Delicious food from Naya Traveler’s new Online Recipe Book takes travelers on a tasty adventure across the globe. Image: NT

A new Online Recipe Book by Naya Traveler takes travelers to India, Guatemala, Brazil, Spain, Morocco, Cambodia, Argentina, and across the globe on an exciting journey rich in taste and flavors.

BY KAZAD

WASHINGTON, DC- The traveling industry is one of the most impacted by the coronavirus. People cannot travel or go anywhere: travel and tourism came to a standstill. When the pandemic broke early in the year, many people were trapped on cruise ships while others were helped up in other countries with no way to get back home.  In a matter of weeks, travelers decided to stay home for the fear of catching the deadly COVID-19. Many also began asking for refunds.

Social distancing imposed by governments in different countries was the final nail in the coffin of the travel industry. Deserts have become graveyards for airplanes that could no longer fly to their destinations. Cruise ships have also found resting places on shores far from home.

Although many travelers are lamenting the inability to go and enjoy other cultures and have fun, there is still hope for fun. A bright light in the dark clouds is that travelers have the opportunity to have new experiences from their living room. That new experience could be in cooking.   

Naya Traveler Creates Online Recipe Book

While travelers are sheltered in place and taking a pause from traveling, cooking provides an opportunity for them to bask in the memories of past journeys and bring some of those exciting flavors into their kitchens. For those who enjoy cooking, Naya Traveler is offering a new online culinary experience that will take travelers and would-be travelers on an exciting journey rich in taste and flavors.

To keep travelers busy during these uncertain times, Naya Traveler recently compiled a list of their favorite recipes collected over the years during their travels: the ones they brought home with them and adopted as their own. Sofia Mascotena, Marta Tucci, and Sarah Casewit of Naya Traveler all have favorites in this collection. The list of recipes is now an online recipe book that all those interested in cooking can access and use. It is filled with beautiful and exciting dishes from places across the globe.  

The collection is simple and authentic. Easy to make, no-fuss ingredients and delicious flavors that bring them back to the busy streets of Jaipur, hidden riads of Fes, or the sleepy countryside of Cambodia.  Each dish maintains the full heritage and the distinctive character of their home countries, both for locals and travelers alike. 

Online Recipe Book: A Taste

ARGENTINA

Traditional Beef Empanadas 

Empanadas are a popular staple in Argentine cuisine. They are easy to make and convenient to eat either at home, at a gathering, or on the go. The fillings are as diverse as the country’s own landscapes and the methods of preparing these hand-eating delights vary from region to region, where preparing them has become a well-established ritual easily reenacted at home. Nevertheless, meat empanadas remain the most traditional and well-loved variety.  Naya Traveler’s Argentine-native founder Sofia Mascotena will tell you she dips them in sugar before biting into them!

CAMBODIA

Khmer Chicken Mango Salad

Having lived in Cambodia a few years back, this was the one recipe founder Marta Tucci took with her when she left, and it’s become a recurring event in her kitchen ever since. For her, this salad is a vivid representation of everything Cambodia is – colorful, busy, a little hectic, green and tangy. 

This salad is made with a few simple ingredients full of contrasting flavors and textures. Although it’s possible to make substitutions (substitute the chicken with tofu for a veggie version), the key to its authentic Cambodian flavor lies in the green mango, so try to stick with this ingredient if you can. If you’re like Marta, you’ll want to add the last optional ingredient to give it a little kick. 

MOROCCO 

Atay Bi Nana (Mint Tea)

There couldn’t be a more iconic flavor to transport us straight into the heart of Morocco than sweet and fragrant Atay Bi Nana. For founder Sarah Casewit, who was born and raised in Morocco, the ritual of Atay Bi Nana is a way to remain connected to her roots and childhood memories. 

 Moroccan Mint Tea is more than just a popular drink—it is a ceremonial act and marker of great Moroccan hospitality. Therefore, when making Moroccan Mint Tea, the procedures of preparing and serving it are just as important a part of drinking it. 

SPAIN in Online Recipe Book

Gazpacho Andaluz

In the heat of Spain’s southern region of Andalusia, Gazpacho is the ultimate nutritious thirst-quencher. We don’t like to call this a chilled soup since there’s no actual cooking involved—a drinkable salad perhaps? And since it’s a raw dish, the key to a successful Gazpacho is found in the quality of the ingredients: ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, garlic, onions, bread, vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil. Finally, to turn this vegetable juice into a true Andalusian Gazpacho, you must not forget the sacramentos, a series of garnishes to taste, such as boiled eggs, homemade croutons, and a generous dash of fragrant olive oil. 

BRAZIL

Pão de Queijo

These oven-baked cheese bites are a popular snack and breakfast food in Brazil. Despite its simplicity, this delicious recipe is charged with cultural heritage: the origins of Pao de Queijo can be traced back to the state of Minas Gerais during the Gold Rush in the 18th century, a staple for the slave population at the time. Since then, it has become hugely popular across South America, and variations of it can be found across Latin America. 

GUATEMALA

Guacamole

The rightful claim to this globally beloved dip belongs to the Mayas, one of the world’s major ancient civilizations that once expanded throughout Central America. During the heyday of the Mayan Empire, avocados were a treasured crop eaten as a snack or accompanying more elaborate food preparations. 

Not much has changed to this day, except for the growth of Guacamole’s popularity across the world. Residents of Antigua Guatemala are affectionately nicknamed ‘Panzas Verdes’ (green bellies) as a result of their reliance on avocados and guacamole at every meal. 

INDIA 

Masala Chai

Masala Chai, which translates into spiced tea, personifies the scent and taste that India wakes up to every morning. This spiced black tea is milky, rich, and full of energizing flavors to start your day right. The fragrant aroma of the spices will immediately transport you to the eclectic streets of India, where chai wallahs (tea vendors) stationed at every corner ceremoniously blend the masala, brew the mixture and pull the tea into small metal cups for passersby. 

The full online recipe book is on the Naya Traveler website.

Naya Traveler Online Recipe Book contains international cuisines. Have you tried any of them? Share your thoughts.