Recipe: Arroz con Leche (Milky Rice pudding)

The popular "arroz con leche" is one of the most traditional dessert in Peruvian culture. Part of the gastronomy in the coast of the country, this dessert in made with rice, milk, sugar, cinnamon and a secret orange tip. Pay attention:

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup of rice
* 3 cups of water
* 2 1/2 cups of sweetened condensed milk (2 cans)
* 1 3/4 cups of evaporated milk
* 1/4 cup of port wine
* 1 stick cinnamon
* Skin of 1/2 orange
* Powdered cinnamon

Preparation:

First Boil the rice with the orange skin and the stick cinnamon for 15 minutes; the rice must be well cooked. Remove from the fire and take out the cinnamon and the skin.

Later, you must add the two types of milk. Boil on a low flame for 5 minutes, stiring all the time with a wooden spoon.

We should add the port wine and continue boiling for 3 minutes more. Then let it cool down.

As we know, some people like to eat the "arroz con leche" warm; others, cold. Serve in a glass and sprinkle with the powdered cinnamon.

Recipe: Papa a la Huancaina (Huancayo style potatoes)

"Papa a la Huancaina" can be translated as "Huancayo style potatoes" and it's a Peruvian salad of boiled yellow potatoes in a spicy, creamy sauce called Huancaina sauce. This dish is typically served over lettuce leaves and garnished with black olives, white corn kernels and hard boiled egg quarters. Extremely delicious.

Ingredients

• 10 medium potatoes (new or red a good choice or Yukon Gold potatoes)
• 1 lb queso fresco or romano cheese or Mexican blend cheese or feta, work well
• 6 red sweet peppers (use small sweet red and orange Ajies peppers. When using whole ajies, first clean out the seeds)
• 1/4 small habanero pepper (clean out the seeds or be careful it is very hot)
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• lettuce
• 3 hardboiled egg
• black olives
• 2 garlic cloves

Preparation

First, boil, peel and cut in slices potatoes (Yukon Gold potatoes).

Then, in a blender, mix the cheese, peppers, milk, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. The sauce should be fairly thick; add more cheese and olive oil if not, or add milk is too thick.

You have to lay a bed of lettuce in a serving dish and place the potatoes on top. Cover with the sauce. Cut the hard boiled eggs in quarters or halfs and place on top of the potatoes. Add black olives if desired.

This dish can be served slightly cold.

Recipe: Peruvian Causa

The Peruvian Causa is one of the most popular dishes all along Peru's coast. Besides being delicious, the traditional causa is fairly economic and easy to prepare, making it accessible to the rich and the poor, great chefs and terrible cooks. Moreover, it's a versatile dish that allows for many variations, both in the purée and in the fillings.

That's why we want to provide you with the classic recipe, a potatoes and ají amarillo mash filled with tuna and avocado.

Ingredients:

• 1kg potatoes (yellow, if available)
• 4 tbsp ají amarillo paste
• ½ cup vegetable oil (olive oil not recommended)
• Juice 1 key lime
• 1 can of tuna-fish packed in oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 avocado
• Salt

Preparation:

First of all, boil the potatoes in salted water. Peel and mash while still hot (enough to handle). Let cool and mix thoroughly with the ají amarillo paste, vegetable oil, and lime juice. Salt to taste.

Mix the tuna with the chopped onions and mayonnaise.

Place a layer of the potato mash on a serving dish, and spread with a thin film of mayonnaise. Cut the avocado in slices and lay on the first layer of potato mash. Spread a second layer of potato mash, and cover with the tuna mayonnaise. Cover with a last layer of potatoes, and decorated with slices of hard boiled eggs and black olives.

By the way, here is and advice: try variations of the filling using (instead of tuna) crab-meat, shrimps, octopus in olive, or (for vegetarians) plain tomato slices.

Peru: A marvellous destination to visit and to taste

With more than 800 typical dishes, the Peruvian cuisine is nowadays the most exquisite and important of the world. Experts from many countries now consider the peruvian dishes have a quality that make them at the same level as the Japanese, French, Chinese and Italian food.

That's why this site wants to share the deepest secrets of the gastronomy in Peru: recipes, cooking techniques, typical ingredients, restaurant guides, pictures and a lot more. Like peruvian people say when the are about to eat: "Buen provecho!"

Steamed Egg Custard with Pork

It's been a very very long time since I last posted due various reasons which saw me stopping blogging altogether. Nevertheless its still a deep passion of mine which I will slowly try to get it slotted back into my weekly schedule from this month onwards.

First of all, I would like to thank all those who continuously visit my blogs and left encouraging words and well wishes. As CNY is just a few days away, I would like to share one of my favourite recipe my mom always prepare during CNY and one I look forward to year after year. No doubt the steamed egg custard with pork recipe is as simple as it gets but somehow the thought of it with steamed rice and some stirred fry vegetables just drives me crazy.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!


Ingredients
250g Minced Pork - may also use chicken or turkey
1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tsp CornstachCornstach

1 tbsp GingerGinger
- minced
1 tbsp Green Onions - chopped finely
1/2 tsp Seasme Oil
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Cilantro - chopped finely

Egg Custard Mixture
2 Large EggsLarge Eggs
- beaten
1/2 cup Chicken or Pork Stock
1/4 tsp Vegetable Oil
1/4 tsp Salt to taste
1 tbsp Green Onions - chopped finely


Directions
1] Using a bowl, combine the following: pork with light soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, cilantro, green onion, ginger and cornstarch
2] Mix well then place pork mixture into a steaming flat dish
3] In another bowl, mix the egg mixture ingredients together: eggs, chicken or pork stock, salt, oil and green onion
4] Pour the egg mixture over the meat
5] Remember to skim off any bubbles to ensure a smooth egg custard surface
6] Place dish into a steamer or wok and steam over medium heat for about 10 mins
7] Turn off heat then let the egg custard rest for 5 mins
8] Garnish with the finely chopped cilantro or chopped red chillies


Note:
You may also add slices of century egg and salted duck egg but add the yolk part only for the salted duck egg as the white part is just too salty.

Technorati Tags: recipe, chinese food, egg custard, minced pork

Fried Sweet and Sour Spareribs

For dinner this evening, I decided to prepare a main dish which I can snack on while watching the live Champions League Final match later in case I grew hungry or if things don't go too well for Liverpool and I might need to munch on something which isn't going to be messy.

So I decided to go with Fried Sweet and Sour Spareribs which is one of my brother's favorite dish when he was young as I recall. I understand recently from my mom that he is now into fish though and thats good cause its healthier. All in all, this delightful dish takes quite some effort but the end result is more than worth it especially when you first sink your teeth into the tantalizing piping hot ribs.

Ingredients
750g Spareribs
1 tsp Rice WineRice Wine

1/4 tsp Salt to taste
2 tsp Flour
3 tsp Dry CornstarchDry Cornstarch

1 tbsp Soy SauceSoy Sauce

1 tbsp VinegarVinegar

2 tbsp Sugar
500ml Vegetable Oil
120 ml of Water


Directions
1. Chop the spareribs into pieces, 1/2 inch wide by 3/4 inch long (13mm by 20mm)
2. Mix with the rice wine and salt.
3. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and pour it over the ribs.
4. Stir to coat it well.
5. Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar , flour and water to make a sauce. Set aside.
6. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat, or until small bubbles appear around a piece of scallion green or ginger tossed into the oil.
7. Add the spareribs and deep-fry until crisp, stirring to keep them from sticking together.
8. Remove and drain well.
9. Serve hot with streamed rice.



Technorati Tags: recipe, chinese food, sweet and sour, spareribs

Penang Trip Food Gallery

I went back yesterday to my hometown for a short business trip and took the opportunity to partake on some of my all time favorite food with a colleague of mine. I must say we returned back with our stomach full to the brim and mouth lingering with an unforgettable array of delightful tastes.

Luckily I remembered to take my faithful camera with me this time and here is a montage of good old Penang food for your viewing pleasure:






Technorati Tags: penang food, indian food, food pictures