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!

Can't Take My Eyes Jollof You

NATIONAL DISH OF NIGERIA - Jollof Rice

Welcome back to Africa! Today we are travelling to the most populous nation in Africa, Nigeria, which lies on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. Apparently Nigeria has one of the most booming economies in the world, and is touted as being a future economic leader.

Well those of you reading this is the future, first of all: Hello and welcome to The GGJ! What's it like there? Are we all wearing silver lyrca jumpsuits? Do we FINALLY get those Hoverboards from Back To The Future? And is Justin Bieber the leader of Earth? And secondly, can someone drop in to Nigeria and make sure that the now affluent Nigerians have not lost touch with their culinary roots and changed their national dish. For their national dish is the tasty Jollof Rice.

Jollof Rice, found in various incarnations across West Africa, is a dish with common ingredients of rice, tomato/paste, onion, salt and red pepper. But as I've found during my continuing tutelage of international cooking, there can be a multitude of different recipes regarding a dish. Sometimes people of the same race, nation, or even family may disagree on the correct way to prepare a dish. I've noticed on other cooking blogs and cooking videos on YouTube, that some native people have expressed negative comments towards the attempt of a national dish. And the more personal the dish is to them, the more emotive they could be about the method. I hope that this does not happen at The GGJ. So if any readers feel offended by my preparation of your national dish, please understand that I am a very amateur cook and that although I do research on each upcoming dish/country, I don't deem to be an expert or to exemplify an indigenous person. My attempts are not a personal attack. And in the end I hope that all that is left is some better understanding, some wonderful experiences, and of course some magnificent food!

 Enjoy, or as they say in Nigeria, Enjoy! (unless you speak Yorùbá then Ounjẹ ajẹye o!)



Here's the recipe of the Nigerian version: http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/recipes.html#jollof_rice

Difficulty:         5

Appearance:   3

Taste:              4 

TOTAL:           12

Another straight forward recipe, thanks Nigeria. It's as simple as cooking some rice (and then processing some vegetable and throwing those in).

To me, rice is not the grandest thing to look at. It's also not offensive by any standards, I'm just saying that I'm sure you wouldn't find it hanging in the Louvre. I certainly didn't see any when I was there. But this version of Jollof Rice isn't just flat white. The processed vegetables, cayenne pepper and broth give it a little burst of colour. Not to mention their contribution to it's mouth-watering aroma whilst cooking.

And the taste......delicioso! The vegetable stock I used gave it a good kick and the pungent flavour burst over my tastebuds like someone blew up some dynamite made of rice. Thankfully I did make enough to last until the end of days. But then again it was SO filling, and with the equally scrumptious peri-peri chicken and fried plantains I made to accompany the rice, I could only eat so much. Luckily Moleface Hay Rae was on hand to handle the eating duties. And for her efforts she got a take home portion in my IKEA plastic containers (PRODUCT PLACEMENT!)

My Wild Irish Stew Rose

NATIONAL DISH OF IRELAND - Irish Stew

Oh the Irish! I feel that sometimes the world looks at them unfairly and with judging eyes, but that is not the case here at The GGJ. We LOVE the Irish! What with their roguish charm, stunning women, fondness for good times (read: drinking), sexy accents and of course their contributions to the world (they gave us Johnny Logan the Eurovision superstar!, and the ejector seat!)

And they also gave us St Patrick's Day! St Patrick, although a British chap, was kidnapped by Irish raiders and forced into slavery. After escaping and returning home, he became an ordained bishop and returned to Ireland to spread the word of the Lord. Add the tales of legend and St Patrick seemed to have an interesting life. He used the shamrock to teach people about the Holy Trinity. His ash walking stick, when plunged into the ground, grew into a tree. And his greatest achievement, he banished all the snakes from Ireland by chasing them into the sea. Across the world people liturgically celebrate his life on March 17th. Others choose more to celebrate Ireland as a whole by dressing in green and consuming their weight in Guinness. Here at The GGJ we fall into the latter category.




I needed a drinking buddy to help me devour the hearty helping of Irish Stew, so over came Moleface Theresa. We spent a lovely Irish evening just eating, drinking, talking, laughing and general merriment. To cap off the evening, for dessert I made a rich Chocolate Guinness Pudding. The dark chocolate forms the Guinness portion, whilst the whipped cream forms the head. Was absolutely delicious, but very, very rich.



Enjoy, or as they say in Ireland, Enjoy! (unless you speak Gaeilge then Bainigí sult as bhur mbéile!)



A recipe link that will bring you the luck of the Irish: http://recipes.kaboose.com/traditional-irish-stew.html

Difficulty:         5

Appearance:   4

Taste:              4 

TOTAL:           13

This has to be one of the easiest recipes to make that has the best pay off! Just chop those vegetables and meat, throw them in the pot and cook for several hours.

I gave Irish Stew a rate of 4 for appearance, but if it was a freezing winter day and I came home to this spectacular sight it certainly would have received a large 5! The colour of the chunky style vegetables offset the meat perfectly, and the garnish/flavouring of the parsley gave it some green of the Irish.

Man this stew was all kinds of awesome!!! I knew it would be good, because I love Irish stew, but this was something different. There wasn't a lot of broth or soup, but the flavours of the vegetables and condiments infused wonderfully in the oven. But the best part was the tender lamb. So succulent that it fell apart in your mouth. YUM much! Theresa and I felt as if we were on The Emerald Isle as we sat with our delicious stew and our pint of Guinness. The only thing missing was The Corrs.

(For those playing at home, guess who has the most Eurovision wins of all time? That's right, the Irish. Since participating in the first Eurovision, Ireland has sent 41 entries, winning the contest a staggering 7 times! (1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996), and finished in the top five 18 times. Note the 3 consecutive years from 92-94, the only time this has happened! Johnny Logan (Australian-born!) is known as Mr Eurovision, winning the contest twice (1980, 1987) and penning the winning Irish song of 1992. You may know his classic 1987 winning song "Hold Me Now". Of recent years Ireland haven't fared well at Eurovision, only making the finals once in the past 3 years. This year (PS. 2 months to go!) they hope to take it again with Jedward, the twins from UK's The X Factor in 2009. Good luck weird defying gravity haired boys!)

Trying To Look Borscht In Them Diors

NATIONAL DISH OF RUSSIA - Borscht

Welcome to Slacktown, population: numerous. I am Slacky McSlack, Mayor of Slacktown. As you will see throughout March, it will not be a very prosperous cooking month. This is resultant of I have gone back to University to work on my non-existent Psychology career. So with study, work and the birthdays for the million of my friends that decided to be born around this time of year, I ain't got much time for the kitchen. "TRAVESTY!" you weep, "SACRILEGIOUS!" you yell. I know I is horrible GGJ Pilgrims, but before you stone me for my crimes, let's look at this interestingly hued Russian dish. 

Borscht, although of Ukrainian origin, is generally more associated with Russia. The main ingredient being beetroot gives it that deep red-purple colour, but there are other chromatic variations such as orange and green borscht. Your next decision is to decide if you want it hot or cold. This impacts on what recipe you use. Hot borscht is generally a heart soup that includes starchy potatoes, carrots, other vegetables and meat. Whereas cold borscht, still made with beetroot, is mixed with a sour dairy (sour cream, soured milk, youghurt) and can include cucumber and radishes. And then there are the regional differences, from the wheat ladden Romanian borscht, to the dried mushroom styled Lithuanian borscht, the staple soup spreads across and beyond the nations of central and eastern Europe.

The Russian variety consists of the requisite beetroot, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, meat and broth. A dollop of sour cream is thrown on individual servings and then sprinkled with some dill (which I believe is one of the most underused herb). And if you feel this hearty soup won't fill you up, then you can always serve it with some bread.


Enjoy, or as they say in Russia, Приятного аппетита! (Prijatnovo appetita)



For some beetroot staining Russian times: http://www.ukraineorphans.net/id51.html
 

Difficulty:         3

Appearance:   4

Taste:              4 

TOTAL:           11

There are a few processes going on here, and if takes less time if you multi-task by doing a few at a time. Not sure why, but cooking seems to be the only time that I can really multi-task. The Molefaces would say that is because I have undiagnosed ADHD. I don't know about......ooh there is something shiny over there!

Now even though I have nothing but pure malevolence towards beetroot, I was loving the colour of the Borscht something fierce. It was a deep and vibrant pink that stained the vegetables and meat, even staining my hands making it look like I had slain people.

Forgive me Russian people, for I am completely biased on this dish. I HATE BEETROOT!!! Anything that stains you like you were involved in a human sacrifice should not be eaten. So let's take beetroot out of the equation (of a dish where beetroot is the main ingredient), and then I can evaluate Borscht. Ah how I love a hearty meal consisting of a broth, vegetables and meat. It is relatively inexpensive and makes a lot of soup (we had so much I could have fed the Russian people twice!). And so filling, sometimes there is no room for bread. A good winter staple. Now if we were to include the beetroot. Let's just say that thankfully it contained meat, for it was the meat that saved the dish. The beetroot permeated everything! This would be delectable to those that actually like the horrid tubular vegetable, but not for me. Although I will say that it did taste better the next day (lasted for a few days). And it was an ingenious idea to throw some sour cream and dill on top. So don't take my repugnance for beetroot as a reason to sample Russia's national dish, give Borscht a try!

(For those playing at home, Russia has participated in 14 Eurovisions since their debut in 1994. Since 2000 they have fared quite well in the finals finishing 3rd twice (2003, 2007), 2nd twice (2000, 2006) and winning the 2008 contest. It has been said this was due to a voting bias of neighbouring countries, but there will be no political talk here. For the 2003 contest, Russia sent the controversial duo t.A.T.u as their representatives. Remember them? For the past two years they have just been out of the top 10, hopefully this year brings them better luck.)