Sometimes waking up to pancakes just isn’t enough. Sometimes I want to travel to Africa all in a single morning – all the way to Timbuktu – and be home in time to take my daughter to the park. And then I want a doughnut. Is that too much to ask? I think not. Enter our hero – today’s recipe for the eager stovetop traveler – Maasa. Maasa is a special gift for our gluten-free stovetop travelers. (Hi, there. I hope you are hungry!) Every once in a while I happen upon a recipe that is naturally gluten-free. First, there were the quesadillas from El Salvador (super yum and award-winning, by the way). This week we’re going gluten-free with Maasa – a sweet treat from Mali made with rice flour and millet flour, the two most common grains in the region. Maasa is served fresh from roadside stands, hot from shimmering oil and blanketed in a cozy layer of powdered sugar. One bite in, and you’ll see why I couldn’t settle on a name; this is a yeasty, …
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I almost can’t believe how easy it is to chat with people from around the world now a days – to get to know each other – to learn from each other – to celebrate each other. To raise a glass to each other. Sometimes I get recipe ideas from books. Sometimes readers email me recipes. But today’s recipe for “Lomi Lomi” comes from an altogether different place. And it sparkles like the ocean on a sunny day. Last week I knew nothing about this poolside sipper. In fact, had I not begun a conversation with the Four Seasons Maldives on twitter, @FSMaldives), I would not be sharing it with you today. Lomi Lomi is snowy and tropical, sweet and tart, spicy and refreshing. Since it only contains three ingredients, the drink comes together very quickly. I am still in shock that hotel staff was able to suggest this drink to me from halfway around the world, and tell me how to make it … in less than 144 characters. When you can tweet a recipe, …
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Beef Rendang is an art. And I could eat it every single day of my life. While there are many ways to make this flavorful curry, there are two things for certain – the dish must be slow-cooked until the flavor absorbs completely into the meat, and – secondly – the curry must explode with flavor. In a good way. The flavor part is the easiest. In fact, there are so many amazing ingredients – galangal, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves to name a few – that you can’t help but make an amazing curry just by throwing them in a pot together. As for the slow cooking? Follow those famous words of wisdom and just “Let it be.” NOTE: If you would like your hot pepper to grind smooth, simply soak it in hot water for half an hour. I like the little hot bits, so I processed it dry. Recipe inspired by the cuisine of Chef Norman Musa. Serves 2-3 Ingredients: For the stirfry paste: 3 stalks lemongrass, chopped 2 inches of thumb-thick …
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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 oz package of frozen, shredded coconut (available at Asian markets and some latino markets). This makes about a cup of kerisik which you can then freeze for use whenever (and whenever) you need it. You can make as much or as little as you’d like. So, how to do it? First, thaw the coconut. You can also grate a fresh coconut, or use dried coconut (but that won’t be nearly as good, I’m told). Toast the coconut over medium heat in a large wok, stirring continually. In the first few minutes, the …
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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 rice which is the secret to building our edible tower. I first made glutinous rice for Laos and, yikes, was I ever scared of messing it up. After that Adventure, however, I learned that glutinous rice is much more forgiving than traditional long-grain rice. It’s very hard to screw up. Which means, of course, that I’ll be making it more and more. And add coconut milk into the mix? Let’s just call this recipe love at first bite. NOTE: For this recipe, you can …
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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 me “Malawians eat a lot of salt to help stay hydrated with little water.” Traditionally Malawians eat Tsabola with Chippies (deep fried potato wedges), but I decided to go healthy and baked my “chippies” (just with a bag of frozen potato wedges). The choice is yours. For extra fun, epic bonus points, be sure to serve the “Chippies” out of blue plastic bags. That’s the tradition, Brittany tells me. A very pretty tradition, if you ask me. Happy Friday! Dipping sauce with Chippies | Tsabola Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate …
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There are times when I need a little bit of sunshine. A smattering of happy. A bouquet of deliciousness. Today I found exactly what I was looking for in this Malagasy chicken. One of the most unusual things about the food of Madagascar is how much it pulls from different traditions. In today’s chicken dish, we see traces of mainland Africa, Asia and Polynesia. The coconut oil gives the chicken just a hint of Polynesian tradition, while the garlic, and ginger play into Asian flavors. Finally, the lemon rind gives a fresh, yet slightly bitter flavor, reminiscent of north African cooking. Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 whole chicken legs (thighs included) 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 inch ginger, grated 1 lemon, zested 1 pepper, sliced 1 onion, sliced 1/3 cup coconut oil Method: Next time you’re looking for a blast of sunshine, like the Lemurs in Madagascar… … simply zest a sunny lemon, grate the ginger and crush the garlic… Rub all over the chicken legs, cover, refrigerate, and let marinate for at least 2 hours, …
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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, anyone?). Even just this little bit easily perfumes my entire home… Can you imagine how intoxicating the air must smell in Madagascar, where clumps of vanilla beans hang heavy in the humid air? So what about today’s fun recipe? Well, we’re following the Malagasy style, and using the bean used in it’s most pure form, tossed with fresh, tropical fruit. The juices become infused with the most amazing, haunting vanilla flavor. While I thought I was going to make a mixed fruit salad (hello, did …
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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 tomatoes and a sprinkling of lemon juice, this salad just begs to be eaten with crusty bread and a glass of wine (Macedonia has long produced good wines and CNN even called her the new Napa Valley in 2010). This is a minimalist salad; every single ingredient gets the attention it deserves. I wish the same for you. Ingredients: 1 eggplant, cubed 3 bell peppers, diced 2 large cloves garlic, sliced salt & pepper oregano, optional 1/4 cup olive oil, more to taste 1-2 tomatoes, diced lemon juice, to taste Method: The best way to …
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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 familiar – a little more like the United States, which I had left back in 1992. The irony is, of course, that now I eat the fritters with ketchup because it reminds me of Luxembourg. It’s amazing how memories travel with our taste buds, wherever we go. Even though I left Luxembourg after high school, in 1998, I simply have to smell fried potatoes to go back there. In those moments, I remember the friends and the food. The troubles and the laughter. The tears and the songs. It all comes bundled up together, …
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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 this recipe a day or two before you need it, to give the ingredients time to mingle. Ingredients: 3/4 lb beet(s) (or 1- 1 1/2 cup(s) roasted, grated beets) 1 cup grated horseradish (about 1 whole horseradish, peeled & grated) 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 cup water 10 peppercorns, cracked or coarse ground pepper sugar, to taste salt Method: While this recipe will work with any old red beet, it’s always better to find the most GIANT beet in the world. Look how this one dwarfts my loaf pan… it’s …
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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. Trust me, you can do this. In countries like Liechtenstein applesauce is the go-to side dish for all sorts of meals, like Schnitzel [recipe] and Käsknöpfle (recipe will be up this weekend). The fresh flavor will totally make you forget that you left your apples just …. sitting there… for so … long. Best part? No fancy equipment required. Just a plain ol’ wooden spoon. That’s love right there. Here’s the easy, peasy recipe: Makes 2 …
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