With the UK and much of the world now in coronavirus lockdown, millions of people have already had holidays cancelled, while others have getaways planned for the coming months that are now very much in doubt. However, just because you’re not going to see those far-flung holiday destinations doesn’t mean you can’t still get a taste of some of the food you were looking forward to trying during your travels. 

With that in mind, here are some tasty international cuisines that you can cook at home in your very own kitchen. 

Exotic Meals to Cook at Home 

SEAFOOD AND CHORIZO PAELLA

If you’re missing out on a holiday to Spain or the Balearic Islands - or you’ve simply never tried paella before - now’s the time to add this delicious Valencian dish to your repertoire. This seafood and chorizo paella can be made in a single pan on the hob, so you won’t have to waste time washing up, and it takes just 45 minutes to cook. It’s a kid-friendly meal that your family will love. 

You’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Half a chopped onion
• 2 cloves of pressed garlic
• 150g of sliced chorizo
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups of basmati rice
• A handful of olives
• 1/4 of a cup of white wine
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 2 skinned chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 400g of seafood (prawns, clams, mussels, etc.)
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Fresh flat leaf parsley

Instructions:

1. Put your skillet on the hob at a high temperature. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil, garlic and chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes.  
2. Add the wine, stir in the rice and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and stir well. Add the chicken, olives, paprika and a pinch of saffron and stir again. Cover the pan and allow it to cook for 15 minutes.  
3. After 15 minutes, add the seafood and cover it again. Cook for a further 15 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and the seafood is cooked through.
4. Drizzle the dish with lemon juice, garnish with fresh parsley and serve. 

SHAKSHUKA

For the next of our food recipes from around the world, we travel to Tunisia to try the delicious combination of eggs, tomatoes and spices that’s known as shakshuka. Once again, we’re saving on the washing up with this single skillet dish that can be served straight from the pan at the table. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.

You’ll need:

• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 large red or orange pepper
• 3 cloves of pressed garlic
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• Fresh flat leaf parsley
• 5 or 6 large eggs
• ½ cup of crumbled feta
• Crusty bread to mop up the sauce!

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Warm the olive oil in a large, oven-safe pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomato paste, garlic, paprika and cumin and stir continuously for 2 minutes. Pour in the tinned tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes while stirring.
3. Turn off the heat, add salt and pepper and make a crater in the sauce using the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into the crater and spoon some of the tomato sauce over the whites of the egg to keep it in place. Repeat this process with the other 5 eggs.  
4. Transfer the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. The eggs are cooked when the whites are no longer clear and the yolks have risen.
5. Transfer the hot pan to a heat-safe surface and crumble on the feta and fresh parsley, before serving with crusty bread.

Our Favourite Food Recipes: International Cuisine Edition 

So far our food recipes have come from two of the regions you can travel to with Teletext Holidays, but now we’re branching out to our favourite international cuisines from the rest of the world.  

ETHIOPIAN SWEET POTATO WAT  

It’s only right that we cater for all you vegans out there, and this is a dish we know you’ll love! This hearty Ethiopian stew packs a punch with warming flavours and just the right amount of spice. It will serve 3-4 and takes just 30 minutes to cook.

You’ll need:

• 2 large sweet potatoes cut into 1-2cm chunks
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 3 cloves of pressed garlic
• 1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
• 1 cup of dried yellow lentils
• 1 litre of vegetable stock
• Around 250g of shredded cabbage
• 1 large chopped tomato
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• Fresh coriander
• 1 tablespoon of berbere spice mix

You can buy berbere spice mix in the shops, but as we’re on lockdown, here’s a guide to help you make it yourself. 

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add in the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of berbere spice mix, the cabbage, the tomato and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the sweet potatoes, lentils and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and allow it to simmer for 20-25 minutes.
3. Once the sweet potato is soft and the lentils are cooked, add the lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes with the lid off. Add the fresh coriander, give it a final stir and serve. 

ASIAN BEER BOWLS

These easy Asian beef bowls take just 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook using ingredients many of you will already have at home. They’re also a major family-pleaser, making them one of the best international meals to cook at home. 

You’ll need:

• 900g of lean minced beef
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 4 cloves of pressed garlic
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh ginger
• ¾ of a teaspoon of baking soda
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 5 sliced spring onions
• 300g of rice
• A handful of sesame seeds
• Chopped cashews

Instructions:

1. Use your hands to mix the beef with the baking soda in a large bowl and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. Mix the soy sauce, tomato paste, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl and leave that to sit, too.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat and brown the beef. Stir it frequently and break it into pieces until it’s almost completely brown. You can drain the fat if you like or leave it in for more flavour.
3. Add the garlic, ginger and half of the spring onions to the pan. Let them cook for a few minutes and stir frequently. Add the hoisin sauce mixture to the beef and make sure it’s well-coated in the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the remaining spring onions before spooning the beef over bowls of rice. Top with the sesame seeds and chopped cashews and devour!  

Food for Thought 

We hope our food recipes from around the world will inspire you to try something new that will keep you and your family happy, healthy and full during this difficult time. For holiday tips and more travel-inspired entertainment at home, please check out our other blog posts.