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Food History, Recipes, and Everything Else in Between.
What is Cassava??
Cassava (yuca, medico, tapioca, manioc) is a starchy and tuberous root originating in the Americas. It is the sixth most important crop in the world, is resilient and feeds around 8000 million people a year.
LEARN MORE HERE
Sopes. An Aztec Snack
The Aztecs prepared maize in many different forms - one of these was nixtamilised corn, which evolved into masa harina, a glorious ingredient that can be made from a myriad of corn types and is transformed into cakes, tortillas, gorditas, tamales, champurrado and also, of course, sopes.
READ MORE HERE
What is Gula Melaka.
The dark, caramel taste and texture of pure Gula Melaka, make it a versatile ingredient that can be added to traditional cakes and desserts such as kueh, cendol, ondeh ondeh and sago puddings. It adds depth to sambals, sauces, and marinades.
READ MORE HERE
Lime Coconut Cake & Gula Melaka Caramel.
Rich coconut and lime has proven to be the perfect combination in this deliciously dense, yet light cake. Dollop on some ice cream, scatter some fresh berries and you have a delightful dessert!
READ MORE HERE
Congee Around Asia.
Congee is a dish that has been used to feed those in famine or settle an upset stomach and can be eaten at any time of the day.
The texture and individuality of a congee or rice porridge are in the base broth, type of rice/grain used, meat, toppings, and finishing sauces and herbs.
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Cauliflower and Split Pea Daal.
Laced with fresh turmeric and ginger, this stew/daal thingy is healthy and extremely tasty.
Create it in one pan or pot and add any variations as you wish!
I saved you the long history lesson about turmeric on this one, I’ll get you back on that in the next post.
RECIPE HERE
Sinorn Borbor Monsrae.
One spoonful of this soupy rice porridge has the power to transport you to someone's home with the dusty red floor beneath your feet, observing a weathered skin grandmother with glistening kind eyes, cooking this comforting creation of goodness over a charcoal stove.
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Cumin and its Wonderful History
From feasts in northern Iraq around the 9th Century to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, cumin has been documented to be used widely as a flavouring and natural medicine to cure or ease a variety of ailments such as digestive problems. rent.
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Carrots, Cumin and Harissa Chickpeas
This dish was an experimental one as I was writing a short history of cumin.
I had fun making a little video of it and playing around with the plating. It is a really simple dish that just makes sense.
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Achiote - Tales of the Lipstick Tree
A cluster of small and hairy, rusty red heart-shaped fruits sit nestled amongst the branches of a 5-metre tree, speckled with pink-tinted white flowers, waiting to pop open and reveal its vibrant flesh and seeds.
The meaty part of the fruit is inedible, but the seeds have been used for centuries in many applications.
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Chole Aloo Tikki
Chole Aloo Tikki Chaat is from the bustling city of Delhi and is a wonderful union of soft and crispy textures as well as sweet, sour, and spicy flavours.
Despite the simplicity of this dish and how it is served, there are many elements that it is comprised of that need to be executed with skill and experience.
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Spaghetti and Meatballs
When the southern Italians immigrated – the meat was in abundance, and they used whatever cuts were available and turned it into something magical. Originally bulked up with bread at a 50/50 ratio, meatballs developed into more meat and less bread.
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Sunday Snooze Day 3.
Easter is upon us this weekend so enjoy a few articles to read on this traditional weekend that always just meant chocolate to me, but of course, it goes beyond that.
Chocolate Subways and Italian Island cookbooks, it is a delicious line-up for today.
Indulge if you wish, or if not, that’s ok too.
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Brazilian Cuisine - A delicious blend of cultures and flavours
Immerse yourself in the food history of Brazil and discover why Brazilian cuisine is a food is a melting pot of flavours and influences.
Explore native ingredients like cassava, corn, cashews, and acai, as well as unique spices like cumaru, and learn about the traditional cooking methods that are still used today.
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Sunday Snooze Day 1.
A productive week in review and a smattering of food and drink snippets that have inspired me over the last few days.
Come here to read in your PJS while drinking your morning coffee..
Indulge if you wish, or if not, that’s ok too.
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Enyucado (Colombian Yuca Cake)
This not overly sweet and dense cake is the perfect example of the culinary evolution in the Americas. Yuca, originating on the continent, mixed with coconut, a reflection of African and Caribbean influence all mixed with cheese, a Spanish import.
FIND THE RECIPE HERE
Ajiaco. Colombian Chicken Soup.
There was warmth and comfort in this thick flavourful broth that was creamy with just enough acidity – although the flavour combination was rather foreign to me, it was familiar and remains to this day one of my favourite Colombian dishes I have ever tasted.
READ MORE HERE
Bánh tráng mè.
Bánh tráng mè was once a simple snack that was portable, easy to keep, and provided fast and efficient sustenance for labourers and workers. It then became a staple in the everyday diet, as an accompaniment to dishes and even a perfect pairing with beer.
READ MORE HERE
Khmer Herb Linguine.
While I am here in this beautiful country, I am making the most of my time learning about the building blocks of Cambodian cuisine and translating them into dishes I know and love. Read a little more about the many applications of Khmer Herbs.
RECIPE HERE
Jicama and Red Apple Salad
Once again, I went into the history of jicama (maybe because it originated in Mexico?). But I assure you the focus is on this super delicious salad that takes all of two seconds to put together and about the same amount of time to eat.
Enjoy!
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No Bake Brownies
It’s always a challenge to find a rental apartment with an oven which makes baking therapy a little trickier but not impossible.
When you don’t have something, there are always ways to adapt and use your imagination to make something great.
Here’s a simple brownie recipe that takes no time at all.
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Cacio e Pepe
As simple as it appears to be, there is a whole lot that can go wrong with this traditional Roman dish, but when it is executed beautifully, it instills a lifelong memory that you can store forever in your palate’s flavour bank.
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The History of Food and Cuisine in America
The Americas today is extremely diverse in culture, food, traditions, and cuisine.
By exploring how and when humans migrated to the Americas and spread throughout the region, a beautiful pattern of ingredients spread across this vast expanse of land and then to the rest of the world.
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Beyond Banh Mi
The image of a medium-sized baguette stuffed with pate, pork, pickled vegetables, and herbs springs to mind when one recalls the top dishes to eat in Vietnam.
Stretching from the North to the South of Vietnam, Banh Mi is found on every street corner in any variation you could think of. But it goes way beyond the famous sandwich…..
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Sunday Snooze Day 5.
Learn about the fascinating fermentation tactics of cellophane bees, or perhaps prepare a traditional coronation meal for King Charles III next week. Some random musings from this library cafe in Hanoi.
Indulge if you wish, or if not, that’s ok too.
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Sunday Snooze Day 4.
Sunday snooze day comes to you on a Monday.
I received the infamous ‘Bali Belly’ from eating street food at a local vendor, which is something I always do and this is the first time I have had the joy of food poisoning in my 11 years of living and travelling in Asia. Lucky me. A few charcoal tablets later, still fragile, yet with the ability to concentrate - here are the snippets I found.
Indulge if you wish, or if not, that’s ok too.
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Cranberry, Almond and Chocolate Pashka
A perfect dessert for Easter that needs to set overnight yet requires little time to prepare.
Pashka/Paska is a traditional Russian dessert made during this time of the year and it is delicious!
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Sunday Snooze Day 2.
It was a week of writing and discovering some cool things about South America, past and present.
There is such a thing as Wooly Mammoth meatballs (random I know), and Asia’s Top 50 Restaurant list has been announced and released!
Indulge if you wish, or if not, that’s ok too.
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Bánh Bột Chiên – A Savoury Vietnamese Street Food Delight
Popular street food dishes found in southern Vietnam are Bánh khọt (small rice batter pancake), chả giò (fried spring rolls), Cơm tấm (broken rice with grilled pork and vegetables), and Hủ tiếu Nam Vang (Pork broth noodle soup with seafood and garlic). There is a dish that I stumbled upon and is lesser known to many but definitely deserves a mention - Bánh Bột Chiên.
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What is Cambodian Lok Lak?
Beef Lok Lak is a classic and comforting dish that finds its unofficial roots in Cambodia.
It is a dish that is simple and popular amongst locals and tourists throughout Cambodia but a variation of it can also be found in Vietnam. But what makes Cambodian Lok Lak so special?
What is Cao Lầu?
Cau Lao is a dish that is tied to the town of Hoi An and there is no hard evidence on who or how the dish originated, yet it was developed around the time both the Chinese and Japanese communities lived there.
If you have never heard, tasted or seen this dish on your travels through Vietnam, it is because the essential anatomy of it is only made in Hoi An….
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Why Are Poppy Seeds Banned??
The poppy seed is such an undervalued culinary ingredient in many countries, and disappointingly, in some regions of the world, these earthy balls of crunchiness are even banned.
The history of poppy seeds and the plant they are derived from have an extremely coloured history of medical breakthroughs, war, and addiction.
What is Bánh căn?
To be honest, I had never seen this dish before despite travelling to Vietnam in 2012 and 2018.
It is a wonderfully theatrical dish that is expertly made with precision, skill, and speed. Bánh Căn is originally of the Cham minority people in the Ninh Thuan Province.
The History of Ramen
While each country prides itself on a significant noodle dish, one of the most recognised types of noodles within both the region and internationally is ramen. Ramen is a humble dish of wheat noodles, broth, and toppings and is synonymous with Japanese food and culture, developing over the years with the evolution of Japan.
Russian Honey Cake
The Medovik Torte or Russian Honey cake was the invention of a young chef in the Imperial Palace of the Russian Empire in the 19th Century. It was developed to incorporate honey into a dessert for Empress Elizabeth Alexeyevna, the wife of Alexander I who was not the biggest fan of honey.
Learn how to bake it….
Blueberry Crumble Muffins
Nothing beats a good moist muffin and a generous muffin top. This muffin recipe was a staple at my once-upon-a-time cafe and are full of plump blueberries as well as a crispy and soft crumble. They are super easy to make…
Cambodia - Food & Culture
Cambodia, one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia is extremely rich in history which has influenced its Khmer cuisine. Almost all of it was lost during the communist regime, however the essence of its past is still written in the food of today.
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