Smoked salmon and miso soup

Miso (みそ or 味噌) is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (the fungus Aspergillus oryzae) and sometimes rice, barley, or other ingredients. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso soup called misoshiru (味噌汁), a Japanese culinary staple. High in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals, miso played an important nutritional role in feudal Japan. Miso is still widely used in Japan, both in traditional and modern cooking, and has been gaining worldwide interest.

Typically, miso is salty, but its flavor and aroma depend on various factors in the ingredients and fermentation process. Different varieties of miso have been described as salty, sweet, earthy, fruity, and savory.

What you need

For the salmon

• 200g smoked salmon fillets, skin on, and free of bones
• 4 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 50 gr sesame seeds 

For the miso soup

• 250g udon noodles
• 1.5 litre water
• 50ml mirin
• 50ml dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp white miso
• 3 spring onions (julienned)
• 1/2 turnip (julienned)
• a few strips wakame seaweed
• two hands Swiss chard broken into separate leaves
• few coriander leaves, to garnish

 How to prepare it

1. 1. Cook the noodles according the package and rinse them in cold water. It is best to set aside in iced cold water.
   2. For the salmon mix the mirin and sesame oil.
   3. Mix well with the salmon and set aside for 30 minutes.  
   4. Heat the water in a pan and add the mirin and soy sauce. Add the sliced spring onions, turnip and wakame seaweed. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and leave for 2 minutes.
   5. Preheat a pan for the salmon. Dip the salmon in the sesame seeds (both sides).
   6. Heat the salmon skin-side down in the hot pan for 2 or 3 minutes and turn for 1 minute.
   7. To serve the udon noodles spoon over the hot broth and add the salmon on top.
   8. Garnish with the coriander to serve.

Salmon Fish Curry

This is an easy Indian Fish Curry dish


What you need for the spice mix:
- 6 dried chillies
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp garam massala
1/2 tsp ground tumeric

What you need for the sauce:
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 ripe tomato, chopped
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 6 green chillies
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- 5 cm fresh ginger, grated
- 125 ml tamarind puree
- 3 tbsp coconut cream
- 1 kg salmon cutlets

Step 1:
Roast the chillies, cumin, coriander and mustard in a dry hot pan. Then grind it to powder. Add the garam masala and ground tumeric.

Step 2:
Heat the heavy based frying pan, large enough to lay the cutlets in one layer (so, not as on the picture) and add the oil. Add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Add the tomato, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, end green chill. Stir fry stir it for 20 minutes.

Step 3:
Add the spice mix and the tamarind to the pan and bring it to the boil. Add the coconut cream and stir well. Season with salt. Add the salmon and bring slowly to the boil. The sauce is a bit thick and needs to be hot. Simmer for 5 minutes and then carefully turn the cutlets around and cook for another 5 minutes. The sauce must be thick.

Enjoy you dish!!!

Surinamese Masala Chicken Roti

This very popular recipe was taken from India to Surinam (South America) and later to the Netherlands by workers. This great meal you have to eat and feel by yoiur hands.

To make the roti sauce, you will need:
6 chicken legs
1 dl oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves
30 gr massala
black pepper (freshly grounded)
1 tsp cumin seeds (freshly grounded)
2 tomatoes from a tin (or fresh)
3 dl chicken stock
4 potatoes
1 or 2 Madame Jeanette peppers
1 small onion (chopped)
1 garlic clove (chopped)
a bunch of asparagus beans (cut in peaces of about 7 cm)
4 eggs (soft boiled)

Preparation of the roti sauce:
Step 1: Fry the chicken in the oil until brown.

Step 2: Leave one third of the oil in the pan and add de onion, garlic, massale, cumin and black pepper. Keep on stirring. Cook it for three minutes in the hot pan.

Step 3: Add the tomatoes and cook for for 2 minutes. Keep on stirring. Then add the chicken stock. Turn the heat on low. Add the potatoes and the uncut Madame Jeanette peppers. Put the lit on and and simmer for 45 minutes. 10 minutes befor the end, add the soft peeled and boiled eggs. If you want you can fry the eggs in a bit oil until browned befor you add them to the sauce.

Step 4: Take a pan and heat 3 tablespoons of oil and cook the onions and garlic. When glazed, add the long beans. Fry for two minutes and add a bit of water from time to time. This way the beans are done quicker.

To make the roti, you will need:
500 g self-raising flour
3 dl water
15 g salt
75 g yellow split peas
1 el cumin (grounded)
2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1 Madame Jeanette-pepper


preparation of the roti
Step 1: Knead the flour with water and salt into a elastic dough.

Step 2: Cook the split peas in 25 minutes untill they are just getting soft and let them steam. Add the cumin, garlic, pepper and chop it fine in a blender into a powder.

Step 3: Make 12 equal balls from the dough and form a pit and fill the pit with de split pea mix. Close it and make a ball again.

Step 4: Roll the balls on a floured base and make a thin roti.

Step 5: Put a very thin layer of oil in a medium hot pan and bake the roti's untill browned on both sides.

Funghi trifoliate - Mixed mushrooms

The trifoliate mushrooms are part of the culinary tradition of the Piedmont region, and they are a very easy to prepare, very tasty, delicate and light contour that can be combined with different dishes and courses.

What you need

• 400 gr mixed mushrooms
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove (chopped)
• 1/2 red chilli (chopped)
• 1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
• 1 tbsp majoram leaves
• 6 slices of bread

How to prepare it

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, fry the chopped garlic and chilli for one minute, then add the mushrooms and fry for a further 2-3 minutes, or until cooked
2. Stir in the parsley and marjoram and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Meanwhile, toast the slices of bread on both sides.
   Spoon over the mushrooms and serve hot.

Oven baked eggplant and sweet red pepper

This is a wonderful in between delicatesse.

What you need

• 1 large eggplant
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sweet red pepper (de-seeded and cut in half)

For the sauce:

• 50g walnuts (chopped)
• 40g  walnuts in honey(chopped)
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp walnut oil 
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)
• goats cheese (crumbled)

How to prepare it

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut both the aubergines in sideways and score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern. Brush the flesh liberally with the oil then sprinkle with some salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Place on a baking tray, flesh-side up, and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the flesh is cooked through and turns a dark golden-brown.

Step 2. Together with the eggplant, put the sweet red pepper in the oven.

Step 3. Take a small bowl and make the sauce. Mix together the walnuts, honey walnut , vinegar, chilli, walnut oil, parsley and half the coriander. 

Step 4. Take the skin from the roasted pepper,

Step 5. Put the sauce over the aubergines as soon as they come out of the oven and leave to cool completely. Put the remaining coriander and the goats cheese on top.

Chinese Beef with Oyster Mushrooms

Original Chinese beef with oyster mushrooms

Ingredients for this easy and very tasty dish.

What you need

For the beef

- 400 gr beef
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp of sugar
- some salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 dash of oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 chilli, deseeded and chopped
- 1 thumb of fresh ginger (chopped)
- 300 gr spinach
- 1 tbsp rice wine

For the oyster mushrooms:
- 150 gr oyster mushrooms
- 1 dash of oil
- 1 dash of balsamic vinegar
- 1 dash of light soy sauce

How to prepare it

Step 1. Flatten the beef and cut in thin slices. Take a bowl and add the beef, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, salt and black pepper. Let it rest for a while.

Step 2. Take a wok and it untill smoking/ Add the oil, the garlic, ginger and chilli. Stir fry it for about 15 seconds. Don't let it burn. Add the spinach and trun it a few times. Cook it untill warmed through. Save it in bowl.

Step 3. Put the wok back on the heat and add some oil, then add the beef mix and stir fry unitil browned. Put it the rice wine and misx well and cook for a few seconds. Set  aside.

Step 4. Take the wok again. Heat some oil and add the mushrooms. Stir fry it for a minute and add some water. this way you cook the mushrooms in the steaming hot water. Then add some balsamic vinegar and light soy sauce. Stir fry for 30 seconds.

Step 5. Take the plates and put on the spinach, then add the beef and finally add the mushrooms.

Step 6. Serve with steamed rice and a cold beer.

Prawn Pakoras

Prawn Pakoras

For one of the best Indian snacks, make some prawn pakoras. You also can use fish or vegetable. The pomegranate seeds make it taste special. Mango and mint chutney go well with these pakoras.

What you need

- 500 gr prawns, chopped
- 50 gr besan flour (chick pea flour)

- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp pommegranate seeds (fresh or dried)
- 4 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
- pinch of bicarbonate
- oil or ghee for deep frying

How to prepare it

 Step 1: Cut all ingredients and mix well

Step 2: Take a bowl and put in the flour. Mix with a bit of water and make a sticky batch. Be sure it is really thick. Mix well with a fork to beat out of any lumps.

Step 3: Heat a pan with the oil or ghee (around 180 degrees celcius)

Step 4: Mix the ingredients with the batter and season with salt.

Step 5: Drop a few nice bowls of batter from a heaped teaspoon. Take them out when they are brown and put them out, drain and put them on paper towel. Repeat this process with the rest of batter.

Step 6: Serve piping hot! 

Güveҫ - a Turkish lamb stew

This is an 'easy-to-make-meal', and so tasty. Best to take your time, because slow cooked you get the best result. A variety of flavours. Actualy we tasted this dish in Armenia on a stay with a really sweet family. The grandmother cooked for us and her children. A typical traditional Eurasian meal. Serve it with flatbreads or pasta or anything you like,

What you need

- 3 tbsp olive oil

- 2 onions

- 500 gr lamb (small cubes or minced)

- 2 small tins tomato puree

- 500 gr tomatoes

- 4 potatoes

- 2 garlic cloves

- 1 large eggplant

- 1 large zucchini

- ½ turnip

- 10 green Turkish long peppers

- 2 red sweet Turkish long peppers

- dried or fresh mint

- oregano

- 1 handfull fresh coriander

- Lambsmeat herbs

- and you can add anything you have in the fridge

How to prepare it

Step 1: Chop the onions and put them in a large saucepan. Add the garlic cloves and cook on a low heat untill soft.

Step 2: Add the meat and cook untill brown. Then add the tomatoe puree and cook for a few mintues more.

Step 3: Skin the tomatoes, take away the seeds and cut them in large parts. Add them to te pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Preheat the oven on 130 degrees C and meanwhile peel the potatoes and cut in large parts. Cut the other vegetable in large parts. Add the vegetable with the herbs to the saucepan. Mix well.

Step 5: Put the pan in the preheated oven and simmer for about two hours.

Armenian Eggplant Salad

Armenian cuisine includes the foods and cooking techniques of the Armenian people, the Armenian Diaspora and traditional Armenian foods and dishes. The cuisine reflects the history and geography where Armenians have lived as well as incorporating outside influences. The cuisine also reflects the traditional crops and animals grown and raised in areas populated by Armenians.
The preparation of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes in an Armenian kitchen requires stuffing, frothing, and puréeing. Lamb, eggplant, and bread (lavash) are basic features of Armenian cuisine. Armenians use cracked wheat (bulgur) in preference to the maize and rice popular among their Transcaucasian neighbors (Georgia and Azerbaijan).

What you need:

• 2 eggplants
• 2 green bell peppers
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 tomatoes, chopped into pieces
• 1/2 large onion, peeled, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper
• 1 pinch hot red pepper

 How to prepare it:

1. 1. Prick the aubergines to allow moisture to escape.
   2. On a hot barbecue or oven, cook the whole aubergines and bell peppers for 15 minutes, turning every five minutes until the vegetables are soft and the skin is blackened and blistered. The vegetables should be cooked through and tender.Set aside until cool enough to handle.
   3. Place the hot grilled vegetables in a large plastic bag and close it. Let them rest for a few minutes in the plastic bag to steam. This makes to get the skin off more easily. Peel the eggplants and peppers.
   4. Remove the stems from the eggplants and the stems and seeds from the peppers and chop everything into 0,5 cm dices. 
   5. Put all the vegetables to a large bowl.
   6. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Adjust seasoning as needed and then serve cooled down.

Pollo alla Milanese

The milanesa (in italian "cotoletta alla milanese") is Latin American variation of an Italian dish where generic types of breaded meat fillet preparations are known as a milanesa.

The milanesa was brought to the Southern Cone of South America by Italian immigrants during the mass emigration called the Italian diaspora between 1860-1920s. Its name probably reflects an original Milanese preparation, cotoletta alla Milanese, which is similar to the Austrian Wiener Schnitzel.

A milanesa consists of a thin slice of beef, chicken, veal, or sometimes pork, but never eggplants or soy. Each slice is dipped into beaten eggs, seasoned with salt, and other condiments according to the cook's taste (like parsley and garlic). Each slice is then dipped in bread crumbs (or occasionally flour) and shallow-fried in oil, one at a time. A similar dish is the chicken parmigiana.

What you need

• 2 medium chicken breasts
• 50 gr plain flour
• 1 handful of fine toasted breadcrumbs
• 1 egg beaten with salt and black pepper
• 4 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil

For the sauce

• 4 sundried, oiled plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 handful of green or black olives, sliced
• 3 tbsp flatleaf parsley, chopped
• 4 tbsp Italian olive oil, for frying

For the spinach

• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 pinches dried, crushed chilli
• 300g spinach leaves, washed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to prepare it

1. With the help of a meat mallet, beat the chicken breasts between two sheets of cling film until thin.
2. Dust the chicken breasts in flour, then dip each into the egg and then in the breadcrumbs making sure each piece is well coated.
3. Preheat the olive oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the chicken for approximately two minutes on each side, until they become golden and crisp. Place the browned breasts on some kitchen roll, allowing the excess oil to drain. Keep warm.
4. To make the sauce, in a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, olives and parsley together and season with some extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper. Allow this mixture to rest.
5. In the meantime, shallow fry the garlic and the chilli in two tablespoons of olive oil for approximately 10 seconds. Immediately add the spinach leaves, season with salt and cook for approximately three minutes, until softened.
6. To serve, put some spinach in the middle of a plate, place a chicken breast on top and spread two tablespoons of the cold tomato mixture on top.
7. Serve immediately.
   
   
   
   
   To Gina D'Acampo

Ayam Mentega Chicken in Butter Sauce

Indonesian chicken in sweet butter sauce

Kemiri nuts are used in Southeast Asian cooking to thicken sauces with a touch of bitter, nuttiness.
Candle nuts, as they are sometimes called, should always be ground and cooked. In Indonesia they are most commonly incorporated into spice pastes. Kemiri nuts can turn rancid in a few months and are best stored in a freezer or refrigerator.

What you need

- 400 gr chicken thighs
- 1 lime
- black pepper and salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 50 gr. butter
- 1 chilli (chopped)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (chopped)
- 3 kemirie nuts (or candle nuts)
- 3 tbsp ketjap manis or oystersauce

How to prepare it

1. Cut the chicken thighs in one cm strips and miix them in a bowl with the lime juice, salt and pepper and leave it for one hour
2. Fry the chicken in some vegetable oil until browned
3. Make the onion, garlic, chilli and kemirienuts into a smooth paste
4. Heat the paste unitil it smells good
5. Meanwhile heat the butter and add the paste
6. When heated add the chicken and ketjap or oystersauce and cook untill the chicken is done

Kentang Goreng Balado (spicy fried potatoes)

Another delicious spicy Indonesian side dish

What you need:

- 3 large potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 4 red chillies (or to taste)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp tamarinde paste
- hot water
- salt
- vegetable oil

How to prepare it:

1. Cut the potatoes in thick slices and fry them golden brown.
2. Cut half the the onion in rings and fry them golden brown and leave them on a tissue to drain the surplus of fat. Set aside.
3. Chop the other half of the onion, the garlic and red chillies and ground this to a paste.
4. Heat  the paste slowly until it starts smelling tasty.
5. Add the tamarinde, salt and sugar and some hot water. Try it to keep it somewhat dry.
6. Add the fried potatoes and fried onions.
7. Enjoy as a side dish.

Telor di Saus Nanas

A sweet side dish for a large Indonesian meal

What you need:

- 4 hardboiled eggs
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 tin of pineapple
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp corn
- 1/2 tsp ginger (fresh or ground)
- 4 tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 tbsp ketjap manis or oystersauce
- black pepper
- salt

How to prepare it:

1. Fry the onion and garlic slowly untill browned, lower the heat.
2. Set aside the pineapple and save the juice 
3. Mix the corn with the pineapple juice and add the vinegar
4. Mix the juice with the onions and garlic and cook for one or two minutes
5. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the eggs and cook for 10 minutes on a low heat
6. Peel the eggs and cut the eggs lenghtway and put them on a platter
7. Cover the eggs with the pineapple sauce
8. Serve with long grain steamed rice