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While the world navigates through the mysterious concept of a lockdown, the woes of cancelled trips and forgotten adventures resonate with many of us. Whether you are unable to travel abroad to the land of your dreams, or worse, you have had to return home mid margarita. The whole idea of planning a trip of a lifetime for it to then only be cancelled can really leave a sore feeling. It’s likely that the frustrations of lockdown have set in now, but it’s time to take matters into our own hands. Emptying a bucket of sand onto your living room floor and filling up an inflatable pool with tap water should never be the answer. However, fret not! Have you considered bringing foreign cuisine into your home to soothe your longing for travel? Take a look at our top recipes from cuisines across the world to keep you content while staying at home. This can be the travel inspiration you need to help you to plan your next trip.
Moroccan cuisine is known for its bright and colourful dishes which not only delight the tastebuds but are spectacles for the eyes too. Gastronomy from Morocco has become quite commonplace on western dining tables with staples like couscous being lovely additions to barbeques or Saturday lunch spreads. Couscous salads are beautiful accompaniments to main dishes if you want something fresh to add on the side and perfect for quick meals which are delightfully vegetarian and vegan friendly. Couscous is also found in other North African countries such as Mauritius and Tunisia, so if your trip was cancelled there, get out a mixing bowl, a wooden spoon and bring some African spice to your kitchen.
One of our favourite dishes from Marrakech is vegetable tagines, an absolute must if you are looking to try something new at home. A tagine is a slow-cooked stew which is given its name by the cone-shaped pottery that it is made in. Tagines are typically made with a variety of meats or vegetables which are flavoured with sweet and spicy ingredients to achieve the signature taste. Vegetable tagines are crowd-pleasers, as they are gluten-free as well as meat-free.
Greece has a variety of simple dishes which can be easily made from home, but a simple feta salad won’t be enough to emulate the incredible foods you can try when abroad. However, if you are concerned that you won’t have all of the ingredients to create some delicious Greek dishes then think again. If you have been stocking up on chickpeas like many of us on lockdown, then you are in luck, as Falafel and hummus (both made using chickpeas) are a quintessential combination in Greece. If you want to level up your chef skills, consider making baba ganoush made with your own fresh tahini. Baba ganoush is a dip made from mashed cooked aubergine - an even healthier alternative to hummus.
Italian is a cuisine many of us are likely to say is something we incorporate into our weekly meals in some form or another, whether that be pasta, pizza or risotto. So, let’s skip the basics and delve into some truly authentic dishes to bring Italy home to you. If you are looking to upgrade your lasagne, then cannelloni is a great dish to try. Cannelloni is a type of lasagne using cylindrical pasta shapes which are then stuffed usually with ricotta, minced beef or some form of Italian sausage. However, meat-free sausages or spinach are often used instead.
Gnocchi (literally meaning ‘lumps’ in Italian) is a perfect alternative if you have been eating spaghetti for the past 2 weeks straight and you are looking for something new yet fulfilling to those carb cravings. If you are being truly authentic you can create a fresh ‘Sugo’, an Italian tomato sauce, which will accompany your Gnocchi beautifully and will fill your home with the smell of an authentic Italian kitchen.
While the thought of ordering a delicious curry from the local Indian sounds awfully tempting, making everything fresh from home can be even more satisfying - especially when accompanied by some appetizers. The king of Indian starters is undeniably the onion bhaji. Being able to enjoy one fresh in the streets of Bengaluru is a distant dream in today’s world, so consider cooking up one fresh from your own kitchen. While we don’t want to back peddle, this courgette bhaji recipe is a fantastic twist on the classic, as it adds a light and flavoursome touch to a dish already so perfect.
If deep-frying is too overwhelming for your professional office space (a.k.a your living room), then consider making samosas! These can be fried but are just as tasty when baked (not to mention healthier). Providing that you incorporate all of the essential Indian spices, you can pick any filling you desire. Popular fillings include potatoes, peas, lentils, onions and even fruits. This is a great starter for your evening meal or alongside a nice salad at lunch.
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