Recipes | I've Been Cooking

Keke Lolo

Keke Lolo is an island-style coconut cake/quick bread enriched with coconut milk and grated coconut, warmly spiced and dotted with raisins. A hint of lime zest and bay leaf–infused liquid add fragrant depth for a moist, tender crumb.

🇹🇴 Tonga$$

Surinamese Sesame Coconut Squares

Chewy-crisp Surinamese sesame coconut squares infused with fresh ginger, vanilla, and a hint of lime zest. A fragrant, toasty confection that balances nutty sesame with tropical coconut and bright citrus. Perfect for gifting, tea time, or an after-dinner sweet.

🇸🇷 Suriname$

Wagashi Cotonou

A classic Beninese fresh cheese, curdled with lemon juice and lightly salted, then fried in vibrant red palm oil for a delicately springy texture and savory, gently tangy flavor. Often enjoyed as street food or a snack, Wagashi Cotonou shines with a crisp exterior and creamy center.

🇧🇯 Benin$

Imqaret bil-Ġinġer

Crisp, golden Maltese date pastries scented with ginger and warm spices. A zesty, aromatic filling of dates, citrus, anise, and fennel wrapped in a semolina-boosted dough, then fried until flaky and fragrant.

🇲🇹 Malta$$

Paluda

Falooda (Paluda) is a layered, rose-scented Indian dessert drink made with sweetened milk, vermicelli, soaked basil seeds, jelly, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, finished with pistachios and almonds and perfumed with cardamom and saffron.

🇹🇯 Tajikistan$$

Sahrawi Atay Sfenj

A classic Sahrawi pairing: airy, chewy sfenj (Maghrebi fried dough rings) drizzled with honey, served alongside foamy mint tea (atay). Comforting, social, and perfect for tea time.

🇪🇭 Western Sahara$

Sai Bondibaiy

Sai Bondibaiy is a Maldivian sweet sticky rice cooked gently in coconut milk with cardamom and pandan, enriched with ghee, raisins, and cashews, and finished with a touch of rose water.

🇲🇻 Maldives$$

Camel Milk Ice Cream

A light, silky custard-style ice cream made with camel milk and vanilla for a clean, subtly sweet finish.

🇩🇯 Djibouti$$$

Tandir Non

Tandir Non is a traditional Uzbek tandoor-baked bread, crisp on the outside with a tender, slightly tangy crumb from yogurt and milk. Topped with sesame and nigella seeds, it’s perfect alongside savory dishes or enjoyed on its own with tea.

🇹🇯 Tajikistan$

Macau Spice Custard Tart

A Macau-style spiced custard tart featuring flaky puff pastry and a silky egg custard infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, star anise, lemon zest, vanilla, and a splash of dark rum.

🇲🇴 Macau$$

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