I Halwo And I Whine, I'm After You

NATIONAL DISH OF SOMALIA - Halwo

Halwo (spelled and pronounced in many different ways), is a dense slab of sweet confection that can be found from North Africa right across the Middle East through to Central and South Asia. Halva is Arabic for "sweet" and is most associated with Arab world. Generally there are two types of Halva:

- a flour based variety that is gelatinous and mainly consists of flour, oil and sugar
- a nut-butter based variety that is crumbly and mainly consists of nut-butter (such as tahini) and sugar.

Both varieties contain other ingredients and spices to bring out a multitude of flavours. In Somalia, Halwo is served for special occasions, such as wedding receptions or Eid celebrations (feast signalling the end of Ramadan). Somalian Halwo is made from cornstarch, sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, and ghee. Peanuts are optional but are sometimes used to bring out the flavours and texture of the Halwo.

Enjoy, or as they say in Somalia, ku raaxayso cuntadaada!



For some Somali dessert action: http://www.somalirecipes.com/2009/07/halwahalwo-somali-sweet.html

Difficulty:         4

Appearance:    3

Taste:               2

TOTAL:             9

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make.

This was not that difficult to make, but it was time consuming and involved much stirring to be needed. And if I had to wait 15 more minutes to add some more ghee, I think I would have gone on a rampage! Luckily this did not happen. Crisis averted!

The halwo had a very rich deep reddish brown colour whilst it was cooking, and when boiling it looked like liquid magma bubbling up from a volcano. After I threw in the spices my kitchen became so fragrant but there still lingered the sweet aroma of the sugar cooking. I decided to add the peanuts at the last minute because I felt it was too red. It added a new dimension of texture and flavour, not to mention new colouring.

Now taste is a funny thing, very subjective. I cut the the dense slab in to what I thought were adequate pieces, but were unfortunately too large. The overtly sugary taste was too strong for my liking, although I did enjoy the flavours of the cardamom and nutmeg. I think my opinion of the Halwo would have been higher if I had some ice cream to cut the sweetness. I also had some friends try it, and they were adamant that they enjoyed it. But a part of me still feels like they were just being polite. Having said all this, if I'm ever in Somalia I will certainlly give their Halwo a try,

One Mintue I Held The Varenyky, Next The Walls Were Closed On Me

NATIONAL DISH OF UKRAINE - Varenyky

Well it is Anzac Day here in Australia, a day that many Australians consider to be more of a national day than our actual national day (Australia Day). April 25th is a public holiday in Australia and New Zealand, in which we commemorate and honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Specifically those who fought on the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. Special events of the day include Dawn Service Memorials across the country, where solemn prayer, a few minutes of silence, playing of "The Last Post" by a lone bugler and the laying of wreaths occur. Also an Anzac Day Parade is performed in most cities, where veterans of past wars and current serving members of the Australian Armed Forces march down streets. Some people then head to local pubs or RSLs for some drinks and the traditional game of two-up. And then of course there is the traditional Anzac Day AFL match between fierce rivals Essendon and Collingwood.Theses games are always sold out and are generally the most attended game outside of the finals.

This year Anzac Day coincided with Easter, so instead of a 4-day weekend, we got a 5-day weekend. I travelled to my hometown for the obligatory family Easter, and after seeing my family and consuming so much chocolate that Willy Wonka would be disgusted, I returned to Melbourne after 3 days. This is evident of how I feel about the hometown life. 3 days is bordering on too long. Most of The Molefaces were out of town except K Horns, and so I thought we make some Ukrainian dumplings or Varenyky. And even though we didn't make some Australian food to commemorate the day, K Horns is from New Zealand. So it's just like we formed our own ANZAC culinary alliance.

Varenyky are crescent-shaped stuffed dumplings similar to Polish pierogi. Made from unleavened dough, they are generally filled with mashed potato, cheese or sauerkraut. Another favorite for dessert contain cherry filling. They are then boiled, then fried, then topped with fried onion and accompanied with sour cream, and then finally devoured. I say devoured and not eaten, for after you have one varenyky, the rest of the batch will be guaranteed to be quickly consumed!

Enjoy, or as they say in Ukraine, Смачного! (Smačnoho)

The recipe for a dumpling of a different kind: http://www.allthingsukrainian.com/Recipe/Varenyky/index.html

Difficulty:         3

Appearance:    4

Taste:               4

TOTAL:            11

Note: Difficulty is scaled in reverse to the other categories, where 1 =  was extremely difficult to make, and 5 = was easy to make.

Although never having made Varenyky, I have made Pierogi before. So I harnessed that past experience for the task. Normally I don't have a helper for the whole dish, but K Horns was an invaluable kitchen assistant. Even though she didn't have the ideal cooking utensils, we improvised, as seen in the video. I appreciate that she let me take over her kitchen, and in the end her varenyky looked better than mine.

After boiling the varenyky, they looked like steamed dumplings but a little less appetising. However, once you fry them over the onion they brown up quite nicely. And then if you have an extraordinary food presenter such as K Horns, the final arrangement looks tantalising!


Now I love a good dumpling, but majority of my dumpling experiences are of the Asian persuasion. These Ukrainian varenyky were amazing, particularly the cheese variety we made. And as I've mentioned before, anything is gonna taste delicious when accompanied by sour cream! Next time though I feel I need to throw some meat into the filling, and top with bacon!


(For those playing at home, Ukraine have fared pretty well in past Eurovision performances. After 8 appearances since their debut in 2003, they have won once and came second twice. In fact they won in just their second appearance! Ruslana won in 2004 with her highly energetic performance of "Wild Dances". Her performances, in particular the pyrotechnics and traditional-inspired leather costumes make it one of the memorable wins in the past decade. Ukraine have never been knocked out after the semis and so have never missed a final. And with less then 3 weeks to go, it will be interesting to see what Ukraine has in store for this year.)

A Fool Could See, Just How Much I Adobo You

NATIONAL DISH OF THE PHILIPPINES - Adobo

We are up to the second out of three Moleface brithdays for April, and this one is for Theresa Maree. I met Theresa a few years back through Carli. At the time Carli, Theresa and Lara were living together in an apartment that became known as Cankle Central. Cankle Central was pretty much the social spot for the Molefaces. A place for a few pre-drinks before we head out on the weekend, a quiet movie night, and the venue for our Idol Cooking Contests. It was the place that solidified the friendship of the Molefaces.

Theresa is another Moleface that coincidentally hails from my hometown. She also grew up on a farm, but you wouldn't know it to look at her. Fashionable, trendy, and cosmopolitan she definitely is, but she still retains her country kindness, good nature, warmth and values. Willing to try anything new, particularly cuisine-wise, Theresa has a bravery that can be found in children. Which explains why we've found her on numerous occasions alone in her bedroom, blowing bubbles with glee! But my favourite thing about Theresa is her humility. Willing to do anything for her friends and family, I admire her outlook on many topics. Particularly, she has shown me how not to be overly concerned about others' negative feelings, thoughts or behaviours, especially since you cannot control them. Control what you can, and don't worry about the haters.

So she chose a South East Asian meal for her birthday dinner, and picked out of the metaphorical hat was The Philippines. Initially I wanted to change, for the recipe didn't contain bok choy (one of my favourite vegetables, but also a buzz word I've created. Used when greeting someone or as an exclamation of understanding-

Leo: I burned the cheesecake, now it's ruined!

Theresa: Just cut the top off it and it'll be fine.

Leo: Ah bok choy!)

But after researching the national dish of The Philippines, I certainly wanted to cook Adobo. Adobo is meat that is marinated in soy sauce, vinegar and garlic. It is then simmered in the marinade until tender. Although it bears a Spanish name, Adobo is originated from The Philippines. Served both at special feasts and for daily meals, Adobo is complimented with rice. Perfect for travellers, campers or those without refrigeration, Adobo has a long shelf-life. This is due to the vinegar it is marinated in inhabiting the growth of bacteria. In fact the flavour of Adobo is so beloved in The Philippines, they've capitalised on it and developed Adobo-flavoured nuts, chips and noodles.

Enjoy, or as they say in The Philippines, Kainan na!




A link to my new favourite marinade: http://www.adobochef.com/show_recipe?recipe_id=6002&recipe_name=traditional_chicken_adobo_recipe

Difficulty:         5

Appearance:    4

Taste:               5

TOTAL:            14

I know I keep spouting on about how some dishes are quite easy to make, but Adobo would have to win the prize. Hardly any prepping at all, just marinate the chicken pieces in the vinegar, soy sauces and seasonings for a few hours. Then simmer on the stove top for a few more hours til tender.

With not many ingredients to the dish I was surprised by the myriad of aromas that were emanating from the kitchen whilst the Adobo was cooking. And when served, the colour of the sauce had shaded the chicken a vibrant brown contrasting with the chalky white of the rice.

And the taste...Oh the taste!! The sweetness of the soy sauce mixed with the tanginess of the vinegar infused the tender and succulent chicken, flavouring the meat as it slides off the bone. And the garlic and peppercorns add an excellent flavour punch that compliments the rest of the sauce, making it my new FAVOURITE marinade ever! So simple, fresh and tasty! I'm gonna have to get me some of those Adobo-flavoured chips shipped to Australia stat!

And being Theresa's birthday I made her a cheesecake. Not knowing which flavour to choose and after scouring the internet for ideas, I did the selfish thing and picked a type that I would devour with ease: a Snickers cheesecake! I burned the top of the cheesecake, but fixed that by lopping the top off and topping the rest of the delectable cheesecake with whipped cream. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Theresa Maree, I hope you enjoyed your Filipino meal, even if there was no bok choy!

The Pupusa In Denial

NATIONAL DISH OF EL SALVADOR - Pupusa

I have been getting slack of late, and feel that I am not cooking enough dishes during the week. Well this week was a very busy one, with 2 friends having birthdays, a friend's band having a gig, a uni assignment was due, so there wasn't much time. To get around this I thought I would make something that appeared quite simple, straightforward and easy to make. Well we all know that appearances are deceiving! And the end result can lead to a meal that looks disappointing and leaves you having to apologise to anyone from that country. So a note to future self, travel back in time and pick something else, for El Salvadoran Pupusas need some time to make. Particularly if you are a complete novice like myself.

Made from maize flour, Pupusa is a thick, hand-made tortilla. They can be stuffed with a multitude of fillings such as: cheese, refried beans, cooked ground pork or Loroco (a vine flower bud form Central America). Then they're fried until a rich golden brown. It is generally served with Curtido, a cabbage slaw made with vinegar and chilies. They are a cross between empanadas and tortillas that can be found throughout Central and South America.

Enjoy, or as they say in El Salvador, ¡Buen provecho!


Link to challenging El Salvadoran snacks: http://www.whats4eats.com/breads/pupusas-recipe

Difficulty:         2

Appearance:    3

Taste:               3

TOTAL:             8

OK this would have to be one of the hardest dishes I have made so far. Due to my terrible tortilla making techniques, my Pupusas looked like they had been in a car accident as their filling was hemorrhaging out of the dough. The simple looking method of flattening the dough between your palms was deceptively difficult. I will certainly have to get lessons before I attempt to make them again. Or cheat and buy a tortilla press.

Now objectively speaking, my pupusa looked horrible. I'm surprised that the El Salvadoran government didn't barrage into the kitchen and charge me with crimes against humanity. This is certainly one of those dishes that would of course look perfect if prepared by a native.

Even though my pupusa didn't look like any photo I saw on the internet, they didn't taste that bad. The refried beans and the cheese made it a tasty savoury snack. And the maize flour made them taste like Doritos (funny that!), so that's awesome in my book. The only downside was they were a little dry, so next time I would serve with a large dollop of sour cream. And I would of loved to try the Curtido, but choose against it for I didn't have enough time and I'm not a fan of slaw in the first place. So to finish off, I am very sorry to the people of El Salvador, I didn't mean to butcher your cuisine. If there is anyone that is willing to pay for me to travel to El Salvador so I can culinary repent, I would be fully amenable to that!

So Just Poulet The Trigger

NATIONAL DISH OF GUINEA - Poulet Yassa

You may remember it was Mark George's birthday dinner a few months ago, but tonight it is the birthday dinner of the other half of that Moleface couple. Some would say the more glamourous of the two. Others would not based on Mark Geroge's geek chic. (I LOVE his Plaid-apus and Hypota-moose shirts!) This is the first of 3 Moleface birthdays in April, so The GGJ kitchen will be extra busy this month!

Carli, a graphic designer by trade, works for a gardening/media company where she puts in some crazy work hours. A hard worker from way back, I first met Carli in 2005 whilst we were working in a take away shop over the summer, at a resort in our home town. We bonded over our love for tacky 90's music, and shared a similar warped sense of humour. After the summer we returned to our respective universities and lost contact. That was until a few years later Carli moved to Melbourne. We picked up the friendship where we left it, and have had non-stop laughs since.

With a penchant for polka dotted dresses and headbands with bows, Carli embodies the elegant style of a refined lady. But get some drinks into her and the true Moleface comes out, and so does her alter-ego Rachel. Rachel on the other hand, has a penchant for using pashminas as courting weapons and has an extensive, albeit drunken, vocabulary ("I JOVE YOU!")

And as much as I love Carli for all that she is by herself, without her I would not have been introduced to the other Molefaces. So for one of the greatest gifts I have been given in my life, I felt that the least I could do would be to put some effort into her birthday dinner to commemorate our origin of friendship. And what better way to do that than to cook something from the continent of origin for humanity.

Poulet Yassa is a spicy marinated chicken dish prepared with onions and lemons, and served on a bed of rice. It can be found throughout Western Africa, and is a specialty in the Casamance region of Senegal (which borders Guinea, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau). We of course will be making the Guinean version in The GGJ kitchen this evening.


Enjoy, or as they say in Guinea, Bon appétit! 



Recipe for the African variation on Lemon Chicken: http://www.friendsofguinea.org/aboutguinea/recipes.shtml#yassa

Difficulty:         5

Appearance:   4

Taste:              4 

TOTAL:           13

I love me a good recipe that basically consists of marinating meat, and then cooking it slowly until it falls off the bone. Well this recipe ticks both those boxes, thereby making the difficulty quotient quite low.

I have a slight aversion to Lemon Chicken of the Asian variety. It's too syrupy and lemony, so not a fan. So was a little apprehensive when I saw what this dish had entailed. But with a wonderfully fragrant kitchen and an open mind, we sat down for Moleface Carli's birthday dinner to sample the wares that Guinea had to offer. The chicken was wonderfully tender, it just slid off the bone. And the few seasonings that were added to the marinade certainly permeated the chicken. Although my fears were partially realised. I thought lemon did overpower the dish slightly, but the other diners respectfully disagreed. I think they were saying that out of politeness though, cause there was a lot of lemon. Next time I would reduce the amount of lemon juice and add a little African heat to the dish with some Piri-piri chillies. I also served up some Jus de Tamarin as a beverage, but the tart taste of the Tamarind didn't go down as nicely as the Honduran Horchata.

We topped the night off with a marvelous (if I do say so myself) Chocolate Cherry Cake for the birthday girl, which was pretty much a Black Forest cake. Now I am repulsed by cherries (in fact most stone fruits excluding juicy mangoes), but bizarroly Black Forest cake is one of my absolute faves based on the cherries and kirsch. And of course the chocolate! So Bon Anniversaire Lady Carli, I hope this African feast made you feel at home!