IFN: Malaysia, Benin, and Switzerland

To kick things off in the recipe department (excuse the poor lighting on photos, it's usually dark when I get dinner on the table) I am going to post three awesome sets of international recipes! In our family, we try to do international food night (ifn) 2-3 times a month. This involves picking a random country out of a plastic bag (where we have all the countries in the world) and making food from that country! We try to be as authentic as possible (and that we can find surfing the internet), but sometimes ingredients just aren't easily accessible. At any rate, here are three fantastic tastes!

Malaysia

Rendang
4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 cm ginger
1/2 t. salt
1 t. chili paste or 3 fresh chilies
1/2 t. tumeric
1-2 lb. stewing beef, cubed
1 c. coconut milk
2 bay leaves
1/4 c. oil

Blend onion, garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric and chili paste until smooth. Heat oil in wok and add blended mixture. Stir fry for 2 minutes or until paste separates from the oil.

Add beef and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add bay leaves and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes or until meat is tender, adding water as necessary to keep sauce from drying. When beef is tender, add coconut milk. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Serve with rice.

Mango Avocado Salsa
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 avocados, peeled and chopped
¼ red onion, diced
garlic salt
ginger
lime juice
jalapenos

Benin

Poulet Béninois (Beninese Chicken)
1 chicken
1 hot chili, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 chicken bouillon cubes
3 T tomato puree
2 bay leaves
1 t. dried thyme
Salt and pepper

Dissolve chicken stock cube in warm water (according to directions); add thyme and bay leaves and season to taste. Pour the stock into a large casserole dish, add chicken. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 20 mins on high. Remove chicken and set aside. Add onions, garlic, and chili to the stock and whisk in the tomato puree. Continue to boil, uncovered, until sauce thickens (30 mins). Cut chicken into pieces and add to sauce, lower heat, cover the dish and continue to cook until chicken is tender. Stir frequently.

Serve hot, accompanied by rice, yams, or sweet potatoes.

Beninese Peanut Sauce
3 T oil
2 T tomato puree
2 habaneros, paste
½ t salt
1 bouillon cube
¾ c peanut butter
2/3 c. onion, diced

Add oil to pan, heat and fry paste, onion, tomato, and bouillon. Add peanut butter and 1 c. water. Mix and bring to a boil. Simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Switzerland

Aelpermagronen
serves 4-6

3 large potatoes, scrubbed, and cut into small cubes
½ lb. macaroni (tubes preferred)
1 c. heavy cream
Pepper, sale, nutmeg (1/4 t)
2 ½ c. mountain cheese (Gruyere and/or Emmentaler) – (1/2 lb)

Preheat oven to 250. Boil 4+ cups of water with salt. Add potatoes and boil for 5 minutes until almost tender. Add pasta and cook al dente. Dump out excess water. Stir in cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. (This dish needs more salt than less).

In a 9x13 pan, layer half the macaroni, followed by half the cheese. Layer remaining macaroni mixture, top with remaining cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling, but not burned.

Top with onion rings (French’s or make your own). Serve with applesauce (bought or make your own).

Onion Rings
Unsalted butter for frying
2 large onions, chopped into rings
Flour

Melt butter. Combine onion and flour, shake off excess. When butter is hot, fry onion rings for about 4 minutes until crispy, set aside to drain on paper towel.