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Travel the world without leaving your kitchen

At home in social isolation instead of enjoying your summer holiday? Here are five easy recipes to bring the world to your plate

Norwegian rice pudding
Norwegian rice pudding

The pandemic has stalled all travel plans. Holidays have been cancelled indefinitely and life has come to a standstill. But that doesn’t mean your dinner has to be boring. We asked chefs and food writers for quick, delicious recipes from different parts of the world that they can recreate at home, and here are the results.

NOT-SO-STRICTLY-BRITISH JACKET SWEET POTATO

Serves 4

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium-size sweet potatoes

For the chickpea filling

75g chickpeas (soaked overnight, boiled for 40 minutes)

120g heirloom tomatoes, puréed

60g onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

5g ginger, minced

Half tsp turmeric, freshly grated

Half tsp mustard seeds

Half tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

Half tsp cumin powder

15ml coconut oil

Half-cup parsley, chopped

60ml water

20ml lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Pierce the skin of the sweet potatoes and roast at 175 degrees Celsius for 45-60 minutes (depending on their size). While the potatoes are roasting, make the filling. Add the coconut oil to a pan with garlic, ginger, turmeric and mustard seeds. Cook the spices on simmer for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add puréed tomatoes, chickpeas, Kashmiri red chilli powder and cumin powder. Cook for 5 minutes and add water to the mixture. Cook on gentle heat for another 10 minutes. Turn off the gas. Add lemon juice and freshly chopped parsley.

To serve

Slit the sweet potatoes. Scoop out some flesh for the stuffing. Use the scooped flesh and mix it with the filling. Stuff the potatoes with the filling. Roast at 175 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes. Enjoy it with freshly made guacamole, wild arugula and habanero.

Recipe by Vanika Choudhary, founder and owner, Sequel, Mumbai

A NEW MUM’S TAKE ON SOUTH-EAST ASIAN TOFU DUMPLING

Serves 2

Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

200g silken tofu

1 tsp ginger, chopped

1 tsp garlic, chopped

3 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp red chilli sauce

1 small cup spring onion

1 tsp white pepper powder

1 cup plain flour

3 tsp cooking oil

Salt to taste

1 cup cabbage, grated

Method

Make a dough with plain flour, salt, oil and water. Let it rest for an hour. For the filling, sauté ginger and garlic. Add cabbage and spring onions. Add soy and chilli sauce and then add the tofu. Let it cool. Now, make small balls with the dough and roll out into disks. Place the filling in the centre and seal it in like a money bag, almost like a modak. Steam for 15-20 minutes and serve with your favourite sauce.

Recipe by Manchester-based Amrita Kapadia, who runs the food account @LactofreeWife on Instagram

RISGRØT OR NORWEGIAN RICE PORRIDGE THAT TASTES LIKE BUTTERED KHEER

Serves 4

Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

200g medium-grain rice

400ml water

1 litre milk

1 tsp salt

Butter, sugar and cinnamon powder to serve

Method

Cook the rice and water in a saucepan for 10 minutes on medium heat until the water has nearly boiled. Add milk, bring to a boil and lower the heat. Let it simmer on low heat for about an hour or until it turns thick and creamy. Stir occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and season with salt.

Serve risgrøt in four bowls, each with a dollop of butter and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

Recipe by Norway-based Arunima Sen, faculty of biosciences and aquaculture, Nord University

COMFORTING PESTO, BUT NOT WHOLLY GENOAN

Serves 2

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves, thoroughly washed

Half-cup almonds, toasted

4 garlic cloves

1 tbsp Parmesan

Fresh lime juice to taste

Salt to taste, if needed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Put all the ingredients in a mixer grinder and blitz. If the sauce is too dry, add more olive oil. If you want to skip the salt, add more cheese. This can be stored for two days in the fridge and is best eaten with pasta or even as a sandwich spread.

Recipe by Jahnabee Borah

WISCONSIN’S WHISKEY SOUR REIMAGINED

Serves 1

Ingredients

120ml fresh orange juice

1/4 cinnamon powder

10ml of lime juice

6-8 fresh mint leaves

60ml whisky

4-5 ice cubes

1 slice of orange for garnish

1 cinnamon stick for garnish

Method

Place the mint leaves in your palm and gently smack them to release their flavour and aroma. Add them to all the other ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake. Garnish the drink with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick.

Recipe by mixologist Swapnil Pawar of Candy & Green, Mumbai.

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