Asia – Page 3 – Notes From a Messy Kitchen

Turkey: Grape Leaves Stuffed with Rice, Currants & Pine Nuts

Cooking Time: 1 hr 45 minutes

Asia
Europe

Turkish

Grape leaves are ubiquitous on mezze platters across the Middle East, and there origin is widely debated. In Turkey, they’re called dolmas, which simply means “stuffed.” These ones are filled with rice, pine nuts and currants, which is fairly standard. They’re seasoned with fresh mint and dill, and simmered in a mixture...

Johanna

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Myanmar: Mohinga

Cooking Time: 45

Myanmar (Burma)

Mohinga is the national dish of Myanmar (formerly Burma), and apparently was traditionally most commonly eaten as a breakfast food. Burmese cuisine is not as well known as that of some of it’s neighbors, thanks to the military junta that has kept the country on lockdown since 1962. According to an...

Johanna

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Laos: Laab / Larb

Cooking Time: 30

Laotian

Laab – sometimes spelled larb, but pronounced without the ‘r’ – is said to be the national dish of Laos. It’s also common in Northeast Thailand. All sorts of meats can be used to make laab including beef, pork, chicken, duck, fish – I’ve even had an alligator version from the...

Johanna

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Armenia: Kyufta Soup

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Asia

Armenia

Kyufta refers to the meatballs, not the soup. Known also as kofta, kibbeh or kololak – depending on the origin – these meatballs typically are mixed with rice or another grain, filled, and rolled into a cigar shape. This was the first dish since launching this challenge that I had...

Johanna

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Georgia: Khachapuri

Cooking Time: 90 minutes, including time for dough to rise

Asia
Europe

Georgian

Georgian khachapuri has been on my to-do list for some time now, which is kind of ironic because I’d never actually had it before. I think I first saw Compass Rose‘s khachapuri on a D.C. food blog. It’s gotten much accolades – they apparently served 10,000 of them during their...

Johanna

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Lebanon: Fattoush

Cooking Time: 30

Asia

Lebanese

After a series of meat-heavy meals, I found myself craving the fresh crunch of a good salad. Flipping through the Jerusalem cookbook, this recipe caught my eye. Described as a “local affliction” this sort of salad is said to be served alongside every meal. I did a bit of research and found...

Johanna

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Vietnam: Pho Ga

Cooking Time: 2.5 hours

Vietnam

Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is one of the best known Vietnamese dishes outside of Vietnam, and also one of the most commonly eaten dishes within. According to my cookbook, “bowls of pho are the hamburgers of Vietnam: incredible popular, eaten every day by a majority of the population, young and old.”...

Johanna

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Cambodia: Fish Amok

Cooking Time: 45 minutes + 15 minutes for fish to marinate

Cambodian

Welcome to Cambodia! I’m excited to introduce you to Khmer cuisine, because it’s some of the most dynamic, flavorful food I’ve had – salty, spicy and bitter all at the same time. This is much thanks to Kroeung, an aromatic blend of spices and herbs mashed together into a paste that is...

Johanna

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South Korea: Bibimbap

Cooking Time: 90 minutes

Korean

Bibimbap – translating quite literally to “mixed rice” – is perhaps one of Korea’s best known dishes, and something I’ve been meaning to make since my trip to South Korea. Bibimbap has become increasingly common in the U.S. in recent years, and I don’t doubt that this is in part...

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North Korea: Mul Naengmyeon

Cooking Time: 90 minutes + time for broth to chill

North Korean

We’re starting our culinary journey in North Korea, where I’d venture to guess you haven’t eaten a meal. Since foreign visitation is strictly limited, so is our insight on their cuisine. Technically speaking, I actually have been to North Korea, but we stayed within the strict limits of the DMZ and...

Johanna

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