Indonesian fried fish dumplings

Batagor

24 Apr 2015 | From Handi of Indonesia

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Batagor (Baso - meatballs; Tahu - tofu; Goreng - fried) is Sundanese Indonesian fried fish dumplings usually served with peanut sauce. It is traditionally made from tenggiri (wahoo) fish meat. Sometimes other types of seafood such as tuna, mackerel, and prawn also can be used to make batagor. Just like siomay, other complements to batagor are steamed cabbage, potatoes, bitter gourd and tofu. Batagor is cut into bite size pieces and topped with peanut sauce, sweet soy sauce, chili sauce and a dash of lime juice. Because being fried, batagor have crispy and crunchy texture. Since the serving method is identical, today batagor and siomay often sold under one vendor, with batagor offered as variation or addition to siomay.

Batagor is ubiquitous in Indonesian cities. It can be found in street-side food stalls, travelling carts, bicycle vendors, and restaurants. Batagor was invented in the 1980s in Bandung, and the most famous variety is Batagor Bandung. It has been adapted into local Sundanese cuisine.

A taste of Taiwan

Taiwan pastries

7 Nov 2014 | From Au of Taiwan

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The postcard is hand-drawn by Au - she fondly calls herself Redcicada Au. It is amazing how the postcard reached me in such a good condition after it traveled 986 km from Taiwan to my mailbox here in the Philippines. The paper she used is thinner than a regular oslo paper. Yet it survived the travel.

Au also matched the handmade card with stamps showing traditional Taiwanese pastries. It is said that Taiwanese and pastries are closely tied together. Taiwan pastries fill a wide range of roles in food, rituals, and festive and social functions far beyond just being popular food items. They are used in religious ceremonies and festival celebrations and come in all shapes, colors and sizes.

Malaysian Traditional Dessert

The Malaysian Kuih

28 Oct 2014 | From Wei Yi of Malaysia

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Kuih, also spelled Kue, are bite-sized snack or dessert foods commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. They are cakes, cookies, dumplings, pudding, biscuit, or pastries usually made from rice or glutinous rice.

Kuih are more often steamed than baked, and are thus very different in texture, flavour and appearance from Western cakes or puff pastries. Many kuih are sweet, but some are savoury. The term Kue/Kueh/Kuih is widely used in the region of Indonesia and Malaysia to refer to sweet or savoury desserts.

Source: Wikipedia

A sweet treat

Milk and cupcakes

4 Oct 2014 | From Guste of Lithuania

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Guste sent the postcard in an envelope and she managed to completely fill up the postcards with greetings and stories to share - her new job as a sophomore teacher, the last movie she saw (Good Will Hunting), books she's reading, the music she listens to, and the summer season in her country. She wrote her lovely messages as if writing to an old close friend. It was warm, friendly, and sincere. It was conversational that I also enjoyed giving my reply when I registered the postcard. It was a fun read - in a postcard-letter perspective :)

She added that she chose this postcard because she just couldn't resist such delicious food. It would be nice to have some milk and cupcakes while reading a long letter or having conversations with some dear friends :) Hmm but I prefer spicy food though - hahaha!

Danish Lunch

Slotskælderen hos Gitte Kik

2 Jun 2014 | From Edna of the Philippines

If you are looking for a classic, Danish smørrebrød with herring, snaps, eggs and shrimp, Slotskælderen is the place to go. Slotskælderen is a popular place to eat lunch. Here they serve cold as well as hot dishes - and of course snaps en masse.

A great restaurant for smørrebrød that could celebrate 100 years of age in 2010 is Slotskælderen hos Gitte Kik, across from the Danish parliament building. Needless to say, this is popular with Danish politicians. The restaurant is originally from 1910 and still has an authentic atmosphere.

Source: Visit Copenhagen

French Cuisine: La tourtière

Pie from greedy south west

29 Nov 2013 | From Sebastien of France

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For 6 persons: 250g flour, 125g butter, a spoon of water of flower orange tree, 250g stoned Agen's prunes, 1kg apples, 125g caster sugar, 10 cl Armagnac, a pinch of salt, half-glass water, 1 package of vanilla sugar

Gradually incorporate flour and salted water, form a ball then spread the pastry on a floured table. Spread the softened butter on all surface, and fold back the four corners, and put it back down for 20 minutes. Peel and slice apples in thin strips, and divide the prunes into two. Powder them with vanilla sugar then sprinkle with Armagnac and flower of orange tree. Stir well so that the fruits are impregnated of sugar and aromatics.

Spread out the pastry again and fold it into three, start again six times, and put it back down 10 minutes between each turn. Butter the cake tin, paper it with one part of the pastry, then add the fruits, and cover with the rest of the pastry. Close the pie with floured fork. Cook for 30 minutes in average heat, sweeten the pie at the end.

French Cuisine: Marveilles

French Doughnuts

29 Nov 2013 | From Sebastien of France

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50g flour, 4 eggs, 100g sugar, 125g butter, 1 packet baking powder, a pinch of salt, lemon peel or a tablespoon of rum or Armagnac or orange flower water, icing sugar, frying oil

Put the flour in a mixing bowl, and make a well in the centre. Beat the eggs, and add them to the flour along with the butter, icing sugar, pinch of salt, and whichever flavoring you have chosen. With the tips of your fingers, mix all the ingredients together incorporating the flour little by little. Add the packet of baking powder. Knead until you obtain a smooth dough. If necessary, add a little more flour so that the dough will not stick to your fingers. Leave it to sit for 1 hour. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/2cm. Cut it into different shapes, such as rounds and triangles. Heat the oil and deep fry. When they are golden brown, take them out and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Eat and enjoy :)

French Cuisine: Foie gras en terrine

Fatted goose liver in terrine

29 Nov 2013 | From Sebastien of France

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For 450g fatted goose/duck liver, 50g salt, 10g pepper. Very easy to cook. Salt and pepper the fatted goose liver. Cook it with a very soft fire in an anti-adhesive frying pan for 25 minutes. During cooking, turn it over on several occasions. With precaution, withdraw the liver from pan and put it into the terrine, pack it down lightly and pour the liverfat on the top. Keep it at the refrigerator (minimum of 4 days) before tasting. After being force-feeded with corn for a 20-day period, ducks and geese offer one of the most appreciated dish of all very good tables. As people from "Les Landes", "Le Gers", "Lot et Garonnais" (farmers of certain areas from "le Pays Basque) also are preparing this delight. It could be relished half-cooked, with grapes, or after cooking on toasted bread slices.

A taste of Portuguese cuisine

Typical Portuguese Dishes

1 Oct, 2013 | From Ana of Portugal

Many of Portugal's dishes are fish-based due to the country's situation on the Atlantic. But despite being relatively restricted to an Atlantic sustenance, Portuguese cuisine has many Mediterranean influences.

Portugal formerly had a large empire and the cuisine has been influenced in both directions. A Portuguese influence is strongly evident in Brazilian cuisine, which features its own versions of Portuguese dishes such as feijoada and caldeirada (fish stew). Other Portuguese influences can be tasted in the Indian province of Goa, where Goan cuisine dishes such as vindaloo show the pairing of vinegar and garlic, and also Macanese cuisine.