Asia – Page 2 – Notes From a Messy Kitchen

Ma’amoul are semolina shortbread cookies popular across the Middle East. They are filled with either dates or nuts – commonly walnut or pistachio. They can be decorated by hand, but are prettiest when made using special wooden molds tabu. Lucky for me, my colleague Bushra’s mom has a whole collection...

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Iran: Fesenjān

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Asia

Iran

Fesenjān (also fesenjoon) is famous Persian dish, a festive dish often served for important occasions in Iran. Its importance has something to do with the amount of walnuts used to make the rich, flavorful sauce – which are often very costly. Popular in the fall when pomegranates are in season, Persian...

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Yemen: Hilbeh & Malawah

Asia

Yemen

Welcome to Yemen, where I’m giving you two recipes for the price of one! This is only appropriate, as generous offering of food to guests is one of the customs in Yemeni culture. Just be advised that a guest not accepting the offering is considered an insult. Refusing my offer...

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Israel: Matzo Ball Soup

Cooking Time: 3 hours + time for broth to chill

Asia

Israel

Matzos are a reminder of the Israelites, who in their escape from slavery in Egypt had no time to let their bread rise so instead ate flat breads baked on hot stones.

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Sri Lanka: Thakkali Curry

Cooking Time: 30

Sri Lanka

A lot of folks have asked me how I’ve been going about picking the order of the countries I visit on this little journey, and for the most part I haven’t had an answer. If I’m cooking dinner at home, I’ve largely just been picking recipes that look appealing –...

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Thailand: Yam Neua Yang

Cooking Time: 30 minutes + 30 to marinate

Thailand

After a weekend of heavy eating and drinking, I was craving something light on Monday night. So logically, I chose steak. While this may sound facetious, this dish is actually very light and summery – especially when compared to pad thai! Served cold, this would be a great dish for a...

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Japan: Okonomiyaki

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Japan

I have to tell you, this is one of our favorite recipes on our culinary journey so far. In fact, this is the only dish to date we’ve made twice – “just to use the leftovers!” I justified. It’s easy to make, and just so good! This is a popular Japanese street...

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The Philippines: Chicken Adobo

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

The Philippines

The Philippines is a large archipelago with more than 7,000 islands, each with its own regional flavors. Filipino cuisine represents a cultural crossroads, with Malay, Hindu, Arab, Chinese and Spaniard influence. One dish that is fairly ubiquitous in Filipino households is adobo, a cooking style that involves a marinade of vinegar, soy,...

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Azerbaijan: Lamb Plov

Cooking Time: 90 minutes

Azerbaijan

According to my cookbook, this fruit and lamb plov is a happy occasion dish, often served at Azerbaikani weddings. It’s definitely a luxury dish, with tender boneless lamb and rice flavored with saffron. The photo in my book immediately caught my eye, and it only seemed appropriate to serve a...

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India: Pav Bhaji

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

India

A popular street food in Mumbai, pav bhaji is a spicy vegetable curry (bhaji) served atop a well buttered bread roll (pav). The dish originated in the 1850’s as a fast lunchtime dish for textile mill workers and is now served from street carts and in fine dining restaurants alike. I thought...

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