Tsire/Suya

Tsire, also known as suya, is a popular street food in Nigeria. Looking a lot like a shish kebab, tsire is often a skewered piece of meat covered in spices and sold in roadside stands. When making at home, one could grill the tsire in warmer months or broil them in your oven when outdoor cooking is not an option.

Ingredients
* 1 lb steak, chicken, or lamb, preferably a long, thick cut,
* 1 ⁄ 2 cup ground peanuts
* 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon garlic
* 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground powdered ginger
* 2 Tablespoons peanut/vegetable oil
* 1 Tablespoon lime juice

1. In a large bowl, make a dry spice rub by mixing the peanuts, red pepper, garlic, and ginger.
   
2. Cut the meat into long, thin strips and brush with the oil and lime juice. Coat liberally with the spice rub.
3. Stick onto skewer and grill/broil until it's cooked to your liking. Enjoy!!

Now, I rarely have skewers in my home, and would often prefer some vegetables mixed in with my meat, so I tend to cook this dish in a different way. The overall taste is the same, but the method of cooking is very different.

Ingredients:
* 2 potatoes, cut into medium-large pieces
* 2 sweet potatoes, cut into same size
* 2 carrots, cut into same size
* 1 onion, roughly chopped
* 1/2 pound chicken, cut into cubes
* 1 ⁄ 2 cup ground peanuts
* 3 teaspoons ground red pepper
* 1 teaspoon garlic
* 1 teaspoon ground powdered ginger
* 2 Tablespoons lime juice
* 2 cups vegetable broth

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook the chicken in a pan til it's no longer pink
3. Mix the vegetable broth with peanuts, spices, and lime juice
4. Place vegetables and chicken in a 9x9 pan, and cover with the liquid spice mix. Cover the top of the pan with tin foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft enough to your liking. 
5. Enjoy!!

Know Your Food: Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice is one of the most popular varieties of rice found on the market today. A slightly sticky long grained rice, jasmine rice is very fragrant and flavorful, and it brings a uniquely delicious quality to any meal it is served with. Fresh jasmine rice has a slight nutty flavor, enhancing the taste of dishes across Asia (though basmati is preferred for Indian and Middle Eastern dishes).While you can use other types of long grained rice, jasmine is highly preferred for Thai, Chinese, and other SE Asian recipes.

While jasmine rice is delicious as a plain side for other spicier cuisines, one of my favorite recipes using this staple food is Thai Fried Rice.



One of the great things about fried rice is that it is a easy, tasty way to get rid of leftovers, as you can really put just about anything in it. Here's a good starter, feel free to change the ingredients up as you wish.

Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 3 cups cooked rice
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
* 1 tablespoon thai curry paste
* 1/2 cup diced onion
* 3 cloves garlic
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
* 1 tomato, diced
* 1/2 cup shredded carrots
* 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
* 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
* 1/2 cup green onions or shallots, diced
* 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Heat oil in wok or large pan on medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until onion is slightly soft. 
2. Add curry paste and stir to coat the onion in it. Add water if the pan starts to dry out. Add carrots, bell pepper, and mushrooms, then cook until tender. 
3. Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar together in a cup then add to the pan, mixing well. 
4. Add the rice, stirring to break up clumps. Add the tomato, green onions, and peas, then cook until heated through. 
5. Serve with wedges of lime (to cut the heat if the spice is too much).

Ecuadorian Locro (Locro de Papas)

Locro is a hearty stew native to the Andes mountains in South America. Dating back to the Inca Empire, locro is the perfect meal for those cold winter months, and it is versatile enough to change to your liking without losing its unique qualities.

Now, there are two distinct dishes in South America that are called locro. In Ecuador, locro is a potato and cheese soup, while in Peru and Argentina, locro is a popular winter dish consisting of corn, some form of meat, and vegetables, usually onions, potatoes, beans and some type of squash. Both are incredibly delicious, but for today I will focus on the Ecuadorian locro and will save the Argentinian one for another post.


Locro de Papas (Ecuadorian potato-cheese stew)


Ingredients:
*2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4-5 small potatoes, or 2-3 large)
*1 cup corn kernels (optional)
*4 cups water/stock (vegetable or chicken)
*1 cup milk
*1 small onion, minced
*3-4 cloves garlic, minced
*1-3 yellow chiles, chopped (optional, can also use 1 yellow bell pepper)
*1/2 tsp cumin
*1/4 cup butter
*2 cups shredded cheese (a soft, mild cheese like Munster, mozzarella, or queso fresco)
*salt and pepper to taste
*1 avocado, sliced (optional)

1. In a skillet over a medium flame, heat the butter and add onion, garlic, cumin, and yellow chiles. Cook until onion is translucent
2. In a large pot bring the potatoes and water/stock to a boil. Cook until the potatoes have given off a good layer of white film (starch), and skim it off. You don't have to do this, but the soup can be gritty if you don't.
   
3. Turn heat to low and stir in milk, corn (if you're adding it), salt and pepper. Let the stew simmer 10-20 minutes.
   
4. Mash the potatoes a bit with the back of a fork to thicken the soup, leaving it a little chunky.
5. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Garnish with avocado if you wish. Serve hot and enjoy!
   

Pakoras

Pakoras are a fun fried snack that hail from India, though different variations can be found across South Asia. The make-up of a pakora is very simple: 1-2 main ingredients + spices + batter + frying in oil = an awesome snack that everyone can enjoy.


The batter is usually make of besan (chickpea) flour, though you could trade it out for all purpose flour if you desire (just make sure to add some extra spice so you don't lose out on flavor). The most common ingredients include onions, potatoes, spinach, eggplant (aka "aubergine"), tomatoes, cauliflower, and chilies. A word of warning: do not put more than 2 or 3 different main ingredients in your pakoras, as too many contrasting flavors can be distracting and not enjoyable at all. In this recipe, I'll use onions and potatoes, as that is by far my favorite combination. Feel free to trade it out for whatever you prefer.

Ingredients:
*2 cups besan flour
*1 tsp salt
*2 tsp red chili powder
*1 tsp coriander seed powder (turmeric can be substituted)
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/4 tsp baking soda
*1 tsp black pepper
*1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)
*1 onion (medium, finely chopped)
*1-2 potatoes (very small cubes, otherwise it won't cook fully when fried)
*oil for frying
*water

Directions:

1. Mix all dry ingredients together and enough water to make a thick paste. Set for 10 minutes
2. Mix in vegetables, making sure everything is bound by the mix. Add more flour and water if needed.
   
3. In a small frying pan, heat oil to medium-hot.
   
4. Fry a spoonful of batter at a time, deep frying the mixture to a golden brown.
5. When you remove the pakora from the oil, place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
   
6. Serve with a chutney, cilantro, or a sauce like ketchup.
   

Know Your Food: Glutinous Rice

Glutinous Rice, aka sticky rice or sweet rice, is a type of short grained rice that is particularly sticky when cooked. Contrary to its name, glutinous rice does not contain gluten, but is instead referring to the glue-like stickiness that it attains when cooked. Just as regular rice comes white or brown, glutinous rice can be milled (white) or unmilled (purplish black).

Glutinous rice is a popular form of rice all over Asia, and your chances of finding it at the grocery store probably depend on the communities you live near ( for example, I live in a San Diego Naval community, so we get a lot of Filipino foods in our grocery stores). You could eat it with dishes like regular rice, but it really works best in sweet dishes.


A Couple of Recipes For If You Find It:
Champorado, A Filipino Breakfast Dish

Champorado is kind of like a chocolate oatmeal eaten commonly in the Philippines for breakfast by young and old alike. Traditionally champorado is eaten with a salty dried fish called tuyo or other smoked meats, but I prefer to eat it with some peanut butter and shredded coconut. It is a nice warm way to start the day, and is slightly more nutritious than having cereal.

Ingredients:
*1 cup glutinous rice
*1 14 oz can coconut milk
*4-5 chocolate tablea (a Filipinio chocolate tablet. Can use 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa + 1/8 tsp vanilla extract as substitute, or 1 Mexican tablea like Abuelita or Ibarra can be used), crushed
*Sweetened condensed, evaporated, or regular milk (optional)
*brown sugar to taste

1. Soak rice for 1/2 - 1 hour, then drain (Note: you don't have to soak the rice if you forgot to, but remember that you may need to add more liquid and it will take longer to cook)
   
2. Add rice, coconut milk, sugar, and chocolate into small saucepan, bring to simmer
3. After it is simmering, turn to low and stir occasionally until rice is soft. Add water or more coconut milk as needed until rice is cooked through and a semi-thick oatmeal-like consistency is reached.
4. Ass more sugar if needed (remember: if you add a milk after it will sweeten the dish)
5. Place in bowl, add milk to the champorado (optional), and enjoy!
   
6. This recipe makes about 3-4 meals
   

A second simple dish is:

Thai Dessert Rice

This is an incredibly easy dessert to make, and is a perfect accompaniment to thai or other SE Asian meals, as it can balance out a spicy meal without being too cloyingly sweet. Traditionally this dish is served with mangoes, but if they aren't in season you can trade the fruit out for something tropical and sweet, like papayas, pineapple, guavas, or even fruits like peaches or bananas if you so desire.

Ingredients:
*1 cup glutinous rice
*1 3/4 cups water
*1 -2 ripe, sliced mangoes (look for fragrant, easily bruised fruits)
*1/4 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar
*1 can coconut milk
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water

1. Soak the sweet rice in a covered pot for 20 min - 1 hour
2. Add the rest of your water and 1/4 of your can of coconut milk to the pot, along with a dash of salt and 1 tbsp of your brown sugar.
3. Stir well then bring to a gentle boil. Partially covering the pot (leave some room for steam to escape), turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer.
4. After the liquid has been absorbed by the rice (approx 20 minutes), remove the pot from the heat and fully cover with lid, allowing to "steam" cook for 5-10 minutes.

1. Now you are going to make a sauce for your rice in a separate, smaller pot.
2. Warm the rest of your can of coconut milk, your brown sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
   
3. Add your dissolved cornstarch to the sauce and stir til it has thickened slightly. Turn heat down to low until it has thickened, then remove from heat (Note: keep sauce from boiling, otherwise you will lose the flavor from the coconut)

To serve, place the sticky rice in bowls, then ladle a generous amount of your warm coconut sauce over the rice, creating a sticky rice "island". Add your slices of mango or other fruit and enjoy!

Know Your Food: Rice

This month I want to focus on a staple dish: Rice. While most Americans think that there are only two types of rice - white and brown - there are actually over 4000 different types of rice grown around the world. There are some key differences between the rice types however, which can make ones selection easier.

Brown Vs White
The most common decisions made when choosing rice is whether to get brown or white. While the nutritious benefits of brown are highly touted, you also need to take flavor into consideration, especially when cooking. Brown rice has a mildly nutty taste, and is chewier than its white counterpart. White rice has a more delicate flavor, and has a longer shelf life than brown rice. Brown rice has a higher tendency to go rancid due to the oil present in the bran, but the rice bran oil can help lower your LDL cholesterol, so if you refrigerate your brown rice you won't have to worry about it spoiling.

Long Grain Vs Medium Grain Vs Short Grain
When it comes to your rice grains, size is a very good indicator of the rice's purpose. To put it in the simplest terms, the shorter the rice, the stickier it is. Long grain rices are best for fried rice dishes, most Indian foods, and pilafs. Medium rice grain is good for Mexican and Japanese dishes, and short grains are good for sticky rice dishes like desserts and risottos. Your choice of rice can be based on the dishes you make or the kind of rice you prefer - I enjoy stickier rice, so I tend to go with Jasmine (an unusually sticky long grain) over Basmati (a very loose rice).

Parboiled
Parboiled rice is simply rice that was partially boiled before it was husked. It is a white rice that is slightly more nutritious, as some of the hull's vitamins were absorbed into the grain through the boiling process. It takes longer to cook than regular rice, and the taste is changed, though whether it is a preferable change or not is up to the cook to decide.

Wild Rice
Wild rice is a sneaky little devil, as it isn't a rice at all, but rather a grass seed. It is very chewy and has a distinct nutty flavor. It is very difficult to produce, so you don't tend to just buy it in bags, but it shows up in a lot of mixed grain bags for uses in pilafs and casseroles.

Red Rice
More nutritious than white rice and uniquely hued, red rice is a unique rice variety that can be occasionally found in oriental markets and other specialty stores, either labeled as "Bhutanese red rice" or "cargo rice". If you can find it, definitely try it out. :)
Black Rice
A medium grain rice, black rice was once called the "Forbidden Rice", for only the Chinese Emperor was allowed to eat it. Black rice turns a rich purple color when cooked, and is slowly being seen in stores. Black rice is currently being touted as the new super food, having the richest nutrient content of any rice and has as much antioxidants as blueberries while having lower sugar and being higher in iron and fiber.

Koshari

Koshari is a popular traditional Egyptian dish, served in fast-food style restaurants and by street corner venders throughout the country. One of the most famous dishes in Egypt, koshari is an easy and inexpensive dish to make, though it does use up several pots :)

Koshari is a vegan dish, created by the Coptic Christians of Egypt, who spend 200+ days a year on a meat free fast. While some fast food stalls add meat today, the traditional dish does not contain animal products. It is your choice as to if you want to change things up, in which case I would suggest something region appropriate, like chicken or lamb.

Traditionally you would mix the pasta, rice, and lentils together and place the sauce on top when serving, but it's easier to just mix it all together like a goulash. Personally, I enjoy adding a bit of cheese to my meal, but this dish is just fine without.

Recipe
1 cup small pasta
1 cup lentils (make sure you wash them!)
1 cup rice
2 14-oz cans vegetable broth (or chicken if you prefer)
2 diced onions
3 cloves minced garlic
1 14-oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas, drained of liquid and washed)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chili pepper
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes
1 8-oz can tomato sauce

1. In a medium-large pot, cook the lentils in the broth.
   
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
   
3. When lentils have cooked add the rice, then simmer until the rice is done. Add water to the pot as needed.
   
4. In a separate pot, cook the pasta and strain when finished
   
5. In a large pot (I used my pressure cooker), cook the onions, garlic, and cumin until the onions are carmelized.
   
6. Add the tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and chili powder, then simmer for 10-20 minutes.
7. Mix the lentils, rice, and pasta into the pot with the sauce, adding the tomato sauce so that everything is mixed evenly.
   
8. Serve and enjoy!

Note: if you feel there's too much chili powder or that it tastes harsh, add a bit of lemon juice to the mix to balance everything out :)

Enchiladas

Traditional Red Enchiladas

Growing up near the border, enchiladas were a staple dish that everyone in the home enjoyed. However, it wasn't until this year that I learned the right way to make enchiladas, and so they seemed like a good starting dish for this blog.


So for those who don't know, enchiladas are a classic Mexican dish, where a corn tortilla is wrapped around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce. Your choice of fillings and sauces is up to the chef's choice. Popular fillings include:
*Meats like beef, pork, chicken, and fish
*Beans
*Cheese
*Vegetables like potatoes, corn, peppers, and onions

Green enchiladas

And sauces can also be varied, with options like:
*The traditional Chile Colorado, a red sauce of chiles and garlic
*The more commonly seen Red sauce, made of tomatoes, chiles, and spices
*Green enchilada sauce, made of tomatillos and green chiles
*Mole sauce (technically making the enchiladas enmoladas)
*Enchiladas suiza, where enchiladas are topped with a spiced cream sauce

As my family is vegetarian, we prefer to make black bean enchiladas with a red sauce, and we prefer the taste of the white corn tortillas over the yellow, so that is what we tend to choose. The specifics are really up to you. Here is a sample recipe for a 9x13 pan's amount, but remember that there is no limit to what your imagination can come up with!

Sample Fillings (I tried my best with estimations, so bare with me if I'm a bit off):

1. Chicken (about 4 breasts worth, cooked, drained of fat, and shredded) with sauteed garlic (2 cloves), sauteed onion (1 large) and chopped green chiles (1 4-oz can)
2. Black beans (2 cans, washed and drained) with sauteed garlic (2 cloves), sauteed onion (1 medium), corn (6 oz), and chopped green chiles (1 4oz can)
3. Spinach (10 oz, cooked down and drained) and ricotta cheese (1 cup), with sauteed green onions (1/2 cup sliced), sauteed garlic (2 cloves), roasted jalapeno (1 pepper, diced) and sour cream (1/2 cup)

Recipe:
12+ tortillas (small or medium, white or yellow corn)
Filling
Sauce (about 19 oz, either homemade or canned)
Cheese (about 2 cups shredded)
A 9x13 pan, greased

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook the parts of your fillings that need to be cooked and mix ingredients together
3. If using a canned sauce, place it in a large pot and cook on low-medium heat til sauce is thick. Otherwise your enchiladas will be soupy.
4. In a skillet over medium heat, fry the tortillas in oil until they just start to bubble, so they become flexible and don't break.
5. Pour some of your thickened sauce in the bottom of your 9x13 pan
6. Take the tortilla and lay it partially in the pan. Spoon a desired amount of your mixture into the tortilla, add a bit of your cheese, and roll them, placing the enchilada seam side down in your pan.
7. Do this to your following tortillas until your enchiladas have completely filled your pan. This can be anywhere from 7-20 enchiladas, depending on the size of your tortillas, the amount of filling placed in, and how tightly you packed them.
8. Evenly spread the rest of your cheese on the enchiladas, then pour your sauce, making sure to evenly cover the entire dish.
9. Place in the oven and cook for 15-25 minutes (vegetarian fillings tend to cook quicker than meat, not sure why). The sauce will be bubbling and the cheese melted all the way through.
10. Take out, cool, and enjoy!!

Welcome!

Greetings traveler, and welcome to my site! It is my goal to explain how to make delicious and satisfying meals at home without needing special tools or an endless budget. Through simple, no nonsense language and pictures when possible, I hope to show the tips and tools needed to make delicious dishes from around the world.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you find what you are looking for!