Ethnic recipes?

[indecisive]

I have been really into ethnic type foods lately (Indian, Moroccan, Thai, Greek,etc.) but I haven''t really tried cooking any of the great foods I have been getting at restaurants. Does anyone have any good recipes (preferable vegetarian or easy to make vegetarian)? Or any good restaurants in VA?

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 4/8/2006 12:24:03 AM
Author:indecisive
I have been really into ethnic type foods lately (Indian, Moroccan, Thai, Greek,etc.) but I haven''t really tried cooking any of the great foods I have been getting at restaurants. Does anyone have any good recipes (preferable vegetarian or easy to make vegetarian)? Or any good restaurants in VA?

Oh great idea!!! Can''t wait for some fun recipes to try. I love ethnic foods. Yummm.

 

[strmrdr]

hmmm I need to hunt down some of my moms German recipes.
They are mostly patato based so easy to skip the meat.

 

[strmrdr]

http://recipesbycindy.homestead.com/GermanRecipes.html

some close ones are here, while the recipes are a little different they are close.
The sad thing is that my mom never wrote a lot of them down :{

 

[strmrdr]

http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc/history_culture/recipe/index.html

 

[teebee]

I have a fabulous Tom Yum (Thai) soup recipe - very light and healthy & could be vegetarian (I typically add chicken breast or shrimp). But it does call for fish sauce...? If you can''t use fish sauce, then maybe try substituting salt. I''ll go ahead and add the recipe below but it''s my adaptation of this Hot and Sour Thai Soup. The link should take you directly to the original recipe that I adapted, but the whole site is really great - wonderful information about Thai cooking, ingredients, and tips.


Tom Yum/Hot and Sour Thai Soup

2-3 stalks fresh lemon grass
3 cups water, or mild soup stock, salted with fish sauce (nahm bplah) to the desired saltiness
6 thin slices fresh galanga (kah), or 2 dried pieces (if not available, you can substitute ginger)
3 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves (if not available, try substituting w/ grated lime zest)
8-10 whole Thai chillies (prik kee noo), stem removed and bruised with the back of a cleaver; or substitute with 2-3 sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers
1/2 a small onion, halved again and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
1-2 Tbs. roasted chilli paste (nahm prik pow)
3-4 Tbs. tamarind water (I buy concentrated tamarind)
1 cup fresh brown mushrooms, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces, or 1 can whole straw mushrooms, drained
1 small tomato, cut in bite-size wedges (optional)
2 green onions, cut in thin rounds
Juice of 1-2 limes, to desired sourness
1/2 cup cilantro leaves or short cilantro sprigs

Cut the bottom tip off the lemon grass stalks and discard the loose outer layer(s). Then cut each stalk into 1-inch sections at a slanted diagonal all the way up to the greener end, near the start of the grass blades, exposing the inner core. Smash each piece with the side of a cleaver or the end of a large knife handle to bruise, releasing the aromatic oils. Place the cut lemon grass and the water or stock in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer with a lid on for 15-20 minutes to draw out the flavors. Strain out some/most of the lemon grass.
Add the sliced galanga and kaffir lime leaves, bruised Thai chillies (or substitute) and sliced onion. Simmer a couple of minutes, then add the roasted chilli paste (nahmm prik pow), tamarind water and fresh brown or straw mushrooms. Heat stock to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomato wedges (if using), green onions. After 20-30 seconds, turn off heat, add lime juice to the desired sourness and the cilantro. Serve immediately.


I just took the chicken out of the recipe to make it vegetarian friendly - but I think it would be great as a Thai vegetable soup by adding other veggies - carrots, celery, even some kind of light beans for some protein and fiber. OH, almost forgot, I usually place been sprouts in the bowl first, then pour the soup over the sprouts... The galanga, kaffir lime leaves, and lemon grass aren''t really edible, but give the soup it''s spectacular flavors and aromas - so, I''ve gotten to where instead of straining out the lemon grass before adding galanga, leaves, chilis and onion, I actually leave the lemongrass in and add the galanga and leaves, simmer for a few minutes, strain those things out, then add the chilis and onion, simmer, then the chili paste, tamarind, and mushrooms... This way I''m strainging everything out of the soup b/c it''s all inedible, and then adding all edible ingredients so that I don''t have to pick through it all later...

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 4/8/2006 2:07:00 PM
Author: teebee

I have a fabulous Tom Yum (Thai) soup recipe - very light and healthy & could be vegetarian (I typically add chicken breast or shrimp). But it does call for fish sauce...? If you can''t use fish sauce, then maybe try substituting salt. I''ll go ahead and add the recipe below but it''s my adaptation of this Hot and Sour Thai Soup. The link should take you directly to the original recipe that I adapted, but the whole site is really great - wonderful information about Thai cooking, ingredients, and tips.

I don''t think you should substitue fish sauce with salt because the soup won''t taste right. I don''t have recipes for ethic food. I only know how to cook Chinese food, other simple dishes, make bread and creme brulee.

 

[teebee]

Date: 4/8/2006 6:37:57 PM
Author: qtiekiki

Date: 4/8/2006 2:07:00 PM
Author: teebee

I have a fabulous Tom Yum (Thai) soup recipe - very light and healthy & could be vegetarian (I typically add chicken breast or shrimp). But it does call for fish sauce...? If you can''t use fish sauce, then maybe try substituting salt. I''ll go ahead and add the recipe below but it''s my adaptation of this Hot and Sour Thai Soup. The link should take you directly to the original recipe that I adapted, but the whole site is really great - wonderful information about Thai cooking, ingredients, and tips.

I don''t think you should substitue fish sauce with salt because the soup won''t taste right. I don''t have recipes for ethic food. I only know how to cook Chinese food, other simple dishes, make bread and creme brulee.

I agree that it probably wouldn''t taste right, but I don''t know of a good alternative to fish sauce for vegetarians...? Or if it is okay for vegetarians to consume fish sauce?