Global Table Adventure

Recipe: Coconut Sticky Rice in banana leaves (lemang)

February 16, 2012 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

Today we're going to make a tower... a tower of glorious height. And this tall, sturdy tower is going to be made out of rice. Our inspiration? The Petronas towers of Malaysia. Aren't they stunning? I adore the fact that the skyscrapers are connected by a tiny walkway that seems to be a million, zillion miles up in the sky. But that's a story for another day. The fact is, I am simply thrilled to make rice towers from Malaysia. You see, I'm falling more and more in love with glutinous … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Finger Food, Gluten Free Adaptable, Malaysia, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Potluck Friendly, Rice, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Technique Thursday, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Burnt Rice Tea (Ranovola) w/ poll

February 2, 2012 By Sasha Martin 15 Comments

I can't believe I'm going to do this, but here we are: I'm going to show you how to burn rice. It's for a perfectly good cause: a cool, refreshing glass of ranovola, or burnt rice tea. This toasty-tasting drink is popular in Madagascar, where the bottom of the rice pot is reserved to flavor the local river water. It's super easy to do, as long as you don't burn the rice too fast. You have to do it just right. Ahem. Start with a cup of cooked rice spread on the bottom of a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Alcohol-Free, Cold, Madagascar, Recipes, Rice, Technique Thursday

Recipe: Rice Pudding (Sutlijash)

January 29, 2012 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

Looking back, I'm not sure how I resisted for so long. Honestly. We're more that halfway done eating the world and, yet, I haven't made regular ol', plain Jane, rice pudding (something altogether different than the exotic sticky rice coconut pudding I made for Laos). I find this fact is so surprising because, whenever I crack open my cookbooks to research the food of another country, I run into rice pudding. Rice pudding iseverywhere, on every continent, in all forms. Since globalization … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Europe, Macedonia, Recipes, Rice, Sweets, Vegetarian

Recipe: Smoked Ham & Green Bean Jollof

December 18, 2011 By Sasha Martin 4 Comments

I'm that girl who orders the same thing over and over again at restaurants. I know - not what you'd expect from someone cooking the world. But I can't help it. I like knowing what to expect. Plus, there's nothing worse than wasting hard-earned money on a dish that I could possibly end up hating. After all, it's not like I can send the food back just because I don't like it. Now, to be fair, I'm a completely different person at home. Without the burden of outrageous restaurant bills, I'm a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Liberia, Meat, Potluck Friendly, Recipes, Rice, Sasha's Favorite Recipes

Recipe: Golden Coconut Dream

November 13, 2011 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

I have a problem. Mangoes. I ate an entire crate of mangoes when I was pregnant with Ava. Ten mangoes in less than a week. Or was it twenty? Mangoes are so outrageously good right now. I can barely stop eating them long enough to let them soften up on the counter. I have trouble sharing. Thankfully Laos has a dessert that showcases this crazy fruit in a fun and simple way. Remember that sticky, sticky rice? The staple of Laos? That's your ticket. Let's whip up a heaping bowl of warm coconut … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Fruit, Gluten Free Adaptable, Laos, Recipes, Rice, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Sticky, sticky rice (Khao Neow)

November 13, 2011 By Sasha Martin 5 Comments

Planting Rice in Laos. Photo by Ondřej Žváček.

I used to think rice was a boring, safe choice, back before this Adventure. Then there was Persian Sour Cherry Rice. I died. Rice cooked in banana leaf tubes, called Longton. Lovely. Rainbow Rice. I smile on the inside and outside. Kushary - mixed with noodles, spaghetti and lentils. What? Coca Cola Rice. Who? Bottom line - rice is epic the world around. We've done a half ton of cool rice dishes on this Adventure. It goes on and on, and on, and on - no need to ever be bored with rice … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Finger Food, Gluten Free Adaptable, Laos, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Recipes, Rice, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe: Machboos, or how I went to happy town.

October 27, 2011 By Sasha Martin 7 Comments

Certain times call for celebration. Babies. Birthdays. Finding the love of your life. Daydreaming about the love of your life. When a light turns green at the exact right moment, before you have to apply the brakes. For those times, I present Machboos. Take a dive off the deep end with this beloved Kuwaiti dish that boasts warm hits of cinnamon, turmeric, saffron mingled with sweet caramelized onions and raisins. We made ours with chicken, but you can also make it with fish or lamb. If you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, Holidays, Kuwait, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Poultry, Recipes, Rice, Sasha's Favorite Recipes Tagged With: machbus, mechboos, mechbous

Recipe: Beef & Sausage Stuffed Peppers

October 21, 2011 By Sasha Martin 9 Comments

I love presents. Surprises. Happy faces. So does my daughter. Imagine her ecstatic two-year old delight, then, when her dinner was a lidded present filled with a bounty of rice, sausage and beef? But the real surprise wasn't her reaction - it was Keith's. My very own Mr. Picky has been asking for stuffed peppers ever since I made them last week.Who knew this man would fall so hard for a simple stuffed pepper. Who knew he'd be so easy to please. He's right, though. And, for the record, so is … [Read more...]