Generations War with Braun

This year, Braun turns 100 years old, so they challenged me: cook the same dish two different way - the older generation does it by hand, the younger by using the latest and greatest Braun has to offer in the kitchen. My dad and I did not hesitate, and agreed to accept the challenge! We had to decide on a dish first - we both love food from around the world, but for this challenge, we decided on a dish from our native Peru: Causa Rellena. The word "causa" actually comes from the Quechuan word 'kausaq' which means "gives life," and refers to the yellow potato (papa amarilla). "Rellena" refers to the stuffing. Making this very Peruvian dish we can use a lot of tools Braun has come up with in the last century.

Old tools vs Braun tools: Here are all the things we will use for our Causa Rellena. On the left, my dad's manual tools; on the right, my modern Braun helpers. I always wondered how much modern tools make our life easier and now we are going to prove it.

ingredients: 
1 kg potatoes
6 eggs
2 avocado
6 eggs
A handful of shrimps
4 Limes
​2 shallots
Neutral Oil
Peruvian chili (or Sriracha to substitute)
​Salt & Pepper
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We start by peeling the potatoes. There is never an easy way here, so we just have to use a peeler. Then we steam the potatoes. I prefer steaming over boiling, as they keep their consistency better and don't get soggy or fall apart.
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We finished our mise en place - each of us has the same exact ingredients. As you can see, my side is stocked with the latest and greatest tools from Braun. I have the Multiquick citrus juicer , where my dad has an old hand press. I have my Multiquick 9 with active blade, my dad has a whisk. To mash my potatoes, I have the masher attachment for the Multiquick, my dad will have to use his hand masher. And finally, to cut things small, I have the Multiquick chopper attachment, and my dad has a knife. Let's see who finishes first, or does it better in our Braun Generation Wars!

Mashing potatoes was not even close - I finished way before my dad. The masher attachment for the Multiquick performed splendidly - the potatoes get mashed, but not overly so. I like my mashed potatoes with a few chunks here and there, and it delivered. My dad's potatoes turned out great, but it took him a lot longer. I used the time to start cleaning a little. Once mashed, we add some salt and chili to the potatoes. If you cannot find Peruvian chili, Sriracha sauce will do.

Next we needed lime juice from fresh limes. By hand, that can get a bit strenuous, as my dad's complaints confirmed. Using the Braun citrus press was a breeze, and again, I was finished ahead of my dad, and with no hand cramps. I used this time to boil the eggs - we each needed two hard boiled eggs, so I just boiled them all to give my dad a break.

The citrus press is amazing, it extracts so much juice with minimum effort. I also like how this newer generation has a shut-off, so you can collect the juice first, then drain it into a glass or other vessel. This press is so easy to use, we decided on an orange subscription and we will make our morning orange juice ourselves form now on!

Our next challenge was the mayonnaise. Did you know that back in the day, mayonnaise was made with an egg beater? I am so happy I can make mayo in less than a minute with my Braun Multiquick hand blender. Due to my job, I always have oil and eggs on hand, which means I always have mayo just a (Multi)quick minute away! My dad got tired of beating that egg and oil with the whisk after a few minutes, and cheated by taking my Braun Multiquick to finish the job!

 The last step was cutting onions.. who likes cutting onions? a special tip if you don't have a Multiquick, put your onions 10 min in the freezer before cutting, then the juices of won't splash into your eyes and make you cry. My dad did this, which slowed him down even more, but at least his eyes were clear. For me, it was a breeze again with the chopper attachment. Again, not even close. 

Next, we mix the hard boiled eggs, mayo and shrimp, and cut some avocado. Causa is made like lasagna, it's all about layering. We start with a layer of the mashed chili potatoes, add a layer of avocado slices on top, followed by a layer of shrimp-egg-mayo, and topped off with another layer of potato. As you can see in the pictures, my dad and I decided on different decorations on the very top - I went with shrimp, he added a slice of egg. Do what feels right, there are no hard rules. 

Same dish two generations, they tasted awesome. Mine was very easy and fast to make, my dad's was more difficult and took a lot of time, but at the end we both excelled to make this dish. But to be honest, I like the Braun way better. So many steps were either sped up or made easier or both, there is no way I would go back to doing everything by hand. Causa used to be a labor-intensive dish, but with the right tools, I can whip this up for a quick lunch, without compromising on flavor.

A full video of us making this dish is in my IGTV at @twofoodieseating in Instagram. Thank you, Braun, for this exciting challenge. Not only did my dad and I have a fun afternoon cooking together, but the whole family enjoyed the fruits of our labor, and everyone loved the causa - hand made or with Braun's help, the taste testers loved them both.