How to Travel the World With YouTube Cooking Videos
The coronavirus closed the restaurant and broke my heart. I practically gave up on-site food last spring and am not sure when I will feel comfortable enough to return. I especially miss my favorite places in India and Ethiopia. It was more than just a diner – they let me travel, if only for mealtime.
With another virus outbreak threatening further blockages, cooking videos on YouTube are relieving my nostalgia for restaurants. The problem with trying out new techniques is the little escape I found through these four dishes: one Indian, one Trinidadian, and a couple from Ethiopia. The ingredients are easy to find and the techniques are easy to master, but there are some things you need to know before trying the recipes.
Order Spices Online
In the past, whenever I wanted to try a new dish, I would take my recipes with me to reference them while browsing international markets. But after the pandemic, I order online. Berbere , for example, is a staple condiment for many Ethiopian dishes. Several YouTube videos give directions on how to do this, but it’s easier and cheaper to order online and safer than browsing the shelves in brick-and-mortar stores.
I also found similar spices used in Ethiopian and Indian cuisine: cardamom, chili powder, cinnamon and turmeric. When I stock up, I am ready for several types of meals. If I cannot find the exact ingredients, and the video does not suggest replacements, they often write in the comments. The taste may be a little compromised, but I don’t have to accurately reproduce it to bring up the memory of a pleasant experience.
Read the comments (no, really)
Home chefs create tons of YouTube content, so subtleties such as measurements and detailed instructions can often be missing. That’s when reading comments helps, when they tend to answer questions from their audience. Informality is part of the charm and authenticity; it reminds me of how my family cooked – a little of that, a little of that – and the way I studied.
There may also be a slight language barrier and comments can help. Some of the more authentic videos of Ethiopian and Indian food are not in English, but the organizers use subtitles or allow commentators to add translations.
Watch these videos
Mushroom and Pepper Masala / Mushroom and Pepper Masala Recipe @ 3 minutes
This is my first time trying this dish from a local diner. I knew it was a keeper, but I couldn’t afford to order as much as I would like. This video solved my problem. The mushroom and pepper masala is really easy to make and delicious. It took a little over three minutes, but it’s easy to do on a weekday night.
The instructions are extremely clear and include measurements – that’s a plus for me, but this video is great for explaining the technique. In the end, the way a dish is prepared is just as important as its composition.
Finally, watch out for coconut. It grows widely in Kerala , where it is an integral part of the regional cuisine. Look for curry leaves if you can. They make a huge difference in taste.
Caribbean Chicken Stew from CaribbeanPot.com
This video was published in 2011 and has garnered over 300,000 views since then, which is a great twist on Caribbean cooking. Chris De La Rosa launched the channel in 2009 to showcase the recipes of his native Trinidad Tobago. Ten years later, he has a website and channel dedicated to Caribbean-style food.
A special step in this recipe is browning the chicken in caramelized brown sugar, a technique De La Rosa says is common throughout the Caribbean. It definitely sweetens the stew. If you don’t like it, use a little less sugar than he recommends. Another key ingredient is coulantro . It tastes richer than cilantro, but the latter is a worthy substitute. Or, you can use recaito (sometimes called “sofrito”), a culinary base found in the international or Hispanic section of your local grocery store.
Ethiopian tea Tyler and Betty
This spicy tea is really good on dull winter days. It’s easy to make with cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. The only special ingredient is tossegen , or Ethiopian thyme, although a sprig of homemade thyme works as well. There is a special hint in the comments: the tea will become more aromatic if you lightly grind and fry the spices before adding water.
Ayib or Smoked Cottage Cheese by Samra Cooks
I first tried ayib when I ordered it on a whim. I liked it because it was a palate cleanser. I searched YouTube and found Samrawit Asfraw’s channel with a good collection of vegan and non-vegan food and her ayib video is as simple as it sounds.
Samrawit uses buttermilk with a lump of butter. I poured a quart of whole fat yogurt into a saucepan and cooked it over low heat for 15-20 minutes until the liquid and solids separated. (I do not recommend using low-fat or low-fat yogurt because it does not curl well.)
I didn’t have cheesecloth, so I lined my strainer with a couple of coffee maker filters, put the strainer over the bowl and let the whey drain. A liter of yogurt makes about a cup of ayiba.
These are some of my favorite recipes from the cuisines I miss the most, but use YouTube to explore any cuisine or technique that piques your interest. I learned how to make real sushi, bulkogi and East African roti, so don’t limit yourself. Food is one of the few forms of entertainment we can get right now, and a fun way to experience the world outside your home from the comfort of your home.