Tactical Tastes

Category: Side

  • Air Fryer Egg Rolls

    Air Fryer Egg Rolls

    Air Fryer Egg Rolls is a chinese side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 lb Ground Pork
    • 1 clove peeled crushed Garlic
    • 1 tablespoon Ginger
    • 1 medium Carrots
    • 3 chopped Scallions
    • 3 Cups Cabbage
    • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
    • 12 Egg Roll Wrappers
    • For brushing Oil
    • To serve Duck Sauce
    • To serve Plum Sauce
    • To serve Soy Sauce

    Method

    Alternative Pan Fry Method: If you don’t have access to an air fryer, you can make these egg rolls using a traditional pan fry method. Add enough oil to a medium skillet with high walls so the oil is about 1/2 inch up the side of the skillet. Heat oil on medium high heat until it reaches 350°F. Add egg rolls and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, flip, and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove and let them drain and cool on a few paper towels.

    Cook the filling:

    In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil along with the ground pork or chicken. Break apart the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook until the meat is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

    Add garlic, ginger, carrot, scallions, and cabbage. Continue to cook until cabbage wilts down and is soft, another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Season the filling with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, and take off the heat to cool. (This filling can be made in advance.)

    Assemble the egg rolls:

    Place a single egg roll wrapper on a dry surface with one point of the square facing you (like a diamond). Place about 1/4 cup of the egg roll filling mixture in the middle of the wrapper.

    Dip your fingers in water and run around the edges of the wrapper. Then fold the edges of the wrapper over the center and start rolling the egg roll away from you to form a tight cylinder. Place on a plate and repeat until you are out of filling. You should get at least a dozen egg rolls.

    Air fry the egg rolls:

    Place the egg rolls in the basket of your air fryer. Spray or brush them lightly with oil. Add as many as you can without stacking the egg rolls, making sure they don’t touch. Air needs to circulate around them. Brush the egg rolls lightly with oil.

    Place the basket in the air fryer and turn the air fryer to 350°F. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, then flip the egg rolls, spray or brush with oil a second time on the bottom side, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.

    Finished egg rolls should be golden brown and crispy! Serve immediately.

    Want to watch it come together? See the full walkthrough.

  • Algerian Bouzgene Berber Bread with Roasted Pepper Sauce

    Algerian Bouzgene Berber Bread with Roasted Pepper Sauce

    Algerian Bouzgene Berber Bread with Roasted Pepper Sauce is a algerian side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 2 Red Pepper
    • 4 Tomato
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 4 Cloves Chopped Garlic
    • 1 chopped Jalapeno
    • To taste Salt
    • 2 Lbs Semolina
    • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
    • 3 Cups Water
    • 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 6 tablespoons Olive Oil

    Method

    Preheat your oven’s broiler. Place red bell peppers and tomatoes on a baking sheet, and roast under the broiler for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally. This should blacken the skin and help it peel off more easily. Cool, then scrape the skins off of the tomatoes and peppers, and place them in a large bowl. Remove cores and seeds from the bell peppers.

    Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the jalapenos and garlic, and cook until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and transfer the garlic and jalapeno to the bowl with the tomatoes and red peppers. Using two sharp steak knives (one in each hand), cut up the tomatoes and peppers to a coarse and soupy consistency. Stir, and set sauce aside.

    Place the semolina in a large bowl, and stir in salt and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Gradually add water while mixing and squeezing with your hand until the dough holds together without being sticky or dry, and molds easily with the hand. Divide into 6 pieces and form into balls.

    For each round, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Roll out dough one round at a time, to no thicker than 1/4 inch. Fry in the hot skillet until dark brown spots appear on the surface, and they are crispy. Remove from the skillet, and wrap in a clean towel while preparing the remaining flat breads.

    To eat the bread and sauce, break off pieces of the bread, and scoop them into the sauce. It will slide off, but just keep reaching in!

  • Algerian Carrots

    Algerian Carrots

    Algerian Carrots is a algerian side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cup Water
    • 2 Lbs Carrots
    • 5 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
    • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • 3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
    • 1 Bay Leaf
    • 1 tsp Lemon Juice

    Method

    Place a steamer insert into a saucepan, and fill with 1 1/2 cups of water, or just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the sliced carrots, reduce the heat to medium, and cover the pan again. Steam until tender but not mushy, 4 to 6 minutes depending on the thickness of the slices. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

    Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, and thyme. Cook the spices and garlic, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid and the bay leaf, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

    Stir in the carrots, tossing well to coat with the spice mixture, and cook until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and remove the bay leaf before serving.

    Want to watch it come together? See the full walkthrough.

  • Almojábanas (Colombian Cheese Bread)

    Almojábanas (Colombian Cheese Bread)

    Almojábanas (Colombian Cheese Bread) is a side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/4 cup Cornmeal
    • 3 Cups Queso Fresco
    • 1 cup Mozzarella
    • 2 tablespoons Butter
    • 1 tsp Baking Powder
    • 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 2 Eggs
    • 4 tablespoons Milk

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 400° F.

    Mix the masarepa and cheese in a food processor.

    Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

    Divide into 8 equal-size portions and shape into a ball.

    Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are golden. Serve warm.

  • Apple Potato Mash (Hete bliksem)

    Apple Potato Mash (Hete bliksem)

    Apple Potato Mash (Hete bliksem) is a netherlands side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 250g Apples
    • 250g Potatoes
    • 1 Cinnamon Stick
    • 1 tsp Maple Syrup
    • Sprinkling Ground Cinnamon
    • 4 Bacon
    • 200g Cheese
    • Pinch Salt
    • 1 Egg
    • 50g Sesame Seed

    Method

    Clean and peel the potatoes and cut them into even size chunks. Boil them in salted water for about 10 min and then add the cleaned and chopped apples into the boiling water. Add the cinnamon stick as well. Leave to boil for another 10 minutes or until both apples and potatoes are to your liking. I like mine to be fairly chunky but that is a personal preference

    In the mean time bake the streaky bacon in a dry frying pan until crispy and set aside to drain on paper towels.

    Slice a few apple pieces and melt a little butter in a fryin pan. Add the apple slices to it and add a bit of maple syrup into the pan as well as some cinnamon. Let it simmer until the apple is soft.

    Prepare a plate with one whisked egg and one plate with sesame seeds. Cut your cheese into the required size. The smaller it is, the easier it is too handle.

    Dip the cheese into the egg and make sure it coats all sides. Then dip the cheese into the sesame seeds and make sure it is covered everywhere.

    Heat a non stick frying pan on high until nice and hot. Put the cheese slice in and bake until the sesame seeds are brown. You have to do this rather quickly or the cheese will melt completely. Turn and bake the other side.

    Drain the apples and potatoes and mash them together. Taste and add cinnamon and salt where needed. Remove the cinnamon stick before mashing

  • Arepa

    Arepa

    Arepa is a side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1 cup Corn Flour
    • 1 1/4 cup Warm Water

    Method

    Put the corn flour in a bowl and add the salted water little by little, mixing with the flour until all the water has been used and the flour has become a dough. Let it rest for five minutes. Now, shape the dough into round rolls about 3 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. In a lightly greased skillet, slowly cook the arepas until a crust forms on each side. Now place them into a casserole and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, until the arepas sound hollow when tapped.

    To enhance taste: instead of using just water, use chicken or beef broth.

    Want to watch it come together? See the full walkthrough.

  • Baba Ghanoush

    Baba Ghanoush

    Baba Ghanoush is a syrian side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 4 large Egg Plants
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
    • 1 Lemon
    • 3 tablespoons Tahini
    • 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 2 tablespoons Greek Yogurt
    • 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
    • 1 Leaf Mint
    • 2 tablespoons Parsley

    Method

    Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Prick the surface of the skin of eggplants several times with the tip of a knife.

    Place eggplants directly on grill. Turn frequently with tongs while skin chars. Cook until eggplants have collapsed and are very soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to cool, about 15 minutes.

    When eggplants are cool enough to handle, split them in half and scrape flesh into a colander placed over a bowl. Drain 5 or 10 minutes.

    Transfer eggplant to mixing bowl. Add crushed garlic and salt; mash until creamy but with a little texture, about 5 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, and cayenne pepper. Stir in yogurt.

    Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled. Stir in mint and parsley, and taste to adjust seasonings before serving.

    Want to watch it come together? See the full walkthrough.

  • Bajan Salt Bread Recipe

    Bajan Salt Bread Recipe

    Bajan Salt Bread Recipe is a side favourite that comes together with everyday ingredients and a little patience. Here’s how we make it in our test kitchen.

    Ingredients

    • 2 tubs Yeast
    • 2 tsp Sugar
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
    • 6 cups Flour
    • 2 1/2 cups Warm Water

    Method

    Sift half the flour, mix with salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl, and slowly add warm water until the mixture forms a stiff dough. Add more sifted flour until you have a stiff enough dough to knead.

    Lightly flour the work surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic, and then place it in a greased bowl. Now place the bowl warmly for 40-50 minutes until it has doubled. You know the dough is ready when you poke a finger, and the indentation remains.

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees F or 220 degrees C.

    Now divide the dough into 12 equal portions, roll each into a fist size ball, and place on a greased baking sheet. Now place in a warm place again for a further 40 minutes or again until the dough has doubled in size.

    Now place in the oven’s center and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown rolls sound hollow when tapped.