Simple Recipes for Lent

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Each year, through Operation Rice Bowl, you are invited to sample the food of the featured countries with your family and friends by preparing a simple, meatless recipe shared with us by the people we serve overseas. Below is a collection of other simple, meatless meals from past years that you may want to try during Lent or throughout the year.

African Recipes
Asian Recipes
Latin American and Caribbean Recipes
Middle Eastern Recipes

African Recipes

Angolan Kizaka

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Salt (to taste)
1 lb collard greens or spinach
¾ cup sesame seeds or unsalted peanuts
garlic, crushed (to taste)
vegetable broth (optional)

In a large saucepan, cook the collard greens or spinach in boiling water until tender and drain excess water. Vegetable broth may be added for flavor. Set aside. Toast the peanuts or sesame seeds in the oven at 300°F until browned. Remove from the oven to cool, then add salt (optional) and finely chop or grind the nuts or seeds.

In a frying pan, sauté the onions and garlic in oil until slightly browned. Add the tomatoes and cook until tender. Then add the peanuts or sesame seeds. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Season the cooked greens with the mixture of onion, garlic, tomato and sesame seeds or peanuts. sauté ingredients together for a few minutes. Serve over hot rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Burkinabe Groundnut Stew

2 sweet potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
Oil for frying
2 tablespoons coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 cups eggplant, chopped
½ cup water
1 cup zucchini, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 cups rice, cooked

Boil sweet potatoes until they are just tender. sauté garlic and ginger in oil with coriander and cayenne pepper for 1 minute; add chopped onion. sauté for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add chopped tomatoes, eggplant and Â½ cup water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add chopped zucchini and green peppers and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes, mash coarsely and add to the stew. Add tomato juice and peanut butter. Stir well. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Burundian Spinach Stew

2 small onions, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 pounds fresh spinach, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 chili peppers, sliced
4 tablespoons peanut butter
6 cups rice, cooked

In heavy skillet or stew pot, sauté onions in oil until golden. Stir in tomatoes and green pepper. Add spinach, salt, and chili peppers. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Add several tablespoons warm water to peanut butter to create a smooth paste. Add to pot and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir frequently, adding small amounts of water, if necessary, to prevent sticking. Serve with rice.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Cameroonian Fried Vegetables

3 packages chopped frozen spinach or greens
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp or 3 cloves garlic, chopped
5 stalks of celery, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
5 potatoes or yams, chopped
2 Tbsp oil
Salt (to taste)

Boil spinach or greens until soft. Strain and set aside. Cook potatoes or yams and set aside.

Add oil to a frying pan. Pan-fry onions, garlic and celery for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and fry for an additional 5 minutes. Add spinach or greens and salt. Cook on medium for 10 minutes.

Add yams or potatoes and serve.

This recipe serves 5 people.

Congolese Saka-Madesu (Greens and Beans)

2 cans white beans
1 onion and/or 1 leek, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 package frozen kale, spinach, or collard greens
Pinch of baking soda
1 vegetable bouillon cube
Green bell pepper, chopped
4–6 cups rice, cooked

Drain and rinse beans. Fry onion and/or leek in oil until soft. Combine all ingredients except rice in a large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, until all is tender. Serve with rice.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Eritrean Shiro

1 large onion, chopped
5 tablespoons oil
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 clove garlic, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
Salt to taste
4 cups rice, cooked

Fry onion with oil on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and mash chick peas. Add chick peas to tomato/onion mixture. Add garlic, green pepper, and salt to taste. Stir and cook until mixture becomes thick. Serve with rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Ethiopian Ginger Vegetables

6 small potatoes, cubed
1/2 pound green beans
4 carrots, cut into strips
5 green chilies, skinned, seeded and chopped
2 onions, quartered
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes, green beans, and carrots in boiling salted water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables and rinse. sauté green chilies and onions in olive oil until soft but not brown. Add fresh ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add vegetables to this mixture, stir well, and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Gambian Yam Balls

2 pounds yams, cooked
1 large onion, minced
3 fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt to taste
1 pint peanut oil
2 eggs, beaten

Mash yams until smooth. Fry half the onion and tomatoes, with cayenne, thyme, and salt in 1/4 cup peanut oil. Combine fried mixture, remaining onions and tomatoes, and mashed yams. Add eggs and mix well. Form yam mixture into balls. Heat remaining oil and deep-fry yam balls until golden brown. Drain and serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Ghanian Groundnut Stew

3 cups water
1 zucchini, chopped
¾ cup chopped okra
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
1 onion, diced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp ginger
½ cup peanut butter
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup tomato paste
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Simmer zucchini, okra, sweet potatoes, onion, salt, black pepper, and ginger in water in a large pot until tender (about 10-15 minutes). Add peanut butter, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and tomato paste to mixture. Stir well and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

Serve over white rice and top with eggs.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Kenyan Nyoyo

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium red bell peppers, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
4 large tomatoes, sliced
1 can black-eyed peas
2 cups corn, cooked
Salt and pepper to taste

sauté onion in oil until browned. Add peppers and sauté until limp. Add paprika. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, drain black-eyed peas and combine with corn. Add to onion mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add water if necessary. Serve hot over rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Malian Jollof Rice

Vegetable oil, for frying
3 dried chilis, minced
3 cups assorted vegetables (carrots, green beans, cabbage), chopped and mixed together
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cups vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 yellow onions, minced
2 cups long-grain rice
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

In a large pot, fry the onions, garlic, and chilis in vegetable oil until golden. Add the tomato paste, half of the combined vegetables, and 1 cup stock. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and simmer on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add 2 cups vegetable stock and 2 cups of rice to the vegetable sauce. Stir in the rice. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.

Arrange the remaining vegetables on top of the rice, and continue to simmer until the rice absorbs all the stock and is cooked. You may need to add additional water to help the rice cook. Serve hot.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Nigerien Tuwo da Mia Kubewa [okra with cornmeal porridge]

2 Tbsp oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper
10 oz frozen okra
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 oz tomato paste

1 cup cornmeal
3 cups water

Mia Kubewa (okra): Put onion, garlic, and oil in a pot and fry until soft. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices and simmer for a few minutes. Put okra in blender and blend until it becomes a thick paste. Add okra to ingredients in pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

Tuwo (cornmeal porridge): Mix cornmeal into 1 cup of cold water. Boil 2 cups of water in a pot. Add cornmeal mixture to boiling water and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes a thick porridge. Place okra mixture over cornmeal porridge and serve hot.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Rwandan Bananas with Green Split Peas

2 cups dried green split peas
4 ripe bananas or plantains
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook split peas in enough water to cover until tender (1 hour). Peel bananas or plantains; lay whole on top of peas. Cook 10 minutes, until bananas are soft; add water if necessary to prevent peas from sticking to bottom of pot. Brown onion in oil in large skillet. Drain bananas and peas; add to onions. Add salt; cook over medium heat, stirring gently until oil is absorbed. Serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Tanzanian Flatcakes

3 large potatoes, peeled and grated
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbs sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp curry power
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup of milk
¼ cup vegetable oil

Combine potatoes and carrots in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, curry powder, cinnamon and baking powder. Add flour mixture, egg and milk to potato mixture and blend thoroughly. Form mixture into cakes in half-cup portions. Heat 2 Tbs oil in skillet over medium heat. Place as many cakes as will fit into skillet, flattening each slightly with a wooden spoon. Cook covered for 5 minutes or until browned. Flip cakes over to brown other side. Repeat until all cakes are cooked, adding oil as needed to prevent sticking.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Zambian Ifisashi

1 onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 cup peanuts, washed and chopped
Water
Salt to taste
2 bunches fresh collard greens (or spinach), chopped
4 cups rice, cooked

In a medium-sized saucepan, boil onion and tomatoes with the chopped peanuts in half a cup of water, adding salt to taste and more water as needed. After a few minutes, add chopped greens. Stirring occasionally, continue cooking until the peanuts are soft and the mixture has become a fairly thick, buttery sauce (15 to 20 minutes). Serve hot with rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Asian Recipes

Cambodian Cucumber Salad

4 cucumbers, peeled
Salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice-wine vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
a few drops of hot sauce

Cut cucumbers lengthwise. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the cut sides, and place cut-side down on paper towels to drain. After 30 minutes, pat the cucumbers dry and cut them into half-inch pieces. In a small bowl, mix sugar, rice-wine vinegar, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and a few drops of hot sauce. Sprinkle the mixture onto the cucumbers and toss to coat. Let sit for 1 hour before serving.

This recipe serves 2 people.

Cambodian Sour Soup

2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 yellow squash, sliced
½ lb of fish, cubed (optional)
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp of tamarind (substitute: juice of 2 limes and 1 Tbsp of white vinegar)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 red or yellow pepper, chopped
½ cup pineapple, crushed or chopped
3 cups bean sprouts
1 Tbsp mint, chopped
4 cups water

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic. Cook garlic for 2 minutes and then add fish and tamarind (or tamarind substitute). Fry until fish is cooked. If you are not using fish, just cook the garlic and tamarind together. Combine sugar and salt with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and add squash, tomatoes, pepper, pineapple and bean sprouts. Boil for 15 minutes. Add fish, garlic, tamarind and mint. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

This recipe serves 6 people.

East Timorese Fried Rice

4 cups rice, cooked and cooled
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
5 shallots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 red chilies, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Sliced cucumber, tomato (garnish)

Stir rice with fork to separate grains. Pour small amount of oil in wok and fry the egg to make a thin omelet. Cool, then shred. Heat remaining oil in wok and fry shallots, garlic and chilies until shallots are tender. Increase heat to high; add rice, salt and soy sauce, stirring constantly until heated through. Garnish with egg, cucumber, and tomato.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Filipino Bibingka

Butter or margarine
Banana leaves, wilted (optional)
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 salted red eggs, cut into slivers (optional)
1/2 cup edam (or similar) cheese, grated
1 cup coconut, grated (optional)

Grease 2 9-inch cake pans with margarine and line with wilted banana leaves and set aside. Mix baking powder with flour, sift and set aside. Beat eggs lightly until creamy. Add sugar gradually, beating well. Add flour/baking powder mixture alternately with coconut milk, beating well to blend. Pour batter into the cake pans. Add slivers of salted eggs as garnish. Bake at 350Â° F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with margarine, sprinkle with half of the grated cheese, and return to oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven again, brush with more margarine or butter, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes. When golden in color, remove from oven, brush again with butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Serve with grated coconut.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Filipino Tortang Gulay (Vegetable Omelet)

1/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
6 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons cream
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. sauté mushrooms and zucchini in 1 tablespoon butter for 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Combine eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Heat remaining butter in skillet over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture and cook until mixture is still soft on top. Remove from heat. Sprinkle top of omelet with mushrooms, zucchini, and cheese. Place skillet in oven and bake for about 4 minutes, until cheese melts. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Hinurnong Isda (Filipino Baked Fish)

1 lb white fish
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tbs ginger
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbs melted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 375 ° F. Add lemon juice to fish, sprinkle with salt, and let stand about 20 minutes. Combine tomato, yellow onion, scallions, garlic, ginger and pepper in pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Set aside. Brush fish with melted butter, place in a baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. Add sautéed vegetables and bake for 5 more minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serve hot with rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Kadai Aloo (Indian Potato Curry)

4 large potatoes, cut into cubes with skin on

½ tsp ginger
½ tsp coriander
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp cumin
juice from ½ lime
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 jalapeño peppers, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
2 Tbsp oil
Salt (to taste)

Boil potatoes until soft, then drain water and allow to cool. Mix all dry spices and lime juice in a bowl with potatoes, and set aside.

In a large pan, sauté garlic, onions, red pepper, and jalapeños in oil until they are tender. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add seasoned potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until mixture is hot. Add salt to taste. Serve hot.

Optional: Garnish with chopped cilantro.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Indian Pongal

1 cup short-grain rice, uncooked
1/2 cup green grams (known in the United States as mung beans)
1/4 cup cashew nuts, shelled, unsalted
2 or 3 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons clarified butter (or substitute cooking oil)
3 cups water
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut, grated
2 tablespoons raisins

Wash rice and green grams together. Drain and leave aside. Chop cashews. Deseed the cardamom pods and throw pods away. In the butter (or cooking oil), fry the drained rice and green grams. Add water and bring to a boil. Add salt, sugar, grated coconut, and cardamom seeds and stir gently. Lower heat and cook until rice and green grams are cooked. Fry the cashew nuts. Just before rice is cooked, add the cashew nuts and raisins and serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Indian Vegetable Pullao

2 cups long-grain rice, uncooked
1 medium potato
12–16 fresh green beans
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 green chili, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh coriander, very finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and very finely grated
1 clove garlic

In a bowl, wash rice in water, changing water several times; drain. Add 5 cups water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain and leave in a sieve for 20 minutes. Peel and dice potato into quarter-inch pieces. Trim fresh green beans, cut crosswise into quarter-inch pieces. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. When hot, add whole cumin seeds and let sizzle for 5 to 6 seconds. Add diced potato, carrot and green beans. Stir and sauté for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, add drained rice, salt, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander seeds, cayenne pepper, green chili, fresh coriander, fresh ginger, and garlic. Stir and sauté the rice for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 2/3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover very tightly, turn heat to very low, and simmer for 25 minutes. Turn off heat and let pot sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Indonesian Spiced Rice

3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound long-grain white rice, uncooked
2 14-ounce cans of vegetable broth
1/3 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 green onion, chopped (optional)

Heat peanut oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and jalapeños to the oil; stir until onion is translucent, 8 minutes. Mix and add turmeric and ground cinnamon. Add long-grain white rice and stir 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes. Chopped green onion may be used for garnish.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Pakistani Green Pulao

2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup basmati rice, uncooked
2 cups water
12-ounce package frozen peas

Heat oil in a deep pan and fry onion until slightly brown. Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, and garlic. Add rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil.

Add peas. Stir, lower heat and simmer covered until rice is cooked. Let stand uncovered until extra water evaporates.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Pakistani Mash Daal [Lentils]

3 cups dried lentils
1½ onion, thinly sliced
5 cups water
1½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ cup oil
2 tsp ginger
1 Tbsp cumin
1-4 cloves garlic, chopped (to taste)
2 tomatoes, chopped
Salt (to taste)

Wash and drain the lentils. In a large pot heat the oil, and then add thinly sliced onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt and, cumin, and chili powder. Fry until golden brown and crisp. Add the tomatoes and stir well for about 10 minutes.

Add the water and heat until it reaches a boil. Put lentils in the pot and continue to cook at a full boil, stirring frequently, until the lentils are half-cooked. Finally, put on the lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot over rice.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Vietnamese Cauliflower with Straw Mushrooms

2 cups cauliflower florets
2 leeks (white part only)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup straw mushrooms
4 cups rice, cooked

Cut cauliflower florets into thin lengthwise slices. Slice leeks crosswise into thin slices. Place in separate bowls. Combine soy sauce, water and sugar in a small bowl. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over high flame. Drop the leeks in the oil and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower. Add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Turn heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and add straw mushrooms and soy sauce mixture. Cook while stirring for 2 more minutes. Serve over rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Vietnamese Fried Rice

1 cup rice, uncooked
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup peas, cooked
1/3 cup carrots, cooked
1/3 cup shredded cabbage
2 eggs, beaten

Cook rice according to instructions. In a pan, fry onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add rice and soy sauce and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Add peas, carrots, and cabbage and stir well. Add 2 beaten eggs and stir carefully until eggs are cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Latin American and Caribbean Recipes

Arroz Brasilerio (Brazilian Rice)

3 cups white rice, uncooked
4 tablespoons cooking oil
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
5–6 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Rinse and drain rice and set aside. Boil 4 cups water. In a large saucepan, sauté cooking oil, yellow onions and garlic over medium heat until onion is translucent, not brown. Pour the rice into the mixture and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the boiling water, bay leaf, chopped tomatoes and salt to the mixture. Reduce heat to low. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Serve immediately.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Ecuadorian Flan de Legumbres (Vegetable Soufflé)

1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, green beans, etc.), cooked
3 eggs, well beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine bread crumbs, milk, tomato sauce, stock, melted butter and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add mixed vegetables. Fold in the eggs and pour the mixture into a buttered 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish. Stand the dish in a baking tin, half-filled with hot water. Place in oven and cook for about 1 hour, until knife inserted into soufflé comes out clean.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Guatemalan Cod a la Vizcaína

12 tomatoes, sliced in halves
3 red peppers, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 white onion, chopped
½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small can (4 oz) green capers
1 small can pitted
green olives
1 lb tilapia, cod or similar white fish
salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Salt the fish and brush with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Let it cool and shred it. Bake the tomatoes and the peppers until soft. Fry the garlic and onion in oil until light brown.

Put the fried onion and garlic, grilled tomatoes and peppers in a blender, blend and pass through a colander. Pour the strained sauce in a pan and heat to a boil.

Once the sauce has boiled for a few minutes add the shredded fish and remove from heat. Add green olives, capers, and chopped parsley to the pan.

Serve over rice.

This recipe serves 6.

Guatemalan Corn Tortillas

2 cups masa harina or corn flour
Pinch of salt
1 cup lukewarm water, or as needed

Combine the masa harina and salt in a large bowl. Gradually stir in the cup of lukewarm water until smooth. The dough should be slightly sticky and form a ball when pressed together. Divide dough into 12 or 18 pieces (depending on size of tortilla you need) and roll into balls. Place balls on a plate and cover with a clean, damp towel. To form tortillas, with a rolling pin, flatten the ball of dough between two sheets of plastic wrap on a hard surface. Roll to a thickness of 1/16 inch. Heat a dry nonstick pan over medium heat. Lay tortillas one at a time onto the pan. Cook the tortilla 30 to 45 seconds on each side, gently pressing with your fingers to make it "puff." Stack and wrap tortillas in a towel to keep them moist and warm or serve immediately.

This recipe makes 12 to 18 tortillas.

Haitian Hot Potato and Broccoli Vinaigrette

1 pound small red new potatoes, unpeeled
1 pound broccoli florets
1/3 cup olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
5 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 finely chopped green onions
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil unpeeled potatoes until tender (20 minutes). Drain and cube potatoes, leaving skin on. Set aside and keep warm. Steam broccoli until tender. Cut into small pieces, set aside and keep warm. In a pot, combine olive oil, minced garlic, cider vinegar, dry mustard, paprika, green onions, and salt and pepper to taste. sauté until garlic and onions are soft. Arrange potatoes and broccoli on a serving dish and pour vinaigrette mixture on top. Serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Haitian Rice and Red Beans

1/2 cup fresh parsley
3 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp oil
1 cup rice
2 cups cooked or canned kidney beans
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth*
1 cup water
1/2 can cream of celery soup

*1 cup water or juice from the kidney beans may be substituted for vegetable broth.

In a large saucepan, add first 5 ingredients into 3 Tbsp of oil. Heat through and add rice. Brown the mixture slightly for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, broth, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir and serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Honduran Plantain Cakes

3 very ripe (dark brown) plantains
3 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup black beans, cooked
2/3 cup oil
4 cups rice, cooked

Boil plantains until soft. Drain and mash plantains. Add flour, butter and egg and mix thoroughly. Fry beans in 1 tablespoon oil for 5 minutes. Heat remaining oil in another frying pan, add plantain mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, and spread with a fork into shape of a small cake. Fry 5 minutes. Place 1 teaspoon fried beans on each cake and fold. Fry the cakes, covered, 3 minutes on each side until brown. Serve with rice.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Honduran Plantain Turnovers

3 plantains (soft to the touch)
¼ cup of sugar
½ Tbs of cinnamon powder
½ cup cooked black beans
2/3 cup of vegetable oil

Wash and cut plantains into three pieces. Boil until soft, drain and mash plantains. Place beans in a blender until you have a soft puree. Fry beans with a little bit of oil and add the sugar and cinnamon. Heat remaining oil in another frying pan, add plantain mixture, 1 Tbs at a time, and spread with a fork into shape of a small pancake. Fry 3 minutes. Place 1 tsp fried beans on each pancake and fold shaping into a turnover. Fry for 3 minutes on each side until brown.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Mexican Rice Casserole

1 cup rice
3 cups vegetable broth
8 oz sour cream
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup cilantro or green pepper, finely chopped

In a large saucepan, sauté the garlic in the oil for one minute. Set the pan aside. In a small pot, combine cilantro or green pepper and vegetable broth. Heat mixture until it begins to boil. Add the broth mixture and rice to the large saucepan containing the garlic. Cover the pan and cook at low heat (the broth should continue boiling) until all the broth has evaporated and the rice is cooked.

Grease an 8" x 8" baking dish, and spread the rice in the pan. Spread the sour cream on top of the rice, and sprinkle the grated cheese over it evenly. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve hot.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Nicaraguan Gallo Pinto

1 cup rice, uncooked
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3–4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice according to instructions. In a pan, fry onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add beans, coriander, cumin, and paprika and cook until heated through. Combine rice and bean mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Peruvian Huancaina Potatoes

8–10 medium potatoes
3 cups farmer's cheese or cream cheese
1 spicy yellow, green, or red fresh pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Olive oil
Lettuce leaves
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
8 black olives, pitted

In a large pot, boil potatoes; drain, peel, quarter, and set aside, keeping the potatoes warm. Using an electric mixer or food processor, purée together farmer's cheese or cream cheese, spicy pepper and heavy whipping cream. Warm a little olive oil in a pan and add the puréed mixture, stirring until sauce is creamy. To serve, cover the bottom of a serving dish with lettuce leaves; place the potatoes in the center of the dish, and cover with the sauce. Top with hard-boiled eggs and black olives.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Middle Eastern Recipes

Afghan Bonjan Salat (Spicy Eggplant Salad)

3 medium eggplants
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon hot red chili flakes
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon crushed dried mint

Slice eggplant into 1 1/2-inch thick rounds; sprinkle with salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse eggplant under cold water and dry well on a clean towel. Brown eggplant in a skillet with oil over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Remove, put into a serving bowl, and cool. Combine tomato sauce, pepper, chili flakes, cinnamon and mint; simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour sauce over eggplant; refrigerate until ready to use. Serve cold or at room temperature.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Egyptian Babaganoush

1 large eggplant
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup lemon juice
1 Tbs tahini
½ tsp ground cumin

Preheat oven to 425 ° F. Punch holes in the skin of the eggplant with a fork and place it on a baking sheet. Cook for about 30-45 minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Let the eggplant cool, then remove the skin and seeds and pat the eggplant dry. Put in blender, add salt, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini. Blend until mixture is smooth.

Sprinkle with cumin and serve with pita bread.

This recipe serves 4 people.

Egyptian Lentils and Rice with Tomato Sauce

1 cup rice, uncooked
1 1/2 cup lentils, uncooked
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
Salt to taste
1 medium onion, chopped

Cook rice according to directions. Rinse lentils, place in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat until almost all water is absorbed and lentils are well cooked. To make sauce, sauté garlic in 1 tablespoon oil until golden. Add tomato sauce and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Add water and vinegar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add salt to taste. sauté onion in remaining oil until brown and crispy. Arrange a layer of lentils on bottom of large dish, followed by alternating layers of rice and lentils. Pour sauce on top and sprinkle with onions.

This recipe serves 6 people.

Moroccan Warm Lentil and Rice Salad

1 cup brown lentils
1 cup basmati rice, uncooked
4 large red onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup olive oil
1 3/4 ounces butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 green onions, chopped
Ground pepper to taste

Cook brown lentils and basmati rice in separate pans of water until grains are just tender; drain. Cook sliced red onions and crushed cloves of garlic in olive oil and butter for 30 minutes, on low heat, until very soft. Stir in ground cinnamon, sweet paprika, cumin and coriander and cook for a few minutes longer. Combine onions and spice mixture with well-drained rice and lentils. Stir in chopped green onions until combined and add ground pepper to taste. Serve warm.

This recipe serves 6 people.