Recipes | I've Been Cooking

N'Djamena Beignets

N'Djamena Beignets are fluffy, yeast-raised Chadian fried dough pillows scented with vanilla and nutmeg, then showered in powdered sugar. Crispy on the outside and tender inside, they’re a beloved street snack often enjoyed with tea or coffee.

🇹🇩 Chad$

Bokit

A Guadeloupean street-food classic: crispy fried bokit bread stuffed with seasoned chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, parsley, cheese, and a splash of lime and hot sauce.

🇬🇵 Guadeloupe$$

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$$

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$

Buchi Buchi

Classic Filipino Buchi Buchi: crisp, sesame-coated glutinous rice balls with a sweet mung bean or red bean paste center—chewy inside, golden and nutty outside.

🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands$

Anguillian Coconut-Coated Crayfish

Crisp, aromatic crayfish coated in a golden coconut crust with lime, garlic, ginger, and a touch of Scotch bonnet heat—an Anguillian-inspired bite that’s zesty, spicy, and satisfying.

🇦🇮 Anguilla$$$

Empanadas de Viento

Empanadas de Viento are Ecuadorian fried cheese pastries with an airy, blistered crust and a light dusting of sugar. Crisp outside, gooey-cheese inside—perfect for snacking or serving as a party bite.

🇪🇨 Ecuador$

Roast Breadfruit and Fried Jackfish

A Jamaican staple: smoky roast breadfruit served with crisp, well-seasoned fried jackfish. The fish is marinated with lime, garlic, scallion, thyme, and scotch bonnet, then lightly dredged in a flour–cornmeal mix and fried golden. Finished with a touch of butter on the breadfruit and a peppery vinegar splash.

🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines$$

Keke 'Isite

Keke 'Isite are pillowy Tongan yeast doughnuts, lightly sweet and scented with vanilla and nutmeg, fried until golden and dusted with powdered sugar. Perfect with tea or coffee.

🇹🇴 Tonga$

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