While I have been enjoying my time in Chile, one thing I miss is being able to cook and experiment with new things in the kitchen. I am lucky enough to have a kitchen in the apartment, but it is quite small and a month is not long enough to purchase some of the spices and ingredients I might have readily on hand at home. Because of this my cooking time and creativity has been limited. However, one of the pleasures I have had the opportunity to participate in at Universidad de los Andes is a cooking class. The cooking class was exactly what I needed to be rejuvenated for the rest of the week!
The first recipe my group followed was for the famous empanadas that Chileans love. The picture above is the final product of our Pino Empanadas. After having many Pino Empanadas, I am happy that I finally know what it is actually made of. Pino consists of ground beef, some spices, and onions. This homemade empananda is best empanada I have had yet. I was surprised by how sweet the onions were in the pino and I think they are what made this recipe truly delicious!! Though we followed the recipe for these Pino Empanadas, I also know that it would be a good recipe to experiment with because there are so many fillings that could be made in place of the pino. Below I have some pictures of the empanada process. I can't wait to make these for my family and friends when I get back home (maybe even changing the filling too)!
The second recipe we made was Leche Asada. This dish is the Chilean version of flan. After melting some sugar to become caramel and mixing milk with some more sugar and a few other flavors, the creamy base was baked and then chilled in a flash freezer with the caramel on the bottom. The final product of this sweet and creamy dessert was a great way to start the meal (yes, my group at the dessert first and the empanadas last)!
The last recipe our group made was a traditional Chilean beverage called Mote con Huesillos. I was not involved in the actual process of making this recipe, but I tried what two of the other group members made. It was a very sweet drink made from wheat, water soaked dried peaches, sugar, lemon peels, and a cinnamon stick. At first this combination sounded very weird to me, but after trying it I kind of liked the flavor. I have yet to decide if I will make this one for friends and family (maybe if I'm feeling really ambitious).
I don't know if I will learn to make any other traditional Chilean foods, but I am excited to bring these recipes back home because cooking brings me peace. This is one of the ways that my study abroad experience can be brought back home and shared with others.