Global Adventures in your Kitchen

Upholding a culinary legacy isn’t an easy task. And when the person in question is someone as celebrated as the legendary Tarla Dalal, the pressure is all the more. Seeing her mother concoct meals that went on to become classics, Dalal was inspired to foray into the culinary arts. With interesting hybrids of everyday vegetarian delicacies, her recipes not only reflect her style but also serve as an indispensable guide for both home cooks and professional chefs. 

Sampling the local cuisine is one of the best parts of travelling. From decadent gelato to exotic chillies, the possibilities are endless. Here are a few recipes to take your taste buds to lands far and near, right in your kitchen. 

Madeira Garlic Bread - Madeira, Portugal

Ingredients

·       1 cup white flour

·       200 grams sweet potatoes

·       2 tsp dry yeast

·       3 tbsp lukewarm water

·       Lukewarm water for making the dough

·       1 tsp sugar

·       1 tbsp olive oil

·       Salt to taste

·       Flour for rolling the bread and making the dough

For the garlic butter

·       4 tbsp butter

·       1 clove crushed garlic

·       2 tsp chopped parsley

Method

For the garlic butter mix all the ingredients together

For the sweet potatoes

Dice and boil them in hot water. Once boiled, peel the sweet potatoes and mash them

For the yeast

In a cup, place 2 tsp of dry yeast with 3 tbsp of lukewarm water. Cover and keep for 15 minutes

To make the dough

·       Mix the maida, yeast the mixture, mashed potatoes, salt, olive oil and 1 tsp of sugar

·       Add enough lukewarm water till a dough is formed

·       Flour your hands and knead the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes to form a dough

·       Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 45 minutes

·       Divide the dough into 3 equal parts

·       Roll out the dough with the help of a little flour, to form a round, approximately 6 inches in diameter

·       Cook the bread on a nonstick pan for 4 to 5 minutes on each side till it is done

To serve

·       Serve hot with garlic butter

Potato Pinchos - Northern Spain

Ingredients

For the potatoes

·       250 grams baby potatoes

·       ½ tbsp butter

·       Salt to taste

·       1 tsp fresh dill, chopped

For the tomato sauce

·       5 tomatoes

·       ½ chopped onion

·       ½ tsp oregano powder

·       ½ tbsp olive oil

·       2 tsp sugar

·       Salt to taste

·       1 tbsp red chilli paste

Method

For the tomato sauce

·       Boil the tomatoes in hot water. Remove from the flame, peel and chop them into tiny pieces

·       Place them in a mixer and blend to make a purée

·       Sieve the purée

·       In a vessel heat the oil, add red chilli paste and oregano powder and sauté for half a minute

·       Add the onion and sauté for 1 minute

·       Add the tomato purée and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally till the sauce becomes thick

·       Add sugar and salt to taste

For the potatoes

·   In a vessel boil the baby potatoes till they are cooked

·   Remove them from the vessel and let it cool

·   Peel and cut each baby potato into half

How to proceed

·   In a non-stick frying pan heat the butter, add the salt and fresh dill

·   Add the baby potatoes and sauté on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes

·   Add the tomato sauce and cook for 1 minute

·   Remove the potatoes from the vessel and serve hot

To serve

·       Skewer each baby potato with a toothpick and place in a serving dish

Bhutanese Potatoes - Bhutan

Ingredients

 ·   5 medium sized potatoes (500 grams)

·   170 grams feta cheese

·   ½ chopped onion

·   ½ chopped tomato

·   Salt to taste

·   1 tsp chilli powder

·   2 cups water

·   2 tbsp olive oil

Method

 ·  Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices

·   Heat the olive oil in a vessel. Add the chopped onions and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes

·   Add the potatoes and 2 cups of water

·   Cook till the potatoes are tender

·   Dice the cheese into small pieces

·   Add the cheese, salt, chilli powder and cook for 2 minutes

·   Serve hot

 Poblano Soup - Mexico

 Ingredients

*To be made into a purée

·       1 potato (boiled, peeled and chopped)

·       2 ½ red capsicums (chopped and par boiled)

·       2 ½ green capsicums (chopped and par boiled)

·       2 ½ cup boiled yellow corn

·       2 ½ cups water

Other Ingredients:

·       1 red Kashmiri chilli (broken in pieces)

·       2 tbsp olive oil

·       3 tbsp chopped spring onions (white part)

·       2 tsp soya sauce

·       1 tsp white vinegar

·       1 tsp chilli flakes

·       Salt to taste

To serve:

·       3 tsp grated cheese

Method:

·       For the purée, blend all the items in a mixer till a puree is formed and sieve it

How to proceed:

·       In a vessel heat olive oil, add soya sauce, white vinegar, Kashmiri chilli and spring onions. Sauté for half a minute.

·       Add the purée, chilli flakes and salt. Cook for 3 minutes

·       Serve hot with grated cheese sprinkled on top

Renu Dalal, daughter of the late legendary chef and cook book author Tarla Dalal is the author of the books Simple and Delicious Vegetarian Recipes and Modern Vegertarian Recipes.