Cultural Potluck

Thank you all for bringing your wonderful/tasty cultural dish. It was a lot of fun!
If you could send me the recipes, that would be wonderful. I'll be putting those up on this page so that everyone can look at it and maybe try to cook!

Biscuits Cake by Dorit(Israel)

Chocolate Cream:

1 pack of “Osem” Pudding – vanila flavor (it is at King Super at the “Kosher” area)

2 cups of milk

2 cups of sweet cream (whipped cream)

Blend everything in electric mixer until it becomes a creamy texture. Don’t blend it too much because it will be too hard (like butter).

Vanilla Cream:

1 packs of “Osem” Pudding – chocolate flavor (it is at King Super at the “Kosher” area)

2 cups of milk

2 cups of sweet cream (whipped cream)

Blend everything in electric mixer until it becomes a creamy texture. Don’t blend it too much because it will be too hard (like butter).

For the biscuits:

4 packs of “Kedem” Tea Biscuits (it is at King Super at the “Kosher” area)

Put milk in a small bowl and add 1tsp of vanilla extract

· Take biscuits, dip them inside the bowl with the milk and arrange them in one layer in a dish. Don’t live them too much in the milk because they will melt.

· Above put a layer of the cream that you made (half of the vanilla cream).

· Again, take biscuits, dip them inside the bowl with the milk and arrange them in one layer above the cream.

· Cover it again with vanilla cream.

· Again, take biscuits, dip them inside the bowl with the milk and arrange them in one layer above the cream.

· This time put above half of the chocolate cream, again layer of biscuits and the last layer is chocolate cream.

· You can decorate with any fruits you like (raspberries, strawberries etc.).

· You don’t have to make chocolate cream and vanilla cream you can replace one in the other, for example use only chocolate pudding instead of the vanilla and in the middle of the cake put pieces of banana. Be creative! You should eat the cake the next day or give it at least 7 hours at the fridge to cool. Enjoy!

Indian Curry and Lassie

Indian Curry and Lassie

Indian Curry
Ingredients
-1 bunch cilantro
-1 lime
-1 package *Masala powder

-ginger garlic paste(or 20 cloves of garlic&10cm ginger)

-10 cans garbanzo beans
-7 red onions
-14 tomatoes
-spices(powdered red chili pepper, whole cloves, black cardamon, cinnamon sticks, powdered black pepper, green cardamon in salt, turmeric powder) See the photo of her spice case. I put these in order from the little spoon in the middle. The one left of the spoon is the chili and it goes clock wise.

1)cut the vegetables. No need to chop them to small since we will be putting them in a blender.
2)Grind onions (if you are not using the garlic/ginger paste, add garlic&ginger at this point.)
3)Rinse the beans and drain well.
4)in a large pan, heat 2-3TB oil(more oil you add, faster to cook). Add 2pinches of cumin, 10green cardamon peeled. (1can of beans=1 green cardamon), 1 black cardamon-crashed, 6or7 cloves.
5)add the onion mixture from 2) to the pan. Simmer for 10mins until the water in the mixture dries up and you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir the mixture. You'll only see the grease not water on the bottom.

6)In another pot, add some oil, grind tomatoes and a little bit of salt to taste. Bring it to medium heat for 10-15mins. Stir occasionally.
7)Once the onions are cooked, add that to the tomato's pot. Bring it to high heat.
8)Add 2TB salt to taste.
9)Add masala(1can of beans=1TB masala)
10)Add water (1can of beans=1/2cup water)
11)Add beans

12)Taste and see if you need to add more salt.
13)Pour the curry on top of cooked basmati rice and add toppings(chopped red onions, chopped cilantro, squeezed lime juice and black salt).
Enjoy!
*Masala's different brands and spiciness
-Badshah brand(the masala is called "chole masala") mild
-MDH brand (the masala is called "chole masala") medium
-Everest brand (the masala is called "chana masala") hot

Lassie(yogurt drink)
Ingredients
-32oz plain yogurt
-a little bit of water (or ice cubes if the yogurt is not cold)
-2-3 shelled crashed green cardamons (2glasses=1cardamon)
-little bit less than 1/2cup sugar

1)Put all in blender for 1min
2)Wait for a little and blend again for 1 more minute.

Where to get Indian spices?
-Krishna Groceries in Lafayette
-28th and Valmont St. in Boulder

Thai Green Curry

Ingredients(serves 12)

3 cans curry paste

5 cans coconut milk

3 cans bamboo shoot

3 bell peppers

5lb chicken breast (you can use beef, pork or tofu)

1 can full of water(use the empty coconut can)

3 handful sweet basil

6 kaffir lime leaves

Direction

1. Heat 3Tbsp of oil in a big pot over low(2) heat. Add paste and stir for 30sec.

2. Bring it to hight heat and add coconut milk. Bring it to boil.

3. Add chicken.

4.When chicken is cooked, add bamboo shoots and peppers.

5. Add 1Tbsp sugar, 1.5Tbsp salt(or 1Tb fish sauce).

6. Bring it to boil, then add basil and lime leaves.

Mexican Cooking

Enchiladas Recipe

Ingredients:

2 dozen Corn tortillas (mission is a good brand > 1 lb)

1 package of California dried Chiles (~20, very mild)

1 Whole Chicken

Chicken bouillon (powder or 5 cubes)

1 large onion (yellow or white is fine)

1 garlic head

2 lb. of Mexican cheese, Cheso Fresco. Cheddar cheese works too.

Instructions:

Chile sauce preparation:

Place the dried chiles (~20) in tap water and bring to boil (medium heat) for 1-3 hrs until the chiles become soft. The softer the better the sauce texture. In a blender, put all the chiles (without stem & seeds if possible), two garlic cloves, ¼ of onion, pour chicken stock until the blender is ½ - ¾ full. Blend until the sauce is smooth (not too runny or too thick), taste and add salt if needed.

Chicken Stock preparation:

Place the chicken pieces into a big sauce pan, put enough water to cover the pieces, add 4 cloves of garlic peeled and ¼ of onion in big pieces. Bring to boil slowly (med. low) cook the chicken for 1-2 hours. The chicken broth will be the liquid used for the enchilada sauce. Get the chicken out and let it cool down, shred to bite sizes.

Enchiladas’ preparation:

Take 5-6 corn tortillas at a time, put them in a plastic bag and put them in the microwave for 1 min, the tortillas should be steaming hot. Using one tortilla at a time, submerge into the enchilada sauce, then place hot tortilla smothered in chile sauce in a flat plate (enchilada prep here), put shreaded chicken in the middle then rolled the tortilla until is closed, and place in a casserole. After the first layer, put a cup of enchilada sauce on top, do a second later put another 1-2 cups of enchiladas sauce all around the top of the enchilada casserole. They need to be “wetted” with the sauce to avoid drying. Top with cheese, cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Mexican Rice:

2 cups long grain white rice

2 Chicken Bouyons, or 4 cups of chicken stock

Onion, ¼ onion sliced in half

Garlic, one clove

Sautéed rice with onion and garlic until rice is golden , put 1/3 Cup of tomato sauce, 4 cups of chicken stock (or 4 cups of water with 2 chicken bouyon cubes). Stir and leave it alone. After boiling reduce to low heat. When the water evaporates, turn off the heat.

Guacamole:

4 ripe avocadoes

3 key limes

1 garlic clove, minced

Mix all the ingredients and add salt as needed. Serve in a bowl. Return the avocadoes seed to avoid fast oxidation.

Japanese Cooking

Sushi

Sushi Rice
-3 cups rice
-4TB sugar
-3tsp salt
-1/3cup rice vinegar

1.First cook the rice. (I recommend using a rice cooker. For the best result, I wash the rice and leave it in a colander for 1hour before I cook it.)
2.mix all the rest of the ingredients and stir well. (If you have time, it's better to leave this overnight)
3.When the rice is still hot, take it out in a shallow container and mix with 2.
Here is the video for you to see how sushi chef does this!
Important point is 1.coat each rice with the vinegar liquid. 2. have the rice breathe with a lot of air!

If you can make the sushi rice well, then you are done! You can put anything as a topping and roll it or make a ball with it. Great for a party!
I use "Mirin" for pretty much everything. This is a great thing to add if you are making "Teriyaki" or like this time, cooked beef. It goes well with soy sauce.


Miso Soup 4 servings
-vegitables that you like (carrots, daikon, potatoes, kabocha squash, spinach, seaweed etc)
-tofu
-3cups water
-1tsp full katsuo dashi(bonito broth)
-1/2ladle miso
←This is "HonDashi":Bonito broth
1.put vegitables, water and dashi in a pot and bring it to a boil.
2.when the vegitables are soften, turn it down to low heat.
3.dissolve miso gradually
4.add tofu and if you like, topping with sliced green onions.

I bought all the ingredients in Boulder. Here is the map for a small Asian market in Boulder.

Spanish Cooking Paella

Seafood paella recipe (for 4/5 people)

-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

-half little onion, peeled and diced

-1 red pepper diced

-half green pepper diced

-1 medium tomato diced

-half cup of frozen peas, thawed

-400 grams of rice (more or less 3 cups and a half )

-The double quantity and a little bit more of fish broth seasoned with saffron (In this case 8 to nine cups, cooking at high altitude takes longer)

-a handful of fresh shrimp

-a handful of fresh little clams (previously cooked and opened, the resulting liquid was added to the broth)

-a handful of fresh mussels (previously cooked and opened, the resulting liquid was added to the broth)

-a handful of any white fish pieces (normally I used the fish of the broth)

-Some pieces of chicken (optional)

-olive oil

-salt

-Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton)

-lemon to garnish and season at the end

In a big and flat frying pan we heat olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan) at a medium temperature. We add the garlic, onion, peppers, tomato, and we sprinkle with salt and paprika; we let it cook for 3, 4 minutes. Then we add the peas, chicken, cooked clams, part of the cooked mussels, fish....We adjust the salt and the oil ( we cannot be shy with this ingredient cooking Spanish)

We let it cook at medium/low fire till everything is well done. At this point we add the rice, and we toss and mix for a a few minutes till all the rice is covered with the "sofrito" (the vegetables cooked in the oil, the pieces of meat, etc). We have the broth ready, better if warm already. We add the all liquid over the rice, we distribute the ingredients evenly in the pan, we put the fire higher till it is boiling, then we turn down the heat to medium/low, and let it cook without stirring for about 30/40 minutes..., till all the broth has been absorbed by the rice, eventually if we see it is too dry and the rice is too hard we can add some extra broth.

The thinner the layer of rice is, the better it will turn out. We can taste to see how the rice it is. We stop the cooking when the rice is still firm, and we lat it "rest' covered with a rug or newspaper for 5 minute. It is normal is a thin layer is slightly burnt and crispy, that is the 'socarrat' and in Spanish families is much appreciated.

Paella admits any variation: More chopped vegetables instead of seafood (artichokes, green beans, eggplants), pieces of chicken or rabbit, slices of chorizo, etc. The fish broth can be substituted with vegetable or chicken broth, but the recipe is similar.

Fish broth

It should be prepared a day ahead.

We need some good fish bones of white fish. We covered them with water and let it boil with half an onion, one tomato, garlic cloves, half a pepper, bay leaves, a glass of white wine, a pinch of salt, etc.... while is cooking we should take off the foam that forms in the surface. Once it has cooked for 50 minutes or so, we let it cool, and we strain it. We keep all the solid ingredients for adding to paella or preparing fish patties another day. We can add the liquid obtained by opening clams and mussels in a covered frying pan with a little bit of oil and some writhe wine.

In any case once that is clean and strained we can heat it a and dilute a pinch of saffron to give flavor and color.

German Cooking

„Saure Bratwürste“

for 4 persons

6-8 Sausages (Pork Bratwurst)

6 onions

1 liter of water

1/8 liter of white wine vinegar

5 or more peppercorns

5 or more juniper berries

3 bay leafs

salt

sugar

Cut the onions into rings. Combine water with vinegar, salt and a pinch of sugar in a pot and add peppercorns, juniper berries, and bay leafs. Put the onions into the water and boil them until they are soft. Turn down the heat, add the sausages and let them infuse about 20-30 minutes. Make sure that the water does not boil anymore. Serve the sausage with onions and bread.

Schnitzel “Vienna Style”

for 4 persons

4 tenderized pork sirloin chops

salt

pepper

1 cup flour

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/8 cup oil for frying

Salt and pepper the pork chops on both sides. Dredge in flour. In a shallow dish, beat the eggs. Coat the chops with egg mixture, then with bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place pork chops into the hot oil, and cook until browned on both sides.

Potato Salad

1 kg waxy potatoes

1 onion

125 ml vegetable broth

4-5 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil

4-6 tablespoons white wine vinegar

salt

pepper

Cook the potatoes with their peel until tender but still firm. Peel them, cut them in small pieces and mix them with the diced onion in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, broth, oil and, vinegar. Mix all ingredients well and let it infuse for a while. If necessary add more broth. The salad should be juicy.

Korean Pancakes

Ingredients
1cup all purpse flour (or Korean pan cake mix).

1cup or more of water

1/4 cup potato starch if you use flour

1t of salt.

4 green onions (cut in half)

shrimp 4-5 per one serving

squids (sliced) 1 per one serving or oyster 4-5 per one serving

red chilli pepper(sliced) to garnish*

cooking oil

1 egg

*we used Korean Green Pepper(above) this time.

Dipping Sauce

2 T of soy sauce

1t of rice vinegar

how to cook

1. Cut green onions in half

2. Cut shrimps in half and slice squids into small strips.

3. to make batter, pour flour and potato starch in a bowl and add water slowly. Stir until all well mixed.

4. Preheat frying pan over high heat when the oil is heated reduce the heat to medium

5. ladle a scoop of the batter and place green onions and sprinkle the shrimps, squids and red chili pepper.

6. break the egg on top and stir it

7. Turn the pancake and fry until each side is yellowish brown.

8. Serve the pancakes with dipping sauce

We got most of our ingredients from a Korean Market called "H-Mart".

Mexican-Chiles Relloenos, Salsa, Rice and Beans

Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients(12 servings):

1 pound of Mexican Cheese (el Mexicano brand is a good one)

12 Anaheim Chiles
6 eggs
1 small bottle of Vegetable oil (like Canola)
1 small box of toothpicks
2 cups of all purpose flour

Instructions: with your hands coat all the chiles with oil, put them in a very hot flat pan or comal. Keep turning them until the skin is ready to peel off. Put them all into a produce plastic bag and close the bag. Wait for 5 min, during this time the chiles get steamed, which helps the skin separate from the chiles.

Cut the Mexican cheese into strips. Peel all the chiles. Open the chiles but carefully making a slit through the top part of the chiles, and begin stuffing the chiles with cheese, until the Chile is full. May use toothpicks to seal the slit. In a flat plat put 1 cup of flour and spread across the plate. Put 3 chiles there and coat all over.

Making the egg batter. Separate the eggs whites from the yolks. Save the yolks for later. With a mixing machine, mix whites until white and fluffy. Then return the yolks into the egg batter and continue to mix. The egg batter should look yellow, soft and fluffy.

Heat a large skillet, put enough oil to cover the flat surface about 3 table spoons of oil. A lot of oil is needed for the chiles to cook well.

Cooking the Chiles. Take flour coated chiles, bath them into the egg batter quickly then put in to the hot skillet. Cook no more than 4 in the skillet. Turning once. The chiles should looking golden brown. Put the cooked chiles in a square-baking dish. Can served with a side of Mexican rice and fresh roasted tomato salsa over the chiles. Frijoles de la Olla( beans from the pot) can be served as a side dish as well.