We visited Colombia to bring you the sights, sounds and flavor of the local culture. With Culturs Celebrations, we created a Dinner Party Kit for 10 to make it easy for you to join the party and invite your friends and family. Get festive with us!
(Recipes by Maria Delgado)
PLATANOS EN TENTACIÓN
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 cups of Kola Roman soda 1 Pinch Cinnamon
3 large, ripe plantains 1 Cup panela
1 1/2 Cup Water
Preparation
- Sauté the plantains and then add all the ingredients. Cook the plantain in low heat until the sauce has the consistency of syrup.
AVOCADO AJÍ
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 avocados
1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped or jalapeño or a hot sauce
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
Juice of two limes
2 tablespoons of white vinegar 1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tomato finely chopped
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Preparation
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor or mince manually. Mix until everything is well combined.
- If the mixture is too thick, add more lime juice until you reach the desired consistency.
BROWN COCONUT RICE
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 fresh coconut 1 cup of rice
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup raisins, optional
Preparation
- Start by cracking the coconut. Identify the two “eyes” of the coconut: two small, round indentations on one of its sides. One of these eyes will be more tender than the other. Using a knife, poke a hole into the softer of the eyes. Using a flat-head screw driver that you pound with a mallet, open the other, harder eye. Pour out the coconut water into a bowl and reserve.
- Crack open the coconut. Then, using a sharp knife or flat-head screw driver, separate and scrape out the white meat of the coconut.
Cut the meat into 2-inch chunks and place in a blender with the reserved coconut water. Blend until the coconut is finely ground. Strain the pureed coconut mixture over a fine mesh strainer in a large bowl, pressing down with your fingers to make sure all of the liquid is squeezed out. This liquid is called the coconut’s “first milk.” Set it aside. - Return the strained coconut solids to the blender along with 2 cups of fresh water. Blend until well mixed and repeat the straining process above over another bowl. This liquid is called the coconut’s “second milk” and will be used to cook the rice. Set it aside. Discard the coconut solids.
- In a caldero or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, bring the reserved first milk to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of sugar to help the caramelization.
- Reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, removing the milk that sticks to the sides of the pot. The milk will reduce, leaving behind solids. Allow the solids to brown slowly and caramelize. Keep stirring to make sure the solids don’t burn. Once they’ve reached a dark brown color (think the color of molasses), they’re ready.
- Add 2 cups of the reserved second milk. (If you don’t have enough second milk, add water to make the full 2 cups.) Wait until the caramel is dissolved in this water. Season it with salt to taste and introduce the rice.
- Increase the heat to medium high and bring the rice to a boil. When it starts drying, reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until most of the liquid has been absorbed and small craters form on the surface. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked through. Fluff with a fork, cover and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
DULCE DE TOMATE DE ARBOL (TREE TOMATO SYRUP)
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
12 tree tomatoes
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup of sugar
4 cups of water
Preparation
- Peel and deseed the tree tomatoes and try to leave the stick.
- In a pot, mix the water, the sugar and the cinnamon stick. Boil until a simple syrup is made.
- Add the tree tomatoes and cook in the syrup for about 20 minutes at low heat. Serve.
- Optional: cloves can be added when doing the syrup.
