Recipes | I've Been Cooking

Dumboy

Dumboy is a traditional Liberian cassava dumpling, pounded until smooth and elastic, then served warm with a drizzle of rich red palm oil. Simple, hearty, and naturally gluten-free.

🇱🇷 Liberia$

Salatat Dakwa bil Limoon

A bright Sudanese-style peanut and lemon salad (Salatat Dakwa bil Limoon) with tomato, onion, chili, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, and cumin—zesty, crunchy, and lightly spicy. Perfect as a dip or side to grilled meats and flatbreads.

🇸🇩 Sudan$

Mukeke

A Burundian/East African preparation of mukeke (Lake Tanganyika fish) seasoned with lemon, garlic, onion, tomato, and chili, then wrapped in banana leaf and steamed or grilled. Traditionally served with cassava, plantain, or rice.

🇧🇮 Burundi$$

Balkenbrij

Balkenbrij is a traditional Dutch spiced pork-and-buckwheat loaf made from pork shoulder and liver, set until firm, then sliced and pan‑fried until crisp. Hearty and savory with warm spices like cloves and cinnamon, it’s perfect for a rustic, cold‑weather meal.

🇳🇱 Netherlands$

Frango Piri-Piri

Portuguese-style grilled Frango Piri-Piri: juicy chicken marinated with piri-piri chiles, garlic, lemon, olive oil, smoked paprika, oregano, and a splash of red wine vinegar for bright heat and smoky depth.

🇵🇹 Portugal$$

Dombrés aux haricots rouges

A hearty French Antillean one-pot stew of red beans simmered with aromatics, smoked pork, and bacon, finished with tender flour dumplings (dombrés). Comforting, savory, and lightly spicy with thyme and chili heat.

🇬🇵 Guadeloupe$

Tabbouleh

A bright, herb-forward Levantine salad of finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, and cucumber folded with tender bulgur, lemon, and extra-virgin olive oil. Light, zesty, and perfect as a mezze or side, served scooped with crisp romaine leaves.

🇱🇧 Lebanon$

Hamour Machboos

Hamour Machboos is a fragrant Gulf-style spiced rice with tender hamour (grouper), aromatics, and dried limes for signature depth. Ghee, saffron, and warm spices create a celebratory, comfort-food feel.

🇶🇦 Qatar$$$

Pixxispad bil-Kappar

Pixxispad bil-Kappar is a Maltese classic: seared swordfish gently simmered in a bright tomato, caper, white wine, and lemon sauce with garlic, onion, bay leaf, and parsley. Briny and citrusy with a hint of heat, it’s a simple, elegant seafood main.

🇲🇹 Malta$$$

Zaatar Manousheh

Classic Lebanese flatbread baked until golden and topped with a fragrant za’atar-olive oil blend, served with cool labneh, fresh cucumber and tomato, mint, olives, and a squeeze of lemon. A bright, herbaceous breakfast or snack with satisfying chew and tang.