Food and family are what the holidays are all about. With the holiday season upon us, it’s the perfect time to try out some fabulous new recipes that incorporate traditions and flavors from other cultures and countries. International Fresh Market, your Naperville grocery store, has everything you need to create global holiday recipes at home. Check out our top picks for festive around-the-world recipes and start planning something new this holiday season.
Halal Holiday Delights
The Middle East has many recipes steeped in tradition and often enjoyed with family and friends. These are two of the best Middle Eastern recipes for all palates and preferences!
Recipe 1 – Moroccan lamb tagine
This celebratory dish is often enjoyed during festive gatherings and holidays like Eid. It includes the mild flavors of lamb and green olives, tempered with warm spices like cinnamon and cumin. To make it, slow-cook lamb, cinnamon, and cumin in a slow cooker or large stockpot, shredding the meat when tender.
Add green olives when lamb is fully cooked and serve over a bed of fluffy couscous. To elevate this dish even further, pick up halal-certified lamb and authentic Moroccan spices from your local international grocery store.
Recipe 2 – Baklava
A rich, sweet dessert that has become popular all over the world, baklava originated in the Middle East as a specialty for holidays. To prepare this sweet treat, layer phyllo dough (you can buy it from the store or make it at home) with chopped nuts. Bake it at 350 degrees until light golden brown and drizzle with rosewater-infused syrup before serving.
Try to source your own rosewater and premium nuts from the store. Walnuts are the traditional choice for baklava but you can use pecans or even chopped hazelnuts.
Latin American Holiday Recipes
Far from being spicy, Latin American holiday recipes are infused with warmth and depth of flavor. Discover a new family tradition and try one of these fabulous dishes this season.
Recipe 3: Tamales
Tamales are as much as a family activity as they are a holiday tradition. Made with masa harina, corn husks, and chicken or pork filling, tamales are easy and fun to make. Gather your family and prepare them by filling corn masa with your choice of either cooked chicken or pork. Wrap the tamales in corn husks and steam them until the corn masa is cooked. Serve the tamales with the chili-based sauce of your choice.
International Fresh Market has a wide selection of dried chilies and specialty sauces to assist in your tamale preparation as well as masa harina sourced from Latin America. Feel free to experiment with different filling and sauce combinations!
Recipe 4 – Buñuelos (Sweet Fritters)
Buñuelos are sweet fritters made from simple ingredients. Popular in Mexico and other Latin countries, buñuelos are delicious and not too heavy. To make them, form a dough of flour, sugar, and anise and roll them into flat rounds. Fry them in hot oil and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while the buñuelos are still hot. Pick up cinnamon and anise from an international grocery store for the best results.
Asian Holiday Favorites
Savory yet light, Asian holiday recipes are infused with fresh flavors. Incorporate one of these recipes into your next gathering and wow your family and friends.
Recipe 5 – Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi)
Chinese dumplings are traditionally made during Lunar New Year, but there’s no bad time to enjoy these succulent flavor bombs. You’ll need dumpling wrappers, ground meat of your choice (or tofu), cabbage, and soy sauce. To make them, fill premade wrappers with seasoned filling, fold the wrappers and either steam or pan-fry the dumplings.
Serve the dumplings with soy sauce on the side or any other Asian sauce you’d like. If possible, grab dumpling wrappers, soy sauce, and fillings from the Asian section of International Fresh Market for the most authentic flavor.
Recipe 6 – Filipino Bibingka (Coconut Rice Cake)
Filipino bibingka is a sweet coconut rice cake often served during the holiday season in the Philippines. To prep this delicacy, combine rice flour, coconut milk, and salted eggs in a bowl. You can also swap out the coconut milk for condensed milk if desired. Wash and dry banana leaves and line a skillet with them.
Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. International Fresh Market has coconut products and rice flour in the Asian grocery section. Grab what you need on your next visit to make this seasonal treat.
Indian Holiday Recipes
Perfect for adding flavor and variety to any holiday table, these Indian recipes are deeply comforting and sure to please.
Recipe 7 – Chicken Biryani
Chicken biryani is a dish often served at festivals, holidays, and special family occasions like weddings. With basmati rice, chicken, and plenty of warming spices, chicken biryani is both delicious and easy to make. Prepare it by layering spiced chicken with rice that has been partially cooked. Slow-cook in the oven for about an hour or until tender.
Pick up halal chicken, basmati rice, and biryani spices from your local international grocery store. These ingredients can be used across multiple Indian recipes.
Recipe 8 – Gulab Jamun
A dessert beloved during Indian celebrations and festivals, gulab jamun is fried dough balls that have been soaked in spiced sugar syrup. Make gulab jamun at home by making dough balls of milk powder, sugar, and cardamom. Fry them in oil until golden brown and then soak them in rosewater sugar syrup. International Fresh Market stocks everything you need to make gulab jamun any time of the year, including milk powder and fresh Indian spices.
Tips for Hosting an International Holiday Feast
If you’re hosting family and friends this holiday season, try incorporating a diverse menu that includes dishes from different cuisines. You could create a themed menu for each region or opt for a buffet that has dishes from all four of the cuisines highlighted above. For the most authentic experience for your guests, source ingredients from International Fresh Market.
Discover Diverse Flavors This Holiday Season
The holidays are all about embracing traditions both old and new, and food is a major part of that. Try out any or all of these festive recipes and infuse your holidays with flavors that will have you and yours begging for more. For everything you need for these recipes, International Fresh Market has you covered. We make it easy to bring the world to your table.
Visit Our Naperville Grocery Store for Fresh Flavors and Ingredients
International Fresh Market is a Naperville grocery store with a unique selection of pantry staples, fresh produce, and top-quality meats. Contact us for any questions about our product selection and make sure to share your holiday creations on social media. Tag our store for a chance to be featured on social!
