Recipes | I've Been Cooking

Cocada Moçambicana

A classic Mozambican coconut confection: chewy, fragrant cocada enriched with egg, butter, vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, and studded with crunchy cashews. Sweet, tropical, and lightly spiced, it sets into bite-size bars perfect for sharing.

🇲🇿 Mozambique$$

Pineapple Sim Sim Mandazi

Golden East African mandazi scented with cardamom, enriched with coconut milk and pineapple, and sprinkled with sim sim (sesame) seeds. Lightly sweet, crisp outside and pillowy inside—perfect with chai or coffee.

🇺🇬 Uganda$$

Crema del Titano

A silky vanilla-and-lemon crema from San Marino set with gelatin, enriched with milk, cream, and egg yolks. Served chilled with a dark-chocolate drizzle, toasted almonds, a shot of espresso, and crunchy biscotti for dipping.

🇸🇲 San Marino$$

Poleada Salvadoreña

Poleada Salvadoreña is a silky Salvadoran cornstarch custard infused with cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon peel, often finished with raisins and a dusting of ground cinnamon. Comforting, aromatic, and traditional, it can be served warm or chilled.

🇸🇻 El Salvador$

Faroese Pancakes with Heather Honey

Delicately thin Faroese-style pancakes scented with vanilla, cardamom, and lemon zest, finished with a drizzle of fragrant heather honey. Soft, lacy edges and a floral sweetness make them a cozy Nordic-inspired treat.

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands$

Pakhlava

A rich, layered nut-and-honey dessert made with delicate phyllo, fragrant spices, and a glossy lemon-honey syrup. Crisp on top, tender within, and deeply aromatic with cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla.

🇦🇲 Armenia$$$

Alloco

Alloco is a beloved Ivorian street-food snack of ripe plantains fried until caramelized and served with a zesty tomato-onion-chili relish brightened with lime.

🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire$

Garri au Lait

A refreshing, no-cook West African bowl of soaked garri enriched with evaporated milk, sweetened to taste, and topped with roasted groundnuts, banana slices, coconut flakes, and ice for a creamy-crunchy chill.

🇨🇲 Cameroon$

Om Ali

Om Ali is a classic Egyptian bread-pudding-style dessert made with flaky puff pastry soaked in sweetened milk and cream, scented with cinnamon and vanilla. Studded with almonds, pistachios, raisins, and coconut, it bakes up rich, cozy, and irresistibly golden on top.

🇪🇬 Egypt$$

Boiled Taro

Simple, comforting boiled taro seasoned with salt. Tender and mildly sweet, it’s a versatile staple or snack enjoyed on its own or as a base for other flavors.

🇻🇺 Vanuatu$

I've been...

Cocada Moçambicana

Pineapple Sim Sim Mandazi

Crema del Titano

Poleada Salvadoreña

Faroese Pancakes with Heather Honey

Pakhlava

Alloco

Garri au Lait

Om Ali

Boiled Taro

I've been...

Cocada Moçambicana

Pineapple Sim Sim Mandazi

Crema del Titano

Poleada Salvadoreña

Faroese Pancakes with Heather Honey

Pakhlava

Alloco

Garri au Lait

Om Ali

Boiled Taro