Djibouti: Skoudehkaris (Lamb Stew), Laxoox (Flatbread), & Banana Fritters

So this past Sunday I cooked food from the little country of Djibouti. Before I looked up recipes from Djibouti I was expecting to find recipes for mush and bushmeat haha - even though I know better. If there is anything from this experience that I've learned its that there is good food everywhere! Enjoy!

Skoudehkaris (Lamb Stew)

All of the spices mixed

Serves: 4

1 Lb Lamb
1 Onion, chopped (I had to leave out)
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Cloves, grinded/crushed
1 Tsp Cardamom
1/2 Tsp Cayenne
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 14 oz Can Tomatoes, diced
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Long-Grain Rice
Salt & Pepper to taste
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

Heat the oil in a large pot. Cook the onions until they are soft. Then add in the lamb and brown the meat on all sides. Add in the tomatoes, seasonings (all of the spices mixed), and water. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Then mix in the rice (and extra water if it is getting dry). Cover again and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Serve with the Laxoox.

Laxoox (Flatbread)

Serves: 4

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/4 Cup Wheat Flour

1/4 Cup Millet Flour TRY: Arrowhead Mills Organic Millet Flour -- 32 oz
-Substitutes: Sorghum TRY: Bobs Red Mill Sorghum Flour Gluten Free 22 Ozor Rice Flour

1 1/2 Tsp Yeast

1 Tsp Salt

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

1 Tsp Sugar

2 1/2 Cups Water

Add all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together and cover. You have two options: refrigerate overnight or sit it out on the counter for 4 hours. 

Heat up a pan (stainless steel or cast iron) or griddle (what I used) to medium heat. Coat the surface with some oil. Now spread the batter over the surface evenly until it is about 1/4" thick.

Leave the dough on until it is cooked all the way through - you do not need to flip it. Make sure to not burn the bottom. I would lift it up and look at the bottom to make sure I was not burning it. 

Serve with the stew. You can also serve it with butter and honey or with fruit. Enjoy!

Banana Fritters

Serves: 4

6 Bananas, ripened (I only had 3 so I halved the recipe)

1/2 Cup Rice or Wheat Flour

1/4 Cup Sugar, dissolved in 1/2 cup of water

1 Tsp Nutmeg

Oil for pan

Mash Bananas with a fork or blender to make into pulp. Mix in the flour, sugar (in the water) and nutmeg. Heat some oil on a frying pan or griddle. 

Fry the batter until it is cooked all the way through - flipping to cook both sides. I made the mistake of trying to flip it too soon on a few. It took a little longer to cook - so just be aware of it and make sure it does not burn. Enjoy!

Poland: Pierogi w/ Beef & Veggie Filling, Potato-Rutabaga Mash, & Rhubarb Sorbet

So this past Monday night I made food from Poland. The Pierogi is like a dumpling - the filling is inside the dough in the form of a half circle. For the two other dishes it was interesting to try rutabaga and rhubarb - two things I haven't really had much of in the past. Enjoy!

Pierogi with Beef & Veggie Filling

Serves: 5-6

Recipe for Meat & Veggie Filling:

1 lb Ground Beef

3 Carrots, peeled and minced

1 Cup Parsley, minced

1 Celery, minced

1 Onion, minced - I left out bc my husbands allergic :(

2 Eggs

Salt & Pepper to taste

-My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

1 Cup Beef Broth

Prepare the vegetables. Saute the onions for 5 minutes. Put all of the ingredients (w/ the onions), except for the eggs, into a pot. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, then add the eggs. Cook until meat is cooked all the way (30+ minutes total). 

Recipe for Pierogi:

3 Cups Flour

3/4 Cup Boiling Water

1/2 Cup Cold Water

1/2 Tsp Salt

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

1/2 Tsp Oil

Oil for frying

Sieve the flour through a strainer. Mix in the salt. With a fork, mix in the boiling water. Mix until it crumbles. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside for 5 minutes. Then pour in the cold water and stir. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. Once done mix in the 1/2 Tsp of oil and knead the dough until it is smooth. 

Sprinkle some flour on the surface where you will lay out the dough. Once it is laid out, knead the dough down until it is about 5 millimeters (less than a quarter of an inch) thick - I made mine thicker (the thicker you make them the less you make). Cut out circles (I used a cup for this step) until the dough is all used up. 

Finishing Instructions:

Place the meat and veggie filling in the middle of the pierogi dough. Fold the dough over and close up the dough with your fingers - make sure to press the edges together so there is no opening. 

Heat oil in the pan to medium - high heat. Place the pierogis in the pan to fry. Fry until each side is a golden brown. Once done, place them on a plate with a paper towel to drain. 

Potato-Rutabaga Mash

Serves: 5-6

1 Rutabaga, peeled and cubed

4 Small Potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 Cups Broth, your choice

1 Tsp Salt

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

2 Tsp Sugar

4 Tbsp Butter

2 Tsp Pepper

Cook the rutabaga in a saucepan with water (enough to almost cover the rutabaga). Bring to a boil. Slightly lower the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Drain once done.

Mix all of the ingredients, including the rutabaga, in a large saucepan or pot. Bring to a boil, lower and cook until vegetables are soft. Drain some of the juice. You can then mash it in a bowl or blend it slightly (keep it a little chunky) in a blender. 

Finished Meal:

Rhubarb Sorbet

Serves: 5-6

3-4 Rhubarb, peeled and chopped small

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

Berries for toppings, optional

Pour all of the ingredients (except for optional berries) in a pot. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and put away to cool (I prefer to put it in the frig). Once it has cooled completely mash with a mixer or in a blender. You can then put it in a ice cream maker until it gets to the right consistency or pour it into a container and freezer for at least an hour.

Pakistan: Chicken Biryani, Raita, & Gulab Jamun

Last night I made food from Pakistan. I knew I was going to like it because I love Middle Eastern food. The flavors are so good. I got these recipes from my good friend Shahana, who is Pakistani... so these are legitimately, awesome recipes! One of my favorite meals so far!

Chicken Biryani

Serves: 6 to 8

6 1/2 Tbsp Oil

4 Potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 Onions, finely chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 Tbsp Ginger Root, minced

1/2 Tsp Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

1/2 Tsp Tumeric

1 Tsp Cumin

2 Tsp Salt

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz

2 Tomatoes, chopped

2 Tbsp Yogurt, plain

2 Tbsp Fresh Mint Leaves, chopped

1/2 Tsp Cardamom, ground

2 Pieces Cinnamon Stick

2-3 Lb Chicken Breast, skinless & chopped into chunks

1 Pinch Saffron

- My FAV: Spicely Organic Saffron *Can be hard to find in stores

5 Cardamom Pods

3 Whole Cloves

1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Lb Basmati Rice

4 Cups Chicken Stock

In a large pan, use 2 tbsp of the oil and fry the potatoes until they are slightly browned. Drain and remove the potatoes from the pan to set aside. Add remaining oil to the pan and brown the onion, garlic and ginger until the onion is soft. Add the chili, pepper, cumin, tumeric, salt (1 tsp) and tomatoes. Stir for 5 minutes. Add in the yogurt, mint, cardamon (ground) and cinnamon stick (1). Cover and cook over low heat until the tomatoes are cooked down slightly (5-10 minutes). If mixture becomes too dry add some water. 

Then add the chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat until chicken is tender (40-45 minutes). Meanwhile, wash the rice and drain for 30+ minutes. In a large bowl, mix the rice with saffron, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick (1), and ginger (ground). 

In a large pot, heat the chicken stock with the remaining salt (1 Tsp). When it is hot, pour in the rice mixture, as well as the potatoes and chicken mixture. Mix well. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low heat for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm! Enjoy!

Raita

Serves: 5

1 Cup Yogurt, plain

1 Cup Cucumber, seeded and chopped small

1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

2 Tsp Green Onions, chopped

1/4 Tsp Coriander, ground

1/4 Tsp Cumin, ground

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate. Serve chilled. 

Gulab Jamun (Dessert)

Yields 16-20 

Dough Mixture:

1 Cup Dry Milk Powder

3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour

2 Tbsp Butter, melted

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Cup Warm Milk

1 Pinch Cardamom, ground

Optional: 

1 Tbsp Almonds, chopped

1 Tbsp Raisins, chopped

1 Tbsp Pistachio, chopped

Syrup:

1 1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

1 Tsp Rose Water - food grade

- My FAV: Heritage Products Rosewater, Rose Petals, 8-Ounces (Pack of 3)
*I use this rose water for cooking and skin care - it is food grade

1 Pinch Cardamom, ground

Oil, for Frying

**A Note before starting: If you don't have ground cardamom (like me) you can ground it with a mortar and pestle:

Mix the dough ingredients together. First the dry ingredients and then add in the liquid (butter & milk). Mix well, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes. 

In a medium size pan, stir the sugar, water, rose water and cardamom together. Bring to a boil for 1 minute and then set aside. 

Once dough has rested. Knead and make into 16-20 small balls. Fill a large pot with oil for frying. Make sure there is AT LEAST 1 1/2 - 2 inches of oil in the pot. Heat the oil over medium heat for 5 minutes before cooking the balls. Only cook a few at a time. Place the balls in the oil and cook. Once they float to the top, cook for a few more minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove and place them on a paper towel on a plate to allow them to drain and cool slightly. 

Reheat the pan with the syrup over medium heat. Place the balls in the syrup and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure to rotate them. Then remove and drain. Serve warm or cool. Yummy!!

Singapore: Chicken & Rice w/ Chili Sauce, & Pulut Hitam (Black Rice Porridge Dessert)

Chicken & Rice w/ Chili Sauce

Serves: 4-5

Chicken & Rice:

1-2 lb Chicken
1 Tbsp Ginger, shredded
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
3-4 Cloves
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
Salt, to taste
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
2 Cups Rice (not shown in picture)
4 Cups Chicken Stock (not shown in picture)
Lettuce

Boil chicken in water and salt until fully cooked (20 to 30 minutes). Remove from water and shred the chicken with two forks.

Fry ginger and garlic with oil until it is golden. Cook rice on stovetop or in a rice cooker. Mix in the ginger, garlic, chicken stock, cinnamon and cloves. When finished remove cloves from rice. Serve with lettuce.

Chili Sauce:

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
- TRY: Thai Kitchen Fish Sauce -- 7 fl oz
1 Tbsp Sugar (not shown in picture)
1-2 Red Chilis, minced (I couldn't find red so I used yellow)
1 Tsp Ginger, minced
1 Lime, juice
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
1/2 Tsp Vinegar (not shown in picture)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend roughly.

Garnish:

1 Tbsp Coriander
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Cucumber, peeled & sliced
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil (can use more for taste)
- My FAV: Eden Foods Selected Toasted Sesame Oil -- 5 fl oz
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (can use more for taste)
- My FAV: Eden Foods Organic Tamari Soy Sauce -- 10 fl oz
1 Pineapple, chopped

Prepare all ingredients as listed. Serve with chicken & Rice. Top the chicken and rice with sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, and coriander.

Pulut Hitam (Black Rice Porridge)

Serves: 4-5

2 Cups Black Rice
- TRY: Lotus Foods Organic Forbidden Rice, 15-Ounce (Pack of 6)
4 Cups Water
2 Cups Thick Coconut Milk (I used the can version)
Salt, to taste
- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
2 Tbsp Sugar

Cook rice in the water on the stove top or in a rice cooker. Once finished stir in coconut milk, sugar and salt. Serve warm. So Yummy!