses a prepared spice mix which is often
used in meat dishes. Each cook has his or her own preferred proportion for the
spices: this is one variant.
1 TBS Sichuan peppercorns

1/2 TBS black peppercorns
1/2 TBS dried garlic flakes
1 TBS cumin powder
1/2 TBS chili powder
1/2 TBS ginger powder
In a heavy mortar (or a blender) crush together peppercorns and garlic

to a powder.
Add to remaining ingredients and mix well. Store in a clean airtight
container.
Use for savory Uighur dishes.

This dish is a common sweet that goes well with black or green tea for a snack
or dessert.
2 pounds pumpkin or squash (acorn or butternut), cut into 4 equal

wedges, peeled, cleaned, and washed
3 TBS melted butter
1/2 cup toasted almond flakes
Place pumpkin or squash on a buttered baking tray.

Brush half of butter all over pumpkin.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25–35 minutes or until very tender
(a bamboo skewer or knife should go easily through the flesh).
Remove pumpkin from the oven and brush with the remaining butter.
Place pumpkin in a shallow serving dish.
Spoon dried fruit syrup over pumpkin.
Garnish with almond flakes.
Dried fruit syrup

1 cup dried apricots, washed and soaked overnight in 4 cups cold
water
1/2 cup seedless raisins or pitted dried cherries, washed and soaked
with the apricots
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes
sugar
In a covered saucepan, bring to a boil the soaked fruits with water to

simmer for 10–15 minutes or until apricots are tender. Add more water
to cover fruits if necessary.
Add sugar to taste if desired.
Turn off heat; add lemon or lime rind and juice.
Allow to cool, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Iced Lemon Yogurt (Durap also Dogh)

This lemon yogurt is a popular street snack during the summer. Variations on
flavored yogurt occur under the name dogh or dough throughout Central Asia.
2 cups natural unflavored yogurt

Juice of one large lemon
3 cups crushed ice
honey or light corn syrup to taste
lemon peel for garnish
Place all ingredients in a blender.

Blend on high for 10 seconds.
Pour into individual bowls for serving, garnished with a twist of the
lemon peel if desired.
Ukraine
Ukraine used to be a center for East Slavic culture until it was invaded by the
Mongols, threatened by Turks, Lithuanians, and Poles, and controlled by the
Soviets until independence in 1991. Most of the land is fertile and arable, and
with a temperate climate, wheat and other cereals, vegetables, fruits, and
livestock are raised. Ethnic Ukrainians make up most of the population, with
minorities of Russians, Belarusians, Moldavians, Crimean Tatars, and other
Eastern European ethnic groups, including Jews. Ukrainian cuisine is rich,
showing influences of Turkish, Tatar, Polish, Hungarian, and neighboring
countries’ cooking. It is typified by a wide range of grain-based foods—
dumplings, noodles, breads, pastries—as befits a major wheat producer. Ukraine
is also the origin of dishes commonly considered Russian, such as chicken Kiev
(named for the Ukrainian capital, now spelled Kyiv) and borsch (this is the
preferred Ukrainian spelling).
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: breads of great variety, noodles, rye, corn, oats, millet,
barley.
• Fish (sturgeon, herring, carp, pike), beef, pork, chicken, eggs, dairy
products, preserved meats (ham, many types of sausage).
• Potato, mushroom (many kinds), cabbage, pumpkins, squash,
zucchini, carrot, pickled vegetables (sauerkraut, cucumber).
• Grape, apple, apricot, plums, cherry, raspberries, black currant,
strawberry, cranberry, bilberry, other berries.
• Seasonings: dill, parsley, basil, fresh coriander leaf, onion, sour
cream.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Chicken Kiev: stuffed chicken breast, coated with crumbs and fried.
• Stuffed dumplings: boiled, savory and sweet (varenyky); smaller
mushroom-stuffed vushka.
• Potato pancakes, pancakes made with caviar.
• Stuffed cabbage: rice-and meat-stuffed holubtsi.
• Soups: borsch, a typical Ukrainian beet soup (distinct from Russian
due to tomatoes, garlic, pork, beef, and more variety of vegetables);
lopsha, a chicken and homemade noodle soup.
• Meats: grilled skewered veal (shashlyk), fried beef in spicy vegetable
sauce (smazhenyna). Sausages: smoked kovbasa; buckwheat and blood
(kyshka).
• Kutya: Christmas porridge of wheat, poppy seeds, and honey.
• Rich sweet cakes, pastries, fritters, crepes (nalysnyky).
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: eggs, sausage, toast or oatmeal porridge, fresh vegetables
(cucumber, tomato, radishes, green onions, dill), fruit, coffee.
• Lunch and dinner are preceded by appetizers of bread, cheese,
sausage.
• Lunch: noodle casserole with cheese; fresh vegetables; pickled
cucumber or sauerkraut; homemade fruit juice or cherry wine.
• Dinner: borsch; roast meat or stewed chicken with vegetables; potato
pancakes; sweet fritters (khrustyky).
• Drinks: fermented milk (yogurt, buttermilk), birch sap, fruit juices
(apple, pear, plum, various berries), kvas (fermented drink from
bread), fruit wine, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, bottled carbonated drinks,
beer, vodka, fruit liqueur.
Noodle and Cottage Cheese Casserole (Lokshyna, Zapechena z

Syrom)
Noodle dishes are very popular, and this one is regularly made by most
households. Serve with stuffed cabbage or other vegetable dish for lunch.
4 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
Fry bacon until brown and crisp.

Crumble coarsely; combine with its fat in a large mixing bowl.
Add noodles and 1/2 tsp salt; gently but thoroughly mix using two
forks.
In another bowl mix cheese, egg, cream, and remaining salt.
Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.
Spread a layer of noodles.
Top with half the cheese mixture.
Spread another layer of noodles, then cheese, ending with a layer of
noodles.
Melt remaining 3 TBS butter.
Stir in bread crumbs to absorb butter.
Sprinkle buttered crumbs over noodles.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until crumbs are
golden brown.
Serve immediately.

Hussars, a type of cavalrymen, were apparently great trenchermen and served in
the Czarist armies for centuries. This is a simplified version of the original dish,
and is eaten for the evening meal. Serve with sauerkraut or other vegetable side
dish.
1/3 cup vinegar

1 1/2 pounds beef rump or chuck
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 medium onion, quartered
1/2 cup meat stock
Heat vinegar just to boiling.

Carefully pour all over the meat in a bowl. Allow to soak for 30
minutes.
Drain meat; discard vinegar.
Mix flour, salt, and pepper; coat meat with seasoned flour, reserving 2
TBS.
Heat butter in a heavy saucepan or a Dutch oven.
Add meat and brown on all sides, for about 7–10 minutes.
Stir in onion and stock; cover.
Simmer until meat is cooked but still firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
Slice meat into 1-inch-thick pieces.
Reassemble meat slices to form a “roast”; loosely secure with kitchen
string (these will be tightened later so use an easily unraveled knot).
Place stuffing in between slices; tighten string around meat.
Return stuffed meat to pan.
Sprinkle with remaining seasoned flour.
Cover; simmer at low heat for 30–40 minutes or until well heated
through.
Stuffing
1 TBS butter
2 TBS dry bread crumbs
1 TBS flour mixed with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
1 egg, beaten
Heat butter; stir in onion and fry until soft.

Stir in bread crumbs and seasoned flour.
Remove from heat.
Stir in egg and mix well.

This is originally a Georgian dish, that has become a popular dish for dinner or
weekend lunch, making use of summer herbs. It is served with boiled potatoes,
noodles, or plain rice.
2 TBS butter
4 large portions chicken, thighs and legs or quarters (about 2–3
pounds)
1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 2 cups canned chopped
tomatoes)
2 TBS fresh mint, chopped
2 TBS fresh summer savory, chopped
2 TBS basil, chopped
Heat butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting

lid.
Brown chicken all over in hot butter.
Add onions; cover and reduce heat, cooking until onions are softened,
for about 10 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes; simmer for 20–25 minutes, until chicken is tender.
Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper.
Serve immediately.

This soup makes a light meal for the cold Ukrainian winters. Serve with crusty
bread.
2 TBS butter
1 onion, minced
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, diced
4 cups beef or chicken stock
1 small potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup mushrooms, chopped
4 TBS sour cream plus more for serving
fresh dill, chopped, for garnish
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and fry onions until
softened.
Stir in the celery, carrots, salt, and pepper, and add the stock.
Bring to a boil, add potatoes, barley, and mushrooms, then reduce heat
and allow to simmer until potatoes and barley are tender, about 20–30
minutes.
Stir in sour cream and adjust seasoning. Once the sour cream is added,
turn off heat or sour cream will curdle.
Serve at once with fresh dill and pass around more sour cream.
This is traditionally served as the first dish of the Christmas Eve supper in
crystal goblets. Garnish with sliced candied cherries. Some add a touch of fruit
liqueur.
2 cups whole-wheat grains (available from health food or specialty

stores)
3 quarts water
1 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup honey, dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water
2/3 cup sugar
1 apple, cored and diced, tossed with 1 TBS lemon juice to prevent
browning
1/2 cup toasted walnuts or almonds, chopped
4 candied cherries, sliced, for garnish
Put wheat in a baking pan in a thin layer.

Place in a 250°F oven to parch for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
Rinse; soak in cold water overnight. The next morning, bring wheat
and water to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer for 3–4 hours, until kernels burst open. Remove
from heat and cool.
Scald poppy seeds for 3–5 minutes in boiling water. Drain and cool.
Grind poppy seeds finely in a food processor.
Combine honey and sugar.
Once ingredients have cooled, combine in one covered container; add
diced apple and nuts. Chill in the refrigerator.
Serve cold in wine glasses garnished with candied cherries.

This dish is a classic of Ukrainian cooking (varenyk is the singular). These
dumplings are eaten at any time as dessert or as a snack, and there are numerous
local and personal variations on this recipe. Other fillings than those given here
are a savory one of mashed potato with chopped pickled gherkin and a sweet one
of strawberries with a bit of sugar and lemon juice. A convenient alternative to
making your own dough is to buy readymade round wonton wrappers or fresh
lasagna sheets.
2 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
2 egg whites, beaten to a froth
4 quarts lightly salted boiling water
5 TBS melted butter, hot
Mix flour, milk, egg, and salt until they form a ball of soft dough.
Dust dough with flour, cover with a damp towel, and chill for 30
minutes.
Roll out dough about 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
Cut out 3-inch circles with a cookie cutter. Cover circles loosely with a
clean moist cloth so as not to dry out.
Gather cutout dough; roll out and cut out more circles until dough is
used up.
Lightly brush each circle with beaten egg white.
Place 1 TBS of filling on one half of dough circle.
Fold dough over the filling to make a crescent. Seal the edges firmly
by crimping with a fork to prevent the filling from seeping through
during cooking.
Set aside, loosely covered with a towel, until ready to cook.
Bring water to a rolling boil.
Slide in dumplings, a few at a time; simmer uncovered for 8–10
minutes, timing after they float to the surface.
Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warmed platter.
Keep cooked dumplings warm in a low oven.
To serve, arrange dumplings on a warmed platter.
Drizzle with hot melted butter.
Cheese filling
1 pound large-curd cottage cheese
1/2 TBS sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sour cream
Process cheese in a food processor or food mill or pass through a fine

sieve.
Mix in thoroughly sugar, yolk, butter, salt, and sour cream.
Taste and add additional sugar, if desired.
Cherry filling
1 1/2 pounds fresh sour cherries, pitted (or a 16-ounce can cherries in
light syrup, drain, and use directly as filling)
1/3 cup sugar
Mix fruit and sugar.

In a nonreactive pot (not aluminum) simmer at very low heat just until
berries are swimming in juice, or microwave (800 watts) on high for
5–7 minutes.
Blueberry filling
2 cups blueberries
4 TBS sugar
1 TBS lemon juice, strained
Mix fruit and sugar.

In a nonreactive pot (not aluminum) simmer at very low heat just until
berries are swimming in juice, or microwave (800 watts) on high for
5–7 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice; cool.
Uzvar is one of the foods eaten on the evening of January 6, the Ukrainian
Orthodox Christmas Eve, to commemorate the apostles. Some cooks add
rosehips for the added flavor, but because the interior of rosehips has very fine
hairs that may cause irritation, they are omitted here.
1/2 cup dried apples

1/2 cup dried pears
1/2 cup dried cherries, apricots, or raisins
6 cups apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
rind of 1 lemon, in one or two large pieces
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup sour cream for serving
Place the dried fruits, apple juice, and cinnamon in a nonaluminum

saucepan. Stick the cloves onto the lemon rind pieces and add to the
pan.
Cover the pan and bring gently to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce
heat and simmer until the fruits are tender but not mushy. Allow to
cool, covered. Stir in the lemon juice.
Taste the juice and add more honey or lemon juice and grated rind, as
needed.
To serve, pour off liquid as a drink, or serve with the cooked fruit as a
compote with some sour cream on the side.

This porridge is served for breakfast but can also be served as a snack or dessert,
notably in winter.
4 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
4 TBS honey plus more for serving
3/4 cup semolina flour
4 TBS butter
fruit jam for serving (strawberry or cherry)
In a saucepan, bring milk, salt, and honey to a simmer over low heat,
Whisk in semolina gradually, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Continue cooking over low heat, whisking all the while until
consistency is thickly creamy. Add more milk if porridge is too thick.
Whisk in the butter.
Pour into individual bowls and serve with additional honey or fruit
jam.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a federation composed of seven oil-rich states
—Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubai, Umm al Qaywayn,
and Ras al Khaymah—was unified in 1972. The terrain is largely desert with
cooler temperatures in the eastern mountains. Dates, fruits and vegetables,
camels and other livestock are raised. The sea is a major food source, as is
imported food from around the world. The population is largely Muslim Arab
with many contract workers from the Indian subcontinent. Cooking in the UAE
reflects Arab and Middle Eastern (Lebanese) elements; dried lime is a popular
flavoring.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, many types of flat bread.
• Fresh and dried seafood and fish of all kinds; lamb, camel calf,
chicken, dairy products (sheep’s, goat’s milk); imported exotic
meats/fish/seafood.
• Eggplant, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, tomato, cabbage, preserved
olives; imported vegetables (e.g., asparagus).
• Mango, citrus, melons, nuts (almond, pine); imported fruits.
• Seasonings: dried lime, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon,
nutmeg, fennel, cardamom. Bezar is a popular spice blend (includes
cumin, fennel, cinnamon, and other spices).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews of camel, goat, or lamb with vegetables.
• Rice dishes with meat or seafood and vegetables, garnished with nuts
and raisins: lamb with spiced rice (makbous), saffron rice (aash
mazafran).
• Stuffed vegetables: grape leaves (warak enab), zucchini (koussa
makhshi).
Stuffed grape leaves.

• Roast/grilled meats, fish: skewered meats (kebab), layered meats
(shwarma), chicken marinated in sesame sauce and garlic (taouk).
• Shrimp or crab dishes: spicy shrimp (murabyan), boiled crabs.
• Chickpea dishes: falafel, dip (hummus).
• Salads: bulgur and vegetable (tabbouleh).
• Sweets: puddings made with tapioca or rice; rice cakes; custard.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: rice pudding flavored with saffron, camel’s milk, strained
yogurt (labneh), dates and nuts, coffee/mint tea.
• Lunch: grilled skewered chicken, lamb, or beef (kebab) with salad;
hummus; mashed eggplant salad; flat bread (khubz); yogurt drink or
buttermilk; after lunch treat—shisha (waterpipe).
• Dinner: lamb stewed with spices and vegetables (laham murraq);
rice; accompaniments of dates, radishes, chives, and other chopped
fresh vegetables; yogurt drink; date sweet; coffee.
• Snacks: freshly made flat breads with hummus or cheese, pizza,
burgers, bottled drinks.
• Drinks: coffee (black and bitter), mint tea (sweet), yogurt drink, rose
water–flavored drink (sharab), bottled carbonated drinks. Alcohol
(highly taxed) served in hotels/restaurants for non-Muslims.
• Hotels and restaurants, many catering luxury foods, serve all kinds of
international food: Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Japanese,
continental, American fast food.

These flat cakes are served for breakfast or supper, accompanied by butter,
cottage cheese (chami), honey, dates, or eggs. Drink with mint or plain
sweetened tea, or coffee.
1 TBS yeast
3 TBS warm water
2 cups all-purpose four
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1/2 tsp saffron dissolved in 1 TBS water
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 (or more) cup warm water
1 beaten egg and sesame seeds for topping
Dissolve yeast in warm water and a pinch of flour; leave in a warm

draft-free place until frothy, for about 10 minutes.
Mix yeast mixture, flour, eggs, sugar, milk, oil, spices, salt, and
enough warm water for a soft dough. Knead 5 minutes. Return to
bowl. Cover with damp clean cloth. Place overnight in a warm draft-
free area.
Heat a heavy iron frying pan over low heat.
When pan is moderately hot, spread 1/4 cup of dough using a moist
wooden spatula to make a pancake 1/4 inch thick; cover pan.
When bubbly on top, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame
seeds.
When cake is browned on the bottom, set aside.
Cook remaining dough in same fashion.
Place cakes on a tray; put under a medium-hot grill to brown the tops.
Serve immediately.

Imported rice, mostly from Iran (and now from South and East Asia), is
considered a desired food throughout Arabia. Almost no festive dinner would be
complete without rice. Serve this with a meat or fish dish for a midday or
evening meal.
4 servings plain cooked long-grain rice
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS blanched slivered almonds
2 TBS pine nuts
1/2 pound ground beef or mutton
1 tsp allspice
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Fluff up cooked rice with a fork.

Heat olive oil in a large pan or wok; sauté almonds and pine nuts for
1–2 minutes, stirring frequently until light golden. Remove and drain.
Brown meat in the same oil, season with salt and pepper, and add half
the allspice.
Remove from the pan and drain the oil. Reserve the meat and keep
warm.
Heat butter; stir in rice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the remaining allspice.
Add reserved nuts.
Keep stirring to mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Place rice on a wide dish or tray. Cover with meat.
Serve at once.

Middle Eastern truffles are not related to the true truffle. They are found
throughout the Middle East growing under the sand. Some can be bought canned
from Tunisian stores. Kama tend to incorporate a lot of sand, so it is best to cut
them up and remove as much sand as possible.
2 cups meat, cubed

1/2 cup onions, minced
2 cups kama (truffles), cubed and well rinsed (or substitute
mushrooms)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp flour blended with 1 TBS water
2 tsp lemon juice or 1 tsp sumac spice
Brown meat in a saucepan in hot ghee.

Add onions and cook until light brown.
Add truffles and season to taste.
Simmer covered for 10–15 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook.
Thicken sauce with flour mixture.
Drizzle lemon juice or scatter with sumac.

These potatoes make a popular side dish for a main meal.
4 large floury potatoes (for mashing)

3 TBS lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced finely
1/4 cup yogurt
Garnish
2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Peel, rinse, and quarter the potatoes.

Place in a pot with plenty of water to cover, bring to a boil, and cook
until very soft, about 25–30 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, mix lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
In a bowl, mash the potatoes roughly. Mix in well the yogurt and the
lemon juice mixture until the potatoes are creamy.
Taste and add salt if necessary.
Serve warm, sprinkled with parsley.
Dates are the UAE’s most prolific crop. They are eaten almost daily, fresh or
dried, accompanying most meals as side dishes or as ingredients for sweets.
1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 pound fresh dates (Halawy, Khadrawi, or Madjool, not the dry
varieties), pitted and sliced lengthwise
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan; stir in flour.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the flour turns
golden brown. Do not burn.
Slowly incorporate milk, 1–2 TBS at a time to make a thin sauce. Add
more milk if needed for desired consistency.
Remove from heat; stir in cardamom. Allow to cool slightly, stirring
occasionally.
Arrange dates in individual serving dishes.
While milk mixture is still warm, pour over dates.
Cool to room temperature.
Serve with mint tea or coffee.

Muhammar is not eaten as dessert but as a special cereal dish to accompany meat
or fish.
4 cups water
pinch of salt
2 cups long grain rice
1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
seeds of 2 cardamom pods, roughly crushed
2 tsp rose water
3 TBS oil, ghee, or melted butter
1/2 cup date molasses (dibs tamar) thinned with 1/4 cup warm water,
or substitute 1/2 cup brown sugar or molasses
In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce
heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until rice is half cooked. Drain.
Meanwhile, soak saffron threads and cardamom in rose water; set
aside.
Over medium heat, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Stir in the rice
and fry briefly, then add rose-water mixture and date molasses.
Reduce heat, cover pot, and cook over very low heat (the lowest
possible) for 10 minutes.
Check rice for tenderness. If necessary, recover pot and allow to rest
off the heat for an additional 5–10 minutes.
Serve with a fish or meat dish.

This household drink warms cold winter evenings.
4 cups fresh milk

4 tsp sugar, or to taste
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
Place milk, sugar, and ginger in a saucepan and gently simmer over
low heat for 10–15 minutes, until the milk is thoroughly infused with
the ginger flavor.
Stir intermittently to avoid burning or boiling over.
Pour into warmed cups and serve immediately.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom comprises two kingdoms (Scotland and England), a

principality (Wales), a duchy (Cornwall), and various jurisdictions and colonies
throughout the world. Originally settled by Celts and invaded by Romans,
Germanic tribes, Vikings, and the French, these territories began to be unified
from the thirteenth century, and finally in 1927, Northern Ireland was added.
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with mostly rolling hills and plains and
temperate climate, and Scotland, with a colder mountainous climate, produce
wheat and other cereals, fruits, vegetables, and livestock. Many food items are
also sourced worldwide. The British population is predominantly English, with
minorities of Scots, Welsh, and Irish, Afro-Caribbeans, Indians, Pakistanis, other
Asians, mixed, and other ethnic groups. The United Kingdom has a varied
cuisine based on French, Germanic, Scandinavian, and Celtic elements, with
influences from immigrant groups, most particularly Indian, Italian, and
Chinese. Each region has a slightly different cuisine, but most main meals
comprise meat and two kinds of vegetables.
British food has a reputation of being bland and uninteresting, which may
not be totally undeserved when eating in standard restaurants. However,
contemporary food fashion and media also bring in worldwide trends, such as
Japanese sushi and Thai food, and a rediscovery of good traditional British
dishes. Many pubs throughout the country now serve international or fusion
food, alongside traditional fare, prepared with a greater attention to quality and
use of high-quality, seasonal regional ingredients. British professional chefs are
also gaining a worldwide reputation in innovative cooking.
The most typically British foods are represented by a rich repertoire of
baked goods and steamed puddings, mostly sweet but also savory, of flour or
breadcrumbs, butter or suet (animal fat), and fruits and nuts. These confections
and their methods of preparation have become incorporated in the cuisines of its
former colonies, notably the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand,
Canada, and in the Caribbean and Africa, and have been given new identities by
the inventive use of locally available ingredients.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: potato, bread, pasta.
• Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish, eggs, cheese of cow’s, sheep’s, and
goat’s milk (many regional kinds of excellent quality, including veined
Stilton, sharp cheddar, Caerphilly, Cheshire, double Gloucester,
Wensleydale, Warwickshire truckle).
• Beans, peas, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, carrot, turnip, parsnip,
mushroom; exotic vegetables (imported).
• Apple (many varieties), plum, pear, strawberry, raspberry, other
berries; imported exotics.
• Seasonings: onion, sage, thyme, parsley, leek, pepper, nutmeg, curry
powder. Table sauces: mustard (hot and sharp), horseradish,
Worcestershire (a blend of tamarind, anchovy, and various spices).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Roast meats, especially beef, pork, chicken. Preserved meats: ham,
bacon, sausage (including chunky Cumberland). Variety meats
(faggots: baked meatballs of liver and kidney).
• Indian-style dishes: spicy chicken tikka masala (most widely eaten
restaurant dish).
• Italian-style pizza, pasta.
• Chinese-style noodles, stir-fries.
• Preserved fish: kippers.
• Stews and soups of meat and vegetables.
• Sweet and savory pies: apple; steak and kidney, raised pork (most
renowned for its quality is made in Melton Mowbray in the East
Midlands).
• Pickles: beets in vinegar, chutney, whole onions.
• Baked goods of great variety: bread, cake, biscuit, fruit crumble.
• Steamed puddings, savory (steak and kidney) and sweet (the latter a
very extensive range, of fruits and nuts, traditionally made with animal
fat or suet).
• Citrus-flavored sweets: lemon curd, lemon tart, lemon drizzle cake,
orange marmalade, Sussex pond pudding (a steamed sweet with a
whole lemon in the middle). Orange marmalade.
STYLES OF EATING
• Few modern families eat meals together, except for Sunday roast
dinner (eaten at midday). Table settings are European standard. TV
dinners (bought frozen prepared individual meals, warmed up at home,
eaten while watching television) are common. The British eat with
fork and knife; the fork is kept in the left hand throughout the meal and
is not switched to the right after food is cut (unlike American custom).
• Breakfast: light—cereal and milk; toast, marmalade, butter. “Full
English” or “fry-up”—eggs, bacon or ham, beans, potatoes, bread,
tomatoes, mushrooms, all fried. Regional—smoked/preserved fish
(kipper, herring), fried kidney; coffee/tea, juice.
• Lunch (light meal at midday): sandwich of ham, cheese, or egg on
buttered white or brown bread; ploughman’s lunch (sandwich of
cheese and onion pickle or chutney); jacket (whole baked) potato with
cheese or tuna topping; juice, coffee/tea.
• Dinner (heavy meal, eaten at midday or evening): “Meat and two
veg”—roast beef or pork; steamed or roast potatoes; steamed broccoli,
carrots, peas; Eve’s Pudding (apple cake) with poured cream or
custard; a selection of cheeses; (usually very old Stilton with port, for
a celebration dinner such as Christmas); tea/coffee.
• Evening meal (light meal in the early evening/late afternoon called
supper or tea): beans on toast, eggs, milk tea. Alternatively, cottage
pie, vegetables, fruit.
• Dessert (called “pudding,” or “pud” for short) is usually served with
poured cream or egg custard or both.
• Snacks (tea breaks at midmorning, mid-afternoon): milk tea/coffee,
sweet pastry or chocolate bar, banana, sandwich (e.g., of butter and
Marmite—a fermented vegetable-based dark-brown salty spread,
tasting almost like solid soy sauce or Japanese miso, developed during
World War II and provoking intense liking or aversion; an Australian
version is Vegemite).
• Going to the pub for a drink, one or more evenings a week, is a
common way of socializing for young adults of both sexes and older
males (in their neighborhood).
• Eating out or getting takeaway food is very common, in particular
“going for a curry or Chinese” in the Midlands (the region in the
center of England with a high immigrant population) and the northern
regions. London and other larger cities and towns have a range of
eating places, including Michelin-starred establishments renowned for
their gourmet quality cooking, serving French, Italian, Japanese, Thai,
Chinese, and other international or fusion food.
• Drinks: tea with milk; coffee; hot chocolate; homemade elderflower
cordial or champagne, or elderberry wine (made of the flowers and
berries gathered from the wild); ginger beer (nonalcoholic), lemon or
orange squash (fruit syrup); local and imported bottled carbonated
drinks (in Scotland, a local soda pop—Irn Bru—outsells colas), locally
brewed beers and ales, apple cider (alcoholic), local and imported
wines.
? Did you know?

Most British people (98 percent) drink their tea strong with milk.

This is not a sausage but a Welsh way of preparing a substitute. It is usually
served for breakfast along with milky tea.
1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup sharp yellow cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
4 eggs (2 separated)
1 cup flour, seasoned with salt to taste
stale bread crumbs for coating
Mix bread crumbs, onion, cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Beat together 2 eggs and 2 yolks; add to bread mixture; reserve egg
whites.
Beat to stiff peaks one egg white; fold into bread mixture for a firm
dough.
Add more crumbs or about a teaspoon of milk if necessary to get the
right consistency.
Shape dough into 12 “sausages”; roll in flour.
Coat in remaining beaten egg white; then roll in bread crumbs.
Heat 1/4 inch oil in a frying pan.
Shallow fry the sausages until golden.
Serve at once.
Scotch Eggs
Scotch eggs make a light meal when served with a green salad and bread or a
“jacket potato” (a baked whole unpeeled potato). A vegetarian option is to use a
mashed potato mixture instead of meat for wrapping the eggs. Originally a
Scottish invention, these eggs are made and eaten throughout the United
Kingdom.
2/3 pound pork sausage meat or ground pork

2 TBS mixed fresh sage and parsley, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS mustard
4 eggs, hard-boiled, shelled whole
flour for dusting eggs
1 egg, well beaten
oil for deep frying
Mix meat thoroughly with herbs, salt, pepper, and mustard.

Divide meat mixture into four portions.
Dust eggs with flour.
Wrap one portion of meat to completely cover each egg.
Roll each wrapped egg in flour, then in beaten egg, then in bread
crumbs.
Heat oil to moderate heat. Deep fry eggs 1 or 2 at a time, until golden
brown.
Cut in half to serve.

This dish is a contemporary creation, allegedly from Birmingham in the West
Midlands region, combining traditional Indian spicy grilled chicken (tandoori
chicken) with the English passion for gravy. Chicken tikka masala is the most
popular takeaway meal ordered in England and is commonly eaten with rice for
a midday or evening meal but is also a popular filling for sandwiches, not to
mention flavoring commercially packaged crisps (what Americans call “potato
chips”), rivaling the all-time favorite salt and vinegar. Serve this with a salad or
steamed vegetables.
4 portions boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

melted butter for basting
Marinade
1/2 cup yogurt
1 TBS paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 TBS garam masala (Indian spice blend)
juice of 1 lemon
2/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili sauce (optional)
3 TBS oil
Sauce
2 cups tomato paste
1 tsp powdered cloves
5 green cardamom pods, seeds only, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
3 TBS butter
2/3 cup cream
1 TBS sugar
In a blender or food processor, mix all marinade ingredients until

smooth.
Coat chicken pieces with the marinade and refrigerate, covered,
overnight.
Thread chicken on skewers.
Roast in preheated oven at 475°F (very hot) for 10–12 minutes or until
done but still moist.
Baste frequently with melted butter.
Prepare sauce: in a blender or food processor, process until smooth the
tomato paste, ginger, garlic, fenugreek, cloves, cardamom, and salt.
Reserve.
In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
Add tomato mixture and cream; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring
constantly.
Adjust seasoning; add sugar if too sour.
Stir chicken into sauce.
Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving.
Coronation Chicken
This is another Indian-style dish, widely made for buffets and as a sandwich
filling. It was created to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 (but it
is also similar to Caribbean versions of chicken salad). Serve with a green salad
and bread for lunch or supper.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped
1 TBS curry powder
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp tomato paste
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 TBS sweet mango chutney or apricot jam
1 cup mayonnaise
3 TBS yogurt
2 pounds deboned cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Gently stir fry onion to
soften for 5 minutes.
Stir in curry powder; stir fry for 2–3 minutes. Stir in stock, tomato
paste, lemon juice, and chutney.
Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; strain and let
cool.
Mix mayonnaise and yogurt; add to curry sauce. Blend curry and
mayonnaise mixture with the chicken pieces.
Adjust seasoning.
Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

This is a variation on what used to be made from leftover Sunday roast meat and
potatoes. Serve with seasonal steamed vegetables for supper.
1 TBS oil
1 pound pork sausage meat or ground beef
4 sage leaves, chopped fine
salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
1 TBS prepared English mustard (sharper than American mustard)
1/2 cup water
3 TBS butter
2 TBS (or more) milk
8 potatoes, peeled, boiled, drained, and mashed
2 large eating apples (tart-sweet), or tart cooking apples, peeled, cored,
and thickly sliced
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; fry meat, stirring constantly
until brown.
Stir in onion; fry until softened.
Add herbs, salt, pepper, mustard, and water. Cover; reduce heat to
lowest; simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in flour mixture to thicken gravy; simmer for another 1–2 minutes.
Blend butter, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg into mashed potatoes.
The mash should be dry, not soggy.
Lightly butter a 9 × 13 × 2 inch casserole dish.
Place layer of apple slices then of meat.
Cover completely with potato mash.
Smooth top and draw a pattern with a fork.
Place in preheated (425°F) oven for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350°F; cook for 20 minutes more or until mash is
browned at edges and inside is piping hot.
Serve immediately.

Traditional dishes often have strange names, a form of self-mockery that reflects
the British sense of humor. This is served for supper with two kinds of steamed
vegetables, usually carrots and peas.
Toad-in-the-hole served with vegetables. (Foodfolio/the food passionates/Corbis)
4 ounces plain flour

1 egg, beaten
1/2 pint milk
1 TBS butter, melted and cooled
8 well-flavored sausages of your choice
oil
In a blender or food processor, blend flour, egg, milk, and butter to a

creamy consistency. Let rest refrigerated for at least 30 minutes.
Before using, quickly blend the mixture again.
Lightly oil a shallow baking dish. Arrange sausages in the dish.
Bake in preheated 370°F oven for 30 minutes, turning sausages to
evenly brown.
Turn oven to high (425°F) for 5 minutes until baking fat starts to
smoke.
Immediately pour batter over sausages; continue baking for 40
minutes. Do not open oven door, or batter will collapse.
Batter should rise and curl over the sausages.
Divide into portions, surrounded by vegetables.

Serve this soup with soda bread and cheese for lunch or as a first course.
2 TBS butter
1 onion, chopped
1 pound parsnips, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, rinsed, dried and diced
2 eating apples (tart-sweet), peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 tsp ground mace
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in onion; fry gently until
soft.
Add parsnips, celery, and apples; fry gently for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in chicken stock; cover and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes or
until vegetables are tender.
Stir in spices, salt, pepper, and sour cream.
Continue to simmer only until cream is heated through; do not let it
boil, or it will curdle.
Ladle into warmed bowls; garnish with parsley.

The leek is an emblem of Wales, said to have been introduced by Phoenicians,
who came to trade for Welsh tin. This soup, pronounced “cowl,” is very slowly
simmered for a clear broth. It was once served as two courses: the broth first,
then the sliced meat accompanied by vegetables. Serve with bread as a light
lunch or first course. This is usually made with a side (large piece) of smoked
bacon, called “gammon.”
6 cups water
1 pound piece of smoked pork shoulder or other large piece of smoked
meat or poultry (e.g., smoked turkey or chicken)
2 leeks, white parts only, quartered lengthwise, sliced finely
1 cup cabbage, cored and finely shredded
3 TBS fine oatmeal
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup (or more) parsley, minced finely
Boil water, and add smoked meat, potatoes, carrots and some salt.
Reduce heat to lowest possible.
Cover and simmer gently for 1–1 1/2 hours; skim off foam.
Remove smoked meat; chop into bite-sized pieces and reserve.
Add leeks, cabbage, and oatmeal mixed into a paste with water, to
broth; cook for 5–8 minutes.
Return smoked meat to broth.
Taste and correct seasoning (the broth may be salty enough from the
smoked meat); simmer until meat is well heated through.
Serve hot in warmed bowls, sprinkled generously with parsley.

This pudding is a classic English dish with a history going back several hundred
years.
1 ounce lard or butter

1 pound lean stewing beef in 1-inch cubes
1 pound beef or lamb kidney, cleaned and cut in 1-inch cubes
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thickly
1 ounce plain flour
2 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup parsley, minced finely
1 TBS tomato puree
pinch of salt
1/2 cup beef suet, chopped finely
cold water
butter for greasing

Melt lard in a large, heavy, casserole dish with ovenproof lid until very
hot. Brown both meats on all sides.
Add onions and carrots, and stir well.
Sprinkle plain flour over contents and stir to coat well.
Add the stock, bay leaf, parsley, and tomato puree. Bring to a gentle
boil, then reduce the heat and cover with the lid, place in the hot oven,
and cook for 1 hour.
Remove from oven, season to taste, and lay aside.
Mix self-rising flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Rub suet
into flour mixture until well coated by flour.
Add cold water gradually, mixing constantly with wooden spoon, to
make a stiff sticky dough. Allow to rest for 40 minutes.
Grease a large pudding basin or deep baking dish with butter.
Cut off 1/3 of the dough and lay aside.
Roll larger piece of dough into a circle, then line the basin with the
dough. The circle should be large enough so you have a 1-inch
overhang around the rim of the basin.
Ladle meat and vegetables gently into the dough-lined basin.
Roll out remaining dough in a circle large enough to cover the filling.
Lay over the filling. With moistened fingers, crimp together to seal the
edges of the top and bottom dough.
Cover the basin with waxed paper, allowing pleats around the rim for
expansion. Tie around rim with kitchen twine.
Place on trivet in a large pot. Fill with water halfway up the basin.
Bring to a boil and steam for 2 hours, topping up frequently with
boiling water as necessary.
Remove basin carefully from pot. Remove paper carefully (the steam
can burn).
Run a thin knife between basin and pudding. Place a deep flat-
bottomed dish over the basin, then invert quickly so the pudding stays
in the plate.
Cut and serve with mashed or roast potatoes.
Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire is a county in the northwest part of England, part of the ceremonial
Duchy of Lancaster where the cities of Liverpool and Manchester are located.
Sheep raising is one of the traditional countryside occupations, and lamb is the
main feature of this traditional stew.
1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 pounds lamb (or other stewing cut of meat), cubed
1 1/2 pounds onions, sliced finely
1 heaping TBS plain flour
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
2 cups chicken or other meaty stock

Heat 2 TBS butter in a shallow heavy casserole with an ovenproof lid.
Brown meat briefly, remove and set aside
Add more butter if necessary. Stir fry the onions with a pinch of salt
until softened. Remove the onions and set to one side.
Place the meat in the casserole; sprinkle on salt, a generous amount of
pepper, and flour, and mix well. Tuck in the bay leaf.
Spread the onions evenly over the meat and sprinkle with pepper.
Coat the potatoes well with 3 TBS melted butter, salt, and pepper.
Reserve the nicest slices for the topmost layer.
Place the potatoes in layers over the onions, overlapping them to fit.
Pour in the stock. Arrange the reserved potatoes in a nice (e.g., spiral
or fish scale) pattern.
Cover the casserole, then bake for about 1 1/2–1 3/4 hrs until the
potatoes are soft.
Remove the cover, brush potatoes with remaining butter, then raise
oven to 450°F and bake for another 10 minutes or until the top layer of
potatoes is crisped and golden brown.

Serve this tart after a meal, with cream or custard, or as an accompaniment to a
cup of tea or coffee at midmorning or mid-afternoon.
1 1/2 cups flour

3 TBS sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of powdered cloves
pinch of powdered allspice
1/4 cup cold water
Filling
1 pound plums, halved and pitted
4 eating apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 TBS lemon juice
3 TBS butter, diced
Mix flour, sugar, salt, and spices.

Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add cold
water and knead until it holds together (alternatively, the entire process
can be done in food processor).
Divide dough into 2/3 for the bottom crust, 1/3 for the top.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the bottom crust 1/4 inch thick
and line a 10-inch pie plate.
Fill with fruit; sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice; dot with butter.
Roll out pastry top; place over fruit and crimp to seal. Cut a few
decorative slits in the upper crust, making sure not to pierce through to
the bottom.
Reduce to 375°F; bake for 25 minutes more or until golden.
Serve warm.
Eve’s Pudding
The apple is considered by the British as their most typical fruit though it is not
native; it is a Roman introduction. There are more than two thousand varieties in
England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, and an apple research station in East
Malling, Kent, developed the stocks used worldwide to control the size of apple
trees. This pudding is named after Eve, the first (so recorded) to taste it. Serve
with double cream poured (not whipped) over or around each individual serving,
or with custard sauce, or both.
1 pound cooking apples, peeled and sliced

1 pound eating apples, peeled and sliced
1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS water
sugar to taste
3 TBS butter
Toss apples in lemon juice, then simmer for 5–7 minutes until
softened.
Add sugar to taste.
Stir in butter.
Pour into a lightly buttered 2-quart deep soufflé dish.
Pour sponge mixture over apples.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35–40 minutes until golden brown.
Serve warm in individual bowls.
Sponge
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup self-rising flour, sifted
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla and rind.
Add eggs and flour a little at a time, alternating between the two and
mixing in thoroughly each time.
Fold in remaining flour; mix until smooth.

This traditional pudding has been a favorite in the British navy since before the
days of Admiral Nelson. Puddings, both sweet and savory, are a favorite of
British cuisine, and the Pudding Club, a famous dining club, serves nothing but.
The “spots” refer to the raisins or currants.

pinch of salt
2 TBS sugar
1/2 cup shredded suet or butter
1 cup currants or seedless raisins
3/4 cup cold water
flour for dusting
pudding cloth: square of clean cheesecloth folded double or triple, or
kitchen foil, 12 × 12 inches
large pot of boiling water
In a food processor, blend flour, salt, sugar, suet, dried fruit, and water
until it forms a ball. Do not overmix or the dough will be heavy.
Remove dough; mold into a cylinder 8 inches long.
Dust pudding cloth or foil with flour.
Place pudding in the center and wrap.
Tie or seal ends well, but leave room for expansion.
Lower wrapped pudding into boiling water.
Cover, and boil for 2 hours. Replenish water as necessary.
Cut pudding crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
Place in warmed bowls. Serve immediately.
Pass around cream or custard, or both to pour lavishly around pudding.

At fish and chips shops there is normally a choice of two or three kinds of fish,
as well as chicken. In Scotland, they have gone one step further and invented a
fried sweet dish to celebrate a favorite chocolate bar.
1 cup sifted flour

1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup ice-cold seltzer (soda or carbonated water)
4 Mars or other caramel-covered candy bars, unwrapped
oil for deep frying
Blend flour, egg, salt, baking powder, and seltzer until smooth.
Heat oil in a deep fat fryer to 375°F.
Dip candy bars into batter. Fry until golden.
Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
Irish Fraughan Cake

Fraughans refer to wild blueberries, or bilberries, in Ireland. Serve after dinner
with fraughan (blueberry) whipped cream.
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups self-rising flour, sifted with 1/2 tsp baking soda, and a pinch of
salt
1 cup milk
1 cup bilberries (substitute huckleberries or blueberries)
Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Cream butter and sugar until light.
Stir in vanilla and eggs.
Mix in flour, alternating with milk. Stir in bilberries, mixing well.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 40 minutes
or until cake tests done.
Serve with fraughan cream.
Fraughan cream
1 cup bilberries (or blueberries), lightly crushed
2 TBS confectioners’ sugar
Whip cream to soft peaks.

Fold in fruit and sugar.

This traditional dessert calls for a few drops of single malt Scotch whiskey, for
which vanilla is here substituted. This can also be frozen as ice cream.
6 TBS oatmeal
2 1/2 cups double cream
6 TBS honey
3 cups fresh raspberries or strawberries, or other seasonal berries
4 dessert or wine glasses
In a heavy skillet, dry toast oatmeal until golden brown; leave in skillet
to cool.
Whip cream to soft peaks. Add honey and vanilla, and mix well.
Set aside for each glass 6 raspberries or 3 strawberries (sliced) for
decor.
Fold remaining berries into cream, crushing a few to release color.
Place 3 berries (or strawberry slices) at the bottom of each glass.
Add cream/berry mixture.
Smooth top; spread with 1 1/2 TBS oatmeal.
Garnish.
Chill, covered with plastic wrap, for 3 hours or overnight.
Allow to come to room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
Eton Mess
This is a very old recipe for an easy pudding (dessert) to make during the brief
strawberry season. Its name derives from the famous boys’ school.
1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and chopped (leave a few perfect

ones whole and unhulled for decor)
2 cups whipping cream
8 (or more) meringues, crushed
mint leaves (optional)
Blend strawberries and vanilla in a bowl; cover and chill for 3 hours or
overnight.
Whip cream to soft peaks; fold in strawberries and meringues.
Taste, and add more meringues if desired.
Spoon into wine glasses or glass dessert bowls.
Top each serving with reserved strawberries and mint leaves.
Serve immediately.
Lemon Syllabub
This common dessert has its origins in the eighteenth century.
2 cups whipping cream

4 TBS sugar
1/4 cup white grape juice
grated rind and juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup toasted almond slivers for garnish
In a chilled bowl using a chilled beater, whip the cream and sugar
together to soft peak stage.
Gently fold in the grape and lemon juice, and 2/3 of the rind.
Spoon into individual goblets and garnish with almond slivers and a
scattering of rind.
The United States is a vast country, the third largest in the world. Peopled by
Native Americans, colonized in various regions by the French, British, Spanish,
and Dutch, it gained independence in 1776. The varied terrain and range of
climates provide many crops: native squash, pumpkin, corn, and berries.
Abundant fish and wild game (turkey, deer, rabbit) were the basis of Native
American food. Subsequent settlers’ introductions of pigs, cows, chickens,
European and Asian crops, and imported foodstuffs have enormously expanded
the range of foods. Americans are predominantly of European descent, with
minorities of Native Americans, Africans, Asians, and others. The bases of
American cooking are simplicity, ease of preparation, and use of modern
equipment, and it has benefited enormously from the contributions of
immigrants from almost every country in the world. Above all, what
characterizes food in America is the accessibility of an enormous range of
foodstuffs to the general public, not just to an elite few.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: bread, potatoes, beef (especially ground), chicken, preserved
and fresh pork (bacon, ham, chops).
• Turkey, fish and shellfish, game (venison).
• Corn, beans, pumpkin, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach,
lettuce, tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, water chestnuts, bean sprouts;
imported vegetables.
• Apples and other temperate fruits and nuts (pear, plum, peach,
walnuts, chestnuts); citrus and tropical/Mediterranean-climate fruit and
nuts (orange, lemon, lime, pineapple, almond, pecan); imported fruits.
• Seasonings: black pepper, chili pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, sage;
ketchup; mustard (see also sidebar “Food Taboos”).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Soups and stews of meat and vegetables, with or without milk: clam
chowder, New England boiled dinner, chili con carne.
• Roast, fried, or grilled meats and poultry: roast turkey (for
celebrations such as Thanksgiving and Christmas), fried chicken, beef
steaks, barbecued meats.
• Snacks: sandwiches from preserved meats or fish (bacon, ham, hot
dog, tuna), fried potatoes (French fries), baked goods (apple or lemon
pies, chocolate chip cookies, Danish pastry).
• Sweets: ice cream, fruit pies or salads, rich cakes.
FOOD TABOOS
Food taboos—a cultural or social determination that some foods or
foodstuffs must not be eaten—is common in virtually all cultures. In the
United States, insects, companion animals, and even innards (liver, spleen,
kidneys, etc.) of otherwise acceptable animals—all otherwise perfectly
edible proteins—are considered taboo and are never eaten (or eaten with
great trepidation) by most of the population. Other taboos include
widespread religious taboos among some Buddhists (all living things),
Hindus (most meats but particularly beef), Jews (all meat, fowl, and fish
except a specific prescribed set), and Muslims (pork and dog). Less well-
known taboos include a proscription by the ancient Greek philosopher and
mathematician Pythagoras on beans. Many simple societies have taboos on
eating animals that are considered totemic—representing or ancestral to the
group. In others, certain types of meat or vegetable are taboo in certain
seasons, which may have intentional, or unconscious, ecological and
preservation objectives.
Taboos are difficult to explain except to note that they may help
individuals form strong attachments to their groups. By sharing (or not
sharing) certain types of foods, people proclaim publicly that they belong to
a specific group.
STYLES OF EATING
• Eating together as a family is not common except for special
occasions.
• Breakfast: usually dry cereal (corn or other) or sweet roll (Danish
pastry or croissant), milk, citrus juice, coffee. Substantial leisurely
breakfast of eggs, preserved meats (ham, bacon, sausages), pancakes.
• Lunch: sandwich (hot dog, hamburger, tuna, ham, etc.) and potato
chips, cold or hot drink; pizza, spaghetti, salad of cold meat and
vegetables.
• Dinner: the heaviest meal of the day, with three courses: soup or
appetizer; meat or chicken or fish main course; mashed or roast
potatoes, accompanying vegetables (carrots, green beans, broccoli);
dessert of ice cream, cake, or other baked sweet.
• Snacks: midmorning, mid-afternoon, late night, usually from fast-
food shops.
• Eating out at fast-food chains (owned by large multinational
businesses) or buying prepared food to be warmed or eaten at home is
very common.
? Did you know?

In 2010 and 2011, the United States imported more tea than the United
Kingdom.
Sour Milk Pancakes

Daily breakfast for most people is light, usually a muffin or cereal, so breakfast
with homemade pancakes is a special treat, especially for weekends. The sour
milk or yogurt produces a tender cake. Pancakes are best eaten immediately,
spread with butter, honey, or maple syrup. Crisp bacon or sausage are popular
accompaniments, as are freshly brewed coffee or orange juice. Half a grapefruit
may be served as well.
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 TBS sugar
1 egg
1 cup yogurt or buttermilk (or milk soured with 1 tsp vinegar or lemon
juice)
2 1/2 TBS melted butter
unsalted butter or cooking oil
In a blender or food processor, process all the ingredients except

unsalted butter to a smooth batter.
Heat a griddle to moderately hot, or about 300–325°F; grease lightly
with unsalted butter or cooking oil.
Pour out 1/4 cup batter for each cake.
Cook until bubbly and golden brown at the edges.
Turn pancake over and cook the other side for another 2–3 minutes.
Keep warm while making the rest.
Serve at once with butter, honey, maple syrup, or strawberry jam.
Relish
A hot dog or sometimes a hamburger (in some cities and states) would not be the
same without the traditional accompaniments of relish, mustard and/or ketchup:
in other words, “with everything.” Hardly anyone makes homemade relish
nowadays. This condiment may be tried for eating with roast meats or poultry, in
particular, with turkey, or in sandwiches.
4 celery stalks, cut into 4 or 5 segments

1 medium cucumber, seeded and cut into 4 pieces
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, halved
1 green chili pepper (optional), seeded, halved
1 onion, quartered
3 cups water
1 TBS salt
2 cups 5 percent cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar (or more, depending on individual preference)
1 tsp white mustard seeds
1 tsp celery seeds
In a food processor or blender, process celery, cucumber, bell pepper,

chili pepper (if using), and onion till finely chopped (but not pureed).
Into a 4-quart nonreactive (glass or stainless steel) bowl, put chopped
vegetables.
Stir in water and salt; let stand for 1 hour.
Pour vegetables into a colander to drain thoroughly for 15–20 minutes;
press to remove excess liquid.
In a 4-quart nonreactive saucepan, place drained vegetables.
Stir in vinegar, sugar, mustard and celery seeds.
Heat to simmering point; simmer for 2–3 minutes only.
Add more sugar if needed.
Transfer to a covered jar; store in the refrigerator.
Best used 2 days after making. This will keep for up to 2 weeks
refrigerated.
Cheese Meatloaf
Meatloaf has many variations. To a basic mixture of ground meat, egg, and
bread or flour mixture are added onion, green pepper, celery, mustard, ketchup,
and/or Worcestershire sauce. The mixture can be free molded on a shallow tray
for a crisp crust or baked in the usual loaf pan. A layer of ketchup or stock can
be laid in the pan for readymade gravy, or the loaf basted during baking. But in
whatever form, meatloaf is a well-loved dish for a family dinner, especially
when served with mashed potatoes and gravy.
1 cup soda or other crackers

1 green pepper, seeded, quartered
1 onion, quartered
1 egg
1 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup cream
1/8 tsp pepper
parsley, for garnish
In a food processor, process crackers until finely crushed.
Add green pepper and onion, and process until chopped but not
pureed.
Transfer to a bowl; stir in the remaining ingredients except parsley.
Place into a greased loaf pan, 9 × 13 × 2 inches.
Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until done.
Garnish with parsley.
Fried Chicken
Fried chicken rivals hamburgers as the most widely known American food
worldwide. The crisp coating and spicy flavoring give this dish its widespread
appeal. This recipe is adapted from a Louisiana original and calls for a uniquely
Cajun herb: the young leaves of the sassafras tree, known as gumbo filé or filé
powder, commonly used for thickening stews such as gumbo, hence the name.
Even without this distinctive herb, the quality of the dish is unimpaired.
This dish is commonly served with potato salad, coleslaw or mashed
potatoes, and gravy for dinner or Sunday lunch.
8 chicken drumsticks or 4 individual portions, quarters, or whole legs,

including thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
oil for frying
1 (or more) cups milk or chicken stock
3 fresh sage leaves
Prepare chicken 2 hours before frying.

In a large bowl, blend seasoning mix.
Take out 2 TBS; sprinkle evenly over chicken.
To remaining seasoning mix, add flour, mixing thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg and milk.
Coat chicken pieces with seasoned flour.
Soak, one at a time, in milk mixture for 2–3 minutes.
Coat chicken again with seasoning flour.
Place on wax paper on a cookie sheet or tray; refrigerate to dry for 1
hour.
Take out 15 minutes before frying.
In a deep fryer or large skillet, heat 1/3 inch oil to 300°F.
Carefully place the chicken pieces, a few at a time, to fry until golden
brown on both sides, for about 7–10 minutes. Leave skillet uncovered
for a crisp crust.
The chicken will not be cooked at this stage; set aside browned pieces.
Once all the chicken are browned, reduce heat to 200°F (very low),
and return chicken to fry.
Cover with a lid only halfway; fry for 30–40 minutes more or until
chicken is done.
Take out chicken to drain on paper towels; keep warm.
Make gravy: drain off all but 1/4 cup of oil from skillet.
Heat at low heat.
Add 2 TBS of leftover seasoning mix; scrape bits stuck to the skillet.
Whisk in milk or stock, stirring until smooth.
Add sage; continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Discard sage; pour sauce into a hot gravy boat.
Serve at once.
Seasoning mix
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp gumbo filé powder (optional)
1/4 tsp cloves
? Did you know?
Iced tea constitutes 85 percent of the tea drunk in the United States.
Collard Greens
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, collard greens were standard fare
for slaves in the southern states, and today this collard greens dish has become a
hallmark food for many black Americans. The original collard greens recipe
eaten by the slaves probably originated in West Africa. To try the original taste,
eliminate the meat and bay leaf and substitute water for the stock.
10 cups stock
1 pound ham hocks
1/4 pound fat salt pork, diced
1 cup minced onion
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp red pepper, powder or flakes
2 TBS sugar
1–1 1/2 pounds collard greens, soaked in cold water, rinsed, hard
stems removed, and leaves shredded
2 tsp vinegar
Simmer stock with ham hocks, pork, onion, bay leaf, red pepper, and
sugar in a heavy pot for 30 minutes.
Add greens to pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until greens are tender.
Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste.
Serve with rice and black-eyed peas and fried chicken.
Boston Baked Beans

A specialty of the Northeast designed for cold weather eating.
1 1/2 cups navy beans
water to cover plus 1/3 cup
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBS molasses
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 cup water
Soak beans overnight in water.

In a large pot, simmer the beans in the water until tender (1 1/2 hours).
Drain, reserving liquid.
Mix bacon, onions, and sugar in a bowl.
Place half the beans in a heavy baking casserole.
Place the bacon mixture in an even layer over the beans.
Top with the remaining beans.
Combine molasses, salt, pepper, mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire
sauce, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Pour boiling seasoning liquid over beans. Add enough of the reserved
bean liquid to just barely cover the beans. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cover the casserole with an ovenproof lid or aluminum foil and bake
for 2 hours.
Uncover and bake for another 1 hour, ensuring beans do not dry out by
pouring on additional reserved bean-cooking liquid.
Serve with potatoes and any meat dish.
Blue Corn Cornbread

Corn (maize) was tremendously important to North America’s native people,
and like staples in other societies, it was regarded with religious reverence. Some
of these traditions are still maintained today. In the Southwestern United States,
several maize varieties of different colors were and are still used by the Hopi
people for ritual and culinary purposes.
2 cups blue cornmeal (available from specialty or health food stores)

1 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk (or milk plus 1 TBS lemon juice)
1/4 cup melted butter or oil plus extra for greasing

Butter a 9-×-12-inch baking dish.
Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt
into a bowl.
Mix well the eggs, buttermilk, and butter until smooth.
Gradually whisk in the egg mixture into the cornmeal mixture, until
just smooth. Take care not to over mix.
Pour batter into greased pan.
Bake for 25–35 minutes or until edges pull away from the pan. Test
with a wooden skewer, which should come away dry.
Remove from oven, cool slightly, then cut into squares.
Serve warm, eat as is, or spread with butter and fruit jelly.
Fry Bread
Fry bread is a traditional Native American staple, often eaten for breakfast. It is
common particularly among the Navajo in the Southwest.
2 cups unbleached flour

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
oil for frying
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the
water and milk, and mix just until the dough comes together.
With floured hands, take the dough in your hands and smooth it into a
ball, but do not knead it or the bread will be tough. Divide dough into
8 balls.
Flatten the balls with the floured palms of your hands (or roll briefly
with a rolling pin) to 6-inch-diameter disks (similar to pita).
Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F (moderate heat) in a heavy frying pan or
skillet.
Carefully lower a dough disk into the oil with a turner (a frying tool)
and submerge it, keeping the tool on the dough. This will cause the
dough to puff up.
Fry until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot on their own or with sweet preserves or a meat dish.

This common dish is familiar to generations of Americans.
4 portions cooked macaroni, al dente, drained

4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp onion powder
1 TBS mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 cup milk mixed with 1 cup cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (for stronger flavor use aged cheddar)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 TBS butter

Have ready the macaroni.
Prepare the cheese-cream sauce: melt butter in a heavy pan over low
heat. Whisk in gradually the flour, salt, and pepper until completely
blended.
Stir in the onion powder, mustard, and cayenne.
Gradually add the milk-cream mixture, stirring carefully to ensure no
lumps form.
Allow sauce to simmer while continually stirring, until flour is
completely cooked.
Add cheese a bit at a time until fully melted into the cream sauce, but
stir as little as possible.
Turn off heat, and stir macaroni into the cheese sauce, so that the
macaroni is evenly coated with sauce.
Transfer to a buttered 9-×-13-inch baking dish.
Microwave the butter for 30 seconds to melt, then blend into the
breadcrumbs. Scatter breadcrumbs evenly over macaroni.
Serve at once.

Upside-down cakes are a traditional favorite, with pineapple cakes topping the
list. This variation combines two popular American flavors: chocolate and fudge.
Serve for dessert with whipped or poured cream, or vanilla ice cream, or as a
snack.
Topping
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
In a pan, stir butter and brown sugar over low heat; cook until just
bubbly.
Stir in corn syrup and cream; stir constantly just until boiling.
Quickly add nuts; pour into a generously buttered 8-inch bundt or
similar deep tube cake pan. The mixture will be runny. Set aside.
Cake
1 cup flour
pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/4 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the topping.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
Beat egg whites until stiff. Cream butter and sugar until light.
Add egg yolks, chocolate, and vanilla, mixing thoroughly.
Add flour mixture in 3 portions, alternating with milk in 2 portions,
mixing until smooth after each addition.
Fold in egg whites. Pour batter over topping.
Let cool for 15–20 minutes on a rack.
Loosen edges of cake with a (round-tipped) table knife or cake spatula.
Cover pan with a serving plate at least 10 inches in diameter.
Holding both pan and plate together, swiftly invert cake onto serving
plate.
Wait for 5–8 minutes for cake and topping to descend naturally from
pan.
Shake cake pan gently, then lift off.
Use a rubber scraper to scoop out any remaining bits of nuts or syrup.
Serve warm with cream.

While ice cream may have been originally invented in its current form in Italy,
nowhere else has ice cream been developed and consumed so widely (almost
daily) as in the United States. It is a staple dessert in most households and easily
available with a great many choices of flavors combining fruits and nuts. Butter
pecan is an all-round favorite. Ice cream is often eaten plain on a cone, outside
the house, or served at the table with a crisp wafer, as well as topped with
candied or fresh fruit (cherries, strawberries, banana) and chocolate syrup
drizzled over everything for an ice cream sundae or parfait. Not many families
make their own ice cream anywhere, but the taste of homemade ice cream is
incomparable. Serve for dessert or as a snack.
1/2 cup sugar

1 TBS flour
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
2 TBS butter (plus another TBS for greasing)
2 TBS sugar
1 cup pecans
1 TBS vanilla
Prepare a custard: in a saucepan, blend sugar, flour, and salt.

Stir in the milk with a whisk, until the mixture is smooth.
Over gentle heat and continuing to stir with the whisk, cook the
mixture for about 10 minutes, until the milk is hot and the flour is no
longer raw tasting.
Set the pan into a bowl of cold water to quickly chill the custard.
Stir the custard occasionally so that a skin does not form on top. (This
can be done the day before and the custard refrigerated.)
Make praline: butter a cookie tray or sheet of foil on a plate, and set
aside.
In a skillet, melt butter and stir in sugar.
When sugar is caramelized and turns into a dark brown color, stir in
half the pecans, coating all with caramel.
Spread immediately onto buttered tray or foil in a thin film; leave to
cool.
Crush praline with a rolling pin or in the blender; set aside.
In a moderate oven (350°F), toast remaining pecans for 15 minutes.
Let cool; chop finely and set aside.
In a large bowl, whip cream to soft peaks. Fold in chilled custard and
vanilla to mix thoroughly.
Fold in praline and chopped pecans.
If using an ice cream freezer, follow manufacturer’s instructions.
Otherwise, place in a covered 4-cup container to freeze for 1 1/2 hours
or until sides have started to freeze.
Take out of the freezer, and with hand mixer or fork, beat thoroughly.
Return to the freezer; repeat the beating procedure once more, then
allow to freeze thoroughly for 5 hours or overnight. (The repeated
beating adds air to the ice cream.)
Fudge Brownies
Sweet baked goods of all kinds mark the British influence in American cooking,
bars and cookies being the most commonly and easily made at home. Of these,
the brownie is the quintessential American cake bar. There are many variations.
What follows is one that departs from the usual use of butter to suit
contemporary consciousness about saturated fats in cooking. Serve as dessert or
a snack with a glass of milk.
3/4 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
Combine cocoa with baking powder in a bowl. Blend in half of the

vegetable oil.
Add boiling water carefully, and stir until the mixture thickens.
Blend in sugar, eggs, and remaining oil, stirring thoroughly until
smooth.
Stir in flour, baking soda, vanilla, and salt, mixing well until smooth.
Pour into buttered 13-×-9-inch baking pan.
Top with nuts.
Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes.
Uruguay
Uruguay, the second smallest independent country in South America, was a

Spanish colony until independence in 1828. A warm, temperate climate and
rolling hills and pasture lands make it ideal for raising livestock as well as
growing a range of grains, fruits, and vegetables. Uruguayans are predominantly
of European (Spanish, Italian) descent or mixed local American Indian stock,
and there is a small black minority. Uruguayan cuisine is rich and combines
Spanish and Italian elements as well as influences from neighboring Argentina.
Uruguayans are noted for eating the most beef worldwide (surpassing
Argentina): over 130 pounds per person per year.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: beef, potatoes.
• Lamb, pork, chicken, fish and seafood, dairy products (cheese,
cream), eggs.
• Rice, wheat, corn, barley, sweet potato, cabbage, carrot, cucumber,
lettuce.
• Orange and other citrus fruits, grape, apple, strawberry.
• Seasonings: onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, pepper, parsley.
TYPICAL DISHES
• National dish is parrillada—a mountain of grilled/barbecued beef,
variety meats (liver, heart, etc.), and sausages—on a platter.
• Spicy blood sausages, some flavored with orange peel and walnuts.
• Spanish-style meat and vegetable stews and soups: puchero or
cazuela of vegetables, bacon, beans, and sausages.
• Italian-style dishes: fresh pasta, ravioli, pizza, stews.
• Rich sweets: milk fudge (dulce de leche) (see Argentina entry for the
sidebar “Dulce de Leche,” p. 48); egg-cream candies (yemas); lemon
pie; ice cream; stuffed cream puffs (bombas); sponge-cake balls filled
with cream, jam, and peaches (chaja).
STYLES OF EATING
• Three meals and snacks daily, with main meal at noon or night.
• Beef is eaten at almost all meals, as steak, barbecued ribs, or cutlets,
with mixed salad and fried potatoes.
• Breakfast: croissants (medias lunas), orange juice, coffee.
• Lunch: grilled steak sandwich or pasta.
• Dinner: grilled meats (see Dominican Republic entry for the sidebar
“Asado,” p. 378), potato chips, vegetable salad, dessert of ricotta-like
white cheese (called requeson) with quince jam.
• Snacks: open-faced sandwiches of grilled steak with pickles, lettuce,
tomato, cheese (chivito); spicy sausage in a roll (húngaro); croissants
with ham and cheese, served hot or cold.
• Drinks with meals for the young are fresh fruit juices; adults drink
white wine mixed with fruit juice, or sparkling wine mixed with white
wine, or beer. Tea, maté, or coffee are favorite drinks in between
meals (see Paraguay entry for the sidebar “Yerba Mate,” p. 1064).

This stew is popular for a family lunch or dinner, served with fried potatoes or
bread.
2 TBS olive oil

1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
2/3 cup tomato puree
2 cups fresh, frozen, or canned sweet corn kernels
2 TBS fresh oregano, chopped
1 bay leaf
4 chorizos (available in major supermarkets and stores that sell Latin
American foods), or Italian-style sausages, cut into 2-inch pieces

Sauté onion and garlic for 5 minutes; add bell pepper, tomato puree,
and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Add corn, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and sausages.
Simmer for 25–35 minutes or until sausages are done.
Add water if sauce begins to stick.
Serve hot.

Resembling neighboring Argentina’s “hunger-killer” (matambre), this beef roll
is made into a popular sandwich filling. The beef slices are attractive with their
colorful stuffing. Put slices on bread, garnish with pickled cucumbers or relish,
and serve as an open-faced sandwich.
1/3 cup grated cheese (Cheddar or Monterey Jack)

5 eggs, beaten
3 TBS butter
1 piece flank steak (2 pounds)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) green peas
kitchen twine
clean, dry cheesecloth
5 cups broth
Stir cheese into eggs.

Over medium heat, melt butter in a skillet. Pour in egg mixture,
stirring constantly, until eggs are done but still moist. Take off heat
and set aside.
Pound the well to tenderize. Cover surface of steak with salt, pepper,
cooked eggs, bell pepper, and peas.
Starting at the widest side, roll up like a jelly roll; tie securely with
kitchen twine.
Roll up tightly in cheesecloth; tie again with twine.
Place in a large saucepan with broth.
Cover, bring to a boil, skim and reduce heat.
Let simmer for 1 1/2–2 hours or until steak is very tender.
Remove roll from stock and set on a tray.
Place a cutting board over the roll. Put some heavy cans on top and let
chill in the refrigerator overnight. (This is to squeeze out the broth
from the meat. Broth can be used to make soup.)
Remove cheesecloth and twine. Cut steak crosswise into slices to
reveal stuffing.
This dish combines locally plentiful ingredients, corn and peppers, and is often
served as a light main dish or as a side dish with a meat course.
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 yolks
1/4 cup cold water
3 eggs
1 cup yogurt
2 TBS fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 cup grated cheese
Prepare the crust: in a food processor, blend flour, salt, and butter for 2
seconds to coarse meal stage.
Beat yolks with water. Add to processor in 4 portions, processing for 2
seconds each time or until the dough forms a ball.
Take out dough, knead lightly and roll out on a floured surface and fit
into a 12-inch pie plate. Let rest in the refrigerator.
Prepare the filling and spoon into crust.
Prepare the topping: beat eggs with salt, pepper, oregano, yogurt, and
grated cheese.
Pour mixture over the filling; bake at 325°F for 45 minutes or until
done.
Filling
2 TBS oil
1 cup fresh, canned, or frozen, thawed and drained sweet corn kernels
1 cup cored, seeded, chopped red bell pepper
2 strips lean (back) bacon, chopped
Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet. Sauté all the ingredients for 5
minutes; set aside.

This method of cooking, called en escabeche, is common throughout the
Hispanic world, most often applied to fish. There is a slight difference in that
fish is first fried and then marinated, whereas here, the chicken cooks in spiced
vinegar. This is popular as a family supper dish or main meal starter. It is served
cold, accompanied by fried potatoes.
2 TBS olive oil

4 large portions chicken, quarters or legs and thighs, halved (2–3
pounds)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, quartered
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, quartered
2 onions, sliced in rings
1/2 tsp each thyme and marjoram
salt to taste
1/2 cup white wine vinegar or other vinegar
1/4 cup water
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan; brown chicken over medium

heat.
Add vegetables, spices, vinegar, and water.
Simmer, covered, over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the
chicken is tender.
Discard peppercorns. Chill well.

This stew is actually two courses in one: the liquid served as soup first, and the
solids served as the “main” course.
2 TBS oil
1 pound stewing beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 pound chorizo, cut into 2-inch lengths
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 leek, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into eighths
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1/2 small squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup fresh, canned, or frozen sweet corn (maize) kernels
1 cup well-rinsed spinach leaves, chopped
Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan.

Brown meat on all sides. Add chorizo and brown briefly.
Remove meat from pot.
Fill the same pot with cold water to 2/3 its depth, and bring to a boil.
Return meat and chorizo to pot with some salt and allow to simmer for
10 minutes.
Add carrots, leek, and onion, and allow to simmer an additional 10
minutes.
Add potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash and simmer, covered, until
potatoes are nearly done (check with wooden skewer: center should be
a bit resistant).
Add corn and spinach, and cook until potatoes are tender. Remove
from heat.
Remove vegetables and place in a warmed serving plate.
Remove meat and sausages to another warmed serving plate.
Serve liquid as soup, with diners helping themselves to the vegetables
and meat, with a dollop of salsa.

This is a popular sweet after a main meal, and also a snack.
1 pound strawberries
2 bananas
2 TBS lemon juice
2 cups yogurt
4 TBS peach jam
1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
4 TBS brown sugar
Wash strawberries well; hull and cut in half.

Slice bananas and coat with lemon juice.
Place fruit in a buttered baking dish.
Cover with the yogurt well mixed with jam.
Sprinkle with chopped almonds and brown sugar.
Grill at medium heat for 10–12 minutes or until topping is golden
brown.
? Did you know?

The most black tea is drunk in South American countries: Paraguay,
Uruguay, and Argentina (as of 2008–9).

These muffins are eaten as an afternoon snack with coffee or yerba mate.
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup milk
1 cup raisins
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter two muffin pans.

In a bowl, combine flour with baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Mix in well the butter, honey, and milk to make a thick batter.
Mix in the raisins. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with the batter.
Bake for 20–25 minutes (test with wooden skewer) until done.
Serve with more honey for dipping.

Popular in Uruguay and Argentina, this cake is often eaten as a snack with yerba
mate.

3 TBS butter
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 TBS baking powder
oil for deep frying
Sugar for dusting
To serve: dulce de leche (milk jam) or good quality fruit preserve
In a saucepan over low heat, heat milk and butter together, until butter
is completely melted. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.
Whisk in the milk-butter mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix well
to form a pliable dough.
Knead for 5 minutes, adding warm water if necessary until dough is
smooth, shiny, and elastic. Allow to rest, covered, for 20–30 minutes.
Form dough into eight balls. Flatten each ball into a disk about 1/4
inch thick.
Flour your hands and shape the balls into doughnuts by making a hole
in the center of the disk.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan to
350°F.
Fry doughnuts 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain
on paper towels.
When all are done, roll in sugar.
Serve warm on their own, with yerba mate, or with a dollop of fruit
preserve or dulce de leche.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan, a landlocked central Asian country, was occupied by Russia from

the nineteenth century until the breakdown of the Soviet Union in 1991. Though
mostly desert with hot summers and warm winters, the country has several
fertile river valleys, enabling cultivation of abundant cereals, fruit, and
vegetables. Livestock are also extensively raised. Muslim Uzbeks constitute a
majority of the population, with Russian, Tajik, and other minorities. Uzbeks
were traditionally horsemen and nomads, so their food is similar to that of their
Central Asian neighbors. However, due to the longer history of settlement in the
area, and large historic urban areas such as Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara,
the cuisine is more varied and complex. As in most of Central Asia, mutton is
preferred, and its fat (especially that of fat-tailed sheep, called dumba) is highly
prized.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: mutton, dairy products. Uzbeks rarely eat lamb (i.e., young
mutton), considering the meat too lean and insipid.
• Wheat, millet, other cereals.
• Beef, horse, poultry, goat, camel, dried and smoked meat, sausage.
• Many types of pumpkin and gourds, eggplant, turnips, olive, unusual
colored carrots, bell pepper, cabbage, tomato, potato, spinach,
legumes, pickled vegetables.
• Melon, watermelon, apple, cherry, grape, fig, apricot, pomegranate,
nuts, citrus, dried fruits.
• Dairy products: yogurt (katik), fermented milk drinks (kumys, airon),
clotted cream (kaymak), white cheese.
• Seasonings: black pepper, red chili pepper, parsley, coriander (seed
and leaf), black cumin, barberry.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The king of all dishes for the Uzbeks is dumba: the roasted fat of the
fat-tailed sheep native to the region.
• Grilled or roasted meats: kebab; skewered shashlyk.
• Rice dishes: with meat and vegetables (palov), with nuts and/or
beans.
• Stews of meat and vegetables (kovurma).
• Stuffed grape leaves, cabbage, and other vegetables with rice and
meat: dulma.
• Noodle dishes with meat and vegetables: lagman.
• Flat breads of many varieties, according to region: generically called
lepyoshka.
• Baked meat-filled dumplings (samsa).
• Sweets: sumalak (wheat sprout porridge) for Navruz (Persian and
Central Asian New Year’s Day, in April), glazed almonds and other
nuts; dried melons and apricots, grapes (golden and brown raisins),
rich confections of nuts and fat (kholva), quince and fig jams.
STYLES OF EATING
• Flat breads eaten with all meals.
• Breakfast: yogurt or cheese, tea, porridge.
• Lunch: light meal of meat-filled dumplings or noodles; fresh fruit or
sweet.
• Dinner: flavored rice (palov), grilled meat, salad; stew of meat and
vegetables; fresh fruit or sweet.
• Drinks: green or black tea, with or without butter or sour cream;
yogurt-based drinks. Tea ritual: As guests arrive, tea is served with a
tray (dastarkhan) of assorted sweetmeats including fresh and dried
fruit—glazed nuts, nut confections, dried melons, rose petal jam,
quince or fig preserves, bunches of grapes (whatever fruit is in
season).

Salads of all kinds made from the wide range of vegetables available are served
with meals, flavored with fresh herbs such as dill, cilantro, and green onions.
This dish is excellent as a first course or appetizer.
4 bell peppers, various colors, cored and seeded from the stalk end, but
kept whole
2–4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup semihard white goat’s cheese (brinza or feta)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 TBS dill, minced
Bring water to a boil in a deep pot.

Scald peppers in boiling water, 1 or 2 at a time, until skin is soft.
Plunge immediately into cold water, peel the thin parchment-like skin
off, then drain to cool.
Mash cheese, sour cream, butter, garlic, and dill until smooth.
Fill peppers with the cheese mixture, pressing the filling well to ensure
there are no empty gaps; chill for 20–30 minutes.
Slice peppers crosswise into disks to serve.
MUTTON: THE MEAT OF CHOICE IN THE MIDDLE
EAST AND CENTRAL ASIA
The populations of the Middle East and of Central Asia have been
shepherds for probably longer than recorded history. There is evidence of
domesticated sheep and goats in many prehistoric archaeological sites in
these areas. Unsurprisingly, mutton is the most popular meat in an area
stretching from Morocco to Kazakhstan. Compared to goats, with which
they are often herded, sheep have more fat. Since fat molecules hold the
flavor in meat, this means mutton is usually more flavorful, and the energy
the meat supplies is greater. It is also much softer, an important quality
when one’s dentistry is not too good, and when fuel is at a premium. In the
final analysis, anyone from the area will say it is the flavor; apparently,
there is nothing that stirs the digestive juices so well as the scent of mutton
fat broiling on coals.

This soup is a welcome dish during the winter, as a light meal with flat bread for
lunch or as a first course for dinner.
3 TBS vegetable oil

1 pound mutton (or beef) with bone, cubed
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
1 cup tomatoes, chopped (or an 8-ounce can chopped tomatoes)
5 cups water
1 cup your choice of fresh herbs (cilantro, green chives, parsley),
rinsed and chopped, for garnish
Heat oil in a large covered pot over medium heat; brown the meat.
Add onions and carrots. Stir fry until onions are soft.
Add potatoes, tomatoes, and water; season and bring to a boil.
Add cabbage and cook, covered, on medium heat until done.
Adjust seasoning. Add water if necessary to thin the soup.
Serve soup garnished with herbs, distributing meat and vegetables
equally.

This Uzbek version of pilaf is more elaborate than that found in neighboring
countries, with its use of high-priced saffron. While the taste is not the same,
powdered turmeric can be substituted to get the same yellow color. A favorite
garnish on the mounded rice and meat is red pomegranate seeds. Uzbek palov
has many variations, according to region and season: with stuffed grape leaves;
with garlic; with chickpeas; and not mixed, that is, the rice is topped with the
meat and sauce (see sidebar “Mutton: The Meat of Choice in the Middle East
and Central Asia,” above).
Usually served for the evening family meal, it is also typically served at the
choyhana (teahouse), a venue of Uzbek social life, where people (mostly men)
catch up on local news while sipping tea and eating palov and kebabs. For
weddings and feasts serving hundreds of guests, it is men who cook the palov,
although women customarily make it for family meals.
2 TBS (or more) vegetable oil

1 pound fatty boneless mutton, cubed (fat included)
1 pound onions, sliced finely
1 large carrot, peeled and grated coarsely
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp saffron (about 15–20 strands), steeped in 1 TBS hot water for
10 minutes (or 1/2 tsp turmeric powder)
1/2 tsp cumin
1 pomegranate, peeled, separated into seeds, or 1/2 cup dried
pomegranate seeds, soaked in water 5 minutes, drained (optional)
Heat oil in a large, heavy pot with a well-sealing lid until hot.
Brown mutton briefly; remove and reserve.
Add onions and carrot to the remaining oil (add more oil if necessary);
stir fry over medium heat until tender.
Return mutton to the pot; add rice. Stir constantly for 5 minutes.
Pour in boiling water; mix well. Stir in salt, saffron, black pepper, and
cumin.
Cover tightly and cook over lowest heat for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, and without uncovering, allow to rest for 10
minutes.
Check rice for doneness. If necessary, return to low heat for an
additional 5 minutes, sprinkling some boiling water on top if rice is
dry.
Mound rice high on a serving platter. Surround with meat.
Garnish with pomegranate seeds. Serve hot with salad (combine
ingredients listed below).
Salad
1 onion, sliced paper thin
1 firm tomato, sliced paper thin
1 TBS vinegar

These skewered ground meat “sausages” are ideal for cooking on a barbecue for
a midday or evening meal. Serve with flat bread, a tart sauce (see next recipe),
and salad of sliced tomatoes, peppers, and onions.
2 pounds ground lamb or beef

1 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 TBS black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 TBS powdered ginger
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
In a large bowl, mix thoroughly meat and other ingredients.

Beat with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth.
Form this mixture into “sausages,” approximately 3 inches long and 2
inches in diameter.
Thread sausages onto flat metal skewers leaving a 1-inch space
between them. Grill over glowing coals for 12–15 minutes or until
done, turning them over halfway during the cooking.
Tart Kebab Sauce

Serve this condiment with kebabs or other grilled or roasted meat dishes. This
will keep well, refrigerated in a covered jar, for about 2 weeks.
1/2 cup dried jujubes (also known as Chinese dates, though not related
to real palm dates), pitted, chopped (available from stores that sell
Asian foods).
1/2 cup raisins
2 TBS vinegar
1 tsp salt
sugar to taste
In a blender or food processor, place all ingredients and blend to a

puree.
Pour into a saucepan and heat at medium heat till bubbling lightly.
Adjust seasoning to taste. Cool and serve.

Summers in Uzbekistan are very hot, and this popular cold soup helps one to
survive the heat.
1/2 cup sweet corn (maize) kernels

1/2 cup mung beans, soaked overnight
water to cover
salt to taste
1/2 cup green wheat (frikkeh, available from stores that sell Middle
Eastern foods)
red chili flakes to taste
4 TBS yogurt
Place corn and mung beans in pot with some salt. Add water to about 2
inches above solids. Bring to a boil and simmer 3 minutes.
Add wheat and simmer an additional 5–10 minutes until mung beans
and wheat are soft. Remove from heat and chill.
When cool, mix in yogurt (more can be added if preferred) and chili
flakes and adjust seasoning.
Serve cold.

Aromatic quince fruits are in season from late summer to autumn. The yellow
apple-shaped or pear-shaped slightly fuzzy fruits are very popular throughout
Central Asia and the Middle East, not only in sweet dishes but also in savory
stews, where their distinctive aroma, sour-sweet flavor, and red color (which
appears only after long cooking) are highly prized. It is possible to complete the
cooking of the palov in a rice cooker: transfer the stew to the cooker, mix in the
uncooked rice and quince. Use as much liquid as required in the cooker
instructions for 2 cups of rice.
3/4 cup rendered mutton fat or vegetable oil

2 onions, sliced
1/2 pound mutton, diced
1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded
1 large quince, peeled, cored, quartered, and sliced in 1/8-inch-thick
slices
2 cups rice
Prepare the stew: heat fat over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed
saucepan.
Fry the onions, stirring, until brown.
Add meat and sauté until browned on all sides.
Add carrots and cook until color suffuses the meat and onions.
Add 2 cups water, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili flakes; reduce heat
and simmer for 20 minutes.
Prepare the rice: add to the stew one half of the quince slices and rice
and mix in well. Add water to the height of one finger width (about 1/2
inch) above the surface of the rice. (This stage can be cooked in an
automatic rice cooker according to manufacturer’s instructions.)
Cover the pan and simmer gently until all the liquid is absorbed and
small craters appear on the rice surface, about 20 minutes. Place the
remaining quince over the cooked rice. Replace cover and let the palov
rest for 15–20 minutes.
Place the quinces cooked on top of the rice in a bowl and reserve.
Scoop up the palov and arrange it on a large serving bowl or plate.
Garnish with the reserved quince slices.

The sweet kernels of a type of apricot are a staple for many Uzbek families.
(Note that the seeds of ordinary apricots available in the United States are bitter
and contain a toxic chemical, cyanide. It is not recommended to use these
common apricot seeds.) The sweet Uzbek apricot kernels are unlikely to be
found in the United States, so substitute almonds, which have a similar flavor.
Other glazed nuts, such as hazel or walnut, are usually served with tea to guests,
as a snack or after meals.
1 TBS butter for greasing

1 pound apricot seeds (or substitute almonds, blanched), crushed
roughly
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Butter a shallow 10-×-12-inch baking tray.

Scatter seeds or almonds on the tray in a layer about 1/2 inch thick.
Reserve.
Place sugar in a heavy pan. Heat sugar over low heat until caramelized
to a light golden color. Add water carefully (there will be some
splattering so protect your hands and stand well away from the pan).
Boil down water with sugar, stirring from time to time, until syrup is
pale gold and at soft ball stage (234–238°F).
Pour syrup over seeds.
Place tray to dry in a low oven (100°F, a convection oven is best) for 1
hour.
Cut into squares or lozenges and serve with tea.

Traditionally, this sweet porridge would have been made with mutton fat. Serve
hot as snack or dessert with flat bread.
1 cup sugar
3 cups water
1 cup flour
Boil sugar and water to make a light syrup.

In a separate pan, heat oil, then add flour, stirring constantly until
golden brown.
Slowly and while mixing constantly, add hot syrup to the flour mixture
until it is thick and creamy.

Variations on airon or ayran are served throughout Uzbekistan as a refreshing
drink, which is particularly important in desert climates, where salt lost by
perspiration must be replenished. The lactic acids present in the drink are also
believed to be beneficial to the stomach and add essential vitamins and trace
elements to an otherwise predominantly meat diet.
2 cups yogurt (very sour yogurt is most authentic)

2 cups water
salt to taste
ice cubes for serving
Whisk yogurt, water, and salt together and serve on ice.

V
Vanuatu
Vanuatu comprises a group of eighty-odd volcanic islands in the South Pacific
Ocean, about sixty-five of which are inhabited. The islands were formerly
administered by France and Britain as the New Hebrides Condominium. Most
islands have narrow coastal plains circling steep volcanic ridges and, with a
tropical climate, enable fruits, vegetables, and pigs and other livestock to be
raised, unlike other Pacific islands with shallow soil. Pigs are important not only
as an item of diet but also as a cultural symbol of wealth, prestige, and
hospitality. The population is predominantly of the Ni-Vanuatu ethnic group,
who are Melanesians, with several hundred subgroups with different cultures
and languages.
The traditional diet centered on a few locally grown foodstuffs, fish, and
seafood, prepared simply. The contemporary diet is much influenced by French,
American, Japanese, and Australian tastes and imports.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staple: root crops (yam, taro, cassava, the latter introduced from the
Americas by traders), breadfruit.
• Fish, seafood caught offshore, pork, beef, goat, chicken, eggs, milk
produced locally.
• Potato (white and sweet), corn, pumpkin including green leaves,
watercress, edible hibiscus (Abelmoschus manihot) leaves.
• Coconut, peanut, papaya, guava, pineapple, mango, passion fruit,
local nuts (pili nuts [Canarium ovatum], Indian almond [Terminalia
catappa], Polynesian chestnut [Inocarpus fagifer]).
• Seasonings: black pepper, onion, tomato, ginger, coconut milk.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Steamed or baked root crops, bananas, plantain, or breadfruit, with or
without coconut cream, wrapped in banana leaves.
Woman prepares lap lap, the traditional local food of yam paste wrapped in banana leaves, and baked.
Malekula Island, Republic of Vanuatu. (Albrecht G. Schaefer/Corbis)
• Fish and seafood dishes: coconut crab in garlic sauce. Raw fish
marinated with lemon juice and coconut milk. Japanese-influenced
raw fish (sashimi, sushi). Baked (in underground oven) fish or
seafood, pork, chicken, or beef.
STYLES OF EATING
• Breakfast: Westernized style, bread/baguette or cereal, juice or
coffee.
• Lunch: rice or traditional staple, fish or vegetable dish with or
without coconut milk; or light Westernized quick meal of sandwich,
pasta, other fast food in urban areas.
• Dinner: rice or traditional staple; fish, meat, or chicken dish;
vegetable dish; fresh fruit or dessert.
• Snacks: Western fast foods (pizza, pasta), Western cakes and
cookies, traditional steamed staples with coconut, fresh fruit, fried
banana chips.
• International restaurants, bars, cafés, and hotels serve a wide range of
Western/Asian food: French, Italian, American, Mexican, Japanese,
Chinese, Korean, Thai.
Peanut Salad
This salad takes advantage of Vanuatu’s local products. Serve as an
accompaniment to a meat or fish dish. With the addition of hard-boiled eggs,
canned tuna, or shredded chicken, this makes a dish for lunch.
1/2 cup salad greens of your choice (watercress, arugula, endive, land
cress), sliced
1/2 cup cucumber, cut into fine strips
1 romaine lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup firm, semiripe papaya, shredded
1/2 cup grated coconut, preferably fresh, or frozen, defrosted
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped
2 tsp salad oil
juice and grated rind of 1 lime or lemon
In a bowl, mix vegetables thoroughly with grated coconut.
Combine peanuts, oil, lime juice and rind, and green onion for
dressing.
Pour dressing over vegetables.
Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Fish Salad
This fish salad resembles South American ceviche and is made all over the
Pacific islands in several variations. This is a Vanuatu specialty served for lunch
or evening meal with a boiled or roasted staple (breadfruit, yam, taro).
2 pounds fish fillet, very fresh, sashimi quality, sliced into uniform,
bite-sized pieces
1 cup lime juice
1/2 small, firm, semiripe papaya, shredded
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 large, firm tomato, diced
1/2 cup Chinese cabbage or romaine lettuce
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced
Coconut herb dressing

1 clove garlic, finely minced
3 TBS fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 TBS cilantro, finely chopped
In a covered container, lay the fish; pour lime juice on fish.

Turn the fish over occasionally.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until all the fish turns white.
In a salad bowl, mix all vegetables thoroughly.
Blend the dressing ingredients well.
Rinse fish thoroughly with cold water, and drain.
Combine fish with dressing; place over vegetables.
Serve well chilled, ensuring each diner gets equal helpings of
vegetables and fish.
Pork-Stuffed Taro
This dish is served as a special main dish for dinner with mashed or boiled sweet
potatoes, breadfruit, or yams, accompanied by a salad or cooked green
vegetable. Pork is a celebratory meat.
1 pound large taro tubers or large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch-
thick slices
2 banana leaves (fresh or frozen, from Asian stores), washed, or 1
large head loose-leafed cabbage, separated into leaves
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
4 stalks green onions
5 tomatoes, diced
5 cups coconut milk
baking foil
Hollow out the center of the taro or potatoes, leaving the bottom and
walls intact.
Take out the center stalk of the banana leaves, if using.
Lay leaves to cover the bottom and sides of a large rectangular baking
dish, about 15 × 10 × 2 inches.
Chop finely the flesh taken out from the taros or potatoes.
Mix chopped tuber flesh with the pork, onions, tomatoes, salt, and
pepper.
Fill the taros or potatoes with the filling.
Pour some coconut milk over the leaves in the baking dish.
Lay filled tubers on leaves.
Pour the rest of the coconut milk, drizzling some over the tubers.
Cover baking dish with foil, and seal.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour or until the taro tubers are
tender.

This is a common staple dish, traditionally made from scratch, but now available
readymade in markets. It is normally wrapped in banana leaves and baked in an
earth oven. Serve with a side dish of fish, chicken, or meat. The sweet version
can be eaten as an afternoon snack.
2 cups cassava, peeled and grated (or 2 cups plantains or semiripe

eating bananas, mashed)
1 cup taro, peeled and grated
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and grated
2/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup sugar (for sweet version)
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 head Chinese cabbage, washed and wiped dry, or 12 young taro
leaves, washed and dried
4 sheets of kitchen foil, each 12 × 12 inches
Mix grated roots with salt and pepper or with sugar, as desired.
On each sheet of foil, lay 1 or 2 cabbage leaves (or 3 taro leaves).
Spread 1/4 cup coconut milk in the center of the leaves.
Place 1/4 of the grated mixture in an even layer over the coconut milk.
Cover mixture with 1/4 cup coconut milk.
Carefully bring opposite ends of foil together; fold and seal over
mixture.
Repeat for remaining ingredients.
Place foil parcels upright in a baking tray.
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Taro leaves
may take up to 30 minutes longer to cook.)
Serve one parcel placed on a plate to each diner. The diner uncovers
the parcel just before eating.

Squash is a common vegetable, most often cooked in savory dishes, but is
equally popular cooked with sugar for a sweet dish. Use a firm-fleshed, sweet,
winter squash, such as acorn or butternut.
2 cups squash, peeled and cubed

1 cup water
1 cup plain flour
1 egg, beaten
1 green onion, minced fine
oil for frying
Simmer the squash in water until soft. Drain, reserving the liquid.
Mash squash in a bowl.
Add flour, egg, and green onion and mix well until mixture will hold
its shape. Add some of the reserved liquid or, conversely, more flour,
if necessary.
Form into palm-sized patties.
Heat 1/2 inch oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Fry patties until golden brown on both sides and moderately crisp.
Eat warm.

This recipe is equally good served chilled as a drink or frozen as a dessert. The
original recipe uses juices freshly prepared (on the spot) from fruits.
2 ripe bananas, sliced and sprinkled immediately with 2 TBS lime or

lemon juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup papaya or mango nectar or juice
1 cup guava nectar
2 cups water
sugar to taste
In a food processor or blender, place all ingredients and puree.

Place into an ice cream maker, and follow directions for making
sherbet.
Alternatively, freeze in shallow trays (e.g., ice cube trays) for 1 hour.
Remove trays from freezer and beat mixture thoroughly; return to
freezer and freeze for 30 minutes.
Beat mixture again and return to freezer until firm.

These biscuits are popular snacks.
3/4 cups peanuts, peeled and lightly toasted, or 1/2 cup crunchy peanut
butter
1 1/2 cup plain flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup ripe bananas, mashed
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a cookie sheet.

Grind peanuts in a blender coarsely, remove 2 TBS and reserve, and
continue to blend the rest until smooth. Add the reserved coarsely
ground peanuts to make a crunchy peanut butter. (Skip this step if
using prepared crunchy peanut butter.)
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.
Cream peanut butter, coconut oil, and sugar until smooth in a larger
bowl; stir in bananas.
Gradually blend the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture.
Take spoonfuls of the mixture and drop, evenly spaced, onto the
prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown.
The biscuits are good warm or cold. Store in an airtight container.
Venezuela
Venezuela, like most South American countries, was a Spanish colony until
independence in 1830. It has a varied terrain and climate: tropical lowlands and
the temperate Andes mountains, ideal for the cultivation of a wide range of
cereals, fruits, and vegetables, notably coffee. With its coast, it has access to fish
and shellfish. Most Venezuelans are of European or mixed African, Amerindian,
and European origin.
Contemporary Venezuelan cuisine combines Spanish and Amerindian

elements, with Italian, Portuguese, and German influence, as well as elements
from neighboring Colombia.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: corn, rice, beans, plantains.
• Pork, beef, chicken, fish, seafood, German/Italian/Portuguese
sausages and ham, eggs, milk products.
• Pumpkin, potato (white and sweet), cassava, legumes, cabbage.
• Banana, papaya, pineapple, coconut, melon, watermelon, mango,
pineapple, guava, citrus, strawberry.
• Seasonings: annatto seeds (for red color and flavor), cumin, capers,
coriander leaves, coconut.
TYPICAL DISHES
• The national dish (pabellón criollo): beans and rice with shredded
beef, fried plantains, corn on the cob, and other vegetables.
• Spanish-style stews, soups of meat and vegetables: sancocho,
hervido.
• Italian pastas and pizzas: lasagna (called pasticho).
• Fish dishes: avocado stuffed with shrimp, rice cooked with shellfish,
trout-stuffed turnovers.
• Meat dishes: popular tripe stew (mondongo).
• Amerindian-style leaf-wrapped and steamed corn pastries with meat
or cheese.
• Cornmeal pastry (hallaca) filled with meat, green pepper, tomatoes,
raisins, olives, garlic, and parsley, and steamed in banana leaves, is a
Christmas treat.
• Spanish-style rich sweets: guavas in syrup with cream cheese,
strawberries with cream, coconut or egg custard.
STYLES OF EATING
• A mashed avocado relish called guasacaca is often served with
meals.
• Breakfast: corn pancake (cachapa) or cornmeal bread (arepa) with
white cheese; or scrambled eggs with tomato and onion (perico);
coffee.
• Lunch (the main meal, eaten between noon and 3:00 p.m.): the
national dish of beans and rice with beef (pabellón) is common. Corn
on the cob, bananas, and cassava always accompany meat (or the main
dish), including fried or baked corn bread (arepa). In rural areas,
families eat lunch together.
Cachapas (corn pancakes eaten with cheese), a popular food item in Colombia and Venezuela. (Richard
Gunion/iStockPhoto.com)
• Evening meal: a light meal similar to breakfast, eaten after 8:00 p.m.
or later.
• Snacks (street foods): corn bread (arepa) or pancake (cachapa) filled
with cheese, ham, or meat; fried pastries (empanadas); fruits (e.g.,
papaya; mammónes or guineps).
• Drinks: fresh sugarcane, passion fruit, coconut, and other tropical
fruit juices (jugo, batido) or milkshakes (merengada) are drunk with
meals. Chicha is a drink made of corn or rice, which can be alcoholic
or nonalcoholic. If nonalcoholic, it is flavored with sugar and vanilla.
Local wine, beer for adults.

These fried cheese-filled pastry sticks are popular snacks or appetizers. They are
named for Los Teques, a small town near Caracas, where they originated, and
are an essential finger food for any Venezuelan party.

1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
5 TBS butter
1 egg, beaten
2 TBS water
1 pound farmer’s or any mild white cheese
1 egg white, beaten
In a bowl, blend flour, salt, and sugar.

Rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal.
Mix in egg, sprinkle with water, and form into a ball.
Knead lightly until smooth. Let rest for at least 30 minutes, covered
with a moist towel.
Cut cheese into bars about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
On a floured surface, roll out dough as thinly as possible (about 1/8
inch). Cut into strips about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Wrap each dough strip in a spiral around each cheese stick. Start from
the bottom and go up, overlapping to ensure cheese is entirely covered,
so that cheese does not ooze out during frying.
Brush tequeño with egg white and roll in flour.
Deep fry in medium-hot oil until golden in color. Drain on paper
towels.
Serve piping hot with guasacaca (see below).

This is commonly used as bread or wrapper for fried or grilled meat. Serve as an
accompaniment to soup or on its own for supper. Jojoto is Venezuelan Spanish
for corn on the cob. Kernels freshly sliced from the cob were traditionally used.
Serve with white cheese or avocado paste (guasacaca).
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

2 TBS unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup yogurt
1 large egg
1/4 cup fresh, canned, or frozen (defrosted) corn kernels
olive oil (for frying)
Put all ingredients except corn kernels into a blender and puree until
smooth.
Add kernels to batter.
Brush 1 TBS olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir
batter thoroughly before pouring about 2 TBS for each cachapa.
Fry 3 or 4 cachapas at a time, depending on the size of your skillet.
As soon as bubbles form and edges are brown, turn cachapas over.
Fry until golden on the other side, for about 1 minute.
Continue with remaining batter, brushing more oil on the skillet if
necessary.
Keep cooked cachapas warm in a low oven, while preparing the rest.
Serve hot.

This classic hearty soup was traditionally served as the main meal of the day in
central Venezuela. The broth as first course, the vegetables and chicken as the
main course or, for a more elaborate meal, as accompaniments for the main dish.
The vegetables used vary by preference and season. The traditional yams and
other tubers are replaced here by turnips and zucchini. The fried herbs and spices
added at the end are called sofrito. This soup’s many variations throughout the
country are called sancocho, sopa, or asopao. Hervido de galina is served as a
soup for a heavy meal, or as a main course for a light meal.
6 cups water
1 chicken (2–3 pounds), skinned and cut into 8 pieces
1/2 tsp salt
5–6 stalks green onions
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cubed
1 onion, halved
2 pieces corn on the cob, each cut crosswise into 4
1 turnip, peeled and cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
2 stalks fresh mint
3 stalks parsley
3 stalks cilantro
2 stalks celery, cubed
In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil water, chicken,

salt, green onions, bell peppers, onion halves, corn cobs, and half the
garlic. Skim off froth.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the green onions and
discard.
Add turnip, carrots, potatoes, and sweet potato, and simmer for 20–25
minutes or until tender.
Check seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.
Add zucchini, mint, parsley, cilantro, celery, and black pepper when
the other vegetables are almost done.
When the vegetables and chicken are tender, remove the herb stalks
and discard.
Transfer soup to a large serving bowl or tureen.
Pass the sofrito for guests to help themselves.
Sofrito
2 TBS corn oil
2 red bell peppers, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/4 cup mint, minced
salt
In a skillet heat the oil over medium heat, and gently fry the onion,
garlic, and red peppers until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from
heat.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and roughly blend with
remaining sofrito ingredients. The sofrito can also be chopped by
hand.)
Pour sofrito into a bowl to pass at the table.

Each family has its own version of this braised meat dish, which is popular for
Sunday luncheon. The traditional way is to simmer it for about 2 hours. An
alternative is to use a slow cooker or to bake in a slow oven as given below.
Serve with rice and fried plantains or bananas, and other vegetables, including
guasacaca (avocado relish).
1 piece of chuck roast (2 1/2–3 pounds)

2 whole heads (not cloves) garlic, minced
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup corn oil
1 cup of dark brown sugar
Marinate the meat in garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar for 3 hours or
overnight; reserve marinade.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or a deep ovenproof pan. Add sugar and let it
melt slowly until it turns very dark.
Carefully put in the meat, turning to let all sides absorb the dark syrup.
Add onion, tomatoes, and marinade.
Put into preheated oven at 325°F, covered, and bake for 1 1/2–2 hours
or until the meat is very tender.
To serve, cut into slices, place on a serving dish surrounded with pan
juices.

This is a popular table condiment and accompaniment to most meat dishes,
especially roasts.
2 ripe avocados
juice of 2 lemons
1 onion, diced
1 red chili pepper, seeded and sliced (or 3 drops chili sauce)
1 small green bell pepper, sliced (use jalapeno if more heat is desired)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp salt
In a bowl, mash 1 avocado with one-third of the lemon juice. Reserve.

Dice the other avocado and toss with another third of the lemon juice.
Process the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor (or
chop finely by hand) until smooth.
Fold puree thoroughly into mashed avocado; stir in diced avocado.
Adjust seasoning.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle remaining lemon juice on top to
deter browning.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill until needed.
Just before serving, gently mix the guasacaca.

Black beans—caraotas in Venezuela—are an important vegetable, notably for
the poor.
1/2 pound dried black beans

pinch baking soda
water
2 TBS oil
1 cup bacon or salt pork, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
dash chili sauce to taste
1 TBS oregano
1/2 cup (or more) cilantro, chopped
Soak beans with baking soda in plenty of water overnight. Drain and
rinse beans.
Place in a heavy pot, cover with water, and boil for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until tender. Add
some water if necessary. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan. Fry onions, stirring, until golden
brown.
Add bacon and brown lightly.
Add peppers and garlic and cook, stirring, until peppers are softened.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chili sauce.
Remove from heat.
Place contents of frying pan, half the beans, and enough liquid from
the beans to liquefy, into a blender, and blend until smooth. (This can
be also be done with a mortar and pestle or food mill.) Pour back into
the pot with the rest of the beans.
Bring to a light boil, and simmer until liquid is reduced and well
blended. Correct seasoning if necessary.
Stir in cilantro just before serving, and ladle into individual bowls.

Arepas (cornmeal bread) accompany most meals in Venezuela and the region.
Arepitas are sweet and often eaten as a snack with white farmer’s or cottage
cheese. Panela is raw cane sugar: substitute dark brown sugar or palm sugar.
2 cups white precooked cornmeal (available in stores that sell South

American foods as white cornmeal for arepas)
1 tsp anise seeds
4 TBS grated panela (raw cane sugar) or dark brown sugar
2/3 tsp salt
2 cups warm water
oil for frying
Mix cornmeal and anise seeds in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt in warm water.
Add sugar-salt-water mixture gradually into the dry ingredients to
make a stiff but pliable dough. Knead briefly until smooth.
Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap, for 20–30 minutes. Divide
the dough into two. Keep the unworked dough covered to prevent
drying.
In between parchment paper or plastic wrap, roll the dough to about
1/4 inch thick.
Cut out 3-inch disks with a cookie cutter.
Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F in a heavy frying pan.
Carefully place two or three arepitas in the pan; do not crowd the pan.
Fry the arepitas until golden brown on both sides.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Eat with white cheese for a snack.

This popular dessert is based on a Spanish original of almond cream and honey.
Its name translates as “you know me well.” The original recipe calls for diluted
brandy to moisten the cake; this uses orange juice instead.
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1 TBS sugar
1 can coconut milk
2 TBS cornstarch, dissolved in 4 TBS water to make a slurry
a 1-pound sponge or pound cake
1 cup orange juice
1 cup freshly grated coconut, chilled
1 TBS cinnamon
Blend milk, yolks, and sugar in a saucepan; stir over medium heat until
slightly thickened.
Reduce heat; stir in coconut milk and cornstarch slurry until mixture is
thick and smooth. Set aside to cool.
Slice cake into 2 layers (use cotton thread or dental floss to slice
through without crumbling the cake)
Butter a glass loaf dish (9 × 13 × 2 inches) and pour a third of the
coconut milk mixture into it.
Lay 1 slice of cake over the coconut milk mixture.
Spoon half the orange juice over cake.
Spread half the grated coconut and another third of coconut milk
mixture.
Lay the remaining cake on top, spoon remaining orange juice over,
and spread the remaining grated coconut and the last of the cream.
Sprinkle generously with cinnamon.
Chill, covered, for 6 hours or overnight.
Limes and lemons are plentiful and are often made into refreshing juices.
• juice of 6 limes or 4 lemons

• 1/2 pound panela (available from stores that sell South American
foods), grated or crushed (or substitute brown sugar)
• 3 cups cold water
• crushed ice or ice cubes
Blend lime juice thoroughly with the panela in a pitcher or a blender.

Add water, mixing thoroughly.
Pour onto ice in glasses. Serve at once.
Vietnam
Vietnam was once a colony of China, then part of a kingdom that extended over
Laos and Cambodia, until it became a French colony from 1858 to 1954. From
1955 to 1975, in what the Vietnamese regard as the Second Indochina War or
the American War (Americans call it the Vietnam War), war ravaged the
country, resulting in massive casualties among Vietnamese, Cambodians,
Laotians, and Americans, and a devastated environment. With the end of
American military intervention in 1975, North and South Vietnam were
reunified in 1976, and the country has been developing rapidly since
liberalization in 2001.
The population is predominantly Viet, with minorities of Hmong, Tai (not
Thai), Montagnard, and other ethnic groups.
In the tropical lowlands, rice, fruits, vegetables, poultry, and livestock
flourish. On the cooler hills and mountains, tea and coffee are grown. Vietnam
has now become one of the world’s top exporters of coffee. Vietnamese cuisine
is influenced by China and France, with many commonalities with Cambodian
and Laotian cooking.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice, noodles, herbs, fish sauce.
• Pork, beef, fish, seafood, chicken and other poultry, soybean curd.
• Chayote (christophene, Sechium edule), bean (sprouts, pods, and
seeds), mushrooms, water convolvulus, eggplants (several varieties),
green papaya.
• Mango, papaya, citrus, exotic tropical fruit (rambutan, durian,
jackfruit).
• Seasonings: herbs, including several mints, several types of
coriander, Thai purple basil, purple perilla, Vietnamese balm
(Houttuynia cordata), lemon grass; fish sauce (nuoc mam), rice
vinegar, chili pepper, garlic, star anise, ginger.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Noodle dishes with soup (many regional variations): flat rice noodle
(pho) with pork or chicken (south), with beef (north); cylindrical rice
noodle (bun, north).
• Fresh salads of shredded cooked pork or chicken or sausage with
crabmeat and herbs rolled in rice-flour wrappers.
• Rice dishes: steamed sticky rice with pork, wrapped in bamboo
leaves (banh chung); fermented sticky rice (ruou nep); claypot rice
(com nieu) eaten with simple braised fish and countryside vegetables
(banana blossom).
• Simmered pork, beef, poultry, or fish (kho).
• Soups (canh).
• Vegetable dishes (rau).
Star anise.
• French-influenced dishes: baguette and croissant sandwiches with

pâté; meat-filled pastries (pâtes chauds).
STYLES OF EATING
• All dishes are served at the same time; dishes shared communally.
Small bowls, chopsticks, and soup spoons used.
• Breakfast: noodles in soup with meat and fresh greens (pho); meat-
filled French pastry; steamed savory rice-flour rolls (banh cuon) with
meat, shrimp, and mushroom filling; coffee with sweetened condensed
milk.
• Lunch: noodles in soup (same as breakfast); wrapped meat and fresh
green vegetable roll; fresh fruit or sweet.
• Dinner: rice; simple soup; fresh and cooked vegetable dish;
simmered, grilled, or fried meat or fish dish; fresh fruit or sweet. No
meal is complete without fresh vegetables and herbs at the table: sliced
cucumbers, hot peppers, sprigs of basil, coriander, mint, and other
herbs.
• Snacks: fresh tropical fruits (jackfruit, mango, papaya); corn (grilled,
boiled); traditional sweets usually made of sticky rice, coconut and
bananas in various combinations (chè): grilled sticky rice roll with
banana filling; grilled dried bananas.
• Many eating venues: from itinerant sellers, street stalls, and late-night
markets to specialist elegant restaurants and international fast-food
chains.

These crepes are a popular snack food bought from street vendors or made at
home. A variant called banh khoai in central Hue province is flavored with
cumin and made without the coconut milk. This is similar to a filled omelet, but
there are no eggs in this recipe. (Shrimps are normally included in this dish: if
desired, use 1/2 cup medium-sized fresh shrimp, sliced lengthwise, added at the
same time as the meat.) Batter
2 cups water
2 cups rice flour
1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
4 green onions, cut into thin rings
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup hot water
oil for frying
Prepare batter by mixing water, flour, turmeric, and salt. Stir in

coconut milk and green onions; mix thoroughly.
Dissolve sugar in hot water. Let cool and add to batter.
Refrigerate batter in a covered container overnight.
Filling
1/4 cup dried mung beans (sold at Asian groceries)
2/3 pound lean pork or chicken breast, sliced into 2-inch julienne strips
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (straw, oyster, or white mushrooms)
Prepare the dried mung beans for the filling by soaking in cold water
overnight.
The next morning, remove hulls from soaked mung beans; steam in a
double boiler for 10 minutes, or parboil in the microwave (800 watts)
with 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes on full power. Drain and set aside.
Have the other ingredients ready to hand on trays for quick access
during frying.
Preparation
To prepare the crepes: heat 1–2 tsp oil at medium heat in a 10-inch
heavy frying pan. Swirl oil to cover pan bottom.
Add the filling. Fry 3–5 slices onion and a few slices pork for 10
seconds until onion is golden.
Pour in 1/2 cup batter, quickly swirling the pan to distribute batter
evenly and thinly.
Add a handful of steamed mung beans, bean sprouts, and some
mushrooms to one half of the batter.
Reduce heat to medium; cover pan.
Cook until bottom and sides of crepe are crisp and pulling away from
the edges of the pan.
Fold the pancake in half; place on a plate.
Repeat for the remaining filling and batter; add oil anew for each
crepe.
To serve: best eaten as soon as made. Place crepe on a serving plate.
Place bowls of table vegetables for diners to help themselves.
To eat, each diner takes a crepe and lays it on her or his individual
plate.
The diner tears or cuts off a piece and lays it on a lettuce leaf; adds
basil, cucumber, cilantro to taste; and rolls everything together in
lettuce leaf.
The roll is then dipped into garlic fish sauce (see the next recipe) and
eaten.
Table vegetables
1 head Bibb lettuce, leaves separated and cleaned
10 sprigs fresh Thai basil
1 cup cucumber, sliced into julienne strips
10 sprigs fresh cilantro
sprigs of other herbs (mint, Vietnamese balm), as desired
Arrange table vegetables on bowls or plates to pass at the table.
FISH SAUCE
A number of fish-derived sauces, or oils, are used throughout the world—
notably in Southeast Asia—as flavoring agents. These include nuoc mam
(Vietnam), nampla (Thailand), patis (Philippines), fafaru (Tahiti), and
shottsuru (Japan), and others. These sauces are made commercially, for the
most part, by fermenting small fish (sometimes small shrimp or squid) with
large quantities of salt. The liquid, which is a mixture of oils and fermented
essences, is then drawn off.
In Southern Europe, various salted fish products are also made. In
Provence, the larval stage of anchovies and sardines are traditionally salted
with diverse herbs and spices for the condiment known as pissalat, (from
peis salat, “fish salt”). Ligurians make a similar salted anchovy product
called acchiughe soto sale. An English anchovy paste, often used for
sandwiches or for flavoring other dishes, is called Gentleman’s Relish or
Patum Peperium. Similar salted fish products are also made in Kalymnos
(Greece) and Turkey.
The specific methods differ from one place to another. The tastes do,
too, at least for those familiar with them. To the uninitiated the sauces can
all taste rather similar and rather strong (though they can become addictive
in time).
The various sauces are available at stores that sell Asian foods. The
best way is to try different ones until you find one or more you like. It is
rare to find the Japanese version, called shottsuru (popular until the
introduction of soy sauce in the sixteenth century), and the secret of making
garum (the ancient Roman version, once popular throughout the
Mediterranean world) is lost.

This sauce is a ubiquitous table condiment.

1 red chili pepper, seeded and sliced into thin rings
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS lime juice
5 TBS fish sauce (nuoc mam)
1 TBS rice vinegar
3 TBS water
2 TBS finely shredded carrot
Mix all the ingredients; leave to stand for about 20 minutes before
using.

The practice of setting a table with many small and varied dishes is traced to the
former royal court of Hue. Royal customs spread from Hue throughout the
country. Hue is still renowned for its repertory of sophisticated dishes.
3 cups cooked rice, allowed to cool for 2–4 hours

1 TBS dried shrimp
1 stalk fresh lemon grass, cut into small pieces, coarse green leaves
discarded
2 shallots, sliced
2 tsp sugar
2 fresh chilies
4 TBS vegetable oil
2 green onions, sliced
2 TBS water
2 TBS nuoc mam (fish sauce)
black pepper
1 TBS sesame seeds, toasted
5–6 cilantro sprigs
Separate rice grains by breaking up with a damp fork or hands.

Soak dried shrimp in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and discard the
water.
In a blender, food processor, or mortar and pestle, chop together
shrimp, lemon grass, shallots, garlic, sugar, and chilies.
Heat 2 TBS oil in a wok. Stir fry green onions for 1 minute.
Stir in shrimp and lemon grass mixture; fry for 3 minutes over high
heat. Remove and reserve.
Place remaining 2 TBS oil into the wok. Heat over medium heat.
Add onion and stir fry until translucent.
Stir in rice and fry for 5 minutes, making sure all rice is coated with
oil.
Stir in water, fish sauce, and black pepper to taste.
Add lemon grass and shrimp mixture and the toasted sesame seeds.
Mix well and cook, stirring briskly, until thoroughly heated through.
Transfer to a heated platter and garnish with cilantro sprigs.
Serve with garlic fish sauce.

This is a dish commonly served at a family evening meal with a soup, some
boiled or stir-fried vegetables, and plenty of hot rice. The same procedure can be
used for beef, chicken or duck, or large meaty fish.
1 onion, minced (or pureed in a blender)

1 TBS sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
2–3 pounds meaty pork short ribs
1/4 cup caramel sauce (see the next recipe)
1 green onion, green top only, chopped
Prepare a marinade in a covered container with onion, sugar, pepper,

and 2 TBS fish sauce.
Turn ribs several times in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2
hours or overnight.
Quickly sear ribs under a very hot broiler until they sizzle and take a
golden color (about 4–5 minutes on each side; they must not cook
completely at this point.)
In a heavy covered saucepan, place ribs, caramel sauce, the remaining
fish sauce, and enough water (about 2 cups) to almost cover the ribs.
Cover; bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer for 40 minutes.
Uncover and continue to simmer until the ribs are tender and the sauce
quite reduced and deep brown in color, for about 30–40 minutes.
Turn off the heat; leave ribs to cool in the pan.
Remove ribs and set aside. Place sauce to chill in the refrigerator for
about 1–2 hours; skim off congealed fat.
Return ribs to sauce and gently reheat.
Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve with hot rice.

This sauce is a bittersweet dark-brown liquid used to color and flavor simmered
and barbecued dishes. It is possible to buy a similar product called burnt sugar
sauce in Caribbean stores. However, it is not very difficult to make it yourself.
The method recommended here is not traditional, but produces the same result.
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
First prepare the cooling bath for the hot caramel: fill the sink or a
large roasting pan with 2 inches of cool water.
In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, dissolve sugar in 1 cup hot
water.
Continue cooking the syrup as its color turns from pale gold to dark
caramel, for about 10 minutes.
When smoke starts rising, turn off heat.
Slowly and carefully swirl the caramel in the pan; it will continue to
cook in the remaining heat.
When the color reaches that of black coffee, stop the cooking process
by placing the bottom of the pan in the sink or tray.
The hot pan bottom will sizzle somewhat; do not be alarmed but be
careful and protect your hand with an oven mitt as you firmly hold
onto the pan’s handle.
When the sizzling has stopped, take the pan off the sink or tray.
Gradually add remaining hot water to the pan (there may still be a
slight reaction here).
Put saucepan over low heat to dissolve caramel, for about 10 minutes.
Once dissolved, turn off heat.
The resulting bittersweet dark syrup, stored in a sterilized bottle, will
keep indefinitely with or without refrigeration.

Serve this combination drink and dessert as a snack on a hot day.
2 cups water
3/4 cup mung beans, soaked for 3 hours, hulls removed, drained
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup large-sized tapioca pearls (available from stores that sell Asian
foods)
1/2 cup sweetened red adzuki beans (available in cans from health
food and Asian food stores), chilled
1 can longan in light syrup, or lychees, drained and chilled
4 cups shaved ice (blend or process in a food processor ice cubes into a
slush)
Boil 2 cups water in a pot over medium heat.

Add mung beans and 1/4 cup sugar.
Simmer, stirring constantly, until all the water is absorbed and beans
are tender but still retain their shape, for about 15–20 minutes. Turn
off heat; once cool, refrigerate.
Simmer the coconut milk and the remaining sugar in a covered
saucepan.
Add tapioca pearls. Cover, turn off heat, and let tapioca rest
undisturbed for 30 minutes.
Turn heat back on low; simmer tapioca pearls until transparent, for
about 20–30 minutes (do not worry about a few remaining white
cores).
Turn off heat. Leave covered until cool. Refrigerate.
Assemble the dessert: in a tall parfait glass, make alternating layers of
beans or tapioca and ice.
Begin by placing 3 TBS of adzuki beans at the bottom of the glass.
Add 2 TBS shaved ice. Next add 3 TBS of tapioca pearls (together
with any remaining coconut milk they were cooked in).
Place another layer of shaved ice. Add 3 TBS sweetened mung beans.
Place another layer of ice. Continue to the top, ending with longans or
lychees.
Eat the solid items with a long spoon and sip the chilled liquids with a
straw. You can either eat each layer on its own, or using the spoon, stir
up and down to mix the layers.

This flan is a Vietnamese adaptation of a European dessert, enhanced with a
local garnish: a small scoop of shaved ice atop each custard before serving.
1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten
4 ramekins or custard cups, warmed (pour in boiling water, let stand
for 10 minutes, pour off water and wipe dry)
2 cups shaved ice, for garnish
Make a caramel by dissolving 1/4 cup sugar in 1/4 cup water in a
small, heavy saucepan over low heat until dark golden brown and
thick.
Quickly pour the caramel syrup into 4 warmed ramekins.
Swirl ramekins to let caramel sauce cover the bottom and a bit up the
sides. Set aside.
Stir coconut milk, milk, and the remaining sugar in a saucepan over
low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
Combine eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Gradually mix in 1/4 cup of
the warm coconut milk mixture and stir well.
Divide the custard mixture among ramekins.
Place ramekins in a roasting pan and pour in hot water halfway up the
ramekins.
Bake for 30 minutes and turn off heat. Allow the custards to rest in the
oven for 10 minutes, then remove using oven gloves.
Leave to cool, then refrigerate for 4 hours (or overnight, if unmolding
the flan).
Run a knife around the edge of the ramekins and invert onto dessert
plates.
Alternatively, serve the flan in the ramekins.
Garnish with a small mound of shaved ice.

This pudding is a popular snack that combines the scent of pandan leaves with
coconut: always a delightful combination of flavors.
2 large ears fresh sweet corn, shucked

2 cups water
3 pandan leaves (or 1 tsp pandan essence)
1/4 cup small tapioca (sago) balls
water
2 cups coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
2 TBS toasted black sesame seeds
Prepare corn by standing each upright on a plate, and shaving off the
kernels with a sharp knife. Set kernels aside. Break cobs in half.
Place cobs, water, and pandan leaves into a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce
heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard solids, reserving the
(now green-colored) water.
Soak tapioca balls in a bowl, covered by 1/2 inch of water.
Add coconut milk, sugar, and salt to corn and pandan water, mix well,
then add corn kernels.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Adjust sugar
and salt if necessary.
Stir in the tapioca balls with their soaking liquid to the corn mixture,
then simmer for an additional 1–2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Serve warm or cold. Garnish each serving with
sesame seeds.
Sweet Cassava Soup (Chè Săn Nóng)

This sweet soup is often enjoyed as a snack.
1 cassava tuber, about 1 pound, peeled, fibrous core removed, and

sliced into 2-inch cubes
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
2-inch piece of ginger, shredded (more for those who like ginger)
pinch salt
cornstarch slurry: 1 TBS cornstarch mixed with 2 TBS cold water
1 cup young coconut meat, sliced into thin strips (canned and bottled
versions are available from stores that sell Asian foods as “young
coconut” or “green coconut”)
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook cassava cubes in 3 cups of

water until tender but still firm. Remove the cassava, leaving the
boiling water in the pan.
Prepare a light syrup: add sugar, ginger, and salt to the water in the pan
and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the cassava to the syrup.
Add the cornstarch slurry to the syrup and stir until the syrup is no
longer cloudy and the syrup is thickened.
Stir in the young coconut strips.
Serve warm as a snack with green tea, or as dessert.
Y
Yemen
Located at the southeastern tip of the Arabian peninsula, Yemen comprises
North Yemen, historically part of the Ottoman Empire, and South Yemen,
formerly a British protectorate, which were unified in 1990.
Largely mountainous in the interior, and desert along the coastal areas, the
climate is hot and humid along the coast. Very little of the land is arable, but
cereals, fruits, and vegetables grow well where water and topsoil are available.
Yemen’s most famous crop is coffee (the mocha variety), reputed as among the
best in the world.
Yemenis are predominantly Arab Muslims, with small minorities of Jews,

East Indians, and other nationalities. The cuisine shows Turkish and Arab
influence in the use of many spices.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: flat bread, rice.
• Fish, seafood, lamb/mutton, goat, beef, chicken, eggs, dairy.
• Potato, chickpea and other legumes, squash, zucchini, cabbage,
carrot, sweet pepper, tomato, cucumber, olive, corn, pickled
vegetables.
• Melon, watermelon, grape, banana, papaya, citrus, dates.
• Seasonings: cumin, hot chilies, fenugreek, onion, coriander leaf,
other spices. Table condiments/sauces: schug (pronounced “suh-
hoog,” a spicy cilantro-based sauce), hilbeh (fenugreek sauce).
TYPICAL DISHES
• Stews of meat or fish and vegetables, flavored with cumin,
fenugreek, and other spices.
• Soups: lentil (shorba adas), vegetable (shorba khodar).
• Flat breads (many varieties): freshly made of wheat, corn, barley,
millet, sorghum, or mixed grains with legumes.
• Grilled or roast lamb, beef, chicken, or fish. Grilled liver with spices:
kebda.
• Vegetable dishes: beans fried (fasuliya) or stewed (fuul), mixed fried
vegetables (mshakkle). Salads in season. Turkish-style rich sweets with
honey, nuts, and butter.
• Drinks: Coffee (locally grown mocha is choice and very expensive)
is often ginger coffee (qishr), prepared from coffee bean shells,
cinnamon, and ginger. Sweet tea (shai) is drunk from small glasses at
every occasion. Fresh squeezed juices from local fruits, such as
mango, papaya, orange, lemon, strawberry, banana. Bottled soft
drinks, canned juices.
STYLES OF EATING
• Meals are eaten by families sharing from a pot. Male and female
guests eat separately (and, in traditional households, males always eat
before women). Traditional meals are eaten with the right hand.
• Breakfast: light meal of stewed or fried beans with flat bread; or fried
eggs with onion and tomatoes and flat bread. Sweet tea to drink.
• Lunch: the main meal between 11:00 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. Appetizer of
fatta (bread soaked in honey, soup, or milk) or soup of lentils; main
course of salta (lamb stew with vegetables) accompanied by flat bread
or rice, salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers; cooked vegetable
dish; roast chicken or lamb; dessert of fresh fruit or sweet; sweet tea.
• Supper: like breakfast, a light meal of beans with flat bread; salad;
tea.
• Snacks (street foods, or eaten at teahouses): flat bread in yoghurt and
herbs (shafut), bean fritters (falafel), skewered grilled meat (kebab),
layered meats (shwarma), boiled potatoes, boiled eggs. Peddlers sell
fried fish, fruits, juice, sweets.
• In restaurants, single or accompanied females may only sit in areas
designated “family rooms.” Not all restaurants have family rooms.
Some restaurants in urban centers may lay places with individual
dishes and forks and spoons.
• Guests are almost universally offered a rich honey cake (bint al
sahn).

One of the many types of excellent flat breads, this is often served for breakfast,
or as a first course for meals. Mellawach is a very light and flaky bread. Its
flakiness is achieved through multiple rolling and folding and spreading the
ensuing layers with butter. Diners tear off pieces of the flaky bread with their
fingers to eat dips or to sop up sauces.
4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups chilled water
1 tsp salt
butter or oil or a mixture for frying
Mix flour, water, baking powder, and salt into a pliable dough.
Knead for 10–15 minutes until smooth and elastic; let rest for 1/2 hour,
covered with a moist cloth.
On a floured surface, shape dough into a long cylinder about 2 inches
in diameter; divide into 8–12 pieces.
With a floured rolling pin, roll each piece as thinly as possible.
Brush the surface of the dough with butter; fold in half.
Butter top again and fold; repeat the rolling and buttering once more;
then roll the dough into a small, tight cylinder. Cover with a moist
kitchen towel to prevent drying out.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Wrap rolls with plastic film or place in a plastic food bag and
refrigerate overnight.
The following morning, remove and flatten each cylinder into a round
cake about 1/8 inch thick or less. The dough can be completely rolled
out the night before and frozen as is, to be fried the following morning
(or as needed; no need to thaw).
For each cake, heat 3 TBS butter and/or oil in a frying pan over
medium heat. Fry cake on each side until golden.
Serve warm with tomato-cilantro dip or with any savory dish.
Tomato-cilantro dip (Bandura b’kuzbara)

2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp cayenne powder or paprika
1 cup minced cilantro
3 TBS olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste
In a food processor, roughly puree all ingredients.

Serve with mellawach.
Note: Yemenite food is generally very hot, so feel free to add more
cayenne.

The traditional, very fiery, and spicy dish of Sana’a, the capital, used ground
meat and was an important meal particularly for individuals who chew qat, a
herb that increases thirst. The stew is usually made in a special large ceramic
bowl kept at very high heat on coals. It is eaten with flat bread or rice. The dish
is now made all over the country with all types of meat and many variations.
This is a tamed version without the three or more chilies usually required.
2 TBS oil
2 onions, chopped
1 pound ground meat (beef or chicken), cubed stewing beef, or
chicken legs
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cut into 2-inch lengths
Vendor sells the traditional Yemeni dish saltah in the capital San’a, Yemen, January 10, 2010.
(AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

8-ounce can chickpeas (or 1 cup fresh broad beans or dried lentils
soaked for 30 minutes in warm water and drained)
2 cups beef or chicken stock (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups
water)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika (or 1 green fresh chili, cored, seeded, and minced)
1 TBS cumin
Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan; fry onions until translucent.

Stir in the meat, fry for 5–8 minutes.
Add tomatoes, fry for 2 minutes.
Add rest of vegetables, tomato paste, stock, eggs, salt, paprika, cumin,
and garlic.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer for 30–45 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Stir in green sauce with hilbe just before serving (sauce becomes bitter
if mixed in while stew is cooking).
Green sauce with hilbe

2 TBS fenugreek seeds
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
Pour a cup of boiling water over fenugreek seeds; steep, covered, for 3
hours.
Drain off water.
In a food processor or blender, puree fenugreek with garlic, tomato,
onion, salt, spices, lemon juice, and cilantro.
Pour over stew just before serving.
This is a basic version of the spice blend that is used in many Yemeni savory
dishes, and it also is taken on its own in tea form as a general tonic. Every family
or spice shop has its own special mix. Some include more saffron or dried
cilantro or powdered ginger. You may wish to add your own preferred spices to
this basic mix.
3 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp saffron threads
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds
Soak the fenugreek seeds in 1 cup boiling water for 1/2 hour; discard
the water.
Rinse and repeat twice.
Allow to dry thoroughly; spread in one layer on paper towels.
Using a food processor (traditionally, a mortar), grind all ingredients
except turmeric.
Stir in turmeric; store in an airtight jar until needed.

This soup, which is more like a stew, is often served with rice for lunch.
1 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
6 chicken legs, including thighs
2 TBS oil
2 onions, quartered
2 tomatoes, diced
1 zucchini, cubed
6 cups water
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Blend cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper; rub well over chicken.
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, sear
chicken on all sides to brown the skin. Set aside.
Pour off as much oil as you can but do not wash pan.
Into the pan, add chicken, onions, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, and
water.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until
chicken is tender.
Skim foam from time to time. Adjust seasoning and stir in cilantro just
before serving.
Serve hot.

Bint al sahn (daughter of the pan or plate) is the dessert for special occasions,
which Yemeni housewives proudly present to guests. Almost no visit is without
an offering of bint al sahn. It is traditionally eaten by breaking off pieces with
the fingers (now with a fork) and dipping them into butter and honey.
1 packet active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt
5 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup ghee (clarified or melted butter, plus extra for greasing baking
sheet)
1/3 cup ghee or butter for serving
1/2 cup warm liquid honey, for serving
Dissolve yeast in warm water until frothy (10 minutes).

Meanwhile, grease baking sheet with ghee.
In a food processor, combine flour, salt, yeast, and eggs to make a
dough.
Slowly pour in ghee, continuing to process until all ghee is
incorporated.
Remove dough; knead on oiled surface until smooth and elastic, about
10 minutes.
Divide dough into 16 pieces.
Roll out each piece of dough to a paper-thin 12-inch pastry disk.
Place this pastry on the baking sheet; brush well with ghee.
Roll out 7 more pastry disks and stack over the first, coating each
layer, including the topmost, liberally with ghee.
Press edges together well.
Make a second stack with the remaining dough on the same or a
separate baking sheet.
Let both stacks rest in a warm draft free place for 45 minutes.
Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes until light golden brown; the bottom
of each stack should sound hollow when tapped.
Place each stack on a large, warmed serving plate.
Pour melted butter, followed by honey, over each stack.
Serve at once.

Ideally, this drink would be made in a tall, long-handled, narrow brass coffeepot.
Other spices mixed usually into coffee are cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
However, for the prime mocha beans that are used for a cup of coffee usually
drunk at home for breakfast, no spices are mixed. Qishr is traditionally served in
tiny demitasse cups without handles.
1 cup freshly roasted coffee beans

1 cup cold water
6 tsp sugar
Pound coffee beans in a brass mortar (or grind, using a coffee mill).
Boil water in a small saucepan (or brass coffeepot if available).
Add coffee, sugar, and ginger. Slowly bring mixture to a boil.
Take off heat until froth subsides. Return pan to the fire.
Repeat boiling and taking off heat three times.
Divide coffee among 4 demitasse cups.
Serve without delay.

This is one of the dishes commonly served for iftar, the evening meal that breaks
the day-long fast during the month of Ramadan.
1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat), rinsed and drained

4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp clove powder
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup melted butter (samna)
Place bulgur, water, and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil. Cook over high
heat uncovered for 20 minutes until most of the water has evaporated
and bulgur grains are moderately tender.
Add milk, clove powder, and honey. Stir to mix. Simmer gently
covered for 30 minutes or until bulgur is soft, stirring from time to
time.
Place in individual bowls, top with samna and more honey if desired.

This is a well-loved pudding featuring the world’s most costly spice, saffron. Its
use is optional, and can be replaced by rose water or orange-blossom water,
though the taste and color will not be the same.

2 TBS lemon juice
2 cups fresh dried coarse breadcrumbs from white bread (or ideally,
Arab flat bread)
1 cup clotted cream (kaymak), whipped cream, cream cheese, or
drained natural flavored yogurt (labneh)
pinch saffron (about 15–20 threads) soaked in 1 tsp warm milk for 10
minutes (optional), or 1 tsp rose water or orange-blossom water
1/4 cup honey (or to taste)
1/2 cup lightly toasted almond slivers
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup black seedless raisins
In a bowl, blend the bananas, lemon juice, and the breadcrumbs to a

smooth, firm paste. Add more breadcrumbs or mashed banana if
necessary to achieve this consistency.
Mound the paste on a large serving plate and smooth the top. You may
wish to use a decorative mold to shape the paste to suit the season or
occasion.
Mix clotted cream with the saffron mixture, reserving a few strands for
final garnish, and spread over the banana mound.
Drizzle honey over the cream.
Garnish with the almonds and raisins. Place the reserved saffron
strands at random.
Serve with other Yemeni dishes in a main meal.
Z
Zambia
A landlocked country in southern Africa, Zambia was a British protectorate from
the late nineteenth century until independence in 1964. The country is
mountainous with high plateaus and a cool tropical climate, which enables
cultivation of many crops, primarily corn (maize), the staple.
The population comprises more than seventy ethnic groups, predominantly
the Bemba and Nyanja-Chewa, with minorities of Europeans and East Indians.
Zambian indigenous food is based on a cornmeal porridge called nsima eaten
with a side dish, called generically, ndiwo, of vegetables, meat, fish, or chicken.
European and East Indian minorities adapt local ingredients to their own cuisine
and styles of eating.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: cornmeal, also called mealie meal.
• Sorghum, cassava, millet, rice (depending on region and availability,
these may be substituted for or mixed with cornmeal to make the
staple paste).
• Beef, goat, sheep, fish, pork, poultry, eggs, wild game (birds, field
mice, antelope), processed soybeans locally called “soy pieces.”
• Pumpkin, beans (including soy) and other legumes, okra, onion,
tomato, greens (pumpkin, cassava leaves), cucumber, wild greens,
wild mushrooms.
• Seasonings: onion, tomato, ginger, pepper, peanut powder.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Staple porridge of cornmeal, of medium consistency (not too stiff nor
too soft) (called sima or nshima [also spelled nsima] in eastern
Zambia, ubwali in northern Zambia, insima in southern Zambia,
buhobe in western Zambia).
• Corn dishes: roasted, boiled, fried, or ground to rice-grain size and
cooked as rice.
• Ndiwo (generic term for the relish or side dish; depending on
ethnicity can be umunani for Bemba speakers in northern Zambia,
dende among the Tumbuka in eastern Zambia, and ndiyo or ndiwo for
the Ngoni and Chewa in eastern Zambia and Malawi): stews of
vegetables, meat, fish, soy pieces or chicken, with or without flavoring
of peanuts.
• Stews of beans and other legumes or peanuts with hominy corn (also
known as samp).
• Peanut sausage: a vegetarian “sausage” named after the wild orchid
tubers called chinaka or chikanda (depending on the ethnic group)
used to gel them.
STYLES OF EATING
• One to three meals and snacks a day (meals without a staple are not
considered meals but snacks). If there is a shortage of food, and only
one meal a day is affordable, then it is eaten between late afternoon
and evening.
• All diners wash hands together with soap and water before and after
eating: older persons or guests first, younger persons assisting by
pouring water from a pitcher, the water caught underneath with a
basin. The family eats together surrounding the communal plate of
cornmeal. The side dish is placed in a communal bowl.
• The nsima is eaten with the fingers of the right hand only, molded
into a ball with an indentation made by the right thumb. The ball is
dipped into the accompanying sauce or stew, then conveyed to the
mouth.
• Breakfast: gruel (thin porridge) with peanut powder (bala lotendela)
or sugar.
• Lunch: nsima with side dish of greens or other vegetables.
• Dinner: nsima with side dish of fish, chicken or meat, fresh fruit.
• Snacks: chinaka sausage with bread, fried plantains.
• Drinks: tea (locally grown), coffee, locally brewed beer from corn or
sorghum (chibuku), international brands of bottled soft drinks and
beer.
Green Mealie Loaf

Corn or maize, also called mealie in Zambian English, was introduced by
Europeans in the eighteenth century and became the major staple of Zambia.
Serve this bread with butter or peanut butter and jam for a European-Zambian
style breakfast or teatime.
2 cups fresh, canned, or frozen sweet corn kernels, defrosted and

drained, or canned creamed corn
2 cups flour
2 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
In a food processor, process sweet corn until roughly chopped. If using

creamed corn, skip this step.
Transfer to a bowl.
Put remaining ingredients in the food processor and process until
smooth.
Add sweet corn to briefly mix.
Transfer mixture to a greased deep casserole or rectangular baking
dish.
Place casserole inside a roasting tray with hot water to reach halfway
up the casserole.
Bake in preheated oven at 350°F for about 30–40 minutes or until loaf
tests done.
Let cool for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve warm.
Okra Soup
Serve this soup as a first course before meat pie (see the next recipe). If fresh
okra is not available, substitute zucchini. Zucchini will not give the same silky
consistency to the soup, however.
2 TBS vegetable oil

1/2 pound fresh okra, trimmed and sliced into rings
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup cooked potato, diced
Heat oil in a saucepan; stir in onion and fry until soft.

Add okra, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, frying for 2–3 minutes more.
Set aside about 12 slices okra for garnish.
Add stock, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7–10
minutes.
Let cool slightly; transfer to a blender.
Blend to a rough or smooth puree (as desired).
Return to pan; reheat and taste, adding more water or stock if too thick
to pour.
Add potato and cook until heated through.
Serve garnished with reserved okra slices and green onions.

This European-influenced pie is served with a salad for a lunch or as a main
course after soup.
3 cups milk
1/4 cup butter (plus extra for greasing)
1/4 tsp salt
1 pound cornmeal or farina
1 1/2 pounds ground meat (beef or chicken)
1 bouillon cube, crumbled
1 cup diced carrots or frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 tsp chili pepper
Warm milk with butter and salt. Place cornmeal in a large bowl, and
stir in milk mixture gradually with a wooden spoon, ensuring there are
no lumps.
Mix well to make a dough.
Line a buttered casserole or 8-×-10-inch baking dish with 2/3 of the
dough.
Mix thoroughly the meat, bouillon cube, vegetables, and spices; spoon
into the pastry shell.
On a floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to slightly larger
than the casserole dish; place over filling and crimp or pinch the edges
of the top and bottom dough together.
Cut decorative slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until crust
is golden.
Serve hot.
Fish Stew
This dish is commonly prepared with fresh or dried kapenta, a small fish found
in the Zambezi and other rivers in Zambia. Most of the catch is sundried for
preservation. Serve with nsima (see in Ghana entry the sidebar “African Staple,”
p. 505) for dinner.
3 TBS oil
1 onion, chopped
2 pounds fresh white fish fillet, cut into 8 pieces (or 1 1/2 pounds dried
anchovies, stockfish, or other salted dried fish, available from stores
that sell Asian or Caribbean foods)
3–4 large fresh or 2 cups canned tomatoes, diced
For fresh fish: in a saucepan, heat oil at medium heat; stir in onion and
fry until golden brown.
Add fish, season with salt and pepper.
Cover and reduce heat to lowest.
Let simmer for 10 minutes (add 1/4 cup water if it looks dry).
Add tomatoes, cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Serve hot with nsima.
For dried fish: soak fish in cold water in a covered container in the
refrigerator overnight. Change water at least twice.
Heat oil in a saucepan at medium heat. Sauté onion until soft.
Add tomatoes and 1 cup water; cook for 5–8 minutes or until tomatoes
are soft.
Add dried fish; cover and simmer for 20–30 minutes or until fish is
tender.
Adjust seasoning: because the fish has been salted, the dish may not
need any more salt. If it is still too salty, squeeze some fresh lemon
juice over the fish before serving.

Groundnuts or peanuts furnish many nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and
minerals so that their inclusion in this and other Zambian main dishes makes for
a very nourishing and healthful meal.
2–3 cups fresh or roasted groundnuts (peanuts), shelled

2 cups water (or more as needed)
1 cup cassava flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 cups kale, collards, or other similar robust leafy vegetable, thick
stems and ribs removed, rinsed, and finely shredded
1 onion, finely chopped (optional)
1 tomato, chopped (optional)
1 pinch salt
If using fresh groundnuts or peanuts: prepare groundnut flour by

crushing nuts roughly, allowing them to dry in a warm dry place (the
residual heat from an oven after baking is fine) for 2 hours, then
grinding or pounding finely into flour. If using ready roasted
groundnuts, you may grind or pound them directly.
Prepare the cassava paste: whisk 1 cup of water gradually into the
cassava flour to make a smooth, thick, but still pourable batter. Add a
bit more water if necessary to achieve this consistency. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, put 1 cup of water with the baking
soda. When the baking soda has completely dissolved, stir in the
shredded kale, onion, and tomato.
Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then gradually whisk in groundnut flour
and salt.
Reduce heat, then gradually add the cassava paste, stirring all the
while to prevent lumps.
Simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the cassava is done.
Serve for breakfast.

This dish is made throughout Zambia as a side dish to accompany hot cornmeal
porridge (nsima). Any available meat, such as beef, chicken, game, dried or
canned meat, can be added in variable amounts for additional flavor. Baking
soda is traditionally used to tenderize collard greens or kale. Collard greens are
also called “rape leaves” in Zambia.
1 onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 cup raw peanuts, ground roughly (or 3/4 cup natural chunky peanut
butter)
3 cups water
salt
2 pounds fresh collard greens (or kale, cabbage, or spinach), washed
and chopped
pinch of baking soda (if using collards or kale)
Boil onion, tomatoes, ginger, and peanuts with water, adding salt to
taste.
After 2–3 minutes, add greens (and baking soda if using kale or
collards).
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until peanuts and vegetables
are tender and the mixture has become a fairly thick buttery sauce (15–
20 minutes).
Serve hot or cold with nsima.
Fried Plantains
These plantains are commonly eaten as a snack.
4 plantains (or substitute semiripe bananas), sliced into 1-inch-thick

disks
juice of 1 lemon
peanut or other oil for frying
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of chili pepper flakes
3 TBS sugar
Toss plantains or bananas, as soon as cut, with lemon juice.

Shallow fry in hot oil until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle with salt and chili flakes.
Alternatively, sprinkle with sugar.
Serve hot.
This recipe is adapted from a promotional recipe from one of Zambia’s honey
producers. Honey is one of Zambia’s chief products.
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey
1 cup peeled, lightly toasted groundnuts (peanuts) pounded into a
rough paste (or unsweetened unsalted chunky peanut butter)
1 cup roughly crushed walnuts, pecans, or other nuts
3 cups toasted cereal (cornflakes or puffed rice are common)
Butter or grease a baking sheet or cookie sheet.

In a saucepan over low heat, warm sugar and honey together until
sugar is completely dissolved. Take off the heat and stir in peanuts or
peanut butter.
Gradually add the rest of the nuts and cereal, alternating, until all the
dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Transfer mixture onto the prepared pan, and using a greased wooden
spoon or metal spatula, level the mixture to about 1/2 inch thick.
Allow to cool slightly, then slice the nut-cereal-honey slab into
serving-sized rectangles. Do not separate the slices. Leave to cool
completely.
When cooled, the honey bars can be separated and stored in an airtight
tin or other container.
As in other countries, street foods make inexpensive snacks that allow people to
stave off hunger during the day. These fritters are one of cheapest and most
common throughout Zambia.
2 cups plain flour

2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
2–3 cups water
Oil for frying
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.

Add water slowly while mixing with wooden spoon until batter will
just hold its shape. Mix well for a minute or two.
Heat 1/4 inch oil in a deep frying pan until the oil is moderately hot
(about 350–360°F).
Using a tablespoon, take spoonfuls of the batter and slip them carefully
into the hot oil, several at a time, taking care they have plenty of room.
Cook until golden, then flip over and cook to golden brown.
Drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
Serve warm as is, or with a cup of tea.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, part of Tanzania, that are
famed for spices, particularly vanilla and cloves. Hence Zanzibar is also called
the Spice Islands (the Molucca islands in Southeast Asia are also called the
Spice Islands). The main island, called Unguja locally but Zanzibar elsewhere,
has tropical coastal plains with a cooler central plateau, ideal for cloves, its
major crop, and other spices.
Originally settled by Persians, Zanzibar came under Portuguese rule in the
sixteenth century, then under the sultanate of Oman, who established trade in
Zanzibar and the East African coast in slaves, gold, ivory, and, later, spices.
German, Italian, and British colonization lasted from the 1880s until
independence in 1963. Zanzibar merged with Tanzania in 1964.
The population, mostly Muslim, is mixed Arab, African, and Indian. The
rich cuisine of Zanzibar reflects this with Persian, East African, and East Indian
elements, with influences as well from the neighboring islands of Comoros and
Reunion.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: rice (mostly imported), flat breads, cassava, some maize.
• Fish, seafood, goat, beef, poultry, eggs, dairy products (yogurt,
cheese).
• Plantain, potato (white and sweet), yam, peas and other legumes,
cabbage, green vegetables (including cassava leaves), breadfruit.
• Coconut, banana, pineapple, jackfruit, mango, papaya, rambutan, and
other tropical fruits.
• Seasonings: locally grown curry spices (cinnamon, cumin, coriander,
cardamom, nutmeg, etc.), garlic, saffron, vanilla, coconut milk.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Ugali: the staple porridge or stiff paste of cassava or cornmeal.
• Rice dishes: Persian-influenced rice (pilau), Indian-influenced rice
(biriani).
• Breads: Indian-influenced chapati, Arab-influenced sesame bread.
• Grilled, skewered, and marinated meats and seafood (octopus, squid).
• Curry-flavored stews of meat, seafood, and fish with or without
vegetables.
• Sweets: Arab-or Indian-influenced candies of carrot (haluwa),
coconut, cashew nut, peanut.
STYLES OF EATING
• All foods are brought to the table at the same time.
• Ugali (porridge or paste) is eaten communally with a vegetable
sauce, with or without meat. The right hand is used to shape the paste
into balls to be dipped into sauce and eaten.
• Traditional Arab-style of eating is on a low table with rice, meat, and
vegetables on a shared tray, eaten with fingers of right hand only.
• Breakfast: cassava porridge or boiled cassava, flat breads, fresh fruit,
tea.
• Lunch: chapati or other Indian flat bread or cassava porridge,
vegetable or lentil curry sauce, fresh fruit.
• Dinner: flavored rice (pilau, biriani), vegetable salad; plain rice,
vegetable with meat or fish curry; fresh fruit or sweet.
• Snacks sold in streets and on the beach: meat-or vegetable-filled
pastries (samosa), grilled cassava tubers, Zanzibar pizza (eggs, cheese,
onions, sausage wrapped in crepes).
• Drinks: ginger beer is the preferred drink; fresh tropical fruit juice
(mango, pineapple, tamarind, coconut), international brands of bottled
drinks.
• Many restaurants, bars, and cafés serve Indian, Western, and Chinese
food.

Fish is a major ingredient in Zanzibar cuisine.
1 medium sea fish, about 1 1/2–2 pounds, gutted, scaled, and cleaned
1 hot chili pepper, shredded
salt to taste
2 cups coconut milk
1 TBS tamarind paste
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp dried chili flakes
Slash the fish diagonally two or three times on each side.
Grind ginger, garlic, chili, and 1/4 tsp salt together in a mortar and
pestle or blender to form a paste.
Rub the spice mixture into the gashes and the stomach cavity.
Allow to marinate in a glass dish, covered, for 1 hour.
Simmer coconut milk, tamarind, curry powder, chili flakes, and salt to
taste in a small pot over low heat for 5 minutes.
Grill fish slowly over charcoal or under a kitchen grill under low heat,
basting constantly with the coconut sauce.
When one side is done, turn fish over, basting again, until fish is done.
Fish can be baked in a moderate oven, basted frequently, if necessary.
Serve with ugali or coconut rice.

Fish and seafood are popular, usually marinated in spices and tamarind or lime
juice and grilled over charcoal. Serve this dish as a first course for dinner, or as a
main course for lunch or a light meal with rice or flat bread (chapati) and a
vegetable dish.
1 pound cooked fish (any firm-fleshed white fish, grilled or steamed,

or canned tuna or salmon, drained), flaked
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
10 threads saffron, soaked in 2 TBS warm water for 15 minutes (or 1/4
tsp turmeric)
1 TBS vinegar
1/2 cup stale bread crumbs
3/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
4 slices lemon (for garnish)
8 whole cloves (for garnish)
Mix thoroughly fish flakes with eggs, salt, saffron with soaking water,
the rest of the spices, and vinegar.
Chill, covered, for 30 minutes.
Form into walnut-sized balls.
Place on a plate or tray spread with bread crumbs.
Roll balls in crumbs, pressing the crumbs so that they adhere on all
sides.
Chill croquettes for 1 hour. Fry in ghee over medium heat until golden
brown.
Garnish with lemon slices studded with whole cloves.
Zanzibar Pilau
The Persian influence in this rice dish is evident in its name. It is almost a
complete meal in itself. Serve in the middle of a tablecloth laid on the floor,
surrounded by bowls of fresh fruit and vegetable side dishes, or with a salad of
diced cucumbers and tomatoes with yogurt. Diners eat with fingers from the
“pie-slice” area directly in front of them.
1 1/2–2 pounds meat (beef, chicken, mutton, fish, shrimp, or prawns or

any mix of those), cut into bite-sized pieces, shrimps and prawns left
whole
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
5 cups water
1 tsp cumin seeds
10 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
5 cardamom pods
4 TBS oil
2 potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups rice (uncooked), washed and drained
1 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup toasted cashew nuts
Gently simmer the meat with bay leaf, salt, and water for 15 minutes.
(If using fish or seafood, for only 10 minutes). Drain meat, reserving
broth. Discard bay leaf.
Place cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom in a spice
bag (a small piece of cheesecloth tied securely).
Place spice bag in a small bowl; cover with 1/2 cup boiling water. Set
aside.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan.
Fry onions until golden brown; remove and reserve.
Brown potatoes briefly in remaining oil. (Add a bit more oil if
needed.) Remove potatoes and reserve.
Stir in garlic and ginger; fry for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
Raise heat. Add meat and briefly brown. Remove meat mixture and
reserve.
Stir in rice, frying for 2–3 minutes.
Add reserved broth, spice bag and spice-soaking water, adding more
water if needed to make up 5 1/2 cups.
Bring to a boil.
Stir in potatoes and meat mixture. Cover, and reduce heat to lowest
possible. Simmer for 20–30 minutes or until all broth is absorbed and
rice is tender.
Stir in reserved onions and 2/3 of the raisins. Turn off heat; leave rice
undisturbed for 10–15 minutes.
Mound rice quickly on a warmed platter.
Arrange the potatoes and meat evenly over the rice; smooth the surface
of the rice.
Sprinkle with cashew nuts and remaining raisins.
Serve immediately.

This Indian-influenced dish often appears during Ramadan (to break the fast).
Kima is the name of a ground meat curry (keema) commonly served in India,
Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Serve this for dinner with plain rice or flat bread
(chapati, available from stores that sell Indian foods) and small bowls of
chopped fruits, vegetables, and pickles.
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup beef stock (or 1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 1 cup hot water)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
juice of 1/2 lemon
Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Stir in onion, fry until soft. Add potatoes and bay leaf; fry for 5
minutes.
Increase heat and add meat. Brown well.
Stir in nutmeg, cloves, curry powder, paprika, salt, and pepper; let
cook for 1–2 minutes.
Add tomato paste and half of the stock.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring
occasionally.
Add remaining stock if sauce becomes too thick. The consistency of
the sauce should be very dense, not soupy.
Add ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and cardamom; simmer for another 10
minutes.
Adjust seasoning.
Just before serving, discard bay leaf and stir in lemon juice.
Serve at once with chapati or rice, and at least three or all of the
following side dishes in separate bowls.
Side dishes of fruits and vegetables
1 cup diced bananas tossed in 1 TBS lemon juice
1 cup crisp-fried onion slices (available in packets at stores that sell
Asian foods, or can be prepared at home)
1/2 cup mango chutney (available from stores that sell Asian foods)
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut, or desiccated coconut refreshed with 1/4
cup warm milk
1 cup orange sections, diced
1/2 cup cucumber slices
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 red apple, cored, unpeeled, and diced, tossed in 1 TBS lemon juice

In many Zanzibari households, cooking is done on charcoal. This dish is often
finished off by piling hot coals on the lid. This chars and crisps the top layer of
the rice, which is considered a delicacy. “Coconut milk” refers to the second
and/or third pressings from freshly grated mature coconut flesh, whereas
“coconut cream” is the first, richer, pressing. Most canned products are labeled
“coconut milk.” Dilute with a one-to-one ratio of water for “coconut milk.” A
layer of richer “cream” usually rises to the top in the can. Shake the can or whisk
the contents to incorporate this richer layer for “coconut cream.”
2 cups coconut milk

2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed, soaked in water for twenty minutes, and
drained
salt to taste
Place coconut milk in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and

bring to a boil.
Add rice and salt. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add coconut cream, and reduce heat to lowest point, stirring for 5
minutes.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and allow rice to cook for 10
minutes more. Turn off the heat, and leave rice undisturbed, tightly
closed, for another 10–15 minutes.
Stir rice once, then allow to rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
Serve with fish, or any East African meat dish or curry.

This drink is best made with fresh, ripe pineapple. Nowadays, chilled fresh
pineapple chunks are sold in some supermarkets. Serve as a snack or after a
meal.
1 pound canned pineapple pieces in natural (unsweetened) juice (or

16-ounce package fresh sliced pineapple in natural juice, chilled)
1 banana
4 scoops vanilla or coconut ice cream
ice cubes
Reserve 4 pieces of pineapple for garnish.

In a blender or processor, puree pineapple pieces and juice, banana, ice
cream, and coconut milk.
Divide juice among 4 tall glasses with ice cubes.
Garnish with pineapple pieces.

Serve these cakes as dessert or as a snack with a ginger drink (recipe follows).
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup cashew nuts, finely ground
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Refrigerate until
needed.
Cream butter and sugar until light.
Whisk in egg yolks, one at a time.
Whisk in cashew nuts and sweet potatoes.
Lightly fold in beaten egg whites.
Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans; spoon mixture to fill liners two-
thirds full.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until cakes are
golden and test done.

Ginger is drunk in the form of cold ginger beer or this warming drink, good for a
cool evening on the beach. This drink can also be chilled.
5 cups water
3 tsp grated fresh ginger root
sugar to taste
Bring water to a boil.

Add ginger and sugar to taste; simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve hot.

In Zanzibar, custard is usually made from a packaged mix. Alternatively, make
some from scratch or use readymade custard.
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced fine

1 1/2 cups prepared custard sauce
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS peanuts, finely chopped
Distribute bananas among 4 dessert bowls.

Spoon custard sauce over bananas.
Chill for about 30 minutes.
Combine spices, sugar, and peanuts.
Sprinkle over custard and serve.

This snack is served to guests with coffee or tea.
2 cups rice flour

1 TBS wheat flour
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp yeast
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups oil
oil for deep frying
In a bowl, combine rice and wheat flour with the coconut milk and
grated coconut.
Mix in the yeast, sugar, cardamom, and 1/4 cup of the coconut cream
to form a smooth, elastic dough.
With greased hands shape into a ball, and allow to rise in a warm
place, covered by a damp kitchen towel, for 1 hour or until almost
doubled in volume.
Divide dough into 3-inch balls. Cover and leave to rise for 15–20
minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, prepare the dipping sauce: warm the
vanilla, remaining coconut cream, and sugar over very low heat, until
sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Heat oil to 350°F. Fry a few balls at a time until golden brown.
Remove, drain on paper towels or wire rack.
Serve warm, with the coconut cream dipping sauce.
Zimbabwe
A landlocked country in southern Africa, Zimbabwe was a British colony from

1895 until independence in 1965. The terrain is mostly high tropical plateau,
ideal for many different crops—maize, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts,
vegetables, fruits—and livestock, making Zimbabwe a bread basket. However,
from 1995, government policies have caused agricultural crises and food
shortages.
Zimbabweans comprise several African ethnic groups, predominantly

Shona and Ndebele, with minorities of mixed European Africans or Asian
Africans, Asians (East Indians) and Europeans. Zimbabwean cooking combines
local ingredients (peanuts, pumpkins, squash) with East Asian spices (curry
powder), and European techniques, and with influence from neighboring
countries.
FOODSTUFFS
• Staples: millet, maize.
• Beef, chicken, goat, eggs.
• Beans and peas, pumpkin, cassava, potatoes (white and sweet),
cabbage, other green vegetables (including leaves of baobab, pumpkin,
wild plants).
• Banana, papaya, mango, coconut, oranges, berries.
TYPICAL DISHES
• Sadza (also nsima: name and ingredient differ regionally): thick paste
of millet or maize, the consistency of firm mashed potatoes.
• Stews of meat and vegetables (generic term, nyama, from the Shona
term for meat): beef (nyama ye mombe), chicken (nyama ye huku),
goat (nyama ye mbudzi). Peanut-flavored stews: dovi.
• Cape Malay (South Africa)-influenced dishes for game and other
meats: barbecued marinated meats (sosatie).
• Soups of vegetables with or without meat.
Butternut squash.
• European-influenced sweets using local ingredients: custard with
fruit, fruit crumble or pie, sweet-potato cookies.
STYLES OF EATING
• One to three meals and snacks a day, depending on ethnicity,
availability, and affordability. If only one meal is eaten, this is eaten in
the early evening, usually just cornmeal (sadza) with whatever relish is
available.
• Families eat together on a mat on the floor, surrounding the
communal dish placed in the center. Only the right hand is used to eat
with. Each diner takes off a piece of the stiff cornmeal paste and
shapes it in the same palm and fingers into a ball. An indentation is
made in the ball with the right thumb. The ball of paste is dipped into
sauce and brought to the mouth. Some families have individual plates
and spoons. European families eat European style.
• Breakfast: thin porridge of cornmeal or other staple, with or without
ground peanuts.
• Lunch: cornmeal, accompaniment of vegetable stew with or without
meat (if affordable).
• Drinks: local orange squash (manufactured fruit drink), local beer
(chibuku), international bottled soft drinks, tea.

This porridge is a common staple in some areas of Zimbabwe, served for
breakfast or lunch.
2 cups millet flour (available from health food and specialty stores)
3 or more cups water
1 TBS fermented wheat flour (see note below, or substitute 2 TBS
lemon juice added when porridge is cooked)
2 cups water
salt or sugar to taste
ground peanuts or chunky peanut butter
Whisk millet flour and water into a fine paste.
Stir in well-fermented wheat flour.
Leave for a day in a warm place, covered with a moist kitchen towel.
Boil 2 cups water.
Add the flour mixture to boiling water while stirring constantly to
obtain a creamy porridge.
Add salt or sugar to taste. Add lemon juice, if not using fermented
flour.
Cool slightly and serve. Pass ground peanuts or peanut butter for
diners to add to porridge.
Note: To make fermented wheat flour, mix 1 TBS flour with body-
temperature water to make a very thin slurry. Add 1 TBS yeast. Leave
in a warm, draft-free place for 15–20 minutes.

This porridge is eaten as a staple by some people instead of plain nsima.
1 cup dry yellow corn (maize) kernels

1 cup groundnuts (peanuts), skinned
about 2 cups water
1 tsp salt or to taste
Soak corn and groundnuts together overnight in plenty of water. Drain

and rinse.
Place corn and groundnuts with salt in a pot, with water to cover.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to lowest possible, and
simmer slowly until corn and peanuts are soft, and water is absorbed.
Adjust salt.
Serve on its own, or with a vegetable or meat dish for any meal.

This is a special dish made by the Shona, usually served for the evening or a
celebratory meal. This is to be eaten with a cornmeal staple. Diners help
themselves by dipping into the stew with a ball of stiff sadza (cornmeal paste).
The root vegetables included depend on what is in season, and not all may be
present in any one dish.
2 TBS oil
4 large portions chicken (2–3 pounds)
2 large tomatoes, chopped finely
2 bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
2 potatoes (sweet or white), peeled and cubed
2 turnips, peeled and cubed
salt, chili powder or dried chili flakes to taste
4 cups water
Heat oil and brown chicken pieces.

Stir in onion, frying until softened.
Add ginger, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, carrots, turnips, salt, and
chili; fry for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in water; simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken and
vegetables are tender.
Mix peanut butter with 1/2 cup of simmering stock to make a slurry.
Add peanut slurry to pot; simmer for another 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with green onions.
Serve hot with cornmeal staple and cooked greens.

Various greens are an important element in the daily diet of most Zimbabweans.
They might include spinach or collard leaves, young pumpkin shoots, or other
edible leaves collected in the wild, such as young baobab leaves. Serve with
sadza or other staple, and a meat dish if available. A variation is made with
white cabbage without the peanut butter.
3 cups kale or collard greens, hard ribs discarded, finely shredded (or
substitute cabbage, fresh or defrosted frozen spinach, Chinese
cabbage)
1 cup water
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
5 green onions, sliced finely
Place greens in a saucepan with the water.

Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15–20
minutes, until greens are tender.
Drain greens and reserve liquid.
Return greens to medium heat; stir in tomato and onions.
Mix peanut butter with 3/4 cup of the reserved liquid; stir into
vegetables.
Cook until sauce thickens; add more reserved liquid if mixture is too
thick.
Season to taste. Serve hot, served with a staple porridge.

Nhopi dovi is the name of this recipe in the Shona language. The Ndebele people
also make a similar dish. This is eaten commonly as the main dish for lunch or
dinner.
1 pound butternut squash, pumpkin or zucchini, cubed

2 cups water
salt
Add squash or pumpkin to boiling water; reduce heat and simmer until
very tender, for about 20–25 minutes.
Drain, reserving cooking water and returning squash to pot.
Stir 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water into the peanut butter; mix
well until smooth.
Stir peanut butter mix into the squash. Season to taste and cook 5
minutes more to allow sauce to thicken.
Serve hot or cold to accompany cornmeal porridge or a meat dish.

Pumpkin with peanut sauce is sometimes mixed with cornmeal mush to make a
one-dish meal.
2 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup nhopi dovi (see preceding recipe)
Bring water to a simmer.

Slowly trickle in cornmeal, stirring constantly.
Cook until it forms a thick porridge.
Stir in nhopi dovi (mashed pumpkin and peanut mixture).
Continue to cook for 2–3 minutes more over low heat, until heated
through.
Add up to 1/2 cup more of retained pumpkin cooking water if
necessary. Serve on its own or with Zimbabwe-style greens.

This soup is a European variant of squash stew. Serve as a first course for
dinner, or as a light lunch with bread.
2 TBS oil
1 pound butternut squash, seeds discarded
1 cup peeled and cubed potatoes
2 apples, cored, peeled and cubed
1/4 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp chili flakes
2 green onions, green parts only, minced finely
Heat oil in a large pan over low heat; add onion and fry until soft.
Stir in squash, potatoes, apples, and spices; fry together for 2–3
minutes, mixing thoroughly.
Add the stock, salt, and bay leaf; cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until vegetables are
tender.
Cool; puree soup in a blender until smooth.
Return to pot and reheat gently without letting it come to a boil.
Serve, garnished with chili flakes and green onions.
Fruit Custard
This European-Zimbabwean dessert can be made with bananas, mango, apples
or semiripe papaya according to season.
3 eggs, beaten
3 TBS sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups cream
4 bananas, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup soft brown sugar
In a bowl, mix well the eggs, sugar, salt, cream, and vanilla.
Place bananas in a casserole or a deep pie dish.
Cover with the egg and cream mixture.
Sprinkle with brown sugar; bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. (The
middle will still be wobbly.)
Leave custard in the oven to cool for about 10–15 minutes.

Sold by street vendors, this candy is a popular sweet.
1 medium-ripe firm papaya (about 1 pound), diced

2 cups sugar
In a heavy-bottomed pan over low heat, heat the sugar and lemon juice
until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Once the sugar liquefies, add the papaya and stir until well coated with
syrup.
Allow to cook for 10–15 minutes more, but do not let the syrup
become brown.
Remove from heat and set aside until cool.
Return to heat and cook further for 10–15 minutes until mixture starts
crystallizing (if it does not, remove from heat again, allow to cool, and
repeat, cooking until crystallization).
Take teaspoonfuls of the papaya-syrup mixture and drop briefly into
ice water to harden, remove immediately and drain. Alternatively, drop
the papaya-syrup mixture spaced well apart on a buttered cookie sheet
and allow to cool naturally.
Once firm and dry, dust with powdered sugar to keep from sticking
together. Store in an airtight container.
Glossary
Some ingredients are repeated throughout this book. In some cases, confusion
exists about terminology. In other cases, because the ingredients are difficult to
obtain in the United States, we have suggested substitutes, which, hopefully, will
produce the same results in the dish.
banana leaves. Inedible, these are often used in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania to wrap packets
of food for steaming (or baking in underground ovens), in much the same way that Mexican tamales are
wrapped in cornhusks. Sometimes, large taro leaves, also called “elephant ears,” are used, though the
flavor they impart is different. In East Asia, lotus and bamboo leaves are also used for the purpose. If
none is available, use aluminum foil instead. Banana leaves are also used as platters, notably in Africa,
India, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.
bouillon cubes. This handy (for the Western home cook) ingredient has become a flavoring principal in its
own right in many cuisines around the world. Especially in Africa, a cube of stock, particularly that of a
well-known European company, has become a staple flavoring ingredient for many dishes. See also
stock.
bulgur. Also spelled bulghur, burghul, or bulgar. Cracked whole wheat used in much the same way as rice.
It is common throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, as well as Eastern Europe.
cassava. A root crop originating in the tropical Americas, but now popular as a food source elsewhere,
notably in Africa. In the United States, it is available from Latin American stores as yuca (also spelled
yucca). It is also known as manioc. The young leaves are also edible and sold frozen in some stores that
sell Latin American foods.
ghee. Clarified butter, often sold in large, half-gallon cans, is a staple cooking and flavoring agent
throughout Central Asia, southern Asia, and the Middle East. It can be made at home by melting butter
and removing the solids. Clarified butter has much better keeping qualities than regular butter and is
sometimes esteemed for that cause alone.
groundnut. The name for the peanut in most of Africa. In many recipes you can substitute natural peanut
butter (most commercial peanut butters have sugar or other sweeteners, and often salt; this will affect the
flavor).
manioc. See cassava.
palm oil. A reddish-orange oil used for cooking and flavoring in many African and Brazilian dishes. It
provides a unique flavor and color. Extracted from the oil palm, it is a major industry throughout
western Africa and Sudan.
papaya and pawpaw. Though some people (and recipes) confuse the two, these are botanically dissimilar
fruits. Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit about the size and shape of an elongated melon and can
grow much larger. The fruit cluster near the canopy of the leaves. The flesh is sweet, usually deep
orange in color. The seeds are sometimes used in Southeast Asia and Oceania as a peppery spice in
salads. Papaya is called pawpaw in certain countries. Another pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is the fruit of
an American plant. The fruit, related to the tropical annona and soursop, is oval, about 3–6 inches long,
and contains numerous seeds in a juicy matrix.
staple. For most people in most countries most of the time, the central part of a meal is, and was, a staple of
some type of carbohydrate. The most common ones are produced by cooking wheat, rice, cassava, yams,
potatoes, sorghum, millet, or other grains, usually by boiling or baking. Throughout wide swathes of the
world these staples can be very similar. Meat and vegetable dishes are often served in minute portions,
and hot sauces were intended to add interest to the dish and supply some necessary vitamins and
minerals. But, except on special occasions, these are not major parts of the meal, at least for the average
individual. In the modern world we have grown away from the idea of a staple, both because we have so
many to choose from (rice, noodles, bread, potatoes) and because, in affluent societies, meat and
interesting vegetables are available much more easily. Even so, in many affluent societies such as in
East Asia, most people do not think they have had a proper meal unless they have had some, at least, of
the staple—for example, plain cooked rice—as part of the meal.
steamer wrappings. A common cooking method in many areas of the world is to wrap food in a packet
made from a large leaf, which is usually inedible. The most popular leaf is the banana. Make sure when
making a wrapping to (a) scrape off the tough center rib without cutting the leaf to ensure the leaf can be
folded, and (b) steam or blanch the leaf or pass rapidly through a flame to soften it and make it pliable
for folding. See also banana leaves.
stock or bouillon. Many recipes call for a stock or a bouillon. The usual way to prepare this is to simmer
meat, chicken, or vegetables for a long time, preferably with bones, and then strain the liquid, discarding
the solids. Given the reality of modern living, we suggest that you substitute good readymade soups,
broth, and stocks. Stock cubes are also used in some cuisines as a flavoring agent. To make stock, follow
instructions on the package. Normally, one cube stock should be dissolved in one cup of very hot water.
yam. Various Dioscorea species. A root common in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific with a high starch content,
often used as a carbohydrate staple. In the southern United States, the word “yam” is applied to a
different, unrelated plant, the sweet potato (Ipomoea sp.).
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WEBSITES
http://www.abc.net.au/secretrecipes/. Site accompanying an Australian TV series of cooking worldwide.
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Cookbook/. African recipes largely from Bea Sandler’s African cookbook.
http://www.africhef.com/. Site largely advertising the AfriChef cookbook. Plenty of South African recipes.
http://www.Asian-Recipe.com/. Comprehensive website with food recipes from all over Asia.
http://cookbook.rin.ru/index_e.html. Comprehensive Russian recipes.
http://dmoz.org/Home/Cooking/. Portal to a variety of cooking and recipe sites from many countries.
http://homecooking.about.com/library/. Collection of recipes.
http://iclubs.iagora.com/recipes/. Collection of international recipes.
http://recipes.moldova.org/. Complete Moldovan cuisine.
http://www.recipesource.com/. Eclectic collection of recipes.
http://almashriq.hiof.no/general/600/640/641/khayat/contents.html. Food from the Arab world.
http://bedouina.typepad.com/doves_eye/2004/04/kafta_in_a_tray.html/. Recipes from Palestine.
http://www.chez.com/vipsinfo/francophonie-e3.htm/. Brief summary of food and drink in several countries.
http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/espania.htm#regions. Spanish regional foods.
http://www.festival.si.edu/category/foodways/. Smithsonian Folklife Festival recipes from around the
world.
http://www.heartofeurope.co.uk/features_recipe.htm. Slovakian recipes.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/. Purdue University’s Center for New Crops and Plant Products
website.
http://www.isholf.is/gullis/jo/. Icelandic recipes.
http://www.lankalibrary.com/. Extensive information on Sri Lankan food and culture.
http://www.mindspring.com/~cborgnaes/. Danish recipes.
http://www.sca.org.au/st_florians/university/library/articles-howtos/9-12C_Norse_Food_AR070604.htm.
Historical accounts of Scandinavian food.
http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/. Extensive info on Pacific Island countries.
http://betumi.com/. African cuisine website hosted by Fran Osseo-Asare.
http://www.sofn.com/norwegian_culture/recipe_index.jsp
http://www.superluminal.com/cookbook/. Sufi Cookbook.
http://www.sverigeturism.se/smorgasbord/index.html. Swedish Tourism website. Food and Drink pages.
http://www.europe-east.com/. Includes basic food and drink info on Eastern European countries.
http://www.tastycooking.com/. Recipes from all over the world.
http://westher.home.xs4all.nl/. African recipes in English and other languages.
OTHER WEBSITES CONSULTED

http://globaltableadventure.com/. Sasha Martin cooks 195 recipes from 195 countries: The World
Cookbook is her main reference book.
http://cooks.aadl.org/cooks. Online collection of historical cookbooks on American cookery, the newsletter
Repast on American and world cookery, and guide to other culinary resources.
http://www.africaguide.com/cooking.htm
http://www.cbel.com/african_recipes/
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/
http://www.fao.org/
http://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/eat-sleep/local-products
http://www.maldivesholidays.org/maldives-cuisine-popular-maldivian-food-drink-recipes
http://www.marktanner.com/sudan-recipes/
Index
The index that appeared in the print version of this title was intentionally removed from the eBook. Please
use the search function on your eReading device for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that
appear in the print index are listed below
Achaar (achar)
Achiote flower
Ackee
Adobo
Adzhika
Afang Soup
Afghanistan
Chicken and Chickpea Stew with Rice (Nakhod Chalau, also Chelo Nachodo)
description of
foodstuffs of
Fudge (Sheer Payra)
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Africa, groundnuts and peanuts in
African beer
Banana beer from East Africa
Ginger Beer
Millet Beer from Central Africa (Dolo)
African hot sauces: African Hot Sauce
description of
Pili-Pili (Piripiri) sauce
African staple (baton de manioc, chikwangue, fufu, fulde or funge, nsima, sadze, ugau)
Banku
Banku and Kenkey
Baton de manioc, chikwangue (cassava “sticks”)
Bogobe
Fufu
Gari/Gali
Kenkey
Ugali
African teas
about
Cardamom Tea
Moroccan Mint Tea (chai bi’naana)
African traditional cooking methods
African traditional seasonings
description of
freshwater and marine animal-based seasonings
functions of
plant-based seasonings
Airag
Albania
Apple Cake with Nuts and Raisins (Kek me Mollë, also Arra dhe Rrush të Thatë)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Alexander Torte
Algeria
Algerian Charlotte
braised stew of lamb or chicken with vegetables served with couscous
description of
Eggplant Spread
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ali’s Mom (Umm’ Ali)
Alivenci (alivencile)
Almond: Cookies (Ghoriba)
Croissants (Kab el Ghzal)
Drink or Sauce (Intxaursalsa)
and Melon Pie (Galapian)
and Sesame Pastries (Samsa)
Shortbread (Kourabiethes)
Shortbread (Pain d’Amandes)
Spice Cookies (Kwarezimal)
Tart (Tarte de Amêndoa)
Turnovers (Qotaab, also Quttab)
Aloo tiki
Al-rish
Anchovies, dried
Andorra
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Angola
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Annona reticulata
Antigua and Barbuda
Baked Bananas
description of
Dumplins
foodstuffs of
Key Lime Mousse
map of
Papaya Pie
Pepper Pot
styles of eating
typical dishes of
ANZAC Biscuits
Apom
Appetizers: Baked Vegetables (Lathera Lachanika)
Eggplant Salad (Uukkous Al-Badinjan),
Eggplant Spread
Halva (Khalvo)
Okra and Stuffed Bulgur (Kubbeh Bamya; Kibbeh Bamya)
Pita Bread (Khubz)
White Fish Fritters
Apple(s): about
Almond Cake (Eple-Mandel Kake)
and Barley Cream Pudding
Cake (Omenapiirakka)
Cake (Placek z Jablka)
Cake (Yablochnaya Sharlotka)
Cake with Nuts and Raisins (Kek me Mollë, also Arra dhe Rrush të Thatë)
Dumplings (Äppelklatzen)
Fritters (Bunyols de Poma)
Halwa
Pancake (Apfelschmarrn)
Pancakes (Apfelpfannkuchen)
and Parsnip Soup
Preserves (Samotkhis Vashlis Muraba)
Rings (Öpfelküechli)
Rings (Rosquitas de Manzana)
Scones
and Walnut Banitsa
Apricot(s): Apricot-Seed Brittle (Magiz Kholva)
Cake (Kejk tal-Berquq)
Dumplings (Marillenknödel)
Pudding (Qamar El-Deen)
Arepas (cornmeal bread)
Argentina
barbeque featuring beef asado
description of
foodstuffs of
Gramajo Omelet
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Armenia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Arrowroot Cakes
Asado
Ash
Asparagus Soup
Australia
Aussie Burger
Damper
description of
foodstuffs of
Fruit Cordial
Gingered Snow Peas
Kurrajong Muffins
Lamingtons
map of
Pavlova
Pumpkin Soup
Rice Salad
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Vanilla Slice
Austria
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Wiener schnitzel
Avocado(s): Cream of Avocado Soup
Drink
Orange, and Radish Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate con Naranja y Rábanos)
Pudding (Sobremesa de Abacate)
Radish, Peanut, and Ginger Salad (Slaai)
Relish (Guasacaca)
Salad (Salada de Palta)
Soup, Abidjan-Style (Soupe d’Avocat Abidjanaise)
with Tuna (Abacate com Atum)
Ayvar
Azerbaijan
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Walnut Rose-Water Cookies (Gülabli Qovut)
Baamieh
Babai
Bahamas
Banana Custard
Carrot Pudding
Coconut Bars
Crab ‘n Rice
description of
foodstuffs of
Groundnut Soup
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Bahrain
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Baked: Apples (Pomes al Forn)
Bananas
Beans (Prebranac)
Boston Baked Beans
Coconut Milk (Luau Palusami)
Coconut Shells (To’okutu)
Corn and Cheese (Humintas)
Custard (Leche Asada)
Eggs (Oeufs Mornay)
Fish (Poisson Pané au Four)
Fish Steaks
Fish with Plantain
Fruits with Nut Topping (Gratin de Frutas)
Lamb (Khorkhog, also Horhog)
Macaroni and Cheese
Pineapple and Sweet Potato
Rice with Chicken Livers (Tagin Orz)
Sweet Potato
Vegetables (Lathera Lachanika)
Vegetables in Coconut Cream
“Bakes,”
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea)
Bammy
Bananas (musa spp.): about
banana, taro, or cabbage leaves wrappers (preparing)
Banana Nut Putting
Beer from East Africa
Cake
Cake (Bolo de Banana)
in Cinnamon
and Coconut Beef Stew
in Coconut Cream (Bananas com Leite Condensada)
in Coconut Cream (Kuay Namuan)
Coconut Fritters (Dhonkeyo Kajuru)
Condiment
and Corn Casserole
Custard
Custard (N’dizi na Kasted)
Fritters (Zitumbuwa)
Ginger Bananas
image of
leaves
and Mango in Coconut Milk
Matoke I (Plain)
Matoke II (Fancy)
Meatloaf
Mixed Fruit and Nut Cake
and Nut Dessert (Torta de Plátanos y Nueces)
Pancakes
and Peanut Butter Biscuits
Peanut Cake
and Plantains
Porridge (Letu)
Pudding (Malikia)
Puree (Angu de Banana)
Sago Dumplings (Saksak)
Sandwiches
Staple (Foutou Banane)
and Sweet Potato Casserole
Bangladesh
Apple Halwa
Chicken Jalfrezi
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Banh khoai
Banku, recipe for
Banku and Kenkey, recipe for
Baobab fruit
Baobab Juice
Bara
Barbados
Black Cake
description of
foodstuffs of
Green Sauce
Jug-Jug
map of
Pickled Fish
styles of eating
Tamarind Balls
typical dishes of
Barbecued: Barbecue (Coupé-Coupé)
Chicken
Chicken with Lemon and Onions (Poulet Yassa à la Casamance)
Meat (Nyama Choma)
or Roast Pork (Cha Shao)
Short Ribs (Kalbi-gui, also Galbi-gui)
Barley: Broth (Tirbiyali)
Flour Paste (Tsampa)
Gruel with Smoked Pork (Krasci)
Soup (Ash-E Jow)
Soup (Krupnyk)
The Basques
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Pintxo (Tapa)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Baton de manioc, chikwangue (cassava “sticks”), recipe for
Bean(s): with Apples and Pork (Bruine Bonen met Appels en Spek)
Boston Baked Beans
Cake (Haricot Koki)
Cakes
curd
Fritters (Tacu Tacu)
Goulash with Beef (Fazolovy Gulas s Hovezim Masem)
Leaves and Beans (Saka Madesu)
Maize and Beans (Batar Da’an)
Pudding (Moimoi or Moin Moin)
Puree (Papula)
Sausages and
Soup (Jahni me Fasule)
Soup (Sopa de Frijoles)
Soup (Soup d’Haricot)
Stew
Stew (Ibishyimbo)
Beef: Baked
and Cabbage (Hakkliha Ja Kapsa Pajatoit)
Cabbage, and Samp Stew (Sidlwadlwa)
and Corn Casserole (Pastel de Choclo)
Curry (Geri Riha)
in Melon Seed Sauce (Kanda)
and Mushroom Stew (Fante Mbire Flowee)
Noodle Soup (Niurou Mian, also Gu Bah Mi)
and Potato Salad (Vainakh Saladi)
and Rice Bowl (Gyūdon, also Gyūniku Donburi)
Roulades with Green Mole (Bistec Relleno con Mole Verde)
Soup with Greens (Romazava)
Soup with Liver Dumplings (Leber Knödelsuppe)
Stew
and Vegetable Stew (Tigadigué de Boeuf)
Beg’s Soup
Belarus
Country Salad
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Belgium
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Belize
Cassava Pone
Coconut Bread
description of
foodstuffs of
Johnnycakes
map of
Potato Pound
Rice and Beans
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Benachin
Benin
Dahomey Fish Stew
description of
fish and rice with peppersauce
foodstuffs of
Fritters
map of
Peanut Sauce
Pureed Peas
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Bermuda
Baked Bananas
Banana Meatloaf
Bermudian Puree
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Raisin Buns
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Beshbarmak
Bhutan
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Pork Noodles (Fing)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Bibimbap
Bibingka
Bint al sahn
Birthday cake facts
Birthday traditions
Black: Bean Stew (Caraotas Negras)
Cake
Eyed Peas in Tomato Broth
Eyed Peas (Oshingali)
Lentil Fritters (Bara, also Badha)
Roast (Asado Negro)
tea facts
Blue Corn Cornbread
Bogobe, recipe for
Boiled: Meat and Noodles (Zhizhig Galnash)
Meat Dumplings (Chuchura, also Ququra)
Pudding (Spotted Dog, Spotted Dick)
Smoke Pork and Cabbage
Soup (Chektyrma)
Yam
Boko-boko
Boletus mushroom
Bolivia
description of
foodstuffs of
humintas
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Borsok
Beg’s Soup
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Boston Baked Beans
Botswana
Baobab fruit
Cooked Greens
description of
edible insects and other land invertebrates
foodstuffs of
map of
Mopane Worms
styles of eating
Tomato Loofah
typical dishes of
Braised: Amaranth Greens (Lenga Lenga)
Beef and Olives (Mirket Zeitun)
Mashed Vegetables (Moroko)
Meat with Olives (Tajine)
stew of lamb or chicken with vegetables served with couscous
Vegetables from Provence (Ratatouille)
Brazil
description of
Feijoada
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Bread Pudding of St. Kitts and Nevis
Breadfruit
and Beef
Chips (Jekaka)
and Fish
Fritters
Scones
Seasoned
Stew (Tiopu Kuru)
Breads: Anise Bread (Pain Anisette)
Bakes
Blue Corn Cornbread
Breadfruit Scones
Cake (Quesadilla)
Coconut Bake
Damper
Fry Bread
Green Mealie Loaf
Johnnycakes
Pancake (Nang)
Peanut Bread
Pita Bread (Khubz)
Raisin Buns
Sweet Potato Bread
Veldt Bread
Breakfast dishes: Boiled Yam
Breakfast Papaya
Cheese Soup (Churu)
Cornmeal Pancakes
Fry Bread
Gramajo Omelet
Meat Omelet (Eggah)
Sour Milk Pancakes
Sweet Fritters
Brunei
anchovies, dried
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Buchteln (buchtel, sing.)
Buckwheat: about
Balls (Ubrnenik)
Dumplings (Hapai Hantue)
Dumplings (Staerzelen)
Groats with Mushrooms and Onions (Grechnevaya Kasha)
Pancakes (Blinis)
Savory Crepes from Brittany (Galettes Complètes)
Buddhism/Jainism and food
Bulgaria
Bean Puree (Papula)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Bulgur
Bullion cubes
Burkina Faso
African Hot Sauce
Bean Cakes
description of
foodstuffs of
Lemon Porridge
Mango Chutney
map of
Peanut Balls
Spiced Meatballs
styles of eating
typical dishes
Burundi
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Plantains and Beans
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Butter: Anise-Flavored Butter Cookies (Kourabia)
Cookies (Ghraiba)
Cookies (Ghuraiba)
Cookies (Smör Kakor)
Date Pancakes (Goraasa be Samna)
Fried Chicken with Butter Sauce
Pecan Praline Ice Cream
Stuffed Wheat Balls (Baki Koufta)
Tart
Tea (Po Cha, also Bo Cha)
Yogurt Cookies (Kurabie)
Butternut squash
Cabanga
Cabbage: about
with Apples (Kapusta z Jablkamy)
Boiled Smoke Pork and
Cucumber, and Tomato Salad (Ensalada)
in Peanut Sauce (Kutendela)
Pickle (Kyabetsu no Tsukemono)
Pickled (Curtido)
and Potatoes (Trinxat)
and Samp Stew (Sidlwadlwa)
Soup (Karam Shurva)
Soup (Schchi)
Stir-fried Chinese Cabbage
Cachapas (corn pancakes eaten with cheese)
Cafriela
Cakes: Apple Almond Cake (Eple-Mandel Kake)
Arrowroot Cakes
Banana Peanut Cake
birthday cake
Black Cake
Cassava Cake
Cassava Pone
Cheesecake (Chïzu Këki)
Date Cake
facts about
Irish Fraughan Cake
Lamingtons
Liberian Cake
Louise Cake
Love Cake
Pavlova
Plantain Cake
Poppy-Seed Cake
Spice and Lime Cake
Sponge Cake
Toto
Calulu
Cambodia
description of
family eating traditional dishes
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Cameroon
description of
Fish Stew with Rice
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Canada
Butter Tart
description of
fiddleheads
foodstuffs of
map of
Nanaimo Bar
Pea Soup
Pork Buns
styles of eating
Tuna à la King
typical dishes of
Cape Verde
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Rich Cachupa (Cachupa Rica),
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Capitaine
Carrot(s): Bake (Porkkana-Laattikko)
and Christophene Casserole
and Green Bean Soup (Indlangala)
Halva
Pudding
Roll (Zhuta)
Cassareep
Cassava (Manihot esculenta): about
Balls (Topoi)
Cake
cassava cake being trimmed with a leaf
Coconut Cake (Dhandialuvi Boakiba)
Coconut Steamed Cakes (Mwata)
defined
and Egg (Gari Foto)
Fritters (Arepitas de Yuca)
Fritters (Carimañolas)
Fritters (Mofo Mangahazo)
Fritters (Tamiya)
Greens and Fish (Mataba au Poisson)
and Groundnuts
image of
Leaves (Saka-Saka)
Leaves and Beans (Saka Madesu)
Leaves and Eggplant (Isombe)
Pies (Pasteles de Mandioca)
and Plantain Mash (Foutou)
as poisonous
Pone
Pudding
Pudding (Vakalolo)
Rolls (Pan de Yuca)
in Syrup (Mandioca em Calda de Açúcar)
Cassava/Yuca in the Americas
Cassava/Yuca/Manioc
Casseroles: Banana and Corn Casserole
Boston Baked Beans
Potato and Anchovy Casserole or Jansson’s Temptation (Jansson’s Frestelse)
Vegetable Casserole
Baka woman pounds cassava into flour
description of
Egusi Sauce
foodstuffs of
groundnuts and peanuts in Africa
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Cepelinai
Ceviche
Chad
Breakfast Cereal, hot (La Bouillie)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Meat and Okra Sauce
Millet Snack
Squash with Peanuts
styles of eating
Sweet Potato Salad
typical dishes
Chai
Chakchouka
Chakery
Champurrado
Chapati
Chapattis
Chapjae
Char kuay teow
Chechnya
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Cheese: Cake (Quesadilla)
Cheese-Filled Buns (Placinte Poale’n Brau, also Placinte cu Poale in Briu)
Custard (Pudim de Queijo)
Dumplings (Širovi Štruklji)
and Hazelnut Biscuits (Galetes de Formatge i Avellanes)
Meatloaf
Pastries (Banitsa sas Sirene)
Pastry (Gibanica)
Pastry (Pita Sirnica)
Patties (Sirniki)
Pudding (Esh Asaraya)
Squares (Alivenci)
Sticks (Tequeños)
Sweets (Peda)
Cheesecake: Bahrain Cheesecake (Kunafa)
Ricotta Cheesecake
Cherry Baklava
Chhurpi
Chicken: in Aspic (Racituri de Pui)
Barbecued Chicken
Barbecued Chicken with Lemon and Onions (Poulet Yassa à la Casamance)
for the Boss (Poulet Directeur Général)
Casserole (Kotopoulo Sto Fourno)
and Chickpea Stew with Rice (Nakhod Chalau, also Chelo Nachodo)
and Chickpeas (Chaj)
with Chickpeas (Gdra)
Cooked in Paprika (Chicken Paprikash)
Cook-Up Rice
Coronation Chicken
in Cumin Sauce
Curry (Bhutuwa)
Curry (Gaeng Gari Gai)
Curry (Nkhuku Ya Sabola)
Curry (Rasedaar Murghi Taangen)
and Eggplant (Kedjenou)
Flavored Wheat (Boko Boko)
Fried Chicken of Nauru
Fried Chicken of U.S.A.
with Garlic and Ginger (Akoho sy Sakamalao)
in Green Sauce (Jocón)
Hot Pot (Chabéu de Galinha)
Jalfrezi
with Jerusalem Artichokes (Of Bekharshaf Yerushalmi)
Kebabs (Reshmi Kabab)
with Limes (Poulet avec les Limettes)
in Nut Sauce (Vatapá de Galinha)
in Nuts (Poulet au Gnemboue)
in Palm Butter Sauce (Poulet Moambé)
in Peanut Sauce (Huku ne Dovi)
and Pork Stew (Chimole)
Pot
and Potato Stew (Ajiaco de Pollo)
and Rice (Frango com Arroz)
on Rice (Mechbous)
satay on the grill
Smothered Chicken
Soup (Hervido de Galina)
Soup (Shurba Dejaj)
and Squash Soup
Stew (Daube de Poulet)
Stew (Muamba de Galinha)
Stew of Uganda
Stew with Toasted Coconut (Serunding Padang)
Stewed
Stewed in Coconut Milk (Tapado de Pollo)
Stir-fried Spicy Chicken (Jalfraizi)
in Sumac (Musakhan)
Suqaar
Tikka Masala
Tomato Stew (Pollo Entomatado)
and Vegetable Stew (Igisafuriya)
and Vegetable Stew (Sancocho)
with Walnuts (Pulë me Arra)
Yétissé (Yétissé de Poulet)
Zambezia (Galinha à Zambeziana)
Chickpea: about
Almond Balls (Ladous)
Cakes (Socca)
Flour Cookies (Besan Burfi)
Salad of Kurdistan
Snacks (Dabo Kolo)
Soup with Cumin (Hummus bi’l-Kammun)
and Spinach Soup (Potaje de Garbanzo con Acelga)
Chile
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
China
bean curd
description of
foodstuffs of
Hong Kong–Style Egg Tarts (Gäng Shì Dàn Tä)
Hot Pot (Huoguo)
map of
reputation of its cuisine
Steamed Buns with Barbecued Pork Filling (Cha Shao Pao, Cha Siu Bao)
styles of eating
Sweet and sour pork
Sweet Peanuts
typical dishes of
Chinese table settings
Chocolate: Coated Bananas
Coffee Drink (Champurrado)
Fudge Upside-Down Cake
Hail (Hagelslag)
Squares (Mokkapalat)
Truffles (Brigadeiros)
Chojang
Choko, chou chou, or chayote (Sechium edule)
Chopsticks and bowls
Choyhana
Christmas: Barley Porridge (Kuccia)
Porridge (Kutia Wigilijna)
Rice Pudding (Koch)
Wheat Porridge (Kutia, also Kutya)
Christophene (also chayote)
Chufa
Churrasco
Churros con chocolate
Cinnamon Bananas
Cinnamon Tea
Clafoutis
Clafoutis (clafouti)
Cloudberry
Coconut: Bake
Bars
Bread
Bread (Mkatra Foutra)
Bread (Pain Coco)
Candy (Leite Coco)
Caramel Flan (Banh Dua Ca Ra Men)
Cassava Cake (Bojo)
Cassava Cake (Getuk Lindri)
Chicken (Pollo en Coco)
coconut water
cream
cream (thick)
cream and coconut milk
Cream Balls (Narkel Naru)
Cream Custard (Leche Flan sa Gatâ)
Custard (Cocada Amarela)
Custard (Quindim)
Custard (Wattalappam)
Dessert (Cocada Angolana)
Drink (Dawet)
Dumplings (Droppers)
Filled Crepe Rolls (Wellawahum)
Filled Pancake Rolls (Dadar Gulung)
Fish (Samaki wa Nazi)
Fish Curry Parcels (Amok Trei)
Fish Curry (Samaki wa Nazi)
Fish in Coconut
Fish Soup
Flan (Flans de Coco)
Ice Cream
Macaroon Squares (Cocada Horneada),
Macaroons (Chaklama)
Macaroons (Cocadas)
milk
milk (thin)
Milk Bake (Lap Lap)
Milk Jelly (Gelatin a la Ponche Crema)
Milk Layered Cake (Bienmesabe)
Milk with Rice (Alaguan)
Peanut Brittle (Kashata)
Peanut Candy (Kashata)
Pudding (Pudim de Coco)
Punch (Punch Coco)
Rice (Nasi Lemak)
Rice (Riz Coco)
Rice (Wali wa Nazi)
Rice Cakes (Mokary)
Rice Crepes (Apom)
Rice Fritters (Vitumbua)
Sambol (Pol Sambol)
Semolina Cake (Sanwin Makin)
Squares (Qumbe Macaan)
Codfish: Burgers (Bolas de Bacalhau)
Cakes
Cod Cobbler
and Egg Salad (Salt-Fish Souse)
image of
and Vegetable (Esgueixada)
Coffee: Coffee (Qahwa)
consumption of
Ice Cream
ritual
Colcannon
Cold: Blueberry Soup (Boruvkova Polevka Studena)
Grain Soup (Guja)
Jelly Drink (Alooda Glacée)
Peach Soup (Hideg Öszibarackleves)
Collard greens
Colombia
Bandeja paisa, a traditional dish
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Coltunasi
Comoros
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Conch
Condiments: Avocado Relish (Guasacaca)
Banana Condiment
Jerk Seasoning
Malawi Curry Powder
Mango Chutney
Relish
Relish (Finadene)
spice mixtures
Tart Kebab Sauce
Xinjiang Spice Mix
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo Kinshasa; formerly Zaire)
Banana Condiment
description of
foodstuffs of
Green Papaya Jam
map of
Mbika with meat
Peanut Cream
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Wild Spinach in Palm Oil and Peanuts (Fumbwa Elambanina Mafutaya Nguba)
wrapped foods
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Cook Islands
Breakfast Papaya
description of
foodstuffs of
Mango Poke
map of
Poke and Cassava
typical dishes of
Cooked: Bananas (Fa’alifu Fa’I)
Bananas (Ndizi na Nyama)
Bananas (Vai Siaine)
Beets (Cwikla)
Greens (Calalu)
Greens (Kangkong)
Greens (Maffi Hakko)
Greens of Botswana
Greens Zimbabwe Style
Maize and Beans (Batar Da’an)
Okra (Daraba)
Okra (Sauce Gombo)
Peppers (Paprikas)
Taro Leaves (Rukau)
Cookies: Almond Cookies (Ghoriba)
ANZAC Biscuits
Krakelinge
Sighs (Súspiros)
Walnut Rose-Water Cookies (Gülabli Qovut)
Cooking and cuisine
Cook-Up Rice
Corn: about
Bananas and Corn Casserole
and Beans Mash (Githeri)
and Bell Pepper Casserole (Tarta de Morrón)
and Black Bean Salad
Blue Corn Cornbread
Bread (Mielie Brood)
Cake (Pastel de Maíz)
Cheese Bread (Sopa Paraguaya)
Cheese Cake (Perrerreque)
and Cinnamon Pudding (Natilla Santafereña)
Green Corn Pudding
Groundnut Porridge (Mutakura)
Pancakes (Cachapas de Jojoto)
and Pandan Coconut Pudding (Kuih Tako Tajung)
Parcels (Ducunu, also Dukunu)
Potatoes and Corn Pie (Pastel de Papa con Elote)
Pudding (Chè Bap)
Soup (Sopa de Maíz)
tortillas, Guatemala
Corned Beef: about
Cakes
Packages (Luau Pisupo)
Packets (Lu Pulu)
Scotch Eggs
Stew
Cornmeal: Balls or Loaf (Fungee)
Bread (Arepa)
Bread (Arepa de Huevo)
Cake (Bustrengo)
Omelet (Mote Pillo)
Pancakes
Porridge (Nsima, also Ufa)
Pudding (Budinca de Malai Dulce)
Coronation Chicken
Costa Rica
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Côte d’ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Bananas in Cinnamon
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Pineapple Boats
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Yams with Tomatoes
Cottage Cheese: with Dill (Urda cu Marar)
Stuffed Pancakes (Chepalgash)
Country Salad
Couscous: about
Marrakech
Mauritanian
in North Africa
Crab dishes: Crab and Potato Cakes
Crab ‘n Rice
Creamed Rice
Crepes: Buckwheat Savory Crepes from Brittany (Galettes Complètes)
Crêpes
with Milk Fudge (Panqueques de Dulce de Leche)
Croatia
description of
foodstuffs of
grilled fish
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Cuba
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
roast suckling pig (lechón asado)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Cucumber: Salad (Oi Namul)
Salad (Salat Melafefonim)
Salad (Tarator)
and Sour Cream Salad (Agurkai Su Rukcscia Grietne)
Cumin
Curried Green Figs
Curried Meat
Curry: Beef Curry (Geri Riha)
Curried Meat
Curry leaf
Curry Puffs
Egg Curry
leaf
Malawi Curry Powder
Sauce (Mauritius)
Custard: Baked Custard (Leche Asada)
Banana Custard
Cream Cake (Latiya)
Cream Filling or Crème Patissière (Pastel-Krema)
Cream Sweet (Bis Haluvaa)
Crumble Pie (Kruimelvlaai)
Fruit Custard
Pudding (Muhallabieh)
Pudding (Vla)
Cyprus
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Czech Republic
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Dahomey Fish Stew

Dal bhaat, rice with lentil sauce
Damper bread of Australia
Dandelion Salad
Date(s): about
in Butter Sauce (Al Rangina)
Cake
Cookies (Makhroudh)
Lamb and Date Stew
and Nut Cake (Queque de Datiles con Nueces)
and Nut-Filled Pastries (Kleicha)
Omani mashed date
Pancakes (Goraasa be Samna)
Stuffed Cookies (Ma’amoul Btamr)
Sweet (Halwa d’Tmar)
Sweet (Rangina)
Deep-Fried: Chicken (Pohana Pichka)
Dough Twists (Sanzi)
Fish (Theluli Mas)
Fritters (Boortsog)
Mars Bars (Scotland)
Denmark
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
sukkerkringler (sugar pretzels)
typical dishes of
Desserts: Ali’s Mom (Umm ‘Ali)
Baked Bananas
Banana Cake
Banana Custard
Bananas in Cinnamon
Bananas in Coconut Cream (Bananas com Leite Condensada)
Caramel Flan (Banh Dua Ca Ra Men)
Cassava Cake
Cassava Pone
Coconut Bars
Coconut Ice Cream
coffee, consumption of
Creamed Rice
Eton Mess
Flour Dumplings
Fruit Custard
Fruit Ice (Kōri)
Fruit Pudding of Tanzania
Fruit Salad of the Philippines
Fudge Brownies
Ginger Bananas
Green Corn Pudding
Key Lime Mousse
Kiwi Cream
Koeksisters
Latterday Saints
Lemon Syllabub
Liberian Cake
Microwave Mochi
Nanaimo Bar
Papaya Pie
Papaya Rings
Pavlova
Peanut Cream
Pineapple Boats
Potato Pie Dessert
Potato Pound
Samoan Poi
Spiced Mangoes
Stewed Mangoes
Djenkoumé
Djibouti
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
Sweet Fritters
typical dishes of
Dogh
Dominica
Avocado Drink
Banana Cake
Christophene (also chayote)
Curried Green Figs
description of
Dumplings or Bakes
foodstuffs of
map of
Smothered Chicken
Stew (Sancoche)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Dominican Republic
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Dorado (gilt head bream)
Dough
Dresi (dresil)
Dried: Bean Salad (Salata de Fasole Boabe)
Fish
Fruit Compote (Khoshaf)
Fruit Compote (Uzvar)
lime (loomi)
Drinks: African beer
African teas
Avocado Drink
Baobab Juice
Cardamom Tea
Cinnamon Tea
Coffee (Qahwa)
coffee ritual
Fruit Cordial
Ginger Beer
kava
Kazakh Tea (Chai)
Kvass
Latvian Gira
Mint Kvass
Russian Fruit Kvass
Soursop Smoothie
Tea (Chai)
Tiger Nut Drink (Horchata de Chufa),
Dulce de leche
Dumplins: of Antigua and Barbuda
Dumplings of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Dumplings or Bakes
Festival (fritters)
Flour Dumplings
Haluski dumplings
Pine Nut–Stuffed Bulgur Dumplings (Kibbeh Mahshi)
Dutch process chocolate

East Asian table settings
East Timor
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Easter: Bread (Pagnotta)
Cheese Cake with Candied Fruit and Nuts (Paskha)
Cookies (Figolli)
Doughnuts (Ástarbollur)
Eating utensils and customs: chopsticks and bowls
eating with hands
knife and fork
Ecuador
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Spiced Sweet Squash (Dulce de Calabaza),
styles of eating
Sweet potatoes (ipomoea batata)
typical dishes of
Edible insects and other land invertebrates
Eggplant: about
in Coconut Milk
Curry (Brinjal Pahi)
Dip (Ajvar)
Relish (Ayvar)
Salad (Pindzhur)
Salad (Uukkous Al-Badinjan)
Spread
Stacks (Badamjan Gatlamasy)
Stew (Khoresht-e Badenjan)
with Tahina (Batlijan biTahina)
with Tahina (M’tabbal)
in Yogurt Sauce (Benjan ka Bhurta)
with Yogurt Sauce (Bouranee Baunjan, also Burani Bonjon)
Egg(s): Cassava and Egg (Gari Foto)
Egg Curry
Egg Rolls, Fresh (Fresh Lumpia)
with Gari (Gari Foto)
and Leeks (Hachis de Poireaux)
Scotch Eggs
Soup (Eggjamjólk)
and Tomatoes (Avga Matia me Saltsa Domatas)
Egusi Sauce
Egypt
Ali’s Mom (Umm ‘Ali)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Meat Omelet (Eggah)
Pigeon (Kolbasti)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
El Salvador
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
pupusas, Maria Jose Santos prepares
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Endive
Equatorial Guinea
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles and eating
typical dishes of
Yam and Shrimp Stew
Eritrea
description of
foodstuffs of
Hot Sauce (Awase)
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Esh Asaraya (or Aysh al Saraya)
Estonia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ethiopia
coffee ritual
description of
foodstuffs of
Injera bakes on banana leaves, Ethiopia
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Eton Mess
European table-setting traditions
Eve’s Pudding
Falafel
Fava bean
Feijoada
Fennell
Fermented: Fish Relish (Mitiore)
Millet Porridge (Amboli)
North Baltic Herring (Surströmming)
Pancake (Injera)
Festive: Dish for New Year (Le Thiéré Bassi)
Rice (Al Koodhy)
Yam Dish (Oto)
Fiddleheads
Figolla
Fiji
Coconut Fish Soup
description of
foodstuffs of
Fresh Fish (Kokoda)
Ginger Fish
map of
plantains and bananas
styles of eating
Sweet Potato Bread
typical dishes of
Finadene
Finland
coffee consumption
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Poronkäristys
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Fish: Balls (Boulettes)
in Banana Leaf (Liboké de Poisson)
Cakes with Mustard Sauce (Bitki s Zapravkoi Gorchichnoi)
Casserole (Potravwa Zapiekana)
in Coconut
with Coconut Milk (Sousi Pa)
Croquettes (Samaki wa Kusonga)
Fish Salad of Vanuatu
Fresh Fish (Kokoda)
and Fufu (Sauce Claire et Fufu)
and Greens
Grilled Fish
and Kale (Mbisi Ye Kalou Na Loso)
in Mustard Sauce (Sorse Bata Diya Maach)
Packet (Samakhi Lowumbo)
Packets (Abala)
Packets (Ikan Saboko)
and Pepper Sauce in Palm Oil (Capitaine à Pili-Pili)
Pies (Pastels)
and Plantains
and Potato Croquettes (Cutlus)
Pudding (Fiskebudding)
with Rice (Mezroota)
sauce
in Sauce (Marake Kaloune)
Soup (Aljotta)
Soup (Caldo de Peixe)
Stew
Stew (Bouillon de Poisson)
Stew (Calulu de Peixe)
Stew (Lakh-Lalo)
Stew with Rice
Stew with Vegetables (Maan Nezim Nzedo)
Stewed Salt Fish
in Tomato Sauce (Peixe ao Tomate)
with Vegetables (Peixe Cocido com Verduras). See also Freshwater fish dishes; Seafood dishes
Flan: Caramel Flan (Banh Dua Ca Ra Men)
Flour Dumplings
Food: and class: cooking and cuisine
and gender
and religious prohibitions
taboos
France
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
potato, fact about
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Freshwater fish dishes: Fish and Greens
Fish and Plantains
Fried: Banana Rolls (Chek Chien)
Bean Balls (Phulauri)
Beans (Ibiharage)
Beef Dumplings (Pangsit)
Bread (Faraoa Funpana)
Cake (Torta Frita)
Cheese Turnovers (Dabgadz Banir Boerag)
Chicken of Nauru
Chicken of U.S.A.
Chicken with Butter Sauce
Chicken with Peanut Butter Sauce (Poulet à la N’gatietro)
Chili and Tomato Sauce (Sambal Tomat Tumis)
Dumplings (Barbaguian, also Barba-juan)
Dumplings (Malisorske Priganice)
Fish in Peanut Sauce
Green Plantains (Patacones)
Herring in Onion Sauce (Silke Cepts ar Sipoli Merce)
Liver (Sikotaki Afelia)
Locust (Tinjiya)
Meat Pies (Khoorshoor, also Huurshuur)
Meatballs (Bitotski)
Meatballs (Qofte të Fërguara)
Mixed Fries
Moselle Fish (Friture de la Moselle)
Noodles (Mee Goreng)
Noodles with Seafood (Char Kuay Teow, also Char Kuoi Teow)
Papaya (Mamão Frito)
Pepper Salad (Salata de Ardei Prajiti)
Plantain (Loco)
Plantain (Patacones)
Plantain Fish Fritters (Banane-Poisson Panné)
Plantains (Aloko)
Plantains (Bananes Pesées)
Plantains (Mizuzu)
Plantains of St. Kitts and Nevis
Plantains of Zambia
Potato Patties (Bulviu Maltiniai)
Rice (Chao Fan)
Rice (Nasi Goreng)
Soup (Shorba)
Spiced Doughnuts (Sel Roti, also Shel Roti)
Squash Patties
Tomatoes (Bandoora Maqliya Ma’ thoom)
Yam (Koliko)
Zucchini with Sour Cream (Dovlecei Prajiti cu Smantana)
Fritanga
Fritters: Apple Fritters (Bunyols de Poma)
Beignets fritters
of Benin
Benin fritters
Borsok fritters
Breadfruit Fritters
Callaloo Fritters
with Chocolate (Churros con Chocolate)
Festival fritters
Verwurrelt Gedanken fritters
Vitumbuwa fritters
White Fish Fritters
Fruit: Balls (Kurore)
Cocktail Jelly (Blanc Manger)
and Coconut Drink (Maji ya Matunda na Nazi)
Compote (Kompot)
Cordial
Custard
Dumplings (Ovocné Knedličky)
Ice (Kōri)
Ice (Sharbatee Gulab)
Juice (Jus de Fruit)
Pies (Kolaches)
Pilaf (Shirin Pilau)
Ravioli (Sadni Zhlikrofi)
Salad (Salady Voankazo)
Salad of Niger
Salad of the Philippines
Soup (Marak Perot)
Fry Bread
Fudge (Sheer Payra)
Fudge Brownies
Fufu, recipe for
Fugu
Funge
Gabon
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Galettes
Galicia (Galiza)
The Gambia
description of
foodstuffs of
Gambian family shares a meal of benachin
map of
Stewed Mangoes
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Garam masal
Gari/Gali, recipe for
Garlic: Fish Sauce (Nuoc Mam Cham)
Pork
Sausage Soup (Sopa de Chorizo)
Georgia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Germany
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ghana
Banana Peanut Cake
Cinnamon Bananas
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Plantain Cake
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ghee
Ghee, making and using of
Ghuraiba
Gibanica
Ginger: Avocado, Radish, Peanut, and Ginger Salad (Slaai)
Bananas
beer
Coffee (Qishr)
Fish
Juice (Jus de Gingembre)
Milk (Zanjabil ma Haleeb)
Pickle (Achaar)
Salad (Gin Thoke)
Snaps (Pepparkakor)
Snow Peas
Gira
Githeri
Glutinous (sticky) rice in Asia
Gnocchi (potato dumplings)
Goat and Greens
Goat Water (Stew)
Goguma chabssal doughnuts
Gourd: Fritters (Boothee Kyaw)
Relish (Chichandaa Satani)
Gramajo Omelet
Greece
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Green: Bean Soup (Bors de Fasole Verde)
Bean Soup (Bou’neschlupp)
Bean Soup (Sopa de Feijao Verde)
Beans in Groundnut Sauce
Coconut with Palm Molasses (Poi)
Corn Pudding
Eggs (Grüner Eier)
Mealie Loaf
Papaya Jam
Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Houng)
Pea Soup (Erwten Soep)
Pea Soup (Grønærtesuppe)
Sauce
Tea Ice Cream (Matcha Aisu Kurïmu)
Greens: in Peanut Sauce (Ifisashi)
with Peanuts (Pla’sas)
and Rice (Riz Vert)
with Seafood and Sesame (Gboman)
Grenada
Bakes
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Oil-Down
Roast Pork
Spice and Lime Cake
style of eating
typical dishes of
Grilled: Angolan Grilled Pork (Costeleta de Porco à Angolana)
Fish
Ibija or Milkfish
Plantain Coconut Parcels (Lompong Pisang)
Plantain of Togo
Sesame Chicken (Sach Moan Ang La Ngor)
Skewered Chicken (Yakitori)
Steak (Carne Asada)
Vegetable Paste (Mafghoussa)
Groats: Buckwheat Groats with Mushrooms and Onions (Grechnevaya Kasha)
Groundnut(s): Cassava and Groundnuts
Chop
defined
and peanuts in Africa
Sauce
Soup
Stew
Stew (Domoda)
Stew with Chicken
Guam
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Microwave Mochi
Relish (Finadene)
Spam Fried Rice
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Guanábana
Guatemala
Corn tortillas
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Guinea
description of
Fish and Greens
foodstuffs of
map of
Okra Rice
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Guinea Bissau
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Peas and Meat
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Guyabano (guayabano)
Guyana
Callaloo Fritters
Cassava Pone
Coconut Ice Cream
Cook-Up Rice
description of
foodstuffs of
Garlic Pork
Guyanese Pepper Pot
Kanki and
Mango Pepper Sauce
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Guyanese Pepper Pot
Hagelslag
Hainan ji fan
Haiti
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Hajvar
Haluski dumplings
Halva
Halva (Khalvo)
Halwa
Hands, eating with
“Happy Birthday to You” song
Harees
Hazelnuts
Hearth
Hibiscus sabdariff
Hinduism and food
Hoddeok
Holland. See The Netherlands
Honduras
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Honey: Baked Plantain Rolls
Bars (Uchibar)
Cake (Bint al Sahn)
Cake (Bolo de Mel)
Glazed Puffs (Baamieh, also Zoolbiah)
Muffins (Bizcochitos de Miel)
Orange Bread (Pan de Miel con Naranja)
Yeast Bread (Yemarina Yewotet Dabo)
Horchata
Hot: Breakfast Cereal (La Bouillie)
Chili Sauce (Harissa)
Pepper Sauce, Mozambique version (PiriPiri)
Pepper Sauce (Sakay)
Pepper Sauce (Shitor Din)
Pot (Huoguo)
Relish (Adzhika)
Sandwiches (Pambazos)
Sauce (Awase)
and Sour Soup with Prawns (Tom Yam Goong)
“Hot” and “Cold” foods, common belief about
Humintas
Hungary
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ice Cream: Coffee Ice Cream (Gelato di Caffe)

Green Tea Ice Cream (Matcha Aisu Kurïmu)
Mango Ice Cream
Ice Pops
Iced Lemon Yogurt (Durap or Dogh)
Iceland
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Igisafuriya
Imam bayildi
India
Carrot Halva
description of
foodstuffs of
ghee, making and using of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Indonesia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Injera baking on banana leaves, Ethiopia
Insect delicacies
Iran
description of
foodstuffs of
Iranian man barbecuing chicken
map of
styles of eating
Sweet Paste (Halva)
typical dishes of
Iraq
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Plain Rice (Timman)
style of eating
typical dishes of
Ireland
Apple Scones
Boiled Smoke Pork and Cabbage
Cod Cobbler
Colcannon
description of
foodstuffs of
Irish Stew
map of
Potato Pie Dessert
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Irimshik
Irish Fraughan Cake
Islam and food
Israel
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Italy
description of
foodstuffs of
gnocchi (potato dumplings)
map of
Ricotta Cheesecake
styles of eating
typical dishes of

Jainism and food
Jamaica
Bammy
description of
Festival (fritters)
foodstuffs of
Jerk Burger
Jerk Seasoning
map of,
styles of eating
Toto
typical dishes of
Japan
description of
foodstuffs of
Fruit Ice (Kōri)
Green Tea Ice Cream (Matcha Aisu Kurïmu)
map of
Pearl Onions in Walnut Miso Salad Dressing (Kotamanegi no Kurumi Miso Ae)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Jerk Burger
Jerk Seasoning
Johnnycakes
Jordan
Coffee (Qahwa)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Judaism and food
Jug-Jug
Kacamak
Kacang, ice
Kachumbali
Kaiserschmarrn
Kalbi-gui
Kanki
Kava
Kaymak
Kazakh Tea (Chai)
Kazakhstan
description of
foodstuffs of
Kazakh Tea (Chai)
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Keffir
Kenkey, recipe for
Kenya
Bean Stew
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Mango Ice Cream
Rice Pancakes
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Kesme (noodle soup)
Key Lime Mousse
Khao Niao
Khao Niao Ma Muang
Khinkalis
Kima
Kimchee (pickles)
Kina
Kiribati
Corned Beef Stew
description of
foodstuffs of
Ice Pops
map of
Samoan Poi
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Kisiel
Kiwi Cream
Kleicha
Knife and fork
Koeksisters
Kofta
Kokoda Fish
Kopto Sauce
Korea
description of
foodstuffs of
Kimchee (pickles)
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Koshari
Kosovo
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Krakelinge
Kubbeh
Kue
Kumiss
Kunafa, or knafeh
Kurdistan
Chickpea Salad
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Okra and Stuffed Bulgur (Kubbeh Bamya; Kibbeh Bamya)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Kurrajong Muffins
Kuwait
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Sponge Cake
styles of eating
Tea (Chai)
typical dishes of
Kvass
Latvian Gira
Mint Kvass
Romanian Cvas
Russian Fruit Kvass
Kyrgyzstan
Baked Beef
Beshbarmak
description of
foodstuffs of
Fritters (Borsok)
map of
Noodle Soup (Kesme)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ladin
Lakh
Lamb dishes: Baked Lamb (Khorkhog, also Horhog)
Lamb and Date Stew
Nomad-Style Lamb
Lamingtons
Lancashire Hotpot
Laos
description of
foodstuffs of
glutinous (sticky) rice
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
L’Assiette des Assiettes
Latiya
Latterday Saints (dessert)
Latvia
Alexander Torte
description of
foodstuffs of
Latvian Gira
map of
Pea Patties
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Lebanon
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
style of eating
typical dishes of
Leche flan
Lemon: Anise Flan (Flan de Limón)
grass
Porridge
and Rose-Water Syrup (Sharbat E-Bomya)
Syllabub
Lentil(s): Black Lentil Fritters (Bara, also Badha)
Salad (Amanida de Llenties)
Stew (Dhal)
Stew (Tsebhi Birsen)
Lesotho
Curried Meat
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Peanut Bread,
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Liberia
Cassava Cake
Chicken Peanut Soup
description of
foodstuffs of
Liberian Cake
map of
Monrovia Greens
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Liboké
Libya
description of
foodstuffs of
lamb meat being grilled
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Lichtenstein
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Lithuania
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Lokum
Louise Cake
Love Cake
Lu sipi
Lumpia
Lunch dishes: Baked Beans (Prebranac)
Breadfruit and Fish
Chicken Jalfrezi
Coconut Fish Soup
Coronation Chicken
Fish Stew with Rice
Orange Rice
Papaya Fish Soup
Pea Soup
Pineapple Fishballs
Spam Fried Rice
Stew (Sancoche)
Stewed Chicken
Stuffed Papaya
Tuna à la King
Luxembourg
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of

Macadamia Nut Pie
Macedonia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Poppy-Seed Cake
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Madagascar
bananas being grilled for sale
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mafé
Maize (Zea mais)
Makheua phuang
Malawi
description of
Fish and Plantains
foodstuffs of
Malawi Curry Powder
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Malaysia
chicken satay on the grill
Curry Puffs
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Maldives
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mali
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
Sweet Mango Omelet
typical dishes of
Mallows (Malva sylvestris)
Malta
description of
Fish Soup (Aljotta)
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mango: Chutney
Ice Cream (Aam ki Kulfi, also Aam Kulfi)
Ice Cream of Kenya
and Passion Fruit Milkshake
Pepper Sauce
Poke
Manioc
Fries (Mandioca Frita)
Leaf Puree (Kpwem)
Puree (Pirão)
Marinated: Fish (‘Ota ‘Ika)
Flying Fish (Ika Mata)
Skewered Meat (Sosaties)
Zucchini (Concia)
Marshall Islands
description of
Dried Fish
foodstuffs of
Macadamia Nut Pie
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Matoke I (Plain)
Matoke II (Fancy)
Mauritania
Couscous
Date Cake
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Nomad-Style Lamb
Pepper Steak
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mauritius
Curry Sauce
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Pancakes (Faratas) of Mauritius
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mbika with meat
Meat dishes: Algerian Meatballs (Kofte)
Aussie Burger
Braised Meat with Olives (Tajine)
Breadfruit and Beef
Cheese Meatloaf
Corned Beef Cakes
Curried Meat
Cutlets (Cutlus)
Goat and Greens
Guyanese Pepper Pot
Hot Pot (Huoguo)
Jerk Burger
Jug-Jug
Mbika with
Meat and Okra Sauce
Meat Pies (Sambusa)
Minced Meat Grill (Kafta ‘al Seekh)
Nomad-Style Lamb
Peas and Meat
Pepper Pot
Pepper Steak
Roast Pork
Spam Fried Rice
Spiced Meatballs
wiener schnitzel. See also Beef; Lamb dishes; Meatballs; Meatloaf
Meatballs: Fried Meatballs (Bitotski)
with Lemon Sauce (Keftedes me Avgolemono Saltsa)
Meatballs (Koftah)
Meatballs (Koftay)
with Sour Cream (Klopsk w Smietanie)
Stuffed with Nuts, Fruit, and Spices (Icli Kofte)
with white sauce served with potatoes and salad
Meatloaf: Banana Meatloaf
Cheese
of New Zealand
Rolled Meatloaf Stuffed with Macaroni (Rulada de Carne Tocata Umpluta cu Macaroane)
Mechoui
Melissa
Melktert
Methods of cooking
Mexico
Avocado, Orange, and Radish Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate con Naranja y Rábanos)
description of
foodstuffs of
maize (Zea mais)
map of
mole poblano (mole from Puebla)
styles of eating
tamales, preparation of
typical dishes of
Barbecued Chicken
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Microwave Mochi
Milk: about
Bake (Lap Lap)
Balls (Ras Goolay, also Rasgula)
and Cinnamon Rice (Arroz con Leche)
coconut milk (thin)
cream and coconut milk
Fudge (Doodh Peda)
Fudge (Dulce de Leche)
Fudge–Filled Cookies (Alfajores)
Jelly (Gelatin a la Ponche Crema)
Layered Cake (Bienmesabe)
with Rice (Alaguan)
Rice (Kiribath)
Sour Milk Pancakes
Tart (Melktert)
Tea (Suutei Tsai)
Tea with Toasted Millet
Millet: Balls in Yogurt (Fura da Nono)
Porridge (Fura Gero)
Snack
Millet beer from Central Africa (Dolo)
Minced: Chicken (Jasha Maroo)
Meat Casserole (Bobotie)
Meat Grill (Kafta ‘al Seekh)
Meat Kebabs (Kofta)
Mish
Mititei, Romanian grilled ground meat rolls
Mixed: Citrus Fruit Salad (Ameelo Saandhehko)
Dried Fruit and Nut Compote (Khushaf)
Fries
Fruit Drink (Es Teler)
Fruit Salad (Rojak Buah)
Stew (Papazyaniya)
Vegetable Pickles (Pikliz)
Vegetable Stew (Shamday, also Shamdhe)
Vegetables (Masala Subzi)
Vegetables (Turli Perimesh)
Mohingar
Mokary
Moldova
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mole: about
Mole poblano (mole from Puebla)
sauces
Molokhiya
Momos
Monaco
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Stuffed Vegetables with Tuna and Sardines (Petits Farcis Thon et Sardines)
style of eating
typical dishes of
Mongolia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Monrovia Greens
Montenegro
Cherry Baklava
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mopane Worms
Morocco
Couscous Marrakech
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Moroccan tajine
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Mozambique
description of
foodstuffs of
Hot Pepper Sauce, Mozambique version (PiriPiri)
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Zambezia
Muffins: Honey Muffins (Bizcochitos de Miel)
Kurrajong Muffins
Mushroom(s): in a Blanket (Kepti Grybai Tedthloje)
in Cheese Sauce (Shamu Datshi)
in Garlic (Champignons à l’Ail)
and Lemon Sauce (Sauce aux Champignons et Citron)
Salad (Suomalainen Sienisalaatti)
Mutton: about
on-the-Bone (Beshbarmak)
and Cranberry Beans (Mish Deleje me Barbunja)
Soup (Fah-Fah)
Soup (Guriltai Shul)
Soup (Shorpo)
and Vegetable Stew (Mastoba)
Myanmar (Burma)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Namibia
description of
foodstuffs of
Green Corn Pudding
map of
style of eating
typical dishes of
Veldt Bread
Namul
Nanaimo Bar
Nauru
description of
foodstuffs of
Fried Chicken
map of
Mixed Fries
styles of the
typical dishes of
Nepal
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
The Netherlands
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
style of eating
typical dishes of
New Caledonia
Boiled Yam
Breadfruit and Beef
Breadfruit and Fish
Breadfruit Fritters
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Papaya Fish Soup
Pineapple Fishballs
Stuffed Papaya
styles of eating
typical dishes of
New Zealand
ANZAC Biscuits
Asparagus Soup
Baked Fish Steaks
Banana Sandwiches
description of
foodstuffs of
Ginger Beer
Kiwi Cream
Louise Cake
map of
Meatloaf
Pavlova
styles of eating
typical dishes of
White Fish Fritters
Nicaragua
description of
foodstuffs of
Kopto Sauce
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Niger
Baobab Juice
description of
foodstuffs of
Fruit Salad
Kopto Sauce
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Nigeria
Afang Soup
description of
foodstuffs of
Groundnut Chop
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Nihari
Nomad-Style Lamb
Noodle(s) dishes: and Beef (Chapjae, also Japchae)
and Cottage Cheese Casserole (Lokshyna, Zapechena z Syrom)
with Meat Sauce (Kespe)
with Melted Cheese and Fresh Vegetable Sauce (Qurutob)
Pork Noodles (Fing)
with Seafood (Char Kuay Teow, also Char Kuoi Teow)
and Shellfish
Soup (Kesme)
Sweet Vermicelli (Kadaif)
Wheat Noodles in Coconut Chicken Soup (Ohn-no-Kauk-swey). See also Pasta dishes
Norway
Creamed Rice
description of
Flour Dumplings
foodstuffs of
map of
pizza and
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Nsima
Nut(s): Chicken in Nuts (Poulet au Gnemboue)
and Orange Pie (Postre de Nueces y Naranja)
Pastries (Koliche)
and Raisin-Filled Dumplings (Kobariški Štruklji)
in Sweet Yogurt (Gulio Dahi)
O’ al
Oil-Down
Okra: and Greens (Ngumbo)
Rice
Salad (Bamia Saladi)
Sauce (Dongo-Dongo)
Soup
Soup (Supakanja)
and Stuffed Bulgur (Kubbeh Bamya; Kibbeh Bamya)
Oleleh
Oman
description of
foodstuffs of
Lamb and Date Stew
map of
Omani mashed dates
styles of eating
Tea (Chai)
typical dishes of
Omelettes: Cornmeal Omelet (Mote Pillo)
Gramajo Omelet
Meat Omelet (Eggah)
Sweet Mango Omelet
Omenapiirakka
Onion(s): Flat Bread (Fiyaa Roshi)
Flavored Flat Bread (Non)
Stuffed with Beets (Burokëliais Ádaryti Svogûnai)
Tart (Tarte à l’Oignon)
and Tomato Relish (Sebolada)
Oppot
Orange: and Almond Cake (Meskouta)
and Coriander Pork
Custard (Flan de Naranja)
and Lemon Muffins (Queques de Laranja e Limão)
Nut Cake (Ugat Tapuzim ve Egozim)
Rice
Semolina Cake (Portakalli Revani)
Pagnotta
Pakistan
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Meatballs (Koftay)
Stir-fried Spicy Chicken (Jalfraizi)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Palau
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Soursop Smoothie
Steamed Clams
styles of leading
Taro Patties
typical dishes of
Palava
Palestine
description of
falafel
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Palillo
Palm oil
Paloo (rice pilaf)
Pan
Panama
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Sighs (Súspiros)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Pancakes: Apple Pancake (Apfelschmarrn)
Bakes
Banana Pancakes
with Cottage Cheese (Palacinke sa Sirom)
Pancake (Nang)
Pancakes (Faratas) of Mauritius
Pancakes (Kuimak)
Pancakes (Kuimak) of Kazakhstan
Rice Pancakes
Sour Milk Pancakes
Pandanus
Panela
Papaya: Breakfast Papaya
Candy (Mapopo)
Coconut Preserve (Cabanga)
Coconut Sweet (Faka-ovaka)
and Egg Pudding (Ovos Moles de Papaia)
Fish Soup
Green Papaya Jam
pawpaw and papaya
Pepper, and Avocado Salad (Ensalada Mixta)
Pie
Rings
Salad with Papaya Dressing
Soup (Soupe de Papaya)
Stuffed Papaya
Papua New Guinea
Baked Sweet Potato
Banana Pancakes
Breadfruit Scones
Chicken Pot
description of
foodstuffs of
Kokoda Fish
map of
styles of eating
typical foods of
Yam Patties
Paraguay
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Parmentier, Antoine-Augustin
Parsley: about
and Cracked Wheat Salad (Tabouleh)
Passion fruit
Passover (Haroset)
Pasta and pizza, fact about
Pasta dishes: Alpine Macaroni (Aelplermagrone)
Pashtrovic-Style Macaroni (Pashtrovski Makaruli). See also Noodle(s) dishes
Pastels
Pastries: Alexander Torte
Apple Scones
Cherry Baklava
Fritters (Borsok)
Vanilla Slice
Pâté
Pavlova
Pawpaw and papaya
Payasam
Pea Patties
Pea Soup
Peanut(s): about
Balls
Biscuits (Kulikuli)
Bread
Butter–Stuffed Wheat Balls (Baki Koufta)
Cream
and Meat Stew (Mafé)
Pancake (Ban Jian Kway)
Puffs (Mtedza)
Rice Candy (Kanyah)
Salad of Vanuatu
Sauce
Sauce (Tsebhi Shiro)
Soup (Pinda Soep)
Soup (Shorba)
Squares (Kanya)
Peas and Meat
Peda or dudh peda
Pepper: Pot
Sauce (Harissa)
Sauce (Poutou)
Steak
Peru
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Philippines
Adobo
description of
foodstuffs of
Fruit Salad
Leche flan
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Pickled: Barbados Pickled Fish
cabbage
Cabbage (Curtido)
Fish (Peixe Escabeche)
Herring (Sursild)
Mushrooms (Marinovannye Griby)
olives
Radish (Sonlabu)
Pickles
definition of
in East Asia
fermentation
long pickles
in the Middle East
in northern and eastern Europe
pickled cabbage
pickled olives
pickling
short pickles
in Southeast Asia
types of
U. S. pickling traditions
Pies: Almond and Melon Pie (Galapian)
Fish Pies (Pastels)
Guava Pies (Boulette de Goyave),
Macadamia Nut Pie
Meat Pies (Sambusa)
Papaya Pie
Vanilla Slice
Pigeon (Kolbasti)
Pilaf(s): about
Armenian Pilaf (Prinzov Pilaf )
Paloo (rice pilaf)
Pindzur
Pineapple: Boats
Chicken Soup
Fishballs
Lettuce Salad
Orange Sherbet
Pie (Paifala)
and Rice Drink (Horchata con Piña)
Tarts (Feng Li Su)
Pintxo (Tapa)
Pita Bread (Khubz)
Plain Rice (Timman)
Plantain(s): about
and bananas
and Beans
and Beef Stew (Mtori)
Cake
Cakes (Tatale)
in Coconut Milk (La Daube de Banane Plantain)
and Crayfish (Kekefia)
Fish Fritters (Banane-Poisson Panné)
Fried Plantains of St. Kitts and Nevis
Fried Plantains of Zambia
Grilled Plantain
images of
Pudding (Ukwaka)
Puree (Bouillie de Banane et Plantain)
Stew (Leme Tsolola)
Turnovers (Tortas de Plátano)
Upside-Down Spice Cake
Plov
Plum: Sauce (Tkemali)
Tart (Quetscheflued)
Tart (Tarte aux Pruneaux Genevois)
Po’e
Poi
Poisonous foods
Poke and Cassava
Poland
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Polenta
Polynesian earth oven (umu, hangi)
Pomegranate
Poppy-Seed: Cake
Cookies (Aguonų Sausainiai)
Doughnuts (Crafons, also Krapfen)
Muffins (Bögrés Mákos Muffin)
Pork dishes: Angolan Grilled Pork (Costeleta de Porco à Angolana)
Boiled Smoke Pork and Cabbage
Garlic Pork
Pork Buns
Pork Noodles (Fing)
Pork with Prunes and Orange Juice (Llom amb Prunes i Suc de Taronja)
Roast Pork
Steamed Buns with Barbecued Pork Filling (Cha Shao Pao, Cha Siu Bao)
Sweet and sour pork
Poronkäristys
Porridge: in the Baltic
Lemon Porridge
Sweet Rice Porridge (Bouiller). See also African staple (baton de manioc, chikwangue, fufu, fulde or
funge, nsima, sadze, ugau)
Portakalli
Portugal
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Potato Salad: Beef and Potato Salad (Vainakh Saladi)
Potato Salad (Rasols) of Latvia
Russian Style (Ensalada Rusa)
Salad (Rasols)
Salad, Russian Style (Ensalada Rusa)
Sweet Potato Salad
of Turkmenistan
Potato(es): about
and Anchovy Casserole or Jansson’s Temptation (Jansson’s Frestelse)
Balls (Komes)
Bread
Carrot, Potato and Carrot Pies (Sklandu Rausi)
and Carrot Pies (Sklandu Rausi)
Casserole (Bryndzove Halusky)
in Cheese Sauce (Kewa Datshi)
and Cheese with Gravy (Poutine)
and Corn Pie (Pastel de Papa con Elote)
Curry (Kukulhu Bis Riha)
Cutlets (Aloo Tiki)
Dessert (La Daube Patate)
Dumplings (Kartoffelknoedel)
Dumplings (Klubb)
Fritters (Gromperekichelcher)
Gnocchi (potato dumplings)
and Green Bean Salad (Iguashte)
Grosti (Grosti da Patac)
Loaf (Braç de Puré)
and Meat Packets (Boulanee)
Omelet (Omeleta com Batata Doce)
Patties (Bulviu Maltiniai)
Pie Dessert
Porridge (Bubur Chacha)
Porridge (Mocani Kacamak)
Pound
Slices (Gallitos de Papa)
Soufflé (Soufflé de Batata Doce)
Soup (Prechganka)
Soup (Zemiakova Polievka)
Soup Zagorje Style (Zagorska Juha od Krumpira)
Stew (Puchero)
Stew (Xiangzhai)
with Tomato-Chili Sauce (Patatas Bravas)
Yogurt Potatoes (Batata bil Laban). See also Sweet Potato(es)
Pottery
Prawns: with Coconut and Bulgur
in Coconut Cream (Crevettes en Coco)
Prawn Palava
Prekmurska Gibanica
Puddings: Apple and Barley Cream Pudding
Banana Nut Putting
Bread Pudding of St. Kitts and Nevis
Carrot Pudding
Cassava Pudding
Cassava Pudding (I)
Eton Mess
Eve’s Pudding
Green Corn Pudding
Queen Mary Pudding
Sweet Corn Pudding (Chè Bǻp)
Pulaos
Pumpkin: Cake
with Peanut Sauce (Nhopi Dovi)
and Pork Meatball Soup (Samlor La Pov Sach Chrouk)
Soup (Soup Joumou, also Soupe Giraumon)
Soup of Australia
Soup of Swaziland
or Squash Cake
or Squash Sweet (Kawa)
in Syrup (Shirini)
Tarts (Khingalsh)
Pupusa (savory pastries)
Pureed Peas
Qataieyf
Qatar
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Minced Meat Grill (Kafta ‘al Seekh)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Qotaab
Queen Mary Pudding
Quesada pasiega

Raisin Buns
Ramadan
Red: Beans (Frijoles)
Cabbage with Sour Cream Sauce (Porskinti Raudoni Kapustai)
Cooked Chicken (Ayam Masak Merah)
Fruit Pudding (Rauðgrautur)
Paste (Pâte Rouge)
Pepper and Chickpea Salad (Ensalada)
Pepper Relish (Hajvar)
Religion and food prohibitions
Rhubarb
Rice (oryza spp.): absorption method of preparation
cultivars of
facts about
glutinous (sticky) rice in Asia
rapid boil method of preparation
rice cultures, “central-bowl”and “individual-bowl,”
short and long grain
species of
Rice dishes: Armenian Pilaf (Prinzov Pilaf)
Black-Eyed Peas
Cook-Up Rice
Creamed Rice
Okra Rice
Orange Rice
Plain Rice (Timman)
Rice and Beans
rice and beans, image of
Rice flakes
Rice ‘n Peas
Rice Pancakes
Rice pilau
Rice Salad
Rice with Meat and Fava Beans (Fuul Ma‘ruz),
Zanzibar Pilau
Ricotta Cheesecake
Roast: Chicken Stew (Braunes Geflügelragout)
Chicken with Djenkoumé (Poulet Djenkoumé)
Pork
Stuffed Kid or Lamb (Kharoof Mahshi)
Romania
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Mititei, Romanian grilled ground meat rolls
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Russia
Bliny (pancakes) for sale outside the Moscow Kremlin
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Rwanda
Beef Stew
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Rye
Saffron
Sago: description of
preparation of
Salads: Avocado, Orange, and Radish Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate con Naranja y Rábanos)
Chickpea Salad
Country Salad
Dandelion Salad
Fruit Salad of Niger
Mango Poke
Monrovia Greens
Peanut Salad
Rice Salad
Sweet Potato Salad
Saltah
Samoa
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
traditional taualaga
typical dishes of
Samoan Poi
San Marino
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sandwiches: Banana Sandwiches
Sanzi
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sauces: African Hot Sauce
African hot sauces
Curry Sauce
Egusi Sauce
fish sauce
Green Sauce
Groundnut Sauce
Hot Pepper Sauce, Mozambique version (PiriPiri)
Hot Sauce (Awase)
Kopto Sauce
Mango Pepper Sauce
Meat and Okra Sauce
Peanut Sauce
Tart Kebab Sauce
Tuna à la King
Saudi Arabia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sausage(s): and Apple Cottage Pie
in Batter (Toad-in-the-Hole)
and Beans (Grah)
Casserole (Oravska Pochutka)
Stew (Chorizos en Cazuela)
Sautéed: Greens (Hamli)
Lamb (Kalajosh)
Savory: Custard Soup (Chawan Mushi)
Fritters (Ukoy)
Pastries (Pupusa)
Scones
Sea urchin
Seafood dishes: Avocados with Tuna (Abacate com Atum)
Baked Fish Steaks
Breadfruit and Fish
Cod Cobbler
Crab ‘n Rice
Dahomey Fish Stew
Dried Fish
Fish and Greens
Fish in Coconut
Fish Pies (Pastels)
Fish Stew of Zambia
Fresh Fish (Kokoda)
Ginger Fish
Green Sauce
Grilled Fish
Kokoda Fish
Papaya Fish Soup
Pickled Fish
Prawn Palava
Steamed Clams
Stewed Salt Fish
White Fish on Black-Eyed Peas Appetizer (L’Assiette des Assiettes). See also Freshwater fish dishes
Seasoned Breadfruit
Semolina: Cake (Basbousa)
Cereal (Farka)
and Citrus Syrup Cake (Revani)
Coconut Syrup Cake (Juz al Hind)
Porridge (Mannaya Kasha)
Syrup Cake (Hareesa)
and Syrup Dessert (Ma’mounia)
Senegal
description of
Dorado (gilt head bream)
Fish Pies (Pastels)
foodstuffs of
Fritters (Beignets)
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Serbia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sesame seeds
Seychelles
description of
foodstuffs of
Ginger Bananas
Grilled Fish
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Shahi tukda (shahi tukra)
Sharbat
Shira (rose syrup)
Shrimp: Balls (Chebeh Rubyan)
Coconut Soup (Chupe de Camarones con Coco)
Paste Relish (Balachaung, also Ngapi Kyaw)
Soup (Chupe de Camarone)
Stew (Murabyan)
Shuwa or tanour
Side dishes: African Spinach (Spinach à l’Afrique)
Bean Puree (Papula)
Bermudian Puree
Colcannon
Collard Greens
Cooked Greens
Cutlets (Cutlus)
Festival (fritters)
Fried Yam (Koliko)
Gingered Snow Peas
Green Sauce
Grilled Plantain
Groundnut Chop
Halva (Khalvo)
Mbika with meat
Mixed Fries
Monrovia Greens
Papaya Fish Soup
Pea Patties
Pineapple Fishballs
Plantains and Beans
Poke and Cassava
Pureed Peas
Rice and Beans
Squash with Peanuts
Taro Patties
Tomato Loofah
Yams with Tomatoes
Sierra Leone
Corned Beef Cakes
description of
eating styles of
foodstuffs of
Groundnut Stew
map of
Prawn Palava
typical dishes of
Sighs (Súspiros)
Simsim
Simsim Candies
Singapore
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Slovakia
description of
foodstuffs of
Haluski dumplings
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Slovenia
Dandelion Salad
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Slow Food Movement
Smörgåsbord
Smothered Chicken
Snacks: Almond and Sesame Pastries (Samsa)
Balls in Vanilla Syrup (Kaimati)
Banana Cake
Banana Fritters (Zitumbuwa),
Bananas in Cinnamon
Cassava Cake
Cassava Pone
Cinnamon Bananas
Coconut Bread
in Coconut Cream (Kuay Namuan)
Coconut Ice Cream
Cornmeal Pancakes
Curry Puffs
Fried Plantains of Zambia
Fudge Brownies
Green Papaya Jam
Liberian Cake
Millet Snack
Mopane Worms
Nomad-Style Lamb
Papaya Rings
Peanut Balls
Stewed Mangoes
Sweet Fritters of Djibouti
Sweet Paste (Halva)
Sweet Peanuts
Snert
Socca
Sodd
Sofrito
Solomon Islands
Cassava Pudding
description of
Fish in Coconut
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Somalia
Chicken Suqaar
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Meat Pies (Sambusa)
Papaya Rings
Spiced Mangoes
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sorrel Jelly
Sorrel Soup
Sosaties
Soups: Abidjan-Style Avocado Soup (Soupe d’Avocat Abidjanaise)
Afang Soup
Asparagus Soup
Beg’s Soup
Cheese Soup (Churu)
Chicken Peanut Soup
Coconut Fish Soup
Dumplins
Fish Soup (Aljotta)
Fried Soup (Shorba)
Groundnut Soup
Noodle Soup (Kesme)
Okra Soup
Pea Soup
Peas and Meat
Pumpkin Soup of Australia
Pumpkin Soup of Swaziland
Sorrel Soup
Sweet Cassava Soup (Chè San Nóng)
Sour Milk Pancakes
Soursop Smoothie
“Souse,”
South Africa
description of
foodstuffs of
Koeksisters
Krakelinge
map of
Sorrel Soup
styles of eating
typical dishes of
South Sudan
description of
foodstuffs of
Goat and Greens
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Spain
Churros con chocolate
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Pork with Prunes and Orange Juice (Llom amb Prunes i Suc de Taronja)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Spam Fried Rice
Spice: Cookies (Turtă Dulce)
and Lime Cake
Mix (Eritrean Berberé)
Mix (Ethiopian Berberé)
Mix (Garam Masala)
Mix (Massalé)
mixtures
Pancakes (Ambabour)
Spiced: Braised Meat (Nihari)
Hibiscus Tea or Juice (Karkanji)
Legumes (Metin Shuro)
Mangoes
Meat and Rice (Bariis Isku Dhex-Karis)
Meatballs
Scrambled Egg (Ekuri)
Skewered Meat (Tikka Kebab)
Sweet Squash (Dulce de Calabaza)
Spicy: Anchovies (Sambal Ikan Bilis)
Bean Mash (Bigilla)
Chicken (Tsebhi Derho)
Chicken Stew (Cafriela de Frango)
Chicken Stew (Doro-Wot)
Fried Plantains (Kelewele)
Meat and Coconut Burger (Rempah)
Pork and Egg Stew (Fritanga)
Sauce (Llajua)
Spinach: African Spinach (Spinach à l’Afrique)
Porridge (Isijabane)
and Simsim
Stew (Palava Sauce)
or Watercress Soup (Sop Bayam Jahe)
Sponge Cake
Spoons
Squash: and Apple Soup
Caramel Pudding (Gâteau de Citrouille)
and Coconut Cream Soup
Mash (Kiveve)
with Peanuts
or Pumpkin Cake
Sri Lanka
Cutlets (Cutlus)
description of
Egg Curry
foodstuffs of
Love Cake
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
St. Kitts and Nevis
Bread Pudding
description of
foodstuffs of
Fried Plantains
Goat Water (Stew)
map of
Rice ‘n Peas
Seasoned Breadfruit
Stewed Salt Fish
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Arrowroot Cakes
Codfish Cakes
description of
Dumplings
foodstuffs of
map of
Pea Soup
Stuffed Cucumbers
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Staple
Star anise
Steamed: Buns with Barbecued Pork Filling (Cha Shao Pao, Cha Siu Bao)
Cake (Puteni)
Carrot Roll (Zhuta)
Cinnamon Cake (Puligi)
Clams
Coconut and Cornmeal Parcels (Kanki)
Coconut Steamed Cakes (Mwata)
Corned Beef and Sweet Potato Packets
Filled Dumplings (Momo)
Fish Cake (Otak-Otak)
Meat-Filled Dumplings (Buuz)
Mutton Stew (Adzhabsanda)
Pastries (Doucana, also Dukanna)
Sponge Cake (Ma La Kao)
Steamer wrappings
Stewed: Cabbage and Potatoes
Chicken (Chakhokhbili)
Chicken of Trinidad and Tobago
Mangoes
Meat and Vegetables (Carne Gizado)
Pork and Cassava Leaves (Ravitoto sy Henakisoa)
Red Cabbage (Gedunsteter Rotkohl)
Salt Cod (Bacalao a la Biscaina)
Salt Fish
Stews: Algerian Couscous Stew
Bean Stew
Beef Stew of Rwanda
Chicken Stew of Uganda
Corned Beef Stew
Dahomey Fish Stew
Fish Stew of Zambia
Fish Stew with Rice
Goat Water (Stew)
Groundnut Stew of Sierra Leone
Guyanese Pepper Pot
Irish Stew
Lancashire Hotpot
Lentil Stew (Dhal)
Oil-Down
Stew (Sancoche) of Dominica
Yam and Shrimp Stew
Sticky Rice: and Banana Parcels (Khao Tom Mad)
and Mango (Khao Niao Mak Muang)
Stir-fried: Chicken (Aioan Chua Noeung Phset Kretni)
Chinese Cabbage
Spicy Chicken (Jalfraizi)
Vegetables (Chakalaka)
Stock or bouillon
Stuffed: Beef Roll (Fiambre)
Bell Peppers (Rocoto Relleno)
Bermuda Onions
Bread (Gyzzyrma Gutap)
Cabbage (Malfuf Mahshi bi Zayt)
Chicken (Töltött Csirke)
Crabs (Crabes Farcis)
Cucumbers
Dumplings (Manty)
Dumplings (Varenyky)
eggplant
Eggplant (Bringiel Mimli)
Eggplant (Hatzilim Memula’im)
Eggplant (Imam Bayildi)
Fish (Mahi Sefeed)
Fish Benachin (Benachin Ruff)
grape leaves
Grape Leaves (Abrak)
Grape Leaves (Koupepia)
Kale (Japraci)
Leg of Lamb (Mechoui)
Onions (Basal Mahshi)
Pancakes (Kutaby)
Papaya
Peppers (Polneti Piperki)
Peppers (Speca të Mbushura)
Pork-Stuffed Taro
Rolled Beef (Matambre)
Tomato (Bandoura Machschi)
Tomatoes (Domates Yemistes)
Vegetables with Tuna and Sardines (Petits Farcis Thon et Sardines)
Sudan
Cinnamon Tea
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Meatballs (Koftah)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sukkerkringler (sugar pretzels)
Supper dishes: Baked Beans (Prebranac)
Coronation Chicken
Pea Soup
Tuna à la King
Suriname
description of
foodstuffs of
Lentil Stew (Dhal)
Mango Chutney
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Súspiros
Swaziland
Cornmeal Pancakes
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Pumpkin Soup
Queen Mary Pudding
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sweden
description of
Fjaderholmarnas Christmas smörgåsbord
foodstuffs of
map of
Potato and Anchovy Casserole or Jansson’s Temptation (Jansson’s Frestelse)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Sweet: Apple Soufflés
Banana Rice Fritters (Rice Akara)
Bean Curd (Dou Hua)
Bread (Hembesha)
Buns (Pikkupullat)
Cassava Coconut Cake (Enyucado Dulce)
Cassava Dessert (Gari Dossi)
Cassava Soup (Chè San Nóng)
Cheese and Nut Dessert (Chennar Payesh)
Cheese Pastry (Kunafa)
Cheese-Filled Pancakes (Blincyki-Viercyki)
Coconut Balls (Beijinhos de Coco)
Coconut Rice Balls (Onde Onde)
Corn and Bell Pepper Casserole (Tarta de Morrón)
Corn Pudding (Chè Bap)
Couscous (Masfout)
Couscous and Sour Cream Pudding (Chakery)
Crescents (Qataieyf)
Dipping Sauce (Tirk Sa-Ieu Chu P’em)
Dumplings (Looqemat)
Filled Pancakes (Hoddeok, also Hotteok)
Fritters
Fritters (Lokma)
Lamb for Ramadan (El Hamlahlou)
Layer Cake (Gibanica)
Mango Omelet
Millet Fritters (Maasa)
Paime
Paste (Halva)
Peanut Butter–Juice Couscous Pudding (Lakh)
Peanuts
Plantain Turnovers (Empanadas de Plátano)
Plantains in Mole Sauce (Mole de Plátano)
Porridge (Buberts)
Porridge (Khabeesa)
Porridge (Kholvaitar)
Porridge (Ngalakh)
Pretzels (Sukkerkringler)
Red Bean Soup (Hong Dou Tang)
Red Beans (Maharagwe)
Rice (Muhammar)
Rice (Mulhammar)
Rice Porridge (Bouiller)
and sour pork
Vermicelli (Swayweih)
Yogurt and Mango (Pudding Ya Maziwa Lala)
Sweet Potato(es): about
Baked Sweet Potato
Bananas and Sweet Potato Casserole
Biscuits (Mbatata)
Bread
Cream (Crème ‘Umara)
Dessert (Camotillo)
Dessert (La Daube Patate)
Doughnuts (Goguma Doughnuts)
Fritters (Madoya Kamuti)
Omelet (Omeleta com Batata Doce)
Pineapple and Sweet Potato
Porridge (Bubur Chacha)
Potato Salad
Pudding (Ibijumba)
Salad
Soufflé (Soufflé de Batata Doce)
in Syrup
Tops Salad
Sweets
about
Algerian Charlotte
Apple Halwa
Butter Tart
Carrot Halva
Cinnamon Bananas
Coconut Bars
Fudge (Sheer Payra)
Fudge Brownies
Ice Pops
Kurrajong Muffins
Simsim Candies
Sorrel Jelly
Sweet Paime
Tamarind Balls
Switzerland
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Syria
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
Pita Bread (Khubz)
Rice with Meat and Fava Beans (Fuul Ma`ruz)
Shira (rose syrup)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Table settings, East Asian

Tahina (also tahini): cooking with
explanation of
Tahiti
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Taiwan
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
stinky tofu, traditional snack of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Tajikistan
description of
foodstuffs of
Halva (Khalvo)
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
tamales, preparation of
Tamarind Balls
Tanzania
description of
foodstuffs of
Fruit Pudding
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Tarator
Tarhana
Taro: and Coconut Balls (Utoar)
in Coconut Cream
in Coconut Sauce (Faikakai Topai)
Dessert (Po’e Tarua)
image of
Leaf Soup in Coconut Milk (Demok)
leaves
Patties
Pork-Stuffed Taro
Steamed Pudding
Tart Kebab Sauce
Tart(s): Almond (Tarte de Amêndoa)
Butter
Tea: African teas
Black tea facts
British tea drinking
Cardamom Tea
Cinnamon Tea
Ice tea fact
Tea (Chai)
Teff (Eragrostis tef )
Thailand
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Thiéré bassi
Tibet
Cheese Soup (Churu)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
tsampa (zanba)
typical dishes of
Titiml
Tkemali
Tofu: Chafing Dish Tofu (Tie Ban Dou Fu)
Togo
description of
foodstuffs of
Fried Yam (Koliko)
Grilled Plantain
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Tomatillo
Tomato(es): Black-Eyed Peas in Tomato Broth
Bread (Pa amb Tomàquet)
Chili and Tomato Sauce (Sambal Tomat Tumis)
and Egg Soup (Xi Hong Shi Ji Dan Tang)
and Eggs (Chakchouka)
and Green Onion Relish (Lasary Voatabia)
Loofah
and Onion Relish
Relish (Rougaille)
Sour Cream, and Bread (Shakarov)
and Sweet Pepper Sauce (Lecsó)
Yams with Tomatoes
Tonga
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Topoi
Toto
Trinidad and Tobago
Banana Nut Putting
Coconut Bake
description of
foodstuffs of
Latterday Saints
map of
Orange Rice,
Sorrel Jelly
Stewed Chicken
styles of eating
Sweet Paime
typical dishes of
Tropical: Fruit Salad
Fruit Sherbet
Seafood Salad
Truffles
Tsampa (zanba)
Tuna: à la King
in Turmeric and Coconut Milk (Thon au Safran)
Tunisia
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Tupa (tubo)
Turkey
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Turkmenistan
description of
foodstuffs of
Fried Soup (Shorba)
map of
Potato Salad
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Tyrol
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ugali: defined
recipe for
Uganda
Chicken Stew
description of
foodstuffs of
Groundnut Sauce
map of
Matoke I (Plain)
Matoke II (Fancy)
Simsim Candies
Spinach and Simsim
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Vegetable Casserole
The Uighurs
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
nang bread being prepared
Pancake (Nang)
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Xinjiang Spice Mix
Ukraine
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Ukwaka
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
United Kingdom
Coronation Chicken
description of
Eton Mess
Eve’s Pudding
foodstuffs of
Irish Fraughan Cake
Lancashire Hotpot
Lemon Syllabub
map of
Scotch Eggs
styles of eating
tea drinking
typical dishes of
Blue Corn Cornbread
Boston Baked Beans
Cheese Meatloaf
Collard Greens
description of
foodstuffs of
Fried Chicken
Fry Bread
Fudge Brownies
map of
Relish
Sour Milk Pancakes
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Uruguay
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Uzbekistan
Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Lazzat Salat),
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
Tart Kebab Sauce
typical dishes of
Uzvar

Vanuatu
description of
Fish Salad
foodstuffs of
lap lap being prepared
map of
Peanut Salad
Pork-Stuffed Taro
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Vegetable dishes: African Spinach (Spinach à l’Afrique)
Baked Sweet Potato
Bean Cakes
Boiled Yam
Callaloo Fritters
Collard Greens
Cooked Greens
Curried Green Figs
Matoke I (Plain)
Matoke II (Fancy)
Plantains and Beans
Rice and Beans
Scotch Eggs
Spinach and Simsim
Tomato Loofah
Yam Patties
Yams with Tomatoes
Veldt Bread
Venezuela
Cachapas (corn pancakes eaten with cheese)
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Vietnam
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
Sweet Cassava Soup (Chè San Nóng)
typical dishes of
Wahoo
Walnut(s): Apple and Walnut Banitsa
Bread for Christmas (Diós Kalács)
Pastry (Pakhlava)
Rose-Water Cookies (Gülabli Qovut)
Syrup Cake (Karidopita)
Syrup Pastry (Batlawa)
Watercress Soup or Spinach Soup (Sop Bayam Jahe)
Waterzooi
Wattalappam
Wheat (triticum spp.)
White: Bean Soup (Weisse Bohnensuppe)
Fish Fritters
Fish on Black-Eyed Peas Appetizer (L’Assiette des Assiettes)
Rice (Chelo Safeed)
Wiener schnitzel
Wigilia dinner
Wooden mortar and pestle
Wrapped foods
Xinjiang Spice Mix
Yam(s): about
Boiled
Fried Yam (Koliko)
Mashed Yams (Foutou), to
Patties
Puree in Coconut Cream (Koapnoair Koakihr)
and Shrimp Stew
with Tomatoes
Yemen
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
saltah
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Yerba mate: about
guampa (container) and metal straw
Yogurt
about
and Cucumber Salad (Salatet Zabady bil Ajur)
Drink (Airon)
and Green Soup (Dovga)
Iced Lemon Yogurt (Durap or Dogh),
Potatoes (Batata bil Laban)
Sharbat (Meethi Sharbat)
and Treacle (Kiri Pani)
yogurt drinks and products
Yuca
Zakuski
Zambia
description of
Fish Stew
foodstuffs of
Fried Plantains
Green Mealie Loaf
map of
Okra Soup
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Zanzibar
description of
foodstuffs of
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
Zanzibar Pilau
Zeljanica
Zhent
Zhizhig galnash
Zimbabwe
description of
foodstuffs of
Fruit Custard
map of
styles of eating
typical dishes of
About the Authors
JEANNE JACOB is an agronomist with a special interest in neglected

indigenous food crops, ethnobotany, and functional foods. Born in the
Philippines and educated in Japan, the United States, England, and Germany, she
has additional interests in international horticultural marketing and linguistics.
MICHAEL ASHKENAZI is an anthropologist with several interests, including
food culture; Japanese cuisine; Japanese religion; East Asian society; and
studying the effects of violence on development, and mitigation strategies,
particularly in the area of small arms and organized violence. He is the author,
along with his wife, Jeanne Jacob, of Food Culture in Japan (Greenwood, 2003)
and of numerous other scholarly publications.

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The World Cookbook

The Greatest Recipes from around the Globe, Revised

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an eBook.

This book is printed on acid-free paper

THE WORLD COOKBOOK

THE GREATEST RECIPES FROM AROUND THE

Jeanne Jacob and Michael Ashkenazi

List of Countries and Regions

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF (CONGO KINSHASA; FORMERLY ZAIRE)

CÔTE D’IVOIRE (IVORY COAST)

MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF (CONGO KINSHASA; fORMERLY

CONGO, REPUBLIC OF (CONGO BRAZZAVILLE)

SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The objective of this book is to introduce readers, in particular U.S. students, to

COOKING, PREPARATION, AND RECIPES

HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED

TRANSLITERATION AND SPELLING

EATING UTENSILS AND CUSTOMS

Knife and Fork

Another modern development is the promotion of better information about

1 1/2 tsp salt

Chicken and Chickpea Stew with Rice (Nakhod Chalau, also

Bring water to a boil in a nonaluminum saucepan.

Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce (Bouranee Baunjan, also Burani

Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.

Rose-Water Custard (Firnee)

2 cups whole milk

In a saucepan, mix milk, sugar, cornstarch, rose water, and cardamom

Fudge (Sheer Payra)

2/3 cup milk

Milk-Rice Pudding (Shir Berenj, also Sheer Birinj)

Stove-top method (approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour)

Oven method (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours)

Lemon and Rose-Water Syrup (Sharbat E-Bomya)

5–6 large unwaxed (organic) lemons