Two Travel Companies Share Recipes from Around the World

While we shelter in place and take a pause from traveling, there’s no reason why we can’t keep basking in the memories of our journeys and bring some of those exciting flavors into our kitchens. With more time on our hands and for those who enjoy cooking. Here are some new online culinary offerings (and recipes below) from travel companies Naya Traveler and Traveling Spoon. Please stay safe and strong!

Naya Traveler Creates Online Recipe Book 

Keeping it simple and authentic, the founders of Naya Traveler has compiled a list of their favorite recipes collected over the years during their travels: the ones that they brought home with them and adopted as their own. Easy to make, no-fuss ingredients, and delicious flavors that bring them back to the busy streets of Jaipur, hidden riads of Fes, or the sleepy countryside of Cambodia. These dishes are full of heritage and distinctive character of their home countries, both for locals and travelers alike. Full recipes are detailed in The Naya Traveler Recipe Book online.

 

ARGENTINA

Traditional Beef Empanadas 

Empanadas are a popular staple in Argentine cuisine. They are easy to make, convenient to eat either at home, a gathering or on the go. The fillings are as diverse as the country’s own landscapes and the methods of preparing these hand-eating delights vary from region to region, where preparing them has become a well-established ritual easily reenacted at home. Nevertheless, the meat empanadas remain the most traditional and well-loved variety. Ask Naya Traveler’s Argentine-native founder Sofia Mascotena, and she’ll tell you she dips them in sugar before biting into them!

 

CAMBODIA

Khmer Chicken Mango Salad

Having lived in Cambodia a few years back, this was the one recipe founder Marta Tucci took with her when she left, and it’s become a recurring event in her kitchen ever since. For her, this salad is a vivid representation of everything Cambodia is – colorful, busy, a little hectic, green and tangy.  

This salad is made with few and simple ingredients that are full of contrasting flavors and textures. Although it’s possible to make substitutions (substitute the chicken with tofu for a veggie version), the key to its authentic Cambodian flavor lies in the green mango, so try to stick with this ingredient if you can. If you’re like Marta, you’ll want to add the last optional ingredient to give it a little kick. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 green mango, peeled and shredded

• 300gr cooked chicken breast, shredded

• 100gr carrots, shredded

• 100gr roasted peanuts, chopped

• 2 tblspn brown sugar

• 2 tblspn fish sauce

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 2 garlic cloves

• 2 shallots

• 1 lime

• 50gr basil, roughly chopped

• 50gr mint, roughly chopped

• Green chillies, finely chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a small pan over high heat. Place shallots and garlic to cook until charred. Several minutes.

2. Transfer garlic and shallots to a bowl and let cool.

3. Once cooled, peel (discard outer skins) and chop shallots and garlic. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, mix together the shredded mango, chicken, carrots and peanuts. Add shallots, garlic, chopped basil and mint. Mix well.

5. Add juice from the lime (squeeze well, amount to taste), brown sugar, salt and fish sauce.

6. Serve on a plate, garnish with a bit of basil and peanuts.

MOROCCO 

Atay Bi Nana (Mint Tea)

There couldn’t be a more iconic flavor to transport us straight into the heart of Morocco than sweet and fragrant Atay Bi Nana. For founder Sarah Casewit, who was born and raised in Morocco, the ritual of Atay Bi Nana is a way to remain connected to her roots and childhood memories.  

Moroccan Mint Tea is more than just a popular drink—it is a ceremonial act and marker of great Moroccan hospitality. Therefore, when making Moroccan Mint Tea, the procedures of preparing and serving it are just as important a part as drinking it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon of loose gunpowder green tea

• A handful of fresh mint leaves, washed (spearmint preferred)

• 5 cups boiling water

• Sugar to taste (2-3 tablespoons)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put green tea in teapot.

2. Pour in boiling water.

3. Swirl gently to warm pot and rinse tea.

4. Strain out and discard water, reserving tea leaves in pot.

5. Add remaining 4 cups boiling water to tea and let steep 2 minutes.

6. Stir in sugar (to taste) and mint leaves. Steep 3 to 4 minutes more.

7. Serve in small heatproof glasses, lifting the teapot high above the cup while pouring to aerate the tea.

SPAIN

Gazpacho Andaluz

In the heat of Spain southern region of Andalusia, Gazpacho is the ultimate nutritious thirst-quencher. We don’t like to call this a chilled soup, since there’s no actual cooking involved—a drinkable salad perhaps? And since it’s a raw dish, the key to a successful Gazpacho is found in the quality of the ingredients: ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, garlic, onions, bread, vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Finally, to turn this vegetable juice into a true Andalusian Gazpacho, you must not forget the sacramentos, a series of garnishes to taste, such a boiled eggs, homemade croutons, and a generous dash of fragrant olive oil. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg plum tomatoes, quartered

• 90gr cucumber, peeled, thickly sliced

• 90gr red bell pepper, seeded, cut into strips

• 50gr shallots, peeled, chopped

• 30gr rustic bread

• 1 garlic clove, halved (remove the heart)

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Spanish)

• 1 tablespoon sherry or balsamic vinegar

• Fine sea salt

• Black pepper

GARNISHES

• Rustic bread (sourdough preferred, broken into small pieces)

• 1 Egg, boiled, shredded

• 10gr Spanish cured ham, thinly chopped

• 1/2 cucumber, scrubbed

• Dash of extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop all the vegetables. For the garlic, be sure to remove and discard the heart.

2. Transfer tomatoes to a blender with a little bit of water. Blend for several minutes until smooth.

3. Add cucumber, red pepper, shallots and garlic. Blend on high speed for several minutes until smooth.

4. Add rustic bread, sherry vinegar, salt & pepper (to taste) and blend some more, until texture becomes silky.

5. Transfer mixture into a deep bowl. Stir in olive oil (if you add olive oil while blending, you will lose the texture of the oil and the soup will emulsify).

6. Cover bowl and refrigerate for several hours.

7. To serve, pour into a small bowl and garnish with your favourite toppings.

BRAZIL

Pão de Queijo

These oven-baked cheese bites are a popular snack and breakfast food in Brazil. Despite its simplicity, this delicious recipe is charged with cultural heritage: the origins of Pao de Queijo can be traced back to the state of Minas Gerais during the Gold Rush in the 18th century, a staple for the slave population at the time. Since then, it has become hugely popular across South America, and variations of it can be found across Latin America. 

INGREDIENTS

• 200ml whole milk

• 200gr unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 500gr tapioca flour

• 4 large eggs

• 300gr semi-cured cheese

• 1/2 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 180°.

2. Prepare a tray with parchment paper.

3. Heat milk, butter, salt, and half a cup water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture begins to boil (about 4 minutes).

4. Remove from heat and add tapioca flour

5. Stir with a wooden spoon until dough is dry and flaky.

6. Transfer to the bowl and let cool for several minutes.

7. Beat mixture until dough starts to come together.

8. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until incorporated (dough will look broken at first, then come together).

9. Continue to beat until dough is smooth, sticky, and somewhat stretchy.

10. Add cheese and beat until evenly distributed.

11. Shape dough into ping pong ball-sized pieces with your hands and transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing about 2″ apart.

12. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the dough balls are golden with dark brown speckles.

13. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

GUATEMALA

Guacamole

The rightful claim to this globally beloved dip belongs to the Mayas, one of the world’s major ancient civilizations that once expanded throughout Central America. During the heyday of the Mayan Empire, avocados were a treasured crop eaten as a snack or accompanying more elaborate food preparations.  

Not much has changed to this day, except the growth of Guacamole’s popularity across the world. Residents of Antigua Guatemala are affectionately nicknamed ‘Panzas Verdes’ (green bellies) as a result of their reliance on avocados and guacamole at every meal.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted

• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

• 1 green chile pepper seeded, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop red onions, cilantro and green chillies. Set aside.

2. Slice avocados in half and remove the pits. Dice the avocado halves and scoop out with a tablespoon. Place in a bowl.

3. Add the onion, cilantro, green chillies, lime juice and salt to the bowl.

4. Stir together (without overdoing it) until all ingredients are mixed enough, but the avocado retains a chunky texture.

5. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

INDIA 

Masala Chai

Masala Chai, which translates into spiced tea, personifies the scent and taste that India wakes up to every morning. This spiced black tea is milky, rich and full of energizing flavor to start your day right. The fragrant aroma of the spices will immediately transport you to the eclectic streets of India, where chai wallahs (tea vendors) stationed at every corner ceremoniously blend the masala, brew the mixture and pull the tea in small metal cups for passerby’s.  

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons loose black tea, or 6 black tea bags

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups whole milk

• 10 green cardamom pods, cracked

• 1 whole cinnamon stick

• 4 cloves

• 4 black pepper pods

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced

• Packed brown sugar, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small pot, bring water to a boil.

2. Add ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until water reduces slightly.

3. Remove pot from the heat, and add black tea. Steep for several minutes.

4. Return pot to medium heat and add milk. Stir occasionally, making sure the mixture doesn’t boil.

5. Stirr in sugar to taste.

6. Once the top becomes frothy, remove from heat and steep for a minute.

7. Strain tea into a cup or mug.

Traveling Spoon Launches Online Cooking Classes

Traveling Spoon recently launched online cooking classes with their hosts across the globe. Travel from your own kitchen and explore new cultures and cuisines, all while supporting locals around the world. All classes are private and are scheduled at your convenience. Classes are being offered for an introductory price of $25USD for any class, up to four guests in the household. All classes will be conducted over Zoom. The first one-on-one classes launching include empanada making with Gabriela in Buenos Aires, handmade pasta with Cinzia in Florence, and Moroccan tajine with Chamsi in Casablanca (link). View all of the classes at: https://www.travelingspoon.com/onlinecookingclasses.