Peace Corps volunteers bring back recipes from around the world

They left Peace Corps, but Peace Corps didn’t leave them.

Years – even decades – after they served, returned Peace Corps volunteers, or RPCVs, cook and eat to remember.

The appetizers and entrees bring them back. To Colombia, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Turkey, Tonga.

Here are several recipes contributed by local RPCVs, who meet monthly to share stories and a meal.

Tongan ‘Ota ‘Ika

From Kristina Vanni at http://seafood.better recipes.com/tongan-ota- ika.html via Roger Reed of Spokane

Fresh ahi tuna is chilled with lemon juice and topped with coconut milk, onion and red chili for a little heat.

Ahi can be found at Costco. In Tonga, Roger Reed used capsicum peppers, which grew wild, as well as fresh coconut milk.

When Reed makes this dish he tones down the chilis a bit.

1 3/4 pounds fresh ahi tuna, diced into 3/4-inch cubes

3 teaspoons salt, divided

1/3 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup coconut milk, fresh or canned

1/2 cup minced onion or green onions

2 minced red chilies, or to taste

In a large bowl, combine tuna and 2 teaspoons of salt. Refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes.

Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Add coconut milk, onion, chilies and ½ to 1 teaspoon of the remaining salt, to taste.

Serve fresh – ingredients will separate after a few hours.

Green Beans in Olive Oil

From “Turkish Cookery” by Gulseren Ramazanoglu via Tana Dugan of Spokane

2 pounds green beans

1/2 cup olive oil or salad oil

2 onions, grated

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon sugar

2 medium tomatoes, cut into quarters

4 cups boiling water

Top, tail and string the beans, and wash. Place beans into a saucepan, add olive oil, onions, salt, sugar and tomatoes.

Cover the lid, cook over very high heat for 3 minutes. Lift the saucepan and hold it together with the lid by the hands and shake. Replace the pan on the stove. Repeat this process 3 to 4 times until the beans turn bright green. Add boiling water. Turn heat to medium and cook until beans are tender and the water is mostly absorbed. Pour the beans onto a serving platter and serve cold as a second course or as an appetizer.

Yogurt and Cucumber Salad

From “Turkish Cookery” by Gulseren Ramazanoglu via Tana Dugan of Spokane

3 cloves garlic, 2 crushed, divided

3 large cucumbers

4 cups yogurt

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried mint

6 tablespoons dill, chopped

1/2 cup water (optional)

4 tablespoons olive or salad oil

12 mint leaves, for garnish

Rub a salad bowl with 1 garlic clove. Peel and dice cucumbers. Place cucumbers into the garlic-rubbed bowl.

Beat yogurt and salt together until creamy. Pour this over cucumbers. Add crushed garlic, mint and dill. Stir until the mixture has a thick consistency. Add water if necessary and beat in well.

Trickle olive oil on top and sprinkle mint leaves to garnish. Cover and chill in refrigerator. Serve cold with ice cubes in individual bowls as hors d’oeuvres or as a salad or as a cold luncheon soup in summer.

Arroz con Coco Titoté (Rice with Coconut and Raisins)

From Kay Dixon of Spokane

This is a “rice pudding” thing. Rice is a staple in Colombia. This dish can be served at any temperature. Frequently, it is a side dish served with a spicy entree, most common in coastal regions of Colombia, such as the Cartegena, Baranquilla and Santa Martaalong areas along the Caribbean.

2 cups coconut milk, fresh or canned

1 cup long-grain rice

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup raisins

Place the coconut milk in a heavy sauce pan and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally to prevent the titoté from burning.

Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently until well coated with the titoté for 1 minute. Add the water, raisins, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring once.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently. Cover for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water absorbed. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy.

Sopa Paraguaya

From Frances Manring Peterson and Ian Peterson of Spokane

In Paraguay, this dish is traditionally cooked in a wood-burning oven called a tatacua.

1 onion, chopped

6 eggs

1 cup lard or butter, plus 2 teaspoons to sauté onions

1/2 tablespoon salt

4 cups corn flour (maybe a little more)

2 cups of queso fresco (or any mild cheese)

1 1/2 to 2 cups of milk

Sauté onion, set aside.

Beat eggs well, then add the lard or butter, and beat together. Add salt, corn flour, cheese and onions, and mix until well combined

Add milk last, slowly mixing it in until batter has a cake batter-like consistency. Continue to mix for 3 minutes.

Bake in a greased 9-by-11 pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.

Arroz y Habiuelas (Rice and Beans)

Adapted from dominicanflavor.com via Marya Nowakowski

2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups of red beans, cooked

1 small onion, chopped

1 habanero chili pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon achiote oil (may substitute 2 tablespoons tomato paste)

2 tablespoons Spanish olives

6 cups water

1/2 to 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

4 cups long grain rice, rinsed

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

In a medium-size pot, add the oil and the chopped garlic, put the heat on medium high and saute until the garlic is fragrant. Add the salt. (You can always adjust the salt level to your liking.)

Add the beans and onion, and continue to cook. Then add the chopped peppers, celery, oregano, vinegar, achiote oil and olives. Let cook for about 5 minutes, then add water. Bring it to a boil, add cilantro, then add the rice and give it a good stir. Continue cooking and stirring every few minutes. Once the rice has absorbed the water and is moist and sticky, pile it in to the middle of the pot. Add pepper, if desired.

Cover the pot and lower the heat to medium to medium-low. Let the rice cook for 30 minutes (without uncovering or stirring). Fluff the rice. Remove celery, if desired. It will likely be overcooked and mushy. Remove from heat. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with stewed chicken or roasted pork leg.