Recipes | I've Been Cooking

Fekei

Fekei is a simple pan-fried flatbread made from flour, water, salt, and oil—crisp at the edges and tender inside, perfect with dips, soups, or as a quick wrap base.

🇹🇻 Tuvalu$

Rīgas Šprotu Pērkons

A bold Latvian open-faced rye toast layered with smoked sprats, silky butter, and a sharp sour-cream–mustard–horseradish sauce, brightened with lemon, dill, red onion, capers, and finished with sliced egg.

🇱🇻 Latvia$

Yarma

A comforting Turkish yogurt-and-bulgur soup (Yarma/Yayla çorbası) scented with mint, gently thickened with egg and flour, and finished with a garlicky butter–paprika drizzle.

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan$

Num Pia

Num Pia is a robust Southeast Asian beef noodle soup featuring brisket, bones, and tripe simmered with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Finished with fish sauce, tamarind, roasted rice powder, chili, herbs, and a touch of bile for a traditional, pleasantly bitter depth.

🇰🇭 Cambodia$$

Corvina al Cilantro

Pan-seared corvina in a bright cilantro–lime and jalapeño garlic sauce, finished with a touch of butter and white wine. Fresh, zesty, and herb-forward with gentle heat—perfect for a quick seafood main.

🇪🇨 Ecuador$$

Kibbeh bil Saniyeh

Kibbeh bil Saniyeh is a classic Lebanese baked tray of finely ground lamb and bulgur layered or mixed into a cohesive cake, perfumed with cinnamon, allspice, and dried mint. Toasted pine nuts add richness and crunch, while olive oil and ghee create a crisp, bronzed top with a tender interior.

🇸🇾 Syria$$$

Tapalapa

Tapalapa is a traditional West African mixed-grain bread from The Gambia and Senegal, known for its hearty, slightly nutty flavor and crusty exterior. Made with millet, sorghum, rice, corn, and wheat flours, it’s perfect for breakfast sandwiches or dipping into stews.

🇬🇲 Gambia$

Brussels Wasabi Frites

Crispy russet potato and brussels sprout frites tossed with salt and pepper, finished with a punchy wasabi mayo, soy-vinegar brightness, scallions, sesame, and nori for a Japanese-inspired, umami-rich bite.

🇧🇪 Belgium$$

Or Lam

Or Lam is a fragrant Lao beef stew with lemongrass, galangal, eggplant, and mushrooms, thickened with toasted sticky rice powder and finished with dill and holy basil. Traditionally served with sticky rice.

🇱🇦 Laos$$

Kashkaval

Kashkaval is a semi-hard Balkan cheese known for its buttery, mildly tangy flavor and excellent meltability. Made by culturing milk and setting it with rennet, then brining and aging, it’s delicious on cheeseboards, grated over dishes, or pan-fried/grilled.

🇲🇰 Macedonia$$

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