Nasi Goreng Ayam literally means chicken fried rice and is a national dish of Indonesia. It is popular not only in Indonesia but also in neighboring countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Migration of population has carried it over to countries all over as well. Nasi goreng ayam has originated from the Chinese fried rice, …
Moussaka is a classic dish from Greece. Layers of eggplant and meat are topped with a béchamel and baked to make a spectacular dish. Moussaka has a long recorded history, with a similar recipe appearing in ‘A Baghdad Cookery Book’ (Kitāb Al-ṭabīkh), written in the 13th century. Also, a very similar dish called ‘Mousakhkhan’ was …
Lomo saltado is a beef stir fry dish from Peru, originated in the Barrio Chino (Chinatown) of Lima. It has a very interesting history. During the 1800s, a large number Cantonese immigrants arrived in Peru to work on the railroads. Many of them, having worked as cooks on the ships to pay for their voyage, …
Kuku paka is a chicken and coconut curry, from the coastal East Africa, the region extending from the Northern point of Kenya to the southern point of Tanzania. Kuku means ‘chicken’ in the Swahili language spoken in the area. The dish is also sometimes called ‘kuku na nazi’ (chicken and coconut). A perfect blend of …
Jollof rice is a spicy aromatic rice preparation popular in many parts of West Africa. The dish takes its name from the Jolof empire that ruled around the Senegal region, in the 14th century. From West Africa, its fame has spread everywhere. Jollof food festivals have been held in cities like Washington DC and Toronto. …
Have you ever fainted from the sheer joy of eating something sooo delightful? Neither have I! However, today’s dish, Imam Bayildi, says that someone actually did just that. Imam bayildi literally means ‘imam (Muslim cleric) fainted’ in the Turkish language. Legend has it that the dish was so delicious and the imam lost his senses. …
Habichuelas Guisadas (beans stew) is a staple of Puerto Rico. It is a very easy and simple preparation, but so flavorful that you will go back to the same recipe again and again. Though traditionally a Puerto Rican dish, habichuelas guisadas is popular in other regions as well, especially in the Dominican Republic. The soul …
Gaeng Massaman (massaman curry) comes from Thailand, unique among the varieties of Thai curries we are all familiar with. What makes this dish unique is the spice mix which consists of ingredients like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, mace, and nutmeg, none of them native to Thailand. Historically, gaeng massaman was introduced to Thailand by traders from …
Fabada Asturiana is a rich pork and beans stew from the Asturias region of northern Spain. Asturias is a rugged mountainous region, and like most mountain food, fabada asturiana is simple and hearty. Traditionally, the type of beans used for this stew is fabes de la granja – beans of the farm. As it is …
Étouffée (pronounced ay-too-fay) is a popular dish in the Creole cuisine of Luisiana and especially New Orleans. Creole cuisine combines European, African and native American traditions and is one of the distinctive styles of cooking in the United States. The word étouffée means ‘smothered’ in French. Smothering is a process of cooking anything in its …