Alu Bhindi (Okra and potatos curry)

                                                                        Receta en Español

In Fiji Islands, almost half of the inhabitants have their origin from India. They reached the islands in 1879 to work like slaves at sugar plantations. When slavery was abolished ,most of them decided to remain in the islands, its descendants have reached a prosperous life with influence into the culture of the islands. Because of that reason, a lot of typical dishes from these islands are from India's gastronomy.

Alu Bhindi (Bhindi is how okra is called in hindi) is a dish very famous in India, I present to you the way they prepare it at Fiji Islands.

Ingredients (For 4 people):

• 325 g okra.
• 470 g potatos.
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds.
• 1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds.
• 1/2 chopped onion .
• 3 chopped garlic cloves.
• 6 curry leaves.
• 1 chopped chili.
• Olive oil.
• Salt.

 Method:

1.  Heat oil in a big saucepan.

2.  Put onion, galic, mustard seeds and curry leaves into the saucepan and sautée until garlic is brown.

3. Add potatos cut in pieces and fry them a little.

4. Add okra cut in pieces:

5. Add chili and salt.

6. Cook on a low heat covered for 40 minutes, stir every 5 minutes.

7. Serve with pita bread.

Where to find the ingredients:

Okra can be bought in Lavapies, there are a lot of shops along Miguel Servet street.

I bought Mustard seeds and curry leaves in shop where you can find all kind of indian products:  desi gourmet   (Ricardo Ortiz 24, Madrid).



Fidji Islands

Steaks with Criolla Sauce

                                                                               Receta en Español

Criolla's sauce is very popular in Argentina. The recipe I present today  shows a way to eat meat different from argentinian barbecue. It is based on the recipe that I found at this page, full of argentinian recipes:
http://recetasdeargentina.com.ar/bifes-a-la-criolla-2/

Ingredients

• ½ kilo rump steaks.
• ½ Kilo potatoes.
• 2 onions.
• 3 Tomatoes.
• 2 green peppers or green chili.
• Oil.
• 2 cups of water.
• Salt and Pepper.

Method

1. Peel ant cut potatoes into slices 1/2 cm thick.
2. Cut onions into slices with a similar thickness as potatoes.
3. Cut tomatoes into slices and peppers into strips.
4. Take a big pot , pour some olive oil in it.
5. Put the ingredients inside the pot following this order: steaks on the bottom, then onions, patatoes, tomatoes, peppers. If you have more steaks put a new layer of steaks and then the rest of the ingredients following the same order. Add salt at every layer.

 

6. Pour 2 cups of water.
7. Put on a medium heat for 10 minutes.
8. Put on a low heat, cover the pot. Cook for 30 or 40 minutes until potatoes and meat are well done.

 You can serve it together with fried eggs.

My comments to the Recipe:

It is a recipe very easy to make, the meat is tender and juicy. Besides, it is a complete dish with meat and vegetables.

Here you have a link to my favourite cooking tools where you can find my spices grinder:  

Favourite cooking tools

Argentina

Flag: De Government of Argentina - Here, based on: http://manuelbelgrano.gov.ar/bandera/creacion-de-la-bandera-nacional/, Dominio público, Enlace

Barbecue Sauce

                                                                               Receta en Español

I present today a basic recipe to accompany meat,rice, chips...
This sauce enhances meats' taste.
It comes from Karlos Arguiñano.

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of garlic.
• 1 onion.
• 850 grams pear tomato.
• 1 tablespoon honey.
• 1 tablespoon corn starch.
• 2 tablespoon vinegar.
• olive oil.
• Salt.
• hot chili pepper if you want it spicy.
• oregano.

Method:

1. Chop garlic and onion. Sautée until golden.
2. Add chopped and pealed tomatos,scorn starch, honey,vinegar,chilly,oregano and salt.
3. Mix well, put it on medium heat for 20-25 minutes until tomato is soft.
4. Pass the mix through a blender.

Here you have a link to my favourite cooking tools where you can find my spices grinder:  

Favourite cooking tools

Black Bean Cakes (Antigua and Barbuda)

                                                                               Receta en Español

Here I present you this popular recipe of Antigua and Barbuda:

Ingredients:

For cakes:

• 2 cups black beans.
• ½ cup chopped onion.
• 1 and a half teaspoon of ground cumin.
• 1  tablespoon chopped chili pepper.
• 2 tablespoon olive oil.
• Salt.

For the Sauce:

• 1  small chili.
• 5 tomatos.
• ½  onion.
• Salt.

For coriander yogurt:

• 1/2 cup natural yogurt.
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander.
• Half a lemon juice.

Cooking the Sauce:

1. Wash and cut tomatos and chili into small pieces.
2. Pour a Little oil in a pan, add the chopped onion and sauté until it gets golden.
3. Add tomatos, chili  and salt. Cook over medium heat  until tomatos are well done, that is when you press tomatos, they are  soft.
4. Pass the misture through a purée sieve.
5. Cook again over medium heat until sauce is reduced to de desired consistency.

How to do Coriander Yogurt:

6. In a bowl mix coriander, lemon juice and yogurt.

How to do Black Bean Cakes:

7. The night before soak beans for at least 12 hours.
8. Once beans are soaked, add water and beans in a casserole. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour.
9. Water should be evaporated almost completely , in case it is not evaporated cook a little more.
10. Add onion, cumin and chili to the cooked beans . Mix with a blender until you obtain a dough.
11. Take 2 spoons of the dough to make every cake. Fry every cake both sides in a pan for 3 minutes  or until you see them fried. 
12. keep cakes warmed until they are served.
13. Serve the cakes with a little sauce and coriander yogurt on top.

My comments to the recipe:

It is an original and tasty way to eat black beans. tomato sauce and coriander yogurt bring freshness to the dish.

Here you have a link to my favourite cooking tools where you can find my spices grinder:  

Favourite cooking tools



Antigua y Barbuda