Encebollado

Ecuadorian Encebollado

Encebollado

Ecuadorian Encebollado

SpiceBreeze
Encebollado is a soup topped with thin onion slices pickled in lemon juice. It's claimed that the soup cures a hangover. The fish version is very popular in the coastal region of Ecuador. Don't worry about the little heat in the soup. It finds a perfect balance with the other ingredients once you stuck up your plate. If you are lucky to find cassava aka yuca roots in your grocery store, we recommend to give it a try. Cut off the firm skin. Then cook it the same way as potatoes.
Cuisine Ecuadorian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Shopping List

  • 1 lb tuna steak or fillet or chicken breast or thighs
  • 1 lb potatoes quartered
  • 2 medium tomato/es quartered
  • 2 medium tomato/es thinly sliced
  • 2 medium onions quartered
  • 2 medium red onions thinly sliced
  • 3-6 cloves garlic
  • 3-6 limes or lemons for juice
  • 1 bunch cilantro chopped
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Optional Sides

  • plantain chips, tortilla chips, bread, and/or rice
  • avocado slices as a topping

Culinary Spice Kit

  • Aji panca, cumin, cilantro

Instructions
 

Salad

  • In a BOWL, mix red onions, sliced tomatoes, half of the cilantro, and 1 tbsp oil.
  • Season to taste with lemon juice and salt & pepper.
  • Let it marinate for 1 hour.

Soup

  • In POT #1, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
  • Add quartered tomatoes and onions, half of the cilantro, garlic, the fish, Encebollado spices, and salt & pepper to taste.
  • Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
  • Scoop vegetables out and blend them in a FOOD PROCESSOR with 1 cup of the soup.
  • Strain the liquid and add it to the POT.

Fish

  • Transfer the fish to a PLATE.
  • When cooled, break it into small pieces. Set aside.

Potatoes

  • In POT #2, cook potatoes in water with salt to taste until tender.
  • Drain.
  • In a FOOD PROCESSOR, blend 1 cup of potatoes with 1 cup of the soup.
  • Pour this liquid into POT #1. Mix well.

Serve

  • Serve separately and assemble your plate in piling up the following layers: potatoes, fish, soup, salad.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

▪ Substitute tuna with another fish and adjust the cooking time if needed.
▪ Substitute potatoes with cassava (aka yuca root).
▪ Substitute cilantro with parsley.
▪ Substitute quartered tomatoes with 1 cup puree.
 

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French Filet Mignon Au Poivre

French Valentine’s Dinner

 

French Filet Mignon au Poivre

French Valentine's Dinner For Two

SpiceBreeze
Enjoy a French Valentine's dinner for two with classic Filet Mignon au Poivre (pepper steak) and discover the extravagance of a rose-flavored dessert. Filet mignon is the most original choice. Chicken and pork work just as well. Precious green peppercorns give the creamy sauce a less pungent, woody-fruity note.
hands-on time 30 minutes
Course Dessert, Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

Shopping List

  • 2 inch filet mignon* 1 inch thick
  • 2 tbsp cognac** or brandy or similar
  • 0.5 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 lb potatoes cooked and peeled
  • 8 oz snow peas or thin carrot slices
  • 3 cups yogurt plain, creamy
  • butter & oil
  • honey***
  • milk
  • salt & pepper

Culinary Spice Kit

  • [1] Green peppercorns
  • [2] Rosebud powder

Instructions
 

Prepare 30 minutes before cooking

  • Soak Valentine [1] spices in 3 tbsp water.
  • Rub dry filets with salt and pepper to taste. Let them rest at room temperature.

Dessert

  • Mix yogurt with Valentine [2] spices.
  • Add honey*** to taste.

Fry

  • In a PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil to smoking hot.
  • Fry filets 2 minutes on each side over high heat without moving them in between.
  • Add 1 tbsp butter. Fry filets over high heat until the desired doneness.
  • Transfer filet to a plate and cover with foil.
  • Carefully, add cognac**.
  • Cook 1 minute. Add the soaked Valentine [1] spices with the water.
  • Cook 2 minutes over high heat.
  • Add broth, cream, and salt & pepper to taste.
  • Bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickened.

Potatoes

  • Mash potatoes and reheat with some milk. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Peas

  • In a separate PAN, heat some butter and fry snow peas for about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

* Substitute filet with chicken breast, pork tenderloin or chops, or eggplant slices. Adjust cooking time.
** On a gas stove, make sure to have a lid at hand  in case of catching fire.
*** Substitute honey with (maple) syrup. Optionally, add fresh raspberries.
Brazilian Vatapá

Brazilian Vatapá

Brazilian Vatapá

Brazilian Vatapá

SpiceBreeze
Get right into the center of the Brazilian carnival with this popular street food, Vatapá. Original from Africa, it is known as a specialty from the region of Bahia and spread throughout Brazil. This recipe with a modern twist comes directly from Brazil. Ground annatto seeds add a warm, earthy flavor and natural red color. Though shrimp is a typical ingredient, Vatapá is just as popular without it.
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Brazilian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb raw shrimp cleaned
  • 1 cup coconut milk shake can well
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • 4 cups cooked rice
  • up to 1 cup broth fish recommended
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 2 slices sandwich bread crust removed
  • salt
  • oil

Vatapá Culinary Spice Kit

  • Annatto, turmeric, ginger, cumin, white pepper, bay leaves

Optional

  • 1-2 tbsp peanuts ground
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime for juice
  • 8 oz watercress

Instructions
 

Prepare

  • Cut the bread into small pieces.
  • In a BOWL, add the bread and the coconut milk.
  • Let it soak for 15 minutes.
  • Mash it with a fork.

Cook

  • In a PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat.
  • Fry the shrimp until brown on all sides.
  • Take them out and set them aside.
  • Fry the onions over medium heat until translucent.
  • Add garlic, tomatoes, and Vatapá spices.
  • Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the coconut milk with the bread, salt to taste, and optionally peanuts.
  • Cook about 15 minutes over medium-low heat to get a thick creamy sauce. Add some broth if necessary.
  • Return the shrimp to reheat.
  • Optionally, add cilantro and lime juice to taste.

Serve

  • Serve with rice and optionally watercress or a fresh salad of your choice.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Substitute the shrimp with fish filet (e.g. cod or snapper), cut into 1-inch pieces, or chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2-inch strips. Return them with the coconut milk.
  • Omit or substitute the shrimp with garbanzo beans.
  • Add 1-2 jalapeno pepper and/or 4 small sweet peppers to the onions, cut into thin slices.

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Falafel with cabbage

Egyptian Falafel

Falafel with cabbage

Egyptian Falafel

Falafel can make a great substitute for a burger, once in a while or weekly. Consider our variations as a start for your creativity. You can change the type of beans and herbs, add vegetables to the beans, serve them with any type of bread, sauce, and salad.

Frying Or Baking

Though baking the Falafel is easier, we recommend frying them to get a crunchy outside.

Kadhi Pakora
If you like garbanzo beans, try Pakistani Kadhi Pakora.
Egyptian Falafel

Egyptian Falafel

SpiceBreeze
Falafel can make a great substitute for a burger, once in a while or weekly. Consider our variations as a start for your creativity. You can change the type of beans and herbs, add vegetables to the beans, serve them with any type of bread, sauce, and salad. Although baking the Falafel is easier, we recommend frying them to get a crunchy outside.
Cuisine Egyptian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Shopping list

  • 2 cup garbanzo beans dry
  • 1/4 cup cilantro or mint, or parsley, finely chopped
  • 6 oz red cabbage finely sliced
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 6-8 pita bread or any other flatbread, baguette, or rolls

You might have

  • 2-3 tbsp flour
  • 4 cloves garlic grated
  • 1-2 lime or lemon for juice
  • olive oil
  • salt

Culinary Spice Kit

  • Cumin, coriander, paprika

Instructions
 

Prepare beans

  • In a BOWL, cover dry garbanzo beans with water. Let soak beans for 24 hours. Rinse. Drain.

Prepare paste

  • In a FOOD PROCESSOR, add beans, herbs, garlic, 2 tbsp flour, salt to taste, and half of the Falafel Spices.
  • Mix all into a paste. Cover the bowl and let rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Form Falafel

  • Form small patties. Add lime juice or more flour if necessary.

Option 1: Bake Falafel

  • Preheat OVEN to 350°F.
  • Place patties on a non-sticking BAKING PAN and brush or spray them with a bit of oil.
  • Bake the patties for 20-30 minutes until they become crisp and light brown.

Option 2: Fry Falafel

  • In a PAN, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil (other than olive oil) over high heat.
  • Add patties. Do not crowd the pan.
  • Fry patties for about 5 minutes until they become crisp on both sides.
  • Flip the patties halfway.

Yogurt Sauce

  • Mix yogurt with lime juice and salt to taste.
  • Add grated garlic (optional).

Serve

  • Serve Falafel in bread with cabbage and sauce. For more options see the links in the notes.
  • Enjoy!
Mie Goreng

Indonesian Mie Goreng

Mie Goreng

Indonesian Mie Goreng

SpiceBreeze
Mie Goreng is a popular dish across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, featuring stir-fried noodles that are reminiscent of Chinese Chow Mein, likely reflecting its Chinese culinary roots. The dish offers a versatile ingredient list, allowing for a mix of vegetables and the option to add meat or shrimp. What truly sets Mie Goreng apart is its distinctive spice blend, highlighted by the earthy notes of galangal, giving it an exceptional and unforgettable flavor.
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indonesian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Shopping List

  • 2-3 cups vegetable mix carrots, leek, Savoy cabbage, all thinly sliced
  • 8 oz noodles e.g. ramen or chukka soba
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
  • soy sauce or tamari
  • agave syrup or sugar

Optional

  • 1-2 tbsp anchovy paste recommended
  • 1 lb shrimp precooked
  • 1 bunch green onions sliced
  • 1 cup peanuts chopped
  • 1 lemon
  • 3-4 fried eggs
  • 6-8 slices fried tempeh fermented soybeans
  • 1 cup fried onions
  • 1 bag krupuk shrimp crackers

Mie Goreng Culinary Spice Kit

  • Galangal, turmeric, black pepper, nutmeg, chili, amchoor, tamarind

Instructions
 

Noodles

  • Cook noodles according to package instructions.

Fry

  • In a large PAN, heat 1 tbsp oil. Fry onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions turn slightly brown.
  • Add vegetables and fry them over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes(*) until they are almost cooked.
  • Stir in 2 tbsp tamari, Goreng spices, and 1 tbsp syrup. Add salt to taste.
  • Optionally, add anchovy paste and shrimp.
  • Add noodles and stir-fry over medium heat until noodles are well blended with the vegetables.

Serve

  • Optionally, sprinkle with green onions, peanuts, lemon juice, fried onions.
  • Place tempeh slices and/or add fried eggs on top.
  • Serve with krupuk.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

(*) Leftover vegetables are fine as well. Reduce the cooking time accordingly.
▪ Substitute shrimp with chicken breast, cut into bite-size cubes and add them with the vegetables.
▪ Other vegetables: mung bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, napa cabbage, bok choy, or bell pepper.

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Indonesian Rendang

Indonesian Rendang

Indonesian Rendang

Indonesian Rendang

SpiceBreeze
Indonesian Rendang is one of the most delicious meals of the world as voted by CNN readers and everybody who tasted it. It's typically made with beef cooked in coconut milk for many hours until the meat is tender and has absorbed the flavors of the exotic spices. Substitute beef with chicken for a faster version.
hands-on time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indonesian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Protein

  • 1.25 lb beef stew

Fresh Produce

  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 inch ginger grated
  • 3 cloves garlic grated
  • 1-3 red chili sliced (optional)

Packaged Goods/Staples

  • 1 can coconut milk 13.5 oz
  • oil
  • salt & pepper

Rendang Culinary Spice Kit

  • Lemongrass, galangal, coriander, makrut lime leaves, turmeric, mild chili

Suggested Sides

  • basmati rice recommended
  • rice noodles
  • cucumber, carrots, bell pepper sliced
  • lettuce leaves
  • pickled vegetables

Instructions
 

  • In a POT, heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat.
  • Season beef with salt and pepper to taste and quickly brown it on all sides.
  • Transfer beef to a PLATE.
  • In the same POT, add onions, ginger, garlic, and optional chili to taste.
  • Fry over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
  • Return beef to the POT. Add Rendang spices. Mix well.
  • Add coconut milk and salt to taste. Mix well. Cover. Bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat to low.
  • Cook for 2 to 4 hours until the beef is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally.
  • Remove LID, turn heat to high, and fry the sauce to concentrate the flavors. Stir frequently to not burn the beef.
  • The Rendang is done when almost no sauce is left and the beef is dark brown.
  • Serve Rendang over rice or noodles with fresh vegetables.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Notes/ Variations
▪ Substitute beef with chicken thighs or eggplants and zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces, or lamb stew. Adjust cooking time accordingly.
 

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