2 easy to make international delicacies

You don't have to be from a country to make a delicacy from there. Pavlova, a dessert originating from New Zealand, is easy to make and spectacular for guests to share. Baba ghanoush is a Middle Eastern dip or spread that uses whole eggplant. Here are the recipes for both.

The meringue shell of the traditional trans-Tasman pavlova is cooked in slow heat — crisp and golden on top, with the soft consistency of marshmallow inside. Here are the ingredients you will need.

• 6 egg whites
• 120 ml (8 tbsp) castor (superfine) sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla
• 5 ml (1 tsp) white vinegar
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) cornstarch
• 300 ml  (1 1/4 c) whipped fresh cream
• A selection of tangy fruit to use as decoration: possibly halved strawberries, passionfruit pulp, raspberries, kiwi, blueberries or raspberries.

1. In a deep bowl, whip the egg whites until they are stiff, beat in the sugar, 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) at a time, for one to two minutes, and repeat this until all the sugar is added. Fold in the vanilla, vinegar and cornstarch.
2. Pour this mixture onto a greased shallow glass or pottery dish (30 to 40 centimetres/12 to 15 inches in diameter), making a slight depression in the centre and swirling the mix around the edges.
3. Bake the mix in the lower half of a slow oven (150°C to 160°C/300°F to 325°F) for 40 to 50 minutes or until a hard crust forms.
4. Remove the dish from the oven. The pavlova will shrink away from the wall of the dish as it cools, so loosen the edges to keep the meringue from cracking.
5. When it has reached room temperature, top the meringue with whipped cream and arrange fruit on the cream in an attractive pattern.
6. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

This eggplant dish from the Middle East has a very distinctive smoky flavour when the eggplants are cooked on a wood-fired stove or barbecue. The ingredients you will need are:

• 2 large eggplants (prick skins a few times with a skewer to prevent them bursting)
• 125 ml (1/2 c) tahini (ground sesame paste)
• Juice of 1 or 2 lemons
• 75 ml (1/3 c) natural yogurt
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic

1. Place the eggplants directly onto the hot coals of the barbeque, turning them every three to five minutes so that they are blackened all over on the outside and soft in the middle. (If making in the oven, roast at 230°C/450°F until blackened and soft.)
2. Allow the eggplants to cool and then peel off blackened skin. Place the flesh in a blender with the tahini, lemon juice, yogurt and garlic, and blend the mix until it is smooth.
3. Baba ghanoush can be served as a dip, a topping for lamb chops or a sandwich spread.

Experiencing foods from different parts of the world with these simple to make recipes is a great way to expand your culinary tastes.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!