Beyond Borders


As I make my way though my personal culinary challenge,
Around the World in 80 Dishes, I have realized that I am missing a very important point.  The challenge is to make a main course from 80 different countries. The order has sometimes been random, sometimes intentional.  With each country, I try to learn about its history, its cuisine and its culture.  It is that last aspect, that is culture, where the problem arises. Countries are largely a construct.  There may be one predominant ethnic group within that construct.  However, the borders of a country are usually drawn in a way that encloses (and some cases cut-off) smaller ethnic groups.  

Each of these minorities has their own history, culture and cuisine. Thus, many countries are more than they seem. As I have completed my challenges, I began to learn more and more of these interesting ethnic groups within a country. After I completed my 20th challenge, I decided that I would do a special challenge about the cuisine of an ethnic group that does not have its own recognized country.  The first such challenge was Tibet

However, one Around the World in 80 Dishes pushed me further. The challenge involved  Myanmar (Burma).  Myanmar's borders draw a country that includes 136 ethnic groups.  One of those groups is the Rohingya, who have been subject to extreme violence and persecution over the years.  Given their treatment at the hands of the Myanmar government, I dedicated that challenge would focus on the Rohingya.  I made a main course based upon their cuisine and used the blog post to discuss their plight.  

After the Myanmar challenge, I began to think more about ethnic minorities in different countries.  This has led to this page, Beyond Borders, where I will post the dishes that I have made based upon the cuisines of different ethnic groups regardless of country. This page is a work in progress  I have gone back through some of my old posts (such as the Tibet special challenge) and more recent ones (such as the Myanmar challenge), and have posted the dishes by ethnic group below.  As I cook more dishes based the cuisine of different cultures, I will post them on this page.  

AFRICA (Eastern)


          Chagossians
               Serrage Poulet
                Brown Lentil Seraz

AFRICA (Western)


          Sahrawi
               Mrefisa

ASIA (Central Asia)

          Tibetans             
               Po Cha (Tibetan Butter Tea)          
               Sepen (Hot Sauce)
               Sha Momo
               Tsampa 

          Uyghurs                           
              Mi Zhi Ji Chi Chuan (Chicken Wing Kebabs)
              Uyghur Lamb Kebabs
               Uyghur Polo
               Yangrou Chuan

ASIA (Eastern Asia)


         Bai 

         Dai 
                Dai Carrot Salad
                Guiji (Ghost Chicken)

         Hmong
                Chargrilled Hmong Black Pig Skewers

         Jingpo 
                Guiji (Ghost Chicken)

         Macanese 
                African Chicken (Galinha a Africana)

         Nonya
               Nonya Style Steak

         Rohingya
               Durus Kura
               Rohingyan Beef Curry

         Shan
               Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills

ASIA (Southern Asia)


          Kashmiri
               Mirchi Korma     

ASIA (Western Asia)


        Armenians (Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh) 
               Zhingalov Khats

         Palestinians 
               Chicken, Onion and Sumac Casserole
               Farmer's Salad (Palestinian Salad)
                Gazan Daga
                Nine Spice Mix
                Qidreh
                Zibdiyet Gambari (Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Stew)

EUROPE (Western)


          Basque            
               Txuleta with Red Pepper

         
Occitain            
               Accuighe con Salsa Verde

NORTH AMERICA


            Gullah Geechee
                Carolina Crab Rice

            Heiltsuk
                Clam Pancakes (Clam Fritters)

            Navajo
            Ogala Lakota
                Wojape

            Ojibwe
                Fish Cakes

SOUTH AMERICA


            Guarani
                So'o Yosopy

OCEANIA 


            Hawaiian
                Huli Huli Chicken

            Maori
                Steamed Cockles with White Wine

            Rapa Nui
                Rapa Nui Ceviche


I will continue to add new posts and recipes as I continue my explorations through the cuisines of difficult cultures around the world.

ENJOY!

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