H for Hungary ~ Vaníliás Kifli

 
Event: BM #44    
Choice of country: Hungary  / Magyarország
Capital City: Budapest
Official Language: Hungarian

For "H" nation, I am hopping back to Europe and presenting these delicious and "melt in your mouth" textured Hungarian walnut cookies. One common thing I have noticed among the nations I have tried cooking from this month is that they were all invaded and ruled by foreign nations at one or other point of time in history. I know it's not a staggering fact considering that most of the nations in the world have gone through the same plight. Hungary is no exception but what is remarkable is that this nation had lost 71% of it's territory, 58% of it's population and 32% of ethnic Hungarians after World War 1. It further suffered significant damages and causalities in World War 2. 
I was in no mood for any extra history lessons after learning that and straight away jumped into the food section. Hungarian cuisine is mainly influenced by it's primary ethnic group, the Maygars and so is also known as Maygar cuisine. The nomadic lifestyle of that group and the importance of livestock has influenced the Hungarian cooking style. Traditional dishes are primarily based on meats, seasonal vegetables / fruits, fresh bread, dairy products and cheese. The mixing of different varieties of meats is a traditional feature of Hungarian cuisine. Other characteristics of Hungarian cuisine are the soups, desserts, pastries and stuffed crepes. Two remarkable elements of Hungarian cooking which attract foreigners are cold fruit soups and vegetable stews. Paprika, lard, yellow onions and sour cream are commonly used ingredients in cooking. (Source:Wiki)
 
I assert not to go by the simple looks of these cookies. They are dangerously addictive and extremely delicious. These deceptively simple and "plain Jane" looking cookies are called "Vaníliás Kifli". The word "vaníliás" refers to the vanilla flavor used while the world "kifli" stands for the crescent shape of the cookies. These cookies are said to have been created in the shape of the Turkish crescent moon symbolizing the celebration of the Hungarian victory over Turkish army in one of the wars. These crescents are commonly made during Christmas and are very well known in other European nations such as Austria, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia as well. These are similar to Russian tea cakes or the Mexican wedding cookies in texture and taste.
 
These are made primarily with walnuts in Hungary while almond substitution is more common outside Hungary. The cookie dough is somewhat fragile to shape and the baked cookies are rolled in icing sugar once they come out of the oven. The cookies are somewhat bland without the sugar coating. Originally lard was used in preparation but the modern versions have replaced it with butter. And there is another version of kifli which are a crescent shaped pastry and not to be confused with these.

Ingredients: (Makes 18 kifli or more if you make them smaller and thinner.)
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp ground walnut
1/3 cup softened butter
1/3 cup icing sugar (or finely ground sugar) + extra for dusting
1/2 tsp vanilla

Note: According to the original recipe, if you are using almond meal instead of ground walnut, add 2 tbsp more butter and 2 tbsp extra almond meal to the above ingredients.
Method:
* Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and just mix enough to
 form a dough using your hands.
 
* Cover and let it rest in a cool place (not the fridge) for about 30 minutes. (I think I kept in refrigerator for about 10 minutes and left it on the counter for the remaining time since it was a hot day.)
* Grease two baking sheets or line them with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180 deg C / 355 deg F. 
* Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape them into logs of about 1 inch diameter. Cut the log into 2 inches sized pieces and shape each piece into a crescent.
 
 * Bake for about 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
* Remove them from the oven and dust them with icing sugar.

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G for Guyana ~ Butter - Flaps

Event: BM #44    
Choice of country: The Co-operative Republic of Guyana  
Capital City: Georgetown  
Official Language: English 

I am back with my "global culinary tour" today after that short break I took yesterday. I mentioned this morning casually about my Guyanese post to my husband and he instantly sent me into a panic mode with out even realizing. He just asked me a simple question whether I was doing  French Guiana. He is pretty strong in his geography and so, I immediately had to run to my computer to check whether I had messed up and whether the two countries are indeed one and the same. I had already cooked these butter-flaps long back and wasn't in a mood to recipe hunt again for "G" country today. Turns out that there are two nations on the northern coast of south America called Guyana and Guiana. Guyana was colonized by Netherlands originally and later by Britain up until 1966 when it gained independence. While the other Guiana is also called French Guiana and is an overseas region of France. 

The name "Guyana" is derived from "Guiana", the original name for the region. Guiana formerly included Guyana (British Guiana) Suriname (Dutch Guiana), French Guiana and parts of Colombia, Brazil and Venezuela. "Guiana" comes from an Amerindian word meaning "Land of many waters". Guyana is the only south American country with English  being the official language though majority of the people speak Guyanese creole. 
Coming to food, the Guyanese cuisine reflects the ethnic makeup and the colonial history of the nation. The food is diverse and one can clearly see the dishes from or dishes influenced by African, Creole, East Indian, Portuguese, Amerindian, Chinese and British cooking. Dishes have been adapted by addition of spices and herbs.

I was thinking that I would go with a Greek / German dish for my "G" country until I saw this bread here. Butter-flaps are indigenous to Guyana and this Caribbean bread tastes amazing. I know "liking a particular food" is something subjective but still I feel these are an exception. Butter-flaps have become my new favorite. These are the best rolls I have made yet and if not for this BM, I would have recommended them to Valli when she asked if anyone of us had rolls in mind for the upcoming bread challenge she planned for the month of October. You see I had to get selfish since I didn't want to go hunting another G recipe while I had an amazing recipe already cooked and ready. :) These are called butter-flaps for a reason, the dough doesn't contain butter but the rolls are stuffed with butter. Yes, butter. I usually stay away from such high calorie foods but don't know what got into me that day. Whatever got into me did some good. I got to meet some amazing rolls. :) 

The bottom crust of these rolls is to die for which I somehow forgot to show in pictures. I had made only half a dozen of it not realizing how good they are going to be and they were gone in no time. The butter oozes out during baking and turns the bottom crust crispy while the buns are soft and chewy. These can be served for breakfast or dinner.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water (110 - 115 F)
1 tbsp sugar 
1.5 tsp dry active yeast
2 cups all purpose flour + extra for work surface
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil / vegetable oil 
1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature (I used unsalted butter.)

Method:
* Combine sugar, yeast and warm water in a bowl. Cover and let it to proof for about 10 minutes in a warm place.

* Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and the oil. Mix the ingredients until combined. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead the dough for about 3 - 4 minutes. If the mixture turns out sticky, dust the work surface with flour. Grease a bowl and place the dough in the prepared bowl. Turn the dough so that all sides are coated with oil.

* Cover and place in a warm spot for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the dough bulks up. Punch down the dough and knead for a couple of minutes. Shape it into a log and cut into 6 - 8 pieces.

* Shape each piece into a ball. Gently dust the work surface and roll each ball into a disc of about 3 to 3.5 inches in diameter. Take about 1 to 2 tsp of butter and smear the disc, leaving out the edges. One can stuff about a tbsp. or more butter if they wish.

* Fold the disc into half, twice to get a triangle. Press down the edges. Do not seal them. Repeat the steps with all the dough balls. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil to catch up all the greasy drips and for an easy cleanup later. Place the prepared triangles on the sheet.

* Cover them with a kitchen towel and again leave them in a warm place, for about an hour, for second rise. Below are the butter stuffed dough triangles after the second rise.

* After about 45 minutes is up, preheat the oven to 400 deg F / 200 deg C. 
* Place the sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until the butter-flaps turn golden brown through out (not dark brown). Some of the butter gets released from the dough during baking and this is normal. The butter inside will melt into the dough. 
* As soon as the pans are out from the oven, butter-flaps can be turned upside down so that the melted butter inside trickles down on the top. If desired, brush the butter-flaps with about 2 tbsp. melted butter or use the butter from the baking sheets.
* They can be served cold too but I liked them hot from the oven.


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F for France ~ Mendiants au Chocolat

 
Event: BM #44  
Choice of country: French Republic
Capital City: Paris
Official Language: French

I would like to visit Paris one day and leisurely explore the city. Technically I have set my foot in the city several times over the years, as I usually catch my connecting flight to India from there. I am always in a hurry to reach India to meet my loved ones instead of breaking off my journey and so couldn't visit the city yet. Hopefully I will make it during my next visit. 
Besides, my son is studying French at school and would love to learn more about that country. We wanted to send him on a student exchange program to Paris during last summer but couldn't do so because of dietary restrictions. As part of the program, he would have spent his summer in France, with a sponsoring French family learning about their language, culture and traditions. While we would have done the same here in US, welcoming a French student to our home. At the last moment, I got cold feet to send him alone and besides being a vegetarian, there was the issue of food. I promised myself at that moment that he would get an extensive tour of the country. In fact, not only him but every one of us. In the mean time, we are set to enjoy some French food at home. I prepared a French treat for us called "mendiants au chocolat". 

A mendiant is a traditional French confection that was usually made during Christmas. It is a chocolate disk studded with dry fruits and nuts and is very easy and quick to put together. They were traditionally meant to represent the four monastic orders of middle ages in Western Europe -  Dominicans (or Jacobins as they were called in France), Augustinians, Franciscans and Carmelites. These monastic orders were mendicant orders, mendicant coming from a Latin word meaning "to beg". These monks renounced every worldly possession and were bound by a vow of poverty. They depended upon charity / begging for their livelihood.

Each of the dry fruits and nuts traditionally used stood for the color of the monastic robes they wore - Raisin for Dominicans, hazelnut for the Augustinians, dried fig for Franciscans and almond for Carmelites. The modern versions have moved away from the traditional combination and today, one can use their choice of dry fruits, nuts, fruit peels, seeds, coconut flakes and so on. I guess you got the idea. Adorn the chocolate dollops with your favorite toppings or any odds or bits of nuts / dry fruit you want to use up from your pantry. Besides no need to wait until Christmas to enjoy these delightful treats.

Making mendiants is surprisingly simple. Basically, chocolate is melted by double boiler method and about tbsp. sized melted chocolate is dropped as dollops on a foil / parchment paper lined cookie sheet. They are then decorated with toppings and are refrigerated until they are set.  

Pronunciation:
I suddenly realized at some point that it is a French recipe name and possibly shouldn't be pronounced like an English word. I had even seen recipe titles like "Recette de Mendiants aux fruits secs et au chocolat" for mendiants and thought the one I chose is short and sweet. My son explained me that the long title just means "a recipe for mendiants with dry fruits and chocolate". Phew. Anyone wondering how to say "Mendiants au chocolat"? 
Chocolat is of course "shoh-koh-lah" meaning chocolate.
Au is pronounced as an English 'o' and means 'with' in the cooking context.
And for mendiants, check it here. I am having hard time to write it even though I learnt how to say it from my son. It is said with a nasal voice and it goes like "moan-dyon"

Ingredients to make about a dozen:
Dark chocolate / white chocolate / chocolate chips (I used 1 cup chopped chocolate pieces)
Assortment of dry fruits and nuts of your choice

Preparation:
* Avoid chocolate coming in contact with water at any point of time during the preparation. Keep your work station, pan in which you are melting chocolate and spatula completely dry.
* Line a cookie sheet with foil / parchment paper or use a silicon mat.
* Chop the chocolate into small bits. If using chocolate in large quantity, do it in batches. 
* Keep your toppings ready.

Method:
*  Use a sauce pan and a metal / glass bowl that fits snugly over the top of that pan. Fill the sauce pan with water such that the quantity of water should provide heat but not touch the base of the bowl in which chocolate is going to be melted. 
* Put the sauce pan with water over a low heat and place the chocolate bowl over it. Melt it over low heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula.
* Drop a tbsp sized melted chocolate on the prepared cooking sheet. Gently shape the chocolate into a disc using the back of the spoon. Repeat the steps quickly until you have made about 4 discs. Decorate them with your choice of toppings.
* Again repeat the steps doing about 4 discs before decorating, to avoid getting chocolate cold quickly.
* Let cool and refrigerate them until they are set. Once set they peel off easily.

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E for Egypt ~ Ghorayebah / Ghreybeh

 
Event: BM #44  
Choice of country: Egypt  
Capital City: Cairo  
Official Language: Egyptian Arabic

We are on the fifth day of  "global cooking" themed month here and I am going with Egypt for the alphabet "E". Egypt lies between 2 continents, Africa and Asia and has one of the longest histories of any modern country. It is considered a cradle of civilization and ancient Egypt experienced some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanization, organized religion and central government in history. It's civilization is renowned for it's colossal pyramids, temples and monumental tombs. 
Majority of the people live near the Nile river banks since that is the only arable land available. Nile valley and delta produce large quantities of legumes and vegetables in high quality and Egyptian cuisine heavily relies on it. In fact, it's cuisine is based on foods that grow out of the ground and is conducive to vegetarian diets. Meat has been very expensive for most Egyptians throughout it's history and so a variety of vegetarian dishes have been developed. The excavations have revealed that workers on the "Great Pyramids of Giza" were paid in bread made with emmer wheat flour, beer, and onions. Fava beans have been and still is the primary source of protein. Bread forms the backbone of Egyptian cuisine and is used as a utensil to scoop up the side dishes. (Info from wiki.)
 
I am going with some addictive cookies from that country. Ghorayebah / ghreybeh pronounced "go-ray-bah" are shortbread / butter cookies from the Arab world. After looking through online recipes, my initial understanding was that they originated either in Egypt or Lebanon. It turns out that they are very popular through out the middle East region and every person thinks that ghorayebah comes from his/her own country. In fact, I saw them In African food blogs too. :) And so like Egyptians, I am going to claim them Egyptian and posting them for my "E" alphabet.

I read somewhere that these cookies are named after the Arabic word for swoon. No wonder considering that the texture and taste of these cookies are worth swooning over. Traditionally they are shaped like rings, adorned with pistachio / almonds. The baked cookie looks like a bracelet with a "nut" gem and are sometimes known as "Queen's bracelets". The queen referred here comes from the biblical book of Esther. Esther is a Jewish-Persian queen who prevents a massacre of the Jewish people. Ghorayebah are served during purim and are thought to represent her bracelets.

The recipe is deceptively simple though cookies taste divine. It seems that the traditional version ghorayebah are made with only three ingredients - flour, sugar and butter. No leavening agents or flavorings are added but of course are garnished with nuts. Perfectly done ghorayebah are ivory colored, fragile and melt in mouth kind. They have a sweet, buttery taste and shortbread cookie texture. Their taste and texture reminded me of those yummy butter biscuits sold in Indian bakeries. I am sure every Indian have eaten their share of those delicious biscuits.

Ingredients for a dozen cookies:
1/4 cup melted ghee (clarified butter)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Pistachios / almonds to garnish

Method:
* Beat ghee and sugar together until creamy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

* Add flour and combine to make a soft, pliable dough.
1. I got a perfect dough with the above measurements and didn't need any extra flour to form the dough. In case, if the dough is very loose, add flour in tbsp. increments and try to form the dough.   
2. I saw some recipes mentioning to chill the dough but it is not required. Besides the dough becomes too stiff and you have to leave it again at room temperature to shape the cookies and so basically the chilling step is useless.

* Preheat the oven to 350 deg F / 180 deg C.
* Grease  a baking sheet or line with foil / parchment paper.
* Divide the dough into 12 portions. Shape each portion into a log of about 5 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Form a ring, by joining both the ends by pressing in a pistachio (or a blanched almond). You can directly shape the cookies on the baking sheet since they may break while transferring from work surface to the baking sheet.
* The ring shaped ghorayebah are traditional but if you don't want to bother, go the easy way. Roll the dough into 12 balls, gently flatten them and stick a pistachio / almond at the center. I have seen versions using whole cloves too.

* Arrange the dough rings on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them. They don't spread while baking but puff up slightly.
* Bake until they start to turn slightly light golden, about 18 - 20 minutes. They should remain ivory colored and do not brown them. Even slight browning spoils their characteristic taste. (Mine were done in about 16 minutes)

* Remove them from oven and let cool. Store them in an airtight container. 

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D for Dominican Republic ~ Dulce de Leche en Tabla

 

Event: BM #44
Choice of country: Dominican Republic
Capital City: Santo Domingo
Official Language: Spanish

I am going with Dominican Republic for the letter 'D' and it is in Atlantic ocean, between north and south American Continents. 
Caribbean sea, a sea in Atlantic ocean lies towards the southeastern side of USA and is home to 22 island territories. This Caribbean island group is called the Greater Antilles and one of these islands goes with the name Hispaniola. This particular island is divided between two nations, Dominican Republic and Haiti. The original inhabitants of the region were Taino people and they called the island, Quisqueya (mother of all lands) and Ayiti (land of high mountains.). Christopher Columbus, the Spanish explorer landed on the island in 1492 and named it Hispaniola. The region became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas and Santo Domingo became Spain's first capital in the new world. Santo Domingo is the oldest, continuously inhabited, European settlement in the Americas. It is the site of the first university, castle, cathedral, monastery and fortress in the new world.
The native Taino, Spanish and African influences are predominantly seen in Dominican Republic cuisine. The Spanish dishes are made with a new twist while the native and African dishes are still dominant, some of them unchanged.  Dominican Republic cuisine resembles the cuisines of other Latin American countries. 

During the recipe hunt for this marathon, I have come to admire two food bloggers from the Latin world. One is from Colombian background and the other one is Clara from whom this recipe comes. I have started to like her photography, writing skills and recipes immensely and have bookmarked few of her recipes. Initially I wanted to try her cassava bread but when I saw the pictures of this Dominican version of milk fudge, I was sold. We literally were bowled over the taste of it and couldn't stop comparing it to our own doodh peda. We, especially my husband who enjoyed it the most started reminiscing about the good old days spent in our homeland and the melt in mouth kind, doodh peda we get to taste there. He doesn't have a sweet tooth and  I have seen him over the years, enjoying at the most only 2 or 3 kinds of sweets. Then imagine how good these milk sqaures must have been when the above said man was popping a fudge each day, without anyone reminding him.
 
Now let's come to the Dominican version of this milk fudge. Guess this is one of those dishes that crosses countries and cultures and connects people. :) I am always amazed when I see a familiar recipe in other traditional versions across the globe. I wonder how people worldwide created similar dishes without even ever realizing it. What do you do when you have loads of left over milk but no refrigerator? "Make some yummy dulce de leche en tabla" must have been the answer if you lived in Dominican Republic before the refrigerator era. This one is a yummy treat for everyone with a sweet tooth.
Traditionally this dish is prepared by continuously boiling and stirring a large quantity of milk for hours, until it is thickened. Then the mixture is poured into mold, allowed to set and then cut into squares. It stays fresh for days without getting spoiled. This method takes hours to prepare but it is worth it. For a short cut method, the below version uses condensed milk and one can quantity takes less than an hour (about 30 - 40 minutes if I recall correctly.) 

Ingredients: (Yields about 10 pieces)
14 oz / 400 grams sweetened condensed milk (I used it.)
or 
14 oz / 400 grams unsweetened condensed milk + 1/4 cup sugar

Notes:
1. The original recipe mentions to use an iron / aluminum pot. By default I reach for a nonstick pan when I am preparing sweet dishes, especially if they are milk based ones and cook on low flame. In that way I am ensured that the dish doesn't get burnt and my efforts don't go through the drain. And so I advise you to go with a non stick pan and a wooden spatula while preparing this fudge. The recipe is quite simple and just involves stirring. 
2. Here is a trick I learnt to avoid continuous stirring while preparing this fudge. Turn off the stove after 10 minutes of stirring and leave the pan on the stove-top for about 3 - 5 minutes and relax in the mean time. By the time one comes back to it and starts cooking it again, it would have thickened more than the time at which it was stopped (without hogging over the stove and stirring). Repeat it after every 10 minutes through the cooking process. This fudge making process did not seem tedious to me for the above reason.
3. I had no idea that it would become real firm once it gets cold and went on cooking. I could not drop the mixture into a mold because of it and shaped the warm mixture into squares by hand instead. 

Method:
*  Grease the mold with oil / melted butter / ghee.
* Pour a can of condensed milk into a nonstick pan and start cooking on low flame. Low flame is the key here. You cannot turn the heat high even if you are using a non stick pan. In spite of the continuous stirring and nonstick pan, the condensed milk starts burning around the edges, on high heat. And so keep cooking milk on low flame and keep stirring to avoid the milk sticking to the bottom.
* Keep stirring and continue cooking. The condensed milk keeps becoming darker in color and thicker in consistency.
I took the pictures every10 minutes once to show the progress. And if I recall correctly, these must be after 10, 20 and 30 minutes of cooking, respectively.

 

* If you are using sugar, stir in once the milk thickens enough and starts to lift from the bottom, about 15 minutes.

* It is ideal when the mixture reaches a consistency similar to peanut butter. Do not be tempted to cook it longer / thicker since the mixture forms up considerably once it cools down. I guess mine was a little bit thicker.

* Pour the mixture into a prepared, square shaped mold / a heat resistant plate with high edges. Gently smooth the top using a spatula. When it has come to room temperature, remove from the mold and cut into squares. 
* If you are not going to finish them sooner, refrigerate them. I stored them in a stainless steel box and left it over my kitchen counter. They are fresh even after a week.
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C for Colombia ~ Cassava Fries / Yuca Fries / Yuca Frita

 

Event: BM #44
Choice of country: The Republic of Colombia
Capital City: Bogota
Official Language: Spanish

How many of you really know how to correctly spell  "Colombia", the south American country? I may not be a right candidate for a spelling bee competition but trust me when I say that I hardly make mistakes when it comes to spellings of words that are found in a normal conversation in the English language. I always had assumed that there was only one way to spell the word and that was "Columbia". I probably had nurtured this assumption owing to the familiarity with words connecting to "Columbia" in USA and Christopher Columbus himself. We have  a river, a university and a state capital by that name here in US and of course our nation's capital has Columbia in it too. It turns out that "Columbia" is a historical and poetic name used for the United States of America and is also one of the names of it's female personification. Apparently I suck in American history. :) Now as I got that thing off my chest, we can proceed to the country "Colombia" which happens to be my choice for the letter "C".

I am still in south America on the third day of this culinary journey and moving towards the northwest region of that nation. The word "Colombia" comes from explorer Christopher Columbus' last name. The indigenous people who were the original inhabitants of the area, Spanish colonists, African slaves and European & Middle-East immigrants have all contributed towards a diverse cultural heritage and cuisine. According to wiki, the country's varied geography and imposing landscape of the country have resulted in very strong regional identities and the cuisine varies regionally. The Colombian cuisine includes the cooking of Colombia's Caribbean shore line, pacific coast, mountains, jungles and ranch lands. Colombian coffee is renowned for it's high quality. Some  of the common ingredients used in cooking are cereals like rice and maize, tubers such as potato and cassava/yuca, legumes, meats and seafood. The country is home to tropical fruits that are rarely found elsewhere - zapote, nispero, lulo, uchuva, passion fruit, borojo, cruba, mamoncillo, guanabana, guava and others.
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As you can see the main star of today's post is cassava. This starchy, tuberous root also goes by other names such as yuca, manioc, balinghoy, tapioca root and many more and it was first likely domesticated in Brazil ten thousand years ago. The Portuguese traders from Brazil introduced cassava to Africa and it is now one of the important staple foods there along with maize. However care must be taken that cassava is prepared properly before consumption since improper preparation can leave enough residual cyanide to cause serious health hazards in humans.

Fried cassava is commonly found in many Latin countries and is a typical substitute for the French fries. I liked the texture of  these fries more than the potato ones and they remained crispier longer than french fries do. For a healthier version, they can be baked after boiling the cassava instead of frying. 

Ingredients:
Cassava / Yuca
Oil to fry
Salt for seasoning

Method:
* Select yuca that is firm with no soft spots or white spots (aka fungus). The yuca usually comes with a wax coating. Cut off the tapered ends. Using a paring knife, make a vertical cut along the length of the yucca root and try to peel away any skin that comes off easily. If that method is hard, peel away the crusty brown skin and the pink layer underneath using a knife. Cut the peeled yuca into sections and cook until tender. I pressure cooked for one whistle. It would look like boiled potatoes when done.

* Drain and let cool. Pat the yuca pieces dry with a paper towel. Cut them into thick pieces similar to french fries taking care to remove the woody core first.

Make a vertical cut along the length of the yucca root with a sharp paring knife and lift one side. Peel away any skin that comes off easily.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_5653679_peel-yucca-root.html

Make a vertical cut along the length of the yucca root with a sharp paring knife and lift one side. Peel away any skin that comes off easily.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_5653679_peel-yucca-root.html

 

* Fry the cassava pieces in hot oil until they turn crisp and golden brown through out, about 5 minutes. Drain them on paper towels.

  

* Season with salt and serve immediately.

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B for Brazil ~ Brigaderio

Event: BM #44
Choice of country: Federative Republic of Brazil
Capital City: Brasilia
Official Language: Portuguese

From Argentina, I am moving towards the largest nation of the south American continent, Brazil. It is the world's fifth largest country and borders all other south American countries excepting Chile and Ecuador and home to a greater part of Amazon rainforest. The European sailors and merchants gave the name "Brazil" to the area in reference to a tree that once used to grow widely along the Brazilian coast called brazilwood while the native people called it "Pindorama" - the land of palm trees. It was ruled by Portugal for centuries and so Portuguese happens to be the official language. In fact it is the largest Portuguese speaking nation in the world and the only Portuguese speaking nation among Americas. 

There has been influx of immigrants starting from Portugal who occupied the country in 1500 to the African slaves who were bought to work in sugarcane plantations when cane sugar happened to be Brazil's important export in 1600's. There was the discovery of gold in the region and the Brazilian gold rush brought immigrants from Portugal and their colonies in 1700's. And then there were other European nations fighting with Portugal for the power.  These changes have naturally resulted in a diverse cuisine across the nation. Especially the Portuguese and African cooking have greatly influenced the Brazilian cuisine. The cuisine varies region wise reflecting the country's diverse population - the natives and the immigrants. And for the same reason, Brazil has no one national dish but an assortment of dishes from various regions. It is world's largest coffee producer for the last 150 years and naturally coffee is the national beverage of Brazil.
 
Half of my cooking for the mega marathon was done during my kids' summer holidays and so I planned the dishes in such a way that my trials would be treats for them. These brigaderios were one of them and both my kids were asking for more servings. It remains my daughter's top most favorite among the dishes I tried so far for this marathon and she keeps asking me when I would be making another batch. No wonder considering that it a delicious staple at kids' birthday parties across Brazil and served as dessert during holidays and feasts.

Brigadeiro is a popular Brazilian chocolate bonbon that was created in the 1940s and named after one of the country's prominent political and military figure, Brigadier Eduardo Gomes. They are equally liked in Portugal as well and goes by the name 'Brigadier' there. It is known as 'Negrinhi' in some southern states of Brazil, literally meaning "black". It is surprising that how quickly a few ingredients could be turned into yummy fudge balls that satisfies anyone's sweet tooth. The only trick in making these chewy brigaderios is to cook until it reaches a correct consistency. It should be thick and sticky to shape into balls. Here is a video which would be helpful if you decide to make these chewy goodies.
(Info source:wiki)
 
Ingredients:
14 oz / 400 gm sweetened condensed milk
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp butter + extra for greasing
Chocolate sprinkles for coating

Method:
* Heat the butter in a sauce pan. Add the condensed milk and cocoa powder next and keep cooking on medium flame, stirring occasionally. When the mixture starts to simmer, lower the heat and continue stirring to avoid the mixture from sticking and burning to the bottom of the pan. Follow the directions even if you are using a nonstick pan.
* Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a sticky fudge consistency, about 10 - 15 minutes. When you scoop a spoon of mixture, lift and turn it upside down, it should stick to the spoon for a few seconds before it drops back into the pan. 
(Most of the recipes mention that you should cook until you start to see the bottom of the pan. I used a non-stick pan and this clue for doneness didn't work for me. And DO NOT be tempted to cook until it turns into a solid mass. If you did by any chance, add a few tbsp of milk and cook slightly to fix it. It should still be a semi solid mass when done.)
* Transfer the mixture into a heat-proof wide plate and let it cool for about 10 - 15 minutes. Place the plate in refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until they firm up.
* Lightly grease your palms with butter before shaping the brigaderios. Roll about a tsp of the mixture (between your palms) at a time to make even sized balls. Roll them in chocolate sprinkles to coat evenly and place them in individual paper cups. 
(I made tbsp. sized  balls instead. In case you don't have chocolate sprinkles, just get creative and try rolling them in icing sugar, crushed nuts, colorful sprinkles or whatever you prefer.)
* Stick them back in the refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes.

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A for Argentina ~ Tortas Fritas

  

Event: BM #44
Choice of country: Argentine Republic
Capital City: Buenos Aires
Official Language: Spanish
 
I am going on a culinary, global tour this month as part of the blogging marathon #44 group. There are no special rules or themes of this marathon except that the names of the countries we are going to chose to cook from will go in an alphabetical order. I would be posting each day of this month except on Sundays and dishing out about 26 culinary delights for my readers, virtually.

And I chose to go to Argentine Republic / Argentina on the first day. Thanks to my elementary school social-studies teacher who taught us about South America, I had always associated the term "ABC" to countries Argentina, Brazil and Chile. My attention naturally shifted to Argentina when I was looking for countries starting with the letter A. Argentina is located in the south eastern region of the South American continent and almost covers the southern tip of that continent. It is the eight largest continent in the world and up until the early parts of twentieth century, it was one the wealthiest, developed nations. The name "Argentina" comes from the Latin "argentum" meaning silver. It is in association with a legendary myth that a silver treasure is located in south America, which was widespread among the first European explorers of the region. The country's cuisine is a cultural blend of the native American and Mediterranean influences. The country has a large immigrant population and naturally the cuisine is diversified. Beef is the most loved meat here.

 Argentine National Congress Palace, Buenos Aires (Image:Wikimedia commons)

I was looking for some desserts from the region and the first dish that caught my attention was tortas fritas. Tortas fritas - The fried pies / cakes are popular both in Argentina and the neighboring country of Uruguay and these are served traditionally on a rainy day as an accompaniment to yerba mate (pronounced mah - tey), a caffeine rich beverage popular in the region. This is one traditional dish influenced by the simple, nomadic life style of Gauchos and has nothing to do with the hotchpotch of dishes that involved due to both the native and European culinary influences. The "gauchos" (Argentinean version of cowboys) led a nomadic life on the vast pampas with limited food sources and sometimes they would fry up these tortas fritas with the basic ingredients they had on their hands - the flour, salt, lard and water (rain water.). Gauchos would live on beef cooked on an open fire and yerba mate herding their livestock. And when it rained, they would make these tortas fritas as a quick alternative to their usual cooking since they could not keep the fire up going for longer periods and they would use the rainwater to prepare the dough. The present day versions may contain butter (instead of lard), eggs or leavening agents. 

I was in luck and landed up with an authentic version provided by an Argentinean grandmother here. The dish is simple to prepare and tasted very good, somewhere along the lines of Indian badushah / balushahi in taste. Mine did puff up slightly and were flaky too. Everyone at home loved this and I recommend this for a quick and yummy treat.

Ingredients: (yield about 5)
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp. melted butter
Scant 1/4 cup water
Oil to fry
Granulated sugar to sprinkle on top

Method:
* Combine flour, baking powder, salt and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Add water gradually as needed to form a soft, pliable dough. 
 
* Flour the work surface if necessary and knead the dough for a couple of minutes until it is smooth. Cover and let it rest it for about 20 minutes. Divide the dough into 5 or 6 pieces and roll them into balls.
* Dust with flour or grease the work surface if needed. Flatten the dough ball with your palm. Pat each ball into a thin circle of about 1/8 inch thickness using the heel of your hand. (Remember these are rustic and gauchos used hands). 
If you are finding it hard to do with your hands, use a rolling pin. Poke a hole in the center using your fore finger or cut a small X at the center using a sharp knife.
 
* Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan, on medium flame. To check whether the oil is hot enough to fry, drop a pea sized dough piece into it. If it sizzles and comes to the surface immediately, it is ready for frying. If it doesn't, heat oil for a few seconds more. However don't bring the oil to a smoking point. 
* Gently drop the rolled out circle into the oil. Fit as many as your pan can hold without overcrowding. I was preparing a small quantity and so used a small pan and fried one at a time.
 
* Fry on low medium flame until it turns golden brown through out. They turn slightly puffy during the frying and remain so even when they are cold. Remove it using tongs and drain on absorbent towels.

* Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls. If frying a large batch of tortas fritas, increase the heat if needed in between.
* Sprinkle sugar on the warm tortas fritas and serve them immediately.

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