Timor-Leste (Asia) 31 July 2026

Timor-Leste is located in the continent of Asia. It has Indonesia and the Philippines to the north, Papua New Guinea to the East, Australia to the south, the Indian Ocean to the west, and Malaysia and Brunei to the northwest.

The capital is Dili.

The official languages are Portuguese and Tetum.

The climate is hot and tropical with a dry season, May-November, and a wet season, December-April (https://www.timorleste.tl/east-timor/about/geography-climate/).

Staple foods are pork, fish, legumes, maize, rice, tomato, red beans, beef, poultry, pigs, goats and so much more (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Timor-Leste).

https://www.britannica.com/place/East-Timor

 IKAN SABUKO (Grilled Tamarind Fish) (https://amcarmenskitchen.com/2021/03/31/ikan-sabuko-grilled-tamarind-fish/)

• 6 mackerel fish filets
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• Juice of 3 small-sized calamansi
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Turmeric leaves
• Basil leaves
• Red & green Thai chilies

1. In a medium-sized bowl, add the fish filets together with the salt, pepper, calamansi juice, and tamarind paste. Give it a good mix and set it aside to marinate for about 45 minutes.
2. Line a grill pan with aluminum foil (about twice the length of your grill pan) and the turmeric leaves. Place the fish filets on top of the leaves, skin side up, and fold the aluminium foil over the top of the fish to enclose it.
3. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until done to your liking.
4. Once done, plate up and garnish with some freshly chopped basil leaves and some red and green chilies too (optional).
5. Serve with freshly cooked rice and a simple budu sauce on the side. Enjoy!

I could not find any place that had mackerel, so I used Rock Fish instead. Still the marinade really added great flavor to the fish.

RICE

I used brown rice!!

MAI HAN HAMUTUK (https://empower-a-dream.raiselysite.com/timoresedesserts)

• 250g sugar
• 250g flour
• 6 egg yolks beaten lightly
• ¾ tsp nutmeg
• 400ml coconut milk
• 1 tsp melted butter
• 3 TBSP sugar
• ¼ tsp of water

1. Mix the coconut milk with the sugar and stir until the sugar has melted.
2. Add the light beaten egg yolks and beat until smooth.
3. Add the flour and nutmeg and mix with a spatula. The texture should be like pancake batter.
4. Make a caramel sauce from the sugar and water.
5. Separate the dough mixture in two.
6. Add the slightly cooled caramel sauce in half.
7. Grease a pan with butter and pour 1/3 of the mixture without caramel.
8. Put on a hot plate and when the edges start to turn red, place the dish into the oven at 180F and grill function.
9. When redness appears on top, like a crème Brule, remove from the oven and spread with melted butter generously and pour about 1/3 of the mixture with caramel.
10. Return to the oven and bake until redness appears on the surface.
11. Remove from the oven, grease with butter and pour again 1/3 of the mixture without caramel. Repeat until finished.
12. Finally, remove from the oven and turn over on a serving plate.
13. Serve with vanilla ice cream and berries.

I put ice cream on this when I ate it. YUMMY!!

Here is my overall meal!