Aprikosenkuchen (Apricot Cake) from Germany

This is a very popular German cake which is incredibly easy to make. I first had it on a stopover in Frankfurt, and as apricots are one of my favourite fruits, I always wanted to try and make it. You can use fresh apricots or canned apricots.  Whichever is easiest to lay your hands on.  This cake does resemble a cobbler.  So if you are asked to quickly produce a cake, this cake is the answer!





10 tablespoons of soft butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice or the zest of a lemon
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk or buttermilk if you can get it
1 can apricot halves or about 10 apricots halved and pitted

Preheat the oven at 175 degrees Celsius.  Grease a medium cake tin.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar an vanilla.  Add in the eggs, beating well after each egg.  Add in the lemon juice/zest.  Add in all the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add in the milk/buttermilk and mix to a smooth batter.  Spoon the batter into the cake tin and smooth it down.  Place the apricot halves, cut side down, on top of the batter.  If you are using fresh apricots, you might want to sprinkle a little sugar on the top of the apricot halves.  If you are using canned apricots, they will be sweet enough.  Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your cake tin.  Serve with fresh whipped cream or just enjoy on its own.
Cindy Vine currently lives in Norway and is the author of Hush Baby, Not Telling and Defective.  All of her books are available on Amazon.com in both paperback and kindle format.

Poached Salmon from Alaska

It is said that the best salmon comes from Alaska.  Alaskan salmon has a firmer texture and richer colour than salmon raised on a fish farm.  Something about the still-pristine icy waters of the North Pacific.  An added bonus is that eating salmon is reported to be good for your health.  You don't have to settle for only smoked salmon.  You can grill, bake, poach or fry it.  It is only when I lived in Kyiv that I started buying fresh salmon to cook.  Probably because fresh salmon was more readily available there than my home town of Cape Town.
4 salmon fillets or steaks
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Cajun spice
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 cup vermouth
1 onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Melt the butter in a large frying pan that has a lid.  Add in the Cajun spice, garlic and onion.  Saute for 2 minutes until the onions are soft.  Add in the vermouth and cook for a further 3 minutes, making sure you stir constantly.  Pour in the water.  Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on the pan.  Sprinkle the salmon with the black pepper and the salt.  Put the lid on the frying pan.  Let the salmon simmer for 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.  When you touch it with a fork and it flakes it is done.  Dribble some lemon juice on each piece of salmon and serve with a salad.
Cindy Vine is the author of Hush Baby, Not Telling, Defective and C U @ 8.  All her books are available on Amazon in both kindle and paperback formats.  Cindy is currently working on a recipe book.

Harira from Morocco

This hearty soup will make you believe that you are in Morocco.  It's full of flavour and very warming on a cold evening.  I made this in a slow cooker but it is possible to cook this in a pot on the stove-top.  However if you are wanting the lamb to fall apart and melt in your mouth, then a slow cooker is the way to go.
There are many variations of making Harira.  In North Africa this soup is commonly eaten to break the fast after Ramadan.

1 can chickpeas
1/4 cup brown lentils
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 kg lamb pieces (some bones will be good)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 chicken stock cube
4 cups water
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 stick celery finely chopped
1 handful fresh coriander finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
fresh mint leaves for garnishing
Put the olive oil in a pot and saute the onion until soft.  Add the lamb pieces and allow them to lightly brown. In a cup add the tablespoon of boiling water to the saffron threads.  Stir this mixture into the lamb mixture.   Add in the rest of the ingredients except the chickpeas and lentils and reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 2 hours.  Add in the chickpeas and lentils.  You might need to add a little more water.  Simmer for another hour until the lamb is falling apart.  Serve with a flat bread and garnish with the mint leaves.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U@ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Chunky Tomato Soup from Spain

This is a quick and easy and very tasty homemade tomato soup to make.  The flavour combinations give it that extra depth and you can be forgiven for picturing yourself sitting in a cafe in Spain when eating this.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 cans chopped tomato
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons mixed herbs
2 tablespoons Worcester sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 handfuls fresh herbs finely chopped (like thyme, coriander, oregano)
Put the olive oil in a pot and saute the onion and garlic until soft.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.  And then it's done!  I did say it was quick and easy!  Serve with toast or fresh bread.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U@ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Carbonada Criolla from Argentina

Growing up, we used to eat stew a couple of times a week.  As a struggling single mother, stew was a staple for us.  A way to feed a family using cheaper cuts of meat.  So always on the lookout to make stew a little different, this beef stew from Argentina is definitely unusual but decidedly delicious.  Because of the dried fruit and sweet potatoes the stew is sweeter than the conventional stew.  But when you are looking for something hearty and warming on a chilly evening, Carbonada Criolla is ideal.  Serve with cornbread and a salad or brown rice.  Perfect for cooking in a slow cooker.

1 large onion roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 green pepper finely sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 kg stewing beef cut into chunks
1 can peeled and chopped tomatoes
2 cups water

1 beef stock cube
3 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
2 white potatoes peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons sugar
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup dried apricots roughly chopped

1/2 cup raisins
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon black pepper

chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

This is quite a bulky stew so you will need to use a large pot or your slow cooker.  Sauté the onions, green pepper, and garlic in the olive oil until golden and soft.  Add the beef chunks and lightly brown the meat.  Add the can of tomatoes, beef stock cube, water, potatoes, sugar, butternut, and dried fruit, and allow to simmer for about an hour.  Add the salt and pepper and a little more water if the stew is too thick.
Let it simmer for another 45 minutes until the beef cubes break apart when you touch them with a fork.  Stir in the frozen corn, and simmer for 5 minutes more.  Alternatively, put the ingredients in your slow cooker on low heat in the morning before leaving for work, and it will be perfect when you get home later in the day.
Cindy Vine is the author of Hush Baby, Not Telling, Defective and C U @ 8. All her books are available on Amazon in both kindle and paperback formats. Cindy is currently working on a recipe book.

Lamb and Date Stew from Oman

Bags of flavour is the best way to describe this tasty stew from Oman.  You can cook it on the stove-top letting it simmer for a few hours until the lamb chunks just fall apart.  Or you can do as I did and let it simmer all day in the slow cooker.  Serve this stew with brown rice and be prepared to be wowed by the flavour combinations.  This is easy to make as you put everything in a pot and forget about it until it's ready for eating.

1 kg boneless lamb cut into chunks
1 large onion finely sliced
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon dried chili finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 stock cubes
2 cups water
6 dates pitted and chopped
Mix the salt, chili and spices together and throw over the lamb chunks making sure they are evenly covered.  Put the oil in the pot and saute the onion and garlic until soft.  Add in the spiced lamb chunks and brown.  Add in the water and the stock cubes and leave the stew to simmer for a couple of hours until the meat is starting to fall apart.  Add in the chopped dates and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.  Serve with rice.  You can use roasted almonds as a garnish if you wish.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U@ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Samaki Wa Kusonga from Zanzibar

Samaki is the Kiswahili for fish.  Samaki wa kusonga are fish croquettes.  The fish used for making croquettes can be from any white flaked fish.  Leftovers are good. Canned tuna or salmon can also be used.  When I made this I used canned tuna and it worked very well.  Just remember to drain the canned fish.  The trick to successful fish croquettes is not to deep fry them but rather saute them in butter.  Very easy to make and extremely tasty.

2 cups or 2 cans cooked fish
1 teaspoon salt
1 big pinch saffron
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs or rolled oats
butter for the saute
lemon slices for the garnish
whole cloves for the garnish
In a large bowl mix the fish, salt, saffron, vinegar, chili powder and cumin together.  Shape and roll the fish mixture into croquettes and place them on a plate in the fridge to firm up.  Spread the breadcrumbs or rolled oats out on a plate.  Personally, I have found that the rolled oats give a crispier crust.  Take the croquettes out the fridge.  Dip them first in the egg and then roll them across the breadcrumbs or rolled oats.  Pop them back into the fridge for about half an hour.  You want them to be firm.  Put some butter in the hot pan and as soon as it melts put in the croquettes and saute until golden brown on all sides.  Garnish with lemon slices with 2-3 whole cloves stuck into them.  Serve the croquettes with dipping sauces like satay, coconut chutney, peri peri sauce or a fruit chutney.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U@ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

N'dizi Na Kasted from Zanzibar

N'dizi is the Kiswahili word for bananas. Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania, famous for its spices. When you go there for a beach holiday, you will be served delicious desserts which utilise the fruit and spices from the island. The bananas in the dessert can be substituted with crushed or diced pinapple, but then it will be Mananasi Na Kasted, mananasi being the Kiswahili for pineapple. This dessert can be made with vanilla, butterscotch or caramel packaged pudding. It can also be made with the pouring ready-made custard you buy at the supermarket. Alternatively you can make your own custard from custard powder. Do not make it too thick though. Since Zanzibar is the Spice Island, you cannot leave out the spices as that is what makes this dessert unique.

Custard for 4-6 servings

3 bananas peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

pinch nutmeg

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons peanuts finely chopped

whipped cream

Put the banana slices in the parfait glasses or champagne flutes or whatever glasses you are using for this dessert. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sugar and peanuts. Fill one third of the glass with custard, then sprinkle a teaspoon of the spice/sugar mixture, pour in another third of custard and sprinkle the top with another layer of the spice/sugar mixture. Repeat until the glass is 3/4 full. Top with some whipped cream and finish it off with some more sprinkles of the sugar/spice mixture. Place the dessert in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Machboos from Qatar

Machboos is like a Middle Eastern version of paella.  This popular dish can be made with meat, poultry or seafood.  It is the paste that gives it its unique flavour.  I guess you can make it vegetarian by substituting the meat with vegetables.  I first had machboos at the Qatari stand at an international food festival and was hooked.  This recipe is quite simple.  Don't let the many ingredients make you believe it's complicated.

The Paste
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground bay leaves
1 tablespoon paprika
4 cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
6 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
The Dish
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion finely sliced
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 can whole peeled tomatoes
1 stock cube
500g beef/lamb/chicken cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
pinch of saffron
drizzle of yoghurt
To make the paste, put all the ingredients for the paste in a small bowl and grind together.  Next put the oil in a pot or wok and add the onion and garlic.  Saute until soft.  Add the spice paste and mix it in well with the onions and garlic.  Add the meat and brown for about 4 minutes.  Empty in the can of whole peeled tomatoes and add the stock cube.  Add the water.  Let it simmer until the meat is cooked.  Add the rice and stir it in well.  Add the pinch of saffron.  Let it continue to simmer until the rice is cooked.  If you taste and the rice isn't quite cooked, then add a little more water if the water has cooked off.  Make sure that the rice doesn't become overcooked and soggy.  It should have the consistency of the rice in a paella.
Serve in bowls with a drizzle of yoghurt and a salad.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Mango Lassi from Laos

I know you are thinking mango lassis are from India.  Well they are and they aren't.  They're also from all over South East Asia.  The reason why I'm crediting them to Laos is I think they might have perfected them.  Besides the old temples, Mekong River and Buddhist monks walking everywhere, the thing I remember most about my holiday in Luang Prabang in Laos is the mango lassis.  They were sold everywhere, restaurants and street food stalls.  Wherever you looked there they were.  And without exception they were all delicious and very refreshing.  They are incredibly easy to make.

1 mango peeled, pitted and cut into cubes
1 cup plain yoghurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 milk or water
Put all the ingredients in your food processor and blend until you have a thick liquid.  Pour into a glass filled with ice-blocks or crushed ice.  If you have fresh mint you can use a few leaves as a garnish.  Take a sip, close your eyes and you'll see the old temples in Luang Prabang.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Fahsa Saltah from Yemen

This is the traditional lunch dish in Yemen.  It contains something called hulba which is made from fenugreek.  However, that is not always easy to come by so I have come up with an alternative you can try which will give a similar flavour.  The meat in this dish could be lamb or beef.  This is ideal for a slow cooker as you want the meat to be literally falling apart.  Put it on in the morning and eat it when you come home from work.

1 tablespoon oil
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 onion finely sliced
1 green chili finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 beef stock cube
500g beef cut into cubes
5 cups water
Hulba alternative
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fennel
1 capsicum finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water
Put the oil in a large pot or slow cooker.  Saute the onion, garlic and chili until soft.  Add the beef cubes and lightly brown.  Add in the water, stock cube, turmeric, salt, coriander and cumin.  Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 2 hours, until you can break the meat apart with a fork.
For the hulba put everything in a food processor and blend it until you have the consistency of a thick cream.
Remove your fahsa saltah from the heat and stir in the hulba.  You don't have to use all the hulba as it is quite spicy.  3 Tablespoons should do it.  Eat with naan or slices of fresh bread.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Imphwa from Zambia

This dish is especially for the vegetarians out there.   Incredibly easy and very tasty, this could be served as a main dish with rice or maize meal porridge.  Alternatively, this is good as a side-dish to cater for the vegetarian contingent at your BBQ.

2 cups water

3 onions coarsely chopped

3 tomatoes diced into cubes

3 cups diced brinjal

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon turmeric

Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the onions and tomatoes in the water and then let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a stir.  Cook for a further 20 minutes and you're done.  I told you it was quick and easy!

Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Chili Paneer from India

When I lived in Tanzania I used to enjoy the chili paneer from the Indian restaurant down the road from my house.  Having managed to buy what appears to be paneer, I thought I'd give making chili paneer a go.  If you can't get your hands on paneer, you can use a block of soft cheese.

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 capsicum finely chopped
3 spring onions finely chopped
3 chilies finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 block paneer cut into cubes
1/4 cup cornflour for dusting
salt to taste
Put the cooking oil in a large frying pan or wok.  Cover the paneer cubes with the cornflour and use your hand to mix it together so that the paneer is uniformly coated.  Fry in the hot oil until lightly browned and set aside on a plate with kitchen towel so that any oil can drain.  Put the onion and garlic into the pan and saute in the hot oil until soft.  Add the capsicum, spring onions and chilies and mix them in with the onion and garlic mixture.  Put the sesame oil, chili powder, curry powder, turmeric and cumin into a bowl and mix it into a thick paste.  Add the paste to the wok and mix it in well with all the other ingredients.  Add the soy sauce and fried paneer cubes.  You might need to add a little water to prevent sticking if your mixture is very thick.  Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes so that the flavours are infused, tossing and stirring all the time.  You can add more chili to increase the spice or take away chili to decrease it.  This is a very spicy dish, so be prepared with a cool drink at hand!
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv, Ukraine.  She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats.  http://cindyvine.com

Manchester Tart from England

My friend Tracy Booth said, "Seeing you are making things from all around the world, why not have a go at making a Manchester Tart?"  Obviously she's from Manchester.  Always up for a challenge, I thought why not.  Manchester Tart was a staple in school dinners and obviously brought back good memories for Tracy.  When I researched the recipe I found several variations and eventually decided to up it a notch from the school dinner variety and make it more contemporary and adult.  Tracy was pleased with the result.  I did the tart justice!  In reality all a Manchester Tart is, is a deconstructed trifle.  Or maybe a trifle is a deconstructed Manchester Tart?

The Pastry Base
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
The Filling Layers
1/2 cup strawberry jam
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons martini bianco or other spirit
2 tablespoons butter
2 bananas sliced
The Custard
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
5 heaped tablespoons custard powder
The Topping
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
8 boozy cherries
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Cream the butter and sugar for the pastry base.  When it is light and fluffy add in the egg and beat it some more.  Fold in the flour and baking powder.  You will have a very soft sticky dough that is too thick for a batter but too soft for a dough.  Sort of like a cookie dough.  Grease a baking tin and spread your base mixture evenly over the bottom, using the back of a spoon.  Pop it into the oven to bake for about 15 minutes, or until it turns golden.  Take it out the oven and set it aside to cool while you move onto caramelising your bananas.  Slice your bananas.  Put the sugar into the frying pan and allow it to caramelise.  Add the butter and spirits and give it a good stir.  Throw in the sliced bananas, and keep spooning the mixture over them so that they are completely coated with it and caramelised.  Smooth the strawberry jam over the baked pastry in the baking tin.  If you don't have strawberry jam you can use another type of jam.  I made a strawberry, whiskey and lime jam for this recipe.  Spoon the caramelised bananas over the jam and make sure it's evenly distributed.  Cover with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge while you make your custard.  Put the milk in a pot and bring to the boil, making sure you keep an eye on it so that it doesn't boil over.  In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar and custard powder together.  Pour in a little of the boiled milk so that you get an 'easy-to-pour' consistency.  Pour the custard mixture into the boiled milk and stir it until it thickens, making sure that you don't let lumps form.  A lumpy custard is no good.  Reduce the heat and cook the custard until it's very thick.  Pour the custard onto the caramelised banana layer.  Sprinkle the tart with the desiccated coconut and decorate with the boozy cherries.  I made my own boozy cherries by boiling up fresh cherries, sugar and sweet red wine.
Cut into generous slices and serve.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv, Ukraine.  She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats.  http://cindyvine.com

Tofu Hambagu from Japan

When you think of Japanese cuisine you think of healthy food and this tasty snack is no exception.  Although it contains tofu, it also has meat in it, so despite its name it is NOT suitable for vegetarians.  Sorry about that!  The meatballs have an extra dimension to them because of the tofu.  And the teriyaki sauce compliments it beautifully.  In this recipe I have used chicken mince, but you can substitute the chicken with beef or pork mince if you wish.

250g chicken mince
1 pack tofu
1 1/2 capsicum (different colours)
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 thumb-size of ginger finely chopped
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons cooking oil for frying
Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sweet wine
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon potato starch
Mix the chicken mince, tofu, capsicum, onion, ginger, egg, salt and pepper together in a bowl.  The mixture should be quite sticky.  Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes.  Put the oil in a frying pan.  Sprinkle the cup of bread crumbs onto a flat plate.  Form the mince mixture into meatballs and roll them in the bread crumbs before frying them in the hot oil.  When the meatballs are cooked through reduce the heat.  In a cup mix together the soy sauce, sugar, sweet wine, vinegar and potato starch.  Pour over the meatballs in the frying pan.  Allow to simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.  Don't forget to flip over the meatballs so that both sides are coated in the sauce!  Serve with rice or put on a hamburger bun.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine.  She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Kokoda from Fiji

Kokoda is the Fijian version of ceviche and makes good use of the products commonly found on the islands.  It is fresh, tasty and requires no cooking whatsoever.  Very easy to make, kokoda is a great starter and looks pretty when served on a lettuce leaf.

4 white fish fillets
4 limes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 onion finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
2 tomatoes quartered
1 capsicum finely chopped
Slice the fish fillets into bite-sized chunks.  Sprinkle over the salt.  Cut the limes into quarters and squeeze their juice onto the fish chunks so that the fish is completely covered in lime juice.  Cover with plastic wrap and pop into the fridge and forget about it for 24 hours.  Just before serving, pour off the excess lime juice.  Add the onion, chili, tomato, capsicum and coconut milk.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine.  She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Gateaux Piments from Mauritius

On a visit to the beautiful island of Mauritius, I was incredibly lucky to get to sample Gateaux Piments.  These dal fritters from Mauritius are a delicious street food and exceptionally quick and easy to make.  The longest part of the process is soaking the lentils or yellow split peas overnight.  Serve hot as a tasty snack.  Perfect as a bar snack when you have guests coming over for drinks.  You can use a chutney or a sweet chili sauce for dipping your Gateaux Piments in as an added dimension.

1 cup lentils/yellow split peas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 onion finely chopped
2 chilies finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
oil for frying
Soak the lentils or yellow split peas overnight in water.  Pour off the excess water and put the lentils or yellow split peas in the food processor to make a paste.  Add the salt, onions, chilies and baking soda and mix it all together.  Divide the mixture up into golf-sized balls.  Flatten slightly and fry until golden.  It doesn't get much easier than this!

Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Norway.  She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Kishuim Spread from Israel

My first encounter with kishuim spread was when I visited a friend in Israel and instantly fell in love.  I knew that the minute my holiday was over I'd be in my kitchen trying to recreate the spread.  You can serve this as a spread on bread, with pita or even as a side with a barbecue.  It is extremely versatile and unbelievably delicious.

1 large zucchini or punnet of small zuchinni
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions finely sliced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 cup mayonnaise or Greek yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
Grate the zucchini leaving the skin on.  Put the olive oil into a pan and saute the onions and the garlic.  When it is soft and translucent add the grated zucchini. Saute until it is very soft.  Add the salt, pepper, sugar and soy sauce.  Saute for another 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and empty out the contents of the pan into a bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it all together
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine.  She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com