Welcome

Dong pou rou is a traditional dish served during festive season. It requires a lengthy braising process, making it a
once-a-year item on our reunion dinner menu. However, with new technologies, we can now cut down cooking time
by almost 50% to 70% by using pressure cookers, definitely a plus for working women like us. This year, due to the pandemic, travel was restricted and we will not be having our usual reunion. I have scaled down the feast that I used to prepare, including this dish, which is a favourite among my family members. I guess all of us will be going virtual. It’s a bittersweet feeling, thankful that my family members are safe but sad that we cannot meet in person. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

4 cubes of pork belly,
2 by 2 inches, tied neatly
2 spring onions, tied
2-inch slice of ginger

1 cup light soya sauce
1 cup Chinese white rice wine
(bai mi wine)
1 cup Shaoxing wine

1 tablespoon dark soya sauce
½ cup brown sugar/rock sugar
1-2 tablespoons corn flour for
slurry water

Blanch meat cubes in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Place meat, spring onions, and ginger into Instant Pot.
Pour sauces/seasoning into pot, and add water until the meat is covered.
Pressure-cook meat under “meat mode” for 30 to 45 minutes, and use manual pressure release once done.
Then use bake mode to reduce the sauce by 50% to 70% (takes about ½ hour).
Strain the sauce into a saucepan and add slurry to thicken the “gravy.” Pour over the meat.
Ready to serve!

Tomato and Egg Noodle Soup

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes

Cooking from home is the new normal, and many of us have opted for home cooking, but unfortunately not everyone can master it. I have seen some of our colleagues struggling to cook at home, hence I want to share one of my favorite
easy-to-cook meals. It is super simple, nutritious, and all you need is 15 minutes!

1 Tbsp sesame oil or
vegetable/olive oil
1 egg
1 spring onion, white and
green separated

1 tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp ketchup or tomato puree
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 cup water or chicken stock

1 bunch of noodles (ramen,
egg noodles, or any pasta)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Salt to taste

Heat the sesame oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Crack the egg into a small bowl, beat with a fork, and add to the pot.
Fry and scramble until it‘s golden and remove from the pot.
Chop the white part of the spring onion into small pieces, and add to the pot. Fry until they're golden.
Add the chopped tomato, ketchup, and light soy sauce to the pot. Fry until the tomato is softened.
Pour in 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the egg and noodles to the pot, and cook until the noodles are done. (Follow package instructions for any types of noodles that you have.)
Remove from the heat. Sample the broth and add ground white pepper and salt to taste. Chop up the green parts of the spring onion, and sprinkle on top of the noodles.

Chicken and Cashew Nut

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cook time : 20 minutes

I visited Thailand a few years ago, where I tasted the best meal in my life. I wanted to learn how to make it,
so I enrolled in a cooking class back home in Croatia with my friends and it was extremely fun! Our teacher
Sarahlee moved to Croatia all the way from Thailand to spread the love for amazing Thai food and spices.
Try this delicious meal and enjoy.

½ cup vegetable oil
20g. cashew nuts
1 clove garlic, chopped
170g. chicken fillet, cut in pieces

40g. mix-colour peppers,
cut in cubes
30g. onion, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chilli paste
Pinch of salt
3-4 tablespoons water or stock
1 green onion, cut into
1-inch pieces

Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a wok. Add the cashews and fry.
They will be done quickly. Remove to a bowl.
Heat the rest of the vegetable oil in the wok. Add garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
Add the chicken, mixed peppers, and onion and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through. Mix them well.
Add all seasonings and water or stock.
Add the spring onion and cashew nut. Mix them very quickly. Remove from the heat and serve with steamed rice.

Indonesian Beef Stew: Rendang

Preparation time : 30 mins
Cook time : 4 hours

My parents immigrated to the US in 1960, settling in Houston, Texas, which is where I spent my childhood.
Growing up in Texas, we were the only Southeast Asian family in the neighbourhood and definitely the only one
where the mom cooked with a wok and used many exotic ingredients that had distinct aromas. At the time,
I struggled with being different and did not understand why all my friends had meat and potato dinners and
we always had rice each night. It wasn’t until I went away to college that I realized how much I missed the
scents and the different ingredients my mom cooked with. I am much older and wiser now and cherish what
made me different back then. I also realize now how hard it must have been to find these ingredients back then.
Luckily most of these are easy to find now at most markets. I recommend you use fresh where you can. I am very
proud to share this family recipe with you. It reminds me of home and my family, warming my heart with each bite.

1 kilo beef stew meat
1 stalk lemongrass
2 kefir lime leaves
½ tablespoon tamarind
250 grams grated coconut
Beef stock, if needed

1 liter coconut milk
1 star anise
6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
3 cm ginger
3 cm turmeric root

2 cm galangal
5 lomboks (red chili peppers)
1 clove
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground coriander

Indonesian Beef Stew: Rendang _^(Continued)

Make the spice paste: Slowly warm the star anise in a layer of coconut milk in a small saucepan for about
10 minutes. Make sure the star anise is covered, and do not let the milk burn!
Peel the shallots, garlic, ginger, and turmeric root. Cut the shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, galangal, and
lomboks into pieces.
Remove the star anise from the coconut milk. Discard the anise.
Grind the shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, galangal, lomboks, clove, cumin, coriander, and
the warm, anise-scented coconut milk in a food processor.
Braise the beef in a large, hot pan, making sure you get a nice brown layer around the pieces of meat.
Remove the meat to a bowl and then add the spice mixture to the pan and fry.
You may need to add a little oil to the pan.
Bruise the lemongrass by smashing it, tie a knot in it, and cut the ends off. Add the lemongrass and
lime leaves to the mixture. As soon as the scents are released, add the remaining coconut milk.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the coconut milk has thickened.
Add the beef and its juices into the goodness of the pan. Simmer on low for about 3 to 4 hours,
until the meat is tender. Add beef stock when needed.
Serve with jasmine rice and cucumber slices. Enjoy, Selamat Makan!

Preparation time : 30 mins
Cook time : 4 hours

Rice with Chorizo

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 18 minutes

Rice with Chorizo is an ancient recipe within my father’s family that has passed from generation to generation for ages. Every time I cook it, the smell in the kitchen takes me back to my grandma´s place. I cook it with my daughters so they learn too. In reality we do it intuitively, but I had to find the measurements for friends who could not live without it once they tried it at my home.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and
chopped
3 onions, finely chopped
300g chorizo (I use sweet chorizo)

1.5 cider glasses short-grain rice (if you want, use another kind of glass for measurement, but it must be the same as for the
water measurement)

1.5 cider glasses water
3 dessert tablespoons Bovril
(a concentrated beef extract)
Salt

In a pressure cooker, add the oil, garlic, and onion, and cook slowly until it turns nearly brown. Then add the
chopped chorizo (really small), and when it´s done, add the rice. Stir until the rice is the color of the chorizo.
Then heat the water and add the Bovril. Stir and add to the rice, together with a little salt, and close the pot.
Each kitchen has a different heating system. In my vitro I place it at 2 and cook for 20 minutes, but it depends
on the rice, water type, and fire, so you have to keep trying until you find the right time and temperature.
Halfway through I shuffle the cooker, so the rice does not stick at the bottom.
When you open the lid, a bit might have gotten stuck. If it´s not much and it´s not burned, mix it with the rest.
It gives a crunchy taste that I love.
Remove to a serving bowl and put a cloth on top for 5 minutes.
You can top with a fried egg if you wish.
Ready to eat.

Banitsa

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 20 minutes

Banitsa is a traditional Bulgarian savoury pastry that is enjoyed by families during the whole year. The beauty of
this dish is that every family has its own variation, and they all swear they have “the best” recipe. The recipe I am
sharing is my personal variation that I have come to create after trying many different ones. It’s simple and very easy
to make. I have served this dish to all my friends from around the world, and there hasn’t been a person that didn’t like it.
I hope you will like it too! Enjoy!

5 whole eggs
250g Greek feta
(or Bulgarian cheese
if you can find it)

150 ml or ½ cup of sunflower oil
1 pack of filo pastry (approx.
12 sheets), preferably the
Greek variety

Put the eggs into a large bowl and whisk them with a fork for about 2 minutes. Crumble the feta cheese onto a
plate and add to the eggs. Add the sunflower oil to the mix and stir with a fork until everything is nicely mixed.
Put some oil on the bottom of a baking plate and spread with your hand across the bottom and sides.
You can also use a baking sheet to cover an oven tray. Open the filo pastry.
Spread a large spoonful of the egg mixture evenly across one sheet of the filo pastry.
Be careful not to add too much! It’s ok to leave some area uncovered. Then roll the whole preparation up like a
long sausage. Roll lengthwise to get the roll as long as possible.
Coil the roll up tightly. Then repeat with the remaining filo and egg mixture, extending the coil outward,
like a snail shell, until you have filled the tray. Brush, or sprinkle and spread with your hand, the top of the
banitsa with sunflower oil.
Bake at 400F/200C for about 25 minutes until golden. It tastes best when warm, but you can eat it cold as well. Enjoy!

Draniki (Potato Pancakes)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes

Draniki (potato pancakes) are a traditional dish of Belarusian cuisine. They are very easy to make and taste delicious. Draniki hold a special place in my heart (and stomach)!

Pancakes (4-6 portions):
Potatoes 1 kg
Egg 1
Salt to taste

Pepper to taste
Onion (optional) ½ - 1
All-purpose flour 3 tbsp
(405 in Germany)

Vegetable oil for frying
To serve: Crème fraiche
(or sour cream)

Peel, wash, and grate the potatoes into a bowl. You can choose the size of the grate.
The original recipe uses coarse grate; I usually use a blender or a food processor to save time.
Add the egg, salt, and pepper to the grated potatoes. (optional) If you like, you can also add ½ to 1 onion
for extra taste. Dice the onion and add to the grated potato mixture.
Add the flour and mix well. The consistency should be like American pancake batter; if it is too liquid, add more flour.
Preheat a bit of oil over medium heat in a nonstick pan.
Pour some of the potato mixture into the hot pan. Personally, I prefer small pancakes, so I usually pour approx.
half of a ladle (around ½ cup) per pancake. Tip: Keep adding oil once there is none left in the pan
(about every other new batch of pancakes).
Cook pancakes until golden on both sides. Remove them from the pan and put onto paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Serve the potato pancakes with crème fraiche or sour cream.
Enjoy a taste of Belarus wherever you are.

Homemade Chicken Floss

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 1 hour 10 minutes

The lunar new year is just around the corner, and it is the tradition that Chinese who are celebrating the festive season either buy or make homemade cookies, fried bean curd skin, chicken floss, dried meat, etc. I stumbled onto this new recipe for making chicken floss using a pressure cooker and thought it would be nice to have homemade chicken floss for the first time. Hence, I took on the challenge of making it. Success or not? Read on…

Boneless chicken breast –
400-500 grams
4 thin slices of ginger
4 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
5 tbsp water
Dash of ground white pepper

Add all the ingredients into the pressure cooker and set the time to 25 minutes.
Wait until the safety vent pin drops and open the lid.
Use the sauté mode to start cooking the chicken breasts until the sauce dries up. Use a spatula to mash the chicken.
It is important to mash all the chicken and start to stir to give it a flossy texture.
Keep stirring to avoid burning at the bottom. This is almost dry.
Continue to stir as if you are exercising your biceps and triceps. It took me about 40 minutes to get this flossy texture.
Let the chicken floss cool for 5 minutes before putting it into a container.
Serve with bread and butter for breakfast, with a cup of coffee to kick-start the morning.

Almejas a la Marinera
(Spanish-Style Clams)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes

This is a "traditional" recipe in my family after a trip to Galicia 10 years ago when it was "discovered."
Now, it is a must at any family celebration and obviously always together with a good white wine.

1 kg clams, if possible from Galicia, Spanish northwest region.
Make sure they are all closed, and throw out any open ones.
Bay leaf
Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, small dice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 fresh spicy pepper, cut into thin rings (optional—level of spicy is up to you)
Fresh parsley, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon of breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons of sweet Spanish paprika
1 cup (about 200 ml) of dry white wine.
If possible, I’d recommend using the wine colloquially known as "albariño,"
from the Rias Baixas Designation of Origin.
Salt

Almejas a la Marinera
(Spanish-Style Clams) ^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes

Place the clams in a big bowl of salted water for a few hours (or even overnight) in the refrigerator.
This will ideally remove any sand that was inside of the clams.
Add ½ cup of water and the bay leaf to a large heavy pot, and put over a medium high heat.
Add about 6 to 8 clams at a time, cooking just until they open—remember, if one stays shut, it's dead! With this technique, no clam overcooks, and no dead clam ruins the flavor.
Save the water when finished and reserve the parboiled clams in a bowl.
In another pot, add about four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the cut-up onion, garlic, pepper, and parsley.
Cook over medium high until the onions are translucent.
Add the breadcrumbs and paprika and sauté.
Add the white wine and allow it to reduce.
Add back the liquid from cooking the clams and cook for about 5 minutes. Taste for salt, add salt if necessary.
Add back the clams and cover for no more than 5 minutes on low.
Sprinkle with more fresh parsley!
Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Har Lok
(Dry Fried Prawns)

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 5 minutes

In preparation for the upcoming Chinese New Year during MCO 2.0, I would like to share this well-known Cantonese recipe, which brings significant memories of family reunions and gatherings. Also, may this dish remind us to “siu har har” (means laughing in Cantonese), and to be healthy and strong, and let’s celebrate this joyful festival remotely with family members, relatives, and friends.

450 grams (1 lb.) prawns,
preferably medium/large size
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1-2 scallions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Remove heads from prawns, devein but leave the body and tail shells intact, and cut away the feet (feelers).
Wash and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
Heat oil over medium-high in a frying pan/wok. Sauté prawns until the shells look orange-ish, about 30 seconds. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate.
In the same frying pan, fry garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sauce and bring to a boil.
Return prawns and half of the scallions to the boiling sauce, and toss to coat.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving platter. Serve the prawns immediately,
garnished with remaining scallions.

Homemade Limoncello

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes

A good friend of mine was making his own limoncello, and when I told him that limoncello gives me a headache, he said, “That's due to the high level of sugar. Try mine...” And yes, he passed me his recipe that does not give me a headache, unless I drink really too much.

Lemon extraction process

10 lemons
1 litre alcohol 96%

Limoncello process

1.7 litres water
750 gr white crystal sugar

Lemon extraction process
Remove the peel from the 10 lemons in very thin strips. Use only the yellow peel, and avoid adding the white pith.
Divide 1 litre of pure consumable alcohol, 96%, among different jars, and distribute the lemon peels equally
among them.
Keep for 1 month at room temperature.
Limoncello process
Warm up the water, but do not boil, and add the sugar.
Wait until the sugar has been absorbed and becomes a syrup.
Add the lemon extraction, without the peels, to the syrup and mix until everything becomes homogeneous.
Keep in the freezer for a week before serving.
Serve cool, best in frozen glasses.

American Style Blueberry Pancakes

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 20 minutes

I learnt this super easy brunch recipe during the first lockdown nearly a year ago, they always spark joy when I make them for my friends and family. They are very filling and an ideal meal to get you through the day.

200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
300ml milk
Knob butter
150g pack blueberry

150g pack of strawberries
A little butter for cooking
Golden or maple syrup
Fresh cream for topping
Desiccated coconut

Note: Depending on how hungry you are, you can also add some streaky bacon
Note: This recipe serves 2-3 people, double if your family are hungry or to bulk make for the next day!!!!

Mix together 200g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
Beat 1 egg with 300ml milk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and whisk in the milk to make a thick smooth batter.
Beat in a knob of melted butter, and gently stir in half of the 150g pack of blueberries.
Heat a teaspoon of sunflower oil or small knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan.
Drop a large tablespoonful of the batter per pancake into the pan to make pancakes about 7.5cm across. Make three or four pancakes at a time. Or if you have a small pan for frying a single egg, that’s perfect for small fluffy pancakes.
Cook for about 3 minutes over a medium heat until small bubbles appear on the surface of each pancake, then turn and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until golden.
Serve with golden or maple syrup and the rest of the blueberries, strawberries, a dollop of fresh cream ,and some desiccated coconut. Its all about the toppings with these pancakes!

Egg Fried Rice

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes

The egg fried rice is almost the first dish I was able to cook. When I was a small child, my busy working parents often cooked it, so I learnt it by just unknowingly observing every time they made it. With a bowl of the leftover rice, some eggs, and any vegetable at hand, you can enjoy a hot nutritious balanced meal within a few minutes. I like this dish for its simplicity and its generous attitude towards its ingredients, which always reminds me of the wisdom of life.

1 bowl, cooked and chilled rice. Any kind of white or brown rice will do.
Just be sure that it is cooked and thoroughly cooled down in a sealed container in the refrigerator before using for this dish.
Vegetables: 1 small carrot, half green onion, 3 fresh shiitake mushrooms,
a handful of peas (or any vegetables at hand)

1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
A pinch of salt and pepper

Scramble your egg: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cooking pan (or wok) on medium/high heat. Beat the egg in a bowl with a few drop of water and a pinch of salt. Pour the egg mixture into the heated pan, cooking and breaking it into small pieces as you go. Then transfer the egg to a separate plate, and set aside.
Sauté your vegetables: Cut all the vegetables into small dices. Return the pan to the medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and sauté all the vegetables until soft and cooked through.
Stir fry rice: Add the chilled rice into the pan, then stir to combine with the vegetables and continue sautéing the rice, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds or so for 3 minutes, or until you notice the rice and veggies starting to brown slightly. Add the egg onto the rice mixture, stirring fry for another 2 minutes.
Taste and season. Give the rice a taste, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve and enjoy! Remove the pan from the heat. Then dish it up and serve nice and warm!

Easy Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies

Preparation time : 5 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes

Easy Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies is for all the fitness freaks out there! These extra fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies just might be the perfect dessert. Filled with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, these brownies boast crispy, chewy edges, and a super fudgy chocolate centre. Here are my easy peasy, super fudgy, downright irresistible, double chocolate, gluten-free BROWNIES! Outrageously gooey, spectacularly sweet, and a cinch to make.

1 cup of chocolate chips (semisweet, or milk) as per taste
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of unsweetened
cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 cookie sheets or baking trays with parchment paper (baking paper).
In a medium-sized bowl, melt the chocolate chips.
Beat in eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
Add the cocoa powder, the baking powder, and salt; stir the dry ingredients first before mixing them through the wet ingredients until a dough forms (do not over beat).
Scoop out 1 to 2 tablespoonful of dough with a cookie scoop (or small ice cream scoop), and place onto prepared baking sheets. Press them down as thick or thin as you want your cookies to come out.
Bake in hot preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will come out soft from the oven but will harden up as they cool. (Be careful not to overbake as they will dry out.)
Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Israeli Chicken Sofrito

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cook time : 2 hours 30 minutes

The term sofrito comes from the Spanish sofreir meaning “to fry lightly.” However, chicken sofrito is a widely available dish in many households in Israel. It is similar to a popular Sephardic cuisine stew made from meat or poultry that is braised and cooked over low heat until only a small amount of liquid remains. Here is my simple and tasty recipe. It requires a bit of time and a bit of precision to reach the desired result. The slow cooking process and reserving the fat from the chicken to create a sauce results in very tender and delicious meat. It is all about soft and unctuous flavors living together under the same roof.

Olive oil
4 bone-in chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
3 small potatoes, diced
1 medium yam, diced
Salt to taste
1 large white onion, diced
1 small fennel bulb, diced
2 stalks celery, diced

6 scallions, sliced
1 head of garlic, diced
1 green hot chili pepper, diced
1 tbsp baharat seasoning
A handful of diced parsley
A handful of diced celery leaves (reserved from the stalks)
A handful of fennel leaves
(not critical)

1 lemon, sliced, for serving
3 carrots
1 onion
4 stalks celery
To make stock, fry vegetables in hot oil until golden, add water to cover, and cook for 3-4 hours.

Israeli Chicken Sofrito ^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cook time : 2 hours 30 minutes

In a large, oven-safe pot, heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
Place the chicken into the pan, and cook undisturbed for about 7-8 minutes, until the skin is dark golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Put the chicken aside on a plate and cover with tinfoil.
Line a pan with baking paper. Toss the potatoes and yam in olive oil with a bit of salt, and place in the pan.
Preheat oven to 220 degrees C and roast the potatoes and yams for about 30 minutes, until they develop a golden and crisp exterior.
In the reserved chicken fat left in the pot, saute the onion until deeply golden, then add the fennel, celery, scallions (white parts only, reserving the greens), garlic, and chili pepper and cook until slightly brown.
Add the chicken pieces, potatoes and yams, baharat, and a cup of vegetable stock to cover half of the
overall cooking mass.
Stir everything together and cook over low heat for 7-10 minutes.
Add salt to taste (slightly less than you think is needed).
Place in a preheated oven at 140c and cook for 2 hours, or until the chicken is extremely tender and moist.
When ready, check the seasoning, then stir in the parsley, reserved scallion greens, and celery and fennel leaves.
The potatoes and yams should be extremely soft and combined together. The vegetables should be well cooked,
so that they can break down and thoroughly soak up the chicken's fats and juices.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and enjoy!

Greek Navy Bean Soup with Sausages

Preparation time : 12 Hours
Cook time : 2 hours

A delicious wintery soup… perfect to warm up a cold day!

1/2 kilo medium-size navy beans
Salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 onion, chopped

6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 country pork sausage, sliced into rounds
1/2 stalk celery, sliced

3 carrots, sliced
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 sprigs rosemary
2-3 bay leaves

Soak the beans in a generous amount of water along with 2 pinches of salt, for 8-12 hours.
Drain. Fill a pot with cold water, and add the beans. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.
Drain again and set aside.
Sauté the tomato paste in a pan over high heat for a few minutes.
Transfer tomato paste to a small bowl and set aside.
Wipe the pan down with some paper towels and place back over the heat. Sauté the onion and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until golden. When ready, remove and set aside.
Add a small amount of olive oil to the pan. Add the sausage, celery, and carrot. Sauté until the sausage is golden and the vegetables soften a little. Set the sausage aside.
Fill a pot with 2 litres of water. Add the beans, bouillon cube, aromatics, tomato paste, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cover the pot halfway and simmer for about 1 hour over low heat, without stirring, until the beans are tender.
Check the soup from time to time and add more water if necessary. If you do need to add more water, make sure it is boiling water, so that you don’t interrupt the cooking process.
Add salt to taste when the soup is almost done.
Add the sausage and some olive oil and serve.

Brazilian Cheese Bread

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 25 minutes

Pão de queijo is part of Brazilian cuisine, created in Minas Gerais in the mid-1750s by farm cooks. My memories with this delicacy lead back to my childhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil, when my grandparents used to buy cheese bread to have coffee together. In Sao Paulo city you will find cheese bread daily in the bakery, or you can bake it yourself. It is part of our culture to invite guests to drink coffee and eat homemade cheese bread. Since I moved to Holland I learned how to make it, and the result its always amazing, which brings me back to all the good memories from my family and country. Hope you try to bake this delicious pão de queijo and enjoy it!

100ml milk
100ml vegetable oil
100ml water
1 full tablespoon salt
500 grams polvilho azedo or tapioca flour
2 large eggs (eggs at room temperature)
400g grated cheese, your preference of cheese (in Brazil we use mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C)
Serving: 35 - 40 pieces
Freeze well in air-tight bags and rewarm in the oven

*gluten free

Brazilian Cheese Bread_^(Continued)

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 25 minutes

Boil the milk and oil: Place the milk, oil, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over
medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat as soon as you see big bubbles coming through the milk.
Add the tapioca flour: Add all the tapioca flour and stir with a wooden spoon until you see no more dry tapioca flour. The dough will be grainy and gelatinous at this point.
Add the eggs: Stir the eggs into the dough and mix until fully incorporated.
Cool the dough: Now it’s time to finish the dough by hand.
Be prepared for a workout! Do it for a few minutes, the more you work on the dough the better it will be.
There may be an oily slick that is not fully incorporated.
Cheese time: Finish by adding the cheese to the dough (final touch) and mix until well combined.
Portion the puffs: Then, make the small balls in the palm of your hand, placing them on a rectangular baking sheet.
Bake the puffs: Place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the puffs have puffed, the outsides are dry,
and they are just starting to turn golden-brown on the bottoms, 10 to 15 minutes more.
(The tops will not brown much.) Cool for a few minutes and eat warm with coffee if you like.

Our Tiramisu

Preparation time : 8 hours
Cook time : 40 minutes

This is the cake that me and my then-girlfriend, who is now my wife, made together during our first
Christmas celebration together, in 2020. Our Tiramisu is our first time making a cake together.
It has a 100% success rate even for a first timer or beginner.

4 eggs, separated
120 g sugar
500 g mascarpone cheese
Pinch of salt
300 ml strong warm coffee

10 ml rum (contains alcohol, not suitable for kids, Muslims, or those allergic to alcohol)
400 g ladyfingers
Bitter cocoa for dusting

Beat egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until they appear pale and thick.
Add mascarpone cheese and mix gently until very stiff.
Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks form,
then gently fold them into the mascarpone mixture.
Prepare the coffee, pour it into a shallow dish, and let it cool down. Optionally mix the rum with the coffee.
Dip the ladyfingers quickly into the coffee, one at a time, and arrange them side by side in a serving dish.
Cover the ladyfingers with the mascarpone mixture. Use all the ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture to
form more layers.
Top with a layer of mascarpone mixture. Dust the top with cocoa. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving,
but preferably 8 hours or overnight.

Roasted Turbot with Potatoes

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cook time : 60 minutes

When you want to surprise your friends for an exclusive dinner at your home

Olive oil
2 potatoes
2 onions
Salt

Pepper
1 turbot (about 1 kilo)
125 ml of white wine
Colored pepper
Parsley

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Peel the potatoes and cut into sheets of 2 to 3 mm.
Peel the onions and cut into thin slices as well. Grease an ovenproof dish with olive oil, and top with a layer of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add a trickle of oil.
Place a layer of onion on top, season again and add another splash of oil.
Add the fish on top of the layer of onion. Cook for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes of cooking, open the oven and add ½ a glass of white wine of top of the fish.
Cook an additional 20 minutes in the central part of the oven.
Serve immediately.
Tricks and tips:
→ This dish cannot be made well in advance, because the potatoes become soggy and the fish overdoes it.
→ Make sure that the fish is fresh, to guarantee good taste and quality.
→ Use a good white wine, remember that it will flavor the dish.
Chefs always say that you should cook with a wine from which you can have a drink. In this case, a Galician white, Albariño type, is great.

Salmon Tartare

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes

My favourite kitchen memories are when my better half — in his passion as being a fine dining home cook — is trying out new dishes and inviting me to the kitchen to help him prep, taste, and take a picture of the final dish while we listen to music, have a drink, and enjoy our time at home. Food has the power of being able to create these kinds of memories that hit all your senses – sight, taste, smell, touch, sound. I hope you enjoy your experience in cooking the Salmon Tartare at home and create a new memory for yourself and your loved ones.

Squid Ink Tuiles

30 grams plain flour
60 grams sunflower oil (or any vegetable oil)
200 grams water
10 grams squid ink (you can get this at any fishmonger)

Basil and Chili Oil

250 grams fresh basil (including stems)
475 grams canola oil (or any neutral vegetable oil; do not use strong-flavored oils like olive, peanut, etc.)
2 green chilis (if you want it less spicy, discard the seeds)

Avocado Puree

1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Salmon Tartare ^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes

Toasted Pistachios

20 grams green shelled pistachios (if they still have their skins, it is fine)

Ready-made ingredients needed (for 2 starter servings)

Sashimi-grade salmon (250 grams), chopped into about 0.5-cm cubes (keep refrigerated right until ready to plate)
1 shallot (very finely chopped)
Olive oil
Good-quality fleur de sel
Good-quality black caviar
Edible flowers (for presentation)
Shichimi Togarashi spice powder (ONLY if you want a spicy kick)
Equipment: 2 concentric ring biscuit cutters

Squid Ink Tuiles

Mix all the ingredients REALLY well until you have a very thin batter.
Get a large nonstick pan to medium-high heat (level 8 on a 12-level scale).
Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the center of the pan and wait 15 seconds.
Now add about 2 tablespoons of the batter to the center of the pan and watch it sizzle
(be careful, hot oil and water means splatter!).
The splatter creates the netlike effect to the tuile. Wait for the bubbling to almost stop, then, using a very thin spatula, lift the tuile out the pan and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining batter.
The tuiles can be made a day in advance and stored carefully in an airtight container.

Salmon Tartare^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes

Basil and Chili Oil

In boiling water, blanch the basil for 30 seconds.
Immediately shock in ice water for about 1 minute (this makes the bright green color).
Squeeze excess water from basil and put it into a blender.
Add oil and green chili and puree until it is absolutely fine
(do not blend for too long, or the basil will heat up and turn brown).
At this point you have two choices:
→ Serve it like this if you think you like the LOOK of your puree (I have a great blender, so I use this method at home).
→ Run the puree through a very fine sieve or a muslin cloth to get a clear, bright liquid. (I use this method in a fine dining event) – takes about 20 minutes.
This is best made on the day of service.

Avocado Puree

Peel and pit the avocado, chop roughly, and add to a blender.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend until you have a smooth puree.
Store in the fridge until ready to plate.
This is best made on the day of serving.

Salmon Tartare ^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes

Toasted Pistachios

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Place pistachios on a baking tray and bake for about 8 minutes
(they become very fragrant when ready).
If they have skins on, just rub them between a towel when they are warm and the skins will slide off.
Store them in an airtight container when they cool.
This can be made a day in advance.

The first step is to mix the cold salmon, chopped shallots, and about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and keep ready.
On a clean white plate, place two concentric ring cutters. I have used number 13 (large) and number 9 (smaller).
Make sure that you are in the center of the plate and the number 9 ring is perfectly in the center of the
number 13 ring.
In the gap created between the two rings, using a small teaspoon, evenly spread the avocado puree.
For one person you should use no more than 2 teaspoons of puree.
Next add half the salmon evenly above the avocado puree. Use your teaspoon to depress the salmon gently to create a tight circle.
Gently lift the ring cutters. What you are left with is a perfectly round salmon wall.
Using a ladle or a gravy bowl, gently pour the desired amount (about 100 grams) of the basil and chilli oil in the center of the salmon wall.
Now have fun. Garnish the salmon wall gently with a bit of fleur de sel, caviar, edible flowers (if using), pistachio, and
Togarashi (if using).
Place one tuile gently against the salmon wall on the outside and VOILA!

Salmon Tartare ^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes

The salmon should be kept cold at all times.
For the best results, place the plates in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This ensures that the temperature of the ingredients is maintained.
Don’t worry if your tuiles are not perfectly round … there is beauty in the imperfection. The first few are for practice. Taste the first tuile and add a bit of salt to the batter if needed.
Salt, spice, and presentation is a personal choice. Have fun with it and use as much or as little as you like.

Paella

Preparation time : 40 minutes
Cook time : 1 hour 10 minutes

I really enjoy this recipe. I used to cook it for birthdays, because it has many meanings for me: the connection between the sea and land, manifested in the different ingredients, represents the desire for abundance in a new solar cycle,
being grateful to be alive, and the wish to share with family and friends.

400 grams chicken (leg and thigh in small pieces)
400 grams pork chop (in small pieces)
300 grams chistorra (a type of chorizo)
1/2 onion, chopped into small cubes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 kg. rice (Valencia type)
1/4 teaspoon saffron
2 liters chicken stock
250 grams clams
250 grams mussels
500 grams clean medium shrimp without shell
2 crabs, cut into 4 pieces
3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and green)
1/2 cup peas
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Paella _^(Continued)

Preparation time : 40 minutes
Cook time : 1 hour 10 minutes

Season the chicken and pork pieces, and sear one after another in a large pan, such as a paella pan,
followed by the chistorra, removing them from the pan when done.
Cook the onion and garlic in the fat released by the chistorra, add the tomato concasse,*rice, chicken,
pork, and chistorra.
Roast the saffron and add it to the hot chicken stock.
Add the stock over the rice, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Uncover and arrange the clams, mussels, shrimp, and crabs in an aesthetic way, and add the peppers and peas.
Sprinkle with the parsley and cook for 10 minutes more, until the seafood is cooked.
Serve hot.
*Concasse: technique that consists of blanching to easily remove the skin and removing the interior (seeds).

Tortilla de Betanzos

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes

Many years ago, my wife and I invited some friends to dinner. I told these friends that we were doing a tortilla de Betanzos. When they arrived, they asked what the heck we were going to cook. They had no idea what sort of ingredient a "Betanzos" was. The truth is, Betanzos is not an ingredient. It is a small Spanish town where tortilla is prepared in a very special way. If you don't know what a tortilla is, let me tell you: it is almost a religion. At least in Spain. It is probably the most famous dish in the country. People will almost fight over how a tortilla should be made: well cooked or creamy, with or without onion. But back to Betanzos. This little town is one of the very few places that has the honour of having a tortilla recipe named after it, one that is famous across all of Spain. Many restaurants in the big cities will offer you their own version of a tortilla de Betanzos. This type of tortilla is very soft and creamy. You cut into it and the eggs will slowly flow out. Not raw, but hot and lightly cooked, with all the yumminess of fried eggs. I was born in Betanzos, so I have grown accustomed to this tortilla. My grandmother taught me how to do it well. Let's see if I can honour her by passing this recipe to you.

Serves 3 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children
5 medium to large potatoes (approx. 800g), ideally Kennebec or Agria
8 eggs (6 will do, but 8 will make it creamier)
500 ml olive oil, approx., depending on your frying pan
Salt to taste

Peel, wash, and dry the potatoes. Then start slicing slowly. The majority of the slices should be the size of your
thumb top and approximately 2 mm thick. Not too thin, not too coarse. They don't have to be even.
A trick I do is to split a potato in four wedges, and then it's much simpler to keep the sizing sort of even.
Fill your frying pan one third full with olive oil. I use a 24-cm frying pan. Turn the heat to medium high.

Tortilla de Betanzos ^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cook time : 45 minutes

I always turn the heat to 8/10. When little bubbles start appearing in the olive oil, that means it is hot enough.
It is time to add the potatoes. It will take about 20 to 30 minutes to cook.
One thing to bear in mind is that some potato types resist heat better than others. Kennebec and Agria potatoes fry
very well. Other types might get color too soon. It's not necessarily terrible, but your tortilla will look better if you
find a type of potato that tolerates heat.
While the potatoes are cooking, crack the eggs into a mixing bowl. Whisk together with a fork.
When the potatoes are cooked, carefully tip them into the eggs with a slotted spoon. Let the oil drip off before tipping potatoes into the eggs or the mixture will be too oily. Tip: For a good tortilla, you don't want the potatoes to be either too raw or overfried. A good indicator is when the slices start sticking to each other. That usually tells you they are ready. Carefully pour most of the olive oil from the frying pan into some other container and keep it for another use,
if desired. Be careful; it will be very hot. It is very important to leave just a little oil in the frying pan.
This oil will help to keep the tortilla from sticking when you flip it.
Now turn the heat to medium-low. This is key for a soft and creamy tortilla. In my kitchen I turn it to 4/10.
Mix the eggs and potatoes until all potatoes are well covered by some egg, and add salt to taste. In most recipes salt
is added to the potatoes while getting cooked. I prefer adding it when mixing, so if I reuse the oil, it won't be salted.
Here comes the magic. Pour the mixture into the pan. Wait for about 20 or 30 seconds. The longer you wait, the drier
the tortilla will be. That does not have to be bad, but for this particular tortilla you need to wait just the right amount of
time for the eggs to seal on the outside without cooking on the inside.
After those 30 seconds, cover the pan with a dinner plate, hold the plate and flip out the tortilla, then slowly and
carefully, slide it back into the pan. You can use a fork or spoon to help you if needed.
Wait for another 20 or 30 seconds for the other side to cook. Cover with the dinner plate and flip it out to serve.
Congrats! Your tortilla de Betanzos is ready!

Umm Ali (Egyptian Bread Pudding)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes

Umm Ali is an Egyptian classic dessert as old as time. Legend has it that the dessert was named after Sultan Ezz El Din Aybak’s wife, back in the 13th century, as a celebratory dish she shared with the people of her land. With several ways to cook, Umm Ali was our go-to dessert during CSAP in Amsterdam when we craved a little sweet taste of home, Egypt.

1 pack of puff pastry
1 litre of milk
¾ cup white sugar
¾ tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Nuts of your choice (my go-to: almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, sprinkle of coconut)
Raisins or a couple of chopped dates as preferred
1 tbsp whipped cream
Powdered sugar
*Serves 8-10 people*

Roasting the puff pastry: Glaze the puff pastry with some melted butter, spread the pieces on an oven pan, and
grill the pastry in the oven for 5-7 minutes under the grill (both sides) until it’s properly roasted.
Then take it out and let it cool while you prepare the milk. *You can also use roasted plain croissants if you don’t have puff pastry.
Preparing your favourite nuts: Crush the nuts and have them ready.

Umm Ali (Egyptian Bread Pudding) ^_(Continued)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes

Preparing the milk: In a pan, pour 1 litre of milk and start heating it. As it starts warming up,
add the sugar and stir continuously.
As the sugar dissolves, add the butter and vanilla extract and continue stirring.
When the milk starts boiling, stir for a couple more minutes, then turn the heat off.
Layering in an oven pan: The key to the right portion is layering as you wish. In an oven pan, break some of the roasted puff pastry into pieces, add some milk, then another layer of pastry and more milk.
Spread your nuts/dates/raisins on top, add more milk, then add the rest of the puff pastry.
After layering all the pastry and milk, cover the top with whipped cream and sprinkle some powdered sugar over the whipped cream layer.
Roasting the Umm Ali: Preheat the oven for 15 minutes and put the Umm Ali in the oven under the grill only at 180 degrees C (no fan heater, only grill) for about 10 minutes, until the top part roasts. Enjoy it while it’s hot!
As flexible as it is with the layering and ingredients, fixing the oven temperature during the final roasting and ensuring that the grill only is on is key.
Applying the milk mixture while boiling to the cooled puff pastry helps the pastry soak up the milk better.

Pabellón Criollo

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 2 hours

My parents emigrated from Galicia, Spain, to Venezuela in the late 1960s. I was born and raised in Caracas.
As a child I lived with a mixture of cultures. At home we spoke only Galician (it is closer to Portuguese than Spanish).
We loved going to the beach and the relaxed vibe of the Caribbean. Pabellón Criollo is a dish that my family used to
cook every Saturday when I was little. It is a typical Venezuelan dish that is said to represent the union of three great cultures in the country: Native (meat), European (rice), and African (beans). For me, cooking this dish means going back home and being closer to them.

4 thick-cut bacon slices
(about 7 oz.), chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 ½ cups chopped yellow onions (about 2 medium onions), divided
2 cups chopped red bell peppers
(about 2 medium bell peppers), divided
1½ pounds skirt steak, cut against the grain into 2-in.-thick strips

7 cups lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1¾ teaspoons ground
cumin, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces dried black beans (about 1 3/4 cups)
1½ teaspoons achiote paste, divided

2 tablespoons grated panela (unrefined whole cane sugar) or dark brown sugar
½ cup canola oil, divided
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 large ripe plantains, peeled
Cooked white rice

Pabellón Criollo _^(Continued)

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 2 hours

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add garlic, 1 1/2 cups of the onions, and 1 cup of the bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened,
about 6 minutes. Add steak and 6 cups of the broth, 1 teaspoon each of the salt and cumin, and the black pepper.
Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until steak is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Using tongs, remove steak from broth. Cool slightly, and shred meat into very thin threads.
Add beans and panela to broth.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until beans are tender, about 2 hours.
Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 teaspoon each of the salt and achiote paste, and remaining 1 cup onions, 1 cup bell peppers, and 3/4 teaspoon cumin.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in shredded meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and meat begins to crisp around edges, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in Worcestershire sauce and remaining 1 cup broth; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
Cut the plantains diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook plantains until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Divide the meat, plantains, and rice evenly among 4 plates. Using a slotted spoon, place beans on plates.
Tip: When cooking the plantains, make sure the pan does not get too hot, as they will easily burn given their high sugar content.
Enjoy!

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes

Vietnamese summer rolls are a cool, healthy summertime appetizer. Once upon a time, we had a potluck at the office after our All Hands meeting, and this was one of the dishes served at lunch for our colleagues, aka beloved family.
With a couple of cheeky tricks, you’ll be rolling perfect rice paper rolls like a pro in no time!

Sugar: 1½ teaspoons
Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon
Warm water: 2 tablespoons, or more as needed
Rice vinegar: 1½ teaspoons, or to taste
Garlic: 1 clove, mashed (or about 1 teaspoon, minced)
Red chili: 1, or 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional, for spice)
Rice vermicelli: 50 g/1.5 oz
Egg: 1
Rice paper: 8 - 10 pieces
Iceberg lettuce: 1 cup, very thinly sliced
Coriander or mint: ¼ cup, roughly chopped (optional)
Cucumber: 1 small, thinly sliced or cut into strips with a julienne peeler
Prawns: 8, cooked, peeled, and sliced in half lengthwise

Vietnamese Summer Rolls _^(Continued)

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes

Dipping sauce:

Add sugar and fish sauce to a small bowl with the warm water. Taste and adjust per your saltiness and sweetness preference.
Slowly add rice vinegar to the sauce. Taste again; it should not be too sour.
Add minced garlic and chopped chili or sriracha sauce and taste your yummy sauce.
Boil rice vermicelli and drain well.
Beat the egg and cook it like an omelet, keeping it as thin as you can. Slice into strips.
Have the other ingredients ready.

Wrapping:

Dip the rice paper into warm water in a large bowl for 15-20 seconds (or whatever the package suggests); put it on a flat surface (chopping board or large plate).
Place some lettuce, vermicelli, coriander, cucumber, egg, and prawn on top of the bottom third of the rice paper; fold the uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the rice paper.
Serve with the dipping sauce.
Tip: If you are vegetarian, you can replace the prawn and egg with fried tofu and the fish sauce with peanut sauce. Yummy still!

Sea Bream in Salt Paste

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cook time : 30 minutes

This recipe is my favourite Christmas evening dish for my mom and mother-in-law. They both love fish, and over the years it became a tradition to prepare it for them. It is super easy to cook, fast, and extremely delicious. And when opening the salt crust, you have bit of show/entertainment as well. Bon appetit!

1 medium-size sea bream or other whole fish (no fillets)
1 kg coarse sea salt
1 egg white
Herbs of choice

Olive oil, for serving
Lemon juice, for serving
Potatoes
Carrots
Zucchini

For the salt crust, mix the salt, egg white, and a little water. The mixture must not be too firm; otherwise it will fall apart easily. Stuff the gutted fish with the herbs.
Cover a baking tray with baking paper and line it with the salt mixture to a height of about 1 cm. Place the fish on top and cover completely with the remaining salt.
Preheat the oven to approx. 200°C and cook for between 25 and 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Take out of the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then break the salt crust.
The fish is perfect when the skin with the salt coat can be peeled off directly. Fillet the fish and serve the fillets drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice, if desired.
Fresh vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and zucchini taste very good with it — either steamed in a roasting tube in the oven or briefly sautéed in a pan with olive oil.

Mackerel Chili Paste

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cook time : 10 minutes

I love this paste because it makes me think back to when would I cook and eat together with my family and friends.

2-3 red hot chilies
2-3 green chilies
5 shallots, peeled
1 whole head garlic, peeled Salt

Sugar
1 fried mackerel (fish meat only)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Lime juice

Put red and green chilies, shallots, and garlic into a pan and fry until cooked.
Transfer to a mortar, add a bit of salt and sugar together with the mackerel, and grind to mix together well.
Stir in fish sauce.
When ready to eat, just add a bit of warm water and lime juice and mix in.
This paste can be eaten with fresh veggies, fried egg, and rice.

Shish Barak

Preparation time : 7 minutes
Cook time : 30 minutes

This meal brings back a lot of fun memories. My parents first had to trick me into eating Shish Barak by telling me that whenever I ate it, a genie called Shish would give me all the superpowers I need. So it has always been my favourite meal!

1 kilo yogurt
1 cup of milk
1 cup of cream
3 spoons cornflour
1 box of Shish Barak

1 clove garlic, chopped
Coriander leaves
Butter for frying
1 cup of rice
1 spoon salt

Mix the yogurt, milk, cream, and cornflour in the blender for 10 seconds.
Add them to a saucepan over medium heat and keep stirring until boiling. Add the box of Shish Barak and stir gently for 7 to 9 minutes.
Fry the garlic and coriander in butter for 3 minutes, then add to the Shish Barak bowl and cover while the rice cooks.
In parallel, prepare rice.
Mix the cup of rice with one cup of hot water and a bit of salt.
Boil for 15 minutes over low heat.
Once the Shish Barak and rice are done, put them together and enjoy your Lebanese meal.

Authentic Thai Stir-Fried Basil
(Pad Kaprow from garden to table)

Preparation time : 10-15 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes

Since I moved to Malaysia, it has been difficult to find authentic Thai dishes. Although I’m falling in love with Asam Laksa, Nasi Lemak, and Rojak, Thai foods always remind me of the country where I come from. I have tried “Pad Kaprow” at several Thai restaurants around Kuala Lumpur, but something is always missing: they cook Pad Kaprow with sweet basil, and in Thailand we use holy basil. I started growing holy basil from dried flowers that I brought from Thailand. So now, a year later, Pad Kaprow with holy basil is a weekly dish for me and family members.

3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 red chilies
2 tablespoons olive oil

100-200 g of your favourite meat (chicken, pork, beef, or seafood), chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup water
Fresh holy basil leaves

Pound the garlic and chilies together, or chop them finely.
Heat a wok or nonstick pan and add the oil.
Stir-fry the chilies and garlic until fragrant and garlic becomes light yellow.
Add the meat and stir continuously for a few minutes until well cooked. Then start adding the seasonings (oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar).
Mix and stir-fry until the sauce coats the meat evenly.
Add some water and mix well; the Kaprow should be juicy, not too dry.
End up with some holy basil leaves and stir-fry for few more seconds, until wilted, then turn off the heat immediately.
Serve Pad Kaprow with rice topped with a crispy fried egg.

Polvo à Lagareiro

Preparation time : 40 minutes
Cook time : 1 hour 10 minutes

Polvo (octopus) à Lagareiro is a traditional Portuguese dish. It is typically found in the north of Portugal and usually served on Christmas Eve. As a good Portuguese mom, I like to keep some traditions, and we eat it quite often at home.
And everyone loves it, even my kids. It is also appreciated by guests and besides being delicious, it is heathy and looks quite sophisticated, despite being pretty easy to make. Bon appetit!

1 octopus (about 1.5 kg)
1 onion, unpeeled
2 bay leaves

500 gr potatoes (small ones)
5 cloves garlic
200 ml olive oil
Salt and pepper

Start by cooking the octopus in a large saucepan with boiling water to cover, the onion, and 1 of the bay leaves.
Cook for about 30 minutes, until the octopus is tender but not too soft.
Wash the potatoes, wipe with a cloth, and place in a baking dish sprinkled with sea salt.
Bake for 40 minutes at 200 degrees C.
When the octopus is cooked, remove from the water, drain, and cut into pieces (not too small).
Place the octopus in a large baking dish with the garlic gloves and the remaining bay leaf, and drizzle with the olive oil.
When potatoes are cooked, shake off the excess salt, crush them very lightly with a fist, just to open them slightly, and, if you wish, put them around the octopus and drizzle with some more olive oil. Bake for an extra 15 minutes.
You can also serve the potatoes separately.
When ready, serve immediately.
You can serve with some vegetables and a good Portuguese red wine.

Indian Dessert: Saffron Shrikhand

Preparation time : 15-20 minutes
Cook time : 60 minutes

A family favorite that I started making after we moved from India to Dubai. No festival or festivitiy is complete without a dessert. Yogurt with a dash of mango, cardamom, or saffron and you have a dish that is so distinctively Indian, with a heady mix of flavours! I got introduced to Shrikhand when I, a Punjabi girl (from North India) married into a Maharashtrian (West India) family. It was served at our wedding ceremony as Shrikhand is regular in most of the Maharashtrian celebrations. My husband loves it and even more now since I started making it. Shrikhand is a dessert for all times. Incredibly simple to make and so delicious. For me it is bound inextricably with memories―of celebrations with family, festivals, and all special occasions. Like many desserts, it's not for the weight watchers, but who cares about that if the dessert is this delicious and mouth-watering!

A pinch of saffron
2 tsp milk

400 gms hung curd, preferably slightly sour.
(Greek yogurt can also be used)
75 gms powdered sugar (can add more depending on your preference)
Assorted dry fruits for garnish

Soak saffron in 2 tsp warm milk.
Add the saffron milk to the thickened curd.
Now add the powdered sugar to the curd in a large bowl.
Keep stirring and checking for sweetness.
Continue mixing till sugar blends completely with the hung curd. The consistency should be smooth and creamy.
In case there are lumps, you can sieve the mixture through a fine strainer.
Transfer the contents to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped nuts and a few strands of saffron.
Chill well before serving.

(To make hung curd at home, put yogurt in a muslin cloth, tie it tightly, and hang it overnight to drain all the water)