Cambodia: Wait, what spices can we use?

We started making coconut rice and red bean soup. Upon realizing the recipe called for no spices, Kevin dispatched me to find what spices are commonly used in Cambodia (tamarind, tumeric, ginger, lemongrass, and lime, apparently).

These, it turns out, were a poor addition to the coconut rice and red bean soup, so I am reproducing the original recipe here and strongly recommending the reader not add tumeric, ginger, lemongrass, and lime.

Cambodian Coconut Rice and Red Bean Soup

Simmer:

• 1 can coconut milk


• 1/2 Tbsp sugar


• 1 Tbs cornstarch


• 1/4 tsp salt

In separate saucepan, cook:

• 1/2 cup rice


• 5 cups water


• 1 can red beans

Until rice is tender

Poor coconut sauce over rice, eat.

Laos: Khao Sangkhaya (Coconut Rice)

This is delicious – one of the best rice puddings I’ve had.

Recipe: Khao Sangkhaya
Serves 2

1 cups rice
1/3 cup coconut milk
30 g sugar
1 tsp salt
30 g coconut cream milk

For Sangkhaya:
1 eggs
30 g sugar
30 g coconut cream milk
1/3 tsp cornflour
1 Tbsp water of bay teui leaves

Soak rice 2 hours, drain, steam for 20 minutes over high heat. Mix coconut milk and sugar, add to rice and steam for 25 minutes.

Make the Sangkhaya: Beat eggs with sugar and coconut, then add salt and cornflour. Mix with the rice, stir, and steam for 5-10 minutes over high heat.

Bhutan - The Only Mild Dish in the Country

After much searching, I found a Bhutanese dish that did not include yak by-products or chili peppers hot enough to melt lead: Veggies Over Rice.

I think it's a winner. Kevin poured hot chili sauce on it first.

Bhutanese Veggies Over Rice

The Rices

Cook together

• 1 cup rice

  
  
  

  1 tsp oil

  
  
  

  cardamom

In a separate pot, cook together:

• 1/2 cup rice



• 4 whole cloves



• 1/4 tsp tumeric

When they're done, mix them together.

The Veggies

Saute in a little oil: green peas

Saute in a little oil:

• 1 onion, sliced
  


• 5 cloves, whole
  


• 1/4 bunch coriander greens
  


• 1/4 ginger, ground up with a mortar
  


• 1/2 garlic, ground up with mortar
  


• cardamom



• Eggplant, sliced into bitsized chunks



• Broccoli, bitesized chunks

Remove eggplant and broccoli when they look done. Add potatoes (sliced,
boiled, peeled). Fry until they look brown.

Add into the potato pot:

• The fried eggplant



• The fried broccoli



• The fried peas

Serve veggies over the rice mix.

Azerbaijani Pilaf

I’ve heard that lamb is quite popular in Azerbaijan, but it’s certainly not the only popular meat. I also found quite a few recipes that called for sheep, mutton, sheep fat, and sheep brains.

Finding a veggisaurous-friendly recipe was tough, but I finally tracked down Geudgea: a traditional Azerbaijan pilaf usually made with chicken. I left the chicken out.

Geudgea – Azerbaijani Pilaf
Serves 4
1 cups rice
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup diced dried apricot
pinch of saffron
pinch of salt

Cook the rice as per instructions on package, adding a pinch of saffron. In a separate pan, melt the butter and cook the raisins and apricot over low heat until the raisins swell. Pour the butter and fruit mixture over the rice and serve.

Nepal: Vegetable Pulao

This is another gem from the UN's book on rice. Most countries have some kind of fried rice variation, but I love the warm spices of the Nepalese version.

Recipe: Vegetable Pulao (Nepalese Fried Rice)
Serves 4

1 1/4 cups Basmati rice
1 1/2 tsp oil
1/3 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 bay leaf
4-6 gloves garlic, minced
2 black cardamom pods
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 inch ginger, minced
2-3 green chilies
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green peas
2 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Wash and soak the rice for about an hour. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the cumin. When the cumin starts to turn golden, add the turmeric, bay leaf, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and chilies. Cook over medium heat for about a minute, then add the onion, tomato, and green peas. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, stirring.

Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the frying pan, stirring and cooking for about a minute. Add the 2 1/2 cups of water and cook over high heat, stirring continuously until all the water is absorbed.

Add the lemon juice, lower the heat, and cook for another 5 minutes or so.