BuzzEssen Foods

Beef Wellington is a preparation of filet steak coated with pâté (often pâté de foie gras) and duxelles, which is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. Some recipes include wrapping the coated meat in a crêpe to retain the moisture and prevent it from making the pastry soggy. A whole tenderloin may be wrapped and baked, and then sliced for serving, or...

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This typical German food involves wrapping thinly sliced meat – usually beef but also veal or pork – around a filling of bacon or pork belly, chopped onions, pickles and usually mustard, and then browned and simmered in broth (braised). The mixture changes between regions, with some variations including minced meat. It is common to serve this dish with gravy, dumplings, mashed potato...

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Mofongo's roots lead to the western African Fufu, mixed with Spanish and Taíno influences. Fufu is made from various starchy vegetables and was introduced to the Caribbean by Africans in the Spanish New World colonies such as Cuba (fufu de plátano), Dominican Republic (mangú), and Puerto Rico (mofongo) this also most likely includes Colombia (cayeye), Amazon area and Peru (tacacho). Fufu consists of...

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The sirloin steak is cut from the back of the animal. In a common U.S. butchery, the steak is cut from the rear back portion of the animal, continuing off the short loin from which T-bone, porterhouse, and club steaks are cut. The sirloin is actually divided into several types of steak. The top sirloin is the most prized of these and is...

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Tandoori chicken is a dish originating in the Indian subcontinent. It is widely popular in South Asia particularly India and Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Western world. It consists of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices. The name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a tandoor, in which the dish is traditionally prepared. The chicken is marinated in yogurt...

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Rendang is made from beef (or occasionally beef liver, chicken, mutton, water buffalo, duck, or vegetables like jackfruit or cassava). Chicken or duck rendang also contains tamarind and is usually not cooked for as long as beef rendang.  The original Indonesian-Minangkabau rendang has two categories, rendang darek and rendang pesisir. Rendang darek (‘land rendang’) is an umbrella term for dishes from old regions...

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As an archipelagic nation, ikan bakar is very popular in Indonesia, commonly found in many places; from an Acehnese beach right down, a restaurant perched over Kupang's harbor in East Nusa Tenggara, to the center of Jakarta's business district. Various specific version exist, including as Sundanese ikan bakar Cianjur, which mainly grilled freshwater fish, such as carp and gourami, and Balinese ikan bakar...

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Gudeg is a traditional Javanese cuisine from Yogyakarta and Central Java, Indonesia. Gudeg is made from young unripe jack fruit (Javanese: gori, Indonesian: nangka muda) boiled for several hours with palm sugar, and coconut milk. Additional spices include garlic, shallot, candlenut, coriander seed, galangal, bay leaves, and teak leaves, the latter giving a reddish-brown color to the dish. It is often described as...

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Lontong Cap Go Meh is a Peranakan Chinese Indonesian take on traditional Indonesian dishes, more precisely Javanese cuisine. It is lontong rice cake served with richly-flavoured dishes which includes opor ayam chicken in coconut milk, sayur lodeh vegetables soup, hot and spicy liver, hard boiled pindang egg, koya powder made of soy and dried shrimp or beef floss, pickles, chili paste and prawn...

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Betutu is a Balinese dish of steamed or roasted chicken or duck in rich bumbu betutu (betutu spice mix). This highly seasoned and spiced dish is a popular dish in Bali and Lombok, Indonesia. An even spicier version is available using extra-spicy sauce made from uncooked (raw) onion slices mixed with red chili peppers and coconut oil. Betutu is a richly spiced Balinese...

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Eurasian, as its name implies, is a mix of European and Asian. Generally speaking, in Singapore and Malaysia, Eurasian food is a mix of Asian food with a strong Portuguese influence, although the term Eurasian was initially coined for Anglo Indians in the time of the British Raj in India.  The traditional method of making this is to crumble a scone or two...

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A well-known and beloved Cambodian dish found at streetside vendors, restaurants, produce markets (psahs) such as the Psah Thom Thmey (Central Market, Phnom Penh) and in shophouses. In English it's often simply called simply Khmer noodles, owing to its ubiquity across the country. Nom ban chok is a typical breakfast food and was originally a regional speciality from Kampot province, consisting of noodles...

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It’s a famed dish, a salad made from pickled tea leaves. Apparently Burma is one of only a few countries in the world that drinks and eats tea leaves. The texture of the salad was unique, a adoring combination of soft, crunchy, crispy, and saucy. I could eat this salad constantly for days.  ...

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Bak kut teh, which literally means “meat bone tea,” is a tasty soup made with long-simmered pork ribs spiced up with a variety of herbs such as garlic, fennel, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise. Mushrooms and dried tofu are also popular additions. The soup may be garnished with green onions, coriander, or fried shallots. The secret of bak kut teh’s tastiness is the...

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The roll is comprised of a crispy green onion pancake wrapped around braised beef slices with a handful of pickled greens and cilantro. One bite and you'll witness how the dark sweetish bean sauce is the perfect condiment to officiate the marriage of pancake, green onion, beef, and veggies. Though they may be a bit on the oily side, these beef rolls are...

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Soondooboo chigae is a spicy stew made with soft uncoagulated tofu that is produced by compressing and curdling tofu to remove excess water. There are numerous variations of this dish consisting of seafood, beef, pork and/or vegetable contents. Plain soondooboo chigae is usually made with some added pieces of pork, several small clams, chopped garlic, and red chili pepper flakes (gochugaru) along with...

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Sushi is the most famous Japanese dish outside of Japan, and one of the most popular dishes among the Japanese themselves. In Japan, sushi is usually enjoyed on special occasions, such as a celebration. During the Edo period, "sushi" refered to pickled fish preserved in vinegar. Nowadays sushi can be defined as a dish containing rice which has been prepared with sushi vinegar....

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Wontons are known as chāo shǒu (literally means "crossed hands"), added to a clear soup along with other ingredients, sometimes deep-fried. Several shapes are common, depending on the region and cooking methods. The most famous are called Sichuan-style wontons, a celebrated snack in Chengdu. They are famous for their thin skin and rich meat filling as well as their soup, made of chicken,...

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Peking Duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the imperial era. The meat is prized for its thin, crisp skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Ducks bred specially for the dish are slaughtered after 65 days and seasoned before being...

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This dish comes from Uzbekistan and goes by a few different names: basma and dimlama/dumlama. According to Stalic, basma refers to this version, where everything is put into a cold kazan and then steamed, while dimlama refers to a similar dish where everything is fried before steaming. Basma is an incredibly simple dish to prepare with amazing results: tender, juicy, lamb meat that...

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Chorba is traditionally prepared with mutton or lamb which can also be substituted with beef or poultry depending on the recipes and regions. Chorba is definitely the culinary symbol of Algeria as much as harira is the same for Morocco but as iconic as it is, it was not born there. It was actually imported to Algeria by Turkish invaders in the sixteenth...

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Sambusa is a fried or baked dish with a savoury filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, macaroni, noodles or minced meat (lamb, beef or chicken). Pine nuts can also be added. Its size and consistency may vary, but typically it is distinctly triangular or tetrahedral in shape.  ...

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Shashlik (meaning skewered meat) was originally made of lamb. Nowadays it is also made of pork or beef depending on local preferences and religious observances. The skewers are either threaded with meat only, or with alternating pieces of meat, fat, and vegetables, such as bell pepper, onion, mushroom and tomato.  ...

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Dumplings are a universally-beloved dish the world over, and while we usually think of ravioli as the meat-filled pasta of choice, elsewhere in the world they default to gyoza, jiaozi and manti. Manti have made a fascinating culinary journey, starting with the Mongols and migrating to the Ottoman Empire in Turkey and from there spreading all across the Caucasus region and into the...

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This ethereal mixture of rice and lamb, redolent of sweet and warming spices, is the national dish of Afghanistan. Kabuli pulao takes its name from Kabul, the capital of that land-locked Central Asian nation. Kabuli pulao is special occasion food in Afghanistan. "Pulao" is a type of rice dish made with a special, two-stepped cooking process for the rice that is unmatched in...

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Polo (a Central Asian variant on the word pilaf) is a food staple found across Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and parts of northwestern China. The different peoples of each region have their own takes, and their own flavors, for the recipe. This recipe is for Uyghur polo, the variant of the dish found in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region....

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Ofada rices are mostly blends, and usually contain Oryza glaberrima (African rice) as well as the more common Oryza sativa Asian rice, and may be categorized as either brown/red Ofada or white Ofada on the basis of unmilled seed colour. Grain size, shape, and shade vary. Ofada rice is unpolished. As African rice is more difficult to mill and polish, some or all...

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Alloco, as it is called in Côte d'Ivoire, is called dodo in Nigeria, "Makemba" in DRCongo and kelewele in Ghana. It is a popular West African snack made from fried plantain. It is often served with chili pepper and onions. In Nigeria, it often serves as a side or can be consumed by itself. Alloco is widely considered as fast-food and is sold...

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Kenkey is a staple dish similar to a sourdough dumpling from the Ga, Akan and Ewe inhabited regions of West Africa, Ghana to be specific, usually served with soup, stew, or sauce. Though ‘Kenkey’ also known as ‘Kormi’ or ‘Dorkunu’ in the year 2000 was termed as one of the foods which cause cancer particularly liver cancer when not prepared well, according to...

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Riz gras, which translates literally to fat rice, is a rice dish with various infused flavors, most commonly including the standard Maggi cube, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and plenty of palm oil. However, if you go to the right restaurant, you can find upgraded versions of the dish that offer a good amount of toppings that make it a more of a true meal,...

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Sadza is made with finely ground dry maize/corn maize (Mealie-Meal). This maize meal is referred to as hupfu in Shona or impuphu in Ndebele. Despite the fact that maize is actually an imported food crop to Zimbabwe (c. 1890), it has become the chief source of carbohydrate and the most popular meal for indigenous people. Locals either purchase the mealie meal in retail...

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A Potjie is a South African Stew type meal cooked in a large three legged pot over coals. It is often cooked as port of a social gathering in much the same way as BBQs are.  ...

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With a strong Indian influence in its food, how can Mauritius not have great curry? However it’s not the curry you may be used to from Durban or India. Mauritian curry has quite a different flavour, although the base is similar – there’s garlic, onion, fresh curry leaves and turmeric. There isn’t one type of curry in Mauritius – you get everything from...

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A Malagasy traditional dish, a pot over the fire with only leafy vegetables. It varies greatly throughout the country. Ro=soup Mazava=Clear. If there is meat, it is of lower quality and small quantity, meat being a big luxury for the Malagasy. If the meat is Zebu, one is to add a small tip of the bump. This recipe has meat, beef, so by...

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Vetkoek is a popular pastry in Botswana, and its name can be literally translated to “fat cake.” It is a deep-fried snack that is made of dough, usually with mince fillings. The dough is made up of a mixture of yeast, salt, and flour. The filling is cooked before being placed inside the dough. Another variation of vetkoek is one that is filled...

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Assida Zgougou is a very popular dessert in Tunisia. Assida Zgougou is a cream made ​​from seeds of Aleppo pine, not to be confused with stone pine nuts and pine Armand.Traditionally, Tunisians exchange bowls Assida between neighbors and family members, making decorating bowls Assida as important as the taste of the recipe. Many use all kinds of dried fruit to vary the decorative...

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This easy semolina cake is popular in Morocco, Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab speaking world. Commonly known as basbousa, in Morocco it may also be called chamia or qalb el luz. A quick, egg free batter moistened with yogurt is scored and decorated, baked until golden, then topped with sugar syrup. Sweet, moist and delicious! You'll find a number of variations for...

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From Asia and the Middle East to Africa, Europe, and back, spices have traveled far to find their place in the cuisines of many nations. But there's something very special about the flavors used in Moroccan food. Even though individually the spices seem similar to ones used in other cuisines, Indian per se, it's the unique blend that makes them so distinctively Moroccan....

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Though it's North African in origin, these days shakshuka is popular throughout the Middle East (particularly in Israel, where it may as well be one of the national dishes) and in hip neighborhood diners all over the coastal US. Given its versatility, it's easy to see why. It's quick; it's simple; it's easy to scale up or down; and it works for breakfast,...

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Baba ghanoush is a Levantine dish of cooked eggplant mixed with tahina, olive oil and various seasonings. The Arabic term means "pampered papa" or "coy daddy", perhaps with reference to a member of a royal harem. The traditional preparation method is for the eggplant to be baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has...

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Couscous is one of the staple foods of the Maghrib (western North Africa). Couscous is made from two different sizes of the husked and crushed, but unground, semolina of hard wheat using water to bind them. Semolina is the hard part of the grain of hard wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum), that resisted the grinding of the relatively primitive medieval millstone. When hard...

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Baasto/ Spaghetti can also be served with rice, forming a novelty dish referred to as "Federation". The dish is usually served with equal (whole) portions of rice and spaghetti, split on either side of a large oval plate. It is then layered with assorted stewed meats and vegetables, served with salad and an optional banana. It has been suggested that the name of...

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Doro Wat is one of the most famous of all African dishes.  You will find it in every Ethiopian restaurant and virtually anyone who is familiar with African cuisine will have heard of it.  Another version, though not as commonly known here, is Sik Sik Wat, made with beef.  You can directly substitute beef for chicken and follow the same cooking instructions. Doro...

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Injera is usually made from the tiny, iron-rich teff. However, teff production is limited to certain middle elevations and regions with adequate rainfall, so it is relatively expensive for the average household. As many farmers in the Ethiopian highlands grow their own subsistence grains, wheat, barley, corn, and/or rice flour are sometimes used to replace some or all of the teff content. Teff...

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For main meals, white maize flour is added to the saucepan and stirred into the ugali/posho until the consistency is firm. It is then turned out onto a serving plate and cut into individual slices (or served onto individual plates in the kitchen). Cassava, yam, and African sweet potato are also eaten; the more affluent include white (often called "Irish") potato and rice...

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Ingredients vary accord to type of meat used and the region the Biriyani is from. Gosht (of either chicken or mutton) as the prime ingredient with rice. As is common in dishes of the Indian subcontinent, some vegetables are also used when preparing Biriyani. Other vegetables such as corn also may be used depending on the season and availability. Navratan biryani tends to...

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Known as ugali in Kenya and Tanzania, this starchy, polenta-like side dish goes by different names in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi and Zambia it is called nsima or nshima. The South African name for it is pap or mealie pap. Zimbabweans call it sadza. Ugali is usually served as an accompaniment to meat or vegetable stews, greens or soured milk. To eat ugali,...

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Beans are the staple of Burundian cuisine and the typical carbohydrate sources are beans, plantains, bananas and corn. Like many East African cuisines there is a strong Asian influence on Burundian cookery, including the use of hot spices and the prevalence of Chapatis at meals. ...

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