Regional Cuisine recipe collection

Chinese pork balls (gee yok beng) mix ground pork with fresh ginger, scallion, water chestnut, and soy, shaped into balls and deep-fried golden. Tender inside, crisp outside, and endlessly dip-able.

Portuguese biscoitos shaped into rings from hand-rolled dough ropes. A simple butter and egg cookie that bakes golden, lightly sweet, and crisp.

This excellent soft pancake wrapper, easily made at home, is eaten in Norway with butter and 'geitost' cheese, or used to wrap delicious little morsels of smoked ham, 'fenalar', dried and salted leg of mutton, or a spoonful of berry conserve.

Potetboller are Norwegian fried potato balls spiked with minced anchovies, mustard, and a whisper of mace, then breaded and deep fried to a crackling golden shell. Salty, savory, and dangerously snackable.

Pseftokeftedes are Santorini tomato fritters mixing chopped Roma tomatoes, scallions, garlic, mint, and oregano into a pancake-style batter, fried crisp in olive oil. Vegetarian Greek meze.

Puliszka is a traditional Hungarian polenta layered with feta cheese, sour cream, butter, and fresh dill. Hearty cornmeal dish topped with crispy fried onions for a rustic Eastern European meal.

Rehruecken (saddle of venison cake) bakes a German chocolate-cinnamon sponge in a ribbed loaf mold, splits and fills with currant jelly, then glazes with chocolate and studs with slivered almonds.

Finnish fish chowder layered with salmon, clams, shrimp, bacon, potatoes, and red cabbage in a milk broth. A hearty Nordic soup that freezes beautifully.

Ukrainian kutia is a traditional Christmas Eve grain dish of buckwheat, ground poppy seeds, honey, and walnuts. The first of 12 dishes served at Sviata Vecheria, eaten cold and symbolic of family unity.

Rodgrod med flode is a Scandinavian fruit dessert made with red currants and raspberries thickened with cornstarch. Served chilled with cream and blanched almonds.

Saffron kulfi pops simmer whole milk with sugar until reduced by half, then bloom saffron threads in hot water and freeze in cones or cups. Authentic Indian frozen dessert without an ice cream maker.

Salat iz yaits: classic Russian egg salad with hard-boiled eggs, sour cream, mayo, garlic, scallions, and a touch of hot mustard. Bright pimento garnish, ready in 20 minutes.

Sanbaizu is a classic Japanese dipping sauce made with rice vinegar, dashi, soy sauce, and sugar. A light, tangy all-purpose condiment for dumplings, sashimi, and sunomono.

Sarma cabbage rolls stuffed with a three-meat filling of ground beef, pork, and ham with rice and paprika, simmered in tomato broth for over two hours until tender.

Beef and lamb chili simmers coarsely ground sirloin and lamb with jalapeños, cayenne, cumin, Mexican oregano, and a splash of sesame oil. Bold, fiery Tex-Mex chili recipe.

Scallop and green bean terrine is a French mousse of pureed scallops and creme fraiche folded with blanched green beans, baked in a water bath and served with tomato coulis.