Author Archives: Elena

Mongolian Pancakes: Gambir

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Mongolian pancakes (Gambir) are simple and very tasty. They are made from a very basic dough that consists of flour and water which is very easy to make. However, I usually do not have time even for that simple recipe so I found a shortcut.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack of Dumpling Wrapper dough (can be found in any Chinese store)
  • 4 tblsp of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of melted unsalted butter
  • Oil for frying

Brush top and bottom of each sheet of dough with butter. Sprinkle a little sugar on the surface of pancakes. With a knife make two small cuts at the center of each pancake (this needs to be done in order to avoid blisters). Add a little oil to the frying pan and cook pancake (both sides) on moderate heat until they become a little brown and crispy.

Wrapper dough

Defrost dough

Gambir

Fig Salad With Roasted Walnuts

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I was doing roasted fig salad when I was cooking the British Virgin Islands food. I slightly modified the original recipe so it is time to write it down or I’ll forget it.

Fig Salad

Fig Salad with Roasted Pecans

Ingredients:

  • 16 fresh figs (the number of figs really depends on the size of your party)
  • 1 bag of spring mix salad (I buy mine at Trader Joe’s)
  • 1/2 cup of Gorgonzola cheese
  • 1/2 cup of whole walnuts or pecans (I prefer pecans)
  • 1/4 cup of Olive Oil
  • 2 oz Balsamic Vinegar

Roast nuts in 350 degree oven for about 3-4 min (make sure they are not over roasted).

Wash and pat dry figs. Cut each fig into four parts. Assemble salad leafs on a shallow plate and arrange figs on the top.

Mix Gorgonzola, olive oil and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil. Mix until all ingredients blend. Let it cool a bit and pour over figs and salad. Add walnuts on the top.

World Food

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I was thinking for a while about my life and realized that it goes by too quickly. Routine eats up my days, and there is no easy way to break it. Kids, work, commuting  — and the day is gone. I needed a way to add a little excitement to my life and at the same time make my family part of that.

That’s when remembered that I like to cook. Not because I have to make something for kids to eat every day, but because I like creative cooking. So one day I came up with this project.

One day every week, I will cook a dinner in the style of a randomly chosen country, as best I can approximate it. I’ll try to collect the recipes and my interpretations of them, and report the results here, whether successful or not.

And so, here goes. See my progress below.

cooked 30 states (13.33%)