International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States. -http://iew.state.gov/-

We all know that food brings people together. Therefore, to celebrate International Education, OISS is collecting a list of International Recipes to be shared among the Rice community. To submit your favorite international recipe, please visit http://bit.ly/IEWrecipe. For more information about International Education Week at Rice, please visit oiss.rice.edu/iew.

List of recipes submitted (in alphabetical order by dish)

• Bacalao al pil-pil from Spain
• Baursak from Kazakhstan
• Beef and Potato Pilau from Kenya
• Brigadeiro from Brazil
• Carrot Cake Cupcake from Brazil
• Chicken Spaghetti from the USA
• Couscous from Tunisia
• Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread
• Ghorme Sabzi from Iran
• Gutti Vankaya Kura (Stuffed Brinjal Curry) from India
• Imeretian Khachapuri from Georgia
• Imitated Crab (Sai Pang Xie) from China
• Korvapuustit from Finland
• Longevity Noodles (Bakmi Goreng Imlek) from Indonesia
• Paella from Spain
• Paneer Butter Masala from India
• Pão de queijo from Brazil
• Pozole Rojo from Mexico
• Salmorejo from Spain
• Salsa verde con aguacate from Mexico
• Spicy bitter gourd from India
• Spinach Dal from India
• Torta Chilena from Costa Rica
• Tortilla de Patatas from Spain
• Tres Leches Cake from Costa Rica
• Túrós Pogácsa/Cheese biscuit from Hungary
• Vanuatu Mango Ice Cream

We have recipes from the following countries (listed alphabetically by country below):
Brazil; China; Costa Rica; Finland; Georgia; Hungary; India; Indonesia; Iran; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Mexico; Spain; Tunisia; USA; Vanuatu

BRAZIL

Brigadeiro

Brigadeiro is a delicious caramel-like chocolate dessert that is present at almost any Brazilian celebration. It is enjoyed by young and old alike!

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14 oz.) of sweetened condensed milk
• 3 tablespoons of powdered chocolate (cocoa powder, Nesquik)
• 1 teaspoon of butter (optional)
• sprinkles (optional)

Steps:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine the condensed milk, chocolate, and butter. Continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken, around 8 to 10 minutes. It will start to boil and thicken to the consistency of caramel. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Once cooled, you may eat directly from a spoon, or you may make the traditional brigadeiro balls. To make the balls, it is easiest if the brigadeiro is chilled in the refrigerator. Then using butter on your hands to keep the brigadeiro from sticking, form little balls that can then be rolled in the sprinkles of your choice.

Submitted by Sandra Bloem-Curtis

Carrot Cake Cupcake

A perfect company for a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea, this golden cupcake with a shiny chocolate glaze is delicate in flavor and hard to resist. It can be enjoyed straight out of the pan, mixed with chocolate chips, or stuffed with Brigadeiro for an extra treat.

Ingredients:

• 125 grams of carrots
• 130 grams of flour
• 160 grams of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml of vegetable oil
• 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch (optional)

Glaze:

• 5 tablespoon of sugar
• 2 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/2 cup of milk

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the paper cupcake molds.
2. Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.
3. Add the carrots, oil, and eggs to a blender and beat until the carrot is well crushed.
4. Add the flour mixed with the other ingredients and mix until you get a homogeneous cream.
5. Pour the mixture into the molds and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcake comes out clean.
6. For the glaze, place all the ingredients in a pan and cook over medium heat. When it starts to boil, turn it off and spread on the cupcakes, still warm.
7. Enjoy!

Submitted by Cynthia Evans

Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup (packed, about 66 grams) grated cheese, your preference, we get good results with feta cheese (no need to grate), or fresh farmer's cheese (if using fresh farmer's cheese, you may want to add another 1/2 teaspoon of salt)
• 1 teaspoon of salt (or more to taste)
• Special equipment: One 24-well or or two 12-well mini muffin tins. Mini muffin tins are about half the size of a regular muffin pan. The muffin openings are about 1-inch deep, and 1 3/4 inch wide at the top.

Steps:

1. Pre-heat oven, prepare mini-muffin tin: Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread a small amount olive oil around the insides of each well of a mini-muffin tin.
2. Blend ingredients: Put all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender so that everything gets blended well. At this point you can store the batter in the refrigerator for up to a week.
3. Pour into mini-muffin tin: Pour batter into prepared mini-muffin tin, not quite to the top; leave about 1/8 inch from the top.
4. Bake: Bake at 400°F in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until all puffy and nicely browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for a few minutes.
5. Eat while warm or save to reheat later. Note that Brazilian cheese bread is very chewy, a lot like Japanese mochi.

Submitted by Marjorie Cerejo

Pão de queijo

Traditional Brazilian Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of Polvilho Azedo/Manioc Starch
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1.5 cups of milk
• 3-5 eggs
• 2-3 cups of cheese depending on the choice of cheese (you may use mozzarella, cheddar, romano, parmesão or a mixture)
• salt to taste

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Pour water and salt in a bowl with the manioc starch and mix it well.
3. Pour vegetable oil, milk, and into a large saucepan, and place over heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat immediately, pour into the starch and mix until smooth.
4. Stir the eggs and cheese into the tapioca mixture until well combined. Drop rounded, 1/4 cup-sized balls of mixture onto a greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned.

Submitted by Mayra H. Lemos Onuchic

CHINA

Imitated Crab (Sai Pang Xie)

There’s a story behind this imitated crab (sai pang xie) recipe, and it starts with the Empress Dowager Cixi craving crabs. Unfortunately, being based in Beijing means a lack of fresh crabs, so the imperial chefs found a clever way to cook eggs to make them taste as good as crab meat.

Ingredients (for 8 servings):

• 4 eggs (optional: 1 of the eggs can be a salted egg)
• 2 thick slices of ginger (roughly 3mm and 5mm thick each)
• 90g of prawns (alternatively, use 70g of white fish and 5-6 prawns)
• 2 tbsps of Chinese rice vinegar (you need the dark coloured vinegar)
• Optional: 1 tbsp of Chinese shaoxing cooking wine
• You’ll also need salt to sprinkle into the egg mixes and olive oil for the pan.

Steps:

1. Separate the eggs so that you have the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another bowl. Make sure that there is enough space left in the bowls to add additional items. Add 2 tablespoons of water into each bowl – this will make the eggs fluffier when you beat it later.
2. Grate the larger slice of ginger into the egg white, and the smaller one into the egg yolk.
3. Chop the prawns into small pieces. You can try to use a food processor, but don’t put it in there for too long, as you still want the texture to be intact.
4. Add the prawns into the egg white bowl and sprinkle with salt. Please note: I used one salted egg, so only added a pinch of salt. You’ll need to sprinkle more on if you are using only normal eggs. Don’t worry about adding too little, as you can always add more at the stir-frying stage. Mix well and beat the mix so that air bubbles form on the surface.
5. Add vinegar to the bowl of egg yolk. Sprinkle with salt and beat well.
6. Time to heat up some oil in the frying pan! The first to go in will be the egg white mix, as this will sit at the bottom of the bowl when it’s finished. Tip in the egg white mix once the pan is hot, and add the rice wine if you are using it.
7. Stir-fry on high heat until all the egg solidifies and the prawns become redder (so looks cooked). Test at this stage to see if you need more salt.
8. Place the egg white mix into a bowl – this bit is done. Then wash and dry the frying pan. This is very important, as we’ll need to cook the egg yolk mix next, and that will brown more easily than the egg white mix, so make sure that the pan is clean!

Submitted by Yunjie Xie

COSTA RICA

Torta Chilena

The Costa Rican torta chilena is a delicious, indulgent sweet treat for special occasions or just because! It combines 6 layers of pastry baked until golden brown and then layered with dulce de leche.

Ingredients:
The amounts need to be precise, so I use a kitchen scale to have the exact amounts.

• 900 grams cake flour (sifted)
• 175 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
• 650 grams margarine
• 60 grams cornstarch
• 2 large eggs
• 225 grams of cream cheese
• 3 cans of dulce de leche (14 oz size) you you can make your own with 3 cans of condensed milk – see recipe of homemade dulce de leche below.
• Extra powdered sugar for decoration

Steps:

1. Mix the cake flour, powdered sugar, margarine, cornstarch and eggs together using a beater paddle (if you have a stand mixer), or by hand (with a fork or masher).
2. When the mixture looks like sand add the cream cheese and continue mixing until fully combined.
3. Once combined, on a floured surface/table, you will work the mixture with your hands for a little until you make long roll, it should have the consistency of play doh.
4. Cut the roll out into 6 equal pieces.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
6. Roll out each piece to a circle that is 11 in/28 cm wide on parchment paper.
7. Prick each circle all over with a fork.
8. Bake each circle.
9. Once baked, let cool.
10. Put a dab of dulce de leche on the plate you will use. Put the first layer down. Spread layer with dulce de leche, and then put the next layer on top. Repeat this for all 6 layers.
11. Once you have put the last layer down, cover the whole cake with dulce de leche.
12. Use a sifter to sift powdered sugar on the top.

Optional: You can add any nuts that you would prefer as a decoration on top or siding of cake.

Dulce De Leche homemade recipe:

1. Place the can on its side in a large pot. Fill pot with room-temperature water, making sure water level is at least 2 inches above can. Remember, it's vital the can remain fully submerged during the entirety of simmering to prevent it from warping and splitting, which can result in injuries.
2. Set pot over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours for light, golden caramel, and up to 3 hours for dark, robust caramel – for the torta chilena I prefer to do it for 3 hours; check pot every 30 minutes to ensure water level stays above can, adding water as necessary to keep can under 2 inches of water.
3. Using a pair of tongs, remove can from water and set on wire rack to cool to room temperature. Do not attempt to open can while still hot; this can cause pressurized hot caramel to spray dangerously.
4. Unopened cans of dulce de leche can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months. To use dulce de leche, open can when completely cool and scoop out. Dulce de leche can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Notes:
Make sure the can remains fully submerged by at least 2 inches of water. If the can is not fully submerged, it can overheat, tear, and even explode. Also, never try to open a hot can of dulce de leche. Wait until the can has cooled to room temperature before opening it; this can take about 4 hours.

Submitted by Irene Mendez

Tres Leches Cake

A dense, moist “three milks” cake topped with whipped cream. This recipe is from Costa Rica, but this cake is also popular in Mexico and many other Central American countries.

Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated at room temperature
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Milk Syrup:

• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup heavy (or whipping) cream
• 1 Tbsp dark Cuban rum

Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar

Decoration: Canned peaches in light syrup

Steps:
Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. (I use a baking spray. It's like Pam except it has flour and butter.)
2. Beat 3/4 cup sugar and the egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Fold in the milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder.
4. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, adding the cream of tartar after 20 seconds (they'll be foamy at this point. The cream of tartar helps to stabilize the eggs so they'll form soft peaks. Make sure the eggs are room temperature before you crack, separate, and try to make them rise. It won't work if they're too cold).
5. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm, but not dry.
6. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
7. Pour this batter into the buttered baking dish.
8. Bake the cake until it feels firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes. (Check it at 25 minutes and make sure it doesn't over bake!)
9. Let the cake cool completely in baking dish. Pierce the cake all over with a fork, taking care to not tear it up.

Milk Syrup:

1. Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream, and rum in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well blended.
2. Pour the syrup over the cake, spooning the overflow back on top, until it is all absorbed. (Wait 5 minutes after pouring then just pour the excess back into mixing bowl, give it about a minute and re-pour it over the cake. It tends to absorb the excess well the second time)

Whipped Cream:

1. Before getting started, place your mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator or freezer for about 10-15 minutes to chill. I usually place mine in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Once chilled, remove from the refrigerator or freezer.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held mixer, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Start mixing on low speed, then increase the speed to medium-high until soft or stiff peaks form.

Frost the cake with the fresh whipped cream and canned peaches (in light syrup, you don't want them to be too sweet). Is very lightly flavored so it won't compete with the cake.

Submitted by Irene Mendez

FINLAND

Korvapuustit

These Finnish pastries resemble American cinnamon buns, but are much better!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 oz. yeast or equivalent dry yeast​
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. cardamom
• 1 beaten egg (plus 1 beaten egg for final glaze)
• 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• Garnish: pearl sugar or rock sugar (for dusting)

For the filling:

• 3/4 sticks unsalted butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 heaping tbsp. cinnamon

Steps:

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast in the milk and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients, i.e. flour, salt, sugar and cardamom in a large bowl.
3. Knead butter into the flour mix and then add the beaten egg and milk. Work the dough until smooth. Dough should lose most of its stickiness and pull away from the side of the bowl; add flour as needed.
4. Cover the dough and allow to rise for 1 hour.
5. Roll the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
6. Starting from the long side, tightly roll each half into a long "snake"; with a sharp knife, make diagonal cuts to get ~15 triangular rolls.
7. Place each roll, point up, on cooking sheets, then use a finger or a spoon to press down each tip to form ear-shaped rolls. Cover with clean towels and allow to rise another hour, until doubled.
8. Preheat oven to 400 F. Brush each roll with beaten egg, sprinkle with pearl or rock sugar and bake on center rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Submitted by Andy Meretoja

HUNGARY

Túrós Pogácsa/Cheese biscuit

The Hungarian pogácsa is a savory snack that is offered in every house, corner stores and metro stations around the country. The size and basic ingredients may differ but the shape is always round and the taste is majestic! This recipe is from the book Culinaria Hungary: A Celebration of Food and Tradition.

Ingredients:

• 10 1/2 oz/300 g cottage cheese
• 2 1/2 cups/300 g flour
• 5 tsp baking powder​
• 1 1/4 cups/300 g butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Lard or white vegetable fat for greasing
• 1 egg yolk for glaze

Steps:

1. Knead the butter, salt, flour, and cottage cheese to a smooth dough. Rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs.
2. Preheat the oven to 390 degrees.
3. Roll out to just under 1/4 inch/5mm, and fold to four layers of thickness. Repeat this process four or five times.
4. Score the top and cut into small rounds with circular cutter.
5. Place on a grease baking sheet. Brush the tops with beaten egg yolk, ensuring that it does not run down the sides.
6. Bake in a preheated hot oven for about 30 minutes.

Submitted by Agnes Vajtai

INDIA

Gutti Vankaya Kura (Stuffed Brinjal Curry)

Gutti Vankaya Kura is a traditional Telugu dish made with tender, small brinjals (eggplants) stuffed with a flavorful, nutty spice mixture. The stuffing typically includes roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, tamarind, and aromatic spices, giving the dish a rich, tangy, and slightly smoky flavor. The brinjals are simmered in a thick gravy until they absorb all the spices, making it a perfect accompaniment to steamed rice or roti. It's a beloved comfort food in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, celebrated for its bold and earthy taste.

Ingredients:
For stuffing:

• Small brinjals (eggplants): 8-10
• Peanuts: 3 tablespoons
• Sesame seeds: 2 tablespoons
• Dry coconut powder: 2 tablespoons (optional)
• Onions: 1 medium, finely chopped
• Garlic cloves: 3-4
• Tamarind pulp: 1 tablespoon
• Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: To taste

For tempering:

• Oil: 3 tablespoons
• Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves: 10-12
• Green chilies: 2-3, slit

Steps:

1. Wash and pat dry the brinjals.
2. Make a "+" slit on each brinjal, keeping the stem intact.
3. Dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds, and dry coconut until golden and aromatic. Cool and grind into a coarse powder.
4. Add chopped onions, garlic, tamarind pulp, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt to the mixture. Blend into a thick paste.
5. Stuff this mixture into the slit brinjals.
6. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and slit green chilies. Let them splutter.
7. Place the stuffed brinjals in the pan gently. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally.
8. Add a little water to the leftover stuffing (if any) to make a gravy. Pour this over the brinjals.
9. Simmer until the brinjals are soft and the gravy thickens.
10. Serve Gutti Vankaya Kura with steamed rice or roti.
11. Enjoy the rich and flavorful taste of this Telugu delicacy!

Submitted by Rohith Kumar Kaza

Paneer Butter Masala

Soft, fried paneer dunked in a rich, creamy curry with a tomato-onion base spiced up with a variety of easily available masala(spices) touched with a bit of butter for the silky texture and taste.

There are several ways to make this, modifying the quantity of the taste but the process remains the same.

Preparing the Tomato gravy:

1. With a teaspoon of oil, saute 1 cup of onions till they get the caramel color.
2. Add 1-1.5 cups of tomatoes and add a spoon of ginger-garlic paste. Let it cook until the smell of the paste vanishes.
3. Once it gets mushy, add a pinch of salt, 1 spoon of chili powder, 1/4 spoon of garam masala(or less, which gives a rich taste), and 1 spoon of coriander powder.
4. Set it aside to let it cool down.

Preparing paneer:

1. If refrigerated, leave the paneer in warm water so that it gets soft.
2. With 1-2 teaspoons of oil, pan-fry the paneer. This will bring a soft chewy texture. Once brown spots are seen on the side of the cubes, remove the paneer and let them cool down.
3. (Optional) You can also deep fry the paneer to bring a different texture that tastes as amazing as pan-fried.

Preparing the dish:

1. Blend the tomato sautee(gravy) that was set aside to cool down(if necessary, with a bit of water).
2. Saute 1/2 cup of onions.
3. Once you see it start getting brown, add the tomato gravy to the pan and let it cook until it becomes semi-solid.
4. Add the fried paneer to this gravy.
5. Add a bit of butter on top of this and let it mix under low flame.

Submitted by Hemanth Kumar Jayakumar

Spicy bitter gourd

Shallow fried slices of bitter melon are mixed with blended spices and garlic to give a very unique flavour masking the bitterness.

Steps:

1. Cut bitter melon into slices, remove seeds if desired. Add a pinch of turmeric and salt, mix with hand and allow it to settle for 3 mins. Squeeze the water out of the slices and keep them ready for frying.
2. Dry roast a teaspoon each of black gram (the inner white part), split bengal gram, corriander seeds, 5 dry red chillies, 5 garlic cloves, 5 g of tamarind for 3-5 mins without burning it.
3. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the bitter melon slices for 5 mins with continuous stirring.
4. Blend the dry roasted ingredients with added salt.
5. Mix the spice powder into the bitter melon and fry for 2 mins. Cover for 2 mins for flavours to be absorbed.
6. Serve hot with rice (include a side of plain yogurt to tame the spice!)

Source: https://www.vahrehvah.com/bitter-gourd-karam

Submitted by Prashant Kalvapalle

Spinach Dal

A healthy and nutritious yet lip-smacking soul food that comes from the southern part of India. Think of it as a soup/porridge made with Toor Dal (Pigeon Peas) and Spinach. The dish pairs well with some warm rice alongside some mango pickle.

Steps:

1. Wash 2 cups of toor dal (pigeon peas) and about 2 cups of roughly cut-up spinach until the water no longer runs murky.
2. Add the washed dal and spinach into a pressure cooker along with 1 cup each of chopped tomatoes and red onion.
3. To the cooker, now add 2-3 tablespoons of Tamarind extract. You can mash a penny-sized ball of tamarind in some warm water to make an extract.
4. Now don't be shy and add 4-5 cut-up green chillies to the pot for some heat.
5. For the spices, add 2 tablespoons of coriander powder, 1.5 tablespoons of red chili powder, and 0.5 tablespoons of turmeric powder to all the raw ingredients.
6. Add a few cups of water to the pot until everything is submerged and give it a stir to ensure all the spices are mixed.
7. Now close the lid and pressure cook for 10-12 minutes. The dal should be soft and easy to mash when it's done. Cook longer if needed.
8. Once done open the lid and give everything a mash with a potato masher. If the dal looks too runny and liquid, cook it without a lid until the desired consistency.

Now for the best part, preparing the "Tadka" (tempered oil):

1. Take a small pot and add 4-5 tbsp of vegetable oil to it.
2. Once the oil is hot, add 1 tbsp each of mustard seeds & cumin seeds, 0.5 teaspoon asafoetida(optional), 1 teaspoon urad dal (split black gram) (optional), 1 teaspoon chana dal (split baby chickpeas) (optional), 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional), 2-3 dry red chilies (whole), 6-7 curry leaves.
3. Keep stirring all the ingredients in the hot oil until they're roasted and not burnt. Now your Tadka is done.

Add the hot tadka to the dal and stir everything together. Don't forget to add salt for taste!!

Serve it with hot rice and ghee, and enjoy!!

Image Source: https://blogexplore.com/

Submitted by Nikhil Chigali

INDONESIA

Longevity Noodles (Bakmi Goreng Imlek)

A noodle dish with the use of sweet soy sauce, eaten to celebrate the birthday of a loved one.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb fresh egg noodles (I prefer fresh)
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 12 quail eggs - boiled for 2-3 minute and peeled
• 1/4 lb of fresh pork belly diced
• 4 eggs - slightly whipped
• 12-14 whole medium shrimp, peeled & deveined (I prefer intact with head and skin on )
• 4 stalks scallions - chopped fine
• 1/4 c chopped cilantro
• 1/2 lb baby bok choy cut lengthwise
• 1/4 lb shredded carrots or red bell peppers

Sauce:

• 3 Garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tbs Sesame Oil
• 1 tbs Peanut oil/Avocado oil/Grapeseed oil
• 2 tbs or more to taste Indonesian *Sweet Soy sauce
• 1 tbs Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Oyster sauce
• 2 tbs Fish sauce
• 1/4 cup Stock of your choice
• Salt
• White Pepper

Garnish:

• Lime wedge
• *Fried shallots
• *Sambal Oelek hot sauce

Steps:

1. Boil water in a stock pan, add a pinch of salt and 1 tbs of sesame oil. Drop the egg noodles and cook according to package direction or if using fresh cook for one minute. Strain noodles and set aside. Boil the quail eggs 2-3 minutes in the same water. Drain, peel eggs. Set aside. Heat wok until smoky (cast iron pan is a great substitute) . Add diced pork belly, cook until fat is rendered about 4 mins. Remove browned pork belly, leave remaining pork fat in pan, add 1 tbs of sesame oil and peanut oil.
2. Drop the slightly whipped egg into the oil, cook until it bubbles and similar to omelet (about 1 minute) break apart. Drain from wok, set aside.
3. With the remaining oil, add chopped garlic, cook until fragrant, add all the soy sauces, oyster sauce, fish sauce and the stock, cook until it bubbles. Add shrimp, add back the belly & broken eggs. Sautee in wok until the sauce coats all the protein, season with salt & white pepper. Add cooked noodles, and chopped baby bok choy and carrots. Fry noodles until its caramelized from the sauce, and the noodles are seared. Finish off with scallions and cilantro and quail eggs.
4. Serve garnished with a wedge of lime, sambal oelek, and sprinkling of fried shallots.

Ingredients note*: Sweet Soy sauce can be gotten in any South East Asian food market (https://www.indofoodstore.com/sweet-soy-sauce-plastic-container.aspx
or my favorite brand which is Gluten Free - Bango Brand (https://www.indofoodstore.com/sweet-soy-sauce-by-kecap-bango-9-2-fl-oz.aspx
Fried Shallots and sambal oelek can be gotten at any asian supermarkets.

Submitted by Samantha Wibawa

IRAN

Ghorme Sabzi

"Ghormeh sabzi" is deliciously savory and loaded with the flavors of several different green herbs. It's traditionally served with white rice.

Ingredients:

• 400 g Veal meat
• 500 g Herbs for stew (leek, coriander, and parsley with the same amount; fenugreek and spinach 1/3 of the leek amount)
• 200 g Red beans
• 1 Onion
• 2 Dried Limes
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Turmeric

Steps:

1. To remove the bloating of red beans in Ghormeh sabzi, we have to soak beans for several hours in the water. If it is possible to soak red beans from the last night, it's much better and it completely removes its bloating, while it's easier to cook.
2. Chop the onion into dices and sauté it in a pan or pot until its color slightly change and becomes golden.
3. After the onions are soft, add turmeric and the pieces of meat to it and stir the meat, so that the color changes slightly. Add some red beans to meat and fried onions after cooking meat.
4. Sauté stew herbs after washing and mincing with a little oil in a separate pan for about 15 minutes and then add the stew.
5. Now pour about 3 glasses of warm water inside the pot.
6. Pierce the dried limes with a fork and pour into the stew.
7. Increase the flame of the oven to boil the water of the stew.
8. When the stew is boiling, reduce the heat and let it cook for at least 2 hours slowly.
9. During this time, check the stew to make sure that the stew has enough water and does not burn.
10. In the end, add the salt and black pepper, and open the lid of the pan for about 10 minutes so that Ghormeh Sabzi be fully cooked.

Submitted by Nima Soltani

KAZAKHSTAN

Baursak

Baursak is a type of fried doughnut, but not as sweet as the American doughnut. According to Wikipedia a Guinness record was made in Almaty, Kazakhstan on September 7, 2014 during the celebration of Mother's Day, when 856 kilograms (1887 lbs) of baursaks were cooked in one place in one day.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups vegetable oil

Steps:

1. Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl to form dough.
2. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it is springy.
3. Cover the dough and allow to rise for 40-50 minutes.
4. Heat oil in deep skillet over high heat.
5. Pull off tablespoon-size pieces of the dough and roll into a ball.
6. Press down slightly, then drop carefully into oil and fry until golden brown.
7. Place on paper towels.
8. Optional: sprinkle with sugar/sugar powder. Baursak is often eaten with any of these: sugar, butter, jam, or honey.

Submitted by Elmira Ganiyeva

KENYA

Beef and Potato Pilau

Pilau is like fried rice and in this case potato and beef added to it. It is possible to make vegetarian pilau without any meat. Pilau is best served with kachumbari, a simple tomato salad that consists of sliced tomato, red onion, cilantro and spicy pepper tossed with a generous pinch of salt and lemon juice. It complements the pilau quite nicely and gives you the full Kenyan experience.

Ingredients (for 8 servings):
PILAU MASALA

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

PILAU

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 1 serrano chile, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon pilau masala
• 2 beef stock cubes
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 lb beef sirloin, cubed
• 3 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 lb potato, waxy, peeled and cut into 1 inch (2 cm) chunks
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups basmati rice

Steps:

1. Make the pilau masala: In a medium bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, cardamom, black pepper, and cloves. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and red onion and sauté for 10-15 minutes, until dark brown.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, serrano chile, pilau masala, beef stock cubes, cinnamon stick, and cilantro. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
4. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the tomatoes have released their liquid.
6. Add the potatoes and the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add the rice, stir, and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
8. Enjoy!

https://tasty.co/recipe/kenyan-beef-and-potato-pilau-as-made-by-kiano-moju

Submitted by Abigael Kosgei

MEXICO

Pozole Rojo

Stew made with hominy* and meat (typically pork, or chicken), seasoned and garnished with shredded lettuce, chile piquin, onion, oregano, radishes, and limes. This recipe has been known in Mesoamerica since the pre-Columbian era.
*"Hominy is corn, but not straight off the cob. Hominy is whole kernels of dried field corn (aka maize) that have been nixtamalized, a process that cooks have been doing since ancient times, starting with those living in what we now call Mesoamerica."

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo precooked corn (or specific for Pozole)
• 1 kilo minced pork or chicken
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 4 ancho chili peppers without seed
• 2 guajillo chili peppers
• Salt

To accompany:

• 10 radishes
• 10 limes
• 1 lettuce
• 1 onion
• 1/2 cup oregano
• 1/2 cup piquín chili powder
• Avocado (optional)

Steps:

1. Put 4 liters of water in a pot and when it starts to boil add the corn, garlic cloves and half of the onion. Add salt and cook over medium / low heat for 1 hour and a half or until you see that the corn looks similar to a flower.
2. In another pot, cook the pork or chicken in about 3 liters of water (it has to cover 100% of the meat) and cook for about 50 minutes until the meat is very soft and tender. Remember to remove the foam that will form.
3. Take the meat out of the pot and when it is cold start shredding it.
4. Add the meat broth to the pot where the corn is.
5. Soak the chilies in hot water to make them softer and blend with 1/2 cup of the stew water, until you get a sauce (red)
6. Add the sauce to the pot of corn.
7. Add the meat to the pot of corn.
8. Cook everything together for about 30 minutes over low heat. Test and rectify.
9. Serve the Pozole in a deep plate, accompanying with: chopped lettuce, chopped onion, chopped radishes, piquín pepper, oregano and a few drops of lemon. Accompany with tostadas.

Submitted by Maria Corcuera

Salsa verde con aguacate

Delicious cold and tasty sauce that can be as spicy as you like. It can be used to eat with tortilla chips, quesadillas, tacos, tostada, molletes, and on top of rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 small avocado
• 1 pound tomatillos (about 8), husks removed, rinsed, quartered
• 1 (or 1/2) serrano chile
• 1/4 medium white onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• Kosher salt

Put all the ingredients except the salt in a blender, and blend until smooth. Season with salt.

Submitted by Maria Corcuera

SPAIN

Bacalao a pil-pil

Bacalao al pil-pil is a traditional cod based dish from the Basque Country. It is a very popular dish all over Spain, you can find it in almost every restaurant. Despite the simplicity of the dish, since it's made just of cod, garlic, chilli pepper and olive oil, it is very tasty. Constant motion (or using a milk frother which does the trick!) allows the olive oil and salt cod to emulsify into the fantastic pil-pil sauce, which needs to be creamy. Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of fresh cod
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 dried red chilli pepper (we call it guindilla)
• 300ml extra virgin olive oil
• Milk frother
• Salt

Steps:

1. Put the olive oil in a sauce pan and heat it over medium heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, stir in the garlic and fry them until they get a golden colour. Set aside.
3. Briefly sauté the chilli pepper. Set aside.
4. In the same olive oil, cook the cod pieces over medium-low heat, covered, first with the skin on the top and then with the skin touching the oil, for around 5 minutes each side.
5. Save the oil with the juice of the cod in a bowl, and set the cooked pieces of cod aside.
6. Once the oil has cooled down a bit, add the liquid that the cooked cod has released to it and use the milk frother to mix the oil and the juices. It will create a yellowish smooth sauce. Add salt to taste.
7. Pour the oil sauce back to the pan with the cod and briefly warm it up a bit.
8. Serve the fish with the sauce and the garlic and chilli on top.
9. As side, oven cooked potatoes or rice work very well.

Submitted by Elena Camacho

Paella

Paella is a typical rice dish from Spain, coming from the eastern region of the peninsula, Valencia. There are many different recipes for this dish, some people only adds meat, or fish, or vegetables, and some others mix everything together. It also goes very well together with a garlic sauce called alioli. This is my version of the dish, hope you like it!

Ingredients:

• 46cm paellera or just a big non-stick pan
• Olive oil
• 800gr chicken, diced in approx 3 cm cubes
• 400gr pork loin, diced in approx 3 cm cubes
• 400gr green beans, halved
• 1 big onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 200gr ripe tomatoes (I used the canned ones)
• 10 garlic cloves, pealed and halved
• 12 big shrimps
• 200gr mussels, with or without the shell
• 100gr clams, with or without the shell
• 200gr calamari rings
• 2 cups of rice (bomba or arborio)
• Salt, pepper, paprika, saffron
• 4 cups of water or broth
• 1 lemon
• If you can’t find mussels, clams and calamari rings separately, they some times sell a frozen “paella mix” with all of these ingredients together

For the garlic sauce or aioli:

• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup of milk
• Sunflower oil
• Parsley, 3 to 4 leaves

Steps:

1. Cover 1/3 of the pan approximately with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Fry the garlic until they acquire a golden color. Set aside.
3. Fry the meat until it’s well sealed. Set aside.
4. Fry the carrots and onions until the onions become soft and transparent.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and, after 4-5min add the green beans, stir for about 3 min.
6. Mix everything well, stir in the meat and the calamari.
7. When the green beans become soft, add a tablespoon of paprika and mix well.
8. Stir in the rice and fry for 2 minutes.
9. Add the water or broth together with the saffron and salt. Mix well and boil over high heat for 10 minutes.
10. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the clams and mussels, and cook the rice for other 8-10 minutes.
11. Try the rice, it should be al dente.
12. Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
13. For the garlic sauce, put the garlic clove and parsley in the jar of a hand blender. Add the milk and start blending the ingredients together. At the same time, pour the sunflower oil little by little by the side of the glass while you blend everything together. The mix should thicken up. Stop adding oil when you get the desired yogurt-like texture. Add salt to taste.
14. Squeeze a bit lemon juice over the paella before eating it. Mix a bit of the garlic sauce and paella in every bite, you’ll love it!

Submitted by Elena Camacho

Salmorejo

Cold tomato soup that can be eaten as a soup or used as a spread or sauce with other dishes.

Ingredients:

• 1kg of Ripe and red Roma tomatoes
• 8/9 Slices of white bread (I normally use the Pepperidge Farm’s Italian white bread)
• 40g Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• Salt

Steps:

Put everything in a blender and blend at high speed for 4 minutes.
A trick to make the texture smoother is to slowly add a bit of extra-virgin olive oil while blending the mix.

Submitted by Elena Camacho

Tortilla de Patatas

Tortilla de patatas or tortilla española is a Spanish omelet very popular in Spain. This dish is made with potatoes, eggs, onions an lots of olive oil. Each family has their own recipe some people prefer their tortilla runny and others like it cooked through.

Ingredients:

• 700g of yellow or white potatoes
• 300g of yellow onion (optional)
• 1 garlic clove
• 6 eggs
• Salt
• Plenty of olive oil

Steps:

1. Peel the potatoes into small cubes, and soak them in water so that they release some starch.
2. Peel and cut the onions and the garlic.
3. Strain the potatoes and add salt to them.
4. Fry the potatoes in olive oil until they are soft and a bit crispy on the outside. You can do it in small batches, depending on the size of the pot you’re using. When they are ready, put them in a big bowl.
5. In a pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Slowly fry the onion and garlic until the onions are soft and golden.
6. Add the cooked onions and garlic to the bowl where the potatoes were.
7. Add beaten eggs, one by one, to the bowl with the potatoes, onions, and garlic, until you have a wet mix.
8. Cover the bottom of a deep pan with olive oil and set it to high heat.
9. Add the potato, onion and garlic mix to the pan and wait for the edges to cook.
10. Once the mix has hard edges, flip it with the help of a plate.
11. Cook it for 5 more minutes.
12. Continue cooking‐flipping the tortilla until it is golden and well cooked.
13. Enjoy!!

Suggestion: You can enjoy the tortilla with a little mayo or a cold Spanish tomato soup called Salmorejo.

Submitted by Elena Camacho

TUNISIA

Couscous

Tunisian couscous is a classic traditional dish that is comforting and flavorful. The couscous is steamed and served with meat, vegetables, and chickpeas.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of Uncooked Gluten-Free Couscous
• 75 ml of Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Large Diced Red Onions
• 2 Cloves of Diced Garlic
• 400 grams of Beef Fondue
• ½ Tablespoon of Paprika
• ½ Tablespoon of Ground Coriander
• ½ teaspoon of Ground Turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of Salt
• ½ teaspoon of Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon of Ground Ginger
• 2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
• 2 Medium Potatoes Peeled and Cut Lengthwise in Half
• 2 Carrots Peeled and Cut Lengthwise in Half
• 3 Zucchini Sliced Lengthwise into Quarters
• 4 Quarters of a Small Pumpkin
• ½ cup of Cooked and Drained Chickpeas

Steps:
Preparing the Meat Broth & Vegetables:

1. In a large cooking pot, over low-medium heat, add the virgin olive oil. Allow the olive oil to get hot, about one minute. Then add the diced red onions and garlic. Simmer the red onions and garlic over low-medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the onions have become translucent in color.
2. Next, add the beef fondue, paprika, ground coriander, ground turmeric, salt, black pepper, and ground ginger. Using a spatula, mix the ingredients. Allow the beef to cook for 3-4 minutes, occasionally stirring, to brown the sides.
3. Then add the potatoes, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, and tomato paste.
4. Immediately, pour boiling water on the vegetables until all the vegetables are covered in water. Using a wooden spatula, mix the ingredients. Then cover the cooking pot and let it simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
5. After 15 minutes, remove the lid, and check on each vegetable by inserting a fork. If the fork smoothly goes into the vegetable, it is cooked. If the vegetable is cooked, remove it and put it aside on a clean plate for later. You might find that the potatoes and pumpkin are cooked, but the carrots and zucchini are not.
6. Afterward, cover the cooking pot again and allow it to simmer over low heat for another 15 minutes.
7. Once 15 minutes have passed, recheck the vegetables using a fork. Remove the cooked vegetables, and set them aside for later.
8. Add the chickpeas, stir, and cover the cooking pot. Let it simmer over low heat for another 15 minutes or unit the meat is cooked.
9. Next, separate the meat and chickpeas from the meat broth and set aside the meat, chickpeas, and meat broth.

Making the Couscous:

1. Read the package instructions for the amount of liquid needed to steam the couscous.
2. In a cooking pot, add meat broth equal to the liquid measurement indicated in the package. Bring the meat broth to boil, then turn off the heat. Immediately add the couscous and stir it. Then cover the cooking pot with the lid and allow the couscous to cook for 10 minutes without distributing it.
3. Then, using a fork, fluff the couscous to separate the granules.

Assembling the Dish:

1. On a large serving plate, add the cooked couscous and shape the couscous into a hill. Note: Keep the remaining meat broth and serve it on the side for anyone who wishes to add more broth to their couscous.
2. At the center of the couscous hill, add the meat. Then decorate the sides of the hill with the cooked potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and pumpkin. Then garnish the plate with the cooked chickpeas.
3. Serve the couscous while it is warm, with the meat broth on the side for individuals who wish to add more broth to their couscous.

Cook the couscous as per package instructions. Each couscous will have a different amount of liquid that needs to be added to it—adding more liquid than required will yield mushy couscous.

Serve the meat broth with the couscous on the side for anyone that wishes to add more broth to their couscous. Couscous is best served warm and on the same day. You can store the couscous in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days. Heat the couscous in the oven at 180°C ( 356°F) for 15-20 minutes or until warm and ready for serving.

Submitted by Besma

USA

Chicken spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 pkg. vermicelli or thin spaghetti
• 2 pkgs. chopped broccoli

Sauce:

• 1 can mushroom soup
• 1/2 can milk
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 3/4 - 1 lb. Velveeta cheese

Steps:

1. Boil chicken with salt and pepper. Debone chicken.
2. Save 1 cup of the chicken broth for the sauce. Boil the vermicelli in the remaining broth.
3. Cook broccoli as directed on package, but add no salt. Drain broccoli.
4. In saucepan over low heat, melt the 4 ingredients for the sauce.
5. Mix chicken, vermicelli, broccoli and sauce in large casserole.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Submitted by Adria Baker

VANUATU

Vanuatu Mango Ice Cream

Mango ice cream recipe from Vanuatu, Melanesian archipelago (Pacific Ocean).

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mango pulp
• 6 oz. mango, cut into small dice
• 3/4 lb sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• a pinch of salt

Steps:

1. Heat milk and take off the heat just before boiling.
2. Beat the eggs with the sugar until foamy, then incorporate the milk slowly, while continuing to beat.
3. Stir in evaporated milk and mango pulp, lemon juice and pinch of salt, and mix well.
4. Finally add the mango dice and mix well.
5. Leave to cool and put in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
6. Place the preparation in the bowl of an ice cream maker and turn it on, stir for 30 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Submitted by Silvia Fernandez-Diaz