Exploring

Asian
Cuisine

SUBMITTED BY
BS Hospitality Management
III – D4

Lauriz Belle H. Ostil Khen F. Aldovino Kim H. Mendoza

Betty R. Laud Reymond O. Reyes Pedyboy A. Anilao

SUBMITTED TO
Toby Tyler M. Jose, MBM-BA
Instructor I
 Table of Contents

03 04 06
INTRODUCTION ASIAN CUISINE A DAY IN LIFE
Objectives Regional Asian Cuisines and Dietary Culture of Asia
Requirements, etc. their Characteristics Tools used in Asian Cuisine

09 10 35
HISTORY OF ASIAN RECIPES GLOSSARY OF
ASIAN CUISNE Southern Asia ... page 10 TERMS
Know the rich history of Eastern Asia ... page 15 References
Asian Cuisines Southeast Asia ... page 18
Western Asia ... page 23
Central Asia ... page 31
 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

FOODS COMPANY
Asian Foods by ASIA
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).

·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.

·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

·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.

·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.
Chinese Food
While Chinese food covers a broad range of cuisines, when discussed in Westernized terms, it will usually
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
turmeric and chilis. 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.

Understanding the basic difference among Asian cuisines can help you select the menu for your Asian
restaurant. Whether you want to specialize in a particular region or treat your guests to a whirlwind
experience of the entire Asian continent, your guests are bound to enjoy any decisions you make.
A DAY
IN LIFE

DIETARY CULTURE OF
ASIA
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 sautéing 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.
 TOOLS USED IN ASIAN
CUISINE
In addition to unique cuisines from Asia, western cultures were also
introduced to the unique tools used to prepare Asian foods. Perhaps
the most important is the wok. The wok is the most important piece of
cooking equipment in southeast Asia and China. Because traditional
Asian households did not have resources to make or buy several
different pans for different types of cooking, the traditional wok was
developed with a unique rounded bottom that provides a range of
cooking temperatures in one pan, thereby becoming a nearly
universal staple of Asian households.

Similarly, the cleaver developed as another versatile cooking

instrument as it can be used to perform all the functions of an entire
set of cooking knives and utensils common in the average western
kitchen -- general chopping, slicing, dicing, carving, crushing, scooping,
etc. And of course, we can't forget about the quintessential Asian
eating instrument -- the chopstick. Although its true origins are
unknown, a Chinese legend notes that the philosopher Confucius,
living in China around 500 B.C., influenced the development of
chopsticks through his non-violent teachings. The widely-accepted
belief was that because knives were associated with war and death,
Confucius urged his followers not to use them at the dinner table,
which supposedly led to the invention of chopsticks as a substitute.

Asian food is generally a blend of several tastes together -- sweet,

sour, salty, spicy, and bitter. While western palates tend to segregate
tastes, Asian cuisine emphasizes a combination of flavors and
textures, often within a single dish. Blends of rice or noodles with
vegetables and/or a protein source may also include something
crunchy, such as nuts, or something softer, such as raisins.

Another difference is rather than adding a ground powder to a

dish (as is common in the U.S.), Asian cooks, especially in the
southeast region, prepare spice blends though various techniques
including blending whole spices and freshly grinding them, and
preparing curry blends. Other unique ingredients provide flavor,
texture, and color to define various Asian cuisine. The popularity of
Asian cooking shows such as "The Iron Chef" is just one example of
how popular and even trendy Asian cuisine has become.
 HISTORY OF ASIAN CUISINE
Like many other global cuisines, Asian cuisine is as varied as the countries on the continent. Asian
cuisine is very much a part of the culture and history of the Asian countries but there are some food
commonalities between the various cultures. In Asian cooking, the emphasis is on smaller portions,
smaller amounts of meats and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Unlike the Asian-hybrid cooking
that can be found elsewhere, traditional Asian food preparation involves very little fat, and very rarely
is anything deep fried.

While there are few commonalities binding Asian cuisine, there are many more differences that are
based primarily on location. East Asian cuisine encompasses Chinese and Japanese cuisines as well as
cuisines from Taiwan and Korea. Chinese cuisine is perhaps most famous for its Peking Duck as well as
the myriad dumplings, steamed buns and stir-frys that are staples of Chinese cooking. Be sure to try
different styles of Chinese cuisine such as Cantonese or Shandong. Chinese usually eat congee
porridge for breakfast. China is also renowned for its many varieties of tea; this ancient beverage has
been enjoyed for thousands of years in China. Japanese cuisine focuses on the freshness of ingredients
and foods that are prepared more simply but with great finesse. Theirs is a very healthy cuisine, and
they are known for eating myriad varieties of fresh fish. A must see market for foodies and culinary
travelers in Japan, is the Tsukiji Market which is the world’s largest fish market. Have some sushi for
breakfast, while watching all the hustle of the market.

South Asian cuisine is also known as Desi cuisine and includes the exotic flavors of India. India has
plenty of restaurants but the street food culture remains ever popular. This no frills kind of eating is
particularly popular in Delhi. Also popular on a more global scale is Thai food. Pad Thai is universally
recognized as the national dish of Thailand, and makong is a kind of Thai whiskey that has become
much more affordable since the government started taxing beer and thus much more popular. Makong
is the primary ingredient in Thailand’s welcome drink, the Sabai Sabai. The island nation of Laos has
laap as its national dish but also popular is a salad called tam mak houng, made from green papayas. In
the capital city of Vientiane, Laos you can drink a Beerlau at Sala Sunset Khounta boat on the banks of
the Mekong while watching the sunset. The Philippines is well known for the adobo cooking style
which is a preparation of chicken or pork that is braised slowly in vinegar, garlic, oil and soy sauce until
very tender and nearly dry. In Vietnam, pho is of course the national specialty. Bali Indonesia’s national
dish is nasi goreng and in Cambodia one can find amok, a dish of curried and steamed fish, as the
national dish. On the islands of Java, or Sumatra, see if you can drink the rarest and most expensive
coffee in the world, called Kopi Luwak, it’s made from coffee berries that have passed through the
digestive system of Indonesian monkeys (also known as a Palm Toddy Cat).

Southwestern Asian cuisine begins to borrow flavors and ingredients typically indigenous to countries
in the Middle East, though they retain the focus on freshly prepared and simple dishes that are
nutritious and packed with flavor.

Asian cuisine is exotic and flavorful. The clever use of cooking techniques and spices has transformed
what were originally humble peasant food dishes into specialties that are now known the world over.
Conversely, with many Asian countries having a separate cuisine for the historical ruling King or Royal
Family, the dichotomy between humble and royal food has lessened and dishes that were once only
served to royalty can now be found in any common Thai restaurant. Nonetheless, traveling through
Asia takes you on a tour not only of wildly exotic countries but of foods that are distinctly different
from country to country.
Southern Asian
Recipes
 CHICKEN BIRYANI
INDIA

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.
PROCEDURES
INGREDIENTS
Whisk together the yogurt, 3 tablespoons salt, chili powder and turmeric in a large bowl. Add the chicken
1 cup whole milk yogurt
and turn to coat. Let sit at room temperature until ready to use, up to 1 hour. (Alternatively, the chicken
Kosher salt can be marinated for up to 2 days covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.)
2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (see Cook's Note) Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric reaches 350 degrees F. Fry half of the onions, stirring frequently for even cooking, until deep golden
2 1/2 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer them to a paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain. Season with salt and
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil let cool. Let the oil come back up to temperature and repeat with the remaining onions. Reserve the oil.
2 large red onions, thinly sliced Wash, rinse and drain the rice in a bowl full of cold water until the water is almost clear, about 5 times.
2 cups basmati rice

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
8 whole cloves
completely cooked; it will continue to cook in the oven. Do not cook longer or the rice will get mushy.)
7 green cardamom pods
Drain and transfer the rice and spices to a medium bowl.
3 bay leaves Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F.
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns Stir together the saffron and milk in a small bowl until combined.
2 large pinches saffron Heat 3 tablespoons of the reserved onion oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cinnamon
1/4 cup whole milk stick, cumin seeds and the remaining 4 cloves, 4 cardamom pods and 2 bay leaves. Cook, stirring
1/2 cinnamon stick frequently, until the spices are very fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and
1 teaspoon cumin seeds garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan,
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the
5 cloves garlic, finely grated 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
2 medium tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
of the pan.
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
Remove the chicken from the marinade and layer on top of the tomatoes. Then sprinkle half the fried
1/2 cup mint leaves 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
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
INGREDIENTS traditional raita (yogurt dip) to your beautiful platter!
cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten PROCEDURES
1 pound ground beef Step 1 - Spray a small skillet with cooking spray; warm over medium-high heat. Pour egg into the skillet;
1 tomato, finely chopped cook and stir until scrambled and set, 3 to 5 minutes.
1 red onion, finely chopped Step 2 - Combine scrambled egg, beef, chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, mint, ginger-garlic paste,
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro coriander seeds, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix by hand until well combined. Shape
¼ cup finely chopped mint 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
2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
until charred, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil for frying, or more as needed

DIZI / ABGOOSHT
2 tomato, sliced into rounds.

IRAN

INGREDIENTS
80 g lamb shanks, ribs or shoulder (you could also

PROCEDURES
If you’re using dried chickpeas and beans,
soak them in water, starting the night before.
use beef) (2.8 oz) Change the water a couple of times, for
1/4 onion example before you go to bed and first thing
1 heaped tbsp chickpeas (dried or canned) in the morning.
1 heaped tbsp beans (dried or canned) (I used navy Cut the meat into large cubes. If you’re using
ribs, leave the meat on the bones. The bones
beans but you could use any beans you have)
will give the stew extra flavour. Also the
1 dried lime (optional)
fattier the meat, the better. In Iran people use
1 garlic clove dombeh (lamb tail) because of its high fat
1/2 medium size potato content
1/2 tomato Multiply the ingredients by the number of
Dizi and abgoosht are competing 1 tbsp tomato paste portions you want to prepare. Transfer all the
1/2 tsp turmeric ingredients to the pan
names for the stone pot Persian stew black pepper to taste add just enough water to cover them.

that's consumed following an almost salt to taste Bring the stew to boil, then let it simmer over
low to medium temperature for about 3
bread to serve
ritualized eating procedure. 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.
INGREDIENTS PROCEDURES
1 cup Fresh Yogurt Take a large mixing bowl and add all spices with Chicken
½ tbsp Turmeric Powder Mix Well
Marinated for 2 hours in the fridge
½ tbsp Black Pepper Powder
Add marinated chicken and cook it
1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
Cook both sides of the chicken piece and gets chicken tender
½ tbsp Garam Masala Powder

Dish out the Chicken and squeeze a lemon and serve with chutney
½ tbsp Food Color (Orange)
½ Chicken Cube
1 piece Chicken
½ piece Lemon Juice
3 tbsp Olive Oil

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 PROCEDURE
2 cups basmati rice (340g) Then add the tomato paste to the onions and season with turmeric, black pepper, 1 tsp of the cumin
2 cups freshly boiled water for the sauce (470 ml) and salt. Combine everything well and let the tomato paste fry gently for 5 minutes, then add 2 cups /
1.9 lbs 2 lamb shanks or lamb shoulder or leg (850g) 470ml freshly boiled water.
3 carrots (7oz / 200g) Give the mixture a good stir and return the meat to the pan. Put on the lid and let it simmer over low
1.8 oz raisins (50g) heat for 1h 45min. If you’re using whole lamb shanks, turn them occasionally.
1 onion After about 1h cooking time add half of the saffron water.
4 cloves garlic Fry the carrots. Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the carrots and gently fry them over low heat for
3 tbsp vegetable oil about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle the sugar over them and put on the lid. Let them caramelise for about
3 tbsp sesame oil 10 minutes.
1.5 tbsp butter Remove the carrots from the pan. Gently fry the raisins in the same pan for a few minutes, stirring
1 tbsp tomato paste constantly. Set both aside for later.
Parboil the rice
3 tsp cumin powder
Start preparing the rice 15 minutes toward the end of the cooking time for the meat.
3 tsp sugar
Wash the rice by moving it around in a bowl of water, draining it, adding fresh water, and repeating this
1 tsp cardamom powder
process 4 to 5 times.
1 tsp turmeric
Bring at least 5 cups / 1.2l of water to boil in a large pan. Add 1 tbsp of salt and let it dissolve.
1/2 tsp black pepper
Once the water is boiling add the rice to it and briefly stir to make sure it does not stick together.
1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp salt
After approx. 3 minutes fish out a rice corn and either bite or cut through it. When the rice corn is soft
1/8 tsp saffron
on the outside and still firm inside, it means the rice is pre-cooked. This can take up to 10 minutes
2 ice cubes (from blooming the saffron)
depending on your rice. I’m using Tilda basmati rice, which only takes 3 minutes to cook to this stage.
1 tbsp slivered pistachios as garnish (optional)
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

PROCEDURES
The Famous Staple Food of Nepal.
The staple food of each Nepali
household, Dal Bhat is mainly rice
( optional, omit for vegan)
served along with lentil soup and
vegetable curry or chicken (or meat).
DAL BHAT
NEPAL
INGREDIENTS
red lentils (masoor dal), mixed lentils, green or
brown lentils. We use mixed here.
Lentils are the key ingredient in dal
which is the centre piece of dal bhat.
flavourless oil such as rapeseed or grapeseed There are numerous types of lentils you
onion, finely chopped can use and it often comes down to
crushed garlic personal choice and what lentils you can
fresh ginger, minced buy. I prefer mixed lentils when I make
black mustard seeds, popped in oil this at home.
cardamom powder Another equally important aspect of
turmeric powder, or fresh if you have it. making the dal is to grind up your spices.
Some you’ll buy already ground but
cumin seeds
others will be whole. I prefer buying the
coriander seed
whole variety and grinding them fresh
whole peppercorns myself. That is just me though and
Cloves
finely chopped tomatoes
ground spices will work just fine.
Don’t forget to really cook everything
butter or ghee
out properly. That includes the fresh
coriander leaf and/or green onion or chives, ingredients at the start, onions, ginger,
chopped, for garnish and garlic but also the spices afterward.
Water If you don’t cook it all out you’ll end up
with a bland dish that tastes like raw
sea salt ( Himalayan pink salt would be extra
spices. A good tip is to lower the heat
authentic)
and take just a little bit longer cooking.
pepper to taste
basmati, or other, rice
Indian chutney, curd, a green vegetable or pickle
to serve.

IDIYAPPAM
SRI LANKA

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Rice flour
PROCEDURE

The process of making string hoppers is fairly

1.5 cup Water easy with the right equipment. At a minimum, a
1 tsp Oil noodle press called sev sancha, idiyappam press
1/2 tsp Salt or idiyappam maker is needed. It is basically a
grated coconut (optional) 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
Idiyappam, also known as string consistency (not too sticky), the idiyappam
hopper, nool puttu, or noolappam, dough is then pressed through a wooden or
metal press which has holes at the bottom, to
chomai, indiappa is a rice noodle dish create long stringy noodles. 
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.

EMA DATSHI
BHUTAN
INGREDIENTS
9-10 medium size Red Chillies
PROCEDURE

First thing first, rinse the chillies, onion, tomato,

Bhutan’s most well-liked dish is termed
as Ema Datshi. Within the Bhutanese
language, Ema is Chilli and Datshi is
cheese.
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)
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.

Gulha is the national dish of
Maldives, a deep-fried pastry ball
filled with smoked fish such as
smooth into balls.
Maldive fish or tuna, along with
desiccated coconut and onions.
GULHA
MALDIVES
INGREDIENTS PROCEDURES
Filling: 1 Squash the onions, garlic, ginger, curry
1 cup smoked tuna – diced/sliced leaves, chilies, lemon juice, turmeric powder
(substitute: 1 can Light meat tuna chunks) and salt.
2 Add the tuna and coconut, and mix into a
1/4 cup coconut – scraped/grated
thick paste-like mixture.
1/2 Scotch bonnet (githeyo mirus) – finely
3 Shape the mixture into small marble-sized
chopped balls.
1/4 cup curry leaves – finely chopped For the dough
1/2 cup onion – finely sliced 4 Add the oil and salt into the flour.
1cloves garlic – pressed/grated/very finely 5 Add warm water and knead until you have
chopped a dry, smooth dough. Add the water
1 tsp ginger – grated gradually to make sure the dough does not
1/4 cup lemon juice turn out too sticky.
6 Shape the pieces of dough into cups and
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
place filling inside; then close the cups and
Salt to taste
Dough:
7 Deep fry over medium/low heat until
1 cups flour – sifted brown and crisp.
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Warm water
Frying
Vegetable oil
Eastern Asian
Recipes
 NIGIRI
JAPAN

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.

PROCEDURES
Before we make nigiri sushi, we need to prepare the sushi rice that will be used. You can follow our
INGREDIENTS online rice recipe to find out how to make perfect sticky Japanese rice and then how to add sushi
320g sushi rice vinegar to turn that into sushi rice. If you’re a Japanese food fan, you may also have a useful rice
80ml sushi vinegar 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
nori seaweed
rice. Just mix 250g cooked rice with 1 tablespoon of sushi rice vinegar.
nigiri sushi mould
wasabi paste

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
soy sauce that is a popular sushi topping. If you don’t want raw fish, why not try smoked salmon, parma ham,
pickled sushi ginger 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
Ideas for nigiri sushi toppings enough to get the full flavour.
fresh raw fish such as salmon, tuna or yellowtail Now we can make the rice pods. Sushi masters usually rinse their hands in a mix of water and sushi
smoked salmon vinegar which keeps them clean and helps to stop the rice sticking. If you want the easy way to make
cooked prawns 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.
cooked octopus or squid
If you like the fiery taste of wasabi, add a little to the underside of the topping. Then, while keeping
grilled eel
your hands moist with water and sushi vinegar, press the topping onto a pod of sushi rice firmly. Some
crab sticks ingredients like the tamagoyaki usually have a very thin strip of nori seaweed to keep the topping
tamagoyaki japanese style omelette from falling off the rice pod.
avocado The traditional way to serve sushi is with a little wasabi paste and a dish of soy sauce. Mix some
shiitake mushrooms 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

INGREDIENTS
2 cups refined flour
PROCDURES

1.Mix the maida and salt and knead to a stiff

1/2 tsp saltFor the Filling
1 cup finely minced cabbage (or mixed
vegetables)
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup onion-finely chopped
1 tsp garlic-chopped
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
a traditional snack, usually in the form 1/4 tsp vinegar
of steamed dumplings in bamboo 1/4 tsp black pepper
containers.
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
SOUTH KOREA

INGREDIENTS
100g / 3.5 ounces beef mince (or other
cuts)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar – I used brown sugar
1/4 tsp minced garlic
Vegetables and other
250g (0.6 pounds) mildly seasoned
spinach
350g (0.8 pounds) mildly seasoned
bean sprouts – (You don’t have to use
Bibimbap, sometimes Romanized as bi them up if you think it’s too much but I
love having lots of vegetables on my
bim bap or bi bim bop, is a Korean rice Bibimbap!)
dish. The term "bibim" means mixing 100g (3.5 ounces) shiitake mushroom
120g (4.2 ounces) carrots (1 small)
rice, while the "bap" noun refers to rice. 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (1/4 tsp each will
Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm be used when cooking shiitake
mushroom and carrots)
white rice topped with namul or kimchi 3 to 4 serving portions of steamed rice
3 or 4 eggs (depending on the serving
and gochujang, soy sauce, or doenjang. portion)
Some cooking oil to cook the meat,
mushroom, carrots and eggs – I used
rice bran oil.
Korean seasoned seaweed, shredded
(long thin cut)
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!
 DUMPLING HOT POT
NORTH KOREA
INGREDIENTS
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
NORTH KOREAN Dumpling hot pot 20 g / 0.7 ounces green onions, thinly sliced
PROCEDURES
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.

doesn’t include SPAM, sausages or 40 g / 1.4 ounces onion, thinly sliced

instant ramen noodles! Maybe
separated from the main stem
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
4 cups vegetable stock or Korean soup stock
(optional) 35 g / 1.2 ounces crown daisy leaves (edible
chrysanthemum),
(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
1 tsp minced garlic
A few sprinkles ground black pepper
fine sea salt, if required – I didn’t use it.

MONGOLIAN BEEF
MONGOLIA

This Mongolian Beef Recipe is a crispy homemade version

that's less sweet and more flavorful than restaurant versions

you're probably used to.

PROCDURES
INGREDIENTS
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)
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!
Southeast Asian
Recipes

INGREDIENTS
the most popular Vietnamese dish in
general. It is a soup with a rice noodle
with chicken or beef (or both).
4 wedges
INGREDIENTS
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
INGREDIENTS
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
4 pounds beef soup bones
1 onion, unpeeled and cut in half
5 slices fresh ginger
1 tablespoon salt
2 pods star anise
2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
4 quarts water
1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles
1 ½ pounds beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 ½ cups bean sprouts
1 bunch Thai basil
1 lime, cut into
¼ cup hoisin sauce (Optional)
¼ cup chile-garlic sauce (such as Sriracha®)
(Optional)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cumin
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -
cubed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup water
½ cup chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
skewers
PAD THAI
PROCURES
12 ounces dried rice noodles
½ cup white sugar
½ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken
breast halves, sliced into thin
strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons garlic, minced
4 eggs, beaten
1 ½ tablespoons white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup coarsely ground peanuts
2 cups bean sprouts
½ cup chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon paprika, or to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges
PHO
VIETMAN
PROCEDURES
Quick boil – Remove impurities from beef
with a 5 minute boil, it’s the path to a
beautiful clear soup;
Scum – be amazed at all the icky stuff that
comes out
Wash the bones to get all the icky scum
off;
Simmer for 3 hours – bones, beef, water,
onion, ginger and spices (cinnamon,
cardamom, coriander, star anise);
Remove brisket – some is used for Pho
topping, see below recipe for ways to use
remainder;
Simmer 40 minutes further with just
bones;
Strain; then
Ladle into bowls over noodles and pile on
Toppings!
SATAY
INDONESIA
PROCDURES
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
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
MYANMAR
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.

PROCEDURES
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
INGREDIENTS temperature and then pulverize in a clean coffee grinder.
1/2 cup uncooked jasmine rice To make the broth, select a large wide pot that will fit the catfish comfortably with room to spare.
Broth (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.
3 quarts water
Carefully lower the fish into the pot. The fish may not be completely covered in water, but that’s
3 stalks lemongrass, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 2-ounce piece ginger (unpeeled), thickly sliced crosswise

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
into slabs water. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until the fish flesh pulls away cleanly from the bone. Using
5 bay leaves tongs and a spider or slotted spoon, lift the fish out of the broth and transfer to a bowl. Turn off the
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper heat and let the broth sit on the stove.
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper When the fish is cool enough to handle, pull off the skin and discard. Separate the cooked fish from
2 teaspoons salt the bones, trying to keep the skeleton (or skeleton portions if the fish is cut in pieces) intact. Set
1 scaled and gutted catfish (about 3 pounds) aside the cooked fish. Return the skeleton (including head and tail) to the pot.
Soup 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
1/3 cup vegetable oil
will have about 10 cups. Give the pot a quick rinse (when it’s cool enough to handle), and return the
1 stalk lemongrass, minced
broth to the pot.
1/4 cup minced garlic In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered rice and a ladleful of the broth until no lumps remain.
3 tablespoons minced ginger Stir into the broth. Bring the broth to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until it starts to barely
1 tablespoon paprika thicken, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook the broth at a gentle simmer while
1 teaspoon turmeric preparing the soup.
2 red onions, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 cups) To make the soup, in a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the lemongrass, garlic,
1/4 cup fish sauce and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cooked fish, paprika, and turmeric, mashing the fish
salt gently with a spoon to turn it into a coarse paste, and cook for about 1 minute. If you see any errant
10 ounces fine round rice noodles 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
Serving
sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes more or until the flavors start to come together. Taste the broth: it
6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
should be on the salty side because the noodles will not have any salt. If it’s not that salty, add some
12 Yellow Split Pea Crackers, broken into pieces salt or fish sauce. (At this point, the soup can be cooled and served the next day.)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro To cook the noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring often with
2 limes, cut into wedges tongs or chopsticks to prevent sticking, for 5 to 6 minutes or until softened. Turn off the heat and let
Thinly sliced red onions 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

MALAYSIAN

INGREDIENTS
Noodle Dish
2 servings fresh yellow noodles
1 small potato
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 ounces plant-based
(optional)
1/2 cup mung bean sprout
1/4 cup pan-fried tofu slices
1/4 cup chopped choy sum (YuChoy)
oil for cooking
Mee goreng mamak' is a specific stir- For the sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
fried noodles dish sold at Mamak 2 tablespoons soy sauce
PROCDURES
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
"egg" 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

eateries in Malaysia and Singapore. It is 1homemade

tablespoon sambal oelek or
sambal
drain before use.
Heat a wok with 1 tablespoon of oil, then saute
stir-fried over very high heat together 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (thin) or garlic until aromatic. Add in the YuChoy and
use ½ tablespoon if using thick dark noodles, then toss to combine.
with a special paste along with 'cucur soy sauce Push the ingredients to the side, add a drizzle of oil
udang' (prawn fritters) which is 1 tablespoon Malaysian curry (if needed) and pour in the plant-based ‘egg’. Let the
powder ‘egg’ cook a little to set then bring the noodles to
synonymous with these noodles. 3 teaspoons sugar cover the ‘egg’.
1/2 cup water 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.

INGREDIENTS
2 whole mudfish, catfish or tilapia
3 whole chicken bones
1 cup kroeung paste
12 rhizomes or finger roots
1 tbsp fermented mudfish (pahok)
1/2 tbsp of sugar
2 tbsp of chicken mix
2 tbsp of fish sauce
2 tbsp of salt
2 tbsp of roasted peanut optional
1 cup of coconut milk
4 liters of water
1 stalk of lemongrass
1 package fine rice vermicelli noodle
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.
Batar Da'an (boiled corn in Tetum) is
a delicious vegan and gluten-free
dish prepared with corn and mung
beans from East Timor.
NAM BAHN CHOK
CAMBODIA
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.”
PROCEDURES
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.
STICKY RICE
LAOS
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups uncooked short-grain white
PROCDURES
Step 1: Measure two cups of rice and three and a
rice half cups of water into the pot. Let the rice soak
2 cups water for at least half an hour or as long as four hours.
1 ½ cups coconut milk Step 2: Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir.
1 cup white sugar Step 3: Place the pot over high heat and bring the
½ teaspoon salt water to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and
½ cup coconut milk cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly off on one
1 tablespoon white sugar side to vent. Cook for 10 minutes - but DO NOT
¼ teaspoon salt stir the rice while cooking!
1 tablespoon tapioca starch Step 4: After 10 minutes, check to see if the rice
3 mangos, peeled and sliced has absorbed all of the water by pulling the rice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 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.
BATAR DA'AN
TIMOR - LESTE
INGREDIENTS PROCDURES
1 lb corn (fresh or frozen) The night before, soak the mung beans in water for at
⅔ lb dried mung beans least 10 hours.
2 lb squash (or pumpkin or Drain the mung beans.
butternut squash), peeled and diced Boil them for 10 to 15 minutes in a large amount of
4 cups water water.
2 onions , diced Meanwhile, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over
8 cloves garlic , minced medium heat for 6-8 minutes in a separate pan.
3 tablespoons olive oil Add water, squash, beans and corn to the onion and
Salt to taste garlic.
Pepper to taste 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.
.

INGREDIENTS
·1large live mud crab (or 4 raw blue swimmer crabs)
·vegetable oil, for deep-frying
·60 g(½ cup) corn flour
·50 g butter
·2red Asian shallots, thinly sliced
·1 tbsp picked curry leaves
·5garlic cloves, finely sliced
·4long red chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
·2½ tbsp ground black pepper
·2 tbsp oyster sauce
·1 tbsp light soy
·2 tsp dark soy
·3 tsp sugar
·250 ml(1 cup) chicken stock
·coriander leaves and thinly sliced chili, to serve
·mantou buns and/or steamed rice, to serve
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
500 g sago starch can replace with tapioca
or potato starch
600 ml water
1 chili pepper
salt
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp dried shrimps
2 tbsp durian tempoyak
Ambuyat is a dish derived from the
interior trunk of the sago palm. It is a
starchy bland substance, similar to
tapioca starch.
CHILI CRAB
SINGAPORE
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.
PROCEDURES
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.
CHICKEN ADOBO
PHILIPPINES
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs chicken cut into serving pieces
3 pieces dried bay leaves
PROCURES
Combine chicken, soy sauce, and garlic in a large
bowl. Mix well. Marinate the chicken for at least 1
8 tablespoons soy sauce hour. Note: the longer the time, the better
4 tablespoons white vinegar Heat a cooking pot. Pour cooking oil.
5 cloves garlic crushed When the oil is hot enough, pan-fry the marinated
1 1/2 cups water chicken for 2 minutes per side.
3 tablespoons cooking oil Pour-in the remaining marinade, including garlic.
1 teaspoon sugar Add water. Bring to a boil
1/4 teaspoon salt optional Add dried bay leaves and whole peppercorn.
1 teaspoon 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.
AMBUYAT
BRUNEI
PROCURES
Boil the water in a kettle.
In the meantime, mix the starch with a bit of
water in a bowl and put aside.
Put the dried prawns and thai chili in a stone
bowl (also called lasung) and blend until the
ingredients are well combined.
Add the shrimp paste and mix until well
combined. Then add some salt according to
taste. Put in a small bowl.
Pour a little hot water on the sauce mixture and
add the durian. Mix well.
Once the water is boiled, pour it slowly onto the
starch until it looks a bit sticky then whisk with a
wooden spoon until firm and starchy.
Serve while hot.
Western Asian
Recipes
 BAKLAVA
TURKEY

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.

PROCEDURES
In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until coarsely ground (or you can chop them by hand until very finely
INGREDIENTS
chopped). Don’t overprocess the nuts. You want to maintain some texture.
2 ¼ cups/300 grams shelled pistachio nuts
Clarify the butter by melting it over low heat, then letting it cook until the foam rises to the top and the milk
4 sticks/2 cups/454 grams unsalted butter solids fall to the bottom of the pan. This will take about 5 to 15 minutes depending upon how high your heat
1 pound phyllo dough, defrosted overnight in is, but don’t rush it or the butter could burn.
the refrigerator

3 cups/600 grams sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
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
IRAQ
INGREDIENTS PROCDURES
1 Carp Fish (Seabass can also
be used)
4 Onions

It is Iraqi tradition to use Carp fish for Masgouf, however

Masgouf is a fish dish eaten
around Iraq and often referred to
the national dish of the country.
3 Tomatoes
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Fish Seasoning
1 Tbsp Mixed Herbs
1 Tbsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Parsley
all 1 Tbsp Paprika
1 Tsp Salt
as 1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
1 Whole Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Garlic Paste
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.

MANAKISH
PROCDURES
INGREDIENTS
For Dough
1 cup lukewarm water
½ teaspoon sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one
package active dry yeast)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose
flour, more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Private Reserve
extra virgin olive oil
a popular Levantine food consisting For Za'atar Topping
7 to 8 tablespoon quality Za'atar
of dough topped with thyme, cheese, spice
½ cup Private Reserve extra virgin
or ground meat. olive oil
LEBANON
·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.

INGREDIENTS
Kabsa is a mixed rice dish, served
on a communal platter, that
originates from Saudi Arabia but is
commonly regarded as a national
·Add chicken cubes and chicken pieces.
dish in countries of the Arabian
peninsula. The dish is made with
rice and meat.
KABSA
SAUDI ARABIA
PROCEDURES
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (cardamom powder) ·To make kabsa spice mix, combine together
1/4 tsp ground white pepper (white pepper powder) cardamom, white pepper, saffron, cinnamon,
1/4 tsp saffron all spice and lime powder in a bowl. Set
aside.
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (cinnamon powder)
·Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan over
1/2 tsp ground all spice
medium-high heat. Add onions, ginger, garlic
1/2 tsp dried whole lime powder and green chilies. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or
CHICKEN KABSA: until the onions turn golden brown. Add bay
2 tbsp oil or butter leaves, cloves, cardamom pods and
3 onions, sliced cinnamon stick. Fry for a minute.
1 tbsp minced ginger (ginger paste) ·Stir in tomato purée. Add ground nutmeg,
1 tbsp minced garlic (garlic paste) ground black pepper, ground cumin, ground
1 green chili coriander and kabsa spice. Season with salt.
2 dried bay leaves Fry the spices for a minute. Add carrots and
diced tomatoes. Stir, and cook for 2 minutes.
6 cloves
4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
Brown chicken, turning occasionally, for
about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken
2 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste) pieces from the pan. Set aside.
1 pinch ground nutmeg (nutmeg powder) ·Add rice and raisins. Pour in 4 cups water.
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (black pepper powder) Season with salt. Bring it to the boil. Reduce
1/4 tsp ground cumin (cumin powder) the heat, cover with lid, and simmer for 10-
1/2 tsp ground coriander (coriander powder) 15 minutes.
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced ·Preheat grill. Grill chicken for 10-15
200 g canned diced tomatoes (or 3 tomatoes chopped) minutes or until cooked through. Serve rice
with grilled chicken.
2 chicken stock cubes
1 1/2 kg whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces
3 cups basmati rice, rinsed
1/4 cup raisins
Water
Salt to taste
Raisins, to garnish (optional)
Slivered almonds, to garnish (optional)

MANDI
YEMEN

Mandi 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
1 Onion , finely chopped
1 Tomato
3 Green Chillies
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
3 Bay leaves (tej patta)
1 teaspoon Ghee
2 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
2 Cloves (Laung)
2 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter (Salted) , softened
Salt , to taste
2 cups Basmati rice
4 cups Water
For mandi spice powder
1 tablespoon Cardamom
Pods/Seeds
1 tablespoon Cloves (Laung)
1/2 tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg powder
1/2 tablespoon Dry ginger powder
2 Bay leaves (tej patta)
PROCDURES
· 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.
(Elaichi) ·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 itonto 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.
 KIBBEH
SYRIA
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.
PROCEDURES
·Over a medium bowl lay some cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Place the bulgur in the cheesecloth or
towel and cover it with cold water. Let it soak for 15-30 minutes. The bulgur wheat should soak up some of
the water, but should not become mushy.
While you're waiting on the bulgur wheat, take 1lb of the ground lamb and pop it in a food processor. Pulse
INGREDIENTS until it becomes a paste. Remove it from the food processor and set it aside in a large bowl.
For the kibbeh Cut the onion into wedges and add to the food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Add it to the bowl with
1.5 cups bulgur wheat #1 the lamb.
1 lb ground lamb Drain and squeeze the excess liquid from the bulgur wheat, then add it to the bowl with the lamb and
1 medium yellow onion onion.

1.5 tsp bharat seasoning With your hands, mix together the bulgur wheat, lamb paste, onion, and bharat seasoning until combined.
~6 cups canola or vegetable oil for frying The mixture should be thick enough to roll into balls. If it feels too thick you can add a teaspoon of cold
water and mix.
For the filling
Once the mixture feels like a good consistency, roll it into balls, about the size of golf balls or larger, then
1 lb ground lamb
set them on a cookie sheet and place them in the fridge while you make the filling.
.5 cups pine nuts

1.5 tsp bharat seasoning Once the lamb is brown, mix in the toasted pine nuts, parsley, and 1 teaspoon bharat seasoning. Salt it to
6 sprigs parsley taste and let it cool.
Salt to taste Remove the kibbeh balls from the fridge and get ready to stuff! You'll be using your hands for this, it may
help if they're slightly wet (to keep the kibbeh from sticking). While holding a ball in one hand, use the
thumb of your other hand to press a hole into the center of it. Now, work your way around the edges of the
hole, rotating the ball as you go, to form a cup or bowl for the stuffing. The thinner you can get it the better,
but it does take practice and also depends on the consistency of your kibbeh.
Repeat for the remaining balls, then in a large pot or dutch oven, heat 2-3 inches of canola or vegetable oil
to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oil is hot (you can test it with a wooden chopstick or spoon, look for
bubbles!), drop in the kibbeh a few at a time and fry until golden brown, flipping them once to get both
sides.
Place the finished kibbeh on a cookie rack to cool and drain off any excess grease. Serve with labneh,
cucumbers, and mint as a snack, appetizer, or main.

MUSAKHAN
JORDAN
INGREDIENTS PROCDURES
For The ChIcken For The Chicken
8 Whole Chicken Legs skin ·Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
and bone on ·Mix the olive oil, seven spices, sumac, and salt in a small
3 tbsp Olive Oil bowl.
1 tsp Seven Spices ·Place chicken in a baking tray, using your hands rub the
1 tsp Sumac spice mixture into the chicken skin.
½ tsp Salt ·Bake for 40 minutes until well done.
For The Bread
For The Bread ·Put the chopped onions with the olive oil in a pan over
Musakhan is roast chicken, heavily ¾ Cup Olive Oil medium heat. Cook stirring occasionally, until onions are
8 Onions chopped soft and translucent. Do not brown.
scented with sumac and and a few 1 tbsp Salt ·Mix the salt, sumac, cumin, seven spices. Add to onions once
2 tbsp Sumac done.
other warm spices and served with 1 tbsp Cumin ·Split the onion mixture between the taboon bread loaves
caramelized onion flatbread. It is the 2 tsp Seven Spices spreading on the bread leaving a rim around the edge.
8 Taboon Bread large ·Split the onion mixture between the taboon bread loaves
epitome of comfort food ¼ cup Pine Nuts roasted 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.

INGREDIENTS
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.
HUMMUS
ISRAEL
PROCDURES
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and ·Drizzle a little pomegranate molasses or
drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas sprinkle a pinch of sumac on top.
½ teaspoon baking soda (if you’re using ·For a roasted vegetable hummus, blend in 1
canned chickpeas) cup of roasted vegetables such as eggplant,
¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons), zucchini, bell peppers, or garlic.
more to taste ·For an olive hummus, fold in 3/4 cup of
1 medium-to-large clove garlic, roughly chopped green or black olives.
chopped ·For a nutty hummus, blend in some lightly
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
½ cup tahini
toasted walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts.
·For a more lemony hummus, add 1/4 cup of
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, more as chopped preserved lemons.
needed
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Any of the following garnishes: drizzle of
olive oil or zhoug sauce, sprinkle of ground
sumac or paprika, chopped fresh parsley
 PLOV
AZERBAIJAN
a rice pilaf with meat, carrots, onions and spices, tender
chunks of meat and fluffy rice with lots of aromatic flavors.

PROCEDURES
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
INGREDIENTS Drain salted water of rice and add it to the boiling water. Let to cook for 10 minutes.
3 cups rice Using a colander and strain the rice, then Rinse with tap water.
1 large onion, chopped Melt the butter and spread it on the bottom and sides of the pot.
Place one round bread on the bottom of the pan.
400 g diced meat, cooked
1 cup raisins
each other

Grease each Lavash or tortilla bread with melted butter and arrange around the sides of the pan, overlaps

1 cup apricot, cut into small pieces

Do not leave any open space between breads.
220 g melted butter Now, Spread a layer of rice in the pot and then pour some of meat and fruits mixture.
3 tbsp Saffron water Pour some saffron water on the rice. Repeat the procedure again.
1 large Lavash bread or 5-6 medium tortilla bread Cover top of the rice with another round bread.
to taste Salt and pepper 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.

KABSA
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

A blend of wheat, rice, milk, chicken or lamb, dates, yoghurt

and potatoes, delicately flavored with rich aromatic spices, is
typically what Saudi food consists of.

INGREDIENTS PROCDURES
For the Lemon Yogurt Sauce Step 1 Make the lemon yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, stir to combine yogurt, lemon
1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt or labneh zest and juice, parsley, and cayenne. Season with salt; set aside.
Zest and juice of 1 lemon Step 3 Reduce heat to medium and stir in onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, cumin, coriander,
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley and turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5
Pinch of cayenne pepper minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, orange zest and juice, stock, cardamom, cloves,
Kosher salt cinnamon, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
*For the Chicken Step 4 Place browned chicken, skin-side up, in simmering liquid and transfer to oven for
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, plus 6 chicken drumsticks 25 minutes.
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Step 5 Remove chicken from cooking liquid and place on a parchment-lined rimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil baking sheet. Reserve pan with cooking liquid. Reduce oven temperature to 275
1 large onion, diced degrees and transfer chicken to oven until cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.
3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped Step 6 To prepare the rice, heat pan with reserved cooking liquid over medium and
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger bring to a simmer. Stir in rice, cover, and cook at a low simmer until rice is tender, 18 to
1/2 cup grated carrot (about 1 medium carrot) 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork to combine.
1 teaspoon ground cumin Step 7 Heat safflower oil in a small heavy-bottomed pot until a deep-fry thermometer
1 teaspoon ground coriander
reads 325 degrees. Add almonds and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
slotted spoon, remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add raisins to pot and cook
2 tomatoes, chopped
until puffed, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper-towel lined plate
2 tablespoons tomato paste
to drain.
3 strips orange zest, plus juice of 1 orange
Step 8 To serve, spoon rice onto a serving platter and top with chicken. Sprinkle with
3 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
fried almonds and raisins, garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon yogurt sauce.
5 cardamom pods, crushed
4 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, washed until water is clear then soaked
in water to cover for 45 minutes
2 cups safflower oil
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup curly parsley sprigs, for garnish

Shuwa is a celebratory
that is only prepared
occasions like Eid.
check the meat after an hour, as the exact cooking time will
INGREDIENTS
·1 leg of lamb, bone in
·1/2 garlic bulb, peeled and
roughly chopped
·1/2 tsp sea salt
·1/2 nutmeg, grated
·1/2 tbsp of ground cumin
·1/2 tbsp of ground coriander
·1/2 tbsp of sweet smoked
paprika
·1/2 tbsp of freshly ground
Omani dish black pepper
·1/4 tbsp of turmeric
on special ·1 pinch of hot smoked paprika
·juice of half a lemon
·50ml of olive oil
·2 banana leaves, or more as
needed to wrap the lamb
·FRAGRANT RICE
·20 saffron threads
·1/2 onion, finely diced
·50g of fine wheat vermicelli
·400g of basmati rice, rinsed
and drained
·1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
·1/2 tsp allspice
·1/2 tsp ground ginger
·600ml of chicken stock
·juice of half a lemon
·30ml of olive oil
SHUWA
OMAN
PROCEDURES
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 –
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

KNAFEH
STATE OF PALESTINE

Knafeh is a dessert popular all throughout the middle east.

Knafeh is a delicious and rich treat, made with unripened
cheese that's baked in shredded phyllo dough before being
soaked in simple syrup.
PROCDURES
Step 1 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 2 Make sure to thaw the shredded phyllo dough before using. Transfer it to a large bowl, then
INGREDIENTS using your hands, begin pulling the strands apart, breaking them into smaller and smaller pieces until
the dough is completely shredded.
1/2 kg shredded phyllo dough
Step 3 Pour the melted butter and food colouring (if using) over the shredded phyllo and mix in with
1 kg mozzarella cheese, grated
your hands until butter and food colouring are evenly distributed. It is best to use a pair of latex
1 1/2 cup (284 g) butter, melted
gloves so your hands don't get colouring on them.
orange food colouring, powdered or liquid (optional)
Step 4 Spread half the dough in a large round cake pan or a 9x13 baking dish. Press firmly into the
3/4 cup (100 g) crushed pistachios
pan.
Step 5 Spread the cheese over top of the dough, leaving at least an inch of space around the edges.
Step 6 Cover the cheese with the remaining dough, making sure to cover the edges first to seal the
cheese and prevent it from leaking during baking. Press in firmly.
Step 7 Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and carefully
flip over onto a serving tray or plate. Gently lift the baking pan away from the knafeh.
Step 8 Spoon the cooled simple syrup over the knafeh, then gently pour the remaining syrup over
top. Adjust the amount of simple syrup you use to suit your tastes. Decorate with crushed pistachios
and serve warm. Knafeh is best the day it’s made, but leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3
days, just warm them up for 10 - 20 seconds in the microwave before serving.

KHACHAPURI
GEORGIA
INGREDIENTS PROCDURES
For the dough: Combine flour, salt, yeast, and sugar in a bowl. Then add
1 tsp salt warm milk. Using the hook attachment, knead the dough
1 tsp dry active yeast until it takes shape. Then add oil and knead some more.
1 tbsp granulated sugar Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let it double
3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in size. Remove from bowl and divide the dough into 4
1 cup water boat-shaped pieces. Place the bread boast on a baking
1/2 cup milk sheet lined with parchment.
1 tbsp olive oil Combine the three kinds of cheese and fill each bread
Khachapuri recipe is a combination of For the filling: boat. Using a pastry brush, brush with egg wash and bake
fluffy homemade bread, multiple 1 1/2 cup Farmers cheese for 15 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Pull the
1 1/2 cup Shredded mozzarella khachapuri out of the oven, then make a well in the
kinds of cheeses and a runny egg in 1 1/2 cup Feta cheese middle. Drop the egg in the center, add pieces of butter to
4 eggs + 1 for egg wash
the center. It’s so cheesy and unsalted butter optional
the melted cheese, and bake for another 5-6 minutes.

delicious!

INGREDIENTS
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
Gomgush is a traditional brothy stew salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 eggplants, chopped
of Armenia. Fresh ingredients are 3 carrots, chopped
2 cups beer, or more to taste
very important and it is cooked it in an 4 brown onions,
chopped
unwashed tonir (similar to a tandoor) 7 cloves garlic, minced
that is kept in family.
GOMGUSH
OMAN
PROCEDURES
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.

QUM ALI
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
½ lb puff pastry (or 10 butter croissants)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups milk
3 cups creme fraiche , divided
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup almond powder
¼ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup pistachios, toasted
¼ cup almond , toasted
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons currants
A few dried apricots and prunes
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
PROCDURES
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).

PILAFI POURGOURI
CYPURS

INGREDIENTS PROCDURES
1 (400 g/14 ounce) can Pour the tomatoes into a measuring jug or bowl. Fill
chopped/diced tomatoes the empty can with hot water - add that to the
Hot water tomatoes. Add the tomato puree/paste and crumble in
1 Tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste) the stock cubes. Stir together and set to one side.
2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes In a large heavy based pan, heat a little olive oil then
(bouillon) gently sweat the onions and garlic until soft and
Olive oil translucent - about 5 minutes.
1 white onion, finely chopped Stir in the vermicelli and the bulgur wheat to coat in
A simple, rustic dish, Pilafi Pourgouri 4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped the onion and garlic mixture.
is a Greek Cypriot bulgur crushed (depends on their size, and how
much you like garlic!)
Pour in the tomato stock and stir. Season with more
salt if you need to.
wheat pilaf. A great side dish with 30 g/1 ounce vermicelli noodles or Bring to the boil and lower to a simmer for 10 minutes
spaghetti, broken into small pieces
grilled meats, or as a meal in itself 200 g/7 ounces bulgur wheat with the lid of the pan on. Stir from time to time to
prevent the bulgur from catching on the bottom of the
with a Greek salad. Salt 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

 CHICKEN MACHBOOS
BAHRAIN

Chicken Machboos (Bahraini Spiced Chicken and Rice) A

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

INGREDIENTS PROCEDURES
2 large onions, diced ·Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both
3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter sides until the skin is brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the
remaining oil in the Dutch oven.
1 tablespoon baharat (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon turmeric ·Add the
ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to
brown, about 10-12 minutes.
2 tablespoons oil
·Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.
A combination of chicken thighs, legs and breasts (about 3 pounds)
·Add the baharat and turmeric and cook for another minute.
1 hot green chili pepper (e.g., jalapeno), seeded and diced
·Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced pods, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to
5 large cloves or garlic, thinly sliced a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
2 large roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, ·Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return it to a boil, reduce the
juices drained) heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has
2-3 dried limes (loomi), several holes punched throughout each one absorbed the liquid.
5 green cardamom pods ·Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves the rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of
1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long) rosewater (optional).
2½ teaspoons salt ·Serve with a green salad and yogurt raita.
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
Central Asian
Recipes
 PLOV
UZBEKISTAN

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 PROCEDURES
1 kg moderately fat lamb, shoulder or STEP 1 Wash the rice under the tap until clear, cover with cold water and let it soaks for a while.
ribs STEP 2 Cut the meat with bones into match-box pieces.
1 kg medium grain rice (paella type)

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

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
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.

BESHBARMAK
KAZAKSTAN
Beshbarmak basically means “five fingers” in Kazakhstan. It is
probably the most popular dish in the land.
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.
INGREDIENTS ·Let it cook for about 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
2 1/2 lbs. lamb or beef with bone ·Meanwhile, prepare your noodle dough.
1 large onion peeled and sliced into rings ·In a bowl mix the sifted flour (300-400 g), the eggs (whisk the eggs before you add into flour), add
divided salt and pour water until a dough is formed.
1 bay leaf ·Knead pastry, adding flour or water as needed.
ground pepper ·Knead the dough well, wrap in plastic wrap and leave for 20-30 minutes.
Water to cover ·Sprinkle the work top with sifted flour and divide your dough into a few small balls
For the noodles: ·Then keeping the worktop lightly covered with flour roll each piece of pastry into a fairly thin
2 eggs layer.
3/4 to 1 cup water
·Keep sprinkling with flour so that it doesn't stick to your hands or work surface.
1/2 teaspoon salt
·Cut into squares (10x10cm). Leave them on a worktop lightly covered with flour. The pieces
plain flour - about 600 grams
should not touch or they will stick together. By the time you are ready to cook the noodles it
or you can use lasagna noodles as a quick
should be dry a bit.
and easy alternative to making the noodles
·minutes before your meat is ready, add the other half of the onion (cut in ring shapes), salt and
from scratch.
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.
 MANTU
TAJIKISTAN

Mantu it is a meat- (usually beef or lamb) stuffed dumpling that

is steamed in a multilayer steamer

INGREDIENTS PROCEDURES
Dough Blend the water, egg, and two cups of flour in a bowl. Add the remaining cup of flour in ¼ cup amounts until the dough is
1 cup water incorporated, being careful not to make the dough too sticky. Rub flour on the outside, then let sit in warm place while
3 cups flour (plus extra for dusting) preparing the filling.

1 egg Dice the onion and beef/lamb into ½ inch cubes. Mix in a bowl, adding the pepper, salt, and priprava.
Break the dough into fist-sized balls. Roll the balls into sheets with a rolling pin until 1/8 inch thick. Cut the sheets into
1 teaspoon salt
three-inch squares.
Filling
Take the squares and stretch them out by hand to prepare for the filling. You will want to make sure the squares are thin
1.5 lbs. beef or lamb
to ensure they do not become too chewy after steaming.
1 large onion Drop spoonfuls of the filling mixture into the center of the square. To seal the dumplings you may or may not need water
1 teaspoon pepper to dampen the corners (properly mixed dough should be sticky enough to not require water).
1 teaspoon salt To fold the mantu, bring two opposite corners together in the center and pinch them shut.
1 ½ teaspoon priprava blend (see Bring the opposite corners together over the first two and pinch them together. You will now have four new corners
below) created.
neutral oil Take two adjacent corners and pinch them together, leaving an open gap along the edges (creating an ‘eye’ between the
¼ teaspoon salt filling and pinched corners). Take the remaining two corners and pinch them together.
2 teaspoons cumin Place the dumplings on the steamer layer, taking care to space the mantu so they are not touching each other.
2 teaspoons coriander Fill the bottom layer of the steamer with 1 1/2 inches of water.
1 teaspoon chili pepper Heat the steamer on the stovetop over high heat. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to medium.
Serve mantu on a decorative plate with sour cream, vinegar, or butter on the side as potential toppings.
1 teaspoon black pepper

ASHLAN - FU
KYRGYZSTAN
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 PROCEDURES
280 grams corn starch ·Take a bowl and dilute 280 grams of corn starch in 500 ml water and add 10 grams of salt. Stir with a
5 liter water wooden spoon till there are no lumbs left. Now take a normal sized pan and boil 1.5 liter water and add
30 gram salt 10 grams of salt and 2 table spoons of sunflower oil. Then add the corn starch mix from your bowl. Boil
200 ml sunflower oil everything over a hot fire while constantly stirring for about 8 minutes. Then reduce the hit, cover your
1 tablespoon sugar pan with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
6 pieces of star anise Now take a wok pan and heat up 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil. When the oil is hot adding a tablespoon
20 gram ginger of sugar and let it caramelize. Then little by little add half a liter to a liter of water, while you keep
10 cloves stirring. Peel, slice and crush the ginger and add it to the wok, along with the star anise. Let the whole
5 tablespoons vinegar thing cook for a minute. Then add 10 cloves and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Cook and allow it to cool
2 bell peppers afterwards.
100 gram green celery Clean the wok for the 3rd part of this meal and heat up 2 tablespoons of sunflower heat. Chop your 1,5
1,5 onions onion and fry them in the wok. Thinly slice or grate the carrots and add them to the wok. Add the
1,5 carrots powdered chile pepper and tomato paste and then some water while you stir. Chop the bell peppers and
10 gram powdered chile pepper add them to the mix. Let them fry a little while you stir and put in the chopped green celery and half a
15 gram tomato paste tablespoon of salt. After that you add 3 tablespoons of vinegar. After that you pour in a little water and
3 egg yolks
add black, white and red pepper to taste. Add 2,5 liters of water and bring to a boil.
Powdered black pepper
Meanwhile you take your other pan. For the solification of the starch you pour your mixture in small
Powdered white powder
bowls and let them cool for the night.
Grinded red pepper
And it’s back to your vegetables in the wok. Once properly cooked you can add the 3 egg yolks and stir.
1 kg noodles
Slightly cook the mixture and take it off the fire to cool.
10 chicken eggs
The next day you make an omelette out of the 10 eggs and cut it into strings. Meanwhile cook the
5 cucumbers
noodles as instructed on the package, slice the cucumbers and tomatoes and cut up the starch that
5 tomatoes
should now be solid. Now put the noodles and starch in a bowl and the vegetable soup on top of that.
100 gram adjika
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.
 CHORBA
TURKMENISTAN
INGREDIENTS PROCEDURES
·3 lb Lamb Prepare all ingredients for the recipe.
·1 diced Onion 5 bowls one with diced beef, one with diced onions, one with diced carrots,
·2 cup diced Carrots one with green bell peppers, one with halved abby tomatoes, parsley, garlic
·1 diced Bell Pepper cloves and potatoes
In a preheated oiled pot, sautee onions until they're golden brown.
·2 cup diced tomatoes
Diced onions being sautéed on a skillet
·8 small Potatoes
Add in beef, sautee until all sides of beef are golden brown. Season with
·1/2 bn diced Fresh
paprika, pepper and salt to taste.
Parsley Beef and onions in a skillet
·5 Garlic Cloves Add in 5 quarts of water. Let it simmer for at least 60 minutes.
Chorba or shorba, refers to several ·1 tsp Paprika Water added into a pot with beef and onions
·1 tbsp Pepper Add in carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers. Let it simmer for about 20
kinds of soup or stew found in ·Salt to taste
minutes.
national cuisines across the Balkans, ·Oil for frying Green peppers, tomatoes and carrots added into a pot with beef, onions and
water
Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Add in potatoes, pressed garlic and fresh herbs. Let the soup simmer until
the potatoes are fully cooked.
Central Asia, Middle East and the Potatoes and parsley added into the pot with the soup mixture
Indian subcontinent. It is often Season with more salt if necessary.
Shurpa Soup in a pot
prepared with added ingredients but Serve soup while it's still warm.

served alone as a broth or with

bread
 Glossary of Terms
Asian Cuisine - Asian cuisine includes several major regional cuisines: Central Asian, East
Asian, North Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and West Asian.

Cooking - the art, science, and craft of using heat to prepare food for consumption.

Cuisine - A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, usually

associated with a specific culture.

Recipe - A recipe is a set of instructions that describes how to prepare or make something,
especially a dish of prepared food.

Rice - Rice is the staple food of Asia and part of the Pacific. Over 90 percent of the world's rice
is produced and consumed in the Asia-Pacific Region

Sauce - Sauces provide flavour, moisture, and a contrast in texture and colour.

Spices - Spices are aromatic flavorings from seeds, fruits, bark, rhizomes, and other plant parts.

Wok - thin-walled cooking pan, shaped like a shallow bowl with handles, widely used in
Chinese-style cooking.
References

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/
http://www.vitterscatering.com/AsianCuisine.aspx

Southern Asia Recipes

https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/chicken-biryani-recipe/
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/259983/pakistani-chapli-kebab/
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020206-abgoosht-persian-lamb-and-chickpea-stew
https://cafedelites.com/chicken-tikka-masala/
https://igotitfrommymaman.com/kabuli-pulao-the-afghan-national-dish/
https://www.internationalcuisine.com/nepali-dal-bhat/
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/idiyappam-recipe-nool-puttu/
https://www.196flavors.com/bhutan-ema-datshi/
https://maldivescook.com/recipe/gulha/

Eastern Asia Recipes

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/perfect-nigiri-at-home-with-taichi-kitamura
https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-vegetable-dim-sum-99158
https://www.recipetineats.com/bibimbap/
https://mykoreankitchen.com/korean-hot-pot-dumplings/
https://dinnerthendessert.com/mongolian-beef/

Southeast Asia Recipes

https://www.recipetineats.com/vietnamese-pho-recipe/
https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-pad-thai/
https://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/make-classic-mohinga/
https://food52.com/recipes/84709-best-mamak-style-stir-fried-noodles-recipe
https://grantourismotravels.com/nom-banh-chok-recipe-cambodia-khmer-noodles/
https://www.internationalcuisine.com/laotian-sticky-rice/
https://www.196flavors.com/east-timor-batar-daan/
https://www.seriouseats.com/singaporean-singapore-chili-crab-recipe
https://panlasangpinoy.com/filipino-chicken-adobo-recipe/
https://ingmar.app/blog/recipe-national-dish-of-brunei-ambuyat-tempoyak/

Western Asia Recipes

https://natashaskitchen.com/baklava-recipe/
https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/masgouf-iraqi-fish/
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/zaatar-manaqish-recipe/
https://www.marthastewart.com/1516314/chicken-kabsa
https://www.maggiarabia.com/en/recipes/chicken-mandi/
https://zaatarandzaytoun.com/lebanese-kibbe-recipe-fried-kibbeh-morsels/
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/musakhan-sumac-chicken/
https://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/easy-and-smooth-hummus-recipe/
https://www.food.com/recipe/parcha-dosheme-plov-azerbaijan-471887
https://nishkitchen.com/chicken-kabsa-arabian-rice-video/
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/shuwa-recipe-fragrant-rice
https://www.redpathsugar.com/recipe/knafeh-middle-eastern-sweet-cheese-pastry
https://simplyhomecooked.com/khachapuri-georgian-cheese-bread/
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268810/traditional-armenian-gomgush/
https://hadiaslebanesecuisine.com/newsite/recipe-items/oum-ali/
https://www.thepurplepumpkinblog.co.uk/pilafi-pourgouri-crushed-wheat-pilaf/
https://www.daringgourmet.com/chicken-machboos-bahraini-chicken-rice/

Central Asia Recipes

https://momsdish.com/recipe/222/uzbek-plov
https://www.internationalcuisine.com/kazakh-beshbarmak/
https://tasteoftheplace.com/afghanmantu/
https://petersfoodadventures.com/ashlyamfu/
https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249754/moroccan-vegetable-soup-chorba/