Catch up post #2... St Vincent and the Grenadines

This was an interesting one. Turns out a popular dish over there is `Green pigeon pea soup'. The soup was a little funny in that it called for a bunch of starchy vegetables like tannais (we used potato) and plantain (we used a greenish banana). It also needed green pigeon peas (we used normal green peas). Not our most accurate dish with a lot of the ingredients more readily available in the tropics but the result was really yum. We were a bit worried about having banana in our soup however it gave just a little hint of sweetness without being anywhere near overpowering.

Also included in the recipe were dumplings. Not sure what I got wrong with these but they ended up being little golf-balls of disappointment. Soup = two thumbs up, dumplings = one thumb down.

Now that we've caught up it's time for our next country - tonight we cook some North Korean food.

Catch up post #1... Togo

Long ago in the distant past we went to Togo. It wasn't a particularly memorable meal however the highlight was a tasty grilled chicken marinated in lots of garlic and pepper. With the chicken we served Albo, which is a Togolese corn bread. Our bread ended up a bit dry and dry and grainy but all-in-all not a bad meal from a country that proved hard to research.

(The salad was an non-Togo type just because we needed a green side for the meal)

The bread was cooked in the one pan separated by baking paper; it ended up being flat and quite like - much like unsweet sponge.

On Sunday night we took a leisurely stroll through Andorra. We were certainly not left hungry. We began with an entree of 'Pa Amb Tomaquet', which I believe translates to tomato on bread. It was more or less a do-it-yourself bruschetta, complete with a red onion salad. We agreed it would be perfect on a hot, lazy summer afternoon. 

Which might not be said about the rest of meal: Trinxat (Cabbage and Potato Pancake) and Escudella de Pages (Peasant Stew). These two dishes were definitely winter fare. They were filling and delicious and meaty and carb-y. We topped a pleasing meal off with a pleasing Spanish wine. 

Next up: Togo

Paraguay - sopa, bori bori, maté and lots of meat

It's been a little while since we've done this and Paraguay didn't let us down. Heaps of stuff to cook tonight and we started with bori bori - a beef soup with cornmeal and cheese dumplings. The drink of choice in this part of the world is mate - a tea made from a native plant and drunk out of a gourd.

Along with the soup we also made Sopa Paraguay (Paraguay soup) which despite its name is corn bread.

The main course is meat - lots of meat. We attempted an asado (BBQ) with a range of meat on offering - traditionally included in an asado is offal which we didn't completely comply with although we did get some white pudding in a passing acknowledgement of other more gross meat bits.

South Sudan - peanut stew and kisra

South Sudan was our next stop and we decided on beef stew with peanuts and Sudanese flat bread called 'kisra'. Inspired by this youtube clip we set about doing it ourselves.

Several dodgy crepes later we had pretty much nailed it. 

The stew with the crushed peanuts turned out very tasty; it's a dish I would definitely cook again. The end result, served with a tomato salad, was a great mix with the plain bread a fantastic way to soak up the stew. 

Next stop: Paraguay. 

Malta - stuffat tal-fenek (Rabbit stew)

To Malta. Tossing up between rabbit stew and 'beef olives' (look them up) we decided on the rabbit because we've never cooked with rabbit previously.  To the butcher to buy a rabbit - we had the boys with us and I stopped myself just in time when I pointed to the whole rabbits and started to say "Look Tav, there's a rabbit like [your favourite toy] brown rabbit."

Chopped into chunks, marinated and then slow cooked for 3 hours, the results (although not photogenic) were deliciousness. Tender meat with an amazing rich tomato sauce. 

According to our research the sauce from Maltese stews are used as a pasta sauce for entree so that's how we started:

Followed up with the stew itself. 

Pro: always keen to eat different animal and the rabbit was very tasty. 

Con: small bones; annoying small mammals have a lot of tiny tiny bones. 

Next stop:  the recently formed country South Sudan. 

Canada - planking

So it was off to Canada on Sunday. We decided to attempt multiple courses, starting with a main involving fish, chips and a plank. The above shot is us  warming the cedar, which ends up smoking the fish as it cooks. Below is us painting salmon with a delicious glaze made of maple syrup, amongst other things.

 The asparagus also took on an amazing smoky flavour.

 Below is our version of poutine. I think they traditionally make their own chips and gravy, and use cheese curd rather than bocconcini. So we didn't accurately achieve any single ingredient, but we were going for the vibe....?

 Dessert was an extremely rich nanaimo bar (mostly butter with a few other ingredients playing minor roles), served with a glass of ice wine (a dessert riesling made from grapes which have frozen on the vine).

So, thank you Canada - we enjoyed our stay, and hope to come back one day soon.

Next stop... Malta. K, we're going to be asking questions.

Samoa - Umu with the works!

Make an underground oven (an "umu") in the most detailed, tasty and interesting food challenge to date? Yes please! We headed to the farm, where digging holes in the ground is much more acceptable, to make Samoa in South Gippsland. Dad had seen to the hole and the fire and we were set to go, along with Mum, Bee and Krit.

Next step... add everything we can think of: Pork, sweet potatoes, carrots, potatoes and pumpkin all go in. 2 whole fish go in. Also palusami, seen raw below. Taro leaves (we used spinach) wrapped around a mixture of meat and coconut cream.

We made two types, one with prawn and one with canned corned beef.



Into the hole!

While we waited we made Oka - Raw fresh tuna, soaked in lemon juice, we then added tomato, chili, cucumber and coconut milk. Delicious - will cook again.

Second entrees - the palusami. Very very tasty, the table was split on what was best. The prawn and corned beef both worked very well.

Third entree - the whole fish (snapper) worked a treat in the hole.  

Finally, main was the vegies and pork. All the food took on an amazing flavour after going underground, coming out with a smoky sweetness and full of flavour.

A great night, a great way of cooking! Thanks to the parents for hosting a great trip to Samoa.

Kyrgyzstan - Paloo

To Kyrgyzstan, and without easy access to horse meat (we're not in Europe) we settled on paloo, otherwise known as plav in Central Asia.

From the nomadic history comes a stew of lamb, carrot, beans and rice. It would be a red variety of rice if we were there, unfortunately we had to settle for the old long-grain.

A little plain, very oily, this is probably the least favoured meal we've cooked, but it did fill us up and the lamb was tasty.

Next we're off to... Samoa!

Morocco - Tagine, bread and tea

To Morocco and the biggest cooking challenge so far... slow cooked main meal with cous cous, home made bread and Morocco's national drink - mint tea. So many elements (thanks MKR).

We set up the tagine in the back courtyard, on a special cooker, care of Mo's dad. 

A couple of hours to absorb delicious flavour...

Home-made bread. Better than the pictures of Moroccan bread on the internet (ironically now a picture on the internet).

Delicious lamb tagine with home-made bread and home-made mint tea. Successful dining experience.

Qatar - machbous

Off to Doha and a delicious spiced rice dish with chicken and home-made tomato sauce (Dakkous).

First challenging ingredient in our wfc;
Dried limes.



And the end result - surprisingly tasty, the rice was nicely spiced and the crunch of nuts on top added a great texture.

Seychelles: Fish curry

It was to the Seychelles we went with a delicious, and hot, fish curry. First time we've made a fish curry, first time we've put all the spices together as well.

Next stop: Qatar. 

Chile: Chorrillanas and Pebre

First stop Chile!

We chose Chorrillanas and Pebre to start off our trip around the world.

Hot chips, layered with onion, scrambled eggs and sliced steak. With a home made salsa on the side this was delicious.

In a couple of days we're off to the Seychelles. Yay!