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Mango Pesto Recipe INSPIRED BY THAILAND SW Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, is also known as the Big Mango. The nickname is fitting because mango is a native fruit of Thailand. The Asian nation is also the fourth largest producer of mango in the world, and Thai people enjoy it at every meal from salads to a popular dessert called mango sticky rice. Mangoes come in a wide variety in Thailand. In the west, they are most often sweet and yellow, whereas other areas grow a more tart and green mango. SAVE FOR LATER Makes 1 1/2 cups Ingredients 1/4 cup shelled almonds 1 mango, peeled and seed removed 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger 1/2 cup fresh mint 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese Directions Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until the desired consistency forms. If using a mortar and pestle, crush the almonds until a fine crumb forms. Add the mango and ginger, and mash until smooth. Mix in the mint and mascarpone cheese. Mash until the desired consistency forms. Store pesto in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. Use throughout the week in the next two recipes. Pesto can last in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months. Uses Red Pepper Salad Salads in Thailand usually consist of a meat, seafood, or noodle base rather than greens or raw vegetables as seen elsewhere around the world. Thai salads fall into one of four categories based on the way the ingredients are prepared: yam , tam , larb , and phla . Yellow Chicken Curry Curry is crucial to Thai kitchens. However, curry’s origins are Indian. Thailand adopted this dish, but incorporated local ingredients. One noticeable difference is that Thai curry is often sweeter than Indian curry.

Lemon Pesto Recipe INSPIRED BY MYANMAR SW Lemons are thought to have originated in Burma, which is known as Myanmar today. They were found growing wild and appeared to be a cross between bitter orange and citron. In the 2nd century, the citrus fruit made its way to Europe, Africa, and other Asian nations. When lemons reached Rome, Italy, they were considered quite rare. The wealthy used them for decoration as well as medicine for curing ailments such as nausea and sea sickness. SAVE FOR LATER Makes 1 1/4 cups Ingredients 1/4 cup shelled pistachios 1 cup fresh blackberries 1/2 medium lemon, ends removed and cut in half 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese 2 tablespoons honey Directions Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until the desired consistency forms. If using a mortar and pestle, crush the pistachios until a fine crumb forms. Add the blackberries, lemon, and coconut. Mash until fairly smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Mash until the desired consistency forms. Store pesto in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. Use throughout the week in the next two recipes. Pesto can last in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months. Uses Bamboo Shoots Salad Shrimp and bamboo shoots are key foods in Myanmar’s economy and culture. Shrimp farming is an important industry along the country’s more than 1,800 miles of coastline. Meanwhile, bamboo shoots are popular among Myanmar’s markets. Tapioca Pudding In Myanmar, moh let saung is a dessert similar to tapioca pudding. It’s made with coconut milk and sago. Sago is a starch that comes from palm trees, and sometimes tapioca is used in its place as it’s another form of starch—starch from cassava.