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ARPIN INTERNATIONAL GROUP
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Many people look forward to New Year’s holidays precisely because they will enjoy rich and delicious food. They also say winning someone’s heart is much easier if some exotic dishes are included. It is also believed that certain foods served on New Year’s Eve have magical effects and may bring good luck in the coming year.
Our international moving experiences have given us a lot of knowledge about different cultures and their cuisines. Our company counts people of many nations and religions who selflessly share the treasures of their countries and cuisines. It makes Arpin an inspiring workplace and a company that can brag about the most diverse cuisine!
In the following text, read what is being prepared in India, Serbia, Germany, America, Britain, and Ireland during the New Year holidays. Also, if you wish one of these international dishes would be on your table, our employees added the recipes to this blog post!
ENGLAND, or Have You Tried Mint Sauce Yet?!
Besides the famous tea traditionally drunk around 5 p.m., the most famous island country has exceptional cuisine. Lovers of fish, poultry, or beef are often delighted with the special sauce the islanders have been preparing and serving with holiday meals for centuries.
Another specificity of English cuisine is this famous sauce.
You will need:
· 1 bunch of fresh mint
· 1 spoon of sugar
· 1 glass of water
· 3 tablespoons of wine vinegar
· salt and pepper to taste
How to make the sauce:
Wash the mint, drain, and chop well. Add sugar and continue crushing until a thick mixture is formed. Add a glass of water, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and then let it cook. Before serving, strain it through a thick strainer. Serve the mint sauce with beef loin, thigh, boiled fish, or poultry.
Ireland and its delicious cheese selection
Ireland cheeses delight with the combination of quality and taste. The Emerald Isle is known for its fairies and incredible holiday stories and its premium dairy products. Because of the increased demand, cheese production has become a top-rated business in Ireland.
This might be a good insight for those thinking about changing professions or moving abroad! Many kinds of world cheeses have Irish origin, but those kinds that are a ‘must try’ can be found exclusively and only in markets within the country. If you want to enrich your holiday table with Ireland’s special cheeses, here we made you a list of those that can be found around the world:
- Lock Blarney. Known in more than 80 countries! This cheese is made from pasteurized milk and has a semi-soft texture and a delicate taste.
- Ardrahan. This is a product of County Cork, from the southern part of the country. It contains pasteurized milk as raw material and has a semi-soft texture and a mild taste of nuts. This cheese tastes very similar to the popular Swiss AppenZeller.
- Boll. This one is made from a combination of goat’s and cow’s milk. The Irish use it as picnic cheese, traditionally used to prepare snacks. In Ireland, you can find it packaged in glass jars along with herbs, sunflower oil, and garlic.
- Dublin. This one was named after the capital of Ireland. Its taste is reminiscent of mature cheddar, with a slightly sweet flavor reminiscent of Pormigiano-Reggiano.
- Cheddars. Made in County Limerick, its basis is pasteurized cow’s milk and other flavors. The main difference is that it looks like marble in the context of the product.
- Durrus. Cheese is produced from raw (cow’s) milk. It is often recommended to serve this cheese with fruit.
- Carrigaline. Again, this one is made from pasteurized cow’s milk. It may contain additives (spices, garlic), and the cheese may be sold in pure form.
- Cashel Blue. This is the most famous cheese to come from County Tipperary. It is classified as a rennet. This delicious milk product was first prepared in 1984. Until now, it was made by hand from whole milk, aged for three months, and then it can be consumed. Its unique feature is the blue stripes that add a striking look to the cheese.
As you can read, most cheeses are produced from cow’s milk. It is obtained from Holstein cows, specially bred in the Netherlands, Holland, and Friesland, and became famous worldwide. The fat content of dairy product is 3%-4%.
Serbia – Traditional Family Christmas Cake by Jelena Stojanović
In Serbia, it is a tradition that on Christmas morning, the hostess gets up at dawn, before all the household members, and kneads the Christmas cake for that day. It is also customary to take a small coin, disinfect it in alcohol and boil it in water. When the disinfection is complete, the coin is randomly inserted into the dough that is being prepared. During the Christmas lunch, after the host says the prayer of the house, the cake is distributed randomly to everyone at the table. It is believed that whoever of the housemates or guests finds a coin in their piece of cake will be lucky throughout the year. This tradition has been going on for more than ten centuries in Serbia.
For preparation, you’ll need:
· 1 kg of flour
· 1/2 l of milk
· 3 eggs
· 3 coffee cups of sunflower oil
· 3 level teaspoons of salt
· 35 g of fresh yeast
· 1 teaspoon of sugar
Mix the milk, yeast, and sugar and let the mixture rise.
Later, add flour to that mixture and knead a smooth dough. Roll out the dough and cut circles with molds.
Grease the baking dish with oil and a little flour so that the dough does not stick, and arrange the dough circles in a circle, placing them next to each other. Put the rest of the unequal strip shapes in the middle, in the center of the circle.
Beat one egg yolk and spread it over the lined dough.
Place in the oven and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes.
Germany’s Christmas Taste – by Caroline Curik
Cinnamon stars à la Annabel (Caroline’s grandmother)
· 3 egg whites
· 200 gr white sugar
· 375 gr ground (unpeeled) almonds
· 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
· powdered sugar
· Beat the egg whites until very stiff
· Add the sugar slowly to the egg whites until creamy
· Put 4 large tablespoons of the egg and sugar mixture aside for the coating
· In a separate bowl: mix the almonds with the cinnamon
· Then add the almond & cinnamon mix slowly to the egg whites until a dough is formed.
· Sprinkle powdered sugar onto a wooded board or table
· Roll out the dough very thinly on that board
· Cut out cinnamon stars with the aid of cookie forms we call them cookie cutters, but forms will work
· Place the cinnamon stars on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper
· Then, use the 4 tablespoons of egg and sugar mixture (that you had previously put aside) to coat the cinnamon stars, one by one.
· Bake the cinnamon stars in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.
Eggnog: An American Christmas Tradition by Karen Bannon
Eggnog is a thick liqueur drunk in America for New Year’s and Christmas holidays. It is very easy to make and very tasty. It can also be prepared without alcohol, so children can enjoy it as well.
Ingredients
· 4 egg yolks
· 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
· 1 pint whole milk
· 1 cup heavy cream
· 3 ounces bourbon
· 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon, and nutmeg and stir to combine.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running, gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.
Cook’s Note: For cooked eggnog, follow the procedure below.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan and boil, stirring occasionally. Remove the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running, gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.
Get the Taste of India by Tulie Rajesh
When you’re looking to spice things up a bit… Do try it!
A classic biryani can justly be called the Jewel of Indian cuisine, a dream dish that should not be missed.
Tulie Rajesh, Head of Operations, AIG India
Biryani
Origin of Biryani: The term ‘Biryani’ is said to have originated from two Persian words – ”Birian” meaning ”fried before cooking” and ”Birinj” meaning ”rice”. Though widely savored today in India, some believe it to have been born in West Asia. The origin of this dish is associated with several theories. Biryani is a mixed rice dish made with Indian spices, rice, and meat (chicken, beef, lamb, prawn, or fish), and sometimes with eggs and even vegetables such as potatoes in certain regional varieties. Biryani is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent, as well as among its diaspora. It is also prepared in other regions, such as parts of Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. A world-renowned Indian dish, biryani takes time and practice to make but is worth every bit of effort. Long-grained rice (like basmati) flavored with exotic spices, such as saffron, is layered with lamb, chicken, fish, or vegetables in a thick gravy. The dish is then covered, its lid secured with dough, and then the biryani is cooked over a low flame; the process is called “Dum”. This is definitely a special holiday occasion dish.
Ingredients:
· Lamb or Chicken 500 grams (cut into medium pieces)
· Basmati rice (long grain rice) 2 – cups
· Salt to taste
· Bay leaves – 2
· Green cardamoms -5
· Black cardamoms -2
· Black peppercorns – 10
· Cinnamon -3 inch sticks
· Cooking Oil – 1 cup cooking oil to deep fry Onions
· Onions sliced (slit lengthwise)
· 5 large Caraway seeds – 1/2 teaspoon (tsp)
· Cloves – 5
· Ginger Garlic paste -1 tablespoon
· Indian Spice powders – Red chili powder or Paprika powder – 1 tbs, Cumin powder-
· 1 tsp, Coriander powder – 1 tsp, Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
· Yogurt – 1 cup
· Fresh coriander leaves (Cilantro) – 1 cup chopped
· Fresh mint leaves – 1 cup chopped
· Pure ghee (clarified butter) – 4 tablespoons
· Saffron (Kesar) – mix a few strands in 1/4 cup of warm milk
Preparation:
Heat 1 cup oil in a non-stick pan. Fry 4 sliced onions until they are lightly golden brown. Remove onions and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Let cool. Set aside.
Take meat pieces in a bowl. Add ginger-garlic paste, salt, spice powders, half the fried onions crushed, yogurt, half of the coriander leaves, half of the mint leaves, and mix. Let it marinate for about two hours in the refrigerator.
Wash Rice gently and soak it in water for 30 minutes.
Heat two tablespoons of ghee or butter in a pan (you can also use the leftover oil in which onions were fried) add the remaining cinnamon, pepper, and cardamom, and sauté till fragrant. Add 1 sliced onion and sauté till light golden. Add marinated meat, stir and cook on high heat for three to five minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and cook till almost done. Adjust salt if needed. If there is too much gravy, cook for some time with the lid open on high flame till the gravy is thick.
Meanwhile, heat five to six cups of water in a deep pan or pot. Once the water starts boiling, add drained rice, salt, bay leaves, caraway seeds, 2 green cardamoms, one-inch cinnamon stick, and cook until three-fourths is done. Bring to a boil on high flame. Do not overcook the rice, as your Biryani may turn mushy. Drain the rice and set it aside. Add 1 tbsp ghee to a thick-bottomed pan or pot. Spread half the rice in a layer, sprinkle in the brown fried onions, and a few cut cilantro and mint leaves. Sprinkle saffron milk. Spread half the cooked meat over the rice. Spread the remaining rice and repeat the process A drizzle of ghee or butter on the top will take it to the next level.
Tightly cover the pot with aluminum foil to lock the steam inside. Cook on slow flame for 25 -30 mins or until you notice steam-filled inside when you open the foil from one end. Alternatively, you can bake for 30 to 35 mins at 200 C in a preheated oven.
Garnish with a few fresh Mint and Cilantro leaves. Serve hot with plain yogurt or mint raita (Whisk together a few thinly chopped mint leaves, grated cucumber, freshly ground cumin powder, and salt).
