Khichuri

Khichuri

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Coking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes, cubed

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/4 cup moong dal (or split peas), dry roasted

1 cups cauliflower florets

6 cups water

salt to taste

6 green Thai chillies, split and seeded

1 1/4 cups basmati rice, washed and drained

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cups peas

Spices:

4 tbsp ghee

2 bay leaves

3 red Thai chillies, whole

4 pods green cardamom

6 cloves

2 inches cinnamon stick

Cooking:

Put water and potatoes into pot and boil for 8 minutes.

Add rice, cauliflower, moon dal, turmeric, sugar, red chilli powder, salt, green chillies, basmati, and cumin. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower to low heat, and cook for 20 minutes.

In a small frying pan, heat ghee and fry with bay leaves, red Thai Chillies, green cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon.

When the rice mixture is done, pour the ghee mixture into it through a strainer. Mix in peas, and serve immediately.

Chapter 25 : Bangledesh

Exploring the food of Bangledesh is by no means easy. It is one of the many Mughal-influenced cuisines across India, and Bangledesh's complex history makes this venture by no means simple.

I must admit, a certain falseness to this. Bangledesh is a country immersed in rivers, yet few of those fish, or even equivalents, are available, or at least finding that information is by no means easy. So that focus on meat-based dishes, while perfectly Bangledeshi, doesn't entirely represent this complex country.

I also struggle with the identity of this country. In the last hundred years, Bangledesh has been part of British India, then Pakistan, and then its own nation. Despite once being part of Pakistan it shares a climate, and many dishes with the neighboring Indian state of West Bengal. (Previously Bangledesh was known as East Bengal or East Pakistan, further complicating the issue).

Of course, one need not go all that far into the past of many nations to find such intricacies, but Bangledesh is particularly forgotten, at least here in Midwestern America, where I suspect few people are very aware of this country, largely forgotten next to its more prominent cousins on the world stage.

Aash-e Sholeh Qalamkar

This delicious lamb recipe delivers a rich flavor, and a wonderful texture.

Aash-e Sholeh Qalamkar (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 lb ground lamb

1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

1/2 bunch chives or scallions ends, finely chopped

1/2 bunch dill, finely chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 cup peas

1/2 cup rice, rinsed

1/2 cup chickpeas

1/2 cup lentils

3 large onions, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/ tsp salt

1 tbsp canola oil

Night Before (or morning before):

Soak beans and lentils for 4-5 hours, or overnight.

Cooking:
In a large pot, fry ground lamb until browned. Drain of excess greases and set aside in a bowl.

Now fry onions in the remaining lamb grease until golden brown. Add lamb, chickpeas, lentils, turmeric, salt, pepper, and water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for one hour.

Add rice and simmer another 20-30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Add peas, chives, dill, scallion ends/chives, cilantro, parsley, and peas. Return to a simmer and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

Persian Rice Pilaf

Persian Rice Pilaf (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter or oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 basmati rice

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups chicken broth

Cooking:

Melt butter over medium heat and add the onions and almonds. Saute 7 minutes or until onions are translucent. Stir in rice, raisins, turmeric, and cinnamon. Add broth, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Chelo Kebab

This is trhe national dish of Iran, or something like that. It's uncomplicated, easy, and tasty.

Chelo Kebab (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:1 lb ground lamb

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 large onion, minced

salt to taste

Grill:

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Divide mixture into fourths, and form into elongated forms, and place on spears.

Place on a grill and cook 4-6 minutes, or until done.

Serve with white rice and pita bread.

Chapter 24 : Iran

Iran's history is rich and ancient, and while we often label it the "middle east", in culinary tradition it sits between the traditions of the middle east and India, two regions who seems nearly irreconcilable with each other.

It is a cuisine rich in dill, cilantro, turmeric, saffron, and eggplant. Unfortunately, as I was leaving for vacation as I began this, I hardly had time to explore it fully, but the recipes that follow will gie yoyu some food for though, or vice versa.

White Fungus Soup

Most Asian stores pack snow fungus. There is no substitute I know for this ingredients, and given its long shelf life and wonderful flavor, not to mention wonderful nutritional profile, should you try to replace it.

White Fungus Soup (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time:

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 package snow fungus

6 cups chicken broth

2 browned and shredded chicken breasts

1 cup peas

white pepper

Preparation:

Soak the fungus in warm water for fifteen minutes. Drain, place into a pot covered in water and bring to a boil. Boil it until it gets soft (around fifteen minutes). When it's finished, drain, and trim the "petals" from the hard inner body. Chopped the fungus into small pieces.

Cooking:

Heat the chicken broth and add the chicken, peas, snow fungus, and white pepper. Serve immediately.

Steamed Pork Belly

Pork belly has a wonderful flavor, but it has the downside that it's full of fat. However, once cooked with this method much of that fat melts out, leaving something soft and easily eaten.

Authentically this uses preserved mustard greens. I couldn't find those, but I suspect mustard greens and vinegar would be close enough.

Mei Cai Gou Rou / Steamed Pork Belly (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb pork belly

1 bunch mustard greens

1/2 tsp vinegar

4 tsp sugar

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut oil

Ingredients:

Parboil the pork belly in water for 5 minutes, rinse in cold water, and pat dry.

Slice into half inch thick slices. Pour peanut oil in a frying pan, heat, and brown all sides of the slices.

Chop spinach and mix with mustard. Spread on top of the pork belly, and steam for two hours on medium heat.

Flowering Chives

This wonderful recipe utilizes flowering chives. You can find these in some Asian markets, or if you grow your own just take advantage of the flowers instead of discarding them!

Flowering Chives (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 bunches flowering chives

2 tbsp light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)

2 tbsp chicken broth or water

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp peanut oil (or canola oil)

1 tsp corn starch mixed with 4 tsp water

Substitutions:

flowering chives - chives

Preparation:

Chop up chives with a diagonal cut into 2 inch pieces (do not discard the flowers as you would for most recipes, they impart a distinct flavor in this one).

Cooking:

Heat a wok with the 2 tbsp oil. Wen oil is hot, add the flowering chives. Stir fry for 1 minutes, or until they turn a brighter green. Remove the chives and set them to the side.

Mix the other ingredients and add them to the wok. When mixed, add the cives back to the wok, and heat until sauce boils. Then remove from heat and serve immediately.

Chapter 23 : Cantonese (China)

Perhaps no cuisine has inspired as many retaurants as Chinese, altough there's almost no relation between actual Chinese foods and what is served at Mr. Lee's Best Szechuan Wok with its wonderfully greasy crab rangoon.

Now, we did explore Chinese food before, way back in Chapter 1. However, as we did so it was painfully apparent that while two weeks of attempted home cooking isn't enough to explore any cuisine, it doesn't even let us scratch the surface of the many regions of China.

Unfortunately, two weeks also isn't enough to figure outt he basics of even Cantonese cuisine, but we did what we could and we do have some interesting recipes for you, but before you jump in let me warn you: you're going to be doing a lot of steaming. And a wok wouldn't hurt.

Mujadarra

This interesting mix of rice and lentils isn't entirely unreminiscent of kushari... and somehow rice and lentils mixed together always comes out at least tasty.

Mujadarra (based on the Avocado Bravado's recipe)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

4 onions, sliced

3/4 cup lentils

3/4 cup rice

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cooking:

Heat the oil, and add the onions. Lightly salt them and cook until well carmelized.

Prepare the lentils and rice according to their directions.

Mix the onions, lentils, rice, pepper. Check the salt and add more as necessary. Heat gently on a skillet until warm.

Serve with pita bread.

Red Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is typically known as a slovenly affair. This recipe is wonderful, however, with a light color and more pleasant flavor (if you can find red lentils, of course)

Red Lentil Soup (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups red lentils

6 cups water

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp salt

Cooking:

In a small pot, add a little oil and fry garlic until golden. Add the lentils, water, thyme, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer one hour. Serve with toasted pita bread.

Syrian Chicken

Sure, saffron's not cheap, but it can be very worth it for that gorgeous color. If you want to prepare this for fewer dollars, then you could replace it with anatto...

Syrian Chicken with Saffron (based on this recipe)

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp ground turmeric

4 lb chicken breast, cut into chunks

1/3 cup olive oil

2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup ginger, grated

5 cloves garlic

2 chillies, minced

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 pinches saffron

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp thyme

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 tbsp honey

4 oz currants

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

water or chicken stock

Substitutions:

currants - raisins

saffron - 1/2 tsp anatto

Preparation:

Combine salt, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and turmeric in a plastic bag. Shake the chicken pieces in it until well coated.

Cooking:

In a large, heavy pot, eat olive oil. add chicken and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Add onions, garlic, ginger, and chillies to the pot and cook for three minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, saffron, cumin seeds, and thyme and cook for two minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan and add lemon juice and zest, honey, and currants.

Add enough water or chicken stock to cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer for ten minutes or until chicken is done and sauce is slightly reduced.

Stir in cilantro. Serve with rice.

Chapter 22 : Syria

There are many restaurants in the States called Egyptian and Greek. And most of these are actually just labels for a set of Levantine dishes that are commonly consumed here. Chick pea hummus and baba ganoush come to mind. It's not that these would never be eaten in Greece or Egypt, but they might not be representative.

Well, having done both Egyptian and Greek cuisines, now we turn to Levantine cuisine, in particular Syria.

Hummus -Syrian Style (based on this recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dry chick peas

5 garlic cloves, roasted and minced

1/2 cup tahini

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

Substitutions:

dry chick peas - 1 can chick peas

Preparation:

Soak chick peas overnight in water. Drain thoroughly, rinse, and boil for 3 hours, covered (or pressure cook for 8 minutes).

In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients and blend until a creamy paste is formed.

Serve with toasted pine nuts, cumin, and pita bread.