Pasulj i Prebranac, a true Serbian life savior

 To eat beans have been a staple for thousands of years and have developed their own rightful place on our dinner table, beans and pulses are extremely important throughout the world, can you imagine a Indian table without any kind of Dal? or a Swedish Artsoppa on a winter Thursday for lunch? or a Brazilian feijao eaten with rice.

In the Balkans as everywhere else big white beans are an important staple and used weekly in some kind of preparation, most commonly as the Pasulj soup and the leftovers are then baked in the oven with some smoked pork knuckle or any kind of preferred meat until it thickens and become delicious.

Pasulj is the thing that the bigger the batch the better the taste so called vojnicki pasulj (military style

As a child and many with me we did not appreciate any kind of soup and my dad forced us to have soup before every meal, I hated it but now I like any kind of soup really, fast, comforting and in my budget.

I have my best dal Makhani experience at the Bokkhara restaurant in Delhi, it was a top off dal where they just added water and new lentils before thy go home at night and it stayed on to of the tandoor overnight simmering, they never ever empty the brass pot completely and this have been like this for the past 25 years, amazing history and the most delicious Makhani  (we went there for both lunch and dinner the same day) 

Here is my recipe for you to try

500 gram white beans (I use canned white beans 

2 L Water

20 gram paprika powder sweet

20 gram paprika powder smoked

200 gram smoked bacon diced

50 gram garlic crushed

500 gram white onion diced

2 pc chicken cubes (or replace with chicken stock)

salt to taste

Brown the onion, bacon and garlic in a little oil, add the paprika and stir well

Add the beans, water and chicken cubes and simmer for 35 minutes, stir occasionally

adjust with water if needed and salt to taste.

Enjoy with warm pogaca bread or proja (corn bread)

And remember to use leftover to bake in the oven the next day for lunch

Anthony Bourdain

 Ok guys a lot have being said about AB but I don't understand the hysteria and glorification of a druggy and alcoholic chef, 

Yes, he did write some fun books that I do enjoy reading but so did many before him and also after him, did I enjoy watching some of his programs, I did but I haven't put to mush effort on them all. 

The book kitchen confidential was from a time that many younger chefs today have no clue of and can for sure not relate to this like my generation can, I laughed when reading because it reminded me of a different time in life - minus the drugs and heavy drinking- and the description on how it really was back then, love that but it still doesn't make him some kind of hero or MasterChef or a god protected chef.

I am sure that he was a fun character to work with and to hang around but then what? so are many

To compare and to put him on some kind of list with the best chefs is out of the question for me and I wonder how people are thinking when they do, there is so many extremely talented chefs out there that deserve our admiration much more than he does, at best he was an average Joe.

Franck Giovanni, Sven Wasmer Alain Ducasse, Clare Smyth. check them out !!

If you can't stand the heat, get the fuck out of my kitchen and read his book for a reality check

Bug out Bag (BOB) for safety

 Many people ask me if I have a BOB living in security challenging countries and how that could affect if I need to leave really fast and get the hell out of situations that can possibly be dangerous, so here is what I personally have in my BOB always reachable with minutes notice.

1. Sterile first aid kit from Danish company Lifesystems that contains my personal medicaments, syringes and needles with additional  trauma essential kit for any problems, small but packed.

2. Is a really good multi tool for anything that requires pliers and a small sharp blade.

3.  A 1500 lumen rechargeable flashlight in metal that can be used as a hard hit instrument

4. Battery pack of 20 K that can charge my phone several full loads

5. A bunch of light-sticks in different colors for light when needed 

6. Small poach containing cables, prepaid international sim card, my extra passport and ID and money in USD to pay of any security when needed for better accessibility.

all of this is in a backpack with 2 liters of water (I change every 2 weeks) some light trousers, a t-shirt and a warm fleece jacket for cold nights.

Is this hysterical or foolish?  well when shit hits the fan and you need to bail out you sure are happy to have your gear ready to split.

Train as you fight - Fight as you train 

 

Kenyan world class coffee

 Me and Christina went for a coffee plantation tour outside Nairobi just so see how its done and how it looks like, I have been on plantations before but first time for her to see how it grows.

We choose Fairview estate a rather large estate privately owned by a former governmental person (I don't want to know how he got his hand on this) but anyhow they have around 85 staff living and working there and yes the maintenance is Kenyan style, wait until its broken then maybe try to fix if not just let it be because this will be another person's problem .... kind ow way!

This way to solve problems are extremely visual wherever you go here and really nobody take care of anything, and now I read that they want to become the new Singapore in 40 years.... good luck with that, will never happen, the culture and respect, mindset is not there, I strongly believe that this is what is holding Africa back.

I will come back on this subject for sure but for now enjoy the coffee farm.

Asante

Japanese indulgence and Sake

 I simply love my friends Masa-San and his place Gochi sake & dinner in Nairobi, its very easy to enjoy and its something between an Izakaya and traditional restaurant but more laid-back but with great food selection and some Kenya's best selection of sake with choice of a proper sake tasting with your food, yummy and I can't wait to go back, was there two times this month and I still want more.

I preferer the small bites and smaller dishes so I can taste more variations -) 

The setting is in a large villa with a large garden area that are transforming in a proper Japanese place with a new outdoor kitchen and very nice settings for both formal and non-formal receptions, lush green and cozy.

Thank you Masa-san for bringing a piece of Japan to Nairobi.

Kanpai and arigatou

Never forget where you come from and childhood memories

 Born in 1963 in a small Serbian town of Pozarevac on Industrijska ulica 76 and left at a very young age with my parents to Sweden, what we left behind is this very small house that my grandfather bought for my parents wedding as a gift fully furnished with everything they needed (they ware poorer than church rats) we kept this house for several years using it as a vacation home every summer, I loved it even the outhouse but scared shitless to fall into the pit as a small and skinny ass boy, I managed to stay surface !!

A few years later my dad sold this house to someone who I believe never utilized properly and now its all a wreck but for me its still great memories and part of my childhood that I cherish very much and feel fortune to have.

The photos is from my computer screen so not elegant but it tells my story.

Ziveli.

Cultiva farm to Table in Nairobi

 Restaurant Cultiva Home - Cultiva Kenya is a great example how a farm to table restaurant works with great success, just a extremely busy place both for lunch and dinner and the food is delicious and very creative without being snobby, great attentive staff (need more wine knowledge) makes the whole experience a worth travel destination when in Nairobi.

The menu is reflected on the owner who is a Latino so many influences are from Mexico, Ecuador and other places with a quirky mix and bold flavors that I enjoy very much, a chefs choice of place for breakfast lunch and dinner. some of the dishes I had on my last visit.

Hasta La Vista baby