In this first video watch Cambodians cook and eat fresh tarantulas. A fascinating delicacy. In this video, learn about Cambodia, which means “born from water” – about halfway through they show images of the food market. A neat factoid: the video mentions that rice is so ubiquitous, that the verb to “eat” in Cambodian literally means to “eat rice.”
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Fried tarantulas are a delicacy in Cambodia. For 8 cents a spider, you can eat your very own. But watch out for funky spider breath (they cook it with garlic)! (Source: Woman’s Day). Photo courtesy of Paul Mannix via Flickr. If you aren’t into spiders, you might prefer Amok – a cooking method common in Cambodia, specifically food steamed in banana leaves. Mmm, now that sounds more like it! 🙂 . Feel like taking a quiz all about Cambodia? National Geographic has one! Have fun! 🙂
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Although there are many recipes in Cambodia with epically long ingredient lists, I chose a collection of unusual dishes with refreshingly short ingredient lists. Did I mention I have a 13-month old? This Global Table Adventure, I’m most looking forward to trying the Cambodian Grilled Eggs – mostly because I am tickled by the idea of grilling a whole (yet seasoned) egg! Confused? Don’t worry. It will all be clear come Monday, when I post photos, recipes, and Ava’s video review. Special thanks to Karen Coates – accomplished journalist, traveler, and one of my favorite bloggers – who was kind enough to hunt down a Khmer friend for an authentic recipe for me to adapt. It’s going to be mmm, mmm, good! Grilled Corn with Coconut Milk [Recipe] Sweet corn basted in coconut milk and grilled until tender. Cambodian Grilled Eggs [Recipe] Egg mixed with fish sauce, sugar, and pepper, then poured back into the shell and grilled. Chicken and Pickled Lime Soup [Recipe] A light broth made with chicken, sour pickled lime, green onion, and …
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Divided by the waters of the great Mekong river, the flat plains of Cambodia are fertile ground for mile upon mile of wet rice fields. The people also draw fish from this river and other, smaller waterways, for most meals. Brothy soups cooked with limes (pickled or not), lemon grass, tamarind, or even coconut milk are standard fare. Here’s a recipe for Chicken and Pickled Lime Soup. Many curries and stir-fries are based on Kroeung spice pastes, all of which use lemongrass as the main ingredient. The result is salty, sour flavor, reminiscent of Vietnam and Thailand, without the eye-watering, mouth-sweat heat found in either of those countries. In fact, although red chili peppers are used, black pepper is the main vehicle for heat in Cambodian cooking. Meals are filled out with fresh vegetables and unripe fruit, such as long beans, mango, papaya, pineapple, and squash. The most popular of the meats is either pork or chicken, found in many soups, noodle dishes and stir-frys. The grill is also an amazing tool in Cambodia – used, …
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Burundi reminds me of my mother – wonderfully inventive with just a few ingredients. She could whip up dinner with a bucket of cement if she had to. Although made with simple, affordable ingredients, the plate you see before you is a feast worthy of any table – spicy, sweet, fresh, flavorful – betraying no signs of poverty or struggle. What a lesson we can learn from the creativity and fortitude of Burundi. Getting Ava to eat her meal was also a lesson in creativity and fortitude. A test of wills. And of patience. With several quick head shakes, Ava has refusing food down to an art. She wasn’t interested in the beans. Or the plantains. Or the tomatoes. Once in a while she faked interest, opening wide for a bite, but once the food touched her tongue, she pushed it back out, screwing her face up into a squinty smile. Little stinker knows she’s making my hair turn grey. In all of beautiful Burundi, fish was her only interest. With quickly fading hope, I filled her …
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In this first video, you’ll see the longest lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika, as well as mukeke, one of the fish that comes from these beautiful waters. In this second video you’ll view scenery from the small lakes region of Burundi, as well as spectacular fresh produce. Finally, watch drumming performances at the Avocado Oil Festival, followed by a display of food made with avocado oil.
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While you are reading this, I’m on a plane. Flying to Virginia. On Friday the 13th. The flight left at 6 am. Yes, I made the reservations. Who knows what I was thinking. All I can hope for is a little relaxation. I bet I could find some at this beach, in Burundi… For today’s FFF,I thought it would be fun to share 4 first hand accounts of meals in Burundi, followed by our weekly poll: Lunch at the Market restaurant A heaping plate of rice and peas in tomato and onion sauce, fried bananas, a piece of beef (having lived a long and toil-filled life before landing on the plate), accompanied by slices of fresh pineapple, by bananas, peanuts, and a soft drink, cost $1.50 each. Move over McDonald’s. Burundian Delicacies …gorging ourselves on a number of Burundian delicacies – many different cooked vegetables, fried plantains, rice, sauce with beef (none of which was all that unusual to our American palates – though we think the cheese in one of the salads may have …
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If you are looking for something quick and easy, Burundian food is for you. This fresh, healthy meal can easily be sized up for a crowd. Be sure to serve this meal with a big pot of white rice on the side. Fish with Tomatoes and Onion [Recipe] Light and healthy cod fish steamed with tomatoes, onion, a hint of habenero and red palm oil. Traditional recipes use Ndagala or mukéké. Red Kidney Beans with Plantains [Recipe] Spicy chili powder brings red kidney beans to life, while mildly sweet plantains make this dish addictive comfort food. Fried Plantains [Recipe] Lightly pan-fried plantains turn golden and crispy, with a pinch of salt. Hot Sauce (Pili Pili) [Recipe] Pili Pili (or piri piri) is made with fresh citrus juice, either lemon or lime, tons of garlic, and chili peppers. Additional herbs like parsley can be added if desired. Fresh Tropical Fruit Cooked desserts are not common in Burundi. Instead, fresh pineapple or bananas are served at the end of the meal.
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Nestled up to the largest lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika, is the tiny country of Burundi. There, amidst the rolling hills and the lush tropics, live a people surviving on a simple bounty of beans, bananas, plantains, maize (corn), cassava, sweet potato, and peas. Peek under the lid of any Burundian pot, and you’ll likely find red kidney beans. Cooked simply with a little red palm oil, onion, and spicy chili powder, the nutrient rich bean becomes a delight. To avoid monotony, many Burundi mix things up by stirring in slices of sweet plantain (recipe). This completely stunning comfort food is both rich and savory. The banana and the plantain can be found everywhere, piled high on the back of bicycles, old truck beds, and in baskets on top of women’s heads. These sweet treats are served plain, fried (recipe), and in home-brewed banana beer called Urwarwa. In fact, there’s little in the way of cooked dessert served in Burundi. Instead, the people enjoy a ripe banana or juicy pineapple slices. Fish, drawn daily …
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“The smell is making my eyes water. One bite, and I can’t get the flavor out of my mouth! It’s like I’m still eating it. That counts, right?” Keith looked at me with his best puppy dog eyes. And, since his eyes are hazel, he didn’t look much like a puppy. “Just eat half of it,” I said. “I can’t,” he replied, turning his plate so the Babenda was as far away as possible. I kept eating, thinking about how fishy the Babenda tasted. Maybe he would eat some more of the unusual West African dish if I hadn’t tossed in so many dried anchovies. Or if he hadn’t seen me put them in. Maybe, just maybe, if we had some adventurous friends over, he might succumb to peer pressure and eat just a little more. I took a big bite and then gave Ava some. “Your loss!” Ignoring me, he picked up another lamb skewer, buried it in a blizzard of Kan Kan Kan and took a bite. “Now these are good!” he grinned. Sigh. This …
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The making of a Christmas Feast in Burkina Faso. Part One: Shows the preparation of the meal on the outdoor fires. Part Two: The finished dishes are presented to the camera.
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Happy Friday! I’m craving a giant slice of chocolate cake. But enough about me, let’s talk about Burkina Faso! Most meals in the villages are shared out of a single pot (true family style) and the right hand is used to scoop up the food. The cities eat European style – fork, knife, spoon, plate. Frog and toad meat is eaten “dried or fried” in Burkina Faso, with hundreds of frogs laid out to dry in the hot African sun (Photographs are available to view on National Geographic, Fried or dried, frogs are popular food in African Markets) Part of the country was colonized by France, therefore many French foods and techniques have made their way into Burkinabe tradition, such as the ubiquitous green bean. Bissap, Roselle, sorrel, and Hibiscus are all names for the plant leaves that flavor Bissap Tea, high in vitamin C and believed to help reduce cholesterol
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