Murg Massalam (Indian Garlic Chicken) and Mines Bouilli (Chinese Vegetarian Noodles)

Africa is a continent which possesses many layers of diversity - it's culinary outlets are no less diverse than its population.  Being so large and so full of the tales of conquest and adventure, one can unwrap the surface, with all it believes about the land, only to find one hundred more layers of interest further hidden below.  Indeed, Africa has many secrets, but perhaps one of its greatest culinary treasures lay within the shores of the small island nation of Mauritius.

Having been completely unpopulated prior to colonialization, Mauritius has been ruled and inhabitied by many transplanted foreigners including the Portugese, Dutch, French, and British.  Because those groups required slave labor, the addition of African, Chinese and Indians further added to the blended mixture of the island's population.  Thus, the country achieved the sense of a true melting-pot society.  And, the blending couldn't have been better planned!  A meal in Mauritius is one of fusion.  Generally, people eat Chinese appetizers with Indian entrees and French desserts - all the while, they do it without a sense of novelty.  To the "natives," it is just another meal.

From a personal standpoint, Chinese, Indian, Creole and French foods are typically at the top of the list when it comes to the foods I crave.  If I were to handpick the items that I would take on a deserted island (such as Mauritius used to be), there are no other cuisines which I would think to include.  Thanks to the now-extinct dodo and the lives of many brave sailors and slaves, Mauritius may just be my new culinary utopia.

Murg Massalam Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric

Instructions:

1. With a sharp knife, make a few shallow slashes in the chicken flesh and place in a non-metallic dish.
2. To make the marinade, mis all of the ingredients into a small bowl and pour over the chicken.  Toss until well coated.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or for as long as a day before you intend to cook it.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a deep roasting pan with foil and arranged the chicken in the pan.  Pour about 2/3 cup of water into the pan to form a shallow layer.  Spoon any remaining marinade over the chicken.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is golden and crisp, showing no signs of pink when pierced. 

(The original recipe came from "The Illustrated Kitchen Bible" by Victoria Blashford-Snell)

Mines Bouilli Ingredients:

• 15 ounces of Chinese egg noodles
• 2 Tbsp. chopped green onions
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. chili sauce
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. sesame paste
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl, except for the noodles, garlic and green onions. 
2. Boil the noodles for about 10 to 15 minutes then drain.  Add noodles and garlic to the bowl with the remaining ingredients.  Toss to coat.
3. Garnish with green onions and serve warm.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://ile-maurice.tripod.com/minetouni.htm)

Mauritius

Capital City - Port Louis
Currency - Mauritian Rupee
Population - 1,288,000 (2008 estimate)
National Language - English (unofficially the language of the land and of Parliament); French and Mauritian Creole are also largely spoken by most people.
Type of Government - Parliamentary Republic
Leaders - Sir Anerood Jugnauth (President); Navin Ramgoolam (Prime Minister)
Country's Motto - "Stella Clavisque Maris Indici" - Translates to mean "Star and Key of the Indian Ocean."

Location - Mauritius is an island off of the southeast coast of Africa and in the southwest part of the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar.  Aside from Mauritius, its Republic includes the islands of Rodrigues, Cargados Carajos and the Agalega Islands.  Mauritius Island is part of the Mascarene Islands.

Climate - Mauritius has a tropical climate with southeast trade winds and a season of cyclones.

Religion - Due to colonialism and the fact that the British imported many Indians to the island for their servitude, a little more than half - 52% - of the population of Mauritius are Hindu.  Roughly 30% are Christian (with the majority of those being Roman Catholic), 16% are Muslim, and the remaining 2% are non religious.

Cuisine - The cuisine of Mauritius is a mixture of Indian, African, Chinese and European fare.  It is common practice for various plates from these different cuisines to be served in the same meal.

Most Famous Landmark - Being an island nation best known for its sandy beaches makes practically the entire nation a landmark.  However, its most stunning asset is the "seven colored earth" of Chamarel.  Located on the southwest side of the island, Chamarel boasts dunes of multi-colored soil which are an incredible sight to any eye.  Red to yellow, purple to brown, black to white, green to tan - with every shade in between - the wonders of nature are boldly apparent.

If You Learn Only One Thing About Mauritius, It Should Be This - At the time of its discovery in 1507, the island of Mauritius was the home of the yet unknown species of bird called the "Dodo."  By 1681, it was made extinct after having been killed by the settlers and their domesticated pets.

Strawberry Scones

When I think of English desserts, scones often pop into my mind.  They embody a typical British tea-time dessert - a sturdy, well built and often quite succulent morsel to be shared over an afternoon break.  Very similar to biscuits, the practice of making scones is a lot more simple than most desserts.  Within less than half an hour, I was in and out of the kitchen, ready to enjoy my homemade treat.  And, as expected, it was a delightful way to slow down the hands of time and just enjoy a respite with my family. 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
• 3/4 cup copped fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. snipped basil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup half-and-half

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, stir together flour, 2 Tbsp. sugar, baking powder and salt.  Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Gently toss in strawberries and basil.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together eggs and half-and-half.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture all at once.  Gently stir until just moistened.
3. Turn dough onto a generously floured surface.  Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it 5 to 7 times, turning dough a quarter turn after each fold.  Transfer to a lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheet.  Pat or lightly roll dough into a 3/4 inch thick circle.  Cut circle into wedges and pull apart slightly.
4. Brush wedges with additional half-and-half and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake about 16 minutes or until golden.  Serve warm.  Refrigerate any leftover scones; reheat 15 seconds in the microwave.

(The original recipe came from "Better Homes and Gardens" - April 2011)

London Broil with Roast Beets and Yorkshire Pudding

So, I thought choosing an English meal would be simple.  I thought I could rely on my ancestral inklings to illuminate a path toward gastronomic bliss.  But, alas, the month had almost passed before I could even settle on the main course.  What was creating such difficulty, one might ask?  For starters, names of dishes like "Toad in a Hole," "Bubble and Squeak," and, of course, my favorite - "Spotted Dick" - made the task a little more daunting than necessary.  Add to that the abundance of boringly boiled menu items, infinitely wobbly puddings, and entrees which featured organ meats.  Bleck!  I suppose one might be able to say that there were already a few chinks in the armor of English cuisine.  But, being the daring cook that I am (ha ha), I decided to plow ahead and continue my family's food education despite my own trivial hangups.

Being that some of my ancestors originated in London, I felt compelled (and safest) to attempt a dish I had always heard about but never tried: London Broil.  Simply, it is flank steak that has been buttered, mildly seasoned and broiled to near perfection.  Since flank steak is one of my favorite cuts of meat, I figured this would make for the best blending of all desires.  English.  Authentic.  Tasty.  And no odd moniker prevailing over its presence.  Just a good, hearty meal. 

For our side dish, I chose to make roasted beets, all of which came from our family's garden; and, once again, simplicity dominated.  Roasting is never a bad option when fresh produce is part of the equation.  Then, finally, I made the Yorkshire pudding (which, thankfully, was more like bread).  Its traits resembled that of a pop-over, a delicate puff of air with a mildly eggy flavor.  It was a unique addition to the meal and an interesting piece to add to our cooking repertoire.  All around, the English meal was so much more than I thought it would be - so much better, so much tastier, so much more interesting.  I think it's safe to say the English have now colonized my palate.
London Broil - Ingredients:

• 1 lb. beef flank steak
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 cloves garlic

Instructions:

1. Cut both sides of the steak in a diamond pattern, 1/8 inch deep.
2. Mix remaining ingredients and brush on half of the beef.  Broil 3 inches from heat for 5 minutes.
3. Turn and brush with remaining oil mixture.  Broil for 5 more minutes.
4. Cut across the grain and serve warm. 

Roasted Beets - Ingredients:

• 6 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped

(The original recipe came from this site: http://www.shopenglandonline.com/london-broil.html)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a bowl, toss the beats with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to coat.  Spread a single layer on the baking sheet.
3. Mix the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and sugar in a large ziploc bag.  Place the sweet potatoes and onion in the bag.  Seal and shake to coat vegetables.
4. Bake beets for 15 minutes.  Mix the sweet potato mixture with the beets on the baking sheet.  Continue baking for 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Roasted-Beets-n-Sweets/Detail.aspx)

Yorkshire Pudding - Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with milk.  Stir in flour.  Set aside.
3. Divide butter evenly into 12 cups of a muffin tin, about 1/2 tsp. per cup.  Place tin in oven to melt butter for 2 to 5 minutes.  Remove tin from oven and distribute batter evenly among buttery cups.
4. Bake in oven for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 25 minutes until puffed and golden.

(The original recipe came from this site: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-and-Easy-Yorkshire-Pudding/Detail.aspx)

England

Capital City - London
Currency - British Pound
Population - 51,446,000 (2008 estimate)
National Language - English
Type of Government - Constitutional Monarchy
Leaders - Elizabeth II (Monarch); David Cameron (Prime Minister)
Country's Motto - "Dieu et mon droit" - Translates to mean "God and my right."

Location - England is part of the United Kingdom.  It is bordered on the north by Scotland and on the west by Wales.  The remainder of the island is bordered by water including the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea to the west, the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south.

Climate - England has a temperate maritime climate with dampness that can be both frequent and fleeting.

Religion - Since the Middle Ages, Christianity has been the most practiced religion in England.  About 72% of the country consider themselves Christian, with the largest subgroup being Anglicans or Church of England.  Muslims now account for about 5% of the population; Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs account for 2%.  Jews have a considerably smaller number of the population thanks, in great part, to their expulsion in 1290 (for which they were not allowed to return until the mid 1600's).  About 15% of the country consider themselves to be without any religion.
Cuisine - The cuisine of England is best known for its simplicity of form and manner.  The staple food items, such as meat and potatoes, are often roasted or boiled before being served.  

Most Famous Landmark - There are many significant landmarks which could undoubtedly be considered the "most famous" - Stonehenge, the Cliffs of Dover, Buckingham Palace.  However, Big Ben, the famous clock in London, seems to be the most iconic.  Having been built only in 1858, it has become one of the mst recognizable symbols of England in a rather relatively short period of time.

If You Learn Only One Thing About England, It Should Be This - The only house that the Queen may not enter is the House of Commons, as she is not a "commoner."

Spiced Lamb Balls and Savory Beancakes

Whenever we draw a West African country for our chosen country-of-the-month, we always tend to take a deep sigh in the angst over our perceived notions of its sparseness.  Africa, that vast continent, is an enigma for which most Americans tend to know almost nothing - especially in terms of cuisine.  And in a city with a plethora of the world's fare within grasp, we could sadly count on one hand the number of African restaurants which reside here (most of which are Ethiopian, Moroccan or South African - clearly NOT a West African option).  So, when we chose Burkina Faso, I must honestly admit that my heart sank a little and I deemed it something we would take on "later."  That lack of urgency carried me to the very last day of the month before I finally made a Burkinabe meal.  It's a terrible shame to admit such procrastination...especially when the result is so mouth-wateringly good! 

Spiced lamb balls, the West African equivalent of traditional meatballs, are an even more flavorful variation in that they use an addition of six spices to add an exciting depth to their flavor.  And the savory beancakes also possess depth, though they are a bit heavier than I really cared for in a large portion.  After a few bites, the bean flavor was a bit overwhelming.  However, the meal was filling and better than expected.  At the end, a simple banana posed as our dessert (okay, so this might be cheating, but after combing the internet for weeks in search of a non-existent Burkina Faso dessert recipe, a banana was really the only logical and seemingly appropriate choice).  All in all, our meal a la Burkina Faso was a success.  The meatballs will definitely be put into a steady rotation in our house.  The beancakes, not so much.  But, at least we tried something new....as always, that is better than the alternative.

Spiced Lamb Balls - Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Saute onions, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, red pepper, coriander and salt in oil until the onion is soft.  Cool and combine with ground lamb. 
2. Add eggs and crumbs to meat mixture.  Mix well.  Form into small balls.  Chill for 1 hour. 
3. Bake or saute until browned (if baking in the oven, bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, turning a couple of times).  Serve warm.

Savory Beancakes - Ingredients:

• 1 can of black-eyed peas
• 1/2 of an onion, chopped
• 2 small carrots, chopped
• 1 egg
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• flour for coating beancakes
• oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Drain the beans and rinse.  Place the beans, onions, carrots and egg into a food processor or blender and season to taste.  Blend until it becomes a smooth paste. 
2. Shape the mixture in flour until a small patty is formed.  Shallow fry in a skillet, cooking until brown on both sides (about 10 minutes) turning occasionally.

(The original recipe for spiced lamb balls came from this site: http://recipes.wuzzle.org/index.php/26/136)
(The original recipe for savory beancakes came from this site: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-burkinabe-savoury-beancakes)

Burkina Faso

Capital City - Ouagadougou
Currency - West African CFA Franc
Population - 15,746,232 (2009 estimate)
National Language - French, though Mossi and Fulani are also spoken unofficially
Type of Government - Semi-Presidential Republic
Leaders - Blaise Compaoré (President); Tertius Zongo (Prime Minister)
Country's Motto - "Unité, Progrès, Justice" - Translates to mean "Unity, Progress, Justice."

Location - Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa.  It is surrounded on the north by Mali, on the east by Niger, on the southeast by Benin, on the south by Togo and Ghana and to the southwest by The Ivory Coast.  Warm savannas cover the northern part of the country and woodlands border the southwest.

Climate - As with all tropical locations, Burkina Faso has two very distinct seasons: the dry season and the wet season.
Religion - A popular saying in Burkina Faso says that "50% are Muslim, 50% are Christian, and 100% are animist."  This saying shows how closely people of all faiths are still connected to their more tribal ancestral roots, still practicing their indigenous beliefs.  The real statistical numbers indicate that about 60% of the country practices Islam, with the majority of those individuals belonging to the Sunni branch.  Of the remaining 40% of the population, 19% are said to be Roman Catholics, 16% follow traditional indigenous religions, and 5% are Protestant Christians.  Athiesm is virtually nonexistent in Burkina Faso.

Cuisine - The cuisine of Burkina Faso is typical west African cuisine in that it centers around the traditional staples of sorghum, millet, rice, corn, peanuts, beans, yams and okra.  Chicken eggs and fish are the most commonly used forms of protein. 

Most Famous Landmark - A relatively agrarian nation, Burkina Faso has no man-made structures of significant note.  However, the Sylvo-Pastoral and Partial Faunal Reserve of the Sahel is the largest space of protected land in the country.
If You Learn Only One Thing About Burkina Faso, It Should Be This - Burkina Faso, which was formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta until 1984, is one of the top 20 poorest nations in the world.  In addition to this, they also have one of the lowest literacy levels in the world - only about 12% of the population can read.  However, they have one of the highest HIV rates in the world - 7%.