Regional Recipes Brazil Round-up

If you've been anxiously waiting for the Brazil round-up, I'm sorry it's late. There is a good reason, which you'll read about shortly, but first I want to get to the submissions. Let's get started!

Picadinho de porco (minced pork) submitted by Marisa of The Creative Pot. It has chorizo! Need I say more?




Brazilian-style salmon fish stew submitted by Joanne of Eats Well with Others. If you're looking for a fish stew with bold flavors and vibrant colors, look no further!




Brazilian-style empanadas submitted by me. Succulent shredded chicken, green olives and hearts of palm in a butter crust. Yum!



Thank you to Joanne and Marisa. They are such terrifically reliable participants and all around good people.

Before revealing the next region, I want to make a quick announcement about the future of Regional Recipes. I was worried that with my increasingly busy schedule, I would have to end the event, but I am happy to announce that Joanne of Eats Well with Others has agreed to take over as host and administrator. At some point, the event main page and round-ups will be available on her site. Until then, information is still available at the RR link above. I'm glad the event will continue and it will be in good hands. Thank you, Joanne!

WOW! This may be the last time I choose the region. I better make it good, huh? Let's do the Middle East. Joanne is going to be hosting. Send your submissions to her at jhbruno87(at)gmail(dot)com by 11:59 on February 28.

Brazilian-style Empanadas

Happy New Year!! Better late than never, right?

Did you all start your diets yet? I keep thinking about it, but then I run across recipes like this one for Brazilian-style empanadas and it's just another excuse to delay. The (tentative) deadline is now January 15th...unless I find another excuse. ☺



As you can see, these empanadas are more like a pot pie, however the filling is quite different. It's not soupy but rather dense and savory on account of green olives. The crust is very buttery and flaky. The result is a hearty meat pie that is perfect served with a side salad. If you have a mini-muffin pan (and the patience) you could make a bunch of these to share at a gathering.




Brazilian-style empanadas
Adapted from Cookbrazil.com
Makes about 6 to 8 single serving (3 to 4 inch) pies

For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
5 1/2 oz cold butter, cut into pieces
2 eggs, divided (1 whole egg + 1 yolk for crust and white for egg wash)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
cold water, as needed

For the filling:
12 oz cooked, shredded chicken
1/3 cup finely chopped green olives
1/3 cup finely chopped hearts of palm or artichoke hearts (fresh or in water, not marinated)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tbs tomato paste
about 1/2 cup to 1 cup chicken broth
salt, to taste

The easiest way to make the crust is with a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, this can be done by hand using a fork.

Combine the dry ingredients with the butter and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour. Add one whole egg and the yolk of the other and pulse until they are incorporated. Pulse while adding enough cold water to just bring the dough together. Transfer to a clean surface and bring the dough together into a clump. If it's too sticky add a little more flour. If it's too dry, add a little more liquid, but do not knead it. Wrap the clump in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge while you make the filling.

For the filling, I used left over chicken. Use dark or white meat or a combination of both.

In a skillet, sautee the onions until soft. Add the olives, hearts of palm or artichokes and tomato paste. Mix well. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir to incorporate it. Add the broth slowly in increments. Mix well after each addition. Use just enough liquid to get a pasty filling. Heat through and season with salt. Now it's ready to use.

To assemble the pies, roll out the dough to fit into the mini-pie pans so there is a little overhang. You'll also need a top. The dough is not very sticky, but you may need to lightly sprinkle flour on it every few passes. Roll out the dough as thin as you want, but not so thin that it breaks apart when you try to lift it or lay it in the mold. For the best results, use enough of the meat mixture to fill a little over the level of the mold, being sure to press down gently to compact the filling. Place the top on and pinch the top and bottom crusts together. To keep the pies from popping open, roll the seam inward (see photo). Alternatively, you could go for the traditional half circle shape. Be sure to pinch and roll the seam shut. If you just pinch the seam the empanada will come open during baking. Brush lightly with egg white and bake in 375F oven until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes. The spotlight region is Brazil. If you'd like to participate, please send your submissions to blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com by January 15th. Also, if you have participated in the past and would like to host, just let me know and I'll put you on the list.

Regional Recipes South Pacific Round-up!

Anyone else feeling the stress of the holidays? I got a late start this year and feel like I'm short on time. There are still a bunch of last-minute things to do. I suspect that you all are pretty busy too, so I want to send out an extra special Thank You! to the bloggers who were able to submit to Regional Recipes. Brevity is the theme here, so I'm going to just get to it!


Guamanian Red Rice submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. Rice flavored with roasted "chicken base" paste and colored with annatto seed powder. Oh, and there's bacon in it! What's not to like?




Macadamia Nut Pie by Joanne of Eats Well With Others. A new twist on an old favorite. This would make a great ending to any holiday meal!



Hawaiian Chicken Curry submitted by me. A delicious and festive curry that's easy enough for a weeknight meal.




Short but sweet. Thanks again to Joanne and Wandering Chopsticks for their submissions.

The next region/country: BRAZIL!

If you'd like to participate, please send submissions by January 15th to blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. For more information on the rules, click here.

Hawaiian Chicken Curry

The quarter is finally over!! Hooray!! Now to get back to all the stuff I've been neglecting. Like laundry and housecleaning and Christmas. But first and foremost, I need to give my poor, neglected blog a little attention.



As you can see this is not a typical holiday dish. In fact, it's got nothing to do with the holidays whatsoever, but it is festive looking, no? That must count for something. It's also got a lot of contrasting textures going on, but somehow they all work together: succulent chicken, crunchy toasted cashews, fresh pineapple, and dried mango. And of course there's the creamy macaroni salad. Yes, I know it sounds strange to serve macaroni salad with a curry, but I was once told by a Hawaii native that no plate would be complete without macaroni salad. And rice, of course. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

I found the recipe for this chicken curry at Epicurious.com. Rather than following their method, I used my pressure cooker to get the chicken fork tender but I didn't otherwise change the recipe. It turned out well and the whole family loved it. Plus it can be put on the table in about an hour (by their method). So if you're looking for something a little different, this might fit the bill.


This is my submission to Regional Recipes. The spotlight region is the South Pacific. I'm hosting this round, so if you've got a regional recipe to share, post it and shoot me the info to include in the round-up. blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. And be sure to check back in a few days for the round-up.

Regional Recipes Cuba Round-up!

I know you all have been eagerly awaiting the Cuba round-up. Well, wait no longer! There may only be a handful of submissions, but they do a great job showcasing Cuban cuisine. Prepare for an appetite whetting! (Or is it to have your appetite whetted? Maybe I should just stick to plain old whet your appetite? Whichever you prefer, you get the point.)

Let's begin:

Arroz con salchichas submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Did you think Vienna sausages were only eaten in Vienna? Haha! The Cubans, like many other cultures, have taken these humble cocktail weenies and turned them into something delicious.



Pastelitos de guayaba y queso also submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Need a sweet finish for your Cuban-themed meal? (Or any other meal, for that matter?) Why not try these ultra simple pastries stuffed with guava and cheese? Careful though, they can be quite addictive.



Picadillo submitted by Eats Well with Others. Cubans sure seem to have the comfort food down! Ground beef sauteed with bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, garlic, olives and spices severed over quinoa. How simple but satisfying does that sound?



Ropa vieja submitted by The Creative Pot. Beef slow cooked with bell pepper, onions, tomatoes and spices. Again, amazing how the Cubans have perfected hearty comfort foods despite the tropical climate. I suppose having a pitcher of cool, minty mojitos to wash it all down with helps :-)



Black bean soup submitted by me. Okay, maybe this is more of a stew. Add more liquid and it's a soup. Either way, don't forget the ham hock. It's a tasty, filling meal served over rice.



A big thanks to the bloggers who participated!

Now, I know that the end of the year is crunch time for everyone, what with the holidays, end of the fiscal year for some, end of the term for teachers and students, etc. So in choosing the next region, I asked myself where I'd want to go for a little R & R if I could escape the end of the year chaos. And that would be Hawaii or any of the other islands of the South Pacific for that matter. Basically I'm talking the little islands between the Americas and Asia, including New Zealand (but let's leave out Australia and Japan this time). Here's a map, if you're interested.

Can't wait to see what people come up with! I'm hosting next time. Send your submissions to me at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com by December 15th. Hope you will participate!

Cuban Black Bean Soup

What is Cuban food? That’s the question I’ve been trying to answer these last 3 weeks and I’m still not sure I have it down. There’s the popular Cubano sandwich with so many variations that I’m not sure which is the original. (And should I care when they all sound so good?) Cubans seem to be fond of roasted pork, which they marinate in citrus, garlic, and cumin. I’ve done that, but I didn’t know it was Cuban. It was vaguely labeled “Carribean-inspired pork.” Mojo and sofrito are also words associated with Cuban cuisine, but they’re different from the Spanish versions. And despite popular belief, chilies and cilantro are not typically used in Cuban cuisine, although they are ingredients commonly found in other cuisines of the region. So how’s a girl supposed to sort it all out?

I did say soup, right? Well, it is a soup but I just ladled it over rice!

Overwhelmed (and underwhelmed) with all the information on the Interwebs, I just decided to "wing it", as they say, and cobbled together a recipe for black bean soup. It's got all the necessary components, like sofrito, cumin and bay leaf. It's also quite tasty, if I do say so myself.

Cuban Black Bean Soup

• 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 head garlic (approx 5 cloves), crushed
• approx 1/2 to 1 tbs cumin seed
• approx 1 tbs chopped oregano (thyme will also work)
• 2 to 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups black beans, soaked overnight
• 1 large ham hock (optional)

Make a sofrito by throwing the bell pepper, onion and garlic into a food processor and pulsing until you get a uniform mixture. In a large pot, add a couple of healthy glugs of olive oil (approx 3 tbs). When it’s hot, add the cumin seed followed by the sofrito. Cook until the sofrito gets soft and most of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes or so. Add the oregano and bay leaf. Add the beans (rinsed), ham hock (if using) and about 6 cups of water or chicken stock. The beans should be covered by the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer until the beans are tender. Once the beans are tender, add salt to taste.

I used a pressure cooker, which took 20 minutes once it got up to pressure (15 psi) and allowed the pressure to release naturally. The beans came out perfectly tender as did the ham hock. I served the beans and shredded ham hock over long grain rice. It may not look like much, but I’ll tell you, this was a very delicious and comforting meal.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes. The spotlight's on Cuba. If you've got a Cuban recipe you're dying to share, I'm hosting and will accept submissions until Thursday. And definitely check back for the roundup at the end of the week.

Fried Pork Belly and Potatoes with Parsley Sauce

I think people are surprised when they learn that I am (semi) fluent in the Danish language and I am pretty familiar with traditional Danish cuisine. It's my Thainess that throws them off and I completely understand. I would probably be pretty surprised if I met a 6'3" Dane who could speak fairly fluent Thai and cook a mean green curry from scratch.

Anyhow, I purposely chose Scandinavia as the spotlight region for Regional Recipes because whenever cold weather sets in, I get an itching for Danish food. It's stick-to-your-ribs-warm-you-to-the-bone-comfort food. Besides, I'm a sweet and loving wife who likes to give Hubby a little taste of home every once in a while.

Originally I planned to make a traditional Danish-style pork roast with pork belly served with pickled red cabbage and potatoes but MIL assured me that fried pork belly with potatoes and parsley sauce was as Danish as it gets. And not only did she suggest this dish, she cooked it! All I had to do was snap a couple of pictures and dig in. So a big, fat TAK FOR MAD! goes out to my awesome MIL!

Apparently all Danes can make this with their eyes closed, it's that easy. In other words, if Hubby can do this without a recipe, anyone can! Simply cut the pork belly (remove the skin if you wish) into 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices, season generously with salt, and fry until wonderfully crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. In the mean time, boil some small, cute potatoes (skins removed) until tender. Just before you're about to serve, make the sauce by melting a couple tablespoons of butter and adding about 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to make a roux. Don't let it cook get dark. Add warm milk (about a cup to start with) while whisking vigorously to eliminate clumps. Turn up the heat a little bit. The sauce will be thin at first but will start to thicken up once it begins to simmer. If it gets too thick, add more milk. If it's too thin after it has been simmering for a few minutes, sprinkle in a little more flour while whisking vigorously. Once it reaches the desired consistency (see photo above), add salt and a healthy handful of finely chopped Italian parsley. Drizzle over the boiled potatoes and serve immediately.

Craving more Danish food? Try these:

karry sild (curried pickled herring)

leverpostej (Danish-style liver pate)

frikadeller (Danish meatballs)

lakridsis (licorice ice cream)

napoleanshatte (marzipan cookies dipped in chocolate)

This is my submission to Regional Recipes, where the spotlight region is Scandinavia. The host this month is Joanne of Eats Well with Others. Be sure to check her site on the 20th (or there abouts) for the round-up and she'll be announcing the next spotlight region.

Regional Recipes: Spain!

I remember reading a few years ago that Spain was the new France in terms of culinary prowess. Then Anthony Bourdain visited Spain and said it was “the very best place in the world to eat.” Well shoot, then it must be true!

I, for one, am in love with Spanish cuisine. I’ve always found the flavors are big, bold and so satisfying. The submissions for this month’s Regional Recipes are excellent examples. So let’s get to it!

Pimentos Relleños submitted by The Creative Pot. It’s Spanish stuffed peppers filled with brown rice, almonds, raisins and herbs and spices. A healthy and delicious alternative to peppers stuffed with minced meat.

Flamenco Eggs also submitted by The Creative Pot. A casserole made with chorizo, peppers, onions, tomatoes and eggs. Sounds like perfect brunch fare to me!

Patatas Bravas submitted by forkbootsandapalette. Potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce. Traditionally served as a tapa, it’s hearty enough to be a filling meal.

Chickpeas Romesco submitted by Eats Well with Others. Chickpeas in a flavorful sauce made of tomatoes, peppers, vinegar and nuts. And it’s vegan too!

Fingerling potatoes with Allioli submitted by Kits Chow. Can’t go wrong with the simplicity of delicious fingerlings and a creamy, garlicky dipping sauce.

Sangria with White Wine submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. There’s no fuss with this easy and refreshing sangria. Use your favorite white wine and whatever fruit you have on hand.

Philippine Beef Salpicao submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Yes, it’s from the Philippines, but they’ve suggested a Spanish version, substituting a combination of hot and sweet smoked paprika for Hungarian paprika.

Grilled vegetables with Garlic Sauce submitted by Erbe in Cucina. Don’t have a grill, you say? No problem, if you’ve got a broiler. Then serve the vegetables with garlic sauce!

Tomato soup seasoned with smoked paprika, crispy Serrano ham and manchego submitted by Blazing Hot Wok (that’s me!). The secret to tomato soup with big, bold flavor? Smoked paprika! The Spanish swear by it and I agree.

Thanks to all the bloggers who submitted! It’s awesome to get such a wide variety of dishes.

For the next region, we’re heading to Scandinavia! Home of pickled herring, Ikea and Alexander Skarsgaard! Just to clarify, we’re talking Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. I’m anxious to see what you all come up with. The host will be Eats Well with Others. Please send submissions (with a photo) to jhbruno87(at)gmail(dot)com by 11:59 on Oct. 15th. The round-up should be up around the 20th. Please note that late entries are accepted at the discretion of the host.

An easy Spanish-themed meal

The tomatoes are still going around here. I harvested enough to make a big batch of tomato soup dressed up with smoked paprika and toasts topped with crispy serrano ham and manchego.


Don't worry, I'm not going to post another recipe for tomato soup. I've already posted one using fresh tomatoes and one using canned tomatoes. You'll also be able to find a gazillion other versions on the Interwebs. But I will say the thing that makes this soup special is the smoked paprika. The Spanish swear by it and I would have to agree that it's pretty awesome. Regular old paprika just can't compare to its smoky flavor. So next time you make tomato soup, try using the smoked paprika to spice it up.

Serrano ham is like the Spanish equivalent of prosciutto. I like it best thinly sliced atop a piece of crusty bread, but if you're going to cook it, it needs to get crispy. Anything short of crisp and it can taste "gamey." I crisped the ham by putting the slices on a rack in a warm oven (250F) for about 10 minutes then adding the shredded manchego on top for about 5 minutes. That all gets layered above a toasted piece of crusty bread. Serve with marinated olives and a tossed salad with a nice vinaigrette and you've got an easy Spanish-themed meal.

I'm submitting this post to Regional Recipes. We're visiting Spain and I've already got a bunch of delicious entries. It's going to be a good round-up. I'll accept submissions until the 20th of September. Send them to blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. Check back here on the 20th for the round-up as well as the next region.

Regional Recipes China Round-up!

Can you believe the summer is almost over? Seems like I closed my eyes in June and then poof! it’s suddenly the tail end of August. Maybe it’s because this summer has been jammed packed with stuff. Between vacations, visitors and school, time has just flown. But the one thing I haven’t been able to fit in is the blogging. I was hoping to participate in more events, but every time I got around to it, deadlines were passed or some other excuse came up. I’m hoping that with the new school year there will be a little more routine so I can get a better handle on dividing my time and fit some more blogging in. For now, here’s the round-up for Regional Recipes: China. Enjoy!

Broccoli beef submitted by gaga in the kitchen. Broccoli is one of the vegetables my son will actually eat without complaining so this dish appears on our table fairly regularly. And as gaga says, it’s easy. Tasty and easy? Can't beat that!

Lobster congee submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. I love love love congee and using lobster sounds so decadent. Doesn’t it look delicious? The only thing missing is a dollop of chili oil on the top :-)

Pork jowl with brown sugar rub submitted by [eatingclub]vancouver. Pork jowl is a wonderfully flavorful yet inexpensive cut of meat. I don't know why it's not more widely available. I can only imagine how delicious it was after two days in their brown sugar rub.

Crispy noodle cake with saucy stir-fry submitted by me. The contrasting texture of the crispy noodles and saucy stir-fry go very well together. And it tasted good too! :-)

Thanks so much to the participants. After the long break, I was afraid I might be the lone participant, but these ladies came through beautifully.

For the next region, let’s do SPAIN! I've been perusing through José Andrés’ book Made in Spain. The pictures are so inspiringly beautiful and I am determined to learn how to make a proper paella.

You can find out more about Regional Recipes here. Send your submissions to me by September 15th at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. I hope you'll participate!

Crispy Noodle Cake with Saucy Stir-fry

Did I mention I'm going back to school? No? I must have forgotten.

In case you're wondering, I'm getting my teaching credential to be a science educator. So far it's been swell. The instructors are awesome. My classmates are awesome. Everything's awesome except for the damned reading. Lord save me from the reading. If I'm not reading something as exciting as say, The Bourne Identity or The DaVinci Code, I'll be lucky to make it through a paragraph before nodding off. As you can imagine, reading about pedagogy has been slow going.

Anyhow, I decided to put the schoolwork aside for a day and concentrate on stuff I've been neglecting. Like the laundry. Paying the bills. My garden. My poor, neglected blog. Especially my poor, neglected blog. Working on it has always been an outlet, and with all that I've been cramming into my head lately, it's nice to be able let some stuff out.

The inspiration for this recipe came from Martin Yan's China. I was flipping through and I saw the noodle "cake" recipe and I remembered trying something similar at my neighbor's house. The combination of crispy noodles with a saucy stir-fry was great.

It's a pretty easy dish, but there was a fair amount of prep work because you have to boil the noodles and prepare stuff for the stir-fry. The actual cooking was the quick part. I think it took me about 45 minutes to put this on the table.

To flavor the stir-fry, I used fermented tofu with soy beans. I doubt you'll find this at your local supermarket, so a trip to your favorite Asian market is probably in your future. Otherwise, you can use fermented (yellow) soy beans, which your local market might carry. If you're not in the mood to track either down, then by all means, use your favorite stir-fry. I only recommend a very saucy one so the noodles can soak in the sauce.

Crispy Noodles with Saucy Stir-fry

Serves about 4

For the noodles:

• 8 or 9 oz dried wheat noodles (I use a Thai brand) or 1 lb fresh Chinese egg noodle
• 1/2 cup broth (I used a beef broth but chicken or even vegetable is fine)
• a few tbs oil for frying

For the stir-fry

• 2 tbs fermented tofu with soy bean (or just fermented yellow soy beans)
• 2 Chinese cooking wine, divided
• 1 tbs thin soy sauce (or oyster sauce)
• 1 cup rich chicken or beef broth (use a good quality--it makes or breaks the dish)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 4 tsp cornstarch, divided
• 12 oz chicken, sliced for stir-frying
• 1 large zucchini, sliced
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
• thumb-sized knob ginger, sliced into matchsticks
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Start by cooking the noodles. Drain and rinse well with cold water and drain again. Toss with a little oil to prevent them from sticking. Set aside until you're ready to fry them. If you can set them in the fridge, even better. They fry better the colder they start.

While the water for the noodles gets going, prepare the chicken by combining 2 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cooking wine. Turn the sliced chicken in the slurry and set side.

Make the sauce for the stir-fry by mashing the fermented tofu and soybeans until you get a paste. Don't worry if you don't mash every single soybean. Add 1 tbs cooking wine, the broth, thin soy sauce (or oyster sauce) and sugar. Mix until well blended. Stir in 2 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.

It's best to fry the noodles in two batches. If you try to do it all in one go, you'll probably get a fat cake with a large amount of soft noodle in the middle. Trust me, you'll want to maximize the crispiness. In a non-stick pan (or well-seasoned cast iron skillet), heat a couple of tbs oil over medium heat. Add about half the cooled noodles, distributing them into an even layer. Add half the broth and cook until a nice crispy crust forms and the broth has evaporated. Watch the heat! You wouldn't want your noodles to burn. You may want to move the pan around every so often to distribute the heat better. Flip or carefully turn the noodle cake over and allow a crust to form on the opposite side. When you're satisfied slide the noodle cake onto a plate and keep warm until you're ready to serve.

When you cook the second cake, start heating your wok for the stir-fry. Once it's nice and hot, add some oil and fry the chicken. When the chicken is just about done, remove it and set aside. Add more oil if necessary, then add the garlic, ginger and bell pepper. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the zucchini. After another minute add the chicken back in. Toss well then slowly add your sauce by drizzling it down the side of your wok. Hopefully it will begin to thicken on contact. If it doesn't, no worries. It will once it begins to heat through. Adjust flavor with more soy sauce if necessary. When the sauce has thickened, you're done! Divide the stir-fry over the two noodle cakes and serve immediately. I like to put out chili-garlic sauce as well, for those who like it spicy.

This is my submission for Regional Recipes. We're in China! If you'd like to participate, I'll take submissions until the 20th. C'mon, you know you want to! Send your submission to me at blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com. Be sure to include a photo (about 200x200) so I can include it in the round-up!

Regional Recipes Roud-up: Turkey!!

I think this was the best round of Regional Recipes yet. The participants did such a great job at showcasing the flavors and textures of Turkish cuisine. Every one of these submissions have been added to my must-try-soon list. I think you'll enjoy them too.

Hamsi Tava (crispy fried anchovies) submitted by Momgateway. I love anchovies in all forms, but fried anchovies are icing on the cake!





Cerez Tavugu (Circassian chicken) submitted by Mary of One Perfect Bite. Mary says Circassian chicken is like a western chicken salad, only more flavorful and nutritious. It’s a dish everyone should make at least once before they die. Now that's a strong endorsement!





Nohut salatasi (Turkish chickpea salad) submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. All our favorite ingredients—chickpeas, olives, onions, tomatoes—tossed with a zingy lemon dressing.





Lamb Kebab submitted by yours truly. Grilled lamb patties rolled in flatbread with a cool yogurt sauce. Hits the spot at 3AM after a night of merrymaking.





Hunkar Begendi (beef stew with eggplant puree) submitted by Joanne of Eats Well with Others. The surprise in this dish is the eggplant puree. It’s made by combining roasted, mashed eggplant with a smooth béchamel. That’s a new combination I’ll definitely be trying soon.




And last, but definitely not least, [eatingclub]vancouver showed their culinary prowess by submitting not one, but 5 dishes! Talk about Turkish extravaganza!

Let’s start with the borek with beef filling. Phyllo dough stuffed with ground beef and baked to a golden brown. They get bonus points for the beautiful, rustic presenation ☺



Etli biber dolmasi (stuffed peppers with groundmeat). A filling, familiar favorite.




Turkish bulgur kofte. Dense dumplings served with a garlicky yogurt sauce.




Mualle (eggplant and lentil stew with pomegranate molasses). Creamy eggplant, earthy lentils and a subtle punch courtesy of pomegranate molasses—an exotically delicious dish!



Kisir (Turkish bulgur tabbouleh). Take note guys, this is a dish that can cause a little excitement with the ladies.




Now aren't these submissions impressive? I hope you'll click through and check out the posts. You may learn something. I certainly did!

For our next region, I choose Korea!

Wandering Chopsticks will be hosting the next round. If you'd like to participate, please read the guidelines, then send submissions, with a photo, to wanderingchopsticks(at)gmail(dot)com. by June 15th.

Go check it out!

The Regional Recipes Mexico round-up is now up and you should check it out. Really you should. There's lots of inspiration to be had.

Thanks to Wandering Chopsticks for hosting and to all the participants for their submissions. It's the best RR round-up yet.

WC has chosen America as the next region. This should be interesting. I'm particularly interested to see what our overseas friends come up with. If you'd like to participate, check out the guidelines and send submissions to [eatingclub] vancouver at email(at)eatingclubvancouver(dot)com by April 15th.

BTW, if you've participated in past RR and would like to host, please let me know!

Mexican Adobo Braised Beef

If there’s one thing I miss about living in California it’s the Mexican food. And the Indian food. And the Chinese food. And the sunny weather. Okay, that’s 4 things, but other than those, I love it here in Portland!

May not look fancy, but it's totally satisfying!

In San Francisco, our apartment was only a couple of blocks from the vibrant Mission district (where it was ALWAYS sunny, even if the rest of the city was cloudy or covered in fog). Whenever we had a hankering for Mexican, we’d just walk down the street and pick up anything our hearts desired. Like a plate of chicken mole with rice. Or a fat juicy burrito stuffed with carnitas, beans and extra hot salsa. If we weren’t in the mood for the 2-block walk, we could just go across the street to the taco truck and score $1.50 pork al pastor tacos. Those were the days!

It’s not like there isn’t Mexican food here in the Portland metro area. It’s just not anything to write home about. I’d just as soon make it myself and one ingredient I love using are the Mexican dried chilies. For years I walked past them at the grocery store, never really noticing they where even there. But now that we regularly make Mexican food, various dried chilies have become a staple in my pantry.

A simple and straightforward way to use Mexican dried chilies is to make an adobo sauce, which I like to use for stewing or braising meat. Mexican-style adobo is easy to make and will impart a complex flavor to the meat, especially if a combination of chilies are used. I always throw in chipotles, because I love the subtle smoky flavor they impart. Feel free to use your favorite type of chili and tailor the flavor after your own tastes.




Basic adobo:
Makes about 2 cups

• 2 oz dried Mexican dried chilies (if possible use a combination, including chipotle)
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ can tomato paste (about 3 oz)
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 2 to 3 tbs cider vinegar or lime juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt

To make the adobo, remove the seeds from the chilies if less heat is desired, and rehydrate the chilies by letting them steep in boiled water until soft. Once the chilies are soft enough, add them to a blender or food processor with the other ingredients and about ½ cup of water. I don’t like to use the chili soaking liquid because it’s sometimes too bitter. Process until you get a smooth mixture. It’s always nice to let the paste sit for a little time to allow the flavors to meld, but it’s not necessary. If you taste the mixture, it will taste raw. Don’t worry, it changes during the cooking process.


Mexican adobo braised beef
Serves 3

• 1.5 to 2 lbs beef chuck, cut for stewing
• half portion basic adobo (about 1 cup, freezer the remainder for another time!)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• a few springs fresh oregano
• salt, pepper and sugar (or agave nectar) to taste

Season the beef well with salt and pepper. In a heavy bottom pot with a lid, brown the beef, in batches if necessary. Remove and set aside. Add the adobo to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the paste from sticking to the pot (lower the heat a bit if necessary). Add the beef back in and turn to coat. Add about 1 ½ cups of water to thin it out a bit (like the consistency of spaghetti sauce). Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and oregano. Bring it up to a boil, lower the heat to barely a simmer, cover and cook until the beef is tender. This is probably a good time to taste it and add some salt and sugar, if desired. It may still taste a bit weak, but the flavor will enhance once it’s cooked with the beef. Alternatively, you could braise in the oven at 300° until tender.

Depending on my mood, I will shred the beef or leave it in chunks to serve. Either way, I like fish the beef out of the braising liquid and reduce the liquid to concentrate the flavors a bit and adjust the seasonings. I really recommend this step. It doesn’t take more than 15 extra minutes. Sometimes, if I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I’ll fry the beef in my cast-iron skillet to get bits of crispiness (a la carnitas) before returning it to the sauce. Serve with rice, tortillas, or tortilla chips, a healthy serving of beans and whatever other accompaniments you’d like.

If you like this dish, you may also like chicken mole, made with a combination of Mexican dried chilies and chocolate.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes, the blogging event that spotlights a regional/national cuisine. We've gone to Mexico this time. There's still time to get in on the action! Send your submissions to Wandering Chopsticks at wanderingchopsticks(at)gmail(dot)com by March 15th.

Regional Recipes India Round-up!

We are fans of Indian food in this house, so when Susan of Open Mouth, Insert Fork announced India as the next stop for Regional Recipes, I got excited. Really excited.

I distinctly remember my first encounter with Indian food. During my sophmore year in high school, a friend and I spent spring break with my crazy cousin, who lived in Santa Monica. One evening she took us to dinner at a shabby Indian-Irish pub near UCLA called McGinty’s. I recall my friend and I were not enthused since we'd never had Indian food before, but Mom raised me not to complain when someone is being hospitable. And Crazy Cousin convinced us there’d be a lot of cute college boys there. That sealed the deal.

Since I had no idea what the heck to order, I left that to Crazy Cousin. She ordered saag paneer and eggplant curry. My friend ordered a French fry sandwich (for reals--French fries on white bread with ketchup!). When the food came, I was still feeling unsure, especially because it looked like nothing I'd ever eaten before, but that dissipated pretty quickly after tasting it. I have been a believer since that first time and McGinty's became a tradition. Whenever I was in LA, I ate at McGinty’s.

Shortly after Hubby and I were married we visited Crazy Cousin. I was so excited to take him to McGinty’s. I talked it up, built up the anticipation. And guess what? It had closed down! Oh, the disappointment! Years later and I still get a pang of disappointment thinking about it. I've had a lot of good Indian food over the years, but nothing will ever beat McGinty's.

Enough nostalgia. On to the submissions. Shall we start with a drink?


Chai Black Tea submitted by Wandering Chopsticks. Why bother buying Chai teabags or the premixed concentrate when you can make a superb one yourself? It’s as simple as using a good quality black tea and adding your own cardamom and cinnamon.






Chicken Biryani submitted by Sidewalk Shoes. You know what I love? When people put their doubts aside and try something new. Pam decided to give Indian food another try and found something she loved! Yay! If you’re having doubts about Indian cuisine, perhaps her chicken biryani will make you a believer.

Samosa Cups with Mango Chutney submitted by sauced. Love samosas? Hate standing over a pot of hot oil frying them? Then these little lovelies are the perfect thing. Samosa filling inside baked wonton cups. I might need to throw a cocktail party just to serve these!





Pasanda Kabab (aka Beef Ribbon Kebab) with Cilantro Chutney submitted by [eatingclub] vancouver. Tender beef grilled on a stick served with cool cilantro chutney? Yes, please! Man, I can’t wait until the weather warms up here because this is at the top of my list! Click on the link to see more food porn!




Malwani Chicken Hirwa Masala (aka Chicken in fresh green masala) submitted by Kits Chow. I love love love (love!) cilantro and this fresh green masala is made with a cup of it! Now that is my kind of seasoning!



Indian Beet Salad submitted by Open Mouth, Insert Fork. Beets are one of my favorite vegetables, not only for their wonderful earthy taste, but who doesn’t like the vibrant red color? Seasoned with fennel, cilantro and chilies then tossed with yogurt, this sounds like a wonderfully spicy-cool side dish.



Goan-style Shrimp Curry submitted by Eat.Drink.Think. Looking for a weeknight dinner packed with fiery flavor? Look no further. This shrimp curry can be done in one pot and it’s fast and flavorful. I’m all over this one.



Fried Egg Curry submitted by yours truly. Once upon a time, Hubby and I used to actually cooked together. We weren't particularly good at it, but we enjoyed trying out new things and this is the first Indian recipe we ever tried out of the first cookbook we bought together. Sweet, no?



Thank you to all the participants! They made this a great round-up. There is a nice variety so I’m sure there’s something here for everyone. If you aren’t sure how you feel about Indian food, I encourage you to give any of these entries a try. I know you won't be disappointed.


I have to announce the next region, don’t I? Where to go? Where to go? I think it needs to be somewhere warm because I AM SO OVER WINTER! A place where I can sit on a beach, with a cocktail in hand. Pack your swimsuits and sandals (or shorts and hiking shoes), we’re going to MEXICO!

Interested in participating? Read the guidelines here. The host next time will be Wandering Chopsticks. Please send submissions (with a photo approx 200x200 pixels) to wanderingchopsticks(at)gmail(dot)com by March 15th.