Table of Contents

Introduction

Objectives (Bulleted)

Requirements (Bulleted)

Tip to Success (Bulleted)

Achievement Requirements for this project (Bulleted)

Tips for Staying Safe (Essay)

Resources for Learning (Bulleted) People, Resources, and Place or Organizations

Regional Asian Cuisines and their Characteristics

Chinese Cuisines

Japanese Cuisines

Korean Cuisines

Thai Cuisines

Indian Cuisines

A Day in the Life

The Importance of Maize

Beans and Rice

That’s a Spicy Pepper

Hot, hot, hot Sauce……

Salsas – The Sauce of Latin America…..

Appendices

Recipe

Glossary of Common Terms

Suggested Resources
 INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVES

 To know the different type of Asian cuisines

 Define the fundamentals of Asian Cuisine.
 Recognize and use the techniques, ingredients, and spices that are unique to Asian cuisine.
 Identify the basic cooking method used in each of the dishes and make a list of it.
 Describe the significance of the following in relation to the concept of various cuisines.

REQUIREMENTS

 Readers will become familiar with fundamentals and course content through reading material

TIPS OF STAYING SAFE

These Asian fusion dishes appeal to many customers not only because they are new and trendy,
but also because they are lighter and healthier than other types of "ethnic" cuisine. Many westerners, in
fact, are only now learning about the health benefits of many Asian foods. Many nutritionists point out
that heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and a variety of cancers are far less common in Asian countries
than they are in the United States. One reason is that Asian societies are more likely to engage in
physical activity that combines spirituality and fitness (such as tai chi), and experts are discovering that
Asian diets also play a role.

A healthy diet, on the other hand, that took centuries to achieve could be lost in a matter of
decades. Obesity and heart disease are slowly becoming a problem in many Asian cities, as more
Chinese, Japanese, and other Asians copy the unhealthy eating habits normally associated with people
and flock to fast food restaurants that seem to be growing exponentially across Asia, according to many
observers. It's ironic that combining eastern and western cuisines can produce such disparate results
depending on the culture involved.

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING

 Regional Asian Cuisines and their Characteristics

 Asian Foods by ASIA FOODS COMPANY
 Pampering the palate with 48 Asian cuisines by Parimala S Rao (Business Line)
 Gaining Insight from Asian Food Flavors by Lu Ann Williams (Prepared Foods)
 Asian Cuisine and Foods (Copyright © 2001-2021 by C.N. Le.)
REGIONAL ASIAN CUISINE AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
The traditional food associated with any particular region is usually just a small sampling of the
foods that are popular in those areas, but cuisine is often divided by region. For example, while pasta is
commonly associated with Italian cuisine, Southern Italians consume a wide variety of seafood, while
Northern Italians prefer game meats such as rabbit and boar. It is a disservice to the culture and region
as a whole to reduce a region's cuisine to a small number of dishes.

The most common source of regional cuisine misunderstanding is the broad culinary term
"Asian food." Asia is the world's largest continent, with thousands of different regions, countries, and
subcultures. As a result, most culinary experts consider the term Asian food to be too broad, and it is
frequently divided into the following regions.

 Eastern Asian cuisine: East Asian cuisine includes Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian,
Taiwanese and Tibetan food. Considering this is the most populated region of the world, it has
many regional cuisines (especially in China). Examples of staple foods include rice, noodles,
mung beans, soybeans, seafood (Japan has the highest per capita consumption of seafood),
mutton (Mongolia), bok choy (Chinese cabbage), and tea.
 North Asian cuisine: North Asian cuisine is often synonymous with Russian cuisine, due to all of
Northern Asia being a part of the Russian Federation. However, some cultures or areas of Siberia
have in-depth cuisine, such as the Yakuts (or Sakha) and Yamal cuisine. Buryats also have their
own cuisine, although it is very similar to that of the related Mongolians.
 Southeast Asian cuisine: includes Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian food. Southeast Asian cuisine
includes a strong emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with a strong aromatic component that
features such flavors as citrus and herbs such as lime, coriander/cilantro and basil. Ingredients in
the region contrast with the ones in the East Asian cuisines, substituting fish sauces for sauce
and the inclusion of ingredients such as galangal, tamarind and lemongrass. Cooking methods
include a balance of stir-frying, boiling and steaming.
 Central Asian cuisine: includes Tibetian, Mongolian and Kazakh food. Most Central Asian nations
have similar cuisines to each other as well as their neighbors, taking many features of the
neighboring cuisines of Western and Eastern Asia, particularly Mongolia. A dish known as "plov",
or "osh", for example, is a widespread variation of pilaf. However, many of the same countries
use horse meat and mutton as the most common meats, similar to beef. This is owing to
Mongolian cuisine. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the cuisine has evolved to meet the needs of a
nomad lifestyle.
 South Asian cuisine: encompasses many varieties of Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakastani food,
south Asian cuisine includes the cuisines from the Indian subcontinent. Foods in this area of the
world are flavoured with various types of chili, black pepper, cloves, and other strong herbs and
spices and often with flavoured butter and ghee. Turmeric and cumin are often used to make
curries.
 West Asian cuisine, which is more commonly known as Middle Eastern food. West Asian cuisine
is the cuisine of the various countries and peoples of West Asia. The cuisine of the region is
diverse while having a degree of homogeneity.[5] Some commonly used ingredients include
olives and olive oil, pitas, honey, sesame seeds, dates,[5] sumac, chickpeas, mint and parsley.
Some popular dishes include kibbeh and shawarma.
Chinese Food

While Chinese food covers a broad range of cuisines, when discussed in Westernized terms, it will usualy
include steamed rice, beef and chicken dishes with sauce and vegetables, as well as different types of
soup and noodle dishes. Common Chinese seasonings include soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, five
spice powder, and rice wine. Popular cooking styles include Szechwan, Cantonese and Hunan, just to
name a few.

Japanese Food

Sushi and sashami are just two of the most popular food types offered in Japanese cuisine. Each uses a
lot of fresh fish and rice, ingredients that are abundant in Japan. Tempura, another favorite, features
pieces of meat, fish, and/or vegetables covered in a tempura batter and deep fried until they are
crunchy and golden. They can then dip in sauces such as tsuyu sauce, sweet & sour sauce, or shoyu.
Teriyaki is also a popular Japanese cooking style in which foods are broiled or grilled with a glaze of soy
sauce, mirin and sugar and then served with sticky rice.

Korean Food

Korean foods are typified by their use of rice, vegetables and seafood, cooked in a wide variety of
sauces, sides and spices. Preferred seasonings include red pepper, green onion, soy sauce, bean paste,
garlic, ginger, sesame, mustard and vinegars. Some favorites include Kimchi, a fermented and spiced
cabbage that is added to many Korean dishes, and Tteokbokki, which are hot and spicy rice cakes. Also
popular is the Korean barbecue "pulgoki", which is meat marinated in a sauce made with soy sauce,
garlic, sugar, sesame oil, and other seasonings, which is then cooked over a fire in front of the diner’s
table.

Thai Food

Thai food is characterized by fresh ingredients and lots of spices. Pad Thai, one of the most popular Thai
dishes, features rice noodles, paired with bean sprouts, peanuts, lime juice, and an assortment of spices
such as tumeric and chiles. Thai food usually features fish, chicken, or even pork as the major meat
component of the dish and favored seasonings are coconut milk, fish sauce, oyster sauce, kaffir limes
and palm sugar.

Indian Food

The most popular flavor component in Indian food is, without a doubt, curry, which is a combination of
various spices and herbs that may include ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, and fresh or dried
chilies. This blend is used to spice stews, soups, vegetables, rice and other dishes. Unlike other Asian
foods, Indian food is very carb heavy and uses different breads. Diners will find that breads such as
Chapati, Puri, Paratha and Naan are often served alongside stews and soups, and dipping the bread in
sauces such as chutney, raitas, and achaar, is a popular method of enjoying the food.

Understanding the fundamental differences between Asian cuisines can aid in the menu selection for
your Asian restaurant. Whether you want to focus on a specific region or give your guests a tour of the
entire Asian continent, your guests will appreciate whatever decision you make.
REGIONAL STAPLES
We have touched on a few of the important staples in these regions, including spices, rice, etc. It’s time
to discuss these ingredients in greater detail.

A DAY IN LIFE
Despite the fact that many Asian cultures share the tradition of gathering the family or clan to socialize
or celebrate over a large meal, each Asian culture developed its own ethnic cuisine as a result of the
interaction of history, environment, and culture. Culinary historians and anthropologists have identified
three major groups of Asian dietary cultures that have evolved over time. There is some overlap, as with
any classification system, but they roughly correspond to the main groups or types of traditional Asian
cooking.

The first is known as the southwest style that includes cuisines from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and
Burma. Having its roots in Persian-Arabian civilization, the eating of nan (or flat bread) became
widespread, along with mutton, kebabs (derived from Turkish cooking), and the use of hot peppers,
black pepper, cloves, and other strong spices, along with ghee (a butter oil). Curry also became a staple
in this dietary culture. Through the teachings of Hinduism, cows were used only for their milk and not
for meat. In addition to rice, chapati made from wheat or barley are also a staple part of the diet, and
beans also play an important role in meals.

The second major dietary culture of Asia is the northeast tradition, comprising China, Korea, and Japan.
This tradition developed to emphasize using fats, oils, and sauces in cooking. In the northeast dietary
culture, the foods, spices, and seasonings go beyond being mere foodstuffs as they are also used as
medicines to promote a long and healthy life. In addition, food became associated with many religious
traditions as well, as many northeast Asian cultures frequently used food as symbolic offerings to
worship their ancestors.

Arguably, Chinese cuisine has become the most prominent of all Asian styles of cooking, with several
different styles based on region -- the most basic difference being between northern and southern styles
of Chinese cuisine. Southern dishes emphasize freshness and tenderness while due to the colder
weather, northern dishes are relatively oily and the use of vinegar and garlic tends to be more popular.
In contrast, Japanese cooking came to emphasize the frequent use of deep-frying (i.e., tempura, etc.)
using vegetable oil or conversely, raw foods (i.e., sushi and sashimi). In Korea, much of the tradition
cuisine is centered on grilling or sauteing and the use of hot chili spices (i.e., kim chi, etc.).

Finally, the third major dietary culture of Asia is the southeast style, which includes Thailand, Laos,
Cambodia, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. The traditional emphasis in this region
is on aromatic and lightly-prepared foods, using a delicate balance of quick stir-frying, steaming, and/or
boiling, supplemented with discrete spices and seasonings, including citrus juices and herbs such as
basil, cilantro, and mint. Also, while northeastern cuisines emphasize using soy sauce in nearly
everything, many cultures in the southeast substitute fish sauce, along with galangal, lemon grass, and
tamarind for additional flavor.
Comparing the three cuisines with each other, we notice that curries are very important to the cuisines
of the southeast and southwest, less so in the northeast. Southwestern curries are generally based on
yogurt, whereas the curries of the southeast are generally based on coconut milk. Of course, rice is a
staple starch in all three cuisines areas. In addition to rice, southwestern cuisines are supplemented with
a variety of leavened and unleavened breads while southeast and northeast cuisines add noodles made
from rice, egg, or potatoes (remember, pasta was invented in China). Garlic and ginger are used in all
three cuisine areas, while chilies are much more common in the southwest and southeast.

Appendices

Recipes
(Southern Asia)
INDIA - CHICKEN BIRYANI

Chicken Biryani is a savory chicken and rice

dish that includes layers of chicken, rice, and
aromatics that are steamed together. The
bottom layer of rice absorbs all the chicken
juices as it cooks, giving it a tender texture
and rich flavor, while the top layer of rice
turns out white and fluffy. Buried in the
Biryani, you’ll find whole cuts of succulent
chicken bursting with flavor from the potent
array of spices, herbs, and aromatics it’s
marinated in.

Ingredients 2 1/2 pounds bone-in 3 bay leaves

1 cup whole milk yogurt
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons Kashmiri
chili powder (see Cook's
Note)
1/2 teaspoon ground
turmeric
skinless chicken thighs
1/4 teaspoon whole
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil black peppercorns
2 large red onions, thinly 2 large pinches saffron
sliced
1/4 cup whole milk
2 cups basmati rice
1/2 cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
7 green cardamom pods
 1 tablespoon finely 2 medium tomatoes, 1/2 cup mint leaves
grated ginger chopped into 1/2-inch
pieces
5 cloves garlic, finely
grated 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

Directions

Whisk together the yogurt, 3 tablespoons salt, chili powder and turmeric in a large bowl. Add the
chicken and turn to coat. Let sit at room temperature until ready to use, up to 1 hour. (Alternatively,
the chicken can be marinated for up to 2 days covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.)

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat until a deep-fry
thermometer reaches 350 degrees F. Fry half of the onions, stirring frequently for even cooking,
until deep golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer them to a paper-towel lined baking sheet to
drain. Season with salt and let cool. Let the oil come back up to temperature and repeat with the
remaining onions. Reserve the oil.

Wash, rinse and drain the rice in a bowl full of cold water until the water is almost clear, about 5
times. Bring the rice, 1/4 cup salt, 4 of the cloves, 3 of the cardamom pods, 1 of the bay leaves, the
peppercorns and 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Cook for exactly 5 minutes.
(The rice will not be completely cooked; it will continue to cook in the oven. Do not cook longer or
the rice will get mushy.) Drain and transfer the rice and spices to a medium bowl.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F.

Stir together the saffron and milk in a small bowl until combined.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the reserved onion oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the
cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and the remaining 4 cloves, 4 cardamom pods and 2 bay leaves. Cook,
stirring frequently, until the spices are very fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add
the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and beginning to stick to the
bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring
occasionally and scraping the garlic and ginger from the bottom of the pan, until the tomatoes start
to break down and most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup water, bring to
a boil and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and layer on top of the tomatoes. Then sprinkle half the
fried onions on top of the chicken. Top with the rice and spices and then drizzle the saffron milk over
the rice. Cover the pan and bake until the liquid evaporates, the rice is tender and the chicken is
cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.

Let sit covered for 10 minutes, then transfer the biryani to a large serving platter. Top with the
remaining fried onions, cilantro and mint leaves.
 Chapli kebab (PAKISTAN) is a form of kebabs widely
popular in Pakistan. Mixed together with a South Asian
blend of spices, the beef is flattened into circles and
shallow-fried. The patty must have a charred exterior
for an authentic look and flavor! Serve in a bun with
pickled red onions or with a side of pita bread. Add my
traditional raita (yogurt dip) to your beautiful platter!

Ingredients

cooking spray 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

1 egg, lightly beaten 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed

1 pound ground beef 1 teaspoon salt

1 tomato, finely chopped ¾ teaspoon ground cumin

1 red onion, finely chopped ¾ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro ¼ cup vegetable oil for frying, or more as
needed
¼ cup finely chopped mint
2 tomato, sliced into rounds.

Instructions Checklist
Step 1 - Spray a small skillet with cooking spray; warm over medium-high heat. Pour egg into the skillet;
cook and stir until scrambled and set, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 2 - Combine scrambled egg, beef, chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, mint, ginger-garlic paste,
coriander seeds, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix by hand until well combined. Shape
mixture into patties. Press a tomato slice into the center of each patty.
Step 3 - Heat oil in a deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cook patties in the hot oil in batches
until charred, 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Dizi / Abgoosht (Stone Pot Iranian Stew)

Dizi and abgoosht are competing names for the stone
pot Persian stew that's consumed following an almost
ritualized eating procedure.

Ingredients
80 g lamb shanks, ribs or shoulder (you 1 heaped tbsp chickpeas (dried or canned)
could also use beef) (2.8 oz)
1/4 onion
 1 heaped tbsp beans (dried or canned) (I 1 tbsp tomato paste
used navy beans but you could use any 1/2 tsp turmeric
beans you have) black pepper to taste
1 dried lime (optional) salt to taste
1 garlic clove bread to serve
1/2 medium size potato
1/2 tomato
Instructions
If you’re using dried chickpeas and beans, soak them in water, starting the night before.
Change the water a couple of times, for example before you go to bed and first thing in the morning.
Cut the meat into large cubes. If you’re using ribs, leave the meat on the bones. The bones will give
the stew extra flavour. Also the fattier the meat, the better. In Iran people use dombeh (lamb tail)
because of its high fat content
Multiply the ingredients by the number of portions you want to prepare. Transfer all the ingredients
to the pan
add just enough water to cover them.
Bring the stew to boil, then let it simmer over low to medium temperature for about 3 hours.
Make sure to check, if more water needs to be added once in a while.

Chicken tikka (Pakistan) is one of the most popular

foods in Pakistan, both for its taste and its
nutritional value—that is if it is not accompanied by
“naan.” It is a sizable portion of chicken slathered in
traditional spices and then grilled to perfection. For
the ultimate experience, dip the pieces of chicken in
the accompanying mint dressing.

Ingredients

1 cup Fresh Yogurt ½ tbsp Food Color (Orange)

½ tbsp Turmeric Powder ½ Chicken Cube
½ tbsp Black Pepper Powder 1 piece Chicken
1 tbsp Red Chili Powder ½ piece Lemon Juice
½ tbsp Garam Masala Powder 3 tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions
Take a large mixing bowl and add all spices with Chicken
Mix Well
Marinated for 2 hours in the fridge
Add marinated chicken and cook it
Cook both sides of the chicken piece and gets chicken tender
Dish out the Chicken and squeeze a lemon and serve with chutney
Kabuli Pulao (Afghanistan)- is a variety of pilaf made in Afghanistan, parts of Pakistan, and other parts of
Central Asia. It consists of steamed rice mixed with raisins, carrots, and beef or lamb. There exist
different variations depending on the region.

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice (340g) 1 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups freshly boiled water for the sauce 3 tsp cumin powder
(470 ml)
3 tsp sugar
1.9 lbs 2 lamb shanks or lamb shoulder or
1 tsp cardamom powder
leg (850g)
1 tsp turmeric
3 carrots (7oz / 200g)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1.8 oz raisins (50g)
1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp salt
1 onion
1/8 tsp saffron
4 cloves garlic
2 ice cubes (from blooming the saffron)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp slivered pistachios as garnish
3 tbsp sesame oil
(optional)
1.5 tbsp butter

Procedures:

 Prep the ingredients

 Transfer 2 ice cubes into a glass. Sprinkle the saffron over the ice. Let the ice melt. The saffron
will dissolve in the water. Alternatively you can dissolve it in a few tbsp freshly boiled water.
 Peel the onion, cut it in half and slice it. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them as well.
 Peel the carrots and chop them in julienne size.
 Rinse the raisins and set them aside to dry.
 Cook the meat
 I used lamb shanks for my Kabuli Pulao, for the purpose of presentation. You can however use
lamb shoulder or leg. In this case cut the meat in about 2″ / 5cm large chunks.
 Heat 3 tbsp sesame oil oil in a frying pan and fry the lamb shanks (or cubes) for about 10
minutes until golden brown from all sides.
 Remove the meat from the pan and gently fry the onions in the same oil. After 5 minutes add
the garlic and fry both together for another 5 min.
Then add the tomato paste to the onions and season with turmeric, black pepper, 1 tsp of the cumin
and salt. Combine everything well and let the tomato paste fry gently for 5 minutes, then add 2 cups
/ 470ml freshly boiled water.

Give the mixture a good stir and return the meat to the pan. Put on the lid and let it simmer over
low heat for 1h 45min. If you’re using whole lamb shanks, turn them occasionally.

After about 1h cooking time add half of the saffron water.

Fry the carrots. Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the carrots and gently fry them over low heat for
about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle the sugar over them and put on the lid. Let them caramelise for
about 10 minutes.

Remove the carrots from the pan. Gently fry the raisins in the same pan for a few minutes, stirring
constantly. Set both aside for later.

Parboil the rice

Start preparing the rice 15 minutes toward the end of the cooking time for the meat.

Wash the rice by moving it around in a bowl of water, draining it, adding fresh water, and repeating
this process 4 to 5 times.

Bring at least 5 cups / 1.2l of water to boil in a large pan. Add 1 tbsp of salt and let it dissolve.

Once the water is boiling add the rice to it and briefly stir to make sure it does not stick together.

After approx. 3 minutes fish out a rice corn and either bite or cut through it. When the rice corn is
soft on the outside and still firm inside, it means the rice is pre-cooked. This can take up to 10
minutes depending on your rice. I’m using Tilda basmati rice, which only takes 3 minutes to cook to
this stage.

Drain the rice in a colander and rinse it thoroughly with cold water. This will interrupt the cooking
process as well as wash off any excess salt.

Finish the sauce. Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan. The sauce should be nicely
reduced now. Sieve the sauce through a strainer to filter out the onion and garlic. All their goodness
is now in the sauce and you can discard of them.

Layer the rice. Usually the rice is layered with spices, meat, sauce, carrots and raisins, similar to
Persian Loobia Polo. Because I wanted to leave my lamb shanks whole for the presentation I took
another approach and only layered the rice with the spices, carrots and raisins. Then I served the
meat and sauce separately. Below I describe the more traditional approach.

Set some of the carrots and raisins aside for later as garnish. Add 3 tbsp of vegetable oil and 2 tbsp
of hot water to the pan you want to finish cooking your rice in.

Now add a little rice to the pan, enough to cover the bottom of it. Then add a little sauce, a little
meat, some carrots and raisins and sprinkle with some of the remaining cumin and cardamom
powder. Repeat these steps until all the ingredients are used up. If you’re using this method, you
can pour the remaining saffron water over the rice in the end.
Poke 3 holes through the rice with the back of a wooden spoon. Heat the pan over medium
temperature. Line the lid with a clean kitchen towel. As soon as steam rises from the rice, put the lid
on.

Reduce the temperature to low and let the Kabuli Pulao steam for 45 min.

Serve your Kabuli Pulao

Submerge the bottom of the pan into a sink filled with a bit of cold water so the tadig, the crispy
part of the rice from the bottom of the pan, comes off easily.

If you used my method of serving the whole shanks, you can now mix the remaining saffron water
with a small part of the rice and use it to garnish your dish.

Serve your Kabuli Pulao on a large plate. Garnish with the carrots and raisins, you set aside earlier
and sprinkle
 Dal Bhat - The Famous Staple Food of Nepal. The staple food of
each Nepali household, Dal Bhat is mainly rice served along with
lentil soup and vegetable curry or chicken (or meat).

RECIPE

red lentils (masoor dal), mixed lentils, green Cloves

or brown lentils. We use mixed here.
finely chopped tomatoes
flavourless oil such as rapeseed or
butter or ghee ( optional, omit for vegan)
grapeseed
coriander leaf and/or green onion or chives,
onion, finely chopped
chopped, for garnish
crushed garlic
Water
fresh ginger, minced
sea salt ( Himalayan pink salt would be extra
black mustard seeds, popped in oil authentic)

cardamom powder pepper to taste

turmeric powder, or fresh if you have it. basmati, or other, rice

cumin seeds Indian chutney, curd, a green vegetable or

pickle to serve.
coriander seed

whole peppercorns

PROCEDURE

Lentils are the key ingredient in dal which is the centre piece of dal bhat. There are numerous types
of lentils you can use and it often comes down to personal choice and what lentils you can buy. I
prefer mixed lentils when I make this at home.

Another equally important aspect of making the dal is to grind up your spices. Some you’ll buy
already ground but others will be whole. I prefer buying the whole variety and grinding them fresh
myself. That is just me though and ground spices will work just fine.

Don’t forget to really cook everything out properly. That includes the fresh ingredients at the start,
onions, ginger, and garlic but also the spices afterward. If you don’t cook it all out you’ll end up with
a bland dish that tastes like raw spices. A good tip is to lower the heat and take just a little bit longer
cooking.
 SRI LANKA- IDIYAPPAM

Idiyappam, also known as string hopper, nool puttu, or noolappam, chomai,

indiappa is a rice noodle dish originating from the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and
Kerala. It consists of rice flour pressed into noodles, woven into a flat disc-like
shape and steamed.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Rice flour

1.5 cup Water

1 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Salt

grated coconut (optional)

PROCEDURE

The process of making string hoppers is fairly easy with the right equipment. At a minimum, a
noodle press called sev sancha, idiyappam press or idiyappam maker is needed. It is basically a press
with tiny holes to make very thin noodles.

After combining the rice flour with salt and hot water and mixing until reaching the right consistency
(not too sticky), the idiyappam dough is then pressed through a wooden or metal press which has
holes at the bottom, to create long stringy noodles. 

Bhutanese Ema Datshi Recipe

Bhutan’s most well-liked dish is termed as Ema Datshi. Within the

Bhutanese language, Ema is Chilli and Datshi is cheese.

Ingredients

9-10 medium size Red Chillies

1 Onion

1/2 Tomato

5-6 Garlic crushed/sliced

3 tbsp Oil

4-5 tbsp Cheese, grated (a combination of American cheese and Farmer cheese)

Salt to taste
 1/2 cup Water to cook

2-3 Spring Onion leaves (optional)

2-3 Garlic leaves (optional)

Instructions

First thing first, rinse the chillies, onion, tomato, spring leaves and garlic.

Cut the chillies in lengthwise, and tomato, onion, garlic and spring onion leaves into thin slices.

Now, put it all together into a skillet.

Add water, oil, salt and cheeses on top. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes on high flame.

Then turn off the flame and let them sit for 1-2 minutes without any touching.

Finally, give a thorough mix and check the salt. if less add and stir and serve with rice,roti/tortilla,
puri and so on.
EASTERN ASIA

Japan – Nigiri

Small rice balls with fish, shellfish, etc. on top. There are countless varieties of
nigirizushi, some of the most common ones being tuna, shrimp, eel, squid,
octopus and fried egg.

ideas for nigiri sushi toppings

fresh raw fish such as salmon, tuna or
Ingredients yellowtail
smoked salmon
320g sushi rice cooked prawns
80ml sushi vinegar cooked octopus or squid
nori seaweed grilled eel
nigiri sushi mould crab sticks
wasabi paste tamagoyaki japanese style omelette
soy sauce avocado
pickled sushi ginger shiitake mushrooms

How To Prepare

Before we make nigiri sushi, we need to prepare the sushi rice that will be used. You can follow our
online rice recipe to find out how to make perfect sticky Japanese rice and then how to add sushi
vinegar to turn that into sushi rice. If you’re a Japanese food fan, you may also have a useful rice
cooker that makes cooking perfect rice for sushi much quicker and easier.
If you really don’t want to spend too much time with rice preparation, you can try our microwavable
rice. Just mix 250g cooked rice with 1 tablespoon of sushi rice vinegar.
While the rice is cooking, you can prepare the slices of fish, vegetables or any other toppings you
want to use. You can also check our fabulous recipe for tamagoyaki, a delicious Japanese style
omelette that is a popular sushi topping. If you don’t want raw fish, why not try smoked salmon,
parma ham, deep-fried tofu, shiitake mushrooms, pickles, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado… No need
to be be too precise with the size of the slice, just make it big enough to cover most of the rice pod
and thick enough to get the full flavour.
Now we can make the rice pods. Sushi masters usually rinse their hands in a mix of water and sushi
vinegar which keeps them clean and helps to stop the rice sticking. If you want the easy way to
make perfect rice pods every time, try using a nigiri sushi mould. Put the rice evenly inside, press
down the lid, flip the mould over and press the rice out.
If you like the fiery taste of wasabi, add a little to the underside of the topping. Then, while keeping
your hands moist with water and sushi vinegar, press the topping onto a pod of sushi rice firmly.
 Some ingredients like the tamagoyaki usually have a very thin strip of nori seaweed to keep the
topping from falling off the rice pod.
The traditional way to serve sushi is with a little wasabi paste and a dish of soy sauce. Mix some
wasabi with the soy sauce and then dip the sushi in it before eating. Pickled sushi ginger is eaten in
between bites to cleanse the palate so you can appreciate the delicate flavours of different
toppings.

Dim sum (China) – a traditional snack, usually in the form of

steamed dumplings in bamboo containers. Often made from
minced meat, rice, lotus leaves, turnip, rice porridge and fried
green vegetables.

Ingredients of Vegetable Dim SumFor the Dough:

2 cups refined flour 1/2 cup onion-finely chopped

1/2 tsp saltFor the Filling 1 tsp garlic-chopped

1 cup finely minced cabbage (or mixed 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
vegetables)
1/4 tsp vinegar
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp black pepper

How to Make Vegetable Dim Sum

1.Mix the maida and salt and knead to a stiff dough, with water.
2.Heat oil and add the onion and garlic. Saute till a little soft and add the vegetables. Turn around over
high heat till slightly cooked.
3.Take it off the heat and mix in the salt, vinegar and black pepper.
4.Roll the dough thin (translucent) and cut into 4"-5" rounds.
5.Wet the edge, place some filling in the center and bring edges together to cover the filling. Press to
seal -- it will form a half moon shape. Steam for about 10 minutes and serve.
 Bibimbap, sometimes romanized as bi bim bap or bi
bim bop, is a Korean rice dish. The term "bibim"
means mixing rice, while the "bap" noun refers to
rice. Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white
rice topped with namul or kimchi and gochujang,
soy sauce, or doenjang.

INGREDIENTS FOR BIBIMBAP (SERVES 3 TO 4)

Meat and meat sauce

100g / 3.5 ounces beef mince (or other 120g (4.2 ounces) carrots (1 small)
cuts) 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (1/4 tsp each will be
1 Tbsp soy sauce used when cooking shiitake mushroom and
1 Tbsp sesame oil carrots)
1 tsp sugar – I used brown sugar 3 to 4 serving portions of steamed rice
1/4 tsp minced garlic 3 or 4 eggs (depending on the serving
Vegetables and other portion)
250g (0.6 pounds) mildly seasoned spinach Some cooking oil to cook the meat,
350g (0.8 pounds) mildly seasoned bean mushroom, carrots and eggs – I used rice
sprouts – (You don’t have to use them up if bran oil.
you think it’s too much but I love having lots Korean seasoned seaweed, shredded (long
of vegetables on my Bibimbap!) thin cut)
100g (3.5 ounces) shiitake mushroom
Bibimbap sauce
 2 Tbsp gochujang  1 Tbsp roasted sesame seeds
 1 Tbsp sesame oil  1 tsp vinegar – I used apple vinegar
 1 Tbsp sugar – I used raw sugar  1 tsp minced garlic
 1 Tbsp water

Procedures:
1. Prepare and cook ingredients as below.
– For meat, mix the beef mince with the meat sauce listed above. Marinate the meat for about 30 mins
while you are working on other ingredients to enhance the flavour. Add some cooking oil into a wok and
cook the meat on medium high to high heat. It takes about 3 to 5 mins to thoroughly cook it.
– Mix the Bibimbap sauce ingredients in a bowl.
– Spinach and bean sprouts per linked recipe.
- Rinse, peel and julienne the carrots. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook
the carrots on medium high to high heat for 2 to 3 mins.
-Clean/rinse the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea
salt in a wok and cook the mushrooms on medium high to high heat until they are all cooked. (It takes 2
to 3 mins.)
– Make fried eggs. (While sunny side up is common, you can make them per your preference.)
2. Put the rice into a bowl and add the meat, assorted vegetables, seasoned seaweed, Bibimbap sauce
and the egg on top of the rice. Serve it
3. Mix the ingredients well in the bowl and enjoy!

NORTH KOREAN Dumpling hot pot doesn’t include SPAM, sausages or

instant ramen noodles! Maybe because of that it tasted a lot lighter
and healthier. Though, my husband says budae jjigae is more fun to eat
because it has a bigger range of ingredients to pick and eat from.

PROCEDURE
HOW TO MAKE KOREAN HOT POT WITH DUMPLINGS
1. Place the prepared ingredients in a large shallow pot. (FYI, I laid down onion and kimchi at the bottom
of the pot, then arranged the remaining ingredients on top, in sections.) Boil the pot over medium high
heat until rapidly boiling then reduce the heat to medium low to low. Start serving the dish as individual
ingredients get ready. You may turn the heat off at any time. Serve with steamed rice.

INGREDIENTS FOR KOREAN HOT POT WITH DUMPLINGS, 4 SERVINGS

Main
8 (560 g / 1.2 pounds) your choice of
dumplings (mandu)
300 g / 10.5 ounces kimchi, thinly sliced
300 g / 10.5 ounces firm tofu, sliced (about
1.5cm, 1/2 inch thickness)
1 pack enoki mushrooms (200g / 7 ounces),
base stem removed & stems separated
1 pack oyster mushrooms or your choice of
other mushrooms (200 g / 7 ounces),
separated
20 g / 0.7 ounces green onions, thinly sliced 1 tsp minced garlic
40 g / 1.4 ounces onion, thinly sliced
4 cups vegetable stock or Korean soup stock
(optional) 35 g / 1.2 ounces crown daisy
leaves (edible chrysanthemum), separated
from the main stem
(optional) 1 red chili, thinly sliced
Hot Pot Sauce (Mix these together in a
bowl)
2 Tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
2 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Korean fish sauce
A few sprinkles ground black pepper
fine sea salt, if required – I didn’t use it.
 MONGOLIAN BEEF This Mongolian Beef Recipe is a crispy
homemade version that's less sweet and more flavorful than
restaurant versions you're probably used to.

NGREDIENTS

▢8 ounces flank steak (225g, sliced against the grain into

1/4-inch-thick slices)

▢1 teaspoon vegetable oil (plus 1/3 cup for frying)

▢1 teaspoon soy sauce

▢1 tablespoon cornstarch (plus 1/4 cup, divided)

▢2 tablespoons brown sugar

▢1/4 cup hot water (or hot low sodium chicken or beef stock)

▢1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or 1 1/2 tablespoons water and 2 1/2 tablespoons regular soy sauce

▢1/2 teaspoon ginger (minced)

▢5 dried red chili peppers (optional)

▢2 cloves garlic (chopped)

▢1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry)

▢2 scallions (cut into 1-inch long slices on the diagonal)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the sliced beef with 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
Marinate for 1 hour. The beef should still be quite moist after it has marinated. If it looks too dry,
add a tablespoon of water to it.

Next, dredge the marinated beef slices in the remaining 1/4 cup of cornstarch until lightly coated.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and hot water (or low sodium chicken or beef stock) until the sugar
is dissolved. Mix in 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce. If you don't have low sodium soy sauce, substitute
2 1/2 tablespoons regular soy sauce and 1 1/2 tablespoons water. The saltiness of various soy sauce
brands varies, so give the sauce a taste, and adjust the amounts of sugar/soy sauce/water/stock to
your own taste.

Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in the wok over high heat. Just before the oil starts to smoke, spread the
flank steak pieces evenly in the wok, and sear for 1 minute (depending upon the heat of your wok).
Turn over and let the other side sear for another 30 seconds. Remove to a sheet pan. Tilt it slightly
to let the oil drain to one side (lean it on a cookbook or cutting board). The beef should be seared
with a crusty coating.

Drain the oil from the wok, leaving 1 tablespoon behind, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the
ginger and dried chili peppers, if using. After about 15 seconds, add the garlic. Stir for another 10
seconds and add the premixed sauce.

Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes and slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry mixture. Cook until
the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the beef and scallions and toss everything together for another 30 seconds. There should be
almost no liquid, as the sauce should be clinging to the beef. If you still have sauce, increase the heat
slightly and stir until thickened. Plate and serve with steamed rice!
South-Eastern Asia

Phở (Vietnam) - the most popular Vietnamese dish in

general. It is a soup with a rice noodle with chicken or
beef (or both).

Ingredient

4 pounds beef soup bones 1 ½ pounds beef top sirloin, thinly sliced

1 onion, unpeeled and cut in half ½ cup chopped cilantro

5 slices fresh ginger 1 tablespoon chopped green onion

1 tablespoon salt 1 ½ cups bean sprouts

2 pods star anise 1 bunch Thai basil

2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

4 quarts water ¼ cup hoisin sauce (Optional)

1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles ¼ cup chile-garlic sauce (such as Sriracha®)
(Optional)

Quick boil – Remove impurities from beef Remove brisket – some is used for Pho
with a 5 minute boil, it’s the path to a topping, see below recipe for ways to use
beautiful clear soup; remainder;

Scum – be amazed at all the icky stuff that Simmer 40 minutes further with just bones;
comes out
Strain; then
Wash the bones to get all the icky scum off;
Ladle into bowls over noodles and pile on
Simmer for 3 hours – bones, beef, water, Toppings!
onion, ginger and spices (cinnamon,
cardamom, coriander, star anise);
 Chicken Adobo (Philippines) is a type of Filipino chicken stew.
Chicken pieces are marinated in soy sauce and spices, pan-fried,
and stewed until tender. The dish gained popularity because of
its delicious taste and ease in preparation.

Ingredients
2 5 cloves garlic crushed
lbs 1 1/2 cups water
chicken cut into serving pieces 3 tablespoons cooking oil
3 pieces dried bay leaves 1 teaspoon sugar
8 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon salt optional
4 tablespoons white vinegar 1 teaspoon whole peppercorn

Instructions
Combine chicken, soy sauce, and garlic in a large bowl. Mix well. Marinate the chicken for at least 1
hour. Note: the longer the time, the better
Heat a cooking pot. Pour cooking oil.
When the oil is hot enough, pan-fry the marinated chicken for 2 minutes per side.
Pour-in the remaining marinade, including garlic. Add water. Bring to a boil
Add dried bay leaves and whole peppercorn. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken gets tender
Add vinegar. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
Put-in the sugar, and salt. Stir and turn the heat off.

Satay (Indonesia) is a popular BBQ dish found everywhere in Indonesia,

Singapore and Malaysia. Satay is small pieces of spice marinated meat
(usually lamb, beef, chicken) skewered with a thin wooden stick cooked
by grilling over a trough of open charcoal fire

Ingredient Checklist

3 tablespoons soy sauce 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -

cubed
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
¼ cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 cup water
1 pinch ground cumin
½ cup chunky peanut butter
 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons white sugar skewers

Directions/Instructions Checklist

Step 1 In a bowl, mix soy sauce, tomato sauce, peanut oil, garlic, black pepper, and cumin. Place chicken
into the mixture, and stir to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, but not
overnight. This will make the meat too dark.
Step 2 Preheat the grill for high heat.
Step 3 Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and saute onion and garlic until lightly
browned. Mix in water, peanut butter, soy sauce, and sugar. Cook and stir until well blended. Remove
from heat, mix in lemon juice, and set aside.
Step 4 Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill skewers about
5 minutes per side, until chicken juices run clear. Serve with the peanut sauce.

Thailand Pad Thai is probably the most famous Thai

food dish. Pad Thai – which means 'Thai-style stir-
fried noodles' – might be a good dish to start with if
you are just introducing yourself to Thai food.

Ingredients:

12 ounces dried rice noodles 1 ½ teaspoons garlic, minced

½ cup white sugar 4 eggs, beaten
½ cup distilled white vinegar 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar
¼ cup fish sauce 1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons tamarind paste 1 cup coarsely ground peanuts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups bean sprouts
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, ½ cup chopped fresh chives
sliced into thin strips 1 tablespoon paprika, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 lime, cut into wedges

Procedures:
Step 1. Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with several inches of room temperature water;
let soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain.
Step 2. Whisk sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring
to a simmer, remove from heat.
 Step 3 Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir
until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 4 Heat 1 tablespoon oil and minced garlic in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir
in eggs; scramble until eggs are nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add cooked chicken breast
slices and rice noodles; stir to combine.
Step 5 Stir in tamarind mixture, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and salt; cook until noodles are tender, 3 to
5 minutes. Stir in peanuts; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with bean sprouts,
chives, paprika, and lime wedges.

Mohinga is a rice noodle and fish soup from Myanmar

and an essential part of Burmese cuisine, considered by
many to be the national dish of Myanmar.

Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked jasmine rice 3 tablespoons minced ginger
Broth 1 tablespoon paprika
3 quarts water 1 teaspoon turmeric
3 stalks lemongrass, cut into 3-inch pieces 2 red onions, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 2-ounce piece ginger (unpeeled), thickly (about 3 1/2 cups)
sliced crosswise into slabs 1/4 cup fish sauce
5 bay leaves salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper 10 ounces fine round rice noodles
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper Serving
2 teaspoons salt 6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 scaled and gutted catfish (about 3 pounds) 12 Yellow Split Pea Crackers, broken into
Soup pieces
1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 stalk lemongrass, minced 2 limes, cut into wedges
1/4 cup minced garlic Thinly sliced red onions

Directions
For the mohinga
Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the rice across a rimmed baking pan and bake, giving the pan an
occasional stir, until the rice is an even golden color and aromatic, 20 minutes. Cool to room
temperature and then pulverize in a clean coffee grinder.
To make the broth, select a large wide pot that will fit the catfish comfortably with room to spare.
(An 8-quart pot works well.) Add the water, lemongrass, ginger, bay leaves, black and white pepper,
and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Carefully lower the fish into the pot. The fish may not be completely covered in water, but that’s
okay. Bring the pot to a brisk simmer, lower the heat, and cook gently for 15 minutes. Using tongs,
carefully turn the fish over or at least rotate it slightly to cook the side that was sticking out of the
water. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until the fish flesh pulls away cleanly from the bone. Using
tongs and a spider or slotted spoon, lift the fish out of the broth and transfer to a bowl. Turn off the
heat and let the broth sit on the stove.
When the fish is cool enough to handle, pull off the skin and discard. Separate the cooked fish from
the bones, trying to keep the skeleton (or skeleton portions if the fish is cut in pieces) intact. Set
aside the cooked fish. Return the skeleton (including head and tail) to the pot.
Bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. The broth should have a mild
ginger-lemongrass flavor and be slightly cloudy. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer. You
will have about 10 cups. Give the pot a quick rinse (when it’s cool enough to handle), and return the
broth to the pot.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered rice and a ladleful of the broth until no lumps remain.
Stir into the broth. Bring the broth to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until it starts to barely
thicken, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook the broth at a gentle simmer while
preparing the soup.
To make the soup, in a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the lemongrass, garlic,
and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cooked fish, paprika, and turmeric, mashing the fish
gently with a spoon to turn it into a coarse paste, and cook for about 1 minute. If you see any errant
bones, pick them out.
Pour the contents of the wok into the broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Add the red onions and fish
sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes more or until the flavors start to come together. Taste the broth: it
should be on the salty side because the noodles will not have any salt. If it’s not that salty, add some
salt or fish sauce. (At this point, the soup can be cooled and served the next day.)
To cook the noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring often with
tongs or chopsticks to prevent sticking, for 5 to 6 minutes or until softened. Turn off the heat and let
the noodles sit in the water for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse under cool running water, and
give the colander a shake to remove excess water. If not serving right away, mix some canola oil into
the noodles with your hands to keep them from sticking together. (You can also cook the noodles in
advance and soak them in warm water before serving.)
To serve, divide the noodles among the bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles and serve the hard-
boiled eggs, crackers, cilantro, and lime wedges alongside.

Mee goreng mamak' is a specific stir-fried noodles dish sold

at Mamak eateries in Malaysia and Singapore. It is stir-fried
over very high heat together with a special paste along with 'cucur udang' (prawn fritters) which is
synonymous with these noodles.

Ingredients

Noodle Dish 2 tablespoons ketchup

2 servings fresh yellow noodles 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 small potato 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or homemade
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped sambal
4 ounces plant-based "egg" (optional) 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (thin) or use ½
1/2 cup mung bean sprout tablespoon if using thick dark soy sauce
1/4 cup pan-fried tofu slices 1 tablespoon Malaysian curry powder
1/4 cup chopped choy sum (YuChoy) 3 teaspoons sugar
oil for cooking 1/2 cup water
For the sauce

Procedures:

Prepare the potato: Wash and scrub the potato with a brush to remove dirt. Fill a tall pot with water
(big enough to fit the potato) and place the potato in. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the potato
(skin on) until it’s fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain out the water and once it’s cool enough to
handle, peel off the skin and cut it into cubes.
In a large bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients until well combined and set aside until ready to use.
Quick Tip for fresh yellow noodles: Normally fresh yellow noodles are oiled. I like to rinse it in cold
water to loosen up the threads and remove part of the oil. Or you can quickly blanch it in hot water
and drain before use.
Heat a wok with 1 tablespoon of oil, then saute garlic until aromatic. Add in the YuChoy and
noodles, then toss to combine.
Push the ingredients to the side, add a drizzle of oil (if needed) and pour in the plant-based ‘egg’. Let
the ‘egg’ cook a little to set then bring the noodles to cover the ‘egg’.
6.Add in the cooked potato cubes, tofu, and slowly add in the sauces. Using a wok spatula or tongs,
stir-fry while tossing all the ingredients together until well-combined. Quick tip: Try not to stir too
hard or it will break up the noodles into tiny threads.
7.Finally, fold in the mung bean sprouts and cook for another minute or so. If you prefer a softer
mung bean sprouts texture, increase the cooking time. Taste test and season to your preference.
8. Garnish with shredded green lettuce, chili slices, fried shallots, and a squeeze of lime juice before
serving.

Nam Bahn Chok A classic Cambodian breakfast or afternoon

snack, num banh chok is so popular and well-loved that it is often
simply called “Khmer noodles.”

RECIPE

2 whole mudfish, catfish or tilapia

 3 whole chicken bones 2 tbsp of salt

1 cup kroeung paste 2 tbsp of roasted peanut optional

12 rhizomes or finger roots 1 cup of coconut milk

1 tbsp fermented mudfish (pahok) 4 liters of water

1/2 tbsp of sugar 1 stalk of lemongrass

2 tbsp of chicken mix 1 package fine rice vermicelli noodle

2 tbsp of fish sauce

PROCEDURE

Step 1: Bring 4 liters of water to a boil in a large pot, along with a lemongrass stalk. Once boiling, add
the chicken bone and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is finished.

Step 2: Clean the mudfish or any freshwater fish that you want to use for this recipe and place it in
the boiling water. Don’t throw away the head of the fish, as it provides the most flavor for the broth.
Let the chicken and the fish simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3: When the chicken and the fish are cooked, cut them, and de-bone them both. Keep fish
meat and chicken meat separate.

Step 4: Chop the rhizomes into thin slices, then crush them with a mortar and pestle with the
roasted peanuts, the bird’s eye chili pepper, and garlic. This mixture will guide the next step.

Step 5: Pound the chicken and the rhizomes mixture together to infuse the flavors. Pound until the
chicken is completely crushed, then add the fish meat to the remaining mixture.

Step 6: Once everything has been crushed into a coarse mixture, place it in a large bowl. Add the
knorr chicken mixture, fish sauce, salt, sugar, and coconut milk to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Let
the mixture sit for at least 10 minutes to infuse all the flavor.

Step 7: For the somlar praheur, put 1 tablespoon of prahok liquid in a large pot with the broth and
let it boil. Add prahok to any other flavoring ingredients to reduce its strong scent. Add the chicken
and fish mixture once it is cooked. Simmer for at least 10 minutes, adjust the broth to taste with salt
and sugar.

Step 8: For the noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodle and let them cook for 4-6
minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside a bowl of ice water.

Step 9: Once the noodles are cooked, pour out the water and place the noodle in a bowl filled with
ice water. Start taking a handful of noodles and form them into serving portions, arrange them
nicely in a bowl.

Step 10: To eat, take 1 serving of the rice noodle and place it in a pot. Add whatever fresh
vegetables or wild greens you want, and top with some somlar praheur.
 Laos A short-grain rice that is opaque when milled and
that sticks together when cooked, used especially in
Southeast and East Asian cuisines. Also called
glutinous rice, sweet rice.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 ½ cups uncooked short-grain white rice ¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups water 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 ½ cups coconut milk 3 mangos, peeled and sliced
1 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon salt

PROCEDURE

Step 1: Measure two cups of rice and three and a half cups of water into the pot. Let the rice soak
for at least half an hour or as long as four hours.

Step 2: Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir.

Step 3: Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and
cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly off on one side to vent. Cook for 10 minutes - but DO NOT stir
the rice while cooking!

Step 4: After 10 minutes, check to see if the rice has absorbed all of the water by pulling the rice
away from the center with a fork to create a hole. If there is still water, continue cooking for 5 to 10
minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Step 5: Remove the pot from the heat and place the lid on securely. Allow the rice to stand for 10
minutes before serving.

Singapore Chilli crab may attract most of the attention

throughout Singapore’s hawker centres, but this darker,
pepper - dotted variation, said to have been created at a
restaurant on Singapore’s Long Beach - has plenty of
passionate fans.

Ingredients
  1large live mud crab (or 4 raw blue  2½ tbsp ground black pepper
swimmer crabs)  2 tbsp oyster sauce
 vegetable oil, for deep-frying  1 tbsp light soy
 60 g(½ cup) corn flour  2 tsp dark soy
 50 g butter  3 tsp sugar
 2red Asian shallots, thinly sliced  250 ml(1 cup) chicken stock
 1 tbsp picked curry leaves  coriander leaves and thinly sliced chili,
 5garlic cloves, finely sliced to serve
 4long red chilies, seeded and thinly  mantou buns and/or steamed rice, to
sliced serve

PROCUDURE

If using a live mud crab, gently put it in the freezer for 1 hour or until its movement slows
completely, then kill it quickly by plunging a utility knife between its eyes.

Remove the carapace, then the two front claws - cracking them with the back of a cleaver in several
spots. Cut the body in half down the middle, then into halves again between the remaining legs. If
using blue swimmer crabs, simply remove the carapaces and cut each crab into quarters.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok until it reaches 180°C.

Place the cornflour in a large bowl, add the crab pieces and toss until the meaty sections are well
covered. Fry the dusted crab in two batches until the cornflour just starts to brown (this will
encourage the meat to stay inside the crab while it simmers in the sauce later and will help thicken
the sauce).

Remove the crab from the wok and discard the oil safely, leaving about 1 tbsp behind.

Add the butter, shallots, curry leaves, garlic and chillies to the remaining oil in the wok (the curry
leaves may pop) and stir-fry over high heat until they release their aroma and begin to soften. Add
the pepper, sugar, oyster sauce and soy sauces and stir until simmering.

Add the stock, bring to a simmer again, then add the crab (including the carapace). Toss to combine
well, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes, tossing once or twice during cooking until all the crab
pieces have turned red.

Transfer the crab and sauce to a platter and top with coriander leaves and sliced chilli. Serve with
steamed mantou buns or rice.

Batar Da'an (boiled corn in Tetum) is a delicious vegan and

gluten-free dish prepared with corn and mung beans from
East Timor.

Ingredients
 1 lb corn (fresh or frozen) 2 onions , diced

⅔ lb dried mung beans 8 cloves garlic , minced

2 lb squash (or pumpkin or butternut 3 tablespoons olive oil

squash), peeled and diced
Salt to taste
4 cups water
Pepper to taste

Instructions

The night before, soak the mung beans in water for at least 10 hours.

Drain the mung beans.

Boil them for 10 to 15 minutes in a large amount of water.

Meanwhile, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 6-8 minutes in a separate pan.

Add water, squash, beans and corn to the onion and garlic.

Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until
squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a minimum.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice.


western

Baklava (turkey) is a decadent dessert pastry made from layers of filo dough,
which are then filled with chopped nuts and soaked in sugar syrup. It
originated in Ottoman Palace kitchens and became the most popular dessert
in Turkey.

INGREDIENTS

2 ¼ cups/300 grams shelled pistachio nuts

4 sticks/2 cups/454 grams unsalted butter

1 pound phyllo dough, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator

3 cups/600 grams sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste

PREPARATION

In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until coarsely ground (or you can chop them by hand until
very finely chopped). Don’t overprocess the nuts. You want to maintain some texture.
Clarify the butter by melting it over low heat, then letting it cook until the foam rises to the top and
the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan. This will take about 5 to 15 minutes depending upon
how high your heat is, but don’t rush it or the butter could burn.
Skim foam off the top of the melted butter. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a piece of cheesecloth, place
it over a bowl and pour the melted butter through.
Heat oven to 400 degrees and brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little of the
clarified butter.
Prepare the phyllo dough by trimming the stack of it with scissors to fit the bottom of your baking
dish. Packages of phyllo come in different sizes; some won't need any trimming, some may need an
inch or two cut off a side, and some may need to be cut in half crosswise. Cover phyllo layers with a
lightly damp kitchen towel, and keep covered
Place 1 piece of phyllo on the bottom of the baking pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Layer
phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with butter as you go, until half the phyllo is used.
Spread pistachios on phyllo in an even layer, then layer with remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet
with butter as you go (rewarm butter if necessary).
Cut the pastry into 36 pieces, using clean up-and-down strokes and rotating the pan if necessary.
Make sure to cut all the way through to bottom of pan. Pour any remaining butter evenly over pan.
Bake baklava until the top is golden brown, and the lower phyllo layers beneath the pistachios are
thoroughly baked through. To test this, use a knife to lift up a corner of one of the pastry rectangles
from the center of the pan so you can peek at the bottom layers. Start checking after 40 minutes,
 but it could take an hour or even 1 hour 10 minutes. If the top starts to get too brown before the
pastry is cooked through, lay a piece of foil over the top.
Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup: In a medium pot, combine sugar with 1 2/3 cups/400 milliliters
water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in lemon juice.
When the baklava is baked through, reheat the syrup until it comes to a simmer. Remove pan from
oven and place in the sink or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips of syrup. Slowly pour hot
sugar syrup over the pastry; it will bubble up and some may overflow.
When the syrup stops bubbling, move pan to wire rack to cool completely. Serve at room
temperature.

Masgouf is a fish dish eaten all around Iraq and often

referred to as the national dish of the country.

Ingredients

2-4 servings
1 Carp Fish (Seabass can also be used) 1 Tbsp Parsley
4 Onions 1 Tbsp Paprika
3 Tomatoes 1 Tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Fish Seasoning 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
1 Tbsp Mixed Herbs 1 Whole Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Turmeric 1 Tsp Garlic Paste
1 Tbsp Cumin

Procedures
It is Iraqi tradition to use Carp fish for Masgouf, however should you find it difficult to find this type,
Seabass or Seabream work well too. Have your fishmonger descale, gut and clean the fish, and split
lengthwise from the belly. Make sure to wash the fish when you get home with cold water, lemon
and vinegar. Pre-heat the grill oven at 200C.
In a small bowl, mix all seasoning together along with the vegetable oil and tomato puree. Oil the
base of a large baking tray that will fit with the fish open in a butterfly position. Slice the onions and
tomatoes in large chunks and place around the fish in the baking tray.
Coat the entire fish with the seasoning using a brush, both inside and outside. Laying the fish scale
side flat down and grill the fish in the oven. Make sure the tray is placed almost at the very bottom
of the oven to slow grill the fish for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the fish in case it starts to dry/burn,
either move it further down in the oven or lower the temperature.
 After an hour, feel free to re-coat the fish again with any seasoning left in order to not re-moisten
the fish and pop back in the grill for up to 45 minutes. Serve with a choice of salad or tomato rice
traditionally.

Kabsa is a mixed rice dish,

served on a communal platter,
that originates from Saudi
Arabia but is commonly
regarded as a national dish in
countries of the Arabian
peninsula. The dish is made
with rice and meat.

INGREDIENTS
KABSA SPICE MIX:
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (cardamom 2 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste)
powder) 1 pinch ground nutmeg (nutmeg powder)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper (white pepper 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (black pepper
powder) powder)
1/4 tsp saffron 1/4 tsp ground cumin (cumin powder)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground coriander (coriander
powder) powder)
1/2 tsp ground all spice 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp dried whole lime powder 200 g canned diced tomatoes (or 3
CHICKEN KABSA: tomatoes chopped)
2 tbsp oil or butter 2 chicken stock cubes
3 onions, sliced 1 1/2 kg whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces
1 tbsp minced ginger (ginger paste) 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed
1 tbsp minced garlic (garlic paste) 1/4 cup raisins
1 green chili Water
2 dried bay leaves Salt to taste
6 cloves Raisins, to garnish (optional)
4 cardamom pods Slivered almonds, to garnish (optional)
1 cinnamon stick

Procedures:
 To make kabsa spice mix, combine together cardamom, white pepper, saffron, cinnamon, all
spice and lime powder in a bowl. Set aside.
 Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, ginger, garlic and
green chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the onions turn golden brown. Add bay leaves,
cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Fry for a minute.
  Stir in tomato purée. Add ground nutmeg, ground black pepper, ground cumin, ground
coriander and kabsa spice. Season with salt. Fry the spices for a minute. Add carrots and diced
tomatoes. Stir, and cook for 2 minutes.
 Add chicken cubes and chicken pieces. Brown chicken, turning occasionally, for about 30
minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan. Set aside.
 Add rice and raisins. Pour in 4 cups water. Season with salt. Bring it to the boil. Reduce the heat,
cover with lid, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
 Preheat grill. Grill chicken for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Serve rice with grilled
chicken.

Mandi (Yemen) is a traditional dish that originated

from Hadhramaut, Yemen, consisting mainly of meat
and rice with a special blend of spices, cooked in a pit
underground.

Ingredients:

500 grams Chicken , with bones 2 tablespoons Butter (Salted) , softened

1 Onion , finely chopped Salt , to taste

1 Tomato 2 cups Basmati rice

3 Green Chillies 4 cups Water

1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste For mandi spice powder

3 Bay leaves (tej patta) 1 tablespoon Cardamom (Elaichi)

Pods/Seeds
1 teaspoon Ghee
1 tablespoon Cloves (Laung)
2 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
1/2 tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns
2 Cloves (Laung)
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg powder
2 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
1/2 tablespoon Dry ginger powder
1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
2 Bay leaves (tej patta)
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Procedures:
 To begin making the Arabian Chicken Mandi recipe, firstly we will prepare the Mandi spice
powder.
 For mandi spice powder
 To make the Mandi spice powder, dry roast the cardamom pods, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg
dry ginger powder and bay leaves in a on on medium heat for 4-6 minutes.
 Turn off the heat, and allow it to cool.
 Transfer the spices in a mixer jar, and grind into a fine powder using a mixer grinder.
 For the Chicken
 Heat a large saucepan on medium heat and add oil.
 Once the oil is hot, add finely chopped onion and sauté till translucent . This will take about 2-3
minutes.
 To the softened onions, add the ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes
away.
 Next, add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black pepper and mix everything well.
 In a mixer jar combine, tomato and green chillies and grind into a puree and add it to the pan.
 When the oil starts to separate, add the chicken and mix. Add 4 cups of water and the Mandi
spice powder according to your taste. Mix, cover and let it cook for about 15 minutes. After 15
minutes, turn off the heat.
 We will furthermore bake the chicken, to get a crispy skin.
 In a small mixing bowl, add soft butter and Mandi spice powder and some salt, mix well and
keep aside.
 Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade. Remove the chicken from the stock and place it
onto a baking tray and brush with butter and mandi spice powder mixture.
 Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the skin of the chicken turns to a nice golden brown colour.
 For the rice
 Wash and soak basmati rice for at least 20 minutes.
 Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium heat, and fry the drained rice, stirring continuously for
about 10 to 15 minutes.
 Add this pan roasted rice to the chicken stock. Now slide a large piece of aluminium foil on top
of the saucepan and then cover it with the lid. Cook the rice on medium low flame for about 10
minutes.
 Remove the lid and check if there is any trace of water left. If water is left, then cover and cook
for another 3 to 5 minutes. Now fluff the rice with a fork .
 Take ghee in a small bowl and place it in the middle of the rice.
 Heat a piece of charcoal on direct flame until it is sred hot, this will take about 5 minutes.
  Once the charcoal is burning hot, place it in the bowl of ghee that is in the rice. Immediately
slide back the aluminium foil and secure with lid.
 Open it only at the time of serving, as it gives a nice smokey flavor to the rice. To serve, spread
rice onto a large serving tray and place a piece of baked chicken on the top.
 Serve Arabian Chicken Mandi with Raw Mango raita and Pickled onions for a delicious
weeknight dinner.

SYRIA This classic lasagna is made with an easy meat sauce

as the base. Layer the sauce with noodles and cheese,
then bake until bubbly! This is great for feeding a big
family, and freezes well, too.

Ingredients

 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
 1 pound ground beef chuck (preferably flat leaf), packed

 1/2 medium onion, diced (about 3/4

cup)
 1/2 large bell pepper (green, red, or
yellow), diced (about 3/4 cup)
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 (28-ounce)can good-quality tomato
sauce
 3 ounces tomato paste (half a 6-ounce
can)
 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano,
or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
 1 pinch garlic powder and/or garlic salt
 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
 1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup sugar (to taste,
optional)
 Salt
 1/2 pound dry lasagna noodles
(requires 9 lasagna noodles - unbroken)
 15 ounces ricotta cheese
 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) mozzarella
cheese, grated or sliced
 1/4 pound (4 ounces) freshly grated
Parmesan cheese

PROCEDURE:

 Start by making the sauce with ground beef, bell peppers, onions, and a combo of tomato sauce,
tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. The three kinds of tomatoes gives the sauce great depth
of flavor.
 Let this simmer while you boil the noodles and get the cheeses ready. We're using ricotta,
shredded mozzarella, and parmesan -- like the mix of tomatoes, this 3-cheese blend gives the
lasagna great flavor!
 From there, it's just an assembly job. A cup of meat sauce, a layer of noodles, more sauce,
followed by a layer of cheese. Repeat until you have three layers and have used up all the
ingredients.
 Bake until bubbly and you're ready to eat!

 JORDAN Musakhan is roast chicken, heavily scented with sumac and
and a few other warm spices and served with caramelized onion
flatbread. It is the epitome of comfort food, Palestinian style.

Ingredients

For The ChIcken ¾ Cup Olive Oil

8 Whole Chicken Legs skin and bone on 8 Onions chopped

3 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Salt

1 tsp Seven Spices 2 tbsp Sumac

1 tsp Sumac 1 tbsp Cumin

½ tsp Salt 2 tsp Seven Spices

8 Taboon Bread large

¼ cup Pine Nuts roasted

For The Bread

PROCEDURE

For The Chicken

 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

 Mix the olive oil, seven spices, sumac, and salt in a small bowl.
 Place chicken in a baking tray, using your hands rub the spice mixture into the chicken skin.
 Bake for 40 minutes until well done.

For The Bread

 Put the chopped onions with the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook stirring occasionally,
until onions are soft and translucent. Do not brown.
 Mix the salt, sumac, cumin, seven spices. Add to onions once done.
 Split the onion mixture between the taboon bread loaves spreading on the bread leaving a rim
around the edge.
 Split the onion mixture between the taboon bread loaves spreading on the bread leaving a rim
around the edge.
 Place one chicken leg on each loaf of bread. Sprinkle equally with a few pine nuts.
 Place each loaf under the grill to toast the bread slightly.
 Serve while hot.
 Azerbaijan Plov is a rice pilaf with meat, carrots, onions and spices, tender
chunks of meat and fluffy rice with lots of aromatic flavors.

Ingredients

3 cups rice 220 g melted butter

1 large onion, chopped 3 tbsp Saffron water

400 g diced meat, cooked 1 large Lavash bread or 5-6 medium tortilla
bread
1 cup raisins
to taste Salt and pepper
1 cup apricot, cut into small pieces

PROCEDURE

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Rinse the rice in cold water 2-3 times. Then soak the rice in salted water (add 1 tbsp salt) for an
hour.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add chopped onion and fry onion until soft.

Then add cooked meat, dried fruits, season with salt and pepper and fry for few minutes.

Add some saffron water. Stir constantly to prevent from burning and set aside.

Fill a pot with water. Bring it to a boil

Drain salted water of rice and add it to the boiling water. Let to cook for 10 minutes.

Using a colander and strain the rice, then Rinse with tap water.

Melt the butter and spread it on the bottom and sides of the pot.

Place one round bread on the bottom of the pan.

Grease each Lavash or tortilla bread with melted butter and arrange around the sides of the pan,
overlaps each other (as you see in the photos).

Do not leave any open space between breads.

Now, Spread a layer of rice in the pot and then pour some of meat and fruits mixture.

Pour some saffron water on the rice. Repeat the procedure again.

Cover top of the rice with another round bread.

Then fold the corners down.

Cover the pot with a lid. Cook in the oven for 50-60 minutes until Lavash bread is golden.
Remove from the oven and let to rest 5 minutes.

Turn the pot upside down and cut the crust into portions and serve it.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES KABSA A blend of wheat, rice, milk,

chicken or lamb, dates, yoghurt and potatoes, delicately
flavoured with rich aromatic spices, is typically what Saudi food
consists of.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Yogurt Sauce 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt or 1 teaspoon ground coriander

labneh
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 strips orange zest, plus juice of 1 orange
Kosher salt
3 cups homemade or store-bought low-
*For the Chicken sodium chicken stock

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, plus 6 5 cardamom pods, crushed

chicken drumsticks
4 whole cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, washed until water
3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped is clear then soaked in water to cover for 45
minutes
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cups safflower oil
1/2 cup grated carrot (about 1 medium
carrot) 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup curly parsley sprigs, for garnish

PROCEDURE

Step 1 Make the lemon yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, stir to combine yogurt, lemon zest and
juice, parsley, and cayenne. Season with salt; set aside.

Step 3 Reduce heat to medium and stir in onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, cumin, coriander, and
turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in
tomatoes, tomato paste, orange zest and juice, stock, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves
and bring to a simmer.

Step 4 Place browned chicken, skin-side up, in simmering liquid and transfer to oven for 25 minutes.

Step 5 Remove chicken from cooking liquid and place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
Reserve pan with cooking liquid. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees and transfer chicken to
oven until cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.

Step 6 To prepare the rice, heat pan with reserved cooking liquid over medium and bring to a
simmer. Stir in rice, cover, and cook at a low simmer until rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Season
with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork to combine.

Step 7 Heat safflower oil in a small heavy-bottomed pot until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325
degrees. Add almonds and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove
to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add raisins to pot and cook until puffed, about 1 minute. Using a
slotted spoon, remove to paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Step 8 To serve, spoon rice onto a serving platter and top with chicken. Sprinkle with fried almonds
and raisins, garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon yogurt sauce.

Israel Hummus is a Middle Eastern food made of mashed chickpeas. If you

want a delicious and healthy lunch, try hummus stuffed in a whole wheat pita
with tomatoes, cucumber, and grilled eggplant.

NGREDIENTS

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
½ cup tahini
½ teaspoon baking soda (if you’re using
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, more as
canned chickpeas)
needed
¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons),
½ teaspoon ground cumin
more to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-to-large clove garlic, roughly
chopped
 Any of the following garnishes: drizzle of sumac or paprika, chopped fresh parsley
olive oil or zhoug sauce, sprinkle of ground

PROCEDURE

 Drizzle a little pomegranate molasses or sprinkle a pinch of sumac on top.

 For a roasted vegetable hummus, blend in 1 cup of roasted vegetables such as eggplant,
zucchini, bell peppers, or garlic.
 For an olive hummus, fold in 3/4 cup of chopped green or black olives.
 For a nutty hummus, blend in some lightly toasted walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts.
 For a more lemony hummus, add 1/4 cup of chopped preserved lemons.

Lebanon Manakish, or in singular form man'ousheh, or other spellings,

sometimes called Arabic: ‫فَطَايِر‬, romanized: faṭāyir, is a popular Levantine
food consisting of dough topped with thyme, cheese, or ground meat.

INGREDIENTS

For Dough 1 teaspoon salt

1 cup lukewarm water 2 tablespoon Private Reserve extra virgin

olive oil
½ teaspoon sugar
For Za'atar Topping
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one package
active dry yeast) 7 to 8 tablespoon quality Za'atar spice

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, more ½ cup Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil
for dusting

PROCEDURE

 Make the Zaatar Spread

 Mix the zaatar with olive oil in small bowl until it forms a consistent and spreadable mixture.
 Assemble and Bake
 Preheat the oven to 450° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
 Divide the dough into 6-8 equal parts, depending on how large you’d like them. Use your fingers
to spread each piece into a round flat disc, about 1 ½ inch thickness.
 Place 1-2 tablespoons of zaatar spread on each dough and use the back of the spoon to spread
evenly. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
  Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the dough becomes light golden in color
and puffs slightly.
 Enjoy warm with cheese and vegetables, if desired.

Oman Shuwa is a celebratory Omani dish

that is only prepared on special occasions
like Eid.

ROAST LAMB SHUWA

 50ml of olive oil

 2 banana leaves, or more as
needed to wrap the lamb
 1 leg of lamb, bone in
 FRAGRANT RICE
 1/2 garlic bulb, peeled and roughly
chopped  20 saffron threads
 1/2 tsp sea salt  1/2 onion, finely diced
 1/2 nutmeg, grated  50g of fine wheat vermicelli
 1/2 tbsp of ground cumin  400g of basmati rice, rinsed and drained
 1/2 tbsp of ground coriander  1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
 1/2 tbsp of sweet smoked paprika  1/2 tsp allspice
 1/2 tbsp of freshly ground black pepper  1/2 tsp ground ginger
 1/4 tbsp of turmeric  600ml of chicken stock
 1 pinch of hot smoked paprika  juice of half a lemon
 juice of half a lemon  30ml of olive oil

PROCEDURE

In a large pestle and mortar, crush the garlic cloves with the sea salt to create a smooth paste

Add in all the dry spices, followed by the lemon juice and olive oil. Blend into the garlic paste until
evenly combined

Rub the spice paste all over the lamb, working it in thoroughly to completely and evenly cover the
meat. Cover the lamb and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge

Before cooking, preheat the oven to 140°C/gas mark 1 and remove the lamb from the fridge to bring
it back up to room temperature
Wrap the leg in the banana leaves, making sure it is fully enclosed. Place in a deep baking tray with
any seams from the wrapping facing down to help the leaves stay in place during cooking

Cover the tray with tin foil, then bake in the oven for 1–2 hours – check the meat after an hour, as
the exact cooking time will depend on the weight and thickness of the joint. The lamb should be
tender and still slightly pink in the centre when done

Allow the lamb to rest, still covered, for about 30 minutes while cooking the rice

Place the saffron threads in a small bowl or cup and cover with 60ml warm water. Leave to soak
until adding to the rice

Pour the olive oil into a large heavy-bottomed pan and place over a low heat. Gently sauté the onion
for a few minutes until softened and translucent

Roughly break up the vermicelli and stir into the oil, allowing the pieces to colour and brown in the
oil

Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil, then mix in the soaked saffron threads and dry spices. Cover
everything with the stock and bring up to the boil

Cover the pan with a lid. Keeping the heat low, allow to cook for 20 minutes or until all the liquid has
evaporated. Fluff up the rice with a fork, adding a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving

To serve, unwrap the rested lamb and carve into generous slices. Serve immediately with the rice on
the side

state of Palestine Traditionally it’s made by roasting a whole

chicken, but here it’s broken down into parts for easier browning
and faster cooking. When serving, don’t forget about tearing off pieces of the bread: It will have soaked
up some of the juices from the chicken and the sweet onions

 Ingredients  Kosher salt

 1 tsp. ground allspice  ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
 ½ tsp. ground cardamom  3 medium white onions, coarsely
 ½ tsp. ground cumin chopped

 2 Tbsp. sumac, plus more for sprinkling

 ¼ cup pine nuts or slivered almonds

 4 whole chicken legs (thigh and

 Taboon bread or Turkish or Indian
flatbreads, warmed (for serving)
drumstick; about 2½ lb. total)
 1 lemon, halved

PREPARATION

 Preheat oven to 350°. Mix allspice, cardamom, cumin, and 2 Tbsp. sumac in a small bowl to
combine.
 Season chicken all over with salt in a large bowl. Rub with half of spice mix, pressing and working
it into the meat.
 Heat ¼ cup oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken, turning occasionally,
until golden brown on both sides and some fat is released, 3–5 minutes per side. Transfer
chicken to a large plate, leaving fat in skillet.
 Return skillet to medium-high heat. Cook onions, scraping any browned bits on bottom of skillet
and adding a splash of water if pan gets dry, until softened and golden brown, 18–25 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining spice mix and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about
30 seconds. Add ¼ cup water, season with salt, and bring to a simmer. Nestle chicken back into
skillet, skin side up, and transfer to oven. Bake, uncovered, until liquid is mostly evaporated and
chicken is cooked through, 30–35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in skillet.
 While chicken is cooking, toast pine nuts in remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a small skillet over medium
heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat
and season with salt.
 Arrange warmed bread on a platter and top with chicken and onions. Scatter pine nuts over and
sprinkle with more sumac. Squeeze juice from one lemon half over chicken. Cut remaining
lemon half into wedges to serve alongside.
 Kuwait - Machboos Laham

(traditionally made with either lamb or chicken) well cooked and tender, the
rice which is cooked with the meat’s stock, and stuffing which is ironically not
stuffed into anything and consists of split beans, raisins and onion

INGREDIENTS

 The meat  pepper

 1 kg lamb  ¼ tsp saffron threads
 2½ l water  2 tbsp lemon juice
 1 small onion  1 tbsp oil
 1 stick cinnamon  The rice
 1 tsp peppercorns  1 kg rice basmati
 ½ tsp cloves  2 onions
 5 pieces cardamom  75 g yellow split peas
 2 bay leaves  75 g raisins
 1 tbsp salt  1 tbsp oil
 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon  1 pinch ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp ground turmeric  ½ tsp salt
 1 pinch ground ginger  ½ tsp sugar
 ¼ tsp ground cumin  ground cloves
 salt  black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

 Soak the raisins

 Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F). Cut the lamb into cubes. In a large pot, combine meat cubes with
the water, all whole spices, salt and a small onion, quartered.
 Bring to boil. Once water has come to boil remove the froth that has come on top with a spoon.
Cover and let cook over medium-low heat for 90 minutes. Meanwhile, make the stuffing.
 In a small saucepan put split peas, cover with water and add 1 tsp of salt. Over medium-high
heat bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, until peas are
tender. Drain and set aside.
 Chop the remaining onions and sauté them in oil, until tender and golden brown.
  Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the cooked split peas and drained raisins. Add cinnamon,
gloves, salt, sugar and black pepper. Continue to cook for a few more minutes until everything is
well combined. Take off from heat and set aside.
 After 90 minutes drain the lamb cubes in a colander that is set over a large bowl. Save the stock
and discard of the spices.
 Mix all the ground spices. (Taste the meat to see if it needs more salt.) Rub the dry in-gredients
over the meat cubes. Arrange meat on an oven pan.
 Mix 1 tbsp of saffron water with 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp of the meat stock.
Drizzle over meat, cover pan with aluminum foil and enter oven for 15 minutes while you
prepare the rice.
 Wash and drain the rice several times, until water runs clear from the rice, cover with water and
mix with 1 tsp salt.
 Drain rice from water. In a medium non-stick saucepan put rice, pour enough meat stock to
cover the rice by 2 cm. Bring to boil over high heat, cover and reduce to medium-low. Cook until
rice absorbs all the liquid and is cooked and fluffy – about 15-20 minutes.
 When it is time to serve, fold meat with stuffing and serve over rice. Drizzle with remain-ing
saffron water

Georgia Marinated Portobello Mushrooms This is simple and tasty with

some rice or couscous and a colorful vegetable;

Ingredients

 ½ cup cooking wine

 1 tablespoon olive oil
 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 2 large portobello mushroom caps

PROCEDURE

 Step 1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

 Step 2 In a baking dish, mix the wine, olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Place
mushroom caps upside down in the marinade, and marinate 15 minutes.
 Step 3 Cover dish, and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake 25 minutes. Turn mushrooms and
continue baking 8 minutes.
 Armenia Gomgush is a traditional brothy stew of Armenia.
Fresh ingredients are very important and it is cooked it in an
unwashed tonir (similar to a tandoor) that is kept in family.

Ingredient Checklist

1 bunch basil, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 bunch parsley, chopped

1 sprig thyme, chopped

5 medium tomatoes, choppe

3 green bell peppers, chopped

6 medium russet potatoes, peeled

3 pounds lamb chops, cubed

3 teaspoons ground cumin

1 sprig mint, chopped

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 eggplants, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 cups beer, or more to taste

4 brown onions, chopped

7 cloves garlic, minced

PROCEDURE

Step 1 Combine basil, cilantro, parsley, and thyme in a bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons in a bowl and
refrigerate. Place 1/2 of the herb mixture in the bottom of a large soup pot. Add 1/2 the tomatoes,
1/2 the bell peppers, and the potatoes in layers. Top with lamb and season with cumin, mint, salt,
and black pepper. Add eggplant, carrots, remaining tomatoes, remaining bell peppers, and
remaining herb mixture. Pour in beer.
 Step 2 Cover the pot with a lid and cook over medium heat about 1 hour. Add onions and garlic.
Season with salt if necessary and cook 2 hours more. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons herb
mixture and serve hot.

QATAR Oum Ali also known as "Middle Eastern

pudding" is a creamy dessert made with flaky pastry
or croissants and soft and crunchy nuts.

Ingredients

⅓ cup almond powder

¼ cup shredded coconut

¼ cup walnuts

¼ cup pistachios, toasted

¼ cup almond , toasted

¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted

½ lb puff pastry (or 10 butter croissants) ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

4 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 cups milk 2 tablespoons currants

3 cups creme fraiche , divided A few dried apricots and prunes

½ cup sugar 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F (200˚C).

Sprinkle puff pastry with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and bake for about 15 minutes.

Set aside to cool completely.

In a large bowl, coarsely chop the pastry or croissant, add the dried fruits without the almonds,
making sure to keep a few for garnishing.

In a saucepan, put the milk, 2 cups (500 ml) of creme fraiche, sugar and vanilla.

Bring to a boil over medium/high heat stirring constantly with a whisk.

Just before reaching the boiling point, pour in the almond powder and mix well.

In a baking dish or individual ramekins, pour the puff pastry (or croissants) and dried fruit mixture
almost to the brim.
Pour the hot liquid slowly allowing time for the dough to absorb the liquid. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F (180˚C).

Coat the top with the remainder of creme fraiche.

Sprinkle two tablespoons of the remaining brown sugar.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Garnish with some crushed nuts (optional).

Bahrain Chicken Machboos (Bahraini Spiced Chicken and Rice) A

delicious and authentic Chicken Machboos, the national dish of
Bahrain.

Ingredients

2 large onions, diced

3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter

1 tablespoon baharat (see recipe below)

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons oil

A combination of chicken thighs, legs and breasts (about 3 pounds)

1 hot green chili pepper (e.g., jalapeno), seeded and diced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

5 large cloves or garlic, thinly sliced

2 large roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, juices drained)

2-3 dried limes (loomi), several holes punched throughout each one

5 green cardamom pods

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long)

2½ teaspoons salt
 2½ cups chicken stock

2 cups basmati rice (soaked for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed and drained)

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Rosewater for sprinkling (optional, but recommended)

For the Homemade Baharat:

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long)

1 teaspoon whole cloves

¼ teaspoon green cardamom seeds

1 tablespoon paprika powder

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

procedure

 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both
sides until the skin is brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining
oil in the Dutch oven.
 Add the ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to brown,
about 10-12 minutes.
 Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.
 Add the baharat and turmeric and cook for another minute.
 Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom
pods, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to a
boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
 Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return it to a boil, reduce the
heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has
absorbed the liquid.
 Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with the
rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of rosewater
(optional).
 Serve with a green salad and yogurt raita.
 Cyprus Pilafi Pourgouri - Crushed Wheat Pilaf

A simple, rustic dish, Pilafi Pourgouri is a Greek Cypriot

bulgur crushed wheat pilaf. A great side dish with
grilled meats, or as a meal in itself with a Greek salad.

Ingredients

2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes

(bouillon)

Olive oil

1 white onion, finely chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (depends

1 (400 g/14 ounce) can chopped/diced on their size, and how much you like garlic!)
tomatoes
30 g/1 ounce vermicelli noodles or
Hot water spaghetti, broken into small pieces
1 Tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste) 200 g/7 ounces bulgur wheat

Salt

Instructions

Pour the tomatoes into a measuring jug or bowl. Fill the empty can with hot water - add that to the
tomatoes. Add the tomato puree/paste and crumble in the stock cubes. Stir together and set to one
side.

In a large heavy based pan, heat a little olive oil then gently sweat the onions and garlic until soft
and translucent - about 5 minutes.

Stir in the vermicelli and the bulgur wheat to coat in the onion and garlic mixture.

Pour in the tomato stock and stir. Season with more salt if you need to.

Bring to the boil and lower to a simmer for 10 minutes with the lid of the pan on. Stir from time to
time to prevent the bulgur from catching on the bottom of the pan

Switch the heat off, remove the lid and cover with a clean tea towel. Replace the lid and leave to
steam.

It is ready when the liquid is absorbed and the wheat has

central

Plov is a very popular, historic Uzbek dish. Also referred to

as “pilaf” or “palov”, it's made up of long grain rice, tender
chunks of lamb, onions, and carrots. In this recipe, you'll
learn how to make this traditional dish in to time.

Ingredients

1 kg moderately fat lamb, shoulder or ribs

1 kg medium grain rice (paella type)

200-250 ml vegetable frying oil

1 kg carrot (preferably not young)

2-3 medium size onions

1-1.5 tbsp cumin

2-3 whole heads of garlic, the younger the better (optional)

1-2 long hot chillies (optional)

salt to taste

5 liter heavy cast-iron cattle (dutch oven) or bigger, preferably round-bottomed

Method

STEP 1 Wash the rice under the tap until clear, cover with cold water and let it soaks for a while.

STEP 2 Cut the meat with bones into match-box pieces.

STEP 3 Cut the carrots into 0.5x0.5 cm thick sticks.

STEP 4 Slice onions into thin rings or half-rings.

STEP 5 Clean heads of garlic from the remains of roots and dirt.

STEP 6 Heat oil in the cattle or dutch oven on a very high flame, deep-fry meat until golden-brown,
in 3-4 batches. Fry the onions until golden, add meat to the cattle, stir well to prevent onion from
burning. Add carrot, stir from time to time, until it starts to wilt and browns a little (15-20 min). Add
2/3 of the cumin - rub it in your palms a little to release flavor, stir gentliy to keep carrot from
broking.
STEP 7 Lower gas to moderate, pour hot water just to cover all the goods, add salt and let it simmer
for 40 min to 1.5 hours until almost all water evaporate and meat became tender and juicy. Do not
stir.

STEP 8 Turn gas to max.

STEP 9 Drain rice well, place it on top the meat and vegs in one layer, stick the garlic and whole
chillies in it, and carefully pour boiling water over it (place a spoon or ladle on top of the rice to keep
the rice layer from washaway). Cover the rice with about 2 cm of water, let it boil. Add salt to make
the water a bit over-salted. When water will go down the rice, reduce the gas a bit, keeping it boils
rapidly. Check when it will evaporate and absorb into rice completely - rice should remain rather al
dente. Make a holes in the rice to the bottom of a vessel to check the water level.

STEP 10 Reduce gas to absolute min, cover tightly with the lid and let it steam 20 minutes. Turn of
the heat, remove the garlic and chillies on the separate plate. Carefully mix rice with meat and
carrots, if the rice tastes a bit blind add some salt, mix and let it stand for 5 minutes. Pile the plov on
a big warmed plate and serve with garlic, chilies and plain thinly sliced tomato-sweet onions-chili-
salt salad.

Kazakhstan Kazakh Beshbarmak basically means “five

fingers” in Kazakhstan. It is probably the most popular dish
in the land.

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs. lamb or beef with bone

1 large onion peeled and sliced into rings divided

1 bay leaf

ground pepper

Water to cover

For the noodles:

2 eggs

3/4 to 1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

plain flour - about 600 grams

 or you can use lasagna noodles as a quick and easy alternative to making the noodles from scratch.

PROCEDURES

 Put your meat and 1/2 the onion in a deep enough dish to cover it with cold water leaving
enough space on the top so that it doesn't boil over.
 Bring to the boil, constantly removing the foam, Reduce heat to simmer when it starts to boil.
Cover it.
 Let it cook for about 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
 Meanwhile, prepare your noodle dough.
 In a bowl mix the sifted flour (300-400 g), the eggs (whisk the eggs before you add into flour),
add salt and pour water until a dough is formed.
 Knead pastry, adding flour or water as needed.
 Knead the dough well, wrap in plastic wrap and leave for 20-30 minutes.
 Sprinkle the work top with sifted flour and divide your dough into a few small balls
 Then keeping the worktop lightly covered with flour roll each piece of pastry into a fairly thin
layer.
 Keep sprinkling with flour so that it doesn't stick to your hands or work surface.
 Cut into squares (10x10cm). Leave them on a worktop lightly covered with flour. The pieces
should not touch or they will stick together. By the time you are ready to cook the noodles it
should be dry a bit.
 minutes before your meat is ready, add the other half of the onion (cut in ring shapes), salt and
pepper to taste, into your stock.
 Remove the meat and bones, separate as you will only serve the tender cooked meat.
 Bring the stock to a boil for about 7 or so minutes.
 Now cook the noodles in batches in the same stock for about 7-8 minutes. Sieve them out on to
the big plate leaving the space in the center for meat. Then add your meat chopped in bite size
pieces and put it in the center of the dish. Pour some broth over the meat.
 Sprinkle some chives and parsley to garnish over the top.
 Strain the broth and serve in bowls as shorpa alongside the platter of Beshbarmak
 Beshbarmak is served.

Tajikistan Mantu it is a meat- (usually beef or lamb)

stuffed dumpling that is steamed in a multilayer steamer

Ingredients
  Almond  Mushroom
 Apples  Onion
 Apricot  Oranges
 Aubergine  Pistachios
 Basil Seeds  Potatoes
 Bief Cabbage  Prunes
 Cardamom  Pumpkin
 Carrots  Quince
 Cauliflower  Raisins
 Cherries  Rice
 Chicken Chickpeas  Rose Water
 Chilli  Saffron
 Cilantro  Spinach
 Dried Apricots  Split peas
 Flour Garlic  Squash
 Ginger Green  Tomato
 Tea Kedney  Wine
 Beans Lamb  vinegar
 Lemon Liver  Yeast
 Milk  Yoghurt
 Mint

 Step 1 Soak split peas for 2–3 hours or

Method for Filling overnight.
 Step 2 Heat oil in a frying pan and cook
 Step 1 Heat pan over a medium heat onion and garlic until lightly browned.
and add garlic, ground beef and salt and
coriander. Cook until the meat is half-
 Step 3 Add tomato and tomato paste.
Add split peas and ¾ cup water and
way cooked for about 15 to 20 minutes.
cook for 30–45 minutes until soft.
 Step 2 Add black pepper and remove
from heat.
 Step 4 Season with salt and pepper and
set aside.
 Step 3 Combine one cup of raw
chopped onions to the meat and let it
 Method for Yogurt Dip
cool down to room temperature  Step 1 Combine all of the ingredients
for dip in a bowl and mix well.
Method for Sauce Topping
Method for Pastry (if making)  Step 3 Fold over first two opposite ends
of the egg roll wrap and followed by
 Step 1 Place flour in a large mixing bowl
other two ends to enclose dumplings.
and gradually add water, mixing with
Press the edges tightly to seal together.
hands until it becomes doughy.
Continue with the remaining wraps.
 Step 2 Leave the dough to settle for 15–
 Method for cooking
20 minutes or until it becomes firm.
 Step 1 Take the racks out of the
 Step 3 Separate dough into small
steamer dish. Add water to the dish,
handfuls and roll into individual ball
cover and bring to boil.
shapes.
 Step 2 Oil the base of steamer to
 Step 4 Scatter some flour on the bench
prevent sticking and place dumplings
surface and using a small rolling pin, roll
carefully across oil.
the balls into circular shapes.
 Step 3 Cover lid and cook for
 Making the Mantu
approximately 40 minutes.
 Step 1 Roll the dough ball into a very
 Step 4 When the dumplings have
thin (1/16-inch) strips using a pasta
cooked, add a thin layer of the yogurt
machine. Cut the strips into 2-inch
mixture to a large serving plate. Place
squares.
the steamed dumplings on top.
 Step 2 Place approximately one
 Step 5 Pour some more of the yogurt
tablespoon of the cooled ground beef
mixture on top of the dumplings and
and onion mixture onto each wrap. To
coat everything with the the topping
make the wraps stick together easily,
sauce.
wet the edges with water (you may use
your fingers or a basting brush).  Step 6 Garnish with dried mint and a
little bit of cayenne pepper.


 Kyrgyzstan Ashlam-fu: A spicy dish made with cold noodles, jelly, vinegar,
and eggs. Popular in the summer, as a light and refreshing meal in hot
weather.

Ingredients:

280 grams corn starch 1,5 carrots

5 liter water 10 gram powdered chile pepper

30 gram salt 15 gram tomato paste

200 ml sunflower oil 3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon sugar Powdered black pepper

6 pieces of star anise Powdered white powder

20 gram ginger Grinded red pepper

10 cloves 1 kg noodles

5 tablespoons vinegar 10 chicken eggs

2 bell peppers 5 cucumbers

100 gram green celery 5 tomatoes

1,5 onions 100 gram adjika

Preparation:

Take a bowl and dilute 280 grams of corn starch in 500 ml water and add 10 grams of salt. Stir with a
wooden spoon till there are no lumbs left. Now take a normal sized pan and boil 1.5 liter water and
add 10 grams of salt and 2 table spoons of sunflower oil. Then add the corn starch mix from your
bowl. Boil everything over a hot fire while constantly stirring for about 8 minutes. Then reduce the
hit, cover your pan with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Now take a wok pan and heat up 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil. When the oil is hot adding a
tablespoon of sugar and let it caramelize. Then little by little add half a liter to a liter of water, while
you keep stirring. Peel, slice and crush the ginger and add it to the wok, along with the star anise. Let
the whole thing cook for a minute. Then add 10 cloves and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Cook and allow
it to cool afterwards.

Clean the wok for the 3rd part of this meal and heat up 2 tablespoons of sunflower heat. Chop your
1,5 onion and fry them in the wok. Thinly slice or grate the carrots and add them to the wok. Add
the powdered chile pepper and tomato paste and then some water while you stir. Chop the bell
peppers and add them to the mix. Let them fry a little while you stir and put in the chopped green
celery and half a tablespoon of salt. After that you add 3 tablespoons of vinegar. After that you pour
 in a little water and add black, white and red pepper to taste. Add 2,5 liters of water and bring to a
boil.

Meanwhile you take your other pan. For the solification of the starch you pour your mixture in small
bowls and let them cool for the night.

And it’s back to your vegetables in the wok. Once properly cooked you can add the 3 egg yolks and
stir. Slightly cook the mixture and take it off the fire to cool.

The next day you make an omelette out of the 10 eggs and cut it into strings. Meanwhile cook the
noodles as instructed on the package, slice the cucumbers and tomatoes and cut up the starch that
should now be solid. Now put the noodles and starch in a bowl and the vegetable soup on top of
that. Next you add the vinegar mixture and last you top the bowl off with slices of tomato, cucumber
and omelette and a little adjika. Time to enjoy your Kyrgyz hangover dish.

Turkmenistan Chorba or shorba, refers to several kinds of

soup or stew found in national cuisines across the Balkans,
Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Middle East and
the Indian subcontinent. It is often prepared with added
ingredients but served alone as a broth or with bread

Ingredients

 3 lb Lamb  1/2 bn diced Fresh Parsley

 1 diced Onion  5 Garlic Cloves
 2 cup diced Carrots  1 tsp Paprika
 1 diced Bell Pepper  1 tbsp Pepper
 2 cup diced tomatoes  Salt to taste
 8 small Potatoes  Oil for frying

PROCEDURE

Prepare all ingredients for the recipe.

5 bowls one with diced beef, one with diced onions, one with diced carrots, one with green bell
peppers, one with halved abby tomatoes, parsley, garlic cloves and potatoes

In a preheated oiled pot, sautee onions until they're golden brown.

Diced onions being sautéed on a skillet

Add in beef, sautee until all sides of beef are golden brown. Season with paprika, pepper and salt to
taste.

Beef and onions in a skillet

Add in 5 quarts of water. Let it simmer for at least 60 minutes.

Water added into a pot with beef and onions

Add in carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

Green peppers, tomatoes and carrots added into a pot with beef, onions and water

Add in potatoes, pressed garlic and fresh herbs. Let the soup simmer until the potatoes are fully
cooked.

Potatoes and parsley added into the pot with the soup mixture

Season with more salt if necessary.

Shurpa Soup in a pot

Serve soup while it's still warm.

https://www.tigerchef.com/regional-asian-cuisines-and-their characteristics.html?
fbclid=IwAR2ITWlriSew_esjGebNdVLVK4F4iFh7VF5rbHrqgsMkrHNN5h4OaNoUGlk

http://www.asiafoods.pl/en/asian-cuisine?
fbclid=IwAR3dg7bsRbyEEznCD9vbwhdn81YAqY0n3KMoBAXdEy4IItlbPgB5NfCx6zU

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/emerging-entrepreneurs/pampering-the-palate-with-
48-asian-cuisines/article22213216.ece1?
fbclid=IwAR3tnhYIAVeYTbPV902O9hx6SfUQyN9vGxkLz28fdgDCKutk-Hgvin9vprI

https://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/118106-gaining-insight-from-asian-food-flavors

http://www.asian-nation.org/asian-food.shtml#sthash.Bx3ji19p.dpbs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_cuisine

https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-in-asia/