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6 International Cuisine Recipes That’ll Take You Less Than 35 Minutes To Prepare

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Safiyyah Khairul Anuar •  Jun 17, 2016

Craving for some pasta or Korean food but not planning on travelling this Ramadan? Not to worry. You can always whip up an awesome dish and travel through your tastebuds! ?

Credit: Giphy

1. Turkish Kofta Meatballs

Credit: @the_meatball_factory on Instagram

Widely used in Middle Eastern and Turkish dishes, Kofta spice mix can be easily found in supermarkets. If otherwise, you can always mix your own by combining equal amounts of fennel, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper, sumac and Harissa paste or any of those available in your kitchen.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Feeds: 4 pax

Ingredients

  • 600g minced lamb meat
  • 1 Spanish onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 canned tomatoes
  • 4 table spoon olive oil, more for searing meatballs
  • 6tbsp Kofta spice mix
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 2 pcs cardamom
  • ½ cup water
  • Chopped parsley/ toasted almonds for garnish

Steps

  1. Start by mixing all the Kofta spice mix, a fat pinch of salt and pepper to the minced meat. Mix to combine and make 10 equal size oblong shaped meatballs.
  2. Heat a deep dish pan with olive oil. Sear the meat balls for 1 minute on each side or until slightly brown. This helps in keeping its shape, though the meat is not fully cooked yet.
  3. Let the half cooked meatballs rest on a plate.
  4. Sautee onions till semi translucent. Add garlic, coriander seeds and cardamom and stir fry till fragrant.
  5. Add canned tomatoes, ½ cup water, and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Cooked thoroughly until the sauce reduces.
  6. Lastly, add the meatballs in the sauce, stir to combine and cover for 5 minutes.
  7. Top with garnish and ready to serve.

This recipe pairs nicely with herb rice, toasted buns as sliders or boiled pasta!

2. Korean Garlic Gochujang Hot Wings

Gochujang is a Korean chili paste made out of red chili, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It’s a pungent, salty and spicy paste great for making sauces, marinates and glazes as in this recipe. ?

Credit: Kirk Kn on Flickr

#HHWT Tip: If you can’t find halal gochujang at your nearest grocery store, you can substitute it by mixing chili powder with tauchu (bean paste that you can purchase at almost any Asian food store), sugar, sesame oil and a little bit of water. This makes a paste that’s similar…Or just use any chilli paste / powder you have lying around, add it with a little soy sauce and a pinch of sugar.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Feeds: 2 pax

Ingredients

  • 6 pairs of chicken wings, chop off the drumette from the wingette
  • 200g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 200g butter
  • 200g Gochujang sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, mash to a paste
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • Oil for deep-frying
  • Sesame seeds and spring onions for garnish

Steps

  1. Heat up a deep fryer with 3 inches of cooking oil.
  2. Mix the paprika, thyme, salt and pepper with all-purpose flour.
  3. Drench each drumette and wingette with the seasoned flour.
  4. Deep fry the chicken wings in small batches to ensure it is cooked thoroughly and remain its crispiness. Fry till golden brown and drip off excess oil on kitchen towel.
  5. Prepare the Gochujang glaze by melting butter in a small saucepan with garlic till fragrant.
  6. Add brown sugar till dissolve.
  7. Toss the glaze and fried chicken wings in a small bowl till combine.
  8. Garnish with sesame seeds and spring onions and ready to munch!

When you feel like munching on hot wings, but you are bored of the same old BBQ flavours. Try this zesty recipe a try!

3. Cashew Nut Pesto Pasta

Credit: @monika.food.dairy on Instagram

Pasta is perfect when paired with pesto sauce to absorb all the seasoned green oil goodness. Traditional Italian pesto uses toasted pine nuts. However, this recipe shows how versatile the sauce can be. Pick any nut that is bland, rich and creamy such as almonds and cashews for an added twist. ?

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Feeds: 2 pax

Ingredients

  • 500g Italian sweet basil leaves
  • ¼ cup cashews, toasted
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2/3 cups extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 300g Tagliatelle, cook according to packaging
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese

Steps

  1. Add all the basil, garlic, cooled toasted cashews and olive oil in a blender. Blitz to a almost smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper
  2. Strain the freshly boiled pasta and place in a big mixing bowl. Add 4 tablespoons worth of the pesto with the parmesan cheese. Toss till combine. Season if necessary.
  3. Top with more cheese and ready to serve.

Add protein to this recipe such as simple sautéed prawns, chicken or smoked beef to make it a full meal. Make this sauce in big batches and store in air-tight jars for your daily use. Use as sandwich spread, marinates or to add that pop of flavour to any boring dish. Store up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

 4. Egyptian Spiced Foul Beans with Chunky Toast

Credit: @viktoriaakarlsson on Instagram

Foul beans can be easily found in supermarkets and are guaranteed safe to consume even though it’s canned food. To make this dish taste like a days labour worth, cheat your way with a store-bought Briyani mixed spice. Usually comprising over 7 types of spices including fennel seeds, star anise, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds and nutmeg. Already sounds a doctor’s prescription for a youthful life! ?

This dish is usually served as a breakfast/brunch item. Topped with a simple fried egg and paired with buttery toast, this staple is fit for an Egytian champion!

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Feeds: 4 pax

Ingredients

  • 1 Spanish onion, chopped
  • 1 medium size capsicum
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 400g minced meat (beef or lamb)
  • 1 packet store-bought biryani mixed spice (dry or wet)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ can canned tomato
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 can foul beans , drained
  • 4 eggs, sunny side up
  • 4 pieces chunky toast, buttered and lightly toasted
  • Garnishing:
    • 4 slices lemon wedges
    • 1 Green chilli, chopped
    • 1 small shallot, chopped

Methods

  1. Heat a frying pan with olive oil and sauté onions and capsicum till soften. Add garlic, minced meat and Briyani mixed spice. Stir fry till fragrant.
  2. Add the tomatoes, water and beans and cook on low simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Season to taste and cook till water reduced a tad bit.
  4. Dish into four separate bowls and top with the sunny side ups. Serve with toast.

Be creative by varying the toast to pitas, flat breads or regular sandwich bread!

5. English Breaded Fish with Mushy Peas

The British are famous for their fish and chips. This recipe opts for a healthier process of cooking the fish by lightly breading and quickly pan fry it. Pairing it with some sweet green peas instead of fries, levels up your vege intake! ?

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Feeds: 2 pax

Ingredients

  • ½ cup corn oil
  • 400g white fish, sliced into two portions (milk fish, dory fish, halibut)
  • 10 tbsp all-purpose flour, heavily seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 400g peas,boiled
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 lemon, wedged
  • 5 tbsp yogurt
  • Salt and pepper

Steps

  1. Heat up a frying pan to high heat with ½ cup frying oil.
  2. Bread the pieces of fish and pan fry in batches. Do not over crowd the pan or else the crispiness do not appear. Drip dry the fried fish on kitchen towel.
  3. In the meantime, place the mushy beans in a blender. Add ½ of the lemon juice and blitz to a chunky mush. Season to taste.
  4. Lastly, place the yogurt in a small bowl and add the other ½ of lemon juice. Season to taste and mix.
  5. Plate the fish with mushy peas, yogurt and lemon wedge on the side

Hey, go ahead and add those potato fries! No one’s stopping you. ?

Always try and pick for healthier process of preparing them such as boiling or roasting.

6. Thai Stir-Fried Vermicelli

Credit: Alpha on Flickr

Imitating the flavours of famous Thai dish called Tom Yum, this dish is simple to prepare when you are having that Thai crave. ?

Prepare the aromatics together by blending it all in the blender at once. Nonetheless, use up any proteins you have available. This recipe calls for seafood as it is best for Thai flavours.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Feeds: 2 pax

Ingredients

  • 500g packaged dried vermicelli noodle, blanched to soften and cooled
  • ½ cup Thai Chili Paste
  • 1/3 cup frying oil
  • 1 medium shallot minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 bird’s eye chili, minced
  • ½ inch lemongrass, minced
  • ½ inch fresh ginger, minced
  • 100g prawn, shelled
  • 100g squid ring
  • A handful of bean sprout
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnishing:
    • A small bunch of Spring Onions
    • A small bunch of coriander leaves
    • Wedges of lime

Steps

  1. Heat a medium size wok with frying oil. Add all the aromatic and fry till fragrant.
  2. Add the proteins and cook for a minute or two.
  3. Add noodles and chili paste. Stir till combine on medium heat. Season to taste.
  4. Lastly, throw in the bean sprouts and lightly combine.
  5. Plate in a serving dish and sprinkle with garnish items.

Feel free to try it out with chicken, beef or even eggs! Change up the vegetable option with whatever that is in season.

Hope these recipe ideas inspire you to imagine and be creative in mixing flavours around the world with different ways of preparing a dish. Ramadan kareem everyone! ?