Exotic and ethnic recipes

[arabookworm]

most of the recipes I've seen have been pretty well-known american fare, so I thought we could have a thread for people to post their ethnic foods.

I'll start

Ghorayiba (rose water shortbread)

1 cup sugar
2 cups butter
1 egg
flour
1/2 tsp. rosewater

cream butter and sugar until smooth
add rosewater, beat well
add flour a little at a time until mixture is a soft but workable dough
add egg, knead dough
form into thumbprints about an inch across and 1/2 an inch thick
bake at 350 degrees until firm, but if they start turning golden colored on the bottom, you've overcooked them*

*a lot of people prefer the overcooked ones, so don't worry if you leave them in too long. it makes them sort of crunchy!

 

[Renee]

Wow, that sounds so delicious!

 

[Renee]

Okay, this is pretty exotic. I made it once with pork and it was very time-consuming, but wow, it really knocked 'em dead. Since it is prepared the day before it is served, it is nice for the hostess!

Chicken Pibil
Yucatan, Mexico

Ingredients
2 banana leaves passed through flame to soften them
4 lbs chicken in pieces (you may remove the skin or use boneless breasts)
8 oz of achiote paste (2 bricks, find this at Mexican markets)
1 cup of bitter orange juice (available at Mexican markets, or mix some lemon and lime with orange juice)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried, powdered Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice, or 4 large allspice berries coarsely ground
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
salt to taste

1-2 tbls lard or corn oil (if you use skinless chicken)

Salsa
2 radishes finely minced
1 large red onion chopped
½ cup of cilantro very finely minced
1 cup of vinegar or bitter orange juice
habanero pepper (minced very finely) to taste
salt to taste
All the ingredients are mixed and refrigerated at least three hours.

Preparation
Dissolve the achiote condiment in the orange juice, then add the spices and garlic to make a meat marinade. Lay string in the bottom of a pan, line with banana leaves, and lay chicken over. Cover the chicken with the overhanging leaves and tie together, then cover the entire dish with aluminum foil. Marinate at least eight hours in the refrigerator, turning entire package of leaves and chicken once.

Next day: Preheat oven to 350. Remove string and if you have used skinless chicken, drizzle corn oil over chicken, re-tie leaves, and re-cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until tender. You may cook it longer at 300 if desired.

Serving
If necessary pull the chicken apart with two forks. Serve on the banana leaves with warm corn tortillas, salsa, black beans. and fried plantains. Serves 8-10.