Hanguk

Korea, a country divided.  Again, the country I chose is one which is torn apart by war.  This particular country has been divided in two, and continues to be the sight of much military strife.  My searches for information and pictures brought up disturbing images of soldiers and wounded civilians.  There is a huge cultural divide between North and South Korea, but when it comes to food, it appears that Kimchee is a unanimous choice, so it was clear that it had to be on our menu for tonight.  However, because the dish has to marinate for several days, I didn't make it myself.  I did manage to find a Korean grocer in the city, which apparently is well known amongt the Korean community for its homemade kimchee.  Along with the Kimchee, we had some Pulgogi, a beef dish, and the ubiquitous rice.  I also made a Chap Ch'ae, which is a chicken and noodle dish.  Sesame oil was used to season both of the meat dishes, and they were absolutely delicious as a result!

                   jal meogeosseumnida

Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Afġānistān

In choosing Afghanistan as the next stop on my culinary world tour, I was hard pressed to find information about the country that did not involve the current military involvement of Canada and other counties.  From what I read, the country has a very volatile history, especially in recent years.  But there is much more to the country than recent events suggest.  For example, the farming communities are among the earliest in the world, and many different kingdoms and dynasties have played a role in the country's past.

My chosen dish was Quboli Palaw, a saffron rice dish made with chicken.  It was a simple, tasty dish, with raisins adding a delightful flavour. 

                           

                                           ishtya larel

中國

China, to me, is a land of infinite variety and incredible history. In more recent times, its approach to human rights leaves something to be desired, but no one can argue with the importance of its role throughout ancient history.

Choosing a menu was almost impossible!  There is an amazing variety amongst the regional cuisines, and I wondered the internet for hours on end, reviewing recipes and reading about the different regions and their histories.  In the end, I went with a couple of fairly simple dishes, steamed wontons and a sweet and sour chicken, served with plain rice. A bottle of Tsingtao beer accompanied the meal.

This is yet another country where it is impossible to do justice to its cuisine in just one meal.  Luckily, we are all fond of the flavours of Chinese cuisine, and so it is no inconvenience for us to make use of all the different recipes I found! 

                                                      sihk faahn

Qazaqstan Respublïkası

Kazakhstan, a country about which I knew....absolutely nothing.  But that was before my culinary world tour, that's for sure.  Now, I know that it borders Central Asia and Eastern Europe, it is the world's largest landlocked country, and it was the last Soviet republic to declare its independence.  The national dish appears to be Beshkarmak, which in Kazakh means "five fingers", which refers to the manner in which it is eaten.  It is a very simple dish, and I have to admit, I did break my "too cute to eat" rule by using lamb, as called for in the traditional recipe.  I would describe the dish as a peasant's dish, which I do not mean to be a derogatory description.  Rather, it is a simple dish to make, with few ingredients, but it is hearty and filling.  It was definitely worth the "trip"!

                                                As bolsın!