Skip to content
WhatToEat.Today

All recipes

738

Vegetarian, or something you can't eat? Set your diet once and we'll hide recipes that don't fit.

Arroz con mariscosSeafood rice

Arroz con mariscos is the weekend dish of Callao and the beach towns south of Lima, served in cevicherías as the hot partner to a cold ceviche. It is moister than a paella, closer to a risotto, coloured with ají panca and ají amarillo and finished with peas and a little Parmesan-style cheese, as many Lima cooks do. The common mistake is adding all the seafood at the start: the squid turns rubbery and the prawns shrink to nothing. Cook the rice first and add the shellfish only for the final minutes. Discard any mussels that are open before cooking and do not close when tapped, and any that stay shut after cooking. The cheese is often made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian hard cheese if you prefer. Chef's tip: simmer the prawn shells in the stock for 10 minutes; they give the rice its deep seafood taste.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Sopa criollaCreamy beef noodle soup

Sopa criolla is the soup Lima turns to on grey winter evenings, when the garúa mist hangs over the city: a beef broth reddened with ají panca, full of thin noodles and strips of beef, enriched with evaporated milk and finished with a poached egg. It arrives with toasted bread for dunking. The common mistake is boiling the soup after adding the milk; it splits into specks. Lower the heat first and stir it in gently. The beef strips are thin, so they cook through in a few minutes. Chef's tip: crack the eggs straight into the barely simmering soup and leave them alone for three minutes; the whites set into soft ribbons that thicken the broth.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pescado a lo machoFried fish in spicy seafood sauce

Pescado a lo macho is a classic of Lima's seafood restaurants, the dish people order for a long Sunday lunch near the sea in Chorrillos: a fillet of fried white fish smothered in a thick, spicy sauce of ají panca and ají amarillo packed with prawns, squid and mussels. The name boasts that you need to be brave for the chilli, but you can turn it down. The common mistake is overcooking the seafood while the sauce reduces; add it only when the sauce is already thick. Discard mussels that are open and do not close when tapped, and any that stay shut after cooking. Chef's tip: dust the fish in flour seasoned with cumin and fry it last, so it reaches the table crisp under the sauce.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Ceviche peruanoLime-cured white fish

Ceviche is Peru's national dish, eaten at lunchtime in the cevicherías of Lima's Surquillo and Chorrillos markets, because the fish must be fresh off the morning boats and cevicherías traditionally close in the afternoon. The classic is raw white fish 'cooked' in lime juice with red onion, chilli and coriander, served with sweet potato and corn. Lime juice does not kill bacteria or parasites, so this version first poaches the fish for a minute until just opaque, then dresses it, which keeps the classic flavour and texture far safer. Even so, it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. The usual mistake is leaving the fish in the lime for an hour: it turns chalky and the juice goes bitter. Chef's tip: squeeze the limes gently by hand and stop before the pith; over-squeezed limes make bitter leche de tigre.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Tamales peruanosChicken corn tamales in banana leaf

In Lima, tamales are a Sunday breakfast, bought warm from street vendors calling 'tamaleeeeros' or made at home for Christmas, and eaten with crusty bread and a pile of salsa criolla. Peruvian tamales are larger and softer than Mexican ones, made from corn dough coloured with ají and wrapped in banana leaves, hiding chicken, a black olive, a slice of egg and a peanut. Peanuts are an allergen, so leave them out if needed. The usual mistake is a dry dough: the tamales turn crumbly. Beat in enough warm stock to make a soft paste that just holds its shape. The chicken must reach 74 °C before it goes in. Chef's tip: fat makes the dough tender; beat the oil and dough for a full 5 minutes until light, as Lima cooks do with pork lard.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Lomo saltadoBeef stir-fry with chips

Lomo saltado was born in the chifas of central Lima, where Chinese cooks met Peruvian ingredients, and today it is the lunch every Peruvian family makes when they want something fast and a little indulgent. Strips of beef are seared in a smoking-hot wok with red onion, tomato and yellow chilli, splashed with soy sauce and vinegar, then tossed with chips and served beside white rice, so you get both starches on one plate. The common mistake is crowding the wok: the beef stews in its juices and turns grey and chewy instead of charring. Cook it in two batches over the highest heat you have. Chef's tip: add the chips at the very last second, or serve them on the side, so they soak up a little sauce but stay crisp.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Arroz tapadoRice dome with beef filling

Arroz tapado means covered rice, and it is the thrifty weekday lunch of Lima homes and school canteens: garlic rice pressed into a bowl, filled with a sweet-savoury beef mince and turned out like a dome. The filling of minced beef with onion, ají panca, raisins, black olives and hard-boiled egg is the same picadillo that goes into papas rellenas. The usual mistake is leaving the filling wet: the dome collapses and the rice turns soggy. Simmer it until the pan is almost dry. Minced beef must reach 71 °C, so cook it until no pink remains. Serve with a spoonful of salsa criolla. Chef's tip: brush the bowl with a little oil and pack the rice firmly with the back of a spoon; a well-pressed dome holds its shape on the plate.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Crema volteadaBaked caramel custard

In Lima, crema volteada is the dessert that appears at Sunday lunch in Miraflores and Barranco homes and at every birthday where an aunt is in charge of the sweets. It is firmer and richer than a Spanish flan because it is made with both evaporated and condensed milk, so it slices cleanly and tastes of toffee. The usual mistake is baking it in an oven that is too hot: the custard boils, fills with tiny holes and weeps. Keep the water bath at a bare simmer and take it out while the centre still wobbles slightly. Chef's tip: chill it overnight before turning it out; a cold custard releases in one piece and the caramel has time to melt into a pourable sauce.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

TripleAvocado, tomato and egg sandwich

The triple is the soft, layered sandwich of Lima's cafés and bakeries, eaten at lonche, the Peruvian late-afternoon meal, or as a light supper: three slices of crustless white bread layered with avocado, tomato and sliced hard-boiled egg, all held together with mayonnaise. It looks neat, tastes fresh and is loved by children. Shop-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurised egg, so it is safe for everyone. The common mistake is letting wet tomato touch the bread, which turns it soggy within minutes. Chef's tip: pat the tomato dry and sit it between the avocado and egg, then press the sandwich under a board for a minute before cutting.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Mont-Saint-Michel soufflé omelette

On the tidal island of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, pilgrims and travellers have long been fed a tall, cloud-like omelette named after Annette Poulard, the nineteenth-century innkeeper who served it to hungry visitors. At home it makes a quick, rather showy supper: the eggs are whisked so much air goes in that the omelette rises in the pan, golden underneath and soft and foamy inside, folded over and eaten with a green salad. The common mistake is whipping the whites until they are stiff and dry; they then won't fold into the yolks and the omelette weeps liquid. Chef's tip: stir a spoonful of the whites into the yolks first to loosen them, then fold in the rest in two goes.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pan con butifarraHam roll with onion salsa

Pan con butifarra is Lima's evening sandwich, sold in old-school sangucherías and made at home for a light dinner with coffee: a crusty roll filled with jamón del país, a spiced Peruvian pork ham, under a heap of salsa criolla, red onion sliced thin and soaked in lime with chilli. Outside Peru, use a good cooked pork ham. The common mistake is leaving the onion harsh; give it a quick rinse in salted water before dressing it. Chef's tip: a leaf of lettuce under the ham stops the lime juice soaking straight into the bread.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

DresilSweet rice with butter and raisins

On the first morning of Losar, Tibetan and Sherpa households in the Himalaya and in Kathmandu greet the year with a bowl of dresil: rice tossed with melted butter, sugar, raisins and droma, the small sweet roots of a wild silverweed gathered on the high pastures. It is eaten with butter tea before visits begin, and a little is offered at the family shrine first. The rice is fluffy and glossy, gently sweet and buttery, with chewy bursts of fruit. The common mistake is cooking the sugar in with the rice, which makes it sticky and likely to catch; cook the rice plain, then fold everything in. It is ready when every grain is coated and separate and the raisins have plumped. Chef's tip: droma is hard to find outside Tibetan shops; chopped dried dates and a few toasted cashews give a similar sweet, earthy chew.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

GuthukNine-ingredient noodle soup

Two nights before Losar, Sherpa and Tibetan families in the Himalaya and Kathmandu sit down to guthuk, a thick soup made with nine ingredients to clear away the old year's bad luck. Mixed among the little hand-pinched dough pieces are larger balls, each hiding a token: a chilli for a sharp tongue, salt for an easy-going nature, a peppercorn, a scrap of paper or white wool for a kind heart, and everyone laughs at what they find. A little soup is left in each bowl and carried out of the house with a dough figure to take misfortune away. This vegan version is gingery, peppery and hearty, with radish, greens, beans and rice. The common mistake is adding the dough pieces too early so they swell and go slimy; drop them in near the end and cook just until they float and turn glossy. Chef's tip: warn everyone about the tokens before they eat, use only large, unmistakable ones, and leave them out for small children.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

BhuttanFried goat tripe and offal

In Nepal, Dashain is the longest and most important festival of the year, and the meat dishes made in its days of family feasting use every part of the goat; bhuttan, made from the tripe, intestines and liver, is the snack that comes out first with a glass of something and a plate of beaten rice. This recipe uses offal bought ready cleaned from a butcher: the tripe and intestines are boiled until tender, then fried hard in mustard oil with fenugreek seeds, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and chilli until browned and crisp at the edges, with the liver added only at the end. Common mistake: frying the tripe before it is tender, which makes it rubbery; boil it until a fork goes in easily, and cook the whole dish until the pieces are browned and the masala clings with the oil separating, at least 71 °C in the centre and the liver with no pink. Keep raw offal chilled and use within a day. Chef's tip: a pinch of crushed timur (Sichuan-style Nepali pepper) at the end gives the tingle Nepali cooks love.

80 minNepaliMeatGluten freeSpicy
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pescado envuelto en huevoEgg-battered fish in tomato sauce

In Guatemala, Cuaresma and Semana Santa mean the smell of pescado seco envuelto en huevo: pieces of dried salted fish (usually cod) soaked, dipped in whipped egg batter, fried until puffy and golden, then served in a light tomato sauce with rice. It fills the house during the processions of Holy Week, when carpets of sawdust and flowers line the streets of Antigua. Soaked salt cod is the easiest to find abroad. Chef's tip: whisk the whites very stiff and fold in the yolks gently, so the coating puffs into a soft cloud.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

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.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

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.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Gallo en chichaRooster in sweet-sour corn sauce

Gallo en chicha is a festive dish of Granada and Masaya in Nicaragua, cooked for Christmas Eve and the purísima season. A rooster (today usually a large chicken) is stewed in chicha, a fermented corn drink, with raisins, prunes, olives, capers and spices until the sauce is thick, dark and sweet-sour. Traditional chicha can be slightly alcoholic; this recipe gives a quick unfermented version made from masa and pineapple, so it is alcohol-free. Serve with rice and plantains. Chef's tip: brown the chicken well first, as the dark sauce relies on that caramelised flavour.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Paches de papaPotato tamales with chicken

Paches are the tamales of Quetzaltenango (Xela) in the Guatemalan highlands, made with mashed potato instead of corn and eaten on Christmas Eve and, by long custom, on Thursdays. The potato masa is coloured red with a recado of tomato, chillies and spices, filled with chicken, and wrapped in banana leaves to steam. They are soft and spoonable, served with bread and a squeeze of lime. Chef's tip: mash the potatoes while hot and mix in the recado straight away, so the masa stays smooth and doesn't turn gluey.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

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.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Brioche de Saint-GenixPink praline brioche

In Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers, in Savoie, this round brioche dotted with bright pink sugared almonds is baked for the feast of Saint Agatha on 5 February, and its shape is said to recall the saint's martyrdom. Today it is sold all year in the bakeries of the Savoie and Lyon, rich and buttery, with the pralines melting into sticky pink pockets. The dough rests overnight in the fridge, so start the day before. Chef's tip: crush the pralines roughly and fold them in at the very end, or they dissolve and stain the whole dough pink.

595 minFrenchBaking
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Almíbar nicaragüenseFruit preserve in panela syrup

In Nicaragua, Semana Santa means almíbar: a big pot of mango, papaya, jocote (hog plum) and grosella (gooseberry) simmered for hours in a dark panela syrup with cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Families make it ahead and share it with neighbours, who return the bowl full of their own. It is served cool in small bowls, sometimes with a slice of cheese. Jocotes and grosellas are hard to find abroad; firm plums and cape gooseberries are good stand-ins. It is vegan and gluten free. Chef's tip: add the fruit in order of firmness so everything finishes tender but whole.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Miel de chiverreSquash strand preserve

Chiverre is a large, pale squash with stringy flesh that Costa Rican families save for Semana Santa. The strands are cooked for hours with tapa de dulce (cane sugar), cinnamon and cloves until they turn into a golden, chewy, sweet preserve called miel de chiverre, eaten on its own or used to fill the Holy Week empanadas and tortas. Spaghetti squash, though milder, is the closest substitute. It is vegan. Chef's tip: soak the squash strands in cold water for a few hours and drain well, which removes the bitterness.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

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.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Showing 24 of 738 recipes

Show more recipes

Page 1 of 31