Latest Posts

Sticky rice | Khao Neow

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 again.

Which brings us to today’s recipe from Laos – sticky, sticky rice, a.k.a. glutinous rice. Another win. Another smile for your face. Sticky rice is a staple in Laos. The good little grains pinch together into little balls, perfect for dipping into sauces like jeow. Another finger food for the win.

Traditionally one would use a special basket to steam the rice, but I found a bamboo steamer lined with cheesecloth works very well.

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups glutinous rice (also known as sticky and sweet rice)
water

Method:

The method for sticky rice is almost the same no matter who you ask. Easy.

First, rinse the rice well, about 4 times. Then soak in cool water overnight. Make sure to cover the rice by a few inches of water.

Drain.

You’ll find the rice has doubled in size.

Left: 2 cups dry glutinous rice. Right: glutinous rice expands after soaking overnight in cool water to nearly double the volume.

Bring water to boil in a wide pot or skillet (whatever you plan to use for the steamer).

Line bamboo steamer with thin cotton cloth or cheesecloth

Add the soaked, drained rice.

Steam vigorously for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender. Meanwhile, read a good book. Preferably one with happy pictures.

Girls reading in Laos. Photo by Blue Plover.

When the rice is done it will be tender and sticky, but not mushy.

Planting Rice in Laos. Photo by Ondřej Žváček.

Eat with your fingers, starting at the edge of the steamer and working your way around and towards the center. (The rice at the center is reserved for elders and honored guests).

 Enjoy with a smile.

A sticky, sticky smile.

Sticky rice | Khao Neow
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Sticky rice is a staple in Laos. The good little grains pinch together into little balls, perfect for dipping into sauces like jeow.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20-25 minutes 8 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20-25 minutes 8 hours
Sticky rice | Khao Neow
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Sticky rice is a staple in Laos. The good little grains pinch together into little balls, perfect for dipping into sauces like jeow.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20-25 minutes 8 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 5 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20-25 minutes 8 hours
Ingredients
  • 2 cups glutinous rice (a.k.a. sticky or sweet rice)
  • water , as needed
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Rinse the rice well, about 4 times. Then soak in cool water overnight. Make sure to cover the rice by a few inches of water.
  2. Drain. You'll find the rice has doubled in size.
  3. Bring water to boil in a wide pot or skillet (whatever you plan to use for the steamer). Line bamboo steamer with thin cotton cloth or cheesecloth.
  4. Add the soaked, drained rice. Steam vigorously for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender.

Laotian Salsa | Jeow

It took me a few tries to figure out what Jeow means.

Turns out Jeow is a lot of things, but mainly any sort of dipping sauce, typically made with char-grilled veggies. Sometimes spicy. Sometimes not.

Always delicious.

It could be vegetarian or it could be made with crushed beetles.  Or anything in between.

I’ll skip to the chase: my version is beetle free.

Phew.

And it’s also really easy.

Recipe for a Simple Jeow

3 tomatoes
3 Thai bird chilies
1 head garlic
pinch of cilantro

And, if you’re not vegan, add several shakes of fish sauce.

Method:

Roast tomatoes, chilies, and garlic over a campfire, on a grill, in a comal  (flat pan available at Latino markets) over medium heat or in the oven until blackened and soft. Be sure to continually turn the garlic so it cooks evenly.

Peel and puree  with cilantro, fish sauce and salt.

That’s it! Enjoy…


Laotian Salsa | Jeow
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Turns out Jeow is a lot of things, but mainly any sort of dipping sauce, typically made with char-grilled veggies. Sometimes spicy. Sometimes not.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Laotian Salsa | Jeow
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Turns out Jeow is a lot of things, but mainly any sort of dipping sauce, typically made with char-grilled veggies. Sometimes spicy. Sometimes not.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 3 Thai bird chili peppers
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 pinch fresh cilantro
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Roast tomatoes, chilies, and garlic over a campfire, on a grill, in a comal (flat pan available at Latino markets) over medium heat or in the oven until blackened and soft. Be sure to continually turn the garlic so it cooks evenly.
  2. Peel and puree with cilantro, fish sauce and salt.

Lao Rice Noodle Soup | Foe

It’s time we take back the expression “Have it your way” from that mega corporate burger joint and put it back where it belongs – into our homes, onto our own homemade-with-love meals. Take this soup from Laos, for example. Traditionally served for breakfast, but great any time of day, Foe is a celebration of individuality, creativity and having it exactly how you want it – without chemicals, junk and gunk.

Foe is a rice noodle soup from Laos, typically made with beef, pork or chicken. In Laos you might find funny organs floating in your soup and other delectables, but the real star is the bouquet of herbs, sauces, and spices which each person adds to taste, making each person’s soup bowl totally unique. Today we serve the simplest version of all – thinly sliced raw beef which cooks under the heat of the boiling broth and then topped how you’d like it.

Inspired to try this soup because of the words in “Big soup, Big Love.”

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the broth:

2 quarts beef broth
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, bruised
1-2 inches fresh ginger, cut in chunks
1-2 inches fresh galangal, cut in chunks
4 keffir lime leaves
fish sauce, to taste

For the toppings

3/4 lb sirloin, cut paper thin
1 lb rice noodles, cooked according to package instructions and stored in cool water until needed

Garnish ideas – torn or chopped to taste:

mint, cilantro, lettuce, thai basil, green onion, lime wedges, chopped tomatoes, Thai chilies, fish sauce, sprouts, etc.

Method:

First, let’s turn plain ol’ beef broth into a fragrant, bubbling vat of Lao goodness.

Simply add the broth to a medium pot and toss in the ginger, galangal, lemongrass and keffir lime leaves. Bruise each ingredient with a mortar and pestle to maximize the flavor. Simmer covered for 45 minutes or until the house smells like “good.” Splash in fish sauce to taste – it’ll give the broth a great salty kick.

Meanwhile prepare the rice noodles according to package instructions and place in bowl of cold water until needed.

Next, thinly slice the beef, trimming any excessive fat as you go. Refrigerate until needed.

Rinse and gather all the toppings. Pretty, pretty, pretty. And, in case your wondering, this platter smells like “crazy wonderful.”

Now… the time has come. Put on your smile. Gather your hunger. Assemble your bowl.

First, add a mound of cooked rice noodles …… top with raw beef… (feeling epic yet?)

… and ladle boiling broth on top of beef. The meat will immediately turn gray as it cooks in the heat. The result will be bite after bite of oh-so-tender meat.

Add as much herbage and toppings as you’d like. In my soup I literally had some of everything and am so glad I did. Definitely don’t skimp on anything, especially the hot peppers and fish sauce.

Traditionally you’d eat the noodles with chopsticks and slurp the broth with a spoon.

No matter how you sip it, though, I’m here to tell you this is the bees knees on a chilly November day.

Share with old friends, new friends, and not yet friends at a very cool house.

Village in Laos. Photo by Pierre Bona.

Thank you, Laos.

Lao Rice Noodle Soup | Foe
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Traditionally served for breakfast, but great any time of day, Foe is a celebration of individuality, creativity and having it exactly how you want it - without chemicals, junk and gunk.
Lao Rice Noodle Soup | Foe
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Traditionally served for breakfast, but great any time of day, Foe is a celebration of individuality, creativity and having it exactly how you want it - without chemicals, junk and gunk.
Ingredients
  • 2 quarts beef broth
  • 1 stalk lemongrass , fresh, bruised
  • 1-2 inches ginger , fresh, cut into chunks
  • 1-2 inches galangal , fresh, cut into chunks
  • 4 keffir lime leaves
  • fish sauce , to taste
  • 3/4 lb sirloin , cut paper thin
  • 1 lb rice noodles
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. add the broth to a medium pot and toss in the ginger, galangal, lemongrass and keffir lime leaves. Bruise each ingredient with a mortar and pestle to maximize the flavor. Simmer covered for 45 minutes. Add fish sauce to taste
  2. Meanwhile prepare the rice noodles according to package instructions and place in bowl of cold water until needed.
  3. Rinse and gather all the toppings.
Assemble to bowl
  1. Add a mound of cooked rice noodles. Top with raw beef.
  2. Ladle boiling broth on top of beef. The meat will immediately turn gray as it cooks in the heat.
  3. Add as many herbs and toppings as you'd like.
Recipe Notes

Topping ideas - torn or chopped to taste:

mint, cilantro, lettuce, thai basil, green onion, lime wedges, chopped tomatoes, Thai chilies, fish sauce, sprouts, etc.

Menu: Laos

Considering I knew nothing about Laos prior to this Adventure, there was quite a bit of excitement this week. The more I read about the food the more butterflies I got. Delicious. Warming. Fresh. But when I shut the books the butterflies kept coming. I thought perhaps it was because we’ve had two earthquakes in 2 days. Or because during the second earthquake we had a tornado warning. And then I realized it is because Keith is going to be a grandfather any.minute.now. And by extension, me too – in a stepmotherly sort of way. Oh goodness. And the world keeps on turning. Or is it… as the world turns…

What sounds good to you?*

Jeow [Recipe]
Laos’ answer to salsa. Spicy, roasted, and fingerlicking good. Instead of corn chips, however, enjoy Jeow with a happy handful of sticky, sticky rice.

Sticky, Sticky Rice [Recipe]
Glutinous rice is the staple of Laos. This short-grained rice is soaked overnight then steamed in a wicker basket or bamboo steamer. Because the grains stick together, the rice is typically pressed into balls and eaten by hand.

Laotian Rice Noodle Soup (F0e)  [Recipe]
Fragrant broth with rice noodles, beef, and a mountain of fresh herbs and toppings including lettuce, mint, basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, lime wedges, tomatoes, fish sauce and more.

Golden Coconut Dream  [Recipe]
A simple dessert made with sticky rice, coconut milk, brown sugar and sweet, golden mangoes.

*All recipes and the meal review will be posted by Monday morning.

About the food of Laos: Finding the Holy Grail

Child with water buffalo. Photo by Paulrudd.

Sometimes I feel like a knight in shining armor, valiantly seeking to uncover the holy grail of food from each country we visit on this Adventure. A Knight of the Global Table, if you will. Well. Not two minutes into my quest to learn all about Laos I randomly ran across this popular breakfast item: baguette drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. What? How? Why? Well, the fact is it’s true and I love it! Here’s why: while not necessarily the holy grail of Laos, this unusual treat tells us two very real truths about food in Laos. First, simplicity rules all. Second, influence from her days as a French colony remains strong.

Street in northern Laos. Photo by Luisah.

For those of you shaking your heads, let me expand our discussion. I’ll be the first to admit that breakfast in Laos is much, much more than this odd treat. Perhaps the holy grail is Foe  [Recipe], or Lao rice noodle soup made with beef, chicken, or pork. The real fun is personalizing your bowl with loads of fresh herbs – anything from mint to thai basil to lettuce. Red chili peppers, lime juice and several shakes of fish sauce wake the soup up.

Then again, perhaps the holy grail is even simpler than this. Perhaps it is nothing more than a large batch of steamed sticky rice  [Recipe]. This staple is eaten with everything -steamed in wicker containers and eaten by hand. Each diner scoops out a little bit of rice, shapes it into a ball with the fingers, and plunks it into all manner of dips, called Jeow [Recipe]. Even the simplest jeow is made with grilled/roasted ingredients, adding smokiness and deeply complex flavors, complementing the rice perfectly.  Mmm.

The Mekong River. Photo by 松岡明芳.

If you’d rather try to create your own holy grail of Laos, know this – the base of many dishes can include lemongrass, galangal, keffir lime leaves and ginger. And, at dessert time, fresh fruit is a given n tropical Laos – think mangoes, bananas, and papayas. In fact, sometimes leftover sticky rice plays double duty as dessert when mixed with coconut milk and sugar – a warm rice pudding that tastes refreshing with the fruit  [Recipe].

So there you have it – a few tidbits about the food of Laos. What are you favorite foods from the region?

Pha That Luang, the Great Stupa in Vientiane - a national symbol of Laos. Photo and maps courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

Monday Meal Review: Kyrgyzstan

THE SCENE: Plain words, big love.

The room is quiet.

I scoop another bite of Oromo into my mouth.

As I chew, I think about how perfectly surprised I am to find myself loving the combination of lamb and soft sweet potatoes. I start to say something about it, but instead catch myself looking at my husband who is happily and ever so quietly eating his meal.

I wonder if he likes it.

“My family is a family of gushers,” I begin, forgetting about the flavor for a moment.  “When a meal is presented everyone ooh’s and ahh’s. Adults trample like children at a fair simply to peer inside a casserole, or to oggle a roast with excitement. Some even applaud.”

Keith laughs. “It’s good, Sash.”

The truth is Keith is reserved – of another culture entirely. Whether presented with epic homemade ravioli, a crazy spiral of oromo, or a store bought peanut butter cup, his response is always the same. It’s good.

He says the words with love and sincerity. Still, when the words come I find myself straining my ears, listening for a slight variation in tone – watching for the flicker of a smile to appear in the corner of his mouth. These are the only ways to determine if the dish du jour is in fact any more or less good than any other.

“And how about that Minty Garlicky Sauce,” I ask, aware that the Mr. Picky in him is nearly guaranteed to hate it.

The silence practically shakes me.

Finally, he looks deep into my eyes and says “I tried it.”

“Now that’s love,” I tell Miss Ava, giving her a little wink.

THE FOOD

Stuffed and rolled pasta (Oromo) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

Coiling up pasta is so obviously fantastic, but I never would have thought of it on my own. Next time I’d like to use more filling for the same amount of pasta and work on getting it even thinner.

What I liked least about this dish:

I had a difficult time knowing when the pasta was cooked enough. The areas in the middle, where the coils touch each other, take the longest. I originally steamed one for 30 minutes and this was nowhere long enough for the pasta.

Hot Lemon Honey with Vodka (for the brave) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

I liked this best without the vodka – I’m a bit of a wimp. The lemon-honey-cinnamon trio tasted so familiar yet so different. I also liked chewing on the bits of lemon zest (I suppose you could strain these out if you really, really wanted to).

Ava drank her cup (definitely vodka free) with much vigor. Even Mr Picky, who hates lemon in his water at restaurants, drank this one up. I do believe the honey made all the difference for them as they both have quite a sweet tooth.

What I liked least about this dish:

I liked this the longer it sat in the spices. If you’d like stronger flavor, consider letting the mixture steep even longer – just keep simmering and the cinnamon stick will continue to give.

Minty Garlicky Yogurt Sauce [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

This makes a brilliant side, especially for lamb. Like the other yogurt sauces we’ve made on this Adventure, this one was a snap to throw together. Ava tried it but had trouble with the bursts of garlic, calling the dip “spicy.” Even still, she kept going in for little tastes, which is more than I can say for Mr. Picky. Shocker of all, he decided to eat his oromo with soy sauce instead. What??? Sometimes I just look the other way…

What I liked least about this dish:

I think time is the best friend of this dip – the longer it can sit, the better off you’ll be. I’d even go so far as making it a couple of days ahead. You can just stir it back together (some separation can occur as it sits).

Ava’s Corner


Minty Garlicky Yogurt Sauce

Minty Garlicky Yogurt is an oddball recipe. An oxymoron. Personally I love loads of garlic. I don’t mind dragon breath. I don’t mind scaring away the cat. So, I suppose Minty Garlicky yogurt sauce is good for people with garlic regret. As you eat it, the garlic infuses your breath but then – woops – the mint comes along for the ride, sweetening things up in the background.

Of course, you’ll probably still need to brush your teeth after eating this dip.

You’ll find similar recipes all over north Africa, central Asia and beyond. The nomadic peoples of Kyrgyzstan have no shortage of dairy, thanks to their herding lifestyle. To keep things interesting they blend yogurt with either mint or cilantro and plenty of fresh garlic. The secret is to let this mixture sit overnight or the garlic will be much too harsh. And a fun fact I ran across in my reading – nomads dig holes in the cool earth for refrigeration:

The nomads always set up their yurts near streams, brooks, rivers and lakes because of proximity to water sources. This location doubles in making the earth in the immediate environs very cold, given the frosty, high-altitutde mountain waters. A hole is dug near the river, and wooden sticks hung across at intervals, like a rack in a wardrobe. The meat and veges are then places on hooks on the racks and then simply stored there, with the cool earth acting as a fridge… even in summer! The hole is then covered. Ingenious! – The Way of the Nomad

Horses in Kyrgyzstan. Photo by Robert Thomson

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups Greek yogurt
2-4 Tbsp chopped mint or cilantro
3 cloves garlic, crushed

Method:

If you happen to live high in the mountains, near a chilly stream, go ahead and dig a refrigerator. Otherwise, keep it simple: mint and garlic from the garden, yogurt from Greece – thick and creamy.

Crushing garlic is good for the soul. I’m sure of it. In fact, I’d go so far as to replace stress balls with garlic presses.

Mix and set overnight for the garlic to mellow and infuse its garlicky goodness into everything.

I. Cannot. Wait. To. Eat. This. All. Up. 

Unless you want a bite. Then I’ll happily share. Perhaps with a slice of Oromo and a few new friends?

Nomads in Kyrgyzstan 1911. Photo by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii

Sounds good to me.

Very good, indeed.

Minty Garlicky Yogurt Sauce
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The secret is to let this mixture sit overnight or the garlic will be much too harsh.
Minty Garlicky Yogurt Sauce
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The secret is to let this mixture sit overnight or the garlic will be much too harsh.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups greek yog
  • 2-4 Tbsp mint ,fresh, chopped, -OR-
  • 2-4 Tbsp fresh cilantro , fresh, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic , crushed
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix and set overnight for the garlic to mellow.

Hot Honey Lemon with Vodka

It’s that time of year. Coughing. Sniffling. Sneezing. Right about now we all need a hug. And a big blast of disinfectant. Oh, and let’s face it, something pretty. This lemony, sweet, cinnamony, vodka-tastic drink – popular all over central Asia and eastern Europe – takes care of it all. I especially love that the honey makes drinking it a huge bear hug (and would please grown-up Winnie the Pooh, I’m sure).

The vodka is totally optional (Ava loved her booze-free version) but it does help scrub the body of germs. And, overall, it’s better than a trip to the pharmacy. Unless, of course, you go to a Kyrgyz one. Any excuse to travel…

Drug store in Tamchy, Kyrgyzstan. Photo by Vmenkov.

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

1/2 cup honey (agave for vegans)
4 cups water
1 lemon, zested and sliced
1-2 cinnamon sticks
Vodka, to taste

You might also like to add fresh ginger or other spices… this can be done to taste.

Method:

Tonight, celebrate the end of long week with the region’s answer to the ever-popular mulled wine. Even my honey bear raises his arms to cheer when I make it.

There’s almost nothing to do. Give the little honey bear a big squeeze, add strips of lemon zest, the cinnamon stick and water to a medium pot. Stir to combine, cover and bring to a simmer.

Simmer 30-45 minutes, or until the cinnamon flavor fully infuses the drink and your house smells like “wonderful.” Pour the resulting tea into glass mugs with lemon slices. The lemon slices not only punch up the flavor and disinfecting qualities, but they also make the drink so, so pretty. If you’re feeling brave, add vodka to taste.

Sip hot and daydream yourself away to Kyrgyzstan.

Tian Shan mountain range which goes through Kyrgyzstan. Photo by Chen Zhao.

I’m willing to bet if you drink this every day you’ll never get sick again.

P.S. If you’re feeling wild, see if you can drink this through a cinnamon stick. Like a straw.

Sibble slurble slurp! Ahhh….

Hot Honey Lemon with Vodka
Votes: 13
Rating: 3.46
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The vodka is totally optional (Ava loved her booze-free version) but it does help scrub the body of germs. And, overall, it's better than a trip to the pharmacy.
Hot Honey Lemon with Vodka
Votes: 13
Rating: 3.46
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
The vodka is totally optional (Ava loved her booze-free version) but it does help scrub the body of germs. And, overall, it's better than a trip to the pharmacy.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup honey -OR-
  • 1/2 cup agave , for vegans
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 lemon , zested and sliced
  • 1-2 cinnamon stick
  • vodka , to taste
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Give the little honey bear a big squeeze, add strips of lemon zest, the cinnamon stick and water to a medium pot. Stir to combine, cover and bring to a simmer for about 30-45 minutes.
  2. Pour into mugs with lemon slices.
Recipe Notes

You might also like to add fresh ginger or other spices.

Kyrgyz stuffed & rolled pasta | Oromo

Truth: anything coiled up is infinitely better than the same item not coiled. Think cinnamon rolls… princess Leia’s hair… really flexible kitty cats napping… and now, as never seen in my kitchen before Global Table Adventure, Oromo. This Kyrgyz dish of rolled and coiled pasta filled with various stuffings is pure genius. Unlike Italian stuffed pastas, no cheese is used as binder. Instead the filling is commonly meat and veggies (such as sweet potatoes or pumpkin). While it remains a decidedly simple recipe, some southern regions of Kyrgyzstan are said to add herbs to their fillings.

Still, however you slice it, Oromo is also more comforting than cinnamon rolls, princess Leia and kitty cats combined.

True story.

Notes: before you get started on this little journey you’ll need a steamer, preferably metal but bamboo will do just fine. Recipe inspired by National Cuisines of Kyrgyzstan, where the recipe is said to be shaped like a swiss roll which is then bent back on itself into a circle. This recipe is my interpretation of these directions.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sliced sweet potato or pumpkin
1 onion, finely chopped
1 lb lamb, trimmed of fat and finely chopped (about 2 cups)
pasta dough
salt
pepper

Method:

First, get in the mood by climbing the spiral stairs of Burana Tower. Don’t get dizzy!

Burana Tower in Kyrgyzstan. Photos by Hux and Bala Biott.

Then, prepare your pasta dough and set it aside to rest.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Like most meals in Kyrgyzstan, this recipe does not use a lot of ingredients. There are three main stars in our filling: lamb, sweet potato and onion. That’s it.

You’ll want to chop everything up really small – about a quarter inch at the biggest. Next time I’m considering running everything through the meat grinder for a quicker, finer mix and a fun variation.

Add everything to a bowl with salt and pepper. Be sure to season it well – maybe 1/2 tsp of pepper and more salt than that.

Give everything a good mix. If you’d like more sweet potato, add it! If you’d like more meat, chop some extra. It’s all about making your tummy happy. Have fun with it… make up a little song and sing it.

Now, time to get serious. Divide the now rested and smooth pasta dough into four pieces.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out as thin as you can – about 2 mm thick is good. The thinner you do it the more delicate the final dish. Of course, if you dont get it very thin it’ll take longer to steam and your coil won’t be as epic. No biggie. 

Cover with 1/4 of the filling and roll up the pasta into a long tube.

Next, coil it around itself. Repeat and add the second coil to the first, making it twice as big. Do this again with the remaining two pieces of dough so you end up with two coils of pasta.Steam for 45 minutes to an hour, or until cooked through. Add extra water as needed in the pot. Slice into pie shaped pieces and enjoy with a dollop of yogurt sauce (recipe will be up later this week) and a big smile. You did it! 

Be sure to finish your stovetop travel with a little nap in a Kyrgyz valley.

Mountains in the Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan. Photo by Lukas.

Now that’s a dream worth dreaming!

Happy day to you.

Kyrgyz stuffed & rolled pasta | Oromo
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Kyrgyz stuffed & rolled pasta | Oromo
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes , finely chopped - OR -
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin , finely chopped
  • 1 onion , finely chopped
  • 1 lb lamb , fat trimmed and finely chopped, about 2 cups
  • homemade pasta dough -see Recipe Notes for link-
  • salt
  • pepper
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Prepare your pasta dough and set it aside to rest.
  2. Add everything to a bowl with salt and pepper and give it a good mix.
  3. Divide the now rested and smooth pasta dough into four pieces.
  4. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out as thin as you can - about 2 mm thick.
  5. Cover with 1/4 of the filling and roll up the pasta into a long tube.
  6. Next, coil it around itself.
  7. Repeat and add the second coil to the first, making it twice as big. Do this again with the remaining two pieces of dough so you end up with two coils of pasta.
  8. Steam for 45 minutes to an hour, or until cooked through. Add extra water as needed in the pot.
  9. Slice into pie shaped pieces and enjoy with a dollop of yogurt sauce.
Recipe Notes

Before you get started on this little journey you'll need a steamer, preferably metal but bamboo will do just fine.

Pasta Dough Recipe

Menu: Kyrgyzstan

Welcome to November. Are you cold? Hot? Indifferent? For some inexplicable reason, November 1st in Tulsa, Oklahoma was 78F and just breezy enough to tickle a few golden, orange, and garnet leaves off the trees.

As I walked Ava home from little school that same afternoon I decided that, yes, in fact, 78 and breezy is exactly the perfect temperature. I would make it my “every day” weather if I could. Just right for a t-shirt and jeans. Flip flops if one is feeling sassy. Yes, it was perfect for the first day in November, and even more so on October 31st which was downright balmy.

About this time during our walk I remembered our Kyrgyz menu and laughed. Don’t get me wrong – you’ll love it if you, like my mother, live in the middle of snow storms, icy wind, and frostbitten fingers (a.k.a. Boston). For those of us still in the middle of the longest-summer-in-history, my apologies. As a consolation prize, please feel free to serve the drink over ice.

It’s just as good.

And it’s the best I can do given the situation.

What do you think? What sounds good to you?*

Oromo [Recipe]
O, o, Oromo. A spiral of pasta, tucked til bursting with lamb, onion, and seasonal pumpkin or sweet potato. The choice is yours. As is the dining delight.

Minty Garlicky Yogurt Sauce [Recipe]
Lots of things come to mind when I think of this sauce. An oxymoron. Toothpaste to catch a vampire. Greece. I assure you, however, this lovely sauce and dip is also beloved in fine Kyrgyzstan. And for good reason. You’ll see.

Hot Lemon Honey with Vodka (for the brave)  [Recipe]
About the only thing the name doesn’t tell you? Cinnamon, cinnamon, and more cinnamon. The perfect mixture for sore throats, upset tummies, and spiking plain-jane teatime. Crazy teatime.

*All recipes and the review will be up by Monday morning.

About the food of Kyrgyzstan

Musicians playing a selection of traditional Kyrgyz instruments, including komuz (stringed instrument in center foreground) and sybyzgy (transverse flute). Photo by Simon Garbutt.

You’ll have to excuse me. I have a belly ache. You see, I’m writing this Halloween night between handing out candy and eating it. And, since most wee ones have long since gone home to sugary dreams, I’m mostly just eating candy. The good news is Kyrgyzastan has a cure.

Boil up a pot of honey water, throw in some spices – perhaps a cinnamon stick and lemon peel – and (for non muslims) serve with a heaping splash of vodka [Recipe]. This sort of drink is popular all over Eastern Europe and Central Asia with slight variations in spices and liquors. When it’s served cold, the drink is called sherbet. Tonight, however I might have to take mine with a little less honey…

Over 80% of Kyrgyzstan is covered in mountains with hot, subtropical summers to the south and very cold winters throughout. You’ll notice the name is quite similar to her northern neightbor Kazakhstan, a country that we did a few weeks ago. Truth be told, the similarities don’t end with the names.

Lake Ala Kol. Photo by Ondřej Žváček.

Both countries have large nomadic communities that adore lamb and who use it for all sorts of celebrations. They eat it in dumplings called manti, or rolled up in pasta (called Oromo)  [Recipe], or in a plain-jane brothy noodle stew called kesme or beshbarmak. Unlike our western tendencies, Kyrgyz do not trim fatty lamb enjoy it as is – in all it’s variations and oddities. And, speaking of oddities, the Kyrgyz also adore drinking fermented, alcoholic mare’s milk – a stout concoction that is said to put hair on anyone’s chest.

I believe it.

Nomadic communities don’t have access to a whole lot of vegetables as they move along the mountains and valleys, but simple salads – slaws of sorts – can be found, including radishes and carrots.

Most families eat their meals on the floor on a large covering. Food is bountiful during celebrations- there can be dozens of small breads, dips and little bowls of various tidbits like yogurt dip  [recipe]. It’s truly incredible – take a look at these absolutely amazing spreads a traveler in Kyrgyzstan shared on his travel blog.

Maps and flag courtesy of CIA World Factbook. Children playing the "Komuz" by Nichelle Anderson.

So those are a few tidbits about the food of Kyrgyzstan. What are your favorite foods from the area? 

Monday Meal Review: Kuwait

THE SCENE: Giving up the Leg

There comes a time in every mother’s life when she has to hand over the ceremonial wand, so to speak. When she must forgo eating the glorious chicken leg out of love for her daughter – her daughter who has suddenly decided that dark meat is the new bees-knees, at the ripe old age of 2.45.

This was just such a week for me.

Miss Ava loved the Machboos so much that she not only ate what was once “my” chicken leg, but she also ate her papa’s too.

This was serious. Could it be the seasoning? The browned crackly skin?

I’m not sure. But I do know that I may never sink my teeth into a chicken drummette again. I know. I was once my mother’s kid. And my brother Damien and I always took the legs. Always. Even on Thanksgiving.

THE FOOD:

Machboos [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

There is genius in the Kuwaiti method of simmering, then roasting the chicken. First, it cooks much faster. Second, it is moister. Third, the seasoning in the water infuses the meat.  Fourth, you end up with lovely broth to use as you see fit. I may never cook chicken any other way.

As for the family – Ava and Mr Picky received this really well. Thanks to the Persian part of this Adventure, Ava has really gotten used to caramelized onion and raisin toppings and has come to crave them with her rice. Even Mr Picky observed that “a lot of countries add raisins and nuts to their rice. It’s good.”

What I liked least about this dish:

Initially, I was daunted by what seemed to be a lot of work. I couldn’t have been more wrong – the steps flow together and it’s done before you know it. The first time you do anything it takes a bit longer… but it is definitely going to be a feature around our Global Table.

Daqqus Sauce (Kuwaiti Tomato Sauce) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

This is a very different method from any tomato sauce I’ve made before. Normally, I cook everything on the stove, then puree. This is much simpler and easier to deal with on a week night. It would be fun to mix in different kinds of peppers and various herbs. All family members were happy with it and really, why not?  I’d happily eat my weight in a good, basic red sauce like duqqus.

What I liked least about this dish:

I only used part of my poblano because it tasted really spicy to me when I picked it from the garden. After cooking for a while, all the heat was gone, so I’ll be more brave next time.

My Kuwaiti PB&J [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

Ava ate and ate and ate this dip, with little more than her finger (or “fingon” as she calls it). She adored the sweet date syrup. Personally, I really, really dislike tahini, which is funny because I actually enjoyed this dip. The date syrup completely transform tahini’s intense flavor into playful sweet/savory pb&j goodness. Chalk it up to another mind opening experience on this Adventure.

What I liked least about this dish:

I’ll double the date syrup next time. Heck, I might even triple it. Did you know date syrup makes good French toast topping as well? Yep.

Ava’s Corner: