Milo Dinosaur/Godzilla

The Milo Dinosaur/Godzilla is a drink derived from a normal Milo milk drink but with a couple of twists. Although there might be similar drinks all over the world the Milo Dinosaur/Godzilla received its name in Singapore. 

Below is a video made by us that shows you how the Milo Dinosaur/Godzilla is made.

Potjiekos - Traditional South African food.

In South Africa Potjiekos, literally meaning "small pot of food", is a stew cooked outdoors. It is traditionally cooked in a round, cast iron, three-legged pot called a potjie or Dutch Oven. The potjie is a spread through Southern Africa in the 17th century into the homes and villages of the people of South Africa. It originated from the Netherlands and was brought over to South Africa by the dutch settlers. The pot uses small quantities of wood or charcoal to be heated, or when the fuel is extremely rare, twisted grass or even animal dung can be used.

Traditionally, the recipe for Potjiekos includes meat, vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, squash, and starch like rice or potatoes.  It is slowly cooked with Dutch Malaysian spices the feature of the early culinary melting pot of South Africa. Other common ingredients include fruit and flour-based products such as pasta.

Potjiekos originated with the Voortrekkers, as a stew of game meat and vegetables cooked in the pot. When Voortrekers (pioneers) shot game large bones was include to thicken the stew. Game meats includes deer, poultry such as guinea fowl, warthogs, bush pig, rabbits and hares.

The meat is often seasoned with some form of alcohol taste - especially beer, Old Brown Sherry or dessert wine such as Humbro.

Potjiekos is usually served w1ith rice, pasta or something similar.

Picture from: http://www.southafrica.net/blog/en/posts/entry/a-taste-of-south-africa

Post by Adriaan Henning

Bánh Bèo

Delicious looking bánh bèo made by Annette. Credit: The Spices of Life

Bánh Bèo is type of steamed cake from Vietnam. It originated in central Vietnam from the Hue city, and is popular throughout Vietnam. Bèo from it's name is the Vietnamese word from Lily Pads, and this is because this dish looks like bite sized lily pads. According to The Hungry Muse, there are a few different ways of making this dish, and this depends on what region on Vietnam you'd like to stay true to. Essentially though the basis of this dish is steamed rice cake, with minced shrimp and deep fried scallions topping it off.

The steamed rice cake is made from steaming a rice flour batter in little bowls.After being steamed they are topped of with the minced shrimp and deep fried scallions. This is the basics, but other variations on toppings can include fried shallots, mung bean paste, roasted bread, or tiny cubes of crispy pork rinds. Like many other Vietnamese dishes, this is typically eaten with fish sauce. The Spices of Life suggests the best way to make these is with a little dimple in the middle of each, so that is it perfect to hold the toppings.

Credit: A Blog of Salt

Thanks for reading, Jess.

Droëwors - Traditional South African snackfood

Droëwors is a true South African snack based on traditional coriander spiced Broerewors.

It is usually made from thin sausage instead of the thicker sausage as the thinner sausages usually dries faster and therefore is not easily spoiled before it’s cured. Thicker sausage is usually pressed flat, giving it a larger surface area for faster drying.

The recipe for droëwors similar to that of Boerewors except the pork is replaced with beef as pork is not edible when raw. Lamb intestines replace the pig intestines used in boerewors. After the drying of droëwors it can be left unrefrigerated.

Droëwors is unusual among others dried meat, as it dries quickly in hot, dry conditions, in contrast to the traditional Italian salami, which dries slowly relatively cold and humid conditions. One other difference is that droëwors does not include curing agents in the ingrediants. A direct result of this is that the droëwors cannot be stored in humid conditions, as it can easily attract mould.

Picture from: http://www.biltongbokkie.co.za/

Post by Adriaan Henning

Biltong - Traditional South African snackfood

Biltong is a prime example of a typical South African snack food.

Biltong is very popular in South Africa and Namibia, but also in countries that South Africans have emigrated to in recent years, like the Netherlands, England, Australia, New Zealand and Germany.

Biltong is a variety of dried, cured meat that originated in southern Africa. Various kinds of meats are used to produce them, ranging from beef and game meat fillets such as ostrich from commercial farms. Typically raw fillets of meat are cut into strips to the grain of the muscles, or flat pieces are cut across the grain. It's similar to beef jerky in that they are both spiced, dried meats.
The typical ingredients, taste and production processes are different. The main difference is that biltong is dried and then cut while jerky sliced before it is dried.

Biltong, Boerewors, Potjiekos, Droewors and Koeksisters are all traditional South African dishes, and is part of a social relationship between Africans worldwide. Biltong is one of the foods that represent South Africa in the international cookbook published by the United Nations.

 Picture from: http://www.biltong.nu/shop/contents/nl/d4.html

Post by Adriaan Henning