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Coconut chokaRoasted coconut and garlic relish

Coconut choka is a smoky Indo-Trinidadian relish from villages in central and south Trinidad, eaten for breakfast or dinner with soft sada roti: pieces of dry coconut are roasted over an open flame until charred in spots, then ground with garlic, onion and hot pepper. It is nutty, smoky and fiery, and needs nothing else but the roti and a cup of tea. The common mistake is only warming the coconut; without proper black spots and a toasted smell it tastes raw. Chef's tip: scrape off only the thickest burnt bits before grinding, since a little char is the whole point. Wear gloves or wash your hands well after handling the hot pepper.

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Tostado de jamón y quesoPressed ham and cheese sandwich

The tostado is what Buenos Aires orders in a café at merienda or as a light late dinner, and what Uruguayan kids get made at home: thin crustless pan de miga layered with cooked pork ham and mild cheese, buttered outside and pressed until crisp and oozing. The common mistake is too much filling; this sandwich is meant to be thin, so the cheese melts before the bread burns. Chef's tip: if you have no sandwich press, weigh it down in the pan with a second heavy pan so it toasts flat and even.

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Revuelto de zapallitosCourgettes scrambled with egg and cheese

Revuelto de zapallitos is a weeknight dinner in Buenos Aires homes and all over Argentina in summer, when the little round courgettes called zapallitos are cheap: diced courgette and onion cooked down in oil, scrambled with eggs and finished with grated cheese. It is eaten with bread or as a side to a salad. Grated hard cheese like reggianito or Parmesan is usually made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese for a vegetarian dinner. The common mistake is adding the eggs before the courgettes have given up their water, which turns the scramble wet and grey. Chef's tip: salt the courgettes as they go in, so they release their juice early and it cooks away.

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GojhaSweet coconut half-moon pastries

When Divali comes to Trinidad, Hindu families light rows of clay deyas along bamboo frames, and the kitchen fills up with sweets to share with neighbours of every faith: kurma, parsad, barfi and gojha. Gojha are the Caribbean cousin of the North Indian gujiya: a short dough rolled thin, filled with grated coconut cooked with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, folded into half-moons, crimped and fried golden; the same tray reappears at Phagwah, the spring colour festival. Common mistake: frying in oil that is too hot, which browns the outside while the pastry stays raw; keep the oil at about 170 °C and fry until the bubbles slow and the gojha are evenly golden. Chef's tip: seal the edges with a dab of water and crimp them tightly, or the filling leaks and spits in the oil.

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KachourieSplit pea and spinach fritters

At Divali nagars and Phagwah gatherings in Trinidad, the food tents sell paper bags of kachourie with a squirt of tamarind or mango chutney. They are made from yellow split peas soaked overnight and ground coarse with garlic, hot pepper and geera (cumin), then mixed with chopped spinach or bhaji leaves and spooned into hot oil, giving a craggy outside and a soft, savoury middle. They are naturally vegan and, without baking powder, gluten-free. Common mistake: adding water while grinding, which gives a runny batter that soaks up oil; grind in short bursts with only a spoon or two of water, and the fritters are done when they are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped. Chef's tip: beat the ground batter with a spoon for a minute to whip in air, which makes them lighter.

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BaiganeeAubergine in split pea batter

Baiganee is the Trinidadian answer to Bengal's beguni, brought by indentured labourers and changed by the island: the melongene (aubergine) slices are coated in a batter of ground split peas with garlic, geera and hot pepper rather than gram flour, and they turn up on Divali and Phagwah trays and at every Indo-Trini wedding next to pholourie and saheena. The batter fries into a thick, crunchy shell around soft, creamy aubergine. Common mistake: slicing the melongene too thick, so it stays raw while the batter burns; cut it 5 mm thin and fry until the batter is golden and a knife goes through the centre with no resistance. Serve with mango or tamarind chutney. Chef's tip: salt the slices for 10 minutes and pat them dry, so the batter sticks and the oil does not spit.

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Lengua a la vinagretaBeef tongue with vinaigrette

Argentina's Nochebuena is a hot summer night, so the table is full of cold dishes, and lengua a la vinagreta is one of the classics: beef tongue simmered until tender, peeled, sliced and covered with a sharp vinaigrette of parsley, garlic, red pepper, onion and chopped hard-boiled egg. It is made a day ahead and served chilled with vitel toné and Russian salad. Chef's tip: peel the tongue while it is still hot, as the skin comes away easily then and clings once it cools.

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Dowina (Kurdish yogurt soup)

Dowina, called ash-e doogh in Persian, is warming spring food in Kurdish homes around Newroz, when yogurt is plentiful and the first herbs are cut from the garden. Rice and chickpeas simmer in a tangy, lightly thickened yogurt broth, finished with fresh dill, coriander and a sizzle of dried mint in oil. It is eaten warm, never boiling hot, with flatbread. The common mistake is to heat the yogurt too fast without stirring, which makes it split into grainy curds. Chef's tip: whisk an egg yolk and a spoonful of rice flour into the yogurt before it goes on the heat; it holds the soup smooth all the way to the simmer.

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RabarbrikookRhubarb crumble cake

By Jaanipäev, Estonian Midsummer on 24 June, the rhubarb in every country garden is tall and red, and Estonians take rhubarb cake to the Jaaniõhtu bonfire evening along with grilled sausages, cheese and the beer for the grown-ups. Rabarbrikook is a simple, soft butter cake packed with sharp rhubarb under a thick, sweet crumble that soaks up the juices. Serve it warm with vanilla sauce or cold in squares. Chef's tip: toss the rhubarb in a spoonful of sugar and flour first; the flour thickens the juice so the cake below does not go soggy.

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Pajagua mascadaBeef and cassava patties

Pajagua mascada is a Paraguayan street-food classic that appears on every table for the San Juan festival on 24 June, when bonfires burn and the night is full of games and traditional food. Minced beef is mixed with mashed cassava, onion, garlic and a little egg and flour, shaped into flat patties and fried until crisp. The name comes from Guaraní and refers to the 'chewing' of old Paraguayan cooks, who made it from leftover meat. Chef's tip: dry the boiled cassava well and remove its woody core, which keeps the patties light and crunchy.

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AllerheiligenstriezelBraided sweet loaf

In Bavaria and Austria, godparents give their godchildren an Allerheiligenstriezel on All Saints' Day, 1 November: a large braided loaf of sweet yeast dough, brushed with egg and scattered with almonds or pearl sugar. The braid is said to recall the old custom of cutting a plait of hair in mourning, and the size of the loaf once showed how generous the godparent was. It is lightly sweet, with lemon and vanilla, and is eaten sliced with butter or jam. Some recipes add rum-soaked raisins; these are soaked in warm water instead. Chef's tip: braid four strands for an impressive, high loaf.

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SkābputraSoured barley porridge drink

Skābputra, 'sour porridge', is one of the oldest Latvian foods, and at Jāņi, Midsummer on 23–24 June, it is served cold alongside caraway cheese, pīrāgi and wreaths of flowers. Pearl barley is cooked soft, then soured with buttermilk or kefir for a day or two until it is tangy and fresh-tasting, and it is thinned with milk into a thick, cooling drink sipped or eaten with a spoon on hot summer days. This home version uses bought live buttermilk to start the souring safely. Chef's tip: use clean jars and utensils, and taste it each day; once it is pleasantly sour, chill it so it stops souring.

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KaguyjyWhite corn pudding

On the night of 23–24 June, Paraguayans celebrate San Juan with bonfires, games like walking over hot coals and the 'paso de fuego', and a table of traditional foods, and kaguyjy (also mazamorra) is one of them. It is a soft, creamy pudding of cracked white corn (locro) simmered slowly in water and then milk with sugar or honey, sometimes with orange peel. It is eaten warm or cold. It is gluten free. Chef's tip: soak the corn overnight and cook it until each kernel is tender before adding the milk, or it never turns creamy.

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KalanehWild leek stuffed flatbread

In Kurdistan and Kermanshah, Newroz arrives with the first spring greens on the hillsides, and families gather wild leeks to fold into kalaneh, thin griddle breads cooked over a fire or a hot pan and soaked in melted butter. The dough is plain and soft, rolled very thin around a pile of chopped leek or chives with a little salt and pepper, so the greens steam inside as the bread blisters. Eat it hot, torn into strips, with yogurt and tea at a Newroz picnic. The common mistake is wet greens, which turn the dough soggy and make it tear; dry them well after washing. Chef's tip: brush the butter on the moment the bread leaves the pan so it soaks right in.

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OsterpinzeEaster anise brioche

Osterpinze is the Easter bread of Styria, Carinthia and the area around Trieste, a soft, golden brioche dome with three deep cuts on top for the Holy Trinity, so that it opens into a crown as it bakes. The dough is rich with egg yolks and butter and flavoured with anise and lemon; old recipes add a splash of white wine, left out here. It is blessed in the Easter basket on Holy Saturday and eaten on Easter morning with ham, horseradish and eggs, or with butter and jam. Chef's tip: make the three cuts with scissors just before baking, deep enough to reach halfway down, so the crown opens wide.

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Chipa so'oCheese bread with spiced beef

In Paraguay, families bake chipa in the clay tatakua ovens on Holy Wednesday so there is food for Thursday and Good Friday, when cooking stops. Chipa so'o ('chipa with meat') is a cassava-starch and cheese bread wrapped around a little filling of minced beef cooked with onion and egg, then baked until crisp outside and chewy within. It is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: knead the dough until it no longer cracks at the edges when pressed; dry dough splits around the filling.

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Turrón de maníPeanut nougat

On an Argentine Christmas Eve, after midnight toasts, the 'mesa dulce' appears with pan dulce, garrapiñadas and turrón de maní: a chewy white nougat of honey, sugar, whipped egg white and roasted peanuts, often set between two sheets of rice paper. Families make it in the days before Nochebuena. The egg white is cooked by the hot syrup. It is gluten free if you use gluten-free wafer paper or none. Chef's tip: work fast once the syrup is in, as the nougat stiffens as it cools and gets hard to spread.

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PaimeSteamed cornmeal and pumpkin parcels

Paime (or pime) is a Trinidad and Tobago Christmas sweet, a cousin of the Venezuelan hallaca brought by the parang tradition, when singers go from house to house at Christmas and are fed at every stop. Cornmeal, grated pumpkin and fresh coconut are mixed with sugar, butter, raisins and warm spices, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until firm. Paime are eaten warm or cold, and keep for days in the fridge. Chef's tip: soften the banana leaves over a flame or in hot water first, so they fold without splitting.

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Trinidad ginger beer

In Trinidad and Tobago, Christmas would not be complete without jugs of homemade ginger beer and sorrel in the fridge, ready for every visitor who drops by between Christmas Eve and Old Year's Night. Fresh ginger is grated, steeped with lime, cloves and sugar for about a day, then strained and served over ice. Made this way it is not fermented, so it has no alcohol and children can drink it. It is spicy and refreshing. Chef's tip: grate the ginger with its skin on (just scrub it), as much of the heat is just under the skin.

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Quinotos en almíbar (Argentine kumquats in syrup)

In Buenos Aires and the river provinces of the Litoral, kumquat trees ripen in the middle of winter, between June and August, and the fruit goes straight into jars of syrup. Grandmothers' pantries held quinotos for the whole year, brought out for birthdays and long Sunday lunches. Each little fruit turns glossy orange and translucent, with a soft, bittersweet skin and a sharp, juicy centre. Spoon them over vanilla ice cream, serve them with a slice of fresh cheese in the style of postre vigilante, or eat them straight from the jar. Many bar menus offer them steeped in spirits; this version keeps only the syrup. Naturally egg-free, the quinotos rely on sugar syrup to preserve them, while pectin from the peel gives the syrup a light, jammy body. Chef's tip: blanch the fruit three times from cold water; the common mistake is skipping this, which leaves the skins tough and bitter.

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Helado de dulce de leche (Buenos Aires dulce de leche ice cream)

Dulce de leche is the flavour Buenos Aires heladerías are judged by, and on a summer night the queues at neighbourhood ice-cream shops stretch out onto the pavement well after dinner. Locals order it plain, with a ripple of extra dulce de leche (dulce de leche granizado adds chocolate flakes), often by the kilo to take home. It is dense, chewy and deeply caramel. This home version is egg-free with no custard: a little cornflour cooked into the milk thickens it the way yolks would, and the dulce de leche itself is milk and sugar cooked down, its sugar and milk solids keeping crystals tiny so it stays smooth and scoopable. Churn it, or still-freeze and stir it every 45 minutes. Chef's tip: chill the extra dulce de leche before rippling it in; the common mistake is folding in a warm one, which melts into the ice cream instead of leaving ribbons.

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Salpicón de aveCold chicken salad

Salpicón de ave is the cold supper of Argentine summers, made in Buenos Aires flats and on estancias alike when it is too hot to cook much, and a favourite way to use the chicken from a puchero or Sunday roast. Shredded chicken is mixed with diced pepper, tomato, spring onion, sweetcorn and boiled egg, bound with mayonnaise sharpened with lemon and mustard, and served chilled with crusty bread or on lettuce. The common mistake is dressing it while the chicken is still hot, which melts the mayonnaise into an oily puddle; let everything cool first. Chef's tip: dress the chicken with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt before the mayonnaise goes in, so the meat itself is seasoned, not just its coating.

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Currants rollSpiced currant pastry roll

In Trinidad and Tobago, currants roll is the thing in the bakery case next to the coconut drops and salara: flaky shortcrust rolled tightly around a dark, sticky mixture of currants, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, baked whole and cut into thick spiral slices. Schoolchildren buy a piece on the way home and it is a favourite at Christmas when the house is full of visitors. The pastry is crisp and short, the filling jammy and warmly spiced. Spooning the filling on hot and syrupy makes the roll leak and go soggy, so cool it until thick. Chef's tip: roll the pastry on baking paper and use the paper to lift and roll the log, keeping it tight and even.

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Tarta de coco y dulce de lecheCoconut and dulce de leche tart

Ask Argentinians for their favourite tart at a family birthday and this one often wins: a crisp shortcrust spread thickly with dulce de leche, then covered with a coconut, sugar and egg topping that bakes into a golden, chewy crust. Bakeries from Córdoba to Mar del Plata sell it by the slice for the merienda with mate or a café con leche. It is very sweet, so the slices are thin, and it is a good keeper for a few days. Ordinary spreading dulce de leche is the mistake: it runs and bubbles out at the edges. Use the thicker pastry-style kind, sold in Argentina as 'repostero'. Chef's tip: chill the case with the dulce de leche spread on it for 15 minutes before adding the coconut, so the two layers stay distinct.

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