Ethnic Entertaining

As a group of eight friends, we began having monthly ethnic dinners taking turns at each of our homes. The host couple chooses the theme and provides the main course with the other couples bringing appetizers and dessert. For authenticity of the theme, we try to dress accordingly, play corresponding music and if possible, obtain appropriate ‘props’. The ethnic dinners have provided us with an excellent opportunity to taste foods we would probably never have ventured to try.

Our Chinese dinner fell on the weekend of the Moon Festival so we had moon cakes along with a variety of other Chinese desserts. (During Medieval times, messages were often hidden inside the moon cakes when the Chinese were at war with the Mongols.) We also dined on soya chicken, fried rice, a broccoli and beef dish and crab.

For our German dinner in December, I served goose, which is a traditional German Christmas dinner. We also had Baden leek soup, lentils and bacon, red cabbage, braised sauerkraut and Streusel coffee cake for dessert. To keep in line with the Christmas spirit, we had a small gift beside each plate.

Convinced that July would be wonderful weather, we chose to have our Caribbean dinner in the backyard with the river as our backdrop. Unfortunately, the heavens opened up sending us a deluge of rain. Not to be deterred, and because Caribbean seemed to be more of an outdoor event, we set up a canopy. It wasn’t quite how we had envisioned it but with the spinach soup, Jerk chicken, Caribbean rice, buttered spinach and tropical rums, we managed to overlook the rain.

For our Spanish dinner we feasted on Seafood Paella as the main course with rice, stewed eggplant, and Butterflied shrimps for appetizers. In an effort to feel Spanish for the evening, I wore an antique black shawl with a fringe that had once been a decorative table covering of my grandmothers and I had a decorative black fan that had previously belonged to an old aunt.

Dressed in saris and turbans, we had samosas as appetizers for our Indian dinner along with Chicken Jalfrezi, Tarka Dhal, Balti stir-fried vegetables and rice. Incense drifted throughout the rooms along with the Indian music.

French onion soup started our French meal as the French artists, the model and French maids sat down to enjoy yet another adventure in ethnic experiences. Potatoes Dauphinois, Ratatouille and Toulouse Cassoulet were followed with chocolates and liquers for dessert.

Moroccan fare included Harira, a lamb dish, seven vegetable couscous, schlada, olives with Moroccan marinades as an appetizer and Moroccan Serpent cake for dessert. Dressing as Moroccans was a little more difficult, although, one couple did manage to do so.

Thai food was another unforgettable dinner as the guest list expanded to include twelve ethnic adventurers. The menu consisted of Chicken and Coconut Soup, Sweet and Sour Pork Thai-style, Bamboo Shoot salad, stir-fry vegetables in coconut milk and Thai fried noodles. Dessert was a pudding made from red rice with a sauce of pureed raspberries. Although the pudding resembled oatmeal porridge, it proved to be delicious.

Italian and Mexican venues have also made their way to our tables with many more exotic dinners planned for the future.

The following are some of my favourite recipes that we have used for our meal menus,
although all of the food we have tried has been delicious.

Baden Leek Soup (German)

A good leek soup is made by using the white part of the leek as well as the tender yellow-green part.

Ingredients for 8

4 leeks 6 chicken bouillon cubes
½ cup margarine or butter ½ tsp salt
2 large onions, chopped 1 cup milk (or ½ and ½ cream)
6 cups water 1 cup finely chopped ham, optional

Slice leeks lengthwise; wash thoroughly then cut into 1” pieces.
Melt margarine in heavy saucepan and sauté leeks and onions until soft.
Add water, bouillon cubes and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 8 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add milk and heat. Ladle soup into serving dishes. Sprinkle with chopped ham.

Jerk Chicken (Caribbean)

Jerk refers to the blend of herb and spice seasoning rubbed into the meat before cooking.

Ingredients for 8

16 pieces of chicken

Jerk Seasoning

1 tsp ground allspice 2 tsp raw sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp dried thyme 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 tbsp chopped scallion
1 tbsp vinegar 1 hot chili pepper, chopped
2 tbsp oil salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp lime juice lettuce leaves for serving

Combine all seasoning ingredients in small bowl. Mash well with a fork to make a thick paste.
Lay chicken pieces lengthwise on a plate, making several slits in the flesh. Rub the seasoning over the chicken and into the slits.
Place chicken in a dish, cover with plastic wrap, marinating overnight in the fridge.
Before cooking shake off any excess seasoning, brush with oil and place on a baking sheet. Cook under a preheated broiler for 45 minutes, turning often.
Serve hot on lettuce leaves.

Tarka Dhal (Indian)

Tarka Dhal is probably the most popular of Indian lentil dishes. (A little curry can be added if desired).

Ingredients for 8

¼ cup masoor dhal 1 tsp garlic pulp
¼ cup moong dhal ¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 ½ cups water 2 fresh green chilies, chopped
1 tsp ginger pulp 11/2 tsp salt


Ingredients for Tarka

2 tbsp oil 4 dried red chilies
1 onion, sliced 1 tomato, sliced
¼ tsp mixed mustard and onion seeds

Ingredients for Garnish

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 – 2 fresh green chilies, seeded and sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Boil the two lentils in water with the ginger, garlic pulp, turmeric and chopped green chilies for 15 – 20 minutes until soft.
Mash the lentil mixture until the consistency of a creamy chicken soup.
If the mixture looks too dry, add a little more water. Season with salt.
To prepare the Tarka, heat the oil in heavy pan and fry the onion, mustard and onion seeds, dried red chilies and tomato for 2 minutes.
Pour the Tarka over the mashed lentils and garnish with fresh coriander, green chillies and mint.

Ratatouille (French)

Ingredients for 8

2 medium eggplants (about 1 lb)
4 – 5 tbsp olive oil 1 lge red or yellow bell pepper
1 lge onion, halved and sliced seeded and cut into thin strips
1 lge onion, halved and sliced 1 tsp dried herbs
2 – 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped de Provence salt and
11/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded freshly ground black pepper
and chopped, or 2 cups canned 2 large zucchini, sliced
crushed tomatoes

Preheat broiler. Cut eggplant into ¾ inch slices. Brush with olive oil on both sides and broil until lightly browned, turning once. Cut the slices into cubes.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in heavy saucepan and cook the onion at medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until lightly golden, stirring often. Add garlic, pepper and zucchini and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, eggplant cubes, dried herbs, salt and pepper and simmer gently, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and continue cooking for 20 – 25 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and the cooking liquid has thickened slightly.
Serve the ratatouille hot or at room temperature.