El Salvador

I have a new food obsession (surprise, surprise!)-- El Salvadorian pupusas! I think these are El Salvador's answer to comfort food, because eating them sure puts me in a happy place! I made these for dinner last night and they turned out great (even my kids LOVED them, which is always a huge plus!). I always thought they would be tricky to make; whenever I order them at the restaurant up the street, they take forever to come out. But they were really quick and easy!

There are many ways to make pupusas. A pupusa is like a thick corn flour pancake filled with either beans, cheese, beans and cheese, or beans, cheese and pork (which is called Pupusas Revueltas). It is served with tomato sauce to pour on top or dip bites into, and curtido on the side. Curtido is a kind of cabbage slaw. Traditionally the cabbage and carrot are boiled down and pickled with vinegar and salt, but there are many variations of curtido these days.

For dinner I decided to go with the bean and cheese pupusas. My curtido turned out fabulous too! I didn't boil it down, but rather kept all of the ingredients fresh. I added green onion, cilantro, serrano and red wine vinegar to my shredded red cabbage and carrot, making an amazingly flavorful curtido with just the right crunch! As for the tomato sauce, it is exactly

that-- sauce out of a can! Buy a good quality brand, warm it and serve it on the side in a ramekin. Easy!

I hope my pupusas put you in a happy place, too. Buen provecho!

Photo credit: Sommer Clary for Global Kitchen, 2010

Recipe links:
Pupusas
Curtido

Mexi- Asian Fusion

Well, I must admit, this blog is meant to showcase different cultures' cuisines and amazing authentic dishes, not to come up with fusions. However, the other night I made this dish that turned out so amazing that I have to share!

My husband is a sucker for seared ahi tuna, so I thought I would treat him to an appetizer of seared ahi sea steak served over a salsa with Mexican and Asian flavors. It was really quick and easy (less than 20 minutes, HELLO!), and was so beyond delicious. I think that he thinks that I slaved over it!!! I took an ahi tuna sea steak that was super fresh and of the highest quality (sushi grade), and marinated it for 10 minutes on each side in a teriyaki marinade. I seared it for a minute or two on each side and thinly sliced it, spreading it across a pico de gallo that I added soy, ginger and chili to (I made this once with a Thai chili and once with a serrano chili-- both were great, so whatever you prefer). The creamy, beautiful taste and texture of the tuna was complimented so well by the heat from the chili and the savory combination of Mexican and Asian flavors-- it was amazing. If you are a fan of ahi tuna, I guarantee that this will be one of your favorite recipes! Serve it with some fresh homemade margaritas... or some chilled sake-- whatever you prefer! Enjoy!

Photo credit: Sommer Clary for Global Kitchen, 2010

Seared Ahi Tuna Sea Steak over Mexi-Asian Salsa

Lebanese Lunch

Often times I hear folks (who are great cooks) complaining about how they can't ever figure out what to make at lunchtime. There are SO many easy and delicious ethnic food options for lunch! One of my favorites is Lebanese food. I shared some chicken shawarma with my husband once and have been hooked ever since!

Shawarma is a very common sandwich served across the Middle East, Europe, the Caucasus, and North Africa. It consists of chicken, lamb, goat, turkey or beef that has been grilled on a spit and wrapped in a pita with vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, pickled turnips and a creamy tahini and garlic sauce.

For lunch today, I am making chicken shawarma sandwiches just like the ones I ate at the Lebanese restaurant. This particular shawarma was made with chicken grilled on a kebab (which is much easier than setting up a shawarma rotisserie in my kitchen!). In Lebanese cooking they use an amazing 7 spice blend, which is equal parts of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, fenugreek and ground dry ginger. It is beyond delicious, and is the secret weapon in my surprisingly easy chicken shawarma. For dessert, I am making my newest obsession-- baklawa (which is the Lebanese version of baklava). It is so quick and easy-- you won't believe it! Phillo dough is rolled and shaped into rings and then baked, and then the crispy flaky rings are drizzled in a simple syrup and topped with crushed pistachios. They are addicting, and will become your go- to dessert!

I hope you enjoy these recipes and this fabulous lunch-- it sure beats the average ham and cheese sandwich! As they say in Lebanon, "bil-hana wa ash-shifa!"

Photo credit: Sommer Clary for Global Kitchen, 2010

Recipes