Tamalapaku

We, a group of motivated bloggers from the Blogging Marathon Group have successfully completed this world tour stopping at 26 different countries travelling in an alphabetical order. 

Personally, it has been a humbling experience in the sense that there is so much of variety all across the globe, yet we can relate to most of the food consumed in many parts of the world. For some countries, I had to struggle to pick out the right recipe which would be appreciated at home, whereas for some it was a breeze!!

Apple Strudel - Austria

Quinoa Stew - Bolivia

Millet Crackers - Chad

Avena Caliente - Dominican Republic

Cheesy Potato Soup - Ecuador

Vegan Lentil Soup - France

Spanakopita - Greece

Aksan - Haiti

Caprese Salad - Italy

Carrot Juice - Jamaica

Kitheri - Kenya

Apple Green Tea - Lebanon

Seven Layered Bean Dip - Mexico

Kokoro (Cornmeal Fingers) - Nigeria

Mugasgas - Oman

Potato Pierogi - Poland

Khabees - Qatar

Vegetable Borscht - Russia

Ajo Blanco - Spain

Spinach Tortilla Borek - Turkey

Eggless Bread And Butter Pudding - United Kingdom

Cachapas - Venezuela

Simsimeyeh (Sesame Brittle) - West Bank

Nokot (Chichpea Salad) - Xinjiang, China

Rose Water Lemonade - Yemen

Ifisashi (Spinach-Peanut Cury) - Zambia

Z for Zambia. The culmination of our world tour is here in this southern African, land locked  country, Zambia!! I hope this world tour offered a glimpse into the various cuisines of the world. 

After cris-crossing the world, lets settle down with a homey kind of a curry which is a staple in Zambia. Apparently, this curry is usually accompanied by a dish called Nshima. It is a corn flour, cooked in water and shaped like torpedos (oval shape) and they form a very important part of their meal. Since I was not sure we could appreciate it, I went ahead and served it with rice and roti!

Stay tuned for a round up of the tour in the next post!



Recipe Source here
Ingredients - 

Onions, chopped 1/2 cup
Spinach, chopped 2 cups
Peanuts, roasted 1/4 cup
Pumpkin, chopped about 1 cup
Tomato 1 nos or Tomato paste 1 Tbsp
Salt and Pepper (I used Red Chilli Powder instead of pepper) as needed
Peanut Oil 2 tsp (I used Olive Oil)



Method Of Preparation -

In a heated pan, add oil and saute the onions until they are golden brown.

Add the chopped tomato or tomato paste with some water. Let the mixture cook for a couple of minutes.

Add in the peanuts, spinach and pumpkin. Cover and let it cook for about 6-7 minutes.

Check for the done-ness of the pumpkin and add salt and pepper as needed.

Let the mixture simmer for a few more minutes until there is no moisture left.

Remove and serve it hot/warm with rice or roti.



Preparation Time 15 min
Serves 3

Y for Yemen. It is an Arab country in the south western area of the Arabian peninsula. 

Regarding their cuisine, it is distinctly different from the typical Middle Eastern Cuisines. Rose water lemonade is one of the popular beverages there.

Recipe Source here
Ingredients - 

Water 2 cups
Rose Water 1/2 tsp
Roohafza (Rose flavored Sugar Syrup) 2 tsp
Sugar 3 tsp (or as needed)
Lemon/Lime Juice 1 Tbsp or as needed

Method Of Preparation -


Mix all the ingredients in a container and adjust the flavors as needed.

Serve with ice and a lime/lemon slice on a hot day.


Preparation Time  5 min
Serves 2

X for Xinjiang. Since there is no country which starts with X, we built in an exception to pick out an area/city/territory starting with X, which is famous for its cuisine. So I zeroed in on Xinjiang province, China.

Xinjiang is primarily a Muslim dominated region and their cuisine is influenced by the Central Asian and Turkish Cuisines. The natives there are mostly from the Uighur group. And this particular salad is a street food very popular in the streets of Kashgar. The food of the Uighurs happens to be a tasty and diverse introduction to Chinese Cuisine!

This salad was a tasty success with my husband who is fond of Chinese cuisine. I had only a cup of soaked, boiled chickpeas and he wanted a repeat of the same salad. So I made it with steamed sprouted mung beans which he loved just as much. The key is the sauce/dressing used.

Recipe adapted from here and here
Ingredients - 

Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans, soaked and boiled 1 cup (Canned Chickpeas is a great and quick alternative)
Salt as needed
Carrots, grated 3-4 Tbsp (or as needed)
Coriander leaves, finely chopped 2 Tbp
For Ginger-Vinegar Dressing - 
Ginger, grated 1/4 tsp
Garlic, grated 1/4 tsp
Olive Oil 1 tsp
Rice Wine Vinegar (I used Apple Cider Vinegar) 1 tsp
Honey 1 tsp
Water 1 tsp



Method Of Preparation -
To Prepare the dressing - 
Mix all the ingredients of the dressing in a glass bowl and microwave it for a few seconds so the honey can blend in.

Whisk the dressing well and serve immediately.

To fix the salad - 
Drain the boiled chickpeas and arrange them in a serving plate. 

Sprinkle the grated carrots and chopped coriander leaves.

Drizzle the dressing as needed and serve.

W for West Bank. It is a land locked territory wedged between Israel, Jordan and the Dead sea. It has been a conflict ridden area for more than 50 years now.

But it is very interesting to note that in spite of the conflict, development and education have not taken a back seat.

Regarding this addictive Brittle, it is supposed be a favorite snack for kids and adults alike and our family totally agrees. I found it tastes better with honey instead of the traditional jaggery/sugar syrup which we make back home.



Recipe Source here
Ingredients - 

Sesame Seeds 1/2 cup
Honey 2 tsp



Method Of Preparation -


Dry roast the sesame seeds on medium heat until they turn a shade of brown and start to crackle. 

Reduce the heat to low and drizzle the honey.

Remove from heat and mix well so all the seeds are coated with honey.

Transfer onto a greased plate or parchment lined cookie tray. The mixture will be sticky, so don't attempt to smooth it.

Set aside for 2-3 minutes. Pat into a thin layer pushing in the stray seeds with your fingers. Smooth the top and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

Slice into required shapes with a strong knife and enjoy.







Preparation Time 20 min
Makes 12 - 1 inch squares

V for Venezuela. Venezuela is one of the most urbanized countries in Latin America. The population is very diverse and the majority of the population is of a mixed heritage.

Coming to today's recipe, Cachapas, it is a traditional Venezuelan breakfast. It is a very popular street food as well. There are very many variations to it. But this version was closer to our palates and was also popular at home.

Adapted from many sources on the web
Ingredients - 

Corn Kernels (I used frozen corn and thawed) 2 cups
Corn Starch 1 Tbsp
Salt as needed
Milk 1/4 cup
Cheese 1/4 cup or more as needed
Butter / Cream Cheese as accompaniment



Method Of Preparation -


Blend the thawed corn along with cornstarch, salt and milk to make a coarse batter. It should be slightly thicker than pancake batter consistency.

Heat a griddle/tawa. Pour a ladle full batter and spread like an Uthappam.

Cook on a low flame until the underside is cooked.

Gently flip onto the other side and cook for a couple minutes.

Flip again and sprinkle cheese, fold and remove onto a serving plate.

Continue with the rest of the batter.

Serve these Cachapas warm with butter or cream cheese for a filling breakfast.

Preparation Time 20 min
Makes 5

U for United Kingdom. I don't think UK needs any introduction. 

Once upon a time, I had a dream to go on the time machine and visit London during the 1800s. Subsequently, I used to read some Historical fiction set during that time period. I used to read up on any historical fiction/non fiction books which depicted the lifestyle of Britishers during that era, be it in India or in England. I used to watch movies set in that time period as well.

In those narratives, there used to be a reference to Bread and Butter Pudding and since then I wondered how it would taste but never did I imagine that I would be a food blogger and that I would try this out!! I made this twice (back to back in two days) to satisfy the cravings of my older one and mine too!!



Ingredients - 

Bread Slices 6 
Butter as needed to butter the slices on one side
Milk 2 cups + 2 Tbsp
Custard Powder 2 Tbsp
Sugar 5-6 Tbsp
Cinnamon Powder 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder (or grated nutmeg) 1/4 tsp
Dried Cranberries, Raisins, Tutti Frutti as needed

My older one was restless while I was clicking so she was sneaking in a bite or two while I was rearranging my camera angle :)

Method Of Preparation -


Remove the crusts of the bread slices and butter them on one side.

Cut the slices into 2 triangles each and layer them in a rectangular baking dish which has been greased well.

Sprinkle the raisins, and other dried fruits and arrange the bread slices evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.

To prepare the custard, heat milk and add sugar. Separately mix 2 tablespoons of milk with custard powder and gently pour into the boiling milk.

Pour the prepared custard mixture onto the layered bread slices. Set aside for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Bake the bread slices for about 40-45 minutes until the custard sets properly and the tops brown.

Serve warm or cold as per your preference.




Preparation Time 1 hr
Serves 4

T for Turkey. Turkey has a unique distinction of belonging to two continents, Asia and Europe. "Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Caucasian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines" says wiki.

These spinach tortilla rolls fall into the fusion category of their cooking. Borek is a family of salty pastries made using a thicker form of phyllo dough. Here a spinach filling along with cheese is rolled into a tortilla, sliced and baked until crisp to make a fantastic snack.

It is a very addictive, healthy and filling meal. My family has hooked onto this snack and so it ranks very high in the list of after school snacks!!



Recipe Source - here
Ingredients - 

Tortillas 4 (I used the flour tortillas)
Spinach, chopped 5 oz (I used frozen and thawed)
Tomato paste 1 Tbsp
Onions, chopped 1/2 cup
Salt and Pakrika (Red chilli powder) as needed
Shredded Cheese (I used a blend of Cheddar and Mozzarella) about 1/4 cup or as needed
Olive Oil 1 Tbsp



Method Of Preparation -
To Prepare the Filling - 
Cook the thawed spinach separately and set aside.

In a heated pan, add oil and saute the onions until golden brown. 

Add tomato paste and a few drops of water so they blend well.

Add paprika or red chilli powder as needed. 

Mix in the cooked spinach and sprinkle salt as needed.

Mix well and remove from heat.

To Assemble the Rolls - 
Preheat the oven to 425 °F.

Spread the filling evenly all over the tortilla, sprinkle cheese as needed. 

Roll the tortilla like a carpet. Slice 1 inch pieces and arrange on a parchment lined baking tray.

Bake for 10 min until the cheese melts and the tortillas crisp up.

Remove and serve them immediately.



Preparation Time 10 min + Baking time 10 min 
Makes 24 bites