My suggestions for what to cook this week include recipes for Spanish garlic shrimp or a spread of Spanish tapas if you’re up to it, an authentic Mexican guacamole to enjoy before a tortilla soup, and Cambodian favourites such as crispy fried spring rolls and fried rice, and maybe some Cambodian barbecue. And let’s not forget that soy ginger chicken.
After oodles of Asian noodles, Irish food, mountains of meatballs, Middle Eastern favourites, and pasta dishes galore, I’ve had cravings for everything from classic Spanish tapas dishes, such as our garlic shrimp recipe for gambas al ajillo, below, to all things Mexican, from authentic guacamole to tacos, all kinds of tacos, and Cambodian and Thai food.
But before I share some ideas for what to cook this week (based on my cravings!), I have a favour to ask. Grantourismo is reader-funded. If you’ve cooked our recipes and enjoyed them, please consider supporting Grantourismo by supporting our epic Cambodian cuisine history and cookbook on Patreon, which you can do for as little as the price of a coffee.
Another option is to use our links to buy travel insurance, rent a car, book accommodation, or book a tour on Get Your Guide. Or buy something on Amazon, such as these cookbooks for culinary travellers, James Beard award-winning cookbooks, cookbooks by Australian chefs, classic cookbooks for serious cooks and gifts for Asian food lovers and picnic lovers. We may earn a small commission but you won’t pay any extra.
Lastly, you could browse our Grantourismo store for gifts for food lovers designed with Terence’s images. Now let me share some ideas for what to cook this week.
What to Cook This Week from Spanish Garlic Shrimp to Soy Ginger Chicken
These are our ideas for what to cook this week, from Spanish and Mexican to Cambodian and Thai, and a Russian meal on Friday.
Monday – Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe and Spanish Tapas Recipes
This classic Spanish garlic shrimp recipe for gambas al ajillo makes one of the most popular Spanish tapas dishes on the menu at tapas bars in Spain and around the world.
It’s one of our favourites. It’s also one of the easiest tapas dishes to make at home, as long as you don’t over-cook the shrimps or prawns if you’re prefer.
Sweet plump garlic prawns are just-cooked in a fragrant, gently-spiced, garlicky virgin olive oil that’s just calling for you to mop it up with crusty sourdough bread not long out of the oven.
Serve it with the Spanish meatballs called albondigas, these chorizo and potato croquettes or croquetas de patata y chorizo, and chorizo in red wine or chorizo al vino tinto, one of our favourite recipes with chorizo.
Tuesday – Authentic Mexican Guacamole and a Tortilla Soup
As lovers of Mexican food, as well as Mexican-American and Tex-Mex food, Tuesday is #TacoTuesday in our home. I’m not yet sure what tacos I’ll make tomorrow night, but I’m definitely making an authentic Mexican guacamole first, as avocados are in abundance and cheap right now.
I’ll also be cooking a few other favourites from Mexico. I’ll start with Mexican guacamole as every Mexican meal should begin with guacamole as far as I’m concerned. If you can’t source avocados right now, try Terence’s spicy red tomato salsa or this Mexican corn salsa.
I’m also going to make this Mexican tortilla soup, which we learnt to make in Marilau’s excellent Mexican cooking class in San Miguel de Allende some years ago.
We can finally source corn tortillas and wheat flour tortillas and we’ve got plenty of homemade pickled jalapeños, pickled purple shallots, pickled purple cabbage, and Mexican pickled vegetables in the fridge, so I’ll browse these taco recipes to decide what to make.
If you’re not inspired yet, perhaps make Terence’s chilli con carne or my vegan chilli or these quesadillas or nachos. Whatever you decide, wash it all down with margaritas or maybe micheladas.
Authentic Mexican Guacamole Recipe Just Like Your Mexican Abuela Would Make
Wednesday – Cambodian Spring Rolls, Fried Rice, Barbecue Skewers and Salad
Wednesday is already decided, because I’ve had cravings for Cambodian food, which I haven’t cooked in a while. I’m planning on making a Cambodian feast but you could pick one or two of these Cambodian dishes.
I’m going to make some crispy Cambodian fried spring rolls and a bowl of umami-rich prahok ktis and some Cambodian fried rice, all of which make fantastic leftovers that we could munch on for days.
But I might also do some Cambodian barbecued skewers and a Cambodian salad. I haven’t decided on the salad yet, but perhaps this Cambodian papaya salad, or long bean salad with smoked fish, this green mango salad with smoked fish, or cucumber salad.
Whatever you decide to cook, if you’re going to make the spring rolls, we also have a tangy Cambodian fried spring roll dipping sauce recipe that you can serve with them. You’ll find more of our favourite Cambodian recipes here, all gathered, tested and cooked during our decade living in Cambodia.
I’m also very tempted to make this banana coconut tapioca pudding – just because. When you’ve got a craving, you’ve got to satisfy it when you can.
Cambodian Fried Spring Rolls Recipe for Crispy Deep-Fried Egg Rolls Just Like in Cambodia
Thursday – Thai Larb Gai, Green Papaya Salad and Soy Ginger Chicken
Because Cambodian food always leads me to Thai food – and I’m not just talking about my Cambodian culinary history research – I’m thinking we’ll make this tasty Thai larb gai and zingy green papaya salad on Thursday with plenty of steamed jasmine rice or you could opt for the northeastern style and sticky rice.
Make sure the rice is ready and staying warm in the rice cooker or steamer before you even start cooking the larb gai. Another dish that pairs well with larb is this crispy puffy Thai omelette, kai jiew, which we love to douse in homemade Thai Sriracha sauce.
I’m also going to make Terence’s fantastic soy ginger chicken recipe, below. It will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or the Asian slaw that Terence loves to serve it with.
The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue, grill or in a pan. It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.
Soy Ginger Chicken Recipe for Sticky, Flavourful and Succulent Chicken Thighs
Friday – Beef Stroganoff and a Garden Salad
I don’t know about you, but by the time we get to Friday I’m going to be needing some serious comfort food, which means I’ll be cooking up a few of my Russian family recipes from my repertoire of Russian-Ukrainian dishes.
Right now, I’m planning on a beef Stroganoff and a simple Russian garden salad, but I could be tempted to put a big pot of my baboushka’s borscht on the stove in the afternoon and maybe even embark on a dumpling making session and fold some big batches of Russian pelmeni and Ukrainian vareniki.
I like to use my dumpling making rituals as a chance to reminisce about the days when our family gathered for weekend meals and holiday feasts around my grandparents dining table. I might even make some stuffed cabbage rolls or even some chicken kotleti.
Will you join me? If that doesn’t appeal, you’ll find more of my best Stroganoff recipes here and I’ll be adding another new Stroganoff recipe soon.
Authentic Russian Beef Stroganoff Recipe for a Retro Classic from a Saint Petersburg Palace Kitchen
Please do let us know in the comments below if you make any of our What to Cook this Week recipes as we always love to hear how our recipes turned out for you.
