Favorite foreign food

[Delftse Post]

We can always do a fusion. Mid East and Indian together right? That is how normally cooking is about you have the freedom to experiment and fuse two or even three different cuisines. Biryani might have come from India but a nice tweaking to add your own take on it will surely add another level of great experience and unique taste.

Well Biryani may have originally made its way to India via the pilafs of muslim traders from the Middle East. It's all essentially variations on a theme of rice cooked in some sort of broth.

 

[cookwaresets]

Ha-ha! You obviously haven't read my post in the 'Do you like your chilli hot' thread. I can out-chilli anyone and eat chilli nearly every day. I have even won 'how hot can you take it' curry competitions against friends! Bring on the Bhut Jolokia! In fact I have some Bhut Jolokia paste in the fridge as well as Naga pickle.

Okay morning glory, no I have not read the chilli hot thread, my apologies. In this case you are going to be fine in Thailand. A bit to hot for my taste as I still like to know what I am eating. My dad eats chilli straight of the chilli bushes. I love chilli and the Indonesian Sambal Olek which is also as hot as hell. But some of my Thai friends including my Thai Girlfriend eat chilli like its getting out of fashion. I always joke with them by saying: " Do you like some food with your chilli ?" Lol

 

[winterybella]

I might have spoken about it before but there is a dish called Oil Down that I believe is the national dish of Grenada and every time I meet someone from that country I ask if they can make me some Oil Down. It's a potpourri of ingredients some of which include, salt meat, breadfruit, coconut milk (I think) and lots of fresh herbs, but it's delicious. I had it as a child and it has always stayed with me. I am yet to make it myself

 

[Berties]

Sorry I can't tell you because I am unable to decide,I go to street food fairs often and pace around for up to two hours trying to decide,I try to encourage every one to have different something we can share ,I can feel the intrepidation while typing this ,there is pain in my choice,Chinese ,Japanese ,Spanish,German ,Portuguese ,Mexican ,French,African,oh the list could go on

 

[Morning Glory]

I might have spoken about it before but there is a dish called Oil Down that I believe is the national dish of Grenada and every time I meet someone from that country I ask if they can make me some Oil Down. It's a potpourri of ingredients some of which include, salt meat, breadfruit, coconut milk (I think) and lots of fresh herbs, but it's delicious. I had it as a child and it has always stayed with me. I am yet to make it myself

There's a recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/breadfruit-oil-down-grenada-193002
I'd have a go at making it but can't really get hold of breadfruit in Kent!

 

[Corzhens]

When we are in Singapore, there is the eatery in the food court of MBS (Marina Bay Sands) hotel called Pepper Lunch. It serves one of the best tenderloin steak in town. It's actually not steak but sizzling tenderloin tips with sticky rice and vegetable garnishings. We never fail to go back to that food court just for that. In November, we are going to Singapore with the children and for sure they would like it. Besides, Marina Bay Sands hotel is one of the attractions in Singapore so we really have to go there.

 

[Bakemehappy]

I have noticed this and I really tried to remember to avoid confusion. In Hongkong, it is BIRYANI, take note of the BIR and in Singapore it is BRIYANI so that's a BRI. The rice is the same, the long grains, but there is somehow a difference in the taste of the dish. Correct me if I'm wrong because I am not fond of doing research. From my taste, it seems to me that BIRyani is Middle Eastern and BRIyani is Indian. From the chicken briyani and chicken biryani that I had sampled. Again, I still go for my favorite Lamb Biryani in Hongkong.

I am not sure about BRI yani all I know is the BIR yani. But if they use the same basmati rice and the same spices then I guess whatever the spelling is they should taste quite the same. Sometimes in our quest for an authentic cuisine we end up being too focus on the details which is not bad at all but we just have to enjoy the food

 

[Duck59]

I found Sri Lankan food wonderful. One thing that was especially pleasing was that, as a vegetarian, I didn't have to run around trying to find somewhere that had veggie food. As for the fruit, pure nirvana.

 

[Bakemehappy]

I found Sri Lankan food wonderful. One thing that was especially pleasing was that, as a vegetarian, I didn't have to run around trying to find somewhere that had veggie food. As for the fruit, pure nirvana.

Are you familiar with the streetfood kothuroti? I like the way they prepare it and the ingredients are not that too foreign for me. I wanted to try it next time. Do you have some words of advice how to pull this Sri Lankan street food off?

 

[winterybella]

There's a recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/breadfruit-oil-down-grenada-193002
I'd have a go at making it but can't really get hold of breadfruit in Kent!

Thanks for sharing this recipe but I don't see salt meat mentioned in this one. I just have these memories of salt meat making the meal pop. It was made by an older lady and you know how some of the old folks have there own little tricks make a meal shine. I feel that's what happened way back since then. Some years ago another person made it and it just did not taste like that meal I was dying to have. Maybe I'll just have to live with that childhood memory of great Oil Down. Sorry you don't have breadfruit. It's a very versatile 'fruit'.

Sorry, there is salt meat. I read too quickly.

 

[Morning Glory]

Thanks for sharing this recipe but I don't see salt meat mentioned in this one. I just have these memories of salt meat making the meal pop. It was made by an older lady and you know how some of the old folks have there own little tricks make a meal shine. I feel that's what happened way back since then. Some years ago another person made it and it just did not taste like that meal I was dying to have. Maybe I'll just have to live with that childhood memory of great Oil Down. Sorry you don't have breadfruit. It's a very versatile 'fruit'.

Sorry, there is salt meat. I read too quickly.

It looks quite a straightforward dish to make. I found some other recipes which were a bit different. Think maybe its one of those 'national dishes' which can vary quite a lot according to what's at hand and the inclinations of the cook - so you may never be able to replicate the dish you remember - but you might get close to it!

 

[winterybella]

It looks quite a straightforward dish to make. I found some other recipes which were a bit different. Think maybe its one of those 'national dishes' which can vary quite a lot according to what's at hand and the inclinations of the cook - so you may never be able to replicate the dish you remember - but you might get close to it!

I believe that to be true. I've had so many discussions on the dish and everyone has a different take on it and what should be added so you are right. Maybe one day I will try it out and I have the reputation of never following a cooking recipe to the letter.

 

[Corzhens]

I am not sure about BRI yani all I know is the BIR yani. But if they use the same basmati rice and the same spices then I guess whatever the spelling is they should taste quite the same. Sometimes in our quest for an authentic cuisine we end up being too focus on the details which is not bad at all but we just have to enjoy the food

You are right about enjoying the food. But when I enjoy the food, I try to know the details. For me, food is just like a person that if you like him then you should know what's inside him (figuratively, hahahaaa). Still and all, Lamb Biryani will remain our favorite food when we are in Hongkong. By the way, Basmati rice is the long grain. Okay, now I know something about Biryani which is primarily made of bismati rice.

 

[Bakemehappy]

You are right about enjoying the food. But when I enjoy the food, I try to know the details. For me, food is just like a person that if you like him then you should know what's inside him (figuratively, hahahaaa). Still and all, Lamb Biryani will remain our favorite food when we are in Hongkong. By the way, Basmati rice is the long grain. Okay, now I know something about Biryani which is primarily made of bismati rice.

Looks like you are into travelling and trying the local cuisine. I wish I could also do that in the future you know visit a new place with interesting cuisine and learn how to cook them. Did you by any chance tried cooking these food you had in one of your trips? For me a local cuisine reflects the richness of a certain culture and I love taking part in that.

 

[MyExWasAChef]

I love having the curry in Hong Kong in those hawker places, they have good food in Singapore too because of the mixed culture. I love the black chicken of the Tausug tribe. It turns out black because they used fried coconut. I love Indian cuisine and the best one I've tried so far was at the hawker restaurant below my hotel in the red light district of Hong Kong.