Recipe: Toasted Coconut Paste for Curries (Kerisik) (w/ poll)

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If you want to feel totally epic, trying making kerisik, a toasted, ground coconut paste that looks a great deal like natural peanut butter. Kerisik is used in Malaysia to thicken and flavor curries, like Beef Rendang. There's something incredibly rewarding about making your own, whether you do it the traditional way (in a mortar and pestle) or the modern way (in a food processor). In just ten minutes your entire home fills with the warm smell of toasted coconut. For my kerisik, I used 14 … [Read more...]

Recipe: Coconut Sticky Rice in banana leaves (lemang)

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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...]

Recipe: Dipping sauce with Chippies (Tsabola) (w/ poll)

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Today's fun recipe is a 5 minute African salsa.  You'll need two accessories to make this snack completely Malawi, however: blue pastic bags and your most favorite potato wedges. Here's how it works: simply chop up onions, tomatoes, hot peri peri peppers (I used Thai bird chilies). Mix it all around with loads of salt. While I normally go light on the salt, you need to use a heavy hand when making Tsabola ... as Brittany (Be-ing Brittany), a Community Health Advisor in Malawi, tells … [Read more...]

Recipe: Vanilla Bean n’ Tropical Fruit (w/ poll)

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Vanilla beans might as well be jewels. The insides are full of teeny, tiny black caviar - the likes of which I can't help but want all over my ice cream and baked goods... I even like to dab vanilla extract on my wrists when baking. Suffice it to say, I'm a fan. Now, imagine yourself in a country like Madagascar, where there are enough vanilla beans to pave the streets. There, thanks to such quantity, the people use vanilla bean caviar much more whimsically than I can ($8 per bean, … [Read more...]

Recipe: Cozy Roasted Pepper & Eggplant Salad

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While I've always loved a good ratatouille, there's something so ... soft about it. While that's fine for a cloudy sort of day, on bright, cheery days, I'm in the mood for definition. Clear edges. Decisiveness. Which brings us to today's roasted salad, from the Macedonian Global Table. She's all of those things while still being easy-breezy. The reason she's so defined? The eggplant and peppers are pre-cut and roasted, which gives good browning and clean edges. Once tossed with fresh … [Read more...]

Recipe: Crispy Potato Fritters (Gromperekichelcher)

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My first taste of Luxembourg's Gromperekichelcher was during the annual Christmas market. The town square buzzed with happy shoppers and carolers whose voices floated down from the bandstand. The smell of fried potatoes and onions was just about enough to send anyone straight for their wallet so, of course, I happily complied. While most Luxembergers dunked their fritters in apple sauce, I went straight for the ketchup. It was an easy thing to do and it made my new home a little more … [Read more...]

Recipe: Roast Beet Slaw with Spicy Horseradish

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It may have happened when you were five. Or maybe, just maybe, not until today. Either way, this much I know for sure: there comes a time in every person's life when they come face to face with the mighty beet. Some will cower or run away, while others - like the Lithuanians, will chow down with enthusiasm. In this traditional slaw, roasted beets blend with tear-inducing horseradish and vinegar...creating a spicy, sour accompaniment that goes particularly well with beef and fish. P.S. Start … [Read more...]

Recipe: Wooden Spoon Applesauce (with poll)

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Sometimes I buy fruit and it just... sits there. Life takes over. I go for hikes, I play catch with my daughter, I eat the candy from my stocking, and... before I know it, I just forget to eat them. I do this a lot with apples because they last so long and are so forgiving. Eventually, the time comes when they lose a bit of shine and a few bruises pop up. If this should happen to you, applesauce is the way to go. I didn't realize how easy it would be to make until I did it this week. … [Read more...]