Borscht

I have found literally no other preparation of beets that is enjoyable except Borscht, a thick, hardy stew made from potatoes, beats, and cabbage that fills you up and warms you.

Borscht's origins go back to the Ukrain, but it is made across Russia and Eastern Europe. Based

Borscht

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

3 quarts water (or better yet, beef stock)

1 lb beef, cut into stew chunks

3 red beets, peeled and julienned

1/2 head of cabbage, cored and shredded

4 small potatoes, peeled and julienned

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

1 onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

pasley and dill

sour cream

Cooking:

Cover beef with 3 quarts water or broth, and bring to a simmer. Skim foam from the broth thoroughly. Simmer for three hours.

In a separate pot, add beets, tomato paste, and vinegar, and remove enough stock from the other pan to cover them, and simmer gently for one hour.

In a frying pan, melt 1 tbsp butter, and add onions and carrots. Cover and sautee for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat the beef/broth mixture to a boil, and add the potatoes, return to a simmer, and cook for five minutes. Add the sautee mixture and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the simmered red beet mixture, and cabbage, and return to a simmer for another five minutes. Add parsley, dill, and scallions, ensure all ingredients are cooked (especially potatoes and cabbage, but don't overcook), and remove from heat.

Serve Borscht with sour cream on top.

Kiev Chicken

This famous dish is incredible and worth every second of effort. It is, of course, appallingly bad for you, but what's a few arteries when you're enjoying yourself?

Kiev Chicken

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

4 skinless chicken breasts

4.5 oz flour with pepper and salt

3 eggs, beaten

7 oz bread crumbs

Butter Mixture:

5 oz of butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 bunch pasley, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat an oven to 375.

In a food processor mix the garlic, butter, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mold the mixture into 4 logs and refrigerate.

Pound the breasts flat with a mallet, and coat in the flour mixture.

Wrap the chicken breasts around the butter logs, and then seal closed using skewers or toothpicks.

Pan Frying:

Put the flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs into separate bowls, and dip them in each one.

Pour enough oil in a pan to pan fry the chicken just over half of each breast, and pan fry each side until it is golden.

Baking:

Remove the breasts from the oil, and transfer to the over for five minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 F.

Slice into rounds and serve.

Fruited Rice

This recipe, is pleasantly sweet, aromatic, and downright good for you.

Fruited Rice with Almonds

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice

1/2 cup dried apples, diced

1/2 cup dried apricots, diced

1/2 cup dried dates, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup prunes, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup white button mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon powder

3 1/4 cup water (or as rice package recommends for two cups of rice)

Cooking:

You can do this on stove top, by adding al the ingredients, bringing it to a simmer, covering, and cooking for 40 minutes.

Or you can throw everything into a rice cooker, set it to white rice, and do nothing else until it's done. Fluff it, and then erve it.

Ukha

Uhka is a very simple, light Russian soup. Based on this recipe here, it takes few ingredients and little effort for a meal.

Ukha

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

4 cups water

2 potatoes, cubed

1 onion, chopped

9 ounces cod filets, cubed

juice of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Substitutions:

cod - pollock, haddock, orange roughy, tilapia, flounder, grouper, halibu, red snapper, or striped bass

Cooking:

Brin 4 cups water in a saucepan to a boil. Add the potatoes and onion, and boil for 15 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, add the fish and parsley, and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Chapter 19 : Russia

The frozen north of the world is poorly understood by the west, known for its dreary colors, and the eastern side of Europe and the north of Asia is hardly thought of as a major culinary center. But while it may lack South Asia's rich array of spices and Western Europe's intricate technique, the Russians assuredly know how to cook, making unique and delicious dishes from sour cream, parsley, cabbage, and potatoes.

Schi

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 1/2 hours

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef brisket, chopped into bite sized chunks

4 quarts stock

2 tbsp butter

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 head cabbage- quarted, cored and shredded

1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced

2 tomatoes- peeled, seeded, and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Cooking:

Put the stock and brisket into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Skim off the foam that rises to the top. Simmer 3 to 4 hours.

In a seperate pan, add some oil and sautee the onions until they are translucent but not carmelized. Add the shredded cabbage and sautee another 5 minutes, or until wilted.

Add to the pot along with potatoes, tomatoes, salt, and pepper and simmer another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

Serve with rye bread and garnish with sour cream and dill.

Table of Contents : Sicilian

Chapter 16 : Sicily, Italy

Arancini

Pasta with Anchovy Sauce

Caponata ala Siciliana

Cous Cous con Pesce

Chapter 15 : Germany

Biershinken

Liverwurst

Blutwurst

Kaiserschmarnn

Bratwurst

Currywurst

Rouladen

German Potato Salad

Chapter 14 : Chile

Asado with Pebre

Pastel de Choclo

Eel Chupin

Chapter 13 : Korea

Kim Chee

Bulgogi

Deonjang Jigae

Kimchee Jigae

Aloe Vera Drink

Chapter 12 : Native American

Sunflower Bannock

Algonquin Wild Nut Soup

Wild Rice Pancakes

Chapter 11 : Japan

Natto

Simmered Sweet Kabocha

Kurigohan (Chestnut Rice)

Dashi (Japanese Stock)

Mushroom Soup

Miso

Oden

Okonomiyaki

Curry Rice

Nashi

Coffee Mochi

Satsuma

Chapter 10 : Kashmir, India

Rogan Josh

Methi Maaz

Dama Oluv

Chapter 9 :Greece

Ouzo

Greek Salad

Gyros

Fava

Lemon Chicken Soup

Chapter 8: Scotland

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Rumbledethumps

Clapshot

Green Pea Soup

Cauliflower, Cheese, and Whiskey

Chapter 7: Peru

Majarisco

Pesque de Quinoa

Locro de Zapallo

Seco de Cabrito

Cherimoya

Red Tamarillo

Chapter 6 : Indonesia

Avocado Juice

Nasi Goreng - Fried Rice

Chicken Satay

Beef Rendang

Rambutan

Chapter 5 : Egypt

Ful Medames

Fava Bean Hummus

Kushari

Chapter 4 : The Indiana State Fair

Deep Fried Cheese

Deep Fried Butter

Chocolate Covered Bacon

Chapter 3 : Spain/Catalonia

Pa Amb Tomaquet

Meatballs in Almond Sauce

Calçotada and Romesco Sauce
Escalivada

Chapter 2 : Cajun/Creole

Red Beans and Rice
Alligator Gumbo

Catfish Courtbouillon

Crawfish Etoufée

Chicken Creole

Chapter 1 : China

The Century Egg

Bok Choy : Basic Stir Fry

Peking Duck

Snow Fungus : Chicken and Snow

Fungus
Chinese Eggplant : Chinese Eggplant Stir Fry

Cellophane Noodles : Ants Climbing a Tree
Longans

Buddha's Hand Citron

Chapter ? : Vietnam

Sesame Candy

Pomelo

Chapter ? : The Midwest

Niagra Wine

Cherry Wine

Chapter ? : Africa
The Horned Melon

Chapter ? : Mexico

Dragonfruit

Chapter ? : Bangledeshi

Jackfruit

Chapter ? : Jamaica

Jamaican Tangelo (Ugli Fruit)

Brown Stew Chicken

This recipe is interesting. The stew is rich and thick, and has a beautiful dark brown color.

Brown Stew Chicken

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Marinade Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken meat, cut into stew chunks

splash of lime juice

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 onion, chopped

3 scallions, sliced

1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic

1/2 inch ginger, grated

3 tomatoes, chopped

3 tbsp flour

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp browning (Jamaican burnt sugar)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 cups stock

Substitutions:

Scotch Bonnet Pepper - Habenero

Prepare a marinade:

Mix together the salt, pepper, thyme, onion, scotch bonnet pepper, green bell pepper, garlic, ginger, and tomato, and let marinade for one hour.

Mix the flour into 1/4 cold water carefully making sure there's no lumps, until you have a smooth mixture.

Cooking:

Scrape the marinade off the chicken and set aside. Brown the chicken in a frying pan until lightly browned.

Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the marinade and fry for three minutes.

Add the stock, soy sauce, and browning and simmer for five minutes.

Mix some of the liquid into the flour/water mixture slowly to bring it up to temperature and mix it without lumps. When it is diluted, add it to the stew, along with the chicken.

Simmer five minutes, stirring gently, until all ingredients are cooked through.

Serve with rice.

Curry Goat

Goat has an odd flavor to it. But it shouldn't be underestimated, although largely forgotten about compared to lamb and beef in America. This recipe is wonderful. Goat often comes with bones, so don't be afraid to use those to make stock for the recipe.

You can use premixed curry powder, although Jamaican curry powder does have a different flavor than Indian or Japanese curry powder.

Curry Goat

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Marinade Time: Overnight

Cooking Time: 3 1/2 hours

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

2 lbs goat meat

1/4 cup oil

6 garlic clove, minced

4 cups stock (made from the goat bones, or chicken stock)

1 cup coconut milk

2 tbsp curry powder

1/2 lb sliced carrots

1/2 lb potatoes

Marinade:

5 scallions, chopped

2 Scotch bonnet peppers (Habenero will suffice, but not taste as good)

2 onions, chopped

2 sprigs thyme

1 teaspoon allspice, ground

juice of 2 limes

salt

black pepper

2 tbsp Jamaican curry powder

Jamaican Curry Powder:

5 tsp ground turmeric

4 tsp coriander seeds

3 tsp cayenne pepper powder

3 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp whole black pepper

2 tsp aniseed

1 whole clove

1 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp whole allspice

Prepare Jamaican Curry Powder:

Put the whole ingredients into a spice grinder, and grind into a fine powder, then mix with the ground ingredients.

Prepare a marinade (night before):

In a blender, mix scallions, 1 onion, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, allspice, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp curry powder, and juice of 2 limes into a blender with 1/2 cup water and mix into a paste.

In a zip-lock bag, put the goat meat and marinade and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Cooking:

Scrape the marinade off of the meat, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup oil, and fry 2 tbsp Jamaican curry in it for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add the other onion, and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and the goat meat, and lightly brown goat meat.

Add stock and coconut milk.

Bring mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 2 hours.

Add potatoes and carrots, and simmer for one more hour or until goat and potatoes are tender.

Serve with parboiled rice.

Steamed Cabbage

This simple, spicy steamed cabbage recipe makes a wonderful side dish.

Scotch bonnet pepper, otherwise known as Jamaican pepper, can be replaced by habenero if you can't find them.

Jamaican Steamed Cabbage

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:

1 head cabbage, shredded

2 tbsp butter or margarine

1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced

2 sprigs thyme

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced

1 onion, chopped

Ground black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

1/4 cup water

Cooking:

In a large saucepan, add a little oil, and sautee onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper and thyme until onion is translucent. Add the cabbage, and water. Cover, and cook until cabbage is tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Jerk Chicken

"Jerk" spice mixes are common in the states, but the flavor of making your own is far better.

If you can't find Scotch Bonnet Pepper, habenero is similar in appearance and heat, although the flavor is nowhere near as good. (based on this recipe)

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Marinade: at least 1 hour

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ground allspice

1 tbsp thyme

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp ground sage

3/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp cinnamon

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup orange juice

1 lime, juiced

1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced

3 scallions, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

4 to 6 chicken breasts

Prepare the marinade:

Mix allspice, thyme, cayenne, black pepper, sage, cinnamon, garlic, and sugar. Mix in olive oil, soy sauce, white vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice. Add scotch bonnet pepper, scallions, and onion.

Prick the chicken all over with a fork, and place chickena nd marinade into a zip lock bag and refridgerate at least one hour.

Cooking:

Preheat an outdoor grill, or oven to broil, and cook 6 minutes per side, or until meat reaches 165 degrees. Baste with marinade.

Bring leftover marinade to a boil and serve on the side as sauce.

Chapter 18 : Jamaica

One region we had not gotten to yet was the Caribbean. Jamaica seemed the best place to start. The cuisine of this little island is wonderful, a blend of America, Central American, African, and Indian that is unique.

Scotch Bonnet Pepper

The Scotch Bonnet Pepper is easily ignored. Its cousin, the Habenero, made its way to America and Mexico from Cuba. Nearly identical, the bright orange Scotch Bonnet Pepper is equally hot, but far more flavorful.

You can replace it with Habenero, and the flavor will be close enough, but still far less wonderful.

Table of Contents : Chile

Chapter 14 : Chile

Asado with Pebre

Pastel de Choclo

Eel Chupin

Chapter 13 : Korea

Kim Chee

Bulgogi

Deonjang Jigae

Kimchee Jigae

Aloe Vera Drink

Chapter 12 : Native American

Sunflower Bannock

Algonquin Wild Nut Soup

Wild Rice Pancakes

Chapter 11 : Japan

Natto

Simmered Sweet Kabocha

Kurigohan (Chestnut Rice)

Dashi (Japanese Stock)

Mushroom Soup

Miso

Oden

Okonomiyaki

Curry Rice

Nashi

Coffee Mochi

Satsuma

Chapter 10 : Kashmir, India

Rogan Josh

Methi Maaz

Dama Oluv

Chapter 9 :Greece

Ouzo

Greek Salad

Gyros

Fava

Lemon Chicken Soup

Chapter 8: Scotland

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Rumbledethumps

Clapshot

Green Pea Soup

Cauliflower, Cheese, and Whiskey

Chapter 7: Peru

Majarisco

Pesque de Quinoa

Locro de Zapallo

Seco de Cabrito

Cherimoya

Red Tamarillo

Chapter 6 : Indonesia

Avocado Juice

Nasi Goreng - Fried Rice

Chicken Satay

Beef Rendang

Rambutan

Chapter 5 : Egypt

Ful Medames

Fava Bean Hummus

Kushari

Chapter 4 : The Indiana State Fair

Deep Fried Cheese

Deep Fried Butter

Chocolate Covered Bacon

Chapter 3 : Spain/Catalonia

Pa Amb Tomaquet

Meatballs in Almond Sauce

Calçotada and Romesco Sauce
Escalivada

Chapter 2 : Cajun/Creole

Red Beans and Rice
Alligator Gumbo

Catfish Courtbouillon

Crawfish Etoufée

Chicken Creole

Chapter 1 : China

The Century Egg

Bok Choy : Basic Stir Fry

Peking Duck

Snow Fungus : Chicken and Snow

Fungus
Chinese Eggplant : Chinese Eggplant Stir Fry

Cellophane Noodles : Ants Climbing a Tree
Longans

Chapter ? : Vietnam

Sesame Candy

Pomelo

Chapter ? : The Midwest

Niagra Wine

Cherry Wine

Chapter ? : Africa
The Horned Melon

Chapter ? : Mexico

Dragonfruit

Chapter ? : Bangledeshi

Jackfruit

Besan Ji Bhaji

Ok, I know "normali" is a relative concept on this blog, but this recipe is still downright weird. Don't get me wrong, this is delicious, fantastic, bizarre, and amazing: exactly what I'm searching for. And it isn't simple; this takes a while. This is delicious though.

Gram flour, or besam, or chick pea flour may be available at your local natural foods store, and definitely at a local Indian store. It's usually very cheap, so this is an inexpensive meal.

Besan ji Bhaji

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hour

Serves: 3-4

Chickpea Biscuits:

1 cup gram flour (besam)

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander

3/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 garam masala

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Curry:

3 onions, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

2 green chillies

1/2 tsp garam masala

Prepare the Gram Flour Biscuits:

Mix all the chickpea ingredients in a bowl. slowly add water, mixing until it has a dough-like consistency. Use the gram flour to powder a surface and your hands, and flatten the dough onto the surface. Sliced into small squares.

Heat a large pot full of water, and add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

Add the squares and boil for five minutes.

Remove them and strain, and then heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the chickpea pieces, until golden brown on each side. Remove from the oil, and set aside to prepare curry.

Curry:

In a large pot, heat a little ghee or oil. Add the onions, lightly salting them, and fryuntil translucent. Add green chillies, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are tender. Add the garam masala and chickpea biscuits and sprinkle a little water over the curry, and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Serve with rice and garnish with cilantro.

Paneer Palak

Paneer is a common Indian cheese that doesn't melt. It is curdled with lemon juice, and does not involve rennet. You can find recipes online to make paneer from cow's milk, though if you have a Indian store locally, you can buy it frozen or fresh.

Paneer Palak

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

2 lbs spinach

1 large onion, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

3-4 green chilli pepper, minced

1 inch ginger, grated

8-9 cloves garlic, minced

salt to taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala

6 oz paneer cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes

Cooking:

Wash spinach leaves, boil them in water for several minutes until cooked. Strain, and using a food processor, turn into a thick paste.

Put some oil into a pressure cooker, and fry onions until translucent. Remove the onions, mix them in a food processor, and return the onion paste to the pressure cooker, and fry for several minutes.

Mix ginger, tomatoes, garlic, and chillies in food processor until it's a paste, and add to the onion paste, and fry for several more minutes. Add the salt, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala.

Add the pureed spinach, mix, and pressure cook for 3-4 minutes after it whistles.

Separately, fry the paneer cubes with a little salt, until lightly browned.

When the pressure has left the pressure cooker, add the paneer cubes, return to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add more salt if needed, and serve with Bugha Chawar.

Jeera Rice

This isn't quite as amazing as Bugha Chawar, but certainly a tasty use for rice.

Jeera Rice

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain basmati

1 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp garam masala

1 1/2 cups water

salt to taste

Preparation:

Wash rice well and soak for twenty minutes.

Cooking:

Heat ghee in a heavy vessel. Add cumin seeds and fry until lightly browned. Add bay leaf and fry for a few seconds. Add sugar and drained rice, and gently stir for a minute.

Add garam masala and salt. Mix. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 15-20 minutes.

Serve with rajma.

Kidney Bean Curry

This red kidney bean made its way to India from Central America, and this dish certainly, in some ways, is reminiscent of Chilli con Carne, minus the Carne, but the uniquely Indian blend is sure to impress anyone who thinks they've tasted it all.

Rajma

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

1 cup red kidney beans, soaked overnight

3 cups water

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp ginger, grated

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pinch asafoetida

pinch of turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 big tomatoes, finely chopped

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp coriander

1 1/2 tbsp ghee or oil

salt to taste

Precook the beans:

Pressure cook or boil red kidney benas in water until they are soft. Remove half a cup of beans and crush coarsely.

Preparation:

In a food processor, grind onion, garlic, and ginger into a fine paste.

Cooking:

Heat ghee or oil in a pot, and then add the cumin seeds, frying them until they are browned slightly. Add red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt, and mix well.

Add the tomatoes, and cook until the ghee seperates.

Add whole kidney beans and a couple cups of water, return to a simmer and cook for three minutes.

Add crushed kidney beans and a cup of water. Add garam masala and cook until thickened.

Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with Jeera Rice.