Indonesia’s cooking techniques and ingredients merge with influences from India, the Middle East, China and Europe. New World produce brought by Spanish and Portuguese traders before the Dutch colonized the islands was also a big influence in Indonesian cuisine. Indonesia consists of five large islands and thousands of smaller islands, with a total area of 1,919,440 square kilometers. The country’s soil and climate support a number of agricultural crops, with sugar being the largest commercial crop.

The many different cultural regions each have their own unique culinary traditions. Additionally, many Indonesian dishes show influence from contact with Chinese, Indian, Persian, Arabic, and Dutch cuisines. There is no single Indonesian cuisine, but rather a wide range of different culinary traditions, localized to individual regions. Essentially, Indonesian cuisine is blend of a number of cultures and its very own ethnic foods. One region that is famous with its distinct cuisine is Padang in West Sumatra. This region is famous for its hot spicy food.

Curries (spicy sauces diluted with coconut milk), cumin, coriander, cucumbers, onions, mangoes, and eggplant were brought over by traders and Hindu missionaries from India. Ginger, cumin, cardamom, coriander, and fennel were also introduced, adding to the wide variety of spices. Around the 1400s, Muslims from the Middle East began bringing goat and lamb dishes into the Indonesian diet. The Portuguese later took control of trade routes, bringing with them sweet potatoes and turnips. The Spanish also later contributed peanuts, tomatoes, corn, and the popular chili pepper. In addition, the Dutch at later stages colonized the islands and imported vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, potatoes, and string beans, adding them to the wide number of vegetables already available in Indonesia.

A variety of soybean products, such as tofu, bean sprouts, and “Ketjap” (soy sauce), and different kinds of noodles were brought over by Chinese merchants who traveled to Indonesia. Trade with the Chinese, which first began around 2000 B.C, influenced Indonesian cuisine and is still evident through the use of tea, noodles, cabbage, soybeans, and the method of stir-frying. The Chinese dish, “Nasi Goreng” (fried rice), is one of Indonesia’s national dishes.

Food Culture:

Rice is Indonesia’s staple food. It normally accompanies every meal and is often the main ingredient for desserts and beverages. The two most common types are “Nasi Putih” (long-grain white rice) and “Nasi Ketan” (glutinous rice), a rice most often used to make cakes, snacks, and other desserts. A typical Indonesian meal consists of steamed rice and one or two main dishes made of fish, meat, chicken or vegetables, sometimes including soup, all of which are served together.

Spices are important ingredients in Indonesian cuisine. Often known as the Spice Islands, Indonesia has been a major source of many spices traded around the world since ancient times. Ginger, black and white Peppercorns, long pepper, and Galangal were exported to medieval Europe, while many others such as nutmeg and cloves only grew in Indonesia. Traditional spicing builds on a base of coriander, pepper, and garlic. Added to those are turmeric, bay leaf, star anise, ginger, cardamom, lemon grass, shallots, peanuts, dried anchovies, and prawns.

Indonesian cooking is rich with coconut milk. Beverages, sauces, soups, and even rice are prepared with it. Indonesia is a tropical country, naturally having an abundance of tropical produce such as coconuts. Coconut milk is used in many recipes, such as “Rendang” (dry beef curry), “Sayur Lodeh” (coconut vegetable stew), and one of Indonesia’s favorite national dishes, “Soto Ayam” (chicken soup), to desserts such as “Es Cendol”(coconut jelly dessert/drink) and “Es Doger”(coconut dessert with mixed fruits).

“Gado-gado” (Vegetable salad) is a both a national, and traditional dish in Indonesian cuisine. It is common for this vegetable salad served with peanut sauce dressing to be eaten as a main dish. Compared to Western and Indonesian salads, “Gado-gado” has much more sauce in it. Many stores now offer “Gado-Gado” dressing in dried blocks to which you simply add hot water, making it easier and cheaper to cook at home. “Gado-gado” is always served with crackers, usually with “Emping” (Indonesian style fried crackers.) We’ll be preparing this as a dish this week, so keep reading!

Indonesian desserts are often made from glutinous rice flour, palm sugar and coconut milk. Most desserts often consist of tropical fruits such as Starfruit, “Mangga”(mango),“Manggis”(mangosteen), Rambutan, Durian and “Nangka”(jackfruit). Some favorites are “Bubur Hitam” and “Es Campur.”

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Now for Our Indonesian Cuisine Experience!

We are now in week eight; the Indonesian food culture will be our final week of cultural food exploration around Melbourne, we saved the best for last. I have been waiting since week one to get to this point, no not because the project will be over but because this week is one of my favorite food cultures. Indonesian food of course has the greatness of simplicity and quickness when cooking as well as loads of different flavors going on at the same time, what else could you ask for?  Indonesian food covers everything from spicy to sweet, and everything in between, as well as a mix of the whole shebang.

The reason Indonesian food has such variety is due to the fact that Indonesia is made up of about 6000 islands, hence it is the variety and diversity of the country itself that makes Indonesian food so interesting.

#1

I cannot wait to get my hands on this week’s tasty treats so let’s start. First we will start with “Soto Ayam” a type of Chicken Soup, which is absolutely divine. Start by dicing one tomato, and 1-2 potatoes. Boil the potatoes until reasonably soft and then set aside. Then chop some fresh celery leaves, but not to fine. Hard boil 2-3 eggs (depending on the number of guests) then slice the eggs.

Next add the contents of a packet of “Soto Ayam” paste to a pot with about 500ml of water, and allow boiling before adding the noodles. Next prepare some noodles, we used vermicelli, pre-soak the noodles for about 10-15 minutes in warm water before adding to the pot. Boil for about 10 minutes.

Then prepare half a roasted chicken, shred the chicken with your hands, into small pieces.

Dish out the soup into a bowl, then add the shredded chicken pieces and garnish with sliced egg, tomato, potato, celery and a slice of lime. Lastly add some prawn crackers that have been slightly broken into smaller pieces. And that’s it your soup is complete.

Note: Save some of the cooked ingredients, one potato and one egg, for the next dish.

#2

Second we will make “Gado-Gado” a salad made of mixed vegetables with peanut sauce, considered a national dish and also being one of my favorites. I can see why Indonesians love this dish. It is so tasty and easy to make, why wouldn’t you want to make it every day?

Start by rinsing some bean sprouts and “kangkong” leaves (a Chinese vegetable). Then peal 1 – 2 carrots (depending on the number of guests) and slice into thin 5cm long pieces.

Boil some water, then add the vegetables and allow to boil for about 10 minutes. Drain the vegetables, separately if you are skilled enough like our friend Siuty, and place them on a suitable dish.

Garnish with the potato and egg you saved from the previous dish, you did save some right?

Next is the best bit, making some “Gado-Gado” sauce. “Gado-Gado“can be bought in a block from any Asian grocer, you simply put as much as you need into some hot water and then mix. The instructions on the back of the “Gado-Gado” are in English so don’t be scared people get out there and do this! It is so simple you just add water.

When the sauce is done pour it over the top of the vegetables, egg and potato, and then add some crumbled prawn crackers. And that’s it you are done, enjoy!

#3

Our third dish is a dessert called “Es Cendol”, a sweet iced fruit drink; there are many variations of this drink.

Today we make ours by starting with dicing some jackfruit, avocado, and a can of grass jelly. Mix the ingredients in a small bowl. Then add the ingredients to a tall glass, next add some palm seeds and syrup, some sago desert seeds, followed by some crushed ice. And to top it off add a good squeeze of condensed milk and a little sugar (one tea spoon) that has been dissolved in (less than a ¼ of a cup) of warm water, then proceed to eat immediately before anyone else figures out how good it is and you miss out…

Siuty was a great host and an even better cook. I only wish we could eat at her place every weekend!

So that is the end of our 8 week adventure into Melbourne’s multi cultured food scene and its affects is has on people. I feel we only touched the surface of what is a greater part of Australian society’s new wave of cultural greatness. I believe in many years to come Melbourne and Australia will be at the forefront of accepting people and their culture from all over the world with open arms just the way we have in the past eight weeks. This will further shape Australia truly into the luckiest country around.

To view more pictures of our experience this week, click here.

Sources:
http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Indonesian_Cuisine

http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Indonesia.html

http://www.sallybernstein.com/food/cuisines/indonesia/
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Indonesia.html

According to a coffee history legend, an Arabian shepherd named Kaldi was one day watching his goat herd. He noticed that some of the goats were eating the berries from a bush. After eating and chewing red coffee berries, the goats became friskier and couldn’t get to sleep. Kaldi then gathered some of the berries and boiled them, producing a bitter concoction that could ward off weariness.

Ethiopia is the oldest coffee exporter in the world. The history of the coffee bean began on the plateaus of central Ethiopia and somehow these coffee berries must have been brought to Yemen where it was cultivated since the 6th century.  Coffee Arabica has been grown in the wild forests of the south-western massive highlands of the Kaffa and Buno districts of the country. It was in Arabia that coffee beans were first roasted and brewed. Now, coffee is the most important agricultural commodity in the world, and is worth up to $14 billion annually. More than 80 countries cultivate coffee, which is exported to more than 165 countries worldwide.

From there, coffee traveled to Turkey where coffee beans were roasted for the first time over open fires. The roasted beans were crushed, and then boiled in water, creating a crude version of the beverage we enjoy today.

The Technical Side Of Coffee:

For this coffee class, we will be using a machine with a double grip handle. This machine costs $7k and lets us make 2 cups of coffees at once. Each coffee needs the right amount of coffee powder (7grams), for each 30ml shot of espresso. Therefore, we can me 2x30ml shot of espressos with one handle, with 14grams of coffee.

Coffee beans grown in coffee cherries are harvested by machines. Alternatively, ripe cherries they can be picked by hand-striping or selective picking (more costly.) Then, they will be dropped into flotation tanks where these cherry beans will fall to the bottom for sorting. The green cherries are taken out. Next, the husks of the cherries will be removed with bacteria enzymes before the beans are washed several times and left in the sun to dry for 2days. The husk are removed to produce coffee beans. We also found out that the aroma only comes out when the coffee beans are roasted.

Raw beans are graded AA-AAA. The higher the grade, the better the espresso coffee. Lesser grade beans are commonly used for instant coffee sold at supermarkets. Blends are also sold to reduce cost. For good espresso, there are two basic types; Robusta and Arabica. Robusta beans contain 50% more caffeine than Arabica beans and can therefore give a coffee more ‘body.’ The higher the caffeine also means the higher the acidity of the coffee.

Roasting:

Raw beans are tipped into a funnel at about 200 degrees Celsius and monitored by a roaster for 16minutes. It is later stirred in cold for a further 15mins or so. A mega roaster at coffee factories can roast up to 200kg or coffee beans per batch. It is reliant on computer sensors for the average bean size, moisture and content. The beans are calculated and roasted by average.

The humidity plays a dramatic role on extraction time. Since coffee is hydroscopic, it absorbs moisture from the air, causing a longer extraction time. Thus, the grind setting must be changed slightly throughout the day as extraction time changes. Remember not to leave coffee beans open in the fridge as well as it will absorb any flavor or smell around it. The size of the coffee you grind is crucial for good coffee. If the particles are too large, water will move through too quick without getting the flavor from the coffee. It is very important to adjust the grind of the beans. Pre-grind coffee is not recommended as it is usually too coarse for espresso.

 Let’s get started!

Frothing milk:

First we are taught how to texture (or steam) milk for the espresso. We have to first select a jug to put our fresh milk in. Pick the right jug size according to how many cups of coffee you are preparing. A 400ml jug should be for 1 cup of coffee. Fill milk to the base of the sprout point. This is important as if the milk is filled higher than the point; it will overflow before the milk reaches the correct temperature while steaming. Below the point and the milk won’t spin in the jug (we need it to spin for a silky texture.) Next, purge the steam wand by turning the steam for one about 3secs.

Next, position the steam wand (Remember to only hold the rubber to move the wand.) Pour the milk into the jug and position the jug in an upright position, with the nozzle slightly under the surface of the milk. Make sure that the wand is not positioned in the center of the jug but at the sprout side. This is very crucial. Turn the steam on and allow milk to texturize.  As the milk is texturizing, slowly lower the jug slightly (to introduce air into milk to create froth) while maintaining upright position. Check the thermometer. When it reaches 55 degree Celsius, turn the steam off. A good coffee should be served at 60-70degrees Celsius. Therefore stopping the steam at 55degree would be just right as the temperature will continue to increase even after the steaming has stopped. Do not go over 70 degrees Celsius as the milk will start to burn and its natural sweetness will disappear and the milk will turn flat.

Bring out the steam wand, give the jug a few taps on the table before swirling the jug. This is important as we do not want the milk and froth to separate in the jug. So keep swirling, for them to come out together into the coffee as a nice glossy dome. While pouring milk into coffee, you can also use a spatula as a froth control tool. This allows you to stop or add more froth to the coffee while pouring.

Espresso Coffee:

The espresso must be freshly ground with a sharp conical burr grinder, correctly dosed and tamped with a precise extraction rate. The espresso will end up smoother and more aromatic. If done properly, the crema will be darker and less bitter. We did this a number of times in class and just by having different extraction rates, we could immediately taste the difference with each coffee (mainly from its bitterness.)

1 pull of the dispenser and it will dispense, make sure the holding chamber is full. Dispense the coffee to filter basket till it is full to the top. (Flushed to brim of basket). Scrape off any excess using the dispenser lid.

Now that the coffee has been dosed, we must tamp the coffee to prepare a tight pellet of espresso.  The first compaction of basket has to have a pressure of about 15kg. Give it a little twist to compact gaps in the particles further. Knock on the sides of the filter basket for the second compaction. The second compaction should be about 10kg, done with a little twist, just to tidy up some loose ground. The tamper should be made of aluminum or similar light metal and should have a diameter so that it fits firmly into the basket. If the espresso is unevenly tamped or loose, the espresso will be unevenly extracted.

Before locking the filter basket into the machine, dust off any excess coffee powder on the seal of the basket, so coffee won’t stick to machine later. After this is done, lock the filter basket and pull it firmly into place.

Press the water button.

The extraction rate (time it takes for coffee to finish pouring from machine) of a coffee also impacts its crema. Too slow and the coffee will burn. Too quick and the crema will end up too patchy, either ways producing bad tasting coffee. A good espresso should have an extraction rate of about 25s-30s. More than 30secs and the espresso will taste bad. The minimum extraction rate must be 25secs. Do a test-pour each time you start using your machine.

Once coffee beans which are protected by volatile oils are exposed to the air, it oxidizes and turns the coffee stale. This occurs immediately after grinding, so it is important to tamp and extract the espresso as quickly as possible.

Always pour frothiest drink first, with a maximum of 5ml froth, and always swirl.

-Latte
-Café Latte
- Café Mocha
- Flat white (Less frothiest drink)

- Shot-Macchiato (marked or stained with dash of steamed milk from black to brown with a spoonful of froth to mark it.)

- Shot black (espresso)
- Long black. (Nice solid golden brown crema on top)

Non coffee-based drinks (Common in cafes):

- Hot choc
- Chai Latte

Cleaning:

A dirty machine would mean dirty tasting coffee. Therefore taking care of the machine is also an important thing to take note off. First, start with the coffee dispenser. Dose out the coffee and store it in an airtight container if needed. Keep dosing out the holding chamber. Then, take a paint brush and sweep it clean. Clear the whole beans out with a dry paper towel. Coffee oil can go rancid, so don’t use chemical, just plain hot water. Clean the bottom overall of grinder with a damp cloth and give hopper a rinse out.

Cleaning the coffee machine:

Maintenance of the steam wand is very important. After every cup of coffee, make sure to purge the steam wand for 5secs, and to wipe the tip of the wand with a damp cloth.

Next, take out the filter basket, remove the basket from the handle and wash it in hot water.

We can also soak the filter basket overnight in a cleaning solution that can be bought in stores.

Replace with blind filter (one with no holes). Then, load the handle back onto the machine to back-flush.

The machine would be pushing back the overflow as water won’t be able to come out (thus cleaning the inside of the machine). Press for water for 10secs and then turn it off for another 10secs. Repeat this step at least 5 times. Then do a wipe left to right so rims get clean.

Next, take out the drip-tray from the machine and clean it with soap and water. Using a damp cloth, wipe the entire machine’s body, as it would be sticky from fingers and milk splashing.

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Now for Our Coffee Experience!

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee, this week is all about Coffee….Whether it’s bad coffee (from a pot that has sitting there all day), medioka coffee (usually starbucks, way to milky and weak), good coffee (nearly every café in Melbourne has this), or coffee that is perfect (the secret places in Melbourne that no one will tell you about).

In Melbourne we have it all, to know Melbourne is to know Coffee and its culture. In Melbourne coffee culture is at an all time high, there is nowhere in Melbourne one can go and be without coffee, everyone seems to know what every coffee on the menu is, when to drink it and what it should taste like.

Some of my favourite Coffee is Genovese, illy, Blue Mountain Coffee (from Jamaica if you can find it) and anything brewed at seven seeds (yes that secret place). Or if you would like more of a kick to your coffee and less flavour, one cannot go past coffee from Vietnam, personally I prefer Legendee Gold made by Trung Nguyen. The only way to get Legendee Gold is straight from the supplier here, and then make it yourself Vietnamese style of course.

There is one other thing, even if you can get your hands on the best beans in the world, if the coffee is made by someone who does not know what they are doing the coffee will taste terrible guaranteed. I have been to some cafés and thought to myself “O No what have they done to my poor illy beans, this is just not right, maybe they changed out the beans” but no, it is not that they changed out the beans at all. It is that the person behind the counter has no clue or cares about what they are trying to make, they just don’t understand coffee.

This leads us on to why we decided to do a Barista course, firstly we wanted to learn more about coffee, the process from bean to cup, and secondly we really wanted to know how to make great coffee. Hence why we did a barista course, where else but right here in Melbourne!

So to start we had to learn about the frothing of milk, “um no, wrong” that is the texturing of milk, coffee with froth is bad, coffee with textured milk is good. The difference being, that textured milk has very fine bubbles and if done correctly it looks silky smooth and glossy on the surface.

Also to add to this the milk should not be supper hot as this burns the milk, meaning bad. The milk should be around 65 degrees to be perfect, this means great textured milk. Another thing, one should never try to re-texture milk or try to add more milk to milk that has been textured. This does not work, as once milk has been textured it cannot be done again or fixed in any way if it is done wrong. This is due to the denaturing of the fats and proteins in the milk at the time of texturing, hence denaturing can only be done once.

Next up we learnt about the coffee, you should get a nice creamer on top of your coffee, this is where all the flavour is, so no creamer means no flavour.

When you fill the portafilter basket with coffee it should be filled to the top and the excess scraped of so it is flat, you then apply 18 kgs of pressure with the tamper, give it a tap on the side and then an additional 10 kgs of pressure with the tamper. This pressure has to be given evenly so the coffee is level, because if it is not level it can affect the taste.

You then clean any excess coffee away and connect it to the coffee machine, press the correct button and then the coffee should start to run out into your cup. This part should take 25 seconds for the coffee to come out, no more no less, as it affects the taste of the coffee. The timing is controlled by adjusting the grind to either more course of fine depending on how long it takes for the coffee to come out.

This coffee making business is much harder than you would think, so many things to consider, just to get perfect coffee.

It took us both a few goes to get it right, we almost went crazy in the process, but now we can make great coffee. Hang on, no that’s not true, we can make perfect coffee.

We were both so glad we went to the barista course; we now feel we have an understanding of the coffee culture in Melbourne. What makes a great coffee and why, what all the things people order are and mean, it all began to make sense after finishing this course.

I’ll have an Affogato please, that’s a single (or double) shot of espresso coffee poured over ice-cream, served in a small to medium sized glass, with a spoon.

To view more pictures of our experience this week, click here.

To view us making our first REAL coffee, click here.

Kenya is located in East Africa and borders Somalia to the northeast, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west, Tanzania to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the east. The country covers a total of 582,600 square kilometers.

Several hundred years ago, merchants arrived from the Arabian Peninsula and Persia and made the island of Zanzibar off the Tanzanian coast their main port. From there they controlled the transport of exotic spices from India and the East Indies to the Middle East and Europe. The Arabs settled in the coastal areas of East Africa, and Arabic influences are especially reflected in the Swahili cuisine of the coast – steamed cooked rice with spices in Persian style, use of saffron, cloves, cinnamon and several other spices. Also, in the 16th century, Portuguese merchants began to arrive and set up trading posts. They introduced ingredients such as corn, beans, peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, pineapple, cassava, cocoyam (taro) and citrus fruits.

Britain gradually increased its domain in 1884–1885. They constructed the Uganda Railway, which led to the increase of economic opportunities, and brought thousands of British settlers who displaced many Africans, often forcing them to live on reservations.

Kenya grew to have a fairly large Indian population, mostly those who came to East Africa in the early twentieth century to work on the railroad. Many Indians later became merchants and store-owners. A larger impact in the country was made by Indian merchants and railway workers. Samosas, chapati, Curries, Rice Pilau and Chutneys remain quite popular with Kenyans today.

Food Culture:

Kenya has well over 40 different tribes with different languages and dialects, customs, beliefs and naturally, food. East African cuisine combines traditional fruits and vegetables, game and fish from the oceans that surrounds the country. Essentially, the staple food of the people of the country consists of rice, bread, Chapati and vegetables. Rice and vegetables are eaten with beef, chicken of fish preparations. The mild climate also encourages the growth of custard apples, mangoes, papaya, guava and coconut (used to complement many fish dishes).

Corn is the staple food of Kenyans. It is grounded into flour and prepared as a porridge called “Posho”,  which is sometimes mixed with mashed beans, potatoes, and vegetables, to make a dish called “Irio”.  In Kenya, people love eating manioc, corn, wheat, sweet potatoes, rice, plantains, or millet. Potatoes are also eaten in plenty.

Kenyan cuisine was influenced by East India and Great Britain as Britain imported coffee, cereals, tea, fruit, and vegetable crops to Kenya. Another specific African ingredient is okra, which is used in many dishes to thicken stews and soups. Other important ingredients are tropical fruits, especially bananas or coconuts. On the coast in particular, coconut milk is widely used to moisten dishes and spices enhance flavors.

The country is known for its different types and meat and poultry preparations. Beef, chicken, goat and fish also plays part of their diet. A very popular dish is “Chicken Tika” (We can see some Indian influences here). Another would be called “Mtuza Wa Samaki”. It is a fish dish, where the fish is baked and then cooked into a curry. Then there is “Kuku Na Nazi”. This is a chicken preparation made with coconut milk.

Various legumes substitute as meat in many dishes. Cowpeas, kidney beans, groundnuts (similar to peanuts) are stewed or mashed together with starches like as bananas, cassava, taro, potatoes, yams, or rice. The people include a lot of salads and fresh fruits in their meals. Snacks include corn on the cob, mandazi (fried dough), potato chips, and peanuts.

Another popular meal is a beef stew called “Ugali”. It is the nation’s staple made out of ground maize. Ugali is a thick porridge, usually served with stews. “Ugali” is used to soak up any number of stews ranging from chicken to bean.  This is eaten from a big pot, and each diner takes a piece of “Ugali”, which he or she uses as a spoon to pick up beans and other vegetables. “Sukumu wiki” a dish of greens and tomatoes, is probably the most common accompaniment to “Ugali”. Other popular stews include “Karanga” (a meat and potato stew), “Githeri” (stewed corn and beans) and “Mbaazi” (black-eyed peas simmered in coconut milk).

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Now for Our Kenyan Cuisine Experience!

This week is Kenyan, so we went and saw our Kenyan master chef in Coburg, ok he is not a master chef or any chef at all, but after today he sure does qualify.

Marwa told us that Kenyan food was mainly influenced by two things, the first being location (or tribe) and the second (much like last week) the colonization of Kenyan by our old friends the British. Thus again meaning an Indian influence to the Kenyan food culture. Location is a larger factor though according to Marwa, because this relates to what food you have access to, such as red meat, fish, grains etc.

According to Kenya advisor in 400 AD the Kenyan people “were mainly farmers but they supplemented this with herding, fishing, hunting, gathering and trading their iron products with the other tribes who mainly limited themselves to hunting and gathering.”

Marwa told us his family’s tribe (many generations ago) lived near the ocean; hence this is why there is a lot of fish, seafood and white meat (chicken) in the meals he cooks today. So here we go…

#1

First prepare and cook some rice in a rice cooker, this depends on the number of guests, so I will leave this up to your discretion.

#2

We shall start by preparing some of the ingredients, 4-5 onions diced or chopped, about 6-7 tomatoes diced. Marwa decided that a salad was in order, so we used just under half the onions and tomatoes for a salad. To the tomatoes and onions for this dish, we added some garden fresh coriander, cumin seeds and olive oil with a large dash of lime juice to kick it all off.

The other half of the onions and tomatoes will be used for the next dish.

#3

First today we help Marwa make “Kuku Karanga” (chicken stew), he said it is a recipe his family uses that has Indian influence. Note: Today we had some friends with us, so we had to prepare enough for 8-10 people. So ingredients can be halved if needed.

Chop some chicken breast into chunks that are bite size, we used 4 large chicken breasts.

Next prepare your herbs and spices, we will use garlic powder, ginger, cumin seeds, paprika, curry powder, turmeric powder, 6-7 bay leaves, coriander, basil, chicken stock cubes, salt and fresh chillies.

Now heat a very large pot with a little oil in the bottom, add your onions and tomatoes, and sauté for about 5mins. After that, add garlic powder, ginger, cumin seeds, paprika, basil, curry powder and turmeric powder.

Then the chicken is added so it can absorb all the flavor, mix it well.

Add about 5 chicken stock cubes to some warm water to dissolve, add the liquid along with the tomatoes again mix well.

Follow this with 150ml cream, ½ cup of water,the bay leaves, coriander, chillies and salt to taste.

Stir regularly and allow to simmer for about 20minutes until the chicken is cooked through and you’re done.

#4

Next, we are going to learn how to make chapati from scratch, now this will be fun.

For this you need some plain flour and wholemeal flour, sifted preferably, approximately a half/ half mixture is the way to go. Add a pinch of salt and mix the flour, then to this add a small amount of oil and 1 ½ cups of water.

Keep mixing until you have worked the flour into a workable mound ready for kneading.

Knead for about 5-10 minutes to a thick and dry-ish consistency, and then set aside in a container covered with a cloth for 30-60 minutes.

After the allotted time proceed to knead again for 2 minutes and then break the dough into small sizes. Roll the dough into neat, small balls, this is very important as is aids the rolling process.

Put some flour on your bench, flatten one ball and the begin rolling; each ball needs to be flattened, rolled out in to a fairly thin oval or round shape.

Heat a non-stick pan, place your flattened dough in the pan and wait until the dough starts to bubble all over (checking the underside helps prevent burning) then flip it over and do the other side. While you are waiting for the second side to cook, with the help of a spoon spread a little oil over the top of the half-finished chapatti. Once the second side is done flip the chapatti and do the same with oil, flip again briefly and then that is it your very first chapatti finished, now do it another 20 times.

Making the chapati was, for sure, my favorite part of the day. I am so glad that we made it from scratch; I have always wondered how it was made, now I know the secret of the special Kenyan bread, I will hold the recipe close and at the ready to be made again.

#5

For our next dish, “Samaki wa nazi” (Coconut fish curry), we will need some onions, garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, lime, 2-4tomatoes, 1-2 green chilis, fresh coriander, curry powder and approx 200-400ml of coconut milk, and some fish (for this we used some “Blue Grenadier” flakes.) Measurements will depend on how many you’ll be cooking for.

First, dice the tomatoes and onions. Then, slice the green chillies into half. (Remove the seeds if you do not wish for the dish to be too spicy.)

After this, slice the fish into thick chunks (or simple half a flake fillet like we did.)

Next, heat some oil in the pot before adding the onions, garlic and ginger paste in. Fry for 3mins of so until it is fragrant and slightly brown.

Then, add in the tomatoes, some salt, curry powder in. Fry for the next 3-6mins.

Next, add in the coconut milk into the mix. Allow for mixture to heat and boil slightly for the next 4mins.

Then, add in the fish pieces and turn up the heat for the next 5mins.

After this, add in the chilis and coriander leaves before turning down the heat and allowing the dish to simmer (to cook the fish further with it still ending up with tender texture).

Stir regularly until the fish is cooked to perfection. Enjoy!

To view more pictures of our experience this week, click here.

To view Marwa’s deonstration of Chapati making, click here.

Sources:

http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Kenya.html#ixzz1M4aHaDpz

http://www.whats4eats.com/africa/kenya-cuisine-background

Mauritius is a mountainous island in the Indian Ocean 805 kilometers east of Madagascar and 4,023 kilometers southwest of India. Mauritius was formed by volcanic activity that left a plateau in the middle of the island rising 671 meters above sea level.

Dutch settlement took place from 1638 until 1710. During this time they introduced sugar-cane, domestic animals, and slavery to the islands. The import of peoples from East Africa and Madagascar together with their culinary customs saw the beginnings of one of the best examples of fusion cookery in the world today.

By 1715, the French had occupied the island and stayed for almost 100 years. In 1810 the British captured the islands and in 1835, they abolished slavery which led to the importation of workers from India to work on the sugar cane plantations. They too brought their culinary customs to Mauritius. So much so, that some may say that curry is the national dish of Mauritius. In the late 19th Century, the Chinese influence appeared with Hakka and Cantonese people settling on the island mainly for trade purposes, completing the East meets West culture found in Mauritius today.

Eventually, sugarcane, textile production and tourism have become leading industries. Agricultural products also exported are tea, peanuts, tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes, and bananas.

In short, the people of Mauritius are descendants of European (mostly French) settlers, the Franco-Mauritians; African slaves and creoles, the Afro-Mauritians; Chinese traders, and Indian laborers; the Indo-Mauritians. Mauritius is a mix of culture and also of cuisine. Essentially, since it is a mixture of Creole, Chinese, European, African and Indian, this naturally creates a truly “fusion” style of cooking. Therefore, diverse mixture of its people is reflected in its cuisine.

Food Culture:

Most Mauritian food is hot and spicy and Mauritians like to eat a lot of chili. The “Creole Curry” a popular spicy cuisine can be made with fish, beef or chicken and it is served with white rice. The “Briyani,” (which has Indian influences) is also a spicy dish found on a typical menu. Spices also constitute a major part of Mauritian cuisine. At home, Mauritians would eat a combination of curries and “Rougailles” (made from seafood or meats) along with beans (lentils, kidney beans, yellow split lentils) and white rice.

The commonly used ingredients in Mauritius are tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and chilies while the traditional base is definitely the curries and “Rougailles” which is made from the blends of home-crushed spices.

Some other Mauritian cuisines are: “Daube de Poisson”, “Langouste à la Creole”, “Curry de Cerf”. Fish and seafood are popular ingredients as are the abundant variety of locally grown fruit such as papayas, passion fruit, guavas, mangoes, lychees, bananas, pineapple and coconut.

Street food also is quite common for snacks and includes “Roti”, curried rolls, soups, and noodles. “Dholl Pourri and roti” is a pancake-like roll served with hot beans curry, tomato sauce known as chutney here and chili of course. Mario and Liana told us that this tradition of street food originally came about to cater to Indian laborers working long hours at the sugarcane fields!

Over the years, the communities have blended each others’ spices and ingredients to their own taste, resulting in a truly unique mixture. For example, a “Creole Rougaille” is best served with a variety of Achards (pickles), a Chinese “Mine Frite” (noodles) is often served with various Indian “Chatini” (chutneys). Extensive use of spices such as cloves, saffron, cinnamon and cardamom bring out flavor to the dishes. Mario and Liana also shared with us some authentic Mauritian biscuits and tea after our meal. They said that having tea time in the afternoon is also a common tradition Mauritians kept from the British.

Some traditional Mauritian dishes include:

Octopus Curry

Beef Biryani (Mari Bon)

Garlic Prawns (Crevettes a l’aïoli)

Mines Frire (Mauritian Chow Mein)

Poisson aux Fines Herbs (Fish in Tomato)

Gratin de Morue (Salt Cod with Mashed Potatoes)

Civet de Lievre or Lapin (Hare or rabbit in Red Wine)

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Now time for Our Mauritian Cuisine Experience!

Wow it’s week 5 already, that means we are half way through our 8week project of exploring food all around Melbourne.

We headed out to our Mauritian friend’s (Mario and Liana) place for a late lunch. It was a very quiet street, and much like the Mauritian culture a very romantic and peaceful area indeed. After meeting our hosts and having a short friendly chat, it was straight on to the part we love best; the cooking and mixing of culture.

We were told that a lot of Mauritian food was influenced by colonisation of the area, from the Dutch, then the French and lastly Britain. It is Britain’s impact that can be seen the most in their food, well not directly. British brought with them a lot of slaves to do the hard labour, and they were in fact Indian. Thus the Indian people brought with them part of their culture, mainly the food, and it is their food that has become a part of or influenced Mauritian food culture.

This in fact reiterates what we are trying to find out here at BigBelly, how exactly will the multicultural blend of food and people effect Melbourne and more broadly Australian food culture? It will be for the better we assure you, as can be seen today with Mauritius and many other countries around the world their food culture has improved for the better.

#1

To get the ball rolling, first prepare some basmati rice. We washed the rice and left it in the rice cooker to cook and be ready for later.

#2

Moving right along, we went head first into some lentil soup production! Or “Fricassee” as they call it in Mauritius. So go pick your lentils (luckily you don’t have to pick them from the garden) wash them and then you’re ready.

Heat a large pan, add some oil and onions then allow to heat through for about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt & pepper mix.

Give it another 1 minute or so, then add 3 cups of water and the lentils to the pan.

Allow to simmer covered, stirring every 2-3minutes, until the orange colour of the lentils is gone.

Add thyme and 1 cup of water, allow to simmer again until lightly creamy in texture, you’re done!

#3

The third dish we’re preparing is a Mauritian traditional. It is called the “Rougaille Poisson Salé.” Also translated as Salted “Snoek” (fish) in tomato sauce.”

Start by dicing two tomatoes and slicing one onion finely. Heat a medium sized pan; add some oil and the “Snoek”. This is done to soften the “Snoek” a little as it is comes in a packet dried. After doing this, set the “Snoek” aside in a bowl. Keep the oil!

Next, add to the oil the onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, thyme and additional herbs if you wish. Simmer for about 1 -2 minutes then add 1/2 cup of water.

Stir gently, adding the “Snoek” you lightly fried earlier, simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Note: Don’t let the “Snoek” get soft and mushy, it should remain firm.

#4

The next dish we’ll be preparing is a Mauritian salad, which to us was a little unconventional mainly because it is cooked and served slightly warm. We were used to leafy green or cold potato salads and things alike, this made us excited when I found out what was in stall.

Start by chopping one eggplant into ¼ then put this in a pot with water and boil until it is tender. You can check by using a fork every now and then, to ensure it is the right time to stop, just make sure it is not hard.

When the eggplant is ready, drain the water. Then, separate the soft flesh from the skin before mashing it. Place it in your salad bowl and you’re done! Ok not really, there is more.

Next, slice half an onion finely and add it to the salad bowl. In a mortar and pestle add garlic, ginger and salt, pulverise until it is mixed well. Add this to the salad bowl along with 4 small chilli’s that have been finely chopped, olive oil, salt and some vinegar (a splash is ample), mix all ingredients. This time you are really done, so now it is time to start eating enjoy!

So what does one do after a big belly afternoon lunch you ask? Dance the Tapioca of course!

O’ hang on Tapioca is desert, well that is even better…..

So what do Mauritians eat for desert? Seed Tapioca (sago) with strawberries and coconut.

According to mckenziesfoods.com.au, “Sago comes from the starchy inner trunk of the sago palm, which grows in the watery swamps of South East Asia. The name Sago originated in Malaysia where the trees were cut down just before flowering when the starch reserves had built up in the trunk.”

You make this desert by; simmering one cup of Seed Tapioca along with two cups of milk or coconut milk (either is fine), some sugar to your taste and vanilla essence. Simmer until the tapioca has expanded a little and it has thickened. Pour into the vessel of choice, garnish with strawberries and coconut then refrigerate for about 2 hours.

What a treat for my mouth, it was so light and refreshing, sweet and full of texture. Now that is how you end a great afternoon with friends, talking about culture and their home country while eating a lovely bowl of Tapioca desert.

To view more pictures of our experience this week, click here.

Sources:

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0107775.html

http://www.tourisminmauritius.com/about/cuisine/

http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mauritius.html#ixzz1M2uq7QEx

The Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to 266,000 square kilometers. It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of desert flatlands. Sparsely settled primarily by Berbers, the former Spanish colony Western Sahara remains recognized by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory. Morocco occupies most of Western Sahara’s portion now, but guerrilla resistance forced the Moroccans in 1991 to agree to a UN-monitored referendum on the region’s status.

Nomads called Berbers were the first inhabitants of the Arabic world (more specifically, Morocco), over two thousand years ago. This could be an influence as to why modern Arabic meals generally involve much sharing and are large family affairs. They used local ingredients, such as olives, figs, and dates to prepare lamb and poultry stews. Also, essential to any cooking in the Arabian Peninsula is the concept of hospitality and generosity. Traders and conquering nations also introduced new food customs. However, the strongest influence on native cooking was the Arab invasion in the seventh century A.D.

Berber cuisine differs from one region to another within North Africa. It is based primarily on corn, barley, goat cheese, butter, meat, and game. Originally, the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula relied heavily on a diet of dates, wheat, barley, rice and meat. Meat, lamb and chicken are the most used, with beef and camel used less as it is not widely available.

The Arabs brought with them new breads and other foods made from grains. Rice is the staple and is used for most dishes. The Arabs also introduced spices including cinnamon, ginger, saffron, cumin. They also introduced sweet-and-sour cooking, which they had learned from the Persians. Mint, thyme, sesame, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon and parsley are some of the popular herbs and spices used in Arabic cuisine. For vegetables play a major part in its cuisine, popular veggies such as cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, okra and onions are widely favored in most dishes.

Food Culture:

Couscous is a North African dish traditionally served as with a meat or vegetable stew over it, and is a staple food. To our surprise we found ourselves silly to find out that couscous is a pasta, not a grain as we initially thought. Properly cooked couscous is light and fluffy, not gummy or gritty. Traditionally, North Africans use a food steamer. The base is a tall metal pot shaped rather like an oil jar in which the meat and vegetables are cooked as a stew. On top of the base, a steamer sits where the couscous is cooked, absorbing the flavors from the stew. Couscous is served with meat, fish, vegetables, and spices.

The semolina (durum wheat) is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved. Any pellets which are too large to be finished granules of couscous and fall through the sieve will be again rolled and sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This labor-intensive process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny granules of couscous.

Mint tea is mostly served during meals. It is sweetened while it is still in the pot. The sweetened mint tea that comes with every meal is served a special way. It is brewed in a silver teapot and served in small glasses. When the tea is poured, the pot is held high above the glasses to let air mix with the tea.

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Now time for Our Western Saharan Cuisine Experience!

This week, we’ll be preparing cuisine from Western Sahara. Our friend Ray told us that he would be making Couscous as it is the most common and staple dish that people eat all the time back home, in Western Sahara.

We thought that was a bit odd, as in Australia, Couscous is just a plain dish that does not take much to cook. Well we were wrong, according to Ray eating Couscous by its self or without an elaborate sauce could be compared to that of eating pasta without sauce; it is something that you just don’t do.

And to add to that insult, we also thought that Couscous was a grain, like rice. Again incorrect. According to Ray, it was made with two types of flour (wheat grain) among other ingredients. It is then pushed through a fine mesh to get what we know as Couscous. We start with what Ray calls the sauce. To an Australian, this sauce is kind of like a light stew or similar but sauce wise not as thick.

#1

Firstly, start by chopping all the ingredients (the amount of ingredients depends on the number of people, this large pot can serve 6 easily) into chunky sizes, onions, garlic, carrots, capsicum, turnips, pumpkin, cabbage and zucchini. Also, you’ll need to chop or have chopped by your butcher some lamb and goat into a small tennis ball size chunks (If only lamb is available that is fine).

Then, heat a large pot with a little oil in the bottom. Add garlic and then line the bottom with the onions. Directly on top of the onions place your meat cuts as shown, and then add the capsicum and carrots. This is followed by adding in some salt, mixed spices, and “Dolma Bahari” (another type of spice).

Allow it to simmer for 15mins.

Now you can be very heavy handed with the spices because by the end of the cooking process they will have mellowed in to a fine light flavour.

Next, add the cabbage, turnips, pumpkin and zucchini. Allow to simmer for 15mins.

Next, along with some garden fresh coriander finely chopped, add in about one cup of water and a few chopped tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes is fine if you have no fresh ones on hand.

Allow it to simmer lightly until you see a lot of liquid forming about 15mins).

Then, add some chick peas or again a can of chick peas is fine. Give it a good stir, let it simmer, and allow the magic to begin.

#2

Now, while we wait, we can start with the Couscous.

Empty the contents of the packet into a large container spread it evenly and then lightly sprinkle some warm to hot water over the Couscous. The Couscous will absorb the water, expand slightly and look kind of fluffy.

Add some saffron and rub the Couscous through your hands to make sure all the Couscous has absorbed some of the water, and to separate any parts that may have clumped together. Sounds simple, but lots of technique and skill needed here!

Next, place a cloth in the steamer and then pour the Couscous into the cloth. Then, warp and cover the steamer with the excess cloth. Allow it to steam for about 20mins. This is the traditional way it is done in Western Sahara Ray tells us.

Now, you can start to finely chop some garden fresh mint and coriander.

After 20mins take out the Couscous put it into the large container again.

Now add some olive oil and the chopped mint and coriander. Again, use your hands to make sure all the Couscous gets a coating of the oil and to separate any clumps.

Then, put the Couscous back into the cloth to be steamed a little longer approximately 5mins. This helps the flavour of the herbs get absorbed.

By this time the soup should be nearly done. Dish out as much as you like and enjoy with some great friends.

#3 “Atai” (Tea)

After a scrumptious dinner, Ray told us he would like to treat us to a traditional Western Saharan tea ceremony.

It is called Atai, which means tea. Ray told us that the word “Atai” was actually derived from Arabic and Spanish; “Shai” from Arabic, and “te” from Spanish… and that is how Atai (tea) came about!

The process of making “Atai” involves preparing the tea, pouring, and more pouring. This is done three or more times into the cups and then back into the pot and then into the cups again to get the flavour of the tea mixed.

Also you need to drink one cup of tea after each batch is considered ready: you drink the tea, and then more water is boiled in the small pot and the process is done again until you have drank the tea three times.  The froth (bubbles) from the process of making the tea is important, as it shows that the host took time and effort to prepare the tea for everybody enjoying it.

Ray said there is a saying that goes with the drinking of the tea and this relates to the strength of the tea at each stage, it also has to do with the cycle of life.

The saying goes:

1^st                 -              Bitter as life

2^nd                -              Sweet as love

3^rd                -              Soft as death.

Ray says that this saying comes from the nomadic people of the Western Sahara area, but I don’t think that they are nomadic any more. Ray said that life was hard at the time and they would sit with friends or visitors and go through this ritual to show appreciation of the company they are with. Ray said the ritual still goes on today; when friends or family come over the first thing you do is ready the tea, and most of the time it can take 2-3 hours for the whole process. The tea is a green tea mixed with mint and sugar, they believe that it is good for you health, as do many other nations.

To view more pictures of our experience this week, click here.

For a video of Ray’s Tea demonstration, click here.

Germany is a country located in north-central Europe. At the end of the twentieth century, only 2.7% of the German workforce was involved in agriculture, forestry, and fishery. Nevertheless, 48% of the total area of Germany was devoted to agriculture. Meals and ingredients vary by province but many dishes are both regional and national at this time. Due to Germany’s proximity with France and Italy, they have adopted many of their spices and cooking methods.

“Sauerbraten” (Pot roast) is a Germany’s national dish, usually of beef but other meats such as veal, lamb, mutton, pork. “Sauerbraten” was originally made with horse meat but today it is almost always made with beef. The meat is marinated before cooking in a mixture of vinegar, water, spices and seasonings. “Sauerbraten” is traditionally served with red cabbage, potato dumplings, asparagus or boiled potatoes. A typical German meal consists of two to seven courses. Most meals consist of an appetizer such as cheese, a soup, and a main course which is usually a meat accompanied with side dishes.

Food Culture:

Carrots, turnips, spinach, peas, beans, broccoli and many types of cabbage are very common vegetables, and are often used in stews or vegetable soups. They can however, also served as a side dish. Asparagus, especially white asparagus known as “Spargel”, is a common side dish or may be prepared as a main dish.

The main meats that are used in German cooking are beef, poultry and pork. Meat dishes are always a favorite, and one of the popular German foods is the “Schnitzel” (Cutlet). Variations on Schnitzel are plenty, and one can find it being served with all manner of addition, from gravy and mushrooms to spicy vegetables.

“Schnitzel“ is a very thin boneless cutlet of veal, pork, beef or chicken that is either breaded and deep fried or pan fried with or without a breading. The most well known Schnitzel is “Wienerschnitzel” which is traditionally Veal, breaded with crumbs and served with lemon and German potato salad or parsley potatoes.

The origin of the Schnitzel actually goes back to the 7th century Byzantine Empire. The story goes that the Kaiser Basileios I (867-886AD) preferred his meat covered with sheets of gold. And what he liked soon became popular with the wealthy. But, this practice became too expensive, so an alternative was created – “yellow gold” (bread crumbs).

The following variations are most commonly offered by German restaurants.

- Schweine-Schnitzel: A breaded pork cutlet. These are usually made with thin pork loin cutlets (also known as Scaloppini).

- Puten-Schnitzel: A breaded slice of turkey breast. Lower in fat and a milder taste than the veal and pork schnitzels.

- Hänchen-Schnitzel: A breaded, boneless, skinless breast of chicken. Lower in fat and a milder taste than the veal and pork schnitzels.

In addition to different types of meat, a schnitzel can also be served with a topping. Here are some of the most common schnitzel and topping combination.

- Jäger-Schnitzel: This is a veal or pork schnitzel topped with a burgundy-mushroom or a creamy-mushroom sauce. Traditionally, this schnitzel is prepared without flour, egg, and bread crumb coatings. However, you will often find a breaded schnitzel (made according to the Wiener Schnitzel method – “Wiener Art”) topped with the sauce.

- Paprika-Schnitzel: A schnitzel topped with a tomato-based sauce seasoned with paprika and red-peppers. The meat can be either veal, pork, turkey, or chicken.

- Käse-Schnitzel: A schnitzel covered in melted cheese. The meat can be either veal, pork, turkey, or chicken.

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Now time for Our German Cuisine Experience!

For our third cooking experience, we had two of our German friends Fabian and Pia cook us a traditional home style German meal.

#1

Jager-Schnitzel (Cutlet without bones)

So what does “Jager-Schnitzel” mean?  Well “Jager” means hunter, “This term was used for the first time during the Enlightenment era. It is used to denote the light infantry”, “which is the organization responsible for the armed forces in Germany”.

There are many versions of Schnitzels around, and “Jaeger-Schnitzel” is a hunter-style veal cutlet with mushroom gravy. Now, to cook this you need two important things; one a German Opinel knife and two is an Australian survival guide. Well, so I am told, this is because:

The first (the Opinel knife) is to ensure you have a sharp and trusted cutting implement, as this is needed when cutting the potatoes so very, very thin. Or… is it used to hunt the cutlet?

The second (the survival guide) enables you to order the correct type of meat at the butcher (pork schnitzel). Without the survival guide, you could end up with any array of meat such as chicken, lamb or beef, and to a German a schnitzel is not a schnitzel unless it is pork schnitzel.

Ok, on with the schnitzel…

First you need a few decent pork or veal schnitzels (You may find them at your local butcher).

Buy them not too thin nor too thick.

Next, prepare some flour, breadcrumbs and 2-3 eggs mixed with some milk, each in separate bowls or plates of course.

Salt the pork schnitzels to bring out the flavor, and add pepper as well to taste.

Then, coat the schnitzels in flour on both sides before dipping them in the egg.

Lastly, beautifully coat them in breadcrumbs.

Then set aside, watching out for hungry bears of course!

Next, heat a non-stick pan, add a little oil and then in goes the schnitzels.

Fry them to a lovely golden to dark brown.

#2

For our second dish, we will start the German style sauce for the schnitzels.

Chop some onions, dice some bacon or buy pre-diced bacon as we have done.

Slice up some mushrooms and finely chop some garden fresh parsley.

In a heated pan with a little oil, add the bacon and onions and allow to sauté.

Next, add the mushrooms and parsley, allow to sauté a little longer. Once the juices start to come out of in the cooking,add 300ml of full cream and allow to simmer until it becomes a creamy brown colour.

At this stage you can then add salt and pepper to taste if needed, and voila!

#3

The third dish would be a side dish, the bustle sprouts.

Slice the end of the sprout and then peel the outer layer of leaves and discard.

Fill a pot with boiling water before adding in the bustle sprouts to cook. Continue to boil until the sprouts are soft enough that when you push a fork against the outside it easily goes in.

Prepare some melted butter, about two good sized nubs.

Drain the bustle sprouts and allow it to sit and dry slightly before putting it back to the pot.

Next, pour the melted butter into the pot and ensure they all get a good coating.

Next, add the breadcrumbs and mix until they are all lightly coated.

#4

The fourth dish is a second side-dish, the potatoes.

You’ll need a few potatoes, say about 5 or 6, but really this depends on how many you are cooking for.

Peel the potatoes and then proceed to cut them into thin slices. This is the key here, thin means real authentic German style home cooking.

Heat a large frying pan. Add in some oil, the potatoes, and a little salt. Cook until golden brown and a little crispy.

And that is it! You put the pork schnitzels on a plate, dish out the side dishes, and put a good helping of the sauce on each schnitzel. What you end up with is a hearty meal great for a cold winter’s night.

The sauce is absolutely amazing and goes so well with the pork schnitzel; it is absolutely a faultless match indeed. Our friend’s think they have out done themselves, and so do we. What better way to celebrate a great meal then with a true German beer! And in the end there is only one problem, we have made our friends home sick as this is the first time in 9 months that they have cooked a full traditional German home style meal.

Oh, we also learn that putting our cutlery at a 5’o clock position on the plate means we have finished the meal. This practice is widely known in Germany they say!

To view more pictures of our experience this week,  click here.

To view Fabian’s demonstration of Schnitzel preparation, click here.

Sources:

http://www.germanfoodguide.com/schnitzel.cfm

http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Germany.html

http://www.tititudorancea.com/z/wiener_schnitzel.htm

http://www.berliner-schnitzelstuga.se/?The_History_of_Wiener_Schnitzel

South Korea occupies the southern half of the Korean peninsula, which protrudes about 1,000 kilometers southward from Soviet Siberia in the northeast and Chinese Manchuria to the north. About three thousand islands belong to Korea. The total area of the peninsula is about 222,000 square kilometers. The peninsula is surrounded on three sides by the sea and by Russia, China, and Japan. Korea is mountainous, and only about 20 percent of the land in the south is flat enough for farming.

Location, climate (hot, humid summers and very cold winters), proximity to neighbors China and Japan, and the Japanese occupation (1910-1945) played a major part in the Korean cuisine. European traders also had an impact in the cuisine with the Portuguese introduction of chili peppers to Korea in the 17th century. Chili plays a major part in Korean cuisine and can be added in most dishes as flavor enhancements.

It is also said that its cuisine originated from agricultural and nomadic traditions in southern Manchuria and the northern Korean peninsula. Additionally, for many centuries China dominated East Asia’s culture. Rice, for example was first domesticated in China. Domesticated animals such as pigs and cattle also came from China. The culture of eating with chopsticks from small bowls was apparently developed in China in the Han Dynasty (~200 B.C- ~200 A.D) as well.

The Choson Dynasty (1392-1910) marks the period when Korea’s culinary culture was refined. Researchers in the fields of astronomy began to invent new equipment to observe the the weather, which contributed to improvements in farm cultivation. Medical research were also made and they focused on the benefits of a balanced diet which included a combination of rice, beans, vegetables, fish and meat. This period was also when Confucianism’s family-oriented worldview gained a stronghold in society. Since food preparation had to be made for many members of the household of varying ages, various techniques were required to cook and manage these large quantities of food.

Food Culture:

Korea shares many similarities with other Asian cuisines such as the importance of rice and vegetables and cooking methods such as stir-frying, steaming, and braising (food first browned in oil, then cooked slowly in a liquid). The cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, and meats. However, Korean food stands out from other cuisines with the many side dishes (Banchan) that are served during meals. The number of side dishes can range anywhere from 2 to 12 at once. Also, these dishes are all served at the same time, so there are no separate courses like in Western dining. The food is always served with short-grained rice to cool the heat of the spices. Rice is therefore the backbone of almost every Korean meal. On rare occasions, noodles will replace the rice, but the vast majority of the time, every person eats a bowl of rice with their meal.

We also found a Korean myth speaking of the three founding deities of Jeju Island, who were to be wed to the three princesses. The deities brought seeds of five grains which were the first seeds planted, which in turn became the first instance of farming. Many other Korean myths also centered around stories of agriculture and grain.

Red pepper paste, green onion, soy sauce, bean paste, garlic, and ginger are just some of the many seasonings Koreans use to flavor their dishes. However, the most common ingredients used in Korean cuisine are vegetables. From the side dish to the main dish and from fresh to fermented, vegetables like cabbages, bean sprouts and spinach are generously used. Sauces are also crucial to Korean cuisine since many dishes are often seasoned and is what makes it key to the taste of Korean food.

Kimchi is the national dish. It is a traditional fermented vegetable dish which is the most basic side dish at every Korean meal. Almost any vegetable can be fermented to make kimchi, but Chinese cabbage and daikon radishes are most commonly used. A study of kimchi history reveals that people were enjoying kimchi since more than 4,000 years ago. In about 2030 B.C. the inhabitants of northern India brought seeds of this vegetable to Mongolia, and the preservation of greens with other vegetables soon became common as cultured raw vegetables.

Koreans eat many preserved foods because these had to be made for keeping over wintertime. Every traditional household has large earthenware pots filled with pickled vegetables, soybean pastes, and chili pastes. Koreans have perfected the art of preserving food over thousands of years, so many of the side dishes are pickled, salted, or fermented and many are spicy. Kimchi, Korea’s famous spicy cabbage, has over a hundred varieties with different vegetables, including some non-spicy types. Kimchi can be preserved for a long time and was originally put in a clay pot and buried in the fall to allow it to ferment for use throughout the winter months. There are over 100 varieties of kimchi. In South Korea, about four hundred tons per year or more of kimchi consumed than any other vegetable!

Korean styled green tea is commonly very strong in flavor. It is believed that there are four attributes to the tea which are respectfulness, peacefulness, quietness and purity. These qualities should always be present in the drinker of the tea. There are many health benefits to drinking Korean green tea. The antioxidants are very powerful and benefits of reduced risk of cancer and cholesterol levels,have been reported. Herbs were also mixed into tea for health benefits. For centuries, herbal teas have been consumed for their medicinal values of which Ginseng tea was the most popular amongst all these beverages. It comes from the Ginseng root, which resembles the outline of a man and which is the product of a perennial plant native to many parts of Asia including South Korea. “Soo Chunkwa” (Ginger drink), is often served on joyous occasions during the winter, and especially at New Year’s.

Eating Ettiquettes:

From ancient times, Koreans have used spoons and chopsticks are their eating utensils.  The spoon was for scooping steamed rice, soup and stew. Chopsticks were used to eat a variety of prepared side dishes.  Eating with chopsticks means the food is usually cut up into little pieces that are easy to pick up. Korean food is traditionally eaten with stainless steel chopsticks and a long stainless steel spoon and is traditionally served at a low table with people sitting on the floor.

Why do Koreans use metal chop sticks as opposed to wood or bamboo? The reason or tradition dates back to times of war, when enemies would sabotage or poison ones food. Thus metal was used, “chopsticks were strategically made of silver alloy to alert people if their enemies inserted poison in their food. Since silver changes color when in contact with poison, this material could be used in chopsticks to test food. Since this time the Koreans have used metal chopsticks, today not all Korean chopsticks are silver due to the cost, however they are still made from metals such as brass or metal alloy.

This week, our host Katie will be preparing 3 delicious dishes for us. They are “Japchae” (Mixed Vegetables Noodles), “Pimang Jyeoun” (Fried Stuffed Capsicum) and  “Yachae Sanjuk” (Vegetable Skewer).

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Now time for Our Korean Cuisine Experience!

This week, our friend Katie would be introducing some dishes from the Korean cuisine to us. She was amazing as she had already done quite a few preparations for us. This means no chopping or peeling! This helped cut down the time to prepare the meals, but we also felt bad because most of the hard work was now done by her!

We just went straight to work. The meals Katie picked were all cooked on special occasions such as Chinese New Year, weddings or some other occasion that required that something special.

#1

The first dish was called “Chap Ch’ae” (Stir-fried mixed vegetables with cellophane noodles).
The dish was so quick to cook, I think I missed it. Apart from the soaking of the vermicelli noodles for 20mins! Ok, so you chop up all the vegies such as capsicum, onions, carrots and along with some chopped seafood sticks and fungi mushroom (that look like old ears so they say). Next, put them in a suitable pan or wok for stir frying. To this you add some oil, sugar and soy sauce.

Toss in the drained noodles, stir fry a little more and you’re done! See, very quick.

#2

The second dish was called “Pimang Jyeoun” (or fried stuffed capsicum).

Again, a very simple dish to make.

Finely chop, carrot, onion, spring onions.

Then, along with some minced meat, just mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

Cut each capsicum in half, empty out its content before coating the inside with flour.

Then, proceed to stuff the capsicum with the mixed ingredients.

Next, slice the stuffed capsicum into 1cm wide pieces.

Fry the sliced pieces in a pan lightly till golden brown. (Also if you desire you can coat them with egg just as Katie has.)

#3
The Third dish is called “Yachae Sanjuk” (Vegetable Skewer).

“Yachae Sanjuk” is even quicker and easier to make. (Can’t stress this enough with Korean cooking.)

All we have to do is chop up some carrots, spring onions, seafood sticks, and some meat (beef) all into slender 5cm long pieces.

Marinate the meat for as long as you wish 30mins or more.

Then, proceed to put one piece of each onto a skewer. Be careful not to stab yourself as it is the hardest part of the process. Getting the carrot pieces into each toothpick/skewer is a little tricky to get on!

Next, coat each skewer with flour before dipping them in some beaten egg (2 eggs).

Then, fry lightly in oil till a lovely golden brown.

These little skewers are fantastic; you traditionally dip them in a blend of soy sauce, soy bean oil and garlic. A great little finger food!  I would recommend them as a great snack food to go with a few beers, shhh don’t tell anyone I said that.

#4

Katie also prepared some beautifully colored red-bean rice for us. We really thought the rice would have a strong flavor and would taste different from its appearance. However, when we tried the rice, it was just strange. It tasted…… just like normal white rice!!  We was astounded that something so healthy and full of color and such (as Katie assured me) would just taste like plain rice, nonetheless yummy!

For sure, the favorite of the day was defiantly the skewers. The texture of the crunchy carrot, meaty beef and soft seafood stick, all coated in egg, worked really well. We could not get enough of these. Again we have to say that this would be perfect as nibbles at a party once the beers starts to flow!

Katie told us that the secret to eating the Yachae Sanjuk or vegetable skewers was that if you use a special sauce, rather than the soy sauce, they taste even better. So we said ok can we try it?

Laughing, she goes to the cupboard and then returns, “And here it is” she says! But umm, that’s Australian pepper barbecue sauce! She said I know but try it, because it is even better than soy.

Talk about a cultural clash, this is just what we have been looking for. The real truth is that if you bring two cultures and their food together, these people will defiantly take the best of both worlds to create something better. This is the real reason why we enjoy this project so much, as finding out about these cultural clashes is what makes it all worth it.

Katie told us that back home, she would not have even tried or thought about this combination. This was sure the influence of both cultures that gave her the idea!

To view more pictures of our experience this week, click here:

Sources:

http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/South-Korea.html

http://nomminess.com/design-research/food-in-korean-culture/

http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Korea.html

<http://www.idemployee.id.tue.nl/g.w.m.rauterberg/conferences/CD_doNotOpen/ADC/final_paper/242.pdf>

Iran is located in southwestern Asia, largely on a high plateau situated between the Caspian Sea to the north
and the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the south. Its area is 1,648,000 square kilometers. Its neighbors are, on the north, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkmenistan; on the east, Pakistan and Afghanistan; and on the west Turkey and Iraq. Approximately 30 percent of this boundary is seacoast. The capital is Tehran.

While in 1955 more than 75 percent of the population lived in rural areas, distribution has reversed. Now more than 75 percent of Iranians live in urban areas, deriving their incomes either from manufacturing or from the service sector (currently the largest sector of the economy). At present, only about 10 percent of the nation’s agricultural land is under cultivation. Iran remains a net importer of food and manufactured goods.

Food Culture:

For our first food adventure, we will be exploring exotic cuisines from the Iranian culture. Before we visit our hosts of the week, we had to make a stop to a Iranian grocery store in Lower Templestowe. In the store, we were overwhelmed with the smell of fresh herbs and spices that were held in the many large jars that lined the isle. We were also met by the very friendly owner of the store. This is one place I will be coming back to for the real fresh ingredients to liven up my dishes. In Iranian cuisine, aromatic spice added are very much appreciated. Therefore, herbs and spices play a large part in its cookery.

Not having seen the ingredients we needed to purchase (Kashk), we approached the owner asking where we could find it. To our surprise, he knew straight away that it was not for us and that someone Persian was cooking for us. They told us how it was one of the tastiest ingredients to add in many Iranian dishes (such as Iranian soups- “Aash”). He then proceeded to grab a couple of fresh dried Kashk that came in little balls for us to taste, and to bring some home for our hosts as a ‘pleasant surprise.’ (Since it was banned from import to Australia before and was a rare find.) It was salty in taste, like strong cheese crossed with yogurt. We were also told that yogurt, which is a common part of Iranian dishes may have originated from either Greece or Turkey.

The Iranian grocer also told us that this Middle Eastern ingredient is made vegetarian, and often used in traditional Iranian cooking as a cooking ingredients or topping to a dish. Kashk is also an essential ingredients of many Middle Eastern dishes. The Kashk we bought came in a whitish liquid with a thick consistency, similar to sour cream. Traditionally produced from the leftovers of milk from cheese-making (making it slightly salty), Kashk is a nutritious food adjunct and can be recommended for use in diets of children, pregnant and lactating women due to high quality proteins and high calcium.

While speaking to our hosts Gilava and Sam, we were told that traditional Persian cooking often contrasted flavors such as sweet and sour or mild and spicy. We also found out that the ancient Babylonians, Greeks, Turks, Romans, as well as many other Asian and Mediterranean cultures have had an influence on Iranian culture and its cuisine. It is also common for the cooking to involve hours of preparation, and that mothers were always remembered to be found cooking 3 meals a day in the kitchen for the family!

Sam explained to us how Iran’s agriculture and climate produces many of its dietary staples of fruits, vegetables and animals. Iranians also favor green salads dressed with olive oil, tomatoes, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Much of the foods of the Middle East such as Wheat Bread, Lamb, Eggplant, Chick Peas, Fava beans, Lentils, Rice and Yogurt are also the staples of Iranian cuisine. Iran is also known to use many dried herbs such as Basil, Mint, Cloves, Saffron, Dried Limes, Olives, Pickles, Cumin, Cinnamon, Parsley and Coriander as they were once traded along ancient trade routes. Rice is a major part of Iranian cooking and Indian Basmati rice is often used, although they are many different types of rice grown and produced in Iran originally. Nann (short, flat bread) can also be used to substitute rice and be served with many meals.

Culturally, alcohol and Pork is forbidden in Iran under an Islamic republic, but their consumption is still widely practiced within private households. Alcoholic beverage is privately distilled from grain, grapes or raisins and shared during gatherings and occasions. The main drink during most meals is black tea. After dinner, tea is often accompanied with fresh fruit or sweets for dessert. We were also told that tea most likely originated from Russia for historical reasons. Apart from moonshine, Iranians still produce their own home-made yogurt and cheese mainly because they are consumer quite a fair amount of dairy in their diet. Officially, Kebab (cubes of skewered meat) has become one of Iran’s national dishes and was introduced by the Turkish.

Gilava also explained how Iranian meals normally consist of a balance of both “hot” and “cold” foods. Planning a meal in terms of their “hot” and “cold” category is still considered and practiced by many Iranians today, although the way it is categorized may vary from region to region in the country. We found this intriguing and read up more about its history and how this practice was derived.

The ancient physicians influenced by the Greek sciences considered food and beverages important factors to revive body. Excessive consumption of red meat and fats was thought to upset body balance. While a balanced combination of fruits, vegetables, poultry, herbs, seeds and mixed petals and blossoms of roses was regarded as a very good diet capable of strengthening body and mind.

The Iranian food rules that categorize foods into “Hot or “Cold” is believed to have been derived from ancient Greek theories of medicine. In general, animal fat, poultry, wheat, sugar, some fresh fruits and vegetables, and all dried vegetables and fruits are considered as hot. Most beef, fish, rice, yogurt, cucumbers, dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits are considered as cold.

Additionally, the traditional Iranian table setting first involves the tablecloth, called Sofreh, and is spread out over a Persian rug or table. Main dishes are concentrated in the center, surrounded by smaller dishes containing appetizers, condiments, side dishes, as well as bread, all of which are nearest to the diners. These smaller dishes are called Mokhalafat. Presentation of food is a major factor, therefore, food is often garnished so that it pleases the eye.

It was both our first Iranian dinner and nevertheless to say, it was a delight preparing it. We enjoyed the dinner and would definitely have to thank the chefs, our lovely hosts, Sam and Gilava for the wonderful experience.

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Now time for Our Iranian Cuisine Experience!

#1 (Kashk Bademjoon)

For the first dish, we made the Kashk dish, the traditional way (as instructed by Sam and Gilava).

You peel the eggplant, which is in fact quite difficult as I found out, then you chop it into large pieces and then salt them (lots of salt) this helps bring out the flavour and take the water out.

After about 30minutes or so you wash off the salt and then squeeze each piece to get as much water out of the flesh as you can.

It is then pan fried lightly, before having them blended or mashed to a pasty texture. Next, add the special ingredient “Kashk” (3-4 spoonful), as well as pepper and turmeric. It is all mixed and then scooped into a dish.

To garnish the dish, top it up with some fried mint and onions! Yummy!

#2 (Saffron Chicken)

Dish one complete, commence dish two!

Chop onions and green peppers into large sizes.

Next, add onions to pan and fry with a little oil.

When onions start to get golden brown, add in the chicken (preferably chicken thighs).

Add salt and tumerick powder into the cooking.

Next, add in tomato paste that’s been slightly dissolved in a little boiling water.

Allow it simmer for about 20mins, or until the chicken is tender and cooked right through.

#3 (Rice and Potatoes)

Slice potatoes thinly and soak briefly, take out and drain water onto a paper towel.

Finley chop onion and add them to a pot with some oil to fry them till they are crispy.

Next, pour out half of the oil from the onions into a cup.

Then, add to the cup some butter and 1/3 cup of hot water.

The onion flavour will now infuse into the mixture.

Next, place the potatoes in the bottom of a pot with the onion.

Fry one side of the potatoes until it is dark brown on one side, and then turn and do the other.

Add rice (pre-cooked and slightly rice) to the top of the potato about a 2 inch layer.

#4 “Zereshk Polo” (More Rice).

First you start by soaking the dried berries for 30mins to soften them.

Next, soak the basmati rice for 3hrs (or at least 30mins).

Cook the rice with a rice cooker or in a pot (20mins).

Strain the rice and allow it to sit for about 5minutes.

Garnish the rice with the oil and butter mixture from cooking the onions before.

Add berries over the rice.

Looking at the meals Gilava and Sam said that this reminds them of home, when they have attended a wedding or special occasion, as that is when most of these meals are usually cooked. After dinner, Gilava and Sam offered us to some fruits and some Cardemon tea. This is a common practice followed after a nice dinner with family and friends. We could sure get used to this, although by now our stomachs were full to the brim!

To view more pictures of our experience this week, click here:

Sources:

http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Iran.html

http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Iran.html

http://www.gloryofpersia.com/culture-persian-cuisine-brief-history.html

http://nepjol.info/index.php/JFSTN/article/viewArticle/1995