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June, 2017

LATIN DISHES

Anita’s Most Delicious Homemade Venezuelan Cachapas (Fresh Corn Pancakes)

Ingredients for two Cachapas

2 cups fresh yellow corn kernels

1/4 cup whole milk

1 Tablespoon butter

1/4 cup cornmeal or harina pan venezolana (international aisles to find)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup fresh grated mozzarella cheese or (authentic queso mano)

Preparation

  1. Grind the yellow corn in a food processor or blender. Blend together yellow corn kernels, milk, sugar, cornmeal or harina pan, and butter until batter have thickened and well blended with a smooth consistency.
  2. Preheat a griddle or a cast iron pan over medium heat.
  3. Grease the griddle with a little butter (using a paper towel). Pour about a half cup measured or more of the batter creating a circle well even distributed.
  4. Cook Cachapas on one side for about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes on the other side until cheese has melted completely and cachapa is golden brown. Fold in half and spread butter over the top. Yumm!CACHAPA IN BLUE PLATE

Note: You can have this delicious Homemade Fresh Corn Cachapa typically served next to  a delicious doll of Venezuelan Nata or creamy  Mexican Sour Cream and “queso de mano” which can be substitute with mozzarella cheese. Enjoy!

 

 

FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES

Anita’s Best Ever Tuna Salad Sandwich

Ingredients

4 (6 ounces) cans water-packed tuna fish

2 Tablespoon mayonnaise

2 Tablespoon plain Yogurt

2 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard

6 slices of toasted homemade bread(see recipe on my site)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 slices of Swiss cheese

6 slices of Roma tomatoes

Preparation

  1. Open and drain the tuna cans completely. Empty tuna fish into a bowl.
  2. Add mayo, yogurt, chopped celery, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients and break any tuna chunks with a fork until is all smooth.
  3. Toast bread slices, spread Dijon mustard over both sides of bread and  place a slice of Swiss cheese on one side, and a piece of lettuce leaves on the other side.
  4.  Place a generous amount of tuna salad on top of lettuce leaves.
  5. Place 2 tomato slices on top of tuna. Position other cheese and mustard bread slice on top. Enjoy!  TUNA WITH CRACKERSNote: You can also enjoy this Tuna Salad recipe with some crackers as a fast and easy to make snack.
ASIAN DISHES

Anita’s best Shrimp and Broccoli in Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

2 pounds large shrimps, cleaned and deveined

1 cup of shrimp broth

1 pound broccoli florets, steamed

1 onion, large diced

5 yellow or orange bell pepper, large diced

2 Tablespoon rice wine

1 1/2 Tablespoon low sodium soya sauce

2 teaspoon corn starch

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 Tablespoon of peanut oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup cooked black beans (see recipe on my site)

Preparation

  1. Combine in a medium-size bowl, rice wine, corn starch, shrimp broth, brown sugar and soya sauce. Mix well until all is well incorporated and corn starch has dissolved. Set aside.
  2. Use a wok and heat it over medium-high heat for about half a minute. Pour peanut oil carefully and add minced garlic and ginger. Add diced peppers and onions. Stir-fry for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables become tender but crispy .
  3. Add cleaned shrimps and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes till they turn pink completely. Add shrimp broth mixture from Step-1 over shrimps and veggies. Stir all ingredients well and bring to a boil. Add cooked black beans. Lower the heat and let them simmer for about 3 minutes till sauce is a little dense and creamy. Add sesame oil. Stir and combine. Accompany with steamed rice. Enjoy!

 

DESSERTS

Anita’s best Banana Tempura

Ingredients

3 large bananas

1/2 cup cake flour

1/3 cup of corn starch

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 cup chilled club soda water

vegetable or canola oil, for frying

2 cups of tempura flour

Preparation

  1. Peel and cut each of the bananas in three big pieces. Set aside.BANANA TEMPURA INGREDIENTS
  2. In a large pot, mix tempura flour with baking powder, and corn starch. Stir in club soda water until well incorporated, leaving the batter with a lumpy consistency.banana tempura batter
  3. In a large pot, heat 3-4 inches of vegetable oil.
  4. Place cake flour in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
  5. Dust each piece of banana with the cake flour in all sides.
  6. Place dusted bananas into the tempura mix batter until well coated all around, and carefully fry them until lightly pale golden color and crisp for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Remove fried bananas and drain on kitchen towel paper.
  8. Served next to a delicious creamy vanilla ice cream. Yum!