Spain
A country of fiery dancing, bullfights, attractive architecture and, of course, unforgettable aromatic cuisine. Let's try a local culinary masterpiece - paella. This is rice with seafood, vegetables or chicken. Quite similar to Uzbek pilaf, which many people often serve for dinner. Real Spaniards cook paella in a special frying pan with two handles - paellera .
According to one legend, a young man was waiting for his beloved in his house. He wanted to surprise his woman and prepare something tasty and unusual for her arrival. I took out everything that was in the pantries and prepared it. He named the dish para ella, which meant “for her.” So, it turned out to be paella.
Ingredients
- 0.5 kg rice;
- 0.5 liters of chicken broth and the same amount of fish;
- 100 ml olive oil;
- Several small pieces of ham;
- Half a kilo of chicken fillet;
- 150 grams of squid and the same amount of white fish fillet;
- 400 grams of peeled shrimp;
- 200 grams of mussels.
Additional to taste: a couple of cloves of garlic, 1 onion, 2 medium tomatoes, 1 bell pepper, herbs, salt, pepper, half a teaspoon of saffron.
Preparation
- Cut chicken, ham, squid, fish into small pieces;
- We leave the shrimp in their original peeled form;
- Peel the tomatoes by first dipping them in boiling water, then finely chop them;
- Slice the pepper and onion thinly;
- Grind the garlic and herbs in a blender;
- First fry ham, chicken, fish, squid in olive oil, only at the very end add shrimp, vegetables and garlic mixture;
- Pour the broth into the paellera, pour in the rice and mussels;
- Simmer for 20 minutes under the lid.
This dish goes well with dry white wine.
Bulgaria
Turshiya , a winter pickle made from cauliflower, carrots and sweet peppers, is very popular here This winter salad is simply a storehouse of vitamins; a real Bulgarian feast is unthinkable without it. Turshia precedes the main course and is traditionally accompanied by homemade rakia (a strong fermented fruit drink).
Georgia
What kind of preparations are not made in Georgia! Since ancient times, mountain people have accumulated vast experience in preserving various products, from meat, cheese, vegetables, fruits to various spices. Thus, various sauces and seasonings are preserved for the winter, for example, satsebeli with walnuts and pomegranate juice. An example of Georgian thrift is beets: the leaves are dried, and the roots are salted, fermented and pickled.
Pickled grape leaves and green tomato salads are a distinctive feature of Georgian preparations. You can often find canned wild garlic, which is completely outlandish for us. The raw materials for this tasty, healthy and unique snack are collected in early spring before large leaves appear.
Natto (Japan)
Continuing the theme of Asian cuisine, it is impossible not to mention this, although vegetarian, is also a very specific dish. In simple terms, natto is fermented soybeans that have a specific ammonia smell. They are sticky and stretchy. This dish can be prepared even at home. To do this, heat-treated soybeans are fermented using dry rice straw. It is needed to ensure that the dish contains microorganisms, which are responsible for the fermentation process. After three days of fermentation in the refrigerator, natto is completely ready for use. By the way, despite the special taste and smell, this dish is considered a surprisingly healthy product, and its nutritional value is no more than 90 calories per 100 grams.
Surströmming (Sweden)
What we usually throw in the trash bin, carefully wrapped in a bag and holding our nose while doing so, is considered a national product among the northern peoples. We are talking about pickled herring, which is preserved in a special way. The gutted fish, but with the caviar and appendix left in it, is salted and placed in a bowl to sour in the open air. At this time, fermentation and rotting processes occur, enzymes are released in the carcass and bacteria begin to actively multiply. After this, the herring is placed in cans and left to sour for some more time. Once opened, the canned food emits a very specific aroma that only excites the Swedes. An unprepared person may simply feel ill from such a smell. And the Swedes enjoy sandwiches with surströmming and serve it with boiled potatoes and green onions.
Italy and Greece
Sun-dried tomatoes are the hallmark of all regions of Italy. And if, thanks to our recommendations, you have a bountiful harvest of tomatoes this year, then be sure to prepare this delicious appetizer according to our recipe.
Italians also love to make Bomba Calabrese - a preparation made from peppers , eggplants, mushrooms, olive oil, garlic and herbs. They eat it just like that with bread, put it in pasta and pizza, and mix it into an omelet. And in Greece, exotic jam is prepared for the winter from rose petals and walnuts. Fabulous, isn't it? Add to this some dried or pickled olives as an appetizer with local ouzo vodka and before you know it you’ll be packing your bags for Greece!
Armenia
Where to look for your gastronomic paradise is in Armenia! The country's climate and soil allow it to grow a myriad of fruits and vegetables. Popular here are both the familiar fruit and berry compotes (cherries, apricots, blackberries, dogwoods) and unusual snacks (adzhapsandal, imam bayaldy).
There are an abundance of recipes for vegetable caviar and lecho made from eggplant and peppers - dishes that are quite familiar to us. But what we haven’t thought of yet is harvesting grape leaves, pickling watermelons, bruten and okra... Maybe it’s time to start?
Mongolia
Asians, of course, do things differently from us. Severe pastoralists ate mainly meat, milk and boiled vegetables. Traditionally, in Mongolia they prepare cheese or the famous Mongolian dried cottage cheese aaruul or huruud for future use. New times require new solutions. Therefore, if you decide to visit Mongolia, be sure to try the new chipsen aaruul - curd chips based on an old recipe.
