Recipes | I've Been Cooking

Bourek

Crispy, golden North African bourek filled with spiced ground beef, onion, and herbs, served with a bright harissa-lemon kick. A crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s crunchy on the outside and juicy inside. Great for sharing at iftar, parties, or as a savory snack.

🇩🇿 Algeria$$

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$$

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$$

Merguez

Merguez is a spicy North African sausage made from lamb and beef, seasoned with harissa, paprika, cumin, coriander, fennel, garlic, and cayenne. It’s bold, smoky, and aromatic—excellent grilled or pan-seared and served with flatbreads, couscous, or salads.

🇩🇿 Algeria$$

Chapli Kebab

Chapli Kebab is a boldly spiced, shallow‑fried beef patty from the Pakistani–Afghan region, studded with onion, tomato, herbs, and crushed spices. Crispy at the edges and juicy inside, it’s finished with lemon for brightness and served with chutney, naan, or salad.

🇵🇰 Pakistan$$

Goulash

A hearty Hungarian-style goulash: tender beef simmered with onions, garlic, sweet paprika, caraway, bell pepper, and potatoes in a rich beef broth. Comforting, aromatic, and deeply savory with a gentle paprika warmth.

🇭🇺 Hungary$$

Kansiye

Kansiye is a rich West African beef and peanut stew simmered with tomatoes, aromatics, and warm spices, finished with a bright splash of lemon and fresh parsley. It’s hearty, comforting, and typically served over fluffy rice.

🇬🇳 Guinea$$

Carne en Vara

Carne en Vara is a traditional Llanero-style fire-roasted beef, seasoned simply with salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, annatto, lime, and vinegar, then slow-cooked over open flames. Served with yuca, sweet plantains, arepas, and a bright chimichurri, it’s a rustic, smoky feast.

🇻🇪 Venezuela$$

Knoffel Kapana

Knoffel Kapana is a Namibian-style garlic-spiked grilled beef, seared hot and served with a bright tomato-onion relish, lemon, and fresh coriander. It’s smoky, spicy, and bold with clean, simple ingredients.

🇳🇦 Namibia$$

Aruba Vita Pastechi

Aruba Vita Pastechi are golden, deep-fried Aruban turnovers with a tender, buttery dough and a savory corned beef–cheddar filling accented by onions, peppers, olives, raisins, and warm spices. Crisp outside, melty and aromatic inside—perfect with a morning coffee or as a street-food style snack.

🇦🇼 Aruba$$

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