Slovakian Lečo, by Diane

I had the most amazing brunch while I was in Bratislava, and I decided to try and recreate it at home. It reminded me of shakshuka but tasted way better for me. As usual, it was much better in Slovakia because the veggies were smaller and more blended and there was more of a sauce to it, but I think I have a way to make it even better at home now! Overall this is a really good and easy dish to make, and I'll post the recipe along with some adjustments for next time (add tomato sauce and smaller dice of veggies). Classically this is served with good crusty bread.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 cup diced peppers (I used one yellow, red, and orange)

1 cup tomatoes (I used a 15oz can diced tomatoes)

1 Polish kielbasa, sliced (I charred these for more flavor)

Hungarian paprika, salt and pepper to taste

8 eggs (recipe calls for 6 but I wanted more protein), beaten

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high, add in veggies and cook until translucent. 

2. Add in seasonings and sausage, cook for one minute and mix in eggs stirring constantly until cooked in. (I would add in tomato sauce before the eggs, cooking until flavors combine, and then mix in eggs.)

Chao, by Diane

 

When I'm in Vietnam, my most favorite breakfast (before pho!) is chao, aka congee or jook- there are tons of Asian cultures that eat this with different names. It is a simple rice porridge made with broken white rice, and then you can top it with various things. After making my amazing pork seaweed rolls last week in the snow, I realized I had all the toppings for chao in my house and decided to try and make it for warm savory breakfasts. While this turned out amazing flavor-wise and very comforting, the consistency was off no matter how hard I tried to adjust. It came out with soft but intact grains of rice in a thick porridge, but I was looking for rice that had broken down more. In the end it was delicious but I'll try it with white rice next time (brown was what I had on hand).

*note- I am not sure about the correct ratio here of water to rice but will update next time! I had to boil the excess liquid off for 20 min at the end which you aren't supposed to need to do.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

6 cups water (I used 4 water and 2 beef stock)

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tbsp soy sauce

Toppings: pork floss, sliced green scallions, soy sauce, fried shallots

Directions:

Combine all ingredients but toppings and bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook one hour or until it gets to the desired consistency (mine took almost 2 and then I boiled it for the last 20 stirring constantly to get a thick, glossy porridge that was super flavorful).

Drug Eggs, by Diane

I've tried to make ramen eggs before in two other posts, but this was a slight variation on them from @alexawhatsfordinner and I thought I'd give it a go for a creative protein snack. These are called drug eggs because they are supposedly addictive, but for me they were just okay. The recipe called for the liquid to cover the eggs, and it didn't so I added more water and it's possible that was the issue because I definitely wanted them to have more flavor. 

On the plus side, I finally figured out how to make the perfect jammy eggs from this recipe so that was a win I'll take!!

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp gochugaru or red chili flakes

1 tbsp sesame seeds

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalepeno, finely diced

1 spicy red pepper or habenero, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Soft boil the eggs by bringing a large pot of water to boil then gently lowering each egg into the pot. Cook for 6-7 minutes for jammy yolks and carefully transfer to an ice bath to cool completely before peeling the eggs.

2. Combine all remaining ingredients except eggs, then add eggs and make sure they are fully covered. 

3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. Serve with marinade if desired.

 

Kuku Sabzi, by Diane

 

We made this dish to celebrate the spring equinox, as this is a typical dish served on this day in Iran. It was a delicious and healthy mix of eggs and lots of chopped green herbs, topped with walnuts and cranberries. This recipe was super easy to make and really tasty! Traditionally it's made on the stove but this recipe made it easier in the oven. Definitely a great healthy meal to be repeated!

ps- this can be served with yogurt, feta, or soft bread like naan, but we had it plain and it was great on it's own too!

Ingredients:

5 tbsp EVOO

2 cups parsley leaves

2 cups cilantro leaves and stems

1 cup fresh dill

6 scallions, green and white

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp green cardamom, ground

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper, ground

6 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 F, and use a rack that is in the upper middle position. Prepare an 8x8 inch or 9 inch round baking dish by lining the bottom with parchment paper, then adding 2 tbsp of EVOO until the sides and bottom, as well as both sides of the parchment, are covered in oil. The oil should pool at the bottom and generously coat the sides.  

2. Finely grind the green herbs and scallion with remaining 3 tbsp of EVOO in a food processor.

3. In a large bowl, whisk baking powder through pepper, then whisk in 2 eggs until fully mixed. Add in remaining eggs until just combined, then fold in herbs and 1/2 of each of the walnuts and cranberries (reserve some for topping). 

4. Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top, then top with remaining walnuts and cranberries.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the center of the egg is firm, then remove from oven and let sit in the pan for an additional 10 minutes. 

6. To serve, run a knife along the sides to loosen, then invert on a large plate (bottom will be facing up), then place the serving platter on the bottom (facing up) and flip again so it is right side up on the serving platter. 

Tomato Egg, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from my new favorite instagram chef, Kristina Cho. She describes it as Chinese comfort food that every house makes differently, and this is her family recipe. I really was intrigued, and decided to make it for dinner one night. It was really unique and very comforting, and easy to make! My only complaint was that the ginger flavor was far too strong, and I used much less than the recipe called for. I also had some colorful cherry tomatoes on hand so used those, but definitely did not use the same amount of tomatoes as her, so next time would try it with the roma tomatoes instead as hers came out much more tomato looking. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 inch knob ginger, cut into matchsticks

4 cups roma tomatoes (about 5), rough chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp sesame oil

1.5 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp cornstarch 

2 eggs, whisked

1/3 cup green onions

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat, add ginger and cook 1-2 min until fragrant. 

2. Add tomatoes through oyster sauce, cook 5-8 min until jammy. 

3. Whisk cornstarch and water into a slurry in a small bowl, stir into the tomato mixture until thickened 2-3 min and reduce heat to simmer.

4. Drizzle the eggs over the mixture and don't stir until just set about 2 min. 

5. Gently stir in most of the green onions, leaving some for garnish. Don't stir too much!

6. Serve with steamed rice and top with remaining green onions.

Pork Floss and Seaweed Pull-Apart Rolls, by Diane

 

I have been following a chef on Instagram, Kristina Cho, and she just published a cookbook called Mooncakes and Milkbread which is full of recipes for sweet and savory Chinese pastries. It's the first time I've looked at a baking challenge and thought I'd like to try making them, plus I love Asian bakeries. Yesterday it was a snow day here, and I thought what a great way to fill the day by making this recipe, which I've had my eye on for a while. Her cookbook is backordered, but this recipe was published in Bon Appétit. 

I was floored that these came out so well. I had several moments where I was sure I messed up the dough, including yeast that didn't ferment in milk causing me to borrow milk from a neighbor during the storm, and not having a stand mixer so not being sure how long to mix the dough by hand. These tasted WAY better than any one I've had in a Chinese bakery, which also really surprised me! This is partly due to her famous milkbread recipe, which is soft and pillowy and just slightly sweet. Overall, these made 8 craveable and super fun rolls, and I had been anticipating they wouldn't be so good but here we all are trapped in the house together...

I did a few things differently than her recipe- I used a shrimp flavored furikake because I like the way pork and shrimp go together (in the end I couldn't taste the shrimp but everything blended so well!). I also had some leftover fried garlic and onion from an Indonesian recipe so sprinkle that on top as well with the sesame seeds- definitely a great addition. 

I can't say enough about what a surprise hit these were, so savory and sweet and the dough was just soft and pillowy and comforting. I would definitely make these again, for when more people were in the house... I also loved the freeze and reheat instructions! FYI, this recipe takes about 5-5.5 hours to complete from start to finish.

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup milk, divided (I had to use half and half here since my first batch didn't ferment and it was fine)

2 tbsp plus 2 2/3 bread flour, divided, plus some for flouring surface

1 tsp active dry yeast

A pinch plus 1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp diamond crystal or 1/4 tsp morton kosher salt

4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

1 tsp vegetable oil

Filling/Assembly:

1/2 cup Kewpie mayo

1 cup pork floss

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

2 tbsp furikake

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large egg

1 tbsp milk or heavy cream

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

(I also added 2 tsp fried garlic and onion bits)

Directions:

1. Cook 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp bread flour in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly until thickened into a paste 2-3 min (mine never did so I added a bit more flour). Transfer this mixture, called tangzhong, to a small bowl and let sit until warm (should resemble mashed potatoes), 5-10 min. 

2. Bring remaining 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp milk to a gentle rolling simmer over medium heat. Pour milk into a small bowl and let cool until warm to the touch (110 degrees). Stir in yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit until foamy, 5-10 min. (I had to sprinkle and stir the yeast in as my first batch clumped).

3. Combine egg, salt, remaining 2 2/3 cup bread flour and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stand mixer w dough hook. Add in tangzhong and yeast mixture and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Add 1 piece of butter at at time, mixing until incorporated, then increase speed to medium high until dough is tacky and slightly sticky about 8-10 min. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, wet hands and form into a ball. (I just used my hands for all of these steps until it formed a tight ball and was a bit sticky). 

4. Coat a large bowl with oil and turn the dough until all sides are covered in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm draft free spot for about 2 hours until doubled in size. 

5. Roll dough on a floured surface to 18x10". Spread mayo over dough, then sprinkle pork floss, scallions, and furikake. Roll it up lengthwise into a tight log and pinch the ends and remove. Turning log seam side down, cut into 8 equal pieces.

6. Coat a 10" diameter cake pan with cooking spray, arrange rolls leaving a small gap between each one. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-1.5 hours in a warm draft free place.

7. Preheat oven to 350. Whisk egg and 1 tbsp milk/cream in a bowl and lightly brush the tops with this mixture. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the tops (and garlic/onions if using).

8. Bake for 28 min until golden brown (I needed maybe another 3). Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool in pan until warm.

9. If storing, chill in airtight container in fridge (warm at 300 degrees until warmed through about 5 min or 30-45 sec in microwave) or freezer (bake 350 for 10-15 min).

Uzbek Plov, by Diane

 

This weekend thanks to Covid our plans got cancelled and we were stuck at home, so my friend and I resumed our virtual Cooking through the Countries series and picked Uzbekistan. Plov is the classic Uzbek dish of meat and rice, and having had it before at a local restaurant I was excited to make this! Traditionally it's made with lamb, but I used beef here. This was really warming, and very tasty. 

The instructions for cooking the rice wound up being incorrect for both of us, so I'm writing what we did here as well to correct it. We also added more salt throughout the cooking process and changed the garlic instructions, and were glad we did both. All our notes are in the recipe below.

Overall through this series we have learned that pretty much every country has a meat and rice dish, and that rice is very hard to cook with all the different methods! Both of us said we would make this again, and my friend used chicken and said it also was great! 

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless lamb cut into 3 inch pieces (I used beef stew meat for ease here)

2 cups basmati rice

4 garlic heads, whole (we used 2 but think 3 would be great), washed and top trimmed off to expose cloves

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large onions, sliced thinly

5 large carrots, coarsely grated

2 tbsp each cumin and coriander seeds

1/2 cup fresh barberries (I subbed currants)

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

2 cups boiling water

2 tbsp salt (we used more)

Directions:

1. Cover rice in a bowl with warm water and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or skillet over high heat until smoking. Salt the meat, then add to pot, browning on each side. 

3. Stir in onions with a sprinkle of salt, cooking for 10 minutes until brown and soft.

4. Stir in carrots, cooking for 10 minutes until soft.

5. Stir in cumin seeds, coriander seeds, barberries and peppercorns. Stir in a pinch of salt and mix well. Add garlic heads face down on the bottom of the pan (this part was my addition and it worked well to caramelize the garlic). Reduce heat to medium and cook covered for 30 min. (We shortened the cooking time for beef to 20 and chicken by 15).

6. Wash and drain the rice until water is clear in hot water. Pour the drained rice in an even layer over meat mixture, then cover with boiling water about 3/4 inch and do not stir. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of salt and reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 20 min until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

*note- this method did not work for us, so we would either do this for 10 min then stir together and cook until the rice is soft, or mix all together from the start. Our water did not cover the rice by 3/4 of an inch either, and we both thought we might increase the liquid by .5 cup.

7. Stir everything together at the end, adjust for seasonings, and serve with garlic heads on top.

*note- we squeezed the roasted garlic out and stirred this in too, it made it taste great!

Mee Goreng, by Diane

 

This was the main course of an Indonesian lunch a friend and I made. My friend had lived in Indonesia as a child, and I had taken cooking classes when I visited, so we created a menu of some of our favorite meals. This came out tasting fairly authentic, and it was neat to learn how to make your own sambal sauce (I've only ever seen this in a can or at tables in a little jar). 

Ingredients: 

1 lb fresh yellow egg noodles, cooked according to package

1.5 cup sambal tumis (we used homemade but you can buy this)

2 tbsp canola oil

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (we subbed chicken)

1 cup cubed fried tofu

3 small bok choy, rinsed and sliced

Kosher salt

1.5 cups bean sprouts

2 tomatoes, sliced into wedges

Sweet soy sauce to taste

2 limes, wedged

Dried shallots for garnish

Directions:

1. Add sambal to wok and heat 5 min over medium heat.

2. Add noodles, bok choy, and tofu, combine well.

3. In a separate pan over medium heat, combine oil and shrimp and cook 5 minutes until opaque. Add to noodle mixture. 

4. Add tomatoes, sprouts, and soy sauce to taste. Stir one minute and season w salt.

5. Serve with limes and shallots.

Rojak, by Diane

 

This was the side dish of our Indonesian lunch, and so so good! Rojak is one of my most favorite Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. It is a really unique combo of jicama, green mango, pineapple, and cucumber (this version had apple too) in a really flavorful sauce that is sweet and savory. The crunch of the veggies with the sweet savory sauce and peanut top is really addictive and extra refreshing in the summertime! I had no idea it was so easy to make, so this will be on repeat all summer as a light meal or fun snack! Recipe from my friend's Indonesian Street Food cookbook!

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama, peeled and cubed

1 medium green apple, peeled and cubed

1 green mango, peeled and cubed

3/4 pineapple, peeled and cubed

2 kirby cucumbers, chopped into bite size pieces

1 tbsp dried shrimp paste

3 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1.5 tbsp tamarind paste

1 fresh fresno chili

3 tbsp palm sugar (or sub dark brown)

1/2 cup skinned roasted ground peanuts

Directions:

1. Add all the fruits and veggies to a bowl and toss. Set aside. 

2. Start to make the sauce by placing the shrimp paste in a square of foil, folding inward to make a smaller square. Flatten the square with the palm of your hand. Roast this packet directly over gas flame for 1.5 minutes on each side until the paste begins to smoke and takes on a slightly burnt flavor. Open the packet and let cool.

3. Add soy sauce-sugar, plus the cooled shrimp paste, into a bowl and whisk until mixed.

4. Combine the sauce and fruits, top with peanuts and serve cold. Don't wait longer than 20 minutes to serve or else it becomes less crunchy!

Nasi Goreng, by Diane

 

Nasi Goreng was my most favorite dish in Indonesia, a staple at most places. I ate it every day, and if you know me I like to taste EVERYTHING so this was an anomaly for sure- it was just so dang delicious!! I learned to cook it at a little tiny warung (an indonesian restaurant) that was basically a bamboo tent with a roof on an island called Gili Air, and it was my local spot each day. After the third day in a row, the chef offered to teach me how to make it, and I gladly accepted! It's pretty easy to throw together, and *almost* as good as in Indonesia...

Note: to make this last for the week's dinners I used 1.25 lbs chicken, 1 lb shrimp, 4 eggs, and 6 cups rice

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken, cubed

1 inch fresh turmeric, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp palm oil

1/2 lb shrimp, cleaned and tail off

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 egg

4 cups cooked white rice

1 shake white pepper

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp each salty soy sauce (our regular soy sauce), king sauce (fermented soy sauce), fish sauce, worcestershire sauce, sweet soy sauce 

6 large green onions, chopped (use green and white parts)

1 tbsp white sugar

Optional: shrimp chips

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken cubes in turmeric and 1 clove minced garlic for a few hours.

2. Heat a large wok on high, when hot add butter and oil. Add chicken and cook until the outside turns white.

3. Add in the shrimp, cook until just opaque.

4. Add in the egg and don't stir for one minute, then stir until fully cooked.

5. Add in onion and remaining 3 cloves of minced garlic, stir for 1 minute.

6. Reduce heat to low, add in rice, sauces, and pepper. Stir well.

7. Add in green onions and sugar, stir and adjust for taste.

8. Serve by packing the mixture into a bowl, then flipping over on a plate. Serve with shrimp chips on the side for scooping!

Indian Pickles, by Diane

 

After the success of Quickles and Korean Pickles, I wanted to see if I could create any other fun pickle recipes with other international flavors because they are awesome to snack on after the pool or being outside. This recipe from myrecipes.com was awesome with one big exception- I wouldn't let these marinate for longer than a few hours. By the time I got to them after 24 hours they were so strong I couldn't handle them! So in the future I'd follow these instructions and pull them after 40 min. I also used a mandolin to make pickle slices, but this recipe called for spears which may have also made them taste stronger. Side note- I had all the spices on hand thanks to our cooking through the countries activities during quarantine, so that felt like a win!

Ingredients: 

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp each brown mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, whole allspice

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 cardamom pods, split open

2 small dried red chiles, broken in half

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

1 inch ginger, peeled and sliced thick

6 persian cucumbers sliced thin (I used a mandolin)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add in mustard seeds for 2 min.

2. Add remaining spices except turmeric and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. 

3. Add turmeric, then remaining ingredients except cucumbers and bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 min. 

4. Put cucumbers into a glass jar or bowl, then pour liquid over top. Marinate for 40 minutes at room temp, then drain liquid and chill for up to 2 days.

Rabokki, by Diane

This was the main course for our Korean picnic as part of my cooking through the countries activity during quarantine. Rabokki is basically the equivalent of Korean carboloading, and it is seriously some delicious comfort food! It consists of ramen noodles mixed with rice cakes, fish cakes, hard boiled eggs, and a delicious savory sauce. Sounds like a strange combo but tastes great! I first had this dish at a Korean restaurant and which is now closed due to quarantine, so I knew when I got to Korea I wanted to try my hand at this dish. This came together really quickly and was very easy to make! 

My friend and I each made our own versions of Rabokki and shared at the picnic. My recipe was fish-based with a homemade dashi stock made from kelp and anchovy, while hers was more veggie-based with a bone broth base. In the end we decided that the best version occurred when we mixed both of ours together, and so I am posting a combo of our two recipes. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 small package dried kelp (about 3 leaves)

2 cups bone broth

3 green onions, white bulbs and green stems separated

2 tsp sesame oil, divided

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp minced garlic, plus 3 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp Korean chili flakes (I left this out)

1/2 tbsp tomato paste

1 package instant ramen noodles

4 sheets Korean fish cakes, sliced into bite size rectangles

20 Korean rice cakes, rinsed in cold water

6 fish balls, mixed variety

2 hard boiled eggs, cut in half

1 small onion, diced

1/2 Korean squash, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms

Toasted sesame seeds

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Soak the kelp in water for an hour. 

2. Marinate the rice cakes in 1 tsp sesame oil, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, marinate the mushrooms in 1tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, and salt.

3. Whisk together gochujang, sugar, 1 tsp garlic, chili flakes, and tomato paste in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. Rinse the kelp and boil with the white onion bulbs in a medium pot with enough water to cover for 10 minutes. 

5 Discard the kelp and onion, but keep 1 cup of liquid from the pot. Set aside.

6. Add 1 tbsp oil to a large sauce pot, and add in onions and mushrooms. When they have browned, add remaining 3 tsp garlic and stir. 

7. Add squash to the pan and cook until just soft.

7. Reduce heat to medium low and whisk in sauce along with noodles, rice cakes, and fish cakes.

8. Add in bone broth and kelp water and bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Add in eggs after 5 minutes and continue cooking until all ingredients are cooked through and sauce thickens.

9. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion tops.

Korean Tofu and Spicy Ketchup, by Diane

 

This was another banchan, or small dish, from cooking through the countries Korean edition! This one was a hit, and the sauce was so outstanding it would be great on just about everything! I just so happened to have doubled the sauce on instinct and I’m glad I did (posted below with doubled measurements). I also airfried them out of convenience, but the recipe calls for pan frying in oil. Super easy and already looking forward to leftovers!

https://mykoreankitchen.com/korean-tofu-spicy-ketchup/

Ingredients:

1 block firm tofu

Spray avocado oil

6 tbsp ketchup

2-3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) (I used 1!)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tbsp sliced green onion

Directions:

1. Press the tofu by wrapping it in a handtowel, placing it on top of a cookie sheet, and placing another cookie sheet with a weight on top of that (I used a hand weight). Leave for an hour. This will get the water out so you can get the tofu crispy! 

2. Pat the tofu dry and fry on all sides until browned (I air-fried these at 350 for 10, then 400 until browned- another 5-10).

3. Combine ketchup through garlic and toss over tofu. Mix well and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Korean Cucumber Apple Pickle, by Diane

This was another banchan, or small dish in the cooking through the countries Korea edition. This was meant to be a palate cleanser, and it was nice and refreshing. I would decrease the amount of ginger next time, but overall good and easy to make!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cucumber-apple-pickle-351891

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch thick 

1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 Granny Smith apple, sliced 1/8 inch think

2 cups water

1/3 cup rice or cider vinegar

1 tbsp matchstick ginger

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of Korean red pepper flakes 

Directions:

1. Toss the cucumbers with salt and let sweat for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze the excess liquid out of the cucumbers. 

2. Combine all ingredients and chill for one day, stirring occasionally. 

Korean Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi), by Diane

This was the second banchan, or small dish, in my Korean cooking through the countries meal. This was really nice and refreshing, and would be a great snack! Really easy to make, too, and you can adjust the spice level as needed. https://mykoreankitchen.com/cucumber-kimchi-oi-kimchi/

Ingredients:

1 lb pickling cucumbers

1 tbsp coarse sea salt

1/4 cup carrots, julienned

1/8 cup garlic chives or regular chives, diced

2 tbsp Korean chili flakes (I used one)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp grated red apple or Asian pear

1 tbsp honey or sugar

1/2 tbsp Korean dried salted shrimps, minced

1/2 tsp fish sauce 

1/2 tsp minced ginger 

Directions:

1. Cut off cucumber ends and cut into slim quarters. Mix in a large bowl with salt and leave to sweat for 20 minutes.

2. Rinse and drain the cucumbers, then add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place in a covered glass container.

3. Keep at room temp for 12-18 hours, then refrigerate and serve chilled.

Korean Potato Salad, by Diane

 

This week in cooking through the countries was Korea- and luckily I had a pal to share all the food with!! We each made a few banchan (or small dishes) ahead of the main meal. This was the first one- it was really good! Quite easy to make and really filling, I think this could be a lunch on its own! Recipe https://seonkyounglongest.com/korean-potato-salad/ 

Ingredients:

2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into large chunks

1/2 Kirby cucumber, diced small

1/2 cup carrots, julienned and chopped

2 tbsp red onion, diced 

1/2 cup imitation crab, diced

4 hard boiled eggs, diced 

1/2 cup kewpie mayo

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rice vinegar

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook potatoes until fork tender.

2. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt on the diced cucumbers and let sit for 10 min to sweat, then rinse and squeeze excess water from them. Set aside.

3. Drain potatoes and mash slightly while still hot. 

4. Add all remaining ingredients and combine well, adjust seasonings if needed.

5. Refrigerate for 30 min before eating.

Simit (Turkish bagels), by Diane

 

I made this recipe for a friend’s birthday, as these were her favorite food when she was in Turkey. Turkish bagels are crusty on the outside, sesame flavored, and thing and twisted (I couldn’t make the twists thin enough to do this justice!). It went well with my cooking thought the countries theme during quarantine, and it was fairly easy to do. Mine came out much softer like American bagels, likely because I made them so much thicker! They were still good though, and worth the effort to make a friend happy!

Ingredients:

2 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

4 cups ap flour

1 1/2 cup warm water

1/4 vegetable oil

1/4 grape molasses (I used regular)

1/2 cup room temp water

1 cup sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Mix first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add in warm water and oil and knead until the dough comes together and isn’t sticky any longer.

2. Cover and let rise for 1.5 hours until it doubles in size.

3. Punch down the dough and divide into 16 pieces. Roll out 2 pieces to 25 inches each and twist together then fuse to make a ring. Place on baking sheet.

4. Dip the finished rings into a solution of molasses and remaining water, then dip into sesame seeds and return to the baking tray. Cover loosely and let rise for another 20 minutes.

5. Bake at 400 for 12-15 min until brown and fully cooked.

Kjötsúpa (Icelandic Lamb Soup), by Diane

 

When I was in Iceland I was obsessed with kjötsúpa, a comforting and filling lamb and root veggie soup that seemed to be served everywhere along with Icelandic butter and bread. So as part of my cooking through the countries in quarantine, I decided to try this for Iceland! I ordered this mix of Icelandic herbs (Villikrydd- go here to order!) for the soup, and I happened to have some salt I had brought back from my trip (you can buy it online- Nordur is the brand I had). I had never cooked with lamb meat before (only ground lamb), and so I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

HOLY MOLY was this out of this world amazing- and the best part is that it tastes EXACTLY like it did in Iceland! How often can you say that you can accurately recreate your favorite dish that you ate in a country from your own kitchen? This soup was easy to make as well, and I already am looking forward to dinners this week! The best part, aside from the delicious broth, is that the lamb literally melts on your tongue it’s so tender! I modified the recipe a little by adding some bone broth I had to use up (I figured a little extra flavor and nutrition couldn’t hurt) and skipping the cabbage since I didn’t have that in Iceland. I added a cup of barley to thicken it up (some recipes use this and others don’t- but this is how I had it most on the trip), but it just took all the broth away overnight and didn’t thicken it at all so I wouldn’t do this again. This will be on repeat this winter!!!

Ingredients:

2 lb lamb shoulder, bone in, cut into bite size pieces and trimmed of fat (save the bones)

8 cups water

2 cups bone broth

1 large leek, sliced 

2 tbsp Villikrydd

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp salt

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 medium rutabaga, chopped into bitesize pieces 

1/2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into bitesize pieces (I left the skin on)

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, add lamb, bones, water, and broth and bring to a boil.

2. Skim the scum off the top and add in leeks, salt, pepper, and herbs. Simmer partially covered for 45 min.

3. Add in remaining veggies, stir and cook until veggies are soft.

4. Adjust seasonings, then refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to come together. 

Whole30 Orange Chicken, by Diane

 

This is another of @iheartumami’s family recipes with a Whole30 twist! This was a really interesting method to get chicken crispy without frying, and the sauce was flavorful (I doubled the amount of aminos to get it perfect for me). 

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 tsp baking soda

Coconut oil 

2 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp arrowroot powder 

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 thin slices ginger, minced plus 1 tsp grated ginger

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp orange zest

1/3 cup orange juice

4 tbsp coconut aminos

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 scallion stalks, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Place a baking sheet in the oven while it preheats.

2. Toss the chicken in a bowl with the salt, pepper, baking soda, and 2 tbsp arrowroot to coat. Place in the fridge until the oven is ready. 

3. Once the oven is ready, remove the baking sheet and coat with 2 tbsp oil, then place the chicken evenly spaced on the sheet. Bake on lower rack for 10 minutes.

4. While the chicken cooks, combine the garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Set aside. Combine orange zest, juice, aminos, grated ginger, vinegar, and remaining 1/2 tbsp arrowroot powder in a small bowl, and whisk to combine before setting aside.

5. After 10 minutes, flip the chicken and cook until golden and crispy, another 8-10 minutes.

6. While the chicken cooks again, heat a saucepan to medium high, and add 1 tbsp oil. When it’s hot, lower the heat to medium and add the ginger/garlic/red pepper bowl as well as a pinch of salt. Stir 15 seconds until fragrant.

7. Whisk the orange juice bowl once more and add to the pan.  It should thicken as you stir often. Adjust with more arrowroot as needed, and taste your seasonings.

8. When the chicken is done, combine it in the pan with the sauce and toss well. Top with scallions. 

Whole30 Kung Pao Shrimp, by Diane

 This was the entree portion of my cooking through the countries, China edition meal. This recipe comes from @iheartumami’s family recipes, tweaked to make it Whole30 compliant. 

This was a really unique dish! The secret to the taste is Szechuan peppercorns, which taste peppery, lemony, and also make your mouth tingle in a funny way. I wound up taking them out after a few bites, because I liked the dish ok it’s own without the tingling. Contrary to how it looks, it’s actually not spicy- the Chinese dried red chili’s also add an interesting flavor without the heat. This recipe comes together FAST so make sure you have all your ingredients prepped like it says in the recipe. Also- this is the most perfectly cooked shrimp I’ve ever made- what a difference!

Ingredients:

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 tbsp coconut oil (she suggests avocado but I didn’t have it)

1/8 tsp ground white pepper

1/4 garlic powder

.25 oz ginger, minced (I used about 1.5 inches)

.5 oz garlic, minced (I used 5 small cloves)

1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns 

4 red dried Chinese chili peppers (if you want heat, crack them open first, otherwise leave them whole)

4 scallions, sliced white and green parts

1/4 lb green beans, chopped (this was supposed to be 1 green bell pepper but I can’t have peppers on this protocol, and the green beans were amazing!)

3 tbsp cashews, toasted

2 tbsp coconut aminos

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp arrowroot powder

1 tsp Szechuan chili oil (I couldn’t find this so I omitted it)

Directions:

1. Butterfly the backs of the shrimp by making a shallow incision down the back (don’t cut all the way through). Place in a bowl with white pepper and garlic powder and set in the fridge. 

2. While the shrimp chills, assemble the ginger through chili’s on one plate, and the scallions and green beans on another. Have your cashews on a third plate/bowl.

3. Mix together the final 4 ingredients, whisking well to combine and set aside.

4. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. When the pan shimmers, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook one minute each side. Remove and set aside.

5. In the same pan, add remaining 2 tbsp oil and add in ginger through chili’s, cook for 10 seconds. 

6. Turn the heat to medium high and add scallions and green beans, cook for another 10 seconds. 

7. Add back the shrimp and cashews, cook another 10 seconds and add sauce, stirring well for another 10 seconds. Serve hot.