Category: budget

Recipe: Kewa Datshi

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This is a homey and simple dish that is basically a cheese and potato stew. While a lot of Bhutanese food relies on many chilies this is only uses a few to flavor the dish with just enough heat to give it a light, almost sweet flavor. I found this dish very humble and simple but unfortunately that also meant it isn’t very flashing or tempting. I boiled it down a little more I think it usually is (as it seems to be served pretty watery) and added a little less cheese and found myself wishing that it had a little bit more flavor. I think this is an interesting template I might play around with in the future for how to cook potatoes though and its so easy that you should try it for yourself as well to taste a little bit of Bhutan at home.

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Recipe: Filipino-Style Spaghetti

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This spaghetti is special in that it is sweet and spicy with its bolognese-style sauce using a mix of banana ketchup and tomato sauce to give it a unique tang. I’d never had banana ketchup before but it really does taste very similar to tomato ketchup but a lot sweeter. In the original recipe the sauced called for adding even more sugar as this is a kids food favorite but I actually found it just on the edge of overly sweet without adding any extra sugar. While you can certainly make your own banana ketchup I’d suggest buying it for the nostalgia effect. I’m not sure I would ever make this again but it was really interesting to try.

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Recipe: Pisto Con Huevos

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I’ve seen people characterize pisto as “Spanish ratatouille” but I guess to me its more like Spanish shakshuka. You can make the eggs separate for the pisto by frying them in a pan if you prefer that but I did kind of just make it like shakshuka. Unlike shakshuka though it has basically no heat and is a very simple flavor but that can be kind of refreshing or comforting. This is a fairly easy dish that is mostly hands off so it’s perfect for a midweek meal especially if you have already chopped the vegetables ahead of time.

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Recipe: Barley Risotto

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We ended up with a bunch of leftover barley which I thought I didn’t really like but my husband loves it so I figured I’d give this recipe a try and it worked out phenomenally. While I can admit this doesn’t end up with the texture of risotto because it’s a little too toothy even when cooked and it doesn’t give off as much starch it also doesn’t need to be babysat as much and has an earthy, nutty note that goes really well with the vegetables. I’ve made this 3-4 times already and it’s probably a lasting staple in our house.

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Recipe: Oyakodon

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Oyakodon literally means parent and child bowl and it’s a fantastic and easy one pot dish that will come together in a few minutes. Pair it with some miso soup, pickled radish, or some grilled sweet potato for a perfect all together meal. This can be made ahead of time technically but I find it doesn’t reheat well so making your sides and rice ahead of time is what actually will make this a quick dinner. You can make the egg in this bowl as runny or solid as you like depending on your preferences.

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Recipe: Vegetarian Fleischnacka

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Since I love making fleischnacka I really wanted to see if I could make a meatless version just to see if it worked and it does! This version gets its deep umami flavors from a combination of eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms that are slow roasted together with tomato paste and the ground really finely so they stick together in the roll. These don’t taste exactly like the meat version but they have their own delicious, deep flavor all its own.

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Recipe: Waterzooi

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This is a Belgian boiled chicken stew that historically used to be a seafood stew. It uses cream and egg yolks to thicken it. All the recipes include breaking down your own chicken and making your own stock but I suggest that you either do that on a separate day from making the soup itself or simply skip that step, buy stock and proceed from there. Breaking down a chicken and making your own stock will turn this simple recipe into an all day project but if you have the time, that’s okay. This is a delicious soup which is thick and rich and perfect with some crusty bread to soak up all the broth. Traditionally you leave the meat on the bones but my husband really hates that so I simply took it off after boiling the chicken parts.

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Recipe: Pollo con Chimichurri

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Most people are probably familiar with chimichurri sauce at this point but it’s a wonderful green sauce that is fresh and bright and make everything taste a little more delicious. This super simple recipe for chicken with chimichurri sauce comes together very quickly for a great weeknight meal alongside a salad, french fries, or roasted vegetables. You can save any extra sauce to use on some salad or even pour on your potatoes.

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Recipe: Nkoko Rolex (Chicken Rolled Egg Bread)

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This is a very popular kind of Ugandan street food which is called a rolex because it’s portmanteau of “rolled eggs”. These can basically have anything your heart desires as long as you have a chapati (which is made from plain flour in Uganda) or other flatbread as the base and then a thin omelette on top of that. Play around with the vegetables and even add cheese or sauces to your taste. This is a great lunch food because it’s quick and easy and can be made out of leftover odds and ends.

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Recipe: Plokkfiskur [Icelandic Fish Stew]

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It is really hard to describe this dish but if you’ve had a Japanese style cream croquette this is kind of like a bland version of the filling. It will definitely keep you full and satisfied through the winter and it’s a nice way to use up odds and ends of fish also. We ate this by dipping buttered rye bread into the stew mixture and that made it way more interesting but in the future it might be nice to add some herbs, vegetables, or even some citrus and chopped pickles to give it a flavor boost.

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