al Jumhuriyya al Jazā'iriyya ad-Dīmuqrāţiyya ash Sha'biyya

All of a sudden, I've hopped continents.  I was just scouring one of my favourite international cuisine sites, thegutsygourmet.net, looking for a simple dish that was a bit different from what I have been making for the last few weeks.  So, here I am in Algeria!  Oh, what a colourful, storied country, this largest country on the African continent is definitely on my bucket list (if only because of its incredible ancient history).

The dish I encountered as the national dish of Algeria was Saffron & Raisin Couscous.  I had only made couscous a few times before, and was never terribly impressed with it, but I did really like this version.  To quote a line from an old show the kids used to watch, "couscous, the food that's so nice, they named it twice".  Well, that was indeed the case for this recipe.  Sadly, I can't find the Algerian African or Berber phrase equivalent for bon appetit.

I like the idea of making and eating foods that would more likely be eaten by the average citizen of the country I am "visiting".  Since we haven't had an opportunity to travel there, this is a way for the kids and I to experience  at least a taste of each country.

Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh

The People's Republic of Bangladesh is a small country, bordered by India & Myanmar/Burma.  While it shares some of the history and culture of India, there is frequently tension between the two countries.  Bangladesh is apparently the 8th most populated country in the world, & the most densely populated large country, impressive stats in the population arena!  The country is plagued by floods and frequent cyclones, unfortunately.  For my culinary trip here, I made a Chicken Korma, a dish which was clearly influenced by its North-East Indian and Middle Eastern neighbours.  It was a simple, tasty meal, we definitely enjoyed it!

Su Tripti

Bhārat Gaṇarājya

Indian cuisine is so very diverse, I couldn't really find a single national dish.  Rather, I found an incredible variety of dishes, as varied as the regions from which they originated.  I thoroughly enjoyed my research, the history and culture of the country is as colourful and fascinating as its cuisine.  I must say, I'll never be bored again - once I finish the initial world tour, I'll be able to go back to many of the countries and spend time exploring their regional cuisines!  I do love Indian cuisine, so it was difficult to decide what to make.  In the end, I made Chicken Biryani, a simple and delicious introductory taste to the country's cuisine.

Sukh bhojan!